Local News

Burglaries nearly doubled in 2020—overall, crime fluctuated heavily during the pandemic, Scotts Valley Police Department Chief Steve Walpole, Jr. told the city council in his annual presentation. The numbers have dropped since, and thankfully, there are still no homicides to report. “I’ve been really impressed...

Following a litany of resident testimony from wildfire victims on Tuesday, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors became convinced a cleanup contractor that made a quarter-billion dollars in the wake of wildfire destruction left another disaster behind. They voted unanimously to reach out to...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Saying that she has not yet seen reliable data that a countywide masking mandate would alter personal behavior or lower Covid-19 cases, Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said she does not plan to issue a new order any time...

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...

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...

The San Lorenzo Valley Water District (SLVWD) has had its fair share of couplings since its establishment as a special district in 1941.  In 2008, the district assumed control of Cal-Am Water (servicing Felton), and in 2016, it acquired took over Lompico Water District. In...

​​Since 2015, Santa Cruz Gives, the digital holiday fundraising program for local nonprofits, has provided financial support to an array of agencies that do good work for others. Whether providing meals, financial assistance or access to job opportunities, the 501c3 organizations selected by Santa...

Santa Cruz Restaurant Week returns for 13th year Good Times has announced the 2023 Santa Cruz Restaurant Week—the tastiest week of the year. Over the past decade, the community’s response to Santa Cruz Restaurant Week has grown considerably, and the event has continued to gain...

Scotts Valley residents will be sippin’ on some fresh new water by the beginning of 2024 thanks to a plan to replace an existing well in May. The old 3B Well is on the decline operationally, and the Scotts Valley Water District (SVWD) is preparing...

They’re an average of eight pounds, with distinct pink scales, and in this area, they’re officially endangered. Local coho salmon have declined more than 95% from their historic population level, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. The main culprit is the degradation of spawning...