Santa Cruz County

A UC Santa Cruz program dedicated to preserving community history is ending just three years after its debut.

In this episode of Monterey Bay This Week, stories from around the region include an ongoing investigation into an officer-involved shooting in Soledad, a story about local TV news, a Christmas walking tour in Monterey, and more.

Monterey and Santa Cruz counties are at the center of a power struggle with the state over a key part of the clean energy transition—battery storage.

How local homeless service providers are preparing for a sharp reduction in federal funding for permanent housing. And, Santa Cruz County takes a baby step toward regulating new battery energy storage facilities.

Santa Cruz County public health officer urges healthcare providers to call the state's hotline and for families to seek medical attention if babies are showing signs of botulism. And, a video from an incident in Santa Ana shows an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent pointing a gun toward a woman allegedly recording him.

Head Start programs will continue running in Santa Cruz County through the end of the month despite the government shutdown. And, a state bill was set to create the first farmland access program in California. Then it was vetoed.

Federal workers in the region are now facing the government shutdown. And, Santa Cruz County stands to lose millions of dollars from federal cuts.

A new report says a commuter train in Santa Cruz County would cost $4.3 billion—far higher than previous estimates. But the head of the Regional Transportation Commission says it is still viable.

Santa Cruz County's Commission for the Environment hosted its third and final meeting about battery energy storage systems, and PG&E announces a June 2026 restart date for the Elkhorn battery facility in Moss Landing.

Residents and business owners in historic Capitola Village have sued PG&E over an explosion that destroyed an apartment building, and, they say, exposed ongoing risks.