LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola & Soquel | Nov. 2019

Word from a Friend Addressing homeless issues PAGE 11

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NOVEMBER 2019

Decision day

New challenger

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EVERYTHING APTOS, CAPITOLA & SOQUEL

HISTORY CORNER

/LifeA.C.S

Vol. 8 No. 3

Photo by TARMO HANNULA

The Giant Killer No, this is not a fairy tale.

It is about a person who terrorized our community in the early 1970s. Retired Judge William Kelsay was Assistant District Attorney at that time and Mickey Aluffi was a Sheriff’s Detective.

They were involved in the apprehension and trial of this serial killer and they will be sharing their stories at our next “Coffee, Tea & Mystery” presentation on Nov. 9.

Edmund Emil Kemper III was a 24-year-old, 6-foot, 9-inch 280-pound giant of a man. People who knew him said he was friendly and slow fused. He never focused on violence. He loved to ride motorcycles and wanted to be in law enforcement, preferably the California Highway Patrol but he was too tall. He liked to spend time at The Jury Room bar in Santa Cruz, where off duty

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

Turn to Page 6

Heavy equipment is stationed on an empty lot on 41st Avenue in Soquel, the site of a proposed Santa Cruz Nissan dealership. The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 22 approved the dealership.

See story Pg. 2

Reward offered in kidnapping case Information must be received by Nov. 30

By TODD GUILD & TARMO HANNULA The man kidnapped from his Pleasure Point home on Oct. 1 was shot to death, and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office confirmed he was murdered.

Tushar Atre, 50, was taken from his upscale oceanfront home about 3 a.m., and driven away in his girlfriend’s white 2007 BMW, according to SCCSO spokeswoman Ashley Keehn.

More than one person was at the residence with Atre when multiple people came to the house, investigators say.

Sheriff’s deputies found the BMW on the 24000 block of Soquel San Jose Road near the summit, along with his body.

A group of citizens is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the kidnapping and murder.

Turn to Page 7

Someone left this photo of the late Tushar Atre at an altar for him at his favorite surfing spot in Pleasure Point, just around the corner from his upscale home. — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

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NOVEMBER 2019

2 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

Publisher

Jeanie Johnson

Editor

Tony Nuñez

Editorial

Todd Guild Johanna Miller Tony Nuñez Tarmo Hannula

Photography

Tarmo Hannula

Advertising Sales Tina Chavez 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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An artist’s draft shows what the proposed Santa Cruz Nissan dealership will look like. — contributed

County supervisors approve mid-county auto dealership

By TODD GUILD SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 22 approved a plan to build an automobile dealership at a busy Mid-County intersection, a project that includes demolishing several existing buildings.

The Nissan dealership on the 2.5-acre parcel on the corner of 41st Avenue and Soquel Drive will include a 12,550-squarefoot showroom and a 10,000-square-foot service area.

The project includes rezoning the area from community commercial to service commercial.

The supervisors also approved an environmental impact report for the project, which must now be approved by a Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge.

The business will replace King’s Paint & Paper, an adjacent self-car wash and an abandoned house. It will be a relocation for the Nissan dealership at 1605 Soquel Drive.

Construction will include landscaping and a new sidewalk in front of the dealership. It will also include a signal light at Soquel Avenue and Robertson Street.

Don Groppetti, who owns the

dealership, will pay 2.8 percent of the cost of the signal lights, which he said is about $200,000.

He will also pay for a dedicated vehicular right turn lane along the Soquel Drive property frontage, and for a sidewalk along the front of the business, which will extend 300 feet to the west and 250 feet to the south of the project site.

Workers will remove eight trees, and plant 50.

The project, which the supervisors initially approved in May 2018, does not come without controversy. A lawsuit filed in July 2018 by the group Sustainable Soquel ended in March when a Santa Cruz County Superior Court judge ruled that the county needed to look at alternative sites.

Sustainable Soquel member Lisa Sheridan has said that she wants to see the creation of “walkable neighborhoods” that include mixed-use projects.

All but one of the dozen or so people who addressed the supervisors spoke in opposition.

Jill Troderman of Soquel expressed concern about the increased traffic she envisions stemming from the project. She proposed instead a community space that could include a music venue and cafes.

That sentiment echoed what many people told the supervisors.

“This could be a really special place for our community,” she said.

But the trouble with such a proposal is that nobody has yet proposed an alternative project.

Supervisor Bruce McPherson said that there have been no improvements to the corner for decades. He said the auto dealership plan uses the property in a “common sense manner” that complements existing uses.

McPherson predicted that the mitigations of the new traffic signals will lessen traffic, rather than add to it.

Supervisor John Leopold agreed, saying that the project will improve what he called the busiest commercial corridor in the county.

“It’s not an attractive corner,” he said.

“It’s got dumpy buildings. It has some trees, its got no wildlife, it’s got derelict homes. I think we can all agree we want something different than what’s there now.”

Gillian Greensite, chair of the Santa Cruz chapter of the Sierra Club, urged the supervisors to reject the project.

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Group proposes revamped syringe plan

By TODD GUILD SANTA CRUZ—Five months after pulling their application to run a mobile needle distribution system, the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County is back with a revamped plan.

Under the new proposal, the HRCSCC would offer home delivery of syringes and injection supplies and phone-based mobile services.

The organization announced its plans during a press conference in Santa Cruz on Oct. 23.

The organization also offers a mobile location at the corner of Coral and Limekiln streets in Santa Cruz.

HRCSCC also hopes to distribute the overdose-reversing drug Naloxone.

In addition, the group stresses that it will not dispense supplies in parks or public

spaces.

The California Department of Public Health is currently considering the proposal. If it passes muster, the public will then have 45 days to weigh in on the plan before final approval.

According to HRCSCC organizer Denise Elerick, the organization will also renew its focus on syringe disposal.

That’s been a point of contention among opponents of syringe distribution programs, who equate them with dirty needles found on beaches, in parks and other public locations.

But Elerick said that the opposite is true. She points to public health research, which she said shows that communitybased syringe service programs are in fact effective at reducing the amount of syringe litter found on the ground.

Elerick says that programs like hers

remove more used syringes from the community than the clean ones they give out.

HRCSCC collected and properly disposed of more than 100,000 in the past year, she said.

“This new program will continue that trend,” Elerick said. “We have consistently been called a needle giveaway and been accused of increasing needle litter, despite the fact that programs like the one we are proposing are the single best way to remove used syringes from this community. It makes sense why people think that we are increasing needle litter, but they have it backward.”

Elerick stressed that her work is meant to complement that being done by the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency.

“It was never intended to be the only service for this work,” she said.

The trouble, she said, is the limited hours offered by that agency. In addition, the one-to-one exchange model offered by the county does not decrease syringe litter, or help slow needle borne diseases, she said.

HRCSCC is a volunteer-run community organization that exists under fiscal sponsorship with the North American Syringe Exchange Network.

Earlier this year the group proposed operating a mobile Syringe Services Program (SSP) in Felton and the cities of Santa Cruz and Watsonville.

That application also called for mobile services in Santa Cruz, Felton and Watsonville, where volunteers would pass out syringes and other supplies in the areas around San Juan Road and Porter Road across the Pajaro Bridge in Pajaro.

But the organization withdrew the application after intense public opposition.

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LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 3

Newsom signs several housing bills

By TONY NUÑEZ

Gov. Gavin Newsom, left, signed AB 1783, also known as the Farmworker Housing Act of 2019, authored by Assemblyman Robert Rivas on the final day of the legislative season. — contributed

Called the Housing Crisis Act of 2019, it will accelerate housing production in California by streamlining permitting and approval processes.

It will halt local governments from changing the land use designation or zoning of a property to less intensive use.

Capitola murderer loses 11th parole bid STAFF REPORT STOCKTON—A man convicted of strangling a woman to death in 1978 was denied parole for the 11th time after a hearing at the California Health Care Facility in Stockton, Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeffrey Rosell announced.

Richard Michael Ornellas, now 78, was convicted for killing 64-year-old Santina Pawsey.

Ornellas, who knew the victim, was 38 when he went to her Capitola residence on July 25, 1978. Shortly after he arrived, an argument began, and he then bound, strangled and beat Pawsey to death with his bare hands.

A jury convicted Ornellas of murder in March of the following year, and he was

sentenced to life in prison.

Ornellas had been discharged from parole from San Mateo County one month before he murdered Pawsey. He had an extensive criminal history, which included assaulting women, and a sexual assault of a minor. He was diagnosed as a sexual psychopath due to these crimes.

During his incarceration, Ornellas has exhibited violent and combative behavior towards other inmates and prison employees.

“Mr. Ornellas continues to show violent and aggressive behavior to those around him and his release would jeopardize the safety of the public,” Assistant District Attorney Shannon Murphy said. “The Board has made the correct and proper decision in denying his parole.”

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LWAYS SATURD A • AY T O R

ANKSG I V I N G

SANTA CRUZ—The woman accused of stabbing her husband to death inside their residence in the Aptos hills in August is now allowed to see her children for supervised visits.

That was the agreement reached by prosecutors and defense attorneys in the case of Amanda Owens, who pleaded not guilty to murder charges on Oct. 10 for allegedly killing her husband Thomas Owens.

Owens had not seen her daughter, 17, and son, 22, since she was arrested.

She can now see them once a week for four hours, or twice a week for two hours, Santa Cruz County Assistant District Attorney Jason Gill said.

Owens and her husband Thomas Owens were caretakers for their son, who cannot speak and is confined to a wheelchair.

Her attorney George Gigarjian said that Owens was defending herself during a domestic dispute. He has also said that she called 911 after the attack and performed lifesaving techniques while she waited for paramedics to arrive.

Owens faces as much as 25 years to life in prison if convicted.

AB 1763 (Assemblymember David Chiu, D-San Francisco)

TH RE FO

By TODD GUILD

application is submitted.

Those applications contain “too little information for a city to determine the scope of the project,” the letter read.

The bill will remain in effect until Jan. 1, 2025.

BE

Aptos murder suspect allowed to see kids

T

SB 330 (Senator Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley)

Municipalities would also not be allowed to impose or enforce a moratorium on housing development.

The League of California Cities wrote a letter of opposition against the bill, citing its lack of restrictions on parking requirements of developments near rail stops, and its one-size-fits-all view on housing projects, which would force cities to make judgments and determine fees in no more than 30 days after a “preliminary”

CR U Z T U RK EY

Newsom that could affect the area:

NTA A S

Governor Gavin Newsom on the final day of action for the 2019 legislative season signed Assembly Bill 1783, also known as the Farmworker Housing Act of 2019, which creates a streamlined process to build farmworker housing on agricultural land.

The bill was authored by Assemblymember Robert Rivas, who oversees Pajaro Valley as the representative of the 30th Assembly District. It brings the construction of family-friendly, employee housing into ministerial review, an objective approval process instead of the lengthy, subjective procedure that typically bogs down development at the local level. If a farmer meets a short checklist—they must have nonprofit management, no barrack-style housing, projects capped at 36 units— construction could be expedited.

Under that law, housing will be built on surplus agricultural land identified by local governments, now a required action after Newsom also signed a trio of laws (AB 1255, AB 1486 and Senate Bill 6) earlier this month which demand that municipalities report surplus land wellsuited for housing developments.

“This is a momentous victory for farmworkers who, together with our family farmers, work to bring the freshest produce to market and help feed the entire country,” Rivas said in a press release.

“I thank Gov. Newsom for standing up for the needs of farmworkers and their families. This historic new law helps both farmworkers and farmers by addressing the tremendous need for construction of farmworker housing throughout California.”

Other housing bills also signed by Gov.

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NOVEMBER 2019

4 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

COMMUNITY CHATTER Hospice receives $50,000 grant

Hospice of Santa Cruz County has received a $50,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente Northern California Community Benefits Programs. The grant will help people living with serious illness get access to the resources they need.

The funds will be used by Hospice of Santa Cruz County to support the Telehealth Expansion Project for Palliative Care patients in the Santa Cruz region.

This project will increase access to care through technology that will quickly and more efficiently connect patients with care they need.

Home-based palliative care services are available for people experiencing serious life-limiting illness, who are not eligible for hospice care either because they have a prognosis greater than 6 months or they are still interested in receiving curative treatments.

“We believe it’s vital to explore and strategically implement innovative technologies that will expand access to the exemplary care we provide our patients,” said Hospice of Santa Cruz County CEO Michael Milward.

The Hospice of Santa Cruz County Telehealth Program will help professionals deliver, “comprehensive, coordinated, patient-centered palliative care,” the organization sated in a press release.

It will also engage patients to manage their own health to reduce preventable illness, and avoidable trips to the emergency room, the press release stated.

“Kaiser Permanente supports the use of telehealth as an innovative way to expand access to health care,” said Irene Chavez, Senior Vice President and Area Manager of KP San Jose and the Santa Cruz County Area.

The grant, coupled with a recent grant

from the Central California Alliance for Health, provides Hospice of Santa Cruz County additional funding necessary to expand access to the new telehealth system for palliative care services.

The application facilitates increased communication with patients in between visits, and will allow patients to share how they’re feeling in real-time throughout their day.

PVUSD busses to go electric

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees approved a plan to purchase a fleet of electric busses, and build the infrastructure necessary to charge them.

PVUSD Director of Transportation Katie Powell said the move comes thanks to an incentive program by PG&E to bring wires to the meters of the district’s transportation yard at 196 Grimmer Street.

A grant from the California Energy Commission will provide $2.9 million for eight new electric busses, and $480,000 for infrastructure such as charging stations.

Powell estimated that the project will take approximately five years to implement. She said the move will help the district lessen the amount of greenhouse gasses its vehicles emit, and remove several “gross polluters” from the road.

“Its good for our community, it’s good for the air quality,” she said.

The item passed 6 – 0. Trustee Georgia Acosta was away from the table.

More than 36,000 syringes found in public places

Volunteers, city workers and residents have reported finding more than 36,000 used syringes in Santa Cruz between December 2012 and September 2019.

That’s according to Take Back Santa Cruz, a nonprofit, grassroots organization that says it wants to create “a safer and cleaner Santa Cruz.”

The information comes from the group’s “Needles in Public Spaces Report.”

In addition, there are 15 confirmed cases of people getting stuck by dirty, improperly discarded needles during that same time period, said David Giannini, part of TBSC’s Needle Solutions Team.

Giannini said that, with many found needles likely unreported, the actual number is higher.

“We’re doing something wrong,” he said. “Our policies need to be examined.

We need to take a look at policy changes we can make to reduce that number.”

TBSC has suggested switching to a onefor-one needle exchange, and expanding the hours of county-run clinics set up for people addicted to drugs.

TBSC also wants to see the city install more syringe disposal kiosks.

True Leaf Farms named Second Harvest’s top donor

In a roomful of elected officials and non-profit agencies from all corners of Santa Cruz County, Second Harvest Food Bank revealed San Juan Bautista-based True Leaf Farms as its choice for 2019 Food Industry Donor of the Year.

The ceremony served as the lunch event for the Food Bank’s 14th annual Nutrition Summit on Oct. 21 at Twin Lakes Church in Aptos.

Cesar Yee and Humberto Garcia of True Leaf Farms accepted the award.

Garcia said that True Leaf values quality produce and the ability of Second Harvest to quickly turn around donated product to the community.

True Leaf Farms moved to the Salinas Valley 10 years ago, and since 2017 has

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Santa Cruz County Supervisor Zach Friend, right, presents True Leaf Farms with an certificate for being named Second Harvest Food Bank’s Food Industry Donor of the Year. — contributed

donated 320,000 pounds of fresh produce – much of it organic – to Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County.

Wanting to donate shelf-stable produce beyond what was already going to market, New Leaf Farms began partnering with Second Harvest. With the ability to accept produce and distribute it through a countywide network of partners, Second Harvest can turn around the donated product quickly for distribution to families in Santa Cruz County who are then able to enjoy the fresh produce such as lettuce, celery, arugula, onions, and broccoli.

Company officials say their philosophy is to make sure that people have access to healthy produce, and reduce food waste

Natural Look

NOVEMBER 2019

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 5

going to the landfill.

“Their company values of integrity, passion to be the best, humility and collaboration are exemplified by their frequent produce donations to Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County and the Salinas Valley communities,” Second Harvest stated in a press release.

The event focused on helping Second Harvest’s 100 local partner agencies find ways to reduce the stigma attached to receiving food assistance.

New Leaf introduces partner fund microloan program

Organic and natural grocer New Leaf Community Markets introduced the New Leaf Partner Fund, a microloan program created to support a diverse regional food economy through low-interest jump-start loans and business mentorship.

As a mission-based loan program, the Partner Fund prioritizes underrepresented food entrepreneurs who historically face barriers to capital, such as small independent businesses owned by women, people of color, immigrants, LGBTQIA and social mission-based companies.

“The New Leaf Partner Fund was inspired by our customers and staff who share our mission to nourish and sustain the local producers and farmers in our community,” said Forrest Gonsiewski, vice president of New Leaf Community Markets. “By creating a low-interest loan program that allows everyone equal access to capital, we can use our business as a force for positive change and help local entrepreneurs grow their business.”

The Partner Fund is available for independent food producers who have been in business a minimum of two years, with fewer than 25 employees, and are seeking financing to fund new business growth, such as purchasing equipment to expand

Richard Drelich of Poland places the award he won for taking first place in the sandcastle building contest during the Capitola Beach Festival. The castle was titled “Two Hearts,” because Drelich said he met his wife at the Capitola Begonia Festival years before. The second annual Capitola Beach Festival called for a weekend of rowboat races, horseshoe throwing competitions, a fishing derby, kid’s chalk art and more. — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

production, introduce a new product to market, or develop marketing materials.

Loans start at $5,000 to $25,000, and are routinely granted four times each year.

In addition to capital, Partner Fund loans come with an array of business

support and mentorship options to ensure loan recipients are setup for long-term growth and success. Loan recipients will be connected with a community business resources and New Leaf staff to assist with anything from packaging and

transportation needs to balance sheets and marketing support.

For information about the New Leaf Partner Fund and apply at www.newleaf. com/partnerfund.

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NOVEMBER 2019

6 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

History Corner

Continued from page 1

law enforcement and criminal justice personnel might be found.

Kemper lived in Aptos with his mother and worked as a laborer.

Among other jobs, he worked for Green Giant in Watsonville and later, the California Division of Highways in Alameda.

The early ‘70s were a horrific period for Santa Cruz County.

Three serial killers terrified our communities. In 1972 alone, there were 36 homicides. It changed the way people felt about our community. Some people bought guns for self defense.

On April 24, 1973, Kemper called the Santa Cruz Police from Colorado to tell them that he had killed his mother and her best friend, along with six young college women in the last 11 months. He said that he was about to go on a killing spree if someone did not come to pick him up. The Santa Cruz Police called the Pueblo Colorado Police who arrested Kemper before he got off the phone.

Kemper was advised of his rights and he told the Pueblo Police details of every murder, which they recorded.

A patrol car was dispatched from Santa Cruz to pick up Kemper and drive him back because no airline would fly him. The trip back was uneventful, and Kemper was cooperative the entire time.

Aluffi was one of the three officers in the car. Santa Cruz Police Lieutenant Charles Scherer was also in the car and said that Kemper seemed to be an intelligent person and was “rather likeable, believe it or not.” Upon returning to the county, Kemper led law enforcement and criminal justice personnel to

the graves of the people he had murdered.

Twenty of Kemper’s friends came to the Sheriff’s office to say they could not believe that he was a murderer. They said that he was not a violent person, even though most of them knew that when he was 15 years old he had killed his grandparents and spent five years in Atascadero State Mental Hospital. He worked in a psychiatric department while he was there.

In September of 1972 Kemper was judged normal by two Fresno psychiatrists in order to have his juvenile record sealed and expunged.

Kemper tried to commit suicide twice while he was awaiting trial and twice more during the trial.

When he entered a plea at his trial, he pleaded innocent by reason of insanity. Two court appointed psychiatrists concluded that Kemper was sane at the time of the murders.

He was classified as a sociopath or psychopath who is extremely dangerous with enough intelligence to fool some psychiatric workers.

The murders were grisly. Superior Court Judge Harry Brauer ordered an extra deputy to be in court to protect Kemper from possible attacks by witnesses or spectators.

The trial lasted three weeks. In final arguments, District Attorney Peter Chang called it “the most enormous cold-blooded murder case in history.” The jury deliberated only five hours before convicting on eight counts of first degree murder. On Nov. 9, 1973, Kemper was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Kemper thanked Chang for his restraint and shook his hand. He was then transferred to Vacaville State Medical Facility.

Three years later, Kemper petitioned the court to be allowed to have brain surgery to curb his violent tendencies. Although Kemper was a model prisoner, worked hard as a kitchen helper and got along well with inmates and staff, the court denied his petition because officials said the procedure is unproven.

Kemper requested the procedure again the following year and was again rejected.

The parole board reviewed Kemper in 1979 and considered him unsuitable for release. Kemper

Housing bills

himself told the board that his release was not feasible, legal or moral.

This presentation will give us insight into what our law enforcement and criminal justice people go through in trying to protect our community. Please join us at the Rio Sands Hotel community room for our “Coffee, Tea and Mystery” presentation, “The Giant Killer”, on Nov. 9 from 2:30-4 p.m.

Reservations only please as space is limited, 688-1467. Tickets are $25 for general admission and $20 for museum members. Donation benefits the Aptos History Museum.

Continued from page 3

Will give 100 percent of affordable housing developments an enhanced density bonus to encourage taller and denser developments.

Current state law allows for a 35 percent increase in density for projects that contain at least 20 percent affordable units. AB 1763 would allow the 100 percent affordable projects to receive an 80 percent increase in density and request up to four incentives and concessions from local governments such as tax breaks, grants and low financing.

AB 68 (Assemblymember Philip Ting, D-San Francisco)

Reduces the barriers limiting the development of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to boost the state’s affordable housing supply.

The law effectively rezones all singlefamily homes in the state into “triplexes” to spur the development of ADUs, also known as “Granny flats.”

AB 881 (Assemblymember Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica) and SB 13 (Senator Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont) provides additional incentives for ADU development by streamlining permit

processes, reducing fees and removing or adjusting rules. One of those rule changes: the owner of a property with an ADU no longer has to live on-site.

“The passage of AB 68, along with SB 13 and AB 881, fundamentally shifts the landscape for building new homes in our state,” said Brian Hanlon, co-founder and president of California YIMBY.

AB 1482 (Chiu)

Prevents landlords from hiking rents more than 5 percent, plus location inflation, in one year and requires landlords to show “just cause” when evicting tenants.

Only rentals that are at least 15 years old will be covered under the law, which applies mostly to apartments and other multi-family buildings.

Condos and single-family homes are exempt unless they are owned by a corporation or real estate investment trust.

Duplexes in which the owner lives in one of the units would also not be covered.

••• For a full list of all bills signed by Gov. Newsom visit www.gov.ca.gov.

NOVEMBER 2019

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 7

Cabrillo College receives $3 million grant STAFF REPORT Cabrillo College announced it is one of 40 colleges and universities nationwide that was awarded a grant designed to help ease students into four-year universities.

The $3 Million, five-year U.S. Department of Education Title V Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions grant will be for Cabrillo students planning to transfer to Cal State Monterey Bay.

Pilot work will be done in the computer science, horticulture/AgTech, business, accounting and kinesiology departments.

“As a Hispanic Serving Institution, this grant will help us work more closely together with our partners at CSU-MB to create clear, efficient pathways for our students to start at Cabrillo College, transfer in two years, and then finish Turn to Page 8

Kidnapping case The information must be received no later than Nov. 30.

“Several people were involved in this murder and someone out there knows who they are. That is a terrible secret to keep,” said Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart.

Atre ran his own company called AtreNet, which designed websites for corporations.

Investigators have said they are seeking multiple people in the case.

“We do believe this is an isolated incident,” Keehn said.

A man who lives across the street from Atre said his roommate heard loud voices and arguing around the time of the kidnapping, and later saw the flashing lights of emergency vehicles.

“He just thought it was a bunch of young people being loud,” said the man, who did not want to be identified. “My roommate looked out and saw some kind of a struggle and a guy being pushed into a white SUV. Then it sped away.”

The morning after the kidnapping deputies kept a tight crime scene on Pleasure Point Drive, defined by yellow tape, a crime scene investigation van and several patrol cars. Scores of surfers, parents pushing strollers and earlymorning walkers meandered past the scene.

Large swaths of blood were still visible on the street near Atre’s home in the days after.

John Ribera, a realtor for Coldwell Banker, said he had grown close to Atre through surfing.

“I watched (Atre) go from being a techy guy to become a pretty good surfer,” he said. “We met in the water right out there in front of his house. I’ve been surfing that spot since the early ‘80s; that is my goto spot for surfing. I even went up to his house once about 10 years ago because he had a fire out in his yard, like a friendly gathering. He has a real nice place. Life was pretty good for Tushar. He’s totally polite, kind. He’s nice enough that I even gave up a wave for him now and again.

Nissan dealer “While we have no shortage of car dealerships, we do have a shortage of land available for the sort of development determined to be the best for this area as outlined in the 2014 Sustainable Santa Cruz Plan,” she said, referring to a document that lays out plans for sustainable planning and transportation.

Santa Cruz County Greenway Executive Director Manu Koenig agreed, saying that document was approved after numerous community meetings.

“The consensus was clear,” he said. “We need to create walkable communities. Are we going to create another temple to the automobile, or are we going to use this opportunity to create a temple to community and sustainability?”

Santa Cruz insurance salesman Lou Tuosto, who has served on several boards, was the only public voice

Continued from page 1

He just always had a good attitude. It’s just a shock something like this happened so close to home.”

Kevin Deetz, who has been surfing that area for the past 40 years, said he’d noticed recently several construction workers at the Atre residence fixing the place up.

“There were a lot of workers coming and going out of that place—it looked like a big job,” Deetz said. “There were some unusual things about some of them.”

Days after he went missing there was a shrine of photos, flowers and candles set up at the wood fence in front of Atre’s home. Around the corner was another altar of votive candles, photos, handmade notes with words of praise and sorrow, a ball cap and flowers. Scores of passersby stopped and studied the altar, some pausing to scribe a few words on a large poster board.

Phil Taylor showed up with a glass vase full of fresh flowers and a note.

“He was one of the kindest, most unselfish people I’ve known,” he said.

“He had a special love of life and was excited about every new project ahead of him.”

Taylor said he met Atre in 2002 when he bought his first house from him.

“We became good friends and he really liked my four sons,” Taylor said. “He was like a bother to my sons. He was always so willing to share with others and he had a certain brightness about him. I’ll always remember him for his unceasing kindness.”

A woman who also chose not to be identified said she met Atre at a graphic publishing place she had worked.

“He had a lot of energy and he was always very kind,” she said. “He just always had a lot of things going on and kind of worked at a frantic pace. But above all he was just a warm and caring person. This is so sad; it’s hard to imagine what led to this.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the tip line at 454-7631.

Community Food Hotline

Continued from page 2

speaking in favor of the plan. He said it will bring jobs to the community and improve the otherwise “blighted” corner.

“I’ve looked at this project, and I’ve looked at all the details of it,” he said.

“I like it.”

Tuosto pointed out that the county looked at alternative sites, and that nobody else has stepped forward with an alternative plan.

“This site looks good,” he said. “It makes sense. It makes financial sense.”

Supervisor Zach Friend was the lone dissenting vote. He said that approving the project would mean the county would not be able to change its mind if a potentially better project pops up down the road.

“We do future planning as a county, and I think that in 10 or 15 years we would envision something else at this location,” he said. “But it’s going to be very difficult to undo what will be there

in 10 or 15 years.”

The proposal passed 4-1.

••• In other action, the supervisors unanimously approved a first reading of a proposal to create a Syringe Services Program Advisory Commission.

The seven-member public body would oversee the county’s syringe services and would be bound by public meeting rules.

“We’re forming this commission because syringe services is a very important piece of

the work we do,” said Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency Director Mimi Hall.

These programs help reduce the risk of communicable diseases such as AIDS, Hall said.

An advisory council has overseen the program since 2013.

The item will return to the supervisors for a second reading and approval on Nov. 5.

For information, and to see Santa Cruz County Supervisor agendas, visit bit. ly/1LBgR0o.

NOVEMBER 2019

8 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

Jail reports 2 inmate deaths within 2 days

By TODD GUILD

Adam Bolaños Scow launches his campaign for Democrat for Congress in California’s 20th District in Watsonville Plaza. — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

Scow challenging Panetta in primary

By TONY NUÑEZ With Watsonville’s City Plaza as the backdrop, Democrat Adam Bolaños Scow announced Oct. 15 he will challenge current U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta in next year’s primary election.

A longtime advocate and strategist for environmental issues, Scow said he plans to focus his campaign on affordable housing and climate change, as well as providing free higher education and health care, and creating a path to citizenship for the numerous immigrants living in the district.

Panetta, D-Carmel, is seeking a third term representing California’s 20th District, which covers from the City of Santa Cruz to the southern-most reaches of Monterey County as well as San Benito County and Gilroy.

Scow is a senior strategist for Public Water Now, a community organization working to win public ownership of the water system on the Monterey Peninsula.

Last year he helped Public Water Now pass Measure J to begin the process of bringing public ownership to the water system. The measure was approved by a wide margin despite CaliforniaAmerican Water’s $3 million campaign opposing it.

Scow also helped pass Measure Z, making Monterey County the first major oil-producing county in the nation to ban fracking and new oil wells. The campaign won despite more than $5 million spent by the oil industry in opposition.

Scow has also served as the California Director of Food & Water Watch, where he helped pass legislation to establish a human right to clean water and a bill to

Cabrillo grant

win overtime pay for farmworkers.

“I think we can win because we’ve shown we can win as underdogs in some of the campaigns I’ve been a part of,” Scow said. “We’re going to run a grassroots campaign. We’re going to be in the field. We’re going to be talking to voters throughout this district. We’re going to be talking about the real issues.”

Scow said he was a supporter of a Green New Deal with a national plan to achieve 100 percent renewable energy by 2030.

Scow also said he will not take any corporate donations during his campaign.

“We have a campaign finance system that’s corrupt and built on bribery,” he said. “We’re not going to take any corporate money in this campaign because that’s wrong and that’s compromising. We want to set a model similar to what Sen. [Bernie] Sanders and Sen. [Elizabeth] Warren are doing at a national level.”

Scow said he is the son of public school teachers and the grandson of a bracero farmworker from Oaxaca, Mexico who worked in Watsonville and the Salinas Valley.

Because of that family history, he decided to announce the launch of his campaign in Watsonville’s historic Plaza. He also said he wants to be the champion for the Pajaro Valley’s farmworkers that he said have been left behind by current policy.

“Everyday I drive by the strawberry fields and I see these people breaking their backs to feed us,” said Scow, who moved to Watsonville this summer. “It just puts a knot in my stomach that they’re living in fear — living in the shadows — and that our system has failed them.”

Continued from page 7

in two more years with a bachelor’s degree from CSU-MB,” said Dr. Matthew Wetstein, President and Superintendent of Cabrillo College. “This grant will be a tremendous boost for our students and for both colleges.”

College officials say the grant will further the school’s ongoing work of helping Cabrillo students who are struggling with their educational pathways.

Funding from the grant will help integrate student support services into instruction and will offer personalized support services through peer-based tutoring.

The grant will also fund revised

curriculum work, ensuring that lowerdivision courses are more closely aligned with upper-division work in the degree programs.

In addition, the program will encourage faculty at both institutions to work together to help the colleges align their curriculum.

“We are thrilled that Cabrillo College has received this significant grant to develop more effective transfer pathways to CSUMB,” said CSUMB Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Fran Horvath.

Grant activities began Oct. 1.

A man was found dead in his cell at Santa Cruz County Main Jail Oct. 14 morning, marking the second death at the jail in two days.

German Carrillo, 24, was in custody on murder, assault and gang charges, jail records showed. An autopsy has shown that he was strangled, Santa Cruz County Sheriff spokeswoman Ashley Keehn.

Carrillo was housed with two other inmates, and the case is being investigated as a homicide, Keehn said.

He was 17 when he reportedly joined three others in attacking 20-year-old Felipe Reyes on Feb. 28, 2013. He has been in custody since, and was facing trial in January.

Accused child molester James Kohut, who formerly worked as a neurosurgeon in Santa Cruz, was found dead in his single cell early the previous when breakfast service began at 5:45 a.m., Keehn said.

The coroner has said that he killed himself by severing an artery in his leg.

Kohut, 59, was facing more than twodozen felony sex crimes against four children, along with co-defendants Rashel Brandon, 45, and Emily Stephens, 32.

All three were facing charges that they abused Stephens’ children, a 3-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl, and Brandon’s son, 9.

The case against the three came to light when Brandon’s husband contacted the Watsonville Police Department, saying he found a video that depicted the abuse.

Detectives have also found a similar cell phone video.

According to prosecutors, Kohut wanted to create “taboo families,” for which he would impregnate women and

James Kohut appears at his arraignment in Superior Court in Santa Cruz in May 2017 with his attorney Nick Cvietkovich. — LIFE file

raise the children “sexually.”

Kohut and Stephens were in such a relationship for eight years. Three of her four children were sexually active with adults, investigators have said.

In addition, Stephens was pregnant with Kohut’s child, and was blackmailing him by threatening to expose the child and the relationship to Kohut’s wife, police have said.

Prosecutors also say Kohut convinced a woman to travel to Santa Cruz from Louisiana, and bring her 13-year-old daughter for Kohut to abuse. The three stayed in the Chaminade Hotel, where Kohut touched the girl sexually.

Kohut graduated in 1992 from Albany Medical College of Union University. His medical license was suspended in June 2017.

The case against Stephens and Brandon is moving forward. They return to court on Nov. 14.

Salt water instrusion is destroying agricultural land along the coast. I’ve experienced it in my field where we grew heather for many years. The well that provided irrigation water became contminated and the field is no longer suitable for farming.

It is not too soon to address the problem and to begin protecting valuable farm lands.

Pete Cartwright Long term resident of La Selva Beach

NOVEMBER 2019

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 9

Owner Rocky Patel (left) recently opened Mr. Z’s Crepes & Teas in The Hangar in Watsonville. —Tony Nuñez/LIFE

Mr. Z’s Crepes & Teas opens at The Hangar

By JOHANNA MILLER

Officials in Santa Cruz are developing a project to name this footbridge over the San Lorenzo River the “Chinatown Bridge.” — Tarmo Hannula/LIFE

Bridge to commemorate historic Chinese neighborhoods

By TARMO HANNULA A new “Chinatown Bridge” is in the works in Santa Cruz to commemorate historic Chinese neighborhoods along the San Lorenzo River near downtown.

A gateway arch will permanently stand at one end of the existing pedestrian footbridge that spans the San Lorenzo River and connects Front Street to San Lorenzo Park.

The project combines the efforts of the Coastal Watershed Council (CWC), community members and area artists, including Watsonville artist Kathleen Crocetti and concrete artist Tom Ralston.

Situated near the San Lorenzo River where the Galleria currently stands, the last of multiple Chinatowns in Santa Cruz was wiped out during the December 1955 flood. Except for a plaque in the nearby Galleria courtyard, there is little visible recognition of Chinatown residents and the culture of a community that played a prominent role in shaping Santa Cruz, city officials said.

Crocetti said she was honored to be a part of the project. She said her part of the project is still in the planning stage.

“I’m excited with the initial designs,” she said. “The archway will represent an important part of history.”

Through conversations between CWC and George Ow Jr., a local businessman and philanthropist, an idea came about for

An artist’s draft shows what the new Chinatown Bridge will look like along Front Street at the San Lorenzo River in downtown Santa Cruz. — contributed

a public artwork to be located in front of the ramps of the pedestrian bridge consisting of a non-traditional Chinese-style gate with a mosaic-tiled water dragon on top of it. The art piece is intended to beautify the Santa Cruz Riverwalk, draw attention to the renamed bridge and educate and inspire passers-by with the story of Santa Cruz’s Chinatown residents.

In September the City Arts Commission unanimously recommended approval of the public art piece as well as a $10,000 contribution to the project from the public art program. The piece will primarily be funded by the Ow family, with the public art funding going toward enhancing the ramps of the bridge with mosaics, paying for signage and educational elements and

enhanced landscaping.

The archway, which will stand about 23 feet high, will be topped with a “happy dragon” design along with Chinese lettering characters. Joining forces for the approval of the project are the Santa Cruz City Council, and the city’s Arts, Historic Preservation and Parks and Recreation commissions.

Additionally, a bronze plaque will inform observers about the history of Chinatown, the role its inhabitants played in shaping the region and the significance of the water dragon and its connection to Chinatown’s past inhabitants. That’s an important theme for many ChineseAmericans, city officials said.

The message on the plaque will be vetted with local historians, Geoffrey Dunn, Sandy Lydon, the Museum of Art History and others for accuracy and cultural relevance.

The draft suggested language is: “As you watch it flowing, imagine the San Lorenzo River as a water dragon with many moods and energies. Doing so honors the inhabitants of Santa Cruz’s last Chinatown, which was near where you now stand until the Christmas Flood of 1955 destroyed it. Caring for the river and remembering this rich history feed the hungry ghosts of these Chinese immigrants who contributed so much to Santa Cruz and to many parts of California.”

WATSONVILLE—Rocky Patel said he was largely inspired to open his new restaurant, Mr. Z’s Crepes and Teas, by his two children.

“They are boba tea fanatics,” Patel said.

“My 15-year-old son especially loves it. I was like, sure, let’s go all-out and do this.”

Boba, also known as bubble tea, originated in Taiwan and has seen a surge in popularity in the West in recent years. The tea drinks come in a variety of flavors and can include toppings such as chewy tapioca “pearls.”

In addition to boba, Mr. Z’s offers fresh, made-to-order sweet and savory crepes, acai bowls, waffles, coffee and more.

Patel said the restaurant sources its berries and lettuce from Santa Cruz County and the Salinas Valley, and meat used in its savory items is sourced from Freedom Meat Lockers.

“We don’t cut corners,” he said. “We’re really trying to stay local. We brew our tea three times a day—the fresher, the better.”

Mr. Z’s follows Beer Mule Bottle Shop and Pour House, which opened in March, as the second addition to The Hangar complex, located near Watsonville Municipal Airport.

The two businesses will have more neighbors in the near future, according to Kevin Dueck of EKB Partners, which redeveloped the World War II-era hangar on Aviation Way. Zameen Mediterranean Cuisine will open its third location, called Zameen’s at the Hangar, in early to mid-November. Ritual Ride Cycle Studio, an indoor high-tech, high-energy cycle bar, is shooting to open in December. An ice cream shop, coffee shop and Aloha Hola Tacos are also set to open soon — the latter two will be housed in the property’s container shops.

“We’ve had such a great experience in Watsonville,” Dueck said. “Just the community excitement has been overwhelming. They were so excited that this was coming. People were thanking us for bringing this to the community.”

For Patel, the development of the complex has been thrilling, from its pre-construction stages to what it is today.

“We’re so happy to see everything come to completion,” he said, “and we’re eager to see how things come together after everything opens.”

NOVEMBER 2019

10 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

Ask Nicole: Let the happy, hectic holidays begin chaos around them. My family doesn’t understand that, and they think my kids need to loosen up and have more fun.

I want these family members to feel welcome in my home, but not at the expense of my kids. What should I do?

Nicole M. Young, MSW

I grew up in a family of six, which meant that holiday gatherings were always loud and hectic, even if they only involved my immediate family. When my siblings and I started having our own families, holiday gatherings at my parents’ house were like a carnival, an all-you-caneat buffet, and a soap opera all at once.

Lots of games and laughter, constant eating, and the inevitable tantrum—from children or adults. It was sensory overload at times, but I kind of miss those happy, hectic holidays.

This monthly column provides tips for anyone who’s 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 extended family is staying at my house for a week during the holidays, and I’m getting nervous about it. They are loud and spontaneous, and my 5- and 7-year old kids like their quiet space and predictable routines. They have major meltdowns whenever there’s too much

• Noemi

Dear Noemi, Celebrating the holidays with family can be both exciting and stressful, especially when there’s a mix of personalities and preferences involved.

The fact that you’re thinking about balancing your children’s needs with providing a welcoming environment for your family means you’re on the right track. Here are a few tips to try: Prepare your family members for life in your house: Talk to them ahead of time about their hopes and expectations for their visit and ask what their daily routines are like – what and when they eat, when they go to sleep and wake up, what they like to do during the day, etc.

If their habits seem very different from your family’s, let them know what parts of your children’s schedules you’ll be trying to keep consistent – like mealtimes or bedtimes – so that they are happy, well-rested, and ready to interact with visitors. If your family wants everyone to participate in special activities that would disrupt your children’s usual routines, try to work out the details with them before they arrive so you can help your children

prepare mentally and emotionally for the changes.

Prepare your children for visitors: Talk about the family members that will be visiting, what rooms they’ll be staying in, any toys or space they’ll be sharing with visitors, and important family, cultural or religious traditions you’ll be celebrating together. Let them know if any rules or routines will be different while you have guests staying in your house. For example, if they usually wake up early, let them know they’ll need to be quiet if your guests are still asleep, then help them think of quiet activities they can do in the mornings.

Maintain your daily routines as much as possible: Try to follow your children’s usual routines for eating, playing, and sleeping so they have a sense of familiarity and predictability. If aspects of their routines need to change while your family is visiting, offer your children alternatives and choices. For example, if family dinners are later than what your children are used to, let them choose a small, healthy snack at their usual dinnertime to help keep them satisfied until everyone sits down to eat.

Have engaging activities and quiet spaces available: Let your children know it’s ok to a break away from the rest of the family if they’re feeling bored, tired, or overwhelmed. Help them pick a quiet place they can go to when they need a

break, and have games, books, toys, art projects or other activities they enjoy ready for them.

Give your children encouragement and attention: Give a smile, wink, hug, pat on the back, or high five to let your kids know you notice them, even when you’re busy talking to or taking care of your visitors. Give descriptive praise to show you appreciate the part they’re playing in helping to make your family feel welcome.

Final thoughts: Holidays are a special time for many families, but a whirlwind of visitors and activities that disrupt children’s daily lives can add unwanted stress and pressure. Try a few of these positive parenting tips to help everyone – including you – enjoy the hectic holidays.

Nicole Young is the mother of two children, ages 16 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.

Tax Matters: Death or taxes, take your pick

Patricia Beckwith Santa Cruz Tax Relief Wait, I owe HOW MUCH money for my taxes this year? Yup, it really happened. To YOU. Maybe it was because of the amazing gain on the Apple stock you bought in 1985 and you didn’t realize how large the tax bill would be. Maybe

you underestimated how successful your new business venture would turn out and no one told you about that dreaded 15.3 percent additional self-employment tax you would have to pay. Or maybe when you sold the house you lived in for 20 years at such an exorbitant gain you took advice from the inexperienced, but wellintentioned real estate agent who told you that you could defer paying taxes on the gain if you bought a replacement property within two years. It’s been 30 years since the expiration of that little goody and it just won’t die. Regardless, the reason for what caused the tax trouble doesn’t matter. I’m not assigning any blame or judging you. It happens to a lot of people and more often than you may realize.

So what’s a person to do who finds themselves in this predicament? More often than not there is no choice other than to pay the taxes. But what if you

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can’t pay the balance all at once? What are your options?

You can ask for leniency due to hardship. You’ll need to prove that paying your tax debt would cause you a tremendous burden, perhaps forcing you to sell your home. This could buy you more time to make your payment, and in some cases, the IRS will also waive late payment penalties. But the most popular—and realistic—solution is to enter into an Installment Agreement with the IRS. The IRS will set up a payment plan that can stretch out up to six years.

Yes, you continue to pay interest on the unpaid balance, but the IRS interest rates are considerably lower than what your credit card company charges so please don’t go down that road to pay your tax bill. You can also ask for an Offer in Compromise but those arrangements are difficult (but not impossible) to qualify

for. After all, the IRS will scrutinize the financial windfall that created this hardship for you in the first place and then ask why you didn’t pay the taxes at that time. Seriously, they will ask. Come on, IRS people, if we had thought of doing that we wouldn’t be in this position in the first place. Talk about being punitive.

The point is this: there is a light at the end of the tunnel and no, it’s not a train, although you might think death is preferable over paying this tax bill. Don’t let the black cloud of uncertainty follow you around or keep you from sleeping at night. Help is available. Contact an experienced tax resolution specialist who can help you get the best possible outcome.

If you have a question about tax Turn to Page 15

NOVEMBER 2019

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 11

Addressing homelessness improve our to response to homelessness.

What are the local trends?

By ZACH FRIEND Santa Cruz County Supervisor Recently, the Board of Supervisors received a presentation by a nationallyrecognized firm that provides technical assistance for addressing homelessness.

The Board had requested that this firm assist community leadership and local stakeholders to evaluate, align, and improve the countywide response to the local homelessness crisis.

The group provided an initial assessment that analyzed current efforts to address homelessness in our county, identify strengths and gaps of the current approach, and make some interim recommendations for steps we can take to

Over the past four years, our county has seen an overall growth in the total number of people experiencing homelessness especially unsheltered homeless. In 2015 an estimated 1,960 people were homeless locally and in 2019 that number had grown to 2,167 about a 10 percent increase. While the 2019 number was actually less than the numbers in 2017, overall the numbers are concerning.

Regionally, neighboring communities in the Bay Area with similar high-cost, low-vacancy housing markets, have seen significant growth in homelessness. Santa Clara County had a 31 percent increase in the last two years and Alameda County had a 43 percent increase.

One area where there have been improvements are in the number of people experiencing chronic homelessness.

Chronic homelessness is defined as experiencing homelessness for one year continuously or four times in the past three years. Overall, there has been a 33 percent reduction (between 2015 and 2019) in the number of people experiencing chronic homelessness locally. Additionally, veteran homelessness locally has also been reduced by 40 percent between 2017 and 2019.

What are we doing well?

According to some of the findings in the

initial assessment the county does have some strengths to build upon. System strengths include a range of emergency responses (outreach, emergency shelter and services) that respond to the basic needs of people experiencing homelessness and, in some cases, operate with strong housing-focused intention.

Rapid re-housing inventory is increasing.

Permanent housing interventions targeted to people experiencing homeless are few but seem to be relatively well designed and targeted. Coordinated entry for most system resources is established and largely accepted within the community and has led to improvements in the availability of data on people experiencing homelessness.

How do we make improvements?

Here are some of the short-term improvements that could be made as recommended in the interim assessment.

•Implement a Systemwide Diversion Practice to Reduce Inflow. Diversion provides practical support and small amounts of flexible funding to people who are experiencing homelessness to help them self-identify a housing solution, such as moving in with a friend, finding a shared housing situation, or returning to family. This helps reduce the number of people that become homeless in the first place.

• Build Capacity of Emergency Shelters to Deliver Housing-Focused Services and Supports. The assessment showed that the existing shelter providers in the

community are already taking steps to integrate services that help residents move from shelter to housing. However, building the capacity of existing shelters to provide more housing-focused services and supports would increase the rate at which people leave emergency shelters for housing.

• Coordinate and Standardize Outreach Efforts: In our county, several entities conduct outreach to unsheltered people; however, there is currently no formal coordination of these efforts, consistent data collection, or common outcome measures.

Over the long-term, the county will need to provide more affordable housing options and ensure that housing insecure individuals (those that might lose their housing due to changes in employment, seniors on fixed incomes, health changes or other reasons) are protected with stable housing. Overall, a the assessment calls for a proactive strategy for addressing unsheltered homelessness and a systematic response to homelessness. It is a large undertaking but one that is possible if it’s a community-wide focus. These interim steps can also have near-term impacts in the coming years.

As always, I appreciate hearing your feedback. Please contact me at 454-2200 or stop by my open office hours in Aptos, Corralitos, Watsonville or Seascape.

Charitable contributions & gifts and friends

By GARY E. CROXALL, CFP and SOREN E. CROXALL, CFP It’s that time of year again. 2019 is winding down and you may be thinking about a few end of year money moves to make before the end of December.

We thought it would be a good time to review some of the key points to remember when it comes to making gifts and giving to charity.

Gifting money to family

If you plan to gift money to friends or family members, the rules are pretty straight forward but there are a few areas to watch out for. Gifts to individuals generally aren’t tax deductible and whether you will need to file a gift tax return to report a gift (and potentially pay associated gift taxes) will depend on how much you gift to any one individual in a given calendar year. Currently, you can potentially give up to $15,000 to any single person in a calendar year and not owe gift taxes or have to file a gift tax return (double check with a qualified tax professional as there are a few caveats). This is referred to as the “annual exclusion” and it is periodically increased for inflation. Spouses who would like to gift more than the annual exclusion to one individual can utilize a technique called gift splitting. Let’s look at the hypothetical example of married spouses Bob and Sally. Bob and Sally would like to gift their daughter, Susan,

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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

$20,000 in 2019 to help her buy a car. $20,000 is more than the individual limit of $15,000 per year to any one person.

However, Bob and Sally can gift up to $30,000 in 2019 to any one individual by electing to split gifts. This would require them to file a gift tax return (even though the gift itself wouldn’t necessarily be subject to gift taxes) to tell the IRS that the gift was made from both of them. In the case of Bob and Sally, the $20,000 gift would be viewed as a $10,000 gift from Bob and a $10,000 gift from Sally to Susan in the eyes of the IRS. By electing to split the gift between the spouses, each spouse’s gift now falls under the current annual exclusion amount of $15,000. If Bob had made the $20,000 gift to Susan and chose not elect to split the gift with his spouse, Sally, he would have made a $5,000 taxable gift to Susan that would need to be reported on a gift tax return and he may potentially owe gift taxes.

Also, something to keep in mind is that in order to qualify for the annual exclusion, the gift must be of “present interest.” What this means is that recipient of the gift must be free to use and enjoy the gift now with no strings attached. Gifts of future interest do not qualify for the annual exclusion and must be reported on a gift tax return.

What constitutes a gift of present or future interest can get confusing so it’s best to consult with a qualified tax professional prior to making any gifts if you are unsure or need guidance.

Charitable contributions utilizing your required minimum distribution

As we mentioned in previous articles, the standard deduction and itemized deductions have changed greatly under the new tax law that was passed in December 2017. The size of the standard deduction has been increased dramatically, while qualified itemized deductions have been cut dramatically.

What this ultimately means is that far fewer people still qualify to itemize. If

you are over 70 ½, subject to required minimum distributions from IRA accounts, and have utilized charitable contributions as part of your itemized deductions in the past, you may want to consider a Qualified Charitable Distribution (“QCD”) as a way to continue to receive some tax benefits even if you may no longer be able to itemize deductions. The rules around QCDs are complex, but if followed correctly, you may be able to satisfy a portion or all of your required minimum distribution for the year while at the same time be able to exclude the amount donated from your taxable income.

Again, rules surrounding QCDs are complex and must be followed exactly in order to reap the benefits, so work with a qualified professional to understand this strategy and see if it meets your personal goals and objectives.

If helping family members or others via gifts fits with your financial plan, it makes sense to be aware of the gifting guidelines that are in place and the strategies that may be available to you.

If you are charitably inclined or make donations to qualifying organizations and are at the point where you are required to make withdrawals from your IRA accounts, it makes sense to be aware of how a Qualified Charitable Distribution may work for you.

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.

12 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

NOVEMBER 2019

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NOVEMBER 2019

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 13

SPORTS

WITH

JUAN REYES

Aptos athletes verbally commit to play college ball

By JUAN REYES APTOS—The list of Aptos High student athletes who will continue their athletic and academic careers continues to grow.

Aptos seniors Luke Keaschall and Jack Bollinger joined a group of students who have verbally committed to colleges to play sports at the next level.

Keaschall recently announced he verbally committed to play baseball at the University of San Francisco, while Bollinger verbally committed to play baseball at Sacramento State. Both are NCAA Division I programs.

“I’m really excited and feel really honored,” Keaschall said. “The (USF) coaching staff is really good and they have a great program as it is right now. Just to be a part of something so big, even beyond baseball, is just unreal.”

Bollinger said he’s excited to be part of Sacramento State’s program because it competes at the D-I level. He also added that the coaching staff was genuinely nice to him since the time he was being scouted.

“I knew that it was a big deal for me because it’s an important place that I wanted to go and that’s where I wanted to go in the first place,” Bollinger said.

Other Aptos student athletes who verbally committed to colleges include: seniors Natalia Ackerman to Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo (basketball), Gabby Giuffre to the University of San Diego (basketball), Shea Garcia to Portland State (softball) and Brynn Mitchell, who also recently announced she’s going to St. Mary’s to play soccer.

“I wasn’t really expecting to get an offer

Aptos High seniors (from left to right) Luke Keaschall, Brynn Mitchell and Jack Bollinger have verbally committed to colleges to play their respective sport. They join a group of other Aptos student athletes who plan to compete at the collegiate level. — Juan Reyes/LIFE

from (St. Mary’s), so I was blindsided and I was like, ‘Whoa, this is a pretty crazy offer,’” Mitchell said.

Mitchell received a four-year full ride scholarship that includes room and board.

She had a couple of other offers on the table but nothing came close to what St. Mary’s was offering.

“I just didn’t really know what to think,”

Mitchell said. “I didn’t know if it was actually true… I couldn’t really imagine that happening to me, so it was pretty cool.”

Mitchell’s original plan was to try to attend a school with the big name. But after looking into St. Mary’s, she said she couldn’t pass up a good education on a beautiful campus surrounded by good

people.

“I’m also going to have the ability to be close to home if I need it but also kind of have that separation and independence that I need,” she said.

Keaschall’s scholarship is worth four Turn to Page 15

NOVEMBER 2019

14 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

Local cake decorators battle it out on Food Network

By ERIK CHALHOUB Special to LIFE

AROMAS—The anticipation that comes with a TV cooking competition finale can be overwhelming for those viewers who have invested weeks into the show. Who is going to win? Will their favorite contestant emerge victorious?

But whatever emotions the audience may be feeling is nothing compared to those actually on the show, where a team of judges determines their fate as well as thousands in prize winnings.

Julie Conrad knows this all too well. In fact, she’s experienced it twice.

The Aromas cake decorator and former longtime Morgan Hill resident was a member of the winning team in Holiday Gingerbread Showdown, which aired on the Food Network in December.

“Words can’t describe the feeling when your team name is called as the winners,” she said.

“Being recognized as the best of the best when competing against incredibly talented cake artists is very humbling.”

Now, Conrad is doing it all over again, and this time, her focus has shifted from festive to spooky.

She joined her husband Mike and friend Mandy Popejoy to form Team Sweet Chaos, which is battling against other hopeful cake artists for $10,000 on The Big Bake: Halloween.

The show was filmed in Toronto, Canada in June. Since it is currently airing on Food Network Canada, Conrad can’t reveal who won the competition.

The Conrads run A Slice of Heaven Cakes, which creates

and delivers custom cakes for various events in the region, from weddings, birthdays and other special occasions.

As part of the winning team on Holiday Gingerbread Showdown, led by Beatriz Muller, Julie Conrad helped create a 42inch Christmas tree out of gingerbread, which wowed the judges and sent them to the top of the competition.

Fresh off that win, Conrad received an invitation from Food Network to apply for another show.

“A friend of mine said, ‘Live with no regrets, why don’t you apply?’” she said. “And I did.”

Conrad said that although she is now a veteran of TV cooking competitions, being in front of a camera on a major network still gives her nerves.

“Sure, I’m nervous,” she said.

“I was doing it for the experience, and it was a lot of fun.”

Mike Conrad said besides working in an unfamiliar kitchen and bumping into a cameraperson every so often, it was easy to forget they would be watched by hundreds of thousands of people due to the amount of concentration involved.

“Once you get started and they say ‘go,’ outside of a few camera people being in your way once in a while, you almost forget what’s going on because you’re so focused on your cake,” he said.

Julie Conrad grew up in Morgan Hill and graduated from Live Oak High School. Julie and Mike met and married in the city as well, and both served as paid call firefighters. Mike Conrad retired in December 2016 as a division chief with the Aptos/La Selva Fire Protection District.

Julie, who has always had a

Julie and Mike Conrad work in their Aromas home kitchen for their business, A Slice of Heaven Cakes. — contributed

baked goods. But to actually bake the goods himself was once a daunting prospect.

Noting that he had “zero artistic talent,” Mike now helps Julie with the larger aspects of cakemaking, such as its structure and special effects, and also delivers cakes to customers.

“Once I got started, I realized, ‘wow, this is kind of fun,’” he said. “I love it. It’s something I never dreamed I would be into.”

He credited his wife for teaching him the craft, and added that he is more than happy to help her out.

“When you have a wife who’s been really supportive during your 38-year career in the fire service, it’s payback time,” he said.

Still, for someone who has spent his career in life-or-death situations, the cake business

comes with its fair share of pressure, Mike said, citing a time when he had to carry a wedding cake precariously across a bocce ball court.

“I find that delivering a wedding cake is more stressful than crawling through a burning building,” he said.

Julie said she selected each member of her team for The Big Bake: Halloween based on their individual talent and skills.

“My husband can bake, stack and decorate, but his special skill is cake structure, electrical and other special effects which are essential when competing in these over-the-top cake challenges,” she said. “Mandy is an incredible decorator and can turn sugar into the most realistic-looking things.

“So with the three of us, I think we can handle anything they throw our way.”

Nov. 3

Nov. 9

Nov. 23

American Cancer Society’s Santa Cruz Fashion Show

Capitola Sip & Stroll

Santa Cruz Turkey Trot

love for cooking and baking, taught her children how to bake while they were members of 4-H. After the children went off to college, Julie’s friends began asking her to bake them cakes for special events.

Sensing an opportunity, Julie decided to start a custom cake business, and about 12 years ago, A Slice of Heaven Cakes came out of the oven.

Julie said her quest to become the best cake baker and artist she can be has led her across the country, taking classes and meeting other like-minded bakers from around the world.

She has also assisted with the construction of an eight-foot-tall cake at the International Cake Exploration Societé’s convention in Mobile, Ala. Like many people, Mike Conrad said he loves eating

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Nov. 2 Sea Glass & Ocean Art Festival

The 11th annual Santa Cruz Sea Glass & Ocean Art Festival returns to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Over 42 artists will bring their boutique works to the Cocoanut Grove Sunroom.

You’ll find one-of-a-kind pieces, from ceramics, soaps, sea salts, photography, fabric arts and stunning sea glass jewelry.

Admission is $5. For information visit the event’s Facebook page.

Capitola Plein Air Art Festival

The fifth annual Capitola Plein Air Art Festival is a free event with hands-on art-making for all

visitors, live music and 40 local and regional artists selling their works and competing for the top prize. Dozens of professional artists will paint en plein air in varied mediums throughout Capitola. Locations include New Brighton Beach, Depot Hill, the Esplanade and the Jewel Box. For information visit capitolapleinair.com.

Aptos High Sports Gala The Aptos Sports Foundation will celebrate the 50th anniversary Gala of Aptos High School from 5-10 p.m. at the Seascape Resort Ballroom. Tickets are $125. For information visit aptossportsfoundation.com.

The American Cancer Society’s Garden of Hope Santa Cruz Fashion Show will be held at the beautiful Seascape Beach Resort. Festivities begin at 10:30 a.m. The Garden of Hope Fashion Show is one of the premier gala events held in Santa Cruz County. This year’s event is hosted by Chris Maffia and Heysa Janssen. For information contact Nancy Valdez at nancy. valdez@cancer.org.

Capitola Village and Wharf Business Improvement Area will hold a Sip and Stroll featuring 20 wineries and breweries. Event will be from noon to 5 p.m.

Check-in will be at curated. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the day of the event. With the ticket price of $25 comes a commemorative wine glass and 10 tickets good for 10 2 ounce pours. Tickets will be limited the day of the event at a price of $30. Valid ID required for check-in. Proceeds from this event will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank, Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Angel Tree.

The Santa Cruz Turkey Trot features ocean views and a flat, fast course that begins on Delaware Street by the back entrance to Natural Bridges State Park. Race features 1K, 5K and 10K. For information visit santacruztrackclub.com.

Nov. 30 Standup Comedy Tour

The Rolling Green Room is a nationwide standup comedy showcase run by Cody Woods (Comedy Central) and James Myers (Sirius XM). The tour will come to the DNA’s Comedy Lab, 155 S River St. For information visit the event’s Facebook page.

NOVEMBER 2019

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 15

Mushroom business expands to Santa Cruz

By TARMO HANNULA SANTA CRUZ—Far West Fungi mushroom farm of Moss Landing is branching out. They recently opened their first-ever store in downtown Santa Cruz.

In the works for the past two years, the new spot will feature about 16 varieties of fresh mushrooms, dozens of dried mushrooms, medicinals, prepared foods and mushroom growing supplies.

“We’re hoping to cater to the lifestyle of the folks here in downtown Santa Cruz,” said Ian Garrone, who owns Far West Fungi along with his father, John, and other family members. “People seem to be open to our new location and our products. It’s exciting for us.”

Aptos athletes years and it’s a mixture of athletic and academic. He’s not exactly sure how much the entire scholarship is worth but it’ll make it affordable for him to attend school.

Keaschall said he was talking to multiple schools but nobody fully offered him a deal like the Dons. Plus, he mentioned there was an instant connection with the coaching staff when they first met.

“I was really connected with the coaching staff and I loved the program.

I love where it’s heading,” Keaschall said.

Keaschall said the coaching staff reached out to him before the Perfect Game World Series in Arizona. He received an e-mail from Dons assistant coach Troy Nakamura as soon as the airplane touched down in the Grand Canyon State.

Far West Fungi mushroom farm, located on eight acres and boasting 60,000 square feet of growing space on the outskirts of Moss Landing, is perhaps best known for its shiitake mushrooms, which can fetch up to $10 per pound. The farm ships out approximately 3,500 pounds per week to 12 farmer’s markets around the Bay Area and stores such as Whole Foods.

But thanks to his gastronomically adventurous Bay Area clients—and demand for certain species used in Chinese herbal medicine—John Garrone also grows several other not-so-common varieties such as Nameko mushrooms, which are highly prized in Japanese cooking.

In total, the Garrone family grows 10 varieties and sells up to 70 varieties at its

retail store in the Ferry Building in San Francisco and will now feature many of these at the Santa Cruz location.

Far West Fungi began about 35 years ago, when John Garrone worked as a dispatcher for the San Francisco Police Department. At Hunter’s Point shipyard, he met a mushroom grower and his interest was kindled in the art of mushroom production. About 16 years ago the family started their Moss Landing farm.

Robert Backert stopped by the Santa Cruz store a day after they opened and purchased a bag of chanterelle mushrooms.

“I actually stopped by their soft opening and I think it’s great they’re here,” he said.

“There’s nothing like this around here.”

Ian Garrone said the store will offer about seven “wild foraged” mushrooms, including

Tax matters

Continued from page 13

“I was waiting for the e-mail to load for about 15 minutes, waiting for a response and it popped up,” Keaschall said. “I was like, ‘Wow, that’s awesome.’ I was just super pumped and I called (Nakamura) as soon as I got service, literally walking in the airport escalator.”

Keaschall admitted he didn’t accept the offer right away and still wanted to weigh his other options but he said the selling point for him was the coaching staff.

“These coaches really want me and I really want to go to a program that really wants me and going to put everything on the line for me… that was a big deal to me,” Keaschall said.

Bollinger will be a walk-on in his freshman year but said there’s the possibility of earning some scholarship money in his sophomore year and

lobster, matsutake, porcini and black burgundy truffles. On their cultivated organic list are maitake, lion’s mane, large and small shitake, cinnamon cap, tree oyster and more.

Their conventionally cultivated mushrooms are portabella and brown mushrooms. The myco fids menu incudes mushroom barley soup, mushroom potpie, lion’s mane lobster roll, mushroom toast and mushroom ceviche.

They also feature beverages under their “Wild Drinks” menu.

“We’ve learned a lot from the various farmer’s markets, pop up markets, and festivals,” Ian Garrone said. “We tried to refine our product line to offer what people are asking for at a fair price. So far we’ve been busy and we’ve enjoyed a good reception in the community.”

beyond.

Aptos baseball coach Jason Biancardi said both Bollinger and Keaschall are pair of hardnose players who live and die for the sport of baseball.

“To see it pay off is exciting and pretty cool,” Biancardi said.

Biancardi said players on the Aptos baseball team don’t get nearly as many looks as the private schools over the hill such as Valley Christian and Bellarmine.

However, he said having this year’s team captains get recognized and earning a D-I scholarship will be a motivator for the whole program.

“To have two kids in the same class, both with D-I scholarships, it definitely sends a message to the rest of the program that if you work hard and you put a lot of effort into baseball, it can pay off,” Biancardi said.

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

Continued from page 10

payment options or income taxes, in general, please contact our office.

A reader asks: What is the best possible way to prepare for the upcoming tax season?

That is a great question and very well-timed. There are still several weeks before year-end and now is the time to start planning. I advise my clients to be proactive instead of waiting until after Dec. 31 because at that point mostly all that’s left to do is damage control. Check your year to date pay stub to ensure federal withholdings are on track.

Check out the new tax withholding calculator on the IRS website at irs.gov. Consider establishing or funding your retirement plan. Did you know after several years the IRS finally increased the contribution limits for retirement accounts? Consult with your tax preparer to find out what are the best options for paying the least amount of taxes.

FALL

Patricia Beckwith is a Certified Public Accountant and a Tax Resolution Specialist. For more info: trish@ santacruzcpa.com or visit fasttaxdebtrelief.com.

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