Hello there! It is Tuesday, Sept. 29, and we’re warming back up around Santa Cruz County, with high temperatures forecast in the lower 90s in the mountains, around 80 at the beach, where a coastal flood advisory is in effect until Thursday afternoon.
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Lily Belli breaks down a report on the state of the area’s fishing industry, offering data that takes a closer look at tidal shifts to fisheries, number of boats and infrastructure at the Monterey, Moss Landing and Santa Cruz harbors. The report outlines substantial changes to fishing strategies and types of fisheries, and a huge decline in the number of vessels throughout Monterey Bay. The data also paints a picture of resilience, with fishers adapting to changing environmental conditions and maintaining Monterey Bay as a prominent fishing hub in the state.
Hillary Ojeda continues Lookout’s Election 2026 coverage, spotlighting the candidates running for the Trustee Area V seat on Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s governing board. The race features retired longtime district employee Alicia Jimenez and craftsman Curt Wilcox, who are competing for an open seat after incumbent Olivia Flores decided not to seek reelection.
Santa Cruz journalist and UCSC lecturer Martha Mendoza spent the past year investigating the global online scam industry for a new PBS “Frontline” documentary, Alia Yee Noll reports. Then scammers hit close to home, targeting people close to Mendoza in Santa Cruz. “Scammed” premieres today.
To the headlines …
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Monterey Bay’s fishing industry is changing: Here’s what Santa Cruz fishers are catching now
A new report from the Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust finds that the number of commercial fishing vessels based in Monterey Bay has fallen more than 70% since the 1980s, while changing environmental conditions have reshaped what and how fishers catch. Read more from Lily Belli.
Pajaro Valley school board Area V race: Alicia Jimenez, Curt Wilcox vie for open seat
Retired administrator Alicia Jimenez and Watsonville craftsman Curt Wilcox are competing for the open Trustee Area V seat on the Pajaro Valley Unified School District governing board. A third candidate, Jennifer Schacher, remains on the ballot despite saying she will not actively campaign. Hillary Ojeda has an overview, part of Lookout’s free Election 2026 coverage.
DAILY DIGEST
Lookout’s award-winning local coverage is rolling right along, and one staple of our Tuesday menu is the latest from Santa Cruz County’s culinary scene via Lily Belli on Food, one of the many free newsletters and breaking news alerts you can sign up for here. Download the Lookout Santa Cruz app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to keep that coverage close at hand, and follow Lookout on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram and/or Threads to scoop it all up via social media.
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Have a super Tuesday – thanks for reading.
Will McCahill