With the weekend nearly here, check out things to do around Santa Cruz County with a recommendation from Lily Belli and a specially curated list from Lookout’s BOLO events calendar.
Eastside / Live Oak / Pleasure Point
Eastside Santa Cruz, Live Oak and Pleasure Point neighborhoods
Posted inHousing & Development
Between a lot and a high place: With two apartment buildings rising on either side, a car dealer watches the neighborhood change around him
A couple of hundred new tenants will be moving in next door, but is that good or bad for a used-car business?
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Hanloh delivery collab, Pleasure Point butcher moves, and summer neighborhood bounty
The latest in Santa Cruz County food & drink from Lookout correspondent Lily Belli.
Posted inLatest News
City of Santa Cruz wins lawsuit over sugary drink tax, but an appeal is likely
The City of Santa Cruz announced Tuesday that it has won a lawsuit brought by industry groups over Measure Z, the sugar-sweetened beverage tax that voters approved in November 2024. The city expects an appeal.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Dominican Hospital nurses and staff rally against proposed cuts
Dozens of staff members and supporters rallied outside Santa Cruz’s Dominican Hospital on Tuesday to oppose proposed layoffs and reductions to part-time status affecting 22 nurse educators, monitor technicians and unit coordinators, arguing that the cuts would undermine patient safety and place additional burdens on front-line nurses.
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Village Foods opens East Cliff storefront, Sante Arcangeli’s Aptos Village music series and a garden milestone
In her Tuesday newsletter, Lily Belli has updates on a brick-and-mortar for a food delivery service, summer tunes from a local winery, news on Grey Bears’ fundraising efforts and her family’s produce-filled season.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
High cost of living and commuter demand prompt Santa Cruz’s GO BIKE! program to relaunch with increased e-bike rebate amounts
Due to the high cost of living, starting Wednesday the City of Santa Cruz will relaunch its GO BIKE! e-bike rebate program, with the rebate tiers increasing to $500 as a base amount and $1,000 for low-income individuals. The program is designed to provide workers with cheaper e-bikes and give commuters accessible alternatives to driving.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
‘Abandoned by Dignity’: Medical foundation changes contract structure with Dominican Hospital physicians, leading to more than a dozen departures
Dignity Health Medical Foundation’s decision to change its physician contracting structure has prompted more than a dozen doctors and advanced practice providers to work for other health systems. Patients say they’re concerned about healthcare access, while hospital officials say they’re recruiting new clinicians.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Carmageddon: Metro board to hold public hearing for own sales tax measure for November ballot, separate from citizens’ initiative
To pursue as many potential paths to a local funding source as possible, the Santa Cruz Metro board discussed moving to put a half-cent sales tax on the November ballot on its own accord, while Friends of Santa Cruz Metro continues its push to gather enough signatures for a citizens’ initiative ballot measure. If the board does decide to put a sales tax on the November ballot, it will require a two-thirds majority.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz County 2026 primary election results in charts: Final tallies for all county races
With the Santa Cruz County Clerk certifying the results of the June primary election on Friday, see how all the local races shook out in chart form.
