News

SANTA CRUZ—The top spellers in the annual Santa Cruz County Spelling Bee were announced Monday following the one-day event at UC Santa Cruz Saturday. Bayview Elementary student Liesl Hildebrand claimed first place in the Elementary Division and Gateway School student Sky Zeltser placed first in...

Volunteers help remove stacks of sandbags Saturday at the flood-stricken College Road neighborhood as part of a large-scale cleanup. The one-day event, which drew more than 100 people, was organized by Supervisor Felipe Hernandez and his Chief of Staff Ramon Gomez. Numerous members of...

Mark Strudley (center), Flood Control Division Manager of Santa Cruz County Department of Public Works, joins other officials in touring a College Road neighborhood recently to assess recent flood damage. Included in the tour were representatives from the offices of Senator Alex Padilla, Assemblyman...

PAJARO—The Pajaro River came within a few inches of overtopping its banks—and overwhelming the structures put in place to stop flooding—during the series of atmospheric rivers that swept through the region in the early part of January. That is according to Monterey County Water Resources...

A Watsonville firefighter helps clean up the scene of a two-vehicle crash on East Lake Avenue at Blackburn Street Thursday night. Watsonville Police spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said Margarito Martinez-Garcia, 19, was traveling westbound in a Honda Accord at 7:20pm when he plowed into the...

WATSONVILLE—A man wanted on several local and federal warrants was arrested after fleeing from officers and crashing into two cars Wednesday. Watsonville Police spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said the ordeal began around 1:50pm when patrol officers attempted to pull over a man driving a Honda Accord...

WATSONVILLE—A Disaster Recovery Center is now operating at Ramsay Park to help residents impacted by recent storms and flooding in this area. The public can access information and resources needed for recovery, regardless of the type of damage suffered, location of impacted residence or business,...

WATSONVILLE—David Toriumi, who ran his eponymous auto repair shop in Watsonville for nearly four decades–starting in a one-bay shop behind his home before expanding to the garage at 38 Menker St.—and who coached generations of young people after discovering an affinity for sports at...

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday voted unanimously to appoint a member to fill the seat vacated when Maria Orozco joined the Watsonville City Council. The Board could have also filled the Trustee Area 6 seat in a special election,...

ROYAL OAKS—For seven years, Little Hill Sanctuary (LHS) in Royal Oaks has been rescuing animals from abuse, neglect and slaughter, while teaching the public about animal agriculture and plant-based living. The nonprofit shelter, nestled on a steep hill off of Maher Road, is home...