Greetings, Santa Cruz County. It is Thursday, Aug. 6, and we’ll see the usual a.m. clouds dissipate by late morning or early afternoon in favor of sunny skies, with temperatures in the low 90s in the mountains and 70s closer to 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
Santa Cruz County released the results of this year’s point-in-time count of the homeless population Wednesday afternoon, seeing an increase of around 12% over 2025. In a concerning development, Max Chun reports, more local residents appear to be falling into homelessness for the first time.
Max also has the story of an effort by Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation to get residents into the habit of giving blood, with the department aiming to hold as many as five blood drives a year amid a national blood supply crisis.
Lily Belli was in a Santa Cruz courtroom Wednesday and reports that the trial of local seafood entrepreneur Clarice Owens has been delayed until November. It’s the third postponement for Owens, who’s facing one felony charge of stalking and more than 20 misdemeanors for allegedly violating or disobeying protective orders.
In Lookout’s Community Voices opinion section, six leaders of local safety-net organizations spotlight the secret to providing health coverage in uncertain times: partnership. “When one organization can’t meet a need alone, another is already at the table ready to help close the gap,” leaders of Santa Cruz Community Health, Salud Para La Gente, Santa Cruz County Health Centers, Dientes Community Dental Care, Janus of Santa Cruz and Encompass Community Services write.
The Thursday morning headlines also include a regional honor for Dominican Hospital – let’s get to reading, shall we?
Were you forwarded this newsletter? Sign up here to receive Morning Lookout in your inbox every weekday.
You’re missing out on full access to Lookout
As a reader of Lookout’s newsletters, you get access to a limited number of free articles per month — but there’s much more! Members of Lookout Santa Cruz get full access to every article published by our team of on-the-ground correspondents. Join now to go beyond the headlines and dive deep into Lookout’s local coverage.
Every 56 days: Santa Cruz Parks & Rec aims to turn blood donation into a habit
The City of Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation department began hosting blood drives earlier this year, with the plan to hold three to five annually. Annalise Bryant, the recreation supervisor who pitched the idea, says it is perfectly in line with the department’s core values — and given that the Red Cross has declared a national blood supply crisis, the timing is right. Read more from Max Chun.
Santa Cruz County homelessness rises 12% in 2026; still below 2022 peak
Santa Cruz County released its 2026 point-in-time count results on Wednesday, which show an increase in homelessness over 2025, but a level still well beneath the 2022 peak. The results show that more local residents are falling into homelessness for the first time, and chronically unhoused people continue facing steep struggles in securing permanent housing. More on this year’s count here.
DAILY DIGEST
If like me you’re just about ready for the weekend, you’re in luck – among what’s still on tap from Lookout is our cheat sheet to going out and eating well around Santa Cruz County. Sign up here to get Weekender delivered right to your inbox, just one of our many free newsletters and breaking news alerts. Download the Lookout Santa Cruz app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for all of our award-winning local coverage right on your smartphone, and if your online diet includes social media, follow Lookout on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram and/or Threads for the latest.
Our content isn’t possible without community support, so if you’re not already, please consider becoming a Lookout member.
Best of luck to all the students and educators heading back to school Thursday, and thank you all for reading.
Will McCahill