Local News

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The County of Santa Cruz has announced the availability of Covid-19 relief funds for local small businesses and nonprofits responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. Available through the Santa Cruz County Cares Recovery Program, applications are now being accepted through Sept. 15 for...

CAPITOLA—A Santa Cruz man was arrested Saturday for felony DUI after allegedly striking a police officer riding a motorcycle, California Highway Patrol Officer Sam Courtney said. Kolton Matosich, 29, was charged with felony DUI. He was not in custody Monday morning, jail records showed. According to...

Tarmo Hannula: Our Medditerean climate leaves little to complain about — mild summers, with a few hot spells; mild winters with a few cold weeks and some challenging storms. But these roasting hot days this week and with the scorchers of mid-August that brought us...

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Emergency Operations Center has announced it will be offering a free lunch program for evacuees of the CZU Lightning Complex fires beginning Tuesday. The meals are being provided by an anonymous donor through local participating restaurants, food trucks and companies...

SANTA CRUZ—A Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputy assigned as a correctional officer in the jail has been arrested for allegedly having a sexual relationship win an inmate, Sheriff’s spokeswoman Ashley Keehn announced Saturday. Jessica Smith was charged with sexual activity with an inmate, assault by...

Editor’s note: This is the first entry in a series of interviews with candidates running for office in the upcoming local elections. Interviewees will include candidates for the Watsonville City Council, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees, the Pajaro Valley Water...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—For years Save Our Shores (SOS) has hosted Coastal Cleanup Day, where residents help clean beaches, parks, and other sites across Monterey Bay. Due to Covid-19, the event—usually held the third weekend of September—will not take place in 2020. But that is not...

WATSONVILLE—A man with a history of burglarizing businesses by entering through their rooftops was arrested again on Aug. 25, when he allegedly broke into Cabrillo College’s Watsonville campus, Watsonville Police spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said. Fermin Sanchez, 33, faces new burglary and trespassing charges. He was...

SANTA CRUZ—With the repopulation of a few towns in the CZU August Lighting Complex evacuation zone, the Santa Cruz County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is now shifting attention to the needs of people who have been displaced from their homes. As of Thursday, the fire...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—With a Sept. 30 deadline to complete the nationwide 2020 Census, the federal agency has its hands full making sure every resident is counted. But that can be difficult when residents have been evacuated due to an emergency such as the CZU August...