Local News

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is gearing up to begin the next phase of its Moss Landing cleanup efforts, following a massive January 2025 fire that damaged a large portion of a battery storage facility.

The county’s annual roadwork reached North County last week and will continue in the area through late August. Meanwhile, the property dispute between the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission and Aptos property owners is now scheduled to go to trial in early September.

HISTORY ON WINGS People get a close-up look at a Douglas A-26C Invader, a famous twin engine medium bomber from the end of World War II. According to aviation buff Gary Plomp, the craft is powered by two 18-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engines rated at 2,000 horsepower each.  It is known for its speed and performance.  (Tarmo Hannula/The Pajaronian) AIR SHOW The West Coast Ravens streak the sky with smoke trails. (Tarmo Hannula/The Pajaronian) ABOVE IT ALL A girl tests her climbing abilities on a portable climbing wall at the Fire in the Sky event. (Tarmo Hannula/The Pajaronian) thanks to a crew from Fireworks America and the Bay Area Bandits, a local chapter of the GymAct Gymnastics. (Tarmo Hannula/The Pajaronian)

After 44 years serving Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monterey Bay is shutting down its mentoring program, leaving many mentors and mentees shocked and searching for answers. For longtime pairs like Santa Cruz’s Amé Yeager and Brenda Canizal, the closure marks the end of a local program but not the deep bonds it helped create.

Angelica Glass set out to walk every street in Santa Cruz County for exercise and stress reduction. Nearly 2,900 miles later, she’d discovered hidden beauty, unexpected wildlife, dislodged childhood memories — and a whole new way of seeing the place she’d called home for decades. Her book, “Scavenging Beauty: A Memoir in Walks,” will be available on Tuesday, and she will be talking about it at 7 p.m. that day at Bookshop Santa Cruz.

Thousands of people lines the mainstreets of Aptos and Watsonville for their annual Fourth of July parades, some staking out their roadside seats the night before. Below is a collection of images from the events.

SPIRIT OF WATSONVILLE

All Watsonville photos by Tarmo Hannula

AIR SHOW A group of airplanes leaves smoke trails above Main Street at the start of the parade. FIRST PICK This year’s Grand Marshal was Second Harvest Food Bank. REVERED DOCUMENTS This man carries a flag in front of a poster of the Declaration of Independence in the parade. TRUCKS AND ENGINES A file of old and new fire rigs from Watsonville Fire Department rolls down Main Street. IN A ROW The Agricultural History Project brought their collection of early-day tractors and a model of a cow to the parade. CULTURAL FLAVORS The group Diablos Herencia Mixteca bring their bizarre costumes from the state of Oaxaca, Mexico to the streets of Watsonville. HUGE SHOWING Thousands of people crowd the sidewalks of a closed off Main Street to watch the parade unfold. CLASSIC A spiffed-up Cadillac is part of the Watsonville Impalas entry in the parade. MEXICAN CULTURE Several groups of Folkloric dancers brought their colorful attire to the event.


TROT ON Fancy horses thrill the crowd. IN STEP Youths of Centro Portugues work their way down Main Street.

APTOS WORLD’S SHORTEST PARADE

All Aptos photos by Todd Guild

kids 2
BEDECKED These girls were decked out in patriotic gear before the parade began.
 PARTADE MARTIAL Students from Sanford Martial Arts in Soquel perform a kata for the crowd. OFFICIAL Santa Cruz County 2nd District Supervisor Kim De Serpa greets the crowd. TOGETHER This family watches the parade go by.  PATRIOTIC POOCH Several people brought their pets to the parade. THRONGS Several thousand people lined Soquel Avenue, with some placing chairs as placeholders the night before. OLDIES The parade featured several classic cars.  CLASSIC Parade participants ride in a vintage car. CHAMPS Players from the Aptos All-Stars wave to the crowd. LEADING Two California Highway Patrol officers lead the Aptos parade.

In a letter to the editor, a Santa Cruz resident points out that using AI for customer service cuts humans out of the process and means less payroll tax into the U.S. Social Security system.

Everyone is invited to pedal along in a community bike ride July 5. Grab your bikes and bring the whole family for a fun ride on the Ohlone Loop Trail. The route, described as gently challenging, starts at 150 Westridge Drive in Watsonville.

The free event features 

• Learn about Bike Safety

• Bike safety gear giveaways, raffle prizes and more.

• Free burritos and refreshments for all riders.

• Limited bikes available for those who need to borrow one. First come, first serve.

The event runs from 11am to 1pm.

For information, visit ev****@*****************ty.org

The No on Z campaign mailed fliers to Santa Cruz voters, sent people door to door and blanketed social media and TV with advertisements ahead of the Nov. 5, 2024 election. (Photo collage by Jesse Kathan)

SANTA CRUZ >> The City of Santa Cruz has prevailed in a lawsuit that challenged its voter-approved sugary beverage tax after a Sacramento Superior Court judge denied a petition from the California Grocers Association, the American Beverage Association and other industry groups.

City voters approved Measure Z in November 2024 with more than 52% of the vote, in defiance of a state law that sought to ban local authorities from implementing soda taxes. At the time of the election, city leaders said a lawsuit was all but guaranteed if voters approved the tax — and were willing to take on the fight.

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Beverage corporations including Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc. and Red Bull poured in more than $1 million dollars to oppose Measure Z and sent campaign mailers warning voters that if it was adopted it would lead to costly litigation from city coffers.

The judge’s ruling asserted that the state law, The Keep Groceries Affordable Act of 2018, does not prevent local municipalities like Santa Cruz from adopting a soda tax because the issue is not a statewide concern, the litmus test for when state law can override local charters. 

In a press release sent to media June 30, Santa Cruz Vice Mayor Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson wrote that “the court’s ruling sends a clear message: local democracy can withstand even the deepest-pocketed opposition.”

The release stated that an appeal is expected. Once the court officially files the judge’s decision, the plaintiffs will have 60 days to file an appeal.

Questions or comments? Email info@santacruzlocal.org. Santa Cruz Local is supported by members, major donors, sponsors and grants for the general support of our newsroom. Our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support. Learn more about Santa Cruz Local and how we are funded.

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The post Appeal expected after judge rules in city’s favor in soda tax lawsuit appeared first on Santa Cruz Local.

In a letter to the editor, the CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County welcomes Independence Day and notes her organization’s role in nourishing the American Dream.

A proposal for 52 homes at 1098 38th Ave. could be constructed by May 2028. (Tyler Maldonado — Santa Cruz Local file)

CAPITOLA >> A proposal for 52 below-market-rate homes beside the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line in Capitola is expected to break ground in November after its developer secured funding earlier this year. 

The property at 1098 38th Ave. is the former site of a convalescent home that has sat empty for years. Foster City-based nonprofit developer MidPen Housing Corp. is behind the project that was first put forward in 2022.

The three-story project is expected to break ground in November and could finish in spring 2028. It is set to include four studios, 21 one-bedroom homes, 14 two-bedroom homes and 13 three-bedroom homes. Eligible renters must earn 60% of area median income or less, according to state-set income limits.

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About half of the homes are expected to be filled from the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz’s waitlist for recipients of a Housing Choice Voucher, formerly called Section 8. The remaining units could be filled from a lottery and waitlist administered by MidPen Housing, but no interest list has yet been established. 

In May, the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee awarded the project roughly $34 million in tax credits, an essential source of funding for low income housing development. The project is now fully funded, said MidPen Housing Senior Vice President Joanna Carman.

See more housing projects and updates on Santa Cruz Local’s housing tracker. 

Nonprofit developer MidPen Housing has secured financing for 52 units of affordable housing at 1098 38th Ave. in Capitola. (Naomi Friedland — Santa Cruz Local file)

Questions or comments? Email info@santacruzlocal.org. Santa Cruz Local is supported by members, major donors, sponsors and grants for the general support of our newsroom. Our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support. Learn more about Santa Cruz Local and how we are funded.

Learn about membership Santa Cruz Local’s news is free. We believe that high-quality local news is crucial to democracy. We depend on locals like you to make a meaningful contribution so everyone can access our news. Learn about membership

The post Capitola affordable housing advances, construction expected by November appeared first on Santa Cruz Local.

Nine months of late nights, countless repairs and more than 100 hours spent testing an underwater robot in a swimming pool paid off in a big way for a team of Santa Cruz County high school students.

Hephaestus Robotics, a 21-member team representing eight county high schools, captured first place in the Ranger Class at the 2026 MATE ROV World Championship on June 27 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, earning the program’s first world title after finishing third in each of the past two years.

The victory came against 47 high school teams from 13 countries competing in the Ranger division, one of several classes at the international competition, which featured 86 teams from 16 countries.

Among the team members was Pajaro Valley High School student Raul Lopez, who said the experience changed the way he thinks about engineering and teamwork.

“This experience taught me how to work within a big team made of smaller teams, an experience I hope to contribute to building a MATE ROV college team at CSUMB,” said Lopez, who will attend Cal State Monterey Bay this fall to study mechatronics.

The team qualified for the world championship by winning the MATE Monterey Bay Regional ROV Competition in April.

At the three-day world championship, students operated a remotely operated underwater vehicle in facilities designed to simulate real ocean conditions, including a 1.7 million-liter flume tank and a wave basin.

Their robot completed a series of tasks modeled after real marine science and offshore engineering work, including replacing a simulated environmental DNA sensor, recovering an anchor buoy and deploying an autonomous float capable of maintaining depth while collecting data.

Students also used professional sonar equipment to locate simulated marine debris.

“Rather than simply simulating operations within a controlled pool, our team rose to the challenge of performing real-world ocean protection,” said Santa Cruz High School student Elle Williams, who piloted the robot during the bonus mission. “We deployed a professional sonar tool on our ROV to scan for and identify ghost gear and debris in the Atlantic Ocean. That was amazing.”

The competition extends well beyond building a robot.

Teams operate as mock engineering companies, preparing technical reports, budgets, marketing materials and formal presentations that are judged by professionals from the marine technology industry.

Mission Director Sam Imahara of Kirby School said the championship reflected months of persistence.

“Competing on the world stage against so many talented teams was an unforgettable experience,” he said. “As the electronics lead, seeing our countless hours of late-night troubleshooting, complex wiring, and system integration culminate in a world title is wildly rewarding.”

Float Team Vice President Amber Williams of Pacific Collegiate School said the team’s success was especially satisfying after setbacks earlier in the season.

“These many months of continuously fixing issues and dedication led us to finally achieving the full 85 points, something only three out of 47 teams managed to do,” she said. “After watching the float fail at regionals, having everything come together at worlds felt incredible.”

The team includes students from Pacific Collegiate, Sequoia, Soquel, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Pajaro Valley, Sapphire and Kirby schools.

Tim Sylvester, founder of nonprofit X Academy and the team’s lead mentor, said the championship reflects the diversity of the students involved and the commitment they showed throughout the school year.

“Our team brought together students from across Santa Cruz County, including the children of Silicon Valley tech workers, doctors, carpenters, electricians, and farmworkers,” he said. “After nine months of hard work and more than 100 hours of practice in the pool, they truly earned this win.”

Hephaestus Robotics is part of the Santa Cruz County Office of Education’s X Academy Robotics Clubs, a partnership that gives students free, hands-on experience in engineering, computer science, entrepreneurship and project management.

Since the partnership began in 2023, X Academy mentors have worked with more than 200 students from 15 high schools through weekly robotics sessions in Santa Cruz and Watsonville.

Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah said the world championship highlights what students can accomplish when they have access to hands-on learning opportunities.

“This championship is the result of years of student leadership, mentorship, problem-solving, and persistence,” Sabbah said. “The Hephaestus Robotics Team has shown what is possible when students have access to rigorous, hands-on learning and a community of mentors who believe in them.”

For graduating Sequoia High School student Carlos Ortiz-Lopez, the lessons learned extend beyond robotics.

“Being a part of the Hephaestus Team taught me to be relentless and to not give up no matter what gets thrown your way,” he said. “I will use this to help me become an apprentice electrician with the IBEW.”

Watsonville Police shove a Mazda pickup off of Freedom Boulevard Monday morning following a two-vehicle crash. Just before 11am a green Ford Ranger and a white Mazda pickup were traveling north on Freedom Boulevard. On the 1600 block, the male driver of the Mazda reportedly attempted a sudden U-turn causing the Ford, with a male driver, to smash into its driver’s side, Watsonville Police said. The Mazda driver was temporarily trapped in his truck with minor injuries. (Tarmo Hannula/The Pajaronian)

Santa Cruz County’s cities and the county government should move more quickly to improve pedestrian safety by adopting formal Vision Zero action plans and taking a more proactive approach to maintaining sidewalks, crosswalks and traffic infrastructure, according to a new Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury report.

The report, titled ‘Walking in the County of Santa Cruz is Not for the Faint of Heart,’ concludes that while local governments have embraced the principles of Vision Zero—a strategy aimed at eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries—they have yet to implement formal action plans with measurable goals and timelines.

The grand jury found that Santa Cruz County consistently ranks among California’s worst counties for pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries despite recent investments in transportation improvements.

“Pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries are a persistent public safety issue in the County of Santa Cruz,” the report states. “While the County and its cities have adopted modern transportation policies and safety frameworks, pedestrian safety outcomes remain poor relative to other California counties.”

The report cites Office of Traffic Safety data showing Santa Cruz County ranked among the top 20% of California counties for pedestrians killed or seriously injured in five of the seven years between 2017 and 2023. Watsonville fared even worse, ranking among the 10 worst California cities of comparable size in six of those seven years, including Number 1 in 2019.

The report says the county, Watsonville and Santa Cruz have all committed to pursuing Vision Zero through the Community Traffic Safety Coalition but have not adopted formal action plans.

According to the grand jury, doing so would establish measurable benchmarks, improve accountability and make local jurisdictions eligible for additional federal transportation grants.

The report also points to gaps in pedestrian infrastructure, including deteriorating sidewalks, faded crosswalk markings and incomplete sidewalk networks.

It cites the Highway 1 Whale Bridge as an example of successful infrastructure that still leaves pedestrians vulnerable because sidewalks disappear at one end, forcing people to navigate busy commercial driveways.

The grand jury also found that local governments rely largely on residents to report sidewalk hazards and faded pavement markings, and that many people are unaware of how to report those problems.

In addition, it says the cost of sidewalk repairs—which are typically the responsibility of adjacent property owners under California law—can discourage people from reporting hazards.

Watsonville was singled out for offering a loan program to help homeowners pay for sidewalk repairs, which the report suggests other jurisdictions consider.

The report also examines traffic enforcement, noting that Watsonville has one officer dedicated to traffic enforcement, while Santa Cruz has none. Both agencies focus much of their traffic enforcement on driving under the influence because of limited staffing.

The grand jury recommends that local officials periodically review crash data to ensure enforcement efforts strike an appropriate balance between DUI enforcement and speeding violations, another leading contributor to pedestrian deaths and serious injuries.

Among its recommendations for Watsonville, the grand jury urges the City Council to direct its Public Works and Police departments to work with the County Health Services Agency to develop and publish a Vision Zero action plan by June 1, 2027.

It also recommends expanding public outreach about reporting sidewalk hazards, adopting an annual review of sidewalks and faded pavement markings, and requiring the police chief to annually review pedestrian injury data to ensure enforcement priorities align with Vision Zero goals.

The report makes similar recommendations to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors and the Santa Cruz City Council, including developing Vision Zero action plans, increasing public education, proactively identifying sidewalk hazards and considering financial assistance programs for sidewalk repairs.

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, the Watsonville City Council and the Santa Cruz City Council are required to respond to the grand jury’s findings and recommendations within 90 days.

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a revised $20.9 million budget for the Parks, Open Space and Cultural Services Department, restoring several services that had been slated for cuts while preserving most county funding for local arts organizations.

The spending plan comes one week after supervisors rejected an earlier proposal that would have eliminated the county’s contract with Arts Council Santa Cruz County and cut funding to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History in half to help close a $590,000 budget shortfall.

Instead, the board directed staff to find other ways to balance the budget.

The adopted budget reduces county funding for both the Arts Council and the MAH by 15%—a cut of $25,500 and $23,100, respectively—instead of the deeper reductions previously proposed. The Parks Recreation Grant Program also was reduced by 25%, or $12,000.

The revised budget restores seven-day operations at the Simpkins Family Swim Center, maintains portable restroom service at county parks and funds extra-help park maintenance staff to address vegetation management and deferred maintenance.

To close the budget gap, county staff assembled a package of one-time funding and targeted spending reductions totaling $590,000.

The largest contributions include $100,000 each from the Measure K environment and parks allocations in Supervisorial Districts 1 and 2, $68,400 from the Department of Community Development and Infrastructure, and three separate $50,000 contributions from General Services, Risk Management and Measure Q funds. Additional savings came from reduced information technology costs and a deferred $15,000 equipment purchase by the Sheriff’s Office.

Deputy Parks Director Rebecca Hurley credited county departments for working together to avoid reductions in park operations and staffing.

“This has really been a spirit of collaboration amongst other county departments,” Hurley said, calling the effort to close the budget gap without cutting services “a really big collaborative effort.”

The revised budget also rejects a proposed pay-to-park pilot program that had been included in earlier budget discussions.

Last week’s proposal drew strong opposition from dozens of residents, artists and community leaders who urged supervisors to preserve funding for the Arts Council and MAH, arguing the organizations provide essential cultural and educational services throughout the county.

Jim Brown, executive director of Arts Council Santa Cruz County, thanked supervisors and county staff for finding an alternative but cautioned that the solution is temporary.

“We all know that today’s situation is a stop-gap,” Brown said. “With future budgets projected to be even tighter, I urge the county to look for dedicated solutions for the arts.”

Overall, the budget funds four divisions—Parks Operations, Cultural Services, Art in Public Places and County Service Area 11—with 57 full-time equivalent positions.

County staff warned that the budget relies heavily on one-time funding sources that will not be available in future years. Without long-term solutions, the department could face additional reductions to programs, operations and staffing during development of the 2027-28 budget.

The board also approved an updated fee schedule, effective July 1, increasing many park rental, pool and recreation fees to reflect inflation and rising operating costs.

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Saturday approved a $2.857 million state funding agreement that will connect Renaissance High School to the Soquel Creek Water District, replacing the campus’s groundwater system that has been plagued by elevated levels of hexavalent chromium.

The board held a special meeting to ratify a financial assistance agreement with the State Water Resources Control Board, allowing the district to move forward with the long-planned project.

The agreement provides $2.857 million in funding through the state’s Expedited Drinking Water Grant program. While structured as a loan agreement, the entire amount is designated as principal forgiveness, meaning the district will not have to repay the money if it completes the project and complies with the state’s reporting and funding requirements.

In a social media post, Trustee Gabe Medina praised the decision.

“This was an important vote because Renaissance High School students, staff, and families deserve access to safe and reliable drinking water,” he wrote on his Substack account. “Many students and staff have been asking the district to address this issue, and this project is one step toward meeting that responsibility.”

According to the agreement, the project’s purpose is to consolidate Renaissance High School’s water system with the Soquel Creek Water District “to address the hexavalent chromium maximum contaminant level violations” and provide “safe and reliable drinking water to the students and staff of the school.”

The project calls for extending a water main along San Andreas Road, installing a pipeline beneath the railroad tracks, constructing a booster pump station on campus and tying the new line into the school’s domestic water system. The project also includes installing a master meter and backflow prevention device and permanently abandoning the school’s two groundwater wells.

Construction is scheduled to be completed by Sept. 30, 2028, with the overall project wrapping up by Dec. 31, 2028. The district must submit its final reimbursement request by Feb. 28, 2029, and retain project records through Dec. 31, 2064.

State documents show the Water Resources Control Board determined the project will not create significant adverse water quality impacts. The agency relied on an Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared by PVUSD, which approved the project in 2025 and adopted a mitigation monitoring program addressing biological resources, cultural resources and noise.

Under the agreement, the district must comply with numerous grant requirements, including completing the project on schedule, documenting expenditures, submitting quarterly progress reports and obtaining state approval before advertising the project for construction bids or beginning construction. Failure to comply could jeopardize reimbursement or require repayment of funds.

The agreement also prohibits reimbursement for costs incurred before the eligible work start date and limits funding to approved project expenses. If project costs exceed the $2.857 million budget, the district must notify the state and seek additional funding or modify the project’s scope, although additional state funding is not guaranteed.

The project budget includes $1.1 million for construction, $364,000 for contingency costs, $739,000 for engineering and administrative costs, a $28,000 Soquel Creek Water District connection fee and $626,000 in conditional costs.

Regarding Cesar Chavez Middle School name change

Writing a letter to the editor to try to change or unchange something is a loser business. I’ve written a lot of letters and they’ve all ended up losers. Chalk up another loss with Cesar Chavez Middle School. Chavez has now been certified an evil rapist, forcer of abortions, and child molester. The worst of the worst, despite never being charged or convicted of said crimes. That said, The Pajaro Valley Unified School District trustees are going to allow Cesar Chavez images to remain on the school mural. So you are going to exterminate his name, but keep his image on the school. What’s with that? One trustee said the proposed name changes are “a no brainer.” 

“No brainer.” indeed. 

I propose this. Fusing both new school name recommendations. Jeff Tagami, is a poet who should be mentioned alongside those of Byron, Shelley, Keats, and Whitman, is a perfect addition. Mas Hashimoto, an excellent educator, who was also one of my history teachers. I did a report and speech on the Kaaba in Mecca and he liked it. Hashimoto is a great choice. Next name  (Especially since you are keeping his image on the school)  is none other than Cesar Chavez, with an asterisk * (for the aforementioned reasons) and finally Central Coast Middle School. So the name I propose is The Jeff Tagami, Mas Hashimoto, Cesar Chavez *(with an asterisk) Central Coast MIddle School. Or abbreviated The Tagami, Hashimoto, Chavez * Central Coast Middle School. Chalk up another loser. 

Charles Birimisa

Watsonville

•••

LED street lighting needs changes 

In the 1990s at Hewlett-Packard, we foresaw that white lighting for street lights could save money in two ways: overall energy reduction of 90%, and the ability to dim the lights during no traffic conditions. Our local LED street lighting does save on the overall energy, but misses out on the dimming.

During the night traffic is greatly reduced, especially during the late hours. The LED lights with motion sensing could be dimmed until there is traffic, making a huge savings. Why aren’t we doing that now? My wife and I visited Uzbekistan last fall and they are using dimming. It works great. Why not here?

Bill Beecher

Aptos

•••

Writer doesn’t want his tax money to fund ICE

Putin, Trump, Netanyahu, Hegseth, UFC fighter as head of DHS – “We’re good at bombing…”; “We like sinking ships”… How about “Killing people” to finish the sentence…? And we remember “Thou Shalt not Kill…”

I came from the 60s, Summer of Love, and this is not what we expected from the 21st century. I pay income taxes. I don’t really want my money part of the $70 Billion for ICE and its inhumane detention centers, or the $70 Billion to bomb other countries in “self-defense.” 

But my few dollars are probably in there. All I can say is we must resist this takeover of what many of us are not supporting, and do what we can to bring Peace and Love to the World!

I don’t support a convicted felon, rapist and TV star to be having tantrums and ruling the world, like it was his little toy. The spineless Republicans, down on their knees, enabling him in lockstep. 

Does anyone remember, “The Emperor has no clothes?”

Will it take some little child to speak out?

Sam Earnshaw

Watsonville

The city of Watsonville received this new Plymouth A-1 Ambulance in 1961. (photo by Sam Vestal, Pajaronian file)

Civic partner content: A collaborative initiative amplifying nonprofits’ missions, expanding community engagement and driving meaningful impact. Learn more here.

Annual campaign adds first-ever TK backpacks as nearly 2,900 local students face homelessness and housing insecurity

Before the first day of school arrives, United Way Santa Cruz County and the Santa Cruz County Office of Education are once again rallying the community to ensure every student has the tools they need to succeed.

Starting July 1, the 17th annual Stuff the Bus School Supply Drive invites residents, businesses and community organizations to help provide 2,500 backpacks filled with school supplies for students experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity and other hardships across Santa Cruz County.

This year marks a new milestone for the campaign: For the first time, Stuff the Bus will include smaller backpacks designed specifically for transitional kindergarten and early childhood students, helping meet the needs of some of the county’s youngest learners.

The need remains significant. According to the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, 2,866 students in grades TK through 12 experienced homelessness during the 2024-25 school year under the McKinney-Vento Act. That includes 2,322 students living doubled up with other families, 308 who were unsheltered, 171 living in shelters and 65 staying in hotels or motels.

“The first day of school should be a moment of excitement and belonging for every student,” said Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah. “For families facing homelessness, housing instability or other hardships, basic school supplies are one more financial burden. Stuff the Bus is one way our community shows students that they are seen, supported and ready to succeed.”

Organizers say that having a backpack stocked with notebooks, pencils and other essentials does more than prepare students academically — it helps them begin the year with confidence and dignity.

“A backpack filled with school supplies can help a student walk into class feeling prepared, confident and supported,” said United Way Santa Cruz County CEO Yvette Lopez Brooks. “Stuff the Bus reflects what is possible when our community comes together around children and families, and we are grateful for the donors, volunteers, sponsors and partners who make this campaign possible each year.”

Community members can support the effort in several ways, including making direct donations, sponsoring backpacks, organizing workplace supply drives or volunteering during the annual Stuff-A-Thon. A contribution of $30 provides one student with a fully stocked backpack.

The campaign culminates with the Stuff-A-Thon on Saturday, Aug. 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Kaiser Permanente Arena in downtown Santa Cruz. Volunteers of all ages will help fill thousands of backpacks that will be distributed to students and families throughout the county.

Held in partnership with the Santa Cruz Warriors and with support from UPS, the event brings together community volunteers, local businesses and nonprofit partners to ensure students across Santa Cruz County can begin the school year ready to learn.

The campaign is rooted in a simple idea: Every child deserves to start school with the materials they need to thrive. By coming together as a community, Santa Cruz County can help remove barriers to learning and create a stronger foundation for student success.

To donate, sponsor or volunteer, visit unitedwaysc.org/stb.

The post Stuff the Bus returns to help 2,500 Santa Cruz County students start the school year ready to learn appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

With the long holiday 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.