Our Journalism Needs Your Support

By Sharan Street
Published Nov 07, 2022

On Nov. 11, we remember veterans—and celebrate those groups working to make their lives better. Image credit: Mike Flippo Shutterstock

11-07-22: Saluting Vets Every Day

Early on in the planning stages of California Local, co-founders Chris Neklason and Eric Johnson envisioned a site where citizens could easily find the community news they wanted by topic. That’s why all California Local stories are tagged to general topics as well as any relevant community group or government entity.

One of the more than two dozen topics that California Local tracks is labeled Veterans—a topic that’s front of mind as Veterans Day approaches. Just a quick look through the articles tagged in this topic shows that 2022 brought various important developments of interest to those Santa Cruz County residents who served their country. Stories published by our media allies include San Lorenzo Valley Post’s interview with the newly hired event coordinator for the Veterans Hall, located in downtown Santa Cruz, and the Press Banner’s coverage of the Veterans Village housing project in Ben Lomond—formerly Jaye’s Timberlane Resort—which benefited from a Project Homekey grant of more than $6 million.

It Takes a Village

California Local also lists various nonprofit groups dedicated to serving veterans. While checking out the listing for Veterans Hall recently, we noticed a local group that was not in our listings: Vets 4 Vets Santa Cruz. Coincidentally, soon after that, group founder Dean Kaufman wrote a piece for the Times Publishing Group about Veterans Day events planned by Vets 4 Vets.

What’s even more impressive about Vets 4 Vets is the online resource the group created, which can be found at SCVeteranNetwork.org. Kaufman explains that the site was built a few years ago and went through major updates in 2020 and 2021. Volunteers work to keep the site updated—a daunting task. It’s an inspiring demonstration of what volunteers can accomplish, working to help their own community.

We have Vets 4 Vets listed in our database now. And here’s a plea to anyone who peruses our listings and sees something missing or wrong. On each community group overview page (as on this one for veterans groups), you will see a “Keep it Fresh” form at the top right hand of the page. Just click on “Tell us about it.” We'll listen.

At Their Service

California is home to many veterans in need of a variety of resources. From housing assistance to mental health services, the Golden State provides avenues to hope and healing.

California‘s veterans are as varied as the nations in which they served—a tapestry of different educational levels, professions, and life experiences. And they all deserve our respect and support.

Veterans in Need ‘Stand Down’

Stand Down events provide veterans with valuable resources including housing assistance, medical care, and a solid community of support.

At hundreds of Stand Down events throughout California, veterans agencies and organizations come together to deliver life’s necessities.

Is Elon Musk Helping Subvert Democracy?

Speaking of defenders of democracy: Elon Musk claims that he bought Twitter because he is a “free-speech absolutist” and wants the platform to be “a common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner.”

He has also promised to invite Donald Trump back to the social network.

Twitter banned Trump because he was using the platform to subvert democracy by perpetuating the lie that he won the election. You already know that, and so does Elon Musk. And yet, as Jonathan Vankin points out in the story below, Musk tapped fellow Silicon Valley billionaire Larry Ellison to contribute $1 billion to the deal, which makes the major Trump-supporter one of Twitter’s co-owners.

(In this election cycle, Ellison has contributed $20 million to a super PAC that has spent $6.1 million to help four election-denier candidates running in some of the Senate’s closest races.)

Twitter is hugely influential partly because the bulk of its ranks of power-users are politicians and journalists. Musk is correct in noting that the platform plays a crucial role in society. For lovers of democracy, this digital town square seems to suddenly have become a more hostile place.

What Elon Musk Really Wants From Twitter

Elon Musk is now in control of the world's most influential social media outlet. What happens next?

Elon Musk says he plans to make Twitter a haven for 'free speech,' but a look at his list of investors suggests that the world's richest person may have other reasons for purchasing the highly influential social media platform.

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Recent Local News

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• Crow Population Swells in Santa Cruz

The crow population “is hundreds of times larger than it was historically” because the birds have discovered an endless feast of trash and food scraps to feast on.

(11/02/2022) → Santa Cruz Sentinel

• Soquel Creek Water District: Three Incumbents vs. Two Newcomers

Soquel Creek Water District’s election has five candidates battling for three seats and comes at a pivotal time, just as the ambitious, $145 million Pure Water Soquel project takes shape.

(11/02/2022) → Read the full Lookout Local report

• Watsonville City Council Challenger Responds to Questions

Four seats on the Watsonville City Council are up for election this November, but only one, District 7, is contested. Mayor Ari Parker, the incumbent, faces veteran politician Nancy A. Bilicich. Lookout asked each candidate two questions; only Bilicich responded.

(11/01/2022) → Read the full Lookout Local report

• Cotoni-Coast Dairies Project Open to Public Input

According to the BLM website, the property is currently accessible to the public only through guided hikes; however, the bureau has developed a recreation plan that includes 27 miles of multi-use trails for bicycling, horseback riding and dog walking with connections to San Vicente Redwoods and the North Coast Rail Trail.

(11/01/2022) → Santa Cruz Sentinel

• Dominican Hospital Responds to Worst-Case Scenario After Hoax

While law enforcement converged on Santa Cruz High School last for what turned out to be a false school shooting report, a similar response played out at an emergency room four miles away. “Within about 30 minutes, we had over 100 providers who had reported to the emergency room, ready to serve,” Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz said.

(11/01/2022) → Santa Cruz Sentinel

• Santa Cruz City and County Salute Veterans on Nov. 9

In honor of Veterans Day, Board of Supervisors Chair Manu Koenig and Santa Cruz Mayor Sonja Brunner will recognize county and city staff who served in the United States Armed Forces.