Schools are in session
By the time you read this, your Scotts Valley schools will be educating our students on campus once more. Thanks to a significant effort from our teachers, principals, staff, Assistant Superintendent Michelle Stewart and Superintendent Tanya Krause, our district was the first in the...
New safety regulations
As our community continues its recovery from last summer’s CZU Lightning Complex fire, a new concern has emerged. Proposed changes to fire safe regulations by the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection could directly impact numerous properties throughout Santa Cruz County, not just in...
Layering plants for wildlife
I confess, I’m a lazy gardener. In July, my idea of working in the garden consists of removing seed pods from the fuchsias and trimming a few parsley and basil sprigs for dinner. I didn’t have to spend time spraying for harmful insects and...
Rethink the lawn and save money too
Water is a precious and vital resource. Our bodies are about 60 percent water and our brain—a whopping 70 percent. Less than 1 percent of the water on the Earth, however, is suitable for human consumption. With the population increasing and the water supply...
Allergy mitigation landscaping
According to historical records for our area the pollen count is mostly moderate in February. Depending on the weather, Pollen.com and Pollenlibrary.com show medium to high counts only for a few days this month. If you’re an allergy sufferer you don’t need a website...
Let Hybrid Learning begin
By Roger L. Snyder, Scotts Valley School Bell
At last we have good news to share with our community on the move to bring students, teachers and staff back together on campus at our Scotts Valley schools. Assuming that there are no last-minute regulation changes, starting...
Controlling diseases and pests on fruit trees
I love it when a nice reader takes the time to call me to suggest a topic they’d like to see me write about or remind them what needs to be done at a certain time of year. Take Helen, who lives in Spring...
An entrepreneur with a giving spirit
What do you get when you combine a community builder, entrepreneur and innovative problem solver? Greg Wimp.
In 2020, Greg, owner of four local Togo’s businesses in Santa Cruz County, donated thousands of sandwiches throughout our county to fire evacuees, first responders, frontline workers, salon...
My comfort food of choice
The word “comfort” became synonymous along with food in the last 10 years or so; “Comfort Food” it’s called. Martha Stewart wrote a cookbook entitled “Favorite Comfort Foods,” foods that make you feel good for breakfast, dinner and midnight snacks.
Of course, these foods are...
Relationship Wellness Month
February is Relationship Wellness Month. While working on a healthy relationship should be a year round effort, this time of year is a great opportunity to assess your relationship, nurture it and improve areas in your relationship like connection and communication.
When talking about relationship...
New Scotts Valley Council members look forward to making their mark
After first-place finisher Donna Lind, the incumbent for Scotts Valley City Council, local voters selected Steve Clark—a retired law enforcer, known for volunteering around...