Empty voting booths located at the County Clerks office in Downtown Santa Cruz.

Morning Lookout: Election takeaways and hot takes, Sabbah Q&A + libraries guide

By Will McCahill

Source: Lookout Santa Cruz

Greetings, Lookout fam! It’s Thursday, June 9, and at least in spots that shake off the marine layer, Santa Cruz County has a mostly sunny day ahead, with highs ranging from the 70s to the 90s.

We’re still digesting the results of Tuesday’s primary election, but that’s not stopping us from looking ahead. With Yes Greenway defeat conceding on Measure D and November matchups coming into focus in county supervisor and state Assembly races, check out Lookout’s 10 questions on what happens next. And in our Community Voices opinion section, outgoing supervisor Ryan Coonerty offers his hot takes on the election, including why Santa Cruz is like Philadelphia circa 1787, in an op-ed.

Tuesday’s election also brought another four-year term for county schools superintendent Faris Sabbah, and he reflects on his first term and talks about to the challenges ahead, including declining enrollment, in a Q&A with Hillary Ojeda.

And with summer upon us and (I hope) bringing some time for reading, Grace Stetson delivers an update on where the Measure S-funded overhaul of Santa Cruz County public library branches stands, including a reopening on the Westside and a groundbreaking in Aptos.

So step lively, and let’s get to those headlines.

The vote is in: 10 questions on what happens next

No on D leaders (from left) Matt Farrell, Mark Mesiti-Miller and Melani Clark.

Full vote counts from Santa Cruz County’s primary election aren’t expected until Friday, but we’ve seen enough of the results to begin looking ahead to next moves in the rail-trail debate and what’s ahead in the county supervisor and state Assembly races. Lookout digs in.

➤ ELECTION 2022 RESULTS: Yes Greenway concedes on Measure D: ‘The voters have spoken’ (Lookout)

Ryan Coonerty: Who will be Santa Cruz’s George Washington and three other election hot takes

In a Community Voices op-ed, outgoing District 3 Santa Cruz County Supervisor Ryan Coonerty offers four insights on Tuesday’s election results, along with a bit of wry humor. From the defeat of Measure D to low voter turnout and a historic supervisor runoff, he walks us through the ups and downs of election season and even helps us understand why Santa Cruz today is like Philadelphia circa 1787. Read his full Community Voices opinion piece here.

➤ MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD: How to contribute a letter to the editor

CLICK HERE TO BECOME A LOOKOUT MEMBER

COVID, mental health and security challenges

Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah

Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah will get a second four-year term leading the Santa Cruz County Office of Education after winning an unopposed election Tuesday. COVID-19 threw him a curveball, and now school security and generational funding challenges mean anything but education business as usual. Read his full Q&A with Hillary Ojeda.

➤ MORE K-12 EDUCATION: Find all of Lookout’s coverage in one place

When is your new library ready? A Lookout guide to the emerging branches

READ THE STORY: Community hub of the future: New Capitola Library a stunning step forward in design and utility

Four redone Santa Cruz County library branches have reopened and four more will throw open their doors by the end of the year. Grace Stetson checks in on the generational investment of $67 million county voters made in 2016.

➤ FROM LAST SUMMER: Community hub of the future: New Capitola library a stunning step forward in design and utility (Lookout)

Spending spree: Oversight scarce as billions in COVID aid poured into California schools

A CalMatters investigation found that schools had wildly different approaches to stimulus spending — from laptops to shade structures to an ice cream truck. No centralized database exists to show the public exactly where the money went. Here’s what our partners found.

➤ AT THE TOP: What has Tony Thurmond done as California schools chief? (CalMatters)

Senior Instructional Technician at Cabrillo College
Shipping & Receiving Associate at Illuminee Inc
Manager of Volunteers and Events at The Diversity Center of Santa Cruz County
Communications Staff at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Caregiver at Lifespan

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California farms and Bay Area cities ordered to stop diverting water from rivers

Farmworkers adjust sprinkler coverage south of Bakersfield. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

California officials have ordered new water curtailments due to drought, barring certain cities and farms from diverting river water. Our partners at the Los Angeles Times report.

➤ NO WATER-GUZZLERS IN YOUR YARD: It’s all about sex! You dress for our weather — buy plants for our climate, too (Lookout Community Voices)

Jan. 6 committee gets a prime-time spotlight. Will people watch?

A masked protester carries a red flag that says "Trump Nation" in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.

After 16 months, the congressional investigation into the 2021 insurrection at the Capitol gets the Watergate treatment with its first public hearing this evening. The Times has a preview.

➤ LOCAL TAKE: One year later, Jimmy Panetta wants people to know that Jan. 6 was no fluke (Lookout)

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON STUDENT ACCESS

Around the county ...

➤ Heat advisories for some on the Central Coast (KSBW-TV)
➤ Pajaro Valley Pride welcomes new leaders (The Pajaronian)
➤ Aptos alum Jared Koenig breaks down his MLB debut for A’s (Santa Cruz Sentinel)
➤ Curry hurt as Warriors drop Game 3, go down 2-1 to Celtics in NBA Finals (Associated Press)

That’s it for the moment — but with the end of the workweek coming into view, Wallace Baine will be along with his Weekender newsletter, with recommendations, news and notes from the Santa Cruz arts and entertainment scene. Visit our Lookout Newsletter & Text Center to get that and more delivered right to your phone or inbox, and you can also keep tabs throughout the day by bookmarking our website and following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

All of this content isn’t possible without community support, so if you’re not already, please consider becoming a Lookout member — and spread the word about what we’re doing.

Enjoy your Thursday, folks — I’ll catch you back here tomorrow morning.

Will McCahill
Lookout Santa Cruz