Lookout PM: Sugar Bakery's viral sweets, district-based elections in Capitola, and Gillian Greensite's mayoral campaign

Welcome to Friday night’s Lookout PM.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Crowds line up for viral fruit desserts at Soquel’s Sugar Bakery

By Lily Belli

A viral fruit-shaped mousse dessert at a Soquel bakery has drawn long lines and daily sellouts, with hundreds of pastries gone within hours as customers flock from across the region. The surge in demand is pushing owner Ela Crawford to shift focus from wholesale to her storefront, even as the labor-intensive treats limit how many she can produce.

Capitola City Council to begin transition to district-based elections

By Tania Ortiz

Under the threat of a lawsuit, the Capitola City Council voted Thursday night to start the process of switching to district-based elections. The complaint from a Southern California law firm charges that the current at-large system disenfranchises minority communities by diluting the power of Capitola’s Latino voters.

In first run for elected office, Santa Cruz mayor hopeful Gillian Greensite wants to stop ‘overbuilding’

By Max Chun

Gillian Greensite has spent many years in Santa Cruz attending city council meetings and working in rape prevention and environmental advocacy. Now, she’s diving into electoral politics for the first time to run for mayor, in the face of what she sees as “overbuilding.”

More than music: Jim Stewart’s 30 years of building community in Soquel High’s band class

By Hillary Ojeda

After three decades at Soquel High School, retiring band director Jim Stewart leaves behind a program defined as much by community and belonging as by musical achievement. Through a mix of humor, discipline and care, Stewart shaped generations of students — many of whom went on to careers in music and education.

Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / CalMatters/Pool

Meet the candidates for California lieutenant governor: ‘A job about nothing’

By Nadia Lathan / CalMatters

Five major candidates, including state Treasurer Fiona Ma and former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, are competing for the notoriously anticlimactic gig of lieutenant governor.

Credit: Dan Gearino / Inside Climate News

The Trump administration tried to stop the national EV charging program. It has kept rolling along anyway.

By Dan Gearino / Inside Climate News

President Donald Trump froze funding for the Biden-era initiative to boost electric vehicle adoption, but after court battles, some states continue to use the money.

Get your first year for just $99 — nearly a 50% savings!

Right now, during election season, get your first year of an annual membership to Lookout for just $99 with coupon code Election2026. Members have full access to all Lookout’s local coverage, from politics and policy to education, dining and more.

Start my membership for $99

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, road closures, restaurant inspections, upcoming events and more.