Local News

SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS—Heavy overnight and early-morning winds have sparked multiple fires across Santa Cruz County, Cal Fire CZU reported Tuesday morning. Firefighters reported several fires, including one off of Highway 9 in Boulder Creek, another near Empire Grade Road and Alba Road, a 20-acre fire...

Burglaries nearly doubled in 2020—overall, crime fluctuated heavily during the pandemic, Scotts Valley Police Department Chief Steve Walpole, Jr. told the city council in his annual presentation. The numbers have dropped since, and thankfully, there are still no homicides to report. “I’ve been really impressed...

In a stunning move, San Lorenzo Valley Water District (SLVWD) Director Tina Marie To resigned from her position on the board via email on March 18.  After serving for just three months, Director To, whose focus and specialty was “a passion for all things water...

Audrey Parmenter is the embodiment of a good kid. A tenacious, inquisitive student with good grades and a fierce serve on the volleyball court, the San Lorenzo Valley High School senior has quietly been making a difference in the lives of those affected by...

Caltrans continues with a vegetation control project over the entire length of Highway 9 in Santa Cruz County in support of California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan to manage vegetation and reduce wildfire risk along the state highway system. The objective of this work...

Pacific Gas and Electric Company is moving into the next phase of wildfire clean-up efforts—clearing out thick tree trunks it chopped down previously. According to Santa Cruz County’s Office of Response, Recovery & Resilience, the electricity provider is taking action in the wake of a...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—All California adults age 50 and older will be eligible for a vaccine starting April 1, and everyone age 16 and older will be eligible starting April 15, the state announced Thursday. The shift in eligibility comes as the state expects the supply...

CENTRAL COAST—The Bay Area region designated in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s regional stay-at-home order is expected to fall below its baseline Intensive Care Unit (ICU) bed capacity sometime this weekend, meaning several industries will face more restrictions put in place to curb the spread of...

Traffic was snarled for hours on the primary route between Silicon Valley and the Monterey Bay when a truck carrying 8,600 gallons of fuel overturned this morning. The driver was taken to hospital with unknown injuries. The tanker crashed along southbound Highway 17 south of...