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Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

The best things I ate and drank in Santa Cruz County in April

By Lily Belli

A month of eating across Santa Cruz County highlighted playful dishes, from a wild Tostilocos snack in Watsonville and indulgent French toast at a local coffeehouse, to sourdough with compound butter at Emerald Mallard, viral fruit-shaped desserts at Sugar Bakery and fresh spring rolls at Dharma’s Restaurant.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Pajaro Valley Unified settles with family over unmet services for special education student

By Hillary Ojeda

Pajaro Valley Unified School District reached a settlement with the family of a first grade special education student after acknowledging it failed to meet legal requirements outlined in the child’s education plan. The agreement includes compensatory services such as summer camp, behavioral support and speech therapy.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Carmageddon: RTC considering list of transit and paratransit requests

By Max Chun

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission will consider a draft of this year’s list of unmet transit and paratransit needs at its meeting Thursday, an annual occurrence informed by members of the community.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz County budget to dip into reserves to weather financial challenges caused by federal funding changes

By Tania Ortiz

Officials plan to use nearly $43 million from Santa Cruz County’s general fund reserves and departmental trust funds to help keep safety-net services available and avoid employee layoffs. The first of several county budget hearings is scheduled for Tuesday.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

OPINION: Our $1.29 billion county budget protects vital services today – but we have a tough road ahead

By Nicole D. Coburn

Santa Cruz County’s budget for 2026-27 safeguards core services and avoids layoffs, despite a historic fiscal squeeze, writes County Executive Officer Nicole Coburn, who is in her first year in the job. The $1.29 billion plan relies on $43 million in one-time funds, reducing county reserves to 10.4%, but keeping critical programs running. Without structural change, she writes, Santa Cruz County faces a projected $67 million deficit as soon as next year. The county is asking for millions from the state for help to overcome the shortfalls caused by federal cuts. This budget buys time, she writes, but the county will likely need to make hard choices in the future. The board of supervisors will meet for budget hearings in the coming weeks.

Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / CalMatters

Will California ever build the Delta tunnel? Major battles ahead as Newsom era nears end

By Rachel Becker / CalMatters

California’s Delta tunnel largely cleared a key hurdle last month — but far bigger obstacles still stand in the way.

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Best of Santa Cruz County events, May 4-7

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

Monday, May. 4

Tuesday, May. 5

Wednesday, May. 6

Thursday, May. 7

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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...