When Will Aptos Village Get Its New Park?, By Jondi Gumz

COMMUNITY NEWS When Will Aptos Village Get Its New Park?

By Jondi Gumz

With 135 members in the new Gateway to Nisene Marks State Park group on Facebook, the organizer of the group, Todd Marco, who moved with his family last July, had a question: When will the promised Aptos Village county park be planned?

It’s a practical question because he and his wife have a daughter, 6, and a son, 3.

“This is a huge thing,” Marco said.

Back in 2012, when county supervisors approved the project, the new park on .74 acre was promised as one of the community benefits of the Swenson development adding retail and restaurant spaces, plus 69 homes, and displacing a bicycle pump track that had been a local favorite.

County parks chief Jeff Gaffney has the answer.

“If the County accepts the dedication then it would be part of the public process and would include the new residents that will be immediately adjacent and/or within walking distance to the land proposed for dedication,” he wrote in an email to Aptos Times. “This would be the most inclusive and accurate reflection of what the neighbors of this size of a park might want.”

Typically Santa Cruz County notifies neighbors who live within a 300-foot radius of a property of an upcoming project.

The original parcel number is 04-101-136.

It’s not clear what might be suitable for the site -- which is currently enclosed by cyclone fencing to prepare to build phase 2 — about half — of the development.

Half of the property is covered by oak woodlands, and it’s steep with slopes of 30 percent or more, according to parks commissioner Kate Minott.

The land slated for the park is held by Swenson, and Jessie Bristow of Swenson says the land won’t be turned over to the county until the development is finished. A billboard showing the approximate location of the new county park on Aptos Creek Road, which is the gateway to Nisene Marks State Park, a location where visitation has increased exponentially because of the pandemic.

However, one of the 2012 conditions added by the Planning Commission was to require the future park land be offered to the county after five years.

After the project was approved, Swenson decided to split the project in two phases. The final map for phase 1 was recorded in 2015; the map for phase 2 was recorded in 2020.

Given that five years have passed, should the land for the park be offered to the county by now?

Gaffney said, “No, I do not believe the time is up and more importantly we have not accepted the dedication.”

Asked about enforcing the five-year agreement, Gaffney wrote, “As I understand it, the land is available and has been dedicated in perpetuity so there is nothing left to enforce.”

Aptos resident Becky Steinbruner thinks that if the land were transferred to the County, that would speed up the process of getting the park. Is that assessment accurate?

Gaffney said the issue is money.

“We do not have money or resources to plan or construct this park and we would not speed things up if we did have the resources (until the residents were moved in),” he said. “We would want to include the neighbors (who are still populating the development) since they would be the most frequent potential users of this land.”

In other parts of the county, people who want parks have turned to private fundraising.

That’s what made LEO’s Haven at Chanticleer Park happen. Seacliff Skatepark, completed last year, had private support. Fundraising is ongoing, working with County Park Friends, for the Hidden Beach playground upgrade.

If Aptos residents want a park sooner, does that mean they should organize and raise money for it?

Gaffney answered, “This is always a very effective means to get parks developed and activated. Most likely it would accelerate things but we would still want input from the people who are moving into the development and would be the most likely users of the land.”

All the homes completed in the first phase, about 36, have been sold, according to real estate agent Alistair Craft of Sereno, but about half the units have yet to be built.

County Supervisor Zach Friend, who represents Aptos, said, “It’s true there isn’t a dedicated fund for a park — and the parcel itself is pretty difficult to do much with ... But some of this is theoretical right now as we need the second phase to start.”

Marco, looking at the fenced off dirt lot pending Swenson’s second construction phase of the Aptos Village project is a dirt lot, asked participants in the Gateway to Nisene Marks Facebook group, for their preference on what should go there.

A total of 33 people voted, with 11 in favor of paid validated parking for patron use during business hours, Nisene overflow on weekends/holidays and resident guests overnight and 10 in favor of unrestricted public parking. Only six thought it should be a county park. n

“Brookdale” from page 22

After Medicare began requiring payroll records in 2018, the Times found nursing hours were boosted by including hours of administrators who don’t care for patients. Places with more nursing hours got higher “star ratings” even when patients complained about short-staffing.

On Tuesday, Brookdale’s Riverwalk was rated four of five stars overall on Medicare’s NursingHomeCompare, based on five stars for quality of resident care, four stars for staffing and two stars for health inspections.

In the year since the COVID-19 pandemic reached the U.S., Brookdale Senior Living’s stock price doubled from $3.27 per share to $6.81 per share before dipping slightly.

Brookdale got $120 million in CARES Act funding in 2020 but reported revenue losses of $280 million, with CEO Cindy Baier hoping to receive more aid for losses in the second half of the year.

A quarter of the COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. have been at nursing homes, where residents who are elderly and have medical conditions are more at risk. The New York Times reported academic research has found little correlation between the star ratings and COVID-19 infection and death. Instead, the infection rates in the community and race of nursing homes residents were predictors in outbreaks.

“We are holding Brookdale accountable for artificially increasing its profits by cutting corners when transferring or discharging its patients. It lured individuals to its facilities through false promises about providing the highest quality care,” said Becerra. “Choosing a skilled nursing facility is no simple task. Seniors, people with disabilities and their families rely heavily on accurate data to make that decision. Californians have been directly impacted by Brookdale’s behavior. We will ensure that they face consequences for violating the public’s trust.”

“Rules designed to protect nursing facility residents must be followed to ensure the dignity, respect, and compassion that residents deserve,” said Zimmer, Kern County district attorney, noting residents are often mothers, fathers, and grandparents who are facing challenging times. “When companies fail to comply with these rules, they create environments that subject the most vulnerable among us to unnecessary victimization, stress, and even physical harm. This case seeks accountability for offenders and is a reminder to all skilled nursing facilities of the importance of following rules designed to ensure the protection of vulnerable residents.”

Brookdale Senior Living’s assisted living facility in Scotts Valley is not a part of the lawsuit but Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeffrey Rosell joined the lawsuit, saying, “Protecting the elderly and disabled is one of the highest priorities for the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office … Participating in this case is part of our ongoing efforts to hold skilled nursing facilities and their owners accountable.”

Also participating in the lawsuit are Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley, Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer and San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan.

Skilled nursing facilities are required to give notice of transfer or discharge –known as a “TOD” notice — at least 30 days in advance, or as soon as practicable to patients, with a copy to the local ombudsmen. The law also requires the discharging facility to prepare patients for transfer or discharge, which could include explanations about ongoing care, medications, and training for home treatments such as oxygen. n

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A copy of the lawsuit is at https://oag. ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/ Brookdale%20Complaint.pdf

To reach the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program in Santa Cruz County, see https:// www.advocacy-inc.org/programs or call (831) 429-1913. Services are free and confidential.

CIVIL GRAND JURY WANTS YOU The Superior Court of Santa Cruz County is seeking applications to be a member of the County Civil Grand Jury. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, April 28.

The Grand Jury is an historic institution playing an important role in the community. The 19-member jury investigates local government and responds to citizen complaints on government issues.

Two informational meetings will take place at noon April 20 and April 21 on Zoom. The link is https:// santacruzcourt-org.zoom.us/j/98746762799

Meeting ID: 987 4676 2799 For information email jury.information@santacruzcourt.org

STUDENT STORY CONTEST DEADLINE Stories Due Monday, May 31 The Palo Alto Humane Society invites 7th and 8th graders in Santa Cruz County to participate in a writing competition on the theme of animals and people helping each other. Stories can be fiction or nonfiction and should illustrate a sense of kindness in their characters.

The top prize is $500, with $200 each for two runner-ups. Winning stories will be published by Palo Alto Humane Society and highlighted during the 2021 Creating Compassionate Communities campaign.

Stories must be original and between 800 and 1,000 words. Competition guidelines — plus a submission form — are at https://tinyurl.com/paloalto-humanewrite-2021.

Vandana Ravi won the inaugural contest in 2019 with a story about a lonely girl who came across a donkey who also needed a friend. The 2020 winner was “The Sun,” by Aaron Huang, depicting the life of a mother dog trapped in a puppy mill from the dog’s point of view.

GRAB & GO WILDFLOWER KIT Begins Monday April 19, Santa Cruz Public Libraries In celebration of Earth Day, The Santa Cruz Public Libraries invites the community to grow your own native wildflowers. Wildflower kits and instructions will be available for Grab & Go / Curbside pickup during service hours at all open library branches. Bring bees and birds to your yard with these wonderful flowers. Earth Day is Thursday, April 22

JOB BOARD ONLINE The Santa Cruz job market is picking up steam. Startups to established enterprises have open positions across countless work areas and industries. Software engineers, recruiters and more are all in high demand. As the local economy regains momentum, there are increasing opportunities for new hires.

Joby Aviation has more than 100 open roles! ProductOps, Amazon, Blix, Santa Cruz Bikes, Zero Motorcycles and many more are looking for their next top hires.

Every week Santa Cruz Works features a fresh catch of new jobs in at https://www.santacruzworks.org/jobs where employers and job-hunters can post for free. Details: https://www.santacruzworks.org/news/companieshiring-in-santa-cruz-and-beyond

OPEN STUDIOS APPLICATION DEADLINE Friday, April 30, Midnight Arts Council Santa Cruz County is making plans for the 2021 Open Studios Art Tour following guidelines for health and safety. The dates are: South County Oct 2-3, North County Oct 9-10, and all county Oct 16-17.

Have a virtual or live event you want to promote? Send your information to info@cyber-times.com by April 21

All Santa Cruz County visual artists over age 18 are invited to apply to be a part of this event where local artists invite the public to experience art at the source. The deadline to apply is midnight, April 30. For details, guidelines and FAQ, see https://santacruzopenstudios.com/

CZU FIRE RECOVERY SURVEY The County of Santa Cruz urges residents who suffered property damage during the CZU Lightning Complex fires to fill out a brief survey offered by United Policyholders to understand more about the recovery process. One survey per household is requested.

The survey is intended to help to track progress, identify problems and gather information about insurance coverage in fire-impacted areas. The survey is anonymous, and results will be based on aggregate data and not include personally identifiable information.

Email santacruzltrg@gmail.com to be added to the recovery group’s mailing list. Survey takers will be entered into a drawing to win a $50 Amazon gift card. Survey: www.uphelp.org/surveyCA.

GARDENERS CLUB The Gardeners’ Club is looking for people who share their love of plants and want to know more about gardening.

The website is at http://www.thegardenersclub.org/ and there is a monthly newsletter. Dues are $15 per calendar year. For information call Cherry at 831-475-0991. Make check to “The Gardeners’ Club” and mail to P.O. Box 3025, Ben Lomond, CA 95005. Meetings, when they are allowed, are at 7 p.m. on the 2nd Thursday of each month at the Aptos Grange, 2555 Mar Vista Drive, Aptos.

SENIOR CENTER WITHOUT LIMITS This new program from Community Bridges brings enrichment activities like yoga, art, music, tai chi, cooking, tech and support groups to seniors age 60 and up in their homes at no cost. To participate, you need an internet connection and a computer, tablet or smartphone. To participate, view the calendar at https://communitybridges.org/ SCWOL/ and find a class. That day and time, click on the link in the calendar to be connected. If you have a problem connecting, call Clara Munoz at (831) 458-3481.

SECOND HARVEST FOOD DISTRIBUTION Second Harvest Food Bank’s drive-through food distribution will continue operating at the county Fairgrounds throughout the summer with new hours beginning in May. Distribution at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk will end after April’s dates. Upcoming dates and times:

Watsonville: Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Fridays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.: April 16 • April 30 Fridays, 9 a.m.-Noon

May 7 • May 21 • June 4 • June 18 • July 9 • July 23 Aug. 6 • Aug. 20 • Sept. 10 • Sept. 24

Santa Cruz: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Fridays, 9 a.m.-11 a.m. LAST BOARDWALK DISTRIBUTION: April 23 Food hotline: 831-662-0991. offering for spring-summer 2021 are for you. The online 10-week session begins the week of April 19, so register now. See: https://www.dantesantacruz.com/services Questions? Email: dantesantacruz1265@gmail.com

CAREER MONTH AT CABRILLO Four free job fairs are available for current students at Cabrillo College in the month of April. The fairs take place from 3-5 p.m. four Thurs. starting April 8. Registration is required. Remaining job fairs:

April 22 — health & public safety

April 29 — science tech engineering math

There are also resume workshops on April 19 and 27 and career coaching classes on April 16, 20 and 26. Students can register and employers can post jobs at https:// www.cabrillo.edu/career-services/

PARENT SUPPORT GROUP PVUSD, PVPSA and Kaiser Permanente offers support groups for Pajaro Valley families at 3 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month. The next dates are:

April 29, May 20 and June 3. To register, email marisol.maciel@pvpsa.org

CALL FOR ARTISTS: 15TH ANNUAL PVA SCULPTURE EXHIBITION Deadline to Apply is Monday May 3 Curators Susana Arias and Hedwig Heerschop of Pajaro Valley Arts & Jeff Rosendale of Sierra Azul Nursery and Gardens invite your participation in the 15th annual Pajaro Valley Arts sculpture exhibition, taking place in the beautiful two-acre Sierra Azul Nursery demonstration gardens, 2660 East Lake Ave., Watsonville. Submit online to Hedwig@pvarts.org.

The show will be June 1 through Oct. 31 outdoors and pieces submitted must be weatherproof (to be insured), and of a scale suitable for outdoor display. Summer coastal weather includes sunshine, fog, wind and rain.

Sculptures larger than 30” is encouraged. Pieces with bold negative and positive elements and pieces 5 to 6 feet tall show best in the garden.

There is a $30 participation fee for artists selected and sales are subject to a commission, 30% for PVA members, 45% for non-members. Questions: 831-722-3062.

ONGOING EVENTS

First and Third Monday Each Month SENIOR LIFE ONLINE 4 p.m., Online Meeting Join a local group of senior citizens for “Senior Life Online,” a free online (Zoom) program featuring a presentation by a local expert. Senior Life Online meets on the first and third Monday of each month at 4 p.m. View the schedule at scottsvalleyseniorlife.org/current-activities/.

May 3, Douglas Allen, Assistant District Attorney, Santa Cruz County, on “How Senior Citizens can Protect Themselves from Scams” and May 17, Darshan Croskrey, director of Scotts Valley Senior Center.

To participate, you need an Internet connection and a computer, tablet or smartphone. A one-time preregistration is required at https://tinyurl.com/SVSLA-5. Questions? Call George at (831) 334-7763. Senior Life Online is sponsored by Scotts Valley Senior Life Association (SVSLA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to promote healthy living for senior citizens. Information is at http://scottsvalleyseniorlife.org. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday NAMI RECOVERY SUPPORT 1-2:30 p.m., confidential Zoom meetings. National Alliance on Mental Illness Santa Cruz County offers the “Connection Recovery Support Group,” a free, peer-led support group for any adult 18 or older who has experienced symptoms of a mental health condition (no diagnosis required).

You will gain insight from hearing the challenges and successes of others. Groups are led by trained leaders who’ve been there. It’s confidential and drop-in friendly.

To attend, complete the registration form. You will immediately get an email with the Zoom link. You will need to do this only once, and will be able to use the same link for all groups in the future. Register at: https://tinyurl.com/nami-zoom-register (Full URL: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMld6trTgjEtOukidbv3qCQQTitZ92kXFf)

If you are unable to register, do not have an email address, or have other questions, call the office at (831)-824-0406 or email anastasia@namiscc.org. For a recording of the March 18 speaker or more information on support groups and classes, https://www.namiscc.org/ Third Thursday of the Month

Every Third Thursdays PET LOSS AND GRIEF SUPPORT VIA ZOOM 6 to 7:30 p.m., virtual meeting BirchBark Foundation’s Pet Loss and Grief Support Zoom group offers a free support group, moderated by a licensed grief counseling therapist, on the third Thursday of each month. Register at https://www.birchbarkfoundation.org/griefsupport or call 831-471-7255.

Every Saturday SCOTTS VALLEY FARMER’S MARKET IS BACK! 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Scotts Valley Square Shopping Center, Kmart parking lot, 270 Mount Hermon Road. Ongoing thru Thanksgiving Scotts Valley Farmers’ Market reopens for the season on Saturday, May 1. Live music and seating return! There will be strawberry shortcake on opening day. https://santacruzfarmersmarket.org/markets/scotts-valley/

First Sunday Every Month MONTHLY OUTDOOR MARKETPLACE IN SANTA CRUZ! 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Old Wrigley Building Parking Lot, 2801 Mission Street, Santa Cruz 95060 The Westside Marketplace is an exciting, new monthly market where local art, handmade and vintage shopping meet delicious food! This collaboration between Food Trucks A Go Go and the SCM Makers Market presents a great mix of creators of all kinds! There is also live music at each event!

The upcoming outdoor market is on Sunday, April 4 at the Old Wrigley Building parking lot. Rain dates are scheduled for the following Sundays.

Come hungry to sample an amazing array of food from the food vendors and shop local with 40 artists, makers and vintage sellers at this new monthly event.

The Market is free to attend and is 100% local — all vendors are based in Santa Cruz County!

All local and state health guidelines will be followed. Please wear your mask, maintain social distance while you shop and stay home if you don’t feel well. Hand sanitizing stations will be available. For more information, go to the event page: https:// www.facebook.com/events/170470481551895; Food Trucks A Go Go: https://www.foodtrucksagogo.com/; or SCM Makers Market https://scmmakersmarket.com/ for a list of all of the vendors.

PVA POETRY READING 6:30-8:30 p.m., Pajaro Valley Arts Zoom. Pajaro Valley Arts Presents a free poetry reading, “Pandemic Take Aways,” featuring Alex Rocha, Gabriel J. Medina and Claudia Meléndez

Zoom link: https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/91026783529

Meeting ID: 910 2678 3529 Contact: Shirley Flores-Munoz, shflores@cabrillo.edu

Saturday April 17

LET LOVE GROW EVENT LEO’s Haven, Chanticleer Park, 1975 Chanticleer Ave, SC Culmination of County Parks Friends’ 30-day membership drive, where participants can help “seed bomb” LEO’s Haven Chanticleer Park with native wildflowers seed from Live Like Coco. Memberships start at $25. To join and for more information, visit https://www.countyparkfriends.org/membership.html

Tuesday April 20

VEGAN COOKING DEMO 4-5 p.m., Zoom Class Join Café Carmel chef Sarah Cook for a virtual cooking demo spotlighting a vegan dish 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, April 20. The demo is free and open to everyone. To join Zoom meeting: https://zoom.us/j/92835341968?pwd= RXdpcG9PcUJIRnVUa2psZjFLMlFjUT09

Meeting ID: 928 3534 1968

Passcode: 495514

Tuesday April 20 Thursday April 22

ROADMAP TO RECOVERY VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS 7 p.m. (April 20) and 4 p.m. (April 22), United Policyholders United Policyholders, a non-profit consumer organization helping disaster survivors for 30 years, presents “Survivor to Survivor” forums in April for households impacted by California wildfires such as the CZU lightning fire in August. Topics are:

April 20: Staying connected with your kids, 7 p.m. Register: www.uphelp.org/apr20

April 22: Collecting Every Dime. Determine what your insurer has compensated you for so far and how much more is available and owed to you 4 p.m. Register: www.uphelp.org/apr22 For information visit www.uphelp.org Questions? Email info@ uphelp.org

Wednesday April 21

PLANKTON MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND 6 – 8 p.m., Save Our Shore Online Seminar Join Save Our Shores and local expert panelists from Cabrillo College, UC Santa Cruz, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, One People One Reef, and OceansMicro for this Speaker Series event.

This is an opportunity to view these tiny organisms live through the eye of a microscope, peering into a water sample from Monterey Bay. Register at: https://saveourshores.salsalabs.org/planktonmaketheworldgoround

Monday April 22

OCEAN RECORD-KEEPING TALK 6-7 p.m., Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Zoom Session Must register by 5 p.m. to receive link. On April 22, Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History welcomes Dr. Emily Miller from Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Attendees must register at https://www.pgmuseum.org/event-calendar

A research technician, Miller will present a talk titled

SPRING PLANT SALE: ONLINE POP-UP NURSERY

Monday April 19 thru Sunday May 2

UC Master Gardeners of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties will host a Spring Plant Sale at an online pop-up nursery Monday, April 19, through Sunday, May 2.

There will be 20 varieties of tomatoes, a dozen varieties of peppers, varieties of squash and cucumbers, herbs, California natives, succulents and more. A limited number of tomato cages are on offer, along with handmade decorations for Mother’s Day gifts.

Curbside pickup will be by appointment at the greenhouse in Salinas. All funds benefit the all-volunteer UC Master Gardener program, which offers a gardening help line, events and seasonal classes. Visit mbmg.ucanr.edu.

“Marine Algae as Ocean Record Keepers.” She will cover how her team used older algae specimens to extend the Bakun upwelling index back to 1878, 70 years before monitoring of upwelling began in Monterey Bay.

Her goal is to document patterns to help understand the shifts in the foundation of the food web to make more informed conservation decisions in the future of Monterey Bay. Until now, this process has been largely limited to instrument records and observations that begin around 1950. The talk is free, but the suggested donation is $15 per person.

Friday April 23

SCCRTC TELEWORK SURVEY DEADLINE Complete a telework survey that has been put together by the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, Monterey Bay Economic Partnership, City of Santa Cruz and Transportation Agency for Monterey County, to get an understanding of future plans of businesses and organizations around teleworking post-Covid and what this might mean from a land use and real estate perspective. Take the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TeleworkMontereyRegion. This survey will be open until April 23.

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS 5-8 p.m., 361 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley After a hiatus due to the pandemic, Food Trucks A Go Go is bringing Food Truck Fridays back to Skypark.

Celebrate the season kick-off with delicious dinner from your favorite food trucks, which will rotate month to month. All local and state health guidelines will be followed. Follow @foodtrucksagogo on social media or email: info@ foodtrucksagogo.com love story “Romeo and Juliet” over the next month.

Four authorities will discuss the play, starting with Michael Warren, UC Santa Cruz emeritus professor and Santa Cruz Shakespeare dramaturg, who frequently offers the Saturday group an insightful overview of each play being considered.

This is the first of five sessions. Future sessions include:

May 1: Santa Cruz Shakespeare Artistic Director Mike Ryan will be the speaker. In 2018, the local company presented “Romeo and Juliet” at Delaveaga Park, with Ryan as Friar Lawrence.

May 8: Sean Keilen, professor of literature at UCSC and director of the school’s Shakespeare Workshop, will provide his insights.

May 15: Abbey Heald, a lecturer in UCSC’s literature department, will offer a provocative perspective.

May 22: Franco Zefferelli’s version of “Romeo and Juliet” will be screened. The film won an Academy Award for cinematography and earned Zefferelli a best director nomination. All sessions are open to the public. Each Saturday Zoom session will begin at 10 a.m. To connect to the Zoom meetings, contact saturdayshakespeare@gmail.com In lieu of the usual $2 per session suggested contribution, the group urges participants to send a donation to Santa Cruz Shakespeare at 500 Chestnut St., Suite #250, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, or to https://www.santacruzshakespeare.org/donate/

DUCKY DERBY 2 p.m., Online Fundraiser This fundraiser for Omega Nu’s scholarship program will be a virtual event at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 24. Info: http://www.duckyderbysantacruz.org/#duckyderby SEASCAPE GOLF CLUB HISTORY 4-5 p.m., Online Seminar Dick Garwood will present a pictorial history of the Aptos golf course from its beginnings with the Aptos Beach Country Club, Rio Del Mar Country Club, and Seascape Development. His talk will be 4-5 p.m. Saturday, April

Wednesday April 28

DINING FOR HISTORY & APTOS CHAMBER All day, Erik’s Delicafe, Rancho Del Mar Shopping Center, Aptos Help support the Aptos Chamber, Aptos Museum and Erik’s DeliCafe all in one day by dining at Erik’s Delicafe. Part of the proceeds will be donated to the Aptos Chamber and Aptos History Museum.

Wednesday April 28 Thursday April 29

FOOD SECURITY CONFERENCE The seventh annual Confronting Climate Change Conference at UC Santa Cruz will focus on Food Security in a Changing World Wednesday and Thursday, April 28-29. Free. Advance registration is required to attend. The UCSC Division of Physical and Biological Sciences cosponsors the event.

April 28 Two short films from UCSC’s Social Documentation MFA program will be available for on-demand viewing beforehand:

El Cacao: An indigenous farmer in Panama confronts environmental and economic complexities of growing, harvesting, and selling cacao beans for the global chocolate market.

Open Line: A Yup’ik fisherwoman teaches her son how to fish for salmon in Bristol Bay, Alaska, while an impassioned debate over a proposed open-pit copper mine is taking place.

Filmmakers Michelle Aguilar and Andrés Camacho will join in a panel discussion moderated by Rita Mehta, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, and Daniel Costa, director of UCSC’s Institute of Marine Sciences. April 29 Panel discussion on food security moderated by Stacy Philpott, professor of environmental studies and director of the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS) at UCSC.

Panelists are: Noah Diffenbaugh, the Kara J. Foundation Professor of Earth System Science and Kimmelman Family Senior Fellow at Stanford University; Aditi Sen, a lead policy advisor at Oxfam, focusing on the nexus of climate change, food, and land use and addresses the drivers and impacts of climate change stemming from food systems; Galina Hale, professor of economics at UCSC, looking at how the financial system can help solve problems related to climate risks and what economists can do to promote a more sustainable food system; and Naya Jones, an assistant professor of sociology, critical geographer, and cultural worker at UCSC who studies Black geographies of community health and healing and has abook project on African-American gardening and migration beyond the South. n

Thursday May 6

REGIONAL ECONOMIC SUMMIT 9:30 a.m. to Noon, Online Event The Monterey Bay Economic Partnership’s 7th Annual Regional Economic Summit will take place online.

Dee Dee Myers, senior advisor to the Gov. Newsome and director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), will share what the state is doing to keep companies in California, insights into the current legislative session, implications for our region, and how the budget surplus is being used to provide relief to businesses affected by the pandemic. Register at https://tinyurl.com/MBE-dee-dee-myers n