Good morning! It’s February 26 — here’s what’s going on in your community today…
Beautiful with clouds and sun in Capitola / Soquel
Today will be beautiful with intervals of clouds and sun. There is a 2% chance of rain. The high will be 73 with a low of 53. Partly sunny now, changing to partly cloudy at 6 p.m.
Looking ahead: Warm tomorrow
Top news from nearby
UC lecturers, teaching over 30% of undergrad courses, begin contract talks March 5, demanding permanent jobs, higher pay, and stronger academic freedom, citing treatment as second-class faculty despite their essential teaching role.
UC lecturers are bargaining for a new contract. Who are they and what are they asking for?
By Hillary Ojeda
Feb 26, 2026
First bird flu cases confirmed in California’s northern elephant seals
By Cassidy Beach
February 26, 2026
What’s new around you
▼︎ food inspections ▼︎ events
Read on to see the details about each item…
Things to do in Capitola / Soquel
West Coast Swing level 2 and Nightclub 2-Step level 2 through Capitola Rec
Both West Coast Swing and Nightclub Two-Step are popular at Swing, Country, and Ballroom dance events. These are each level 2 classes with the prerequ…
At Capitola Recreation at Opal Cliffs School on February 26
Repeats 5 more times until April 2
Sound Bath: Journey to the Center of the Heart
Connecting breath, sacred imagery and sound, Jeilene will take you on a deep journey into the stillpoint of your heart chakra, connecting you with the…
At Breath + Oneness on February 26
Business After Hours: United Way Santa Cruz County
Come connect with local business professionals, learn about the latest developments from our host non-profits, and celebrate the incredible accomplish…
At United Way on February 26
Zoë Aqua and her Transylvanian String Band– live in Santa Cruz
Fiery, energetic new compositions based on Transylvanian folk music and klezmer influences, featuring musicians direct from Romania!
At Ugly Mug CoffeeHouse on February 27
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.
- The right lane of northbound Highway 1 between Rio del Mar Blvd. and State Park Dr. in Aptos will be closed on Saturday, February 28, from 5:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Delays of up to 15 minutes are expected.
- 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.
- Ming’s Palace at 4720 Soquel Dr, Soquel, passed a county health inspection on February 24 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 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.