This week, Lily digs into the numbers behind levels of heavy metals in dark chocolate, previews the NEXTies awards show from the food and beverage side and shares some seasonal faves she’s chowing down on. With Valentine’s Day around corner, dark chocolate’s metal levels in spotlight A recent report found high levels of lead and […]
Capitola & Soquel
Storm damage at Soquel mobile home park unearths decades-old county plan to remove it from flood plain
Santa Cruz County was so worried about damaging floods harming the Old Mill Estates mobile home park that a 1990 master plan called for the government to buy the property and turn it into a flood buffer for Soquel Village. Why didn’t that happen?
Capitola Village restaurant repairs moving along; some aiming to reopen within weeks
The timelines vary for Capitola Village restaurants’ reopening, but the work is under way, and some look to open within weeks.
Lily Belli on Food: Friday opening for Alderwood Pacific, Gayle’s celebrates & embracing the season
This week, Lily has the latest on happenings in the Alderwood family of restaurants, a Capitola landmarks turns 45 and the big upside of trying new things at the farmers market. As Alderwood Pacific opens, Alderwood Santa Cruz set for refresh Alderwood Pacific, the more casual sibling of Alderwood Santa Cruz, will open its doors […]
Gayle’s turns 45 — and gives fans a chance to reimagine their faves
Gayle’s Bakery & Rosticceria opened Feb. 14, 1978, with one employee working with owners Gayle and Joe Ortiz. What’s now a Capitola landmark employs more than 130 and goes through nearly 61,000 eggs a month.
Victim identified in fatal weekend house party shooting in Boulder Creek
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the identity of the 18-year-old victim of a fatal shooting at a house party in Boulder Creek on Saturday. One school administrator wrote that the victim “was recognized by teachers for possessing an upbeat attitude toward life and school and for being an enjoyable student.” A teenage boy has been arrested as a suspect in the shooting.
Community reads program gives novel ‘Mary Coin’ the full 360 treatment
Each February, Friends of the Aptos Library puts a single book under the microscope, centering a series of events around that title. This year’s “Our Community Reads” novel imagines the backstory to Dorothea Lange’s famous Depression-era “Migrant Mother” photo.
Lily Belli on Food: Biden’s local ice cream treat, fundraiser for Capitola workers & onstage with Deb Perelman
This week, Lily digs into what local grub the president sampled during last week’s visit, local chefs teaming up for post-storm relief — and dishes on her interview with a famous food blogger. What Joe Biden ate during his visit to Santa Cruz County The president, notorious for his love of ice cream, did indeed […]
Local chefs cooking up fundraiser for Capitola workers; tickets now on sale
With more than 100 employees unable to return to work due to prolonged restaurant closures, chefs from Reef Dog Deli, Trestles, Home and Shadowbrook are teaming up for a Feb. 6 gala.
What Joe Biden ate during his visit to Santa Cruz County
The president, notorious for his love of ice cream, did indeed sample a Santa Cruz favorite, and his team also chowed down on some local pizza amid the whirlwind tour that included stops in Capitola Village and Seacliff State Beach.

