Good morning! It’s November 24 — here’s what’s going on in your community today…
Clouds giving way to sun in Eastside / Live Oak
Today will be clouds giving way to sun; dry for holiday travel. The high will be 64 with a low of 44. Mostly cloudy now, changing to intermittent clouds at 9 a.m.
Looking ahead: Mostly sunny this weekend
Eastside / Live Oak news
Santa Cruz officials propose a compromise to accelerate Coastal Rail Trail and rail service. Santa Cruz Mushrooms opens in Live Oak with rare fungi. Residents voice safety concerns over a high-rise near Dominican Oaks. Surfer rescued at The Hook dies from injuries.
Carmageddon: Fred Keeley and Manu Koenig believe they’ve found a ‘peace deal’ on rail and trail
By Max Chun
Nov 24, 2025
Santa Cruz Mushrooms blooms in Live Oak, offering rare varieties and a peek behind the curtain
By Lily Belli
Nov 24, 2025
OPINION: I live at Dominican Oaks – I’m alarmed by the Workbench high-rise proposed next to us
By Virginia Lieb
Nov 23, 2025
Surfer rescued from The Hook during rough waters Nov. 5 dies
By Lookout Santa Cruz Staff
Nov 21, 2025
What’s new around you
▼︎ 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
Do you want to give back to the community? Do you want to make a difference? Volunteer with our dedicated team at Hopes Closet, creating “Bundles of H…
At Hopes Closet on November 24
Repeats 193 more times until July 7
Property development
- The Santa Cruz County Planning Department has received a zoning application for a proposed project at 401 7th Avenue. The application details plans to demolish the existing 520 square foot detached garage on the property and construct a new 360 square foot garage with a 629 square foot Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) above it. The project also includes a 96 square foot deck. Approval of the project will require a Minor Coastal Development Permit. (view application)
- A permit application has been filed for a project at 21305 East Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz 95062, proposing to convert three existing spa rooms at an existing motel into three guest rooms and one manager’s unit. The plans include only minor exterior changes. The project requires approval for a minor variation to previous coastal development permits as well as a site development permit. (view details)
Roadwork is affecting traffic in the region
- A traffic hazard was reported today on northbound Highway 1 at the Airport Blvd. onramp in Watsonville / Pajaro. The cones were not set up correctly, causing cars to hit them and almost leading to four collisions. Caltrans was notified to fix the problem.
- Northbound Highway 9 at Prospect Avenue in San Lorenzo Valley is down to one-way traffic because of emergency work. This is expected to last until 3:59 p.m. on December 5.
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.
- Cole’s Bar-b-que at 2590 Portola Dr, Santa Cruz, passed a county health inspection on November 20 with no critical issues.
- Lago Di Como at 2-1490 E Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz, passed a county health inspection on November 20 with no critical issues.
- Charlie Hong Kong – Storage at 1250 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, passed a county health inspection on November 21 with no critical issues.
- Subway at 1723 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, passed a county health inspection on November 21 with no critical issues.
- Sugo at 1116 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, passed a county health inspection on November 21 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.