Local News

SANTA CRUZ—A man was shot late Tuesday night in the Beach Flats area of Santa Cruz near the Beach Boardwalk. At least two shots were reported by multiple witnesses around Third Street at Kaye Street at 9:14 p.m. Joyce Blaschke of the Santa Cruz Police...

When Freedom Tattoo and Piercing opened in Watsonville a decade ago, they were the first tattoo parlor to come to the city. Now, after moving to Aptos, they are once again the lone tattoo business in town.

APTOS—A group of business owners from the new Aptos Village complex gathered for a meeting in early March to discuss possible events and projects they wanted to do together. Their aim was to bring the community into the blooming hub.  But days later those plans...

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday heard the first reading of a new district policy which, if adopted on second reading on Sept. 28, would add several religious holidays during which district officials and teachers would not schedule events. PVUSD...

The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter (SCCAS) has taken a new step in its mission to support the county’s neediest animals. Earlier this year, the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Foundation was formed, with the goal of raising charitable dollars for the shelter’s expenses, including everything from spay/neuter procedures to its various educational programs.

James Baker spent 30 years in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, working his way up from a teacher to superintendent. Over those three decades, the school district was faced with integrating bilingual education, a teacher strike, a year-round schedule, the devastation of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and many other trials and tribulations.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Gov. Gavin Newsom on May 14 released an updated state budget that calls for a 10 percent cut to school districts across the state. Pajaro Valley Unified School District Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez said that the district is looking at a $19.18 million slash. Watsonville/Aptos/Santa...

The Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office will not file charges against an Aromas man who reportedly made threats against someone at Cabrillo College.

FELTON—The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputy killed Saturday afternoon when he was ambushed by a gunman who has been identified as Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38. Gutzwiller was a father of a young child, and was expecting a new child soon, said Sheriff Jim Hart. The death...

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...