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162 below-market-rate homes on tap in Scotts Valley

By Nik Altenberg|2025-08-26T15:38:15-07:00August 26, 2025|Tags: affordable housing, City of Scotts Valley, CRP Affordable Housing and Community Development, Derek Timm, Featured, housing, Jenny Panetta, Mali LaGoe, Nik Altenberg, Workbench|

Residency expected by 2028

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Watsonville activist plans 30-day hunger strike against pesticides

By Nik Altenberg|2025-08-22T18:14:07-07:00August 22, 2025|Tags: Agriculture, Barrios Unidos, Campaign for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture, farmworkers, Featured, Nik Altenberg, Omar Dieguez, pesticides|

Activists to rally against pesticides at Sunday event at Barrios Unidos

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Santa Cruz Planned Parenthood clinic closure leaves residents scrambling

By Nik Altenberg and Amaya Edwards|2025-08-08T17:30:14-07:00August 8, 2025|Tags: Amaya Edwards, Donald Trump, Featured, health, health care, Medi-Cal, Nik Altenberg, Planned Parenthood|

Plus: Where to find care

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Santa Cruz County public defender wants more immigration lawyers

By Nik Altenberg|2025-07-31T15:48:21-07:00July 31, 2025|Tags: County of Santa Cruz, Featured, federal government, Heather Rogers, ICE, immigration, Nik Altenberg, Santa Cruz County Public Defender, Trump|

County budget remains barrier

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Santa Cruz County syringe exchange adopts needs-based, mobile approach

By Nik Altenberg|2025-07-23T14:38:19-07:00July 22, 2025|Tags: County of Santa Cruz, Featured, harm reduction, Health Services Agency, Nik Altenberg|

Fewer discarded needles help prompt policy change

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How pesticides endanger pregnant farmworkers in Pajaro Valley

By Nik Altenberg|2025-07-14T12:50:04-07:00July 8, 2025|Tags: Agriculture, Ann Lopez, California Department of Pesticide Regulation, City of Watsonville, Dave Sanford, environment, Ernestina Solorio, Featured, health, Katie Gabriel-Cox, Nik Altenberg, Pajaro Valley, pesticides, Rocio Ortiz|

Residents speak out about health harms, lax regulations

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Photos: Anti-Trump protest draws more than 10,000 in Santa Cruz

By Nik Altenberg|2025-06-14T18:41:15-07:00June 14, 2025|Tags: Boulder Creek, City of Santa Cruz, City of Watsonville, demonstrations, Donald Trump, Featured, federal government, immigration, military, Nik Altenberg, protests|

Hundreds gather at Watsonville 'No Kings' rally

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How should $7.5 million be spent on water, wildfire and land projects in Santa Cruz County?

By Nik Altenberg|2026-07-24T07:26:10-07:00June 9, 2025|Tags: climate change, environment, Featured, Mark Bingham, Measure Q, Nik Altenberg, Nov. 5 2024 election, wildfire|

Residents’ priorities gathered for Measure Q spending

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Balcony design could sink 8-story Clocktower project

By Nik Altenberg|2025-06-06T11:21:43-07:00June 2, 2025|Tags: City of Santa Cruz, Clay Toombs, Featured, housing, Nik Altenberg, Samantha Haschert, Santa Cruz Planning Commission, Tim Gordin, Workbench|

Developer, city staff spar over encroachment into public space

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Unhealthy tap water at farmworker housing prompts fixes

By Nik Altenberg|2026-05-11T12:03:08-07:00May 23, 2025|Tags: County of Santa Cruz, drinking water, environment, Featured, health, Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz, Nathan Salazar, Nik Altenberg, Pajaro Valley, PFAS, South County, water|

Installed filter system lacks county permits to operate

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Santa Cruz council to consider taller buildings, new Warriors arena downtown

By Nik Altenberg and Jesse Kathan|2025-05-12T16:33:36-07:00May 12, 2025|Tags: downtown expansion, downtown Santa Cruz, Featured, housing, Santa Cruz City Council, Santa Cruz Warriors|

May 13 vote on downtown expansion plan

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State legislators push for fixes at Hilltop apartments in Santa Cruz

By Nik Altenberg|2025-09-11T14:38:41-07:00May 9, 2025|Tags: City of Santa Cruz, education, Featured, Gail Pellerin, Greystar, Hilltop Apartments, housing, John Laird, Justin Cummings, Nik Altenberg, Renee Golder, UC Regents, UC Santa Cruz, University of California|

Laird, Pellerin, Cummings, Golder seek answers