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Scotts Valley
July 12, 2025

Scotts Valley lacrosse team overrun by Serra

While the Scotts Valley High School lacrosse team remains undefeated in league play at 4-0, the Falcons fell to Serra High School, 17-7, in nonleague play Tuesday, April 5, at Branciforte Middle School.

Prior flood repairs eased pain of Feb.7 flood at Felton Grove

Dan Selling and his wife Liz Taylor-Selling were sorting through the lower level of their home in Felton Grove last weekend. A couple inches of slippery silt was everywhere.

Tax tips as 2014 filing season gets underway

January is the start of tax season when various documents and forms begin arriving in the mail. Some returns are easy to fill out by the taxpayer, but having professional help can prevent many headaches when it comes to filing more complex forms.

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. Check out www.pressbanner.com to submit your own listings that will appear in our online Datebook.

Lompico voters reject Measure N by single vote

Never let it be said that a one vote never made a difference.

Impressionist Scoppettone to exhibit with daughter

Widely collected post-impressionist painter James Scoppettone and his daughter, Lara, an emerging artist, will exhibit together at the Fine Art Enterprises gallery, 3100 Porter St., in Soquel on Father’s Day weekend from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 20.

Your Health: Smart Phone Medicine

It is estimated that one in five Americans have a health app on their smart phone. One of the first uses of such an app was to monitor vital signs such as a runner's heart rate, by connecting a sensor from the body to a smart phone.Smart phones are already in use to take blood pressures and even do an EKG. Currently in development is a product called iTest which will begin by testing for strep throat. This is done by swabbing the throat, placing the swab into a vial of liquid, which is then placed into the iTest device, and in turn, is plugged into the phone to be analyzed.The producers of iTest are also developing tests for HIV and MRSA, a common infection that is particularly difficult to treat. They are also working on tests for the flu, malaria and sexually transmitted diseases. Another test can detect troponin which will help verify if someone has had a heart attack. The iTest is anticipated to sell for about $150 plus the test kits.Other tests may soon be integrated with the cell phone. For blood it includes cholesterol, potassium, hemoglobin, kidney, liver, and thyroid function, and some toxins (poisons). For urine it can test for infections, protein, and HCG, a hormone to monitor high risk pregnancies. Saliva can be tested for influenza. It will even test ones breath for alcohol level, heart failure, and drugs like marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and amphetamines. In development are tests for certain cancers such as lung, ovarian, breast, and prostate, which will be detected by analyzing one's breath.In the works are apps that will allow one to wear wireless sensors to detect blood oxygen and blood glucose levels, blood pressure and heart rhythms. This information can be sent to your health care provider.There is now the ability to take a picture of a rash with a smart phone and download an app to process the image and receive a text with the most likely diagnosis. Then it will advise whether you can treat it yourself or if you should see your doctor.Also in development are hand held devices that can take X-ray, MRI, and ultrasound images which will incorporate the use of smart phones.With all this being said, the goal of the smart phone’s use in medicine is not just for individual use, but has tremendous applications for use in third world countries as well as remote and resource poor areas. Some of the information I have provided may seem quite farfetched, but I do believe it will become a big part of our future. -Terry Hollenbeck, M.D., is an urgent-care physician at Palo Alto Medical Foundation Santa Cruz in Scotts Valley. Readers can view his previous columns on his website,valleydoctor.wordpress.com, or email him [email protected]. Information in this column is not intended to replace advice from your own health care professional. For any medical concern, consult your own doctor.

Talk About Money: Benefits of Measure A worth the cost in taxes

“If you could find a major city that actually had a functioning, good public school system, you should buy all the real estate.” – Sam Zell

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News Briefs

News Briefs | Published July 11, 2025

‘Veterans’ Voices with VTC’ debuts on Santa Cruz Voice The Veterans Transition Center (VTC) and Santa Cruz Voice have partnered to launch “Veterans’ Voices with...