Watsonville / Pajaro Neighborhood Newsletter for Wednesday, December 17

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Good morning! It’s December 17 — here’s what’s going on in your community today…

A couple of morning showers in Watsonville / Pajaro

Today will be a couple of showers this morning with low clouds followed by clouds breaking for some sun. There is a 49% chance of rain. The high will be 67 with a low of 48. Showers now, changing to cloudy at 9 a.m.

Looking ahead: Expect rainy weather late Saturday night through late Sunday night

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Watsonville / Pajaro news

Watsonville Fire Chief Rudy López retires Dec. 31 after 35 years. New businesses—restaurants, home care, auto services, wellness—open in Watsonville, Santa Cruz, Aptos, Capitola, Soquel, Ben Lomond, Boulder Creek, and Scotts Valley.

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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…

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Things to do in Watsonville / Pajaro

Add an event to our calendar

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Roadwork is affecting traffic in the region

• A car hit a deer at 6:07 a.m. today on southbound Highway 1 at the Airport Blvd. offramp. No one was hurt. Fluids were leaking from the car, and fire crews were on the way. A tow truck was called and was expected within 25 minutes.
   
• A hit and run happened on northbound Highway 17 at El Rancho in the Eastside / Live Oak area. No injuries were reported. The incident was reported today.
   
• 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 last until 3:59 p.m. on April 1, 2026.
   

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Property development

• A permit application has been filed for a project on San Andreas Drive, about 1.5 miles north of the intersection with San Andreas Road and West Beach Street in Watsonville. The proposal involves adjusting the lot line between two parcels by transferring 46.5 acres from one parcel to another. If approved, this would result in one 84.96-acre parcel containing permanent structures such as offices, greenhouses, and a packing shed, and a separate 138.97-acre parcel designated for row crop farming. The intent of the project is to clearly separate the developed areas from the agricultural leasehold areas. (view details)
   

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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.

• Patty’s La Flauta at 106 E Lake Ave., Watsonville, passed a county health inspection on December 15 with no critical issues.
   
• George’s Liquors at 320 Walker St., Watsonville, passed a county health inspection on December 15 with no critical issues.
   
• El Valle Produce at 530 Walker St., Watsonville, passed a county health inspection on December 15 with no critical issues.
   
• Delicias Taqueria at 130 E Lake Ave., Watsonville, passed a county health inspection on December 15 with no critical issues.
   
• Macquiddy Elementary School at 330 Martinelli St., Watsonville, passed a county health inspection on December 16 with no critical issues.
   

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Community crime report

• A person was arrested for being drunk in public. The incident happened near the 100 Block of Atkinson Ln, Watsonville, at 10 p.m. on December 15. The person was taken to the Santa Cruz County Jail. (source)
   
• Police responded to a disturbance involving property damage at an apartment complex. The incident happened near the 100 Block of Quiet Meadow Dr, Watsonville, at 2 p.m. on December 15. An adult man was arrested for misdemeanor vandalism after damaging a window screen, with the damage estimated at $100. (source)
   
• A person took several items without paying from a CVS Pharmacy and was later found outside of a protected person’s address. The individual was arrested for shoplifting and violating a protective order. This happened near the 400 Block of Rodriguez St., Watsonville, at 8 a.m. on December 15. (source)
   
• A person was arrested for misdemeanor battery after refusing to leave Watsonville Community Hospital and swinging at someone. The incident happened near the 100 Block of Nielson Street in Watsonville around midnight on December 15. (source)
   

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.