Aptos Times: August 15, 2019

Family Owned For Over 28 Years • Aptos, La Selva Beach, Corralitos, Freedom & Watsonville

Times Publishing Group, Inc.

August 15 2019 • Vol 28 No. 16

www.tpgonlinedaily.com

EL POLLERO MEXICAN RESTAURANT Serving Now

Fresh Roasted Expresso Coffee Drive-Thru • Order Now • 831.724-1711 108 Main St, Watsonville (Corner of Main & River Dr)

La Selva Beach Library Facing Renovations

The Santa Cruz Public Library System (SCPL) has announced the official closure date of the La Selva Beach Branch Library on September 1, 2019 in order to begin planned renovations.

Full Story page 6

Aptos Alum Signs with SF Giants

By Lori Landino On Aug. 5, right-handed pitcher and Aptos High School alum Carlos Torres signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants and pitched three perfect innings in his debut with their AAA team in Sacramento On Aug. 11.

Inducted into the Mariners’ Hall of Fame in 2009, Torres has played for several Major League teams since being drafted in 2004, including the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, New York Mets, Washington Nationals, Colorado Rockies and the Milwaukee Brewers. ... continues on page 4

Sante Arcangeli Tasting Room Opens Amid Personal Tragedy

Heartfelt generosity from volunteers, longtime devoted friends and neighbors of beloved owners of Sante Arcangeli Winery, John Benedetti and his late wife Melanie Benedetti, came together to launch the new Sante Arcangeli tasting room in Aptos Village this summer — making it a true labor of love.

Full Story page 5

BRENT GARVEY PAINTING Quality Isn’t Expensive... It’s Priceless

• ALL WORK GUARANTEED • INTERIOR & EXTERIOR • RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL • WORKERS COMP & LIABILITY

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS License #681095

831.688.6913 | www.brentgarveypainting.com

Inc.

New Listing

19 8 C A L A BR I A STR EET Gorgeous Mediterranean-style home in exclusive cul de sac location. Park-like grounds spread over 1/3 of an acre.

Updated chef’s kitchen is an entertainers delight with granite counters, Viking range and walk in pantry. Floor plan provides room for everyone and everything with 4 bedrooms (3 with walk in closets), over-sized master suite, separate living room, dining room and open concept kitchen-family room design. Listed at $1,349,000

Coming Soon

SI NGLE LEV EL O CE A N V IEW R ETR E AT Located in the gated community of Seascape Beach Estates. Gorgeous views overlooking sand and surf. 3 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, spacious great room and end of the road privacy in this already exclusive community. Price available upon request.

AMBER MELENUDO REALTORÂŽ 831.661.5591 ambermelenudo.com amber@davidlyng.com DRE 01921098 2 / August 15th 2019 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

# 1 DAV I D LY N G R E A L E S TAT E AG E N T I N A P TO S

No. 16

Volume 28

16

25

30

Table of Contents

9

Cover Aptos Alum Signs with SF Giants, By Lori Landino

5

21

Community News Sante Arcangeli Tasting Room Opens Amid Personal Tragedy, By Erin Kelly-Allhouse La Selva Library Facing Renovations: Facility Will Close Sept. 1; Outdoor Learning Courtyard Included in Remodel What You Need to Know About Your Sewer: By Ashleigh Trujillo, Senior Engineer of the Santa Cruz County Sanitation District Aptos/Buzzard/Hinckley: Emergency Fuel Reduction Project • Capitola Soroptimists Accepting Live Your Dream Award Applications PV Students Gain Hands-on Experiences Pianist Ko-Eun Yi Thrills Audience: Juilliard Trained Musician Featured in Aptos Keyboard Series Performance at St. John’s, By Lyn Bronson • Fifth Grader From Valencia Wins Beauty Pageant • Information Session for 2020 UC Master Gardener Training CASA Hires New Staff • Special Daytime CASA Training Last chance to see ‘Into the Woods’, By Mindy Pedlar Support for Community Bridges: Locals Flood to Fourth Annual Farm to Fork Gala Top Chefs Cook For Kids: ‘Food For Children’ Brings Together Local Culinary Masters Promoting a Healthier Watsonville: Annual Breastfeeding Health Fair and Walk • Hospice of Santa Cruz County Announces Strategic Partnership Saturday Passport Hours August 24 PVUSD Accepted into National Network • PVUSD in Partnership with Khan Academy and NWEA to Accelerate Student Learning Special Blood Donation Event: Wednesday, August 28 at Red Cross Office in Santa Cruz • Plein Air Opening Reception This Sunday Calling All Cooks!: “It’s All In The Sauce” Contest at the 11th Annual Testicle Festival SCPD Encourages Responsible and Sober Driving

Monthly Horoscope • Page 26 – Your November Horoscope Community Calendar • Arts & Entertainment – Pages 28, 29

6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Featured Columnists 20 ‘Grain Free’ Diets, By River May, DVM 23 Diary of an ADHD Kid: A Week with Papa & Oma, Told to Edita McQuary By An Anonymous 11-Year Old 23 How to Teach Your Daughter to Respond to Gender Bias, By Trish Allison 24 Biotech Drugs, By Ron Conte, Pharm.D. 25 It’s About The Experience, By Ron Kustek 26 My Life of Crime, By Lawrence Tartaglino 27 Celebrate Water at the Water Harvest Festival, By Vaidehi Campbell and Rebecca Rubin 30 County Fire: CSA 48, By Supervisor Zach Friend 31 Summer Dormancy Is No Mystery, By Tony Tomeo

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

JON NORDGREN

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW! MUSIC & LYRICS BY

JULY 25 - AUGUST 18, 2019

STEPHEN SONDHEIM

DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY

JANIE SCOTT DIRECTIONMUSICALBY DANIEL GOLDSMITH

GET THE BEST SEATS IN THE HOUSE WHILE THEY LAST! AT THE

CABRILLO CROCKER THEATER TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE AT

CABRILLOSTAGE.COM | 831-479-6154

SCCAS Featured Pet • Page 31— Connor Looking for a New Home

www.tpgonlinedaily.com

INTO THE WOODS is presented through special arrangement with Music Theater International (MTI).

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / August 15th 2019 / 3

COVER STORY publisher Patrice Edwards editor Lori Landino contributing writers Camisa Composti, Lori Landino, Ashleigh Trujillo, Lyn Bronson, Mindy Pedlar, River May, Edita McQuary, Trish Allison, Ron Conte, Ron Kustek, Lawrence Tartaglino, Vaidehi Campbell and Rebecca Rubin, Zach Friend, Tony Tomeo layout Michael Oppenheimer, Jim Johnson graphic artists Michael Oppenheimer, Jim Johnson photography Michael Oppenheimer, Jim Johnson, Brad King website Michael Oppenheimer, Camisa Composti production coordinator Maxine Stanton advertising sales Don Beaumont, Teri Huckobey, Ryan Wilson office coordinator Cathe Race distribution Bill Pooley, James Hudson

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

Entire contents ©2019. All rights reserved.

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

“Carlos Torres” from page 1 He also played for Japan’s Yomiuri Giants in in 2011.

I was able to have a short conversation with Torres recently, talking about what it means to join the Giants’ organization and what his life as a professional baseball player as been like.

••• What can you tell me about signing with the Giants? he Giants have been a team that I’ve tried to get deals done with over the years, but for one reason or another it just didn’t work out. This time around when I got the call and they told me they wanted me to throw more innings by starting, it was a very intriguing idea. Ultimately, I’m happy to be in this organization, which has also brought me, back closer to home.

T

What is the lifestyle of a baseball pitcher like? f you don’t know the lifestyle of a baseball player it’s easiest explained as part nomad and part traveler. You never know what to expect or what is expected and no one is there to hold your hand.

If you want to be present for weddings, birthdays and holidays, or at least have weekends off, this isn’t the lifestyle for you. If you expect to see your family and be home when they need you, this isn’t the lifestyle for you.

If you expect to be treated fairly, have people help you through the tough times and need a pat on the back, this isn’t the lifestyle for you.

We have two or maybe three off days in a given month. You are expected to perform at the highest level every day and if you don’t there is a waiting list a mile long of guys waiting in the wings to take your job.

I

You can even perform your job exceptionally and still lose it. And through it all, you will have ups and downs, injuries and off-field drama, late night travel, 13-hour bus rides, get paid below minimum wage and…no one feels bad for you.

You have to have a tough skin and lots of intrinsic motivation to succeed.

How do you prepare for a game? hysically, I lift and run a lot, making sure to warm up thoroughly. I follow a pretty stringent diet and make sure that I stay properly hydrated when I go out to pitch.

Rest and recovery are also an important part of the process, so I make sure I get enough sleep and after a workout or performance, I spend time recovering using NormaTec, the Marc Pro, a Pso-Rite or anything else that can help.

Mentally, I watch a lot of film to study hitters. You have to know your strengths and their weaknesses. Most importantly, at the end of the day you have to remember that the opposing team is desperately trying to beat you as much as you are trying to beat them.

P

What are your baseball career goals? y goal has always been the same: To win. I want to win a World Series, so I’m doing everything I can to help whichever team I’m on win and get closer to that goal.

M

What are the secrets of a professional pitcher? t’s simply doing what you are supposed to do.

Being a professional isn’t having magical powers; sometimes it’s as simple as going to bed when everyone else is going out. It’s doing what you are supposed to do without having someone make you do it.

I

Carlos Torres was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2004.

If you want to be a professional you will have to discover the price and then pay it. Do you want to have a spring break in college? Well then you aren’t going to be a professional. Do you hate going to the gym and working hard? Well then you aren’t going to be a professional. Do you love pizza and donuts? Well then it’s going to be really hard to be a successful professional.

Professional pitchers—or players in general—are such a small percentage of the population; it takes a lot of discipline and sacrifice to be elite and perform at that high of a level. And always remember that it can all be easily taken away as well, so there is no room for slacking or taking anything for granted.

“Torres” page 7

PHONE: (831) 688-7549 FAX: (831) 688-7551 GENERAL E-MAIL: info@cyber-times.com Patrice Edwards: patrice@cyber-times.com Publisher’s Assistant: assistant@cyber-times.com Editor: info@cyber-times.com Opinions/Letters: editorial@cyber-times.com Calendar Listings: www.tpgonlinedaily.com Graphics Department: graphics@cyber-times.com Billing Inquiries: cathe@cyber-times.com Classified Sales: sales@cyber-times.com Production: production@cyber-times.com CHECK OUT OUR WEB SITE AT: www.tpgonlinedaily.com mission statement We at the Times Publishing Group, Inc. are dedicated to providing a voice for the individuals and organizations in our community while highlighting the outstanding accomplishments of our local businesses. We seek to promote healthy family values through our coverage of youth activities, school news, senior events, community groups and entertainment 4 / August 15th 2019 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

CENTURY 21 SANDCASTLE REALTY (Formerly CENTURY 21 LAD Realty)

Continuing the same friendly and professional service of over 40 years.

Come visit us at our new location!

29 Rancho Del Mar Aptos, CA 95003 • (831) 688-1933 • http://c21sandcastle.com

COMMUNITY NEWS

Sante Arcangeli Tasting Room Opens Amid Personal Tragedy

H

By Erin Kelly-Allhouse

new Sante Arcangeli tasting room in Aptos Village this summer -- making it a true labor of love.

Neighboring shop owners and close friends, Ellen and Eric Gil, saw to its opening after carving out an adjoining space for the tasting room in the same building as their business, the Sockshop & Shoe Company.

The Gils, who were an integral part of the launch, crossed paths with Benedetti after he built a website for their Sockshop in 2004, and they’ve had an enduring friendship ever since. The couple also own stores in downtown Santa Cruz, and on Haight St. in San Francisco, until their most recent acquisition Photo Credit: John Benedetti of their newest John Benedetti with his wife and son, Melanie and Lucca.

Sockshop & Shoe

eartfelt generosity from volunteers, longtime devoted friends and neighbors of beloved owners of Sante Arcangeli Winery, John Benedetti and his late wife Melanie Benedetti, came together to launch the

Company in Aptos Village, which opened in June.

The new tasting room at 154 Aptos Village Way is across from New Leaf Community Market and a block from David Kinch’s soon to open restaurant, Mentone. Visitors can also access the tasting room through a barn door shared with the Sockshop. The two businesses and friends provide a “perfect pairing” and a way to shop for eclectic socks while sipping wine at the same time.

“Volunteering with friends and community members next door in the tasting room has been so rewarding during this very difficult time for the Benedetti family,” said Sockshop co-owner Ellen Gil, who helped recruit and organize volunteers to open and staff the new tasting room. “The wine is truly amazing, as anyone who has tasted it will tell you.

But so too is this community,” she said.

The tasting room is currently open 12-6, Thursday through Sunday and features highly rated and awardwinning wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains. Enjoy a flight of five Santa Cruz Mountain wines at the bar made from old 100 year-old redwood found beneath the Hihn apple barn.

For owner John Benedetti, the opening of the Aptos tasting room seemed overshadowed by the devastating loss of his beloved wife of 24 years, Melanie Benedetti, to an unexpected diagnosis of stage 4-cancer.

Melanie, an otherwise vibrant and healthy, non-smoking 44-year-old, was initially diagnosed with a serious case of pneumonia at Kaiser Hospital in San Jose June 20, followed by a terminal diagnosis of lung cancer on July 5.

“Sante Arcangeli” page 9

Locally owned and operated since 1966 THE LARGEST SELECTION OF LANDSCAPE MATERIALS IN TOWN • Interlocking Pavers

• High Quality Organic Soils

• Retaining Wall Systems

& Compost

• Pond Supplies & Pumps • Soil Amendments

• Flagstone & Slate

• Custom Mixes

• Organic Fertilizers & Pest Control

• Real & Artificial Turf

• Drainage & Erosion Control

• Decorative Mulch & Wood Chips

• Decorative Gravel &

• Boulders

• and much more!

Utility Sands

• Garden Tools & Masonry Supplies

Fast delivery to your home or office!

+

Specialty soils and fertilizers by the bag or bulk.

831-688-6211 | www.aptoslandscapesupply.com 5035 Freedom Blvd. | Aptos, CA 95003 Monday - Saturday 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Closed Sunday

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / August 15th 2019 / 5

COMMUNITY NEWS

aptos

COMING SOON TO

100 Rancho Del Mar Aptos, CA 95003

La Selva Library Facing Renovations

Facility Will Close Sept. 1: Outdoor Learning Courtyard Included in Remodel

JUICES TOASTS CLEANSES SMOOTHIES COLD-PRESS AÇAÍ BOWLS GREENOA™ BOWLS

6 / August 15th 2019 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

T

he Santa Cruz Public Library System (SCPL) has announced the official closure date of the La Selva Beach Branch Library on September 1, 2019 in order to begin planned renovations.

Meanwhile, the Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries are asking for donations to meet a $100,000 challenge grant for added technology, an enhanced children’s room, and an outdoor learning courtyard to the newly remodeled library. The Challenge Grant is offered by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation. The deadline for matching the $100,000 is November 1.

The La Selva Beach Library will officially close for construction on September 1st. However, the last day the library will be open for business will be Saturday August 31. The official estimate for construction time is 9 months, with a target Grand Opening date of June 2, 2020.

The work planned for the 2,200 Square foot library includes a new entry on the north side of the building, bathroom upgrades, a new service desk, upgraded data and electrical, new furniture, new finishes, new windows and doors. The remodel will reorganize the existing space to better accommodate library programs, new technology and branch collections.

The Friends fundraising efforts will allow the library to include an outdoor patio area for more programming, include more tech for adults and students, and add new furniture to the Children’s Room.

Community support in meeting the Challenge Grant of $100,000 will guarantee these additional features for the La Selva Beach Library.

Library Director Susan Nemitz has previous experience working on library building projects. According to Nemitz, “It’s important to mitigate the impact of the closure on the community. We really had to think about the best way to deliver service in the area without having a physical building.” As a result, SCPL has released a series of FAQ’s to help people prepare for the closure, and to direct them to services during the closure.

Access to Services During the Closure a Selva Beach Library users are encouraged to change their hold pickup location to any other branch in the library system. All books and media held

L

at the La Selva Beach Library must be retrieved before August 31st. Any holds remaining at the La Selva Beach Library at the end of the day will be transferred to the Aptos Branch.

Books and media may be returned at any branch library. We will also maintain a book return box on the Florido Ave. side of the building.

Library services are accessible from any branch library during open hours, by phone at 831-427-7713, or by emailing elibrary@santacruzpl.org. Many of our entertainment and research collections are available online via our website at santacruzpl.org.

The following programs will move to the Aptos Branch Library, 7695 Soquel Dr., after the closure: • Preschool Storytime will take place Tuesdays 10 – 11 a.m.

• R.E.A.D (Reach Every Amazing Detail) reading comprehension program will take place Wednesdays 2:45 – 5:15 p.m.

• Tales to Tails will take place 1st and 3rd Fridays 3 – 4 p.m. starting October 4th.

• The Movie Discussion Club will take place every 3rd Tuesday from 2 – 3 p.m.

The following programs will move to the La Selva Beach Community Church, 26 Florida Ave.: “La Selva Beach Library” page 8

COMMUNITY NEWS

What You Need to Know About Your Sewer

By Ashleigh Trujillo, Senior Engineer of the Santa Cruz County Sanitation District

W

hen was the last time you thought about your home or business’ sewer lateral? Unless it stinks or spills, sewer laterals are usually forgotten and neglected. Pipes hidden several feet underground could be deteriorating, leaking, or ensnarled with tree roots. Blockages in these pipes can lead to disgusting backups into buildings, messy sewer overflows on private or public property, and dangerous contamination of surface waters.

In recent years, agencies that manage sanitary sewers are launching programs to help combat this problem. The Santa Cruz County Sanitation District (District) most recently began updating their program (first introduced in 2006) in December 2018.

Since that time, the District held informational meetings with realtors and plumbers seeking their input on the strengths and weaknesses of the Lateral Program. The public also weighed in with phone calls and emails.

In early August the District Board approved a new ordinance revising the District code governing the Lateral Program.

The new ordinance incorporates much of the feedback from community outreach.

Key highlights from the new ordinance are: 1) At the time of escrow, the sewer lateral for the property must be video inspected by a licensed plumber, reviewed by District staff, and repaired (if necessary) by a licensed plumber.

Historically, the repairs had to be completed prior to the close of escrow, however, the new ordinance allows

for a transfer of responsibility to the buyer. If agreed upon by both parties, the buyer has 90 days after the transfer of responsibility is filed with the District to make the required sewer repairs.

2) V a g u e language regarding the requirement for private lateral owners to inspect their sewer lateral “periodically” has been removed and a minimum 10-year inspection period has been specified.

The private lateral extends from two feet outside the building all the way to the public sewer main (including the connection).

3) As individual residents of homeowner-association-governed properties (HOA’s) typically do not have the responsibility (and sometimes the right) to maintain and repair the sewer lateral in their private development, the new ordinance specifies timeframes for HOA’s to video inspect their entire system, create an operation and maintenance plan for the system, and then develop a multi-year plan to make any necessary repairs to

bring the system into compliance with District requirements.

Code requirements for video inspection and repair of private sewer laterals of buildings undergoing remodels or additions remain, as does the requirement to video inspect and repair an existing sewer lateral before adding a new connection. Requirements for cleanouts and overflow devices remain unchanged.

Newer, properly installed, laterals do not typically require repairs. Therefore, owners of laterals that are less than 20-years old are offered some exemptions as outlined in the code.

From December 2018 through July 2019, 570 sewer laterals have been evaluated by District staff. Of those, 34% required no work, 51% required partial repair, 3% required only the addition of a cleanout/backflow device, and 12% required full replacement.

The reduction in cracks and breaks in these repaired laterals will reduce the amount of infiltration of stormwater/ groundwater into the sewer system, saving the District, and ultimately the rate payers, money that would have been spent on increased treatment costs and other operational expenses.

The Freedom and Davenport County Sanitation Districts will be following suit with ordinance changes in the next couple months. The City of Santa Cruz has a similar program that began on July 1, 2019. n ••• More information regarding the District’s Lateral Program can be found on the County’s home page at www.santacruzcounty.us.

Plenty of Free Customer Parking

Wilder Associates Inc.

Yoga Within

Property Management Specialists

Exploring the Mind-Body Connection

662-0291

687-0818

Salon Aptos

Joy of Movement Pilates & Gyrotonic®

Hair and Nails for a Good Look

More Zest for Life

688-8804 “Torres” from page 4 What is your repertoire of pitches? throw a 4-seam fastball, a cutter, curveball and sinker.

I also have a change to but use it so rarely in the bullpen, but starting will give me a chance to use it more and develop it too be a very affective pitch in the future.

I

How do you decide what to throw? decide what to throw based on what the film and numbers tell me. But the final decision goes to how they react to MY pitches.

The numbers are based on the results of the masses, not an individual. So I’ll always take the hitters cues above all others.

I

How does the communication (hand signals) between you and the catcher work? hen a pitcher is looking in the catcher will suggest a pitcher to which I’m either agree or disagree. So I either shake or throw the pitch he suggests.

That’s why the connection between the pitcher and catcher is so important. It makes the game smooth and you keep the defense sharp by keeping the action going.

W

When can people see you play?

As of now I’m starting every 5 days.

When I’m in the bullpen it gets hard because you don’t know when you will throw. n ••• Torres can be followed on Instagram & Twitter at @CarlosOGTorres and is also on Facebook.

Cover Photo: Carlos Torres pitched for the Milwaukee Brewers from 2016-17

688-8077

Warmboard Radiant Subfloor

Epicenter Cycling

Simply Smarter Radiant Heat

Trek Bicycles for All Types of Riders

685-9275

662-8100

Village Liquors

Dentistry for Animals

688-5691

768-7148

For All Your Beverage Needs

Dr. Judy Force, DVM

Kumon Math & Reading Center Learning for the Long Run

345-8377

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / August 15th 2019 / 7

COMMUNITY NEWS

Aptos/Buzzard/Hinckley Emergency Fuel Reduction Project C AL FIRE, in cooperation with California State Parks, will begin an emergency fuel reduction project beginning the week of August 12th. The Aptos/Buzzard/Hinckley Fuel Reduction Project is one of 35 high priority projects identified by CAL FIRE, statewide, to be completed as a result of the State of Emergency proclaimed by Governor Newsom on March 22, 2019 to address wildfires.

This project will remove small diameter trees and underbrush along prominent ridgelines in and around the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park and the Soquel Demonstration State Forest – Upper Aptos Creek Fire Road, Buzzard Lagoon Road, Hinckley Ridge and Ridge Trail.

These areas have large potential for significant fire growth due to a combination of fuel conditions, fire history and

topography (including alignment during north wind events). Portions of the project area were contingency lines during several large fires in the past decade including the Summit Fire, which resulted in the loss of 75 structures.

Upon its completion, this project will improve emergency access during wildfires by reducing fire intensity along roadsides, create areas to assist in fighting wildfires (shaded fuel breaks) and improve forest health

by increasing growing space around larger trees.

This project will be completed with a combination of heavy equipment (masticators, chippers) and hand crews. Due to the public safety hazards associated with heavy equipment operations and the need to expedite project completion, periodic road and trail closures may occur in and around the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park during day light hours, Monday – Friday from August 12th to the onset of fall rains.

To ensure public safety, please respect closure signs and visit www.parks.ca.gov/ ForestofNiseneMarks for up to date road and trail closures. n ••• For more information on the 35 statewide high priority projects, visit www.fire.ca.gov.

Capitola Soroptimists Accepting Live Your Dream Award Applications

S

oroptimist International of Capitola-by-the-Sea is now accepting applications for its Live Your Dream Awards with a deadline to apply no later than November 15.

Women who are enrolled in or have been accepted into a BA or technical training program, are the heads of their households and have a demonstrated need are eligible to apply. Applications are available online at www.best4women.org.

Winners of the Live Your Dream awards receive cash awards that can be used for any purpose that will enable them to continue their education such as rent, car repairs, books and medical expenses.

“Our Live Y o u r Dream awards have helped hundreds of Santa Cruz County women c o m p l e t e their education,” said Gwyn Larson, Capitola Soroptimist president. “They have

gone on to provide for themselves and their families and give back to their communities.”

Soroptimist International of Capitola-by-the-Sea is a global volunteer organization that improves the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment. n For more information follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/sicapitola or email us at info@best4women.org.

• The Afterschool STEAM program will take place in the Clubhouse Thursdays 3 – 4 p.m.

The collection of books and media at La Selva Beach is currently being evaluated and the best items are being reassigned to other branches. The Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries will hold a big book sale in the branch after it has closed on

Sunday September 15, before construction begins. Everything, including furniture and fixtures, will be for sale.

All staff at the La Selva Beach Branch will be reassigned to nearby branches. You may see familiar faces when you visit a new branch! n ••• For more information: santacruzpl.org

“La Selva Beach Library” from page 6

BIKE PARK & PUMP TRACK CONSTRUCTION

831-239-1702 www.actionsportsconstruction.com alex@actionsportsconstruction.com

• The 4th Friday Matineé program will take place every 4th Friday 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

• The Evening Indie/Documentary Movie program will take place at a time still yet to be determined.

The following programs will take place at the La Selva Beach Recreation District, 314 Estrella Ave.: • The Evening Book Discussion Group will meet in the Boardroom every 3rd Wednesday of the month 5:30 – 7 p.m.

• The Adult Book Discussion Group will meet in the Boardroom every 2nd Thursday of the month 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

• The Passionate Readers Book Discussion Group will meet in the Boardroom every 4th Thursday of the month 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

8 / August 15th 2019 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

COMMUNITY NEWS

PV Students Gain Hands-on Experiences O n July 19th, twelve high school interns enrolled in the Watsonville Wetlands Watch Green Career Institute completed their five-week intensive job-training program in environmental careers of the Monterey Bay. They culminated their work by preparing Climate Impact presentations, designed to encourage their peers to take action to address climate change, which they will share with students at Pajaro Valley High School in the fall.

Over the course of the past five weeks, Green Careers Institute students worked with staff at the City of Watsonville’s Water Recycling Center, observed bird banding at the Bureau of Land Management Fort Ord Reserve, assisted with habitat restoration at the UCSC Younger Lagoon Reserve, surveyed for Sea Otters with Sea Otter Savvy, learned about the local agricultural industry while working at Lonely Mountain Farm and visiting Sakata Seeds, and visited many other institutions and green businesses. At the end of the

“Sante Arcangeli” from page 5 She died suddenly on July 26 surrounded by loved ones, leaving her husband to raise their 6-year-old son, Lucca.

The opening of the Sante Archangel tasting room during the unimaginable family tragedy is a testament to the boundless love and support that the entire community surrounding the Sante Arcangeli team brought in a time of crisis for the Benedetti family.

“Melanie was the best of humanity … totally selfless …. totally 120% real,” said Benedetti. “She was the most beautiful human I’ve ever met.”

In May of 1995, Melanie and John met in their early 20’s in Isla Vista while both attending UCSB, he said. “She was 20, I was 22,” Benedetti recalls. “I brought her back here to my hometown after our senior year… and we were together ever since.

We were inseparable. Best friends’ first, lovers second he added. I’ve been with her more than half my life, and she’s entwined

program, students earn a certificate of participation and a $500 stipend.

Funded by the NOAA B-WET Grant Program and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Green Careers Institute works primarily with teens from low-income families in the Pájaro Valley to receive training in environmental careers, especially as they relate to the Pájaro Watershed and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

The goal of the Green Careers Institute is for teens to be exposed to a range of green careers, to become stewards of the environment, to understand the impact of climate change and other environmental challenges facing the community, and to develop networks with local green career professionals.

This year marks the 6th year of Green Careers training and the 4th year of the summer program. “We are delighted that the students have had such rich experiences this year and have had a chance to work with so many incredible organizations, government agencies, research institutions and local green businesses.” Said Emily Howard, Watsonville Wetlands Watch’s Education Programs Director. “They have had a chance to experience so many different potential fields of work and begin to understand the different career and academic pathways available to

them where they can make a real difference for the environment.”

The mission of the Watsonville Wetlands Watch is to protect and restore the land, the waters, and the wildlife of the Pajaro Valley wetlands and adjacent uplands; to educate our youth to value nature and its ecosystems; and to help the public appreciate the unique beauty and importance of this irreplaceable natural treasure.

Each year, Watsonville Wetlands Watch’s education programs serve over 4,000 students and partners with many local, State, and federal agencies to restore wetlands and wildlife habitat throughout the Watsonville Slough System. n ••• For more information please visit the website at www.watsonvillewetlandswatch.org or visit our Watsonville Wetlands Watch page on Facebook.

in everything I’ve done … from my old tech company, Iluminada Design, to Sante Adairius, to the Santa Archangeli winery.

She was the backbone of all those things, giving me the confidence to give them all my best shot. Her saying was “If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t matter as long as we have each-other.” Twenty four years is far too short-a-time to have with someone like Melanie,” Benedetti said. Benedetti and son Lucca miss her beyond what words can describe.

The Benedetti’s are holding a nowsold-out Open House Fundraiser and Futures Sale at the winery production facility in Aromas August 24 at 238 Carpenteria Rd. In addition, September 7 and 8, Sockshop & Shoe Company in Aptos Village and Cantine Winepub (8050 Soquel Dr., Aptos) will each donate 10% of sales those days to the Benedetti family to assist with medical expenses. There will also be a silent auction October 3rd from 5:30-7:30 and raffle tickets will be sold at Sockshop and Sante. Wineries from all over

the county have donated wines for the auction and prizes worth up to $8,000 will be available. Sante Archangeli will not be open for tastings that day, but wine lovers and supporters can purchase by the glass to sip and shop. Winners for the raffle will be announced that night and need not be present to win.

••• Sante Arcangeli Family Wines ante Arcangeli Family Wines produces less than 2000 cases a year. The winery focuses on creating carefully handcrafted Burgundian varietals that have been gently nurtured from rare mountain-grown fruit to a new life as elegant and expressive California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Sante Arcangeli Family Winery’s original tasting room is located at 216-A Stage Road in historic Pescadero and features 3 selections of Pinot Noir, a Rose’ of Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay from the Santa Cruz Mountains, with grapes grown from the Split Rail Vineyard and Lester Family Vineyard in Corralitos.

While locals are taking notice of Sante Arcangeli, the winery’s current and past vintages have gained the attention of top wine reviewers too. A sample of notable ratings include: a 95-point rating from Wine Enthusiast for the 2017 Lester Family Vineyard Pinot Noir, a 94-point rating from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and a 93-point rating from Wine Enthusiast for the 2016 Split Rail Vineyard Pinot Noir.

It has also earned; a 93-point rating from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate for the 2016 Lester Family Vineyard Pinot Noir; a 93-point rating from Wine Enthusiast, a 91-point rating from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate for the 2016 Integrato Pinot Noir; and a 92-point rating from Wine Enthusiast for the 2016 Split Rail Chardonnay.

Fans of Sante Arcangeli wines can join the winery’s’ extended family by becoming wine club members. Members can enjoy delicious wine, free tastings, winery events and discounted wine purchases. Learn more at www.santewinery.com. n

Green Careers Students Restoring the Habitats of Struve Slough.

S

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / August 15th 2019 / 9

COMMUNITY NEWS

Pianist Ko-Eun Yi Thrills Audience

Juilliard Trained Musician Featured in Aptos Keyboard Series Performance at St. John’s

K

By Lyn Bronson

orean pianist Ko-Eun Yi thrilled an audience of piano lovers as she performed a recital for the Aptos Keyboard Series at the Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist. Artistic Director of the series Josef Sekon continues to surprise us by discovering new young talented artists and bringing them to central California.

Juilliard trained pianist Yi may have looked very young, fragile and vulnerable as she sat down at the piano. However, from the first notes of her opening work, Scarlatti’s Sonata in c-sharp minor, K. 247, L. 256, she revealed not the demeanor of a playful kitten, but that of a ferocious tiger, as she devoured each work on the program and left us thirsting for more by the end of the program.

The Scarlatti Sonata she had chosen, K. 247, is not one of the most frequently performed of his 555 sonatas, but it is one that was championed by such distinguished pianists as Fou Ts’ong and Emil Gilels. This sonata is also not one of the many Scarlatti sonatas that feature the dazzling pyrotechnics of rapid scales, crossing of hands and awkward leaps all over the keyboard, but rather one of the slower and more contemplative sonatas.

What we heard from Yi was a romantic approach at slower tempos of legato lines that interwove with each other to create interesting textures and phrases. She performed this sonata with a variety of dynamics and expressive devices that could only be dreamed of by a harpsichordist, and it contributed to a very satisfying performance.

The work that followed, Suite Bergamasque is one of Claude Debussy’s most popular works, and we can safely say that every amateur pianist in the world has at one time or another attempted to play the famous

she might do with and ubiquitous Clair Ravel’s great masterde lune. Yi’s lovely piece, Gaspard de la performance of Clair nuit — something to de lune achieved look forward to in a colorful depths of return engagement. expression and feeling Next we heard that transported us to a a performance of magical place.

Beethoven’s 32 VariaHer aggressive tions in C Minor. It performance of the was a powerful peropening work of the formance — almost suite, Prélude, made too powerful at times a bold statement, as — that strained the did the Menuet, which Ko-Eun Yi limits of the piano in followed, although the Menuet achieved some startling moments of the reduced acoustical environment of the church. calm serenity as well.

However, Yi constantly exploited the The Passepied that ended the suite showed Yi’s immaculate rhythm and articu- changing characters of each variation to lation to great advantage. Since she proved achieve a startling variety of dynamics she has a very masterful and profound grasp and ultimately a satisfying and rewarding of Debussy’s style, we can just imagine what performance.

After intermission we heard Ms. Yi perform the mighty Liszt Piano Sonata in B Minor. This is an amazing piece, and on this occasion it received an amazing performance that ran the gamut from unrestrained virtuosity to carefully controlled loving expression in tender moving phrases that transported us to a very special place. This was a performance we didn’t want to end.

Responding to bravos and a standing ovation Yi rewarded us with one encore — a very moving performance of Träumerei from Robert Schumann’s Scenes From Childhood.

It was gorgeous. n ••• The next performance for the Aptos Keyboard Series is October 20th with pianist Anna Dmytrenko.

For more info, contact Josef Sekon, D.M.A. Artistic Director: Phone: (831) 685-9169 Email: josefsekon@yahoo.com web: www.st-john-aptos. org/aptos-keyboard-series.html

Fifth Grader From Valencia Wins Beauty Pageant

M

iss Dorothy DeLisle, an Aptos 5th grader at Valencia Elementary School, traveled to Sacramento on July 16 for the Sunburst Beauty Pageant.

She won Overall High Point and for her age division, (7-10) won Queen, Best Attire, Most Photogenic, Top Model Look and Demin Wear Winner.

She also participated in two other pageants this summer — My Royal Crown in Burbank and Golden Stars and Pretty Poppy Pageant in Concord. Dorothy took home top prizes in both.

“From my perspective, everyone

10 / August 15th 2019 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

is a winner. Everyone worked hard, everyone was beautiful, and everyone had fun,” Dorothy said. “And that’s what matters.”

Miss DeLisle plans to do as many pageants as she can this year, gain more experience, and start competing in national and international pageants in 2020. She also plans to go to college and is interested in becoming a dance instructor.

She is currently a student at Elaine’s Dance Studio in Santa Cruz. n

Dorothy Delisle

COMMUNITY BRIEF Information Session for 2020 UC Master Gardener Training Saturday, August 17th, 10:00 am – 11:30 am UC Cooperative Extension, 1432 Freedom Boulevard, Watsonville, CA 95076 C Master Gardeners of Monterey & Santa Cruz Counties is hosting an information session for those interested in applying for the 2020 training class, which is a comprehensive program on horticulture, pest management and sustainable landscape practices.

Certified UC Master Gardener volunteers educate home research-based knowledge and information in a variety of

U

ways, including low-cost classes, demonstration gardens, social media, information booths, and special events.

The training class begins in January 2020. Topics include botany, composting, integrated pest management (IPM), soils, water management, entomology, plant pathology, as well as fruit and ornamental tree culture.

Applicants must reside in Monterey, San Benito or Santa Cruz County. The application deadline is September 30, 2019.

Another information session will be held on September 5, 2019, in Salinas. n For more info, visit mbmg.ucanr.edu

COMMUNITY NEWS

CASA Hires New Staff E ach year nearly 500 children in Santa Cruz County experience foster care because they have been abused or neglected.

The cases with the highest needs are referred to be matched with a Volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate. CASA of Santa Cruz County trains and supports these volunteers as they commit to serve a child or youth throughout the time they have an active case in the juvenile dependency court — sometimes up to two years or more.

CASA hired a new staff person in July, Roxy Greenspan, and promoted Clint Bonds.

Roxy Greenspan joins CASA as the Early Childhood Specialist and Advocate Supervisor bringing 14 years of experience in early childhood education as well as extensive training in trauma-informed care.

She looks forward to combining her two passions of increasing advocacy for children 0-5 and serving others who have experienced neglect and abuse on their path towards healing from trauma.

She is also committed to implementing nature-based education, anti-bias education, peace education, and nonviolent communication with children and families.

Roxy learned about CASA years ago and became a volunteer Advocate in 2018. She was thrilled to hear about the job opportunity and jumped at

Clint Bonds

Roxy Greenspan

the chance to delve deeper in serving children in foster care.

Clint Bonds has been promoted to Communications and Grants Coordinator, and he will begin his new role on October 1.

In addition to his educational background, having a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy, he has spent the past three years with CASA of Santa Cruz County as the Court Liaison and Advocate Supervisor, supporting CASA volunteers and families as they navigate the complicated and potentially intimidating Court system.

He has expertise and deep knowledge of the issues affecting the children we serve, which he will bring to this new role.

Clint is really looking forward to diving into new and exciting work as part of the CASA Communications team. n ••• People interested in learning more about how to help are encouraged to visit casaofsantacruz.org or contact CASA’s Outreach and Recruitment Manager, Cita Rasul at cita@casaofsantacruz.org or (831) 761-2956, ext. 102

“Dependable Service, Affordable Quality”

SPECIALIZING IN

SUMMER SPECIAL

Residential Repaints & If we paint your interior and/or Custom Homes exterior by September 30, 2019 Homeowners Associations we will buy the paint.

Property Managers

Don’t let the second half of summer slip by.

Call me and learn about how I can help with your real estate goals.

Special Daytime CASA Training

C

ASA of Santa Cruz County needs caring adult volunteers to speak up for the best interests of children who have been abused or neglected.

A CASA volunteer spends time with his or her child each week, gathering information from everyone involved in the child’s case. CASA volunteers also work with attorneys and social workers. They review records, research information, and talk to anyone involved with the child, including parents, extended family members, doctors and teachers.

Training to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate typically takes place two nights a week from 6-9 p.m. for 5 weeks. Once a year, a special daytime training is offered that will takes place Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for two weeks.

This is a rare opportunity to complete the 35-hour course without having to drive at night.

If you have 2-4 hours a week to be there for a child in foster care, you CAN make a difference. Training begins on September 30th.

Although there is a great need for bilingual and male volunteers, we always encourage people from all cultures and professions and of all ethnic and educational backgrounds to learn more. n Upcoming Informational session: • Saturday, September 7, 10:00 a.m. at CASA: 813 Freedom Blvd. in Watsonville ••• For more information contact Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Santa Cruz County: www.casaofsantacruz.org • Phone: (831) 761-2956 • email: cita@casaof santacruz.org

1/19

exp. 12/3

831-476-7387 (PETS)

1220-H 41st Ave., Capitola (Next to New Leaf Market) capitolaveterinaryhospital.com • capvet1@gmail.com

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / August 15th 2019 / 11

COMMUNITY NEWS

Last chance to see ‘Into the Woods’

C

By Mindy Pedlar

abrillo Stage’s production of INTO THE WOODS by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim is “a journey for the entire audience, orchestra, cast and crew and to take together” says Equity actor Ashley Rae Little who plays Cinderella. Ashley talks about what it’s like playing someone we all think we know so well. “She’s a complex character” says Ashley “young and eager to be seen as an equal by her peers. Though she’s blessed with hope and optimism, she doesn’t really know what she wants which creates many challenges for her.”

Playing Sondheim’s Cinderella requires a high degree of musicianship and Ms. Little nails it. Her vocal control is admirable, perfectly in tune. Her voice is absolutely gorgeous, yet she never allows it to overshadow the truth of the story she is telling.

“The tricky part of playing a role like Cinderella” says Ashley “is that everyone has a preconceived notion of what they believe she should be; how she looks, how

she sounds and especially how Disney has drawn her.” Ashley worked closely with director/choreographer Janie Scott to create a Cinderella that is “a very real person with real needs, wants, heartaches and joys.” Ashley brings a depth to Cinderella that invites us to “paint the character with every color available.”

Ashley’s rendition of ‘On the Steps of the Palace’ is delightful. She enjoys the many musical jokes that Sondheim makes throughout the show yet her favorite song is a more serious, quiet one: the ballad ‘No One Is Alone’. “It resonates with the listener’s real life experiences” Ashley says “and brings out their natural feelings and emotions.” It is her wish that the audience

12 / August 15th 2019 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

leaves feeling “creatively nourished and satisfied, understanding the importance of connecting with one another and appreciating the journey we take every time we witness live theatre.”

In the midst of all the fairy tale characters that inhabit INTO THE WOODS, there lives a baker and his wife. Meet Cabrillo Stage’s Baker, the multi-talented Ian Leonard. “There are not many people who can identify with being a Prince, or a spell casting Witch or a Wolf” says Ian “but a nice middle-class couple running an independently owned bakery, trying to start a family and make ends meet, that’s something people can relate to.” The Baker was a bucket list role for Leonard having a bit of everything, “physical humor, light moments, dry sarcasm, crushing despair, complicated parental issues, a beautiful, honest relationship with his wife, and several scenes with a human cow. It’s all so enjoyable!

“Into the Woods” page 16

Ashley Rae Little as Cinderlla & David Jackson as the Prince

COMMUNITY NEWS

Support for Community Bridges

Locals Flood to Fourth Annual Farm to Fork Gala

T

he fourth annual Farm to Fork Gala, benefiting human services nonprofit Community Bridges, was held on August 3 at the La Selva Beach Clubhouse.

150 people enjoyed wonderful food catered by Barbara & Company Catering, Discretion Brewing beer and Alfaro Family Wines.

Aaron Groff, KION News Anchor, was the emcee for the evening program and a new video highlighting the work of Community Bridges was released. The event raised $70,000 to support children, families and seniors across Santa Cruz County. These funds will fuel all 10

programs of Community Bridges that support people across every stage of life.

Ray Cancino, CEO of Community Bridges, explained the impact that these funds will have on the people served

by Community Bridges programs.

“Donations from our generous crowd of friends will make it possible for us to install a new roof at the Fairgrounds Child Development Center, refresh the paint and repair the carpet at Elderday Adult Day Health Care, strengthen the counseling program, and add additional hours for drop-in crises services, at our four family resource centers,” he said.

He expressed his appreciation for all of the donors that gathered together to give back to their community in a truly meaningful way and, Ray notes, “They had a great evening while doing it! Without supporters like you, none of our work is possible.”

The success of this event is due to the kindness and commitment of many organizations and community partners. The Farm to Fork Gala was proudly sponsored

by AirTec, Alese Greene, State Farm Insurance, Bontadelli, Inc., CalGiant Berry Farms, Discretion Brewing, Driscoll’s, Granite Construction, New Leaf Community Market, Sutter

Maternity & Surgery Center and System Studies. Media sponsors included KION 5/46 and Santa Cruz Sentinel.

Community Bridges envisions a thriving community where every person has the opportunity to unleash their full potential. Together, our family of programs delivers essential services, provides equitable access to resources, and advocates for health and dignity across every stage of life. n ••• To learn more, visit www.community bridges.org.

Photos Credit: John Hanley

and 10% of profits go back to the community

We’ve been nourishing communities on the Central Coast for 33 years, and counting.

NOW OPEN IN APTOS Half Moon Bay • Downtown Santa Cruz Westside Santa Cruz • Capitola • Aptos

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / August 15th 2019 / 13

COMMUNITY NEWS

Top Chefs Cook For Kids

‘Food For Children’ Brings Together Local Culinary Masters

7960 Soquel Drive  Aptos, CA 95003 N IO D F T F A EN S O M HI 0% T 1 R FO

CBD OIL

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL & AGED BALSAMIC SPECIALTY GIFT SHOP

www.trueoliveconnection.com SANTA CRUZ 106 Lincoln St. • 831.458.6457

APTOS 7960 Soquel Dr. • 831.612.6932

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

musicstoreguy@earthlink.net

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

14 / August 15th 2019 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

7960J Soquel Dr. Aptos, CA 95003

S

ix top local chefs will come together on Thursday, Sept. 12 for Santa Cruz Chefs’ Dinner 2019 to donate their culinary skills towards one special dinner to raise funds for Second Harvest Food Bank’s Food For Children program. The event takes place from 6–9 p.m.

The annual event, at Holy Cross Church Annex in Santa Cruz, will bring together six expert chefs from restaurants like Café Cruz, Ella’s at the Airport, and The Cremer House. Each one will create their own fabulous course for event attendees, paired with a wine donated by local vintners.

The event will also mark 21 years of Second Harvest’s Food For Children program, which pair’s healthy food with nutrition education to feed children and families in need and improve their health outcomes. The program feeds 5,000 children each month at nearly 50 sites across Santa Cruz County.

Chef Steve Wilson, who started the event in 2001, notes, “As chefs, we frequently serve people who can afford to go out for a nice meal on a regular basis.

We are personally affected, though, by the knowledge that there are many in our community who cannot even afford the most basic necessities.”

The evening will feature a champagne reception, six-course dinner, and live auction hosted by the Romney Dunbar (Dunbar Productions).

Second Harvest CEO Willy ElliottMcCrea remarked, “We’re looking forward to bringing the community together again to enjoy the work of these skilled chefs and to help fund this powerful program.”

All proceeds from ticket sales and silent auction will support Food For Children.

Chef Wilson reflected, “We feed people for a living, so this is our way of giving back.”

• • • • • •

The six chefs are: Peter Henry, The Cremer House T. Ella King, Ella’s at the Airport Steve Wilson, Café Cruz Jeffrey Wall, Alderwood Santa Cruz Brad Briske, Home Anthony Kresge, Chef Anthony

Premier Sponsors of the Event are: • E & S Trucking • Driscoll’s • Looker • Sequoia Wealth Advisors You can read more about Food For Children at http://www.thefoodbank. org/our-impact/. n ••• For every dollar donated to Second Harvest Food Bank provides four healthy meals.

“Together we fight hunger all year long.” www. thefoodbank.org.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Promoting a Healthier Watsonville

Annual Breastfeeding Health Fair and Walk

T

he 13th Annual Breastfeeding Health Fair and Walk takes place Friday, Aug. 23 from 3–6 p.m. in the Watsonville Plaza. It is open to the general public and representatives of the media. This event includes fun activities for the whole family, a live DJ, community resource booths, healthy snacks, free t-shirts, raffles and more. The rallysytle walk down Main Street begins at 5pm This event supports the City of Watsonville’s resolution that proclaims August as Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Breastfeeding Awareness is celebrated throughout California and the nation during the month of August,

Friday, August 23 • 3 – 6 p.m. • Watsonville Plaza

as part of an effort to highlight the need for support of breastfeeding families in our community.

Breastfeeding is one of the best preventative health measures and provides short and long term health benefits for both mothers and babies.

Despite the fact that most mothers in Santa Cruz County want to breastfeed, many moms don’t meet their breastfeeding goals because of the barriers they face in the community, such as negative experiences in healthcare, their workplaces, and even with their own families.

This is especially true in communities with high levels of poverty and health disparities, such as Watsonville.

Compared to other parts of Santa Cruz County, Watsonville has higher levels of obesity, asthma, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease — the very conditions that breastfeeding can help prevent.

Hosted by the Community Bridges Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Nutrition Program. WIC builds support for breastfeeding in our community, and establishes breastfeeding as normal and preferred.

The Walk begins in Watsonville Plaza at the corner of Main Street and East Beach Street. n ••• To learn more, please visit www.community bridges.org.

Hospice of Santa Cruz County Announces Strategic Partnership

T

ogether with Mission Hospice & Home Care in San Mateo and The Elizabeth Hospice in San Diego, Hospice of Santa Cruz County is announcing the formation of the California Hospice Network — a strategic partnership committed to sustaining local, nonprofit, community-based hospice care throughout California.

These organizations, respected healthcare leaders in their respective communities, are working together to further enhance their delivery of exemplary patient care and end-of-life services.

Hospice of Santa Cruz County will continue to operate as a distinct and independent nonprofit, mission-driven hospice and palliative care organization while working with the California Hospice Network member partners to share best practices, maximize operational economies and efficiencies and ensure long term viability within a changing healthcare environment.

“There are significant changes happening with Medicare and the hospice payment structure that threaten nonprofit hospices nationwide,” said Michael Milward, CEO of Hospice of Santa Cruz County. “By joining with other nonprofit hospice providers in our state, we believe we are better positioned to adapt to the changing healthcare landscape and continue to provide the quality care that our local community deserves.”

Local leadership and Board of Directors will remain unchanged. “Each member’s local leadership will continue to make day-to-day organizational decisions and each member’s existing Board of Directors will continue to make local governance decisions,” said Robert Kaswen, Hospice of Santa Cruz County Board President.

The goal of the California Hospice Network is to provide strategic and operational support to local, community-based nonprofit hospice providers and to develop an affiliate geographic footprint that serves a significant percentage of the California population.

Jan Jones, RN, BSN, will be CEO of the California Hospice Network. Jones is a recognized leader in the hospice and palliative care movement with more than three decades of experience in the healthcare industry and a strong background in managing community-based hospice programs and services. She currently serves as CEO of The Elizabeth Hospice in San Diego. Along with the California Hospice Network Board of Directors, Jones will be recruiting additional nonprofit hospice partners to strengthen the network’s reach and scale.

Hospice of Santa Cruz County

remains committed to providing exemplary end-of-life care and grief support to our community. Hospice of Santa Cruz County will continue to rely on local philanthropy which will remain local and support community programs such as music therapy, children’s grief camp, community education & outreach, palliative care and innovation initiatives designed to improve patient access and experience.

Hospice of Santa Cruz County envisions a community where all people live

and die with dignity. Since 1978, the organization has honored the choices of individuals and families by providing exemplary end-of-life care and grief support.

As the county’s leading nonprofit provider of hospice care, the hospice program is enriched by community grief support, a children’s bereavement camp, transitional care and palliative care services, pet companion and music therapy programs, hospice care for veterans, and end-of-life education and outreach.

Approximately 3,500 Santa Cruz County residents are served annually. n ••• For more info, visit www.hospicesantacruz. org.

Gentle Exams & Cleanings to Cosmetic, Restorative & Implant Dentistry The Quality and Service Your Family Deserves from Our Family

TUESDAY - THURSDAY: 8:00AM-5:30PM FRIDAY: 8:00AM-3:00PM SATURDAY: BY APPOINTMENTS ONLY

www.riodelmardental.com

TOD C. ANDERSON, DDS

9520 SOQUEL DRIVE APTOS, CA 95003

831-688-1006

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / August 15th 2019 / 15

COMMUNITY NEWS

Saturday Passport Hours August 24 B efore you pack your bags for that vacation, check to see if you will need a passport. The Santa Cruz County Clerk is offering special Saturday passport hours on, Saturday, August 24, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 701 Ocean St., Room 310, in Santa Cruz, for individuals and families who need a passport and don’t have time to apply during regular office hours, Monday – Friday.

This is the fourth of five special passport hours for 2019. Regular passport processing is now taking 6 to 8 weeks. Passport processing times can be expedited to 2 to 3 weeks for an additional fee.

The Saturday passport hours are particularly helpful for families who need passports for their children. Both parents must appear with their children under the age of 16. If both parents cannot appear, there are other options, including a signed and notarized “Statement of Consent” Form DS3053 from the parent who cannot be there in person, along with a copy of the front and back of the nonappearing parent’s photo identification.

Parents must show photo identification, such as a driver’s license, and submit a copy of the front and back of each parent’s identification.

Applicants, who are 16 or 17 years old, must appear with one parent who shows photo identification and provides a copy of the front and back of the identification. If the minor has photo identification, it must also be shown, and a copy of each side must be submitted along with the application. Copies made at the Clerk’s office are $1 each.

To apply for a passport, you must appear in person and submit the following along with the completed application: • Photo identification, such as a driver’s license; • A copy of the front and back of the photo identification on 8 ½ x 11 inch plain white paper; • A certified copy of evidence of citizenship, such as your birth certificate or naturalization papers; • A copy of evidence of citizenship;

• Proof of parentage must be submitted for children under the age of 16; and • One recent color passport photo, size 2 x 2 inches.

U.S. citizens must present a valid passport book when entering or re-entering the United States by air. U.S. citizens entering the United States from Canada, Mexico,

the Caribbean and Bermuda at land borders and sea ports of entry must present a passport book, passport card, or other travel documents approved by the U.S. government.

Passport books cost $80 for citizens under the age of 16 and $110 for citizens age 16 and older. The Passport card is $15 for citizens under the age of 16 and $30 for citizen’s age 16 and older. The passport fees are made payable to the U.S. Department of State and must be paid by check or money order.

Each applicant must also pay a processing fee of $35 per passport to the County Clerk. The $35 processing fee must be paid by cash, check, or money order.

You can renew your U.S. passport by mail using the Form DS-82, if your most recent U.S. passport: • Is undamaged and can be submitted with your application; • Was issued when you were age 16 or older; • Was issued within the last 15 years; and • Was issued in your current name or you can legally document your name change with original or certified copy of your marriage certificate or the governmentissued document evidencing your legal name change.

If any of the above statements do not apply to you, you must apply in person. If you are renewing your passport in person, you must use the Form DS-11 – we cannot accept the DS-82 in our office.

All minors, age 15 and under, who have or have not had a passport in the past must apply in person using the Form DS-11 and provide the other documentation described above. n ••• More information on travel requirements and how to apply for a U.S. passport is available at www.travel.state.gov or by calling the Santa Cruz County Clerk’s Office at 831-454-2060 or going online to www.sccoclerk.com. Regular business hours for passport applications in the Santa Cruz County Clerk’s Office are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“Into the Woods” from page 12 There are countless opportunities for humor in the show, and also some substantial heart rending incidents. Keeping the two successfully smudged together is a challenge. It’s a lot of gray.”

As for the music Ian opines, “I think it’s easy to say, “I love LES MISERABLES; I know the whole recording!” Or, “Man, HAMILTON was amazing!!!” INTO THE WOODS is all about peaks and valleys kinda like life. It isn’t all hummable, and there are segments that you might not totally remember on the car ride home.

Such is Sondheim. However, each character’s solo represents an independent journey on the path of a much larger tale.

Each actor tells their story honestly with lovely, clear, authentic voices.”

Ian believes that though the musical portrays childhood fairy tale archetypes, the story and the themes within the

production, like fairy tales themselves, are timeless. To him the show is about “growing up, making mistakes, growing older, atoning for those mistakes; it’s about parents and children, wishes and

16 / August 15th 2019 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

dreams, fear of the other, community, and so much more.” Ian cites a scene in Act Two: “After a tragic series of events, each character is looking for someone to blame. Blame, in fact, becomes far

more important and satisfying than the solution. We sing an entire song about it, ‘Your Fault’. It’s even more relevant today than when it first appeared on Broadway in 1987. Spend even two minutes scrolling Twitter on any particular day and I think you’ll agree.”

Ian continues that as the show resolves the message is “We are stronger together than apart, our understanding is more powerful than our ignorance and our forgiveness brings infinitely more blessings than our bitterness. It reminds us that the next generation is looking to us to understand how to function in this world.” n ••• Don’t miss INTO THE WOODS now playing through August 18 at the Cabrillo Crocker Theater, 6500 Soquel Drive in Aptos.

Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., matinees at 2:00 p.m. Purchase tickets online at www.cabrillostage.com or at the box office 831-479-6154

COMMUNITY NEWS

PVUSD Accepted into National Network P ajaro Valley Unified School District was accepted into the League of Innovative Schools, a national coalition of forward-thinking K-12 school districts organized by Digital Promise, a nonprofit organization with the mission to accelerate innovation in education and improve the opportunity to learn for all through technology and research.

PVUSD was selected from a competitive national pool of applicants based on its leadership, evidence of results, innovative vision for learning, and commitment to equity and excellence.

Dr. Rodriguez, PVUSD Superintendent of Schools, states, “As a Superintendent, I engage in inclusive and thoughtful listening with all stakeholders to inform and guide our journey of students. PVUSD is taking intentional and strategic steps through a pilot to scale framework that will accelerate the reimagining the educational experience for our 20,106 learning of our students and positively impact their futures and our community.”

The League of Innovative Schools,

launched in late 2011, accepts new members through an open application process once per year. With their new members, the League now includes 114 school districts in 34 states. The full list of members can be found at digitalpromise.org/districts.

“The League of Innovative Schools works to advance equitable opportunities and outcomes for students, and solve challenges facing schools through powerful use of learning technologies and research,” said Kim Smith, executive director of the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools.

“We welcome our new League members and look forward to working with them to further catalyze positive change in public education.”

League members are represented by their superintendent, who commits to: • Attend biannual League meetings, which feature classroom visits, collaborative problem-solving, and relationship-building with peers and partners; • Participate in League challenge collaboratives on a broad range of topics relevant to the changing needs of school districts; • Support Digital Promise research and provide feedback so it translates easily into classroom experiences

and expands what we know about teaching and learning; • Engage with entrepreneurs to advance edtech product development steeped in the latest learning science and meets district needs; and • Participate in the League’s professional learning community by connecting with other members online, in person, and at each other’s school districts.

In addition to superintendents’ participation, there are also opportunities for other school administrators, principals,

and teachers from member districts to participate in League and Digital Promiserelated initiatives.

The League will officially welcome new members at its fall 2019 meeting on October 16 in Loudoun County, Virginia, where more than 250 superintendents, district leaders, partners, and researchers from across the country will convene. n ••• For more information on the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools, visit: digitalpromise.org/league.

PVUSD in Partnership with Khan Academy and NWEA to Accelerate Student Learning

P

ajaro Valley Unified School District is one of only five school districts in the nation selected to partner with Khan Academy NWEA to pilot MAP Accelerator. In the 2019-20 school year, seventeen of our schools* will pilot MAP Accelerator, a tool that supports accelerated learning through the integration of personalized learning and assessment by automatically generating learning

pathways for students based on their MAP Growth scores.

Dr. Michelle Rodriguez, Superintendent of Schools, stated, “This partnership is an exciting opportunity to provide access to authentic personalized learning for our students and support their academic performance in mathematics. The MAP Accelerator uses

Khan Academy’s Mastery Learning System to allow students to work at their own pace and teachers to customize each student’s pathway, track progress and identify support systems and skills necessary to fill in gaps and accelerate their learning. Our participation in this pilot is aligned with the District’s vision to support

each student to excel academically through personalized instruction.”

PVUSD is one of five districts selected to participate in the MAP Accelerator pilot; other districts include Madera USD and Glendale USD in California, Jefferson County Public Schools in Kentucky, and Clark County School District in Nevada.

“Partnership” page 21

CLEAN ENERGY For Less Than Your Current Utility Cost Daniel Camacho/Owner • (831)588-6991 daniel@solarmotionCA.com www.solarmotionCA.com

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / August 15th 2019 / 17

COMMUNITY NEWS

Special Blood Donation Event

Wednesday, August 28 at Red Cross Office in Santa Cruz

H

eroes come in all shapes and sizes.

They don’t wear capes or special suits, and their badge of honor is the bandage that shows they gave the gift of life.

The Central Coast community is invited to become a hometown hero and answer the call of patients in need by donating blood on Wednesday, August 28, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the American Red Cross Central Coast Chapter’s office in Santa Cruz. The address for the special blood drive that day is 2960 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz.

Donating blood is one of the simplest things a person can do to help save a patient’s life. For the hour it takes to give blood, there could be a whole community of people thankful for another birthday given to their loved one.

This blood drive comes as the Red Cross faces an emergency blood shortage. Blood donors are needed now

to help avoid delays in lifesaving medical care for patients this summer.

Right now, blood products are being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in.

More donations are immediately needed to help replenish the blood supply.

Blood donation appointments are preferred for the Central Coast event, says Michele Averill, CEO for the Red Cross Central Coast Chapter. They can be scheduled by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, going online at RedCrossBlood.org, or by calling 1-800-RED

CROSS (1-800733-2767) and using the sponsor code ARCCCC. “The need for lifesaving blood donations is especially acute right now, prompting us to host this special donation event in a convenient location for Central Coast residents,” Averill says. “We hope to fill every last one of our appointment slots for that day.”

How to Donate Blood ll blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years

A

of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds, and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood.

High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood. org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App. n ••• For more information, visit our website at redcross.org/centralcoast or call us at 831-624-6921. You may also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Plein Air Opening Reception This Sunday Remain Safe in the Comfort Of Your Own Home

Locally Owned & Operated Since 2002 Our services include:

• Caring Companionship • Bonded, Insured, Registered and Highly Trained Caregivers • Bathing, Personal Hygiene Care & Assistance • Meal Planning & Preparation • Medication Reminders • Transportation & More!

Call Today for a FREE Assessment: 831.462.3500

Safe at Home Senior Care

820 Bay Avenue • Suite 101, Capitola, CA 95010 SafeAtHomeSeniorCare.com 18 / August 15th 2019 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

F

August 18, 2019 • 2:00pm – 4:00pm

orty-nine invited artists braved the weather, climb hills, lug easels, paint, and canvases to sites in southern Santa Cruz County, resulting in over a hundred-fifty submitted paintings.

Painting outside on the land, en Plein Air has long been a traditional pursuit in the Santa Cruz area because of the natural light and beauty of our collective landscape.

Generous landowners, directors and ranch managers have granted access during the month of July for the painting.

We hope you will enjoy the different artist interpretations of the same properties and appreciate the importance of protecting “Our Bounty” and being stewards of the land. n

••• For information please contact Curator Susanna Waddell at (831) 331-9499 or visit https://pvarts.org/ Exhibit Dates: August 14 – September 29, 2019

COMMUNITY NEWS

Calling All Cooks!

“It’s All In The Sauce” Contest at the 11th Annual Testicle Festival

If you revere the magic of water, if you cherish the ocean for more than our waste repository, if you want to protect the future for generations to come, then recycle and reuse WATER for it is the most important thing for life itself and far too valuable to just throw away.

Jamie Proffitt

Long-time Member of Surfrider Foundation Santa Cruz Chapter

T

he very popular “It’s All in the Sauce” Contest held during the annual Testicle Festival is reaching out to all cooks who have a special recipe for dipping sauce. The sauces are prepared to be enjoyed with the Rocky Mountain Oysters.

Anyone interested in competing needs to bring one quart of their sauce to the event by 2:30pm on Saturday, August 24th. Entry forms will be provided at the event. Everyone who attends the event has a chance to vote on their favorite sauce.

The Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee of the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau 11th Annual Testicle Festival will be held Saturday, August 24th at 3p.m. at Estrada’s Deer Camp in Watsonville. The price that includes the rocky mountain oysters and full chicken barbeque dinner is $50 for adults, $20 for children 5-12 and free for children under 5. The event will have a raffle, live and silent auction as well as a horseshoe contest for adults and children.

There will be all-you-can-eat mountain oysters as well as barbeque chicken, salads, bread and dessert. Loretta Estrada will be preparing the Rocky Mountain Oysters and Derek Witmer will be barbequing

2018 Best Sauce winners, the Spahn Family. the chicken. If you haven’t tried a rocky mountain oyster, now is the time! n ••• For tickets, please call the Agri-Culture Office, (831) 722-6622 or go to www.eventbrite.com (search for “11th Annual Testicle Festival” in Watsonville.)

Rocky Mountain Oyster chefs Loretta Estrada, Zach Estrada and Karen Pisturino.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / August 15th 2019 / 19

AUGUST 2019

Aptos Real Estate Update

Ruth Bates 831.359.2212

ruth@serenogroup.com CalBRE # 01799929

SHRINKING INVENTORY – HERE AND NATIONWIDE As of 8/01, there are 254 homes for sale from Santa Cruz through Aptos. 170 are listed at >$1 Million, only 75 are listed <$1 Million.

The Average Days on Market (DOM) is 65; over 2 months. In Aptos, 91 homes are for sale, 24 >$1M, <$1M, and Average DOM = 75 (2.5 months). Compared to last year, inventory is down 5% and DOM is up 8%.Nationwide, housing inventory is also shrinking. Why? • New-Home Construction fails to keep pace (1.3M starts in 2019 vs. 1.6M-50YR AVG) • Aging Housing Stock (Median age of home in US is now 37 years, if not remodeled or torn down and replaced, then inventory lessens over time) • Homeowner Tenure grows – Homeowners are staying longer, 8.3 years average now, a record high • Homes Converted to Rentals – during the housing crisis, investors snatched up homes in foreclosure and converted them to rentals; there has been a 31% growth in rentals from 2007-2016.

SOLDS IN APTOS – JULY VS. JUNE WOW. Big downslide in July in Aptos! In June, 27 homes old, at Average Price of $1,074,444 and Median Price of $919,500 and 29 Average DOM. In July, 25 homes sold, at Average Price of $942,340 and Median Price of $842,500 with 52 Average DOM. The high sale was 3430 Merrill - $1,800,000 – 6 bed, 4 bath, 3427SqFt. The low sale was 613 Encino - $569,000 – 1 bed, 1 bath, 715 Sq. Ft. Three condos sold, two 1-bedrooms in the Village for $625,000 and %615,000, and one 2-bedroom on Dolphin for $625,000. Two townhomes sold, 3-bedroom for $850,000 and 2-bedroom for $785,000. The over $1M market has slowed down significantly.

FED INTEREST RATE REDUCED AGAIN! The Feds took another quarter point reduction as economic growth slowed to 2.1% in the second quarter, falling a full point below the first quarter number. This is good news for homeowners as you can refinance at historically low rates and good news for buyers ready to purchase. The Fed said the reduction was based more on global rather than domestic economic concerns.

RUTH BATES OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY AUG. 24, 12-5 PM – 15 PARADE ST. APTOS I’m holding Open House at my new SerenoAptos digs in the Aptos Village on Saturday, 8/24 from 12-5. Come on by and say hi. Food and Drink + Mariannes Ice Cream from 12-2.

——— I love what I do and I’d love to help you.

Call, email, text anytime and … Get Results With Ruth!

1 5 PA R A D E S T. U N I T 1 , A P TO S Paid Advertising

FEATURED COLUMNIST

‘Grain Free’ Diets

By River May, DVM

G

rain Free and exotic protein pet foods have recently come under scrutiny after FDA reports of association with heart disease known as Nutritionally Mediated Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

Are you now confused and worried?

You’re not alone!

As usual there are many conflicting opinions. Pet food manufacturers haven’t made this any easier as they focus on marketing trends that don’t necessarily agree with the science behind animal nutrition.

This article hopes to allay some of your worries and provide practical advice.

Why do many health issues improve when pets are fed grain free foods? ogs and Cats are able to digest grains as part of a healthy balanced diet with rare exceptions. Unfortunately, grain free diets have gained a reputation as the cure all to many pet health problems. Pet food manufacturers have capitalized on this misunderstanding by marketing grain free diets with costs 3-4 times their alternatives containing grain.

However, grain free diets do help many pets with a variety of medical problems. So how can we explain this correlation? A postulate of statistical analysis essential to the understanding and resolution of any problem is, “Correlation does not equal Causation”!

It turns out to be proteins, rather than grains, that are the major influencers. Traditional diets containing grain often have multiple protein sources (i.e. beef, chicken, turkey, fish). In contrast, many grain free foods are formulated with single protein sources or an exotic type of protein such as rabbit, venison, or kangaroo. This reduces the risk of inflammatory conditions. In addition, grain free diets contain a higher Protein: Carbohydrate ratio, which results in healthier weight and more energy. In summary, we often see a positive response to grain free diets despite the fact that the lack of grain is not responsible.

D

So if my pet seems healthier when I feed grain free food, what’s the problem? risk of feeding grain free food is the development a life threatening form of heart disease known as dilated

A

20 / August 15th 2019 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

cardiomyopathy. Untreated, this may lead to; slowing down on walks, inappetence, lethargy, abnormal breathing, weight gain, fainting, or coughing. Any of these symptoms should prompt rapid evaluation.

Your Veterinarian will perform a complete physical exam. If your pet has dilated cardiomyopathy, they may detect; a new heart murmur, abnormal rhythm, irregular pulses or fluid buildup. A lack of symptoms won’t completely rule out heart disease. An echocardiogram (ultrasound) is the only definitive way to diagnose this problem. X-rays and blood testing may also be used to screen for complications.

In the meantime, what’s the best type of food to feed our family pets? f your pet has been eating grain free food; the safest option is to make an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam and consultation. Transitioning to a diet containing grain will likely be all that is recommended.

If there is a medical reason a grain free diet was recommended, I usually suggest selecting a new diet containing the same type of protein but that also contains grain.

For example, if your pet is currently eating a chicken and green pea diet; select a diet that contains only chicken as the protein but also contains a grain such as barley, rice, or oats.

Rest assured, there is no evidence to suggest pets need to eat more than one type of protein. In fact, some studies have shown pets live longer if they eat fewer types of protein.

I

Nutritional Dilated Cardiomyopathy takes a long time (likely longer than 6 months) to develop. Therefore, diet changes can be made gradually. A gradual transition over a course of 2 weeks is ideal.

Start by adding a few kibbles of the new diet to each meal for a few days. Slowly increase the amount new food, while decreasing an equal amount of old food, so your pet is eating 100% of the new diet after a couple of weeks.

What can be done if my pet is diagnosed with Nutritionally Mediated Dilated Cardiomyopathy? ortunately this type of heart disease can be treated and often cured. A transition to a diet containing grain and diet supplements are recommended. Your veterinarian will run some blood tests and monitor by repeating echocardiograms.

Medications may be indicated to decrease abnormal heart rhythms and to treat symptoms of heart failure. With proper treatment, heart disease will usually resolve within 6-12 months.

F

What is in grain free food that causes dilated cardiomyopathy? here is still a lot we don’t know. The majority of grain free foods that are associated with dilated cardiomyopathy contain some type of legume such as green peas or lentils.

However, grain free diets containing other types of carbohydrates (i.e. potatoes) are also implicated.

T

“Grain Free” page 21

COMMUNITY NEWS SCPD Encourages Responsible and Sober Driving

A

s summer comes to a close, Santa Cruz Police Department is asking drivers to not get behind the wheel after drinking or using drugs that impact your ability to drive safely.

Santa Cruz Police Department is joining law enforcement agencies across the country in the national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. During this period, which runs from Aug. 16 to Sept. 2 (Labor Day), Santa Cruz Police will have additional officers on the road looking for drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

Labor Day Weekend remains one of the deadliest times of year for alcohol-involved crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 376 deadly crashes nationwide during the 2017 Labor Day holiday period (Sept. 1 to Sept. 5). Among those crashes, more than one-third (36%) involved a drunk driver. Last year, two

people were killed, and 31 others injured in California on Labor Day alone.

“There are so many ways to get home safely without driving,” Santa Cruz Police Department Sergeant Scott Garner said.

“Driving while drunk or high is dangerous, irresponsible and causes too many senseless tragedies. We hope that drivers get the message that driving impaired will never be tolerated.”

Driving while impaired is illegal, whether it is alcohol, prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications or marijuana.

If you plan on drinking or are taking medications that can affect your driving ability, designate a sober driver or use a ride-share service.

If you see someone driving impaired, call 911. n ••• Funding for DUI enforcement is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“Partnership” from page 17 This pilot year there will be over 180,000 students participating and it will be available in English and Spanish.

“Partnering with NWEA takes our tools and resources for teachers to the next level,” said Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy. “We’ve long heard from teachers who want to use MAP Growth as more than a benchmark. Now teachers can use Khan Academy to focus on learning what’s needed most. And it’s simple and time-saving, which is important since teachers already have so much on their plates.”

Entering into this partnership with Khan Academy and NWEA was an easy decision for PVUSD. For years, the District has used Khan Academy as a student and teacher resource to support individualized learning. Combining this learning tool

“Grain Free” from page 20 The problem may be lack a particular micronutrient or the effect of an ingredient on a patient’s ability to absorb nutrients.

I’m confident the answers to these questions will come from the many dedicated veterinarians and nutritional scientists currently working on the problem.

with NWEA’s MAP Growth classroom assessment allows teachers to identify the extra help students need to reach their academic goals as well as to inspire learning for students who are ready to move ahead.

PVUSD’s #OneTeam continues to grow strong. Here is a link to NWEA and Khan Academy partnership announcement video: https://player.vimeo.com/video/ 338037036. n

Less traffic...More trees!

Enroll now for fall 2019

Transportation available

408-847-2717

MountMadonnaSchool.org CAIS & WASC accredited | Nonsectarian | Founded in 1979

I’ll “just“ Have a Salad

Fresh Seafood, Coastal Mexican & Vegetarian Dishes Prepared “A La Cocina Fresca” Full Bar , 50+ Tequilas Santa Cruz Mountain Wines Ensalada Del Mar

*Participating Schools: Alianza Charter, Ann Soldo Aptos Jr, Bradley, Calabasas, EA Hall, Freedom, Hall District, Lakeview, Landmark, Mar Vista, Mintie White, Ohlone, Rio Del Mar, Rolling Hills, Valencia, and Watsonville Charter School of the Arts.

For more information, visit: Twitter: @ PajaroValleyUSD • Facebook: @PajaroValley USD • Instagram: pajarovalleyusd

In the meantime, almost all pets can thrive on a diet containing grain.

The silver lining is that diets containing grain are less expensive and more readily available! Talk to your veterinarian about the diet that is best for your four legged family members. n ••• For more information: capitolavet.com

Fine Dining Mexican Style

21 Seascape Village, Aptos

Ocean View Lunch & Dinner Daily Reservations Suggested 831-662-9000

www.palapasrestaurant.com

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / August 15th 2019 / 21

Make your Home Your Dream Home

Monterey County Fairgrounds â&#x20AC;¢ 2004 Fairgrounds Rd., Enter through Gate 3 on Garden Rd.

22 / August 15th 2019 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

For More Information Visit www.MontereyHomeShow.com

For available Booth Space Call 831-688-7549

Reserve Your Booth Today!

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Diary of an ADHD Kid: A Week with Papa & Oma Told to Edita McQuary By An Anonymous 11-Year Old

T

he last week of 5th grade, I broke my left arm. Even after the cast came off, I had to be careful. Bummer summer.

So I talked Mom and Dad into letting me visit Papa and Oma for a week. They are pretty old people but sort of fun. Oma plays cards with me and Papa likes to take me for a hike but it really is just a long walk.

After the super-long four-hour drive, I thought I’d made a mistake. So when we got inside their house I called 911 to see if they could help. The man answered and said, “911. What is your emergency?” “Uh, oh, emergency?” I hung up quick and went to my bedroom.

Immediately the phone rang back.

Oma answered and was surprised when a man asked what was her emergency. She told him that her 11-year old grandson must have made a mistake. They didn’t need to send any help. “So far, we are all okay,” she said. I said I was sorry and that I dialed 911 accidentally.

In spite of the old timers’ craze for daily showers, tooth-brushing, and making my bed, things went pretty well. Papa took me to Santa Cruz Boardwalk one day and that was fun. I had to watch him carefully so he wouldn’t get lost in the crowd. Oma was into “Lion King” and “Toy Story 4” so I went with her to see those. Also, the

otters at Moss Landing State Beach were so awesome!

Oma was only a little upset when I accidentally spilled the beads of her favorite necklace all over the bedroom floor. She made me do some light gardening to make up for that — totally unfair, it was an accident! She said something about “consequences.”

Pretty soon it was Friday night and I was excited to be going back home the next day. As I was got ready for bed and came out of the bathroom, somehow the bathroom door locked behind me. Since there was only one bathroom in their house, this was a major problem. Oma and Papa were not happy.

We all tried to figure out how to unlock

the door but none of us could do it. Oma was tempted to dial “911” but she wasn’t sure this qualified as a true emergency.

After all, no one’s life except possibly mine was in danger. Instead she said we’d do a “Scarlett O’Hara,” whoever that was, and think about it tomorrow. None of us could brush our teeth before going to bed — sweet!

Saturday morning Papa and I had no trouble going behind a bush in the back yard. Oma said she was NOT going to go in the back yard. Luckily, she found a plastic bucket in the garage. There was still the tooth-brushing problem. Papa drove to the Dollar Store and bought three toothbrushes and a tube of toothpaste.

We took turns brushing our teeth in the kitchen sink.

At 8:45 a.m. Oma called the local lock and key company. They sent out a very nice man who took two minutes to unlock the door. It took him four minutes to write up the bill. But Oma said we were lucky we didn’t have to pay for the “outside of business hours” emergency service.

We packed the car and drove down south to meet mom and dad. I was so happy to see them! Papa and Oma were really happy to see them! Overall, it was a good week and I had a great time! n

How to Teach Your Daughter to Respond to Gender Bias

S

chool will be back in session soon.

This could be the perfect time to teach your daughter what to say if she encounters any bias about her abilities.

Start a two-way conversation that enables you to define gender bias together. You can get the conversation going by telling her what you think it is. So that she can understand it at her level, you could define it as: ‘Sometimes in the classroom, teachers unintentionally show gender bias by allowing more boisterous behaviors from boys than girls, or expecting girls to turn in homework

By Trish Allison

more consistently, or calling on boys more often to answer math questions.’

Gauge her reaction here. Hopefully she’ll be nodding her head. Then, without putting her on the spot, ask her what she thinks ‘gender bias’ is. Encourage her to give examples. Work out a definition together that combines both of your input.

Here are some suggested phrases that you can weave into the conversation: • ‘It’s always OK to tell me something even if you think it’s bad.’

• ‘This is a tricky topic. I’m glad we’re talking about it.’

• ‘If you think of any questions that you want to ask me, you can ask me anytime. You don’t have to wait for the right moment. If it’s important to you, it’s important to me too. Even if it feels silly to you, we can talk about it together.’

Your daughter needs to feel like she has a knowledgeable, safe person she can go to if she has a question or concern.

Gender Bias Examples ender bias could come from boys your daughter’s age, teachers or administrators at her school, family members, neighbors, family friends, etc.

Who does it isn’t as important as how it affects her and what you can do to

G

help her recognize that it’s completely unfounded.

Let her come up with examples that support the definition that you have crafted together. Watch a few TV shows together and ask her opinion of how boys and girls are depicted. The goal here is to help her recognize gender bias examples on her own.

Then look for instances together where girls are represented as equal. For example, on a television show, maybe a girl is depicted as the first student to solve a math problem. Make sure she sees you praising this behavior.

“Gender Bias” page 27

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / August 15th 2019 / 23

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Biotech Drugs

By Ron Conte, Pharm.D.

W

hat if you could take some specific cells from a mouse, fuse them with cancerous cells and create antibodies geared to treat one form of cancer in humans? Is that bizarre? Not really. This is known as biotechnology. A biotech drug is also known as a biological drug or biopharmaceutical agent.

The world of drug manufacturing became somewhat more complex with the advent of the first biotech drug introduced in 1982.

Biotechnology, in reference to drugs, delineates the drug is developed by way of a living organism in contrast to chemical means.

There are 5 groups of living organisms used in the development of a biological: bacteria, fungi, plants, insects, and mammalian cells. Today, the top-ten biotech drugs generate over $71 billion dollars in revenues per year.

There are four steps in the biotech drug production process. The first step involves the production of a master cell containing the gene to make a specific protein. Then, large number of cells are used to produce the protein. Next, the protein is isolated and purified. Lastly, the protein is prepared for use by humans.

There are five specific techniques used in the development of a biotech drug.

Table One lists the techniques with a brief description of each.

The first sentence of this article describes the technique used in the formation of a hybridoma. Hybridoma and recombinant DNA are the two most common techniques employed in the pro-

duction of a biotech drug. A biotech drug is about 115 times larger than a typical chemical drug molecule. Biotech drugs are usually given intravenously or infused through a major blood vessel.

Although a biological was first developed for the agricultural industry in 1919, use in humans did not occur for another sixty-three years. Some of the

Techniques Used in the Development of a Biotech Drug Type of Technique

Mutagenesis Fermentation

Description

Changes made to the genetic information of an organism Chemical substance is broken down into simpler substances

Sexual/Asexual

Processes Transference of genetic material with or without a sexual process

Recombinant DNA

This is molecular cloning, bringing together genetic material from differing sources; e.g., plant DNA joined to bacterial DNA

Hybridoma

Production of specific antibodies by the fusion of a lymphocyte (defense-system cell) with a specific tumor cell

24 / August 15th 2019 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

more common biotech drugs are Humira, Rituxan, Embrel, Herceptin, Avastin, Remicade, Lantus, Neulasta, Avonex, and Lucentis. Depending on the agent, biotech drugs are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, types of cancers, and other major illnesses.

Their side effect profiles are somewhat different than what is seen with chemical drug products. Some biotech side effects may include respiratory or urinary tract infections, flu-like symptoms, and other diseases, including tuberculosis and invasive fungal infections. Some forms of cancer have developed in patients taking certain biotech agents. Hmmm, taking a drug to treat one cancer may cause another? I will explain this in depth in a future article.

So, we know about generics for chemical drug products. The equivalent for biotech drugs is termed biosimilar drugs. As with drug generics, biosimilars must be the same active structure as the

original. However, the non-active components may not be the same. In addition, biosimilars cannot be termed generics since there may be minor changes in the manufacturing process including expected differences in the living organism acting as the starting material, e.g., a specific mouse cell.

There are currently twelve biosimilars available in the U.S. today. Like generics, biosimilars are not as costly as the original biotech agent. In fact, it has been stated that the estimated savings for substituting biosimilars for original biotech drugs will be about $40 billion over a ten-year period.

This may be short-lived because also like generics, biosimilar costs are creeping up due to the now acceptable business practices found in health care. n ••• As always, please contact your health care provider, including your pharmacist, to learn more about biotech drugs and their benefits versus risks.

For more info: rrxconte@gmail.com

FEATURED COLUMNIST

It’s About The Experience E

ach business should always try to differentiate itself from the competition. There are many ways business owners try to be different, as most often we try to focus on quality and price.

When many businesses owners are asked what makes them different, many respond with ‘we have the highest quality at affordable prices’.

However, if most businesses are competing the same way by promoting quality and affordability, then by definition there is no differentiation.

Quality and affordability are really ‘givens’ in order to just remain in business, and promoting the same ‘quality and affordability’ that everyone else does risks a business getting lost in a ‘sea of sameness’.

So finding new ways to be truly different becomes that much more important. And keep in mind that being ‘different’ should be based on what your target customers are looking for, not just being ‘different’ if it doesn’t matter to them.

Regardless of the business you are in, what matters to the majority of customers is actually their experience. What customers ‘experience’ is often an overlooked area where you can truly be better, special, and different, and by doing so allows you to a) satisfy your customers better for improved loyalty, and b) establish a pointof-difference that can’t be easily duplicated by your competition.

For instance, if you own a restaurant, brewpub, coffee shop or retail store, it’s most likely you’re already providing high-quality food, beverages and/or items at competitive prices. But what do your customers experience the minute they exit their car or walk onto your property? Are

By Ron Kustek

they greeted outside with cooling-misters on hot days, or the enticing smell of food and beverages, or specific music to set their mood? Is your parking lot clean and easy to navigate, free of litter or weeds? Is your entry an open and welcoming part of your establishment, or just a door that’s possibly difficult to open?

Once inside, does the lighting fit the mood you want your customers to feel?

Many businesses have lights that inadvertently shine down into the eyes of their customers as they focus on illuminating their merchandise. What about the sounds inside – is there music that your customers want to hear, or do they hear the banter of your staff, or the clang of plates and glasses being shuffled off tables? Do you actually think your ‘table service’ is comforting, especially when you have customers walk up to a counter to order and/or have them bus their own table once they’re finished?

Do you have your customers pick a number and just wait in line, without providing a smooth flow or free samples or separation from seated customers?

Regarding you and your staff, do you greet your regulars by name, making eyecontact or asking how their recent vacation was, or how their kids are doing in school?

If you have customers that are from out of town, do you know where they are from, or why they chose to be in this area, or what they’re especially looking for or needing from your business? Do you thank them for visiting you today, even before they make a purchase?

All of these small but important facets combine together to form a customer experience, one that they will talk about to others. Think Disneyland. The prices are

high, the crowds can be overwhelming, and the quality of food and beverages isn’t that great. But it’s the ‘Disney Experience’ that they’re providing to the majority of customers who pay high prices and are smiling in the park and after they leave, still talking about it positively with their friends.

Giving customers the most unique and

best experience possible will set you apart from your competition, and give you more loyal returning customers who provide the word-of-mouth that’s critical to every business’ success! n ••• Ron Kustek is a business instructor at Cabrillo College. Email: rokustek@cabrillo.edu

Mind Your Grammar

ACROSS

1. Red ____ 6. Trigonometric func.

9. Presidential “No!” 13. From this time 14. “General Hospital” network 15. Earth, to Virgil 16. Related to #12 Down 17. Junior’s junior 18. Lingo 19. *Noun alternative 21. *Conjunctions 23. Bit of work 24. Sty cry 25. Pendulum’s path 28. Liberal pursuits 30. Romani camp formations

35. Not in Impossible Burger 37. Letter before kappa 39. First light of day 40. Without purpose 41. *Ideas separator 43. Part of colliery 44. Gourd musical instrument 46. Flees 47. Flat-bottomed boat 48. *Controversial comma 50. Its motto is “Leadership Excellence” 52. Lt.’s subordinate 53. Barnes & Noble reader 55. Hermey the dentist, e.g.

57. *Person or thing 61. Tactile reading system 65. Earlier in time 66. Color quality 68. Lusitania destroyer

69. Askew, in Scotland 70. *Suffix used when comparing three or more 71. Kick in 72. Rod attachment 73. Pep rally syllable 74. Author Jong 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

DOWN

Bruce Lee blow Infantry’s last rows Knowing about Part of a play Mrs, in Spain Jealous biblical brother 7. Kimono tie 8. “The Terminator” genre 9. *Simple predicate 10. Therefore 11. Helen of ____

12. Mares eat it 15. Tibetan religious paintings 20. Finno-____ language 22. *Suffix often confused with -ent 24. Former East Germany currency 25. Friend, south of the border 26. Updike’s “Rabbit ____” 27. Shorter than California 29. Saw or awl 31. Beach do-nothings 32. In the cooler 33. *Like sentence without proper punctuation 34. Gushes 36. Pro’s opposite 38. BB’s and bullets

42. Daisy-like bloom 45. Crotchety 49. Word processing product, for short 51. *Smallest grammatical unit 54. Not the same one 56. Dietary essential 57. Ring practice 58. Encourage 59. Digestive aid 60. “Piano Man” singer 61. Eliza follower 62. “Laughing on the inside” in text 63. Flock member 64. Highest volcano in Europe 67. Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the ____” © Statepoint Media

Answers on 31 »

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / August 15th 2019 / 25

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Your August Horoscope Times Publishing Group, Inc.

My Life of Crime

Virgo (Aug. 24-Sep. 22)

Recent communication issues seem to be clearing up as August begins. If you’ve had misunderstandings with someone in the past several weeks, this is a good time to sincerely apologize or graciously receive an apology from someone else. Getting things done is your number one priority mid-month. Your takecharge attitude can be intimidating, but you’re just trying to make sure the job gets done and gets done right. You’re enjoying making sure everything is done correctly near the end of the month. Putting things where they belong, being on time, and making sure your house and office are super clean. Tending to details is what you do best, and you love freeing yourself from (emotional and physical) clutter.

Libra (Sep. 23-Oct. 23)

The beginning of the month is a perfect time for you to explore deeper connections with the people you care about. Talking about important issues with your BFF helps strengthen your already amazing bond. You might get another crack at an opportunity you regretted letting slip in the last few months. Maybe you’ve evolved enough to take advantage of them this time. Later in August, you’re really pumped to show everyone how responsible you can be. This is a good time to finish projects, plow through red tape, and pay attention to health problems (especially stomach issues).

Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Your avenues of communications seem to be opening wide for the first time in weeks as the month begins.

You’re more willing to share personal things now, but only with the people you feel closest to. Trust, as always, is a key issue. Mid-August is a great time to do some cleaning and purging. Letting go of things that have sentimental value isn’t always easy, but the memories will still be there even though the stuff attached to them is gone. Late in the month the need to organize and clean is strong, and there’s no reason to resist. You don’t always love the work while you’re doing it, but you do love the results.

Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

Complications that have been pestering you of late seem to be clearing up as August begins. This is a good time to have a heart-to-heart chat with someone you’ve felt disconnected from lately. You’re feeling very thankful mid-month. Have you been taking anything for granted of late? This is a great time to start a gratitude journal or write thank-you notes to the people who’ve made a difference in your life. The end of summer is bringing a desire to put things in their place as the month comes to a close. You aren’t known for keeping the tidiest of living spaces, so surprise the people you live with by doing a complete top-to-bottom purge and cleanse!

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20)

Your desire for excitement and newness is as strong as ever at the beginning of the month, clashing with the things you must deal with on an everyday basis. Every moment can’t be filled with “wow,” but there’s nothing wrong with celebrating the extraordinary among the ordinary. It’s time to get rid of your excess around mid-month. Clean. Straighten. Toss out the things you don’t need. Be sure to recycle, repurpose, or give away anything that someone else might still be able to use. As August comes to a close, you find yourself drawn to something you didn’t realize you were missing. Trying something new during this time can be a revelation.

Aquarius (Jan 21-Feb. 18)

Early in the month, some of the eccentric behavior you’ve been displaying might subside while you try to figure out why some obstacles have recently been put in your way. You can take some responsibility for the way things are now, but try to avoid placing most of the blame on yourself. Your humanitarian side comes out mid-August, so finding a charity to get involved with is on the top of your to-do list. Plan on spending a significant amount of time and/or money on it now. Late in the month you feel that it’s time to take some risks.

Now you are ready to work on new ideas and projects you’ve wanted to get off the ground.

Pisces (Feb. 19-Mar. 20)

The beginning of August is a time to express your personal truths. If you’ve been waiting to tell someone how you feel, it’s easier to open up now than it has been in previous weeks. There’s a sense of whimsy in the air mid-month. If you can just let go and enjoy what life brings your way, it can be a wonderful experience. You aren’t so worried about what other people think now, which can free you up to do things the way you really want to do them. Your practical side returns later in the month. Right now, cleaning up the dishes or putting gas in the car is equal to cuddling on the couch or tucking a love note inside a lunch box now.

Aries (March 21-April 20)

Your occasionally tactless manner subsides slightly as the month begins. Life slows down as you focus on making loved ones feel comfortable, valued, and loved with your kind words. Mid-month is a time to power through your responsibilities, and right now you’re ready for them. Keep your head down and your eyes on the results as you’re stuck working those long overtime hours. You are encouraged to take risks as August comes to a close. There are still rules you must follow like everyone else, but if you rely on your instincts, you should be cutting through red tape better than your competitors.

Taurus (April 21-May 21)

You don’t always know the perfect thing to say, but as the month begins, you seem to be finding it easier to say what you mean. At least the forces of the universe don’t seem to be working against you right now. You feel a strong need for structure mid-August. Thinking outside the box isn’t as appealing as it sometimes is; following the rules that are already in place feels right. The fates seem to be trying to bring you some important self-discovery late in the month, if you’re willing to see things from a different perspective. You can gain a better understanding of people and concepts if you go into new situations with an open mind.

Gemini (May 22-June 21)

You feel an opening of communication lines as August begins. If you’ve recently said the wrong thing to a friend or lover, a heartfelt apology does wonders now. That confidence grows mid-month, allowing you to say what’s on your mind in a direct and loud manner. You’re pretty sure of yourself, which can take you far in business and romance. The positivity continues through the end of the month, helping you make a positive change in your life. Being in the right place at the right time or knowing someone at the top will finally pay off, especially if you’re prepared.

Cancer (June 22-July 22)

Your words have more feeling and compassion as the month begins, and you’re much less likely to encounter miscommunications that lead to arguments and hurt feelings. It’s a good time to lay any important thoughts or feelings out in the open. You are feeling adventurous mid-month, encouraging you to come out of your shell and do something out of the ordinary. It’s time to use your artistic and/or creative talents to get the attention you deserve. You’re feeling somewhat childlike in the final days of August, but not in a bad way, especially if you’re spending a lot of time around kids. There’s nothing wrong with coloring outside the lines or dancing like no-one is watching.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 23)

Good fortune is helping take you where you want to go as the month begins. You’re capable of plenty on your own, but why not take advantage of fate when it’s on your side? There’s less spontaneity mid-August, but that just means projects and ideas will be much more thoroughly addressed and prepared. There can still be very special moments, but they won’t be a surprise, and that’s okay. There can be comfort and satisfaction in routine. Your intuition rises as the month is ending, so don’t ignore or dismiss those little inklings you’re having. When you get a certain feeling one way or the other, that’s the universe trying to tell you something.

•••

www.tpgonlinedaily.com 26 / August 15th 2019 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

I

By Lawrence Tartaglino

have applied for U.S. Customs Global Entry. Part of the process involved an examination of my past to determine if I have a nefarious or criminal background.

The final phase was a face-to-face interview with a U.S. Customs Agent. I had been advised that should there be a questionable episode in my past, or if I were found to be not truthful, my application would be denied. In preparation for this process, I did self-examination of my past activities. Here is what I found.

It was at a very young age that I embarked down the long and difficult path leading to a life of crime. I have since gone straight though, and can barely remember the last time I was arrested or incarcerated.

It all started when I was in the fourth grade. Our teacher, who was probably having a bad day, was doing a science demonstration. The young boy next to me, who was known to be a real wise guy, made some smart remark. I thought it was very funny and began to laugh out loud. Our teacher had had enough. He stood up like a fire breathing dragon. With a face so red that I thought it would burst, he proclaimed that that was the last straw. “To the Principal’s Office” he shouted. What did I do? I was in shock, and as I proceeded down the hallway, I felt a tear welling up inside me. I had never been in trouble before, and I was humiliated and scared. I, like all my fellow students, feared our Principal, who was the towering, gigantic, but quiet type. One look from his steely blue eyes, hard set jaw, and pursed lips would be enough to turn even the bravest child into a quivering mass of Jell-O. As we were sitting outside the Principal’s office contemplating our fate, my third-grade teacher came around the corner.

She took one look at me, frowned and proclaimed “Larry, I always knew you would end up like this.” I did not realize it at the time, but I had been a marked criminal. Now the tears really began to flow, as I was certain that I was headed for the Big House. Not so.

My mother was called. She bailed me out, and I promised to go straight from that day forward.

Then it happened again. It was the end of my senior year in college. My roommate

and I decided that we were entitled to a new adventure. Being the bright almost college graduates that we thought we were, we came upon a brilliant idea! We would hop a freight train and see where it took us. We couldn’t wait to get started. We had a friend drive us to the train yard in San Jose. The first train that slowed through the yard was for us, and we jumped aboard a flat car heading south.

After a short time, the skies darkened, we became cold and hungry, and decided it was time to abort. As the train slowed through the yard in Salinas, we disembarked. We no sooner hit the ground that we heard someone say, “Halt, hands up.” Not Again.

We turned and there was a railroad agent pointing a gun at us. He marched us to an office, where the Salinas Police were called, and we were charged with trespassing. Sent off to the Salinas jail, where we spent the night. No phone call, no attorney, and only warm grits for dinner. The next day we were driven to the Pajaro Justice Court where we entered a plea of guilty. The judge sentenced us to 3 days in jail, suspended. He said, “Go home”.

We called my father to come from Santa Cruz to pick us up and return us to San Jose.

As he dropped us off at our apartment, he asked if we had learned a lesson. I suggested the lesson was not to hop freight trains. He said, “No, the lesson is never to get off the train in the train yard.”

From that day forward, I have gone straight. No arrests, no jail time, and no crime related tears. The life of crime is not for me.

I did divulge the trespassing incident to the agent at my Global Entry interview.

He stated that it was a good thing that I had made the confession. Had I not, he said, my application would have been denied. It was approved.

The lesson here is that even after 50 years of good behavior, one seemingly minor incident of trespassing could haunt you for life. Be good! n ••• For more info: L_Tartaglino@hotmail.com

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Celebrate Water at the Water Harvest Festival

By Vaidehi Campbell and Rebecca Rubin

P

lanning is under way for the second annual Water Harvest Festival that will be held on October 20th from 11-3pm at Anna Jean Cummings Park, also known as Blue Ball Park in Soquel. This will be a fun family oriented festival to celebrate our local water resources. Companies and environmental organizations will come together to share their knowledge and resources with engaging activity tents and interactive displays about water.

There will be arts and crafts, educational activities, acoustic music, and food trucks. Last year Soquel Creek Water District did bubble printing, the Resource Conservation District hosted a fish printing activity and County Parks made little paper watersheds. The Museum of Discovery ran a water use relay race, Save Our Shores had kids spray rain on the toy watershed model, and the Mid-County Groundwater Agency ran the groundwater flow model. There was also information about trout fishing, animals in our watersheds, water wise landscaping, water purification, rain harvesting, and greywater.

The festival is being coordinated by Soquel Creek Water District in partnership with Santa Cruz County Parks, Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County and Save Our Shores.

If you would like to be an event sponsor or host a booth at the upcoming Water Harvest Festival, check out soquelcreekwater.org/waterharvestfestival for details.

Water bills pay for groundwater protection and the water system ater districts across the nation, and especially in California, are struggling with increased costs to operate and maintain aging water systems. Portions of the District’s water system are over fifty years old and require more maintenance and repair than before. The District has made significant investments in the water distribution system to ensure water reli-

W

“Gender Bias” from page 23 Provide specific examples of what to say nce you feel like she understands what gender bias is, it’s time to help her respond to it. If she tells you there’s a boy in her class who says she’s not good at math because she’s a girl, you could give her specific words to use. She could say something like: “Some girls are better than boys at some things, and some boys are better than girls at other things.” or simply: “What made you say that?

Can you explain it to me?”

O

ability, and more work is required. State and Federal drinking water standards are constantly evolving and expanding, and the District needs resources to continue to meet these standards and ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality water.

The District provides water to the community through more than 15,800 service connections and relies solely on revenue generated from water bills to maintain and operate the water supply system. When customers use less water, the District’s costs don’t decrease because costs to maintain the water system are driven by the number of service connections, not by how much water is used (other than paying for electricity and pumping costs).

New Rate structure started in March n May 2017, a Water Rates Advisory Committee, comprised of 10 District customers, two members of the Board of Directors, and relevant staff was formed to assist with the evaluation of different rate structures. A rate consultant was also hired to provide the technical evaluation.

The intent was to determine whether a rate structure existed, or could be developed, that could meet the following objectives better than the District’s existing tiered rate structure: Promote fairness and equity between customer classes; reduce revenue volatility and promote financial sustainability; encourage conservation and efficient use of water; and comply with all applicable laws.

After extensive evaluation and input, the proposed rate structure was adopted at the March 5, 2019 Board meeting and consists of a simpler two-tiered structure relative to the four-tiered structure that was in place. Tier 1 represents the amount of water the District can safely supply to each household using the existing groundwater supply. Tier 2 represents water use that is above sustainable levels and requires the development of additional sources of water supply.

I

Sometimes just pointing the behavior out without being accusatory can make a difference. Ask her what words she would use.

Talk about women’s rights progress ou don’t have to give a history of the women’s movement here; just sharing examples of the latest progress is enough.

Let her know it’s undeniable that important progress has been made, but there’s a lot more work yet to do. Don’t sugarcoat this

Y

What the rates pay for he new rates support the daily operations necessary to provide our customers with safe, reliable, high-quality water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The rates also support infrastructure projects designed to ensure water system reliability—such as main replacements, tank recoats, well maintenance, pumps, as well as additional supplies of water necessary to protect the vulnerable groundwater basin from further seawater contamination.

If you have questions regarding your rates contact the District’s billing department at (831) 475-8500 option 3 or visit www.soquelcreekwater.org/current-rates-and-fees. n ••• As always, if you have any questions about this month’s topic or anything else related to Soquel Creek Water District, feel free to contact the District at outreach@soquelcreekwater.org or visit www.soquelcreekwater.org.

T

reality. She needs to know that you’re telling her the truth.

Go to Wikipedia if you need a refresher on the achievements women have made.

Or you could go to your favorite news source if you need something more relevant than Wikipedia.

After discussing women’s achievements, tell her that the more she thinks about gender inequality, the more examples she’ll start seeing all around her. This will

hopefully prevent her from feeling blindsided and will reinforce her trust in what she is learning from you.

If it feels like you’re not getting anywhere, try again in a week or so. She needs to know that responding to gender bias proactively is an important topic to you, that you want to share your feelings with her, and that it’s significant enough for you to bring up again. n ••• Trish Allison is the founder and writer of P.I.N.K. Backpack gender-equality guidebooks for parents. Visit her website at www.pinkbackpack.com.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / August 15th 2019 / 27

COMMUNITY CALENDAR ONGOING EVENTS

Wednesday August 21 PIXIE DELI & GOOD EATS: RIBBON CUTTING & MIXER! 5–6:30 p.m., 111 Venetian Rd, Aptos Join us for this special mixer and ribbon cutting combo at Pixie Deli + Good Eats. Not only will you be able to network but you’ll be able to sip on some wine and enjoy the ocean breeze.

Cost: $5 - $10

Thursday August 22 BAY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION: RIBBON CUTTING 5– 6:30 p.m., Rancho Del Mar Shopping Center Join us as we celebrate the new Location of Bay Federal Credit Union in Rancho Del Mar Shopping Center!

More details to come.

Saturday August 17 VOLUNTEER AT THE CONCORSO ITALIANO 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Bayonet Golf Course, Seaside Help raise funds for children with cancer through Jacob’s Heart by volunteering at the Concorso Italiano. We’re looking for groups and individuals for 4-6 hour shifts on event Saturday, as well as help leading up to the event starting Tuesday, Aug. 13. Each shift includes free entry to the event.

Contact Alex Dami: alex@jacobsheart.org – 831-724-9100.

Visit https://concorso.com for more information about the event.

Thursday August 29 HELP EL PAJARO CDC CELEBRATE 40 YEARS WITH TACOS & TAPAS 6 – 9 p.m., 412 Riverside Drive, Watsonville You’re invited to help El Pájaro Community Development Corporation celebrate 40 years of nurturing local entrepreneurship. In celebration of the thousands of local entrepreneurs who overcame the confusion, guesswork and complexity of starting and maintaining a small business, El Pájaro CDC will host a Tacos & Tapas event at the organization’s Commercial Kitchen Incubator at 412 Riverside Drive in Watsonville.

Tickets available soon.

ANNOUNCEMENTS VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE MONTEREY SYMPHONY The Monterey Symphony is seeking volunteers. If you love music and want to be involved, please call (831) 646-8511 or visit www.montereysymphony.org for more info.

Daily SANTA CRUZ ‘USED’ BOOKSHOP 10 am- 3 pm 2710 Chanticleer Ave. Santa Cruz Grey Bears: Every Monday and Friday is $10-a-bag book sale. Fill up a shopping bag with books for only $10! Thousands of titles for $1.50 or less: cookbooks, gardening, sci-fi, mysteries, classics and all sorts of fiction and nonfiction.

Non-profit Grey Bears has served our community for 45 years. Grey Bears provides recycling services and accepts books and other donations for our thrift stores.

Proceeds benefit our Brown Bag Program, distributing nutritious food to 3,900 seniors every week.

Weekdays CASA ORIENTATIONS TO BECOME ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN CASA empowers volunteers to directly influence life-changing decisions affecting children in foster care.

Court appointed special advocates are everyday people that, with just a few hours a week can have a lifetime of impact for a child who has been abused or neglected.

More info www.casaofsantacruz.org or call (831) 761-2956 XT.102 Second and Fourth Mondays SANTA CRUZ CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP 2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m., Alzheimer’s Association, 550 Water Street, Ste. L2, Santa Cruz If you have a family member who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia, a caregiver support group can offer you an opportunity to find out more about available community resources, learn from others who are going through similar experiences, and obtain additional educational materials. Open to family members, no fee.

For more information about this and other support groups in the area, please call 800.272.3900 Mondays & Tuesdays WOMENCARE ARM-IN-ARM 12:30 - 2 p.m.

WomenCARE ARM-in-ARM support group for women with advanced, recurrent and metastatic cancers. Meets weekly Mondays & Tuesdays, with a separate meeting every First and Third Tuesday every month.

Registration required. Call 457-2273 for more information and to register. No cost to attend. www.womencaresantacruz.org Tuesdays OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS MEETING 7 - 8 pm, Christ Lutheran Church, Gazebo, 10707 Soquel Dr., Aptos Do you have a proble m with compulsive over- or undereating? Anorexia? Bulimia? Compulsive exercising?

You are not alone. Drop into a free, friendly OA 12-Step meeting with the solution. All are welcome!

For information on other meetings in Santa Cruz County: www. santacruzoa.org/meetings WRITING/DISCUSSION MEETING 6:30-7:30 p.m., Christ Lutheran Church, Gazebo Room, 10707 Soquel Dr., Aptos, CA 95003 (At Hwy One and Freedom Blvd) Do you have a problem with food? Please check out our free, friendly 12-Step support group with the solution.

All teens and adults welcome!

For current times and locations of other meetings: www. santacruzoa.org/meetings. Or call our Hotline at (831) 429-7906.

28 / August 15th 2019 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

BINGO 6:30 p.m. Santa Cruz Elks Lodge, 150 Jewell St. BINGO EVERY TUESDAY. Buy-in begins at $21. The Snack Bar is open with goodies and dinner specials.

BUSINESS DEBTORS ANONYMOUS 5:15-6:30pm, Calvary Episcopal Church, Parish Hall, 532 Center Street, Santa Cruz.

We specifically focus on recovering from debting on one’s business.

For more information: 831-425-3272.

FELTON FARMER’S MARKET 2.30–6.30 p.m., St John’s Church in Felton 120 Russell Ave, Felton The Felton Farmers’ Market started in 1987 and is the second oldest market in Santa Cruz County. The market boasts a variety of certified organic fruits and vegetables and artisan foods. It is open Tuesdays from May thru October.

Second and Fourth Wednesdays WELLNESS ON THE CANCER JOURNEY 11-12:30 pm, Old Soquel Plaza Learn how to safely support your body and emotions through the journey of Cancer — from diagnosis to softening the impact of chemo, radiation, and recovering well from surgery. We’ll address nausea, low energy, weakness, digestion, immune support, grief, stress and more. Feel free to bring your partner or care team to this free class. Please come fed; water is available.

Limited Seats. Please register all attendees on Eventbrite — Wellness on the Cancer Journey or call 831-254-3270 to RSVP. Address given upon registration receipt.

ADHD SUPPORT GROUP 6:30-8 p.m., Aptos Fire Station, 6934 Soquel Drive, Aptos The Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay Branch of CHADD hosts monthly support group meetings for anyone who would like to learn more about ADHD or has questions or concerns. Come share with those who understand.

Tuesdays & Wednesdays Second Wednesdays’ meeting is for parents of children, SURVIVORS SUPPORT GROUPS teens, and young adults with ADHD. The group for adults Monarch Services offers a safe space to meet other sur- with ADHD, spouses, partners of someone with ADHD vivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human meets fourth Wednesdays of every month. trafficking survivors, and to listen or share experiences. Judy Brenis: jbbrenis@comcast.net, or call 831-818-9619.

Childcare provided on site.

Last Wednesdays Each Month Spanish – Tuesdays 6:00-7:30 p.m. Servicios Monarca, MAGICIANS’ CLUB 233 E. Lake Avenue, Watsonville (831) 722-4532 7 p.m., Antonelli Club Room, 2655 Brommer St., Santa Cruz English – Wednesdays 6:00-7:30 p.m. Monarch Attention Magic Lovers! Our new Magicians’ Club meets Services, 1590 Seabright Avenue, SC (831) 425-4030 on the last Wed. of every month at 7pm in the club room For more information, visit www.monarchscc.org at the Antonelli Mobile Home Park. If you do magic or want to get started in this fun hobby, join us.

Tuesdays & Thursdays Questions? Call Jim at 685-3829 FREE PILATES CLASSES AT TEMPLE BETH EL SANTA CRUZ COUNTY PROSTATE CANCER 10 a.m., Temple Beth El, 3055 Porter Gulch Rd., Aptos SUPPORT GROUP Please join us every Tuesday and Thursday at 10 7-9 p.m., Katz Cancer Resource Center, 3150 Mission Dr am in the social hall at Temple Beth El in Aptos (3055 Porter Gulch Rd) for a lively and challenging Santa Cruz County Prostate Cancer Support Group has been an active group for over 20 years in the community.

60 minute Pilates Strength Class. The classes First meeting of 2018 will be February 28th. are free and everybody is welcome. Donation are welcome.

Thursdays For more information https://www.tbeaptos.org FRIENDSHIP PUT TO MUSIC! 6:30 p.m., New Hall, La Selva Beach Club House, 3124 Wednesdays Estrella Ave. ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION Classes every Thursday night. For more info call Sue Harris 1st & 3rd Wednesdays: 5:30-7 p.m. or Don Benson (831) 726-7053 or email at caller4u@att.net 2nd & 4th Wednesdays: 2-3:30 p.m.

Alzheimer’s Association, 550 Water Street, Ste L2, SC 95060 LUCKY STEPPERS MODERN SQUARE DANCE If you have a family member who has been 6:30 pm, La Selva Beach Clubhouse, 314 Estrella Ave., La diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or a related Selva Beach, CA 95076 dementia, a caregiver support group can offer you It’s fun and easy to do! Friendship put to music; family an opportunity to find out more about available com- friendly. Class takes place every Thursday Night at our munity resources, learn from others who are going new home in La Selva Beach! (Take Mar Monte off of through similar experiences, and obtain additional Hwy 1, turns into Playa Blvd., turn right on Estrella) educational materials.

For more information, contact Sue Harris or Don Benson at Our evening Santa Cruz caregiver support (831) 726-7053 or e-mail at caller4u@att.net. group meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month, and our afternoon Santa Cruz SAN LORENZO COMMUNITY caregiver support group meets on the 2nd and 4th BAND PRACTICE SESSIONS Wednesdays of each month. No fee. Open to family 7:30-9 p.m., San Lorenzo Valley High School Band Room members.

(F-1) For more information about this and other support groups in The San Lorenzo Valley Community Band meets every the area, please call 800.272.3900 Thursday at SLV High School. Dues are $30 a semester.

You must read music.

Second Wednesdays Call Teresa at 336-8637.

SANTA CRUZ SONS IN RETIREMENT MONTHLY MEETING Second and Fourth Thursdays Noon, Elks Lodge at 150 Jewell St. CABRILLO HOST LIONS CLUB MEETINGS This statewide group of retired men invites you to be 6:30 p.m., Aptos Village Park, 100 Aptos Creek Road. our guest at our monthly luncheon. You’ll meet kindred Want to make a difference in our community? Join the spirits, have a fine lunch and learn something new from Cabrillo Lions Club twice every month and see what a top notch guest speaker. you can do to help in Santa Cruz County.

Cost: $18. RSVP at 479-7096 Please RSVP cabrillolions@gmail.com

COMMUNITY CALENDAR ONGOING EVENTS CONT.

DATED EVENTS

Fridays NAR-ANON SCOTTS VALLEY 6:30 p.m., Camp Recovery Center (Bison Center Room), 3192 Glen Canyon Road, Scotts Valley.

Nar-Anon is a twelve step support group for families and friends of addicts. There are no dues or fees to join.

Just come to a meeting. You will hear others, who are going through similar problems, talk about how they cope and find recovery.

To locate additional times and locations of meetings, please go to our website at www.nar-anon.org.

Wednesday August 21 & 28

DROP-IN GRIEF SUPPORT 12-1 pm, Hospice of Santa Cruz County, two locations: 940 Disc Dr., SV • 85 Nielson St., Watsonville Hospice of Santa Cruz County is offering a drop-in grief support group for adults grieving the death of a family member or a friend. This group is a place where you can share stories, learn tools for coping, and receive support from people who care.

For more information, please call (831) 430-3000. Preregistration is required.

First Fridays each month FIRST FRIDAY ART TOUR The First Friday Art Tour is a Santa Cruz Institute of Contemporary Arts event, managed in conjunction with the participating art venues. The event takes place year-round and illuminates some of the most talented local artists from local galleries.

To find out where to participate in a First Friday art tour, visit firstfridaysantacruz.com (Most galleries are open 12-9 pm for First Friday viewings.)

CAPITOLA TWILIGHT CONCERT 6-8 p.m., Esplanade Park, Capitola Village Bring low back beach chairs and blankets, grab a picnic dinner from your favorite eatery, and enjoy a FREE concert at the beach every week!

Aug. 21: Mambo Tropical Aug. 28: The Digbeats Visit http://master.capitolachamber.com/events/details/ capitola-twilight-concert-08-07-2019-2601 for more info.

Saturday August 24

20TH ANNUAL SCOTTS VALLEY ART WINE & BEER FESTIVAL Saturday August 17 Sunday August 18

Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. • Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sky Park, 361 Kings Village Road, SV The Scotts Valley Art, Wine & Beer Festival is celebrating its 20th Anniversary by welcoming 103 Artists, including 44 Artists who are NEW to the show!

We are proud to have several local Open Studio artists who will be showing in a festival booth for the first time ever! We are excited to showcase all our artists and those traveling from afar to experience the beautiful Santa Cruz Mountain setting at Skypark!

MONTEREY BAY DAHLIA SOCIETY ANNUAL SHOW 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, 705 Front Street Santa Cruz Join Dahlia lovers, growers, and admirers for this free, two day Dahlia-extravaganza. Take in the beauty of over a thousand blooms as flowers fill the museum for this annual show. Find poms larger than your head and some the size of a thimble. Take photos, browse rows and rows of flowers, and talk to growers about how they garden these incredible flowers.

Cost: Free. Call 831.429.1964 or visit https://santacruzmah. org/for more information.

Saturday August 31

ROARING CAMP: GREAT TRAIN ROBBERIES 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Roaring Camp Railroads, 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton Witness shootouts between famed lawmen and notorious outlaws from the 1880’s aboard the Redwood Forest Train to Bear Mountain. See why the West was wild!

The train robbery will occur on all RC Steam Train departures. Those “sensitive to noise” may want to consider around the players every 45 minutes. dysfunctional relationships. All couples are welcome our Santa Cruz Beach Train to the beach.

Balls are provided. $2 for first time visitors. whether married or partnered.

Some of us are new in our FRIDAY SHAKESPEARE CLUB coupleships and seek to build intimacy together. We have Visit https://www.roaringcamp.com/ for more information.

10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Peace United Church of Christ at 900 all found help in Recovering Couples Anonymous.

Second Saturdays Each Month High Street, Santa Cruz For more information visit our website: https://santacruzrca.org Saturday September 14 2ND SATURDAY ON THE FARM Curious about Shakespeare? The Friday Shakespeare Sunday September 15 or email us at rcasantacruz@yahoo.com Club members discuss the life, times, and influence of 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Ag History Project Center at the Santa Cruz 37TH ANNUAL CAPITOLA ART & WINE FESTIVAL County Fairgrounds William Shakespeare.

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH BIBLE STUDY Saturday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. • Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Join us every 2nd Saturday on the Farm for free For information, call 831-684-2832, or go to friday 9:45 a.m: Bible Study • 11 a.m.: Worship Capitola Village shakespeare.org or facebook.com/fridayshakespeare. family activities. Each month we select a new 7565 Sunset Way, Aptos The Capitola Art & Wine Festival combines Art, theme to highlight historical agriculture with First Baptist Church of Aptos welcomes you to join their Wine, Music and Food, all in charming Capitola FRIDAY SHAKESPEARE CLUB games, activities, and demonstrations that relate. bible study and worship every Sunday.

Village overlooking the beautiful Monterey Bay. OF SANTA CRUZ We often have guest appearances from farm Call (831) 688-5842 for more info Over 150 fine artists and 22 Santa Cruz Mountain 10 am - noon, Peace United Church, 909 High Street animals like llamas, draft horses, sheep, goats, wineries will participate in this year’s Festival. Be This is the oldest women’s club in Santa Cruz. The chickens, rabbits, and more! You are sure to find First Sunday of Every Month sure to visit the Local Artisans Marketplace where club meets to study the life, works and times of SANTA CRUZ DINNER CLUB EVENT something fun and entertaining for the whole you will find unique and locally made artisan foods William Shakespeare. Members share group readings 5 p.m., various member homes throughout county and crafts. family. and insights, discuss history, and universal themes A Kids Art & Music zone with ongoing craft projects Check our website and Facebook page for more details. FREE Love to cook, entertain and socialize? Our found in his plays and writings. dinner club events will be held in several homes and musical play is conveniently located in the center For more information please call 831-684-2832 Sundays throughout Santa Cruz County where members of the Festival on Lawn Way. Enjoy great entertainment enjoy gourmet meals, fine wine and conversation. all weekend including local dance groups, street NAR-ANON SANTA CRUZ Saturdays Joining the club provides a great opportunity to performers and live music.

6:30 p.m., Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center (Sutter PILLS ANONYMOUS (PA) cook, to entertain, and to meet locals that share your CapitolaArtandWine.com Room), 2900 Chanticleer Avenue, Santa Cruz 8 a.m., Sutter Hospital, 2025 Soquel Ave interests.

The purpose of PA is to provide a safe, secure, and Nar-Anon is a twelve step support group for Learn more about the SC Dinner Club and the fun we Friday September 20 families and friends of addicts.

There are no supportive place for people who are addicted to pills have by contacting Rhonda Mills at info@SantaCruzDin- WATSONVILLE WELLNESS FAIR dues or fees to join.

Just come to a meeting.

You who want to get off of them. PA is offered all over nerClub.com will hear others, who are going through similar 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Santa Cruz CORE Fitness + Rehab the world. problems, talk about how they cope and find Center, 50 Penny Lane, Watsonville For questions, please contact Gary at (831)801-9578 or Kristin Third Sunday of Every Month recovery.

Santa Cruz Core + Think Local First present the first at (831)345-6515 SCIENCE SUNDAY To locate additional times and locations of meetings, please go Watsonville Wellness Fair! The fair is an interactive & Starts at 1 p.m., 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, 95060 to our website at www.nar-anon.org. educational day devoted to all things health & lifestyle SANTA CRUZ TENNIS CLUB Seymour Marine Discovery Center presents a public lecture related.

9 a.m., Soquel High School Tennis Courts from a marine scientist the third Sunday of every month.

RECOVERING COUPLES ANONYMOUS MEETING The event is being held at CORE’s NEW Watsonville The nonprofit Santa Cruz Tennis Club meets every 10:30 a.m.–noon, Sutter Maternity, 2900 Chanticleer Ave, SC Topics are presented in an entertaining and easy-to-under- location. There will be food, drinks, music, vendor Saturday morning at the Soquel High School courts RCA is a 12 step group for couples. Our primary purpose stand format, with up-to-date photos, video, and discussion. booths, & complimentary services provided by Science Sunday does not meet in December. For more info is to stay committed in loving and intimate relationbeginning at 9:00 am. We play doubles and mixed CORE. Bring your kids, bring your friends, bring your visit seymourcenter.ucsc.edu ships and to help other couples achieve freedom from doubles, mostly at an intermediate level, and switch neighbors-any and all are welcome! n

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / August 15th 2019 / 29

Business Guide

FEATURED COLUMNIST

County Fire: CSA 48

By Supervisor Zach Friend

T

he County, including our office and Chief Ian Larkin from the Santa Cruz County Fire Department, recently held a well-attended town hall meeting in Corralitos to discuss the status of County Fire and CSA 48. This was one of multiple town halls held within CSA 48. The discussion focused on some of the challenges facing Santa Cruz County Fire and ways to restore firefighter staffing levels and replacing aging fire equipment.

(831)234-0710 Flooring installation, repair, & refinishing www.ecopacificflooring.com License #983277

iClean Scotts Valley • • • • •

Maid Service Deep Cleaning Move in/out Residential & Office Eco-friendly

(831) 708-8770

icleansantacruz@gmail.com

30 / August 15th 2019 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

What is CSA 48? he Santa Cruz County Fire Department serves specific areas of the unincorporated county know as County Service Area 48 or CSA 48. The primary area in our district that is covered is the greater Corralitos area. However, CSA 48 includes the communities of Bonny Doon, Davenport, Loma Prieta, Las Cumbres, and the South Skyline area in addition to Corralitos.

Overall, it covers 286 square miles of space. CSA 48 is funded through a fixed portion of local property taxes from those within the CSA 48 boundaries.

These funds pay for Santa Cruz County Fire apparatus including fire engines and rescue vehicles, as well a firefighter protective gear, training and administrative support provided

by CAL FIRE. County Fire operates with five year-round volunteer fire stations in cooperation with five State fire stations in CSA 48. The County also contracts with CAL FIRE to keep these State fire stations open during the non-fire season to ensure year-round fire protection and emergency response services. These funds provide staffing at stations in these areas during the non-fire season.

T

Corralitos Fire Station he Corralitos station is a stateowned station but is staffed by both paid and volunteer personnel.

It covers about 62 square miles and serves a population of over 21,000.

The station averages over 880 calls per-year with an average response time of about fifteen minutes and a median response time of about eight minutes. The staff is fully funded

by CAL FIRE from June through

T

October and then funding is shared between the state and Santa Cruz County from November 1 through May 31.

Challenges Facing County Fire n the last decade the number of volunteer firefighters have declined about 45 percent with paid staff also being spread to cover additional locations, which has contributed to an overall decline in the number of available firefighters for CSA 48.

While the State recommends at least three firefighters per engine, County Fire currently can afford two paid firefighters per engine. During the same timeframe overall calls-forservice have grown over 20 percent.

Chief Larkin noted at the town hall that in addition to the staffing challenges some of the equipment is outdated - including an engine that is nearly 30 years old.

I

Next Steps s a result of their community outreach, County Fire prioritized restoration of firefighters, upgrading and replacing aging fire equipment and providing a

A

long-term sustainable fire and emergency service model. County Fire is currently considering seeking community approval for funding for this (CSA 48 property owners would be the only voters participating).

The Board of Supervisors will be holding a public hearing on this item at our August 27 Board meeting (more information will be available online closer to the date) at the County Government Center - 701 Ocean Street - 5th Floor, Santa Cruz.

As part of the hearing the Board will consider whether to send this funding question to CSA 48 property owners to consider an increase in the CSA 48 fee.

Your input is encouraged! You can learn more about Santa Cruz County Fire via www.santacruzcountyfire.com and you can email your feedback to Chief Larkin at: csa48feedback@gmail.com. n ••• As always, you can reach out to me at 454-2200 or visit me in my open office hours in Aptos, Corralitos, Watsonville or La Selva. More information on my office hours can be found on www.santacruzcounty.us

FEATURED COLUMNIST

SCCAS Featured Pet

Summer Dormancy Is No Mystery

C

Connor Looking for a New Home

C

onnor (ID#A259294) was surrendered to the Shelter by his owners who were no longer able to care for him. Connor is a lovely, sweet rabbit. Connor was born with a birth defect in both of his right legs but this has not slowed him down one tiny bit.

He is able to function aptly and can move around quite efficiently.

He is a mellow and calm rabbit but quite the social butterfly.

He will need to live indoors with very clean space that he is able to move around freely. If you are looking for calm little rabbit companion, Connor may be the one for you.

Connor is a white and brown, neutered male rabbit.

To adopt your new friend, visit one of the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter locations, or their website at www.scanimalshelter. org. n

crossword on 25 »

••• Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter has two full-service, open-admission shelters: Santa Cruz Location (Public Entrance): 1001 Rodriguez St., Santa Cruz, 95062 Hours: Daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Wednesdays: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Watsonville Location: 580 Airport Blvd, Watsonville, CA 95076 Hours: Monday – Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (closed 12-1) Closed on Sunday SCCAS Main line: 831-454-7200. Animal Control: 831-454-7227. After-Hours Emergency: 831-471-1182

Mind Your Grammar © Statepoint Media

By Tony Tomeo

alifornia buckeye, Aesculus californica, is an enigma. How does it survive while defoliated for so much of the year? Not all are so mysterious.

Those that live in sheltered or forested situations behave like normal deciduous trees, by defoliating in autumn, and refoliating in spring, after a brief winter dormancy.

Those that are more exposed in warm and windy situations make us wonder.

After their brief winter dormancy, exposed California buckeye trees refoliate early in spring, as they should. Then, only a few months later, they defoliate through the warmest and most arid part of summer, which might be a few months long! As the weather cools and the rain starts, they refoliate briefly for autumn, only to defoliate in time for their winter dormancy. They are ‘twice deciduous’.

How do they photosynthesize enough to survive? It seems like they would consume more resources in this process that they could generate. They obviously know what they are doing, since they survive quite nicely in the wild. Furthermore, they are not the only species that can do this. Sycamores sometimes do it if the weather is just so, or if they get infested with anthracnose too severely.

Most deciduous plants defoliate only in winter because that is the worst time to try to photosynthesize. There is less sunlight available while the days are shorter, and the weather is cloudier. Frost, wind and snow would cause much more damage if deciduous plants retained their foliage.

Defoliation is how they accommodate the weather. It is no different for plants that defoliate in summer.

Much of California is within chaparral or even desert climates. Native plants, as well as plants that are from similar climates, know how to live here. If they happen to be in a hot and dry situation, some may go dormant until the weather improves, even if they do not go dormant through the mild winters. This is why wild arums and some unwatered acanthus have died back to the ground, and why naked lady amaryllis will remain naked until the first rains in autumn.

••• Highlight: Naked Lady Amaryllis rom formerly dormant bulbs just below where their foliage shriveled in the warmth of last spring, the naked brown floral stalks of naked lady, Amaryllis

Many seasonal bulbs exhibit summer dormancy.

belladonna, grow fast to about two feet tall.

They bloom suddenly with a few or several garish pink lily flowers about three inches long. They are sneaky about it too. Without foliage, and prior to flashy bloom, the bare stalks are easy to miss.

Even though individual flowers do not last long, the collective bloom lingers a bit longer as newer flowers bloom to replace those that bloomed slightly earlier on the same stalks. They are nice as cut flowers. The minimal floral fragrance is usually unnoticed, so can be a surprise if the weather happens to be conducive to the dispersion of the light fragrance of exceptionally abundant bloom.

Foliage does not regenerate until after bloom, and should wait until after the first rain of autumn. Where winters are colder, it waits until early spring, only to die back before summer. The long strap shaped leaves resemble those of lily-of-the-Nile, but are a bit softer. If ruined by frost, they try again. The tops of the two or three inch wide bulbs are visible at the surface of the soil while dormant. n ••• Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.com.

F

Naked ladies are naked of foliage.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / August 15th 2019 / 31

FREE SEMINAR

The Art of Dementia Care: Tips to communicate and engage with a loved one.

AEGIS LIVING PRESENTS

David Troxel

Thursday, October 10th 2:00pm-3:30pm REFRESHMENTS SERVED

KINDLY RSVP 831-684-2700

David Troxel has become nationally and internationally known for his Best Friends Approach to dementia care and writing and teaching in the fields of Alzheimer's disease & long-term care. His areas of expertise include best care practices for people with dementia, caregiver support, staff training & long-term care program development.

125 Heather Terrace Aptos, CA 95003

831-684-2700 aegisliving.com

RCFE #445202057