Morning Lookout: Election day is here; anonymous complaints jolt NuBo
Good morning, Santa Cruz County! Today is Tuesday, June 7, the last day to vote in the primary election. The weather shouldn’t stop you, with the forecast calling for a mostly sunny day (marine layer permitting) with highs in the 70s and 80s.
Late Monday evening, Santa Cruz Couty Clerk Tricia Webber relayed to our Mark Conley that voter turnout was at 18% with just more than 24 hours to go before polls close. The record low for a primary was 34%, back in 2014. Will a late surge help us avoid the wrong kind of history tonight?
Lookout will be closely following that storyline, and all of the others, and relaying the latest news to you in real time. Follow our Election Night Live coverage via website, Facebook and Twitter, and via our correspondents on social media:
- Max Chun on Twitter
- Mark Conley on Twitter
- Hillary Ojeda on Twitter
- Kevin Painchaud on Instagram
- Grace Stetson on Twitter and Instagram
If you’re headed out to the polls today (they’re open until 8 p.m., by the way), be sure to check out all of Lookout’s local election coverage in one spot with our election guide. You’ll find news on the candidates and ballot measures, including a section on Measure D, and opinion about all of it in our Community Voices opinion forum.
Construction well underway on new student housing at UC Santa Cruz
Construction well underway on new student housing at UC Santa Cruz
All that isn’t to say I don’t have other headlines for you this morning. Anonymous complaints have forced Pleasure Point’s New Bohemia Brewing Co. to scale back barbecue, outdoor seating and other pandemic adaptations, Lily Belli reports. Lily also has a Q&A with John Harry, the chef who’s leading the new Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen Beachside on the Esplanade in Rio Del Mar.
And with election day offering an excellent time for reflection, Buddhist monastic Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi writes that we all can do better at handling conflict in a Community Voices op-ed.
OK, now to those headlines ...
Election day is finally upon us
Measure D. County supervisors. State Assembly. Statewide races for governor and attorney general. There’s lots on the ballot today, so fill up on Lookout’s coverage before you head to the polls.
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- Executive Director at Housing Santa Cruz County
- Manager, Athletic Training at Cabrillo College
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Anonymous complaints have curtailed New Bohemia’s outdoor business, cost it $25,000 and forced layoffs
With outdoor operations all the rage under COVID, will New Bohemia Brewing Company’s struggles be shared by others? Lily Belli reports on NuBo’s situation and what it could mean for other local businesses.
➤ MORE ON PARKLETS: Outdoor dining to stay in downtown Santa Cruz (Lookout)
Smack-dab beachside: Chef John Harry matches low country eats to the bay at second Venus
Our wealth of fresh organic produce enticed John Harry, the new chef of Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen Beachside, to California. Now, the veteran of Alderwood and Post Ranch Inn is working to create a novel taste for Santa Cruz County on the Esplanade in Rio Del Mar. Harry talked to Lily Belli about his vision for the new spot.
➤ MORE LOOKOUT Q&As: Check out all our interviews with Santa Cruz newsmakers here
What does Measure D have in common with your neighbor’s barking dog?
Elections offer an excellent time for reflection, and in a Community Voices op-ed, Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi, a Buddhist monastic who teaches courses on compassion, says we all can do better at handling conflict. She works at the Conflict Resolution Center of Santa Cruz County and offers several examples — from a barking dog to Measure D — to showcase how we can reduce animosity in our lives. Read her full opinion piece here.
➤ EXPLORE COMMUNITY VOICES: Find op-eds, letters to the editor and more in Santa Cruz’s new opinion forum
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON STUDENT ACCESS
COVID Dashboard: Finally, a welcome dip in COVID, statewide and in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County saw one more death in the past week, bringing the pandemic total to 263, but cases numbers are falling locally and across California after the most recent surge. Get the latest data here.
➤ OVER THE HILL: Alameda County reinstates mask order as coronavirus cases soar (Los Angeles Times)
1% for Good: local company’s quest to make a difference celebrates ten-year anniversary
1% for Good: local company’s quest to make a difference celebrates ten-year anniversary
Third Santa Cruz Starbucks votes in favor of unionization
The Starbucks store on 41st Avenue and Clares Street voted in favor of forming a union. It is the third store in Santa Cruz County and the sixth store in California to do so. Max Chun has the details.
➤ FROM MAY: Two Santa Cruz Starbucks vote in favor of unionization, a first in California (Lookout)
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Around the county ...
➤ Santa Cruz County community remembers fallen deputy on two-year anniversary (Santa Cruz Sentinel)
➤ Scotts Valley drinking water plant upgrades unveiled (The Press Banner)
➤ PG&E ushers in landmark battery energy storage system at Moss Landing (Monterey Herald)
That’s all for right now ... but did I mention there’s an election today? Keep tabs into the evening by bookmarking our website and following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for election night coverage. And we’re just hours away from another edition of Lily Belli on Food, which you can get delivered right to your inbox (along with breaking news alerts and our other newsletters) by visiting our Lookout Newsletter & Text Center.
And just as voting and participating in the political process are key to keeping our democracy strong, so too is local journalism — so if you’re not already, please consider becoming a Lookout member. Our content isn’t possible without community support.
Go vote if you haven’t already, have a great Tuesday, and I’ll be back tomorrow morning to get you all caught up.
Will McCahill
Lookout Santa Cruz
