Aloha, Lookout friends. It’s Thursday, Sept. 24, and it’ll be another warm one around Santa Cruz County, heating up to the lower 90s in the mountains, around 80 by the bay.
I WANT TO … Become a Lookout member | Download the Lookout app | Browse latest news | Community Voices opinion | Get other Lookout newsletters | Solve a puzzle | Find local events | Advertise
Classes are back in session today at UC Santa Cruz, Hillary Ojeda reports, with about 5,700 new undergraduate and 580 new graduate students hitting campus for the 2026-27 academic year. Total enrollment remains around 20,000.
Alia Yee Noll previews a new music festival coming to some unlikely spots around Santa Cruz – porches. “There is so much local music talent in Santa Cruz, and so many people wanting more opportunities like this to get their name out,” says the organizer of Porchfest, bringing 50 bands to the downtown and Beach Hill neighborhoods on Oct. 3. “They’re hungry for it.”
Santa Cruz County Sheriff Chris Clark is opposing the proposed placement of convicted rapist Michael Cheek in a Los Gatos property in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Max Chun reports. “Mr. Cheek committed crimes in Santa Cruz County. That does not mean the people he harmed, or the community where those crimes occurred, should be asked to carry the risk of his placement here,” Clark said.
Watsonville is cutting back its Flock Safety cameras from 37 to 20 after an often-tense, nearly five-hour city council meeting Tuesday night, Tania Ortiz reports. The council also tightened the rules on how long data from the cameras will be kept and how it can be shared.
The candidates for Santa Cruz mayor faced off Wednesday night at The 418 Project in a Lookout forum, with 130 people in person and another 100 joining online to hear Ryan Coonerty and Ami Chen Mills talk about their priorities, experience and vision for the city in an event moderated by Lookout Community Voices opinion editor Jody K. Biehl. Check back later today for full coverage from Max Chun.
Now, to the Thursday headlines.
Were you forwarded this newsletter? Sign up here to receive Morning Lookout in your inbox every weekday.
Get your first year of Lookout for $99
Take advantage of our election season special offer: $99 for a year of Lookout. You get full access to Lookout’s coverage — local government, arts & culture, food & dining and more — all year.
UC Santa Cruz welcomes 6,300 new students as 2026-27 school year begins Thursday
UC Santa Cruz welcomes about 6,300 new undergraduate and graduate students this week as the university begins another academic year with total enrollment expected to remain around 20,000. The new school year also brings expanding student housing, including a new two-year housing guarantee for incoming undergraduates. Details here from Hillary Ojeda.
Santa Cruz’s newest music festival is coming to a porch near you
Santa Cruz’s first Porchfest will bring 50 bands to 14 porches and other downtown locations on Saturday, Oct. 3. The free festival aims to showcase local musicians while creating new opportunities for neighbors to gather and enjoy live music. Alie Yee Noll has a preview.
DAILY DIGEST
➤ Para leer el artículo en español, haga clic aquí.
If you’re peeking ahead to the weekend, you’re in luck, because among what’s coming later today is Lookout’s cheat sheet to going out and eating well around Santa Cruz County, complete with recommendations from Lily Belli, in the form of Weekender – one of the many free newsletters and breaking news alerts you’d do well to sign up for here. Breaking news notifications are just one of the many features of the Lookout Santa Cruz app, available for download from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and a great way to get all of our local coverage, games and more right on your trusty smartphone. And please give Lookout a follow on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram and/or Threads to keep up with it all via social media.
Our content isn’t possible without community support, so if you’re not already, please consider becoming a Lookout member.
Have an excellent Thursday, and thank you for reading.
Will McCahill