Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Body Found In Ocean Being Investigated In Connection With Possible Shark Attack

You won't want to miss El capulin nursery on the Santa Cruz Patch calendar

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Monday December 29th Patch AM
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Hello Santa Cruz! Stay connected with the latest updates from around town. Let's dive in! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • Body found off Davenport Beach probed for link to shark attack
  • How John Laird’s new budget role could reshape Santa Cruz funding
  • Which Santa Cruz County water polo stars made the All-CCS list?

Also on today's calendar: El capulin nursery and 8 more events.

Find out what's happening in Santa Cruzfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: What two things can you never eat for breakfast? . 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Santa Cruzfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Monday: Plenty of sunshine, with a high of 67 and low of 47 degrees.
  • Tuesday: Plenty of sunshine, temps: high: 67, low: 54.
  • Wednesday: Mainly cloudy, showers around, with a high of 57 and low of 52 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Body Found In Ocean Being Investigated In Connection With Possible Shark Attack (patch.com) — Santa Cruz County authorities are investigating a body recovered south of Davenport Beach in connection with a recent suspected shark attack near Monterey County’s Lovers Point. Working with Monterey County and Pacific Grove police, investigators are trying to determine whether the remains belong to a 55-year-old swimmer who disappeared after witnesses reported a possible shark encounter, which prompted temporary beach closures last week.
   

2. California Sen. John Laird appointed chair of influential budget committee (montereyherald.com) — Santa Cruz County’s state senator, John Laird, has just been named chair of the powerful California Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, a key role as state leaders respond to recent federal safety-net cuts. Local governments, including Santa Cruz County, are watching closely because his budget decisions could shape funding for education, health care and other core services here.
   

3. 11 local girls, six boys named to All-CCS water polo teams (santacruzsentinel.com) — Santa Cruz County water polo players just earned major recognition, with 11 local girls and six boys named to the 2025 All-CCS teams, including standouts from Soquel, Aptos, and Santa Cruz High. Their performances powered league titles, deep CCS playoff runs, and NorCal regional berths, highlighting how dominant local programs have become in Central Coast water polo.
   

4. Dark Christmas: Family shares how Bay Area outages impacted holiday plans (nbcbayarea.com) — High winds topping 92 mph left thousands without power across the Bay Area this week, with Santa Cruz County among the hardest-hit areas. Families as far away as San Bruno describe days in the dark and uncertainty about when electricity would return, disrupting Christmas celebrations and basic routines.
   

5. Posts From The Road: 2025 Year In Review Part 1 (ladailypost.com) — A traveling photographer recounts a 2025 road trip up the California coast from San Diego to Santa Cruz, highlighting scenic Highway 1 stops many locals know well. He shares impressions of Big Sur, Monterey Bay, and Death Valley, pairing each with vivid photo descriptions that might inspire your own coastal or desert getaway plans.
   

📸 Around Santa Cruz

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Santa Cruz

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🗓 Events Nearby

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • LOST CAT:
    Looking for a small orange kitten. Usually an indoor cat but got out in snug harbor. Answers to the name Butter UPDATE: Finally Home!! (Nextdoor Pleasure Point)
  • Letter to the Editor – Dear Editor,I recently noticed that the Sentinel reposted an old article about my past arrest.
    I want to be clear that I’m not angry about it—if anything, I welcome the reminder of how far I’ve come. I’m now just one semester away from becoming… (Nextdoor Harvey West)
  • California Staffing posted a job opening for Housekeeper in Santa Cruz. Apply here.
  • University of California Santa Cruz posted a job opening for Postdoctoral Scholar in Combinatorics and/or Algebraic Geometry in Santa Cruz. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Santa Cruz here.

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: Lunch and dinner. (From Norine S.)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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