Santa Cruz County Public Safety Articles

Dial ‘988’ to start in July, but non-police response remains limited.

The modern gun control movement started in California. Surprisingly, it was the work of Ronald Regan and the Black Panther Party. Here’s what happened.

WATSONVILLE—The addition of a third fire station would not significantly improve Watsonville Fire Department’s response time to most neighborhoods, according to a 142-page report presented to the Watsonville City Council at its Tuesday meeting. Fitch & Associates found that while …

Neighborhood residents have rallied for the Santa Cruz intersection to be reconfigured for over two decades.

CASTROVILLE—The North County Fire District held a badge pinning ceremony Tuesday at its main fire station in Castroville, welcoming seven newly promoted firefighters. Attendees to the ceremony included 2nd District Supervisor John Phillips and his staff, Fire District board members …

Making it through the earthquake is the easy part. The hard part is surviving in the chaos that follows.

Underground work possible in San Lorenzo Valley by 2023
The post PG&E explains wildfire prevention strategies for Santa Cruz County appeared first on Santa Cruz Local.

WATSONVILLE—A plan to improve traffic and pedestrian safety at a notoriously busy intersection on the outskirts of Watsonville took a step forward Wednesday.  The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees unanimously agreed to allow the California Department of …

Boulder Creek Startup Hopes to Develop Drone Fire Management Technology By Julie Horner “We are 85% there,” said Ember Flash Aerospace co-founder and Boulder Creek resident Lee Kohlman. Kohlman, who holds a PhD in Engineering and is an Aerospace Research …

The company's ambitious plan includes a multibillion-dollar effort to bury 10,000 miles of power lines in 'high-risk' wildfire areas.

APTOS—Plans were announced Thursday of a major renovation of Willowbrook County Park to honor the late Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, who was gunned down in the line of duty in 2020. The project of “reimagining” the park …

Cadets face their fears in training courses for the Santa Cruz Fire Fighters Academy

The San Lorenzo Valley Post published details on a Jan. 12 meeting for homeowners affected by wood debris left behind by PG&E after the 2020 CZU Fire.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—As students prepare to return to school on Jan. 4, districts across the county are offering families a tool to test their children for Covid-19 before they return. While not required for return to class, the tests are …

Though they are elected officials, county sheriffs have less accountability than any other law enforcement officials. Here's why, and what California is doing about it.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Supervisors on Tuesday ratified an emergency declaration for the winter storms that occurred on Dec. 13. County Administrative Officer Carlos Palacios made the initial declaration on Dec. 21. The decision will allow the county …

The climate change era has created a whole new set of terms for a wide variety of storms and other weather phenomena. Here are some of the most important.

California homicide spiked by 31 percent in 2020. The shocking increase has continued into 2021. Here are several theories that attempt to explain the state’s suddenly rising murder rate.

With more rain coming, officials and experts discuss county’s ongoing homeless crisis.

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Fire Department will soon take on a new firefighter/paramedic after he completed the 16-week training academy at Watsonville Fire Station No. 2 on Airport Boulevard on Dec. 2. Adrian Chairez, of Santa Cruz, and three other trainees were officially …