Welcome to Friday night’s Lookout PM.
But first, a note: Hi folks, General Assignment Correspondent Max Chun here. I am in charge of sending Lookout PM to you each evening, for those of you who didn’t know. However, I am writing to inform you that this will be my final edition. Today was my last day at Lookout.
I am moving to the Chicago area, where I will be writing for the Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest. I am joining my fiancée, who recently moved there for grad school, and my sister, who has lived there for nearly a decade.
Thank you all for your dedicated readership during my time here. I have learned so much, and it has been truly an honor to cover my hometown for nearly five years. It is a special place that will always hold great memories.
Feel free to reach out if you’d like! I will still be in touch for a while. Otherwise, take care, and enjoy the upcoming holidays 🙂
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Santa Cruz County 2026 general election in charts: The latest results after Friday’s update
By Max Chun
Find the results for all local races in Santa Cruz County’s 2026 general election here. Lookout will update this page as new results come in.
Santa Cruz mayor: Coonerty continues to lead Chen Mills at the end of election week
By Max Chun
Former mayor and longtime local politician Ryan Coonerty continues leading Ami Chen Mills at the end of election week.
‘The community’s living room’: Bookshop Santa Cruz celebrates 60 years of endurance
By Alia Yee Noll
Bookshop Santa Cruz has been a fixture of the downtown area for six decades, weathering upheaval in the form of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the rise of chain bookstores at the turn of the 21st century and the COVID-19 pandemic. Store owner Casey Coonerty Protti said they owe everything to the people of Santa Cruz.
Greenfield resident charged with murder in Moss Landing shooting
By Tania Ortiz
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office arrested 18-year-old Greenfield resident Donald William Breeden in connection to a shooting in Moss Landing earlier this week that left a pair of Salinas teenagers dead.
Watsonville City Council: Acosta maintains lead in District 7, while Zuniga holds slim edge in District 5
By Tania Ortiz
In the contested races for the Watsonville City Council, agricultural manager Ed Acosta maintained his early lead against former city councilmember Nancy Bilicich in District 7, while political newcomer Angel Zuniga holds a narrow lead over incumbent Casey Clark in the race for the District 5 seat.
Pajaro Valley Unified school board races: Goldenkranz, Estrada, Jimenez and Realmuto leading
By Hillary Ojeda
Candidates Andrew Goldenkranz, Alicia Jimenez, Mads Realmuto and Eriberto Estrada are leading in their races for four seats on the Pajaro Valley Unified governing board. As two of the races include only newcomers, two trustees are guaranteed to bring new faces to the school board.
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