Supervisors pass tenant protection ordinance
SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a new ordinance aimed at protecting tenants being harassed by their landlords or property owners when they speak out about bad conditions in their living spaces.
The item was heard for first and second...
Cabrillo Gallery opens annual Faculty & Staff exhibit
APTOS—Cabrillo College classes started Aug. 29, and with it came the first exhibition of the year at the school’s on-campus art gallery.
Connections: Cabrillo Art, Photography & Art History Faculty & Staff Exhibition is now open and will run through Sept. 23. The annual show...
Santa Cruz County health officer says mask order won’t change behavior
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Saying that she has not yet seen reliable data that a countywide masking mandate would alter personal behavior or lower Covid-19 cases, Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said she does not plan to issue a new order any time...
Sheriff’s detectives arrest wallet thief
SCOTTS VALLEY—Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s detectives on Wednesday arrested a Live Oak man suspected of using credit and bank cards stolen from a firefighter’s truck to make thousands of dollars in purchases.
Brian Lee Johnson, 34, has been charged with using stolen credit cards, receiving...
Covid-19, fires taxing service providers
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The CZU August Lightning Complex fires have so far destroyed more than 500 homes and forced 77,000 people to evacuate from their community. Those people have flooded evacuation centers throughout the county.
That, coupled with the Covid-19 pandemic that has upended the economy...
Cabrillo sees enrollment drop following fires, pandemic
APTOS—When Covid-19 began to sweep the U.S.—and brought with it an economic recession—Cabrillo College officials expected a jump in enrollment that typically comes with a battered economy.
But the college is now seeing a significant drop in those numbers, which it pins on the double...
County frees up $500K to curb possible evictions
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved the use of $500,000 in emergency rental assistance funds to help county renters facing eviction pay back rent.
The funds—which come from the Planning and the Housing for Health departments and the...
Gilroy man accused of ‘Boogaloo’ affiliation
By Michael Moore, of the Morgan Hill Times
SANTA CLARA COUNTY—Gilroy resident Alan Viarengo, who taught math at Gavilan College for nearly 20 years, was arrested last week on suspicion of stalking and threatening Santa Clara County’s public health officer, and police say he has...
PVUSD Trustees approve retention bonuses, other incentives
WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Aug. 24 approved a series of bonuses and supplemental payments aimed at retaining teachers and school employees.
Every teacher, school worker and administrator employed since April 1—and who plans to stay with the district through...
Carrillo sentenced to life in prison without parole
SANTA CRUZ—The man who slaughtered Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller during a violent crime spree two years ago was sentenced Friday to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Steven Carrillo, 34, also received prison time for attempting to kill four other...























