Unsanctioned pop-up Covid-19 test sites raise concerns
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County and California health officials are recommending that anyone needing a Covid-19 test get it from a sanctioned provider, after an unsanctioned company set up pop-up testing sites in Santa Cruz and Watsonville last week.
That company, Encinitas-based Community Wellness America...
County observes MLK Day
A large bronze sculpture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stands in the quad of Cabrillo College in Aptos.
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday that marks the birthday (Jan. 15, 1929) of the Nobel Peace Prize winner and champion...
Local trainers offer fresh approach to health and fitness
It has been 13 years since Jaimi Jansen opened the first location of Santa Cruz Core, an integrated wellness center in downtown Santa Cruz.
At that time, Jansen was just 26 years old and planning to eventually go to medical school. But as the business...
Older adult programs shutter as Covid-19 cases rise
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—In early November 2021, Meals on Wheels’ (MOW) congregate meal sites reopened to older adults across Santa Cruz County for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
Staff and volunteers from MOW, a program of umbrella organization Community Bridges, combined their...
County health officials say cloth masks are ‘no longer preferred’ option
Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said that residents should try to move away from using single-layered cloth face masks and instead seek out medical or surgical masks that have been more effective in slowing the spread of Covid-19.
This includes N95, KN95...
PHOTO: 2 crashes clog Hwy 1 in Watsonville
Watsonville firefighter John Stone (left) joins other emergency workers in dealing with a five-vehicle crash on northbound Highway 1 in Watsonville Jan. 14.
Watsonville Firefighter John Stone (left) joins other emergency workers in dealing with one of two crashes on northbound Highway 1 in...
Schools plagued by mass absences as classes return
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The new year has brought with it larger-than-average absence rates as students throughout Santa Cruz County return to in-person instruction.
Since Jan. 6, there have been 1,387 positive Covid-19 cases out of roughly 16,000 teachers and students tested, a positivity rate of around...
At-home Covid-19 tests change pandemic response
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—At least 4,000 Santa Cruz County residents have been infected with Covid-19 during the current winter surge sparked by the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus.
That figure posted to the County Health Services Agency’s online dashboard, however, is likely vastly...
Santa Cruz County Chamber announces new leaders
The Santa Cruz County Chamber announced its 2022 Chamber Board of Directors with a new Chair and Vice Chair, and added five new Board members to its team.
Alan Smith, attorney at the Grunsky Law Firm, will be leading the Chamber as its new Board...
Assemblymember Robert Rivas welcomes ideas for new laws
Assemblymember Robert Rivas will be accepting entries from the public for new laws, under his ‘There Ought to be a Law’ program.
Rivas brought the program to his district in 2019, and for the third year, Rivas will review policy proposals from his constituents in...
Students learn the power of the vote at Civics Summit
On Friday, about 150 high school juniors from across Santa Cruz County cast their first ballots on three issues that, if passed, would dramatically...
