News

SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz County Chief Administrative Officer Carlos Palacios told the Board of Supervisors Monday that it should spend $20 million in reserves to fill a deficit for the 2019-20 fiscal year caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. That move will be a sizable slice of...

This year’s grand marshal is Aptos/La Selva Fire Captain, Greg Hansen, who has been with the department for more than three decades.

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].

SOQUEL — The Soquel Creek Water District Board of Directors on Tuesday approved a five-year rate hike for its customers, which district officials say was created to help the district better maintain its aquifer supplies, fund ongoing operations and prevent saltwater intrusion caused by groundwater overdraft.

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...

Robert “Bobby” Salazar, the unofficial mayor of Aptos who served as security guard and maintenance man for Aptos High School for more than four decades, and who was known for his ever-present smile and exhortations for everyone he met to “keep smiling,” died March 17 after a battle with cancer. He was 62.

Cabrillo College on Tuesday became the first college in California to adapt a program created to help educators and school employees afford new homes.

WATSONVILLE—Many students unable to return to class when school starts on Aug. 14 due to Covid-19 restrictions will attend a virtual academy, an all-online option created by Pajaro Valley Unified School District as it plans for the coming academic year. The PVUSD Board of Trustees...

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday voted to permanently end its School Resource Officer program at Watsonville, Pajaro Valley and Aptos high schools, and to redirect the funds to socio-emotional counselors. The district will also look into creating wellness centers...

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...