Santa Cruz County news and opinion headlines from Lookout for the morning of Tuesday, June 24.
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Posted inPolitics & Policy
‘It takes over your life’: County CEO Carlos Palacios on duty, disaster and the decision to step down
After more than eight years leading Santa Cruz County through disasters, budget battles and political shifts, CEO Carlos Palacios prepares to retire, reflecting on service, sacrifice — and what comes next.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville City Council to weigh job cuts, fee hikes to balance budget
The Watsonville City Council is set to vote Tuesday on a two-year plan to cut 14 vacant city jobs and hike fees at some public facilities to narrowly avoid a deficit in its $309 million budget.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
County building permit process ‘costly, time-consuming, and exasperating,’ watchdog says
A Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury report criticizes the county’s building permit process as excessively costly, slow and confusing. The report urges sweeping changes including simplified requirements, expanded public assistance and restoration of an independent appeals board.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Remembering Mike Rotkin: He was my political partner for almost 50 years, he was like a brother
State Sen. John Laird remembers Mike Rotkin, who died last week from complications from leukemia.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
We won’t solve homelessness in Santa Cruz County until we face this one truth
Nearly 90% of people experiencing homelessness have endured significant trauma before the age of 18. And those who have adverse childhood experiences are also more likely to develop serious mental health conditions, writes Kevin Norton, a public health professional and trauma survivor. He urges Santa Cruz County to expand trauma screening and public education, especially if we want to truly support unhoused people.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
How rising costs and red tape squeeze small businesses out of downtown Santa Cruz
A mix of rising rents, construction hurdles and slow city permitting is prompting some small businesses to reconsider opening in downtown Santa Cruz. Business owners say they want to be part of downtown’s future but feel the financial and bureaucratic barriers are stacked too high — especially for those trying to open in aging buildings. While the city is rolling out reforms, including a new permitting system and faster approvals, some worry it’s not happening fast enough to keep the heart of downtown vibrant and local.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: The county’s generational shift deepens
Inside Santa Cruz County politics & policy with Lookout correspondent Christopher Neely.
Posted inLatest News
Morning Lookout: Boardwalk’s food revolution; Murray Street Bridge closure; fear grips local Iranian community
Santa Cruz County headlines from Lookout for the morning of Monday, June 23.
Posted inLatest News
‘All my dreams shattered’: Santa Cruz Iranians gripped by fear for family members abroad as conflict escalates
As tensions among Iran, Israel and the United States erupt, Iranian immigrants in Santa Cruz — many with deep family ties still in Iran — are experiencing fear, grief and helplessness. For Asal and her mother, Maryam, their long-awaited family reunion has been overshadowed by missile strikes and her father’s delayed migration to the U.S.