Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: How 2025’s biggest Watsonville decisions could shape your daily life
Coming up on the Watsonville Patch calendar: Tech Café: Doodle Pens
Good morning to you Watsonville! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- How 2025’s biggest Watsonville decisions could shape your daily life
- Which Watsonville teams are heating up before this week’s home games?
- How Watsonville’s film festival is helping shape Santa Cruz’s newest movie night
Also on today's calendar: Santa Cruz Warriors - Los Warriors Game and 1 more event.
Find out what's happening in Watsonvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Today's riddle: What did the baby computer say to the mommy computer? 🤔 (Answer below!)
From our Partner
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Find out what's happening in Watsonvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Wednesday: Nice with plenty of sunshine, with a high of 73 and low of 41 degrees.
- Thursday: Nice with plenty of sunshine, temps: high: 74, low: 42.
- Friday: Nice with plenty of sunshine, with a high of 73 and low of 42 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Year in Review: Aptos Times 2025 (tpgonlinedaily.com) — Watsonville residents saw major changes in 2025, from a new affordable housing complex at Sparrow Terrace and a sharp drop in local homelessness, to City Council moves protecting protest rights and launching a safety overhaul of Freedom Boulevard. The year also brought leadership shifts at the Santa Cruz County Fair, a new Cabrillo trustee for Watsonville’s area, and emotional community moments around historic preservation and local tragedies. 
2. Hat tricks from Justin Alfaro, Jackeline Cano pace Watsonville soccer programs to wins (santacruzsentinel.com) — Watsonville High’s boys and girls soccer teams are rolling, with hat tricks from Justin Alfaro and Jackeline Cano powering big league wins and more home matches coming this week. Pajaro Valley and other local schools also notched strong basketball and soccer performances, giving Watsonville fans plenty to follow on the courts and fields in the coming days.
3. Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History to kick off 2026 with first 5 Minute Film Fest (santacruzsentinel.com) — Watsonville gets a shout-out as the Watsonville Film Festival’s director helps judge a new 5 Minute Film Fest launching this Thursday at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. The event will showcase 15 short films by emerging Santa Cruz County filmmakers, with cash prizes for the top three and proceeds supporting the creators.
4. Santa Cruz votes to terminate its contract with Flock Safety (santacruzsentinel.com) — Santa Cruz has voted 6-1 to end its contract with Flock Safety, the company that also supplies automated license plate cameras in Watsonville and Capitola, citing privacy and trust concerns. The move won’t immediately change Watsonville’s system, but it could influence future regional decisions about how license plate data is collected, shared, and protected.
📸 Around Watsonville
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Watsonville
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Tech Café: Doodle Pens
Watsonville Public Library, 275 Main St STE 100, Watsonville
4:30 pm
Thursday January 15
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Santa Cruz Warriors - Los Warriors Game
140 Front St , Santa Cruz
7:00 pm - Enthusiastic Bird Watchers @ La Selva Beach
La Selva Beach Branch Library , La Selva Beach
10:30 am - Odaiko Workshops
150 Blackburn St , Watsonville
1:00 pm
Saturday January 17
Tuesday January 20
Sunday January 25
📣 Watsonville Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- Parent-LedAU/DHD / ADHDMEET UP - In Person — SPINSC
Aptos Branch Library , 7695 Soquel Dr , Aptos
10:15 am - Bilingual Baby Laptime
Freedom Branch Library , 2021 Freedom Blvd , Freedom
10:30 am - Preschool Story Time @ La Selva Beach
La Selva Beach Branch Library , 316 Estrella Ave , La Selva Beach
11:00 am - Horses and BEYOND
Beyond Liberty , 185 Dans Dr , La Selva Beach
11:00 am - Afterschool STEAM: Minecraft @ Aptos
The Betty Leonard Community Room , Aptos
3:30 pm - Tales to Tails at Aptos
Aptos Branch Library , 7695 Soquel Dr , Aptos
3:30 pm - Afterschool STEAM @ Aptos
Aptos Branch Library , 7695 Soquel Dr , Aptos
3:30 pm - Mah Jongg Club
Aptos Branch Library , 7695 Soquel Dr , Aptos
2:00 pm
Wednesday January 14
Thursday January 15
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Watsonville PatchAM possible:
- Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible! - El Capulin Nursery — (831) 840-9195
El Capulin Nursery
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Hey neighbors, I wanted to let you know about an awesome Sushi restaurant not far from where we live in San Juan Bautista called Inaka Fusion this is the best sushi I’ve ever had.
Everything is incredibly fresh, clean and thoughtfully prepared with an impressive variety of options for both traditional sushi, lovers, and those… (Nextdoor Sunset) - There's a guy from "SFE Energy" making the rounds in this neighborhood at this very moment.
Never interacted with them until now, but after he left, I googled his company and saw that it's a well-known door-to-door scam in PG&E territory… (Nextdoor Almond)
- Government Jobs posted a job opening for Senior Recreation Leader (Temporary/Hourly) in Watsonville. Apply here.
- Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. posted a job opening for Crew Member in Watsonville. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Watsonville here.
Ok Watsonville! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I want my data.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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