Scotts Valley’s Fourth of July parade is a go this summer, thanks to donations from four local businesses that will cover the $4,000 price tag.

A flock of 50 pink plastic flamingos is making its way around the San Lorenzo Valley, Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz. The birds appear unexpectedly on lawns or in yards and then move on to someone else’s home.

A marquee-style sign sits as a landmark in front of Boulder Creek Community Church on Highway 9 for all to read. What’s on the sign changes each weekend — sometimes it’s a phrase talking about how to treat a neighbor, other times it’s a message to encourage or motivate passers-by.

When Ben Lomond native Britney Overbeck saw the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on the news in 2005, she felt a compelling urge to do something. The calling to help Katrina’s victims was so powerful that Overbeck lost sleep over it.