In her biweekly column, Lookout wine expert Laurie Love spotlights the best of last weekend’s Surf City Wine Walk, notes a milestone for a Santa Cruz Mountains stalwart, pops the cork on her latest Wine of the Week and lists local events you’ll want to add to your calendar.
Corralitos / Freedom
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Roads are squeezed as Santa Cruz County passes a ‘survival budget’
Santa Cruz County will put more than $83 million into its road network this year, including tens of millions dedicated to lingering storm repairs. However, a new report from the county’s civil grand jury says that number is a fraction of what is needed.
Posted inRecreation & Sports
Where graduating Santa Cruz County student-athletes will play sports in college
In his final roundup of the 2023-24 academic year, Thomas Frey looks at where Santa Cruz County stars across the high school sports landscape will be continuing their careers at the next level.
Posted inFood & Drink
Laurie Love on Wine: A deep (and not as sweet as you might think) dive into German wines
Laurie Love pours out what she learned during a weeklong tour through the German wine regions of the Rhine, Mosel, Saar, Ruwer and Ahr Valleys, including how climate change is affecting an industry long known for its sweeter wines. She also highlights upcoming local wine events you’ll want to bookmark.
Posted inFood & Drink
Best of Santa Cruz County food & drink events, May 24-30
Lookout food & drink correspondent Lily Belli highlights top events happening around Santa Cruz County in the coming week, plus more listings from Lookout’s BOLO events calendar.
Posted inFood & Drink
Best of Santa Cruz County food & drink events, May 10-16
Lookout food & drink correspondent Lily Belli highlights top events happening around Santa Cruz County in the coming week, plus more listings from Lookout’s BOLO events calendar.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Meme streak: Local satire ‘Karen With a K’ ready for bigger stages
Local musician and writer Laura February Strange is taking her satirical musical “Karen With a K” from its home turf at the Corralitos Cultural Center to the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz.
Posted inEducation
Enrollment decline, budget worries add urgency to consolidation talk across Santa Cruz County’s 10 school districts
The backlash over Live Oak School District’s budget cuts has renewed questions among teachers, parents and even some trustees over whether Live Oak – and other school districts like it – should be folded into neighboring districts to save money. The idea also has its critics.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
District 2 county supervisor: Brown, De Serpa headed to runoff
Capitola Mayor Kristen Brown and Pajaro Valley school district trustee Kim De Serpa are headed to a November runoff for the District 2 Santa Cruz County supervisor seat.
Posted inEducation
Pajaro Valley Unified School District announces new superintendent
Heather Contreras, currently the assistant superintendent of school leadership for Modesto City Schools, will replace Michelle Rodriguez as superintendent of Pajaro Valley Unified School District. The district did not provide a start date for Contreras but said current interim superintendent Murry Schekman’s last day will be May 7.