Local News

When we learned that Dolly Parton had passed away on Aug. 25, so many of us in Santa Cruz County felt the loss personally, not just as fans of her music, but as a community lucky enough to carry a piece of her legacy forward.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become part of the fabric of our community. Every month, free high-quality books arrive in the mail, addressed to children under age five. For families, it is more than a book. It is a moment to connect, nurture a child’s imagination and build a lifelong love of learning.

On Sept. 25, communities around the world will honor her legacy through the first-ever Give Like Dolly Day, celebrating her lifelong commitment to children, reading and giving back. 

Here in Santa Cruz County, we’re also celebrating our own milestone. October marks one year of putting amazing books into the hands of Santa Cruz County’s youngest readers through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. This program has helped make books a regular part of childhood for local families. And while one year is a milestone, it is also just the beginning.

Dolly Parton founded the Imagination Library in 1995 in honor of her father, who never learned to read or write. What began as a gift to the children of her home county in East Tennessee has grown into the largest early childhood book-gifting program in the world, mailing more than three million books every month to children in five countries: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and the Republic of Ireland. 

As Dolly liked to say, “If you can read, you can do anything, dream anything and be anything.” Locally, First 5 Santa Cruz County serves as the lead partner, the backbone organization coordinating outreach, enrollment and sustainability, alongside our founding partner United Way of Santa Cruz County.

Since we mailed our first book almost a year ago, we’ve sent nearly 20,000 books to children in our community! Today, over 3,000 local children are enrolled and receive a brand-new, age-appropriate book each month, building home libraries and a love of reading from their earliest days, at no cost to their families. Bilingual English/Spanish books are also available, and 38 percent of enrolled families have chosen that option, a reflection of the community we serve.

The difference this makes is not just a feeling; it’s backed by research. A groundbreaking international study led by Claire Galea of United Way Australia, drawing on the largest dataset in the world on shared book reading, surveyed more than 86,000 caregivers across five countries. It found that after just 10 books, children in the program were at least four times more likely to show stronger early literacy skills, such as vocabulary and phonological awareness, than children who weren’t enrolled. Enrolled children were also nine times more likely to be read to four or more days a week. 

In the United States, children in the program were 11 times more likely to be interested in books and 15 times more likely to join in during shared reading. These aren’t small nudges. They’re the building blocks of kindergarten readiness, happening one monthly book at a time. 

We encourage you to help foster a young child’s sense of wonder, excitement for learning and early literacy by enrolling a child under five in your life.

Dolly often called her local Imagination Library partners the “true heroes” of the program, because they’re the ones who raise the funds, build community support and make sure every eligible child gets signed up. 

This Give Like Dolly Day, you can be one of those heroes too. Honor Dolly’s legacy by donating to the Imagination Library of Santa Cruz County or simply share how you’re giving using #GiveLikeDolly. 

One year in, nearly 20,000 books have already found their way into local homes and hearts. Let’s make sure the next 20,000 arrive even faster, and that Dolly’s legacy of dreaming big keeps growing right here in Santa Cruz County.

For more information about enrolling a child or donating: bit.ly/DPILSantaCruzCounty

Pajaro Valley Arts is set to open its new exhibit, which serves as a launch for the annual Santa Cruz County Open Studios Art Tour.

The show, titled “2026 Open Studios Preview Exhibits,” showcases dozens of artists in their own studios around the county beginning Oct. 3.

To prime the public with what’s on deck, the PVA Gallery in Watsonville at 280 Main St. is teaming up with two other galleries: the Santa Cruz Art League and the M.K. Contemporary Art Gallery to offer preview exhibits.

COLORFUL “Tres Generaciones” is a painting by Ann Thiermann.

The shows allow people to explore work from artists from La Selva Beach, Watsonville, Davenport, Bonny Doon, San Lorenzo Valley, Scotts Valley and elsewhere.

“PVA is very excited to be hosting the Open Studios preview show again this year,” said PVA Executive Director Miriam Anton.

She added that the exhibit will have over 60 artists participating from South County and will be open from 11am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday during the three weekends of Open Studios.

The opening reception for the preview show will be Thursday, Oct. 1, from 5 to 7pm. It is open to the public.

NIGHT OWL “Black Owl” is a sculpture by Hermalina Vasquez.

The show encompasses a wide range of mediums, from paintings and drawings to woodwork, ceramics, sculpture and photography.

The Open Studios Art Tour, put on by the Arts Council Santa Cruz County, is broken into three groups. South County will run Oct. 3 and 4 from 11am-5pm; North County, Oct. 10 and 11 from 11am-5pm; and all county, Oct. 17 and 18 from 11am-5pm.

The Santa Cruz Art League is at 526 Broadway in Santa Cruz, and the M.K. Contemporary Art Gallery is at 703 Front St. in Santa Cruz. For information about the PV Arts show, call 722-3062 or visit pvarts.org. For information about the overall Open Studios Art Tour, maps of the artists’ studios and more, visit artscouncil.org.

People are outraged, confused, incredulous, perplexed and demoralized. They are feeling helpless because they are unable to stop the administration from waging the president’s senseless, calamitous conflict with Iran. 

President Trump and key cabinet members make a point of insisting that our military incursion into Iran should be described as alternatively either a full-fledged war or as something else more euphemistically palatable. Although we constitutionally are not officially at war, because only Congress has the power to declare war, the consequences of our invasion point decisively at war-time activity.

Furthermore, under international law and rules of warfare, a military attack is only recognized and legally justified as an act of self defense against armed aggression, or when authorized by the U.N. Security Council. A legitimate objective of warfare must be to stop a major wrong, defend the innocent, push back invaders or restore peace—not to gain land, economic advantage, power or be used as a diversion from an uncomfortable preoccupation with domestic politically damaging issues. So, constitutionally, internationally and certainly morally, this war ought to be considered illegal.

President Trump continues to depict the conflict as a military action that is “small potatoes.” His justification remains that “Epic Fury,” as the conflict has been branded, was necessary as a preemptive action to insure that Iran would never be able to obtain a nuclear weapon capable of threatening Israel or U.S. cities, even though he claimed in 2025 after completing operation “Midnight Hammer” that this specific objective had already been accomplished. While politically the introduction of confusing language may convince some that the action remains minimal and short of war, for the vast majority of our population the consequences of aggressively perpetuating this conflict, now in its sixth month, are inescapable.

Trump’s casual, callous comment dismissing the ongoing military conflict with Iran as “small potatoes” and “not a big thing for the United States,” as he did during an Oval Office exchange earlier this month, won’t sit well with families directly affected by the 18 U.S. military fatalities and more than 800 wounded service members resulting from the conflict thus far. According to the Pentagon, each casualty affects at least 10 immediate family members, which does not include friends, neighbors and other associated individuals. Add to these between 3,400 and 6,000 Iranian casualties—including 1,400 civilians—and the extent of the calamity already resulting from this senseless, unjustified and unnecessary war becomes clear. 

Not a big thing? Small potatoes?

Aside from the growing human cost, the economic repercussions are rapidly increasing and threatening to get out of control as well. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that since the war started on Feb. 28, its price tag already totaled $43.6 billion, and is increasing by $3 billion a month. Others have estimated the cost to be closer to $100 billion. In addition, the expense of replacing munitions has reached $21.6 billion, spread out over missile defense interceptors, cruise missiles and other munitions. Rebuilding these supplies could, reportedly, take five years, and might leave us in an uncomfortably weak defensive position. According to Brown University’s Climate Solutions Lab, the added fuel cost for U.S. families has already hit $100 billion, while, according to the CBO, inflation will at least increase by 0.5%.

All said, to pay for the war, each household should expect to see their annual expenses minimally increase by $1,200. This figure includes direct energy price hikes, transportation inflation, higher borrowing costs and military spending burdens. Trump insists that this is an “inexpensive price to pay” for his “relatively little war.” 

In an attempt to minimize the apparent cost, he likes to compare the expense of his war with what we spent on Vietnam during the eight years of our combat presence in that country. Between 1965 and 1973 we spent $168 billion on that conflict, which amounted to approximately $2 billion per month. This compares to the $7 billion we are currently spending each month. Recognizing significant budgetary shortcomings, the Defense Department has already requested Congress to provide it with an all-time high $1.5 trillion military budget, which includes an additional $95 billion for the war.

Again—small potatoes?

The numbers don’t lie. We will all be confronted by the economic consequences of this military conflict. Some of us will doubtlessly even experience much more dire, personally devastating outcomes. President Trump may continue to adjust his rhetoric to mask shifting strategic realities, manage domestic political fall-out and redefine unmet military objectives as victories, while moving between demanding unconditional surrender and striking a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Many, if not most of us will continue to wonder: “why?” What are we getting out of this senseless, illegitimate, morally and economically deficient show of bravado? 

Midterm elections are fewer than 50 days away. A great time to raise these questions and confront our outrage, incredulity and feeling of impotence.

Watsonville Community Hospital may close in the next six to 12 months if it does not improve its financial situation. 

That was the message from hospital CEO Tim Moran at Tuesday’s Pajaro Valley Health Care District special meeting. 

According to CFO Julie Peterson, the hospital lost $22.4 million in 2025. As the hospital faces a cash shortfall of $85,000 per day, closing service lines was proposed as a partial solution, which included the neonatal intensive care unit, Women’s and Children’s Services and a return to ICU tele-intensivists. 

The conference room was packed with nurses and community members voicing their concerns over the potentially permanent NICU closure at Watsonville Community Hospital, which began on July 10.

Hospital administrators originally cited staffing shortages as the reason for temporarily shuttering the NICU. But as the hospital faces a large daily cash shortfall, closing service lines was proposed as a more permanent solution.

“I think we really haven’t done what’s needed to get done,” said Board member Joe Gallagher, a retired physician, regarding potential service line closures. 

H.R. 1, also known as the Big Beautiful Bill, was also a cause for discussion. Taking effect in January, H.R. 1 is also projected to hit hard, as a loss of insurance (in this case, Medi-Cal) often results in emergency room visits after patients prolong treatment for lack of affordability. This bill is expected to cost the hospital $4 to $6 million over the next year and close to $100 million over the next 10 years, according to Peterson. 

The Board also heard potential growth strategies and operational improvements to increase profits, which included growing interventional gastroenterology, general surgery and orthopedic offerings. 

“We cannot grow our way out of this,” Peterson said regarding the increased possibility of closing service lines.

Around 100 people attended the meeting, many dressed in red scrubs representing the National Nurses United union that represents Watsonville Community Hospital nurses. Nurses pointed out concerns with the potential closures, citing patterns that the closure of other women’s services often follow suit.

Roseann Farris, an intensive care unit nurse who has worked at WCH for 30 years, said the closure of the NICU can accelerate the closure of the OB department through severe clinical risks, loss of revenue and attrition of skilled doctors and nurses.

“Our hospital’s values need to be reflected in your decisions to put people first, to provide the highest quality of care and earn their trust,” Farris said. “These decisions about service lines and access to healthcare will affect our entire county for decades to come.”

Others urged the Board to consider the long-term impacts closure would have on community members and staff. 

Carmin Powell, a pediatric doctor at the hospital, reminded the Board that labor patients will still come to the hospital seeking care. Celeste, an ER nurse, described what a birth in the emergency department, where these patients would likely end up, looks like.

“My first call is always ‘L&D, I need you,’” she said. “We are not set up in the ER to deliver babies daily.

Another nurse echoed her concerns.

“As an ER nurse thinking about the downstream effects, I’m pretty terrified,” said one of the speakers.

LouAnn Martin, who has been working as a labor and delivery nurse at WCH for 26 years, said the local hospitals are not prepared to take on our level of patients. 

A nurse from Natividad Medical Center in Salinas, one of three hospitals set to absorb pregnant patients should the closure accelerate, agreed and said their own hospital is understaffed and “absolutely not at a place for extra patients.” 

Jessica Cruz, a labor and delivery nurse, pointed out the difficulty transferring patients in or near active labor, saying some emergency medical services won’t do it due to risks. 

Financially, neonatal transfers add up, with the added cost of transferring the 80 babies the NICU serves on average per year is between $800,000 and $4.4 million.

“I’m concerned we’re making decisions based on numbers without thinking about the nitty gritty,” Cruz said.

Tuesday’s meeting was a special board meeting, during which the Board received a presentation and heard discussions, but made no decisions. Board Chair Tony Nuñez said future meetings will be held in a bigger room to account for increased attendance. 

Gallagher said the Board is not ready to make a recommendation.

“You, as board members, have to decide that women and children are worth fighting for,” said Myrna Mungal, a pediatric hospitalist at the hospital. “Do not allow only the privileged to survive childbirth.”

Syd Fluker is a California Local News Fellow. Visit fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/cafellows.

After months of public debate, the Watsonville City Council has decided to deactivate and remove 17 Flock cameras, reducing the number of cameras in Watsonville from 37 to 20. Additionally, data will only be stored for seven days as opposed to the previous 30 day period and will no longer be searchable by other police departments in California. 

The Watsonville City Council voted 4-3 Tuesday evening to tighten limitations on the current use of Flock cameras by the Police Department. The city must also conduct a third-party audit, research public safety alternatives and organize a town hall concerning Flock camera usage. 

Flock is one of the largest vendors of Automated License Plate Readers in the country. These cameras capture a wide range of vehicle characteristics: license plate numbers, make, model, color, and unique vehicle features like scratches, bumper stickers or missing plates. 

While law enforcement agencies say the technology helps solve cases and find suspects in criminal cases, opponents see it in a different light.

They worry that it could be used by immigration officials, and say that the data has already led to the arrests of innocent people.

A flock camera in Watsonville. (Tarmo Hannula/Pajaronian file)

The American Civil Liberties Union in a report titled “You Are Being Tracked” says that the relatively new technology has no regulatory framework, and has been used by some law enforcement agencies to build permanent databases of information about millions of people.

During the meeting, Watsonville Police Chief Brian Shab and Assistant Police Chief David Rodriguez described Flock cameras as a vital tool for law enforcement, presenting on how the department uses the technology and the guardrails that are supposed to ensure responsible camera use. 

“You can debate the appropriate safeguards, and we should,” Shab said. “We can debate the retention periods, access auditing, security and cost… But ultimately, when the next case happens, I want our investigators to have every lawful and appropriate tool available.”

Shab drew some criticism from the city council for showing the image of a man whose death remains unsolved to drive home an emotional point about the value of Flock cameras.

“Stick to the facts,” said Councilmember Eduardo Montesino in response to the presentation. 

Watsonville Police Department said that the use of Flock cameras assisted in 894 cases. But when Councilmember Ari Parker asked for an estimate on the number of cases primarily solved using Flock, Shab put the number at “probably half a dozen.”

The issue saw a lengthy public comment, during which the vast majority of speakers urged the city council to cancel the contract. Elias Gonzalez, a Watsonville community member who ran for District 4 Supervisor earlier this year was among those who spoke in opposition. 

“Surveillance is not the same thing as safety,” he said. “True public safety requires an investment in community. That means investing in young people, mental health and behavioral health services.”

Even after the reduction to 20 cameras, the Watsonville Police operate more Flock devices than any other city in the county. Critics at the meeting were wary of this disparity, noting that Watsonville has a much higher proportion of Latino residents than the rest of the county. 

A smaller number of people spoke in support of the cameras. Former Mayor Lowell Hurst spoke as a community member defending camera use. 

“Don’t allow the misuse of this technology, but make sure that your trusted officers have the tools that they need to keep us all safe,” he said. 

Following public comment, the City Council launched into an extensive discussion over appropriate regulations. Councilmember Montesino suggested at one point to reduce data sharing to only neighboring counties, which failed to gain support. All members of the city council supported some level of new restrictions. 

Councilmembers Dutra, Quiroz-Carter, Parker and Orozco supported the final terms, while Councilmembers Montesino, Clark and Salcido opposed them.

Quiroz-Carter was the only councilmember to express a desire to completely end the contract. 

“I don’t think it’s safe. I don’t like it,” she said of Flock cameras. “But if the best that we can do is make some changes, I’m willing to do that with my colleagues.”

On the same day, Monterey County voted to shut down its Flock camera network completely. The Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to order the Sheriff’s office to close off access to all 63 cameras and remove them as soon as possible. 

Wendy Root Askew, Kate Daniels and Glenn Church voted in favor of ending camera usage, while Chris Lopez and Luis Alejo voted to keep them.

A fire on Sept. 18 burned through part of the battery energy storage facility that was significantly damaged during the January 2025 Vistra battery fire. 

Monterey County officials announced the fire was no longer an active threat around noon later that day, though shelter-in-place notices were in place until later Friday afternoon.

Workers at the Vistra plant noticed a flare-up early Friday morning when roughly 1,200 inaccessible battery modules that were still charged spontaneously ignited, said Chief Jess Cortez with the North County Fire Protection District in a briefing Friday afternoon.

During the 2025 fire—the cause of which is still unknown—toxic black smoke choked the air for days, affecting air quality as lithium-ion batteries containing nickel, manganese and cobalt burned. 

The incident sparked widespread public concern and increased scrutiny of plans for battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities, including a proposed project by Invenergy on Minto Road near Watsonville.

Though the fire on Friday was nowhere near the level seen in 2025, residents are raising concerns about the potential health impacts and organizing against the proposed Seahawk Battery Energy Storage System on Minto Road. 

“This is a hazardous industrial use that is being allowed by the county of Santa Cruz to be constructed and operated on land zoned for agriculture and that is adjacent to a densely-populated working-class families, and near schools, elderly and youth care centers and the College Lake ecosystem and water supply,” said Becky Steinbruner, a community advocate and resident of rural Santa Cruz County. 

Steinbruner has been active in the fight against Seahawk and encourages residents who experienced physical symptoms last Friday and Saturday to report their symptoms to their County Health officials for documentation. 

Nina Audino, founder of Stop Lithium BESS in Santa Cruz County, supports BESS as a transition out of fossil fuel dependence—just not with lithium sited near communities.

Placing an industrial grid-scale lithium BESS on 16 acres of active, prime farmland violates the voter-approved Measure J policy and related county codes that protect farmlands, Audino said. 

“We need to respect a lithium battery like we respect an open flame,” Audino said. “The grid scale LFP BESS proposed for 90 Minto Road presents untenable hazards to public safety, active farmlands and the surrounding natural habitat.”

Phoenix Artemisia, a local business owner and concerned resident, joined her neighbors in the ongoing effort to prevent Seahawk BESS from being built.

According to Artemisia, Watsonville isn’t the only location where a BESS could be built in Santa Cruz County.  

“Nobody wants it in their backyard in the wealthier sections of Santa Cruz County,” Artemisia said. “The county supervisors are, I think, afraid of answering to their constituents. They just peg Watsonville as the most convenient place to dump this project.”

Audino, Artemisia and Steinbruner have been working with other concerned residents to protest this positioning, which lies within one mile of 2,000 residents who are predominantly Latino and working class. 

1,480 residents have signed their petition urging the City to stop the Seahawk project.

“They just don’t think that people will be able to hold a good case about it, that they don’t have the education level or the money to fight back, but we’re going to show them something different,” Artemisia said.

Patrick Orozco, chairman of the Pajaro Valley Ohlone Indian Council and state-level cultural monitor, said he reached out to the Seahawk project managers regarding its placement near Ohlone burial grounds. The project developer said the project would not touch the cemetery. 

“My main concern is the people that live in that vicinity,” Orozco said. “The project is going to affect their health and safety … and in the middle of College Lake, there’s a ditch that runs through there that’s spawning grounds for the steelhead (trout) and a sanctuary for the bird life.”

Audino, Steinbruner and Artemisia also pointed out evacuation issues with the planned BESS site, referencing construction on PG&E power poles at Minto and Green Valley Road that took half an hour to get through.

“If that’s what it’s going to look like whenever they’re building out a BESS, then imagine what would happen if there was a toxic lithium fire with people trying to evacuate,” Artemisia said. “There’s nothing for us there. Nobody would be able to move. Nobody would be able to evacuate.”

Audino said the decision to place the Seahawk project 500 to 700 feet from dense residential neighborhoods at the end of a no-through road ignores the critical safety risks inherent to BESS, “turning a hardworking, low-income and predominantly Hispanic neighborhood into a sacrifice zone.”

Artemisia said those looking to get involved can write to the California Energy Commission and submit an e-comment on the Seahawk project portal. A community meeting will be held on Saturday, Oct. 10 at noon at Pinto Lake City Park with speakers from Stop Lithium BESS, Ban Lithium BESS Santa Cruz and environmental and social justice experts. The meeting is a potluck, and Spanish translation will be provided.

Syd Fluker is a California Local News Fellow. Visit fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/cafellows.

Workers repair the Corralitos Bridge in March of 1956.

The majority of local high school cross country teams are starting to hit their stride as they begin to head deeper into the 2026 fall campaign.

That includes Monte Vista Christian, Pajaro Valley and St. Francis, which continue to improve on a daily basis while competing in the Pacific Coast Athletic League.

Monte Vista Christian

The Mustang boys’ team is a sophomore-heavy squad led by Owen Beckmen, who was the No. 2 runner in 2025 and set every freshman distance record in school history.

Beckmen continued that momentum during the summer. His biggest highlights were finishing a 5K race in 15:50 and placing 77th overall in 31:51 at the 2026 Wharf to Wharf race.

He recently broke the all-time school record in a three-mile race that was previously held by his older brother, Gavin Beckmen (Class of 2026).

Owen Beckmen placed 11th in a record-setting 15:06.7 in the Green Varsity A division race at the 45th Annual Woodbridge Cross Country Classic in Irvine on Sept. 19.

Teammate sophomore Joseph Palacios (15:48.3) placed 31st in a field of 225 runners, followed by sophomore Jesse Campos (16:36.5) in 65th and senior Luciano Guerra (16:46.7) in 74th.

The Mustangs were missing sophomore Jake Tabor, yet they still placed sixth out of 29 teams.

Palacios returns after finishing as MVC’s No. 4 runner in 2025. Providing valuable leadership are Guerra and junior Neal Rada, who enter their fourth and third years, respectively, as varsity runners.

MVC placed sixth as a team in the Gabilan Division race during the PCAL’s first Center Meet of the season at Pinto Lake County Park in Watsonville on Sept. 17.

Hollister won the race with a team score of 32 points, followed by Alisal (45) in second, Salinas (59) in third, North Monterey County (86) in fourth and Carmel (136) in fifth.

MVC head coach Erik Beckmen said both the boys and girls teams started the season right where they needed to be. He’s already seen some outstanding individual performances and great team efforts early in the year.

“I’m extremely proud of this group and the hard work they put in throughout the offseason,” Beckmen said. “That commitment is starting to show, and we’re excited about what lies ahead as we continue to improve throughout the season.”

The Mustang girls’ team is led by junior Anna Conca and senior Finley Castro, who have been the foundation of their program over the past three years.

Castro is a four-year varsity runner, while Anna enters her third. Erik Beckmen said both are tremendous workhorses, exceptional leaders and set the standard for the rest of the team through their work ethic and commitment.

Conca also broke the three-mile school record by winning the Green Varsity A division race in 17:21.2 at the Woodbridge Classic. Castro (18:52.7) placed 11th, followed by sophomore Cara Lorenzen (21:47.4) in 79th, junior Kylie Fitzpatrick (24:15) in 104th and junior Charley Moggia (25:06.2) in 109th.

Other notable runners on the girls team include seniors Sophia Jurian and Maya Moore, who Beckmen said is another incredibly hard-working athlete who has put together an excellent summer of training.

With a total of 10 girls on the roster, this is the largest girls team since Beckmen became the head coach in 2023. He said it’s a significant milestone since having just four girls in his first two seasons and seven in 2025.

The Mustangs placed sixth with a team score of 145 points in the first Mission Division race of the season.

Pacific Grove won the race with a team score of 41, followed by Alvarez (44), North Monterey County (96), Salinas (115), Carmel (120) and Watsonville (165) in seventh.

Beckmen added that the continued growth of the program has been exciting to see, and he believes this girls group has the talent to compete for a berth at the California Interscholastic Federation State Cross Country Championships alongside the boys team.

“Both teams have worked extremely hard to get to this point, but we know the season is still young,” Beckmen said. “Our goal is to continue building, stay healthy and be running our best when it matters most at the end of the season. I’m proud of what this group has accomplished so far and excited to see what they can do together.”

Pajaro Valley

Pajaro Valley has veteran junior William Cruz-Santos leading the way for the boys team that competes in the PCAL’s Santa Lucia Division this season.

Cruz-Santos was the fourth-fastest guy in 2025, just one minute slower than graduate Patrick Lopez.

Grizzly head coach Yafeet Garcia said in an email that Cruz-Santos is excited to compete since they now have a larger group who are around his pace, and they are as passionate as him about training and competing.

Cruz-Santos is joined by sophomores Noah Ortiz and Dominic Fantham, who had a massive breakout during the 2026 track and field season.

“Having Noah and Dominic on the team has led to a friendly rivalry where they are constantly trying to outperform each other at races,” Garcia said.

Ortiz placed third in 18:56.8 in the Santa Lucia Division race at the first PCAL Center Meet of the season at Pinto Lake County Park in Watsonville on Sept. 16.

Teammate freshman Romeo Lopez (19:34.3) took 10th, while Cruz-Santos (20:04.3) placed 18th. Junior Donovan Valoroso (20:09.5) finished 20th, followed by sophomore Julian Hernandez (20:20.4) in 23rd, junior Diego Gonzalez-Cisneros (20:47.8) and Fantham (20:56.6) in 30th.

Lopez was part of a small group of runners that competed at the Baylands Invitational in Sunnyvale on Sept. 4. He placed 17th out of 223 runners in 14:21.3, setting the all-time school record in a 4,000-meter race.

On the girls side, sophomore Amairany Hernandez Delgado also set an all-time school record in a 4,000-meter race. She placed 24th in 18:02.58 in a field of 104 runners at the Baylands Invitational.

Hernandez Delgado recently placed ninth in 22:43.3 in the Cypress Division race at last week’s PCAL Center Meet in Watsonville.

“She’s definitely in contention for being in the top two for our team this year,” Garcia said. “She also has a bright future, which her times have indicated.”

Other top finishers for Pajaro Valley included senior Danna Perez (26:15.6) in 33rd, junior Gisella Martinez (27:52.3) in 43rd and junior Miriam Hernandez (31:52.5) in 53rd.

St. Francis

Sophomore team captains Liam Refugio and Louis Patzoldt are two key returners to watch for the Sharks boys’ team this season.

St. Francis head coach Ramona Young said in an email that Refugio brings tremendous leadership skills, helping keep the team focused and on task.

Patzoldt has put in many miles over the summer, and he’s looking to cash in on that preparation in Santa Lucia Division action this season.

On the girls side, junior Amaya Castillo is a newcomer to keep an eye on in the Cypress Division.

Although she may be a rookie on the team, Young said Castillo has already shown tremendous grit, determination and motivation to succeed.

Castillo placed 17th in 23:59.7 in the Cypress Division race at last week’s PCAL Center Meet in Watsonville.

Young mentioned that Castillo is a multisport athlete who understands how to balance the demands of academics and athletics, and her work ethic should make her an important contributor this season.

“With strong leadership from its returning captains and the emergence of motivated newcomers like Castillo, St. Francis cross country will look to make its mark this season,” Young said.

#tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item1 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Romeo-Lopez-PV-boys-cross-country-WEB-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item2 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Anna-Conca-holding-medal-MVC-girls-cross-country-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item3 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/MVC-cross-country-team-at-Woodbridge-WEB-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item4 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Amairany-Hernandez-Delgado-PV-girls-cross-country-WEB-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } 1 of 4 Pajaro Valley High freshman Romeo Lopez, No. 638, was part of a small group of runners that competed at the Baylands Invitational in Sunnyvale on Sept. 4. He placed 17th out of 223 runners in 14:21.3, setting the all-time school record in a 4,000-meter race. (contributed) Monte Vista Christian junior Anna Conca broke the three-mile school record by winning the Green Varsity A division race in 17:21.2 at the 45th Annual Woodbridge Cross Country Classic in Irvine on Sept. 19. (contributed) The Monte Vista Christian boys and girls cross country teams pose with the medals they earned at the 45th Annual Woodbridge Cross Country Classic in Irvine on Sept. 19. (contributed) Pajaro Valley High sophomore Amairany Hernandez Delgado, No. 643, was part of a small group of runners that competed at the Baylands Invitational in Sunnyvale on Sept. 4. She placed 24th in 18:02.58, setting the all-time school record in a 4,000-meter race.(contributed)

The inaugural Duck Island Festival brings six music acts, food trucks and vendors to San Lorenzo Park on Saturday, Sept. 26. Gates open at noon; music starts at 1 p.m.

With the weekend nearly here, check out things to do around Santa Cruz County, with a recommendation from Lily Belli and a specially curated list from Lookout's BOLO events calendar.

Lookout’s Santa Cruz mayoral candidate forum saw Ami Chen Mills and Ryan Coonerty discuss a variety of city issues, including budgets and homelessness. However, between talking about the issues, the candidates also talked about the divisiveness of the campaign — and the issues they’ve had with each other.

The Watsonville City Council on Sept. 22 adopted tighter restrictions on the use of automated license plate readers. (Erandi García — Noticias Watsonville)

WATSONVILLE >> Amid heated public debate over safety and surveillance, the Watsonville City Council on Tuesday adopted tighter restrictions on the use of automated license plate readers. Council leaders renewed the contract with Flock Safety for the ALPRs last September, but as scrutiny increased nationwide, Councilmember Ari Parker brought the issue back to the council for consideration. 

The vote at Tuesday’s meeting reduces the number of Flock cameras in Watsonville to 20 from 37, limits data retention to seven days from 30 and ends the sharing of information with other jurisdictions, including neighboring law enforcement agencies. The council also mandated quarterly independent audits and community engagement — including a town hall for residents with the CEO of Flock Safety and the Watsonville Police Chief.

ALPRs track people by capturing images of cars, including the license plate, make, model, color, bumper stickers and other identifying features. Police searching for a suspect can look up a car by its license plate or with a description of the car and track potential matches. 

Investigations by CalMatters and Santa Cruz Local revealed how ALPR data in California, including Capitola and Santa Cruz police’s data, had been accessed on behalf of federal immigration agents by other law enforcement agencies in California in 2025. Santa Cruz voted to end its contract with Flock in January 2026. 

Watsonville’s current contract with Atlanta, Georgia-based Flock Safety expires in September 2027.

The 5-2 vote followed more than four hours of discussion and public comments in a meeting that ended just before midnight. Councilmembers Maria Orozco, Ari Parker, Casey Clark, Jimmy Dutra and Vanessa Quiroz-Carter voted in favor of the restrictions. Councilmember Eduardo Montesino and Mayor Kristal Salcido voted against it.

(function() { window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { listeners: [], forms: { on: function(evt, cb) { window.mc4wp.listeners.push( { event : evt, callback: cb } ); } } } })(); Stay informed on Santa Cruz County’s biggest issues. Santa Cruz Local’s newsletter breaks down complex local topics and shows residents how to get involved. Email address:
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Watsonville Police Chief Brian Shab said in a presentation to the council that the cameras can help an investigation progress more quickly. He cited examples where the cameras aided in identifying vehicles or suspects in investigations of homicide, sexual assault, indecent exposure and vehicle theft. 

“The responsibility of the police department to use this technology lawfully, narrowly, transparently, and with meaningful oversight and it has serious consequences for misuse,” Shab said, adding that the department conducts audits twice a month to review unusual activities and verify that its personnel are complying with the rules of use.

He also said that not all employees have access to the system and there is no evidence that any employee has misused it.

The chief presented statistics that, he said, in the past year from September 2025 to September 2026, reflect the system’s usage. The department conducted 7,813 internal searches that resulted in 894 cases in which Flock assisted the department.

During the presentation, he also noted that Flock currently uses a default retention period of 30 days and prior to the council’s motion said he would be willing to evaluate whether seven days would be appropriate for Watsonville. 

“A shorter retention provides greater identity protection, but it also means [it] reduces the window in which that information is available to investigators,” he said, in particular for crimes that are not reported immediately. 

Questions about oversight

Council members had questions about how the system is monitored and who has access to the data.

Quiroz-Carter asked Shab to explain how investigations were conducted before Watsonville began using Flock. She also asked for details about the department’s policy governing the system’s use.

Shab said the policy was available online but was unable to specify at the moment where precisely on the website it could be found. Visibly displeased, Quiroz-Carter said she could not find it and questioned why more detailed information and the policy itself had not been brought to the meeting.

Orozco asked how many agencies in California have access to Watsonville’s data. Shab was unable to provide that number during the meeting.

Parker asked what happens when a user violates the system’s rules and what the consequences are.

Shab said the city could completely eliminate data sharing with other agencies or limit it to nearby jurisdictions. Reducing data sharing, he said, could affect the system’s usefulness for some investigations.

Parker also stated that her trust in the police chief was separate from her opinion of the technology. 

“I don’t believe in Flock. I believe in you, but I don’t believe in Flock,” Parker said.

Watsonville’s current contract with Atlanta, Georgia-based Flock Safety expires in September 2027. (Erandi García — Noticias Watsonville)

The public was divided on Flock

The council chamber was initially full during the discussion, but as the conversation continued, some people began to leave. At least 30 people spoke in person, with another 20 or so speaking via Zoom.

The comments reflected conflicting positions. The vast majority expressed their opposition to Flock. Those opposed raised concerns about privacy, data sharing and potential misuse of information.

“The question is not do we trust the Watsonville PD, the question is should Watsonville participate in a system where the data we collect could be vulnerable to misuse beyond our local control” a community member commented. 

Yesenia Jimenez, a District 7 resident, said the department’s defense of Flock was undermining trust and questioned whether officers should have spent time at the meeting rather than patrolling the streets.

“I get that you’re trying to save a tool that is helping you. You are eroding trust right now” Jimenez said. “I would rather you have spent less time here, or whoever, whatever officers are back here, to be out on the street patrolling than to be wasting their time listening to this.”

A mother of two girls said she would feel safer knowing the cameras were in place and that she did not see surveillance as a concern given how common cameras and smartphones already are in the community.

“If Flock is a safe thing for my kids, I agree with you guys,” she said.

Watsonville began using 20 Flock Safety cameras in June 2023. In September 2025, the city council voted 5-2 to renew the $251,000 contract for 24 months and increase the number of cameras to 37.

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The post Watsonville City Council Approves New Restrictions on Flock Cameras appeared first on Santa Cruz Local.

This post is updated throughout the day to reflect the latest incidents. It was last updated at 7:01 a.m..

Here’s what’s happening on the roads this morning…

▼︎ new incidents

Road incidents as of 7 a.m. on September 24

• South Highway 1 at Park Avenue in Capitola / Soquel is facing closures for paving work. The closure is expected to end at 7:01 a.m. on Nov. 19.
   
• Highway 9 at Pool Drive in San Lorenzo Valley will have alternating lane closures because of bridge work. This will continue until April 30, 2027, at 6:59 a.m.
   

Disclosure: Traffic incidents are partially generated by artificial intelligence. We are constantly working to improve the accuracy and quality of our AI-generated content. However, there may still be errors or inaccuracies. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.

The post Thursday morning traffic: Hwy 1 closed at Park Ave.; Hwy 9 lane closures for bridge work appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

In this week’s episode, Juan Reyes and John Devine will recap a much tighter Week 4 of the prep and college football season, and chime in on the situation at Hollister High.

Then they’ll jump into a conversation with Monte Vista Christian head football coach Joe Sturdivant to check in on the undefeated Mustangs. 

And finally, the guys will cap off the show with some updates on girls volleyball and a sneak preview of Week 5. 

We’ll have all this and more on… the Cover 3 Sports Podcast.

*Editor’s note: A portion of this episode was recorded Sept. 21 prior to the announcement of Hollister High’s football season being canceled.

Cover 3 Sports Podcast’s High School Football Top 10 rankings. (image generated by AI)

UC Santa Cruz welcomes about 6,300 new undergraduate and graduate students this week as the university begins another academic year with total enrollment expected to remain around 20,000. The new school year also brings expanding student housing, including a new two-year housing guarantee for incoming undergraduates.

Santa Cruz’s first Porchfest will bring 50 bands to 14 porches and other downtown locations on Saturday, Oct. 3. The free festival aims to showcase local musicians while creating new opportunities for neighbors to gather and enjoy live music.

As governor, Steve Hilton, the former Fox News host, would turn to voters, if necessary, for school vouchers, end teacher tenure and institute a cellphone ban for kids under age 14.

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for its newsletters.

Insurance companies are starting to write new policies in California again after years of holding back as wildfire risk climbed higher.

The state Insurance Department says that means outgoing Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s new regulations, intended to boost insurance availability, are working. Each time a company declares its plans to sell policies again, the department touts it as a win. But the state has not released the number of new policies the companies have written so far.

Enter Consumer Watchdog, the advocacy group that often butts heads with the department. It released an estimate of new policy commitments: 12,189 since January 2025, when Lara’s so-called sustainable insurance strategy went into effect. The strategy allows insurers to use catastrophe modeling, which they say more adequately takes risk into account because it includes forward-looking models, and to factor in reinsurance costs when setting their rates. 

Consumer Watchdog, whose numbers come from combing through insurance companies’ rate filings, says that number is low, considering insurers have requested or secured $571 million in rate increases under the new regulations. 

The insurance department disagrees with the group’s analysis, saying it intends to release its own data and analysis, and discounting the group’s numbers as “incomplete and premature.”    

Ben Armstrong, Consumer Watchdog’s actuary, is tracking voluminous but publicly available rate filings. He looked at insurers’ statements about the number of new policies they promise to write, and compared the new filings with each company’s previous rate filings. Armstrong told CalMatters it’s “not an exact science” because the filings mention commitments, not actual sales, and in some cases don’t include an exact timeline.

The new rules allow insurers to factor in catastrophe models and their reinsurance costs as long as they commit to increasing sales in high-risk areas. Of the 10 companies that requested rate increases under the new rules, only five have committed to selling more policies, the group’s analysis shows. 

The regulations call for insurance companies to choose one of these options: write 85% of their market share in high-risk areas; grow their policies 5% in such areas; or increase their number of policies 5% by taking customers out of the FAIR Plan. Some of the companies that have requested or secured rate increases claim they already meet the 85% threshold.

“What we’re looking at is the reality right now for Californians who have been saddled with rate hikes for the promise of more policies in the future,” said Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog. 

The state has seen its deadliest and most destructive fires in the past decade. Several years ago, insurance companies started complaining that California, which has authority over premium increases, was not approving them quickly enough to allow insurers to match their rates to the growing risk of climate change and wildfires. Some companies stopped writing new policies, or decided not to renew existing ones. Lara’s new regulations — which include provisions championed by the insurance industry — aim to address the issue.

Balber said her group released its analysis to stress that the state needs to do more to ensure that fire-safe homes are getting insurance coverage. She said the number of new policies insurers committed to so far is “minuscule” compared with the number of policies in the last-resort FAIR Plan, which continues to grow, although at a slower pace. Property owners turn to the state-mandated, insurance-run alliance when they can’t buy policies elsewhere, so the higher the number of policies in the plan, the poorer the health of the main insurance market. As of June, the FAIR Plan still had about 697,000 active policies, up 157% since September 2022.

Michael Soller, spokesperson for the insurance department, said the department will release its analysis once it has looked at the overall market and the data it collects annually. He doesn’t know whether the department will release an analysis before Lara’s term expires in January. Californians will be voting for a new commissioner in November.

“Commissioner Lara has said the [sustainable insurance strategy] is not an overnight solution,” he said. “It’s a multiyear solution and recovery.”

David Russell, a professor of insurance and finance at Cal State Northridge, agreed with the department that Lara’s strategy will take time to work. 

“Insurers are tiptoeing back into the market,” Russell said. “They’re doing it selectively. Those are still high-risk properties.”

Former Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said Lara could have required insurers to write more high-risk policies, especially considering the starting point was low because it was set after a period of non-renewals and no new policies. 

Jones also mentioned that surplus lines — policies from companies that are not licensed or regulated by the state, and not backed by the state if they go bankrupt — are growing in California because availability remains an issue.

A home in Magalia in Butte County. Credit: Manuel Orbegozo for CalMatters

Soller did not dispute any specific numbers in Consumer Watchdog’s analysis. But he pointed to Mercury saying that its eight-year goal is to shift about 6.5% of FAIR Plan residential policies, in line with its market share, to standard homeowners policies. “That alone represents tens of thousands of new policies,” Soller said.

But as of now, Mercury’s filing shows that it has committed to writing just 2,107 new policies in distressed areas — so that’s what’s included in Consumer Watchdog’s analysis. The state approved an $85 million rate increase for the company.

The company that has secured the highest rate increase of more than $150 million, Farmers, has committed to writing 5,596 new policies. 

“Availability is improving, but at a cost,” Russell said. “That was always going to be the case.”

California’s average home insurance costs have risen 5% so far this year, one of the biggest increases in the nation, according to insurance-comparison site Insurify. More than 8 million homeowners in the state have insurance policies, according to the insurance department.

Have something to say? Lookout welcomes letters to the editor, within our policies, from readers. Guidelines here.

The post Insurers say they’re starting to write new California homeowner policies, but how many? appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz punks and skateboarders unite for Grind the Cause, a benefit raising $150,000 for a new bowl at Sergeant Derby Skate Park in memory of local skater James DeBarrios.

Santa Cruz County election officials have a message for voters ahead of the Nov. 3 election: Consider voting naked.

The advice, County Clerk Tricia Webber explained Tuesday, refers not to the voter but to the ballot.

A “naked ballot” is a vote-by-mail ballot that a voter fills out at home and then brings without its return envelope to any county vote center. After checking in, the voter can place the ballot directly into a ballot box.

The method is just one of several ways county residents can cast their ballots this year, Webber said during a press conference outlining preparations for the upcoming election.

About 172,000 ballots will enter the mail stream beginning Oct. 2, with most voters expected to receive them within several days. Early in-person voting begins Oct. 5 at the County Clerk/Elections Department, 701 Ocean St. in Santa Cruz; the Watsonville City Clerk’s Office, 275 Main St.; and the South County Government Center, 500 Westridge Drive.

Additional Vote Centers will open throughout October, bringing the total to 23 by Election Day. Unlike traditional polling places, voters are not assigned to a specific Vote Center and can use any location in the county.

Voters can also return ballots by mail, at ballot drop boxes or at Vote Centers. Election Day voting runs from 7am–8pm.

Webber said voting a ballot without its envelope has one particular advantage: It can be included in election-night results. 

All ballots returned in envelopes require signature verification and other processing that takes about 48 hours, she said.

The county is also stepping up outreach as election officials contend with what Webber described as confusion and distrust surrounding the voting process.

“We believe in transparency and we will walk everyone through every operation that we do and answer every question that someone has,” she said. “Because we truly believe that if you understand the process, you will participate in the process.”

That effort includes a new partnership with Watsonville and Santa Cruz County libraries called Ballots and Books.

Watsonville Library Director Alicia Martinez said the partnership will include Family Democracy Day on Oct. 17, where children and their parents can learn about voting and how elections work. Election workers will also visit the Watsonville Main and Freedom branch libraries to answer questions and help people register.

Watsonville City Clerk Erwin Ortiz said voter registration and participation in Watsonville typically lag behind the county average by about 20%, and his office is working with the county to reach residents through schools and community events.

“It’s not about just registering,” Ortiz said. “It’s about showing up on Election Day.”

The deadline to register and receive election materials by mail is Oct. 19. After that, eligible residents can still register and vote in person at a vote center through Election Day.

For information, visit votescount.santacruzcountyca.gov