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Scotts Valley
October 1, 2025

Gardener: Stuff your stocking with natives

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here. The community trees are lit, homes and businesses are brightly decorated and Mother Nature is soaking up that much-appreciated rainfall. Santa is looking at the list you secretly keep, and if you've been good, you can probably add one more request. There's still time to get natives in the ground, so add some of these plants to your Christmas list.

Datebook

Friday, Dec. 10

Commentary: The December struggle has begun

If there is a more culturally confusing time in the United States than the month of December, I have no idea what it is. Along with Christmas as practiced by different Christian traditions (not to mention Santa Claus), there is Hanukkah, and more recently Kwanzaa. There may be other observances also of which I am not aware.

Editorial: Only in a small town

Last weekend, something remarkable happened. Debra Collins, a 58-year-old woman from Felton, was found in Fall Creek after spending six nights, shivering and weak, sheltered under a fallen tree. Collins’ discovery by Joachim Deguara and his 7-year-old son, Dylan, was the result of a fairly remarkable chain of events that could only happen in a small town where neighbors care about each other.

Off Hours: Fighting the ennui of winter

Active snow-skiers and boarders are in the driver’s seat for the next few months. While they ramp up for what is projected to be a good year for snow-related fun, however, the rest of us typically alter and reduce our recreational activity in the winter months.

Sports Shorts

Basketball clinic on tap

Talk about money: Bargain hunt for closed-end funds at the end of the year

Closed-end funds are not to be confused with their younger and more popular cousin, the exchange-traded fund.

Freshman Maxwell to run in national championship

After finishing a surprising eighth at the Footlocker Invitational West Regional Cross Country Championship last weekend, San Lorenzo Valley High freshman Anna Maxwell will make an unprecedented trip to San Diego this weekend to compete in the Footlocker National Championship.

Local football teams make strong showing on 2010 All SCCAL team

The Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley High school football programs had an abundance of players make the 2010 All-Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League team. San Lorenzo Valley won the league title outright for the first time in six years and saw its trifecta of offensive weapons named Co-Offensive Players of the Year. Also, head coach Doug Morris was named Coach of the Year after leading the team to a 6-0 record in the SCCAL.

Wine Lover: Dreaming of a sweet Christmas

With Christmas just around the corner, I thought sweet wines would be an excellent topic for a mid-December column. There are many different types of sweet wines out there. Some of the more common are port, sherry, Sauterne, late-harvest zinfandel and ice wine.

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News Briefs

News Briefs | Published Sept. 26, 2025

Music at Skypark wraps up 16th season this Sunday The free outdoor Music at Skypark concert series concludes its 16th season this Sunday, Sept. 28,...