Live Oak-Soquel Supervisor John Leopold was appointed to the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District Board, raising complaints among some local officials
City Allows Menorah Lighting to Proceed
The event was nearly canceled after the city’s Event Permit Coordinator Kathy Agnone insisted that a guard be posted to keep 15-foot tall menorah from being stolen.
Pacific Collegiate Charter School One of the Ten Best Schools in the Country
U.S. News and World Report ranked the 100 best high schools in the country. Among the top ten was Pacific Collegiate Charter School.
Pay Grades
It’s been reported by the Santa Cruz Sentinel that the seven members of the Santa Cruz City Council are paid roughly double the salaries of their counterparts in Scotts Valley, Capitola and Watsonville. But what about cities with bigger budgets or fewer services? Turns out, Santa Cruz’s council salaries are still pretty high—but they’re not the highest.
The Minor Miracle of ‘An Altared Christmas’
They won’t believe it in Peoria, but Rhan Wilson isn’t making fun of Christmas. True, his show An Altared Christmas, now in its fifth year, puts carols in a minor key to comic effect—a dolorous “O Christmas Tree,” an ominous “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” a distraught-bordering-on-unhinged “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”—but the producer of the highly entertaining musical variety show says he is not, in fact, mocking the holiday. He’s making fun of what people have done to it.
Santa Cruz Wins Appeal Against Pharmaceutical Industry
Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties won an important legal victory on Wednesday in their lawsuit against 10 major pharmaceutical companies.
Swine Flu Vaccine for Everyone
County health officials have reneged on their policy of providing the swine flue vaccine only to the groups most at-risk.
Chihuahuas Overtaking California
With the first annual Woofy Awards right around the corner, it’s time to take a look at the most common canine in dog-happy Santa Cruz, the fearless chihuahua. They’re “Tiny, but mighty,” as Chloe the Chihuahua described herself in the 2008 hit “Beverly Hills Chihuahua,” and they’re just about everywhere. California has more chihuahuas than it knows what to do with, and has even begun exporting some of them out of state. In Santa Cruz County alone, animal shelters in Watsonville and Live Oaks took in more than 400 abandoned chihuahuas in 2008.
Bike Boulevard Would Raise Emissions
Frequent Santa Cruz Weekly letters contributor Mike Speviak explains why he thinks a bike boulevard would be a mistake.
Local Teacher Takes to the Airwaves
Peter Nichols, an outspoken teacher at Pajaro Valley Unified School District, has launched his own show on community television.
