Morning Lookout: UCSC grad students protest again, Project Roomkey funding
Good Morning! It’s Wednesday, October 27 and there will be some patchy fog before 10 a.m. followed by a sunny day with a high of 76. With pleasant weather again, it’s hard to believe there was so much inclement weather just a day ago. Check out this cool 30-second view of the radar as it monitored the atmospheric river storm from earlier this week.
UC Santa Cruz grad students are protesting once again, this time with two main demands including an increased housing stipend. Meanwhile, as Project Roomkey runs out of federal funding, organizers are working hard to find stable, permanent housing options.
Here’s a look at your headlines:
UC Santa Cruz grad students demand increased housing stipend, recognition of UC student researchers union
In a rally on the UCSC campus Tuesday, graduate students had two main purposes: demand both that UC Santa Cruz administration triple their housing stipend and that the UC system recognize the unionizing of student researchers. Read more about what transpired from our Hillary Ojeda here.
RELATED: How two new UCSC student-led groups are trying to tackle the housing crisis (Hillary Ojeda / Lookout Santa Cruz)
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The need for a supplemental water supply in Santa Cruz during dry years has only grown with the increased impacts of...
As Project Roomkey comes to an end, work continues to find permanent housing for the most vulnerable
Project Roomkey helped house hundreds of people in Santa Cruz County who were experiencing homelessness during the pandemic, but federal funding is due to run out by year’s end. Those involved say they are working as hard as they can to find stable housing for as many people as possible. Read more from Lookout contributor Hanna Merzbach here.
$800K federal grant bolsters county efforts to prevent domestic violence-related suicide
With Santa Cruz County’s suicide rate around 50% higher than the state average, the county will use the federal funds to collaborate with local partners to expand on services, including emergency housing assistance and counseling. Read more from our Grace Stetson here.
COVID 2021
UPDATE — Approval one step closer for Pfizer vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds; here’s what to expect in Santa Cruz: Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration advisory panel endorsed Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds. As the FDA prepares to give full approval, Santa Cruz county officials and parents are not only preparing for the influx of people seeking appointments but are also adjusting to a new phase of the pandemic. Read more about local efforts from our Hillary Ojeda here.
Which COVID-19 vaccine booster shot should I get? Here’s how to choose: Federal health officials aren’t giving any specific recommendations, but there are options for COVID-19 boosters available. Since it’s OK to mix and match COVID-19 vaccines, it raises the question: Which booster is the best option? Read more here.
A second Northern California In-N-Out is forced to close for violating COVID-19 rules: Officials in Northern California closed a second Bay Area In-N-Out Burger restaurant yesterday after employees repeatedly failed to check customers eating indoors for proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative coronavirus test result. The closure is the latest salvo in a conflict between the fast-food chain and San Francisco Bay Area public health officials. Read more here.
READ ALSO: In-N-Out Burger’s fight over COVID vaccination rules could be start of bigger battle (LA Times)
Airy & bright in Aptos: Take a virtual tour of 481 Poppy Way
Airy & bright in Aptos: Take a virtual tour of 481 Poppy Way
Quick Take
Located in Aptos, CA this 4 bed, 3 bath home stuns with vaulted ceilings, an open floor plan, and large windows. Call...
Silicon Valley updates
Facebook, Netflix protests show tech workers aren’t afraid to take complaints public: Silicon Valley long had a keep-it-in-the-family ethos. But recent episodes at Facebook and Netflix suggest employees seeking change from the inside face daunting obstacles — unless they’re willing to go public. “Executives and upper management often come from a tradition that expects workers to check their personal lives and opinions at the door. Rank-and-file workers, especially millennials and Gen Z-ers, aren’t willing to make those kinds of compromises.” Read more here.
America ‘on fire’: Facebook watched as Trump post ignited hate during Floyd protests: Leaked Facebook documents provide a first-hand look at how President Donald Trump’s social media posts ignited more anger in an already divided country that was eventually lit “on fire” with reports of hate speech and violence across the platform. Facebook’s internal, automated controls predicted with almost 90% certainty that Trump’s message broke the tech company’s rules against inciting violence. Yet, the tech giant didn’t take any action. Read more from the Associated Press here.
Around the county...
Santa Cruz Neighborhood Courts program aims to expand in year two (Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Watsonville Pilots Association sues City over housing project (The Pajaronian)
Anti-vaccine protestors disrupt meeting in Santa Cruz (KSBW-TV)
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Have a great day!
Tulsi Kamath
Lookout Santa Cruz
Quick Take
As of September 2021, only 73 advisors have earned the designation in the State of California. Sam Solgan of Bay Federal...
