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Body found near Davenport confirmed by family to be swimmer killed in Lovers Point shark attack

By Max Chun

A body discovered near the Davenport shoreline has been identified as Erica Fox, 55, of Monterey County, who went missing a week ago while swimming […]

Newsmakers 2025: Approaching final year in office, Fred Keeley reflects on a busy ’25 and ‘promises kept’

By Max Chun

The new downtown expansion district, an affordable housing measure and a rail-trail compromise all came to fruition in 2025. Now, Fred Keeley, Santa Cruz’s first […]

New Pajaro Valley Unified school board president surprises with management style

By Hillary Ojeda

New PVUSD board president Carol Turley’s first meeting in the role was marked by frequent interruptions of fellow trustees and a stricter enforcement of agenda […]

Carmageddon: County moving forward with plan for second phase of Soquel Drive improvements

By Max Chun

As the first part of Soquel Drive’s major makeover heads toward completion, Santa Cruz County is seeking a consultant to manage the next phase of […]

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

CSUMB led state university system with top graduation rate improvements during 10-year initiative

By Hillary Ojeda

California State University Monterey Bay was the only campus in the 22-school CSU system to meet all six goals of the system’s decadelong Graduation Initiative […]

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Two new ‘churches’ show Santa Cruz may be leading the next wave of psychedelics

By Wallace Baine

Two local churches – Holy Trinity of Divine Church and the Rising Phoenix Entheogenic Temple – now make it easy to become a member and […]

Credit: Liza Gross / Inside Climate News

OPINION: Organophosphates are obsolete. Why are we still spraying them on our fields and endangering kids?

By Kathleen Kilpatrick

Science has long warned that organophosphate pesticides damage developing brains, especially in pregnant women and children, writes local activist Kathleen Kilpatrick. Yet the Monterey […]


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Ashley Harmon (Holmes) (she/her) leads Lookout’s product and audience growth for Santa Cruz and soon-to-come, Eugene-Springfield. Ashley started at Lookout as director of advertising and marketing....