The Mountain Gardener | Love Is in the Air — Plant Reproduction
One of my favorite classes when I attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo was Plant Taxonomy. On the surface the subject sounds a little dry, but the professor was all about plant reproduction, which is quite exciting and more varied than you think. So...
Finance | Navigating Long-term Care: Hazards and Strategies
As my parents suffered lingering deaths from cancer and Alzheimer’s, they appreciated long-term care insurance, and their purchase enlarged my inheritance. I am a 62-year-old paraplegic planner receiving home care while working diligently—and subsidized retirement living terrifies me enough to save. After all, 70%...
Mayor’s Message | A Look at Scotts Valley’s New Development
Recently there have been many questions about new development in Scotts Valley. As has been widely reported, the City has worked to meet the requirements of recent State Housing mandates. Many of the new projects have taken advantage of new state law that overrides...
Editor’s Notes: Raving about the Faves
In this issue of the Press-Banner, you will find the third annual Valley Faves and Raves special section.
Mayor’s Message | End of an Era & New Beginnings for Scotts Valley
This month marks the end of an era in Scotts Valley. For as long as I can remember, the name Walpole has been synonymous with the Scotts Valley Police Department. Steve Walpole Sr. once led our department as chief, and in 2017 his son,...
Letter: No More School Taxes
I have owned property in different areas of Santa Cruz and Monterey counties for 28 years. I currently own property in Scotts Valley. The school taxes are overwhelming. I currently pay over $1,000 year in property taxes just for schools, and now we are faced with yet another school tax (Measure A) that would cost me another $300/year or more in school taxes. To top it off, our kids are grown and gone. By the way, what happened to the California Lottery school funding?
News Briefs | Published Oct. 30, 2026
SLV Middle School presents ‘Shrek The Musical JR.’
San Lorenzo Valley Middle School Theatre will present “Shrek The Musical JR.” with performances Nov. 6-15 at...














