Newsom signs several housing bills
WATSONVILLE—Governor Gavin Newsom on the final day of action for the 2019 legislative season signed Assembly Bill 1783, also known as the Farmworker Housing Act of 2019, which creates a streamlined process to build farmworker housing on agricultural land.
The bill was authored by Assemblymember...
RTC looks to federal, state government to fill rail funding gap
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) will seek funding from the state and federal government to support construction planning for a passenger rail line spanning the length of the county.
In a Thursday meeting, the commission voted unanimously to request $15 million to...
Richard Del Piero, one of PVUSD’s founders, dies
WATSONVILLE—Richard Del Piero was a Watsonville High School graduate, a U.S. Air Force Veteran and a local farmer who as a school board member in the 1960s helped reign in several local education agencies to create the Pajaro Valley Unified School District.
Del Piero died...
METRO makes schedule changes, suspends fares
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—In response to the state’s declaration of a State of Emergency as a result of the threat of COVID-19, and other recent federal, state and county guidance, Santa Cruz (METRO) announced sweeping changes set for Monday.
On Thursday Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered California’s...
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.
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...
State’s undocumented immigrant assistance program starts Monday
The Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County on Monday will begin accepting applications for the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Disaster Relief Assistance for Immigrants program.
Announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom in mid-April, the program will provide roughly 150,000 undocumented adults a one-time payment of $500 per...
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 Gallery opens first exhibit of the year
APTOS—Cardboard is a material that nearly everyone has at their disposal. Often used in packaging and shipping, it is usually broken down to recycle or saved to reuse.
But cardboard can also be full of possibilities for artists. This is apparent at “Extraordinary Ordinary,” Cabrillo...
Supervisors approve Live Oak housing project, ban no-fault evictions until 2020
SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a proposal to sell a property in Live Oak, and a plan to develop it into an affordable housing project that will include a dental and a medical clinic.
MidPen Housing, which is purchasing...
