The city [of Santa Cruz] has created the position of global warming coordinator at up to $80,000 a year to help prevent climate change, guide Santa Cruz in transportation and land-use decisions and get the community involved in the effort.
Interested applicants better hustle–the city plans to have the position filled by the end of August. More here. Santa Cruz was also at the vanguard on medical marijuana:
A year and a half ago, when council members in the beachfront community decided to create the nation’s first municipal department to distribute medicinal marijuana, SNL had a field day. “The new agency will be called the Santa Cruz Department of Kevin’s Van,” SNL’s Amy Poehler quipped on “Weekend Update.”
Article here.