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PAJARO—On Thursday, Beatriz Lopez returned to the small apartment she shares with 10 family members on Associated Lane in the flood-ravaged town of Pajaro, 12 days after Monterey County officials imposed evacuation orders for more than 1,000 residents. Lopez, 20, was among hundreds of people...

CAPITOLA—The Capitola Police Department is asking for the public’s help to identify the owner or location of a vehicle involved in the robbery of an armored truck Wednesday in Capitola. The vehicle is a black 2010-2015 body Toyota Tacoma SR5. Identifying features include: slight lift...

UPDATED, AUG. 10: Capitola Police are investigating after someone called in a false bomb threat to New Brighton Middle School, which prompted an evacuation of all students and the cancelation of classes on the first day back from summer break. Police found no devices during a...

WATSONVILLE—As Watsonville residents on Monday shoveled mud from their homes and assessed damage from the storm that wrought havoc and destruction across Santa Cruz County, City officials were urging residents to prepare for the next deluge expected on Wednesday. “Prepare for flooding, and prepare for...

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed legislation that will expedite the reconstruction of the Pajaro River Levee, moving construction start and completion time years earlier than anticipated. Assembly Bill 876 fast-tracks the work by exempting the project from certain local environmental laws and regulations under...

Cabrillo College is being forced to cut 70 of its 1,394 classes and $4.5 million from its $89.3 million budget as a result of low attendance and state funding cuts. The cuts amounting to 5% of its budget and classes came as a surprise this...

APTOS—Local artist and Pajaro Valley Arts exhibit coordinator Hedwig Heerschop recently raised $1,000 during the Open Studios Art Tour for children in Ukraine. Heerschop, a fine art photographer and printmaker, raffled off one of her photograph etchings, depicting a blue and yellow sunflower. She sold...

WATSONVILLE—When filing an insurance claim for damage incurred during the recent storms, property owners are advised never to use the word “flood.”  Insurance companies—driven by profit and therefore disinclined to part with their money—typically categorically deny claims for flood damage. That was among the advice...

Students invited to apply to Young Supervisors Academy  Santa Cruz County Supervisor Felipe Hernandez announced his Young Supervisors Academy for local high school and first-year college students.  The four-week program will be held at the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Government Building. This program focuses...

Traffic is channeled into one lane in each direction in what once was both southbound lanes of Freedom Boulevard Thursday as major improvement work continues. Joshua Nol of McKim Corporation said all traffic has been shifted to the west side of the road, while...