Hi folks,

We’re just about halfway through the week and hopefully it’s been a decent one for you all. Today, we’ll have mostly cloudy skies with highs in the mid-60s. However, the sun might peek out intermittently.

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Tania Ortiz reports from Soquel, where a group of local contractors are putting together its first project of tiny homes made out of renewable materials, like straw bales, to lessen climate change impacts. The first project is at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Soquel, and will replace six cabins on the property.

Freelance business writer Dieter Holger takes a look at an increased cap on state and local tax deduction, known as SALT, which helped save some Santa Cruz homeowners thousands of dollars this year. The higher cap is part of President Donald Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act, and while those he spoke to do not support the bill, they don’t deny that this component had some benefits for homeowners.

Hillary Ojeda writes that the Live Oak School District expects to announce its new superintendent in either late April or early May, after former superintendent Pat Sanchez resigned in February. Board leaders say they are aiming to smoothly transition into the new leadership by July 1 without an interim superintendent.

Jessica M. Pasko returns with her weekly business column with news that local payments company Paystand is partnering with Bitcoin for Corporations, the U.S. Trade Commission is investigating claims against Joby Aviation, and more.

Now, for the headlines…

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Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Group of local contractors to use straw bales to build low-income housing on Mt. Calvary Church property in Soquel

A group of local contractors are hoping to address both homelessness and climate change with their project to build six new “tiny homes” using natural materials.

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Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

It’s Tax Day: Here’s why some Santa Cruz County homeowners are saving more this year

This year, some Santa Cruz homeowners were able to save thousands of dollars when filing taxes. That’s due to an increased cap on state and local tax deduction referred to as SALT.

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Will McCahill is back tomorrow, so this is me signing off of Morning Lookout for now. It’s been great starting the day with you all! Catch ya later.

Max Chun

Max Chun is the general-assignment correspondent at Lookout Santa Cruz. Max’s position has pulled him in many different directions, seeing him cover development, COVID, the opioid crisis, labor, courts...