Tarmo Hannula: A road crew was busy tidying up a rough section of Brennan Street today at the corner of East Lake Avenue.
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A small wildland fire broke out today behind the 500 block of Ohlone Parkway. The 1:10pm blaze worked its way through dry grass, brush and a stand of eucalyptus trees but no homes were immediately threatened. Watsonville Division Chief Tom Avila said that about an acre was charred before firefighters got a lid on it.
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Major League Baseball’s new season is off to a rough start, with at least two teams reported outbreaks of Covid-19 cases. In Florida, the Miami Marlins reported at least eight players and two coaches being infected while the St. Louis Cardinals weighed in with two cases. Now, some players are choosing to not play the rest of the season for safety reasons.
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The Apple Fire, a major wildland fire in Riverside County is only 5% contained after blackening more than 41 square miles. Dangerous hot conditions are adding to the severity of fighting the blaze that has so far burned two buildings and forced thousands from their homes. A Strike Team from Santa Cruz County was sent to help fight the fire. Engines from Scotts Valley, Watsonville, Central, Santa Cruz and Aptos/La Selva left July 30 to the Apple Fire. Drift smoke is reportedly working its way over the Arizona border.
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Santa Cruz County now has 1,152 Covid-19 cases Monday. Monterey County has had 4,822 cases while San Benito County has seen 647. The San Francisco Bay Area eclipsed the 55,000-mark while California has now topped 512,175 cases with 9,356 deaths.
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Johanna Miller: The Aptos Chamber of Commerce announced today that O’Neill Surf Shop will be celebrating the opening of its new store in Aptos Village on Wednesday. The Chamber and the company will come together for a special ribbon cutting at 12 noon at the new location at 105 A Post Office Drive, in the former location of Bay Federal near Starbucks. The O’Neill company was founded in 1952 by Jack O’Neill, who is credited as the inventor of the modern-day wetsuit. The Aptos store joins a handful of locations in Santa Cruz and Capitola.
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The Watsonville Public Library announced new hours for its curbside pickup services: Monday, Wednesday and Friday noon-5pm, and Tuesday/Thursday noon-7pm. Those with a library card can place items on hold and pickup when the books are available. For information visit cityofwatsonville.org or call 768-3400.
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California State Parks will kick off The Great California Virtual Campout this Saturday. The agency will host interactive lifestreams throughout the day, including showing how to pitch a tent (indoors and in backyards), scavenger hunts, musical “campfire” sessions and more. For information visit Facebook.com/TheGreatCaliforniaVirtualCampout for information.
