As a new quarter begins, the UC campus worker labor union is coming out of a summer full of contract negotiations. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), which represents 9,000 service workers and 11,000 patient-care workers throughout the UC system, has been fighting the university for higher wages since its contract [...]

Depending on the time of year – or even the time of day – the Santa Cruz boardwalk can take on a very different feel. Half of these photographs were taken while the iconic Santa Cruz attraction was closed, when, void of people, the rides and booths seem oddly frozen and lifeless. The others were [...]

When you’re in college, coffee can become as central and necessary to your life as earplugs are for blocking out your noisy roommate. There are so many coffee shops in the Santa Cruz area that it was impossible to cover them all, but I’ve reviewed a few to give you an idea of what’s out [...]

Under 21 and looking for something fun to do in Santa Cruz? Sick of house parties and frolicking in the campus woods? Break free from the campus bubble for a bit and descend the hill into town to check out some of these unique local attractions. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk 400 Beach St. The [...]

There’s a growing trend on the streets of Santa Cruz, and it’s not about hippies, surfers, or increasing crowds found downtown. It’s about colorful and inspired new businesses popping up on the streets of Santa Cruz as a result of young people living out their entrepreneurial dreams. Their youthful perspectives on business set them apart [...]

After slapping the snooze button one too many times, I’ve finally woken up. I’ve started to see what this beautifully eccentric town and our university have to offer. And not a moment too soon. At the beginning of my sophomore year, I joined the school newspaper and my eyes quickly opened to so many faces [...]

If you came to Santa Cruz with something that has two wheels, pedals, a saddle, and grips for each hand, then it’s time you introduced it to the biggest backyard you’ll probably ever have. That something is a mountain bike and that big backyard is UC Santa Cruz’s Upper Campus. Slug mountain bikers have access [...]

Kirby Scudder stands alone on his porch staring at another one of his unique art projects — a 25-foot-diameter globe made out of recycled plastic. An impressive construction site of what will soon become the Tannery Arts Center looms behind him in the distance. For those in the arts community, this skeleton of wood and [...]

In the two years I spent in Santa Cruz, food was always on my mind. Studying for finals, going to parties, getting my heart broken – a girl’s always gotta eat, and so do you. While working toward my Bachelor’s degree, I also learned a lot about feeding myself and others. Cooking for my roommates, [...]

Here they come: the bedraggled, the hipsters and the homeless. The youth, tattered and torn, collapse cross-legged, hollering out refrains and begging requests. Older folks, suspicious at first, sway in the sun, reluctantly accepting the horns, keys, and synchronized vocals. Tourists, inquisitive about the local “street culture,” O’Neill bags slung over their shoulders, Cappuccinos in [...]