Local News

A new report underscores how Santa Cruz County’s agricultural sector not only supports local families and the region’s economy and heritage but also provides value to the local environment and vital ecosystems. According to the recently released “Economic Contributions of Santa Cruz County Agriculture” report,...

San Lorenzo Valley Water District staff will begin flushing water mains in the San Lorenzo Valley in March, part of regular system maintenance. Annually flushing the system removes iron and manganese deposits that accumulate in the water distribution system, leading to cleaner pipes and ensuring...

Last week, Scotts Valley held the unboxing of the $79,873 wastewater study it ordered for itself from Kennedy/Jenks Consultants Inc., during its regularly scheduled City Council meeting on Aug. 17. But unlike a small gadget shipped from Amazon, what the elected officials do with the...

New museum exhibit explores unique Cotoni-Coast Dairies property Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History’s latest exhibition “Cotoni-Coast Dairies: Monumental Steps” takes a look at the iconic topography of the northern coast of Santa Cruz County, and the decades-long effort by local groups to conserve it. Through...

While assaults dropped by 27% last year in Scotts Valley, other crimes increased—including burglaries almost doubling, according to stats presented to Scotts Valley City Council by Police Chief Steve Walpole, Jr., Aug. 4. Other so-called Part 1 Crimes that increased between 2019 and 2020 included...

As of mid-December, the City of Scotts Valley had caught up on its HR backlog and was fully staffed. This followed years of headaches in the police department and Public Works, as employees left for greener pastures elsewhere. But, after a sustained campaign to recruit...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County on Wednesday announced that a man in his 60s died from Covid-19 on Aug. 15. County spokesman Jason Hoppin said that the man was unvaccinated and had underlying health conditions. The death was the 210th in Santa Cruz County attributable to...

This is the second entry in a multi-part series about debris flows. Last week’s article related how Boulder Creek Fire Department (BCFD) Fire Chief Mark Bingham worked with local agencies to determine the potential for debris flows in his district, and built a dedicated...

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...

Free yard waste disposal for 5th District residents Supervisor Monica Martinez’s Office has announced a no-cost yard waste disposal program for residents of the San Lorenzo Valley and unincorporated Scotts Valley areas. To support community home hardening and wildfire fuel reduction, residents can dispose of yard...