Good morning! It’s December 17 — here’s what’s going on in your community today…
A morning shower in spots in Aptos
Today will be a shower in the area this morning with low clouds followed by clouds giving way to some sun. There is a 40% chance of rain. The high will be 66 with a low of 47. Showers now, changing to cloudy at 9 a.m.
Looking ahead: Rain, some heavy, to affect the area Sunday night
Aptos news
New businesses in Santa Cruz County span restaurants, home care, auto services, therapy, and retail shops across Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Capitola, Aptos, Soquel, Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond, and Scotts Valley.
This week in Santa Cruz County business: County ranked in GoFundMe’s top 10 for donations; investors snapping up local homes
By Jessica M. Pasko
Dec 17, 2025
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What’s new around you
▼︎ real estate ▼︎ events
Read on to see the details about each item…
Things to do in Aptos
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 December 17
Repeats 27 more times until December 30
Persephone Restaurant Thursday Night Pasta Special
Every Thursday along with our regular menu we offer a prix fixe pasta dinner! Enjoy three courses starting with a fresh farmers market mixed green sal…
At Persephone Restaurant on December 18
Repeats 43 more times until October 15
New Year’s Eve Party
Celebrate the New Year with an evening of great music with friends and help kick off the start of Seascape’s 100th year. Live music by the Beach Cowbo…
At Seascape Golf Club on December 18
Property development
- On December 16, the Santa Cruz County Planning Department formally approved a zoning application for a project at 137 Las Lomas Drive in Aptos. The project involves the renewal of a permit that allows the existing single-family home at this address to continue operating as a three-bedroom vacation rental, with overnight stays permitted for up to 30 days at a time. This renewal required approval of a vacation rental permit to maintain the property’s current use as a short-term rental. (view application)
Roadwork is affecting traffic in the region
- A hit and run happened on northbound Highway 17 at El Rancho in the Eastside / Live Oak area. No injuries were reported. The incident was reported today.
- A car hit a deer at 6:07 a.m. today on southbound Highway 1 at the Airport Blvd. offramp in Watsonville / Pajaro. Fluids were leaking from the car, and fire services were on the way. No injuries were reported. A tow truck was called and was expected to arrive within 25 minutes.
- There is a one-way traffic closure on South Highway 9 at Lorenzo Avenue in San Lorenzo Valley because of emergency work. The closure is expected to last until 3:59 p.m. on April 1, 2026.
No crimes to report today
We checked with local police and there were no new incidents to report.
Disclosure: Traffic incidents and 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.