Letter to the Editor

Jobs in Santa Cruz County: August 2020 Change from Industry August 2020 Last Year

Leisure & hospitality 11,700 Down 3,800 Private education & health 14,800 Down 3,100 Trade & transportation 15,500 Down 1,400 Business & professional services 10,200 Down 1,100 Manufacturing 6,300 Down 900 Government 21,300 Down 400 Financial 3,400 Down 200 Information 500 Down 100 Logging & construction 4,700 Up 100 Other services 4,400 Down 800 ••• Nonfarm 92,800 Down 11,700 Farm 4,800 Down 7,000 Total 97,600 Down 18,700 ••• Unemployment: 11.3% Change from a year ago Labor force 130,900 Down 9% Employed* 119,600 Down 13.5% Unemployed 11,300 Up 102% *Includes out-of-county commuters

Source: California Employment Development Department •••

Agri-Culture Progressive Dinner: Oct. 24

The organization Agri-Culture will host its 24th Annual Progressive Dinner 3:30-5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Casserly Hall, 562 Casserly Road, Watsonville. The event sells out every year, and is limited to 100 guests.

Due to COVID-19, this year’s event will be a take-out dinner catered by Barbara & Co. Participants will also be provided a large bag and box of local produce — enough for several meals. Editor’s Note: This letter was posted Sept. 28 after an outbreak of COVID-19 cases at Watsonville Post Acute Center.

Dear Families of Santa Cruz County:

our local health authorities that COVID-19 cases are again on the rise in Santa Cruz County.

We anticipate that we will move to a more restrictive Widespread (purple) level in the coming weeks under the Governor’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

Our public schools continue to proceed carefully regarding all decisions regarding reopening for in-person instruction because we recognize these increases in transmission rates could put our students and staff at risk.

To help protect our school community,

Steve Bontadelli, president of AgriCulture, said, “This year we have a special incentive for ticket holders. Anyone who purchases a ticket this year will have exclusive access to tickets for next year’s event prior to sales being open to the public.”

Local wine will be available for sale to go with the take-out dinner. There will be an online auction, a raffle and a trivia game with a prize.

This event is Agri-Culture, Inc.’s major fundraiser of the year. Proceeds fund community and educational programs.

Tickets at $150 per person can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com (search for “24th Annual Progressive Dinner” in Watsonville). For more information or reservations, call 831-722-6622, email agri-culture@sbcglobal.net or go to: www. agri-culture.us and see upcoming events. •••

League of Women Voters Offers Ballot Information Forum

The Santa Cruz Public Libraries will host the League of Women Voters’ Ballot Information Forum via Zoom at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. The forum is free, and registration is required. To register, visit http://bit.ly/SCPL-2020Ballot

“Civic engagement is mission critical for libraries, with voter education being the most basic requirement for a functioning democracy,” said Library Director Susan Nemitz.

Making informed decisions on elections is one of the most important responsibilities for citizens and voters. the Santa Cruz County Office of Education has partnered with Stanford Medicine to provide COVID-19 testing to all essential school personnel on an ongoing basis at no cost to the employee. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) requires that adequate surveillance testing for COVID-19 include a minimum of 25% of essential school staff to be tested every two weeks, or 50% a month.

In addition to the recurring appointments required by CDPH, we will also be able to offer open testing to any school employee who requests it. Ongoing surveillance testing will become available in the coming weeks for school personnel at locations in both north and south county.

This COVID-19 testing partnership represents only one factor of many that will The League of Women Voters will give a nonpartisan look at November’s ballot propositions. You can listen, ask questions and get ready for election day.

Voter information resources are on the library’s website at santacruzpl.org.

League of Women Voters: www.lwv.org •••

Holiday Lights Planned at Fairgrounds

The Agricultural History Project and the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Foundation are starting a new event, a drivethrough Holiday Lights spectacular at the fairgrounds celebrating the holiday season.

Picture a half-mile drive through the fairgrounds with spectacular lighted holiday displays all around you. Giant Christmas trees twinkling with lights — Santa — reindeer — snowmen — lighted tunnels and many more magical moments. You could be a sponsor of this stunning light display with your company’s name lit up along the route.

The event will be open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights for five weeks (14 evenings, weather permitting) from Thanksgiving weekend through Christmas weekend.

To become a founding sponsor, call be required prior to considering reopening for in-person instruction. We will continue working with our local public health authorities to develop the systems to minimize the risks to our students and staff.

It is particularly important to remain cautious and vigilant in practicing protocols that help reduce the risk of COVID-19 such as continuing to shelter in place to the extent possible, wearing face coverings when in the presence of others, practicing healthy physical distancing, and performing adequate hand hygiene now and when we are able to create more inperson services for students. n

Laurie Bruton, Superintendent, San

Lorenzo Valley Unified School District

Lorie Chamberland, Superintendent, Live

Oak School District

the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Foundation at 831-786-9698. •••

County Jail Officer Arrested

Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office Correctional Officer Jenna Baldwin was arrested Oct. 4 and booked into the Main Jail on charges including sexual activity with an inmate, assault by a public officer and bringing contraband into a detention facility.

An investigation began in May after detectives received information that Baldwin was having an inappropriate relationship with an incarcerated person at the Santa Cruz County Main Jail. Baldwin, 35, had worked for the Sheriff’s Office since 2008 but is no longer employed by the agency, according to Ashley Keehn, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office.

This is the second time in a month that a female correctional officer with the Sheriff’s Office was arrested on charges of sexual activity with an inmate.

On Sept. 4, Jessica Smith, 31, who had worked for the Sheriff’s Office since 2015, was arrested on that same charge. That case involved an individual serving a sentence on supervised release.

Smith was placed on administrative leave initially but is no longer employed by the Sheriff’s Office, Keehn said.

Santa Cruz County has about 110 corrections officers.

“After every significant incident we look at training and policy to see if or what

Stanford to Test School Personnel Countywide

We have recently been notified by

can be added,” Keehn said. n

Eric Gross, Superintendent, Pacific

Elementary School District Mike Heffner, Superintendent, Bonny Doon

Union Elementary School District Tanya Krause, Superintendent, Scotts

Valley Unified School District Michelle McKinny, Superintendent,

Happy Valley Elementary School

District Diane Morgenstern, Superintendent,

Mountain Elementary School District Kris Munro, Superintendent, Santa Cruz

City Schools Michelle Rodriguez, Superintendent,

Pajaro Valley Unified School District Faris Sabbah, County Superintendent of

Schools Scott Turnbull, Superintendent, Soquel

Union Elementary School District