Janus, which provides substance-abuse treatment to residents of Santa Cruz County, has named Rod Libbey as its new executive director. Libbey, a resident of Walnut Creek, has spent the past four years as CEO of San Francisco’s Walden House and worked in human resources for Bank of America and Charles Schwab. He will assume his position on Sept. 1 and plans on relocating to Santa Cruz.
Articles by Danny Wool
Teens Arrested for BB Gun Heist
According to the SCPD, at 10pm on Sunday night, Nathan Connally stepped in front of a car wielding a gun in an Eastside neighborhood of Santa Cruz. The driver, who was also 18, came to a stop and was ordered to hand over his money. He did so, but as he looked at Connally and his 16-year-old accomplice, he realized that something wasn’t right. The gun he was holding didn’t look real. It was, in fact, a BB gun.
Layoffs Looming for County Workers
California has no budget in sight, but Santa Cruz County is already laying off people to balance its own budget, with more layoffs possible if and when the state gets a budget of its own. About 100 county employees, representing virtually every department, will find themselves out of a job on Friday.
Training the Next Generation of Rangers
State parks may be faced with deep budget cuts, but at Big Basin Redwoods State Park, the rangers are busy training the next generation of rangers and nature lovers. Every day except Wednesday, children ages 7 through 12 take part in a free hour-long nature workshop given by the park’s staff. The program includes an interactive lecture on a specific wildlife topic and a chance to explore the park and find examples of that wildlife.
County Marks Tenth Homicide
It’s been a violent year for Santa Cruz County, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.
211 Launched in Santa Cruz
People in distress in Santa Cruz County can now dial 211 to get the help they need. The new service, which operates 24/7, can link them with some 300 health social service agencies, including emergency shelters, counseling, legal services, food banks, and Medicaid. The service was made possible by the United Way of Santa Cruz County, which raised $143,000 in order to go live. It will be linked to the 211 service currently being operated by the Bay Area United Way.
Three Strikes and A Gang Member Is Out
Martin “Fester” Tapia-Reyes, 35, a gang member from Watsonville, didn’t actually rob the La Selva Beach Surf Shop in June 2009.
Dozens Protest Arizona Law in Santa Cruz
About 200 people marched through Santa Cruz yesterday to protest Arizona’s controversial new immigration law, which went into effect yesterday. Although a federal judge blocked several of the more tendentious provisions, protesters claimed that the law would tear apart families and might even violate their constitutional rights. Many of the demonstrators also expressed the fear that the law could be copied by other states with significant immigrant populations.
City Takes Action to Close Camping Loophole
City and County officials reached an agreement on Wednesday that the city’s ban on camping out on city property extends to county property within city limits.
Domestic Violence Up Across Santa Cruz County
The numbers are disturbing. Five out of the nine homicides reported in Santa Cruz County this year resulted from domestic violence, a sharp upswing from last year. Kristie Clemens of the Walnut Avenue Women’s Shelter says that she has noticed only a slight increase in the number of women turning to the shelter because of domestic violence, but adds that the incidents being reported are more severe.
