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A San Jose man is in custody after he shot a man in front of a Soquel business March 7 and then tried to outrun police in his vehicle, police said. Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Sgt. Stefan Fish said the victim was shot three times in the Safeway parking lot on 41st Avenue at 4:45 p.m. He reportedly had an infant child in the car with him but the child was not hurt, Sgt. Brian Cleveland said.

Three new K-9s were sworn into duty March 12 at the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. Before a crowd of about 70 people, the three dogs were led by their handlers into the Sheriff’s Office Community Room to be sworn in and to receive their new badges. “We’ve used this room to swear in 10 deputies and we didn’t get this kind of turn out,” Sheriff Jim Hart said. “It’s taken a lot to get this program built up. I know that our staff and myself are looking forward to the help these dogs can provide.”

CAPITOLA — St. John’s Helpful Shop in Capitola Village is preparing to move out and find a new home after 65 years. A literal cornerstone of the village, St. John’s Helpful Shop first opened at its location on the corner of Monterey and Capitola avenues in 1953. Women from the Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist, then located in the Depot Hill area of Capitola, opened the store to raise money for a new church carpet. Gradually, the church grew, and the shop became a way for St. John’s to expand its community outreach. Church and community members alike volunteer their time at the shop, with all proceeds given as grants to local nonprofits. The building that houses the Helpful Shop recently changed hands, said shop volunteer Daniel Oliver. This has prompted them to move out and possibly find a new location. “We’re currently making a decision of where and when we can reopen,” Oliver said. “We’d like to get the word out and ask help from the community.” In 2018, St. John’s Helpful Shop helped support 26 different organizations across the region — including Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes, Homeless Services Center, Native Animal Rescue, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County and more. “That’s really the whole point,” Oliver said. “The outreach. We’d really like to keep that going.” Aug. 25 was the Helpful Shop’s final day open at its Capitola Village location. The Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist is now located at 125 Canterbury Drive in Aptos, and Helpful Shop volunteers say they hope to find a location not too far from the church itself — but are open to other ideas. To contact St. John’s Helpful Shop, visit st-john-aptos.org.

County businesses, civic, community leaders and activists gathered for a luncheon on Nov. 2 at Twin Lakes Church in Aptos to launch the annual campaign.

Once each decade, the U.S. Census Bureau attempts to count every person in the United States.

“Rachel is an outstanding individual," Agri-Culture President Steve Bontadelli said. "She is a well-rounded person who has participated in several organizations including 4-H. She will be a great addition to our agriculture community when she returns from college.” Rachel Hodder was awarded Agri-Culture’s 2017 Jeannie Witmer Memorial Scholarship. Contributed photo

For many, the process of 3D printing is still akin to magic. Witnessing a digital design take shape in a physical form through a 3D printer, creating everything from architectural models to human prosthetics, seems like a miracle — until you actually understand the science behind it. Since Jan. 20, a sizable collection of 3D printers, along with laser and vinyl cutters, routers, soldering stations and more are now available to Cabrillo College students, faculty and the community at the school’s new Makerspace center.

Aaron Lowe has been tapped as the new fire chief of the Aptos/La Selva Fire Protection District, the board of directors recently announced. Lowe was selected from a field of 31 applicants after a five-month nationwide recruitment process, according to fire district officials. His base salary is $190,000, according to a contract approved by the board of directors on April 12. “I’m truly excited about coming to the Aptos/La Selva area,” said Lowe, who begins his new post on April 23. “When this opportunity came up, I was thrilled. It’s quite an amazing opportunity that I did not want to pass up.”

In a roomful of elected officials and non-profit agencies from all corners of Santa Cruz County, Second Harvest Food Bank revealed San Juan Bautista-based True Leaf Farms as its choice for 2019 Food Industry Donor of the Year. The ceremony served as the lunch event...

There was a large turnout for the annual Woodies on the Wharf Saturday in Santa Cruz where more than 200 stylish, wood-bodied cars were on display on the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf. Owners were on hand to share their stories about their cars and trucks.