News

WATSONVILLE—While the fire evacuation center at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds is reaching capacity for humans—only single cots and limited tent camping space are available—there is still room for pets and other animals. Hundreds of animals have been evacuated to the fairgrounds since the CZU...

Performances to be held the weekend before Christmas.

APTOS—When Oscar Cisneros was a sophomore at Aptos High School he and his friends felt their school was not celebrating its large cultural diversity. “This is a diverse campus,” he said. “There are so many cultures that should be celebrated.” Together, they created the Migrant Student...

Government, business and nonprofit leaders around Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito counties staged the 2025 State of the Region Oct. 17 at CSU Monterey Bay to discuss a vast list of topics from health care and air mobility to hospitality, tourism, advances in...

WATSONVILLE—Two weeks into the candidate nomination period for the Nov. 8 election, several familiar names have surfaced on city and county “candidate watch” lists. This includes former mayor and councilwoman Nancy Bilicich, who on Monday pulled papers to run for the District 7 seat, which...

Firefighters from multiple agencies were busy with a Wednesday evening blaze off of Melody Lane in the outskirts of Watsonville. https://www.facebook.com/pajaronian/videos/2423488927972071/?__xts__=68.ARCqCv3ijRLsmVTzW2QsNxWROAnyRMAmbhOb7fWZhXImJFRNQtgejTw4epGRlLSp3lfRX9bjTe0q0RMu9HlWImg__c6Jk0J1XFHESJYYLYbZ8F4AJequGJ9f3bTZxg6Bvnv0iWthJmP_78y4uxr4fJjLV8rjkj6JuTn0BJzA4cvdzd6XXj3GTLeRpwXz_nUEl2VcpA4Eqaho9PQTzur810M1BG54J4IKBtwN9TKDX0vgmHKwqd1VevXd5BZZaOfsQ8w_XClA72FWpaVBOMriU-LOGN0wRB6VmKbX6MGT0bASfdKKlE4jb8SP-a8SOG32s_ikNnOKhA55TSoFw1OyXuuG2q-pRd-OXTE&__tn__=-R Firefighters doused the flame just before 7 p.m., putting an end to the large column of black smoke that could be seen for miles. The...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville leaders past and present showered longtime Watsonville City Clerk Beatriz Vasquez Flores with praise at Tuesday night’s Watsonville City Council meeting, honoring the outgoing official for her 42 years of service to the municipality. Along with kind words from active city council members and...

A big rig carrying 40,000 pounds of printer paper toppled into a ravine on Highway 152 (Hecker Pass) just after 9am Monday. The California Highway Patrol said the male driver, who suffered only minor injuries, was traveling from LA to Watsonville for the PTS,...

SCOTTS VALLEY—Cool, moist weather throughout the day continued to help firefighters battle the CZU August Lightning Complex fires, which have now scorched 78,684 acres, and as of Monday night was 13% contained, firefighters told reporters during a press conference. During the conference, Santa Cruz County...