News Briefs

Beekeeping approved in SV
The Scotts Valley City Council voted unanimously last week to allow residents to keep honeybees, which are hailed for their plant fertilization skills and production of honey.
The approved ordinance permits one beehive on parcels larger than 10,000 square feet. A property larger than 40,000 square feet could house two hives or boxes. Bees must be kept more than 25 feet from any property line or adjacent home or business.
Hives must be at the back of a given property, which must have adequate water sources. In addition, neighbors must be notified.
A beekeeping permit costs $124 per hour, depending on how many hours it takes for a city planner to complete the application. A completed application would allow a resident to keep bees on his or her property.
BC Rec hires security
The Boulder Creek Recreation and Parks District has hired roving security to patrol the area near Junction Park in Boulder Creek.
Security officers from First Alarm will be in the area Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
“Safety and security in the parks is my number-one thing,” director Christina Horvat said.
Women’s club distributes fair proceeds
The Valley Women’s Club parceled out checks totaling $15,000 to local groups that helped with the June 5 Redwood Mountain Faire at Highlands Park in Ben Lomond.
Groups that benefited this year include the Santa Cruz Mountain Arts Center, Mountain Community Resources, Valley Churches United Missions, local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, Glen Arbor Preschool, Camp Joy Gardens, the SLV Community Band, San Lorenzo Valley High School Boosters, the SLV High football and track teams, South Street Centre, SLV Pop Warner, the Cabrillo College football team and the SLV CERT team.
Rather than keeping its share of the proceeds, the Valley Women’s Club chose to divvy it up to give more money to the other nonprofits in the fair’s first year back after it was discontinued in 1996 after an 18-year run.
Kids can register for Scotts Valley recreation
Registration opened Tuesday, Aug. 11, for recreational activities during the 2010-11 school year at Vine Hill and Brook Knoll elementary schools and Scotts Valley Middle School.
Families can sign up at the Scotts Valley Recreation Office, 361 Kings Village Road, in Scotts Valley.
Options include morning and afternoon Kinder Kamp for kindergartners, as well as before-school and after-school groups for older children. Camps will also run during winter and spring vacations.
For information:
438-3251.
Council shifts sign law
The Scotts Valley City Council changed its sign ordinance at its most recent meeting to comply with state code.
The law had been split up into categories based on sign content. After the change, the categories are split between commercial and noncommercial signs and are regulated based only on location, illumination, motion, size, height, orientation, safety and public need for functional information. 
County shelter offers cat adoption discounts
Special prices on cat adoptions will be offered by Santa Cruz County Animal Services during August and September.
As of press time, 92 cats and kittens waited for homes.
The cost to adopt a cat older than 1 year has dropped from $100 to $55. A single kitten costs $120 to adopt, but a second kitten is half price.
The shelter is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday at 2200 Seventh Ave., in Santa Cruz.
For information: 454-7303, ext. 0, or www.scanimalservices.us.
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