New dashboard details school-based Covid-19 testing results
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Office of Education (COE) has launched a dashboard that summarizes Covid-19 testing results across schools countywide.
The dashboard is a partnership with school districts, Inspire Diagnostics and the Santa Cruz County Department of Public Health, COE spokesman Nick Ibarra...
County officials weighing whether to preemptively adhere to new order
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County officials on Tuesday are expected to discuss whether the county will join five other Bay Area counties in preemptively adhering to the regional stay-at-home order recently issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Although the item is not agendized for tomorrow’s Santa...
Santa Cruz County’s vaccine distribution slowed by limited doses
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—At least 5,600 doses of vaccinations for the novel coronavirus have been distributed throughout Santa Cruz County, a number that county health officials at a Friday press conference said has been significantly impacted by plodding distribution from the state.
Overall, the county has...
Vine Hill Elementary PTA members and community rally for auction
Late January the Vine Hill elementary PTA announced an online auction beginning Feb. 5 and continuing until the PTA’s first-ever virtual live auction on Feb. 20, hosted by Robert Aldana, Bobbie Ward and Garvin Thomas.
These two events form a part of the PTA’s fundraisers...
Falling case rates could mean return to class for valley’s young students
Santa Cruz County’s adjusted case rate recently fell below the state’s threshold (28 per 100,000 per day) needed to reopen in-class instruction for grades K-6, health officials announced at a press conference on Feb. 4.
That means local school districts could start applying to the...
Amusement parks allowed to reopen in red tier starting next month
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Outdoor amusement parks in California counties in the red tier of the state’s Covid-19 reopening plan will be allowed to welcome back customers next month, the California Department of Public Health announced Friday afternoon.
Live outdoor sporting events and performances will, too, be...
Santa Cruz County likely moving to orange tier March 31
Continued decreases in case and positivity rates have Santa Cruz County on track to enter a less restrictive tier of the state’s Covid-19 reopening plan on March 31, County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said at Thursday’s weekly virtual press conference.
According to data released...
Organizations push importance of shopping local this holiday
The Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce put on a Holiday Passport Event on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 28.
More than 100 families traveled throughout commercial Scotts Valley to 36 local businesses in a safe and spirited fashion. At each business, households received a stamp, children...
Pop-up Covid vaccine clinics bring shots to the Valley
“I don’t want to die from Covid.”
For all the answers as to why folks were showing up at the pop-up Covid-19 vaccine clinic held at Liberty Bank on July 17, Boulder Creek resident Makayla Lockard had the most succinct, pull-no-punches response of the day.
The...
Stimulus bill transforms options for state and local governments
Richard F. Cortez, the top elected official in Hidalgo County, at the southern tip of Texas, is so full of anticipation for the federal stimulus money that is about to flow into his county that he has memorized the precise amount and happily recites...
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...