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Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Weekender: Food events to put on your 2026 calendar

Your cheat sheet for eating well and going out in Santa Cruz County.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz County doubles down on opposition to federal offshore drilling plan

Santa Cruz County made its opposition to offshore drilling official, with a letter to the Interior Department and pleas to the public to get involved to stop the Trump administration’s move to drill off the coast of California.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Watsonville Community Hospital faces shortage of ICU nurses as it continues to struggle financially

By Tania Ortiz

Administrators at Watsonville Community Hospital say they’ll need to make difficult decisions to keep it operating, which doesn’t sit well with nurses. Meanwhile, there’s a staffing shortage in the intensive care unit, and nurses are rallying to keep it and other essential departments open.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

PVUSD trustees approve early retirement plan as layoffs loom

By Grace Chinowsky

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District board unanimously voted for a voluntary early retirement plan after a six-hour meeting marked by internal discord and lingering fallout from layoffs proposed last month.

Credit: Steven Haddock / MBARI

Exploring hidden light: Steven Haddock brings ocean’s radiant secrets to life

By Cassidy Beach

In “The Radiant Sea,” scientists from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute bring together a lifetime of research and photography of deep-sea creatures. A book event Friday will dive into the role of light in the ocean’s depths with a presentation, demonstration, videos and a Q&A session.

Credit: Lily Belli / Lookout Santa Cruz

Large sinkhole in Scotts Valley requires the city council to declare an emergency to OK funding for urgent repairs

By Max Chun

The Scotts Valley City Council is considering declaring an emergency to pay for repairs to a sizable sinkhole that opened up next to Scotts Valley Drive last week.

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Best of Santa Cruz County events, January 16-18

Here are some events you may be interested in this weekend:

Friday, Jan. 16

Saturday, Jan. 17

Sunday, Jan. 18

Add an event to our calendar

Max Chun is the general-assignment correspondent at Lookout Santa Cruz. Max’s position has pulled him in many different directions, seeing him cover development, COVID, the opioid crisis, labor, courts...