Local News

California Highway Patrol Santa Cruz Area is hosting the annual Annual CHiPs for KiDs Toy Drive. The drive ends Thursday, Dec. 21.

Be Natural Music is a music school based in Santa Cruz, California, directed by Matthew D Pinck AKA "yoga matt." Our school offers private music lessons, band classes, an after school music program and music camps, as well as the Real Rock Band experience.

Sally Vaughn is showcasing her paintings in a new exhibit at the Cabrillo Fitness Club, 6200 Soquel Drive in Aptos.

In 1990, Catherine Webb and Carolyn O’Donnell started a dental-only nonprofit, which incorporated two years later as Dientes Community Dental Care.

The Santa Cruz County Department of Public Works has reduced traffic flow along Soquel Drive at Aptos Street to one lane to repair the road damaged by winter storms.

Doug Deaver will be honored as Man of the Year, and Kristin Fabos as Woman of the Year. The Business of the Year went to Rio Sands Hotel, while the Organization of the Year is the Advocates for the Forest of Nisene Marks. Rounding out the list is LEO's Haven with the Outstanding Achievement award, and the County of Santa Cruz Department of Public Works as Community Heroes. The awardees will be honored at the chamber's Annual Awards Dinner and Auction on Oct. 27 from 5:30-9:45 p.m. at the Seascape Beach Resort. Admission is $85 per person, and RSVPs must be made by Oct. 13. For reservations, call 688-1467 or email [email protected].

Monarch Services held its 40th anniversary celebration with a luncheon at Seascape Golf Club in Rio del Mar recently.

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.

Entries are sought for the 41st Annual Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau Apple Pie Baking Contest during opening day of the Santa Cruz County Fair, Sept. 13. The entry deadline is Tuesday, Sept. 5, postmarked no later than 11:59 p.m. This contest is sponsored by the Pajaro Valley apple growers, shippers and related industries as well as pie lovers throughout Santa Cruz County and the Pajaro Valley. It has been organized by the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau since 1977. 

Since Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Chona Killeen started her position ion July 1, she and her department have hired more than 100 new teachers. The Pajaro Valley Unified School District in early August was still looking for 22 teachers, a number that was shrinking as candidates came in for interviews less than a week before classes resumed, Killeen said. The number is down from about 200 vacancies four weeks ago, said interim Assistant Director of Secondary Education Terry Eastman.