JUNE 2017 EVERYTHING APTOS, CAPITOLA & SOQUEL Vol. 5 No. 10
Zach Friend “Roasted”
APTOS
Aptos High senior Max Meltzer
pg. 2
SOQUEL
pg. 12
CAPITOLA
HISTORY CORNER
Photo by Tarmo HANNULA
By John Hibble Call: 688-1467 Visit us online: aptoshistory.org Visit the museum: 7605-B Old Dominion Court Aptos, CA
The Rio Del Mar Beach Club What’s with the forlorn old palm tree at Platforms Beach? At the end of Beach Drive just before the gate, it stands in a sad pile of ice plant and weeds in front of the bathrooms at the State Beach parking lot. It is the last remaining sentry from the garden of the finest watering hole on the west coast, the Rio Del Mar Beach Club. Both Seacliff and the Rio Del Mar developments were severely impacted by the depression which started in 1929, the same year the Rio Del Mar Hotel opened. By 1931, the developers of Seacliff had relinquished their beach to the state. But, the two remaining developers of Rio Del Mar, Leo Monroe and Larry Miller, had deeper pockets and were
A woman enjoys a morning walk along the beach in Capitola.
A ‘bridge to the community’
Please turn to Page 7
Aptos/La Selva chiefs’ union issues no confidence vote Follows similar vote by firefighters By TODD GUILD APTOS — A little more than a month after Aptos/La Selva firefighters’ union members unanimously issued a vote of no confidence against Chief Jon Jones, the department’s management union took a similar step. Department employees hope that the votes will stop Jones’ contract from being renewed. The Aptos/La Selva Fire Protection District Board of Directors will met to discuss the issue on May 11 in the Aptos fire station, 6934 Soquel Drive. Jones began with the Aptos/La Selva Fire District in October 2014. His three-year contract expires in October 2017, but he was eligible to request a two-year extension on his contract. Please turn to Page 9
Cabrillo College celebrates 30 years of Porter Gulch Review By TODD GUILD
David Sullivan, English and film instructor at Cabrillo College, talks about the upcoming issue of the long-running Porter Gulch Review. Photos by Tarmo Hannula
APTOS — Cabrillo College celebrated the 30th anniversary of its Porter Gulch Review at a launch party on May 16 in the Horticulture Building on the college’s Aptos campus.
The review got its start three decades ago, when Cabrillo College English faculty decided the institution needed its own critical review publication to serve as a showcase for student work. The publication has since Please turn to Page 6
Deeply-rooted Aptos tradition returns
World’s Shortest Parade in 56th year By ERIK CHALHOUB APTOS — The World’s Shortest Parade in Aptos is a Fourth of July tradition that brings community members together, young and old, to celebrate the many people who make the small town tick. Now in its 56th year, the theme for
this year’s event is “America: Your Land, My Land, Our Land.” The parade, which typically boasts nearly 200 entries every year, will feature floats, dance groups, dogs, children, civic groups, antique cars, the Watsonville Community Band and more. It travels from the corner of Soquel and State Park drives and Please turn to Page 13
Inside ...
Chamber news ...................2 Briefs ...............................4-5 Guest columns .......9, 10, 14 Calendar ...........................15 PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID WATSONVILLE, CA PERMIT NO. 23 ******ECRWSSEDDM****** POSTAL CUSTOMER APTOS, CA 95003 CAPITOLA. CA 95010
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Roasting racks up $50K for inclusive park By BEK SABEDRA APTOS — Laughter filled the building as quip after quip, Supervisor Zach Friend sat through the stories, comic strips and one-liners “roasters” threw at him as part of Aptos/Capitola Rotary’s annual dinner on May 5. The dinner, held at Seascape Golf Club, was a benefit for LEO’s Haven, the first all-inclusive playground being built in Chanticleer Park by the Santa Cruz Playground Project. The project is led by Patricia Potts, a Watsonville parent and co-founder of the Santa Cruz Playground Project. “There’s a lot of work that’s been going into it, and a lot more work that is going to need to go into it,” Potts said. “We are just really honored that the Aptos/Capitola Rotary chose us as the beneficiary for their annual roast.” The roasters included Sheriff Jim Hart, Santa Cruz Deputy Police Chief Rick Martinez, Steve Allen and John Laird. The event raised $50,000 which was matched by the County of Santa Cruz Parks Department. “I would steal a line that ‘no one ever stands so tall as when they stoop to help a child,’” Rotary President Al De Camara said. “A big part of Rotary is community service and funding deserving projects. I can’t think of any project more deserving than LEO’s Haven.”
And the Santa Cruz Playground Project hopes to have raised $1 million by the end of the year. “For this event, it has the potential to getting us a third of the way to our goal,” Potts said. And they may have done just that, with an anonymous $20,000 donor assisting. “When I promised my kids that we would find a way to build an inclusive playground in Santa Cruz County, I knew I would need community help,” she said. “And so, here they Aptos/Capitola Rotary President Al De Camara (left) hosted the Roast of Zach Friend as the annual are. They are here fundraiser for Rotary at the Seascape Golf Club. Photo by Bek Sabedra — they showed up swings and the Santa Cruz Warriors, and they are doing it with us.” slides from which to descend from the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz LEO’s Haven would provide interactive playground’s multi-level barn structure. County, local Rotary and Lions clubs experiences for children ages 0-5 and 6-12. To date, numerous individuals, business and many more. For a complete list, visit Playground designs include a sensory and community groups have committed to www.santacruzplaygroundproject.org/ourtouch wall, replica farmer’s market, helping fund LEO’s Haven. They include community-supporters. “wee-saw,” and accessible and traditional
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
By KAREN HIBBLE
JUNE 2017
APTOS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
APTOS
SOQUEL
CAPITOLA
Publisher - John Bartlett Editor - Erik Chalhoub Editorial Todd Guild, Tony Nuñez, Tarmo Hannula, Bek Sabedra Photography - Tarmo Hannula Advertising Sales Tina Chavez, Jazmine Ancira, Mark Pezzini, Veronica Iniguez Production - Daryl Nelson 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!
If you did not come to “Swing Into Spring” you missed a great party. Movie stars were spotted among the attendees, including Marilyn Monroe, Groucho Marks, Tippi Hedren, Dolly Parton, Victor McLaglen and more. Old movies were playing on screens. Fabulous food was prepared by our own Seacliff Inn and movie props were donated by our local video store in Rancho Del Mar, before they closed their doors. The moviethemed music was exceptional and was provided by gold medal award-winning Soquel High School Jazz Band. People were dancing and enjoying a fun-raising day for the museum. The Aptos History Museum was open with special tours done by Bob Wall and Kevin Newhouse. It looks like we can keep the museum doors open for at least seven more months. If you did not come but enjoy having a local museum, please join our membership or make a donation. The museum is an important part of Aptos and without it our history might be lost. Hundreds of school children come to the Aptos Museum every year to learn about the place they call home. The Fourth of July is just around the corner. Our theme this year is “America … Your Land, My Land, Our Land.” Our Grand Marshals are the Santana family who own Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant and have contributed so much to our community. Please join us in congratulating them for being Grand Marshal. The T-shirt has been designed by Nombat Designs and is very timely … the cement ship broken but still standing. The shirts are available at the Chamber office, Deluxe Foods of Aptos, the UPS Store, Santa Cruz County Bank, Pacific Coffee Company, and Aptos Feed. Get yours today. They sell out quickly. Remember to plan on eating a great big Pancake Breakfast before the parade, located in the burger parking lot starting at 8 a.m. Tickets are available at the Chamber office or can be purchased the day of the breakfast. Enjoy Pacific Coffee Company’s coffee, pancakes, eggs, sausage and juice. A great way to start a great day. And don’t forget our Family Day in the Park after the parade. Dance the afternoon away to our band, Extra Large. Lots of great food and kid’s games as well as arts and crafts. Make the 4th your special day in our Aptos community. Remember this parade is 56 years young so keep the tradition alive. Come march, dance, watch and enjoy the Aptos 4th of July. ••• Karen Hibble is co-executive director of the Aptos Chamber of Commerce.
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LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 3
Valencia Road work underway STAFF REPORT
APTOS — More than three months after storm damage forced the closure of Valencia Elementary School, Santa Cruz County work crews are beginning the repair work, county spokesman Jason Hoppin said Wednesday. A section of Valencia Road over Trout Gulch Creek has been closed since Jan. 23, when winter storms caused a large culvert to fail and the road to sink. Since then, the county has been working with the Federal Highway Administration, Caltrans, state regulators, utility companies, neighbors and nearby Valencia Elementary School on a repair plan. County staff originally planned for a one-lane temporary bridge over the crossing. However, the county has
determined that a two-way, two-lane bridge is preferred to better facilitate traffic flow. The bridge is expected to be completed by early July. The work will not come in time to allow the students to return to their classes this year. The closure forced the students to relocate to Mar Vista Elementary School, Cabrillo College’s Aptos campus, Aptos High School and Rolling Hills Middle School. “This is a key step to bring back normalcy to the surrounding neighbors and Valencia Elementary School,” Supervisor Zach Friend said. “We’ve prioritized this repair from among 180 winter damage sites, and we’re moving toward reopening the road to traffic as soon as possible.” On Monday, an excavator began removing fill near the impacted site.
Drilling will begin shortly thereafter, as county contractors work to create a shoring system to allow for a culvert replacement located approximately 50 feet below road level, Hoppin said. The $4 million repair is being funded by the Federal Highway Administration and local matching funds. The county is also working toward repairs at several other priority road sites throughout the unincorporated areas.
Work has begun on a massive repair project of a section of Valencia Road at Trout Gulch Road in Aptos where recent storms caused roadway to sag. Photo by Tarmo Hannula
Child porn suspects held without bail By TODD GUILD APTOS — The Aptos High School graduate who was arrested April 27 for allegedly manufacturing, trading and possessing pornographic images of children he babysat will be held without bail, a federal judge ruled May 9. Ryan Michael Spencer, 19, withdrew a request to be released from custody before United States District Court Judge James Donato, court documents showed. Spencer is in federal custody in San Francisco. A Tiburon man with whom Spencer is accused of colluding to manufacture and trade illegal images also made an appearance, where his request for pretrial release was denied. Bryan Petersen, 24, is fighting that
decision. Both men are scheduled for a May 16 arraignment. A U.S. magistrate judge ordered the suspects released on $500,000 bail on May 2, a decision prosecutors were fighting at the May 9 hearing. In arguing against pretrial release, U.S. Attorney Bryan Stretch said the men were in possession of between 10,000 and 100,000 pornographic images of children, numbers he described as “staggering.” “There is probable cause to believe that Petersen and Spencer produced and distributed child pornography, raising the presumption that there are no conditions of release that can reasonably assure the safety of the community,” Stretch wrote. According to Stretch, Petersen and Spencer both used babysitting jobs to gain access to children, taking naked pictures of them and trading the images with each
other. Agents served a search warrant at Petersen’s home on April 26, where he was found to be in possession of thousands of images of child pornography, according to Stretch. Petersen told federal agents that he sent an external hard drive to Spencer, who loaded the images of children onto the drive. The FBI served a search warrant at Spencer’s residence the next day. Stretch said that Spencer was studying to become a teacher and worked as a camp counselor. Petersen is an Eagle Scout who has led overnight camping trips for young boys, and he also worked as a tutor and a chess coach. Both set up babysitter profiles on care.com, Stretch wrote. Spencer has been fired from his position at Mar Vista Elementary School, where he
worked with the After School Childhood Enrichment (ACE) Program, which is managed by the County of Santa Cruz. He was also fired from his part-time position as an aide and substitute cabin leader for the Outdoor Science School, which is managed by the Santa Cruz County Outdoor Science School (SCCOE). “Both defendants have built their lives around seeking access to children,” Stretch wrote. “While projecting a veneer of competence and trustworthiness, both defendants committed the most heinous of crimes: sexual abuse and exploitation of the children in their care.” Spencer and Petersen were set to be arraigned at 9:30 a.m. May 16 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Spero in U.S. District Court in San Francisco.
PVUSD: No benefit cap for teachers Negotiations can commence, PVFT president says By TODD GUILD WATSONVILLE -— Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees Chair Kim De Serpa said May 10 that the district has taken a benefit cap for teachers off the negotiating table. The announcement brought cheers from the teachers in a packed Watsonville City Council Chambers, who had come to speak out against the district’s proposal. Under the proposal, the district would have frozen the amount it contributed to employee medical benefits, meaning the teachers would have paid the difference when the costs increased. The trustees also agreed to postpone a discussion of a raise for the district’s
five assistant superintendents and Chief Business Officer Melody Canady, which brought another round of cheers. The proposal to contain district costs by capping teacher medical benefits has drawn ire from the teachers, who say the district’s benefits package makes up for what they say is low pay compared to other districts of similar sizes. Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers Chief Negotiator Jack Carroll, however, has said that the district has a sevenyear history of predicting losses and nevertheless having positive ending fund balance. Last year’s balance, he said, was $59 million. But PVUSD Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez said that $59 million was reduced this year to $46 million. The
district is further projected to deficit spend another $16 million next year, she said. That would mean that the district’s next financial projection would show the district unable to pay its bills within three years, Rodriguez said. Carroll has also pointed out that the district has been offering the benefits without ensuing financial crises for the past two decades. In addition, Carroll said that California has education funding in place for the next decade, thanks to Proposition 55, a voterapproved measure that was projected to bring in $7 billion for K-12 schools. PVFT President Francisco Rodriguez said the announcement will allow the district and teachers’ union to come to the bargaining table in a better position.
“We’re ready to consider some serious negotiations,” Rodriguez said. The questions now, Rodriguez said, are how to reduce the cost of benefit premiums for the district while at the same time finding a way to increase teacher salaries. More than 200 teachers attended the meeting, far less than the 600 that packed the chambers at the previous meeting. Ohlone Elementary School teacher George Feldman told the trustees that he could make $29,000 more if he took a job in Santa Ana. Freedom Elementary School teacher Carie Gill said that postponing the discussion of a cap is a “great step.” “But finding somewhere else to get the money is an even better step,” she said.
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4 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel
ART WALK
CAPITOLA CAR SHOW
MUSIC SCHOLARSHIPS
Music scholarships available Staff report
A visitor views some of the featured artwork by local artist Chris Allen as part of Capitola Mall’s Walking Art Tour in 2015. File photo by Bek Sabedra
Third Friday Art Walk runs through October Staff report CAPITOLA — Regional Artisans Association will be hosting a free community event called “Third Friday Art Walk” featuring local artists who work in a variety of mediums through October. All items are hand-made by the artists and include ceramics, paintings, jewelry, textiles, glass, wood, mixed media, photography, recycled/ reworked wall art, license plate art, furniture, succulent gardens, handbags, jams/jellies, soaps and more. Artists will be featured in empty stores in the mall. Each month will have different musicians and a portion of proceeds will be donated to a local charity. The Capitola Mall is located on 1855 41st Ave. For information, visit www. regionalartisansassociation.org o r call Art of Santa Cruz at 515-7390.
Contributed photo
Capitola car show returns Staff report CAPITOLA — The 12th annual Capitola Rod & Custom Classic Car Show will take place at Capitola Village on June 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and June 11 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The show features more than 300 hot rods, muscle cars, coupes, roadsters, customs and classics – vintage to 1972 – vendor booths, music, raffle, trophies, NASCAR race cars and more. The classic cars will be driven from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk to Capitola starting at 8:30 a.m. on June 10. The event benefits the Capitola Foundation. For information, visit www.capitolacarshow. com or www.capitolafoundation.org.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY — Applications are now being accepted for the Santa Cruz County Music Teachers’Association scholarships for music lessons based on financial need and enthusiasm. “Opportunity Grant” scholarships provide private music lessons to young people whose families are financially unable to afford musical study in piano, violin, viola, voice, flute, oboe, clarinet and saxophone. To qualify, students must be enrolled in a Santa Cruz County school or be a home-schooled resident, in grades 2 through 12 during the ensuing school year. Students should have regular access to a practice instrument of study. Application includes a brief financial statement. Families are responsible for a small co-payment, the costs of educational materials and must provide transportation to and from the weekly lessons, which are held at the homes or studios of participating MTAC teachers. The scholarships remain in effect for one school year beginning in September. Scholarships may be renewable on a year-to-year basis, provided funds remain available and acceptable musical progress is being made. Applications for 2017-18 are due by June 15. Interviews will be held in early summer. Applications are available in English or Spanish online at sccmtac.org. For applications by mail, or for information, call Kit Birskovich at 426-5172.
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LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 5
MCGREGOR PARK
COUNTY FAIR
Author releases new children’s book
Artists sought for skate park mural
Staff report
Staff report CAPITOLA — The Capitola Art & Cultural Commission is requesting qualifications from muralists who will be selected to design and produce a mural at the McGregor Multi Use Park. The mural will be painted on the exterior walls of half pipe portion of the Monte Family Skate Park. This park is located on McGregor Road adjacent to New Brighton State Beach Park. The artist selection will be a two-step process: first, the commission will screen the qualifications and select 1-3 mural artists to develop a design proposal; second, one artist’s design will be selected by the Art and Cultural Commission and submitted for final approval by the Capitola City Council. The Commission envisions a mural that fits the park environment in positive tone, theme, color and content to reflect the family skate community. Content should be fun and colorful. Each artist selected to propose a mural design will be paid $250, which includes all time and materials. The artist selected to design and construct the mural will have a project budget is $10,000, and shall include all expenses, including but not limited to: design and artist’s fee, all applicable fees, priming, materials, labor, required insurance, travel and expenses, scaffolding and graffiti coating. The deadline to submit qualifications is June 9. Send or deliver proposals to llaurent@ci.capitola. ca.us, or Skate Park Mural, Larry Laurent, City of Capitola, 420 Capitola Ave., Capitola, CA 95010. For information, contact Laurie Hill at Capitolaseahorse@gmail.com or Kelly Barreto at 475-7300 or kbarreto@ci.capitola.ca.us.
LOCAL AUTHOR
Theme selected for 2017 fair Staff report WATSONVILLE — “Fly Me to the Fair” will be the foundation upon which the 2017 Santa Cruz County Fair is built. Member of the Board of Directors Loretta Estrada suggested the theme. “I was looking for something a little different,” Estrada said. The 2017 Fair will be held Sept. 13-17 at the fairgrounds located on Highway 152 just east of Watsonville. For information, visit www. santacruzcountyfair.com.
APTOS — Aptos author Linda S. Gunther recently released her new children’s book, “Toffee and Esmerelda.” The book features Seacliff Beach as the setting, with 22 illustrations by South African artist Zsa Zsa Venter. The story follows a young girl named Esmerelda who moves to Seacliff Beach in Aptos with her mother, while her dad is in the U.S. Army stationed in Afghanistan. Esmerelda spots three SPCA volunteers walking three dogs, one of them called Toffee, who immediately pulls towards Esmerelda. The story describes the pet adoption process, how the SPCA evaluates potential dog owners and how this community organization also inspires a little girl to cherish her new canine family member. Gunther said she quit her Silicon Valley job after 18 years to focus on writing as well as doing consulting in Watsonville. “I was a commuter to Silicon Valley for more than 18 years, a crazed high tech Human Resources executive, on call 24/7 and traveling the globe, not taking any time to appreciate where I live in Aptos,” she said. Gunther has also published four romantic thrillers. The most recent book, “Finding Sandy Stonemeyer,” is set in the Santa Cruz Mountains and other local areas. “Toffee and Esmerelda” is available at Kelly’s Books, 1838 Main St. in Watsonville, Bookshop Santa Cruz and Amazon. For information, visit www. lindasgunther.com.
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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Porter Gulch Review
Continued from page 1
grown into a well-respected, 200-page publication featuring work from writers, photographers and artists from as far away as China and Iraq. It has been published online since 1999. But the inaugural issues — printed on mimeograph paper and bound with staples — were a testament to the infancy of computers and of desktop publishing. At the same time, it gave students a public outlet for their artistic endeavors. “We want the community to understand the importance of the Porter Gulch Review,” said Margarito Rodriguez, a member of the English 1B class that publishes the book. “It’s a safe space for poets, writers and photographers.” The class is responsible for selecting the entries, laying out the pages and writing blurbs about the artists who are selected. They write book reviews for the publication, and create three of their own entries for consideration in the next year’s edition. Rodriguez said that the class received 477 submissions this year, a record for the 30-year-old publication. Those were
Margarito Rodriguez talks about being a student in the English and film class of David Sullivan at Cabrillo College. Photo by Tarmo Hannula
winnowed down to about 50. “It’s a lot of work,” Rodriguez said. “It takes a lot of dedication to get it all together.” After being managed by four instructors, and skipping some publication years altogether, English and Film instructor David Sullivan took the reigns about 12 years ago. He did so with the caveat it be incorporated into a literature class. He also wanted to look beyond the school’s boundaries for artist submissions. “I wanted it to be a bridge to the community,” he said.
Student Ellen Woolf said she took the class to fulfill her English requirement, but added that said she has enjoyed it. “It’s a different class — a unique way to study English,” she said. “I’ve seen a lot of good stuff come in. Some is not so good but that is just part of the big picture. As we get closer to production I think it will get pretty exciting.” Chris Perez called the class “amazing.” “I love this class,” Perez said. “It’s more like a journalism class. You can learn so many things and a lot of it I would have normally never thought of so that’s good.
One of my assignments was to interview an author. It was so cool and I really enjoyed that experience.” In addition to giving his students experience with editing and publishing, Sullivan said it also gives them a glimpse at literature and art that has not yet been reviewed. “I tell them, ‘nobody’s judged it yet, so it’s all up to you guys,’” Sullivan said. “They begin to enter the literary world in a different way.”
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History Corner
Continued from page 1
Photos Courtesy: Aptos History Museum archives
able to weather the storm. After Prohibition was repealed at the end of 1933, plans were made to expand the hotel, add a casino and a beach club. Benjamin Schreyer, a San Francisco architect and brother-in-law of Larry Miller, was hired to make it all happen. The initial idea for the Beach Club was for a large, two-story building, similar to the golf lodge with lodging upstairs. But when Schreyer took over, it became a modern, art deco affair, a new look with new promise. In September of 1935, workmen cleared the brush and leveled the ground with teams of horses. The road was relocated behind the proposed club. Rio del Mar had their own mill producing lumber for the forms and finish materials. The contract was let in April of 1936 to Lindgren and Swinerton of San Francisco. Original cost estimates of $40,000 quickly escalated to $62,000 by completion. Construction was estimated to take two months, to be open by July 4, but ultimately took five months. The clubhouse was reinforced concrete, 174 feet long, built on a concrete platform. It had a composition roof and translucent glass tile blocks in the locker rooms. There were indoor and outdoor dining rooms, a bar, an office, a lobby, a complete kitchen, 400 lockers, a large tile shower room, a heating plant, and employee’s quarters. The “platform” rested upon large mushroom-shaped concrete piers driven into the sandstone below the beach. The piers supported a huge concrete slab, six inches thick, four feet above the beach. The foundations were billed as “impervious to wind or wave.” That was just asking for trouble. In August 1936, interior design and furnishings were handled by Miss Genevieve Butler of New York City, well-
Beach Club interior looking south.
known for similar work at Florida beaches. Miss Butler promised one of the most beautiful beach clubs in America. The walls were golden and Fredrick Young did mosaic style murals of pastel squares ranging from yellow to aquamarine. The club also boasted the first Formica installation in the state, including the bar, wainscoting, yellow table tops and the locker room walls. The dining furniture was constructed of rust-proof galvanized white metal. There were wicker easy chairs with cushions of butter yellow and sky blue leather, or bright heavy fabric, with wicker occasional tables. The flush mounted, modern, indirect lighting fixtures were by John Otar. Clever penguin murals were painted on three walls in the main room by Fred Deveret of San Francisco who also painted the murals in the main hotel. Heavy blue and white woven drapes softened the effects of the venetian blinds, making the large room cozy and intimate. Metal tables with comfortable directortype chairs adorned the outdoor terrace. The grounds about the Beach Club were landscaped with full grown plants which had been moved from the hotel grounds in order to make room for the new additions to the hotel which included a new dining room, dance floor, kitchen and 18 additional rooms. The Beach Club had 1,000-foot beach frontage which was fenced. They intended to provide every type of beach recreational facility, with the portion of the beach in front of the club built up for volleyball and badminton courts. A door man greeted attendees to make sure the facilities were only open to members and their guests. The Beach Club informally opened Sept. 5, 1936, at 8 p.m. Club hours were reduced to weekends in October. The Club
officially opened daily for the season on Feb. 22, 1937, Washington’s birthday. This became the annual opening date. The menu consisted of salads, sandwiches, short orders from the grill, including eggs Benedict, and dinners. Initially, picnicking was not allowed in order to keep the private beach immaculate and to prevent bees. Besides a doorman, the staff included a chef, a bartender, a number of beach boys to serve the guests, and a masseur in the locker rooms. The price for a full Swedish massage was $1. Two rafts were anchored off the beach for swimmers and a life guard was on duty whenever the club was open. The Country Club boasted that “government statistics show this section of beach is one of the two safest beaches on the Pacific coast.” Additionally, by summer of 1937 the beach was being advertised as “the cleanest and safest on the Monterey Bay. It is clear of kelp and seaweed. There is no riptide nor undertow and the sands are kept as clean as a scoured floor.” Promises are made to be broken and in February of the next year, although there was very little seaweed elsewhere, it was stacked four feet high immediately in front of the Beach Club for a distance of about 50 feet, each wave adding to the height of the piles. In April, the beach had to be cleaned of an unusual amount of driftwood. During the same month, three swimmers were pulled from the surf after encountering trouble while two exhausted swimmers trying to rescue them also had to be assisted from the water. As we know, winter storms are not always kind to our beaches. In January 1939, tides swept across Beach Drive several times piling sand on the concrete surface. Shrubs planted about the Beach Club were undermined. In January 1940,
high waves washed out the flower bed and many valuable plants were lost but no damage was done to the building. In October 1940, enormous ground swells and huge waves sent water under the Beach Club and over the retaining wall onto Beach Drive, and in December, high rollers washed completely around the beach club. The beach was covered with logs, and the ramps were taken in as the sand had been washed out deeply adjacent to the club. The concrete foundation and piling foundation of the Beach Club was entirely exposed to the waves. The club was closed for the winter. During the Beach Club’s heyday, a program was set up to entertain children on the beach each Thursday from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. so that their mothers would be able to play golf. Evening beach picnics, bonfires, weenie roasts, and dances were held. World War II was another blow to the Country Club. The Beach Club became a barracks for the Coast Guard. The Beach Club never recovered. The State of California purchased it in 1955 and added it to Seacliff State Beach as the Rio Del Mar unit. The main building was removed and given to a local nursing home (I would love to know where it ended up). The remaining locker rooms and bathrooms were kept as a comfort station until 1966 when they were torn down. The current bathrooms were built in 1980 on a portion of the remaining concrete platform. The developers of Rio Del Mar had grand dreams but all that remains are shadows of former grandeur and wonderful memories. If you like these stories, please consider a donation to the museum or why not become a member?
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8 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel
JUNE 2017
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LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 9
Second District Update
Preview of the 2017-2018 County Budget
By ZACH FRIEND
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY SUPERVISOR
County budget hearings begin on June 19 and last a little over a week, with night hearings in both Santa Cruz and Watsonville over that time. The Board of Supervisors is reviewing the $717 million budget, which constitutes an approximately 5.5 percent reduction in expenditures from last year, during these hearings. In a recent budget message to the Board, the County Administrative Officer noted
Union Vote
that as the county emerged from the Great Recession, the Board has worked to limit the growth of the overall budget while focusing on restoring reserves and investing in key priorities. Specifically, in the last year the Board has focused efforts on housing affordability, traffic and congestion issues, early childhood health programs, a restructuring of our social safety net program funding to focus on collective outcomes and be more flexible toward funding emerging needs, investments in mental health and substance abuse services, homeless services, public safety economic development and parks improvements. The proposed budget from county staff, reflective of recommendations from departments and input from the Board of Supervisors, includes the following (small sample) elements: • Additional investment in local roads and significant winter storm recovery as a result of the passage of Measure D and state and federal funds • Additional contributions toward reserves to further improve the county’s credit quality and ensure greater financial stability in a downturn • Inclusion of the Thrive by Three
program that I co-sponsored with Supervisor Coonerty to invest in the 0-3 population in our county How is the budget allocated? The county budget includes a number of state and federal pass through funds for required services – particularly in the health and human services fields. Here is a breakdown of how our overall budget is proposed for allocation (including mandated expenditures): Approximately 40 percent goes toward health and human services, about 26 percent to land use and community services such as Public Works/ Roads, Parks and Planning. Nineteen percent for public safety including the Sheriff’s Office, Probation, District Attorney, Public Defender and County Fire while 13 percent goes to General Government functions such as economic development, county facilities, and elections among other things. Next steps While county revenues are up over last year, the county is still working on reducing its structural deficit. State economic forecasts anticipate a slowdown
and federal budgeting uncertainty (including the possibility of significant health coverage changes) means the county needs to continue to contain costs (and increase reserves) in advance of any downturn. There is no question that investments in affordable housing and local roads and traffic relief need to be on top of the list of investments and policy changes. In addition, it’s important that the county continue to create policies that encourage economic opportunity locally to continue to grow revenues and provide higher paying jobs to local residents. These numbers outlined above are just a small part of the budget. While they provide the framework for our budget hearings they aren’t set in stone. Your input in this process is key to ensuring your priorities are reflected in the budget. If you’d like to explore more of the budget, the county has created a new online interactive budget module at www.sccbudget.com. Interested in sharing your thoughts? Feel free to attend one of the day or nighttime budget hearings or you can always give me a call at 454-2200 to let me know your thoughts.
was even formally addressed.” He has also not adequately staffed programs such as the car seat safety program and the fire prevention bureau, Wingert said. Jones did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment. But in a prepared statement to this newspaper after the first no confidence vote, he questioned the timing, coming as it did during contract
negotiations. “…we are disappointed that they have chosen to utilize the media to convey their grievances,” the statement read. “While this type of communication of grievances is unfortunate, we look forward to working together to resolve their concerns and continue to provide unparalleled emergency service to the community.”
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The votes by the employees and management unions were the first such move in the department’s 87-year history, said Capt. Will Wingert, vice president of the Aptos/La Selva Firefighters Local 3535. “When you get management following labor, that’s a pretty significant event,” he said. Wingert said that Jones’ leadership has
resulted in a “multi-system failure” that has prompted several longtime employees to either quit or retire early. As an example, Wingert said that Jones has not addressed a staffing issue on the department’s busiest engine, despite being told about it for years. “It’s been nearly three years that we’ve been telling him,” Wingert said. “It wasn’t until a public vote of no confidence that it
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Financial Advice
Did you receive a tax refund?
me?” It is for times like this that we stress the importance of having an emergency fund set aside to pay for unexpected expenses that come up or you find yourself in-between jobs. If your emergency savings are running low or you don’t have any, consider using a portion of your refund toward this goal.
By GARY E. CROXALL, CFP® and SOREN E. CROXALL, CFP® The tax filing deadline for the 2016 tax year was April 18. That was about six weeks ago and while people hate writing additional checks to the IRS, many people actually received a refund back from the government. According to statistics released by the IRS in 2016, the average refund received was just shy of $3,000 for the 2015 tax year. While it may be tempting to go out and splurge with that money, think about some alternative ways to put your refund dollars to work.
An emergency fund You know the feeling when you turn your car on and the “check engine” light comes on? Usually the first two thoughts that come to mind are, “well this can’t be good” and “how much is this going to cost
Pay down consumer debts June is the start of wedding season. Maybe you’ve been invited to one or two, each of which requires you to travel to the venue, pay for hotels, buy a new outfit, and bring a wedding gift. Before you know it, your credit card bill has ballooned and you haven’t paid it off. Now you have interest accruing on the balance. If you have outstanding credit card debt, consider paying down the balance with your tax refund.
Make an IRA contribution Are you the person who is trying to get their IRA contribution in at the last minute before the tax filing deadline? Consider using part of your tax refund now toward an IRA contribution for the 2017 tax year so you’re not racing around at the last minute trying to 1) come up with the money for your IRA contribution and 2) get the money to your IRA custodian by
the proper deadline. Just remember that you must have what the IRS deems to be “taxable compensation” (i.e. money earned from employment) in order to make an IRA contribution. There are several other rules to follow regarding how much you can contribute per year, whether you are eligible to contribute to a Roth IRA or not, or whether or not your contributions to a traditional IRA would be deductible or not. If you have questions, seek help from a qualified professional.
Children’s college fund If you’ve been putting off starting a college fund for your child, consider opening one up and using part of your refund as seed money. Work with a qualified professional who can walk you through the types of accounts that are available and the pros and cons to each. Lastly, spend a little on yourself While we have spent this article giving examples of ways to save your tax refund, it’s OK to splurge every now and then. If you’ve been diligently paying down debt and building up an emergency fund throughout the year, maybe a portion of your tax refund could go toward a dream vacation you’ve been wanting to take. Remember that a tax refund is not a gift
from the government. It is simply a return to you of your own money that you over deposited throughout the year through tax withholding or estimated payments. If your refund is consistently large, it would be a good idea to evaluate how much you are withholding versus how much you are likely to owe and make adjustments accordingly. Gary E. Croxall, CFP® Soren E. Croxall, CFP® Croxall Capital Planning Securities and Advisory Services offered through National Planning Corporation (NPC), member FINRA/ SIPC, a Registered Investment Advisor. Consulting and Investment Management offered through Croxall Capital Planning (CCP), a Registered Investment Advisor. CCP and NPC are separate and unrelated companies. 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.
REAL ESTATE
Update
By RUTH BATES
Broker Associate & MBA
Let’s recap the first 5.5 months of the year (through May 18) in Aptos Real Estate.
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Seacliff – 12 homes have sold so far. Highest sale: 731 Oakhill – ocean view, 2 bed, 2.5 bath, 2322 Sq. Ft., sold for $2,067,500 after a very long 212 days on market. Lowest sale: 225 North – 2 bed, 2 bath, 1281 Sq. Ft., sold for $700,000 in one day. Four condos/townhomes sold, all were 2 bedroom, and sales ranged from $600,000-$682,000. Highest sale: 288 Silverfish – 2 bed, 2 bath, 1383 Sq. Ft. with a 2-car garage sold for $682,000 in eight days on market. Rio Del Mar – 53 homes have sold so far. Highest sale: 618 Beach – ocean front, 4 bed, 3 bath, 2192 Sq. Ft – sold for $5.7 million after 76 days on market. Lowest sale: 516 Bonita – 2 bed, 1 bath, 816 Sq. Ft. sold for $529,000. The Average Sale was $1,125,479. The Median Sale was $990,000, a new record high for Rio Del Mar. 15 condos/townhomes sold, plus eight at Seascape Resort. Highest sale: 1318 Via Tornasaol – ocean view, 2 bed, 2.5 bath, 2274 Sq. Ft, sold for $1,350,000 after 12 days on market. Lowest sale: 393 Sandalwood – 2 bed, 1.5 bath, 1196 Sq. Ft. sold for $440,000. Rest of 95003 – 22 homes sold so far. Highest sale: 631 Quail Run Road - a bank-owned property with 6 beds, 10 baths, 11784 Sq. Ft. on 68 acres, sold for $3,110,000 after being on the market for 583 days. I represented the buyer on this sale and they are happily “retiring” to the full time job of property rejuvenation. Lowest sale: 434 Poppy Way – a Short Sale that closed for $710,000 (well under market value) for a 4 bed, 3 bath, 2024 Sq. Ft. home. I represented the sellers of 390 Poppy Way, a 3 bed, 2 bath, 1629 Sq.
Ft. home just down the street, and it sold for $780,000 the same month. 12 condos/ townhomes sold. Highest sale: 315 Village Creek – 2 bed, 2.5 bath, 1606 Sq. Ft. with a 2-car garage, sold for $685,000. I represented the seller on the sale of this forest townhome. The buyer is writing a book about Nisene Marks, so it was very appropriate that he purchased his new home at the entrance to the State Park. Active listings – As of May 18, there are 53 Active home listings in 95003 ranging from a high of $6,900,000 for 785 Las Olas on the sand to a low of $499,000 for 763 Cathedral, a 3 bed, 1.5 bath, 1690 Sq. Ft home on the market for 30 days. If you remove the 8 homes listed at over $2 million, then the Average List price is $1,098,211 and the Average days on market is 52. This means that many homes remaining on the market now are overpriced. “Right-Priced” homes are selling within 10-21 days on market. Interest rates – My February report had 30-year rates at 4.18 percent. As of May 18, bankrate.com quotes 4.15 percent as the national average, so zero change to interest rates so far this year. New credit reporting – As of July 1, 2017, Experian, Equifax, and Transunion are dropping tax liens, medical debt, and civil judgements from credit reports which will help millions of Americans credit scores. But/and — new scores will now look at “trends” including how quickly you are paying down your debt on a monthly basis, so if you are only making minimum payments, your score could go down. As always, Aptos is a very special place to live and work and I look forward to the second half of 2017!
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Aptos Village Project moves forward which is adjacent to the Apple Barn on the Village Green. Wood framing also has been installed on the ground floor of the building. Pads for additional buildings are being excavated and compacted. Also, the Santa Cruz County Historic Resources Commission unanimously approved restoration plans for the exterior of the historic Hihn Apple Barn on May 12. During the meeting, the Commission praised how the building is being saved and preserved. For example, a specialized crew re-milled original redwood floorboards from the barn into siding. This wood, first milled in the 1890s, will be used as skirting for the barn’s new concrete foundation. Additional original wood, salvaged during the move, will be used as decking and for handrails at the loading dock, which is considered a major historical feature of the building. For information about the Aptos Village Project, visit www.theaptosvillage. com or www.facebook.com/ friendsofaptosvillage.
Staff report APTOS — Now that the rainy season has passed, Barry Swenson Builder crews are making significant progress on the Aptos Village Project. The historic Hihn Apple Barn is being re-roofed, framing is being repaired and new plywood sheathing is being installed. Crews are nearing completion on earthwork at the site. An archaeologist has been present throughout the earthwork and has reported no significant archaeological findings. Soquel Creek Water District, which drilled a new well on the site and installed a 6-foot-deep raw water line across the entire property, also had a Native American archaeologist at the project site during work and that expert also had no significant findings, according to Barry Swenson Builder. Elsewhere on the property, the retaining wall system is being constructed along Granite Way. The first phase of structural steel has been erected for Building #4,
Work on the Hihn Apple Barn is moving along. Contributed photo
Winners announced in water conservation video contest Cruz were invited to make short public service announcement (PSA) videos in English or Spanish about saving water or preventing water pollution. Some classes received presentations about water conservation and water pollution prevention to help educate the students about current water topics. This year, although there were no collegeage entries, there were more than 70 entries that came from six high schools throughout Santa Cruz County. Winning videos came from Watsonville High, San Lorenzo Valley High, Harbor High and Aptos High School. Water conservation staff and WCC members were invited to judge the videos. The winning videos are posted on the WCC’s website: watersavingtips.org/ resources/teacher-resources. The winning videos will air this summer on KION channel 5/46, the Spanish TV station Telemundo 23, and Watsonville’s public
Staff report SANTA CRUZ COUNTY — The winners of the County-Wide Save Water and Pollution Prevention Video Contest have been announced. The third annual student-made video contest was organized and sponsored by member agencies with the Water Conservation Coalition of Santa Cruz County (WCC), and the water pollution prevention programs from the County of Santa Cruz, the City of Watsonville and the City of Santa Cruz. Local high school video production classes offered through the Santa Cruz County Regional Occupational Program, youth video and technology production organizations such as Diamond Technology Institute, the Watsonville High Video Academy, and video production classes at Cabrillo College and University of California Santa
access channel 70. The following videos were chosen for their video quality, entertainment value and ability to educate the viewer about conserving water or preventing water pollution. Save Water Category: • 1st Place (English) — A two-way tie, with both videos from Harbor High School students. The first video was a team effort by Charlie Diosdado, Noel Noguez and Jackson Moore, and the second video was made by the team of Max Holocher and Garrett Fernandes-McDade. Each team will receive an award of $500. • 1st Place (Spanish) — Jacqueline Velasquez from Watsonville High School. She will receive $500 for her video on the topic of drought and groundwater. • Runner-up (English) — Jasmine Brack from San Lorenzo Valley High School. She will receive an award of $350. • Runner-up (Spanish) — A team effort
by Remy Rodriguez, Oscar Serrano and Juan Centeno from Watsonville High School. The team will receive an award of $350. Pollution Prevention Category: • 1st Place (English) — Luis Castro from Watsonville High School. He will receive an award of $500 for a video on preventing pollution by using a car wash. • 1st Place (Spanish) — A tie between two students from Watsonville High School, Crystal Velazquez and Jose Merino. They will each receive $500 for their videos. • Runner-up (English) — A two-way tie. The first video was made by Aptos High School students Kolton Marquez, Kasie Tyler and Celine Rivera. The second video was made by Watsonville High School students Jesus Vasquez and Alex Parra Escoto. Each team will receive $350 for their videos.
Police killings in US point to something wrong
To the Editor, I wish to commend the RegisterPajaronian staff, Todd Guild in particular, for the coverage of the District Attorney’s decision not to bring charges against the officer who shot 15-year-old Lucas Smith to death with a rifle (Register-Pajaronian,
April 22). Lucas was armed with a pocket knife and the several officers on the scene could not figure a way to subdue him without killing him. Sometime before this incident, a mentally challenged man armed with a garden rake was shot and killed in Santa Cruz. Several officers at that scene also failed to figure a way short of death to subdue the subject. Before writing this, I learned of police shooting two more unarmed black people to death (not here). One, a 15-year-old in a car leaving a party, hit in the head with a rifle bullet. Cops claimed the car was headed toward them at a high speed
in reverse, but a body camera showed the car fleeing the scene. The other killing was seen on television thanks to a witness with a camera. The man was face-down with officers on his back when another pulled out his pistol and shot him twice in the back. I went to the library and googled “Police killings in the United States in 2017.” Up popped the number 333. Cops have killed that many in four months, well on the way to the 1,000 per year (give or take a few) that police have been killing in this country in recent years. Police in other developed countries seldom get into double digits: Britain one or two, and
Germany zero usually. There is something obviously wrong in this country when our cops kill a thousand of us per year and there is no public outcry over it. The Black Lives Matter may be a beginning. Oh yeah, Attorney General Jeff Sessions will not prosecute a cop who shot a black man with a rifle, but he sent a woman to jail for a year for laughing at him. I heard this on Free Speech TV and listened for it on evening TV news … nothing. Thomas Stumbaugh Aptos
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SPORTS
WITH
TONY NUNEZ
Aptos’ Meltzer wins CCS in playoff By TONY NUNEZ Aptos High head golf coach Jamie Townsend wasn’t able to follow the every move of his star senior golfer Max Meltzer at May 16’s Central Coast Section Championships — the longtime golf coach was serving as a marshal for the trio behind Meltzer’s group, which was the first to tee off at 8 a.m. But every now and then Townsend would peak over to see if Meltzer’s body language had changed. “He never had a bad look on his face like he had just hit a horrible shot,” Townsend said. “He looked relaxed. He looked focused. I’d give him a thumbs up and he’d flash it right back at me. I said, ‘alright, this is going to be a good day.’” It was better than good. It was championship material. Meltzer edged Bellarmine’s Austin Murphy in a one-hole playoff to win the 2017 CCS Individual Championship at the Laguna Seca Golf Ranch in Monterey. Meltzer, who is the first from the county to win the CCS title since fellow Mariner Nick Ragsac accomplished the feat in 2007, fired a 4-under par 67 to tie Murphy for first. He won the playoff with a par on the 1st hole, which was a par-4 hole. Murphy bogeyed the hole after misfiring on his second putt a handful of feet away from the cup. “It was quick — the way he wanted it to go,” Townsend said. “That was big for Max. He’s had other playoffs that haven’t gone his way. Times where he did everything right and sunk a birdie but some kid comes back and beats him with an eagle from 150 yards out. It’s been ridiculous but I’m happy he got this one. He was ecstatic.” The victory was not only a crowing
achievement but it also meant Meltzer’s final season at Aptos continued for at least one more week. The future San Jose State Spartan advanced to the California Interscholastic Federation NorCal Championships, which were scheduled for May 22 at the Sierra View Country Club in Roseville. Murphy and the rest of the Bellarmine Bells will join him after taking third as a team with a score of 376. Archbishop Mitty (371) edged Bellarmine and secondplace Harker (375) by a handful of strokes for its first-ever team title. Stevenson’s Armand Melemdez (68), Pioneer High’s Sebastian Iqbal (69) and Menlo High’s Max Ting (71) were the three other individual qualifiers. The top nine individual finishers at the NorCal Championships who are not members of the top three teams will advance to the CIF State Championship, which took place at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach on May 31. Townsend said it is not out of the realm of possibility for Meltzer to finish in the top nine or, better yet, win the whole thing like Aptos great Eddie Olson did in 2004. “[Meltzer] was so consistent and he was fresh,” said Townsend, who explained that Meltzer pulled out of several tournaments and stayed with his father in a hotel room in Monterey overnight to mentally prepare for Tuesday’s championships after a handful of hectic weeks at school. “There was prom. There was schoolwork. He was just gassed. He was drained. He was doing all the things high school kids do. He was being a high school senior. But from the start of the morning you could see that his focus was back on golf.” Meltzer was playing in his third CCS
Aptos High senior Max Meltzer, pictured during the 2017 Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League Individual Golf Championships at DeLaveaga Golf Club in Santa Cruz, won the Central Coast Section Golf Championship on May 16 at the Laguna Seca Golf Ranch in Monterey. File photo by Tony Nunez
Championship. He finished tied for 33rd last season at Rancho Canada Golf Course in the Carmel Valley. He was the lone local golfer to advance to May 16’s CCS Championships after carding a 2-over par 73 to finish tied for eighth at last week’s regional round.
Aptos, the two-time SCCAL champion, made it as a team to last week’s regional but finished 11th. Monte Vista Christian’s Connor Tran also competed at last week’s regional round and finished tied for 62nd.
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Aptos High Sports Hall of Fame welcomes 2017 class Staff report APTOS — One of the world’s pioneer skateboarders, an All-American volleyball player and one of Aptos High’s most successful player-coaches headline the list of honorees for the Aptos High Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2017. Judi Oyama, Tracy Mitchell and Mike Schiro joined six others on April 29 at the Seascape Golf Club for the Hall of Fame special ceremonies and awards banquet. Tickets are $60 each. To purchase tickets contact Aptos Athletic Director Mark Dorfman at 728-7832, extension 5201 and mark_dorfman@pvusd.net. Simply called “The Legend,” Oyama,
a 1977 graduate, has contributed so much to the sport of skateboarding that her downhill helmet is in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. A world champion multiple times in a variety of disciplines, Oyama was so good as a teenager that Aptos developed a physical education class for her to train in the parking lot and earn high school credits, as did Cabrillo College. At age 57, she is still ranked No. 7 in the world. Mitchell, a 1980 graduate, not only excelled as an All-American high school volleyball player but she also developed into one of the best beach volleyball players in the state. While at Aptos High, she was a gymnast and basketball player
World’s Shortest Parade continues to the Bay View Hotel. This year’s Grand Marshals are the Santana Family, who own Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant. Karen Hibble, co-executive director of the Aptos Chamber of Commerce, said the family has “supported so many nonprofits and so many events” throughout their more than five decades in business. “They have been a fabulous family for our community,” she said. Before the parade starts, attendees are invited to a pancake breakfast at Burger, 7941 Soquel Drive, from 7-10 a.m. The breakfast includes pancakes, eggs, sausage, orange juice, and coffee. Partial proceeds will be donated to Santa Cruz Search and Rescue Team. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children.
as well. She went on to become an all-conference player at Cabrillo College and played at nationally ranked San Jose State. As the No. 1 tennis player at Aptos, Schiro, a 1991 graduate, was a league singles champion and helped the Mariners end a six-year team league title drought. As the Mariners’ tennis coach, Schiro’s teams won eight league championships from 1999-2008 and went unbeaten in league play for close to six straight seasons. Schiro was selected a Central Coast Section Honor Coach for Boys Tennis in 2005. A special inductee this year is Steve Bunner, a 1980 graduate, as an honorary member.
Bunner not only was a standout athlete at Aptos but has also been a dedicated coach, volunteer, fundraiser, historian and avid supporter since he was the ball boy for the football team at 7. Bunner earned six varsity letters, competing in football, basketball and baseball. An award-winning television news broadcaster and producer, Bunner is a founding member of the Aptos High Sports Hall of Fame. Joining them are KC Fox (Class of 2005), Casey Nevitt (Class of 2003), Bobby Powers (Class of 2000), Kelly Stratton (Class of 1990) and Bryan Van Meter (Class of 2004).
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The parade then runs from 10 a.m. to noon, after which is Party in the Park at Aptos Village Park, featuring live music by Extra Large. Party in the Park runs to 4 p.m., and a $5 donation is suggested. Hibble said the World’s Shortest Parade is a yearly tradition for many in the area, some of which set up their chairs along Soquel Drive the day before to secure a good viewing spot. “It’s such a tradition that people seem to find a way to make sure they get to see the parade,” she said. In 1961, Aptos residents Lucile Aldrich, Anne and Albert Isaacs and others were successful in their fight to prevent a zoning law that would have paved the way for a cement plant in Aptos Village. A celebration was held on Memorial Day, and was the inspiration behind a Fourth of July parade two months later. But to keep it running another 56 years, Hibble urged attendees to help out by following parade rules and picking up their own trash. She also reminded parade entrants to steer away
our community a safe and sane place to have this fabulous parade,” she said. For information and registration forms, visit aptoschamber.com or call 688-1467.
from “offensive acts” during the parade, as it is viewed by thousands of people and children of all ages. “We need everybody’s help in keeping
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Ruth Cuzick of the Daughters of the American Revolution prepares to join the parade in 2016. File photo by Tarmo Hannula
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Veterinary Advice
Flea Meds, why are they not working!? By DR. NICHOLE M BROOKS, DVM Fish are not the only things biting this spring! Fleas are out there and plaguing our pets. A frequent frustration expressed to me by owners is why the expensive flea medications are not working. The truth is that fleas are incredibly tough to get rid of and can take months to eradicate. Several years ago I treated a young cat with such an intense flea anemia that she needed a blood transfusion. She went on to live a normal healthy life once we got her fleas under control. And just the other day I was looking at my Mom’s 17-year-old cat … Fleas! On my Mother’s cat! Fleas are all around us, as they love the weather as much as we do, and they live naturally in our environment. They can overpopulate and infest our world in a blink of an eye without us even knowing its happening. Fleas are a small wingless insect that feed on the blood of animals. Although there is close to 2,000 species, the most common culprit is Ctencephalids felis, the cat flea. The flea goes through several phases: Eggs, larval, pupal, young adult and adult. An adult female flea can shed 40 to 60 eggs a day which fall to the ground wherever they are. It takes about one to six days to hatch into the larvae which take cover in cool dark places such as carpet, under furniture, cracks in a floor or other hidden places. The larvae goes through a pupal phase which is near impossible to eradicate and can survive in their cocoon phase for over 150 days! The pupae will become immature adults in about one to two weeks and then the adults seek out for their first meal on any unsuspecting animal. Flea bites are one of the most common causes for skin allergies in our pets. If a pet has an allergy to fleas it only takes one bite to trigger a massive outbreak of itchy skin. Some pets do not have an allergy and can live with fleas on them without a single sign of itchiness. Often animals with flea allergies present with missing fur, secondary skin infections constant scratching and even tapeworms.
So what do we do about this epidemic of fleas? The answer takes work and dedication. Sadly no flea product can guarantee a 100 percent repellent against fleas. A good quality medicine can be extremely effective at defending our pets from fleas, but we have to do more in the presence of even one identified adult flea. If you find one you can assume there are hundreds lurking around. You may hear your Veterinarian recommend treating the environment as well as your pet. We often recommend treating the most frequented areas to reduce the amount of exposure, however many of us here have the occasional visit from our local wildlife. We cannot apply flea meds to our visiting squirrel but you can tackle and limit the amount that live in your yard or house. There are several types of flea products available. There are adulticides that kill adult fleas, insect growth regulators that stop young fleas from becoming an adult, insect development inhibitor which stops fleas from forming their outer shell and there are combinations of all these drugs. Treating your yard and your house can be challenging. No one wants to spray harsh toxic chemicals in their home or yard. I don’t either! However, I really don’t want fleas around biting my dog, cat and kids. Treating the house usually means treating the bad spots or the places your pets spend the most time (with or without carpet). Exterminators use a combination of adulticides and an insect growth regulator, but even these professionals may have to treat a second time around to keep your home free from infestations. When it comes to choosing the right flea medicine use what has worked for you. All flea medicines as long as they are a good quality product work to the best of their capability. There are so many choices that the decision about which one is complicated. Don’t be persuaded by powerful expensive marketing schemes; use what your animal tolerates. If you don’t like the greasy or wet spot ones, try an oral flea med. There is even a collar (when used appropriately) that works for
eight months. One tip I will give about flea medicines is that if it says give monthly, give it every 30 days. This will ensure that your pet has coverage and there is no issue when some months are shorter and others longer. Overall, fleas are sneaky and elusive and can infiltrate without us knowing. With a little dedication you can eradicate an entire infestation. Ask your Veterinarian for help if you get frustrated with fleas and your animal is itching out of control! We can help! Let’s all work together to make our pets healthier and happier so we can all worry less! ••• Tips for effective flea control • Treat every pet in the household every month (or as prescribed, some flea
medications last three to eight months) • Make sure it is applied /given correctly. • Treat fleas all year round • Thoroughly vacuum areas frequented by your pets • Empty your vacuum bag (flea eggs can hatch inside the bag) • Wash pet bedding in very hot water • Treat environment as needed eggs can be in the environment for months ••• 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.
JUNE 2017
LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel - 15
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
JUNE 2017
June 3-4
June 10
June 16
July 4
Pacific Voice’s Spring Concert Join the Pacific Voices of Santa Cruz, under the leadership of conductor Dr. Sean Boulware, for their Spring 2017 performance. The concert will be held at the Samper Recital Hall at Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos. Traditional and contemporary choir music will be performed. The Jon Nordgren Jazz Ensemble will also make an appearance. General tickets are $20, $15 for seniors and students. Visit cabrillovapa.com or call 479-6154 to buy tickets and for information.
Community Yard Sale A community yard sale will be held at the First Baptist Church, 101 Madison St., Watsonville. Come enjoy a safe space to sell or buy from multiple sellers. Spots are $25 for all day. Proceeds will benefit youth scholarships. Contact Stephen at s.kolesar@fbcwatsonville.com or 7241311 to purchase a spot and for information.
Beauty Lounge Grand Opening Evolve Beauty Lounge’s Grand Opening Celebration & Ribbon Cutting will be held from 6-8 p.m. The new business is located at 4210 Capitola Road, Capitola. The Chamber will kick off festivities with a ribbon cutting followed by desserts, wine, live music and artwork displays. Take a tour of the salon and meet the staff. For information, call 476-4444.
Aptos 4th of July Celebration Celebrate the Fourth of July in Aptos Village. A pancake breakfast will be offered at 7:30 a.m., the “World’s Shortest Parade” starts at 10 a.m., and a party in Aptos Village Park will be held from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. with live music, games, arts and crafts. Visit aptoschamber.com or call 688-1467 for information.
June 27
Ongoing
Sons in Retirement Luncheon The Sons in Retirement Luncheon will host their monthly luncheon at 11:30 a.m. at Severino’s Restaurant, 7500 Old Dominion Court, Aptos. Dr. Peter Nelson will present “Stroke 101.” For information, call Dave at (303) 902-4770.
‘Low Impact’ Zumba class Cabrillo Fitness Club in Aptos has added a new “Low Impact” Zumba class every Sunday at 11:15 a.m. Low-impact Zumba is a total-body wellness program. Move and to Latin music: salsa, merengue, cumbia and reggaeton and other music. Low-impact Zumba is for anyone looking for a modified Zumba class that recreates the original moves at a lower intensity. Cabrillo Fitness Club requires a membership or the purchase of a day pass. For information, call 475-5979.
June 8 SCORE Workshop Join Santa Cruz Score from 6:30-9 p.m. for SimpleSTEPS for Starting Your Business. The workshop will be held at Simpkins Family Swim Center, 979 17th Ave., Santa Cruz, and intends to help new and early-stage business owners understand what it takes to be successful. Cost is $35. Seating is limited, so early registration is suggested. Cal 621-3735.
June 10-11
Rod & Custom Classic Car Show Enjoy a weekend of rods, customs, classics and American muscle cars in Capitola Village. The cars will cruise from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk at 8:30 a.m. The event in Capitola will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 10 and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 11. Admission is free. Visit capitolascarshow.com or call 462-3197 for information.
688-9514.
Siblings: Friends or foes? By NICOLE M. YOUNG, MSW each other and I have to separate them. I feel like I can never leave them alone and that’s exhausting. My mom says it’s normal for siblings to fight, but I can’t take this much longer. What can I do? — Jorge
When I was young, my siblings were my greatest friends one minute, then my biggest foes the next. We built forts, played hours of board games or just made up silly games — usually at my expense. It was always fun until my brother started teasing the rest of us or another sibling stormed off because nobody was playing by “the rules.” We got on each other’s nerves, but we couldn’t stand to be excluded from the games. I remember the arguments, but it’s the laughter and love for my earliest friends — my siblings — that has stood the test of time. Dear Nicole, My 4- and 6-year-old kids play together all the time, but they argue constantly. They fight over who gets to pour cereal first, whose turn it is to choose the TV show or who touched a toy without asking. They usually just yell at each other – which gets on my nerves – but sometimes they push
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Dear Jorge, I’ll bet every parent with multiple children has experienced what you’re describing. Sibling rivalry is common, but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. Learning how to cooperate and handle conflict are important social skills your children will need throughout life. Here are some tips to try: • Give individual attention to each child. Give brief and frequent amounts of quality time throughout the day. When one of your kids want to show or tell you something, give them your full attention, even if it’s just for one minute. This is a preventative step that keeps everyone’s attention on positive interactions instead of arguments. • Use engaging activities to teach cooperation and communication. Arguments can occur when kids get bored, frustrated or don’t know how to communicate their needs. To prevent this from happening, create a list of activities with your children – things they can do together and separately – and encourage them to pick a new activity when they start
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to get restless or frustrated with each other. When you have time, play a game or do an activity with your children that involves taking turns or solving a problem together. This provides an opportunity to spend quality time together while teaching them skills for cooperating and communicating. • Create family rules about cooperation and respect. Create a few simple family rules about how you will treat each other. State the rules in the positive (say what to do instead of what not to do) and make them easy to remember. Examples include: use kind words, keep your hands to yourself, take turns and ask before taking. Involve your children in setting the rules, and have them practice what to say and do as you discuss them. Doing this when everyone is calm will make it easier to remind them of the rules when emotions run high. • Pause, prompt, problem-solve and praise. If you notice warning signs of an argument, pause before getting involved. Give your children time to remember the family rules and work out a solution first. If the problem escalates, get close to your children and give a prompt to remind them of the family rules. “What is our rule about taking turns?” This will often be enough to prevent the conflict from escalating. • Encourage problem-solving by describing the situation and asking for their ideas about how to resolve it. “You’re both feeling frustrated because you want a turn with this toy. How can we solve this?”
Give descriptive praise when they suggest solutions, then ask them what ideas they can agree to. “That’s a good idea to roll the dice to decide who goes first. What do you think – can you agree to that?” Continue giving praise when you notice them cooperating and getting along. Describe the specific behaviors you are encouraging – “Thanks for waiting so patiently,” or “You’re doing a great job taking turns.” Final thoughts: Arguments between siblings can really test parents’ skills and patience. But it is possible and beneficial to teach children cooperation and communication, starting at a very young age. Remember, small changes can make a big difference! ••• Nicole Young is the mother of two children, ages 13 and 17, who also manages Santa Cruz County’s Triple P - Positive Parenting Program, the world’s leading positive parenting program. Scientifically proven, Triple P is made available locally by First 5 Santa Cruz County, the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency (Mental Health Services Act) and the Santa Cruz County Human Services Department. To find a Triple P parenting class or practitioner, visit triplep.first5scc. org, www.facebook.com/triplepscc or contact First 5 Santa Cruz County at 465-2217 or triplep@first5scc.org.
JUNE 2017
16 - LIFE everything Aptos, Capitola and Soquel
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