Sunday Reads: Alley Oop’s speakeasy style; UCSC’s new second-in-command; pre-election housing primer

Alley Oop opens in downtown Santa Cruz with vintage cocktails and speakeasy style

A new downtown Santa Cruz cocktail lounge, Alley Oop, has transformed the former Poet & Patriot pub into a polished, speakeasy-style bar with a focus on vintage drinks and small plates. Owner Max Turigliatto, who previously revamped Mission West, has created a high-demand destination that blends classic cocktails, a curated menu and a sense of surprise for guests. Here’s Lily Belli’s review.

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OPINION: Getting our housing facts straight before Santa Cruz votes

Housing is taking center stage in Santa Cruz County’s June primaries and November elections, writes housing activist and former Santa Cruz mayor Don Lane. He worries that community debates are often clouded by misinformation. In a Community Voices op-ed, he argues that many new downtown Santa Cruz developments are in fact affordable and part of a long-overdue housing push. He points to decades of underbuilding as the root of today’s shortage and rising costs. As voters head to the polls, he urges a fact-based conversation about who gets to live in the community. Read Lane’s opinion piece here.

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

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