What’s up, Lookout friends? Friday, May 16, is upon us, bringing Santa Cruz County the familiar blueprint of clouds early, sun later and temperatures topping out in the low to mid-70s.
JUMP TO … Neighborhood Roundup | Latest News | Opinion | Briefs | Event Calendar | Job Board | Puzzles
Tania Ortiz starts us off with the latest chapter in the story of a pair of mobile home parks along the rail line in Live Oak. The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission is sticking to a June 30 deadline for residents to move homes and other structures that encroach on the agency’s property, where the RTC intends to build a pedestrian and biking trail and, eventually, passenger rail.
Backers of dueling Santa Cruz housing measures have submitted signatures to get those measures on city voters’ ballots this November, and now both sides are girding for what could be a bruising campaign, Christopher Neely reports.
A Santa Cruz County institution has quietly closed its doors, Max Chun reports, with the owner of General Feed & Seed saying simply that it’s time to retire. For more than 40 years, the Commercial Way spot has not only served farmers and gardeners but also hosted hundreds of live music shows and other community events.
Another local standby, meanwhile, has changed hands, but the new owners of Harbor Café tell Lily Belli that they’re aiming to keep the beloved 7th Avenue brunch spot right on course – with perhaps a few small updates to keep longtime guests and staff happy.
And in Lookout’s Community Voices opinion section, three members of Santa Cruz County’s Jewish community push back on recent decisions by faith leaders they say have left them feeling frustrated and alienated.
The Friday headlines also include Wallace Baine’s roadmap to a bustling weekend ahead in local arts & entertainment. Onward we go …
RTC stands firm on June 30 deadline for mobile home residents to move for Coastal Rail Trail
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission may take legal action if residents of two mobile home parks along the rail line in Live Oak do not comply with a June deadline to move homes that sit on property owned by the agency. Tania Ortiz reports.
Three restaurant industry veterans bought Santa Cruz brunch spot Harbor Café, and don’t want to change a thing
Harbor Café, a cult-favorite brunch spot near the Santa Cruz Harbor, has new owners: longtime locals and industry veterans Justin and Jessica Foust and partner Hollis Oatey. Known for its laid-back charm, creative cocktails and California-style breakfast and lunch menu – as well as long wait times – the new owners plan to make only small updates aimed at enhancing the experience for loyal guests and longtime staff. Lily Belli checks in.
DAILY DIGEST
Plenty to digest this Friday, but please do save some room in your local news diet, because we’ve got more cooking here at Lookout. Still on the menu is another serving of Lily Belli, in the form of her Eaters Digest, just one of many newsletters and breaking news alerts I’d urge you to sign up for here. You can also take our award-winning local coverage wherever you may roam Friday and through the weekend by downloading the Lookout Santa Cruz app from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. And do give Lookout a follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Bluesky to keep up with it all on social media.
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Thanks for reading, and may your Friday be a smooth one – with a safe, relaxing weekend beyond.
Will McCahill