Cal Fire is planning to burn an estimated 40 acres of grass, bushes and dead trees on Friday at Locatelli Ranch in the Santa Cruz Mountains, if the weather conditions allow for it.
Bonny Doon / Davenport
Posted inLatest News
Some county homeowners face proposed insurance rate hikes up to 50% as FAIR Plan struggles with fire risk
Nearly 11,000 Santa Cruz County residents insured through California’s FAIR Plan could face average fire insurance rate hikes of nearly 36% starting in 2026 as part of a statewide proposal submitted to the Department of Insurance.
Posted inLatest News
Tuesday evening traffic: Head-on crash with injuries on Lockhart Gulch Rd; Hwy 9 one-way traffic at Prospect Ave.
Tuesday traffic trouble spots in and around Santa Cruz County.
Posted inLatest News
Big Creek Lumber offers its School Garden Grant Program for 2026
A grant program sponsored by Davenport-based Big Creek Lumber that gives students and teachers the opportunity to learn through hands-on projects in science, biology, agriculture, carpentry and forestry is continuing in 2026, the company announced in a media release.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: Five years later, CZU ‘Renegades’ still have not convinced first responders
From the legacy of Bonny Doon’s CZU fire “Renegades” to what’s on the agenda for lawmakers around Santa Cruz County this week, Christopher Neely covers local politics & policy in his Monday newsletter.
Posted inBonny Doon / Davenport
The Renegades saved homes during CZU. Five years later, emergency responders still call it the wrong move.
Five years after the CZU fire, “The Renegades” of Bonny Doon are remembered as both heroes and cautionary tales — neighbors who defied evacuation orders to fight flames themselves, saving homes but igniting a debate over the risk of staying back.
Posted inFood & Drink
From fire to fallout: CZU’s lasting impact on Santa Cruz County’s wine industry
When the CZU Lightning Complex fires tore through the Santa Cruz Mountains in 2020, vineyards survived the flames, but smoke taint ruined much of the harvest, forcing winemakers to dump spoiled wine and experiment with new styles like rosé and white pinot noir.
Posted inLatest News
Thursday evening traffic: Three-car crash, construction, and lane closures on Hwy 1
Thursday traffic trouble spots around Santa Cruz County.
Posted inVisual Story
CZU then and now, in photos: From fire’s devastation, a picture of resilience in Santa Cruz Mountains
Lookout photojournalist Kevin Painchaud describes what he saw in the days and weeks after the CZU Lightning Complex fire ignited in 2020 and the resilience of Santa Cruz Mountains communities in the five years since.
Posted inEducation
Ben Lomond’s Alba Schoolhouse delisted as historic landmark, but rebuilding efforts continue
The historic Alba Schoolhouse in Ben Lomond was officially delisted from the county’s landmark inventory this week, but a dedicated group of volunteers is pushing forward with long-term plans to rebuild what was lost in the 2020 CZU fire.
