The Santa Cruz County housing market looked similar in July to what it has for most of the summer, despite sales temporarily dipping as prospective buyers leave for vacation and school gets back into session.
Today’s Top Story
A significant story with interest across the county
Posted inEducation
Pajaro Valley school board candidate has felony assault, child endangerment convictions – but can still run
A Pajaro Valley Unified school board candidate with convictions including felony assault and child endangerment can still run for office because those crimes don’t disqualify him under California law, while questions have also been raised about Curt Street Wilcox’s claimed Watsonville residence.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville Flock debate gains momentum as councilmember rethinks support
After Santa Cruz ended its contract with Flock Safety, activists are stepping up efforts to persuade Watsonville to do the same — and at least one councilmember who previously supported the surveillance cameras is beginning to have second thoughts.
Posted inLatest News
Tyler Leibelt pleads not guilty in Capitola Mall murder case
The Santa Cruz 19-year-old accused of murdering a 73-year-old Capitola woman outside of the Capitola Mall in July will return to court on Oct. 8 for a preliminary hearing.
Posted inEducation
Santa Cruz County school board elections: Who’s running, who’s unopposed and which seats have no candidates
Here’s a guide to which Santa Cruz County school board and Cabrillo College races will appear on the November ballot, which candidates will be appointed without an election and which seats have no candidates at all.
Posted inFood & Drink
Why Stockwell Cellars is closing its Westside Santa Cruz tasting room
Stockwell Cellars will close its Westside Santa Cruz tasting room Sept. 1 after a decade, as owners Eric Stockwell and Suzanne Zeber-Stockwell shift the business toward wine distribution and a smaller wine club-focused model. The move comes as the couple says the traditional tasting-room model has become less viable amid a broader downturn in wine consumption, rising costs and changes in how people spend their time and money.
Posted inLatest News
Santa Cruz City Council OKs new tree count as it eyes 3,000 more by 2030
Santa Cruz has approved a $150,000 contract with the Davey Tree Expert Company for a new lidar-based inventory of its public trees, part of a broader push to grow the city’s urban forest to 3,000 more trees by 2030.
Posted inEducation
Cabrillo College’s Watsonville Center sees 71% enrollment surge – and rising pass rates
Cabrillo College’s Watsonville Center has seen enrollment jump 71% and course pass rates climb from 70% to 84% since fall 2022, a surge that Watsonville Center Dean Eduardo Cervantes credits to dual-enrollment growth, pandemic-recovery outreach and new programs tailored to local students’ interests.
Posted inLatest News
Ask a Santa Cruz coyote: Why are sightings spiking around town this summer – or are they?
Social media is buzzing with neighborhood coyote sightings, but local wildlife experts say it’s just business as usual. Here’s a quick, expert-backed guide on how to coexist with our four-legged neighbors this summer and beyond.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz mayoral candidates oppose 6-story housing project at Seabright and Soquel; wish to regain some local control over building
Santa Cruz mayoral candidate Ryan Coonerty wasn’t shy with expressing his disapproval of a proposed housing development at the intersection of Seabright Avenue and Soquel Avenue. His mayoral opponent, Ami Chen Mills, said she also disapproves of this development despite wanting to continue to build affordable housing.
