Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah says Santa Cruz County parents are bullying teachers, upsetting staff and filing claims against school districts for enforcing mask mandates. Parents have bombarded schools with hundreds of “threatening messages” and angry emails and have had heated, in-person exchanges with teachers and office staff. How tough a response are the schools mounting? Sabbah describes it in detail.
Santa Cruz
Posted inPolitics & Policy
A forced overhaul of Santa Cruz government: How we got into this districting ‘mess’ & what happens from here
The city of Santa Cruz has been known for its “weak mayor” system for years. Now that a major overhaul of local governance is in order come November with district-by-district representation, some suggest there has never been more of a need for strong leadership from the mayor’s seat. While a vote to create a more nuanced role for a four-year mayor in June still won’t result in what cities call a “strong mayor” system, local political veterans hope it will elicit the type of strong leader needed for the difficult road ahead.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Q&A: Darrie Ganzhorn, hunger fighter of the year
2021 produced unprecedented hunger in Santa Cruz County. Among those recognized by Second Harvest Food Bank for helping meet the need is the longtime leader of the Homeless Garden Project, Darrie Ganzhorn.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Lookout Update: How does the city of Santa Cruz plan to spend $14 million in state homelessness funding?
The state has given the city $14.6 million in one-year funding to better address the homelessness crisis. On Tuesday, city officials started to lay out how that money will be used.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
‘Imagine not knowing’: Ukrainians in Santa Cruz, Bay Area fear for their loved ones
Ukrainians across the world are worried about the safety of their families and friends as Russian troops advance in Ukraine. Two local Ukrainian women spoke to Lookout about their country, their families and the helplessness they feel. They are trying to raise awareness about the war, which they say affects everyone.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Lookout Update: Santa Cruz overnight RV parking ban moves slowly forward
The city of Santa Cruz’s aim to remove RVs and trailers from city streets still hasn’t become reality. The planning commission’s vote to keep it moving is another step in the complex process.
Posted inFood & Drink
EATERS DIGEST: Chicken Foot fundraises for Ukraine; Venus releases California-grown agave spirit
The Westside’s Venus Spirits is among the first distillers in the Golden State to use only California-grown agave, part of a move to drought-resistant agriculture, while chef Jessica Yarr is honoring her Ukrainian heritage with a series of events.
Posted inCity Life
BOLO Best Bets: Big-name authors, ambitious music and art … and Boba Fett
Your place to go for things to do in Santa Cruz County.
Posted inCoast Life
Here’s what putting a number on homelessness looked like, from Santa Cruz to Watsonville & beyond
As Santa Cruz County attempted to put a number to its homeless population for the first time since 2019 early Monday morning with the biennial “point-in-time” count, Lookout’s team of journalists embarked on ride-alongs with some of those involved with the enumeration. The number of people visible to count was surprising to many involved.
Posted inCoast Life
Unhoused Santa Cruz: A ‘proper place’ for the homeless? Push to spread the burden stirs NIMBY backlash
Neighborhoods are receiving little advance information about newly streamlined projects, as the state of California and the county of Santa Cruz move to rapidly build new housing. As Project Homekey-funded projects pop up around the county, we see pushback in Soquel, and maybe more widely. Lookout takes a closer look at the community whiplash and the likely growing pains ahead.