Museum Hero nominations being sought
San Lorenzo Valley Historical Society, which owns and operates the San Lorenzo Valley Museum, is seeking nominations for its Museum Hero award as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
The organization, established in 1976 as the Boulder Creek Historical Society, will honor a Museum Hero at its annual meeting on Saturday, Sept. 19.
Nominees should be San Lorenzo Valley residents who have demonstrated a strong, long-term commitment to preserving and sharing the valley’s history. The award recognizes individuals who embody the society’s mission, volunteer with the museum or serve as cultural stewards.
Nominations are due by midnight on Monday, Sept. 14, and can be submitted through the San Lorenzo Valley Museum website slvmuseum.org.
Free rides offered to Santa Cruz County Fair
Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) will offer free fixed-route and ParaCruz service to the Santa Cruz County Fair, Sept. 16-20, at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Watsonville.
A special Route 79F will provide daily service to the fairgrounds, departing from Westridge Drive at the Government Center at 35 minutes past each hour. Service will run from 10:35 a.m. to 9:35 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and from 8:35 a.m. to 9:35 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Return trips will leave the fairgrounds hourly from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Free weekend service also will be available on Route 79, Sept. 19-20. Registered ParaCruz customers can receive free daily service to and from the fair with advance reservations.
METRO riders taking Route 79F, Route 79 or ParaCruz to the fair also can receive discounted admission. Riders should request a voucher from their operator and present it at the fair ticket window. Adults will receive $7 off admission, while youth ages 6-12 will receive $6 off.
For more information, visit scmetro.org/fair. Fair admission and event information is available at santacruzcountyfair.com.
Hospital hosts free prostate cancer screenings
The Dominican Hospital Foundation and Katz Cancer Resource Center will host free prostate cancer screenings on Sept. 19 for men in the Santa Cruz community.
The event will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Katz Cancer Resource Center, 3150 Mission Drive, in Santa Cruz. No insurance is required, and the screening is expected to take about 10 minutes. Participants will receive a PSA blood test and complete a brief demographic questionnaire.
“Early detection is the most powerful tool we have in the fight against prostate cancer,” said Dr. Michael Alexander, a medical oncologist at Dominican Hospital. “By offering this free screening event, we are removing barriers to care and providing men in our community with the opportunity to take control of their health.”
Space is limited and reservations are required. To reserve a spot, call 831-462-7770.
Dignity Health’s prostate cancer program also provides advanced diagnostic imaging, biopsy technologies and minimally invasive, robotic-assisted surgery. Its multidisciplinary teams include urologists, radiation oncologists and medical oncologists who collaborate on treatment plans tailored to individual patients.
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is observed each September to promote awareness, screening and early detection.
County launches wildlife roadkill community science project
Santa Cruz County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Commission has launched Safe Passage Santa Cruz, a community science project asking residents to help identify areas where wildlife is frequently killed or injured while crossing roads.
Residents can use the free iNaturalist app to upload photos and report observations of roadkill, injured wildlife and other wildlife-road interactions. The data will help identify collision hotspots and support future conservation planning.
“Santa Cruz County is home to incredible wildlife diversity, and community members can make a meaningful contribution simply by reporting what they observe,” said Jenni Gomez, chair of the Santa Cruz County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Commission. “Every observation helps build a better understanding of where wildlife-vehicle collisions are occurring, providing valuable information that can inform future planning efforts to improve safety for both wildlife and people.”
The project will accept observations through July 2027. The commission plans to produce a report of its findings and present it to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors in 2028.
