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Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz County Election 2026: Who’s funding Coonerty, Chen Mills and other city candidates as Election Day nears?

By Max Chun

Ryan Coonerty raised $24,759 in the latest campaign finance period, compared to $16,258 for opponent Ami Chen Mills as the Santa Cruz mayoral race heads toward Election Day. Here’s a look at fundraising totals and notable donors in local city council races.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Marathon road closures: Which streets will be affected Sunday and when

By Kate Lipsky

Anticipate heavy traffic and local road closures this Sunday for the inaugural Santa Cruz Marathon. From Wilder Ranch State Park to Capitola Village, here are the locations and times to look out for as you plan your route.

Credit: Elizabeth Myong

Watsonville farmworker families find food, clothing and support at monthly donation drive

By Elizabeth Myong

A monthly donation drive in Watsonville gives farmworker families access to food, clothing, diapers, toys and Halloween costumes as they navigate rising housing costs and other economic hardships. Volunteers say the effort is about more than material goods: It’s also a way to show families that their community cares.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz County Election 2026: Can you still register to vote? What to know before Nov. 3

By Kate Lipsky

With Election Day on Nov. 3 just around the corner, Santa Cruz County voters still have time to register, vote early or return their mail ballots. Here’s what to know about registration deadlines, voting locations and where to find Lookout’s coverage of local candidates and ballot measures.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

OPINION: A Lookout View: Yes on Measure E

By Lookout Editorial Board

What happens when the safety net we all depend on begins to fray? With hospitals under pressure and federal cuts threatening essential services, Santa Cruz County faces hard choices. Measure E isn’t a golden ticket to solving all our county’s needs, but Lookout’s editorial board believes the temporary tax is a necessary investment in the care and services that hold our community together.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

OPINION: A Lookout View: Yes on Measure D

By Lookout Editorial Board

Our ocean is our home in Santa Cruz County and we need to do all we can to protect it. Measure D takes a modest step in that direction by giving local communities a measure of control over decisions about our coast. The Lookout Editorial Board endorses it with a yes vote.

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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...