Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: CHP seeks witnesses after fatal Soquel Drive crash near high school

Also check out John Rybak + Friends @ Discretion Brewing on the Santa Cruz Patch calendar

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Tuesday September 15th Patch AM
Tuesday September 15th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Hey hey Santa Cruz! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☀️

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In today's newsletter:

  • CHP seeks witnesses after fatal Soquel Drive crash near high school
  • Two local meetings will show you how to spot tree-killing beetles
  • How the Murray Street Bridge reopening will change your daily commute

Also on today's calendar: John Rybak + Friends @ Discretion Brewing and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: What has a tail, but no body? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Tuesday: Clouds yielding to sun, with a high of 73 and low of 56 degrees.
  • Wednesday: Areas of low clouds, then sun, temps: high: 69, low: 54.
  • Thursday: Areas of low clouds, then sun, with a high of 74 and low of 52 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Pickup Truck Driver Arrested After Bicyclist Killed In Crash (patch.com) — A Santa Cruz man driving a pickup was arrested after a Friday afternoon collision on Soquel Drive near Soquel High School that fatally injured a bicyclist. CHP is still investigating the cause and whether alcohol or drugs were involved, and is asking anyone who saw the crash or has dashcam footage to contact its local dispatch line.
   

2. Learn to identify invasive beetles that threaten trees in Santa Cruz County (santacruzlocal.org) — Santa Cruz County residents are being invited to two meetings this week to learn how to spot invasive shothole borer beetles that are killing local trees. First detected near Felton, the tiny insects carry a deadly fungus and have already damaged box elders and several native species, raising concerns for urban, rural, and agricultural landscapes countywide.
   

3. Murray Street Bridge to reopen to eastbound traffic by end of September (ksbw.com) — Santa Cruz drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians can expect one eastbound lane of the Murray Street Bridge to reopen on September 28, easing a closure that's lasted since June. Detours for westbound traffic and cyclists will remain, and key harbor access under the bridge won't fully reopen until 2027, with overall bridge work scheduled through early 2028.
   

4. Fallout from Watsonville airport land use dispute throws hotel, shopping center into jeopardy (santacruzlocal.org) — A long-running legal fight over Watsonville Municipal Airport's safety zones is now threatening a proposed hotel and complicating future uses at a Freedom Boulevard shopping center, with developers warning financing and leases are at risk. Because Santa Cruz County lacks an Airport Land Use Commission, Watsonville must strictly follow state airport planning guidelines, and recent court rulings say its General Plan is still out of compliance.
   

5. Alexis Garcia-Ortiz, Corinne Yorkman earn wins at Ironman 70.3 Santa Cruz (santacruzsentinel.com) — Top triathletes from Mexico and Colorado claimed victories at Sunday's Ironman 70.3 Santa Cruz at Main Beach, highlighting a big race day on the local shoreline. The roundup also features strong showings by Aptos and Soquel athletes, plus upcoming UC Santa Cruz men's soccer and cross country home and road dates that local fans can plan around.
   

📸 Around Santa Cruz

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Houdini has been found!!!!
    Thank you everyone for helping! Especially walking around and calling him in the night time !!! I am so HAPPY! Please check out my post regarding… (Nextdoor SOMBA)
  • Trees Beach, Capitola.
    Pastel on panel. 16"x28" Love painting this surf spot. (Nextdoor Alta Vista)
  • New Leaf Community Markets, Inc. posted a job opening for Cashier in Santa Cruz. Apply here.
  • Merrill Gardens posted a job opening for Housekeeper in Santa Cruz. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Santa Cruz here.

Ok Santa Cruz! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Coin (Thank you John W. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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