Good morning! It’s February 26 — here’s what’s going on in your community today…
Partly sunny and pleasant in Watsonville / Pajaro
Today will be pleasant with intervals of clouds and sun. There is a 1% chance of rain. The high will be 76 with a low of 51. Partly sunny now, changing to partly cloudy at 6 p.m.
Looking ahead: Expect showers late Sunday night
Top news from nearby
First bird flu cases confirmed in California’s northern elephant seals
By Cassidy Beach
February 26, 2026
What’s new around you
▼︎ police incidents ▼︎ road incidents ▼︎ events
Read on to see the details about each item…
Things to do in Watsonville / Pajaro
Elevating LGBTQ+ Inclusion for Santa Cruz County businesses and non-profits
Join us for the second annual Elevate event. Leave with new tools to ensure your business is more inclusive. Continental breakfast included
At Hotel Paradox on February 26
2026 State of the Valley
A “town hall” meeting that convenes the entire region for dialogue about Silicon Valley’s challenges and opportunities
At San José State University on February 27
Roadwork is affecting traffic in the region
- A lane is closed on westbound SR-152 at Clifford Drive/Ohlone Parkway for asphalt paving. The closure will last until July 3 at 5:59 a.m.
- South Highway 9 at Lorenzo Avenue in San Lorenzo Valley has one-way traffic because of emergency work. This closure will last until April 1 at 3:59 p.m.
- The right lane of northbound Highway 1 between Rio del Mar Blvd. and State Park Dr. in Aptos will be closed on Saturday, February 28, from 5:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Delays of up to 15 minutes are expected.
- One lane is closed on North Highway 9 at Encinal Street in the Westside/Downtown area because of shoulder work. The closure will last until 3:01 p.m. on February 28.
Community crime report
- A person was injured by their spouse or partner, held against their will with violence, and assaulted with force that could have caused serious injury. This happened near the 100 block of Littleway Court in Santa Cruz County at 1 a.m. on February 2. (source)
- A sexual battery incident happened near the 140 block of Main Street in Watsonville at 11 a.m. on February 5. (source)
- A robbery happened near the 400 block of Beck Street in Santa Cruz County at 10 a.m. on February 3. (source)
- A person was arrested for battery on a spouse, contempt of court, violating a protective order, unauthorized entry, vandalism, and assault. The incident happened near the 100 block of Main Street in Watsonville. It occurred at 4 p.m. on December 31. (source)
- A domestic violence incident happened near Sudden St. and Palm Ave. in Watsonville at 2 a.m. on February 8. (source)
- A person threatened to commit a crime with the intent to scare others. This happened near the 100 block of Union Street in Watsonville at 3 p.m. on February 7. (source)
- A person was involved in several acts of vandalism, including damaging property worth $400 or more, throwing substances at vehicles with the intent to cause serious harm, and possessing a controlled substance. The person also violated probation. This happened near Main St. and Progress Dr in Watsonville at midnight on February 1. (source)
- A person was found carrying a concealed dirk or dagger near Green Valley Road and Thicket Lane in Santa Cruz County at 11 a.m. on February 1. (source)
- A person was cited and released for altering an imitation firearm to look like a real firearm. The incident happened near Lake Ave. & Brewington Ave. in Watsonville at 3 p.m. on February 24. (source)
- A battery incident happened at Golds Gym near the 100 Block of Westridge Dr in Watsonville. It occurred at 8 p.m. on February 24. Two people were arrested, cited, and released after allegedly attacking two others. (source)
- A trespassing incident happened near the 100 block of West Fifth Street in Watsonville at 2 p.m. on February 8. (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 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.