Morning Lookout: Inside Keeley’s ‘citizen legislature,’ a thriving student potter & Dancing Waters downtown

Good day to you, Lookout friends. It’s Monday, June 5, and we’re looking at more clouds than sun for many parts of Santa Cruz County, with highs mostly in the 60s (and a chance of showers and thunderstorms overnight and into Tuesday).

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We’re jumping right into local politics this Monday with a sneak peek at Christopher Neely’s In the Public Interest newsletter. In the spotlight this week is the “citizen legislature” Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley has convened to draft a housing bond measure to put before city voters next year. Keeley remains optimistic, but some who have attended community meetings aren’t certain about what might come out of the process. (And sign up for here to get the full newsletter delivered right to you later Monday.)

Our How I Got My Job series returns, with Kaya Henkes-Power speaking with UC Santa Cruz student Anna Cummins about her pottery business, large social media followings and more.

Wallace Baine is here, too, with a look at a big public art project coming soon to Santa Cruz. The stained-glass mosaic known as “Dancing Waters” is slated to be unveiled later this month on a downtown parking garage.

The Monday headlines also include, via Lookout’s Community Voices opinion section, a call from a UCSC student for increased period equity on campus, plus some news from late Friday you might have missed. Let’s take a look.

Keeley’s grassroots vision for Santa Cruz’s housing bond has been messy and complicated

(Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Mayor Fred Keeley wants Santa Cruz community members to take the lead in drafting a housing bond measure to put before the city’s voters in 2024. But to this point, the process for this “citizen legislature” has been an uneven one. Read more from Christopher Neely.

➤ PREVIOUSLY: Santa Cruz now eyes June 2024 for affordable-housing bond election after community members request more time

UCSC student Anna Cummins molds passion for pottery into thriving business

(Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Potter and UC Santa Cruz student Anna Cummins has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers across social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok through her distinctive style and personable videos. Cummins spoke with Lookout about her process of promoting herself, how artists can develop an online presence and her artistic technique. Find the latest in our How I Got My Job series here.

➤ WORKING IN SANTA CRUZ: Therapists to plumbers, artists to mechanics, hear from Santa Cruzans on how they got where they are

And that’s what I know this here Monday. There’s more on tap from Lookout, so follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay current with Santa Cruz County goings-on. We also offer breaking news alerts via text and email, plus a host of other newsletters (including the aforementioned In the Public Interest, coming within hours), which you can sign up for here.

Our content isn’t possible without community support, so if you’re not already, please consider becoming a Lookout member.

May your case of the Mondays be a mild one, and I’ll see you back here Tuesday.

Will McCahill
Lookout Santa Cruz