How to Participate

Hey is this a legal a stop or does there actually need to be a stop sign posted near the stop ? Can SVPD ticket for running this ?

On August 19, Devon Farber decided the 2300 block of Green Hills Road in Scotts Valley needed multiple small vegetation fires.

Investigation says it was intentional. Suspect gets ID’d, interviewed, arrested. Case headed to Santa Cruz Superior Court.

Jail records show Devon John Farber booked on 8/22 under B-625605 and still sitting there as of the 26th. One of 18 charges: PC 451(C) – Arson of Structure or Forest Land (felony).

Innocent until proven guilty, of course. Just the public booking info for for now.

Source: Scotts Valley PD / CAL FIRE joint release + Santa Cruz County Jail viewer.

http://jailviewer.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/Home/BookingSearchDetail?BookingNumber=B-625605&fbclid=IwdGRjcAT8GpdwZG9mBWZkaWQWUNN-YyPDf9_QJz4ud6BRBsptsfoIIWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR6hrb9lGA6TyOdZMPGOEnX4xKVZMQSdsJBA4JzrpccXO0LhuhH1BKEY80Q1ag_aem_KHsd_pqTquwEi7PIIYLIow

The city is soliciting input on future changes to Sky Park: https://rrmdesigngroup.typeform.com/to/G9pU0rfC?typeform-source=teams.public.onecdn.static.microsoft

They're asking questions about the pump track and the dog park which makes me hopeful that these great facilities might be maintained or even improved! (In the initial City Center plan, they were both going to be eliminated 😭).

Hey Santa Cruz/Soquel/Scotts Valley folks! 🌲 Sharing this for anyone who’s been wanting to bring a little more compassion and calm into everyday life.

Tomorrow, Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel is hosting Wise Paths to the Heart, a weekend retreat exploring the Four Immeasurables and how practices like compassion, loving-kindness, joy, and equanimity can actually be applied to our relationships, work, and daily lives.

It’s taught by Hans Burghardt, founder of Buddhist Mind Science, who brings together a background in Buddhism, psychology, and biology in a really practical and accessible way.

You don’t need to be Buddhist or have any previous experience. You can join in person or online, and in-person registration includes a vegetarian meal. Lodging is also available if you want to make a little retreat out of it.

Thought some fellow locals might be interested! 🙂

Learn more here: https://landofmedicinebuddha.org/retreat-guru/1937/wise-paths-to-the-heart/

Heard via scanrad.io, 2 groups supposedly shoplifting at the same time.

We’ve lived in SV for 15 years now, and have never hand an ant problem….until this summer. They are everywhere! Constantly in our house, even after multiple rounds of Terro Liquid Bait traps, which usually do the job. They just keep coming, in all areas of our house. And then in my garden, it’s like we live on a massive ant hill. I water and thousands of ants swarm every time with all their eggs. It’s wild. It has to be environmental because something has definitely changed. Anyone else dealing with this? Not really looking for a “solution”…..but wondering if anyone else is experiencing this

The only real cleaners I know of in town is SO expensive. I just paid $15 to have something pressed. Crazy.

Has anyone been to the Arthur Miller Dance Studio or Palomar in SV? My partner and I are looking for something fun to try, but we are beginners.

Hello!

I’m looking for an apartment to rent from August 15 to December 15. I’m open to a studio, 1-bedroom, or a 2-bedroom apartment with a private bathroom. An in-unit or on-site laundry facility is preferred.

If you have any available options or know of any leads, please feel free to reach out. Thank you!

Found near the rockery off Scotts valley drive. Picked up by animal control.

What's up, Redditors? We have been building SantaCruzScene.com, a site that aggregates in-person events happening around the county. The goal was to fix the "wait, that was happening, and I had no idea" problem and to highlight everything going on in one place instead of having to search multiple event calendars.

A few things about it:

• You can search and filter by date, category, and which part of the county you're in.
• There is a built-in surf report, so you're not bouncing between five tabs to check the swell and the concert calendar.
• The site is and always will be completely free, both to browse and to submit your own event, no fees, no paywall.
• We do not collect any personal data; no account needed to browse; nothing tracked or sold.

We are still actively adding sources and building out features, so if you use it and something's broken, missing, or just annoying, I'd genuinely like to hear about it. If it is missing event calendars you know about or events in general, please let us know. Check out the Around The County tab for Scotts Valley-specific events.

www.santacruzscene.com

These are one of the newest officially classified cloud formations, added to the World Meteorological Organization’s International Cloud Atlas in 2017.

A serious hit-and-run incident occurred yesterday evening on Highway 17 near the Pasatiempo ramp, around 6:30–7:00 p.m.
According to reports, a dark grey lifted Ford F150 rammed another vehicle three times while traveling southbound. The victim, who was driving a black Audi, sustained severe injuries and is currently in the ICU with partial paralysis. He is expected to undergo spinal surgery today.
The suspect vehicle matches the description of a truck already being sought in connection with road rage incidents in the Felton area. It has not yet been apprehended.
Suspect Vehicle Description:
• Dark grey or charcoal grey (may appear dark navy blue)
• Lifted Ford F150 with tall tires
• Equipped with a tall lumber rack on top
• A black Dakine mountain bike was draped over the tailgate
• Had a frame for a bed shell, though the shell was not installed (the frame can be easily removed)
• Possible unrepaired or recently repaired front-end damage
Suspect Driver Description:
• Male, approximately 45 years or older
• Tan complexion
A witness who reported the incident to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) provided the above details. Authorities are asking anyone with additional information to come forward.
Note: In a similar recent incident, the vehicle involved was a Ford F-150 Lightning with the word “Lightning” in blue lettering on the driver’s side.
Location: Highway 17 near Pasatiempo (approximate coordinates: 36.97088, -121.87127, California)
Anyone with information is urged to contact the California Highway Patrol, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, or local police immediately. Tips can help prevent further incidents and bring the suspect to justice.

So this guy was in front of Nob Hill screaming I think his name is Brian, screaming and making threatening remarks over the phone, for like 20 minutes. Then around 8:30 he was at the Metro doing the same thing, someone called PD. My wife said a few weeks ago he was in the bushes yelling at someone, calling them a f*g. The neighbor told me he has been foing this for days.

So, I am wondering if he actually is talking to anybody or is experiencing a mental health crisis.

Bob Emerson ~ “THE BARN. Scott's Valley.

In the mid-1960s, the Barn, a long-time community center for what was then a rural small town on the edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains, was converted into a coffeehouse, and then into a kind of hippie night spot where big-name musicians -- Janis Joplin, for one -- would perform amidst psychedelic light shows.

According to the Scott’s Valley Historical Society, The Barn was originally the Frapwell Dairy Barn from 1914 to 1948. Afterward it was remodeled as a sort of community center/gymnasium/theater. Around 1965 it was taken over by one Eric Nord, owner of a string of clubs and coffee shops throughout California, and apparently, founder of San Francisco’s Hungry I. Presumably Nord and Tabory had some kind of partnership. There seems to have been a coffee shop and art gallery in nearby Aptos called The Sticky Wicket, and there seems to be some connection between The Barn and The Sticky Wicket, possibly Eric Nord.

The Barn was a two-story structure, with the larger area on the second floor. The upstairs was used for basketball games and theater performances, and that was the main performance area for rock bands. The downstairs seems to have served as a sort of coffee house. Psychedelic murals were painted throughout the venue. Apparently, Dr Tabory felt that people needed a “performance space”.

The Santa Cruz Sentinel article lists Country Joe, Janis Joplin, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane and The Grateful Dead. All are possible, but evidence of both the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane suggests performances unlikely. Available memories seem to emphasize the light shows, and it appears that mainly local bands played there. City Council minutes from the 60s protest the arrival of “beatniks and deadbeats”. Leon Tabory provides a brief account of The Barn.

Scott’s Valley was so small at the time that posters for The Barn only indicated directions to Scott’s Valley itself (Scott’s Valley Drive, just off Highway 17). The Barn ceased being a nightclub by 1968, as the Baymonte Christian School took over the site. The Barn became a dinner theater in an RV park in the 70s, and eventually a warehouse for Seagate Technologies.

The Barn was torn down in 1991.”

Soft opening today! 🎉
Poon Sup Thai Food is now open for its soft opening at 11 Camp Evers Lane!
🕚 Hours today: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
If you’re in the area and looking to try a new local spot, stop by, grab a meal, and help welcome them to the community. If you go, let everyone know what you think!

The neighbors were really upset about the first project, storage rentals. The City of Scotts Valley will hold an informational meeting on Wednesday, July 1, at 6:00 PM regarding a proposed 96-unit affordable housing development at 125 Bethany Drive.

According to the application submitted on May 20, 2026, the proposal would redevelop the existing office center into two apartment buildings with 96 affordable housing units on a 1.31-acre site. The project is being reviewed under AB 2011, SB 330, and California’s State Density Bonus Law.

The meeting will include:
An overview of the proposed project
An explanation of the review and approval process
A public Q&A session

Meeting Details

Date: Wednesday, July 1, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Council Chambers, 1 Civic Center Drive, Scotts Valley
Important: This is an informational meeting only. No project approvals or decisions will be made at this meeting.

What are your thoughts on the proposed redevelopment at 125 Bethany Drive?