Good morning! It’s December 18 — here’s what’s going on in your community today…
Fog in the a.m.; partly sunny in Corralitos / Freedom
Today will be patchy morning fog will reduce visibiity; otherwise, partly sunny. There is a 1% chance of rain. The high will be 65 with a low of 47. Fog now, changing to partly sunny at 1 p.m.
Looking ahead: Expect rainy weather late Saturday night through Monday afternoon
Top news from nearby
The California Supreme Court upheld public access to Seacliff State Beach’s 800-foot walkway in Aptos, ordering removal of fences and ensuring the area remains open for community use.
California Supreme Court decision maintains public access to Aptos beachfront walkway, county says
By Hillary Ojeda
Dec 18, 2025
Give the gift of Lookout: Articles, memberships, merch and more
By Lookout Santa Cruz
December 16, 2025
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What’s new around you
▼︎ real estate ▼︎ food inspections ▼︎ events
Read on to see the details about each item…
Things to do in Corralitos / Freedom
Bean Creek
When Bean Creek founding member Peter Hicks passed away in 2022, the future of the local bluegrass outfit seemed uncertain. However, local musicians H…
At El Vaquero Winery on December 21
Corralitos Farm and Garden Market
A small but mighty amazing community market. In beautiful Corralitos, which is located in south Santa Cruz county. The country feel is real with local…
At Corralitos farm and garden market on December 21
Repeats 53 more times until December 27
Property development
- The Santa Cruz County Planning Department has received a zoning application for a proposed project at 550 Sand Dollar Drive in Watsonville. The project seeks approval to operate a three-bedroom vacation rental at this location. In order for this use to move forward, the applicant must obtain a Vacation Rental Permit from the county. (view application)
Roadwork is affecting traffic in the region
- There is a one-way traffic closure on South Highway 9 at Lorenzo Avenue in San Lorenzo Valley because of emergency work. The closure is expected to end at 3:59 p.m. on April 1, 2026.
- Southbound Highway 17 at Sugarloaf Road in Scotts Valley is facing closures for emergency work. The closure is expected to last until 5:59 a.m. on December 20.
- A lane on North Highway 9 at Fern Street in the Westside / Downtown area is closed for utility work. The closure is expected to end at 2:30 p.m. on December 22.
- A lane on northbound Highway 17 at W Vine Hill Road in Scotts Valley is closed for tree work. The closure is expected to end at 4:01 a.m. today.
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.
- Sequoia School at 229 Green Valley Rd, Freedom, passed a county health inspection on December 17 with no critical issues.
- Amesti Elementary School at 25 Amesti Rd, Watsonville, passed a county health inspection on December 17 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.