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Headlines refreshed daily · Oct 11, 11:58 AMDeadly e-bike crashes shaped three new California safety laws. Here’s what they do
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law allowing San Mateo County to restrict teens' access to e-bikes. It was inspired by fatal accidents in the Bay Area community.
Cal Fire conducts 48-acre prescribed burn at Swanton Pacific Ranch to reduce wildfire risk
Cal Fire's CZU unit conducted a prescribed burn Thursday morning at Swanton Pacific Ranch near Highway 1 in northern Santa Cruz County, burning approximately 48 acres in partnership with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to improve forest health, en
New California law aims to stop ‘predatory’ developers from moving in on wildfire-ravaged community
As many as 200 to 300 new structures have been permitted in Altadena, but homeowners who survived the Eaton fire are struggling to rebuild.
Lookout in the Community: October events & ways to connect
With next month’s midterm elections on the horizon and Halloween fast approaching, the months are flying by! Luckily, October hosts an abundance of opportunities for locals to stay connected and informed, so don’t be scared of missing out o
Santa Cruz appoints 25-year veteran Jose Garcia as interim police chief
Jose Garcia will become Santa Cruz’s interim police chief on Oct. 31, succeeding retiring Chief Bernie Escalante. Garcia has served as the department’s deputy chief since 2020.
Community Bridges built ECM to prevent health crises. Now the state funding is shifting and we have to close the program
California created enhanced care management to help Medi-Cal patients with complex health and social needs before they reach the emergency room. Community Bridges spent three years building a community-based program that now serves more tha
PVUSD school board candidate Curt Wilcox charged with felonies related to candidacy filing
Pajaro Valley Unified school board candidate Curt Wilcox was arrested Sept. 18 and faces felony charges related to his candidacy filing, including allegations involving his residency and voter registration.
Insurers say they’re starting to write new California homeowner policies, but how many?
Insurance companies are starting to write new policies in California again after years of holding back as wildfire risk climbed higher. The state Insurance Department says that means new regulations, intended to boost insurance availability
Watsonville to cut Flock surveillance cameras from 37 to 20, tighten data rules
The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday voted 5-2 to scale back the police department’s use of Flock Safety cameras after an often-tense, nearly five-hour discussion.
Sheriff opposes proposed Santa Cruz Mountains placement of convicted rapist Michael Cheek
Santa Cruz County Sheriff Chris Clark is opposing the proposed placement of rapist Michael Cheek in a Los Gatos property in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Wednesday morning traffic: Deadly motorcycle crash closes Corralitos Rd; delays
Wednesday traffic trouble spots in and around Santa Cruz County.
Newsom cites pension crisis as he vetoes bill to enhance retirement for police and firefighters
Gov. Gavin Newsom rejected a bill to lower the retirement age and sweeten pension perks for police and firefighters despite overwhelming support in the Legislature.
Monday evening traffic: Highway 1 & 9 lane closures; crash at Bonny Doon
Monday traffic trouble spots in and around Santa Cruz County.
Bracing for El Niño: County looks to better forecasting, more alerts, road work
Part of Lank Tree Lane in Boulder Creek collapsed during heavy rain in February 2025. (Amaya Edwards — Santa Cruz Local/CatchLight Local file) Santa Cruz County emergency resources Read the county’s El Niño guide for residents. Access the C
Monterey County officials continue to monitor Moss Landing fire; shelter-in-place order lifted
Monterey County officials say they are continuing to monitor a still-smoldering fire that started early Friday at a battery storage facility in Moss Landing. The fire began in an old scar burn from a building damaged in the original b
Moss Landing battery facility reignites 1.5 years after fire
Shelter-in-place warnings for nearby residents
Fire reignites at Moss Landing battery plant; Monterey County officials issue shelter-in-place order
Residents near the Moss Landing battery plant were under a shelter-in-place order after a fire erupted at the facility early Friday morning.
California’s tough on crime law promised treatment. Here’s why people are falling through the cracks
California's Proposition 36 gave certain people facing criminal charges an option to have their cases dropped if they complete drug treatment. Now, counties are on their own to figure out how to provide it.
Santa Cruz Police Chief Bernie Escalante retiring after 30 years of service, nearly five as police chief
Chief Bernie Escalante is retiring from the Santa Cruz Police Department after more than 30 years of service with the organization, the city announced on Thursday morning. Escalante assumed the role of acting police chief in October 2021 fo
Thursday morning traffic: Highway 9 crash, lane closures on Hwy 9, Hwy 1, SR-236
Thursday traffic trouble spots in and around Santa Cruz County.
Tuesday morning traffic: Fire on Empire Grade; Hwy 1, 9, 129 closures, delays
Tuesday traffic trouble spots in and around Santa Cruz County.
U.S. Supreme Court rejects Trump’s mail-in voting limits as November election nears
Gov. Gavin Newsom celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court's decision shooting down President Donald Trump's proposal to restrict mail-in voting just before the November midterm election.
Friday evening traffic: Collision: Ford F-150 vs e-bike, 7th Ave.; lane closures Hwy 1, 9, 129
Friday traffic trouble spots in and around Santa Cruz County.
Santa Cruz County immigration arrests steadily increase as nationwide arrests surge
Data shows most arrestees had criminal charges or convictions
Watsonville Police Department receives federal grant for crime analysis
The Watsonville Police Department is receiving a $22,285 federal grant that will help fund the department’s ongoing efforts to understand crime patterns within the city.
Thursday evening traffic: Highway 9 crash, multiple lane closures on Hwy 1 & 129
Thursday traffic trouble spots in and around Santa Cruz County.
Felton voters bet $1.7 million a year on a new era for the fire department
Felton residents have approved a $1.7 million-a-year investment in their fire department, betting that a bigger, more professional firefighting operation can provide something the mountain community has struggled to guarantee: that someone
Monterey County blazes: Timber fire passes 25,000 acres, containment up to 23%; Plaskett fire now 29,000 acres, still 1% contained
Crews are trying to make progress on the Timber and Plaskett fires, which continue to burn near Big Sur in Monterey County. Containment of the Timber fire inched up to 23% as it had scorched roughly 25,226 acres as of Wednesday night. Farth
Wednesday morning traffic: Crash blocks Soquel Dr; major Hwy 1 & 129 closures ongoing
Wednesday traffic trouble spots in and around Santa Cruz County.
California Assembly backs off voting on bill that would aid wildfire victims
The California Assembly opted not to vote Tuesday on legislation meant to help wildfire victims, deciding at the last minute to push back a decision on a bill that some Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, said wouldn’t meaningfully addr
Tuesday morning traffic: Highway 9 lane closures; minor crash at N Main & Soquel
Tuesday traffic trouble spots in and around Santa Cruz County.
A Lookout View: California’s rules for public office need a second look – especially on school boards
California rightly does not treat every criminal conviction as a lifetime ban on public service. But the standards might need to be different when an elected position carries responsibility for children. The Pajaro Valley school board race
Central Coast issued red flag warning Friday with thunderstorms, lightning in forecast
Lightning strikes could result in fires and winds that could gust up to 50 mph may cause rapid fire spread. The National Weather Service also warns of an increased risk for power outages as the winds could bring tree limbs down onto power l
Four financial steps to take as fire and storm season arrives on the Central Coast
Natural disasters have a way of disrupting more than the forecast. Here on the central coast, wildfire, heavy rain, flooding, fallen trees, road closures, and power outages can quickly affect where we live, how we get to work, and our expen
Federal wildfire crews are stretched thin. California is stepping in to help
As fire season takes hold, California is managing fuels and fire on federal lands. Can the Golden State keep it up?
Tuesday morning traffic: Highway 9 lane closures, minor crash at Hilltop & Jensen
Tuesday traffic trouble spots in and around Santa Cruz County.
Timber fire in Big Sur eclipses 6,000 acres; containment up to 29%
Crews are making progress on the Timber fire, which continues to burn in Big Sur in Monterey County. It had scorched more than 6,000 acres as of Thursday night, but containment was 29%. Several state parks remain closed as firefighting effo
On Coral Street, police sweeps don’t solve homelessness; they make it invisible
On Coral Street in Santa Cruz, the tents are disappearing — but the people who lived in them have not. As Housing Matters prepares to open 120 units of supportive housing, weekly street sweeps are escalating into daily displacement, writes
Tuesday morning traffic: Highway 9 lane closures; 2-car crash at Elkhorn Rd
Tuesday traffic trouble spots in and around Santa Cruz County.
UC Santa Cruz student who died in West Cliff Drive crash identified as 19-year-old Alli Singh
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office says UC Santa Cruz student Alli Singh, 19, was killed last Thursday after the car she was in drove off West Cliff Drive and into the bay at Steamer Lane.
UC Santa Cruz student died in Thursday crash off West Cliff Drive
A UC Santa Cruz student has been identified as the victim killed Thursday when a vehicle carrying two people crashed into the ocean off of West Cliff Drive at Steamer Lane.
With new funds, Felton Fire looks to hire
Citizen oversight, budget to be discussed next month
Timber fire update: Big Sur blaze grows to 4,445 acres; now 7% contained
The Timber fire in Monterey County continues to spread through Big Sur, having scorched more than 4,000 acres as of Thursday night. The fire has prompted the closures of state parks and nearby facilities, and has forced more than 500 people
Thursday morning traffic: Three-car crash with minor injuries delays Hwy 1 traffic
Thursday traffic trouble spots in and around Santa Cruz County.
California is making progress on fire prevention. Federal retreat, shaky funding put it at risk
California set an ambitious target to reduce wildfire hazards each year and is making real progress, write Bradley Franklin and Kyle Greenspan of the PPIC Water Policy Center. Preserving that momentum as federal partnerships fade and state
Timber fire eclipses 4,000 acres in Big Sur; containment up to 7%
Containment improved to 7% on the Timber fire in Big Sur on Wednesday night, with Cal Fire reporting that the blaze had consumed more than 4,000 acres.
Newsom makes last-minute push to help California utilities facing wildfire bills
One of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s final political fights in California is a revival of an old one. As wildfire costs threaten utilities’ financial models, the governor wants to help them pay less for fires.
Friday evening traffic: Crash into house on Portola Dr; 4-wheeler hits pole
Friday traffic trouble spots in and around Santa Cruz County.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk evacuated following reports of gunfire; no injuries reported, police say
Around 9 p.m. on Monday, police responded to reports of shots fired in the parking lot near the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. No one was struck by gunfire, a police spokesperson said.
‘Don’t Flock me’: California, U.S. lawmakers debate license plate reader technology
They’re all over our roads and really good at helping police solve crimes, but do California’s automated license plate readers need limits?
Woman returns home after years of displacement by CZU Lightning Complex Fire
Santa Cruz nonprofit completes first ground-up housing rebuild
16-year-old rookie lifeguard describes moment he ran into rough surf to save drowning boy at Seabright
When a 10-year-old boy was swept off his feet by heavy crashing waves at Seabright State Beach, 16-year-old rookie lifeguard Ryder Williams sprinted into the water and held onto him until help arrived. Though a viral video of the rescue dre
Arraignment for murder suspect in Capitola Mall stabbing delayed again
The arraignment for Tyler Leibelt, the 19-year-old accused of stabbing and murdering Rachell Summers, 73, of Capitola, was delayed again on Wednesday. He is due back in court August 19.
Viral Seabright beach rescue: Trump invites 16-year-old Santa Cruz lifeguard to White House
A Santa Cruz teen lifeguard saved a 10-year-old boy from rough waters this past weekend at Seabright State Beach, and a video of the rescue went viral. President Donald Trump has since invited the teen and his family to the White House to r
Matt Horn, Tyler Florence headline new barbecue festival in Moss Landing
The inaugural Black Smoke Invitational will bring celebrity chefs, pitmasters and live-fire cooking to Moss Landing on Sunday, pairing a barbecue competition with cooking demonstrations, unlimited tastings and live music. Organized by House
Suspect in Capitola Mall stabbing to be arraigned on Wednesday; court documents lay out alleged sequence of events
Tyler Leibelt, the 19-year-old suspect in the Monday stabbing that killed 73-year-old Rachell Summers outside the Capitola Mall, will return to court on Wednesday for his arraignment, continued from this week. Court documents filed by the d
Police identify victim, suspect in fatal Capitola Mall stabbing
Capitola police and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim in Monday’s fatal stabbing outside the Capitola Mall as Rachell Summers, 73, of Capitola. On Tuesday, the law enforcement agencies also identified the suspect
AI data centers might just save rooftop solar — and your electric bill
Artificial intelligence data centers are poised to transform California’s electric grid — but they might also rescue rooftop solar from years of political backlash, say clean-energy advocates Angela Lipanovich, an attorney, and Jenny Folkes
After scathing state board report, $5,000 fine and probation, Cabrillo College clears most dental hygiene program violations
Cabrillo College has corrected seven of eight violations identified in a state investigation of its dental hygiene program, but it remains on three years of probation and must pay a $5,000 fine after investigators found issues including ina
Sheriff’s Office investigates death of 16-year-old Capitola boy found near wharf
The body of a 16-year-old boy from Capitola was pulled from the water near the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf on Monday morning. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office is investigating, though no foul play is suspected at this time.
As Felton Fire faces mounting financial challenges, an assessment proposal divides residents
Ballots due July 24
Civic impact: our continued reporting on Flock Safety
How is your police department using Flock surveillance data?