Aptos Times: June 15, 2020

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June 15 2020 • Vol 29 No. 12

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COVID-19 Q&A

On June 9, when Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz, president of Dominican Hospital, was asked how many COVID-19 cases were in the hospital, she said, “Zero.” That’s a big change from when the contagious coronavirus arrived in March.

Full Story page 6

Grieving For Sergeant Gutzwiller

By Jondi Gumz Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sergeant Damon Gutzwiller died June 6, ambushed in Ben Lomond when he was responding to a call for back-up.

Gutzwiller, 38, who grew up in Aptos, is survived by his wife Favi, his 2-year-old son and a child due to be born. ... continues on page 4

Aptos Village Phase 2 Begins

The second phase of the Aptos Village improvements is scheduled to begin Tuesday, June 16, bringing a new street light, new railroad track crossing gates, new drainage, new curbs and more.

Full Story page 10

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No. 12

Volume 29

15

23

24

Table of Contents

5

Cover

Grieving For Sergeant Gutzwiller, By Jondi Gumz

5 6 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Community News SeaBreeze Tavern Declared Unsafe, By Jondi Gumz COVID-19 Q&A with Dominican President Beaches To Open After July 6: Health Officer Concerned About Increased Gatherings, By Jondi Gumz Injured Deputy Comes Home Aptos Village Improvements Hit Phase 2 • Workshop on AB 5 for Nonprofits • Pajaro Valley Chamber Surveys Members • Seahorse Swim School Offers Lessons How Will We Celebrate the Fourth of July?

Fatal DUI Conviction Brings 20-years • Teen Arrested after Fatal Crash in Santa Cruz Panetta Seeks Help for Small Counties Goodwill Reopens County Stores • Moran Goodwill’s New CEO Central Coast YMCA Reopens in Phases • County Courthouses Resume Full Services Carrillo Faces 19 Counts in Crime Spree • Candidate Virtual Workshops Start June 16 Hotels, Gyms, Pools, Bars, Theaters Can Open, By Jondi Gumz • Tandy Beal & Company Awarded Two State Grants Santa Cruz County Public Libraries News, with story By Diane Cowan On the Water? Watch Out for Algal Blooms • Business Bankruptcy: What You Need To Know When It Affects You Imagine Your Story: Santa Cruz Public Libraries’ Summer Reading Program • People & Stories: Wednesdays This Summer With The Library Symphony Seeks New Executive Director • Coronavirus and the Changing Face of Senior Portraits • Mount Madonna Class of 2020: The 2020 Graduating Class and their College Choices (if known) Lawsuit Filed Against Wells Fargo Over PPP Loans Santa Cruz MENtors Seek Volunteers, By Buzz Anderson • Medtech Chief Charged In COVID-19 Test Fraud, By Jondi Gumz

Letter to the Editor 10 Who Will Remove Dead Trees Creating A Fire Hazard?

In Memoriam 12 Diana Chapman: 1949 ~ 2020 • Remembering Missy McDill, By Lori Butterworth

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

23 25 27

Featured Columnists An Opportunity for Change, By Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart The Loving Power of Spirit, By Nisha Manek, MD, FACP, FRCP (UK) Fire Chief Embraces Water Reuse: Soquel Creek Water District: We’re #InThisTogether, By Rebecca Rubin & Melanie Mow Schumacher, Soquel Creek Water District • Arts Council Santa Cruz County: Forever Work,

By Jim Brown, Executive Director, and the Arts Council team 29 Stinky Flowers Serve Their Purpose, By Tony Tomeo 30 Vacation Rental Wait List Under Discussion, By Zach Friend, Supervisor, Second District

SCCAS Featured Pet • Page 31 — Eighty Hens Looking for Homes

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COVER STORY publisher

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contributing writers Camisa Composti, Jondi Gumz, Diane Cowan, Buzz Anderson, Lori Butterworth, Jim Hart, Nisha Manek, Rebecca Rubin, Melanie Mow Schumacher, Jim Brown, Tony Tomeo, Zach Friend 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 Camisa Composti advertising sales Don Beaumont, Teri Huckobey Cathe Race

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“Gutzwiller Remembered” from page 1 The Sheriff’s Office announced a memorial service for Gutzwiller will take place at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 17, at the Cabrillo College football field.

Seating for the public will be limited due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The Sheriff’s Office encourages the public to watch the memorial via livestream. KION and KSBW TV stations will live-stream the service, which also will be streamed on the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office Facebook and YouTube pages.

KSCO radio will broadcast the memorial on 1080AM. Those who attend in person are asked to carpool because parking will be limited.

Parking for the public will be in Lot K above the football field. Gates will open at 9 a.m. for seating on a first-come, firstserved basis.

A procession will begin in the City of Santa Cruz at 7:45 a.m. Wednesday and pass through Live Oak and Aptos.

More details will be available on Tuesday.

More than 1,000 people attended a vigil for Gutzwiller at the Sheriff’s Office on June 7. Here is what Sheriff Jim Hart and Sgt. Steve Ryan said at that vigil.

•••

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.

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Sheriff Jim Hart: I can’t describe the sense of loss that I woke up with this morning. There’s a hole in all of our hearts right now…

I want to thank everybody for coming out today I want to talk about Damon.

Damon was a good man.

He was a policeman, but he was a good man.

He was a father and a husband and a son and a friend and a colleague.

When I think about community policing, and how we police here in Santa Cruz County, Damon is the picture of community policing.

He was kind, caring, patient, empathetic.

He could take enforcement action when he needed to but he would rather communicate his way through any problem that was in front of him.

“Sheriff’s Vigil” page 9

COMMUNITY NEWS

SeaBreeze Tavern Declared Unsafe

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By Jondi Gumz

he SeaBreeze Tavern, a historic building in the Rio Flats, was declared unsafe after a Sunday night fire, and Fire Marshal Mike DeMars is at the scene looking for the cause of the blaze.

The oceanfront tavern has been closed for some time, with the owner unable to pay property taxes. The property was sold at a foreclosure auction in February to Synrgo Inc., affiliated with Champery Rental REO LLC, 2015 Manhattan Beach Blvd. Suite 100, Redondo Beach, for $1.43 million, less than the unpaid debt and costs of $2.5 million.

When firefighters arrived, seeing heavy smoke and flames at the back of the building, they were worried about a resident in the second-story apartment.

He showed up at about 11:30 p.m.

“That relieved a lot of concerns,” said Battalion Chief Corey Schaefer of the Watsonville Fire Department, which responded along with the Aptos La Selva Fire District.

“Luckily no one was injured,” said DeMars, who is fire marshal for both Central Fire Protection District and Aptos La Selva Fire Protection District.

An apartment building 20 feet away was unscathed, he said, crediting firefighters with keeping the fire from spreading.

DeMars said the investigation into the cause would take days, with witnesses to interview and a video available.

“The building is a loss,” he said, noting the roof is gone and the walls are leaning.

“It’s probably going to come down.”

He added, “It’s on a prime corner.”

Schaefer said six engines and one truck company were on the scene with more than 21 firefighters and three chief officers trying to get control of the fire.

Photo Credit: Cathe Race

SeaBreeze Tavern Monday morning.

The tavern building, at 101 Esplanade, sits at the end of a block that faces the Esplanade parking lot and the ocean.

A courtyard with picnic tables serves as a buffer between the tavern building and businesses on the other side, the Flats Bistro and Café Rio. A lot of homes are within walking distance.

Schaefer estimated about 100 people living in the Rio Flats area came out to watch.

“We had the smoke going toward the ocean,” he said, instead of into the residential area.

Some of the firefighters returned to the station at 4 a.m. but some engines stayed on watch.

Schaefer said normally fire crews would enter the building to put out hot spots but did not do so because of signs the building might collapse. n

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / June 15th 2020 / 5

COMMUNITY NEWS

COVID-19 Q&A with Dominican President O n June 9, when Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz, president of Dominican Hospital, was asked how many COVID-19 cases were in the hospital, she said, “Zero.” That’s a big change from when the contagious coronavirus arrived in March.

Here she talks about prepping for the pandemic, Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz using gear that provides more protection than N-95 masks, getting faster test results and adopting a game-changing treatment.

••• You’re an infectious disease specialist.

When did you and your team first become aware of this novel coronavirus coming out of Wuhan, and what steps did you start to take to potentially prepare for its arrival in Santa Cruz County? e learned about the novel coronavirus at the same time most everyone else did, back in November of last year. In early January, well before the full scope of the situation became clear—that we were facing a global pandemic—we activated our emergency preparation.

Though it was the challenge of a lifetime, it also provided an incredible opportunity to put our robust emergency plans into action. We have trained for this.

We drill multiple times a year to ensure we are prepared for an eventuality such as this.

We immediately put together a COVID-19 task force and set about to ensuring we were equipped to handle any surge in patients.

A lot of our preparation mirrored what we do every single year to address seasonal flu. As unprecedented as the situation was, we also felt that we were starting from a place of comfort and deep expertise.

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How did you ramp up your testing, forecasting and precautions?

What obstacles did you face? irst, we made sure we were following all guidelines from the local and state Departments of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) with regard to safety precautions for both staff and patients.

That was our first priority.

We applied our considerable experience in preparing for H1N1, SARS, MERS, and Ebola throughout the years.

The biggest ongoing obstacle has been obtaining the various supplies needed for testing. However, the County and Stanford have been very good partners, and we worked closely with them to successfully escalate testing.

Our parent organization, CommonSpirit Health, has also been very supportive in terms of getting us the supplies we needed.

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One of the first steps was to set up tents outside the emergency department to screen incoming patients with respiratory symptoms for COVID-19.

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Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz, president of Dominican Hospital, describes lab employees who process COVID-19 tests as superstars.

Part of these preparations was assessing already, and rented additional units. how much personal protective equipment We also had all the equipment needed you had, ventilators and ICU beds. to transform regular patient rooms into What did you do when you realized the negative airflow spaces. quantity of resources you would need to Ensuring we had an adequate staffing combat this coronavirus? pool was paramount. We worked to crosshen the scope of the issue became train nurses and clinical staff, so that they clearer, we immediately stood could support multiple areas and needs up our Incident Command Center, and within the hospital. began to hold daily COVID-19 task force The outpouring of generosity from meetings. our community at this time has been We quickly developed and imple- incredible. From personal protective mented a plan for managing personal equipment to Plexiglas for our lobby area, protective equipment in partnership with to meals upon meals for our staff, we our employees and our physician staff. We have been surrounded by their love and were fortunate to have adopted the use of concern. controlled air purifying respirators, which To support our staff, our Environare more protective than N95s and can be mental Services and Nutrition teams reused. developed a pop-up grocery store in our We already had a large stock of con- café with food staples and toilet paper! trolled air purifying respirators and our So many people inside and outside of the staff had been trained on their use. hospital have stepped up.

Room capacity was another considerWhen did you get your first case? ation. Within a week, we figured out how Can you describe that situation? How to nearly triple our ICU bed capacity and did you confirm it was COVID-19? we identified other, specific areas of the e aren’t permitted to share details hospital for the treatment of COVID-19 due to patient privacy rules, but patients. information can be found on the county We had ventilators of our own website.

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COMMUNITY NEWS When did you realize there was community spread of COVID-19? s a part of our Incident Command Center and COVID-19 task force activities, we participated in daily meetings with the county Health Officer, Dr. Gail Newel.

She and her team did an excellent job of keeping us updated, and immediately shared with us when they’d confirmed community spread had occurred.

Take us inside the Emergency Department and the ICUs during the peak of COVID-19 admissions.

When was that? What was it like for your doctors and nurses? ne of the first actions we took to support our Emergency Department and ICU was to set up our emergency tents.

During the height of COVID-19 volume in March and early April, they served as an extension of our ER waiting room. All patients with respiratory and/or flu-like symptoms are being triaged and screened for COVID-19 in these tents, rather than inside the Emergency Department.

Fortunately, we haven’t really seen a real peak yet, but should there be an influx of patients requiring care, these tents will allow us to expand our regular capacity.

Our staff and physicians are active participants in our regular emergency drills and so are well-prepared. However, reminders are important, especially in times like these.

Our Infection Prevention and Clinical Education teams developed an educational program for our staff and physicians on proper donning, doffing, cleaning, and storage of personal protective equipment.

They were also trained in proning—a method of ventilation in which patients are positioned face-down prior to intubation for optimal oxygenation—and vendors

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were tapped to provide protective intubation boxes.

Before we had testing capabilities onsite, every patient meeting the symptom criteria for COVID-19 was treated as a person under investigation, and many were admitted. It was quite tense for our patients and their loved ones, staff, and physicians while we waited for test results to come back.

Once we were able to test in-house and obtain results in a matter of hours, anxiety levels came down.

At the peak of the surge, what was the single biggest challenge your hospital faced? e struggled with two big challenges as the volume of potential COVID-19 patients spiked: testing capacity and turnaround time, and the constantly changing guidelines coming down from the CDC and state and county health departments.

Though testing timeframes took a while to get to where we needed them to be, we were always able to successfully diagnose or rule out COVID-19 and treat patients accordingly. We are grateful to our partners at the county, Stanford, and other laboratory sites, and most importantly to our outstanding Lab department. They are superstars.

The guidance from the federal, state, and county levels was changing constantly as understanding of this new virus evolved and new information became available. We had to be nimble and make rapid adjustments accordingly. Our infectious disease leadership adjusted in real time, and worked tirelessly to make sure our staff was aware of each new development and requirement.

What did your staff find to be the most effective treatment for people hospitalized with COVID-19? ominican was fortunate to obtain convalescent plasma early on, and it has been a real game-changer. It provides patients suffering from severe COVID-19 with antibodies, helping to boost their ability to fight the virus.

Recently, the county has secured a stock of remdesivir, which has been shown to be effective in treating patients with COVID-19. Dominican has been able to obtain some of this stock to have ready for any positive patients in our care.

What are your concerns as you look to the months ahead? s we move forward into a “new normal,” Dominican’s priority will be to make sure we have adequate stores of PPE and testing in the community. Thanks to our preparation and careful management of these resources, we’re feeling good on both of those fronts right now.

Our community is slowly beginning the process of reopening, and we know

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what a relief that is for everyone. We just ask—plead, really—that folks continue to take all appropriate precautions. Wear your masks when you are outside the house, socially distance, wash those hands over and over and over.

Santa Cruz County has been a model for successful COVID-19 response and our infection rate reflects that. But remember that the virus is still out there, and we want you all to remain safe and healthy.

We’re hearing about hospitals running huge deficits due to the cancellation of elective surgeries and empty beds. Can you share the situation at Dominican Hospital? How will the hospital weather this financially? ne of the most significant ways Dominican has helped prevent community spread of infections like COVID-19 is to limit the number of people inside the hospital. To that end, we have been significantly restricting visitors to the hospital since early March.

With a few exceptions, like a birth partner in our Birth Center, visitors are not permitted.

We can’t thank our community enough for their patience with us and their compliance with our policies. They have dutifully stayed away, and significantly helped us reduce traffic in the hospital— and in so doing have greatly reduced the risk to our patients and staff.

That said, it is vital that the community knows it is safe to receive at Dominican.

Like many hospitals nationwide, Dominican Hospital has seen some decline in admissions for conditions like heart attacks and strokes, suggesting that patients are putting off or avoiding ER visits.

The important thing to remember is that ignoring symptoms and postponing your care may increase your risk of serious complications. Our hospital and our Emergency Department are safe, and ready to provide immediate care for urgent and lifethreatening conditions.

We continue to take significant steps

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A pop-up market created by staff in Environmental Services and Nutrition enables hospital employees to buy necessities that can be hard to get.

to ensure it remains safe to provide and receive care at Dominican, including our strict visitor policy, screening all patients for COVID-19 symptoms and ensuring they are wearing a mask, daily staff symptom monitoring, rigorous social distancing, isolating patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 from other patients at the hospital, enhanced cleaning and disinfection processes throughout the hospital, and adjusting operating room schedules to allow for additional cleanings after each procedure.

Dominican Hospital has successfully managed infectious diseases alongside standard patient care for generations. We have weathered many storms in our nearly 80 years of service to this community, and through it all have always put patient safety first.

Given the lessons you learned, how do you change the way you prepare going forward? his experience has really reinforced a lot of our established processes.

Moving forward, we will continue to activate our Incident Command Center early, to allow us to act nimbly and proactively, as we have been able to do in this case. This unique challenge has solidified our partnerships with the county and our community. n

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A A Dominican Hospital staffer, wearing a controlled air purifying respirator, along with a face-shield, does a swab test on an employee. This helmet system provides more protection than an N-95 mask and can be reused.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / June 15th 2020 / 7

COMMUNITY NEWS

Beaches To Open After July 6

Health Officer Concerned About Increased Gatherings

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By Jondi Gumz

anta Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel gave her last weekly COVID-19 briefing June 11, voicing concern that reopening more businesses would mean more cases, acknowledging that keeping the economy closed could bring “death by poverty” and revealing that beaches will open after July 6 when her last order expires.

She said the county on June 10 had seen 10 new COVID-19 cases, the most since the pandemic that began in March.

Mimi Hall, director the county’s Health Services Agency, noted the increase came two-and-a-half weeks after Memorial Day weekend, when several unsanctioned multi-generational family gatherings took place in Watsonville.

Newel said it was too early to draw conclusions about why the case count jumped, but she said she was “very worried” about protests in the street over the George Floyd killing by a police officer in Minneapolis and “quite worried” about the impact of a large gathering for the asyet-unscheduled memorial for Sheriff’s Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, who was fatally shot June 6 when responding to a call in Ben Lomond.

“All of us are grieving,” she said, noting Gutzwiller “worked directly with the public health division.”

She also said, “Racism is a public health matter. We are committed to addressing that.”

By Monday, the county’s updated information on COVID-19 cases showed a total of 257 cases, with nine new cases on June 10 instead of 10.

Asked for an explanation, county spokesman Jason Hoppin said, “From what I understand, cases may be entered into the database with discrepancies on the date entered. For example, a case may come to our attention on one day, but be backdated to when the test was confirmed.”

As of Monday, Watsonville had the most cases, 124, followed by the unincorporated areas, 64, Santa Cruz, 52, Capitola, 9, and Scotts Valley, 8.

There have been two deaths, in March and April, but most cases have not required hospitalization, and 11,985 test results have been negative.

The county has 23 “contact tracers” newly trained by the state joining the public health staff of 15 to interview people confirmed positive and find out who they might have exposed to COVID-19 so those people can be tested and if necessary quarantined.

That brings the number of contract tracers close to the 42 the state said is necessary to handle an outbreak.

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The county has seen a big jump in testing capacity, Newel said, with a new partnership with UC Santa Cruz will provide testing at skilled nursing facilities, where patients and staff are considered to be at higher risk.

Newel is following Gov. Newsom’s lead in reopening sectors of the economy.

“Twelve new industries opened,” she said.

Hotels and vacation rentals, hair salons, barbershops, gyms, pools, tasting rooms, brewpubs, bars, campgrounds and RV parks, museums, and galleries got the green light to reopen June 12.

Massage therapists, estheticians, nail salons, skin care, electrology, waxing and cosmetology services and tattoo parlors and body piercing got the okay to reopen June 19.

Most of the COVID-19 cases have come from exposure to a household member, Newel said.

There have been 21 confirmed cases among health care workers, six among first

responders, and 21 among farm and agricultural workers.

Tom AmRhein, who chairs the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau’s Covid-19 response, said during a telephone town hall with County Supervisor Zach Friend and his constituents, said, “Field transmission of COVID-19 is rare and practically unheard of.”

There are “some hotspots related to situations of housing and ride-sharing,” he said, noting the scarcity of affordable housing has multi-generational families doubling up.

Monterey County, with more COVID-19 cases among ag workers, has food processing plants, while much of the ag work in Santa Cruz County is outdoors and focuses on berries.

Berry workers, working outside in the sunlight, wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing — the environment doesn’t lend itself to transmission of the disease, Am Rhein said. n

Newel said it was too early to draw conclusions about why the case count jumped, but she said she was “very worried” about protests in the street over the George Floyd killing by a police officer in Minneapolis and “quite worried” about the impact of a large gathering for the as-yet-unscheduled memorial for Sheriff’s Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, who was fatally shot June 6 when responding to a call in Ben Lomond.

“Sheriff’s Vigil” from page 4 I went through his personnel file last night — not a single citizen complaint in 14 years and many, many commendations.

He was a good police officer.

Damon’s family is here with us today and I just want to tell them how sorry I am that this happened, and how much grief all of us are feeling, and how much he will be missed.

Damon grew up in this community.

He graduated from Aptos High School. He understood Santa Cruz County, and that’s why he was such a good policeman. He understood the county and the community and he had a lot of great character traits that helped him become the policeman that he was and the man that he was.

I will never forget him.

I will always feel pain when I think about him. But I’ll also remember the good things about Damon too. ~~~ Sgt. Steven Ryan: I often say there are lot of different cops you might encounter, cops that you want patrolling your neighborhood at night, cops that you want investigating your burglary, cops you want tracking down the missing grandma with dementia, cops you want to comfort a grieving a family member, cops you want pulling over your speeding family member because you know they will make them feel safe, and

Injured Deputy Comes Home

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eputy Alex Spencer, one of the K-9 deputies in the Sheriff’s Office, was seriously injured during the June 6 Ben Lomond call. He was shot, hit with shrapnel from an explosive device, and hit by the suspect’s car.

On Sunday, he left the hospital where he was treated, wearing a mask, with his left leg in a brace, as two lines of officers, one to his left, one to his right applauded.

He pumped his right fist in thanks, and got hugs from his colleagues before getting into a car for the ride home.

“Thank you to everybody up there,” he said.

Spencer and his wife Doreen have a young son.

A GoFundMe account set up for Doreen Spencer has nearly reached its goal of $75,000. n

cops you want next to you when things go really, really bad — Damon was all those and a hell of a lot more.

I never saw him have a bad day even if he was due one.

He was better than most of us.

He was incredibly patient, gentle in a way that is rare in this world but with the rock-steady confidence of someone who knows what the hell they are doing in nearly every situation they find themselves in.

In that way, he was hilarious, in how self-deprecating he would be, just to get a smile out of one of us, or someone in the public.

In 2008, he became my first beat partner and my beat partner every time I could swing it thereafter. I didn’t have a bad shift when I was with Damon. I loved going on calls with him.

I remember reading that he’d been promoted a year ago and I was shouting at the top of my lungs and pumping my fist in the air. Then I furiously began texting him and his wonderful fiancé, Favi.

He deserves every bit of that promotion four or five times over.

I don’t know if I was more excited when I got the word I was being promoted or when he was.

I have so many memories with this man. I could write for hours about Damon and still not scratch the surface of who he was what he meant to us. Maybe I’ll try some day.

I love you brother.

The beautiful woman he leaves behind, Favi, wanted me to tell you “Damon, You were the heart of our little family and we love you.”

••• ike Pruger, a retired sheriff’s deputy who sits on the state board of the Peace Officers Research Association of California Central Coast, started an online “Fund a Hero” campaign to raise $750,000 for Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller’s family.

Donations can be made at https:// p o r a c . o rg /fu n drais e r/line -o f-dutydeath-damon-gutzwiller-eow-6-6-2020/ “I was wanting to help,” Pruger said.

“We’ve raised over $600,000 at this point.”

It’s a lot of money, but he’s sure Damon’s wife would give it up if she could have Damon back.

“I’m not sure you can put a price on being a husband and a father,” Pruger said.

That Peace Officers Research Association of California started the ”Fund a Hero” program through its 501c3 foundation a year ago as a way to avoid problems that have arisen with other fundraising options.

The often-used GoFundMe.com takes a percentage off the top, Pruger said, while the Fund A Hero campaign allows 100 percent of the money to go to the family.

Another problem is when multiple fundraising sites crop up, confusing donors.

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https://porac.org/fundraiser/line-of-duty-death-damon-gutzwiller-eow-6-6-2020/ Pruger said GoFundMe was required to shut down two sites for Sgt. Gutzwiller.

Confusion led to hard feelings and lawsuits in 2013 over fundraising for the families of two Santa Cruz police officers who were killed responding to a call.

“I knew both those officers,” said Pruger. “Everybody did what they thought

was right … We’ve learned from our mistakes.”

The last time a deputy sheriff was killed in the line of duty was Michael Gray in 1985.

The softball field at the county’s Juvenile Probation complex on Graham Hall Road in Felton is named for Michael Gray. n

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www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / June 15th 2020 / 9

COMMUNITY NEWS

Aptos Village Improvements Hit Phase 2 T he second phase of the Aptos Village improvements is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, June 16.

Anderson Pacific, the contractor for the Santa Cruz County Department of Public Works, will install a traffic signal and ADA-compliant railroad crossing at Aptos Creek Road, new sidewalk, curb, gutter, and drainage and a fiber optic system to coordinate signals from Trout Gulch Road to State Park Drive.

The $2.85 million project is expected to run through Nov. 30.

Aptos Village complex and the post office, with detour information to come.

The project starts with potholing on Soquel Drive and Aptos Creek Road to determine exact locations of underground utilities. Storm drain installation is expected to run July 1 through July 21, and the railroad crossing work is expected to begin near the first of July.

Progressive Rail, Inc. will maintain the new track and electrical systems for the rail crossing. n For project information visit aptos villageimprovement.blogspot.com.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Who Will Remove Dead Trees Creating A Fire Hazard? ienna Drive, a winding one-lane road, has a wooded area with trees on both sides between Soquel Drive and Austrian Way. It is the only access/egress road for what is commonly called the Vienna Woods neighborhood, consisting of a sizeable community of residences. It relies on the safety of this access road.

PG&E tells us that we live in an extreme fire-threat area and a recent flyer urges us to “Take Responsibility” and create defensible space which, according to “Public Resources Code 4291: requires that any person that owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in, upon, or adjoining any land covered with flammable material shall at all times maintain 100 feet of defensible space.”

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The Aptos/LaSelva Fire Department made it known that they cannot enforce Code 4291, which over the years has resulted in an accumulation of dead trees, branches and brush in various places along the incline side of the road on the property of a number of homeowners.

Just recently three dead trees fell down on the other side of the road. There are more dead trees standing as well as a few with widely exposed root systems.

A few years ago, I was told by Dan Frost, in one of his yearly inspections for the Fire Department, that I had to cut all the branches of my redwoods up to 6 feet from the ground. I complied and have had “no violation” reports ever since.

What reports, if any, are given to those who have an accumulation of flammable material on their properties, one wonders.

The County claims that the property owners own their land up till the road itself and it is therefore not responsible for the maintenance of the dead material lining the road.

That material may well lie beyond the 100 feet of defensible space, however, so who then is responsible for the rest?

Patrick Mulhearn, an associate of Supervisor Zach Friend, told us last fall about a chipper program that helps homeowners get rid of the flammable material on their properties. In May of this year we were told that it is funded and people can apply for help.

One would rightly assume that the person who contacts the homeowners yearly about their compliance or noncompliance with Code 4291 would inform them of the availability of this program, but even

that does not seem to be a call for action at this time.

Because of the destructive life-claiming fires in California in the last couple of years, we have been made much more aware of the fire dangers climate change, heat and drought have brought upon us. California is focused on fire prevention as never before by working on fuel reduction where needed, cutting grasses, culling dead trees and removing brush.

It is one of Gov. Newsom’s principal concerns and a call to action. Neither the Public Works Department nor the Fire Department of Santa Cruz County appear to share this urgency when they show us that they won’t enforce Code 4291, at least in a number of cases, nor face up to what is their share of possible, immediate action. n — Anje C. van der Naald, Ph.D, Aptos

navigating-use-of-contractors-and-nonprofitemployment-law ••• Pajaro Valley Chamber Surveys Members very business in Watsonville has been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

The City of Watsonville and Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture are working with the business community to understand the current, dynamic business climate.

Businesses located in the City of Watsonville are asked to complete a survey to help city and chamber officials understand the immediate and future challenges for business, and what will resources are needed.

For information, visit Pajarovalley chamber.com

•••

COMMUNITY BRIEFS Workshop on AB 5 for Nonprofits June 24 ots of nonprofits use independent contractors, whether grant-writers, after-school arts educators or designers, to stay efficient. But are you employing them legally?

Classifying workers as independent contractors in California got much more narrow due to the passage of Assembly Bill 5, the gig worker law, in 2019.

The Nonprofits Insurance Alliance and Community Foundation Santa Cruz County present a free webinar on the topic 10-11 a.m. June 24. Attorney Ellen Aldridge, employment risk manager at Nonprofits

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Soquel Drive from Spreckels Drive to Trout Gulch Road, and Aptos Creek Road at Soquel Drive will be reduced to one lane, two-way traffic with flaggers at times from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., weather permitting. There may be delays of up to 15 minutes.

Steve Wiesner, assistant DPW director, said Rincon Consultants prepared a plan, approved by the Environmental Health Department, for excavation and disposal of any contaminated soil.

He said there will be access to the

Insurance Alliance, and Kevin Heuer, director of engagement & impact, Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, will discuss: • The “ABC” test used to classify workers for CA wage and hour, unemployment and workers compensation laws.

• Functions commonly contracted in the nonprofit sector and analyze how they stand up under the ABC test.

• The classification tests applicable under other federal employment laws, and the difficulty of compliance with these differing standards.

• How audits and litigation challenging worker misclassification arise, what penalties and liabilities exist, and steps to take to audit your existing contractor classifications.

Register at https://www.cfscc.org/events/

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Seahorse Swim School Offers Lessons iffany Harmon, founder of Seahorse Swim School, announces private, semi-private and custom classes for family members at Seascape Sports Club in Aptos.

Club membership is required. The schedule will have classes in the shallow pool weekday mornings and in one lane of the lap pool on weekday afternoons. There will be no Saturday lessons at Seascape.

The pool lifeguard camp, mom and baby classes and Sharks swim team are on hold until further notice due to COVID-19 restrictions. n For information, call 831-476-7946 or 661-5110. Or visit seahorseswimschool.com.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

How Will We Celebrate the Fourth of July?

T he Aptos Chamber would like to celebrate Independence Week from July first through the fifth, and our first idea is for everyone to decorate their cars!

Whether it be an antique, a classic or a clunker, dress those cars up to celebrate America and drive around town and show off during the week.

• Please do not pack your car with friends, immediate family only.

• Car clubs can do the same thing but please do not extend the invitation to your out-of-county members.

Let’s keep it local. There are no entry fees but donations to the Aptos Chamber would be appreciated.

••• Red White and Blue Patriotic Decorating Contest! e are encouraging local businesses, (open or not), to participate in our businesses decorating contest! Show your spirit.

• Register for $25 and we will email participation information including a judging number and rules.

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rb1b9dZ6J1o4ozc2qmTVAAm0Tj0xHg/ viewform ••• 2020 Fourth Of July T-Shirt ALL T-SHIRT SALES ARE FINAL ue to Covid-19 and limited staff we cannot accept exchanges or returns.

Please choose the appropriate size.

All t-shirts: $15 minimum donation For bulk orders please send an email to: chamberaptos@gmail.com, or call us at 831-688-1467 To order a T-Shirt: (https://tinyurl. com/y7tmryoz) docs.google.com/forms/ d/e/1FAIpQLSfd44a16jPL313syHcfpZ Ktnagn4kHvRXNGIi8cgzH-tG8A4Q/ viewform ••• oting for the Red White and Blue Patriotic Decorating Contest opens July 1 at www.aptoschamber.com. The winners will be announced on July 5 Business Registration: (https:// tinyurl.com/ybhtk964) docs.google. com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfXnQNoBS 7fTY-loJNIOXKSPhheBVuyP4Lx3pKt gqpjp5gz5w/viewform n

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• Participants will be added to our website and social media platforms.

The community at large gets to vote for the contest winner.

• Drive by and select the most patriotic business display by number.

• Judging will start on July 1st and end at midnight on July 4th.

• Vote at www.aptoschamber.com. The winners will be announced on July 5th.

Stay in the community spirit! Order a t-shirt & patriotic mask today!

We are Aptos strong! Together, let’s celebrate our Fourth of July Independence Week!

••• Patriotic Masks here is a limited supply of masks, although they will be continued to be made as long as there are requests and supplies last. First Come, First Serve: Place your order today!

Masks are $5 minimum donation To order masks: (https://tinyurl. com/y9cu2bp7) docs.google.com/forms/ d/e/1FAIpQLSdVS0ZWy-pukbbbPfK0

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www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / June 15th 2020 / 11

IN MEMORIAM

MAY 2020

Aptos Real Estate Update

Ruth Bates 831.359.2212

ruthbates1@gmail.com CalBRE#01799929

MARKET The Real Estate world has been somewhat on “pause” for the past several months.

In Santa Cruz County, from 3/15-5/31/2019, 366 homes sold at Avg List Price (ALP) $1101K, Avg Sales Price (ASP) $1052K, 96% of list. From 3/155/31/2020, only 258 homes sold at ALP $1040K, ASP $1012K, 97% of list. So volume was down 30%, pricing down only 3.8% for the County. In Aptos, we saw 55 sales, ALP $1224K, ASP $1180K, 96% of list, and 2020 ALP $1399, ASP $1336K, 96% of list. So in Aptos, Volume was only down 11% and ASP was way up – 13%!

INTEREST RATES

Bankrate.com (6/05) 30-year loans @ 3.375%. That is a lot of purchasing power.

For example, with 20% down on an $800,000 home, loan is $640,000 (you can go up to $765,000 to get the best rates). $640,000 loan @ 3.375% = a monthly payment of $2829. Well, rents are well above $2800. And you get to write off your Mortgage Interest, which is significant, over $30,000 in the 1st year. Yes, you have to pay property taxes and insurance, but overall, a home purchase could be a much better investment than renting.

RENT RATES

On the flipside of that argument, we are expecting Bay Area and SCC rental market rates to drop due to COVID-19. So, for the investors out there, it might be a good time to sell.

MLS/ NEW LISTINGS

The MLS put a hold on Days on Market from 3/17-5/16/2020 due to COVID-19, so market stats will be off. Since 5/17/2020, there has been a large increase in the number of Listings, 97 in the County and 17 here in Aptos. 339 Beach is the high at $3.4M and 627 Encino came on for $729,000.

The Median List Price (MLP) is $1,195,000.

There are now 52 Homes for sale in Aptos, MLP - $1330K, 7 Condos MLP — $619K, 10 Townhomes MLP $748K.

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Diana Chapman: 1949 ~ 2020

t is with great sadness that Diana Chapman (Gentile), 71, passed away on May 15th at her home in Soquel, CA, surrounded by her loving family. Diana was born in Fresno, the eldest of seven siblings. Diana met her future husband Chuck in 1970. Chuck began working for PG&E and he and Diana moved to Santa Cruz. Diana loved living near the ocean and especially enjoyed Santa Cruz’s temperate climate.

Diana was a devoted mother to her three children: Angela, Charlotte and Kevin. Diana was a proud grandmother to her granddaughter, Mary.

Diana was preceded in death by her parents Fred and Clara Gentile. Diana leaves her beloved husband (of 48 years) Chuck, daughter Angela, son-in-law Nick, granddaughter Mary, and daughter Charlotte and son Kevin. Diana also leaves her siblings: Danny Gentile, Jeannie, Carol, Paul (Debbie), Fred (Chris), and Philip, sister-in-law Patricia, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. She also leaves the

extended members of her Coastal Commission family.

In the early 1970’s, Diana worked as a typist with the newly formed California Coastal Commission. Diana believed strongly in her work and in the Coastal Commission. Diana was especially fond of Peter Douglas’s statement that “the coast is never saved, it’s always being saved.”

Over time, Diana was promoted to a Staff

Services Analyst position. In her support staff position, Diana regularly interacted with the entire staff of the Commission’s Santa Cruz office. Some of them looked at her as their “work Mom,” and all appreciated her sweet and helpful disposition, her comforting and kind presence, and her wonderful sense of humor and infectious laugh. Diana was reliable, loyal and fair.

Diana will be fondly remembered.

A private service was held in Santa Cruz and a celebration of life will be set in the future.

In lieu of flowers, a Go Fund Me account was created to dedicate a memorial bench in honor of Diana: https://www.gofundme. com/f/DianaChapmanMemorialBench If you would like to share a memory about Diana or send a kind message to her family, there is an online memorial page at scmemorial.com.

Mom, you’re as free as a bird now. We love you.

Diana, the sunflowers are getting ready to bloom. n

Remembering Missy McDill

By Lori Butterworth

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e are deeply saddened by the passing of our most treasured and longest serving board president, Melissa “Missy” McDill. When considering her own cancer journey, Missy always remembered the children and dedicated her life to improving theirs. She was one of a kind.

The Heart of Jacob’s Heart for 21 Years issy’s accomplishments during her 21-years serving on the Jacob’s Heart Board of Directors are countless, but let me name just a few. Missy created the annual Jacob’s Heart KIDRAGEOUS Carnival to celebrate the lives and loves of children

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My favorite 4-letter word is “SOLD”!

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12 / June 15th 2020 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

with cancer. She helped lead the efforts to declare September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in the State of California.

And, she used her unique flare for design to transform every Jacob’s Heart office into a fun, often jungle-themed, playroom.

Missy brought joy to the children.

A Powerhouse Philanthropist issy was fiercely generous and relentlessly motivated others to give to her beloved Jacob’s Heart. She cared deeply and personally, donating an average of $10,000 annually. During her tenure as president of the Jacob’s Heart board, Missy gave more than $100,000. She personally

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covered funeral expenses so that grieving families could honor their precious children and begin their own process of healing from such a devastating loss.

Living Her Legacy issy spent her precious time and resources to improve the quality of life for children with cancer and support their families in the challenges they face, a mission statement she helped draft.

She will be remembered by our board as a strong, dedicated leader with sharp wit and business acumen. She will be remembered by the Jacob’s Heart children as the funny lady who danced and wore crazy hats while running the dunk tank at KIDRAGEOUS .

Missy’s legacy will live on through each and every child with cancer whose lives have been and will be touched by the graciousness and generosity she ignited at Jacob’s Heart. n ••• Lori Butterworth is the executive director of Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services, a nonprofit based in Watsonville that works to improve the quality of life for children with cancer and support their families in the challenges they face. To give, visit jacobsheart.org.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Fatal DUI Conviction Brings 20-years O

At the sentencing hearing Crotty, n June 9, Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeffrey S. Rosell 55, was remembered by her sister as a announced that Alejandro Rocha “loving, generous” person who had a Fernandez was sentenced to 20 years in great sense of humor. Fernandez did not make a statement. Fernandez prison for a hit-and-run drivingwill be required to serve at least while-intoxicated crash that 85 percent of his sentence before killed Diana Crotty. becoming eligible for parole.

On June 5, 2019, shortly after The prosecutor assigned 7 p.m., Fernandez, who had a to the case, Assistant District blood alcohol level approaching Attorney Alex Byers, said, three times the legal limit after “Fernandez’ decision to drive drinking at a downtown Santa while impaired exhibited a conCruz bar, sped his car into an alleyway, striking Crotty, who Alejandro Fernandez scious disregard for human life was pinned under the car and died of her and the court held him appropriately responsible for that choice and its tragic injuries.

Fernandez fled on foot and was consequences.”

Rosell added, “We (our office) feel located and apprehended by Santa Cruz that this sentence is appropriate and just, Police officers.

Fernandez was charged with gross and the victim’s family can rest assured in vehicular manslaughter. At the time, knowing that justice has been served and he was on probation for driving while the defendant will pay the consequences for his actions.” n impaired offenses in 2016 and 2018.

Teen Arrested after Fatal Crash in Santa Cruz

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ark Mendoza Zembrano, 18, of Santa Cruz, was arrested for gross vehicular manslaughter on Monday after his vehicle struck a 44-yearold woman who died of her injuries and injured a 15-year-old girl who is hospitalized.

He was also arrested on two counts of driving while under the influence in a negligent manner causing bodily injury.

The crash occurred shortly after 2 p.m.

June 15 at intersection of Murray St. at Mott Ave. The victims are related; their identities

are being withheld, pending next of kin notification.

The 15-year-old is listed in serious but stable condition at Dominican Hospital.

Santa Cruz Police Department traffic investigators closed down the stretch of Murray Street between Seabright Avenue and East Cliff Drive while they processed the scene. Traffic was impacted for about 6 hours.

This investigation is ongoing. The Santa Cruz Police Department asks that anyone with information about this case contact the Santa Cruz Police Department Traffic Investigations Unit Sergeant Morey at (831) 420-5857. n

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www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / June 15th 2020 / 13

CALIFORNIA NEWS

Panetta Seeks Help for Small Counties O n June 4, Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) co-introduced the Coronavirus County Relief and Stability Act to address the lack of COVID-19 relief funding for small and midsize counties. This bipartisan legislation is co-introduced by Representatives Paul Cook (R-Apple Jimmy Panetta Valley), Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) and Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale).

The legislation would ensure that every county, regardless of size, receives funds to support critical services that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including public health departments, first responders, and agencies that care for our seniors.

Specifically, every county would receive $1 million, with additional funds distributed based on population.

Previous legislation provided direct assistance only to larger counties with populations greater than 500,000 – leaving 42 counties in California without vital federal support during this crisis.

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Panetta and his colleagues recently sent a letter to House and Senate leadership requesting that any additional COVID-19 aid packages include direct assistance to these counties.

“The governPaul Cook ment’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been federally funded, state-mandated, and locally executed. Although Congress has passed significant coronavirus funding relief bills, many counties, like ours on the Central Coast, need more to continue to deliver public health and other critical services to communities,” said Panetta.

“This bill is a bipartisan solution.”

Cook said, “Unfortunately, our small and midsize counties haven’t received the aid they need to effectively combat the effects of the COVID-19 public health emergency. All our counties, regardless of size, are expected to provide the same critical services and follow the same protocols that larger counties are implementing to slow the spread of coronavirus. However, the vast majority of counties in California have been forced to do so without direct federal assistance. This legislation will ensure that both large counties like San Bernardino and smaller counties like Inyo and Mono get the funding they need to address this public health crisis. I thank my colleagues for joining with me to introduce this bipartisan legislation.”

Carbajal said, “Communities across America are juggling the need to continue providing essential investments and services to keep residents safe and healthy with the reality of deep deficits resulting from the impact of COVID-19. The federal government has a responsibility to step in and assist local governments, which have found themselves on the edge of bankruptcy through no fault of their own. We’re in the midst of a global pandemic and there is no time for political gridlock. I’m glad to co-lead this bipartisan legislation to

Salud Carbajal

Doug LaMalfa

ensure counties have the federal support they need to continue providing for their residents.”

LaMalfa said, “In the North State, we were fortunate to have fewer confirmed COVID-19 cases than the rest of the country. However, rural counties run on tight budgets, and most were unprepared for the deficits they’d have this year. Despite Congress’s clear directive that the Coronavirus Relief Fund be used to assist local governments, several governors continue to withhold counties’ allotment, and, in California, further cutting rural counties withheld share in half and redistributing to urban areas.

The Coronavirus County Relief and Stability Act takes a commonsense approach to providing direct assistance to all counties in the United States to address COVID-19 costs. In fact, in every single case in Northern California, this bill provides more funding than what was requested by the National Association of Counties. This is a responsible and even-handed proposal that will benefit all Americans.”

“We thank Congressman Panetta for his efforts to provide direct and flexible funding quickly through the Coronavirus County Relief and Stability Act,” said Carlos J. Palacios, County Administrative Officer for Santa Cruz County.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating to public health, but also to the economy. The financial losses to local governments are double that of the Great Recession, which will have profound impacts on County services that our residents depend upon — now more than ever — for their health, safety and well-being.” n

“The government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been federally funded, state-mandated, and locally executed. Although Congress has passed significant coronavirus funding relief bills, many counties, like ours on the Central Coast, need more to continue to deliver public health and other critical services to communities.”

— Representative Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley)

COMMUNITY NEWS

Goodwill Reopens County Stores G oodwill Central Coast has reopened nearly all of its stores and donation sites in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo counties that were closed in March to slow the spread of the contagious coronavirus COVID-19.

The stores have adopted new safety measures, including face masks for employees and sneeze-guards at the cash registers.

“We are closely following the state and county required measures to ensure the safety of our teams and customers,” said Alan C. Martinson, Goodwill Central Coast vice president of retail. “All surfaces and carts will be routinely sanitized. We will be monitoring the stores’ occupancy limits based upon city, state and/or federal guidelines. In the checkout line, special areas have been marked off to follow social distancing rules, and we have temporarily installed transparent barriers at the checkout counter and will offer a touchless payment option.”

Shoppers are asked to wear a face covering to comply with county guidelines.

Here are the store locations and hours in Santa Cruz County: CAPITOLA 1550 41st Ave. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. • (831) 462-1300 SCOTTS VALLEY 224 Mount Hermon Road 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. • (831) 430-9029 SANTA CRUZ 204 Union St. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. • (831) 423-1078 ~~~ Bookstore, 815 Soquel Ave. Currently closed due to state and county COVID-19 restrictions.

WATSONVILLE 470 Main St. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. • (831) 722-2376

Customers can also shop online at shopgoodwill.com. n ••• Goodwill Stores will be closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz

Shoppers are appropriately masked at Goodwill, located at the Nob Hill shopping center in Scotts Valley.

Moran Goodwill’s New CEO

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om Moran, chief financial officer of Goodwill Central Coast since 2018, is the new president and chief executive officer, succeeding Ed Durkee.

Moran had been serving as interim president and CEO. Moran, who lives in Corralitos, served Tom Moran on the organization’s Board of Directors from 2009-2014 and was board chairman in 2013. He has 20 years of experience in retail strategic planning and finance, including CFO roles at Conn’s, Inc., and at West Marine, with prior expe-

rience at ARAMARK, Limited Brands, and CarMax Auto Superstores.

He has a bachelor’s degree in physics from College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He and his wife Lindora enjoy hiking and outdoor activities.

Goodwill Central Coast, a 501(c)3 non-profit, began in 1928 in the city of Santa Cruz and now operates retail stores in three counties: Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo, employing more than 600 people. Each year Goodwill assists more than 13,000 job seekers get back to work and reclaim financial independence. n

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / June 15th 2020 / 15

COMMUNITY NEWS

Central Coast YMCA Reopens in Phases A fter closing its facilities on March 17 due to Gov. Newsom’s stayat-home order to slow the spread of COVID-19, the Central Coast YMCA is reopening its Salinas, Watsonville, San Benito County, South County and Monterey locations in phases, starting June 12.

“The Central Coast YMCA has served the central coast community for more than 121 years, during which we have made it through many challenging times together, none perhaps as impactful for our community and our Y as this COVID crisis,” said Andy Weighill, CEO, Central Coast YMCA. “We are thrilled to begin reopening our facilities, welcoming back our members and the community, and getting back to what we do best – helping everyone reach their full potential.”

The Central Coast YMCA reports all components of facilities, including fitness equipment and areas, locker rooms, child care, visitor areas and office spaces, are cleaned and sanitized to meet the new

safety standards.

According to Weighill, the first phase of reopening will include: cardio and strength areas open with restrictions, lobby area, group exercise rooms, locker rooms and showers, and pool. There may be restrictions on capacity and activities and healthy/safety protocols such as physical distancing, cleaning, and limited hours.

Additional phases of reopening will include sauna, steam room, spa, and youth sports. Information about these phases will be posted on the Y’s website: www. centralcoastymca.

“When we closed our facilities in March, we did so to protect the health and well-being of all our staff, volunteers, members and participants. As we now reopen our facilities, we do so with that same commitment to keeping everyone who enters our doors safe,” said Weighill.

“Our Y is about people — people from all backgrounds and walks of life who come together to improve their lives, nurture their families and strengthen their community,” he added. “We are so incredibly grateful to the people who have stood by us throughout these challenging

times. You were here for your community when it needed it most, and we remain here for you.” n •••

For more information about reopening, membership renewal and reactivation and program registration, visit www. centralcoastymca.

County Courthouses Resume Full Services T he Santa Cruz County Superior Court, which closed some courtrooms due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the county’s shelter-in-place order, plans to resume full operations Monday, June 15.

All criminal court calendars resumed June 8, but several courtrooms remained dark until June 15 when operations were to resume fully in Santa Cruz and Watsonville.

When court operations resume, technology to allow for “remote appearance” will be used for some court proceedings to reduce the number of people coming to court. Remote appearances are in the works for some traffic hearings starting June 18.

“We have taken all of the health and safety steps that are necessary to safely resume more of our operation next week,” said Court Executive Officer Alex Calvo.

Santa Cruz County Courthouse

The steps include: Requiring face coverings for everyone coming to court, including staff and judges; promoting social distancing throughout the buildings, installing hand sanitizer stations at entry and exit points; limiting the number of people in a courtroom at one time; staggering start times of court calendars; increasing the frequency of disinfecting and cleaning; and adjusting air conditioning systems to improve air movement and filtration.

Some court sessions took place outdoors for several weeks to allow for social distancing and keep the court from becoming a source of community spread.

“We are extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished throughout this crisis,” Calvo said “We took great care to manage our way through a challenging time balancing the need to protect public health with the need to protect access to justice for members of our community.”

The court worked with county justice partners to determine the proper time to resume services.

A task force of local justice partners is working on plans for the return of jurors later this summer.

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Superior Court of California in Watsonville

Clerk services will be he standard 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Santa Cruz Courthouse; most services at the Watsonville location will be limited to emergency matters will be limited until Monday, June 15.

The Self-Help Center in Watsonville will resume its regular hours and the County Law Library will resume limited in-person hours from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Appointments are needed for the Law Library; they can be

made by phone or by email using a form posted at www.lawlibrary.org. n ••• For information about court safety precautions and office and hours, see www. santacruzcourt.org. Individuals are strongly encouraged to check the website for information before coming to court. Individuals who are sick or who have COVID-19 like symptoms must avoid coming to court and should advise their attorney about their condition.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Carrillo Faces 19 Counts in Crime Spree S Here is the description of what happened in the rampage, provided by the District Attorney’s Office: The incident began when deputies got a call about a white van containing materials including firearms parts and materials to make explosives parked off Empire Grade Road.

Vehicle information from that van led additional deputies to 120 Waldeburg Road in Ben Lomond, a remote mountain area.

When Carrillo arrived in a different white van, the first deputy on the scene waited for backup.

When two more deputies arrived including Gutzwiller, Carrillo is alleged to have taken a high position, firing at the three deputies, hitting and ultimately killing Gutzwiller, and attacking them with an explosive device. When officers from the California Highway Patrol arrived, Carrillo is alleged to have opened fire on them. The officers fired back and struck Carrillo.

Prosecutors allege Carrillo was lying in wait to carry out the killing from a position of advantage or surprise, which carries a potential sentence of the death penalty or

Candidate Virtual Workshops Start June 16

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Candidates are encouraged to download the Candidate’s Handbook found online at www.votescount.com or come to the office to pick one up. Candidate’s Handbooks are available for persons interested in running for school and special districts. The City Clerks will have candidate materials for people interested in running for city office. n For more information, contact Gail Pellerin at 831-454-2419 or email gail.pellerin@ santacruzcounty.us

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he Nov. 3 presidential general election is just months away and deadlines for persons interested in running for city office, school district or special district are quickly approaching.

The Santa Cruz County Clerk/Elections Department is co-sponsoring four virtual candidate information workshops, along with the Cities of Scotts Valley, Capitola, Watsonville, and Santa Cruz to explain how to run for office. The workshops will take place: • Tuesday, June 16: 6 to 7:30 p.m, Santa Cruz City Clerk & County Clerk. https://zoom.us/j/99451899595 or Telephone: 833-548-0282 (Toll Free), or 877853-5247 (Toll Free), or 888-788-0099 (Toll Free), or 833-548-0276 (Toll Free), or 669900-9128. Webinar ID: 994 5189 9595 • Thursday, June 18: 6 to 7:30 p.m, Scotts Valley City Clerk & County Clerk. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86452813324 or Telephone: 669-900-9128. Webinar ID: 864 5281 3324 • Monday, June 22: 6 to 7:30 p.m, Watsonville City Clerk & County Clerk. https://global.gotomeeting. com/join/543525349 or Telephone: 646-49-3122 Access Code: 543-525-349.

New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting

life in prison without parole.

The District Attorney’s Office not yet decided which penalty will be sought.

Attorney Jeffrey Stotter, a private lawyer who represented Carrillo, told reporters outside the courthouse that he suffered from traumatic brain injury.

Carrillo holds the rank of Air Force sergeant and had been on active duty at Travis Air Force Base.

His wife Monika Leigh Scott Carrillo Sergeant Damon Gutzwiller was killed when officers confronted Carillo after the was an Airman First Sheriff’s Department received a call about a white van containing firearms and Class and a mother of explosives. two serving in South Both of them graduated from San Carolina when she died at a hotel off base Lorenzo Valley High School in 2006. n in 2018.

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teven Carrillo, 32, who is charged with the murder of Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, will remain in custody without bail until he enters a plea.

Carrillo was charged with 19 felony counts in connection with the June 6 crime spree in Ben Lomond.

He is charged with preSteven Carrillo meditated attempted murder of four other officers, two sheriff’s deputies and two highway patrol officers, an armed car-jacking, two attempted armed car-jackings, an assault on a firefighter, the premeditated attempted murder of a good Samaritan with a firearm and an explosive device, and possession of explosives with malicious intent.

Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Paul Burdick presided, continued the arraignment from June 12 to July 17 at 1:30 in Department 3. Everyone in court wore a mask to slow the spread of COVID-19, following the health officer’s order.

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www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / June 15th 2020 / 17

COMMUNITY NEWS

Hotels, Gyms, Pools, Bars, Theaters Can Open

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By Jondi Gumz

n Tuesday, June 9, Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel issued a new order removing local restrictions on lodging operators, allowing hotels, motels and vacation rentals to resume business activities in accordance with state guidelines effective that Friday — three months after businesses were closed and people were ordered to shelter in place to slow the spread of the contagious coronavirus COVID-19.

“These are very significant shifts,” said County Supervisor Zach Friend, adding, “Our numbers are solid.”

The County reported 235 COVID-19 cases as of June 9, one more than the day before, with 107 in Watsonville, 51 in Santa Cruz, 50 in the unincorporated areas, 8 in Scotts Valley, 8 in Capitola, and 10 under investigation.

There have been two deaths, one each in March and April, 32 hospitalizations and 10,044 negative lab results; free tests are currently available by booking an appointment at https://covid19.ca.gov/ testing-and-treatment/ at the OptumServe site at Ramsay Park, Watsonville.

The state reported two people currently

hospitalized in Santa Cruz County for COVID-19, one confirmed and one suspected, with no one in the intensive care unit.

Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz, speaking on a tele-town hall Tuesday night with Friend and his constituents, said Dominican Hospital had no COVID-19 patients at this time.

She said the hospital is scheduling elective procedures that had been suspended to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Santa Cruz County, which was previously approved for a state variance, is

aligned with state guidance, which will allow movie theaters and family entertainment centers, museums, galleries and aquariums, gyms and fitness centers, swimming pools, campgrounds and RV parks, and tasting rooms, brewpubs and bars to reopen on Friday as well.

Not all operations or businesses will be ready to open on this date, county officials cautioned.

The new order extends beach closures from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. through July 6, at

which time the county will reassess beach access. More than 500 citations have been issued for violations, according to Friend.

Santa Cruz County also is aligned with new state guidance on schools, childcare facilities and day camps.

Owners or managers of local businesses planning to reopen are advised to read and follow state guidance to protect the health and safety of staff and customers.

Santa Cruz County public health officials will monitor local case counts, infection rates and hospitalizations and modify local health orders if necessary.

As more businesses reopen, the county emphasizes the importance of following local social distancing protocols, which include: • Wearing a face covering while engaging others at work or in public • Maintaining six feet of distance from others who are not members of your household • Frequently washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds • Covering coughs or sneezes with tissue or fabric, or using your elbow • Staying home if you are sick with a fever or cough. n

Tandy Beal & Company Awarded Two State Grants

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he California Arts Council has awarded Tandy Beal & Company two grants for 2020-2021: “Artists in Schools” and “Exposure.”

These grants will support ArtSmart, the long-running program that brings Bay Area artists and dance residencies to schools and communities, reaching 20,000 children, teachers and families each year in Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties.

Tandy Beal, an artist whose work has been seen around the world, said, “For me, art is the 4th R — it is a direct way to develop respect for multiple viewpoints. For that reason, ArtSmart has my full commitment.”

Jaqui Hope, the Visual & Performing Arts Coordinator of Monterey Peninsula Unified School Tandy Beal District, has brought the program for five years to every third grade said this about ArtSmart: “A program that emphasizes awe and acceptance in other cultures, and builds empathy and understanding in each classroom, is exactly the tonic we need in the world today.”

The goals of ArtSmart are to broaden children’s perspective and their dreams for themselves, invite them to think creatively, be successful in school — even when 18 / June 15th 2020 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Photo Credit: Cliff Warner

Micha Scott Dances! performs for Tandy Beal & Company’s ArtSmart Family Concert Series in October of 2015 English is not their first language, expand their knowledge, in developing skills in movement, teamwork and concenand, ultimately, to bring joy to each child’s life. tration, while students deepen geographic knowledge.

The dance education residency, Dance Around the A parent wrote this about this public school residency: World, explores a specific culture through movement in “We had no idea what a wonderful experience we were in 2nd-4th grade classrooms. Master teachers encourage for. It was educational, creative and an absolute delight. young people to expand their curiosity and creativity, Every child in the county should have this experience.” encourage respect for the diversity and beauty in other “Tandy Beal” page 19 cultural traditions and art forms, and support students

COMMUNITY NEWS

Santa Cruz County Public Libraries News Libraries Present a Day of Magic he Santa Cruz Public Libraries Summer Reading Program is pleased to present a day of magic on Tuesday, June 23.

The magic starts at 10:30 a.m. with Magician Mike Della Penna. He creates family magic performances that are participatory, playful, and astonishing. He is a former Boston stand-up comic, 20-year comedy improv vet and second-grade school teacher.

There are plenty of chances to catch his performance. To register for the 10:30 a.m. show visit santacruzpl.libcal.com/ event/6740826. To register for the 3:30 p.m. show visit santacruzpl.libcal.com/ event/6772217. Mike’s Magic show will also take place at 11 a.m. June 24 https:// santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/6741386 and at 1 p.m. July 7.

Perry Yan aka “Perry the Magician” will entertain at 1:30 p.m. June 23. He has built a name for himself as being one of the top family entertainers in the Bay Area.

He also is a highly skilled balloon artist, turning multiple balloons into masterpieces that will amaze kids and adults.

You have two opportunities to catch his performance. Register for the Magic Day performance at 1:30 p.m. at https:// santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/6781147

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Mike Della Penna

or the second performance at 1 p.m.

June 8 https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/ event/6795456.

These events are part of the Summer Reading Program, Imagine Your Story. To register to read and earn books and prizes, visit santacruzpl.org/srp.

••• Library Discussions to Build Resiliency ousing is First Topic in Monthly Series Starting June 17 The Santa Cruz Public Libraries has developed a new monthly discussion series intended to help build resiliency within our community. The first event in the series, Housing is Healthcare, takes place at 6 p.m.

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Wednesday, June 17, via Zoom. Register to participate: https://santacruzpl.libcal. com/event/6778692.

In Housing is Healthcare, service providers will discuss how, we as a community, can build community resilience during our current crisis. The program asks us all to consider how we can come out of this crisis stronger than before. We invite people from all walks of life to come with questions and ideas to help us build a more resilient community.

Supervisor Ryan Coonerty moderates the panel, composed of: • Whitney Barnes, Adult Protective Services, Santa Cruz County Human Services Department • Erika Cortes, Youth Homeless Response Team Program, Community Action Board • Joey Crottogini, manager of Homeless Persons Health Project • Phil Kramer, executive director of Housing Matters • Jered “ J-Bear” Lawson, veterans outreach specialist at Housing Matters According to Library Director Susan Nemitz, “Building resilience in our community is one of the most important things we can do.”

Considering the stressors of Covid-19, climate change, and racial and social inequality, “Our libraries must bring people together to have open discussions about how to protect our most vulnerable populations and the community as a whole,” Nemitz said.

The series is free and all are invited.

Story By Diane Cowan ••• Bubble Artist Plans Virtual Visit terling the Bubblesmith, a.k.a. the artist Sterling Johnson, has performed versions of his remarkable hand-blown bubbles for over 45 years.

He is the only person to ever put a bubble inside a bubble inside a bubble on stage without any tubes or straws, and the first person to walk completely through a bubble film!

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“Tandy Beal” from page 18 The “Artists in Schools” project includes both professional development for classroom teachers (with continuing education credits), and the development and mentorship of new teaching-artists. At the culminating concert for each school and their families, local world artists perform alongside students.

Audrey Sirota, Arts Coordinator for the Santa Cruz County Office of Education wrote about ArtSmart: “This has been an extremely successful collaboration for both our teachers and students. Our teachers receive highquality professional development. Our students engage in a Common Core, VAPA and P.E. standards-based program where they develop skills in movement, dance, geography, history, and performance arts.”

The “Exposure” grant allows for exceptional concerts in the schools at very low fees. Performers have included Linda Tillery’s Cultural Heritage Choir, KaHon Latin American Percussion, Venezuelan Music Project, John Santos Musica Colibre, Keith Terry Percussion, SoVoSó, world dance, Micha Scott and circus with Jeff Raz, Diane Wasnak and Saki.

A teacher wrote: “The children were

Sterling Johnson

The Santa Cruz Public Libraries Summer Reading Program will present the Bubblesmith via Zoom at 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 25. To register, visit https:// santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/6741389.

••• Library Workshop: Password Protection our privacy online matters, and is critical to your safety and future as a digital citizen. Learn how to protect your passwords by creating stronger passwords and security questions and weighing the pros and cons of password management tools.

This workshop, sponsored by the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, takes place at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday June 17 via Zoom.

To register, visit https://santacruzpl.libcal. com/event/6752936 or call 831-427-7713.

This workshop has been developed and supported by Consumer Reports, an independent nonprofit that with consumers for truth, transparency, and fairness in the marketplace. Helen Josephine, Consumer Reports member and local community workshop organizer, facilitates the discussion. Access Consumer Reports for free with your library card and password.

This workshop will be repeated at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 16. To register for that date, visit https://santacruzpl.libcal. com/event/6752940 This event is part of the 2020 Summer Reading Program, Imagine Your Story.

Register at santacruzpl.org/srp to earn books and prizes. n

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enthralled. The interactive portions needed no encouragement, the kids were right there, ready to participate. The performers are amazingly skilled. A real celebratory educational event.” n ••• The California Arts Council’s funding helps support eight local teaching-artists and 50 Bay Area artists as well as the staff to make these programs run smoothly.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / June 15th 2020 / 19

COMMUNITY NEWS

On the Water? Watch Out for Algal Blooms T

he California Department of Fish and Wildlife is urging anglers and other recreational water users to be vigilant about checking for harmful freshwater algal blooms while enjoying the state’s lakes, reservoirs, rivers, streams and creeks this year.

Algae and cyanobacteria, the organisms that cause harmful freshwater algal blooms, have existed for billions of years as essential components of freshwater ecosystems. But when certain conditions accelerate their growth — warm temperatures, stagnant water flows and excessive nutrients — they can multiply very rapidly creating “blooms.” These blooms can produce toxins and taste and odor compounds that pose health risks to humans and animals. When blooms pose a risk, they are referred to as harmful algal blooms.

These blooms pose risks to the health and safety of people and pets drinking the water and recreating in water bodies affected by blooms. Children and pets, especially dogs, are particularly susceptible to harmful freshwater algal blooms because of their smaller body size, increased potential to swallow water while swimming and tendency to stay in the water longer. Dogs tend lick their fur afterward, increasing their risk of exposure and illness.

Photo Credit: CDFW

Dogs are more susceptible to harmful algal blooms because of their smaller body size and tendency to lick their fur after being in the water.

Symptoms of illness in people and animals are available at https://mywat e rq u a l i t y. c a . g o v / h a b s / re s o u rc e s / human_health.html and https://mywat e rq u a l i t y. c a . g o v / h a b s / re s o u rc e s / domestic_animals.html and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),

or by contacting the California Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222). If you, your children, or your pet experience these symptoms after potential exposure, contact your doctor or veterinarian.

These toxins also can accumulate in fish and shellfish to levels that pose threats

to people and wildlife. Specifically, these chemicals accumulate in the guts of fish and in shellfish.

For this reason, only cleaned fish fillets (no consumption of fish guts) and no shellfish consumption is recommended if a harmful freshwater algal blooms is present and an advisory is posted at the “Caution” or “Warning” level. If a “Danger” advisory is posted, no water contact or fish consumption is recommended.

CDFW urges anglers and others to: • Heed all instructions on posted advisories if present • Avoid algae and scum in the water and on the shore • Keep an eye on children and dogs • If you think a harmful algal bloom is present, do not let pets and other animals go into or drink the water, or eat scum/algal accumulations on the shore • Don’t drink the water or use it for cooking • Wash yourself, your family and your pets with clean water after water play • If you catch fish, discard the guts and clean fillets with tap water or bottled water before cooking.

• Avoid eating shellfish if you think a harmful algal bloom is present • Report any suspected or confirmed algal bloom and any related human, animal illness. n

Business Bankruptcy: What You Need To Know When It Affects You

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he economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many companies — such as J.C. Penney, J. Crew, Dean & Deluca, Gold’s Gym, Hertz, and California-based businesses such as those that operate the family entertainment center “Boomers!” and the popular children’s camp “Camp Galileo” — to file for bankruptcy.

“Consumers have rights when a business fails,” said Attorney General Becerra. “Bankruptcy does not grant debtor companies blanket freedom from their commitments and obligations to their customers and creditors.”

Here is what consumers need to know:

Are my gift certificates issued by the business now worthless? hey shouldn’t be. California law specifically protects gift certificates. Money paid for a gift certificate belongs to you, not the business. A business must continue to honor your gift certificates, even if it files bankruptcy.

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What happens to my money if I paid ahead or put down a deposit for something the business hasn’t yet delivered to me? o protect consumers, the Bankruptcy Code provides consumers with a “priority” claim of up to $3,025 for a deposit put down on undelivered consumer products or services.

Although this doesn’t necessarily mean that you will get all your money back from a bankrupt business that closes for good, it does mean that you are generally entitled to be repaid up to $3,025 if a business continues to stay open after bankruptcy.

Proof of Claim f a business, that owes money to consumers, files for bankruptcy, consumers should consider submitting a “Proof of Claim” in the bankruptcy.

This is a simple, three-page form that asks you to provide information about why you are owed money. A template proof of claim is available at https://www.uscourts.gov/ forms/bankruptcy-forms/proof-claim-0.

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20 / June 15th 2020 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

If a business is holding consumer deposits at the time it files bankruptcy, consumers who are owed money on account of those deposits should consider checking box 12 (regarding priority claims) and the box next to the phrase “Up to $3,025* of deposits toward purchase, lease, or rental of property or services for personal, family, or household use.

Consumers who are owed money may automatically receive bankruptcy notices about deadlines and hearings, but this does not always happen.

Bankrupt businesses usually set up websites to provide information to the public about the bankruptcy.

These websites often include important information about upcoming dates, allow consumers to file a proof of claim, and provide phone numbers and email addresses to seek additional information. An internet search can help locate these websites. Here are the websites for the bankruptcies for Hertz, Gold’s Gym and JC Penney:

• https://restructuring.primeclerk. com/hertz/ • h t t p s : / / w w w. b m c g r o u p . c o m / restructuring/sitedisclaimer.aspx • h t t p s : / / c a s e s . p r i m e c l e r k . c o m / JCPenney/ Information and forms for creditors are provided by the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District in San Francisco at https://www.canb.uscourts.gov/content/ information-creditors n ••• If you believe that a bankrupt business is not honoring your bankruptcy rights, you may file a complaint with the Attorney General’s office at oag.ca.gov/report.

Imagine Your Story

COMMUNITY NEWS

Santa Cruz Public Libraries’ Summer Reading Program

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he Santa Cruz Public Libraries’ Summer Reading Program, Imagine Your story, runs June 1 through July 31. The entire program has gone virtual.

Studies show that reading just 5 books over the summer can significantly reduce “summer slide,” a term for the learning loss experienced over the summer. That’s

why summer reading is such an important program for kids over the summer.

This year’s theme, Imagine Your Story, was chosen to help inspire readers of all ages to dream big, believe in themselves, and create their own story. It also celebrates the richness of perspectives that arise when stories from diverse people are included.

How to Participate o sign up, visit santacruzpl.org/srp.

Those without internet access may call 831-427-7713 or text 831-264-0647 to get the paper reading log and be entered into the program.

All ages will earn an additional raffle Participants have until July 31 to sign out of the program and receive their rewards. ticket for completing 5 activities and Participants of all ages are encouraged to another for completing 10. Raffle prize read books of their own choosing, listen to winners will be notified at the beginning of audio books, or be read to.

August by email or phone.

The Beanstack online platform will be Teens and adults are invited to parused for families and individuals to track ticipate in a live, interactive discussion their reading over the with award winning summer. The platform author of The 57 Bus, Studies show that reading Dashka Slater. She’ll allows readers to add just 5 books over the reviews and claim be discussing her rewards and includes work and process summer can significantly a mobile app. Paper at 10 a.m. Saturday reduce “summer slide” reading logs are June 13 via Zoom. available to those who The event will not prefer to track their reading that way. be recorded so register as a participant at Upon registration, kids and teens ages https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/calendar/ 0-18 receive a $10 Atlantis Fantasyworld virtualbranch/Dashka. gift certificate good towards a specially New this year is a Community curated collection of comics and graphic Virtual Art Quilt. Adults and children novels. After completing the goal of will be invited to submit their art and the reading for 5 hours, kids ages 0-11 receive a library will compile entries into a virtual brand new free book selected by librarians quilt. More information will be available for summer reading. soon. n After reading 5 hours, teens and adults ••• 12 and up will receive a coupon for a free The Santa Cruz Public Libraries’ Summer book priced up to $10 from any Friends of Reading Program is made possible through a the Santa Cruz Public Libraries book or partnership with Atlantis Fantasyworld, the lobby sale, except for Capitola. All ages Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, and who read for 10, 15, and 20 hours earn a the Collaborative Summer Library Program raffle ticket for a chance to win great prizes. cslpreads.org.

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People & Stories: Wednesdays This Summer With The Library

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he Santa Cruz Public Libraries’ Summer Reading events for adults includes an inspirational series of literature reading and discussion, intended to provide access to literature to those who may have had limited opportunities to experience literature’s joys, pleasures and challenges.

Participants learn not only from the text of these stories, as a solitary reader does, and not only from the facilitator, who is trained to avoid the typical “teacher” role of one who imparts knowledge to others — participants learn from their own interpretations, from the differing ideas offered by others in the

discussion, and from the dialogue that emerges as readers examine and build on one another’s responses.

Individuals can question stereotypes with increased awareness, communicate with empowered voices, and refine critical and analytical thinking skills to expand a sense of possibility.

Participants will read and discuss eight short stories over the course of eight weeks, from authors such as Louise Erdrich, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Mary Gaitskil, Isabel Allende, Haruki Murakami, among others.

For four years, Santa Cruz Public Libraries has been offering People & Stories

to people who are in custody at Santa Cruz County Jail facilities. This is the first time the program is offered to the community at large.

Those who can participate in all eight discussions will receive a free book. Registration is required and space is limited. The first event was 1:30 – 3 p.m. Wednesday June 10 via Zoom. Register at https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/ event/6760931. The series will continue at 1:30 p.m. every Wednesday through July 29. n ••• For information about the People & Stories organization, visit: peopleandstories.org

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / June 15th 2020 / 21

COMMUNITY NEWS

Symphony Seeks New Executive Director T he Santa Cruz Symphony Association Board of Directors has formed a search committee to find a successor for Dorothy Wise, who is stepping down as executive director to join her daughter, Jess Wise, at tech startup Mesh Communities.

She will remain with the Symphony through July and will be available for consultation after that, according to Linda Burroughs, board president.

“Dorothy Wise has been a wonderful executive director during a time of tremendous growth for the orchestra,” said Burroughs. “She has been instrumental in leading the symphony to artistic and financial success over the past five years and is a valued member of our symphony family. We are sorry to see her step aside as executive director and wish her the very best with her new endeavor.”

The Santa Cruz Symphony has announced an innovative season for the upcoming 2020-21 season which is slated

to include the return of superstar pianist Yuja Wang in her third all piano concerto program, an all Beethoven program and Orff’s Carmina Burana. Because of the coronavirus, Maestro Stewart is shifting his focus to developing a digital series until live performances are permitted.

“We remain hopeful that we will be able to resume our regularly scheduled live concerts at some point in our coming season, depending on how the next several months unfold,” said Music Director Daniel Stewart. “In the meantime, we are proud to present a new digital series which will help connect our audience directly with our musicians and special guest artists in a variety of formats, as it is essential that we continue to create new ways to share the joy of music with our community.”

Wise first became involved with the Santa Cruz Symphony when she joined the board in 1991. She was board president twice, 1995-96 and 2014-15, before becoming executive director, is a

long-time season sponsor, and was on the search committee that found Daniel Stewart.

“I want to personally thank Dorothy for her devotion to the SCS,” said Stewart, “and her countless contributions in helping achieve our goals over these past five years, including our first semi-staged opera, establishing a thriving chamber music series, free open rehearsals, expansion of our educational programs, and much more.”

“It has been a real pleasure working with Danny and the musicians over the last five years. The Symphony orchestra is truly a jewel in Santa Cruz County,” said Wise. “It was a difficult choice for me to leave as executive director, but I will continue to support the Symphony and look forward to seeing all my Symphony family and friends at future concerts.” n ••• Founded in 1958, the Santa Cruz Symphony’s mission is to inspire, educate and

Dorothy Wise engage through artistic excellence, distinctive musical performances, and activities that celebrate cultural vibrancy. For information, visit​ santacruzsymphony.org

Coronavirus and the Changing Mount Madonna Class of 2020 The 2020 Graduating Class and their College Choices (if known) Face of Senior Portraits

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n a sunny afternoon in late March, in compliance with the social distancing protocols, Mount Madonna School twelfth graders Fiona Burgess, Rachel Burgess, and Tabitha Hardin-Zollo posed in masks and mortarboards on the day they’d been scheduled to have their senior portraits taken.

“This is a big time in our lives as we are trying to decide where we are going to spend the next few years,” said HardinZollo. “I want to think out loud and talk this out with my friends because I care about their thoughts and input, and it isn’t the same over Facetime or Zoom, as much

Photo Credit Nanette Hardin

as we would like to think it is. I miss them, but at the same time it is all about perspective. By staying home and not being with each other, we are doing something for the greater good. And, this isn’t the end. We may have lost a few traditions and experiences we were all looking forward to, but we are still a close senior class and I can’t imagine my life without them.”

“The masks worn by the girls in the photo were unusable by healthcare workers and other first responders because of their age and irregular fit,” said HardinZollo’s mother Nanette Hardin.

Hardin, who took the photo, said these masks had also been used to filter smoke during recent wildfires.

“As seniors, we want to celebrate the end of high school and hug our friends just out of reach,” said Rachel Burgess.

“Six feet out of reach to be precise. We mourn the loss of all the end-of-school rituals and we yearn to be going out into the world. And yet we choose to isolate because we want to help keep people safe.

I think maybe our isolation is a way of coming together.” n

22 / June 15th 2020 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Photo Credit: Mount Madonna School

Back row (from left): Tabitha Hardin-Zollo, Sarah Lawrence College; AnMei Dasbach-Prisk (Valedictorian), Cabrillo College; Tessa Ortiz, Orange Coast College; Fiona Burgess, Boston University; Jeremy Curland, undisclosed; Cecilia Salado, University of California, Davis; Haley Kerr (Salutatorian), Santa Clara University; Ksenia Medvedeva, University of California, Davis; Rachel Burgess, University of San Francisco; Connor Murphy, De Anza College.

Front row (from left): Maverick Bettencourt, Cabrillo College; Paola Jacobs, undisclosed; Rowan Davenport-Smith, Cabrillo College; Jahnakai Willis, Pace University; Braeden Will, Seton Hall University; Aaron Saavedra, University of California, San Diego; Given Reyhani, Cabrillo College; Noah Tervalon, Tufts University.

FEATURED COLUMNIST

An Opportunity for Change

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By Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart

lack Lives Matter. Today, there is no more important message than this.

We are all witnessing the anger, pain, helplessness, and grief that follows police brutality, racism and systemic violence.

There is no justification for the killing of George Floyd — it was a murder by the hands of a man in a uniform.

This was not the Jim Hart first case, and while I pray there is never another, it will happen again unless we take action to make sure it does not. While we stand in solidarity with those who demand justice, we must also work to make it a reality.

People of color have suffered institutional violence since this nation was formed. But today we have the opportunity to reject the practices, patterns and beliefs that delivered this ugly history to us. Enough is enough.

The officers who killed Mr. Floyd have been arrested but that is not enough.

Promises and sentiments by police leaders, however sincere, are not enough either. If we are to create the kind of policing culture and practices that justice demands, we must establish standards that law enforcement is required to follow everywhere in our state and nation.

We are fortunate to have state and federal leaders in our region who are willing to listen and take action. In the coming weeks, I intend to meet with Assembly Member Mark Stone, Congressman Jimmy Panetta and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo

and discuss how we can work together to create systemic change in policing at the local, state and federal levels.

At the local level, the police chiefs and I are committed to ensuring appropriate police conduct. For the last five years we provided officer training in the areas of implicit bias, crisis intervention and deescalation, and we believe these efforts have been effective in establishing local expectations for policing.

Training is an important component of police work, but a shift in culture is needed for agencies to be viewed as something other than an occupying force. We closely review the use of force, monitor stop data, and seek community input when things go wrong. We will continue these and other efforts to improve our policing models.

At the state level, the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) sets minimum standards for local agencies. But historically, POST has been far too slow to adopt the practices and procedures necessary to ensure competent policing, and it lacks the statutory authority to sanction departments that fail to meet standards.

It is time to reinvent POST so that it can develop, inspect, and take action against agencies that fail to comply.

At the federal level, a playbook to improve policing across the nation was developed by the Obama administration in 2015. The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing provided concrete and meaningful steps to improve law enforcement. We used it as a guideline for meaningful change, but too many police agencies throughout the nation, and our

state, failed to take the actions necessary to reform.

Some ignored it altogether and some outright opposed it, politicizing the initiative. I just picked it up and re-read it; it is as relevant today as it was then. Law enforcement leaders should take a new look at this document and commit to create systemic change within police agencies.

One last thing. Sheriffs and chiefs of police need to be able to get rid of bad officers. Too often we identify a problem officer who fails to improve and fire them only to have them returned to our departments by a second-guessing Civil Service Commission. Many of these officers are heavy-handed, make poor decisions and cause irreparable damage in the community.

I call this group the “Ask, Tell, Make” officers.

First they “ask” somebody to do something, if that doesn’t work they “tell” the person to do what they want them to do and if that doesn’t work they “make” the person do what they want through force.

This is bad policing and leads to violence.

We accept the responsibilities of leading police agencies, but we need better, more efficient tools to fire bad cops.

Our country is hurting and people are demanding change.

Police leaders and legislators must listen to people who have experienced racism, police violence and brutality and use that wisdom to make changes to re-capture public confidence and confer legitimacy to policing. n

COMMUNITY NEWS

Lawsuit Filed Against Wells Fargo Over PPP Loans

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class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Wells Fargo & Company investors who acquired securities between April 5 and May 5, alleging the bank made materially false statements about the forgivable loans to small businesses seeking government-sponsored coronavirus relief under the federal Paycheck Protection Program.

Eligible investors have until Aug. 3 to request to be appointed lead plaintiff by the court.

The complaint filed by the Portnoy Law Firm alleges that between April 5 and

May 5, Wells Fargo failed to disclose to investors that Wells Fargo improperly allocated government-backed loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, this foreseeably increased the bank’s litigation risk, increased regulatory scrutiny and potential enforcement actions.

According to the lawsuit, “[t]he move by Wells Fargo meant that the bank would receive millions more dollars in processing fees.”

A Wells Fargo spokesman did not return a request for comment.

According to Portnoy: April 5, Wells Fargo announced that it had received strong interest in the Paycheck Protection Program, a program under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), and was targeting to distribute a total of $10 billion in PPP funds to small business customers.

April 8, the Federal Reserve said it would allow Wells Fargo to exceed the asset cap imposed on Wells Fargo in 2018 after rev-

elations that the bank had opened millions of accounts in customers’ names without their permission. The change would allow Wells Fargo to make more loans under the Paycheck Protection Program to small businesses.

That same day, Wells Fargo issued a press release saying: “beginning immediately, in response to the actions by the Federal Reserve, [Wells Fargo] will expand its participation in the [PPP] and offer loans to a broader set of its small business and nonprofit customers subject to the terms of the program.”

“Lawsuit” page 26

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / June 15th 2020 / 23

COMMUNITY NEWS

Santa Cruz MENtors Seek Volunteers

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By Buzz Anderson

anta Cruz MENtors, under the guidance of executive director, Deutron Kebebew, is starting its third year of operation, beginning this Father’s Day. MENtors was conceived by Deutron when he saw the need for expanding “PAPAS,” an organization he previously ran for over a decade. Besides teaching fathers the positive skills and behaviors needed to help them become better role models and more connected to their families, MENtors also targets middle school and high school youth, offering pathways in which to channel their emerging masculinity in confidant and non-violent ways.

MENtors also serves any man who wants to improve his interpersonal relationships, be it with a spouse or girlfriend, co-workers, neighbors or friends. No one is turned away, regardless of their standing in the community.

In these trying times amid the Covid-19 pandemic, MENtors is conducting their group sessions on-line via Zoom and other platforms. Although this is not ideal, the nonprofit is still able to service its community, providing the tools, through advocacy and education, that enrich the lives of boys and men.

Following their mission statement, MENtors is committed to supporting boys and men in reaching their full potential while placing a high value on emotional health, communication skills and peaceful conflict resolution. They seek to reverse the statistical pattern of crime, truancy, homelessness,

Photo Credit: Evin Arici-Kebebew

Deutron Kebebew, executive director of Santa Cruz MENtors, shares a moment with his daughter LuLu. domestic violence and substance abuse associated with absentee fatherhood and harmful male socialization.

A big part of MENtors is its “100 Mentors Who Care in Santa Cruz County.”

This group donates a dollar a day to help MENtors run their programs, as well as providing a resource of community

members who assist in cross generational and knowledge transfer. Volunteers may participate in school presentations, as well as offer their involvement in panel discussions and annual seminars. A person who joins 100 MENtors gives their time according to their availability and on an asneeded support basis.

In honor of Father’s Day, the nonprofit is seeking to increase the number of its active volunteers. If you would like to support men in general, fatherhood enrichment, and education and coaching for boys regarding their masculinity and manhood, then please contact us at www. mentorsdc.org. We are looking for community members that can be positive male role models in our society.

MENtors is currently using the film “The Mask You Live In” as a learning tool for youth. The film explores current themes of masculinity in our society and offers positive ways to end cycles of aggression, domination and emotional stoicism.

The movie serves as a catalyst for much overdue dialogue about masculinity.

Deutron views “The Mask” as a call to arms to drive sustainable change for boys, men and dads in ways that inspire personal growth, better father and family involvement and healthier communities.

“We’ve shown it to numerous classes and have received great responses from both teachers and students, as well as from the various men’s groups that have viewed it,” he said. “Everyone who sees it will benefit in a positive way.” n ••• MENtors has accepted the challenge to help guide and coach the next generation of boys, men and fathers. We invite others to join us on that journey. For further information visit the MENtor’s website, e-mail the director, Deutron at deutron@mentorsdc.org or phone/text 1-831-588-7592.

Medtech Chief Charged In COVID-19 Test Fraud

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By Jondi Gumz

he president of Arrayit Corp. in Sunnyvale was charged in a complaint unsealed June 9 in the Northern District of California, in connection with his alleged participation in schemes to mislead investors, to manipulate the company’s stock price and to conspire to commit health care fraud related to the submission of $69 million in fraudulent claims for allergy and COVID-19 testing.

The Department of Justice said the complaint against Mark Schena, 57, of Los Gatos, is the first criminal securities fraud prosecution related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Schena faces one count of secu-

rities fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

Attempts to reach Schena by phone and email were unsuccessful.

According to an affidavit filed by postal inspector Anna Hallstrom, Arrayit issued a press release in November 2018 announcing an agreement to provide allergy testing services Mark Schena to doctors in the Palo Alto Medical Association, affiliated with Sutter Health, a network serving 3 million

24 / June 15th 2020 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

people, when no such contract existed.

Sutter Health sent a cease-and-desist letter to Arrayit, but the press release with CEO Rene Schena saying, “Partnering with healthcare leader Sutter Health fits perfectly within our mission” remains online.

According to Hallstrom’s affidavit, Schena told investigators that Arrayit ran a test for 120 allergens including molds, fungi, tree pollen, weed killers, fruits and vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds, and stinging insects, on every patient.

Arrayit billed $5,216 for each test for a Medicare beneficiary, and was paid $352 per test, based on interviews agents had with three Medicare beneficiaries.

Two consultants who recruited patients for testing told investigators that Arrayit paid recruiters a percentage of the amount private insurers paid Arrayit.

The affidavit calculates that based on billing data, Arrayit submitted $63 million in claims for testing to private insurance plans and $5.9 million in claims to Medicare from 2018 to the present.

“Fraud” page 26

FEATURED COLUMNIST

The Loving Power of Spirit

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his dreadful pandemic has claimed the lives of two members of my extended family in London.

On the heels of COVID-19, America is roiling with protests, and scenes of chaos and destruction dominate the TV news.

Something inside me has been set free. The beauty of life is its unpredictability. Unpredictability defies logic. We have no protocols in place for disasters such as these. My human calculations — the bedrock of science — cannot comprehend the whole dance of life.

That which is there this moment, a human being, a structure, a form, may not be there the next moment.

For me, this realization had a stabilizing effect, a point around which reality could re-gather.

The crux is this: How do you relate to the external conditions without losing your balance and inner integrity? These days, many people are looking to a higher power for comfort. A Pew Research Center survey in March found more than half of all U.S. adults (55%) say they have prayed for an end to the spread of coronavirus. But so have people who say they seldom or never pray and those who say they do not belong to any religion (15% and 24%, respectively).

Moreover, according to economist researchers at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Google searches for the topic “prayer” skyrocketed worldwide in step with the surge of emerging cases of Covid-19.

People pray for many reasons, including solace, guidance, petition, or protection. Prayer can also promote a feeling of connection — with a higher power, your surroundings, and other people. The research on prayer shows it has comparable benefits to meditation: It can calm your nervous system, quieting down your fight or flight response. According to the American Psychological Association, prayer takes the edge off, making you less reactive to negative emotions and less angry.

In 2005, the Journal of Behavioral Medicine published research comparing secular and spiritual forms of meditation. In spiritual meditation, you

By Nisha Manek, MD, FACP, FRCP (UK)

contemplate a scriptural text or words that describe a higher power (“God is love”). In secular meditation, you focus on your breath or a nonspiritual word. Participants in the group that did spiritual meditation had more significant decreases in anxiety and greater increases in self-efficacy, daily spiritual experiences, and existential well-being.

Scientists have no direct way to measure the existence of a higher power. In physics research, however, there is compelling data about the power of intention to bring coherence to our world. With intention, we create new information and orderliness. This powerful tool — intention — is how consciousness does things in our realm. Intentionality helped me relive guidance that brought back my inner freedom.

More than twelve years ago, during a visit to Sedona, Arizona, I listened to a CD by the medical doctor and spiritual teacher, Dr. David Hawkins. I was struck by his opening remark, which went something like this: “You cannot see it out there unless you see it within yourself.”

I cannot see it out there unless I see it within myself. All injustice, protest, violence, and anger out there are also contained in me. The whole spectrum of consciousness and its varied expressions are mine — from the lowest to the most sublime. We are life and living itself.

Rather than living in injury and dissatisfaction, I choose to sit silently and turn it over to God. Surrender is a great spiritual tool.

This pandemic and now civil unrest have given us the chance to explore a different kind of response — something intimate and universal, akin to meditation. You can sit inside yourself for whatever amount of time you choose or can spare. The response of contemplating in quiet is the opposite of isolation. Great spiritual teachers embrace me. One senses the existence of Love amid the devastation, the mystery of life, and impending death — in other words, everything we need right now.

In June, I’m glad for verse two of Psalm 91. It never lets us down. Let it raise you up.

Psalm 91:2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. n ••• Dr. Nisha Manek is an integrative rheumatologist and an alumnus of Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. She is the author of Bridging Science and Spirit: The Genius of William A. Tiller’s Physics and the Promise of Information Medicine.

Visit her at www.nishamanekmd.com.

Father’s Day

ACROSS

1. Kind of lively dance 6. Greenwich time 9. Pilgrimage to Mecca 13. Belittle 14. A note to follow soh 15. Annie Oakley’s show 16. Hipbone-related 17. Chicago to Detroit direction 18. Historical period 19. *Most gifted Father’s Day gift?

21. *a.k.a. Father of the Constitution 23. Have a cold, e.g.

24. Bog deposit 25. Styling product 28. Not yet final, in law

30. Squirrels away 35. “Metamorphoses” poet 37. Antioxidants-rich berry 39. Text that precedes the main text 40. Car brand, e.g.

41. *”Full House” father 43. Brazilian indigenous people 44. a.k.a. dropsy 46. Precedes shine 47. Paving stone 48. Early TV manufacturer 50. Bayonet wound 52. “Zip it!”

53. Popular form of communication 55. Part of a match 57. *Christopher Robin’s father 61. *Father known as “one-shot” Finch

65. Largest deer 66. *Richard Bobbsey’s offspring 68. Precedes desist 69. Cuckoo 70. Friedrich Schiller’s “___ to Joy” 71. Personnel person 72. Job for a body shop 73. Parent’s order 74. Wrestling’s ___ the Giant

8. Recurring melody 9. Shoshonean people 10. Without further ____, pl.

11. 1920s art style 12. *John-John’s father 15. Cow’s favorite grass?

20. Homer’s classic 22. Pleasurable interjection 24. Adrian Brody in 2002 film 25. *Wednesday’s father DOWN 26. Dodge 1. It’s equivalent to pain? 27. Compare 2. Sound mind, ____ 29. *Antithesis to body Mufasa 3. Not of the cloth 31. Liberal pursuits 4. Japanese port 32. Don Giovanni and 5. Jelly ingredient such 6. High school club 33. Echo sounder output 7. *Boy’s father in “The 34. *a.k.a. the father of Road” modern economics

36. “Indecent Proposal” star Moore 38. Research facil.

42. Used for raising 45. U.K. Prime Minister, 1945-51 49. Lady lobster 51. “You ____!”

54. Xe 56. Make a connection, two words 57. In the thick of 58. Steak condiment 59. Express complaint 60. Antonym of is 61. All over again 62. *Popular Father’s Day greeting 63. Olympic cast-out © Statepoint Media

Answers on 31 »

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / June 15th 2020 / 25

Your June Horoscope

“Fraud” from page 24

Times Publishing Group, Inc. Cancer (June 22-July 22)

You’re all over the place emotionally as June begins, so there’s no reason to make any hasty decisions right now. It might not seem like it, but you’ve got a lot more time than you realize to make the changes you want to make. Your motivation is waning mid-month, making procrastination an attractive alternative to actually putting in any hard work. Is there a reason you’re so tired, or are you just trying to avoid the inevitable? The month closes out with you in an “I can do anything I put my mind to” vibe. If there’s something you thought would be difficult, now is the time to tackle it.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 23)

The month begins with you ready to embrace new people and relationships. Still, a lot of your focus will be on the past. This is your chance to use the lessons you’ve learned to help propel you to a more successful future. Plans are falling through mid-month, especially concerning family. This isn’t an ideal time to plan a reunion, especially if a lot of relatives have to travel to attend. Late in June, a relationship that went sideways seems to be back on track. This is a good time for apologies if you were at fault, and it’s also to forgive someone who hurt you. It’s hard to taste something sweet with the lingering bitterness still in your mouth.

Virgo (Aug. 24-Sep. 22)

A combination of warmth and charisma fills you as the month begins. Making new connections may be unexpected, but will be welcome. You should be able to feel your way out of any unfortunate situations you find yourself in mid-June. When things don’t go as planned, it’s nice to have your instincts to rely on.

You experience an amazing energy boost late in the month, so don’t let it go to waste. Finish outstanding projects so you can move on to bigger and better things.

Libra (Sep. 23-Oct. 23)

Erratic energy surrounding you early in June can be a problem, so wait for it to settle before making any major decisions. In times when you can’t really control what happens to you, it’s how you react that matters most. There are mysteries mid-month that you can’t quite solve, and the harder you try to see something, the fuzzier it becomes. It might be best to just relax and wait for this frustrating time to pass. Your love life and financial world are back in forward motion as the month comes to a close. If you’ve hit pause on either of these areas recently, it’s time to get some positive momentum going again.

Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Your carefully laid plans are being scattered to the wind as the month begins. It all feels exciting and maybe even a little dangerous to not know what’s coming next, doesn’t it? Clarity is not coming easily mid-month.

In fact, you’re more confused now than you were before. Luckily, your intuition can guide you out of a jam if you’re confident enough to listen to it. You are filled with some powerful energy as June comes to a close.

If you’ve been putting something off, this is the time to power through it and get the job done. Doing things entirely on your own terms leaves you with little regret.

Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

You feel a full range of emotions early in the month. Your impulses might not lead you down the best path right now, so avoid doing anything or making major decisions that might have long-term consequences. You’re feeling overly sensitive mid-June, when the inevitable things go wrong (like technology, communication, and travel). Luckily, you can use intuitive energy to feel your way out of trouble this time around. Late in the month, you are able to see things how they really are and not just how you wish they could be. Yes, it might be shocking at first, but in the long run it’s so much better to face reality than to try to live in a dream world forever.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20)

June opens with your warm, inviting nature attracting potential new friends and lovers. You also have a knack for inviting new opportunities into your life to accumulate wealth. This isn’t the time to be greedy, though. There’s enough to go around. Expect communication breakdowns with family members through the middle of the month. Just because you sent a text to your spouse, mom, or child doesn’t mean they received it. Remember, you can’t count on the things you usually can during this time. Late in the month, while love and money issues get back to “normal,” you might still feel like something is missing. Avoid making sudden movements. Wait until all things feel “normal” before deciding anything for sure.

Aquarius (Jan 21-Feb. 18)

The beginning of the month brings some very uncomfortable indecision. When you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place, there is no good option. Don’t waste your time or energy trying to solve a problem that has no solution. Your intuition helps guide you through some difficult parts mid-month. The confusion and fear that come from having to navigate a pathway alone at night are alarming, but you’ll be so much stronger when you come out the other side unharmed. Your take-charge attitude returns as June comes to a close. If you find yourself in a position of power, don’t be afraid to really stand up and take charge.

Pisces (Feb. 19-Mar. 20)

You have an aggressive, uber-competitive vibe early in the month, one that you aren’t really comfortable with.

Hanging out in the background and doing your thing usually works for you, but this introverted attitude makes you stand out in a bad way right now. This energy remains mid-June, clouding your judgment and taking away the comfort you get from escaping into your daydreams. You rarely like having to face the music, but it’s so loud that there’s no getting away from it. Late in the month, you can sense how life may go for a while. The good news is, what you’re facing doesn’t seem as harsh as you feared it would be.

Aries (March 21-April 20)

New connections made early in June might only be temporary, but they each serve a very specific and short-term beneficial purpose. Be careful when doing DIY projects mid-month, especially around the house. You have some excellent ideas about how to make changes without spending a lot of money, but cutting corners can lead to unforeseen complications. Relationships get back on track and start moving forward again late in the month, but you might not be entirely out of the woods just yet. It’s easy to forgive but much harder to forget. When you grab the initiative, you show everyone that you aren’t afraid to take on new challenges.

Taurus (April 21-May 21)

Hold off on making any major life changes early in the month. Your first instinct might be to go for it, but you know you’ll probably regret it in the morning. Your judgment remains hazy mid-month, but this time your dreams can be instrumental in making better choices. If you’ve been having a recurring dream or remembering certain symbolism each time you wake up, explore any potential meanings. Your eyes are opened even wider in the second half of June, exposing all of the dirty little things you’ve successfully swept under the rug lately.

Just because you knew this day would come doesn’t make you any more prepared for it.

Gemini (May 22-June 21)

There’s a charismatic air about you as the month begins that makes you stand out from everyone else.

However, issues from the past could resurface to spoil some of your fun. Be open and honest and try not to let what’s already happened ruin what’s still to come. Something in the air could sabotage your plans mid-June You have to make home improvements or finish DIY projects around the house, and last-minute changes can be frustrating, but it’s better to go with the flow than stick with methods that clearly aren’t working. You are thinking quickly late in the month, which should help you make some very wise shortterm investments. Gather as much information as possible before you let a great financial opportunity pass you by.

•••

www.tpgonlinedaily.com 26 / June 15th 2020 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Test Bundling n early March, Arrayit claimed it could test dried blood samples for both allergens and COVID-19, instructing clinics to bundle the tests regardless of medical necessity, according to Hallstrom’s affidavit. Arrayit’s stock price doubled in mid-March, from two cents to four cents.

According to Hallstrom’s affidavit, the FDA told Arrayit on April 17 that its COVID-19 test performance was not acceptable and the SEC suspended trading in Arrayit stock April 17-27 because of questions about the accuracy of information about Arrayit’s finances and the COVID-19 blood test.

Beginning in 2018, the complaint alleges Schena and others paid kickbacks to recruiters and doctors to run a fingerstick test for 120 allergens on every patient regardless of medical necessity, and then made misrepresentations to potential investors about Arrayit’s allergy test sales, financial condition and its future prospects. Schena and others issued press releases and tweeted about partnerships with Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and public institutions, without disclosing that such partnerships either did not exist or were of little value, according to the complaint.

A March 2019 tweet by Schena indicated allergen test billing had grown from $1 million to $2 million a week, but Hallstrom said this was misleading because “Arrayit was broke and had taken to paying employees and consultants in stock and asking shareholders to help it with rent.”

Schena issued press releases on Arrayit’s behalf stating that financials were forthcoming, but did not file statements for 2018 and 2019, according to the affidavit, and de-registered on Aug. 16, 2019, at which point filings were not required.

Emails uch of the case is based on emails from Schena obtained during the investigation.

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“Lawsuit” from page 23 April 19, after at least one lawsuit was filed against Wells Fargo, reports emerged that Wells Fargo may have unfairly allocated government-backed loans under the Paycheck Protection Program. USA Today reported “[t]he lawsuit filed on behalf of small business owners on Sunday alleges that Wells Fargo unfairly prioritized businesses seeking large loan amounts, while the government’s small business agency has said that PPP loan applications would be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.”

On March 9 and 10, Schena emailed Arrayit shareholders to say the company had a test for COVID-19, and ten days later, emailed dozens of investors to say Arrayit had received “more than 50,000 requests” for the finger-stick blood test for SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19.

On March 17, Schena emailed medical clinics announcing that Arrayit had developed a COVID-19 test based on finger-stick blood collection but as of that date had only ordered COVID-19 antigen, according to the affidavit.

The investigation found that on April 17, an FDA staffer emailed an Arrayit executive to say the company’s COVID-19 test sensitivity of 85.7% in detecting those with antibodies and 88.1% in detecting those without antibodies was not sufficient to obtain the required FDA authorization for the test to be marketed and sold during a public health emergency.

According to the affidavit, Schena gave law enforcement “multiple and conflicting explanations” for his “we have a test” emails, and the “50,000 requests” saying he was confident of developing a COVID-19 test because of his experience with the allergy test but admitting Arrayit did not start running the test until April of 2020.

The investigation found that Arrayit did not request the FDA authorization for its COVID-19 test until April 13.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-7205721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/ disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaintform. n ••• Victims with questions may contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Assistance Unit by calling the Victim Assistance phone line at 1-888-549-3945 or by emailing Victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov.

Investors can contact attorney Lesley F. Portnoy, to determine eligibility to participate in this action, by phone 310692-8883 or email Lesley@portnoylaw. com.

If you suffered a loss, you have until Aug. 3 to request that the court appoint you as lead plaintiff. To review more information and submit your transaction information. visit website https://portnoy law.com/wells-fargo/ n ••• The Portnoy Law Firm represents investors in pursuing claims against caused by corporate wrongdoing.

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Fire Chief Embraces Water Reuse

Soquel Creek Water District: We’re #InThisTogether

By Rebecca Rubin & Melanie Mow Schumacher, Soquel Creek Water District

The Soquel Creek Water District is engaged in multiple approaches to combat over-drafting of the groundwater basin and seawater intrusion into our local water supply. It’s important to remember that these severe water supply challenges affect everyone in our community — and we are all part of the solution. Over the next few months, this series of Water Wisdom columns will feature the viewpoints of local community members and organizations talking about the importance of creating and maintaining a sustainable water supply, as a community.

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he Aptos/La Selva Fire Protection District is responsible for fire protection and emergency response in Aptos, Rio Del Mar, and La Selva Beach. Its 27-squaremile coverage area overlaps with a significant portion of the Soquel Creek Water District. And when it comes to water, both agencies agree that it is among the most important of resources.

The chief heading up the Aptos/La Selva Fire Protection District is 26-year fire service veteran Aaron Lowe. He tells us, “Water is the most crucial tool we have when it comes to fire fighting. It’s most effective at extinguishing most kinds of fires, and without water we’d be in a much more serious situation, especially during

the dry season. For that reason and others, we’re all very aware of and sensitive to the local water supply challenges.”

The chief also points to education as a key tool in both fire prevention, and water conservation. “We work hard to help people understand how to reduce the potential for fires in their home or business,” he says.

“And when we have fewer fires to fight, we use less water. To the extent we can help the public decrease the incidence of fire, we’re saving that drinking water for other important uses.”

In his role as chief, Aaron sees other opportunities to save water on the job.

For example, when performing training or maintenance, the use of water is limited by utilizing simulations when feasible.

And, when engaging in joint exercises with other, larger fire protection agencies, there is an opportunity to use equipment which actually recycles the water that’s involved with the training, so they can use it multiple times — taking water re-use to another level!

Chief Lowe’s understanding of the water supply challenges we face in this region today is commendable. “Water supplies here are limited, and subject to dramatic changes. A drought, or even just a sub-normal rainfall season, will cause

Eileen Eisner-Streller chats with attendees at the 2019 Aptos/LA Selva Fire Open House. shortages when the community needs water.” He goes on to say, “We all know that the Water District’s sole source of water, the groundwater basin, is over-drafted and suffering from seawater contamination.

That’s a huge problem. Now is the time to embrace water reuse.”

Chief Lowe notes the benefits of recycling water, with projects such as Pure Water Soquel, will have. “The technology and science out there today is already sufficient to ensure the safety of all drinking water, including the purified water that’ll be produced by Pure Water Soquel.” In addition, he says, “This project is great for the environment, there are plenty of checks and balances built in, and the water will

meets state and federal drinking water standards. The A/LSFPD is fully on board with the Water District’s goals and actions toward groundwater sustainability.”

The chief knows that the Water District is working hard to create that and other new water supplies, which will take some of the pressure off of the groundwater basin. “Soquel Creek Water is really doing their part toward ensuring a stable water supply for the future,” says Chief Lowe. “Those of us at A/LSFPD have homes and families like everyone else, and it’s great to know that the Water District is exploring water options for the long-term, and looking out for our future.”

“Reuse” page 31

Arts Council Santa Cruz County: Forever Work

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By Jim Brown, Executive Director, and the Arts Council team

eorge Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Tony McDade. Ahmaud Arbery. We speak their names to honor their humanity and mourn their deaths.

I know that many of you, like us, have been deeply impacted by the drumbeat of violence against Jim Brown Black people by the police, and the protests and civil unrest that have swept the country over the past few days.

These most recent killings, along with

so many others, are a product of systemic racism and oppression.

Arts Council Santa Cruz County stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and protestors throughout the world demanding change.

As I write this message, I acknowledge what arises in me as a white man leading an organization with an expressed commitment to racial equity. There is a voice in my head that regularly holds me back.

It warns that I might say the wrong thing, that I might offend supporters or partners or people of color.

I recognize that fearful voice as a part of internalized white supremacy culture, a voice

that reinforces what I now call my frozen white silence, but it is time to stop listening to that silencing voice!

I offer my deepest thanks to the staff of color at the Arts Council, especially Mireya Gomez-Contreras and Hannah Garcia, who urged me to stand in courage and helped shape this message.

For those who are traumatized, angry, and exhausted from the centuries-long struggle for freedom and justice, we know that seeing you is not enough. We know that chanting and protesting alone will not bring about the new world you deserve.

Arts Council Santa Cruz County seeks

not only to support and amplify the voices of artists of color in our community but also to acknowledge and heal racial disparities within our organization.

Three years ago, we made a commitment to becoming a racially equitable organization.

Since then, we’ve made tangible progress by increasing funding to communities of color, working toward having a staff and board that reflect the community we serve, and establishing an equity committee to hold us accountable to our commitments.

“Forever Work” page 31

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / June 15th 2020 / 27

COMMUNITY CALENDAR 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.

THE SCIENCE OF CHRISTIANITY Airing on Community TV — Comcast 27 and Spectrum 73 Saturdays: 11:00 am • Sundays: 3:00 pm In this video replay on Community Television, Mary Alice Rose, a Christian Science practitioner and teacher talks about parallels between the study of physical science and the study of Christian Science. She’ll help you to understand how Christian principles, scientifically applied, heal the body and transform lives.

Rose had a 20-year career in science and technology that included work as a meteorologist for the National Severe Storms Laboratory and a manager developing the ground system for the Hubble Space Telescope. Now her life work is Christian Science healing and teaching others to heal.

Visit www.cschurch.info for more information Sponsored by First Church of Christ, Scientist, Santa Cruz (Soquel)

ONGOING EVENTS Daily SANTA CRUZ ‘USED’ BOOKSHOP 10 am- 3 pm 2710 Chanticleer Ave. Santa Cruz Grey Bears: Every Monday and Friday is $10-a-bag

With the current COVID-19 Crisis, please check in advance before attending any ongoing or dated events listed here.

We will continue to print regular ongoing events that are expected to return. 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.

The Santa Cruz County chapter of the Embroiderers Guild of America meets on the third Monday of every month, except June and December. Meetings are free to attend. All are welcome.

For information on other meetings in Santa Cruz County: www. santacruzoa.org/meetings 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.

Tuesdays & Wednesdays SURVIVORS SUPPORT GROUPS Monarch Services offers a safe space to meet other survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking survivors, and to Mondays & Tuesdays listen or share experiences. Childcare provided WOMENCARE ARM-IN-ARM on site.

12:30 - 2 p.m.

Spanish – Tuesdays 6:00-7:30 p.m. Servicios WomenCARE ARM-in-ARM support group for Monarca, 233 E. Lake Avenue, Watsonville (831) women with advanced, recurrent and metastatic 722-4532 Weekdays cancers. Meets weekly Mondays & Tuesdays, with English – Wednesdays 6:00-7:30 p.m. Monarch CASA ORIENTATIONS TO BECOME a separate meeting every First and Third Tuesday Services, 1590 Seabright Avenue, SC (831) 425ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN every month.

4030 CASA empowers volunteers to directly influence Registration required. Call 457-2273 for more information and For more information, visit www.monarchscc.org life-changing decisions affecting children in foster to register. No cost to attend. care. Court appointed special advocates are everyday www.womencaresantacruz.org Second Wednesdays people that, with just a few hours a week can have a SANTA CRUZ SONS IN RETIREMENT lifetime of impact for a child who has been abused or Tuesdays MONTHLY MEETING neglected.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS MEETING More info www.casaofsantacruz.org or call 831-761-2956 x102 7 - 8 pm, Christ Lutheran Church, Gazebo, 10707 Soquel Dr., Noon, Elks Lodge at 150 Jewell St. This statewide group of retired men invites you to be Aptos our guest at our monthly luncheon. You’ll meet kindred Third Mondays Do you have a proble m with compulsive over- or spirits, have a fine lunch and learn something new from STITCHERS BY THE SEA undereating? Anorexia? Bulimia? Compulsive exer7 –9 p.m., St. Stephan’s Lutheran Church, 2500 Soquel Ave., cising? You are not alone. Drop into a free, friendly OA a top notch guest speaker.

Cost: $18. RSVP at 479-7096 Santa Cruz 12-Step meeting with the solution. All are welcome!

28 / June 15th 2020 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

COMMUNITY CALENDAR ONGOING EVENTS (cont.)

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.

Second Wednesdays’ meeting is for parents of children, teens, and young adults with ADHD. The group for adults with ADHD, spouses, partners of someone with ADHD meets fourth Wednesdays of every month.

Judy Brenis: jbbrenis@comcast.net, or call 831-8189619.

Last Wednesdays Each Month MAGICIANS’ CLUB 7 p.m., Antonelli Club Room, 2655 Brommer St., Santa Cruz Attention Magic Lovers! Our new Magicians’ Club meets on the last Wed. of every month at 7pm in the club room at the Antonelli Mobile Home Park.

If you do magic or want to get started in this fun hobby, join us.

Questions? Call Jim at 685-3829 Thursdays FRIENDSHIP PUT TO MUSIC! 6:30 p.m., New Hall, La Selva Beach Club House, 3124 Estrella Ave. Classes every Thursday night. For more info call Sue Harris or Don Benson (831) 726-7053 or email at caller4u@att.net LUCKY STEPPERS MODERN SQUARE DANCE 6:30 pm, La Selva Beach Clubhouse, 314 Estrella Ave., La Selva Beach, CA 95076 It’s fun and easy to do! Friendship put to music; family friendly. Class takes place every Thursday Night at our new home in La Selva Beach! (Take Mar Monte off of Hwy 1, turns into Playa Blvd., turn right on Estrella) For more information, contact Sue Harris or Don Benson at (831) 726-7053 or e-mail at caller4u@att.net.

Second and Fourth Thursdays CABRILLO HOST LIONS CLUB MEETINGS 6:30 p.m., Aptos Village Park, 100 Aptos Creek Road.

Want to make a difference in our community?

Join the Cabrillo Lions Club twice every month and see what you can do to help in Santa Cruz County.

Please RSVP cabrillolions@gmail.com

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.

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.)

Saturdays PILLS ANONYMOUS (PA) 8 a.m., Sutter Hospital, 2025 Soquel Ave The purpose of PA is to provide a safe, secure, and supportive place for people who are addicted to pills who want to get off of them. PA is offered all over the world.

For questions, please contact Gary at (831)801-9578 or Kristin at (831)345-6515 SANTA CRUZ TENNIS CLUB 9 a.m., Soquel High School Tennis Courts The nonprofit Santa Cruz Tennis Club meets every Saturday morning at the Soquel High School courts beginning at 9:00 am. We play doubles and mixed doubles, mostly at an intermediate level, and switch around the players every 45 minutes.

Balls are provided. $2 for first time visitors.

Second Saturdays Each Month 2ND SATURDAY ON THE FARM 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Ag History Project Center at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Join us every 2nd Saturday on the Farm for free family activities. Each month we select a new theme to highlight historical agriculture with games, activities, and demonstrations that relate. We often have guest appearances from farm animals like llamas, draft horses, sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits, and more! You are sure to find something fun and entertaining for the whole family.

Check our website and Facebook page for more details. FREE

Sundays NAR-ANON SANTA CRUZ 6:30 p.m., Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center (Sutter Room), 2900 Chanticleer Avenue, Santa Cruz Nar-Anon is a twelve step support group for families and friends of addicts. There are no dues or fees to join.

Fridays Just come to a meeting. You will hear others, who are NAR-ANON SCOTTS VALLEY going through similar problems, talk about how they 6:30 p.m., Camp Recovery Center (Bison Center Room), 3192 cope and find recovery.

Glen Canyon Road, Scotts Valley.

To locate additional times and locations of meetings, please go Nar-Anon is a twelve step support group for families to our website at www.nar-anon.org. n

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Stinky Flowers Serve Their Purpose

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By Tony Tomeo

rom a human perspective, flowers should not be stinky. They should be pretty and colorful, and perhaps delightfully fragrant. Many flowers in landscapes and home gardens actually are. After all, they are grown for their appealing bloom. Many plants that provide only foliage produce wind pollinated flowers. They are not particularly pretty, colorful or delightfully fragrant, but not stinky either.

Flowers do what they must to pollinate each other. Since they are inanimate, they rely on pollinators or wind to disperse their pollen. Those that rely exclusively on wind produce an abundance of very fine pollen, but waste no effort on attracting pollinators. All other flowers use customized combinations of colors, patterns, textures, fragrances and flavors to attract their preferred pollinators.

There are all sorts of pollinators. Bees are the most famous. There are many other insects too. Hummingbirds and butterflies are very popular. Bats do their work at night while no one is watching. Of all the pollinators though, flies are likely the least popular. Many of the flowers that produce fragrance to attract them are not exactly popular either. Alas, fly pollinated flowers are stinky flowers.

Stinky flowers are naturally uncommon. Apparently, not many flowers want to rely on flies. Stinky flowers are even more uncommon in home gardens and landscapes, for the obvious reason.

Paw paw and carob production relies on

Some beetles like stinky flowers too.

stinky flowers. A few of the various arums grown for dramatic bloom are stinky too.

Philodendron bloom is quite stinky, but very rare among foliar houseplants.

Pear and hawthorn do not rely on flies, so are only incidentally and mildly stinky.

Fortunately, stinky flowers are not often a problem. Paw paw trees are rare here. Carob trees bloom somewhat briefly. If philodendrons bloom at all, they produce only a few flowers which can get pruned off. Regardless, fragrances of stinky flowers are generally not as strong as appealing floral fragrances. They neither disperse as efficiently, nor linger as long. Some are too faint to offend.

••• Dragon Lily racunculus vulgaris make a sinister impression by botanical name alone.

Common names include dragon lily, dragon arum, dragonwort, black dragon, snake lily, stink lily and voodoo lily. That makes it sinister enough to be compelling.

Although rare in nurseries, dormant tubers are available in season by mail order.

Alternatively, established colonies happily share a few dormant tubers.

Dragon lily is quite easy to grow. It appreciates rich soil and regular watering, at least until it gets established.

Once settled in, it might be satisfied Dragon lily is striking with only monthly and stinky. watering until it goes dormant in late summer. Because it prefers humid climates, it wants shelter from wind here, and may like a bit of partial afternoon shade. It is so adaptable that it unfortunately naturalized in some regions.

The fragrance of dragon lily attracts insect pollinators that are drawn to dead animals. Those of us who enjoy unusual plants find it amusing. Everyone else thinks it stinks. Blooms that produce the fragrance are spectacular, with a big and flared purplish red spathe around a slender black spadix. They may stand nearly three feet tall, among lightly blotched and deeply lobed palmate leaves. n ••• Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.com.

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www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / June 15th 2020 / 29

Business Guide

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Vacation Rental Wait List Under Discussion

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rowing concerns over the loss of housing and the commercialization of neighborhoods led the Board of Supervisors to request planning staff to propose a set of new restrictions for vacation rentals.

The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a set of guidelines for new restrictions that County staff recently brought to the Planning Commission and will be back to the Board of Supervisors this week for an initial reading of the ordinance.

What are the current regulations? ntil a few years ago there were no caps, and very limited regulations, on vacation rentals throughout the county.

The Board initially instituted per block and per designated area caps (for example, the coastal areas around Seacliff and Rio Del Mar) on vacation rentals and also some permit requirements that must be adhered to in order to renew permits. For vacation rentals that fell outside of these designated zones there were no limits and no renewal requirements.

What is proposed? ere is a general overview of what’s proposed with more details provided below: 1) Freezing vacation rentals at current rates in the Seacliff/ Aptos designated area and other designated areas in the County. This would mean that new permits wouldn’t be issued unless a permit became available through non-renewal, revocation, transfer of ownership etc.

This provides for current levels of supply but limits additional negative impacts on long-term housing.

2) Adding La Selva into the restrictions (currently La Selva is not folded into the designated areas) 3) Creating new parking requirements (to minimize on-street and neighborhood impacts) 4) Increasing the level of review for new permits so neighborhoods could have a public process to express concerns and receive mitigations (or even denial of an application)

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TO ADVERTISE IN THE BUSINESS GUIDE SECTION

call our offices 831.688.7549

www.tpgonlinedaily.com 30 / June 15th 2020 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

By Zach Friend, Supervisor, Second District

5) Create more formal revocation procedures for rentals that are creating impacts 6) Establish a waiting list program for those looking to apply for permits as they become available 7) Create a moratorium on new permits pending the outcome of this process The existing vacation rental regulations state that the number of overall vacation rentals cannot exceed 15% of eligible parcels in the greater Live Oak and Seacliff/Rio Del Mar area and 10% in the Davenport area.

In January, rates in these areas were below the caps and the Board of Supervisors felt that the current levels were already high enough and that increasing it to 15% would have a continued impact on the housing market and commercialization of neighborhoods.

As a result, the Board supported capping the numbers at current rates, which include 12% in the Live Oak area and 5.5% in the Seacliff/Rio Del Mar area.

La Selva restrictions are also now being added in (so no new vacation rentals would be allowed in La Selva unless a permit expired or was revoked etc.)

Given the number of local vacation rentals, hotels, motels and other options there are adequate visitor-serving uses locally but significant challenges in our housing market.

If the ordinance is approved, no new permits would be issued in any of the designated areas until such

time that number of vacation rentals falls below the applicable percentage cap.

How would a permit wait list work? hen permits open up, the Board of Supervisors wanted a program that was administered fairly and impartially.

Prospective applicants would submit a Waiting List Request Form to staff and all parcels on the list would be tracked by staff and mapped on a GIS Vacation Rental Waiting List Map. The Planning Commission recommended that the program to be structured as a first come, first served system and that is what will be considered by the Board.

How will the parking requirements work? inimum on-site parking requirements will now exist for new vacation rentals.

For new 1- or 2-bedroom vacation rentals a minimum of one on-site parking space would be required and for new 3+ bedroom rentals a minimum of two on-site parking spaces would be required.

What public/neighborhood process will be required? n order to allow for greater community input in new applications, all new vacation rentals comprised of 3 or fewer bedrooms will require on-site noticing and mailed notices to the neighbors, and also allows staff to impose conditions of approval applicable to the application at hand.

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“Vacation Rentals” page 31

SCCAS Featured Pet

“Reuse” from page 27 And at the same time, Chief Lowe and the Aptos/La Selva Fire Protection District are doing their part in conserving water, in the recognition that water is our most important — and threatened — resource. A local fire protection district and a local water district, both with watersaving goals, and both working for the improvement and long-term vitality of the community…this is a good illustration that we are indeed all #InThisTogether. 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.

“Forever Work” from page 27

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Eighty Hens Looking for Homes

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anta Cruz County Animal Shelter worked with rescue partner Animal Place of Grass Valley, CA to take in 80 hens on Saturday, May 30th.

The hens were rescued from an Iowa Egg Farm that went out of business due to the COVID-19 crisis. Without rescue, these hens would not have had anyone to care for them.

These chickens are White Leghorns and are about 2 years old. While in the care of Animal Place, they received deworming, parasite treatment, and a thorough beak to tail health check.

They do have some feather loss attributed to prolonged cage confinement as well as lengthy nails consistent with extended housing on wire. These birds have been de-beaked. It does not impact their ability to thrive.

The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is doing adoptions by appointment and you can even submit your adoption application online! Call 831-454-7200 or visit www.scanimalshelter.org for more information! n ••• 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.

Watsonville Location: 580 Airport Blvd, Watsonville, CA 95076 Hours: CURRENTLY CLOSED SCCAS Main line: 831-454-7200. Animal Control: 831-454-7227. After-Hours Emergency: 831-471-1182

This is forever work, and our work has just begun.

We will continue listening, educating ourselves, and taking anti-racist action through our programs and partnerships and through re-distribution of resources and power. We’re committed to amplifying the voices, desires, and artistic expression of artists and arts organizations led by and for people of color. We will use our voice, influence, and resources to fight local racial inequities.

We encourage all to take action now (Movement for Black Lives Week of Action and guide to ways you can help)! To those who are new to the conversation of racial equity, join us by educating yourselves on the history of racial oppression in this country ( racial equity tools), learn how to be an ally ( anti-racist resource list), and move past any voices that hold you back.

To the leaders in this work, we invite you to work with us and hold us accountable to our commitment to racial

“Vacation Rentals” from page 30 The current requirements for 4+ bedroom applications will remain unchanged (they require a higher level of review).

Can permits be revoked? ne of the key parts of the discussion was ensuring that problematic properties have a permit revocation process.

For those without any issues, permits can be renewed every 5 years. For properties with violations, including running a vacation rental without a permit, criminal and/or County Code or Health Order violations are proposed as potential reasons for revocation.

What are the next steps? he Board of Supervisors will have a minimum of two readings of the

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Eileen Eisner-Streller & Alyssa Abbey share water tips at the 2019 Aptos/LA Selva Fire Open House.

justice. To the artists (and, are we not all artists endowed with the creative spark of life and the power to use our imaginations to create a better world?), we invite you to use the energy of this powerful and precious moment to create and share work that inspires lasting change. something is terribly wrong if the pain sorrow and outrage of people makes you more uncomfortable than the murder itself — Rupi Kaur (rupikaur.com)

These are challenging times, and they are a call to wake up, to feel the pain, to see its roots, and to do what is needed to heal. This is hard work. It asks us to be bigger than our fear, to make our hearts big enough to value and love those we do not understand. Like art, this work invites us in, challenges us, and, if we are open, helps us see the world in a whole new way. n

ordinance (if there are significant changes proposed by the Board during the first reading it requires another first reading of the ordinance) and then the changes, if approved, will be submitted to the Coastal Commission for consideration.

If approved, the ordinance changes will then take effect. n ••• I appreciate any feedback you may have on this (or any other County issue). I’m maintaining regular updates on social media at www. facebook.com/supervisorfriend and during the shelter-in-place order I’m hosting weekly teletownhalls with County and community leaders on Tuesday nights from 6-7 p.m. The call-in information for the town halls is 454-2222 with the Meeting ID: 145384# — you are welcome to speak about this issue during the town halls or you can always call me at 454-2200.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / June 15th 2020 / 31

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