News

Josephine Vidal (from left), Esther Herrera, Ignacia Gonzalez and Maria Cornejo join in folkloric dancing during Cinco de Mary celebration at the Watsonville Senior Center.  Older Adult Services Supervisor Katie Nuñez said about 73 regulars to the center were present for food, fun and dancing. (Tarmo...

The annual Cinco De Mayo Festival drew thousands of people to downtown Watsonville Sunday with live music, food booths, arts and crafts and information tables.  The free five-and-a-half-hour event was put on by Fiestas Patrias. It drew to the stage the popular singer Graciela Beltran,...

Watsonville city officials have ended a short-lived paid parking pilot along Aviation Way after pushback from local businesses, removing meters just days after the program launched. The 30-day pilot, which began earlier this week along the busy commercial strip at 45 Aviation Way, was intended...

A 42-year-old Castroville man has been arrested on suspicion of human trafficking, attempted murder and multiple other felony charges following an investigation that began with a reported assault outside a local shopping center, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. Eric Adam Melendrez was taken...

Protesters gathered in the Overlook Center in Watsonville Friday to highlight worker’s rights, condemn Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) round ups of immigrants, the use of Flock surveillance camera systems on city streets and other issues. More than 120 people gathered and waved signs...

Source: Watsonville Police Department April 24 • Someone stole a vehicle parked on the 100 block of Menker Street at about 6am. • An unknown suspect kicked in the door of a residence on the 100 block of Rio Del Pajaro Court at about 7:30pm. No suspect...

The Watsonville Police Department last week welcomed its newest officer. Beau Baugher began during his time as a Watsonville Police Cadet in 2011, where he first developed a strong connection to serving the community. Before joining, he worked as a paramedic with American Medical Response and...

Students in Watsonville High School’s Hope Club unveiled a “Peace Pole” Friday during a community-wide peace ceremony at the campus library. The permanent monument, engraved with the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in eight languages, was created to serve as a cornerstone of the...

A Santa Cruz County-based science education group took top honors in a regional underwater robotics competition April 25, earning a return trip to an international contest in Newfoundland, Canada. The Hephaestus Robotics Team, part of the Santa Cruz County Office of Education’s X Academy Robotics...

Pajaro Valley Unified School District Trustee Misty Navarro was appointed to the board in October 2024, joining at a time when five of the seven members were new to elected office. What followed was a steep learning curve, often marked by volatility, as members worked...