Lookout photojournalist Kevin Painchaud spend the past week crisscrossing Santa Cruz County, capturing video of the winter storms. See some of the highlights below.
Capitola & Soquel
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz County storm recovery: Here are ways you can donate and volunteer
Across Santa Cruz County, community groups are coming together to raise money and launch volunteer efforts to help vulnerable residents during emergencies and rebuild and recover from the damaging floods and surf swells. Here are some ways you can help.
Posted inLatest News
Neighbors along Soquel Creek say they had little warning their homes were about to flood
Several residents of Soquel Wharf Road told Lookout they had no warning from local officials that Soquel Creek would flood in last weekend’s storms, leaving them without time to protect their homes. “It’s kind of like the wild wild west out here right now,” one resident said. Santa Cruz County Supervisor Manu Koenig said the National Weather Service assured the county three times that the creek was not at risk of flooding.
Posted inLatest News
A shot of tequila while you sandbag? In Soquel Village, a community comes together during the storm
As the flooded Soquel Creek threatened local restaurant Tortilla Flats, strangers stopped in to see if they could offer sandbags or help shovel sand into them; next-door business owners who rarely strayed over came to check in. The word “village” in Soquel Village was suddenly taking on new meaning.
Posted inFood & Drink
Damaged and without power, Capitola Village restaurants struggle to reopen and brace for next surge of storms
The Esplanade in the Capitola Village remained closed to pedestrians and traffic on Friday after a storm surge on Thursday damaged many businesses. Others could reopen relatively soon, but power has yet to be restored to the area.
Posted inFood & Drink
Unsung Santa Cruz: Restaurant workers share stories from the back-of-house and thrive in a difficult industry
Post-pandemic, the restaurant industry is more challenging than ever, but within it are stories of hardworking employees that keep these businesses open despite the odds. Here, we celebrate two back-of-house workers doing just that.
Posted inLatest News
Santa Cruz County Storms: Where we stand on Sunday
Another storm moved through Santa Cruz County overnight, bringing heavy rain and high winds. There is more on the way. A second system is expected to move in Sunday night through Tuesday afternoon, bringing heavy rain through Monday. The storm is expected to drop 3-5 inches of rain across the Monterey Bay and up to nine inches at the highest peaks.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Capitola Wharf taking a beating, Esplanade taking on water
The worst of possibilities, a massive swell peaking just as the tide was at its highest, may have been avoided in Capitola. But the wharf and Village were still under siege from an angry Pacific Ocean as city workers made efforts to minimize the damage.
Posted inLatest News
Capitola, Soquel told to evacuate, but some residents say they plan to stay
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office ordered neighborhoods in portions of Soquel, Felton, Rio Del Mar, Watsonville and Pajaro Valley to evacuate immediately. In a separate order, the city government placed portions of Capitola Village under evacuation. But as police officers went door to door in the neighborhoods at risk, they found a mix of people choosing to stay and deciding to leave.
Posted inFood & Drink
EATERS DIGEST: NYE plans, and the best things I ate and drank in 2022
As 2022 draws to a close, Lily Belli reflects on some of her favorite dishes and drinks from the past year. Plus, some suggestions for a festive New Year’s Eve.