Santa Cruz County Local Environment News Articles and Digest

Environment Sustainability

Big Basin: Redwood Trees’ Recovery Is ‘Remarkable,’ While Some Species Still Struggle

11/20/2023
More than three years after a wildfire devastated Big Basin Redwoods State Park, the massive redwood trees continue to recover. But some wildlife species, particularly salmon, steelhead and some types of birds, could take many years to bounce back.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

Environment Health Agriculture, Food & Gardening Community Service & Support Government

Hunger and Food Insecurity in California: What It Is, What to Do About It

11/17/2023
Image for display with article titled Hunger and Food Insecurity in California: What Must We Do to Make Sure Everybody Eats?

Almost 1 of every 4 people in the world’s fifth-largest economy has trouble getting enough nutritious food to eat.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

Business, Economy & Jobs Environment Sustainability Government

California Slashes Rooftop Solar Incentives—Again

11/17/2023
Image for display with article titled California Slashes Rooftop Solar Incentives for Building Owners—Again

California's Public Utilities Commission cut payments to building owners who sell solar power to the grid.

From CalMatters...

Environment Water

As Storms Hit California, Reservoirs are Healthy. But Water Forecast Remains Unclear

11/16/2023
Unlike a year ago, water storage is above average. Whether the year is wet or dry, though, remains uncertain despite El Niño conditions.

From CalMatters...

Business, Economy & Jobs Environment Government

In Rare Strike by Civil Servants, State-Employed Scientists Walk Out for Better Pay

11/15/2023
More than 4,000 state scientists have worked under an expired contract for three years. Average wages in 2020 were $83,586, 27% less than state engineers’ pay. The state filed an unfair labor practice charge to stop the strike.

From CalMatters...

Public Safety Environment Community Service & Support Government

Families Struggle to Pay Power Bills, but California Regulators May Hike Prices

11/14/2023
Millions of people across the state struggle to pay electric bills as California regulators decide on proposed rate increases. PG&E wants a rate hike to bolster the safety and reliability of its services.

From The Guardian...

Environment Animals

Southern California Has Wolves Again, for the First Time in Nearly 150 Years

11/13/2023
A 2021 fire has helped bring wolves back to Southern California for the first time since the 19th century. A rancher is worried about how to keep wolves, which are federally protected, from harming cattle.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

Business, Economy & Jobs Environment Elections & Politics Government

Led by Oil Companies, Lobbyists Flood State Govt With Cash

11/09/2023
Image for display with article titled Oil Companies are Biggest Spenders in Huge Year for Corporate Lobbyists in California

With year still not over, 2023 sees $358 million flooding Sacramento from all lobbyists.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

Environment Resilience

Despite Promises, Homeowners Still Face Fire Insurance Crisis

11/08/2023
Image for display with article titled Despite State’s Promises, Homeowners Still Facing Fire Insurance Crisis

Denials and non-renewals of homeowner fire policies have continued to climb.

From Good Times...

Environment Animals

Monarchs Flutter In

11/08/2023
Image for display with article titled Monarchs Flutter In

Lily Aravanis is fielding visitor questions, selling butterfly paraphernalia and talking to a reporter all at once—still, she doesn’t skip a beat as she says that there are an estimated 3,500 monarch butterflies at Natural Bridges State Beach.

From Los Angeles Times...

Environment Land Use & Development

A Proposed Development Might Threaten California’s Oldest Tree

11/06/2023
A shrubby Palmer oak tree in Riverside County is around 13,000 years old, making it California’s oldest tree and one of the longest-lived organisms on earth. Some people are concerned that a proposed development could threaten the tree.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

Business, Economy & Jobs Environment Health Transportation History

Daylight Saving Time, Explained

11/04/2023
Image for display with article titled Daylight Saving Time, Explained: California Voted for Year-Round DST. Why Do We Still Set Back the Clock?

In 2018, California voted to ditch the twice-annual time shift. But the state still has it. Here’s why.

From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

Environment City of Santa Cruz

Local Couple Fights for Walnut Avenue’s Iconic Redwood Tree

11/04/2023
Like silent guardians standing sentry on Walnut Avenue near Santa Cruz High School, two intertwined redwood trees, technically considered one, have inspired reverence in passersby and nearby residents for close to a century, possibly longer.

From New York Times...

Environment Sustainability

UCLA Scientist: California’s Redwoods Might Not Last Another Century

10/31/2023
A UCLA climate scientist says California’s redwoods might not last in their current groves for another 100 years. An effort is afoot to plant redwoods elsewhere in more potentially hospitable climates, such as the Pacific Northwest.

From KSQD...

Business, Economy & Jobs Environment Sustainability

Monterey Bay History: Sardine and Abalone Fisheries

10/27/2023

Tim Thomas, the recipient of the Ed Ricketts Award along with Rumsen-Ohlone Tribal member Linda Yamane, discusses the sardine and abalone fishery and NOAA’s Lisa Uttal explains the Ed Ricketts award.

From YubaNet...

Environment Resilience

Scientists Find Two Ways That Hurricanes Intensify

10/26/2023
Forecasters have struggled to understand why tropical storms sometimes blow up into major hurricanes. Scientists have shed some light on this forecasting challenge.

From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

Environment Animals

Surfboard-Stealing Otter of Santa Cruz Appears With Tiny Pup

10/25/2023
An otter appearing to be 841 with its youngster was floating just off Lighthouse Point, periodically diving while the pup floated. When both were on the surface, the pup bobbed nearby.

From CalMatters...

Environment Water Government

Western States’ Water Cuts Should Hold Off Colorado River Crisis—For Now

10/25/2023
Wet weather and planned cuts by California, Arizona and Nevada averted declines that could have threatened water deliveries and power production—but long-term threats to the Colorado River remain.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

COVID-19 Business, Economy & Jobs Environment Health Land Use & Development Transportation Government

Logistics: The Crucial Industry You’ve Never Heard Of

10/23/2023
Image for display with article titled Logistics in California: the Most Important Part of the State Economy You’ve Never Heard Of

Keeping supply chains running is a huge part of the state economy, but it comes with a price

From Lookout Santa Cruz...

Environment Resilience

Can California Continue to Fight the Ocean?

10/22/2023
Los Angeles Times writer Rosanna Xia’s new book, “California Against the Sea,” examines the postwar coastal development boom and the challenges facing the 27 million Californians who live in the coastal zone as sea-level rise and coastal erosion become facts of life.

Santa Cruz County Local News: Environment