LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

NOVEMBER 2017 EVERYTHING APTOS, CAPITOLA & SOQUEL Vol. 6 No. 3

APTOS

Aptos Chamber News

SOQUEL

Pets and holiday food

pg. 10

pg. 2

CAPITOLA Photo by Tarmo HANNULA

Biologists team up to collect data on stealhead trout in Aptos Creek at Rio del Mar State Beach.

Dientes celebrates 25 years

HISTORY CORNER

By John Hibble Call: 688-1467

Nonprofit continues to expand

Visit us online: aptoshistory.org

By TODD GUILD SANTA CRUZ — Just over a quarter century ago, two local dentists decided there were too many people in Santa Cruz County with insufficient access to dental care.

In 1990, Catherine Webb and Carolyn O’Donnell started a dentalonly nonprofit, which incorporated two years later as Dientes Community Dental Care.

Visit the museum: 7605-B Old Dominion Court Aptos, CA

Nearly 200 people gathered at the Dientes headquarters on Oct. 5 to celebrate the anniversary; a group that included elected officials, medical professionals and community members.

“Twenty-five years is a big number for a nonprofit,” said Dientes Development Director Sheree Storm. “What it really represents Please turn to Page 3

Rancho Del Mar Builders to pay $125K for Shopping Center mishandling Aptos Village storage tank Before Rancho Del Mar and Safeway came to Aptos, that property was used for growing sugar beets and cauliflower.

State Park Drive was lined on both sides with huge cypress trees. Highway 1 was a four-lane highway with no overpass or on-and-off ramps. Aptos was a small town but was getting ready for a growth spurt and the Cabrillo College Aptos campus was just being planned.

James Fenton had been a food chemist at Richmond Chase Canning Company before he and a partner started an advertising business for housing developments in the Santa Clara Valley. James caught the land development bug and moved his family to Aptos in 1958.

Please turn to Page 6

Staff report APTOS — The Santa Cruz County Superior Court ordered Barry Swenson Builders, Inc., to pay $125,000 recently as part of a settlement of a civil-environmental prosecution.

According to the District Attorney’s complaint filed with

the court, Barry Swenson Builders improperly handled and disposed of an underground storage tank and related hazardous waste on March 1, 2016.

This information was identified following notification by Barry Swenson Builders to the county and subsequent inspections conducted by investigators from the County

of Santa Cruz Health Services Agency — Environmental Health Division at the Aptos Village Project construction site where Barry Swenson Builders is the general contractor.

Following notification, Barry Swenson Builders hired an Please turn to Page 9

Inside ...

Chamber update ...............2 Briefs ...............................4-5 Guest columns ..................11 Calendar ...........................14 PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID WATSONVILLE, CA PERMIT NO. 23 ******ECRWSSEDDM****** POSTAL CUSTOMER APTOS, CA 95003 CAPITOLA. CA 95010

NOVEMBER 2017

2 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

Around Aptos

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

By KAREN HIBBLE

APTOS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

NBA G League President Malcolm Turner speaks during a luncheon at the Seascape Resort recently.

Photo by Mark Stover

The Warriors came to Aptos and brought the president of the NBA G League, Malcolm Turner and the Larry O’Brien championship trophies, to the beautiful Seascape Beach Resort to share with our Aptos community. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn how Santa Cruz County is becoming the model community for the G League.

Our Tree Lighting is scheduled for

Dec. 2 this year. Santa will be arriving on a fire truck again and we will be hosting a craft fair, hot chocolate from Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant, music from Twin Lakes Church, Sam Nigh’s band, the Academy of Dance, and the Soquel High School Jazz Band. This is a wonderful community event that brings our children and parents together for a special day to celebrate the holiday season.

NOVEMBER 2017

Children pose for photos with Santa Claus during the annual Holiday Craft Fair & Tree Lighting in Aptos Village in 2016. File photo by Erik Chalhoub

Join us from 2-5 p.m. Please share in the spirit of the season by bringing cookies to share, an unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots, or a donation for Second Harvest Food Bank or LEO’s Haven. As Christmas approaches this year please take a moment to thank our first responders who have had so many disasters to contend with this season.

These men and women risk their lives for

us. Thank you.

Please also shop and dine locally this holiday season. Remember that the jobs and the tax dollars stay in our community.

As we like to say, “What has amazon. com done for our community?”

••• Karen Hibble is the co-executive director of the Aptos Chamber of Commerce.

Photo by Tarmo HANNULA

APTOS

SOQUEL

CAPITOLA

Publisher - Jeanie Johnson Editor - Erik Chalhoub Editorial Todd Guild, Johanna Miller, Tony Nuñez, Tarmo Hannula Photography - Tarmo Hannula Advertising Sales Tina Chavez, Jazmine Ancira, Mark Pezzini, Veronica Iniguez, Production - Daryl Nelson Rob Chalhoub Design - Mike Lyon 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 RegisterPajaronian. Publishing in Santa Cruz County since 1894.

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Thank you for reading!

Repairs begin on Soquel Drive in Aptos

Staff report APTOS — The Santa Cruz County Department of Public Works has reduced traffic flow along Soquel Drive at Aptos Street to one lane to repair the road damaged by winter storms.

Traffic signal controls will be in place through Dec. 15. Motorists are advised to expect delays, and avoid the area if possible.

Soquel Drive is one of a halfdozen significant repairs identified by the county as it works to restore local roads following the 201617 winter storms. Others include Soquel-San Jose Road, Valencia Road, Bear Creek Road, Glenwood Drive and Swanton Road.

The emergency repair work involves reconstructing an embankment and southbound lane above Valencia Creek, and is being performed by Watsonvillebased Granite Construction. The approximately $900,000 cost is being funded primarily by Caltrans and Federal Highway Administration emergency funds.

NOVEMBER 2017

Dientes

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 3

Continued from page 1

Does the public have a right to know things?

Photo by Todd GUILD

To the Editor,

Dientes Community Dental Care Executive Director Laura Marcus addresses the crowd at the organization’s 25th anniversary celebration on Oct. 5.

is the support of the community, and the needs of the community.”

Dientes is currently executing its 201720 strategic plan, whose three-pillared approach includes bringing in all children before their first tooth comes in, or before their first birthday.

The plan also includes mandatory dental screenings before kindergarten and expanding treatment options countywide.

Dientes has locations in Watsonville, Santa Cruz and in the Beach Flats neighborhood, and is in the preliminary planning stages of a new Live Oak location. Groundbreaking is tentatively scheduled for 2019.

The organization now boasts 150 patients per day at three locations, a number that grows every year.

Even still, the numbers from a recent oral health survey for Santa Cruz County are grim.

According to the study, about 31 percent of children have never been to the dentist, and 24 percent have untreated dental decay.

Few seniors on Medicare have dental benefits, and just under 18 percent of adults on Medi-Cal received dental care in 2014, the survey showed.

Executive Director Laura Marcus said she felt “a lot of excitement and pride and gratefulness” at the anniversary.

Marcus also said she was proud of Dientes’ longevity, which she said is unique for a medical nonprofit limited to dental care.

“A lot of people 30 years ago never would have dreamed that a stand-alone dental clinic could have survived,” she said. “For us to do this independently just shows the support we have from the community.”

This summer, having run across what we thought might be an illegal connection to the Soquel Creek Water system in the Aptos Village Project, a friend and I brought the situation to the attention of the District. I wrote a letter dated Aug. 8 addressed to the Board of Directors advising them of what I had seen and requesting information about it. I received a reply dated Aug. 10 from Mr. Ron Duncan, the District General Manager, which thanked me for my letter and stated simply, “We have investigated and are taking appropriate action.” Mr. Duncan’s reply provided me with no substantive information.

I attended the Aug. 15 board meeting to see if I could learn more about the matter. I asked Mr. Duncan what their investigation had revealed with regards to the connection in question and, because I didn’t hear his response very well, I spent the remainder of my time attempting to get closer to the heart of the matter. Certainly the Board Members had not had adequate time to study my letter. I spoke out of turn after my time expired which prompted one of the members to tell me that I had the right to ask questions but no right to demand answers.

While I thought I was doing the District a favor and was not “demanding” anything, the consequence was something akin to running into a brick wall. The word “demand” is not to be found in my letter, nor did I utter the word in anything I said. Needless to say, I was shocked and offended, and left wondering what they might be keeping

from the public. The District recently received two awards for transparency, but in this case? About as transparent as a slate chalkboard!

The idea that the Board conducts “public meetings” can be a bit difficult to swallow at times. Yes, people are free to attend meetings, ask questions, and voice their concerns. But, all too often the response from the Board is simply “thank you,” and they’re off to the next item; no answer to questions or concerns. What is the benefit of the public meeting if one sits there feeling as welcome as a cockroach in their kitchen? And rather than satisfactory feedback on your reason for being there, you get stomped on like a bug, figuratively.

This train of thought is not exclusive to the water board as was discovered at a recent meeting of the Historic Resources Commission, when we were told that they were under orders to include “action items only” in the minutes of their meetings; nothing of the questions or comments from the public. Or a county employee, being asked about public participation, responded to the effect that they were already too busy, and that dealing with the public takes too much time.

If one goes to their offices seeking information, one is faced with fees of up to $1,800 depending upon the nature of the inquiry. It seems to me that the deck is pretty well stacked against the general public.

Thomas Stumbaugh Aptos

Cabrillo server hacked

Students’ personal information stolen Staff report APTOS — An “unauthorized person” hacked into a Cabrillo College server, stealing personal information from select students, the college announced Oct. 6.

On Sept. 5, Cabrillo became aware of a recent hack into one of its servers, according to spokeswoman Kristin Fabos.

When the school became aware of the hack, the servers were immediately shut down and an investigation began.

The hacked database contained student orientation information including names, dates of birth, email addresses, passwords, usernames and Social Security numbers.

The college partnered with a nationally known law firm that is experienced in these

types of situations, according to Fabos.

Students who have been affected have access to a call center for information.

Alongside the call center, Cabrillo is notifying possibly affected students and guiding them on how they can protect themselves.

Select individuals will also be offered a complimentary one-year membership in credit monitoring and identity theft protection services.

Due to the incident, Cabrillo has enhanced its security of the orientation system and has created a more secure password storage system, according to Fabos Those with questions or concerns can call 888-396-9528, Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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NOVEMBER 2017

4 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

BE NATURAL MUSIC

FOLK ART

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

CAO names executive management team Staff report

The folk art of the San Bushman, an indigenous tribe in Botswana, will be the focus of an exhibition at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History. Contributed photo

Folk art exhibit to benefit indigenous San Bushman of Botswana

Youth band performance supports music program Staff report SANTA CRUZ — Be Natural Music is holding a live performance and fundraiser on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 5 p.m. at Coaster Bar & Grill | Boardwalk Bowl, 115 Cliff St. in Santa Cruz.

Proceeds and donations from this familyfriendly event will go to the Be Natural Music Scholarship Program, which provides financial assistance to kids in the music program.

Five youth bands — Neon Roses, Chasing Dead Ends, The Twerps, TOAST and the Jazz Band — will perform.

Admission is free. For information, visit www. benaturalmusicsantacruz.com/events.

Staff report SANTA CRUZ — The colorful folk art of the San Bushman, an indigenous tribe in Botswana, is the focus of an exhibition and auction taking place Friday, Nov. 10 from 5-8 p.m. at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, 705 Front St. in Santa Cruz.

The event is the brainchild of Peace Corps volunteer, Peggy Flynn, who returned home to Santa Cruz in December after three years in Botswana. On a visit to D’Kar, she came across an art collective and was awestruck.

“They were just remarkable,” Flynn said of the San Bushman artists, who are descendants of ancient hunter-gatherer people of southern Africa.

“These people live in a remote area and have little in the way of basic amenities. Yet there they were making some of the most beautiful art I’ve ever seen.”

Donations are also accepted at gofundme.com/ savesanbushmanart-culture.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY — County Administrative Office Carlos J. Palacios announced that Nicole Coburn and Elissa Benson have joined his executive management team, both of whom will serve as assistant county administrative pfficer.

“These individuals have demonstrated first-rate skills and abilities, and will be key team members as we move forward in implementing a new vision and organizational structure for the county,” Palacios said. “They each carry a unique set of perspectives and experiences into their new roles, and I welcome them to the county family and look forward to working closely with them for many years to come.”

Coburn most recently served as a principal administrative analyst in the County Administrative Office, overseeing departmental operations and budgets. She has helped the county implement numerous library services and criminal justice programs and initiatives, and was most recently tasked with overseeing the county’s first-ever strategic planning process.

“Serving the residents of Santa Cruz County has been a great honor, particularly as a member of the community for more than a decade,” Coburn said. “I am excited about the new initiatives being launched in the county, and I look forward to continuing to work with our employees, partners and residents as we take additional steps together.”

“My family has a strong connection to Santa Cruz, and I myself spent a summer working at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk,” Benson said.

“Returning to Santa Cruz County to help the community prosper has been a dream of mine, and I look forward to working with county staff and the community as we strive to improve county operations to better serve residents.”

NOVEMBER 2017

SCHOOLS PLUS

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 5

JEANNE WITMER SCHOLARSHIP

OPEN FARM TOURS

Deadline approaches for Schools Plus grant applications SANTA CRUZ COUNTY — Schools Plus, the public schools foundation of Santa Cruz County, is seeking qualified candidates to apply for the 201718 “Classroom Teacher and Bricmont Library Fund Grant Program” which provides cash grants to classroom teachers working in Santa Cruz County public schools.

The Teacher Classroom Project Grant is a program that awards funds of $500 to $1,500 to teachers for creative and innovative projects for classroom use that directly impacts the quality of education for students.

To be eligible, kindergarten-12th grade public school teachers from all districts in Santa Cruz County may apply. A teacher may submit a collaborative grant with one or more teachers.

After-school programs are not eligible at this time.

The program funds a wide variety of projects in many curricular areas and all grade levels.

The deadline to apply is Nov. 11. Applications and detailed information are available online at www.schoolsplus.us/teacher-classroom-grants.

Winners will be announced in December, funding will take place in January and recipients will be honored at Schools Plus annual celebration event in September.

“Our mission is to promote, support and enhance the quality of education for all students in in our community public schools by encouraging the innovation and resourcefulness of teachers and providing an avenue for more direct participation by the community,” said Schools Plus board president Nicole Bricmont.

Cabrillo student receives Jeannie Witmer Memorial Scholarship Staff report WATSONVILLE — Rachel Hodder was awarded Agri-Culture’s 2017 Jeannie Witmer Memorial Scholarship.

The award is for a student (past or present) who has participated in the California High School Rodeo Association, District 4, or a California 4-H Horse program within the greater Bay Area.

Hodder graduated from Aptos High School in 2014, and has been attending Cabrillo College for the past two years. When she earns her associate’s degree from Cabrillo she plans on transferring to California State University Monterey Bay, where she will major in Agricultural Business/ Accounting. Eventually, Hodder hopes to have a career in accountant for a local agricultural organization.

“Rachel is an outstanding individual,” AgriCulture President Steve Bontadelli said. “She is a well-rounded person who has participated in several organizations including 4-H. She will be a great addition to our agriculture community when she returns from college.”

For information about the Jeannie Witmer Memorial Scholarship or other scholarship opportunities, contact Agri-Culture at (831) 7226622 or visit www.agri-culture.us.

Nick Prevedelli of Prevedelli Farms discusses apple farming during the Open Farm Tours.

Photo by Todd Guild

Farm tour doubles its numbers

By TODD GUILD CORRALITOS — An estimated 2,000 people visited farms throughout Corralitos on Oct. 8, stepping into orchards, walking through crop-rows and delving into the inner-workings of an industry normally closed to the public.

The Open Farm Tours, now in its fourth year, more than doubled its numbers from 2016, said organizer Penny Ellis.

Attendees had 10 farms from which to choose, in addition to Aladdin Nursery, which served as the event’s hub and lunch stop.

The event was created as a way to connect people with the farmers who grow their food, and encourage them to shop locally.

It was also designed for people who want to know how their food was produced, which is important as consumers are increasingly switching to organic and locally-sourced food, Ellis said.

Volunteer coordinator Ellen Farmer said the event drew visitors from throughout the Bay Area.

“We were really happy with the turnout,” she said. “We just felt really grateful that so many people felt like this is how they wanted to spend their day.”

What a Wonderful World My mom has always been an optimist. She sees hope when others just see rain.

For as long as I can remember, each fall, when temperatures cooled and the autumn rains rolled in over our pasture, she pointed out a symbol of that hope. We would wait, and when the sun broke just the right way, it would emerge. A rainbow!

I cling to those now. Rainbows. Because they are harder for her to point out.

Over the course of my mom’s life, severe arthritis and a weak heart now make bending and reaching painful. Cooking and laundry are impossible without help.

My dad and I have tried home care services and worked shifts ourselves, but Dad is exhausted and they’re becoming housebound. I think it’s time for a change.

If an older parent needs daily assistance, maybe they’re not independent anymore.

Consider Áegis Living for professional help. We are the trusted, local senior care provider, specializing in assisted living and memory care. We offer the finest care, cuisine, social activities and comfortable warm home surroundings with committed staff. Come in for a tour and lunch with your parent. Let them experience our community filled with new friends, and new hope.

Please call our community and learn how we can help you take the break you need.

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6 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

History Corner

Continued from page 1

In 1959, James purchased 16 acres from Mr. and Mrs. C. W. McFadden of Soquel to develop a shopping center. When plans for the new center were announced, local residents were not happy. They fought the proposal in order to preserve the view and to uphold property values.

The plans included 100,000 square feet of buildings with plans for 20-25 stores, and parking for more than 550 cars with extensive planting and landscaping to provide maximum shopping comfort and convenience. The original drawings showed a large parking area behind the stores but most of that land was sold off to the state for a freeway overpass and ramps, leaving about 12 acres for development.

The cost was expected to exceed $2 million. Three years later Rancho Del Mar was considered the most thriving, one-stop shopping complex in the mid-county area.

The first phase of construction was about one-third of the total project and included Safeway and a branch of County Bank.

The center was designed and built by the C. W. Wilder company of Los Gatos who had developed shopping centers in the Santa Clara Valley with a rustic ranch style architecture, best described as “Carmel Ranch” with extensive use of rustic brick and other masonry materials, and spacious 12-foot covered walks supported by massive wooden beams.

Rancho Del Mar opened on Wednesday, June 21, 1961 with eight stores. The Grand Opening continued for a week. VIPs in attendance included corporate officers, the state assemblyman, Miss California, and the nationally known, turban wearing, mystical organist, composer, pianist, and television star, Korla Pandit, who played for a total of five hours during opening day. James Fenton called the opening, “sensational.”

As an aside, Korla Pandit claimed to have been born in New Delhi, India, but his real name was John Roland Redd, and

he was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He was a musical genius and master of disguise, which allowed him to become one of the first African-American television stars.

He lived in and around Santa Cruz in the 1960s and ‘70s.

Rancho Del Mar redefined Aptos. The Santa Cruz Sentinel later reported, “The Rancho Del Mar shopping center in Aptos, hither a no-man’s land between Santa Cruz and Watsonville commercial centers, is a striking example of Mid-County dynamics.” The success of the center also caused Aptos Village merchants to consider a face-lift for the buildings in the Village in order to compete.

In August 1963, Fenton applied for a county variance to have a revolving neon sign on a 78-foot pole for the shopping center, because the new Highway 1 underpass made the center less visible.

After initial approval, the variance was withdrawn.

The second phase of Rancho Del Mar opened in June 1964, with Leask’s department store, a Santa Cruz mainstay since 1892. The third phase was completed in 1968 and the fourth in 1970. The completed shopping center included 66 businesses.

James Fenton and his family moved to Sandpoint, Idaho in 1972. Rancho Del Mar continued to be THE place to shop in Aptos for several decades but eventually began to show its age.

James Fenton died on Jan. 16, 2005.

His wife died in 2008 and their son died in 2011. On Feb. 17, 2012, after 50 years, Safeway Inc., and their development arm, Property Development Centers, completed the purchase of Rancho del Mar with plans to completely remodel the center including a new Safeway market with many new stores and restaurants above it, complete with views of the Monterey Bay. Many people in the community were very upset with the proposal.

The proposed Rancho Del Mar shopping center is shown in this 1959 image.

Aptos History Museum archives

Safeway’s merger with Albertsons was announced in 2014 and Property Development Center and its assets, including Rancho Del Mar, were sold to Terramar Retail Centers, (TRC) in January 2015. TRC’s plans only involve a face lift for the center which includes Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements and upgraded utilities. The design theme is “contemporary rural western.”

Except for Safeway, the initial tenants at Rancho Del Mar were a vibrant group of locally owned businesses. Even Erik’s Deli is local. They started in Scotts Valley.

Their Rancho Del Mar location was their third deli which opened in October 1977 and their corporate office was upstairs across the food court.

Because Rancho Del Mar had not been sold for 50 years, the taxes were artificially low. The county has benefited from the increased tax valuation from the two recent sales but the shopping center

tenants had to pay for the increased taxes as part of their rent. This has caused a number of businesses to relocate or close.

Once the remodel is completed, the rent may be the highest in the county which means that the new tenants could likely be corporate chain type stores who can afford those rates. Rancho Del Mar will once again redefine Aptos. Change is constant but sometimes it comes in big chunks.

The Aptos History Museum’s first event of the season will be about Frederick Hihn’s little known railroads to his sawmills. This will include the Valencia Mill in Aptos as well as Gold Gulch, Laurel and King’s Creek. The speaker will be Derek Whaley, author of “Santa Cruz Trains: Railroads of the Santa Cruz Mountains.”

In addition, Soup De Jour by Jimmie, will be providing a soup tasting for attendees. Saturday, Nov. 4, 3-4:30 p.m., $10 members and $15 for non-members.

Reservations ONLY, 688-1467.

Rancho Del Mar is shown in this aerial photo from the 1970s. Aptos History Museum archives

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NOVEMBER 2017

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 7

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8 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

NOVEMBER 2017

NOVEMBER 2017

Storage Tank

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 9 Continued from page 1

environmental consultant to perform soil testing, obtain permits for the removal of the tank, perform remediation of the site, pay a fine and conduct employee training regarding the proper handling of underground storage tanks.

On June 30, 2016, the county Environmental Health Division issued a letter stating that no remaining detected chemical concentrations exceeded applicable levels and there was no further action needed at that time.

Under the court order, Barry Swenson Builders now must pay $94,465 in civil penalties, $10,000 in restitution, $435 in court fees, and $20,100 to reimburse for the costs of the investigation. The amounts are in addition to the administrative penalties Barry Swenson Builders paid to the Environmental Health Division.

Prosecutor Ed Browne said that Barry Swenson Builders cooperated fully throughout the investigation and quickly responded to enhance their policies

and procedures designed to eliminate the improper disposal of underground storage tanks and hazardous wastes at its construction sites, including additional training for their personnel. Barry Swenson Builders also cooperated fully with the Environmental Health Division and complied with all of its directives in cleaning up the site at its sole expense, according to Browne.

The Division issued a “No Further Action Closure” letter on June 30, 2016, stating that no further remediation of the site is needed.

“It’s a top priority for our office to ensure environmental regulations are closely followed,” District Attorney Jeffrey Rosell said. “Today’s settlement is a significant example to set and illustrates that our office will hold businesses accountable for any unlawful actions, and in protecting the environment and the citizens of Santa Cruz County.”

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10 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

NOVEMBER 2017

Pets and holiday food

By DR. NICHOLE M BROOKS, DVM As the holidays approach I decided we should all revisit what not to feed our pets and why. Based on the ASPCA, Poison Control and other research I compiled a list of the most common foods we eat that our pets should not!

1. Chocolate Chocolate is one of the most common toxicities that is seen in dogs and sometimes cats. Between Halloween and Valentine’s Day we see a variety of ingestions.

Severity ranges from white chocolate<milk chocolate<semisweet<bakers<dry cocoa powder. Chocolate contains a chemical compound called methylxanthines as well as caffeine. If dogs and cats ingest methylxanthines or caffeine it can cause them to be restless, hyperactive, increased heart and respiratory rate, increase in urination, vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, and even seizures.

2. Grapes and Raisins This seemingly benign ingredient can cause acute kidney failure in dogs and possibly cats. We do not know why this happens or the toxic mechanism of action. However, since the side effects are possibly life-threatening and irreversible we just err on the side of caution and do not feed anything that has grapes or raisins to our pets.

3. Macadamia Nuts These delicious and decadent nuts can cause extreme pain, weakness, vomiting tremors, hyperthermia and sometimes secondary pancreatitis when ingested by dogs. The side effects can appear within 12 hours and last 48 hours. Again, we do not understand why these nuts are so toxic to our pets.

4. Bread Dough Watch the famous Thanksgiving rolls, my dog two years ago ate all of my aunt’s famous rolls while they were still rising! Fortunately for her she survived the incident unscathed, but dough can be really dangerous. Dough, especially in the raw form can expand inside the stomach and can cause an obstruction and often requires surgery. In addition to becoming a foreign body in the stomach, yeast can secrete ethanol and cause stumbling, collapse and even coma.

5. Xylitol Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that is an alcohol sugar. It is most often found in gum, candies and mints. Be on the lookout for the artificial sweetener in peanut butter, low carb foods, toothpaste and cereals.

When ingested it causes the body to produce insulin and this causes a drop in blood sugar. The signs to watch out for are stomach upset, listlessness and stumbling.

In severe cases this can cause a seizure and even damage to the liver.

6. Alcohol This may seem like a no-brainer, but please don’t give you pets alcohol, it

makes them sick for the same reasons it makes us sick. Even in small doses it can have severe side effects.

7. Coconut This is on the rise of common toxicities.

There may be benefits in humans but it can be toxic to your pets. The most common form is from topical treatments.

Most animals groom themselves and can ingest coconut oil. Many pets suffer from vomiting and diarrhea. In addition a more severe side effect is the high potassium in coconut. Potassium has a strong effect on the heart, and can cause major heart arrhythmias and can be fatal. Do not give or supplement potassium ever in your pet.

8. Salt Ingesting too much sodium is bad for all of us. It causes a major disturbances in the endocrine, metabolic and nervous systems. Obviously it makes pets thirstier and therefore mimic some illness such as kidney disease, hypertension or diabetes.

Other clinical signs of salt toxicity include stomach upset, disorientation, seizures and can be fatal. Try to avoid super salty snacks for your pets.

9. Raw Meat This may seem straightforward, but I feel the need to reiterate that raw meat, raw eggs and raw bones carry Salmonella, E. coli and other dangerous food borne bacteria and illnesses. For the same reasons we don’t eat chicken out of a package at the grocery store is the same reasons we DO NOT feed it to our pets. Treated and prepared raw food is VERY different than feeding your pets raw ground beef.

Remember all raw food sold has been through a processing plant that is always at risk of contamination even in our most careful situations. We regulate food borne contamination with recalls.

The holidays are a fun and exciting time for everyone in the family. It’s no wonder our pets and us pack on a few extra pounds with all that yummy food going around. Use this list as a guideline and remember this is just a list of common toxic things ingested, it is not everything that can make your pet sick.

If your beloved animal ingests something or you believe it ate something off, call the ER Vet or your regular DVM as soon as possible! I hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday. I know my pets love the family get togethers and we can’t resist the occasional treat!

•••

Ask Dr. Brooks!

The Del Mar Pet Hospital, a locally owned Small Animal Hospital offering medical, surgery, radiology, dentistry, boarding and bathing services for dogs and cats. 7525 Sunset Way in Aptos. 688-2016.

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Second District Update

Santa Cruz County Strategic Plan

By ZACH FRIEND

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY SUPERVISOR

There is no question that the Santa Cruz County of today is different than it was 30 years ago and we know that some elements will be different 30 years from now than they are today. How do we invest in the current and future needs of the county?

Where can the county improve? Where should we focus our efforts?

The Board of Supervisors, working with our newly appointed County

Administrative Officer, Carlos Palacios, is working to answer these questions by initiating a countywide strategic planning effort in 2017-18. The strategic planning process, called “Vision Santa Cruz County,” will work with county staff and our community to establish a long-term vision for our county. Specifically, the plan will set a course of action through highlevel overarching focus areas and then specific, actionable, goals and objectives to meet those focus areas.

What is the process for creating the plan?

The county began the process by comparing existing models and formats in other counties and cities, reviewing community and department plans, and receiving input on strategic plan development from other communities that have gone through the process.

Moving forward, the county will work with county staff, the Board of Supervisors and the community (including at upcoming community meetings throughout the county this fall) to set the focus areas and goals of the plan. Additionally, the ability to provide input online has already been established (the link is at the end of this article).

From a timeline perspective, outreach and engagement will occur throughout the fall, with a presentation of the draft vision, mission, values and focus areas to the Board of Supervisors in the winter, formal goal setting in the spring, and then draft and final County Strategic Plan by the end of 2018.

Why is a strategic plan helpful?

Working with the community to identify our community’s strategic direction will prioritize use of limited resources, set expectations and measurable objectives, help cope with environmental uncertainty and change, and provide an objective basis for programmatic and policy evaluation that currently does not fully exist.

One thing that I think is an important component of a strategic plan is working toward a performance measurement effort.

Put simply, having a tool to support datadriven decision-making and inform the budget process. Are our investments working? Should programs be reformed or improved? How do we best invest in improved outcomes?

One path we’ve discussed at the Board of Supervisors is a two-year budget combined with a two-year operational plan to carry out the county’s strategic plan goals. The

first two-year budget and operational plan would provide the county with a work plan of measurable objectives and action steps to meet these objectives.

The second two-year budget and operational plan would implement performance measures, which would allow the community (and Board of Supervisors) to truly measure the efficacy of our programs and approaches. The strategic plan would be a first step in this process.

Please sign up for updates on the strategic planning process at www.santacruzcounty. us/sp or email the county with questions or comments at vision@santacruzcounty.us.

Additionally, you can attend an upcoming community workshop — here are a few in the Mid and South County: • Nov. 15, 6 p.m., Civic Plaza Community Room, 275 Main St. in Watsonville • Nov. 18, 10 a.m., Monschke Hall/Twin Lakes Church, 2701 Cabrillo College Drive in Aptos • Nov. 28, 6 p.m. at the Community Room at Simpkins Swim Center, 979 17th Ave. As always, I appreciate hearing your thoughts. Please feel free to call me at 4542200.

Financial Advice

Teaching children financial lessons during the holidays

By GARY E. CROXALL, CFP® and SOREN E. CROXALL, CFP® The holiday season is upon us! 2017 has flown by and we are only weeks away from Thanksgiving. Friday, Nov. 24 means a mad dash to be the first in line at your favorite store for Black Friday shopping, or maybe you shop from the convenience of your living room on Cyber Monday.

Either way, the holiday season can turn into a stressful time of juggling family obligations, parties, and last minute to do’s before you ring in the New Year.

However, the holiday season can also be an opportune time to teach your kids lessons about giving and basic financial literacy.

Below are a couple of ideas to consider.

Discuss charities and giving back Children are inundated with advertisements for the latest must haves each holiday season. They are conditioned for receiving during the holiday season.

Take their holiday wish list and review

it with them, then ask them which toy (within reason) they would like to give to a child in need. Explain that not everyone may be as fortunate as them. You could also talk with your child about some of your favorite charities and how they help.

Then tell your child you will be making a donation (if appropriate) to that charity this season and why it’s important to give back.

Giving doesn’t always have to be monetary either. Instead of writing a check to a charity, you could take your children with you to volunteer for a day at a soup kitchen, a food bank, or some other deserving organization. Show them that giving your time can be just as valuable as giving your money to a worthy cause.

Instilling in children the concept of giving back to their community is a lesson that can last a lifetime.

Allowance and savings accounts If your kids are old enough to help out around the house, consider establishing an allowance system for completed chores.

This does not mean giving them $20 a week just because. Certain chores can have a set value: take out the garbage for week ($5), fold three loads of laundry ($5) for the week, load and unload the dishwasher ($5), etc. You should ensure that the chores

are completed to your standards before paying them. The earlier children learn the value of a dollar the better. Once your children get used to completing chores in order earn their allowance, sit down and have a deeper discussion with them about the importance of saving the money that they earn. If there is a toy or gadget that they really want, don’t automatically go out and buy it for them. Make them work towards a savings goal and buy it themselves (or at least contribute a portion of the cost).

Consider opening up a savings account at your local bank for your kids to allow them to make deposits from their allowance.

This could be a good segue to talk with your kids about proper budgeting as well as not spending more than what they earn or have saved. Basic financial topics could be discussed such as what is the difference between a savings and checking account or what is the difference between a debit card and a credit card.

The holiday season can be a great time to point out and show children that not everyone may have the same advantages that they have. The recent events with Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, as devastating as they were, give a high profile opportunity to point this out.

Starting out young with a habit of saving,

giving back with some sort of community service, and being responsible with how they approach their money decisions are not just good financial lessons, but good life lessons.

Gary E. Croxall, CFP®

Soren E. Croxall, CFP® Croxall Capital Planning Advisory services provided by Croxall Capital Planning (CCP), a Registered Investment Advisor. Separate advisory and securities services may be provided

by National Planning Corporation (NPC), member FINRA/SIPC, and a SEC Registered Investment Advisor.

CCP & NPC are independent and unrelated companies. Please consult with your representative to confirm on which company’s behalf services are being provided. NPC and CCP do not provide tax or legal advice. The information contained herein is for general education and is not intended as specific advice or a recommendation to any person or entity. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of NPC.

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Thousands clean up county More than 7,600 pounds of trash removed

By TODD GUILD SANTA CRUZ COUNTY — Volunteers picking up trash along the Pajaro River on Sept. 16 found a drone and a lawnmower, while those in the Watsonville Slough found a giant stuffed Snoopy doll.

Volunteers cleaning up Greyhound Beach north of Santa Cruz uncovered a plastic bag stuffed with 40 pounds of dirty diapers, according to Save Our Shores spokesman Ryan Kallabis.

“They had to dig it out because they had no idea what it was,” he said.

Those were among the more unusual items removed from local waterways during the 33rd annual Coastal Cleanup Day, during which volunteers gathered 7,611 pounds of trash, Kallabis said.

Teachers and students from New School Community Day School collected more than 50 pounds of trash from Watsonville Slough, teacher Bryan Love said.

According to Kallabis, 1,789 volunteers in Santa Cruz County removed 7,611 pounds of waste. In Monterey County, 1,024 volunteers removed 4,658 pounds of waste.

The workers spent part of their weekend at 77 beach, river and slough sites along an 85-mile stretch of coastline between northern Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.

Thanks in part to illegal dumping, workers at Lompico Creek and Upper Carr Lake removed 3,600 pounds of trash, Kallabis said.

Volunteers gathered 5,200 cigarette butts, with 1,071 coming from Capitola City Beach. Kallabis said.

In Watsonville, 262 volunteers removed more than 1,500 pounds of trash and recyclables from the watershed including the wetlands at Ramsay Park and Pajaro Valley High School (Watsonville and

Struve sloughs), the Pajaro River at River Park, the City Plaza and surrounding streets, according to Rachel Kippen, environmental special projects coordinator for the city.

The cigarette butt cleanup at the City Plaza, a new site this year, retrieved more than 350 butts and was led by the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers, Mintie White Elementary, the Santa Cruz County Tobacco Education Coalition, and Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance.

“Coastal Cleanup Day is important, because it builds awareness,” said Natural Bridges Site Captain John Rible, who has been participating in the event for 25 years.

“Our beaches are polluted because folks aren’t aware of the effects of trash.”

During his first year, Rible said he handed out snacks to the volunteers, who tossed the wrappers onto the same beach they had just cleaned.

“That was the first Coastal Cleanup Day though,” he said. “There was no awareness, no connection. It’s different now, kids are more aware and even telling us old folks to pick up after themselves.”

Statewide, more than 40,000 people collected nearly 300,000 pounds of trash from beaches, shorelines and inland waterways from the Oregon to Mexico borders and as far inland as Lake Tahoe, according to the California Coastal Commission.

California’s event is part of the International Coastal Cleanup organized

by Ocean Conservancy.

“It was a remarkable day along the California coast and hundreds of miles of inland waterways,” said Jack Ainsworth, executive director of the California Coastal Commission. “Trash in our environment and in our ocean can cause enormous damage, and plastic fragments are known to travel up the food chain and potentially

end up on our dinner plates. Californians turned out by the tens of thousands to help us combat this tide of trash.”

According to past cleanup data, 75 percent of the debris that volunteers removed was composed of plastic, a material that never truly biodegrades and has numerous harmful consequences in the environment. Plastic debris can kill wildlife, leach toxins into the environment, and even introduce them into the food chain, for years.

In an effort to reduce waste during the events, the Coastal Commission asked volunteers to bring their own reusable bag or bucket and reusable gloves to the event rather than handing out disposable plastic items available at every site.

As a result, the commission ordered 200,000 fewer trash bags over the past four years, the Coastal Commission reported.

••• For information, visit www.coast4u.org.

Maura Connoly (left) and Felicia Van Stolk (right) help volunteers sign up for the annual Coastal Cleanup Day at Seabright State Beach on Sept. 16. Photo by Tarmo Hannula

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Thanking

all the

firefighters

for their hard work and sacrifice!

Thank you for your service!

APTOS

SOQUEL

CAPITOLA

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR Nov. 4-5 Capitola Plein Air

The third annual Capitola Plein Air art festival will take place all around Capitola.

Artists will be painting from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 4, and the finished works will be on display at New Brighton Middle School Performing Arts Center on Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Nov. 9 Breakfast meeting

Nov. 15 Networking lunch

The Capitola-Soquel Chamber of Commerce will hold a networking lunch at Bargetto Winery, 3535 N. Main St. in Soquel, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The guest speaker will be Dr. Larry Deghetaldi, president at Palo Alto Medical Foundation Santa Cruz at Sutter Health. Admission is $20 for chamber members, or $25 for nonmembers. For reservations, visit www. capitolachamber.com.

The Aptos Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly breakfast meeting from 7:30-9 a.m. at Best Western Seacliff Inn, 7500 Old Dominion Court in Aptos.

This month’s guest speaker is Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart. Admission is $20 for chamber members, and $25 for nonmembers. For reservations, call 688-1467.

All-chamber mixer

Nov. 11

Nov. 18

Albacore feed

La Selva Beach Holiday Fair

The Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project and the Castroville Rotary Club will present the 40th annual fundraising albacore dinner and raffle at the Castroville Recreation Center, 11261 Crane St. in Castroville. No-host cocktails begin at 6 p.m., with dinner served at 7 p.m. The Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project is a nonprofit volunteer organization seeking to restore the native salmon and steelhead trout population in the area. Tickets are available at the door, and cost $20 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under.

The all-Santa Cruz County chamber mixer will take place at Bay Federal Credit Union, 3333 Clares St. in Capitola, from 5-7 p.m. Food from Five Star Catering will be served, along with local wines and craft brews, as well as music by Bob Burnett.

Bay Federal Credit Union is celebrating its 60th anniversary. Admission is free.

The La Selva Beach Holiday Fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the La Selva Beach Clubhouse, 314 Estrella Ave. More than 30 art and craft vendors will sell handcrafted goods. The free admission event will also feature a book sale, bake sale and hot food. Live music all day. Kids’ crafts at 1 p.m. The fair is sponsored by La Selva Beach Improvement Association, Friends of the La Selva Library and La Selva Community Emergency Response Team. For information, email BooksandBrewsLSB@gmail.com.

NOVEMBER 2017 Monte Carlo Night

The German/American Club of Santa Cruz will host Monte Carlo Night at 6 p.m. at their hall, 230 Plymouth St. in Santa Cruz. Your favorite casino games such as Blackjack and Craps and more all for entrance charge of $10. Call 420-2084 for information.

Ongoing ‘Nice Work If You Can Get It’

The Cabrillo College Theatre Arts Department will present “Nice Work If You Can Get It” on Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 11 and 18 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 5, 12, 19 at 2 p.m. Set in the 1920s, the story follows a Jazz Age playboy, who gets involved with bootleggers, rumrunners and gold Holiday Boutique Aptos United Methodist Church, 221 diggers, all to the tunes of George and Ira Thunderbird Drive, will hold its fifth Gershwin. Performances take place at the annual Holiday Boutique from 9 a.m. to 3 Crocker Theater, 6500 Soquel Drive in p.m., on the church campus in Seascape. Aptos. For tickets, call 479-6154 or visit Vendors will offer a variety of gift items cabrillovapa.com. including baked goods, cards, clothes, crafts, jams, jewelry, plants, quilts, sea glass art, soaps, toffee, totes, etc. Nov. 25 is Small Business Saturday in Santa Cruz County, and the Holiday Boutique has been chosen to represent Aptos, highlighting the handiwork of local entrepreneurs. For information, visit www.aptosumc.org.

Nov. 25

Nov. 25 Surfin’ Santa

Surfin’ Santa and the Reindeer will make their way to the shores of Capitola from noon to 3 p.m. Admission is free.

Dec. 2

APTOS

SOQUEL

CAPITOLA

Holiday Craft Fair and Tree Lighting

The annual Holiday Craft Fair and Tree Lighting will take place at the Aptos Village Park Tree from 2-5 p.m. The evening will including dancing, music, crafts and a visit from Santa Cruz. The rain check date is set for Dec. 9.

Lyon

Business & Service Directory Host your next event at one of our facilities!

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www.watsonvillerec.com • Office Hours: M-Fri 9am-4pm

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NOVEMBER 2017