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The title of the event on Friday night was “It Can’t Happen Here — Again.” And, if “Here” means Santa Cruz and “It” is an orderly and noble exercise of American-style democracy, then, I’d say that title got it about right.

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) -- The CHP confirmed a deadly crash happened on Highway 101 at West Laurel Drive Saturday afternoon. The CHP said at least one person was killed and four vehicles were involved. Highway 101 in that area will be shut down for several hours, according to the agency....

A Fresno man was sentenced to years in state prison for trafficking a minor and ramming Salinas police cars in 2023, according to Monterey County prosecutors.Joshua Haastrup, 22, was convicted of one count of human trafficking of a minor, one count of assault on a peace officer, and one count of felony evading, the Monterey County District Attorney's Office said in a statement Thursday. On Aug. 11, 2023, Salinas police learned from the FBI that Haastrup, who was wanted for human trafficking of a minor out of Las Vegas, was at a local motel. After they set up surveillance at the motel,...

Land Rovers used by the British royal family will be on display at Pebble Beach. The display will be the first outside of the U.K. Land Rover Classic is the outfit making the display happen. A collection of 10 Land Rovers used by the British royal family will displayed on...

The next stage of repairs to stabilize the Rocky Creek Bridge "slip-out" on Highway 1 in Big Sur will again close the two-lane road, but the closures will occur only overnight, California Department of Transportation officials announced this week. Beginning Monday, the damaged section of the roadway about 12 miles...

On June 28, Dignity Health Dominican Hospital announced a $116,000 gift from the Women of Wellness Council, a local women’s giving society. The WoW Council allocated $87,000 in funding with an additional $29,000 in anonymous support. A program of the Dominican Hospital Foundation founded in 2018, the WoW Council’s...

Abigail Said, 13, keeps her family in mind while creating. This year, the Aptos Junior High student was awarded the Big Thinker Award at the California State Invention Convention, for her creation, “Deaf Alert.”. This is the 9th year of bringing young minds together through applied problem-solving. The invention...

Editor’s note: When an unexpected wave flipped Christy Banez off her standup paddleboard in Monterey Bay, Boots McGhee came to the rescue. Here’s his story. Last Saturday, I got a message from pal Neal Kearney. He asked me if I was going to the Woodies on the Wharf and that he was doing an article for Santa Cruz Vibe magazine and needed pics. I told him yes. Success. That was Saturday.

Ariele Garcia was last seen leaving her Salinas, California home on September 22, 2022. Salinas police say security footage shows her 2013 red Honda Accord leaving the apartment she shares with her mother on Roosevelt Street around 6:30 a.m. Her car was found abandoned in Big Sur on the side...

California Highway Patrol has released new details about a crash that killed one person on Highway 101 on Saturday. CHP said four vehicles crashed on southbound Highway 101 south of Laurel Drive. The crash was initially reported at 1:07 p.m. CHP said a 77-year-old Salinas man was changing a silver...

A private family ceremony will be held for Charles “Bob” Gassaway who passed away in Santa Cruz just one week before celebrating his 88th birthday. Born in Watsonville, he attended Watsonville High School where he excelled in football. He married Diane Disbrow and had four children; David, Lynette, Timothy, and Denise. He earned his teaching credentials from San Jose State University and began his teaching career in the early 1960’s at Mission Hill Junior High School in Santa Cruz. Mr. Gassaway was a talented artisan and woodworker who later taught woodshop at Soquel High. He remarried in the early 1970’s to Diane Montague who had two children Debra, and Douglas who he helped raise, and was happily married until her passing in 2020. Mr. Gassaway opened up Crucible Studios in Santa Cruz and in the foothills of Sutter Creek. His career in jewelry spanned over 50 years where he excelled in custom jewelry design and expert repair. He was an excellent cook, also operating his own catering business in Sutter Creek.His life will be cherished and remembered for his love for his family, and for his energy and entrepreneurial spirit. He was very proud of the home he built in Sutter Creek where he designed and constructed everything from the cabinetry to the flooring. Fond memories willcontinue to be shared of his love for camping, backpacking and traveling.Mr. Gassaway is survived by his sons, David Gassaway (Lou-Anne) and Tim Gassaway (Suzanne); his daughter, Lynette Sedenquist; his stepson Douglas Montague; his stepdaughter, Debra Goldsmith, and many loving grandchildren and great grandchildren.Services will be private. An act of charity to Hospice of Santa Cruz can be made in his memory.

After decades of resistance, California's Carmel-by-the-Sea is about to address some of its residents' biggest frustrations. The moneyed little town, where homes and businesses have no street addresses, soon will have numbers assigned to its buildings, forgoing a cherished local tradition after too many complaints about lost packages, trouble setting up utilities and banking accounts, and other problems.

Dusk falls on Santa Cruz’s Eastside as customers wait for their orders at Charlie Hong Kong on Soquel Avenue. Charlie Hong Kong opened in 1998 and it was purchased two years later by its current owners when Carolyn and Rudy Rudolph. Charlie, the original chef and the “Charlie” in Charlie Hong Kong, created a restaurant inspired by Southeast Asian street food and locally grown organic produce. The Rudolphs, dedicated to supporting organic farms on the Central Coast and providing affordable, sustainable food for the community, use freshly harvested local organic produce. Each morning the restaurant’s head cook begins preparing 500 pounds of organic produce, making sauces, charring ginger and onion, and slow-roasting meats in the re-purposed 1950s ice cream stand. (Shmuel Thaler – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Had character Anthony Rogue entered the intersection two seconds sooner, the author could have merged the introduction, climax, and conclusion of his book into the first paragraph and written, “The End.” But he didn’t. “Was I OK? Yeah, I think so,” Rogue said. “What about Ray?”...

Anna Margaret Layher, a devoted wife, loving mother, grandmother, and sister, passed away peacefully on July 3, 2024, in Santa Cruz, California, at the age of 88. Born on October 16, 1935, in Oklahoma, Anna spent her early years in Tennessee before relocating to California with her mother and two sisters at the age of 10.At the age of 16, Anna met the love of her life, Bill Layher, in Santa Cruz. They celebrated 57 years of marriage, embodying a relationship built on mutual respect, love, and shared laughter. Bill, renowned for his humor and role as the family’s provider, perfectly complemented Anna’s dedication as an exceptional wife, mother, and homemaker. Her home was more than just a place to live; it stood as a testament to her nurturing spirit and love.Anna took great pride in her role as a skilled homemaker, finding joy in her family and creating a warm, inviting home. She was known for her kindness, strength, and unconditional love for her family and friends. She was also a dedicated prayer warrior.Anna is survived by her children Melody Alcantar and Pam Powell, her grandchildren Timothy Fann, Deanna Palmer, Sarah Hoffer, Gary Austin, Nicole Powell, Samantha Powell, her sisters Mary Denner and Sarah Adams, as well as numerous great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Bill Layher.Anna Layher will be deeply missed and forever remembered for her enduring love, strength of character, and the legacy of warmth and kindness she leaves behind.In accordance with Anna’s wishes, there will be no formal services. For those who wish to honor her memory, donations can be made to her favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, or to Hospice of Santa Cruz County.

Lysle Yeager, Bert McCuiston and an unidentified man with their ice delivery truck at the Monterey City Fair in 1932. (Monterey Herald Archives)