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As Deborah Parcel flipped through scrapbooks of Press Banner clippings—from before the Valley Press and Scotts Valley Banner joined forces—she beamed with joy. And that gratitude emanated from her cheery face as she took to the microphone March 21 to thank that evening crowd for...

Mo L’Esperance got her start into food service at a pizza place in Southern California. “I got hired as a cashier,” she recalled. “Within two weeks I was in the back cooking, because it was more fun.” And after stints “back-of-house” in San Francisco, along the...

The FireSafe Council of Santa Cruz County is hosting the inaugural Santa Cruz County Wildfire Resilience Summit on Thursday, June 6, from 2-6pm at the Santa Cruz County Veterans Memorial Building, 846 Front St., in Santa Cruz. The Summit’s goal is to inform and inspire...

Step back in time at Agricultural History Project's Second Saturday event The Agricultural History Project Center and Museum invites the community to its Second Saturday event on Aug. 10, from 11am-3pm, at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 E. Lake Ave., in Watsonville. This month, the...

As afternoon turned to night in a glorious blaze of purple Saturday, families made their way past a fake snow machine into the Scotts Valley Community Center for the annual Light Up the Night festivities. Inside were snickerdoodles and cider, young ballerinas, powerful singers, talented...

When it comes to making a positive difference in the lives of seniors and low-income households in Santa Cruz County, Damians Ladder is moving rung by rung. The nonprofit was established in 2023, celebrating the work of its namesake, Damian Lanctot of Ben Lomond. As...

The Brookdale Bluegrass and American Roots Festival held its 24th incarnation at the Brookdale Lodge over the weekend and was blessed with lovely weather—a stark contrast with the no-power edition of 2023. Doreen Heath, a woman walking around with fiddle in hand, said she’d made...

The beautiful Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds are growing even more beautiful thanks to a colorful landscaping project at Paddy Smith Park. Jeff Rosendale, with Sierra Azul Nursery-Garden, John Skinner and Kevin Larkin created the concept for the park renovation. The garden will now host native and...

Annual Holiday Gift Shop opens Nov. 1 The Annual Holiday Gift Shop at Valley Churches United in Ben Lomond opens Nov. 1. The gift shop is open Monday through Saturday from 10am-4pm.  Amazingly talented volunteers have created an exquisite display, making this year’s gift shop an...

For 104 years, the Beck family has been outfitting folks with footwear made to last. In 1919, Ole P. Beck launched the family business in downtown Salinas, and since then, the eponymous shoe store has been synonymous with quality brands and accessories. Boulder Creek is...