Hi there, Santa Cruz! We've got your morning read ready! Read on to stay connected. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: John Rybak + Friends @ Discretion Brewing and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: When geese fly, one side is longer than the other. do you know why that is ? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Aptos Times: September 15, 2026 (tpgonlinedaily.com) — This Aptos Times issue bundles key Santa Cruz County updates, from a delayed RTC parking lot trial and new affordable apartments in Santa Cruz to winter storm preparations and free METRO rides to the county fair. It also highlights Watsonville hospital upgrades, a tentative PVUSD labor deal, a fatal Soquel Drive crash, and other developments affecting daily life around Santa Cruz.
2. Residents Invited to Help Make Roads Safer for Wildlife (slvpost.com) — Santa Cruz County residents are being asked to help map dangerous road crossings for wildlife by reporting roadkill and animal-vehicle encounters through the free iNaturalist app. The Safe Passage Santa Cruz project will collect observations through July 2027 to guide future road planning, improve wildlife connectivity, and make travel safer for both drivers and animals.
3. Body recovered off Davenport coast after boater reported seeing a body in the ocean (ksbw.com) — Authorities recovered a body off the coast of Davenport on Tuesday after a boater reported seeing a person in the ocean several miles offshore, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office. The Coast Guard located the body that afternoon, and the coroner is now working to determine the person's identity and cause of death.
4. Santa Cruz County Fair opens: Quilts, piglets and Dahlias — oh my! (pajaronian.com) — The Santa Cruz County Fair is now open through Sunday, offering rides, food, exhibits, and performances that draw many visitors from Santa Cruz and nearby communities. Local ties run deep, from a longtime UCSC-connected juggler to multigenerational food vendors, giving residents plenty of reasons to head out for late-night fair fun this weekend.
5. Tessa Jeffries sends Santa Cruz water polo past Valley Christian with OT winner (santacruzsentinel.com) — Santa Cruz High's girls water polo team thrilled home fans as senior co-captain Tessa Jeffries scored the overtime winner in an 8–7 victory over Valley Christian, keeping the Cardinals unbeaten. The roundup also spotlights strong performances by Aptos, Pajaro Valley, Watsonville, Cabrillo, and other nearby schools in flag football, volleyball, cross country, soccer, and water polo, with several upcoming games local fans can attend.
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Santa Cruz PatchAM possible:
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
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: because there are more geese on that side (Thank you jo L. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Santa Cruz Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.