Aptos Times: April 1, 2024

Willowbrook Memorial Complete A Symbol of Love: Remembering Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller

By Forrest Revere

Shifting from tragedy to reflection, friends, coworkers, and family gathered March 14 at Willowbrook County Park for the unveiling of the memorial area in honor of Sheriff’s Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller.

The new memorial area includes a brick and concrete

reflection area, flagpole, plaque and inscriptions eternalizing Gutzwiller’s sacrifice. As a lasting tribute to Sgt. Gutzwiller, his boots and those of his family have been embedded at the memorial to serve as a cherished sanctuary for solace and reflection. ... continues on page 4

Ten Years of Carrie’s Dream

This spring, the local nonprofit Carrie’s Dream marks a milestone: Ten years of raising money for dance scholarships with a dance showcase and auction.

The

Full Story page 5

Billionaire Supports PV Health Trust

Full Story page 8

Cover

Willowbrook Memorial Complete: A Symbol of Love: Remembering Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, By Forrest Revere

Community News

5 Ten Years of Carrie’s Dream: Scholarship Fund Celebrates a Decade of Support for Dance

6 Supreme Court Ruling: Government Taking Land Must Pay, By Cove Britton

7 Remember When The Stockton Riviera Was a Friendly Beach Neighborhood?, By Trish Melehan

8 Billionaire Supports PV Health Trust, By Jondi Gumz

9 First Fatal Mountain Lion Attack Since 2004, By Jondi Gumz

10 Highway 1 Overpass Construction for 14 Months

11 Cabrillo Stage Presents — In The Heights: July 11 – Aug. 4, By Mindy Pedlar • March 5 Election Update

12 Groundbreaking for Mar Vista Highway 1 Crossing, By Jondi Gumz • Lawsuit Seeks to Stop Highway 1 Auxiliary Lanes in Aptos, By Jondi Gumz

16 QingMing Observed • Aptos High Stages ‘The Pajama Game’, By Ben Ford

18 Your Future Is Our Business: 30 Years of Launching Students for Careers

20 Soquel Creek Water District Taps Melanie Mow Schumacher as General Manager

22 Career Exploration with a Twist

23 PVUSD Students Win Ag Scholarships: News and Notes, By Alicia Jimenez • National Ag Day Contest Winners

24 Run for Reading: April 20: Fundraiser for Live Like Coco Foundation at Pinto Lake Park

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Patrice Edwards editor

Jondi Gumz

contributing writers

Forrest Revere, Cove Britton, Trish Melehan, Jondi Gumz, Mindy Pedlar, Ben Ford, Alicia Jimenez, Teresa Hidalgo Dance, Risa D’Angeles, Tony Tomeo, Zach Friend layout

Michael Oppenheimer graphic artists

Michael Oppenheimer, Ward Austin production coordinator

Camisa Composti media consultants

Teri Huckobey, Brooke Valentine, Danielle Paul office coordinator

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“Willowbrook Memorial” from page 1

“This park, and this memorial, helps us write a new chapter. One that combines community love and remembrance with the happiness that only a park and outdoor spaces can bring,” Supervisor Zach Friend said. “Damon’s presence is strong at Willowbrook and now we have elements that join to honor his memory and bring the same joy to the community that he brought to life.”

This event commemorated the third, and final, phase of park enhancements which comes on the heels of the sport court renovations and playground improvements welcoming people of all ages and abilities.

Work began in 2022 as a tribute to the enduring legacy of Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, who dedicated 14 years in service to the Santa Cruz community and the Sheriff’s Office.

He grew up in Santa Cruz County and owned his first home in the Willowbrook neighborhood, often playing in the park with his beloved dog, Shasta.

Serene walking paths beckon for leisurely strolls, offering a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

County Parks Director Jeff Gaffney said, “County Parks is very grateful to be able to provide a place that will become an everlasting dedication for Damon and his memory. The impact of his sacrifice is demonstrated by the hard work and dedication

our community put forth to make it happen. It is an honor to have such beautiful upgrades and especially the seating area, which provides such a powerful place of reflection.”

The park renovations and memorial area were made possible by numerous community donations including the Santa Cruz County Deputy Association who provided their largest donation in the organization’s history. Many members of the Santa Cruz County Deputy Sheriff’s Association were present and stood in continued support to Gutzwiller’s family.

Ethan Rumrill, DSA president, said “This memorial is more than simply a reminder of the sacrifice paid by Damon the day he was killed, and the sacrifices of his family, friends, colleagues and this community every day since. It is a place of reflection and appreciation for all that Damon lived for and how much he still means to this community today. We are extremely grateful to all the individuals and organizations that have helped design, fund, and build this beautiful space in Damon’s honor.”

Faviola Del Real, widow of Sgt. Gutzwiller and mother of their two children, expressed her heartfelt sentiments, saying, “I hope that they can come here at different

stages in their life and think about him and make good memories.”

Gratitude was extended to the donors, whose generosity was instrumental in bringing the project to fruition.

Special recognition was expressed to Tom Ralston of Ralston Concrete, Steve Sutherland of SSA Landscape Architects and K&D Landscaping for their invaluable contributions. Project support was provided by County Park Friends, the Deputy Sheriff’s Association, the office of Supervisor Zach Friend, and County Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services.

It is through their collective dedication and generosity that Willowbrook Park stands as a symbol of remembrance, unity, and enduring love. n

Cover Photo: Faviola Del Real, widow of Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, holds their youngest while speaking at the dedication.

The Fatal Call

On June 6, 2020, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Deputy Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller was 38 when he responded to a call that ended his life.

He was in Ben Lomond with other deputies investigating a suspicious van with guns and explosives when Steven Carrillo, 32, a former Air Force sergeant fired, killing Gutzwiller and injuring two deputies.

In 2022, Carrillo pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole.

On May 29, 2020, in Oakland, Carrillo fatally shot Protective Services Officer Dave Patrick Underwood and wounded a second officer, firing an ARstyle rifle from a van driven by Robert Alvin Justus Jr., 34, of Millbrae. In 2022, Carrillo pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 41 years in prison.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s office Northern District, Carrillo admitted he “aligned himself with an anti-government ideology and wanted to carry out violent acts against federal law enforcement.”

Michael Oppenheimer, Camisa Composti

Michael Oppenheimer website photography

Faviola Del Real, widow of Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, walks to the memorial at Willowbrook Park with their two children.

Ten Years of Carrie’s Dream Scholarship Fund Celebrates a Decade of Support for Dance

This spring, the local nonprofit Carrie’s Dream marks a milestone: Ten years of raising money for dance scholarships with a dance showcase and auction.

The event will be Sunday, April 21, with two performances at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Henry J. Mello Center, 250 E. Beach St., Watsonville.

The nonprofit was founded in memory

of Carrie Dianda McCoid, the owner of Steps Dance Studio in Watsonville, who died of a viral infection in 2012 at age 37, leaving her daughter and stepson.

She grew up in Felton, coached cheerleading and taught dance classes for 15 years, helped found the Hot Rods on the Beach event, sold real estate, and in 2010 realized her lifelong dream to open her own dance studio.

She was a beloved figure in the dance community, offering scholarships to those who could not afford dance lessons.

In 2014, a group of friends and colleagues including Tisha Nusbaum of Pacific Arts Complex were inspired to continue Carrie’s legacy of providing dance scholarships to children who otherwise could not afford them.

In the past decade, Carrie’s Dream has raised more than $300,000, providing vital support to the dance community and helping to fulfill Carrie’s aspirations.

Carrie’s Dream has made an indelible impact on the lives of aspiring dancers in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.

The dance studio is more than a place

to learn dance. It can be a safe and nurturing environment where children can explore their creativity, build confidence, and achieve a sense of accomplishment. For many, the dance studio is a second home, providing a positive outlet after school and on weekends for energy and emotions.

The community is invited to support this

cause by attending the show and auction, sponsoring the event, making donations, or contributing items for the live and silent auctions. Your support can make a dream come true for a young dancer in our community.

Information on tickets, donations, and sponsorship is at carriesdream.org. n All seats are reserved. Tickets start at $20.

Carrie Dianda McCoid with young dancers

Photo Credit: Alexa Sinclair Amelia Valoroso, a junior at Aptos High School, will dance at Carrie’s Dream fundraiser.

Supreme Court

Ruling: Government Taking Land Must Pay

By Cove Britton

The patios located at the Rio Del Mar Beach Island homes are not publicly owned, nor may they be opened for public use without recompense.

Supervisor Zach Friend and others may have some uninformed opinions, but they have neither the credentials to support their talking points nor any motivation in the matter beyond self-aggrandizement.

The basic fact here, as the 1987 Supreme Court 5-4 decision in Nollan vs. California Coastal Commission confirms, no governmental agency can take private property without recompense.

That law protects us all, the Coastal Act does not supersede that law, and even incorporates the key Constitutional protections against government taking private property or adversely affecting adjacent residential privacy.

A judge has determined, with no caveat, these property owners own their patios, and they have and have had the right to keep legally installed and decades-old fences in place.

One wonders why a politician and a few activists feel they can ignore the Santa Cruz Superior Court decision that considered 90 years of evidence and the fact that the County never spent one dollar on the various concrete, brick and cement patios now referred to by the Commission and County as a “public boardwalk.”

The beach is easily accessible, and private patios are not needed to do so nor required under the Coastal Act.

Any complaints about lack of sidewalks, lack of accessibility, or incon-

Who is right?

The Rio Del Mar Beach Island Homeowners Association, who owns beachfront homes with patios, or the California Coastal Commission, which fined the homeowners $4.7 million and ordered them to clear the walkway and allow the public beach access via their patios.

A Superior Court judge said there was no public easement to the patios.

Two local residents weigh in.

and ethically.

Essentially, this whole fiasco has ended up as an ongoing multimillion-dollar effort to make up for the elected County Supervisors’ failure to spend those dollars on needed road and flood improvements.

Supervisor Friend (soon to be moving to San Diego) defied the law and illegally directed County staff to demolish walls and fences without due process, and while inviting (with local Coastal Commission staff attending) local media to witness this illegal act.

The Rio Del Mar Beach Island owners should be thanked. They are trying to maintain their modest, World War II-era beach homes and small areas of outdoor space.

It is not unusual for the County of Santa Cruz to circumvent the law, and thankfully there are homeowners like the Rio Del Mar HOA, and the Nollan family years ago, with the fortitude to stand up to wave after wave of governmental attempts to take not only their tax dollars but even their small piece of private property. n

•••

Remember When The Stockton Riviera Was a Friendly Beach Neighborhood?

By Trish Melehan

My son was born in one of those row houses on Beach Drive in Rio Del Mar. That was 48 years ago. I remember the January night as if it was yesterday. As I labored in a small candle-lit room, the ocean waters came up past the ice plant that separated our patio from the beach sands.

There was no sea wall of boulders to keep the waters from the living room back then. That would not be built until 1982.

I remember thinking that the ocean greeted my son by coming higher than I’d ever seen it before. Earlier, as twilight was just emerging, I had wandered out to the beach to contemplate the imminent changes coming to my young life. Of course, I could not have imagined in how many ways the world would be transformed in 2024.

My family had purchased the house a few years before my husband and I moved in for a month. It was a modest beach house that I believe had been built in the 1950s, long before the Coastal Commission was formed.

My mother-in-law and father-in-law, residents of Saratoga, loved their little getaway and allowed my husband and I to stay there so I could have a home birth in Santa Cruz, the midwife capital of the U.S. at that time.

My children and their cousins spent many good times over the ensuing years at Rio Del Mar. Fourth of July celebrations with all the family were most memorable. BBQs, sand castles, and cheap fireworks brought us all together.

Until my mother-in-law’s death in 2009 only family members had used it. But when the house was inherited by my husband and

his siblings, a decision was made to turn it into a vacation rental. Unlike their mother, the heirs needed the income it would produce and this solution was a good excuse not to sell the family’s cherished beach house. It would also allow family members the opportunity to continue to use it occasionally.

So, it is not true that these homes are “owned by wealthy people who believe they can make their own rules.”

Most of those homes are owned by people with long family histories and ties to the area, many of whom have turned to sharing their homes with vacationers as a way to keep them in the family. A large percentage of those vacationers are from the Central Valley and their families have been coming to Rio Del Mar for generations. It’s a win-win situation for both the owners and the vacationers, who would not otherwise get to enjoy the experience of staying with their families in a home just a few feet from the ocean.

The strip’s nickname among these loyal fans is “The Stockton Riviera.”

People with memories longer than a few years know that the public could always walk along our patios. Many did. People could very easily have been walking below my window the very night my son was born. They were not discouraged to do so with onerous signs or threats.

Strollers could enter the walkway from the north side without any obstruction whatsoever. Or they could come up directly from the beach.

“Beach

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz Homeowners present their side of the story at BeachDriveIsland.com.

Billionaire Supports PV Health Trust

By Jondi Gumz

For the first time, billionaire authorturned-philanthropist MacKenzie Scott decided to ask worthy nonprofits to apply for funding to support their work. She got 6,353 applications, and instead of awarding $1 million each to 250 organizations, she opted to give away $640 million to 361 community nonprofits.

One of them is here in the Pajaro Valley: Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley, which was awarded $2 million.

The Health Trust, based in Watsonville, a farming and largely Latino community with high poverty rates and high rates of chronic illness, aims to change that by providing resources to empower people to make lifestyle changes that help them live longer and healthier lives.

“We are so incredibly grateful to be recognized on a national level for our work,” said DeAndre’ James, executive director of the Community Health Trust since 2019. “If you focus on doing good things for the right reasons, the money will follow.”

In Santa Cruz County, diabetes rates are 75 percent higher for Latinos than they are for whites.

Farmworkers who come here for seasonal jobs, planting and harvesting crops, get accustomed to the American high-carbohydrate food choices, pizza, hamburger on a bun with French fries, and cheap soda – one can may have 40 mg of sugar, equal to 10 teaspoons of sugar.

That can put you on the road to diabetes.

“Beach Drive Memories” from page 7

Several concrete steps were created years ago to allow access to and from the beach after the seawall was built.

The problem was that people could not pass all the way from the north side to the south side because there was a gate at the end of the island. When that barrier was erected, I do not remember, but it was decades ago. No one complained.

Regardless, the patios were open to any members of the public who wished to stroll along them. Those uncomfortable walking so closely to people’s homes chose not to. They walked along the sidewalk in front of the homes, or rode their bikes on the street, to traverse the quarter-mile stretch. It was a casual, friendly beach neighborhood.

Then some unnamed county officials covetously took a look down the row of houses and said to themselves, “Wouldn’t it be nice if the public could just get from one side to the other enjoying the lovely view. For the benefit of the public, we should turn those patios into a promenade.”

That was the beginning of this whole controversy.

The Health Trust opened the Diabetes Health Center in 1998 because an overwhelming number of people were seeking emergency care at Watsonville Community Hospital for uncontrolled diabetes.

In 2023, the Health Trust supported 2,262 patient visits, nearly half children, many with nutritional therapy.

Grants of $225,000 were awarded to community-based organizations serving the Pajaro Valley and $83,000 in scholarships given to students seeking careers in healthcare.

Newer initiatives:

• Weekly farmers’ market

• Prescription for produce, more than $49,000 in veggie vouchers redeemed

• Community gardens in healthy food deserts, such as Carey-Davis Community Garden, attracting 43 members

Yield Giving, founded by Scott, who is determined to give away half her wealth, launched an “Open Call” for community-led, community-focused organizations whose purpose is to enable individuals and families to achieve substantive improvement in their wellbeing through foundational resources.

Scott wrote about her approach to philanthropy on yieldgiving.com.

• Free exercise classes with movement screening by a local physical therapist, supported by the Central California Alliance for Health.

• A drop-in mental health center for youth — alcove — in Watsonville, in the planning stage.

Scott, who lives in Seattle and is the former wife of Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, and her team took notice.

The application process began a year ago.

The county decided the patios, which had been built and maintained for over 50 years by the homeowners, did not belong to the homes. It claimed the property lines, in effect, ended at the sliding glass doors. It sent menacing letters demanding all patio furniture and small privacy screens be removed immediately or exorbitant daily fines would ensue. It threatened to tax the space below second-story decks that extended out into the air above the “property line.”

Some of these decks had even been built recently enough to be blessed by county building permits.

So, the county, without warning or environmental impact studies, demolished the one gate and another structure that was part of a carport, but did not in fact, deny access to the area. It posted new signs encouraging usage of the patios for “beach access.”

Soon large numbers of bicyclists, skateboarders, and even an occasional motorcycle were traversing the row of patios from one side to the other. I worried that a young grandchild, emerging from an open sliding glass window unattended could have easily been injured, if not killed.

So, the HOA was forced to hire lawyers

donor team decided to expand the awardee pool — and the award amount.

Community Health Trust of the Pajaro Valley made the cut.

Initially she asked nonprofit advisors with representation from historically marginalized race, gender, and sexual identity groups to help her find and assess organizations having major impact.

This time, she asked community nonprofits to share what they are doing, no doubt uncovering organizations she had never heard of.

Yield Giving worked with Lever for Change, a nonprofit affiliate of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, which helps donors “find and fund bold solutions to the world’s biggest problems—including issues like racial inequity, gender inequality, access to economic opportunity.”

The organizations top-rated by their peers advanced to a second round of review by an external evaluation panel recruited for experience, and then a final round of due diligence.

In light of the incredible work being done, as judged by peers and external panelists, the

at great expense to fight the county. They won that fight because the history of the properties and the law did not support the county’s claims.

Now they are fighting the Coastal Commission. I use the word “they” because in 2020 our family sold the much-loved beach house where my son had been born all those years ago.

We couldn’t stomach the huge legal fees we were being forced to pay, nor did we appreciate the stress and time involved with fighting “City Hall.”

A quarter-mile promenade in that location is appealing, but it is no great boon to the public. There are miles of easily accessible stretches at Rio del Mar. The idea that turning those patios into a promenade will make beach access any easier is just ridiculous. Such a claim is nothing but a ruse.

A promenade is not the beach. One can walk the whole length of the beach in front of those patios. That part of Rio Del Mar beach is more easily accessible by entering it before the row of houses begins. Walking down the rocks in front of the patios to the beach can be treacherous and could not likely be used by any disabled person.

“In a world teeming with potential and talent, the Open Call has given us an opportunity to identify, uplift, and empower transformative organizations that often remain unseen,” said Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change.

Community Health Trust, founded with money from the 1998 sale of Watsonville Community Hospital to a for-profit operator, manages several endowments that support its programs, but those funds cover only a third of annual expenditures.

Revenue from donations, fundraisers and grants — such as the $2 million from the state for the youth mental health center — are critical to keep providing services aiming to help people get healthier.

There is still plenty of work to do.

The latest Santa Cruz County health rankings, unveiled March 20, appear to paint a bright picture but leaders such as Stephen Gray, CEO of the now locally-owned Watsonville Community Hospital, and Erica Padilla-Chavez of Second Harvest Food Bank, agreed that where you live dictate health outcomes.

Gray noted higher percentages of children in poverty and adults with diabetes in South County compared to North County.

“These are political determinants of health,” he said. n

Learn more at https://pvhealthtrust.org/

The “Island,” as it has been called for generations, is no longer a friendly beach neighborhood, but a true island. Resentments have been provoked. Property owners now feel the need to demonstrably protect their property rights by erecting an ugly fence where there had never been one. The public has been told they have a right to ingress and egress behind the row of houses that rich owners are selfishly trying to keep for themselves.

How many of your readers would graciously allow their family patios to be turned into a promenade? Government overreach? Greedy rich people?

Had there been any wisdom behind those covetous eyes to begin with, the area could have remained a friendly beach neighborhood and millions of tax dollars spent on an unnecessary lawsuit would have been saved for more beneficial projects.

But, it’s 2024 after all. The whole controversy is a sign of the times. n •••

Trish Melehan has lived in Scotts Valley for 46 years, is on the Board of the Scotts Valley Community Theater Guild and was a City of Scotts Valley arts commissioner until she resigned last year.

First Fatal Mountain Lion Attack Since 2004

By Jondi Gumz

A21-year-old man hunting for shed antlers in remote El Dorado County died after being attacked Saturday afternoon by a mountain lion, and his 18-year-old brother, who was also attacked, is alive after undergoing multiple surgeries.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said it authorized a professional trapper who located and euthanized a mountain lion in the area the attack a few hours after the encounter. This lion was a male, weighing about 90 pounds and appearing healthy; the CDFW lab determined that DNA samples from the scene match samples from the lion carcass.

The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office said Taylen Robert Claude Brooks, 21, died during the mountain lion attack and his brother, 18-year-old Wyatt Brooks, has undergone multiple surgeries. Both are from Mt. Aukum an hour away.

“We are all devastated by the tragic loss of Taylen yet thankful Wyatt is still with us and are well-aware the outcome could have been even worse,” a statement from family provided by the sheriff’s office read.

Family said Taylen loved the outdoors, enjoyed fishing and playing guitar. Wyatt has

been in the Mt. Adams Fire Academy and aspires to work for Cal Fire.

Georgetown, population 2,367, is a historic place in Gold Country and is a gateway to the El Dorado National Forest.

The brothers were hunting for antlers Saturday afternoon when the attack happened.

The younger brother called for help, and deputies responded, discharging their

firearms to scare away the mountain lion so they could aid the older brother. When deputies got to the older brother, they realized he had already died.

CDFW said this is the first confirmed fatality from a mountain lion attack since 2004. That was in Whiting Ranch Regional Park in Orange County.

Attacks are on the increase; 12 attacks

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have been reported to CDFW in the past 20 years, none fatal. Nine attacks were reported in the 20 years prior to 2004, two fatal.

Most of California is suitable habitat for the mountain lion, and El Dorado County reported a mountain lion sighting — a mother and her young — on the Eld Dorado Trail about an hour away.

•••

In 2019, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Mountain Lion Foundation petitioned the California Fish and Game Commission to list the Southern California and Central Coast mountain lion populations as “threatened” under the California Endangered Species Act.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife recommended in 2020 that listing may be warranted. The Fish and Game Commission voted to accept the department’s recommendation and advance these populations to candidacy. Protections are in place while state biologists are conducting a status review for the vote on formal listing.

Written comments or data related to the petition should be emailed to Esther.Burkett@ wildlife.ca.gov. Put “Mountain Lion ESU” in the subject line. n

Highway 1 Overpass Construction for 14 Months

The next step in the $79 million Highway 1 project to add bus and shoulder on auxiliary lanes is demolition and reconstruction of the Capitola Avenue overpass with bike lanes and sidewalks, starting in March.

As of March 11, the Capitola Avenue overcrossing will be inaccessible for 14 months during preparations for demolition with detours via Bay Avenue/Porter Avenue and Park Avenue.

On Saturday and Sunday, April 6 and 7, Highway 1 will be completely closed for the demolition, starting at 7 p.m. Saturday and reopening at 7 p.m. Sunday. Traffic will be detoured to Bay Avenue/Porter Street and Park Avenue and Soquel Drive.

This 24-hour closure is needed so crews can complete the demolition and haul debris away. Message and directional signs will be posted.

These scheduled work dates, which come before an earlier than usual Good Friday and Easter, depend on weather.

Updates are to be provided in case of inclement weather.

The contractor, Granite Construction of Watsonville, expected to finish the project in 2026.

One more component of the project: Build a bicycle/pedestrian overcrossing on Highway 1 at Mar Vista Drive in Aptos. The start date has not been announced.

The new Capitola Avenue overcrossing, expected to open in the summer/ fall of 2025, will have bike lanes and sidewalks for use by people on foot or bicycle to access schools, parks, beaches, and businesses.

Another component is construction of a pedestrian and bicycle overcrossing on Highway 1 near Chanticleer Avenue in Mid-

County. That project is well underway, with the frame already in place.

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, which has championed this project, believes that promoting the use of alternative transportation modes will increase transportation system capacity and reliability.

The RTC is leading completion of this project in partnership with Caltrans, the County of Santa Cruz, City of Capitola, and the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District.

The project is funded by 2016 Measure D funds and RTC discretionary funds that used to complete prep work necessary to ready the project for construction.

Construction is being led by Caltrans and is fully funded through a combination of Measure D and Senate Bill 1

Solutions to Congested Corridors and Local Partnership Program grant funds. n

For updated project information, see: https:// sccrtc.org/projects/streets-highways/hwy1/ bayporter-statepark/.

Detour route Saturday, April 6 through Sunday, April 7

Cabrillo Stage Presents ‘In The Heights’

July 11 – Aug. 4

EBy Mindy Pedlar

strella Esparza-Johnson joins Cabrillo Stage to direct In The Heights, LinManuel Miranda’s music-filled love letter to the community of his youth.

Like his Pulitzer-Prize winning Hamilton, Miranda effortlessly combines traditional musical numbers with a hint of rap and pulsating Latin rhythms that will threaten to lift you out of your seat.

Winner of four Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Original Score, In The Heights gives us a panoramic portrait of New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood, a vibrant, tightknit community filled with Spanish-speaking dreamers of American dreams.

It’s a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is hot, light and sweet, the apartment windows are always open, and the cool breeze carries the percussive rhythm of the bustling city and its three generations of music.

Of the nearly 90 talented singer/dancer/ actors who auditioned, 40 have been called back for another round, and soon the final cast will be chosen.

Choreographer Chris Marcos takes the stage to review his dance combination, which includes some high energy hip hop as well as a variety of Latin movements including salsa and bachata. To Chris, “The choreography is not just visual eye candy; it’s a tool to express feelings and emotion. The movement serves as a bridge between music and story with the cast as vessels to push the narrative forward in all directions.”

For this community on the brink of change, it speaks of hope, heritage and healing love; a universal story about chasing your dreams and finding your true home.

Esparza-Johnson joins Marcos to set the scene for the dancers. Her powerful vision requires truth and authenticity.

She advises them to “Create a real person. Imagine you’re coming home from a hard day at work. You’re exhausted. There is so much you want to do, to have, to be, but things get in the way. The song must arch from exhaustion and frustration to the possibilities that await you and to the joy of what the future holds!”

“In The Heights” page 15

March 5 Election Update

Supervisor, 1st District

Candidate Total

Manu Koenig 9,229 (52.37%)

Lani Faulkner 8,291 (47.04%)

Supervisor, 2nd District

Candidate Total

Kristen Brown 5,297 (32.75%)

Kim De Serpa 4,081 (25.23%)

David Schwartz 3,270 (20.22%)

Bruce Jaffe 2,781 (17,20%)

Tony Crane 669 (4.14%)

Supervisor, 5th District

Candidate Total

Monica Martinez 7,834 (46.44%)

Christopher Bradford 3,615 (21.43%)

Tom Decker 3,356 (19.90%)

Theresa Ann Bond 1,970 (11.68%)

K – Santa Cruz County Sales & Use Tax Increase

Majority to pass

Vote Total

Yes 41,497 (54.60%)

No 34,510 (45.40%)

N – Pajaro Valley Health Care District 30-Year Bond 2/3 to pass

Vote Total Monterey County

Yes 9,891 (68.51%) 706 (64.42%)

No 4,546 (31.49%) 390 (35.58%)

For state offices, the top two vote-getters move on to the general election regardless of party preference or whether one candidate receives a majority of all votes cast in the primary election. Here are the Santa Cruz County results as of 5 p.m. Mar 22 at www.votescount.us

State Assembly 28th District

Gail Pellerin

Liz

State Assembly 29th District

State Assembly 30th District

State Senate District 17th District John

U.S. Congress 18th District

Lawrence

U.S. Congress 19th District

Jimmy

Sean

Estrella Esparza-Johnson

Groundbreaking for Mar Vista Highway 1 Crossing

By Jondi Gumz

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission announces a groundbreaking Thursday, April 11, for the Highway 1 auxiliary lanes and bus on shoulder from Bay Avenue/Porter Street to State Park Drive and the Mar Vista freeway overcrossing for people on foot and bicyclists.

Measure D local sales funds and $76.3 million in state funds.

Goals are to:

The groundbreaking will be at Resurrection Church,7600 Soquel Drive, Aptos.

This is the last part of a $94.2 million project aiming to reduce traffic congestion on Highway 1, which is the connector from for people traveling from Santa Cruz to Watsonville.

Funding sources are: $22.5 million from

• Provide a safe way for people on bikes and on foot to cross the freeway at Mar Vista Drive

• Provide a safe way for people on bikes and on foot to cross the freeway at Capitola Avenue

• Reduce neighborhood cut-through traffic by adding auxiliary lanes in the oft-congested section between Bay Avenue/Porter Street and State Park Drive

• Speed up bus travel, and double ridership, by allowing buses in the auxiliary lanes

“Highway 1 Aptos” page 15

Lawsuit Seeks to Stop Highway 1 Auxiliary Lanes in Aptos

By Jondi Gumz

On March 18, the Sierra Club and Campaign for Sustainable Transportation filed a lawsuit in Sacramento Superior Court alleging that Caltrans, in approving plans to widen Highway 1 in Aptos with auxiliary lanes, failed to conduct adequate environmental review.

Caltrans approved the EIR Feb. 20.

Rick Longinotti, chair of the Campaign for Sustainable Transportation, said the auxiliary lanes between State Park Drive and Freedom Boulevard would axe 1,112 trees, including the Moosehead Redwood Grove.

The lawsuit calls for an injunction to prevent Caltrans and the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission from proceeding.

The auxiliary lanes, which would make “bus on shoulder” possible and potentially speed bus times and double ridership along with building two overcrossings for people on bicycle and on foot and creating the Coastal Rail Trail are part of the RTC’s $180 million project to reduce Highway 1 congestion.

“This project is based on the discredited belief that auxiliary lanes will reduce congestion,” Longinotti said. “The Caltrans EIR estimates that congestion in the northbound morning commute would get worse if the project is built. The EIR claims that there

would be congestion relief in the southbound afternoon commute in the opening year of the project. However, the EIR estimates the reduction in delay to be short lived. When roadways are expanded, more vehicles fill up the road in what transportation researchers call ‘induced travel.’”

The lawsuit, filed by William Parkin of Wittwer Parkin, contends that Caltrans’ Environmental Impact Report for the project did not meet the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). He cited these reasons:

The master EIR for auxiliary lanes from Santa Cruz through Aptos was invalidated in 2012 in a Sacramento Superior Court ruling on a lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club and CFST.

The EIR covering auxiliary lanes did not consider vehicle miles traveled, which the California Environmental Quality Act requires, because Caltrans claimed this kind of project was exempt from that analysis.

This EIR analyzed only the project and the no build alternative, not a range of options as CEQA requires. For example, another option could have been dedicated lanes for buses or building the rail and trail segment parallel to Highway 1.

By Teresa Hidalgo Dance

The Skylight Place is as much a fixture of Santa Cruz as it is in the thousands of homes and offices where the specialty screen and glass shop has provided glass repair, shower doors, skylights, window screens, and window replacement for the past 53 years. Locals know the Skylight is the place to go for their remodeling needs, what with its fully-trained installers reputed for “doing the job right the first time.”

That’s been Darrell Clark’s vision for the Skylight since founding it in 1971. Today, the stepson of his business partner, Rick Burger, is the shop’s general manager. As such for the past five years, Paul Eastman has so adhered to Clark’s vision that in 2018 he was recognized as one of the nation’s most promising remodeling professionals by Pro Remodeler magazine in its Forty Under 40 awards program.

“These are the minds that will take remodeling into an era of new professionalism and efficiency,” wrote the respected trade journal. “Learn from their insights and remember their names.”

Eastman first began working at the Skylight when he was 14, making window screens. At the time, the shop also installed windows and shower doors. He revealed that the company’s expansion into its current plethora of products and services was the result of something simple, the expressed needs of their customers.

“People would request things like, ‘do you do this with windows?’ or ‘would you put windows in?’’’ Eastman recounted. “We gradually went to repairing windows and from there, to installing windows, all because of a request. Shower doors and skylight installation? All of that was because somebody had asked us ‘can you do this for me?’’’

The SkylighT Place

Brightening Lives with Each Remodeling Job

Eastman is especially proud of how his company outdid itself in meeting one particular customer demand.

“We’re best at shower doors,” revealed Eastman. “As requested, we provide full installation service. Customers think it’s beautiful when we finish.”

Response to the finished job is of such pure delight that some customers pay bonuses.

Pleasing customers with outstanding professionalism is a forte of the Skylight.

“Since working at 15 years of age, I’ve always been in some type of customer interaction role,” said Kock. “At Skylight, I get to talk to people about baseball, racing, family events, aside from the business they came in for.”

On the business side of the relationship, customers benefit from Kock’s expertise, a result of on-the-job and formal training since coming onboard the Skylight seven years ago.

The work ethic of its employees explains a lot about the Skylight’s success. It’s a work ethic that translates to loyalty–not just because of barbecue socials or good job benefits–but also because the employees appreciate the work environment.

Take, for instance, two long-timers at the Skylight–lead installers Sushil Joshi, who joined the company 30 years ago, and Gerry Donoghue, a satisfied employee for the past 22 years.

“For the construction industry, we’re probably one of the best at this,” said Eastman. “We show up when we say we are going to show up. When we say we are going to do something, we do it. That’s not a very common practice in the construction industry.”

Customer service is friendly and competent from the first phone call. Consider Skylight’s systems manager, Stacey Kock. Responsible for consulting with the homeowners and contractors, he cares about building good relationships.

“They’re good people to work for,” described Donoghue. “We don’t have some boss screaming at you.”

Instead, workers at the Skylight have bosses who make considerate concessions like allowing them to take a break so they can pick up their kids from school, which was the case for Donoghue.

The Skylight Place may be up to its elbows in glass and tile but it is oriented towards its customers and employees. Can Santa Cruz ask for more in a full-service remodeling specialist representing what is good about living here? n

•••

The Skylight Place is at 4850 Capitola Road, Capitola. Website: https://skylightplace. com/ Call 831-476-2023. Hours: MondayThursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Stacey Kock

The showroom contains an array of choices for customers.

Paul Eastman

“Lausuit” from page 12

Longinotti said, “What we need are alternatives to being stuck in traffic. Spending $180 million on a futile project diverts funds from those alternatives.”

He said Minneapolis, Cleveland, and Atlanta have genuine bus-on-shoulder operations that attract riders because the buses are not stuck in traffic.

Caltrans has said one goal of the project is to improve safety.

Santa Cruz County ranks 5th worst in rate of serious injuries to pedestrians (out of 58 counties) and 2nd worst in rate of injuries to bicyclists.

The Sierra Club contends that investing in transit and making streets safer for bicyclists and pedestrians should be a higher priority than road expansions that don’t reduce congestion.

CFST and Sierra Club scheduled a

community meeting at 10:20 a.m. Saturday, March 30, at the Aptos Library to organize community support for alternatives to highway expansion. •••

Jeanie Ward-Waller, who was deputy director of planning and modal programs at Caltrans, was reassigned in September after she said she told higher-ups that she would file a whistleblower complaint about two road construction projects on Highway 80.

She contends Caltrans described the first project as “pavement rehabilitation” when it was actually freeway widening, using state funds devoted to road maintenance.

She contends the second project should have been considered with the first but by dividing them, Caltrans streamlined permitting and avoided evaluation of alternatives.

She said there is great pressure at Caltrans to deliver projects on time, and more analysis takes more time. n

“In The Heights” from page 11

What happens next is magical. Everyone rises to the occasion and gives it their all. They run the number a few more times and it gets better and better.

I feel honored to be observing this process and so proud of the talent, energy and enthusiasm each auditioner has shown.

In The Heights will win you over with its sweet story and tuneful score enlivened by the dancing rhythms of salsa and Latin pop. I have no doubt that the audience will have an entertaining, joyous and uplifting experience at the theatre. n

“Highway 1 Aptos” from page 12

One cautionary note: San Diego’s bus system, which started a 3-year bus on shoulder pilot program and pushed to increase ridership with the end of the Covid pandemic, but in 2023, there 226,345 weekday riders, up 10% from 2022. And a new $139 million battery electric rapid bus, expected to draw 4,500 riders, is attracting 1,500 daily riders; the goal is 12,000.

Locally, auxiliary lane construction on Highway 1 from 41st Avenue to Soquel Drive,

Online ticket sales begin April 1 at cabrillostage.com.

Box office opens June 20 for phone and walk-up sales Thursdays - Saturdays 12pm6pm and 1 hour prior to each performance or call 831-479-6154.

Performances: July 11 – Aug. 4, Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 2 pm with a special matinee on Saturday, Aug. 3.

Post-show discussion with the creative team on Sunday, July 14, immediately following the performance.

Cabrillo Stage performs in the Crocker Theater on the Cabrillo College campus, 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos.

the busiest stretch in the county with 100,000 vehicles a day, is well under way.

A new pedestrian overcrossing over the freeway is taking shape near Chanticleer Avenue.

This work is supported to be completed this year.

Demolition of the Capitola Avenue crossing, initially announced for March 23-24, was postponed due to rain in the forecast and rescheduled for April 6-7.

Detours are posted through the city of Capitola. n

The

QingMing Observed

Viyada Weng of Aptos was among those who came to the Capitola Library for a QingMing event to hear George Ow Jr. and Sandy Lydon share stories of the Chinese people in Monterey Bay. After their talk, attendees had an opportunity to make a mask to honor their ancestors.

Aptos High Stages

‘The Pajama Game’

By Ben Ford

Aptos High Drama is proud to present our production of The Pajama Game, directed and produced by Stacy Aronovici.

Transport yourself to the fabulous ‘50s, a world of bright colors, big skirts, and 30¢ gas prices! Mr. Hasler (Demetrius Sosa, senior), the greedy boss of an Iowan pajama factory, Sleep Tite, has hired a new superintendent Sid Sorokin (Ben Ford, senior) to deal with the factory’s vocal labor union.

Sid’s affable presence catches the eye of many female employees at the factory, most notably “Babe” Williams (Sophia Landry, senior), whose role as “Head of the Grievance Committee” throws a wrench in their blossoming romance.

A resentment for Sid grows in Sleep Tite foreman Vernon Hines (Riley Page, senior), as Hines is unable to shake the notion that his girlfriend and Sleep Tite’s bookkeeper, Gladys Hotchkiss (Ronja Eilfort, senior), is beginning to fall for another man.

Tensions continue to rise between the management and union, led by Prez (Tim Scott, senior), as Mr. Hasler refuses to give in to their demands of a 7 1/2¢ raise despite Sid and his Secretary, the mother hen of the Sleep Tite factory, Mabel’s (Mercy Nigh, junior) efforts to convince him otherwise.

Will the Sleep Tite workers get their raise? Will Sid and Babe be able to set aside their company dispute and keep their love alive?

You’ll have to come to Aptos High to find out! This show features a catchy musical score brought to life by a live orchestra of wonderful school and community volunteers, dazzling choreography, and a cast of complex and entertaining characters, and

although set in another time, the show highlights current issues such as workers’ rights and attitudes towards and challenges faced by women in the workforce.

Show up dressed in your coziest pajamas to receive one free concession item!

There will be 5 performances:

• Thursday, April 18 at 7:30 pm

• Friday, April 19 at 7:30 pm

• Friday, April 26 at 7:30 pm

• Saturday, April 27 at 7:30 pm

• Sunday, April 28 at 3 pm

Performances will be in the Aptos High School Performing Arts Center, One Mariner Way, Aptos.

Tickets are at https://aptos.seatyourself. biz for reserved seating (with a small additional fee) and at the door for open seating. General admission is $10, and student/ senior/staff admission is $8. n

•••

Ben Ford is a senior at Aptos High.

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz

Pre & K Discovery Day!

Your Future Is Our Business:

30 Years of Launching Students for Careers

Your Future Is Our Business commemorates three decades of dedicated service in providing students across Santa Cruz County with invaluable career exploration opportunities.

Since its inception, YFIOB has remained steadfast in its mission to equip every student in the county with the tools and resources necessary to discover and pursue fulfilling and prosperous careers. Recognizing the evolving landscape of the modern workplace, YFIOB is committed to empowering students with the knowledge and insights needed to make informed decisions about their futures.

Your Future Is Our Business bridges the gap between schools and local businesses, fostering collaborative partnerships aimed at nurturing Santa Cruz County’s next generation of skilled workers. By facilitating interactions between students and professionals, YFIOB aims to provide clear direction and guidance, empowering young individuals to chart their paths towards success.

On March 22, YFIOB celebrated its 23rd Annual Education and Business Luncheon at Twin Lakes Church in Aptos, featuring District 30 Assemblymember Dawn Addis as the keynote speaker.

At the event, YFIOB recognized the Soquel Creek Water District as the recipient of the prestigious 2024 Community Partner award.

Gratitude is extended to the generous sponsors whose support made the event possible. Thanks to their contributions, YFIOB awarded over $11,000 in scholarships to deserving local high school students, furthering their educational and career pursuits.

YFIOB scholarship winners are:

Career Exploration

• Zoe Torres , Harbor High School ($1,000)

• Aubriana Williams , Harbor High School ($1,000)

• Aliyah Bowers , San Lorenzo Valley High School ($1,000)

• Giselle Serriteno Palomo , Harbor High School ($1,000)

• Kiara Chavez , Delta High School ($1,000)

CTE Scholarships

• Maya Rosa , Aptos High School ($500)

• Alexa Flores , Aptos High School ($500)

• Scarlett Stateler , Aptos High School ($100)

“Your Future” page 26

Force To Be Reckoned With

By Tony Tomeo

Winter flowering cherry, flowering quince, witch hazel and forsythia are finishing bloom. Later types of flowering cherry and flowering quince bloom immediately afterward. Lilac, redbud and weigela bloom only slightly later. Flowering crabapple extends the season of such flashy early bloom. It is relatively easy to force any of these for even earlier bloom.

peach and flowering pear. Flowering pear is likely to smell badly though.

Forcing is more popular where cool weather inhibits bloom through winter. It accelerates bloom simply by exposing it to home interior warmth. Bulbs that remain dormant in cold gardens bloom sooner in warm homes. Winter is the most popular time for forcing bulbs. It is now time to force formerly dormant deciduous stems to bloom a bit earlier for spring.

It is less wasteful to force deciduous stems to bloom than to force bulbs to bloom. Bulbs rarely survive because they exhaust their resources without replenishment. Those that do survive and have potential to bloom again may take a year to recover. Bulbs are not cheap. Deciduous stems are free, and are as disposable as other popular cut flowers.

The most popular stems to force are the fruitless counterparts of fruit trees. This includes flowering cherry, flowering crabapple and flowering quince. Flowering quince is actually not closely related to fruiting quince though. It also includes flowering apricot, flowering plum, flowering

Stems from deciduous trees that actually produce fruit are just as easy to force. They are only less popular because they are not bred to be as pretty. Also, removal of their stems compromises fruit production. Those who plan to force such stems can leave a few extra during dormant pruning. Collection of stems should not damage or disfigure the source.

Stems are ready to force when their floral buds are just about to pop. Ideally, some buds should be slightly exposing their floral color within. A few flowers could be blooming. At that stage, bloom accelerates significantly in response to home interior warmth. Aridity can desiccate larger blooms. Otherwise, wisteria, dogwood, deciduous magnolias and perhaps azaleas are conducive to forcing.

Winter Flowering Cherry

Its name describes it simply. Winter flowering cherry, Prunus X subhirtella, is a flowering cherry that blooms for winter. It is more popular where winters are cool enough to inhibit other bloom. It is less common here only because of other options for wintry floral color. Besides, slightly more floriferous flowering cherries bloom almost immediately afterward.

WIntertime bloom is actually a bit more reliable here than where it is more popular. Frost is too mild locally to damage it much, and mostly occurs earlier. Rain is mostly too light and too brief to dislodge much of the bloom. Bloom is a bit less profuse than that of other cherries because it is a bit more continuous. Therefore, it recovers from minor damage.

The relatively common sort of this uncommon flowering cherry blooms for late winter. Its bloom is slightly lavenderish pink. Some rare cultivars can bloom as early as autumn or as late as spring. A few are pendulous. Floral color ranges from white to pink. Floral form is mostly single but can be double. Deciduous foliage turns yellow or orange for autumn. n

Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.

Such bloom seems a bit early.

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Soquel Creek Water District Taps Melanie Mow Schumacher as General Manager

At the March 19 meeting, the Soquel Creek Water District Board of Directors unanimously selected Melanie Mow Schumacher to become the District’s next general manager, succeeding Ron Duncan.

Schumacher, currently the special projects-communications manager/assistant general manager who’s been on staff for 28 years, will assume her new duties Oct. 1 when Duncan retires.

This appointment ensures continuity in the District’s leadership.

“Over her many years with the District, Melanie has more than proven herself to the Board, to District staff, to our customers, and to professionals throughout the water industry,” said Dr. Bruce Jaffe, president of the District Board of Directors. “Her expertise and tireless dedication to the goals of the District — particularly in bringing the Pure Water Soquel project to fruition — have shown us that she is the ideal leader to take the District into the future.”

Schumacher received a civil engineering degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and is a registered civil engineer in California. She received her master’s degree in public administration from Golden Gate University, San Francisco, and her capstone project focused on strategic planning and organizational excellence through the Appreciative Inquiry process.

Soquel Creek Water District, a small water agency 100% reliant on local groundwater to serve 40,000+ residents in Santa Cruz County, hired Schumacher as a junior engineer in 1995 upon her graduation from Cal Poly. Since then, her duties and responsibilities have continuously increased.

“I’m honored and grateful to our Board for their confidence and trust in appointing me as general manager,” said Schumacher. “It’s my privilege and passion to be part of the District, and I’m very proud to work alongside so many talented and dedicated colleagues. I look forward to focusing on service, sustainability, and stewardship.”

Schumacher has exhibited strong leadership and developed key relationships at the Board, staff, community, and industry/ partner levels contributing to the District’s accomplishments.

Her work guiding the District through the planning, environmental study, funding, design, and construction of Pure Water

Soquel has resulted in this crucial water supply project, now set to become operational later this year, poised to provide a new, safe, drought-proof water source and protection from seawater contamination of the groundwater that is the sole source of water for this community.

She was a driving force in the efforts to achieve considerable levels of funding assistance for Pure Water Soquel (especially for a small agency) — $100 million in State and Federal grants in addition to numerous lowinterest loans.

In 2023, she was recognized as Recycled Water Staff Person of the Year by the California WateReuse Association.

In 2022, the Board of Directors promoted her to assistant general manager. Since then, she has worked alongside current General Manager Ron Duncan, effectively taking an increasing leadership role.

Duncan said, “Melanie has been the heart and soul of the Pure Water Soquel program, demonstrating exceptional leadership qualities. She is the best choice to lead the District into the future.”

Schumacher is a past president of the Monterey Bay Water Works Association and a founding member of the WateReuse Communications Collaborative group. She has participated in dozens of water reuse conferences, panels, and webinars, served on a National Water Research Institute expert panel, and been active in helping the region work toward meeting the goals of the State mandate that the Santa Cruz Mid-County groundwater basin be made sustainable by 2040.

In her personal life, Schumacher lives in Soquel and enjoys running, hiking, dancing, and adventuring with her family. n

Melanie Mow Schumacher (center) is joined by then WateReuse Board President Paul Jones II (left) and SCWD Engineering Manager/Chief Engineer Taj Dufour at the 2018 WateReuse Symposium.

Career Exploration with a Twist

On March 13, Mount Madonna School high school students gathered for a CSI- (crime scene investigation) theme career forum in which they “interrogated” their “suspects” to uncover their careers.

Nine adults played the role of “suspects” and students were tasked with asking them questions.

Students grouped around the adults and took notes.

The student “detectives” asked questions such as “do you work in an office?” and “what are your hours?” and “do you travel for work?”

As the “interrogations” continued, the questions grew more specific and pointed.

Students could be heard asking questions like “Does artificial intelligence (A.I.) threaten your job?” and “Would you consider yourself a creative person?” and “What is the most rewarding aspect of your work?” and “Have you ever designed a product or software?” and “How would you recommend a student like me get into your field of work?”

If any question was too obvious or would directly reveal their identity, the “suspects” would “plead the fifth.”

Here are their true identities: Michelle Sunga, senior software engineer; Marty Cheek, publisher/reporter at Life Media Group; Sanjeev Radhakrishnan, software engineering director; Jeremiah Wuenschel, platform security director; MMS alumnus and board member Daniel Nanas (‘07), Google program manager; Tyler Graham, chef at Craftroots, an upscale vegan restaurant; Adrienne Smith, program manager for Lululemon guest support; and Pere Monclus, chief technology officer at VMware.

“I was really impressed with the students

and their insightful questions and curiosity,” said guest Marty Cheek. “It was wonderful to get to know them and tell them a little bit about what it means to be a journalist.”

Senior Isaiah Orozco said, “I think this was a creative way to get a lot of details on each of the jobs because you ask so many questions that you get a more in-depth background on what their day-to-day life looks like.”

He added, “It was a good way for us to look at jobs we don’t think about when we are looking at colleges – this helped me think about what I might do to get to that higher-up place.”

“I was surprised at how many tech jobs there were, and how different each tech job really was from the others,” said junior

Amelie Zands. “I found talking to Marty, the publisher, most interesting. I could tell he was a reporter by the way he engaged.”

“I liked Michelle [Sunga, senior software engineer] because I could tell she really loved her job by how she answered our questions,” said junior Chloe Smith.

“The CSI investigation format turned the traditional career forum to something highly engaging and hands-on,” said Ann Goewert, head of school. “Mount Madonna School is grateful for the volunteers who came to inspire our students, and to the parents who coordinated the event.”

After the suspects revealed their careers, students and guests enjoyed a delicious lunch together. n

WomenCare Virtual Fundraiser

WomenCare announces the second Reno to the Redwoods Epic Challenge.

This is a 3-month virtual challenge you can do from anywhere and help raise $10,000 for WomenCare, the Santa Cruz nonprofit that supports women diagnosed with cancer.

Virtually take the 300-mile route from Reno, Nevada around Lake Tahoe, through the mountains and valleys to the Redwoods in Santa Cruz.

Or take the 180-mile route from Reno to the River (San Joaquin River in Stockton!.

plus access to Live Map Tracking of your progress.

You will be able to see your progress along the route as you enter your mileage. And you can see where your fellow challengers are.

You can use whatever exercise you prefer (run, bike, swim, walk, row, other, or a combination) to complete the challenge, further your fitness, and raise money for WomenCare.

All challengers receive a limited edition Move Out Against Cancer, Reno to the Redwoods T-Shirt, a complimentary decal,

Go as few as 2-3 miles per day. Add all your activity miles together. If you keep track of all the miles from steps you take on a normal day, be sure to add this. Those steps add up! You can set your goal to move as few as 20 miles per week or challenge yourself to cover as many as you can.

Registration begins April 1, and the challenge begins April 15. Register by May 1 to get the T-shirt.

A mid-challenge walk for local participants will start June 3, location to be announced.

Challenge ends July 15, and July 22 is the last date to log miles. n

To register, visit renototheredwoods.com

PVUSD Students Win Ag Scholarships News and Notes

By Alicia Jimenez

PVUSD will have spring break from Friday, March 29 to Friday, April 5.

All school sites are closed but the District Office and support departments will remain open, except for Friday, April 5, when the entire District will be closed in observance of California’s Cesar Chavez Holiday.

Students Honored

At the National Ag Day Annual Luncheon March 20, PVUSD students were honored as scholarship recipients or for their art and poetry.

Scholarship recipients:

• Dulce Ramirez Rivera, PVHS $1,000 JJ Crosetti Memorial Scholarship

• Brianna Perez, WHS, $2,000, Laura Brown Memorial Scholarship

• Jonathan Duarte Gutierrez, WHS, $1,000 Frank Prevedelli Memorial Scholarship

• Liz Torrez, WHS, $1,000 Lou and Carol Calcagno Memorial Scholarship

• Julianna Lopez Solis, WHS, $4,000, Jimmy Cox Memorial Scholarship

•••

Future Plans: The PVUSD Wellness Center hosted County Health Rankings and Roadmaps press conference on March 20. To view a livestream recording on Facebook, see https:// www.facebook.com/PajaroValleyUSD/

videos/7453708164749064

CalKIDS: Do you know that the State has established a college savings account for all California newborns born on or after July 1, 2022? Learn more about where these funds will be housed and how you can access them, or attend free live webinars offered by CalKIDS. If you are already informed, you can set up an account and claim your student’s funds here.

National Alliance on Mental Illness offers an 8-Session Family-to-Family Program: This is a free Spanish series designed for family, significant others and friends of adults with mental health conditions, virtual and begins April 1. To enroll, go

National Ag Day Contest Winners

Poster Winners

1st: Evelyn Brown, 5th Grade, Delaveaga Elementary School, Santa Cruz

2nd: Juan Carlos Calzetta IV, 4th Grade, Santa Cruz Montessori, Aptos

3rd: Sienna Smith, Kindergarten, Moreland Notre Dame, Watsonville

Honorable Mention

Margaret Arden, 4th Grade, Delaveaga Elementary, Santa Cruz • Charlotte Renee Clark, 5th Grade, St. Abraham’s Classical Christian Academy, Aptos • Claire Momomi Batterson, 5th Grade, Santa Cruz Montessori, Aptos • Violet Gianelli, 3rd Grade, Moreland Notre Dame, Watsonville • Griselda Peres Castaneda, 6th Grade HA Hyde, Watsonville • Melina Lieby, 5th Grade, Delaveaga Elementary, Santa Cruz • Estella Parr, 4th Grade, Delaveaga Elementary, Santa Cruz

•••

Poetry Winners

1st and Overall Winner: Lyle Burchell, 7th Grade, “ Grown in Santa Cruz County and the Pajaro Valley,” Creekside Private School, Watsonville

2nd: Ivan Villagram, Watsonville High, “Golden Bounty”

3rd: Joshua Anaya, Watsonville High, “Fades of Memory”

Honorable Mention

Eli Romero Ortigosa, Watsonville High, “Growing Love” • Gwen Dobler, 7th Grade, “A Farmer’s Day,” Holy Cross Catholic School, Santa Cruz • Nathaniel Terrazas, 8th Grade, “Poetry Contest,” Holy Cross Catholic School, Santa Cruz •••

At the National Ag Day spring luncheon, outgoing County Supervisor Zach Friend received the Al Smith Friend of Agriculture Award.

to https://www.namiscc.org/de-familia-afamilia.html or call NAMI at (831) 205-7074.

Santa Cruz Metro Free Rides: If your student rides the Metro bus, the free youth bus ride program has been extended through Dec. 31. Reminder, a student ID is needed to board the bus. To get a metro youth Cruz-free ID, apply here.

Watsonville Youth Center: Offers opportunities for our youth to stay active, including the “Surf’s Up” event on April 20. Learn more here.

Pajaro Valley Education Foundation

2024 Art Contest: My Life in 10 Years. The foundation invites any Tk-12 grade student to submit their artwork by April 11 at 5 pm to be considered for a first prize of $100! There are four categories divided by grade: TK-2, 3-5, 6 - 8 and 9 - 12. Encourage your student to participate! https://tinyurl. com/2bemb2mm

Spring Fling: Join the Pajaro Valley Education Spring Fling on Thursday, April 18 from 5 - 8p m at Jalisco’s in Watsonville. This event offers a delicious dinner, student performances & silent auction—a symphony of flavors and talents in one vibrant evening! You can get tickets at Eventbrite for $40. https://tinyurl.com/2ykv4qly

Opportunities for Families of Students with Special Needs: For upcoming events, visit: https://www.spinsc.org/events-2

Family Arts Nights: PVUSD and Arts Council Santa Cruz County invites our families to a free workshop in visual art, drum and dance. Three workshops remain between March and April at a school near you! https://tinyurl.com/2d4evxgq n

Run for Reading: April 20

Fundraiser for Live Like Coco Foundation at Pinto Lake Park

On Saturday, April 20, Live Like Coco Foundation will host the Run for Reading at Pinto Lake County Park in Watsonville.

Now in its eighth year, this event funds critical community literacy programs. This also celebrates the birthday of Coco Lazenby, a self-described “book lover, cat petter, and environmentalist” who was killed in a car accident in August 2015 at age 12 and is the inspiration for the foundation.

This year, there will be a 1K and 3K color run for kids. And the nonprofit is fundraising for a new bookmobile.

What’s a color run?

Kate Pavao, founder of Live Like Coco Foundation, explains: “A color run just involves volunteers throwing colored powder at runners at certain checkpoints. We’re going to give all the kids a white Live Like Coco shirt so it really shows up! Should be fun!”

The foundation sponsored a grove in the Forest of Nisene Marks, a bench at LEO’s Haven, a garden at The Homeless Garden Project and a worm bin at Starlight Elementary’s Culinary Garden and Teaching Kitchen, plus hosted beach cleanups, organized field trips and sponsored scholarships for kids to try theater, art, swimming, horseback riding.

Starting in 2023, the focus has been on motivating children to read, in the belief that this is the key to improving young lives.

“Primarily, we give out books for ownership to local kids, through school and community partnerships, with a focus on South County,” Pavao said. “We also support other local literacy efforts by sponsoring libraries and author events.”

Each year, the Live Like Coco Foundation delivers more than 20,000 books to kids in the Santa Cruz County area; nearly 72% are lowincome and nearly half are English learners.

The Birthday Books from Coco program provides free, new books to students on their birthdays at local elementary schools.

Live Like Coco also offers Big Book Days program, a one-day celebration at a school when all students get to choose a book they love.

Pavao carefully tracks how many books are distributed.

Last school year, she said, “We reached 88% of the 7,139 students at our partner schools and we nearly doubled the number of books we distributed through Little Free Libraries, growing from 2,390 to 4,145 books.”

The next project is the bookmobile, which Pavao says will streamline book outreach and build excitement at giveaways and community events.

During school days, the bookmobile will serve as a library on wheels for the Watsonville Charter School of the Arts, which is the only campus in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District with no library of its own.

“In September, we purchased a fleetmaintained stepvan (imagine a UPS truck),” Pavao said.

She is working with a local vendor, Ruhne Racing, to convert the van into a bookmobile that can carry 2,000 books and is to debut at the annual Run for Reading in April.

She added, “We are working on contracts with PVUSD to bring our bookmobile to every district elementary school site during summer school, and to be able to open the mobile library to WCSA students at the start of the 2024-25 school year.”

The van cost $15,000, and Ruhne estimates the conversion at $64,855. With a vehicle wrap, insurance, and a maintenance account, the entire project is expected to cost $90,000.

So far, Pavao has paid $45,000, and aims to raise $20,000 at Run for Reading. She has applied for a local grant for$ 25,000 to cover the rest.

At the Run for Reading, all youth participants get a free book from the foundation and an invitation to a post-race party where community partners provide fun, educational, and engaging activities for children and their families.

To ensure that all children who want to participate can do so, a bus is provided to bring students from several Watsonville schools to the event. n

County Fair Theme: Pioneer Days to Modern Ways

Drum roll please! The Santa Cruz County Fair announces the winner of the fair theme contest and the theme: Kyle Middleton of Soquel beat out more than 85 submissions with her entry, “Pioneer Days to Modern Ways.”

As the winner, Middleton gets tickets to the Fair and a parking pass. But, because she is one of the dedicated Fair department heads — livestock superintendent — she chose to donate her prize package to the Boys and Girls Club of Scotts Valley.

“We have it all! Our pioneer past at the Ag History Project as well as a look to the future with new techniques and technologies — celebrating the past, present and future,” said Middleton.

The 2024 Fair will indeed showcase the best of Pioneer Days and Modern Ways.

For the first time, the Fair will feature a Drone Light Show. This show will feature 200 drones in the sky above the fairgrounds each night in a stunning and artistic display of technology choreographed to music after the major entertainment in the grandstand or the amphitheater is done.

The Fair will also host all the annual favorites… the Tractor Parade, Junior Livestock Auction, Monster Trucks and Motocross, a Horse Show, Charras and much more. The live concerts will include a Taylor Swift tribute.

Local bakers, makers, florists, farmers, quilters, poets, artists and LEGO lover, look for the Fair Entry Guide, online and in stores, May 1.

Then get ready for the Fair Sept. 11-15. See you there! n

Kate Pavao with Live Like Coco Foundation’s future bookmobile.

Pajaro Valley Health Care District Board Chair John Friel Dies

Applications Due April 14 to Fill His Seat; Nunez Becomes Chair

The Pajaro Valley Health Care District is deeply saddened to announce the passing of its esteemed chairman, John Friel.

Friel resigned from the board effective March 19, and he passed away peacefully on March 21, surrounded by family after battling an unspecified illness. He was 79 and lived in Aptos.

“This is a big loss for our organization and our hearts go out to John’s family,” said Stephen Gray, Watsonville Community Hospital and Pajaro Valley Health Care District CEO. “It’s difficult to express the amount of gratitude we all feel toward John. When the county asked him to lead the district, following its inception in 2022, John didn’t hesitate. He could have just decided to enjoy his retirement, but that’s not John Friel. He brought more than 50 years of experience as a nurse and as a healthcare executive to get the district off the ground, and ensure its financial stability and long-term sustainability. His committment to our community never waivered.”

Friel was a steadfast advocate for patients, beginning as a licensed vocational nurse, then a registered nurse, serving in hospitals as well as two years with the nursing corps at Travis Air Force Base, where he worked with wounded patients coming in from Vietnam.

He carried that conviction of helping people into his many leadership roles at several hospitals across California, and ultimately at Watsonville Community Hospital, when he became CEO in 1991. Friel helped secure FEMA funding with the help of Senator Dianne Feinstein and Congressman Sam Farr to build Watsonville Community Hospital’s current facility after the 1989 earthquake.

Friel’s extensive healthcare experience and his servant leadership style helped launch the Pajaro Valley Health Care District and return the hospital to nonprofit community ownership.

On March 19, the Board Room at Watsonville Community Hospital was dedicated to Friel during a small gathering with friends and family. Friel joined virtually from home.

District board member Jose Antonio (Tony) Nuñez was voted chairman at the board’s Feb. 28 meeting. He will chair his first meeting of the board at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, in the Community Room at 85 Nielson St., Watsonville.

“I’m grateful we were able to honor John last Tuesday,” said Nuñez. “We had a chance to thank him for his passion and dedication to Watsonville Community Hospital all these years, and we formally dedicated the hospital board room in his honor, which will now be called the John Friel Executive Boardroom. I am humbled by the opportunity to take on the role of board chair. I know I have big shoes to fill, but I’m excited by the opportunity to serve our community.”

Nuñez is marketing and communications manager at Community Bridges and brings with him a decade of storytelling expertise as managing editor at The Pajaronian and news editor at Good Times. Motivated by an unyielding curiosity and a deep-seated commitment to community empowerment, Nuñez is driven to understand and address the diverse needs of those he serves. A proud alumnus of San Jose State University, Cabrillo College, and Watsonville High School, Nuñez’s roots, originating from Cueramaro, Guanajuato, Mexico, and his upbringing in Watsonville, serve as powerful catalysts for his passion in serving his community.

He is one of the five inaugural Pajaro Valley Health Care District board members appointed by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors in March 2022.

“We are fortunate to have Tony step into the role of board chair,” said Gray. “Tony has worked tirelessly to help stabilize Watsonville Community Hospital and establish the Pajaro Valley Health Care District and he brings the right perspective and background

“This is a big loss for our organization and our hearts go out to John’s family. It’s difficult to express the amount of gratitude we all feel toward John. When the county asked him to lead the district, following its inception in 2022, John didn’t hesitate. He could have just decided to enjoy his retirement, but that’s not John Friel. He brought more than 50 years of experience as a nurse and as a healthcare executive to get the district off the ground, and ensure its financial stability and long-term sustainability. His committment to our community never waivered.”

— Stephen Gray, CEO, WCH and PVHCD

to the role. He has a great drive to do what’s right to bring healthcare access and equity to our community.”

With Friel’s resignation, there is an open seat on the Pajaro Valley Health Care District board. To serve, one must be a registered voter in Santa Cruz or Monterey County and have a permanent residence within the PVHCD boundaries.

Anyone interested in this position should

go to pvhcd.org to apply. Questions can be directed to Rosalie Brown, clerk of the board at Rosalie_Brown@watsonvillehospital.com. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. April 14. The PVHCD board will vote to appoint the new board director on April 24 to serve the remainder of the 2024 term which will end upon certification of the November 2024 board member election results for the 20252029 term. n

Finish the Lyrics

28. Stag

30. Tartans

35. “I’m ____ you!”

37. Commies

39. Monocot’s alternative

40. Road’s edge

41. Living room centerpiece?

43. Prefix meaning “left”

44. Deadly snake

46. Sasquatch’s cousin

47. Court petitioner

48. Blood infection

50. Indian flatbread

52. Opposite of post-

53. Sound of impact

55. *Duran Duran: “Her name is ____, and she dances on the sand”

57. *The Beatles: “Take a sad song and make it ____”

60. *Elvis: “We’re caught in a trap, I can’t ____ ____”

64. Relating to a mode

65. Scrooge’s exclamation

67. Memory failure

68. Bouquet thrower

69. Number of candles on a cake

70. Musketeers’ weapons

71. Picnic invaders

72. “Just kidding!”

73. Did, archaic

DOWN

1. *The Go-Go’s: “They got the ____”

2. 100,000, in India

3. Cameron Diaz’ Fiona, e.g.

4. Hula dancer’s hello

5. These are held to be true

6. Miners’ passage

7. *Tainted Love: “Once ran to you, now I ____”

8. “Lord of the Flies” shell

9. Like the other side of the pillow?

10. Certain kind of exam

11. Not his

12. Antiquated

15. Protection from a sword

20. To death, in French (2 words)

22. ____ B vaccine

24. Manna from heaven

25. *Bon Jovi: “Tommy used to work on the ____”

26. Habituate

27. Spaghetti ____

29. *Don McLean: “Drove my chevy to the ____”

31. Pains

32. Frost over (2 words)

33. Capital of Delaware

34. *Tennessee Ernie Ford: “I owe my soul to the company ____”

36. Geishas’ sashes

38. “____ ____ good example”

42. Royal topper

45. ____-tattle

49. Pronoun

51. Refused to act, archaic

54. City-related

56. Giraffe’s striped-legged cousin

57. *Bruce Springsteen: “Tramps like us, baby we were ____ to run”

58. Change a manuscript

59. Small amounts

60. Make sharper

61. Newspaper piece

62. Applications

63. Midterm, e.g.

64. Wharton degree, acr.

66. Back then

WMercury Retrogrades & the Path of the Eclipse

e begin the month of April with Mercury stationing retrograde in the Aries. Eight days later, on April 8, is the total solar eclipse. It is a most potent two events, both occurring in fiery Aries. A total solar eclipse signifies something deeply essential to/in our lives comes to an end, its purpose and work complete. Total eclipses occur during new moon times and this eclipse occurs at the new moon,19 degrees Aries.

The path of the eclipse goes over much of the United States. Total solar eclipses especially bring change and transformation, invite introspection; they carry an aura and wave of unpredictability that sweeps through our lives. Eclipses are connected to the nodes (past karma and present/ future dharma). They guide us back to our destined path.

perspectives. In Aries, our horizons are broadened about ourselves. Mercury retrograde is an in-between time, a time to catch up, a time of observing and planning.

Mercury retrograde often offer us an adventure, interesting and promising. We look back and gather what was good and we bring it to the present future. It’s a time of exploration, new possibilities to consider, a time of experimentation and perhaps when old flames again appear on our doorsteps.

Mercury retrogrades from 27 to 16 degrees Aries, April 8 to April 25. Mercury retrograde is about returning to, contemplation upon and reconsidering who are were in the past. Aries is also the major sign of self-identity.

Mercury retrograde in Aries allows us to reimagine our lives. It may feel like a very fast retrograde time, for Aries is swift, fiery and impatient. Retrogrades broaden our horizons, awaken us to new

ARIES

Subtle yet important shifts will be occurring in your life and on inner levels. You may feel as if you’re on a boat rocking to-and-fro wondering where you’re being taken and why. Attempt to anchor yourself within whatever spiritual reality calls to you while also reaching out to friends for support and reaching well into the future with hope. No one is prepared for the future that’s to come. But you will be one of those asked to help bring it forth. You initiate new realities. You can and you will. For now, simply observe.

TAURUS

New and different ways of living are being shown to you and they challenge your previously conservative (a good way to live for you) ways. There will be new goals offered to you also, and at first you will say “no” which allows you adequate time to ponder and to think. Then you will, after deep contemplation, come around to realizing these are good ideas you need to pursue. Take your time. There is no pressure. When you decide something you will move quickly forward. You continue to create the Art of Living.

GEMINI

Sometimes we express our identity by creating conflict, by rebelling, questioning or challenging authority. We do this sometimes with irony or humor.

When we are observing of our behaviors, we learn about ourselves, defining who we are (or don’t want to be). Feelings of limitation propels you to make certain changes that lead to more freedom. Act within correct timing (astrology) and observe if new opportunities suddenly appear. Events may occur that surprise or shock. After assessing the old ways, a new direction suddenly appears!

CANCER

It’s important you consciously choose to have a continuously open and spacious mind (Mantram: “My mind is flexible, adaptable and open at all times” recited over and over) to absorb the new possibilities coming your way. These will change your worldviews. Events will inform you that your previous way of thinking was a bit askew. Allow your thinking to be adjusted toward the truth and no longer based on opinions and judgment. This will be a large step in a new truthful state of awareness and consciousness.

Don’t be upset when plans and schedules seem jumbled, appointments are missed, and if issues that were simmering simply explode! It’s all part of the action that happens in retrogrades. This one, though, may be more fiery, more dynamic and dramatic than at other times due to Aries ruler, Mars, an impulsive, hasty and warring brother. Take note of communication. Are the words a reaction or a response, impatient and sharp? Communication during retrograde times is often difficult and at times, impossible to comprehend.

Mercury retro in Aries brings to light hidden aspects of ourselves, new identities, unresolved issues and hopes, wishes and dreams we are finally able to recognize. n

LEO

For some Leos, new relationships, friendships and partnerships will be available. For others, having property and money in common becomes either unavailable or overwhelmingly too much responsibility. Other Leos will experience deep psychological behavioral changes. For all Leos past needs have shifted to new needs and unexpected situations at first may feel both intense and fated. They are. And through it all, your new identity is created and your new creativity displays these words — “I Am That.”

VIRGO

It seems certain mental and emotional (perhaps also spiritual) changes must be made in terms of relationships. This does not signify a fault or a mistake. It signifies new stages of growth. You may unexpectedly embark upon an unusual (not necessarily stable) relationship. Although not advisable, you’ll learn through its instability. We learn through our interactions. Daily strategies will need to shift. Conflicts arising alert you that past patterns of relating won’t work anymore. The new ones will either be created by you, by others, or simply appear in a blink of an eye. Life is so surprising!

LIBRA

Should anyone or anything make excessive demands upon you, should they choose a different path and expect you to follow, should there be extreme responsibilities professionally, or anything too binding or restrictive, you will, after a time, break free in order to ease the tension created. You will escape in order to find your own way, and you will seek your own path that allows for your own chosen health and happiness. Your entire life may feel like it’s being revolutionized. This takes time, slow time, over time. Your heart remains steadfast.

SCORPIO

Life could feel a bit more alive, vital and exciting. Are relationships undergoing a new level of assessment? They may be durable but you find you can’t have expectations. It could be that children are in your life or a very creative enterprise has presented itself. With both (children and creativity) you see the need to be more attentive, kind, caring, innovative, in the present. Assuming different experimental approaches will help you redefine and then refine your abilities. More understanding follows. Study Montessori.

SAGITTARIUS

Your relationships to family, parents, home, the past are the most important focuses of your life now. There is a release occurring and a reform within the family and you are the one whose task it is to bring the past to the present. On outer levels you feel unsettled no matter what you’re doing. You must accept and cultivate flexibility. Whatever you have not been able to look at will emerge and silently gaze at you. Embrace this. The deepest level of your being is shifting to new heights. Hold onto your parachute.

CAPRICORN

It is important to listen to and observe your communication and how it affects others. Be clear, truthful, kind and caring. You must also know that the tempo of your life has increased and this means an added need for rest, vitamins, water, green things including nature and the sun each day to stabilize your vitality. Be kind to those slower, younger, more vulnerable than you. The quality of a disciple is how they care for those in need. So many look to you for guidance and care. All that you do serves others. Take care of yourself first.

AQUARIUS

Have your finances begun to withstand changes and is your economic and material situation not what it was before? This is occurring, or will occur, for everyone, but it seems to have begun with you. You will find that through this, your values also change. You already know to be natural, spontaneous, ecological, organic, biodynamic and these are only the beginning. The next steps for Aquarians are two: astrology and community. One leads to the other. Read Agriculture by Rudolf Steiner.

PISCES

You may be considering acting, feeling and participating with others in ways different from your usual behavior It could be a response to a sorrow or loss. Or a seeking of freedom. Some may see it as rebellion on the personality level. Should this behavior continue, you must then heed the message that perhaps certain changes in your life are overdue. Limitations, sorrow, sadness, grief, loss often appear to help us develop a new state of awareness, new powers of observation, inner discipline, self-identity, contemplation, and a new plan for life. What might you be dreaming of?

“Your Future” from page 18

• Nahla Alcaraz , Aptos High School ($100)

• Jasmine Flores Gregorio , Diamond Technology Institute ($500)

• Lupita Vega Lobato , Diamond Technology Institute ($500)

• Evelyn Gonzalez-Narez , Diamond Technology Institute ($500)

• Madelyne Rutherford , Scotts Valley High School ($500)

• Genesis Alvarez-Rivas , Costanoa High School ($500)

• Paryss Jasso-Estrada , Harbor High School ($500)

• Ariana Membreno Reyes , Harbor High School ($500)

• Alexa Rodriguez Lopez , Watsonville High School ($500)

• Zev Nagle , Harbor High School ($200)

• Merielle Yin , Harbor High School ($200)

• Colby Negro , Soquel High School ($100)

• Jack Cash , Soquel High School ($100)

• Diego Martinez , Harbor High School ($50)

• Samara Cortazzo , Santa Cruz High School ($50)

• Giovanni Marin-Villalvazo , Costanoa High School ($500)FORGE Scholarship

YFIOB extends its sincere appreciation to these sponsors for their unwavering commitment to supporting career readiness initiatives: San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District, Santa Cruz County Office of Education, Live Oak School District, Elements Manufacturing, Cabrillo College, Pajaro Valley Unified School District, K&D Landscaping, Joby Aviation, County of Santa Cruz, Shadowbrook Restaurant, Bay Federal Credit Union, Construction Industry Education Foundation, Graniterock, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Whiting’s Foods, Mary Gaukel Forster, Foundation4Innovation, Ignite Nexus, Santa Cruz City Schools, and Soquel Creek Water District n

For information about Your Future Is Our Business and its initiatives, visit yfiob.org or contact Yvette Brooks, ybrooks916@gmail.com

Filipino American Stories from the Pajaro Valley

Santa Cruz Museum Hosts Exhibit April 12-Aug. 14

The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History with UC Santa Cruz announces Sowing Seeds: Filipino American Stories from the Pajaro Valley, an exhibition from April 12–Aug.4 that shines a light on the vibrant Filipino American life on the Central Coast.

Four years in the making, the exhibition tells the story of Filipino migration and labor in Watsonville and the greater Pajaro Valley of Central California from the 1930s to the present.

The exhibition is the result of a prestigious $75,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to Watsonville is in the Heart, a public history initiative

housed in The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz.

“We had a shared vision with our community partners from the beginning of our work together that has only kept our efforts focused,” said Kathleen “Kat” Cruz Gutierrez, assistant professor of history at UCSC and co-principal investigator of Watsonville is in the Heart.

She added, “An exhibition has been part of that vision, and we’re eager to share perspectives on Filipino American agrarian life that come straight from those who lived, worked, struggled, and flourished in the Pajaro Valley.”

Visitors will find oral histories and family heirlooms associated with Watsonville is in the Heart. There will be 52 family objects and 13 oral histories , drawn from 18 family collections -- including agricultural tools, family photographs, organizational paperwork, and photo albums.

Watsonville is in the Heart also invited eight artists to participate, all of whom have worked with or around the importance of archives, memory, and community.

Johanna Poethig and Minerva Amistoso will present works of art about the experiences of the elderly manong and manang generation.

Ruth Tabancay, an artist who grew up in the Pajaro Valley, is creating a new work of art especially for the exhibition, highlighting

the experiences of young Filipinas and performing femininity.

Binh Danh, Sandra Lucille, Jenifer Wofford, Ant Lorenzo, and Connie Zheng were invited to work with community members to produce works of art that investigate their collections and family histories.

The Watsonville is in the Heart team previously worked closely with the Pajaro Valley’s Filipino American community to

build a digital archive, said Christina Ayson Plank, PhD candidate in Visual Studies at UCSC and head curator of Watsonville is in the Heart.

“We’ve gone to their homes and heard stories about their parents, family friends, and relatives that are memorialized through the objects they’ve kept and preserved,” Ayson-Plank said. n

The museum is at 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. Hours are: Thursday–Sunday, 12–6 p.m.

Meet Dr. Heather Contreras: New Pajaro Valley Unified School District Superintendent

Dr. Heather Contreras is the new superintendent of Pajaro Valley Unified School District, the largest in Santa Cruz County with 14,673 students, 44% English learners, schools in Aptos, Watsonville, Corralitos, Freedom and in Monterey County.

She will start in May, succeeding Dr. Michelle Rodriguez who now heads the Stockton Unified School District and Murry Schekman, Pajaro Valley’s interim superintendent.

Her salary is $242,000.

She comes from Modesto City Schools, where she has been assistant superintendent of school leadership for the past four years. Modesto City Schools has about 30,000 students with 25% English learners.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Heather Contreras as our new superintendent,” said Board President Georgia Acosta. “With her decades of experience in educational Leadership and her dedication to student empowerment we are confident she will be an administrator that will guide our district with passion and a sense of purpose.”

Acosta added, “With Dr. Contreras’ diverse background in educating students, assisting teachers, and her development of programs we know she will be able to take on any new task or challenge and complete it successfully with our students’ best interest in mind. We are excited to work with her in ensuring our students success.”

Contreras has worked in education for 22 years.

She earned her educational credentials at CSU Stanislaus, bachelor’s magna cum laude, master’s in education and a doctorate in educational leadership and education.

She started out as a principal in the Delhi Unified School District, joined Modesto City Schools in 2014, and began teaching part-time at CSU Stanislaus, working to working to prepare teachers for an administrative credential. She lives in Turlock.

Contreras was appointed by the board March 13.

Her contract calls for a 2% raise upon a positive annual evaluation, with the potential for five such increases, a coach for the first 12 months not to exceed $15,000, a $600 a month auto allowance, reimbursement of up to $300 a month to attend meetings to represent the district, permission to do outside speaking, consulting and writing during non-work hours with prior board approval, and retiree health insurance coverage after 10 years of service.

During the interview process, she shared, “My driving force is to positively impact students and make a difference in their lives through providing students access to the highest quality learning. The dedication to improved outcomes for students continues to be the focus of the work I do every day.”

She voiced the importance of collaboration and teamwork, saying, “The success of any organization is the development of all people in the system - from the classroom to the boardroom. Strong systems for building leadership capacity and developing leadership in others is paramount to any district’s success. I look forward to working collaboratively with the Pajaro Valley team to continue to build a system of success for the community.”

Contreras is a member of the California Educational Partners Collaborative, a network of educators examining ways to improve student outcomes, such as helping students graduate with the A-G series of courses that qualify them to attend a fouryear university. Statewide, the graduation rate tops 82% but only 50% take courses that make them eligible for college.

As Contreras begins to learn about PVUSD, she will invite residents to meet with her as she starts a “Look, Listen, and Learn” journey to understand what is working well, and to engage in discussion about next steps. n

Heather Contreras

Collection: Asuncion Family Asuncion Family Picnic at Sunset Beach, c. 1953-4, Photograph

Collection: Mariano Family Alice Wiggins, “The Beginning,” c. 1942, Photograph

ANNOUNCEMENTS

PROPERTY TAXES DUE

The second installment of 2023-2024 property tax bills is due April 10.

Bills are available to view and pay on the Santa Cruz County Treasurer-Tax Collector website at https://www. santacruzcountyca.gov/Departments/TaxCollector.aspx

Online, residents can view their bill, make payments, see if they have any delinquent property taxes, or learn about senior/disabled persons exemptions, and property tax postponements. Residents can pay property taxes online by E-Check at no cost, or by using debit/credit cards, where service charges apply.

Payments made or postmarked after April 10 will be assessed as a late penalty.

If you plan to mail a check, make sure your envelope has a U.S. Post Office postmark on or before the due date to avoid late penalties.

If bills have not been paid yet, the County recommends obtaining a hand-stamped postmark at the U.S. Post Office as proof of timely payment.

HABITAT SEEKS CEO

Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay is searching for a CEO to succeed Satish Rishi, who will retire July 31 after four-and-a-half years.

Board Chair Doug Yount, who will head the search, said, “Satish has expanded our impact over the past four years, increasing the number of homes we build each year and serving way more deserving lowincome families. His extensive fiscal background has put HfHMB in a strong position moving forward.”

Rishi, who came from the tech industry, said, “It has been a rewarding experience, and together, we have enabled 18 low-income families to find permanent affordable housing.

As we complete our 11-home project in Rodeo Creek Court and embark on a new 13-home project in Watsonville, I think this is the right time to pass the baton to a new leader who can see the project to completion.”

Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay is seeking a leader with a record of organizational leadership and community engagement, preferably in both Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. Habitat’s strategic plan calls for more affordable home building, active volunteer engagement, ReStore sales, and fundraising with significant expansion into Monterey County in the next three years. Apply at https://www.habitatmontereybay.com/ceosearch

CABRILLO YOUTH STRINGS CHAMBER MUSIC

Registration for the Cabrillo Youth Strings Chamber Music Program is underway. Classes will meet for 5 weeks on Fridays in the Music Building, VAPA 5000, beginning April 12. Classes will meet 4:15-5:30 p.m.

String players with good note-reading experience, ages 8 to18 are welcome to join the chamber music program. The recital will be 7 pm, Friday, May10, VAPA5156.

For those interested in participating, call (831) 479-6101 or visit https://www.cabrillo.edu/cabrillo-youthstrings to register by Thursday, April 4. Or call Cabrillo Extension, (831) 479-6331, or extension@cabrillo.edu before the first class.

NURSING MOTHERS: FREE HELP

Reva Raina Snyder shares that Nursing Mothers Counsel offers free breastfeeding support and education with classes, in-home, telephone and zoom or FaceTime. Plus breast pump rentals and supplies.

Information: Nursingmothers.org or call 831-688-3954.

DEADLINE TO NOMINATE FOR PV CHAMBER AWARDS

Due Thursday, April 11 at noon

In the summer of 2024, the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture will host its 62nd Annual Awards Dinner and Auction. This event honors the Man, Woman, Event, Non-profit Organization and Business of the Year.

Age or length of time in the community is not a criterion for winning the award. Award recipients within the past ten years are not eligible.

Return completed form to the Pajaro Valley Chamber, P.O. Box 1748, Watsonville, CA 95077 Fax: 831.728.5300 E-mail: Shaz@ pajarovalleychamber.com

ARTICHOKE FESTIVAL QUILT CHALLENGE

The Artichoke Festival invites quilting enthusiasts and fabric artists to participate in the 6th Annual Quilt Challenge June 8-9 at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center.

The Quilt Challenge now features four competitive categories: Judge’s Choice and People’s Choice plus Best Artichoke and Best Use of Fabric. The prizes:

• Judge’s Choice: Cash prizes of $250, $150, and $75 for the top three places.

• People’s Choice: Beautiful ribbons for the winners.

• Best Artichoke: A special category celebrating the most creative use of the artichoke theme.

• Best Use of Fabric: Recognizing outstanding creativity in fabric use and application.

Participants are encouraged to pick up a packet containing the competition rules, an entry form, and a piece of required fabric. All entries must depict at least one artichoke on the front and adhere to specified dimensions and labeling requirements.

Quilts must be received by May 31.

For more information, visit https://artichokefestival.org/ entertainment-events/quilt-challenge/

PORT CHIEF: COMMENT NOW ON MILE BUOY

Due by Wednesday, April 3

Santa Cruz Port Director Holland MacLaurie says the U.S. Coast Guard is proposing to remove the Mile Buoy and replace it with a virtual mark on the chart.

There would no longer be any buoy or other permanent marker in the waters along the Santa Cruz coastline.

The Coast Guard distributed a Local Notice to Mariners describing the proposed removal and requested comments from all interested parties by Wednesday, April 3.

RIGHT LIVELIHOOD CONFERENCE

Tuesday April 23 thru Saturday April 27

Comments may be directed to LTJG Samantha Hu at (206) 827-3518 or via email at Samantha.G.Koval@uscg.mil.

The Coast Guard is particularly interested in any rationale relating to why the buoy is necessary for safe navigation in spite of the current availability and affordability of electronic navigation equipment such as GPS.

Steve Reed, who chairs the Santa Cruz Port Commission, said the buoy is beneficial for kayakers, children learning about the ocean from O’Neill Sea Odyssey, rental boats that lack GPS, and student sailors from UC Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz Yacht Club.

He said the harbor launch serves 20,000 boats and boaters a year, many not local, and the buoy gives them a navigation point to boat safely and helps emergency responders locate vessels and paddlers in distress.

RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES Aptos

April 10: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Resurrection Church, 7600 Soquel Drive

Santa Cruz

April 4: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 220 Elk St.

Scotts Valley

April 5: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Four Points by Sheraton, 5030 Scotts Valley Drive

When donors give before April 7, they’ll get an exclusive Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last.

Those who give April 8-28 will get a $10 e-gift card to a merchant of choice, and be entered for a chance to win one of two $7,000 gift cards.

To book a time to give, visit RedCrossBlood.org, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

APRIL IS COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS MONTH

Collective consciousness is the set of shared beliefs, ideas, and moral attitudes that operate as a unifying force within society.

It does not refer to the specifically moral conscience, but to a shared understanding of social norms.

Main Event: 7 p.m. Thursday, April 25, Merrill College, 641 Merrill Rd, Santa Cruz

UC Santa Cruz will host a conference to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Right Livelihood Center and inaugurate UCSC’s new role as Global Secretariat of the Right Livelihood College Network.

The main event features three speakers (from right): Phyllis Omido — dubbed the “Erin Brockovich of East Africa” – is a Kenyan environmental activist leading the battle for the health of the Owino Uhuru community that has suffered lead poisoning ever since a battery smelting plant began operating in their village. Her use of litigation, advocacy, and media engagement has set vital legal precedents, affirming people’s right to a clean and healthy environment and the state’s responsibility to safeguard it.

Juan Pablo Orrego — a Chilean musician and environmentalist working for decades to preserve the Biobío River, one of South America’s most spectacular and ecologically significant rivers. The campaign is a symbol of the environmental and social struggle which is ongoing, connecting the dots between energy policy, environment, indigenous people’s rights, monopolies, and the neo-liberal development goals of the establishment.

Fernando Leiva — professor of Latin American and Latino studies at UCSC. He is researching strategies that multinational extractivist corporations deploy to overcome community resistance, focusing on Chile’s Atacama region. He also studies economic elites in the Americas and the political economy of Latin American capitalism.

Attendees include 13 students from the Global Campus of Human Rights, a network of 100+ universities, and the Right Livelihood College, which has campuses in Nigeria, India, Thailand, Chile, Argentina, Sweden, Germany, and Switzerland.

Admission is free. Register at https://rightlivelihood.ucsc.edu/conference

Founded by Simon and Rebecca Parkes, Connecting Consciousness is an international organization expanding with a presence on every continent.

Goals are to create networks through spiritual groups, share knowledge through research and debate, encouraging questions leading to the establishment of truth. To learn more see https://www.simonparkes.org/

COUNTY CLEANUP DAY COMING MAY 11

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors announces the first “Santa Cruz County Cleanup Day,” Saturday, May 11. The Board adopted the resolution to support designating the second Saturday in May as an annual clean-up day to improve local beaches, wetlands, riparian corridors, parks and other open spaces. The event is being led by the Trash Talkers Coalition, local leaders behind the Pitch In initiative focused on eliminating litter and illegal dumping and making Santa Cruz the cleanest county in California.

The County is supporting the effort by allocating a portion of Measure C single-use cup funds toward public cleanup events in unincorporated Santa Cruz County by offering a disposal site fee waiver voucher.

Participants must contact Kasey Kolassa by May 1 to request a voucher at: kasey.kolassa@santacruzcountyca. gov or fill out the online form at pitchinsantacruz.org. Fee cannot be waived for private property cleanups.

THINK BIG AI CONTEST FOR STUDENTS

High school and college students in Santa Cruz County are invited to use the power of AI (Artificial Intelligence) to enhance your creative expression.

The Santa Cruz County Office of Education is hosting a contest for students in grades 8 and up.

The theme is: “How Artificial Intelligence Changes Our World and Our Future.” You can submit anything that shows off how AI impacts different parts of your life.

Craft something original using AI as your brush, pen, coder, literary writer or melody maker. Imagine and:

• Create images that capture your dreams, make a statement, or more

• Compose music that captures your own individual style

• Co-author novels and short stories where characters write their own destinies

• Craft poems that dance between human and machine emotion

Have you thought about how you can use AI to address a current social issue ? This challenge is your golden ticket to unleashing your creative genius!

Top projects will be announced at the ThinkBig! AI & Me event 4:30-6 p.m. Thursday, April 11, hosted by Santa Cruz Works at Cruzio in Santa Cruz and DigitalNest in Watsonville.

Submission deadline is 4 p.m. April 2.

Applicants must complete and submit the Design Proposal Document, detailing their concept, use of AI tools, and reflections on the process.

Applicants must Submit Design Proposal and Project digitally through the Contest Form at https://tinyurl.com/ think-big-ai-propose.

All projects must be school appropriate, same expectations as a project for your teacher or principal. Register your entry at https://cs.santacruzcoe.org/events/thinkbig-series/thinkbigspring24

COUNTY FAIR BOARD MEETINGS

The Santa Cruz County Fair Board will meet each month in 2024 except September and November.

Remaining dates are April 23, May 28, June 25, July 23, Aug. 27, Oct. 22, and Dec. 3.

There is no meeting in September or November. Meetings typically begin at 1:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday in the Heritage Building at the fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake Blvd., Watsonville.

For agendas, posted 10 days in advance, see santacruzcountyfair.com

ONGOING EVENTS

April 19 thru May 5

“WHITE SKY, FALLING DRAGON”

Center Stage 1001 Center St., Santa Cruz “White Sky, Falling Dragon,” a co-production from Soaring Dragon Endeavors & Santa Cruz Actors’ Theatre, will be staged at Center Stage.

The show is written and directed by Steve “Spike” Wong of Soquel.

Inspired by Spike’s father, Captain Ernest Wong, USAAF, the play tells the story of a young ChineseAmerican man’s return to small town Watsonville in 1944 after his World War II service as a bombardier.

This production, which features an all-Asian cast in primary roles, offers a rare opportunity to experience a largely untold story of the heroic contributions of ChineseAmericans, and a dramatic telling of the aftermath of war.

With its focus on Chinese-American culture, immigration, and military service during wartime, the play is a unique blend of drama and comedy and a moving tribute to the complexities of what it means to come home.

The show got raves at its premiere in Mountain View in 2022.

General admission: $35; senior/student: $32. Tickets at https://ci.ovationtix.com/35410/production/1173181

For information about the play and the playwright, go to: https:// soaringdragon.net

Ongoing thru May 12

RICHARD MAYHEW: INNER TERRAIN

Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, 705 Front St.

A rare and timely exhibition of the artwork of Soquel artist Richard Mayhew (b. 1924) at the Museum of Art & History, feature works that speak to American arts, culture, and history. He calls his landscapes “moodscapes” as an introspective excavation of the terrain of his mind.

This exhibition — guest curated by Shelby Graham and Kajahl — is presented with support from Community Foundation Santa Cruz County and Santa Cruz County Bank.

Ongoing thru May 23

SANTA CRUZ JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

Admission is free and open to the public for all events of the 2024 Santa Cruz Jewish Film Festival, but seating is limited at most venues. Plan to arrive early for greater chance of seating.

You can buy an Individual Festival Pass for $100 which gives you access to reserved seating until 5 minutes to the start of every day’s festival program. Your donation will be registered and a Festival Pass will be prepared for you to pick up at every festival session.

If you have questions or concerns email SCJFFinfo@ gmail.com or text Paul at 831-239-5208.

Festival Passes are not transferable and do not necessarily guarantee admission to a screening if you arrive late or do not attend the first film of any day’s program. Check the Facebook page for up-to-the minute reports on seating availability.

Mondays BRIDGE CLUB

10:30 a.m.-Noon, 7695 Soquel Dr, Aptos, CA 95003

The Aptos Branch Library will host Bridge Club sessions on Mondays (except holidays).

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.

Tuesdays and Thursdays

WALKING ADVENTURE GROUP

9:30-11:30 a.m., Various locations

Walking Adventure Group, offered by city of Santa Cruz Recreation, offers weekly coordinated walks at locations around the county.

Join this group of active seniors for a weekly walking adventure. Walks can be canceled by inclement weather:

Tuesdays: Smell the Roses

BONSAI IS ART EXHIBIT & SALE

Saturday April 13

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Aptos Grange Hall, 2555 Mar Vista Drive

Santa Cruz Bonsai presents its annual exhibit and sale 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 13, at Aptos Grange Hall, 2555 Mar Vista Drive, Aptos.

Demonstration at 1 p.m. by bonsai artist Mike Pistello who will transform a tree into a bonsai. Live auction of the demo tree will be at 3:30 p.m. Throughout the day: Sale of plant & bonsai related items, raffle tree every hour, experienced help with trees purchased, tea & cookies, and Off the Hook Sustainable Sushi food truck.

Entry is free; donations accepted.

Thursday: Walking Adventure Group

To register visit www.cityofsantacruz.com/government/ city-departments/parks-recreation/senior-programs

For more information call 831-420-5180 or e-mail WalkingAdventureGroup@gmail.com.

First Wednesdays SONS IN RETIREMENT

Time TBD, Elks Lodge, 150 Jewell St., Santa Cruz SIR (Sons In Retirement) is a nonprofit, nonpolitical public benefit organization of senior men. The organization’s mission is to enhance the lives of its members through social events while making friends.

The Twin Valleys, Santa Cruz Branch welcomes new members and meets the first Wednesday of each month. Contact Ray Disperati at 831-588-8876 for information.

Last Thursdays of the Month CARS ON THE COURSE

6:30 – 9:30 p.m., Seascape Golf Club, 610 Clubhouse Drive, Aptos

Love cars? Seascape Golf Club will host “Cars on the Course” through October. All cars are welcome (but not sideshows).

Second and Fourth Saturdays

SOQUEL HOMESTEADERS MARKETS: NEW HOME, NEW DAY

11 a.m.-3 p.m., 2505 and 2525 South Main St. parking lots

Soquel Homesteaders Markets in in a new location and on a new day and time starting April 13 and active through Dec. 14.

The markets will be in the parking lots across from Soquel business’s Beer 30, Sunny Side Produce, Buzzo Wood Fired Pizza, and Carpo’s.

The Soquel Homesteaders Markets, organized by Jill Troderman of Holistic Family Nutrition, supports vendors of all good things, with a focus on promoting quality, natural, organic, and sustainable foods and products.

There will be vendors of locally grown produce, cottage industry foods, local meats, cheeses, ferments, natural products, homesteaders’ wares, arts and crafts, honey, candles, sweet treats, coffee and tea, health and wellness products, services, and practitioners, healers, spiritual endeavors, nonprofits, schools, plants, flowers, seeds and herbs, jewelry, green living and up-cycled garage sale items.

The Markets will include live music, food trucks, a gleaner’s table with free local produce, and a seed share/seed bank.

There will also be homesteading classes from 12 - 1 p.m. Find “Soquel Homesteaders Markets” on Facebook.

Third Sundays of the Month

ANTIQUE FAIR & FLEA MARKET

9 a.m.-2 p.m., Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Drive Clark’s Auction presents a monthly Antique Fair & Flea Market on the third Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos, starting March 17. Admission tickets are $8 at https://www.eventeny.com/ events/ticket/?id=9559&action=ticket&action_ticket=14707 Earlybird tickets are $15 to get in at 7 a.m.

DATED EVENTS

Tuesday April 2

YEMENI AMERICANS IN OAKLAND

6-7 p.m., Aptos Library, 7695 Soquel Dr. Sunaina Maira, professor of Asian American studies at UC Davis and author of The 9/11 Generation: Youth, Rights, and Solidarity in the War on Terror, will speak via Zoom during a seminar at the Aptos Library.

Her community-engaged project, funded by a Mellon/ ACLS Scholars and Society grant for public scholarship focuses on Yemeni Americans in Oakland and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Muslim Bans, and the war in Yemen.

Maira’s research highlights the experiences of Yemeni business store owners and their families who were essential workers during the pandemic.

This is a followup to the 2024 Our Community Reads book, “The Monk of Mokha.”

Cabrillo College Professor Geneffa Jehan will moderate. Registration at https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/12203306 is required to attend.

Saturday April 6

VEGFEST AT COCONUT GROVE

10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Coconut Grove, 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz Santa Cru VegFest returns after four years to the Coconut Grove. The nonprofit Eat for the Earth is one of the sponsors. Camilla and Helbard Alkhassadeh are the lead coordinators.

The first Santa Cruz VegFest in 2019 drew 5000+ people to the Cocoanut Grove. It was the biggest one-day crowd ever at the venue.

There will be dozens of food vendors, nonprofits, animal

rescues, a children’s activity area and live music. Speakers include Lauren Ornelas, Sid Garza-Hillman, Isabelle Cnudde, Solaire Denaud, Rachael Brown, and Dr. Maria Jose Hummel.

Learn more at: https://vegfestsantacruz.org/.

Sunday April 7

GOPHERS, BIRDS, AND DEER - OH MY!

10 am – Noon, Quail Hollow County Park, 800 Quail Hollow Road, Felton

UC Master Gardeners of Monterey & Santa Cruz Counties will host a free session on spring pest management at Quail Hollow County Park. Learn strategies to help control gophers, deer, and birds.

Gophers, deer, and birds can do significant damage in a short period of time and early spring is a time to focus on the most active vertebrate pests. Integrated pest management, or IPM, is a process you can use to solve pest problems in your garden while minimizing risks to people and the environment.

There will be a hands-on demonstration on how to find gopher runs and set traps. We will cover the basic steps of IPM which help you identify the pest and its impact, and learn various control options to find the least toxic approach.

Visit mbmg.ucanr.edu for information and to register.

PICTURE THIS: REIMAGINING HOME

5 p.m., Hotel Paradox, 611 Ocean St., Santa Cruz

The nonprofit Housing Matters will host “Picture This: Reimagining Home and Belonging” to launch the Community Conversations series in the Sequoia Ballroom at Hotel Paradox. People with lived experience of homelessness will share their insights.

Headliners include:

New York Times best-selling author, educator and politician Julie Lythcott-Haims, member of the Palo Alto City Council. Her 2017 memoir, Real American, chronicled her experience of being Black and biracial in white spaces.

Thomas Sage Pederson, a Santa Cruz-based musician, composer, podcaster and community organizer known for his “Speak For Change” interview podcast.

Abi Mustapha, Housing Matters artist-in-residence, said, “The audience can expect to learn something new and possibly sit with some discomfort about how many of us have benefited from the historical systems of oppression leading to homelessness.”

Mer Stafford, chief impact officer at Housing Matters, said, “We must imagine the community that we wish to have and then join together to make it so.”

The event begins with a reception featuring live music, a cash bar and light snacks. Speakers will begin at 6 p.m. For the complete speaker list, see https://housingmatterssc.org/event/picture-this/

General admission tickets are $30/person at https:// housingmatterssc.org/event/picture-this/

A small number of tickets will be available at the door. Proceeds benefit Housing Matters, which helps stably house hundreds of people in Santa Cruz County each year.

Wednesday April 10

YOUTH POET LAUREATE CELEBRATION

6 p.m., Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Public Libraries and the Santa Cruz County poet laureate, with Urban Word, will hold a celebration to announce the Santa Cruz County youth poet laureate winner at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center.

The finalists are Madeline Aliah (Cypress High School), Simon Ellefson (San Lorenzo Valley High School), Sylvi Kayser (Aptos High School), Dina Lusztig (Pacific Collegiate School) and Gregory Souza (San Lorenzo Valley High School).

Finalists will have opportunities to read and support their peers along with the Youth Poet Laureate — to nurture a community of young poets.

Farnaz Fatemi

Ernest Wong

County Budget Update: Debt Financing Ahead

By Zach Friend, Supervisor, Second District

Recently, the Board of Supervisors received a mid-year (fiscal year) budget update.

The update included a look at the state and federal funding outlooks, local revenue forecasts as well as an update on the seven federally declared disasters since 2017, which have strained the County’s budget.

Budget Context

InSeptember of last year the Board adopted this year’s budget with a balanced General Fund while maintaining 10% General Fund reserves, or $79.4 million. The budget message emphasized the challenges faced from deferred maintenance, disaster frequency and costs and new unfunded State mandates and continued to stress the systematically underfunded status of our County as compared to counties across the State (in particular with the percentage of property tax that stays with the County - a little over 13%).

In December, the Board received an update on the County’s financial and service impacts from the seven federally declared disasters since 2017 that have caused hundreds of millions in damages to County infrastructure, with $159.3 million yet to be reimbursed by federal and state partners. As a result, the Board directed staff to look at debt financing mechanisms to cover the costs of the disaster repairs while we are awaiting reimbursement (which is taking as much as seven years for some reimbursements to be realized).

Economic Conditions

Although 2023 ended with optimism in the stock market, jobs market and consumer spending, there are still some challenges as debt costs (interest rates) remain high, and personal savings rates remain low and unemployment is still higher in Santa Cruz County.

rates for the County — increasing costs associated with building improvements and even some standard infrastructure work.

General Fund Forecast

County budget staff are forecasting deficits in the General Fund — with a peak 2025-26 at $35 million and decreasing to $14 million by FY 2030-31.

The three largest deficit drivers in their forecast model are:

1) the need to finance disaster events while the County waits for federal reimbursements, largely for the CZU complex fires and 2023 storm disasters;

2) funding to partially restore and extend the life of the County’s aging facilities; and

3) mandated service level increases included the State’s Care Courts, CalAIM and providing additional services for people within the probation and jail facilities. Were it not for these cost drivers, the County’s remaining unfunded deficits would peak at $13.7 million in 2026-27, decreasing to a $6.5 million deficit by 2028-29 and would be eliminated by 2029-30.

In Santa Cruz County, the unemployment rate increased from an adjusted 5.0% last year to 6.6% in January 2024 -higher than the state average.

Additionally, interest rates have increased borrowing

Disaster Financing

Since 2017, Santa Cruz County has experienced seven federally declared disasters, causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to County infrastructure, much of which has not been reimbursed by federal and state partners.

Barring a shift in the speed at which local governments are reimbursed for the costs of disaster response and recovery, future County response will be limited by available resources and the pace of infrastructure recovery will be slowed.

Experiencing repeated disasters and the financial impacts from them may make it harder to implement resilience and mitigation projects that require a local match.

General Fund Revenues

Property Tax. Property tax is one of the most stable and dependable revenue bases but due to a Prop. 13 formulation the County only receives 13.4 cents from every dollar of property tax paid. For FY 2023-24, base property tax is estimated to reach $81.5 million. This amount is not sufficient to fund the County’s current operations, facility needs, nor the 607 miles of linear roadway it is responsible for.

Vehicle License Fees (VLF). VLF is also a stable revenue base. VLF is projected to grow by $2.2 million to $43.0 million in FY 2023-24.

Sales Tax. Sales tax revenue is one of the most variable general purpose revenues for the County, and has recently become more impacted from the nearly $5 million that is lost annually to other counties where major online distribution centers reside (meaning purchases made locally but via online retailers).

Sales tax is projected to reach $25.0 million in FY 2024-25 -- while it fell short of the County’s previous projections slightly it is on pace to meet projections this year.

Transient Occupancy Tax (hotel/vacation rental tax). The is also a highly variable tax base that is impacted by sudden market or consumer trends.

For FY 2022-23, this revenue declined by 18.5% and fell short of budgeted projections but this year revenue is expected to reach $13.3 million, due in large part to the June 2022 voter approved measure that increased rates from 11% to 12% and 14%, respectively, for hotels/motels and vacation rentals.

Given the magnitude and frequency of the climate change-driven disasters that have befallen the County and the fragility of County infrastructure and financial systems, as well as uncertainty about future reimbursements to local governments from the State and federal government, the County must explore debt financing options until Federal Emergency Management Agency and Federal Highways Administration Assistance reimbursements arrive.

As staff evaluate debt financing options, they will continue working with FEMA and FHWA to resolve claims and reimbursement shortfalls as quickly as possible.

Preliminary estimates of the total financing required range between $70 million to $85 million, with the best estimate currently at $74.4 million to fund projects already completed and underway. This amount will be updated as federal reimbursement timelines are updated, as project cost estimates change for active but not yet completed disaster work, and if additional high priority projects are required.

Due to the current high interest rate environment and the probability of receiving some federal reimbursements in the next 36 months, staff are creating a mix of financing options from internal county short-term financing to third party short-term variable interest rate financing and longer-term financing. This will impact future budgets until it is paid off.

Budget Hearings

The proposed budget for the next fiscal year will come to the Board of Supervisors at our April 9 meeting while the full hearings will occur on May 21, 22 and June 4 at the Board of Supervisors Chambers.

You are always welcome to comment on the budget and offer your thoughts. If you are unable to attend the hearings feel free to reach out to me with your questions or thoughts at 454-2200. n

SCCAS Featured Pet

Not Just a Place to Ski

Aspen (#A308851) is the SCCAS marshmallow king!

Though he may have arrived here a little lost, he has discovered that this place isn’t so bad. Aspen has made best friends with the incredibly kind Shelter staff who have showered him with love and treats — which he loves. But we all know that Aspen is destined for an amazing forever home since he is an amazing cat!

He is a playful and affectionate cat, ready to bring joy and purrs into a loving home. Imagine warm snuggles on your lap, playful chases around the house, and enough cuddles to melt your heart (bonus points if there are feathery toys involved!).

Don’t be fooled by his initial shy demeanor — he is a softie at heart. Think fluffy clouds, sunshine smiles, and a purr that rivals a happy tractor.

If you’re looking for a furry friend to brighten your life, come down to the shelter and meet me! I promise you won’t be disappointed. n

The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is full of adoptable animals. Fostering animals is an awesome way to improve a Shelter animal’s life and fill your home with love and fun! If you are interested in fostering any kind of animal please email jillian.ganley@santacruzcounty.us. You can also Follow SCCAS on Instagram and/or Facebook to stay up-to-date on shelter news and where to find adoptable pets around town at breweries, stores and events.

Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter’s full-service, open-admission shelter

1001 Rodriguez St., Santa Cruz, 95062 • Hours: Daily 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

580 Airport Blvd., Watsonville, 95076 • Hours: Tues.-Sat. 9:30 a.m. – noon; 1–5 p.m. (Closed Sun/Mon)

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

“Calendar” from page 29

All finalists receive a $100 cash honorarium with the Youth Poet Laureate receiving $500. All finalists will receive a gift card donated by Two Birds Books in Pleasure Point.

The April 10 event is free. Reserve a seat at https://www. eventbrite.com/e/inaugural-santa-cruz-county-youth-poetlaureate-celebration-tickets-765867489277

Wednesday April 10

CABRILLO CAREER FAIR

10 a.m.-1 p.m., Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Dr, Aptos Cabrillo College will host a Career Fair with more than 55 employers offering jobs & intern-ships. Employers can register in advance: https://forms.gle/ nFFtdwYDN6dySc4f6. Walk-ins are welcome. Cabrillo career fairs are free for employers to participate in. Contact studentjobs@cabrillo.edu if you’re interested in participating in a recruitment event.

Employers are also invited to schedule an information session about their company, discuss the hiring process, and conduct on campus interviews with our students. To schedule an information session or interview email studentjobs@cabrillo.edu.

Thursday April 11

APTOS CHAMBER WITH ROBERT BAILEY

11:30 a.m.– 1 p.m., Seascape Golf Club, 610 Clubhouse Drive Aptos Chamber of Commerce hosts a luncheon meeting with guest speaker Robert Bailey of Bailey Properties, talking about local real estate & the big picture, at Seascape Golf Club.

Fee: $35 per person; reservations required.

Friday April 12

Saturday April 13

WATSONVILLE COMMUNITY BAND SPRING CONCERT

Fri: 7 p.m., Mello Center at Watsonville High, 250 E. Beach St. |

Sat: 2 p.m., Peace United Church, 900 High St., Santa Cruz Watsonville Community Band’s 76th Spring Concert Series will take place Friday at the Mello Center and Saturday at Peace United Church.

The series is entitled “Passing Time with Good Company and features royalty-themed music. Conductor is Brad Gronroos.

The performance in Watsonville features the Watsonville Youth Band.

Admission is free.

Saturday April 13

TEDXSANTA CRUZ

9 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Online livestream

TEDxSantaCruz 2024, Rising Together, featuring 19 talks on Saturday, April 13, at the Crocker Theater at Cabrillo College, is sold out but there will be a free livestream that day at https://tedxsantacruz.org/

This year’s performers are:

• August Lee Stevens — A musician and singer-songwriter with an atmospheric range of indie soul and folk.

• Daniel Nemire — A Santa Cruz native with over 20 years of experience, both as lead singer and solo artist.

• Keith Greeninger — A seasoned troubadour and award-winning singer songwriter.

• Afrobeats (Jase “Monk” Earl) — A DJ who has highlighted both contemporary music of the African diaspora and the art of deejaying, with events countywide.

• Samba Soul Dance Company & Escola de Samba — led by Gisella Ferreira, to showcase authentic Brazilian Samba Dance.

Co-producer Elana Solon says, “As with everything in this year’s ‘Rising Together’ theme, we focused on celebrating the power of collaboration and providing space for both emerging and established artists and tastemakers.”

Afrobeats and Samba Soul will perform at a post-show afterparty from 5-6 p.m. on the lawn outside the Crocker Theater. If tickets become available, organizers will email people on the waitlist, which can be joined at https://tinyurl.com/tedxsc24april13-wait.

Saturday April 20

TELLING DIVERSE STORIES

10:30 am to noon, Capitola Library, 2005 Wharf Rd

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) is hosting K. X. Song, who will discuss the importance of representation in media, the publishing landscape today, and her own journey to the publication of her debut YA novel, “An Echo in the City,” published last year by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and named a Best Book of 2023 by Financial Times and Kirkus Reviews. A writer with roots in Hong Kong and Shanghai, she enjoys telling stories that explore the shifting nat ure of memory, translation, and history.. Much of her work touches on the Chinese-speaking) experience. No reservations are required.

Sunday April 21

SPRING FAIRE

1-5 p.m. Monterey Bay Academy, 783 San Andreas Road, Watsonville

The nonprofit Monterey Bay Horsemanship & Therapeutic Center will host a Spring Faire.

There will be: Mariachi singers, food trucks, art, equine vaulting demos, horse photo booth, flea market, and more.

The center supports people of all ages and abilities by offering adult day, respite, therapeutic, and traditional horseback riding lessons. Information: 831-761-1142 of visit https://www. gombhtc.org

Thursday April 25

PV BUSINESS EXPO & JOB FAIR

4-7 p.m., Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds’ Crosetti Hall, 2601 East Lake Ave., Watsonville

Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture presents a Business Expo & Job Fair at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Bring your resume.

This event will have a Star Wars theme.

There will be Blackout Bingo to encourage every attendee to visit each booth, and a special prize (free booth space next year) for the Best Decorated Booth.

The chamber asks that all booth set-up be completed by 3 p.m. for the start of internal networking.

There are 100 businesses present so a good strategy is to have someone in the booth space and another person out on the floor to maximize the networking opportunity before the doors open to the public.

Saturday April 27

TALK ON WELLNESS

12:30-1:30 p.m., Aptos Library, 7695 Soquel Drive Dr. Tom Yarema, MD, with the Foundation for Wellness Professionals, will speak at the Aptos Library community room, and take questions, on a variety of health and wellness topics including metabolism, immunity, & cardiovascular issues.

The mission of the Foundation for Wellness Professionals is to help as many people as possible live healthy, happy and fulfilled lives.

PARTY WITH A PURPOSE

5-9:30 p.m., Seascape Golf Club, 610 Clubhouse Drive, Aptos Monarch Services, known as Women’s Crisis Support — Defensa de Mujeres, which offers shelter, counseling, prevention, education, crisis intervention to deal with and end domestic violence and sexual assault, will host Party with a Purpose at Seascape Golf Club.

There will be a live auction, raffle, dinner, drinks, and dancing. Tickets are $125 per person. Purchase at https://events. readysetauction.com/monarchservices/pwp2024/shop/tickets or call 831-435-0516.

MUTT STRUTT

1-3 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at Aptos Village Green, 151 Aptos Village Way

The Aptos Chamber of Commerce presents the Mutt Strut Parade at Aptos Village Green, next to New Leaf Community Market.

There will be prizes for the best, also art activities, face painting, raffles, and vendors.

Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter, SPCA, and Unchained will be showing adoptable dogs. To enter your dog, the fee is $10. Registration is required at www.aptoschamber.com. n