County reopens sexual assault examiner program
SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz County now has another tool to help survivors of sexual assault.
The Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) program, a team of nurses trained to recognize, document and collect evidence from patients, resumed operations at Dominican Hospital on Aug. 24 after a three-year...
County reports 8th Covid-19 related death
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Public Health Division announced Wednesday morning the eighth death of a resident due to Covid-19.
The resident, who died in their home, was a Hispanic male in his early 40s who lived in South County. While the individual had...
County prepares to vote under extraordinary circumstances
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—With the presidential election day just two months away, Santa Cruz County elections officials are preparing to conduct an election beset by twin calamities—fires that have ravaged the county and displaced thousands and the Covid-19 pandemic.
County Clerk Gail Pellerin says that two...
A search for fresh air | About Town
The other day I saw someone had dressed up the surfer statue on the westside of Santa Cruz as a firefighter. I imagine it's some form of acknowledgement of the hard work firefighters are doing in battling our wild land blazes.
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Maybe desperation has hit...
City trying to keep clean as pandemic adds masks, gloves to street litter
WATSONVILLE—Keeping area streets and sidewalks tidy has become more of a chore since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
An uptick in disposable rubber gloves and all types of masks dumped on the streets has been commonplace since early March. And they’re building up.
These items,...
On the move | About Town
Smoke. Ugh! These awful fires have been going on since Aug. 16. Now they have a grip on California, Oregon and Washington — the entire west coast. From what I understand, most of the smoke drifting over the Central Coast is from the Creek...
Rocks Ranch property sold to Land Trust
A stretch of road alongside Highway 101 could soon be home to a tunnel complex turned wildlife crossing under the busy highway.
The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County announced Sept. 9 that it has agreed to purchase the 2,640-acre Rocks Ranch in Aromas at...
Man stabbed to death in Santa Cruz, suspect arrested
SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz Police Department is investigating after a man was stabbed to death early Sunday morning in Santa Cruz, police spokeswoman Joyce Blaschke said.
Officers were dispatched to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon in the area of Depot Park...
Ex-Driscoll’s exec sentenced to 2 years in prison for embezzlement
SAN JOSE—A former executive at an international Watsonville berry giant was sentenced Thursday to more than two years in federal prison for embezzlement, United States Attorney David Anderson announced.
Marc Marier, 42, was sentenced to 29 months in prison and ordered to pay more than...
Paying respects | About Town
Bagpiper Kasie Talbot set the tone for the start of an annual ceremony in Aptos Friday to honor the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S.
Personnel, staff, family and friends from Aptos/La Selva Fire, Watsonville Fire, Central Fire, Capitola Police...
How Farmworkers Outlawed ‘El Cortito’ 50 Years Ago
For decades in the Salinas Valley, the short-handle hoe, known as “El Cortito,” was used for weeding and thinning rows of crops that kept...
