News

A new law authored by Sen. John Laird—and signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Gavin Newsom—will bolster safety standards for new battery storage facilities and improve coordination with fire officials.  Senate Bill 283 was sponsored by the California Professional Firefighters and the California State Association...

In celebration of National Native American Heritage Month, a new art exhibit has gone up on the walls of  the Aptos Branch Library.Aptos artist Becky Olvera Schultz, who is part of the Kickapoo/Shawnee tribe, is sharing the exhibit with fellow artist Karen Whitaker. The...

A major water main replacement job has begun on West Beach Street as part of the ongoing citywide Water Main Replacement Program. Patrice Theriot, the city’s principal engineer, said work got underway on West Beach last week between Rodriuez and Main streets, leading to the...

Abandoned, wrecked, disabled and inoperable vehicles parked on public roadways in the county’s unincorporated areas have long bedeviled residents—who say they are eyesores—as well as law enforcement officials, who were reluctant to have them towed. That’s because county ordinance—which allowed towing of abandoned RVs and...

The annual Santa Cruz County Open Studios Art Tour, which showcases dozens of artists around the county, is now into its second week. The tour spreads out around north county Oct. 11–12, north of the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor. Additionally, the public can see the work...

A San Jose man was arrested in Capitola on Oct. 5 on suspicion of the murder of a woman in San Jose.  Venko Gospodinov was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail for murder.  On Sunday around 2:50am, San Jose Police responded to a residence in...

The County of Santa Cruz on Wednesday named Nicole Coburn as its new Chief Executive Officer, just over three-months after Carlos Palacios announced his retirement from the position. The Board of Supervisors unanimously chose Coburn after a nationwide search during which 139 candidates from across...

Watsonville Police have identified the suspect who was arrested Oct. 3 after he holed up inside a vacant home on Clifford Avenue.  Javier Diaz Baruc, 30, was charged with burglary, resisting arrest, and possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, along with multiple outstanding warrants for...

Pajaro Middle School got a major landscape overhaul Saturday during a four-hour community event, which included the planting of shade trees, native plants, edible gardens, a fruit tree orchard, and other environmental conservation features. The so-called Celebration of Trees project was staged by Watsonville Wetlands...