Early Morning Fire Torches Auto One
Around 7Am on Sunday morning, a two alarm fire broke out and burned down the Auto One used car dealership on Water street in midtown Santa Cruz. Flames sent a column of dark smoke rising into the air after the fire started in an office on the first floor. It took eight fire engines, two trucks and help from several counties to put the fire out, which was contained within an hour after they arrived. The first and second floors of the building collapsed. Nobody was inside the building when the fire started, and there were no injuries. 30 cars were removed from the parking lot to minimize damage. The fire is under investigation.
Getting the Kinks Out
Last Friday night around 8:30PM, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies stopped a car driven by two men near Mansfield and 17th avenue. A K9 was requested to search the car so they brought in the dog! K9 Lola confirmed that drugs were in the car. About 2.5 ounces of methamphetamine, almost 2 ounces of cocaine, a gram of heroin and almost 500 prescription pills were confiscated, in addition to a firearm and ammunition. The investigation led deputies to a local hotel where they found more drugs. Both men were booked into county jail for possession of methamphetamine for sales, possession of cocaine for sales, transportation of methamphetamine, transportation of cocaine, possession of prescription pills for sales, and being in possession of narcotics and a firearm.
Like Moths to a Flame
This is the kind of “tourist” we seem to attract far too often. Wednesday morning around 8:30AM, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a suspicious man in a car on Maywood Drive in Boulder Creek. When deputies arrived, the suspect put his car in reverse and crashed into another vehicle which then crashed into a patrol car. The suspect then drove the car towards two deputies and struck another car. Then he reversed the car again towards the two deputies, driving down a driveway before crashing into a fence and hitting a tree. After running into the woods nearby, he was quickly caught by deputies. After being arrested, he tried to kick out the windows of the patrol car. Two deputies had minor injuries and were treated at a local hospital. The vehicle the suspect was driving was reported stolen out of San Jose from a dealership. The man was booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a stolen vehicle, and resisting arrest.
High Risk Stolen Car Stop by SCPD
Tuesday night around 11PM, there was a rolling car chase which ended on N. Pacific at 9th street with SCPD doing a “high risk traffic stop” (which usually involves guns being drawn and multiple units). Apparently the Honda they were in was reported stolen. No idea how this turned out. Hopefully somebody was actually arrested.
Mt. Hermon House Blows Up and Catches Fire
This past week, a house in Mt. Hermon caused an explosion and fire, which attracted the attention of nearby Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies who saw the flash and directed fire personnel to the area. Nobody was in the house, and they evacuated nearby homes. In a neighboring house, they could see a man sleeping with noise canceling headphones on. Deputies kicked down the door and woke up the man and another person in the house, getting everybody out safely. The first house was completely destroyed, but there were no injuries. They think the fire was accidental.
Drunks With Guns Doing Dumb Stuff
Friday night, SCPD stopped a truck with a registration that expired in August of 2016. When the officer approached the vehicle, the driver appeared drunk, and the officer noticed a rifle case in the back seat of the truck. The driver didn’t initially respond to demands to keep his hands away from the weapons in the truck so the officer requested code 3 backup. After the driver was removed, a search of the vehicle found a knife under the front seat and a handgun in a duffle bag with two loaded magazines. Neither gun was locked or properly stored. The suspect was detained and eventually arrested for DUI, possessing a concealed firearm in the truck along with the possession of expired registration tags.
Home Invasion Robbery Thwarted
Friday night, SCPD responded to the 100 block Franklin Street for a report of an burglary in progress at a residence. The victim described seeing a man sticking his arm through a window. After detaining two men who were seen leaving the area, investigators determined that one man was acting as a lookout for the other and abandoned his bicycle in the backyard of the victim’s house. The two were booked on burglary and conspiracy charges.
Unconscious Surfer Pulled From Water Near 38th Avenue
A 40 year old female surfer was found floating face down near Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz around 2:30PM on Wednesday afternoon. Witnesses said the woman was surfing alone before other surfers pulled her from the water and onto the beach. Paramedics performed CPR while the Santa Cruz City Fire department used a ladder truck cliff to help get the woman up the cliffs. A CalStar helicopter landed on East Cliff Drive and flew the woman to a San Jose trauma center, where she was last listed in critical condition.
415@7-11
While all this stuff was going on Friday night, there was also a report of a fight at the 7-11 on Laurel and Chestnut. Two people were arrested for public intoxication and battery.
Probation is the Gift That Keeps Giving
Last Friday night around 5PM, a report came in about a drunk man causing a disturbance at Marianne’s Ice Cream shop on the 200 block of State Park Drive in Aptos. When deputies arrived, the suspect resisted arrest and battered one of the deputies. He was also on felony probation for robbery. He was taken to jail. Let’s try to keep him there this time?
A Slab of Beef
Last Friday morning around 9:30AM, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a disturbance on the 200 block of Edgrace Lane in Live Oak for a report of a suspect breaking into and entering a house that wasn’t his. The suspect got into an altercation with a deputy and tried to strike him with a marble slab. He was arrested trying to flee and was taken to the county jail.
The Santa Mierda Voter’s Guide!
It’s finally out. I did the research. Here are my notes and votes.
So Obvious
No Mas!
The Halloween Parade
Halloween in Santa Cruz is pretty much the biggest party of the year. It’s relatively safe, SCPD always has a huge presence and it’s all lit up with flood lights on every block. And of course the “Thriller flash mob” (can you even call it a flash mob when people practice it for weeks?) hasn’t been played out enough so of course it will be back for another go around on the corner of Pacific and Cooper at some point. My top 5 costume predictions you’ll see in downtown Santa Cruz this year:
5. Umbrella Man
4. Robert Norse
3. Donald Trump
2. Stripper
1. Zombie
The Weekly Seen
Talk about “low rent”. Comic Sans. A match made in heaven.
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7 Responses
lol @ “no on m,~” every economist everwhere” lololol
No on M and 10 are correct votes. Another example of why rent control what may sound effective but in reality, accomplishes exactly the opposite result. Nothing would stay the same and the first line of action considered by landlords …. is converting apartments to condominiums and selling them. The second result is the removal of single family homes, the bread and butter of Santa Cruz rentals and selling off even more housing. The reason for this is that the rent freeze locked many landlords into rents so far below the market rates that the only way to recover value on a property …is to sell and no one wants an extreme and autonomous highly paid rent control board that has NO agency in the city overseeing it. The great majority of experts agree that it’s more housing that’s needed to relieve the problem of high rental costs…..and rent control in any form, discourages that. I also cannot forget the example attorney Malia Powell gave in the Sentinel that based on individual room size, and if rent control was passed… as many as 12 individuals could be allowed to live in a 1 bedroom apartment…. whether the landlord allowed it or not. Ridiculous and parking is already difficult to find, without overcrowding.
I also agree that Mark Stone has got to go and Glover and Cummings do not belong on the council. This is a great year of opportunity for some moderation and not more of the same progressive politics which have divided this town and allowed extremists to rear their ugly politics in an attempt to take over property and the local narrative.
Please vote for Ashley Scontriano and Paige Concannon. It’s time for a much needed change. This city cannot even provide the most basic of services: the safety of its residents and roads that work. The city has refused to address skyrocketing crime rates and dilapidated roads and sidewalks, not to mention that it fails in so many other ways: You’re a downtown merchant trying to make a living. Well too bad, you’re just going to have to accept transients stealing and wrecking havoc in your store. What other city is this blind to reality? Enough already. Vote for Ashley and Paige.
I’d also add Greg Larson to the group for city council. He was city manager for Los Gatos so he at least knows what a city manager is supposed to do. Maybe he can have some positive influence on our city manager.
I’ve got a big Ashley banner outside my storefront on Seabright. She’s by far the best candidate. She’s Candid, straightforward, and a spectacular public speaker.
Any news on why the Park & Ride off Paul Sweet is closing? I was told by Metro it’s due to “safety reasons”, but a few months ago I’d heard it was being considered for a homeless encampment area… thanks in advance for any info
Two thumbs way up for Ashley and Paige!!!