Morning Lookout: Inside restaurant service fees, public works’ new leader and COVID cases jump

Quick Take:

Donna Meyers has spent four years on the Santa Cruz City Council and takes issue with a recent Lookout piece by Cyndi...

Heyo, Santa Cruz County! It’s Tuesday, Dec. 6, and the forecast calls for another day of clouds and possible showers, with highs in just the 50s before an overnight stretch with patchy frost around the area.

If you’ve noticed a 3-5% “service fee” on your restaurant tab lately, you’re not alone — it’s become more common around Santa Cruz County, and Lily Belli is here to explain what’s behind it and where the money goes.

With West Cliff Drive erosion and an overhaul of the Murray Street Bridge just two of the multitude of projects facing the City of Santa Cruz’s public works department, what better time to meet the department’s new leader? Mark Conley delivers a Q&A with Nathan Nguyen, avid mountain biker and experienced collaborator.

And in our Community Voices opinion section, Santa Cruz City Councilmember Donna Meyers makes the case that local elected officials have been laser focused on housing, rebutting a previous Lookout op-ed charging that those in office have failed to act on the community’s pressing needs.

Local COVID case numbers are climbing, and you’ll find that among Tuesday’s headlines, too.

What’s a service fee? The story behind the new charge on your restaurant bill

Inflation is pushing the boundaries of price and pricing for everyone, businesses and consumers. Now, new “service fees” can add a few percent onto a bill. Restaurant owners say that helps pay employees and can fund health insurance, but for some, it’s a move they don’t want to make. Lily Belli looks into the tangle of the new charge appearing on some of your receipts.

‘Yeah, I’m pretty lucky’: Santa Cruz’s new public works director loves to play where he works

Nathan Nguyen, Santa Cruz's new director of public works

Nathan Nguyen is the City of Santa Cruz’s new public works director, taking over for the retired Mark Dettle, who held those reins for 21 years. When the new leader isn’t wrangling a complex stable of civic projects, you’ll probably find Nguyen out on one of his many favorite mountain bike trails. Check out his Q&A with Mark Conley.

➤ LOCAL NEWSMAKERS IN THEIR OWN WORDS: All of our Lookout Q&As in one spot

Shopper's Corner PROMOTED CONTENT ROADBLOCK (Top-shelf service: A beefy Q&A with Chris Sanders)

UCSC PROMOTED CONTENT ROADBLOCK (Campus + Community, to facilitate social justice scholarships)

A little something for everyone this Tuesday. There’s plenty more to look forward to from Lookout, including Lily Belli on Food, so head here to sign up for that and all of our free newsletters, plus breaking news alerts. And come see us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram so you don’t miss any Santa Cruz County news coverage.

That coverage, like everything we do here at Lookout, isn’t possible without community support — so please consider becoming a Lookout member if you’re not already.

Be safe out there, and I’ll catch you back here Wednesday.

Will McCahill
Lookout Santa Cruz