Recipe Box: California Succotash (with Tarragon), recipe by Poppy

FEATURED COLUMNIST California Succotash

(with Tarragon)

August is Wellness Month — a perfect time to think about cooking healthy and delicious. Our first recipe comes from chef-photographer Poppy DeGarmo.

She graduated from Tante Marie’s Cooking School in San Francisco in 1993, interned at French restaurant La Folie, became a sous-chef at George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch, joined Bon Appetit Magazine, and cooked for “Nash Bridges” TV show cast & crew on Treasure Island. She lives in the Santa Cruz Mountains and has volunteered seven years at Grey Bears, teaching cooking.

She uses local seasonal vegetables for personal and planetary health reasons. Her website is www.poppydegarmo.com

“I call this dish California Succotash because I add more than the traditional lima beans and corn,” she said. “I replace lima beans with edamame, for extra protein and fiber. Squash and corn are in season as well as bell peppers. And fresh tarragon adds the extra touch and taste that is unusual and delicious.” ••• Ingredients 1 glug of olive oil 1 bag frozen edamame 3 ears of fresh corn, cut off the cob 2 bell peppers, diced 3 small squash, diced a bunch of tarragon salt + pepper a few splashes of water ••• Directions

Add a bit of olive oil to a frying pan

Add edamame, corn, peppers, and squash (you can add any other chopped vegetable or cherry tomatoes)

Add a little water so that the veggies steam a bit, on low heat, but don’t cook too long. You want the peppers and corn to have a little crispness.

Add the chopped tarragon, salt, and pepper.

Delicious! n

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Do you have a recipe that is a family favorite? Or maybe one from your childhood you would like to share? The Capitola-Soquel Times will be publishing one recipe each issue from a community member.

Feel free to add a little history to the recipe if you want (approximately 75 words). Every issue we will randomly choose a recipe to publish.

Find your favorite and send it to cathe@cyber-times.com today!

“West Nile Virus” from page 10

DRAIN — Mosquitoes lay their eggs on standing water. Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property by emptying flower pots, old car tires, buckets, and other containers. If you know of a swimming pool that is not being properly maintained, contact your local mosquito and vector control agency.

Santa Cruz County Mosquito Abatement and Vector Control can be reached at 831-454-2590.

The agency has 632 requests for service in 2019, and more than 25,000 adult mosquitos were captured using 850 carbon dioxide-baited traps.

For the 2019 annual report, see http://www.agdept.com/Agricultural Commissioner/MosquitoAbatementVector Control.aspx

California’s West Nile virus website includes the latest information. Report dead birds on the website or by calling tollfree 1-877-WNV-BIRD (968-2473). n •••

Photos courtesy of Santa Cruz County Mosquito Abatement and Vector Control

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“COVID Update” from page 15

The other was July 4 in Massachusetts: 256 cases — two-thirds vaccinated and 66 in other states — were tracked back to Provincetown, where a reported 60,000 unmasked people celebrated at bars and house parties.

Since June, the number of recoveries in Santa Cruz County has increased from 15,975 to 16,129 and fully vaccinated numbers from 144,000 to 155,600, with 178,600 fully vaccinated.

This means 56.8% of the population is fully vaccinated and 65% partly vaccinated. President Biden wanted 70 percent by 4th of July.

Hospital Impacts

On July 22, Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz, CEO at Dignity Health Dominican Hospital, said patients can choose their vaccine, Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson.

“We are accommodating everyone without charge,” she said. “This is too important.”

She said the hospital has seen an uptick in COVID patients.

“They are unvaccinated,” she said.

By the time they get admitted, it’s too late to give the vaccine to impact their outcome, she explained.

“The doctors are tired, the nurses are tired,” said Steven Salyer, CEO at Watsonville Community Hospital, noting hospital workers have left their profession because of the pandemic, straining the system. “We need the support of the community to help our frontline workers.”

Dr. Cristina Gamboa, an obstetrician at Salud Para La Gente in Watsonville, encouraged family members of a pregnant woman get vaccinated to protect her.

About half the county’s COVID cases have been in Watsonville.

Here are the percentages of fully vaccinated people by ZIP code:

Aptos: 74%

Ben Lomond: 63%

Boulder Creek: 65%

Capitola: 90%

Davenport: 76%

Freedom: 66%

Felton: 84%

Santa Cruz (95062): 76%

Scotts Valley: 79%

Soquel: 79%

Watsonville: 77%

Hesitancy?

Avaccination gap exists locally, with a smaller percentage of people in their 20s and 30s getting the vaccine compared to those 40 and older.

Health officials have coined the term “vaccine hesitancy” to describe people choosing not to get the vaccine.

Some are concerned about long-term side effects, and since the vaccines were created and tested in a year, those results are not available yet. Some may have jobs that do not allow time off, or they may be mothers at home caring for young children.

Parts of Aptos and Watsonville have no Internet, so signing up for a shot online is impossible — something county health officials are addressing with pop-up clinics where no appointment is needed.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports an increased number of deaths reported after a COVID-19 vaccination. Between Dec. 14, 2020, through July 19, 2021, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) received 6,207 reports of death among people who received a COVID-19 vaccine.

The CDC’s website says, “Reports of adverse events to VAERS following vaccination, including deaths, do not necessarily mean that a vaccine caused a health problem.”

This is because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which granted emergency use of the COVID vaccines, requires healthcare providers to report any death after a COVID-19 vaccination to VAERS, even if it’s unclear whether the vaccine was the cause.

A review of clinical information, including death certificates, autopsy, and medical records, has not established a causal link to COVID-19 vaccines, according to the CDC.

Fortunately the number of fatalities in Santa Cruz County, 207, has not budged, since June.

Pop-Up Clinics

Aug. 7 and Aug. 21: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at

Liberty Bank in Boulder Creek. Pfizer second doses and Johnson & Johnson, with a gift card reward promised.

Aug. 7: El Pajaro Community Devclopment Corp. in Watsonville, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pfizer second dose and

Johnson & Johnson.

Aug. 11: Watsonville YMCA, 5:30 p.m.

Pfizer second dose and Johnson &

Johnson.

Aug. 13: Museum of Art & History, 705

Front St., Santa Cruz, noon to 4 p.m.

Pfizer second dose and Johnson &

Johnson.

Aug. 21: Barrios Unidos, 1817 Soquel

Ave., Santa Cruz, Pfizer first dose and

Johnson & Johnson, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ~~~

On June 15, the state reopened for business after crimping life for more than a year to knock out the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected 3,822,551 and taken 63,800 lives statewide.

There is no approved vaccine for younger children 12 and under yet, but there is little evidence of spread by young school-age children.

Call 2-1-1 to find a vaccination site or see santacruzhealth.org

For COVID data, see: https://covid. cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view.

Job Rebound

With the June 15 reopening, the tourism and ag economy in Santa Cruz County rebounded, adding 2,200 jobs in ag, and 600 in food service and hotels between mid-May and mid-June, boosting the total jobs in the county to 105,400.

Still, 9,200 people are jobless.

June unemployment was 6.9% down from 12.2% a year ago.

Indeed.com, the job site, reports 130 jobs available in Aptos, including Persephone restaurant.

Cabrillo, where the governing board voted in May to reinstate football, posted a full-time job for athletics/kinesiology instructor-head football coach, starting pay of $57,000.

For jobs paying $35 an hour in Aptos, try California Farm Link, Seascape Beach Resort, and Trident Society.

Indeed.com reports Scotts Valley has 80 jobs paying $35 an hour, including Steeped Coffee, Warmboard (formerly in Aptos), UC Santa Cruz, and the city of Scotts Valley, oiffering $6,987 monthly for an entry-level a police officer.

In Santa Cruz, McDonald’s on Ocean St. is offering $15 an hour; Continental Inn is hiring for all positions and offering a $250 bonus.

The Toll

Deaths from COVID-19 in Santa Cruz County have leveled off at 207, with 50 percent of deaths at nursing homes and assisted living facilities, a percentage that was higher early in the pandemic.

Locally, 79 percent of those who died were age 70 or older and 78 percent had other health conditions. n •••

County COVID Deaths: 207

As of July 28

Age

90 and up: 56 • 80 to 89: 63 • 70 to 79: 44 60 to 69: 27 • 50 to 59: 5 • 40 to 49: 7 30 to 39: 5

Race/Ethnicity

White: 115 • Latinx: 75 • Asian: 15 Black: 1 • Amer. Indian/Alaskan Native: 1

Underlying Conditions

Yes: 161 • No: 46

Gender

Male: 103 • Female: 104

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

Watsonville Nursing Center: 4

Montecito Manor: 3 • De Un Amor: 2

Dominican Oaks: 2 • Driftwood: 2

Hanover House: 2 • Maple House II: 2

Rachelle’s Home 1: 2 • La Posada: 1

Paradise Villa: 1 • Rachelle’s Home II: 1

Valley Haven: 1 • Westwind: 1 Total: 103 Not at a facility: 104 COVID Cases by Town

Aptos: 851 • Ben Lomond: 128

Boulder Creek: 162 • Capitola: 476 Felton: 165 • Freedom: 1,007

Santa Cruz: 4,126 • Scotts Valley: 467

Soquel: 372 • Watsonville: 8,217 Unincorporated: 273 Under investigation: 288 Total: 16,532

Source: Santa Cruz County Public Health •••

Editor’s Note: Would you like to share your family’s COVID-19 story? Email Jondi Gumz at info@cyber-times.com or call 831688-7549 x17.