As it warns other California communities not to drop off people needing services in Santa Cruz, the city will provide a general update to the public on Tuesday on its response to homelessness. Tuesday’s update, which will be presented online at 6 p.m., is a semiannual report on the city’s “homelessness response programs, outreach efforts and outcomes.”
briefs
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Lanes will close Sunday-Thursday for Highway 1 work between Capitola and Santa Cruz
For five consecutive nights beginning Sunday, Sept. 15, the left lane in both the north and southbound directions of Highway 1 between 41st Avenue and Soquel Drive in Santa Cruz will be closed. Northbound overnight lane closures will be in effect from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., with southbound closures in effect 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. According to the California Department of Transportation, motorists should expect delays of up to 10 minutes.
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Santa Cruz begins work on San Lorenzo River levee
Crews will be performing annual maintenance work on the San Lorenzo River levee in Santa Cruz through mid-October “to ensure continued protection against flooding.”
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$4.35 million grant will extend broadband in Santa Cruz Mountains
Santa Cruz-based Surfnet Communications Inc. announced Thursday that it will implement three grants totaling $4.3 million in partnership with the nonprofit California Broadband Alliance to extend fiber broadband to communities in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The grants were awarded by the California Public Utilities Commission.
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Proposals sought for public art project at Floral County Park
Santa Cruz County is looking for an artist to create a site-specific public art installation at Floral County Park, located at 656 38th Ave. in Pleasure Point. The budget for the project is $6,750.
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Floating walkway, new signs to be unveiled at Neary Lagoon
The City of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation and Public Works departments, in partnership with the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, on Tuesday will celebrate the completion of improvements to the Neary Lagoon Wildlife Refuge Interpretive Trail, made possible by a grant from the California Habitat Conservation Fund.
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Santa Cruz County is searching for a new poet laureate
Applications are open for the title of 2025-26 Santa Cruz County Poet Laureate. The person chosen for the honor will succeed Farnaz Fatemi, who has held the title for its 2023-24 term.
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Pajaro Valley school administrator charged with sexual assault
Ivan Alcaraz, executive director of student services at Pajaro Valley Unified School District, has been placed on administrative leave after being charged by Watsonville police with sexual assault on Sept. 3. Alcaraz, 37, of Watsonville, has worked in the district for more than a decade, including as assistant principal at Watsonville High School, principal at Rolling Hills High School and the district’s director of student services.
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Sarah Christensen will lead Regional Transportation Commission
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission has a new executive director — Sarah Christensen, a senior transportation engineer at the agency. Christensen will enter into a three-year contract with the RTC and will report directly to the board of directors. She will start on Monday.
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Pajaro Valley school board member Jennifer Holm resigns
Jennifer Holm has resigned as a member of the Pajaro Valley Unified School District board of trustees effective Oct. 10, the district announced Tuesday evening. Holm, a former president of the board, has represented Area 7 on the board for the past six years. There are two years left on her term. According to a release from the district, she cited the “increasing demands” of her job as director of the nursing program at Cabrillo College.