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A group of students discovered something that's never been found in Santa Cruz County before. A fossil of the Jefferson's Ground Sloth, an animal that paleontologists had no idea was in this area of the state until a few curious kids unearthed it. “They were building a dam, looking for crawdads,” said Bryn Evans, a teacher who was with the students when they found the fossil. “They're just in the mud pulling things out and then one of them comes up and is like, 'This isn't a stick, this is a bone!'” What the Tara Redwood School students discovered was...

The city and county of Santa Cruz have faced a string of 11 burglaries at cannabis facilities this year. The author — a licensed cannabis business owner — thinks the police and sheriff’s office need to work harder to make arrests. “We aren’t looking for special treatment. Legal cannabis is a relatively new industry and it is appropriate to have a certain level of oversight and regulation,” he writes. “But we do want the community and law enforcement to take us seriously when our businesses are being targeted by groups of armed and dangerous criminals who appear to be acting...

More than 9,000 California residents were under evacuation orders Friday as a new atmospheric river brought heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong winds, swelling rivers and creeks and flooding several major highways during the morning commute. In Santa Cruz County, a creek bloated by rain destroyed a portion of Main Street in Soquel, a town of 10,000 people, isolating several neighborhoods.

Santa Cruz County, Sheriff David Hathaway told FOX 10 Phoenix he’ll arrest anyone who tries to place them in the county, which he referred to as "illegal dumping."

Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County is partially reopening later this month—with reservations accepted starting Friday for limited day-use access—for the first time since the CZU Lightning Complex Fire destroyed much of the park in August 2020. The fire burned more than 97 percent of the park, destroying its headquarters, campgrounds, employee housing and nearly every other structure, and the park is still without electricity, running water or phone service, California State Parks officials said. Big Basin will partially reopen starting July 22 to allow visitors to explore the Redwood Loop and about 18 miles of fire...

If warmer weather is inspiring you to visit the sun and surf along the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, you may want to consider a short side trip just north of town. Tucked behind a public park in the small town of Felton, is a bridge so unique it is recognized as both a state and national historic place. At one time, it was also the only way in or out of town. Fortunately, a paved road makes the trip to explore this bridge much easier. Learn more about the Felton Bridge in the video above.

Adrian Gonzalez was given a maximum sentence in jail after admitting to all charges in connection to the kidnapping, rape, and murder of 8-year-old Maddie Middleton more than five years ago. Gonzalez, who is now 21, could be released from the juvenile justice system when he turns 25. Gonzalez entered his guilty plea in mid-April after his case was handed down to juvenile court after a state supreme court decision earlier this year upheld a state law preventing anyone under 16 from being tried as an adult. Gonzalez was 15 when he murdered his young neighbor, just three months shy...

Is it just me, or does everyone have a first recollection of hearing about Bigfoot? OK, yeah, it’s just me. Growing up in Santa Cruz, my parents were childbirth instructors. Every Wednesday, they would have pregnant couples over to coach them on the ins and outs (literally) of what to expect on the big day. We kids would be shuttled off to the neighbors for the duration of the class. Next door, we were allowed to watch all kinds of television that were not permitted in Casa de Otter: What’s Happening!, Good Times and even M*A*S*H. Amid this hit parade...

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office arrested five people for allegedly looting areas under fire evacuations. Deputies responded to reports of looting in the Fall Creek Road area where they located two cars. After stopping one and catching up to the other when it went into a ditch, five people were arrested. Advertisement Jose Gandarilla, Susana Luna, Crystal Araujo, Sara Loretz and Crystle Parstch-Lucchesi were all arrested on numerous charges including looting, grand theft, conspiracy to commit a crime and burglary. "In no way are we leaving these areas unsecured, we are doing our best and will continue to do...

Five suspected looters were arrested Friday for targeting homes in Santa Cruz County, California, whose owners had evacuated due to the wildfires.

A Watsonville couple was arrested for allegedly robbing women's purses at gun point with their three year old son in the car, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office. Investigators said the couple, Diana Pacheco, 20 and Antonio Bravo, 20, robbed women at gunpoint in Live Oak and Capitola on Aug. 22nd.

(04-09) 16:37 PDT SAN JOSE -- Vandals cut fiber-optic cable lines belonging to AT&T at two locations early today, knocking out phones and access to 911 emergency services to thousands of residential customers and businesses in southern Santa Clara County, in Santa Cruz and San Benito counties and along the Peninsula, authorities said. Four AT&T fiber-optic cables in an underground vault were severed shortly before 1:30 a.m. along Monterey Highway north of Blossom Hill Road in south San Jose, police Sgt. Ronnie Lopez said. Four more underground cables, at least two of which belong to AT&T, were cut about two...