Santa Cruz County Local News

Originally held in 1961 to celebrate the defeat of a planned cement plant in Aptos, the parade was moved to July 4 and this year featured a marching band, politicians and sports teams and ... Darth Vader?

Mayor Fred Keeley says City of Santa Cruz will stay the course of the current strategy, for now.

California lawmakers met into the night on July 3 to finish the November ballot before heading off on summer vacation until Aug. 5.

Assemblymember James Gallagher speaks during the floor session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on June 13, 2024. Photo by Cristian Gonzalez for CalMatters

The measures are substantially weaker than a previous proposal after an onslaught of criticism. But they will still save enough water through 2050 to supply the state’s entire population for a year, at a cost of $4.7 billion.

Much is expected of the California voter.

The Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury released a report finding a lack of tracking of occupancy of local affordable housing units.

Nearly every major environmental group in California opposes a bill that would modify the state’s signature environmental law to speed up upgrades to power lines. Supporters say it would help free the state from fossil fuels and make the grid more reliable, but opponents fear it would damage state parks.

The Capitola City Council voted to put a sales tax measure on the November ballot to replace the existing Measure F sales tax with an increase to %9.25.

In their July 1 meeting, the Felton Fire District Board of Directors approved a reciprocal service agreement with the Zayante Fire Protect District.

Small and low-income school officials say the bond measure deal is unfair. The money is allocated through matching grants, so wealthier districts that can raise more local funds will get more money from the state.

Santa Cruz officials are reviewing homelessness policies in the wake of the US Supreme Court ruling in the Grants Pass v Johnson case.

The ruling by the conservative court majority means cities no longer are prohibited from punishing homeless people for camping if they have nowhere else to go.

The Supreme Court 6-3 ruling in the City of Grants Pass v. Johnson case found that the fining and arresting of homeless people does not violate Eighth Amendment rights.

The total stock portfolio of the Legislature was worth as much as $112 million last year but experts say the public should know more about a politician’s total wealth.

A second virtual community meeting about the proposed 16-story 260-unit Clocktower Center housing development in downtown Santa Cruz included both objections and support for the project.

A report released on June 27 by the National Low Income Housing Coalition found the Santa Cruz area to be the most expensive rental market in the nation.

In its June 25 meeting, the Watsonville City Council voted to advance two proposed changes to the city charter to the November ballot.

In their June 25 meeting in which residents expressed deep public safety concerns, Santa Cruz County Supervisors withdrew a proposed a Low-Impact Camping Area proposal.

There are few answers and no solution yet for the slow moving landslide on Mountain Charlie Road isolating a Santa Cruz mountain neighborhood.