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Aptos
September 7, 2025

Local author kicks off crowdfunding campaign

Allison created P.I.N.K. Backpack, a series of digital handbooks aimed to teach girls ages 8-10 and their parents about gender equality. The handbooks cover everything from responding to gender bias to understanding consent.

Man shot multiple times in Santa Cruz gun battle

SANTA CRUZ—A man was shot multiple times early Saturday morning on the west side of Santa Cruz. The victim was reportedly walking on the 100 block of West Cliff Drive at 2:34 a.m. when he was confronted by another person, said Joyce Blaschke, Community Relations...

Michael Escobar guilty on all counts

WATSONVILLE—Five years after Michel Escobar gunned down a rival gang member, and killed a young girl when one of his bullets went astray, a jury convicted him of two counts of first-degree murder and several special allegations. Escobar, now 36, will likely be sentenced to...

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.

Coronavirus case found in PVUSD school

APTOS—Pajaro Valley Unified School District announced Wednesday it is closing Rio Del Mar Elementary School for two days after a person there tested positive for coronavirus. District officials are not saying what the person’s relationship to the school is. They were last at the school...

‘Let’s boogie’: FBI outlines driver’s role in Oakland shooting

Robert Justus Steven Carrillo
Editor's note: Story includes vulgarity. The man who says he served as the driver on May 29 when Steven Carrillo allegedly killed a federal police officer in Oakland—and wounded another one—confessed to his role in the attack after turning himself in to the FBI. But...

County showcases new mental health facility

WATSONVILLE—Santa Cruz County Behavioral Health Services showed off its new South County facility Friday, a building that has allowed the agency to more than double its space and bring an expanded offering of mental health services to the Watsonville area. The building at 1430 Freedom...

Local organizations rally for awareness of human trafficking

APTOS—Ten years ago, former President Barack Obama made a Presidential Proclamation deeming January National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, intending to raise awareness and equip people with the tools to recognize and combat the problem. It was only 10 years prior to that, that...

Reward offered, video released in kidnapping case

PLEASURE POINT—The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s office on Wednesday released a video of the suspects who allegedly kidnapped a man from his Pleasure Point home last month and then killed him. Tushar Atre, 50, was kidnapped from his upscale oceanfront home on Oct. 1 around...

Juvenile whale washes ashore

A 29-foot juvenile humpback whale is shown at the shoreline at Manresa State Beach Monday. Officials said it appeared to have been dead several days at sea before washing ashore several days ago. No cause of death was known to officials.