Local News

By JAKE PIERCE, Santa Cruz Good Times News Editor SANTA CRUZ—For the second month in a row, a Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office jail official has been arrested for improper sexual relations and other charges. Detectives arrested 35-year-old Correctional Officer Jenna Baldwin on Oct. 4 at...

Nov. 20, 2019 Tarmo Hannula: Someone called 9-1-1 Wednesday morning after they spotted a man prowling around their carport on Harper Street in Live Oak. An SC Sheriff deputy arrived within minutes and located a suspect at 3:40 a.m. When the deputy confronted the man...

WATSONVILLE—Three men are facing felony vandalism charges for allegedly defacing more than a half-dozen businesses in downtown Watsonville with graffiti early Saturday. Richard Betancourt, 40, Javier Alvarado, 29, and Juan Bautista, 23, all of Watsonville, were booked into Santa Cruz County Jail on charges of...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville High School community is reeling from the recent loss of a much-loved mural that graced a wall in the school’s cafeteria for more than three decades. Construction workers refurbishing the cafeteria earlier this year painted over the wall after updating wiring and heating...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The loud boom that echoed over much of Santa Cruz County late Thursday evening—and the fireball streaking across the sky that accompanied it—was probably a piece of natural space debris roughly the size of a volleyball that entered the earth’s atmosphere and...

WATSONVILLE—A man and woman were found dead in a home in Pajaro Village on Christmas Eve in what police believe to be a murder-suicide. Watsonville Police Department Sgt. Mike Ridgway said officers were led to the man and woman by a relative. The Santa Cruz County...

WATSONVILLE—Those longing for the return of the Santa Cruz County Fair and the classic foods that the yearly event offers will soon be able to get a small taste of the annual bash and the delicacies that come with it. The Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds...

WATSONVILLE—Scores of restaurants around Watsonville have been hit hard by the outbreak of COVID-19. With shelter-in-place orders in effect, residents are asked to stay inside and limit their time near crowds. This includes going to sit-down restaurants, coffee shops, breweries and the like. As such,...

WATSONVILLE—A 23-year-old man was arrested late Saturday night after he led police from multiple agencies on a low-speed chase around Watsonville and Pajaro. The string of events started around 7:35pm when Watsonville Police got a call regarding a possible carjacking at gunpoint in the McDonald’s...

WATSONVILLE—A Watsonville man died early Tuesday morning when he was struck by a car as he walked along West Beach Street. Watsonville Police spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said the 42-year-old victim was walking partially in the westbound lane in front of Big Creek Lumber, 1400 W....