Local News

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to join a state-run rent relief program, which makes more than $16 million in federal funds available to local renters unable to pay their rent and utilities due to...

WATSONVILLE—A man who was shot Feb. 13 on the Pajaro River levee at the end of Walker Street has died from his injuries, Watsonville Police Department spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said. The case is now being investigated as a homicide, she said. According to Pulido, officers responded...

By Stacy Cowley and Jim Tankersley, of The New York Times Aiming to put its own stamp on the Paycheck Protection Program, the Biden administration on Monday abruptly changed crucial program rules in ways intended to help the smallest and neediest companies, which have sometimes...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—School district superintendents from 11 districts throughout Santa Cruz County will hold a town hall meeting Thursday to talk about bringing younger students back into the classroom. The discussion, led by Dr. Steven McGee of Dignity Health and Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz of Dominican...

Covid-19 vaccinations for Santa Cruz County residents are being expanded to include workers in education and childcare, emergency services, and food and agriculture industries, the county announced today. Eligibility will be based on occupation definitions from the California Department of Public Health, according to the...

WATSONVILLE—A Moss Landing woman was killed early Sunday in a head-on DUI collision near the Airport Boulevard exit on Highway 1. Johanna Mayapuga, 22, of Santa Cruz, was reportedly under the influence of alcohol and driving the wrong way on Southbound Highway 1 in her...

WATSONVILLE—The city of Watsonville has canceled most of its annual events slated for this year because of the ongoing pandemic, Mayor Jimmy Dutra said Friday evening. The events canceled include the Spirit of Watsonville Fourth of July Parade, The Fire in the Sky Firework show...

SANTA CRUZ—A 29-year-old Capitola man was killed Thursday afternoon when he was involved in a multiple-vehicle collision while riding his motorcycle. According to Santa Cruz Police Lt. Carter Jones, officers responded to a report of a collision on Mission Street at Fair Avenue around 4:43pm....

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council at its Feb. 23 meeting will see plans for two large housing developments that combined will bring 103 new apartments. The Residence on Main Street and an affordable apartment complex on Freedom Boulevard from nonprofit developer Eden Housing will be on...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The number of unemployed people in Santa Cruz County has nearly doubled since the Covid-19 crisis began in March 2020, from 4.8 percent in 2019 to 8.5 percent last year. That amounts to 16,900 fewer jobs than there were a year ago, said...