Scotts Valley, CA|News|
Bake a First-Place Apple Pie
Here's the winning recipe from this year's County Fair.

Jennifer Squires has lived in Santa Cruz County for more than seven years. An Oregon native, she studied journalism, Spanish and ethics at Southern Oregon University. She's worked for several small, community newspapers and also was editor of the SOU weekly newspaper for two years. Most recently, she was the crime reporter at the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Along the way, she's won awards for reporting on schools, wildfires and a grisly tale about the beheading of an Abraham Lincoln statue in a city park.
My Beliefs
At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. This disclosure is not a license for you to inject your beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that your beliefs are on the record will cause you to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that we failed in this mission, please let us know.
Politics
I am my father's daughter and, therefore, a registered Democrat. But I respect a wide range of views and hope that our elected leaders can find a balance between what's best for personal liberty, living-wage jobs and environmental sustainability.
Religion
I was baptized in an Episcopal church before I could walk but don't consider myself religious.
Here's the winning recipe from this year's County Fair.

Patch.com partner Zillow.com provides updates on new homes for sale in Gilroy.
The homes for sale in and around Watsonville this week.
Check out these new Capitola and Soquel homes for sale from our partners at Zillow.
Find homes for sale in Scotts Valley on this page every week, from our partners at Zillow.
A suspected car thief in Watsonville made this week's roundup of crime oddities. Read all about it.
A suspected car thief in Watsonville made this week's roundup of crime oddities. Read all about it.
A suspected car thief in Watsonville made this week's roundup of crime oddities. Read all about it.
A suspected car thief in Watsonville made this week's roundup of crime oddities. Read all about it.
Sept. 29 is National Coffee Day and Starbucks and Peet's have free coffee offers for java lovers.
Lucina Rubio Sosa went to move her car Thursday night and never came home.
A new initiative effort needs 504,760 signatures to get on the ballot.
A new initiative effort needs 504,760 signatures to get on the ballot.
A new initiative effort needs 504,760 signatures to get on the ballot.
A new initiative effort needs 504,760 signatures to get on the ballot.
Sept. 29 is National Coffee Day and Starbucks and Peet's have free coffee offers for java lovers.
Sept. 29 is National Coffee Day and Starbucks and Peet's have free coffee offers for java lovers.
Sept. 29 is National Coffee Day and Starbucks and Peet's have free coffee offers for java lovers.