Good morning! It’s May 4 — here’s what’s going on in your community today…
Partly sunny with a shower in Aptos
Today will be times of sun and clouds with a shower in spots; cool. There is a 55% chance of rain. The high will be 64 with a low of 50.
Aptos news
Pajaro Valley Unified settled with a first grader’s family for unmet special education needs, providing compensatory services like summer camp, behavioral support, and speech therapy. April food highlights in Santa Cruz County: Tostilocos, French toast, viral desserts.
Pajaro Valley Unified settles with family over unmet services for special education student
By Hillary Ojeda
May 4, 2026
ADVERTISEMENT
What’s new around you
▼︎ real estate ▼︎ food inspections ▼︎ events
Read on to see the details about each item…
Things to do in Aptos
Community Fundraiser BINGO
Local nonprofit American Sign Language Services Community hosting a bingo fundraiser at the Aptos Grange on Sundays, 3-8 p.m., Mondays 5-10 p.m. …
At Aptos Grange on May 4
Repeats 112 more times until May 31
Horses and BEYOND
Step into the pasture and experience the profound magic of simply being in the presence of horses.We’ll begin with a “dropping in” exercise in the pas…
At Beyond Liberty on May 5
Pilates & Posture in the Pasture
Horses are deeply attuned to nonverbal cues; our posture, breath, and inner state shape how they respond. When we’re centered, they notice. This gentl…
At Beyond Liberty on May 6
Repeats 40 more times until February 10
BioCharger & Vibrational Sound Table Healing Happy Hour
Take a midweek pause and recharge your energy ✨ Join us for BioCharger & Vibrational Sound Table Healing Happy Hour—a unique experience designed to su…
At Soulcare Studios on May 6
Repeats 34 more times until December 30
Property development
- The Santa Cruz County Planning Department is currently accepting public comments on a zoning application for a proposed project at 499 Hames Rd. in Watsonville, but will stop accepting comments after May 13. The project involves constructing a new in-ground swimming pool (12 by 32 feet, 4 to 7 feet deep, holding about 20,944 gallons) and an attached spa (7 by 12 feet) next to the existing single-family home. Plans also include a 4-foot high retaining wall, pool equipment pad and new pool decking (to be installed separately), with safety features such as an automatic pool cover, required alarms and 5-foot high non-climb deer fencing with self-closing, self-latching gates. The application requests a reduction of the standard 200-foot agricultural buffer setback to approximately 148 feet at the south property line and 120 feet at the west property line. Site work will involve removing and replacing up to 6 feet of clay soil beneath the pool with engineered fill, grading, drainage improvements and erosion control, with the pool constructed using gunite (shotcrete). All work will comply with relevant California and county codes for safety, energy efficiency, and stormwater management. No landscaping is included in this permit. Residents who wish to provide input on this project must submit their comments before the May 13 deadline. (view application)
- A permit application has been filed for a project at 195 Via Concha in Aptos, proposing to replace the existing deck with a new structure supported by a retaining wall rather than the current cantilevered design. The plans also include installing a new metal and glass safety railing and modifying the layout of the rear window and door. Because the property is located within the coastal zone, the project requires a Coastal Development Permit as well as a geotechnical review. (view details)
Restaurant inspections
County officials regularly inspect food facilities to ensure compliance with state laws. Here, Lookout Santa Cruz reports both those who have passed the inspections and those that the county deems to have a “major” issue. The county’s full ongoing report can be accessed here.
- Persephone Restaurant at 7945 Soquel Dr., Aptos, passed a county health inspection on April 30 with no critical issues.
No crimes to report today
We checked with local police and there were no new incidents to report.
No traffic problems nearby
We checked with state and county agencies — the roads look good!
Disclosure: Property development updates are partially generated by artificial intelligence. We are constantly working to improve the accuracy and quality of our AI-generated content. However, there may still be errors or inaccuracies. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.