Local News

Public defenders in Santa Cruz County will join colleagues across California and the nation April 23 in a coordinated protest highlighting what they describe as chronic underfunding and unmanageable caseloads that threaten defendants’ constitutional right to counsel. Chief Public Defender Heather Rogers is urging community...

Eighteen artworks by Watsonville artist Sefla Joseph are now on exhibit at the Aptos Public Library, along with a show by Aptos artist Diane Levin. Spread around the facility, Joseph’s works include abstract portraits done with charcoal, chalk, and ink and paintings in  acrylic/mixed media...

A countywide celebration of visual and performing arts kicked off Thursday and will run through April 26.  The Ripple Effect Santa Cruz County Arts Festival is the County’s effort to highlight the creative community during California’s Arts, Culture and Creativity Month.  Organizers said the event brings...

Editor's note: This story was updated at 10:50am on April 10 with new information. Watsonville officials said Friday that a proposed plan to house a designated sexually violent predator at a Main Street motel has been halted after the property owner withdrew, citing community opposition. The...

Work moves forward on the new Costa Vista Student Housing project at Cabrillo College in Aptos. The $181 million development will be the first student housing collaboration between a California community college and the University of California. The 257,000 square-foot project will span three...

Santa Cruz County residents are being encouraged to apply for the next Civil Grand Jury, a volunteer watchdog panel that investigates local government operations and issues public reports aimed at improving transparency and accountability. The 2026–27 term begins July 1, with the Superior Court expected...

A 4.6-magnitude earthquake centered in Boulder Creek rattled the Central Coast at 1:41am Thursday morning, with tremors felt as far north as Santa Rosa, northwest to Sacramento and Fresno and south to Salinas, according to the United States Geological Survey. No damage or injuries were...

Caltrans crews will perform safety improvement projects in Watsonville starting March 30, which will result in daytime and overnight closures of lanes along Highway 129 and 152. Travelers will encounter the following closures: • Hwy 129, from Highway 1 to Union Street: Daytime lane closures Monday...

The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday will consider a series of utility rate increases over the next five years to fund infrastructure upgrades they say will help meet new regulations and keep water, wastewater and solid waste systems financially stable. A new rate study presented...

A new Watsonville businesses celebrated a milestone on Friday, and another is planning its own. Staff of Life grocery store is planning to ring in its five-year anniversary, and Angry Chickz restaurant opened its doors for the first time. Alejandro Rodriguez and his mother used...