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Watsonville High School’s homecoming parade makes its way along Main Street in downtown Watsonville Wednesday. The WHS Wildcatz were set to take on St. Francis High School on their home turf on Friday.

Though Jody Chiang just started as a dentist at Dientes in July, her journey with the organization began years before when she sat in the same chair as a child—often. Growing up, Chiang dealt with her fair share of dental problems including cavities and tooth...

Santa Cruz County’s agricultural production increased in value in 2025, fueled largely by a strong year for strawberries, according to the county’s annual crop report. The estimated gross production value of agricultural commodities reached $762.96 million, up 2.8% from $741.92 million in 2024. The figures...

The 2026 Billionaire Tax Act is dominating airwaves this election season as Californians get ready to vote on the nation’s first wealth tax. Also known as the Billionaire Tax, Proposition 40 creates a one-time 5% wealth tax on taxpayers with over $1 billion in assets....

Editor's note, this story was updated at 3pm on Sept. 30, 2026 with a statement by Digital NEST founder and CEO Jacob Martinez. The Digital NEST tech nonprofit settled a sexual harassment lawsuit centered on allegations against Pajaro Valley Unified School District Trustee Gabriel Medina,...

A Santa Cruz man pleaded not guilty Monday to felony vehicular manslaughter, impaired driving and suspended license charges for a recent fatal collision involving a bicyclist in Soquel Village. Eric Joseph Poore, 41, appeared Monday before Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Nancy de la...

Emergency officials prepare to whisk an 80 year old woman to the hospital early Monday rafter she was struck by an SUV in the senior neighborhood of Pajaro Village in Watsonville. She was walking across Cynthia Drive at Tuttle Street around 6:20am when the...

A 23-year-old motorcyclist died Sept. 23 morning following a collision with a pickup on Corralitos Road, the California Highway Patrol said. CHP officers responded at about 7:01am to the intersection of Corralitos and Merk roads. According to CHP, a 61-year-old Watsonville man was driving a white...

When we learned that Dolly Parton had passed away on Aug. 25, so many of us in Santa Cruz County felt the loss personally, not just as fans of her music, but as a community lucky enough to carry a piece of her legacy...

At Jim Booth Swim School, kids as young as 4 months spend time in the water, building the skills to become strong swimmers under the guidance of certified instructors. Three-time Olympian swimmer Nicolas Nilo Oliveira didn’t get that opportunity. Oliveira grew up in Belo Horizonte, Brazil,...