An approximately 26-acre controlled burn will take place on private land near the intersection of Jamison Creek Road and Empire Grade on Tuesday, Oct. 15, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Cal Fire will carry out the burn, weather permitting, and smoke could be noticed in the area one to two days following it.
San Lorenzo Valley
Posted inFood & Drink
Best of Santa Cruz County food & drink events, Oct. 11-17
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
Laurie Love on Wine: High on the ’24 harvest, Equinox update, Rosscienda grand opening
In her biweekly column, Lookout wine expert Laurie Love talks to local viticulturists about how this year’s wine grape harvest is shaping up, reports on next steps for Equinox Wine after the death of owner Barry Jackson and previews a new Aptos winery.
Posted inFood & Drink
Santa Cruz Mountains harvest 2024 wraps up ‘fabulous vintage’
Unlike last year, when the growing season stretched well into November with one of the longest hang times for wine grapes in recent memory, this year the Santa Cruz region is seeing a more normal harvest in terms of timing, local viticulturists tell Laurie Love.
Posted inSan Lorenzo Valley
New generator will equip San Lorenzo Valley emergency center
The Highlands Park Senior and Community Center of San Lorenzo in Ben Lomond has received $15,000 from Pacific Gas & Electric to purchase and install a generator that will allow it to remain open during power outages. It’s part of a plan to make the center a place where residents can gather in emergencies.
Posted inLatest News
Invasive shothole borer beetle found in Felton area
The Santa Cruz County Department of Agriculture and the University of California Cooperative Extension are alerting the public to a “confirmed infestation” of the shothole borer beetle along Zayante Creek south of Graham Hill Road in Felton.
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: More craft beer coming to Aptos, 11th Hour’s facelift and Cocktail Week becomes Cocktail Month
Get a tour of the latest in Santa Cruz County food & drink from Lookout correspondent Lily Belli.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
County supervisors’ response to CZU recovery investigation ‘does not align’ with reality, District 5 candidates say
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors is deflecting criticism from a civil grand jury report accusing the county of mishandling recovery from the 2020 CZU wildfire. The two candidates running in this November’s election for an open District 5 supervisor seat — Christopher Bradford, a fire victim, and Monica Martinez — criticized the board’s response this week and called for more accountability and expedited rebuilding.
Posted inLatest News
Carmageddon: Public’s input sought on safety of Santa Cruz County’s rural highways
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission will soon be going to the public for input on its Rural Highways Safety Action Plan in an effort to improve safety and mobility along the remote highways in the county, which officials say have seen 213 severe injuries and 43 deaths over the past nine years. Those interested can attend two virtual workshops in late October.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Zayante: The little fire district that could — let’s keep it going with a boost from Measure T
The Zayante volunteer fire department has always managed to do a lot with a little. This includes generating revenue in creative ways, like sometimes covering emergency calls for neighboring Felton Fire, a district currently dealing with its own staffing crisis. Zayante maintains a full staff of trained and dedicated volunteer firefighters, but inflation-related budget cuts have reduced its paid firefighting staff to below critical levels. Measure T would bridge this gap and ensure the regular replacement of fire apparatus, writes former Zayante firefighter Daniel DeLong, who advocates its passage on Nov. 5.