Times Publishing Group, Inc.

Times Publishing Group, Inc. TPG has provided local news to Santa Cruz County for over 32 years! TPG provides a medium to foster growth and increase awareness for local businesses.

TPG publishes the
• Aptos Times
• Capitola-Soquel Times
• Scotts Valley Times newspapers

as well as…

• Coastal Wedding magazine
• Coastal Home & Garden magazine
• Holiday Gift Guide
• Begonia Festival Guide
• Scotts Valley Chamber Business Directory Guide
• The Fourth of July Parade Guide
• Water Conservation Guide
• Santa Cruz County Fair Guide
which provide local news, support to local o

rganizations, schools and sports programs and provide a forum for local entertainment and community events. TPG magazine and programs provide specialty content, ideas and advice for the Central Coast of CA readers. Coastal Wedding magazine is a full color, glossy publication that provides wedding resources and venue information. It is published twice yearly. Costal Home and Garden is a resource for real-estate, home improvements, gardening and designing to fit your needs for the Coastal Life style.

By Joe Ortiz“Freedom is only truly freedom when it appears against some arbitrary confinement”— T.S. Eliot (top photo)Ma...
09/11/2026

By Joe Ortiz
“Freedom is only truly freedom when it appears against some arbitrary confinement”
— T.S. Eliot (top photo)
Many artists would agree that a search for creative inspiration without some form of structure — whether it be in painting, drawing, music, or writing — might be a risky practice.
John Ruskin, in The Elements of Drawing points out that it’s easy to draw what appears to be a good line with a sweep of the hand with freedom; the real difficulty and mastery according to Ruskin, is in never letting the hand be free but keeping it under control at every part of the line. In other words, “You must never, therefore aim at freedom.”

Poet Ezra Pound said that once a fixed element is set in place, the artist creates a safe zone in which to create, and a groundwork for freedom.
My search for the secrets of creativity began in a poetry class taught by Nils Peterson at San Jose State College in 1968.

By Joe Ortiz “Freedom is only truly freedom when it appears against some arbitrary confinement” — T.S. Eliot (top photo) Many artists would agree that

A free resource fair for older adults, veterans, caregivers and families will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1...
09/10/2026

A free resource fair for older adults, veterans, caregivers and families will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, at the Highlands Park Senior & Community Center.
The annual Senior Caregiver & Family Resource Fair is being organized by the center and the Valley Women’s Club of San Lorenzo Valley. It will connect residents with county agencies and independent service providers addressing the challenges associated with aging and caregiving.
The event will be held at 8500 Highway 9 in Ben Lomond. The senior center is the green building behind the soccer field in Highlands County Park.
Organizers said the fair is intended to make services more accessible to San Lorenzo Valley residents, who can face long trips to reach resources elsewhere in Santa Cruz County. The valley’s older residents also face challenges involving geographic isolation, the cost of living, transportation, housing insecurity, caregiving and the risks posed by wildfires and storms.

A free resource fair for older adults, veterans, caregivers and families will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, at the Highlands Park Senior & Co

By Jon ChownSANTA CRUZ — The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday tabled a discussion on changing how super...
09/10/2026

By Jon Chown
SANTA CRUZ — The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday tabled a discussion on changing how supervisors’ salaries are determined, delaying consideration of possible pay raises until January. Even then, it sounded like the issue would be dead on arrival.
The supervisors’ salaries are currently linked to the compensation of California Superior Court judges. They are currently paid 62% of what the judges earn. County staff had recommended ending the link. The item followed an Aug. 11 discussion in which supervisors directed Human Resources Director Ajita Patel to return with an updated salary recommendation.
The supervisors currently earn $151,730.80 annually, plus benefits, with a $1,200 bonus to the board chair. Staff said tying supervisors’ salaries to judicial pay provides an objective benchmark, but does not account for local factors commonly used to determine compensation for county employees.

By Jon Chown SANTA CRUZ — The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday tabled a discussion on changing how supervisors’ salaries are determined, d

By Jon ChownPHOTO: Emergency responders are on the scene on Aug. 19.SCOTTS VALLEY — A suspect has been arrested after ad...
09/07/2026

By Jon Chown
PHOTO: Emergency responders are on the scene on Aug. 19.
SCOTTS VALLEY — A suspect has been arrested after admitting to intentionally setting several small fires on a hillside near Green Hills Road, according to a joint news release from the Scotts Valley Police Department and Cal Fire.

The name of the suspect was not released, at the request of Cal Fire, according to Lt. Meredith Roberts of the Scotts Valley Police Department.

On Aug. 19, firefighters were dispatched at about 12:50 p.m. to a reported vegetation fire near the 2300 block of Green Hills Road. Crews extinguished multiple small fires burning on the hillside above the road. About one-quarter of an acre was burned. No structures were damaged and no injuries were reported.

A joint investigation by Cal Fire and Scotts Valley police determined that the fires had been intentionally set, authorities said. According to Lt.

By Jon Chown PHOTO: Emergency responders are on the scene on Aug. 19. SCOTTS VALLEY — A suspect has been arrested after admitting to intentionally setting s

By Jon ChownSOQUEL — More than 250 million gallons of purified water have helped replenish the Santa Cruz Mid-County Gro...
09/06/2026

By Jon Chown
SOQUEL — More than 250 million gallons of purified water have helped replenish the Santa Cruz Mid-County Groundwater Basin since Pure Water Soquel began operating in December, according to a draft of the 2026 Water Plan Progress Report by the Soquel Creek Water District.

The district’s 2026 Community Water Plan Progress Report outlines the completion of the water purification project, continued conservation efforts and infrastructure improvements intended to protect the region’s water supply.

SCWD directors reviewed the draft and recommended changes at their Aug. 18 meeting.

“Since our last Community Water Plan update in 2021, we’ve reached some of the most significant milestones in our District’s history,” General Manager Melanie Mow Schumacher wrote in the draft report.

Pure Water Soquel was developed to help restore the groundwater basin, which the state has classified as critically overdrafted. The district relies primarily on groundwater to serve its customers.

By Jon Chown SOQUEL — More than 250 million gallons of purified water have helped replenish the Santa Cruz Mid-County Groundwater Basin since Pure Water Soqu

On Aug. 18, the Hon. Rebecca Connolly swore in 10 community more members as Court Appointed Special Advocates for childr...
09/06/2026

On Aug. 18, the Hon. Rebecca Connolly swore in 10 community more members as Court Appointed Special Advocates for children in foster care or juvenile justice. This was upon their completion of the CASA 35-hour training program.

CASA of Santa Cruz County recruits, trains, and supervises volunteer Advocates who are matched one-on-one with a child in the county’s dependency (foster care) or juvenile justice court system. Advocates support and speak up for their assigned child throughout the duration of their case.

As officers of the Court, CASA volunteers spend 2–4 hours per week with their assigned child or youth, ensuring their needs are recognized, and their best interests are represented in the courtroom, at school, and in the community.

We encourage individuals from all cultures, professions, and ethnic and educational backgrounds to learn more and show up for a child or youth in our community.

On Aug. 18, the Hon. Rebecca Connolly swore in 10 community more members as Court Appointed Special Advocates for children in foster care or juvenile justice. T

By Rebecca Gold Rubin, Public Outreach Coordinator, Soquel Creek Water DistrictThe backpacks are packed, pencils are sha...
09/06/2026

By Rebecca Gold Rubin, Public Outreach Coordinator, Soquel Creek Water District
The backpacks are packed, pencils are sharpened, and students are back in class. But kids aren’t the only ones getting a pop quiz this month!

For this month’s Water Wisdom, we’re putting your local water knowledge to the test. Some of these questions may seem easy—but don’t be surprised if a fifth grader knows an answer or two that you don’t.

No studying required. No grades will be recorded. And yes, you can peek at the answers.

Pencils ready? Let’s see how water-wise you are!
Question #1: True or False?
An aquifer is basically a giant underground lake.
Answer: False!
It’s easy to picture groundwater flowing around in huge underground lakes, but that’s not quite how it works.
An aquifer is made up of layers of sand, gravel, rock and other geologic materials. Groundwater fills the tiny spaces between those materials—somewhat like water soaking into a sponge.

Why does that matter to us?

By Rebecca Gold Rubin, Public Outreach Coordinator, Soquel Creek Water District The backpacks are packed, pencils are sharpened, and students are back in class

The 4th Annual Capitola Beach Festival Paddle & Swim Events are coming to Capitola on Sunday, Sept.27, bringing families...
09/05/2026

The 4th Annual Capitola Beach Festival Paddle & Swim Events are coming to Capitola on Sunday, Sept.27, bringing families, athletes, and ocean lovers together for a day celebrating our beautiful coastline and the many ways to enjoy the ocean.

This year’s event will once again feature prone paddleboard and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) races on a two-mile course, along with the introduction of a new open-water swim event. All events are open to participants of all ages and skill levels, making this a great opportunity for families and kids to get involved and experience the ocean in a fun and welcoming environment.

The event is also about building community. Organizers of the Santa Cruz Paddle Classic have offered their support as we continue growing Capitola’s paddle community and promote the “Live Like Jay” legacy: a celebration of the ocean, community, friendship, and living life to the fullest.

The 4th Annual Capitola Beach Festival Paddle & Swim Events are coming to Capitola on Sunday, Sept.27, bringing families, athletes, and ocean lovers togethe

The County of Santa Cruz Department of Community Development & Infrastructure recently announced that construction has b...
09/05/2026

The County of Santa Cruz Department of Community Development & Infrastructure recently announced that construction has begun on the Ben Lomond Transfer Station Improvement Project.

Construction is expected to take approximately one year and will occur in phases to keep the transfer station open and available to customers throughout the project.

Work includes construction of a new covered recycling area, upgrades to the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility, environmental protection improvements such as spill containment and structural and electrical improvements.

The Ben Lomond HHW facility is expected to be closed until September 2027 during its reconstruction.

To minimize impacts during the Ben Lomond HHW facility’s temporary closure, customers will be able to take accepted household hazardous waste to the City of Santa Cruz Resource Recovery’s or Buena Vista Landfill’s Household Hazardous Waste facilities.

The County of Santa Cruz Department of Community Development & Infrastructure recently announced that construction has begun on the Ben Lomond Transfer Stat

By Dr. Lori Butterworth, Child & Adolescent PsychotherapistRecently, I was talking with the parents of a 12-year-old gir...
09/05/2026

By Dr. Lori Butterworth, Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist
Recently, I was talking with the parents of a 12-year-old girl in my psychotherapy practice. They described something that has become increasingly familiar: their daughter and her friends compare mental health diagnoses almost the way kids used to compare favorite bands or clothing brands.

One has ADHD. Another took a quiz on TikTok and thinks she has OCD. Someone else has anxiety, depression, autism or trauma. Sometimes it can even get competitive; who has the newest diagnosis, the most symptoms or the most complicated explanation for why life feels hard.

This is a striking cultural shift. Not long ago, young people often hid mental health diagnoses because they feared being judged. Today, many teenagers readily identify themselves by them.

There is something genuinely good about that change. We have reduced stigma.

By Dr. Lori Butterworth, Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist Recently, I was talking with the parents of a 12-year-old girl in my psychotherapy practice. Th

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