Santa Cruz Sentinel

The Santa Cruz Sentinel is a daily publication based in Santa Cruz, California. It focuses on news and events in Santa Cruz County and is operated by MediaNews Group Inc.

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Caltrans works to replace iconic Castroville sign over Merritt Street

6 days ago | santacruzsentinel.com | James Herrera

CASTROVILLE — The iconic “Castroville – The Artichoke Center of the World” sign over Merritt Street in Castroville is the focus of a Caltrans Clean California Beautification project, which has started working to replace it with a newly designed structure.
Plan to rebuild Big Basin Redwoods State Park after devastating fire nears completion

6 days ago | santacruzsentinel.com | Paul Rogers

The plan calls for shifting the visitors center, most campsites and much of the original parking out of the old growth forest core of the park. Those facilities had been nestled for nearly a century next to trees more than 250 feet tall and more than 1,500 years old. Instead they will be located in other areas of the park, and a shuttle bus will be operated on weekends from a new parking lot on the park’s eastern edge.
Tony Gomes earns first career win in Watsonville | Ocean Speedway

6 days ago | santacruzsentinel.com | Steven Blakesley

WATSONVILLE — Tony Gomes of Modesto made a race day decision to compete at Ocean Speedway on Friday and stormed for his first career Ocean Sprints victory. Gomes was joined by Jim Pettit II (IMCA Modifieds), Danny Wagner (IMCA Sport Mods), Bobby Gallaher (Hobby Stocks), Mark Biscardi (South Bay Dwarf Car), and Jonathan Welborn (Four Bangers) in Victory Lane on a busy six-division night at Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.
Santa Cruz City Council to hold last meeting before summer break

1 week ago | santacruzsentinel.com | Aric Sleeper

SANTA CRUZ — At the Santa Cruz City Council’s last meeting before its July break, the governing body will tackle a packed agenda that concludes with an appeal hearing for the proposed six-story development on the 500 block of Ocean Street. The meeting begins at 2 p.m. Tuesday with oral communications, where community members are given a few minutes to express their concerns about issues not on the meeting’s agenda and within the jurisdiction of the City Council.
Landslides delay opening of scenic new public Bay Area beach park

1 week ago | santacruzsentinel.com | Paul Rogers

Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portola and his men camped along Tunitas Creek in 1769 during their expedition from Baja California to San Francisco Bay. The property was in private ownership for generations, its soaring cliffs and sand dunes hidden from motorists zooming along Highway 1 between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Originally Published: June 20, 2025 at 1:37 PM PDT
Santa Cruz | Multiagency effort swiftly contains blaze at Natural Bridges

1 week ago | santacruzsentinel.com | Aric Sleeper

SANTA CRUZ — A blaze caused by an unauthorized cooking fire within Natural Bridges State Beach on a warm and windy Thursday afternoon was quickly contained by the Santa Cruz Fire Department in coordination with other fire and law enforcement agencies. “On arrival of the first unit, crews found a fire with a rapid rate of spread in the eucalyptus grove just west of the visitors center,” said Santa Cruz Fire Department Battalion Chief Josh Coleman in a social media post.
Scotts Valley considers Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District

1 week ago | santacruzsentinel.com | Aric Sleeper

SCOTTS VALLEY — To help generate funding for future public projects, the city of Scotts Valley is considering the establishment of an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District, which sets aside a portion of future property tax revenue in a specified area. At its meeting Tuesday evening, which is the last meeting until August, the Scotts Valley City Council heard a presentation about the potential financing mechanism from Kosmont Cos.
Tom Karwin, On Gardening | Current garden projects - a year later

1 week ago | santacruzsentinel.com | Tom Karwin

A year ago, I summarized current projects in my garden, including planting a butterfly garden, acquiring a dwarf avocado tree and adding exotic plants to the garden. That column can be reviewed from the Sentinel’s archive: tinyurl.com/4d2see7f. Now, a year later, this column presents another review of projects in my garden, including updates of last year’s projects. This serves as an indicator of progress and a marker of my garden’s current condition, for my reference.
Anglers enjoying ‘wide open’ results | Fish Rap

1 week ago | santacruzsentinel.com | Allen Bushnell

Monterey Bay area anglers enjoyed the shot at king salmon last weekend. Limits were fairly common and the fish were of high quality, mostly in the teens with some fish over 20 pounds. Saturday was called “wide open” by many, but the bite withered on Sunday. Luckily, rockfish is still going strong out to 120 feet of water. Charter boats were getting half to full limits of cod and one to 10 lingcod per outing last week, and the bite is improving as conditions improve.
Santa Cruz County Executive Officer Carlos Palacios to retire in December

1 week ago | santacruzsentinel.com | PK Hattis

SANTA CRUZ — The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors announced Thursday that County Executive Officer Carlos Palacios will retire at the end of this year after almost a decade in the role and more than 30 years of service in local government. The first Latino leader to hold the position in the county’s history, Palacios was appointed in 2017 after having spend the previous 20 years serving as city manager for the city of Watsonville. He plans to step down in December.