Crime level stabilizing, according to Scotts Valley PD
Burglaries nearly doubled in 2020—overall, crime fluctuated heavily during the pandemic, Scotts Valley Police Department Chief Steve Walpole, Jr. told the city council in his annual presentation. The numbers have dropped since, and thankfully, there are still no homicides to report.
“I’ve been really impressed...
Scotts Valley City Council approves road work plans
Asphalt resurfacing, new sidewalks and bike lanes along deteriorating routes around Scotts Valley are just some of the things Measure D funds are now set to go toward over the next five years.
On June 2, during its regularly scheduled meeting, Scotts Valley City Council...
Real-World Scare Briefly Halts ‘Active Shooter’ Drill
Officers and firefighters running through “active shooter” drills at Scotts Valley High School had to make a quick shift into a real-world situation on June 24, when a participant’s comment about a potential threat at the campus sparked an hours-long hunt for danger.
In the...
Art exhibit provides space for locals touched by CZU fire to reflect
Devi Pride did not expect to shed tears during the opening of her 12-panel art showcase of her wildfire-ravaged property in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
“I didn’t think I’d have such an emotional response,” Pride said, standing in a shady spot next to the series...
Ambient Photonics Picks Scotts Valley For First Facility
A startup aiming to conquer the world with new technology that delivers a steady stream of solar power—even in even low light situations—has selected a former Fox Factory manufacturing plant in Scotts Valley as the site of its first production line.
In a ceremony on...
Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin retiring
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—After nearly three decades running the county’s elections department, Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin will retire at the end of the year.
Pellerin made the announcement Thursday, a little more than a week after what many are calling the most significant election...
Scotts Valley Library Reopens Saturday
It’s happening a few months later than originally hoped, but now, literacy fans and community boosters can rejoice—the Scotts Valley Branch Library is coming back to life.
The Grand Reopening is to go from 10am-2pm on Saturday, at its previous 251 Kings Village Road location....
Lawsuit continues over SVUSD pandemic policies
On April 12, Scotts Valley Unified School District Superintendent Tanya Krause shared, in a message to the community, her “surprise” that President Joe Biden had terminated the Covid-19 emergency a month early.
That meant the District would now discontinue free in-school coronavirus testing, she announced,...
Ukrainian family, reunited, spends first Christmas together in Scotts Valley
Last Christmas, the Ziniak family left their home in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, and headed on a fun trip across the Carpathian Mountains.
When the Russian invasion of their country began in February, Vasyl stayed behind while his wife fled to Poland—and then to the San Lorenzo...
Congressman Panetta Visits Santa Cruz Mountains Communities
Now that the congressional boundary debate’s been settled—with the old 18th and 20th districts seemingly evaporating from the local map, leaving in their place the new 19th District—politicians have begun adjusting to the new reality.
And for current Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, who’s represented the...
News Briefs | Published July 4, 2025
Tree removal leads to temporary closure on Big Basin Highway
Caltrans will temporarily close a section of southbound Highway 236 (Big Basin Highway) left on...