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School districts grapple with declining enrollment in Santa Cruz County

By Jesse Greenspan|2025-04-24T16:12:23-07:00February 21, 2025|Tags: Bonny Doon Union Elementary School District, education, explainer, Featured, Heather Contreras, Jesse Greenspan, K-12 schools, Kris Munro, Live Oak School District, Mike Heffner, Mountain Elementary School District, Pacific Elementary School District, Pajaro Valley Unified School District, Roger Snyder, Santa Cruz City Schools, Scotts Valley Unified School District, Soquel Union Elementary School District|

Pajaro, Soquel, Scotts Valley leaders discuss money challenges

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Are Santa Cruz County governments prepared for sea-level rise?

By Jesse Kathan|2025-01-31T17:44:11-08:00January 31, 2025|Tags: beaches, City of Santa Cruz, climate change, coastal erosion, environment, erosion, explainer, Featured, Jesse Kathan, Monterey Bay, Rio Del Mar, weather, West Cliff|

Map shows 6 feet of potential rise in 75 years

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As Los Angeles burns, Santa Cruz County officials urge wildfire prep — and not just in the mountains

By Jesse Kathan|2025-01-23T15:14:41-08:00January 16, 2025|Tags: CZU Lightning Complex Fire, Dave Reid, environment, explainer, Featured, health, Jesse Kathan, San Lorenzo Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains, wildfire|

Alert signups, evacuation plans and home hardening tips

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Will a new court program address severe mental illness in Santa Cruz County?

By Jesse Kathan|2025-01-23T15:12:13-08:00December 9, 2024|Tags: CARE court, County of Santa Cruz, explainer, Featured, health, homelessness, Jesse Kathan, Karen Kern, mental health, Santa Cruz County Superior Court|

State mandate uses county dollars, doesn’t fund services or housing

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Maps: Could a tsunami in Santa Cruz County reach your home?

By Jesse Kathan|2025-01-23T15:13:57-08:00December 6, 2024|Tags: City of Capitola, City of Santa Cruz, disaster, earthquake, emergencies, environment, explainer, Featured, Jesse Kathan, Live Oak, ocean safety, Pleasure Point, Santa Cruz County, tsunami|

Consult maps and make a plan, officials advised after Thursday’s warning

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New rail-trail map tracks work in Santa Cruz, Live Oak, Capitola, Aptos

By Jesse Kathan and Stephen Baxter|2025-02-19T13:50:31-08:00November 22, 2024|Tags: Aptos, City of Capitola, City of Santa Cruz, City of Watsonville, County of Santa Cruz, Davenport, environment, explainer, Featured, Jesse Kathan, Live Oak, North Coast, passenger rail, rail trail, Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, Stephen Baxter, transportation|

Updates on design, construction, funding

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What triggers a homeless camp sweep in Santa Cruz County?

By Jesse Kathan|2024-10-17T16:35:37-07:00September 26, 2024|Tags: City of Santa Cruz, City of Watsonville, County of Santa Cruz, explainer, Featured, homelessness, Housing Matters, Jesse Kathan, Live Oak, Pajaro River levee, Phil Kramer, Robert Ratner, Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, Santa Cruz police, Tamara Vides|

County staff start to draft clearer rules

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Earn money by advising Santa Cruz city and county leaders

By Jesse Kathan|2024-10-17T16:35:18-07:00August 30, 2024|Tags: City of Santa Cruz, explainer, Featured, Government, Jesse Kathan|

How to volunteer for a board or commission

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Explainer: Public pension debts in Santa Cruz County

By Jesse Kathan|2024-10-17T16:36:20-07:00August 9, 2024|Tags: budgets, City of Capitola, City of Santa Cruz, City of Scotts Valley, City of Watsonville, County of Santa Cruz, explainer, Featured, Jesse Kathan, Jim Reed, Mali LaGoe, Marcus Pimentel, pensions, public employees, salaries|

Despite reforms, local governments struggle with underfunded retirement payouts

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How (and why) to run for school board in Santa Cruz County

By Jesse Kathan|2024-10-17T16:35:12-07:00July 25, 2024|Tags: education, explainer, Featured, Government, Jesse Kathan, Kris Munro, Nov. 5 2024 election, school boards, school districts, Tricia Webber|

Aug. 9 deadline for 32 seats

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Explainer: Santa Cruz County’s road problems

By Jesse Kathan|2024-10-17T16:36:31-07:00July 5, 2024|Tags: County of Santa Cruz, county roads, explainer, Featured, Jesse Kathan, Matt Machado, roads, San Lorenzo Valley, Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, Santa Cruz Mountains|

County tax hike for roads possible in 2025

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Proposed rail-trail route could divert onto streets across Live Oak-Capitola border

By Jesse Kathan|2024-10-17T16:53:08-07:00June 21, 2024|Tags: explainer, Featured, Jesse Kathan, rail trail, Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, transportation|

Explainer: The rail-trail’s proposed path through Santa Cruz County