COMMUNITY NEWS
Meet Your New Fire Chief
John Walbridge Chosen To Lead Central Fire Protection District
J
ohn Walbridge, a longtime local who has spent 30 years with Central Fire District, is the new Central fire chief. He got the job in a unanimous vote by the Central Fire Board of Directors on Jan. 12. Central Fire is in the process of consolidating with Aptos/La Selva Fire Protection District. Walbridge had been interim fire chief since July 2020. His interest in the fire service started in the late 1970s when he was tasked by his father to ride his bike to Live Oak Fire Station #1 on 17th Avenue to retrieve burn permits from
firefighters that he would ultimately work with a decade later. Walbridge began his professional career in 1990 as a seasonal firefighter with Cal Fire. In 1991, he joined the Central Fire Protection District as a paid call firefighter. Since then, he held the positions of Firefighter, Firefighter/ Paramedic, Captain Paramedic, Battalion Chief, Temporary Division Chief and Fire Chief. He was one of Central Fire Protection District’s first three firefighter/ paramedics. His past responsibilities have included Logistics Chief, Opera-
tions Chief, Safety Officer, Central Fire Investigation Team, Emergency Response Coordinator, Emergency Medical Services Manager, and Facilities/Inventory Manager. He has an associate’s degree in fire protection technology from Cabrillo College and a bachelor’s in chemistry from UC Santa Cruz. He is also a California State Certified Fire Investigator I, Fire Officer and Chief Officer. The announcement of his appointment says, “He has the passion, history and dedication one needs for this role, as well as the respect of all our members.” n
New Job Resource For Veterans
V
eterans and their family members have a new resource through the public library. Our Veterans Information Page now includes VetNow at https://www.brainfuse.com/highed/ home.asp?a_id=7E7D0F69&ss=2&r= This tool has many resources for job seekers including: Live Job Coaching, a Resume Lab, and a Live Veteran
Navigator. The Live Veteran Navigator connects Veterans with experts on VA benefits, job coaching, and community resources. To access this resource, use your Santa Cruz Public Libraries Card and pin number. You can find VetNow on our Website at santacruzpl.org. If you need help, call 831-427-7713. n
18 / February 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com
Central Fire Chief John Walbridge
Kiss, Kiss: Cabanayan’s Painting Comes in Third in Reflections of 2020
A
rtist Charina Cabanayan placed third in the novice category of City of Capitola’s “Reflections of 2020” digital art contest with her watercolor/pressed flowers on Baltic birch panel painting “Kiss, kiss.” “2020 has been a year full of changes and challenges on an individual and global scale,” Cabanayan said. “No one has not been affected somehow by the impact of the pandemic. For many, isolation feels like a loss in human connection and community. She continued: “Amidst the losses, there’s also a sense of hope. 2020 has in some ways also revealed what is essential. For me this is love. Cultivating more love is essential to me as I move forward into the next decade. Love is the opposite of fear - which has been certainly been rampant this year. In the moment when one takes their last breath, thoughts go back to the ones they love. “Love for our planet will help us preserve our natural resources and care for the earth. Love for our family and community allows us to make difficult decisions in how we choose to social distance and interact within our family “pods.” Love is complex, yet also so simple. Love is what remains when all else is stripped away. It is, at the core, the root to all healing. “This piece is titled “Kiss, kiss.” It is a portrait of my two daughters. I hope it lightens your heart.”
Charina is a mother, yoga teacher, and self-taught artist who lives in Aptos. She was a fashion designer in her previous life and had forgotten how much she enjoyed creating. During the beginning of the pandemic, Charina rediscovered her love for drawing. She has been teaching herself how to paint in water color while on a break from teaching in-person yoga. n ••• To learn more about Charina visit www. yogalyfe.com and see work in progress at https://www.instagram.com/charina. aquarella/
