Local News

Work continued this week to protect Scotts Valley and surrounding communities against the threat of wildfire, in a project involving two different state agencies. The California Conservation Corps and Caltrans came together for the initiative meant to eliminate chances for fire to spark along Highway...

They have specially-designed new ones now, but the original red-and-white-striped shirts worn by the Ben Lomond Fire Protection District firefighters are actually authentic Australian rugby sweaters. It’s what 21-year-old volunteer Mateo Corona was sporting behind the grill at their annual pancake breakfast fundraiser July 3. “I’m...

As the holiday season approaches, San Lorenzo Valley residents begin to make their lists, clip their Safeway coupons and prepare their pantries for the weeks ahead. Lynn Robinson’s team at Valley Churches United (VCU) in Ben Lomond have also been ramping up in preparation...

In 2020, Big Basin Water Company (BBWC) suffered catastrophic losses to its infrastructure due to the CZU August Lightning Complex Fire, which ripped through the housing of the water company and left it completely devastated, resulting in a 100% loss of water for the...

Reagen Stanger entered the world during the most challenging time her family has known. Born on Sept. 2, 2020, the now 6-month-old baby took her first breath as the CZU August Lightning Complex fires forced mass evacuations locally and Covid-19 cases raged around the...

No news is good news, goes the old adage. And Scotts Valley Water District officials are hoping that’s the message they should take from the amount of public comment they got before approving a 5% rate hike—virtually zilch. “We had no one,” said Piret Harmon, the...

Efforts to help homeless people in the North County got a boost this week when a Santa Cruz bar held a Giving Tuesday fundraiser for a Boulder Creek nonprofit. The Free Guide, one of the groups behind the Veterans Village in Ben Lomond, was the...

Every time Jeremy Paul Shreves rides the bus past the place where he accidentally killed pedestrian Josh Howard with his SUV in 2019, he says a prayer. “‘I hope to dear God that his family is OK, and that my family will be OK,’” is...

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,...

Scotts Valley Police officers met with an elderly adult on Dec. 12 regarding the theft, and subsequent fraudulent use, of his debit card.  The 71-year-old victim had been at the Safeway store when a female approached him saying he had dropped a $20 bill. When...