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June 15, 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...

Housing voucher program at risk unless Congress acts

Hundreds of Santa Cruz County families could lose their federal rental assistance as early as December unless Congress restores funding to a pandemic-era housing voucher program, local officials warned Tuesday. The agency provides federally funded rental vouchers to nearly 6,000 households in Santa Cruz County,...

Man who died in Capitola fire identified

The 75-year-old man who died when his home caught fire late Monday night in Capitola Village has been identified as Robert Edgren. Ashley Kheen of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office did not release the cause of death. Central Fire crews responded to the two-alarm fire...

Bus operators push back on METRO’s rider increases

Santa Cruz METRO covid-19
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...

Distracted driving increases near schools, survey shows

In October, marking National Teen Driver Safety Week, teenagers across California tallied distracted driving outside their schools during the eighth-annual Roadwatch assessment, an activity organized by the California Friday Night Live Partnership (CFNLP).

Boardwalk’s ‘Main Entrance’ project moves forward

The $14 million project, which broke ground in September, will include two new rides, more ticket windows, a new Fright Walk experience, two arenas for The Vault Lazer Maze and more. Despite a wet winter that slowed construction, park officials are eyeing

Cabrillo football program suspends operations for two years

Cabrillo football
It’ll be a few years before fans will see any action from the Cabrillo College football team.  The community college’s Board of Trustees held a special virtual meeting Tuesday evening and came to a unanimous decision to suspend football operations for at least two years. Cabrillo...

Window to the past

The public will be given a chance to take a huge step back in time at the Santa Cruz County History Fair in Capitola on May 18.

County receives funding for Mid-County low-income housing project

Santa Cruz County
SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously accepted more than $10.6 million in unanticipated revenue, which will be used to build a low-income housing development in Mid-County. The project at 2838 Park Ave. near Cabrillo College will offer 17 units for...

Santa Cruz County health officer says mask order won’t change behavior

mask order
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Saying that she has not yet seen reliable data that a countywide masking mandate would alter personal behavior or lower Covid-19 cases, Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said she does not plan to issue a new order any time...