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Scotts Valley
October 2, 2025

The Mountain Gardener: Small spaces can be wonderful places

He told me that his was a one-of-a-kind garden. Unique in such a small space. He asked if I would I be interested in visiting some time. I love being invited to tour all types of gardens, but I had an inkling that the garden of Rich Merrill, former Director of the Horticulture Dept. and Professor Emeritus at Cabrillo College, would be something special.

Talk About Money: Sales tax benefits outweigh costs

I've been writing this column for 4 years. Some months I come up with the topic and some months my editor does. This month falls into the latter category. I was asked to write about the sales tax increase Scotts Valley will vote on in November.

Sports shorts

Golf tournament raises $5,500 for DARE

Redwood race won by 16-year-old

A wrong turn for several runners could not spoil a strong turnout and beautiful weather for the 45th annual Race Thru the Redwoods 10-kilometer run last weekend.

Youth football seeks final signups

The Scotts Valley Athletic Association Police Athletic League football program seeks last minute sign-ups for football and cheerleading squads for children ages 6 to 14 years old. The final day to sign up is September 3, as the regular season begins September 7.

The Mountain Gardener: Miniaturize the Sierra’s in your own backyard

Maybe we can't improve on Mother Nature but can we learn from her to make our own gardens more beautiful. My late summer travels this year took me to Lake Mary in the Mammoth Lake area where I began to get ideas. This small Sierra lake formed in a depression in the glacial moraine below majestic Crystal Crag. Dozens of small streams keep the meadows blooming with wildflowers even in August. Huge granite slabs and obsidian domes create an impressive landscape. Everywhere I looked I saw how the plants, stone and water came together to make a combination that would look incredible in a regular garden.

Oak Tree Villa event raised funds in memory of fallen officers

Residents and staff of Oak Tree Villa donated $1,500 toward the families of deceased Santa Cruz Police Officers Loran “Butch” Baker and Elizabeth Butler on Wednesday, Aug. 21. The assisted living home held a rummage sale in its courtyard on July 20 and raised $1,500 towards the cause. They chose to donate to the families of the officers because they were killed in duty around the same time planning for the rummage sale began, said Oak Tree Villa Executive Director Tracy Freudendahl. To accept the donation, Santa Cruz Police Officers, including Chief Kevin Vogel came to Oak Tree Villa in their 1961 Chevrolet Biscane cruiser and gave rides to some of the residents. “It was very cool,” said Freudendahl. “The residents enjoyed it.” Oak Tree Villa will hold another rummage sale this Saturday, Aug. 24 to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association — the same charity the sale benefitted in 2012.

Plain Talk about Food: My journey with Lucy and her favorite dinner

I have a small patio in front of my house where I love to sit on sunny mornings, drinking that first cup of coffee and watching the chickadees fly back and forth from their birdhouses on the arbor, feeding their babies, My neighbor Morris always greets me with a “good morning” while walking his dog, and often a stranger will comment on my garden, leaving me with a smile on my face.

Datebook

- Submit Datebook items to [email protected] or drop off press releases or photos at 5215 Scotts Valley Drive, Ste. F, Scotts Valley 95066. Deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday. Entries are subject to editing, and publication is not guaranteed.

Musich, Loftus wed

Jim Musich and Lori Loftus were married June 20 in a private ceremony at a beautiful secluded beach south of Carmel. Musich is an automotive machinist in Santa Cruz, and Loftus is a second grade teacher in Los Altos. Their home is in Ben Lomond.

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Winter storms damage trees fallen

Nearly $15M in FEMA reimbursements secured for communities affected by 2023-24...

U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta announced that he had secured $14.6 million in reimbursements for local governments in California’s 19th Congressional District from the Federal...