Morning Lookout: UC strike update, Thanksgiving food help and a local’s big show
Why, hello there, Lookout friends! It is Friday, Nov. 25, and another mostly sunny day is ahead around Santa Cruz County, with high temperatures in the 60s and low 70s.
Rather start off this holiday Friday with a little solo jaunt through Lookout’s new content?
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The academic workers strike that has seen thousands picketing across University of California campuses, including UC Santa Cruz, is heading toward a third week, and though there have been some minor negotiating moves, “on our campus, I’m not seeing any slowing down,” UCSC’s union unit chair tells Lookout’s Hillary Ojeda.
The Thanksgiving holiday underlines food insecurity in Santa Cruz County, and Lookout photojournalist Kevin Painchaud was on hand at Second Harvest Food Bank distribution sites. He sets the scene with a photo essay.
And the 36-year-old former Benchlands resident stabbed to death earlier this week was remembered at a downtown Santa Cruz vigil, with one mourner telling Lookout’s Max Chun that Neoklis Koumides was “a bright soul.”
Just as you might be ramping up with some holiday traditions, we’re doing the same here at Lookout. Last year, we highlighted firefighters and community volunteers, farmworker advocates and allies to isolated seniors in our Unsung Santa Cruz series, and we’re again asking you, our readers, to nominate folks who make our community a better place. Read on to find out how.
The Friday headlines also include an intro to local singer-songwriter Lucas Lawson ahead of his album-release show at the Catalyst, so let’s head that way.
UC academic workers strike heads toward Week 3 with minor bargaining updates
Almost 50,000 researchers, teaching assistants and graders across 10 campuses, including UC Santa Cruz, finished their second week of striking with minor updates to negotiations for a new contract with the University of California system. Hillary Ojeda has the latest.
➤ PREVIOUSLY: UCSC faculty, students rally with academic workers as UC strike stretches on with little progress (Lookout)
Thanksgiving food banks provide help for the holidays
Santa Cruz County’s Second Harvest Food Bank started its Holiday Food and Fund Drive on Nov. 10 in Aptos Village. Since then, the food bank has continued to raise money and supply food to partner agencies to stock its own food pantries in various communities across the county. Here’s Kevin Painchaud’s photo essay.
➤ RELATED: As inflation spikes more hunger, Second Harvest needs volunteers to help meet the needs (Lookout)
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Santa Cruz County Job Board
That’ll get you stocked up on news as you gear up for whatever you have going this Friday. Friday usually means a heaping helping of local food and drink news, but with Lily Belli taking this week off to spend some time with the fam, check out previous Eaters Digests here, and catch up on her free weekly newsletter. You can sign up for that and all of our newsletters, including the specially curated Sunday Reads, plus breaking news alerts, by clicking here, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay current on Santa Cruz County news.
None of this is possible without community support, so if you’re not already, please consider becoming a Lookout member. And to all of our members, thank you!
Enjoy your Friday, and have a safe, relaxing weekend!
Will McCahill
Lookout Santa Cruz
