Morning Lookout: Good day for expert surfers, new report impacts CZU rebuilding process
Good Morning! It’s Wednesday, September 29, and it will be another sunny day with a high of 74.
For the past several months, Cabrillo College officials have conducted listening sessions to hear from the community about potentially changing the name of the community college. Tomorrow, you will have one last chance to weigh in. And in a meeting yesterday, the County Board of Supervisors evaluated the findings of a report and addressed how the findings could affect options for CZU families in the rebuilding process.
In national news, pop star Britney Spears is headed to court again today in what could be a pivotal day for the end of her 13-year conservatorship. While the details of her case are unique, one psychiatrist talks about how anyone could find themselves in a similarly tough situation.
There’s a lot of news to cover but let’s start with something more fun:
PHOTOS: Surf season opens with first solid northwest groundswell of the fall
The ocean was alive yesterday as the first Northern Hemisphere groundswell of the fall poured into the nooks and crannies of the Santa Cruz County coastline. It was a day for only the experts and Lookout’s Kevin Painchaud was there to capture the scene.
Quick Take
Santa Cruz’s population is using about the same amount of water in 2021 as in 1981, despite growing by about 30,000...
‘Your responsibility, your duty’: Board makes covenant tweaks; homeowners, realty experts still concerned
At yesterday’s meeting of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, Supervisor Bruce McPherson led a discussion to evaluate the findings of an independent study addressing hazard zones in the CZU burn scar area. The results of the report led to the board making small amendments to the proposed covenant language — if not enough to make many homeowners, or realtors, brokers and lenders, feel any better. Read more from our Grace Stetson here.
Want to weigh in about a Cabrillo College name change? Final community session set for tomorrow
Over the past few months, Cabrillo College officials have held a series of forums regarding a potential name change. Proponents say the college’s namesake enslaved Indigenous people and should no longer be honored. Opponents worry about the impact on their degrees and the cost — which could run up to $400,000. Read more from Lookout contributor Hanna Merzbach here.
Cabrillo College receives $5 million grant to assist Latino and low-income STEM majors
Community college officials announced yesterday that it had received a five-year, $5 million federal grant to boost its STEM programs as well as its outreach to Latinos and low-income students. The money will be used to encourage Pajaro Valley Unified School District students to enter STEM fields, create a new biotechnology degree and improve transfer rates to four-year universities. Read more from Hanna here.
From ‘sizzling to ho-hum’: How Delta cooled California’s economic outlook
NEW THIS MORNING: Remember when the economic recovery in California and the nation was going to seem like the Roaring ‘20s? That was what forecasters predicted nine months ago. Just three months ago, it was expected to be “boom time for the U.S. economy.” But the Delta variant has upended the calculations of forecasters and a quarterly forecast from UCLA released today says the outlook has gone from “sizzling to ho-hum.” Read more about why that is and what it means.
Opening doors, creating space: The MAH needs community support
Opening doors, creating space: The MAH needs community support
Quick Take
Learn more about the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH) and how to support and connect with this center for...
Why many California students keep missing school
Many California school districts are experiencing a massive uptick in chronic absenteeism — students who miss more than 10% of school days. Experts say the staggering numbers are due partly to kids in quarantine. Another possible reason for the skyrocketing absenteeism: a surge in families who want their children to continue learning remotely. Read more here.
The part of the ‘Free Britney’ saga that could happen to anyone
When Britney Spears last went before a judge, in June, she bristled as she told of being forced into psychiatric care that cost her $60,000 a month. Though the pop star’s circumstances in a financial conservatorship are unusual, every year hundreds of thousands of other psychiatric patients also receive involuntary care, and many are stuck with the bill. Few have Spears’ resources to pay for it, which can have devastating consequences. Read more from a psychiatrist who wrote about this for Lookout partner Kaiser Health News here.
Around the county...
SC Warriors celebrate start of new G League season (The Pajaronian)
Santa Cruz households could be reimbursed for wildfire preparations (KION-TV)
Santa Cruz students call for defunding oil, gas investments (Santa Cruz Sentinel)
That’s it for today. If you’re enjoying our coverage, please tell your family and friends about our Lookout Newsletter & Text Center, where they can sign up for all the newsletters and alerts we offer. You can also keep tabs on everything we’re publishing through the day by bookmarking our website and following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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Have a great day!
Tulsi Kamath
Lookout Santa Cruz
