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.
briefs
Posted inEducation
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.
Posted inCapitola & Soquel
Bat tests positive for rabies in Soquel, dog that found it is OK
The Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency and Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter confirmed on Tuesday that a bat found in the Soquel area has tested positive for rabies. A dog that made contact with the bat was fully vaccinated and not harmed by the interaction.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz County Democrats endorse Kristen Brown
The Santa Cruz County Democratic Central Committee has endorsed Kristen Brown for District 2 county supervisor over her opponent, Kim De Serpa. The committee is also endorsing a “yes” vote on Measure Z (Santa Cruz’s 2-cent-per-ounce tax on the sale of sugar-sweetened drinks), Measure Y (Capitola’s sales tax rate increase to 9.25%) and Watsonville’s proposed charter amendments, which include removing a citizenship requirement to serve on the city’s boards and commissions. The committee is recommending a “no” vote on Measure U, a San Lorenzo Valley Water District proposal that would cap regular service charge increases to 2% per year until 2049.
Posted inLatest News
Trails to close for Santa Cruz Mountains work prepping for burns
Trails will close intermittently as the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County is working through December on a 211-acre wildfire resilience project in the upper Aptos Creek watershed of the Santa Cruz Mountains that will in part set the stage for controlled burns by California State Parks staff.
Posted inLatest News
Delays on Highway 1 likely Sept. 3-5 for pedestrian bridge work
Motorists will experience overnight delays of up to 10 minutes on a section of Highway 1 in Santa Cruz Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 3-5, as work continues on a new pedestrian bridge. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., a single lane of both northbound and southbound Highway 1 will be closed between 41st Avenue and Soquel Drive.
Posted inLatest News
Metro offers free rides, ticket discounts to Santa Cruz County Fair
The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District will offer free Metro fares and discounted tickets to the Santa Cruz County Fair at the Watsonville Fairgrounds Sept. 11-15.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Labor union council backs Santa Cruz County’s Measure Q
The Monterey Bay Central Labor Council is endorsing a “yes” vote on Santa Cruz County’s Measure Q, which would fund projects focused on building resilience to wildfires and other natural disasters through a special tax of $87 on each parcel of land located within the county (with some exceptions).
Posted inLatest News
Highway 1 closures planned for Ironman 70.3 Santa Cruz triathlon
A rolling closure of portions of Highway 1 will take place Sunday, Sept. 8, to accommodate the biking portion of the Ironman 70.3 Santa Cruz triathlon.
Posted inLatest News
Santa Cruz will pay stipend to volunteer board members
Beginning in January, volunteers who serve on city advisory boards in Santa Cruz will be paid a stipend of $75 a meeting. It’s part of an effort to increase participation from historically underrepresented groups, including Latinx residents and renters.