Spreckels
Each week, we’re taking a closer look at the movers and shakers, the growth of industries and what’s really driving the Santa Cruz County economy. I’ll be spotlighting some of the biggest areas for opportunity, updates on local development and all things underpinning the regional business scene each Wednesday.
Former county supervisor Ignacio Velazquez, who was recalled from the San Benito County Board of Supervisors in the June primary, increased his lead over two other candidates in his quest to finish his original term, according to the latest election results update released late on Nov. 5. Velazquez now leads...
Early results show a majority of voters are supporting school bond measures, but it is still a coin toss whether they will garner enough votes to pass. On Nov. 3, voters in North Monterey County, Carmel and Pacific Grove showed up at the polls to support bond measures to either upgrade facilities or keep student programming.
KING CITY — King City’s ninth annual Trunk or Treat brought a record crowd to the Salinas Valley Fair Expo Lawn on Saturday, with nearly 2,000 people turning out for the Halloween festivities. Hosted by the King City Recreation Department, the free event ran from 4:30 to 6...
This story was updated at 1pm on Wednesday, Nov. 4. Two Watsonville City Council races remained too close to call Tuesday night, with incumbent Casey Clark falling behind opponent Angel Zuniga in District 5 and Ed Acosta ahead of former Councilwoman Nancy Bilicich in District 7. Santa Cruz County election...
Santa Cruz County voters appear in early, unofficial election night results to favor raising the sales tax in the county by a half-cent. Measure E needs a simple majority to pass and led initial returns with about 60% of votes recorded so far in support. The measure is projected to...
About 50 people are gathered in the courtyard of the Kimpton Mirador Hotel in downtown Pacific Grove just after 8pm on Tuesday, Nov 3, sipping wine, munching on French fries and charcuterie while waiting for local election results. Although they are there to support Mayor Nick Smith, running for a second term against former councilmember Luke Coletti in a non-partisan race, they are in a good mood as more Democrats nationally were reported to win seats in the House and Senate.
The City of Watsonville is celebrating a major milestone in pedestrian and bicycle safety with the groundbreaking of the Safer Access to Pajaro Valley High School & Beyond Project. The final product will widen the Harkins Slough Road overpass over Highway 1 to add bicycle lanes and a wider sidewalk separated from vehicle traffic.
The Capitola Plein Air Festival runs through the weekend, with artists celebrating the unique beauty of the tiny coastal city with open-air painting. On Saturday morning, watch more than 40 accomplished artists paint outdoor scenes in a timed challenge, then vote for your favorite at the Capitola Plein Air Quick Paint. It starts at 9:45 a.m. – Lily Belli.
Greetings, one and all. Wednesday, Nov. 4, has arrived in Santa Cruz County, bringing with it the return of sunshine – and temperatures in the 60s to lower 70s – after a showery Election Day. I WANT TO … Become a Lookout member | Download the Lookout app...
Hollister Parks and Recreation hosted its Trick-or-Treat celebration on Oct. 30, with 32 organizations and businesses participating and handing out candy to kids on San Benito Street. Hollister Downtown Association’s Kayla Ketchum said the event was held on a Friday so people could still visit homes in their neighborhood on...
Del Rey Oaks Councilmember Jeremy Hallock appears to be on his way out, as two challengers were in the lead in initial Nov. 3 election results. Shelley Cabanillas and Cheryl Parker were ahead of Hallock in a race where the two top vote-getters will win four-year seats on the council.
Have something to say? Lookout welcomes letters to the editor, within our policies, from readers. Guidelines here. Santa Cruz County has crossed an important, non-election-related threshold. On Oct. 20, supervisors approved an update to the county’s 2026 artificial intelligence work plan. The plan includes access to Anthropic’s Claude, a public-facing...
The United States Forest Service (USFS) has scaled back a vegetation clearing project for the Los Padres National Forest by about 85% after hearing objections from the public and a coalition of 91 community organizations. Los Padres National Forest (LPNF) officials announced on Oct. 20 that the Wildfire Risk Reduction...
Newsom's proposed commutations would change death sentences to life without the possibility of parole for inmates, including notorious killers Cary Stayner, Richard Farley, and Richard Allen Davis.
While California has a record-topping nine national parks and 280 state parks, the Golden State's love for protecting its wild and natural spaces doesn't end there. Counties at the regional level take wilderness preservation seriously, too. This means even those in large metropolitan areas can find scenic parks and outdoorsy joys nearby. Urbanites in San Jose, for example, can drive about 30 to 40 minutes and find themselves on the redwood-covered slopes of Sanborn County Park. Tucked away in the Santa Cruz Mountains, this sprawling 3,453-acre paradise is an idyllic retreat where you can hike or bike among towering conifers and then camp beneath their splendor.
Wednesday, 10:50 a.m., – Welcome to Lookout’s 2026 primary election results page. Here, we’ll give you real-time updates on how each race in Santa Cruz County is shaking out as the vote is counted, reflected in charts. Scroll to the bottom of this story for a link to the California Secretary of State website to view the results of statewide races.
Plans for federal immigration detention facilities near Gilroy and Dublin have highlighted a gap in Marin County's planning regulations, according to a county announcement issued late Tuesday. Next week, the Marin County Board of Supervisors will consider adopting an approach used by other local governments to enact building regulations that...
For more than a century, groundwater has supported life, agriculture, and business in Santa Clara County. Yet in the early 1900s, the region faced a hidden crisis: uncontrolled groundwater pumping caused the land to sink, creating conditions that threatened both communities and infrastructure. The history of groundwater here shows the risks of unmanaged pumping and the value of careful, science‑based stewardship.
7351 Rosanna St. — Site of Approved Detention Facility Moratorium. Marin County supervisors are set to consider a 45-day moratorium on new or expanded detention facilities in unincorporated parts of the county, a move officials say would close a gap in local planning rules just as similar federal immigration detention projects are being pursued near Gilroy and Dublin. The proposal would take effect immediately if approved and would bar the siting, construction, conversion, expansion or operation of new or expanded detention facilities, whether publicly or privately run.
