A hundred years ago, ships sailing between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay could look to the Pigeon Point Lighthouse for reassurance that the safety of dry land was nearby. In these days of radio and sonar, however, the lighthouses of old are mainly curiosities, reminding us of the past—a past that could soon be forgotten. Pigeon Point Lighthouse is crumbling away, and there is no money to rescue it.
Bus Routes Likely to Be Cut
The Santa Cruz County Metropolitan Bus District is looking at which routes it can cut as it deals with a multimillion-dollar deficit.
Making the Best of an Empty Building
For 18 years, the Rittenhouse Building on the corner of Pacific Avenue and Church Street was a big hole in the ground, a casualty of the Loma Prieta earthquake. It was only in 2008 that it was replaced by the current structure. But business has not been good for the owners of the building, former City Councilman Louis Rittenhouse and his sister. The recession struck just before it was completed, and the four-story building has remained empty ever since.
Santa Cruz Poets, Santa Cruz Inspiration: J. Zimmerman
In this month’s installment of Local Poets, Local Inspiration, J. Zimmerman responds to Garrison Keillor’s assertion that nothing much interesting rhymes with ‘Santa Cruz.’
Ten Questions for Jonathan Fortney
The UCSC astrophysicist, winner of the prestigious Sloan Research Fellowship, touches on parenthood, being a force for political change and a very exciting discovery.
UCSC Hires Grateful Dead Archivist
Nick Meriwether hardly fits the classic stereotype of a librarian. Sure, he has a master’s degree in library science from the University of South Carolina and spent five years as an oral historian at the South Caroliniana Library. But if her were to follow Superrman’s lead and slip into a phone booth to remove his suit and spectacles, he’d come out in tie-dyes and faded jeans, instead of cape and tights.
Group Demands County Reopen SC Veterans Center
The closure of the Veteran’s Memorial Hall is being challenged by the one group that has not found another home, the Veterans Council of Santa Cruz County. They argue that their engineers have found the building to be structurally sound, and have filed a lawsuit to be allowed to reoccupy it.
Longer Waits At The Bus Stop Ahead
The transit District has lost $1.6 million in sales tax revenue over the past year, while ridership has declined by 7.8 percent, meaning a $267,297 loss in revenue (plus a $93,000 hit because of declining paratransit numbers). In addition, state funds that would normally go to public transportation are being diverted to cover other looming budget gaps.
“Condor Time Now for the Coho”
The National Marine Fisheries Service says that the coho salmon population in Santa Cruz County could be saved from extinction, but only if local government and property owners are willing to make some major concessions. Conservationists estimate that there are only a few dozen coho salmon in the county today.
Gilligan Lookalike Tries to Rob Bank
The SCPD is on the lookout for a man who tried to rob a Mission Street bank yesterday. Described as being in his 40s or 50s, he had a brown beard and olive drab coat. Most distinctively, however, was the “Gilligan”-style sailor cap he wore.
