Greetings, Lookout friends. It is Tuesday, Jan. 6, and after perhaps a few more morning showers, a dry stretch is forecast for Santa Cruz County, with sunshine by afternoon and temperatures warming into the low 60s.
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Another chunk of coastal bluff along West Cliff Drive fell into the bay over the weekend, with Santa Cruz officials telling Max Chun that the popular pedestrian/bike path is unaffected and will remain open. The latest cliff collapse comes as the city’s public works department is planning to move forward with a number of projects related to coastal erosion along West Cliff Drive in 2026.
2026 is an election year, and Wallace Baine has an overview of what will be on local ballots – from city council and county supervisor seats to who represents Santa Cruz County in Sacramento and Washington.
Hillary Ojeda checked in with the county’s superintendent of schools for the latest installment of our Newsmakers 2025 series, with Faris Sabbah outlining the challenges posed by sweeping federal policy changes and funding cuts.
Lily Belli brings news from downtown Santa Cruz’s Abbott Square Market, which is looking for two new tenants – with food offerings different from what’s currently available – amid a reshuffling.
And in Lookout’s Community Voices opinion section, Dientes Community Dental CEO Laura Marcus writes about what’s at stake for county residents as California’s budget process ramps up. Medi-Cal dental benefits are again at risk amid a challenging fiscal outlook, she warns.
To the headlines!
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New year kicks off with more West Cliff erosion as another chunk tumbles into the bay
A section of coastal bluff near Getchell Street crumbled onto the shore beneath it on Saturday. Although the pedestrian path is expected to remain open, Santa Cruz officials are monitoring the area and will implement more safety measures if needed. Max Chun has the latest.
Abbott Square seeks two new food tenants as popular downtown market shuffles stalls
Abbott Square is seeking two new, distinct food or drink tenants to fill recently vacated stalls. General manager Joey Ward is crowdsourcing ideas for cuisines the market doesn’t yet offer, and aims to bring in businesses ready to open quickly and complement the downtown Santa Cruz market’s independent lineup. More here from Lily Belli.
DAILY DIGEST
➤ NEWSMAKERS 2025: Read more in the series here
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Thank you for reading – enjoy the Tuesday sunshine.
Will McCahill