In today's newscast:
Rally organized by Friends of the Rail Trail on Wednesday
Roughly 70 people rallied along a segment of the 32-mile Coastal Rail Trail in Santa Cruz to show support for a design that preserves the train tracks.
"We're urging people to get engaged and write the Transportation Commission," said Matt Farrell with Friends of the Rail Trail.
The group organized the rally ahead of the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission’s decision on whether to tear out or keep the train tracks, which is expected this summer.
"This sets a precedent," said Farrell. "There are examples where we've been able to save the tracks and build the trail, and we need to stick with that approach."
He says sections of the trail between the city’s West Side and Santa Cruz Harbor and towards Davenport have been built without removing the tracks.
"If the tracks are removed, they won't come back," said Farrell, who fears if the tracks are gone, future passenger rail service will never happen.
Trail-only advocates cite a $77 million funding gap, a cost of $4.5 billion to make rail service a reality and concerns about the condition of the train tracks.
World Bee Day draws attention to pollinators
In Monterey County, Friends of the Seaside Parks support bee populations every weekend with native pollinator habitat workdays.
"Pollinators are a part of our extended family," said Laura Murphy. "They're a really important part of our agroecosystem. And they also bring sights and sounds and beauty and joy to our communities."
Murphy is a soil scientist with Monterey County’s Resource Conservation District. She’s helped lead the weekend workdays since they began five years ago.
"Every single Saturday—rain, shine, holiday—there's always a leader on site."
Typically 20 to 30 volunteers join each week and this weekend’s gathering is at Lincoln Cunningham park.
