Special to the Santa Cruz Sentinel

Pk Hattis

PK reports on health, transportation and the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors for the Sentinel. He was born and raised in Santa Cruz and considers it a great privilege to cover the town in which he grew up. When he's away from his desk, he enjoys playing beach volleyball and watching his beloved Golden State Warriors.

Cal Fire firefighters head through Boulder Creek to their next assignment. (Shmuel Thaler – Santa Cruz Sentinel file)

Fire crews smother blaze near Aptos Hills, Watsonville

December 12, 2025 at 8:05 a.m.

Cal Fire's CZU San Mateo-Santa Cruz unit responded close to 2 p.m. Thursday to a fire near Grizzly Oaks Lane, according to a social media post from the agency. Columns...

Jeffrey Smith (pictured) was shot to death Aug. 16, 2012, at home in Soquel. After a 13-year investigation, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday that it had charged Colin Tisdale with Smith’s murder. (Contributed – Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office)

Suspect arrested in connection with 2012 Santa Cruz county murder

December 9, 2025 at 9:34 a.m.

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office announced Monday that it had arrested and charged 63-year-old Colin Sean Tisdale with the murder of Jeffrey Stephensen Smith in 2012.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles has given autonomous vehicle company Waymo the OK to expand its operations in Southern California and the Bay Area. The approved zones include a region in the Lexington Hills near Los Gatos that overlaps Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties. Waymo has indicated it will not begin commercial operations in expanded areas before May of 2026. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group file)

Are robotaxis coming to Santa Cruz County? Sort of

December 4, 2025 at 5:01 a.m.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles has given autonomous vehicle company Waymo the green light to pursue expanded operations in Southern California and the Bay Area, including within a slice...

Authorities continue to look for 73-year-old Jeanne Burke, who was last seen at about 4:30 p.m. Nov. 18 in the area of Moore Ranch Road in Bonny Doon. (Contributed – Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office)

Rescue teams scour 3,500 miles of Santa Cruz Mountains in search of missing elderly woman

November 26, 2025 at 6:56 a.m.

As the search for a missing elderly woman last seen in the Santa Cruz Mountains reaches one week, law enforcement officials say they are pressing on while compiling all the...

One California Highway Patrol officer suffered minor injuries after a tree fell onto his front hood while he was driving along Highway 17 Thursday evening. The tree also hit an Audi driving in the opposite direction, but the driver of that vehicle was not injured. (Contributed – California Highway Patrol)

Officer suffers injuries after tree crushes CHP vehicle traveling Highway 17 during storm

November 17, 2025 at 4:39 a.m.

One law enforcement official escaped without significant injuries after a tree fell onto his car while driving along Highway 17 at the tail end of this past week’s powerful atmospheric...

Surfer Nat Young in the water next to the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf rides an atmospheric river-fueled wave on Thursday. The storm brought heavy rains and pounding surf, but no significant damage was reported in the county. (Shmuel Thaler – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Loch Lomond reservoir poised to spill after atmospheric river storm drenches Santa Cruz County

November 14, 2025 at 7:43 a.m.

"We're in a really good position with Loch Lomond," said Santa Cruz Water Department Deputy Director Chris Coburn. "If we have even a normal winter from here, easily Loch Lomond...

Local authorities continue to search for 35-year-old Danielle Staley, who disappeared from a beach in Aptos Nov. 6 and has not been heard from since. (Contributed – Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office)

Police say ‘foul play may be involved’ of missing woman last seen on Santa Cruz County beach

November 13, 2025 at 5:47 a.m.

Law enforcement officials continue to search for 35-year-old Danielle Staley almost a week after she disappeared from a beach in Aptos.

At its meeting Friday, the California Historical Resource Commission designated the Three Princes’ Surf Site at the San Lorenzo Rivermouth as a California Historical Landmark. (Shmuel Thaler – Santa Cruz Sentinel file)

San Lorenzo River mouth surf spot approved as California Historic Landmark

November 10, 2025 at 4:15 a.m.

For years, the San Lorenzo River mouth surf break in Santa Cruz has been celebrated by local surfers and historians as the location where surfing was first introduced to the...

Central Fire rescue swimmer Forrest Gleitsman is pummeled by a wave in heavy surf south of 41st Avenue Wednesday morning while trying to help surfers in distress. (Shmuel Thaler – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Surfer knocked unconscious at The Hook in Santa Cruz, rushed to hospital

November 6, 2025 at 6:48 a.m.

An unconscious surfer was pulled from the water Wednesday morning near The Hook surf break on Santa Cruz's East Side as a storm blanketed Santa Cruz County with rain, high...

Table tennis para-athlete Cynthia Ranii trains in her Santa Cruz garage last week before heading to Brazil for the World Para Elite and the Pan American Para Championships. Twenty years ago, Ranii was diagnosed with transverse myelitis, a rare neuro-immunologic disorder that left her paralyzed from the chest down. (Shmuel Thaler – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

At 58, Cynthia Ranii was paralyzed from the chest down. 20 years later, her sights are set on a Paralympic medal

October 22, 2025 at 4:43 a.m.

Since she started on the competitive circuit more than a decade ago, the Santa Cruz resident has transformed herself into a top-ranked table tennis champion.

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