Recent Collision Rekindles Pedestrian Concerns
For months they’ve been the most vocal community voices at civic meetings, putting in their two cents about traffic safety at nearly every opportunity. And now, following a pedestrian road incident, and with new faces in key Scotts Valley administrative posts, it seems the...
Valley Vaccine Clinics Key in Raising Rates Among Locals
The effort to Vax the Valley, spearheaded by the Rotary Club of San Lorenzo Valley, is closing in on its 2,000th vaccination since the start of the program in July of 2021, and its members are prickling with pride.
Justin Acton, a member of the...
Santa Cruz County not yet joining other Bay Area counties in closures
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County officials on Friday said they will not yet join five other Bay Area counties in preemptively adhering to the regional stay-at-home order announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom Thursday.
Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Marin and Santa Clara counties will adopt...
High winds cause fires, power outages
SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS—Heavy overnight and early-morning winds have sparked multiple fires across Santa Cruz County, Cal Fire CZU reported Tuesday morning.
Firefighters reported several fires, including one off of Highway 9 in Boulder Creek, another near Empire Grade Road and Alba Road, a 20-acre fire...
Valley schools welcome students back after year marred by Covid
After vaccinating roughly 4,500 teachers and staff, County Office of Education Superintendent Faris Sabbah, alongside 10 school district superintendents, announced on Feb. 25 to more than 700 attendees that public districts would begin full hybridization in March.
“Throughout the pandemic students, parents and school personnel...
Supervisors approve public defender transition plan
SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a transition plan to create a county-run public defender’s office, which includes hiring staff and a chief public defender.
County officials are now in talks with attorneys working for Biggam, Christensen and Minsloff (BCM),...
Former SVPD Officer Files Another Suit Against City
Disgruntled ex-Scotts Valley Police Department officer David Ball has launched a new lawsuit against the city of Scotts Valley, Police Chief Steve Walpole, Jr. and his former trainee Pascale Wowak, claiming defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
It’s the third action Ball, who was...
Move of Sexually Violent Predator to Bonny Doon Put on Hold
A judge’s decision to postpone the move-in of a man designated as a “sexually violent predator” is a denial of the man’s rights, according to his lawyer.
Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Syda Cogliati extended a temporary stay of her decision to allow convicted...
Scotts Valley Council cheers fully-staffed milestone
As of mid-December, the City of Scotts Valley had caught up on its HR backlog and was fully staffed. This followed years of headaches...
