Local News

A 19-year-old man pleaded not guilty to homicide charges Wednesday for the recent stabbing death of a woman outside Capitola Mall.  Tyler Leibelt was arrested July 20 and charged with murder and other enhancement allegations, including lying in wait, for the stabbing of 73-year-old Rachell...

A Santa Cruz County Superior Court judge agreed Monday to seal an earlier juvenile protective order against a local teen now facing murder charges for the stabbing of a 73-year-old woman outside Capitola Mall. Tyler Leibelt, 19, has been charged with murder, along with enhancements...

Aptos resident Jennifer Schacher has withdrawn her candidacy for the Trustee Area 5 seat on the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees. In an emailed statement, Schacher said family obligations contributed to her decision. “This was not an easy decision, but at this time,...

Attorneys for a 19-year-old charged with a recent Capitola homicide will be in court Monday asking to seal a protective order against the teen granted last year, which included an alleged offense they state was “not intended for public consumption,” and which they argue...

Editor's note: an earlier version of this story contained the incorrect spelling for Steamer Lane. A woman died early Thursday morning after the car in which she was a passenger plunged off West Cliff Drive and landed upside down in the sea.  According to Santa Cruz...

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a process that will allow them to approve their own raises. In a 3-2 vote, the board agreed to move away from a formula tying supervisors’ salaries to Superior Court judges, opening the door to...

Local law enforcement, education and human services officials joined U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta on Tuesday to reassure immigrant families that local agencies will not participate in federal immigration enforcement, as officials described growing fear among residents seeking health care, education, housing and other services. Panetta...

Young voters barely turned out for the June primary, while people over 55 made a heavy showing.  Registered voters over the age of 55 displayed a turnout rate of about 67.83%, while those between the ages of 18-34 had a  29.52% turnout rate, based on...

The annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count conducted in January showed that 1,648 people were experiencing homelessness, a 12% increase from 2025. County officials cautioned that much of the increase reflects changes in how the count was conducted rather than a direct year-over-year increase in homelessness. For the...

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously voted to place a half-cent sales tax measure on the November ballot that would fund an array of “safety net” services in the face of looming state and federal cuts. The board also declared the...