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Democrats are searching for a hero to save them in the California governor’s race.

So far, no one in party leadership has come to the rescue.

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Despite Rep. Eric Swalwell’s exit from the race this week, the Democratic field remains unwieldy, with seven major candidates still splitting the field less than three weeks before ballots are sent. Each of them refuses to bow out, regardless of their polling numbers, in the hope they can capture some of the voter attention that Swalwell’s demise drew to the race.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, the face of the party in California, is not interested in elevating a successor. Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks, who faces criticism for not using his position to cull the field, has relied on party-commissioned polls and vague pleas for candidates to “honestly assess” their campaign’s viability, refusing to openly pressure anyone to drop out. 

Even former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — known for urging then-Rep. Adam Schiff to run for Senate and former President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid — won’t intervene.

“People have reached out to me saying, ‘Your mom has to do something!’” said Christine Pelosi, daughter of the San Francisco congresswoman and herself a candidate for state Senate. 

“I said, ‘You know what? She doesn’t, though,’” the younger Pelosi said. “She already did that with Biden and [former Vice President Kamala] Harris. She’s not going to — don’t look to her to do that again.”

Gone is the heyday of the San Francisco-based political machine, a network of political talent that dominated state politics for decades and produced titans such as Pelosi and Newsom, both of whom are moving on from California politics. 

Now that pipeline has run dry, and this year there is no obvious heir to Newsom for the party to coalesce behind. No current statewide officeholder joined the fray, and both presumptive favorites — Harris and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla — opted not to run. 

That has made top Democrats loath to weigh in on the state’s first truly open Democratic primary in 16 years. In 2018, Newsom, then the lieutenant governor, was widely viewed as the most likely successor to former Gov. Jerry Brown, another product of the San Francisco political machine.

The 2026 race is also only the second time an open field has competed under the top-two primary system, adopted 16 years ago to the chagrin of both parties. That means two Democrats or two Republicans could advance to the general election and lock the other party out. 

Newsom reiterated his lack of interest this week when he issued a statement that said in part, “I have full confidence that voters will choose a candidate who reflects the values and direction Californians believe in.” 

Too much democracy for Democrats?

While grassroots activists have for decades decried the king-making of insider machine politics, the alternative — an abundance of candidates with no clear frontrunner — has proved unappealing too. 

The resulting decision paralysis has resurrected calls for a strong leader to step in.

“This has been incredibly frustrating, not to mention scary, with the idea that we could end up with two Republicans,” said RL Miller, a longtime delegate and chair of the party’s environmental caucus. “I really do believe that there has been a failure of leadership at the top.”

Miller theorized that party leaders were overcorrecting after years of backlash following the 2016 presidential election, in which establishment Democrats disregarded the grassroots support for Sen. Bernie Sanders and instead anointed Hillary Clinton. 

As more Democratic gubernatorial candidates entered the fray in the past year, Miller said she thought leadership had the “admirable intent” of letting delegates winnow the field themselves. 

But anxieties were already spiking before the Democrats’ endorsing convention in February, where none of the nine candidates vying for the gubernatorial nod amassed more than 25% — far short of the 60% needed. Hicks faced repeated questions then about whether he would step in, but insisted it wasn’t his role.

“By the party convention, the alarm bells had been ringing for months,” said Miller, who has consistently voted against Hicks in internal party elections.

California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks addresses the media in Sacramento in 2023. Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / CalMatters

After the convention, Hicks released an open letter urging that “every candidate honestly assess the viability of their candidacy and campaign,” and “if you do not have a viable path to make it to the general election” not to file to run. Only one listened, former Assemblymember Ian Calderon, who was polling around 1% or less. 

Later, Hicks announced the party would conduct ongoing polls on the race and release them every seven to 10 days through early May, when ballots are sent. 

Hicks’ defenders said he was right to abstain from picking favorites. Christine Pelosi said it would be “inappropriate” for the chair to weigh in on the candidates after delegates at the party convention chose not to endorse anyone. 

Hicks’ calls for candidates to “consider their viability” was a “somewhat extraordinary and surprising” move, said Paul Mitchell, the architect of the gerrymandered congressional maps that voters approved via Proposition 50 to boost congressional Democrats in the upcoming election. 

“It maybe wasn’t surprising for people who think that the Democratic Party chair is like a backroom dealer that’s going to knock heads or something like that,” Mitchell said. “But that’s not the chair’s role in California right now.”

Top-two primary adds to tension

Both Mitchell and Christine Pelosi blamed the top-two system for much of the drama. The slim possibility that two Republicans could emerge from the primary has spurred many of the calls for leadership to weigh in. 

Mitchell argued that since President Donald Trump put a thumb on the scale by endorsing former Fox News host Steve Hilton, there’s less risk that both Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco would end up on the November ticket, alleviating some of the pressure on Democrats. 

“If it wasn’t a top two, people wouldn’t care,” said Christine Pelosi. “You wouldn’t have the added agita of ‘there’s only two Republicans and there’s a bunch of Democrats.’”

Notably, the state GOP failed to endorse a candidate at its recent convention, indicating that Trump’s nod might not hold as much sway as Democrats assume.

Still, if Hicks is trying to convince rank-and-file Democrats he’s doing enough, it’s not working. 

Amar Shergill, the former leader of the party’s progressive caucus, suggested that its weak, decentralized leadership was by design so monied interests could exert more control over who gets elected.

“Rusty Hicks is furniture that folks with real power use at their discretion,” Shergill said. 

“There’s no sort of anger or animosity towards him as a person,” he said. “If it wasn’t Rusty, it would be somebody else. This is just the political situation right now.”

In an interview, Hicks told CalMatters that he is “doing what is required” to ensure a Democrat wins the race. But when pressed repeatedly, Hicks would not elaborate on what that work entails, if he believes what he’s done so far is working or if he should have had a stronger hand in culling the field, as his critics have suggested.

“I’m not interested in opening up the playbook as to what we will or will not do in the coming days and weeks,” he said.

CalMatters’ Yue Stella Yu contributed to this report.

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Earlier this year, tickets to see SZA perform at the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles were selling for $600 the day before they officially went on sale at $35 a piece. In San Francisco, tickets to see Sam Smith at the newly renovated Castro Theater went on sale for $120, only to be quickly snatched up by scalpers and resold for upward of $600. 

Those are some of the stories that California lawmakers are citing as they advance two plans to change the ticketing landscape. One caps the extent to which resellers can mark up the original ticket price while the other prohibits resellers from selling tickets they don’t yet own. 

Democratic Assemblymembers Issac Bryan of Culver City and Matt Haney of San Francisco are each carrying bills that they say would protect consumers from fraudulent and deceptive ticket sales. 

Both measures are backed by the ticket market’s dominant seller, Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster. Its support has some worried that the bills will help the company crush its competitors and jack up prices. A federal jury in New York this week found that the company illegally acted as a monopoly in a victory for, among others, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who with colleagues in other states sued the company two years ago and kept going after federal prosecutors settled. Live Nation is now awaiting penalties.

Despite these headwinds, the ticket bills are sailing through the Legislature.

Supporters say the legislation has nothing to do with the antitrust case against Live Nation and helps consumers. Opponents disagree.

“The state Legislature should really be standing up for consumers instead of advancing bills that are there to help a monopoly that has been caught on record calling its fans stupid and has bragged about robbing them blind,” said Jose Barrera, national vice president for the far west region at the League of United Latin American Citizens, a civil rights advocacy group. 

Ticketmaster’s competitors in the online resale market are lobbying against the measures, a sign that they view the proposals as a threat to their business. 

Jack Sterne, StubHub’s head of policy communications, wrote to CalMatters, stating, “Passing laws that hand the Ticketmaster monopoly more power and don’t actually make tickets more affordable is the last thing California’s leaders should do.”

But Stephen Parker, executive director of the National Independent Venue Association, which is co-sponsoring the bills, argues that they will regulate the marketplace to better protect fans by limiting price gouging and encouraging the face value — or below face value — exchange of tickets. 

“Ultimately, that is what these bills will do, in addition to making sure that the tickets are actually real,” he said. “That is a good thing for California consumers. It’s a good thing for artists and it’s a good thing for these small businesses and nonprofits that make up the independent stages across the state.”

A Live Nation spokesperson said in a statement to CalMatters, “The resale lobby constantly tries to change the subject by pointing fingers at Ticketmaster, even though it has less than 25% of the resale market. This has nothing to do with anyone’s monopoly, but rather is about protecting fans from scalpers and the resale sites that cater to them.”

The company has spent roughly $165,000 on lobbying efforts this legislative session, including to support Bryan’s bill. 

‘Unlikely allies’

Bryan’s Assembly Bill 1349 would ban the sale of speculative tickets — or tickets that are not in the possession or ownership of the people who list them online. In an April hearing, Bryan said the bill protects consumers from predatory mark ups.

“This bill is so important that, after our introduction, it brought unlikely allies together,” Bryan said, according to the CalMatters Digital Democracy database. “In fact, this bill brought the Giants and the Dodgers together, brought the National Independent Venue Association and Live Nation together. ​​It brought Kendrick Lamar and Kid Rock together. It brought Isaac Bryan and Donald Trump together.”

Several secondary ticket sellers are fighting the measure, including StubHub, SeatGeek and Vivid Seats. The three companies have spent roughly $1.1 million dollars on lobbying efforts this legislative session, which included opposition to Bryan’s bill. 

People watch fireworks during Bad Bunny’s halftime show from a parking garage outside Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Feb. 8, 2026. Credit: Jungho Kim for CalMatters

Opponents including Robert Herrell, executive director for the Consumer Federation of California, argue that the bill strengthens Live Nation Ticketmaster’s grip on the ticketing and live entertainment industry. According to them, the measure would give Live Nation complete control over the ticket even after it has been purchased — meaning, for example, that consumers could lose the ability to sell it or give it away.

“There’s no consumer choice in the matter,” said Herrell. “They can keep people out of shows if they want to. There have been situations where, if you bought a ticket on the secondary market, you’ve been denied entry into a show.” 

Proponents say Herrell and other opponents are mistaken. They say they are not trying to prevent transferability but rather, they want to protect fans from speculative costs.

“We want those rooms full,” said Ron Gubitz, executive director of Music Artists Coalition, which is co-sponsoring both bills. “So you have to be able to transfer a ticket. We just want it to be in a way that’s safe, trustworthy and not creating this run on the market that exists now.”

Gubitz pointed to a recent Bruno Mars concert, where tickets were on StubHub for $400 to $2,000 before they were on sale through Ticketmaster.

“That’s crazy,” he said. “That’s a speculative ticket that Bryan’s bill is trying to stop. That shouldn’t happen. It’s not fair to anybody, except for the secondary [market]. It seems great for them.”

Price caps in a free market

Haney’s Assembly Bill 1720, also known as the California Fans First Act, would put a 10% cap on resale event ticket markups, inclusive of the ticket fees. In other words, a reseller could not charge more than 10% higher than the original ticket price.

In an interview with CalMatters, Haney said artists, independent venues and downtowns are currently being “screwed over and exploited” by scalpers and brokers.

“We can’t allow the status quo to continue if we want to ensure Californians have access to affordable tickets to see their favorite artists or if we want independent venues or the broader landscape of musicians and artists to thrive in our state,” he said.

Haney rejected the idea that his bill would strengthen the Live Nation Ticketmaster monopoly, saying that the company is one of the biggest operators and profiteers of the secondary ticket market and would therefore be subject to the same restrictions as any other platform or broker. 

“I don’t think it’s a free market to allow folks to come in and buy up all these tickets and then create scarcity and then you’re now required to buy your ticket at a much higher price from someone who had nothing to do with the event,” he said. “This is not something we would ever allow for airplane tickets or even dinner reservations.”

The bill has been criticized by opponents like Diana Moss, vice president and director of competition policy at Progressive Policy Institute, who said price caps notoriously distort the market, describing them as “anti-consumer, anti-competitive and anti-artist.”

“If you shut down the resale market with price caps then guess what? Ticket buyers have no place to go but right back to Ticketmaster,” said Moss. “If [Live Nation] succeed[s] in decimating the resale market, then they steer millions and millions of fans back to their own ticketing platform where they charge monopoly ticket fees and where fans are hostage to their glitchy online platform and all of their data, privacy and security concerns that we always hear about in the news.”

Those concerns didn’t stop the bill from passing out of the Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports and Tourism last week with a 6-1 vote. The bill also passed out of the Assembly Committee on Privacy & Consumer Protection on Thursday with a 9-4 vote.

Cayla Mihalovich is a California Local News fellow.

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Monterey County received $20 million in state aid to help Pajaro recover from flooding in 2023. County supervisors split the funds between infrastructure projects and direct aid to businesses and residents. (Fidel M. Soto — Noticias Watsonville)

PAJARO >> More than four months after Monterey County hit the deadline to distribute $20 million in state aid for Pajaro after devastating flooding in March 2023, county officials have again delayed disclosing details on how the last of the money for residents and businesses was spent. 

Nicholas Pasculli, a spokesperson for the county, said in a January email that the final report would be available in February. In a Feb. 24 email he wrote that the report was “pending scheduling.” In an email on April 13, he said the “report is not finalized yet.”

Also on April 13, county spokesperson Maia Carroll wrote in an email, “The $10 million [for direct aid] was fully allocated.” Noticias Watsonville has asked for more information on how it was distributed but has not been provided further details. 

The most recent update provided by the county showed that as of September, $600,000 for residents had not yet been distributed. County officials had previously said that if they are unable to distribute all the funds for direct aid, any left over money would go to projects benefiting Pajaro.

“Not everything was perfect, but we fulfilled what was entrusted to us,” Supervisor Glenn Church, whose district includes Pajaro, told us last month.

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The $20 million was allocated to the county in July 2023 as part of the California legislature’s budget bill. It was up to Monterey County supervisors how to distribute the money, and Pajaro residents pushed back against a proposal to use $14 million for infrastructure improvements and $6 million for direct aid to residents and businesses. 

After residents’ advocacy, supervisors voted to instead split the money in half: $10 million for projects and $10 million in direct aid. The county had until Dec. 31, 2025 to allocate every dollar or else return the balance to state coffers.

The process to distribute the direct aid was, for many residents, painfully slow and arduous. It took the county and its nonprofit partners tasked with distributing the money, Community Bridges and Catholic Charities, more than a year to hand out roughly $1.4 million and by August 2025 more than $1.7 million still remained unallocated. 

For residents, one of the barriers to qualifying for money was a lack of photos of the damaged property. For business owners, it was often a lack of receipts. 

Daycare business owner Liz Ramírez said in August that despite an estimated $50,000 in damage to her business property, she received $8,000.

“I thought they were going to give a little more,” Ramírez said in Spanish. “I feel they gave me the money to say, ‘Here is what you get, be happy with it.’”

The Pajaro library is being renovated with money from the state. (Fidel M. Soto — Noticias Watsonville)

The most recent report from the county detailed distribution as of September 2025, including approximately:

• $4.7 million distributed to residents.
• $490,000 in administrative costs to distribute funds to residents.
• $3.8 million distributed to businesses. 
• $290,000 in administrative costs to distribute funds to businesses.

Additionally, millions for local projects had been allocated but not yet spent, according to the September report. Money that had been expended for local projects included: 

• $2 million in small local grants.
• $1.5 million for street improvements.
• $2 million to renovate the library.
• $336,000 for the North Monterey County Fire Protection District. 
• $122,000 for the Department of Emergency Management.

Héctor Llamas, owner of Pájaro Food Center, said his business suffered a lot of damages and losses from the floods. 

“The county probably did everything it could. We wanted to have more to make up for everything that was lost,” Llamas said in Spanish. “It could have been done better, but perfection doesn’t exist.”

This week, a staffer for supervisor Church said the final report would be published next month.

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Published in cooperation between Mr. Gamble and Good Times When was the last time you clicked “Agree” without a second thought? For most people within the last month, and maybe for some readers, within the last 24 hours!  The reality is that the fine print and T&Cs can significantly affect how you experience online entertainment […]

By Haneen Zain

Since joining UC Santa Cruz in 2007, Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz has pushed the boundaries of astronomy and astrophysics. The UC Santa Cruz professor has won a number of awards for his research of the cosmos, mentorship of students, and groundbreaking research including a Packard Fellowship, NSFCAREER Award, and more. In 2020, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and in 2022 he received the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. 

“Science and storytelling are not separate. They are both ways to understand the world and our place in it.” – Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, UC Santa Cruz

Ramirez-Ruiz studies some of the most powerful explosions since the birth of the universe. He uses simulations to explore the cataclysmic death of stars that give rise to many of the elements of the periodic table. His work tests ideas at the edge of human experience, challenging how we imagine the universe and our place within it. 

Ramirez-Ruiz will host the second annual Landesman Lecture in conversation with slam poet, performance coach, and author Jasmine Schlafke. The duo will blend science, poetry, and storytelling to explore our deepest origins and shared humanity. 

“I have deep admiration for Jasmine and the way her powerful poems and performances bring ideas to life,” Ramirez-Ruiz said. “She has a remarkable gift for weaving stories that awaken empathy, spark connection, and touch the heart, showing how art can make the world feel closer and more meaningful. Together, we hope to bridge science and art, revealing how wonder and shared experience can emerge through the strength of storytelling.”

Schlafke, better known by her stage name Queen Jasmeen, is a poet, slam coach, diversity trainer, and a doula from Santa Cruz. Her first book, Crowned, published in 2019 is a widely respected expression of the complexity of compounded identities, reflecting on mental health, race, teen parenting, womanhood, ministry, and more. Currently, she works as a privately contracted poetry and performance coach and is a proud single mother of two grown children.

The Landesman Lecture Series is made possible by the generosity of Edward (Ed) and Miriam Landesman, UC Santa Cruz faculty retirees whose philanthropic gift supports this lecture.

“We hope the lecture series will bring together UCSC students and faculty, as well as community members of all ages,” Edward said. “We hope that students will be inspired to pursue studies in science or math, and if not, they would appreciate the role of science and mathematics in society.”

The Landesman Lecture Series is made possible by the generosity of Edward (Ed) and Miriam Landesman, UC Santa Cruz faculty retirees whose philanthropic gift supports this lecture.

The Landesmans established the lecture series as a means to not only inspire students, but to increase accessibility to the sciences. Ramirez-Ruiz hopes the lecture gives attendees a perspective beyond themselves. 

“I hope attendees leave with a sense of being part of something far greater, a story that stretches across the cosmos and binds us through our shared humanity,” Ramirez-Ruiz said. “Through both science and art, I want people to feel the thrill of curiosity, the joy of discovery, and the wonder that comes from connecting to the world around them, carrying that inspiration into their own lives and communities.”

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A countywide celebration of visual and performing arts kicked off Thursday and will run through April 26. 

The Ripple Effect Santa Cruz County Arts Festival is the County’s effort to highlight the creative community during California’s Arts, Culture and Creativity Month. 

Organizers said the event brings together local artists, cultural organizations, and venues to showcase a broad range of artistic disciplines, including visual arts, music, dance, theater, poetry, fashion and interactive workshops.

The festival opens with “Santa Cruz Dancing in the Streets” from 5–9pm in downtown Santa Cruz Thursday and concludes with a grand finale at The Grove near the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk from 4–9pm. 

Events include exhibitions, performances, pop-ups, and hands-on workshops across multiple venues throughout the county. While some activities are free, others, such as the finale, require tickets. 

Each venue manages its own events and ticketing, and parking options vary by location. 

The grassroots, volunteer-driven festival aims to strengthen the local arts community and economy, organizers said.
Watsonville events include various shows, performances by Esperanza del Valle, Ballet Folklorico Dance Company; “Many Truths, One World: Mariposa Arts Showcase & Artwork” by Claraty Arts at Watsonville Center for the Arts; the ongoing PV Arts exhibit, “Hot off the Walls: Art to Go!,” recent paintings by Annie Morhauser at Annieglass; and the Guelaguetza Festival on April 26.For information, visit rippleartsfestsantacruz.org.

Pajaro Valley Unified School District officials say it will cost more than $100,000 to rename Cesar E. Chavez Middle School as they move forward with the process following recent sex abuse allegations against the late civil rights leader. Trustees voiced support for the change but raised concerns about the expense, the risks of naming schools after individuals and the possibility of spending funds on a campus that could later face closure.

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Pajaro Valley senior Olivia Contreras may have saved her best for last going into the final season as a member of the girls’ basketball team.

The Grizzly star player put together an unforgettable campaign as she helped lead the program to a Pacific Coast Athletic League Cypress Division championship, their first since 2018-19. 

Contreras was a force to be reckoned with on offense by leading the team in scoring points and assists, while also contributing on the other end of the court on defense. 

Her all-around production on the court resulted in being named the division’s co-Most Valuable Player by the coaches within the league.

“Olivia earned the right to be co-MVP for all her hard work on the court,” said Pajaro Valley head coach Darren Jackson.

Contreras wound up sharing the Cypress Division’s top award with Pacific Collegiate junior Kat Buckley, while teammate senior Julia Guth received Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Jackson said Contreras was a hard-working player, intelligent to the game of basketball and a great leader for him.

“She tried to do whatever was necessary to get her team across the finish line,” Jackson said.

Contreras was asked to play up top at the guard position on both defense and offense, which was something she wasn’t used to, but quickly adjusted to it.

Jackson added that Contreras was a great defensive player because the scheme the Grizzlies had made it difficult for opponents to set up in their offense by applying pressure up top.

“Olivia deserves to be MVP because of all the things that she did,” Jackson said. “We will ask her to score a lot of points, she had about 12 points a game. But her main [goal] was to ignite our defense and everything else you did was just a bonus.”

Contreras played under Jackson for just one season, yet the veteran coach appreciated their time spent together.

“[Contreras is] a kind of player and person that a coach enjoys coaching,” Jackson said. “She’s committed to doing her very best every game.”

Watsonville High senior Leilani Yasin-Espinoza held her own as a lock-down defender and rebound machine in the Gabilan Division—the highest tier of the four divisions within the PCAL. She received the division’s Defensive Player of the Year award.

Alisal senior Nayeli Gil Silva was named the division’s Most Valuable Player, while Salinas Alice Uchida-Dohrmann received the Offensive Player of the Year award.

“Leilani was probably the most underrated player going into the season outside of Watsonville High,” said Watsonville head coach Zach Cook.

Cook said everyone in the league was aware the Wildcatz had lost Isabella Alvarez, who transferred to Aptos High in the summer, and point guard Stephanie Martinez was a key returning player.

“But no one had Leilani on their radar,” Cook said.

Cook added the Gabilan Division wasn’t just the most challenging in the PCAL, but it was also one of the best and toughest in the tri-county area (Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito).

Yasin-Espinoza was an absolute presence on both ends of the court, finishing with averages of 14 points and 15.1 rebounds per game for the Wildcatz, who placed fifth in the Gabilan with 6-8 record in league play.

Yet, it was her outstanding defense that earned her the recognition by coaches within the league.

The Wildcatz standout forward finished with an average of 5.2 blocks per game—tops in Central Coast Section and fifth in California while also averaging 3.9 steals per game, which was ranked third in CCS Division I.

“[Yasin-Espinoza’s] ability to affect shots and deter players from attacking helped us stay in games that we wouldn’t have been able to without her,” Cook said.

St. Francis sophomore Liliana Whitmeyer capped off a great season after surpassing the 1,000-point mark in just two years with the program.

The Sharks star player finished with an average of 22.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 3.5 steals per contest this past winter season. Whitmeyer was named the Mission Division’s Offensive Player of the Year by the coaches within the league.

Palma sophomore Carolina Lorca was named the division’s Most Valuable Player, while teammate junior Aleena Salas received the Defensive Player of the Year award.

St. Francis head coach Jesse Yniguez said Whitmeyer plays like a seasoned veteran despite being only a sophomore, and sometimes he tends to forget how young Whitmeyer is. 

“Liliana plays basketball with passion and you can tell she loves the game and wants to win,” Yniguez said. “She is one of the front players in our defensive press and does a great job in that role but offensively she has a gift.”

Yniguez added that Whitmeyer has the ability to create her own shot, and when she gets to her spots she can knock them down with ease. 

“Sky’s the limit for her and we have her here at St Francis for two more years,” Yniguez said. “I just can’t wait to see [what’s in store] for the upcoming season.”

Pacific Coast Athletic League All-League Girls Basketball Teams Cypress Division Individual Awards

Co-Most Valuable Player: Olivia Contreras (Sr.), Pajaro Valley and Kat Buckley (Jr.), Pacific Collegiate

Defensive Player of the Year: Julia Guth (Sr.), Pacific Collegiate

First Team

Kat Buckley (Jr.), Pacific Collegiate

Olivia Contreras (Sr.), Pajaro Valley

Julia Guth (Sr.), Pacific Collegiate

Alizah Carillo (Jr.), King City

Crystal Paramo (So.), King City

Iliana Perez (Sr.), North Salinas

Second Team

Kendyl Burpo (Sr.), King City

Bella Figueroa (Sr.), Greenfield

Ashanti WIlliams (Sr.), North Salinas

Nina Gramkowski (Jr.), Pacific Collegiate

Monique Ayala (Sr.), Pajaro Valley

Elizabeth Zamora (So.), Pajaro Valley

Richard Chamberlin All-Sportsmanship Team

Mikayla McLane, King City

Amaya Ibarra-Castillo, Pajaro Valley

Paola Rico, Marina

Priya Naschal, Seaside

Genavieve Keefe, Pacific Collegiate

Ashley Ramos, Greenfield

Priscilla Hurtado, Gonzales

Arely Perea, North Salinas

Elgie Bellizio All-Sportsmanship team

North Salinas

Gabilan Division Individual Awards

Most Valuable Player: Nayeli Gil Silva (Sr.) Alisal

Offensive Player of the Year: Alice Uchida-Dohrmann (Sr.) Salinas

Defensive Player of the Year: Leilani Yasin-Espinoza (Sr.) Watsonville

First Team

Nayeli Gil Silva (Sr.), Alisal

Mia Rivera (Sr.), Alisal

Madelyn Davis (Sr.), Hollister

Alice Uchida-Dohrmann (Sr.), Salinas

Alissa Escutia (Sr.), Salinas

Leilani Yasin-Espinoza (Sr.), Watsonville

Second Team

Lucy Peinado (Sr.), Alisal

Jadah Gonzalez (Jr.), Hollister

Erin Uchida-Dohrmann (Sr.), Salinas

Delylah Ocampo (Jr.), Soledad

Kobie Crutcher (So.), Stevenson

Stephanie Martinez (Sr.), Watsonville

Richard Chamberlin All-Sportsmanship Team

Aliyah Quintero (Sr.), Alisal

Carlie Rowen (Sr.), Hollister

Susana Latu (Sr.), Monterey

Jasmine Booker (Sr.), Pacific Grove

Soraya Alonzo-Hernandez (Sr.), Salinas

Jessica Morales (So.), Soledad

Jessie Chen (Sr.), Stevenson

Itzury Vazquez (Sr.), Watsonville

Elgie Bellizio All-Sportsmanship team

Soledad

Mission Division Individual Awards

Most Valuable Player: Carolina Lorca (So.), Palma

Offensive Player of the Year: Liliana Whitmeyer (So.), St. Francis

Defensive Player of the Year: Aleena Salas (Jr.), Palma

First Team

Carolina Lorca (So.), Palma

Liliana Whitmeyer (So.), St. Francis

Aleena Salas (Jr.), Palma

Alyssa Hernandez (Jr.) Rancho San Juan

Ashleigh Ducusin (Fr.), North Monterey County

Jeanine Williams (Jr.), Palma 

Second Team

Zaniyah Washington (Fr.), Palma

Shekinah Williams (Jr.), Palma

Keira Grio (So.), St. Francis

Xochitl Ramirez (Sr.), NMC

America Jimenez (Jr.), NMC

Ella Cleary (Jr.), Carmel 

Richard Chamberlin All-Sportsmanship Team 

Ruby Tomas Hernandez (Sr.), NMC

Ella Cleary (Jr.), Carmel

Miyah Nickerson (So.), Palma

Heliana Martinez (Sr.), Rancho San Juan

Natalie Stott (Sr.), St. Francis

Rebekka Luna (Sr.), Alvarez

Elgie Bellizio All-Sportsmanship team

Rancho San Juan

Santa Lucia Division Individual Awards

Most Valuable Player: Olivia Wong (Jr.), Oakwood

Offensive Player of the Year: Lydia Ostos (So.), Santa Catalina

Defensive Player of the Year: Mikeyla Coley (Jr.), Oakwood

First Team

Olivia Wong (Jr.), Oakwood

Kailee Barlics (Sr.), Oakwood

Lydia Ostos (So.), Santa Catalina

Cristina Vogel-Martin (Jr.), Santa Catalina

Esme Gonzalez (Sr.), Anzar

Mikeyla Coley (Jr.), Oakwood

Second Team

Lucy Uhl (Jr.), Notre Dame

Chloe Wigdal (So.), Santa Catalina 

Evelyn Velazquez-Diaz (Sr.), Ceiba

Gracie Grio (So.), Anzar

Ava Hoffmeister (Sr.), York

Emika Koubong (So.), Monterey Bay Academy

Richard Chamberlin All-Sportsmanship Team

Georgia Alves (Sr.), Oakwood

Minh Vy Le (Fr.), Santa Catalina

Nadia Blas (So.), Notre Dame

Julia Rao (Sr.), York

Samantha Leon (Fr.), Anzar

Azailee Espinoza (So.), Ceiba

Miyako Hinoki (Jr.), MBA

Elgie Bellizio All-Sportsmanship team

Notre Dame

With the weekend nearly here, check out things to do around Santa Cruz County with a recommendation from Lily Belli and a specially curated list from Lookout’s BOLO events calendar.

The post Best of Santa Cruz County arts & food events this weekend, April 16-19 appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Team BOLO (Be On The Lookout) is gathering and curating all of Santa Cruz County’s biggest and best happenings from now until forever — or at least until the latest gigs are officially announced.

Latest additions are marked as NEW below.

Use the following links to see the major events happening by month:

• April
• May
• June
• July
• August
• September
• October
• December

And away we go with Down The Line …

April

April 16: Satsang, Moe’s Alley

April 17: George Kahumoko & Kimo West, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

April 17: Cobrah, The Catalyst

April 18: Bee Gees tribute, The Rio

April 18: Emmylou Harris, Santa Cruz Civic

April 18: Drain, Quarry Amphitheater

April 18: Throwing Muses, Moe’s Alley

April 19: Roy Rogers & the Delta Rhythm Kings, Moe’s Alley

April 19: Gillian Welch/David Rawlings, Quarry Amphitheater

April 20: Gary Bartz, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

April 20: Aziz Abu Sarah & Moaz Inon, The Rio

April 22: Drew & Ellie Holcomb, The Rio

April 22: Jane Smiley, Bookshop Santa Cruz

April 23: Tommy Emmanuel, The Rio

April 23: Jane Monheit, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

April 24: “A Change is Gonna Come,” Kuumbwa Jazz Center

April 25: KT Tunstall, Felton Music Hall

April 25: Poi Rogers/Grey DeLisle, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

April 26: Mariachi Festival, Crocker Theater

April 27: Sullivan Fortner Trio, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

April 28: Karen Tei Yamashita, Bookshop Santa Cruz

April 30: Kuumbwa Jazz Honor Band, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

May

May 1: Scottish Fish, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

May 2: Santa Cruz Symphony: “Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony,” Santa Cruz Civic

May 2: Karla Bonoff, Felton Music Hall (RESCHEDULED FROM NOV. 8)

May 2: Martha High’s Funky Divas, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

May 2: Peach Pit, Quarry Amphitheater

May 2: Cruzapolooza 2, The Catalyst

May 3: Santa Cruz Symphony: “Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony,” Mello Center

May 3: Pat Metheny, The Rio

May 4: Gregorio Uribe, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

May 4: Crystal Wahpepah, Bookshop Santa Cruz

May 6: Lucia, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

NEW: May 6: Martha Conway, Bookshop Santa Cruz

May 7: Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

May 7: “Corked,” The Rio

May 7: North Mississippi Allstars, Felton Music Hall

May 7: Sophie Wood Brinker, Bookshop Santa Cruz

May 8: Sports, The Catalyst

May 8: Glen Phillips, Felton Music Hall

May 8: Brothers Comatose, Moe’s Alley

May 8: Benny Bennack III, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

May 8-9: Cabrillo spring dance concert, Crocker Theater

May 9: David Sedaris, Santa Cruz Civic

May 9: Protoje, The Catalyst

May 10: Jim Messina, The Rio

May 10: San Francisco Scottish Fiddlers, Crocker Theater

May 11: Reyna Grande, Bookshop Santa Cruz

May 13: TOPS, Felton Music Hall

May 13: Mac Barnett, Bookshop Santa Cruz

May 13: Albaye Cissoko & Cyrille Brotto, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

May 14: Caroline Davis, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

May 14: Rose City Band, The Crepe Place

May 14: Gripper, Khan & Buttery, The Rio

May 15: Cornelia Murr, Felton Music Hall

May 15: The Heavy Heavy, Moe’s Alley

May 15: Robyn Hitchcock, The Crepe Place

May 16: Amy Winehouse tribute, The Rio

NEW: May 16: Steely Dead, Felton Music Hall

May 17: Willie Nile, Felton Music Hall

May 17: Bobby McFerrin, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

May 17: Cimafunk, Moe’s Alley

May 18: Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

May 20: Veronica Swift, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

May 21: Unknown Mortal Orchestra, The Catalyst

May 21: Peter Erskine, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

May 22: Andre Nickatina, The Catalyst

May 23: Grandaddy, The Rio

May 28: Allah-Las, The Catalyst

May 29: Frankie Moreno, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

May 29: GZA, The Catalyst

May 30: Olas Perdidas, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

May 31: Billie Holiday tribute, Felton Music Hall

May 31: Pete Seeger singalong tribute, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

May 31: Merlin Sheldrake, Quarry Amphitheater

June

June 1: Thelonious Monk tribute, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

June 4: Emi Makabe, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

June 5: Agent Orange, Moe’s Alley

June 5: The Hu, The Catalyst

June 6: Le Bouef brothers, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

June 6: The Montvales, The Crepe Place

June 7: Dogs in a Pile, Felton Music Hall

June 10: Quintron & Miss Pussycat, The Crepe Place

NEW: June 10: Ruth Ozeki, Bookshop Santa Cruz

June 11: Nicole Zuraitis, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

June 11: Rayburger, The Catalyst

June 12: Monolord, The Catalyst

June 12: The Smithereens, Moe’s Alley

June 13: Santa Cruz Symphony: “Movie Night,” Santa Cruz Civic

June 13: Santa Cecelia, Moe’s Alley

June 15: Jason Marsalis, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

June 17: Barbara Higbie & Teresa Trull, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

June 18: Mary Gauthier, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

June 18: GayC/DC, Moe’s Alley

June 21: Death Angels, The Catalyst

June 22: Santa Cruz Guitar Co. tribute, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

June 25: “Wild Women of the ’60s,” Kuumbwa Jazz Center

June 28: Billy Childs, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

June 29: Luciana Souza & Marcel Camargo, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

July

July 7: Taj Farrant, Moe’s Alley

July 8: TAE & the Neighborly, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

July 9: Beth Stelling, Felton Music Hall

NEW: July 9: Mads Tolling, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

NEW: July 13: Maruja Limon, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

NEW: July 13: White Denim, Moe’s Alley

July 14: Nation of Language, Felton Music Hall

July 16: RJD2, Felton Music Hall

July 17: Hot Buttered Rum/Tea Leaf Green, Felton Music Hall

July 18: Kr3ture, Felton Music Hall

July 20: Keshav Batish, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

July 23: James McMurtry, The Rio

July 27: Ray Obiedo’s Latin Jazz Ensemble, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

July 28: Yilian Cañizares, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

August

Aug. 1: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Quarry Amphitheater

NEW: Aug. 3: Kim Nalley, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

NEW: Aug. 6: Sylvia Cuenca’s Bridging Generations, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Aug. 7: Bria Skonberg, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Aug. 12: John-Robert, The Crepe Place

NEW: Aug. 13: Marina Crouse, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Aug. 15: Snail, The Rio

Aug. 15: Ani DiFranco/Valerie June, Santa Cruz Civic

Aug. 16: The Blues Project, Moe’s Alley

Aug. 17: Jazz Mafia, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

NEW: Aug. 19: Bill O’Connell Trio, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Aug. 20: Jon Dryden, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Aug. 26: Duane Betts, Felton Music Hall

Aug. 26: Built to Spill, The Rio

Aug. 27: Simon Phillips, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Aug. 31: Eagles of Death Metal, The Catalyst

September

Sept. 5: Clinton Fearon & the Boogie Brown Band, Moe’s Alley

Sept. 5: Public Image Ltd., The Rio

Sept. 9: PawPaw Rod, The Catalyst

Sept. 10: Nduduzo Makhathini, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Sept. 12: Black Uhuru, Moe’s Alley

Sept. 14: John Pizzarelli, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Sept. 17: The Growlers, The Catalyst

Sept. 17: Sarah Elizabeth Charles, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Sept. 23: Brass Queens, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Sept. 29: Aldous Harding, The Rio

Sept. 30: Cyrille Aimee & Mathis Picard, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

October

Oct. 2: Soda Blonde, The Crepe Place

Oct. 2: Fruit Bats, The Rio

Oct. 4: Mike Dawes, Felton Music Hall

Oct. 6: Kishi Bashi, The Rio

Oct. 14: Bonnie Raitt, Santa Cruz Civic

December

Dec. 8: Buck Meek, Moe’s Alley

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF BOLO

Sign up for Lookout’s Weekender newsletter, sent every Thursday afternoon.

If you’re planning or producing your own event, click CREATE AN EVENT on the calendar.

Questions, comments, concerns? Email bolo@lookoutlocal.com.

The post Down The Line: All the biggest and best shows, gigs & events ahead in Santa Cruz County appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz County is getting a burst of creativity this April 16–26 with the inaugural Ripple Effect Arts Festival—11 days of performances, visual art, music, poetry, fashion, and unexpected creative moments popping up across the county. 

This festival highlights the remarkable depth of artists and creative work rooted in our community. In Santa Cruz County, the arts stand alongside the redwoods, the ocean, and the Boardwalk as one of the region’s defining treasures. 

It all kicks off Thursday, April 16 in downtown Santa Cruz with the beloved Dancing in the Streets (5–9 p.m.), where multiple stages, hundreds of dancers, and a packed Cooper Street turn downtown into one big outdoor stage. 

From there, the festival spreads out across theaters, galleries, studios, and community spaces countywide – inviting people to wander, discover something new, and experience the local arts scene up close. Timed with California’s Arts, Culture and Creativity Month, the festival positions Santa Cruz County as a place where arts and culture are central to the region’s identity. 

The festival wraps on Sunday, April 26 with a closing celebration at The Grove Event Venue next to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The evening features live music, art, and community gathering, headlined by New York–based artist Helado Negro, alongside local musicians, artists, and dancers. The event runs from 5:30–9:30 p.m., with an early VIP reception. 

Get your tickets and explore the full lineup!

The post Ripple Effect Arts Festival: 11 days of art, music & creativity across Santa Cruz County appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz is set to kick off a high-energy celebration of movement Thursday as Santa Cruz Dance Week brings back its “Dancing in the Streets” event downtown.

One of the male Senderos dancers smiles at his dance partner. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz Senderos dancers rehearse ahead of their performance on Thursday evening at the “Dancing in the Streets” event in downtown Santa Cruz. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

The event is free, and participants are encouraged to bring comfortable shoes, an open mind, and a willingness to move.

Steel and Grace pole dancers practice their moves in Harvey West Park. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz A Steel and Grace performer spins on a pole during practice at Harvey West Park in preparation for their performance at the “Dancing in the Streets” event set for Thursday evening in downtown Santa Cruz. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

The performances will be from 5 to 9 p.m. at Cooper Street and Pacific Avenue, with Afrobeats performing until 10 p.m. at Abbott Square. Dance Week begins Thursday and runs through April 24.

Members of Tannery World Dance limber up before rehearsing the routine that they will perform during the “Dancing in the Streets” event on Thursday evening in downtown Santa Cruz. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Thursday’s event transforms downtown Santa Cruz into an open-air dance floor, inviting the community to watch, dance and celebrate a wide range of dance styles. From salsa and hip-hop to contemporary and folklórico, local performers and instructors will showcase the diversity and creativity of the local dance scene.  

Members of Pleasure Point Dance practice their moves ahead of Thursday’s street performance in downtown Santa Cruz. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

The performances serve as a preview for the full week of dance programming, which includes classes, performances and workshops across Santa Cruz County.

Organizers say the all-ages Dance Week showcases accessibility and connection, breaking down barriers between performers and the public while highlighting the vibrancy of Santa Cruz County’s arts community.

Have news that should be in Lookout Briefs? Send your news releases, including contact information, to news@lookoutlocal.com.

MORE LOCAL COVERAGE

The post ‘Dancing in the Streets’ kicks off Santa Cruz Dance Week on Thursday appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Here’s what’s happening on Santa Cruz County roads this morning…

▼︎ new incidents   ▼︎ long-term incidents

Road incidents as of 7 a.m. on April 16

• North Highway 1 at Park Avenue in Capitola is facing closures for K-rail installation. The closure is expected to end at 4:59 a.m. today.
   
• A lane on westbound Highway 152 at Clifford Drive/Ohlone Parkway in Watsonville is closed for asphalt paving. The closure is expected to last until July 3.
   

Long-term projects

These have been going on for a while, but are still worth keeping in mind.

• Crews are doing emergency sewer repairs on Soquel Drive near Rancho Del Mar in Aptos. Traffic will be shifted, and there may be lane closures and some delays during work hours, depending on the weather.
   
• Glenwood Cutoff will be completely closed at 121 Glenwood Cutoff in Scotts Valley today from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. while crews work on a pole overhead.
   

Disclosure: Traffic incidents are partially generated by artificial intelligence. We are constantly working to improve the accuracy and quality of our AI-generated content. However, there may still be errors or inaccuracies. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.

The post Thursday morning traffic: Lane closures on Highway 152, Glenwood Cutoff closed 1-3 p.m. appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Watsonville mainstay El Frijolito has opened a second location, Tacos El Frijolito, offering a takeout-only menu of Mexican staples near the Highway 1 corridor. The expansion builds on the family-run restaurant’s nearly 40-year history and recent remodel of its original downtown location.

The post Watsonville’s El Frijolito adds takeout-only taco spot near Highway 1 appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

➤ Para leer el artículo en español, haga clic aquí.

The three candidates competing for District 4 Santa Cruz County supervisor shared their visions to improve South County on Wednesday night, discussing hot-button issues such as battery storage, housing and affordability during a Lookout forum. 

One thing all three candidates – Tony Nuñez, Elias Gonzales and incumbent Felipe Hernandez – agreed on is that South County residents have historically been underserved by county government. 

“I think you can pick multiple areas in which South County is underserved,” said Nuñez, who currently serves as the marketing and communications manager for nonprofit Community Bridges, as well as the board chair of the Pajaro Valley Health Care District, which operates Watsonville Community Hospital.

District 4 county supervisor candidate Tony Nuñez speaks during Wednesday’s candidate forum. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

He told the nearly 70 South County residents in attendance that there’s a lack of economic investment and understanding about what the community wants and needs. One of the ideas Nuñez would like to introduce is a program to help community members start their own businesses.

Gonzales said he wants to invest in the region’s youth, such as showing them different career paths, like apprenticeships that can lead to jobs in the trades. He also suggested creating a county office focusing on youth needs.

MORE ON THE DISTRICT 4 RACE: Find Lookout’s coverage here

“Watsonville has not been invested in and we continue to be the stepchild,” said Gonzales, who is associate director of movement building for Hollister-based nonprofit Youth Alliance, which provides support services for students and their families. 

As the incumbent, Hernandez said that throughout his first term representing District 4, the county has invested more than $800 million in the community. Those projects include opening a county office on Westridge Drive in Watsonville, starting repairs to the Pajaro River levee and fixing roads. 

The ongoing issue of the battery storage project proposed for outside Watsonville was a prominent point of discussion. Both Nuñez and Gonzales said they were against the 90 Minto Rd. project steered by Massachusetts-based developer New Leaf Energy. 

“I’ve met with more than 600 local residents over the last month and a half,” Nunez said, “and several of those residents have been organizers against this plan, and all of the concerns … have been around public health.” 

“How is this going to impact the public health of the people living there,” he asked, “and how is this going to impact the public health of the people living throughout the region?” 

Hernandez did not share his stance on the project, saying it would violate the Brown Act if he were to discuss his position before the project came to the board of supervisors for approval. 

He did say, however, that whether the developers seek approval through the state’s energy commission or at the local level, he would want to ensure the project meets safety standards laid out in the county’s ordinances meant to regulate such facilities. 

New Leaf confirmed to Lookout earlier this month that it is indeed exploring the state route for project approval, as well as keeping the county route open. County officials told Lookout that they have yet to determine its next steps on its draft ordinance. 

“And so we want to make sure that even if they go through the state process, I’m still going to be pestering this company,” Hernandez said. 

Incumbent District 4 County Supervisor Felipe Hernandez speaks during Wednesday’s Lookout candidate forum. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

The candidates discussed ways to keep themselves accountable if elected to represent District 4, which includes most of the Pajaro Valley, Watsonville and Interlaken. 

Nuñez said he’ll have a listening tour within his first 100 days in office to hear from residents about what changes they’d like to see. 

“My palabra is very important to me,” Gonzales said. “It’s how people hold me accountable and how I hold myself accountable.” 

Gonzales said he wants to build connections with the community, modeling the work he’s been doing for years in the nonprofit sector. 

During the portion of the forum when candidates could ask each other questions, Hernandez was on the defensive several times. He responded to criticisms that he hasn’t been showing up to meetings of the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission by saying he’s at every board meeting and sharing what he’s been doing on social media. He was also grilled by Nuñez about where the aforementioned $800 million was invested in South County. Hernandez listed numerous projects, such as the new county offices in Watsonville, repairs to Green Valley Road and improvements to social services. 

The candidates also discussed homelessness in South County and ways to address the issue or, in Hernandez’s case, what he’d continue doing. 

Hernandez brought up the 34-unit “tiny village” in Watsonville, which is a joint project between Santa Cruz and Monterey counties aimed at addressing homelessness along the Pajaro River levee. He said he’d like to develop similar projects, and also convert old hotels into residential treatment centers. 

Nuñez told the audience he would support local organizations, such as Community Bridges, in their efforts to help prevent homelessness by intervening during “just cause” evictions. 

“If we prevent homelessness through eviction protection,” Nuñez said, “I think one of the great things is that it not only saves the public dollars, but we have been able to fund the majority of that work through private philanthropy and foundations.” 

Gonzales said it’s important to change the narrative around the unhoused community, and start looking at services to help those with ongoing mental health issues. 

“A lot of the folks that are incarcerated are dealing with mental health issues, right?” he said. “How are we actually acknowledging those mental health issues?” 

Have something to say? Lookout welcomes letters to the editor, within our policies, from readers. Guidelines here.

The post District 4 county supervisor candidates make case to voters during Wednesday night forum appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

The site of the long-shuttered Outdoor World on River Street in Santa Cruz is finally undergoing its transformation into a new development. 

On Tuesday, bulldozers tore down the aging building to make room for a long-planned affordable housing project.

The project, approved by the City of Santa Cruz in 2024, will include 50 units of affordable housing across six stories plus one manager’s unit. There will also be 1,000 square feet of commercial and retail space. 

Eligibility for affordable housing is currently defined as a household making 30-60% of median income, which in Santa Cruz is about $115,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 

San Jose-based developer For the Future Housing is leading the development. You can find more information on the city’s project page.

Have news that should be in Lookout Briefs? Send your news releases, including contact information, to news@lookoutlocal.com.

MORE LOCAL COVERAGE

The post Outdoor World building razed for affordable housing project appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Have something to say? Lookout welcomes letters to the editor, within our policies, from readers. Guidelines here.

The California governor’s race has become a guessing game, but Santa Cruz County should look past the polls in choosing who will be best for our community. 

The candidates leading statewide surveys are not necessarily the ones best aligned with our region’s priorities – and if we focus only on who is ahead right now at this delicate, volatile moment, we risk overlooking who actually fits our needs.

The latest political storylines, polling data and election prediction tools are ranking the top gubernatorial candidates. But the crowded field tells a different story: voter approval is split across 10 major candidates, and 25% of voters remain undecided. Recent sexual assault allegations against front-runner Rep. Eric Swalwell are shaking up the race, and state Democratic party Chair Rusty Hicks warned that a crowded Democratic field could splinter the vote under California’s “jungle primary” system, where the top two candidates advance regardless of party, raising the possibility that two Republicans could move on from the June 2 primary.

CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR’S RACE: Read more coverage here from Lookout and our content partners

That is why the early polling leaders should not drive Santa Cruz County’s decision-making.

Recent surveys from Emerson College, UC Berkeley and the Public Policy Institute of California  – done before the stories emerged about Swalwell – showed Swalwell with a slight edge, followed closely by Republican candidates Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco, along with Tom Steyer and former Rep. Katie Porter. Trailing below the 5% threshold are Antonio Villaraigosa, Xavier Becerra, Betty Yee, Tony Thurmond and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. 

These are scientific polls, snapshots in time, based on samples of 500 to 1,600 respondents with margins of error around 3%.

Prediction markets offer a different perspective. Platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket now show Swalwell has tanked since the allegations surfaced and Mahan is jumping in betting odds in some cases, with fluctuating positions that reflect perceived electability rather than voter preference. These markets are driven by traders trying to win money, not by voters expressing support, and their outcomes can shift daily based on participation and sentiment.

So who would best represent Santa Cruz County?

The answer starts with our priorities: economic vitality, job creation, affordable housing, addressing homelessness and climate resilience. Voter registration data reinforces the political reality – 59% of Santa Cruz County voters are Democrats, 13% are Republicans, and 20% are no-party-preference voters who tend to lean Democratic. Regardless of statewide polling trends, it is highly unlikely a Republican candidate will carry this county.

That makes the choice clearer. The best candidates for Santa Cruz County are not the ones leading the polls, but the ones most aligned with these priorities.

Two candidates stand out: Betty Yee and Matt Mahan

Betty Yee has strong ties to Santa Cruz County, beginning her career on the staff of former Assemblymember Sam Farr and working closely with Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley when he was Farr’s chief of staff. She brings deep experience with California’s budget process and would be prepared to address the state’s fiscal challenges from Day 1. Today, California faces a growing wealth gap that has persistently affected Black and brown families disproportionately and now is being felt by middle-income families. 

For college graduates entering the workforce upon graduation, entry-level jobs are fewer in number, and those for which they can compete are outnumbered by graduates and workers who have been displaced. The rapid development of artificial intelligence and its deployment and recent layoffs due to AI have elevated concerns about the security and stability of future jobs. As governor, I can see Yee  increasing opportunities for economic mobility by working with regional, local and business leaders to create quality jobs that are stable, safe and pay living wages and benefits — jobs that meet regional and local workforce needs especially in high-demand fields. 

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan speaks during a March forum in Monterey for gubernatorial candidates. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Matt Mahan, a Watsonville native, brings a different, but equally relevant perspective. Raised in a working-class family, he commuted to school in San Jose before graduating from Harvard University, teaching and building a career in technology. As mayor of San Jose, he has focused on housing and homelessness with data-driven policies that show measurable improvement. Mahan’s mission is to make California an affordable place to live, work and raise a family. 

As governor, I believe he  will attack new taxes, red tape and lawsuits that drive up housing costs. He will hold local governments accountable for following state laws, and not stand in the way of new homes getting built. 

Mahan wants to get better value for our tax dollars, by delivering more affordable homes for each dollar spent and by supporting first-time home-buyers in a way that allows the state to recoup its money when the house is sold.

Mahan is receiving both political and financial support from the tech sector and well-heeled individuals from Southern California. This election’s most prolific donors have been some of the state’s wealthiest families, who have largely coalesced around Mahan.

Mahan has taken a “tough love”  approach to homelessness in San Jose by prioritizing emergency interim housing and tiny homes and pushing unhoused people to accept shelter. His views align broadly with the successful strategy of the current Santa Cruz City Council and directly with those of leading Santa Cruz mayoral candidate Ryan Coonerty, who has served as an advisor to Mahan. 

Meanwhile, billionaire Tom Steyer, who is running for governor with a largely self-funded campaign, commands by far the largest war chest. Neither Yee nor Mahan currently leads in statewide polling. But that is precisely the point. 

Santa Cruz County should not base its decision solely on early survey results or shifting betting markets. It should focus on which candidates understand and are prepared to act on the issues that define daily life here.

There is a narrow open path for Yee or Mahan to get one of the top two slots for a run-off in November. The real challenge is to cut through the inside political dialogue that only political and policy folks like me closely follow a campaign at all stages of the election process. 

The key to this election is a majority of voters are not paying attention now and the polls show a highest percentage of voters are undecided at this stage of the primary election. I think at least one Democratic candidate will break out of the pack and hit 20% of the votes, which would be enough to get into a run-off. My intuition tells me a moderate Democrat can capture those middle voters. 

That is why Betty Yee and Matt Mahan are not only the best candidates for Santa Cruz County, but also the only Democrats who I believe resonate with statewide voters.

Casey Beyer.

The next governor must be in sync with our region’s economic and environmental needs. Santa Cruz County needs a partner in Sacramento who understands the business community, supports affordable housing, expands access to financial programs, strengthens education, addresses homelessness, and protects natural resources. 

If you are thinking one of the top candidates – Steyer and Porter at this point –  is your choice, just know that they lean to the far left of the California mainstream political spectrum. If (a big if) a Republican is in the run-off, the more liberal-leaning Democrat might not be able to win.

It is still early in the race, and much can change before Election Day – new polling, financial disclosures, endorsements and inevitable campaign missteps. We’ve seen that with Swalwell.

But the core question should remain unchanged: not who is leading today, but who is best prepared to represent Santa Cruz County tomorrow.

The post What Santa Cruz County should look for in California’s next governor – the poll leaders aren’t right for us appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Esta traducción fue generada utilizando inteligencia artificial y ha sido revisada por un hablante nativo de español; si bien nos esforzamos por lograr precisión, pueden ocurrir algunos errores de traducción. Para leer el artículo en inglés, haga clic aquí.

Los tres candidatos que compiten por el puesto de supervisor del condado de Santa Cruz para el Distrito 4 compartieron sus visiones para mejorar el sur del condado el miércoles por la noche, abordando temas polémicos como el almacenamiento de baterías, la vivienda y la asequibilidad.

Algo en lo que los tres candidatos —Tony Núñez, Elías Gonzales y el actual titular Felipe Hernández— coincidieron es que los residentes del sur del condado han sido históricamente desatendidos por el gobierno del condado.

“Creo que se pueden identificar múltiples áreas en las que el sur del condado está desatendido,” dijo Núñez, quien actualmente se desempeña como gerente de marketing y comunicaciones para la organización sin fines de lucro Community Bridges, así como presidente de la junta del Distrito de Atención Médica del Valle de Pájaro, que opera el Hospital Comunitario de Watsonville.

Tony Nuñez. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Dijo a los casi 70 residentes del sur del condado presentes que existe una falta de inversión económica y de comprensión sobre lo que la comunidad quiere y necesita. Una de las ideas que Núñez desea implementar es un programa para ayudar a los miembros de la comunidad a iniciar sus propios negocios.

Gonzales dijo que quiere invertir en la juventud de la región, por ejemplo, mostrándoles diferentes trayectorias profesionales, como aprendizajes que puedan conducir a empleos en oficios. También sugirió crear una oficina del condado enfocada en las necesidades de los jóvenes.

“Watsonville no ha recibido inversión y seguimos siendo como el hijo olvidado,” dijo Gonzales, quien es subdirector de construcción de movimientos en la organización sin fines de lucro Youth Alliance, con sede en Hollister, que brinda servicios de apoyo a estudiantes y sus familias.

Elias Gonzales. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Como titular, Hernández señaló que durante su primer mandato representando al Distrito 4, el condado ha invertido más de 800 millones de dólares en la comunidad. Esos proyectos incluyen la apertura de una oficina del condado en Watsonville en Westridge Drive, el inicio de reparaciones en el dique del río Pájaro y la mejora de carreteras.

El tema en curso del proyecto de almacenamiento de baterías propuesto para Watsonville fue un punto destacado de discusión. Tanto Núñez como Gonzales dijeron que se oponen al proyecto en 90 Minto Rd., impulsado por los desarrolladores con sede en Massachusetts, New Leaf Energy.

“He hablado con más de 600 residentes locales en el último mes y medio,” dijo Núñez. “y varios de esos residentes han sido organizadores en contra de este plan, y todas las preocupaciones… han girado en torno a la salud pública.”

“¿Cómo va a impactar esto la salud pública de las personas que viven allí?” dijo Nunez. “¿y cómo va a afectar la salud pública de las personas en toda la región?”

Hernández no compartió su postura sobre el proyecto, señalando que violaría la Ley Brown si discutiera su posición antes de que el proyecto llegue a la junta para su aprobación.

Sin embargo, Hernandez sí dijo que si los desarrolladores buscan la aprobación a través de la comisión estatal de energía o a nivel local, querría asegurarse de que el proyecto cumpla con los estándares de seguridad establecidos en las ordenanzas del condado destinadas a regular este tipo de instalaciones.

Felipe Hernandez. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

New Leaf confirmó a Lookout a principios de este mes que está explorando la vía estatal para la aprobación del proyecto, al mismo tiempo que mantiene abierta la opción del proceso a nivel del condado. Funcionarios del condado dijeron que aún no han determinado los próximos pasos respecto a su borrador de ordenanza.

“Y queremos asegurarnos de que, incluso si pasan por el proceso estatal, voy a seguir presionando a esta empresa,” dijo Hernández.

Los candidatos discutieron formas de mantenerse responsables ante la comunidad si son elegidos para representar al Distrito 4, que incluye la mayor parte del Valle de Pájaro, Watsonville e Interlaken.

Núñez dijo que realizará una gira de escucha durante sus primeros 100 días en el cargo para conocer de los residentes qué cambios desean ver.

“Mi palabra es muy importante para mí,” dijo Gonzales. “Es cómo la gente me exige rendir cuentas y cómo yo mismo me responsabilizo.”

Gonzales dijo que quiere construir conexiones con la comunidad, basándose en el trabajo que ha realizado durante años en el sector sin fines de lucro.

Durante la parte del foro en la que los candidatos podían hacerse preguntas entre sí, Hernández estuvo a la defensiva en varias ocasiones. Respondió a las críticas de que no ha estado asistiendo a reuniones del RTC diciendo que está presente en cada reunión de la junta y que comparte lo que hace en redes sociales. Hernandez también fue cuestionado por Núñez sobre dónde se invirtieron los mencionados 800 millones de dólares en el sur del condado. Hernández enumeró varios proyectos, como las nuevas oficinas del condado en Watsonville, reparaciones en Green Valley Road y mejoras en servicios sociales.

Los candidatos también discutieron la falta de vivienda en el sur del condado y las formas de abordar el problema, o en el caso de Hernández, lo que continuaría haciendo.

Hernández mencionó la “aldea de pequeñas viviendas” de 34 unidades en Watsonville, un proyecto conjunto entre los condados de Santa Cruz y Monterey destinado a abordar la falta de vivienda a lo largo del dique del río Pájaro. Dijo que le gustaría desarrollar proyectos similares, así como convertir hoteles antiguos en centros residenciales de tratamiento.

Núñez dijo al público que apoyaría a organizaciones locales, como Community Bridges, en sus esfuerzos por prevenir la falta de vivienda interviniendo durante desalojos con “causa justa.”

“Si prevenimos la falta de vivienda mediante la protección contra desalojos,” dijo Núñez, “creo que una de las grandes ventajas es que no solo ahorra dinero público, sino que la mayor parte de ese trabajo se ha financiado mediante filantropía privada y fundaciones.”

Gonzales señaló que es importante cambiar la narrativa sobre la población sin hogar y comenzar a enfocarse en servicios para ayudar a quienes enfrentan problemas continuos de salud mental.

“Muchas de las personas que están encarceladas enfrentan problemas de salud mental, ¿verdad?” dijo Gonzales. “¿Cómo estamos reconociendo realmente esos problemas de salud mental?”

The post Los candidatos para la contienda de supervisor del condado del Distrito 4 presentan sus propuestas a los votantes durante un foro el miércoles appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for its newsletters.

The latest clash between California and President Donald Trump over abortion and gender-affirming care could soon leave doctors caught between state and federal law.

Under a bill that might soon pass the Legislature, California medical providers and affiliated businesses could face hefty state fines if they comply with a federal subpoena seeking abortion, gender-affirming or reproductive care information without first notifying the California attorney general, patients and providers.

But delaying responding to the feds could put them at risk of violating federal law, and independent constitutional scholars say the pending law might not survive a legal challenge.

The bill is in response to efforts the Trump administration and conservative states have undertaken to block or criminalize abortion services and care for transgender people. 

Under Assembly Bill 1930, any medical provider or business served with any civil, criminal or regulatory inquiry, investigation, subpoena or summons seeking “legally protected health care activity” “shall not comply” unless the provider notifies the state attorney general as well as others involved in the care.

The measure’s author, Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur of Los Angeles, said the impetus for the bill, in part, was a federal subpoena from the Trump administration to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles seeking medical records for youth transgender patients. 

“No one should have to fear that seeking lawful medical care in the state of California could put their privacy and their safety at risk,” he told the Assembly Judiciary Committee at a hearing last week.

Lawmakers spent just 17 minutes discussing AB 1930 at its first legislative hearing last week, despite the legal complexities and consequences for California’s patients, doctors, hospitals, insurers, tech companies and others. It passed on a party-line vote, according to the CalMatters Digital Democracy database. It now moves to the Assembly Public Safety Committee, where it’s scheduled to be discussed on Tuesday

The Los Angeles hospital was one of 20 medical providers that offered gender-affirming care for minors that received federal subpoenas seeking patients’ medical records. At the time, the U.S. Justice Department said the subpoenas were part of an investigation into “health care fraud” and “false statements.” Some of the families sued to fight the subpoenas. In January, the feds backed off and didn’t receive the records.

Rady Children’s Hospital, which operates facilities in San Diego, Orange and Imperial counties, told CalMatters earlier this year that the U.S. Health and Human Services inspector general was investigating the hospital. The investigation preceded Rady’s decision to halt most gender-affirming services for minors, a decision that is now tied up in multiple court cases.

The measure says that in order for a business or provider to release records, the entity making the legal demand must include an affidavit declaring that the investigation is not related to punishing providers for performing abortions, transgender care or other services protected under California law or that the investigation involves a possible California crime or is an inquiry into “professional discipline.”

California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaking during a 2024 news conference at Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office headquarters. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

The recipient would be required to inform the attorney general’s office within seven days of receiving the legal demand. The attorney general would have an additional 30 days to review the matter before the recipient could comply with the order. 

The measure, which is co-sponsored by Attorney General Rob Bonta, would also mandate that the provider notify patients and providers whose records are being sought. Those who break the rules would face civil penalties of up to $15,000 per violation. 

Democrats move to protect abortion

California lawmakers have, in recent years, enacted more than a dozen laws designed to shield medical professionals from conservative states and the federal government on abortion and transgender health care.

Democrats passed the laws after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and other states began banning or criminalizing abortion. Thirteen states ban abortion and some, most notably Texas, penalize anyone who helps another person get an abortion.

Legislative efforts to protect clinicians and patient medical records have expanded as the Trump administration has increasingly politicized other services like gender-affirming care for minors. 

California laws prohibit state law enforcement from extraditing medical professionals who may have violated another state’s laws on abortion or gender-affirming care. They also prohibit medical facilities from sharing patient information about those services with out-of-state law enforcement.

LGBTQ+ civil rights group Equality California is the latest bill’s other co-sponsor. Zbur was its executive director before being elected to the Legislature.

Equality California’s legislative director, Craig Pulsipher, told the Judiciary Committee the measure builds “on California’s existing protections to ensure that patients can access health care without fear that their personal information will be weaponized against them.”

Various groups that oppose gender-affirming care are against the measure, as is the California Chamber of Commerce. 

In a letter to lawmakers, representatives for the state’s influential business lobby said CalChamber’s members appreciate lawmakers wanting to “help defend businesses facing subpoenas,” and they don’t oppose the bill out of “support for misuse of subpoena powers.”

“However, we are concerned that AB 1930 will compel businesses to violate federal law in order to comply with state law,” they wrote.

Layla Jane, a “detransitioner” who sued her health care provider over the gender-reassignment surgery she received as a teen, said the bill would protect doctors from investigations into negligent care and make it harder for patients like her to subpoena for medical records.

“This bill shields providers so they can keep chopping up bodies,” she told the committee. “It wraps the doctors, the clinics, the gender industry in a legal blanket and says, ‘You are protected from accountability no matter who you harmed.’ There is no blanket for me.”

Would the bill survive a legal challenge? 

Bill Essayli, a former Republican state lawmaker who oversees the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, said in a statement that Zbur’s measure would be unconstitutional.

“Any effort by California to restrict the federal government’s lawful use of, or compliance with, subpoenas is unlawful and unenforceable under the Supremacy Clause,” Essayli said. 

Three independent constitutional scholars who CalMatters asked to review the bill suggested Essayli could have a point. 

Under that provision of the U.S. Constitution, states cannot pass laws that run counter to the federal government’s legal authority.  

“If there’s a conflict between federal law on the one hand, and state or local [law] on the other, federal law wins out,” said Erwin Chemerinsky, the dean of UC Berkeley School of Law.

Chemerinsky and the other scholars said the measure is unlikely to run into the same legal problems that caused a federal judge to block California’s attempt to ban federal agents from wearing masks. The judge in the mask case ruled that the state had discriminated against the federal government since it exempted state police from the ban.

This proposed measure doesn’t single out the federal government; the bill applies to any entity issuing subpoenas.

Still, the scholars said forcing private health care providers and businesses not to respond to a subpoena on a federal deadline could be legally problematic. 

“It looks like the federal government could say you’re impeding their law enforcement,” said Leslie Gielow Jacobs, a law professor at University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law.

“Is this impeding federal … objectives?” said Vikram David Amar, a law professor at the UC Davis School of Law. “If so, it would be invalid under Supremacy.”

The California Attorney General’s Office responded to an interview request for Bonta with an unsigned written statement.

“Bills aren’t final when they’re introduced and can change throughout the legislative process,” it read. “Our office will continue to have conversations with stakeholders regarding AB 1930 and will address concerns as appropriate and needed.”

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The post Trump wants data on California’s trans and abortion care. Can the state stop him? appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

The Monterey Bay region has long stood as a place of resilience, hard work, and community care. From the agricultural fields to the neighborhoods of our cities and rural towns, our strength has always come from how we support one another, especially in times of need. Today, that commitment is being tested in very real and immediate ways.

The recently enacted federal H.R. 1 legislation presents serious challenges for counties like ours. While decisions made in Washington, D.C. may seem distant, their impacts are felt most acutely at the local level, where public health systems, safety-net programs, and essential services operate every day. In our region, those impacts will fall disproportionately on our most vulnerable residents: low-income families, seniors, children, immigrants, veterans and individuals already struggling to access basic care.

At the center of this concern is the strain H.R. 1 places on safety-net programs such as Medi-Cal and CalFresh (SNAP). These programs are not abstract line items in a federal budget, they are lifelines for thousands across the Central Coast. In Monterey County alone, more than 51,000 residents rely on CalFresh to put food on the table. Santa Cruz County has approximately 30,000 residents enrolled, and San Benito County has about 3,800. Statewide, more than 665,000 Californians are projected to lose CalFresh nutritional benefits. 

Thousands more depend on Medi-Cal for preventive care, chronic disease management, and emergency services. Reductions in eligibility, funding, or federal support will not eliminate need, they will simply shift the burden to local governments and already constrained community systems. When individuals lose access to preventive care, they often delay treatment until conditions worsen, leading to higher-cost emergency interventions. When families lose food assistance, we see increased food insecurity, poorer health outcomes, and greater strain on local food banks and community organizations.

Nowhere will this pressure be felt more directly than in our public health systems, including Natividad Medical Center in Salinas, our state’s oldest public hospital and a cornerstone of care in the county. Natividad serves as a critical provider for Medi-Cal patients, the uninsured, and those requiring specialized, trauma and emergency care. According to the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, 2.98 million Californians could lose their Medi-Cal coverage, with 41,000 across Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties. 

As federal support diminishes, public hospitals like Natividad face a dual challenge: rising demand for services coupled with shrinking resources. This is not a sustainable equation. Without adequate funding, counties will be forced to make difficult decisions that could impact staffing, reduce services, and limit access to care. The impacts will not be confined to those who rely on Medi-Cal, but all residents who depend on these hospitals for emergency and critical care. Other regional hospitals, including Watsonville Community Hospital and Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in Hollister, are already facing financial instability that will be further exacerbated.

That is why it is critical, now more than ever, for the State of California to partner with counties to mitigate these impacts. Counties estimated that H.R. 1 will cost up to $9.5 billion annually. Without state partnership and investment, the consequences will be severe and far-reaching.

The only way to protect the safety net in our local communities is for our state’s leaders to step up, including our Governor Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers. Counties have a clear, fiscally responsible proposal to prevent the worst of H.R. 1’s devastating impacts. It would mitigate potential losses in Medi-Cal and CalFresh, support public hospitals, and ensure counties have the tools and the eligibility workers needed to continue serving our residents effectively.

California has consistently led the nation by investing in its people, and now is not the time to turn back. We must continue to lead the nation in advancing opportunity and protecting vulnerable populations. But leadership requires action. Counties cannot, and should not, bear this burden alone, and we look forward to partnering with the state to protect our communities across the Central Coast and throughout California.

Luis A. Alejo is a Monterey County Supervisor for District 1, representing most of the city limits of the City of Salinas, and is the first vice-president of the California State Association of Counties (CSAC).