Aptos Life December 2021

• VOL. 8, NO. 40 OCTOBER 20212021, DECEMBER VOL. 8, NO. 49

Mural Compass GIVING SEASON New campus art project reflects Cabrillo’s successful efforts to connect with Latinx community

BY JOHANNAcommunity MILLER How mid-county groups are raising money through the Santa Cruz Gives holiday campaigns BY JOHANNA MILLER

Thank you for voting us

Best in the Pajaro Valley! new/used books • children’s books • 1 minute off hwy 1 • unique gifts • special orders Watsonville’s Independent Bookstore

Open Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 6pm | 1838 Main Street Watsonville | 831-728-4139

Mehl’s Colonial Chapel Since 1929 our experienced staff continues to be there when families need us the most

Proudly serving Santa Cruz County with care and compassion for 91 years

(831) 724-6371 222 East Lake Ave Watsonville mehlschapel.com

DECEMBER 2021 | APTOS LIFE

LIC#323

2

21 Brennan St, Suite 18, Watsonville, CA 95076 Phone: 831.761.7301

ABOUT THE

COVER

W

e are in the midst of the seventh Santa Cruz Gives holiday fundraising drive, and the growth each time is phenomenal. Last year, total donations to Santa Cruz Gives groups totaled $709,617—an increase of 73% over 2019. This year, the total raised has already surpassed that, with weeks to go in the campaign. The goal is to cross the million-dollar mark.

But even as Gives has had a huge impact on Santa Cruz County, I don’t feel like the role Aptos has played in its success has really been told yet. That’s why I’m so happy this month to feature Johanna Miller’s cover story about some of the Midcounty groups hoping to fund their incredible work through Santa Cruz Gives. You can support all of these groups— and dozens more—by going to santacruzgives.org. There, you can read about all 80 of the nonprofits participating this year; you can search by category to find the organizations working on issues of homelessness, food security, animals, youth, seniors, the environment or whatever other cause might be closest to your heart. You can see what the “Big Idea,” meaning the project they want to fund, is for each group. And you can donate to them right on the site.

Please join me in supporting the people who work year-round to make our community better!

STEVE PALOPOLI Editor

4 4

Cover Story

6

History Corner

10 Aptos History Book 12 Ask Nicole 13 Word from a Friend 14 Financial Advice CEO & Executive Editor

Dan Pulcrano Vice President

Lee May Publisher

Jeanie Johnson Editor

Steve Palopoli Contributing writers

John Hibble Zach Friend Johanna Miller Soren E. Croxall Photography

Tarmo Hannula Cover photo

Tarmo Hannula Cover design

Hon Truong Advertising Director

Debra Whizin

Advertising Sales

Tiffani Petrov Kate Kauffman Ilana Packer Lisa Buckley Sue Lamothe Production

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

CONTACT US

831.761.7300 newsroom@register-pajaronian.com

Proudly serving our customers and communities for 75 years!

WE PAY THE SALES TAX ON RENTALS

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM APTOS-CREEKSIDE

OPEN 7 DAYS!

PET HOSPITAL

• AIR COMPRESSORS • AUTO TOOLS • CHAIN SAWS • GENERATORS • GARDEN TOOLS • LOG SPLITTERS • MIXERS • FORKLIFTS • MANLIFTS • LIGHT TOWERS • REACH LIFTS • BACKHOES • TRUCKS • TRAILERS

& MORE!

Now! SEVEN CONVENIENT LOCATIONS

Santa Clara 408-727-0822 2550 LAYETTE ST.

Campbell 408-378-4921 900 DELL AVE.

Morgan Hill 408-779-7368 95 E. MAIN AVE.

Hollister 831-638-1999 2610 SAN JUAN RD.

Watsonville 831-722-0334 285 W. BEACH

Santa Cruz 831-477-7133 3700 SOQUEL AVE

Salinas 831-424-7368 210 W. MARKET ST.

www. AToolShed.com | 1-800-A-TOOL-SHED WE DELIVER

Saturday Sale!

AD SIZE

1/3v

PUBLICATION: GOOD TIMES

Every Saturday untilADVERTISER: Christmas!

A TOOL SHED ACCOUNT EXEC: LISA

4.3438" X 6.5625"

Starting $99 and up!MACKENZIE/SAM DESIGNER:

Free Diagnosis! computerzone1.com

Save 15% with this coupon

COMPUTER ZONE

1330 Mission Street (831) 466-9099

Keep your Pets away from the following hazards...

• Chocolate & Leftovers • Christmas Tree & Ornaments

• Plants & Flowers • Glittery Tinsel & Ribbon • Lights and Wires

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

HomeHome Networks Networks Home Networks Security Cameras Security Cameras Security Cameras Wi-FiWi-Fi Upgrades Upgrades Wi-Fi Upgrades

DESIGN DEPARTMENT weeklys.com

An experienced Valley IT manager will AnSilicon experienced Silicon Valley IT help manager will help An experienced Silicon Valley IT manager will help youexperienced speed upyou slow connections, choose the right An Silicon Valley IT manager will help youthe speed speed up slow connections, choose right you speed up slow connections, choose the right equipment and sort through of challenges up slow connections, choose thechallenges right equipment and sort equipment andthe sort through the of equipment and sort technology through thedevices challenges ofdevices through challenges of keeping your on-line home technology keepingthe your home and on-line and keeping your home technology keeping your home technology devices on-line and devices on-line and well. us audio about whole home performing well.

Askperforming us about whole home performing well. Ask usAsk about whole home audio performing well.

Ask us about audio and smart lighting too.

Call forhome a free consultation! and smart lighting too.

Call forwhole a too. free consultation! and smart lighting Call foraudio a free consultation! and smart lighting too. Call for a free consultation!

408 647-4687 408 647-4687 www.doitforme.solutions 408 647-4687 www.doitforme.solutions

www.doitforme.solutions Trusted • Owner operated •operated Gilroy-based Trusted • Owner operated • Gilroy-based Trusted • Owner • Gilroy-based

Trusted • Owner operated • Gilroy-based

DECEMBER 2021 | APTOS LIFE

TAB Computers and Laptops

PLEASE KEEP YOUR PETS SAFE & HEALTHY DURING THE HOLIDAYS!

3

Johanna Miller

DRIVE ON Second Harvest Food Bank kicked off their holiday food drive at Cabrillo College in November. The organization is raising money through Santa Cruz Gives to meet increased food security needs in the pandemic.

DECEMBER 2021 | APTOS LIFE

Aptos 4

BY JOHANNA MILLER

Mid-county nonprofits are hoping to fund their dream projects through the Santa Cruz Gives campaign

I

n early November, Second Harvest Food Bank took over a parking lot on Cabrillo College’s lower campus, kicking off the organization’s annual Holiday Food & Fund Drive.

At the event, CEO Willy Elliott-McCrea thanked everyone in attendance and explained the importance of supporting the organization.

“Every dollar you raise goes directly to feeding neighbors in Santa Cruz County,” McCrea said.

“100% goes to creating and feeding and raising millions of meals for residents who are experiencing food insecurity. 100% goes to feeding struggling college students and seniors. 100% goes to feeding veterans and working families.”

Second Harvest is also one of 80 nonprofits chosen to

SPREADING THE WORDS Live Like Coco

distributes free books to young students, among other services; the group hopes to fund a Children’s Memorial Reading Garden at the Aptos library through Santa Cruz Gives.

VAN GO Teen Kitchen Project’s project for Santa Cruz Gives is funding

the conversion of a van to help with meal deliveries.

Chief Development Officer Suzanne Willis. “It’s a wonderful way to reach audiences we don’t typically have and a fantastic platform to expose all of the great organizations throughout the county.”

Second Harvest’s “Big Idea” has remained similar each year— though it has become more important since Covid, Willis said. The food bank saw 100,000 people utilizing food banks in the first few months of the pandemic.

“We want to reduce the stigma around food access, to ensure that everyone has access to the food they need,” Willis said. “Everyone should have access to food. It should not be something that makes you feel bad. Economic recovery from the pandemic, fires, inflation, everything going on—it will take years. The food bank is here for the community as long as they need.”

healthy, with opportunities to pursue their dreams. Named after Coco Lazenby, a selfdescribed “book lover, cat petter and environmentalist,” who was killed in a car accident in August 2015 at age 12, they address everything from literacy to health and wellness and help kids connect with and care for the natural environment.

Live Like Coco offers scholarships, creates community projects and works alongside other local organizations. This year’s Big Idea is the creation of the Children’s Memorial Reading Garden at the Aptos library.

Learn more at livelikecoco.com.

Other mid-county-based nonprofits in Santa Cruz Gives include Shared Adventures, Campbell Communities California, Soroptimist International – Capitola Branch, and Balance Santa Cruz County. For information on all participating nonprofits and to donate, visit santacruzgives.org.

SCG is presented by Good Times in partnership with The Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County and support from the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County, The Applewood Fund, the Bud & Rebecca Colligan Fund, The Joe Collins Fund, Driscoll’s, Santa Cruz County Bank, Wynn Capital Management, Oswald Restaurant, The Pajaronian and the Press Banner.

DECEMBER 2021 | APTOS LIFE

participate in Santa Cruz Gives (SCG), a countywide fundraising campaign started by Good Times in its seventh year. The campaign began in mid-November and runs through December 31. Donations can be made at santacruzgives. org, where each nonprofit has a profile page detailing their story and how they will use the donations in the coming year (their “Big Idea”). The campaign has grown quickly since its inception; last year alone, it raised $709,617—a 73% increase from 2019. This year, organizers aim to raise nearly a million dollars for these community groups and are well on their way toward that goal—as of Giving Tuesday last week, the total amount raised had surpassed $675,000.

“This campaign, it’s really special,” said Second Harvest’s

Angela Farley, executive director of Teen Kitchen Project (TKP), a Soquel nonprofit that delivers meals cooked by local young people to families dealing with illnesses, says that her organization’s outreach extends exponentially every year during SCG. “The greatest benefit of partnering with this campaign has been the exposure we get, especially to people who might not know what we offer or how we impact the community and local youth,” Farley says. “A lot of people don’t understand our diagnosis requirements. They don’t think they qualify. They think they’re not “sick enough” to get a meal. We want to change that. A lot more people could benefit from our services.”

This year, TKP’s Big Idea is converting a recently purchased passenger van into a refrigerated van that will help the nonprofit’s staff of drivers deliver more meals. The van needs a specific insert, Farley explains, that will store food safely and prevent food-borne illnesses.

“This year, we’ve done an expansion to deliver more meals,” she says. “That requires more refrigeration. With this new van, [drivers] will not have to go back to the kitchen; they can just load up and deliver all day.”

Also participating in SCG is the Live Like Coco Foundation, an Aptos-based organization aiming to help children in Santa Cruz County grow up

5

HISTORY CORNER

BARN TO LEAD Frederick Otto Hihn sits in the buggy

in front of the Aptos apple barn in this 1915 photograph.

EAT, DRINK, & BE MERRY Christmas Eve Dinner 4 pm - 9 pm $58 per person

Christmas Day Brunch Buf fet

DECEMBER 2021 | APTOS LIFE

9 am - 3 pm

6

$45 per person $18 Children 12 and under Reservations Recommended Please call (831) 688-898 to reserve your seat!

@Severino’s Bar & Grill @severinosbarandgrill 7500 Old Dominion Court | Aptos, California 95003 831.688.8987 | Seacliffinn.com

The Remarkable Frederick Hihn

F

for the gold fields of California rederick Augustus Hihn (pronounced “Heen”) at the age of 19 to help support was larger than life. his parents and siblings.

When I began to research F. A. Hihn learned to overcome his life, I was aware adversity through determination, that he built and managed hard work and great the Santa Cruz Railroad, attention to detail. that he had a lumber mill Shortly after Hihn and in Valencia, and that he six others reached the was involved in the Aptos gold fields on the Feather apple business. He was also River, a storm caused the county’s first self-made the river to rise and millionaire. As it turns out, washed away all their that was only the beginning. tools and supplies. He It is not possible to list

By John Hibble then opened a candy all his accomplishments Aptos History Museum store in Sacramento, here, but I will cover the which was also washed highlights. away by a storm within Frederick Augustus three weeks. Next, he moved to Hihn, or F. A. Hihn (but never San Francisco and opened a drug Fred*), was born in Holzminden, store. Within six months, his duchy of Brunswick, Germany, on business was consumed by fire August 16, 1829. He left Germany in May and again in June. Hihn

Master Craftsman Isaiah W illiams

GUIDING LIGHT By the early 20th century, Hihn was already recognized

as one of the most important figures in the development of the Central Coast.

Hihn was fluent in English, German, French, and Spanish.

Real Estate and Lumber F. A. Hihn then turned his attention to real estate. He purchased land and then improved it with streets, bridges and trees and sold lots for homes. His terms were 10% down and 10% a year for 10 years. If the buyer died before the land was paid off, his heirs would inherit free and clear.

F. A. Hihn was very successful.

Hihn had water pipes made from redwood logs and supplied water to Santa Cruz, Capitola, Soquel and Valencia. He helped ➝8

We Love Them While They Wait for You!

831-251-0377 isaiahwilliams13@gmail.com

mastercraftsman.webs.com

scanimalshelter.org/ become_a_volunteer

DECEMBER 2021 | APTOS LIFE

was ready to give up, but he saw one of his neighboring merchants rebuilding his business, and Hihn could not understand why. The merchant said, “Oh, someone will carry on business here. I might as well do it as anyone else.”

This was a very powerful lesson.

Instead of returning to Germany, Hihn formed a partnership with Henry Hentsch and they agreed to open a store somewhere south of San Francisco, where the danger of fire was less. After dealing with horse thieves, highwaymen, and other calamities, they eventually made their way to Santa Cruz and set up a successful grocery/ mercantile business in 1851.

• Antique Restorations • Furniture Design & Repair • Wooden Boat Works • Musical Instruments • Unique Projects

7

HISTORY CORNER

THINK LOCAL FIRST DECEMBER 2021 | APTOS LIFE

2022 GUIDE

8

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

GUIDE TO WHERE THE LOCALS GO

2020

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

GUIDE TO WHERE THE LOCALS GO

2019

THINKLOCALSANTACRUZ.ORG

SPACE RESERVATION DEC 10 PRODUCTION AD DEADLINE DEC 10 E-AD DEADLINE DEC 17 DISTRIBUTION DATE JAN 6

THINKLOCALFIRSTSC.ORG

Contact your advertising representative at 831.458.1100 If not a member we can sign you up!

107 Dakota Avenue, Santa Cruz

7

construct the first wagon road and telegraph between Santa Cruz and Los Gatos. He built East and West Cliff Drives. He started the first high school class in Santa Cruz. He was a County Supervisor for six years and was elected to the State Assembly, putting both on sound financial footings. F. A. Hihn developed Capitola and helped organize City Bank and City Savings Bank of Santa Cruz. And the list goes on. Frederick Augustus Hihn was a most remarkable man.

Hihn’s greatest wealth came from his lumber operations. Rafael Castro, who owned the Aptos Rancho land grant, was able to keep his land and lease or sell it at will. Rafael’s sister, Martina, who owned the Soquel Rancho and the Soquel Augmentation, was not so lucky. She lost most of her land, and F. A. Hihn was able to acquire 50% of each Rancho, over 17,000 acres, which stretched from Capitola to about where Highway 17 crosses the summit, east to Loma Prieta Mountain, and south to Freedom Blvd.

The stage was set. In order to get at the timber, F. A. Hihn purchased much of the land in today’s Aptos Village from Rafael Castro’s daughter Maria Antonia Castro Bernal and her husband Guadalupe Bernal. By May of 1883, Hihn had built a lumber mill in Aptos Village down in Trout Gulch Creek at its junction with Valencia Creek near the eastern railroad trestle. He then proceeded to cut the trees in the Trout Gulch canyon and the area around today’s Valencia Road.

In 1884, Hihn began moving his mill up to where Valencia and Cox Creeks intersect. There he built the company town of Valencia.

The rail line connecting Valencia to Aptos is today’s Valencia Road.

The mill had regular competitions with the Loma Prieta Lumber Company mill and operated until 1892. During this time Aptos Village was a huge lumberyard and distribution facility with nine sets of railroad tracks, and the town boasted 13 saloons.

New Industry for Aptos When the Valencia timber played

out, Hihn had his lumberjacks plant apple trees. He then sold the orchards to the lumberjacks and created a new industry for Aptos. Hihn built the Aptos Apple Barn/Warehouse (where New Leaf Community Market now stands), an apple dryer, and a small subdivision for his workers. Today, Summerset House and Aptos Barbeque are located in that subdivision.

During the apple era, much of the land in Aptos Village was sold to the various apple business owners. The new Aptos Village redevelopment is on those parcels.

Hihn went on to timber the San Lorenzo Valley and the Laurel area, which provided lumber for the rebuilding of San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake. In 1902, the Governor appointed F. A. Hihn as a trustee for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and he was responsible for selecting the location and buying the 300 acres for the campus. The editor of the Santa Cruz Sentinel said, "Mr. F. A. Hihn ... unites in his own self, the concentrated energy of any hundred men in Santa Cruz County." When Hihn died in 1913 at the age of 84, he was considered the most important person on the Central Coast. He was also recognized as the most important pioneer in Santa Cruz County.

If you appreciate these stories, please become a member of the Aptos History Museum. *When I first published this story, I referred to Mr. Hihn as Fred. It was gently brought to my attention

by Stan Stevens, Carolyn Swift and Sandy Lydon, (all historians of note), that Mr. Hihn would never have been called Fred. He would have been Frederick Augustus Hihn or F. A. Hihn. His son, Frederick Otto Hihn, might have been called Fred. He is the one who managed the apple business, and it is also he who is sitting in the buggy in front of the apple barn in the 1915 photograph. Sandy Lydon described my re-educators as the “History Trifecta”. I am always happy to have my history finetuned by experts.

HOMEOWNER’S SERVICE GUIDE Keep your home in top shape with the help of these local professionals.

Native Tree Care

For information on how to include your business, email sales@pajaronian.com Extraordinary ESSENTIAL ESSENTIAL HANDYMAN Construction SERVICES

Add-A-Jack

HANDYMAN SERVICES Professional - Timely - Courteous

• Carpentry • Home Repair • Landscape

GREG EIMAN

831.588.1260

Add - A-5 Jack

831-466-9762 • Maximize WiFi, Internet, Cable, Coax, TV • Home & Business solutions • Update old wiring or install all new

RAINBOW 1 CARPETS & FLOORS

2

23 years in Santa Cruz!

addajacksantacruz.com

ADUs • Jr ADUs • Granny Units Additions • Studios • Sun Rooms

WE DELIVER!!

831 322-4422

We handle everything from

Design to Permits to Construction

EXTRAORDINARY CONSTRUCTION extraordinaryconstruction.com LIC #1023400 and Insured

• CHAIN SAWS • GENERATORS • GARDEN TOOLS • LOG SPLITTERS • FORKLIFTS

• BACKHOES • TRUCKS • TRAILERS

& MORE!

www.AToolShed.com 1-800-A-TOOL-SHED Santa Cruz

Watsonville

831.477.7133

831-722-0334

3700 Soquel Ave

285 W Beach St.

ESSENTIAL ESSENTIAL HANDYMAN HANDYMAN SERVICES SERVICES Plumbing Plumbing

General General Home Home Repair Repair

Electrical Electrical

Carpentry Carpentry

Landscaping Landscaping

Greg Greg Eiman Eiman 831.588.1260 831.588.1260

Maximize Wi-FI Range INDOOR • OUTDOOR

Wired Internet Solutions

Native

Tree Care All phases of tree work...

• Stump grinding • Poison oak removal • Fruit tree pruning • Palm tree pruning

Julian 831 335-5175 *Certified arborist since 1974 *Iinsured PLPD $2M

Add-A-Jack Home • Business Large Properties CABLE

831-466-9762 TELEPHONE

Addajacksantacruz.com

DECEMBER 2021 | APTOS LIFE

9

APTOS HISTORY BOOK

A new book in ‘Santa Cruz Trains’ series chronicles local lumber history

: Courtesy of UCSC Legacy Digital Collections

COMING ’ROUND THE MOUNTAIN The Betsy Jane hauls a train of logs down

to Frederick A. Hihn’s mill on Valencia Creek, circa 1890.

Training Days

By JOHANNA MILLER

DECEMBER 2021 | APTOS LIFE

10

Courtesy of the Pajaro Valley Historical Association

I

t was a moment of sheer luck that historian and author Derek R. Whaley, while researching for his own book, discovered the work of the late Ronald G. Powell.

Whaley owns local publishing company Zayante Publishing and is the author of the Santa Cruz Trains series, which documents the rise and fall of the railroading industry in Santa Cruz County.

He’d been having difficulty finding the history of the Loma Prieta Branch that ran from Aptos through the Forest of Nisene Marks. So, he reached out to UC Santa Cruz Librarian Emeritus Stanley D. Stevens, who sent over a large PDF containing one of Powell’s manuscripts.

STACK FIGURES The Loma Prieta Lumber Company’s lumberyard at

the corner of West Beach and Pine streets in Watsonville, late 1890s.

“I was like, ‘What is this thing?’” Whaley says. “Powell was so incredibly thorough, so detailed. I was like, ‘This is crazy!’ And I immediately asked Stanley for more.”

The Reign of the Lumber Barons chronicles the golden age of the lumber industry in the hills above Aptos and Corralitos at the end of the 19th century.

Through first-hand accounts,

newspaper clippings, and more, the text examines how tens of thousands of old-growth trees were systematically harvested to use in the development of the Bay Area, starting in the 1860s.

Powell, a historian and author himself, was often found in the UCSC library in the 1980s and ’90s, poring over maps and texts, compiling histories as he went.

The manuscript was intended to be part of Powell’s history series about Martina Castro’s Rancho Soquel Augmentation, a Mexican land grant given in 1833 covering present-day Santa Cruz County.

Whaley, who in 2014 had just moved to New Zealand to work on his Ph.D. in Late Medieval French Chronicles, saw an opportunity to preserve Powell’s work and do research for his book.

“What Powell wrote was a chronicle, which is what I’d been working on for the past four years for my thesis,” Whaley explained. “And here’s a guy who did it 30 years ago, about Santa Cruz history.”

Whaley published the first of Powell’s manuscripts as The Tragedy of Martina Castro last year, focused primarily on mid-county history. The Reign of the Lumber Barons uncovers stories of people living in the logging towns in places such as Loma Prieta and Valencia, pulling in history from Aptos, Corralitos and parts of Watsonville.

For more information about ‘The Reign of the Lumber Barons: Part Two of The History of Rancho Soquel Augmentation,’ go to zayantepublishing.com.

Non Profit

Join These Businesses in Supporting Non Profit Organizations If you would like to feature your non profit in this directory, call 831.458-1100

Tools to Make Parenting Easier

First 5 Santa Cruz County triplep.first5scc.org 831.465.2217

JOIN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY’S HOLIDAY GIVING CAMPAIGN 80 LOCAL NONPROFITS

FOR RESIDENTS OF MONTEREY, SANTA CRUZ AND SAN BENITO COUNTIES*

WOOD STOVE CHANGE OUT PROGRAM

OFFERING REBATE INCENTIVES TO CONVERT QUALIFIED WOOD BURNING DEVICES TO CLEANER HEATING DEVICES

RECEIVE UP TO

Natural Gas Propane Electric Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump *Pellet Stove/Insert *Qualified Wood Burning Stove or Fireplace Insert Additional Incentive for Low Income

$1,500 $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 $1,000 $1,000 $2,000

*Any replacement Wood Burning Device MUST be new, cleaner, and 2020 EPA Compliant

831.647.9411 WWW. MBARD.ORG/WOOD-STOVE-CHANGE-OUT-PROGRAM

(OR BY MAIL OR CASH DELIVERY)

SANTACRUZGIVES.ORG NOVEMBER 17 TO DECEMBER 31

NEW THIS YEAR!

ALL DONORS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO MATCHING FUNDS SHARED BY ALL ORGANIZATIONS. SIMPLY GO TO THE SHOPPING CART AND ENTER ANY AMOUNT IN THE FIELD TITLED:

MATCHING FUNDS.

DECEMBER 2021 | APTOS LIFE

CONVERT TO

CONTRIBUTE WITH CONFIDENCE IT’S EASY TO DONATE ONLINE

11

ASK NICOLE

Supporting Mental Wellness

By Nicole M. Young, MSW

I

DECEMBER 2021 | APTOS LIFE

’m grateful for the little moments that start to feel like pre-pandemic life. Before 2020, I never thought that going to a grocery store or a friend’s house without being afraid to touch things or breathe air was cause for a celebration. But after nearly two years of the pandemic, these “small” things make a big difference. While I’m hopeful that the worst of the pandemic is over, I’m deeply concerned about the extent of the pandemic-related emotional and behavioral health challenges faced by many children, youth and adults. The holidays can be a challenging time for mental health, so it’s even more important that we care for ourselves and each other at this time of year.

This monthly article provides tips for families raising children based on the world-renowned Triple P—Positive Parenting Program, available to families in Santa Cruz County. If you have a question for a future column, please email triplep@first5scc.org.

12

Dear Nicole, I’m worried about my children’s mental health (they’re 8 and 13).

They used to enjoy being around people at home and school, but now they isolate themselves in their rooms and don’t want to go anywhere, especially school. It’s a daily struggle to get them to go to school. I’ve tried talking with them to find out whether there’s a problem with teachers, other kids, or their schoolwork, but they don’t want to open up to me.

Do you have any suggestions?

— Priya Dear Priya, You’re not alone. The emotional and behavioral health of children and teens was of concern before COVID. Still,

the pandemic-related stress, fear, grief, and uncertainty have intensified mental health challenges for kids of all ages.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, emergency department visits for mental health emergencies increased between March and October 2020 by 24% for children ages 5-11 and 31% for children ages 12-17. In early 2021, there was more than a 50% increase in emergency department visits for suspected suicide attempts among girls ages 12-17, compared to 2019. As a result, pediatricians, psychiatrists, and children’s hospitals recently declared a national state of emergency in child and adolescent mental health.

So you are wise to pay attention to changes in your children’s moods and behaviors. Here are some tips that may help your family: Continue checking in with your kids. Have “casual conversations” about things your children are interested in—food, sports, clothing, music, social media, their friends, or other hobbies.

Keep the lines of communication open, ask questions, and encourage them to express their thoughts and feelings.

This can lead to more in-depth discussions about their moods, eating and sleeping patterns, changes in social relationships, difficulties at school, or other issues weighing on their minds.

Validate their feelings. If your kids open up, listen, acknowledge their feelings, and thank them for sharing—even if you don’t share the same interests or agree with their opinions. Hold off on trying to reassure them that everything will be fine or telling them the situation is not as bad as it seems.

Remember that kids are more likely to believe those words once they feel someone believes them. Simply saying, “I can see

CALL TO MIND We are just beginning to understand how the pandemic

is affecting our children’s mental health—but there are ways to help.

you feel strongly about that,” or, “That’s a big emotional weight to carry,” can have a calming effect.

Do ‘family stress busters’ together. Go on a walk, spend time in nature, have a family game night, watch a movie, exercise, read, play music, take naps, or do mindfulness exercises together.

Do things that make you laugh or just appreciate being with each other. Spending quality time together is a Triple P parenting strategy that builds positive, loving family relationships, which helps “buffer” kids from the effects of stress, anxiety and depression.

Seek help and support from other sources. Schedule a health check-up for your kids with their medical provider. This can help identify any physical, mental, or behavioral health concerns and connect your children to helpful resources such as counseling.

Many schools also offer counseling and other resources that teach

children and teens tools to manage stress and other emotions.

Remember to seek support for your mental health, too.

Life is stressful, even overwhelming, at times. If you or your children find that these tips aren’t enough to cope with mental health challenges, contact professionals in your community for additional support. If someone is in immediate distress or in danger of hurting themselves, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text the Crisis Text Line (HELLO to 741741).

Nicole Young is the mother of two children, ages 18 and 21, who also manages Santa Cruz County's Triple P - Positive Parenting Program.

To find a Triple P parenting class or practitioner, visit triplep.first5scc. org, or contact First 5 Santa Cruz County at 831-465-2217 or triplep@first5scc.org.

WORD FROM A FRIEND

Local Holiday Shopping

T

Helping you plan today so you can have confidence for tomorrow

CROXALLCAPITAL.COM

SOREN.CROXALL@LPL.COM

(831) 661-4006

9057 SOQUEL DR. BLDG B / STE A APTOS, CA 95003 @CROXALLCAPITALPLANNING

Soren Croxall is a Registered Representative of and securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. A Registered Investment Advisor. CA Insurance Lic. #0H25684.

There is a Better Way

Mediate & Move On • Avoid Court • Divorce Mediation • Family Conflicts • Dispute Resolution • Fast, Fair, Affordable Free 1/2-hr.

Phone Consultation Lu Haussler, J.D.

831.334.9539 mediationgroupofsc.com

DECEMBER 2021 | APTOS LIFE

he holiday season is Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta traditionally one of that showed that counties with the largest sales times larger shares of local small for many retailers. businesses outperform their Over the last year and peers on three critical economic a half, local businesses have been indicators: stronger per capita facing additional pressures due income growth, faster employment to the pandemic and subsequent growth and lower poverty rates. economic downturn. Many have Additionally, an faced declines in sales analysis from the as online retailing has Government Finance increased, and others are Review found that having staffing challenges smaller local businesses that have required hours to change or owners to (versus box stores) work multiple shifts. As provide more tax a community, we have revenue on the aggregate a unique opportunity while costing less in to show support for our government services. small, locally owned We have many locally

By Zach Friend businesses as they owned businesses that Santa Cruz County compete with national provide various options Supervisor online retailers, for our holiday shopping, especially during the including kid’s stores, restaurant holiday season. gift certificates, great coffee shops, In Santa Cruz County, 82 clothing stores, jewelers, locallypercent of local businesses have owned hotel getaway options fewer than nine employees. Many in mid-county and south county and more. Some of these small work for locally owned businesses, businesses have been recognized and our local economy depends nationally for their unique options, on a robust small business sector. they all employ local residents Some of the local businesses and many are owned by residents offer online ordering (with sameright here in the mid-and south day pick-up), and there are county. Many of these businesses many options—from traditional are now offering shipping retail items to bakery items to options to you or to those you are hardware—that you can order purchasing gifts for to save you a locally online and pick up straight trip out and provide an extra layer from the local business. Many of safety this holiday season. in our area are working with local Chambers of Commerce If you’d like additional to advertise extended holiday information, the Aptos specials that extend beyond the Chamber of Commerce has a traditional Black Friday or Small business directory and holiday Business Saturday timeframes. specials at aptoschamber.com, According to an analysis by the Capitola/Soquel Chamber is Institute for Local Self-Reliance, at capitolachamber.com and “locally owned businesses the Pajaro Valley Chamber is play a central role in healthy at pajarovalleychamber.com. communities and are among the As always, I appreciate best engines that cities and towns hearing from you. I regularly have for advancing economic update my social media page, opportunity and building resilient facebook.com/supervisorfriend, places.” Specifically, they note work from an economist at the or call me at 831-454-2200.

Soren E. Croxall, CFA, CFP

13

FINANCIAL ADVICE

Year-End Checklist

I

DECEMBER 2021 | APTOS LIFE

t’s that time of year again for our annual article on end-of-year financial tasks to complete. While 2021 was a little less volatile than 2020, there was still plenty of uncertainty. As we look toward 2022, below are a few end of year items to consider in-between holiday festivities.

14

to your employer-sponsored retirement accounts. “Maximizing contributions” may mean different things to different people. It may mean contributing the annual maximum contribution allowed under current IRS guidelines for some. It may mean contributing enough to take full advantage of an employer match for others. Everyone’s situation is different, and you should target saving what your budget will allow for.

Portfolio Review: Markets continued to rebound off March 2020 lows throughout the remainder of 2020 and Soren E. Croxall through the first half Financial Advice Review Tax of 2021. If you haven’t Withholding and reviewed your portfolio Employer Benefits: in a while, now may be December is often open a good time. It’s possible that enrollment time for employergiven the market’s current run-up, provided benefits. It’s worthwhile some positions may have grown to take a little extra time to and become overweight relative review and understand what to what you may have set as a is being offered and what the target weight. It may be time to pros and cons are. Reviewing consider a rebalance. A financial your tax withholding is also professional can help you examine important to start off 2022. your portfolio, as well as help you determine if rebalancing may Take Your Required Minimum make sense given your individual Distributions: I cannot stress situation. They can also discuss this enough! Last year in 2020, potential tax implications that you Congress provided a break for may incur by rebalancing. Also, those who normally would have given some of the choppiness in been required to take distributions the market this year, you may from their various retirement be able to take advantage of a accounts by allowing them to strategy called tax-loss harvesting forgo the distribution(s) if they (taking a tax loss to potentially wanted to. However, that break offset realized tax gains) in taxable was for 2020 only, and Required investment accounts. Again, be Minimum Distributions (“RMDs”) sure to work with a qualified are back in 2021. Be sure you advisor who can help review are taking out your Required your portfolio and educate you Minimum Distributions from on the rules surrounding tax various retirement accounts as loss harvesting (they must be needed. The potential tax penalty followed; otherwise, a tax loss is steep for forgetting to do this. may be disallowed by the IRS).

Keep in mind that waiting until Review Retirement Plan the last minute can put you at Contributions: Make sure you risk of the custodian that holds are maximizing contributions your account not processing

Given some of the choppiness in the market this year, you may be able to take advantage of a strategy called tax-loss harvesting. 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 $550 to be carried forward, or they have a small grace period of 2.5 months generally). 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 ensure 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.

Wishing everyone a happy holiday season and a prosperous 2022.

Soren Croxall, CFA, CFP® is a registered representative of LPL. Financial 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.

Holiday Sale Dec 16 – 26

Vape Creme de Canna Legion of Bloom Stiiizy

Gummies Kanha Wana Heavy Hitters

Top Shelf Flower 1/8ths Cannabiotix Cookies Connected Houseplant plus more

Buy any $60 1/8th at 30% off, get a top shelf preroll for $1 Buy 2 $60 1/8ths at 30% off, get 3 infused prerolls for $3 Valid 12/16 - 12/26. All deals while supplies last.

$68 value Starting 12/1.

While supplies last.

DECEMBER 2021 | APTOS LIFE

Peppermint Bark Bar, Peppermint Pattie Terra Bites, Camino Holiday Punch Gummies 4 boxes contain golden ticket $100 gift certificates!

kindpeoples.com Reserve your order online pick up and pay in store

3600 Soquel Ave.

8am – 10pm Daily

533 Ocean St. 8am – 10pm Daily

Licenses: C10-0000172-LIC • C10-0000234-LIC

15

Visit SantaCruzNaturals.org for delivery, menus and more!

C10-0000237-LIC | C10-0000238-LIC

MORE 4:20.