Life, August, 2019

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AUGUST 2019

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EVERYTHING APTOS, CAPITOLA & SOQUEL

HISTORY CORNER

/LifeA.C.S

Vol. 7 No. 12

Photo by TARMO HANNULA

Rio Del Mar International Airport After the invention of the airplane in the first decade of the last century, airfields began to spring up everywhere. Although most were eventually called airports, airfields or landing fields is a more accurate term for many of the early ones, as they started as open land.

Early airplanes landed slowly enough that they did not require runways.

After the end of World War I, Army airplanes were sold off for pennies on the dollar, making them available to the general public. During the Roaring Twenties, pilots earned a living doing stunts and giving rides to a fascinated public. Charles Lindbergh’s 1927 solo flight from New York to Paris in the “Spirit of Saint Louis” was a great boon to aviation.

In the early 1920s, the

By John Hibble of the Aptos History Museum Visit us online: aptoshistory.org Visit the museum: 7605-B Old Dominion Court

Aptos

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A woman heads into the new branch of Bay Federal Credit Union in the Rancho Del Mar center in Aptos.

Several businesses have recently moved into the center. See story on page 2.

PVUSD repairing multiple schools Aptos High sees massive renovations

By TONY NUÑEZ Several major construction projects are underway at multiple Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) schools.

On top of the long-awaited construction of Pajaro Valley High School’s athletic fields and track, the PVUSD is also giving multiple Aptos schools a facelift by remodeling their quads, drop-off areas and fencing.

In all, the district is spending an estimated $28.5 million on a wide array of projects this summer, most of which are funded through Measure L, which was approved by voters in 2012.

At $12.8 million, the PV High fields and track — set to be

Major construction is underway at Aptos High School, including a restructuring of the campus central quad area. — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

completed before the start of the 2020-21 school year — is the most expensive project the PVUSD is taking on this summer. A campuswide repair of structural dry rot,

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AUGUST 2019

2 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

Publisher

Jeanie Johnson

Editor

Tony Nuñez

Editorial

Todd Guild Johanna Miller Tony Nuñez Tarmo Hannula

Rite Aid, in the Rancho Del Mar center in Aptos, is celebrating a Grand Re-opening, following a major upgrade. — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

Tarmo Hannula

Rancho Del Mar center continues to fill with shops

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By TARMO HANNULA

Photography

Tina Chavez Jazmine Ancira Lupita Ortiz

Production

Rob Chalhoub Life in Aptos, Capitola and Soquel is published monthly. All rights reserved, material may not be reprinted without written consent from the publisher. Life in Aptos, Capitola and Soquel made every effort to maintain the accuracy of information presented in this publication, but assumes no responsibility for errors, changes or omissions. Life in Aptos, Capitola and Soquel is a division of the Pajaronian. Publishing in Santa Cruz County since 1868.

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831-761-7300 newsroom@register-pajaronian.com

APTOS — With final detail touches underway in the major overhaul of the Rancho Del Mar Shopping Center, several businesses are now open and others are on deck.

Audrey Rhoads, marketing and public relations director with TRC Retail, said she is pleased with the work and excited with the string of businesses that are bringing life to the center.

“It looks so fresh and appealing,” Rhoads said. “Most importantly, it will offer the community conveniences that will make their lives easier. You can pick up a gift at Bubble Lounge, get a coffee or juice, run errands or have a fun night on the town.”

Recently opened at the center are: • Peet’s Coffee, which offers tea drinks, pastries and other snacks, and roasts their coffee in Alameda.

• Sutter Health Walk-in Care will be staffed by clinicians trained to diagnose and prescribe medication for common ailments.

• Bay Federal Credit Union has relocated its Aptos branch to the spot that was recently vacated by Comerica Bank when it moved into another location within Rancho Del Mar center.

• Anytime Fitness, a 24-hour health and fitness club headquartered in Minnesota.

They operate over 4,000 franchised locations in 50 countries. The gym facilities

A worker completes detail work outside the new location of Sutter Walk-In Care in the Rancho Del Mar center. — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

A new logo and sign has been installed at the Rancho Del Mar Center. — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

are open 365 days out of the year.

• Bubble Lounge Boutique, which moved from its downtown Santa Cruz location and reopened a few weeks ago at 30 Rancho Del Mar. They feature women’s yoga and activewear, designer denim, lounge and streetwear, trendy dresses, skincare and body products, accessories and cosmetics.

• Rite Aid is currently celebrating its recent major renovation with a Grand Reopening at the same location in the center that features a pharmacy and a garden center.

• Century 21 Sandcastle opened its doors at 29 Rancho Del Mar. Realtor Tena Marie said the business offers complete

commercial and residential real estate services.

Coming soon will be: • Clean Juice, which offers organic pressed juices, bowls and smoothies in a variety of flavors.

• Sushi Garden Japanese Restaurant, which already has a Main Street location in Watsonville, will open in August. They will offer sushi, rolls, teriyaki and other menu items, with indoor and outdoor seating.

• Poki Bowl, which offers bowls of rice, vegetables and chips with a choice of raw fish toppings, vegetables and sauces.

• Mountain Mike’s Pizza, which has a long-standing Watsonville location, will offer a host of pizzas, chicken, sandwiches, salads and desserts.

• Atlantis Properties specializes in property management services, which include single-family and townhomes, duplexes, apartments and small commercial properties. The company manages properties in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Mateo and Monterey Counties.

Also, Erik’s Deli Cafe, Aptos Nails, Senior Benefit Insurance Services, Safeway, Ace Hardware, Best Cleaners and Susi’s Flowers are all open.

Justin White CEO of K & D Landscaping of Watsonville said he is excited to get a contract to build up and maintain the landscaping at the center. He said his company, founded in Watsonville by his parents, Kendel and Dawn White in 1986, has installed landscaping which he said is around 70 percent drought tolerant.

The morning crowd gets a taste of Peet’s Coffee on opening day in the Rancho Del Mar center in Aptos. — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

AUGUST 2019

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 3

Aptos High robotics team wins international competition Victory is team’s second in 3 years

By JAMIE WALTON, FOR LIFE APTOS — For the second time in three years, Aptos High School’s Seal Team Scalyr took first place in the International Marine Advanced Technology Education Remotely Operated Vehicle (MATE ROV) competition at Kingsport, Tenn.

Hundreds of aspiring engineers from around the globe traveled to The Volunteer State in late June with robots designed to accomplish complex tasks underwater in tow, but Team Scalyr bested them all to return to the top of the mountain two years after its first victory.

“This is an exceptional team, students have worked extremely hard to earn their place as the world champion ROV team,” Aptos High Science Teacher and Robotics Club Faculty Mentor Joe Manildi said.

“They dedicated hundreds of hours to design, build, organize and test their robot, with each person working both individually and as a team. They are dedicated, hardworking, talented, kind, fun and have learned to work together and trust each other.”

Teams are judged on several categories; the most points are garnered by the ROVs’ capabilities. Each team’s technical report, sales presentation and marketing display are also evaluated. Additional points are given for community outreach, which involves spreading interest in technology and awareness of environmental issues.

After three days of piloting, demonstrating and presenting, the Aptos team won both ROV speed and ability and marketing display categories, placing it first overall against 45 teams from 19 different countries, including Newfoundland, Egypt, India and Japan.

The second-place team was from the Center of Robotics Development in Vladivostok, Russia.

“The international competition is so much fun because you get to see how other teams approached the same problem,” ROV team member Johan Govaars said.

Teams qualify for the international competition by winning in their region. The Northern California regional competition this year was held at Watsonville High in May. After Scalyr’s regional victory, the team worked to improve the reliability of their robot’s design. Team member Sun Woo Da Costa explained that the many complex parts mean that the odds of something failing during the competition is high.

“Almost every component takes several attempts before it works the way we want it to, so when it finally does, it feels so amazing,” teammate Amelia Lovell added.

The team’s latest robot, Argo VI, solves simulated tasks that real ROVs perform in oceans and lakes — from restoring a broken dam to recovering sunken artifacts.

The team created innovative solutions to its mission, using custom-designed tools such as a 3D printed claw, a small, detachable

Aptos High’s winning Marine Advanced Technology Education Remotely Operated Vehicle named Argo IV. — Contributed

Aptos High School’s Seal Team Scalyr won the International Marine Advanced Technology Education Remotely Operated Vehicle (MATE ROV) competition in Kingsport, Tenn. — Contributed

robot from their primary vehicle and image recognition software.

Student Cameron Barrett said the Argo VI’s “infinitely rotating claw set us apart.”

Jacob Sandler added that another secret to their success was staying true to their goal to start mission runs a month before the competition.

“We master tasks that other teams may have been able to accomplish if they had practiced more,” Sandler said.

Team mentor Victor Da Costa attributed the team’s success to a “commitment to five years of hands-on experience in electronics, mechanics and software design.”

The Aptos High team is made up of one sophomore, eight juniors and three seniors. The students are a combination of three teams that started competing in the seventh grade in Aptos Junior High at the beginner level, advancing each year through intermediate to advanced level.

The Argo VI trip to the international competition was sponsored by Nordic Naturals and Scalyr of San Mateo.

Additional support came from Aptos High Booster Club, and PVUSD District fund, Ship Smart of Aptos, Provac, Jaco, AquaVu, Cabrillo Makerspace and individual donations.

“We are fortunate and grateful to have support from the coaches, parents, school, and community to guide and fund their efforts,” Robotics Club Mentor Joe Manildi said.

AUGUST 2019

4 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

COMMUNITY CHATTER Local youth organization named California Nonprofit of the Year

Local youth empowerment and food justice organization Food, What?! has been honored as the California Nonprofit of the Year.

Food, What?! staff joined Senator Bill Monning in June to celebrate this achievement at the annual California Nonprofits Day Celebration in Sacramento, which recognized exceptional nonprofits statewide.

“Food, What?! has done a tremendous job in empowering the youth of Santa Cruz County… using sustainable agriculture,” Monning said. “The organization provides low-income youth with the opportunity to learn about local food systems, diet and nutrition, along with critical life skills.

Thank you to everyone at Food, What?! for your dedication to helping teens find their voice and long-lasting confidence.”

Based in Watsonville and Santa Cruz, Food, What?! youth use organic farming, nourishing food and community as vehicles to grow on their own terms. Along with staff and crew, they grow, cook, eat and distribute fresh, healthy food while also addressing local food justice issues.

Through its programs, Food, What?! engages youth in relationships with land, food and each other in ways that are “grounded in love and rooted in justice.” The organization aims to provide meaningful spaces where youth can cultivate empowerment, liberation and well-being.

“We honor youth for who they are,” Founder and Executive Director Doron Comerchero said, “We listen to them. We provide them with meaningful work. We co-create safe and brave space. And we dig deep, deep into the well that’s within each of us to love. To love ourselves, and

Founder and Executive Director of Food, What?! Doron Comerchero (from left), Senator Bill Monning and Food, What?! alumni and staff member Uriel Reyes. — Contributed

to love each other.”

Food, What?! staff and participants extended its thanks to everyone who has walked alongside the organization toward this milestone.

For more information, visit www. foodwhat.org.

Mid-county groundwater plan released for comment

The Santa Cruz Mid-County Groundwater Agency (MGA) is recently released of a draft Sustainability Plan

Make the pledge to stay alive... don’t text & drive.

for the Mid-County groundwater basin, including the opening of a 60-day window for review and comment.

The Santa Cruz Mid-County Groundwater Basin is an essential source of water that is in a state of overdraft.

Working with community members and experts, the MGA is developing a plan under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act to restore the basin to sustainability by 2040.

The MGA encourages all community members to get involved. The Sustainability Plan will have long-term

community implications and includes the following information: • Detailed information about the Groundwater Basin including geology, hydrology, and political boundaries • Detailed information about water use within the Basin • Definition of sustainability for the following indicators:

• Seawater Intrusion

• Surface Water Depletion

• Groundwater in Storage

• Groundwater Levels

• Groundwater Quality • Proposed programs and projects to reach sustainability The draft Sustainability Plan was open for public comment on Thursday at the MGA Board meeting. Members of the public have 60 days to review the Plan and provide written comments. The plan will be available at midcountygroundwater.org along with a survey for stakeholders.

The MGA will host a series of community events regarding the draft Plan, including two open houses in July, a community Q&A in August and a public hearing in September so that residents may learn more about the Plan and its impacts on the future of local water supplies.

The MGA is a regional partnership between local agencies and the public to help ensure our groundwater remains a high-quality, reliable water supply today and into the future.

It is governed by a board with two agency representatives each from Central Water District, City of Santa Cruz, County of Santa Cruz, and Soquel Creek Water District and three private well representatives.

Dominican Hospital Women of Wellness Council receives $55,000 in funding

If you revere the magic of water, if you cherish the ocean for more than our waste repository, if you want to protect the future for generations to come, then recycle and reuse WATER for it is the most important thing for life itself and far too valuable to just throw away.

Jamie Proffitt

Long-time Member of Surfrider Foundation Santa Cruz Chapter

28% or 1.6 million crashes each year involve cell phones.

The National Safety Council (NSC) estimates 1.4 million crashes each year are caused by drivers using cell phones and a minimum of 200,000 additional crashes are caused by drivers who are texting.

Distracted driving claimed 3,450 lives in 2016 alone.

Distracted driving kills. It’s up to you to stay focused and pay attention behind the wheel.

This urgent message of safety brought to you by:

AUGUST 2019

Dignity Health Dominican Hospital has received an inaugural round of $55,000 in funding from the Women of Wellness Council, a women’s giving society.

A program of the Dominican Hospital Foundation, the council’s purpose is to provide financial resources to support and expand women’s health services at Dominican Hospital.

“The Women of Wellness Council reflects the history and mission of Dominican Hospital, in particular the hospital’s legacy of all-female founders and leaders,” said Nanette Mickiewicz, MD, Dominican Hospital President.

“Together, this gathering of influential women is modeling the generosity, compassion, friendship, courage, and perseverance demonstrated by the pioneering women who came before them. And they are helping us to blaze new trails to improve patient care today and for generations to come.”

Each member of the Women of Wellness Council commits a minimum of $1,000 annually to support essential technologies, programs and services for women at Dominican Hospital. The Council meets three times annually to learn more about Dominican Hospital’s current women’s health services and exciting new developments from key physicians and medical staff. Council members work to identify and understand the need for new or improved programs, equipment, or facilities and to foster new relationships. They have the opportunity to review project proposals put forth by the hospital and vote with their pool of funds to determine which proposals receive funding.

“Our members are being introduced to the current services offered by the hospital, with some insight for potential areas of growth in each department or program,” said Women of Wellness Chair

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 5

Allison Niday. “The council is quickly growing, with more than 55 members participating. We hope to reach our target of 100 members this year.”

For its first round of funding, the Council selected the following initiatives: • Medically Integrated Health and Wellness Center: $36,700 was allocated to support planning for a new health and wellness center, which would provide a comprehensive pre- and post-natal care program, a cardiac care program designed specifically to address the silent risks for women, and a bone health program to prevent life-threatening fractures.

• Neonatal Incubator and Warmer: $18,300 was allocated to the hospital’s Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for the purchase of a Giraffe OmniBed Carestation, which features a full-service incubator and radiant warmer.

As one of the most advanced, neurodevelopmentally supportive environments, the unique design of the bed enables complete access, visibility, and control for caregivers, and allows parents to be nearer their babies as they heal. The donation will be matched through Dominican Hospital’s partnership with Stanford Children’s Health.

“We’re so pleased that the Women of Wellness Council has chosen to fund these projects,” said Beverly Grova, Vice President of the Dominican Hospital Foundation. “Our Council members recognize Dominican’s commitment to excellence in patient care, and are dedicated to ensuring our community can access world class health care now and into the future.”

Dominican Hospital provides a full breadth of women’s health programs and services. Maternity services include a variety of pre-natal birth preparation and fitness classes, advanced peri-natal care with an onsite Level III NICU, and post-

natal lactation support and new parenting classes.

Additionally, Dominican Hospital offers the only comprehensive cancer center in the Monterey Bay area. Many programs are provided specifically for women, including wig fittings, nutrition classes, counseling and other services to provide support for treatment and recovery.

To learn about the Women of Wellness Council, visit supportdominican.org/ women-of-wellness-council.

Congressman Panetta Cosponsors Legislation to Combat Robocalls and Scammers

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) recently announced his cosponsorship of three pieces of legislation to stop abusive robocall practices.

The bipartisan Stopping Bad Robocalls Act will enact strong consumer protections for authorized calls and empower the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with strong enforcement tools to reign in robocallers. The legislation would also ensure that consumers have the ability to stop calls they previously authorized and require incoming calls to have authentic caller identification information before they are delivered to customers.

The Help Americans Never Get Unwanted Phone calls (HANGUP) Act repeals a loophole allowing contractors to robocall anyone with debt owed to or guaranteed by the federal government.

This includes most student loans and many loans to veterans, farmers, and small businesses. The Regulatory Oversight Barring Obnoxious (ROBO) Calls and Texts Act creates a new Robocall Division within the Enforcement Bureau at the

Dr. Elizabeth Martin

FCC and supports the advancement of robocall blocking technology.

“The pervasive, persistent and proliferating robocalls have become more than just a pain in the ear for many residents on the Central Coast; the calls are an invasion of our privacy,” said Congressman Panetta. “That is why I cosponsored legislation that would equip our agencies with the tools necessary to help prevent the abusive practices by robocallers and better restrict unauthorized robocalls. Moreover, these bipartisan bills would help us to again trust that the number we see on our caller ID is actually the person calling.”

Last year, an estimated 47.8 billion robocalls were placed nationwide, an increase of 17 billion calls from 2017.

Illegal robocalls affect American life in increasingly harmful ways, from scams to defraud consumers to disrupting our health care system, and more. Congressman Panetta has heard constituent complaints about these calls, and is supporting bills that take a variety of approaches to stop abusive robocall practices.

Sunday Art and Music at the Beach

Sponsored by the Capitola Art & Cultural Commission, the Sunday Art & Music at the Beach series takes place six Sundays throughout summer at Esplanade Park in Capitola Village. Enjoy quality artwork from local artists and live music on the Esplanade from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

— live music starts at 2 p.m.

Remaining Live Music Schedule • Aug. 4: Acoustic Soul (R&B/Smooth Jazz Trio) • Aug. 11: Harpin & Clark (Jazzy, Gypsy & Country Blues)

Dr. Patricia Wilson

Dr. Molly Tackabury

Celebrating FOUR DECADES serving the pet community.

Look no further than Aptos-Creekside Pet Hospital for your best choice in pet care. Our highly-skilled veterinarians and staff offer you diverse services that include: • Wellness Exams • Microchips • Laser Therapy • Radiology Services • Parasite & Flea Control Programs • Small Animal Surgery & Anesthesia • Puppy & Kitten Packages • Diagnostic, Therapeutic & Preventative Services

$

25off

WELLNESS EXAM FOR NEW CLIENTS ONLY: BRING IN THIS COUPON TO RECEIVE $25 OFF YOUR PET’S FIRST WELLNESS EXAM. Offer does not apply for illness and emergency exams. Offer excludes products and medications and cannot be combined with any other offer.

Promotion Code: ACJUN2019 Expires: 8/31/19

• Behavioral & Dietary Counseling

Call 831.688.4242 to schedule an appointment 10404 Soquel Drive, Aptos • aptos-creeksidepets.com

AUGUST 2019

6 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

History Corner

Continued from page 1

Rio Del Mar Airport. — Aptos History Museum

first airport in our county was operated by the California Coast Artillery at Camp McQuaid, Capitola. It was bounded by Park Avenue, Monterey Avenue and today’s Highway One. It was acquired by the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce and leased to Russell & Ester Rice as the Santa CruzCapitola Airport.

In Watsonville, there were at least four landing fields in the rural area before Watsonville’s first airport opened in 1931 near the junction of Highway One and Salinas Road in Monterey County. About the same time, airports were constructed in Bonny Doon and the San Lorenzo Valley.

On April 15, 1929, the Rio Del Mar firm of Monroe, Lyon and Miller made a proposal before the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce, to donate land in Rio Del Mar for a county airport, and that Maddux Airlines would provide mail and passenger service to that airport if it met all of the qualifications for landing and leaving.

The same proposal was presented to the Watsonville Chamber.

Aviation fever was in the air. On August 25 of that year, a once-in-a-lifetime event occurred. Perry Pond, who lived in Rio Del Mar and flew out of the Capitola Airport, flew with his wife to San Francisco

with the sole purpose of seeing the Graf Zeppelin on its way to Los Angeles.

They followed the huge airship from the Farallones to Oakland and then to Santa Cruz. The Graf Zeppelin was the biggest airship in the world, measuring 776 feet long, more than two football fields. It was chartered by William Randolph Hearst for an around the world flight. Local people raced to Davenport to watch the zeppelin cruise by at 50 miles per hour.

By September of 1930 work had begun on an airport in Rio Del Mar. The plan for a county-wide airport did not materialize so Mr. M. R. Davis and two other pilots leased 80 acres from Peninsula Properties, (Monroe, Lyon and Miller), and spent considerable money to open the project to commercial airplanes. They planned to have an air taxi service between the bay area and Rio Del Mar. The airport ran parallel with the ocean cliffs at the intersection of Cliff and Bay View Drives.

By November of the following year, there were four planes and four hangars on site. The largest plane was a dual control “Bird” OXX-6. There was also a “Scout” Le Rhone, a “Jenny” OXX-5, and the smallest was a tiny “Heath Parasol” equipped with a converted four-cylinder motorcycle engine. A small hiccup occurred at the end of the year when a farmer who leased an adjoining property plowed up part of the airfield by mistake. It was repaired and placed back in service.

An Aviation Dance was held at the Hotel Palomar on October 1, 1932, as a benefit for the Rio Del Mar Airport. The airport was now two years old and had five hangars housing seven airplanes. By the middle of 1933, there were seven hangars.

The managers were Sylvan Thrash and M. R. Davis. The airport proved to be popular during weekends when pilots would fly their families in for a stay at the country club. Watching or participating in stunt flying also proved popular with the guests.

Not everything was fun and games at

the airport. In July of 1933, two unskilled pilots from Monterey purchased one of the planes at the Rio Del Mar Airport. When they tried to fly it to Monterey, they rose to an altitude of about 30 feet, but as they turned toward the bay, the landing gear and wing clipped the brush at the edge of the cliff and the plane spun around and crashed. The plane was demolished but the men were only slightly injured.

Just before Halloween 1933, all seven hangers were robbed of oil, fuel and any equipment that could be easily disposed of.

Also, in May of 1934, Orville Holt was taking a plane to show a prospective buyer. As he took off and headed toward Watsonville, part of the engine broke off and dropped through the fuselage. Holt headed toward the bay and glided to safety on the beach below.

In May of 1936, a man and woman from Oakland took off and struck the brush and trees at the west end of the runway.

The plane turned over twice and crashed into a ravine halfway down the cliff.

Miraculously, no one was badly hurt, and the plane was mostly intact.

By November 1933, the airport had three graded runways, seven hangars and eight active pilots. By spring of 1934, the road to the airport was improved and the parking area was enlarged along with runway improvements. At the same time, the Santa Cruz-Capitola Airport began major improvements. Mr. Thrash moved his hangar from Rio Del Mar to Capitola.

In 1936 the fate of the airport was sealed. Lots on the palisades overlooking the beach near the airport were sold and several homes were under construction. In 1937, the airport was subdivided, and the lots were quickly sold.

But that’s not all. Douglass Corrigan flew out of Rio Del Mar and managed the airport at some point. Historian Carolyn Swift’s mother and great-greatgrandmother, Carrie Trueworthy, flew with Corrigan over Watsonville. Corrigan had also worked on building Lindbergh’s “Spirit of Saint Louis” at Ryan Aviation.

In 1933, Corrigan bought a used airplane and spent the next five years customizing it for a trans-Atlantic flight. He requested permission for the flight many times but was denied, as his plane was not considered fit for the flight. He was, however, given permission for a transcontinental flight from Long Beach, California, to New York City. After arrival, he filed a flight plan to return to Long Beach, but after taking off through the clouds, he continued east and landed in Ireland. When he was questioned, he said, “I got mixed up in the clouds, and I must have flown the wrong way.” Wrongway Corrigan became an instant celebrity.

It’s a stretch, but Corrigan owned the plane while he was at the Rio Del Mar Airport. So, the first stage of his journey was from Rio Del Mar to Southern California, and although there was some delay, from there to New York, and then Ireland, connecting the dots would make Rio Del Mar Airport an international airport one year after it closed.

Many thanks to Carolyn Swift for her assistance with this and other history stories. If you like reading these stories, please become a member of the Aptos History Museum.

Aviator Perry Pond. — Capitola History Museum

AUGUST 2019

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PVUSD can cover expenses for next 3 years

By TODD GUILD SANTA CRUZ COUNTY — The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on June 26 approved the district’s budget for the year, a $262.2 million plan that puts the district in a good financial picture over the next three years.

By law, school districts must submit their budgets by July 1.

The positive certification means that the district can cover its expenses through 2022.

But the budget also projects a loss in revenue thanks to declining enrollment.

According to PVUSD Chief Business Officer Joe Dominguez, the budget is projected to lose Average Daily Attendance numbers from 17,805 in the 2019/20 school year, a number that drops by 186 the following year.

That’s compared to the 2014/15 school year when 18,341 students were enrolled.

Any loss of enrollment translates to a significant loss in Average Daily Attendance state funding, which in PVUSD is more than $17,000 per student.

The decline is due in part to domestic migration, as residents leave the state seeking less expensive pastures.

It can also be attributed to Watsonville Prep, a charter school that plans to open in the fall with 175 students, most of whom were drawn from PVUSD schools.

Dominguez has told the trustees to be cautious as they make future budget decisions, as the district faces decreasing ending fund balances for the next three years.

According to Dominguez, the district ended this year with a $26.3 million ending balance and is projected to end next year with a $10.18 million ending balance. That number climbs slightly to $10.87 million in 2020-21 and rises

slightly to $14.25 million a year later.

The declining numbers come thanks to increased salary, benefit and retirement costs, along with special education and transportation services, Dominguez said.

PVUSD has also lost $3 million in one-time state funding, Dominguez said.

Trustee Jennifer Schacher asked whether the district could reduce the amount of money it spends on consultant fees, “We spend a lot of money on consultants in our budgets,” she said.

“I know we are trying to reduce benefit costs.”

PVUSD Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez said that the district has spent a little less than $700,000 on consultants, and is working to “build capacity” so that it no longer needs to hire consultants.

Rodriguez pointed out that about $300,000 of that was for the implementation of Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words, a reading system also called SIPPS. The program is being rolled out to all the district’s elementary schools, and once in place the consultant fees will no longer be necessary, Rodriguez said.

The program has been touted for increasing test scores throughout the district.

“If we can make the impact that we are doing on our first and second-grade students, it is well worth the $300,000 in coaching and support for our teachers,” Rodriguez said. “Sometimes we have to invest in order to get return.”

Rodriguez said that many of the PVUSD’s expenses have been offset by a newly hired grant writer, who has brought in an additional $6 million to district coffers. About 1.8 million of this recently came in the form of electric busses, she said.

The budget was approved on a 6-0 vote.

Trustee Georgia Acosta was absent.

June

Jacqueline Deely California’s Coastal Birds

Community Food Hotline

Tools to Make Parenting Easier

BirchBark Foundation celebrates 6th year, 300th saved pet Staff report As costs for pet care continue to rise, the BirchBark Foundation is celebrating its sixth year, aiming to support owners who have pets with a life-threatening, catastrophic medical crisis and can’t afford the emergency medical care required.

The foundation recently helped save its 300th pet, a dog named Chicklet, after two of their veterinarian partners, Animal Hospital of Salinas and Toro Park Animal Hospital, worked together

PVUSD Work

Harry & Mary Blanchard

to perform lifesaving surgery following a vicious attack by another dog.

“After the attack on Chicklet, I began to pray and cry and ask God to show me how and what I had to do to get her fixed,” Anthoni Francyne Banda-Landavazo said.

“The next day I found out about BirchBark and if it wasn’t for them, and all their beautiful donors, I wouldn’t have been able to save her.”

First 5 Santa Cruz County triplep.first5scc.org 831.465.2217

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Continued from page 1

Mar Vista Elementary ($1,477,000), Freedom Elementary ($1,186,000), Linscott Charter ($1,779,000) and Ohlone Elementary ($1,022,368.08) are also scheduled to undergo renovations in the seven-figure range.

••• Complete list of PVUSD summer projects: • $4,558,000: Aptos HS — structural dry rot • $896,101: Aptos HS — Quad • $98,352.51: Bradley ES — New clock, paging system • $1,477,000: Mar Vista ES — Campus Modernization • $75,001.84: Renaissance HS — New clock, paging system • $576,000: Ann Soldo ES — Exterior & Safety improvements

• $264,000: Calabasas ES — Exterior painting & dry rot • $1,186,000: Freedom ES — Student drop off & site safety improvements • $12,898,000: PV HS — New track & fields • $129,000: PV HS — Science room modernization • $175,000: PV HS — Combine rooms K108 & K109 into one room • $875,000: Rolling Hills MS — MPR HVAC & roofing modernization • $27,000: Starlight ES — MPR Skylight repair • $565,069: EA Hall MS — Navigator Charter portable restroom building • $1,779,000: Linscott Charter — Site safety, ADA accessibility, improvements & building modernization • $628,000: MacQuiddy ES —

Perimeter safety fencing • $1,022,368.08: Ohlone ES — Site safety & frontage improvements • $759,256.09: Pajaro MS — Perimeter safety improvements • $8,500 : Transportation yard — Bus wash water filter • $70,840: Watsonville HS — Softball

field dugout • $452,101: Watsonville HS — Modernization of FFA livestock building Total (not including multi-zone projects): $28,519,588 For a complete list of ongoing and future projects, visit pvusd.net.

AUGUST 2019

8 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

Aptos babysitter sentenced to 30 years

By TODD GUILD SAN FRANCISCO — The Aptos man who molested at least two young boys, created pornography of the crimes and amassed a collection of thousands of images of child porn was sentenced on July 10 to 30 years in federal prison.

Ryan Spencer, 21, has been in custody since his arrest on April 26, 2017. He pleaded guilty in October to possession, production and distribution of child pornography.

The federal prison system has no parole.

However, with good behavior, Spencer could be out in about 25 years.

Spencer was a babysitter and camp counselor in the Santa Cruz area, and federal investigators believe that he placed himself in those positions to gain access to his victims.

Four young people have reported that Spencer molested them.

In a July 3 sentencing memorandum, United States Attorney David Anderson wrote that Spencer presented a “carefully cultivated image to the families for whom he babysat.”

“Parents liked Spencer, and they trusted him,” Anderson wrote. “But Spencer’s goal was not teaching experience or extra spending money. Behind his sterling resume lay a single-minded obsession: a sexual desire for prepubescent boys.”

Spencer must also pay restitution to his victims, and has a Sept. 18 hearing to determine the amount.

The case against Spencer, and his codefendant Bryan Peterson, began on April 26, 2017 when FBI agents raided Peterson’s residence in Tiburon.

There, Peterson, who was also a babysitter, admitted he had child porn, and told agents that Spencer gave him a hard drive loaded with more than 30,000 child porn images.

Agents served a search warrant at Spencer’s Aptos residence the next day.

Investigators found chat transcripts between Spencer and Peterson in which Spencer detailed his experiences molesting the children he babysat, and the two discussed exchanging child porn images.

Spencer later refused demands to unlock his devices for investigators, even after a judge fined him $1,000 per day for failing to do so. He relented 21 days later.

Once agents unlocked the devices, they found thousands of illegal pictures and videos, some of which were of two boys Spencer babysat. One of the boys depicted said that Spencer had molested him, Anderson wrote.

“Spencer saw the boys in his care as sex objects, and he acted accordingly,” he wrote. “He abused parents’ trust to access and victimize their children. The effects will be felt for years to come.”

Peterson is facing the same sentence. He

Ryan Spencer. — From Facebook

is scheduled to be sentenced in August.

Fairgrounds welcomes first-of-its-kind festival

By TONY NUNEZ APTOS — Colin Disheroon would like to “change the story around cannabis” in any way he can.

As the CEO and founder of Santa Cruz Naturals, a dispensary with locations in Aptos and Pajaro, he’s tried to push away the thick, cloudy stigma that comes with using cannabis — for medicinal purposes or recreational.

“I want people to feel like they don’t have to hide it,” Disheroon said. “I don’t want people to feel like they’re doing something wrong when they’re enjoying the product.”

That journey to change the perception of cannabis pushed Disheroon and Co. into one of their most ambitious projects.

The Power of Flower festival will unite music and cannabis for one night at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds on Aug. 10.

Organizers say the event will support small, local and legal craft cannabis brands, as well as allow cannabis to have a legal, fun and safe presence in a music festival setting.

Ozomatli, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, George Porter & Runnin’ Pardners, Space Heater and Diego’s Umbrella will all rock the stage, while cannabis companies such as Santa Cruz Roots, Skunk Feather, Santa Cruz Mountain Tops and Legion of Bloom will hold exhibitions throughout the night.

Mattia Pizza, Santa Cruz Poke, Saucey’z, Rouge Pye and Tacos El Chuy will be selling food, and an “artist grove,” featuring everything from chocolate and yoga to clothing and photography, will

also be present at the fairgrounds.

Watsonville Taiko will kick off the festival.

“We have such a great mix of different performers and bands,” Disheroon said.

“We saw an opportunity to really promote some great local music in a cool, fun setting where cannabis is the showcase.”

Tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door.

All of the proceeds from the festival will go to local nonprofits selected by organizers.

“That was one of our goals: to give back to the community,” Disheroon said.

Disheroon said he believes Power of Flower is the first music festival in the state to have an “open smoke” policy, which allows attendees to enjoy cannabis in all forms — drinks, dry herb, edibles, etc. — throughout the fairgrounds.

However, there will be only one cannabis vending site.

Power of Flower will be the first cannabis-related event in the fairgrounds this year, and only the second-ever in the venue’s recent history.

The first, Dreamsesh, flooded the fairgrounds with thousands of cannabis aficionados last April. That event happened before the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors approved a plan to allow cannabis-related events at the fairgrounds, and before the Fairgrounds Board of Directors’ decision to limit the events to four per year.

Fairgrounds manager Dave Kegebein called Dreamsesh “unorganized” and a teachable moment.

“That was a mistake that we don’t want to repeat,” Kegebein said.

Disheroon said that event caused a “big rift” between the cannabis industry and county officials that he does not want to reopen.

Kegebein said Disheroon has been easy to work with, and that he has followed every guideline put in place.

“I think it’s a matter of finding the right organizer and working with them,” Kegebein said. “That’s what I really liked about Colin, he cares about his reputation in the community…I think he’s in it for the long haul.”

Kegebein said the fairgrounds will also host Hempcon Halloweed later this year, and is open to other cannabis-related events.

“Our job at the fairgrounds is to serve the community and we have a big, broad, diverse community,” Kegebein said. “I’m always looking for new, unique events.”

Disheroon said the event was something the company toyed with earlier in the year but did not fully commit to until mid-May. There was a bit of hesitation from his staff when he first pitched the idea.

“I went around the room and asked everyone what they thought,” he said.

“Everyone looked at me and said, ‘it’s gonna be crazy, but let’s do it.’”

Disheroon said he’d like to make Power of Flower a yearly event at the fairgrounds. He’d also like to take the event on the road to other neighboring communities that have burgeoning cannabis industries.

“We’d like to keep the same model, too,” Disheroon said. “Promote local music and give back to the communities we set up in.”

This man takes photos of the foundation and portions of remaining structure of The Hideout restaurant in Aptos where a fire swept through the business in May.— Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

The Hideout on the mend

By TARMO HANNULA APTOS — Work is moving ahead on The Hideout restaurant that sustained massive damage in a fire in May. The day after the fire, property owner Dale Berman was on scene surveying the damage. He was back at 9051 Soquel Drive on June 17 to watch demolition work begin, and on July 22 he was there again as workers were taking photos of the remains of the building and foundation after the burned portions of the structure had been removed.

The foundation and several of the original wood walls were all that was left of the popular restaurant, which served a wide menu, from Mediterranean to California grill, as well as Asian fusion, Italian, seafood, soups, sandwiches and burgers. They also had a full bar and indoor and outdoor seating.

AUGUST 2019

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 9

Thousands flock to World’s Shortest Parade

By TARMO HANNULA APTOS — The Fourth of July parade unfolded along a section of Soquel Drive, with 103 entries in what has been branded as the World’s Shortest Parade.

Formed in 1961, the parade used to last 10 minutes as it threaded along a short business district of Aptos Village.

This year edged past last year’s parade by 14 entries. Co-CEO of the Aptos Chamber of Commerce, Karen Hibble, said she felt that people were yearning for some form of positive community engagement and that the parade this year was a good fit.

“It’s just so positive,” she said. “And people need that. You see kids and grandparents — families gathering on the street to have a fun and safe time with the community. It’s perfect weather for ponies and dogs and everyone out today.

In our 58th year, our parade is diverse and inclusive and it just keeps getting better every year. We’re just so thankful for all the folks that make this happen, and for the wonderful CHP for all they do.”

California Highway Patrol officer Julieta Trenado said the Santa Cruz office had about 10 officers assisting with traffic control at the closed off section of Soquel Drive.

“We’re also getting help from senior volunteers and our cadets,” Trenado said.

“So far everyone is being very helpful.”

Dr. Chris DiMaio of Aptos said he has attended the parade for years.

“I live close by so I can just walk down here with my dog, Giselle,” he said. “They do a good job and put a smile on everyone’s face. I was hoping the veterans would be out here in the parade like they usually are.”

DiMaio said he was a battalion surgeon in the Marine Corps and served in Vietnam in 1968-69.

John McAlpine drove a 1949 Buick Super Dynaflow convertible two-door car in the parade.

“I’ve been in the parade many times before,” he said. “It’s wonderful. It’s low key and it’s just great to see these happy Americans all together having a good time.”

The Aptos Chamber of Commerce announced the winners of the 2019 Aptos World’s Shortest Parade participant contest: Grand Prize Best of Parade: Agape Dance Academy Crowd Pleaser: Aptos All Stars- 11 Years Old

Adult Group First Prize: Ukelele Club Judges’ Choice: E. Clampus Vitus

Bands First Prize: Grand Sam Judges’ Choice: Watsonville Community Band

Pets First Prize: West Coast Great Pyrenees Judges’ Choice: Monterey Bay Dog Training Club

Left: This patriotic group has plenty of enthusiasm to share while on a float in the World’s Shortest Parade on the Fourth of July in Aptos.

Bottom left: John McAlpine drives his 1949 Buick Super Dynaflow in the parade. Bottom right: Players from the Aptos 12 All Stars hand out candy to the crowd. — Photos by Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

Cars First Prize: Linda Lawrence Judges’ Choice: Justine Leonard

Trucks First Prize: Aptos Ace Hardware Judges’ Choice: SSSP Truck

Children’s Group First Prize: Cub Scout 676 Judges’ Choice: Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services

Individual First Prize: Russell Ellingworth Judges’ Choice: Paul Lewis

Schools Most Spirited: Aptos High School

Floats First Prize: Vinosaurus Rex Judges’ Choice: Pleasant Valley Horse Club

This group represented Fairview Orchards of Watsonville while riding in a 1932 Ford Phaeton soft top convertible. — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

Your

Natural Look

AUGUST 2019

10 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

County Fire: CSA 48

a well-attended town hall meeting in Corralitos to discuss the status of County Fire and CSA 48. This was one of multiple town halls held within CSA 48.

The discussion focused on some of the challenges facing Santa Cruz County Fire and ways to restore firefighter staffing levels and replacing aging fire equipment.

By ZACH FRIEND Santa Cruz County Supervisor The County, including our office and Chief Ian Larkin from the Santa Cruz County Fire Department, recently held

WHAT IS CSA 48?

The Santa Cruz County Fire Department serves specific areas of the unincorporated county know as County Service Area 48 or CSA 48. The primary area in our district that is covered is the greater Corralitos area. However, CSA 48 includes the communities of Bonny Doon, Davenport, Loma Prieta, Las Cumbres, the South Skyline area in addition to Corralitos.

Overall, it covers 286 square miles of space. CSA 48 is funded through a fixed portion of local property taxes from those within the CSA 48 boundaries.

These funds pay for Santa Cruz County Fire apparatus including fire engines and rescue vehicles, as well a firefighter

protective gear, training training and administrative support provided by CAL FIRE. County Fire operates with five year-round volunteer fire stations in cooperation with five State fire stations in CSA 48. The County also contracts with CAL FIRE to keep these State fire stations open during the non-fire season to ensure year-round fire protection and emergency response services. These funds provide staffing at stations in these areas during the non-fire season.

CORRALITOS FIRE STATION The Corralitos station is a state-owned station but is staffed by both paid and volunteer personnel. It covers about 62 square miles and serves a population of over 21,000. The station averages over 880 calls per-year with an average response time of about fifteen minutes and a median response time of about eight minutes. The staff is fully funded by CAL FIRE from June through October and then funding is

shared between the state and Santa Cruz County from November 1 through May 31.

CHALLENGES FACING COUNTY FIRE In the last decade the number of volunteer firefighters have declined about 45 percent with paid staff also being spread to cover additional locations, which has contributed to an overall decline in the number of available firefighters for CSA 48. While the State recommends at least three firefighters per engine, County Fire currently can afford two paid firefighters per engine. During the same timeframe overall calls-for-service have grown over 20 percent. Chief Larkin noted at the town hall that in addition to the staffing challenges some of the equipment is outdated - including an engine that is nearly 30 years old.

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The Importance of Disability Insurance

By GARY E. CROXALL, CFP and SOREN E. CROXALL, CFP When people think of what types of insurance they need, the ones that come to mind are: health, auto, homeowners, and life insurance. Disability insurance is often overlooked although it can be just as important. Have you ever thought to yourself, if I am unable to work, how long would my financial assets support me? For most people, the answer is likely a year or less which is why disability insurance is important to consider.

WHAT IS DISABILITY INSURANCE AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

In its broadest definition, disability insurance is a type of insurance that will pay you a benefit to replace lost wages in the event you are unable work for an extended amount of time due to a qualifying disability. It’s important to note that the definition of disability can vary amongst plans. Many people forgo disability insurance because they are of the mindset that “this will never happen to me.” They may also think of a disability

as only being something catastrophic yet unlikely like having a horrific accident.

However, a disability could be something a lot more common like cancer or a prolonged illness. Another aspect to consider is the relationship between human capital and financial capital. In its simplest definition, human capital is the present value of future earnings. So in theory, when you are younger, your human capital is likely your most valuable asset and as you get older and begin saving, your financial capital increases while your human capital decreases. By the time you retire, your human capital is zero and you rely on your financial capital. If you become disabled, not only is your human capital affected, but so is your financial capital which is why disability insurance is important to consider.

TYPES OF DISABILITY

There are two types of disability insurance plans, short term and long term.

Short term disability plans typically pay benefits for up to a maximum of one year while long term disability plans could potentially pay benefits to age 70 depending on the type of plan. There are typically two ways to acquire disability insurance, through an employer (a group plan) or individually. People who work for a large company typically receive some type of disability insurance through a group plan. It’s important, though, to understand the type of plan you receive through your employer. Is it a short term plan? A long term plan? Both? What is the percentage of income that would be paid as a benefit in the event of a disability and for how long? Who pays

the premiums? You or your employer?

Consider working with a qualified professional to review your employer benefits to ensure they are adequate for your needs.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WITH DISABILITY INSURANCE

If you are self-employed or don’t have adequate disability benefits offered through your employer, you may need to consider an individual disability policy.

The pros of an individual policy are that it can be tailored to your needs and it is not tied to your employer. If you leave your job and were relying on a group plan through your employer, those benefits typically cease and usually are not portable. The cons of individual policies are that they typically cost more and are subject to stricter underwriting guidelines in order to qualify. A few examples of factors that will affect the cost of the policy include: your age, income level, occupation, length of the benefit period, definition of disability, and the length of the waiting period you must satisfy before benefits will begin. It’s important to work with a qualified professional who can explain the different definitions of disability that can be applied for as they can have a big impact on when and if benefits can be paid for certain types of disabilities.

SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY WILL COVER ME

A reason we hear often for not wanting to consider disability insurance is the common misconception that if someone becomes disabled, they will be covered

under Social Security Disability. Don’t count on it. Not only is applying for disability benefits through Social Security a long and tedious process, the definition of disability used is very strict.

There is no question about it, evaluating and choosing what areas of your financial life to protect can be an overwhelming task. The choices seem endless: Life insurance for business purposes or to protect a family member, long term care insurance to offset potential care costs, liability insurance, auto, home, and yes, disability insurance to protect lost income are some of the areas to consider.

But like most financial decisions, every ones circumstances are different. What’s important to one person may not be as important another. Working with a qualified professional can help in putting all the pieces together in a coordinated way.

Gary E. Croxall, CFP® Registered Principal of LPL Soren E. Croxall, CFP® Registered Representative of LPL Securities and Advisory Services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor.

Member FINRA & SIPC. LPL Financial and Croxall Capital Planning do not provide tax or legal advice. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

Source: Genworth 2018 Cost of Care Study

For a complimentary consultation on your long term care planning options A: 9057 Soquel Dr. Bldg B, Ste A Aptos, CA 95003 P: (831) 661-4006 E: gary.croxall@lpl.com W: www.croxallcapital.com

Gary Croxall is a registered principal of and securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. CA Insurance Lic. #0532176

AUGUST 2019

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 11

Ask Nicole: Transitioning from Summertime to Schooltime Nicole M. Young, MSW Summer is almost over, and we’re getting ready for a new school year. My son will return to college soon (sniff, sniff), and my husband and I will go back to figuring out the daily puzzle of carpool, sports, school, and work schedules. Neither of my kids will say they’re ready for summer to end – and it will be a shock to their systems when they have to set an alarm and wake up early again – but I can feel the anticipation and excitement starting to build. As hard as it is to leave behind the relaxed pace of summer, the start of the school year represents new opportunities and experiences that can be just as meaningful and memorable as summer vacations.

This monthly column provides tips for anyone who is helping raise children, based on the world-renowned Triple P – Positive Parenting Program, available to families in Santa Cruz County. If you have a question or idea for a future column, please email me at triplep@first5scc.org.

Dear Nicole, My 6- and 7-year old kids are enjoying their summer break because my partner and I have been really lax about bedtime,

chores, and screen time. We’ve also been spending a lot of family time together, which is hard to do when our schedules are so hectic during the school year. It’s been nice, but now I’m worried that getting them back into the school routine will be a rough transition! What can I do now to ease them back into the school schedule?

• Frank

Dear Frank, I love that you’re planning ahead for the transition! That will make a big difference.

Transitioning from a relaxed summer schedule to the structured school routine is difficult for many children and families.

Taking a few steps now can make it easier for everyone when school starts again.

Here are a few tips to try: Talk about school. Start having casual conversations about the new school year.

Ask your kids what they’re looking forward to, which friends they’ll be happy to see, and what they’re excited to learn.

If your kids express fear or worries, encourage them to talk about why they feel that way. Listen, and reassure them that a lot of kids feel nervous or anxious about starting school. Let them know that sometimes the feeling goes away when school starts, and other times, kids need support to learn ways to handle their feelings. Let them know you’re available to talk and offer support any time.

Re-establish your family rules. Talk with your children and acknowledge that summertime was a fun “break” from the family rules, and now it’s time to get back into your usual routines. Take small, steady steps to re-establish the rules. This helps prevent power struggles and gives your kids plenty of time to adjust before school starts. For example, gradually reduce the amount of screen time they get each day so that by the time school starts, following the family rule about screen time limits doesn’t feel like a sudden or drastic change.

Practice your morning and evening routines. Talk with your kids about the steps to get ready for school – get up, eat breakfast, brush teeth, get dressed, etc. If they’ve been sleeping in during the summer, have them get up a little earlier each morning and go through their routine, beginning at least a week before school starts. Give descriptive praise when they follow the steps of their routines independently – “Nice job getting yourself up and dressed this morning!” Do the same with bedtime routines. Prepare your children by talking with them about their weeknight bedtime and the steps of their evening routine – brush teeth, pajamas, read, hugs/cuddles, etc. If they’ve been staying up late during the summer, have them start their evening routine a little earlier each night, beginning at least a week before school starts.

Continue spending quality time together.

Transitioning back to the structured school routine might be hard no matter how much you’ve planned ahead or prepared your kids. Spending quality time together makes children feel safe, secure, and loved, which can help make difficult transitions and big emotions a little easier for them (and you) to manage.

Final Thoughts: Even children who love school can have a hard time transitioning from summertime to schooltime. Taking small steps now to prepare children for the transition will help them enjoy what’s left of the summer and be ready to start the new school year with a positive attitude and eagerness to learn.

Nicole Young is the mother of two children, ages 15 and 19, who also manages Santa Cruz County’s Triple P Positive Parenting Program, the world’s leading positive parenting program.

Scientifically proven, Triple P is made available locally by First 5 Santa Cruz County, the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency (Mental Health Services Act) and the Santa Cruz County Human Services Department. To find a Triple P parenting class or practitioner, visit http://triplep.first5scc.org, www. facebook.com/triplepscc or contact First 5 Santa Cruz County at 465-2217 or triplep@first5scc.org.

Making music, magic for special needs students “Building Rhythm” is no ordinary music program. Quite the contrary. It is a hands-on music experience, using World Music and researched teaching methods adapted for children with special needs.

Initiated by two mothers of young adults with Down Syndrome, it is the brain child of a dynamic collaboration between them.

Cory Ybarra is the founder of Building for Generations (buildingforgenerations.com) and Lizz Hodgin Weihrauch the founder of MusicalMe, Inc. and regional director of “Music Together©.”

“Building Rhythm” was the idea of Ybarra after she visited a musical group of students with various developmental challenges. The group was started by a talented folkloric musician in Colombia.

The joy and self-esteem the students experienced was palpable. One young blind singer had stuttered considerably when talking. The stutter disappeared as he sang his homeland folkloric songs while playing a drum. His blindness posed no obstacle. Ybarra became determined from this experience to bring

music to Santa Cruz students, and so the collaboration between Building for Generations and MusicalMe, Inc. began.

Music is a language we all speak. Brain research suggests that a participatory music experience supports all types of learning and benefits the entire brain. It can enhance memory, improve communication, promote physical rehabilitation, reduce stress, promote wellness and minimize pain. The Music Together program is a research based, non-performance oriented program bringing parents, children and teachers into a musical setting where all are participants. It is a time where the playing field is leveled for children with special needs as the entire group participates in this learning environment.

Ybarra and Hodgin Weihrauch knew all too well the many challenges that parents and students face. They include negotiating through the school system, finding day care and recreation opportunities, along with a multitude of medical appointments. It was for this

Contributed

reason they decided to bring the music to the classroom and have done so since 2010. They have consistently been able to serve 6-10 classrooms a year sometimes varying the locations to serve more students.

Classroom teacher comments attest to the programs’ success “More than once, the parents have been amazed by their child’s participation and the comments about the wonderful gift that music brings to all of us. Our students mark their calendars by a couple things in the week, Tuesday swimming and Wednesday music,” said teacher Tom Simpkins.

Added pre-school special education teacher Beth Gray: “Since the start of music in the classroom we have seen tremendous growth in our students.

They are engaged, following multi-step directions, keeping rhythm and students who present severe speech delays are vocalizing during songs.”

Once a week a teacher trained in Music Together principles has visited chosen sites where they conduct classes, which include; singing, introducing instruments, basic rhythm patterns, and music from

cultures around the world.

“We have received a high level of instruction that can only be provided by a person trained in the art of music and with an appreciation for persons with special needs. My students have been taught with respect, with dignity and have experienced age appropriate music,” said special education teacher Vicki Nunez.

Fall 2019 presents us with a particular challenge. We have operated in the past on various community fundraisers and two small grants. A waiting period of three years to reapply for one of the grants puts this program in jeopardy for 2019-20.

Ybarra works with occasional compensation only but acts primarily as a volunteer, while Hodgin Weihrauch has discounted the classes to half price, enough to cover her teachers’ salaries.

We are counting on the generosity of the community to make the magic of music a reality for students in special education this year. You can make the difference by going to our website at buildingforgenerations.com and making a donation or contacting us with suggestions.

AUGUST 2019

12 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

SPORTS

WITH

JUAN REYES

Aptos alumnus Chris Staka training for Olympic trials

By JUAN REYES APTOS — It’s Monday afternoon and the Aptos High School swimming pool is filled with youngsters learning how to swim or practicing to get faster lap times.

Aptos High alumnus Christopher Staka used to be one of those kids. But now, he’s working on something much, much bigger.

Staka, one of the most decorated swimmers to come out of Aptos, is preparing for next year’s Olympic trials.

“That’s pretty much what’s in my head,” Staka said. “I’m really excited to get to UT (University of Texas) but being an Olympic year, that’s really going to be the focus.”

Staka also signed a National Letter of Intent in March to compete for 14-time NCAA Division I champion University of Texas beginning in 2019-20.

The 21-year old aspiring Olympian said he’s thrilled to join the Longhorns but the mindset is purely focused on the Olympic Trials, which take place on June 23 in Omaha, Neb. The University of Texas has been a perennial champion swimming team over the years. Under coach Eddie Reese, the Texas men’s team has won 40 consecutive conference championships on top of the 14 national titles.

Reese has served as head coach at three Olympics (1992, 2004 and ’08). At Texas, he has turned out 29 Olympians who have collected 39 gold medals, 16 silver and eight bronze.

Staka received a text message from Reese during a swimming meet in Seattle.

He was offered a chance to join the team and jumped on the opportunity.

Aptos High alumnus Chris Staka will attend the University of Texas this upcoming fall to compete for the swimming team. He also has his eyes set on next year’s Olympic Trials. — Juan Reyes/LIFE

“I couldn’t be happier with the decision now,” Staka said. “I’ve been swimming lights-out all year and it’s been a lot of fun… I’m getting well prepared for Texas.”

Staka said it meant a lot to him for Reese to reach out to him first, especially being the team that they are.

“That was pretty huge for me, a big step at least,” Staka said. “Just knowing that I am at that level and I do get that recognition from coaches like that.”

Staka said the team environment was

Travis Fox officially takes over as Aptos High athletics director

By JUAN REYES APTOS — The Travis Fox era has officially begun at Aptos High, as he recently stepped in as athletics director.

“It’s something I always wanted to do.

It was a dream job to become an athletic director,” he said. “The timing worked out and things started to fall into place. So this was the next jump in my career that I wanted to take.”

Fox had eight years of experience as a coach, teacher and activities director at Grand Valley High School in Colorado.

He taught leadership classes, AP human geography, AP U.S. history and served the past two years as activities director.

Fox, 30, will replace Mark Dorfman, who decided to step down after 30 years.

“Time for someone with new energy and new vision to take over,” Dorfman wrote in an email when he announced his retirement.

During his tenure as athletic director, Dorfman led Aptos High to 232 Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League titles, including 21 as the track coach, and 30 Central Coast Section championships.

Dorfman was an assistant football coach for 26 years but took a few years off when he took over as the track and field coach from 1995 to 2008.

Dorfman officially announced he was stepping down at the beginning of June, but the idea of retiring started brewing sometime in November of 2018.

Dorfman said he never pictured himself staying around as long as he did but something kept bringing him back.

“The dedication of our student-athletes and coaches, they inspired me,” he said.

Aptos principal Peggy Pughe said she was a bit concerned about finding a replacement for Dorfman.

“Then we came across Travis (Fox) and he’s just been wonderful since the time we met him,” she said. “We’re really excited and

Travis Fox has eight years of experience as a coach, teacher and activities director at Grand Valley High School in Colorado. — Contributed

it’s going to be a great fit for this school.”

Pughe said Dorfman left the athletics department in strong shape but she likes some of the new ideas Fox brought up during the interview process, including the thought of streaming live events.

Pughe said Fox told her that he’s proud and thrilled by what Dorfman built during his time at Aptos.

“Mark (Dorfman) would be the first to say it’s not Mark, it’s the community,” she said. “(Fox) feels really excited about the idea of continuing the great sports program and that student-athlete perspective.”

Fox said he knows Dorfman had great relationships with everybody he met and wants to keep that connection well alive.

“At the end of the day there’s checkboxes Turn to Page 15

important to him, along with the coaching staff.

“When I met them I knew they were very serious about swimming and serious about getting better,” Staka said.

Aptos High and Cabrillo College swim coach Jim Triplett said he’s excited to see Staka get coached by Reese, who’s been a longtime friend of his.

Staka graduated from Aptos High in 2016 and won the California Interscholastic Federation state title in the 100 backstroke

that same year.

Staka was at the University of Alabama for two years before he decided to walk away and take a year-long break from school.

Staka said the program was great but it wasn’t the right environment for him.

“I felt like for my career to move forward I needed to take a step back and come home to train with Jim (Triplett),” Staka said. “My career just means too much to me to take a risk and not make the best decision for me.”

Since his return, Staka has been training with his former coach. He shows up to the pool every day, including weekends.

Triplett went with Staka on a trip to Singapore.

Staka won a bronze medal in the 50 back in 23.54 seconds at the 2018 FINA Swimming World Cup in November.

Staka, along with Michael Andrew and Blake Pieroni, were the only Americans competing against dozens of other swimmers from countries around the world.

“It was definitely the best experience I’ve ever had,” Staka said.

Staka was placed in the same hotel with the rest of the swimmers and got a chance to eat meals with them. He met Olympians and world record holders.

Staka said he learned a lot about what some of the best swimmers are doing and how to improve during a meet.

“Having that experience in itself has really helped me grow as a swimmer,” he Turn to Page 15

AUGUST 2019

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 13

SPORTS

WITH

JUAN REYES

Cabrillo athletics facilities get major upgrades

By JUAN REYES APTOS — The Cabrillo College athletics department recently made some muchneeded improvements to its sports facilities just in time for the new school year.

A brand new turf field was installed at Carl Conelly Stadium, while the old wooden bleachers inside the gymnasium were replaced with a more modern set.

“We’re constantly trying to find ways to improve our facilities, both for our students and our community,” said Cabrillo athletic director Mark Ramsey.

The cost of the new turf was $1.2 million and $220k for the bleachers, which now automatically retract instead of manually pulling them out.

Ramsey said the athletics department has been trying to chip away at some of the smaller projects, including the new field turf and bleachers for the gym.

“It definitely became a priority mainly because I really felt as the athletic director I could not allow another season of sports on that turf,” Ramsey said. “It was at end life and it was a liability. We really couldn’t continue using it.”

Ramsey said the wooden bleachers they replaced were at least 50 years old and not compliant with regulations for the Americans with Disabilities Act. Ramsey said replacing the stadium turf was also critical because the old one was worn down and way past the warranty date, which is usually about eight to 10 years.

The previous turf was about 15 years old and Ramsey said the conditions kept getting worse, especially after the carpet started to rip.

Cabrillo College spent $1.2 million to renovate the field at Carl Conelly Stadium. — Juan Reyes/LIFE

Ramsey mentioned some areas of the turf had worn away so much that there was exposed hard material underneath, which they played through last season by covering with added material.

“It was a true safety concern for our student-athletes as well as our outside field renters,” Ramsey said.

Cabrillo football coach Darren Arbet said the field looks awesome and the players are in love with the new look.

“I think it’s definitely going to help on our wear and tear on our players,” he said.

Arbet said the school felt like it was important to make the upgrades and they jumped on the opportunity to make it happen.

“Mark Ramsey and the president (Matthew Wetstein) did a great job putting everything together and making sure that it got done,” Arbet said.

Cabrillo women’s soccer coach Gladys Mondragon said the team is extremely excited to be playing on new turf.

“It’s a new look for them, too,” Mondragon said. “They’re really motivated to go out there and perform.”

The previous field turf was installed in the summer of 2005.

The new field is a “Core” playing surface manufactured by FieldTurf, which is part of the Tarkett Sports Company. The fibers are produced in Germany.

The field turf is used by the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL and Seattle Sounders FC of the MLS. The MLB London Series between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox also featured the same field turf.

The turf has a feature called CoolPlay Infill, which means all playing surfaces absorb heat energy from the sun and then

release it back into its environment.

The added heat load can cause discomfort for players in warmer climates or on particularly hot days.

The cooling technology helps reduce the surface heat by up to 35 percent compared to traditional sand and rubber infill systems.

The system accomplishes this feat by adding an exclusive extruded composite top dressing to the CoolPlay system.

Unlike some competitive systems, CoolPlay requires no watering or irrigation to enable its cooling effect.

FieldTurf’s CoolPlay technology is trusted by the University of Texas at El Paso, Texas State University, California Institute of Technology and more than 200 programs in the United States.

Mondragon said it’s always nice for Cabrillo to provide the best facilities for its student-athletes. She said the coaches and athletic department is always searching for ways to improve playing surfaces or equipment.

“We’re looking out for them as far as giving them the right tools and the right places for them to play on,” Mondragon said. “It’s really, really important for their safety.”

According to FieldTurf, a five-year study shows the playing surface causes 11 percent Turn to Page 15

Cabrillo College spent $220k to replace the old wooden bleachers inside the gymnasium with a new set of bleachers that automatically pull out with the help of a remote control. — Juan Reyes/LIFE

AUGUST 2019

14 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

Recreated Eduardo Carrillo mural on display

By JOHANNA MILLER SANTA CRUZ — A mural by UC Santa Cruz professor and artist Eduardo Carrillo in 1976 was only on display for three years in Santa Cruz before it was washed away and painted over.

Entitled “Birth, Death and Regeneration,” the piece was created on the interior of the historic Palomar Arcade by Carrillo and his students as a celebration of Mexican culture. It was also a statement about the incarceration of Chicanos at the nearby Santa Cruz County Jail.

The mural was removed in 1979.

But as of last week, a new version of the piece, entitled simply “Regeneración,” is on display at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (the site that was the county jail in Carrillo’s time).

It was recreated by Las Vegas artist Justin Favela, who brought together other artists and community members to help rebirth the brief but impactful cultural landmark.

Organizations such as DigitalNEST, Senderos and Community Bridges also joined in.

BirchBark

“We had people helping who were here during the original mural’s creation,” said Exhibition Catalyst Whitney Ford-Terry.

“And then people who were just being introduced to Carrillo and his work. It was great.”

Favela’s art style is created with thousands of tiny pieces of tissue paper, giving the look and feel of a piñata. He first projects an image onto a wall and traces the outline by hand. After choosing a color for each section, he begins to layer it with tissue.

In an artist’s statement for the Santa Cruz MAH, Favela drew attention to the importance and significance of murals to his culture: “As Chicanos, Mexican-Americans, Latinxs, we don’t get to put up giant bronze monuments of our heroes as we please… our monuments are our murals,” Favela said.

“Regeneración” will be on display until October 20 at the Art Forum Gallery on the third floor of the Santa Cruz MAH, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz.

“It’s an incredible, immersive space,” Ford-Terry said. “I hope they can come

“Regeneración” by Justin Favela is on display at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History until October 20. The piece is a recreation of Eduardo Carillo’s 1976 mural “Birth, Death and Regeneration.” — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

away with an understanding of the impact of Latinx public art.”

Friend

Continued from page 7

The Animal Hospital of Salinas was set to perform Chicklet’s surgery, but a broken water main left them unable to do the procedure. The Animal Hospital of Salinas worked with Toro Park Animal Hospital, and drove Chicklet to their headquarters to complete the procedure.

During times of economic uncertainty and limited income for seniors and veterans, an unexpected pet crisis is often something pet owners are not able to afford, BirchBark Foundation marketing director Julie Ann Lozano said. With costs of housing, healthcare, food and necessities increasing, the toll is often taken on the weakest The BirchBark Foundation helped save members of society, and the ones with no Chicklet, its 300th save in the last six voice: pets. years. — Contributed

For information visit santacruzmah.org or museoeduardocarrillo.org.

Continued from page 10

NEXT STEPS As a result of their community outreach, County Fire prioritized restoration of firefighters, upgrading and replacing aging fire equipment and providing a long-term sustainable fire and emergency service model. County Fire is currently considering seeking community approval for funding for this (CSA 48 property owners would be the only voters participating).

The Board of Supervisors will be holding a public hearing on this item at our August 27 Board meeting (more information will be available online closer to the date) at the County Government Center - 701 Ocean Street - 5th Floor, Santa Cruz. As part of the

hearing the Board will consider whether to send this funding question to CSA 48 property owners to consider an increase in the CSA 48 fee.

Your input is encouraged! You can learn more about Santa Cruz County Fire via www.santacruzcountyfire.com and you can email your feedback to Chief Larkin at: csa48feedback@gmail.com.

As always, you can reach out to me at 454-2200 or visit me in my open office hours in Aptos, Corralitos, Watsonville or La Selva. More information on my office hours can be found on www. santacruzcounty.us.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Aug. 3 Aptos Movie in the Park

Come out to support the third annual Back-To-School Movie Night, a local community event at Aptos Village Park.

The event will coincide with a school supplies drive benefiting the school(s) of your choice or donations for the Live Like Coco Foundation. Food trucks, bake sale, face painting, photo booth, crafts, popcorn and two movies for the young and older kids. The younger-crowd movie begins at 5 p.m. in the community center, and the older-crowd movie will begin at dusk in the park. Admission per person: school supplies or donation. RSVP on Eventbrite.

Aptos Village Saturday Stroll

The Seacliff Improvement Association is hosting a morning walk to promote pedestrian safety and awareness, support Aptos Village merchants and let transportation agencies know it’s time to make the route to and from the newly enhanced Aptos Village safe for everyone.

Start from your home and when you arrive at the Aptos Village Green, just outside New Leaf Market, take a quick survey, enjoy a snack and enter to win a prize from our sponsors.

Welcome booth opens at 10 a.m. Prize drawing at 11 a.m.

For information or to RSVP: seacliffimprovement.org.

Aug. 10

Aug. 18

Power of Flower Festival

2019 Sandman Triathlon Tequila & Taco Music The Sandman Triathlon is one Festival

A night for music and cannabis at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Ozomatli, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, George Porter & Runnin’ Pardners, Space Heater and Diego’s Umbrella will all rock the stage, while cannabis companies such as Santa Cruz Roots, Skunk Feather, Santa Cruz Mountain Tops and Legion of Bloom will hold exhibitions throughout the night.

Mattia Pizza, Santa Cruz Poke, Saucey’z, Rouge Pye and Tacos El Chuy will be selling food.

For information and tickets: powerofflower.org.

of Santa Cruz County’s oldest triathlons, having its inaugural race way back in 1985 during the infancy of the sport. The Sandman at Seacliff State Beach is a fundraiser for the local State Parks Junior Lifeguard program and proceeds help fund scholarships for under privileged kids so they can receive high quality water safety education.

The Sandman Triathlon is a USAT sanctioned event. For information or to register: scsla. org.

Aug. 24 Two days of fun in the sun at San Lorenzo Park in Santa Cruz on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday will showcase topshelf tequilas sampling, while you indulge on gourmet tacos.

Enjoy live music, margaritas, craft beer and art vendors in the park. Tequila Sampling: 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday Funday is Mas Margaritas. Bring the family and enjoy a sunny summer afternoon, sipping on an assortment of Margaritas, eating delicious tacos, all while enjoying a great music lineup. No tequila sampling on Sunday. For information: tequilaandtacomusicfestival. com.

AUGUST 2019

Travis Fox

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 15 Continued from page 12

to go through but his relationships I think are what set him apart,” Fox said of Dorfman.

Pughe said she believes Fox understands the students are not just athletes and they are going to school to get a full education.

“Mark (Dorfman) really encouraged that and saw it was all part of one big organism,” she said.

Fox said athletics is a huge part of the education process.

“It had a huge role in my life,” he said.

Fox grew up playing any sport he could get involved with but mainly focused on basketball and football when he got to high school.

During the mid-2000s, Fox played hoops at Palmer High in Colorado Springs

alongside Reggie Jackson, who plays for the Detroit Pistons, and Elgin Fitzgerald, who played at Dartmouth University and is now a coach in Colorado Springs.

Fox made his way to the western slope via Colorado Mesa University.

He coached nine years in the high school ranks and three spring/summer seasons with the Colorado Premier Basketball Club spearheaded by former NBA player Keith Van Horn.

“It was pretty sweet working with Keith (Van Horn) and being around hoops all summer,” Fox said.

Fox was the program coordinator for the youth and high school teams ranging from

Cabrillo Upgrades fewer total injuries in women’s college soccer.

The report also shows that there are 33 percent fewer severe injuries, 57 percent fewer injuries on surfaces that are more than eight years old and 17 percent fewer injuries in rain-field conditions.

In college football, the report shows that players suffer 13 percent fewer muscle strains and tears.

FieldTurf also claims there are 11 percent fewer concussions, 31 percent fewer ligament tears, 24 percent less high ankle sprains, 21 percent fewer severe injuries and 23 percent fewer injuries on surfaces that are four to eight years old.

“Just from a health standpoint it’s gonna be huge for our football team,” Arbet said.

Mondragon said remodeling the stadium gives the school the opportunity to serve student-athletes for years to come.

Mondragon added it’ll also help instill life lessons found in athletic competitions such

U-10 to U-17. He was also the head coach of the competitive U15-17 teams.

“I enjoyed the administration side of things and being around sports, watching kids compete and watching kids grow, that’s a pretty special experience,” Fox said.

Fox has two younger brothers who both played college basketball and were successful at the Division II level.

Shane Fox played at Metro State, while Nicholas Fox played at Dallas Baptist University.

Shane currently coaches basketball at Evergreen High in Colorado and Nick is the coach at Cedarville University in Ohio.

Fox said participating and coaching sports has always been a large part of his family’s life.

“I knew working in education and being a

coach and working in high school athletics has always been a dream job,” Fox said.

“This was the perfect fit for me.”

Pughe said the role of an athletic director is part of the leadership of the school and that means staying connected to the community, including the Aptos Sports Foundation. “(Fox) has got some work to do to build those relationships but we’re all behind him and doing that along with him,” she said.

Pughe said a couple of key things she told Fox is to keep the lines of communication open and don’t be afraid to ask questions when necessary.

“We all want (Fox) to do well because when he does well that means that our athletes and campus culture is in good shape,” she said.

Continued from page 13

as teamwork, leadership, fair play, sacrifice, discipline and lifelong wellness.

Mondragon said she believes the new turf will help with recruiting athletes to play for Cabrillo.

“This is just going to give us a new look for the stadium and a new look for the programs that play in there,” Mondragon said.

Arbet said he also thinks the new field can be used as a recruiting tool, which is what he’s been doing to lure players to play at Cabrillo.

“And how supportive our athletic department is and it really shows when they do stuff like getting a new football field for us. It helps a lot,” he said.

The first games to be played will begin Sept. 6 when the men’s soccer team takes on Redwoods College at 6:30 p.m The football team will play against Contra Costa College on the following day at 1 p.m., followed by the women’s soccer team against Feather River College at 5:30 p.m.

Christopher Staka signed a National Letter of Intent in March to compete for 14-time NCAA Division I champion University of Texas beginning in 2019-20. —

Cabrillo College replaced the old turf at Carl Conelly Satdium with FieldTurf’s innovative extruded composite top dressing, which allows the CoolPlay system to deliver the same behavior and overall stability the Elite system fields found in the world’s most famous stadiums — Juan Reyes/LIFE

l o o h c S o t ck

Ba

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Juan Reyes/ LIFE

Olympic dreams said. “To have experience at that high level is really going to help me in the Olympic trials next year.”

Triplett said Staka swam really well and the fans in Singapore were very exuberant with the way he performed.

Triplett mentioned several fans waited for Staka in front of his bus for autographs and photos.

“Somebody wanted his shirt,” Triplett said.

Staka also won two events — 50 and 100 back — at the Santa Clara International Swim Meet in June.

Triplett said Staka — who was an assistant coach at Aptos High last year — has turned into a role model for some of the swimmers.

“He’s just got a natural feel for swimming and he’s very competitive,” Triplett said.

But Triplett said that wasn’t always the case.

Staka was on the Aptos Cabrillo Swim Team as a kid but Triplett said he never thought competitive swimming would be his first choice.

It wasn’t until Triplett saw Staka race in

Continued from page 12

a local championship meet where he lost but he was determined to get better.

“I said to myself, ‘God, this kid’s got some drive and talent,’” Triplett said.

Staka joined the Mariners in 2012 and Triplett allowed him to compete in a handful of events so he could decide what he wanted to focus on.

Staka began to shine during his sophomore year. He continued to dominate the pool all the way up to his senior year when he was ranked the No. 1 backstroke swimmer in the nation.

Staka continues to peruse his lifelong dream of competing in the Olympics and the reality of getting there is not out of reach.

Next up, Staka will compete in the 100 back at the 2019 Phillips 66 National Championships at Stanford on Aug. 3.

Staka believes he has a good shot of winning a national title or at least making the finals, which will help raise his stock for next year’s Olympic trials.

“It’s all about the Olympic trials, it’s in my head 24/7,” Staka said. “It’s about making that team and doing as well as I can when it comes to the Olympic trials.”

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