A historic, unique painted lady Victorian house is for sale for the first time in nearly 50 years. George Ow Jr. and his wife, Gail Michaelis-Ow, have owned it since 1975, but the home has stood at its Highland Avenue location since the late 1800s, withstanding two massive earthquakes and many drastic changes within the Santa Cruz community.
Westside / Downtown
Posted inEducation
Labor board rejects UC bid to end student strike over crackdown on pro-Palestine protests
Thursday’s decision clears the way for graduate student workers at UC Santa Cruz to continue their four-day-old strike over what they say was the unfair treatment of student protesters in pro-Palestine encampments at other UC campuses. UCSC officials said they planned to resume in-person instruction on Tuesday.
Posted inLatest News
As strike continues, UCSC moves majority of classes remote for rest of week
With a graduate student strike on its third day Wednesday and next steps uncertain, UC Santa Cruz administrators announced that instruction would remain online through Friday. “This decision was made in full recognition of the impact on many aspects of instruction,” a campus message read, “particularly labs and studios, and also plans for examinations.”
Posted inEducation
As pro-Palestine grad student strike digs in, most UCSC classes go remote and faculty weigh options
On the second day of the UC Santa Cruz grad student strike, dozens of picketers and supporters gathered at both campus entrances. School administrators announced that instruction would be moved online through at least Wednesday in case pro-Palestinian demonstrators at the base of campus blocked the entrance. The state Public Employment Relations Board said it expects to issue a decision by the end of the week on the University of California’s request to declare the strike unlawful.
Posted inLatest News
Wildlife groups seek county’s financial help for starving pelicans as number of sick birds declines
The number of sick and injured brown pelicans in Santa Cruz County has decreased quite a bit in recent weeks, but International Bird Rescue in Fairfield is still busy finishing rehabilitation for birds from all over the state, including locally. The organization, along with Native Animal Rescue of Santa Cruz County, is requesting additional funding from the county to help with costs associated with caring for the influx of ailing pelicans.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Santa Cruz County tourism industry marks state’s biggest post-pandemic recovery
In 2023, visitors spent $1.4 billion at Santa Cruz County hotels, restaurants, gas stations, stores and attractions, marking a 35% increase from 2019 pre-pandemic levels – the largest such increase among California’s 58 counties.
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Humble Sea’s impressive trajectory, Vietnamese brunch pop-up and a NEXTies treat
Food and drink news and notes from around Santa Cruz County via Lookout correspondent Lily Belli.
Posted inHousing & Development
Pacific Station North affordable housing project breaks ground in downtown Santa Cruz
Along with Pacific Station South, Pacific Station North will bring the total number of new units on the corner of Pacific Avenue and Laurel Street to just shy of 200 by the end of 2026. The city celebrated its groundbreaking Monday as it prepares to open up Pacific Station South to tenants by the summer.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
The ocean is coming for West Cliff Drive – we have to make it one-way, even if we don’t trust the city
Brooke Secor lives close to West Cliff Drive and will likely see traffic increase on her block where her kids play if the City of Santa Cruz chooses to make the iconic street a one-way road. But, after attending community meetings and reviewing the city’s vision plan, she is convinced a one-way is the best alternative. To get others to agree, she says, the city will have to work to regain the community trust it lost in 2023, when it made poor diversion choices after the storms washed away part of the road.
Posted inEducation
UC Santa Cruz student workers launch strike over treatment of pro-Palestine protesters
Nearly 1,500 UC Santa Cruz graduate student workers walked off the job on Monday after the union voted to strike in protest of how the University of California, at multiple campuses, used police to arrest pro-Palestine protesters and clear encampments. The student organization running UCSC’s encampment announced that it was moving the encampment from Quarry Plaza to the base of campus in solidarity with the strikers.
