Aptos Life | Jan. 2020

2019 JANUARY 2020, VOL. 8, NO. 5

YEAR REVIEW IN

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Editor’s note

N

ew Year. New Life.

Welcome to the new Aptos Life. Things might look different, but everything you are accustomed to seeing and reading is here. The stories from around Mid-County are here.

The insightful monthly columns from our contributors are too.

And our local sports coverage will return next month when our young stars start winning championships. What’s new: the fresh, clean reader-friendly design, and a hand-drawn logo by typographer Mark Davis that captures the spirit of the MidCounty lifestyle. Aptos Life has slowly grown into a beloved publication that merges news, arts and advice, and we hope to continue that progress.

In this month’s issue, we take a look back at 2019, a year that featured plenty of highs and lows. It was inspiring to see the Aptos High School girls’ volleyball team make its run to a state championship after falling heartbreakingly short of a league and section title. That resilience is typically unheard of from high school kids, but these young women had it in spades. The dominance of the Aptos High robotics team, which won its second international championship in three years in a Marine Advanced Technology Education Remotely Operated Vehicle (MATE ROV) competition, is also something to be celebrated.

Sadly, academic achievements do not always receive the same recognition as athletic ones, but this accomplishment deserves all the praise.

They say that children are the future. In that case, Aptos has a very bright one. Happy New Year!

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Cover story

8

History Corner

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Word from a Friend

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Ask Nicole

10 Tax matters 12 Community Chatter 14 Calendar CEO & Executive Editor

Dan Pulcrano Publisher

Jeanie Johnson Editor

Tony Nuñez Editorial

Todd Guild Johanna Miller Tony Nuñez Tarmo Hannula Photography

Tarmo Hannula Contributoring writers

John Hibble Zach Friend Nicole M. Young Gary & Soren Croxall Patricia Beckwith Advertising Sales

Tina Chavez Lupita Ortiz Production

Rob Chalhoub

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

CONTACT US

831.761.7300 newsroom@register-pajaronian.com

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YEAR IN REVIEW

Photos by Aptos Life staff

FOR THE YOUTH Aptos High School students won championships with their brains and brawn, as the girls’ volleyball team (top left) captured a California Interscholastic

Federation state championship and the Marine Advanced Technology Education Remotely Operated Vehicle (MATE ROV) squad, Team Scalyr (bottom left), took first place at an international competition. A community institution, the S.S. Palo Alto, also known as the Concrete Ship, hit its 100th anniversary.

JANUARY 2020 | APTOS LIFE

Champions, milestones 4

Mid-County’s youth shone brightest in 2019

By TONY NUÑEZ

M

uch like the future, 2019 belonged to the young people of Mid-County. Students from Aptos High School helped put their community on the map with their brain and brawn, and Cabrillo College made history in fielding its largest graduating class.

The Aptos community also had to say goodbye to a handful of influential figures, but at the same time celebrated three giant anniversaries for local landmarks.

Aptos was also befuddled by two acts of violence, both involving a husband and wife, and the entire county was baffled by a kidnapping case that seemed as if it was

ripped out novel or movie.

But 2019 also saw growth and progress in Aptos and Capitola, as both communities welcomed in several new businesses and made giant plans for their futures.

Here’s a look back at the year that was:

YOUNG STARS Aptos High School produced a pair of notable champions in 2019. The school’s Marine Advanced Technology Education Remotely Operated Vehicle (MATE ROV) squad, Team Scalyr, took first place at an international competition in Kingsport, Tenn., and the ➝5

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GOODBYES Aptos Athletic Director Mark Dorfman stepped away from his post following 30 years of service. During his tenure as AD, Dorfman led the Mariners to 232 league titles, including 21 as the track coach, and 30 section championships. Dorfman was an assistant football coach for 26 years but took a few years off when he took over as the track and field coach from 1995-2008.

The Aptos community also had to say goodbye to its “unofficial Mayor,” ➝6

contributed

girl’s volleyball team captured its firstever California Interscholastic Federation state championship.

Hundreds of aspiring engineers from around the globe traveled to The Volunteer State in late June with robots designed to accomplish complex underwater tasks, but Team Scalyr bested them all to win the international MATE ROV title for the second time in three years.

They beat 45 other teams from 19 countries, including Newfoundland, Egypt, India and Japan, for the title. For its efforts, Team Scalyr was given the Aptos Chamber of Commerce’s yearly award for Outstanding Achievement.

A few months later, the volleyball team strung together five wins—including four consecutive upsets—to win the

CIF Division IV regional and state championships in Orange. After failing to win their league and section title, the Mariners rode standout postseason performances from seniors Peyton Dueck and Alana Patyk-Randa to the titles.

SO LONG Aptos High School Athletic Director Mark Dorfman, right,

retired this year and longtime custodian Robert “Bobby” Salazar, left, died of cancer at 62.

JANUARY 2020 | APTOS LIFE

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REVIEW

Tarmo Hannula/Aptos Life file

TOP HONOR Retiring Aptos/La Selva Fire Captian Greg Hansen was

JANUARY 2020 | APTOS LIFE

named the Grand Marshal for the Aptos Fourth of July parade.

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Bobby Salazar, who died at 62 after a battle with cancer. Salazar served as security guard and maintenance man for Aptos High for more than four decades.

He was known for his ever-present smile and exhortations for everyone he met to “keep smiling.”

Greg Hansen also walked away from his post after nearly 40 years with Aptos/La Selva Fire. The longtime captain was named the Grand Marshal for the Aptos Fourth of July parade as an outgoing honor.

MILESTONES Three Aptos landmarks and institutions celebrated important anniversaries. The S.S. Palo Alto, better known as the Concrete Ship, hit the century mark, Aptos

High turned 50 and Cabrillo College commemorated its 60th anniversary.

The concrete ship, built in 1919, has been situated in the water off Seacliff State Beach since January 1930. The Aptos History Museum held a series of events, including a special concert from the Cabrillo Symphonic Winds Ensemble, to honor the milestone.

Aptos High celebrated its golden anniversary with musical performances, a cheerleading demonstration and the christening of its new quad, which underwent a massive upgrade over the summer.

Cabrillo, meanwhile, welcomed hundreds to its Watsonville center to recognize its birthday. The grand event dedicated to the county’s centerpiece drew several notable dignitaries such as Hal Hyde, who served on the first ➝7

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board of directors.

COPS & COURTS

BUSINESS MOVES Mid-County was flooded with new businesses and growth in 2019.

On top of the gigantic New Leaf Community Market that opened as the focal point of the new Aptos Village, Aptos also welcomed Sante Arcangeli Family Wines Tasting Lounge and Cat & Cloud coffee shop, as well as the construction of Betty Burgers—still in progress on Trout Gulch Road. Further along Soquel � 11

Tarmo Hannula/Aptos Life file

A trio of puzzling cases stunned the community.

The dissapearance and subsequent murder of Tushar Atre left many scratching their heads. Atre, a former tech entrepreneur, was kidnapped from his Pleasure Point house in the middle of the night in early October and was later found shot to death on the 24000 block of Soquel San Jose Road near the summit.

There have been no arrests in the case.

A pair of heartbreaking acts of violence also left the Aptos community searching for answers. In June, a murder-suicide of involving husband and wife Robert Mann and Janell Lund-Mann shocked

the upscale neighborhood of two-story homes along Cuesta Drive in the Aptos hills. And months later Amanda Owens was arrested for allegedly stabbing her husband, Thomas Owens, to death. Her attorney, George Gigarjian, said that Owens was defending herself during a domestic dispute.

GRAND OPENING New Leaf Community Market in the new Aptos

Village was fully stocked and ready to handle opening day in late April.

JANUARY 2020 | APTOS LIFE

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HISTORY CORNER

WORD FROM A FRIEND

Water, water everywhere

Climate change adaptation

JANUARY 2020 | APTOS LIFE

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very winter, the people who live and work in the flats of Rio Dell Mar experience flooding in the streets and in their yards. Every winter, news reporters descend on the area to cover the events. This year, one reporter asked me about the history of how this issue came to be.

How far back should we go?

Before the Spanish came, an Awaswas tribelet of the native Ohlone people lived near Aptos Creek, in the vicinity of Spreckels Drive. The natives built their villages on high ground to avoid flooding in winter. Aptos Creek met the Monterey Bay as a brackish estuary teaming with flora and fauna. With the coming of the Spanish and their mission system, the native’s village was abandoned. Aptos became a cattle ranch. A 500-foot wharf was built at the base of the bluff on the Seacliff side, but primarily, the estuary remained unchanged.

Later, sugar millionaire, Claus Spreckels, purchased most of the Aptos Rancho, and in 1875, he opened the largest and finest summer resort on the California coast. It was located on Spreckels Drive. The lawn and flower gardens sloped away from the hotel. A clubhouse was built near Treasure Island Drive which included a billiard room, bowling alley, bar, and dance floor. Several barns were built to accommodate horses and buggies. Additionally, some small changing rooms were built up against the bluff on the Seacliff side. Aptos Creek still meandered through the estuary and emptied into the bay on the eastern side.

The hotel closed in 1896.

Spreckels’ property continued to be operated as a horse ranch.

Spreckels had a fence built across the estuary to keep his horses off the beach and every year the fence

By John Hibble Aptos History Museum

had to be rebuilt because of storm damage. The old wharf had nearly disintegrated by that time, a result of storm damage and disuse. Local families continued to visit the beach and the estuary, sometimes paddling canoes in the lagoon that formed behind the beach.

Spreckels died in 1908. The ranch continued to operate until 1922 when Spreckels’ heirs sold it. By 1924, development had begun. Leo Monroe, William Lyon and Larry Miller purchased the lands that would become Rio Del Mar. In May of 1926, the estuary would be changed forever.

The Sunset Grading Company of San Francisco was hired to clear and build up the Aptos beach. Steam shovels, tractors and dynamite changed the contour of the beach. Aptos Creek used to meander around Treasure Island, then onward to Sand Street and Lake Court, before entering the bay on the eastern side of the estuary.

A large hill that had occupied the area of today’s Rio Sands Hotel, on both sides of Stephan Road, was used to fill in the estuary. The top and face of the bluff, where Rio Del Mar Boulevard descends to the beach, was shaved off and added to the fill, raising the area approximately seven feet.

By August, Aptos Creek was diverted into the western side of the estuary. The new channel was created initially with a wooden retaining wall but was eventually cast in concrete. This created a lake on the Seacliff, or Western side of the area. A small seawall was built along the beach and faced with brick. A short walking pier was built out onto the beach which helped to channel the creek toward the bay. The skeletal remains of this pier still remain. The beach parking lot and the streets were ➝ 13

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ver the last few years the County has experienced significant flood events and damage that we are still working to repair. With climate change, severe events like these storm sets are expected to become more common as are the severity and length of droughts. One thing that is clear is that there is a significant cost, environmental and fiscal, to climate change.

Locally, resiliency planning has already begun and we are looking at ways to protect critical infrastructure (including roads and utilities) to guard against everything from more severe storms to sea-level rise.

It’s a significant effort and as part of this effort the County developed a Climate Action Strategy. The Climate Action Strategy includes efforts by multiple departments to address greenhouse gas emissions reduction and preparation for the anticipated impacts of climate change. Every year, the Board of Supervisors and the Commission on the Environment receive reports on these efforts and provide input and focused direction on ways to address these challenges.

What have the recent reports shown?

The County uses a baseline year of 2005 to measure emissions reductions at County facilities throughout the community.

In 2015 and 2016, the annual reports showed notable reductions in emissions compared to the baseline year. In 2016, for example, the County had reduced emissions from major facilities by 18 percent compared to the baseline year. In 2015, overall community emissions also decreased by 18 percent compared to the baseline year.

By Zach Friend Santa Cruz County Supervisor

Why have there been reductions in emissions?

The Climate Action Plan builds on longstanding County policies to support green purchasing, fuel efficiency, and energy conservation, a Green IT policy and a goal to reduce reliance on fossil fuel in general. However, since the implementation of the Plan, the County has more aggressively sought to reduce emissions including significant investments of solar on County facilities, the establishment of Monterey Bay Community Power and changes in fleet vehicles. These changes have accelerated the rate of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the County. In the case of solar, the County has also reduced electric costs, saving taxpayer funds.

To further our efforts, the Commission on the Environment has been supporting efforts to prioritize strategies to prepare for the impacts of climate change. For example, how will we best plan to protect critical infrastructure?

Vulnerable infrastructure includes transportation systems, buildings, communications, utilities, beaches and other amenities that support the community, tourism, agriculture and commercial activity.

As part of this, the County is working on updating the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. This involves a vulnerability assessment that will identify the types and numbers of existing buildings, facilities, and infrastructure vulnerable to each hazard and the development of mitigation strategies and actions to reduce the effects of each hazard.

We know that more

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ASK NICOLE

By Nicole M. Young, MSW

January is Positive Parenting Awareness Month

H

appy New Year! January is the eighth annual Positive Parenting Awareness Month in Santa Cruz County. Although parenting is a non-stop job that deserves recognition every day of the year, this month is an opportunity to reflect on what it means to be a positive parent.

What is positive parenting?

It’s an approach to raising children based on collective wisdom and evidence about the skills and support children need to become happy, healthy, confident, independent human beings. Positive parenting promotes children’s healthy development, builds their capacity to handle emotions and solve problems, and teaches skills they’ll need to have healthy relationships at home, school and work. When children grow up in positive, loving, and safe environments with clear and consistent boundaries and limits, their brains are primed to learn in school, get along with others, and succeed as adults in future relationships and careers.

Positive parenting is not about being a perfect parent or raising a perfect child. Neither of those things exist in real life. And positive

parenting is not about finding a “one size fits all” solution for parenting. That also doesn’t exist.

What does exist are multiple parenting programs in Santa Cruz County that provide families with information and support they need to raise happy, healthy children.

One option is the Triple P–Positive Parenting Program, backed by over 30 years of international research.

The network of Triple P providers in our community has helped thousands of Santa Cruz County families over the past 10 years learn helpful and effective parenting tools.

If you’re a parent or caregiver, give yourself a pat on the back (or other reward of your choice), then consider trying or recommitting to these positive parenting strategies: Remember it can be brief, as long as it’s frequent.

This provides reassurance that you’re available and responsive to their needs, which is the foundation of a positive relationship. interested in. Ask questions to keep the conversation going, and show interest in what they have to say. This strengthens relationships and builds communication skills.

Hugs, cuddles, kisses, a pat on the back, or

ASK Nicole sitting close to each other are ways to show you care.

Give descriptive praise. Be specific and sincere so they know what they’ve done well, and they can trust that your words have meaning.

A smile, wink, eye contact, or a “high five” are good ways to maintain a connection with them, without even saying a word. activities to do. Get creative – use free items or activities that keep them busy (and out of trouble), learning, and growing.

Give yourself bonus parenting points for doing the activities with them—it’s quality time!

Remember children often repeat what they see and hear adults do – for better or for worse. If you want to raise honest, kind, caring children, take extra care to show your children what it looks and sounds like to be honest, kind, and caring.

Family rules work best when they are fair, specific, easy to understand and follow, and focus on what to do instead of what not to do. Involve your child or teen

in setting the rules so they have a chance to tell you what they think is fair, and you have a chance to make sure they understand the rules.

Remember that it’s human nature to make mistakes, and each child learns and develops at different paces. Forgive yourself if you have a bad parenting day, then try again the next day.

It’s hard for many parents to prioritize taking care of their own needs when they feel they have to constantly be “on” and meet the needs of their kids, partner, boss, co-workers, friends, and family. Remember that self-care isn’t selfish, but is necessary to keep being a positive parent throughout the year.

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 4652217 or triplep@first5scc.org.

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What is CalSavers?

CalSavers is essentially a Roth IRA that was developed by the state of California to

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What is required for California business owners?

CalSavers is currently phasing its rollout over a 3 year period with businesses of certain sizes who don’t currently offer a qualified retirement plan ➝ 12

JANUARY 2020 | APTOS LIFE

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n July 2019, the state of California launched CalSavers, a program designed to allow employees access to a retirement savings plan administered by the state if their employer doesn’t currently offer their own retirement savings plan.

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TAX MATTERS

Paying taxes: A matter of perspective

T

JANUARY 2020 | APTOS LIFE

Happy New Year, Readers. It’s time to say ‘tis the Season. No, not that season—it’s TAX SEASON! Tax season involves long hours at the office with little to no time for anything other than work.

But it also become a time of year where gratitude reigns in my life. I have opportunities galore to speak about the blessings in my life with clients. A wise man once said Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God (Matthew 22:21, NLT). This verse came to me several years ago shortly after I started my own tax practice and realized I was going to be having the “I just prepared your tax return and unfortunately you owe the IRS” conversation more than once. Prior to hanging out my shingle, I worked at a tax firm and it was the firm’s partner who met with clients and delivered bad news while I worked anonymously

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Patricia Beckwith Santa Cruz Tax Relief

in a little cubicle in the back office churning out tax returns.

Over the years I have delivered the you-have-a-tax-liability news many times over. The news can be met with anger and resentment.

Occasionally people cry. Being a highly-sensitive person in nature sometimes I cry with them because I personally know sometimes writing that check to the taxman means you are giving something up you’ve been looking forward to, like a family vacation. And what goes with that is the disappointment of having to spend the savings you’ve worked so hard and sacrificed so much to attain.

While it appears it is no longer politically correct these days to mention God for fear of treading on people’s individual beliefs, “giving to Caesar” is, in the end, something we all have to do (except if you are Amazon—more about that next time). But what I can also do is acknowledge the

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second part of the verse—“what belongs to God.” What belongs to God? Everything else. I point out to clients that the IRS can take your money but that’s all it can take. It’s only money. I encourage them to focus on what really matters to them. I then affirm all the blessings in my life.

My teenager is relatively happy most of the time, which is a small miracle. My husband works hard and is incredibly supportive. I am blessed with a 10-minute morning commute from hone to the office. As a community we live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, a place where people flock to vacation every year. The ocean and the forest are in our backyards. To me all these things belong to God. I just get to enjoy them while I’m here on earth. No one, not even the IRS, can take away any of our blessings. What about you?

What riches fill your life? Find the blessings and affirm all that is good in your life. If you are like me and have had to overcome adversity and challenges in life you come to realize paying taxes is a “have to” and the rest of life is a “get to.”

Spouse relief in your article last month and that I might not have to pay the tax bill. Would I qualify?”

A READER ASKS: I got divorced a couple of years ago and in the final settlement my exhusband walked away with almost everything. I didn’t do anything wrong but somehow, I got stuck with a huge tax bill afterward.

I read about the term Innocent

Patricia Beckwith is a Certified Public Accountant and an IRS tax resolution specialist. For information: santacruztaxrelief. com or trish@santacruzcpa.com.

The opinions expressed here are hers and not necessarily those of Aptos Life.

PB: Outstanding question!

As a tax resolution specialist, I often speak in “tax lingo” and then realize how easily these terms can be misconstrued.

Unfortunately, that was the case for this reader. I found out her tax bill was mainly attributed to bad legal representation and new tax rules. The term Innocent Spouse relief pertains to an IRS rule that provides you relief from taxes you owe if your spouse (or former spouse) failed to report income, reported income improperly or claimed improper deductions or credits on a joint tax return you signed not realizing what had transpired (IRS Topic No. 205).

By requesting this, you can be relieved of responsibility for paying tax, interest and penalties.

Being granted innocent spouse relief is not especially complicated but the rules can be tricky. If you find yourself with a large tax bill you thought your spouse or former spouse had paid and have questions please consult a licensed tax professional.

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Tarmo Hannula/Aptos Life file

Drive, the Rancho Del Mar shopping center underwent a massive facelift in design and dining choices. Clean Juice, Poki Bowl, Mountain Mikes and Peet’s Coffee all joined the community, while Anytime Fitness also opened its doors in the renovated center.

Near the end of the year, Pacifica Hotels bought the long-standing Best Western Seacliff Inn, which, along with Severino’s Bar & Grill, has served as a community gathering place for decades. With the addition of the Seacliff Inn, Pacifica Hotels owns and operates 40 properties in California coastal locations.

Further north, Capitola started making plans for its future too. As its library continued its full-scale rebuild, the city council saw the beginning stages of a

pair of controversial plans. Merlone Geier Partners, a property investment firm, showed plans to redevelop the Capitola Mall into a giant mixed-use development that would house hundreds. And Barry Swenson Builders proposed building a towering five-story, 88-room hotel in the Capitola Village. Neither plan went over well with most residents.

County supervisors also pushed ahead a pair of large-scale projects—one a 57-unit affordable housing complex at 1500 Capitola Rd. with its own dental and health centers, and the other a long-disputed Nissan dealership off 41st Avenue—at the end of the year that could have huge impacts on the area in the near future.

IN THE WORKS The Capitola Mall and the impending changes planned

by owner Merlone Geier Partners were a big story in 2019.

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COMMUNITY CHATTER County limits syringe distribution

First Tree Lighting at Aptos Village a success

JANUARY 2020 | APTOS LIFE

Kaiser Permanente Santa Cruz County awarded two grants totaling $500,000 for Santa Cruz Community Health Centers and Dientes Community Dental Care to construct two new buildings in the Live Oak area at 1500 Capitola Rd. The two 2-story buildings will total 29,000 square feet and enhance access for those uninsured and underinsured in need of health and dental care.

The clinics will open in 2021.

They will be located underneath 57 affordable housing units that will be constructed by MidPen Housing, which purchased the 3.6-acre parcel with help from the county.

PVUSD enrollment steadily declining

APTOS—The first Holiday Craft Fair and Tree Lighting on the new Aptos Village Green was filled with dancing, singing, crafts and holiday cheer.

Sam Nigh & Family Band and the Santa Cruz City Ballet Co.

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees heard a grim budget report during their early December meeting which, while it shows that the district can cover its expenses for the next three years, it also

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essential for protecting our infrastructure and other critical needs.

Climate change will have significant impacts on fire and flood hazards, sea levels, drought, public health and agriculture. We all have a role in reducing emissions and the County’s Climate Action Strategy is part of those efforts.

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needs to be done

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Kaiser Permanente gives $500K in grants

In order to guide this effort, the Board of Supervisors recently approved the creation of a Climate Action Manager position.

This position will be dedicated full-time to coordinating resiliency efforts between departments, creating strategies to address these growing challenges and also seeking funding from state and federal sources for resiliency efforts. These efforts are

As always, I appreciate hearing your thoughts. You are welcome to visit me during my open office hours in Aptos, Corralitos, Watsonville or Seascape or give me a call at 454-2200.

Tarmo Hannula/Aptos Life

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors retooled the county’s syringe exchange program during its Dec. 10 meeting, limiting the amount that people can trade for clean ones on behalf of other people.

This practice, known as secondary exchange, is believed by advocates to be an effective way to get clean syringes to drug addicts, thus slowing the spread of needle-borne diseases.

Under the county’s one-for-one Syringe Services Program, intravenous drug users can exchange up to 100 used syringes for an equal amount of clean ones, and are allowed to do the same for an unlimited number of others.

The new policy, which begins in January, limits the secondary exchange to two people.

The move is seen as a way to combat the increasing number of dirty syringes found in public spaces.

dazzled viewers with holiday tunes and musical numbers. Vendors sold a variety of gifts and the community enjoyed hot drinks and treats donated by local favorites: hot chocolate by Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant, coffee from Pacific Coffee Roasting Company, cookies from New Leaf Community Markets and candy canes from Sereno Group.

NEW HARDWARE STORE COMING TO CAPITOLA A new branch of

Outdoor Supply Hardware (OSH) is slated for a January opening in the former OSH store at 1601 41st Ave. Ryan Odell, store manager at the Napa branch, said the company will run a soft opening in the first few weeks of the New Year and stage a grand opening in the spring. OSH will offer the same type of products that do-it-yourselfers typically want from big-box hardware stores, and will feature core hardware needs. Odell said OSH has also taken the extra step to rehire many of the former store employees. “There will be a lot of familiar faces here when we open the doors,” he said. predicts that declining enrollment will severely drain its general fund.

PVUSD Chief Business Officer Joe Dominguez said the district is taking “a deeper dive” on the issue, looking at why it is happening and studying ways to slow the decline, including launching an enrollment campaign.

At the same time, Dominguez said that the declining enrollment comes largely thanks to Watsonville Prep, a charter school that

opened in August.

The school began with kindergarten through second grade and plans to add one grade per year until it has an eighth grade. The school’s charter calls for a total of 420 students when fully operational in 2023.

Dominguez said that the school will take an estimated 57 students from the district every year, which means an additional annual revenue loss of about $670,000.

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Employers are not responsible for actually enrolling the eligible employees, providing information or answering questions about the program, or maintaining or servicing the employee accounts.

These types of requests are handled directly by CalSavers.

Most importantly, employers SHOULD NOT provide any ➝ 13 guidance or advice on

9

to eligible employees required to enroll by certain deadlines. The CalSavers (calsavers.com) website outlines the three-year rollout and required deadlines for employers, however, by June of 2022, California businesses who employ 5 or more eligible employees must either offer a qualified retirement plan or participate in CalSavers.

Currently, it appears that employers are only responsible for initially enrolling their business in CalSavers, providing CalSavers a

ADVICE

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the investment options offered

by CalSavers nor should they provide any tax advice.

How is CalSavers different from a Roth IRA? There are several similarities to CalSavers and a Roth IRA. Just like a Roth IRA, your contributions to CalSavers are after-tax. In other words, there are no up-front tax savings by contributing to a CalSavers account. However, down the road, provided you meet certain requirements, any earnings on the account may potentially be able to be withdrawn tax-free. Also, like a Roth IRA, if your income exceeds annual limits per IRS guidelines, you will not be able to contribute CalSavers. Currently, the maximum contribution to CalSavers is the same as a Roth

IRA - $6,000 per year for people under 50 and $7,000 for people over 50 (provided you earn at least $6,000 or $7,000 in wages).

Also, keep in mind, $6,000 or $7,000 per year is the maximum you can contribute between ALL of your Traditional, Roth, and CalSavers Roth IRAs no matter if you have one account or ten accounts. It is your responsibility to track your contributions to various IRA accounts.

In terms of where employees can invest their contributions, CalSavers currently offers participants 16 investment options to pick from. This is a step up from the now-defunct myRA program that the federal government rolled out in 2015 and subsequently shuttered in 2017. The myRA was also a Roth IRA program, but the only investment options available were Treasury bonds. CalSavers

appears to offer a wider range of investment options which may allow participants an opportunity for longer term growth potential.

How can you fund a CalSavers account?

eligible, a convenient alternative in that it offers a disciplined and systematic way to save for the future on a regular basis through employer deductions from your regular payroll.

Funding a CalSavers account is pretty simple. You simply designate a percentage of your paycheck that you want to contribute. Employers are required to withhold contributions from employees’ paychecks and submit them to CalSavers. Please note, that it is up to the employee to make sure they track their contributions up to the maximum annual IRS contribution limit for all of their traditional, Roth, and CalSavers Roth IRA accounts.

Although CalSavers may seem like a duplicate of other already available retirement savings programs, it can be, if you are

Gary E. Croxall, CFP® Registered Principal of LPL

twice a month when the sun, earth and moon are in alignment.

During the winter, we tend to have exceptionally large variations in tides called king tides. High tides may be six feet and low tides might be minus one foot. King tides with large waves sometimes make their way onto the Esplanade and into the streets. As the old saying goes, “a rising tide floats all boats,” but in the Rio Del Mar flats, it also floods all houses.

Help is on the way? Santa Cruz County Public Works wants to help.

Plans have been drawn up, test wells have been drilled and all they need is money. Grants have been applied for. The plan is to build a catch basin on Venetian Road near Pixie’s Deli and install a pump to push

the water into a new drain system.

Mother nature is a formidable force. Let’s hope that this solution will help to relieve the problem.

If you would like to learn more about the history of the estuary and the county’s plans to help the neighborhood, we will entertain you with amazing historical photographs and a presentation

by Public Works Director, Matt Machado. Please join us at the Rio Sands Hotel community room on Jan. 25, from 2:30 p.m. until 4 p.m. for Coffee, Tea and History: Water, Water Everywhere.

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

Soren E. Croxall, CFP®, CFA 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.

contributed

THROWBACK The Aptos Creek Estuary in 1924.

HISTORY

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laid out and improved with gravel.

The first building in the flats was constructed in 1928 and became a sales office for Rio Del Mar. Today, it is called the Sea Breeze.

By the summer of 1928, the western side of Aptos Creek was contained inside a second retaining wall. A dam was constructed across the creek to create the ‘world’s largest freshwater swimming pool’ and a large bathing pavilion was built on the western side of the creek. The streets were paved in 1929. The destruction of the estuary was complete.

Grand plans lead to big problems. The Aptos Creek watershed drains from the 3,790

foot high, Loma Prieta Mountain, which is only ten miles away as the crow flies. The Valencia Creek watershed also empties into Aptos Creek less than 3,000 feet from the bay. When it rains, all of the water that does not soak into the soil hurtles down the creeks and is funneled into the narrow channel built by the developers.

It quickly fills up. Even if the river does not overflow, the rainwater collecting in the Rio Del Mar flats has nowhere to go. The drains fill up and the streets flood. The drains onto the beach also typically fill with sand. During a major rain event, the river can overflow and create serious problems.

And then there are the tides.

So-called spring tides occur about

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CALENDAR

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JANUARY 2020 | APTOS LIFE

Fungus Fair

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Did you know that without fungus, we’d have no bread, cheese, beer or wine?

Come to the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair to learn all there is to know about the fascinating world of mushrooms. The three-day event features hundreds of species of local fungi presented in a unique fashion, and draws thousands of visitors each year. This unique Santa Cruz tradition features fantastic fungus fun for the whole family. Bring the kids and stroll through a recreated woodland forest displaying hundreds of wild mushrooms; the Fungus Fair also features a special room full of hands-on activities for kids. Location: Louden Nelson Community Center, 301 Center St., Santa Cruz. Date & time: Jan. 10, 2-5 p.m.; Jan. 11-12, 10-5 p.m. Price: $5 on Friday; $5 for seniors and students; $10 on Saturday and Sunday.

APTOS INTRODUCTION TO FINDING GRANTS

Join the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County as it introduces you to Foundation Directory Online Professional, a searchable database for finding a foundation and corporate

grant-makers, which is available for free public use in the Borina Nonprofit Resource Center. During this 90-minute session, you’ll learn how to navigate the database for future visits and get a brief overview of the world of fundraising and grants. Bring a tablet, laptop or request one in advance. To register go to eventbrite.com. Location: Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County, 7807 Soquel Drive. Date & time: Jan. 9, 9:30 a.m.

WOODWINDS OF WINTER The second recital of the Spotlight on the Symphony Recital Series will feature a quartet of the Santa Cruz Symphony’s principal wind players: Laurie Siebold, flute; Bennie Cottone, oboe; Karen Sremac, clarinet; and Erin Irvine, bassoon performing a variety of quartet and trio music for woodwinds. For information visit santacruzsymphony.org. Location: Samper Recital Hall at Cabrillo College,

6500 Soquel Drive. Date & time: Jan. 12, 2 p.m. Price: $49.

FROM THE OLD WORLD TO THE NEW

Featuring: Kristin Garbeff, Concert Director and cello; Cynthia BaehrWilliams, violin; Chad Kaltinger, Viola; Kumiko Uyeda, Piano. The Santa Cruz Chamber Players will present a concert featuring the music of Schubert in 19th century Europe to California composers in the 21st century. For information and tickets visit eventful.com. Location: Christ Lutheran Church, 10707 Soquel Drive. Date and time: Jan. 11 & 12, 3 p.m.

Price: $10 for students; $25.

SCOVILLE UNITS Tandy Beal and Company presents Scoville Units!—a celebration of Jon Scoville’s musical compositions and art featuring musicians and dancers.

Named after the scale of spiciness for peppers, Scoville Units! is a multi-arts

CALENDAR Tarmo Hannula/Aptos Life file

Bridal Expo

Find all the information you need to plan the perfect wedding. Check out the area’s best photographers, florists, caterers, bakers, wedding and reception venues, entertainment and other important services. Pre-register to receive $3 off door admission and automatically be entered to win a romantic weekend getaway. Location: Boardwalk’s Cocoanut Grove, 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz. Date & time: Jan. 26, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Price: $8 at the door.

celebration of Scoville’s beguiling compositions. For information is it tandybeal.com. Location: Cabrillo College Crocker Theater, 6500 Soquel Drive. Date & time: Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 19, 2 p.m. Price: NA.

2020 CENSUS CCC MEETING

MID-COUNTY DEMS JANUARY ENDORSEMENT MEETING Join the Mid-County Dems for their first endorsement meeting for the March 3 primary election. Candidates and representatives have been invited

The public is invited to the Grand Opening of Santa Cruz County Parks Department’s inclusive playground for children of all abilities. LEO’s Haven is the first of its kind in Santa Cruz County. Please join us for a day of inclusive play. Location: Chanticleer County Park, 1975 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz. Date & time: Jan. 18, 10 a.m. Price: NA.

CAPITOLA

SANTA CRUZ

PAINT THIS!

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY SPELLING BEE

Join us for an afternoon of painting along with one of Palace’s talented in-house artists. We provide all of the materials you will need: A 16-by-20 canvas, paint, brushes and aprons. Paint This is geared toward art enthusiasts of all skill levels. Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult and the minimum age requirement is 8. Pay and reserve your spot in the Capitola store— Reservations are required. Location: Palace Art & Office Supply, 1501 41st Ave. Date & time: Jan. 5, 1-3 p.m. Price: $25.

APTOS FARMERS MARKET

FREE FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT

This year-round farmers market (rain or shine) offers a wide range of fresh produce, prepared foods and other wares at Cabrillo College. Professional knife sharpening services are available for knives and gardening tools. For information visit montereybayfarmers. org. Location: Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Drive. Date & time: Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon. Price: NA.

Capitola Recreation Presents: Free family movie nights at the Capitola Community Center Fridays this winter. Bring low chairs, blankets and pillows. Come early as space is limited to 200 people.

“Moana” will play on Jan. 24 and “Mary Poppins Returns” will be featured on Jan. 31. For information visit cityofcapitola. org. Loction: Capitola Community Center, 4400 Jade St. Date & time: Jan. 24 and 31, 6 p.m. Price: free.

The Santa Cruz County Office of Education coordinates the elementary (grades 4-6) and junior high (grades 7-9) Spelling Bee. The countywide competition is open to two students from every private/public school in grades 4-6 and grades 7-9 who have been certified as school champions by their school coordinator. All participants will receive certificates of participation and the top three spellers in each grade level division will receive a trophy.

Winners will be announced at the end of the event. The top two spellers from each division will represent Santa Cruz County at the respective California State Spelling Championship. Location: UC Santa Cruz, Classroom Unit 1 & 2, 1156 High St. Date & time: Jan. 25, noon. Price: free.

JANUARY 2020 | APTOS LIFE

Join us as we outline the amazing Census outreach efforts underway, and to learn abut all of the new information and resources we have available. We also will be showcasing outreach plans by multiple organizations throughout the meeting. Help us rally into this new year with as much energy as possible by sharing this with your partners. Light refreshments will be provided. Location: Resurrection Catholic Church, 7600 Soquel Drive. Date & time: Jan. 15, 10 a.m. Price: NA.

to speak for the following offices and measures important to Mid-County voters: First and second district County Supervisor, Superior Court Judge, Measure R (Cabrillo Bond), Measure T (Santa Cruz High School Parcel Tax), Measure V (Soquel Elementary School Parcel Tax). The candidates and representatives for measures will be given three minutes for an introduction and respond to questions. Location: Rio Sands Hotel, 116 Aptos Beach Drive.

Date & time: Jan. 9, 6:30 p.m. Price: Free.

Leo’s Haven opening

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