Santa Cruz County Local News


Curated Local News articles published by local newsrooms.

New At-Home Influenza Tests Are Available

02/05/2025

Good. Because it's flu season and cases are surging. Read on to learn more.

State Farm Asks for More Insurance Rate Increases After LA Fires

02/04/2025

State Farm, which already has rate increase requests pending, asked state officials to approve more insurance price increases.

CTA Chapters Band Together to Leverage Districts for Higher Pay, Smaller Classes, More Resources

02/04/2025

The California Teachers Association's "We Can't Wait" campaign plans to use the power of 32 union chapters to increase pressure on school districts to raise salaries, increase staffing and add resources for students.

CA Lawmakers Propose $175 Million Increase for Cal Fire Staffing

02/04/2025

Roughly a month after deadly wildfires erupted in Los Angeles County, killing at least 29 people, lawmakers in the state Senate have introduced a proposal to bolster Cal Fire staffing, and Gov. Gavin Newsom is meeting with President Donald Trump over disaster aid.

Santa Cruz Native Wins Grammy

02/04/2025

Read on to learn more about Grammy-winning jazz pianist and Santa Cruz native Pascal Le Boeuf.

The Struggle to Rebuild After 2020 Santa Cruz Mountains Fire

02/04/2025

Read on to learn about the obstacles encountered by residents trying to rebuild in the aftermath of 2020's CZU Fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Spotlight on Black History Month

02/04/2025

A look at 14 places in California where Black businesses and culture thrived.

Sierra Snowpack Drastically Below Normal — And No One’s Turning on the Pumps, DWR Says

02/03/2025

Snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, which supplies about one-third of California’s water needs, was far lower than average for the end of January at one of the state’s measurement points on January 31.

Should ‘Aiding’ or ‘Abetting’ a Homeless Camp Be Illegal? It Might Soon Be a Reality in This Bay Area City

02/03/2025

The unusual move is alarming activists who worry they could be in the ordinance’s crosshairs.

CA Monarch Butterfly Count Yields Worrisome Finding

02/03/2025

For the past three years, more than 200,000 western monarch butterflies spent their winters along the California coast — huddling together in tall tree groves, finding respite from the wind from November to February.

Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board Fills Vacant Seat

02/03/2025

Read on to learn more about Joy Flynn, appointed to fill a vacancy on the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees in a special meeting on February 7.

Monarch Butterfly Numbers Plummet

02/03/2025

The statewide count of overwintering monarch butterflies shows a sharp drop in number. Read on to learn more.

Donate to the LA Wildfire Recovery Fund

02/03/2025

The California Community Foundation is accepting donations to help the folks impacted by the fires in Southern California. Consider donating today.

Getting Ready for the Next Disaster

02/01/2025

Read on to learn more about efforts underway by Santa Cruz County and the local CERT to prepare for the next disaster.

About That Trump-Ordered San Joaquin Valley Water Release...

02/01/2025

Read on to learn more about the Trump-ordered "emergency" release of water from two San Joaquin Valley reservoirs and how it is literally going down the drain (and not to preserve LA from fires as claimed).

Charging Forward: ‘Lithium Valley’ Could Offer Prosperity for Marginalized Area of California

01/31/2025

CHRIS BENNER AND MANUEL PASTOR have had front row seats to the changes taking place in the so-called Lithium Valley, the region around the Salton Sea, where a network of companies have hatched a plan for local and state government entities to mine vast quantities of lithium to use in the batteries that power electric vehicles.

Federal Judge Dismisses Case Claiming Community College Diversity Policies Infringe on Academic Freedom

01/31/2025

Plaintiffs claimed that being evaluated on their commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility principles is unconstitutional and has a chilling effect on their free speech rights.

Homeless Documentary At the Rio Theatre on February 13

01/31/2025

Read on to learn more about the documentary ‘Beyond the Bridge’ about how American cities are responding to homelessness, playing on February 13 at the Rio Theatre in Santa Cruz.

California Monarchs See Steep Decline

01/30/2025

The number of monarch butterflies overwintering in California are at a near-record low, and the wiping out of the Topanga butterfly habitat by the LA fires has made matters worse. Read on to learn more.

Over $4 Billion in LA Fire Claims Distributed, More to Come

01/30/2025

Insurance companies have paid out $4.2 billion in claims so far to survivors of the Los Angeles County fires, the state Insurance Department said Thursday.