News

A celebration of life will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4, in Scotts Valley to remember former Ben Lomond resident Don Higgins. The celebration and barbecue will be at the Scotts Valley Community Center, 360 Kings Village Road, in Scotts Valley. Mr. Higgins was born Aug. 3, 1943, and died Aug. 14, 2012. A full obituary was published in the Aug. 23 edition of the Press-Banner.

Huge book sale for libraries

Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to grip our nation, state and county—and the Scotts Valley community.  Following up on the March 16 Santa Cruz County Public Health Order to Shelter-in-Place, as of March 19 we are living under a statewide Stay-in-Place Executive Order too, which is very similar to the County Order.  These Orders are a strong attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 transmission.  To understand the Executive Order, its exemptions for essential activities, and what the State is doing to address COVID-19, please visit the State’s new website:  http://www.covid19.ca.gov/. 

Measure G proposes a hike in sales tax of one-half cent per dollar spent in the unincorporated areas of the county. The measure was put on the ballot by a unanimous vote of the CountyBoard of Supervisors. A key argument of county budget officials proposing the increase is because about half of the county’s residents live in unincorporated areas, primarily in Live Oak, Aptos and San Lorenzo Valley, the county provides a good number of municipal services usually provided by incorporated cities-and the county needs to catch up with the sales tax revenues collected in the four incorporated cities to provide “critical unmet needs” in the unincorporated areas.