News

Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the Oct. 1 kidnapping and murder of tech executive and Pleasure Point resident Tushar Atre.  On Tuesday night Kurtis Charters, 22, Joshua Camps, 23, and Stephen Lindsay, 22, were booked into Santa Cruz County Jail charged with murder, kidnapping...

Edgar Camacho-Esteves and Andrea Torres-Reyes are two of 54 students who graduated this year from Ceiba College Preparatory Academy. Both came to the school in the sixth grade. Camacho-Esteves, whose siblings also attended the school, says he chose the school after careful consideration with his...

WATSONVILLE—A disaster recovery center opened in downtown Watsonville on Friday to direct Pajaro flood victims to federal relief programs. The center, operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is open daily (except April 9) from 9am to 7pm at Old City Hall, 250 Main St....

A nine-hour standoff with a barricaded gunman in Salinas ended Wednesday with the gunman being fatally shot after he reportedly shot a Monterey County Sheriff’s deputy.  Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced Thursday that Sheriff’s Deputy Jesse Grant went to 29 Sun St.,...

Pajaro Valley Unified School District has hired a new public information officer. Alejandro Chávez will serve as the intermediary between the public and media, and the district. According to a Facebook post, Chávez brings more than two decades of experience in public service, nonprofit management and...

WATSONVILLE—After a year of being shuttered, Pajaro Valley Arts (PVA) has once again fully opened its gallery to the public. On April 9, the organization welcomed the public back with the start of its annual fundraising exhibit, “Take Aways: Art to Go!” Now in its...

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz Police Department is asking for the community’s help in identifying a suspect who wore a distinctive Winnie the Pooh sweatshirt while allegedly committing a burglary at the Costco store in Santa Cruz in March. In addition, the man is wanted for...

WATSONVILLE—Hundreds of students, staff and parents gathered at Ann Soldo Elementary School on Feb. 20 to celebrate the school’s 20th anniversary. Principal Elaine Parker said the celebration came in the same year that the school’s namesake would have turned 100. Ann Soldo taught fifth through eighth...

WATSONVILLE—A line of students from a variety of Watsonville schools on Wednesday filed through the Youth N.O.W. facility loading their backpacks with school supplies—from paper, tape and paints, to notebooks, pens and glue. “It’s emotional. It’s emotional for my staff, it’s emotional for me …...