Though the grizzly bear is long extinct from the forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains, it can be easy to forget that there is still a large apex predator roaming the region in the form of the mountain lion.

A Neighborhood’s DogA poem by Patty Morelli Miss Betty was once the new pup on the block.She’d sit on my porch where neighbor children would flock.“Can we play with Betty? Here, Betty, come!”Round dark eyes dancing, black fur, bright red tongue.School, winter, summer … time passing, half-flown.Warm days or wet days, they’d stop by my home.“We’re going for a walk, can Miss Betty go?”Then they’d leave with tail-wagging Betty in tow.Time passed, as soft-brown eyes watched from the gate,Old friends drove by, waving, late for a date.“Hey, Betty, good girl!” as they roared on their way.Miss Betty, head low, found a soft place to lay.Then one day, with time, there back came her old friends.With children of children to visit weekends.“Hey, kids. Meet Betty. Hey, girl, how’ve you been?”Tail wagging, tongue licking, oh! A puppy again!

Preliminary results: Lompico voters approve Measure N

Scotts Valley Police Department

Shout-out: Bravo to Scarborough Ace Hardware for excellent service and stock

 Having begun my career in a busy county trauma emergency room (ER) and now working in urgent care, I wanted to use this experience as an opportunity to explain how you can decide when to go to the ER and not to urgent care.

Anazella Mahina Gallant, a 7-pound 15-ounce girl, was born to Emelia Kamakele Nahinu and Martin Gallant of Boulder Creek at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz. She was born at 11:24 p.m. on Feb. 3, 2015.