What’s the best way to grow a forest?
Felton resident Karen Holl’s talk at her hometown library Feb. 3 occurred just as a storm rolled in underscoring just how intrinsically linked our lives are with those of Plantae kingdom—as tree litter would soon carpet the landscape and one person would be killed...
Entries open for 2026 Santa Cruz County Fair
There is still time to enter the 2026 Santa Cruz County Fair, with deadlines approaching for residents interested in showcasing their baking, art, agriculture, photography, livestock and other work.
For most departments, the online entry deadline is Aug. 27. Some departments have later deadlines, as...
As Energy Bills Soar, Companies Suggest Ways to Save
Just as Bay Area gasoline prices have finally dipped below the $4 a gallon line at select stations, after rising above $7 a gallon at some pumps this summer, home-heating costs are rising.
However, as the icy breath of winter nips at the necks of...
Santa Cruz County sees first reported case of Delta variant
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Public Health Department announced Tuesday that a resident has tested positive for the Delta variant of Covid-19.
The patient is a man in his 50s who experienced mild symptoms. The sample was taken on June 10, county spokesman Jason...
Major Scotts Valley win for Swenson Builders tempered by death of Oliver Tree
The Town Center mixed-use development is the lynchpin of the City of Scotts Valley’s homes plan. Previous iterations stalled-out. But the new vision has been making steady progress—with residents largely optimistic and an environmental report already on the books.
It represents an opportunity to inject...
Kaiser Permanente Arena ‘vaccination hub’ opens tomorrow
Kaiser Permanente is opening a Covid-19 vaccination hub Thursday at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz for eligible members and others in the community, the health care provider announced in a press release Wednesday.
Dependent upon vaccine supply, the site is expected to operate seven...
Technical Education Classes Prep Students for Changing Work World
The birds are trilling from the dense evergreens. Reggae music wafts from a Bluetooth speaker hanging on a fence behind the San Lorenzo Valley High School football field. Just beyond, a greenhouse is home to innovative studies giving students a leg up in an...
Scotts Valley’s city manager leaving post, heading to Coronado
After 16 years in local government across Santa Cruz County, Scotts Valley City Manager Tina Friend is leaving her post to start a new job in Coronado in September, the city announced Wednesday.
“This community has given me more gifts than I could have ever...
SLVUSD faces decline in funding
San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District used to teach just under 2,300 students a year, but that’s dropped to around 2,100.
And, unlike in such districts as Los Gatos-Saratoga, where residents pitch in directly through property taxes, SLVUSD gets government education funding based on how...
Santa Cruz, Monterey counties certify election results
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—In one of her final acts before her retirement at the end of the year, Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin on Tuesday officially certified the results from the 2020 presidential election.
More than 86 percent of county voters—a total of 146,857—cast ballots...
Scotts Valley police receive $25K traffic safety grant
Scotts Valley Police Department has received a $25,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to support programs promoting bicycle and pedestrian safety.
The...
