Opinion

Summer fruit season is upon us as those beautiful peaches, pears, plums and now apples are showing up at the local farmers markets. Sadly, I have had to turn down offers from neighbors to share in their bounty, as there is only myself now...

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...

One intersection with traffic lights. No high school. No movie theater. No transit center. One big shopping center. That was Scotts Valley when I arrived as a reporter for what is now the Press Banner 50 years ago. But Scotts Valley was not a one-horse...

Because this past year has been a very busy one for District 5, it is not at all surprising that we will end 2021 with a great deal of activity. Let’s start with the County’s ongoing response to Covid-19, which continues to be a...

I have a nice Improved Meyer Lemon tree where I live. Because of water restrictions by the Big Basin Water Company, it doesn’t get as much irrigation as I’d like but it still looks pretty good and has quite a few ripening lemons on...

Apparently, there was some controversy in 2019 over Pantone choosing Living Coral as its Color of the Year because healthy living coral is in short supply. I thought the color coral worked just fine in the garden but then Classic Blue won the top...

I have two Japanese maples on my deck. They are not nearly as large as those I had up in Bonny Doon but you have to start somewhere. One is a common acer palmatum seedling and the other a ‘Sanguo Kaku.’ They have not...

By Ashley LaMorte As we bring in a new year, many of us set new goals for ourselves. Such as eating cleaner, or starting a weekly fitness routine to get in better shape. In order to make your new year changes stick and become a...

Pollak will be your voice As a parent of two young children and as a local community member, I whole-heartedly believe that Grace Pollak is exactly who we want and need on the San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District School Board. Grace is a parent of...