Good morning! It’s Monday, May 4, and the Santa Cruz County forecast calls for a mix of sun and clouds, warming to the low to mid-60s before chances of showers overnight.
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With April behind her, Lily Belli looks back on the best things she ate around the county last month. From a wild riff on nachos in Watsonville to bread and butter in Felton, French toast on the Westside and a vegetarian classic in Capitola, it’s an appetizing list indeed.
Hillary Ojeda has news of a settlement between Pajaro Valley Unified School District and the family of a student with special needs. The first grader will receive compensatory education benefits, including summer camp, after officials agreed PVUSD violated state and federal laws by failing to meet requirements of her special education plan.
Monday brings the latest in local traffic and transit from Max Chun in the form of his Carmageddon column, which this week includes the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation sorting through public input on ideas to improve public transit and paratransit operations. This year, people said they would like to see increased transit frequency and reliability, express services between Santa Cruz and Watsonville, and a broader coverage area in general.
Ashley Palma-Jimenez has the story of David Kadotani, well known in South County as the longtime owner of Kadotani Auto Repair in Watsonville, whose response to his diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease is to join a group of riders raising awareness by cycling down the West Coast and across the desert to Phoenix ahead of a Parkinson’s forum there.
The Monday headlines also include news that Santa Cruz County will be dipping into its budget reserves in the coming fiscal year amid mounting funding challenges, plus a look at Ryan Coonerty’s campaign for Santa Cruz mayor. Before we get there, though …
Happening Thursday: The next Lookout candidate forum of this election season will take place 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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The best things I ate and drank in Santa Cruz County in April
Lily Belli’s month of eating across Santa Cruz County highlighted playful dishes, from a wild Tostilocos snack in Watsonville and indulgent French toast at a local coffeehouse, to sourdough with compound butter at Emerald Mallard, viral fruit-shaped desserts at Sugar Bakery and fresh spring rolls at Dharma’s Restaurant. Check it all out here.
Pajaro Valley Unified settles with family over unmet services for special education student
Pajaro Valley Unified School District reached a settlement with the family of a first grade special education student after acknowledging it failed to meet legal requirements outlined in the child’s education plan. The agreement includes compensatory services such as summer camp, behavioral support and speech therapy. Hillary Ojeda reports.
DAILY DIGEST
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Best of luck with your Monday – thanks for reading.
Will McCahill