Santa Cruz bassist dies in firefighter training
Santa Cruz resident Daniel Lamothe, a 38-year-old firefighting trainee and musician, has died after a mishap during a firefighter training program in the San Lorenzo Valley last Sunday.
During the Feb. 19 session at the Ben Lomond Training Center, the volunteer became “medically distressed,” Santa...
Evacuations ordered
County officials warn of debris flows and high winds
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Cal Fire CZU announced Monday morning that many evacuation warnings were updated to orders for swaths of the San Lorenzo Valley, including most of Boulder Creek and various areas of Ben Lomond and Felton...
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...
Suspected mail thief nabbed after video footage from Boulder Creek
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Monday arrested a Santa Cruz man after he was caught on video surveillance stealing mail in Boulder Creek.
Richard Gilreath, 54, had mail from roughly 50 victims, sheriff’s spokeswoman Ashley Keehn said.
He was wanted on warrants from Santa Cruz...
Cabrillo College trustees approve name change
APTOS—Cabrillo College’s governing board voted Monday to change the institution’s name after a two-hour discussion that included comments from dozens of community members.
The trustees voted 6-1 in favor of renaming the college, with trustee Rachel Spencer dissenting.
The decision followed the Nov. 10 release of...
Covid-19 variant found in Santa Cruz County
The Santa Cruz County Public Health Division is monitoring confirmed reports of Covid-19 cases involving variants found in Santa Cruz County, spokesman Jason Hoppin said in a press release Monday.
Two cases of the B.1.1.7 variant, known generally as the U.K. variant, have been identified...
METRO board extends CEO’s contract as unions call for his dismissal
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) Board of Directors at its May 21 virtual meeting unanimously approved a contract extension with CEO and General Manager Alex Clifford that will keep him at the head of the transportation agency through May 6,...
Stimulus bill transforms options for state and local governments
Richard F. Cortez, the top elected official in Hidalgo County, at the southern tip of Texas, is so full of anticipation for the federal stimulus money that is about to flow into his county that he has memorized the precise amount and happily recites...
Water District, PG&E Team Up On Restoration Project
In the world of water districts, challenges abound. From fires and floods to earthquakes and droughts, there is a multitude of issues that can affect the safety and security of water sources for the population served.
San Lorenzo Valley Water District (SLVWD) is certainly no...
A tour through Scotts Valley’s vast wastewater facility
According to the National Research Council, efforts to provide clean drinking water, and dispose of waste, goes back to ancient societies in Pakistan, Egypt and Mesopotamia. A decline in hygiene went hand-in-hand with the dark ages. Scotts Valley is trying to come up with...
Wildfire between Felton and Scotts Valley quelled
A wildfire that broke out between Felton and Scotts Valley midday Friday was quickly contained at 2.3 acres, as firefighters sought to quell flames...
