Over the past decade, 127 teachers left Santa Cruz City Schools because they couldn’t afford to live in the county, and 95% of job offers were declined for the same reason, according to the district. To alleviate the cost-of-living burden on local teachers and improve retention rates, Santa Cruz City Schools broke ground on the district’s first educator housing community last March. The...
Editor's note for October 2026 by Brad Kava, covering community heroes, teachers' salaries, local contests, and the value of live music for children...
Discover the efficiency of HIIT workouts. Learn how to improve your fitness, metabolism, and health with these short, effective home exercises...
Discover how AI chatbots are impacting children and learn actionable tips for parents to navigate this new digital landscape safely and responsibly...
Is AI-generated music the pinnacle of art or just a soulless illusion? An exploration of technical perfection versus human authenticity...
Joyce Pearce, who has spent over four decades assembling care bundles for newborns at Watsonville Community Hospital, celebrated her 90th birthday...
Learning how to navigate the reality of being disliked is an essential life skill for building resilience and forming meaningful new connections...
Learn how to nurture your partnership while raising a child with extra needs. Discover the importance of co-regulation, repair, and finding time for each other...
Learn how Positive Discipline helps parents move beyond behaviorist rewards and punishments to foster deep, long-lasting secure attachment in children...
A beautiful story about how a new mural of California poppies at Discovery Preschool celebrates community, resilience, and growth after years of challenges...
Understanding Senate Bill 54 and what it means for your daily waste sorting and the future of regional sustainability. Sorting Out the Future of Recycling: An deep dive into California’s new anti-single-use packaging legislation and how it aims to transform recycling practices in Santa Cruz County for a more sustainable future. Recycling, Senate Bill 54, Santa Cruz, waste management...
UCSC Professor Martin Devecka uses Homer's Odyssey to help modern students navigate an increasingly complex world through lessons of metis and xenia...
Dientes Community Dental Care is expanding access to pediatric dental care with the addition of two pediatric specialty dentists, Dr. Jody Chiang and Dr. Danny Do. With their arrival Dientes is now accepting new patients ages 0–18, giving more Santa Cruz County children the opportunity to establish a dental home. Dr. Chiang and Dr. Do bring years of specialized training and experience, including...
October is National Adopt-A-Shelter Dog Month and Animal Safety and Protection Month. Learn how you can help shelter dogs and promote animal safety in your community...
Discover two chilling yet tender children's books, 'The Skull' and 'The Dark', which transform childhood fears into beautifully illustrated stories of courage...
I just returned home after spending five weeks in New Jersey, and I came back with a whole new appreciation for Santa Cruz. I loved every minute with my family. I taught my grandson how to ride his new two-wheeled balance bike, introduced him to miniature golf, and got to meet my new granddaughter. But I also discovered something I had never really thought about before: much of the country lives...