2009 Year in Review

By historical standards, the year 2009 will likely be remembered most as President Obama’s first in the Oval Office. Congress passed stimulus packages of all shapes and sizes, and the nation’s military presence in Afghanistan increased in an effort to quell rising violence there. But in the San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts Valley, the ebb and flow of the economy seemed to drive the news this year. Here’s a look back on the year’s biggest events in our community.
January
A few days after the New Year, San Lorenzo Valley resident Jerry MacCallister crashed a dirt bike and became paralyzed from the chin down.
Scotts Valley’s biggest employer, Seagate Technology, announced that 6 percent of its workers would lose their jobs. It happened, and the Scotts Valley campus felt like a ghost town while the reality sank in that the economy had hit rock bottom.
At the same time, Ernest Maczo from Ben Lomond cashed in a lottery ticket worth $796,000.
The Scotts Valley City Council approved the yet-to-be constructed Town Center Homes development and the hotly contested Suburban Propane move from Skypark to Janis Way.
On the basketball court, the San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts Valley high school boys basketball teams had a scuffle that resulted in ejections as the rivalry poured from the gridiron to the hardwood.
Twenty-five-year Valley Press/Press-Banner columnist Tessie Kennedy called it quits in a final Tessie’s People column.
February
Ben Lomond’s Colly Gruczelak launched the Santa Cruz Mountains Gourmet Dinner Club in early February. The club quickly expanded to 50 members and entered the realm of a service organization.
In sports, Lance Armstrong rolled through Bonny Doon on his famous yellow Trek as part of the second stage of the Tour of California, and San Lorenzo Valley wrestler Cody Rodebaugh won the Central Coast Section title.
With the state budget in flux, the Scotts Valley Unified School district began looking at possible layoffs.
In late February, Santa Cruz County Sheriff Steve Robbins announced his retirement and endorsed eventual replacement Phil Wowak.
March
Bethany University took on Lewis Shelton as interim president to replace Max Rossi. Later in the year, Shelton’s title dropped the “interim,” and he was inaugurated as president of the college.
Susan Westman joined Scotts Valley’s planning department for the third time as community development director, essentially to oversee the Town Center project.
At San Lorenzo Valley High, freshman Jeff Kyrnitszke used abdominal thrusts to save a fellow student’s life.
The San Lorenzo Valley Water District raised rates, but at a lower rate than proposed after an outcry from the community.
Cody Rodebaugh won the California state championship, wrestling at 140 pounds for SLV.
After a multiyear battle waged by some SLV residents, Santa Cruz County supervisors voted to drop their deal with South County Housing Corp. because of legal concerns. An affordable-housing project was scheduled for Felton Meadow, but local residents had many worries about the environmental impact of the project. April
Scotts Valley announced that a year-round farmers market would set up in Scotts Valley on Saturdays, beginning in August.
On April 6, a high-speed chase that began in Santa Cruz ended in the Kings Village Shopping Center in Scotts Valley. A man and woman from out of state were arrested for stealing a car and assaulting an officer with a deadly weapon.
In a scary turn of events for many residents, the county was struck by communications vandals when fiber-optic cables were cut in San Jose and San Carlos, cutting off cell phones and the Internet, including the use of ATM cards, to thousands of residents in SLV and Scotts Valley.
Bonny Doon Union Elementary Principal Gail Levine stepped down amid health concerns, and the district hired Stephanie Siddens to take her place.
The Scotts Valley Police Department bought a SWAT truck for $10, and Boulder Creek’s Jim Zook left for a road trip around the nation to document the nation’s struggling economy.
May
In May, the so-called swine flu was a hot topic, and the county started preparations for an H1N1 outbreak.
Andy LeVitre, an SLV High graduate, was drafted by the Buffalo Bills as an offensive lineman.
Ben Lomond’s Tom Decker and Maria McArthur arrived home to find it occupied by a stranger who had supposedly bought the home without them knowing.
Mid-month, the Scotts Valley High boys track and field team won its first league title in school history. Then, SLV’s girls softball team won its first league title since 1988.
A big victory came when Scotts Valley won its $2.1 million lawsuit against the county regarding property tax revenue.
June
The California state parks system began to plan for closures as the state took money away from the parks to try to fill a gaping budget hole.
In Scotts Valley, the city bought the Scotts Valley Sports Center with plans to make it into a new library, while library branches in Scotts Valley and the San Lorenzo Valley had open hours slashed as the library budget took a hit.
Robbie Erlin, a star lefty from Scotts Valley High, was drafted by the Texas Rangers.
A fire hit the Bethany University cafeteria, and the kitchen and dining room were destroyed.
July
Major work to repair a slip-out on Highway 236 in Boulder Creek resulted in closures on the rural highway. County Supervisor Mark Stone lobbied for it to be opened over the July Fourth weekend, and work was halted for the holiday.
Stone also completed a 13-hour swim across the English Channel.
San Lorenzo Valley Middle School promoted Jeff Calden to principal.
In another change, editor Chuck Anderson left the Press-Banner for Oregon, and Peter Burke took his place.
Also, a rush-hour geyser halted traffic on Mount Hermon Road in Scotts Valley for several hours.
August
The Lockheed Fire burned 7,300 acres in Bonny Doon and down to the north coast of Santa Cruz County. No homes were burned in the blaze. Just weeks later, the Brookdale Inn and Spa burst into flames, resulting in damage to its rental apartments.
Scotts Valley High School happily completed the construction projects that resulted from 42 lawsuits against the original contractors who built the school.
In death, longtime Felton resident Ken Whalen left $146,000 each to the Felton Library and Felton Fire District and $19,000 to the Felton Cemetery.
Boulder Creek’s Colter White was arrested on a parole violation, and Cabrillo College professors, fellow students and even the college president went to his aid. He was eventually freed, and the charges were dropped.
September
In light of difficult economic conditions, Scotts Valley enacted monthly furloughs for city staff.
Ben Lomond garden columnist Jan Nelson celebrated her 200th column with the Press-Banner.
The county fair returned, and many SLV and SV residents young and old participated.
Six students at Bethany University tested positive for H1N1 flu, but panic did not ensue.
October
A “phishing” fraud hit the San Lorenzo Valley, as automated phone calls posing as Liberty Bank representatives peppered county residents in an effort to gain sensitive banking and identity information.
A mid-October storm dumped 10 inches of rain on the area, and a large tree fell and damaged Boomer’s Castle in Bonny Doon.
Locals celebrated the 20-year anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake.
The Scotts Valley City Council granted the developer of the Town Center a second extension.
Scotts Valley High tennis player Malie Collins and the doubles team of Capella Yee and Kailey Payne won league titles for the Falcons.
November
Target pulled out of its deal to build in Scotts Valley, to the joy of fervent opponent Paul Bach and his Responsible Local Development Political Action Committee.
The SLV boys cross country team captured the league title, defeating longtime rival Aptos High, and the Cougars football team tied atop the SCCAL standings with Soquel and Scotts Valley.
A Boulder Creek duplex on Highway 9 was gutted by fire, leaving 15 people homeless for a short time.
December
Jim Reed was appointed Scotts Valley’s new mayor.
The San Lorenzo Valley sheriff’s service center saved money by moving in with Cal Fire on Highway 9.
Scotts Valley’s Aldin Barrett and SLV’s Kyle Todd shared football MVP honors in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League.
A double stabbing took place in Felton at the Covered Bridge. The sheriff’s office called it a drug deal gone bad.
The Valley Women’s Club announced that the Redwood Mountain Faire will be back in 2010, this time at Roaring Camp Railroads.
Robert Brunette, a Boulder Creek man, was found guilty of nine counts of animal cruelty for breeding dogs illegally at his home.
Jack in the Box announced it will build on Scotts Valley Drive.
So long, 2009 — and hello, 2010!