Through the pandemic and the CZU fire, yoga studio owner Juko Holiday prioritized her clients through the community and safe space she cultivated at Ease Mountain Yoga in Ben Lomond. Holiday lost her two tiny homes in the blaze but continued to offer free meditation classes over Zoom from a hotel lobby to help heal her community.
Housing
Posted inFood & Drink
EATERS DIGEST: Rustic Ales’ food transition, Hanloh pad thai at home & Gayle’s holiday treats
A makeover will bring Todd Parker’s pizzas to Sante Adairius’ Midtown location in the new year, but before then, don’t miss your chance to prepare Lalita Kaewsawang’s pad thai in your own kitchen, perhaps with dessert courtesy of a Capitola institution. Lily Belli digs in on all that and the coming week’s top foodie events in Eaters Digest.
Posted inCoast Life
Unsung Santa Cruz: Bringing smiles to the faces of isolated, vulnerable seniors has done the same for him
Kris MacKellar has done all kinds of jobs in his lifetime, but none more fulfilling than driving his aging Ford pickup around the hills of Santa Cruz County during the pandemic, bringing food and kindness to seniors and people with disabilities.
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Ending the year with record high home prices: A deeper dive into the data
While the holidays are usually a slow time for home buying and selling, this quick review of November real estate sales in Santa Cruz County showcases how citizens might be getting used to a “new [real estate] normal” in the midst of the pandemic.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Men accused of vandalizing Black Lives Matter mural to stand trial
Following a preliminary hearing Wednesday, a Santa Cruz judge ruled there was enough evidence for the two men accused of vandalizing the Black Lives Matter mural outside City Hall to stand trial. They are next due in court Jan. 5.
Posted inGuides, San Lorenzo Valley
A guide to Ben Lomond, Brookdale & Boulder Creek
Lookout’s Area Guides are an in-depth look at some of the cities and communities that make Santa Cruz County the unique and special place that it is. Writers for this series were chosen due to their personal knowledge and experiences to get to the heart of what it means live in a specific place.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In time for the holidays, we offer up stories on little-known folks who make this a better place to live
We asked for nominations and there was no shortage. In fact, we got twice as many deserving candidates as we could use for our inaugural Unsung Santa Cruz series, which we hope will become a regular, all-year-long staple.
Posted inHousing & Development
Santa Cruz reverses course, votes to move forward on first SB 35 development with 831 Water Street
The decision, a reverse of the council’s original Oct. 12 vote, helped the city avoid what could have been costly litigation from the developer or others. The project is also the first in the city of Santa Cruz under SB 35 guidelines meant to streamline developments that provide affordable housing units.
Posted inCity Life
After loss and transition, Santa Cruz’s William Coulter returns to celebrate ‘A Celtic Christmas’
Grammy-winning guitarist William Coulter lost his Bonny Doon home and just about everything in it in the 2020 CZU fire. He got back to music slowly, dazedly — “I knew that if I didn’t get back to it, it might slip away” — and comes to the Rio on Friday performing with an Irish holiday variety show.
Posted inCOVID Today
As COVID-19 case rates rise, California orders statewide mask requirement starting Wednesday
California is ordering a statewide mask mandate for indoor public spaces to go into effect on Wednesday. The move comes as coronavirus case rates have risen by 50% in the last 2 1/2 weeks.
