Westside / Downtown Neighborhood Newsletter for Monday, December 15

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Good morning! It’s December 15 — here’s what’s going on in your community today…

Fog will lift this morning in Westside / Downtown

Today will be fog will dissipate this morning; mostly sunny. The high will be 63 with a low of 46. Fog now, changing to mostly sunny at 1 p.m.

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Westside / Downtown news

Downtown Santa Cruz’s transformation continues into 2026 amid controversy over The Catalyst building and anticipation for the new library, now expected in 2028, with key redevelopment projects progressing.

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What’s new around you

▼︎ police incidents   ▼︎ food inspections   ▼︎ events

Read on to see the details about each item…

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Things to do in Westside / Downtown

Add an event to our calendar

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Roadwork is affecting traffic in the region

• There is a one-way traffic closure on southbound Highway 9 at Lorenzo Avenue in San Lorenzo Valley because of emergency work. The closure is expected to end at 3:59 p.m. on April 1, 2026.
   
• There is one-way traffic control on Highway 9 at Bear Creek Road in San Lorenzo Valley because of ongoing work. The closure is expected to end at 3:59 p.m. today.
   

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Restaurant inspections

County officials regularly inspect food facilities to ensure compliance with state laws. Here, Lookout Santa Cruz reports both those who have passed the inspections and those that the county deems to have a “major” issue. The county’s full ongoing report can be accessed here.

• Shun Feng Restaurant at 420 River St. Ste A, Santa Cruz, passed a county health inspection on December 11 with no critical issues.
   
• Makai at 49a Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, passed a county health inspection on December 11 with no critical issues.
   

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Community crime report

• A hate crime involving a deadly weapon (not a firearm), violation of civil rights by force or threat, and battery was reported near the 300 Block of Water St., Santa Cruz. The incident happened at 4 p.m. on December 10. (source)
     
• A person was arrested for first degree burglary near the 500 block of Cedar Street in Santa Cruz. The incident happened at 4 p.m. on November 24. (source)
   
• A hit and run causing property damage happened near 259 Water Street in Santa Cruz County on November 24 at 3 p.m. An 82-year-old man from Soquel was arrested for the incident. (source)
   
• A person was arrested for petty theft, having illegal paraphernalia, and possessing a narcotic controlled substance. The incident happened near 701 Ocean St., Santa Cruz County on November 24 at 3 p.m. (source)
   
• A person was arrested for several crimes, including shoplifting with previous offenses, having stolen property worth over $950, possessing illegal paraphernalia, grand theft, having a controlled substance, and having someone else’s personal ID with the intent to commit fraud. The incident happened near 701 Ocean St., Santa Cruz County at 2 p.m. on November 24. (source)
   
• A person was arrested for carrying a hidden knife or dagger and showing a deadly weapon (not a gun). The incident happened near Santa Cruz around noon on November 24. (source)
   
• A person was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with a suspended license, and having an open container in the car. The incident happened near 259 Water Street, Santa Cruz County, at 11 a.m. on November 24. (source)
   
• A person was arrested for having illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, and being under the influence of drugs. The incident happened near 259 Water Street, Santa Cruz County, at 9 a.m. on November 24. (source)
   
• A person was arrested for disorderly conduct related to alcohol near the 400 block of Front Street in Santa Cruz at 9 a.m. on November 24. (source)
   
• A person was arrested for being under the influence of drugs and acting disorderly, as well as assaulting a police officer, firefighter, or EMT. The incident happened near the 100 block of Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz, at 2 p.m. on November 23. The person was released the same day. (source)
   
• A person was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and for violating probation related to DUI. The incident happened near Brookside and Riverside in Santa Cruz County at 11 a.m. on November 23. The person was released with a promise to appear in court. (source)
   
• A report of identity theft, where someone used another person’s identification for credit or other purposes, was taken online. The incident happened near the 1000 Block of Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, at midnight on November 22. (source)
   
• A person was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The incident happened near the 240 block of Mission Street in Santa Cruz at 8 p.m. on November 21. (source)
   
• A person was taken into custody by the court for involuntary manslaughter. The incident happened near 701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz County at 10 a.m. on November 21. (source)
   
• A person was arrested for disorderly conduct while under the influence of drugs. The incident happened near Main St. and Beach St. in Santa Cruz at 6 a.m. on November 21. (source)
   
• A person was arrested for burglary and several drug-related offenses, including having illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia, with previous convictions for similar crimes. The incident happened near Storey/King in Santa Cruz at 5 a.m. on November 21. (source)
   
• A grand theft involving money, labor, or property was reported online. The incident happened near the 1200 Block of Shaffer Rd, Santa Cruz, at midnight on November 21. (source)
    

Note on today’s report: Some of the incidents listed are not recent. This can happen for a couple of reasons: Delays in agency reporting — sometimes officials don’t file reports right away, or agencies release batches of reports weeks later. Delays in public complaints — people may not notice or decide to contact police until some time after an incident. Please contact the responsible law-enforcement agency or your local elected officials if you have concerns about their delay in releasing information.

Disclosure: Traffic incidents and police incidents are partially generated by artificial intelligence. We are constantly working to improve the accuracy and quality of our AI-generated content. However, there may still be errors or inaccuracies. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.