Felton resident Lew Farris was unanimously chosen as a new director by the San Lorenzo Valley Water District Board from a field of eight worthy applicants. Farris has worn several hats in his long career that lend well to serving as a board member. He formerly worked at Beckman Instruments in the Clinical Division, where he received guidance from skilled mentors. One mentor asked only that at some point in his life he give back and invest in someone else’s future. Lew says that working for the community, is exactly that. “I want to listen to what people say because the District serves the ratepayers,” Farris said. He values inclusivity and meets with members of the public regularly. He is interested in how water systems, society and human interactions work and feels that joint opinions make for better, well-rounded decisions. 

After years of community concern about safety along Highway 9 between SLV schools and Felton, culminating in 22-year-old Josh Howard’s death in a vehicle vs. pedestrian accident, progress is gradually taking form. The Highway 9 Corridor Plan is to be voted on by the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) on June 27 at Santa Cruz City Hall. Meanwhile, more than 1,400 community members have signed a petition urging the RTC to expedite safety improvements.

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The outdoor space at the Boys & Girls Club in Scotts Valley has a brand-new turf playfield thanks to a partnership between the San Francisco 49ers and Bothman Construction with funding from an NFL Foundation grant.

The brand new gym at Scotts Valley Middle School shook with 530 cheering students, stomping feet and the sounds of Latin music on May 15 as a surprised Aristeo Flores was crowned “2019 Custodian of the Year” by Cintas Corporation.

An environmental watershed restoration project is scheduled for this summer in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The San Lorenzo Valley Water District (SLVWD) board of directors voted on May 2 to approve the Upper Zayante Creek Stream Wood Enhancement Project. The effort is a collaboration of multiple agencies and is funded by a $498,426 grant from the State Water Resources Control Board. The project design was funded in 2017 by the California State Coastal Conservancy. 

Christina Friend, assistant city manager for the city of Santa Cruz, has been tapped to fill the role of Scotts Valley city manager in June pending Scotts Valley City Council approval. Friend, also known as Tina Shull in her position in Santa Cruz, is a resident of Aptos and is married to County Supervisor Zach Friend.

The Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County, Harm Reduction Road Show (HRRS) has applied to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) for a certified mobile syringe access program in Felton within an area comprising the downtown shopping and restaurants district and Felton Covered Bridge Park.

The 3rd Annual Touch-A-Truck fundraiser rolls into town this Sunday, April 28. The Skypark event attracts thousands of visitors and raises funds for local public schools through the Scotts Valley Educational Foundation (SVEF). 

The San Lorenzo Valley Historical Society (SLVHS), owner operator of the San Lorenzo Valley Museum in Boulder Creek, has welcomed longtime valley resident Nicole Berridge as new Director of Museum Operations.