Good morning! It’s March 11 — here’s what’s going on in your community today…
Sunny and pleasant in Westside / Downtown
Today will be pleasant with plenty of sunshine. The high will be 75 with a low of 49. Allergy sufferers beware: there are high amounts of tree pollen in the air.
Looking ahead: Pleasant this weekend
Westside / Downtown news
Pogonip Pizza opens near UCSC with creative pies and bike-friendly vibe; Wonderfil targets single-use plastics; Tesla coming to Capitola; new local businesses include Redwood Plumbing, Painted Pony Cookie Company, and Little Acorns Montessori.
Pogonip Pizza debuts near UC Santa Cruz with bold toppings and a nod to Santa Cruz bike culture
By Lily Belli
Mar 11, 2026
Debbie Friedman brings story of California’s first women lifeguards to life in new memoir
By Cecilia Schutz
Mar 11, 2026
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What’s new around you
▼︎ police incidents ▼︎ food inspections
Read on to see the details about each item…
Roadwork is affecting traffic in the region
- South Highway 9 at Lorenzo Avenue in San Lorenzo Valley has one-way traffic because of emergency work. This closure will last until April 1 at 3:59 p.m.
- Traffic control on Highway 9 in Felton between Graham Hill Rd. and the San Lorenzo Valley schools complex will continue with both daytime and overnight work from Sunday, March 8, through Friday morning this week. Crews are building sidewalks, curb ramps, driveways, and retaining walls in the area.
- CHP helped with construction work at the intersection of Highway 1 South and the Buena Vista Drive offramp in Watsonville / Pajaro. The assistance was scheduled from 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. today.
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.
- Pana at 725 Front St. Unit 102, Santa Cruz, passed a county health inspection on March 9 with no critical issues.
Community crime report
- A person was arrested for assaulting someone with a weapon, holding them against their will, and violating parole. The incident happened near the 300 Block of Jessie St., Santa Cruz, around 4 a.m. on March 7. (source)
- An assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism, and DUI incident occurred near the 100 Block of Leibrandt Ave., Santa Cruz. The incident happened at 1 p.m. on March 7. Police took statements from witnesses and made an arrest. (source)
- A person was arrested for domestic battery after pushing his girlfriend to the ground. The incident happened near the 100 Block of Cliff St., Santa Cruz at 9 p.m. on March 7. (source)
- A person was arrested for stealing property of high value and for drug-related offenses. The incident happened near the 300 Block of Lincoln St., Santa Cruz. It occurred at 8 a.m. on March 7. (source)
- A burglary was reported near the 100 Block of Ladera Dr, Santa Cruz at 8 a.m. on March 9. (source)
- A person was arrested for having methamphetamine with the intent to sell it and for giving false identification to police. The incident happened near the 100 Block of Coral St., Santa Cruz, at 2 p.m. on March 9. (source)
- A person was arrested for having and buying drugs to sell, and for an outstanding felony warrant. The incident happened near the 100 Block of S River St., Santa Cruz, at 7 p.m. on March 8. (source)
- A person was cited and released for outstanding felony warrants related to failing to appear in court on a felony charge. The incident happened near the 700 Block of River St., Santa Cruz at 10 a.m. on March 7. (source)
- A person was arrested for resisting or obstructing a police officer and having a substance similar to toluene. The incident happened near the 200 Block of Center St., Santa Cruz at 5 p.m. on March 9. (source)
- A man stole a shoe from a store and ran from police. He was arrested for petty theft with previous offenses and for resisting or obstructing an officer. The incident happened near the 1000 Block of Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, at 2 p.m. on March 9. (source)
- A person was arrested for being under the influence of drugs and taken to a recovery center. The incident happened near Mission St. eastbound at Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz, at 7 a.m. on March 9. (source)
- A person was arrested for being drunk in public and taken to a recovery center. The incident happened near the 500 Block of Front St., Santa Cruz, at 11 a.m. on March 9. (source)
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.