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APTOS
JUNE 2015
SOQUEL
CAPITOLA EVERYTHING APTOS, CAPITOLA & SOQUEL
Vol. 3 No. 11
Aptos Village construction slated for fall
HISTORY CORNER By John Hibble Call: 688-1467 Visit us online:
By ERIK CHALHOUB
aptoshistory.org Visit the museum:
7605-B Old Dominion Court Aptos, CA
A famous apple is discovered in Aptos The apple industry in the Pajaro Valley started just after the gold rush by Swiss emigrant Luigi Martinelli. By 1900 the Pajaro Valley had 15,000 acres of apple orchards. The most popular varieties were the Newtown Pippin, a green variety that was sweet and tart, was great for juice or eating and kept well in storage and the Bellflower which was yellow and good for pies, applesauce, and hard cider, but did not do well in storage. At one time there were a lot of Winter Banana apples but they also did not store well. Aptos apples from Valencia were generally considered the best fruit in the county. For years they took most of the prizes and first places at the Apple Annual in Watsonville. During the apple era two new apple varieties were discovered in Aptos. In the 1890s Peter Hauer noticed an apple
Jiaojiao Hine (right) of the HuBei Province of China and Xiaoyan Huang of the Canton Province prepare to enter the Cabrillo College commencement ceremony. Photo by Tarmo Hannula
APTOS — The Aptos Village project, a years-in-the-making plan that will add new commercial space and nearly 70 homes, is slated to begin construction in the fall. Representatives from Barry Swenson Builder, who is developing the project, gave an update on the plan during the Aptos Chamber of Commerce’s monthly breakfast meeting May 14. Jesse Nickell, senior vice president at Barry Swenson Builder, said the developer will submit drawings to the county in June, and apply for building permits in August. The goal is to begin construction in the fall. “This project is finally going to get the opportunity to see the light of day,” said Mary Gourlay, development project manager. The 11.5-acre project, which is expected to be complete in about five years, will add
Cabrillo launches graduation season
By TODD GUILD APTOS — Gray, blistery weather did not dampen the festive spirit at Cabrillo College’s Carl Connelly
Stadium on May 22, as 1,168 people received degrees and certificates at the annual commencement ceremony. The graduates ranged in age from 17 to 74, with an average of 29. Some 62
An artist’s rendering shows the Village Green area of the Aptos Village project. Contributed rendering
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A way to remember
Memorial wall, bricks provide meaning for families By BEK PHILLIPS SANTA CRUZ COUNTY — The somber words “In loving memory Christopher Ryan Helmer 1992-2008” are read while children run and play only feet away, screaming in youthful delight. Here couples steal hidden kisses while music is playing from the many businesses that line the walkway in
KUSP Cabrillo tour Briefs Cabrillo grant Guest Columns Calendar
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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 23 WATSONVILLE, CA
Inside ...
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******ECRWSSEDDM****** POSTAL CUSTOMER APTOS, CA 95003 CAPITOLA. CA 95010
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APTOS — Brandon Gruber was a sophomore when he came to Aptos High School, and soon thereafter he met his first bully. It would also turn out to be one of his last, thanks to his friend Saul Miramontes who stood up to the tormentor. The bully was possibly drawn to the fact that Gruber has Down syndrome. “I saw a kid picking on him,
calling him foul names, and I didn’t like that,” Miramontes said. Miramontes, 18, said he told Gruber to continue on to class, and then threatened the bully, who reportedly asked what he planned to do to stop him. Miramontes’ response: “Do it again and find out.” That was the beginning of a friendship that lasted throughout their high school career. Gruber, now 19 and set to
Monthly publication dedicated to covering everything in
Esther Morlos of Corralitos visits the Memorial Wall at Seacliff State Beach. Photo by Tarmo Hannula
By TODD GUILD
APTOS, CAPITOLA & SOQUEL,CA.
the Esplanade, the faint sounds of waves rolling in on Capitola Beach accentuating the unique location of the memorandum. The words are engraved on a brick that sits in front of Zelda’s and is part of a plan to raise funds for Capitola’s Chamber of Commerce. This particular brick was bought by Julia Helmer, 49, who paid $100 for her inscription and waited approximately six months for it to be installed. “My son passed away at 16,” Helmer said. “Capitola was a special place — a peaceful happy place — for our family, and we wanted a somewhere to go and remember him.” Jeanne Pifferini, the secretary for the CapitolaSoquel Chamber of Commerce, said the bricks take one day to install and that since Oct. 13, they have received almost 99 orders. However, they have only recently begun to be installed since March, as the engravers required for there to be 75
Deeply involved in his community, Aptos High senior thanks his friends