Civic Life
Posted inRecreation & Sports, San Lorenzo Valley

Controversial pump track proposal divides Felton residents

by Christopher Neely

A plan by the Santa Cruz County Parks Department to replace the dilapidated volleyball court at Felton Covered Bridge Park with a 10,000-square-foot mountain bike training ground, known as a pump track, has driven a wedge between residents. Some feel the county — citing budget and staffing issues — has handed over too much control of the project to a private group.

Posted inOpinion from Community Voices

Did the scent of fire scare you last week? Join Firewise, meet your neighbors, be ready for disaster

by Shareen Bell

Shareen Bell got spooked by the smell of wildfire that hung in the air around Santa Cruz County last week. It took her back to the CZU fire and reminded her why the organizing work she does at Firewise matters. She is one of the organizing members of the Highland Firewise group on the Westside, and she encourages everyone to get to know their neighbors and create a disaster plan. She explains how and why here.

Posted inPolitics & Policy

Santa Cruz County officials begin studying replacement for Main Jail

by Max Chun

Santa Cruz County leaders are starting to study a potential new jail because of the current facility’s poor and cramped conditions. A new 500-bed facility is expected to cost around $200 million and take as long as eight years to build. Local activists and restorative-justice advocates say that they’d rather see that money invested in housing support and social services to help keep people out of jail.

Posted inPolitics & Policy

District 1 county supervisor race raises specter of Measure D’s battle over Coastal Rail Trail

by Christopher Neely

The 2024 elections are more than a year away, but the race for District 1 Santa Cruz County supervisor is already heating up. Incumbent Manu Koenig and challenger Lani Faulkner both accuse the other of being single-issue candidates. That single issue? The long-envisioned coastal passenger rail line connecting Davenport and Watsonville, known as the Coastal Rail Trail project.

Posted inOpinion from Community Voices

A far-right hate group is trying to recruit in Santa Cruz County; we stand united to say ‘No’

by A collective of Santa Cruz County organizations united to fight hate

A coalition of 44 local organizations has united to denounce the group Moms for Liberty, which participated in a meeting in Watsonville last weekend. Moms for Liberty says it advocates parental rights, but is also labeled extremist by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Here, the 44 organizations denounce the tactics, ideas and motivations of Moms for Liberty, which include banning books and limiting discussions about race and LGBTQ+ identities in schools. “We will fight their efforts with vigor and passion every step of the way to protect our most vulnerable kids and their families,” the groups write.

Sign up for newsletters

Get the best of Lookout Santa Cruz directly in your email inbox.

Sending to:

Gift this article