Good morning, Lookout friends. It’s Friday, Nov. 13, and rain is the order of the day around Santa Cruz County, with chances of a thunderstorm, breezy conditions and temperatures peaking around 60. There’s a beach hazards statement in effect until 6 p.m., to be replaced by a high surf advisory into Sunday, and a coastal flood advisory set for most of Saturday.
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Thursday was a very busy day around the county, and you can catch up with our coverage. The afternoon saw community watch organization Your Allied Rapid Response report that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were back at the Santa Cruz County Jail. The news brought legal observers to the area to monitor the situation.
Hillary Ojeda reports that authorities in Costa Rica had two people in custody in connection with the February killing of surfing legend and Santa Cruz native Kurt Van Dyke. The country’s judicial investigation agency said it had arrested a 31-year-old woman and 34-year-old man; on Feb. 14, investigators found Van Dyke under a bed with stab wounds and signs of asphyxiation.
And Lily Belli and Kevin Painchaud were on hand at Cowell Beach in Santa Cruz, where a fin whale that became stranded in the morning died later in the day. The stranding closed the beach and drew biologists, city workers and a crowd of onlookers.
As we head toward another update on county vote totals, due around 4 p.m. today, Hillary Ojeda caught up with candidates for school boards around area. Many, including those leading the vote count in all four Pajaro Valley Unified School District races, have declared victory, though others are waiting for the county clerk to certify the results. That’s just part of the free Election 2026 coverage you’ll find here.
The Friday headlines also include a cheat sheet to going out and eating well this stormy weekend, but first, check out the latest winners on the Lookout List:
⭐ Where are the best places in Santa Cruz County to take care of yourself? Readers voted, and these 2026 Lookout List Health & Self-Care winners and runners-up are their picks, from dentists, chiropractors and physical therapists to hair salons, massage, spas and yoga instructors. Whether you’re overdue for a checkup or a pedicure, start here.
➡️ Explore the winners in our Health & Self Care categories here and keep an eye out as we announce our winners through this week and next.
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Santa Cruz County school board candidates declare victory, concede in 2026 election
Candidates in contested school board races across Santa Cruz County are starting to declare victory or concede while ballots are still being counted. Others are waiting until county officials certify the results, which could happen as soon as Nov. 25. Here’s more from Hillary Ojeda.
Fin whale dies after stranding on Santa Cruz’s Cowell Beach
A fin whale became stranded on Cowell Beach in Santa Cruz on Thursday morning, prompting an emergency response as biologists monitored the distressed animal. The whale initially appeared alive but the city announced in the afternoon that it had died, with experts saying it was severely emaciated and showed signs of long-term illness. Here’s what Lily Belli and Kevin Painchaud saw and heard.
DAILY DIGEST
Among what’s still coming today, as mentioned above, is the latest update on vote totals from the county elections department, slated for around 4 p.m., and you can be the first to know by signing up for our breaking news alerts via email. They’re free, as are all of our many newsletters (coming this weekend, for instance, is the specially curated Sunday Reads) – check it all out and subscribe here. The Lookout Santa Cruz app also offers breaking news notifications, plus all of our award-winning local coverage, games and more, so delay no longer – download it from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. You can find said coverage via social media, too – follow Lookout on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram and/or Threads.
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Here’s to a smooth Friday for us all and a safe, relaxing weekend beyond. Take it easy on wet roads (remember, if your wipers are on, lights should be on, too), and I’ll see you back here Monday. Thanks for reading.
Will McCahill