r/ScottsValley

Soft opening today! 🎉
Poon Sup Thai Food is now open for its soft opening at 11 Camp Evers Lane!
🕚 Hours today: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
If you’re in the area and looking to try a new local spot, stop by, grab a meal, and help welcome them to the community. If you go, let everyone know what you think!

Hi all! We're developing an open source network to send text messages without cell phone service or internet called MeshCore - think text messaging that is encrypted, open-source, free to use, and owned and operated by the people who use it. It works with a network of low-power radios that receive messages from personal devices and transmit them to other radios all the way until the intended recipient receives the message.

Most of the repeater radios are solar-powered, and some are even smaller than a deck of playing cards. The Bay Area MeshCore mesh functions well during power outages and emergencies, and many folks are using and building the mesh to function as backup communications for times when the internet and cell towards aren't working (think fires, PGE outages, or earthquakes).

We're regularly messaging between Sonoma, Marin, Merced, San Francisco, the East Bay, Monterey, SLO, and some of the Sierra, and are trying to build up coverage throughout the SC Mountains!!

If you have heard of mesh communications of any variety, or are interested in experimenting or learning more, get yourself a decent companion radio and a repeater radio and consider joining our Discord to help get started. Comment here or DM me with questions, or find our discord and info at bayareameshcore.org.

Bay Area MeshCore does not sell anything whatsoever, and is a noncommercial group of radio nerds living in NorCal. The hardware companies linked to at our website are wholly unaffiliated with Bay Area MeshCore, have no agreement with us (and have probably never heard of us), and usually ship with the other mesh's firmware. That said, when buying a node, please try to support small businesses.

Final note! MeshCore is a different network than Meshtastic. Many people, myself included, consider MeshCore to be a very reliable choice for stable, permanent networks. I regularly direct message folks in Monterey and Watsonville from SF, and the messages usually go through on the first attempt!

Happy meshing!!

Photo 1 is AI. SUMMARY:

Scotts Valley Fire District Announces New Program Seeking Insurance Reimbursement for Emergency Response Costs, Preserving Taxpayer Funds (June 24, 2026)
The Scotts Valley Fire Protection District has rolled out a Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Cost Recovery Program in partnership with Fire Recovery USA. 
Key Details:
• Why now? The district responds to over 150 motor vehicle collisions per year, many on Highway 17 and Mount Hermon Road involving non-residents. These calls are resource-heavy (personnel time, equipment, extrication tools, hazmat cleanup, scene protection, etc.) and costly.
• How it works: When firefighters provide eligible services at an MVA (e.g., fluid/debris cleanup, extrication, scene mitigation), Fire Recovery USA bills the at-fault party’s insurance company for documented costs. Fees are based on national averages and are widely accepted by insurers.
• Impact so far: Since launching in mid-April 2026, they’ve submitted nearly $10,000 in claims and collected over $2,500 in revenue. 
• Benefits for locals: Recovers money from third-party insurers (often out-of-area drivers) instead of relying solely on local property taxes. This helps fund essential services and capital needs without raising taxes or cutting response capabilities.
• Transparency: The district will track all billed incidents, collections, and uncollected amounts. Quarterly reports go to the Board, with administrative fees from the partner deducted.

“Protecting lives, property, and the environment through exceptional levels of service remains our top priority. This program enables Scotts Valley Fire District to pursue reimbursement from responsible parties, helping sustain frontline services without shifting costs to local taxpayers.”

For residents: If you’re in an accident and your insurance is billed, most policies already cover these types of response fees. Questions? Call (831) 438-0211 or email info@scottsvalleyfire.org.
This is a smart, targeted approach many other fire/EMS agencies use. It shifts costs to those responsible (via insurance) while protecting local taxpayers. What do you think — good fiscal move or potential for headaches?

Full Article

“by Contributor - Robert Aldana | Jun 24, 2026 | Announcements, Community Events, Community News, Featured Story

SCOTTS VALLEY, CA — June 24, 2026 — The Scotts Valley Fire District today announced the implementation of a motor vehicle accident cost recovery program in partnership with Fire Recovery USA. The program enables the District to seek reimbursement from insurance companies for emergency response costs when District resources provide services at motor vehicle collisions.
The Fire District responds to more than 150 motor vehicle collisions annually, with many occurring along Highway 17 and Mount Hermon Road. A significant portion of these incidents involve non-residents traveling through the area. These responses can be time and resource-intensive, and costly for the District.

The recovery program helps offset emergency response expenses without increasing costs to local residents and businesses. Many insurance policyholders already have this coverage included in their policies, and recovering these funds preserves tax revenue for essential District services and capital needs. Since implementation in mid-April, the program has generated nearly $10,000 in submitted claims and collected over $2,500 in revenue.
How the Program Works: When Scotts Valley Fire District personnel respond to and provide services at a motor vehicle collision, Fire Recovery USA will bill the at-fault party’s insurer for documented eligible costs on the District’s behalf. Only incidents meeting specific program criteria—such as cleaning up fluids and debris, or the use of extrication tools—will be submitted for recovery. The program focuses on recoveries from liable third-party insurers.

Eligible expenses may include protecting the scene from secondary collisions, supplies and materials used to mitigate the incident, extrication tools and specialized equipment, and related incident support costs incurred during the response. The fee(s) are based on national average costs, and widely accepted by insurance providers.

Program Oversight and Transparency: The District will maintain comprehensive documentation of all billed incidents, revenue generated, and uncollected funds. This information will be shared regularly with the Board of Directors for ongoing program evaluation. Additionally, the District will publish quarterly reports to the Board summarizing program recoveries and any administrative fees deducted by the third-party administrator.

“Protecting lives, property, and the environment through exceptional levels of service remains our top priority,” said Fire Chief Mark Correira. “This program enables Scotts Valley Fire District to pursue reimbursement from responsible parties, helping sustain frontline services without shifting costs to local taxpayers.”

Questions and Contact Information: Residents with questions about the program, eligibility criteria, or how recoveries are handled may contact the Scotts Valley Fire District Administrative Office at (831) 438-0211 or email info@scottsvalleyfire.org.

About Scotts Valley Fire District: The Scotts Valley Fire Protection District serves 24,000 residents in a 30 square mile area including the City of Scotts Valley, Pasatiempo, Rolling Woods, Branciforte and Glenwood neighborhoods. The District is dedicated to protecting lives, property, and the environment through rapid response, prevention and community education programs.”

The Scotts Valley Planning Commission has approved plans for a major recreation project at the Boys & Girls Club property at El Pueblo Road and Scotts Valley Drive.
According to the approved plans, the project would include:
A new 7,480 sq. ft. clubhouse
Renovation of the existing 2,450 sq. ft. clubhouse
A new 6-lane swimming pool
A 1,500 sq. ft. pool house
Additional improvements across the 1.6-acre site
One interesting detail discussed during the process was the possibility that the pool could eventually be available for local schools and potentially the broader community, although those details have not been finalized.
The project still has additional steps before construction begins, but the Planning Commission approval is a significant milestone.
For Scotts Valley residents: What do you think?
Would a public-access pool be a benefit to the community?
Should the city prioritize more recreation facilities?
Any concerns about traffic, parking, or costs?
This could become one of the larger recreational investments Scotts Valley has seen in years.