The next three weekends bring a longed-for chance for artists across Santa Cruz County to reconnect with the community and fellow artists — or, for many of the younger, first-time participants, to make real-life connections with folks they’ve seen only virtually during the past year and a half.
Santa Cruz
Posted inEducation
Regents approve plan to boost UCSC enrollment to 28,000
On Thursday afternoon, the University of California Board of Regents approved a plan that would increase enrollment at UC Santa Cruz from about 19,000 currently to 28,000 by 2040. Critics say the plan does not account for the burden the increase will place on an already taxed housing market.
Posted inHousing & Development
Homeless Garden Project one step closer to a permanent home in Pogonip
The Santa Cruz City Council has approved a plan that moves the Homeless Garden Project to a permanent home on the upper meadows at Pogonip, near UCSC’s upper campus. The two-year process will seek public input and look into environmental impacts.
Posted inLatest News
‘Your responsibility, your duty’: Board makes covenant tweaks; homeowners, realty experts still concerned
On Tuesday, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors evaluated the findings from the Atkins Debris Flow-Flood Hazard study, addressing how the findings could affect the CZU Rebuild Directive as presented on Sept. 14 and the options for CZU families in the rebuilding process.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
‘They need to clean it up’: To BLM mural artist Abi Mustapha, restorative justice is the answer
The preliminary hearing for the two alleged vandals of the downtown Black Lives Matter mural is slated for Oct. 7, and artist Abi Mustapha feels strongly that the hate crime allegations applied by the Santa Cruz District Attorney’s office make this a perfect opportunity to put restorative justice practices to use.
Posted inK-12 Education
‘Have to get a little lucky’: High school athletes play through the pandemic
After having to deal with a shortened or eliminated calendar for more than a year, high school sports are back. But Santa Cruz County coaches and athletes face challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic continues into another academic year.
Posted inEducation
Housing at the forefront: UC regents to consider plan for a 44% increase in UCSC enrollment by 2040
The university’s governing board is expected to vote on a plan next week that would increase enrollment at UC Santa Cruz from about 19,000 to 28,000 — a 44% increase — by 2040. Opponents say UCSC’s commitment to house considerably more students, staff and faculty is unrealistic and will only make the region’s housing crunch worse.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
‘The energy to adapt quickly’: Some had it, some didn’t as downtown Santa Cruz slowly comes back to life
Business closures related to the pandemic hit downtown Santa Cruz hard: Approximately 30 retail shops have closed their doors since March 2020. But 15 new businesses have opened, while several others have reopened, moved to the area or are coming soon.
Posted inHousing & Development
Santa Cruz median home price up again: How our real estate figures stack up with our neighbors
The median price of a single-family home in Santa Cruz County rose to $1,255,000 in August — just off the all-time high. We crunch the numbers to see how our real estate looks compared to Monterey County and our neighbors in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
‘Where do we go from here?’: Activists will hold community forum to address racial, social issues
Activist Thairie Ritchie is hosting a discussion Saturday, seeking to engage the larger community about the traumatic issues Santa Cruz County residents have had to deal with this year. It will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. at Mission Plaza in Santa Cruz.
