Aptos Life June 2019

JUNE 2019 EVERYTHING APTOS, CAPITOLA & SOQUEL Vol. 7 No. 10 Habitat for Humanity

APTOS

Sports Aptos baseball falls in CCS semis

Seven homes being built in Live Oak

SOQUEL

pg. 13

pg. 9

CAPITOLA Photo by Tarmo HANNULA

Josiah Adams and his dog, Eduardo, enjoy a casual trip over the new Coastal Rail Trail attached to the rail trestle that spans the San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz. Read more on page 2.

HISTORY CORNER

Aptos celebrates 100 years of the S.S. Palo Alto

By John Hibble Call: 688-1467

By JOHANNA MILLER

Visit us online: aptoshistory.org Visit the museum: 7605-B Old Dominion Court Aptos, CA

Everyone Loves a Parade The 4th of July is America’s birthday and many communities have parades to celebrate that fact. The freedom to determine our own future was at the center of the founding of our country. The “World’s Shortest Parade” in Aptos is also about self-determination but it was not originally about America’s birthday.

The Granite Rock Company, founded in 1900, has been an important part of the history of Santa Cruz County. The great construction boom in houses and highways in the late 1950s and ‘60s meant that Granite had to build new cement batching plants to supply the need for concrete throughout the region. Cement, sand, and aggregate are stored at the

The SS Palo Alto is shown in 2016 in an aerial photo. Tarmo Hannula/ LIFE file

APTOS—The conference room at the Rio Sands Hotel in Rio Del Mar was packed on May 18 with history enthusiasts, eager to learn more about and celebrate an iconic Aptos landmark.

This year marks the S.S. Palo Alto’s 100th anniversary. The concrete ship, built in 1919, has been situated in the water off Seacliff State Beach since January 1930. On

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The Hideout restaurant burns Rebuilding already in the works

By TARMO HANNULA APTOS — An early morning fire roared through the popular Hideout restaurant in Aptos on May 20.

Mike DeMars, Fire Marshal for Central and Aptos/La Selva Fire, said no injuries were reported in the 2:05 a.m. blaze that destroyed the building at 9051 Soquel Drive.

The first Aptos/La Selva firefighters to arrive were faced with

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towering flames that gushed out the roof of the older section of the building. Flames largely engulfed the rear of the structure near the kitchen and then spread through the main dining portion of the restaurant. At one point large sections of the roof caved in and numerous windows were blown out by the heat, DeMars said.

“Right now it appears that the fire started at the outside of the building by the kitchen,” DeMars said. “On

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initial inspection the fire does not appear to be intentional, but the incident is still under investigation.

The building is a total loss, with the roof collapsing and water and smoke damage throughout the restaurant.”

On Monday morning stunned owners of the business were on hand to begin the painful chore of picking through the rubble.

The Hideout served a wide menu, Please turn to Page 2

Inside ...

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Watsonville’s Independent Bookstore

May 18, the Aptos History Museum kicked off a series of events planned to celebrate the milestone with a special History Talk.

“We have a lot of amazing things here in Aptos, but not many left from its heyday,” said historian John Hibble. “This ship is the icon of Aptos. When people think of Aptos, they think of the Palo Alto.”

Hibble introduced fellow historian

BEST of

PAJARO VALLEY

Capitola Library ................2 Briefs .................................4-5 Guest columns ..................10 Calendar .............................14 PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID WATSONVILLE, CA PERMIT NO. 23 ******ECRWSSEDDM****** POSTAL CUSTOMER APTOS, CA 95003 CAPITOLA. CA 95010

JUNE 2019

2 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

Coastal Rail Trail in motion First segment of 32-mile path opens

By TARMO HANNULA

APTOS

SOQUEL

CAPITOLA

PUBLISHER

Jeanie Johnson

EDITOR

Tony Nuñez

EDITORIAL

Todd Guild Johanna Miller Tony Nuñez Tarmo Hannula

PHOTOGRAPHY

Tarmo Hannula

ADVERTISING SALES Tina Chavez Jazmine Ancira

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Mike Lyon Rob Chalhoub Life in Aptos, Capitola and Soquel is published monthly. All rights reserved, material may not be reprinted without wri en 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 RegisterPajaronian. Publishing in Santa Cruz County since 1868.

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LifeA.C.S

SANTA CRUZ — The City of Santa Cruz welcomed the community to celebrate the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the first segment of the Coastal Rail Trail Wednesday.

The event, which also celebrates National Public Works Week, officially opened the San Lorenzo River Parkway Phase III/Trestle Trail Project.

That project replaces the previous 4-foot wide walkway on the San Lorenzo River Railroad Trestle Bridge with a new 10-foot wide multi-use trail that features a slipproof surface.

The Coastal Rail Trail includes numerous projects that, together, will provide a 32mile long separated bicycle/pedestrian path along the coast between Watsonville and Davenport. It is a part of the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission’s (RTC) Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Network Master Plan.

“The entire Santa Cruz community is excited by this first segment of the Coastal Rail Trail, which is being completed ahead of schedule,” said Mayor Martine Watkins.

“Many residents have expressed how much safer and easier biking and walking will be for them. We’re super stoked to have this complete. This is how we get to the Boardwalk, and as the summer approaches, to Junior Guards.”

The Santa Cruz County RTC, Friends of the Rail and Trail and Ecology Action hosted tables at the heavily-attended, upbeat event Wednesday. After the ribboncutting ceremony a parade of Ecology Action’s Bike Ambassadors saluted the project, being that May is Bike Month.

“This is really a transformative project that will make it easier and safer for people to move across our community and connect our community in entirely new ways,” Santa Cruz County Supervisor Ryan Coonerty said. “This is a community-wide team effort. All the people in public works … John Laird who works on the state level — none of these big public projects happen without the community push, the vision and the people who are experts in their fields.”

The Hideout

Coastal Rail Trail fundraising and planning started with former U.S. Congressman Sam Farr’s vision for a trail system that arcs around the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. He secured $4.5 million dollars in funding for the Santa Cruz County side of the trail system alone. Former Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency John Laird secured a grant of more than half a million dollars for the Trestle Trail Project. Transportation Development Act funds and Measure D tax dollars will fund the remainder of the $2 million Trestle Trail Project cost.

“I’ve been crossing this bridge since the 1960s,” said Frank Babis, who stopped by the project Sunday to have a look. With the new Coastal Rail Trail in the background, Santa “It’s super nice and they Cruz County Supervisor Ryan Coonerty pays thanks to did a super fast job on it. the umpteen groups and agencies that helped make the trail possible. — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE Sometimes Santa Cruz does some goofy jobs, but this one is real nice.” completed in 10 years.

The Trestle Trail Project is constructed “This is only as great as the segments with a savings of over $4 million compared that will connect to this,” he said. “The to the conceptual Monterey Bay Sanctuary segments are lined up. We’ve got the City Scenic Trail Master Plan developed in of Santa Cruz segment, we’ve got the 2013. The savings come from a structural analysis, which determined that a new north coast segment, we’ve got the Bay stand-alone bike/pedestrian bridge was not to boardwalk segment, and we’ve got the necessary. Instead, the trail is cantilevered engineering team from the city already from the existing bridge, which saved working on the next segment on this side.” significant time as well as cost.

Bruce Sawhill, Friends of the Rail and Laird said he knew how hard it was to cross the previous narrow bridge that has Trail former chair and founding member, now been replaced. said, “We’re ahead of time and under “As somebody who was a UCSC student budget; we like that.” riding that bridge on a bicycle all the time, On Sunday Eric Taborek road his bike I can just appreciate what the task was,” he over the bridge. said. “Today is a day to celebrate.”

“I’m really glad it’s done,” he said. “I Stephen Slade, Executive Director for think it turned out great. This will be a the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, said he envisions the entire 32-mile trail being great trail for this area.”

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from Mediterranean to California grill, as well as Asian fusion, Italian, seafood, soups, sandwiches and burgers in addition to running a full bar. The business also featured indoor and outdoor seating.

It got its name due to its location, which is tucked back in a cove of redwood trees off Soquel Drive, the frontage section of the heavily travelled road that flanks Highway 1 between Aptos Village and Rio Del Mar Boulevard.

A day after the fire property owner Dale Berman said he already had plans in motion to rebuild.

“I know a lot of building contractors

in the area, some that have come to this restaurant,” he said. “This way I can use local talent and keep the business local. We have already had a lot of support from our community and that is how we’re going to get this done. Right now it looks like we’re in line to get this place up and running in about nine months — that’s what we’re

aiming for.”

The crew at The Hideout have started a GoFundMe account to help defray rebuilding costs. Visit www.gofundme. com/the-hideout-fire to make a donation.

They have already raised more than $29,000 of their $50,000 goal.

Firefighters inspect the charred remains of the Hideout Cocktails & Dining restaurant in Aptos Monday morning. — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

JUNE 2019

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 3

Santa Cruz County history in focus

By TARMO HANNULA CAPITOLA — The third annual Santa Cruz County History Fair unfolded in Jade Street Park at the Capitola Community Center on May 18. Twentytwo organizations had displays at the free event that was hosted by the Capitola Historical Museum, said Board President Niels Kisling.

“We’re seeing a great turnout, even during the rain,” he said. “There’s a great energy here in the room; people seem to be really excited about this event.”

Indeed, scores of people filtered through the various tables, studying the wealth of books, early-day photos, displays, posters, videos and memorabilia. Representatives from the Friends of the Cowell Lime Works, Friends of State Parks, Native Daughters of the Golden West, the Davenport Jail, Pajaro Valley Historical Association and the Soquel Pioneer & Historical Association were just a handful of groups sharing their slice of history at the four-hour affair.

“Santa Cruz County is the second smallest county in California, yet it is very diverse and very spread out,” said historian Ross Gibson, who shared his display of a

Aptos burglary suspects arrested Resident was home at time of crime

Arthur Carson

Tracy Blundell

Staff report APTOS — Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Monday arrested two people suspected of breaking into a home while the owner slept inside.

Arthur Carson, 31, was charged with burglary, vehicle theft and carrying a concealed knife. Tracy Blundell, 43, faces burglary charges. Additionally, both face charges for possession of drug paraphernalia.

They were booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail, jail records showed.

According to Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sgt. Dee Baldwin, residents in a home on the 190 block of Meadow Court called 911 to report someone was burglarizing their home.

Deputies responded and found a male and female inside a portion of the home and actively stealing items.

Both were caught after trying to run.

They were found with numerous pieces of stolen property identified by the residents.

Deputies also found the couple’s vehicle, which they had gotten stuck in the mud at the rear of the property.

That vehicle, which had stolen license plates from a vehicle in Campbell, was itself stolen. Inside the vehicle were additional items suspected of being stolen from within homes or vehicles, Baldwin said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office Investigation Division at 454-2311, or the anonymous tip line at 454-2847.

model of Soquel Village made of insideout cereal boxes.

The author of “An Architectural Tour of Historical Santa Cruz,” “Riverside Hotel,” and “Santa Cruz Brews,” Gibson’s Soquel model depicted fine details of the village from the early 1900s, which included commercials signs, banners and business names of the era.

“This is a great event today,” Gibson said. “We need a place to come together and share our valuable history. I really hope we do this again.”

Kisling said one of the oldest Capitola Museum volunteers is 86-year-old Paul Parsons.

“Paul and his good friend Frank Hill were the first two dishwashers at Shadowbrook (restaurant in Capitola) in 1947,” he said. “Paul’s name is number three on the plaque of children born at the old Santa Cruz Hospital. I’m happy to say that Paul is a great guy, a wonderful volunteer, and he used to work at the Register-Pajaronian in 1954 or 1955 for about two years selling advertising.”

Members of the Pajaro Valley Historical Association were on hand to help visitors get a taste of the past in the Pajaro Valley. Among their display items was a book, “Watsonville

Using inside-out cereal boxes, historian Ross Gibson made this early-day model of Soquel Village. — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

Images 1888-1940” by Edgar L. Clark, Pioneer Watsonville Photographer. Put out by the PVHA, the captions and text are by the late Betty Lewis. The 139-page book is

a vast collection of black and white photos made from glass negatives that depict various groups, businesses, key people of the time and numerous saloons.

Suspected jewelry store burglar arrested

By TODD GUILD APTOS — Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on May 9 arrested a man thought to be responsible for at least one burglary from a business in the area of Aptos and Capitola area.

Richard Bustichi, 42, is suspected of taking thousands of dollars worth of gems from Philip Zane Designs on the 10000 block of Soquel Drive on April 30.

Bustichi has been charged with burglary, identity theft and possession of burglary tools. He is in custody at Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail, jail records showed.

It is unclear what led detectives to Bustichi when they arrested him. He was found with the stolen gems, said Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Sgt. Dee Baldwin.

Since early April, there have been 17 burglaries committed in Aptos and Capitola, in the Soquel Avenue corridor between Porter Street and the 10000 block of Soquel, Baldwin said.

Investigators are now trying to determine whether Bustichi is responsible for any of the other burglaries.

Richard Bustichi

contributed Thieves smashed open this lock to a business in Soquel Village.

Several businesses in the Soquel Village Mall were burglarized recently during a string of burglaries in Soquel and Aptos. — Contributed

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Monday for the new Aptos Public Safety Center at the Aptos Village Project. — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

County officials open new Aptos Public Safety Center

By TODD GUILD APTOS — The sprawling Aptos Village Project got its newest neighbor on May 20 when Santa Cruz County officials officially opened the Aptos Public Safety Center.

The center combines a Sheriff’s substation with offices for the Santa Cruz County District Attorney and Probation departments, along with an office for Second District Supervisor Zach Friend.

The new building replaces the Sheriff’s Office substation formerly located in the Rancho Del Mar shopping center.

“This project is going to provide much

easier access to Aptos and the surrounding area,” Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart said.

County District Attorney Jeff Rosell called the office housing multiple law enforcement and governmental officials “unprecedented” for the County.

County Supervisor Zach Friend said the project will fill a gap noted by many county residents.

“I’ve heard a lot that people feel that in Mid-County and South County there are definitely less services provided,” he said.

“This provides a new component here in Mid-County that we’ve never had before.”

JUNE 2019

4 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

APTOS 4TH

HWY 1 WORK

WATER SERVICE

Fourth of July events planned throughout Aptos

Highway 1 improvements begin June 2

Scholarship Program

Staff report Aptos will be host to a multitude of 4th of July events from dawn to dusk.

Enjoy a traditional breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage, juice and coffee before the “World’s Shortest Parade” at 7:30 a.m.

It is $10 for adults and $5 for children to eat at the breakfast, which will take place at the parking lot of burger.Aptos.

Following the breakfast, the “World’s Shortest Parade” will start at 10 a.m. at the intersection of State Park Drive and Soquel Drive.

This year’s parade Grand Marshal is retiring Aptos/La Selva Fire Captain, Greg Hansen. He has served the Aptos community for more than 30 years.

Registration is still open. Visit Aptoschamber. com to sign up for the “World’s Shortest Parade” and participate in a local tradition.

The theme this year is “Anchors Away.”

Parade entries can include but are not limited to: Classic/antique vehicles, floats, bands, walkers, dancers, dogs, and you!

After the parade, there will be a party in the park from noon to 4 p.m. at the Aptos Village Park.

There will be something for the whole family: kids games, face painting, pony rides, zorbs, bounce houses, kids crafts, food trucks, beer, wine and local favorite band EXTRA LARGE. Interested in being a vendor at the Party in the Park? Email esme@aptoschamber.com for details or visit aptoschamber.com to download the application Call the Aptos Chamber of Commerce for information: 688-1467.

Staff report SANTA CRUZ COUNTY – A project to resurface Highway 1 from the North Aptos undercrossing to the junction with State Route 9 will begin on June 2.

This project will include upgrades to Americans With Disabilities (ADA) Ramps, bridge rail replacement at the Fish Hook and Ocean Street bridges, improvements to electrical systems, bridge deck treatments and the replacement of concrete barriers.

The installation of construction signs began Monday during the daytime hours followed by the beginning of concrete barrier replacement the week of June 2.

The resurfacing of the highway is expected to begin next year.

Construction will occur each week Sunday night through Friday morning from 9 p.m. no later than 6 a.m.

Motorists will encounter intermittent closures of the Hwy. 1/17 connector ramps. Caltrans will announce in advance when these ramps closures will occur.

The contractor for this $22 million project is Granite Construction of Watsonville, CA. This project is expected to be complete by the end of 2020.

Staff report The California Water Service Group officially opened its annual College Scholarship Program.

Eligible students residing in areas served by the utility’s California, Hawaii and Washington subsidiaries may now apply online for one of the scholarships under the $60,000 program, which provides two $10,000 grand-prize awards and additional, smaller awards for college and highereducation expenses.

“Through the California Water Service Group Scholarship Program, we hope to support the next generation of leaders in the communities we serve,” said Martin A. Kropelnicki, President and Chief Executive Officer. “As they embark upon the next stage of their lives, we want to help young scholars who are bright, hard-working, and ambitious – those who share our commitment to making good things happen in their communities.”

To apply to the College Scholarship Program, students must be pursuing a degree in higher education and plan to enroll in a full-time undergraduate program at an accredited twoor four-year college, university or vocationaltechnical school for the upcoming academic year.

Scholarships will be awarded based on academic achievement, community service and financial need.

The annual scholarships are part of Group’s stockholder-funded philanthropic giving program and are not paid for by customers’ rates. The program is administered by Scholarship Management Services, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. To date, Group has provided $300,000 in scholarships to students through the program.

To learn about the scholarship program or to apply, California students can visit www.calwater. com/scholarship. The application period for the sixth-annual program will close at 1 p.m. PT on June 17. Winners will be announced in August.

PROTECTING OUR GROUNDWATER FROM FURTHER SEAWATER CONTAMINATION

JUNE 2019

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 5

CALFRESH EXPANSION

RED CROSS DONATIONS

CalFresh benefits expand to serve seniors, people with disabilities

Red Cross: Critical type O blood shortage; donors needed now

Staff report

Staff report

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY – The County of Santa Cruz recently announced the expansion of the CalFresh food assistance program to serve people who receive Supplemental Security Income/Supplemental Payment (SSI/SSP) benefits beginning June 1.

“Providing CalFresh food assistance to individuals who receive SSI/SSP benefits is an important step in reducing food insecurity and supporting health and wellness for seniors and people with disabilities,” said Ellen Timberlake, County Human Services Director.

CalFresh benefits are being offered with no change or reduction to SSI/SSP benefits, and the Santa Cruz County Human Services Department is prepared to help eligible SSI recipients apply for this historic expansion, which could serve up to 5,400 new clients in Santa Cruz County.

CalFresh food benefits supplement household budgets, allowing individuals and families to afford nutritious food, which has been shown to improve health outcomes. CalFresh food benefits are delivered on an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) debit card and can be used at any grocery store and farmers market that accepts EBT. Food benefits for one person range from $15-$192 per month.

Households that already receive CalFresh and currently have a member of their household that has been excluded because they receive SSI do not need to apply. The County will contact those households at the time of their next CalFresh reporting date.

Currently Santa Cruz County serves 23,500 individuals with CalFresh benefits.

The American Red Cross has a critical shortage of type O blood and urges eligible donors to give now to help patients facing trauma and other life-threatening situations. As a thank-you, all donors who give blood or platelets through June 10 will receive a $5 Amazon. com Gift Card via email.

Donations needed now Donors of all blood types, especially type O, are urged to urged to make an appointment to donate using the Blood Donor App, at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Eligible donors with type O blood are encouraged to make a whole blood or Power Red donation, where available. During a Power Red donation, donors give a concentrated dose of red blood cells during a single donation, allowing them to maximize their impact.

In thanks, all those who come to donate blood or platelets with the Red Cross May 1 through June 10, 2019, will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email. (Restrictions apply; see amazon.com/gclegal. More information and details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Together.) Additionally, those who come to give May 24-28 will receive an exclusive Red Cross-branded T-shirt, while supplies last.

Upcoming local blood donation opportunities: Capitola 6/7: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Jade Street Community Center, 4400 Jade St. Santa Cruz 6/6: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 220 Elk St. 6/8: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Santa Cruz Live Oak Grange #503, 1900 17th Ave Watsonville 6/5: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., West Marine Building, 500 Westridge Drive

SCHOLARSHIPS

Todd Guild/LIFE Vanessa Segura, left, and Lauren McBride, both from Aptos High School, were each awarded a $2,500 scholarship by the Corralitos Woman’s Club. Both will attend UC Berkeley. Segura plans to study nutrition, and McBride will study engineering.

The annual awards by the Corralitos Woman’s Club are based on academic performance, community service, motivation and character, said scholarship committee chair Marcia Burns.

JUNE 2019

6 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

History Corner

Continued from page 1

batching plant and mixed to order, then sent out in giant “cement mixer” trucks to the construction sites.

In 1959, the last remnants of the apple industry in Aptos Village closed down.

Aptos was an industrial town with no industry. The Granite Rock Company purchased land in the Village and applied to the county for a zoning change to build a cement batching plant. That is why the street across from the Post Office is named Granite Way. There is nothing wrong with a concrete plant but no one in Aptos Village wanted it in their back yard. Locals rose up against the proposal. Concerned women formed the “Aptos Ladies Tuesday Evening Society” and organized themselves to defeat the zoning change. The group included Lucille Aldrich, Anne Isaacs, Babe Toney, Peggy Marceron, Jessie Elliott, Birdie Jacobs, Beverly Palmer, Nola Gales, Pat Thompson, Joyce West, Peggy Hunter, Mrs. Harrison Smith, Dee Small, Betty Jo Jensen, and Nita Jellison.

Their efforts were successful. To celebrate their victory, a barbecue was held on Memorial Day, 1961, in the field next to the railroad track. The event was so popular that a parade and potluck were

Your

planned to follow on the fourth of July.

Everyone turned out in old fashioned clothes and the Monterey Bay Antique Car Club brought 18 vintage cars. The parade route was from the Driftwood Gas Station at Trout Gulch Road (where Bay Federal Credit Union is now located) to the Pop Inn restaurant, (now the Parish Publick House). The parade only lasted ten minutes and that is how the “World’s Shortest Parade” got its name.

The second year, the “Sun Tan Special”, the train that once transported visitors from the San Francisco Peninsula to Santa Cruz, was in its final year of service. The Aptos Ladies had planted red, white and blue petunias along the railroad track from the Bay View Hotel to the Pop Inn. When the train reached Aptos on July 4th, the engineer stopped the train so that the passengers could get off and enjoy the festivities. “It was a happy coincidence that the parade coincided with the train passing through”, recalled Lucile Aldrich.

Games were also held in the field including sack races, a watermelon eating contest, horseshoes, kick the can, peanut runs, shoe kicking, and foot races.

The third year, the American Legion post was the first to set up a food booth

Natural Look

with chili, coffee and pies. The following year, the Pop Inn offered hot dogs and soft drinks. Santa Cruz Dairy Farms wanted to sell ice cream, so Lucile asked them to bring a cow for a milking contest. They brought two cows for five or six years but eventually the herd was moved away which ended the contest. In the mid-1970s the games and food booths were moved to Aptos Village Park which had just been completed.

The pancake breakfast was added in 1987, as a cooperative venture between the Aptos Chamber of Commerce and the Aptos Lions Club and is currently organized by the Chamber and the Search and Rescue Team.

In 1992, after thirty years of successful parade organization, the Aptos Ladies Tuesday Evening Society retired from the job and turned the parade over to the Aptos Chamber of Commerce. The once tiny parade has grown into a huge event for Aptos. The “World’s Shortest Parade” has gained national recognition as one of only seven Fourth of July parades recommended in 2013 as the “Best” by prestigious Condé Nast Traveler, and in 2017, our parade was listed as one of “America’s Most Unique July Fourth Celebrations” by Land’s End

Journal.

This year’s Grand Marshal is Fire Captain Greg Hansen who will be retiring from the Aptos/La Selva Fire District after almost 39 years of service. Among the many recognitions that Greg has received is California’s Emergency Services Officer of the Year for creating “Captain H2O the fire clown” in order to spread fire safe messages in local schools. He was also awarded was awarded Firefighter of the Year for pulling a victim away from live power lines, thereby saving the victim’s life. We would like to recognize Captain Hansen’s dedication to the department and the community.

What better way to celebrate Independence Day than having a “stickto-your-ribs” pancake breakfast, and then, either watch the parade or be in it, and finally to have lunch and dance the afternoon away, with the band “Extra Large” in Aptos Village Park? You can celebrate freedom from cooking and doing the dishes, you will have a great day and also help to support the parade that gives Aptos a little slice of fame and a big slice of “home town” feeling. Happy Independence Day!

JUNE 2019

USS Palo Alto

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 7 Continued from page 1

Tools to Make Parenting Easier The community gathered at the Rio Sands Hotel on May 18 to hear John Hibble (second from right) and Kevin Newhouse of the Aptos History Museum give a special history presentation on the iconic S.S. Palo Alto. — Johanna Miller/LIFE

and author Kevin Newhouse, who gave the bulk of the presentation.

“Not many things can celebrate existing for 100 years,” Newhouse said.

“This is a very special occasion.”

The history of the S.S. Palo Alto is a unique one—despite its short time on the open ocean. In 1918, the U.S. government started a building program to replace ships destroyed in World War I. The idea came from a Norwegian engineer who had been experimenting with concrete ship technology.

But the war ended not long after the program began—halting construction and leaving only eight concrete ships complete or in-progress. The S.S. Palo Alto, along with its sister ship the S.S. Peralta, were launched from the U.S. Naval Shipyard in Oakland in 1919.

The Palo Alto made just two journeys.

The first was from Oakland to Pier 33 in San Francisco. The second and last was to Aptos in 1930, where it has remained ever since.

In the audience on May 18 was Bruce Porter, whose grandfather was part of the crew who made the voyage. Hibble introduced Porter, who grew up knowing the story of the famous ship.

“This just shows how deeply embedded this ship is in this community,” Hibble stated.

Newhouse went on to detail the ship’s history since coming to Seacliff State Beach, explaining the unfortunate timing of the Seacliff Amusement Corporation’s purchase of the vessel, and their project of making it into a “pleasure ship,” featuring a dance floor, cafe, swimming pool, slot machines and more. Just two years after a successful opening, the ship was hit by storms. This, coupled with the onsetting of the Great Depression, eventually prompted the Seacliff Amusement Corporation to go bankrupt and close in 1932. Eventually the S.S. Palo Alto was sold to the State of

California in 1936 for just one dollar.

“Once the ship was here, it endured a lot of ups-and-downs,” Newhouse said.

“Mainly due to Mother Nature.”

The vessel would be hit with more storms in the late 1950s through the 1970s. In 1983, locals Rose Costa, Ed Nelson and Harry Haney successfully led a group of volunteers in reopening the ship after being shut down for five years.

“Even after it’s final closing [in 2001], the ship remains a huge part of our lives,” Newhouse said. “Honestly, this ship is embedded in my memory as much as my own home.”

Due to rain, the History Walk that was planned to follow the presentation on May 18 was rescheduled—but the Visitor Center remained open for guests.

Local band Cement Ship set up to perform in the center, including a song entitled “Let’s Break Apart Together.”

The following day the Cabrillo Symphonic Winds Ensemble held a special concert dedicated to the S.S. Palo Alto at the Crocker Theater. The show also featured the Soquel High School Concert Band and the Cabrillo College Concert Band performing John Nordgren’s original composition entitled “The Cement Ship.”

Festivities will continue on June 1 with the official Centennial Celebration of the S.S. Palo Alto, organized by California State Parks and Friends of the Santa Cruz State Parks. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., guests can come to Seacliff State Beach and enjoy vintage music, dancing, children’s activities, arts and crafts, history reenactments and more.

For information visit thatsmypark.org/ events/seacliff-centennial.

“Paris has the Eiffel Tower, New York has the Statue of Liberty,” Newhouse said. “And we here in Aptos have the Palo Alto.”

First 5 Santa Cruz County triplep.first5scc.org 831.465.2217

Community Food Hotline

June

APTOS

SOQUEL

Jacqueline Deely California’s Coastal Birds

CAPITOLA Harry & Mary Blanchard

JUNE 2019

8 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

PVUSD holds second annual College Signing Day Staff Report APTOS — The Pajaro Valley Unified School District on May 17, in collaboration with UC Santa Cruz’s Educational Partnership Center, celebrated more than 200 college bound seniors with a special event at the Seascape Golf Club.

The district provided a breakfast reception, event T-shirts, a photo booth,

raffle prizes and an opportunity to gather with other PVUSD students who have signed with the same university.

Students from Aptos, Pajaro Valley, Watsonville, Pacific Coast Charter and Diamond Technology Institute high schools who gained acceptance to a fouryear college or university received an invitation to attend the event.

“It has been a pleasure to have you at

Pajaro Valley Unified School District,” PVUSD Superintendent Dr. Michelle Rodriguez said to the students on hand.

“We hope you found your journey with us inspiring, and motivating, and, most importantly, effective in preparing you for this moment and what comes next.”

Attendees were treated to an address from guest speaker Dr. Alegra EroyReveles, a Watsonville High School

alumna who is now a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at University of California Santa Cruz.

Students present were representing 58 different universities. The most popular schools were CSU Monterey Bay, Sacramento State University, San Jose State University and UC Davis.

More than 200 students from high schools in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District attended the district’s college signing day on May 17. — Contributed

K&D gives Aptos Village Park an upgrade

By TARMO HANNULA APTOS — K&D Landscaping gave the Cabrillo Lions Community Center inside Aptos Village Park a major upgrade in early May. The three-day project, all donated by the Watsonville-based landscaping company, was part of the company’s typical monthly projects to help community organizations, churches, schools and such, said Jamie

Strange, K&D’s Marketing Director.

Work included installing drought tolerant planting, a rock retaining wall and efforts to increase sustainability to the park. Local suppliers have donated material as well, including a wealth of potted landscaping plants.

K&D President/Founder, Kendel White, said such projects are a way to better the community.

“Our community beautification is a big

part of our company and how we give back to the community,” said Justin White, CEO. The idea of sharing passion with the community sparked a conversation at K&D in 2016.

“We began thinking of ways to engage our community and put these ideas into actions,” White said. “During one of our staff meetings, the team came up with the idea of a monthly community beautification project.”

Workers from K&D Landscaping of Watsonville upgrade the landscaping inside Aptos Village Park. — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

The Five Mile House in Corralitos is undergoing a major rebuild to make way for a local herb and produce market on top of a cafe. — Photos by Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

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Carin Fortin is the driving force behind opening a new business in the Five Mile House

Five Mile House in Corralitos comes alive

By TARMO HANNULA CORRALITOS — New life is in the works for the historical Five Mile House in Corralitos. Long abandoned, the former café just got a fresh coat of paint and is undergoing major interior and exterior work.

On deck is a business that will feature locally grown organic herbs and produce in conjunction with a new café.

Owner Carin Fortin, who co-founded and currently runs Blossom’s Farm on nearby Merk Road with her partner Delmar McComb, said she is excited about the venture.

“I think Corralitos needs more than one café,” she said. “This will be a great place for people to purchase fresh, locally grown herbs and produce. It’s a fantastic location. There’s a lot of work to do, but we are hoping to open in July. I hope this becomes a community space” In its early days the building of unusual architectural design was a Texaco Service Station. One man who strolled past the spot recently said he recalled as a boy

the tall gas pumps outside the front of the business. At least one café was run in the same spot, following a long-standing health food store.

“We are a biodynamic farm in Corralitos,” Fortin wrote on her website.

“We grow medicinal herbs and produce digestif bitters, oils and tinctures.”

Fortin, herb farmer, herbalist and teacher, is active as a Biodynamic Association of Northern California member, and has served as the BDANC newsletter editor and core group member for years. She is a student of biodynamics and anthroposophy, and a member of the Circle of Representatives, the planning committee of the International Biodynamic Conference in Dornach, Switzerland.

Fortin said the business will have indoor seating and outdoor seating in two patio areas that will be flanked by planter beds.

The business shares space in the same center with Cadillac Café, a computer repair shop, a Mexican restaurant and a tattoo business. A new and upcoming hair salon, TZ, is currently being built there as well.

JUNE 2019

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 9

Betty Burgers to open in Aptos

By TARMO HANNULA APTOS — Big changes are under way in Aptos. On top of the sprawling Aptos Village Project, which saw the opening of New Leaf Community Market in early May, next comes Betty Burgers.

Situated in the former Vapor Laundromat on Trout Gulch Road, just yards off of Soquel Drive and across the street from Caroline’s, a non-profit thrift shop, the single-story space is currently under reconstruction.

“We’re hoping to be open in October or November,” said Laurie Negro, who owns three other locations of Betty Burgers in Santa Cruz County. “We already have all our permits. We’ve been looking for an Aptos location for the past 10 years. We think this place is perfect. ” Negro said the new location will offer “exactly the same menu” as her other stores, that are located on 41st Avenue in Capitola, Seabright Avenue and Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz. The walk-up counter business will offer about

eight kinds of burgers, on top of salmon, chicken, turkey and veggie burgers, hot dogs, and onion rings. Salads, a huge variety of fries, a kid’s menu, Polar Bear Ice Cream and shakes and malts round out the menu.

They will also offer wine and eight beers on tap.

“There’s plenty of parking, and we’re looking forward to our business integrating with the Aptos Village Project,” Negro said.

When Negro last year first signed on to the property and was waiting for permits to clear, she was approached by Christy Licker, director and founder of Caroline’s.

Licker brought up the idea of possibly using the empty building as a temporary staging area and extension to her shop for a large amount of goods her non-profit business had just acquired.

“We had just taken in two estates and an entire women’s fashion shop that went out of business — all of which was donated,” Licker said. “We needed a place to spread all this out just to see what we had.”

That’s when Negro gave Licker the green light to use the empty space until work got under way on Betty Burgers.

“We were happy to help Christy out,” Negro said. “The timing was perfect. If I could, I would do it all over again — it was for a good cause.”

Thus began the temporary Caroline’s Pop-Up Shop in the Betty Burgers site. The building gave Licker about a five-month opportunity to spread her business out and prepare for a major remodel of her exiting business that is situated in two buildings on Trout Gulch Road.

“We’re getting ready to remodel here at Caroline’s,” Licker said. “I think we’ll start in late summer.”

She added that Talmadge Construction will donate their time with the construction that will include replacing three large

metal storage containers currently used for inventory. A new sink, washer and dryer are in the mix as well.

“We’ll actually be able to receive more donations after the remodel,” Licker said.

“We’ve been here eight years — since 2011, and have raised $1,290,000 for 26 local organizations.”

Licker said the organizations Caroline’s donates to include Coalition for Compassionate Care of California, Hospice of Santa Cruz County, Jacob’s Heart, CASA, Teen Kitchen, Shared Adventures, Second Harvest Food Bank/ Food For Kids, Big Brothers Big Sisters SC and Easter Seals Central When asked if Betty Burgers is a local business, Negro said, “My family is local alright; we’ve lived here since 1917.”

Seven homes on deck from Habitat for Humanity

Work is under way to rebuild a former vapor clears and laundromat on Trout Gulch Road in Aptos to make way for Betty Burgers. — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

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

Seven homes are being built by Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay on Los Esteros Court in Live Oak. — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

By TARMO HANNULA A total of seven homes are planned for an ongoing Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay project in the Live Oak area of Santa Cruz.

With five of the homes completed and occupied, the work moves ahead to complete the project that provides homeownership for qualified low-income families who have the ability to pay an affordable mortgage.

Various volunteer groups and individuals have rolled up their sleeves to build the houses. Recently, more than 70 women joined the effort as part of the annual Women Build Week.

From sawing, shaping wood, framing, sheetrock and foundation work, the volunteers, under the direction of construction manager Mike McIlwain and dedicated expert homebuilders, tackle one task after another.

“We accept volunteers from the greater Bay Area - charity teams, corporations, and individuals,” said Allie Wilson, Volunteer Coordinator with Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay. “It’s a wonderful program on so many levels.”

Currently, there are two active construction sites in Santa Cruz. The main site is Los Esteros Court, between 7th and 17th Avenues.

The second site is located on Fairmount Avenue, and is a “My House, My Home” project, a program that helps lowincome senior homeowners keep their property and age in place by building an Accessory Dwelling Unit on the property.

This creates an additional source of rental income for the homeowners, and opens the channels for the homeowners and the new low income resident to develop a caring, reciprocal relationship.

“Helping out here gives me a sense of purpose and meaning,” said volunteer Suzanne Keller. “I grew up in this area and it feels nice to have found a good, solid way of helping my community.

It’s a great program; I’m fascinated by the nuts and bolts of how well it works.

We all know how difficult it is to find housing in the area, and this is a program that deals with that issue.”

Bonnie Barcinas said she came to the Los Esteros Court project with a team of seven Bank of America / Merrill Lynch staff from the Carmel area to assist during Women Build Week.

“I heard about the program a few years ago and it seemed like the right fit for me,” she said. “Not only is it enjoyable to work outdoors, it’s a great way to give back to the community.”

Additional construction funding sources come from Habitat for Humanity’s discount home improvement stores known as ReStores in Santa Cruz on Swift Street, and in the Monterey Bay on Gigling Road in Seaside.

“We welcome volunteer participation at our construction sites and ReStores,” Wilson said. “Volunteers are the nuts and bolts of Habitat. No experience is necessary.”

•••

For information, visit habitatmontereybay.org/volunteer

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:

JUNE 2019

10 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

Second District Update - Addressing Fireworks in our Neighborhoods and Beaches

By ZACH FRIEND

Santa Cruz County Supervisor

With Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer the number of complaints for fireworks begins to increase. Over the last few years our office, the Sheriff’s Office and State Parks, have received numerous complaints about fireworks – from concerns about the

noise to fire and environmental concerns. The issue was raised at a recent neighborhood association meeting I attended with concerns that they are becoming more common even outside of the summer.

The largest number of complaints come around July 4, with the majority of calls from the coastal areas of our district including Rio Del Mar, Seacliff and La Selva Beach.

The exact location of the discharge is often difficult to pinpoint, as the sound reverberates throughout the coastal area, but there are some known hotspot locations on state beaches and some county beaches in the unincorporated area.

Over the last few years the Sheriff’s Office has tried different enforcement approaches while the County has done a significant educational (including paid advertising outreach) to address the issue. Some of this enforcement, specifically along the coast, has caused concerns about increased fireworks activity in the more rural areas. Others have believed that when the enforcement is most directed there is a decline in activity along the coast. While others have contacted my office to express concern about the usage of law enforcement resources for fireworks in general (believing this is a low priority issue).

The County’s position has been that since fireworks, even safe and sane fireworks, are illegal in the unincorporated area, there should

be enforcement on this issue. Realistically, there are significant barriers to effective enforcement: the difficulty in pinpointing the exact location of the discharge, the delay between the report and arrival of law enforcement (as people that are discharging them often leave the scene), call prioritization (if there are other active calls that officers are on then the won’t be able to respond immediately) and more. But the County is still committed to helping to reduce the issue.

Fireworks are sold legally in neighboring jurisdictions and often brought illegally into our community and fired off on the beaches, in the neighborhoods and even along the rail corridor and local parks. Over the last few years the County has increased the fines for fireworks (fireworks violations are subject to triple fines during July 4th, which means a citation can cost well over $1,000 after court costs are added on.) Additionally, working with local community groups and the Sheriff’s Office the County adopted a set of policies and approaches that included: improved tools of enforcement, better education locally, and outreach to neighboring jurisdictions that sell fireworks. Specifically, the plan included: • Making triple fines for fireworks permanent on July 4 and other holidays (meaning possession of fireworks will cost you well over $1000 in fines and court costs) • Visits to local high schools by the Sheriff’s

Office School Resource Officer for education to students about the dangers and enforcement actions • Producing public service announcements and other media outreach to local and regional media outlets about enforcement plans and the danger of fireworks before the summer • Expanding digital signage near hot spot neighborhoods about enforcement • Working with 9-1-1 dispatchers regarding how these calls are handled and also for education to the caller about the best information to provide to ensure proper enforcement • Working with vacation rental owners to educate them about visitors bringing illegal fireworks and also the consequences associated with it • Increasing police patrols • Sending letters to neighboring jurisdictions that sell fireworks encouraging them to partner with us on the issues their fireworks cause • Outreach to State Parks for improved and increased enforcement on state beaches and parks during July 4 and other peak times.

Illegal fireworks activity will continue but the goal is that this approach have a positive impact on the environmental and other issues it causes.

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Feel free to call me at 454-2200 with your questions and comments.

Understanding Your Credit Score Payment History Payment history by far is the most important factor that goes into your credit score. Something as simple as forgetting to pay your credit card bill one month to more serious issues like bankruptcy and foreclosure can all affect your score. Try to develop a system that works for you to help you stay organized and on top of your bills each month.

By GARY E. CROXALL, CFP and SOREN E. CROXALL, CFP Most people probably have a sense of what their credit score is and if their score is considered a “poor” score all the way to “exceptional.” Banks and credit cards will show you your credit score often updated on a monthly basis. However, there seems to be a lot of confusion on the factors that go into your score and ways to improve it.

Having and maintaining an excellent credit score is worth its weight in gold. If lenders view you as a less risky borrower, you may get a lower interest rate on your loan, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars in interest over the life of the loan. When you look at the factors that go into credit scores, think of them through the eyes of a lender. Would you lend to someone who didn’t pay bills on time, had a lot of debt already and maybe didn’t have a long credit history? Probably not, right?

Level of Debt The next biggest factor is the level of debt you carry. Credit scoring calculations will look at the overall amount of debt you carry from all different sources (like mortgage, auto, credit cards, student loans, etc.). They will also look at something called a credit utilization ratio with respect to credit cards. To understand what that means, let’s consider two hypothetical people, Bob and Sally. Both Bob and Sally each have one credit card with a $10,000 credit limit. Bob currently charges $5,000 per month and sometimes doesn’t pay off his balance each month. Sally on the other hand, only charges around $1,000 per month to her credit card and pays it off each month. Bob’s credit utilization ratio hovers around 50% or more meaning he is using 50% or more of his available credit whereas Sally’s credit utilization is around 10%. From a lender’s perspective and only looking at their credit utilization ratio, Sally would appear to be the more creditworthy borrower. Long story short, utilizing a large portion of your available credit card limit each month and/or too much debt overall can affect your credit score.

2019 SPCA Summer Camp! Calling all animal lovers!

For students entering: 5th through 7th grade 1 through 4 grade June 4-10 July 17-21 June 24-28 July 8-12 July 15-19 July 22-26 July 29-Aug 2 Aug 5-9 st

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At the Capitola Mall M/F 9am-3pm.

Cost for one week: $275 Register online: https://spcasc.org/events/summer-kids-camp-2019/

Age of Credit History Before you decide to cancel the first credit card you got in college, think again.

The age of your credit accounts factor into your score. If you can show you’ve been making on time payments for a longer period of time, this may positively reflect on your score. So be aware of how long you’ve had various credit cards and how cancelling them may affect your score (especially if you have had the card for a long time).

Type of Credit There are two general types of credit: revolving and installment. Installment is pretty easy to understand. Take your car loan as an example. The amount of the loan is predetermined at inception and you pay it back in set payments over the life of loan. Revolving (like credit cards) does not have a predetermined amount. For example, you have a credit limit, but you don’t necessarily spend up to your credit limit each month. Having a mix of both types in your credit history can potentially help your score since it shows you have experience managing both types of credit.

Overall though, this factor usually isn’t a huge part of your score.

Credit Inquiries When you apply for credit, the lender is going to check your credit score and an inquiry will likely be placed on your credit report. One or two inquiries over a few years probably won’t affect your score that much. However, several inquiries in a short period of time can negatively

affect your score. Again, think of it from the perspective of the lender. If you were looking to lend money to someone who had been seeking a lot a credit in a short period of time, the question would be why?

If you haven’t done so recently, we would encourage you to review a full credit report (not just your score). The first thing to look for is does it look right? Are there accounts you don’t recognize (i.e. potential identity theft)? Next, check the payment history. Are your payments being recorded correctly? Review your overall debt level as well as your credit utilization on credit cards. A credit report will also show you credit inquiries made in the last two years as well as the age of your credit accounts that are open. Lastly, please use credit responsibly.

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.

JUNE 2019

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 11

Ask Nicole:

Screen Time in Summertime

Dear Nicole,

Nicole M. Young, MSW When I was a young child, the only TV shows my parents let us watch were Sesame Street, Mister Rogers, or anything else on PBS. Occasionally, we watched The Brady Bunch, until my mom declared the show off limits. She was convinced that the more my siblings and I watched The Brady Bunch, the more we fought with each other. I remember being upset at her decision – how could life, and my mom, be so unfair?!? Now that I’m a parent, I can understand she was doing her best to keep four kids busy, healthy, and alive. That was “back in the day” when TVs were the main form of screen time. These days, screens are everywhere, which can create bigger parenting challenges than four bickering children.

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.

My kids are 3, 6, and 11 years old, and they love video games and streaming movies. I try to limit their screen time on weeknights during the school year, but now that it’s summertime, my kids expect to have more screen time. I don’t think it’s realistic to completely cut out screen time, but I don’t want them to spend the whole summer staring at screens either. What do you suggest?

•Ron Dear Ron, It’s true that technology has become an everyday part of life for many people, including children. While not all screen time is bad, too much of it can affect children’s well-being. A 2016 survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau found that “children and teenagers who spent more time on screens were lower in psychological well-being: They were less curious and more easily distracted, and had a more difficult time making friends, managing their anger and finishing tasks.

Teenagers who spent an excessive amount of time on screens were twice as likely to have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression.” It often feels unrealistic for many parents to eliminate – or even significantly reduce – children’s screen time. And yet, it’s important for children to learn social-emotional skills such as

accepting limits, following rules, and being good “digital citizens.” Here are some tips to try: Create family rules about screen time.

Involve your kids in creating a few simple rules about screen time limits and games, apps, and web sites they can use on electronic devices. Focus on what you want your kids to do (“Turn phones off at bedtime”) instead of focusing on what not to do (“No phones at night.”).

If needed, adjust the rules for each child based on their age or maturity level. For example, the World Health Organization recommends zero screen time for infants under 1 year old and less than one hour of sedentary screen time each day (e.g. playing video games or watching TV) for children ages 2-4. So your 3-year old might get one hour of screen time each day, while your 11-year old might get two hours per day.

Have engaging activities available.

Summertime boredom or loneliness can make video games, apps, and social media even more appealing to kids. Encourage your kids to read, play active games, explore outside, cook, do art activities – anything that keeps their brains and bodies busy, engaged, and interested in something other than sedentary screen time.

Give descriptive praise. When your kids follow the rules or choose an activity other than screen time, acknowledge their efforts and choices. Be specific and genuine as you praise them – “Thanks for turning

off the computer when your time was up.

Playing outside is a great idea.”

Set a good example. Monitor your own screen time and describe the limits you’re setting for yourself. For example, put your phone away during mealtimes. If it rings, ignore it and say, “I’ll check it after dinner.” Modeling and describing your actions shows your children how to set and follow limits.

FINAL THOUGHTS: We live in an era where screen time is nearly impossible to avoid, yet it’s our job as parents and caregivers to set limits and help our kids learn to make healthy choices on their own. Kids may think screen time limits are unnecessary or unfair, but our guidance will help them be healthier in the long run.

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.

Aptos Real Estate Update — JUNE 2019 Q1 ’19 sales volume is down 22 percent.

In Santa Cruz County, 285 homes sold in Q1 versus 340 a year ago, down 17 percent.

Ruth Bates Q1 2019 RECAP (1/1-3/31/19) Across Santa Cruz County, inventory and sales volume is down from a year ago.

- Aptos Q1 Sales: 43 homes (H), 14 townhomes (TH), 12 condos (C) and 11 mobile homes (MH). Median Sales Prices: H-$1,095,200, TH-$737,500, C-$577,500 and MH-$405,000.

- Average Days on Market (DOM) : H–52 TH-27, C-25.

- Average percent of list price was 98 percent and average price per square foot was $600.

- In Q1-2018, 55 homes were sold, so

Government by the inept To the Editor, Fellow customers of the Soquel Creek Water District, The Board of Directors and Personnel of the District are engaged in a project to combat the intrusion of salt water into the Purisima Aquifer, currently our almost exclusive source of drinking water.

There are a number of questionable aspects related to this project in which they have already invested a substantial amount of money.

I am referring to the Clean Water Soquel Project, which will produce treated water to inject into the aquifer to halt the intrusion of ocean water. The source of this water is highly questionable as it is to come from the treatment of sewage, a word they seldom use when discussing the project in which they will be producing water that is anything but clean.

It has long been known that it is impossible for sewage treatment to remove all the contaminants people flush down their toilets,

Q2 MARKET As of May 19, there are 65 homes on the market. High list is 195 Via Concha (front row ocean view) – $5,250,000 – 137 DOM. Low list is 3680 Redwood – $579,000 (2B/1.5B/784SF), 50 DOM. Median List price is $1,300,000 (compared to Median Sale price in Q1 of $1,095,000) – so, overall, sellers are priced too high and average DOM = 64. Twenty-three of the 65 have been on the market under 30 days, so these newer listings may go more quickly.

APTOS VILLAGE LISTINGS AND SALES – (per MLS) Three of the back row tri-level townhomes have sold for $1,055,000, $1,075,000 and $1,150,000, and one is pending at $1,195,000. Four of the eight $895,000 townhomes (3B/2.5Ba/1706+/SF) have sold, and two of the three $795,000 units facing the post office have sold (3B/2.5Ba/1278+/-SF). Four onebedroom condos have sold for $590,000, particularly prescribed and other drugs. A recent study at the University of Southern California found that sewage treatment plants produce an antibiotic DBA fluid that could negate the effectiveness of certain drugs, unquestionably a dangerous situation.

Surely we have learned a lesson from the problem in Flint, Michigan.

It is difficult for me to understand the motivation of these folks. To begin with, we do not own the aquifer. And we are not the only ones who depend on it for their water supply. How can they think they have the right to contaminate it?

The District recently notified us of its intent to raise rates, referring several times to the need to develop a supplemental water supply.

It mentioned Pure Water Soquel project, but nowhere the word sewage. They required 50 percent +1 of us to object, in writing. I believe that requirement to be upside down.

To be fair, they should be required to get 50 percent +1 of everyone using the aquifer to approve their shenanigans.

Thomas Stumbaugh Aptos

$615,000, $615,000 and $625,000.

Affordable Housing unit buyers were selected by lottery back May 2017, and three 1-bedroom units now show as pending at $259,890 and $253,375, $253,155 and one two-bedroom at $312,644.

Current active listings on MLS are: 522 Granite Way-$795,000 (3B/2.5Ba/1420SF, 2-car garage), 454 and 458 Granite Way-$895,000 (3B/2.5Ba/1657SF/1car garage), Condos: 141 AV-$610,000 (1B/1Ba/880SF), 154 AVW 202-$879,000 (2B/2Ba/1457SF) and 337 Granite Way$1,295,000 (3B/2.5Ba/1823SF).

NEW COUNTY SEWER LATERAL ORDINANCE This 2019 County law requires that homeowners complete a sewer lateral inspection via camera/video (from the house to the street) by a County-approved plumber and complete any repairs necessary as defined by the County, prior to the close of escrow on the sale of the property.

Many homeowners are finding out they must come up with $5,000-30,000 for repairs, and home sales are being delayed.

If you are (ever) planning to sell your home, I advise you to get the inspection done now. County website: http:// www.dpw.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/Home/ SewerWater.aspx SPRING IS HERE IN APTOS In the Village, New Leaf has opened and Sock Shop and Shoe Company and the Sheriff’s Center are also expected to open soon. Occasionally, I like to remind myself why I love living in Aptos. Here are a few things I like to do: Go to the Saturday Farmer’s Market at Cabrillo College – broccolini is a favorite. Take the 4-mile hike at Nisene Marks from the entrance to the bridge and back via the trails, not too strenuous and beautiful nature abounds.

Go to the Aptos History Museum – always something new to learn. Shop at Caroline’s non-profit thrift shop. Watch the sunset on the beach by the Cement Ship or sip a Mai Tai at Sanderlings at sunset. Taste wine at Armitage, shop at Cinnamon Bay, ride bikes to the beach or on the beach, golf, or take the 2-mile esplanade stroll from Rio Del Mar parking lot to the wall and back.

So much to do in Aptos! Enjoy!

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

JUNE 2019

12 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

SPORTS

WITH

JUAN REYES CCS baseball: Aptos High comes up empty in semifinals

The Aptos High baseball team was eliminated from the Central Coast Section playoffs after coming up short against Christopher High in Wednesday’s semifinals.

— G.P. Scheppler/LIFE

By G.P. SCHEPPLER SANTA CLARA — A lot was on the line for Aptos High going into Wednesday’s Central Coast Section Division II semifinals match against Christopher High.

For starters, the Mariners had a chance to clinch their first ever trip into the D-II tournament finals.

But when the clay dust settled, No. 2 Aptos saw its quest for the first CCS baseball title in school history dashed upon the shore as they were upset, 6-0, by the No. 3 Christopher at Washington Park.

With the win, the Cougars (20-9) advance into the title game for the first time in its program’s history, while the Mariners (21-6-1) saw their season come to an end.

“We didn’t hit,” said Aptos head coach Jason Biancardi. “We didn’t put pressure on the defense at all. And we made a couple big errors that kept innings going.”

It was a game only the winning team could love, which was filled with errors, distractionary tactics, passed balls, wild pitches and well executed base running by the Christopher.

The Mariners’ defense committed four errors, allowed four passed balls and threw three wild pitches.

“I couldn’t come up with a lot of blocks, that allowed a lot of unearned runs,” said Aptos junior catcher Jack Bollinger.

“I thought I saw the ball pretty well. I wouldn’t blame the dirt (behind home plate), I blame myself.”

It was a long afternoon in the squat for Bollinger and for senior starting pitcher David Eichorn. Bollinger allowed four passed balls, had to chase three wild pitches and committed at least one throwing error.

“I shouldn’t have thrown him three dirt balls in a row,” Eichorn said.

All six of Christopher’s runs came unearned.

If it’s any consolation, the Cougars didn’t really hit the ball either as they only compiled five hits over seven innings.

They recorded more runs than hits in their semifinal victory.

But, credit is due to the Cougars for capitalizing on mistakes made by the Mariners, safely advancing baserunner after baserunner to keep the pressure ratched up.

On the psychological warfare front, the Christopher kept a steady stream of pitchers warming up in the bullpen, while the remaining bench players heckled loudly throughout the game.

However, the Cougars used one pitcher in the game.

“You win some big playoff games and then to end the season on a losing note sucks,” Biancardi said. “Especially since we had a really good season. So you have to hope the kids are able to flush it, and look back on it later and say ‘we did something special.’ Which they did. We won 21 games and two CIF games.”

For Eichorn, the loss proved to be a bittersweet ending to his career at Aptos High. The lanky right-handed hurler showed no sign of having watched his last chance at a CCS title turn to ashes.

“It’s been a good frickin year,” Eichorn said. “(This season was) crazy fun, I’m going to remember this forever. This was a good group of guys. We’re a family.”

Eichorn, who plans to baseball at Cabrillo in the fall, wore a smile as he hugged his teammates and thanked his coaches.

Other Mariners clearly took the loss harder. “(Christopher High) wasn’t very good at hitting,” Bollinger said. “I think we can out hit that team any day. We need to work on it and be able to beat these teams that small-ball us to death.”

It’s a goal Bollinger thinks is more than attainable for the 2020 Mariners, as does Biancardi who expects to have his two legitimate sophomore pitchers — Nathaniel Brouse and Fisher Johnson — coming back.

“We are very optimistic about next season,” Biancardi said. “The seniors were great, but our juniors (who were called up last season as sophomores) have gotten a lot of experience and some experience winning CCS games. I think we have everything we need going into next year to have a very good season.”

JUNE 2019

SPORTS

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 13

WITH

Juan Reyes

Aptos High junior Brynn Mitchell placed fifth in the triple jump event on Friday at the Central Coast Section Championship at Gilroy High School. Juan Reyes — LIFE

Aptos High’s Hunter Matys qualifies for state championships Brynn Mitchell narrowly misses state cut

By JUAN REYES GILROY — Aptos High senior Hunter Matys has been having quite the year in his final season on the track and field team.

And he’s far from finished after placing second in the long jump with a leap of 23 feet, 1.25 inches at the Central Coast Section Championship on May 17 at Gilroy High School.

The top-3 finish was good enough to send Matys to the 101st CIF State Track & Field Championships at Buchanan High School in Clovis.

“It means a lot,” Matys said about qualifying for the state championships. “I have another meet left, maybe two. Just to keep my season alive is probably the best part of it.”

Matys said he felt like he could’ve performed better in the event and believed a first-place finish was in his grasp. But he scratched on a jump that might have been good for the lead.

“It happens,” he said. “Second place and trip to state, you can’t argue with that.”

Matys had also qualified in three other events — 100-meters, 200 and 4x100 relay — in the CCS semifinals but he came up short, including missing the cut by .02 of a second in the 100.

Matys was an alternate in the 100, but none of the qualified runners dropped from the race.

Matys mentioned he felt a lot better going into the finals compared to the previous week, where the heat played a factor into his performance.

“I prepared better this week. I drank more water and I got some better sleep last night,” he said.

Matys’ first jump of the afternoon was his best.

Matys said he was also mentally prepared and came in with a relaxed attitude.

“That’s been my focus all year. Just trying to keep calm,” he said.

Aptos High junior Brynn Mitchell nearly missed the cut in the triple jump after she placed fifth with a mark of 3511.5. She also placed seventh (17-2) in the long jump.

Mitchell said she’d been dealing with shin splints the week leading up to the finals.

“I’m glad that I got through all my jumps,” she said. “I didn’t perform as well as I would’ve liked to but that’s OK. I’m glad I made it this far.”

Mitchell suffered from the same leg injury during last year’s CCS Championships, where she placed 10th (35-6) in the long jump. On Friday, she made it past the first set of jumps that put her in position to qualify for the state championships.

“I felt like one of my jumps would get me in the top eight and I’d be able to get better from there,” Mitchell said. “But I don’t know if it’s the weather that threw me off. You can’t have your best day, every day.”

Other placers for Aptos High included senior Nathan Arellano, who placed fourth (154-9) in the discus event, and senior Indra Lyons, who placed seventh in the 100 high hurdles in 15.22 seconds.

JUNE 2019

14 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

A colorful collective

By TARMO HANNULA SANTA CRUZ — Thirteen paintings by the California Colorists are currently on display on the first floor of the Santa Cruz County Building.

The 13-member group functions as a collective who work in classic mediums such as acrylic, oil, pastel, print and watercolor, and contemporary, including airbrush and digital.

For the past 25 years the group meets monthly to share feedback and discussion.

“This is a very important aspect in the process of being a visual artist and showing our work,” one member said.

Janet Ferraro entered her busy and vibrant giclee print of her original painting titled “Fluid Motion.”

“I grew up around horses and I’ve always been drawn to their motion and beauty,” she said. “I am an interesting artist in that I work in several mediums. I do impressionist realism and abstract. ‘Fluid Motion’ was one of those paintings where I applied most of the paint with a pallet knife. A lot of my art is painted from my experiences with horses.”

Ferraro paints mostly horses, but also paints other animals.

She said she got started painting around 1994 with watercolors.

“I was a clothing designer but, always in the back of my head, was the idea of painting — I always knew I would turn to painting.”

In 2006 she started working on oil paintings. She has also shown her works in several galleries around Santa Cruz County and in San Luis Obispo.

A few of her works ended up by showcased in to shows by the prestigious American Academy

Above: “Fluid Motion” is a giclee print made from an oil on canvas painting by Janet Ferraro who is part of the California Colorists local art group now showing at two locations in Santa Cruz. Right: Karen Krenvold entered this plein air oil on canvas, “Distant Oaks” in the exhibit at the County Building. Bottom right: “Dusk” is an oil on canvas painting painting by Jacqueline Groswird. — Photos by Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

of Equine Arts in Kentucky.

“It’s a big compliment to be shown with them,” Ferraro said.

Ferraro said she has been with California Colorists for four years.

“It’s a great group of professional artists who share a lot of camaraderie,” she said.

“We offer suggestions and help each other solve challenges, from framing to composition to colors. We’re very supportive.

And we do shows together.”

Ferraro’s art was also chosen for the 2011 Wharf to Wharf race.

Sharon Medler is the coordinator for California Colorists. Her work has largely focused on colorful roosters in acrylic on canvas.

“I just wanted to paint a

rooster and now I’ve ended up doing more than 30,” she said.

“They’re such a beautiful bird.

I like to do a lot of fine detail.”

Her works also includes such themes as country French, calla lilies and more recently, pigs.

“I now have three pig paintings,” she said.

Medler said she coordinates artwork at five area restaurants on a rotating basis.

“I’ve been doing it for the past 35 years,” Medler said. “I know a lot of artists in Santa Cruz; I always try to support them and this is a good way to do that. Many artists are shy in marketing, so this is my way of helping them get their work out there.”

California Colorists member Jacqueline Groswird said she

commonly works in oil on canvas.

I got serious about my painting in 2012 when my husband got super sick,” she said. By 2013 I just got this a spark to life. I just felt like I had to take a serious stand in painting.”

Groswird said she also works in acrylic and watercolor. Her current work being shown at the County Building, Dusk,” was made from a photo from the

COMMUNITY CALENDAR JUNE 1 SS Palo Alto Centennial Celebration

Save the date! California State Parks will celebrate the centennial of the launch of the SS Palo Alto with living history, live music, refreshments, walking tours and more. Action gets rolling at 10 a.m. at Seacliff State Beach.

SS Palo Alto Street Fair

The Seacliff Improvement Association and the Seacliff Business Partnership will host the SS Palo Alto Centennial Street Fair in Aptos from 11:30 a.m to 4 p.m.

In conjunction with celebratory activities at Seacliff State Beach for the SS Palo Alto Centennial, the street fair will take place on Broadway between Santa Cruz and Center Avenues to celebrate our local floating icon. There will be live music, a

APTOS

SOQUEL

CAPITOLA

magician, kid-friendly activities, local vendors of crafts, history, ice cream, pizza and food trucks. Admission is free.

Nisene Marks Marathon

A long-distance race through the beautiful forest of Nisene Marks, host to acres of redwood trees nestled in the Santa Cruz mountains near the small beach town of Aptos. The event, now in its 38th year, benefits the Lions Club of Santa Cruz, a non-profit organization that works to help the seeing-impaired community. For information visit http:// nisenemarksmarathon.com.

Caribbean.

“I typically work in 11 by 14 inches and larger,” she said.

“Portraits are another favorite.

I’ve painted a lot of my family members. As a child I saw my mom painting a lot and that made it easier for me to start up.

I like the meditative quality of painting in that it helps me focus on one thing and pretty much relax into that one thing. I try to turn the whole world off.”

••• The California Colorists’ exhibit will run at the Santa Cruz County Building, 01 Ocean St, Santa Cruz until May 31. The group is also showing their work at Riva Fish House on the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf until June 30.

JUNE 2019 JUNE 8 Museum of Discovery hosting Casino Night

The Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery is hosting a Casino Night Fundraiser on Saturday from 5-9:30 p.m. at the Capitola Mall.

This event will double as a retirement celebrationforthecurrentvolunteerexecutive director Patrice Keet, as well as a fundraiser towards MOD’s sustainability campaign.

Must 21 years of age.

Tickets are $100 per person, and can be purchased at modcasinonightfundraiser. eventbrite.com.

JULY 4 Pancake Breakfast

Enjoy a traditional breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage, juice and coffee before the

“World’s Shortest Parade” in the burger.

Aptos parking lot from 7:30-10 a.m.

Famous “World’s Shortest Parade”

Retiring Aptos/La Selva Fire Captain Greg Hansen will be the Grand Marshal of the annual “World’s Shortest Parade.”

The festivities get going at 10 a.m. from the intersection of State Park Drive and Soquel Drive.

Party in the Park

Come have fun in the Aptos Village Park after the “World’s Shortest Parade” from noon to 4 p.m. There will be something for the whole family: kids games, face painting, pony rides, zorbs, bounce houses, kids crafts, food trucks, beer, wine and local favorite band EXTRA LARGE. A $5 donation allows you to be part of the fun.

JUNE 2019

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 15

Would firefighters decide to risk their lives to protect your home from wildland fire?

Ten steps to make your home more defensible When wildland fires happen, responding firefighters are tasked with evaluating where to prioritize their efforts to best protect a community. It can quickly become a matter of triage: should they risk their lives to protect this home, or pass it by and defend another that poses less risk to their own lives and a better chance of success to save?

It is also important to remember that in a large wildland fire, the firefighters responding to your neighborhood may not be from your area so they will have no special relationship to the community.

Their job is to provide fire protection so they will look at your place primarily from a tactical point of view.

So how do they decide? The answer is sometimes complex, but primarily rests on the size of the fire, the terrain, weather conditions, the accessibility of a neighborhood or a home and how defensible the space is surrounding them.

To make your home one firefighters want to defend, here are 10 steps you can take now. Please take note that Steps 3-6 are required by law in most areas of Santa Cruz County.

1. Signage: Can firefighters find your house? Do your roads have clearly readable street names? Is your house numbered and visible from the street?

Did you use at least 4-feet tall reflective numbers? Remember, defenders may arrive at night, it could be extremely smoky and the firefighters assigned to your neighborhood may be unfamiliar with the area. Finding your house is the first step in defending it. Bonus: if you have a medical emergency in the future, clearly marked streets and homes mean faster response times and may just save yours or a family member’s life.

2. Access: Is vegetation cleared back from the roads into your neighborhood? If fuel is right up to the edge of your road, do you think a fire truck will want to drive down it, especially if they don’t know the area? Can a car and a fire truck pass each other on your road? Are overhanging branches limbed up at least 20-feet? Is there a place for a large fire truck to turn around? If not, a fire truck may not be able to make it down your road. The same access considerations apply to your own driveway. If you have a long driveway, additional reflective signs about turnaround and water supply are also helpful.

3. Home Zone: Firefighters know what to look for when they defend a home.

What flammable items are immediately next to your home? If there is fuel right up to your house, leaf debris and duff on your roof, etc., yours will be a hard home to defend. Start by looking at your house like a firefighter would. Clean out the gutters, sweep off your roof. Screen your attic vents. Do you have wooden shutters on your home? Wooden shutters and lattice act as kindling. Do you have things stacked up against your home like brooms, plastic garbage cans, straw welcome mats, wood piles? If so, relocate the wood piles to 30 inches away from your home and move easily-flammable items further away from the actual walls of your home. Start here, and protect your home first.

4. Five-Foot Safety Zone: Next, look for things that can catch fire that are within five feet of your home or outbuildings.

This can include shrubs, overhanging branches, patio furniture, propane-fired BBQs, dog houses, wooden privacy screens, wooden lattices, decks, gates, etc.

Pay special attention to shrubs and other flammable objects near your windows.

Intense heat can cause windows to crack or break. You can make this zone safer by moving portable items farther away, or making sure there is no leaf litter, grass,

plants or other easily flammable items near fixed structures like decks and fences.

If firefighters can move easily around your structures, run hoses without a lot of interference and can spend their time defending rather than removing potentially flammable objects that are in their way, your home will have a better chance of surviving. In firefighting, seconds can count!

5.

Thirty-Foot Safety Zone: Firefighters are going to look at this too.

Is there a big enough safety zone around your house to make it safe for firefighters to defend your home? What about their fire trucks? Wildland fires can reach temperatures of almost 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. This space is needed to slow or stop the spread of wildfire, and it protects your home from catching fire—either from flying embers, direct flame contact or radiant heat. In this zone, you want to remove all dead plants, mow grasses and weeds, and have wide spacing between any living plants. Limb any trees up 10 feet from the ground.

6. Hundred-Foot Safety Zone: After accomplishing steps 1-5, the next step is to look at the final 70-feet surrounding your structures. As with the 30-foot zone, you’ll want to remove all dead plants, keep grasses and weeds low and have wide spacing between living plants, keeping them limbed up 10 feet from the ground. The good news is that the plants don’t have to be quite so far apart as they are in the 30-foot zone, although you’ll want to keep your eye on plantings that can create a “ladder” from the ground to shrubs, up into treetops. “Crown” fires are much more dangerous than ground fires and a lot harder to fight. The goal here is to slow the rate of spread if possible and keep the fire out of treetops. Anything you can do to make your property look good to firefighters while they are assessing the defensibility of your neighborhood may make the difference.

7. You and Your Neighbors: Now that you’ve got your property in good shape, take a look beyond your property line at how dense the vegetation is on your neighbors’ properties, especially close to the road as this may affect the firefighters’ ability to reach your property.

Your next goal should be to create a consistent swathe of reduced fuels in your area. Fire does not follow property lines or jurisdictional boundaries. Sometimes simply doing steps 1-6 on your property and having conversations about what you are doing and why, is enough to inspire your neighbors to start doing this work themselves. In Bonny Doon, five or six neighbors working together have created up to five acres of defensible space that better protects all of their properties. The more neighbors that do this work, the safer you all will be!

8. Funding for community-wide projects. If your neighbors do not have the resources to do the work themselves, sometimes neighbors can work together to help them, or there may be other resources or funding that can help. Sign up with fire safe Santa Cruz County for community chipping assistance for your neighborhood.

Assistance is dependent upon available grant money and donations, but signing up now will get your project in line for consideration. Here is the link to Fire Safe Santa Cruz County, where you can request chipping services for your neighborhood: https://www.firesafesantacruz.org/nocost-chipping 9. Communications: When disasters do occur, it is crucial to stay informed. Here are must-have communications resources that can help you stay safe.

CodeRED, the regional reverse 911 emergency notification service for Santa Cruz County, keeps residents informed and prepared in the event of an emergency.

Examples of notices include evacuation notices, bio-terrorism alerts, missing person reports and severe weather alerts. Cell (mobile) phones and VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) phones must be registered to receive alerts.

Google CodeRED Santa Cruz County to sign up. Note: Traditional landline telephones are already in the notification system.

Nixle is a free notification service that keeps you up-to-date about emergency weather events, road closings, public safety advisories, disasters and other relevant information from public safety departments and schools. Google Nixle Santa Cruz County to sign up for alerts from local agencies. If you live or work in different counties, or if you have relatives or friends in other areas from which you want to receive information, you can sign up for alerts in other areas.

FEMA App: Download the FEMA app for your mobile phone for free on the App Store and Google Play. Learn what to do before, during and after emergencies with safety tips and receive weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five different locations anywhere in the United States. Get safety reminders and customize your emergency checklist.

10. Share Your Success Stories: Contact your local Fire Department and Fire Safe Santa Cruz County with

your neighborhood success stories. Let all of us know about the work you have done to make your neighborhoods safer.

Invite representatives from your local fire jurisdiction out to see what you’ve accomplished. It is important for them to know that you’ve done your part to make sure your neighborhood is ready for them to defend. It also never hurts for them to take a tour of your area. They can use what they see to update the maps they keep for each neighborhood. Even if they are not the ones who end up defending your neighborhood, having up to date information will help whatever team is there to keep your neighborhood safe from wildland fires.

Here are two excellent videos for CalFire “Ready, Set, Go” information to help you learn how to prepare your family and property for best protection: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=pPQpgSXG1n0 http://www.readyforwildfire.org/GetReady/ Also, check out Fire Safe Santa Cruz County’s Education tab for helpful information on fire preparedness: www. firesafesantacruz.org Additionally, here is a link to the Homeowner’s Summary Guide of Fire Prevention and Loss Reduction Laws: http://www.fire.ca.gov/about/ downloads/preventionlaws.pdf This information is brought to you by the Fire Safe Santa Cruz Education & Outreach Committee.

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