Good morning to you, Santa Cruz County. It’s Wednesday, April 30, and indeed, the month is going out like a lamb, with a mix of fog and sunshine and temperatures from the lower 60s to mid-70s.
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Proposed cuts at Santa Cruz County’s Health Services Agency were on the agenda at Tuesday’s meeting of the county board of supervisors, Christopher Neely reports, with pushback from community members and staff providing a possible preview of what promises to be a tough budget process later this year.
Max Chun reports on a move by local fire districts to explore a merger, with chiefs from the City of Santa Cruz, Central Fire and Scotts Valley agencies pointing to improved response and possible financial savings as upsides.
A Watsonville cemetery’s limit on certain gravesite decorations is drawing opposition from some whose loved ones are buried there, Tania Ortiz reports. There’s an online petition urging Pajaro Valley Memorial Park to rescind the move; the park’s owner says the rules have been on the books for some time but not always enforced.
The Wednesday headlines also include Jessica M. Pasko’s weekly look around Santa Cruz County business, including an honor – and cash award – for local nonprofit Homeless Garden Project. Onward.
‘This doesn’t end here’: Proposed layoffs, program cuts set off fight between the county and its largest union
As Santa Cruz County considers health department layoffs and service cuts, community members and staff warn of serious consequences — including risks to suicide prevention and recovery programs — setting the stage for a contentious budget process this June. Christopher Neely on Tuesday’s board of supervisors meeting.
Watsonville cemetery’s rules limiting gravesite decorations spur online backlash
Pajaro Valley Memorial Park’s decision to ask families to remove some decorations on gravesites has sparked an online petition calling on the cemetery to stop the policy. The cemetery’s owner said while the policy isn’t new, it hasn’t been enforced for several years. Read more from Tania Ortiz.
DAILY DIGEST
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Have an excellent Wednesday!
Will McCahill