Local News Archives

Preparing for the 2026 Super El Niño

August 20, 2026September 1, 2026 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

Gardening Libraries Local News

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

August 7, 2026August 28, 2026 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

Local News Water

SLV Water District’s Highland Tank Nearly Complete

August 7, 2026August 27, 2026 slvpost.com

Construction of the San Lorenzo Valley Water District‘s Highland Tank is nearly complete. This grant funded Capital Improvement Project (CIP) is part of the District’s DWR Grants. These grants will be used to replace aging redwood tanks in the Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond, and Felton areas. These new steel tanks store up to 120,000 gallons of water, increasing storage capacity three… Read More

San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District

Local News Traffic

Heading Back to School August 6? Plan Extra Time on Highway 9 in Felton

August 4, 2026August 24, 2026 slvpost.com

School starts Thursday, August 6 for students in the San Lorenzo Valley — and construction on the Felton Pedestrian Safety Improvement Project will continue on Highway 9 as families return to their morning routines. What to Expect A temporary concrete barrier currently closes one southbound lane of Highway 9 approaching Graham Hill Road/Felton Empire Road. The barrier protects crews working… Read More

Local News Traffic

Highway 9 One-Way Traffic Control Continues the Week of August 3

August 1, 2026August 15, 2026 slvpost.com

Drivers on Highway 9 should plan for one-way reversing traffic control at several locations Monday through Friday during the week of August 3, 2026 both daytime and overnight. Here’s what’s happening, where, and how long it will last. Bridge Replacements North of Boulder Creek Crews are fully replacing two aging bridges north of Boulder Creek as part of the Highway… Read More

History Local News

Scotts Valley Marks 60 Years as a City of Its Own

July 31, 2026August 7, 2026 slvpost.comhistory, Scotts Valley

Reporting and recollections by Jay Topping Coming up this weekend! On Sunday, August 2nd, Scotts Valley will have a celebration of being an official city of its own. Until 1966, Scotts Valley was just a part of Santa Cruz, even though most people going back to the 1800s called it Scotts Valley after one-time owner and settler Hiram Scott, whose… Read More

Local News Weather

Wave‑Like Clouds Over the Santa Cruz Mountains

July 22, 2026August 3, 2026 slvpost.com

On a recent evening in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the sky looked more like the bottom of a rough ocean than a familiar blue dome. Those rolling, wave‑like clouds are an atmospheric feature called asperitas, shaped by invisible gravity waves and wind shear, and sometimes painted with pastel colors by a phenomenon known as cloud iridescence. Asperitas is a relatively new… Read More

Commentary Fire Departments Local News

Commentary: The Felton Fire Assessment Tax

July 17, 2026August 1, 2026 slvpost.com

By Luke Moeller We all support our local firefighters. When they run into a burning building, they are heroes. But the new funding system being pushed by the Felton Fire Protection District and their high-priced consultants, SCI Consulting Group, isn’t a standard public safety measure. It is a deeply flawed, legally shaky, and unconstitutional funding scheme that turns 300 years… Read More

Local News Traffic Water

Newell Creek Pipeline Project Update

July 9, 2026July 28, 2026 slvpost.com

Now through August 6, construction crews will work extended hours, from 8:30am to 4pm, on Graham Hill Road as part of the Santa Cruz Water Department’s Newell Creek Pipeline Replacement Project. The extended schedule coincides with the San Lorenzo Valley School District’s summer break. Pipeline installation is moving steadily, with crews now averaging 100 feet of pipe installed per workday.… Read More

Fire Departments Local News

Felton Fire Protection District Tax Updates

July 8, 2026August 1, 2026 slvpost.com

Latest News New: See below, new protests filed What Felton Voters Need to Know About the Felton Fire Tax Assessment Tax 6.30.2026The San Lorenzo Valley Post examines a ballot measure asking Felton Fire Protection District property owners to approve an assessment of roughly $700/year per single-family home to more than double the district’s budget and shift it to a paid… Read More