Public Safety · Santa Cruz, CA
The Santa Cruz County Governmental Center and adjacent Superior Courthouse at 701 Ocean St. were evacuated around 10:09 a.m. Friday after a suspicious white substance was mailed to U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta's office. The Santa Cruz Fire Department determined the material was inert and non-toxic, and no injuries were reported; one staffer was evaluated by EMTs but not hospitalized. The building remained closed for the rest of the day with services expected to resume Monday morning, while all other county buildings stayed open. Officials said the incident appears to match a national pattern of similar mailings, with the FBI reportedly investigating more than 100 items across the country.
Public Safety · Santa Cruz, CA
A Kelvin wave driven by El Niño is raising sea levels along the California coast, with tide measurements up to 17 inches above normal in La Jolla and beaches entirely covered in Santa Cruz. Michael Beck, director of the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience at UC Santa Cruz, warns the elevated water increases flooding and erosion risk through winter, particularly if storms coincide with high tides during Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks. Roads were inundated in parts of Marin County north of San Francisco. Another Kelvin wave is expected to reach the California coast later this month, and researchers anticipate five to six such waves over the life of the El Niño event into winter.
Social Events · Santa Cruz, CA
Musician Todd Rundgren will perform at the Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. Tickets are $62 for general admission and $82 for Gold Circle seating, available through pulseproductions.net. The concert features an acoustic set alongside his band performance, covering songs spanning his five-decade career in pop, rock, and progressive music.
