Morning Lookout: Animal shelter crisis, UCSC’s antisemitism efforts, SCPD fields grenade

Good morning, all. It’s Tuesday, June 13, and the forecast calls for another clouds-to-sun kind of day around Santa Cruz County, with highs in the 60s and 70s.

Lots to discover on Lookout; if doing that solo is your preference, have at it.
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Working conditions at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter was the topic Monday as staff and volunteers petitioned the shelter’s board of directors for more staff and resources and better pay. “Our motto is ‘open door, open heart,’” said one staffer. “If we can’t live by that, that is really hard for all of us.”

At UC Santa Cruz, Hillary Ojeda talked with Campus Provost Lori Kletzer about the university’s efforts to combat antisemitism on campus. Kletzer said joining Hillel International’s Campus Climate Initiative in the wake of recent antisemitic incidents is part of “a great big signal that we are very serious about hate speech and hate behavior.”

In Lookout’s Community Voices opinion section, U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta’s vote in favor of a bill that will lead to harsher criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of fentanyl-related drugs comes under fire from retired local physician Helen Nunberg, who says it’s more of the same ineffective policy.

The Tuesday headlines also include a resident turning in a grenade at the Santa Cruz Police Department and the county’s civil grand jury criticizing a pair of local cities for a lack of movement on affordable housing — onward.

‘It’s not the animals in crisis, it’s the workers’: SC County animal shelter workers air their grievances

(Max Chun / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Workers and volunteers at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter have been stretched thin in recent years, and voiced their concerns to the shelter’s board of directors Monday. Though next year’s budget includes a 3% cost-of-living wage adjustment, short staffing and the difficulty of performing important, low-cost services are weighing on the workers. Max Chun has details.

➤ PREVIOUSLY: Santa Cruz County’s animal shelter grapples with post-COVID economic and social changes

UCSC provost Lori Kletzer says battling antisemitism will take long-term cultural change

(Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz )

UC Santa Cruz’s participation in the Hillel International Campus Climate Initiative is “the way for us to live up to this responsibility to not only speak out, but to also take action” on antisemitism, university second-in-command Lori Kletzer told Lookout in the wake of incidents connected to campus and outcry from Jewish students and leaders about a lack of support. Hillary Ojeda reports.

➤ RELATED: UCSC Jewish leaders say campus administration increasing efforts to address antisemitism in wake of Hitler birthday party

Much to sort through as we hit this mid-June Tuesday. Of course, Tuesday at Lookout means the latest in Santa Cruz County food and drink news, and Jessica M. Pasko will be along later with just that, in newsletter form. You can get that delivered right to you by clicking right here, and I’d recommend signing up for Lookout’s other newsletters and breaking news alerts while you’re at it. Lookout is on the socials, too — follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Thanks as always for reading — have an excellent day.

Will McCahill
Lookout Santa Cruz