55 F
Watsonville
March 3, 2026

Police spending in Watsonville’s proposed budget draws criticism

Watsonville city council
WATSONVILLE—Over the next two years, the city of Watsonville plans to invest roughly $7.5 million to give Sotomayor Soccer Field at Ramsay Park a complete makeover and get several other projects at the city’s largest park “shovel ready.” It also hopes to increase the funding...

State Superintendent visits shuttered Pajaro Middle School

tony thurmond pajaro middle school brianna vanegas
PAJARO—Pajaro Middle School will remain closed for the rest of the school year after a flood on March 11 damaged half the classrooms, Pajaro Valley Unified School District Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez said Friday. A sizable pool of water still stands in a recessed floor in...

Man arrested for damaging numerous vehicles, building

Three law enforcement agencies responded to the west side of Watsonville early Monday afternoon after a man allegedly pelted passing cars with sticks and rocks, and smashed the windows of four vehicles and a building. Martin Cruz Chavez, 33, was taken to Santa Cruz County...

‘Choked up: Artichoke Festival to end after 65 years

The Artichoke Festival has been a mainstay for summer entertainment on the Central Coast for more than six decades, a time for locals to nosh on delicacies and celebrate the crop that helped put the region on the map. “With deep gratitude and heavy hearts,...

Arrest made in Siskiyou County homicide linked to Santa Cruz County

SISKIYOU COUNTY—The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday arrested a man in connection with the shooting death of a former Santa Cruz County man. Timothy Chase McDonald, 22, of Yreka was arrested for murder and was booked at the Siskiyou County Jail in Yreka. He...

Boulder Creek shooting victim ID’d

sirens
BOULDER CREEK—The 18-year-old who was killed Saturday at a party at a Boulder Creek residence—Rowan Parham—was described as a man who loved his friends and family, a sentiment that was returned by the people who knew him. “Anyone that knew Rowan, knew that he was...

Bus driver ‘sick-out’ disrupts school days

bus drivers PVUSD
WATSONVILLE—More than 40 school bus drivers who conducted a “sick-out” on Oct. 21 and 24 are back at work, and Pajaro Valley Unified School District Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez has called the action “unlawful,” saying it violated the recent CSEA Collective Bargaining Agreement. “We deeply regret...

CHP searching for new officers

California Highway Patrol officer Israel Murrillo
The California Highway Patrol is not only searching for speeding motorists and expired registrations: They’re also on the lookout for new officers. Israel Murillo Jr., public information officer with the Santa Cruz area CHP, was campaigning recently at the Santa Cruz County Fair with a...

New Santa Cruz County health officer set for appointment

Lisa hernandez
The City of Berkeley's health officer, Dr. Lisa Hernandez, is poised to take leadership of Santa Cruz County's Health Services Agency if her appointment is approved by the county Board of Supervisors next week.  Hernandez, who has 25 years of experience as a medical doctor...

CNN documentary set in Watsonville

Salud Para La Gente’s Director of Women’s Health, Dr. Cristina Gamboa, is featured in the latest episode of “Giving Birth in America,” a documentary series by Every Mother Counts, available on CNN.com and CNNgo.
7,695FansLike
4,949FollowersFollow
2,895FollowersFollow

‘Catz survive PK shootout to capture 13th CCS title | Boys...

The word pressure had no meaning for Watsonville junior Jesus Contreras-Barboza during last weekend’s Central Coast Section Division II boys soccer championship game. The crowd...