Quick Take:
Nestled in Happy Valley between Granite and Branciforte Creeks, this stately Victorian home will take your breath away....
Good Morning! It’s Tuesday, June 22 and it will be another cloudy day with a high of 67.
Later today, the Santa Cruz City Council is considering a sales tax hike, which if passed would come before voters in an election later this year. Meanwhile, state officials cleared a homeless encampment on state-owned land near Highway 1 and the Santa Cruz Memorial Cemetery yesterday. And finally, in-person hoops are returning to Santa Cruz, the Warriors announced yesterday.
And before we get to your news: If you want to stay abreast of all the big goings-on as they’re happening, I suggest you sign up for our free Breaking News Text Alerts here or text the word BREAKING to (831) 387-7662.
Let’s dive in:
Santa Cruz sales tax hike: What $6M proposal means for city and when you get your say
A half-cent could go a long way for the City of Santa Cruz. Today, Santa Cruz City Council will vote on increasing the sales and use tax rate — a proposed revenue measure officials hope could help rejuvenate the local economy and boost infrastructure. If passed, residents will have to vote on the ordinance in an election later this year. Read more about how it will impact you from our Neil Strebig here.
In-person hoops again? Santa Cruz Warriors announce six home games for upcoming G League season
Basketball will officially be back in Santa Cruz come November. The Santa Cruz Warriors announced plans for six home games at Kaiser Permanente Arena later this year and early next. Fans and attendees can also expect the Warriors’ home-game giveaway for the first 1,000 fans in attendance. Read more here.
Caltrans moves to clear ‘Hell’s Trail’ encampment alongside Highway 1
After warning residents of the settlement last week to vacate the area, Caltrans moved in Monday to clear the site on the state-owned property between Highway 1 and the Santa Cruz Memorial cemetery. Read more and see photos from our photo contributor Kevin Painchaud here.
COVID 2021 Updates
California’s digital COVID-19 vaccination record has glitches. Here’s how to fix yours: When California officials unveiled a new system to provide digital COVID-19 vaccine records last week, they billed it as a convenience, an easy way for residents to demonstrate and verify their inoculation status. But the offering has not been without hiccups. Already, the state has received nearly 70,000 troubleshooting forms by residents looking to correct or complete their information. Read more here.
‘It’s very concerning’: COVID-19 might shrink parts of the brain, scientists say: A new study suggests that COVID-19 might shrink parts of the brain. The study‘s results were mentioned by former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb on the Sunday news program “Face the Nation” on CBS as another example of why it is so important that unvaccinated people get inoculated. Read more here.
READ ALSO: Need mental health help? There are apps for that, but picking the right one is tough (LA Times)
Around the state…
Graduate student researchers at University of California seek union representation: Across the University of California, teaching assistants and tutors are unionized, but graduate student researchers are not. That could soon change after organizers filed more than 10,000 signed union authorization cards with the California Public Employment Relations Board last month. Read more here.
READ ALSO: Another UC strike looming? Clouds gather at UCSC, elsewhere as lecturers authorize walkout (Lookout Santa Cruz)
Will California’s eviction moratorium be extended beyond June 30? For the third time during the pandemic, California legislators have pushed off a huge, looming question to the last minute: Will the state shield tenants from eviction? The answer, most likely, is yes, but for how long and under what terms is still up in the air. Several lawmakers told CalMatters a decision could come late this week. Read more here.
Around the county…
Motorcyclist seriously injured in wreck in Watsonville (The Pajaronian)
Santa Cruz County Fair is a go for September (Santa Cruz Sentinel)
SVUSD kids worry of discrimination, survey finds (Scotts Valley Press-Banner)
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Have a great day!
Tulsi Kamath
Managing Editor