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Credit: Hillary Ojeda / Lookout Santa Cruz

Despite budget improvements after layoffs, Pajaro Valley Unified School District to look at closing some schools

By Hillary Ojeda

Pajaro Valley Unified School District is weighing school closures and consolidations as part of a multiyear effort to address ongoing enrollment declines and long-term financial uncertainty, despite short-term budget improvements from recent layoffs.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Weekender: Launching into spring, Drain’s fundraising T-shirt and busy local theater scene

Your cheat sheet for eating well and going out in Santa Cruz County this weekend.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

With Capitola Mall site rezoned, city aims to focus state-mandated growth on 41st Avenue corridor

By Max Chun

Once redeveloped, the Capitola Mall is expected to take care of a large number of state-mandated housing units that the City of Capitola must plan for by 2031. Moving forward, the city seeks to center development on the 41st Avenue corridor, which officials say holds the best opportunities for building.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Mijo’s, Geisha face long road to recovery after deadly Capitola fire

By Lily Belli

A week after a deadly Capitola Village fire damaged their building, the owners of Mijo’s Taqueria and Geisha Japanese Restaurant are still waiting on insurance assessments and remain unable to access their red-tagged spaces. With repairs likely to take up to a year, they’re weighing next steps while receiving an outpouring of community support, including a sold-out fundraiser.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Conservation groups to host cleanup along San Lorenzo River this weekend

By Tania Ortiz

The Coastal Watershed Council and the Watershed Stewards Program are hosting a volunteer event on Saturday focused on cleaning the San Lorenzo River watershed.

Credit: Adriana Heldiz / CalMatters

Schools move to minimize Chávez’s role in civil rights movement: ‘We stand with survivors of violence’

By Carolyn Jones / CalMatters

The state will be updating its history and social studies curriculum. California students typically learn about César Chávez in fourth, ninth and 11th grades.

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Best of Santa Cruz County events, March 20-22

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

Friday, Mar. 20

Saturday, Mar. 21

Sunday, Mar. 22

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...