News

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—New Leaf Community Market has closed its Aptos location after seven employees tested positive for COVID-19. The company made the announcement on its website  on Tuesday, saying the store will stay closed “until further notice.”  The announcement came four days after the store closed...

Officials are saying that two people died in early February from COVID-19 in Santa Clara. The news parallels what officials have recently said about the virus: it got a much earlier start in Wuhan, China than first believed. • Today marks the 50th anniversary of Earth...

WATSONVILLE—During the COVID-19 outbreak, Watsonville’s Blume Distillation has decided to expand its production line to help its community. The facility, which provides biorefinery equipment and alcohol-based fuel, developed a line of hand sanitizers, hoping to slow the spread of the coronavirus. “This crisis affects everyone,” said...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville-based Community Bike Collective was set to host an official public launch sometime this spring as it looked to bring bicycle programs to people of all ages across the county. With a shelter-in-place order prompted by the novel coronavirus, however, that fete has been delayed. But...

WATSONVILLE—For years the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau (SCCFB) and the Agri-Culture organization have hosted the National Agriculture Day Spring Luncheon. However, due to the current COVID- 19 pandemic, the March 18 event was postponed, and its future remains uncertain. Despite this, the two groups...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Starting this week, Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel will begin requiring customers and staff at essential businesses such as grocery stores to wear face coverings to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.  The order will follow requirements in place throughout...

SOQUEL—Allen Stobaugh and his wife Mary were at the tail end of a 15-day cruise to the Hawaiian Islands—and were on their way for a final stop in Ensenada, Mexico—when their trip was waylaid by the novel coronavirus. Twenty-one passengers tested positive for the coronavirus,...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Police on April 16 arrested a homeless man for allegedly setting two fires. Elio Ortega, 41, was charged with arson. He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail, jail records showed. Ortega was arrested after officers responded to a report...