News

Behind-the-scenes work by a Watsonville Police detective led to the arrest of a convicted felon who now faces several charges.  The suspect, 37-year-old Oscar Madriz, was arrested after the Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team (SCCACT) served a search warrant at his home on the 100...

WATSONVILLE—The First Baptist Church on Madison Street has a new parking lot, complete with state-of-the-art, dimmable lights. The project came thanks to efforts of church members. Pastor Jeff Eitzen said the new lot, with 49 spaces, two of which are handicap spots, was built on...

WATSONVILLE—Thanks in part to a massive surge in online sales, the City of Watsonville is adding roughly $1.7 million to its 2020-21 fiscal year budget. The allocation, unanimously approved by the City Council at Tuesday’s virtual meeting, means some departments will bring back positions originally...

The 14th annual Monterey Bay Birding Festival took place last week in Watsonville, opening a window to the plethora of waterways, sloughs and riparian channels around the Central Coast for locals and visitors to get a taste of the wealth of bird life and the habitat that supports them.

Sunk into dirt after left on edge of farm

A new mosaic mural adorns the exterior front wall of Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance on East Lake Avenue. The 35-by-5-foot art piece was unveiled Wednesday during a ceremony that included local dignitaries and PVPSA officials. The work was created by a body...

WATSONVILLE—Caitlin Bayaca is on track to earn the highest award of the Girl Scouts organization.  The Gold Award is designed for high school-age scouts and ambassadors, who create, propose and lead a major community service project. Bayaca, a senior at Aptos High School and part of...

SANTA CRUZ—Dignity Health Dominican Hospital announced Monday that it has received a $1 million donation, which will be dispersed to hospital employees who have helped fight the coronavirus. The anonymous donor is a “long-time friend” of the hospital who wanted to thank the workers specifically...

The Circus has come to town, this time at Ramsay Park on Main Street in Watsonville.  Circus Royal Spectacular—out of Las Vegas—rolled into town Tuesday, and crews quickly began driving giant tent stakes into the softball diamond  to set up their mammoth bigtop tent. Circus spokesperson...