Santa Cruz County politics and policy are in focus in Christopher Neely’s weekly newsletter.
In the Public Interest
A Monday newsletter covering Santa Cruz County politics & policy from Lookout – subscribe here.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: Pajaro levee repair delays raise concerns as crews work to beat the rain
IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST Pajaro levee repair delays raise concerns as crews work to beat the rain When federal, state and local officials gathered to formally start repairs of the Pajaro River levee in late August, they made their announcement a few feet from the levee’s bank as tractors and bulldozers roared in the background. […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
‘Do you want us to get into a gunfight?’ Santa Cruz cannabis industry decries police response to burglaries
Santa Cruz County cannabis businesses are seeing a rapid rise in sophisticated burglary operations, boiling over last month into one business owner attempting to intervene with gunfire. Industry leaders say the police, which have not made any arrests after multiple burglaries in 2023, are failing. The cops disagree.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Levee agreement marks a watershed moment for the people of Watsonville and Pajaro
A federal, state and local agreement signed last week officially greenlights the construction of a new Pajaro River levee, a project the community has been waiting for since the 1950s. Local officials say the moment has been a long time coming.
Posted inHousing & Development
Santa Cruz County’s state-mandated housing plan opens new doors to development
Last year, Santa Cruz County learned it would need to permit more than 4,600 new, state-mandated housing units by 2031 — an unprecedented boost in housing supply. Last week, the county approved its plan to make room for that new housing.
Posted inPolitics & Policy, San Lorenzo Valley
Rain-rich, faucet-famine: The irony of Boulder Creek’s ongoing water woes
After a year of heavy rainfall, Boulder Creek faces a paradoxical water crisis. Despite abundant natural resources, private utility Big Basin Water Company is grappling with infrastructure failures traced back to the 2020 CZU fire, leaving faucets dry and costing some residents thousands of dollars.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
‘Zoom bombing’ tests the boundaries of free speech and access in local government meetings
Recent city council meetings in Capitola and Watsonville have been disrupted by remote participants using vulgar, often racist or antisemitic language. The issue has thrust local officials onto a wobbly tightrope where they will need to balance First Amendment rights with a desire to shield public meetings from hate speech.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
For Watsonville’s Fox Theater, has a savior finally arrived?
The historic Fox Theater represents many things to many people in Watsonville, but has sat largely vacant for nearly 20 years. Now, a local buyer wants to revive the building as a cultural asset that enriches “the spirit of the people.” Will he pull it off?
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: In first Assembly session, Pellerin picks fight with Northern California conservatives
Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, a former Santa Cruz County clerk, ended the legislative session with 10 of her bills signed into law. Of those, six focused on voting. One bill, AB 969, takes direct aim at a controversy over a Shasta County plan to hand-count ballots in an upcoming special election.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: Two downtowns, two new visions in Watsonville and Santa Cruz
As Watsonville embarks on an ambitious long-term downtown makeover and Santa Cruz’s continues, both cities are aiming to boost housing density and make those areas more livable while also focusing on events and experiences at a time when e-commerce has made brick-and-mortar retail less of a downtown driver.