Housing Matters announced that its $5 million Live Oak Landing interim housing program was officially open and would be welcoming participants immediately, stating that construction finished months ago but there had been final permitting and occupancy approval delays. Advocates are hopeful that the project can help take people off the streets, but also expressed frustrations over the lack of transparency with its delayed opening.
Caly Luna Plowman
Caly Luna Plowman is a narrative and audio student at UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism on the investigative reporting track. Originally from Los Angeles, she graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 2025. There, she was an editor at the student-run newspaper, reporting stories across Santa Cruz County and the greater Bay Area.
Over the years, Caly has reported on stories related to the tight special education budget in Oakland Unified School District, the homeless encampment sweeps alongs the Pajaro River levee and the deadly 2025 Los Angeles fires. Her work has been published in outlets such as EdSource, KALX 90.7FM and Oakland North.
Caly is excited to return to Santa Cruz to reconnect with and report on the community she lived in for many years, centering stories that would otherwise go unheard.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Peacocks, Batman and ‘Indiana Jones’: The vibrant, uninhibited creativity blossoming at Santa Cruz’s Common Roots Farm
Common Roots Farm’s art program began around two years ago, spearheaded by Heidi Cartan, one of the farm’s founders, and Ilana Ingber, the art teacher. It was created to provide a space for New Perspectives’ clients, which are made up of adults over 22 who have aged out of special education services, to participate in organized activities outside in nature.
Posted inLatest News
Sheriff’s Office investigates death of 16-year-old Capitola boy found near wharf
The body of a 16-year-old boy from Capitola was pulled from the water near the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf on Monday morning. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office is investigating, though no foul play is suspected at this time.
Posted inLatest News
County recognized as Fire Risk Reduction Community, making certain homeowners eligible for wildfire insurance discounts
In response to insurance issues residents have faced since the 2020 CZU Fire, Santa Cruz County recently secured a statewide recognition through the California Fire Risk Reduction Community List that could help ease some of these struggles and potentially fund future wildfire prevention efforts.
Posted inLatest News
After 44 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters Monterey Bay closes — but some matches say their bonds will last a lifetime
After 44 years serving Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monterey Bay is shutting down its mentoring program, leaving many mentors and mentees shocked and searching for answers. For longtime pairs like Santa Cruz’s Amé Yeager and Brenda Canizal, the closure marks the end of a local program but not the deep bonds it helped create.
Posted inRecreation & Sports
The British voice of Santa Cruz’s Firecracker Run gets a fitting Fourth of July tribute
The annual Santa Cruz Sunrise Rotary Firecracker Run will honor longtime emcee and community booster Rod Caborn, who died in January after battling ALS, with a new spirit award celebrating the joyful, patriotic flair that made him a beloved Fourth of July fixture.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
High cost of living and commuter demand prompt Santa Cruz’s GO BIKE! program to relaunch with increased e-bike rebate amounts
Due to the high cost of living, starting Wednesday the City of Santa Cruz will relaunch its GO BIKE! e-bike rebate program, with the rebate tiers increasing to $500 as a base amount and $1,000 for low-income individuals. The program is designed to provide workers with cheaper e-bikes and give commuters accessible alternatives to driving.
Posted inLatest News
Santa Cruz County has some of the strictest fireworks laws in California. Here’s what you need to know ahead of July Fourth
Starting July 3 at 8 a.m., the Santa Cruz Police Department will enforce a citywide safety enhancement zone. This means fines for violations of the city’s municipal code, including the illegal discharge of fireworks, will be tripled. With thousands expected to flock to Santa Cruz from around the Bay Area this long weekend, here’s what you need to know about the fireworks laws ahead of July Fourth.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
County contract with Arts Council on chopping block amid tough budget year; MAH funding cuts also proposed
Santa Cruz County staff are proposing to cut a $170,000 contract with the Arts Council and reductions to a contract with the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History to address a funding gap in the county’s parks department in a tough budget year.
Posted inLatest News
‘He was that person you could depend on’: Victim of fatal Highway 152 crash identified as Capitola teen Carlos Angeles
Carlos Angeles, a 19-year-old graduate of Soquel High School, has been identified as one of the victims in the Watsonville car crash last weekend that killed two and critically injured two others. The identity of the other person who died, a 17-year-old girl, is not being released at this time.
