Faced with a $28 billion deficit, Gov. Jerry Brown has been eying funds from the state’s 400 redevelopment agencies to help balance the budget. Many cities across the state have questioned that assertion and sought ways to secure RDA moneys, which are used for everything from affordable housing to small business loans. San Jose and Fremont have already secured at least part of their funds by reaching collaborative agreements between their respective City Councils and RDAs. Now it is Santa Cruz’s turn.
Articles by Danny Wool
Council to Take on Gov
Cities across California are worried about Gov. Jerry Brown intending to dip into their redevelopment funds to cover the budget deficit. At its meeting today, Santa Cruz City Council is planning to join the fray with a resolution condemning Brown’s plan.
A Creamy, Cold State of the Union
President Obama can look forward to a large audience when he delivers his State of the Union address tonight. While the seating plan has yet to be finalized, two seats are already reserved for local ice cream makers Kendra Baker and Zachary Davis of the Penny Ice Creamery. They were able to open their Santa Cruz ice cream shop with stimulus funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration. It has since become a hit, with an A-list of celebrity fans including Vice President Joe Biden.
Putting the Coca Back in Cola
OK, so the title of this article is not precise, but the idea of putting illegal substances back in soft drinks is making a comeback. A Soquel entrepreneur is hoping to market Canna Cola, and the “Canna” in the title means cannabis, not “can.” Clay Butler, a commercial artist, believes that there could be a market for soft drinks containing THC, the chemical that gives marijuana its buzz.
Body Found at Dump
The body of a 54-year-old homeless man was found Friday, Jan. 21 at the recycling center of the Dimeo Lane city dump, police say. The identity of the person has not been made public, pending notification of his family, but police do not believe that he was the victim of foul play. They think he was either sleeping in a Dumpster for warmth and got picked up by city sanitation services, either dead or alive, but unable to escape.
Board of Ed Approves Agreement with PCS Charter
The Pacific Collegiate School frequently makes the list of the top 10 public schools in the entire country. The question some people ask, however, is whether it is truly a public school. While expressing doubts over some of the school’s practices, members of the Board of Education approved an operating agreement with the charter school, effectively confirming its status as a public school.
Last Minute Haggling Seals Rail Deal
Santa Cruz County is about to receive $14.2 million from the California Transportation Commission. The money will be used to by the Union Pacific rail line from Watsonville to Davenport.
In and Out at Facebook
Mickey D’s, beware. Burger King: abdicate. There’s gonna be a new kid on the block in Santa Cruz County. The only question remaining is where that block will be. Santa Cruz is the obvious first place contender for an In-n-Out Burger, but if childhood obesity rates are any indication, Watsonville is giving SC a run (OK, when you are obese that run becomes a leisurely stroll with frequent stops to catch your breath) for the money.
UCSC Violence … Just Not on Campus
It was a quiet day at UCSC yesterday despite all the dire warnings. People feared the worst when the threat of violence was found scrawled on a bathroom wall in the Social Science building. Police were out in full force, and even then, some students decided not to show up for class.
City Marks MLK Day with Volunteering
“His speeches were about people trying to make a better place for all of us,” says Darrell Musick, a local consultant. He and hundreds of other people like him attempted to emulate Martin Luther King, Jr. by turning the day dedicated to his legacy into an opportunity to volunteer for the community. People across the city cleaned up bike paths and parks, created a compost heap, worked to protect endangered species and scrubbed graffiti away.
