Aptos Life February 16, 2022 by Weeklys

FEBRUARY 16, 2022 • VOL. 9, NO. 7

What’s Next? Inside the vision for a new library in Aptos BY JOHANNA MILLER

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ABOUT THE

COVER

FEBRUARY 16, 2022 | APTOS LIFE

hen the Santa Cruz library system announced it had reached the $1 million funding goal for its Realize the Promise campaign, we were especially excited around here, because our readers had something to do with that. As Johanna Miller’s cover story reveals, part of the funding came from the libraries’ participation in Santa Cruz Gives. But I’ve also been asked what that library money is going to fund, especially now that the Aptos branch is closing for almost a year. Well, I think our story explains everything you need to know. And in terms of the vision for the Aptos library, I think it’s far beyond what a lot of us expected—as in, a complete rebuild. The building is almost 50 years old, and is the second-most-visited in the entire county, so I think we’ve earned it. Check out Miller’s story, and don’t forget to read John Hibble’s piece on the history of the Aptos History Museum, another important place around here. I hope you’ll come out to the fundraiser for the museum at Seacliff Inn on March 1. He’s got all the details in his column! STEVE PALOPOLI, Editor

4 3

Local Scene

Cover Story

History Corner

10 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 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.

831.761.7300 newsroom@register-pajaronian.com

LOCAL SCENE Lunch with a Friend The Aptos Chamber of Commerce will hold a lunch meeting with Second District Supervisor Zach Friend on Feb. 23 from 11:30am to 1pm at Seascape Golf Course, 610 Clubhouse Drive. Friend will give updates on the latest county developments. There will be time for questions as well. Lunch will be held either indoors or outside, Covid-19 dependent. Reservations are required. Admission is $35 general, $30 for chamber members paid in advance, or $35 on the day of the lunch. For reservations, call the Aptos Chamber at 688.1467, send a check to 7605 Old Dominion Court, Aptos, CA, 95003, or visit aptoschamber.com.

Aptos History Museum Fundraiser The Aptos History Museum will hold its annual fundraiser, “Swing into Spring, It’s Mardi Gras” on March 1 from 5-7pm at the Seacliff Inn, 7500 Old Dominion Court. The event will feature music by Ukes 4 You, food and a silent auction. Attendees are encouraged to bring beads and masks, as there will be prizes for the best dressed. The no-host bar will feature Bourbon Street classics. Admission is $35 for museum members, or $40 for general admission. To RSVP, visit bit.ly/3IGJj6t.

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PROMISE KEEPER

Tarmo Hannula

FEBRUARY 16, 2022 | APTOS LIFE

Tricia Wynne, chair of the Aptos Committee for Realizing the Promise, says the rebuilt Aptos Library will be a “beautiful, modern space that reflects our community.”

Book It By JOHANNA MILLER

Aptos Re-Imagined In Aptos, work has begun on the rebuild of the library on Soquel Drive. Originally built in 1975, the branch is the second busiest in the system. It is scheduled to reopen in 10-11 months. “There have not been many improvements in years,” says Tricia Wynne, chair of the Aptos Committee for Realizing the Promise. “We’ve outgrown

it. Because of the way it was designed, there wasn’t really a way to remodel it in a cost effective manner. The bids came in for a tear down and rebuild.” The library is working with the Aptos History Museum to incorporate pieces into the new space, and a public art piece is planned for the exterior. A new Teen Room will offer teenagers their own space, and group study rooms will be available to reserve for free. Three gardens will be accessible from various exits of the library. Wynne adds that a theme, “Forest to the Bay” will be applied to the space: Color schemes of greens, browns and blue will aim to reflect the natural environment of the region. “It’s just going to be a spectacular library,” Wynne says. “We’re going to end up with a beautiful, modern space that reflects our community.” A bulk of fundraising for Realizing the Promise was met in 2016 when voters supported Measure S, a $67 million bond for library facility improvements. But rising construction costs left a large gap in funding just last year. “When the architects got back to us, the gap was a million dollars,” says Janis O’Driscoll, president of Friends. “We gulped because that is a big number, and we are in the

middle of a pandemic. But we said, ‘okay, that’s our goal.’” Realizing the Promise reached the million-dollar mark on Christmas Eve. More than 500 donors gave, including individuals, organizations and through special tributes. More than $68,000 of that was raised through the annual holiday fundraising campaign Santa Cruz Gives, a countywide effort that doubled in size in 2021. “In spite of the pandemic, in spite of that large number, it happened,” O’Driscoll says. “We did it. I want everyone to know how much we thank them for their support.” For more information, visit santacruzpl.org and fscpl.org.

MONTH 2022 | FEBRUARY 16, 2022

t’s an exciting time for libraries in Santa Cruz County. From La Selva Beach to Boulder Creek, branches in the Santa Cruz Public Libraries (SCPL) system are being modernized, expanded and reimagined. And with the help of its nonprofit partner Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries (Friends), SCPL recently surpassed a $1 million fundraising goal through its Realizing the Promise Campaign. “Libraries are hubs of the community,” says Yolande Wilburn, who took the helm as SCPL director last month. “They strengthen the resilience of our communities. Modernday libraries are not just repositories of books and information, but places where people can come together.” Wilburn says libraries are especially important when communities experience major crises, such as natural disasters like last year’s CZU wildfires. This is why updating branches with high-speed WiFi, extra electrical outlets and more is so important. “If there’s an emergency, people can come get answers and help,” she says. “With public safety power outages, it might be the only place you can go. So we need facilities that are up to current standards. We want to make sure our buildings can support the public’s needs.” Wilburn’s first day as director was Jan. 3. She has extensive experience in libraries across the country, including in Chicago,

Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Nevada County, and Torrence. She even worked at a library abroad in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. When she saw the position in Santa Cruz was open, she jumped on the opportunity. “I love this area,” she says. “I saw this job open up, and it inspired me to apply. I’m so grateful to be here.” Wilburn called SCPL’s ongoing projects “incredible”. Capitola’s new branch opened last summer and is extremely popular, she says. Prior to the pandemic, Felton’s new library opened, complete with an adjacent park and walking trail. La Selva Beach’s redesigned branch opened last year, and Boulder Creek and Garfield Park will hopefully open by early summer. Scotts Valley and Branciforte also plan to reopen in 2022. Live Oak’s reimagining of its library will also include an annex at Simpkins Swim Center, providing community rooms and study spaces. In Santa Cruz, plans have been set in motion for a mixed-use project that will include a new library branch and more than a hundred units of affordable housing.

Santa Cruz Public Libraries surpasses fundraising goal, begins work on Aptos branch

HISTORY CORNER

The Rest is History

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ptos is an amazing Capitola Museum. She shared, and place today, and it continues to share, an amazing has an amazing past. collection of photographs and Stop by the Aptos stories about Aptos. She has also History Museum helped correct some of the tall and you will be amazed. My wife tales that showed up in some Karen and I have been collecting older newspaper articles. Some photographs, artifacts and stories were embellished stories since 1985. to make them more interesting, like gossip. Karen and I started That is why original managing the Aptos research is the best way Chamber of Commerce to pass on history stories. in Redwood Village in I was invited to join 1985. Bob Bailey had a real the board of the Santa estate office in Redwood Cruz County Historical Village, and one of his Trust from 1991 to clients was moving away By John Hibble 1994. During that time, and gave Bob a great old Aptos History Museum I was able to collect photograph of the Aptos lots of information and railroad station. Bob photographs from the gave that photograph to Museum of Art and History. It was us and we put it up on the wall a great resource for our museum. in our office, thereby starting the It was rumored that the old chain of donations that would guest register from the Bayview eventually become the Aptos hotel belonged to someone in the History Museum. Everyone community, and that Hawaiian wanted to know where the train King Kalakaua had stayed there. station was, and we had to say David Kalakaua did come to Aptos that it had been torn down in to see Claus Spreckels, the sugar 1940. That sparked conversations, millionaire, but he did not stay at and soon other people began to the Bayview Hotel. It turned out donate more historical pictures. that the guest register was actually We went to a very entertaining from Spreckels’ famous Aptos presentation on Aptos history Hotel (on Spreckels Drive), and by Sandy Lydon, also known that Karl Mertz of the Mangels as “The History Dude,” who family owned it. After many years, is one of the leading experts Karl gifted that register to our on the history of Santa Cruz museum collection, along with County, and at the time was the many more incredible artifacts. history professor at Cabrillo Next, we met Allen Collins, College. Sandy is great at making who had meticulously researched history fun and interesting. and written the history of Rio Del Then we met Carolyn Swift, Mar—initially in installments for another amazing historian, born the Rio Del Mar Improvement in Santa Cruz County and a Association newsletter, and later former writer for the Registerin book form. This is our most Pajaronian and other publications. accurate record of our ➝8 Carolyn was also the curator of the

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The Aptos History Museum has been in its current location on Old Dominion Court since 1994. The museum will host its annual fundraiser across the street at the Seacliff Inn on Tuesday, March 1.

FEBRUARY 16, 2022 | APTOS LIFE

A SWEET TRADITION

history, and is available at the Aptos History Museum. Allen invited relatives of the Arano and Castro families to meet each other at the Bayview Hotel in 1994, which resulted in the first photographs of Raphael and Soledad Castro and Joseph and Augustia Arano, the first families of Aptos. When Allen passed away, he left all his research material to the museum. Our growing collection was displayed at the Chamber of Commerce office in Redwood Village until 1994. When we moved the Aptos Chamber to its current location on Old Dominion Court, across from the Seacliff Inn, the collection continued to expand and was displayed within the new Chamber office, but most of the collection remained in storage. We began to host third grade school field trips on local history and soon we were too popular for the size of our office. In 2005, additional office space in the building became available,

and Karen decided that the Aptos History Museum deserved to have its own larger facility and become a real museum. We appealed to the community, and an advisory committee was formed. The new space was repainted and made ready. Linda Yamane, a Native American Ohlone descendent, taught us how to make a tule boat for the museum. Nels Westman suspended it from the museum ceiling and installed the museum lighting system. Dick Garwood created new display cases and his wife Heidi created our graphic materials. Our now sizable collection was retrieved from storage and dusted off, and a crew of volunteers worked for many months to set up and organize the new museum. The Aptos History Museum opened its expanded facility on May 24, 2006, and it has since garnered enthusiastic reviews and numerous citations of merit. Annually, it has hosted the Aptos public schools’ third grade classes for their “local history” field trips, although

they have been temporarily curtailed because of Covid. The Museum Steering Committee plans history events, walks and tours to help us get the stories out to the membership and the public. Bob Wall takes seniors from Aegis and Dominican Oaks on bus tours of historic locations. The committee wanted to produce a pictorial history book, so Kevin Newhouse volunteered. The book is part of Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series, simply titled Aptos. Copies are available at the Museum. Our next endeavor is to provide displays for the new Aptos Library to be completed next year. This will be a huge undertaking and will require fundraising. Because Aptos is not an incorporated city, the Aptos History Museum does not receive any funding by local governments. The Aptos History Museum has no paid staff. We are all volunteers. Our annual event to raise funds for our rent is called Swing into Spring and this year’s theme is Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday” or

Carnival, a celebration kickoff before Easter. Come celebrate with great appetizers, music and more at the Seacliff Inn on Tuesday, March 1, 5-7pm. Bring your beads and masks. There will be prizes for the best dressed. The no-host bar will feature Bourbon Street classics. Uke4Joy will provide the music. Help raise funds for the Aptos History Museum by bidding on silent auction items and a 50/50 Raffle. Tickets are $40 general/$35 for museum members; call (831) 688-1467 or go to aptoshistory.org for information and reservations. Let the good times roll! The museum has been created for, and by the community. Please consider joining as a member. For a small donation, the museum is also available for group meetings. Every year, people continue to donate amazing artifacts and photos and provide new stories for our ever-growing collection. Please stop by and enjoy your museum. We are currently open Monday–Thursday from 11 am-4 pm. Aptos is an amazing place! And the rest is history.

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FINANCIAL ADVICE

Resolution Heat Check

FEBRUARY 16, 2022 | APTOS LIFE

ow many of you when it comes to defining made a New Year’s financial goals. Instead of a vague resolution this resolution saying, “I’m going to year? I’m save more in 2022,” try guessing something like, “My probably around 50%. goal in 2022 is to be And as we near the end contributing 10% of my of February, how many of salary to my company’s you have already broken retirement plan by the your New Year’s Resolution end of the year. To get at least once? Polls and there, I’m going to start studies indicate that by contributing 4%, around 80% of people who and then increase my set New Year’s resolutions contribution by 2% each fail to keep them. That’s a Soren E. Croxall quarter until I reach high number, and I know Financial Advice 10%.” This is a clearly I’m personally guilty defined goal with a of failing to keep New deadline and a plan. Year’s resolutions. Why are we so bad at keeping them— Don’t Procrastinate or just goals in general? Below We often find it easier to just are few things to consider to help put something off for another increase your likelihood of setting a day versus trying to get started financial goal and sticking to it. today. One of the biggest reasons is what I discussed above: our Get Very Specific goals aren’t clearly defined. If Common New Year’s resolutions our goals aren’t clearly defined, tend to revolve around health then what exactly are we trying to and fitness. Here are two I’m sure accomplish today? Another reason you’re familiar with: “I’m going is we aren’t held accountable for to exercise more” and “I’m going working our way toward achieving try to be healthier.” Both are good our goals. Employing the help in theory. However, the chance of a friend or family member in of someone keeping these goals keeping you accountable toward are slim. Why? Because they are your goals can go a long way. super vague and unclear, so it’s You’ll want someone who is hard to know when you have going to be supportive, but not accomplished these goals. Let’s ultimately interested in hearing look at this alternative goal as an excuses time and time again. example: “My goal is to run in As a financial planner, I help a 10k that’s scheduled for April. clients take their financial goals To prepare, I’m going to join a from vague to clearly defined and running club that meets three measurable. My job is to listen to times a week and train with what you are trying to achieve and them.” You see the difference? help you create a plan to get there This goal is clearly defined, has given your individual circumstances. a deadline, and has plan to help My job is to also hold you you meet the goal along with accountable for making progress hopefully someone or something toward your goals. Through regular that keeps you accountable. meetings we continue to refine The same logic can be used and evaluate your goals. Most

A few things to consider to help increase your likelihood of setting a financial goal and sticking to it. people find that knowing that someone is going to be checking in on their progress is ultimately beneficial toward working to achieve their specific goals.

Don’t Get Discouraged Encountering a bump in the road or something unexpected that thwarts progress toward specific goals can be discouraging. All too often, people give up on a goal completely when this happens. Instead of giving up completely, take a step back and look to refine or redefine your goals accordingly. Take for example the goal of running in a 10k by April. Let’s say in March you accidently trip over a curb and sprain your ankle, which causes an interruption to your training schedule. You might be tempted to just toss out your goal completely and give up. Instead, you could refine your goal to state that after your foot heals, you’re going to continue to train and compete in a 5k instead of a 10k in April. It’s better to complete 50% of your goal vs. giving up completely, right? The same can be said for financial goals. Often financial goals are put on the backburner because people are afraid of failing to meet them. Even partially

achieving set goals is better than not trying at all. Let’s say you have a financial setback that causes you to not be able to increase your company retirement plan contributions by your planned 2% per quarter in the goal outlined above to get you to the 10% contribution rate by the end of the year. If you only increased it by 1% per quarter, you would still get to a 7% contribution rate by the end of the year. That is not a failure. You made progress and should be encouraged, not discouraged. New Year’s resolutions that relate to financial matters can be easy to put off. But resolving to target and track your progress can give you a feeling of achievement and be both financially and mentally rewarding. 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.

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Aptos Life February 16, 2022

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Financial Advice

Cover Story