THE LAND and It's People

Serving Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito and San Luis Obispo Counties

New tourism experience to service South County

Watsonville, Soquel Creek smash water reduction goals Possible winter rainfall no magic bullet

Experience SoMoCo Tours allows locals to visit the sights

By TODD GUILD Of the Land

By KELLIE HICKS Of the Land

SOUTH COUNTY – South Monterey County is filled with locations that visitors have been drawn to for decades. There are the many Missions, including Soledad’s Nuestra Senora, San Carlos de Carmelo and San Juan Bautista. The Pinnacles National Park and the wine corridor running from the Santa Lucia’s along River Road, south are all popular travel spots.

A new tour company has been formed to allow the client to sit back and enjoy the ride through Steinbeck Country. Experience SoMoCo is owned by Soledad’s David Reynozo, he was talking to a friend about the need of a tour service to drive sightseers, who are unfamiliar with the roads, up to the Pinnacles. Reynozo said, “I can do that!”

Experience SoMoCo (South Monterey County) is set to give tours of the Pinnacles National Park that give plenty of time for hiking and exploring, or travelers (or locals) can take part in wine tasting along River Road to three wineries for wine tasting.

They offer a tour through Steinbeck Country through the Salinas Valley, the backdrop in many of novelist John Steinbeck’s books. There is also the Missions Tour in which travelers will visit Soledad’s Mission Nuestra Senora, Carmel’s Mission San Carlos de Carmelo and Mission San Juan Bautista.

Most of the tours include a visit to the Soledad Gateway and Visitors Center in the heart of the city of Soledad.

“Tours require at least four people and the fixed tours have a fixed price but tours can

Thousands celebrate cash crop

By TARMO HANNULA Of the Land

WATSONVILLE — The 21st annual Watsonville Strawberry Festival filled downtown streets over the Aug. 1-2 weekend with live music, food, carnival

rides, dance and more as a tradition of celebrating the strawberry industry.

With Main Street and several adjoining streets closed off to motor traffic, downtown became an arena for everyone, young and old, to stretch out

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Agricultural History Project celebrates 30 years

By TARMO HANNULA Of the Land

WATSONVILLE — Thirty years of educating the public about the history of agriculture in the Pajaro Valley was the topic of celebration Aug. 1 at the Agricultural History Project.

Held in the Borina Tractor Barn, which was also on the “to celebrate list,” the catered luncheon drew a crowd of 100.

AHP CEO John Kegebein said the event came across well.

Sheila Burke of the Borina Foundation smashes a bottle of “Overall, it was a very positive champagne over a steel support at the Borina Foundation day,” Kegebein said. “It was a Tractor and Equipment Barn at the Agricultural History great way to way to celebrate Project. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

September 2015

our first 30 years. People seemed happy, I got a lot of compliments and the cooks — Arnold Harvey and crew — did an excellent job.”

Keynote speaker, Deputy District Attorney Jimmy Panetta of Monterey, suggested that people living in the Pajaro Valley “are blessed” to have such a strong and rich history.

“We are here to honor the people that came here before us,” he said. “They took risks. My grandfather voluntarily chose to leave the known to move to the unknown to live a better life.”

Panetta outlined the vast changes Please turn to Page 4

WATSONVILLE — Watsonville residents reduced their water use by 26 percent in June compared to 2013, according to the city’s Environmental Projects Manager Nancy Lockwood.

That beats the city’s 20 percent goal for this year.

Such efforts have become integrated into daily life across the state as residents see the fourth year of an historic drought.

But the statewide response to the drought has shifted public perception away from an image of a cornucopia of water to a realistic picture of a finite resource that is quickly running short, Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency General Manager Mary Bannister said.

“I think people have really recognized how critical water is,” she said.

Lawns across Watsonville are fading to brown as residents either reduce or eliminate irrigation, Lockwood said.

They are also opting to replace their grass entirely, in favor of droughttolerant and native plants.

Dozens of people across the city have taken such steps, including Monarch Services at 233 East Lake Ave. City Hall, meanwhile, has stopped irrigating landscaping.

“If you drive around town you can see a lot of brown lawns,” Lockwood said. “Our community is taking the drought seriously. They are sacrificing to protect our groundwater sources, and they are doing a great job.”

Lockwood attributed the reduction to several initiatives the city launched to help deal with the drought, including a lawn replacement program, and incentives such as free low flow shower heads, aerators, faucets and rebates for water-saving washing machines.

Customers in Soquel Creek Water District, meanwhile, reduced their use by 35 percent in May and 32 percent in June, compared to 2013, said Public Outreach Specialist Matthew Orbach.

“Our customers take seriously the fact that these problems are longterm,” Orbach said. “People are not only making temporary changes, but permanently changing the way they use water.”

Those reductions come after Gov. Please turn to Page 4

Inside ...

Rodeo

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Fair honored

5

Farm stand moves

6

Solar power

7

Fair board

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2 The Land - September 2015

California Rodeo Salinas returns

By TODD GUILD Of the Land

SALINAS — Nicole Riggle took a seat astride “Gucci” on July 17, the quarter horse’s leather saddle polished and her muscles tensed as she waited to dash down an arena and around three barrels.

Riggle and Gucci were competing in the California Rodeo Salinas, which draws riders from across the U.S. Riggle, 22, of Scottsdale, Ariz., is a professional barrel racer who competes in an estimated 70 rodeo events every year.

She said a lifetime of riding has instilled in her an appreciation for the complex relationship between horse and rider. She said she also loves the thrill of speeding through the course.

“I love the adrenaline,” she said. “It’s a passion of mine. I love every run, and I love winning.”

Barrel racing, a mainstay event in the annual rodeo, requires riders to control their horses as they race around three barrels, then thunder back out of the arena.

PUBLISHER John Bartlett publisher@register-pajaronian.com

EDITOR Erik Chalhoub editor@register-pajaronian.com

EDITORIAL STAFF Tarmo Hannula, Todd Guild, Luke Phillips, Allyson Oken, Samantha Bengtson and Hayley Thomas

ADVERTISING Tina Chavez tinac@register-pajaronian.com Adriana Novack anovack@register-pajaronian.com Allison Stenberg astenberg@register-pajaronian.com Sheryl Bailey sheryl@southcountynewspapers.com Jon Allred jon@southcountynewspapers.com

Each rider has three chances to compete, but it wasn’t as easy as it looks — each time they touch the barrels, five points are added to their final time.

While they are judged on riding skills and final time, they also have one more concern. Though not a requirement, riders are best served to keep their hats on — they get slapped with a $20 retrieval fee if it flies off in the racing wind. In some competitions, competitors lose points if their hat falls off, as they do if their horse touches a barrel.

Dolli Lautaret, 64, of Kingman, Ariz., has been competing for more than a halfcentury. She has competed throughout Europe and the U.S. in a variety of events.

She came to the Salinas Rodeo with her 40-year-old daughter, who was also competing in the barrel racing event.

“Anything I can do on a horse, I’m happy,” she said.

Considered one of the top 20 rodeos in the U.S., the California Rodeo Salinas draws more than 700 competitors from across the A steer heads for the hills during team roping. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land U.S. More than 50,000 fans come to watch the events, which include bronco riding, barrel racing and steer roping.

The event is unique because it lasts four days, and riders get three chances to compete, allowing them to combine and average their times.

Nearly $400,000 in prize money is on the line, and the ultimate prize — the Salinas Rodeo golden buckle — is one of the most distinguished awards a rodeo performer can win.

Roy Branco of Chowchilla, 25, said he has been competing in rodeos for “a long time.”

Branco was competing in the tie-down roping event, which tasks riders with chasing a running calf while on their horse, catching it with a lariat and then jumping off and tying its legs, all as quickly as possible.

“I love everything about it,” he said.

Logan Naillon, also of Chowchilla, was waiting to compete in the saddle bronc event, in which riders attempt to stay astride a bronco as it tries to buck him off.

He said falling off is as much a part of the sport as is staying on.

“I like the challenge,” he said. “Riding a bronc you’re going to get bucked off.”

Kevin Wilkinson of Hollister, who was in the team roping competition, said he enjoys the camaraderie and community that grows among the riders as they travel to the different events.

Instead of being competitive, they support each other, he said.

“We all pull for each other,” he said. A barrel racer heaves round a barrel on opening day of California Rodeo Salinas. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land “Nobody is here to see people get hurt.”

ART AND DESIGN Mike Lyon

The Land is published monthly. All rights reserved, material may not be reprinted without written consent from the publisher. The Land made every effort to maintain the accuracy of information presented in this publication, but assumes no responsibility for errors, changes or omissions. The Land is a division of the Register-Pajaronian and South County Newspapers.

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Ace Pearce (left) of Washington and Blaine Vick of Texas chat before competing in team roping. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

The Land - September 2015 3

Strawberry festival

Continued from page 1

and take in the excitement.

“It looks like we’ll be having more people attending this year,” said Ana Espinoza, director of Parks and Community Services.

“We have nonprofits taking part. There’s a lot of good music lined up. We have unique arts and crafts, a beer and wine garden and beautiful weather. For me one of the main things is that we recognize the labor, the workers that maintain and harvest our beautiful local strawberries. Today we celebrate.”

On Aug. 1, five bands took to the main stage over the day with pie eating contests between each performance. Crowds of people swarmed to the edge of the stage to cheer on the contestants and roars of applause filled the air.

“It just feels great to see all the families coming out and the community having a good time,” said event coordinator Israel Tirado.

“I’m seeing a lot of people with freshly made food in their hands and there’s so much to do out here today. I know a lot of people walk away with an experience they won’t forget.

It is a weekend to celebrate the growers, the farmers and the overall strawberry industry.”

Tirado said organizers expected about 45,000 people to attend the free event over the weekend.

These kids enjoy a carnival ride at the Watsonville Strawberry Festival.

Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

Banda La Grande de Jalisco deliver a peppery banda song from the main stage. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

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Bonnie Boulter and other volunteers prepare strawberries for strawberry shortcakes at the American Red Cross booth. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

4 The Land - September 2015

Ag History Project in the ag industry, citing such beneficial tools as laser levelers and the use of GPS. He also explored the importance of water conservation and how it is shaping the direction of growing crops.

Next Panetta focused on the importance

Reduction Goals

Jerry Brown in June mandated a 25 percent statewide water reduction.

“It’s great news,” Public Works Director Steve Palmisano said of Watsonville’s reduction. “We’re really happy our residents have worked so hard.”

With the drought now in its fourth year, Californians have largely fared about the same, reducing water use by 27.3 percent and exceeding Brown’s 25 percent mandate.

Despite being the hottest June on record, California’s urban water suppliers exceeded that goal, saving 59.4 billion gallons compared to the same time in 2013.

Those efforts put the state on track to achieve the 1.2 million-acre‑feet savings goal by February 2016, a goal set by Brown in his April 1 executive order.

But even with such water-saving efforts in full swing, Californians — and indeed people across the West — are hoping predictions of an El Niño storm system this winter will come to pass.

If that happens, and if the rains persist throughout the winter, it will be a boon for emptying reservoirs, but will do little to ameliorate dwindling groundwater supplies, on which the Pajaro Valley relies,

Tourism

Continued from page 1

of immigrant labor.

“We’re here to celebrate families like the Kitayamas, Crosetti, Borina and Peixoto — people that took those risks which is one reason why we are here today. This is also the land of opportunity, if only you

recognize the completion of the structure.

Sandy Lydon, Historian Emeritus, Cabrillo College, was also on the speakers list.

groundwater system, and even then it can take a long time to get there, he said.

“Most doesn’t soak in and recharge the groundwater,” he said. “Even several years of a rain will not solve the problem.”

The message from water officials, then, is that conservation efforts should continue in earnest even in the face of possible winter rains.

“The rains will help, but we don’t want people to get a false sense of security,” he said.

Bannister said that, after four years of drought, and overdraft that was occurring before the drought, it would take four years of normal rainfall to even begin to address the problem.

A “gully-washer” storm or two that quickly dumps a deluge will not be a panacea, she said “What we’re looking for is sustained rainfall,” she said.

Bannister pointed out that the agriculture

industry is responsible for 85 percent of water use.

Central Coast Water Quality Preservation Inc. Executive Director Kirk Schmidt said that farmers in the Pajaro Valley reduced their water use by 19 percent from January to May, thanks in part to technological advances such as radio towers and tensiometers that measure groundwater.

They also use water saving drip irrigation, he said.

The reduction in agriculture industry also comes thanks to educational outreach

by PVWMA and the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau, Schmidt said.

Many still have not taken advantage of such educational opportunities, he said.

“A lot of growers are paying a lot of attention to the amount of water they use,” he said. “But it’s important for all farmers to take advantage of these things.”

Continued from page 1

said Soquel Creek Water Management Agency interim General Manager Ron Duncan.

It also won’t entirely replace the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which feeds streams and in turn helps keep reservoirs full during the dry spring and summer months. After years of drought, and with snowfall last year a troubling 6 percent of a normal year, it would take either an enormous amount of snow this winter, or several years of more-thanaverage fall.

Duncan said an El Niño event would be a welcome relief, and would help fill surface reservoirs the City of Santa Cruz uses.

But the majority of the county, most notably Pajaro Valley, depends of the groundwater reserves that have been overdrawn for years, and into which oceanic saltwater has intruded.

“El Niño is not going to make a substantial dent on solving the region’s problems for those who rely on groundwater,” Duncan said.

The trouble, he said, is that only approximately 15 percent of rain infiltrates into the ground on its way to the

Continued from page 1

be customized to the needs of the tourist,” said Reynozo.

Another service available is catering on the tour.

Experience SoMoCo is ready to host

work hard and play by the laws.”

Following speeches, Sheila Burke of the Borina Foundation was invited to smash a bottle of champagne against one of the steel vertical supports of the Borina Tractor and Equipment Barn to officially

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Coastal Rail Trail Project receives multi-million dollar grants Staff report SANTACRUZ COUNTY — The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) accepted a grant award of $6.3 million in funds from the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Federal Lands Access Program for design, environmental review and construction of a five-mile north coast segment of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail (MBSST) Network.

As a condition of the grant, the RTC also committed to provide an additional $300,000 in matching funds for the $10,550,000 project. The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County and the California Coastal Conservancy each provided matching funds in the amounts of $3 million and $950,000 respectively.

“Putting up $3 million was a big leap of faith for the Land Trust,” said Land Trust President Terry Corwin. “We’re elated to see that it paid off.”

The trail will run adjacent to the rail line from the Wilder Ranch State Park parking area, five miles north to rail mile post 28.6. The RTC originally applied for a project length extending from Wilder Ranch to Laguna Road but was notified

that the grant would fund an extension 0.4 miles beyond Laguna Road. The northern most point of the trail will be accessed via a large parking area near Panther and Yellow Bank Beaches.

“Extending the rail trail from Wilder Ranch State Park up the coast will provide exceptional recreational and transportation opportunities to one of the most beautiful areas on the California coast. I have been working hard to advocate for this grant and am thrilled we were selected,” said Ryan Coonerty, County Supervisor and Regional Transportation Commissioner.

With this segment funded, approximately 25 percent of the 32-miles of the coastal rail trail project that the RTC approved one and a half years ago will be constructed in the near future.

The project will provide access to the California Coastal National Monument, the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Coast Dairies property, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Wilder Ranch and Coast Dairies State Parks including many bluffs and beaches.

FHWA’s Central Federal Lands Highway Division will implement the project with construction scheduled to start in the fall of 2018.

The Land - September 2015 5

Santa Cruz County Fair booth wins at State Fair Staff report SACRAMENTO — An elaborate exhibit featuring Santa Cruz County received a Silver Medal at the California State Fair in Sacramento recently. The exhibit was among many county displays that were shown at the State Fair.

More than 580,000 guests came to see “The Best” of California on display during the 17-day State Fair (July 10-26).

As one of the featured exhibits, Santa Cruz County showcased the county fair’s 2015 theme, “Country Nights and Carnival Lights.”

“We are extremely pleased to have a presence at the State Fair and to receive this award,” said Steve Bontadelli, President of

Agri-Culture.

The Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee and the organization Agri-Culture coordinated the exhibit along with the professional booth designers at Mikon Productions. The agricultural education organization, Agri-Culture serves as the lead organization in the fundraising drive within Santa Cruz County and comes up with the design.

“This is a huge marketing and outreach tool,” said Bontadelli.

For those local citizens who didn’t make it to the State Fair this year, the Santa Cruz County exhibit will be on display as part of the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau booth at the Santa Cruz County Fair in Watsonville (Sept. 16-20).

This display, by the Farm Bureau’s Agri-Culture, won the silver medal at the California State Fair in Sacramento. Contributed photo

Paraiso and Alexander-Smith wines win at San Francisco International Wine Competition Submitted article SOLEDAD — The Smith family, owners of Paraiso and AlexanderSmith wines, announced both brands were recently honored in the 2015 San Francisco International Wine Competition, held June 12-14 and considered one of the largest, most influential international wine competitions in America.

Paraiso 2014 Rosé of Pinot Noir (Monterey AVA) received a Gold medal and a score of 92 points. Paraiso 2012 Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands AVA) received a Bronze medal.

In the event’s International Wine Label Competition, Alexander-Smith 2011 Pinot Noir Clone Pommard (Santa Lucia Highlands AVA) received a Double Gold medal, a distinction given when a wine unanimously wins a gold medal by all the judges evaluating it.

“We’ve been intentionally quiet about big changes happening at the winery over the past year,” said Jason Smith, president and CEO. “We’ll be rolling out those announcements soon, but the news of these medals is too exciting to keep to ourselves. It’s a good indication of the hard work our team has been doing and the direction we’re heading.”

“The Rosé of Pinot Noir was specially made for our tasting rooms and only 149 cases were produced,” said Mike Berntsen, winemaker and general manager. “The grapes were picked late in the season, and the vines had ample time to collect sunlight and convert it into ripe flavors and soft tannins. It was fermented in stainless steel tanks, and it has the aroma of strawberries and roses with a balanced acidity giving crispness

and dry complexity.”

The 2012 Pinot Noir and 2014 Rosé of Pinot Noir are available online at paraisovineyards.com, and at the tasting rooms located at 38060 Paraiso Springs Road in Soledad and Court of the Golden Bough in Carmel-by-the-Sea on Ocean Avenue between Lincoln and Monte Verde. The 2011 Pinot Noir Clone Pommard is sold out. The 2014 Pinot Noir Clone Pommard will be released in late August.

Of the 152 entrants in the 2015 Label Competition, 12, including AlexanderSmith, merited a Double Gold award for excellence in label design. The 2015 Label Design judges included Joel Blum of the San Francisco International Wine Competition, Thomas Gronbukt of the Academy of Art University, and Patti Mangan from Imagine That Design Studio.

The San Francisco International Wine Competition has been setting the standard for professional wine judging since its debut in 1980, maintaining the highest level of integrity with a blind-tasting system performed by an experienced and knowledgeable panel of 50 internationally acclaimed wine experts. Judges from around the U.S. as well as Australia, Germany and New Zealand, including the sectors of retail, restaurants, winemaking, media, and consulting, judged over 4,902 wines from 26 countries and 29 states.

For more information about the competition, visit sfwinecomp.com.

For more information about Paraiso and Alexander-Smith wines, visit paraisovineyards.com.

6 The Land - September 2015

Redman House farm stand moves

By ERIK CHALHOUB Of the Land

WATSONVILLE — High Ground Organics has moved its Redman House farm stand — but not very far.

On Aug. 5, the farm opened its stand in the parking lot of Annieglass on the corner of Riverside and Harvest drives in Watsonville, about a mile from its previous location.

Open five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the stand features a variety of certified organic fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, celery, cabbage and more.

Stephen Pedersen, who owns High Ground Organics with his wife Jeanne Byrne, said the recent sale of the Redman property and the development across the street on the former Indulux land prompted the move.

A search for a new location brought

them to Annieglass, he said, noting owner Annie Morhauser is a regular to the stand.

“It’s a really good fit,” Pedersen said.

“Her values are really similar to ours.”

The spot had attracted a steady flow of customers hours after opening, including regular customers and new ones, said stand manager MIke Lozinski.

“We’re pretty optimistic about the locale,” Pedersen said, adding that the stand is visible from the highly-trafficked Riverside Drive. “I like the idea of being

a little closer to Watsonville. It’s nice to be able to serve the people of Watsonville.”

Pedersen said a mural is in the works for the back side of the stand.

High Ground Organics farms about 40 acres on Harkins Slough Road in Watsonville, in additional to 23 acres on Lewis Road in Royal Oaks.

For information about the stand, call 2121990 or visit www.highgroundorganics. com.

Kate Nichols and her daughters Belle, 9, (right) and Nilla, 5, shop for fresh organic produce at High Ground Organics offers a wide range of organic produce. the new location of High Ground Organics produce stand, which now is in the parking lot of Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land Annieglass on Riverside Drive. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

Help your landscape survive drought Submitted article Drought is a serious condition that can impact landscapes and natural resources tremendously. Drought occurs when there is a serious shortage of water, due in part to lackluster precipitation combined with hot, arid weather. As early as March of this year, a large portion of the United States already was experiencing extreme drought and severe drought conditions, according to the National Climatic Data Center. The western coast of the United States as well as middle American states are notorious for drought conditions, but drought can occur anywhere should precipitation be scarce, particularly during the summer season.

When droughts occur, restrictions often are placed on watering lawns or washing cars. People are urged to conserve water in

any ways they can. It can be disconcerting to see all of one’s landscape dry up during a drought, and some homeowners wonder how they can preserve some of their plantings.

The first step is to minimize or stop fertilization of lawns, says the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. Fertilizers often can cause the lawn to use up more water, so hold off on fertilization until wetter conditions return. Homeowners also should keep their lawns mowed at a higher height than normal. Raising the mowing height can encourage the development of deeper roots in the grass. Taller grass also will shade the soil and roots, reducing, in some effect, the rate of evaporation.

Watering smartly also can help.

Underground irrigation systems will deliver water right to the roots of lawns and plants, rather than having the water

settle on top. These types of systems reduce the amount of water that is wasted on sidewalks, driveways and other nonliving areas, because they’re specially laid out to deliver water where it’s needed.

For those without such a system, keep sprinklers located only on green surfaces and turn down the pressure of the spray so water is not caught in the wind and blown elsewhere.

Lawns do not need daily watering to thrive. If strict restrictions are placed on watering, heed them. Although the lawn will brown, it can be revived. Lawns without adequate water will simply go dormant. When conditions improve, the lawn can bounce back.

Homeowners may want to direct watering to delicate plants and trees that would benefit more from the water. In fact, many experts say that trees should

get watering priority over lawns during droughts.

To conserve water, homeowners can fill 5-gallon buckets with water and poke small holes in the bottom of the buckets so water can be delivered slowly and consistently to tree roots and garden beds.

Drought can be a time of stress for many plants. Homeowners should reduce gardening efforts and disturbances as much as possible. Now is the time to curtail mowing, thatching, aerating, planting, and pruning. Let the landscape rest as it uses its energy to survive the harsh conditions.

In addition to these management tips, homeowners can take precautionary measures against drought by choosing native, drought-tolerant plants and using mulch to keep the soil moist.

Cactus or succulents anyone?

By TARMO HANNULA Of the Land

WATSONVILLE — The Monterey Bay Cactus and Succulent Society welcomed special guest Don Cravalho of East Bay Nursery as keynote speaker on Aug. 23.

Held at the VFW Building in Watsonville, 1960 Freedom Blvd.,

the free event serves as an arena for the public to congregate and share information about the study, collection, culture and propagation of cacti and succulents.

Membership chair Linda McNally said the MBCSS, which is in its 30th year, currently has about 125 members and that anyone is encouraged to join ($15 a year).

“I joined the club about six years ago mainly because I love the variety of texture and the colors of cacti and succulents,” McNally said. “And most of these plants are so easy to grow.”

A portable greenhouse is an ideal setting for growing cactus and succulents.

Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

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The Land - September 2015 7

Capturing the power of the sun

Solar project gives students hands-on experience in green tech

By TODD GUILD Of the Land

WATSONVILLE — It took $27 in parts and a few hours Aug. 6 for a group of high school students to build a solar-paneled notebook that can charge their phones, tablets and other devices.

The task took little instruction. After learning how to use wire strippers and a soldering iron, they largely worked on their own. And they took home a device that, with care, could last for years.

The eight students were part of the Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s weeklong Solar Science Academy, which is the educational arm of the district’s efforts to install solar arrays at several schools.

San Jose-based SunPower is installing the panels and providing the solar instruction.

The students’ work had broader implications, and the skills the students picked up will help prepare them for careers in the technology, engineering and mathematics, a burgeoning field commonly called STEM. “STEM is vast, and it’s growing and this project is a foot in the door,” said Pajaro Valley Unified School District science teacher Rob Hoffman.

Split into groups of three, the students are also tasked with creating their own fictional company, complete with a business plan about how to finance, manufacture and sell their products.

The academy culminated Aug. 7 when

those groups pitched their plan to a panel of judges, industry professionals who gave feedback and asked questions.

Organizers say the idea is to give students real-life experience designing and building a solar system, if only on a small scale.

These include boosting skills such as construction management to finance to simple wiring, said Renee Solari, SunPower’s Program Manager for Educational Services.

Solari, no relation to the namesake of the Solari Center, said such preparation is essential in a time when growing numbers of homeowners are turning to alternative forms of energy.

“In the next few years there will be a million STEM careers, and not enough workers,” she said.

Gaby Manzo, 36, lives in Gilroy but has completed Cabrillo College’s construction management program, and is currently taking solar classes there. She was at the school to help with the program and to talk to them about “green” careers.

“I got a job because of that training,” she said.

Pajaro Valley High School junior Alberto Amezcua, 15, said he is tentatively planning on a career in the sciences. He said the solar project was at once a way to build science skills and create an environmentally friendly power source.

“Experiences like this make people grow as a whole,” he said. “It gives us insight about skills we will use in the future.”

Maria Guadalupe Perez (from left) and her sister Maria del Carmen and other high schoolers learn to make solar power notebooks that can be used to charge their cell phones.

Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

Renee Solari of Sunpower leads students through a process of making solar power notebooks. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

Salinas Valley Fair appoints four directors to board Valley Fair Junior Livestock Auction.

He is a member and past officer of the KING CITY — The Salinas Valley Fair King City Young Farmers. Currently, Board appointed four people to the Fair’s Bassetti is an active board member at his board at their regular monthly meeting children’s school in Paso Robles and is an held in July at the fairgrounds in King City. assistant coach with his son’s little league “I called to thank all of our new board team.

Lynn Figone of Hollister, the executive members for applying and congratulate them on their appointment. I am looking director of Ag Against Hunger, recently forward to working with them in the moved from the Sonoma area to Hollister for employment in the Salinas Valley as the coming years,” said CEO TJ Plew.

Salinas Valley Fair Board Directors Executive Director of Ag Against Hunger.

She holds fairs in high regard for their are appointed by the board and receive no compensation for their position. New ability to deliver agricultural education to Directors will be sworn in at the Fair’s consumers and producers. When employed with “Barn Tours,” Figone toured fairs of annual retreat in August.

Cody Bassetti of Paso Robles, owner of the United States providing educational Bassetti Farms, has been a Salinas Valley tours of fairground barns to fair guests.

She is active in several agricultural Fair volunteer for 28 years. He started helping weigh-in steers at the fair with his organizations. She is the Past National grandfather, is a past member of the Salinas Secretary of American Agri-Women, Valley Fair Junior Fairboard and in recent current President of California Women years has helped coordinate both the Fair for Agriculture, a member of the Salinas Kick-Off Auction as well as the Salinas Valley Chapter of California Women for

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Agriculture and is a volunteer with the Hollister FFA Ag Boosters.

Darla Mantel of King City, retired Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation employee, is a life-long resident of Monterey County. In her youth, she showed livestock at both the Salinas Valley Fair and Monterey County Fair as a 4-H and FFA exhibitor.

Since retiring, Mantel has taken on the role of President of the Mustang Bench (King City Athletics Booster Club) and is a founding member of the King City FFA Ag Boosters.

In 2015, Mantel coordinated the Miss Salinas Valley Fair competition and served as chaperone for Lauren Davis, the 2015 Miss Salinas Valley Fair, during the annual Fair.

King City resident Tim Maxwell, of the California Highway Patrol, grew up a short walk from the Monterey County Fairgrounds. His youth was shaped by positive memories of the hours he spent at

the Monterey County Fair.

He is a past President of the Salinas Valley Fair Heritage Foundation, is an adult volunteer/project leader with the King City Rural 4-H Club and is involved with several service organizations in King City.

The Salinas Valley Fair runs May 12-15, 2016 in King City. A total of 33,927 people visited the fair in 2015.

The Salinas Valley Fair is a year-round multi-use facility hosting the Monterey International Wine Competition, private events, a weekly flea market, recreational basketball, club volleyball, indoor soccer, equestrian events, livestock shows and RV camping groups. Over 125,000 people visit the fairgrounds annually in King City.

More information on the fair can be found at www.SalinasValleyFair.com or on the Fair’s Facebook page.

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