When the rain began to fall on Thursday night, Jan. 23, 1890, the annual rainfall total at Boulder Creek had already passed the two-yard mark.  The storms had started on Oct. 7 and would continue, seemingly unabated, until the following May, leaving behind a staggering 125 inches of water.

As a second round of storms hit first Northern California, then Southern California this week, several forecasters were declaring the four-year drought was finally over, at least for the north.

The Santa Cruz County Police Activities League (SCCPAL) is looking for volunteers who are passionate about youth football to help in their upcoming season.

A decision in December by the board of the California pension fund for public employees –CalPERS – to lower its growth expectations has left Scotts Valley and other cities across the state reeling from the prospects of dramatic increases in pension costs.

A break in the rain last weekend gave Santa Cruz County and Caltrans crews a valuable window to clear the fallen trees and rock and mud slides from numerous roads and highways, caused by last week’s heavy rains.

The drought continues, for a while at least.

The San Lorenzo Valley Water District has no current storm-related disruptions in water service, despite the heavy rains that have inundated the Santa Cruz Mountains since the weekend.

Valley Churches United Mission volunteers valiantly distributed 50 tons of county-supplied sandbags ahead of last weekend’s storm.