LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

DECEMBER 2018 EVERYTHING APTOS, CAPITOLA & SOQUEL Vol. 7 No. 4

APTOS

SOQUEL

Toys for Tots

Sports

Giving season begins

Aptos, Soquel volleyball

pg. 3

pg. 12

CAPITOLA Photo by Tarmo HANNULA

Holiday celebrations begin

Kate Smith, owner of Level & Lust Interiors, fixes ornaments on a 20-foot cypress Christmas tree in Capitola Village at the start of Capitola’s holiday festivities.

Aptos Village shaping up

Phase 1 construction — including restaurants, shops — to end by summer

By TODD GUILD

A painter works on the exterior of a residential unit under construction on Parade Street. Photo by Erik Chalhoub

APTOS — In the not-too-distant future, Aptos’ signature World’s Shortest Parade will terminate in the Village Green, the centerpiece of Aptos Village’s expansive new development.

The common could also be the new home of Aptos’ annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

That’s according to Mary Gourlay, development project manager for

Swenson, which is the contractor in charge of the project.

Known formally as the Aptos Village Project, the project abutting Nisene Marks State Park has radically transformed the once tiny mid-county town by adding about 19 condos, 28 townhouses, restaurants and retail spaces, all of which is the first phase of the two-phase project. All of this is Please turn to Page 6

A classic comes to life Tickets for Agape Dance Academy’s ‘The Nutcracker’ on sale now Staff report APTOS — Agape Dance Academy announced that its 2018 Nutcracker Suite ballet will be performed for the first time at Cabrillo College’s Crocker Theater the weekend before Christmas.

The classic two-act ballet, set to music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, has become one of the most popular ballet productions across the world.

HISTORY CORNER

By John Hibble on Page 7

Agape Dance Academy’s “Nutcracker” is in its seventh year in Santa Cruz County. Director Melanie Useldinger, former dancer for the San Francisco Ballet, helped this year in securing the Crocker Theater — which features a professional theater stage and modern equipment.

Agape’s production will be supporting Jacob’s Heart Children Cancer Services, with a portion of ticket sales

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Capitola Library ...................2 Briefs .................................4-5 Guest columns ...................9 Calendar .............................14 PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID WATSONVILLE, CA PERMIT NO. 23 ******ECRWSSEDDM****** POSTAL CUSTOMER APTOS, CA 95003 CAPITOLA. CA 95010

DECEMBER 2018

2 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

Groundbreaking starts Capitola Library project New building could open in late 2019

By TODD GUILD

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

Production

Mike Lyon, Rob Chalhoub Life in Aptos, Capitola and Soquel is published monthly. All rights reserved, material may not be reprinted without written consent from the publisher.

Life in Aptos, Capitola and Soquel made every effort to maintain the accuracy of information presented in this publication, but assumes no responsibility for errors, changes or omissions. Life in Aptos, Capitola and Soquel is a division of the RegisterPajaronian. Publishing in Santa Cruz County since 1868.

CAPITOLA — For years, a temporary building has served as the Capitola Library, which included a modest bank of computers, a colorful children’s section and an astonishing number of books, given the diminutive size of the place.

An estimated 60,000 people visit the library each year, making it one of the busiest in the county.

But the aging mobile structure was never meant to be a permanent home for the Capitola Library, and it is showing its age.

That’s set to change. Workers were expected to begin demolishing the structure on Monday to make way for the city’s new library, with construction estimated to begin on Dec. 1. It is tentatively set to open in late 2019.

In a groundbreaking ceremony on Nov. 9 held to herald in the construction, Capitola Mayor Mike Termini said the project’s start was a long time coming.

“In a universe of great days, this is the greatest,” he said.

A flock of city and county officials, librarians and patrons gathered to witness the brief ceremony, which was also a chance for organizers to kick off a capital campaign to raise $750,000 still needed to cover the $13.1 million project.

The nonprofit group Friends of the Capitola Branch Library is turning to the community in hopes members will come through with the rest. This can be accomplished by purchasing a customengraved paving stone, or by simply making a cash donation.

Measure S, which voters passed in 2016 to fund library construction and upgrade projects throughout Santa Cruz County, has provided $10 million, while the city’s general fund and redevelopment money made up $2.6 million, Capitola City Manager Jamie Goldstein said.

Gayle Ortiz, who sits on the fundraising committee, said that silent fundraising efforts in the run-up to the campaign has

Capitola Mayor Mike Termini (at podium) addresses a standing-room-only crowd during the groundbreaking ceremony for the city’s new library on Nov. 9.

Photo by Todd Guild

garnered $550,000 from such donors as the Ow family and Marc Monte.

The new library will weigh in at 11,700 square feet, a significant leap from the comparatively puny 4,300 square feet of the former one. When finished, it will include such amenities as a community room, an expanded children’s wing, study and reading rooms, reading “nooks,” an outdoor reading deck, a fireplace and a space for teens.

Capitola Library Branch Manager Melanee Barash said the space will also blend the traditional library model with the type of technology expected by a society that is increasingly turning to its screens instead of paper-and-glue books.

“I’m excited, it’s going to be gorgeous,” she said. “The community will be so happy.

It’s going to fill a need that’s been here for a long time.”

Ortiz, who owns the eponymous Gayle’s Bakery, said she became involved with the library in 2000 after serving on the Library Ad Hoc Committee as a Capitola City Councilwoman.

That experience showed her that libraries transcend merely being places to acquire books by providing non-political gathering spaces, repositories of information and safe spaces for families of every ilk.

“I saw that people are very passionate about the library,” she said. “I don’t see how you can have a democracy without them.”

••• For information, or to make a donation, visit capitolalibraryfriends.org.

Erik’s Delicafe reopens Carlos Gomez (right, holding scissors), owner of Erik’s Delicafe, cuts the ribbon on Nov. 1 to celebrate the cafe’s reopening in the Rancho Del Mar Shopping Center.

Contact Us

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LifeA.C.S

Contributed photo

CHAMBER

OF

COMMERCE

December 2018

By KAREN HIBBLE

APTOS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Many local families have taken the pledge to not text while driving.

Please join us and take the pledge not to text and drive. More families are taking the pledge. We need you.

Many accidents are caused by distracted drivers. The problem is growing. Many teenagers’ accidents are caused by using their cell phones while at the wheel. Please take the pledge. The life you save may be your own.

Holiday shopping? Do it locally. Gift certificates to restaurants, stores, services

or nonprofits make a difference in the health of our community. If you need help finding the perfect gift, call the Chamber.

We are here to help. 688-1467 As we say, “What has Amazon.com done for our community lately?” Keep our tax dollars local. It makes a difference.

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

DECEMBER 2018

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 3

Capitola Olive Garden aims for Dec. 17 opening

By TARMO HANNULA CAPITOLA — Final touches are underway at the Olive Garden Italian Kitchen restaurant, the first such location for the chain business in Santa Cruz County.

General Manager Lisa Chiorello said the company, with more than 800 restaurants, is aiming to open Dec. 17.

“Keeping with modern-day Italian traditions, we’re expanding our menu to provide more choices, variety and better-for-you options,” the business website reads. “Our food is prepared with fresh ingredients presented simply with a focus on flavor and quality that is uniquely Italian.”

Chiorello described the restaurant as a “genuine Italian dining experience with traditional Italian favorites.”

“Our management family is eager to join a community that has so graciously welcomed us,” she said.

“We are a family-focused restaurant that all members of our community will be able to enjoy. An excellent setting for friends and families to

break bread and enjoy a delicious traditional Italian meal with their loved ones.”

Business hours are Sunday– Thursday from 11.a.m.–10 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

It is located at 3400 Clares St. in Capitola.

Additionally, Chiorello said the company will hire about 150 employees for the new location.

“We still have about 50 openings so if you’re interested, please stop by,” she said.

For information, visit www.olivegarden.com/careers.

Surfin' Santa

Surfin' Santa arrives at the Main Beach in Capitola Village on Nov. 25 where hundreds of people welcomed him ashore. Photo by Tarmo Hannula

All hands on deck for the holidays

Volunteers prepare Toys for Tots warehouse as giving season begins

By ERIK CHALHOUB WATSONVILLE — In the week before Thanksgiving, dozens of volunteers gathered in Watsonville to prepare for the holiday that follows.

After prepping a warehouse with brooms, shovels, saws and other tools on Nov. 17, the volunteers, after lunch, unloaded a U-Haul truck filled to the brim with toys, which will be delivered to children in need across Santa Cruz County in time for Christmas.

Amid the bustling elves was the constant presence of Toys for Tots program coordinator Delilah Valadez, directing the volunteers to where they needed to be and making sure the operation ran as efficient as can be.

“There’s no slowing down for Christmas!” she hollered over the numerous sounds emitting from volunteers pushing boxes and stacking pallets, amplified by the cavernous interior of the warehouse.

Taking a short break, Valadez, who has coordinated the program for the past 30 years, took the time to praise the workers.

“We live in a community that is so kind and so generous,” she said.

The volunteers were mobilized thanks to the help of the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County, which took part in the nationwide Family Volunteer Day. A number of projects were hosted across the county with the goal of bringing families together, such as beach cleanups, garden restorations, event preparation and more.

Valadez said Toys for Tots received so many RSVPs that it had to cut off the signup period early.

“They showed up ready,” she said of the volunteers. “These are prepared elves.

They came ready to work.”

Andrew and Nathan Salazar were among the busy volunteers on Nov. 17.

Helping Toys for Tots has turned into an annual tradition for the brothers, who first started volunteering with the organization when they were freshmen at Aptos High School as a way to satisfy their community service requirements, they said.

And the generous people and fun environment has kept them coming back, Andrew Salazar said.

“It’s a good community — it feels like a family,” he said. “It’s a really good group of people working together. It’s an allhands-on-deck effort.”

Watsonville Fire Capt. Rick Pettigrew said he has volunteered with Toys for Tots for 30 years.

In earlier years, the organization would deliver the toys, and Pettigrew recalled seeing the children’s “eyes light up,” calling it a “rewarding” experience. While Toys for Tots now delivers the toys to various nonprofit organizations, who in turn distribute them to their clients, Pettigrew said the impact is just as gratifying.

“It’s done for all the right reasons,” he said. “I think it does more for me than it does for them, just knowing that I was able to help out.”

Pettigrew praised the volunteers, as well as Togo’s and Freedom Meat Lockers, who provided sandwiches for the workers.

“It couldn’t be done without the community we have here,” he said.

This year, however, could prove to be one of the organization’s most difficult in its three-decade history. The loss of Toys R Us, which shut down all of its stores in the

Photo by Erik CHALHOUB

Nathan Salazar (center) joins other volunteers in stocking up Toys for Tots’ Watsonville warehouse Nov. 17 as the organization kicks off its donation drive.

nation in June, could result in 1,500 fewer toys this year, according to Valadez.

Over the years, Toys R Us encouraged its customers to make a cash donation to Toys for Tots, which typically netted about $10,000 annually. It also hosted a collection bin, as well as numerous “shopping spree” events by outside groups.

“That is an enormous kick in the knees,” she said. “I don’t think we’ve ever had to wrestle with something like that.”

To make up for the shortfall, Toys for Tots is hoping to get more community members involved. As Thanksgiving falls

earlier this year, it has resulted in an extra weekend of shopping, Valadez said, and toys will be collected through Dec. 17.

While donations of toys for all ages are encouraged, Toys for Tots is especially in need of gender-neutral toys such as board games and art supplies.

For information and to donate, visit santacruzcounty.toysfortots.org.

Families who are looking to continue volunteering for the holiday season are encouraged to view the Volunteer Center’s Holiday Guide on its website at www. scvolunteercenter.org.

DECEMBER 2018

4 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

APTOS LIBRARY

ADOPT A FAMILY

SANTA CRUZ METRO

Community members invited to adopt a family

Santa Cruz METRO adds single-ride tickets

Staff report

Contributed photo

Meeting scheduled on Aptos Library renovations Staff report APTOS — Santa Cruz Public Libraries and the County of Santa Cruz are inviting members of the public to attend a meeting to help plan renovations to the Aptos Branch Library.

Opened at its current site in 1975, the Aptos Branch Library, located at 7695 Soquel Drive, includes a large collection, a children’s room, community meeting space and more.

A major renovation and possible expansion will address accessibility, upgrade building systems and enhance the user experience. The project is being funded by Measure S. The meeting will be held on Dec. 11 from 7-8 p.m. at the Aptos Branch Library.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY — Community members are invited to share the spirit of the holiday season by adopting a family in need.

The Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County, in partnership with 25 fellow nonprofits, invites individuals, families, businesses, clubs or groups to adopt one of the 450 families in need.

Individuals can call the adoption line to select a family or complete the online adoption form at scvolunteercenter.org/programs/adopt-a-family/ adopt-family-online-form.

Family packages include food gift certificates, clothing for the children and adults, a small toy for each child, and may include household items such as blankets, towels or sheets.

Additionally, community members can make individual contributions of items, gift certificates or cash that will be blended with others to fulfill the wishes of a family. Donations can be made online at www.scvolunteercenter.org or can be mailed to the Volunteer Center, 1740 17th Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95062.

Finally, individuals can provide support by volunteering for the project. Individuals and groups can register for a variety of volunteer positions online at www.scvolunteercenter.org.

“This program has been maintained due to the generous support of our local businesses, community members and willing volunteers,” said Volunteer Center Executive Director Karen Delaney. “We are so thankful to be a part of a community that comes forward each year to make the holiday brighter for those in need and we look forward to another successful year.”

Volunteers will be at the Adopt a Family Phone Line through Dec. 12. For information, call the Volunteer Center Adopt a Family Project at 4579834.

Campus Tour December 7, 10:30 am

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Staff report

SANTA CRUZ — Santa Cruz METRO recently announced that riders can now purchase singleride tickets in advance to expedite bus boarding for passengers to help keep buses on time, and reduce the need for bus riders to carry cash.

The single-ride tickets can be purchased at any METRO customer service booth, as well as ticket vending machines located at METRO transit centers and Cabrillo College. Single-ride tickets are $2 each for local Santa Cruz County service and $7 for the Highway 17 Express bus.

Previously, METRO riders had to have a bus pass or pay with exact cash when boarding a bus as the fare boxes do not give change.

“We want to make METRO as accessible as possible for riders,” said Alex Clifford, CEO of Santa Cruz METRO. “Making it possible for people to purchase ride tickets in advance with a credit or debit card is one small way to reduce barriers to transit.”

Single-ride tickets can be purchased individually, or loaded onto a Cruz Pass for use by families, groups or to be ready for future trips. METRO Customer Service booths are located at the Pacific Station in Santa Cruz and Watsonville Transit Center. Ticket vending machines are also located at those facilities as well as Scotts Valley Transit Center and Cabrillo College.

METRO operates 26 year-round routes throughout Santa Cruz County. Local fares are $1-2 with day passes available for $6 or less. Highway 17 fares are $3.50-7 with Day Passes available for $14.

DECEMBER 2018

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 5

BAY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

CITY OF CAPITOLA

Bay Federal accepting applications for scholarships

Capitola accepting applications for advisory boards

Staff report

Staff report

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY — Bay Federal Credit Union is now accepting applications for its 2019 Education Scholarship contest.

Three winners will each receive $1,500 to pay for post-secondary education expenses at any accredited college, university, trade/technical school, or career education program.

The deadline for submissions is Feb. 1.

The scholarship application must be submitted with supplemental documents and an original essay that answers these questions: What do you consider to be the most important financial problem faced by people in your community? Why? What should be done about it?

Eligible applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED certificate by Aug. 1, 2019, and have a Membership Savings Account with Bay Federal Credit Union when submitting their applications.

The application and additional information are available at www.bayfed.com/scholarship and at all Bay Federal Credit Union branches.

“With the cost of higher education at staggering levels, students are finding creative ways to pay for college,” said Carrie Birkhofer, president and CEO of Bay Federal Credit Union. “I’m very proud that we can offer financial support for the education goals of dedicated students.”

Over the past nine years, the credit union has awarded 37 scholarships totaling $36,500. Winners will be notified by March 4, and will be honored at the Credit Union’s annual meeting on March 26.

CAPITOLA — The City of Capitola has a number of seats on its advisory bodies that will expire in December and is inviting applicants: • Finance Advisory Committee (2-year terms): Three individual council member appointees, one business representative • Art & Cultural Commission (2-year terms): One at-large member, one art professional • Traffic and Parking Commission (2-year terms): Five at-large individual council member appointees, two village business owners, two village residents • Commission on the Environment: Four individual council member appointees • Planning Commission: Five individual council member appointees • Architectural and Site Review Committee: One architect, one historian, one landscape architect, one alternate architect Check the individual recruitment notices for more information about the duties and meeting schedules for each committee and application deadlines.

Notices and applications are available on the city’s website at www.cityofcapitola.org under the “I Want To” dropdown tab. Interested community members may also pick up applications at Capitola City Hall, 420 Capitola Ave. or call 475-7300 and request an application be mailed.

ART EXHIBIT

Artist showing work at Showtime Pizzeria Staff report APTOS — Aptos artist Becky Olvera Schultz is showing her work at Showtime Pizzeria, 7960 Soquel Drive, Suite E, through February.

The work showcases Olvera Schultz’s Southwest clay masks, serigraphs, photography, mixed media and mini Native American masks.

Olvera Schultz, who specializes in contemporary art with Native American and Southwestern themes, has also recently licensed her work to be used on notecards.

For information, visit www.native-expressions. com.

Dec. 15 marks the one-year anniversary of Showtime Pizzeria’s new location since moving from the Rancho Del Mar Shopping Center. For information, visit showtimepizzeria.com.

jjohnson@register-pajaronian.com

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DECEMBER 2018

6 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

Aptos Village

Photo by Erik CHALHOUB

Continued from page 1

part of a vision for the village that includes a pedestrian-friendly array of restaurants and shops.

Phase Two will begin when Phase One wraps up, and is projected to take approximately 18 months.

Businesses now planned for the development include New Leaf Community Market, Penny Ice Creamery, Cat & Cloud Coffee, Sockshop & Shoe Company and a restaurant led by Michelin three-star chef David Kinch.

In addition to the living and retail space, the project has added two new roadways: Aptos Village Way, which connects Trout Gulch Road to Aptos Creek Road, and Parade Street, a short street that leads into the development from Soquel Drive.

Homeowners are now moving into building 12, which contains 11 threebedroom townhouses. Gourlay said the rest of the first phase is expected to wrap up in summer 2019.

Several townhomes have been rented, and the company will soon begin taking applications for the condominiums.

Planners hope the new businesses — and

the pedestrian-friendly layout — will draw visitors from throughout the county, in addition to serving the residents.

“It’s really not meant to be your typical urban shopping experience at all,” Gourlay said. “It’s to promote interaction between people.”

When it’s complete, Aptos Village Project will cover 11.5 acres and include 70,000 square feet of commercial space and 69 new homes.

Work kicked off in February 2016, the highlight of which occurred seven months later when crews moved the massive Hihn Apple Barn by lifting it, rotating it and moving it 300 feet.

With a modern addition, that building will be the home of New Leaf Community Market’s newest location.

Mary Gourlay, development project manager at Swenson, shows the interior of The project is part of the Soquel the Hihn apple barn that is being renovated to house New Leaf Community Creek Water District Water Demand Market in the Aptos Village Project.

Offset program, which requires new developments to offset two times the amount of water they are projected to use. pollution out of waterways. Plans also responsible to the community,” Gourlay This includes the use of porous concrete, call for all units to have water and energy- said. “The idea is to stay here forever, so which is designed to allow water to return efficient washers and dryers, Gourlay said. that people will be happy living here. It’s to the soil, and bioswales that help keep “We’re doing everything we can to be been such a long time coming.”

Fire damages Seacliff apartment building

By TARMO HANNULA SEACLIFF — Flames tore through an apartment in the Seacliff area on Nov. 20, displacing several occupants from the fourplex.

Aptos/La Selva Fire Capt. Greg Hansen said that when his crew arrived at the 3:30 p.m. incident, flames were boiling out the front of the top unit and high into the sky.

“Our initial attack was to get one hose line through the front door and one at the front,” Hansen said.

“We got a pretty quick knock down on the initial flames and kept the fire to one unit. However, there was

water and smoke damage to one unit downstairs and the upstairs unit next to the burned apartment.”

No injuries were reported.

Hansen said a male resident of the burned unit was home and in the shower at the time the fire started.

He said he heard a pop and emerged from the shower to find his living room filling with smoke. That’s when he barged his way downstairs to grab a fire extinguisher, Hansen said. But as the man charged back upstairs and into his home flames were winning the battle and chased him back outdoors.

By then 9-1-1 dispatchers

received numerous calls of a towering column of black smoke curling into the sky and flames taking over the one apartment of the Seacliff Garden Apartments at 98 Seacliff Drive.

Hansen said it was too early to determine the cause of the fire but that on initial inspection some evidence was aiming to an origin in the kitchen.

The incident is still under investigation.

An apartment at the Seacliff Garden Apartments sustained massive damage from a Nov. 20 blaze.

Photo by Tarmo Hannula

Drive Like Your Loved One’s Life Depends On It

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

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

Distracted driving claimed 3,450 lives in 2016 alone.

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

This urgent message of safety brought to you by:

DECEMBER 2018

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 7

HISTORY CORNER

By John Hibble of the Aptos History Museum Call: 688-1467 Visit us online: aptoshistory.org Visit the museum: 7605-B Old Dominion Court Aptos, CA

A community hero What does it take to be a hero? Every day, people make our town a better place to live. Every year, the Aptos Chamber of Commerce asks for nominations to recognize and thank our unsung heroes at the annual dinner. When Aptos was a small village, everyone had step up, to do whatever it took to make life work. In the last 100 years, two names stand out for their commitment to our community, Paul Johnson and Ralph Mattison. This is Ralph’s story.

Ralph was born in 1896 in his parent’s Victorian house on Mattison Lane near Soquel. His grandfather arrived in Santa Cruz in 1849, helped build the Soquel Congregational Church and was its first deacon and also, the first Justice of the Peace. Ralph’s father was a farmer, county supervisor, county treasurer and served on the California Highway Commission.

Although lumbering continued in the upper reaches of Aptos Creek canyon, by 1900, the boom days were over. Orchards sprang up throughout the county. Apples were planted on the hills of the Valencia Creek drainage and Aptos became an apple processing center. The pretty apples were

shipped all over the world, but something had to be done with the ugly ones. There was no refrigeration, so apples were peeled, cored, sliced and dried. Ralph’s father built a dryer on Mattison Lane in partnership with a Chinese man, Lam Pon (traditional Chinese names have the family name first). The Asian Exclusion Act did not allow Asians to own property so Lam Pon acted as the foreman. In 1902, Ralph’s father built a second apple dryer in Aptos which Lam Pon leased from 1905 through the 1940s. About 1,400 to 1,750 tons of fresh apples were reduced to 200-250 tons of dried apples per season, while burning 400 tons of wood for fuel. Originally, young local women were employed at the dryer, but they would get into fights with each other, especially the day after a dance. So, Lam Pon hired Chinese to do the difficult work. There was pushback about the Chinese, but Sheriff Howard Trafton supported the firing of the local women.

In 1918, Ralph and his father built an apple cider vinegar plant to use up the apple peels and cores, instead of paying to have them hauled away. They produced 250,000 gallons of vinegar per year. It was one of only three vinegar operations in California.

Ralph’s father died in 1919, in the Spanish Flu epidemic which was spread by soldiers returning from World War I. Ralph took over the family businesses.

His father’s death left unpaid debts and, at age of 22, Ralph had to borrow $100,000 which he repaid in full. Shortly thereafter, he married Hazel Collins and built a house above the village on today’s Mattison Lane. Ralph had one of the first telephones.

His number was 6. He also expanded into a mushroom growing operation and also shipped fresh apples. At one point, he had over 75 employees.

The Lam/Mattison apple dryer in Aptos Village. Aptos History Museum archives

Ralph Mattison, shown in 1916 at age 20, shovels dried apples inside the dryer.

Aptos History Museum archives

Ralph once reminisced how he missed the calls of the meadowlarks which used to be plentiful in this area. He recounted how the birds would follow the farmer’s tractors and dig up the newly planted seeds. So, the farmers would plant seeds soaked in poison. When the birds died, they would be plowed into the field as fertilizer and new seed would be planted.

The birds were so plentiful that no one ever expected them to disappear.

In the early days, everyone had to help fight fires. The fire bell in the middle of town would be rung and everyone came running to man a bucket brigade to throw water on a burning building. Axes were also used to bring down the parts of a burning building. In the 1920s, Ralph lost one of his vinegar plant buildings to a fire, and the back section of the Bayview Hotel was also lost to fire. Ralph helped to organize

the Aptos Volunteer Fire Department.

Ralph and Cornelius Van Kaathoven, who owned the grocery store, decided that the town needed a fire truck, so they bought an old Locomobile chassis and fitted it with two chemical fire extinguishers, buckets and ladders as the first fire truck. Next, they bought an old gasoline truck to use as a 1,000-gallon water tanker and put a pump on it. Ralph became the first Fire Chief, a position he held for 26 years.

This story continues next month. This chapter sets the stage for Ralph’s exploits in the second half. It is a privilege to share these adventures with you. If you enjoy these tales of the lives and times of Aptos history, please put the Aptos History Museum on your holiday gift list. Make a donation. We can’t survive without your support! Thank you.

Tools to Make Parenting Easier

First 5 Santa Cruz County triplep.first5scc.org 831.465.2217

DECEMBER 2018

8 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

CAP Report focuses on youth well-being Photos by Johanna MILLER

Watsonville City Manager Matt Huffaker and Martine Watkins, Santa Cruz mayorelect, worked as co-emcees at the 2018 Children & Youth Well-Being Spotlight conference on Nov. 19.

By JOHANNA MILLER WATSONVILLE — The annual Community Assessment Project (CAP) Report was released for 2018, and the findings were discussed at an event at the Watsonville Civic Plaza Community Room on Nov. 19.

This year, the event, put on by the United Way of Santa Cruz County and Applied Survey Research (ASR), focused on health and well-bring for children and youth ages 1 to 24. Dubbed the “Children & Youth Well-Being Spotlight,” the new approach was an effort by organizers to inspire the community to find solutions to issues affecting young people’s lives.

United Way of Santa Cruz County CEO Keisha Frost welcomed guests and introduced co-emcees Matt Huffaker, Watsonville’s city manager, and Santa Cruz Mayor-Elect Martine Watkins.

ASR’s Susan Brutschy then explained the importance of equity in research, and why CAP Report organizers were taking a different approach this year.

“We stand united in our community to support our most valuable — our children,” Brutschy said.

The majority of the event alternated between findings reports and “Bright Spots,” which highlighted individuals and groups that have had made strides in supporting community youth.

“We should remember that all these facts

and figures are just a starting point,” said Maria Cadenas of Santa Cruz Community Ventures. “The data is only valuable when we take it to the next level.”

Cadenas, who reported on economic findings, emphasized Santa Cruz County’s housing issues and how it pertains to homeless youth. ASR found that 588 unaccompanied homeless children and transition-age youth were counted in the county in 2017.

“This isn’t about percentages and dollar signs,” she said. “It’s about love and community, and how we can achieve wellbeing for all.”

Speakers covered every aspect of the Community Assessment Project Report’s findings, from education and health to family and community. Pajaro Valley Unified School District Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez, Dori Rose Inda from Salud Para La Gente and Kristal Caballero of the United Way of Santa Cruz County presented the findings. Groups such as Live Oak Cradle to Career and Joveños SANOS were spotlighted.

“The challenges we face aren’t unique to Watsonville,” said Digital NEST founder Jacob Martinez, who spoke about the organization’s success as well as its future.

“We need to do all we can to ensure the success of our youth.”

appy olidays

In memory of a classmate Scholarship fund created in honor of Dr. Stan Hajduk

By ERIK CHALHOUB WATSONVILLE — Dr. Stan Hajduk was known for his humanitarian deeds as a life-long Rotary member and advocate for health programs and social justice.

Hajduk died in 2016 at the age of 74 at his La Selva Beach home, leaving his fellow classmates from USC Medical School searching for ways to honor his legacy.

During a recent reunion of the Class of 1968, Hajduk’s friends and classmates decided to establish a scholarship fund in his memory to help other medical students pursue their dreams.

Now, the group has raised enough money to sponsor its first student at USC, and is looking to the community to help reach more students through donations.

Fellow USC 1968 graduate and friend Dr. Kent Benedict said the scholarships will go to students who are poised to follow in the footsteps of Hajduk.

“He was a model for many of the young physicians coming into the community,” Benedict said.

Hajduk, who served three times as chief of staff at Watsonville Community Hospital, sat on the Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust Board of Directors from its inception, and was a 25-year member of the Rotary Club of Capitola-Aptos. He also co-founded the first fully board-certified emergency specialty group in the entire Monterey Bay area.

Benedict added that Hajduk was adored by many for being a “giving person,” getting involved in many different community efforts, while still managing a busy schedule as an emergency room physician.

“Stan was the perfect emergency room doctor,” he said. “He had the brains and the

Dr. Stan Hajduk is shown in 2015 at the Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust after he was presented with the Phil Rather award. Contributed photo

agility.”

To make a donation to the fund, visit keck.usc.edu/giving/classof1968 or make a check payable to Keck School of Medicine of USC, memo line Stanley Hajduk Memory Fund and mail to Kadee McCorkle, Keck School of Medicine of USC, 1975 Zonal Ave., KAM B16, Los Angeles, CA 90033-9026.

For information, contact McCorkle at (323) 442-1013 or catherine.mccorkle@ med.usc.edu.

DECEMBER 2018

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 9

DECEMBER 2018

10 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

Second District Update - Significant upgrades planned for our libraries engaged in a comprehensive facilities master planning process to assess the needs at each of their branches and found significant challenges in everything from structural problems to technological needs to meet modern demands. The Library Board at the time concluded that a local source a funding was needed to upgrade and improve local libraries — including the Aptos, La Selva and Capitola branches.

In June 2016 you approved Measure S, the Library Improvement Bond Measure, which is slated to generate $67 million for the library system.

By ZACH FRIEND

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY SUPERVISOR

For the first time in decades, significant upgrades and improvements are planned for libraries in our district. Let’s look at how we got here, what’s planned and how you can get involved in the process.

How did we get here?

In 2013, the Santa Cruz Public Libraries

Nutcracker

How can you get involved?

Your input into these designs and renovations are essential! You can get involved in many ways: from attending an upcoming community meeting, submitting comments to the project manager directly, joining or reaching out to the Friends

of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries (and specifically the Friends groups associated with these branches) and more.

The Santa Cruz Public Libraries website — www.santacruzpl.org/measure_s — is maintaining updates on each project and how to get involved.

If you’d like to contact the project manager directly (with questions or suggestions on the Aptos or La Selva projects), here is the info: Damon Adlao, Project Manager, County of Santa Cruz, Dept. of Public Works, 454-2343.

If you’d like to attend an upcoming community meeting on the Aptos Library, the next meeting will be held in the branch’s community room on Tuesday, Dec. 11 from 7-8 p.m. The Friends of the Aptos Library can be found at www. friendsofaptoslibrary.org.

If you want to get involved in the Capitola Library improvements, you can connect with the Friends of the Capitola Library at capitolalibraryfriends.org — where you can see photos of the proposed design and help get that project over the finish line.

You can connect with the La Selva Library through the Friends of the La Selva Beach Library via the main site at fscpl. org.

As always, you can also reach out to me with your thoughts. Feel free to call me at 454-2200.

Continued from page 1

benefiting the local nonprofit organization.

In addition, this year’s production will feature community members such as Supervisors John Leopold and Zach Friend, as well as Twin Lakes Church Pastor Rene Schlaepfer in the guest party scene.

Local choirs will perform throughout both days in the lobby of the Crocker Theater, and holiday treats and other concessions will be available to purchase.

Your

What’s planned in our district?

While improvements are planned throughout the system, here are the general plans for branches within our district.

First, the projects in Capitola, La Selva and Aptos are in varying stages of the process. The Capitola Library, for example, has already held its groundbreaking and has general design plans available. The La Selva Beach Library held a community meeting where initial design elements were shown and feedback on the design (interior and exterior) as well as community requests for how the space is allocated were received and considered. The Aptos Library is in the earliest stages and a preliminary community scoping meeting (where residents provided high-level inputs into what they would like to see in

the library) was held in mid-November.

This is the first of multiple community input sessions planned for Aptos.

With that said, all of the projects will include important accessibility (ADA) improvements. All of the projects will receive structural improvements, lighting, heating upgrades and will be overall brought up to current code.

The updated libraries will also receive significant interior improvements with Capitola, for example, including a community/meeting room with flexible furnishings, a kitchenette and a media wall, an expanded children’s area, a dedicated teen area, reader and study seating spread around the library, including an adult reading nook and a fireplace reading area, enhanced book and media collections and more.

In La Selva, there are discussions on how to improve the children’s area, provide for flexibility in the space for meetings and book clubs, increase natural lighting and airflow, expand the available seating for reading and studying and much more.

There will be a total of four performances; on Saturday, Dec. 22 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and on Sunday, Dec. 23 at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. At 10 a.m. and noon on Dec. 22, there will be two additional shows featuring the company’s Petite Students, ages 3-7, assisted by instructors and older Agape dancers.

Tickets for “The Nutcracker” range from $22 to $35 and can be purchased online at

Natural Look

cabrillovapa.com or by calling 479-6154.

The Crocker Theater is located at Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Drive in Aptos. For information, visit agapedance.com.

••• Note: Agape Dance Academy’s “The Nutcracker” is different from the Santa Cruz City Ballet’s “Nutcracker: Experience the Magic.”

Both productions will be held at the Crocker Theater, but are from separate companies. “Experience the Magic” will be performed Dec. 15 and 16.

We are excited to announce that Dr. Patricia Wilson will joining the Aptos-Creekside team full time beginning 12/14/2018.

Dr. Wilson has been at Santa Cruz Veterinary Hospital for the last 6 years. Prior to this, Dr. Wilson cared for the critters of Aptos for 15 years out of Del Mar Pet Hospital. Dr. Wilson is a licensed Chinese Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist and holds a special place in her heart for the geriatric population and physical rehabilitation. Join us in welcoming her!

Dr. Patricia Wilson

Celebrating FOUR DECADES serving the pet community.

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

$

25off

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

Promotion Code: ACDEC2018 Expires: 12/31/18

• Behavioral & Dietary Counseling

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

DECEMBER 2018

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 11

Financial Advice

End of year checklist

By GARY E. CROXALL, CFP® and SOREN E. CROXALL, CFP® It’s that time of year again for our annual article on end of year financial tasks to complete. It’s hard to believe that 2018 is already drawing to a close as it just seems like yesterday we were celebrating New Years! In between festivities, take a few minutes to knock off a couple financial “to-do’s.”

• Portfolio Review — As we wrote our end of year checklist article last year, the stock market was firing on all cylinders and was experiencing very little volatility.

It was easy to get complacent about your overall allocation. However, 2018 has been a different story. Instead of the stock market acting like a rocket ship like it did in 2017, this year it’s been more of a roller coaster. If you haven’t reviewed your overall allocation in a while, now

would be good time. Reassess your tolerance for risk. How did you feel in the month of October? Were you nervous about the volatility? Does your current portfolio holdings align with time horizon, tolerance for risk, and overall goals? Also, consider working with a tax advisor or qualified financial professional to see if tax loss harvesting (taking a tax loss to offset gains) might be a strategy you could benefit from this year, especially given the recent volatility in the markets.

• Review Contributions — Make sure you are maximizing contributions to your employer sponsored retirement accounts.

“Maximizing contributions” may mean different things to different people. For some it may mean putting the annual maximum contribution allowed under current IRS guidelines. For others, it may mean contributing enough to take full advantage of an employer match.

Everyone’s situation is different, and you should target saving what your budget will allow for.

• Take Your Required Minimum Distributions — We cannot stress this enough! If you are 70 1/2 or older, be sure you are taking out your Required Minimum Distributions from various retirement accounts as needed. The potential tax penalty is steep for forgetting to do this. Keep in mind too, waiting until

the last minute can put you at risk of the custodian that holds your account not processing your distribution request by the required deadline. Also, consider a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) if you don’t need the money from your Required Minimum Distributions for living expenses and you’re charitably inclined. A financial professional can explain how a QCD works and how to qualify.

• Review Debt Repayment Goals — Utilize December to review your annual budget and actual spending. Was your actual spending more or less than what you were budgeting for? Are there areas you could cut back or cut out completely?

Also, do you have a payoff plan in place for consumer debts like credit cards? After reviewing your budget, decide if there is room to potentially start paying down consumer debt more aggressively.

• Use Up FSA Money — Do you need a new pair of glasses or box of contacts? If you have money that you’ve been putting into an FSA (Flexible Spending Account), consider using up the account before year end with qualifying expenses. Be sure to check with your benefits department first, however, FSA dollars typically don’t carry forward into the New Year (some companies have an exception and allow up to $500 to be carried forward). It’s important to pay attention to deadlines

with FSA accounts because they are typically “use it or lose it” accounts.

• Check Estate Planning Documents — Double check beneficiary designations on accounts to make sure they are up to date.

Also, if it has been a while since you’ve had your estate planning documents reviewed or you haven’t gotten around to creating an estate plan, consider setting up an appointment with a qualified attorney.

Given the tax law changes that occurred at the beginning of the year, it could be that your estate plan may be due for some fine tuning.

We wish everyone a happy holiday season and a prosperous new year.

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

Aptos Real Estate Update — December 2018

By RUTH BATES RECAP – 2018 sales volume is flat compared to 2017. 1,668 homes sold in Santa Cruz County at an Average Price of $833,869. In Aptos, 263 homes sold at an Average Price of $1,199,047 and Median Price of $1,003,000; much higher

than the county but same as 2017. Up until September, Average Days on Market (DOM) were low; homes = 38, condos = 17, townhomes = 23.

It was a “Seller’s Market.” High beach property sale is $5.5M for 1106 Via Malibu, non-beach high sale is $2,450,000 for 951 Old Farm Lane, I sold 444 Pebble Beach for $1,150,000 (right at the medium) and low sale is 757 Cathedral (2/1.5) at $451,500. 34 Townhomes sold. High sale is $966,000 for 1075 Via Tornasol, low sale is 3003 Cabrillo (2/2) at $480,000.

Twenty-four condos sold. High sale is 260 RDM Blvd #24 at $1,278,000, low sale is 2601 Willowbrook #6 (2/1) at $492,500.

So, you can still buy a house, a condo, or a townhome in Aptos for under $500,000, but rarely.

ACTIVE LISTINGS – CURRENT MARKET – There are 64 homes for sale in Aptos ranging from $680,000 for 3516 Redwood Drive to $5.5M for 198 Shoreview. Median List Price is $1,250,000 (too high) and DOM is 75 (too long). There are 13 Active townhomes from $541,000$937,000. There are 16 condos from $495,000-$1.3M. The market has slowed

down; it is more of a “Buyer’s Market” right now. Some of this is seasonal, some of this is interest rates, and some of this is unclear. I project that it is a good time to be a buyer through February 2019. I do think inventory will grow in March and April of next year, the best time for a seller to list.

SELLERS — As prices rise, so have buyer expectations. A seller must do much more up front these days. Completing a home and a pest inspection ahead of time is a must-do, and completing some repairs is a plus. Professional photography and visual tours are standard. I just implemented “Virtual Staging” for the first time for one of my listings where I took my vacant house photos and had furniture placed into the photos to show the buyer the “potential” look of the new home. 3-D tours and drone photography are readily available. Speak with your agent about what would work best for your property.

INTEREST RATES — The Feds raised the rates three times in 2018, and it is expected that they will raise rates at least two more times in 2019. In December 2017, bankrate.com quoted 4.09 percent for the 30-year fixed. As of Nov. 28, their

national quote is 4.86 percent, and many loans now are breaking 5.0 percent. Both Zillow and Realtor.com predict rates at 5.8 percent by year end. A $500K/30-year loan at 5 percent = $2,684/month, at 5.8 percent = $2,934/month; $250 more per month.

2019 increases will affect buyer’s ability to buy but I do not think it will impact housing prices here.

LOAN LIMITS — For most of the country, $484,350 is the new 2019 limit.

For high-cost areas (which we are) the new limit is $726,525. With FHA financing, you can purchase a home for as little as 3.5 percent down and there are many new loans that work with 5 percent down, so as long as you can qualify to make the payment, you do not have to have a whopping 20 percent down to buy a home. Contact a local lender for more details.

I am happy to announce that I will be moving to my new Sereno Aptos “digs” on Parade Way in Aptos Village, hopefully before the end of the year. I will be able to walk to work! The one constant I know is that Aptos is a very special place to live!

Happy Holidays to All!

Changed Jobs ? Know your Options For your old 401(k)    

Comprehensive financial planning Retirement Planning Investment Management Social Security Analysis & Planning

   

Education Planning Insurance Planning Inheritance & Legacy Planning Long Term Care Analysis & Planning

CONTACT US FOR A COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION (831) 661-4006 · (800) 900-9090 Croxallcapital.com

CROXALL CAPITAL PLANNING Gary E. Croxall, CFP®

Registered Principal of LPL Financial CA Insurance Lic# 0532176

Soren E. Croxall, CFP®

Registered Representative of LPL Financial CA Insurance Lic# 0H25684

9057 Soquel Dr. Bldg B / Suite A Aptos, CA 95003 Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC.

DECEMBER 2018

12 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

SPORTS

WITH

TONY NUNEZ

Strah, Soquel deny Aptos title — again WATSONVILLE — You wouldn’t like Sam Strah when she’s angry.

Aptos figured that out the hard way.

Not once, not twice, but three times this season.

The Soquel junior outside hitter posted a 22-kill, 22-dig double-double to lead the top-seeded Knights over the No. 2-seeded Mariners to the Central Coast Section Division III title for the second straight season on Nov. 3.

Like last season, the match went to four sets: 16-25, 25-21, 25-19, 27-25.

Also like last season, Soquel (31-6) got the last laugh on Aptos (25-9) thanks in part to Strah’s brilliance.

“She gets into a mode, if she gets angry, we know what’s coming,” said Soquel head coach Jeanine Haldi. “It’s going to be over really quickly. She’s going to take over the match.”

The Mariners were looking to score a double dip of revenge. The Knights had not only stonewalled the Mariners in last year’s CCS D-III Championship, they also swept the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League season series to end their rival’s five-year reign over the league.

Aptos almost gave itself a shot at redemption, as it held two set points in the fourth set, but both slipped through the Mariners’ collective fingers.

Strah, a Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo commit, saved the Knights on the first set point, and Aptos served into the net on the next.

Senior Phoebe Failor’s ace gave Soquel a match point, and Strah wrapped up the Knights’ second section crown in as many years with another blistering strike off the Aptos block.

“I exhaled (when Strah took over),” Haldi said. “I just said, ‘OK, she’s not going to let

this happen. Not on her watch.’”

It took Strah some time to emerge from her mild-mannered persona into her Hulklike alter ego. She entered the fourth set with only 12 kills.

The Mariners’ defense at the net had a lot to do with her slow start. Junior opposite Natalia Ackerman, junior middle blocker Emilia Jeffe and senior outside hitter Jillian Rodriguez made life tough on the Knights, meeting their hitters in the sky and recording 10 combined blocks.

Ackerman’s stuff block on Strah midway through the first set drew oohhs and aahhs from the capacity crowd at Watsonville High, and solidified Nov. 3’s meeting as another classic between the longtime rivals.

It also forced Soquel senior setter Quinn Rocha to start feeding freshman outside hitter Ciara Cantlen to alleviate some the pressure on Strah.

The 6-foot Cantlen brought a balance to the Knights’ attack, and gave Aptos problems from both the outside and inside.

She finished with a game-high 28 kills and added 11 digs and two aces.

Rodriguez, a Long Beach State commit, and sophomore outside hitter Peyton Dueck, a Cal Poly-SLO commit, finished with 14 kills apiece for Aptos. Ackerman added 10 and Jeffe chipped in seven, but the Mariners had trouble keeping pace when they weren’t winning the majority of the 50-50 balls with their hustle.

“I think they put a lot of pressure on us that match, and it kind of pushed us out of our system a little bit,” said Aptos head coach Lake Merchen. “It put us into an area where we weren’t super comfortable playing.”

Soquel junior outside hitter Sam Strah (12) attacks the ball against the block of Aptos senior Chloe Manor (6) and junior Gaby Giuffre (11) during Nov. 3’s CCS D-II Championship at Watsonville High. Photo by Tony Nunez

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DECEMBER 2018

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 13

Cabrillo shocked by West Valley in NorCal playoffs

By TONY NUNEZ APTOS — The bags were packed, the vans were ready and the hotels were booked.

How quickly things change.

Up 2-1 in the match, the Cabrillo College Seahawks looked ready to make their 10th straight trip to the California Community College Athletic Association state tournament, but the West Valley College Vikings accomplished the unbelievable on Nov. 24.

With their backs against the wall versus the top team in Northern California, the No. 8-seeded Vikings (17-9) hit harder, moved faster and played with an uninhibited confidence resembling that of the two-time state champion Seahawks (26-3).

The result? A stunning 25-22, 18-25, 1625, 25-21, 17-15 win over the top-seed in the Northern California CCCAA playoffs on their home court.

“I can’t believe it,” said West Valley head coach Armen Zakarian.

And the Seahawks, winners of their last 19 matches before the game, couldn’t either. As they walked off the court, some Cabrillo players covered their faces with their jerseys, others couldn’t help but to hang their heads in frustration and a few stared deeply at the scoreboard wondering where it all went wrong.

“We’ve put ourselves in these situations a couple of times, and I think the biggest difference this time was we knew it could be our last,” said Cabrillo first-year head coach Kelsee Montagna. “We got a little tense.”

West Valley, too, felt the jitters in crunch time, as Cabrillo stormed back from down 10-5 in the fifth set to take the lead. The Seahawks shook off a pair of match points down the stretch, and held a match point of their own at 15-14. But the Vikings, drawing inspiration from a drill in practice dubbed “refuse to lose,” rallied for three straight points, including Mapuhola

Sekona’s match-winning strike through the outstretched arms of a pair of Cabrillo defenders.

“That was our mentality the entire game, we just refuse to lose,” said Sekona, an All-American sophomore outside hitter who finished with a team-high 16 kills. “If we’re going to lose, I rather lose going out strong and not being afraid to hit into their block. We had that confidence.”

West Valley joined Fresno City College, Gavilan College and American River College at the state tournament as the four Northern California representatives.

Defending state champion Irvine Valley College, Cypress College, El Camino College and Bakersfield College represented Southern California when the eight teams met at Solano College in Fairfield on Nov. 30-Dec. 2 for the state tournament.

It was West Valley’s first trip to state since 2006.

Cabrillo, which dominated the community college volleyball landscape in Northern California during former coach Gabby Houston Neville’s nine-year stint, has been a big reason for the program’s extended drought.

The Seahawks bounced the Vikings from the Northern California playoffs last season. They also knocked them out of the beach volleyball playoffs in the spring.

“They’ve been a thorn in our side, we just haven’t been able to get past them,” Zakarian said. “With good reason, they’re a really good team. For us to do what we did … I thought we stuck to our guns. Big players made big plays in big moments.”

Cabrillo had twice beaten West Valley during the regular season en route to the program’s 12th consecutive conference title, but the Seahawks caught the injury bug since their last meeting in late October.

Sophomore right side Paige Schieferstein was in a walking boot after Nov. 24’s match, and 6-foot-2 sophomore middle blocker Lina Fiso, the Coast Conference North

division M.V.P., had her right hip heavily taped and spent the better half of the night on the bench receiving i m p r o m p t u treatment from her teammates.

Fiso’s injury hampered the Seahawks’ usually potent inside-out offensive attack, and allowed West Valley to key in on sophomore outside hitters Kylie Kvam, Jolie Samuelson and Ellie Cary.

The hard-hitting Cabrillo College’s Amanda Meserve (10) and Kylie Kvam (6) trio still managed challenge a West Valley College attack during a Northern to do enough to California CCCAA playoff game in Aptos on Nov. 24. give Cabrillo a Photo by Tony Nunez chance to win, as the Seahawks held “From that point on, West Valley was outa late lead in every set. hustling us.”

After blowing a 22-21 advantage in Montagna, a state champion with the first, Cabrillo lived up to its billing Cabrillo as a player in 2013, took the reigns as the top seed in the Northern California of the volleyball program after Houston playoffs in the second and third. Kvam, Neville jumped over to UC Santa Cruz Schieferstein and Samuelson peppered in early August, and inherited a talented in strikes from the outside while Fiso group of players that were fresh off a and fellow sophomore middle blocker third-place finish in last year’s CCCAA Amanda Meserve kept the Vikings honest state tournament. She also inherited the with thunderous blows in the middle. That program’s state-title-or-bust expectations, powerful mix led Cabrillo out of a 9-3 hole something she admitted was a lofty yet in the fourth set, but a couple of crucial achievable goal for a shorthanded bunch. uncharacteristic errors near match point Despite falling short, Montagna said she forced a winner-take-all fifth set. wouldn’t have changed much about her A few more Cabrillo mistakes and a first year at the helm. handful of big plays from West Valley “I only have 10, and I would not want during the final points of the deciding set any other 10 by my side — they know put an end to the Seahawks’ season. that,” Montagna said. “For my first year, “I think in the fourth set we let West I couldn’t be more happy. They really Valley get the momentum. It allowed them welcomed me in ... Words don’t really to get into a groove and we went back explain how privileged I was to have on our heels a little bit,” Montagna said. them.”

DECEMBER 2018

14 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Ongoing Boardwalk Holiday Ice The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk will host an ice skating rink from Nov. 17 to Jan. 6. A one-hour ice skate rental costs $14.95. For information, visit beachboardwalk. com/boardwalk-holiday-ice.

Thursday, Dec. 6 Holiday mixer The Aptos Chamber of Commerce will hold a holiday mixer from 5:30-7 p.m. at Seascape Beach Resort. Admission is $5 for chamber members, or $10 for non-members.

Saturday, Dec. 8 Country Christmas The Agricultural History Project’s Second Saturday on the Farm will be themed Country Christmas this month. The event, running from 11 a.m. to 3p.m. at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake Ave., will feature tractor driving, wooden cow milking, animals and more.

Christmas Dinner The Slavic American Cultural Organization will hold its Christmas Dinner fundraiser at the Watsonville Woman’s Club, 12 Brennan St. Social hour begins at 4 p.m. followed by dinner and a drawing.

The Soquel High Choir will provide

carols at 5 p.m. The menu includes roast pork, rice pilaf, vegetables, desserts and more. Admission is $25 per adult, and $10 for children under 12. Tickets must be reserved

by Dec. 2 by calling 722-3268.

Jingle Bell Rock A holiday music concert will take place in the Watsonville Plaza from 4-6 p.m., featuring pictures with Santa Claus, cookies and cocoa.

El SueĂąo Holiday Benefit Concert Andy Vargas and Soleros will headline a concert with Mariachi California de Javier Vargas at 6 p.m. at the Henry J. Mello Center, 250 East Beach St. in Watsonville. The concert benefits the Andy Vargas Foundation and Watsonville High School students.

Tickets can be purchased at the Watsonville High School ASB Club Office, D’la Colmena Market, or at andyvargasfoundation.org.

Trusted

DECEMBER 2018 Thursday, Dec. 13

APTOS

Breakfast meeting The Aptos Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly breakfast meeting at the Best Western Seacliff Inn, 7500 Old Dominion Court, from 7:30-9 a.m. Pajaro Valley Unified School District Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez will be the guest speaker. The Aptos High School Choir will perform. Admission is $20 for chamber members, or $25 for non-members. To RSVP, call 6881467.

Saturday, Dec. 15 Holiday Movie in the Plaza A holiday-themed movie will be screened in the Watsonville Plaza from 5-7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 11

Aptos Library planning meeting Santa Cruz Public Libraries and the County of Santa Cruz are inviting the public to a meeting to help plan renovations for the Aptos Branch Library. The meeting will be held from 7-8 p.m. at the library, 7695 Soquel Drive.

SOQUEL

CAPITOLA

BEST of

PAJARO VALLEY

• new/used books • children’s books

APTOS

• 1 minute off hwy 1

SOQUEL

CAPITOLA

Watsonville’s Independent Bookstore

• unique gifts • special orders – no charge!

Open Monday - Saturday 10am - 6pm Sunday 11am - 4pm •

SPORTS APTOS SCHEDULE All home games take place at Aptos High School, 100 Mariner Way Girls’ basketball

Boys’ basketball

Dec. 3 @ Merced North, 7 p.m.

Dec. 7 vs. Palo Alto Senior, 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 11 @ Edison Senior (Stockton), 6 p.m.

Dec. 13 vs. Willow Glen (San Jose), 7 p.m.

Dec. 15 @ Archbishop Mitty (San Jose), 3 p.m.

Dec. 21 vs. Presentation (San Jose), 7 p.m.

Dec. 4 vs. Carmel, 7 p.m.

Dec. 6, 39th Annual Bob Hagen Memorial Tournament at Gilroy Dec. 11 @ Alisal, 7 p.m.

Dec. 13, 71st Annual Carmel Invitational Dec. 21 @ Pajaro Valley, 7 p.m.

Dec. 26, Aptos HS/Santa Cruz Warriors NorCal Invitational Jan. 1 @ Santa Cruz, 7 p.m.

Girls’ soccer Dec. 3 vs. Presentation (San Jose), 7 p.m.

Dec. 6 vs. Hollister, 7 p.m.

Dec. 11 @ Saint Francis (Mountain View), 7 p.m.

Dec. 13 @ Ann Sobrato (Morgan Hill), 7 p.m.

Dec. 18 vs. Salinas, 7 p.m.

Dec. 20 vs. Pacific Collegiate, 7 p.m.

Boys’ soccer Dec. 5 vs. Pacific Collegiate, 7 p.m.

Dec. 7 vs. Pajaro Valley, 7 p.m.

Dec. 12 vs. Seaside, 7 p.m.

Dec. 14 vs. Greenfield, 7 p.m.

Dec. 19 @ North Salinas, 3:30 p.m.

Dec. 21 vs. Hollister, 7 p.m.

SOQUEL SCHEDULE All home games take place at Soquel High School, 401 Soquel San Jose Rd. Girls’ soccer

Boys’ soccer

Dec. 3 @ North Monterey County, 5:45 p.m.

Dec. 6 vs. Pacific Collegiate, 6 p.m.

Dec. 7 vs. Liberty (Madera), 5 p.m.

Dec. 13 vs. Hollister, 6 p.m.

Dec. 15 vs. Watsonville, 6 p.m.

Dec. 18 @ Live Oak (Morgan Hill), 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 21 @ Sacred Heart-Cathedral Prep (San Francisco), 12 p.m.

Dec. 7 @ Soledad, 5:45 p.m.

Dec. 12 vs. Pacific Grove, 4 p.m.

Dec. 14 @ Milpitas, 7 p.m.

Dec. 17 @ Cupertino

DECEMBER 2018

LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 15

Aptos Chamber celebrates award recipients Photos by Erik Chalhoub

Staff report APTOS — The Aptos Chamber of Commerce celebrated the recipients of its annual awards during a dinner at Seascape Beach Resort on Oct. 26.

The recipients were Woman of the Year Michele Bassi, Man of

the Year Dan Haifley, Business of the Year Seascape Village Fitness, Organization of the Year Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Community Hero Aptos Feed and Pet Supply and Mark Dorfman, who received Outstanding Achievement.

Woman of the Year: Michele Bassi Michele Bassi is senior vice president of production and business development at Lighthouse Bank and has more than 26 years of banking experience.

She is currently president of the board at Digital NEST, which assists youth in learning technology to obtain well-paying jobs.

Working with CapitolaAptos Rotary, she has managed major fundraisers over the past two years, generating $150,000 for LEO’s Haven (including county match), $30,000 for Meals on Wheels and $18,000 for local nonprofits.

Michele Bassi

Man of the Year: Dan Haifley Dan Haifley has a long history of advocating for the protection of the ocean.

He helped establish Save Our Shores in 1978 and became executive director in 1986. He was also an instrumental player in establishing the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, working to get communities to pass ordinances that prevented offshore oil drilling Man of the Year Dan Haifley (right) shows off his tie designed by the Grateful companies from building Dead’s Jerry Garcia as Santa Cruz County processing facilities along the Supervisor Zach Friend looks on. coast.

He is retiring in December after nearly 20 years as executive director of O’Neill Sea Odyssey, a nonprofit that gives fourth-sixth grade students hands-on lessons about Monterey Bay marine life.

Business of the Year: Seascape Village Fitness Jim and Kathy Tucker have more than 50 years combined experience in health care. Jim is a Certified Orthopedic Physical Therapist and Kathy is a retired RN; together they own Seascape Physical Therapy and Village Fitness Center.

At Village Fitness they offer private, Jim and Kathy Tucker are the owners of Seacape Village Fitness & Physical Therapy semi-private, and group training and emphasize safe, sensible and sustainable exercise programs.

“We love our community, and we feel it is our job to give back to them,” Kathy Tucker said.

Organization of the Year: Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired Vista Center’s mission is to empower individuals who are blind or visually impaired to embrace life to the fullest through evaluation, counseling, education and training.

Vista Center was originally established in Santa Cruz County as the Doran Center for the Blind by Ray Westman in the late 1970s. Doran Center merged with the Peninsula Christy Tall is the branch manager Center for the Blind and of Vista Center Santa Cruz, which Visually Impaired in 2005, and received Organization of the Year. the two organizations became Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Vista Center Santa Cruz continues its 40-year commitment to people who are blind or visually impaired in the community, and today is a regional, one-stop resource providing a comprehensive range of services to help people who are blind or visually impaired learn new skills and strategies to overcome the emotional impact of sight loss and remain independent, employed and mobile.

“We are honored to be recognized by the Aptos Chamber of Commerce for the impact we are making in people’s lives,” said Christy Tall, Vista Center Santa Cruz branch manager. “We are excited about the growth in services we are providing, and the direction our organization is taking. We are building a community where people can feel empowered and motivated to keep doing the things they enjoy and love.”

Outstanding Achievement: Mark Dorfman Mark Dorfman has served as the athletic director at Aptos High School for 27 years.

Students past and present mention his dedication, compassion for all athletes regardless of their on-the-field contribution; his commitment for high achievement in the classroom, and the long hours he dedicates to Aptos High School.

“I’m very, very honored,” Dorfman said. “I never expected this. The praise should go to our student athletes and coaches, not me.”

Mark Dorfman

Community Hero: Aptos Feed and Pet Supply Aptos Feed and Pet Supply is a familyowned store that is a frequent supporter of animal rescues, shelters and community events.

“Aptos is a pretty fantastic place to do business in,” said owner Damian Delezene.

“I hope to continue serving for many more years.”

Attendees bid on items during the Aptos Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards dinner on Oct. 26 at the Seascape Beach Resort.

Damian Delezene (right), owner of Aptos Feed and Pet Supply, is congratulated

by Senator Bill Monning on his business receiveing the Community Heroes award.