Community

In response to growing concerns among families, health providers and educators about the rising fentanyl crisis, a collaborative effort is set to take place in Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz County Office of Education, in partnership with SafeRx Santa Cruz County, will host a free...

The season of spring is a time of renewal. From blooming bulbs to animals awaking from hibernation, the onset of warmer weather and longer days is a welcome change from the dark depths of winter. In Boulder Creek, the local business association has a new...

The Ben Lomond Village Alliance (BLVA) is now accepting new vendor applications for the highly-anticipated Wee Kirk Market—an old-fashioned, fun-filled farmers and makers market debuting this summer on June 1. Held at the historic Wee Kirk Church in the heart of Ben Lomond, this charming...

The definition of a poem is, “A piece of writing that partakes of the nature of both speech and song that is nearly always rhythmical, usually metaphorical, and often exhibits such formal elements as meter, rhyme, and stanzaic structure.” Remove the stuffiness of the wording...

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...

Scotts Valley High School’s (SVHS) theater troupe is at it again, bringing their spring musical, “Hadestown: Teen Edition,” to life. The cast of thespians and vocalists are excited to bring their talents to the stage beginning Friday, April 18, and are equally excited for...

Think back 25 years ago to 2000: the first camera phone debuted (the J-SH04, with a ferocious 0.1-megapixel resolution); the clothing brand Hollister was introduced; the fourth book in the “Harry Potter” series, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” was released, and Scotts...

During a midday ceremony last Friday at the Summit Store’s parking lot, in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains, community members joined with telecom and government officials to celebrate the completion of the first phase of Surfnet Communications’ rural internet expansion. Mark Morgenthaler, Surfnet’s...

Whether it’s listening to Raffi in the car, playing the theme to “Titanic” on the recorder or jamming with other musicians in the garage, the impact of music on the human brain is unquestionably significant. Early childhood education researchers have long touted the positive results...

May is National Bicycle Safety Month, and Scotts Valley Police Department is urging everyone to prioritize bicyclist safety as warmer weather brings more riders onto the roads. In 2022, over 1,100 bicyclists were killed and more than 46,000 injured nationwide, highlighting the critical need for...