Lookout Santa Cruz

Top 10 exciting job opportunities in Santa Cruz County – Apply today!

Are you searching for your next career move in Santa Cruz County? Look no further! We’ve curated a list of the top 10 job opportunities recently posted to our job board, spanning various industries and roles. Whether you’re a recent graduate, seasoned professional, or someone seeking a fresh start, Santa Cruz has something to offer for everyone.

1. Housing Coordinator, Village, UTC and Delaware Apartments at UC Santa Cruz
2. Recording Services Supervisor The County of Santa Cruz
3. Early Education Teacher (Preschool) at UC Santa Cruz
4. Behavioral Support Specialist at BalanceSCC
5. Undergraduate Advisor at UC Santa Cruz
6. Senior Building Maintenance Worker – Warehouse at UC Santa Cruz
7. Senior Land Transactions Manager at Sempervirens Fund
8. Member Services Representative (Temporary) (Bilingual) at Central California Alliance for Health (the Alliance)
9. Physical Therapist at MedXcare Health Professionals
10. Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving at Homeless Garden Project

Why work in Santa Cruz County?

Santa Cruz County boasts a vibrant community, picturesque surroundings, and diverse career opportunities. From academic roles at UC Santa Cruz to impactful positions in healthcare and local government, the perfect place to support both your professional growth and work-life balance.

Ready to take the next step?

Apply for these exciting job opportunities in Santa Cruz County today!

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• Save with job bundles: Purchase a job board bundle of 4 or 8 listings and save 25%. Redeem your jobs anytime. Bundles never expire. Get Your Bundles Here.
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Questions about the job board? Reach out to Brittany at brittany@lookoutlocal.com.

The post 10 Hot Jobs in Santa Cruz County: Week of August 7 appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

This post is updated throughout the day to reflect the latest incidents. It was last updated at 7:01 a.m..

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

▼︎ new incidents

Road incidents as of 7 a.m. on August 21

• Highway 9 at Cascade Avenue in San Lorenzo Valley has one-way traffic due to ongoing work. This closure will last until 7:01 a.m. on Aug. 31.
   
• Alternating lanes are closed on Highway 9 at Riverdale Park in San Lorenzo Valley because of bridge work. The closure is expected to end at 6:59 a.m. on April 30, 2027.
   
• 455 Valley View Ave. in San Lorenzo Valley will be closed to through traffic on Aug. 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for tree removal.
   
• CHP helped with construction at the intersection of Highway 9 and Graham Hill Road in San Lorenzo Valley. The work was scheduled from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. today.
   

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 Friday morning traffic: Highway 9 lane closures, Valley View Ave. closed for work appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

The Santa Cruz County housing market looked similar in July to what it has for most of the summer, despite sales temporarily dipping as prospective buyers leave for vacation and school gets back into session.

The post Santa Cruz County housing market stalls, then rebounds as AI wealth boom looms appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

This story was originally published by EdSource. Sign up for its daily newsletter.

As schools reopen amid a national surge in measles cases, California students will continue to follow the state’s existing vaccination requirements, despite President Donald Trump’s latest effort to change the country’s childhood vaccine schedule. 

California has the authority to determine which immunizations are required for students to attend school. The state will continue to follow guidelines created by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other experts, said Dr. Erica Pan, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the state’s public health officer. 

The executive order, issued Aug. 10, calls for spreading childhood vaccinations across multiple medical visits. It also recommends administering the combined measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine as three separate shots, and reduces the number of recommended vaccinations for all children from 18 to 11. 

Trump and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the recommendations during a news conference in which they repeated claims that immunizations cause autism, a theory that has been debunked by extensive research.

Pan and American Academy of Pediatrics President Andrew D. Racine said there is no evidence to justify making changes to the childhood immunization schedule. 

“The only purpose of this announcement is to sow confusion so that more people doubt the importance of vaccines,” said Racine in a statement. “Delaying or skipping shots is risky, especially as measles continues to spread and children go back to school.”

Although the order only advises states to consider updating their vaccination policies, it also calls for the U.S. attorney general to launch legal challenges against states that do not allow religious or medical exemptions. California only allows medical exemptions.

California rules won’t change

California was among a coalition of 15 states that sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in February for attempting to remove the recommended status for seven vaccines. The lawsuit also challenged the replacement of the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, an expert panel that has guided U.S. vaccine policy for decades, calling it “unlawful.”

In March, a federal judge ruled that the advisory committee had been replaced improperly and halted the plan to make changes to the vaccination schedule.

California law requires students to be vaccinated against 10 serious communicable diseases. Proof of immunization is required in kindergarten and seventh grade, as well as upon entering childcare, transitional kindergarten, or when transferring schools from out of state. 

“This executive order will not change anything in California,” Pan said. “We are really committed to protecting access to vaccines for our communities.”

Measles cases are increasing

The president’s executive order comes as measles cases in the U.S. hit a 35-year high. There have been 2,566 confirmed cases in the U.S. so far this year, compared to 2,289 confirmed cases during the entire year of 2025.

California has reported 58 cases of measles so far this year, up from 25 in 2025, according to the CDPH. All but 14 of the cases were people younger than 20, and all but four were either unvaccinated or their status was unknown, according to data from the California Department of Public Health.

Catherine Flores Martin, executive director of the California Immunization Coalition, worries that the number of cases nationwide could be higher.

“Some parents have gotten comfortable with not reporting their cases,” Flores Martin said. “So that is a big concern.”

Measles is highly contagious. About 90% of unvaccinated people who are exposed to someone with measles will contract the disease. 

Flores Martin said requiring children to receive vaccinations over multiple visits could make it more difficult for lower-income parents. 

“It will be way more onerous for parents and terrible for children,” Flores Martin said. “You know, the stress. I would say every time I went to the doctor as a child I was always stressed because I was worried about getting the shots.”

Is the order causing confusion?

Vaccines are safe and are continuously monitored and studied in the United States and California, Pan said. Still, she and other health experts worry that the White House announcement could create confusion about vaccinations just as students return to school.

Top health officials at San Diego Unified and Sacramento City Unified school districts told EdSource they have not noticed increased vaccine hesitancy this school year and have not received questions from parents about the president’s recommendations. That doesn’t mean parents have stopped raising concerns about vaccinations.

Sacramento City Unified lead nurse Susan Sivils reassures hesitant parents it is safe for their children to receive multiple vaccines in one visit.

“If they are uncomfortable with that, it is their decision as a parent,” Sivils said. “… But if they are set on that, then I just make sure they understand that until they are up to date with all of those vaccines, they won’t be allowed to start school.”

Sivils said she knows of only one family this year that chose to bring their child in for multiple visits to receive their vaccinations.

More parents are opting to wait to immunize their children until they are older, said Flores Martin.

“They say they are not hesitant, they just want to wait,” she said. “Those are informed, educated people, but what they’re deciding is very wrong from a scientific standpoint and a health standpoint for their children. So, we’re in uncharted territory because parents used to trust their doctor so much, but they’re not trusting them on this.”

State immunization rates high

California’s kindergarten vaccination rates remain above the national average of 92.4%. But the rates have been ticking down, from 95.6% during the 2016-17 school year to 93.7% in 2024-25. Measles vaccination rates are a little better with 96.1% of kindergartners vaccinated in 2024-25, compared to 97% in 2018-19. 

Even relatively small declines can make a big difference in a state that had 355,391 kindergartners and 213,313 transitional kindergarten students last school year. A 1% drop in measles vaccinations, for example, means that there would be approximately 5,600 fewer students in those two grades who received the MMR vaccine.

The share of students with medical exemptions remains low, at about 0.1%. But state health experts say the number of students enrolled in home-based private schools or independent study programs without classroom-based instruction is increasing. 

Although students in these schools don’t have to be vaccinated, their schools are required to maintain immunization records or risk losing some state funding.

Vaccination rates also are uneven across the state, with rural, charter and schools in low-income communities more likely to have under vaccinated students, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. 

If the immunization rate falls below 95% in a school or community, that opens up the possibility of an outbreak, Pan said. 

“So, yes, we want people to be up-to-date on their measles vaccine and make sure they have their two doses. That is part of the school vaccine requirements,” Pan said.

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

The post California maintains school vaccine rules despite Trump order appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

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

A California Senate committee just gutted one of the state’s most substantial DUI reform bills in years, despite widespread support from other lawmakers and families of drunk driving victims.

The bill would have required in-car breathalyzers for anyone convicted of a DUI, bringing California in line with most states. State law currently requires the devices, called ignition interlock devices, only after repeat offenses or injury crashes.

Sabrina Cervantes, a Democrat from the Inland Empire and chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, provided a hint of changes last week when she said there were amendments to the bill that had been approved unanimously by the committee. This week, an updated version of the legislation emerged, and it effectively killed a key provision to start requiring the devices for thousands of first-time offenders. Such changes are commonly referred to as “hostile amendments” because they are made without the involvement or support of the bill’s author. 

Cervantes was arrested for a DUI in a high-profile incident in Sacramento in May 2025. The district attorney’s office did not prosecute her after a blood test showed no drugs or alcohol in her system. Cervantes then sued the City of Sacramento and several of its police officers, alleging that that police fabricated evidence and falsely arrested her. Cervantes’ sister, state Assembly candidate Clarissa Cervantes, has herself been convicted of two DUIs in Southern California, according to media reports.

Sabrina Cervantes did not immediately respond to CalMatters’ request for comment for this story.

As news of the bill’s gutting spread this week, Kellie Montalvo was left wondering if there’d been some sort of horrible mistake. Montalvo, whose 21-year-old son Benjamin was killed by an impaired driver in Cervantes’s district in 2020, said she was just in Sacramento two weeks ago lobbying lawmakers – including Cervantes – on a slate of dangerous driving bills. Many of those bills have already failed.

“It’s heartbreaking, and I try to tell myself not to lose hope,” Montalvo said. “I mean, California has got to do something. Our numbers are horrific.”

Alcohol-related roadway deaths in California spiked more than 50% in a decade — an increase more than twice as steep as the rest of the country, federal data shows. More than 1,300 people die each year statewide in drunken collisions.

Over the past two years, a CalMatters investigation has shown how state officials have allowed dangerous drivers to stay on the road and kill, and how elected leaders have looked away even as the death toll skyrocketed. 

For years, lawmakers have tried and failed to require in-car breathalyzers for all DUI offenders. Progressive justice reform groups and the DMV have opposed similar bills in the past, citing fears about unfairly penalizing poor DUI offenders, high costs and the DMV’s aging technology.

Montalvo and other advocates thought this year might be different. The DMV has actively participated in state hearings and, she and others said, provided technical advice to make sure the bill was realistic. Gov. Gavin Newsom also instructed lawmakers last year to continue to work on the state’s breathalyzer laws and develop a “a lasting program that strengthens public safety.”

It’s unclear why this year’s bill was gutted at the eleventh hour. Public records show that Senate Appropriations Committee staff recently expressed concern about costs. 

The amendment process is opaque even to Sacramento insiders. 

“Honestly it’s sometimes a bit of a black box even for us as legislators,” said the bill’s author, Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, an Orange County Democrat. “I am still trying myself to get to the bottom of it.”

Petrie-Norris, who has spent the past three years trying to pass a version of this bill, said she does not believe Cervantes’ personal experience played a role in the decision to amend the bill. She added that she is still working to re-amend the measure after “unintended consequences” that she says would make the policy unworkable for the DMV and hurt California’s eligibility for federal funding. 

Asked for an interview to explain the changes to the bill, Senate President Pro Tem Monique Límon’s office referred questions to Cervantes. Diana Crofts-Pelayo, Newsom’s chief deputy director of communications, also declined to answer questions about the breathalyzer bill, saying the office does not typically comment on pending legislation.

While the bill heads into the final days of negotiations, Montalvo and other victims’ families are grappling with deja vu. It was just about a year ago that they were standing in the Capitol with photos of their loved ones and told the bill was doomed.

She stays busy checking in with the parole officer for the Riverside County driver who killed her son. Last she heard, the driver was trying to get her license back after being released early from prison.

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

The post Lawmakers gut major DUI reform through ‘hostile amendments’ appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

A candidate for the Pajaro Valley Unified School District governing board has numerous convictions on his record, including felony assault and child endangerment, but those crimes don’t disqualify him from running in this November’s election. 

Curt Street Wilcox, 65, told Lookout that he’s running because he believes he’ll be an asset for the district. 

“I think our kids are our future,” he said Thursday. “And, just giving them hopefully a positive role model of trying to make things better for them.” 

Despite his convictions and decades of other criminal accusations filed against him in Santa Cruz, Monterey and Shasta counties, Wilcox met the requirements to file and run in the PVUSD school board race for Trustee Area V. Santa Cruz County Elections Clerk Tricia Webber told Lookout that candidates sign an oath under penalty of perjury stating that they live where they say they do, that they’re a registered voter in the county and that they’ve not committed disqualifying crimes. 

State code says anyone who has either been convicted of, or convicted of conspiracy to commit, felony bribery, embezzlement of public money, extortion or theft of public money or perjury, can’t be considered a candidate for, and isn’t eligible to be elected to, any state or local elective office.

Wilcox told Lookout that he recently moved back to Watsonville, where he said he was born and raised, and is looking to purchase a property. He said his father lives in Watsonville, and he used his father’s address in his candidacy paperwork “for the time being.”

He said he has many places that he bases himself out of. “My residential address, you know, it kind of varies,” he said. “But it’s pretty much been the Costanoan burial ground in the Elkhorn Slough.” 

Webber told Lookout that by signing his declaration of candidacy, Wilcox affirmed that he lives in the Trustee Area V of the district and has met all of the other requirements for the office. She said that the elections office isn’t the agency tasked with investigating whether each detail a potential candidate has signed under penalty of perjury is correct. 

“We’re not required to go and do a background check to see if that statement is true,” she said, adding that the Secretary of State training for elections officials says that “we’re not supposed to do background checks.” 

Webber said only after a complaint is made to the Watsonville City Attorney, Watsonville Police Department or the Santa Cruz County District Attorney would those offices investigate whether or not Wilcox committed fraud and is not qualified for office.

However, she said, that would have to take place in the courts and would take time to investigate and advance through the legal process. Webber added that as of Thursday morning, she hadn’t received any formal complaints about Wilcox’s listed residential address on his paperwork. Voters will still see his name on the ballot this fall. 

Webber said at this point, candidates’ names can be removed only if they have died, and her deadline to finalize ballots for print is next week. 

Wilcox’s criminal background

Wilcox has convictions including vandalism, resisting an officer, fleeing a police officer, felony assault and child endangerment, among others, over the past couple decades. Lookout asked how he felt about possible concerns from community members regarding his ability to serve as a member of a school board considering his convictions. 

“If they want to look at the facts of the case, that’s one thing; if they want to look at the convictions, that’s another,” he said.

Lookout did not find any convictions of felony bribery, embezzlement, extortion or theft of public money or perjury in his record. He told Lookout he hasn’t been convicted of any. 

Among Wilcox’s convictions is one for felony assault in 2017, in which the victim was his daughter-in-law. Brooke Wilcox, who is married to one of Wilcox’s three sons, Shaun, talked about her father-in-law’s impact on her family and how he attacked her with a Taser.

Pajaro Valley Unified School District offices in Watsonville. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

“This isn’t about revenge, and it isn’t about politics,” she said. “It’s about whether someone with a documented history of serious criminal and child-safety issues should be entrusted with the responsibility of making decisions about anyone’s children.” 

Brooke Wilcox, who moved with her family to Texas in 2021, in part to avoid her father-in-law, told Lookout that her family does not have contact with him. 

She described how in 2017, he attacked her with a Taser in front of her children. Brooke, her husband and children had been renovating a house on her father-in-law’s property. After fixing the home, she said he gave them an eviction notice and forced them to leave by turning off their power. Finally, they moved to Los Gatos to get away from him, she said.

After they had moved away, they went to his property to grab some of their belongings, on June 2, 2017. Brooke said he approached her with a Taser and she told him to get away. 

“He ran at me and Tased me,” she recalled. “He got me in the neck, in the side, in the head, in the face, in the stomach. He was holding it in my stomach to the point where I lost consciousness.”

Brooke’s daughter ran to find her father, who helped save Brooke. Brooke said she regained consciousness eventually and she and her family fought him as he tried to get into his truck to try to run over her. She said if it wasn’t for her daughter running to get Shaun, she thinks she would be dead.

A judge sentenced Wilcox to four years in prison.

“I have pretty bad [post-traumatic stress disorder] from everything that happened to me with him,” Brooke Wilcox said. 

More recently, in 2024, Curt Wilcox was convicted of fleeing a police officer stemming from an incident in 2021 in Watsonville. The Watsonville Police Department posted a video clip on Facebook of the damage to cars he caused, and Wilcox is seen in the background as officers arrest him. 

Wilcox denies that he had Tased Brooke, saying “the whole thing was a farce,” and added that the 2021 incident involving fleeing an officer was about “an assault by my boss.” 

He and Brooke also both told Lookout that he has long struggled with mental health challenges. 

Pajaro Valley Unified School District officials told Lookout they have no control over qualifications for candidates of school board races but said that candidate filing and eligibility requirements are managed by county election officials. 

“PVUSD maintains a neutral position in all local board elections,” they wrote in a statement. “As a courtesy, PVUSD extends invitations to all registered Board of Education candidates to attend an informational briefing to learn about district data and operations. In the case of Mr. Wilcox, he has not responded to our invitation.”

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

The post Pajaro Valley school board candidate has felony assault, child endangerment convictions – but can still run appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Meet Rafael and Rosa.

For them, life looks brighter now. But not long ago, life was different.

Rafael was struggling with serious health issues and his family faced housing uncertainty. The family had difficulty facing Rafael’s medical diagnoses and proposed treatment. They were overwhelmed by the systems responsible for his medical and housing benefits. It was hard to know where to start — until they found support through Santa Cruz County’s Long Term Case Management team.

Long Term Case Management (LTCM) is a program which focuses on helping elderly and dependent 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 Rafael and Rosa to stay safe and maintain independence. 

When older adults experience a crisis, whether due to abuse by another person or because they are having difficulties caring for themselves, they may not know how to get help. They may be ashamed, fearful of the government or worried they will lose their independence. The County of Santa Cruz’s Adult and Long Term Care (ALTC) division and Adult Protective Services program advocates for people experiencing abuse and helps them stay safe and independent. ALTC is dedicated to protecting the elderly (60 years and older) and dependent adults, ages of 18-59, who have physical or mental limitations that restrict their ability to carry out daily activities or to protect their rights.

With bilingual social workers and nurses by his side, Rafael began facing his fears — one appointment, one conversation, one small victory at a time.

In addition to accompanying Rafael to medical appointments and advocating for him, his team leveraged additional resources through the Home Safe program. Through Home Safe, Rafael and Rosa had support to find a safe place to live, received security deposit assistance, navigated the complicated Housing Authority requirements and were provided furniture. 

Through long-term, intensive care coordination and continuous social-emotional support by his team, Rafael was able to overcome his fear of the healthcare system. Without the level of support that LTCM provided, Rafael may not have survived. 

Rafael now attends medical appointments on his own. He is more independent with taking his medication and takes a more active role in household chores and gardening. Rafael and Rosa love their new home and recently adopted a cat. Rafael loves his grandchildren and is eager to continue working in therapy to better express his needs and his feelings.  

Rafael and Rosa’s story is a reminder: accepting help can change your life. Santa Cruz County’s Adult and Long Term Care Services are here for you — to help you stay healthy, safe and supported.

“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 Accepting help can change your life – Meet Rafael and Rosa appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

The Timber fire in Big Sur has continued to grow over the past week, but containment is improving and crews appear to have slowed the rate of progress.

The blaze, first reported the morning of Aug. 9, had spread to 5,772 acres as of 8:08 a.m. Thursday. Containment had reached 27%, up from 7% last Thursday.

A California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection incident management team, a specialized group of emergency personnel that provide leadership and coordination during complicated incidents, continues to lead the fire response. The Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County had also sent a team that included a battalion chief, fire captain, and three firefighters.

Only two zones were under evacuation orders as of Thursday morning, but nine remained under evacuation warnings. State parks within the Big Sur area are still closed, including Point Sur State Historic Park, Andrew Molera State Park, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. According to County of Monterey spokesperson Nicholas Pasculli, the disaster shelter at Carmel Middle School was closed on Wednesday, and there were no remaining evacuees that the county is aware of.

The Highway 1 road closure is now located at Mile Marker 44.5, near Alila Ventana/Post Ranch Inn. The southern portion of the closure is located at Mile Marker 37 at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park Vista Point. 

Crews will be working on “rock scaling” Thursday and Friday, per Cal Fire’s incident page, to remove loose rock material. This could require temporary closures of some of the currently open areas of Highway 1 in the fire zone, as debris may be falling onto the roadway. Caltrans trucks will clear the roadway and coordinate with traffic to allow drivers to pass through once it is safe.

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

The post Timber fire in Big Sur reaches 5,772 acres, 27% containment appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

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

The post Best of Santa Cruz County entertainment, arts & food events this weekend, Aug. 20-23 appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

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

▼︎ new incidents

Road incidents as of 6 a.m. on August 20

• Highway 9 at Cascade Avenue in the San Lorenzo Valley has one-way traffic due to ongoing work. This closure is expected to last until 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 Thursday morning traffic: Highway 9 lane closures in San Lorenzo Valley appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

After Santa Cruz ended its contract with Flock Safety, activists are stepping up efforts to persuade Watsonville to do the same — and at least one councilmember who previously supported the surveillance cameras is beginning to have second thoughts.

The post Watsonville Flock debate gains momentum as councilmember rethinks support appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

All About Theatre takes on the emotionally complicated “Dear Evan Hansen” with strong vocals and a spectacular technical design that brings its story of loneliness, belonging and our digitally connected lives vividly to the stage.

The post Plugged in, yet all alone: All About Theatre connects with ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

On Coral Street in Santa Cruz, the tents are disappearing — but the people who lived in them have not. As Housing Matters prepares to open 120 units of supportive housing, weekly street sweeps are escalating into daily displacement, writes Kevin Gallagher, who works with the unhoused on Coral Street. A community, he says, cannot call itself compassionate while pushing its most vulnerable people out of sight. Homelessness is not erased when we clear a sidewalk; it is simply moved somewhere we don’t have to see it. He urges city leaders – and all of us – to do better.

The post On Coral Street, police sweeps don’t solve homelessness; they make it invisible appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

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

La exitosa campaña para retirar las cámaras de vigilancia de Flock de Santa Cruz está dando impulso a los activistas que intentan persuadir a Watsonville de hacer lo mismo.

Ese fue uno de los mensajes centrales del domingo, cuando organizadores y simpatizantes de Get the Flock Out se reunieron en las escalinatas del tribunal del condado de Santa Cruz para celebrar haber logrado deshacerse de la tecnología en Santa Cruz en enero, mientras dirigían su atención a las casi 50 cámaras que todavía operan en Watsonville y Capitola.

En Watsonville, los organizadores han continuado reuniéndose con líderes municipales y candidatos desde que el Concejo Municipal votó el año pasado para renovar su contrato con la controvertida empresa de lectores de matrículas y añadir 17 cámaras. Con 37 cámaras actualmente en funcionamiento en toda la ciudad, Watsonville tiene el mayor número de cámaras de cualquier jurisdicción del condado; Capitola, la única otra jurisdicción del condado con cámaras de Flock, tiene 10.

Lourdes Barraza, organizadora de Get the Flock Out en Watsonville, dijo que continúa conversando con funcionarios electos y candidatos al Concejo Municipal sobre la tecnología, y que los esfuerzos podrían estar dando resultados.

Organizers from Get the Flock Out at a rally on Aug. 16 in Santa Cruz. Credit: Natasha Leverett / Lookout Santa Cruz

Casey Clark, uno de los cinco miembros del Concejo Municipal que votaron para renovar el contrato, ahora dice que su perspectiva sobre las cámaras está empezando a cambiar.

Anteriormente Clark le dijo a Lookout que terminó votando a favor de renovar el contrato porque confiaba en la información proporcionada por el Departamento de Policía de la ciudad y estaba satisfecho con el hecho de que toda la información recopilada por las cámaras de Flock pertenece al departamento de policía y que nadie más puede acceder a ella sin permiso.

Las cámaras registran automáticamente las matrículas y otros datos identificativos de cada vehículo que pasa por su campo de visión. Los datos no señalados como relevantes recopilados por estos lectores de matrículas se almacenan durante 30 días antes de ser eliminados permanentemente. Sin embargo, existe una excepción si un registro pasa a formar parte de una investigación en curso. Watsonville también puede conceder acceso a las grabaciones a organismos policiales externos cuando estos lo soliciten.

“La idea de Flock es maravillosa,” dijo Clark a Lookout a principios de esta semana. “Especialmente en Watsonville, donde no tenemos muchos agentes en las calles. Flock ha sido beneficioso para la seguridad de la comunidad.”

En febrero, el jefe de Policía de Watsonville, Brian Shab, dijo a Lookout que las cámaras son útiles, especialmente en un momento en que la mayoría de los departamentos de policía tienen dificultades de personal, y que aprovechar este tipo de tecnología de manera justa y transparente supone un cambio radical.

Sin embargo, Flock está dirigido por personas, dijo Clark, “y las personas pueden equivocarse y tomar decisiones realmente malas,” que es precisamente donde se centra su preocupación.

Watsonville City Councilmember Casey Clark in a March 2024 council meeting. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Los críticos de esta tecnología, tanto a nivel local como nacional, sostienen que la red de Flock permite a los organismos encargados de hacer cumplir la ley rastrear, registrar y compartir los movimientos de las personas sin una orden judicial y con pocas regulaciones. La empresa también ha sido criticada por compartir información directamente con la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de Estados Unidos (U.S. Customs and Border Protection).

El invierno pasado, miembros de GTFO informaron que un exjefe de Policía de Georgia buscó datos de Flock de Capitola a principios de 2025 para acosar y hostigar a ciudadanos particulares.

Después de conversar con Barraza y su esposo, Gabriel, Clark dijo que ha estado realizando su propia investigación y revisando artículos periodísticos para determinar cuál es su posición sobre el tema. Añadió que le decepciona ver tantos ejemplos de organismos policiales que han utilizado indebidamente el sistema.

“Estoy haciendo mi debida diligencia, y por eso la respuesta prudente es que ya no estoy tan convencido como antes,” dijo Clark.

Clark le dijo a Lookout que está dispuesto a volver a tener una discusión pública con sus colegas sobre las cámaras más pronto que tarde.

El concejal Jimmy Dutra, por otro lado, considera que no hay suficiente impulso para volver a llevar el tema ante el pleno del Concejo para debatirlo, y añadió que Watsonville no ha tenido ningún problema con las cámaras.

“Flock realmente nos ha ayudado a resolver muchos problemas que hemos tenido en nuestra comunidad,” dijo Dutra, haciendo referencia a un reciente accidente con fuga en Green Valley Road en el que murió una persona. La Policía de Watsonville pudo encontrar al sospechoso utilizando las cámaras de Flock.

Dutra añadió que Flock está realizando cambios constantemente en su sistema. La semana pasada, la empresa anunció que reducirá el período de conservación de datos de 30 días a siete, y permitirá conservar los datos durante más tiempo si están vinculados a un número de caso.

La empresa también exigirá que todos los organismos policiales implementen una herramienta de auditoría diseñada para detectar “comportamientos de búsqueda anormales” como parte de estos cambios. Funcionarios de la Policía de Watsonville habían dicho anteriormente a Lookout que su sistema de Flock ya cuenta con una herramienta similar y que esta marca las búsquedas relacionadas con inmigración.

A Flock camera on Freedom Boulevard in Watsonville, down the street from the St. Patrick Parish church. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

“Incluso ellos están perfeccionando la manera en que operan,” dijo Dutra. “Simplemente no es un problema aquí en Watsonville.”

Dutra también señaló la Medida Y, un impuesto sobre las ventas de medio centavo aprobado por los votantes y destinado a financiar iniciativas de seguridad pública, que, según él, demuestra la importancia que los residentes de Watsonville conceden a la seguridad pública.

Dutra añadió que está dispuesto a conversar con los residentes de su distrito sobre el tema si tienen inquietudes acerca de las cámaras.

Actualmente, la ciudad no está considerando ningún cambio en su contrato con Flock, según Erika Vazquez, portavoz del Departamento de Policía de Watsonville.

El departamento no tiene preocupaciones respecto al uso de las cámaras, ya que realiza auditorías periódicas para “garantizar que la tecnología se utilice de manera apropiada y de acuerdo con las políticas del departamento y las expectativas de la ciudad,” dijo Vazquez por correo electrónico.

Vazquez dijo que el departamento tiene “muchos ejemplos exitosos” del uso de Flock para ayudar a resolver casos. A principios de este mes, las cámaras ayudaron a recuperar un camión robado en cuestión de horas y, a finales del año pasado, el departamento utilizó las cámaras para arrestar a un delincuente sexual registrado que presuntamente se había exhibido ante una mujer en público.

El tema de Flock es una “espada de doble filo,” dijo Clark, y existen ventajas y desventajas de esta tecnología que él y sus colegas del Concejo tendrán que sopesar si en el futuro se abre la posibilidad de volver a debatir el asunto.

The post El debate sobre Flock en Watsonville cobra impulso mientras un concejal reconsidera su apoyo appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

A former Monte Vista Christian School teacher faces multiple charges of lewd or lascivious acts with a child aged 14 or 15 from an alleged incident in 2022.  

On Friday, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office detectives traveled to Suffolk County, New York, where they arrested Jacob Lee, 28, according to a Wednesday news release. 

Sheriff Chris Clark said in the release that Lee will be “brought back to face the justice system.” 

“When someone entrusted with educating and mentoring young people is accused of committing crimes against them, it is an especially serious betrayal of that trust,” he said. “Let me be clear that there is no place to hide from accountability. Moving across the country does not make those allegations disappear.” 

The sheriff’s office is still investigating and believes there may be additional victims because Lee was a teacher at the time of the alleged incident and was involved in the church community. Deputies are encouraging people with any information to contact the sheriff’s office at 831-454-7646. 

Monte Vista Christian School officials say Lee was employed at the school from August 2021 to February 2024. Located northeast of Watsonville, the private Christian school was founded 100 years ago and serves grades 4 through 12. 

School officials told Lookout they are committed to the safety of their students and they ensure their staff are properly vetted and evaluated. 

“We see any unsafe action toward a member of our school community to be a serious betrayal of trust,” they said in the statement. 

Santa Cruz County Superior Court records do not list an attorney for Lee. 

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

MORE LOCAL COVERAGE

The post Former Monte Vista Christian School teacher arrested on lewd acts charges appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

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

Latest additions are marked as NEW below.

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

• August
• September
• October
• November
• December
• January 2027
• February
• March
• April

And away we go with Down The Line …

August

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

Aug. 19: Steve Hawk, Bookshop Santa Cruz

Aug. 20: Jon Dryden, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Aug. 21: Willie Watson & Erin Rae, Felton Music Hall

Aug. 21: Frankie Moreno Trio, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Aug. 22: Earthless, Moe’s Alley

Aug. 22: “Music, Hope & Insight,” Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Aug. 23: Mighty Mike Schermer, Moe’s Alley

Aug. 24: Keyon Harrold, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Aug. 25: La Luz, Felton Music Hall

Aug. 25: “Winter in America,” Bookshop Santa Cruz

Aug. 26: Duane Betts, Felton Music Hall

Aug. 26: The Kirtan Love Experience, The Rio

Aug. 26: Built to Spill, The Rio

Aug. 27: Simon Phillips, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Aug. 27: Dave Evans, Bookshop Santa Cruz

Aug. 28: Tim Flannery & the Lunatic Fringe, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Aug. 29: Greyboy All-Stars, Moe’s Alley

Aug. 31: Eagles of Death Metal, The Catalyst

September

Sept. 1: Rehash, The Catalyst

Sept. 3: Paula Arai, Bookshop Santa Cruz

Sept. 4: Santa Cruz Shakespeare opening night: Noel Coward’s “Private Lives,” Audrey Stanley Grove

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

Sept. 5: Public Image Ltd., The Rio

Sept. 6: Tommy Castro & the Painkillers, Moe’s Alley

Sept. 6: Stephen Malkmus, The Rio

Sept. 7: Tom Petty tribute, Audrey Stanley Grove

Sept. 8: Susan Shillinglaw, Bookshop Santa Cruz

Sept. 9: PawPaw Rod, The Catalyst

Sept. 9: Laurie R. King, Bookshop Santa Cruz

Sept. 10: Nduduzo Makhathini, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

NEW: Sept. 10: Sara Kehaulani Goo, Bookshop Santa Cruz

Sept. 11: Santa Cruz Shakespeare opening night: Jason Robert Brown’s “The Last 5 Years,” Audrey Stanley Grove

Sept. 12: Black Uhuru, Moe’s Alley

Sept. 14: John Pizzarelli, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Sept. 15: “Smoke Cabaret,” Laurie Rivera, Audrey Stanley Grove

Sept. 16: Pedro Martín, Bookshop Santa Cruz

Sept. 17: The Growlers, The Catalyst

Sept. 17: Sarah Elizabeth Charles, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Sept. 18: Old Blind Dogs, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Sept. 19: Rayland Baxter, Moe’s Alley

Sept. 19: Santa Cruz Guitar Company 50th anniversary, The Rio

Sept. 20: Vieux Farka Toure, Felton Music Hall

Sept. 20: Stick Men, UCSC Music Center

Sept. 22: Al DiMeola, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Sept. 22: Welcome Week Rave, Santa Cruz Civic

Sept. 23: Brass Queens, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Sept. 23: Curtis Reliford, Bookshop Santa Cruz

Sept. 24: Bill Frisell & Harmony Five, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Sept. 26: Laurie Anderson, The Rio

Sept. 27: Sleep, The Catalyst

Sept. 28: Linda Ronstadt tribute, Audrey Stanley Grove

Sept. 28: Joseph Fink, Bookshop Santa Cruz

Sept. 29: Aldous Harding, The Rio

Sept. 29: Teada, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

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

October

Oct. 1: El Khat, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Oct. 1: Groundation, Felton Music Hall

Oct. 1: Pearl & the Oysters, The Crepe Place

Oct. 1: Miriam Pawel, Bookshop Santa Cruz

NEW: Oct. 1: Steel Pulse, The Catalyst

Oct. 2: Soda Blonde, The Crepe Place

Oct. 2: Fruit Bats, The Rio

Oct. 2: Twin Temple, The Catalyst

NEW: Oct. 2-3: Diggin’ Dirt, Moe’s Alley

Oct. 3: The Bends, Felton Music Hall

Oct. 4: Mike Dawes, Felton Music Hall

Oct. 5: Hiromi, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Oct. 6: Kishi Bashi, The Rio

Oct. 8: Rickie Lee Jones, The Rio

Oct. 8: Ben Flocks, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Oct. 8: The Guitarsonists, The Crepe Place

Oct. 9: The Breaks, Moe’s Alley

Oct. 9: King Crimson tribute, Quarry Amphitheater

Oct. 10: Damien Jurado, Felton Music Hall

Oct. 10: Banff Center Mountain Film, The Rio

Oct. 10: Acid Bath, Quarry Amphitheater

Oct. 11: Yellowjackets, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

NEW: Oct. 11: Min Jin Lee, The Rio

Oct. 12: Somi, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Oct. 14: Bonnie Raitt, Santa Cruz Civic

Oct. 14: Acoustic Alchemy, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Oct. 14: Alborosie & Shengen Clan, Moe’s Alley

Oct. 15: Bumpin’ Uglies, The Catalyst

Oct. 16: Young Dubliners, Moe’s Alley

Oct. 16: Xavier Wulf, The Catalyst

Oct. 17: B-Side Players, Moe’s Alley

Oct. 17: Megan Woods, The Rio

NEW: Oct. 17: Santa Cruz Comedy Festival, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

NEW: Oct. 17: Marty O’Reilly, The Crepe Place

Oct. 19: Buster Williams, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

NEW: Oct. 19: Grace Krilanovich, Bookshop Santa Cruz

Oct. 21: Jerry Douglas Band, Felton Music Hall

Oct. 21: Hannah Mayree, The Crepe Place

Oct. 22: Todd Rundgren, The Rio

Oct. 23: Black Flag, Felton Music Hall

Oct. 23: Lyrics Born, Moe’s Alley

NEW: Oct. 25: “Let the Caged Bird Sing” IV, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Oct. 26: Fonville & Fribush, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Oct. 27: Great Lake Swimmers, Felton Music Hall

Oct. 28: Lyle Lovett, Santa Cruz Civic

Oct. 29: Laura Anglade, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Oct. 29: Michael Franti, The Rio

Oct. 30: The Mother Hips, Moe’s Alley

Oct. 30-31: Jerry’s Middle Finger, Felton Music Hall

Oct. 31: AJ Lee & Blue Summit, The Rio

November

Nov. 1: Andrew Duhon, Moe’s Alley

Nov. 1: Alexandr Misko, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Nov. 2: Helen Sung, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Nov. 4: Joshua Redman, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

NEW: Nov. 4: Priyanka Matoo, Bookshop Santa Cruz

Nov. 5: Gabrille Cavassa, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Nov. 6: Elijah Scott, Felton Music Hall

Nov. 7: Henry Diltz: Behind the Lens, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

NEW: Nov. 7: Jeffrey Foucault, Felton Music Hall

NEW: Nov. 7: Led Zeppelin tribute, Moe’s Alley

Nov. 8: Southern Culture on the Skids, Moe’s Alley

Nov. 9: Alex Cameron, The Crepe Place

Nov. 9: “Birth of the Cool” Revisited, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Nov. 10: Donavon Frankenreiter, The Rio

Nov. 12: Jake Xerxes Fussell, Felton Music Hall

Nov. 12: Ken Okada, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Nov. 14: Nick Shoulders, Felton Music Hall

Nov. 14: Jon Spencer, Moe’s Alley

Nov. 15: The Cactus Blossoms, Felton Music Hall

Nov. 15: California Honeydrops, The Catalyst

Nov. 16: Las Migas, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Nov. 17: John Carroll Kirby, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Nov. 18: As I Lay Dying, The Catalyst

Nov. 18: Michael Nau, The Crepe Place

Nov. 19: James Gordon Williams, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Nov. 20: Andrew McMahon, Felton Music Hall

NEW: Nov. 20-21: Kabaka Pyramid, Moe’s Alley

Nov. 23: The Residents, Felton Music Hall

NEW: Nov. 23: Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Nov. 29: Sandra Bernhard, The Rio

Nov. 30: Benny Green, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

December

Dec. 2: Kassa Overall, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Dec. 2: “A Celtic Christmas,” Santa Cruz Civic

NEW: Dec. 2: Jessica Lea Mayfield, The Crepe Place

Dec. 3: Isaiah Sharkey, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Dec. 4: Dragon Smoke, Moe’s Alley

Dec. 5: Hell’s Belles, Moe’s Alley

NEW: Dec. 5: The Expendables, The Catalyst

Dec. 7: The Bad Plus, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Dec. 8: Buck Meek, Moe’s Alley

Dec. 8: A Guaraldi Holiday, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Dec. 9: Mike Renwick, Felton Music Hall

Dec. 10: Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Dec. 11: Jonathan Richman, The Rio

Dec. 12: The Wooten Brothers, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Dec. 14: Christian Sands, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Dec. 17: Pokey LaFarge, Felton Music Hall

Dec. 17: Skylar Tang, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

January 2027

Jan. 21: Jesse Cook, The Rio

NEW: Jan. 22: Andy McKee, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

NEW: Jan. 23: Vijay Iyer & Wadada Leo Smith, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

NEW: Jan. 28: Chris Cain, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

February

NEW: Feb. 8: Kenny Barron, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

NEW: Feb. 11: Nella, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

NEW: Feb. 15: Hamilton de Holanda, Kuumbwa Jazz Center

March

NEW: March 14: Alok, The Catalyst

April

April 21: “Alice in Wonderland,” Santa Cruz Civic

April 23: Fashion Teens, The Rio

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF BOLO

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

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

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

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

The Santa Cruz 19-year-old accused of murdering a 73-year-old Capitola woman outside of the Capitola Mall in July will return to court on Oct. 8 for a preliminary hearing.

The post Tyler Leibelt pleads not guilty in Capitola Mall murder case appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

The Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries just announced that they are only $75,000 away from their $3 Million goal towards the build-out of the new Downtown Library. You might be surprised where you fit in this story — read on. 

Long before there were think pieces about third spaces and the loneliness epidemic, Santa Cruzans understood that belonging doesn’t have to mean fitting in. The secret isn’t hidden. On our best days, this community gives every person room to do their own thing. What’s more Santa Cruz than the public library? The new Downtown Santa Cruz Public Library will soon open its doors for everyone. 

Jessica Goodman and Victor Willis. Credit: Sean McLean Photography

Jessica Goodman, who manages adult programs for the library system, described the ethos: “It really is for absolutely everybody. Everyone is welcome all the time. You don’t need to pay anything. You don’t need to bring anything with you. You don’t need to prove anything. The library is there for you.”

This is the place for the curious to explore, the dreamers to create, the strivers to succeed, the networkers to connect, and the innovators to thrive. 

When Kendra Baker and Zach Davis first dreamed up the Penny Ice Creamery, they chose the downtown library as their meeting place. “Using the resources of the library, the references and the people that work there helped us figure out how to start a business,” Davis recalls. “It was the first business we’d ever started and we needed all the help we could get.”

Kendra Baker and Zach Davis. Credit: Sean McLean Photography

Victor Willis, the librarian who oversees Local History collections, leads a team of 15 volunteers digitizing Santa Cruz’s historic collections, with a new podcast just out. When asked about the impact of working with community archivists, he doesn’t hesitate: “We had an outpouring of support from everybody from retired people to college undergrads and everything in between. The community is preserving and sharing the communities’ collective memory.”

Founders plotting first steps. History being preserved by neighbors. 

Downtown Branch Library Lincoln & Cedar. Credit: Jason Architects

The new Downtown Library was designed the way this town operates: welcoming everyone’s ideas. Right in the center of the action, this sustainably designed, museum-quality civic space will be enjoyed for generations to come. 

Rena Dubin participated as a member of the Downtown Library Advisory Committee and describes a process that surveyed more than 2,000 residents across every generation and walk of life. “We are really thrilled to have everybody involved,” she says. “This is a library for the community and by the community.”

Downtown Branch Library Lobby. Credit: Jason Architects

What the community asked for, the community is getting: large communal and family activity rooms, study rooms, a toddler area, a teen center, an expanded children’s library with dedicated programming space, a special collections room, an atrium. And a roof deck with an open view toward the ocean, a few blocks away.

Downtown Branch Library Roof Deck. Credit: Jason Architects

Joe Ferrara has watched downtown reinvent itself for 50 years from behind the counter of Atlantis Fantasyworld. He remembers what a true gathering place feels like. “People who were around during that era will remember that the Old Cooper House was considered the heart of downtown,” he says. “I believe this new library will be the new heart of downtown.”

In an age when nearly everything is mediated by a screen, the library stays grounded in real life. Bjorn Jones, a Downtown Branch librarian who focuses on digital literacy and often helps patrons land new jobs, frames it this way: “The human relationships and interactions that we can build upon are at a premium in a world where there is increasing technology and automation. I’m hoping that for libraries, we can really lean into our humanity.”

You’re Already Part of It. Make It Official.

If you already believe in what the library is, the only question left is whether your name will be on it.

Longtime donors John and Linda Burroughs understand what a gift here actually buys. “What we’re really trying to do is to fund the future for our children and our grandchildren,” John says. “It’s a place where people can gather. It doesn’t matter what’s in your wallet or what your interests are. Everybody can get together.”

John and Linda Burroughs. Credit: Sean McLean Photography

Andrew Ow, whose family has supported the library for generations, describes the payoff in the most tangible terms: “We’re going to have this really big, beautiful new building where you can take your partner or your children or your grandchildren and show them, ‘Hey, I was a part of this. I helped build this.’ It’s going to be here for a very long time.”

Andrew Ow, Library Supporter. Credit: Sean McLean Photography

The Friends have an announcement to share with you: 

We have less than $75,000 to go to reach our $3 Million goal towards the build-out of the new Downtown Library! 

We have a deadline. This campaign ends in September. This is your moment to add your name and stand with us to finish this library. 

Library Construction

Recognition on the prominent donor wall begins at $1,000 — a roster of the families and businesses greeting everyone who walks through the doors. A few larger naming opportunities remain available for a limited time. Whatever your capacity to give, every contribution is meaningful and recognized. This library belongs to you. 

That’s not charity. That’s pride. That’s the most Santa Cruz thing you can put your name to. Here’s your opportunity to be part of it.

DONATE TODAY

The post The secret Santa Cruzans have always known is becoming our city’s next great space. Be part of what’s next. appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

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

▼︎ new incidents

Road incidents as of 6 a.m. on August 19

• There is a one-way traffic closure on Highway 9 at Cascade Avenue in the San Lorenzo Valley because of ongoing work. This closure is scheduled to last until Aug. 31.
   
• Alternating lanes are closed on Highway 9 at Riverdale Park in the San Lorenzo Valley because of bridge work. The closure is expected to end on April 30, 2027.
   
• A traffic hazard was reported at the intersection of Branciforte Drive and Mill Road in Santa Cruz at 5:46 a.m. Emergency crews were on their way as of 5:41 a.m. The incident was reported today.

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 Wednesday morning traffic: Highway 9 closures; traffic hazard at Branciforte Drive appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Want to serve on a local school board? Show up in Bonny Doon, the Mountain Elementary district or Scotts Valley and a seat might be yours for the taking.

While dozens of school board seats across Santa Cruz County and for Cabrillo College are up for grabs this November, several districts have no candidates at all. Many registered voters will see school board candidates on their ballots this November. 

Bonny Doon Union Elementary School District has three seats up for election this year but had zero candidates for them – the most of any school board. Mountain Elementary and Scotts Valley Unified school districts also have seats that had zero candidates. 

ELECTION 2026: Read more Lookout news and Community Voices opinion coverage

Bonny Doon Union’s five sitting board members, as with Mountain Elementary and Scotts Valley Unified, now have until Nov. 3 to appoint candidates to those seats, according to Santa Cruz County Elections Clerk Tricia Webber. 

Bonny Doon Superintendent Mike Heffner told Lookout that the incumbents in his district aren’t seeking reelection for a variety of reasons, including having children who aged out of the school as well as wanting a break from the work trustees have done spending Measure L bond funding. He said he doesn’t yet have candidates identified for the seats. 

“What the new trustees don’t know is that the current board did most of the heavy lifting [of the bond work],” he said. “Now we’re going to break ground and do all the fun parts of it.”

Bonny Doon Union Elementary School Superintendent Mike Heffner on the school campus. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Webber told Lookout that the number of uncontested seats across all of the county’s races is consistent with the number she’s seen over the past 10 to 12 years or so. 

“It’s pretty normal,” she said. “Some years you see a few more, some years you see a few less.” 

Webber told Lookout about the races that will appear on ballots, the races that won’t and what happens when a candidate decides they no longer want to run. 

School board seats appearing on the ballot

The races listed below are all contested and will appear on the ballot this November. 

One of these races, however, has a candidate who has announced her intention to not actively campaign for the race. Jennifer Schacher, a candidate in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Trustee Area 5 race, said she decided to step back from the race for family reasons. 

“After careful consideration, I have decided to not actively campaign for Pajaro Valley Unified School District Trustee Area 5,” she said in a statement. “This was not an easy decision, but at this time, my family needs my full attention, and I believe that is where I need to focus.”

Webber told Lookout that because the deadline has already passed, however, Schacher’s name can’t be removed from the ballot. 

So, voters living in PVUSD’s Area 5 district, which includes northwestern Watsonville and some outlying areas, will see Schacher’s name on their ballot, in addition to candidates Curt S. Wilcox and Alicia G. Jimenez. 

Webber said the only scenario in which names can be removed from the ballot at this point is in the case of a death. She said that regardless of Schacher’s announcement, because her name will be on the ballot, voters can still vote for her and she can still win the race. If that were to occur, and Schacher were still intent on not serving, she would have to resign. Schacher didn’t immediately respond to Lookout when asked if she would serve if she won the election in the end. 

The school district would then have a vacancy and would have to decide to fill it either by appointment or by special election. The seat has to be filled within 60 days of that person’s resignation. 

Webber told Lookout she was aware of only one other candidate who had told her he planned not to actively campaign. Candidates who decide not to campaign are not required to inform the county elections office and there is no penalty for deciding to no longer actively campaign. 

Several incumbents are not running for reelection. PVUSD Area 1 Trustee Joy Flynn, PVUSD Area 5 Trustee Olivia Flores and Cabrillo Community College Area 6 Trustee J. Dan Rothwell declined to seek reelection. 

Pajaro Valley Unified School District – Trustee Area 1

• Andrew Goldenkranz
• Meilin Obinata
• Robin Sukow

Pajaro Valley Unified School District – Trustee Area 4

• Daniel Dodge Jr. (incumbent)
• Eriberto Estrada

Pajaro Valley Unified School District – Trustee Area 5

• Alicia G. Jiménez
• Curt S. Wilcox
• Jennifer Schacher (no longer actively campaigning)   

Pajaro Valley Unified School District – Trustee Area 7

• Misty Navarro (incumbent)
• Mads Stockwell Realmuto

San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District – Trustee Area 4

• Gail Levine (incumbent)
• Ashleigh Hopkins

Soquel Union Elementary School District – Trustee Area 4

• Ariel Gray (incumbent)
• Andrea Locke

Cabrillo Community College District – Trustee Area 6

• Milissa Ales-Barnicoat
• Karen Cogswell
• Benjamin Finke

Pajaro Valley Unified School District offices in Watsonville. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz School board seats appointed in lieu of election

None of the races below will appear on the ballot because they fall into one of two different categories: the candidates ran unopposed or the race didn’t have enough candidates to fill the open seats. 

Three school districts that are listed below have seats without any named candidates. Bonny Doon Union Elementary, Mountain Elementary and Scotts Valley Unified have three seats, one seat and one seat, respectively, that had zero candidates. 

Webber said these three school districts must appoint candidates to those seats before Nov. 3. The candidates who are selected for those seats are appointed for the full term. 

For the remaining school board races listed, all the named candidates are appointed to their seats for the full term. 

Bonny Doon Union Elementary School District – three seats

No candidates

Mountain Elementary School District – one seat

No candidate

Mountain Elementary School District – two seats

• Michelle Jones
• Bryan Matthews

Scotts Valley Unified School District – two seats

• Roger Snyder
• No candidate for second seat

Happy Valley Elementary School District – three seats

• Cliff Hodges
• Jacob Willet
• Michelle Yegge

Live Oak Elementary School District – three seats

• Emily Avila
• Kristin Pfotenhauer
• Felicita Rasul

Pacific Elementary School District – two seats

• Diana Conner
• Chad Herendeen

San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District – two seats

• Trustee Area 1 Stacy Newsom Kerr
• Trustee Area 2 Mark Becker

Santa Cruz City Schools district – five seats

• Trustee Area 1 Kevin Grossman
• Trustee Area 2 Kyle Kelley 
• Trustee Area 4 John Owen 
• Trustee Area 5 Angela Meeker
• Trustee Area 6 Cindy Ruhsam

Soquel Union Elementary School District – one seat

• Trustee Area 3 Robert Dickenson

Cabrillo Community College District – three seats

• Trustee Area 1 Melinda Newfarmer
• Trustee Area 2 Adam Spickler
• Trustee Area 5 Francisco Estrada

Santa Cruz County Board of Education – four seats

• Trustee Area 1 Liann Reyes
• Trustee Area 2 Bruce Van Allen
• Trustee Area 4 Stacey Kyle
• Trustee Area 7 Abel Sanchez

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

The post Santa Cruz County school board elections: Who’s running, who’s unopposed and which seats have no candidates appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.