Countywide Ripple Effect Art Festival runs through April 26
A countywide celebration of visual and performing arts kicked off April 16 and will run through April 26.
The Ripple Effect Santa Cruz County Arts Festival is the County’s effort to highlight the creative community during California’s Arts, Culture and Creativity Month.
Organizers said the event...
Bus operators push back on METRO’s rider increases
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz METRO has increased its passenger capacity by 50% in an effort to accommodate more riders, but that decision has raised concerns within the union representing the bus operators still working during the Covid-19 pandemic.
METRO CEO Alex Clifford announced on June...
Cabrillo first college in state to offer homebuyer assistance
Cabrillo College on Tuesday became the first college in California to adapt a program created to help educators and school employees afford new homes.
Begonia Festival calls it quits, for now
The final Capitola Begonia Festival wrapped up Monday with the traditional Fishing Derby on the Capitola Wharf. The event, which peaks with the Nautical Parade on Sunday, has been a huge draw for crowds of all ages for the last 65 years.
Rio Theater Concert to benefit Andy Vargas Foundation
WATSONVILLE—Wherever he is touring in the world, Santana lead singer Andy Vargas makes sure to let everyone know about his hometown of Watsonville.
“I’ve always been proud to be from Watsonville,” Vargas said. “I tell people that they’ve probably ate our berries or drank our...
County unveils budget
Santa Cruz County officials on Tuesday opened public hearings on a proposed $1.29 billion budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, warning that federal funding cuts, rising labor costs and growing structural deficits are forcing difficult financial decisions in the years ahead.
The recommended budget includes...
Leaving behind 33 years of firefighting
His boots and helmet are now a thing of the past. Aptos/La Selva firefighter Rick Molinar worked his final 24-hour shift Wednesday and into Thursday following a 33-year career.
Local organizations celebrate Pride amidst crisis, unrest
On the morning of June 28, 1969, a group of police officers raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in Greenwich Village, New York City. As police dragged patrons and staff out of the bar, residents responded—leading to a week of protests and violent...
Aptos thrift store breaks own gift-giving record
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...
County supervisors approve Mid-County auto dealership
SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 22 approved a plan to build an automobile dealership at a busy Mid-County intersection, a project that includes demolishing several existing buildings.
The Nissan dealership on the 2.5-acre parcel on the corner of 41st Avenue...
