Local News

Johanna Miller A lot has happened since I last wrote for About Town. The global COVID-19 crisis is unlike anything most of us have experienced. While I’m grateful that my friends and family are safe and healthy, I cannot help but worry every day.  My job...

SANTA CRUZ—On a normal day in Santa Cruz County Superior Court, hundreds of people filter in and out of four courtrooms as their criminal cases wind their way through the system. That changed on Mar. 17, when court officials delayed all jury trials and severely...

WATSONVILLE—Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County has a message for the community: the California National Guard members stationed there are not there to protect food supplies, and they are not there to enforce the statewide shelter-in-pace order. And they are not there for...

Santa Cruz County officials are urging the public to avoid crowding the county’s beaches in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. With shelter-in-place orders in place throughout California, non-essential workers are staying home, schools and universities are switching to online classes and some...

MONTEREY COUNTY—Monterey County health officials on Saturday announced the first death of a county resident that had been diagnosed with COVID-19. Officials said the victim was an “adult individual” who had an “underlying health condition” that made them more susceptible to the highly-contagious virus that...

SANTA CRUZ—Several uniformed Santa Cruz police officers were on Water Street Friday morning, along with a group of city workers, tasked with dismantling and moving a homeless encampment that has grown along the north wall of the downtown post office, and in other places...

Community foundations in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties are responding to the COVID-19 crisis by creating a fund that will financially aid residents most impacted by the coronavirus. The funds will be made available to nonprofit agencies and will be used to address the immediate...

WATSONVILLE—A man that tested positive for COVID-19 died Friday at Watsonville Community Hospital, Halsen Healthcare CEO Dan Brothman confirmed on Saturday morning. Brothman did not release any information about the victim.   Two sources, however, said the victim was not from Santa Cruz County. They were speaking...

GILROY—This year’s Gilroy Garlic Festival has been canceled, festival organizers announced late Friday afternoon. The announcement came as governmental jurisdictions, businesses, educators and residents throughout California are severely restricting their activities in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In a brief email, organizers said the 40-year-old festival...