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The history of the Santa Cruz Mountains is still underneath the soil of the redwoods—until it gets dug out. Millions of years ago, the region was submerged in water, leaving leftovers of marine sediment to molt into the sandstone and limestone we have today....

Back 250 years ago, after 11 years of war with Great Britain, the United States Declaration of Independence was signed by the revolutionists. The American Revolutionary War lasted from 1775 to 1783. Thirteen original colonies broke free from the British Crown. The Kingdom of Great...

I usually get my ideas for articles while showering. I don’t know why this is. When I was in college, I used to sing Neil Young songs in the shower, so I guess this shower brainstorming routine is an improvement. Recently, however, I received...

William McClure Stout attended three separate high schools to pursue a future in the arts. After completing two years at Los Gatos High School, his Los Gatos Ballet instructors, Peter Doll and Kristin D’Addario, suggested he consider transferring to a program at San Francisco...

At two years old, Shane Tarkington was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at Good Sam Hospital. By then, a child is usually capable of speaking words and communicating in other ways. But Tarkington's parents recall how their son wasn't able to do so...

“We the People . . .” —Since 1789 Our Constitution is the supreme law of the land. It was written in 1787, was ratified in 1788 and has been in force since 1789. That makes it the world’s longest-surviving written charter of government. It is...

The completely renovated pool at the Terraces of Los Gatos was dedicated to the memory of Pam Bancroft, on a windy day last week. A brass plaque was unveiled on the hot tub wall. Many residents and dignitaries attended. Bancroft was the first marketing...

By 1897—just 10 years after incorporation—Los Gatos had lost its reputation as a sleepy rural town. Modern infrastructure such as sidewalks, sewers and electric street lights had been installed to support a rapidly growing population. The next big civic project for the Board of...

Karen Joy Fowler, the author of The Jane Austen Book Club and Recalling Cinderella, spoke in Saratoga on Saturday to over 50 attendees. Fowler, who lives in Santa Cruz, encouraged the writers in attendance to focus on making their settings interesting.  She told them to “set...

I accidentally arrived 30 minutes early to the opening-night showing of A24’s “Backrooms” at the Santa Cruz Cinema in downtown Santa Cruz. The room was dark, empty and silent. Every seat sat vacant, the screen blank and there were no previews. There were no conversations,...