Five years after the CZU fire, “The Renegades” of Bonny Doon are remembered as both heroes and cautionary tales — neighbors who defied evacuation orders to fight flames themselves, saving homes but igniting a debate over the risk of staying back.
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County supervisors will take up Watsonville battery storage plant safety issues Nov. 18
After the Moss Landing battery plant fire, New Leaf Energy’s plan to build a storage facility outside Watsonville has gotten more controversial. As Santa Cruz County’s environment commission finalizes its recommendations, the board of supervisors will decide how to move forward in November.
Capitola councilmember Melinda Orbach faces code-of-conduct complaint as city’s political turbulence deepens
Capitola’s year of political turmoil deepens as the city council weighs a misconduct complaint Thursday against first-term lawmaker Melinda Orbach, raising questions about the city’s leadership stability.
Telemundo 23 ends its local news, leaving Central Coast without a Spanish-language newscast
KION’s Spanish-language affiliate Telemundo 23, also based in Salinas, abruptly shuttered its newsroom on Tuesday, leaving the Central Coast without a Spanish newscast.
As KION ends local news, KSBW is now only TV broadcaster serving 750K on the Central Coast
In a move that stunned staff and viewers alike, Salinas-based KION abruptly shuttered its newsroom after 56 years, leaving the Central Coast with just one local TV news outlet and raising questions about who will tell the region’s stories.
Watsonville City Council approves city’s first homelessness strategic plan
The Watsonville City Council voted to adopt the city’s first homelessness strategic plan at its meeting Tuesday night. The plan outlines the city’s approach to reducing homelessness and connecting unhoused residents to social services.
After 56 years, KION shutters its local TV news operation
In a move that stunned staff and viewers alike, Salinas-based KION abruptly shuttered its newsroom Tuesday after 56 years, leaving the Central Coast with just one local TV news outlet and raising questions about who will tell the region’s stories.
Lookout PM: Watsonville tiny village tour, locals’ thoughts on pricey rail and trail project, and Carmel Jud’s path to activism
Welcome to Friday night’s Lookout PM. Be sure to sign up for our breaking news email alerts here, and download the Lookout Santa Cruz app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. ‘A covenant of hope’: Watsonville’s tiny village for the homeless on track for December opening On Friday, local officials got their first look at the […]
‘A covenant of hope’: Watsonville’s tiny village homeless housing on track for December opening
On Friday, local officials got their first look at the 34-unit tiny village in Watsonville, which will house up to 36 homeless residents from the Pajaro River levee. The project, a collaboration between Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, is nearly complete and on track to open toward the end of the year.
Watsonville activist says school district ‘blocking’ him from speaking to students about pesticide harms
Activist Omar Dieguez told Lookout that Pajaro Valley Unified School District is not allowing him to present to students about the harms of pesticides during his monthlong hunger strike.

