Scotts Valley police chief says gung-ho recruits reason for increased arrests
Scotts Valley Police Department may not quite have enough officers yet to restart its investigations unit, but the patrol department is finally fully staffed, Chief Steve Walpole Jr. told the Scotts Valley City Council on May 17.
This addition of novice law enforcers and lateral...
Scotts Valley Police investigate parking lot pigeon massacre
Scotts Valley police have launched an animal abuse investigation following the apparent willful killing of several pigeons last week, according to authorities.
Just before 12:30pm on Sept. 8, a local resident called the Scotts Valley Police Department reporting a truck had just accelerated into a...
CZU survivors camp out in Henry Cowell
After losing their homes in the destructive CZU August Lightning Complex fires, many survivors have camped out and found refuge in Henry Cowell State Park.
“We’ve had quite a big surge due to the CZU Fire Complex,” Visitor Service Aid, Zach Lemke, said. “At least...
The Mat Brings Fresh Tech to Boulder Creek
These days, everything is “smart.” Smartphones. Smartwatches. How about a smart laundromat?
Behold The Mat in Boulder Creek, formerly the Village Wash. Run by third-generation laundromat owner Brandon Parker and his fiancé Erin Hexem, it’s the first smart laundromat in Boulder Creek, and one of...
Roaring Camp Pushes Back on Reported Railbanking Talks
It’s just after noon on Jan. 28, and a Roaring Camp train is getting ready to leave the station to wind its way up the Santa Cruz Mountains.
“We’re two minutes late now, but that’s OK,” says the announcer on board, as the last stragglers...
SLVWD inches closer to completion on major projects
The San Lorenzo Valley Water District is in the process of replacing three undersized and leaking redwood tanks in Lompico, as well as replacing 3.3 miles of pipeline that were deemed inefficient, ineffective (due to age and size) and undersized for fire flow in...
Mobile homes destroyed in fire
Residents of the Redwoods on the River trailer park in Ben Lomond were told to flee as fire consumed a pair of mobile homes on June 1. The blaze sent toxic plumes of smoke into the canopy above.
Sgt. Jason Dunn of the Santa...
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...
Longtime Scotts Valley City Clerk Retires
A stalwart of local government in Scotts Valley is calling it a career this week.
After more than three decades of service to the community, working under five city managers and 23 city council members, City Clerk Tracy Ferrara is retiring.
“Tracy outlasted all other employees...
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...
