Aptos Times: March 1, 2023

#Seacliff Memories

On Feb. 18, hundreds of people showed up at Seacliff State Beach to help with cleanup after epic storms that caused epic damage in January.

The weather was enticing, unlike the rain and snow that arrived later in the month, and many people thought

this would be their last opportunity to say good-bye to the landmark pier that served as a walkway to the Cement Ship for so many decades cut in half with the remainder at risk of imminent collapse. State Parks hosted a farewell event after the cleanup. ... continues on page 4

Reparations Task Force To Discuss Remedies

African-Americans experience debilitating economic, educational, and health due to the legacy of slavery and racial discrimination in California, according to a task force created by Assembly Bill 3121 to study the issue and recommend remedies.

Full Story page 21

Community News

4 Teacher Martha Vega to Join Cabrillo Board

5 Surfing – The Next Generation: Aptos High’s Finn & Cooper Brownlee Talk About Their Surfing Career and Sweeping League

6 Highway 1 Lanes: $30 Million, By Jondi Gumz

7 Rehoused: 425 People

9 Meet New Animal Shelter General Manager • Donna Young, New CEO at Salud Para La Gente • March to End Homelessness April 1

10 Rebuilding Life After Russia: Ukrainian Immigrant Dima plans to Finish at Monte Vista Christian School, By Kylie Brunelli

11 Soquel Drive Safety Work Rebid, By Jondi Gumz 12 Life, I Love You, All is Groovy, By Michael B. Goldenkranz 14 Spelling Bee Winners 16 Students Ride Metro Free Starting March 1

Aptos High Alum Mark

Task Force To Discuss Remedies

24 Bay Fed Leaders Selected for Leadership Monterey County • Free Income Tax Return Help

Local Sports

8 2022-23 SC All-League Girls Soccer

15 2022-23 All-League Boys Basketball

Letters to the Editor

8 Why Not Seacliff College? • Why Raise Fairgrounds Rental Rates? • Fairgrounds Future: Rental Rates Up in the Air

In Memoriam

14 Dr. Dave Chamberlain, Cabrillo Host Lions Charter Member

Monthly Horoscope • Page 26 – Two Fishes With a Silver Cord, By Risa D’Angeles

Community Calendar • Arts & Entertainment – Pages 28, 29

Featured Columnists

22 Warm Season Bedding Plants Begin, By Tony Tomeo

25 Parenting, Career Tech, PCR, FAFSA, Free Bus, Grad Dates, Q&A With Dr. Michelle Rodriguez, Superintendent, Pajaro Valley Unified School District

27 One Rain-Soaked Season Does Not End a Drought, By Eileen Cross, Community Relations, Santa Cruz Water Department and Rebecca Rubin, Public Outreach Coordinator, Soquel Creek Water District

30 Santa Cruz County Strategic Plan, By Zach Friend, Supervisor, Second District

SCCAS Featured Pet • Page 31 – Esprit Shows Her Spirit

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Teacher Martha Vega to Join Cabrillo Board

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Martha Vega will be sworn in as a Cabrillo College trustee representing Area V (Watsonville) during the regular board meeting March 13 and fill the position until the next regular election in November 2024.

At a special meeting on Feb. 28, after interviewing three candidates, Cabrillo’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously to provisionally appoint Vega. Area V also includes the southern portion of Freedom.

COVER STORY

“Goodbye Aptos Pier” from page 1

Eric Taylor, who visited Feb. 11, posted on Facebook, “My kids jumped off the pier as Seacliff Junior Guards, I grew up here on the water, and my grandparents Manuel and Nadine Travers were laid to rest here in a ceremony from the stern of the Chardonnay Sailing Charters as they were regulars at the campground for decades.”

He added, “I hope they rebuild. It’s a special place.”

The seat became open when Felipe Hernandez resigned after being elected to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors.

A longtime resident of Watsonville and a graduate of Watsonville High School and Cabrillo College, Vega is a Watsonville High School

teacher. She has taught Career Technical Education criminal justice classes there since 2004.

She serves on the City of Watsonville Planning Commission, and on the board of the Pajaro Valley Arts Committee. She is a member of the Santa Cruz Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

“Martha Vega” page 7

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The Seacliff State Beach Recovery Fund started by Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, has raised over $45,000 so far and donations can still be made at https://thatsmypark. org/donate/

State Parks deputy superintendent for the Santa Cruz district Jordan Burgess said the date for the demolition has not been finalized, pending available of crews by Watsonville’s Granite Construction, the contractor, and permits approved.

Sections of the pier standing in ocean water will be accessed from a barge and removed by a subcontractor, according to Erin Kuhlman, Granite Construction’s chief marketing and communications officer.

Granite Construction is also working with State Parks in Half Moon Bay; the projects are funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The upper area of Seacliff State Beach is open to people on foot and bicycle – no cars.

The popular beachfront campground area, a unique experience on the Central Coast, will be closed through the end of 2023 due to the loss of facilities.

The pier, the campground and the seawall suffered the most damage.

State Parks leaders acknowledged the historical significance of the pier, which was built in 1930 to access the Cement Ship, launched in 1919 then towed a decade later to Seacliff State Beach, where it was an amusement venue until the partners went

bankrupt in the Great Depression.

“State Parks is engaged in ongoing discussions regardinaag interpretation of the pier for visitors, as well as creative ways to highlight the significance of the structure,” said Superintendent Gabe McKenna.

He said there will be a public process to determine what amenities are possible in the future.

Climate change, sea level rise and extreme weather are concerns for State Parks leaders as they look to restore services for visitors.

The next step in the land cleanup is removing hazardous debris from the campground.

The storms destroyed nearly all of the seawall and much of the fill material on which the campground was built. Parking lot pavement and much of the underground utilities were lost to the sea.

Not everything is hazardous. Some of the driftwood is being marked and saved by State Parks for their use.

Along with cleanup, State Parks staff is focusing on options to restore limited public access.

“The local community, including individual community members, local businesses, community organizations, and the co-management partner Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, has stepped up in amazing ways to support Seacliff State Beach,” McKenna said. “The department looks forward to the continued collaboration with these partners and the public.” n

For information on the state beach, visit www.parks.ca.gov/SeacliffStateBeach. To view more photos and a video of the damage, see http:// parks.ca.gov/?page_id=31226

•••

Cover Photo: Many people take advantage of the opportunity to say farewell to the fishing pier at Seacliff State Beach in Aptos. • Photo courtesy of Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks

Michael Oppenheimer, Camisa Composti

Michael Oppenheimer, Ward J. Austin, Brad King website

photography

Martha Vega

Surfing: The Next Generation

Aptos High’s Finn & Cooper Brownlee Talk About Their Surfing Career and Sweeping League

On Feb. 11, Aptos High freshman

Finn Brownlee won the shortboard final at the inaugural Santa Cruz Scholastic Surf League Champions Contest at Steamer Lane, competing with surfers from Monterey County to Marin County.

His two-wave score was 12.84. His brother Cooper Brownlee scored 9.16 and took fourth. Aptos Times interviewed the brothers about their surfing.

•••

Tell me how you started surfing. How old were you?

Finn: I was about 10 and started longboarding at Capitola and eventually started shortboarding. I come from a big surfing family and my dad is the one who taught me.

Cooper: My dad would launch me into baby waves when I was young but my true love for it grew when I was 12. I started on a longboard and although it was hard, I eventually learned to shortboard.

How often do you go out?

Finn: I surf almost every day, sometimes twice. Usually with my siblings or cousin, Adam Bartlett.

Cooper: I am able to surf after school

most days. I get off of school at 12 each day so I have plenty of time.

Finn, you’re too young to drive, so how do you get to the ocean?

Finn: My brother Cooper takes me after school or my dad. My dad usually wakes me up at 6 am on Saturdays to surf for the day.

Cooper, are you the driver?

Cooper: Yes that’s me! I take Finn wherever the waves are best after school. On weekends, I love going with my dad and watching him rip harder than me. It’s pretty inspiring.

Where do you go? Favorite places?

Finn: The Lane is my favorite spot in town, but I like heading up north or down south with my dad and brother depending on conditions.

Cooper: My favorite spots are up north, waves like Waddell or Scotts, but I surf the Lane the most.

Tell me about your surfboards.

Finn: I mostly surf sharpeyes, so I was super excited to win one!

Cooper: I surf a 5’8” HT2.5 and a 5’10” HT. I love how sharpeyes feel under my feet!

“Surfing” page 12

SPRING SPECIAL

If we paint your interior and/or exterior by March 31, 2023 we will buy the paint.

Cooper (left) and Finn Brownlee

Highway 1 Lanes: $30 Million

By Jondi Gumz

Surely everyone driving Highway 1 from Aptos to Santa Cruz has noticed many of the trees on the shoulder are now no more than stumps.

It’s a sign that the Highway 1 auxiliary lane project between Soquel Avenue and 41st Avenue will soon commence.

This project includes bike and pedestrian overcrossings for safety and shoulders for Metro buses to bypass traffic jams during peak congestion — which seems to be every weekday afternoon.

Historically, this section of Highway 1 has been the busiest in the county, serving over 100,000 vehicles a day, according to the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, which looked at ways to ease congestion and will oversee this project.

To address this situation, the RTC created the “Watsonville-Santa Cruz Multimodal Corridor Program,” which qualified for a new competitive federal grant for projects with no other funding solution that could help meet national or regional economic, mobility, or safety goals.

The Watsonville-Santa Cruz program is one of nine in the nation to be chosen for this round of funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Local voters in 2016 approved a halfcent sales tax dedicated to transportation

improvements, but with so many projects to do — Highway 1 auxiliary lanes, Highway 9 corridor, Highway 17 wildlife crossing, Rail Trail — more money was needed.

U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel

Valley) saw the need and was able to secure $30 million from this new federal funding for the Highway 1 project.

“For far too long and far too often, too many people have been stuck in traffic on Highway 1 getting between Watsonville and Santa Cruz, leading to a decrease in our productivity and an increase in our carbon output,” Panetta said.

“I’m proud that Congress passed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in order to make this type of crucial federal investment in our roads and green buses that will help alleviate traffic, improve our livelihoods, and allow us to play our part to stem the effects of climate change,” he added.

And that’s not all.

Local officials say there’s enough money to purchase four zero-emission buses for Santa Cruz Metro and build a segment of the Coastal Rail Trail from State Park Drive to Rio Del Mar Boulevard in Aptos.

“Highway 1” page 10

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz

Sarah Christensen, Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission engineer, points out the location of the “Aptos Strangler” traffic jam to U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley.

Rehoused: 425 People

On Feb. 27, the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz and Housing for Health Partnership announced 295 formerly homeless households — representing more than 425 people — have secured housing using emergency vouchers through the countywide Rehousing Wave program.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development allocated emergency vouchers to communities in need for low-income households, particularly those experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.

Begun Oct. 1, 2021, Rehousing Wave moved highly vulnerable adults and families from Project Roomkey and other COVID-era shelters to permanent housing using emergency vouchers.

To date, the Housing Authority, with the County and community-based service providers, has used more than 100% of emergency vouchers distributed to the Housing Authority to help address homelessness during the pandemic.

The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz ranks No. 1 in emergency voucher use out of all California housing

authorities and No. 10 nationwide out of all housing authorities.

This accomplishment came as Santa Cruz County was reported to be the most expensive rental market in the U.S.

“It is truly significant and gratifying to participate in a collaborative effort to help hundreds of formerly homeless individuals and families secure much-needed housing in Santa Cruz County’s tight rental market,” said Robert Ratner, director of the Housing for Health Division of the County of Santa Cruz.

He added, “I especially appreciate the property owners and service providers that helped make this possible.”

According to the Housing Authority of Santa Cruz County, the 295 households securing housing via emergency vouchers were assisted by 188 property owners/ agents that provided a mix of multi-family

and single-family housing units located throughout the county.

Of these 425 people, 44% had children under 18 years old, 47% over age 60 or reported a disability, and 48% were Hispanic/Latino.

“The need for more affordable housing resources in the community is tremendous,” said Jenny Panetta, executive director of the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz. “The Housing Authority has over 10,000 households on our waiting list for a Housing Choice Voucher. We’re proud of our collaboration with the Housing for Health Partnership and service providers involved in the Emergency Housing Voucher program.”

She added, “I’m confident that we will continue to build off this success and secure additional resources for the community.”

According to a July 2022 report from the National Low Income Housing

Coalition, Santa Cruz County is the most expensive rental market in the United States for average renters in the region. Because Santa Cruz County has been successful in using Emergency Housing Vouchers despite market challenges, HUD has already allocated the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz 11 additional emergency vouchers due to underuse in other communities, and more emergency vouchers may be available later in the year.

Rehousing Wave included support and incentives for property owners, services to help households find and keep housing, flexible funding to help with move-in expenses, and collaboration by public agencies and service providers.

The Owner Incentive Program run by the Housing Authority played a significant role in securing housing. Abode Services also provides support for participating landlords. n •••

For more on the Owner Incentives, visit Owner at hacosantacruz.org.

For more on Abode’s housing supports for owners, visit Housing Services/Landlords — Abode Services.

“Martha Vega” from page 4

Vega obtained a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice management from Union Institute & University, and a bachelor’s degree in human development from Pacific Oaks College. In 2015, she earned a master’s degree in leadership from St. Mary’s College of Moraga.

Rebecca Garcia, a former Cabrillo trustee, and Manuel Bersamin, a former Watsonville mayor, also applied.

“I’m so grateful that we had three highly qualified candidates apply for the Trustee Area V provisional appointment, each of whom brought their own skillsets and experience,” said Adam Spickler, Cabrillo governing board chair. “After a

long meeting that included an outpouring of community support, I am very happy with our unanimous decision to provisionally appoint Martha Vega, and am looking forward to working with her to advance the success of our students and the College.”

The appointment can be challenged if a petition is filed in the office of the Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools calling for a special election contains valid signatures of at least 1 ½ percent of the number of registered voters of the District at the time of the last regular election, or 25 registered voters of the District, whichever is greater.

The deadline is 30 days from the date of the provisional appointment. n

Martha Vega at a Watsonville High School graduation ceremony.

The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz ranks No. 1 in emergency voucher use out of all California housing authorities.

2022-23 SC All-League Girls Soccer

Kaitlyn Murphy, Aptos junior, Ella Shoemaker, Aptos junior and Alexanda Castaneda, Aptos freshman, were named to the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League all-league first team in soccer.

Angelique Nunez , Aptos junior, Catalina Ontiveros, Aptos senior and Gwen Chapman, Aptos senior, were named to the all-league second team.

Madison Redding, Aptos freshman, Peyton Westjohn, Aptos junior and goalkeeper Alessandra Zuniga, Aptos junior were honorable mention selections.

Aptos senior Summer Jacob and Santa Cruz sophomore shared player of the year honors.

Aptos High girls’ soccer team, coached by Gina Castaneda, finished first in the league at 9-1 and 13-5-1 overall.

The team lost in the Central Coast Section playoff to Branham 2-1.

Most Outstanding Attacker: Naiya Saimos, Scotts Valley senior.

Most Outstanding Midfielder: Lily Montesinos, Soquel senior.

Keeper-of-the-Year: Ruby Holmes, Santa Cruz junior.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Why Not Seacliff College?

F irst I’d like to congratulate you and your staff for the Aptos Times. You have really done a great job in covering the local news scene and provide interesting news to our community.

Second, I’d like you to think about the renaming of Cabrillo College and the controversy it is causing. Personally, I am opposed to the change and wish the majority opinion would be approved by the Cabrillo Board, however, if a change is to be made I have one that makes some sense — Seacliff College.

Three points — Everyone in the County knows where it is, the name fits the location and with the devastation of the ship, the pier and the beach camping, etc. it would memorialize Seacliff as we have known and loved.

As a kid, summer was beach time — at Seacliff beach, the fishing off the pier or ship and swimming out to stationed raft.

And Seacliff has always been the safest beach on the bay. I responded to the recent questionnaire with my choice but have seen no support online.

— Hugh Hudson, Watsonville Editor’s note: Cabrillo College initially set a deadline of Feb. 22 to submit a new name for the college. On Feb. 24, Cabrillo announced the date is extended through March 1.

Why Raise Fairgrounds Rental Rates?

At the Feb. 7 Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Board of Directors meeting, an agenda item proposed

significant increases in rental rates for venues at the site. This item was tabled pending more information as requested by the Board and public.

The proposal to as much as double rental fees for facilities at the Fairgrounds is short-sighted.

Fairgrounds revenues over the past 10 years were adequate to result in a reserve balance of nearly $2 million.

This suggests that under good management, the fair is solvent, with current rates.

It was never intended as a profit center — this is not in the spirit of the community fairgrounds around the State. The high level of facility usage by non-profits, low-income and sometimes marginalized community members demonstrates that our fairgrounds is a key resource to locals.

To double rates for such uses as quinceaneras, bingo, flower shows, and dog training classes and so many other activities that bind our community will certainly drive these users elsewhere. Is that the goal?

The intent should not be to extract the maximum dollars out of the users of our fairgrounds but rather to make this wonderful facility available for use by all local community members.

Additionally, I join with many others to again request that the Fair Board consider evening meetings to allow for more community participation.

Friends of the Fair — please attend the next Board meeting Feb. 28 at 1:30 in person or via Zoom — details are available on the Fairgrounds’ website,

Coach-of-the-Year: Taylor Raymond, Scotts Valley.

Here are the rest of the selections:

First Team: Clara Willet, Santa Cruz senior • Zaina Alahaina, Santa Cruz senior • Alex Teves, Scotts Valley senior • Ella Ireland, Scotts Valley freshman • Julia Inkles, Soquel junior • Haily Betterman, Soquel freshman • Hannah LoFranco, Harbor senior • Gianna Schwarzbach, SLV senior Second Team: Clare Byram, Santa Cruz

https://www.santacruzcountyfair. com/board/agenda-items

— Mary Bannister, Fair & Ag History Project volunteer, Watsonville

Fairgrounds Future: Rental Rates Up in the Air

As a news reporter, I attended Santa Cruz County Fair Board of Directors meetings for years, sometimes covering scandalous fair managers and scarce finances. What I saw at the Feb. 28 fair board meeting was disturbing on a level I never imagined.

Board President Don Dietrich committed public slander, accusing a community member of theft without evidence. In fact, the evidence overwhelmingly shows the opposite, which Dennis Osmer pointed out during public comment. Dietrich showed how personal his beef was with his target, Dave Kegebein, by offering to resign from the board if Kegebein promised to never step foot on the fairgrounds again. The rest of the board remained silent.

Director Nicolas Calubaquib asked, more than once, what spurred the proposed increase in rental rates? Are we overbooked? Are costs rising this dramatically? Dietrich just changed the subject. When asked again, he talked about the need for a new rate schedule that was even for everybody — this would eliminate appearance of “backroom deals.”

Members of the public asked why a government rate was proposed at half the normal rate, and why nonprofits,

senior • Maya Kingsley, Santa Cruz junior • Lia Lock, Scotts Valley sophomore • Ashley Haver, Scotts Valley sophomore • Yaren Yanez, Soquel senior • Chloe McGilvray, Soquel sophomore • Sonja Hulpers, Harbor junior • Simone Mugnier, SLV freshman Honorable mention: Lia Gulorte, Santa Cruz freshman • Sienna Parker, Santa Cruz junior • Lucinda Steiner, Santa Cruz junior • Paige Bariteau, Scotts Valley junior • Annie Gowing, Scotts Valley sophomore • Alexis Sierra, Soquel sophomore • Victoria Weiss, Soquel junior • Sadie Strout, Soquel senior • Zoe Soenen, Harbor junior • Becca Vaca, Harbor sophomore • Anika Dawson, Harbor junior • Joci Carkner, SLV junior • Naomi Sifton, SLV junior • Leila Nite, SLV junior n

some that had donated tens of thousands of dollars to the fairgrounds, weren’t offered a break. Nobody got answers. The board would eventually vote on a proposal to set rates for nonprofits and government agencies the same, but that failed and the whole issue will return next month (March 28).

Then Dietrich unveiled the deal he made with raceway promoter John Prentice. Disposing of an opportunity for the public to bid, Dietrich led the board into approving his new deal with the raceway.

The Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds is in trouble. Events are leaving or are struggling to understand how to stay. A quilting group that held an event over the weekend complained about a complete lack of service, struggling to access bathrooms. The local chapter of Burning Man, unSCruz, has moved its event to San Benito County.

Fair department heads are in the dark. Correspondence from Amateur Wine Division Chair Debbie Yakulis asked: “When will we receive any funding? I need to book a caterer for the judging event and found out that food costs have increased significantly so need to know if we will continue the same system as before? … Who is in charge of ordering ribbons and plaques?

The public has a lot of questions of this board and fairgrounds management, but they don’t get answered. Dietrich needs to step away from the board, as he offered to do, but without preconditions.

— Jon Chown, Marina

Meet New Animal Shelter General Manager

The next general manager of the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is Amber Rowland, who succeeds

Melanie Sobel, who left in July after 11 years and is now head of the Denver Animal Shelter.

County parks chief Jeff Gaffney has been interim general manager.

Rowland’s first day will be Thursday, March 23.

She will oversee shelter, field, and outreach operations with an annual budget of $5 million and 30 employees.

“I am so excited to get started working with the people and animals of Santa Cruz County,” Rowland said. “I am passionate about socially conscious sheltering practices and committed to working collaboratively with the Board, the staff and the community to maintain SCCAS’ position as one of the most respected shelters in California.”

With 17 years in animal services, Rowland has experience as a shelter leader,

developing programs, facilities, operations and policies for animal welfare goals in the city of Austin, Texas, which agreed to limit euthanizations to 10 percent.

As a program manager with Austin Animal Services, Rowland supervised staff and volunteers, planned and executed major operational changes and events, and served as the public face of the agency. She also has experience as an animal control officer and humane educator for Salt Lake County Animal Services.

Rowland was approved unanimously by the shelter board on Feb. 13 following a competitive nationwide search.

“We sought someone who would build on our amazing internal staff and operations as well as strengthen our relationships with the community,” Board Chair Chris

Clark said. “Amber has the right skills, experience and temperament to make her an excellent choice as our next director.”

Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is a publicly funded joint powers authority serving the County of Santa Cruz, and the cities of Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Watsonville, and Capitola.

It is an open admission shelter which welcomes every animal in need, with a goal to be a humane resource for the community by providing a safety net and second chance for local animals.

With locations in Live Oak and Watsonville, the shelter offers adoption services, low-cost spay/neuter programs for all resident pets, 24-hour rescue services, Catio Tours, and operates the Benefits Shop. n

Donna Young, New CEO at Salud Para La Gente

Donna Young, regional administrator at The Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente, in Oakland, will become the next CEO at Salud Para La Gente, a federally qualified health center with 450+ staff members, 10 sites including four school-based health centers, and 28,000 patients.

She is expected to start work in April, succeeding Dori Rose Inda, who announced her retirement in May 2022 and is to retire in June.

Young was selected after an extensive five-month search, with the help of a Board committee and staff.

“Donna Young has a strong background in healthcare administration that is just what we need to move Salud into the future,” says Dr. Faris Sabbah, board chair.

Young has more than 30 years

experience in health care administration. At TPMG, she’s been part of the executive leadership team overseeing and developing strategy for adult medicine, family medicine, women’s health, pediatrics and mental health services.

She led systems change across operational, administrative, and technology adoption portfolios. Her achievements include partnering with physicians and other leaders to implement Quality initiatives that improve care for patients, leading implementation of the outpatient electronic medical record system, and leveraging knowledge of hospital operations to develop integrated care.

“I am honored to dedicate the next chapter of my career in service to Salud’s

March to End Homelessness April 1

The first-ever March to End Homelessness in Santa Cruz County will take place Saturday, April 1, in downtown Santa Cruz.

“By marching together, we show solidarity with our neighbors experiencing homelessness,” said Phil Kramer, chief executive officer of Housing Matters. “This event will build momentum for the future, by advocating for solutions to end homelessness right here in Santa Cruz County.”

The march will be a partnership event with local nonprofits Santa Cruz Community Health, Housing Santa Cruz County, Abode Services, Homeless Garden Project, Front Street Inc., Families in Transition, WINGS and Pajaro Valley Shelter Services.

Members of the business community and local residents are invited to march and rally.

“End Homelessness” page 17

mission-driven values of service, dignity and equity,” Young said. “My passion for community health was fueled by my training in public health and healthcare administration.” She added, “Joining Salud reflects my commitment to working with Salud’s exemplary staff to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of the Pajaro Valley.”

She has a master’s in public health and

a master’s in business administration from UC Berkeley. She lives in the Bay Area and will be relocating to the Central Coast to live and work in the community.

Salud serves Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.

Dori Rose Inda joined Salud in 2012, growing the organization in size, population served, practice areas and programs. She integrated social-determinant-ofhealth interventions and a focus on upstream health, as well as increased patient access to specialty care services. n

Amber Rowland

Donna Young

Rebuilding Life After Russia

Ukrainian Immigrant Dima plans to Finish at Monte Vista Christian School

By Kylie Brunelli

Russia began bombing Kyiv, Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. A couple days before, Dmytro (Dima) Bieliaiev and his family packed up their bags and left the city. But they didn’t know where to go, and they turned around. They thought more time would allow for a better plan. As a result, they were stuck in Kyiv when the bombs detonated.

All the rooms were sealed off with blackout shades. There was no sound or light. It didn’t matter if it was day or night. Everything bled together into a lull of sleep and checking the news. Tanks and armies rumbled by, but everything else remained muted and repressed.

After the third day, it was better. Everyone went outside, and shops opened up. Most importantly, there was fresh air! Three weeks later, they left their family, friends, and possessions behind, and they moved to a rural Ukrainian town. A couple months later, they trekked to Poland. Dima went to school there- despite the fact that he didn’t know any Polish. About fifty other Ukranians attended the school. He and the others “came to lessons and just nodded” along, even though they were absolutely oblivious and did not understand a thing!

After several months in Poland, Dima and his family moved to Scotland. Head of School Nikki Daniels offered Dima a spot at Monte Vista Christian School in Watsonville, and he moved here. Although Ukranians are drafted to fight, his mother has a medical condition, leaving his parents exempt from conscription. They currently reside there.

Everyone at Monte Vista heartily welcomed Dima and the other Ukranians to the school. But Dima has relocated enough to the point that everything seems temporary. Despite the fact that he plans to stay at Monte Vista for the rest of high school, he feels like he needs “to move again.” As a result, he hasn’t attempted

to create deep relationships with other students yet. Nevertheless, he is friendly and pleasant to others.

If he returned to Ukraine, he would be drafted into the military next year. Most Ukranians who stayed in the country have financial issues. His grandparents are still in Ukraine, and they are on the front lines and in a lot of danger right now. Other friends haven’t left, and they are attempting to have normal lives in a war-torn country.

This knowledge has encouraged Dima to work as hard as he possibly can to stay in America and deserve his scholarship among the chosen two other Ukrainian boarding students. He noted, “I want to maximize my studying, I want to make my family sleep better. I want

them to forget everything that has happened.” He also wants to take advantage of the numerous activities Monte Vista offers, including basketball, guitar, choir and other programs. He said, “I studied in Ukraine good. I want to study here better.”

Luckily, unlike his experience in Poland, Dima is fluent in English.

Notably, Dima wants to put his past behind him. He believes that he isn’t destroyed by the war because millions of others underwent it with him. He remarked, “I am a normal person. I’m not so strange and I’m not so destroyed by war. I’m not so differentI’m the same- and I want to study and be a normal person here.” n

“Highway 1” from page 6

On Feb. 21, county supervisors Manu Koenig and Felipe Hernandez joined Panetta for a press conference to highlight what the money could do.

Hernandez, who represents Watsonville and previously served on the City Council, recalled how women living in Watsonville and working at a manufacturing plant in Santa Cruz were spending hours commuting to and from work on Highway 1 and wanted to change their start time from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. to address the problem.

He noted the county is renovating the former West Marine headquarters in Watsonville to locate more county services closer to South County residents so they can avoid Highway 1, hopefully by the end of the year,

and then looking to expand health services at the Freedom Boulevard campus in Watsonville the following year. Both moves are expected to bring some Highway 1 relief.

Sarah Christensen, senior transportation engineer with the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, pointed out how Soquel Drive, Highway 1 and the rail corridor come together to create the “Aptos Strangler,” the traffic logjam so many wish could be untangled.

“We’re going to fix it,” she said.

Transportation expert Jarrett Walker coined the term “Aptos Strangler” during a local presentation in 2016.

The federal government’s generosity came as a surprise to Koenig.

“I didn’t know this was a possibility,” he said. “All of a sudden, we’re golden.”

Koenig’s supervisorial district includes 5940 Soquel Ave., on the Highway 1 frontage road, where a 160,000-square-foot medical office building plus parking garage is proposed for Kaiser Permanente, which expects to bring 300 employees to the site.

Neighbors are worried Soquel Ave., a two-lane road lacking sidewalks and bike lanes, and their neighborhood streets will be overwhelmed by traffic.

The developer, PMB, must submit the final environmental impact report and host a community meeting. That didn’t happen in December, January or February.

After the community meeting, the project goes to the county Planning Commission and then the county Board of Supervisors.

Koenig pointed out the $25 million in

improvements known as the Soquel Drive buffered bike lanes are being rebid, with bids due March 16. See story on page 22.

He also said Jarrett Walker, who reimagined the Houston Metro bus system to connect people to jobs with no substantial increase in operating cost, has been hired to re-evaluate Santa Cruz Metro routes.

One more benefit from the $30 million: CalTrans estimates the Highway 1 project will create 2,167 jobs and improve access to top employers in Santa Cruz County.

In the meantime, county officials will turn their focus to housing — to map out places where homes can be built to satisfy the state’s demand for Santa Cruz County to build 4,634 housing units in the next eight years. n

Photo Credit: Kylie Brunelli

Dmytro Bieliaiev

Soquel Drive Safety Work Rebid

By Jondi Gumz

Aproject to improve safety for people on bikes and on foot on Soquel Drive from State Park Drive in Aptos to La Fonda Avenue in Santa Cruz is going to bid again, and expected to start work this summer.

The goal is to reduce collisions between cars and bicyclists — and between cars and pedestrians.

In 2020, Santa Cruz County was among the worst in the state for collisions, ranking third for bicyclists and fifth for crashes involving pedestrians age 65+, according to state Office of Traffic Safety. Many take place on Soquel Drive, a congested corridor used by drivers avoiding Highway 1 traffic jams.

The estimated cost of the project: $25.9 million.

The state’s Solutions for Congested Corridors Program is providing $16.4 million, with $4.5 million coming from the county’s General Fund and the remaining $4.96 million from the City of Santa Cruz, Soquel Creek Water District, gasoline tax revenue and other state transportation funds.

On Feb. 14, county supervisors voted 4-0 to seek bids; Justin Cummings was absent, officiating a wedding. Bids will be opened March 16 and a contract expected to be awarded in April.

Initial construction bids were too high, so the supervisors agreed to make two sec-

tions of sidewalk, near Robertson Street and also near LaFonda Avenue, optional in hopes of bringing down costs.

The improvements on routes used by Cabrillo College and Harbor High School students, will include: 2.7 miles

“buffered” bike lanes, 2.4 miles of separate

bikeways, crosswalks with flashing lights in 11 locations, synchronizing stoplights to improve traffic flow at 21 intersections, and upgrading 96 ADA ramps.

Systems will be installed to give Metro buses priority at traffic signals.

Soquel Village near Porter Street is to get green painted bike lanes.

Soquel Drive will not be widened but 5.6 miles are to be repaved and 5.6 miles are to be painted with green bike lanes. In some areas, vehicle lanes will be narrowed to make room for bike lanes, and some street parking will be removed.

Santa Cruz County Supervisor Manu Koenig highlighted the agenda item in his newsletter. He has heard from residents opposing new housing projects that the county’s transportation infrastructure cannot accommodate more development.

This project is part of the county’s effort to address that problem.

Another is the Highway 1 auxiliary lanes and bus on the shoulder project to begin this summer. n

What every birthday needs, party planners.

Choosing the right foods. Deciding on a safe exercise routine. Creating a birth plan. As a mom-to-be, you have a lot of planning to look forward to. Fortunately, Dignity Health – Dominican Hospital’s Family Birth Center has a whole team of specialists ready to safely guide you throughout your journey—from the support of our midwives to the added security of the only Level III NICU in the Monterey Bay area standing by. We even have live virtual classes to help you prepare for the big day.

Take a virtual tour of our Birth Center at DominicanBaby.org.

Pre

Life, I Love You, All is Groovy

By Michael B. Goldenkranz

Hey Dude, ya get any?”

In front of me on the sidewalk the stark white-haired gent in a form-fitted black suit, turned to respond to the sandy haired twentyish sun-bronzed guy across the narrow street.

“It was a stand-up day indeed,” he said.

His grey blue eyes gleamed and he smiled ear to ear.

“Well happy, happy, joy, joy, yelled another nearby 30-something,” loading his gear on his truck roof.

The white-haired gent proceeded with an extra spring in his step.

Yet he walked like a bow-legged John Wayne as I approached. His board rested against his shoulder like a longtime pro.

The waves crashed against that same Aptos beach (near Santa Cruz) where Joe

Biden in his trademark sunglasses, had traversed just a few weeks back, assessing the damage the wild tides and flooding had caused.

“How long you been surfing?” I asked the elder.

“55 years on a regular basis, and I’m 68 now. Walk like a duck, these days, and the wetsuit no longer hides my paunch, but I can still ride those waves.”

As I continued my early morning walk with my lovely Jillybean, contemplating my old man’s 92nd birthday in Aptoswhich occasioned our trip from Seattle, I started humming Simon & Garfunkel’s “Slow down you’re moving too fast, Got to make the morning last.” n

“Surfing” from page 5

How do you explain your 1st and 4th places out of the top 16 in the league championship?

Finn : I actually didn’t have the best season, and just barely qualified for the championships. The waves and conditions were good for the final and I had a good day. Cooper was rated way higher

in points for the season and could’ve easily taken the win. It was the first time we surfed against each other and we had fun.

Cooper: I was placed 2nd in the season before the final contest. I believe I could have surfed better in the final but I was happy to make it there and surf with Finn. Overall, it was a good season and I’m psyched on how I did! n

Michael B Goldenkranz is a retired neighborhood curmudgeon who enjoys volunteering with pro bono legal clinics in Seattle.

Photo Credit: Howard “Boots” McGhee Kyle Catterlin, a retired nurse, Vietnam medic, guitar builder/player, waiting for his next wave.

Dr. Dave Chamberlain, Cabrillo Host Lions Charter Member

Cecil David Chamberlain, the second dentist in Aptos and co-founder of the Cabrillo Host Lions, died Jan. 17. He was 82.

He was born in Tulare in 1930 and graduated from University of Southern California School of Dentistry in 1955. His commission in the U.S. Air Force sent him to Okinawa. He and Barbara were married in August 1955 and they spent two years at Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa. Many typhoons hit the island, including Emma, 180 mph winds.

Returning to the states, Dave practiced at Naval Ordinance Testing Station at China Lake. His parents vacationed at Seacliff State Beach. His father raved about great fishing off the cement ship. He talked Dave and Barbara into visiting. They thought Aptos was paradise compared to the Mojave Desert.

Dr. Chamberlain became the second dentist in Aptos. Not long after moving, Dave was asked to help start a Lions Club. He was a charter member of the Cabrillo Host Lions. He always believed in giving back to your community.

The Lions Club proposed a community building and a park on unused county property by Aptos Creek. He and many other Lions spent a year working on weekends to construct the building.

Dave served as club president and Lions District 4C6 secretary/treasurer. He volunteered at local schools. He participated in all Lions Club events. In 2018, Lions uncovered the World War I Veterans Memorial at Freedom Blvd. and Soquel Drive. Dave attended all the work parties through 2021.

He was an avid sports fan. During baseball season, patients listened to the games instead of music.

He was on the dental peer review committee and served on the civil grand jury from 1999-2000.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara; children Kathy Cole, Beth Miklavcic, and David Scott Chamberlain; grandchildren Hanelle Miklavcic, Evan Mikkelsen, Kyra Chamberlain, & Nicolas Yurasek; and greatgrandchildren, Lexie & Sophia Yurasek. Donations in his memory can be made to Cabrillo Host Lions Foundation, PO Box 94, Aptos, CA 95001. n

Spelling Bee Winners

The 2023 Santa Cruz County Spelling Bee 1st and 2nd place finishers advance to the California State Spelling Championship Saturday, May 13, at the San Joaquin County Office of Education.

They are Bayview Elementary fifth grader Liesl Hildebrand, first place and Ihan Kang, Westlake fifth grader, second place in the Elementary Division, and Gateway School seventh grader Sky Zeltser, first, and Ryan Repp, Aptos Junior High eighth grader second in the Junior Division.

Finishing third: Aria Menon, Mountain Elementary sixth grader, and Cooper Nel son, Aptos Junior High eighth grader.

The local contest, sponsored by the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, took place Jan. 28, at UC Santa Cruz.

This year’s competition was the first

event held in-person since 2020 due to the pandemic.

“Congratulations to our winners, and to every student who participated in this exciting academic event!” said Sofia Sorensen, multilingual achievement coordinator at the Santa Cruz COE and event organizer. n

Cooper Nelson (left), third place; Ryan Repp, second place. Not pictured: Sky Zeltser, first place

Cabrillo Host Lions charter members Dave Chamberlain (left) and Bob Madsen.

2022-23 All-League Boys Basketball

Isaiah Ackerman, sophomore on Aptos High School Mariners basketball team, was named to the Santa Cruz County Athletic League all league first team.

Trevor Brady, Aptos senior, and Kevin Hamlyn, Aptos senior, were named to the second team.

Harrison Bloom, Aptos senior, Hudson Garvey, Aptos senior, and Lawrence Ingram, Aptos junior, were honorable mention selections.

Aptos finished 9-1 in the league, and 19-9 overall.

The one loss was to Santa Cruz, which had one loss to Aptos and finished 22-7 overall, with Cardinals’ senior Aden Cury repeating as MVP.

Aptos graduated Cameron Saldana and Jack Spinelli, both firstteam all-league selections, but this year’s squad rose to the challenge and Aptos Coach Brian Bowyer, in his sixth season, was chosen Coach of the Year.

In the Central Coast Section, Aptos defeated S. San Francisco, 57-50, then lost to Burlingame, 42-37.

Here are the rest of the honorees:

First Team : Ben Dotten, Santa Cruz junior • Demeke Smith, Santa Cruz junior • Tristan Roure, Scotts Valley senior • Braylon Noble, Soquel junior

Second Team: Kirby Seals, Santa Cruz sophomore • Skylar Thayer, SLV senior • Will Shilling, Scotts Valley sophomore

Special Award Most Inspirational: Skylar Thayer, SLV senior

Honorable Mention: Demarco Hunter, Santa Cruz freshman • Mosiah Cumberbatch, Santa Cruz sophomore

• Jackson Douvia, Santa Cruz senior

• Taylor Knox, Scotts Valley junior

• Davie Bruce, Scotts Valley senior

• Zach Schilling, Scotts Valley sophomore • Evan Anderson, Scotts Valley junior • Damian Aguilar, SLV senior

• Jacob Sanders, SLV sophomore • Aiden Nounnan, SLV junior • Nash Campbell, Harbor senior • Matt Munro, Harbor senior • Nico Ramirez, Soquel sophomore • Cade Peterson, Soquel junior n

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz

On Jan. 27, Aptos defeated Santa Cruz 36-33 at Aptos.

Students Ride Metro

Free Starting March 1

Starting March 1, students in grades kindergarten through 12 will be able to ride the Metro bus for free throughout Santa Cruz County.

The Youth Ride Free pilot program eliminates fares in order to increase access and encourage student youth ridership. The program applies to all routes except Highway 17.

According to a 2019 Metro survey, only 9.7% of bus riders are under age 18, although they comprise19% of the county’s population.

The fare has been $2 for a ride and $6 for a day pass, the same for youth as for adults, with passes available for purchase online plus a $1.50 shipping and handling fee.

“Our local youth represent the future of transit and they need better access to Metro,” said Santa Cruz Metro Board Chairman Larry Pageler. “A key goal for

the Youth Ride Free program is to help develop lifelong transit riders, while meeting Metro’s overall goal of increasing transit ridership.”

How it Works

Riders in 8th grade and under may be asked by the driver to identify their grade level or the school they attend. Students may be asked to provide a student ID, if one is available.

Riders in grades 9-12 will be asked to show a student ID to the driver. Riders without a student ID get a special pass from their school or at the Pacific Station customer service window in downtown Santa Cruz.

Metro, which operates a fleet of 94 buses on 24 fixed routes and 32 paratransit vehicles, is focused on boosting ridership to 7 million trips annually within the next five years. n

For information, visit scmtd.com.

Esperanza Rising: Lessons Learned

Each year, the fifth grade class at Mount Madonna School focuses on human rights through a deep language arts curriculum that uses the young adult novel “Esperanza Rising” by Pam Munoz Ryan.

Esperanza who grew up wealthy on her family’s ranch in Mexico is forced to flee when her father is killed and childhood home is burned. She settles in a Mexican farm labor camp in California.

“We are comparing the experiences of the characters in the book to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” said fifth grade teacher Jessica Cambell.

The students began by each choosing an identified human right outlined in the declaration compiled by the United Nations in 1948. Each student chose a human right that was personally meaningful to them

and created a poster capturing the importance of that right.

“We discuss the plot, the inciting incident, the vocabulary — but we are also examining how human rights have been violated in history and in present times,” Cambell said.

The class looks at race, class, gender and other intersections of privilege.

“Esperanza” page 20

“End Homelessness” from page 9

This is a moment for Santa Cruz County neighbors and friends to gather, connect and give voice to ending homelessness.

The March to End Homelessness will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 1, at the corner of Cathcart and Cedar streets in downtown Santa Cruz.

Attendees will hear from local leaders, advocate partners and people with lived expertise regarding the importance of “housing as a human right,” before marching through downtown Santa Cruz to the Santa Cruz County Governmental Center for a festival open to the public.

The festival will feature partner

resources, food trucks, live music and vendors.

“Housing Matters is dedicated to resolving homelessness in Santa Cruz County,” said Mer Stafford, chief Iimpact officer for Housing Matters. “We aim to expand our reach by elevating the voices of those with lived expertise and our service provider partners. We encourage our community to show their commitment and support to ending homelessness by connecting with us and marching shoulder-to-shoulder in the spirit of compassion in action.” n

•••

For information including detailed FAQ, partnership and volunteer opportunities, visit: https://housingmatterssc.org/march2023/

Coming: 144 Homes in Watsonville

Aptos High Alum Mark Lester is Partner in Project

By Jondi Gumz

On Feb. 17, a rare sunny day this winter, a ceremonial ground-breaking took place for a 144-home subdivision, the largest in Watsonville in 15 years, on 11 acres overlooking Watsonville Slough.

Parcels of this size to build much-needed housing are extremely rare in Santa Cruz County, and home prices rose dramatically until the Federal Reserve doubled interest rates. This property at 511 Ohlone Parkway used to be a towing yard filled with junked cars, necessitating environmental cleanup.

Developer Lisa Li began tackling this project six years ago, and now she has two partners, lawyer Peter Radin and Mark Lester, a 1979 Aptos High alumnus and CEO of LandCo, which has done projects in Florida, Texas, Arizona and Hawaii.

Radin and Lester were classmates at Moreland Notre Dame School in Watsonville.

Radin, who got involved three years ago, called Li smart, analytical, resilient and very patient.

Lester said Hillcrest will add $130 million in real estate to Watsonville’s tax base when fully built, and pay $6 million in impact fees for schools and other services.

Li named her project Sunshine Vista and got approval of the Watsonville City Council in August 2018, before the Covid-19 pandemic.

The new name, Hillcrest, fits. Everyone had to climb up the hill to reach the ceremony, where jazz music and a green carpet welcomed guests.

The development, to be built in phases, will include 76 townhomes, 63 duplexes, and five single-family homes. The contractors are Ausonio Inc. of Castroville and Don Chapin of Salinas. Builders Capital of Seattle, Washington, is providing financing.

The timetable calls for the first sales in the summer.

“Spring 2023 will bring new beginnings for so many families,” said Shaz Roth, CEO of the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture.

Most of the sales will be at market rates, in the $800,000s, but 29 homes will be sold at below-market prices to be determined, according to Andy Ardila, of the Ardila Costello Team at Compass, which is overseeing sales and marketing for Hillcrest.

Wells Fargo is the preferred lender.

David Costello of Compass pointed out Santa Cruz County was listed by the Wall Street Journal as the No. 2 top emerging housing markets for spring 2022.

For the first 10 homes sold, the developers will donate $1,000 each to Second Harvest Food Bank.

City officials applauded the forthcoming affordable homes.

“It’s going to be a tremendous benefit to the community,” said Mayor Eduardo Montesino.

Other amenities will include areas for play and bird watching, and a hiking trail.

“144 Homes” page 20

Mark Lester (second from right) and Lisa Li (third from right), are partners in the Hillcrest development, 144 homes at 511 Ohlone Parkway in Watsonville.

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz The developers roll out the green carpet for guests at the housing development site.

Gov. Newsom: Build More Housing or Else

Editor’s note: Capitola and Santa Cruz County are working on their “housing elements” this year to meet the state deadline for identifying new housing sites. Capitola was told to build 1,336 units by Dec. 15, 2031, Scotts Valley, 1,220, and the county 4,634.

On Feb. 22, Attorney General Rob Bonta and the California Department of Housing and Community Development issued letters under their separate enforcement authority urging the Huntington Beach City Council to reject a proposed moratorium on housing projects under Senate Bill 9 and Senate Bill 10, as well as accessory dwelling units.

Under SB 9, local agencies must provide a “ministerial” approval process for any proposed duplex within a single-family residential zone, or for any proposed lot split of a single-family residential parcel. Ministerial review is where the public official ensures the proposed development meets all the applicable objective standards for the proposed action but uses no special discretion or judgment in reaching a decision. An SB 9 project may only be denied under limited circumstances.

In the letters, the Attorney General and HCD make it clear that the proposal —on the city council Feb. 22 agenda — is unlawful and directly threatens statewide efforts to increase the availability of affordable housing.

“We need partners in building a more affordable California, not more political grandstanding,” said Bonta. “I urge Huntington Beach to reconsider its latest proposal.

Our state is facing an existential housing crisis. It is past time to work together to put the people of our state first. My office is ready to take action as necessary to enforce our laws, but Huntington Beach still has time to course correct. My message to Huntington Beach is simple: Work with us and we will work with you.”

“The City of Huntington Beach continues to attempt to evade their responsibility to build housing, but they will simply not win,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom. “City leaders have a choice — build more housing or face very real consequences — including loss of state funds, substantial fines, and loss of local control. Californians need more housing in all communities and Huntington

Beach is no exception. Communities that fail to meet this moment will find out that the status quo will no longer be tolerated.”

“The actions being considered by the Huntington Beach City Council should raise concerns with every resident in the city,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez.

“This is another blatant attempt to evade state housing law, denying private property owners’ rights to house aging family members or build income through accessory dwelling units, and preventing the development of affordable housing when it is needed more than ever.”

Huntington Beach has an ordinance establishing objective development and design standards for SB 9 projects. According to Bonta, it is unclear how the city council can direct its city manager to cease the processing of any SB 9 applications on the grounds that any SB 9 project would purportedly be inconsistent with the city’s current zoning.

With respect to SB 10, Huntington Beach has not chosen to adopt an ordinance under that statute and instructing the city manager to ban the acceptance of SB 10 housing projects makes no real-world change to the city’s current practices, according to Bonta, who contends this demonstrates the city’s lack of support for strategies that promote housing production at all income levels.

“Build More” page 24

Senior Class Learning Journey to India

The senior class of Mount Madonna School are on a learning journey to India, Feb. 17-March 4.

The seniors named their 2023 trip to India “Sambandh.” This is the Hindi word for connection or relationship.

The class chose this name because they feel it represents a reconnection with the Sri Ram Ashram and the formation of new relationships with people that they have never met before.

They stated, “After a long three years full of hardships and isolation due to the pandemic, we have all been trying to rebuild ourselves and our communities in a healthier way. Our shared experiences connect us and remind us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Therefore, the intention behind our trip is to come together with our broader community in India and engage with every experience with respect, curiosity, and vulnerability.”

As preparation for their trip to India, the seniors interviewed Mount Madonna School alumna Soma Sharan (‘11) and wrote about what they learned.

Sam Kaplan wrote: “Throughout the interview Soma talked about philanthropy

“Esperanza” from page 17

Cambell said she likes Esperanza as a character because she is flawed.

“This book explores the issues from many perspectives,” said Cambell. “Not one person or group of people is put on a pedestal. It’s a complex story with quite a bit of nuance for the grade level it is written for.”

She added, “The students are seeing that human rights violations are still happening today. We read this story set in the 1930s but we bring it back to modern times.”

Fifth grader Parmita Jenkins-Wood observed, “The characters in the story discriminate against each other a lot. Workers’ rights are abused. Some characters get rejected based on their skin color and then they cannot find work.”

Classmate Dylan Kasznar added, “In

“144 Homes” from page 18

Former mayor Lowell Hurst said backing the project took political courage.

Neighbors were worried about traffic and environmental degradation.

In 2021, the remediation plan was amended in a 4-3 council vote. Originally the two feet of soil contaminated with lead and diesel was to be excavated and hauled away. The new plan called for

as the simple action of ‘showing up for one another,’ and showing your love for other people and for humanity.

“When we go to India and I am exposed to a new culture, I don’t want to forget to bring the best aspects of myself to the people there.

“And perhaps even more importantly, when I come back, I want to hold the people I meet there in my mind. How will I be able to show up for them, when I am back at home, across the world?” n

For photos, video and student perspectives, see the trip blog: india.mountmadonnaschool.org

On March 24, students will share reflections on their recent experiences in India. There will be a 9 a.m. reception, followed by a presentation 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Mount Madonna School upper campus.

the book, there’s a character named Miguel who wants to do engineering because he is good at it, but he has to work at the railroad because he is Mexican. He doesn’t have a choice.”

Student Jacquelyn Piccardo said the book is teaching her about perseverance: “Esperanza has been through a lot but she’s still going…MLK (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) fought for these issues and made progress but it’s not perfect.”

At the end of the school year, students will present a character study from the novel in which they are expected to write a thesis and prove their thesis in the text. They may also take their learning to the real world with a trip to tour a migrant farm worker camp and have an agricultural celebration in which students can taste foods referenced in the book. n

removing six inches of oil and burying the rest (about 20,000 cubic yards) in a cementsealed pit at the edge of the property.

City Manager Rene Mendes got props for helping mitigate the flooding emergency in early January.

The epic storm postponed the groundbreaking and led to scrambling to prevent flooding runoff from entering the slough habitat and affecting local wildlife. The solution: Nine retention ponds. n

Mount Madonna senior class

Reparations Task Force To Discuss Remedies

African-Americans experience debilitating economic, educational, and health due to the legacy of slavery and racial discrimination in California, according to a task force created by Assembly Bill 3121 to study the issue and recommend remedies.

The nine-member reparations task force, which will meet March 3-4 in Sacramento, has preliminarily recommended more than 115 actions.

One is to establish a cabinet-level secretary position over an African American/ Freedmen Affairs Agency tasked with implementing the recommendations, to identify past harms, prevent future harm, suggest policies to the Governor and the Legislature designed to compensate for the harms caused by the legacy of anti-Black discrimination, and “work to eliminate systemic racism that has developed as a result of the enslavement of African Americans in the United States.”

The daylong meetings start at 9 a.m. at California Environmental Protection Agency’s Byron Sher Auditorium, 1001 I St., Sacramento, are open to the public and

will be live-streamed. Comments can be made by phone.

The agenda includes five key questions:

1. What are the damage time frames? This becomes even more important for the prioritization of African American descendants of persons enslaved in the United States. 1865-1960.

2. Will there be a California residency requirement? If yes, how will it be determined?

3. What year determines the beginning of harm? Are there different starting points and end points for each atrocity category?

4. Will direct victims and/or all African American descendants of U.S. slavery in California (who meet the residency requirement) be compensated?

5. How will reparations be paid and measured to ensure the form of payment aligns with the estimate of damages? The interim report made these findings in a heavily footnoted report:

“Reparations” page 23

Jovan Scott Lewis

Amos C Brown

Kamilah Moore

Cheryl Grills

Lisa Holder

Donald K Tamaki

Steven Bradford Reginald Jones-Sawyer Monica Montgomery Steppe

Warm Season Bedding Plants Begin

By Tony Tomeo

Annual bedding plants are surprisingly more popular among those who enjoy gardening less. Those who procure the services of gardeners appreciate the rich colors and simple efficiency of annuals. Many who are more directly involved with their gardening consider them to be decadent. Nonetheless, warm season bedding plants will soon be in season.

Cool season bedding plants should perform well until the weather becomes too warm for them. There is therefore no rush to replace them yet. Besides, it is likely still a bit too cool for mature warm season bedding plants to be out in the garden. However, seed for warm season bedding plants takes time to grow. Some should start now to be ready for spring.

Seedlings relocate into a garden when adequately mature, whether from flats, cells or pots. Seed for many warm season bedding plants perform best directly in the garden though, without transplanting.

Nasturtium seedlings do not grow well within the confinement of cells. Then, they remain somewhat pekid for a few days while they recover from transplanting into a garden. They grow so much more efficiently from seed sown directly into a garden. Marigold can grow about as well from seed directly in the garden as they can as seedlings that grew in flats.

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Oxeye Daisy

For example, petunia, impatien and zinnia are some of the most popular of warm season bedding plants. Almost all of them arrive at their respective gardens as somewhat mature plants within cell packs from nurseries. Presently, such plants may be vulnerable to frost. However, seed of these plants that begin now should start to grow after the threat of frost.

Not many of even the most avid of garden enthusiasts grow these popular warm season bedding plants from seed. Yet, a few do so. Some unusual or rare plant varieties are only available as seed. Many common wildflowers and ‘true to type’ annuals provide seed for subsequent generations. Such seed generally start in flats with shelter from frost indoors.

From flats, seedlings may graduate to cell packs or small pots prior to transitioning into a garden. Some should actually begin within cells rather than flats.

Like several annual warm season bedding plants, oxeye daisy, Leucanthemum vulgare, is actually perennial. Also, some of the less extensively bred sorts disperse enough seed to naturalize and potentially become invasive. Increasingly popular modern varieties that are prudent with seed might not be true to type. Some might revert to more prolific forms.

Modern varieties should not get much higher than a foot and a half. They should also be more dense than the simple species, which gets a few feet tall. Foliage and form is quite variable among varieties. Stems are solitary or branched. They may be leafy or sparsely foliated above basal rosettes. Leaves might be lobed or serrate, with or without petioles.

The solitary, paired or tripled composite blooms of oxeye daisy are not so variable. They are classic daisies, with a dozen to three dozen clear white ray florets surrounding bright yellow disc florets.

Without deadheading, fresh new bloom overwhelms deteriorating old bloom. Oxeye daisy is splendid as a cut flower. Spring bloom continues through summer, and can actually continue sporadically for as long as the weather is warm. n

Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo. com.

Alyssum grows very readily from seed.

Oxeye daisy is actually a perennial.

“Reparations”

from page 21

In the census of 1860, the last census taken before the Civil War, of the about 12 million people living in the 15 slaveholding states, almost four million were enslaved. 25 In order to terrorize and force this enormous population to work without pay, the colonial and American governments created a different type of slavery.

Despite California entering the Union in 1850 as a free state, its early state government supported slavery. Proslavery white southerners held a great deal of power in the state legislature, the court system, and among California’s representatives in the U.S. Congress.

Some scholars estimate that up to 1,500 enslaved African Americans lived in California in 1852.

Enslaved people trafficked to California often worked under dangerous conditions, lived in unclean environments, and faced brutal violence.

In 1852, California passed and enforced a fugitive slave law that was harsher than the federal fugitive slave law, and this made California a more proslavery state than most other free states.

California also outlawed nonwhite people from testifying in any court case involving white people.

California did not ratify the Fourteenth Amendment until 1959, which protected the equal rights of all citizens, and the Fifteenth Amendment, which prohibited states from denying a person’s right to vote on the basis of race, until 1962.

Violence

Supported by their government, ordinary citizens also terrorized and murdered Black Californians.

The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) established local chapters all over the state in the 1920s. 56 During that time, California sometimes even held more KKK events than Mississippi or Louisiana.

Many of California’s KKK members were prominent individuals who held positions in civil leadership and police departments.

For example, in 1920s Los Angeles, prominent and numerous city government officials were KKK members or had KKK ties, including the mayor, district attorneys, and police officers.

Violence against African Americans peaked in the 1940s, as more Black Californians tried to buy homes in white neighborhoods.

Today, police violence against and extrajudicial killings of African Americans occur in California in the same manner as they do in the rest of the

Political Power

California also passed and enforced laws to prevent Black Californians from accumulating political power. California passed a law prohibiting non-white

witnesses from testifying against white Californians.

This law shielded white defendants from justice.

The California Supreme Court explained that any non-white person to testify “would admit them to all the equal rights of citizenship, and we might soon see them at the polls, in the jury box, upon the bench, and in our legislative halls,” a prospect that the court viewed as an “actual and present danger.”

California did not allow Black men to vote until 1879.

The state also passed many of the voter suppression laws that were used in the South. California prohibited individuals convicted of felonies from voting, added a poll tax, and put in place a literacy test

In California, the federal, state, and local government created segregation through redlining, zoning ordinances, decisions on where to build schools and highways and discriminatory federal mortgage policies.

Housing California

“sundown towns,” (a term derived from municipal signs announcing that African Americans must leave by dusk) like most of the suburbs of Los Angeles and San Francisco, prohibited African Americans from living in entire cities throughout the state.

The federal government financed many whites only neighborhoods throughout the state.

The federal Home Owners’ Loan Corporation maps used in redlining described many Californian neighborhoods in racially discriminatory terms. For example, in San Diego there were “servant’s areas” of La Jolla and several areas “restricted to the Caucasian race.”

During World War II, the federal government paid to build segregated housing for defense workers in Northern California.

Housing for white workers generally better constructed and permanent. While white workers lived in rooms paid for by the federal government, Black wartime workers lived in cardboard shacks, barns, tents, or open fields.

Racial Covenants

Racially-restrictive covenants, which were clauses in property deeds that usually allowed only white residents to live on the property described in the deed, were commonplace and California courts enforced them well into the 1940s.

Numerous neighborhoods around the state rezoned Black neighborhoods for industrial use to steer white residents towards better neighborhoods or adopted zoning ordinances to ban apartment buildings to try and keep out prospective Black residents.

Blight

State agencies demolished thriving Black neighborhoods in the name of urban

renewal and park construction.

Operating under state law for urban redevelopment, the City of San Francisco declared the Western Addition blighted, and destroyed the Fillmore, San Francisco’s most prominent Black neighborhood and business district.

In doing so, the City of San Francisco closed 883 businesses, displaced 4,729 households, destroyed 2,500 Victorian homes, and damaged the lives of nearly 20,000 people. The city then left the land empty for many years.

Schools

In1874, the California Supreme Court ruled segregation in the state’s public schools was legal, a decision that predated the U.S. Supreme Court’s infamous “separate but equal” 1896 case of Plessy v. Ferguson by 22 years.

In 1966, as the South was in the process of desegregating, 85 percent of Black Californians attended predominantly minority schools, and only 12 percent of Black students and 39 percent of white students attended racially balanced schools.

Like in the South, white Californians fought desegregation and, in a number of school districts, courts had to order districts to desegregate.

Any progress attained through courtenforced desegregation was short-lived. Throughout the mid- to late-1970s, courts overturned, limited, or ignored desegregation orders in many California districts, as the Supreme Court and Congress limited methods to integrate schools.

In 1979, California passed Proposition 1, which further limited desegregation efforts tied to busing.

In the vast majority of California school districts, schools either re-segregated or were never integrated, and thus segregated schools persists today.

California remains the sixth most segregated state in the country for Black students.

In California’s highly segregated schools, schools mostly attended by white and Asian children receive more funding and resources than schools with predominately Black and Latino children.

Environment

Black Californians are more likely than white Californians to live in overcrowded housing, and near hazardous waste.

Black neighborhoods are more likely to lack tree canopy and suffer from the consequences of water and air pollution.

For instance, Black Californians in the San Joaquin Valley were excluded from most urban areas with access to clean water as a result of redlining policies, racial covenants, and racially-motivated violence.

In Tulare county, the largely Black community of Teviston had no access to sewer and water infrastructure, while the adjacent white community of Pixley did.

This discrimination continued until recently: the town of Lanare, formed by Black families fleeing the Dust Bowl, had no running water at all until the 1970s, and was subjected to dangerous levels of arsenic in the water even after wells and pipes were drilled.

The town’s residents did not get access to clean drinking until 2019.

In the 1950s, a developer in Milpitas tried to build a housing development for both white and Black homebuyers. In response, the Milpitas City Council increased the sewer connection fee more than tenfold to thwart the development.

Black Families

Recent California Attorney General investigations have found several school districts punish Black students at higher rates than students of other races.

Investigations at the Barstow Unified School District, the Oroville City Elementary School District, and the Oroville Union High School District showed that Black students were more likely to be punished and/or suspended, and were subjected to greater punishments, than similarly-situated peers of other races.

A 2015 study ranked California among the five worst states in foster care racial disparities. Black children in California make up approximately 22% of the foster population, while only 6% of the general child population, far higher than the national percentages. Some counties in California—both urban and rural—have much higher disparities compared to the statewide average. In San Francisco County, which is largely urban and has nearly 900,000 residents, the percentage of Black children in foster care in 2018 was more than 25 times the rate of white children.

Cultural Life

In California, city governments decimated thriving Black neighborhoods with vibrant artistic communities, like the Fillmore in San Francisco.

Local governments in California have discriminated against, punished, and penalized Black students for their fashion, hairstyle, and appearance.

State-funded California museums have excluded Black art from their institutions.

California has criminalized Black rap artists, as California courts have allowed rap lyrics to be used as evidence related to street gang activity.

California has been home to numerous racist monuments and memorials for centuries.

Jobs

SeveralCalifornia cities did not hire Black workers until the 1940s and certain public sectors continued to avoid hiring Black workers even in 1970.

“Reparations” page 24

COMMUNITY BRIEFS

Bay Fed Leaders Selected for Leadership Monterey County

Bay Federal Credit Union’s CEO Carrie Birkhofer and HIEF Operating Officer Cameron Haste are among the 30 people selected for Leadership Monterey County. Also selected: Audries Blake, associate director of community relations at UC Santa Cruz.

The 10-month program of the Monterey County Business Council is designed to educate local leaders from different industries and to bring awareness and advocacy to all the significant economic impacts within Monterey County. Learn more about the program at www. leadershipmc.org.

•••

“Build

More” from page 19

Under state laws aimed at addressing California’s housing crisis, homeowners can build ADUs — sometimes referred to as “in-law units” — or additional homes (SB 9 units) on their lot under specific circumstances.

The city council’s proposed action would also be an unlawful attempt to preempt the application of state ADU laws, according to Bonta.

State law requires permitting agencies to approve or deny ADU applications ministerially and without discretionary review within 60 days of a complete application’s submittal.

Should a city deny an ADU application, it must provide in writing a full set

Free Income Tax Return Help (With an Appointment)

Santa Cruz Community Credit Union is partnering with Project SCOUT to offer the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program in Santa Cruz County. Anyone over the age of 60, those with a disability, lowincome families and individuals are eligible to get free help with tax return preparation. To make an appointment, call 831-724-2606 and leave a message with your name, age, and phone number. Certified IRS volunteers will contact you with instructions.

Documents to Bring to Your Scheduled Appointment:

• Intake Sheet (provided by Project SCOUT) so we know what you plan to declare in your taxes.

of comments to the applicant with a list of items that are defective or deficient and a description of how the application can be remedied by the applicant.

State law makes it clear that no other local ordinance, policy, or regulation shall be the basis for the delay or denial of a building permit or a use permit.

Refusing to process ADU permits would have the effect of reducing access to housing and also runs afoul of the Housing Crisis Act’s broad prohibitions on local government moratoriums seeking to restrict or limit housing development, according to Bonta.

The letters reflect the latest what Bonta sees as a string of troubling actions by Huntington Beach.

“Reparations” from page 23

The San Francisco Fire Department, for example, had no Black firefighters before 1955 and, by 1970 when Black residents made up 14% of the city’s population, only four of the Department’s 1,800 uniformed firefighters were Black.

During the New Deal, several California cities invoked city ordinances to prevent Black federal workers from working within their cities.

Labor unions excluded Black workers in California. Today, by some measures, California’s two major industries, Hollywood and Silicon Valley, disproportionately employ fewer African Americans.

Justice

ike the rest of the country, California stops, shoots, kills, and imprisons more African Americans than their share of the population.

Data show that law enforcement most frequently reported taking no further action during a stop with a person they

perceived to be Black, suggesting there may have been no legal basis for the stop.

A 2020 study showed that racial discrimination is an “ever-present” feature of jury selection in California.

The lingering effects of California’s punitive criminal justice policies, such as the state’s three-strikes law, have resulted in large numbers of African Americans in jails and prisons.

Health

The life expectancy of an average Black Californian was 75.1 years, six years shorter than the state average.

Black babies are more likely to die in infancy and Black mothers giving birth die at a rate of almost four times higher than the average Californian mother.

Compared with white Californians, Black Californians are more likely to have diabetes, die from cancer, or be hospitalized for heart disease.

Black Californians suffer from high rates of serious psychological distress, depression, suicidal ideation, and other mental health issues.

• Taxpayer Consent (provided by Project SCOUT).

• Your Social Security Card, SA-1099 form (if receiving Social Security Income), or ITIN

• A valid Driver’s License or ID with your picture on it

• Your most recent completed tax return. Bring your Tax Return from 2019 or 2020 to see if you get a higher Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

• W-2 forms that report employment income.

• 1099 forms that report self-employed income, and itemized expenses for this employment.

• Detailed list of charitable donations

In February, Huntington Beach advanced a proposal to strip private property owners of the right to add housing units starting in April, despite the need for additional housing and warnings from the state.

On Feb. 13, HCD and the Attorney General warned the city’s planning commission that the proposed adoption of an ordinance banning “builder’s remedy” projects would violate state law.

The builder’s remedy refers to a provision of the Housing Accountability Act prohibiting cities and counties that have not adopted a compliant housing element from denying housing projects for inconsistency with zoning if at least 20% of the proposed homes are affordable to lowincome households.

Unmet mental health needs are higher among Black Californians, as compared with white Californians, including lack of access to mental healthcare and substance abuse services.

Black Californians have the highest rates of attempted suicide among all racial groups.

A 2014 study of the Los Angeles metro area found that the median value of liquid assets for native born African American households was $200, compared to $110,000 for white households.

California’s homestead laws similarly excluded African Americans before 1900 because they required a homesteader to be a white citizen.

Throughout the 20th century, federal, state and local governments in California erected barriers to Black homeownership and supported or directly prohibited African Americans from living in suburban neighborhoods. In 1996, California passed Proposition 209 in 1996, which prohibited the consideration of race in state contracting. One study has estimated that, as a result of Proposition 209, minority- and

you’ve made, including dollar amounts and the value of items donated.

• For 1098 Payments or other contributions made.

• Form 1095-A, B, or C reporting your health insurance coverage.

• Letter 6475 from the IRS reporting your third stimulus payment in 2021.

• Letter 6419 from the IRS reporting your Advanced Child Tax Credit Payments in 2021.

~~~

This is an appointment-only VITA site host on Thursdays through April 14 at the Community Room of the Santa Cruz Community Credit Union Santa Cruz branch. Make an appointment by calling 831-724-2606. n

Huntington Beach has not adopted its housing element, even though HCD found its draft compliant with state law.

Members of the public are encouraged to visit the California Department of Justice’s Housing Portal and HCD’s website for more resources and information aimed at supporting access to housing. n •••

A copy of the California Department of Justice’s letter to Huntington Beach is at https:// oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/pressdocs/Huntington%20Beach-2-21-23-AG%20 Letter.pdf

A copy of HCD’s letter is at https:// www.hcd.ca.gov/sites/default/files/docs/ planning-and-community/HAU/HuntingtonBeachNOPV-ADU-022123.pdf

women-owned business enterprises lost about $1 billion.

The findings were included in the task force’s interim report to the Legislature issued in June 2022. The interim report includes preliminary recommendations for policies that the California Legislature could adopt to remedy harms.

•••

Afinal report will be issued before July 1, 2023.

To read the report, see https://oag. ca.gov/ab3121/reports

Task force members are: Sen. Steven Bradford, Dr. Amos Brown, Dr. Cheryl Grills, Lisa Holder, Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer, Dr. Jovan Scott Lewis, Kamilah Moore, chair, Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe, and Donald Tamaki. n

The meeting will be live streamed at https://oag.ca.gov/ab3121.

To provide public comment during the public comment period, call and enter the participant code.

Toll-Free: 844-291-5495

Participant Code: 3968101

Our families are struggling. Are there parenting classes available for families? If so, where are they held?

Parenting

workshops are available at PVUSD’s Family Engagement and Wellness Center through Disciplina Positiva (Positive Discipline) and Triple P.

The next Triple P Parenting Workshop will be on Thursday, March 9, at 5:30pm to discuss helping children with ADHD thrive at home.

The next Disciplina Positiva Parenting Workshop will be a virtual meeting on Wednesday, March 15, at 5:30pm.

A complete listing of future parent workshops can be found on the Family Engagement and Wellness Center website calendar.

My daughter is turning 4 soon. Can she go to Transitional Kindergarten next year?

All children turning 5 years old between Sept. 2, 2023 to April 2, 2024 should register for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) now.

Children turning 5 years old between April 3, 2023 and June 2, 2024 may enroll in Expanded Transitional Kindergarten (ETK) as space allows. Our TK/ETK sites are Amesti, Bradley, Calabasas, Hall District, HA Hyde, Mar Vista, Mintie White, Radcliff, Starlight and Valencia.

You can find the enrollment forms at: https://www.pvusd.net/subsites/ChildDevelopment-Department/TransitionalKinder/index.html

Who took all of those new pictures throughout the District Office?

How much did you pay for that?

We are fortunate in PVUSD to have very talented staff with many talents. One of our former Career Technical Education teachers, Karen Lemon, is the photographer and was able to capture our students as they engaged in their CTE courses.

See https://tinyurl.com/ahs-cte-photocollection.

Why is PVUSD requiring students, who stay home sick, have an official PCR test to return to school? PVUSD has always done what CPDH recommends and CDPH recommends a test but does not mandate one to return to school. Who is making the decision at PVUSD to be more strict than the CDPH?

In alignment with this shift, the Santa Cruz County school districts and the

County Office of Education will be phasing out the school-based COVID-19 surveillance testing program.

This opt-in testing program will be discontinued effective March 1, 2023. Please note that this change does not impact the School Community Testing program, which will remain available at five sites throughout the county at no outof-pocket cost.

After March 1, families will be able to use over the counter home-based antigen tests to satisfy the testing requirements effective March 1.

These tests can be performed at home and will no longer need to be performed or observed by a healthcare provider or CLIA certified program. In accordance with California Department of Public Health guidelines:

a) Students who test positive for COVID-19 must stay home for 10 days, unless they test negative with an antigen test on or after day 5 and symptoms are resolving/improved

b) Students who have symptoms can return to school if at least 24 hours have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; AND Other symptoms improve; and they have a negative COVID test(s)-1 PCR test OR 2 antigen tests with at least 24-48 hours in between tests.

When is the deadline to complete the FAFSA for my student who is a senior? Where can I go to receive help with completing this form?

February is a critical month for high school seniors and continuing college students to complete a financial aid application to be eligible for free money for college.

In California, students must complete a financial aid application prior to the March 2 priority deadline to receive statebased grants that don’t have to be paid back.

Students who are US citizens or permanent residents should complete the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA), while undocumented students can complete the California Dream Act Application (CADAA). To get help with the application, students should contact their high school’s counselor or financial aid advisor. Completing a financial aid application

is one of the most important steps a student can take to prepare for life after high school. Low-income students receive, on average, more than $10,000 in free money to help pay for college. Students who complete a financial aid application are much more likely to attend college, continue past their first year, and ultimately earn a degree that will help them to start a career.

If you know a high school senior, current college student, or a parent of such a student, please let them know that they should complete an application by March 2.

Can you please let me know when PVUSD substitute teachers and PVUSD students will receive A.L.I.C.E. training?

“PVUSD Q&A” page 26

On Your Feet

32. Narc’s unit FEATURED COLUMNIST

hand

12. Toy block

13. As old as time?

14. Milan’s La ____

15. Drug addict

16. Craving

17. Some primatologists’ study object, for short

18. *Shoe, not a titular character in Henry James’ novel

20. What spirits and culprits have in common

21. Falstaffian in body

22. Jack Kerouac’s ___ Paradise

23. *Shoe, not lazy person

26. Concealing plant, in a painting (2 words)

30. Not leg

31. ____ ____ help

34. Poet Pound

35. *Sound of Wellington boots

37. U.N. labor issues org.

38. Twig of a willow tree

39. Database command

40. Type of purse

42. “Platoon” setting, for short

43. Canadian province

45. Overly preoccoupied with something

47. Motion of assent

48. Louisiana swamp

50. Like list of chores

52. *Animated movie about a dancing penguin (2 words)

56. “All About Eve” star

57. Biblical birthright seller

58. Generic dog name

59. Are not

60. What snob puts on

61. Cogito, ____ sum

62. Mountain, in Germany

63. Trinitrotoluene, for short

64. Movie tape DOWN

1. Yarn defect

2. 100 centavos in Mexico

3. A long time ago

4. Somewhat (2 words)

5. City on the Seine

6. Pool growth

7. ____ but not heard”

8. *Rupturing this will take you off your feet

9. Can of worms

10. Deciduous tree

11. *Percussion with one’s feet

13. Piano adjusters

14. Scrawny one

19. Caribbean religious and healing practice

22. Noble title

23. Apple TV+ coach

24. Acrylic fiber

25. Amortization root

26. *0.3048 meters

27. Web mag

28. Domains

33.

Contagious bug

38.

Exclamation of delight or dismay (2 words)

Fowl perch

weight

Two Fishes With a Silver Cord

We are under the light of Pisces until March 20, when Sun enters Aries and Spring begins. Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac, containing within itself all the eleven previous signs. Pisces carries in its waters the seeds of Aries, when all things new begin for the new year. During Pisces the past year is available for recollection and review. Pisces gathers the past year and all previous eleven signs, and offers them to the fires of Aries to create something new. The cycle of livingness is always unbroken.

The symbol of Pisces is the two fishes, one facing up, the other facing down. Bound together by a silver cord, they swim together between worlds — representing innate duality of creation. The two worlds — soul and personality, spirit and matter, light and dark, good and evil, God and human.

Pisces rules the lymph system and the Pisces biochemic cell salt is Ferrum Phos, providing oxygen to the blood stream providing a vital force that sustains life. Pisces is called the World Savior. Cell Salts (tissue salts, mineral salts, twelve biochemic remedies) are called the Cell Salts of Salvation — biochemistry that restores balance and harmony to the body

ARIES

With Sun in Pisces you may be dreaming more, feel more intuitive, a bit more sensitive, inspired and insightful. Study, prayer and retreats are worthy activities for you at this time. They will allow more gentleness and compassionto emerge — qualities and virtues needed when with an Aquarian group, when asked to be the leader and invited to visit the future. The new era is Aquarius, which Aries are called to initiate.

TAURUS

You have one task — to focus on health, tend to the oxygenation of cells, take more calcium, magnesium, NAC and chlorella. Do not let your body to become cold. You must use knowledge and discipline to care for yourself. As life in the new era becomes more changeable you will also have to weigh what’s best — to be out and about, leading everyone into the future, or remain at home caring for your physical body to bring it back to perfect health. Stay out of cities and big box stores.

GEMINI

Something beneficent, benevolent and bountiful happens between you and the cosmos, between you and the heavens. You’re inspired, encouraged and guided internally by the stars. With careful study, years of preparation, and viewing the past in terms of your great and wonderful gifts, pathways open, choices and commitments are made, and abundance settles into your mind and heart. These are interesting times for you. Study Pythagoras.

CANCER

A new and different study has been introduced to our world and if you are up to date on it you could be quite fascinated. It’s about the electric universe. It could make you feel generous and for the first time in a long time, you feel at home here on earth. It’s a new exploration into physics, time and a reality that was unknown to you. Now it’s presenting itself and you in turn will seek to participate fully. This changes your inner life. You are happy. Joyful, too.

LEO

D’Angeles

system. A noteworthy book to read during Pisces and into the new era is The Zodiac and the Salts of Salvation by Carey and Perry.

Lent: 40 days and 40 nights of purification and preparation for Spring. Lent offers us time to eliminate old patterns and create new rhythms. It’s good to consider cultivating a sense of giving (gifting) during Lent. Giving to those in need. Giving creates a divine circulatory flow of energies. What is given is returned 10-fold.

All actions, intentions and dedications generate an energy field of Goodwill. What do we give? Not necessarily things but the gifts of praise, recognition, deep listening, thoughts of Goodwill, prayers and blessings for others. And choosing kindness always. All acts of generosity and kindness create an energetic field of light that radiates outward to all the kingdoms around us. When thinking of offering money consider those deeply in need. The Right Use of Money is a major test for humanity at this time. This is part of the First Initiation for humanity — the Initiation in Bethlehem, House of Bread. n

(Note: for daily astrology & teachings see www.nightlightnews.org)

Observe yourself now and in the days to come becoming more insightful, discerning, perceptive, observant and wise. Observe that you are more intuitive and enlightened in terms of others, especially those you work with. Someone or something or perhaps some words you hear or read will assist you to shift into a deeper awareness of spiritual realities. This comes through money, resources, intimacy and/or dreams. In between, tend to taxes.

VIRGO

You will want to relate better and more with others, especially those close to you. They will then begin to bloom and flourish, increase, thrive and prosper, along with you. Like a garden under Spring’s sunlight. Over time, you become a greater support to others, offering guidance and direction where needed. Maintain harmony, challenge nothing and no one. Offer compassionate understanding instead. It will nourish your heart and then the hearts of others. People notice.

LIBRA

Think about what you want to be doing daily…what job, career, occupation, work, vocation, artistry, you truly and deeply need to pursue. If you don’t know, ask yourself what that may be. The true information will subtly appear. Talk to everyone about your hopes, wishes and dreams. In the coming year, if you rest more, your health improves, you become stronger and more resistant to illness. Have a salad with each meal, add apples and dates. I think you need a canary or a fish or two.

SCORPIO

Don’t go down the road of regular investments thinking you’re lucky and the economy will improve soon. The monetary situation is shifting in our country and world. For up-to-date economics, read Catherine Austin Fitts’ Solari report. Don’t take risks with your money and resources. Know that crypto currency is not the new economy. Don’t speculate. Invest in land, homes, greenhouses and bio shelters. Use your resources to create these environments. Work together with others. Study communities that are off the grid.

SAGITTARIUS

So many different ideas flow through your mind. Perhaps you’re thinking of moving near or far away. Perhaps it’s time to return home. You always want a place near a body of water or a mountain, or both. There is a benevolence occurring in your home and family life now. Interest in genealogy, your family tree, relatives and loved ones may take center stage. This nourishes you til the next phase of personal development appears.

CAPRICORN

Notice in the coming months your thinking becomes happy, optimistic and life questions and behaviors of others begin to make sense. You always act with intentions for Goodwill which bring grace and goodness to all interactions. You realize everyone’s doing their very best and often see to and help others who have lost their way. Begin writing (journaling, blogging) in earnest. You may write a book, actually. You have important observations and things to say.

AQUARIUS

This coming year will be one of challenges and hard work. This is so your vital life force can be ready for the new era of Aquarius unfolding. It will also be lucrative for you and money and resources will be available based on need. All resources should be used for your well-being. Share also with those in need, using resources to help others. You don’t want to owe money to anyone. Have cash on hand, gas in the car (no electrical vehicles, they are not sustainable), food and medicines on hand. The times to come contain serious situations to be considered.

PISCES

Good fortune, sunshine, blessings, grace and beauty will follow you this year. Hopefully all the days for the rest of your life. A new self-confidence and new sense of self-identity will also surface and later, flourish. There is a shift in the road ahead for you in terms of work. You become more international. In the meantime, maintain all responsibilities and obligations, tithe generously and consistently, and stand in the sun three times a day each day. The devas wait for you to join them.

ALICE training for staff, including substitute teachers, have been offered throughout the year.

To date, we have offered ALICE training at 20 school sites. Additionally, those that were not able to attend the training with their respective sites were invited to attend a make-up training session in December.

We encourage all substitute teachers to attend the training with their respective site or to attend the make-up session. Please reach out to Dr. Ivan Alcaraz, Director of Students Services if you need assistance with signing up for a session.

This year, we will be piloting our ALICE training with students at two sites, one elementary and one middle school. When selecting the pilot sites, PVUSD considered site staff knowledge and understanding of the ALICE training and the enrollment size of the campus. The pilot training is scheduled to take place this spring.

I use the Metro sometimes to get my son to school and I heard that soon they will have free bus service. Can you tell me if that is true?

PVUSD received communication from the Santa Cruz Metro administration that starting March 1, they will begin to run a Free Youth Fare pilot program with 24 routes to support K-12 students to take the bus to school, to work to the beach or to just meet up with friends.

More information, including frequently asked questions, can be found at www.scmtd.com/en/youthcruzfree.

If you are a family that uses or is considering using public transportation to get to school, here is the link to bus routes www.scmtd.com/en/routes.

This is a one-year program scheduled to run through Feb. 29, 2024.

I need to prepare for my son or my daughter’s graduation from Pajaro Valley High. Do you know when the graduation is?

2023 PVUSD High School Graduation dates, times and locations have been determined:

Wednesday, May 31

Virtual Academy, 9:30 a.m., Mello Center Pacific Coast Charter School, noon, Mello Center

Pajaro Valley High School, 2:30 p.m., on campus

Renaissance, 5 p.m., Mello Center New School, 7:30 p.m., Mello Center

Thursday, June 1

Watsonville High, 1:30 p.m., on campus Diamond Technology Institute, 3:30 p.m. Mello Center

Aptos High School, 5 p.m., Cabrillo College

Middle school promotions will be announced by the schools closer to the date. n

One Rain-Soaked Season Does Not End a Drought

By Eileen Cross, Community Relations, Santa Cruz Water Department and Rebecca Rubin, Public Outreach Coordinator, Soquel Creek Water District

Despite the downpours, flooding, and battering rains of December and January, it is too soon to declare an end to the multi-year drought that has gripped the state.

It seems counterintuitive to think of still being in a drought after the series of drenching storms that damaged our coastal region. But droughts are a complex phenomenon. Just as severe droughts can take consecutive dry years to develop, they can also take multiple wet years to come to an end.

The series of atmospheric rivers after years of drought are a perfect example of what meteorologists are calling “weather whiplash,” the result of extreme shifts in weather. Climatologists warn that such extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense, creating additional challenges to providing our communities with clean, safe, and reliable drinking water. Droughts deplete water supplies, and a single wet year doesn’t necessarily end that threat.

That is especially true for the Soquel Creek Water District and the City of Santa Cruz Water Department. Soquel Creek Water District relies entirely on groundwater for its water supply. Even before the current drought, the basin that provides the district’s water supply was critically over-drafted with seawater intrusion occurring at the coastline. Customers do an outstanding job of conserving, but those efforts have not been enough to offset the decreased recharge rate of the Santa Cruz Mid-County Groundwater Basin.

The aquifers within the groundwater basin take time to recharge – requiring years to recover from drought and over-drafting.

It is estimated that 5–7% of rainfall naturally recharges our local aquifers.

Capturing stormwater can be more challenging than one might think.

The County of Santa Cruz teamed with local water agencies to investigate stormwater capture projects as a potential solution to groundwater overdraft and seawater intrusion, but the technical studies found that the local geology, topography, and lack of available land for spreading basins and percolation ponds make these types of projects challenging.

The Santa Cruz Water Department stores as much excess water from storms as it can — and as its water rights allow.

The city relies on the Loch Lomond Reservoir for water during the dry season, but even when full it provides only a year’s worth of supply, making the city vulnerable to multi-year droughts.

The city is studying a variety of water supply alternatives to augment its water supply and adapt to a changing climate,

including potential aquifer storage and recovery, stormwater management, recycled water and desalination.

Pure Water Soquel will recycle and purify water from the Santa Cruz wastewater treatment facility to replenish the groundwater basin and prevent further seawater contamination. This will provide a reliable, sustainable, and highquality water supply that is resilient to a changing climate and drought conditions. It will provide a beneficial use for wastewater that would otherwise be discharged to Monterey Bay.

Preserving our common groundwater basin and capturing stormwater

runoff can be done at home. Soquel Creek Water District encourages businesses and households to capture stormwater through the use of rain gardens, redirecting downspouts into landscaping, and rainwater harvesting. For a complete list of Soquel Creek Water District rebates, visit https://www. soquelcreekwater.org/rebates. For a list of rebates available to Santa Cruz Water District customers, visit https://www. cityofsantacruz.com/government/ city-departments/water/conservation/ rebates

Living with droughts and extreme weather requires resiliency and adaptation. The consensus among scientists is that human-caused changes to our climate will bring more frequent and severe droughts, and more extreme weather events. We may have a temporary reprieve from the latest drought, but continue to encourage community members to use water wisely and learn more about why development of diversified and reliable water supplies remain a priority for our local water agencies. We face an uncertain future when it comes to climate, weather, and water. Droughts and floods are an unfortunate but inevitable part of the climate in our region. As regional partners, the City of Santa Cruz and the Soquel Creek Water District are committed to meeting the challenges of climate change and we are confident that our customers will continue to partner with us to maintain a clean, safe, reliable, and resilient water supply. n

Photo Credit: Dean Monroe

The Santa Cruz Water Department stores as much excess water from storms as it can — and as its water rights allow.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

ANNOUNCEMENTS UNAPOLOGETICALLY BLACK

Santa Cruz Art League, 526 Broadway, Santa Cruz

Hours: Wed.-Sat. 1-4 pm • Admission: Free

Through April 8, the Santa Cruz Art League presents Unapologetically Black, an exhibition featuring 18 Black visual and performing artists from Santa Cruz and the Bay Area, showcasing 80+ original artworks that represent a rich cultural her-itage. Artists in the exhibition:

• Abi Mustapha • Asual

Aswad • Bhavananda

Lodkey • Chris “Moze”

Mosley • Cyrus Howard • Deshaun Myles • Devi Pride

• Dylyn Turner-Keener • Elijah Pfotenjauer • Gregory

Speed • Jimi Evins • Joseph Jason Santiago LaCour

• Madonna Camel • Naomi Wells-Sokumbi • Nikia

Chaney • Rica De La Luz • Rick Bell • Yolanda Cotton

Turner

This exhibition is core to the Art League’s commitment to support artists at all ca-reer levels and to highlight the work of local BIPOC creatives.

DJ Monk Earl from AfroBeats Santa Cruz will play at the First Friday opening recep-tion 6-8 p.m. March 3, and there will be Jambalaya from Chef Madlyn Torrance, made with loving hands to feed your soul. Jason Joseph Santiago LaCour will per-form spoken poetry and Tia McCord will be do face gems for anyone interested.

•••

On March 24, Nexties Musician of the Year Maknova will perform live at The Broadway Playhouse.

LITO’S COMMUNITY CAFÉ & MARKET

2904 Freedom Blvd.

Blossom’s Farm Store & Coffee Shop in Corralitos has been sold to new owners Charlotte and Lazaro. They will officially take over March 1 and will re-open at 2904 Freedom Blvd. as “Lito’s Community Cafe & Market.”

The shop will be closed for 3 days between March 1 and March 3 for the new owners to make it their own.

They will continue the coffee shop along with offerings of locally grown produce, gift items, and a selection of Blossom’s apothecary and fermented items. For more information, call 831-319-4048.

•••

Blossom’s, a biodynamic farm that creates nutrientdense foods and herbal health and skincare products, will open a new farm shop at its new nursery, 2033 Aromas San Juan Road, Aromas, on March 17, a new date due to inclement weather.

Hours will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday. See blossomsfarm.com or call 831-246-1137.

CALL FOR ARTISTS

The 2023 Scotts Valley Art, Wine & Beer Festival will be held at Skypark, the original venue location where it all began in 1999!

Dates are Aug. 19 from 10am-6pm & Aug, 20 from 10-5pm.

Voted every year as “Scotts Valley’s Favorite Community Event,” this event you won’t want to miss.

All artworks will be juried by a committee. Apply by June 15 to save $40. The jury is seeking originality, quality, and excellent craftsmanship. All work must be original and handcrafted, no exceptions! No kits, mass-produced items, commercial reproductions, or imports will be allowed.

Artist participants are selected on the basis of 5 digital photo images:

1 of the booth display

1 of the artist at work creating in their studio with supplies and tools

3 images of handcrafted artwork. Images cannot be older than 2 years.

In addition to the fine artists, there will be food trucks with innovative cuisine, live music, a Kids Fun Zone and the area’s most prestigious wineries and award-winning micro-breweries pouring their best.

•••

The Cops ‘N Rodders Car Show will be on Saturday with 100+ vintage classic cars will be on display. Sunday will be “Bring Your Dog Day” with contests and activities for all canines.

ROTARY SCHOLARSHIPS DEADLINE: MARCH 27

Capitola-Aptos Rotary gives about $6,000 annually in college scholarships to students graduating from Soquel and Aptos high schools.

Students apply and write an essay, then once they are chosen they must attend a club meeting to talk about their education plans.

The John Fisher Scholarship — in honor of past district governor, RotaCare Bay Area founder and Rotarian emeritus John Fisher — goes to a student starting at Cabrillo College.

Find applications at https://www.capitolaaptosrotary.org/

DISASTER RECOVERY CENTER HOURS

Disaster Recovery Centers in Santa Cruz County will remain open in March to assist residents impacted by the December-January atmospheric rivers that caused widespread damage. The centers are staffed by personnel from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Small Business Administration. The deadline to apply for assistance is March 16.

The Felton center has moved to Santa Cruz, in the basement of the County Governmental Building, 701 Ocean St., Santa Cruz, and is open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The center in Watsonville at the City Government Center, 250 Main St., will be open 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

County recovery staff will be available during regular business hours at 701 Ocean St. To reach the Recovery Permit Center, call 831-454-5323 or email rpc@ santacruzcounty.us during business hours.

More resources at the Virtual Recovery Center at https:// santacruzcounty.us/OR3/Emergency.aspx.

GRAND JURY SEEKS APPLICANTS

Have you wanted to serve your community and wondered how to get involved?

Does governmental waste, inefficiency, or lack of responsiveness concern you?

The Santa Cruz County Superior Court is accepting applications for the 2023-2024 Civil Grand Jury. The application deadline is April 28. Information is at https://www.santacruz.courts.ca.gov/ divisions/civil-grand-jury. Questions can be emailed to jury. information@santacruzcourt.org.

IRS TAX DEADLINE NOW MAY 15 DUE TO STORM EMERGENCY

In response to the havoc wreaked by winter storms slamming the Bay Area and California, the Internal Revenue Service is extending the deadline to May 15 to file federal tax returns and make payments.

The IRS said it will provide “tax relief” to people who have been impacted by the storms as part of a coordinated effort by federal agencies. The extension applies to several deadlines for federal tax filing and payment that began as early as Jan. 8.

Individuals and businesses will have until May 15 to file federal income tax returns and make any payments. Eligible individuals can wait until May 15 to make 2022 contributions to their health savings accounts and individual retirement accounts, officials said.

The deadline extension also applies to quarterly estimated tax payments, quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on Jan. 31 and April 30, and farmers who elect to forgo making estimated tax payments and normally file their returns by March 1.

For information on the state deadline, see https://www. ftb.ca.gov/ • For IRS tax tips, see https://www.irs.gov/ newsroom/irs-tax-tips

READ SING PLAY COUNT

Each year in collaboration with the American Libraries Association the Santa Cruz Public Libraries produces an Early Literacy Calendar in English and Spanish. Based on the Every Child Ready to Read practices of reading, writing, singing, talking, playing, and counting, each calendar contains 12 months of learning activities, book lists, nursery rhymes, and more. Explore the daily literacy-building prompts and activities with your child.

‘FARM TO SCHOOL’ AT WATSONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL

Saturday March 4

5 p.m., Mello Center for the Performing Arts, 250 E Beach St., Watsonville Pajaro Valley High School students have joined forces with Esperanza Community Farms and the Center for Ecoliteracy to help filmmaker Eugenia Renteria produce “Farm to School,” a short bilingual documentary film to showcase youth leadership and provide inspiration to connect schools to local farms.

The film will premiere at the Watsonville Film Festival at the Mello Center.

A Q&A session with the organizers Mireya GomezContreras and Guillermo Lazaro, co-leaders, Esperanza Community Farms, Alma Leonor Sanchez, Farm 2 Cafeteria Project manager, and students will follow.

The Central Coast grows a huge proportion of the nation’s food, yet many local stu-dents don’t have the opportunity to enjoy the bounty around them.

Farmers, students, farm-to-school organizers and the filmmaker have invited me-dia tour the farm and explore the benefits and challenges of launching similar pro-grams at other schools in the Central Coast region.

/ Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

February kicks off with a drawing activity: “Draw all the people in your family. Talk about each person while drawing them.”

Santa Cruz Public Libraries supports early literacy with programs and resources for children and families: Story time, Read to Me kits, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program, and more.

Calendars can be picked up at local library branches or downloaded at www.santacruzpl.org/kids/birth/ COUNTY

FAIR BOARD MEETINGS

1:30 p.m., Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 E. Lake Ave., Watsonville

Here are the dates of the remaining County Fair Board meeting dates in 2023. Each meeting takes place on a Tuesday:

March 28, April 25, May 23, June 27, July 25, Aug. 22, Oct. 24, and Dec. 5, all at the fairgrounds. Meetings also take place on Zoom. For agendas, see santacruzcountyfair.com.

BIG CREEK LUMBER SCHOLARSHIP

Big Creek Lumber will be offering the McCrary Family Scholarship for the third consecutive year to graduating high school seniors who will be pursuing careers in the skilled trades or forestry.

Past scholarship recipients are invited to apply for a one-time scholarship renewal for continued support of their education.

The deadline to apply is April 28. To apply see: www.bigcreeklumber.com/scholarships

BAY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP

Bay Federal Credit Union’s Education Scholarship is for students pursuing education and career training opportunities after high school. Up to three applicants will receive $1,500 to pay for expenses directly related to their continuing education.

Those who wish to be considered for an award must meet all eligibility requirements. Applicants must submit a completed 2023 Education Scholarship Application and all required documents by 11:59 p.m. Friday, March 17.

Award recipients will be notified via phone call and/or email by April 28.

See the 2023 Student Scholarship Application for complete details and rules. Questions? Email scholarship@bayfed.com.

ONGOING EVENTS

Mondays

BRIDGE CLUB

10:30 a.m.-Noon, Capitola Branch Library, 2005 Wharf Road The Capitola Branch Library will host Bridge Club sessions on Mondays (except holidays).

Everyone is welcomed from beginners to social players. Make new friends and sharpen your mind. Bridge Club is a partnership between Santa Cruz County Parks and Santa Cruz Public Libraries. Register at scparks.com or in-person the day of the event. Third Thursdays and Fourth Tuesdays

HOUSING MATTERS NEIGHBORS

Thursdays: 4:30-6 p.m., Garfield Park Library, 705 Woodrow Ave., Santa Cruz Tuesdays, 5:30-7 p.m., Capitola Library, 2005 Wharf Rd. A meet-up for people who want to learn how to take an active role in their neighborhood to bridge divides on the topic of homelessness.

At these monthly in-person meet-ups for neighbors can:

• Learn from local experts about real solutions to homelessness together

• Problem-solve and create solutions in your neighborhood together

Hers • Abi Mustapha

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

• Help to foster compassion and equity in Santa Cruz County neighborhoods together

For information call Marsa Greenspan, Housing Matters

Volunteer Program Manager: (831) 226-2486

Fourth Thursdays of the Month

PASSIONATE READERS BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

10:30 a.m.-Noon, La Selva Beach Library, 316 Estrella Ave. The Passionate Readers Book Discussion group meets on the fourth Thursday of the month at the La Selva Beach Branch Library. All adults are welcome.

Meeting will be in-person and virtually via Zoom. To receive the Zoom link, register at https://santacruzpl. libcal.com/event/9844949

This month’s selection is Tomb of Sand, by Sri Gitanjali

Second Sundays of the Month

SANTA CRUZ ANTIQUE STREET FAIRE

9 a.m.-5 p.m., Pacific Ave., Lincoln St. and Cedar St.

More than 40 vendors participate in this monthly outdoor fair. Weather updates are posted on Facebook at https://www. facebook.com/santacruzantiquefaire

DATED EVENTS

Saturday March 4

ROSE PRUNING WORKSHOPS

10:30 a.m.-Noon / 1:30-3 p.m., San Juan Bautista Historical Park Rose Gardens, 19 Franklin St. Get hands-on practice pruning roses!

Bring your gloves and clippers for a hands-on rose pruning demonstration with UC Master Gardeners of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.

After a brief demonstration and orientation, you’ll join UC Master Gardeners Debra Stone and Suzanne Cook in the rose gardens for an opportunity to practice your newfound pruning skills.

Do you have potted roses that need some TLC? Bring them, too, and Suzanne will show you how to prune for health and vigor.

These free workshops are expected to fill quickly. Each workshop is limited to 30 attendees. Pre-registration is required. To register, go to mbmg.ucanr.edu

Sunday March 5

KIDS’ BICYCLE SAFETY EVENT

10 a.m.-1 p.m., Capitola Mall parking lot, 1855 41st Ave. The local California Highway Patrol will host a bike safety event in the Capitola Mall parking lot.

The event will consist of a bike rodeo safety course, bike safety check, and helmet fitting.

Open to children of all ages. The event is designed to be entertaining while improving bike safety knowledge.

To sign your child up, please call (831) 219-0200 or email: Israel.murillojr@chp.ca.gov to reserve a spot — space is limited.

Thursday March 9

SHERIFF JIM HART AT CHAMBER LUNCHEON

11:30 a.m.-1 pm, Seascape Golf Course, 610 Clubhouse Drive, Aptos

The Aptos Chamber of Commerce will host its second luncheon meeting of the year at Seascape Golf Course. Guest speaker is Sheriff Jim Hart.

Price: $30 members/ $35 general admission. RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/aptos-chamber-jimhart, or call 831-688-1467.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN CORRALITOS

Friday March 24 and Saturday March 25

Fri: 2-3:30 p.m. • Sat: 4-7:30 p.m., Corralitos Grange Hall, 165 Little Corral Way, Watsonville Corralitos Woman’s Club presents Once Upon A Time in Corralitos, a murder mystery play in 3 acts. There are two shows: a Friday matinee and a Saturday dinner show at Corralitos Grange Hall. Tickets are $20 for matinee and $40 for dinner show at EventBrite.com. Proceeds benefit scholarship and club programs.

MENTAL ILLNESS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE

5:30-7 p.m., Online Webinar Interim Inc. will host an online webinar via Zoom, “Mental Illness & Navigating the Criminal Justice System.”

Are you close to someone living with a mental illness and responsible for their care? Have you ever thought about what might happen to them if they were arrested? Have they been arrested and you didn’t know what to do?

The workshop will cover: How to engage with law enforcement during a crisis or arrest, alternatives to incarceration, access to treatment following an arrest and Care Courts. A 30-minute question-and-answer session will be at the end.

Speakers include: Monterey Police Sgt. Mickey Roobash, Greg Peterson, assistant district attorney, Monterey County, and Melanie Rhodes, deputy director, Monterey County Behavioral Health Bureau. The workshop is organized by Interim, Inc. with Monterey County Behavioral Health, the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, and the Monterey Police Department.

To RSVP, go to https://navcrimjust.eventbrite.com. For information, call (831) 649-4522, Ext. 205.

Saturday March 11

SCIENCE & ENGINEERING FAIR

Judging begins at 9 a.m., Set up Mar. 10 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 E Lake Ave, Watsonville This year, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education is moving from a traditional science fair model to a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) EXPO in order to advance equitable access to inquiry-based learning.

The STEAM Expo provides a competitive and a noncompetitive showcase opportunity for students in grades TK-12. For the Competitive section, students design individual or team (max of 3 members)

inquiry projects to compete for awards, scholarships and prizes.

Top award winners represent Santa Cruz County at the California State Science Fair, the International Science and Engineering Fair, and the California and National Invention Conventions.

The 2022-23 Santa Cruz County Science & Engineering Fair will be in-person at the Fairgrounds. More information at https://sites.google.com/santacruzcoe.org/santacruzsteamexpo/home

Are you a site fair coordinator? Interested in sponsoring the fair? Do you have questions? Email hwygant@ santacruzcoe.org.

Sunday March 12

GABRIELE BALDOCCI

4 p.m., Peace United Church, 900 High St. Santa Cruz Distinguished Artists Concert Foundation presents pianist Gabriele Baldocci performing Liszt-Beethoven Symphony No. 5 plus improvisations on Beethoven by Baldocci, and works by Douglas Finch and Michael Williams at Peace United Church.

Baldocci is professor at Trinity Laban Conservatory

of Music and of the Purcell School in London, founder and director of the London Piano Centre and of the Milton Keynes Music Academy.

Tickets are $45 at: www.distinguishedartists.org

Tuesday March 14

COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING

9 a.m., County Governmental Center, 701 Ocean St., Room 525, Santa Cruz

After three years, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors has had its last hybrid meeting due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The next meeting will be in person at the County Governmental Center board chambers. For future meeting dates, see https://www.co.santa-cruz. ca.us/Government/BoardofSupervisors.aspx

Wednesday March 15

NATIONAL AG DAY SPRING LUNCHEON

11:30am-1:30pm, Heritage Hall, Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 E Lake Ave, Watsonville

The Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau with Agri-Culture will host the National Agriculture Day spring luncheon Wednesday, March 15, in the Heritage Hall at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Sarah Newkirk, executive director, Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, will speak on “Conserving Working Lands in the Era of Climate Change.” Tickets are $60. Reservations are at http:// www.sccfb.com/news/national-agriculture-day-springluncheon/ or call (831) 724-1356.

One highlight will be the presentation of the Al Smith Friend of Agriculture Award to an individual, business or organization not involved in production agriculture but one who has done much for the industry. Al

Smith, founder of Orchard Supply Hardware, donated 3,000 acres (Swanton Pacific Ranch) in the north coast to Cal Poly. The ranch has row crops, timber and a onethird-scale railroad, which was Al’s hobby. Last year’s honorees, Richard & Mary Travis, will present the award. Farm Bureau and Agri-Culture co-sponsor a poster contest (grades K-6) and poetry contest (grades 7-12) in Santa Cruz County and Pajaro Valley schools. Winning entries will be displayed at the luncheon and this year’s winners will be introduced.

The 2023 Agri-Culture Scholarships will be presented: Jimmie Cox Memorial Scholarship, Jeannie Witmer Memorial Scholarship, Laura Brown Memorial Scholarship, JJ Crosetti, Jr. Memorial Scholarship and Frank Prevedelli Memorial Scholarship. For information call (831) 724-1356 or email at sccfb@ sbcglobal.net.

CORRALITOS WOMAN’S CLUB SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION DEADLINE

The Corralitos Woman’s Club gives scholarships to students in a Pajaro Valley school with a minimum 3.5 GPA; or live in zip codes 95076, 95019, 95003; and be a U.S. citizen.

Required: A personal statement (1 page); one letter of recommendation from a faculty member (1 page), if you are not a current student, one letter of recommendation from an employer; and most recent school transcript.

“Calendar” page 31

Jim Hart

Pianist Gabriele Baldocci

Richard & Mary Travis received the 2022 Al Smith Friend of Agriculture Award

Santa Cruz County Strategic Plan

By Zach Friend, Supervisor, Second District

There is no question that the Santa Cruz County of today is different than it was 30 years ago and we know that some elements will be different 30 years from now than they are today. How do we invest in the current and future needs of the county? Where can the County improve? Where should we focus our efforts?

A few years ago, after significant community input on priorities and goals, the Board of Supervisors adopted a countywide strategic plan to provide a framework to answer these questions.

The Board emphasized the importance of having this be an actionable and measurable document — one that is reviewed, flexible and updated. One thing that is key in this effort is that the County has created measurable objectives with complete transparency about the progress of each objective.

All of this information can be found at https://www.santacruzcounty.us/ VisionSantaCruz.aspx.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to explore the site, there is a wealth of information about our County to be found.

Here is a short list of some of the things you can find from the performance metrics section of that link:

• A Transparency Portal from the Sheriff’s Office that outlines crime rate, calls-for-service, use-of-force data and more

• A Permit Center Portal from County Planning that outlines the median building permit review time, the number of permits issued this last year, the number of staff currently assigned to reviewing applications and information on disaster rebuild

• Data on the Road to Zero Waste that outlines how much of our local waste is diverted by recycling, yard waste, reuse or ends up in the landfill - with information on the status of the landfill

• A Budget Transparency Portal that lets you view any element of the budget (in a very easy way) and to drill down on department level budgets and see where the County spends its funds In addition, you can click on the County’s Operational Plan to see how we are performing on specific objectives that stemmed from community input. For example, you can view objectives on affordable housing, road repairs, storm damage repairs, natural resources and conservation and much more — and from this link you can see specific objectives and where the County stands (in near real time) in obtaining those goals. The purpose of this is to ensure transparency in our actions and also help inform policy decisions should funds need to be allocated differently in an upcoming budget to improve outcomes in specific sectors. It is a very easy to navigate site and if you have an interest in County operations, or simply want to know where your money is spent, spending a few minutes

on this site can really help answer those questions.

You can also visit the County’s main website at https://santacruzcounty.us/ and select the option “I Want To” and you will see “View Budget and Strategic Plan” as an option.

Why is a Strategic Plan Helpful? Working with the community to identify our community’s strategic direction prioritizes use of limited resources, set expectations and measurable objectives, help cope with environmental uncertainty and change, and provide an objective basis for programmatic and policy evaluation that previously did not fully exist.

Additionally, having measurable performance metrics provides the community with something tangible to review

the success of programs and policies. It supports data-driven decision-making and informs the budget process. Are our investments working? Should programs be reformed or improved? How do we best invest in improved outcomes?

As a result, the Board of Supervisors created a two-year budget combined with a two-year operational plan to carry out the County’s strategic plan goals. This aligns the budget and operational plan to provide funding alignment to meet specific community objectives. n •••

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 you can always call me at 454-2200.

For example, you can view objectives on affordable housing, road repairs, storm damage repairs, natural resources and conservation and much more — and from this link you can see specific objectives and where the County stands (in near real time) in obtaining those goals.

SCCAS Featured Pet

“Calendar” from page 29

Recipients will be notified in May. The form, which must be postmarked by March 15, is at: www.corralitoswomansclub.com

Thursday March 16

IMPACT LAUNCH ALUMNI SPEAK

Noon-1 p.m., Online Forum

March’s Alumni Speak topic is Best Practices Engaging Youth in Transformational Leadership.

Presenters via Zoom:

• Pamela Velazquez, United Way of Santa Cruz County — Jovenes SANOS program

• Heidi Merchen, SURJ — Upstander program

• Don Carney, Youth Transforming Justice — paid internship program

Time for Q&A and conversation. Register at https://tinyurl.com/impact-alumni-zoom.

Thursday March 16 and Saturday March 18

GROW PLANTS FROM SEED, CUTTINGS & MORE

Thurs 5-6:30 p.m. online class / Sat 10 a.m.-Noon, in-person at UC Master Gardeners Greenhouse, 1432 Abbott Street, Salinas

Esprit Shows Her Spirit

This week we have a beautiful dog named Esprit for Pet of the Week! She came into the Shelter as a stray found by a good Samaritan dodging traffic. Esprit was nervous and apprehensive at first when she got to SCCAS, but with time and patience we all started to see her sweet, social side come out. This pup started relaxing, opening her circle up to include more friends (people and dogs alike) and was able to go to events.

When in playgroups with friends she is a bouncy girl and at events she is open to meeting other dogs. Her foster mom said that she would thrive in a home with a patient adopter who works on her reactivity through positive reinforcementbased training and management.

Being an Akbash (a livestock guardian breed) she will alert to strangers coming on to property. While her bark is big, she is really a big softie at heart. Esprit would do best in a home with no cats or chickens and might be okay living with another dog if they meet prior to adoption.

If you would like to add a sweet pup to your home and life come to SCCAS and meet Esprit today!

Adoptions are first come, first served! Please view available animals on our website and then visit the Shelter at 1001 Rodriguez St. in Santa Cruz 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. Adoption hours are 10 am-5 pm. All adoption shows must begin before 4:45pm. n

•••

Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter’s full-service, open-admission shelter: 1001 Rodriguez St., Santa Cruz, 95062

Hours: Daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

• Website: www.scanimalshelter.org

SCCAS Main line: 831-454-7200. Animal Control: 831-454-7227. After-Hours Emergency: 831-471-1182 • After Hours: jillian.ganley@santacruzcounty.us

The UC Master Gardeners of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties propagation team grows hundreds of plants every year. Now, Propagation Team Leads Charlene McKowen and Dyan Apostolos will share their techniques to create new healthy plants from seeds, cuttings, and division. Cost: $20 (includes materials for hands-on portion) Save money by propagating a favorite plant — no need to look for an identical one in the nursery! Many plants need to be divided periodically to thrive. Both the class and workshop are aimed at those both new to propagation, or those who want to review their techniques for better results. To register, go to mbmg.ucanr.edu

Saturday March 18

Saturday March 25

RIO THEATRE FILM FESTIVALS

7 p.m., 1205 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz

March 18

Reel Rock 17: The World’s Best Climbing Films

Don’t miss three heart-stopping new films at the Rio Theatre in Santa Cruz featuring the year’s biggest climbing & adventure stories: A wild expedition on Nameless Tower in Pakistan; a new cutting-edge route in a massive limestone cave in France; and a journey to Palestine’s West Bank to explore the power of climbing to change lives. Films include:

Burning the Flame: Austrian climbers Babsi Zangerl and Jacopo Larcher attempt a coveted free ascent of The Nameless Tower in Pakistan DNA: Seb Bouin tackles what may be the world’s hardest sport climb in the Verdon Gorge of France

Resistance Climbing: In conflict-torn Palestine, a diverse group of climbers finds community, solace and redemption

Tickets are $22 at https://www.riotheatre.com/events2/2022/12/13/reel

•••

March 25

Top Dog Film Festival

The Top Dog Film Festival returns to the Rio Theatre, sharing a two-hour collection of short independent films from around the globe, all about dogs!

Meet dogs from all walks of life. This carefully curated program of short canine-themed films comprises

the most inspirational, heartwarming and entertaining stories about dogs and their human companions from independent filmmakers around the globe. A portion of proceeds will benefit the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter.

Tickets are $20 at https://www. riotheatre.com/events-2/2022/12/13/topdog

Dog lovers invited to preshow Yappy Hour at Sante Adairius Midtown, 1315 Water St., Santa Cruz.

Sunday March 19

CIRCUS BENEFIT FOR STORM VICTIMS

1-4 p.m., Capitola Mall Parking Lot, 1855 41st Ave Flynn Creek Circus will put on a performance to benefit for storm victims under the big top tent at the Capitola Mall. Profits from the performance will be donated to the Santa Cruz County Community Foundation Disaster Fund. The show features acrobatics, comedy, and extreme skills, ‘Spring Fairytale’ is an original narrative circus. Tickets are $35 at https://circusmentors.ticketspice. com/spring-fairytale-fundraiser

Beer, wine, hot drinks and light concessions will be available for purchase.

To donate a ticket to a local charity, call Nicole: 707-684-2118

Thursday March 23

RUNNING FOR OFFICE

7 p.m., Online Meeting

Are you a current and potential candidate for appointed or elected office in Santa Cruz County?

Are you a woman who is aligned with WILDR’s values of:

• racial and gender equity,

• reproductive justice,

• lifespan education funding,

• voter access,

• housing justice,

• equitable and shared economy for all?

Do you want to talk with and hear from others who are considering or planning to run for elected office?

WILDR will host a Zoom meeting at 7 p.m. March 23, to talk about openings for elected and appointed positions, and network with others for support and encouragement.

Register at: https://bit.ly/WILDR032323

Saturday March 25

LATINO ROLE MODELS

9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Cabrillo College Crocker Theater, 6500 Lower Perimeter Road, Aptos

Latino Role Models is a free conference at Cabrillo College Crocker Theater for Santa Cruz County students from grade 6 to college and their families.

Latino Role Models, sponsored by the nonprofit Senderos and the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, features Latino college students and professionals. The conference is conducted in Spanish with English translation.

Keynote speaker is Olga Talamante, executive director emerita of the Chicana Latina Foundation. She became the first executive director of CLF in January 2003 serving until she retired in March 2018.

Her family migrated in the early 1960s from Mexico to Gilroy where they worked in the farm fields for several years. Those years formed the basis for her activism as an organizer and supporter of the nascent United Farm Workers labor union.

Emcee is Emmy award-winning broadcaster Erandi Garcia. Regoster at https://tinyurl.com/latino-role-models-2023. n

Olga Talamante