Hello, readers. It’s Thursday, Nov. 12, and the forecast is for a mostly cloudy day, with highs in the 60s to low 70s, around Santa Cruz County as we enter a stretch of unsettled weather, about which more below.
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Kate Lipsky has plenty of details on what’s ahead, with rain forecast clear through the weekend and heavy surf predicted. A beach hazards statement – meaning possible sneaker waves and rip currents – is in effect until 6 p.m. tomorrow, with the National Weather Service following that with a high surf warning to run from Friday evening to Sunday morning.
With most of the votes counted, Ryan Coonerty declared victory yesterday in the race for Santa Cruz mayor, Hillary Ojeda reports. Opponent Ami Chen Mills wrote on social media that she faces a “very steep — almost sheer vertical climb” and told Lookout that her campaign is waiting to comment on the race until the next vote update, slated for around 4 p.m. Friday.
An E. coli outbreak that has sickened nine children across the Bay Area, including four Santa Cruz County residents, shut Capitola Beach on Wednesday, Tania Ortiz reports. Public health officials are investigating a “potentially serious strain” of the bacteria and have conducted environmental testing around Soquel Creek and Capitola Beach.
The fate of the provost house at UC Santa Cruz’s Cowell College is in focus in Lookout’s Community Voices opinion section, with Cowell alum and Silicon Valley attorney George M. Kraw writing that rather than letting another historic building deteriorate, the university should invest in turning it into an event center for the campus and community.
That and more awaits in the Thursday morning headlines, but first, today’s Lookout List reveal:
⭐ Where should you head in Santa Cruz County when you have little ones or little dogs to keep busy? These winners and runners-up of the Lookout List: Family & Pets categories are for those of us who are wrangling toddlers and/or tortoises around town.
➡️ Explore the winners in our Family & Pets categories here and keep an eye out as we announce our winners through this week and next.
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Santa Cruz County braces for heavy rain, dangerous surf as waves could reach 30 feet
It’s looking like an indoor weekend for Santa Cruz County residents, with rain in the forecast and coastal hazard warnings issued. Kate Lipsky has a look at what’s ahead.
Ryan Coonerty declares victory in Santa Cruz mayor’s race as vote count nears end
Ryan Coonerty declared victory Wednesday in the Santa Cruz mayor’s race, with more than 97% of the votes counted and a 1,685-vote lead over Ami Chen Mills. Get the latest on the race from Hillary Ojeda.
➤ ELECTION CENTRAL: Read all of Lookout’s free coverage here
DAILY DIGEST
We’re closing in on a welcome weekend, and our cheat sheet to going out and eating well around Santa Cruz County, in the form of Weekender, is among what’s still coming from Lookout today. Sign up here for that and all of our many other newsletters, plus breaking news alerts via email – all free. Download the Lookout Santa Cruz app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, with optional breaking news notifications in addition to all of our award-winning local coverage, games and more. Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram and Threads are where you’ll find Lookout on social media.
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Thank you for reading – please play it safe out there as the rainy weather moves in.
Will McCahill