Aric Sleeper

1 week ago | santacruzsentinel.com | Aric Sleeper

SANTA CRUZ — At the Santa Cruz City Council’s last meeting before its July break, the governing body will tackle a packed agenda that concludes with an appeal hearing for the proposed six-story development on the 500 block of Ocean Street. The meeting begins at 2 p.m. Tuesday with oral communications, where community members are given a few minutes to express their concerns about issues not on the meeting’s agenda and within the jurisdiction of the City Council.

1 week ago | santacruzsentinel.com | Aric Sleeper

SANTA CRUZ — A blaze caused by an unauthorized cooking fire within Natural Bridges State Beach on a warm and windy Thursday afternoon was quickly contained by the Santa Cruz Fire Department in coordination with other fire and law enforcement agencies. “On arrival of the first unit, crews found a fire with a rapid rate of spread in the eucalyptus grove just west of the visitors center,” said Santa Cruz Fire Department Battalion Chief Josh Coleman in a social media post.

1 week ago | santacruzsentinel.com | Aric Sleeper

SCOTTS VALLEY — To help generate funding for future public projects, the city of Scotts Valley is considering the establishment of an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District, which sets aside a portion of future property tax revenue in a specified area. At its meeting Tuesday evening, which is the last meeting until August, the Scotts Valley City Council heard a presentation about the potential financing mechanism from Kosmont Cos.

1 week ago | santacruzsentinel.com | Aric Sleeper

SANTA CRUZ —  Beloved community member, five-time Santa Cruz Mayor and longtime UC Santa Cruz lecturer Mike Rotkin died Wednesday at his home on the Westside of Santa Cruz. He was 79. Rotkin, who moved to Santa Cruz in the late 1960s, was voted six times to the Santa Cruz City Council and served as mayor on five occasions during that time. He held a Ph.D. in history of consciousness and taught politics and history at UCSC for more than 50 years.

1 week ago | santacruzsentinel.com | Aric Sleeper

SANTA CRUZ — For community members curious about where their recycling ends up after it’s picked up by collectors, the city of Santa Cruz is offering free tours of its Resource Recovery Facility and Recycling Center every Friday until late August. The educational tours began earlier this month and will continue each Friday until Aug. 22, with tours at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Resource Recovery Facility on the outskirts of the city.