County of Santa Cruz Government News

Some nonprofit programs that have long relied on grants from the county and the city of Santa Cruz, including Meals on Wheels and the Santa Cruz Toddler Care Center, haven’t been recommended for new grants this year — potentially leading to major program cuts, nonprofit leaders said.

When Monica Martinez is sworn in to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors in January, she will be one of two women to take seats on the dais in more than a decade.

The design and planning for new zero-emission passenger rail service is happening now, and includes an online survey plus two Community Workshops on Tues., Nov. 12, in Watsonville and Weds., Nov 13, in Live Oak.

A new effort to eliminate fatal crashes and improve safety on six rural highways in Santa Cruz County recently kicked off with meetings and an online survey.

Some mobile homes near 38th Avenue and the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line in Live Oak are in the rail line’s right-of-way and could be moved for the rail-trail project.

The County of Santa Cruz has begun installing surveillance cameras at key locations in unincorporated areas of the County to help prevent illegal dumping, a strategy to protect the environment and help keep Santa Cruz County clean.

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a plan to allow customers in marijuana dispensaries to smoke onsite in so-called cannabis lounges.

Emotions ran high during a recent community meeting to discuss the future of the beloved Silver Spur restaurant and the big changes coming to the neighborhood.

In this engaging interview, Kristen Brown, the current mayor of Capitola and candidate for Santa Cruz County Supervisor (District 2), discusses the final stretch of her campaign with host Bodie Shargel.

A sports field off Cabrillo College Drive near Highway 1 is expected to be redeveloped into a housing project for Cabrillo and UC Santa Cruz students.

Campaign filings Thursday offered a peek at the money trail behind some measures and candidates in the Nov. 5 election in Santa Cruz County.

As local voters prepare to fill in their ballots for the Nov. 5 election, they are faced with a large array of candidates and local ballot initiatives that can seem daunting. We attempt to demystify the local ballot.

Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc., Keurig Dr. Pepper Inc. and Red Bull have collectively contributed $1,235,000 to the No on Z campaign — trying to sway more than half of Santa Cruz’s roughly 37,000 voters against a proposed soda tax in the Nov. 5 election.
That spend represents about $67 for each “no” vote needed to defeat Measure Z, according to campaign finance records.

As voters prepare to cast ballots for District 5 Santa Cruz County supervisor, recent social media posts have resurfaced a 2019 lawsuit against Encompass Community Services. Encompass CEO Monica Martinez is running for District 5 supervisor.

October Update: Pet Care, Winter Prep, and Public Safety

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously approved an ordinance that will, in a little more than two years, ban the sale of filtered cigarettes in unincorporated areas of the county.