Morning! It’s Monday, Sept. 21, and after patchy early fog and maybe a spot of drizzle, Santa Cruz County will get mostly sunny skies and high temperatures in the 60s and 70s.
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Hillary Ojeda leads things off with a look at a jump in the number of local adults who are going back to school to complete their high school diploma. “I think people should know that it’s never too late, and that we’re here to serve,” says one county education administrator. “The system, the way it’s built, doesn’t work for everybody. We’re here to help people earn their diploma and move on to what’s next for them.”
Monday brings another edition of Max Chun’s traffic-and-transit-focused Carmageddon column, leading off this week with a preview of an upcoming open house seeking feedback on initial plans for intersection improvements and new bicycle facilities on Water Street and in the surrounding area in Santa Cruz.
The Monday headlines also include an update from Jana Marcus on efforts to bring Cabrillo College’s long-shuttered original theater back to life – away we go.
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‘I felt like I reset my life’: More Santa Cruz County adults returning to school for a second chance
The Santa Cruz County Office of Education’s free Career Advancement Charter has seen enrollment grow 332% since 2021 as more adults return to school to earn high school diplomas and pursue new career goals. For graduates like Yumi Mondragon and Rebeca Reyes, the program’s flexibility and support have helped them overcome past barriers and continue their education. Here’s the story from Hillary Ojeda.
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Carmageddon: Upcoming open house for safety improvements on Water Street
The City of Santa Cruz is hosting an open house on Wednesday for the upcoming Water Street Safety Project, a plan that includes new bike facilities and intersection improvements along the busy road. Max Chun has a preview.
DAILY DIGEST
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Have a great Monday, and thank you for reading.
Will McCahill