Police believe that gangs were involved in the shooting of a 17-year-old teen in Watsonville last night. The boy, who has not been identified, remains in critical condition. The incident occurred just before 8:00 pm near Jefferson and High streets. He was apparently stopped by gang members and an altercation ensued, in which he was shot at least seven times in the chest. Police are still looking for suspects in the case.
Santa Cruz City Workers Vulnerable to Next Cuts
“We’re in grave risk,” warned City Manager Dick Wilson during his mid-year budget update yesterday. He expects that next year’s revenue will not increase, while expenses increase, and the State of California eyes every possibility to close its own budget gap (estimated at one-quarter of the state budget). With all the low hanging fruit already picked, Wilson is recommending cutting retirement benefits for new municipal employees, and asking them to work until they are 60 or to receive fewer benefits if they retire at 55.
Santa Cruz’s Sound and Fury
PUTTING a retrospective of the Santa Cruz music scene into print is probably asking for trouble. After accepting this assignment, I posted a one-line status update to Facebook: “writing a roundup of Santa Cruz’s most significant bands of the decade. Suggestions?” It didn’t take long for the responses to start coming in. “There have been significant Santa Cruz bands since Camper Van Beethoven?” wrote one local, illustrating the foolhardiness of trying to present a single overview of a decade of Santa Cruz music. For every resident who thinks the local music scene ended in the early ’80s when CVB signed to a major and left town, there’s a grubby teenager in a Soquel garage blasting through two-minute punk songs who has never heard of David Lowery. With slide show.
Santa Cruz Derby Girl’s Injury Sparks New Site
Things were going pretty well for Santa Cruz Derby Girl Evie Smith (a.k.a. Raven Von Kaos) when she skated onto the Roller Palladium floor for practice on Aug. 13. She was recently engaged, serving on the team’s board and playing better than ever, primarily as a pivot. Then, during a scrimmage, that tidy world order changed very suddenly. “It was a freak accident,” she says.
It’s a Dog’s World in Santa Cruz
Where’s the best restaurant to take your dog in Santa Cruz? This is no moot question for a city that has more dogs than children.
In-Home Care Workers Protest Potential Pay Cut
In-home care workers braved the cold to gather at the Town Clock yesterday to protest a possible pay cut they face.
Taking on Facebook
Like millions of people across the country, Rebecca Swift of Santa Cruz has lost money playing social games on Facebook.
Officials Take to the Stage
Former Assemblyman Fred Keeley and District Attorney Bob Lee appear in “The Nutcracker.”
Get Ready to Loiter in Downtown Santa Cruz
In response to recent downtown violence, locals decide they’re just going to hang around. Take Back Santa Cruz is hosting a mass loitering event to discourage crime near the intersection where Tyler Tenorio was recently stabbed to death.
Blame Canada!
Snow is on the way in the hills and we’ve got the Kanucks to thank. Lower altitudes will escape the powder, but instead see freezing rain.
