Homeless encampment at San Lorenzo Park
(Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
Lookout PM Archive

LOOKOUT PM: How the city plans to spend $14.6 million on homelessness

Happy Tuesday evening, folks.

How will the city of Santa Cruz spend $14.6 million of state funds on homelessness? That was a key topic of discussion today at Santa Cruz City Council, where a three-year plan was outlined in detail. And, as expected, the future of the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line will go to a countywide vote in June.

To all of the headlines du jour we go ...

How will Santa Cruz spend $14.6 million in state homelessness funding?

A scene at the homeless encampment at San Lorenzo Park on Dec. 23, 2021.
(Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Lookout Update: The state has given the city $14.6 million in one-year funding to better address the homelessness crisis. On Tuesday, city officials started to lay out how that money will be used. More from Grace Stetson here.

LOOKOUT’S UNHOUSED SANTA CRUZ SERIES

Cruz coffee shoes, the return of reusables and Big Basin’s downtown move

Lily Belli on Food: Don’t forget your coffee cup next time you visit your favorite coffeehouse: Under a new ordinance, you may receive a 25-cent discount — or be assessed a 25-cent fee if you forget. Starting today, we will once again be able to bring in reusable containers and cups to restaurants and cafés in the city of Santa Cruz, and the city is encouraging us to do so. That and a ton more from Lily here.

ICYMI: Chicken Foot fundraises for Ukraine; Venus releases California-grown agave spirit

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California surpasses 9 million coronavirus cases, equal to nearly 1 in 4 residents

A life guard keeps watch on the crowd of people on Tuesday, June 15, 2021 in Huntington Beach

What it means: The case count is larger than the combined population of San Diego, Orange and Riverside counties, and equivalent to nearly 25% of Californians testing positive at some point in the past two-plus years. More from the LA Times here.

ALSO: Tests, vaccines and ... IVs? CruzMedMo’s service expansion includes IV therapy (Lookout)

AND: The NFL has been using an unproven measure to get players with COVID back on the field fast (Times)

Biden blocks Russian oil imports in latest round of sanctions on Kremlin

President Joe Biden speaks at the White House
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

The story President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the U.S. will ban Russian oil imports, the latest sanction against the Kremlin over its unprovoked war in Ukraine. More from the Times here.

ALSO: How high could gas prices go? More pain at the pump likely coming (Times)

Ukraine wants a no-fly zone. Why do the U.S. and NATO reject the idea?

Families try to evacuate as Russian forces bombard the town of Irpin, Ukraine, with artillery on Sunday.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Why not a no-fly: A no-fly zone to protect Ukraine from Putin’s bombs would involve complex ground operations and risk U.S.-Russian conflict and wider war in Europe. More from the Times here.

➤ CREATIVE JOBS FOR HANDS-ON WORKERS: See all the most recent listings here.

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‘I want to donate to the Ukrainian military’

WESTWOOD, CA -

Crowdfunding becomes part of Ukraine’s arsenal: Americans and other outsiders are helping Ukraine mount a crowdfunding war online. As the U.S. government and other NATO powers send weapons to Ukraine and impose economic sanctions on Russia, many private citizens, companies and others sympathetic to Ukraine have been waging a parallel effort online to, directly and indirectly, contribute to the country’s resistance and humanitarian efforts. More from the Times here.

Q&A: Darrie Ganzhorn, hunger fighter of the year

Homeless Garden Project director Darrie Ganzhorn speaks at Second Harvest's annual awards dinner last week.
(Via Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County)

What it means: 2021 produced unprecedented hunger in Santa Cruz County. Among those recognized by Second Harvest Food Bank for helping meet the need is the longtime leader of the Homeless Garden Project, Darrie Ganzhorn. More from Christian Abraham here.

More from here & elsewhere

Branciforte fire formalizes intent to merge with Scotts Valley fire (Sentinel)
Santa Cruz O’Neill Sea Odyssey hires new executive director (Sentinel)
Man, woman found dead outside Rodeway Inn (Pajaronian)
Calif. brewery’s legal battle with beer giant heads to court (SF Gate)
Last Woolworth’s diner, in Central California, to be restored (SF Gate)
Blockbuster trade: Pro Bowl QB Wilson dealt to Broncos in stunner (USA Today)

That’s it for a beautiful Tuesday evening in March. Tomorrow we will get over the mid-week hump together, y’all.

Mark Conley
Deputy Managing Editor