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County recognized as Fire Risk Reduction Community, making certain homeowners eligible for wildfire insurance discounts

By Caly Luna Plowman

In response to insurance issues residents have faced since the 2020 CZU Fire, Santa Cruz County recently secured a statewide recognition through the California Fire Risk Reduction Community List that could help ease some of these struggles and potentially fund future wildfire prevention efforts.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Civil grand jury: Santa Cruz County could prevent traffic-related injuries, save lives by adopting safety action plan

By Hillary Ojeda

A new report from the Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury says that had the county implemented a widely adopted traffic safety approach, it might have avoided some pedestrian injuries and fatalities. The grand jury recommends that the county adopt an action to implement the Vision Zero strategy to eliminate pedestrian injuries and fatalities.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Moss Landing battery plant cleanup enters tougher next phase, with demolition expected into 2027

By Tania Ortiz

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is gearing up to begin the next phase of its Moss Landing cleanup efforts, following a massive January 2025 fire that damaged a large portion of a battery storage facility.

Credit: County of Santa Cruz

Carmageddon: Annual roadwork shifts to North County; RTC Aptos property dispute trial set for September

By Max Chun

The county’s annual roadwork reached North County last week and will continue in the area through late August. Meanwhile, the property dispute between the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission and Aptos property owners is now scheduled to go to trial in early September.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

After 44 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters Monterey Bay closes — but some matches say their bonds will last a lifetime

By Caly Luna Plowman

After 44 years serving Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monterey Bay is shutting down its mentoring program, leaving many mentors and mentees shocked and searching for answers. For longtime pairs like Santa Cruz’s Amé Yeager and Brenda Canizal, the closure marks the end of a local program but not the deep bonds it helped create.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz County eased rules for ‘granny flats’ – so why did construction plummet by half?

By Dieter Holger

Santa Cruz County homeowners embraced backyard cottages after state and local reforms made accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, far easier to build, but that boom is already fading. Rising construction costs, high interest rates and other economic headwinds have sharply slowed new ADU projects, making it harder for the county to meet its housing goals.

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Best of Santa Cruz County events, July 6-9

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

Monday, Jul. 6

Tuesday, Jul. 7

Wednesday, Jul. 8

Thursday, Jul. 9

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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...