Three candidates — Danny Reber, Greg Wimp and Michael Zeller — are vying for two seats on the Scotts Valley City Council this fall. The small city north of Santa Cruz has one major, overarching issue that the community is closely following: the planning of a new town center, which has been decades in the making.
Scotts Valley
Posted inInside Lookout
Stepping away from the desk and giving back with Second Harvest Food Bank
This past week, five members of Lookout Santa Cruz volunteered at Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County, filling over 200 bags of groceries for local families. The experience provided the opportunity to engage with the work and community members which Lookout Santa Cruz tells stories about every day, and served as a reminder that giving back doesn’t need to be complicated. Simply asking “How can I help?” can go a long way in helping local families, and even inspire others to do the same.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz County elections 2026: Which city candidates are raising the most campaign cash?
Thursday was the deadline for candidates running for local office to file their first campaign finance disclosures ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. Here’s what the numbers say.
Posted inInside Lookout
Inside Lookout: What’s ahead this fall, from election coverage to a new arts correspondent
From a new arts correspondent to a newsroom gearing up for election season, there’s a lot ahead at Lookout Santa Cruz this fall. Executive Editor Richard Martin shares what’s new, what the newsroom is working on and how you can connect with the journalists behind the coverage.
Posted inVisual Story
25 years later: Santa Cruz, Bay Area first responders honor 9/11 victims with memorial stair climb
More than 60 people honored the fallen first responders of 9/11 by climbing Seacliff State Beach’s stairs 13 times – equal to the World Trade Center’s 110 stories – at Friday’s 25th anniversary memorial climb in Aptos.
Posted inLatest News
Santa Cruz County’s heat wave, one job at a time
As a heat wave gripped the region, Lookout journalists spoke with workers from Santa Cruz to Capitola to Watsonville about how they were getting through it, shift by shift.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Paystand branches into AI agents; court hearing for former Scotts Valley executive; Barilla snaps up Goodles
In this week’s survey of local business, Jessica M. Pasko reports on the rollout of a new AI tool for Santa Cruz-based fintech company Paystand, notes a court date for a former executive of Scotts Valley’s Ambient Photonics and runs down other numbers, names and dates to know.
Posted inLatest News
Heat advisory in Santa Cruz County: Temperatures to reach 90s through Thursday
Santa Cruz County and much of California are under a heat advisory as peak temperatures are forecast to reach the low 90s in Santa Cruz and Watsonville and the upper 90s in the mountains.
Posted inInside Lookout
Lookout in the Community: Trivia, election forums and more this September
At Lookout, we believe local journalism is about more than publishing stories. It’s about bringing people together, creating opportunities for conversation and helping our community stay informed and engaged. September is bringing plenty of opportunities to connect with the Lookout community – from a night of trivia with Wallace Baine to two local election forums.
Posted inEducation
What families need to know about the free mental health services provided by Santa Cruz County public schools
Santa Cruz County schools are asking parents to share their children’s health insurance information – a no-cost step that could determine whether districts can afford to keep offering free student counseling and mental health services.
