Greetings, readers. It’s Friday, May 1, and it’ll be a mix of sun and clouds around Santa Cruz County, with temperatures around 80 in warmer mountain spots, low 70s closer to the bay.
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A full complement of news this morning, so let’s have at it. Tania Ortiz reports that Capitola will move toward district-based elections after a city council vote Thursday night, away from the current at-large system. The move aims to avoid a lawsuit charging that the at-large setup disenfranchises minority communities by diluting the power of Capitola’s Latino voters.
Max Chun sat down with Gillian Greensite, a longtime Santa Cruz resident whose first foray into electoral politics is a run for mayor. “I feel that our neighborhoods and our existing community is being shoved aside,” Greensite says, “and the impetus is on more development, and I think that needs a change in direction.”
A fruit-shaped mousse cake has become a viral hit for Capitola’s Sugar Bakery, with crowds lining up to buy out as many as owner Ela Crawford and her crew can make, Lily Belli writes. The popularity of the trompe-l’oeils – French for “deceive the eye” – is giving Crawford second thoughts about her plan to focus more on wholesale clients and less on selling through her storefront at 41st Avenue and Soquel Drive.
Nearby, Soquel High School is preparing to bid farewell to Jim Stewart, who’s made a giant impact building community as band teacher, Hillary Ojeda reports. The retiring band director leaves behind a program defined as much by 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.
Before we hit the headlines, this reminder: The next Lookout candidate forum of this election season happens next Thursday, May 7, at Hotel Paradox in Santa Cruz and will feature mayoral candidates Ryan Coonerty, Gillian Greensite, Chris Krohn, Ami Chen Mills and Joy Schendledecker; the candidates for Santa Cruz City Council District 4, incumbent Scott Newsome and challenger Hector Marin; and the candidates in District 6, incumbent Renee Golder and challenger Gabriella Noack. Get more information and RSVP for free here.
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Crowds line up for viral fruit desserts at Capitola’s Sugar Bakery
A viral fruit-shaped mousse dessert at a Capitola 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. Here’s more from Lily Belli.
In first run for elected office, Santa Cruz mayor hopeful Gillian Greensite wants to stop ‘overbuilding’
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.” Read Max Chun’s story here.
DAILY DIGEST
Much to sort through as we kick off the new month, so I’ll let you get to it. Be sure, though, that you’re set up to keep informed about what the rest of Friday, and the weekend beyond, might bring – download the Lookout Santa Cruz app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for all of our award-winning local coverage, with breaking news notifications, games and more. We offer breaking news alerts via email, too, along with a library of other newsletters, all free by signing up here. Lookout is on social media, too, so if that’s part of your online diet, follow us on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram and/or Threads.
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Thanks for reading – I appreciate you. Have a great Friday and a safe, relaxing weekend.
Will McCahill