Scotts Valley pushes back on Civil Grand Jury’s housing critiques
Scotts Valley Council members recently got a look at the City’s response to the Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury report that was highly critical of the municipality’s failure to build its fair share of housing over the years, contributing to California’s severe housing...
San Lorenzo Valley schools grapple with declining enrollment post-Covid, wildfires
San Lorenzo Valley classrooms still have hundreds of students fewer than they did before the coronavirus pandemic and massive wildfires rocked the region.
While San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District administrators point to figures showing enrollment increases at its elementary schools, a continued decrease in...
Scotts Valley gets below-average grade for quality of roads
At its most recent regularly-scheduled meeting, Scotts Valley City Council heard from a consultant that it didn’t do so well on the pavement condition index (PCI), with more than a third of its roads rating “poor” or “failed.”
Scotts Valley has 32.1 miles of paved...
Scotts Valley High School Wellness Center opens with focus on mental health
It was a sunny day without a cloud in the sky. Mountain bikers passed along a Glenwood Open Space Preserve trail above Scotts Valley High School to the sound of birds chirping.
In the three years since Mateo Deihl took his life, after experiencing unkind...
Redwood Rx: State Parks offer prescription for wellness and education
On Monday morning, as I wound my way up Highway 9 from Santa Cruz to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Ralph Nader was discussing—on KSQD 90.7 FM’s airwaves—how the notorious drug Thalidomide has returned to the market in a new form. It’s now being...
Scotts Valley resident wins ‘Best of Show’ in 46th Annual Apple Pie Baking Contest
The Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau’s 46th Annual Apple Pie Baking Contest was held at the Santa Cruz County Fair on Sept. 13.
There were almost 40 apple pie entries, and winners were selected for each of the three divisions—Youth, Adult and Masters.
Rowena Bacher, of...
Update: Boulder Creek shooting victim ID’d
BOULDER CREEK—The 18-year-old who was killed Saturday at a party at a Boulder Creek residence—Rowan Parham—was described as a man who loved his friends and family, a sentiment that was returned by the people who knew him.
“Anyone that knew Rowan, knew that he was...
Preschool program expands at Highlands Park Center in Ben Lomond
Community Bridges recently announced that Highlands Park Center in Ben Lomond, one of six sites in its Early Education Division (EED), has expanded its California State Preschool Program (CSPP) to offer free or low-cost early care and education services for qualifying income eligible families.
This...
Scotts Valley gets first look at General Plan
The last time Scotts Valley got a new General Plan, Pete Wilson was California’s governor and Seagate Technology—which was still based in the community—hadn’t even expanded overseas.
Back in 1994, when the last one was adopted, city leaders were predicting a major boom in population...
The Mountain Gardener | Rx for Sad Houseplants
It’s been a tough couple weeks for my houseplants. Power outages from recent storms made me move my African violet, which was just starting to bloom over to a window for more light. Others are staged on tabletops. I know my houseplants clean the...
News Briefs | Published Sept. 12, 2025
Fun run, emergency preparedness fair set for Saturday
On Saturday, Sept. 13, the City of Santa Cruz will be hosting Race the Wave, a 3K...