Quick Take:
With harvest underway for Santa Cruz County-area wineries, Laurie Love finds growers of pinot noir enthused about what...
Good morning. It is Wednesday, Oct. 4, and the Santa Cruz County forecast calls for sunshine and temperatures ranging from the upper 70s to low 90s.
JUMP TO … Latest News | Opinion | Events | Guides | Puzzles
The plan guiding development in downtown Watsonville goes before the city council next week, and ahead of her Santa Cruz County business roundup, Jessica M. Pasko looks at the objectives the plan, four years in the making, sets forth and how it aims to accomplish them.
Christopher Neely, meanwhile, details what led up to last week’s recall of Onewheel electric skateboards by Santa Cruz-based Future Motion. The recall, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, comes after four deaths the feds attributed to the Onewheel skateboards between 2019 and 2021.
Max Chun attended a downtown workshop Tuesday night at which Santa Cruz residents and officials talked over long-range goals for West Cliff Drive. Safeguarding coastal resources emerged as a near-universal priority, and more such workshops are planned next month.
Wine expert Laurie Love is back with another wide-ranging overview of all things Santa Cruz County wine — read on for more on what’s looking to be a promising pinot noir vintage, new releases, local wine events and wine in paper bottles.
This week, Lookout’s Student Engagement program expands as we launch weekly educator alerts. Each week, Lookout handpicks several stories that we think will resonate with educators and their students — especially those on topics that might spur discussion — and sends them directly to teachers’ inboxes. Students both get a better sense of their own communities and build their media literacy skills, using lesson plans and curriculum developed by Jamie Garfield, Lookout’s director of student & community engagement. The new educator alerts are all part of a unique program, with Lookout now reaching almost 6,000 public high school students in the county, mainly those in Pajaro Valley Unified School District, Santa Cruz City Schools and County Office of Education program. If you are interested, sign up for alerts here or contact Jamie to learn more about all of our student programs.
To the Wednesday headlines …
Watsonville city leaders weigh vision for downtown’s future
With the goal of creating an active, vibrant and walkable downtown featuring a mix of shops, restaurants, housing and office spaces that still maintains the area’s historic character, the downtown plan goes to the Watsonville City Council for a vote next Tuesday. Details here from Jessica M. Pasko.
➤ BIG PLANS FOR DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE: Pouring Hispanic culture into craft beer, Buena Vista Brewing booms
Future Motion’s Onewheel skateboard recall follows lengthy public spat with federal consumer safety officials
Santa Cruz-based Future Motion issued a formal recall for its Onewheel electric skateboards after four people died while riding the popular single-wheel device. The recall comes nearly a year after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission first began raising safety concerns about the skateboard. Future Motion has insisted its skateboards don’t have faulty components and blamed rider error for accidents, but said it will issue a software update for most of its models. Christopher Neely reports.
➤ MORE: As speedy, hefty e-bikes become ubiquitous around Santa Cruz, can regulation be far behind?
Stay tuned for Jessica M. Pasko’s Santa Cruz County business roundup, among what’s still to come from Lookout this Wednesday. Follow Lookout on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Threads to stay current on all our local news stories, and sign up here for breaking news alerts via text and email and all of our other newsletters.
Our content isn’t possible without community support, so if you’re not already, please consider becoming a Lookout member.
Upcoming events in Santa Cruz County
FRIDAY 10/20
The Mountain Affair @Ristorante Casa Nostra
Beers, Bikes and Bon Bons @Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing
Vine to View Dinner @Chaminade Resort & Spa
10 O’Clock Lunch Band @Mid-County Senior Center
“The Thin Place” by Lucas Hnath @Santa Cruz Actors’ Theatre
SATURDAY 10/21
Wonderland – The Gala @Hotel Paradox
Pickleball Tournament @Cabrillo College
20th Annual Bonny Doon Art, Wine & Brew Festival @Crest Ranch
The 7th Annual Floating Pumpkin Patch @Simpkins Family Swim Center
Pleasure Point Sip & Stroll @Pleasure Point
Symphony Concert: Operas Of Seville @Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium
Uncork Corralitos @Alladin Nursery
SUNDAY 10/22
Symphony Concert: Operas Of Seville @Henry J. Mello Center for the Performing Arts
Lydia Pense & Cold Blood @Moe’s Alley
Gaby Castro @Chaminade Resort & Spa
Solidarity Records: The Fully Baked Tour @Shanty Shack Brewing
An Evening With Patty Griffin & Todd Snider @Rio Theatre