The draft business plan out Wednesday comes after the Regional Transportation Commission approved electric passenger rail as the “preferred transit option” alongside a recreation path in the coastal corridor. It outlines potential funding sources and implementation plans and will go before the RTC on April 1.
Mallory Pickett
Follow Mallory Pickett on: Twitter. Mallory brings deep expertise in environmental issues to Lookout, as well as national reporting experience that she will now apply in her hometown of Santa Cruz. She began her career as a chemist, studying ocean acidification at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, before being drawn to journalism.As a freelance journalist she’s written about science, the environment, and politics for a variety of publications including The New York Times Magazine, The Guardian, Wired, and Slate. Her work has been included in several anthologies, including “What Future,” in 2017, and “The Craft of Science Writing,” in 2020. Her investigation into gender discrimination at a research institute in San Diego was included as a notable work in the “Best Science and Nature Writing of 2019.”“I care passionately about the well-being of the people and the environment of Santa Cruz County,” she says. “I can think of no better way to contribute to my hometown than to provide rigorous coverage of the parks, ocean, and farmlands that make this place so special.”
Posted inRecreation & Sports
Pumped in Watsonville: Years in the making, county’s biggest bike track opens at Ramsay Park
A new paved pump track opened at Ramsay Park in Watsonville on Tuesday, offering the only all-weather terrain for bike enthusiasts in Santa Cruz County. And bike enthusiasts have already been swarming it.
Posted inEnvironment
Q&A: Long-time Santa Cruz environmentalist, outgoing Land Trust chief talks conservation in county
After nearly 15 years at the Land Trust of Santa Cruz, executive director Stephen Slade is set to retire this summer. Before that, Lookout caught up with the long-time environmentalist about his conservation work, the biggest challenges he faced and the future of conservation in Santa Cruz County.
Posted inVaccine Watch
The Blue Shield compromise: Company will supply vaccine, but Santa Cruz County will control distribution
After initial pushback over concerns of equitable distribution of vaccines, Santa Cruz County is joining nine other local health jurisdictions in signing a memorandum of understanding with the California Government Operations Agency to allow Blue Shield to oversee vaccine distribution. Here’s what that means.
Posted inEnvironment
SPECIAL REPORT: With world’s major kelp forests in jeopardy, sea otters coming to the rescue in Monterey Bay
Global warming has disrupted the delicate ecological dance of sea otters, urchins and kelp. But in Monterey Bay, small patches of kelp continue to thrive, and new research credits their survival to the otters.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Watsonville Community Hospital suffered financial losses, ‘could have been in trouble’
SPECIAL REPORT: The company that bought Watsonville Community Hospital in 2019 abruptly stopped managing it last month….
Posted inLatest News
Cal Fire talks ‘drought and climate change’ while breaking down response to CZU Lightning Complex fires
The first of two virtual community meetings summarized the CZU Lightning Complex fires and covered how conditions were such that 64,000 acres burned within Santa Cruz County in August.
Posted inUncategorized
Big riverfront development in downtown Santa Cruz withstands appeal, setting stage for construction
The California Coastal Commission found “no substantial issues” with the development, which will add 175 housing units, new commercial space, and public plazas to downtown along the San Lorenzo River.
Posted inCOVID Today
Green tier? County could enter orange tier in three weeks, herd immunity possible by late spring
In a press conference Thursday, county health officer Dr. Gail Newel said the county and state could reach some level of herd immunity by mid-May.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Into the ‘red’ again: Santa Cruz County’s reemergence from COVID restrictions takes big step forward
Tuesday marked the latest tier shift for Santa Cruz County, as COVID data pushed things back into the red. Beginning Wednesday, restaurants and theaters can reopen indoor service at 25% capacity, gyms at 10%. Other reappearances looming include high school football and live music.
