Good morning! It’s February 23 — here’s what’s going on in your community today…
Times of clouds and sun in Eastside / Live Oak
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
Eastside / Live Oak news
Caltrans and officials plan safety, congestion, and climate improvements for Highway 17, including expanding the 17 Express bus. Santa Cruz crews rescued a driver from floodwaters; residents are urged to avoid flooded roads.
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
▼︎ police incidents ▼︎ real estate ▼︎ food inspections ▼︎ events
Read on to see the details about each item…
Things to do in Eastside / Live Oak
Monday Evening Drop-In Figure Drawing
Join us for a Monday evening figure drawing session facilitated by Mark Sangster and Emily Cafaro! Drop-in session of drawing or painting from a live …
At Santa Cruz Art League on February 23
Repeats 5 more times until March 30
MahJong Mondays @ Branciforte Library
Looking to add a new fun habit to 2026? Look no further than the Branciforte Library for MahJong Mondays starting on January 5th at 10:30am. Experienc…
At Branciforte Branch Library on February 23
Repeats once more on March 2
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.
Community crime report
- A serious fraud incident involving extortion, forgery, grand theft, identity theft, conspiracy, and possession of fake government ID was reported near the 300 Block of Pennsylvania Avenue, Santa Cruz. The incident happened at noon on June 18. There is limited information about the suspect. (source)
- A man was arrested for assaulting someone with a weapon, having an outstanding felony warrant, possessing illegal paraphernalia, and trespassing at a business. The incident happened near the 1300 Block of Ocean St., Santa Cruz, at 9 a.m. on February 20. (source)
- A man was arrested for several offenses, including stealing from a store, carrying a hidden knife, having illegal items, resisting police, and hitting an officer. The incident happened near the 400 Block of Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, at 10 a.m. on February 20. (source)
- A burglary happened near the 600 Block of Ocean St., Santa Cruz at 6 a.m. on February 20. There is limited information about the suspect. (source)
- Police reported a case where someone did not pay for services at a business, with little information about the suspect. The incident happened near the 300 Block of Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, at 7 p.m. on February 20. (source)
Note on today’s report: Some of the incidents listed are not recent. This can happen for a couple of reasons: Delays in agency reporting — sometimes officials don’t file reports right away, or agencies release batches of reports weeks later. Delays in public complaints — people may not notice or decide to contact police until some time after an incident. Please contact the responsible law-enforcement agency or your local elected officials if you have concerns about their delay in releasing information.
Disclosure: Traffic incidents, property development updates and police 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.