David Pedley, who served in the Marines for 13 years, came to Santa Cruz in 2018 with nowhere to go and not much to live on. He was homeless for four months, but is now a building manager for Vets Hall, working to get other veterans the housing he once desperately needed.
Haneen Zain
Follow Haneen Zain on: Twitter. Haneen moved to Santa Cruz from Orange County in 2017 to begin her undergraduate education at UC Santa Cruz. After graduating in 2021 with a B.A. in politics, she decided to stay in Santa Cruz to intern with Lookout as she prepares to pursue a masters in Journalism.Deadset on pursuing journalism in a school that didn’t offer it as an option, Haneen joined the UCSC student-run newspaper in 2018 as a fact-checker. She quickly became the city news editor in 2019 and became co-editor in chief in 2020. She’s excited to further her journalism experience with Lookout Local.
Posted inEvents, Politics & Policy
Yay or nay: How some Santa Cruz business owners view the mixed-use library project
A mixed-use project under development review by the Santa Cruz City Council has become increasingly controversial. Lookout spoke to business owners in the downtown area to gauge their thoughts on the proposal for a new library building and affordable housing complex.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
‘A little plant paradise’: Leaf & Vine plans jam-packed weekend celebration for its second anniversary
Santa Cruz urban plant store Leaf & Vine is celebrating its two-year anniversary, and the first anniversary of its move downtown, this weekend. The store, known for its accessibility to plants ranging from common to rare, is planning its biggest release of rare plants to date Saturday.
Posted inLatest News
‘Youth out in front’: Hundreds of students march through Santa Cruz for international climate action day
Students from Mission Hill Middle School, Santa Cruz High and UC Santa Cruz came together on Friday, along with veteran environmental activists, to speak out on behalf of taking climate change seriously and continuing the fight against fossil fuel dependency.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
‘Crying on the way into work’: Watsonville Hospital nurses denounce short-staffing conditions
Watsonville Community Hospital nurses took to the streets Friday to hold an informational picket over short-staffed working conditions. Nurses say Los Angeles-based managing firm Prospect Medical Holdings can do better to fix matters; the hospital says it is doing what it can to increase hiring.
Posted inEducation
Seeking more stability, better pay, UCSC lecturers inch toward strike after UC offer: ‘It’s not an adequate proposal’
Lecturers across the University of California system, including at UC Santa Cruz, organized rallies last week following UC management’s latest contract proposal. After reaching a bargaining impasse and authorizing a strike in June, lecturers believe the UC has more to bring to the table.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Halloween will return to downtown Santa Cruz, but not in full street party fashion
After being canceled in 2020, Halloween festivities are coming back downtown. Unlike previous years, roads will remain open to mitigate large gatherings, and facial coverings are recommended. Santa Cruz police will also bring back safety enhancement zones with triple fine penalties.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
To mask or not to mask: Local businesses vary on policies following end of mandate
After Santa Cruz County health officials lifted the mask mandate late last month, businesses have had to decide whether to continue to require them for their customers. While most continue to recommend them, a survey of retail shops, grocery stores and other shops shows a variety of approaches.
Posted inEducation, Events
UCSC prison abolition initiative sees ‘powerful statement’ in $1.97M grant
UCSC’s Visualizing Abolition project — made up of graduate students and faculty aiming to further the discussion on mass incarceration and policing in the U.S. through art — was awarded a $1.977 million grant this week by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The initiative has produced two art exhibitions and a speaker series that has reached thousands across the country.
Posted inCoast Life
‘At your own risk’: Spate of deaths reminds that the North Coast’s stunning beauty is offset by a dark side
Following three fatal incidents on Davenport Beach, Panther State Beach and Laguna Creek Beach in the span of eight days, first responders implore North Coast beachgoers to stay out of the water and off the rocks.