Aptos Times: March 1, 2021

Family Owned For Over 30 Years • Aptos, La Selva Beach, Corralitos, Freedom & Watsonville

Times Publishing Group, Inc.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com

March 1, 2021 • Vol 30 No. 5

County Parks: Free Movement Classes

Santa Cruz County Parks announces free virtual movement and art classes for all levels.

Full Story page 12

PV To Start Hybrid Kindergarten April 5 Full Story page 7

Little League: Let’s Play Ball

By Jondi Gumz Will there be Little League this year? In Aptos, the answer is yes.

Eleven months after the contagious coronavirus COVID-19 shut down youth sports, state health officials have declared baseball can be played with safety protocols in counties in the Red and Purple tiers.

Santa Cruz County, with a COVID case rate of 8.6 per 100,000, is in the Purple Tier.

So Aptos kids have a chance to play ball this season, starting with a baseball clinic. Once the county’s case rate is below 4 per 100,000, qualifying for the Red tier, games can be played. ... continues on page 5

REAL ESTATE LISTING SPECIALIST J IM F URLONG.COM

Let me guide you through a successful sale – Including freshening up your property, staging it and inspections!

REALTOR

BRE #01897214

831.212.9648

‘No Parking’ Signs Go Up At Nisene Marks

A week ago, a State Parks ranger installed a sign to deter visitors at Nisene Marks State Park in Aptos from illegally parking along the road or in the resident parking area.

Full Story page 5

BRENT GARVEY PAINTING The Repaint Specialists Serving Santa Cruz Since 1989

License #681095

831.688.6913 | www.brentgarveypainting.com

RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER Times Publishing Group, Inc. 9601 Soquel Drive Aptos, CA 95003 Inc.

2 / March 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

No. 5

Volume 30

15

20

31

Table of Contents

6

Cover

Little League: Let’s Play Ball, By Jondi Gumz

5 6 7 9 10 11 12 15 16 17 18 19 22

4 21 23

Community News ‘No Parking’ Signs Go Up At Nisene Marks, By Jondi Gumz New Push for Hotel Worker Rehiring Rights, By Jondi Gumz PV To Start Hybrid Kindergarten April 5, By Jondi Gumz Rio Unveils Banff World Tour Epic Bundle • Medical Reserve Corps Turns 16: A Caring Spirit, By Corinne Hyland FTB Suspends Tax Refund Offset • Deadline March 15 for Scholarship • Bond Oversight Volunteers Needed • New board chair at Rail & Trail Friends • Hunting, Fishing Rules Go Digital Delightful Meal from Chef Gus Trejo at Jack’s Patio in Santa Cruz, By Jondi Gumz County Parks: Free Movement Classes • Salinas Valley Ag Tech Summit REI Co-op To Open in Santa Cruz This Fall, By Jondi Gumz Welcoming Wonderland Toys Foundation Details Grant Process Volunteers Help Fight COVID Pandemic • Visit Santa Cruz County Seeks Nominations $17 Million in Rent Aid Coming, By Jondi Gumz • $2.75M to Aid Local Distressed Businesses Father, Son Reunited: Monarch Services Offers Positive Solutions Again,

By Delphine Burns California News State: Baseball, Softball, Football, Water Polo Can Resume Will Gov. Newsom Survive the Recall?, By Phil Trounstine and Jerry Roberts IPM Achievement Award Winners Announced

In Memoriam 20 Sally Jane vanKaathoven: Jan. 12, 1946 - Feb. 12, 2021

National News 20 Is The Tradeoff For Getting $15-An-Hour Minimum Wage Worthwhile?

Monthly Horoscope • Page 26 – Forty Days & Forty Nights: Preparing for Spring, By Risa D’Angeles Community Calendar • Arts & Entertainment – Pages 28, 29

Featured Columnists 22 Highway 1: The Aptos Curve, Photo Essay by Carolyn Swift 24 PVUSD Chief: All Permanent Employees To Get Vaccine Opportunity

by Feb. 28, By Dr. Michelle Rodriguez, Superintendent, Pajaro Valley Unified School District 25 Helping Kids Learn About Water Sustainability, By Rebecca Gold Rubin 27 A Blueprint To Safely Reopen Fitness Centers, By Richard Carmona 30 Environmentally Speaking: Contact Lens Recycling & Free Mattress Disposal, By Zach Friend, Supervisor, Second District 31 Don’t Prune Flowering Trees Until Spring, By Tony Tomeo

SCCAS Featured Pet • Page 31 – Del Sol Is Ready to Wake You Up!

www.tpgonlinedaily.com

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / March 1st 2021 / 3

CALIFORNIA NEWS

Patrice Edwards Jondi Gumz

publisher editor

contributing writers Jondi Gumz, Corinne Hyland, Delphine Burns, Phil Trounstine, Jerry Roberts, Risa D’Angeles, Carolyn Swift, Michelle Rodriguez, Rebecca Gold Rubin, Richard Carmona, Zach Friend, Tony Tomeo layout Michael Oppenheimer, Jim Johnson graphic artists Michael Oppenheimer, Jim Johnson photography Michael Oppenheimer, Jim Johnson, Brad King website Michael Oppenheimer, Camisa Composti production coordinator Camisa Composti media consultants Don Beaumont, Teri Huckobey, Brooke Valentine office coordinator Cathe Race distribution Bill Pooley, James Hudson

Times Publishing Group, Inc. 9601 Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA 95003 The Times Publishing Group, Inc., publishers of the Aptos Times, a bi-monthly publication, the Capitola Times and Scotts Valley Times, each printed monthly, Coastal Weddings Magazine, Coastal Home and Garden Magazine, Aptos’ Fourth of July Parade Official Program Guide and Capitola’s Begonia Festival Official Program Guide, is owned by Patrice Edwards.

Entire contents ©2021. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any form is prohibited without the publisher’s written permission

State: Baseball, Softball, Football, Water Polo Can Resume O n Feb. 19, the California Department of Public Health released updated guidance for youth and recreational adult sports, which allows high-contact and moderate-contact sport competitions to resume outdoors in the Red Tier and Purple Tier with weekly COVID-19 testing required for football, rugby and water polo.

The guidance applies to all organized youth and adult sports, including school and community-sponsored programs, and privately organized clubs and leagues.

“With case rates and hospitalizations declining across California, we are allowing outdoor competition to resume, with modifications and steps to reduce risk, in counties where case rates are lower,” said Dr. Tomás Aragón, CDPH director and state public health officer. “Youth sports are important to our children’s physical and mental health, and our public health approach has worked to balance those benefits against COVID-19 risks.”

The guidance aims to giving communities

guidelines on how to safely remain physically active while reducing virus transmission.

Outdoor high-contact sports can be played in counties in the Purple or Red tier with a COVID case rate at or below 14 per 100K. Santa Cruz County is in the Purple Tier, with a case rate of 8.6 per 100,000; the case rate has declined since Christmas Football, rugby and water polo are highcontact sports likely to be played unmasked, with close face-to-face contact exceeding 15 minutes. As a result, weekly testing is required for football, rugby and water polo players age 13 and over in counties with a case rate between 7 and 14 per 100,000.

BIG O and TIRES IS OPEN here to serve the community.

Locally Ownedd! and Operate

PHONE: (831) 688-7549 FAX: (831) 688-7551 GENERAL E-MAIL: info@cyber-times.com Patrice Edwards: patrice@cyber-times.com Publisher’s Assistant: assistant@cyber-times.com Editor: info@cyber-times.com Calendar Listings: www.tpgonlinedaily.com Graphics Department: graphics@cyber-times.com Billing Inquiries: cathe@cyber-times.com Classified Sales: sales@cyber-times.com Production: production@cyber-times.com CHECK OUT OUR WEB SITE AT: www.tpgonlinedaily.com mission statement We at the Times Publishing Group, Inc. are dedicated to providing a voice for the individuals and organizations in our community while highlighting the outstanding accomplishments of our local businesses. We seek to promote healthy family values through our coverage of youth activities, school news, senior events, community groups and entertainment 4 / March 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

ommunity for serving The c years over 30

Best Prices On Michelin & BF GoodrichE TTires T ODAY! OT ASK FOR A QU

LOWEST

PRICES ON NAME BRANDS www.bigotires.com

Attractive financing options available! On approval, ask for details of different plans.

Weekly testing, antigen or PCR, is required for all players and coaches, with results available within 24 hours of competition.

Outdoor moderate-contact sports, such as baseball, cheerleading and softball, can be played in these counties without testing.

Teams must provide information regarding risk of transmission to all parents/guardians of minors participating, and each parent must sign an informed consent indicating their understanding and acknowledgement of the risks.

Any teams playing in a less restrictive sports tier are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings, and practice physical distancing, hand hygiene and equipment sanitation.

For details on examples of sports with different levels of contact and risk by tier, see https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/ outdoor-indoor-recreational-sports.aspx n ••• For info on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit www.covid19.ca.gov.

COMMUNITY NEWS

‘No Parking’ Signs Go Up At Nisene Marks IN -CLUB NO MORE AT-HOME EXCUSES! A

By Jondi Gumz

Residents have met with State Parks quick to implement simple yet effective Sgt. Joe Walters twice this year on Zoom solutions to curb illegal parking and reduce to discuss the problems and possible congestion,” Marco said. “In addition to solutions. Another meeting via Zoom cones, the new (no parking) signs installed is expected to be scheduled for March, (by State Parks & Swenson) are important and Swenson, the developer building the deterrents. I spoke to the ranger installing Aptos Village project of homes and stores the sign in front of the homes … to thank near Nisene Marks, has been invited to him and to confirm that a resident placard participate. system or sign was the next step.”

“We certainly want to be a part of He added, “I was also happy to see Photo Credit: Nancy Zaferes these community meetings,” said Jessie the tree work being done along the road.

Overflowing trash on Aptos Creek Road on the way Bristow, project development manger with As discussed during our last meeting, this to Nisene Marks State Park was cleaned up after a Swenson. maintenance is important to insure safety resident made inquiries.

Todd Marco, who lives on Aptos Creek for residents & park visitors.”

Road, has created a private community At the next meeting, he said he forum on Facebook called “The Gateway of would share what he has learned about NO Nisene Marks” for residents to connect and the potential for a “Lot Full” signal and a RM organize and support “Gateway Trail” connecting NiseneOMarks G N TE ENT L improvement efforts to Aptos Village Park, a county park MITMe OMthat to ensure access to generally has parking available.CHe Rwelisk-Fre this beloved forest is comed the developer’s participation, To Tr y! safe and enjoyable for which he sees as critical to develop collabFINISH THE YEAR STRONGER all. orative and well-integrated solutions.

So far, more than Another resident, seeing trash over65 people have joined. flowing from a bin and attracting more “The response & trash next on Aptos Creek Road just outside In-club with a Coach At-home with a Coach In-club with a Coach At-home with a Coach energy here is really Swenson’s fenced construction staging area, encouraging,” said took it upon herself to find out who was Marco, who moved responsible for cleaning the unsightly mess. to the area with his After alerting the Aptos Village manTake control of your health and fitness with family in July. agers, the trash was gone and the gateway Call Us Today!

Curves in-club or at-home! Get up and get moving!

Combining an in-club Curves membership Call Today!

FREE “Thanks to Us Joe’s to the state park clean again.

Photo Credit: Todd Marco RESISTANCE Call Us Today!

BAND * and MyCurves On Demand A “no parking” sign is installed to deter visitors at Nisene Marks State Park help & engagement, FREE* means you’ll get: 831.688.2348 “Nisene Marks” page 8 RESISTANCE BAND 831.688.2348 from illegally parking along the road.

State Parks has been 7000 Soquel Dr. Aptos COACHING in-club or virtual ✓

week ago, a State Parks ranger installed a sign to deter visitors at Nisene Marks State Park in Aptos from illegally parking along the road or in the resident parking area.

He said this is a temporary sign until a resident placard system or similar arrangement can be determined.

Residents along Aptos Creek Road are concerned that unprecedented use of the park, lack of a pedestrian path, insufficient parking spaces and illegal parking create a traffic jam where the road is clogged with cars, cyclists and people on foot, and delayed response times for emergency responders in an ambulance answering a medical call.

In-club with a Coach

At-home with a Coach WEEK ININ-6 CLUB NO CHALL MORE -CLUB AT -Strength Training / R ATHOME HOME EXCUSES!

Take control of your health and fitness with Curves in-club or at-home! Get up and get moving!

FREE RESISTANCE BAND

*

Combining an in-club Curves membership and MyCurves On Demand means you’ll get

When you sign up for an In-Club & At-Home Membership!

COACHING

AptosCurves@gmail.com

VALUED AT $30

When you sign up for an In-Club & At-Home Membership!

✓ COACHING in-club or virtual ✓ WORKOUT access to MyCurves On Deman and Curves Club ✓ EQUIPMENT included for home workouts

SCIENCE with 28 years of resea ✓ EXERCISEOn access to MyCurves Demand Real Strength for Real Women ✓ WORKOUT in-club or virtual ✓ FUN, FAST, SAFE 30min total body workou Franchise opportunities available. For more information: Curves.com/BuyCurves and Curves Club

LOOKING FOR 30 WOMEN BY WORKOUT COVER STORY WHO WANT TO CHANGE THEIR

7000 Soquel Dr. Aptos

AptosCurves@gmail.com “Aptos Little League” from page 1 “The season will look and feel different but the game of baseball will be same,” said Erik Cormier, who is in his second year as president of Aptos Little League.

Asked when the first game might be, he declined to predict, not wanting to count any chickens before they hatch.

He said the board agreed that if play would resume, it would be in a safe and healthy manner, which means there is a “robust” list of safety protocols, starting with face coverings.

Players and their parents must pledge to stay home and isolate for 14 days if they have a fever or other COVID symptoms or if they have knowingly been exposed to someone with COVID. Kids will sit on the bleachers, spread out for social distancing, not in the dugout.

All players will use their own equipment – ball, water, helmet and bat — no sharing.

VALUED AT $30

When you sign up for an In-Club & At-Home Membership!

Real Strength for Real Women

*Enrollment fee due up front and varies by location. Offer based on first visit enrollment for a 12-month recurring billing fitness membership. Resistance band included with first month charge. Sales tax will be added and varies by location. Open to new and existing customers. Valid at participating locations only. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. No cash value. Offer expires 12/31/21. Club instructions: Select 2021Hybrid

included for home workouts ✓ EQUIPMENT access MyCurves Franchise opportunities available. Forto more information: Curves.com/BuyCurves SCIENCE withand 28 years of research ✓ EXERCISE On Demand © 2021 Curves. All Rights Reserved

*Enrollment fee due up front and varies by location. Offer based on first visit enrollment for a 12-month recurring billing fitness membership. Resistance band included with first month charge. Sales tax will be added and varies by location. Open to new and existing customers. Valid at participating locations only. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. No cash value. Offer expires 12/31/21. Club instructions: Select 2021Hybrid

Players’ hands will be sanitized before they ✓ 6 Week Training Plan for Alltotal Fitness Levels SAFE 30min body workout Curves Club ✓ FUN, FAST, enter the field and when they leave the ✓ Progress Chart for Tracking EQUIPMENT field at the end of the event. No chewing ✓ Access to MyCurves On Demand or Curves included for home on sunflower seeds. No high fives or hand✓ Weekly Coaching workouts RES shakes or group celebrations. ✓ Nutrition Program Optional Add-On But there will be plenty of throwing, EXERCISE SCIENCE Locally Owned and Operated with 28 years of catching, batting and running. Franchise opportunities available. For more information: Curves.com/BuyCurves *Enrollment fee due up front and varies by location. Offer based on first visit enrollment for a 12-month recurring billing fitnessresearch membership.

Resistance bandZIP included with “The kids are just going to be excited 7000 Soquel Dr, Aptos, CA 831.6 In-club withlocations a Coach only. Cannot beAt-home with a Coach first month charge. Sales tax will be added and varies by location. Open to new and existing customers. Valid at participating combined with any to get out and play a sport,” said Cormier, other offer or discount. No cash value. Offer expires 12/31/21. Club instructions: SelectFUN, 2021Hybrid FAST, SAFE of Rights equipment who has three sons ages 12, 10 and 7 in A face covering is an essential © 2021 piece Curves. All Reserved 30 minutes total body Aptos Little League and has been a coach for Aptos Little League. workout Ask usTake what’s new Curves!

Services control ofat your health and fitness withNow Availab and manager for five years. and $175 for older kids in AAA, Major and Locally Owned andNew Operated Franchise opportunities available.

For more Curves.co Curves in-club or at-home!

Get upinformation: and get moving!

As of Thursday, 155 kids have already Intermediate.

7000 Soquel Dr. Aptos, CA 95003 *Offer expires 12/31/20. Available to new members, who sign up for a 6-week Curves Fitness membership, payable up front in full at Call Us Today!is purchased. Offer excludes CurvesSmart and Curves Nutrition Program. V membership valid only at the club where the membership signed up since registration opened Feb. Cormier said the fees, which combined cover aother offer or discount.831.688.2348 with any No cash value. Always consult your primary care provider before beginning a new exercis (831) 688-2348 FREE RESISTANCE BAND 7000 Soquel Dr. Aptos 16. The deadline is March 16. uniform, hat and face mask with the Little aptoscurves@gmail.com AptosCurves@gmail.com “I’m expecting similar numbers to last League logo, are “a little bit subsidized www.facebook.com/CurvesAptos year,” Cormier said. because we wanted to be as inclusive as Real Strength for Real Women Last year, 324 kids registered, enough possible.”

Franchise opportunities available. For more information: Curves.com/BuyCurves Enrollment fee due up front and varies by location. Offer based for 17 teams from T-ball for 4-year-olds to To sign up, visit aptosll.org n on first visit enrollment for a 12-month recurring billing fitness Intermediate for 13-year-olds.

••• membership. Resistance band included with first month charge.

Sales tax will be added and varies by location. Open to new and The season is slated to start April 5.

Cover Photo: Aptos Little League existing customers. Valid at participating locations only. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. No cash value.

Registration costs $150 for the younger players are ready to play safe this season.

Offer expires 12/31/21. Club instructions: Select 2021Hybrid. players in T-ball, Farm Division, A and AA, © 2021 Curves. All Rights Reserved Photos by Kevin Painchaud

IN -CLUB NO MORE AT-HOME EXCUSES! Real Strength for Real Women © 2021 Curves. All Rights Reserved

*

VALUED AT $30

When you sign up for an In-Club & At-Home Membership!

Combining an in-club Curves membership ® and MyCurves On Demand means you’ll get:

✓ COACHING in-club or virtual ✓ WORKOUT access to MyCurves On Demand and Curves Club

✓ EQUIPMENT included for home workouts ✓ EXERCISE SCIENCE with 28 years of research ✓ FUN, FAST, SAFE 30min total body workout

fee due up front and varies by location. Offer based on first visit enrollment for a 12-month recurring billing fitness membership. Resistance band included with **Enrollment first month charge. Sales tax will be added and varies by location. Open to new and existing customers. Valid at participating locations only. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. No cash value. Offer expires 12/31/21. Club instructions: Select 2021Hybrid © 2021 Curves. All Rights Reserved

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / March 1st 2021 / 5

COMMUNITY NEWS

New Push for Hotel Worker Rehiring Rights

By Jondi Gumz

W

hen COVID-19 struck Santa Cruz County last year, it hit the hospitality sector hard. Some 10,000 jobs at hotels and restaurants — a tenth of the county’s jobs — were lost by April.

With safety restrictions on travel, hotels and restaurants, only half of those jobs have returned.

On Friday, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) introduced Assembly Bill 1074, supported by hotel workers and their union, UNITE HERE Local 11, to make sure that when their employers resume operations, hospitality workers can return to work.

The bill focuses on hotel workers in guest services, food and beverage, cleaning and building maintenance as well as subcontracts for those services. temporary staffing and successor employers in case of an ownership change.

“California’s hospitality workforce has been decimated by COVID-19, and these employees deserve basic protections which will allow them to return to the jobs and wages they earned before the pandemic as the industry reopens,” Sen. María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angles), principal co-author of AB 1074, said. “This bill effectively addresses the concerns Gov. Newsom raised to our prior effort.”

Campbell

408-378-4921 900 DELL AVE.

Santa Clara

408-727-0822 2550 LAFAYETTE

Morgan Hill

408-779-7368 95 E. MAIN AVE.

Santa Cruz

831-477-7133 3700 SOQUEL AVE.

Hollister

831-638-1999 2610 SAN JUAN RD.

Last year, Durazo, Gonzalez and Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) authored AB 3216, a right to recall and retention bill that would have required employers to give a former employee the name of who was hired in their place and the reasons why. It passed but Newsom voted it, saying it required sharing too much personal information of hired employees.

“Latinos have made up the backbone of the hospitality industry for decades.

Many stayed with the same employers for years in order to work their way up and earn a stable living,” Gonzalez said. “When hotels and event centers can safely reopen, the least we must do is ensure workers can return to the jobs they previously held.”

She joined dozens of workers who caravanned from Los Angeles and Orange County to La Jolla for a press conference outside the corporate headquarters of JC Resorts, which owns and operates hotels and golf courses, including Terranea Resort in Ranchos Palos Verdes.

That resort terminated much of its workforce amid the pandemic, without making a binding commitment to rehire longtime workers when the hotel reopened, according to Unite Here Local 11.

“Rehiring Rights” page 10

Salinas

831-424-7368 210 W. MARKET ST.

Watsonville

831-722-0334 285 W. BEACH ST.

w ww.AToo lSh ed.com 1-800-A-TOOL-SHED 6 / March 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

WE DELIVER Workers laid off from resort jobs in southern California support AB 1074 to get rehiring rights.

COMMUNITY NEWS

PV To Start Hybrid Kindergarten April 5

A

By Jondi Gumz

year after the contagious COVID-19 closed public school campuses and forced a switch to distance learning, the 10 school superintendents in Santa Cruz County announced plans Thursday night to reopen elementary schools for hybrid in-person instruction in the wake of active cases falling below 450 and the anticipated move from the Purple Tier to the less restrictive Red Tier in a week or two.

Scotts Valley will be the first to return kindergarten and transitional kindergarten March 3, Mountain School on March 8, Soquel Union and San Lorenzo Valley on March 15 and Live Oak March 22. Pajaro Valley plans to reopen April 5.

Additional elementary grades return a week or two later, with high school starting after the county is in the Red Tier. Summer school is being planned, and conversations about high school graduation ceremonies are beginning, although no one knows what the COVID case situation will be like in June.

Each day, about half the elementary students will be on campus, to meet the sixfoot distance requirement. Schedules will include morning and afternoon cohorts and alternate days, and families can opt for online lessons if they wish.

It’s not possible to bring all students on campus at the same time because of the state’s six-foot physical distance requirement, Dr. Faris Sabbah, county superintendent of schools, explained.

Private schools have done it because their class sizes are smaller so they’re able to provide the space.

COVID-19 has claimed the lives of more than 51,000 Californians and 183

Santa Cruz County residents, with 55 percent of those local deaths at nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Locally, 80 percent of those who died were age 70 or older and 77 percent had other health conditions.

Safety o keep students and staff safe at school, there will be surveillance testing, improved air quality with approved purifiers, students assigned to fixed groups, along with face coverings, handwashing, disinfecting and temperature checks to keep anyone who is sick at home.

Sabbah credited Dignity Health Medical Foundation and Dominican Hospital with vaccinating 4,500 teachers and support staff, about 70 percent of staff overall.

Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz, Dominican Hospital president/CEO, said vaccine supplies from the state made it possible to vaccinate Dominican’s 1,700 health care workers, first responders and others in the first priority tier, with more supplies coming from Common Spirit, the hospital’s parent company, and the county.

She said she met Sabbah at a vaccine clinic in Watsonville for ag workers when he asked her about vaccinating kindergarten teachers. That got the ball rolling.

Dr. Steve Magee, Dignity Health Medical Foundation-Dominican president, reported from the Harbor High School gym, where 27 vaccine clinics have taken place, reaching the target numbers of people age 65 and up.

T

“COVID Update” page 8

Photo Credit: Pajaro Valley Arts

New mural “Wear Together” by Watsonville artist Erik Davison is one of the Movable Murals, “An Act of Love: Mask Wearing During the Pandemic,” a project of Pajaro Valley Arts and the city of Watsonville and funded by the Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust.

Plenty of Free Customer Parking

Wilder Associates Inc.

Village Liquors

Property Management Specialists

For All Your Beverage Needs

662-0291

688-5691

Kumon Math & Reading Center

Joy of Movement Pilates & Gyrotonic®

Learning for the Long Run

More Zest for Life

508-8200

688-8077

Warmboard Radiant Subfloor

Epicenter Cycling

Trek Bicycles for All Types of Riders

Simply Smarter Radiant Heat

662-8100

685-9275

Dentistry for Animals Dr. Judy Force, DVM

768-7148

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / March 1st 2021 / 7

•••

“COVID Update” from page 7 “We are floating high with excitement,” said Diane Morgenstern, Mountain School superintendent/principal. “Like you, we have waited a long time to get to this next phase.”

Kris Munro, superintendent of Santa Cruz City Schools, said 1,000 students have been on campus in small cohorts since October, with no COVID transmission from in-person services.

“We feel confident the systems we have in place will keep our students and our staff safe,” she said.

Reaching Elders n Feb. 22, county health officials said more than half of county residents 65 and older have received at least one dose of vaccine, and as of Thursday it was 63 percent.

“It has taken a truly collaborative effort across the community to reach this point,” said Mimi Hall, Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency director.

With the 50+ percent target reached, the county is expanding vaccine access to workers in education and childcare, emergency services, and food and agriculture.

County Public Health is asking employers to arrange vaccination clinics for their workers. To begin that process, eligible employers must fill out a COVID-19 Vaccine Interest Survey at https://bit.ly/2NnFAUA. So far, 500 have done so.

As for people 65 and up who haven’t been vaccinated, the county urges them to schedule an appointment now.

For some, that has proven challenging, with a pinned tweet by a major local provider, Sutter Health, saying it doesn’t have enough vaccine supplies and advising people to check online for updates.

At the health leaders press conference Thursday, county spokesman Jason Hoppin acknowledged the frustration some have felt.

Hard To Get hecking santacruzhealth.org for vaccine availability one day, CVS in Capitola was fully booked and Walgreens hasn’t yet brought vaccine to California. One new pharmacy with vaccine, posted this week, is RiteAid, 1988 Freedom Boulevard in Watsonville.

Kaiser, a big provider locally, was shorted on vaccine by the state, according to Dr. Gail Newel, the county health officer, but has now received more vaccine and is willing to vaccinate people outside its health plan.

The first open appointment online at the county’s vaccine clinic, 250 Main St. in Watsonville, was Easter Sunday, April 4, but the online sign-up system required the second appointment to be scheduled at the same time and no appointments were available in May. Nonprofit Santa Cruz Community Health in Live Oak is willing to accommodate people 65 and up who have had difficulty scheduling an appointment, with staff taking phone numbers, making callbacks and offering to let people know when vaccine is available.

By Friday, the Sutter Health patient portal was providing vaccine appointment dates for Saturday.

Dr. Newel predicts the county will move into the Red Tier, which allows indoor dining and movies to open at 25 percent capacity and gyms to open at 10 percent capacity, in two or three weeks.

For the change, the county needs to have lower numbers for two weeks. The county’s adjusted case rate is 8.6 per 100,000; Red Tier is 7 or below.

Nearby San Mateo and Marin counties were fasttracked into the Red Tier because of their low equity positivity rates, 3.7 percent and 3.4 percent. Santa Cruz County is at 6.3 percent.

County COVID Deaths 183 As of Feb. 26

Age 90 and up: 54 • 80 to 89: 56 • 70 to 79: 36 • 60 to 69: 26 50 to 59: 4 • 40 to 49: 3 • 30 to 39: 3 Race/Ethnicity White: 107 • Latinx: 60 • Asian: 14 • Black: 1 Amer. Indian/Alaskan Native: 1

O

C

8 / March 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Underlying Conditions Yes: 141 •No: 42 Photo Credit: Pajaro Valley Arts

One of the Movable Murals, “An Act of Love: Mask Wearing During the Pandemic,” is a collage of photos submitted by community members digitized by Hedwig Heerschop and designed by Karen Lemon.

Third Vaccine r. David Ghilarducci, Santa Cruz County deputy health officer, is excited about the Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine, which was found to reduce moderate to severe COVID infection by 66 percent and doesn’t need to be frozen.

“It’s 100 percent effective at keeping you out of the hospital,” he said. “That’s a game-changer.”

A federal panel on Friday recommended the FDA grant emergency use authorization, and it could arrive locally as soon as next week.

Ghilarducci expects that having a third vaccine in addition to Pfizer’s and Moderna’s will speed up the likelihood of “herd immunity” in the county, sooner than mid-August, his earlier prediction.

So far, he said, Sutter Health leads in vaccine distribution, with close to 25,000 doses, followed by Dominican, 10,000, and county clinics, 9,000.

“We can expect to get 50 percent more vaccine in coming weeks,” Newel said, assuming the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is approved.

In four weeks, with Blue Shield taking over the vaccine distribution from the state, she expects there to be “more supply than we can administer. That will be a happy day.”

Newel addressed what she called “myths” about the vaccine: • It does not contain fetal tissue, she said, noting stem cells were used in research but not in the vaccine.

• It does not cause infertility or miscarriage, she said, and it doesn’t alter DNA. • The side effects are mild, she said, soreness, a bit of fever, chills…very short-lived , a few hours.

To a question about outreach to undocumented workers, Jen Herrera, the county’s chief of public health, said public health is working with the county ag commissioner, employers, and Pajaro Valley organizations.

The state’s switch to Blue Shield age-based vaccine system March 1 won’t have an immediate impact on Santa Cruz County, which is in the third wave, and is scheduled to switch over toward the end of the month.

To schedule a vaccine appointment, visit santacruzhealth. org or sign up at the state website, https://myturn.ca.gov.

To see what business activity is allowed see: tinyurl. com/cdph-dimmer-framework-sept (full URL: www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/CDPH%20 Document%20Library/COVID-19/Dimmer-Framework-September_2020. pdf) n

D

Gender Male: 83 • Female: 100 Skilled Nursing/Residential Care Santa Cruz Post Acute: 20 • Watsonville Post Acute: 18 Pacific Coast Manor: 14 • Hearts & Hands Post Acute: 8 Sunshine Villa: 7 • Aegis: 4 • Maple House 1: 4 Valley Convalescent: 4 • Montecito Manor: 3 Watsonville Nursing Center: 3 De Un Amor: 2 • Dominican Oaks: 2 Driftwood: 2 • Hanover House: 2 Maple House II: 2 • Paradise Villa: 1 Rachelle’s Home 1: 1 • Rachelle’s Home II: 1 Valley Haven: 1 • Westwind: 1 Total: 100 Not at a facility: 83 COVID Cases by Town Aptos: 698 • Ben Lomond: 105 • Boulder Creek: 134 Capitola: 403 • Felton: 134 •Freedom: 913 Santa Cruz: 3,430 • Scotts Valley: 370 Soquel: 315 • Watsonville: 7,674 Unincorporated: 219 • Under investigation: 233 Total: 14,628 Source: Santa Cruz County Public Health ••• To view the Town Hall on schools reopening, see: tinyurl.com/SCCed-town-hall-reopen (Full URL: https://santacruzcoe-org.zoom.us/rec/play/yO7rBFlcyby gn0c1VMMOuMTcWei9p45cy-AigjmBcdIxh3Bw7CoDcz3H590dZsSQSp WyGYJj028HbZ77.ZfuTRrRE8cmwa6BR?startTime=1614301224000) ••• Editor’s Note: Would you like to share your family’s COVID-19 story? Email Jondi Gumz at info@cyber-times.com or call 831-688-7549 x17.

“Nisene Marks” from page 5 “Our crew cleaned up the trash,” said Bristow, the Swenson manager.

Asked about the newly fenced dirt lot which had served as overflow parking for Nisene Marks and is slated to become a county park, he said vehicles and vehicle parts had been abandoned in the lot creating a mess next to the staging area.

“We are hoping to start phase 2 this summer,” he said.

There will be seven mixed-use buildings, residential with ground floor commercial, including three live-work units.

Bristow said construction may take 18 months to two years, after which action is expected on land Swenson earmarked for a county park and a kiosk promised for Nisene Marks. n ••• Do you have a story to share or a potential solution to address safety issues at Nisene Marks State Park? Email Jondi Gumz at info@cyber-times.com.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Rio Unveils Banff World Tour Epic Bundle A ll the programs? All the programs!

If you’ve been too busy getting after it outdoors, or just haven’t made the time yet, now’s your chance to catch all four Banff Virtual World Tour Programs in one epic bundle.

From mountaintops to wide open

12,000 KM: Swedish extreme skiers and snowboarders travel via train and boat from Stockholm through Russia to Japan, in search of deep powder.

oceans, this bundle has adventure, sports, environmental, and cultural experiences for all to savor — over 8 hours of films for hard-core World Tour fans.

You have 14 days to watch all four programs.

One of the highlights is Piano to Zanskar, the 2019 Grand Prize Winner, which won a slew of awards after that.

Promoter Kathy Ferraro had hoped to bring this film to the Rio and then the pandemic hit.

“I am excited and thrilled that our community can now see this inspiring film, which has been edited for the World Tour,” she said. “It is an especially interesting story when juxtaposed against the piano that someone in Aptos abandoned and it landed on the beach as well as the cover of the Aptos Times.”

In Piano to Zanskar — what a more fitting end to a piano — to bring joy to the school children and community of Zanskar.

Even better is to know Sir Desmond, 65 at the time of the film and journey, went back to Zanskar each year to tune the piano until his death.

“This film unites a set of lovely characters so individual and multi-faceted, even a seasoned Hollywood screenwriter would have a hard time coming up with them,” `said Joachim Hellinger, a member of the 2019 film jury. “It takes us on a quest

Piano to Zanskar: Desmond Gentle, 65, must find a way to get this piano to a school in a remote village in the heart of the Indian Himalayas. that seems to be crazy and anachronistic but is actually full of purpose and symbolic power. Watching this film helps to restore the belief in a better world.”

While it’s not possible to replicate the experience of seeing the Banff films on the big screen of your local theatre, surrounded by friends and your community, these curated programs of amazing outdoor

films are designed to inspire you to live life to the fullest — however that looks these days.

The Epic Bundle is $52 or screen individual programs for $15. Buy tickets online through the Rio Theatre. See http://www. riotheatre.com/events-2/2020/11/26/ banff-centre-mountain-film-festivalworld-tour. n

Medical Reserve Corps Turns 16: A Caring Spirit

By Corinne Hyland On Feb. 11, the Santa Cruz County Medical Reserve Corps celebrated 16 years since its founding in 2005.

Medical Reserve Corps units were

Nancy Yellin, registered nurse (left), a volunteer with the Santa Cruz County Medical Reserve Corps, with Dr. Roland Sharp.

established after the tragic terrorist events of 9/11, and the anthrax attacks that followed. Medical and health professionals came together to organize, train and equip local volunteers to assist Public Health and the community in emergency preparedness and response to all-hazards incidents.

Santa Cruz County Medical Reserve Corps volunteers have responded to numerous incidents including disease outbreaks catastrophic wildfires, floods, power outages and today’s COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout the past year, Medical Reserve Corps volunteers have supported Public Health with COVID-19 contact tracing, case investigations, infection prevention, sheltering of persons experiencing homelessness, and the CZU Complex wildfire evacuation and shelters.

“Medical Reserve” page 10

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / March 1st 2021 / 9

COMMUNITY BRIEFS FTB Suspends Tax Refund Offset n Feb. 22, the Franchise Tax Board suspended its income tax refund offset program until July 31, citing the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We hope this suspension will offer additional relief for taxpayers,” said State Controller and FTB Chair Betty T. Yee. FTB temporarily suspended collection activities of the Interagency Intercept Collection (IIC) Program to provide relief to taxpayers in keeping with Governor Gavin Newsom’s March 12, 2020, executive order. This means state tax refunds will not be reduced to offset taxpayer debts for parking citations, tolls, and various fines.

Debts for child support are the exception and will continue to be collected.

Taxpayers in financial hardship can apply for a payment installment plan online, by phone, or by mail. This includes court-ordered debts.

If a taxpayer receives a wage garnishment, bank levy, or tax lien, FTB will work with the taxpayer, which may include modifying or releasing a garnishment or levy, placing a hold on the collection account, or accepting an offer in compromise.

For suspended corporations and limited liability companies, FTB offers expedited services to revive the business for those prepared to file and pay the balance now or in the near future.

For help, see https://www.ftb. ca.gov/help/contact/phone-fax.html •••

O

“Rehiring Rights” from page 6 “Terranea Resort terminated us during the pandemic and took away our health care when we needed it most,” said Antonio Rodriguez, who worked as a banquet server at the Terranea Resort for 10 years and was recently hospitalized due to COVID-19. “My right to go back to work will ensure that I can get back on my feet and give my wife and three young girls a better future. Right now, I fear not

“Medical Reserve” from page 9 As vaccine has become available, Medical Reserve Corps volunteers have been on the frontlines vaccinating disabled home-bound elders and supporting mass vaccination clinics.

Nancy Yellin, a registered nurse who

Deadline March 15 for Scholarship very year a portion of the Corralitos Woman’s Club fundraising goes toward scholarships. To apply, see instructions on the application form at www.corralitoswomansclub.com Applicants must be a high school student in a Pajaro Valley school with a minimum 3.5 gradepoint average; or be a Santa Cruz County resident with a ZIP code of: 95076, 95019 or 95003; and be a U.S. Citizen. All information on this application will be kept confidential.

Recipients will be notified in May; scholarship awards will be sent to the college of their choice once a student ID# has been provided to the Corralitos Woman’s Club. Applications must be postmarked by March 15.

Questions? Email info@corralitoswomansclub.com ••• Bond Oversight Volunteers Needed he Pajaro Valley Unified School District seeks four volunteers for the Bond Citizens Oversight Committee.

The committee oversees spending of Measure L in November 2012, when voters authorized the district to issue up to $150 million in general obligation bonds for school facility improvements.

Currently some people are serving on this committee but four more volunteers are needed. If you are interested in applying, fill out an application, which is available at the District Office or online in the Citizens’ Oversight Committee section of Pajaro Valley Unified website at Measure L Bond Application.

If you are interested and have additional questions, call Veronica Moran in Business Services at (831) 786-2140 for more information.

E

T

••• New board chair at Rail & Trail Friends his year, Live Oak resident Faina Segal will chair the board of the Santa Cruz County Friends of the Rail & Trail known as FORT. “Transportation infrastructure in our county should reflect our shared values of inclusion, equity, sustainability, and economic opportunity for all,” said Segal, who joined the Friends of the Rail & Trail Board of Directors in 2019.

A customer experience manager for Cisco, she grew up in Watsonville and is passionate about improving access to opportunities for students in South County.

“FORT has been instrumental in advocating for expanded public transportation in Santa Cruz County, Faina Segal which I believe is a keystone investment to building a more equitable and sustainable future for our county,” Segal said. “I am honored to have this opportunity to give back to my community by being a part of this movement.”

She has commuted via Metro bus to Cabrillo, UC Santa Cruz and San Jose.

Since graduating from UC San Diego in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in history and minor in engineering, she has worked in Silicon Valley building global partnerships.

Sally Arnold, FORT board chair for 2019 and 2020, credited Segal’s organizational and marketing experience with helping the group modernize its use of technology to improve communication with the community.

T

FORT is promoting the “Coast Connect” vision of a 32-mile coastal rail trail from Watsonville to Davenport, eco-friendly passenger rail between Watsonville and Santa Cruz, synchronized bus connections, and safe streets for biking and walking.

••• Hunting, Fishing Rules Go Digital s part of an effort to go paperless, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is transitioning to a digital format for its 2021 hunting and fishing regulations booklets and Big Game Hunting Digest.

Booklets will no longer be printed and shipped to license agents or customers, but electronic versions of the booklets will be available online.

“Not only is this shift best for the environment because of the reduction of many thousands of short-term paper booklets being produced, the cost to print and ship the booklets is significant,” said CDFW Wildlife and Fisheries Division Deputy Director Stafford Lehr. “Another benefit is that the money saved by going paperless will be redirected to fish and wildlife conservation.”

The transition to paperless regulations booklets follows a two-year effort to reduce the number of hard copy booklets printed and shipped to license agents and is consistent with the governor’s directive to reduce paper use.

As in past years, digital booklets are available at wildlife.ca.gov/Regulations and can be downloaded as PDFs to your computer, cellular phone or other electronic device. Hunters and anglers are encouraged to download the digital booklets to their mobile devices and familiarize themselves with the format before hunting and/or fishing trips. n

A

being able to pay my bills and rent after my young daughter was in the hospital for kidney failure… I must return back to work for my family.”

In June, Terranea told the Orange County Register staffing reductions and salary cuts were essential to the resort’s survival, and that furloughed employees would be recalled based on seniority.

Unite Here contends the bill is needed to prevent discriminatory hiring practices

designed to cut costs by replacing longtime employees with a less experienced workforce at lower rates of pay.

Current law includes the Displaced Janitor Opportunity Act, which requires contractors and subcontractors awarded contracts to provide janitorial or building maintenance services at a particular jobsite or sites, to retain for 60 days employees employed by the previous contractor.

AB 1074 would extend that protection

to hotel workers. Laid-off workers not given the opportunity would be able to file a complaint seeking hiring and reinstatement, with the potential for front or back pay being awarded.

Nearly 40 percent of all California jobs lost during the pandemic have been in the hospitality industry.

San Francisco, Oakland and Santa Clara have already passed ordinances to ensure hospitality workers have the right to return to their previous jobs. n

joined the Medical Reserve Corps as it was forming, said, “The MRC is a wonderful and rewarding experience both in serving our community and with the opportunity to serve with other dedicated medical volunteers.”

Additionally, the contributions of medical volunteers have helped Public

Health build the capacity of the community to be resilient and respond to historic disasters.

“The community of Santa Cruz County has really rallied in response to COVID-19 with their volunteerism and commitment to practicing face- covering, physical distancing, and hand-washing.

MRC volunteers are evidence of that caring spirit,” said Medical Reserve Corps Director Kathleen Conley. n The Medical Reserve Corps is currently closed to new applications as it has reached capacity, those interested in volunteering may do so through the County’s Volunteer Center at https://scvolunteercenter.org/

10 / March 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

COMMUNITY NEWS

Delightful Meal from Chef Gus Trejo at Jack’s Patio in Santa Cruz

W

By Jondi Gumz

ow! That is how I’d describe my meal at the Jack’s Patio, the new COVID-safe dining spot outside the Santa Cruz Dream Inn. Kudos to executive chef Gustavo Trejo, who has been commuting for work from Monterey since October. He gets his

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz

Ribeye steak — done to perfection — with grilled asparagus and creamy polenta.

produce, meat and fish from locals — thank you, Dick Swank’s organic farm in Hollister and Colleen Logan of Savor the Local — and puts these fresh and seasonal ingredients together in a most delightful way.

Chef Gus grew up in San Diego but he spent time with relatives in Portugal — Portuguese was his first language — and had sponsorship to cook in Spain. He was sous chef for four years at Nick’s Fish Market Maui, then executive sous chef eight years at Carmel Valley Ranch and two years executive chef at Esteban Restaurant at Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa. When the honchos at Carmel Valley’s Bernardus Lodge & Spa, owned by Ensemble Hotel Partners since 2013, told him of the opening at the sister restaurant in Santa Cruz, he was ready for a new challenge.

“Chef Gus” page 13

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz

Executive chef Gustavo Trejo at Jack’s Patio, the outdoor dining area at the Santa Cruz Dream Inn.

At the heart of excellence.

When operating on the body’s most vital organ, precision is paramount.

At Dignity Health – Dominican Hospital, our cardiovascular specialists are trained to perform minimally invasive procedures that once required months of recovery. Now, many patients leave the hospital in a matter of days. See how we’re advancing cardiovascular care in Santa Cruz County at DignityHealth.org/DominicanHearts.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / March 1st 2021 / 11

CASA CARES ABOUT BEING THERE. NO MATTER WHAT.

Join us for an online information meeting to learn more about how you can be there for a child in foster care. All it takes is 2 hours a week to make a lifetime of an impact.

C AS AO F S A NTA CR UZ . O RG / SI G NUP 831 . 76 1. 2 95 6

D I D YO U K N O W?

COMMUNITY NEWS

County Parks: Free Movement Classes S anta Cruz County Parks announces free virtual movement and art classes for all levels.

Developed with the expertise and passion from the team at the Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center, these classes offer a variety of movement — from Pilates, hip hop, contemporary and modern dance, Capoeira, Maculele, Dun Dun dance of Guinea, Soca/Zumba, yoga, movement and aerobic conditioning.

All are available for you to enjoy at Jocelyn Dubin home — no charge. To access these classes, visit https://www. scparks.com/ Jocelyn Dubin, a registered dietitian and formerly co-owner of Nourish Santa Cruz, teaches “Healthy Eating on a Tight Budget” and Linda Gerson teaches “Qi Gong for Health.” Maiya Lenae talks about “Self Care for Women of Color” and Sarah Cruse leads “Chakra Sound Healing Meditation.”

Kids and adults can learn the choreography to the song “Play with your Food” from “Honk Jr.,” the musical, or “Set it all Free” from the movie “Sing.”

Arts and crafts classes for kids and adults include simple sewing and drawing monarch butterflies.

David Machuca leads “fitness in the park,” a 10-minue full-body workout using amenities at Aldridge Lane County Park in Watsonville, plus a soccer ball and 5-pound weights.

Fitness outdoors and modern dance basics are just for kids. And Mothersong is a singalong for families with babies and kids. n ••• Fitness in the Park with David (10 videos in English & Spanish) This series of 10 classes features simple exercises that you can do indoors or outdoors at your local County park! These videos are all in English and Spanish.

Other classes include Monarch butterfly drawing, sewing crafts, nutrition, and sound healing!

We offer over 25 rebates for your home and/ or business, saving you water and money.

Fitness in the Park with David Machuca

Salinas Valley Ag Tech Summit

Your Community Partner for Reliable Water 12 / March 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

T

Online Meetings begins March 18 at 5:30 p.m.

he Eighth Annual Salinas Valley Ag Tech Summit focusing on fresh produce will be March 18-19 via Zoom. Attendees can participate at no charge. Visit hartnellfoundation. org/2021-salinas-valley-ag-tech-summit/.

The event opens with a 5:30 p.m. March 18 fireside chat with Karen Ross, secretary

of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Dr. Raúl Rodríguez, interim superintendent/president of Hartnell College in Salinas, will report on Hartnell’s Agriculture and Business Technology Institute, at 5 p.m.

“Ag Tech” page 15

“Dependable Service, Affordable Quality”

“Chef Gus” from page 11 I’ll tell you what I ate but first, I must point out that my husband agreed to accompany me even though nothing on the menu piqued his interest. He’s hard to please when it comes to food.

Chef Gus offered us a tasting menu, and we said, sure.

First came the creamy and yummy clam chowder, with Yellow Finn potatoes, a hint of bacon, and hearty recognizable clams. My husband pronounced it very good and ate it slowly because he wanted to savor it.

Next came a pair of Dungeness crab cakes, a special treat given that the season was delayed until Dec. 23 and then crabbers went on strike for higher price until mid-January. This crab, surrounded by crunchiness, was juicy, topped by Daikon radish, adding more crunch, and a clever crab claw garnish, with a zesty remoulade sauce on the side. Again, my husband pronounced it very good, even though seafood has never been his favorite.

A salad of baby lettuce – including frisee, arugula and rarely seen Mizuna — topped with a delicate citrus and olive oil vinaigrette, grilled asparagus and tiny pieces of orange and blood orange –when have you seen this in a salad?

— glistening like jewels. It came with fresh country bread, warm and toasted, perfect for mopping up vinaigrette.

Again, very tasty. My husband, who normally does not request asparagus, ate every morsel.

For the entrée, we had rib-eye — a Goldilocks steak, not overdone, not underdone, just right, so tender with each bite a delicious mouthful. Joining it on the plate: Creamy polenta with tender but crunchy grilled asparagus. Needless to say, we ate every bite.

I wish we would have had room for the fresh Pacific catch but based on what had been served up, we were curious about dessert.

Happy surprises again! Lemon meringue with a zingy berry sauce — strawberry and pomegranate, a combi-

SPECIALIZING IN

WINTER SPECIAL

Residential Repaints & If we paint your interior and/or Custom Homes exterior by March 31, 2021 Homeowners Associations we will buy the paint.

Property Managers

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz

Desserts: Lemon meringue with strawberry-pomegranate glaze and midnight chocolate cake with Grand Marnier ganache. nation I hadn’t expected — and “midnight chocolate cake,” which tasted like a rich dark chocolate mousse. Yes, we cleaned our plates!

My question for the chef: Does he offer cooking lessons?

Starters range from $5-18, soups and salads $5-15, and entrees $18-40. Kids’ dinner, choose one of four entrees, with drink, $12.

My only suggestion would be to add to the descriptions on the menu – a mere sheet of paper right now -- to give potential diners a clearer idea of what will be served.

Chef Gus is looking forward to when he can expand the menu and serve people inside, instead at picnic tables with outside heaters to keep you warm.

Why wait? If you can get a meal this satisfying right now, why wait? n ••• Jack’s Patio, 175 W. Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz. Serves breakfast Friday-Sunday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (curbside pickup Wednesday-Sunday) and dinner Thursday-Sunday 4:30-9 p.m. (curbside pickup Wednesday-Sunday). Phone: 831-460-5013 or book online at https://www. jackoneillrestaurant.com/

ORTHODONTICS NANCY M. LEUNG, D.D.S., M.S.

Specialist in Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics

Now Accepting New Patients!

Initial Exam Complimentary Aptos Office

9515 Soquel Drive, Ste: 103 Aptos, CA 95003 831-685-2800 Conveniently located next to Aptos Junior High

Also in Watsonville 56 Penny Lane, Ste: B Watsonville, CA 95076 831-722-5022

www.SmileCrewOrtho.com

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz

The ocean view outside the Dream Inn, if you arrive early enough to watch the sun set.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / March 1st 2021 / 13

FEATURED BUSINESS

7960 Soquel Drive Aptos, CA 95003 SERVICES

RETAIL SPECIAL!

RESTAURANTS

HAIR SALON 831-688-1116

CUT & COLOR for $95.00 Color Touch-up Regular $130 (Long hair extra)

7970, Suite A, Soquel Dr. Aptos, CA

Our focus is on you and giving the best experience possible to help you achieve your goals.

(831) 662-0886

7960 Soquel Drive, Ste. I, Aptos

www.fleetfeetaptos.com

Since 1926 Instruments / Accessories / Sheet Music Sales / Rentals / Lessons 831-724-4798

musicstoreguy@earthlink.net

7960J Soquel Dr. Aptos, CA 95003

FITNESS & TRAINING

Caledonia A DAY OF BEAUTY Suite C

14 / March 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Dance with us!

(831)684-1800

www.studioe-dance.com

7970 Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA 95003

Conveniently located off Highway 1 and just outside Aptos Village, the Aptos Village Square hosts a number of local Aptos businesses.

COMMUNITY NEWS

REI Co-op To Open in Santa Cruz This Fall

O

By Jondi Gumz

n Feb. 18, REI Co-op, the outdoor retailer, announced plans to open a store in Santa Cruz in fall 2021 at the former Toys R Us at 1660 Commercial Way. “The Santa Cruz community is passionate about their outdoor places and REI is excited to bring a store to the area to connect with the community even more,” said Kirk Peterson, REI regional director of Northern California. “We have a lot of REI members that live or recreate around Santa Cruz, and this new location will be a hub to provide resources, expertise and gear for residents and visitors to enjoy the outdoors.”

REI expects to hire nearly 50 employees for the Santa Cruz location, which is next to Marshall’s and has been vacant for almost three years.

At 22,622 square feet, the space seems large but it will include a professional bike shop and ski shop service, and it’s close to the average REI store size of 24,000 square feet.

The store is expected to offer virtual classes, workshops, and guided outdoor experiences with programming such as Learn to Kayak, How to Ride a Bike, Backcountry Navigation with a Map and Compass and more. Popular day trips like REI’s Bike N Brews Tour: Santa Cruz Coast are expected to return once the COVID-19 pandemic fades.

In the past five years, REI reports such classes and trips helped 110,000 people in northern California connect to the outdoors.

In Santa Cruz, REI will compete with Patagonia Outlet, still privately held by its

“Ag Tech” from page 12 On March 19, a panel discussion features Leon Brish, co-founder and CEO of FarmDog; Mariana Valdez, soil science manager for Ag-Wise Enterprises; and Sebastien Boyer, co-founder and CEO of FarmWise, which made Time magazine’s Best Inventions of 2020 for its autonomous weeder.

Next will be Dr. Peter Livingston, head of the BioResource & Agricultural Engineering Department at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and Chris Kitts, director of the Robotic Systems Laboratory at Santa Clara University.

In the afternoon, international presenters are Tomás Peña, co-founder of S4, one of Argentina’s earliest AgTech start-

Future location of an REI sporting goods store.

founder, the publicly traded chain Big Five Sporting Goods chain, Helm of Sun Valley with ownership in San Jose, and locally owned Down Works, Outdoor World Sporting Goods and numerous bike shops.

The landlord is locally owned Redtree Properties, which assembled the properties in the area for a development that initially included the computer store Circuit City.

Soon CVS will begin construction on a drive-through pharmacy at 1515 Commercial Way, forcing Décor Furniture into a going-outof-business sale.

Numerous brand-name retail chains have been burdened with debt by private equity owners who expected big payouts on borrowed money. Payless ShoeSource, Gymboree, and The Limited are among those that struggled and closed.

In contrast REI, founded in 1938 as a member-owned co-op, is on a growth spurt. There are 168 stores currently with new ones planned in Tampa, Jackson, Wyoming, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania and Orland Park, Illinois.

Last year — despite COVID-19 — openings took place in Pigeon Forge,

Tennessee, Appleton, Wisconsin, Columbia, South Carolina, Wichita Kansas, Billings, Montana and Gainesville, Florida.

REI Santa Cruz will be the co-op’s 15th location in Northern California where 1.4 people are lifetime REI members. The stores closest to Santa Cruz have been Saratoga and Marina, a 90-minute round trip at minimum and more with traffic.

In the last five years, REI reports investing $3.4 million in local outdoor nonprofits in the region to get people outside, with $125,000 directly benefitting the Santa Cruz community. This includes support for local nonprofits like Ventana Wilderness Alliance, Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz, Ecology Action and Sempervirens Fund.

Such support is expected to continue, REI said. n ••• To join the REI team, apply online at REI. com/jobs Candidates must set up a job alert to be notified when positions are posted for the Santa Cruz store. New employees will get professional growth opportunities, 50 percent off REI gear and apparel and 30 percent off brand gear and apparel, competitive pay and retirement plan, two paid “Co-op Way Days” each year to get outdoors and paid day off on Black Friday to #OptOutside.

“We have a lot of REI members that live or recreate around Santa Cruz, and this new location will be a hub to provide resources, expertise and gear for residents and visitors to enjoy the outdoors.”

— Kirk Peterson, REI regional director of NorCal

ups; agricultural economist Elisa Blanco, co-founder of the Center for Water Law and Management in Chile; and Jairo Trad, a software developer and entrepreneur with business in six Latin American countries and the U.S. A fireside chat on education will include Tom Nunes, a fourth-generation farmer and president of the Nunes Co., a grower-shipper with production in California, Arizona and Nevada; John D’Arrigo, president, CEO and chairman of D’Arrigo Bros.; and Miles Reiter, CEO and chairman of Driscoll’s. Moderator will be Brie Reiter Smith, director of Driscoll’s quality systems design, supply chain. n ••• For information, contact Clint Cowden at (831) 755-6702 or ccowden@hartnell.edu.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / March 1st 2021 / 15

COMMUNITY NEWS

Welcoming Wonderland Toys Theresa Shellen and Hannah Stubblefield, owners of Wonderland Toys, cut the ribbon on their new location in the Rancho Del Mar shopping center in Aptos with members of the Aptos Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 18. The store, which opened in 2015 in Soquel, had its best Christmas ever in the new location, despite the pandemic, they said.

Photo Credit Esme Fregoso

The New HELOC Flex!

Introductory Rate for 6 Months

Variable Rate after Introductory Period

Rates as low as 2.99% APR*

Rates as low as 3.75% APR*

Plus, flexible options to lock in your rate!

831.479.6000 or toll-free at 888.4BAYFED, ext. 304 www.bayfed.com/HomeLoans

Apply Today!

*2.99% Introductory Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is available on Home Equity Lines of Credit with an 80% combined loan-to-value (CLTV) or less. The introductory APR will be fixed at 2.99% during the 6-month Introductory Period. After the 6-month Introductory Period, the APR is variable and is based upon an Index plus a margin. The Index is the “Prime Rate” as published in the “Money Rates” section of the online edition of the Wall Street Journal on the first day of the billing cycle. Eligible Lines of Credit loan amounts are $40,000-$250,000. As of October 1, 2020, the variable APR for Home Equity Lines of Credit ranged from 3.75% APR to 4.75% APR, depending on your credit score (the lowest APR disclosed includes any applicable rate discounts). The maximum APR during the term of the plan is 18.00%. The maximum loan amount is $250,000. An estimate of the fees imposed for opening the plan are $750 to $2500. However, these fees will be waived and/or paid by the Credit Union provided that our security interest in your home is maintained for at least 36 consecutive months from the date the HELOC account is opened. Otherwise, you must reimburse the Credit Union for these waived and/or paid fees (not to exceed $500). An annual fee of $75 is required on all balances of less than $20,000 after the first year. During the Draw Period, you may convert the variable interest rate and repayment schedule on a portion of your outstanding balance to a fixed rate and repayment schedule (subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Home Equity Line of Credit Agreement). Each time you fix a portion of your loan balance, you will be assessed a charge of $50.00. Only three (3) fixed-rate options may exist at any one time.

Offer is available for new applications submitted through March 31, 2021. Loans are subject to credit approval and program guidelines. Interest rates and programs terms are subject to change without notice. Property insurance is required. Other restrictions may apply. Bay Federal Credit Union membership required at the time of closing. For more information, visit any Bay Federal Credit Union branch or call a Bay Federal Home Loan Consultant at 831.479.6000 or toll-free at 888.4BAYFED, ext. 304.

16 / March 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Federally Insured by NCUA. Equal Housing Lender.

COMMUNITY NEWS

I

Foundation Details Grant Process

n 2021, Community Foundation Santa Cruz County will award community grant requests by invitation only.

Invited organizations will be asked to submit a simple request form by March 15.

The foundation expects to grant more than $2 million from its discretionary grant-making funds. Donors direct more than 80% of all the grants the foundation awards to the causes they care about most.

The majority of these funds are restricted to benefit children, youth, and seniors, and are focused on education, end of life care, youth development, historic preservation, and human services.

Proposals will be reviewed in March with a staff recommendation going to the board for final approval April 1.

Asked why by invitation only, the foundation’s answer is, “We’re focusing on the relationships we’re building with current grant partners and look to support their organizational health. We have a high grant renewal rate, which leaves little room for new partners.”

Last year, grants were awarded to 35 organizations from Watsonville to San Lorenzo Valley.

Many organizations the foundation anticipates not being able to fund, and in that case, the foundation welcomes you to submit an “Impact Profile.”

These succinct profiles of your work allow foundation staff the opportunity to introduce donors to the work you’re doing with optimism it will yield new attention, understanding, and resources toward your organization. Impact Profile forms will be available online starting March 26 and will be accepted on a rolling basis.

For those seeking help with the profile, a recording with writing and editing tips will be posted at cfscc.org.

The foundation anticipates providing grants from the Fire Recovery and COVID Response Funds by invitation only.

Contact grants@cfscc.org to see if your work may be eligible for funds dedicated to supporting people’s recovery from the impacts of the pandemic and/or helping the land and people to heal from the CZU fires. n ••• For details see cfscc.org or the frequently asked questions page https://docs.google.com/ document/d/1Yk8PHhMAyte874AC0ttW 2rqstD3Tu0zVbO9eKqna80Q/edit If your question isn’t answered, email grants@cfscc. org or Kevin Heuer, Director of Engagement & Impact at kheuer@cfscc.org

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / March 1st 2021 / 17

COMMUNITY NEWS

Volunteers Help Fight COVID Pandemic T he Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County has been part of the community fabric for more than 50

years.

While so much has changed since opening their doors in 1967, the heart of what they do has remained the same. They are about what happens when hopeful people work together to transform our community for good.

Each year they collaborate with more than 20,000 community members, nonprofits, and local businesses to invest time and resources into building a more connected community through volunteerism.

In their history, they have proudly stood alongside the community to mobilize volunteers through times of prosperity and through historic challenges like earthquakes, floods, fires, recessions, and now a pandemic.

“While the last year has presented incredible upheaval for our community, never have we been more proud to work in partnership with our neighbors to meet local need,” said Christine Loewe, Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County director of communications.

“Despite the pandemic, we have remained committed to finding safe ways to maintain connections and engage volunteers,” she added. “In 2020, we linked a record number of volunteers and donors to our community. If we have learned anything from the last year, it is that community connections are vital to our sense of hope, people will not be deterred from doing good, and the spirit of giving in Santa Cruz County cannot be diminished.”

Overall, more than 10,000 volunteers helped in 2020 through mask making, grocery shopping for vulnerable seniors, staffing emergency shelters, distributing free food, online tutoring, disseminating emergency preparedness information, holiday giving and more.

“Due to the incredible generosity displayed by our community, we launched into 2021 feeling optimistic about our ability to maintain momentum and continue meeting community needs by supporting safe ways for volunteer action,” said Christina Thurston, Volunteer Center director of volunteer engagement.

After partnering with the County and City of Santa Cruz last summer to connect nearly 2,000 volunteers with fire recovery support, the Volunteer Center kicked off the year by renewing their partnership with the County to enlist volunteers to support vaccine clinics. Nearly 300 people have stepped up thus far to offer support at local clinics throughout the county.

“This will be an ongoing effort in the coming months and we are looking to grow our volunteer registry of non-medical volunteers to support this work,” Thurston said. “Currently, we are recruiting volunteers to support the mass vaccination clinics at the Watsonville Fairgrounds. As more vaccinate clinic locations open when additional vaccines become available, we will develop volunteer shifts to continue to support this effort.”

Vaccine clinic volunteers help with greeting patients, helping them fill out forms, traffic control, acting as a runner, and checking in on patients in the waiting area. Community members are invited to learn more about this role and register to help by visiting the Volunteer Center website at https://scvolunteercenter.org/ events-2/vaccine-clinic-volunteers/ This month the Volunteer Center as part of the statewide Listos California Campaign, will work with community partners to disseminate information about vaccine safety and how to access the vaccine. Listos means prepare “Our goal as a Listos partner is to ensure that every member of our community has the information and access

Two volunteers help with the initial greeting of arrivals at the Watsonville Fairgrounds COVID-10 vaccine clinic. they need, particularly our most vul- and ensure that no one gets left out of the nerable populations,” Thurston said. “We process.” n ••• know that some community members Partner with the Volunteer Center of have anxiety about getting the vaccine, are not sure where to get it, don’t know Santa Cruz County: Learn more about the when their turn will be, or how to find Volunteer Center, Vaccine Clinic volunteering, further information and we want to and their family of 20 programs by visiting alleviate any of the barriers that may www.scvolunteercenter.org.

Reach Out: 831-427-5070 or email volprevent folks from getting vaccinated.

By engaging community members to vol- unteer@scvolunteercenter.org Sustain our Programs: https://scvolununteer or learn more about vaccine safety, we can fight the impacts of this pandemic teercenter.org/sustain-our-efforts/

Visit Santa Cruz County Seeks Nominations

V

isit Santa Cruz County is accepting nominations for its 25-member Board of Directors. The deadline to submit nomination forms is Tuesday, March 16.

The board has representatives from regions of the county, 13 lodging seats and a cross-section of representatives of

businesses, cultural, governmental and organizations with affiliation to the travel and tourism industry. Responsibilities include participation in governance of the organization, advocacy for the tourism industry, and active participation at board meetings six times per year. Board terms are two years and begin July 1.

18 / March 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

The Nominating Task Force will review all nominees. For a nominating form, visit https://www.santacruz.org/wp-content/ uploads/2021/02/2021-Board-Nominating-Form-Application-fillable.pdf n ••• For information, email dharris@santacruz. org

COMMUNITY NEWS

$17 Million in Rent Aid Coming

B

By Jondi Gumz

y March 15, Santa Cruz County expects to have a new rent and utility relief program to stave off pandemic evictions, targeting low-income tenants and their landlords, funded with $16.9 million in state and federal money.

Details on how renters can apply will be posted at HousingIsKey.com and dre.ca.gov.

As of December, nearly 17,000 people in Santa Cruz County had lost jobs due to the pandemic, cutting off income vital to pay for food, rent and utilities. That’s the most recent number; January statistics won’t be posted until March 12.

County supervisors approved the program Tuesday.

The county could have created its own unique program to administer federal rent relief but then would not have been eligible for state funds. With little time to make arrangements, participating in the state rent relief program made the most sense.

Under state guidelines, eligible renters must have household income that is less than 80% of the area median income, with priority going to those with 50% of area median income, especially those with housing instability or risk of homelessness.

The County’s median household income was $85,770 in 2019, the most recent figure, according to county Supervisor Zach Friend.

Participating landlords will get 80% of the unpaid rental debt from April 1, 2020 to March 31, and must agree to forgive the rest.

Landlords who opt not to participate will get a much smaller amount, 25% of the unpaid rental debt.

Communities Organized for Relational Power in Action, a group of local faith leaders, supported the county’s action.

“We had thorough conversations with staff to see if County staff had the capacity to handle this matter in-house,” Mark Linder of St. Stephens Church in Santa Cruz, posted on the agenda item online. “After these conversations, we agree with staff regarding capacity. We are now focusing on working with local community based organizations to work with the State and with LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corp.), the organization the State is contracting with to establish and manage the process of getting rent and utility assistance to renters and landlords.”

He added, “We will work with staff to

$2.75M to Aid Local Distressed Businesses

O

n Feb. 18, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration awarded $6.7 million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance grants to help communities and businesses in California respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the four grants will benefit Santa Cruz County.

NDC Economic Development Lending, Inc., will receive $2.75 million to establish and administer a revolving loan fund to support coronavirus-impacted small businesses in Santa Cruz County, and in the target cities of Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Scotts Valley, and Capitola. The project, to be matched with $687,500 in local funds, is expected to create 18 jobs, retain 138 jobs, and generate $1 million in private investment.

Sacramento will be helped by two grants and the Ontario Convention and Visitors Bureau east of Los Angeles will receive $678,000.

Sacramento’s grants include a grant for $2.5 million to the West Sacramento region, while California Academy for Economic Development, Sacramento, will receive $782,788 to expand their Outsmart Disaster Campaign. This statewide education and

training campaign is designed to provide the resources that businesses need to adequately prepare for and recover from all types of disasters. The project will be matched with $195,697 in local funds.

“EDA is committed to helping communities across the nation implement strategies to mitigate economic hardships brought on by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Dennis Alvord, acting assistant secretary of commerce for economic development.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has decimated our local economies,” said U.S. Rep. John Garamendi (CA-03), “and this muchneeded funding will help local businesses keep the lights on and create and retain jobs.”

These projects are funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, which provided EDA with $1.5 billion for economic assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. This assistance, which is being administered by the office’s Economic Adjustment Assistance program, provides a wide-range of financial assistance to eligible communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. n

monitor the success of having tenants and landlords receive this assistance. The local community-based organizations know each other and look forward to collaborate in this effort to serve those in need.”

County staff reported consulting with staff of all of four cities in the county who said they didn’t have the capacity to administer the program, the federal Housing Authority of Santa Cruz County, and representatives of water districts, whose revenue dropped when unemployed customers couldn’t pay their bills.

The rent aid can be used to pay utility bills in arrears, but rent payments take priority.

The rent aid program came together after Congress in December passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which allocated $25 billion for rental and utility assistance to state and local governments nationwide. Santa Cruz County received $8.123 million.

Then on Jan. 28, the state Legislature

“We will work with staff to monitor the success of having tenants and landlords receive this assistance. The local communitybased organizations know each other and look forward to collaborate in this effort to serve those in need.”

— Mark Linder, St. Stephens Church

passed SB 91, a budget trailer bill with a moratorium extension, which created a state rental assistance program and the requirement to launch by mid-March.

Santa Cruz County was allocated $8.742 million.

A percentage of the money will go to the county Planning Department to administration, coordination with the state and local partners and outreach to eligible residents, including those least likely to apply. n ••• For more info, visit: https://landlordtenant. dre.ca.gov/tenant/protection_guidelines.html

EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO SHAPE THEIR FUTURES WITH CONFIDENCE.

Kirby School is an independent college preparatory day school in Santa Cruz for grades 6-12.

Find a place to belong in our intellectually curious community. Join us at an upcoming virtual Admissions event to learn more about our exceptional college prep program and individualized instruction.

Visit kirby.org/register

KIRBY.ORG

425 Encinal Street | Santa Cruz, CA 95060

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / March 1st 2021 / 19

IN MEMORIAM

Sally Jane vanKaathoven

S

ally Jane Pace vanKaathoven passed away peacefully in her home on February 12, 2021 with her beloved husband Neil by her side. She was 75 years old.

Sally was born on January 12, 1946 to Thomas and Ilene (Whitney) Pace in San Jose, CA. Brother Thomas William Pace was born 3 years later in San Jose, CA. She attended Jefferson, Walter Bachrodt, and Belden elementary schools, Peter Burnett middle school and graduated from Lincoln high school in 1963. She then went onto Chico State where she majored with a Bachelor in English and a Minor in Psychology.

As a young adult, Sally lived in various areas of California including Lompoc, Los Altos, and San Francisco.

At one point she even gave Canada a chance by living in British Columbia for six months. After working as an Eligibility Worker in San Mateo Co. Sally settled in as an eligibility worker with the Santa Cruz Dept. of Social Services in 1976. It was there she met her future

Jan. 12, 1946 - Feb. 12, 2021

children. She was husband Neil van heavily involved Kaathoven. Neil was with volunteering in a resident of Santa the Home and School Cruz with long family Club at Mar Vista history in Aptos, CA. Elementary School At the time of in Aptos where she their courting, Neil became a student had three young favorite. She had a children; daughters knack of crafting, Julie (Guy) 5 years, sewing, and tutoring Jennifer (McLachlan) her children. Sally 3.5 years, and son remained active in Janah 2 years. Taking Sally vanKaathoven school affairs at Aptos on an instant family of three very young children while in Jr. High and Aptos High School. Sally her early 30s goes to show the strength and Neil never missed a single sporting and love between Neil and Sally. They event that their children competed in. were married on July 14, 1979 at Hollins Neil coached Gals softball and Little House at Pasatiempo Golf Course, Santa League/Pony League baseball. As her Cruz. They settled into their new home children continued competing in sports in Aptos on December 1, 1979 where through high school and junior college, they continued to support the teams.

Sally remained until her passing.

In June of 1981 they welcomed their Sally was a dedicated member of the fourth child Ryan Pace van Kaathoven Omega Nu, Dominican Guild, Friends (La Selva Beach). Sally was a home- of Hospice, and the Republican Women maker and dedicated mother to her of Santa Cruz. Sally began employment

once again in 2002 accepting the position of Course Accountant at Seascape Golf Course where she worked for 18 years. Sally was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer in May of 2020 and fought bravely until February 12, 2021, exactly one month after her 75 birthday.

Sally is survived by her husband of 41 years and Muffin, Neil van Kaathoven; daughters Julie (Guy) and Jennifer (McLachlan); sons Janah and Ryan Pace van Kaathoven. Granddaughters Madelyn Shea Guy, Lauren Jane McLachlan, and Lucy Jane van Kaathoven. Sons in law Mark Guy and Dave McLachlan. Daughter in law Katharine Edson van Kaathoven. She was preceded in death by her father, mother, and brother. n ••• There will be a private burial at the Santa Clara Mission Cemetery on Monday Mar. 1. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that those who wish to make a donation in Sally’s name to Hospice of Santa Cruz Co.

NATIONAL NEWS Is The Tradeoff For Getting $15-An-Hour Minimum Wage Worthwhile?

Editor’s note: California’s minimum wage is $14 an hour, raised $1 on Jan. 1. President Joe Biden has proposed raising the federal minimum wage, $7.25 an hour since 2009, to $15 an hour by 2025, then indexed for inflation.

Here is a summary of the Congressional Budget Office analysis.

••• f enacted at the end of March 2021, the Raise the Wage Act of 2021 (S. 53, as introduced on Jan. 26) would raise the federal minimum wage, in annual increments, to $15 per hour by June 2025 and then adjust it to increase at the same rate as median hourly wages. In this report, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill’s effects on the federal budget.

• The cumulative budget deficit from 2021–2031 would increase by $54 billion. Increases in annual deficits would be smaller before 2025, as the minimum-wage increases were being phased in, than in later years.

• Higher prices for goods and services — stemming from the higher wages of workers paid at or near

I

the minimum wage, such as those providing long-term health care — would contribute to increases in federal spending.

• Changes in employment and in the distribution of income would increase spending for some programs (such as unemployment compensation), reduce spending for others (such as nutrition programs), and boost federal revenues (on net).

Those estimates are consistent with CBO’s conventional approach to estimating the costs of legislation. They assume nominal gross domestic product would be unchanged. As a result, total income is roughly unchanged.

Also, the deficit estimate above does not include increases in net outlays for interest on federal debt (as projected under current law) that would stem from higher interest rates and changes in inflation.

Those interest costs would add $16 billion to the deficit from 2021 to 2031.

The estimates in this report are based on CBO’s most recent economic forecast, released in February. CBO

20 / March 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

estimated the budgetary effects using techniques developed over the past two years. Those estimates are based on CBO’s estimates of the bill’s effects on the economic behavior of individuals and firms — which in this report refers to actions that change relative prices, the distribution of income, employment, and other economic factors.

Underlying the budgetary estimates are CBO’s projections of how pay would change for people directly or potentially affected by an increase in the minimum wage — that is, people who would otherwise have been paid hourly wages that were less than the proposed new minimum or slightly above it — and how changes in pay would affect the number of people employed.

• From 2021 to 2031, the cumulative pay of affected people would increase, on net, by $333 billion — an increased labor cost for firms considerably larger than the net effect on the budget deficit during that period.

“Minimum Wage” page 23

CALIFORNIA NEWS

Will Gov. Newsom Survive the Recall?

By Phil Trounstine and Jerry Roberts Editor’s note: People seeking to recall Gov. Newsom have until March 17 to collect the 1,495,709 signatures needed to trigger a recall election. If they turn in enough valid signatures, a recall election would take place 60 to 80 days of signatures being verified.

Longtime political experts Phil Trounstine of Aptos and Jerry Roberts wrote this analysis for CalBuzz.com ••• few months ago, when the Coronavirus pandemic was just getting real, a majority of Californians thought Gov. Gavin Newsom was doing a good job of managing the crisis.

Not so much anymore.

Today, only 31% of California voters give Newsom good or excellent marks for handling the “coronavirus pandemic” in a survey by Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies, compared to 43% who give him poor or very poor marks.

And in the poll by the Public Policy Institute of California, registered voters

A

What it Means for Recall are split almost equally with 49% approving and 46% disapll of which suggests the proving Newsom’s handling drive to recall Newsom of the “coronavirus outbreak.” is likely to get on the ballot Which is why Newsom’s because Republicans hate his overall approval rating has guts. dipped to 46% among regisHowever, Prince Gavin tered voters in the IGS Poll and is likely to survive a recall 50% among registered voters because Republican partisans in the survey from PPIC. represent only a small portion Much has been made of of California voters.

Gavin Newsom the difference between the Our old friend George findings of the two polls in part because Skelton at the LA Times, along with Ben IGS gave results for registered voters Christopher at CalMatters and Jeremy (46%) while PPIC focused on results White at Politico have already done from likely voters (52%). some fine reporting and commentary But if you compare apples to apples on Newsom’s standing in the polls and – registered voters — the two polls are his chances in a recall election. They only about 4 percentage points apart on rely somewhat on analyses from Mark Newsom’s overall performance.

DiCamillo and Co. at IGS and Mark BalBottom line, voters are not particu- dassare at PPIC. larly happy with Newsom these days IGS said, in part: and his handling of the coronavirus Fueling the decline is the public’s pandemic/outbreak is the main reason. much more negative assessment (Also: rank partisanship abides). of the way Newsom and state

A

government are handling the pandemic. The latest poll finds fewer than one in three Californians (31%) rating Newsom as doing an excellent or good job in handling the pandemic overall, down from 49% last September.

Also, just 22% offer a positive rating of the job he and state government are doing in overseeing the distribution of the coronavirus vaccines to the public.

In addition, only about half (47%) have a great deal or some trust in the way the governor and state government are setting the rules when issuing stay-at-home orders or setting guidelines for business to follow to slow the spread of the virus, with majorities describing them as inconsistent (62%), confusing (60%) and ineffective (53%).

While PPIC said: “Recall” page 23

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / March 1st 2021 / 21

COMMUNITY NEWS

Father, Son Reunited

Monarch Services Offers Positive Solutions Again

By Delphine Burns

W

hile the COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges to the way we at Monarch Services traditionally run our programs and serve clients, we were able to adapt and adequately serve our clients, both individually and in group settings. One example of this success is the longanticipated launch of the Positive Solutions program.

Positive Solutions is a group program for individuals who have caused harm in domestic violence situations. This program pro-

vides tools to stop abusive behavior, help participants develop an awareness of their emotions and change their attitudes that have contributed to their harmful behavior.

In October of 2019, we began offering intake appointments for our pilot Positive Solutions program. We received referrals from Family and Children Services and selfreferrals. When COVID-19 hit, we had to restructure the program to be virtual, even though we had never previously offered it in person.

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Pictures From the Past

Highway 1: The Aptos Curve C

Photo Essay by Carolyn Swift

onstruction of Highway 1 required the moving of a great deal of earth in 1948-49. This

curve in Aptos is still easily identifiable by those who travel the route often.

Some of the trees still exist. n

22 / March 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

As one can imagine, there were many obstacles our group facilitators faced in piloting this program during a global pandemic. By the time the program was restructured to accommodate virtual participation, many participants were either unavailable due to the new schedule or our facilitators were unable to contact them.

Some participants did not have access to internet or a web cam, so were unable to log into Zoom. Monarch Services offered support by purchasing wireless hotspots for these participants. Sometimes group engagement was challenging, as not every participant was familiar with Zoom and its functionalities.

Additionally, sometimes encouraging individuals to participate in the program was challenging as some shared that they did not feel that the virtual group was a “real” group. Our two group facilitators created group agreements with the program participants and worked hard to motivate and help them take responsibility when violating a group agreement, such as entering Zoom groups late. Our case manager innovatively reorganized materials and binders to ensure these materials would be available to participants in a socially distant way.

Despite these challenges, there were many positive outcomes resulting from our pilot Positive Solutions program. Since our first group of participants was small,

Positive Solutions is a group program for individuals who have caused harm in domestic violence situations. there were more opportunities for each participant to share and interact with the group facilitators. The virtual and remote format also enabled some participants to join the group who may not have been able to if the group had been in person.

Ultimately, one participant successfully completed the group. Because of his success in the program, he now has custody of his son, has a stable job, his own home and is planning to go back to school to further his education.

We are currently finalizing a start date for our second Positive Solutions group. This group will run for a full 52 weeks and we encourage referrals. Learn more about the program at https://www. monarchscc.org/programs-and-services/ positive-solutions-program/ To make a referral, call Dalia OchoaNavarro at (831) 800-2886. n ••• For questions, call Monarch Services, (831) 425-4030 or (831) 722-4532.

Rush Limbaugh Dead at 70: KSCO Show Stays On Air

R

adio talk show host Rush Limbaugh is gone at age 70, a year after he announced he had advanced lung cancer, but his show hasn’t left the airwaves.

His show, nationally syndicated since 1988, airs on nearly 600 stations including locally owned KSCO 1080 AM in Santa Cruz.

Michael Zwerling, owner of KSCO, told listeners he had threatened to pull out of buying the station when he discovered the sellers had cancelled Rush.

He insisted the termination be rescinded, and it was.

When Limbaugh died on Feb. 17, many people wondered who could replace the conservative icon.

In the 9 a.m. to noon slot, listeners are finding a series of guest hosts, such as Todd Herman, Ken Matthews and Mark Steyn, on duty.

A week after Limbaugh died, Steyn interviewed his widow, Kathryn Limbaugh, who talked about their trip to Monaco and their future plans for the Rush Revere series of children’s books.

CALIFORNIA NEWS

IPM Achievement Award Winners Announced H umane Wildlife Control Inc. of Moss Landing, founded in 2013

by Duane Titus and Rebecca Dmytryk, is one of five winners of a state award given for achievements in reducing risk from pesticide use.

On Feb. 18, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation announced the winners of the IPM Achievement Award recognizing their use of integrated pest management, a method that

reduces chemical pesticide use by choosing preventative and natural strategies.

Titus and Dmytryk have chosen to not use rodenticides for structural rodent and wildlife management.

Instead, their company uses live-trapping, one-way exits, and biological control to remove and exclude rodents.

Dmytryk contends the non-chemical methods are effective long-term and prevent re-infestation.

“Recall” from page 21

Assuming there will be a governor’s recall election in 2021, the political wildcard is the status of COVID-19 in California.

In the January PPIC Survey, about half of likely voters say that COVID-19 is the most important issue for the governor and legislature to work on in 2021.

Currently, Governor Newsom has mixed reviews for his handling of this issue (50% approve, 47% disapprove). And less than three in ten give the state government an excellent or good rating for its handling of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

In contrast, seven in ten approve of the way that the pandemic is being handled by Joe Biden in his early days of presidential leadership.

Deep in the Weeds o, what are the key differences between these two surveys, much deconstructed and dissected in political circles, both produced by very fine pollsters?

(For what it’s worth, the dispositive 538 pollster ratings show that PPIC has about the same high rating as the now defunct Field Poll had, but enjoys a much better rating than Berkeley.)

PPIC uses live interviews and

S

“Minimum Wage” from page 20 • That net increase would result from higher pay ($509 billion) for people who were employed at higher hourly wages, offset by lower pay ($175 billion) because of reduced employment.

In an average week in 2025, the year when the minimum wage would reach $15 per hour, 17 million workers whose wages would otherwise be below $15 per hour would be directly affected, and many of the 10 million workers whose wages would otherwise be

“We are at an inflection point in the evolution of pest management in California and greater use of integrated pest management techniques will be fundamental to this transition,” said DPR Director Val Dolcini. “I congratulate this year ’s award winners for helping lead this transition and for using innovative and sustainable pest management techniques that are both effective and safer for the environment.” n

Every pollster has their own comrandom digit dialing, which gives every telephone exchange (land line and cell bination of questions to try to make phone) an equal chance of being surveyed, sure they distinguish who is and who and they use an established method to is not a voter, but it’s as much art as it get someone from the household on the is science.

In addition, some people are so susphone.

This is classic polling methodology, picious of authorities, institutions and developed over decades to ensure that researchers they won’t ever participate in a random sample of the population is a survey, even when the call is from the Public Policy Institute of California and surveyed.

But it has become increasingly more not some “partisan” or egghead caller difficult (and expensive) to get people to like, say, the University of California Berkeley. take phone surveys.

IGS, on the other hand, can’t afford PPIC’s response rate in its latest survey was about 5% for landline calls the huge cost of live surveys (for the most part) and so and 3% for cellhas turned to online phones (although [PPIC] is classic polling polling, with sophisfor those in the methodology, developed ticated abilities to sample who had parover decades to ensure that target and engage ticipated in a prior a random sample of the voters in the actual survey it was higher population is surveyed. voter file from the — 44% for landlines But it has become increasCalifornia Secretary and 25% for cells). ingly more difficult (and of State.

In addition, pollexpensive) to get people to But they have to sters determine who take phone surveys. invite about 190,000 is and who is not a voters to participate registered voter (or a likely voter) by asking questions respon- to get a sample of 10,000 voters. And they dents may or may not answer truthfully, can only invite voters who have listed an email address, which is now about half like: Are you registered to vote? What the registered voters.

So, their effective response rate is party are you registered in? How much are you following the news? Do you plan also about 5%, and it’s a pre-screened group of people who have listed an email to vote the next election? slightly above that wage rate would also be affected. At that time, the effects on workers and their families would include: • Employment would be reduced by 1.4 million workers, or 0.9 percent, according to CBO’s average estimate; and • The number of people in poverty would be reduced by 0.9 million.

This report also provides CBO’s estimates of its effects on spending for major health care programs, unemployment compensation, Social Security, nutrition

Duane Titus and Rebecca Dmytryk

address and will go to the trouble of filling out the survey online.

They have the same problem that live calling has of Trumpistas, who don’t want to participate at all so their views can’t even be given weight to represent their share of the population.

Moreover, online surveys can’t claim to represent a random sample of voters because not every voter has an equal chance of being surveyed.

So, they have to construct a representative sample based on sophisticated use of variables like age, gender, location, education, etc.

What this method does know for sure is they’re dealing with actual voters and even how often they have voted, all of which is in the voter file.

There are many more issues that confront pollsters using either method.

Needless to say, polling has become a hugely difficult endeavor, which the most recent presidential campaign revealed starkly.

But this much we know for certain: Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing voters who no longer thinks he’s the bee’s knees.

And the only way he can guarantee survival in office is to make people believe that California is doing a better job of containing the coronavirus, distributing vaccine, opening schools and businesses and slowing the death toll. n

programs, other mandatory spending; plus effects on revenues, discretionary outlays for wages of federal workers; net spending for interest; and uncertainty surrounding the budgetary estimates.

The report covers effects on employment, wages of affected workers, distribution of family income, real (inflation-adjusted) output, pries, distribution of labor and capital income and interest rates. n ••• To read the analysis: https://www.cbo. gov/publication/56975

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / March 1st 2021 / 23

FEATURED COLUMNIST

PVUSD Chief: All Permanent Employees To Get Vaccine Opportunity by Feb. 28 Will you explain why there is no “COVID Safety Plan” when the district has received over $40 million in COVID funds? This information is from maps. schools.covid19.ca.gov VUSD received $24.7 million from the first distribution of CARES Act funding which was used for multiple purposes including some of the following: • Purchase of additional PPE and face shields for all staff and students • Installation of hand sanitizer stations throughout all the sites including entrances and within classrooms without sinks • Acquisition of three-sided barriers for individual student desks to promote physical distancing • Comprehensive Interagency evaluation of ventilation system throughout district with $4 Million of repairs to facilities HVAC and windows to date • Purchase of 1,200 HEPA filters for all classrooms and areas at sites with the need for additional ventilation • Installation of thermal scanners for symptom screening at each site • Purchase and monthly fees for 4,250 hot spots for students in need of internet • Purchase of additional devices and technology for students and staff to support distance learning • Surveillance testing of staff through Stanford University Schools are required to post a compliant COVID-19 Safety Plan prior to reopening for in person instruction.

PVUSD is finalizing all three safety documents: 1) the site-specific COVID-19 Prevention Program that includes safety procedures to reduce the risk of exposure to an identified pandemic required

by CalOSHA’s emergency general industry safety order, 2) a checklist from California Department of Public Health that satisfies requirements for the safe reopening of schools and 3) a Comprehensive School Safety Plan that addresses the safety concerns identified through a systematic planning process. The Comprehensive School Safety Plan is completed and will be submitted to the County Office of Education after Board approval on

By Dr. Michelle Rodriguez, Superintendent, Pajaro Valley Unified School District

Federation of Teachers for ratification and were approved. The academic school calendars will be provided to the community in the next weekly update and can be found on our district webpage at the following link: http://bit.ly/PVUSDCalendars

P

How and when will substitute teachers be notified to sign up for the vaccine? e are near the end of vaccinating all current PVUSD employees.

Next week we will work on gathering the necessary data for certificated substitutes, classified substitutes, limited term employees, coaches, student teachers and any other temporary employee of the District.

When it is time, Human Resources will send out a Google form to this group of employees to begin the process of preregistering them for vaccines.

W Feb. 24. The CPP and CDPH checklist will be submitted to the County Office of Education by March 15.

National health officials have announced vaccines have a significantly less effect on new variants. Will this evolving virus change or delay plans for our children’s return to school? Thanks for taking my query. ccording to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, studies suggest that antibodies generated through vaccination with currently authorized vaccines recognize these variants and therefore should not cause a delay to our plans to return to school.

CDC notes that viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time.

Sometimes new variants emerge and disappear. Other times, new variants emerge and persist. Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been documented in the United States and globally during this pandemic. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a type of coronavirus, a large family of viruses. Coronaviruses are named for the crown-like spikes on their surfaces.

Scientists monitor changes in the virus, including changes to the spikes on the surface of the virus. These studies, including genetic analyses of the virus, are helping scientists understand how changes to the virus might affect how it spreads and what happens to people who are infected with it. This is being closely investigated, more studies are underway and we will share information as soon as it is available.

A

What are the risks of me bringing COVID back from my second grade classroom to my own family? ne of the key factors to ensuring that all of PVUSD’s classified, certificated

O

24 / March 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

and management employees received the vaccine prior to returning to in person instruction was the safety of the students, staff and families. We do not have enough data yet to definitely say it protects against transmission of the virus, therefore, we are continuing protective measures such as physical distancing, stable cohorts, masking, maintenance of proper ventilation in buildings and staff surveillance testing.

What we do know is the vaccine is protective against developing the illness in the event of exposure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides information to common questions at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019ncov/vaccines/facts.html.

Within their information they provide the following response: Will a COVID-19 vaccination protect me from getting sick with COVID-19? Yes. COVID-19 vaccination works by teaching your immune system how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19, and this protects you from getting sick with COVID-19. Being protected from getting sick is important because even though many people with COVID-19 have only a mild illness, others may get a severe illness, have long-term health effects, or even die. There is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you, even if you don’t have an increased risk of developing severe complications. Learn more about how COVID-19 vaccines work.

When will the 2021-2022 academic school calendar be released? he Instructional Calendars for 20212022, 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 were approved at the board meeting on Feb. 10.

The calendars went to the Pajaro Valley

T

If and when my children return to school, will their teacher be required to disclose whether they have been vaccinated or not?

Personally, I would like to know. e cannot require employees to disclose personal medical information to their students and their families. To ensure the safety of students and staff, we will still maintain stable cohorts, adhere to physical distancing requirements, maintain proper ventilation of buildings, conduct surveillance testing, and wearing of masks.

W

When you do the breakdown of PVUSD staff who have received the Covid-19 vaccine, a more accurate representation would be by category (classified/certificated). All Early Childhood Staff have not been vaccinated there is IAs and BTs who will work directly with children that have yet to be vaccinated.

Which brings me to my next question why are District Office Staff being vaccinated before ALL classified and certificated staff who will work directly with children in special education preschool and early elementary levels? s of Thursday, Feb. 18, we have 494 classified staff (50% of all classified staff) and 675 (56% of all certificated staff) who have received the vaccine. We have over 500 employees who will receive their vaccine this weekend. All in-person classified and certificated special education employees were notified of the opportunity to be vaccinated last week.

A

“PVUSD Q&A” page 26

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Helping Kids Learn About Water Sustainability

T

he District is involved in many partnerships, as we carry out our mission of providing a clean, safe, reliable water supply for today and the future. And when it comes to the future, we think about what kind of world we’ll leave to today’s children in our community, as well as their children, and beyond.

One of our community partners, which also thinks along these lines, is the Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery (MOD). This beloved local nonprofit focuses on creating an interactive learning environment to inspire and challenge kids and families about the world around us – including the value of water, water sustainability, and using water wisely. We’re proud to partner with MOD in the creation of its remarkable new environmental education/water conservation “Eco Home” interactive exhibit.

Construction of this creative, fun, and educational exhibit got underway at the museum in mid-2019. With some periodic work continuing during the pandemic, the project is now complete. The District, the MOD staff, and the families of Santa Cruz and other coastside communities are all looking forward with great anticipation to the post-pandemic day when everyone can come together to experience the Eco Home together.

The Eco Home is a 15’ x 15’ three-wall miniature house designed to demonstrate

By Rebecca Gold Rubin

sustainable living concepts to kids and their parents or caregivers, with an emphasis on water conservation.

The MOD applied to the District for a $2,000 Water Education Promotion MiniGrant to help with the cost of creating the Eco Home. We were very pleased to award this grant, as the project supports local water-related educational events and programs with a major theme or activity promoting water education and conservation, drinking water quality, and/or local water supply issues – everything we want the community to better understand and embrace!

In the true spirit of partnership, the District did more than provide this small, but useful, grant. We were actively involved as this project came together – our staff attended planning meetings, helped to connect the MOD staff with other companies for additional funding and assistance, and provided some technical support as the exhibit came together.

We’re all very proud of the truly incredible results! When kids enter the Eco Home, some of the key water-related features they’ll experience include: • Interpretive materials around “Five Ways to Save Water in Our Homes” and “Ten Ways You Can Make Your Landscape More Sustainable.”

• An interactive rainwater catchment

system with a “rain cloud,” rain barrel, and rain gutters to introduce the concept of reusing rainwater to decrease the use of groundwater, and reducing flow into storm sewers and water treatment systems.

“Water Sustainability” page 27

March Madness

ACROSS

1. Theories 5. T in Greek 8. Tarzan’s mother, e.g.

11. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, e.g.

12. Ingredient in talcum powder 13. Spectator 15. 5,280 feet 16. Tiny river 17. Note taker 18. *Last NCAA basketball winner 20. Any day now 21. Antiquarian’s concern, pl.

22. Diana Ross and Michael Jackson movie, with The 23. Saw a nightmare 26. Caribbean rattles 30. Witch’s spell 31. Flocked-to destinations 34. Goo or slime 35. Plural of ostium 37. Leo mo.

38. Eurasian goat-like antelope 39. Showing signs of use 40. “Yo, ____!”

42. *Nothing but it 43. Wrap a baby 45. *____-elimination 47. Outrage 48. Fraternity K 50. One of the Bridges 52. *____ 1 schools only

55. ____less but pennywise 56. Decanter 57. In a frenzy 59. Threesome 60. Turkish monetary unit, plural 61. Dumpy establishment 62. Common conjunction 63. New York time 64. Male deer

DOWN

1. Singular of #1 Across 2. Rikers Island weapon 3. Burkina Faso neighbor 4. Himalayan mountaineer 5. Tarnish 6. “____ ____ fair in love and war” 7. *School with most

NCAA basketball titles 8. Choir member 9. Hammer part 10. Blunder 12. Sad, to mademoiselle 13. Radio studio sign 14. *Mid-major school that’s become major powerhouse 19. Kind of ray 22. Is no longer 23. Arabian sailing vessels 24. Restart from seed 25. Uncredited actor 26. The Wise Men 27. Acting as a prompter 28. Snow impression 29. Eric Heiden’s “shoe” 32. *Oklahoma State’s super freshman ____ Cunningham 33. Mixed breed puppy

36. *2021 NCAA Tournament location 38. What Edward Scissorhands does 40. Stout relative 41. Dream big 44. Ancient Celtic priest 46. Water nymphs 48. Fuzzy fruit, pl.

49. Deflect 50. Sanders’ campaign slogan “Feel the ____” 51. “National Velvet” author Bagnold 52. Expunge 53. Fail to mention 54. Scotia preceder 55. School-related org.

58. Liquor store pony © Statepoint Media

Answers on 31 »

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / March 1st 2021 / 25

Forty Days & Forty Nights: Preparing for Spring

W

Esoteric Astrology • March 2021 • By Risa D’Angeles

ith Ash Wednesday (“from dust thou art and unto dust we shall return”), the day after Mardi Gras, we began the season of Lent (Old English for “springtime”), forty days and nights of purification, preparing us for the Three Spring Festivals (Aries, Taurus, Gemini), for spring equinox, for Holy Week, Passion Week, Palm Sunday and for Easter.

Everything is holy, everything biblical. During Lent we create new rhythms, overriding the old habit, no longer useful.

Whether we know, understand, comprehend or recognize it or not, everything is holy. Everything is biblical. And the events, the crisis we are all experiencing at this time in the history of our country and our world, they too are biblical. And the outcome will be biblical.

Whereas our history books are the history of wars, the reality is humanity’s true history is the history of our awakening, a history of consciousness and of slow development towards a greater state of knowing.

The history of humanity is the history of its religions. Each ARIES

A time of great change has arrived for you personally. You will find yourself in time, breaking with the past, attempting new endeavors and different ways of presenting yourself to the world.

All relationships will assume different priorities, themes and hues, meaning everything becomes unconventional. Including your appearance. You will love it all.

religion within each Age is the history of humanity’s developmental stages for the last eighteen million years.

We (humanity) have been here on Earth for eighteen million years. And will be continuing on for eighteen million more years, reincarnating thousands of times, in every culture, in all races, in different colors, speaking different languages. The kingdom is colorful, and we, humanity, the most colorful of all. Here we are beginning the Age of Aquarius. Aquarius is everyone’s friend. As Aquarius serves the world, Pisces saves it.

Mercury was retrograde when Lent began.

Mercury remains in its retrograde shadow until March 13th. Things move very slowly forward till then. During Mercury’s shadow phase, new information approaches us.

We continue to assess, order and organize, eliminate what is no longer needed, so the future has room to make its appearance.

Lent is a time to create new rhythms. When we create new rhythms, what is no longer useful falls away. What new rhythms can we think about creating for Lent? What can we cultivate that is good, creating a new circulatory flow?

LEO

Do you sense the new economy coming forth? Do you sense money, finances, investments and legal issues affecting your life are changing, becoming somewhat erratic without controls? We are told these days to use our money for education and future safety. Your keen intuition is telling you to keep track of all market ups and downs and realize sudden changes may occur in business and relationship interactions. What is there for you to hold onto?

SAGITTARIUS

Perhaps there will be another change to your home life. You want freedom to come and go at will, tending to all needs and phases of your life. You want different and unusual living conditions. More structured leisure, too. Although you love family traditions, they are counter to your needs at this time.

The foundations of your entire life feel unreliable and changeable. This persists. It’s difficult but proves to be part of what creates your unexpected bright future.

TAURUS

Someone or something is asking you to adopt a new and different value system, one that is not your usual, traditional, conventional and learned way of being. You resist. That’s OK. However, there may be consequences. Perhaps you don’t know what they are yet. It’s a good idea to ponder upon these things. The old ways are in the way, everywhere, hindering you. There must be a clearing, cleansing, elimination. You can do it.

GEMINI

VIRGO

Some Virgos may unexpectedly fall into relationships, marry perhaps, without much thought.

Some will divorce with even less. Other Virgos will be aware that strange things could occur within all interactions and relationship; erratic behaviors, a need for independence, major upsets and unexpected changes. Some Virgos will be shocked. Others will take this in stride.

Astrologically aware Virgos will know that all’s well.

And love underlies all happenings.

AQUARIUS

LIBRA

Flashes of insight become commonplace and grow each day. They give you information concerning decisions and what action is best to take. More and more your ideas are unusual and unique. This could lead somewhat to opposition from others, especially those in charge. They don’t understand your choices. Each day you seek more independence. You are not afraid anymore. The new era is here.

Your daily work environment, routines, schedules and also your health may become unpredictable, moving toward irregular.

Some Librans love this for it allows for more freedom. Others need the structure, with reliable and regular agendas in place. You might become somewhat impatient, anxious and nervous.

You sometimes learn the hard way, through sorrow and loss. Gather loved one around you. Be forgiving.

CANCER

You’re inventive and creative. At times you sense the need for a bit more self-control. You’ll learn this eventually. We all do. Selfknowledge sometimes comes through being reckless and foolhardy. Are you this way with relationships, perhaps? You want most of all at this time, freedom and independence and a retreat where you can work in solitude. Perhaps fish a bit. Visualize what and where that would be. Write it down, draw and color it. It will all appear, all that you need, in time.

•••

Amidst the sudden decision to travel or have an adventure, you realize you’re seeking a utopia to live in. Not for you the conventional path. So customs and traditions are set aside so new independent ideas can flow, exotic places can appear that reflect the new era advanced ways of living and thinking. It’s an experiment. Caution is advised. Not too much though.

CAPRICORN

Your thinking and communicating might become quite revolutionary to those around you. Gradually, spontaneously or unexpectedly (Uranian words) you realize the need the freedom, the gift of Uranus. You become involved in advanced, new thought thinking. Very few may think like you. A sense of aloneness develops until you stand on your own, assert your rights and find your group. Off you go, at a moment’s notice. People smile as you speed by.

Aquarius is the friend to everyone. When you hear someone in need you always say with graciousness, “How can I help? Call me. I’ll help you.” In the work of the Wisdom teachings, the disciple is always asked to “look for, see and recognize the need” in all situations and to assist in filling that need. In this way the Aquarian task of serving others (humanity) is always in the forefront. When one serves, one is also “served.” What one gives, one receives.

PISCES

SCORPIO

You develop a deep need to be independent and completely free, working best without anyone over you. Your environments must be orderly, clean and clear so that your mind can synthesize information, unobstructed, effortlessly, with ease and skill. You need to be in the company of creative people, artists and musicians.

People like yourself. Do not place yourself in limiting circumstances. That brings radical discomfort. You also need the beauty and fragrance of flowers. How can all this come about?

Risa D’Angeles • www.nightlightnews.org • risagoodwill@gmail.com 26 / March 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

“PVUSD Q&A” from page 24 They had the opportunity to preregister and schedule an appointment. In addition, all district office classified and certificated employees were also provided the opportunity to be vaccinated as they work in person. The final pre-registration for the remaining instructional assistants and behavior technicians currently working at home went out on Thursday Feb. 18.

Why on Instagram’s “pajarovalleyusd” page it was stated that 970 of 2,432 employees have been vaccinated and everyone has had the option of doing so before Feb. 28 when not everyone has received the pre-register link that has been sent out by email to employees and not others? pproximately 1,600 PVUSD employees will have received access to the vaccine by the end of this weekend.

Over the last two weeks, we were providing the pre-register link to groups of employees as we are provided access to specific amounts of vaccine supply and appointment dates.

By now, every permanent PVUSD employee should have received the preregister link and will be provided the opportunity to receive the vaccine by Feb. 28.

A

Can we get our spouses vaccinated before we get back to in-person? I am excited to get back to in-person but I will be a carrier which means my husband can get it from me, especially teaching kinder. nfortunately, we do not have the ability to provide vaccination appointments to people not identified within tier 1B. Spouses will have to acquire the vaccine through their medical provider or place of employment.

U

We were saddened to hear that Aptos Junior High will not have a Yearbook made for the 2020-2021 school year. Even though I’m sure a lot of folks would like to just forget about the year I do see my 6th Grader at Rio Del Mar is getting one. What was the reason for not having a yearbook at AJHS? Thank you. e understand the importance of traditions such as yearbooks. Some school sites were able to identify unique ways to acquire sufficient material for their yearbook.

This year, Aptos Junior chose not to create a yearbook as they do not have current school photos for a portion of their student body.

In addition, they do not have photos that are traditionally supplied by clubs, students and staff that attend the typical functions such as athletics, assemblies, and rallies.

Next year, the yearbook at Aptos Junior will once again be produced by staff, parent volunteers and our students through afterschool clubs. n

W

FEATURED COLUMNIST

A Blueprint To Safely Reopen Fitness Centers

By Richard Carmona Editor’s Note: This column is being reprinted from CalMatters, a nonprofit nonpartisan newsroom committed to explaining California policy and politics.

••• s Gov. Gavin Newsom lifts the state’s stay-at-home orders, considerable focus is being placed on which businesses can safely reopen. While staying home is the safest way to mitigate risk, keeping people in their homes is difficult and can ultimately be deleterious to physical and mental health.

Physical inactivity has increased significantly in the past 10 months, which is problematic for cardiovascular health and immunity. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found the pandemic has increased levels of anxiety and depressive disorders among high-risk populations, including racial and ethnic minorities, essential workers, caregivers, and 1 in 4 young adults have contemplated suicide during the pandemic.

Exercise, however, has been shown to dramatically improve both physical and mental health outcomes, but for many, the only safe place to work out is a fitness center.

In California where open-air workouts could resume soon, the closure of indoor fitness centers has come under scrutiny.

Contract tracing data from New York State shows that fitness centers are not major spreaders of the virus, accounting for just 0.06% of community spread in states where they are open — lower than retail stores, construction sites, salons and auto dealerships.

As U.S. Surgeon General, I coordinated with states to create a uniform

A

national policy for health. Today, we have some state leaders, including New York’s Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Mexico’s Gov. Lujan Grisham, who, understanding the low-risk associated with gyms, have reopened fitness centers with appropriate public health measures in place.

Meanwhile in California, leaders have encouraged citizens to “get outside,” or “take a walk on the beach” for exercise.

Newsom tweeted recently that “mental health is physical health,” and “staying active & connected right now is so important.”

While this is good advice, public health policy cannot ignore that many Californians simply cannot effectively exercise in their homes or outdoors due to poor air quality, lack of recreational spaces, or an inability to purchase and maintain at-home fitness equipment and subscriptions.

“Water Sustainability” from page 25 • An interactive, child-sized clothes washer and dryer illustrating sustainable laundry practices including elements of a grey water system directed outside the Eco Home to “water” a fruit tree in the exhibit’s “yard.”

• An interactive planter box using wooden fruits and vegetables where children will learn the benefits of using compost and recycled water in agriculture — something particularly relevant in Santa Cruz County.

In addition to those water and conservation education components, the Eco Home includes interactive elements illustrating solar energy, composting, recycling, and other sustainability concepts. Through these and other interactive exhibits and activities,

Additionally, many people have already tailored their own exercise regimen to get the best results working out at a wellequipped fitness facility.

To find a solution, large fitness facilities have come together to devise a reopening plan that follows CDC and other public health recommendations.

The California Safe Fitness Plan, if implemented, would represent the most stringent requirements in the country, while still providing critical access for fitness. The plan calls for limited capacity, increased physical distancing of 12 feet — double the national 6-foot standard — mandated face coverings and a record of every person who enters a fitness facility for contact tracing.

In addition, the plan would require sanitization of equipment every 20 minutes during operating hours, overnight closure

from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. to sanitize all surfaces and equipment, and closing all communal locker rooms and showers while a region is in the “Purple Tier.”

Perhaps most importantly, large fitness facilities allow for greater airflow and robust air circulation systems, and under the California Plan, fitness centers would be required to use a minimum MERV-13 air filtration standard.

The closure of indoor fitness centers has caused California’s vulnerable populations — already disproportionately impacted by the pandemic — to struggle even more with their physical and mental health.

I have experienced homelessness, hunger and health disparities during my youth, helping me to understand the importance of ensuring that all populations have access to interventions that help improve overall health outcomes.

COVID-19 has presented serious health care challenges and difficult decisions for policymakers. However, large fitness facilities want to be part of the solution by offering to implement stringent safety protocols that will allow individuals the opportunity to improve their overall physical and mental health while minimizing the risk of COVID transmission.

To read the California Safe Fitness Plan, go to: https://exerciseisessential4all. com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ CA_SafeFitnessPlan_2.pdf n ••• Richard Carmona served as the 17th U.S. Surgeon General and currently sits on the Chancellor’s Board of Advisors at UC Davis. He advises fitness centers on ways to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission in their facilities. Email him at rcarmona@email.arizona.edu.

the Eco Home helps empower children to be part of the solution to the problems of water management, climate change, and degradation of the environment.

The environmental education/water conservation Eco Home interactive exhibit was created through a partnership led by the Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery, and including Soquel Creek Water District, Loves Gardens, the City of Santa Cruz, Knox Roofing, Green Space, San Lorenzo Lumber, Allterra Solar, Big Creek Lumber, Mission Tile, Habitat Resource, and all the wonderful community volunteers who helped make it happen. n As always, if you have any questions about this month’s topic or anything else related to Soquel Creek Water District, feel free to contact us at outreach@ soquelcreekwater.org or 831-475-8501 x118 and visit www. soquelcreekwater.org.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / March 1st 2021 / 27

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

ANNOUNCEMENTS

SENIOR CENTER WITHOUT LIMITS This new program from Community Bridges brings enrichment activities like yoga, art, music, tai chi, cooking, tech and support groups to seniors age 60 and up in their homes at no cost.

To participate, you need an internet connection and a computer, tablet or smartphone.

To participate, view the calendar at https://communitybridges.org/SCWOL/ and find a class. That day and time, click on the link in the calendar to be connected.

If you have a problem connecting, call Clara Munoz at (831) 458-3481.

SANTA CRUZ BEACH BOARDWALK DRIVE-IN MOVIES SCHEDULE Saturdays in March Croods: A New Age — Mar. 6, 6:30 p.m.

Wreck-It Ralph — Mar. 13, 6:30 p.m.

X-Men (2000) — Mar. 20, 8 p.m.

Austin Powers: Int’l Man of Mystery — Mar. 27, 8 p.m.

Cost $35 per vehicle.

Visit https://beachboardwalk.com/Drive-In-Movies for details and restrictions

SECOND HARVEST FOOD DISTRIBUTION Fridays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Second Harvest Food Bank drive-through food distribution schedule into March: Watsonville: Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds March 5 • March 19

Have a virtual or live event you want to promote?

Send your information to info@cyber-times.com by March 8 ••• Food hotline: 831-662-0991.

YOUNGER LAGOON RESERVE VIRTUAL TOURS Younger Lagoon Reserve, which is part of UC in Santa Cruz, is now offering a virtual tour in both English and Spanish. This virtual tour follows the same stops as our behind-the-scenes hiking tour, and is led by a UC Santa Cruz student.

Visit https://ucanr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapTour/ index.html?appid=7bf4b74490c444068a326c4c 89a9a560 or https://ucanr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/ MapTour/index.html?appid=9e4aa7556bc24951a855cc3 bd4f6c473 (https://tinyurl.com/lagoon-reserve-virtual-tours) https://youngerlagoonreserve.ucsc.edu

ONGOING EVENTS Every Third Thursday of the Month PET LOSS AND GRIEF SUPPORT VIA ZOOM 6 to 7:30 p.m., virtual meeting BirchBark Foundation’s Pet Loss and Grief Support Zoom group offers a free support group, moderated by a licensed grief counseling therapist, on the third Thursday of each month.

Register at https://www.birchbarkfoundation.org/griefsupport or call 831-471-7255.

Gallery, all in Santa Cruz, are hosting the work of 300+ artists in Arts Council Santa Cruz County’s Visual Arts Network. Capitola artist Wendy Ballen is one of the participating artists at R Blitzer Gallery.

Info: infor@curatedbythesea.com or call1 (408) 250-2224

DATED EVENTS Tuesday March 2

DEADLINE FOR FAFSA & CAL GRANT High school seniors must complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid by the March 2 Cal Grant deadline to be eligible for state and federal aid, which maximizes the amount of money they can qualify for.

The Cal Grant offers free money for California students First and Third Sunday attending a community college, UC, CSU, or a fully online MAKERS’ MARKET or independent, nonprofit university, and can help pay for First Sunday: 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 2801 Mission St., Santa Cruz costs such as books, supplies, transportation and rent.

Third Sunday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz FAFSA completions among graduating high school (Between Cathcart & Lincoln) students are down by 11 percent (19,330) compared Santa Cruz Mountains Makers Market is returning! The to a year ago, and California Dream Act Applications, market is held every first Sunday outside the Wrigley NEW GROUPS STARTING FOR SURVIVORS allowing eligible undocumented students to apply for Building and every third Sunday on Pacific Avenue OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE the same state-based financial available to others, (Downtown Santa Cruz). The Wrigley market features Survivors Healing Center, a welcoming place for survivors of vintage and handmade art, food and drink. The Downtown are also down by 15 percent (2,712). With COVID-19 child sexual abuse and their supporters, is forming new eight- market features over 30 local artists and makers. impacting family incomes, more students face week support groups for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

There is no charge to attend the market. The Wrigley Market will financial barriers that could keep them from going to There will be online groups in English and Spanish college. open the following week if delayed for rain, weather permitting. for men, women, mothers of survivors, partners of Each year, $6 billion in financial aid is available to California Visit http://scmmakersmarket.com for more information. survivors, young adults and teens. college students but often students are not aware of financial You are not alone. You are not to blame. Services are Available thru Sunday March 28 aid opportunities and do not apply. For information about offered on a sliding fee scale. the financial aid applications visit icanaffordcollege.com.

450 PIECES TRI-GALLERY ART SHOW For more information: call (831) 423-7601, visit survivors To register for a free virtual Cash for College workshop visit Online Gallery healingcenter.org or email shc.program@fsa-cc.org.

R. Blitzer Gallery, Curated by the Sea, and the Radius https://cash4college.csac.ca.gov.

28 / March 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Event, Nonprofit Organization and Business of the Year to be the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture is Friday, March 5.

Tuesday March 2 This year, honorees will be recognized at the FIRE INSURANCE CANCELLATIONS 59th Annual Awards Dinner and Auction Assemblymember Mark Stone will be the guest speaker outdoors in the summer; date to be for the Tuesday, March 2, meeting of the Democratic announced.

Club of North Santa Cruz County. He will address Honors go to the people and entities actions being taken at the state level to address homethat have enhanced the community’s quality of life, owner fire insurance policy price spikes, non-renewals and cancellations due to the devastating wildland fires. economic vitality, and image. Age or length of time in the community is not a criterion but award recipients Members of the public are invited to attend. Visit www. svslvdemocrats.org for Zoom meeting link. Social time starts at within the past ten years are not eligible.

Nomination forms are at: chrome-extension:// 6 p.m. and club meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. oemmndcbldboiebfnladdacbdfmadadm/https://files. constantcontact.com/065f63ad001/56b2535e-c822Wednesday March 3 4a19-8106-0f3ca422f443.pdf.

CAREERS FOR TEENS EXPO Forms can be mailed to the Pajaro Valley Chamber, Box 4 p.m., Santa Cruz Public Libraries Zoom Expo 1748, Watsonville, CA 95077 or emailed to info@pajaroval“Teen Expo II: Homegrown Careers” is a show and leychamber.com tell event showcasing successful Santa Cruz County creators, makers, entrepreneurs and civic leaders to Thursday March 5 empower teens to consider turning their interests and thru Saturday March 13 talents into careers.

NINTH ANNUAL WATSONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL Register through the Santa Cruz Public Libraries website: https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/7353633.

Co-founded by Consuelo Alba, this year’s festival For questions, email messagemalina@gmail.com. features: Fandango at the Wall, Our Quinceanera, El Guardian de la Memoria, El Sembrador, La Felicidad, Juan de los Brujas, Jamaica & Tamarindo, El Centro, Thursday March 4 Corazon de Mezquite, El Ultimo Balsero, La Bruja de HOUSING MATTERS CASE MANAGERS JOB FAIR Texcoco, Pasajuego, Nahjum, Cholitas, plus student Noon-4 p.m., Invitation Only films co-presented with Digital Nest.

Nonprofit Housing Matters is looking to hire a team of case managers to house 90 people currently in shelters All films are free online at https://watsonvillefilmfest.org/ and hotels over the next 15 months through the new Saturday March 6 Housing Now program. Pay will be $31+ per hour with FAMILIES AND ALLIES OF CHILDREN CONFERENCE benefits.

Pajaro Valley Virtual Conference for Families and Interviews are by invitation. Email resume to recruiter@housingmatterssc.org. Housing Matters seeks Allies of Children with Special Needs will take people with experience in housing navigation and in place at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 6 with the topic Santa Cruz County, who like working as part of a team, Stress Management Techniques for Parents and and who are efficient problem solvers.

Children and on Saturday, April 10, the topic to be For details, see https://housingmatterssc.org/about/careers/ announced.

To participate, visit http://bit.ly/ParEvents ANNUAL HUNGER FIGHTER AWARDS CELEBRATION 4:30 p.m., Second Harvest Food Bank Virtual Event Sunday March 7 Holiday Food & Fund Drive Co-Chairs Megan Martinelli MONTHLY OUTDOOR MARKETPLACE BEGINS and Carlos Palacios along with Second Harvest Food Bank staff will announce their Hunger Fighters of the Year. 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Wrigley Building Parking Lot, 2801 Mission St., Santa Cruz The event can be viewed by giving an RSVP at https:// The Westside Marketplace, presented by Food Trucks give.thefoodbank.org/campaigns/17468-annual-awardsA Go Go and the Santa Cruz celebration-celebrating-you Mountains Makers Market, is a new monthly outdoor market with Thursday March 4 local food, art, handmade goods and Saturday March 6 and vintage shopping.

This new market will be open RED CROSS ASKING FOR BLOOD every first Sunday of every month Thurs: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Hotel Paradox, 611 Ocean St., SC at the old Wrigley building Sat: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Highlands Park Senior Center, 8500 parking lot. Rain dates are for the following Sundays.

Highway 9, Ben Lomond All 40 artists, makers and vintage sellers are local. All Record-breaking cold and winter storms across much of the U.S. cancelled hundreds of American local and state health guidelines will be followed. Wear Red Cross blood drives in about 30 states your mask, distance while you shop and stay home if you and caused more than 15,000 blood and don’t feel well. Hand sanitizing stations will be available. platelet donations to go uncollected.

For information, go to the event page on Facebook, foodtruckThe Red Cross is urging healthy sagogo.com or scmmakersmarket.com for a list of vendors. individuals, especially those with type O blood, to give now.

Monday March 8 To make an appointment, download the Red Cross Blood DEADLINE TO ENTER STARTUP CHALLENGE Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill MONTEREY BAY on any Alexa Echo device.

Got a great startup idea? Ready to pitch your plan? Enter the Startup Challenge Monterey Bay. In its 12th year, the Startup Challenge has had more than 840 entrants who Friday March 5 have won $400,000 in prizes. Startup Challenge comPAJARO VALLEY CHAMBER AWARD DEADLINE panies have raised more than $35 million in funding.

The deadline for nominations for the Man, Woman,

DATED EVENTS (cont.)

New businesses (less than two years old) based in Monterey, San Benito, or Santa Cruz counties can enter.

There are four categories: • Venture (businesses intended to scale and provide venture-investor level returns) • Social Venture (businesses with a significant social mission) • Main Street (small businesses and sole proprietorships) • Student (students in middle school through graduate schools) This year, you’ll compete on a new online event platform, startupchallengemb.com. The platform will feature the finalist companies and will broadcast the final pitches (aka the Otter Tank) and announcement of winners May 7.

To enter see https://startupchallengemb.com/

Tuesday March 9 WALLACE STEGNER LECTURES*: DR. MICHAEL E. MANN 7 p.m., Online Lecture Climate scientist and author Dr. Michael E. Mann will address how we move forward together on climate change.

Dr. Mann is Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science at Penn State University.

Dr. Mann is author of more Michael E. Mann than 200 peer-reviewed and edited publications, numerous op-eds and commentaries, and six books. https://openspacetrust.org/wsl-2021/ *Cost for the Wallace Stegner Lecture Series is $30. The price gives you access to four lectures, plus the ability to watch recordings until April 30. This includes January’s Dolores Huerta & Luis Valdez, February’s Erin Brockovich and April’s José Andrés lectures.

Thursday March 11 STORYTELLING SEMINAR 6:30-8 p.m., Zoom session.

Professional storyteller and librarian Barbara Chamberlain will led a Zoom seminar on storytelling 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday, March 11, for teachers, parents, and children of all ages who enjoy a good story.

This event supports the Cabrillo Lions Club. Cost is $12 for the seminar, a synopsis of the class, and a copy of Barbara’s CD, Rockin’ Folktales.

Send your check to 123 Merideth Court Aptos 95003 and you will be sent the link to the seminar.

Julie Mahowald, and future Habitat homeowner Kali Campbell.

Register at https://secure.givelively.org/event/ habitat-for-humanity-monterey-bay/2021-women-build/2021women-build A peer-to-peer challenge has a goal to raise $10,000 toward building a home for Kali Campbell, recently selected homeowner for Rodeo Creek Court. Give at https://secure.givelively.org/donate/habitat-for-humanitymonterey-bay/2021-women-build

Wednesday March 17 COASTAL OAK INTERIORS RIBBON CUTTING Noon, 7960 Soquel Dr., Ste D, Aptos Misty Mitchell, owner of Coastal Oak Interiors, will host a ribbon-cutting with the Aptos Chamber of Commerce at her new store in Aptos Village Square.

Also look for the launching of the store’s website: www.

CoastalOakInteriors.com

Thursday March 18 APTOS CHAMBER VIRTUAL LUNCH MEETING Noon-1 p.m., Zoom Casa de Fruta partner Gene Zanger will speak at the Aptos Chamber of Commerce virtual lunch meeting on Zoom. For link, RSVP at: https://docs.google.com/form s/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6x9UOIM9SsOeJUbRPSz6729L2oXFABkNakziz3LhAGBcFA/viewform Cost: $15 general/ $10 members/free for Premier and Grand Champion members.

Friday March 19 DIESEL ENGINE GRANT DEADLINE The Monterey Bay Air Resources District is accepting applications for grants through the Diesel Engine and Equipment Replacement Program through March 19.

The goal is increase the turnover of high-polluting equipment to reduce harmful diesel exhaust emissions, Funds come from the cap-and-trade climate initiative.

Grant applications are at https://www.mbard.org/diesel-engineequipment-replacement-program.

Sunday April 11

PRESCRIBED BURN WORKSHOPS 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Davenport • Registration due by April 4.

Learn the fundamentals of prescribed firelighting and wildland firefighting during this hands-on field training in Davenport.

Training will cover fireline construction, communications, prescribed fire ignitions, Friday March 12 operation of a firefighting pump, installation of a hoselay and more.

WOMEN BUILD WEEK PANEL You will be prepared to participate in local Noon-1 p.m., Online International Women Build Week, taking place March 8 cooperative burns hosted by the new Central Coast thru March 15 and sponsored by Lowe’s stores, supports Prescribed Burn Association (calpba.org). If you do not have wildfire or prescribed fire experience, the Habitat for Humanity International & Habitat Monterey one-day workshop will be a prerequisite for particiBay. To register as a virtual volunteer & join the scavenger hunt & get a virtual build walk-through, see: pation in future CCPBA burns so don’t miss out.

The training can certify you as a Basic Wildland https://secure.givelively.org/event/habitat-for-humanityFirefighter 2, with pre-completion of online coursework monterey-bay/2021-women-build/2021-women-build plus an “arduous pack-test” prior to attending the Habitat Monterey Bay will host an online panel discussion on challenges and opportunities women face in-person field day if you are interested.

Cost: $20 with scholarships available upon request. Space is through affordable housing. limited.

Panelists include Santa Cruz Vice Mayor Sonja Full Details and Registration at: https://ucanr.edu/survey/ Brunner, Monterey County Supervisors Mary Adams survey.cfm?surveynumber=33128. and Wendy Askew, former Watsonville mayor Rebecca Garcia, Habitat volunteer and Otto Construction project For questions email Jared Childress (childress.ember@gmail. com) or Devii Rao (drorao@ucanr.edu). n engineer Toni Little, Housing Trust Silicon Valley CFO

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / March 1st 2021 / 29

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Environmentally Speaking

Contact Lens Recycling & Free Mattress Disposal

W

e are fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful and biodiverse environments in the world.

The local environment plays an essential role in our economy and quality of life.

Our County is often at the forefront of environmental programs and innovation. Here is a small set of some new (and ongoing) programs that might be of interest to you.

Contact Lens Recycling id you know that every year approximately 3 billion contact lenses end up in our local wastewater treatment plant?

About 1 in 5 people flush used contact lenses down the sink or toilet, which contribute to harmful micro plastic pollution in the Monterey Bay. The Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance that requires all eye care practitioners and supply providers in the unincorporated area (such as Aptos) to offer a free contact lens recycling program. The purpose of this program is to provide an easy (and free) alternative to flushing contact lenses and packaging materials.

You can contact your provider for more information but all brands are recyclable as are the top foil and the opened plastic blister packs.

D

By Zach Friend, Supervisor, Second District

Reducing Single-Use Plastics and Disposable Cups eginning in January, a 25-cent surcharge was enacted for each disposable cup sold by coffee shops, restaurants and other food vendors in the unincorporated area (some local cities have also enacted similar surcharges).

There are ongoing discussions about allocating some or all of the surcharge to local environmental programs and cleanup efforts. While enacting the surcharge took an action of the Board of Supervisors, dedicating it for a specific purpose would require a Santa Cruz County vote.

It’s estimated this surcharge could provide up to $2 million a year for local environmental programs and coastal cleanups such as those occurring along Aptos Creek, Seacliff and Rio Del Mar. Similar to the single-use bag fee at grocery stores, the fee is currently collected and retained at the point-ofsale location.

In addition, to reduce plastic waste in our landfills and beaches, the Board of Supervisors enacted a ban on small, single-use plastic bottles of personal care products in hotels, vacation rentals and other visitor accommodations in the unincorporated county.

This was a multi-year phase-in process that has officially taken effect. While many hotels were already phasing them out, this now creates a standard that prevents single-use small plastic bottles from being used in these types of accommodations.

Millions of these bottles were being thrown away every year and the state ended up modeling a statewide law after our local ordinance to phase them out statewide.

Free Mattress and Motor Oil Disposal ocal residents can bring used motor oil and filters to the Buena Vista Landfill

B

L

30 / March 1st 2021 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

for free to the Household Hazardous Waste facility (limit of 15 gallons per visit). You can visit www.santacruzcountyrecylces. org for more information.

Additionally, in partnership with the Mattress Recycling Council, local residents can bring mattresses to the Buena Vista Landfill for free. Offering these services, for motor oil and mattresses, reduces illegal dumping and protects the environment.

Learning About Composting nterested in learning more about composting?

Composting enriches soil and reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.

County Public Works sponsors free (virtual) classes for basic composting.

Reservations are required.

The next class will be held Saturday, March 13, from 10 a.m. to noon, and you can call (831) 8246484 or online at goo.gl/Fw6BaK to make a reservation. n •••

I

As always, I appreciate any feedback you may have on this (or any other County issue).

I’m maintaining regular updates on social media at www.facebook.com/supervisorfriend and during the shelter-in-place order I’m hosting a tele-townhall on Tuesday, March 2, with Mimi Hall, director of the County’s Health Services Agency, from 6-7 p.m.

The call-in information is 454-2222 with the Meeting ID: 145384# - you are welcome to speak about any issue during the town halls or you can always call me at 454-2200.

Local News ...

Local Sports ...

Local Politics ...

SCCAS Featured Pet

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Don’t Prune Flowering Trees Until Spring

By Tony Tomeo

M

I

Del Sol Is Ready to Wake You Up!

crossword on 25 »

t’s chicken week again, and Del Sol is ready to find a good home! This fancy dude has been pecking around our barn yard for a month, and has so much personality!

He is very interested when people come around, and, as you can see, is quite comfortable in front of the camera. Otherwise, he is independent, curious, and usually doing his own thing!

Del Sol would make a perfect companion for our chicken lovers out there, and we would love for you to come meet him!

Email Jill at jillian.ganley@santacruzcounty.us to set up an appointment.

Adoptions are first come, first served! Please view available animals on our website and then visit the Shelter to turn in your application. All adoptions require proof of home ownership or landlord approval. Please have this information prepared. If an animal is in Foster Care, please bring in your adoption application and schedule an appointment to meet the animal. Call 831-454-7200 x0 during business hours or visit www.scanimalshelter.org for more information! n ••• Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter’s full-service, open-admission shelter: Santa Cruz Location (Public Entrance): 1001 Rodriguez St., Santa Cruz, 95062 Hours: Daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Watsonville Location: CURRENTLY CLOSED 580 Airport Blvd, Watsonville, CA 95076 SCCAS Main line: 831-454-7200. Animal Control: 831-454-7227. After-Hours Emergency: 831-471-1182 • After Hours: jillian.ganley@santacruzcounty.us

ost major pruning happens while the plants that need it are dormant through winter. That is why it is known as ‘dormant pruning.’

Such pruning would be so much more disruptive while plants are blooming, fruiting, foliating or growing. Pruning that happens during other seasons is not as aggressive as dormant pruning. Spring pruning, although practical for some plants, is relatively docile.

For deciduous fruit trees, dormant pruning is very important. It concentrates resources into fruit production, but also limits production to sustainable quantities. Otherwise, such fruit trees would be unable to support the weight of their own copious fruit. Spring pruning of such trees is simply too late. By that time, superfluous fruit has already consumed significant resources, only to be wasted.

Stone fruit trees and pome fruit trees are familiar examples of deciduous fruit trees that rely on dormant pruning. Stone fruits include peach, nectarine, apricot, plum and their relatives. Pome fruits are primarily apple and pear. Ironically though, their fruitless but flowering counterparts perform best with spring pruning instead. As similar as they all are, they have completely different priorities.

Flowering cherry trees bloom more spectacularly than fruiting cherry trees, but produce no fruit. Similarly, flowering crabapple trees bloom more colorfully than fruiting apple trees, but produce only tiny fruit. Neither must sustain production of significant fruit. Nor must they support the increasing weight of developing fruit.

Prolific bloom is their primary function.

Spring pruning accommodates.

March Madness © Statepoint Media

Some plants prefer pruning after bloom.

Spring pruning allows flowering trees to first bloom as profusely as possible.

Pruned out stems have already served their purpose. Because fruit production is not a concern, spring pruning is less severe than dormant pruning. Nonetheless, because dormant pruning is so practical for so many plants, spring pruning may seem impractical. It is tempting to prune dormant flowering trees now. Doing so harmlessly compromises bloom.

••• Flowering Crabapple ll crabapple trees flower. Almost all subsequently produce fruit. Those designated as ‘flowering’ crabapples exhibit the most spectacular bloom, but generally produce inferior fruit. A few cultivars are nearly fruitless. Crabapples not designated as ‘flowering’ are not as bold in bloom, but generally produce larger fruit of better quality. Their fruit is useful for jelly and other culinary applications.

Almost all crabapple trees here are flowering crabapples. Fruiting crabapples are rare locally. Their fruit is not as popular as it is in other regions.

Flowering crabapple blooms However, flowlike flowering cherry. ering crabapples that produce big fruit are increasingly trendy. Their fruits can get as wide as an inch and a half, almost as big as fruits of fruiting crabapples. If not picked or eaten by birds, even typical berry sized fruits are messy.

White, pink or reddish pink bloom is impressively profuse, just prior to spring foliation. In fact, bloom is comparable to that of flowering cherries, and only a bit later. Most flowering crabapples get no taller than 15 feet.

Aggressive annual dormant pruning is not necessary as it is for trees that produce heavy apples. Instead, mature trees appreciate summer structure pruning and thinning. n ••• Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.com.

A

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / March 1st 2021 / 31

everything...so close to home.

Deluxe Foods of Aptos

Supporting the Aptos community for 40 years Mon. thru Sat. 8am to 9pm • Sun. 8am to 8pm Peet’s Coffee Available Mon. thru Fri 6am • Sat & Sun 7am

Senior Hours: Wed. 7:30a.m.- 8a.m.

783 Rio Del Mar Boulevard, Aptos, CA 95003 (Located inside Deer Park Marketplace)

(831) 688-7442 www.deluxefoodsofaptos.com

Have the experts at Eye Shapes help you choose the right lenses for you.

Transitions Vantage Polarized, EXTRActive and Drivewear

(831) 688-1516 (831) 688-1516 EyeShapes@sbcglobal.net www.EyeShapesAptos.com Hours: Tues.–Fri. 10-5 | Sat. by Appointment

Deer Park #37 -#37 Above Foods1| Aptos Rio Del| Above Mar/Hwy Open at 10 Tuesday - Saturday DeerMarketplace Park Marketplace | RioDeluxe Del Mar/Hwy Deluxe1 Aptos Foods ||www.EyeShapesAptos.com

deer park c e n t e r

Highway 1 & Rio Del Mar Boulevard, Aptos

BANKS: Bank of America BUSINESS SERVICES: Anderson

& Company / HOA Management Employnet / Galapagos Travel PDM International

Peak Accounting Services / SAR Asset Mgmt. Inc. / Scurich Insurance Cecy Insurance Services FOOD & DRINK: Deer Park Wine & Spirits / Deluxe Foods

Panda Inn / Mangiamo Pizza & Wine Bar / Red Apple Cafe PERSONAL SERVICES: Agape Dance Academy / Brian Del Core, DDS / CVS Pharmacy

Del Mar Cleaners / Eye Shapes Opticians / Highlights for Hair J-Bella Nails / Klub Nico / Laser Hair Solutions / Royal Paw Spa / Santa Cruz Dance Supply