czu fire rebuild Column: Antonia Bradford Fire Recovery Letters Local News 

Open Letters to Bruce McPherson and County Leadership

“It’s not the fire that breaks you, it’s the County” By Antonia Bradford On February 1, 2023 Supervisor Bruce McPherson was quoted in a Sentinel article titled “Supervisors Bruce McPherson, Justin Cummings Seek CZU Rebuild Details” saying, “roughly one-third of impacted residents have not sought a rebuild permit after the CZU fires.” He goes on to say, “The county isn’t… Read More
Chuck Winser weather station Local News Weather 

Eyes Skyward: Hobbyist Chuck Winser Manages His Backyard Weather Station

By Julie Horner with Chuck Winser  Chuck Winser has been living in Boulder Creek since December of 1989, a refugee from the Loma Prieta Quake. Because he was working with manufacturing data collection at Seagate Technology at the time and had an interest in weather, the two interests combined, and he purchased his first weather station from Fry’s Electronics. It… Read More
Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency Local News Water 

Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency and Upcoming Water District Plans

By Bob Fultz It’s important that we all stay current with the activities of the Santa Margarita Groundwater Agency (SMGA), since their actions could have a significant impact on local control and cost of water in San Lorenzo Valley Water District (SLVWD).   A bit of background. The Santa Margarita Aquifer has been designated by the State of California as being… Read More
county bank felton 1948 Columns History Local History 

A Glimpse of the Past: County Bank in Felton 1950s

By Ronnie Trubek From the image above, can you tell where this bank was located? The Felton branch of the County First Savings Bank (established in 1870 as the Santa Cruz Bank of Savings and Loan) opened in November 1948. The Santa Cruz branch opened the first “Drive-up Teller” in the area in 1953. The name was officially changed in… Read More
broadband Infrastructure Local News 

County Secures $500,000 Grant to Develop Broadband

The California Public Utilities Commission’s Local Area Technical Assistance program has awarded the County of Santa Cruz a $500,000 grant to develop a countywide broadband master plan. The goal of the plan would be to ensure that all residents have access to high-speed internet. The public is asked to complete an online survey as part of the public outreach process.… Read More
1200 Rebecca Dr Boulder Creek Column: MC Dwyer Columns Real Estate 

Bright Spots in the Real Estate Outlook

By M.C. Dwyer We Santa Cruz Mountains residents are still recovering from this winter’s brutal onslaught of back-to-back atmospheric river storms. We’ve been through evacuations, multiple road closures (some of which will last for years), fallen trees and branches, slides, floods, property and electronics damage*, intermittent loss of internet and cell phone coverage, and frequent/lengthy power outages across the County.… Read More
Bear Creek Road Boulder Creek San Lorenzo Valley Local News Road Conditions 

Bear Creek Road is Open

Intermittent rain showers Sunday and a breathtaking view from Bear Creek Road overlooking the San Lorenzo Valley between Boulder Creek and Los Gatos. Bear Creek Road is passable between the Santa Cruz Mountains and Silicon Valley with numerous small slipouts to dodge. Observe temporary lights and stop signs in place for one-way traffic control at several major roadbed failures. View… Read More