Good morning! It’s Monday, April 20, and after a sunnyish start, clouds are forecast to move in around Santa Cruz County, with rain likely in the afternoon and evening as we enter another stretch of unsettled weather.
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A double dose of Max Chun starts us off this Monday. With the June 2 primary election approaching, he caught up with Scott Newsome, running for reelection to the District 4 seat on the Santa Cruz City Council. Newsome touted success in housing construction and affordability in making his case for a second term.
In his weekly Carmageddon column, meanwhile, Max reports that the Capitola City Council has decided against spending big to relocate the crumbling Grand Avenue walking path above the bay on Depot Hill. “I’d love to see the pathway back there, but Mother Nature is moving along and taking its course,” said Councilmember Susan Westman. “I don’t think we want to put projects in the [capital improvement plans] that are not going to be realistic in the future.”
A town hall and concert planned for next weekend is taking aim at the Trump administration’s plans to open California’s coastal waters to oil drilling and mining, Mat Weir reports. “What we’ve seen with this administration is, if you don’t stand up to them they’ll do whatever they want, even if it’s illegal,” said County Supervisor Justin Cummings, one of the speakers at Sunday’s Save the Bay event. “It’s critical we take the threat seriously.”
The Monday headlines also include Lily Belli’s story on an app that’s helping reduce food waste at local restaurants while giving customers some steep discounts – away we go.
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Scott Newsome, seeking second term, points to successes in housing construction, passing Measure C, preserving affordability
Scott Newsome’s Santa Cruz City Council district, District 4, has seen much change over the past four years, with many new housing developments beginning and finishing construction. It’s also faced adversity, particularly the partial collapse of the wharf. But he says his successes in helping downtown residents preserve affordability and his role in passing Measure C show he’s fit for a second term. Here’s more from Max Chun.
Carmageddon: Capitola won’t rebuild Grand Avenue pathway; free Metro fares for Earth Day
The Capitola City Council will not relocate the eroded Grand Avenue pathway on Depot Hill, opting instead to look at minor improvements to the area to maintain public access. Lots more on Santa Cruz County traffic and transit in Max Chun’s weekly column.
DAILY DIGEST
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Wishing us all a smooth Monday, and thanks for reading.
Will McCahill







