Aptos Jr. High Principal Goes to Mintie White

from Aptos Times: June 15, 2021

Invisible Roots Deserve Consideration, By Tony Tomeo

Rich Moran is the new principal of Mintie White Elementary School and of Joaquin Perez Cazorla is the new academic coordinator at Calabasas Elementary School. The Board of Trustees of Pajaro Valley Unified School District approved their appointments May 26.

Moran has been serving students in PVUSD since 2005 as a science teacher, after school coordinator, assistant principal and most recently at Aptos Junior High as the principal for the last seven years. He obtained his bachelor’s degree and a single subject science credential from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. At San Jose State University, he earned his master’s in educational leadership and an administrative credential.

Perez Cazorla has been serving students at PVUSD since 1995 as an elementary teacher, math coach and technology and innovation coach. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in politics and environmental studies from the UC Santa Cruz and a master’s degree and teaching and administrative credentials from Cal State Northridge. Rich Moran

••• Cannacraft To Pay $300,000 Settlement in Ad Case

On May 7, Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeffrey Rosell announced a settlement in a civil action against Cannacraft, Inc. for false advertising violations.

Cannacraft is a licensed cultivator and manufacturer of cannabis products based in Sonoma County conducting business in California’s legal cannabis market.

Cannacraft agreed to pay $250,000 in civil penalties and $50,000 in restitution and investigative costs. Cannacraft also agreed to be bound by an injunction for 10 years.

The complaint alleged Cannacraft made representations regarding the efficacy of its Care By Design products that were not supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence including: “Cannabidiol can change gene expression and remove beta amyloid plaque, the hallmark of Alzheimer’s, from brain cells” and “Scientific and clinical studies have shown that CBD could be therapeutic for many conditions, including chronic pain, cancer, anxiety, diabetes, epilepsy, rheumatoid arthritis, PTSD, sleep disorders, alcoholism, cardiovascular disease, antibiotic-resistant infections, and neurological ailments.”

Local prosecutors in the Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit. worked with the California Food, Drug, and Medical Device Task Force on this case. The Task Force includes the District Attorney Offices of Alameda, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Solano, and Sonoma counties.

Cannacraft and its counsel cooperated with the Task Force’s investigation, working together to change the advertising, and stipulated to the judgment without admitting liability, according to the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s office, which said this False Advertising Law settlement between law enforcement and a licensed California cannabis business may be the first of its kind. •••

Ham Named Exec. Director of SCC Business Council

Housing Specialist Emily Ham has been named The new executive director of the Santa Cruz County Business Council, as of June 7, is Emily Ham, formerly housing specialist at the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership.

She succeeds Robert Singleton, who led the nonprofit organization for four years. •••

Red Cross Seeks Volunteers

The American Red Cross has open volunteer positions:

Disaster Action Team Member: Respond to local emergencies, such as home fires, to provide services to support the immediate basic needs of families after a disaster.

Recovery Care Team Member: Provide general recovery casework support for individuals and families displaced by a disaster. This includes providing referrals for community resources and guidance while people navigate their next steps. Computer work is required, training is provided.

Disaster Mental Health Team Member: Join in assisting local individuals and families impacted by a disaster. The Red Cross is also recruiting a coordinator to support this team.

Disaster Health Services Team Members: Support local residents with medical-related needs that occur as a result of a disaster by providing resources and referrals. Emily Ham

Mass Care Team Member: Support emergency preparedness through shelter site inspections and shelter planning, complete training in feeding and sheltering procedures, and support exercises with Red Cross volunteers and community partners.

To apply, visit redcross.org/volunteer. If you have questions about these positions or your application, contact Felicia Woolfolk, recruitment manager, at felicia. woolfolk@redcross.org or 209-812-5203. •••

SC County Bank Ranks 29th in U.S.

Santa Cruz County Bank, founded in 2004, with assets over $1.5 billion, ranks 29th in the Top Performing 200 Community Banks and Thrifts in the United States.

The rankings in American Banker Magazine’s May 2021 publication included 511 publicly traded institutions with under $2 billion in assets.

Ranking was based upon 3-year average return on equity for the years ending Dec. 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Santa Cruz County Bank’s average return on equity was 14.61% from 20182020 putting it fourth of the 26 California banks ranked in American Banker Magazine’s Top 200 Community Banks.

The median 3-year return on average equity for the top 200 was 11.39% compared to 9.22% for all 511 institutions.

Krista Snelling, president and CEO said, “We are honored to be ranked among the Top 200 banks in the nation for an eighth year based upon our financial performance. Our position in the top performance ratings year after year, in both California and the nation, is the result of strategic focus and discipline by our entire team.”

•••

Santa Cruz Seeks Water Changes

The City of Santa Cruz Water Department, which serves 98,000 customers and processes 6-8 million gallons of water per day, has petitioned the State Water Resources Control Board for changes to the city’s decades-old water rights.

Changes requested will allow the city more flexibility in how it can use the water it already has rights to, and codify the Water Department’s commitment to share water resources with special status fish species, like coho salmon and steelhead trout.

A draft Environmental Impact Report for the Santa Cruz Water Rights Project is posted at cityofsantacruz. com/waterenvdocs; printed versions can be viewed at the Water Department Engineering counter by appointment at (831) 420-5210, and at Santa Cruz Public Library branches.

Public information meetings on the proposed project and the environmental impact report will be 5-6 p.m. Wednesday, July 14, and 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, July 20. Details are at www.cityofsantacruz.com/ SCWRP.

••• New Soquel High Scholarship Looking For Support

Did you know: Studies show that being involved with a gratitude can improve your health and generosity brings more joy to your life.

This year you have an opportunity to help a Soquel High School graduate by contributing to a new Soquel High Scholarship.

Every donation is tax-deductible. Tax ID# is 77-0038657.

Make checks payable to Soquel High Fund and put Soquel High School Scholarship (in memo). Mail to: Soquel High Fund, P.O. Box 1700, Soquel, CA 95073

For more information, contact John Bargetto, 831-475-2258 x17 or jbargetto@ bargetto.com or Sherri Hyde, 408-332-8376 or sherrihyde@att.net n

Next Article

Invisible Roots Deserve Consideration, By Tony Tomeo