Local News

New businesses moving into Rancho Del Mar With updates nearing completion at the Rancho Del Mar Shopping Center, owner Terramar Retail Centers announced five new businesses that will be setting up shop.

Please join us on Dec. 1 for our Holiday Tree Lighting at the Redwood Tree next to the entrance to Aptos Village Park. This will be our 25th year of celebrating the lighting with the children and adults in our community. Santa will arrive by fire truck, there will be lots of music and dancing, and games for the young and young at heart.

Girl Scout Daisy Troop 15015 recently met at Hidden Beach Park in Aptos to help with a park cleanup. Hidden Beach is primarily used by local neighborhood residents — both as a park and a beachfront area. Discussions were made with county officials about the need for the park to receive some TLC. Nine 6-year-old Daisies responded to the call and were willing to serve. Equipped with vinyl gloves, trash bags and mechanical grabbers, the afternoon started with a talk about being safe. Tips included: using the grabbers to pick up all items, no picking up sharp objects, and always use the gloves.

When news breaks, rest assured that 10-year-old kid reporter Ella Porter is on the story. Ella is one of 45 young journalists from 10 countries who were recently chosen to write for the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps.

A sand castle spelling out "Capitola" is one of several castles various teams built as part of the Capitola Beach Festival.

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.

More than 70 glass works by Santa Cruz artist Heather Richman are currently on display at the Santa Cruz County Building, 701 Ocean St., through an ongoing series put on by Arts Council Santa Cruz County. The works, showing on the first and fifth floors, showcase a wide range of her work, from fused/slumped glass, lampwork, and powdered glass on copper and will be showing through the first week of July.

The World’s Shortest Parade in Aptos lived up to its standard of drawing thousands of people, from babies to seniors, to the street — many with their dogs in tow — for a view of the action. From Little League baseball teams and realty groups, to fire engines, elected officials and modern dance troupes, the parade sent 102 different groups along Soquel Drive under cloudy skies. With nine California Highway Patrol officers lending a hand in traffic control and in shutting down a short section of Soquel Drive, the festive event proved to have a greater showing of entries than any mid-week Fourth of July parade, said Karen Hibble, co-executive director of the Aptos Chamber of Commerce.

June 10 marked the 17th annual release of Bargetto Winery’s “La Vita” wine. The oldest winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains and one of the oldest in the state, Bargetto Winery is celebrating its 85 anniversary this year with a number of events. “Honestly, I think it was the best ‘La Vita’ event we’ve ever had,” said Director of Winemaking John Bargetto. “At least, it was my favorite. The place was packed — and I think the wine turned out exceptional this year, so of course that made it even better.”

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.