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Santa Cruz County Bank: Record Assets, Deposits
COMMUNITY NEWS
Santa Cruz County Bank: Record Assets, Deposits
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Santa Cruz County Bank announced record assets, deposits and loans (excluding PPP) for the quarter ending March 31, and profit of $5.4 million.
That was 15 percent over the prior quarter, and 7 percent less than a year ago, when the bank benefited from significantly more fee income from the Paycheck Protection Program.
Highlights from the quarter include: • Record assets of $1.72 billion, up $173.2 million, an 11% increase compared to a year ago,. • Record gross loans (excluding PPP) of $1.14 billion, up $220.2 million, an increase of 24% compared to a year ago. • Record deposits of $1.52 billion, up $167.6 million, a 12% increase compared to a year ago. • Basic earnings per share of $0.63.
The bank announced a 2-for-1 stock split on Feb. 16, and paid on March 16, to shareholders of record as of March 3.
Krista Snelling, Santa Cruz County Bank president and CEO said, “Year over year, the Bank recorded significant loan growth, excluding PPP, of over $220 million. Our steady performance has resulted in the Bank’s continuity as a financial industry leader and top performer.”
Santa Cruz County Bank was recognized by the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce as a Business of the Year, and was voted for a 10th consecutive year, “Best Bank” in Santa Cruz County.
Snelling attributed to those accolades to “the tremendous expertise and service delivered to our clients and community by our dedicated employees.” n
“COVID Update” from page 8
Finally, the CDC did not explain mask exemptions for people eating, drinking or taking medication or for children under age 2. By not explaining, the CDC action was arbitrary and capricious, the judge ruled.
Dr. Vinay Prasad, a medical doctor with a master’s in public health, posted his views, saying he saw people with their cloth mask lowered for much of the flight, so the policy did not make sense. A randomized controlled trial of cloth masks in Bangladesh found no benefit vs. no mask, he said, and the CDC never did a study to generate scientific evidence that wearing cloth masks slows spread on an airplane.
The CDC map of Covid-19 shows most counties green, low transmission in California with western New York a hot spot.
Santa Cruz County, which updates its dashboard on Monday and Thursday, reports 894 active cases, down from 10,000 at the peak.
Omicron Less Deadly
The Omicron variants are less deadly than the Delta variant, which raged in 2021.
Santa Cruz County reported 36 Covid deaths after Omicron, compared to 225 as of Dec. 15, before Omicron.
One statistic is similar: 79% to 81% of those who died had pre-existing conditions.
Why do people fear Omnicron?
They may have a pre-existing condition (diabetes, obesity, asthma, high blood pressure).
Half of Americans do, so they are at higher risk for severe Covid illness.
So are people 85 and older.
California reports 84.2% of residents age 5 and up have had at least one shot.
On the CDC Covid tracker, Santa Cruz County reports 90.8% of residents age 5 and up have at least one shot and 82.5% fully vaccinated.
Proposed Laws
California lawmakers face a May 27 deadline to pass legislation and 10 bills deal with Covid-19. Two bills have been set aside — Assembly Bill 1993, to require all employees and independent contractors, public and private, to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to keep their job and Senate Bill 871, to require children 0-17 to get the Covid vaccine to attend day care or school.
Protection of the Educational Rights of Kids, headed by Amy Bohn in Newbury Park, which has filed six lawsuits against vaccine mandates, is watching to see if these measures come back in a budget trailer bill in May — which avoids public hearings. The group is tracking 8 more Covid-19 bills. They include:
SB 1464: To require law enforcement officers to enforce public health orders, and cut funding if they do not and shift those funds to public health. The California State Sheriffs’ Association is opposed along with the Peace Officers Research Association of California. An April 26 committee hearing was postponed, which could mean lack of support.
SB 866: To allow children 12 and older to get Covid vaccines without parental consent.
SB 920: To authorize a medical board to inspect a doctor’s office and records without patient consent.
SB 1479: To mandate Covid testing plans at schools.
SB 1390: To prohibit a social media platform from amplifying misinformation or disinformation.
SB 1184: To authorize a health care provider or plan to disclose your child’s medical information to a school-linked services coordinator without parent consent.
AB 1793: To allow school officials to easily access a state immunization database.
AB 2098: To classify a physician or surgeon disseminating or promoting misinformation or disinformation related to COVID-19 as unprofessional conduct and grounds for discipline. This is supported by Sen. Richard Pan, a physician, and opposed by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons.
To track these bills, see https://leginfo. legislature.ca.gov
NBA legend and Gonzaga alum John Stockton co-founded Athletes for Medical Freedom, with former Packers lineman Ken Ruettgers and Australian pro surfer Barton Lynch to provide support for choice.
Dr. Pamela Popper, whose group funded a lawsuit against Boston’s vaccine passport for indoor restaurants, entertainments and fitness, reported Mayor Michell Wu lifted the requirement. Updates are at https://makeamericansfreeagain.com/
Hospital Fund Drive
The Pajaro Valley Health Care District Project must raise $15 million by Aug. 31 to buy Watsonville Community Hospital, bring it out of bankruptcy, and fund the first-year operations under the new ownership.
The hospital has 620 employees and shares the treatment of Covid-19 patients with Dominican Hospital.
Pajaro Valley Schools
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District reports a cutback in Covid testing, with Inspire Diagnostics ending Saturday services at the District Office. Services continue Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Details at https://covid19test.santacruzcoe.org/
The Pajaro Valley district reports 48 active student cases and 18 staff cases in April. Aptos High has 3 student cases and 2 staff cases. Aptos Junior High has 3 student cases and zero staff cases. In Aptos, Valencia Elementary has 7 student cases and 1 staff case, Mar Vista Elementary and Rio Del Mar Elementary each have 5 student cases and no staff cases.
The state guidance to schools and childcare facilities as of March 11. Masks are not required but strongly recommended.
Santa Cruz County Office of Education, with Inspire Diagnostics, has provided 431,700 tests.
Cases in schools peaked at 4,407 on Jan. 27, dropped to 44 on April 1, then rose to 160 on April 25. The 14-day positivity rate, 12.25% on January, dropped to .79%, then rose to 1.47%.
Myocarditis Risk
In a 2022 report in the Journal of American Medical Association online, Dr. Matthew Oster of the CDC reported the government’s VAERS database received 1,991 reports of myocarditis after one dose of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine and 1,626 met the CDC’s definition for probable or confirmed myocarditis.
Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart, which can lead to clots, a stroke or heart attack.
Oster’s conclusion: “The risk of myocarditis after receiving mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines was increased across multiple age and sex strata and was highest after the second vaccination dose in adolescent males and young men. This risk should be considered.”
Public health officials say the scientific consensus is that Covid vaccines are safe, but some are skeptical about relying on science from drug-makers, which saw profits rise in 2021. They point to the U.S. government database, https://vaers.hhs. gov/, where health care providers are to report adverse events after a vaccine.
