Wildlife has been dying at the Corcoran Lagoon, along the Santa Cruz County coastline. According to neighbors, the culprits are skimboarders, who dig trenches from the lagoon to the ocean so that they can ride the waves as the waters rush out of the lagoon.
Articles by Santacruz.com Staff
Raspberries Make up for Strawberries’ Decline
Strawberries are still Santa Cruz County’s biggest crop. Valued at over $160 million, they account for over one-third of the county’s total agricultural production. But with a drop in prices and crop rotation between Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, their value has dropped by $36 million since 2007. Farmers aren’t worried though, because raspberries have picked up the slack, increasing in value by $35 million.
Santa Cruz Nonprofits the Latest Victims of Budget Cuts
Though the Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council was spared the budgetary scalpel at a meeting of the Santa Cruz City Council Tuesday, other organizations throughout the city were not as fortunate. The city voted to keep the CVC’s funding at the same level as last year, and decided the same for the County Cultural Council, but 52 other nonprofits face an across-the-board 25 percent cut in municipal funding. The cuts saved the city a total of $300,000.
UCSC Facing Tough Budget Cuts
The finger pointing is well underway as regents of the UC system meet in San Francisco to decide on how to implement the necessary budget cuts for the coming year. The meeting comes in the wake of an $800 million cut in state funding to the 10-school system, compounded by an additional $335 million deficit expected over the next two years because of increasing costs.
Local Man Injures Butt
Yeah, you heard me.
Public Opposes Monterey Desalination Plant
Monterey City Council was packed yesterday with almost 100 people, most of them opposed to a proposed desalination plant in Moss Landing. Apart from concerns over the $300 million price tag for the facility, opponents cited environmental concerns and a general misgivings about Cal Am as the reasons for their resistance to the project. “Corporations should not be profiting from water,” said Peggy Olsen, a Monterey resident.
Pogonip Brushfire Doused
A small brushfire that broke out yesterday afternoon between Harvey West Business Park and UC Santa Cruz was extinguished quickly by fire crews on the ground and a Cal Fire helicopter.
Santa Cruz Cracking Down on Excessive Water Use
With the city of Santa Cruz preparing to tap into its Loch Lomond reservoir because of a severe water shortage, the “water police” have begun to crack down on people using too much water and violating local restrictions.
Tourism Agency’s Fate Lies in the Balance
With Santa Cruz facing a $9.2 million deficit, Santa Cruz municipal lawmakers are considering cutting funding to the Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council.
Santa Cruz Farmers Oppose Blanket Restrictions
There are many ways to protect crops, besides industrial pesticides. According to Ken Kimes, owner of Santa Cruz County’s New Native Farms and a board member of the Community Alliance With Family Farmers, the people who are setting the rules have a lot to learn about that. “They’re used to working inside the factory walls,” he says. “If they’re not prepared for the farm landscape, it can come as quite a shock to them.”
