Candidate Statements Cabrillo Teacher Finds A Way, By Jondi Gumz

COMMUNITY NEWS Cabrillo Teacher Finds A Way

By Jondi Gumz

Jennifer Vered, who chairs the Computer Applications

Business Tech Department at Cabrillo College, wanted to make sure her students had the textbooks they needed before classes began Aug. 24.

On Friday, she was in the Cabrillo parking lot in Aptos handing out loaner textbooks, next to where dozens of out-of-town fire trucks had parked, staging for the CZU Lightning Complex fires, which has forced evacuation of 77,000 people from their homes in Santa Cruz County.

The fires, which have spread to 80,000 acres, came on top of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected 1,698 people in Santa Cruz County, 36 percent being millen nials ages 18 to 34.

The pandemic, which arrived in mi-March, forced all instruction from kindergarten to college to move online.

Among those evacuated by the fires were Vered, her husband and their son, who’s in middle school, who left their home in Ben Lomond.

She said her son had been eager to return to classes and see his friends, but he’ll have to patient. Because of the fires, the San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District will be closed through Tuesday, Sept. 8.

Vered said many of her students at Cabrillo qualify for financial aid but the money doesn’t arrive until three weeks into the semester. So she applied for a grant to provide loaner textbooks to students to ensure they can follow her lessons.

This is the third year she’s been able to provide loaner textbooks. The books are returned at the end of the semester and loaned out to the next semester’s students.

Her philosophy: “We’ll figure it out.” n

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz Jennifer Vered, who chairs the Computer Applications Business Tech Department at Cabrillo College, hands out loaner textbooks to students on Aug. 21, ahead of the first day of class Aug. 24.

COMMUNITY NEWS Cabrillo Welcomes Evacuees

By Jondi Gumz

Families from San Lorenzo Valley evacuated by the CZU Lightning Complex fires found shelter last week at Cabrillo College.

The college opened a parking lot for people to camp out, providing showers and WiFi.

Erik Slaughter, his wife Christine and his parents, Del and Nadja Slaughter, came from Boulder Creek.

He said his family has goats and chickens that they let out so they could run to safety.

The Slaughters’ son Ben is a firefighter with the Boulder Creek Fire Protection District.

The information Erik had on the fire Friday had him feeling hopeful but the added, “I know we’re not out of the woods yet.”

Erik works remotely for Roebbelen over the hill, and he said Friday that the company had been supportive.

Jim Hughes, his wife Cindy and their two sons, a dog and two cats came from Felton. He works for Bruce Mechanical in Santa Cruz.

He said neighbors have dropped off food, water and food for their pets.

Red Apple Café of Aptos brought food, and an Aptos man came by, handing Hughes $800 worth of gift cards, asking him to make sure it goes to people in need. n

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz Jim Hughes and Erik Slaughter at their Cabrillo campsite in Aptos.

Watsonville Seeks Pinto Lake Concessionaire

Proposals are due by 5 p.m. Sept. 11 for management operations and services for the City of Watsonville’s Pinto Lake Park. The new concessionaire will begin operations on or about Nov. 2 (start date is negotiable).

Sustainable business practices tare required. n •••

For details, see www.cityofwatsonville. org/DocumentCenter/View/14134/Pinto-LakeConcessionaire-RFP-FINAL?bidId=

1980s Lyrics

“PVUSD Board” from page 22

I have supported data-driven, proven initiatives focusing on the whole child that have contributed to the tremendous progress made in students’ academic, socialemotional learning, physical well-being, and college and career readiness.

I am a proponent of transparency, accountability, and inclusive decisionmaking. Together, we have the opportunity to continue to advance academic achievement; increase parent involvement and mental health services; improve special education outcomes, and retain and attract the best to work for our district.

My sole purpose is for our students to graduate with 21st century skills and thrive in college to become successful professionals and productive members of our community. With your support, we can accomplish this and more for our students.

Adam Bolaños Scow

Environmental Advocate www.AdamScow.org

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District is failing too many of our students.

Our students suffer from a shortage of full-time teachers, counselors, and staff members. These shortages impact schools in Watsonville, Freedom, and Amesti, where facilities are falling apart. Some schools don’t even have clean water.

We need major reform, starting at the top. For too long we’ve had administrations that are out of touch with our community. Maria Orozco Adam Scow

This year the administration and board voted to fire vital staff while spending $5 million to renovate administrative offices. Unacceptable!

As a board member, I will work to trim the administration’s bloated budget and redirect that money into our classrooms.

We must raise salaries for teachers and staff so we can retain quality people.

I will fight to secure career preparation programs for good jobs in teaching, health care, and agriculture. We must build stronger partnerships with Cabrillo College and UC Santa Cruz.

Finally we must navigate the coronavirus with honesty to protect our community.

I’m the grandson of farmworkers, the son of teachers, and a UC Berkeley graduate. As California director for Food & Water Watch, I helped ban fracking in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito Counties to protect our water.

Now I’m ready to fight for our students! n

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“Casablanca” 50. Sol or fa 2. Shells and such time again how much 58. Greek Hs 24. Boris Godunov, e.g. 52. Nat’l Institutes of Health 3. *”Meeting you with a ____ ____” 59. Not that 25. *”All right stop 53. *”____ Christmas, I ____ to a kill” 26. Northwoods dwelling? 60. Pilot’s stunt collaborate and listen, gave you my heart” 4. Brings home the 27. The Goldbergs sibling 61. Not loony ____ is back...” 55. Trinitrotoluene bacon 29. *”Cuase I’m your 62. Catcher’s gear 57. *”You were working 5. First U.S. space station ____ cool one, and 63. Geological time periods as a waitress in a 6. Again I’m built to please” cocktail bar when I ____ ____” 7. *”Hello, is it me you’re looking ____?” 31. 32. Scotch ingredient Kitchen tear-jerker © Statepoint Media Answers on 31 »

Your August Horoscope

Times Publishing Group, Inc.

Libra (Sep. 23-Oct. 23)

September is starting by bringing some uncomfortable memories to the forefront. Pushing emotions to the side isn’t a good idea now. You’re extremely in tune with, which should allow you to work through problems with minimal angst. Some of your verbal battles could get pretty nasty mid-month despite your attempts to be nice. You definitely prefer to reach an amiable compromise, but you’re not a pushover. Your emotions are becoming more balanced near the end of the month. This brings some new energy, giving you a clean slate on which to write your future dreams. People envy your grace and charm as you embrace your optimistic future.

Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Your month is off to a good start. Your intuition is heightened, and your dreams are vivid and meaningful. Use your creativity to paint someone a picture, either literally or figuratively. You’re feeling a need to watch what you say, how you say it, and who you say it to mid-month. Your goal should be to avoid confrontation, but if someone wants to get in your face over and over, you’re not going to keep backing down. You have a natural wall up that’s preventing people from getting in late in September, and you also have some major trust issues. It’s not impossible, but it will take someone pretty special to get you to open up.

Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

You’re more in the mood to compromise than argue early in the month, putting you in a perfect mood to play ref between two fighting friends or act as a liaison between two combatant co-workers. Your sense of fairness is nondiscriminatory. It’s hard to keep yourself from setting goals a bit too high mid-September. It might be best to start small in preparation for building up to bigger things. You might want to remind yourself late in the month that it’s important to be patient and focused while working towards your goals. It would be nice if everything just effortlessly fell into place, but that’s just not how life works.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20)

Passion can make it hard to maintain your composure early in September. The atmosphere is encouraging you to live in the moment, which isn’t necessarily bad. Sometimes it’s good to lose yourself in the moment. Some of your loose ends are ready to be tied up mid-month; things that may have been overlooked recently, details that you may have missed. Everything will be fine once you start focusing on the details. You are fully back on track as the month comes to a close. Your goals are clear, and you have the strength and patience to see them through to fruition. A raise, promotion, or similar advancement is likely in the near future.

Aquarius (Jan 21-Feb. 18)

Your temperament early in the month is making you an excellent online facilitator. Fairness is your number one priority right now, and you’re committed to making sure that all parties are satisfied. Mid-month finds you in a bit of an awkward position when you’re the last to know some surprising or unexpected news. Was someone afraid to tell you the truth, or was it an oversight? Finding out is the first step in being able to move forward. Late in September you’re in the mood to be coy or play hard to get. If you’re playing with the right person, they could be sexy or cute. Pay attention to their reactions and go from there.

Pisces (Feb. 19-Mar. 20)

Your empathy is on display as the month begins. Whether its volunteering at a shelter or giving your time or money to a welfare organization whose views align with yours, your efforts matter. You’re struggling to maintain your energy mid-September, making it hard for you to push through on a current project. You’ll pull out of this slump, but it might be a while. You pull out of your tailspin late in the month, setting you back on track in both personal and business pursuits. Your goals are crisp and precise, which is just what you need to reach the success you’re looking for.

Aries (March 21-April 20)

You’re feeling illuminated by insight early in September. If you’ve been searching for an answer to a difficult life problem, you find it a bit easier to do so in this moment. It’s hard to maintain your normal positivity through the middle of the month. Because you might struggle in leadership roles for a while, this isn’t the best time to volunteer your services or take the initiative. Thankfully, these low-energy periods shouldn’t last long. You’re surrounded by an air of mystery late in the month, meaning you’re not sharing any intimate details right now. Your friends may be used to you being open and honest, but for now your sudden mysteriousness is intriguing.

Taurus (April 21-May 21)

Your intuition is at full capacity early in the month, so pay attention to your dreams and other signs from your subconscious. Those little feelings you’re getting are leading you toward the direction you should be taking. There may be some unexpected news or events coming into your life mid-month. It may be difficult, but embracing them can lead to some very interesting (and positive) experiences. A renewing strength flows through you late in September, reminding you what a blessing your ability to be patient is. Your goals might not happen on your exact timeline, but you have faith (and evidence) that they’ll materialize eventually.

Gemini (May 22-June 21)

You’re feeling very grounded early in the month. Getting to the point is your main priority, and you have much greater attention to detail than usual. Resist the urge to criticize someone just because they aren’t communicating in your preferred way. Your health is in the spotlight mid-September, urging you to address any problems or issues you’ve been having of late. Being diligent is imperative now. As you experience a perfect balance between lightness and darkness late in the month, enjoy the sights and sounds of a brand-new season. It’s a time to be grateful for the bounty you’ve already received as you look forward with optimism toward great things yet to come.

Cancer (June 22-July 22)

Your sensitivity is reaching new heights as September begins. Whether you’re committed to doing something small for a loved one or something on a larger scale for the world, your loving attitude during this time helps make the world a better place. Some stress is building up between you and someone important mid-month, maybe a loved one or co-worker. A compromise might be difficult, so it might be best to wait until the aggression dies down before suggesting a truce. Late in the month your curiosity is peaking, helping you do research on a topic you’ve been interested in lately. If that topic is a person, social media could be a rabbit hole you want to explore.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 23)

Solving problems is a matter of logic, especially early in the month. Using your common sense is underrated. Cutting through red tape is as easy as looking closely at the details. Still, using your natural charm and finesse to make your way through the middle of the month will be key. You get more wealth or love now by going after it in dramatic fashion. It’s time to get back to work as September comes to a close, especially if you’ve let things slide. In other words, playtime is over. It’s time to get serious about future goals and what you’re going to do to reach them.

Virgo (Aug. 24-Sep. 22)

You value practicality and common sense, but things like manners and appearances are also important early in the month. You expect others to be on time and to say thank you and excuse me whenever it’s appropriate. There’s very little you won’t notice mid-September. Do you have to comment about every little thing you see that’s wrong? No, not necessarily, but how will improvements be made if you don’t offer constructive criticism? Late in the month you want to resist the urge to overthink things. Jealousy and suspicion can run rampant now if you don’t let the other person tell their side of the story. ••• www.tpgonlinedaily.com

FEATURED COLUMNIST ‘Big Business’ Isn’t Evil — It’s Essential

By Ron Kustek

Before you pass over this article because you “only support small businesses vs. big companies” — consider how we may have boxed ourselves in by potentially only supporting small businesses: • The Small Business Administration states 44% of all US economic activity is done by “small business” defined as 10 or less employees. • In Santa Cruz County, 82% of businesses are “micro-businesses” meaning they’re comprised of 5 employees or less (including the owner) with annual sales and assets valued at less than $250,000 per year. • Review site Yelp has found over 100,000 businesses have closed in the U.S. during Covid-19 — with new estimates of nearly 55% having closed permanently. This impacts us.

It’s very expensive to live in our area, not just because we have high home values and high rental rates, but because our median income is lower than other areas, making this “affordability gap” the metric of our high cost of living.

The California Association of Realtors Housing Affordability Index measures the percentage of households that can afford to purchase the median-priced home in regions of California.

Though few of us would live in Orange County, based on Median Household Income vs. Median Home Price, it’s actually more affordable to live there than in Santa Cruz County (a higher index is preferred):

County Median Median Index HH Income(1) Price(2) Home

Orange County $75,998 $859,000 8.8 Santa Cruz $66,923 $905,000 7.3 1) US Census 2) CARS 2020 Q2 Affordability Index

Report our other true cost of living factors, such as the cost of health insurance.

Though they would love to, many small businesses can’t afford to pay health insurance and also provide a living wage for employees.

Many small businesses also rent — not own — and landlords are small business owners as well, and charge the ever-increasing market rate for rents to increase their own incomes.

This all combines to squeeze the small business owner to hire part-time workers and pay minimum wage, in order to have a bit of profit left over to support their own families. So what does all this have to do with bigger businesses? “Big companies” aren’t evil because of their size or inherently bad corporate citizens.

There are a great number of reputable, well-respected and good companies that treat employees well and don’t pollute or over-pay their CEO. Consider that “big companies” could actually help high cost of living areas — like ours.

For decades it’s taken 2 people in the household to provide for family expenses such as food, home, medical, etc. Bigger companies have a larger pool of employees to spread the risks for a health insurer, and are thus better able to afford and provide health care coverage to their employees.

If one person in the household were able to work for that “big company,” they could better be able to provide health insurance for the rest of the family.

This would free up the other household member to work for a small business that doesn’t provide health insurance.

Larger companies are also able to pay employees more. They’re able to spread fixed costs like rent, salaries and utilities, over a larger sales base, which makes each sale provide a greater profit margin than the profit margins for smaller businesses.

“Essential” page 27