Tag: California

Earth Day celebrates the natural beauty of our planet and reminds us of what we can do to keep it healthy. Always on April 22nd, Earth Day is a day of education about environmental issues and is now a global celebration. In anticipation of this day I recently spent the morning in nature at the UCSC Arboretum where the birds and the bees were enjoying the nectar flowers. Whether you plant a tree, clean up litter, garden, hike in the woods or marvel at emerging wildflower, be in contact with the soil and breathe fresh air outside on this day.

The County Board of Supervisors struggled last week finding the right balance between protecting the environment and protecting neighbors from the smell of marijuana grows, yet not giving incentives to illegal growers and the black market with overly restrictive regulations and red tape.

After discussing the accomplishments of his first term and the priorities of his second term as a guest speaker at the North County Democratic Club meeting last week, Hart’s campaign pitch made it clear why he believes he would be a very difficult candidate to challenge in a general election.

There is a new option for parents in Scotts Valley or San Lorenzo Valley who are looking for after school programing for their children. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County (BGCSCC) is just about ready to open the new Joe and Linda Aliberti Clubhouse on Scotts Valley Drive.

A couple weeks ago in a column about allergy free landscaping, I mentioned dogwood being a good tree choice as their pollen is not wind borne. Their showy flowers are pollinated by insects rather than by the wind. Producing less pollen, their pollen is large and heavy, sticking to insects rather than becoming airborne and leading to sneezing, runny noses and watery eyes. With dogwoods about to burst into bloom I thought I’d share some information about growing this iconic tree.

The legal of issue of whether and under what circumstances a taxpayer or citizen can bring a lawsuit against a government agency was argued in court this week.

As the historic Brookdale Lodge gets ready to reopen later this year, a new art installation by local famed muralist John Cerney is taking shape.

The announcement of a new principal for Scotts Valley High School was met with praise and excitement during a Scotts Valley Unified School District board meeting Tuesday evening. The Trustees approved the hiring of Michael Hanson to be the next Principal for SVHS.  Mike has worked at SVHS since 2006 where he was hired as a science teacher. 

You can tell right away when you walk out the door how hot or cold it is, how windy, shady, moist or dry. You know if your soil is pure sand or hard clay because you’ve dug a few holes in your time. You don’t need a book to tell you these things. So why are the gardening zones described in Sunset Western Gardening book important when you add a new plant to your garden? And why are they so confusing in our area? The USDA Plant Hardiness zone map may tell you where a plant may survive the winter but climate zone maps let you see where that plant will thrive year round.