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Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

A walk in new Big Basin, five years post-CZU: Signs of rebirth amid California lilac, huckleberries and ‘Dr. Seuss trees’

To a large degree, the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains have survived and are thriving in the wake of 2020’s CZU fire. We vulnerable humans often take comfort in the power of ecosystems […]

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Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

OPINION: Soquel Avenue bike lane improvements are good – we need even more

Avid biker Dan Arias takes issue with a recent Lookout op-ed criticizing balusters on Soquel Avenue as dangerous for cyclists. On the contrary, he says, officials should be praised for finding ways to separate bikers […]

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Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

UCSC clarifies delay on major housing project – now expected to break ground in 2027, open in 2029-30

Construction on the 2,900-bed Heller Drive student housing project at UC Santa Cruz will start in 2027 and be completed sometime in the 2029-30 school year; it was originally slated to be finished in 2028.

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Credit: Ted Soqui for CalMatters

5 things to know about Gavin Newsom’s plan to redraw California’s election maps

California has an overwhelmingly Democratic delegation in Congress. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan could give his party five more seats and offset a Texas gerrymander.

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Credit: Pixabay

It’s almost flu season. Should you still get a shot, and will insurance cover it?

Amid political chatter about vaccines and the U.S. government entities that oversee them, it’s understandable to wonder where all this leaves the 2025-26 flu vaccine. Here are some answers to common questions.

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Best of Santa Cruz County events, Aug. 19-21

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

Tuesday, Aug. 19

Wednesday, Aug. 20

Thursday, Aug. 21



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