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Sheriff Jim Hart, former chief deputy of corrections, and former Sheriff Phil Wowak, far left, walk the Santa Cruz County Jail in 2011. - Dan Coyro — Santa Cruz Sentinel file

Masked inmates use booby traps in Santa Cruz County Jail skirmish

August 23, 2018 at 12:00 a.m.

SANTA CRUZ >> They tied trip lines from ripped jail-cell sheets, covered their arms with socks, hid their faces with makeshift masks and armed themselves with soap, a radio, mop,...

A house at the end of a road off Bear Creek Canyon is destroyed and littered with vehicles, trucks, generators and construction equipment. The fire was contained this week. (Dan Coyro -- Santa Cruz Sentinel)

UPDATE: Bear Fire was fueled by dispute in Bear Creek Canyon

August 23, 2018 at 12:00 a.m.

LIVE OAK >> The Bear Fire, a $7.1 million expense, was set by a 54-year-old convicted felon from Boulder Creek having a feud, Sheriff Jim Hart said during a press...

A Santa Cruz Mountains ridge top burns off Bear Creek Road in the pre-dawn hours east of Boulder Creek on Tuesday. (Dan Coyro -- Santa Cruz Sentinel)

2:10 p.m. Bear Fire update: Air crews resume operations after drone slows progress

August 23, 2018 at 12:00 a.m.

BOULDER CREEK >> A dozen helicopters have resumed operations Wednesday afternoon, after being grounded for about an hour after a drone was spotted above the Bear Fire.The air support team...

A 150-acre wildfire in the Santa Cruz Mountains is 5 percent contained at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday, according to Cal Fire. - Dan Coyro — Santa Cruz Sentinel

Bear Fire burns in Santa Cruz Mountains, threatens 150 homes

August 23, 2018 at 12:00 a.m.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY >> A 152-acre wildfire in the Santa Cruz Mountains was 5 percent contained at 10 a.m. Tuesday, according to Cal Fire.The fire is an immediate threat to...

A 16-year-old driver is in Santa Cruz Juvenile Hall on charges of driving under the influence and reckless driving after he allegedly caused a wreck that sent two cars and a truck crashing into a piñata store on Wednesday. - Watsonville Police Department

Seven hurt after vehicles crash into piñata store

August 23, 2018 at 12:00 a.m.

WATSONVILLE >> Two cars and a truck crashed into a Watsonville piñata store Wednesday afternoon, injuring four children and three adults. The children and one adult were transported to Bay...

Junior Lifeguard volunteer Colton Jeffrey tells Raymond Brookman of Santa Cruz that Cowell surf break is closed Tuesday after a kayaker’s boat was bitten by a shark off Lighthouse Point. (Dan Coyro -- Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Water activities shut down after shark attacks Santa Cruz kayaker

August 23, 2018 at 12:00 a.m.

SANTA CRUZ >> There were only five surfers out at Cowell Beach in a clean waist-high south swell Tuesday afternoon. The typically packed surf spot was almost empty after a...

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