Local News

A three-way race in the 28th State Assembly district had candidates swapping places throughout election night, with Gail Pellerin rising as more precincts reported in. While Los Gatos Rob Rennie had been in second place in early results, with Republican Liz Lawler leading the pack,...

Liz Lawler jumped out to an early lead over Rob Rennie in the 28th Assembly District race, according to election results released at 9pm June 7. Lawler, a Monte Sereno city councilmember who is the lone Republican in the race against three Democrats, garnered 31.3%...

The small outdoor pool at Siltanen Park will remain closed throughout the summer as renovations continue. Upgrades have been in the works for months, but when crews got to the site, they discovered things were worse than City staff had realized. Santa Cruz County’s Environmental Health...

San Lorenzo Valley High School junior Gianna Schwarzbach has always been an athlete. From the soccer pitch to the campus pool where she plays varsity water polo, Schwarzbach’s constitution is tough as nails. For those who know her, it is no surprise that this...

The end of the month seemed to approach faster than usual for Shirli McLaughlin. The 76-year-old Felton resident, a longtime Ben Lomond shopkeeper, was told her current rental was being sold. “It’s an important word, ‘home’—don’t you think?” she asked rhetorically, May 27. “That, and...

It costs big bucks to ensure one of life’s essential components is fit for human consumption. And on May 25, local officials and media got to taste the $3.5 million upgrade results to the Scotts Valley Water District’s Orchard Run Water Treatment Plant, leaving...

Editor’s Note: The reporter’s son is Andrew Wise. On Thursday, May 26, Central Fire, Santa Cruz City Fire and Watsonville Fire departments welcome nine recruits to their rosters following Santa Cruz City Fire Department’s Regional Academy graduation—six graduates, including Felton’s Andy Wise, are joining the...

“Future Agenda Items” is usually one of the least contentious portions of a Council meeting. It’s a time to propose new ideas and look ahead to what elected officials might tackle next. But on May 18, when Coun. Derek Timm proposed looking at raising the...

Scotts Valley is trying to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products and, if successful, would be the last municipality in the county to do so. The city has been looking at taking action since 2020 to keep youth from smoking, but the push...

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...