The H5N1 bird flu outbreak in California elephant seals has spread to other marine mammals, including a sea otter and sea lion. But wildlife officials are hopeful the outbreak will remain contained.
Cecilia Schutz
Cecilia Schutz is a fourth-year anthropology and Spanish studies student at UC Santa Cruz. Originally from Portland, Oregon, she developed an interest in local news and community engagement over the course of her time in Santa Cruz. In 2024, she joined UCSC’s student-run newspaper, City on a Hill Press, as a photographer. She later assumed the role as photo editor before joining the reporting desk, covering various topics ranging from campus protests to cultural events. She currently works as the opinion editor at the student-run paper, helping to streamline editorial content and story pitches. She has a fondness for coastal cities and is eager to explore the various sides of Santa Cruz county as an intern at Lookout.
Posted inLatest News
Debbie Friedman brings story of California’s first women lifeguards to life in new memoir
In “Guarded: Women, Water, and Saving Lives,” Debbie Friedman tells the unknown history of California’s first women lifeguards. The Rio Del Mar resident weaves her own story with those of other women in the field to show what it was like to be a pioneer in a male-dominated profession.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
The ‘Pop Tarts’ sew a new kind of protest across Santa Cruz County
A group of like-minded ladies in a quilting guild found new purpose for their sewing skills. Calling themselves the “Pop Tarts,” they pour their crafting into protesting the Trump administration on Santa Cruz County highway overpasses and at larger gatherings.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
HMPV pathogen detected in Santa Cruz
Human metapneumovirus, or HMPV, has been detected in City of Santa Cruz wastewater. HMPV is related to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), produces similar respiratory symptoms to the flu or common cold, and is spread through contaminated surfaces, the air and person-to-person contact.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Survey of who serves on government commissions shows areas for improvement to reflect Santa Cruz County demographics
A demographic survey of the people who serve on government boards and committees in Santa Cruz County found gaps in representation among Latine residents, renters, South County residents and young adults — all of whom make up a greater portion of the population than are represented in these appointed, volunteer positions.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
UCSC alumni to celebrate life and legacy of Tom Lehrer with performance in April
UC Santa Cruz alumni will reunite on April 11 to honor the life and legacy of Tom Lehrer, a beloved math educator as well as American musician, singer-songwriter and satirist who taught at the university for decades and died last summer at 97.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
National nonprofit Six Minutes to Live seeks to educate Santa Cruz community in emergency responses to cardiac arrest
Santa Cruz County is now home to a new chapter of the nonprofit Six Minutes to Live, a community-focused initiative working to increase the cardiac arrest survival rate through hands-only CPR training and install AEDs around the county.
Posted inLatest News
Vehicle gets stuck in rising floodwaters amid this week’s rainfall
The Santa Cruz fire and police departments rescued a man from his car early Thursday morning on Brookwood Drive near Dominican Hospital after it was caught in water overflowing from Arana Creek.
Posted inLatest News
Cold weather advisory issued for Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County is falling under a cold weather advisory, which means that temperatures could drop as low as 34 degrees. Forecasters predicted a low of 42 degrees in the city of Santa Cruz on Thursday night.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Grey Bears warms both hearts and plates at Valentine’s Day senior dating mixer
Grey Bears transformed its Live Oak warehouse into a lively senior dating mixer Friday, drawing nearly 100 older adults. The event reflects the nonprofit’s broader mission to combat food insecurity and loneliness among Santa Cruz County’s growing senior population.