More than 400,000 customers were without power in California as the latest powerful winter storm pushed through, elevating flooding danger.
Storms 2023: Road to Recovery
Posted inK-12 Education
Some Santa Cruz County school closures extend into Tuesday as storm evacuation orders continue
All Pajaro Valley Unified School District schools are set to be closed Tuesday, impacting more than 18,000 students. Several other area schools closed Monday and were weighing plans for Tuesday. On Monday afternoon, Mountain Elementary Superintendent Megan Tresham said she had yet to make a decision about whether to close Tuesday. Bonny Doon Superintendent Mike Heffner and Happy Valley Superintendent Michelle Stewart said their schools planned to be open Tuesday.
Posted inLatest News
Chainsaws, generators and beer: Amid dayslong power outage, Santa Cruz Mountains community perseveres
The unrelenting deluge battering the Santa Cruz Mountains left hundreds in Boulder Creek without power for days. Although admittedly challenging, it’s nothing the mountain community hasn’t seen before.
Posted inLatest News
Santa Cruz County storm: Freeway and road closures pile up
Roads and highways across Santa Cruz County and the broader region have been shut down by landslides, sinkholes, flooding and emergency road work.
Posted inLatest News
‘There’s very little we can do.’ Watsonville residents eye fragile levee system with growing sense of alarm
More heavy rain is set to hit the low-lying areas of Santa Cruz County this week. In Watsonville, memories are still fresh for many of the ruinous floods of 1995, which brought about two deaths and almost $100 million in damages, due to a breach in the aging system of levees on the river. More flooding followed in 1997 and 1998, and the levees almost failed again in 2017.
Posted inLatest News
‘This is extremely serious’: All PVUSD schools closed Monday amid flash flood warnings
With flash flood warnings in effect, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District announced that classes were canceled Monday at all of its schools. On Sunday, the district said it would cancel Monday and Tuesday classes for schools including Ann Soldo Elementary School, Hall District Elementary School, Ohlone Elementary School, Lakeview Middle School, Pajaro Middle School and Watsonville High School. About 4,620 students attend those schools.
Posted inLatest News
WATCH: Fierce winter storms batter Santa Cruz County. See the devastation in videos.
Lookout photojournalist Kevin Painchaud spend the past week crisscrossing Santa Cruz County, capturing video of the winter storms. See some of the highlights below.
Posted inLatest News
Your photos: A look at Santa Cruz County storms, recovery through our readers’ eyes
We asked readers to share their photos from the storms that battered Santa Cruz County in early 2023, and the cleanup and recovery efforts that followed, and many responded. Here’s a selection of the most dramatic reader storm photos from across Santa Cruz County.
Posted inLatest News
Where we stand: Fast-coming storm prompts fears of major flooding in Santa Cruz County
Some Californians received a test of the earthquake early-warning system seven hours before the appointed time, waking…
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz County storm recovery: Here are ways you can donate and volunteer
Across Santa Cruz County, community groups are coming together to raise money and launch volunteer efforts to help vulnerable residents during emergencies and rebuild and recover from the damaging floods and surf swells. Here are some ways you can help.