Santa Cruz Archives

CHP arrests Pinole murder suspect in Santa Cruz for ex’s killing

February 17, 2024 12:54 PM FOX 35

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KTVU) – California Highway Patrol officers in Santa Cruz arrested a man wanted in connection with the murder of his ex-girlfriend…

East Cliff Drive and Moran Way closed due to tree down in the road

February 15, 2024 1:11 PM Derrick Ow, Austin Castro

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- The California Highway Patrol said that East Cliff Drive and Moran Way closed due to a falling tree and wires across…

Watsonville City Council passes ordinance to increase pay for councilmembers and mayor

February 15, 2024 11:51 AM Briana Mathaw

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (KION-TV)- The City of Watsonville is one step closer to increasing the pay for their council members and mayor. On Tuesday…

UC Santa Cruz receives grant to tackle antisemitism and hate speech on campus

February 13, 2024 10:37 AM Briana Mathaw

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- With an increase in hate speech and anti-Semitism on campuses, UC Santa Cruz has received a grant to eliminate…

City of Santa Cruz moves forward to participate in county landlord incentive program

February 13, 2024 5:31 PM Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- On Tuesday afternoon, The Santa Cruz City Council unanimously approved to move forward with plans to increase funding…

Strong Santa Cruz winds topple trees leading to damaged homes and vehicles

February 4, 2024 9:26 PM Austin Castro

SANTA CRUZ, Calif (KION-TV) – Areas of Santa Cruz are still recovering from the aftermath of Sunday’s strong storm. Gusty winds and rain led to…

UC Santa Cruz receives unsatisfactory report from CHP after bus inspection

February 2, 2024 8:26 PM Dania Romero

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION) – For the first time, UC Santa Cruz has received an unsatisfactory report regarding the maintenance of their buses from the…

Santa Cruz County asks for community input on homelessness plan

January 26, 2024 4:49 PM Victor Guzman

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — Santa Cruz County’s Housing for Health Partnership is holding a series of meetings to help develop ideas and…

UC Santa Cruz Professor talks about the future of West Cliff Drive

November 2, 2023 4:29 PM Derrick Ow, Austin Castro

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- UPDATE JAN 24, 2024 10:03 P.M- As crew continue to repair the damaged portion of West Cliff Drive, questions are being…

Bus delays impacting UCSC students commute to class as college inspects buses following deadly crash

January 23, 2024 6:04 PM Dania Romero

SANTA CRUZ, (KION) – Buses at UC Santa Cruz are being pulled for inspection after a bus crash happened in December. Students are concerned about…

2024 Santa Cruz County Spelling Bee Champions crowned

January 22, 2024 4:22 PM Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- On Saturday, Four Santa Cruz County students punched their tickets to the California State Spelling Bee Championship in…

Eight units of an apartment complex in Santa Cruz flooded, no injuries reported

January 22, 2024 5:24 AM Mickey Adams, Nataly Gutierrez

SANTA CRUZ, CALIF. (KION-TV)- UPDATE ON JAN. 22, 2024- People living at the Cypress Point Apartment Complex woke up to their apartments getting…

Several road closures in place in Santa Cruz County

January 22, 2024 8:50 AM Karl Cooke

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CALIF. (KION-TV) – Several road closures are in place throughout Santa Cruz County according to CHP. Here is the list of closures…

Former Olympian and Bay Area swim coach died of accidental drowning

January 18, 2024 11:47 AM FOX 35

WRITTEN BY KTVU STAFF SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (FOX-35)- The death of former Olympian and renowned Bay Area swim coach Richard Thornton has been…

Male teenager detained after allegedly making death threat against Mayor Keeley, DA’s office investigating case

January 10, 2024 1:14 PM Derrick Ow, Scott Rates

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- UPDATE ON JAN. 17, 2024 AT 1:27 PM- Santa Cruz Police confirmed that a male teenager has been detained after allegedly…

Justin Cummings becomes first African-American chair for Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors

January 9, 2024 12:36 PM Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- During their first board meeting of the year, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors voted Justin Cummings to serve…

Cold Weather shelters activated in Santa Cruz County, shelters to be open until Thursday

January 5, 2024 3:40 PM Victor Guzman, Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — UPDATE ON JAN. 9, 2024 AT 4:49 PM- Santa Cruz County officials will be activating their cold weather shelters…

Emergency repair work on San Lorenzo River Levee to start on Monday

January 7, 2024 1:08 PM Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- The City of Santa Cruz public works department is scheduled to start their emergency repair work on the San Lorenzo…

U.S. Olympian and beloved Bay Area swim coach dies on Santa Cruz beach

January 6, 2024 12:57 PM Katie Nicora

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KTVU) — U.S. Olympian and Bay Area swim coach Richard Thornton died after collapsing on a beach in Santa Cruz. The beloved coach…

Evacuation warnings lifted for coastal Rio Del Mar and Pajaro Dunes, says Santa Cruz County

December 28, 2023 8:37 AM Karl Cooke, Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CALIF. (KION-TV)- Santa Cruz County and the Sheriff’s Office announced on Saturday morning that evacuation warnings for two areas,…

Newborns welcomed to Central Coast parents to start 2024

January 1, 2024 7:26 PM Victor Guzman

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION-TV) — Some newborns on the Central Coast are now dubbed “New Year’s Babies” after being born just hours after 2023 came…

Bus driver involved in UC Santa Cruz crash has died

December 13, 2023 12:48 AM Dania Romero, Derrick Ow, Veronica Macias

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- UPDATE ON DECEMBER 31, 2023 AT 10:54 AM- A UC Santa Cruz official confirmed to KION that the bus driver involved in a…

Fire at Garfield Park Community Church being investigated as arson, firefighters say

December 26, 2023 7:49 AM Karl Cooke, Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ, CALIF. (KION-TV)- UPDATE ON DEC. 26, 2023 AT 6:36 PM- The Santa Cruz Fire Department confirmed that a fire that took place at Garfield…

Increase in deaths of homeless persons recognized during annual Homeless Memorial in Santa Cruz

December 21, 2023 6:31 PM Victor Guzman

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) — During an emotional ceremony on Thursday, Santa Cruz County recognized the 122 homeless individuals who died from…

Former part-time Santa Cruz High band staff member arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a student in 2001, police say

December 21, 2023 5:00 PM Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- Santa Cruz Police said they have arrested a former Santa Cruz High School band staff member who allegedly sexually…

Santa Cruz METRO gets $2 million in funding to turn Watsonville Transit Center into transit-oriented affordable housing

December 21, 2023 4:30 PM Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)-The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District got some good news ahead of holiday season. Transit officials announced…

27-year-old Santa Cruz man dies in solo vehicle crash on Highway 1 Near Morrisey Boulevard

December 20, 2023 8:36 AM Karl Cooke, Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ, CALIF. (KION-TV)- The California Highway Patrol confirmed that a 27-year-old Santa Cruz man is dead after he flipped his truck on Highway…

CHP Santa Cruz officer injured in rear-end crash on Highway 17

December 18, 2023 11:26 AM Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV)- A CHP Santa Cruz Officer has been released from a local hospital after he was involved in a two-vehicle crash on…

Man accused of assaulting Los Gatos Police Officer arrested in Santa Cruz

December 11, 2023 1:45 PM Victor Guzman

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) — The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office confirms a person wanted for assaulting a Los Gatos Police Officer has been…

Vandenburg Space Force Base launches missile defense test

December 11, 2023 8:16 AM Karl Cooke

CENTRAL COAST, CALIF. (KION-TV)- If you looked up at the sky before 7 AM and saw what looked like a comet, that was no comet. Vandenburg Space Force…

Fire at Midtown Community Center causes $250,000 in damage, according to Santa Cruz Fire

December 8, 2023 12:02 PM Dania Romero

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) – People at a community center used for multiple church services are counting their blessings after a fire broke out…

Santa Cruz City Council denies oversized vehicle ordinance appeal

November 30, 2023 11:21 AM Nataly Gutierrez, Briana Mathaw

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV): UPDATE ON MARCH 14, 2024 AT 10:58 AM- On Tuesday night, the Santa Cruz City Council declined an effort to oppose…

Overnight closures of Highway 9 set to take place on Monday

November 30, 2023 12:18 PM Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV)- Caltrans said that there will be a overnight closure starting on Monday night at 8 p.m. Drivers will will…

Neighbors react to house fire that killed two pets in Santa Cruz

November 28, 2023 11:39 AM Nataly Gutierrez

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV): Two pets died in a house fire this past weekend in Santa Cruz. KION’s Nataly Gutierrez is checking to see if the family…

Two pets die in house fire in Santa Cruz, no civilian or firefighter injuries reported, firefighters say

November 26, 2023 12:08 PM Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- The Santa Cruz Fire Department confirmed that two pets have died in a structure fire on Sunday morning. Santa Cruz Fire…

Dog died in intense cottage fire in Santa Cruz, one person hurt while trying to escape: Firefighters

November 25, 2023 1:44 PM Scott Rates

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- Early Friday morning the Santa Cruz Fire Department responded to a fierce structure fire at 127 Ocean Street.…

Suspect and victim identified in fight in Santa Cruz

November 18, 2023 1:44 PM Katie Nicora, Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION)- Santa Cruz Police have identified the suspect and victim who were involved in a fight between two friends on Nov. 17.…

Rountree Detention Center inmates graduate from Building Trades Pre-Apprenticeship Program

November 13, 2023 1:06 PM Victor Guzman

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) — The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said two inmates graduated from the Building Trades Pre-Apprenticeship Program…

Santa Cruz County joining Operation Green Light, will illuminate county building

November 8, 2023 9:06 AM Karl Cooke

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CALIF. (KION-TV)- Santa Cruz County will be joining other counties across the country in U.S. for Operation Green Light by…

Captain found guilty of ‘seaman’s manslaughter’ in boat fire that killed 34 off California coast

November 6, 2023 5:11 PM Associated Press

By STEFANIE DAZIO Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — A scuba dive boat captain was convicted Monday of criminal negligence in the deaths of 34…

UC Santa Cruz region to receive $18.1 million for education to career pipelines

November 2, 2023 2:46 PM Ricardo Tovar

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- Governor Gavin Newsom announced that four California regions were selected to receive a part of $72.5 million to create…

Santa Cruz Police working to keep community safe during Halloween festivities

October 31, 2023 10:21 AM Ana Torrea

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- Halloween festivities are getting underway. Downtown Santa Cruz is expected to see a lot of foot traffic. On Tuesday…

Surfboard stealing outlaw Otter 841 is in fact a mother, USFWS confirms

September 8, 2023 6:05 PM Dania Romero, Ana Torrea

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION) – It is official! Everyone’s favorite surfboard pirate has given birth to a pup, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service…

Santa Cruz approves downtown development plans

October 26, 2023 10:39 AM Nataly Gutierrez

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV): More housing units and a hotel in downtown Santa Cruz may soon be…

Rallies held in Santa Cruz County to show solidarity with Palestine

October 20, 2023 5:49 PM Nataly Gutierrez

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV)- Two rallies were held in Santa Cruz County to show solidarity with the people of Palestine. One in…

Body found in Santa Cruz over 40 years ago identified

October 20, 2023 11:34 AM KION546 News Team

SACRAMENTO — An important link between the California Department of Justice and a genealogy lab dedicated to law enforcement investigations helped…

Santa Cruz Police to implement safety enhancement zone for Halloween

October 19, 2023 1:18 PM Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- On Thursday afternoon, Santa Cruz Police Department announced they will have a safety enhancement zone in the Downtown…

Rite Aid closing more than 150 stores nationwide including two stores on the Central Coast

October 18, 2023 11:30 AM Derrick Ow

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION-TV)- On Wednesday, Rite Aid announced that they are planning to close 154 stores nationwide after they filed for…

Vallejo man and two juveniles arrested for alleged robbery in Santa Cruz

October 12, 2023 11:26 AM Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office arrested three suspects who were involved in a robbery in Santa Cruz on…

Santa Cruz will use $1 million in federal funding to plant trees all over city

October 10, 2023 3:58 PM Derrick Ow

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- The City of Santa Cruz received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Forest Service to increase equitable access to trees…