January
•Donna Lind is sworn in as Scotts Valley, and immediately begins planning for the city’s 50th anniversary birthday party in July.
•El Nino rains pelt the mountains, causing dangerous driving conditions.
•Mt. Hermon announces plans for Felton Meadow Bike Park
•Jan Nelson reminds readers that winter is the time to plan bare root trees.
February
•Countywide survey of cannabis growers is underway.
•Goodwill announces plans to move to a larger location in Kings Village Shopping Center.
•Georgia Randle is honored for her work as a volunteer horse ranger at Henry Cowell State Park.
March
•Water districts begin conversations about sharing aquifer resources.
•Lompico property owners favor merger with San Lorenzo Valley Water District.
•Santa Cruz CPA firm Walters & Kondrasheff moves to Scotts Valley.
•Scotts Valley Planning Commission endorses extended-stay Marriot Hotel and new town homes at the end of Santa’s Village Road.
•METRO bus system announces possible cuts in bus service to mountain communities.
•County library system begins campaign for $62 million bond vote in June.
•Loch Lomond reopens after two-year hiatus as water levels return to normal levels.
April
•County officials begin considering half-cent sales tax to make roads safer.
•Scotts Valley school officials approve construction plans for a privately-funded sports complex at the high school.
•Scotts Valley adopts new housing plan, aimed at making housing more affordable.
•Kaiser Permanente announces plans to open a Scotts Valley clinic, and additional clinics in Santa Cruz and Watsonville in early 2017.
•Owner of Brookdale Lodge gets county permits to begin renovations to motel rooms and retail space, in hopes of reopening by late summer.
•Boulder Creek residents raise money to help Richard Liu, owner of Foster Freeze, after burglars vandalized the store.
•Press Banner names Barry Holtzclaw editor and Jeannette Close advertising director. Paper also hires Andy Boswell as graphics artist.
May
•UC Santa Cruz announces it is moving three entire department, up to 500 staff, from offices in Santa Cruz to the former Borland headquarters in Scotts Valley.
•Water restrictions continue, despite winter of normal rains: mandatory in the San Lorenzo Valley and voluntary in Scotts Valley.
•San Lorenzo Valley students win team robotics competition.
•Goodwill announces it will double its staff at the new location in Kings Village, set for opening in the fall.
•Santa Cruz County takes its first steps to begin licensing and regulating cannabis growers.
•Central California Alliance for Health adds jobs.
•Jenny Haruyama hired as new city manager for Scotts Valley.
•Work begins on new roof for historic Felton Covered Bridge
June
•Parents and school officials at San Lorenzo Valley High School begin effort to improve safety for students walking along Highway 9.
•Cabrillo College campaign seeks voter approval of $310 million bond issue.
•Voters reject Cabrillo bonds, approve bonds for new libraries.
•Bruce McPherson wins election as supervisor in landslide primary vote. Bernie Sanders tops Hillary Clinton locally.
•Scotts Valley Middle School project is back on track, with construction site work to begin in late 2016.
July
•Bruce Barlow makes two holes-in-one on consecutive days at the Valley Gardens Golf Course
•Motorcycles roar, crowds cheer, fire works close SV birthday party
•Trout Farm owners reaffirm pledge to reopen after fire
•Agreement reached to open Felton museum at library building in 2018
•Five engine companies and 20 firefighters sent to assist with the Soberanes wildfire in Big Sur
August
•Santa Cruz Metro restores two extra morning routes that serve San Lorenzo Valley students
•Three long-term incumbents face two new challengers in SV city council contest
•Three fire districts send additional crews to Soberanes wildfire
•Crowded field vies for five open Scotts Valley school board positions
•County website opens for pot grower registration
•Scotts Valley 9-year-old Mars Davis wins US trampoline gold
•Jenny Haruyama named as new city manager
•Big Game rematch between Harbor and SLV takes place — 20 years after it ended in a tie. Injuries were minimal as SLV romped to a belated 6-0 win
September
•Scotts Valley, SLV students outperform county and state in assessment testing
•More lanes for Highway 1 is sticking point for Measure D opponents
•Cougars maul visiting Balboa in home opener, 51-6
•Loma Prieta wildfire darkens skies from Santa Cruz to Watsonville
•Brews, beef and 4-H were 2016 county fair winners
•Water rate hike looming in Scotts Valley
•Scotts Valley Police Chief John Weiss announces Dec. retirement
•Goodwill Central Coast opens new retail store in Kings Village Shopping Center
October
•Malone’s Grille sold, after 36 years serving Scotts Valley
•Felton, Scotts Valley firefighters return from battling Loma Prieta fire
•Scotts Valley and SLV Water district begin regional emergency exchange program
•New water year begins on upbeat note with an inch of weekend rain
•Council candidates debate thorny issues during election forum
•Press Banner publishes 10th annual Faves and Raves
•Scotts Valley water rate rising by 27 percent
•Seven of eight school board candidates face off in public forum
•Revealed that council member Dene Bustichi’s contractor license revoked
November
•After 40 years Seagate announces plans to vacate its last building in Scotts Valley
•Goblins, ghouls and ghosts roam the streets to celebrate Halloween
•County voters go the polls with a record number casting ballots by mail
•City announces that the long-awaited general plan update will begin in 2017
•Kaiser announces Jan. 3 as its grand opening of three county facilities
•Passage of Proposition 51 allows new gym project at middle school to move ahead
•Boulder Creek, county partner to buy Bear Creek Country Club
•Steve Walpole named interim police chief in Scotts Valley
December
•City of Scotts Valley moves to increase social media presence
•Press Banner redesigns its logo
•City hires $100,000 consultant to help with financial management reporting
•Scotts Valley Water District raises fees 27 percent
•Councilman Dene Bustichi arrested for DUI
•San Lorenzo Valley Water District pays legal bills for former director that judge ruled violated conflict-of-interest laws
•Municipalities agree to form independent power agency by buy “green” power by 2018
•Winter storms knock out power,block roads with downed trees and mudslides
