Local News

SANTA CRUZ—The man who gunned down a rival gang member and killed a 4-year-old girl in the crossfire nearly six years ago was sentenced Thursday to two consecutive terms of life without parole in state prison. Michael Escobar, 36, also received more than 12 years...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County officials on Monday ordered all residents to stay home unless engaging in "essential services." The shelter-in-place order, which goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday and lasts through April 7, is an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19,...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County Superior Court plans to resume jury trials in late summer, a little more than two months after they were temporarily suspended due to concerns over Covid-19. Presiding Judge Paul Burdick announced on March 17 that all jury trials—including criminal, civil...

APTOS—Lasting memories of loved ones, events, businesses and organizations might now last a little longer in Aptos thanks to the Celebration Brick Program and a festive ribbon-cutting ceremony that unfolded Saturday. About 100 people gathered around one of eight tree wells at the Village Green,...

WATSONVILLE—Every year on the outskirts of Watsonville, late summer brings the intoxicating aroma of fried food, along with the sweet summer cacophony of carnival rides, livestock and giant, jubilant crowds. But those voices will fall silent this year at the Santa Cruz County Fair, after...

Ofelia Garcia (right) of the Friends of the Aptos Library speaks to a crowd gathered to celebrate the opening of the walk-through garden at Aptos Library. Photo by Bek Sabedra

Fire swept through at least one room at the Surf City Inn and Suites early Saturday in the Beach Flats area of Santa Cruz.

WATSONVILLE—After months of being shuttered during the countywide response to Covid-19, Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter’s (SCCAS) Watsonville location has opened once again. The reopening came a few days before the Fourth of July, a holiday known to cause lost pets and disrupted wildlife from...

WATSONVILLE—The future of Santa Cruz County’s syringe services program was in the community’s hands this week. In two meetings held by the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency in Santa Cruz on Nov. 14 and Watsonville on Tuesday, officials asked attendees to outline what questions...

SANTA CRUZ—More than 175 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Santa Cruz County, and 24 of them have come back positive.  That’s according to county Health Services Director Mimi Hall, who at Tuesday morning’s Board of Supervisors meeting said that the county is still limited...