By Kristen Brown, Executive Director I am excited and honored to introduce myself as the new Executive Director of the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce. With deep roots in Santa Cruz County – working alongside electedofficials, serving as an elected official myself, and collaborating with nonprofit and community organizations – I am committed to the growth, success, and vitality of...

The newly revamped Panda Inn in Aptos, located at the Deluxe Plaza, has undergone a flavorful transformation under new management. The restaurant is now proudly family-owned and operated, emphasizing quality and authenticity. The joint now features house-made flavors and Szechuan spices that perfectly balance sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors. The all-new menu, to be released this month, includes...

Believe it or not, summer break is right around the corner. Many teens already have a very simple plan: sleep in, hang out with friends, and stay up late. If you have a teen who wants to do more this summer, these three fun activities can boost their skills—and their future paycheck! Learn a foreign language We live in a global society. Whether they want to work in sales, machinery, medicine, or...

Some of the meals they serve us at Live Oak Elementary School, where I’m a fourth-grader, are kind of simple, like bagels with cream cheese, which they serve us almost every day, sometimes with apples (like in the picture below). My favorite foods at school all start with the letter “P.” I like the pizza, of course, because pizza is my favorite food, and the pizza at Live Oak is pretty good...

Downtown Santa Cruz is more than just a place; it’s a living, breathing chronicle of childhood memories, a rite of passage, and a path toward blossoming independence. For generations, local kids have watched it transform alongside them, from a magical urban wonderland guided by parental hands to a familiar, self-navigated terrain. The Enchanted Early Years: For many Santa Cruz children, downtown’s...

With its lime-green color, and quirky and cone-shaped florets, a head of Romanesco could have been picked from Dr. Seuss’ back yard. Beyond the surface beauty it’s a versatile veggie packed with flavor and nutrition. A cousin of cauliflower, Romanesco’s mild, nutty taste is as delicious raw served with dip as it is roasted to and topped with kid-friendly seasonings. Plus, it’s loaded with...

When I was just starting out as a teacher, I asked the founders of our small mountaintop school why they started the school to begin with. They said that in the early seventies, there were very few public schools in the area that served the local population in rural south Santa Cruz County, and they firmly believed that everyone deserved a good education. I actually got many different answers to...

One of the most rewarding experiences in my life has been to volunteer with the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter. I started volunteering when my beloved 16-year old chow-shepherd rescue passed away and my husband was not yet ready to adopt another dog. I was longing for the company of dogs again, and there was the Shelter, ready with all kinds of mixed mutts and pure breeds! Being an open door...

There are so many things to be concerned about this spring. Here are some in no special order. How will the Pajaro Valley School District handle the stress of cutting $5 million from the annual budget, as parents and students fear losing teachers and classes. The district is the area’s largest at 27,000 students and it’s a prognosticator of what will happen to other area districts, as state and...

When my daughter was no longer a high schooler in my house and was now managing most aspects of her life as a college student, she said one day, “I’ve realized adulting is an endless cycle of doing the dishes.” Yeah, it’s kinda like that. Life holds in store for us endless tasks that, although monotonous, are part of the recipe for living an organized, well-managed adult life, which makes space...

April is the Month of the Young Child and Child Abuse Prevention Month, which is a good opportunity to remind ourselves that 1) raising happy, healthy children is both exhausting and rewarding, 2) every parent struggles, feels unprepared, or worries they’ve failed at parenting at some point, and 3) everyone in the community can play a role in making sure children and families have the resources...