The Santa Cruz Intifada had another victim on Monday when a 32-year-old male was brought to Dominican Hospital after being hit by a rock.
Articles by Danny Wool
Peacecamp 2010 Protests Sleeping Ban
For the past three weeks Santa Cruz’s homeless population has been camped out on the steps of the county courthouse, protesting the city’s ban on sleeping on the streets. The courthouse grounds are safe, because they belong to the county, not the city, and the protesters, while they may be a nuisance, cannot be arrested easily there. But the protesters feel that they are not making headway, so on Tuesday they marched to City Hall to demand that the sleeping ban be repealed.
Meth Smoker Busted for Stealing Frozen Food
Police have arrested Seth Justin Fusari, 31, of Santa Cruz, for stealing about $2,000 in frozen food from a local grocery. According to the SCPD, Fusari had burglarized the walk-in freezer at the Shopper’s Corner store at 622 Soquel Avenue.
Santa Cruz County Rodeo Gets Nixed
We spoke too soon and yeehawed just a little prematurely. A vote on holding the event in October has been rescinded as a result of legal concerns. Opponents of the rodeo have threatened to sue if the event went forward, and there was concern over who would bear the brunt of the legal responsibility.
Driver Smashes Car into Santa Cruz Bank
Normally, if you have any banking to do on a Sunday night, you head over to the nearest ATM machine, and make your deposit or withdrawal. That’s more or less what happened outside the Wells Fargo bank on River Street on Sunday night, except that as the driver was helping a passenger in, his foot slipped off the brake pedal and hit the gas pedal.
Another Homicide in Santa Cruz
A 41-year-old woman was killed in the early hours of Saturday. Police say her live-in boyfriend is to blame. The killing marks an increase in the number of homicides in the city resulting from domestic violence as well.
Teen, Not Ghost, Responsible for Haunted House Mischief
The new Haunted Castle at the Boardwalk ground to a stop yesterday when a tablecloth used in one of the sets suddenly appeared on the tracks. The incident caused two of the cars to crash, resulting in about $5,000 worth of damages. The good news is that it wasn’t a ghost haunting the Haunted House.
Happy Furlough Friday
County offices will be closed today as part of an effort to reduce spending. The county’s budget called for one Friday furlough per month. The furlough does not affect county parks or child services, and both the DA’s office and the County Recorder’s office will offer reduced services.
Sleep Out Protest in Nineteenth Day
Homeless activists are in day 19 of their protest against the city’s sleeping ban ordinance. Every night for the past two and a half weeks, about 30 people unroll their bedrolls on the steps of the county courthouse for their slumber party protest. They have no plans on stopping, either. Not only do they want the ordinance repealed, they are also demanding amnesty for all tickets issued since the law was first enacted, back in 1979.
School Food Not Reaching Students
One day Chef Jamie Smith walked into a classroom and asked the students what they had for breakfast. He says that 50 to 60 percent said nothing, while one student said that he had Skittles. While studies show that eating healthy meals helps students learn better, kids in Santa Cruz aren’t eating well at all, despite everything the district has done to encourage healthier meals. Smith, an award-winning chef, was hired by the school district to provide nutritious meals for students, with support from state and federal subsidies, but kids are not taking advantage of the food available to them. Even with healthier, tastier meals, fewer students are having a hearty cafeteria breakfast or lunch.
