Morning Lookout: UCSC’s new Westside art hub, SLV water repairs, ‘boneheaded view’ on unhoused

Hi there, folks. It is Thursday, Feb. 2, and the forecast calls for increasing clouds around Santa Cruz County, with highs again in the 50s and chances of rain increasing as we head into the overnight hours. Not an atmospheric river deluge, but looks like we’ll be dodging showers through the weekend.

Next round of rain is lurking off the coast. What's the latest timing and how much rain are we expecting? Onset of rain returns Thursday night, but steadier rainfall by Friday morning. Definitely not a soaker like the recent ARs, but some light rain nonetheless. #cawx pic.twitter.com/rXTYEzYlUM — NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) February 2, 2023

There’s plenty new on Lookout, so if you don’t want to wait … don’t!
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A new arts and culture hub is coming to the Westside, with UC Santa Cruz’s Institute of the Arts and Sciences set for a grand opening Sunday. It’s another touchpoint between town and gown, Wallace Baine writes, “and it’s a big deal for the community,” IAS’ director says.

The San Lorenzo Valley Water District is among the many local agencies scrambling to repair damage left by January’s storms, and it’s looking at a bill of at least $2.8 million, Max Chun reports. “Right now, I’m doing a lot of ‘OK, what is today’s problem?’” says the district’s engineering manager. Find plenty more post-storms coverage, plus links for how to get help, donate and volunteer, in our Storms 2023: Road to Recovery section.

In our Community Voices opinion section, housing advocate and former Santa Cruz mayor Don Lane dissects eight misconceptions about homelessness — “misconceptions we need to overcome to advance our community thinking about homelessness,” he writes.

Let’s examine those headlines.

UCSC set to open new arts and cultural hub on Santa Cruz’s Westside

The Institute of the Arts & Sciences opens its beautiful new Westside space Sunday, marking a new effort on the part of UC Santa Cruz to engage with residents of the city and county. Wallace Baine breaks down what it means to town and gown.

➤ ARTS, CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT AND MORE: Check out our BOLO events calendar

Eight things you know about homelessness that are wrong

Housing advocate Don Lane has worked on issues of homelessness for three decades. In a Community Voices opinion piece, he addresses the eight misconceptions “we need to overcome to advance our community thinking about homelessness.” A former Santa Cruz mayor, Lane addresses the mental health argument, our community counting skills, the “send them back” stance and more. Read his op-ed here.

➤ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Make your voice heard and read what Santa Cruzans are saying

That’ll keep you warm for a bit this chilly Thursday morning — and don’t worry, Lookout will keep that content fire burning, with Wallace Baine’s latest Weekender among the things still on tap. Click here to sign up for that and all of our newsletters, plus breaking news alerts; you can also follow Lookout on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay current on goings-on around Santa Cruz County.

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Have an excellent Thursday!

Will McCahill
Lookout Santa Cruz