Multiple local pilots hit in recent laser strikes
WATSONVILLE—Watsonville pilots, and the city’s municipal airport, are asking for help after several aircraft were struck by laser light.
The phenomenon, known as laser strikes, occurs when someone on the ground points a laser light at a pilot.
It is a federal offense, with five years...
Suspects arrested in Tushar Atre kidnapping, murder case
Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the Oct. 1 kidnapping and murder of tech executive and Pleasure Point resident Tushar Atre.
On Tuesday night Kurtis Charters, 22, Joshua Camps, 23, and Stephen Lindsay, 22, were booked into Santa Cruz County Jail charged with murder, kidnapping...
Man arrested for celebratory gunfire gone awry
FREEDOM—A Freedom man was arrested Saturday after a bullet he fired during a July 4 celebration ricocheted off the ground and entered a nearby residence, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Ashley Keehn said.
The bullet came within inches of a 10-year-old girl in her Miller...
Transportation advocates touting rail-trail project
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—A group of local transportation organizers is hoping that, within the span of a decade, a passenger rail will run from Watsonville to Santa Cruz, making stops at hubs where busses will whisk passengers to further destinations.
For commuters who wish to eschew...
Covid-19, fires taxing service providers
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The CZU August Lightning Complex fires have so far destroyed more than 500 homes and forced 77,000 people to evacuate from their community. Those people have flooded evacuation centers throughout the county.
That, coupled with the Covid-19 pandemic that has upended the economy...
Santa Cruz County Supervisors declare local emergency
SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday declared a local emergency in response to the increasing numbers of coronavirus cases.
The board also ratified a Mar. 4 declaration by Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel of a local health emergency.
Health...
San Jose man arrested in connection to fatal shooting in Santa Cruz Mountains
SAN JOSE—Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Thursday arrested a San Jose man suspected of a fatal shooting that occurred on June 14.
Albaro Amaral, 30, was charged with murder and attempted murder. He was booked into Santa Cruz County Main Jail in lieu of...
Santa Cruz County facing dire financial picture
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County will dip into its budgetary reserves to cover an estimated $20 million deficit in this year’s budget, which stems from revenue losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the request by County Administrative Officer Carlos...
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...
Repairs on Soquel Drive in Aptos
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.
