Community

Santa Cruz Downtown Toastmasters is celebrating a series of exciting achievements following the recent Toastmasters Division A Speech Contests—alongside a major club milestone: 70 years of helping local residents become confident speakers and leaders. Marq Lipton, of Aptos, earned first place in the International Speech...

My friend Janie shares with me some of the vegetables she gets in her weekly community-supported agriculture box. I like leafy greens, while she devours the peppers, lettuces, potatoes, beans — whatever is in season and harvested fresh and delicious that week.

Nothing pleases me more than a Sunday's drive up Alba Road in Ben Lomond on a warm sunny day.

As much as I wish creating rain is under my control, I have to remind myself it is out of my hands. The wonderful weather comes with pleasure until my mind switches from the beach to the river, then I begin to realize a slow underlining feeling of worry and fear. I think this concern is carried by many of us who have concerns that are greater than ourselves and the daily pleasure of nice weather. So many factors relay on regular rain and snow fall totals. It is hard to not wish for rain.

Sunday, Jan. 12, brought out the best of Felton Scout Troop 604 as four of its members achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in a ceremony attended by family and friends at the Elks Club in Santa Cruz. Ryan Clark, Gabriel Dobson, Caleb Jones and...

Electric orange trees decorate our gardens and forest paths this time of year. During the summer, when trees are quietly green, we almost forget they are among us, but then, seemingly overnight, they turn on the lights and glow with flamboyant fall colors.