When she turned from biologist to sociologist and human rights advocate 25 years ago, Ann Lopez realized how dire the situation was for humans born into a caste system that put them on a path toward what she considers to be agrarian slavery. COVID, climate change and affordability have worked against change, but that hasn’t slowed her fight for justice.
COVID South County
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Local cred in the spotlight: Takeaways from Tuesday’s South County candidates forum
While Assembly District 30 contenders spent much of their time showing that they know this place where none of them resides, the homegrown District 4 county supervisor hopefuls differed mainly on their priorities and truly diverged on only one big issue. Hint: It involves the future of train transportation in Santa Cruz County.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
Watsonville council will decide Tuesday whether to hire new city manager from Gonzales
Watsonville City Council will consider Rene Mendez for its vacant city manager role, following a three-month search that began after new Santa Cruz City Manager Matt Huffaker vacated the role.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
California’s new benefits for undocumented immigrants are not enough, workers say
California’s undocumented immigrants risked themselves working during pandemic. Lawmakers want to pay them unemployment benefits.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Pajaro River project receives long-promised flood of money — $67 million in federal funds
The funding will be used in the first phase of construction for the project in both Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, adding onto the previous $4.6 million in funding toward the preconstruction, engineering and design phases of the project.
Posted inCOVID 2022
COVID-19 updates in Santa Cruz County: Infections, hospitalizations, deaths and demographic data
New Leaf Community Markets brand manager Lindsay Gizdich said the store is moving from Pacific Avenue in order to have…
Posted inCOVID 2022
Vaccine update: Rates, where to find a COVID shot or test; wait, cost and turnaround times
While Santa Cruz County public schools have taken on the burden of teaching students in person during a pandemic,…
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville Community Hospital sale to fledgling health district approved
On Wednesday, the Pajaro Valley Healthcare District Project moved forward in its effort to buy Watsonville Community Hospital. The bankruptcy court gave the forming district until Aug. 31 to close on the sale, as it raises more money and solidifies plans. The hospital will now stay open, and applications are open as well for the health district’s to-be-appointed new directors, with a March 4 application deadline.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Harm Reduction Coalition awarded $100K grant to expand testing of hepatitis C, HIV for unhoused population
The $100,000 grant from AIDS United and others will allow the Santa Cruz group to expand its testing of viral diseases among the county’s unhoused population. Dani Drysdale, who runs the Safe Syringe program, said many people are not aware they even have hepatitis C. Knowing is the first step toward treatment.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Will Watsonville Community Hospital be saved?
A local coalition is cobbling together close to $39 million to buy the bankrupt Watsonville Community Hospital. A judge will review the funding at a sale hearing on Feb. 23 and decide if the coalition can move forward with the purchase. Even if the group makes the purchase, it will still need millions more to operate the financially failing hospital and a plan to keep it operating. Can it succeed?