Santa Cruz Honors a Fallen Hero
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office held a memorial service on Wednesday morning for Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, who was killed in the line of duty during an ambush on June 6th. The memorial service was held at the Cabrillo College Football Field. The procession began in Santa Cruz and passed through the Live Oak and Aptos areas on the way to the Cabrillo College Football Field.
San Jose Man Murdered in Santa Cruz Mountains
Sunday night, a 28 year old San Jose man was shot and killed in the Santa Cruz mountains, according to reports from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. Around 8PM on Sunday night, dispatchers received reports of a man with a gun on the 17000 block of Laurel Road and Highway 17. When deputies arrived, they found a man with a gunshot wound. The victim died at the scene. The Sheriff’s Office is looking for two witnesses believed to be women in their 40’s who were in the area at the time of the crime. Were their names Thelma and Louise?
Woman Killed After Being Struck on Murray Street
Monday afternoon around 2PM, a woman was killed and her daughter was seriously injured after a man’s vehicle struck the pair as they walked on Murray Street. The driver of a white Honda Accord was traveling north on Murray Street when he lost control of his car at Mott Avenue and struck the women. The driver then smashed the car into a light pole before finally coming to a stop on the curb. Witnesses said the victims were a mother and her high school-aged daughter who lived nearby. A neighbor did CPR on the victim at the scene but she did not survive. SCPD said it was too early to determine if alcohol or drugs were involved, although police pulled a bong out of the car. The incident is under investigation.
Man Stabbed Near the Boardwalk
Last Friday afternoon, SCPD reported to a report of a man who got stabbed in the head near the 100 block of Riverside Avenue. When SCPD arrived, witnesses reported the victim trying to leave the area but SCPD found him near 2nd and Main streets bleeding from the head and torso. He seemed to refuse medical treatment but I think they took him to the hospital anyways. Witnesses also told them he might have lived in the area and was possibly drunk. I don’t think anyone was arrested. So basically, it sounds like a bum fight and one guy got shivved.
Watsonville Man Arrested For Attempted Murder
A shooting Sunday night in Watsonville left a woman and teenage girl in critical condition. Police think the shooting was a result of a dispute between a man and his girlfriend’s family. Detectives tracked the 35 year old shooter to his home in Los Banos where he was arrested the next day. He was charged with attempted murder, shooting into an inhabited dwelling and assault. He was also prohibited from possessing a firearm. He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail. The victims are being treated for their injuries at an out-of-county trauma center.
Early Morning Explosion Rocks the Aptos Hills
Early Tuesday morning, Cal Fire San Mateo-Santa Cruz received reports of an explosion in Aptos near Corralitos. Multiple neighbors reported the explosion around 4:20AM on Tuesday. Yeah. 4:20. The explosion happened at an unaddressed location on Felt Fern Road in Aptos. Despite difficult access to the fire, Cal Fire was able to get three engines and two battalion chiefs down there. The cause is under investigation, but Cal Fire said that there is evidence of a cannabis operation of some kind at the property. The fire damaged one out building and a quarter acre of vegetation.
Flying Cars With the Morning Coffee
Sunday morning, a car driving on Swanton Boulevard in Santa Cruz suddenly accelerated to almost 70MPH before hitting a parked car, launching both cars into a front yard and garage of a local resident. According to SCPD reports, the driver had a seizure or some kind of medical emergency and was was transported to Dominican with non life threatening injuries.
Serial Creeper Alert For Downtown Santa Cruz
Last Thursday night around 9PM, a 38 year old Aptos man was arrested near Cedar and Walnut streets in downtown Santa Cruz for indecent exposure, drug possession, and a felony probation violation. Is that enough to keep him in Jim Hart’s jail? Hardly. He got a free pass. He’s been arrested 17 times since 2013. “Coronavirus” wasn’t even a word in 2013. But he’s gotten a lot of free passes since then. Then today (Friday), I see this posted on Facebook. It’s the same freaking guy.
So if you see this creepy asshole downtown, you’re warned. This was announced last week. So why is Jim Hart seemingly ignoring it? Here’s another example.
One cent bail. Dated after the state judicial council rescinded the emergency bail order. He was doing it before COVID. He’s still doing it after he’s not mandated to do so. So yeah, I’m laying this on his fucking doormat at the county jail.
Swinging His Pipe Around
Thursday afternoon around 12:30PM, SCPD responded to the Plaza Lane alley downtown for a guy swinging a pipe around and causing a general disturbance. He was wanted for a no bail warrant out of Santa Clara as well. They eventually were able to arrest him. He managed to split his head open somehow and needed medical attention (it wasn’t from SCPD). Maybe he hit himself in the head with his pipe. Send him back to Santa Clara.
Seabreeze Tavern Burns Down in Rio Del Mar
Sunday night, the Seabreeze Tavern in Rio Del Mar burned to the ground. Built in 1926, it was the oldest building in the Rio Del Mar Esplanade. In February, It was purchased by a Redondo Beach company after falling into foreclosure but they hadn’t taken possession of it. The three alarm fire took firefighters about three hours to get under control. The structure was red-tagged and ordered boarded up.
Live Oak Bum Arrested For Assault With a Deadly Weapon
Last Saturday night around 10:30PM, Santa Cruz Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area near 30th and Brommer streets where they arrested a 28 year old male for assault with a deadly weapon, making criminal threats, theft, drug possession, and being drunk in public. He was one of the unlucky few who didn’t get out of jail for one cent. Still in jail on a $25K bond.
UCSC Announces Fall Class Plans
UC Santa Cruz released its plans for the upcoming fall semester amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and university officials say most classes will be held remotely or online. Chancellor Cynthia Larive said instruction is expected to begin on October 1st, and only classes that cannot be held remotely will be offered in-person on campus. She also said that in-person classes will be modified to comply with social distancing and other health guidelines. To comply with public health guidance, Larive said residential housing rooms will be singles and doubles only, so the housing capacity will be reduced. Students who may need to be on campus for courses will be prioritized for housing. Those who are taking courses remotely and have a safe place to live are asked to not seek on-campus housing. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, everyone on campus is asked to wear face coverings, minimize the number of people on-site and practice social distancing.
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Looking at the first handful of section titles tells us why we can’t disband the police like some fringe groups are demanding!
Yeah I agree. I know there’s a lot of different concepts floating around, everything from “defund the police” (worthy of a larger discussion) to “abolish the police” (dumb as fuck idea). As far as “defunding” goes, if the “social services” part of SCPD’s job description got shifted back to the county (which is where it belongs in the first place), it’s worthy of a larger discussion. But locally, it seems as if our police chief has made it his mandate to do the county’s job when it comes to homeless social services, and as long as he’s willing to do the county’s job, they will let him do it. And they’ll keep letting the city pay for it if they are so hell bent on doing it. It’s become a talking point for local talking head politicians in the city (like Chris Krohn who has never accomplished anything on reducing local homelessness) and it needs to be more than just a political talking point. Thanks Mosley.
No Ucsc students in the fall means no Ucsc student influence on our November city council election ???
I wouldn’t say no student influence but it will be significantly reduced for sure. They will have significantly less influence and impact on the November election for local offices. Thanks Mike.
No UCSC students and no Boardwalk summer visitors means the City will go bankrupt.
Potential upside: Transients migrate to some other place where the panhandling is better?
We have a bloated city administration. If compelled to look at and take measures, well that would be a good thing.
They have both been morally bankrupt for years
Very thankful for the recall. A former councilperson (name rhymes with groan) wants the city to create a new city department, the Health and Human Services Department. While we are at it why not a City Department or Silly Walks, too.
The historic dive-bar in the Aptos Flats. I seem to remember some eccentric old lady used to own it but not keep it up. What about the really nice restaurant next door? Can’t imagine it escaped harm.
The memorial for officer Gusweiler was heart wrenching. His little son … no words.
You should be on YouTube your channel would be huge. That’s were I found this blog mentioned in the comments. Why haven’t you btw?
I’ve thought about it. I thought about putting my podcast up there. I probably will when I start it again. Thanks!
Be sure that the YouTube terms and conditions do not amount to censorship.
I recently learned that LA has 66,000 homeless. That’s 2,000 more then SCruz’s population. Phew!