As Santa Cruz County considers health department layoffs and service cuts, community members and staff warn of serious consequences — including risks to suicide prevention and recovery programs — setting the stage for a contentious budget process this June.
Today’s Top Story
A significant story with interest across the county
Posted inEducation
County superintendent of schools warns PVUSD of ‘antisemitic tropes’ during ethnic studies debate
Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah recently wrote a letter to Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s governing board, warning the trustees about his concerns that trustees’ comments “appeared to invoke anti-Semitic tropes” and about violations of laws governing the board’s actions.
Posted inWestside / Downtown
Downtown Santa Cruz is ‘safer than it’s ever been,’ police say, even as fears persist
In Santa Cruz, police say there hasn’t been any dramatic rise in downtown crime, even as some merchants report more aggressive confrontations since the pandemic. Business owners point to more visible mental health crises and drug use on the streets, while safety incidents that spread quickly on social media, for fueling public fears about downtown safety.
Posted inLatest News
Longtime Santa Cruz resident and green card holder detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at San Francisco airport
Cliona Ward, a Santa Cruz resident for almost 30 years, was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at San Francisco International Airport on Monday. Ward’s roommate told Lookout that authorities said they could not verify that previous criminal charges against Ward had been expunged.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Layoffs, staff and service cuts to lead county health department’s budget proposal
Santa Cruz County’s Health Services Agency is proposing major budget cuts that could mean layoffs, program reductions and the end of key services. A briefing Tuesday to the county board of supervisors will unpack the financial pressures behind the agency’s difficult decisions.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz officials get tough on downtown vacancies, approve a stimulus measure
The Santa Cruz City Council is taking action to address long-vacant downtown storefronts with the proposed Downtown Vibrancy Ordinance requiring upkeep plans, local management and city coordination. The broader resolution aims to boost downtown vitality through alleyway activation and business support.
Posted inEducation
Seymour Center’s Ms. Blue comes to life in new augmented reality experience
Visitors to Santa Cruz’s Seymour Marine Discovery Center can experience the iconic whale skeleton known as Ms. Blue as augmented reality on their phones while the bones undergo a lengthy restoration process.
Posted inHousing & Development
Texas-based developer’s eight-story proposal could kick off Santa Cruz’s downtown expansion
Downtown Santa Cruz is set for big changes in the coming years with a new, expanded downtown envisioned south of Laurel Street. A Texas-based developer wants to be the first one in the new neighborhood.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Closing a street to cars may feature in Santa Cruz City Council downtown economic plan later this month
Each week for nearly the past year, a grassroots group has met at a Santa Cruz beer house with one goal: closing some downtown Santa Cruz streets to cars. The group has gotten support from business owners, employees and downtown patrons, and now, city leaders are mulling whether to bring the idea up for a vote that could eventually reshape how locals and visitors experience the city center.
Posted inCapitola & Soquel
Capitola rejects Park Avenue rail trail plan, saying it violates Measure L city law
In the first major test for Capitola’s Measure L, the city council unanimously supported an interpretation of city law that prohibits county transit officials from constructing 0.7 miles of Coastal Rail Trail next to Park Avenue, forcing the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission to pursue the original coastal alignment for the project.