Local News

After 35 years of drinks, music and Wild West atmosphere, the Over The Hill Gang Saloon will stop swinging its doors Sept. 20 following an eviction notice and unsuccessful rent negotiations.

Psych-folk artist Ruth Garbus brings her quiet, genre-blurring sound to the Crepe Place on Aug. 20, performing music from Profound, an album that moves between indie folk, free jazz and R&B.

Richard Stockton talks with Washington State University psychologist Carrie Cuttler about research into how cannabis may affect men and women differently—from appetite and memory to pain tolerance.

Santa Cruz’s Danny Wright believes rainwater harvesting could be the next solar. His nonprofit Gravity Water and startup Cloudwell are turning rooftops into clean-water infrastructure, from schools in Nepal and Vietnam to a vision for cities worldwide.

From Danny Wright’s Gravity Water systems to Santa Cruz-born Goodles, Brad Kava considers the local innovators finding smarter ways to work with energy, water and food—and asks why we aren’t doing more of it already.

Santa Cruz startup Goodles keeps widening its noodle kingdom with protein pastas, instant cups and a new Twirly Mac line—wrapped in the kind of names, packaging and playful branding that have helped it land on shelves nationwide.

New Capitola shop Toriman Japanese Market pairs hard-to-find Japanese groceries with ready-to-eat favorites including yakitori, bento, miso soup, rice bowls and slow-simmered sukiyaki.

Christina Waters’ review of Sarah Hennies’ The Grain House continues to stir strong reactions, with readers defending both the critic’s right to challenge the work and the composer’s experimental vision.

What books did you love growing up?

Fed up with swiping? Santa Cruz singles are creating new ways to meet face-to-face, from a fast-growing 50-plus social group to outings, gallery crawls and speed dating—all built around the simple need for real human connection.

A 19-year-old UC Santa Cruz student who died after a car plunged off West Cliff Drive and landed upside down in the ocean Aug. 13 has been identified by a family member as Alli Renee Singh.

Singh’s aunt, Monica Singh-Strohmeier, identified her in a Facebook post announcing her death.

“It is with a very sad and heavy heart that I deliver this news to you,” Singh-Strohmeier wrote.

She said Singh was preparing to begin her third year at UC Santa Cruz.

“Alli was a thriving 19 year old in the midst of starting her 3rd year at UC Santa Cruz,” Singh-Strohmeier wrote. “She was a very smart, beautiful and loving young lady and will be missed by all who crossed her path.”

The family asked for privacy for Singh’s mother and said information about arrangements would be shared when finalized.

According to Santa Cruz Police, Singh was a passenger in a car that went off West Cliff Drive at 12:50am Aug. 13, just east of the Abbott Memorial Lighthouse at Steamer Lane.

Witnesses told emergency dispatchers that the car was fully submerged.

Four rescue swimmers from Santa Cruz Fire entered the ocean and removed her from the submerged car. She was taken to a trauma center, where she was later pronounced dead.

The male driver, who got out of the vehicle on his own, suffered minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital.

UC Santa Cruz police officers were called to the scene because Singh was a university student, university spokesman Scott Hernandez-Jason said.

“We were heartbroken to learn that the victim was a UC Santa Cruz student,” he said in an email. “Our deepest condolences go out to the student’s family and friends during this difficult time. We are providing support resources to those affected by this tragedy.”

From Aries learning when abundance becomes overload to Pisces thriving where different worlds overlap, this week’s horoscope explores boundaries, perspective and the possibilities that emerge when old assumptions loosen.

As students and teachers head back to school across Santa Cruz County, Lookout Santa Cruz is getting ready for another year of connecting young people with the community they call home.

This year, every middle and high school student and teacher in Santa Cruz County can access Lookout for free – giving students an opportunity to follow the local issues affecting their schools, families and communities, while giving educators trusted local news and classroom-ready resources to bring current events into their teaching.

And that’s just the beginning.

Throughout the school year, Lookout offers classroom visits, educator resources, student journalism opportunities, storytelling projects and ways for young people to see their work and perspectives published.

Critical to the success – and growth – of our student and school programs is your support. All Lookout memberships help, but our new One-for-One Membership supports them best. Each membership purchase gives one membership to a local teacher! Sign up for one today, or upgrade to it, and you’ll be supporting this great work in the high schools and middle schools across Santa Cruz County. Or give a tax-deductible donation here.

Free access to local news for every student and teacher

Lookout believes every young person should have the opportunity to understand what is happening in the community where they live. Local journalism can help students connect what they learn in the classroom to the world around them – from local government and elections to education, health, environmental issues, arts and culture.

That’s why Lookout provides free access to its journalism for:

• All middle school students in Santa Cruz County.
• All high school students in Santa Cruz County.
• All Cabrillo College students.
• All UC Santa Cruz students.

For students, access means they can explore Lookout’s reporting, follow issues affecting their community and develop the skills to distinguish reliable information from misinformation — all while learning more about the place they call home.

For educators, free access is part of Lookout for Teachers, our nationally recognized program designed to make it easier to bring local journalism into the classroom. That’s why Lookout provides free access to its journalism for:

• All middle school teachers in Santa Cruz County.
• All high school teachers in Santa Cruz County.

For teachers: Local news, ready for the classroom

Teachers are at the center of Lookout’s student engagement work.

This school year, we’ll again provide educators with free access, as well as a weekly Educator Resource Newsletter, highlighting Lookout stories that can spark classroom conversations and connecting teachers with discussion guides, lesson plans, news quizzes and other resources.

The newsletter is designed to answer a simple question: What’s happening locally that my students should know about – and how can I use it in my classroom?

Lookout’s educator resources include:

• Weekly educator newsletters featuring timely local stories and classroom resources.
• Current events discussion guides that encourage reading comprehension, conversation and critical thinking.
• Media literacy resources to help students understand how to evaluate and interpret news and information.
• News quizzes that make following local news accessible and engaging.
• Journalism and storytelling resources.
• Custom resources and requests based on individual classroom needs.

Sign up for the Educator Resource Newsletter

Bring Lookout into your classroom

Sometimes the best way to learn about journalism is to meet the people who do it.

This year, Lookout staff will once again visit classrooms throughout Santa Cruz County to lead workshops, answer questions and help students explore journalism and storytelling.

Classroom opportunities can include:

• Career talks. 
• Journalism and media literacy workshops.
• The media and elections presentation.
• Science and communication workshop.
• Custom classroom visits based on a teacher’s needs.

We’re also continuing to develop partnerships with schools and youth-serving organizations throughout the county, creating opportunities for students to report, tell stories and engage with their communities.

Explore classroom visit opportunities

For students: Your voice belongs in local journalism

Lookout’s student programs are built around more than simply helping young people consume news. We want students to ask questions, report stories, explore issues and share their own perspectives.

Our Student Stories section gives local high school and college students a place to publish their work, accomplishments, opinions, experiences and reporting.

This summer, two student stories offered powerful examples of what young people can bring to the local conversation.

ADD SIMON AND SLOANES Stories here.

These stories are part of a growing collection of student voices that show the range of experiences, interests and perspectives young people bring to Santa Cruz County.

Explore Student Stories

The Student Journalism Scholarship returns in November

One of Lookout’s biggest opportunities for aspiring young journalists returns this fall.

The Lookout Santa Cruz Student Journalism Scholarship will open for submissions in November.

Inspired by Lookout’s popular Unsung Santa Cruz series, the scholarship challenges students to identify and profile a local person who is making a positive difference in the community.

Students get the opportunity to practice interviewing, research, reporting and storytelling — and potentially see their work published on Lookout.

The top 10 stories will be published on Lookout, and the authors of the top three stories will each receive a $500 scholarship for an educational purchase.

More details and submission information will be available when the scholarship opens in November.

Learn more about the Student Journalism Scholarship

Why local news belongs in the classroom

For students, local news isn’t just about knowing what happened yesterday.

It’s about understanding how decisions made at city hall, the school board or the county level can affect their lives. It’s about knowing the people and organizations working to make their communities stronger. It’s about learning how to ask questions, evaluate information and participate in civic life.

And because students are future voters, journalists, educators, community leaders and neighbors, those skills matter long after graduation.

Lookout’s goal is to make trusted local journalism accessible to every student and teacher in Santa Cruz County – and then create meaningful opportunities for them to engage with it.

Whether you’re a teacher looking for classroom resources or a student looking to better understand your community — Lookout is here for you.

The post Back to school with Lookout: Free local news, classroom resources for educators and opportunities for Santa Cruz County students appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Four men were arrested during a multi-agency undercover operation targeting individuals allegedly using the internet to seek sexual contact with minors, Monterey County Sheriff’s Commander Andres Rosas said Tuesday.

Arrested were Omar Rivera Hernandez, 28, of Gilroy; Luis Cruz Jr., 32, of Marina; Andrew Jesus Ledesma, 32, of Watsonville; and Jovany Ollua Carbajal, 28, of Seaside.

They were charged with attempted lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, contacting a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense and arranging or going to a meeting with a minor for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct.

Bail amounts range from $100,000 to $200,000.

The operation lasted from Aug. 14-15 and was led by the San Francisco branch of Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, California State Parks, Del Rey Oaks Police Department, Greenfield Police Department, Salinas Police Department, Seaside Police Department, U.S. Attorney’s Office and Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.

During the operation, undercover investigators communicated online with individuals who allegedly sought to sexually exploit minors.

Investigators identified suspects who engaged in sexually explicit communications and allegedly arranged to meet people they believed were minors for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.

When the suspects arrived, they were instead met by law enforcement officers and arrested.

“This operation should send a very clear message to anyone who uses the internet in an attempt to prey upon children: the person you are communicating with may be an undercover law enforcement officer,” Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto said.

HSI San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Jeff Brannigan warned that his agency and other law enforcement agencies are working to identify and investigate people who seek to exploit children and stop them before they can cause harm.

“Our success in these areas is only realized through close collaboration with our law enforcement partners in California and across the globe,” Brannigan said.

Online platforms, social media, messaging applications and other forms of electronic communication can provide offenders with direct access to children. Parents and guardians are encouraged to remain aware of their children’s online activity and speak with them about the risks of communicating with people they do not know.

#tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item1 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/luis-cruz-Jr-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item2 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/HERNANDEZ-OMAR-RIVERA-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item3 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/CARBAJAL-JOVANY-OLLUA-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item4 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/andrew-jesus-ledesma-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } 1 of 4 Luis Cruz Jr., 32, of Marina Omar Rivera Hernandez, 28, of Gilroy Jovany Ollua Carbajal, 28, of Seaside Andrew Jesus Ledesma, 32, of Watsonville

Emergency officials deal with a two-vehicle crash on Highway 1 Tuesday afternoon. The California Highway Patrol said a white Ford SUV with several people aboard collided with an Isuzu flatbed truck with a male driver around 1pm on southbound Highway 1 just south of Freedom Boulevard. The Isuzu driver suffered minor injuries. His truck was carrying a load of school furniture destined for the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. Desks, stools, tables and chairs were heaved over all lanes of the highway, stalling southbound traffic. Once officials cleared the debris, southbound traffic was reduced to one lane for over an hour before a tow crew could clear the wreckage. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Former Surfer editor Steve Hawk takes readers deep into the waves, dangers and dark corners of the California coast in his debut novel, Nearshore. He’ll read from the book Aug. 19 at Bookshop Santa Cruz.

Businesses operating in Santa Cruz County must register with the county clerk. Lookout Santa Cruz reviews the public filings from local businesses to report on new businesses starting in the area.

Here is what’s new in local business recently.

New businesses

• Aaliyah’s Catering was registered at 24 Ford St., Apt. G, Watsonville, by Laura Terriquez Gonzalez as an individual business on Aug. 3.
• MOUNTAIN MEDUSA DESIGNS was registered at 150 Taylor Rd., Ben Lomond, by Karen Michelle Oeh as an individual business on Aug. 3.
• BAMBI’S WAG TAXI was registered at 3325 Gross Rd., Santa Cruz, by Kimberly Lynn Bambi Brenkwitz as an individual business on Aug. 3.
• DAGNE & LACY was registered at 331 Martin Dr., Aptos, by Tracey Diane Brosig as a general partnership on Aug. 3.
• SOCKSMITH ON THE WHARF was registered at 1515 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, by Socksmith Design, Inc. as a corporation on Aug. 4.
• MAZA MADRE BREAD CO. was registered at 16 Richardson Ave., Freedom, by Maira Alondra Fernandez Nolaso as an individual business on Aug. 4.
• FIREFISH GRILL, GILBERT’S GIFT SHOP, WOODIES CAFE was registered at 25 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, by Mark Gilebrt Enterprises, Inc. as a limited liability company on Aug. 5.
• TONI JULIAN INTERIOR DESIGN was registered at 3929 Mainsail Place, Soquel, by Toni Julian Apgar as an individual business on Aug. 6.
• SANTA CRUZ GARLIC was registered at 343 Soquel Ave., Suite 173, Santa Cruz, by Han Zhang as an individual business on Aug. 6.
• G’S MEXICAN GRUB SPOT was registered at 279 Lucerne Ave., Watsonville, by Gustavo Santillan Regalado as an individual business on Aug. 7.
• AMBROSIO ORGANIC FARM was registered at 523 Airport Blvd., Watsonville, by Maria C. Romero Alvarado as an individual business on Aug. 10.
• LARRYS AUTO CARE was registered at 5346 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley, by Dsas Automotive as a corporation on Aug. 10.
• SIERRA March STUDIOS was registered at 522a Oak Dr., Capitola, by Douglas Alan Atkinson as an individual business on Aug. 10.
• WILDBODY CHIROPRACTIC AND REHAB was registered at 528 Chestnut St., Santa Cruz, by Alexandra Lynn Gerdisch as an individual business on Aug. 10.
• ALUNA SOL was registered at 1 Deerfield Dr., Scotts Valley, by Elise Marie Brennan as an individual business on Aug. 11.
• JAMES’S GARAGE DOOR REPAIR was registered at 1101 Pacific Ave., Suite 120a, Santa Cruz, by Garage Door Repair Near Me Inc as a corporation on Aug. 11.
• SCATTERED & SACRED THERAPY was registered at 331 Hillside Dr., Boulder Creek, by Jaquelyn Weber as an individual business on Aug. 11.
• SPIDERSSCRAMBLEDWEB was registered at 1740 Alice St., Santa Cruz, by Lila Simpson as an individual business on Aug. 12.
• BASELINE AERIAL SERVICES was registered at 4734 Thurber Lane, Santa Cruz, by Dillon Hadden as an individual business on Aug. 12.
• MISSION STREET was registered at 2959 Park Ave., Suite E, Soquel, by Rachael Anne Shelton as an individual business on Aug. 13.
• JM TOMAS CLEANING was registered at 789 Green Valley Rd., Sp 55, Watsonville, by Tomas Sanjuanero Rodriguez as an individual business on Aug. 13.
• WILDFRAME CREATIVE was registered at 51 La Hacienda St., Watsonville, by Madison Orion Barreto as an individual business on Aug. 13.

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

MORE LOCAL COVERAGE

The post Santa Cruz County business filings: Week of Aug. 18 appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Opening statements are set to kick off Tuesday in a pivotal trial for Meta Platforms in a federal court in Oakland, where states are seeking billions of dollars in damages for social media harms to children.

The post Opening statements set to begin in Meta’s federal trial over child safety appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

This post is updated throughout the day to reflect the latest incidents. It was last updated at 6:31 a.m..

Here’s what’s happening on the roads this morning…

▼︎ new incidents

Road incidents as of 6:30 a.m. on August 18

• Alternating lanes are closed on Highway 9 at Riverdale Park in San Lorenzo Valley because of bridge work. The closure is expected to last until 6:59 a.m. on April 30, 2027.
   
• There is one-way traffic on Highway 9 at Cascade Avenue in San Lorenzo Valley because of ongoing work. This closure will last until 7:01 a.m. on Aug. 31.
   

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 Tuesday morning traffic: Highway 9 lane closures, one-way traffic in SLV appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Stockwell Cellars will close its Westside Santa Cruz tasting room Sept. 1 after a decade, as owners Eric Stockwell and Suzanne Zeber-Stockwell shift the business toward wine distribution and a smaller wine club-focused model. The move comes as the couple says the traditional tasting-room model has become less viable amid a broader downturn in wine consumption, rising costs and changes in how people spend their time and money.

The post Why Stockwell Cellars is closing its Westside Santa Cruz tasting room appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.