County frees up $500K to curb possible evictions
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved the use of $500,000 in emergency rental assistance funds to help county renters facing eviction pay back rent.
The funds—which come from the Planning and the Housing for Health departments and the...
Nominations for Be The Difference Awards open
The Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County has opened the nomination period for the 15th Annual Be the Difference Awards. The awards honor the individuals, groups, nonprofits and businesses that transform Santa Cruz County through volunteerism.
People can share their stories of inspiration by nominating...
Railbanking initiative heads to June ballot
SANTA CRUZ—The fate of Santa Cruz County’s rail line is now in the hands of the voters.
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted 4-0 to place on the June 7 ballot an initiative which, if successful, would amend Santa Cruz County’s...
County pilot program aims for unified approach to homelessness
SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a project designed to integrate clinical, mental health and housing services to help the county’s population of homeless people with mental illness and substance use disorders
The Mental Health Services Act Innovation Plan is...
Supervisors mull post-employment lobbying rule
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...
Deputy Sheriffs’ Association makes record donation for memorial park
SOQUEL—The Santa Cruz County Deputy Sheriffs' Association (DSA) has offered a $100,000 “challenge” grant to help fund a memorial for Sheriff’s Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, who was killed on duty on June 6, 2020.
The grant is the largest donation in the organization’s history.
The DSA now...
RTC publicly discusses railbanking Santa Cruz Branch
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) on Thursday discussed the future of the county’s rail line, and possibly setting it aside for future use while first focusing on building a bicycle and pedestrian path.
In a report to the commission, RTC...
Roaring Camp Pushes Back on Reported Railbanking Talks
It’s just after noon on Jan. 28, and a Roaring Camp train is getting ready to leave the station to wind its way up the Santa Cruz Mountains.
“We’re two minutes late now, but that’s OK,” says the announcer on board, as the last stragglers...
County park will honor late Sheriff’s deputy
APTOS—Plans were announced Thursday of a major renovation of Willowbrook County Park to honor the late Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, who was gunned down in the line of duty in 2020.
The project of “reimagining” the park was announced in a brief...
County moves to oppose all sexual predator placements
After a significant portion of the Bonny Doon community mobilized to try to keep a man who raped a 21-year-old woman in the 1980s from moving to town, Santa Cruz County is now seeking changes to California law, so it can have additional tools...
