With a proposed cut of $22 million in two years, the California state park system is looking for ways to cut back, including possibly shutting down some state parks in California temporarily. With closures, the threat of development is imminent, and has led to the drafting of SB580 — a bill currently making its way through the Senate to curb unwanted development.

It’d be hard to find two students who study in exactly the same way. Some enjoy the structure and silence that characterizes McHenry Library on a mid-week morning. Others require the nighttime bustle and caffeination offered up by the numerous downtown coffee shops. No matter how we like to get the job done, though, every UCSC student needs an occasional escape from the ordinary study routine. Thankfully, Santa Cruz has several supreme study spots to offer — many of which you may not have discovered just yet.

The dramatic landscape of Natural Bridges State Beach served as the backdrop to an impassioned rally on June 1, with over 500 residents coming together to oppose Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed plan to cut $213 million from the California State Parks system by 2011.