Lookout PM: Verve Coffee workers' tentative union contract, Watsonville City Council revisiting Flock contract, and a Stockton Avenue Bridge op-ed

Welcome to Tuesday night’s Lookout PM.

Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Inside Verve Coffee workers’ tentative union contract: Higher sick pay, AI limits and guaranteed hours

By Lily Belli

Verve Coffee Roasters workers across six Bay Area cafés have reached a tentative union contract after nearly 10 months of bargaining, with guaranteed hours, advance scheduling, wage increases and other workplace protections. The agreement also includes what union leaders call industry-first provisions for an extra $5 per hour in sick pay to offset lost tips and limits on how Verve can use AI to make decisions about employees.

Watsonville City Council to revisit Flock Safety contract one year after renewal, amid growing community concerns

By Tania Ortiz

The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday is scheduled to revisit its contract with Atlanta-based tech company Flock Safety. Councilmember Ari Parker suggested bringing the issue back for a public discussion after hearing concerns from community members.

Lily Belli on Food: Tentative deal for Verve union; Carne brings the meat in Live Oak; Humble Sea Tavern’s Dolly-themed cocktails

By Lily Belli

Lily Belli’s Tuesday newsletter covers a milestone in unionization efforts at Santa Cruz-based Verve Coffee Roasters, a new butcher shop/restaurant hybrid on East Cliff Drive, where to raise a glass to the late Dolly Parton and plenty more in the world of local food and drink.

Mountain Community Theater’s ‘Rumors’ turns a cocktail party into comic chaos

By Jana Marcus

Mountain Community Theater serves up Neil Simon’s “Rumors” at full comic speed, with a tight ensemble, precise direction by MarNae Taylor and standout comic turns from the cast. It’s a cocktail party gone spectacularly wrong, and great fun to watch.

OPINION: Capitola must fix the Stockton Avenue Bridge — and explain how maintenance fell through the cracks

By Kevin Maguire

For years, Caltrans inspection reports flagged maintenance needs for Capitola’s Stockton Avenue Bridge. Yet those recommendations apparently never came before the city council. Now, taxpayers face hundreds of thousands of dollars in near-term repairs — and potentially millions more for rehabilitation or replacement. Before the city fixes the bridge, Capitola resident Kevin Maguire wants some answers. He wants to understand how Capitola got here – and what steps the council will take to make sure such mistakes don’t happen again.

Newsom cites pension crisis as he vetoes bill to enhance retirement for police and firefighters

By Adam Ashton / CalMatters

Gov. Gavin Newsom rejected a bill to lower the retirement age and sweeten pension perks for police and firefighters despite overwhelming support in the Legislature.

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