Lookout Santa Cruz

Cabrillo College has corrected seven of eight violations identified in a state investigation of its dental hygiene program, but it remains on three years of probation and must pay a $5,000 fine after investigators found issues including inadequate clinic supervision and students falling behind on required clinical hours.

The Santa Cruz County housing market looks similar to what it did last month, as inventory and sales remain high during the summer months. However, the war in Iran has heated up yet again, bringing more uncertainty into the economy and, by association, mortgage rates.

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

In choppy surf off of La Jolla, fisherman Shane Volberding fought to land a yellowtail, a silver and gold fish prized in the sushi seafood trade.

Gulls wheeled above the water as the fish dove and darted against him, dragging the line. One crank at a time, Volberding reeled it in, jabbed it with a gaffe and then hoisted it on deck. As he grappled with the thrashing fish, deckhand Destiny Louise Silva hauled in another yellowtail and dunked it in a bucket, tail up.

The swift, back-to-back catch was the highlight of an unusually productive day on the water that yielded seven yellowtail and other fish, not counting the ones snatched by thieving sea lions.

“That’s a really good day for yellowtails,” Volberding said. “They’re usually very hard to catch.”

That lucky happenstance belies the unpredictability of California’s commercial fishing sector, where the speculative nature of the catch collides with complex regulations, economic hurdles and a graying fleet.

Volberding, 27, is one of the younger captains in a fleet in which the average age is 48 and many captains are looking toward retirement. And he’s one of relatively few who didn’t enter the trade through family connections.

To address those shortfalls and protect the supply of locally caught seafood, UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography launched a fishing apprenticeship, designed to train new commercial fishers on fishing techniques, rules and safety protocols. 

The program has propelled careers for a few, including Volberding. But it has also exposed gaps in the industry that prevent fishers from making a living and discourage newcomers to the trade.

Pay for commercial fishers across the West Coast has plummeted over the past decade, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Median annual crew pay dropped by about a third, from $90,468 in 2014 to $61,592 in 2024. Captains’ earnings plunged from $173,271 to $108,972 over that period. In San Diego, pay rates are even lower.

“It’s revealing a lot about what needs addressing within the industry, if we really want a resilient, sustainable food system with seafood as a part of it,” said Theresa Talley, a coastal specialist with California Sea Grant, who coordinates the apprenticeship.

Training the next generation of fishers

Despite its coastal locale, San Diego’s fishing industry and seafood supply are more tenuous than you might imagine.

At least two-thirds of the seafood that Americans eat is imported, and some estimates paint an even bleaker picture. In a 2016 report, Talley estimated that just 10% of seafood consumed in the city of San Diego comes from local fishers, and only 8% of San Diego’s 86 seafood markets consistently carried San Diego-sourced seafood.

“Once dubbed the ‘Tuna Capital of the World,’ employing more than 40,000 people directly or indirectly in the tuna industry … the county is now home to just 130 local commercial fishermen,” Talley wrote.

These days, the tuna on your plate might come from Mexico, while your salmon fillet was likely farmed in Chile, Norway or Canada. Imported seafood is often cheaper than U.S. caught fish, which is subject to strict environmental rules and catch limits. Competing with less regulated fisheries puts additional strain on American fishing fleets. 

To sustain locally caught seafood and backfill the declining ranks of California’s fishing fleet, Scripps introduced its apprenticeship in 2020. 

Birds surround a fisherman’s boat off La Jolla. Credit: Adriana Heldiz / CalMatters

The program provides instruction in key aspects of the fishing trade, including Coast Guard safety protocols and emergency drill conductor training, fishing regulations, methods and conservation. It guides fledgling fishers on how to market and sell their seafood. 

“Fishing isn’t just dropping your line in the water,” Talley said. “You need to know navigation and safety and fishing and engine repair and business”

This was never going to produce large numbers of new deckhands for the fishing fleet. Classes are small, with just a handful of students per session. The program took a hiatus during the pandemic between and then came back on line in 2024.

So far, 11 people have graduated and six are still fishing, Talley said. Four more students are in training now.

Apprentices participate in what Talley calls a “boot camp style” course over the course of two or three months.

It started in 2020 with 130 hours of shore-based training, then added hands-on sessions on diesel engine repair and marine mechanics in partnership with the San Diego-based Maritime Institute. Then apprentices spend 1,000 hours on-the-job with local fishers.

“They’re training across these topical areas that the fishing communities and the fishing industry helped us identify,” Talley said. “And then we help connect the apprentices with commercial fishing vessels.”

That’s where things get tricky. Although commercial fishing captains urged Scripps to create the apprenticeship, few ultimately stepped up to mentor graduates, Talley said. Some captains worried about losing time showing beginners the ropes. And the insurance cost of taking on a new crew member can be prohibitive.

Deckhand Destiny Louise Silva works to reel in a yellowtail while fishing off the San Diego coast.

For apprentices, it’s unsteady gig work. Deckhands get a percentage of the catch, so their pay depends on the size of the haul. They’re also expected to help ready the boat for fishing trips, scrub barnacles from the hull and prepare gear. Those tasks are typically unpaid. 

Without another job, pension, or family support, it’s tough to earn enough to live on, fishers acknowledged.

A deckhand in San Diego earns about $15,000 to $50,000 net per year, said Peter Halmay, 85, a founder of the San Diego Fishermen’s Working Group, and an urchin diver for more than half a century. That’s below the per capita income of $57,083, and insufficient for housing and other expenses in one of the country’s costliest cities.

“It goes to show you that a deckhand in the fishing business can’t afford to live in San Diego,” Halmay said. “And that’s the problem we’re getting at.”

A fishing captain can make $100,000 to $200,000 annually he said, but that’s gross income, and permits, gear and other expenses take a big chunk out of that.

“If you’re entirely reliant on commercial fishing for all your economic needs, that’s a hard puzzle to put all the pieces together to make that work consistently year after year,” said Peter Brownell, 53, an earlier Scripps apprentice who left a career as a Ph.D. sociologist at a San Diego nonprofit to become a fisher.

Halmay said fishers need to support each other, build their ranks and engage the public. He helped develop the apprenticeship program with that goal in mind.

“You’ve got to change the fishing culture and you have got to make the fishermen and the public appreciate this culture,” he said. “These are professionals that take pride in bringing in their catch, and they bring in the best catch and they harvest sustainably because it’s in their best interest to do so.”

A day at sea

Volberding got hooked on the ocean early. Born in San Diego, he lived in Idaho for a few years as a child before returning to his hometown, where he “fell in love with surfing.” 

He stayed near the water, working at a fish market cutting and selling fish, in seafood restaurants and on sport-fishing boats. In 2020 he joined the Scripps apprenticeship program, which covered the basics of commercial fishing. But he really cut his teeth with his mentors, who set him to work pulling spot prawn traps, taught him fishing techniques and instilled the “work ethic thing.”

“I owe them huge, dramatic credit for my success,” he said. “They work harder than anyone I know.”

He fished from a jet ski for a while then got his own boat, a 25-foot Imemsa panga. Last month he sailed out in mid-morning fog to fish off La Jolla. As rough waves rocked the narrow boat, Volberding and Silva pulled in a small mako shark and dozens of mackerels while hunting for yellowtail to a party music soundtrack of The Commodores’ “Brick House” and Taio Cruz’ “Dynamite.”

Fishing has always come naturally to him: “When I was in Boy Scouts I was the kid catching all the fish and the other kids were wondering, how I was catching all the fish? I had a knack for it.”

Near La Jolla, Volberding moved frequently across the water, reading ocean color and temperature, monitoring atmospheric pressure and watching for birds gathering and fish flopping. Small splashes were mackerel. Bigger splashes meant yellowtail.

As soon as he hooked one, he reeled hard as the powerful fish fought against the line. Several times sea lions beat him to it. 

“We got more bites – a big, big yellowtail, like a 30-pounder – and they got stuck in the kelp and a sea lion stole the yellowtail,”  Volberding. “And then it broke the line and then ate it with all his friends.”

As soon as they got fish on deck, Volberding and Silva euthanized them using a Japanese technique called shinkei-jime. Inserting a wire into the spinal cord they killed the fish instantly to prevent the meat from spoiling and preserve its buttery texture and flavor.

That’s just part of the job. Volberding markets his fish to high-end restaurants and sells them at the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market at the Port of San Diego on Saturdays.

He offers what he calls “value-added” products, including the shinkei-jime killed yellowtail and filleted mackerel, which command a higher price. Sometimes he crews on friends’ boats, buys tuna from them and sells those fish. 

“You gotta be good at fishing,” he said. “Be smart. Yeah, being good at sales.”

From left, fisherman Shane Volberding and his employee Christopher Ceballos sort through fish at Tuna Harbor Dockside Market in downtown San Diego. Credit: Adriana Heldiz / CalMatters Not everyone can make it work

For Brownell, fishing was a mid-career switch from his previous job as research director for the Center on Policy Initiatives, an economic justice nonprofit based in San Diego.

“I definitely was interested in being in the water and operating boats, in my efforts to not be operating a desk,” he said.

He worked on habitat restoration in San Diego and got a seasonal job with the U.S. Forest Service in Alaska, before turning his attention to fishing. Brownell went through the Scripps  apprenticeship, where he was introduced to Dan Major, a fisherman with Plan B Sustainable Fisheries in San Diego.

Brownell crewed for Major, fishing for crab, rockfish, sanddabs and lobster.

The two eventually partnered on an experimental fishery for brown box crab, a chunky crustacean known for its sweet, delicate meat. In return for the opportunity to catch the spiky crabs, they gathered data for fisheries scientists.

“He was a good mentor, and I think we were a good team,” Brownell said.

Eventually Brownell bought his own fishing boat and marketed his fish at Tuna Harbor Dockside Market. Then the bottom dropped out of his business.

“Most of what I was making on my own was fishing sanddabs, but then that fishery closed,” he said. “That’s part of the vagaries of commercial fishing, is that you work on something that may not continue to be available to you.”

That’s a common problem. While a boat’s catch varies from day to day, the mere opportunity to fish is also speculative.

In addition to a commercial fishing license, fishers need specific permits for most species. The permits are competitive and boat captains tend to hold them as investments, which means newer fishers could be cut out of the fishery. Halmay said only a fraction of the captains who hold urchin diving permits actually use them each year.

Even holding a permit for a species doesn’t mean they’ll get to fish for it. State and federal regulators manage fisheries to maintain healthy populations, and shut them down once the annual quota is met, or if environmental conditions threaten the species. 

After winding down his fishing operation, Brownell moved to the Bay Area to run a debris removal boat for the Army Corps of Engineers, deploying navigation and mechanical skills he acquired in San Diego.

Brownell still keeps his own boat docked at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco and maintains his commercial license in hopes of fishing the coveted salmon season. That fishery was closed for three years, but partially reopened this year. He plans to try his luck with salmon this summer when weather conditions permit.

“I do love both the fishing and the bounty of the sea and providing for people from the sea,” he said. “I’m hoping the fisheries continue to rebound and we’re allowed more generous use in the years to come, fingers crossed.”

Customers gather in front of fisherman Shane Volberding’s booth at Tuna Harbor Dockside Market in downtown San Diego. Credit: Adriana Heldiz / CalMatters

Janelle Louie, another Scripps apprentice who fished for several years with the late San Diego Captain Doug Dirkse, started selling t-shirts on a GoFundMe page to support their business after salmon fishery closures decimated the industry.

“I wasn’t aware of this issue when I started, but now understand how difficult it can be to stay afloat as a full-time small boat commercial fisherman,” Louie wrote on the GoFundMe drive.

Other apprentices have tried their hand at fishing before moving onto more stable employment. Darian Schramm, owner of Paramount Fish Co, mentored one of the Scripps apprentices, but found he couldn’t offer steady enough work to keep him on.

A few years back Schramm, 48, made a similar career u-turn as Brownell, turning in his laptop after 15 years in computer programming. The remote tech job allowed him to combine work, travel and hobbies, but he wanted to do “something potentially more useful.”

“I could surf and fish and travel,” as a programmer, he said. “Then the computer thing just kind of soured for me. Now I’m part of the food system here in San Diego, and I can give back to the community through fresh, local food.” 

He was happy to take on an apprentice, Sebastian Torreblanca, and thought they worked well together. But he understood when Torreblanca took a full-time job with a local city instead.

“For Sebastian, he was into it, he loved it,” Schramm said. “But at the end of the day he had a mortgage, he had to support his family.” 

It would help if Scripps could subsidize apprentices while they get started, Schramm said. And he warned that new crew members should view the job as a starting point that requires investment of time before it pays dividends. 

“This is getting your feet wet,” he said. “You can’t halfway do it, you have to fully believe in it.”

Fisherman Shane Volberding pulls a yellowtail onto his boat near the La Jolla coast. Credit: Adriana Heldiz / CalMatters

Part of the reason fishers face tough odds is because they seldom join forces. Working on the water or the wharf, out of wifi and cellphone range, they have little opportunity to organize, attend meetings or lobby lawmakers.

“A lot of fishermen are kind of solitary, so it’s not easy to get them together,” Schramm said.

They guard their best spots and fishing methods, wary of giving away secrets to competitors. 

Volberding declined to reveal certain techniques for landing and handling fish. But as he hauled in yellowtail throughout the recent fishing trip, he alerted friends by radio to let them know where fish were biting.

It didn’t compromise his own catch. Around sundown it began to sprinkle and Volberding headed for shore. At dock he laid out a mako shark, two barracudas, a bucket of mackerel and seven yellowtail with gleaming, gold fins and tails, valued at roughly $250 each, or around $13 per pound.

The apprenticeship aims to foster that kind of knowledge sharing by pairing novice fishers with experts who can guide the next generation. 

“We’ll get together, and we’ll talk about it,” Halmay said. “We’ll share our experiences, and we’ll all rise together. And that’s how you’re gonna succeed is by working together.”

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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.

A couple of hundred new tenants will be moving in next door, but is that good or bad for a used-car business?

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

When the Legislature passed the Master Plan for Higher Education in 1960, it envisioned a seamless, three-level system that would provide high-quality and low-cost instruction benefiting both those seeking careers and society as a whole.

Under the plan, community colleges would specialize in preparing students for transfer into the University of California and California State University, plus offer vocational and adult education classes.

The state university system would offer bachelor and master’s degrees in education, engineering and other professional fields. The UC would be the venue for research and award not only bachelor and master’s degrees but doctorates.

It never quite worked out as planned, for a variety of economic and political reasons. Instead of cooperating as the plan assumed they would, the three higher education systems slipped into competitive postures, vying for both capital to expand campuses and operational support from governors and the Legislature.

Over the past couple of decades, the competition for money also morphed into battles over academic turf. Community colleges sought authorization to award four-year baccalaureate degrees in some career fields and the state university system, while opposing the community colleges’ academic ambitions, aspired to award doctorates, which the UC system saw as an invasion.

These incursions were signals that the bifurcated roles contained in the master plan were no longer realistic and, with some other trends, should have sparked a reconfiguration guided by the interests and needs of students and those of the larger California society.

Instead, the infighting over who could do what has continued and extended into clashes over differing academic requirements for transfers and other operational glitches, as well as money.

Community colleges and state universities have pursued their expansionist goals one career field at a time in specific pieces of legislation, weaving through the academic and geographical limitations that the Legislature imposed to placate opponents. The result is an odd array of four-year degrees some community colleges can offer and doctorates that the state universities can award.

The situation is a microcosm of California politicians’ chronic inability to deal comprehensively with glaring public policy issues. Instead they tinker at issues at the edges while ignoring the underlying fundamental conflicts.

Another example illustrates the syndrome: the state’s ceaseless squabbling over water. The same interests fight over the same allocation issues year after year as governors and legislators come and go. None are willing to invest the political capital it would take to resolve it once and for all.

Back to the college turf battles.

The ongoing dispute erupted anew in February when the Community College Chancellor’s Office approved three new baccalaureate programs at Mesa College, Moorpark College and Southwestern College over objections from the state university system, which claimed they were duplicative.

Almost immediately two bills were introduced that would, if enacted, make it easier for community colleges to offer more bachelor degrees by making it harder for the state university system to oppose expansion into specific career fields by claiming they are duplicative within geographic boundaries.

Of course the four-year universities oppose the measures, Senate Bill 960 and Assembly Bill 2694, and in some ways that’s understandable since the universities are experiencing stagnating or even declining enrollment. But the bills are moving.

This situation, the competition for students, will become more acute as California’s population plateaus or declines. The shrinking number of K-12 students leads to a shrinking number of college applicants and fierce competition because enrollment drives state financial support.

It’s one of several reasons why California needs a realistic overhaul of the higher education master plan, one that rearranges the systems’ missions and expands options for students.

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

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Bookie’s Pizza, an acclaimed Detroit-style pizzeria founded by chef Todd Parker, will relocate to a larger restaurant at Anton Pacific on Pacific Avenue, becoming the first retail tenant in the mixed-use downtown Santa Cruz development. The move marks an early milestone for Anton Pacific’s commercial leasing as developers work to fill new ground-floor retail spaces.

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a 16-year-old boy from Capitola whose body was found in the water near the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf on Monday morning.

Around 8:30 a.m. on Monday, the Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a body in the water near the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf. It is believed the 16-year-old was already deceased when a person called in saying they saw what they believed was a body floating in the water, Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Ashley Keehn said. With the assistance of Harbor Patrol, he was then brought to shore. 

The boy had been reported missing to Capitola Police earlier Monday morning, and his name will not be released because he is a minor, Keehn said. 

No foul play is suspected at this time, Keehn said, adding that the cause and manner of the boy’s death will be determined once an autopsy and toxicology testing are complete, which could take several weeks.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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Jessica M. Pasko gives you the latest in local business news, including Joby Aviation and Toyota expanding their partnership, Driscoll’s facing a new class action lawsuit over pesticide use, and upcoming events.

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

Community college students in California could gain access to medication abortion through campus health centers under a proposal that would extend reproductive health services already required at the state’s public universities.

Assembly Bill 2540 would require community colleges with student health centers to offer access to medication abortion beginning in 2029, if the Legislature provides funding. The bill builds on Senate Bill 24, a 2019 law that requires University of California and California State University student health centers to provide medication abortion beginning in 2023.

Supporters say the bill would close an access gap for community college students who may face transportation, cost, privacy or insurance barriers when care is only available off campus. But campus health center directors warn that many community colleges may not have the funding, staffing or clinical capacity to provide the service.

Authored by Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, a Democrat from San Francisco, the bill would apply to community colleges with student health centers — estimated at roughly 92 campuses statewide. If the Legislature provides funding, those campuses would have to offer access to abortion by medication techniques beginning in 2029.

“We are closing a critical gap by ensuring that community college students, one of the most diverse and economically vulnerable populations in our state, have the same access to care as their peers at four-year institutions,” Stefani told lawmakers during an Assembly Health Committee hearing in April. 

The bill would also require all campuses to promote awareness of the service, provide information to students and post availability online. The awareness requirement would extend to universities, which were not compelled to publicize medication abortion services under the previous law. 

Community colleges fill healthcare gap for students

“Healthcare is a basic need for any human,” said Stephanie Goldman, executive director of the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges, a statewide advocacy organization that represents community college faculty and supports AB 2540. “And of course, abortion access and abortion is a healthcare issue.”

Goldman said community colleges increasingly operate under a “whole student” model that goes beyond academics to include food access, housing support, childcare, mental health and healthcare services. Reproductive healthcare access can directly affect whether students are able to remain focused on school, she said.

“It’s helpful that they understand that they have this kind of healthcare on campus and available to them, should they need it,” Goldman said.

Mifepristone and misoprostol at a Wyoming abortion clinic in Casper on March 10, 2025. Photo illustration by Natalie Behring / Getty Images

Student leaders backing the bill say community college students often face challenges accessing reproductive healthcare outside campus systems, particularly in rural areas.

“Where you go to school should not determine what access you get just because you went to a community college system versus a four-year system,” said Alisha Nagpal, a student at Folsom Lake College who serves as vice president of legislative affairs for the Student Senate for California Community Colleges.

Nagpal said some community college students live hours away from providers, lack transportation or may not know what health services already exist on campus. She pointed to online-only students, low-income students and undocumented students as groups that may face additional barriers obtaining reproductive healthcare off campus.

Community college health centers vary in size and services

But while supporters frame the bill as a matter of equal access, health center directors say implementing the proposal statewide may be far more complicated than applying the UC and Cal State models.

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee analysis, the community college health centers “vary widely in structure and capacity, with many operating under limited staffing models or contracting services out to community providers and hospitals.”

The Health Services Association of California Community Colleges, which represents student health programs across the system, opposes the bill. In an April 15 letter to lawmakers, the organization said many community college health centers do not prescribe medication, nor do they have sufficient staffing or the infrastructure needed to provide medication abortion onsite.

Michelle Barkley, president of the association and a nurse at Cosumnes River College, said many community college health centers function more as public health entry points than full-service clinics.

“Some of our campuses have 5,000 students,” Barkley said. “Their health center is run by a single registered nurse.”

Barkley said many campuses currently rely on referrals to outside providers rather than onsite reproductive healthcare services. 

Funding may be a challenge

The bill’s projected cost has become a key point of disagreement between supporters and community college health center directors.

The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office estimates implementing the bill could cost between $7 million and $27.9 million in one-time startup costs across all 93 community college health centers, plus between $5.6 million and $9.3 million annually to maintain services. Those estimates are not limited to the cost of medication. The appropriations analysis says the expenses could include staffing, training, equipment, telehealth services, billing support and other infrastructure needed for campuses to provide or coordinate care.

Community college health centers may be partially funded through student health fees, though not all campuses charge them. The analysis said most campuses charge an average health fee of about $23 per academic term. The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office lists the 2025-26 maximum health services fee at $27 per semester and $22 for summer, intersession or quarter terms.

Supporters of the bill argue the projected costs may overstate the financial burden. According to the committee analysis, Stefani’s office argues medication abortion services could become financially sustainable through Medi-Cal reimbursement, private insurance billing, third-party vendors and telehealth partnerships.

Nagpal pointed to language making the bill contingent on legislative funding, saying community colleges would not be expected to implement the requirement without state support.

“If funding is not provided at community college campuses, there’s no legal expectation for (community colleges) to provide the service,” Nagpal said.

The bill was put on hold in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on May 6 because of its potential cost. On May 14, the committee advanced the bill on an 11-4 vote after making amendments.

The amendments changed how the bill would apply to community colleges. Earlier language would have required community colleges with student health centers to offer medication abortion onsite, but the amended bill now says campuses must “offer access” to the service beginning in 2029. The bill still allows care to be provided by campus staff, through telehealth or through contracted external agencies, but it now also includes partnerships with community health providers “as appropriate.”

The amendments also broadened what colleges would report to the state, allowing campuses to count services provided through outside healthcare providers instead of only those performed at campus health centers. 

AB 2540 was referred to the Senate Health and Education committees on June 10. After additional amendments, the bill was re-referred July 2 to the Senate Appropriations Committee, where lawmakers will review its fiscal impact.

The latest amendments further define how community colleges could comply, including through referrals, “warm handoffs,” written partnerships with licensed providers or a statewide provider agreement through the Chancellor’s Office. They also clarify that state funding could support costs such as telehealth, staffing, training, billing support, outreach and reporting.

Andrea Baltodano is a contributor with the College Journalism Network, a collaboration between CalMatters and student journalists from across California. CalMatters higher education coverage is supported by a grant from the College Futures Foundation.

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A monthly roundup of Santa Cruz County dining highlights celebrates the start of summer with four finds: a barley and kale salad in Davenport, a smash burger at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and a blue corn cookie and poke bowl in Santa Cruz.

A coalition of patient, labor, health and small business advocates have organized a statewide series of town halls focused on health care affordability, with a kickoff event in Salinas on Thursday. 

The town hall in Salinas will focus on local community concerns, the high cost of care in Monterey County and current policy solutions. Speakers will include representatives from Health Access California, the California Federation of Teachers and National Multiple Sclerosis Society. 

A leading organizer of the town halls, Health Access is an advocacy organization that campaigns at the local, state and federal levels for health care affordability. It recently published  a report that found the Central Coast has some of the highest health care costs in the state. 

“Exorbitant health care costs are driving more and more families and workers into medical debt or to delay or skip care altogether,” reads a press release from Health Access, adding that Monterey County residents pay nearly two times the state average for childbirth.   

Health Access said it will discuss policy solutions such as the state’s new Office of Health Care Affordability setting a statewide cost growth target of 3%, down from the current rate of 6%. 

Health Access has not yet published a list of town hall dates and locations to follow the first event in Monterey County. 

Monterey County town hall details 
When: July 9, Thursday, at 10:30 a.m. 
Where: 168 West Alisal Street, 1st floor, Salinas, California, 93901

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On Wednesday, June 24, my colleagues and I had the opportunity to volunteer at Friendship Park at Harvey West Park, and it served as a powerful reminder of what can happen when a community comes together with a shared purpose.

Nearly 50 volunteers rolled up their sleeves to help revitalize the park by cleaning the bocce ball court, spreading fresh mulch, and planting colorful flowers. What may have seemed like a few hours of volunteer work became something much bigger: a visible investment in a space that brings people together.

This project was made possible through the support of amazing community partners and donors, including the Santa Cruz Warriors, NAMI Santa Cruz, Lookout Santa Cruz, New Leaf Community Markets, Scotts Valley Rockery, TOGOs Capitola, and GivingTuesday. Their generosity and commitment to Santa Cruz County made this transformation possible.

For me, this day was especially meaningful.

After attending my third annual Volunteer Center Be the Difference Awards ceremony earlier this year, I walked away inspired by the individuals and organizations being recognized for their dedication to serving our community. I remember telling my coworker, Jamie Garfield, that I wanted to be part of the kind of meaningful work represented on that stage.

Having worked closely with Leslie Lee, director of community engagement at the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County, for nearly four years, I reached out to explore how Lookout Santa Cruz could deepen its involvement. What started as a conversation quickly turned into us not just participating in this park revitalization project, but also committing to ongoing monthly volunteer opportunities as a team.

In addition to these efforts, I also work with Leslie each month to publish promoted content roundups that highlight volunteer opportunities across the county. These roundups include direct links to organizations and ways for our readers to easily get involved, connect, and give back.

Being invited to volunteer alongside so many local organizations reminded me why I love this community. Spending just three or four hours making a tangible difference in the same county that raised me and helped shape who I am today is something I will always be grateful for.

At Lookout Santa Cruz, we are committed to serving Santa Cruz County in many ways: through local journalism, community storytelling, and events that bring people together. This volunteer work adds another meaningful layer to that commitment. When we connect with community members, whether they’re thanking us for a story, attending an event, or discovering Lookout for the first time, it strengthens that sense of shared purpose.

Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue expanding Lookout’s volunteer efforts in new ways. That includes opportunities such as food sorting with Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County, beach cleanups, and many other ways we can show up for the community we serve.

Community isn’t just something we cover, it’s something we’re proud to be part of. I’m excited for what’s ahead as we continue giving back, one volunteer day at a time.

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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

• GREEN HILL GARDENING was registered at 236 Miramar Dr, Santa Cruz CA 95060 by Gavin Wellington Hill as an individual business on June 22.
   
• AKFLORES CONSULTING was registered at 260 Camino Al Barranco, Watsonville CA 95076 by Alexandre Kozoroski Flores as an individual business on June 22.
   
• COFFEE AND JAM was registered at 107 Washburn Ave., Capitola CA 95010 by John Borgman as an individual business on June 22.
   
• DR JIMI’S HANDYMAN SERVICES was registered at 590 Madrona Ave., Felton CA 95018 by Phd Operations, LLC as a Limited Liability Company on June 22.
   
• BLACKWING MARKETING was registered at 270 Cambridge Dr, Watsonville CA 95076 by Blackwing Ventures, LLC as a Limited Liability Company on June 22.
   
• ARTTERIE, YOLTZIN was registered at 191 Acorn Dr., Boulder Creek CA 95006 by Yoltzin Q Delgado as an individual business on June 22.
   
• HELENA ROMERO ART was registered at 519 Humes Avenue, Aptos CA 95003 by Helen Thompson as an individual business on June 22.
   
• ALIGNED WITH ALLY was registered at 511c Swift St., Santa Cruz CA 95060 by Allyson N Torres as an individual business on June 22.
   
• FEHER SUPPLY POTS MATERIAL NURSERIES was registered at 63 Mt Madonna Raod, Watsonville CA 95076 by Fernandez Hernandez Antonia as an individual business on June 22.
   
• OMNIA STONE AND TILE was registered at 825 Walker St. #102, Watsonville CA 95076 by Mx Builders, Inc. as a corporation on June 22.
   
• ALEXAS DOG GROOMING MOBILE was registered at 1 Amesty Road, Watsonville CA 95076 by Bernardo Garcia Contreras as an individual business on June 22.
   
• ALCHEMY EPOXY COATINGS was registered at 216 Arthur Rd, Watsonville CA 95076 by Martin Evan Gonzalez as an individual business on June 23.
   
• THE SANTA CRUZ CHILDREN’S THEATRE was registered at 510 Riverview Dr, Boulder Creek CA 95006 by Sunflower Stages LLC as a Limited Liability Company on June 23.
   
• HotelKio was registered at 228 Potrero Street #b, Santa Cruz CA 95060 by Hotelkio LLC as a Limited Liability Company on June 23.
   
• SANTA CRUZ CABANA COMPANY was registered at 516 Wilkes Circle, Santa Cruz CA 95060 by Santa Cruz Cabana Company LLC as a Limited Liability Company on June 23.
   
• TOM’S PAINT & FINISH was registered at 154 Elm Street, Watsonville CA 95076 by Thomas Tamayo Alvarez as an individual business on June 23.
   
• LATIN FINANCE was registered at 1481 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville CA 95076 by Dagoberto Marin Gomez as an individual business on June 23.
   
• UN FINANCE was registered at 1481 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville CA 95076 by Uriel Nolasco Hernandez as an individual business on June 23.
   
• FLOW IN KINETIC CURVES was registered at 2800 A Glen Canyon Rd., Santa Cruz CA 95060 by Randolph Lee Smith as an individual business on June 23.
   
• SANTA CRUZ POOP SCOOPERS was registered at 10 Fred Court, Scotts Valley CA 95066 by Reilachi Ventures LLC as a Limited Liability Company on June 24.
   
• MATH ROCKS was registered at 22 Blake Ln, Scotts Valley CA 95066 by Nadzeya Miatselitsa as an individual business on June 24.
   
• MONUMENT BUILDERS INC. was registered at 103 Bluebonnet Lane, Scotts Valley CA 95066 by Monument Builders Inc. as a corporation on June 24.
   
• CORRALITOS CREEK SANCTUARY, INVISION HEALTH was registered at 52 Browns Valley Road, Corralitos CA 95076 by Gina Lynn Locatelli as an individual business on June 24.
   
• DRIP 2 HARD BARBERSHOP was registered at 2120 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz CA 95062 by Drip Fades Barbershop LLC as a Limited Liability Company on June 24.
   
• PENCILS PORTRAITS PAINTS was registered at 127 Prospect Ct., Santa Cruz CA 95065 by Pencils Portraits Paints LLC as a Limited Liability Company on June 24.
   
• AMERICAN INSPECTION SERVICE was registered at 165 Hillcrest Ave., Ben Lomond CA 95005 by Chance Group Inc as a corporation on June 24.
   
• FUSION DANCE COMPANY was registered at 272 Hames Rd., Watsonville CA 95076 by Cambell Ruth Walker as an individual business on June 24.
   
• DENHAM CONSTRUCTION was registered at 491 5th Avenue, Santa Cruz CA 95062 by Jordan Riley Denham as an individual business on June 25.
   
• MINDFUL-MEDIATION, LLC was registered at 226 Campus Drive, Aptos CA 95003 by Mindful-mediation, LLC as a Limited Liability Company on June 25.
   
• ELAINE MURPHY NUTRITION was registered at 732 Delta Way, Watsonville CA 95076 by Mary Elaine Murphy as an individual business on June 25.
   
• TERIYAKI MADNESS was registered at 550 River Street, Ste D, Santa Cruz CA 95060 by Archgate Inc as a corporation on June 25.
   
• GIVE THANKS was registered at 2851 Research Park Dr. Suite D, Soquel CA 95073 by Stony Cruz LLC as a Limited Liability Company on June 25.
   
• MIKE’S PLUMBING was registered at 8297 Hermosa Ave., Ben Lomond CA 95005 by Michael Rose as an individual business on June 25.
   
• SANTA CRUZ RECOVERY LOUNGE was registered at 542 Ocean St. Suite # I & J, Santa Cruz CA 95060 by William R Maximiuk as an individual business on June 26.
   
• CALCOMP ADVISORY was registered at 113 E 5th St., Watsonville CA 95076 by Linda L Rosser as an individual business on June 26.
   
• RESCUED BY THE DUSTY BAG LADY, THE DUSTY BAG LADY BOUTIQUE, THE DUSTY BAG LADY ENTERPRISES, THE DUSTY BAG LADY ON WHEELS, THE DUSTY PEARL COLLECTION was registered at 5515 Washington Way, Felton CA 95018 by Khristine Joanne Guire as an individual business on June 26.
   
• EL BARRIO OAXAQUENO INC was registered at 329 Rodrirguez St., Watsonville CA 95076 by El Barrio Oaxaqueno Inc as a corporation on June 26.
   
• WINDWARD LEADERSHIP LABS was registered at 1329 Seabright Ave., Santa Cruz CA 95062 by Katelyn Marie Lucille Judge as an individual business on June 26.
   
• GOPHER CONTROL SANTA CRUZ was registered at 116 S Branciforte Ave., Santa Cruz CA 95062 by Nate Thomas Helman as an individual business on June 29.
   
• ESPERANZA FOOD HUB was registered at 444 Airport Blvd., Ste 107, Watsonville CA 95076 by Esperanza Community Farms, Inc. as a corporation on June 29.
   
• MP VEHICLES was registered at 619 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz CA 95062 by Mp Automobile Services LLC as a Limited Liability Company on June 30.
   
• BODACIOUS BBQ was registered at 314 Bowen Ave., Aptos CA 95001 by Christopher James H. Benson as an individual business on June 30.
   
• MOUNTAIN FILM LAB was registered at 11489 Clear Creek Road, Brookdale CA 95007 by Daniel Ellis Wilbur as an individual business on July 2.
   
• Electrolysis by gg was registered at 313 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz CA 95062 by Gianna Siena Medeiros Guerisoli as an individual business on July 2.
   

The post Santa Cruz County business filings: Week of July 7 appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Carolyn Saenz is officially back. The longtime local barber is thrilled to announce her return to the neighborhood, stepping right back behind the chair at Westside Barber Shop. To make her return as seamless as possible for old clients, she is returning to her classic schedule and is located just one block away from her original location.

How to Book and Visit Carolyn

Carolyn is operating on her old schedule and is ready to welcome you back:

• The Location: Westside Barber Shop at 247 Trescony St., Santa Cruz
• The Schedule: Sundays and Mondays only.
• To schedule appointments after 4pm, call or text Carolyn directly at (831)239-1799.
• Walk-ins are always welcome, stop by at your convenience!

A Cherished 25-Year Career

For 25 years, Carolyn Saenz was a beloved fixture of the Santa Cruz barbering community. Sitting in her chair meant more than just walking away with a sharp haircut—it meant catching up with a friend, sharing local news, and enjoying the unique charm of the community.

Many longtime locals will fondly remember Carolyn from her two and a half decades at the former Esquire 2 Barbershop. Working alongside Wayne, the shop was famous not just for its classic, high-quality cuts, but for its unforgettable co-star: Buddy the parrot. For a generation of Westside residents, a visit to Carolyn, Wayne, and Buddy was a staple of local life.

Bridging the Six-Year Hiatus

That 25-year run came to an unexpected halt six years ago. When the COVID-19 pandemic swept through Santa Cruz, forced closures and unprecedented safety challenges meant Carolyn had to step away and close the doors to her business.

It was a difficult departure from a community she loved. Over the six years that followed, Carolyn deeply missed the hum of the clippers, the familiar faces, and the vibrant Westside neighborhood energy. Now, that hiatus is officially over, and she looks forward to seeing you on a Sunday or Monday in the very near future.

The post Longtime local barber Carolyn Saenz back behind the chair at Westside Barber Shop appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Meet Michael.

Today, Michael is in a much better place. But not long ago, his life was different.

Michael was struggling with serious health issues, long-term alcohol use, and years of social isolation. A former avid traveler, Michael was afraid to leave home. His past adventures felt like a distant dream, until he connected with Santa Cruz County’s Long Term Case Management team.

Long Term Case Management (LTCM) is a program which focuses on helping elderly adults maintain independence through advocacy, counseling and referrals to community agencies. Social workers connect one-on-one with clients, fostering special bonds and relationships that enable people like Michael to stay safe and maintain independence. 

For Michael, Long Term Case Management arrived at his door because he was referred to APS by someone in his life who cared for him. LTCM is alerted to potential cases through anonymous referrals from neighbors, family, friends and health care professionals. Seniors are also welcome, and encouraged, to reach out to LCTM directly if they need help. 

Initially, it was difficult for Michael to accept help. But with support from his social worker, public health nurse and doctor, Michael gradually gained control of his health, learned to manage his medical conditions and chose to stop drinking. The team supported him every step of the way — from home safety to medical care, and even helped him tidy his apartment when he was ready. 

Michael credits his team for increasing his understanding of health and advocating for him. They feel like family to him – through offering consistent support and showing him daily that he is valued and people care. One of the reasons Michael became sober is to make his team proud. 

Michael’s story shows how consistent support and care can transform a life. Santa Cruz County’s Adult and Long Term Case Management helps people stay healthy, safe and connected — one step at a time. 

“Since 2023, Adult Protective Services Long Term Case Management program has served nearly 100 older and dependent adults throughout the county,” said Whitney Barnes, supervisor at Adult and Long Term Care. “The program has consistently improved client’s health and outlook on life.”

If you or someone in your life needs help, please reach out to the Adult and Long Term Care Division at 831-454-4101 or www.santacruzhumanservices.org/AdultLongTermCare.

The post Adult and Long Term Care is here to help: Michael’s story shows how appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Watsonville City Council will decide whether to make changes to its camping ordinance, establishing “no encampment zones” in areas such the Struve Slough, the Pajaro River levee and other public spaces around the city.

Joe Ortiz transforms the chaos of his 1950s childhood into an exuberant musical memoir filled with unforgettable songs, powerhouse performances from Lori Rivera and Adam Saucedo, and enough heart to earn a sold-out opening-night audience’s standing ovation.

California’s budget has delayed proposed Medi-Cal dental cuts, giving Dientes Community Dental Care and thousands of Santa Cruz County patients a critical one-year reprieve — but the threat has not disappeared, writes Laura Marcus, CEO of Dientes. If the reductions take effect next year, Dientes estimates it could lose $2 million in funding, putting jobs, clinics and care for an estimated 1,800 patients at risk. With nearly 74,000 Santa Cruz County residents relying on Medi-Cal and too few dentists accepting new Medi-Cal patients, protecting access to preventive dental care is both a public health and economic imperative, she writes.

Since the CZU Fire burned over 86,000 acres of Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties in 2020, many residents have faced rising insurance premiums, non-renewals and an increased reliance on the California FAIR Plan, which provides basic fire insurance coverage for high-risk properties when traditional insurance companies will not. 

In response to these issues, the Santa Cruz County Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience (OR3) and Community Development and Infrastructure Department helped the county secure a Fire Risk Reduction designation through the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. The designation went into effect July 1. 

“This recognition reflects years of work to make Santa Cruz County safer, better

prepared and more competitive for wildfire prevention funding,” OR3 Director David Reid said in a June 26 press release.

The California Fire Risk Reduction Community List, which is where the county was named as a designee, recognizes local agencies that have demonstrated a strong commitment to reducing wildfire risk through planning, community engagement, wildfire mitigation and implementation of state-recognized best practices.

The Fire Risk Reduction designation could make Santa Cruz more competitive for millions of dollars in future wildfire prevention grants to support projects like fuel reduction, wildfire planning and community education. It will also help qualifying homeowners, especially those on the FAIR plan, receive wildfire insurance discounts. 

Homeowners interested in pursuing potential insurance discounts can contact their insurance agent or provider and ask whether the county’s new designation can be applied to their policy.

The post County recognized as Fire Risk Reduction Community, making certain homeowners eligible for wildfire insurance discounts appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.