For much of Gary Bloom's career in education, his resume read much the same as many others who leave the classroom to take on leadership roles. After earning a teaching credential from UC Santa Cruz, he moved from teacher to principal to district administrator -- all in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. The Pajaro district is the largest in Santa Cruz County, and arguably the most difficult to run considering the lack of voter-approved special taxes and...

Due to unprecedented demand, Valley Churches United's annual Thanksgiving food distribution on Sunday, Nov. 22, ran out of supplies with 89 families still in line. Organizers are asking...

It's nearing midnight on a Friday night, and Capitola Police Officer Dana Van Den Heuvel is in her police cruiser out of sight of an intersection. She can see cars stopping at the stop...

In response to customer concerns about rising water rates, the board of the Soquel Creek Water District reduced its planned increase for 2010. The district had proposed a rate hike...