Whether it’s the recent smoking ban in public spaces or the crackdown on panhandling, the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce says much credit should go to the community group Santa Cruz Neighbors, which supported the various new city ordinances intended to clean up the city.
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Santa Cruz’s Northern Exposure
Softening regulations on what kinds of businesses can occupy downtown buildings took little consideration by city leaders. From 2007 to 2009, vacant office space downtown tripled from about 60,000 square feet to more than 180,000 square feet. Vacant space equals dwindling sales and property taxes for city coffers, and at 2030 North Pacific, Santa Cruz city leaders have an especially high stake in seeing business begin to boom.
Higher Expectations for Higher Education
Retired professor Don Rothman makes the argument for why the UC fee hikes are detrimental to California, from harming diversity to creating a enclave of the privileged.
Sheriff Seeks Money for Pot Crackdown
The County Sheriff’s Office will be asking the state for $275,000 to help it crack down on local marijuana growers and traffickers. The money would allow the Sheriff’s Department to add an officer to its narcotics team and cover the cost of a part-time prosecutor. Sheriff Phil Wowak added that the funding is especially crucial this year because of county budget cuts, which prevented him from hiring 20 new deputies.
Police Release Sketch of Prius-Driving Suspect
The SCPD has released a sketch of a man suspected of attempting to kidnap a 23-year-old woman as she walked back from a bar to the restaurant where she worked.
Look Both Ways Before You Cross
It could be much worse, but a new report by the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership named Santa Cruz as California’s 23rd most dangerous metropolitan area for pedestrians.
City Council Takes a Stand on Violence
Santa Cruz City Council met last night for a meeting devoted entirely to the issue of public safety, and decided to relaunch several programs that had been cut because of budget constraints.
The Aztecas of South Santa Cruz County
Gina Castaneda stands along the sidelines inside the cavernous Soccer Central Indoor Sports arena in Watsonville, shouting to the teenage boys in the purple uniforms tumbling back and forth on the field. “Buena, buena, Jesus!” she yells. “Baja las manos!” With slide show and video.
Marine Reserves For Managing Fisheries
Studies conducted in California and other locations support the use of marine reserves as a tool for managing fisheries and protecting marine habitats.
Wanted: Grateful Dead Archivist
Sure, unemployment is soaring, but every so often a job pops up that anyone would want. UCSC just began advertising for one of those jobs: Grateful Dead Archivist. According to the posting, “The Archivist will be part of a dynamic, collegial, and highly motivated department dedicated to building, preserving, promoting, and providing maximum access both physically and virtually to one of the Library’s most exciting and unique collections, The Grateful Dead Archive.”
