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Aptos
January 13, 2026

Soquel man arrested for child sex crimes

SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Thursday arrested a Soquel man suspected of more than a dozen counts of sexual assault of a child. Luis Ortiz, 59, was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail. According to Sheriff’s spokeswoman Ashley...

Hundreds attend annual MLK march

SANTA CRUZ—Hundreds of people filled the streets of downtown Santa Cruz Monday to participate in the third-annual Martin Luther King march, an event co-sponsored by the NAACP and the Santa Cruz Police Department. “This is a business model of the Santa Cruz Police Department,” said...

Cabrillo College President Laurel Jones announces retirement

Jones made the announcement at the Cabrillo College Governing Board’s June 5 meeting. Jones took the job in July 2013 on a three-year contract.

Man arrested for firing shots; no injuries

LIVE OAK — Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Sunday arrested a man who reportedly fired several shots into the air in the area of Winkle Drive and Soquel Avenue. Anthony Martinez-Franco, 18, was charged with willful discharge of a firearm, possession of a firearm...

Firefighters get first ‘jump’ on CZU Complex fires

CZU August Lightning Complex Fires
SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS—Seven days into the battle against the CZU August Lightning Complex fires, Cal Fire officials announced Saturday morning that they were able to get their first “jump” on the growing blaze in the Santa Cruz mountains. Although the fire overnight grew to 63,000...

Tattoo parlors, nail salons, other personal services OK to reopen Friday

Santa Cruz County
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Massage therapy, nail salons, tattoo parlors and other personal services can reopen in Santa Cruz County on Friday, the county announced Monday. The county said those businesses should follow state guidance released by the California Department of Public Health June 12 which requires...

Seacliff fence comes down

A long-standing fence that has thrown off pedestrian traffic from a stretch of Beach Road in the Seacliff area of Santa Cruz County for decades has now been opened to the public.

Second Harvest unveils food drive totals

The number surpassed the nonprofit's goal of 4.8 million meals, and is a record for the annual drive.

Santa Cruz County Supervisors declare local emergency

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday declared a local emergency in response to the increasing numbers of coronavirus cases. The board also ratified a Mar. 4 declaration by Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel of a local health emergency. Health...

New foundation formed to support county animal shelter

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.