All articles tagged with #santa cruz county
A body was recovered off Davenport beach in Santa Cruz County, near the site of a recent shark sighting and a missing woman report, prompting investigations and coordination with Monterey County authorities.
Cal Fire CZU recovered a body from a beach south of Davenport in Santa Cruz County, using a rope system to bring the body from the beach to the bluffs, with no additional details released.
Valencia Elementary School in Aptos, Santa Cruz County, closed due to a norovirus outbreak, with 93 cases reported since November 5. The virus, which causes vomiting and diarrhea, is spreading through contaminated food, surfaces, or direct contact. Health officials emphasize handwashing and staying home when sick to prevent further spread. The school will be disinfected over the weekend, and no hospitalizations or deaths have been reported.
Santa Cruz County is monitoring an outbreak of Shigellosis primarily affecting the unhoused community, with 27 possible cases reported since late January. Shigellosis is caused by the bacteria Shigella and can spread easily, causing symptoms such as diarrhea, stomach pain, and fever. While the risk to the broader community is currently low, people are advised to wash their hands carefully and frequently to protect themselves, especially after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and before preparing or consuming food.
A 45-year-old man, identified as Robert Brainard III, was killed after a tree fell on his home in Boulder Creek, California. The incident occurred on Sunday, and despite one resident managing to escape, Brainard was trapped inside and died at the scene.
One person is dead after a tree fell into a home in Boulder Creek, California, with firefighters confirming that two people were inside the home at the time of the incident. While one person managed to escape, the other was trapped and sustained fatal injuries. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office is yet to confirm the identity of the deceased individual.
Multiple road closures are in effect in Santa Cruz County, California, due to various weather-related issues including downed wires, fallen trees, mudslides, and flooding. The closures include Highway 1 at the San Mateo County/Santa Cruz County border, Soquel San Jose Road, Highway 9 at Sanborn Road, Plateau Drive in Felton, and Brookwood Drive north of Live Oak. Residents are advised to stay updated as the situation evolves.
A weekend storm is expected to bring heavy rains to Santa Cruz County, with up to 4.5 inches in lower elevations and possibly over 7 inches in the Santa Cruz Mountains from Saturday afternoon to Monday afternoon. Wind gusts could reach 30-40 mph in lower elevations and up to 74 mph in the mountains, with potential for flooding in major waterways. The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning and flood watch, and residents in flood-prone areas can fill sandbags at designated locations. The wet start to the El Niño year aligns with historical trends of increased precipitation in the Central Coast and Bay Area during El Niño years.
A storm brought heavy rain and flooding from the North Bay to Santa Cruz County, causing road washouts, fallen trees, and standing water in residential areas. In Guerneville, creeks began flooding, prompting warnings of potential evacuations, while in Santa Cruz, standing water reached 6 inches high and downed trees blocked highways. The storm also caused flight delays across the Bay Area, with SFO experiencing the most cancellations.
A 5-year-old boy in Northern California died after being fatally stabbed by his twin brother during a fight between siblings. No charges will be filed in connection to the incident, as California law considers age, criminal intent, and knowledge of wrongfulness as factors for charging a child with a crime. The authorities expressed their condolences to the family and requested privacy during this difficult time.
A driver lost control on Highway 1 in Santa Cruz County, California, and drove off a 300-foot cliff into the ocean. Emergency crews rescued one victim who was taken to the hospital in critical condition. The southbound lanes of Highway 1 were closed for several hours but have since reopened. Efforts to tow the mangled vehicle out of the ocean will resume on Saturday.
Santa Cruz County is now the most expensive place to rent in the country, with Monterey County sitting not far behind, according to a new report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC). To afford the average two-bedroom apartment in Santa Cruz County, a person would have to make $63.33 an hour. Last year that number was $60.35 when Santa Cruz County ranked as the second most expensive place to live. NLIHC bases the number on the federal standard that no more than 30% of a household's gross income should be spent on rent and utilities.
Santa Cruz County in California has overtaken San Francisco as the most expensive market in the US for renters, according to the 2023 Out of Reach Report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition. The report found that nearly 50% of workers in the US cannot afford a modest one-bedroom rental home at fair market rent while working one full-time job, and 60% cannot afford a two-bedroom rental home. The authors of the report recommend that the federal government invest more resources in both building more affordable housing and in assisting low-wage renters directly.
Diana Ornelas, a 22-year-old preschool teacher at Stanford University's Children's Center, was arrested for murder in connection with the shooting death of 24-year-old Oliver Waterfall. The motive is unclear, but police believe Ornelas was friends with both the victim and another suspect, Dennis Novoa. Ornelas was fired from her job and held without bail. The Children's Center assured parents that the arrest did not disrupt operations and that the children were not present during the arrest.