Good morning! It is Wednesday, April 1, and Santa Cruz County will again be dodging raindrops, with chances of precipitation highest in the afternoon and temperatures topping out in the upper 50s to mid-60s.
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We’ve got a pair of stories this morning on the battery storage facility proposed outside of Watsonville. Tania Ortiz reports that with Santa Cruz County still in the process of developing its own regulations, the company behind the proposal is officially exploring the path to state approval, potentially bypassing local laws. Safety issues, meanwhile, are the focus for Dieter Holger, who reports that though experts in the field say new battery technology is much safer than what burned last year at Moss Landing, some locals aren’t as sanguine.
Max Chun was on hand last night as the Santa Cruz County Democratic Central Committee heard from local candidates and weighed endorsements. DCC members gave incumbents Justin Cummings and Felipe Hernandez the thumbs-up in their respective county supervisor races, but couldn’t reach consensus on a crowded Santa Cruz mayoral race or in a pair of Santa Cruz City Council contests.
As we flip the calendar to April, Lily Belli looks back on the best things she ate in March. From a hard-to-find rustic French loaf and farmers market French toast to a Westside pizza newcomer and downtown gelato, come hungry and leave happy.
To the headlines!
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Battery storage developer officially exploring path to state approval for Watsonville facility, a move that could bypass local laws
New Leaf Energy, the developer behind a proposed battery storage facility near Watsonville, confirmed to Lookout that it is officially exploring a path to approval from the California Energy Commission as opposed to seeking approval from Santa Cruz County. Tania Ortiz has the latest.
The best things I ate and drank in Santa Cruz County in March
March’s warm weather coincided with a strong showing from Santa Cruz County’s food scene, with several standout dishes highlighting local bakeries, markets and new restaurants. The list of the best things food and drink correspondent Lily Belli ate last month features an olive fougasse from Melo Bread in Watsonville, focaccia French toast at Melrose Café at Santa Cruz farmers markets, a kimchi-topped pie at Pogonip Pizza and an original gelato flavor Gran Gelato Caffè in downtown Santa Cruz. Dig in here.
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Keep your April 1 skepticism handy today, and thanks for reading.
Will McCahill