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Aptos
November 4, 2025

Supreme Court bans employment discrimination based on sexuality, gender identity

supreme court LGBTQ
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The United States Supreme Court made a historic ruling Monday, determining employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity is prohibited under federal law. The decision is the most significant victory for LGBTQ rights in the U.S. since the legalization of...

County officials open new Aptos Public Safety Center

The sprawling Aptos Village Project got its newest neighbor Monday when Santa Cruz County officials officially opened the Aptos Public Safety Center.

Supervisors mull post-employment lobbying rule

Santa Cruz County lobbying
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a new ordinance which, if given final approval on March 8, will impose a one-year “cooling off” period during which former County employees would be prohibited from engaging in lobbying activities for...

Second Harvest launches food drive

APTOS—In Santa Cruz County, one in four children are considered food insecure, a number Second Harvest Food Bank CEO Willy Elliott‑McCrea called “staggering” and “unacceptable.” The growing numbers of hungry people who struggle to feed themselves and their families was the impetus – and the...

CCC clears access to New Brighton State Beach

In 2017 harsh winter weather led to two landslides engulfing the main beach trail between the bluffs and the Pacific Ocean. While parking in the day-use area up top was no problem, the trail to get campers down to the beach was in shambles.

County joins lawsuit to halt oil, mineral extraction

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 14 agreed to allow the county to join a lawsuit that would stop the federal government from issuing leases for fossil fuel extraction within its borders. The lawsuit would in essence help preserve local...

Deputies arrest 5 suspected looters, as CZU Lightning Complex fires grow

CZU August Lightning Complex Fires
SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS—Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Friday arrested five people suspected of looting evacuated homes on Fall Creek Drive, a small community in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Felton. Jose Gandarilla, Susana Luna, Crystal Araujo, Sara Loretz and Crystle Parstch-Lucchesi face numerous felony...

UCSC fires 74 striking teaching assistants demanding higher wages

SANTA CRUZ—A graduate teaching assistant who worked at UC Santa Cruz until she was fired on Friday says that a protest for higher wages has grown since it started in December to include several more UC schools. Brenda Arjona, who is in her third-year seeking...

Arts Now working with districts to spark students’ creativity

WATSONVILLE—As lunchtime drew to a close Wednesday, fourth- and fifth-grade students at Starlight Elementary School began to gradually filter into the classroom of art teacher Meredith Branan Freeman. They were there to learn about stop-motion animation and create their own movies. Some students worked individually,...

Santa Cruz man charged with sex crimes involving minor

SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Monday arrested a Santa Cruz man on several felony sex crimes, sheriff’s spokeswoman Ashley Keehn said. Lucas Klatt, 39, was charged with lewd and lascivious acts with a child, annoying or molesting a child and burglary. Klatt is known...