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Graphic which spells out The Newsletter.


By Eric Johnson
Published Sep 09, 2024

The council chambers in Santa Cruz City Hall has been the scene of countless heated political battles, and at least one melee. The council chambers in Santa Cruz City Hall has been the scene of countless heated political battles, and at least one melee. Image credit: Crystal Birns, Contributed

It Takes a Village to Run a Village: Leadership vs. Partisanship

In November, 2021, more than 2,000 people gathered in the bucolic Silicon Valley suburb of Los Gatos for what was called the United Against Hate March. They did so in part because the town's mayor and elected council had been subjected to a slew of attacks in the wake of vaccination mandates and policies promoting diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI). Similar incidents had already happened during public meetings throughout the state and nation, and they have continued ever since. And last Jauary, my friend Fred Keeley, mayor of Santa Cruz, received a death threat following a contentions city council meeting during which protesters stormed the council dais and broke windows in the chambers.

Last month, the Los Gatos town council voted unanimously to cancel its November election because nobody filed to run against the incumbents for two seats that would have been in contention. We've noticed that the same thing has happened in multiple towns and cities throughout Northern California. In this week's edition of The Newsletter, Chris Neklason examines the trend and posits some reasons people might find running for a public office or advisory board—an admitedly serious conmmitment to civic duty—increasingly daunting.

But first, Chris talks with Ryan Coonerty, a former veteran Santa Cruz elected official and, not incidentally, co-host of the podcast "An Honorable Profession," which is about (you guessed it) elected public service. 


The Business Community Steps Up

When we talk about how California works here at CALocal, we frequently point out that the civic infrastructure in most cities and towns is made up of a multitude of individuals beyond elected officials and public employees. They include, for instance, the employees and volunteers at nonprofit community groups. In every instance I know of, the local business community is also involved in the work of civic betterment.

One of the best examples of business leaders stepping up to nurture community involvement are local programs such as Leadership Santa Cruz—there are similar organzations in many counties throughout California and beyond, and they are generally founded by local Chambers of Commerce. 


Building a Civic Engagement Pipeline

Democracy works better when more people actively participate.
We look at one of many local efforts to cultivate the local civic engagement talent pool.

The Simmering California Public Service Crisis

Democracy is all about having a seat at the table.
What happens if you have a democracy and nobody shows up?


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Santa Cruz County's Homepage

Direct your browser to https://santacruz.californialocal.com/ to catch up on the latest news in California and Santa Cruz County. Bookmark the link and visit often, there's a lot happening in your community!


Recipe of the Week

Our friends at Sacramento Digs Gardening publish a recipe from their gardens every Sunday, which we feature here so you can start your week with some yum.

See more recipes in their Taste Fall! cookbook.


This fruity syrup makes most of late-season harvest

A mix of berries, plus a few other random summer fruits, go into the fruit syrup.
New! Very Berry Syrup mixes strawberries, blueberries, blackberries -- or whatever you have


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Get to Know a Group

Recovery Café Santa Cruz logo Recovery Café Santa Cruz

This local nonprofit group provides a sober support network for individuals recovering from trauma.

→ Learn more

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From Our Media Allies

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Santa Cruz Local logo Downtown Santa Cruz Hotel Could Get Lower-Cost Rooms

A 232-room hotel that is expected for Front and Laurel streets in Downtown Santa Cruz could include rooms for low-income visitors, according to a California Coastal Commission staff report.

The Pajaronian logo Addressing Homelessness in Watsonville: A Call to Action

Homelessness remains one of the most pressing social issues of our time, particularly in communities like Watsonville.

The Pajaronian logo Picnic Honors Labor in Watsonville

The Monterey Bay Central Labor Council held their Labor Day gathering at Romo Park in Watsonville on Sept. 2.

The Pajaronian logo Santa Cruz County Fair Opens September 11

Last-minute touches are being completed to make way for the Santa Cruz County Fair.
From food stands and floriculture to arts and collectibles, the entire fairgrounds is being charged up for their five-day run.

Press Banner logo Paddy Smith Park Blooms With New Garden at Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds

The beautiful Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds are growing even more beautiful thanks to a colorful landscaping project at Paddy Smith Park.

Santa Cruz Local logo Measure U Would Reduce San Lorenzo Valley Water Bills, but Could Slow Repairs

Voters in San Lorenzo Valley Water District in November will decide whether to reverse a recent water bill hike and cap some future charges.

KSQD logo John Hunt Plays Key Role in Bringing $71 Million in Climate Adaptation Grants to the Monterey Bay Area

John Hunt is a collaborator at the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation and a research toxicologist at the University of California, Davis.

Good Times logo Live Oak School District’s New Chapter

With a recent shakeup in leadership and efforts to put a bond measure on the November ballot that would provide housing for teachers, Live Oak School District is starting off the 2024 school year intent on restoring trust in light …

The Pajaronian logo Jennifer Holm Resigns From PVUSD School Board

Jennifer Holm, who has served for six years on the Trustee Area VII seat on the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees—two terms as board president and one as vice president—will resign from the position effective Oct. 10.

Hilltromper Santa Cruz logo Two Great Kid-Friendly Hikes in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Fun activities created by the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History help students engage with nature and learn about the remarkable resources in our backyard.

Santa Cruz Local logo Park Ave. Soquel Housing Project on Track, Developer Says

Construction appeared to stall for several weeks this summer at a 36-unit permanent supportive housing complex at 2838 Park Ave. in Soquel, but a representative for the developer said the project remains on track to finish next year.

Press Banner logo SV Parks Master Plan First Since 1996

After nearly 30 years, Scotts Valley has a parks master plan. Now the city needs to figure out how to fund the improvements.

Press Banner logo Scotts Valley Seeks Voter Approval for Biz Tax Change

You almost detect a hint of jealousy listening to City of Scotts Valley officials compare the revenue makeup of different local jurisdictions—for example looking longingly at the sales taxes Capitola is able to collect.

Press Banner logo Rescuers Seek Donations for Wild Horse Rehab

A severely underweight horse (Serif), a wild alpine weanling (Jamaal) and an abused mustang (Willow) have been taken into the care of Canham Farm Horse Rescue, a nonprofit horse rescue and rehabilitation center in Scotts Valley that is asking for …

Press Banner logo SVFPD Asking Voters to Approve $24.5 Million for Station

Last November, the Scotts Valley Fire Protection District asked Scotts Valley voters to approve a bond to build a new southside fire station and provide a better defense against wildfires. The measure lost by just 12 votes, leaving the district …

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Recent Local News

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• A Look at Measure Z, the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax

The Santa Cruz Sentinel explains the City of Santa Cruz's Measure Z, the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax, which is on the November ballot.

(09/06/2024) → Santa Cruz Sentinel

• Santa Cruz Community Health Holding 50th Anniversary Party

Celebrating 50 years, nonprofit health care provider Santa Cruz Community Health will be hosting a fundraising gala at the Hotel Paradox in Santa Cruz on Octtober 5.

(09/06/2024) → Lookout Local

• Salinas City Council Proceeds With Tenant Protection Statutes

In their August 20 meeting, the Salinas City Council approved development of three new tenent protection ordinances following years of complaints from local renters.

(09/05/2024) → Voices of Monterey Bay

• Santa Cruz Moves to Ban Homeless Drop-Offs

A proposed new law proposed for the City of Santa Cruz would prohibit the unsanctioned drop-off of homeless people in Santa Cruz, as allegedly occurred recently when two San Joaquin Valley police officers dropped a homeless person off in the city.

(09/05/2024) → Santa Cruz Sentinel

• News Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission Executive Director Named

In their September 3 meeting, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission named senior transportation engineer Sarah Christensen as the new executive director.

(09/05/2024) → Santa Cruz Sentinel

• Candidate Q&A: Capitola City Council Candidates

The Times Publishing Group Q&A with four candidates running for Capitola City Council in November.

(09/03/2024) → Times Publishing Group

• Candidate Q&A: Second District Santa Cruz County Supervisor

The Times Publishing Group Q&A with the candidates running for the Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors District 2 seat in November.

(09/03/2024) → Times Publishing Group

• Public Discusses Scotts Valley Town Center Options

A report on the August 22 meeting held for public feedback on the three options presented for the Scotts Valley Town Center development.

(09/03/2024) → Times Publishing Group

• Candidate Q&A: Scotts Valley City Council

The Times Publishing Group Q&A with the candidates running for Scotts Valley City Council.

(09/03/2024) → Times Publishing Group
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Recent Statewide News

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• California "30x30" Conservation Efforts Make Progress

The California state goal to conserve 30% of its land and coastal waters has advanced, with conserved lands reaching 25% and coastal waters 16%.

(09/08/2024) → Los Angeles Times

• Reparations Supporters Plot Comeback After Bitter Defeat in California Legislature

The controversial idea of cash reparations divided even Black advocates in the legislature this year. Here’s what’s next.

(09/06/2024) → CalMatters

• CA Rent Control Battle Goes to the Ballot

Amid a Southern California heat wave, about 300 advocates for rent control — with two 10-foot “greedy landlord” puppets — rallied Thursday in downtown Los Angeles, chanting: “The rent is too damn high!”

(09/06/2024) → CalMatters

• Should California Community Colleges Offer Bachelor’s Degrees in Nursing? Universities Say No

Lawmakers approved two bills to allow some community colleges to provide bachelor’s degrees in nursing. That’s setting up another conflict with the California State University, which already offers these bachelor’s degrees.

(09/05/2024) → CalMatters

• Are CA Gig Workers Getting Promised Pay and Benefits?

California voters passed Proposition 22 four years ago. The ballot initiative, backed by Uber, Lyft and other gig companies, promised the state’s more than 1 million gig workers new benefits, such as guaranteed minimum earnings, health care stipends, occupational accident insurance and accidental death insurance.

(09/04/2024) → CalMatters

• More Extreme Heat + More People = Danger in These California Cities. ‘Will It Get as Hot as Death Valley?’

Inland communities with big population booms will experience the most extreme heat days under climate change projections. The combination puts more people at risk — and many cities are unprepared.

(09/04/2024) → CalMatters

• California Schools Release a Blizzard of Data, and That’s Why Parents Can’t Make Sense of It

Information about how the state’s K-12 students are performing is located on several sites and is difficult to understand, a new report finds.

(09/04/2024) → CalMatters

• California School Dashboard Lacks Pandemic Focus, Earns a D Grade in Report

The California School Dashboard makes it hard for the public to see how schools and districts are performing over multiple years, concludes the report's lead author.

(09/04/2024) → EdSource

• California Has Spent Billions on Homelessness but Lacks Hard Data on Outcomes

California has allocated more than $20 billion to alleviate the state’s homelessness crisis since Gavin Newsom became governor in 2019, but there’s precious little data on how the money was spent and what effect it’s had, other than the number of unhoused people has continued to climb.

(09/04/2024) → CalMatters

• Health Care in California: How the State Made Almost Everyone Eligible for Coverage

Almost everyone in California has health insurance. That trend reflects about a decade and a half of policymaking designed to expand access to health care. The state’s average uninsured rate has dropped from nearly one in four Californians in 2009 to less than one in ten today.

(09/03/2024) → CalMatters

• CalFire Deploys New Air Tanker

CalFire received the first of five planes promised by the federal government, a former Coast Guard C-130 Hercules air tanker.

(09/02/2024) → https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/fires/article291844345.html

• California’s Economy Lags Behind Other States, Here’s Why It’s So Sluggish

California’s unemployment rate, 5.2% of its labor force in July, is no longer the nation’s highest after months of having that dubious distinction.

(09/02/2024) → CalMatters
  California Local Pin Marker  

Government Announcements

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Image of County of Santa Cruz seal. County of Santa Cruz   (09/09/2024)

9/9/2024 - County Master Plan for Aging -a Blueprint for Aging Well (Preliminary Survey Results Shared With Age Well Steering Committee)

Image of State of California seal. State of California   (09/06/2024)

Robert Rivas CA Assembly 29:
Speaker Robert Rivas and Legislative Colleagues Deliver Farmworker Protections for Housing and Extreme Heat to Governor

Speaker Robert Rivas and Legislative Colleagues Deliver Farmworker Protections for Housing and Extreme Heat to Governor valilajj Fri, 09/06/2024 - 12:06 Title Press Secretary Email Cynthia.Moreno@asm.ca.gov Phone 916-319-2029 Friday, September 6, 2024 SACRAMENTO, CA Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) and colleagues in both the Assembly and Senate passed significant bills in the Legislature this past week that will support Californias migratory …
Image of Santa Cruz County Office of Education seal. Santa Cruz County Office of Education   (09/06/2024)

Free Funds for College

Dear community member, Saving for college makes a difference for more than our bank accounts. In fact, research shows that children with a college savings account between $1 and $500 are three times more likely to enroll in college and nearly four times as likely to graduate. Santa Cruz County families are fortunate to [...] The post Free Funds for …
Image of State of California seal. State of California   (09/05/2024)

Robert Rivas CA Assembly 29:
Speaker Robert Rivas honors fallen CAL FIRE Firefighter Christopher Ward

Speaker Robert Rivas honors fallen CAL FIRE Firefighter Christopher Ward valilajj Thu, 09/05/2024 - 15:44 Title Press Secretary Email Cynthia.Moreno@asm.ca.gov Phone 916-319-2029 Thursday, September 5, 2024 SACRAMENTO, CA Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) issued the following statement to honor fallen CAL FIRE Apparatus Engineer Christopher Ward: I am deeply saddened by the death of engineer Christopher Ward, who passed while serving …
Image of Santa Cruz County Office of Education seal. Santa Cruz County Office of Education   (09/05/2024)

EdTech Trailblazers’ Free Padcaster Program Returns for its Third Year

The Santa Cruz County Office of Education (Santa Cruz COE), through its EdTech Trailblazers initiative, is proud to announce the return of the FREE Padcaster Program for Santa Cruz County educators. Now in its third year, this successful partnership with Santa Cruz CTV continues to provide teachers with professional-grade video production equipment to enhance classroom [...] The post EdTech Trailblazers …
Image of Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission seal. Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission   (09/05/2024)

RTC Board Announces Sarah Christensen as New Executive Director

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) is pleased to announce that, after an extensive search, RTC Senior Transportation Engineer Sarah Christensen has been hired as the agencys new Executive Director. Christensen has over 19 years of experience in organizational leadership, planning, and implementation of major capital projects along the Central Coast and in [...] The post RTC Board …
Image of City of Watsonville seal. City of Watsonville   (09/05/2024)

Art Explorations

Interested in learning how to paint? Join us for our monthly Art Explorations!
Image of State of California seal. State of California   (09/05/2024)

Dawn Addis CA Assembly 30:
Tour of the Ohana Center & Celebration of Assembly District 30 Woman of the Year - Dr. Susan Swick

Tuesday, September 3, 2024 Assemblymember Addis toured Ohana Center for Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health at the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula and honored Dr. Susan Swick as District 30's 2024 Woman of the Year.
Image of State of California seal. State of California   (09/05/2024)

Robert Rivas CA Assembly 29:
Speaker Rivas Announces Committee to Address Gasoline Price Spikes During Special Legislative Session

Speaker Rivas Announces Committee to Address Gasoline Price Spikes During Special Legislative Session hagamasc Thu, 09/05/2024 - 07:42 Title Press Secretary Email Cynthia.Moreno@asm.ca.gov Phone 916-319-2029 Wednesday, September 4, 2024 SACRAMENTO, CA Today, Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) announced the Assemblymembers who will serve on the Petroleum and Gasoline Supply Committee during the 2023-24 special session to address gas price spikes: Assemblymember …
Image of City of Scotts Valley seal. City of Scotts Valley   (09/04/2024)

Parks and Recreation Master Plan