Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: NorCal Shark Attack Victim ID'd Wearing 'Shark Band' On Ankle: Report

Coming up on the Santa Cruz Patch calendar: El capulin nursery

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Tuesday December 30th Patch AM
Tuesday December 30th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Good day Santa Cruz! We're here again with what you need to know today. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Shark-band-wearing swimmer found dead off Davenport shoreline identified
  • How a new state law could reshape UCSC student housing in Santa Cruz
  • Which Santa Cruz shows are vying for Bay Area theater honors?

Also on today's calendar: El capulin nursery and 9 more events.

Find out what's happening in Santa Cruzfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: The world champion tongue twister just got arrested! 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Santa Cruzfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Tuesday: Plenty of sunshine, with a high of 64 and low of 52 degrees.
  • Wednesday: Cooler with rain and drizzle, temps: high: 57, low: 52.
  • Thursday: Periods of rain, with a high of 59 and low of 56 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. NorCal Shark Attack Victim ID'd Wearing 'Shark Band' On Ankle: Report (patch.com) — A swimmer whose body was recovered south of Davenport Beach in Santa Cruz County has been identified as 55-year-old Erica Fox, who was wearing a magnetic “shark band” on her ankle. Authorities say Fox disappeared during a group swim near Lovers Point after a shark surfaced, prompting beach closures and a days-long vigil before her remains were found near the northern end of Monterey Bay.
   

2. Bill will streamline on-campus housing developments (santacruzsentinel.com) — UC Santa Cruz students helped shape a new state law taking effect Jan. 1 that streamlines approval for campus housing projects on California’s coastal campuses. The story details UCSC’s severe housing shortage, the shift to a lottery system for continuing students, and how many are pushed into Santa Cruz’s pricey rental market while the university plans several new housing projects through 2030.
   

3. Last Chance to Vote for the 2025 BroadwayWorld San Francisco / Bay Area Awards; URINETOWN Leads Best Musical! (broadwayworld.com) — Santa Cruz theater fans still have until December 31 to boost Santa Cruz Shakespeare and Mountain Community Theater in the 2025 BroadwayWorld San Francisco/Bay Area Awards. Numerous local artists and productions, including Into the Woods, Pericles, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Addams Family, are nominated across directing, design, ensemble, and performance categories. Your votes could help bring more regional recognition home.
   

4. A Guide to First Day Hikes in Monterey & Santa Cruz Counties (montereybayparent.com) — Santa Cruz County residents can kick off New Year’s Day with free, guided First Day Hikes at nearby state parks, alongside options in neighboring Monterey County. The piece explains the national First Day Hikes tradition and highlights easy-to-moderate outings, tidepool explorations, and family-friendly walks designed to start 2026 with fresh air, exercise, and local nature appreciation.
   

5. Details on feds' CBD Medicare coverage program (Newsletter: December 29, 2025) (marijuanamoment.net) — Santa Cruz County supervisors just took a key first step toward setting formal rules for local cannabis consumption lounges, a move that could shape where and how residents legally use marijuana in public-style settings. Their action comes amid sweeping national and state-level cannabis changes, from Medicare CBD coverage efforts to federal rescheduling debates and new research on medical uses.
   

📸 Around Santa Cruz

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Santa Cruz

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Update: Pet Reunited
    Palomo, a cat who went missing in Santa Cruz County, CA, has been safely reunited with their family after 1 days, 4 hours. Message from Owner: "He… (Nextdoor Woodland Heights)
  • a few weeks ago someone posted a photo of a cat that looked a lot like mine, saying it had been hanging out at their house… It was in the Roosevelt Terrace area… I said my cat wouldn’t cross Broadway….
    yesterday I was at the Broadway Playhouse in the morning and there she was checking out the grassy field… (Nextdoor BOSS)
  • Insomnia Cookies posted a job opening for Store Manager in Training (MIT) in Santa Cruz. Apply here.
  • Yogurtland posted a job opening for Store Associate in Capitola. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Santa Cruz here.

Ok Santa Cruz! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I hear they’re giving him a really tough sentence.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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