In a letter to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, almost 300 scientists and 25 legislators warned that planned budget cuts to the University of California system could endanger the state’s high tech industry.
Mark Stone to Swim the English Channel
Santa Cruz County Supervisor Mark Stone will be exchanging his suit for a Speedo sometime in the next two weeks as he plans to swim the English Channel. Stone has been training for the challenging swim since 2007 at both at the Simpkins Family Swim Center and in open waters, not even interrupting his daily workouts when he was up for reelection.
Petty Crime Shifts to Harvey West
Increased law enforcement on Pacific Avenue has led to rising crime in Harvey West, according to residents, businessowners and Santa Cruz police. The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports that many residents have complained of more illegal activity in the area, citing instances of drug deals, prostitution and public defecation. Since there are few parking limits in the area, Harvey West is also prime RV camping real estate. Santa Cruz Police Chief Steve Clark told the Sentinel that statistics show a crackdown in one part of town leads to heightened crime in other areas, in what he terms a “cyclical pattern.”
Monning: Schwarzenegger Making Bad Situation Worse
For the average Democratic lawmaker in California, the most vexing mystery playing out in state capitols right now isn’t why Sarah Palin is stepping down or what will break the farcical stalemate in the New York legislature. It’s why Gov. Schwarzenegger, just months ago united (relatively speaking) with Sacramento Democrats against their vociferously anti-tax GOP counterparts to pass a budget that included both cuts and revenue increases, has now adopted such a hardline stance against taxes that the legislature’s Republicans look almost reasonable by comparison.
Ditch The Plastic Forks!
Exultant over the reduced garbage haul off Santa Cruz County beaches following the Fourth of July weekend, Save Our Shores Executive Director Laura Kasa turns to the next frontier: eliminating plastics. “We need a grassroots effort to say that we don’t want plastics in our ocean,” she writes.
Police on the Lookout for Groper
Santa Cruz police are searching for a man suspected of groping women as they window shop along Pacific Avenue.
Stun Guns Used in Restaurant Brawl
Oliver Walshaw and Ryan Lovejoy were standing in line at an Ocean Street restaurant when a dispute erupted between them and another man.
Fire on San Andreas Road Contained
The season’s first major wildfire consumed 10 acres of unused farmland along San Andreas Road yesterday. Firefighters using an air tanker managed to contain the blaze within just 90 minutes, and prevented it from reaching nearby homes and commercial buildings. Tracks belonging to the Union Pacific railroad were damaged by the flames.
Vanity Plate Victim of Bad Economy
Bay Area nature groups planned on launching a new vanity plate that could raise as much as $1 million a year to support nature preserves. Then the economy tanked.
Palin’s Resignation No Surprise
It’s been a helluva Independence Day weekend in the Last Frontier. Wow! First the Governor resigns, then she allows no questions, no open media coverage, provides no serious explanation and expects no one to wonder why in the world she would step down from the only platform from which she can claim any political legitimacy.
