Sunday Reads: Local weather change online game, life after the Benchlands, bother on the county truthful

Welcome to ‘Earth Island’: How two Santa Cruz artists purpose to struggle local weather change with a online game

Can a online game save the planet? Eric Thiermann and Ethan Summers might not declare that lofty ambition, however the Santa Cruz entrepreneurs are hoping to harness the recognition of video video games to seek out options to local weather change. Their imaginative and prescient is Earth Island, a simulation recreation through which gamers can find out about real-world efforts to mitigate local weather change and apply these instruments to all kinds of environments and ecosystems. Learn Wallace Baine’s story right here.

➤ MORE FROM WALLACE BAINE: With nod to Quixote, Santa Cruz’s Elizabeth McKenzie takes readers on an journey in new novel

Jazmine’s story: The place did the unhoused from the Benchlands go?

Lookout has been questioning what occurred to the 250-300 individuals who lived in Santa Cruz’s largest homeless encampment, often called the Benchlands, after the town closed it within the fall. Most are untracked and untrackable, as they didn’t make the most of metropolis providers. However we saved asking and searching. In a brand new video, Group Voices talks to Jazmine, a therapeutic massage therapist, whom we interviewed in August when she lived in a tent within the Benchlands. She now lives in a small trailer within the Santa Cruz Mountains. She tells us her post-Benchlands expertise, talks about what it feels wish to be unhoused, how straightforward it’s to fall and the way exhausting it’s to get again up. Watch it right here.

➤ FROM AUGUST: Include us to the Benchlands: Pay attention to 5 voices of Santa Cruz’s unhoused

Misinformation is inflicting “the latest, inflammatory public conduct on the truthful board conferences,” writes longtime Santa Cruz County Honest volunteer Becky Steinbruner, who has attended conferences usually since 2020. She insists new president Don Dietrich is doing a superb job and has powerful work to wash up years of neglect and lack of oversight. The fairgrounds has to observe state rules, she writes — one thing she believes Dave Kegebein, the ousted truthful supervisor and CEO, by no means did. Learn her Group Voices opinion piece right here.

➤ PREVIOUSLY: Fairgrounds’ future appears to be like fraught — lies, deception and private vendettas are poisoning beloved establishment

Take a look at your newsy data with this week’s Lookout information quiz

How intently do you observe Santa Cruz County goings-on? Our 10-question quiz based mostly on tales from Lookout correspondents and contributors places you to the check. Click on right here to see the way you fare.

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