What’s happening, Lookout friends? It’s Wednesday, March 18, and it’ll be another hot one around Santa Cruz County, with temperatures nearing triple digits in the toastiest mountain spots as a heat advisory continues.
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are continuing to visit Watsonville, Tania Ortiz reports, and alerted the police department at least nine times within the past two months that the agency would be conducting immigration operations in the community. That’s according to information provided after Lookout’s public records requests.
The University of California and the United Auto Workers reached a tentative four-year contract agreement covering more than 40,000 graduate student workers and staff, Hillary Ojeda reports, averting a planned strike following months of dispute over alleged unfair labor practices. The deal includes raises ranging from 12% to 45% and expanded child care benefits, though some workers — particularly at UC Santa Cruz — say it falls short on key demands as union members vote on ratification.
Jessica M. Pasko has the latest in local business news, reporting that Unnatural Products, based on Santa Cruz’s Westside, has netted another $45 million in new funding to advance its efforts to develop treatments for certain types of rare cancers and diseases that have been resistant to other therapies.
And in Lookout’s Community Voices opinion section, a group of local peace activists say Rep. Jimmy Panetta’s continued support for U.S. military aid to Israel has helped shield the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as war spreads across the Middle East. They argue that Panetta’s record reflects a growing disconnect with constituents calling for accountability and Palestinian human rights, and urge voters to turn their concern into support for candidates who prioritize peace.
The Wednesday headlines await …
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ICE officials visited Watsonville at least nine times in the first two months of 2026, records show
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have visited Watsonville at least nine times in the past two months, according to records provided by the Watsonville Police Department. Immigration agents have now visited Santa Cruz County a total of 39 times since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term. Tania Ortiz has the details.
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This week in Santa Cruz County business: Santa Cruz biotech company nets new funding; RiverRow marks city’s first riverfront development
The Westside’s Unnatural Products lands $45 million more for its work to develop treatments for certain types of rare cancers and diseases, Jessica M. Pasko reports in her weekly survey of local business. Downtown Santa Cruz housing plus names, numbers and dates to know are also on the menu. Read it all here.
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Stay cool out there, and thanks for reading.
Will McCahill