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APTOS — Last year, the Aptos High School robotics team took top honors in both state and international competitions for building a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that performed a series of complex underwater tasks. In doing so, the team bested competitors from around the globe. The group of 12, who are aged 15-17, is called Watsonville Firefighters Seal Team 1272 after the group that sponsored them. “The competition was an amazing experience and a great place to observe and learn from the machines other people built,” team programmer Pratham Rathi said. ROVs are human controlled robots that are employed to solve a variety of jobs in places where humans cannot reach. The ROV Jason, for example, was used to observe the wreckage of the sunken Titanic. The team’s ROV is Argo V, a nod to the ship of Greek myth in which Jason and his compatriots sailed to retrieve the Golden Fleece. Now, having again won the Marine Advanced Technology Education center annual ROV competition at Watsonville High School on May 12, the team is once again preparing to defend its international crown. That competition — held this year in Seattle, Wash. from June 22-25 — draws elite young engineers from around the globe who pit their homebuilt, underwater robots against each other.

The Bagelry, situated in three locations in Santa Cruz County, has been a pillar in the restaurant world for the past 40 years.

Please join us on Dec. 1 for our Holiday Tree Lighting at the Redwood Tree next to the entrance to Aptos Village Park. This will be our 25th year of celebrating the lighting with the children and adults in our community. Santa will arrive by fire truck, there will be lots of music and dancing, and games for the young and young at heart.

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.

APTOS—Nonprofit workers in Santa Cruz County are two times more likely than the general public to require the very social services they help provide. That’s according to a recent survey conducted by the Human Care Alliance (HCA), a coalition of nonprofit agencies from around the...

SANTA CRUZ—Far West Fungi mushroom farm of Moss Landing is branching out. They recently opened their first-ever store in downtown Santa Cruz.  In the works for the past two years, the new spot will feature about 16 varieties of fresh mushrooms, dozens of dried mushrooms,...

WATSONVILLE—Wherever he is touring in the world, Santana lead singer Andy Vargas makes sure to let everyone know about his hometown of Watsonville. “I’ve always been proud to be from Watsonville,” Vargas said.  “I tell people that they’ve probably ate our berries or drank our...

Santa Cruz County Supervisor Zach Friend tonight will host a tele-town hall from 6-7pm with guest Tom AmRhein to talk about the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. AmRhein, the former president of the Farm Bureau and the current chair of...

WATSONVILLE—While the fire evacuation center at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds is reaching capacity for humans—only single cots and limited tent camping space are available—there is still room for pets and other animals. Hundreds of animals have been evacuated to the fairgrounds since the CZU...

CAPITOLA—A Santa Cruz man was arrested Saturday for felony DUI after allegedly striking a police officer riding a motorcycle, California Highway Patrol Officer Sam Courtney said. Kolton Matosich, 29, was charged with felony DUI. He was not in custody Monday morning, jail records showed. According to...