Local News

Scotts Valley put youth at the heart of its agenda March 20, as the City Council voted unanimously to adopt a Youth Bill of Rights that was championed by Councilmember Alan Timms, the City’s newest elected official. In fact, the local leaders went further than...

Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors has selected District 5 Supervisor Monica Martinez to serve as board chair for 2026. Martinez—the first openly LGBTQ+ and Latina person to serve as chair—was chosen by her colleagues following a first year focused on protecting essential services, supporting...

Even as his life slipped away, Ben Lomond native Alex Fritch gave his wife Terra one final gift: A goodbye. “It’s the biggest gift,” she told the Press Banner, describing how they got to embrace in the hospital. “He grabbed my hand. He cried. And...

By Jacob Pierce, Good Times Editor Businesses all over Santa Cruz County are getting ready to close down or reduce their operations, as a new stay-at-home order takes effect. The order goes live at 11:59pm Thursday, now that the Bay Area region hit a threshold wherein...

In the face of massive storms, Helena Powell’s home on Quail Drive at Pine Flat Road hasn’t been impacted as badly as some, but she still had her hands full. On Tuesday afternoon, Powell stood beside a large pine tree that used to be rooted...

Santa Cruz County Recorder’s Office has announced the launch of Fraud Notify, a new service that helps protect property owners from potential real estate fraud. The free, easy-to-use program allows anyone to sign up to receive an email alert whenever a document is recorded in...

Last week, a Solano County Superior Court judge raised concerns that the sexual abuse case against Ned Hearn, a former San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District employee, continues to drag on. Yet on Sept. 14 at the Old Solano Courthouse, Judge Christine Carringer also said...

Thirteen-year-old Chase Petersen loves sports. Put him on a basketball court, a soccer pitch, baseball diamond or a football field, and the San Lorenzo Valley Middle School student shines brightly.  The straight-A student is going to take that energy and determination to Florida next month...

With Covid-19 travel restrictions easing, borders opening and the relaxation of mask mandates at popular destinations, people are once again turning their attention to what used to be a familiar gateway for many Americans—the airport. For those who remain wary of venturing out into the...

When upwards of 30,000 people from 195 countries descend this week for the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, a Santa Cruz local and Scotts Valley High School graduate will be among those advocating for the planet in a year that will certainly be declared...