Lookout PM: Annual homelessness memorial, Leif Ames trial scheduled for April, and Dungeness crab season set for Jan. 5 opening

Welcome to Friday night’s Lookout PM.

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Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Community gathers to mourn loss of 37 unhoused residents at annual homelessness memorial

Thirty-seven unhoused Santa Cruz County residents died over the course of 2025, out of an estimated 1,728 total homeless residents. While that is just half the number who died in 2024, it is still about 1 out of every 42 people experiencing homelessness in the county.

Credit: Natasha Leverett / Lookout Santa Cruz

Judge schedules Leif Ames murder trial for April 2026

A Santa Cruz County Superior Court judge has scheduled the murder trial of Leif Ames for April 6, 2026, six years after he was charged with fatally stabbing his best friend, Hubert Cross, in his Live Oak home.

Commercial Dungeness crab season will open Jan. 5 on the Central Coast

The Central Coast Dungeness commercial crab season will open Jan. 5 with 40% fewer traps permitted, in order to reduce the risk of lines entangling whales. State officials and environmental groups say the restrictions balance fishers’ economic needs with wildlife protection as entanglements have declined.

Eaters Digest: Cacio e pepe at Mane Kitchen & Cocktails

Lily Belli heads to downtown Santa Cruz newcomer Mane Kitchen & Cocktails for a taste of chef Desmond Schneider’s spin on a classic pasta dish, and her Friday newsletter also includes weekend event recommendations and food & drink stories you might’ve missed.

Santa Cruz Planning Commission votes to end public hearings for fully affordable housing projects; city council to hear item in January

The City of Santa Cruz Planning Commission decided that it will drop public hearings for fully affordable housing projects, requiring only ministerial approval. The item will head to the Santa Cruz City Council for a first read in January.

OPINION: What if Santa Cruz became the most sustainable city on Earth?

OPINION: Santa Cruz climate advocate Danielle Lanyard argues that the city is uniquely positioned to become a global model of ecological innovation by stitching together proven sustainability solutions from around the world. Continue reading…

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