Morning Lookout: Vaccinations to start for youngest kids; Saturn Cafe space to get new life

By Tulsi Kamath

Source: Lookout Santa Cruz

Good Morning! It’s November 4 and it will be partly sunny with a high of 66.

Vaccines are now going to be doled out to some of the youngest in our community, following endorsements by various health expert groups. And while infants and toddlers still can’t get the jab, some parents are extending breastfeeding past the recommended age to ensure their kids are protected.

The empty space where Saturn Cafe used to be will soon get new life and the new duo in charge say “it’s really about uplifting the local community and letting our people shine.” And Ben Lomond raised Taylor Rae’s debut album, “Mad Twenties,” is out and she’s stoked to bring that energy to a homecoming show later this month.

Here are your headlines:

Young children can receive COVID vaccines soon. Here’s what you need to know

Mobile vaccination teams visited LAUSD school campuses to deliver first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccines

California will begin vaccinating young children as soon as today, with the state expecting to receive more than a million doses of COVID-19 vaccine during the first week. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed it and today, the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup — made up of public health experts from California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington — also recommended vaccines for this age group. Read more here.

Breastfeeding and vaxxed: Parents delay weaning children to pass on COVID-19 antibodies

A woman who has received the COVID vaccine breastfeeds her child

Lactating parents in California who are vaccinated for COVID-19 have kept nursing beyond the six-months-to-one-year recommendation out of determination — and fear — that human milk is the best protection they can offer their smallest children until a vaccine is available for them. Read more here.

New law to bring CalFresh food benefits to more college students

Students at Quarry Plaza at UC Santa Cruz

Thousands of college students in California might soon find they qualify for CalFresh, the state’s food program that provides an average of nearly $6 billion annually in benefits, thanks to a recently passed state law. The program is designed to provide money for groceries to California residents, with college students receiving up to $250 per month. Read more here.

No charges for now in fatal Halloween party shooting outside home of Gilroy council member

Downtown Gilroy, photographed on Wednesday, July 31, 2019 in Gilroy

The Santa Clara County district attorney’s office said yesterday it has no plans to file charges against a 19-year-old man arrested in connection with a fatal shooting outside the home of a Gilroy city council member this weekend. Michael Daniel Zuniga-Macias, 18, was killed in the incident reported early Saturday. Three others were injured, two of them severely. Read more here.

Young climate activists warn their elders: Stop destroying the planet

Illustration of three environmental activists surrounded by foliage and greenery.

Young activists are coming of age when the effects of the climate crisis are already being felt — foreshadowing a perilous future. They want the United Nations COP26 summit to reduce global warming. “The Earth is speaking. She tells us that we have no more time.” Read more here.

In Saturn Cafe’s next life, it will be a Drunk Monkey — only now, ‘we can basically do whatever we want’

Dameon Deworken and Mia Thorn are ready to get Cruz Kitchen and Taproom up and running.

Santa Cruzans were stunned when the Saturn Cafe closed its doors for good in April and the space has been empty now for about six months. But it is now getting new life — Dameon Deworken of Drunk Monkeys food truck, along with business partner Mia Thorn, will be taking over the spot and opening a new Asian fusion restaurant to be named Cruz Kitchen and Taproom. Read more from Lookout contributor Max Chun here.

Taylor Rae’s roaring ‘Twenties’: How a Ben Lomond girl positioned herself for music stardom

Taylor Rae’s debut album, “Mad Twenties,” is a collection of songs that displays a wide palette of colors when it comes to relationships, and she’s stoked to bring that energy to a homecoming show Nov. 13 at Moe’s Alley. “I conceptualized it at 21 years old,” she told our Wallace Baine. Read more from him here.

Around the county...

Defendants to stand trial in Santa Cruz entrepreneur murder case (Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Special meeting set to discuss Watsonville city manager appointment (The Pajaronian)

How is the central coast preparing to vaccinate children 5-11 years old (KION-TV)

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.

To ensure you’re staying informed about all the goings-on in Santa Cruz, consider becoming a Lookout member. Our content isn’t possible without community support.

Have a great day!

Tulsi Kamath
Lookout Santa Cruz