As flames continue to burn at Moss Landing’s battery facility, a proposed $200 million Santa Cruz County project faces heightened scrutiny. Local leaders have demanded stricter safety measures and accountability, and are questioning if the risks of an energy storage project outweigh its benefits.
Government
Posted inCapitola & Soquel
Capitola will fill vacant city council seat through open application process after public pushback
Instead of choosing between two recently unsuccessful city council candidates, the Capitola City Council opted Thursday to switch gears and fill a vacant seat through an open application process. The council will make the final selection on Jan. 30.
Posted inScotts Valley
Scotts Valley City Council backs efforts to make community more autism-friendly
Scotts Valley officials voiced support for a plan to allocate funds for autism certification training for local businesses and community organizations, joining a broader movement to make Santa Cruz County more welcoming to neurodivergent visitors and residents.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Determining what went wrong during Santa Cruz Wharf collapse will be long process, city says
Santa Cruz officials are investigating the Dec. 23 wharf collapse, which caused nearly $19 million in damage. The city has approved a recovery package and is planning a structural analysis to determine future steps.
Posted inLatest News
Capitola City Council backs annual wharf fireworks show in permit struggle even as it ignites community debate
The Capitola City Council unanimously voted last week to support the continuation of the Monte Foundation fireworks show in the fall over the wharf.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
As soda tax lawsuit looms, Santa Cruz officials are trying to ‘build our war chest’
In Santa Cruz, triumphing against Big Soda to pass the country’s first sugar-sweetened beverage tax since 2018 was only the first hurdle. Now, the city faces a looming legal challenge, and financial backing isn’t as certain as some had hoped.
Posted inLatest News
Cal/OSHA confirms it is investigating Santa Cruz Wharf collapse
The state agency responsible for holding employers accountable for workplace safety has launched an investigation into the Dec. 23 Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf collapse, a spokesperson for Cal/OSHA confirmed.
Posted inHousing & Development
Environmental review of plan to expand downtown Santa Cruz shows few significant impacts
The environmental impacts of Santa Cruz’s planned expansion of its downtown — a potentially generational change to the look and feel of the city — were outlined in a report published Wednesday by consultant Kimley-Horn.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Letter to the editor: How many people have died stuck in traffic trying to get to Dominican Hospital?
In a letter to the editor, a Santa Cruz resident decries what he sees as an outdated interchange at Highway 1 and Soquel Drive.
Posted inLatest News
Why were three people on wharf during collapse? City officials, on-site engineer offer conflicting accounts
Official explanations have varied about why three workers were on a vulnerable stretch of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf when forecast powerful swells ripped through it on Dec. 23. Although city officials have described it as a safety inspection, a marine engineer who was out there that day offered a conflicting account.