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Santa Cruz County Resilience Articles



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The Climate Crisis Hits Monterey County

“The Climate Crisis Hits Monterey County”  
“Be Bold America!” Sunday, January 28, 2024 at 5:00pm (PDT) 
As climate change and atmospheric rivers bring flooding, wind storms, and power outages to the Central Coast, Monterey County must prepare for an ongoing …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Recent storms top $2.8 million in damage on Santa Cruz County coast

Storm surf damaged a staircase west of the Capitola Wharf again in late December. (Jesse Kathan — Santa Cruz Local) 
SANTA CRUZ >> Huge surf and storm surges pummeled Santa Cruz County in late December, leaving at least $2.8 million …

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Cruz County supervisors approve emergency declaration for storm damages

A Public Works employee deals with unusually high tides, combined with high surf, recently in Capitola Village. File photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Pajaronian
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved an emergency declaration for the damages …

Image caption: Working together with many volunteers, this crew feeds 65,000 people in Santa Cruz County every month.
California’s Oldest Food Bank Pays It Forward

For the food-insecure community in Santa Cruz County, Second Harvest Food Bank feeds the need.

Image caption: There’s no “magic solution” to the state’s homeowner fire insurance crisis, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s office says.
Despite Promises, Homeowners Still Face Fire Insurance Crisis

While state regulators craft new regulations and consult with the insurance industry, many Californians are paying extra-high premiums—or going without insurance entirely.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Road repair backlog mounts in Santa Cruz County

Repairs on a sinkhole on Schulties Road in the Santa Cruz Mountains are expected to start by late November. (Jesse Kathan — Santa Cruz Local)
SANTA CRUZ >> With an El Niño-driven winter expected, road crews in Santa Cruz County …

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Building Back Beaches

Parks and recreation departments... are conducting a scientific study that looks at how climate change will damage the beaches, evaluating effects on cliff erosion, beach access, campground availability and other features

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Staying Connected

A 2021 Census Bureau report found that one in five households with K-12 students in the state did not have reliable internet. Now, thanks to initiatives like Equal Access Santa Cruz, residents across Santa Cruz County are getting connected at …

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
The County Prepares For Rainy Winter

County Supervisors hear about the most recent efforts to prepare for winter storms

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Flood risks remain despite recent river work in Santa Cruz County

Plus: County leaders discuss emergency plans, money for commissioners.

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Newsom signs bill to fast-track Pajaro Levee work

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed legislation that will expedite the reconstruction of the Pajaro River Levee, moving construction start and completion time years earlier than anticipated. Assembly Bill 876 fast-tracks the work by exempting the project from certain local …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
How to get a COVID vaccine and flu shot in Santa Cruz County

Plus: Winter flood outlook to be discussed by county supervisors.

Featured

A smoky blanket of particulate matter hovers over San Francisco’s skyline.
Getting Acquainted With AQI
Learn what's getting into Californians’ lungs and why it matters.
A Pyrocumulus cloud generated by the Dixie Fire in July, 2021.
What is Fire 'Containment?' That and Other Terms, Explained
What does it mean when firefighters call a fire "contained?" Here's a brief guide to commonly used fire prevention terminology.
How Not to Feel the Burn
These groups help residents preserve their property, health and life.
Supercell storms are just one of many weather phenomena in the era of climate change.
The New Vocabulary of the Climate Change Era
As climate change causes more extreme and unusual weather, we need a new set of terms to describe the various phenomena
Though it’s the most famous, the San Andreas Fault is just one of more than 500 active faults in California.
Battening Down for the Big One
Making it through the earthquake is easy—the hard part comes later.
Feeling blocked? These mental health organizations can help.
Finding Piece of Mind
Find help from these websites, telephone hotlines and organizations
From the coast to the mountains, Santa Cruz County’s landscape has given way to human development. But residents can make all parts of the region more hospitable to native species.
Backyard Ecology
No matter where you live, you can help native flora and fauna.
Many of Robert Kerbeck’s neighbors in Malibu Park lost their homes in the 2018 Woolsey Fire, which left behind lots where only chimneys still stood.
Give Your Home a Fighting Chance
Wildfires are larger, more frequent, and more ferocious—so be prepared.
Thousands of homeowners have been kicked off their fire insurance policies.
California Fire Insurance Crisis: How the State Helps Homeowners
The state tries persuading insurance companies to cover homes in fire zones.
With CERT training, volunteers can learn firefighting skills.
Emergency Teamwork
With CERT training, ordinary civilians can play critical roles in protecting their communities.
Members of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service hone their skills at various local events.
Listening Skills
With the CZU fires in mind, volunteers in the Santa Cruz Mountains are taking emergency communications into their own hands.
Workers clean up after flooding in Capitola Village.
Disaster Prep: Alerts, Maps and Apps
Keep these online resources handy in case of floods, fires, quakes and other disasters
View of the flooded San Lorenzo River Park Benchlands in Santa Cruz, California on New Year's Eve 2022.
Communicating During Disaster and Crisis
Recent lessons learned over days of local disaster.
Just because record rains have been falling, the state’s water crisis remains.
What Is Drought? Probably Not What You Think
Recent torrential rains have helped, but California's drought is a long way from over.
Kerry Wood, CEO of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, says the organization researches areas of need to help donors direct their contributions.
What Is a Community Foundation?
By channeling funds to a number of nonprofits working on various issues in a given region, community foundations help solve big problems throughout California.
The Pajaro River levee broke during the 2023 atmospheric river storms, flooding the town of Pajaro.
Is California Ready for More Extreme Weather Driven by Climate Change?
Increasingly extreme weather events are already testing California’s preparedness.
Working together with many volunteers, this crew feeds 65,000 people in Santa Cruz County every month.
California’s Oldest Food Bank Pays It Forward
California’s first food bank has helped residents of Santa Cruz County for more than 50 years.
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