Welcome to Monday night’s Lookout PM.

I WANT TO … Become a Lookout member | Download the Lookout app | Browse latest news | Get other Lookout newsletters | Solve a puzzle | Find local events | Advertise

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz mayor race: We fact-checked two disputed claims about Ami Chen Mills and Ryan Coonerty

By Max Chun

A contentious, competitive race for Santa Cruz mayor has included a number of claims that both candidates have consistently rejected – most notably, that Ami Chen Mills wants to cancel a $500,000 loan from the city to Joby Aviation and that Ryan Coonerty supports U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Carmageddon: Aptos Village property dispute over rail trail heads to trial Oct. 19

By Max Chun

A property dispute between a number of Aptos Village property owners and the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission is slated to head to trial on Oct. 19. The dispute is centered on which entity owns a portion of the land along the rail line.

Lookout in the Community: October events & ways to connect

By Brianna DuPre | Community Engagement Intern

With next month’s midterm elections on the horizon and Halloween fast approaching, the months are flying by! Luckily, October hosts an abundance of opportunities for locals to stay connected and informed, so don’t be scared of missing out on anything this spooky season. Including a Trivia Night hosted by Wallace Baine and two public forums, here are some places you’ll find Lookout in the month to come.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Cabrillo College’s ‘La Resiliencia’ celebrates Latino identity, art and community

By Alia Yee Noll

Cabrillo Gallery’s “LatinXperiencia 2026: La Resiliencia” celebrates the resilience of the Latino community through ceramics, paintings and mixed media work. Alyssarhaye Graciano, who curates at MACLA in San Jose, selected works that show how artists are processing identity and the political climate, with a focus on self-preservation and sustainability. The show runs until Oct. 27.

OPINION: Step inside: The magic of Santa Cruz County Open Studios

By Jody K. Biehl and Kevin Painchaud

Open Studios has begun. For the first three weekends of October, Santa Cruz County artists are opening their studios — inviting us into the places where the work gets made. This year, close to 350 artists are participating, including 69 newcomers, with a new preview exhibit at MK Gallery offering a first look at what’s to come. There’s also a new app to help art lovers find artists and plan their studio-hopping adventures across the county. We stepped inside the preview to meet some of the artists and get a taste of the work and creative energy waiting behind those those studio doors.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

California colleges don’t have enough housing for students. Will these four new laws help?

By Aaron Friesen / CalMatters and Anahid Valencia / CalMatters

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a package of bills to reduce barriers and incentivize building affordable student housing in California. He has also signed a bill giving on-campus housing priority to students experiencing homelessness or who have been in foster care.

Get your first year of Lookout for $99

Take advantage of our election season special and get your first year of Lookout for just $99. Keep reading past Election Day with full access to all Lookout’s coverage — local government, arts & culture, food & dining and more. Sign up now to stay informed year-round.

$99 for your first year

Sign up for your Neighborhood Roundup. Sent every weekday morning, receive a neighborhood-specific roundup of the weather forecast, local news, crime reports, road closures, permit applications, restaurant inspections, upcoming events and more.

Best of Santa Cruz County events, October 5-8

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

Monday, Oct. 5

Tuesday, Oct. 6

Wednesday, Oct. 7

Thursday, Oct. 8

Add an event to our calendar

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...