County’s budget cuts to Sheriff’s Office eased
SANTA CRUZ— The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved an $874 million budget for the coming year that includes cuts and position reductions to every department in the county.
According to County Budget Manager Christina Mowrey, the reductions include furloughs of 5-10%,...
Michael Escobar guilty on all counts
WATSONVILLE—Five years after Michel Escobar gunned down a rival gang member, and killed a young girl when one of his bullets went astray, a jury convicted him of two counts of first-degree murder and several special allegations.
Escobar, now 36, will likely be sentenced to...
Officials tackle coronavirus concerns as 3 more cases announced
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Since COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China in late December, healthcare professionals, elected leaders and everyday citizens around the world have been looking for answers and trying to unsnarl the constantly-changing situation.
There are now more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries,...
Shakespeare adaptation celebrates Hispanic culture
APTOS—When tasked with choosing a production for Cabrillo College Theater Arts Department’s Fall 2022 season, Abel Cornejo knew he wanted to find something that celebrated Hispanic culture.
After a long search, however, Cornejo still hadn't found just the right play. That’s when he had the...
Supervisors pass single-use cup fee
SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously adopted an ordinance that will require restaurants and stores to charge a 25-cent fee on all single-use cups starting next summer. The move is aimed at reducing the estimated 50 million to-go cups...
Sutter invests $1M into affordable housing project
SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz Community Health (SCCH) and Dientes Community Dental Care on March 6 announced a $1 million dollar investment from Sutter Health into the construction and operation of a mixed-use affordable housing project in Live Oak.
The project at 1500 Capitola Road includes a...
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...
Card skimmers found at second gas station
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville police are again warning the public to be careful with their credit and debit cards after an investigator found two card skimmers at a gas pump.
Credit card skimmers are often installed on gas pumps by criminals to steal account information. They can be...
PVUSD shows off summertime work
WATSONVILLE—Over the summer, Pajaro Valley Unified School District completed 65 maintenance, construction and upgrade projects to the tune of $30 million.
That was all thanks to Measure L, the $150 million bond approved by voters in 2012. That bond is nearing the end of its...
Michael Watkins, longtime county superintendent, to retire
“At the end of my term, I will have led the organization for 12 years,” he said. “I believe in giving others a chance to bring new ideas and leadership to any organization.”
