Santa Cruz Starbucks Joins the Nationwide Push for Unionization
The workers at the Elmwood Avenue Starbucks Coffee branch in Buffalo, NY sparked a fire among their fellow employees across the country by becoming the first Starbucks in the country to win union recognition on Dec. 9 2022. The victory served as an inspiration and…
Watsonville is in the Heart: Honoring the Manong Generation in California’s Central Coast
‘Utang na loob,’ an expression used in the Filipino community, can be loosely translated to a debt of gratitude that one owes to those who have done a deeply impactful favor. Watsonville is in the Heart’s (WIITH) digital archive seeks to repay this debt of…
Food Not Bombs Evicted Again
Food Not Bombs (FNB), a local houseless kitchen and mutual aid group, had fought through an eviction notice filled start to 2022. FNB was initially evicted by the city from a Front St. location, then the county threatened the church they cook at with consequences…
Houseless Community Displaced by Benchlands Flooding
Larry Gardner has been houseless for the past six months. He left his wife, child, and housing to care for his brother who is blind, houseless, and in need of 24-hour assistance. For the first five months, Gardner and his brother found shelter at the…
Local Campaign Aims to Tax Unoccupied Vacation Homes
Affordable housing is a mainstay of Santa Cruz politics. A new campaign led by local renters and homeowners wants to add a new caveat to local policy to help alleviate the housing crisis and spur affordable housing development. The Yes on Empty Home Tax Campaign…
Business Returns to Normal as Supply Chain Crisis Persists
Over a year has passed since local businesses first went into lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and, since then, economic recovery has been unsteady. Business has picked back up, albeit with masks and vaccinations, easing the pressure on local stores. Alana Helms, a…
Halloween 2021: What happened in Santa Cruz
As the autumn leaves crunch under your feet and midterm season approaches, Halloween is the perfect time to get out of your dorm, temporarily forget about those stressful papers, and enjoy the weekend. Halloween at the Boardwalk The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk hosted a Halloween…
City Council Advances Overnight Oversized Vehicle Parking Ban
Just last week, drivers could park RVs anywhere in the city. These abilities may soon be taken away if the Santa Cruz City Council approves the Oversized Vehicle Ordinance. The Oversized Vehicle Ordinance prohibits parking of oversized vehicles, defined as vehicles over 20 feet long,…
As UCSC’s Growth Plan is Approved, Local Concerns Still Linger
The 2021-2040 Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) sets a guiding framework for UC Santa Cruz’s physical and enrollment growth over the next two decades. As one of its former principal student representatives, Matthew Waxman was heavily involved in drafting UCSC’s 2005 LRDP. Now as an…
Streetcar Demonstrations Show Potential for Light Rail in Santa Cruz
The possibility of Electric Passenger Rail will briefly become a reality in Santa Cruz County in two weeks. Clean-energy, battery-powered streetcars will have free demonstrations in Santa Cruz and Watsonville to raise awareness of the need for passenger light rail. Coast Futura, a coalition of…