Sergeant bids farewell to WPD
WATSONVILLE—As the aroma of sizzling meats, tortillas and salsa wafted across the parking lot of Watsonville Police Department May 11, a swarm of retired and current police officers and WPD staff gathered for a friendly send off to Sgt. Bryan Fuentez on his final...
Adrian Gonzalez loses bid for parole
The man who kidnapped, raped and murdered an 8-year-old girl before placing her body in a recycling bin in 2015 will spend at least another two years in prison.
After less than a week of deliberations, a jury denied Adrian “A.J.” Gonzlaez’s bid for parole...
Bike organization keeps moving
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville-based Community Bike Collective was set to host an official public launch sometime this spring as it looked to bring bicycle programs to people of all ages across the county.
With a shelter-in-place order prompted by the novel coronavirus, however, that fete has been delayed.
But...
Local organizations rally for awareness of human trafficking
APTOS—Ten years ago, former President Barack Obama made a Presidential Proclamation deeming January National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, intending to raise awareness and equip people with the tools to recognize and combat the problem.
It was only 10 years prior to that, that...
Art on the battlefield: Karate instructor aims to preserve tradition
Sensei Fred Castillo has continued practicing and teaching karate in Watsonville for decades.
All Santa Cruz County schools to close March 16-20
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Office of Education on Thursday evening announced that all schools in the county will be closed from March 16-20.
The announcement was emailed to parents throughout the county one day after a case was confirmed in a person with...
Watsonville’s ambitious plan aims to address changing climate
WATSONVILLE—The city of Watsonville has taken its biggest step yet in making a commitment to address climate change locally.
On Oct. 26, the City Council unanimously approved the 2030 Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (CAAP), aiming to make policy changes in order to cut emissions,...
7 streaming options to pass the time
Johanna Miller
His Dark Materials (HBO/BBC)
I was both excited and nervous when I heard that BBC and HBO would be releasing a miniseries adaptation of my favorite book series, “His Dark Materials” by Philip Pullman. As a longtime fan, I was hoping it would at...
Truck collides with Highway 1 bridge
Highway 1 was shut down for four hours early Monday when a dump truck slammed into the Freedom Boulevard overcrossing to Highway 1 in Aptos.
The California Highway Patrol said the truck was traveling northbound on Highway 1 at an unspecified time. The truck’s bed...
County unveils “transformative” youth crisis center
For years, Santa Cruz County lacked a youth crisis center, meaning that young people experiencing a mental health crisis were taken to overloaded emergency...
