Community

A couple days after Caden “Worm” Paul took in a performance of the “Nutcracker” at the Scotts Valley Cultural and Performing Arts Center, the boy was up on the same stage himself with his preschool classmates. Winter Zalona was one of them; just two days...

When I first stepped foot inside the Third Hand Store in Ben Lomond, a Canadian tasked with covering the quirky and community-oriented Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley region for a traditional print newspaper, I was hoping to find some threads to suit the...

The year 2024 is going to be big when it comes to politics—not just on the national stage, but on the local level as well. In Santa Cruz County District 5, which covers the San Lorenzo Valley (north past Castle Rock State Park to the...

Bank of America announced Housing Matters as the 2023 Neighborhood Champion awardee for their work advancing economic mobility and building up underserved neighborhoods in Santa Cruz County.  Through a multi-year $50,000 grant and leadership training for its executive director and an emerging leader within its...

Lucius Niesen is the kind of kid every parent would love to call their own. Smart, positive, well-mannered and with a smile that’s sure to melt plenty of hearts in the future, the Scotts Valley Middle School student carries a few things very well:...

San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts Valley are chock-full of character and conveniences that most other towns would be lucky to have: breathtaking natural beauty, great schools, plenty of opportunities for shopping and dining, and cohesive, neighborly communities.  Residents work together, play together, celebrate holidays together...

As afternoon turned to night in a glorious blaze of purple Saturday, families made their way past a fake snow machine into the Scotts Valley Community Center for the annual Light Up the Night festivities. Inside were snickerdoodles and cider, young ballerinas, powerful singers, talented...

Bryan Stow is the face—and body—of courage, grit and determination. His skull is partially sunken, his scalp is criss-crossed with surgical scars and he walks with the aid of crutches, yet Stow (not so humbly) embodies the characteristics that people admire, his wicked sense...

Grab your tutus and get en pointe for Agape Dance Academy’s dual renditions of the seasonal favorite, “The Nutcracker.”  Under the leadership of Agape’s Melanie Useldinger, there will be two versions of the classic ballet for the community: one petite rendition will be performed at...

In this season of joy, giving and community, the Boulder Creek Business Association (BCBA) embodies those elements as it collaborates with the Boulder Creek Recreation and Parks District (BCRPD) to present the 2023 Winter Festival. In years past, each agency would host its own events,...