The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission’s June 30 deadline for removing encroachments on future trail land is here. While the owners and residents of one Live Oak mobile home park are discussing alternatives, those from the other park will likely face legal action.
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Posted inLatest News
Watsonville police lack manpower for proactive community policing, report says
A new report finds the Watsonville Police Department is understaffed and recommends civilian employees handle minor issues, freeing officers for more proactive community engagement and patrol duties.
Posted inLatest News
In wake of Moss Landing fire, experts defend battery technology in Santa Cruz County
As Santa Cruz County officials consider a battery storage facility near Watsonville, experts sought to reassure residents worried after January’s Moss Landing blaze that such facilities are safe.
Posted inLatest News
Former student arrested in on-campus ‘peeping tom’ cases, UCSC police say
UC Santa Cruz police have arrested former student Tony Pau in connection with multiple voyeurism, burglary and theft incidents reported in campus housing earlier this year.
Posted inHousing & Development
County planning department resolves to overcome its ‘culture of no’
After fielding heavy criticism over the past several years, Santa Cruz County’s planning division is considering a major overhaul of its processes.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
‘It takes over your life’: County CEO Carlos Palacios on duty, disaster and the decision to step down
After more than eight years leading Santa Cruz County through disasters, budget battles and political shifts, CEO Carlos Palacios prepares to retire, reflecting on service, sacrifice — and what comes next.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville City Council to weigh job cuts, fee hikes to balance budget
The Watsonville City Council is set to vote Tuesday on a two-year plan to cut 14 vacant city jobs and hike fees at some public facilities to narrowly avoid a deficit in its $309 million budget.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
As top bureaucrat retires, Santa Cruz County’s ‘generational shift’ deepens for local government
As Carlos Palacios steps down from his post as Santa Cruz County’s executive officer, a national search will begin for his replacement.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
Watsonville police overuse handcuffs, detentions for minor crimes, county watchdog says
A new Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury report found that the Watsonville Police Department handcuffs, detains and transports more people for misdemeanors, such as theft, trespassing and DUIs, than other local law enforcement agencies.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
County executive Carlos Palacios to step down in December
Carlos Palacios, Santa Cruz County’s top government executive, will retire in December after nearly a decade at the helm.