Local News

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a slew of proposed changes to the county’s justice system recommended by the Justice and Gender Task Force, a large coalition of lawmakers, public service and nonprofit directors, law enforcement officials and...

Kim Steinhardt loves sea otters. For anyone who grew up on the Northern California coast, this declaration might not be that surprising — but Steinhardt is pretty certain most don’t reach his level of fixation.

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council approved a new developer fee that it hopes will jump-start an arts renaissance in a city that has for decades struggled to find funding and space for the arts. If approved at an upcoming second reading, the fee will require developers—both...

WATSONVILLE—Heavily armed police from multiple agencies moved in on a home on the 600 block of Madison Street Thursday and took a man into custody on suspicion of attempted homicide. Watsonville Police Department spokesperson Michelle Pulido said Emmanuel Plascencia, 28, was arrested without incident. Pulido said...

WATSONVILLE—The National 9 Motel in the heart of the city will be razed in the coming days to make way for a four-story, 80-room Hilton Home2 Suites hotel. Kamalesh Patel, the owner of the half-acre lot at 1 Western Drive, was issued a demolition permit...

Smoke rises up from a wild land fire Monday in Aptos along Cox Road.

APTOS—The Cabrillo College Foundation received the largest estate gift in its history from the late Tom Sourisseau, a former faculty member who died at the end of 2021.  The Anatomy instructor left $2.5 million in his estate plans that will support biology scholarships and faculty...

SANTA CRUZ—The man and woman suspected of killing and robbing a woman in Pasatiempo on March 31 made their first court appearance on Tuesday, but did not enter a plea. Caitlin Crenshaw and Cody Huynh, both 23, return to court on April 14 for continued...

WATSONVILLE—A 150-unit housing development off Ohlone Parkway received a two-year extension from the Watsonville City Council at Tuesday’s meeting. The extension gives developer Lisa Li and new project manager John Fry some time to fix multiple issues that have arisen since it first received approval...

Nearly three weeks after the Aug. 8 double shooting after a beach party at the Crow’s Nest restaurant rattled the Santa Cruz community, no arrests have been made. Two victims were shot multiple times and remain in critical condition this week. Police have not disclosed...