CineLux Green Valley Cinema in Watsonville is screening a documentary film about youth and masculinity directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom. “The Mask You Live In” will be the main focus of a community screening and panel discussion on Wednesday
Education
Head Start child care program for low-income families closes temporarily due to government shutdown
A federally funded Head Start child care program run by Encompass Community Services has temporarily closed due to the ongoing government shutdown, leaving 250 children without care and 91 staff members out of work. Encompass partnered with Pajaro Valley Unified School District to offer limited temporary placements while awaiting the program’s reopening.
Headstone of one of Santa Cruz County’s first teachers, missing for years, found near storage facility
The tombstone of Mary Amney Case, Santa Cruz County’s first English-speaking schoolteacher, disappeared years ago and was believed to be stolen. Now, it has made its way to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History after being found under a pile of leaves near a storage facility.
Federal shutdown could leave 35,000 Santa Cruz County residents without CalFresh as food banks brace for surging need
More than 35,000 Santa Cruz County residents could lose access to federal food assistance in November as the ongoing government shutdown halts CalFresh payments, leaving families and students scrambling for support.
Cabrillo College names four finalists for president, sets Nov. 12 public forums
Cabrillo College has unveiled a shortlist of four candidates to become the school’s next president, with plans for a community forum before aiming to select its next leader next month.
Watsonville High student was suspended previously for fighting, aggressive behavior before Oct. 23 attacks
A Watsonville High School student arrested in last week’s assault had previously been suspended for fighting and was already facing possible expulsion for aggressive behavior, according to district and union officials.
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Capitola Mall redevelopment inches forward; Driscoll’s pledges $5M for new campus farm store in SLO
The Capitola Mall’s future as a housing development is on the agenda for the city’s planning commission this week, Driscoll’s invests at Cal Poly and a commercial crabbing delay are all in focus in Jessica M. Pasko’s weekly survey of Santa Cruz County business.
Tutus, swim caps and accountability: Inside Shoreline Middle School’s beloved principal duo
At Shoreline Middle School, Principal Colleen Martin and Assistant Principal Melissa Nix have built a rare, enduring partnership that blends accountability, empathy and humor — earning them a reputation as the school’s “dream team.”
How a UCSC student-built website helps undergrads go from career questions to options
UC Santa Cruz computer science major William Zhao built a web tool to help his fellow undergraduates chart their careers from entry-level positions to the C-suite.
Inside California’s high school of the future: It’s clean, no one cuts and biotech is a class
CART High in Clovis offers work experience, academics tailored to students’ interests, stronger personal connections with staff and multidisciplinary courses that link directly to careers and community needs.

