Local News

Federal immigration agents arrived at the Santa Cruz Main Jail Saturday morning in an attempt to take a person into custody but left without detaining anyone, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said. During the incident, community members, including volunteers from Your Allied Rapid Response...

Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center of Santa Cruz welcomed the Sutter Health mobile simulation lab back into town for its second training on Oct. 20. In this round of training, participants responded to a patient having post-surgery arrhythmias, or change in heartbeat rhythm.  After a classroom...

Santa Cruz County officials are preparing for what could be a historically strong El Niño this winter, with crews strengthening levees, clearing drainage channels and improving emergency warning systems in communities still recovering from the devastating storms of 2023. The Santa Cruz County Board of...

UC Santa Cruz researchers found a new technique that forecasts harmful algal blooms (HABs) up to seven weeks in advance. This new method uses copepods, zooplankton that eat toxic algae, as a part of the measuring system.  Copepods produce a chemical called copepodamide, which the algae...

What happens when a lovable nerd discovers a sentient, carnivorous plant that brings him the attention he craves, but in return demands blood sacrifice? That’s the question that drives “Little Shop of Horrors,” a musical the Aptos High School drama team is presenting this week. While...

The Santa Cruz County Governmental Center on Ocean Street in Santa Cruz was evacuated Friday morning—along with the adjacent Superior Courthouse—after a suspicious white substance was reportedly mailed to U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta’s office. According to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and firefighters...

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors will hold a hearing Oct. 20 to discuss the potential impacts of El Niño this winter and how local agencies are preparing for severe weather. The presentation, scheduled for 10:45am, will include current El Niño forecasts, possible impacts...

Medina a liability to the district I want to address a critical concern regarding the PVUSD district’s liability with regard to workplace safety, and board governance. ​A recent report by the Pajaronian, and public legal records, show that Trustee Gabe Medina has a documented background...

Though Jody Chiang just started as a dentist at Dientes in July, her journey with the organization began years before when she sat in the same chair as a child—often. Growing up, Chiang dealt with her fair share of dental problems including cavities and tooth...

Santa Cruz County’s agricultural production increased in value in 2025, fueled largely by a strong year for strawberries, according to the county’s annual crop report. The estimated gross production value of agricultural commodities reached $762.96 million, up 2.8% from $741.92 million in 2024. The figures...