In a special meeting Friday, Watsonville councilmembers backed the pro-rail plan for Santa Cruz County’s coastal corridor. Santa Cruz officials did the same earlier this week. Now, the issue is set to head back before the county’s Regional Transportation Commission on May 6.
Isabella Cueto
Follow Isabella Cueto on: Twitter. Isabella joins the Lookout team as a government accountability reporter, building on her experience covering local government for The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C.Before moving to South Carolina, Cueto was in her hometown of Miami. She served as editor-in-chief of the University of Miami’s award-winning student newspaper, and was an intern for WLRN public radio and Northwestern University’s Medill Justice Project, which investigates potential wrongful convictions. Cueto’s work has been recognized by the S.C. Press Association, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Florida Society of News Editors.She is bilingual, fluent in Spanish.Cueto understands how high-quality local journalism makes government more responsive and effective, its inner workings more accessible to the public. That is her aim as Lookout’s government accountability correspondent.“I’m thrilled to be a part of this visionary team and to build something special for the people of Santa Cruz,” she said.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Putting some pop back into downtown: Santa Cruz initiates pop-up program to stimulate a rebirth
The “Downtown Pops!” plan spearheaded by the city’s economic development department has been in the works for several months as part of a larger effort to revitalize the local economy after a year that devastated not only lives, but Santa Cruz’s bottom line.
Posted inUncategorized
Rail Trail coming to a head: Supporters make big push to keep rail on track heading into Thursday RTC meeting
In a last-ditch effort to get the rail momentum back on track, proponents of having rail and trail down the coast of Santa Cruz County rallied Wednesday in Aptos, forming a human train along the tracks to show public support for the project.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Cleanup of San Lorenzo Park to begin Friday as homeless camp moves next door to Benchlands
City officials announced the plans during a Santa Cruz City Council meeting on Tuesday, and said they had already begun relocating dozens of San Lorenzo Park campers to the Benchlands. The move is the result of a compromise the city struck with the local homeless union after months of legal back-and-forth over a federal lawsuit focused on the threat of COVID-19 to unsheltered people staying in the park.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
A one-way West Cliff Drive? Remove iceplant? Inside the plan to fix Santa Cruz’s iconic, eroding street
A plan to adapt 3-mile-long West Cliff Drive to prevent erosion and other environmental challenges won city council approval Tuesday. It lays out a litany of projects — totaling some $20 million — to be done by 2036 to keep the street safe, and also details potential work beyond that.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Pedestrian-troubling Scotts Valley street Bluebonnet Lane to get sidewalk extension soon
Some 430 feet of sidewalk missing from the southern side of the street — starting at its intersection with Bean Creek Road — will be filled in.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
With Bernal’s departure, Santa Cruz officials ask residents ‘What do you want in your next city manager?’
Want to weigh in on “the most important issues facing the city and the key attributes” you hope to see in Santa Cruz’s next top administrator. You’ve got until May 1 to do so, and here’s how:
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Scotts Valley to resume in-person Fourth of July celebration this summer — but no fireworks
In yet another sign of a return to normalcy, an in-person Independence Day parade will happen in Scotts Valley. But the event will be “modified” — and there won’t be any fireworks at SkyPark, which leaders acknowledge is disappointing but say is necessary for a host of reasons.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville committee on police transparency, accountability takes meetings behind closed doors
A police reform committee created by the Watsonville City Council has voted to have all of its meetings closed to the public. The decision was far from unanimous, with one member saying it could create the appearance of discussions being ‘nefarious and sneaky.’
Posted inPolitics & Policy
What’s next for the Santa Cruz temporary outdoor living ordinance — and how is the community reacting?
Many details of the replacement ordinance are still to be hashed out; councilmembers voted Tuesday for city staff return on May 11 with proposed language and a timeline. Here’s what some of the key voices around the area thinking.