Good morning! It’s February 23 — here’s what’s going on in your community today…
Times of clouds and sun in Capitola / Soquel
Today will be times of clouds and sun. There is a 1% chance of rain. The high will be 69 with a low of 52. Allergy sufferers beware: there are high amounts of tree pollen in the air. Partly sunny now, changing to intermittent clouds at 9 a.m.
Looking ahead: Expect showery weather tomorrow morning through late tomorrow night
Capitola / Soquel news
Caltrans and local officials plan Highway 17 improvements targeting safety, congestion reduction, and climate resiliency, including expanding the 17 Express bus route to Highway 85 in Santa Clara County.
Carmageddon: Highway 17 corridor plan prioritizes congestion relief, safety and climate resiliency
By Max Chun
Feb 23, 2026
OPINION: Santa Cruz County votes early and often — our tradition could be in jeopardy this November
By Michael Polhamus
February 22, 2026
What’s new around you
▼︎ real estate ▼︎ food inspections ▼︎ events
Read on to see the details about each item…
Things to do in Capitola / Soquel
The Spoken Experience
On the fourth Monday of the month, this community of readers meets to enjoy the poetry of a featured artist. Discussions facilitated by local poets Pa…
At Capitola Branch Library on February 23
East Coast Swing series Mondays, 2/23-3/30
A 6 week series of East Coast Swing begins Mondays, Feb. 23rd-March 30th, with Becky Adams, through Capitola Recreation. Learn the basics in E. Coast …
At Capitola Recreation on February 23
Repeats 5 more times until March 30
Movie Mondays
Movies in the Taproom Every Monday! Pop in for a beer and see what our Beer Bestower selected for the big screen! 5:45pm start time Now Showing: Ferri…
At Discretion Brewing on February 23
Keg of Honor Mondays
Every Monday our brewers select a Keg of Honor, and YOU enjoy $5 pours* until it’s gone!
At Discretion Brewing on December 31
Property development
- The Santa Cruz County Planning Department formally approved a zoning application on February 20, for a project at 1727 30th Ave. Unit A. The approved project allows the operation of a new two-bedroom vacation rental within the existing condominium unit at this address. The vacation rental will permit overnight lodging for guests, with stays limited to no more than 30 days at a time. (view application)
Roadwork is affecting traffic in the region
- South Highway 9 at Lorenzo Avenue in San Lorenzo Valley has one-way traffic because of emergency work. This closure will last until April 1 at 3:59 p.m.
- One lane is closed on North Highway 9 at Encinal Street in the Westside/Downtown area because of shoulder work. The closure will last until 3:01 p.m. on February 28.
Restaurant inspections
County officials regularly inspect food facilities to ensure compliance with state laws. Here, Lookout Santa Cruz reports both those who have passed the inspections and those that the county deems to have a “major” issue. The county’s full ongoing report can be accessed here.
- East End Gastropub at 1501 41st Ave. Ste I, Capitola, passed a county health inspection on February 19 with no critical issues.
No crimes to report today
We checked with local police and there were no new incidents to report.
Disclosure: Traffic incidents and property development updates are partially generated by artificial intelligence. We are constantly working to improve the accuracy and quality of our AI-generated content. However, there may still be errors or inaccuracies. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.