Category: kion-local-news

Briana Mathaw

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION) – A new Santa Cruz County Grand Jury report is revealing serious gaps in how local officials address human trafficking.

The report points to missing data, limited prosecutions, and a lack of training for those on the front lines. Survivor-led organizations are now urging change.

“In Santa Cruz, there’s not a lot of reported cases. And I think the civil grand jury just came out with a really fantastic report that identifies that issue that a lot of people, exactly what I just explained, they don’t understand trafficking,” Carmel K. Jud said.

Jud is the founder and executive director of Rising Worldwide, a nonprofit that trains law enforcement, social workers, and students using survivor led education.

While the FBI has reported zero trafficking cases in the county over the past 10 years, some nonprofits say they see up to 200 victims per week. The discrepancy points to a problem of awareness and training.

“We will see about three youth a year will disclose they’re being trafficked. I suspect that would be actually, sadly, much higher if we were in all the classrooms,” Carmel K. Jud said.

The Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office reported only two human trafficking charges in the past four years, with no convictions.

Advocates say that number doesn’t reflect the reality of what’s happening on the ground.

“Our local DA’s office has not had very many prosecutions. But one thing to consider is that it’s hard for survivors to come forward, not knowing how they’re going to be treated by law enforcement if law enforcement hasn’t had the training,” Carmel K. Jud said.

The Grand Jury report specifically recommends more survivor led training sessions for first responders and service providers.

“Law enforcement or first responders and direct service providers get training from survivors, especially survivors that have been trafficked in your specific area,” Carmel K. Jud said.

Some progress is already being made. Santa Cruz County schools are among the few institutions ahead of the curve, offering survivor-led prevention programs.

In a statement, Santa Cruz County Superintendent Faris Sabbah said, “The Santa Cruz County Office of Education provides training and resources to raise awareness about human trafficking and to prevent and intervene in any potential incidents impacting the school community, including through classroom curriculum and partnerships with local organizations such as Rising Worldwide.”

But there are still areas of concern. California law requires certain businesses to post the human trafficking hotline, yet only 7 percent of the 144 businesses surveyed in the county were compliant.

“The businesses are required to post that sign. But we will say that in general, most people who are being trafficked do not understand they’re being trafficked,” Carmel K. Jud said.

County officials including the Sheriff, District Attorney, and Superintendent of Schools are required to formally respond to the Grand Jury’s findings by August 29.

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Jeanette Bent

APTOS, Calif. (KION-TV) — Neighbors lined the streets this morning in Aptos to watch their annual “World’s Shortest Fourth of July Parade.”

This was the event’s 64th year, and this year, the spotlight was on local firefighters and recognizing their service to the community. 

Attendees — both humans and animals — came decked out in red, white and blue, cheering on the different floats as they went by. 

For most, this was not their first time attending.

“This has been a ritual for the 30 years I’ve been here,” said Aptos resident Tim Potter. “So, I just come down and say ‘hi’ to friends, ‘hi’ to everybody, and check out all the rest of the patriots.”

“I’m celebrating freedom,” another Aptosian Francilene Coffey. “I am so proud to be American. I am Brazilian-American.”

The parade had special guests, including Big Foot, Darth Vadar and Santa Claus. 

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Mickey Adams

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — The Santa Cruz County Board of Education responding to the billions in education funds recently being withheld by the federal government.

The county’s superintendent of schools, Dr. Faris Sabbah, says that the board estimated more than $10 million of that funding was set to be distributed in Santa Cruz County.

He goes on to say that the president’s withholding of these funds likely violates federal law, including the Impoundments Control Act.

Dr. Sabbah also reaffirming the board’s commitment to its students in these times, saying:

“Our students deserve every opportunity that congress intended when it voted to support their education. All students, especially those from our most vulnerable communities, deserve access to these essential resources that create the conditions for them to be safe, learn, and thrive.”

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KTVU FOX 2

OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU-TV) — Firefighters are responding to a four-alarm blaze burning near the Oakland Coliseum.

The Oakland Fire Department announced on X just before 5:10 p.m. that crews were on the scene of the fire at a commercial building in the 5200 block of East 8th Street.

OFD Fire Chief Damon Convington told KTVU that the fire was first reported at about 4:55 p.m. and was quickly upgraded to a two-alarm, then a four-alarm response.

“This easily could have been a two or three block radius fire had the crews not acted so quickly to get it under control,” Covington said, adding that firefighters were still working to fully extinguish the blaze as of about 6 p.m.

OFD Battalion Chief Porya Jeddi told KTVU that an Oakland Police Department officer on scene who spoke with a tenant of the burning building learned there was a possible marijuana grow operation inside the one-story warehouse, though authorities could not comment on the legality of the operation or if it was related to the fire.

Jeddi noted that the entire warehouse was engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived, which he said was “not normal” for a building of that size.

“On a bigger building like this, we have some time to recover. However, upon arrival, the whole warehouse was gone,” Jeddi said.

Jeddi added that the size of the fire meant responders had to switch to defensive tactics once they arrived at the scene. Firefighters focused on defending adjacent buildings that were exposed to the flames.

Jeddi added crews managed to halt the fire from spreading to nearby residential buildings, though the fire spread to RVs parked in the area and to an adjacent abandoned building.

Jeddi said more than 70 firefighters managed to stop forward progress of the fire by about 6 p.m. No firefighters or bystanders were reported injured in the fire.

This is a developing story. Please stay with KTVU for updates. 

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Victor Guzman

TRES PINOS, Calif. (KION-TV) — Cal Fire says Firefighters were able to stop the forward progress on the Sabe Fire burning near Tres Pinos early Friday morning.

Cal Fire says the fire is holding at around 25 acres, with crews staying on scene to strengthen containment lines to make sure all hot spots are extinguished.

The fire was initially reported around 4:30 a.m. near Quien Sabe and Santa Ana Valley roads.

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Mickey Adams

PACIFIC GROVE, Calif. (KION-TV) — New tennis court renovations have been completed in Pacific Grove this week.

The Morris Dil Courts on Fountain Avenue and 14th Street getting a makeover.

Soundproof fencing was already added earlier this year and now resurfacing and restriping efforts have been completed, turning the court closest to Fountain Avenue a dedicated pickleball space while the next court over was restored for tennis.

The improved courts made possible through the city’s Capital Improvement Plan.

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jose.romo

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) — Teams are working on getting the final details squared away for the largest fireworks display in Monterey County.

Compass Church is getting ready to fill the Salinas Sports Complex seats for Friday’s 4th of July Celebrate America Firework Extravaganza. 

“They love the flyover. We have four biplanes this year. We have the parachute coming in with the American flag. We’ve got some beautiful patriotic music, a wonderful choir,” says Todd Anderson, senior pastor at compass church.

He says they are excited to see this event take form for the second year under their leadership. Anderson explains, it all came about through connections within the church.

“One of the families in our church owns the fireworks company,” says Anderson, who had been looking for an event to celebrate July 4th. “So when I discovered they’re a part of compass church, i said, can you guys pull one off here, and they said, I think we can do that.” 

He adds that they hope to provide a safe space for the community to enjoy fireworks. 

“That’s one of the drivers of this is to provide a safe, free, family-friendly event on the 4th of July.” Anderson adds, “I grew up in a family where we probably shot a few bottle rockets off here and there, but you hear the stories. It’s not always safe to do it that way.

“The most dangerous part does come with the loading and the operating of the fireworks themselves.”

David, who works as the pyrotechnic operator for the event, says security teams have been watering the grounds near the fireworks show to ensure a safe zone.

“As of right now, we’re setting up our fireworks. We’re specifically building up our mortars and our racks, inspecting all of our product for defects, making sure all our product is properly wired and secured,” he adds. 

They have also hired additional security to patrol the area. Organizers want to make sure people know they should arrive early to secure their seats. 

“Yeah, last year we saw 14,000 people came out to this,” says Anderson. He adds that city and officials at the rodeo grounds say they will likely have to cap attendance. “They’re expecting a maximum crowd of 16,000. So, a record crowd. But I have to let the people know that once we hit 16,000, we’ve got to shut the gates.”

Gates to the festival will open at 3 pm, with the patriotic service set to kick off at 7 pm. 

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Mickey Adams

GREENFIELD, Calif. (KION-TV) — The Monterey County Solidarity Network has confirmed that a Greenfield man was detained by ICE agents early on Tuesday.

The network says the man was stopped while driving into work Wednesday morning.

Non-masked agents asking to see the driver’s identification before arresting him.

KION reached out to Greenfield Police, who say that they were not aware of ICE activity in the area.

That man is now being held at an ICE detention facility.

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Ata Shaheen

SOLEDAD, Calif. (KION-TV) — U.S. Senator Adam Schiff and State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas visited the Central Coast today in support of California’s agriculture industry.

This, while a lot of people feel that local agriculture is being threatened by policy coming out of the White House.

Senator Adam Schiff is the first representative from California to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in decades, trying to ensure issues specific to California farmers are being considered on Capitol Hill.

“Number one on the committee is making sure that the agricultural laws are good for farmers throughout the country,” said Schiff. “Not just in the Midwest, but here in California, where we have unique kinds of farming.”

Both Schiff and State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas are calling out the Trump Administration for reckless policy that has ripple effects throughout the crop fields of Soledad.

“The unpredictability with the president’s tariff policies; they undermine and undercut our agricultural industry here in the state,” said Rivas, who represents the Salinas Valley. “It’s creating chaos within the markets and then when you talk about what we’re seeing when it comes to these indiscriminate ICE raids… ICE raids to immigration, it’s causing fear.”

Immigration enforcement starting to threaten the workforce of Californian agriculture. Senator Schiff saying that he hopes to just bring awareness to the situation.

“The American people are watching. They’re not liking what they see, and you’ve already heard the administration sort of begin to change course vis-a-vis at least farm labor,” said Schiff. “[It’s] not consistently, but I think administration is getting the message.”

Senator Schiff referencing the Trump Administration’s original campaign to lower costs amid the U.S. Department of Agriculture facing $7 billion in funding cuts.

Schiff adding a sense of urgency to the department to avoid shuttering nine USDA field offices in California.

“For a president who ran on a platform of lowering costs, to the degree that you are making it hard for farms to find labor, you’re going to drive up the price of food, not bring it down,” he said.

Braga Ranch, locally, grows broccoli, celery and leafy greens. They say that they want fewer regulations that slow progress down and drive up costs.

“I also like to go talk to staff and regulators, whether it be in Sacramento or Washington DC and you can try to explain what we’re doing here,” said Colby Pereira, the COO of Braga Fresh. “Until you come and see it in person — you touch the soil, you look at the plants, you talk with members of the team that are responsible for the day to day of the operation — that’s when you really have the most impact.”

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