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.
Eastside / Live Oak / Pleasure Point
Eastside Santa Cruz, Live Oak and Pleasure Point neighborhoods
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.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
The Guerilla Drive-In returns, bringing free movies back to unlikely — and sometimes hidden — Santa Cruz locations
The Guerilla Drive-In, a pop-up movie theater screening films of all kinds throughout Santa Cruz, is ramping up once again, and will host its first public screening in more than a decade on Friday. The collective seeks to reclaim public spaces, transform the urban landscape and bring back a low-cost community-based activity following social isolation during the pandemic and amid the rising cost of living.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Grand jury: Santa Cruz County must move faster on housing, strengthen behavioral health system
The Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury issued five reports on Thursday, covering a wide range of topics. Most notably, it focused on challenges contributing to the housing crisis and flaws in the county’s approach to behavioral health, along with pedestrian safety, election integrity, and concerns with the free parking at the county office buildings.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
County contract with Arts Council on chopping block amid tough budget year; MAH funding cuts also proposed
Santa Cruz County staff are proposing to cut a $170,000 contract with the Arts Council and reductions to a contract with the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History to address a funding gap in the county’s parks department in a tough budget year.
