Local News

Some California renters facing eviction at the end of March got a reprieve on March 31 when Acting Governor Eleni Kounalakis signed legislation that extends statewide protections tied to a state-run rental assistance program. Assembly Bill 2179 extends eviction protections through June 30 for Californians...

According to a historical inventory application, the Hessey House, aka the “pink house” at the southern entrance to Ben Lomond, is the oldest business/residence in the village. The story of the building, built by Thomas Hessey after he moved to town in the 1890s, tells...

Back in July 2021, when the Press Banner reported that Richard Myers and his wife Marianne were planning to open a ballroom dance studio in Scotts Valley, the pandemic appeared to be waning. There was a sense of eagerness at their Arthur Murray location in...

San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District’s Music Director Carey Liston knows the show must go on.  Despite rapid-fire setbacks for her band members ranging from elementary to high school students, Liston has somehow managed to not only maintain her current ledger of students but expand...

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) on Friday announced it has named Michael Tree its new CEO/General Manager. Tree has nearly three decades of experience in the public transit industry and city management, most recently as Executive Director of the Livermore Amador Valley...

Living in a tight-knit community like the San Lorenzo Valley has its advantages. When a neighbor needs assistance or a business is in trouble, locals rally to help. And when hundreds of residents lose their homes in a devastating wildfire and are in desperate...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—In a busy but brisk Tuesday morning session, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors approved several items which could change the county’s Transient Occupancy Tax and the rules regarding the sale of flavored tobacco. The board also heard the first reading of...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved the use of $500,000 in emergency rental assistance funds to help county renters facing eviction pay back rent. The funds—which come from the Planning and the Housing for Health departments and the...

Scotts Valley is required to give the state an annual update on its progress toward helping to alleviate California’s housing crunch—including on delivering affordable places to live. And while this year the results on that front weren’t great, they sure were better than last year,...