Morning Lookout: Revisiting ‘Shark Park’; Planned Parenthood prepares for out-of-state surge
Good morning, folks. It’s Tuesday, June 28, and another sunny day is ahead for Santa Cruz County, with highs ranging from the 70s to the 90s.
Definitely the stuff of a good beach day, and local beachgoers will have plenty of company from over the hill as we head toward Fourth of July weekend. Also keeping beachgoers company in the area between Capitola and Aptos known as Soquel Cove are great white sharks. Lookout has visited “Shark Park” before, and after a shark sighting there last week followed a shark attack across Monterey Bay in Pacific Grove, Max Chun and Mark Conley talked to local scientists and first responders about how concerned we should be.
Meanwhile, as the nation continues to digest the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, local Planned Parenthood officials say they’ve already seen an increase in the number of out-of-state patients seeking abortions. They expect the surge to continue and are staffing up to meet it, Hillary Ojeda reports.
And in a Community Voices op-ed, members of the SEIU Local 521 bargaining team representing city of Santa Cruz workers make their case for a raise, better work conditions and more respect from city officials.
We’ve got all that plus the latest local COVID-19 data and more in today’s headlines, so let’s get after it.
When great white season meets summer beach season
With a shark attack in Pacific Grove last week the latest scare in Monterey Bay and Fourth of July weekend ahead, many might be nervous as they hit the beach. Lookout talked to those who monitor the area between Aptos and New Brighton State Beach known as “Shark Park” to find out the latest on what they’re seeing. Here’s what Max Chun and Mark Conley found.
➤ PREVIOUSLY: Taking a tour of ‘Shark Park’: What to know and how to see our local great whites up close (Lookout)
Santa Cruz already seeing out-of-state abortion patients as Planned Parenthood ramps up regional services
Officials in Planned Parenthood’s Mar Monte region are preparing for 250 to 500 out-of-state patients seeking abortions each year across its 35 centers. Two of those centers, in Watsonville and downtown Santa Cruz, are expected to see some of those patients, but it’s not clear to officials just how many. Each site is seeking to hire one full-time provider. Hillary Ojeda has the details.
➤ ONE NURSE’S VIEW: One Friday in the new, post-Roe America: How losing abortion access changes us all (Jessica Dieseldorff in Lookout’s Community Voices)
- IT Business Systems Analyst at The County of Santa Cruz
- Executive Director at Housing Santa Cruz County
- Puzzle Solver at RoofScreen Mfg, Inc
- Manager, Athletic Training at Cabrillo College
- Sales Associate at Yoso the Annex
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****Santa Cruz wages are so low, some of us live in our cars; city workers need raises, protection and respect
Santa Cruz’s 600 union workers — the people who collect the city’s garbage, test water, maintain parks and roads — are fed up with what they see as low wages and disrespect from public officials. Five months into bargaining with the city, they write in a Community Voices op-ed, the talks are going nowhere. They want higher salaries, more on-the-job safety, and more respect. Read the opinion piece from members of the SEIU Local 521 negotiating team.
➤ EXPLORE COMMUNITY VOICES: Find letters to the editor, op-eds and more, and learn how to make your voice heard in Santa Cruz’s new opinion forum
COVID Dashboard: Bay Area surge appears to be leveling off, but cases still high
Coronavirus cases remained virtually unchanged in Santa Cruz County in the past week, with one more death bringing the pandemic total to 266. Get the latest local COVID-19 data here.
➤ MORE: This new California coronavirus wave isn’t sticking to the script: Big spread, less illness (Los Angeles Times)
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California constitutional amendment securing abortion, contraceptive rights goes to voters
State lawmakers approved a measure Monday that will ask California voters in November whether to enshrine abortion and contraceptives rights in state Constitution. More here from our partners at the Los Angeles Times.
➤ AFTER ROE: Find all of Lookout’s coverage of the Supreme Court’s decision, local reaction and aftermath
Yes, the market is changing: A look at the data in Santa Cruz County
Yes, the market is changing: A look at the data in Santa Cruz County
America’s millions of guns have lives of their own; Santa Cruz novelist Vinnie Hansen tracks the one involved in her own burglary
America has the highest per-capita gun ownership in the world — estimated at about 120 per 100 residents. Vinnie Hansen got interested in one of them — the one used, and which then disappeared, after a burglary of her home. She talks about the new book virtually this evening via Bookshop Santa Cruz. Here’s her Q&A with Wallace Baine.
➤ LOOKOUT’S FULL EVENTS CALENDAR: BOLO, your place to go for things to do
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Around the county ...
➤ Man who killed Santa Cruz County deputy Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller pleads guilty (KSBW-TV)
➤ Watsonville artist proud to attach name to annual Wharf to Wharf race (Santa Cruz Sentinel)
➤ Santa Cruz County cup fee to take effect July 1 (The Pajaronian)
Plenty to cut through the fog — but save your appetite, because the latest food and drink newsletter from Lily Belli is mere hours away. Hit up our Lookout Newsletter & Text Center to get that and all of our other newsletters, plus breaking news alerts, delivered right to you, and keep tabs throughout the day by bookmarking our website and following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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Enjoy your Tuesday!
Will McCahill
Lookout Santa Cruz
