The royal family of Hawaii paid tribute to Santa Cruz by donating a bronze plaque honoring the three princes who first surfed here in 1885. According to the story, three Hawaiian princes visited the coast that year while on vacation from St. Matthew’s Hall military school in San Mateo. When they saw the waves, they ordered three 15-foot, 100-pound surfboards to be made for them from the local redwoods. They paddled them out of the San Lorenzo River, and surfing history was made.
Articles by Santacruz.com Staff
Ten Questions for Kristen Cederquist
Kristen Cederquist, co-owner of Serendipity Saucy Spreads, shares what brought her to Santa Cruz and what she’s been up to since then.
Changes in Access to Dominican Hospital Because of Swine Flu Scare
Visitors to Dominican Hospital and Rehabilitation Services will have to undergo H1N1 screening starting this Monday in an effort to curb the spread of the pandemic.
Rotkin Back in the Mayor’s Seat
Santa Cruz has an old/new mayor as of Tuesday night. City Council unanimously picked Mike Rotkin to replace Cynthia Matthews. It is the fifth time Rotkin has served as mayor, breaking all previous records. Rotkin is now completing his sixth four-year term on city council, over a period stretching back more than 30 years—according to city statutes, councilmembers must take a two-year break after serving for four terms. Ryan, Coonerty, 35, who was chosen to serve as vice mayor, quipped, “Mike’s been on the council almost as long as I’ve been alive.”
Brainstorming Session to Curb Local Violence
City leaders in Santa Cruz hosted a brainstorming session last night in an effort to come up with ideas to curb local violence.
Local Parks Suffer from Budget Cuts
With winter ahead, fewer people will be heading to Santa Cruz’s state parks to hike and camp, and that’s a relief for the local rangers. Faced with a 10 percent budget cut, parks such as Big Basin and Henry Cowell will have to trim their budgets by $14 million and deal with less staff because of a state-enforced three-day-per-month furlough.
No Leads in Watsonville Crash
Police are still investigating what caused the crash of a light aircraft in an orchard just outside Watsonville Municipal Airport.
New Charter School Proposed for Watsonville
There may soon be a new charter school in Watsonville, the Escuela Xochitl Tonatiuh. The school, proposed by Teresa Robinson of Los Gatos, is planned for 85 students and would be intended to help middle-school students avoid getting involved in drugs and gang violence.
Architect Sues County to Restore Planning Appeals Board
Last week, architect Cove Britton sued the county to restore a planning appeals board that was disbanded earlier this year after just a few meetings.
Pajaro Water Agency Chief Resigns
The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency lost the chair of its board yesterday with the sudden resignation of Dennis Osmer. He later compared the role of chair to that of a circus ringmaster, and noted one boardmember, John G. Eiskamp, as being particularly troublesome.
