News

SANTA CRUZ—Hundreds of people filled the streets of downtown Santa Cruz Monday to participate in the third-annual Martin Luther King march, an event co-sponsored by the NAACP and the Santa Cruz Police Department. “This is a business model of the Santa Cruz Police Department,” said...

APTOS—Since Caroline’s Nonprofit Thrift Shop opened its doors in 2010, owner Christy Licker has given tens of thousands of dollars to local organizations that support children. In 2017, Licker handed out $275,000 to 26 organizations, which at the time was a record-breaking amount for the...

LIVE OAK—Santa Cruz County’s first-ever inclusive playground officially opened Jan. 18 at Chanticleer Park in Live Oak.  LEO’s Haven, a playground designed to welcome children with disabilities such as blindness, mobility impairment and autism, is the centerpiece of the $4 million rebuild of the 4.5-acre...

Tarmo Hannula: Reporter Todd Guild and I covered the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day march in downtown Santa Cruz this morning. I was glad to see more than 1,500 people participating in the march, waving signs, chanting and glad-handing bystanders. • Three men are in...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council at its Tuesday meeting will weigh a 45-day ban on the approval of new drive-thrus. The ban will need ⅘ approval, meaning six of the seven council members will need to vote yes in order for it to pass. If passed, the...

APTOS—A man was taken to a Bay Area trauma center Sunday afternoon after the car he was in crashed into a ditch along Valencia Road, causing a collision that drove a large branch through the windshield. According to the California Highway Patrol, the driver of...

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WATSONVILLE—Last year, Pajaro Valley Arts’ annual “Take Aways: Art To Go!” fundraising exhibit earned a record-breaking $43,000. The organization hopes to once again top itself in 2020. “This is our one big fundraiser of the year,” said Chris Miroyan, who is co-curating this year’s exhibit with...

Supervisor Caput elected Board Chair The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously elected Greg Caput as the Board Chair for 2020, and Supervisor Bruce McPherson as Vice-Chair.  “I’m honored by the trust placed in me by my colleagues on the Board,” Caput said. “As...

WATSONVILLE—The First Baptist Church on Madison Street has a new parking lot, complete with state-of-the-art, dimmable lights. The project came thanks to efforts of church members. Pastor Jeff Eitzen said the new lot, with 49 spaces, two of which are handicap spots, was built on...