Egg Hunts, No Kings, No April Fools Here 👀🐣🐰🗞️
Hello Good Times Readers! ☀️🌊
Spring is doing its thing this week 🌼 – a little sunshine and a little reset. There’s a slight chance of midweek showers (the kind that may or may not actually show up), but nothing that should derail your plans – and by the weekend, we’re right back to sunshine and warm, springy days.
If you’re looking to keep the weekend energy going, 🎸Nick Lowe is at the Rio Theatre tonight at 8pm. He’s a legendary producer (Elvis Costello, The Pretenders), songwriter of more than a few songs you probably know by heart, and a longtime musician’s musician now in his “second act” as a sharp, silver-haired singer-songwriter. He’s performing solo this evening.
Passover begins Wednesday evening, marking a time of reflection, tradition, and gathering. Wednesday also happens to be April Fools’ Day – so maybe take anything a little too wild with a grain of salt. 😉
By the weekend, Easter arrives with all the egg hunts, brunches, and pastel-colored everything you’d expect. Whether you’re celebrating, hosting, or just here for the chocolate, there’s a little something for everyone. In fact, it’s shaping up to be a bit of an eggstravaganza out there. The list of things to do for Easter is eggstraordinary (sorry, I can’t help myself 🐣). Here are a few fun finds:
Highlands County Park is hosting an Accessible Egg Hunt so “every bunny can play.” It’s intended to be a calm, inclusive egg hunt in Ben Lomond designed for kids with mobility, vision, and sensory needs – featuring adaptive options like wheelchair-accessible and beeper hunts, plus storytime and sensory play. A really thoughtful take on a classic.
Boulder Creek will have a free Egg Walk. More wander than scramble, this mountain-town twist skips the chaos in favor of strolling, local vendors, and a kid-friendly downtown vibe.
Also free, the Agricultural History Project is hosting its Easter on the Farm event in Watsonville. It’s a family-friendly celebration with egg hunts, hayrides, farm animals, and all the Pajaro Valley charm. A little more low-key, a lot more local.
🐰 The Boardwalk has a park-wide bunny hunt with a Santa Cruz twist – hidden “surfing bunnies” are scattered throughout the park, and it’s up to you to find them. Grab a map and see how many you can track down; the hunt runs daily from noon to 7pm through April 20.
Had your fill of bunnies and pastel everything? Fair. 🎨 First Friday returns April 3, with galleries and studios opening their doors for a night of art, music, and mingling – expect local artists on hand, a little DJ energy, and a mix of people, art, and conversation.
If you’re not ready to call it a night after First Friday, 🎶 The Garden hits the Quarry Amphitheater at UCSC – a high-energy, lo-fi punk duo out of Orange County, joined by Ghost Mountain.
Ok, let’s get on to the news… Thanks for reading!
News Highlights
Big Turnout Across Santa Cruz County for “No Kings” Rallies
Janus Buys Rodeway Inn for Treatment Center
Highway 129 and 152 Road Closures
Walgreens Must Pay $6M in Price Scanner, Expired Products Case
Levee Work Underway in Pajaro Valley
Santa Cruz Considers Half Cent Sales Tax Hike
Rail Corridor Issue Trying to Avoid Court
County Sued Over Live Oak Apartment Proposals
PVUSD Launches Advisory Committee
Plus Local VCs Supporting Women, UC Students React to Iran War, Sketchy Supplements, Fun Food and Cheap (but GREAT) Wine ……and Much More!
TOP STORIES
Big Turnout Across Santa Cruz County for “No Kings” Rallies
Large crowds turned out across Santa Cruz County on Saturday for the nationwide “No Kings” protests, with thousands of people gathering in Santa Cruz and Watsonville. Demonstrations were peaceful locally, with a strong turnout and visible community support.
Janus Buys Rodeway Inn for Treatment Center
Janus of Santa Cruz has purchased the former Rodeway Inn hotel and plans to convert it into a 120-bed residential treatment facility for individuals seeking recovery from substance use disorders.
Highway 129 and 152 Road Closures
Caltrans crews will perform safety improvement projects in Watsonville starting March 30, which will result in daytime and overnight closures of lanes along Highway 129 and 152.
Walgreens Must Pay $6M in Price Scanner, Expired Products Case
Several California district attorneys’ offices have reached a $6 million settlement with Walgreens over allegations that the retail chain overcharged customers and sold expired over-the-counter products in violation of state law.
Levee Work Underway in Pajaro Valley
Construction is underway on a long-anticipated flood control project in the Pajaro Valley, even as state lawmakers push new legislation aimed at speeding up similar work along the Pajaro River.
Santa Cruz Considers Half-Cent Sales Tax Hike
County leaders are considering a half-cent sales tax for the November ballot to help offset expected federal funding cuts to local services such as healthcare and food assistance.
Rail Corridor Issue Trying to Avoid Court
The RTC is considering a separation agreement with Progressive Rail that could avoid court and help move the agency toward a new South County rail operator. The next RTC meeting is Thursday, April 2 in Watsonville.
County Sued Over Two Live Oak Apartment Proposals
Two contentious, multi-story apartment buildings proposed by Santa Cruz-based developer Workbench landed in court in recent days, with lawsuits coming from multiple sides.
PVUSD Launches Advisory Committee
The district is launching an advisory committee to draft recommendations for school consolidation. Interested residents can apply through April 3. The first meeting is set for April 14.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Women are often ignored by investors. Read about two female venture capitalists who are changing that formula.
Iranian students at UCSC said last week they felt a weary cynicism of being bystanders in a war an ocean away.
Good Times Wellness columnist and author Elizabeth Borelli tells us that for many of the trendiest products, the science hasn’t quite caught up with the marketing.
In this week’s Foodie File, Andrew Steingrube profiles former Google chef Hongmin Mo of Fusion Fare in downtown Santa Cruz – who likes to have fun with food.
In her latest column, wine writer Josie Cowden covers everything from a $15 bottle of wine to Clos La Chance winery’s new name “CordeValle” plus a professional knife maker, dreamy tea, Cactus Crunch chips and more.
😳 Wait, What?! 🧅👀
If chopping onions has you ugly crying like you’re watching a Hallmark holiday commercial, there’s good news! You can safely toss those onion goggles because “tear free” onions are now a thing. Called “Goldies,” they are apparently sweet enough to eat like an apple…hmmmm… sure, you go ahead and take the first bite – I’ll be right here…with the kleenex, just in case.