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Written by 

Mary Andersen is a journalist, publisher, and editor of the San Lorenzo Valley Post, an independent publication dedicated to the people, politics, environment, and cultures of the Santa Cruz Mountains. mary@slvpost.com

Santa Cruz County Government building Election Government 

County Asks Voters to Approve Half-cent Sales Tax as Federal Cuts Hit Safety Net

Mary Andersen
Measure on the Nov. 3 ballot would raise about $27 million a year for five years By Mary Andersen Santa Cruz County voters will decide this November whether to pay slightly more at the register to keep local health and safety-net services from buckling under federal funding cuts. At a special meeting Aug. 4, the county Board of Supervisors voted… Read More
El Nino 2026 Climate Local News Weather 

Preparing for the 2026 Super El Niño

Mary Andersen
By Mary Andersen Residents of the Santa Cruz Mountains are no strangers to the power of nature, but the latest declarations from federal meteorologists suggest weather of historic proportions may be on the horizon. On August 13, 2026, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service announced that, “El Niño is strengthening, with a greater than 90% chance… Read More
Felton Seed Library Gardening Libraries Local News 

Borrow, Grow, Save, Return: The Felton Library Seed Library Invites You to Dig In

Mary Andersen
By Mary Andersen As summer ripens into fall, gardens throughout the San Lorenzo Valley are doing what gardens do best: going to seed. For local gardeners, that means now is the perfect time to start collecting seeds from maturing vegetables and flowers, and sharing them with neighbors through the Seed Library at the Felton Branch Library, a project of the… Read More
Felton Fire Station California Columns Fire Departments History 

Felton Fire Protection District: A Local History of Volunteer Service and Growth 

Mary Andersen
By Mary Andersen Felton Fire Protection District grew out of a long local tradition of volunteer fire protection in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Its history dates to the 1930s and 1940s. The story centers on the Fetherston family, early volunteers, and the community’s decision to create a formal district so Felton could fund equipment, staff, and a permanent firehouse. Early… Read More
Santa Cruz Baroque Festival Festivals Music 

Santa Cruz Baroque Festival Returns for 53rd Season: “Essentially Baroque”

Mary Andersen
The Santa Cruz Baroque Festival celebrates its 53rd season this year with an ambitious lineup of concerts, masterclasses, and competitions. Under the artistic direction of Jörg Reddin, who returns from the Bach Church in Arnstadt, Germany, the festival explores baroque music through programming from January through April.  Baroque music flourished from approximately 1600 to 1750, bridging the Renaissance and Classical… Read More
Felton Flume Columns History Local History 

Flumes: Lifelines of the 19th-Century Redwood Rush

Mary Andersen
By Mary Andersen In the Santa Cruz Mountains during the 1800s, the air frequently hummed with the thunder of falling redwoods and the distant roar of rushing water. Felton, then a nascent lumber boomtown on the San Lorenzo River, stood at the heart of this industrial activity. Here, flumes – ingenious wooden waterways engineered to defy gravity – transformed the… Read More
mushroom month Local News Outdoors 

Mushroom Foraging in Santa Cruz County: A Beginner’s Safety-first Guide

Mary Andersen
By Mary Andersen Mushroom foraging is one of those outdoors adventures that pairs well with drizzle, redwoods, and a hot thermos of tea. Now through February is the most productive time for mushroom hunting in our area. Santa Cruz County’s damp winters reward patient eyes – but tasty fungi come with real risks. If you’re new, start slow, learn locally,… Read More
new veterans village sign in Ben Lomond, California Ben Lomond Community Local News 

A New Sign for the Veterans Village | Ben Lomond

Mary Andersen
Ben Lomond resident and Navy veteran Rick Moran spearheaded the creation of a new permanent sign for Veterans Village, a housing complex for formerly homeless veterans located along Highway 9 in Ben Lomond. Moran served on a submarine during the Vietnam War and later became commander of the “Maverick” 5888 Veterans of Foreign Wars post, known for advocating peace during… Read More
MA San Lorenzo River Felton Environment Local News Water 

SLV Water District and Use of Pesticides on Watershed Lands

Mary Andersen
By Mary Andersen The San Lorenzo Valley Water District’s (SLVWD) Integrated Pest Management Policy (IPMP) was created in response to a 2019 ban on glyphosate for district properties. That ban followed community-driven environmental and health risk concerns raised in 2017 and during the 2018 SLVWD board elections. However, the policy’s language and implementation have allowed continued use of other pesticides, such as… Read More