Humpback whale populations have increased, but a change in migration patterns has them staying in Monterey Bay during the traditional winter season of crab fishing. With more entanglements and a lawsuit in 2016, the state has delayed crab fishing season every year since and fishers are hoping for a solution.
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Posted inWestside / Downtown
Ask Lookout: Why is there a ‘door to nowhere’ above Front Street?
Golden Gate Villa was built for Gold Rush-era mining entrepreneur Frank McLaughlin, and the “door to nowhere” above Front Street is just part of the story for a home that’s on the National Registry of Historic Places.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Ask Lookout: What’s going on at the Westside’s Old Wrigley Building?
More than 20 years ago, William Ow took over the abandoned former chewing gum factory on the far Westside of Santa Cruz known as the Wrigley Building. He then set about creating an ecosystem of small businesses that reflect Santa Cruz’s creative entrepreneur culture and symbolize the Westside’s commercial renaissance.
Posted inLatest News
Ask Lookout: What’s the status of the broken elevators in downtown Santa Cruz parking garages?
The elevators in two downtown Santa Cruz parking garages have been officially out of service for years, a longtime inconvenience to frequent users. The process to repair the elevators has been taking longer than expected, according to city employees.
Posted inLatest News
Ask Lookout: Will there be a mass anchovy die-off in Santa Cruz Harbor this year?
An influx of anchovies has been attracting pelicans and sea lions in recent days, but Senior Deputy Harbormaster John Haynes says that so far this year, it doesn’t appear that there will be a mass die-off of anchovies in the harbor – as there was in 2014. In an interview with Lookout, he described this year’s annual phenomenon and how the Santa Cruz Harbor addresses the influx of fish.
Posted inHousing & Development
Ask Lookout: What are the big wrapped units near Seventh Avenue and Brommer Street?
It’s difficult to keep housing developments in Santa Cruz County straight these days, so if you saw wrapped-up modular homes on the lot at Seventh Avenue and Brommer Street, you might have thought yet another development was preparing for groundbreaking. Not quite, but it is the delivery of housing units for a long-planned Soquel project aiming to serve homeless veterans, youth emerging from the foster care system and a limited number of families.
Posted inCapitola & Soquel
Ask Lookout: What’s going on with that seemingly historic Victorian remodel in Capitola?
A Queen Anne Victorian house along Cliff Avenue overlooking Capitola Village is currently getting a major remodel. That’s not unusual, but this house has a place in Santa Cruz County history, as one of its former owners was both a star professional athlete and a highly civically engaged Capitola citizen.
Posted inLatest News
Ask Lookout: What’s the status of red tide at Santa Cruz County beaches?
While officials say the red tide hasn’t yet reached harmful levels, they’re continuing to monitor toxins at Santa Cruz County beaches. Red tide, or a phytoplankton bloom, began appearing at Rio Del Mar and Seacliff beaches last Wednesday.
Posted inEducation
Ask Lookout: What’s the status of the damaged Cabrillo College pedestrian bridge?
Cabrillo College’s pedestrian bridge over Soquel Drive was badly damaged in January and has been closed since. College spokesperson Kristin Fabos said engineering analyses, insurance negotiations and renovations will take time before it can be used again.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Ask Lookout: How did the Grateful Dead’s archive end up in Santa Cruz?
It’s probably not what you think when you think Santa Cruz and the Dead. In fact, it is a twisting tale of luck, circuitous connections and an offer that couldn’t be refused, with long-time Santa Cruzan John Leopold smack in the middle of it.