News across Santa Cruz County

California community colleges can offer up to 12 new bachelor’s degrees under laws Newsom signed
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two laws that determine when community colleges can create bachelor’s degrees and how many they can offer.

470 empty seats make some noise: What’s next for Cabrillo’s original theater?
Apparently, 470 empty seats can make a lot of noise. When Lookout published the story two weeks ago about Cabrillo College’s long-shuttered theater in Building 200, the question at the heart of it was fairly simple: After sitting dark for 17 years, could the original theater…

Is artificial intelligence threatening Santa Cruz’s art scene? Could it be a first step in creation?
Have something to say? Lookout welcomes letters to the editor, within our policies, from readers. Guidelines here . When I read that Lookout would be doing a series featuring Santa Cruz County artists , I was delighted. We are lucky to reside in a community that supports and…

Friday evening traffic: Highway 9, Hwy 1, SR-236 lane closures for roadwork
Friday traffic trouble spots in and around Santa Cruz County.

County housing market remains steady as Federal Reserve hikes interest rates
The Santa Cruz County housing market held no surprises in August, with buyers and sellers remaining quite active as summer winds down. However, on Wednesday, the Federal Reserve hiked short-term interest rates by a quarter-percent — a move that many experts and markets predicted…

Walk on the wild side at the fair? CHP’s ‘beer goggles’ mimic the effects of drinking and driving
Queasiness at the county fair? Was it The Zipper? The Tilt-a-Whirl? The fried Twinkies? Well, at one spot at the Santa Cruz County Fair this week, some unsettled stomachs were at the California Highway Patrol booth, where the agency’s virtual-reality goggles had folks walking…

California’s tough on crime law promised treatment. Here’s why people are falling through the cracks
California's Proposition 36 gave certain people facing criminal charges an option to have their cases dropped if they complete drug treatment. Now, counties are on their own to figure out how to provide it.

Best of Santa Cruz County entertainment, arts & food events this weekend, Sept. 17-20
Lend a hand to care for and beautify county beaches at the Annual Coastal Cleanup Day . On Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, more than 50 cleanup efforts will be held at beaches, rivers and waterways throughout the Monterey Bay area. The effort aims to remove litter from natural…

Santa Cruz Police Chief Bernie Escalante retiring after 30 years of service, nearly five as police chief
Chief Bernie Escalante is retiring from the Santa Cruz Police Department after more than 30 years of service with the organization, the city announced on Thursday morning. Escalante assumed the role of acting police chief in October 2021 following the departure of former police…

Thursday evening traffic: Highway 9 lane closures, Hwy 1 paving in Capitola
Thursday traffic trouble spots in and around Santa Cruz County.

‘Music is in my blood’: Santana singer Andy Vargas returns to Watsonville for Santa Cruz County Fair performance with his dad
➤ Para leer el artículo en español, haga clic aquí . When Watsonville native Andy Vargas first performed at the Santa Cruz County Fair at 7 years old, he never could have imagined returning to that same exact stage decades later for a homecoming show.

I’m running against Gail Pellerin: We need to hold onto the heart of Santa Cruz by revising recent housing laws
Have something to say? Lookout welcomes letters to the editor, within our policies, from readers. Guidelines here . Growing up on the Peninsula, I always felt Santa Cruz held a kind of mystique. Known for its funky vibe, rock and roll shows at The Catalyst, artists and wanderers…