“Growth,” a six-letter word to many a conservationist, isn’t the major goal you would expect from a nonprofit that stewards the land of North Central California. But when Raymond Hitchcock was selected as the Amah Mutsun Land Trust’s (AMLT) new executive director last month, growing...

Residents of a houseless encampment alongside of the intersection of Highways 1 and 9 were told to pack up their belongings and leave by the morning of May 10, as Caltrans workers began a weeklong cleanup of the debris and belongings remaining at the site. ...

The doors of the surf shop are wide open, letting the crisp ocean air waft around the building. In the center of the room are a dozen colorful surfboards, set back-to-back in a row. Walking through the sandy entryway, shoppers are greeted by a sea...

Passed in late March, the Temporary Outdoor Living Ordinance that would have enforced harsh relocation policies toward unhoused people was ultimately withdrawn after widespread community opposition. While the Santa Cruz City Council evaluates next steps, a different, county-wide framework is seeking to provide long-term solutions...

The low murmurs from a restless crowd echo from end to end of Myrtle Street on April 16. The band, the cheerleaders, and the Aptos Mariners await the appearance of the Santa Cruz Cardinals on the field. As the band roared and the announcer’s voice...

After widespread community opposition, the implementation of the Temporary Outdoor Living Ordinance (TOLO) was suspended. Instead, city officials will go back to the drawing board to draft a new ordinance, based on four points outlined by the City Council, by May 11. “It is very...

It’s just before noon on a sunny Tuesday in Santa Cruz, and while most folks were in their virtual classes or at their Zoom office job, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk had hundreds of people ready to ride the Giant Dipper for the first time...

Along the San Lorenzo Riverwalk, houseless residents can be seen biking, gardening, napping, and even lifting weights under the warmth of the spring sun. This is as close to idyllic as the park has been in recent months.  But this relative quiet is deceptive. The...