54.1 F
Aptos
June 3, 2025

Capturing a wild moment

Coming across wildlife in Santa Cruz County isn’t an uncommon thing. A unique meeting of land and sea, the area is host to a number of species that often make themselves known to their human neighbors. But certain creatures are much easier to spot than others.

Two vying for PVUSD Trustee Area 1 seat

PVUSD
APTOS—This is the second of two articles showcasing the candidates vying for seats on the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees.  Last week, incumbent Jennifer Schacher and Olivia Flores had their say. With four seats up for election, two went uncontested. Daniel Dodge Jr....

More than 700 structures destroyed by CZU Complex fire; now 24% contained

CZU August Lightning Complex fires
SCOTTS VALLEY—The level of containment in the CZU August Lightning Complex fires continues to increase, and so does the number of confirmed destroyed and damaged structures. The blaze in the Santa Cruz Mountains has destroyed 746 structures and is still threatening more than 13,000 others...

CZU Complex now state’s 9th-most destructive fire ever recorded

CZU August Lightning Complex Fires
SCOTTS VALLEY—The CZU August Lightning Complex has destroyed 1,483 structures as of Tuesday morning, making it the ninth-most destructive fire ever recorded in the state. The majority of those structures are single-family homes in the Santa Cruz mountain towns of Boulder Creek and Bonny Doon,...

Jail reports second inmate death in a week

SANTA CRUZ—A man was found dead in his cell at Santa Cruz County Main Jail Monday morning, marking the second death at the jail in less than a week. German Carrillo, 24, was in custody on murder, assault and gang charges, Jail records showed. Carrillo was...

Bamboo Giant offering first-ever nighttime walkthrough experience

Located on a busy thoroughfare between Aptos and Watsonville, Bamboo Giant Nursery and Gardens (BGNG) could easily be driven past without a second glance.  But the nursery, tucked into the side of a hill in a rural, forested section of Freedom Boulevard, is actually one...

New Captain at local CHP

aron ching CHP
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz area California Highway Patrol has brought aboard a new Captain, Aron Ching.  Born and raised in the Hawaiian Islands, Ching moved to California to pursue a career with the CHP and has been with the department for 23 years.  His new...

Massive bike ride brings community together

Around 400 bicyclists filled Capitola and Santa Cruz on Aug. 19 as part of a nationwide cycling event to bring bicyclists together to show off their skills and simply bring the community together.

Aptos home burns to the ground

A house was fully engulfed in flames at 1250 Valencia School Road in Aptos Sunday evening. The blaze, which was first reported at around 6:45 p.m., ended up burning the structure flat to the ground. No injuries were reported. The family of five that lived at the home were reportedly not in the area at the time of the fire. The cause of the fire in still under investigation.

Twin Lakes Church project raises 1M pounds for food bank, $100K for fire relief

Twin Lakes Church's “Kindness Projects” raised more than one million pounds of food for Second Harvest Food Bank, $104,000 for Northern California fire relief and more, the church announced recently.