Local News

Santa Cruz County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) approved the merger of the fire departments that serve Scotts Valley and Branciforte on Aug. 2. Scotts Valley Councilmember Allan Timms said he was glad to see the Scotts Valley Fire District absorb its beleaguered neighbor. “The Branciforte...

Scotts Valley has agreed to front the money to pay for a quarter-million-dollar environmental cleanup at Skypark, which was found to contain arsenic, lead and diesel in the soil. At its regularly scheduled meeting Sept. 6, Scotts Valley Council voted unanimously to approve a $74,820...

For people living in Boulder Creek, Brookdale, Ben Lomond and Felton, power outages have become a prominent aspect of daily life rather than an occasional annoyance.  During the last week of July, San Lorenzo Valley communities experienced a sustained loss of power every day for...

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...

Students throughout Santa Cruz County will no longer be required to wear masks while at school after March 11. The announcement, signed by the County’s 11 school superintendents, came Monday after California Gov. Gavin Newsom, along with Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and Washington Gov. Jay...

Hallie Greene knows what it takes to bring a community together. From her work as the district manager of the Boulder Creek Recreation and Park District to helping create the Santa Cruz Long Term Recovery Group (SCLTRG), Greene is looked upon as a leader...

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...

From birthday parties to weddings to Jazzercise and Zumba, the Felton Community Hall has been a local place to host events and make memories. After 100 years as a neighborhood hub, members of its board of directors are looking for the community to help keep...

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...

Students from Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley are making important contributions to United Way research and leadership projects, says the director of community impact for the organization, which was just awarded more than $800,000 to curb youth drug use. Three or four North County...