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Santa Cruz Local

News & Politics Podcasts

We're a news organization in Santa Cruz, CA. We watch our public institutions and hold power to account.

Location:

United States

Description:

We're a news organization in Santa Cruz, CA. We watch our public institutions and hold power to account.

Twitter:

@theSClocal

Language:

English

Contact:

8312913456


Episodes

Ep 103 Meet The Capitola City Council Candidates 11.04.22

11/4/2022
In today’s episode we meet the five candidates for Capitola City Council. They are Yvette Lopez Brooks, Joe Clarke, Enrique Dolmo Jr., Gerry Jensen and Alexander Pedersen. The five candidates are running for three seats. They appear before Capitola voters on the Nov. 8 ballot. We explain what a council member does. Then we press the candidates on the issues important to Capitola residents. Read the transcript with links to our related stories. https://santacruzlocal.org/ Read Santa Cruz...

Duration:00:16:42

Ep 102 Meet the candidates for Santa Cruz mayor 11.4.22

11/4/2022
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8. For the first time, Santa Cruz voters will choose a mayor. We meet the two candidates: Joy Schendledecker and Fred Keeley. We explain the new format for Santa Cruz City Council elections and the new mayoral role. Then we press the candidates on the issues important to Santa Cruz residents. Read the transcript with links to our related stories. https://santacruzlocal.org/ Read Santa Cruz Local’s Election Guide. https://tinyurl.com/ep-102-election-guide Santa...

Duration:00:14:52

Ep 101 Meet the Santa Cruz City Council District 6 candidates 11.4.22

11/4/2022
We meet two candidates for Santa Cruz City Council: Renee Golder and Sean Maxwell. They’re running for the District 6 seat on the Nov. 8 ballot. You’ll vote in the District 6 council race if you live in these areas: areas of the Lower Westside west of Younglove Avenue and Columbia Street; areas along Western Drive; and a western part of the UC Santa Cruz main campus. We explain what a council member does. Then we press the candidates on the issues important to Santa Cruz residents. Read the...

Duration:00:14:10

Ep. 100 Meet the Santa Cruz City Council District 4 candidates 10.25.22

10/25/2022
We meet three candidates for Santa Cruz City Council: Hector Marin, Gregory Hyver and Scott Newsome. They’re running for the District 4 seat on the Nov. 8 ballot. You’ll vote in the District 4 council race if you live in these areas: Downtown; Beach Flats; part of the Upper Westside, east of Bay Street and south of High Street; and areas along Mission Street generally east of Laurent Street. We explain what a council member does. Then we press the candidates on the issues important to Santa...

Duration:00:12:52

Ep. 99 Meet the Scotts Valley City Council candidates 10.24.22

10/25/2022
In the Nov. 8 election, Scotts Valley voters will choose two city council members. In today’s episode we’ll learn about the role of a council member. Then we’ll meet the three candidates: Derek Timm, Allan Timms and Jim Reed. Santa Cruz Local presses the candidates on the issues important to Scotts Valley residents. In the Nov. 8 election, Scotts Valley voters will choose two city council members. In today’s episode we’ll learn about the role of a council member. Then we’ll meet the three...

Duration:00:18:01

Ep 98 Ahead of Nov. 8 local election, Santa Cruz County residents share priorities 9.27.22

9/27/2022
Santa Cruz Local wants you to decide what the local candidates talk about as they compete for your vote in the Nov. 8 election. This year, Santa Cruz Local’s team conducted nearly 300 interviews and collected 150 survey responses from Santa Cruz County residents. Here is what residents told us they want from local government, in order of frequency: - Affordable housing development - Help paying rent - Solutions to homelessness - Better wages and jobs - More bike and walk infrastructure In...

Duration:00:14:19

Ep 97 District 3 Santa Cruz County supervisor candidates address voters' priorities 4.26.22

4/26/2022
In the June 7 primary election, North Coast and Santa Cruz residents will choose a new District 3 representative on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors. We hear from residents about their priorities for the election. Then we meet candidates Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson, Justin Cummings and Ami Chen Mills and press them on residents’ concerns. We hear from the candidates on their plans to: Develop affordable housing. [21:17] Expand rent assistance programs. [27:47] Address homelessness....

Duration:01:24:34

Ep 96 How Santa Cruz County could solve chronic homelessness 12.17.21

12/17/2021
Bakersfield and Kern County, California, solved chronic homelessness in part through better coordination of service providers, shared housing databases and a fearless approach to experimentation and results monitoring. Despite Santa Cruz County’s housing shortage, there are lessons from Kern County that start with making housing searches more efficient for the unhoused. In Santa Cruz Local Ep. 96, Kara Meyberg Guzman travels to Bakersfield to learn the successes and limitations of the area’s...

Duration:00:57:16

Ep. 95 Homeless and formerly homeless residents discuss solutions in Santa Cruz County 11.19.21

11/19/2021
We hear from four Santa Cruz County residents: a 25-year-old caregiver in Santa Cruz, a 54-year-old janitor in Watsonville, a father of three in Santa Cruz and a 24-year-old sales associate in Capitola. They share their experiences with homelessness and the keys to getting housed. This episode is part of Santa Cruz Local’s Solutions to Homelessness Series. Read the transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ep95-transcript Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership:...

Duration:00:29:18

Ep 94 Reshaping mental health crisis response in Santa Cruz County 6.11.21

6/11/2021
Responses to mental health crises are set to change in Santa Cruz County with a new 988 system as an alternative to 911. Non-police responses are expected to be dispatched through the system, and advocates say the 24-hour, non-police system is overdue. Santa Cruz Local’s Stephen Baxter talks to Assemblymember Mark Stone, advocate Jeffrey Arlt and others about the mental health crisis response in the county now and its shortcomings. Some potential solutions may come from Santa Cruz County’s...

Duration:00:22:07

Ep 93 'Nobody wants to be out here': Homeless residents share views on proposed law 4.11.21

4/11/2021
Tuesday, the Santa Cruz City Council will consider a proposed law that aims to prevent large homeless camps by limiting where and when people can camp and requiring most tents to be removed each morning. We explain the proposal. And we hear from three Santa Cruz residents who are homeless. We hear their stories: their goals, their barriers and their thoughts about the proposed law. Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership: https://santacruzlocal.org/membership/ Subscribe...

Duration:00:26:08

Ep 92 Student mental health and stress in Santa Cruz County, part 2 3.26.21

3/26/2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed a need for mental health services in Santa Cruz County’s public schools. We hear from a director at the Santa Cruz County Office of Education about virtual mentoring, an approach that has shown promise in addressing student mental health needs. We discuss how it works and where it falls short. This episode is the third in Santa Cruz Local’s Distance Learning Series. Listen to part one of this series: Ep. 89 Public education money, COVID and the power of...

Duration:00:18:40

Ep 91 Were some COVID deaths preventable in Santa Cruz County senior homes? 3.23.21

3/24/2021
Were some COVID-19 deaths preventable in Santa Cruz County long-term care facilities? This episode investigates why some senior homes — which had more than half of the COVID deaths in the county — waited for vaccines through January while others received vaccines. Separately, the episode includes a conversation with contributing reporter Jerimiah Oetting and Santa Cruz Local's Kara Meyberg Guzman and Stephen Baxter about whether new housing means more water demand in Santa Cruz County. Read...

Duration:00:21:27

Ep 90 Student mental health and stress in Santa Cruz County, part 1 3.23.21

3/23/2021
Many students in Santa Cruz County feel stressed and disconnected after months of online-only school. We hear from three Aptos High students about their social and emotional well-being needs. A program administrator responds to these stories and shares tips on how adults can help. This episode is the second in Santa Cruz Local’s Distance Learning series. Listen to part one of this series: Public education money, COVID and the power of Santa Cruz County school boards...

Duration:00:26:40

Ep 89 Public education money, COVID and the power of Santa Cruz County school boards 1.31.21

1/31/2021
This episode is the first in Santa Cruz Local's Distance Learning series. Today we explore how the state's public education system is organized and funded, and how decisions are made. Many of you wanted to know: How can students, parents and teachers make their voice heard in such a huge, complicated system? We hear from former county superintendent Michael Watkins and state Sen. John Laird on the governor's school reopening plan and how to get involved. Support local journalism with a Santa...

Duration:00:33:28

Ep 88 Prescribed burns and wildfire in Santa Cruz County 12.20.20

12/20/2020
In the wake of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire in Santa Cruz County, this episode explores forest management policies in the state and county. It also looks at the role of prescribed burns in land management in the county, and a new Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association. Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership: https://santacruzlocal.org/membership/ Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local's free newsletter. We're in your inbox two to three times a week:...

Duration:00:22:27

Ep 87 Vote Nov 3, Santa Cruz City Council race 10.18.20

10/18/2020
Santa Cruz Local presses the Santa Cruz City Council candidates on the priorities we heard from residents: housing and homelessness. We meet eight of the nine city council candidates: Martine Watkins, Sandy Brown, Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson, Kelsey Hill, Kayla Kumar, Maria Cadenas, Elizabeth Conlan and Sonja Brunner. Voters will pick four. Read the transcript: https://santacruzlocal.org/2020/10/18/podcast-vote-nov-3-santa-cruz-city-council/ Read Santa Cruz Local’s elections guide:...

Duration:00:51:03

Ep 86 Vote Nov 3, Watsonville City Council 10.14.20

10/14/2020
Santa Cruz Local presses the five Watsonville City Council candidates on the priorities we heard from residents: affordable housing development, city-sponsored youth programs, the high cost of rent and more. We break down the differences between District 2 candidates Aurelio Gonzalez and Vanessa Quiroz-Carter, District 6 candidates Jimmy Dutra and Tony Gomez, and District 1 candidate Eduardo Montesino. View the maps of the Watsonville City Council districts:...

Duration:01:08:20

Ep. 85 Vote Nov. 3, the Santa Cruz County District 1 supervisor race 10.5.20

10/4/2020
If you’re a voter in Live Oak, Pleasure Point, Soquel, western Capitola or the Santa Cruz Mountains north of Soquel, you’ll vote on the District 1 Santa Cruz County supervisors race. But even if you don’t live in the district, this race still matters to you. The decisions of the board of supervisors affect the entire county. We press incumbent John Leopold and challenger Manu Koenig on the priorities we heard from District 1 residents. A map of Santa Cruz County's District 1:...

Duration:00:36:03

Ep. 84, Vote Nov. 3: The Scotts Valley City Council race 9.29.20

9/29/2020
Santa Cruz Local has interviewed and surveyed about 50 Scotts Valley residents in recent months to hear their priorities for the Scotts Valley City Council race. Today, we press the candidates — John Lewis, Donna Lind, Jack Dilles and Randy Johnson — on the concerns of residents. Listen to the candidates’ views on housing, supporting local business, stabilizing the city budget, school funding and policing. Read the transcript:...

Duration:01:05:39