The California Highway Patrol has recorded 16 e-bike crashes across the county between the start of the year and the end of April, 13 of which involved injuries, CHP officer Israel Murillo told a virtual meeting Tuesday of about 20 community members and bicycle and pedestrian advocates.
Public Safety
Posted inLatest News
Fatal 2022 midair collision at Watsonville airport ruled pilot error in final report
Pilot error was likely the cause of a midair collision that killed three people at Watsonville Municipal Airport in August 2022, the National Transportation Safety Board has found. The agency released its report March 28.
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Richard Thornton, Olympian and swim coach, dies at The Hook in Santa Cruz
Legendary Bay Area swim coach and U.S. Olympian Richard Thornton died Thursday while preparing to surf at The Hook in Santa Cruz. In a Facebook post, his younger brother said Thornton, 65, died “doing what he loved.”
Posted inEducation
Students, workers union say UCSC slow to address safety concerns ahead of bus crash
While the cause of Tuesday night’s UC Santa Cruz bus crash remains under investigation, some students and union reps say the university has not acted on their concerns surrounding bus conditions. Labor leader Rebecca Gilpas said that if a mechanical issue does end up being the cause of the accident, “somebody has to be held accountable.”
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Sheriff’s office confirms hunger strike in Santa Cruz jail as inmates say ‘we are treated abominably’
Five inmates are on a hunger strike in the Santa Cruz Main Jail, and their complaints mirror many of the issues cited in a civil grand jury report earlier this year. A similar demonstration led to changes in the jail in May 2019, but activists say the focus should remain on funding programs and services aimed at rehabilitation.
Posted inCapitola & Soquel
Capitola residents urge safety improvements to stretch of Bay Avenue after fatal hit-and-run
Following the hit-and-run death of 70-year-old Debra Towne on Nov. 18 in Capitola, residents are calling on city officials to make traffic safety improvements on Bay Avenue. Police are still searching for the suspect.