News

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...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—In the first few weeks of the countywide shelter-in-place order, the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter (SCCAS) saw an unprecedented amount of adoptions.  About 126 dogs, cats and rabbits were adopted, including many animals who had been at the shelter for months. “People said...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—New Leaf Community Market closed its new Aptos location on Saturday for a one-day deep cleaning after an employee there tested positive for COVID-19. Store officials said that the closure was voluntary. “While healthy authorities have not required us to close the store, we...

SOQUEL—Santa Cruz Sheriff’s deputies on Saturday arrested three people after they allegedly burglarized a house in Soquel. Elizabeth Chandler, Colby Jackson and Henry Hansen were charged with burglary, vandalism and resisting arrest. Only Jackson remained in custody Monday in lieu of $25,000 bail. According to the...

CENTRAL COAST—Precautions around the coronavirus outbreak have forced officials to restack this year’s salmon season and close launch ramps in area harbors. California’s recreational ocean salmon fishing season will be delayed statewide through the end of the month, despite plans made earlier this year for...

Santa Cruz made NBC’s Today show early Friday with ample video footage showing people enjoying Cowell’s Beach next to the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf. Their news team was covering parts of the golden state and in particular, Santa Cruz County, after the beaches and...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—While scores of agencies and organizations, from food banks to senior centers, grapple with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, area faith groups are also finding new ways to redirect their message.  Online services, thanks to live streaming, Zoom and live chats, are now taking...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Health officials across the globe have implemented shelter-in-place orders to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, requiring most people to stay in their homes. But four weeks into Santa Cruz County’s shelter-in-place advisory, advocates of domestic violence victims say that the measures...

WATSONVILLE—Pajaro Valley Unified School District Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez had a grim prediction Wednesday night for the district’s Board of Trustees. The wide-ranging financial fallout from the coronavirus pandemic–which economists say will likely cause a recession–will have serious impacts for the next school year, Rodriguez said.  “It’s...

WATSONVILLE—A warehouse in the heart of Watsonville’s industrial district sat mostly empty until about a month ago, when a local realtor converted it into a distribution center for coronavirus care packages. Dee Dee Vargas, along with Pajaro Valley Unified School District bus driver Barbie Gomez,...