Soquel man arrested for child sex crimes
SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Thursday arrested a Soquel man suspected of more than a dozen counts of sexual assault of a child.
Luis Ortiz, 59, was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail.
According to Sheriff’s spokeswoman Ashley...
Rain expected to let up after week-long showers
CENTRAL COAST—With the start of winter 15 days away, the final remnants of fall have set the stage with a blast of cold wet weather, accompanied by several sessions of strong winds.
David King, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service of Monterey, said Watsonville...
Watsonville murder suspect arrested after standoff
Watsonville Police on Tuesday arrested a murder suspect after an hours-long standoff in a strawberry field near Trafton and McGowan roads, just outside Pájaro.
Hector Rocha, 44, of Watsonville, has been charged with first-degree murder. He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail, where he...
Santa Cruz County Supervisors approve equity statement
In the minutes before the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors unanimously on Tuesday approved an equity statement and a series of steps to achieve it, Elaine Johnson, president of Santa Cruz County’s NAACP branch, described an experience five years ago that she says...
Santa Cruz museum installs exhibit at Watsonville’s Goodwill
A special exhibit from the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History (MAH) has been installed this week at the Goodwill in downtown Watsonville.
Kona Brewing Co. Tap Takeover TONIGHT @ Straw Hat Pizza
Straw Hat Pizza is excited to bring you the Kona Brewing Co. Tap takeover! This Wed. March 28th head down to your local Straw Hat Pizza at 2026 Freedom Blvd. and join the festivities! Starting tonight at 6pm-10pm.
We have live music & an amazing Beer selection! Raffle and giveaways all night long. Also Paint and Chill Party, Watsonville Youth Center Fundraiser so we will be raffling off some really cool stuff!
Live music from Jaime & The Allstars Band
City’s state-mandated housing goals expected to increase
WATSONVILLE—Although the city of Watsonville has made modest gains in its state-mandated housing goals, it will need to nearly triple the number of units it has built over the past five years before 2023.
That sobering reality presented to the City Council at its virtual...
PVUSD Trustees deny assistant superintendent contract
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday narrowly rejected a contract for an assistant superintendent position to oversee the district’s 16 elementary schools.
The move sparked tension among board members who earlier in the evening approved a timeline and salary range...
Updated public safety sales tax going to Watsonville voters in 2020
WATSONVILLE—The half-cent sales tax that significantly boosted Watsonville’s public safety budget for seven years will return to voters next year.
When it will appear on the ballot, however, is still up for debate.
Watsonville’s City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved an updated version of the public...
Community leaders host rally for Measure E
Dozens of community members and local leaders gathered at a rally Friday at Watsonville Community Hospital in support of Measure E, the temporary half-cent...
