In a letter to the editor, Santa Cruz resident Ami Chen Mills writes that she was the first to report on a Flock Safety data breach by the Capitola Police Department.
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Posted inEducation
‘Moral failure’: Parents, mental health workers urge PVUSD trustees to reject sweeping layoffs
Teachers, mental health clinicians and parents packed Watsonville’s City Council chambers Wednesday night to plead with Pajaro Valley Unified School District officials to scrap a plan to cut 160 full-time positions next month.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: Tuesday hearing on battery storage ordinance a crucial green energy test
A busy week in Santa Cruz County politics and policy kicks off with the county’s proposed ordinance on battery energy storage systems is set for a hearing before supervisors Tuesday. The Santa Cruz City Council revisits a temporary path to help businesses and residents around the Murray Street Bridge, and Capitola holds a catch-all town hall.
Posted inLatest News
Morning Lookout: Support for county’s battery storage ordinance; preparing mountain roads for winter
Santa Cruz County news and opinion headlines from Lookout for the morning of Monday, Nov. 17.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Battery storage developer backs Santa Cruz County’s proposed new rules ahead of Tuesday vote
New Leaf Energy, the developer behind the proposed battery storage facility near Watsonville, tells Lookout that the company is hopeful the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors will move ahead on new regulations for battery plants on Tuesday.
Posted inLatest News
Carmageddon: As winter arrives, Santa Cruz County, Caltrans work to prep mountain roads
County and state agencies are planning a slate of road work for the Santa Cruz Mountains in preparation for a wet winter. Crews will clear ditches, ready plows and also continue working on a series of improvements to better protect cyclists and pedestrians.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Santa Cruz County’s open approach to battery storage puts safety and community first
Have something to say? Lookout welcomes letters to the editor, within our policies, from readers. Guidelines here. Over the past year, Santa Cruz County has been doing something few communities have attempted: building one of the most rigorous, safety-focused battery energy storage ordinances in California and possibly the nation. As renewable energy grows rapidly, we […]
Posted inLatest News
Sunday Reads: Surfer Kyle Thiermann’s life advice; Bruce McPherson on battery energy storage; Chris Krohn on local impact of ‘Mamdani moment’
Specially curated stories from Lookout Santa Cruz correspondents and opinion pieces from contributors.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
The mystery of Mom and Dad: Surfer Kyle Thiermann advises on how to get to know your parents, and yourself, on a deeper level
Writer, podcaster and big-wave surfer Kyle Thiermann has written his first book, which serves as both a memoir of growing up in the surf community in Santa Cruz and a practical guide in getting to know your parents better.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Bruce McPherson: I support a battery energy storage ordinance that addresses climate change and ensures local safety
Former supervisor Bruce McPherson urges the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors to move forward with a new battery energy storage system ordinance on Tuesday. He argues it is essential for climate action and local safety. He says the rules directly respond to the Moss Landing fire by banning volatile battery chemistries, requiring fire-safe containers and mandating strict inspections. McPherson argues that battery storage is critical to cutting fossil fuels, preventing power outages and keeping local control over projects like the one proposed on Minto Road outside Watsonville.