Officers balancing enforcement, education of COVID-19 orders
Additional reporting by Todd Guild
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—With the onset of warmer, sunny days, droves of people have been showing up at area beaches and parks, especially on weekends, even as the shelter-in-place order has hit day 41.
And beginning April 25, Santa Cruz County also...
Capitola Mall redesign to house hundreds
CAPITOLA—Too many housing units. Not in line with Capitola’s “unique” feel and community. A fiscal “wash.”
These critiques and concerns—and several others—came to light at the Capitola City Council’s Nov. 14 meeting concerning the planned redevelopment of the hollowed Capitola Mall.
The council took no action...
Man arrested for setting fire inside gym
Santa Cruz Police arrested a man early Tuesday morning after he allegedly set a fire inside a gymnasium, and then struggled with police who came to arrest him.
Truck tears out power lines and pole
A utility truck is buried beneath power lines and a shattered utility pole after the driver lost control and plowed into the pole Monday May 14 on Mar Monte Avenue. Around 3:30 p.m. the driver was traveling west on Mar Monte Avenue when his vehicle shot off the road just west of Roback Drive. The California Highway Patrol shut down Mar Monte Avenue in the area. A Pacific Gas and Electric crew was summoned. The CHP said Mar Monte Avenue would remain closed well into the night to allow for repairs. The CHP is still investigating the cause of the crash.
Shortest Parade honors long career
This year’s grand marshal is Aptos/La Selva Fire Captain, Greg Hansen, who has been with the department for more than three decades.
United Way accepting applications for Emergency Food and Shelter Program
The United Way of Santa Cruz County is accepting applications from agencies that provide food and shelter services looking for financial assistance.
The local United Way branch will have $340,041 to distribute to qualifying nonprofit, faith-based and local government agencies through its Emergency Food and...
Aptos Chamber celebrates award recipients
The Aptos Chamber of Commerce celebrated the recipients of its annual awards during a dinner at Seascape Beach Resort on Oct. 26.
Santa Cruz man charged with sex crimes involving minor
SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Monday arrested a Santa Cruz man on several felony sex crimes, sheriff’s spokeswoman Ashley Keehn said.
Lucas Klatt, 39, was charged with lewd and lascivious acts with a child, annoying or molesting a child and burglary.
Klatt is known...
Urn containing girl’s ashes stolen
SANTA CRUZ—The family of the 8-year-old girl who was murdered in 2015 is facing a new tragedy after someone stole the urn containing her ashes.
Madyson “Maddy” Middleton’s family says that her father Michel Middleton was keeping the urn in the glovebox of his unlocked...
Santa Cruz County health officer again limits access to beaches
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County Health Officer Gail Newel on Wednesday issued new restrictions on the county’s beaches, restricting their use between 11am and 5 pm starting on Saturday.
The new restrictions came after hordes of people crowded the beaches and ignored social distancing rules...



















