50 F
Watsonville
January 7, 2026

Residents rekindle fight against hotel

WATSONVILLE—A group of neighbors is again fighting the construction of a hotel in the heart of downtown, this time claiming the City of Watsonville has for years worked with a company that is currently suspended by two state agencies. AARAV Hospitality, LLC was penalized and...

FBI links alleged Sheriff’s deputy killer to death of federal officer in Oakland

Steven Carrillo
By Jake Pierce, Good Times OAKLAND—The Ben Lomond man charged with killing a Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputy on June 6 was also the gunman in the shooting of two law enforcement officers in Oakland last month, U.S. Attorney Dave Anderson alleged Tuesday. Millbrae resident Robert...

Field view | Photo Gallery

Do you have a recent photo you’d like to share? Send it to us for consideration by emailing it to [email protected] or mailing it to 21 Brennan St., Suite 14, Watsonville, CA 95076. Please include a brief description of the photo as well as the...

A new path

Watsonville Prep School, which is run by Navigator Schools, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday, an event attended by parents, students, teachers and administrators.

2021 County Fair was best one yet, manager says

County Fair
WATSONVILLE—Although Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Manager Dave Kegebein had not yet sat down and pored over the attendance numbers from the weekend’s County Fair, he was confident in saying Tuesday that this year’s event was “absolutely the best Fair ever.” “Everything went really smoothly and...

Freedom McDonald’s undergoing complete rebuild

watsonville freedom McDonald's
WATSONVILLE—McDonald’s restaurant, one of the business pillars of the Freedom Boulevard corridor in Watsonville since 1974, was torn into by a demolition crew Monday. Armed with a massive excavator, the team from A&S Metals grabbed hunks of the building starting at 8:15am inside a chain-link...

Suspect in recent Watsonville murder case arrested

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Police on Tuesday arrested a Watsonville man for a fatal shooting near Ramsay Park from last year. Julio Sanchez, 22, has been charged with murder. He was already in custody in Santa Cruz County Jail for vehicle theft and other charges. He is being...

Red Cross Heroes announced

On June 16, 15-year-old Watsonville resident Reese Selck will be among 11 community members who will be honored by the American Red Cross of the Central Coast during the 12th Annual Heroes Breakfast.

Moveable Murals exhibit returns to downtown Watsonville

The first phase of Pajaro Valley Arts’ (PVA) annual Moveable Murals exhibit has been installed in downtown Watsonville, and this year’s show brings something new into the mix. Now in its third year, Moveable Murals showcases local artists in public venues across the city. This...

Aptos flag poles come down

Aptos Par 3 Golf Course
APTOS—Four 160-foot flag poles that once served as radio towers and loomed over the heavily-traveled intersection of State Park Drive at Highway 1 were brought back to Earth Tuesday. A crew from the Bigge Crane and Rigging Co. used a huge crane to grab onto...
7,695FansLike
4,949FollowersFollow
2,895FollowersFollow

2026 Santa Cruz County Fair theme contest underway

Organizers at the Santa Cruz County Fair are asking the public for ideas for a theme for the 2026 County Fair. Anyone who has a...