Good morning! It’s December 18 — here’s what’s going on in your community today…
Fog in the a.m.; partly sunny in Watsonville / Pajaro
Today will be patchy morning fog will reduce visibiity; otherwise, partly sunny. There is a 1% chance of rain. The high will be 65 with a low of 46. Fog now, changing to mostly sunny at 1 p.m.
Looking ahead: Expect rainy weather late Saturday night through Sunday afternoon
Top news from nearby
The California Supreme Court upheld public access to Seacliff State Beach’s 800-foot walkway in Aptos, ordering removal of fences and ensuring the area remains open for community use.
California Supreme Court decision maintains public access to Aptos beachfront walkway, county says
By Hillary Ojeda
Dec 18, 2025
Give the gift of Lookout: Articles, memberships, merch and more
By Lookout Santa Cruz
December 16, 2025
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What’s new around you
▼︎ police incidents ▼︎ road incidents ▼︎ real estate ▼︎ food inspections ▼︎ events
Read on to see the details about each item…
Things to do in Watsonville / Pajaro
Crafternoon
Looking for a fun and creative way to spend your Wednesday and Friday afternoons with your family? Join us for our Crafternoons on Wednesdays and Frid…
At Main Library – 275 Main Street on December 19
Cars and Coffee
Classic cars and coffee every Saturday morning, in East Lake Village Shopping Center. It doesn’t get much better. Come walk around the expansive parki…
At East Lake Village Shopping Center on December 20
Repeats 21 more times until May 16
Roadwork is affecting traffic in the region
- One-way traffic control is in place on SR-129 at Rogge Lane because of utility work. The closure is expected to end at 3:01 p.m. on December 20.
- A lane on West SR-129 at the Walker Street railroad crossing is closed for utility work. The closure is expected to end at 3:01 p.m. on December 22.
- A lane on eastbound and westbound SR-152 at Lincoln St. and Beach St. is closed for utility work. The closure is expected to end at 3:01 p.m. on December 22.
- There is a one-way traffic closure on South Highway 9 at Lorenzo Avenue in San Lorenzo Valley because of emergency work. The closure is expected to end at 3:59 p.m. on April 1, 2026.
Property development
- The Santa Cruz County Planning Department has received a zoning application for a proposed project at 550 Sand Dollar Drive in Watsonville. The project seeks approval to operate a three-bedroom vacation rental at this location. In order for this use to move forward, the applicant must obtain a Vacation Rental Permit from the county. (view application)
Restaurant inspections
County officials regularly inspect food facilities to ensure compliance with state laws. Here, Lookout Santa Cruz reports both those who have passed the inspections and those that the county deems to have a “major” issue. The county’s full ongoing report can be accessed here.
- Ann Soldo Elementary School at 1140 Menasco Dr, Watsonville, passed a county health inspection on December 16 with no critical issues.
- E.a. Hall Jr High School at 201 Brewington, Watsonville, passed a county health inspection on December 16 with no critical issues.
- Mintie White Elementary School at 515 Palm Ave., Watsonville, passed a county health inspection on December 16 with no critical issues.
- Sequoia School at 229 Green Valley Rd, Freedom, passed a county health inspection on December 17 with no critical issues.
- Amesti Elementary School at 25 Amesti Rd, Watsonville, passed a county health inspection on December 17 with no critical issues.
Community crime report
- A person was arrested for running from police, having drug paraphernalia, and violating probation. The incident happened near the 100 Block of Main St., Watsonville, at 3 a.m. on December 17. (source)
- A person was arrested for public intoxication and later admitted to being involved in a hit and run crash that caused property damage while driving under the influence of alcohol. The incident happened near the 400 Block of 2nd St., Watsonville, at 10 p.m. on December 16. The person was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail. (source)
- A person was pushed in the lobby of the Resetar Hotel. This happened near the 100 Block of W Lake Ave. in Watsonville at 11 a.m. on December 16. The person who did the pushing was not found at the time of the report. (source)
- A person was stopped on a bicycle and found with drug paraphernalia. They were given a citation and released at the scene. The incident happened near Hushbeck Ave. & Center St., Watsonville at 9 a.m. on December 16. (source)
- A caretaker is being investigated for taking $110,500 from an elderly person by writing checks to herself. The incident happened near the 900 Block of McKenzie Ave., Watsonville, around noon on March 4. (source)
Note on today’s report: Some of the incidents listed are not recent. This can happen for a couple of reasons: Delays in agency reporting — sometimes officials don’t file reports right away, or agencies release batches of reports weeks later. Delays in public complaints — people may not notice or decide to contact police until some time after an incident. Please contact the responsible law-enforcement agency or your local elected officials if you have concerns about their delay in releasing information.
Disclosure: Traffic incidents, property development updates and police incidents are partially generated by artificial intelligence. We are constantly working to improve the accuracy and quality of our AI-generated content. However, there may still be errors or inaccuracies. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.