A surfer catches a ride at Cowell's as the early morning sun glistens off the water. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
The free flowing forms of afternoon clouds juxtaposed with the linear geometry of power poles and wires create a graphic tapestry along Trafton Road in Pajaro on Sunday. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
A large cloud bank forms a dramatic backdrop looking north of the Pajaro River Bridge on Sunday. After Monday's respite from rain, showers are forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday. (Shmuel Thaler/Santa Cruz Sentinel)
A pleasure boat heads out to sea as a slight haze has yet to lift off the Monterey Bay on Sunday morning. (Shmuel Thaler/Santa Cruz Sentinel)
A sheriff's deputy keeps his weapon trained on 200 Prospect Street during Tuesday's standoff. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
One of the men involved in Tuesday's standoff is taken into custody. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
A sheriff's sharpshooter positions himself on the roof of Iglesia de Santidad Pentecostal Templo Jerusalem Church during Tuesday's standoff. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
One of the suspects involved in Tuesday's standoff is taken into custody. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
Percussionist Jim Greiner gets the Rio Theatre crowd grooving to the beat Tuesday night during the presentation of the 16th annual Gail Rich Awards. Greiner was once of this year's winners along with sign painter Steve Hosmer, sculptor and painter Judy Stabile, musician Rhan Wilson, writer and editor Elizabeth McKenzie and conductor John Larry Granger. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
Rhan Wilson plays after accepting his Gail Rich Award at the Rio Theatre on Tuesday night. Wilson was accompanied by Santa Cruz favorites Barry Phillips on cello and singer Pipa Piñon. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
The stars of the Santa Cruz County arts community come out for a night of recognition as the Gail Rich Awards are presented at the Rio Theatre on Tuesday. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
A surfer has a close encounter with a trio of dolphins at Manresa Beach on Monday morning. With the hoopla surrounding the recent local stay of a pod of Humpback Whales it is easy to forget that the Santa Cruz County coastline of the Monterey Bay is filled with a number of other small, yet no less majestic marine mammals. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
A small, but clean swell allows a family at Manresa State beach front row seats to watch surfers try their luck at the break in La Selva Beach on Monday. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
A surfer paddles out to the small, yet consistent and clean swell coming in to Manresa State Beach on Monday morning. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
A pair of sea otters enjoys a morning repast off of West Cliff including a sampling of the local shellfish. Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel
Sierra Northern Railroad's Wes Swift finds himself high above the intersection of Park and Monterey Avenues in Capitola on Tuesday morning as her performs regular maintenance and cleaning of the railroad crossing warning signal. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
The ebb and flow of the tide creates an ever-changing pattern along New Brighton State beach on Thursday. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel Eileen Drabinski's students participate in an activity at the Watsonville Trash Museum at the city's landfill on San Andreas Road on Monday.
A pair of H.A. Hyde fourth graders peek into the Trash Museum after arriving at the Watsonville landfill on Monday.
Eileen Drabinski's H.S Hyde School fourth graders check out the Watsonville city landfill during a field trip on Monday.
H.A. Hyde Elementary School fourth grader Kevin Zayas sorts through items on the recycle line conveyer during a visit to the Trash Museum at City of Watsonville's Landfill on Monday.
The Trash Museum's Wall of Garbage is a fitting backdrop for City of Watsonville's Environmental Education Coordinator Tami Stolzenthaler as she leads recycling-based games for students on Monday.
A billowy cloud bank rises above Highway 1 at the San Andreas Road exit on Monday. While sunny skies are expected to continue today, rain is forecast for Wednesday and Thursday. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
