Good morning! It’s December 8 — here’s what’s going on in your community today…
Mostly sunny in Eastside / Live Oak
Today will be mostly sunny. The high will be 63 with a low of 43.
Looking ahead: Partly sunny this weekend
Eastside / Live Oak news
Santa Cruz County RTC will build three Coastal Rail Trail segments over existing tracks, creating planning challenges and requiring coordination with state agencies and rail partners.
Carmageddon: After major reversal on Coastal Rail Trail segments, what comes next?
By Max Chun
Dec 8, 2025
PVUSD brings computer science nights to Watsonville High, Santa Cruz MAH
By Cecilia Schutz
Dec 8, 2025
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What’s new around you
▼︎ road incidents ▼︎ real estate ▼︎ food inspections ▼︎ events
Read on to see the details about each item…
Things to do in Eastside / Live Oak
VOLUNTEER AT HOPES CLOSET / VOLUNTARIADO EN HOPES CLOSET
Are you passionate about helping people? Do you wish to serve the community? Volunteer at Hopes Closet and help underserved families provide for their…
At Hopes Closet on December 8
Repeats 186 more times until July 13
Seasonal Secrets of Seaweeds
Judith Connor has explored the world ocean on expeditions off the coasts of all continents, even working from an underwater habitat. At the December p…
At Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History on December 8
Santa Cruz Animal Shelter Empty the Shelters $50 Adoption Special!
All dog and cat adoptions are just $50 at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter December 1 – December 15 1001 Rodriguez St., Santa Cruz. As usual, the …
At Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter on December 8
Repeats 7 more times until December 15
Property development
- The Santa Cruz County Planning Department is currently accepting public comments on a zoning application for a project at 401 7th Avenue, Santa Cruz 95062, but will stop accepting comments after December 16. The proposed project involves demolishing an existing 520 square foot detached garage and constructing a new 360 square foot garage with a 629 square foot Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) above it, which will also include a 96 square foot deck. The project requires a Minor Coastal Development Permit. Residents who wish to provide input or express concerns about this project must submit their comments to the Planning Department before the December 16 deadline. (view application)
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.
- Lillian’s Italian Kitchen at 1148 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, passed a county health inspection on December 4 with no critical issues.
- Mel’s Market at 2425 Soquel Dr, Santa Cruz, passed a county health inspection on December 5 with no critical issues.
Roadwork is affecting traffic in the region
- Long-term projects: – The southbound Highway 1 off-ramp at Park Avenue in Santa Cruz County will be closed on Tuesday, December 9, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for soundwall construction.
– Overnight ramp and lane closures on Highway 1 between Riverside and Larkin Valley in Santa Cruz County are scheduled from Sunday, December 7, through Friday, December 12, for road striping and maintenance.
– A long-term lane closure continues on Highway 9 between Lorenzo Avenue and Prospect Avenue, about .9 miles south of the Route 236 junction in Santa Cruz County, for retaining wall and drainage replacement.
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.