Local News

What appeared to be a smooth path through the picturesque Scotts Valley hills for Visit Santa Cruz County turned out to be a rocky road.  A proposed seven-year extension of the Tourism Marketing District (TMD) hit a pothole when Scotts Valley City Councilman Randy Johnson...

SCOTTS VALLEY—Scotts Valley elected officials listened with rapt attention as influential urban planner Bob Gibbs gave them “a really short version of my Harvard class,” during a study session before the June 2 City Council meeting. As he pulled the cover back on what...

When Scotts Valley High School grad Alissa Anderson, 18, started out as a freshman, she fit right in with the cheerleading team and the drama group. But her grades started spiraling down the drain—all the way to C’s and D’s and F’s. “My mom would...

From birthday parties to weddings to Jazzercise and Zumba, the Felton Community Hall has been a local place to host events and make memories. After 100 years as a neighborhood hub, members of its board of directors are looking for the community to help keep...

Boulder Creek Fire Protection District (BCFPD) Chief Mark Bingham can do just about anything.  Since his promotion to fire chief in 2019, Bingham has proven his mettle time and again. He’s managed his team during the Covid-19 pandemic, structure and wildland fires, and the juggernaut...

It was out with the old and in with the new, as Boulder Creek’s little radio station that could, KBCZ, transitioned from its longtime frequency of 90.1 FM to its new, expanded home at 89.3 FM on May 27.  Sparkling cider was poured and fans...

The Covid-19 pandemic nearly put a damper on this year’s season for the San Lorenzo Valley High girls basketball team for a second straight year. But, the Cougars were allowed to continue their season due to changes in the state’s youth sports guidelines. They made...

Emerging from the darkest days of the pandemic, Dedra Bennett, owner of Zinnia’s Gift Boutique, is getting ready to open a second store—this time focusing on interior décor. Home by Zinnia’s is the latest addition to The Hangar at Skypark development at 262 Mount Hermon...

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...

Boulder Creek’s Tyrone Clark refers to himself as a “solutions guy.” He’s been in Boulder Creek since 1991, and when the CZU August Lighting Complex fire swept through the area, he felt compelled to do more than just watch. “When the evacuation orders came down,...