Aptos Times: December 15, 2024

Family Owned For 33 Years • Aptos, La Selva Beach, Corralitos, Freedom & Watsonville

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December 15, 2024 • Vol 33 No. 24

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Sheriff Chris Clark: Peace of Mind for All

It’s an honor to stand before you today as your new sheriff.

As I look ahead to the future, I find it important to acknowledge the foundation that has brought me here — a foundation built on the wisdom, guidance, and camaraderie of so many remarkable men and women who have mentored me throughout my career.

Full Story page 10

Honoring Differences

Preserving the Fire

Full Story page 11

Aptos High Football Team Believed in Each Other

By Zach Hewett In November 2023, legendary coach Randy Blankenship retired after 50 years in the game.

With over 300 career wins and nine section championships, his contributions to Aptos football were unmatched. ... continues on page 4

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Full Story page 7

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Volume 33 No. 24

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Table of Contents

6

Cover Preserving the Fire: Aptos High Football Team Believed in Each Other, By Zach Hewett

7 8 9 15 17 18 20 25 27

Community News Raising Money to Feed the Hungry: Do Small Contributions Make a Difference?, By Tara Fatemi Walker Ken Wagman Joins Cabrillo’s Board of Trustees: Challenges: Declining Enrollment and State Budget Cutbacks Rail Trail’s Million-Dollar Problem • History of the Rail Trail Project Student Voices: Kindness & Courage Panetta: Raise Project Housing Vouchers Cap • Panetta Secures $3.6 Million for Swanton Ranch Dead Tree Removal Pinto Lake Skate Park Coming in 2025 Rio Del Mar State Beach Parking Aptos High School Dance Showcase, Photos by Stacy Aronovici Meals on Wheels Taps Dana Wagner: Waitlist for Seniors Likely as of July 1

Local Sports 14 SCCAL Girls Golf All-League • SCCAL Water Polo All-League California News 19 State Auditor Reviews Housing Mandate Process 20 California Wildfire Mitigation Program: Home Hardening Retrofit Financial Assistance Letters to the Editor 23 Thank You for Passing PVUSD Bond Measure • WomenCare is Here to Help Monthly Horoscope • Page 26 – Advent, Candles, Preparations, Mercury Direct, Full Moon Sagittarius Festival, By Risa D’Angeles Community Calendar • Arts & Entertainment – Pages 28, 29 Featured Columnists Cultivars Of California Native Plants, By Tony Tomeo Sheriff Chris Clark: Peace of Mind for All, By Sheriff Chris Clark Honoring Differences: Let Them Enrich Your Life, By Barry and Joyce Vissell Vacationing with Valuables: 3 Rules, By Christopher Elliott Elkhorn Slough Sea Otters Keep Invasive Green Crabs in Check – Good News Congress Has a Rare Chance to Lower Drug Prices, By Salvatore J. Giorgianni Mariners Go Green & Say Thanks, By Dr. Alison Hanks-Sloan, aka Dr. AHS, Aptos High Principal 30 Preparing for Winter Rains (& Other Natural Disasters), By Zach Friend, Supervisor, Second District 6 10 11 22 24 24 25

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COVER STORY publisher

Patrice Edwards

editor

Jondi Gumz

contributing writers

Zach Hewett, Tara Fatemi Walker, Stacy Aronovici, Risa D’Angeles, Tony Tomeo, Chris Clark, Barry and Joyce Vissell, Christopher Elliott, Salvatore J. Giorgianni, Alison Hanks-Sloan, Zach Friend

layout

Michael Oppenheimer

graphic artists

Michael Oppenheimer, Ward Austin

photography Michael Oppenheimer

website Michael Oppenheimer, Camisa Composti

production coordinator

Camisa Composti

media consultants

Teri Huckobey, Brooke Valentine, Danielle Paul Cathe Race

office coordinator distribution

Bill Pooley, Erik Long

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 Soquel 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 Summer Festivals Official Program Guide, is owned by Patrice Edwards.

Entire contents ©2024. All rights reserved.

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

“AHS Football” from page 1 However, Blankenship’s final season was far from the storybook ending many had hoped for. The 2023 Mariners finished 2-8, plagued by close heartbreaking losses.

The Class of 2025, which formed the senior foundation of the 2024 team, had talent but struggled to close out tight games.

Over three seasons, the group compiled an 8-22 record, including 10 losses decided by a single score. Determined to rewrite their narrative, they approached the 2024 season with renewed focus and determination.

When new Head Coach Zach Hewett stepped in following Blankenship’s retirement, he immediately recognized the hunger and resolve within the team. Starting in January, the Mariners committed to a complete transformation, building strength, unity, and confidence through early morning workouts, team-bonding sessions, and shared experiences.

The season opened with the Santa Cruz County jamboree, where Aptos faced Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz, and San Lorenzo Valley in scrimmages. As a member of the Gabilan Division of the PCAL—one of the region’s most competitive “A” leagues—Aptos showcased its readiness, dominating the scrimmage periods.

The first official game came on Aug. 30 against The King’s Academy of Sunnyvale,

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The Aptos Football Seniors come together after their final game. a playoff contender the previous year. After Solorio delivered special teams’ fireworks, a defensive struggle in the first half, the returning a kickoff for a touchdown against Mariners found their rhythm and secured Watsonville and a punt for a score versus a 34-7 win, aided by some fortunate breaks. Seaside.

A tough 41-19 loss to Archbishop Mitty folAt 3-1, the Mariners entered the rigorous lowed, but the Mariners rebounded with Gabilan schedule with momentum. However, decisive victories over Watsonville (25-0) back-to-back losses to San Benito and Monand Seaside High School (67-6). Senior Ryan terey evened their record at 3-3.

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COVER STORY The turning point came in a dramatic 34-31 win over Palma, powered by Solorio’s 107 rushing yards and touchdowns from seniors Nate Garcia (three TDs), Casey MacConnell, and Dylan Guisado. That momentum was short-lived, as powerhouse Salinas High delivered a 56-7 loss on Senior Night. Aptos ended the regular season with a thrilling victory against Everett Alvarez, secured by sophomore River Cook’s walk-off field goal, before falling to Soquel High in the finale.

With a 5-5 record, the Mariners earned fourth place in the Gabilan Division and an automatic berth in the CCS playoffs.

Their first-round matchup in the Division 3 bracket was against undefeated No. 2 seed Willow Glen. Despite an early surge from Willow Glen, the Mariners exploded in the second quarter with three long touchdown runs from Deric Moren, Gavin McDonald, and Casey MacConnell. Willow Glen closed the gap to one score in the third quarter, but the Mariners’ resilience prevailed in a 47-35 victory, punctuated by MacConnell’s three interceptions.

The second-round challenge came against Palo Alto High School, a storied “A” league program. Battling through heavy rain, the Mariners’ offense thrived, scoring six times in a 49-35 upset. The game’s highlight came on a touchdown pass from quarterback Ryan Solorio to receiver Moises Torres, who displayed incredible body control to stay inbounds as time expired in the first half.

MacConnell returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a touchdown, extending Aptos’ lead and helping seal the victory.

The win propelled Aptos to the CCS Division 3 Finals against Carmel High School.

Known for their toughness despite being a smaller school, Carmel featured University of Alabama-bound offensive lineman Jackson Lloyd and a dynamic roster of skill players.

Aptos entered the game with hopes that their physical, grind-it-out style would wear down Carmel’s two-way players. The first half stayed competitive, with senior running back Dylan Guisado punching in two firstquarter touchdowns, followed by scores from Damian Suchil and Solorio. Carmel led 34-28 at halftime, but turnovers in the third quarter swung the game decisively. Carmel pulled away, ultimately handing Aptos a 62-35 loss.

The 2024 Mariners’ season may not have ended with a championship, but their legacy is one of growth, perseverance, and unwavering belief in one another. Overcoming a challenging schedule and a history of close losses, they played with passion and determination, forging bonds that strengthened the traditions of Aptos football. Their efforts set a standard every future Mariner team will strive to meet.

In every sense, the 2024 Mariners preserved the fire. n ••• COVER PHOTO: The Aptos High School Varsity Football Team thanks the fans after the Black & Blue Bowl vs Watsonville.

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ative plants are obviously happy with local climates and soils. Otherwise, they would not be native.

They had been living here long before the first landscapes. They survived without irrigation, fertilizer or any maintenance. Regional varieties adapted to regional environmental conditions.

Some of such varieties became cultivars that are now familiar.

A variety is, more or less, a naturally occurring variant. Unnatural selection and breeding produced some varieties. Generally, varieties are genetically stable enough to replicate for at least a few generations. A cultivar is a cultivated variety. It is unable to replicate by natural processes, so propagates by cloning. All clones are genetically identical copies.

Most cultivars grow from cuttings. Some cultivars of exotic (nonnative) plants are grafts. (Not many natives are conducive to grafting.)

Regardless of technique, propagation of all cultivars is vegetative (without seed).

Seed of some cultivars can produce plants that are similar to the parents, but not indistinguishable. Some will likely be completely different.

Honestly, most native plants are not as appealing in home gardens as their cultivars are. Some are desert or chaparral plants, which can get scraggly through summer.

Some are sparsely foliated with irregular branch structure. Like the majority of exotic plants, several native plants benefited from

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Some natives belong in the wild.

some degree of refinement. It is a fair aesthetic compromise.

This is partly why landscapes of native plants look nothing like forests or unlandscaped areas. The dense and strictly conical form of ‘Soquel’ redwood is very different from that of wild trees. ‘Carmel Creeper’ ceanothus is greener and more densely foliated than wild counterparts. ‘Ken Taylor’ flannel bush is likewise unnaturally dense, low and mounding.

The other primary reason that landscapes of native plants are so different from the wild is that they typically include species from other regions. Some of the penstemons that are popular as native plants throughout California are actually only native to the Siskiyous. Limiting landscapes to true regional natives would produce very different results.

••• “Carmel Creeper” Ceanothus ts narrow native range stays near to the North and Central Coast of California, including Carmel. However, its nomenclature is all over the map. The genus is Ceanothus. After that, the species name might be any combination of thyrsiflorus, griseus or horizontalis, or omitted. ‘ C a r m e l Creeper’ is its cultivar name, with or without the species Such true blue color is rare. designation.

It is certainly no horror movie starring Clint Eastwood.

Carmel Creeper is one of the more practical ceanothus. It spreads out laterally as a deep and densely foliated groundcover. With room to sprawl, it can stay less than three feet tall. Shiny evergreen foliage remains after the fuzzy denim blue bloom of early spring. Individual leaves are distinctly rounded.

Like all native ceanothus, or California lilac, California creeper ceanothus does not want much water once established. It dislikes major pruning too, so prefers areas where it can sprawl freely. Partial shade inhibits bloom and foliar density. Birds enjoy the cover. Bees enjoy the bloom. Unfortunately, even happy plants may not live longer than fifteen years. n ••• Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.com.

I

COMMUNITY NEWS

Raising Money to Feed the Hungry

Do Small Contributions Make a Difference?

S

By Tara Fatemi Walker

econd Harvest Food Bank’s Holiday Food & Fund Drive, which goes through Jan. 15, is a great example of how people’s contributions can make a significant impact on hungry Santa Cruz County individuals and families.

“We are grateful for everyone’s hard work and creativity as we collaborate to feed our community,” said Second Harvest CEO Erica Padilla-Chavez.

Twin Lakes Church, a major donor, inspired long-time member Shelly Hernandez to create her own fundraiser. About 10 years ago Hernandez was listening to Pastor René Schlaepfer talk about the drive.

“I had this crazy brainstorm of an idea of what we could do as a family to support this,” Hernandez recalled. “Pastor Rene always asks, ‘What is your passion? What is your mission in life and how can it be used to encourage others?’ And then it just clicked. I love to cook.”

Hernandez started by hosting a small Christmas party at the family home with about 25 people: it’s now a large annual Open

House and Food Drive with 80-90 attendees.

It’s free, but participants make a financial or food donation for Second Harvest.

“Each year we are beyond blessed by the generosity of so many,” Hernandez said.

This year the event raised over $7,500, equal to 22,500 meals.

Because of the nonprofit’s relationships with partners including local farms and stores, each dollar becomes three nutritious meals for those in need.

Four years ago, Hernandez added a six-course spring dinner with advance ticket sales. The 2024 spring dinner raised $7,000.

“The events we host are never about our family, but what happens when we look beyond ourselves,” said Hernandez. “Each of us has something we love to do, that can be used to serve others. It is a blessing to live with a purpose and give back.”

Mary Doyle, owner of Park Avenue Fitness, is a lifelong Santa Cruz resident whose parents met at Watsonville High. Her ties to food banks go back to the 1980s when her uncle was executive director at an Alaska

food bank. “There have always been Second Harvest barrels everywhere I’ve worked.

I regularly donated food to these. When I opened Park Avenue Fitness, where our focus is bringing health to our county in the way of fitness, we started participating in the fund part of this drive!”

At first, she was intimidated by the drive’s large financial goals.

“There are all of these fabulous, giving, generous corporations we have in our county.

And you start thinking, why am I even bothering? I am a drop. But let me tell you, as we know in this county, a drop can easily become a flood.”

Doyle understands that for Second Harvest, the biggest drops are the cash donations. Park Avenue Fitness’s main Food Bank fundraiser is a Health Fair and Raffle, and all monthly events (including fitness workshops) partially benefit Second Harvest. This effort funded 12,000 meals last year, nearly 14,000 meals so far this year.

“SHFB” page 12

Photo Credit: Michael Cinque

Shelly Hernandez turned her passion for cooking to raising money for Second Harvest Food Bank.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

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n Dec. 9, newly elected and re-elected the challenges the Cabrillo Community Cabrillo College trustees were sworn College District will face during the next four in by Santa Cruz County years.”

Superior Court Judge Syda Challenges include declining Cogliati. enrollment and state budget cutbacks.

They are: “I offer an understanding of • Ken Wagman, Area IV, the school finance and the willingness northern portion of Santa to involve our diverse community in Cruz, Bonny Doon, and Davimportant decisions,” Wagman said. enport. He ran unopposed; “I will stand for the interests of every Rachael Spencer did not seek Cabrillo student, will maintain the Ken Wagman re-election after 22 years. tradition of educational excellence • Christina Cuevas, Area III that Cabrillo has earned over the (Capitola, Soquel and Live years, and will operate with integrity Oak) who ran unopposed as a member of the Board of Trustees.”

• Steve Trujillo, Area VII (WatBersamin, who attended Cabrillo sonville, Aromas and Pajaro), in 1982 and worked as a migrant who ran unopposed education counselor after earning • Manuel Bersamin, Area V his degree from UC Irvine,, has (Watsonville) who ran unopbeen director of the Hartnell College posed after being appointed Christina Cuevas Student Support Services programs in September to fill a vacancy since 2006. He is the first Asiancreated by the resignation of American and Filipino-American Martha Vega. to serve on the Board of Trustees in Wagman has taught math Cabrillo’s history. at Gavilan Community College “Both Ken and Manuel bring in Gilroy for more than 30 years. experience in the California ComHe has served four terms as the munity College system which is a president of Gavilan’s Academic great asset to the Board of Trustees, Senate and 18 years as the Faculty given the complexity of the statewide Steve Trujillo Union president and negotiator. system and the challenges we are He served 10 years on the Santa facing in the future,” said Governing Cruz City Schools Board of Board Chair Christina Cuevas. “I look Trustees. forward to working with them.”

“All Californians deserve All four trustees will serve on the an excellent education, and I board until the next general election have devoted my entire career in November 2028. to that goal,” said Wagman. “I Cabrillo’s board meets on stayed active in the Santa Cruz the first Monday at 6:15 p.m. at community after receiving my the Sesnon House on the Cabrillo Manuel Bersamin bachelor’s and master’s degrees in College Aptos Campus, 6500 Soquel Mathematics from UC Santa Cruz, and look Drive, Aptos. n forward to supporting student success by To view agendas, go to https://go.boarddocs. developing new opportunities and tackling com/ca/cabrillo/Board.nsf/vpublic?open

“All Californians deserve an excellent education, and I have devoted my entire career to that goal. I stayed active in the Santa Cruz community after receiving my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Mathematics from UC Santa Cruz, and look forward to supporting student success by developing new opportunities and tackling the challenges the Cabrillo Community College District will face during the next four years.”

— Ken Wagman

COMMUNITY NEWS

Rail Trail’s Million-Dollar Problem W hat would you do if suddenly informed your home had to be moved? And the cost was estimated at $35,000 to $224,000, and you didn’t know who would pay for it?

This is what some longtime residents of two aging mobilehome parks —built too close to the rail line owned by the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission — are experiencing.

The RTC is building a multi-use trail in “segments” in the 32-mile rail corridor, starting in Santa Cruz and eventually to Watsonville.

The plan to build the Monterey Bay Scenic Trail alongside the railroad tracks in the Capitola area, known as Segments 10 and 11, from 17th Avenue to State Park Drive is extremely contentious due to unforeseen encroachments creating unexpected expenses.

Low-income seniors and families have been told by the RTC they must move their mobile homes away from the rail corridor by June 2025 because they encroach into the corridor by either inches or a few feet.

How many?

At the 128-unit Blue and Gold Mobile Home Park in Live Oak, 20.

At the 108-unit Castle Mobile Estates in Capitola, 24.

This Google Maps image shows how close homes are to the rail line in Castle Mobile Estates.

These families and their pets would have That draft report, presented to the to pack up and move out while their homes County’s Mobile and Manufactured Home are moved and water, sewer and gas utilities Commission Sept. 19 provided estimates to relocated. In a couple locations, the home move each individual home, not a total. must be replaced with a smaller one, to fit the At Blue & Gold, when the home must space. be replaced with a smaller one, two removal Some homes are so old, they may not estimates topped $175,000. survive a move. All this moving could For seven, with the awning removed, the damage streets in the park. estimate was $33,000 to $35,000. For the rest, The RTC staff hired HMH Con- it was $2,000 to $4,000 to remove and replace sulting Environmental and Engineering to a fence, and remove a shed. analyze the costs of removing mobile home “Million-Dollar Problem” page 16 encroachments.

History of the Rail Trail Project

I

n 2012, the Santa Cruz County RTC bought the 32-mile rail corridor from Union Pacific Railroad, believing this could be a potential transportation alternative to Highway 1.

The purchase price of $14.2 million was paid in part with $11 million from a state Proposition 116 grant for alternate transportation funding. The RTC agreed to the purchase “as is,” accepting due diligence documentation that included a known contamination site, utility easements and other easements 10 feet on either side of the track’s centerline.

The Deed stated that the purchase was for “AS IS” and “WHERE IS” “CONDITION WITH ALL FAULTS” (Exhibit B, page 30), with Union Pacific Railroad withholding and maintaining Right of Way License for the final area of track in Davenport, MP 31.39-MP 31.90. (see page 29 for Exhibit A in: https://sccrtc.org/wp-content/ uploads/2011/07/100803-RailLinePurchaseSaleAgreement.pdf) “Rail Trail History” page 18

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Aptos Real Estate Update

Sheriff Chris Clark: Peace of Mind for All

Ruth Bates 831.359.2212

ruthbates1@gmail.com CalBRE#01799929

California Association of Realtors (CAR) California Forecast for 2025: Increase in existing single-family home sales of 10.5 percent next year to reach 304,400 units, up from the projected 2024 sales figure of 275,400. The projected 2024 figure is 6.8 percent higher compared with the pace of 257,900 homes sold in 2023. California median home price is forecast to rise 4.6 percent to $909,400 in 2025, following a projected 6.8 percent increase to $869,500 in 2024 from $814,000 in 2023.

What Does This Mean For Santa Cruz County?

I expect to see more home sales in 2025.

2024 was flat to 2023 which was down significantly from 2022 and down 43% below 2021 sales which benefited from the average interest rate of 2.73%.

2024(12/4) 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 HOUSE 1191 1195 1480 2086 1790 1666 CONDO 191 169 196 324 295 282 TOWNHM 121 111 160 223 228 191 1503 1475 1836 2633 2313 2139 AVG INT 6.69 6.48 3.45 2.73 3.72 4.46 RATE (%) I do expect interest rates to continue to come down in 2025, helping buyers with affordability. CAR projects the average 30-year mortgage rate to drop from 6.6% in 2024 to 5.9% in 2025. Additionally, money will be flowing into Silicon Valley and more buyers will invest in real estate.

APTOS SOLD (PAST 30 DAYS) 18 homes sold. High was 830 Via Gaviota$7950K, then 367 Beach-$3364K, 301 Ventana-$2835K, 3386 Haas-$2234K, 130 Chase-$2178K, 1729 Calypso-$2175K, 204 Toledo-$1875K, 504 Cuesta-$1850K, 450 St. Andrews-$1830K, 206 Via Novella-$1800K, 316 Spyglass-$1650K, 407 Semple-$1650K, 305 Sumner-$1625K, 105 Granada-$1586K, 106 Toledo-$1464K, 117 Fife-$1400K, 326 Doris-$1300K, 715 Aptos View-$1025K. 14 homes sold below list price (several $300K-$500K less than original list), two sold at list price and two homes sold over list price. Median List Price = $1,885,000, Median Sales Price = $1,815,000.

APTOS ACTIVE There are 40 homes on the market in Aptos as of 12/04. The AVG Days on Market is 79. Median List Price $1,974,000, $159,000 higher than the Median Sales Price last month.

Happy Holidays One and All! ——— Call, email, text anytime and Get Results With Ruth!

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By Sheriff Chris Clark Editor’s note: Chris Clark, 45, an 18-year veteran of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office and undersheriff for the past two years, took the oath of office as sheriff on Dec. 6 at Cabrillo College, succeeding Jim Hart, who resigned midterm and recommended Clark’s appointment to the county Board of Supervisors.

Here are Clark’s remarks: ••• t’s an honor to stand before you today as your new sheriff. As I look ahead to the future, I find it important to acknowledge the foundation that has brought me here — a foundation built on the wisdom, guidance, and camaraderie of so many remarkable men and women who have mentored me throughout my career.

From the supervisors who led by example, to the colleagues who taught me what it means to serve with integrity, their influence has shaped the leader I am today.

It’s because of them — many in this room today — that I stand before you.

From the start of my journey, I’ve been fortunate to be Chris Clark surrounded by outstanding individuals. Former Lt. Jim Ross and Sheriff Robbins welcomed me into the department as a Deputy Sheriff, soon-to-be Undersheriff Jake Ainsworth opened his home to me as I began my career. Lt. Dimick, my first field training officer, was there for my first and last days of field training—both days that we will never forget.

Former Lt. Morales directed me toward gang training, which opened the door to a career in investigations where I was fortunate to learn and work with Ian Patrick and Dan Freitas. Sheriff Wowak promoted me to my first leadership role as sergeant.

Retired deputy Mike Pruger guided me through my transition into supervision, teaching me coroner investigations and even

I

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz

Sheriff Chris Clark’s sons, Mason (from left), Cameron and Jackson, enjoy the proceedings. helping my family find a home during a dif- had the privilege of working closely with all ficult time. of you and it’s evident you all share a passion 2020 was an extraordinarily tough year for public safety. Thank you to Les Gardner, for our office, marked by multiple critical inci- for your support and guidance. dents, including the loss of Damon. During Thank you to my parents, wife’s parents, that time, I was honored to work alongside and many family and friends here today who Jim Ross, Greg Lansdowne, Roy Morales, traveled from far distances. I appreciate all and Brian Cleveland. Retired undersheriff your support and love throughout my life.

Mitch Medina showed me not only how to I know there are so many more that have excel in the role of undersheriff, but how to helped me along the way --most importantly, keep family a priority while in leadership. He my wife, Sarah. The significant others of never missed a call from his wife or kids. first responders carry the heaviest load— And lastly, Sheriff Hart, who promoted the stress, the uncertainty, late dinners, and me to lieutenant, chief deputy, and under- missed birthdays. sheriff. Throughout my career, Sheriff Hart’s I know inside you’ve probably had some mentorship and leadership shaped my sense choice words if I was late again, but Sarah, of duty to protect the health of this office. you’ve always met me with more love and You entrusted me with handling the press support than I ever could have dreamed of. during the CZU fire, a responsibility I did You’ve held everything together, or picked up not take lightly. Your legacy of leadership has the pieces, making sure our three boys never left a profound mark, and I am committed missed a practice or homework assignment, and to building on the strong foundation you were always understanding when I couldn’t be established. there. I wouldn’t be standing here today without All these individuals go to show that our your love and selflessness — a debt I don’t think office is grounded in remarkable people— I’ll ever be able to repay. And to our three boys, dedicated to serving our communities and Mason, Cameron, and Jackson — I appreciate upholding the laws where we come your patience when your dad missed things — from, and it’s this legacy that ensures I’m so proud of each of you and the young men our future is bright. you are today. When I leave home every day, it’s To the Deputy Sheriffs Asso- you all I can’t wait to get back to. ciation and Correctional Officers As your sheriff, I want to tell you I Association, thank you for believing approach this role with the same mindset I in me. have for my own family — I want nothing I also want to recognize partner- more than safety, security, and peace of mind ships from outside of the Sheriff’s for all of you. My commitment is to ensure Office that have been instrumental in that our community remains a place where my career. Our Board of Supervisors, we can all feel safe, where our children can Zach Friend, Bruce McPherson, grow up without fear, and where every Justin Cummings, Manu Koenig, and person is treated with dignity and respect.

Photo Credit: Ashley Keehn Felipe Hernandez, County Adminis“Sheriff Clark” page 14 trative Officer Carlos Palacios — I’ve Sheriff Chris Clark sits with his wife Sarah during the ceremony.

10 / December 15th 2024 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Honoring Differences: Let Them Enrich Your Life

I

t is important in life to honor differences, whether these be friends, co-workers or family members. So much can be learned from this practice.

When Barry and I wanted to get married, not one person thought we could make it as a couple. Yes, the love was there in abundance, but we were different religions. Barry was raised in a traditional Jewish family and attended the temple with his family. I was raised in a Christian family and attended church twice a week.

At that time in 1968 on the east coast, people with this difference in religion did not get married. It was unheard of.

Everyone thought we should break up and find someone else. We tried but it did not work. We came back together and decided to get married, but no one would marry us, especially not Barry’s childhood rabbi.

Finally, my mother set up an appointment

By Barry and Joyce Vissell

with her minister at her church near the University of Buffalo. This man, the Reverend Davis was a Godsend. He told us he could see we loved each other very much, but he would marry us on one condition: We must promise not to try to change the other. He told us the differences within us can complement and strengthen our union. If we honor these differences, they will bless our lives. And true to our promise to him, we have honored our differences, and they have indeed blessed us. We now have a shared spirituality that is perhaps our deepest strength as a couple.

I swim every day at a club near our home. I often go at the same time and so does another woman. We have gotten to be friends.

I really like this woman. She is the friendliest person at the club, treating all people with love and respect. She also has very interesting tales of growing up in Europe after the war ended. While we are getting dressed after our

swim she shares these stories. We both know we have very different political views, and we both know we will vote very differently.

Many months before the election, we promised each other we would not talk about politics. And we honored this commitment.

She was very happy on the day after the

election. I was not. But we never talked about it. We maintained our commitment. I believe that if we would have talked about politics, we might have lost our friendship. I saw that happen to someone else at the club.

“Honoring Differences” page 12

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But we did not, so our relationship is still strong and I am still enjoying her stories.

I feel blessed to know her.

My older brother is very different than me both in politics and religious views. He has very strong opinions. We are the only children with the same great parents and yet we turned out very different. And yet I love him very much and we have a similar commitment to never talk about politics or religion. If he forgets, and he sometimes does, one of his four children reminds him right away. We have been able to maintain a good relationship regardless of these differences.

Barry’s mother grew up in a Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn. Her first language was Yiddish. She took Judaism very seriously. It was a shock to her when Barry started dating me and an even greater shock when our relationship became more serious, and we became engaged. Barry’s mother lived in a Jewish world, and she was surrounded

by Jewish family, neighbors and friends. For her oldest son to be marrying a non-Jewish woman (a shiksa!) was almost too much to bear. Even after we were married, there was a slight distance she kept from me, and I could tell she hoped our relationship would not make it.

Then we had our first child and she asked, “What side of the family does she resemble?” Barry answered wisely, “She looks just like Joyce.”

And that comment blew open her

“SHFB” from page 7 “No matter how small or big your business is, I encourage you to get involved,” said Doyle.

Jazzercise Santa Cruz has donated to the drive for decades. Local franchise owner Robin Berkery, who took over the business in 2019, maintains this philanthropic tradition. On Thanksgiving Day, she offers a free team-taught workout at the Capitola Mall studio and asks attendees to make a monetary donation. Everything she collects goes to the Food Bank.

“Our amazing small but mighty Jazzercise community contributed $3,013 (9,039 meals) this time,” said Berkery.

Dignity Health Dominican Hospital has supported the Food Bank for 20-plus years.

“We have a shared mission to improve the health and quality of life for our residents,” said CEO and President Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz.

Every year, Dominican staff create gift baskets. “We started years ago with very small, themed baskets,” said Mickiewicz.

“They have morphed into an absolute extravaganza. We compete within the hospital to have the best basket.”

Last year, the hospital raffled 20 baskets.

Through those and other sponsorships, they funded 140,913 meals. They aim to meet or exceed that number this year.

world. Barry’s mother opened wide and fully accepted our daughter, and her world opened up as well. She began having close non-Jewish friends and she and my mother developed a close and deep relationship all the rest of their lives. And she grew close to me as well. She enjoyed lighting the Hanukkah candles, and at the same time enjoyed our Christmas tree and my manger scene on the mantle. She and I grew so close that she truly became a second mother to me.

She had learned to honor our differences.

Perhaps there is someone in your life where differences keep you separated.

Perhaps you also could honor these differences and find the commonality between the two of you, the place where you can meet in the heart. And though you will never change that person, you can find ways in which you can connect deeply. n ••• Joyce & Barry Vissell, a nurse/therapist and psychiatrist couple since 1964, are counselors in Aptos who are passionate about conscious relationship and personal-spiritual growth. They are the authors of 10 books and a free audio album of sacred songs and chants.

Visit their web site at SharedHeart.org.

A Couple of Miracles: One Couple, More Than a Few Miracles.

Semi-Finalist, Book of the Year, Online Book Club.

Available at Amazon.com.

“We started years ago with very small, themed baskets. They have morphed into an absolute extravaganza.

We compete within the hospital to have the best basket.”

— Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz, CEO and President, Dignity Health Dominican Hospital

A few other fundraisers: Sante Adairius Rustic Ales partnered with the Rio Theatre at a Mountainfilm on Tour screening last month. A portion of beer and ticket proceeds benefited Second Harvest. In November, Aptos High organized the 8th annual Empty Bowls fundraiser where ceramics students make bowls that attendees buy to take home after enjoying soup made by culinary students and listening to the choir. Associated Student Body and the National Art Honor Society helped run the event, and graphic design students created the poster and flyers.

Countless individuals and businesses — too many to mention here — have developed unique fundraisers and are contributing to this year’s drive with the mindset that every fundraiser and every dollar matters. n ••• The Holiday Food and Fund Drive’s goal is 4,750,000 meals or about $1,583,333. To find ideas for small fundraisers like used book and bake sales with your co-workers, see www.thefoodbank. org/holiday-food-fund-drive.

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LOCAL SPORTS

SCCAL Girls Golf All-League First Team

Emily Fassio - Aptos - jr.

Lauren Ohlsson - Scotts Valley - jr.

Reagan Atkinson - SLV - sr.

Olivia Strusis-Bregante - Harbor - frosh Joey Burgos - Soquel - soph.

Maisy Chard - Scotts Valley - jr. — Player of the Year

Second Team

Lemoni Anastasopoulos - Aptos - soph.

Becca Ervine - Scotts Valley - frosh Serena Sanford-Brantley - Scotts Valley - sr.

Sadie Bell - SLV - sr.

Sadie Morey - Harbor - soph.

Chelsea Myers - Soquel - frosh

Honorable Mention

Lillian McGee - Aptos - sr.

Adeline Burgess - Aptos - frosh Felicia Fernandez - Harbor - soph.

Jessica McMillan - Harbor - soph.

Lainey Weikel - SLV - soph.

Ella Cook - SLV - sr.

Lizzie Goldfield - Scotts Valley - frosh Cassidy Perry - Soquel - sr.

Hailey Helgueros - Soquel - soph.

Jessica Davidovich - Harbor — Coach of the Year n

SCCAL Water Polo All-League Boys

First Team

Kevin Johnson - Aptos - Junior Jacob Henshaw - Soquel - Senior Stryder Stelck - Soquel - Junior Kai Henrikson - Harbor - Junior Cash Wolf - Soquel - Senior Hayden Johnson - Santa Cruz - Junior Pakalani Vaka-Saxton - Santa Cruz - Senior Mattias Cruz - Santa Cruz - Senior — MVP

Second Team

Jack Widman - Aptos - Senior Tanner Connors - Soquel - Junior Noah Piona - Soquel - Senior Jameson Venus - Harbor - Senior Laird Bowser - Santa Cruz - Sophomore Xavier Hunter - Santa Cruz - Sophomore Giovanni Marini - Santa Cruz - Senior Elias Keen-Server - Harbor - Senior

Honorable Mention

Aptos - Massimo Lopez, Sr., Gavin Abundis, Sr. Harbor - Logan Manildi, Sr., Kasper BergMills, Jr. SLV - Amir Vered, Sr., Keegan Hickey, Sr. Santa Cruz - Nikolaus Kay, Jr., Tate Wilson, Jr. Soquel - Sam Robertson, So., Cane Mitchell, So. Caleb Conroy - Santa Cruz — Coach of the Year

“Sheriff Clark” from page 10 I will work tirelessly to address your concerns, to continue to build strong connections between law enforcement and the people we serve, and to seek out creative, collaborative solutions that make us all safer. Together, we will face challenges, but together, we will overcome them.

Girls

First Team

Adrianna Santillano - Aptos - Senior Natasha Ackerstein - Soquel - Junior Liz Penny - Soquel - Sophomore Giulia D’Souza - Santa Cruz - Senior Mary Suarez-Abraham - Aptos - Sophomore Angie Fulkerson - SLV - Senior Violet Rubin - Santa Cruz - Junior Abigail Higgins - Harbor - Senior Madison Barwick - Soquel - Senior — MVP

Second Team

Maddison Knudsen - Aptos - Junior Kira Burke - Soquel - Frosh Natalie Salerno - Soquel - Junior Sage Steller-Croll - Santa Cruz - Sophomore Bellame Breen - Aptos - Junior Serena Manildi - Harbor - Senior Daphne Olson - Santa Cruz - Senior Claire Robles - SLV - Sophomore

Honorable Mention

Aptos - Adelaide Friedley, Jr., Sofia Contreras, Sr. Harbor - Zia Jaggar, Sr., Kate Brandon, Jr. SLV - Abi Gabrielson, Sr., Adria MilkolskiCoulson, Sr. Santa Cruz - Kat Fanni, Sr., Tessa Jefferies, So. Soquel - Isabella Bridi-Milligan, So., Libby Fonest, Jr. Cody Gilbert - Aptos — Coach of the Year n My promise to you is the well-being of this community will always be the top priority. And at the heart of this work is an amazing team dedicated to keeping this community safe. Thank you for your support and trusting me with this responsibility. I’m honored to serve you all, and I look forward to leading our office into the future. n Cover Photo by Ashley Keehn

COMMUNITY NEWS

Student Voices: Kindness & Courage A

re kindness and courage important? PVUSD students think so!

Close to 40 students from high schools across the Pajaro Valley Unified School District met Dec. 3 for the Superintendent Student Advisory.

Students continued planning the kindness and courage campaign and are determined to make it successful. n

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www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / December 15th 2024 / 15

“Million-Dollar Problem” from page 9 At Castle, three removal estimates topped $76,000 with the highest $224,000 to replace the home with a smaller one.

For 10, with the awning removed, the estimate was $33,000 to $35,000. For the rest, it was $2,000 to $2,800.

Some mobile home units were determined to require relocation to another park, but no nearby mobile home parks have space available.

No one knows who would pay for this.

The costs — which in all exceed $1 million — were discovered this year.

This is just one of the rising costs.

Two years ago, construction and right of way costs were estimated at $39.8 million for Segments 8 & 9 Project and for Segments 10 & 11 $78.3 million. The 2024 estimates are $55.9 million for Segments 8 & 9 and $104.4 million for the Segments 10 & 11.

The $43 million increase is not funded.

The state Department of Housing requires a 3-foot setback from the property line but 44 mobilehomes are closer than that.

A variance to the setback would have to be approved by the county supervisors and state Housing Department staff.

Mobile home owners own their home (but not the land) and never chose where on the lot their home is located.

Blue & Gold Star Mobile Home Park was built in 1965 and Castle Estates Mobile Home Park was built in 1971.

The rail line runs between them, and the homes are encroaching on the rail corridor.

Solutions?

The RTC’s open house presentation of the Draft Zero Emission Public Rail Transportation study did have an option to relocate parts of the Monterey Bay National Sanctuary Scenic Trail to Brommer or Nova street in Segment 10 due to encroachment problems.

But the HRH report, titled “Removal Options,” did not include the option of relocating the rail trail onto streets nearby to avoid conflicts with the mobilehomes. That perhaps could removing the need to have such a wide corridor to accommodate both rail and trail.

The report did not include an engineering analysis of the mobilehome drive aisles to see if a move was feasible, did not check whether new utility connections would be needed, did not analyze sewer line connections, did not look at the age of the mobile home or liens that could affect the ability to relocate.

16 / December 15th 2024 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Also not covered in the report: Costs to temporarily house residents, store belongings, and care for pets, removing or replacing trees or landscaping, the “skirt” removal and replacement, and moving additions or pop-outs.

One potential solution: Could mobile home owners sell? Having gotten this notice, it’s difficult.

Another potential solution: Could the RTC take advantage of “prescriptive use privilege,” a legal concept that allows individuals to acquire certain rights over someone else’s property through continuous and uninterrupted use?

No, because the RTC is an autonomous planning agency, not a government agency.

Could the RTC claim eminent domain?

Take the property for a public use and compensate the property owner?

No, the City of Capitola or County of Santa Cruz would have to file that legal action on behalf of the RTC. The RTC has filed a lawsuit claiming half the parking area for Hotel Bayview and Trout Gulch Crossing in Aptos, home to Caroline’s Non-Profit Shop and Norma Jean’s to make a 14-foot wide trail for Segment 12 of the rail trail.

Many wonder why the RTC is now forcing the encroachment issue when its agents bought the corridor “as is” in 2012 accepting all existing conditions.

The corridor as purchased is not wide enough for a trail next to the rail line.

Lori Carraway, chief operating officer and vice president of the nonprofit Millenium Housing, which bought Castle Mobile Estates in 2018, notes the original right-of-way filing stated the corridor was 35 feet wide.

However, RTC analysis states 36 feet is needed for both rail and trail.

Refusing to Relocate Roxanne Stanley, whose home at Castle Mobile Estates encroaches 6’6” into the rail corridor, and her neighbor, Tim Dowling, who has a 7’2” encroachment want to stay.

They have children.

They do not intend to forfeit their homes and are worried about the significant negative impact on the value of their homes.

Recently, they organized a group of the affected homeowners to consult with an attorney to draft a letter to the RTC, refusing to relocate.

Dowling feels a fair and reasonable solution would be to have the mobile home park owners lease the encroaching areas from the RTC for 50 or 99 years, allowing the units to remain in place and remove their anxieties.

“We are drawing a line in the sand. We will not move.” said Ms. Stanley.

The RTC is not corresponding with the residents or the owners of the mobilehome parks.

The Human Factor Before the HMH cost estimates came out, mobilehome owners addressed the county supervisors on April 30.

Cami Clementson Corvin, 64, who lives in Castle Mobile Estates, is retired. Her family has been in Santa Cruz for over 100 years.

“There are approximately 24 homes that are on the tracks with almost 50%, being senior citizens, mostly single, and one-third making up a diversity of the Hispanic population,” she said. “I’d like to address the human factor of the RTC section 10. It’s quite obvious that no one is listening to us or addressing this issue of the folks who live on the tracks and the alleged RTC boundary and the encroachment that they are claiming. Our lives will be uprooted with this plan and many of us will be displaced, and our enjoyment of life and living will change as we

know it. How does the County and the RTC plan on addressing this?”

Christine, a neighbor in Castle Mobile Estates, said, “My home will have to be moved four inches for the rail, along with other residents being moved. Once again, that means our homes get cut down the middle and we will have to get new plumbing and put back together and hope it doesn’t leak. While that’s being done, where am I going to live with my pets? Who’s going to pay for this moving the home and my hotel? No one is talking to us. The only communications that we have is what we need to do and move by June of 2025 by the RTC.” First District Supervisor Manu Koenig (who is on the RTC board) hosted a town hall meeting in early February with affected residents and RTC staff.

His purported opinion was that the RTC does not have money for a train, so there probably won’t be a train. He felt the RTC action was unnecessarily aggressive.

Mobile and Manufactured Home Commissioner Jean Brocklebank notes the importance of the missing pieces of cost estimates, and the absence of discussion of who will pay.

Second District Mobile and Manufactured Home Commissioner Henry Cleveland said, “We’ve all been waiting on pins and needles, just not knowing what is next.”

More Time?

Mobile home parks are an essential part of the county’s affordable housing stock.

For Carraway at Millennium Housing, the nonprofit owner of Castle Estates Mobile Home Park, the potential move is causing untold stress.

At Castle, 90% of residents qualify as lowand very low-income, and it’s the only mobile home park in Capitola with a rent control agreement as part of the purchase.

Carraway wonders why the RTC insists that the homes encroaching in the rail corridor must be moved next year, when there is no immediate plan to begin operating rail in Segments 10 and 11 of the Monterey Bay Scenic Trail.

“We are not trying to stop the project,” says Carraway. “We just want time to rectify the situation. As the affected homes are sold, the encroachment issue could be mitigated.”

Rent at Blue & Gold Star Mobile Home Park ranges from $475 to $725 per month.

The owner of Blue and Gold Star Mobile Home Park (an investor-owned park) was not available for comment.

For now, the homeowners in Castle Estates and Blue and Gold Star Mobile Home Park are waiting to see what the RTC will do.

“Put yourself in the shoes of these people,” says Carraway at Millennium Housing. “They have lived here for over 30 years. Their homes could be taken away now for a project that likely may not happen for another 30 years. County residents want the trail now and understand the rail will come later. So the RTC could give us and these low-income homeowners the time to correct the encroachments by building the trail only in Segment 10 and adding the rail portion later, after homes have been changed out at resale. All we are asking of the RTC is time to allow us to fix this problem, and end the stress these elderly residents are now experiencing.”

The June 2025 deadline looms large. n ••• For Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line history, see pages 20-1 through 20-65 at https://sccrtc.org/wp-content/ uploads/2021/08/2021-09-02-RTC-agendapacket.pdf To view the HRH report, see https://www.sccrtc. org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SCBRL-MobileHomeEncroachment-RemovalOptions.pdf

COMMUNITY NEWS

Panetta: Raise Project Housing Vouchers Cap U .S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) authored and reintroduced the Housing Access Improvement Act to increase the creation of new affordable housing units in California and around the country by increasing the cap on “Project Based Vouchers” that housing authorities grant from 20% by 50%.

These vouchers, which subsidize rent for low-income Jimmy Panetta tenants who pay 30% of their income, gives developers a guarantee of a future source of stable income from a development, and can be integral to making possible more affordable housing projects.

The reason for the 20% cap as to encourage mixed-income developments.

Currently, more than 530,000 people in nearly 290,000 households nationwide afford modest housing in the private market thanks to Project Based Vouchers.

Rep. Panetta introduced this legislation alongside Reps. Adam Schiff (CA-30), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Judy Chu (CA-28), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), and Salud Carbajal (CA-24).

A project-based voucher allows local

housing authorities to assign vouchers to a specific unit in a new housing project guaranteeing availability for low-income individuals and families.

In markets facing a housing shortage, like the 19th Congressional District represented by Panetta, this is one of the only tools housing authorities have to spur the development of new, quality units.

In Panetta’s view, local housing agencies have been held back from using project based vouchers due to the limited amount of such vouchers offered by the federal government.

According to Panetta, setting the cap at 50% would come at no additional cost to taxpayers because the change would allow housing authorities more flexibility with existing resources.

“Lack of affordable housing across California’s 19th Congressional District contributes to its unfortunate distinction as one of the most expensive places in our country for renters,” said Panetta. “We are lifting regulatory burdens that hold back housing authorities from working with developers to guarantee affordable units in new properties.”

Lofgren said, “The Santa Clara County Housing Authority has already successfully used a higher project voucher cap.”

“Housing Vouchers” page 26

Panetta Secures $3.6 Million for Swanton Ranch Dead Tree Removal

O

n Nov. 20, U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) secured $3.6 million in federal funds to assist Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo to remove an estimated 2,688 dead or dying trees at Swanton Pacific Ranch in Santa Cruz County damaged by the 2020 CZU wildfire.

The 3,200-acre Swanton Pacific Ranch is a Cal Poly educational and research facility providing graduate students and undergraduates opportunities to study sustainable land management practices in the forest, rangeland, and watershed ecosystems.

The lightning fires damaged or destroyed most of the structures at Swanton Pacific Ranch. While Cal Poly has continued to use the ranch for student and faculty learning and research, several thousand trees were identified as dead or dying and hazardous and in need of removal.

Panetta kept the pressure on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deliver federal funding after years of delay.

“Our community continues to recover from the devastating CZU Lightning

Complex fires which destroyed lives, livelihood, and thousands of acres of California wilderness,” said Panetta. “This federal funding will support Cal Poly’s stewardship of the Swanton Pacific Ranch, its land, and its critical role as a local hub for research and education. I am continuing to keep the pressure on the federal government to provide the resources our community needs to fully recover, rebuild, and return to a sense of normalcy following devastating fires and floods.”

Interim Dean Bill Hendricks said: “Safety is our first priority and the financial support to remove hazardous trees from Swanton Pacific Ranch has allowed crucial learning and research to continue at Swanton Pacific Ranch by Cal Poly students, faculty and staff. We have worked with FEMA for the last four years seeking public assistance to recover from the devastating CZU Lightning Complex fires in 2020 and are grateful for the support as we work to re-envision and rebuild the incredible learning facilities there.” n

FREE

3 Hour Parking

Drone photo by Don Campbell

through Christmas Day

Explore our eclectic mix of boutiques and restaurants. You will find unique gift shops, wine tasting rooms, galleries, apparel shops, surf shops, and more!

Come stroll the village & enjoy the beautiful lights, check out the decorated storefronts & the lights of Depot Hill.

C A P I T O L A V I L L A G E . C OM

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / December 15th 2024 / 17

COMMUNITY NEWS

Pinto Lake Skate Park Coming in 2025 O n Dec. 11, the Santa Cruz County Department of Parks, Open Space and Cultural Services, along with County Park Friends, the Richard Novak Foundation and Supervisor Zach Friend kicked off a campaign for a new skate park feature at Pinto Lake County Park.

County Park Friends are working with the Richard Novak Foundation to make this generous donation of a new skate feature possible at Pinto Lake County Park, 757 Green Valley Road, Watsonville. The project was initiated by NHS founder Richard Novak with design oversight by County Parks.

This park improvement is expected to be

“Rail Trail History” from page 9 There was no legal property description included in the Deed, as it was “to be attached” (Schedule 1 of Exhibit B, page 31), but it did exist: https://sccrtc.org/ wp-content/uploads/2011/07/090901-FinalTitleReport.pdf Freight service was only in Watsonville as Cemex closed the historic cement processing plant in Davenport in 2010.

In 2013, U.S. Rep. Sam Farr worked

completed in late spring 2025 and open to the public in summer of 2025.

The skate park feature is being designed

by Matt Fluegge of Grindline Skateparks Inc. in collaboration with Tricia Proctor of the Richard Novak Foundation and local skateboarder and NHS brand manager Gavin Denike.

Friend, Novak, County Parks and County Parks Friends previously collaborated on a skate feature at Seacliff Village County Park.

“Santa Cruz County has a treasured history of skateboarding and skateboard innovation, and this will bring the best of both to South County in a way that has never existed

before. We have cultivated and grown this partnership with the Richard Novak Foundation, County Park Friends and County Parks and now we are delivering another worldclass skate park for our local community,” Friend said. “Along with the Richard Novak Foundation, we can bring future generations a new gift to a cherished park that will create memories and opportunities.”

“This demonstrates what we can do when we work with our nonprofit partners advancing our new Parks Strategic Plan goal of equity while also providing a great park amenity for South County residents in an area that currently doesn’t have one,” Parks Deputy Director Rebecca Hurley said.

with the RTC to approve the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Network Master Plan, revised in 2014, that added a trail component into the rail corridor.

That squeezed a lot into a small space.

Obispo to conduct a boundary survey for the rail line. See: https://sccrtc.org/wp-content/ uploads/2020/06/Replacement-Pages-foritem-21.pdf According to RTC staff: ”The RTC purchased the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line in 2012. RTC did not have dedicated funding to complete a boundary survey of the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line property at that time. RTC began to collect revenues that could be applied to a boundary survey after the approval of Measure D (2016). RTC began to make real property investments associated with ownership, management, maintenance and development of the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line once sufficient revenues were collected. RTC began to program available revenues for to work associated with completing a boundary survey of the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line in 2020.

The County of Santa Cruz approved and recorded the boundary survey in the area of Segment 10 of the Coastal Rail Trail in Fall 2023. A recorded boundary survey is required to define the presence and extent of encroachments within the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line. This was completed prior to notifying any property owners with encroachments into the publicly owned right-of-way.”

There has been no regular locomotive use of the rail corridor since 2017. Does that mean the rail corridor has been abandoned?

No, that requires a formal application.

No formal application for line abandonment has been filed by the carrier contracted by the RTC to operate service on the Santa Cruz Branch Line Rail Line.

Current operator Progressive Rail has threatened to file for abandonment.

The RTC managed to negotiate that Progressive would not abandon the line without prior notice and instead endeavor to find another willing carrier.

A U.S. Supreme Court decision ruled that: ”When the railway abandoned the right of way, the easement terminated and defendant’s land became unburdened of the easement, conferring on him the same full rights over the right of way as he enjoyed over the rest of his parcel.”

The Court concluded its opinion with the following: More than 70 years ago, the Government argued before this Court that a right of way granted under the 1875 Act was a simple easement. The Court was persuaded, and so ruled.

Why Now?

Why did the RTC wait until now, more than 10 years after purchase, to conduct property boundary surveys along the rail corridor?

In 2021, the commissioners approved hiring RRM Design Group of San Luis

18 / December 15th 2024 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Seacliff Skate Park

County Park Friends Executive Director Mariah Roberts said, “We’re excited to be partnered with the Richard Novak foundation to build a new skate feature in a place it will be appreciated.” n For info, contact Mariana Colibri-Urgo at mariana.colibri-urgo@santacruzcountyca.gov.

Now the Government argues that such a right of way is tantamount to a limited fee with an implied reversionary interest. We decline to endorse such a stark change in position, especially given “the special need for certainty and predictability where land titles are concerned.”

Measure D Funding

In November 2016, Santa Cruz County voters approved Measure D, a ½-cent sales tax to fund transportation projects and programs.

The Measure D Expenditure Plan provides funding by formula for five categories of projects over 30 years.

Two of the categories include funding projects related to the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail/ Rail Trail (17%) and also the Santa Cruz Branch Line Rail Corridor (8%).

This permanent source of revenue is being used to fund and leverage grant approvals for the RTC projects with the County as a partner.

In December 2022, the County was awarded $67.6 million from the California Transportation Commission’s Active Transportation Program for Segments 10 and 11— the largest grant that State program has ever given.

The RTC plans to increase funding $2.4 million to cover costs of encroachment issues and vegetation and drainage projects on the railway.

Plans call for adding $753,000 for rail infrastructure maintenance and repairs.

Measure D is expected to generate $27 million to $30 million per year over the next 5 years.

The Draft Five-Year Measure D Strategic Plan calls for spending $17.4 million on Segments 10 and 11, payable to Santa Cruz County Public Works, as the lead agency of the project.

Anticipated revenue needs for the Highway and Trail investment categories will exceed projected revenue on a year-to-year cash basis.

To support the proposed plans to expeditiously deliver Measure D projects and leverage grants over the next 5 years, financing such as bonding may be needed starting in 2025. n

CALIFORNIA NEWS

State Auditor Reviews Housing Mandate Process T he California State Auditor is conducting an audit of the state’s housing element review process.

The audit, according to California State Auditor Grant Parks, will provide independently developed and verified information related to the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s procedures and oversight regarding housing element reviews.

The audit’s scope will include, but not be limited to, the following activities pertaining to HCD and 10 cities selected by the State Auditor for their diversity in population, geography, and compliance with HCD’s housing element standards: 1) Review and evaluate the laws, rules, and regulations significant to the audit objectives.

2) Identify and evaluate HCD’s requirements and guidance for local housing elements. Perform the following: • Determine whether HCD’s standards and guidance are detailed enough for cities to apply to their housing elements.

• Assess whether HCD is available for assistance when cities are developing their initial drafts of housing elements and determine the median time cities wait for assistance from HCD.

3) Assess HCD’s responsiveness in reviewing housing elements for the 10 selected cities by doing the following: • Identify the median range of time HCD took to complete each review (or reviews) of the fifth and sixth housing element cycles.

• Identify the median range of time HCD took to approve the housing elements and compare these times to the times of those from the fifth housing element cycle.

• Assess how and when HCD communicated housing element submission deadlines for the sixth housing element cycle. Determine whether these deadlines differed from the fifth housing element cycle.

4) Evaluate HCD’s comments and feedback to each of the 10 selected cities in the sixth housing element cycle by doing the following: • Determine the consistency of HCD’s comments among the 10 selected cities.

• Determine whether HCD reviewers provided precise, measurable, and criteria-based comments and feedback.

• Compare the overall comments

and feedback to HCD’s comments and feedback on the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing standards and site analysis requirements of the housing element.

5) Evaluate HCD’s staffing levels and turnover rate, to the extent data is available, by doing the following: • Identify the total number of reviewers HCD had in the fifth and sixth cycles.

For each cycle, determine the median time that reviewers worked at HCD. Compare the turnover and totals between the two cycles.

• Determine the median number and full range of reviewers that evaluated the housing elements of each of the 10 selected cities.

• Determine how long a reviewer remained assigned to the same local government in the sixth housing element cycle and compare this time to the average for the fifth housing cycle.

6) Identify and evaluate HCD’s policies and procedures for training new and existing staff assigned to review housing elements and determine the following: • The length of time for and procedures taught in new employee training.

• Whether HCD offers additional training to existing staff and, if so, how often and on what topics.

• Whether HCD’s training is sufficient to prepare reviewers to review housing elements and provide clear comments to local governments.

7) Review and assess any other issues that are significant to the audit.

The California State Association of Counties is encouraging counties to provide comments and feedback to the auditor’s office with their experiences with the state’s housing element review process.

This audit request was put forth by Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) and received unanimous approval from the Joint Legislative Audit Committee.

CSAC supports this audit based on feedback from counties about the challenges they faced in the 6th Regional Housing Needs Allocation cycle and achieving housing element certification from the Department of Housing and Community Development.

The audit provides an opportunity to highlight ways to improve the housing element review process in the future.

“Housing Mandate” page 20

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / December 15th 2024 / 19

CALIFORNIA NEWS

California Wildfire Mitigation Program Home Hardening Retrofit Financial Assistance

A

s part of the State of California’s effort to strengthen community-wide resilience against wildfires, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) has partnered with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to develop a state home hardening initiative to retrofit, harden, and create defensible space for homes at high risk to wildfires, focusing on high socially-vulnerable communities and providing financial assistance for low- and moderate-income households.

Known as the California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP), this effort encourages cost-effective wildfire resilience measures to create fire-resistant homes, businesses, public buildings and public spaces.

Visit https://www.caloes.ca.gov/ office-of-the-director/operations/ recovery-directorate/hazard-mitigation/ california-wildfire-mitigation-program/ for more information and to apply.

Mitigation measures such as home hardening, vegetation management, defensible space, and other fuel modification activities

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“Housing Mandate” from page 19 Counties can submit comments and feedback about their individual experiences with HCD during the last RHNA cycle to the auditor’s office.

These comments will help the state auditor’s office better understand the complexity of the housing element review process and

CNRA Building, 715 P Street, 2nd Floor Conference Room 2-221 Sacramento, CA 95814.

Meeting date and location may vary, please check meeting notices for changes. These meetings are open to the public except when specifically noticed otherwise in accordance with the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act. The virtual meeting waiting room will open 15 minutes before via Zoom Meeting. n how more technical assistance, financial resources, and other solutions could help cities plan more effectively for much-needed housing. n ••• Counties can participate in the audit by submitting comments about their experiences with the 6th RHNA Cycle to audit-2024-109@auditor. ca.gov.

COMMUNITY NEWS

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provide neighborhood or community-wide benefits against wildfire.

California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP) Board Meeting The California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP) Board Meetings will take place on the third Tuesday of every month from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM until further notice. The in-person location will be at:

A portion of parking fees stay local to help Friends of Santa Cruz State Park support state parks and beaches in Santa Cruz County and coastal San Mateo County.

Previously visitors had to pay with cash or have a State Parks pass. n

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FEATURED COLUMNIST

Vacationing with Valuables: 3 Rules

W

By Christopher Elliott

here’s the safest place for your valuables? Mark Alsip found out the hard way — and at the worst possible time.

Alsip, a computer programmer from Lexington, Ky., was in St. Maarten with his girlfriend.

When he arrived at his hotel, he got out. But his camera bag stayed.

“I was preparing a surprise marriage proposal,” he says. “I left a very expensive diamond ring and my passport along with my camera bag sitting in the back seat of a taxi van.”

Alsip says he violated the first rule of traveling with your valuables: Always keep them on your person.

You’d be surprised how many people lose their valuables on vacation Valuables get lost on vacation. A **lot** of valuables. I talk to travelers every day who have misplaced something while they are on the road, and they wish they had known how to avoid it.

“Based on our internal data, the number

of traveler-impacting events is on the rise,” says Frank Harrison, the regional security director of the Americas for World Travel Protection. “From criminal assaults to petty crimes like pickpocketing, a myriad of crime-related events can cause these travel interruptions.”

But there are other rules, from where on your person you should put your valuables (and where not to put them) to the safest places to store them in your hotel. I’m going to focus on valuables such as money and jewelry in this article, and in part two, I’ll offer expert advice on passports.

Oh, and of course I’ll tell you what happened to Alsip’s marriage proposal.

Rule #1: Always keep your valuables on your person.

Alsip is right. He violated the first rule of keeping your valuables safe. It’s a rule Joel Parker learned when he visited Israel a few years ago and bought a new digital camera to capture the memories.

“I attended a private group event and set my camera down for less than 30 minutes,”

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says Parker, a travel advisor. “When I returned, it was gone.”

He reported the theft to his hotel and filed a police report, but the camera was gone for good.

“This experience taught me a valuable lesson about safeguarding my belongings while traveling,” he says. “Now I ensure that any small items are either attached to me or securely stowed on me.”

That merits repeating: If you want to keep your valuables, keep them on you when you travel.

Rule #2: Find a discreet place to put your valuables.

Pickpockets and thieves are opportunists.

They’re looking for valuables that are easy to filch, such as a wallet in your back pocket or a bracelet or watch. And the key is to minimize these opportunities. If possible, don’t wear an expensive watch or jewelry. And for goodness’ sake, don’t keep your valuables in your back pocket — that’s just an invitation.

“A money belt or neck pouch worn under your clothes for your passport and cash is highly effective,” says Peter Hamdy, managing director of Auckland & Beyond Tours.

“To minimize the risk of theft, diversify the locations of your valuables.”

In other words, don’t put all of your valuables in one place.

Money belts or pouches like the PortaPocket.com accessories for travelers, can keep valuables — such as cell phone, credit cards, driver’s license and passport — safer.

Rule #3: Track your stuff.

If you do leave your valuables in your hotel room, consider using the hotel’s safe or at least put a tracking device on them.

“I add a Tile tracker to my bag and tuck it away in a secret compartment so I can always track my luggage if anything were to happen,” says Jess Rodley, bookings director at Andorra Escapes. “Using an AirTag works just as well.”

Consider tucking a tracker into your

wallet or purse. If you’re tracking it, that could help law enforcement authorities find it much faster.

But there’s one guaranteed way to ensure your valuables never get lost or stolen on your trip: “If you don’t need it, leave it at home,” says John Rose, chief risk and security officer at ALTOUR. That’s right. Leave the family jewels at home in your safe. Because the bottom line is that even when you keep your valuables on your person and track them, there’s still no foolproof way to prevent them from getting lost or stolen.

For those must-bring items, consider PickPocket Proof pants from ClothingArts.com.

The only way to do that is to not bring them. (Unfortunately, this advice doesn’t work for passports, which you have to bring if you’re traveling abroad. But I’ll have some advice on that in the next part of this series.)

What about that marriage proposal?

So what happened to Alsip, the computer programmer from Kentucky? Fortunately, his taxi driver was an honest guy.

“He was halfway to his next pickup, saw the bag, and turned around and walked into the reception area where we were checking in, carrying the bag,” he says.

His girlfriend, meanwhile, had no idea about the contents of the bag. But Alsip was so nervous he had to run to the restroom to compose himself.

“Had I followed that first rule, I wouldn’t have been in that position,” he says.

The next day he popped the question.

“Thankfully, she said yes,” he says. n ••• Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes Elliott Confidential, a travel newsletter, and the Elliott Report, a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, email him at chris@elliott.org. Illustration by Dustin Elliott

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Thank You for Passing PVUSD Bond Measure Editor’s note: This announcement comes from the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. ajaro Valley Unified School District would like to express its sincere gratitude to the community for its support in passing Measure M on the November ballot. This essential bond measure will provide significant funding to enhance educational facilities, improve infrastructure, and ensure PVUSD students have the resources they need to succeed.

“We are truly thankful to our community for supporting Measure M,” said Dr. Heather Contreras, superintendent of PVUSD. “This investment will help us continue providing the best possible meaningful learning environments for our students, from modernized classrooms to safe, accessible facilities. This bond is a step forward in ensuring our students thrive now and in the future across the Pajaro Valley.”

Measure M will allocate funds for critical facility improvements, such as updating outdated classrooms, enhancing safety measures, and providing modern educational technology across the district.

Expanding high school career technical education classrooms, adding a performance arts center at Pájaro Valley High, and offering staff housing to become a more competitive district, are priorities included on the bond.

Additionally, the measure will also address long-overdue repairs to aging facilities and to essential infrastructure that directly supports meaningful learning experiences. The district is committed to involving students, families, and staff in prioritizing projects.

In addition to the support from district leadership, student voices have also played an important role in this process through their canvassing and campaigning efforts.

“This bond will have a direct impact on students like myself. I am extremely satisfied knowing that my peers will have access to updated facilities and resources that will

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improve the quality of our education and assist us in growing into the leaders we all have the potential to be,” said Daniel Esqueda, PVUSD student trustee and a senior at Aptos High.

PVUSD is committed to transparency and accountability as it moves forward with Measure M, including creating a Citizens Oversight Committee to ensure funds are expended as required.

The District thanks voters for their continued confidence and support. For more information about the Measure M bond and upcoming projects, visit the PVUSD dedicated Measure M website at https://sites. google.com/pvusd.net/pvusd-measure-m/ home ••• WomenCare is Here to Help he weight of a cancer diagnosis can be crushing for one’s spirit...

At WomenCare, we offer free services within a compassionate and supportive community, helping clients find renewed strength and hope as they navigate their healing journey.

Over the past year, we’ve provided 3,096 services to 212 clients, including transportation across the Bay Area, help with errands and housework, healing circles, educational forums, and support groups tailored to every stage of a cancer diagnosis. Through Entre Nosotras, we also offer specialized support for our Spanish-speaking clients.

While the numbers highlight our impact, the true story of WomenCare is best told through the voices of those we serve: “Spending time with other women who have gone through what I’m going through was an invaluable part of my healing.”

Your generous gifts have helped keep our doors open since 1992. It was through these doors that a client found the caring community which enabled her to say, simply, “WomenCare saved my life.”

With unending thanks for your kind and continued generosity. n — WomenCare Staff and Friends Committee, Soquel

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www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / December 15th 2024 / 23

FEATURED COLUMNS

Elkhorn Slough Sea Otters Keep Invasive Green Crabs in Check S ea otters are not just adorable animals, they are voracious predators that help keep problematic invaders out of coastal waters.

A recent study published in the scientific journal Biological Invasions reports that otters in the Elkhorn Slough estuary are keeping populations of the globally-invasive green crab at bay.

Rikke Jeppesen, estuarine ecologist at Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve in Watsonville, spearheaded the publication.

“I’ve studied green crabs in estuaries on three coasts and two continents for decades,” she says, “and this is one of the first pieces of good news we’ve gotten.”

Sea otters have been recovering from near extinction in California since the early

Photo Credit: Michael Yang

Sea otter eating a female green crab carrying orange eggs at Elkhorn Slough.

2000s. This new study provides the first evidence that recovery of this top predator has the benefit of controlling an invasive prey species.

The green crab, Carcinus maenas — a native of Europe — was unintentionally introduced to the Pacific coast of North America in 1989 in San Francisco Bay. Since then, the green crab has been a successful invader to bays and estuaries, from Elkhorn Slough in the south to Alaska in the north.

By damaging seagrass beds or eating small prey that are important to migratory shorebirds, green crabs can have devastating effects on coastal habitats. Once established in their new habitat, green crab populations often persist with high numbers of individuals — except for at Elkhorn Slough.

Green crabs were first detected at the slough in 1994, and the population peaked in the early 2000s. Since then, the population has declined, never reaching the highs of its boom years again. During the same time period, the Southern sea otter population at the slough has the opposite pattern. The otter population has been highest at the slough when the green crab population has been lowest, and vice versa.

Elkhorn Slough is the only California estuary where otters have successfully reestablished substantial populations. It is also

the only estuary in the state invaded by green crabs where crab populations have remained so low.

Otters certainly eat green crabs in Elkhorn Slough, but how many do they eat?

The investigators for this study used U.S. Geological Survey data on otter foraging to calculate that up to 120,000 green crabs per year could be consumed by the current otter population.

This is certainly enough to limit populations.

“We set traps and are delighted that we no longer catch large green crabs,” Jeppesen notes. “This is one more great reason to support recovery of top predators in coastal habitats.”

The team also found important habitat relationships. Much of the Elkhorn Slough estuary was diked in the past to cut off tidal exchange and allow for farming in former wetlands. Many of these areas still have only limited tidal exchange today.

It turns out that these areas with limited tidal exchange are places that sea otters generally avoid, and some are also the places where green crabs have their last holdout in the estuary.

Senior author Kerstin Wasson, research coordinator at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, thinks this is one of the most critical messages of the study.

Photo Credit: Rikke Jeppesen

Shirley Murphy, longtime volunteer, holds an invasive green crab at Elkorn Slough in 2004.

“Restoring the ebb and flow of tides — the lifeblood of the estuary — has so many benefit,” Wasson said. “Now we know these benefits include decreasing the abundance of invasive species by restoring natural food webs, with our coastal apex predator, the sea otter, on top.” n

Congress Has a Rare Chance to Lower Drug Prices

C

By Salvatore J. Giorgianni

oncerns about high drug prices can take a significant toll on Americans every day. A new West Health-Gallup study recently found that a mere 55% of Americans believe they can afford their healthcare and prescription drugs, down six points in just one year. Thankfully, Congress has a rare bi-partisan opportunity in this upcoming lame duck session to address one of the primary drivers of this crisis: pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs. These powerful middlemen control prescription drug access for millions of Americans, and their business model is nefarious — but currently legal.

PBMs, which represent for-profit insurance companies, extract (or dictate) substantial rebates and discounts off the nominal “list” price of medicines and also decide which medicines should be covered on different insurance plans.

These for-profit PBMs pocket the lion’s share of these discounts for themselves and send the rest to insurers — while patients

PBM compensation are stuck paying copays powerful middlemen from drug prices. and coinsurance based These control prescription drug access Currently, PBMs earn on the much higher list for millions of Americans, and fees calculated as a prices.

The consequences their business model is nefarious percentage of a drug’s — but currently legal. list price. PBMs would are heartbreaking. The have to charge flat fees West Health-Gallup study reports that “72.2 million Americans based on actual services provided, elimiavoided necessary medical care in the past nating their incentive to favor higher-priced three months due to cost.” This only exac- medications.

The second bill would require patient erbates other barriers to care for vulnerable populations. Many patients who have walked cost-sharing to be based on a drug’s actual away from the pharmacy counter empty- net price — what insurers pay after rebates handed did so because of unaffordable copay and discounts — rather than its list price.

This seemingly simple change could dramatior coinsurance payments.

One of the most important remedies cally reduce out-of-pocket costs for patients to this dangerous situation is to reform with conditions like asthma, heart disease, how PBMs work and require them to be and those requiring blood thinners.

These PBM practices also have an accountable and to return discounts and impact on overall health and wellness. When rebate savings to patients.

Two bipartisan bills currently before patients can’t afford medications, manageable chronic conditions can escalate into Congress offer real solutions.

The first, the Modernizing and Ensuring medical emergencies. This creates a cascade PBM Accountability Act, would “delink” of costly hospitalizations and complications

24 / December 15th 2024 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

that strain our entire healthcare system. They also adversely impact access to care.

Pharmacies, particularly independent community pharmacies that proudly serve vulnerable populations are being squeezed to the breaking point by PBM practices. This is particularly appalling when you consider that one of the largest chain pharmacy corporations also owns one of the largest PBM operations.

Congress needs to seize the moment and act now to address PBM overreach and abuses. Strong majorities across party lines are demanding change. These reforms wouldn’t solve every problem, but they would represent a significant step toward a more transparent, patient-centered system. n ••• Salvatore J. Giorgianni, PharmD, CMHE is the vice-president and cofounder of Healthy Men Inc. and chair-emeritus and cofounder of the American Public Health Association Men’s Health Caucus. This piece originally ran in Medical Economics.

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Mariners Go Green & Say Thanks

W

e are making Aptos High School green and clean again!

Our school exists in its own ecosystem from redwoods to rose gardens.

With nearly 2,000 people entering campus on any given day, it takes a collective amount of work to keep it healthy.

Our booster club president Maria Meade helped refocus us last year when she started the sponsor a trash can project. She helped us increase the number of recycling bins by the stadium and participated in the dialogues we started with Santa Cruz County Recycling and Solid Waste along with Green Waste staff who are collaborating with us.

Santa Cruz County Zero Waste Program Coordinator Christina Horvat came to our campus to help us rethink our trash collection and paradigms. She brought two team members who walked through our quad during break and lunch talking to our students and staff about what we are putting in our bins and why it makes a difference.

We informally surveyed several students and learned that in elementary school, most students were composting and separating their trash and recyclables.

However, we have lost many of those habits at the secondary school level. Our trash bins and recycle bins too often consist of a random mixture.

I also just learned about the “Trash Talkers” whose mission is to make Santa Cruz County the cleanest county in California. On the website pitchinsantacruz.org, they refer to trash as a “health human issue, psychologically depleting, and an environmental hazard.”

We at Aptos High School completely agree.

Let’s work together as a community to make this vision come true. Imagine driving onto campus and no trash is visible. Then, you open our blue bins to add a recyclable item and see only other recyclable items there.

We are a smart group of Mariners and sorting our trash, recycling, and compost should be part of our norm. It’s also part of the law and soon to be enforced with hefty fees.

With winter break and the holidays ahead of us, please take a moment to think about trash/recycling/composting processes that work in your own home and life to help keep our community greener. We appreciate everybody who takes the extra time to compost, separate recycling, and know what belongs in the trash. Habits we create in our home carry into our school and community.

In this upcoming year, individuals and

By Dr. Alison Hanks-Sloan, aka Dr. AHS, Aptos High Principal

businesses will be fined for not being more mindful of what goes in our bins. This is an excellent opportunity for us to be part of the change and take the lead in our Aptos/Watsonville community.

We also want to thank our Aptos community for taking the time to say thank you to our staff.

Our booster community co-organized a holiday breakfast for our staff. It took the help of many of you to make it happen.

Seascape Foods owner, Aptos parent, and

Booster treasurer Julie Kellman generously contributed breakfast sandwiches, fruit, and multiple items to make it happen.

It also took the time and donations from our booster leaders, including Naomi Blanco, and several parents to provide supplies, set up, clean up, and bring delicious breakfast items. These big and small tokens go a long way, as our staff work with all SAILs up this time of year.

From grading finals to checking in with students before the holiday break, our days

don’t slow down until the last student heads off campus before the holidays.

Winter break is such a great time to engage in green conversations and just in our community overall. It is also a great time to say thank you to one another and not take each other for granted.

Whether we are a teenager or a teacher, we all appreciate words of thanks and being seen by each other.

“Green Mariners” page 26

COMMUNITY NEWS

Aptos High School Dance Showcase Photos by Stacy Aronovici On Dec. 2, the Aptos High Dance Team, coached by Nadia Hinds with assistant

coaches Julia Park and Alexis Valoroso, presented a showcase for the community.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / December 15th 2024 / 25

Advent, Candles, Preparations, Mercury Direct, Full Moon Sagittarius Festival

U

Esoteric Astrology • Mid-December 2024 • By Risa D’Angeles

pcoming in December: It’s Winter Solstice (Sun in Capricorn, Dec. 21st) soon, then Christmas and Hanukkah (25th) (both occurring the same day!). Then the new year begins (January 1, 2025). ‘Til those days arrive, we have Advent (light kindled in the darkness), the days in December dedicated to preparing for the new light of the new year (Winter Solstice).

In terms of light, every Sunday, many households around the world light candles set in the circle of an Advent (evergreens) wreath. There are four candles on the Advent Wreath. Each candle represents a kingdom — mineral, plant, animal and human. All earth’s kingdoms await the new solstice light. This week the plant kingdom candle is lit. Advent is Latin for “adventus” which means “something will soon arrive!” referring to Winter Solstice, when the Sun enters Capricorn and its light turns northward. The dark half of the year ends and we enter once again (each year) into the light half of the year.

In these weeks we also prepare for two most important festivals of light, - Christmas (birth of the holy child, symbols for the Light of the World) and Hanukkah (miracle of light). This year both religious festivals (different developmental stages of thought) occur on December 25.. Both are about preparation, (re)dedication and the kindling of light (hope, promise) in the world within the darkness (of matter).

The Astrology: Sunday, December 15, Mercury stations direct at 7 degrees Sagittarius. However Mercury remains in its retrograde shadow through the first week of January 2025.

Just after midnight Sunday morning the last full moon of 2024 appears shining brightly, a lantern in the night sky.

December’s full moon informs us it’s time for the Sagittarius solar festival (24 degrees Sag). The archer’s gleaming silver sword and his white steed leading humanity to the foothills of Capricorn (Initiation, Gate of Return).

Everyone is invited to join the New Group of World Servers for the Sagittarius festival meditation by contemplating on the Soul’s meditative seed thought for Sagittarius, “I see the goal, I reach that goal, and then I see another.” Let us ponder upon this seed thought each morning as we awaken and review our daily goals. During the day we visualize and then accomplish our goals. At night we see that the day was good. The next morning we see new goals appearing. This is the life and the ways of disciples that form the body of the New Group of World Servers. Join us, everyone. n Happy holidays, holy days, Solstice, Christmas & Hanukah, everyone. No matter our beliefs, we are all brothers & sisters in the light.

Love, Risa

ARIES You’re out and about, in and out, here and there in the world of people, events, food, travel, adventures, mountain peaks, plains, cultures, and civilization — all calling you to participate. Perhaps you’ll consider all these after a bit of retreat and solitude and inner contemplation. Are there thoughts of writing, publishing, travel?

Think deeply on your goals. Create more. Ponder upon this statement, “I see the goal, I reach that goal and then I see another.”

LEO You need a bit more adventure, fun, play, recognition and being tended to. You also need to gather your creative self and further it with new ideas and thoughts of beauty. You need to accept invitations, go to parties and festivities, be with friends, attend plays, art shows, galleries, dances, and visit other people’s homes. You need both a Christmas tree and a Hanukkah bush with lights and candles everywhere.

You need to be loved, cared for, recognized and then loved more. Who can do this best?

SAGITTARIUS All parts of you are moving, active, energetic, hopeful (we hope). You also become a bit more impulsive, quick to anger, impatient, wanting things your own way (for a time). We see you as being more assertive, daring like an ancient warrior.

Your energy as a warrior makes you very attractive . However, be careful with everything — communicating, driving, walking running, using tools and implements. Careful with your energy. Beware of things red, hot and sharp (all of which, to some, you are). You’re laughing. That’s good. Caution.

TAURUS I ask that you also think on the statement at the end of Aries. And then observe the many and varied dreams, hopes and wishes that filter through your mind. Is there a goal of entrepreneurship> There’s not enough time, day or night, to accomplish all the inside and outside work, preparations and plans laid before you. There’s also the issue of money, which may be uncomfortable, yet most important to consider. You have many resources, gifts and abilities. All needed for the new era.

VIRGO You’re the light bearer to your family this year. Maybe you are every year, actually. You’re the one who must make connections with them, one on one, one to the other, creating festivities of comfort and care and joy. You must begin to plan a large gathering so those who have no family can feel at home (where you are). You must merge realities that are disconnected and separate, unifying what is opposed, and synthesize all the parts and pieces. You love being given these tasks. These will be your holy accomplishments.

CAPRICORN You simply continue with needed tasks, not realizing you may be fatigued, possibly depleted of major nutrients and in need of quiet, calm and rest. Whenever possible, take this holiday time to draw back, do less. You can still plan agendas and consider creative goals. However, don’t act upon them immediately, instead make health, rest, and well-being your central focus. Allow these thoughts to direct you for at least a month or two. Blend chia seeds in raw or oat milk, for probiotics and strength. Add a bit of chocolate, a banana and a date or two. Blend.

GEMINI What are your holiday plans? Will you prepare with your significant other(s) or with one in particular? Perhaps with friends? I suggest you plan with the one closest to you. The full moon’s path over hill and dale shines a silver glow on your relationships, especially one in particular. A new intimacy is being called for. Is it with love, sex, marriage, money, one or all bundled together? Or is it a spiritual connection? You and another need to travel somewhere together. To a stupa or a mountain retreat or to the Christmas markets in Europe.

LIBRA Being out and about in gardens, small gatherings and neighborhoods, dropping in on neighbors, driving all around town to view holiday lights, having dinner with friends, hanging lights, unboxing holiday decorations, finding more to trim the tree (Hanukkah bush, home) with, seeing relatives, phoning, sending emails, holiday cards (written by hand), having dinners — you love and cherish these festivities, looking forward to the beauty of the season all year. We wish we could join you. Maybe some year we will all be together. After forgiveness.

AQUARIUS Everything personal and professional, at home and in the world has a green light. You have energy and enthusiasm, hopes, dreams and wishes along with opportunities and invitations.

Amidst the many possibilities, always bring a gift, an offering of gratitude. Pay all bills promptly, don’t worry about money. You’re beginning to thrive differently.

Something unexpected and different will occur this month, that touches your heart. Crying is as essential as rain storms.

After the rain the sun shines in! Are you from the future?

CANCER Your health and well-being at this time are most important.

Focusing on this, and not much else, is best because you have the capacity to heal more quickly now. Appropriate and healthful foods also must be a focus. You’re considering preparing foods to give as gifts? Later on, perhaps.

Simultaneously, endless tasks and responsibilities keep appearing. Decline most of them. You need rest, good natural light, pure foods and waters, things green and a few good books to read. Perhaps The Light in the Lantern, by author Georg Dreissig.

SCORPIO For the next several weeks it seems a certain golden light is shining and shimmering around you. You will feel fortunate, capable, resourceful, wealthy, blessed and emotionally supported. In terms of holiday gifts, don’t run out and buy everything you fancy or everything that sparkles brightly, unless it’s for a loved one. Then be lavish.

However, most appreciated would be your heart offered to another — a loved one, a certain family member or friend.

We always think of you as internal, hidden, guarded and watchful. Give a little more for a while. Joy is the reason.

Daily & Weekly Updates

•••

PISCES In all the present and upcoming retrogrades, you ponder upon becoming more public, your leadership qualities emerging more and more.

This is based on the needs of humanity. A forum or group invites you to share your gifts of communication, intelligence and knowledge. You prepare over time. However, you are aware that at any time in the life of Pisces, things dissolve away. So you are hopeful, patient, accepting, yet also wary, cautious, circumspect, careful and coiled like a snake in preparation, which is good enough (for now). You light a cone of cedar and sandalwood.

@risagoodwill • www.nightlightnews.org • risagoodwill@gmail.com

26 / December 15th 2024 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

“Green Mariners” from page 25 Speaking of thanks, we applaud all of our athletes, artists, academicians, and activities leaders/members and their families for taking our extra-curricular events and elevating them. Our students and families SAIL as we create a SAFE community, Aspire higher, be Integrity oriented, and LEAD by example.

Thank you also to the coaches, teachers, and staff including our trainer Hilary, our security team, our theater technician Luke, our athletic trainer Travis Fox, our activities director Ryane Ortiz, our custodians, our snack shack guru Shannon Candelario, and our office team for all the behind the scenes work!

As our families slow down over and recharge over the winter break, take time to create memories together.

We live in one of the most beautiful places in the country. We hope that you hike in our local parks, walk along the beach, explore a local museum, and visit friends/ family.

While our high school students might seem aloof or give that teenage sigh, some of the best holiday moments are the times that we spend together, making a family recipe, reminiscing about holidays or family, and just enjoying a slower pace moment together.

From holiday lights to sunsets, we wish you a Happy New Year and festive winter break! SAILs up! n

“Housing Vouchers” from page 17 Lieu said, “According to the US Census Bureau, nearly half of American renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, squeezing their budgets and making it more difficult to pay for other essentials. To bring down housing costs, we must encourage construction of new housing and ensure access to affordable units in every zip code.”

Gomez, who represents Los Angeles, founded the Renters Caucus to fight for housing people can afford and supports this bill to incentivize building more affordable housing.”

Chu said, “In my district, the City of Pasadena has a successful track record of utilizing Project-Based Vouchers to build permanent supportive housing and make certain our neighbors have a stable place to call home.”

Swalwell called the bill “a smart budgetneutral solution that would empower local housing authorities to build more affordable housing where it’s needed most.” n

“In my district, the City of Pasadena has a successful track record of utilizing Project-Based Vouchers to build permanent supportive housing and make certain our neighbors have a stable place to call home.”

— Rep. Judy Chu, California 28th District

COMMUNITY NEWS

Meals on Wheels Taps Dana Wagner

Waitlist for Seniors Likely as of July 1

C

ommunity Bridges announces the County beginning in March 2024, sucpromotion of Dana Wagner as ceeding Darren Daley.

In September, she was officially named senior program director for Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County, which is senior program director overseeing both programs, bringing her deep expertise in facing a six-figure budget deficit.

Because of the budget deficit, Meals on nutrition and passion for serving the community to the role.

Wheels for Santa Cruz County “It is really great that as will likely need to implement my career has evolved, I am a waitlist for services on July coming full circle working 1 for the first time in nearly with older adults,” she said. five decades, according to “There is a poetic beauty to Community Bridges officials, that.” something other programs She aims to continue have already done.

Meals on Wheels’ mission Wagner, a registered of helping older adults dietitian living in Santa Cruz, Dana Wagner remain in their homes while began her career in a skilled nursing facility in Maryland, where she receiving nutritious meals and caring interactions. helped older adults maintain healthy lives.

“We are so fortunate to have local talent After relocating to California, she joined Community Bridges as a super- and statewide level leadership within the vising dietitian for its Women, Infants, and organization, with leaders such as Dana,” Children program in 2001. Over the next said Community Bridges CEO Raymon two decades, she rose to become the pro- Cancino. “After an exhaustive search for the gram’s director and served as the interim next leader facing significant challenges, director of Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz we were able to easily see that we couldn’t

get much better than using the talents of Dana to support the operations of Meals on Wheels of Santa Cruz County. With this move, we have streamlined administration and made a significant move toward organizational alignment that ensures cohesion across various nutritional programs.”

Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County, operating since 1976, serves more than 1,700 participants annually, with 92% reporting it helps them live independently.

And 87% report feeling safer at home; 79% report eating healthier foods.

Last fiscal year, the program provided

more than 155,000 home-delivered meals and served 23,000+ meals at community dining sites where seniors enjoy social connections.

The number of seniors served grew by 429 – a sign of the local population aging.

The work is supported by a dedicated army of 80 volunteers.

Since the 2010 census, Santa Cruz County has seen the number of older adults age 65-84 increase by 81%, the fastest rate in California.

“Wagner” page 31

Year-in-Review

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28. Rani’s dress 61. *2024 Summer Olympic ACROSS 30. Talking points Games host 1. Cerberus’ domain 35. Aflame 64. Cat’s nine 6. Chop 37. Spanish sparkling wine 65. Lowest or highest card 9. Mama’s husband 39. Slang for money 67. Accustom 13. Unsuitable 40. Velum, pl.

69. E-wallet content 14. Adam’s partner 41. *November 5th 2024 70. Backstabber 15. Echo sounder winner 71. N in RN 16. Sunny prefix 43. Short for “and 72. Whipping mark 17. Armed conflict elsewhere” (2 words) 73. R&R spot 18. In a heated manner 74. Support person 19. *Highest grossing movie 44. Met’s offering 46. River in Bohemia based on Broadway 47. Queen of Hearts’ pastry DOWN musical 48. *Super Bowl winners in 1. “Say what?”

21. *Time’s 100 World’s 2024 2. All over again Most Influential People 50. Visi____ or Ostro____ 3. *MV ____, cause of cover model in 2024 52. The Alan Parsons 2024 Baltimore bridge (2 words) Project’s “Eye in the __” collapse 23. “____ and the City” 53. ____ of passage 4. Long stories 24. Not exciting 55. *Milton’s center 5. Tends a fire 25. Accident 57. *Miley Cyrus’ 6. Obscene Grammy-winning Record 7. Spermatozoa of the Year in 2024 counterpart

8. Lost, in Paris 42. Dinklage or Townshend, 9. *Olympic Gold winner e.g.

Katie Ledecky’s “court” 45. Again but differently 49. Elton John’s title 10. Dead against 11. Explore by touch 51. Shenzi of “The Lion King” 12. Maisie Williams’ “Game of Thrones” character 54. Russian rulers, pre-1917 15. Hello, in Haifa 56. Tedium 20. Dead-on 57. “One ____ Over the 22. Last month Cuckoo’s Nest” 58. Classroom pests 24. Disclose 25. Wreaked state 59. Elliptical 26. Bet’s predecessor 60. Sunset location 61. Sheep’s milk cheese 27. Pileus, pl.

29. Like steak order 62. Little Miss Muffet’s morsel 31. Maya Angelou, e.g.

32. Itsy-bitsy bits 63. Gaelic tongue 33. *Caitlin of college 66. Upper limit 68. Poetic “always” basketball 34. Gin and grapefruit juice cocktail, a.k.a. ____ dog 36. Scarlet O’Hara’s home © Statepoint Media 38. Speaking platform

Answers on 31 »

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / December 15th 2024 / 27

COMMUNITY CALENDAR ANNOUNCEMENTS

Have a virtual or live event you want to promote?

E-mail info (no PDFs please) to info@cyber-times.com

FREE SANTA PHOTOS AT CAPITOLA MALL Mark your calendar for Friday, Dec. 20, from 2-6 p.m. and For beginning of the month, due the 15th • For mid-month, due the 1st Saturday, Dec. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 21, from noon to 4 p.m.

Get a free digital photo with Santa and a gift for children. will award up to three $1,500 scholarships to individuals SANTA’S MAILBOX IN APTOS VILLAGE Take a selfie at the festive photo shop, open whenever enrolled in accredited colleges, universities, or trade 151 Aptos Village Way, available through December 20 Santa is not in residence. schools.

Santa’s Mailbox has arrived in Aptos Village behind New No reservations required. Photos are first come, first Applications are open to Bay Federal members who Leaf Community Markets, ready serve. Photos and giveaways are while supplies last. demonstrate a commitment to their education and have to collect letters to head straight Starting Dec. 16, Capitola Mall will be open until 8 a vision for the future of financial literacy. Interested to the North Pole! p.m. through Dec. 21 and also Dec. 23, open til 6 p.m. applicants should submit their completed forms, proof Santa’s elves will collect the Christmas Eve, and closed Christmas Day. of enrollment or acceptance, and essays by March 16. A letters on Friday Dec. 20. Stop by See www.shopCapitolaMall.com panel of judges will review the submissions, and winners Aptos Village today and get your will be announced by April 30. letters to Santa!

CLOTHING DRIVE This year’s application asks students to reflect on the For information or questions contact the Aptos Chamber at The Salvation Army is collecting new jackets, sweaters, essay topic: How has technology impacted financial 831-688-1467, or email infochamberaptos@gmail.com small blankets and underwear for the unhoused comliteracy and money management for your generation? munity. Also needed: new socks and rain ponchos.

COUNTYWIDE GLOW CONTEST Describe what improvements you would make to these The greatest need is for men’s clothes. The most popular educational resources to make them more broadly With winter festivities around the corner, the city sizes are large and XL. accessible and useful for young adults and others in your of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation Department Donations can be left at 214 Union St., Watsonville. community. is organizing a holiday lights contest open to all For questions, call 724-3922 or email Daniel.villamar@usw.

“Our scholarship program is not just about financial residents & homes of Santa Cruz County and Salvationararmy.org assistance—it’s about celebrating the next generation of neighboring cities. innovators and problem-solvers,” said Carrie Birkhofer, To help the community know which decorations are up NAMI FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS ON ZOOM president and CEO of Bay Federal Credit Union. We’re and available for viewing, submit a photograph of your NAMI Family Support Group is a support group for loved looking forward to hearing their ideas on creating more decorations to be added as your location thumbnail and ones of those who have experienced symptoms of a inclusive, accessible financial resources for all.” the location of your decorated home. If you have any mental health condition. Gain insight from the challenges To access the online application, visit bayfed.com/scholarships. additional information you would love to share regarding and successes of others facing similar experiences.

By sharing your experiences in a safe setting, you HOLIDAY EVENTS can gain hope and develop supportive relationships.

This group allows your voice to be heard and provides Holiday Lights at the Fairgrounds an opportunity for your personal needs to be met. It Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays thru December 24 encourages empathy, productive discussion and a sense (Includes Mon./Tues., Dec. 23 and 24) | Opens 5:30 p.m. of community. You’ll benefit from other’s experiences, This is a Drive-Thru experience — stay in the warmth of discover your inner strength and empower yourself by your car, tune your radio to the Holiday Lights Station(s) sharing your own experiences in a non-judgmental space. and take a leisurely slow drive through the magic of the NAMI’s support groups follow a structured model, lights! Holiday Lights 2024 will light up the Fairgrounds ensuring everyone has an opportunity to be heard and to with beautiful displays of holiday cheer making it a get what they need.

3/4-mile light experience.

Admission $10 Adults, $5 Children 6-11, Under 6 FREE (Your ticket • Free to participants • Drop-in friendly Felton Covered Bridge Holiday Market from Holiday Fair is good for admission to the Lights Walk-thru).

• Designed for loved ones of people with mental health December 15 | 11am – 3pm conditions Downtown Santa Cruz Reindeer Round Up The annual tradition of the Felton Holiday Market • Led by family members of people with mental health Ongoing thru December 23 | 10am – 6pm will again take place on the historic covered bridge. conditions Santa has lost his reindeer, but you can help find them!

Activities include arts & crafts, delicious food & • 90 minutes • Confidential Pick up a map at the Downtown Santa Cruz Information beverages, music, holiday lights, and other festivities!

• No specific medical therapy or treatment is endorsed Kiosk, located at 1130 Pacific Avenue K2, the corner of There are five different Family Support Groups: Pacific and Soquel Avenues or at Pacific Cookie Company Yuletide Holiday Weekend to find participating businesses, and then visit them all to December 20 – 24, Santa Cruz / Monterey Bay KOA, for loved ones of adults, loved ones of young adults, search for the beautiful hidden reindeer for prizes!

1186 San Andreas Rd, Watsonville, CA parents and caregivers of youth, and Spanish Bring your festive lights and decor for the camp-wide speakers.

Winter Wonderland at the Beach Boardwalk Holiday Site Decorating Contest! Celebrate Christmas, Sign up at https://www.namiscc.org/nami-familyOngoing thru January 5 Camping Style! Hot Cider, Beer and Snacks Available support-groups.html Celebrate the season at the beach! Activities Include (donations accepted to benefit Care Camps). Holiday Questions? Email sophia@namiscc.org, or call (831)-824-0406. rides, games, and arcades. There is also a three-story Christmas Tree, photos with Santa, delicious Boardwalk Train Rides with Santa & Mrs. Claus.

Call 831.722.0551 for more information.

GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP WITH HORSES treats, pedal karts in the main plaza, Holiday Fun Package and Holiday Shopping.

In December, Beyond Liberty & Pregnant Mare Rescue Santa Cruz City Ballet Nutcracker Visit www.beachboardwalk.com/winter-wonderland for more info. offer the Equine Guided Grief Support December 21 – 22 | 1 pm / 4:30 pm, Group, a welcoming space in La Selva Santa Cruz Holiday Lights Train Crocker Theater at Cabrillo College Beach, for anyone experiencing loss.

December 14-23 and 26-31 Experience a magic that only the Nutcracker Ballet can The final gathering is Saturday Dec. 21 Chanukah Train: January 2 bring! With renowned music of Tchaikovsky’s original from 10 a.m. to noon.

This seasonal tradition returns to Santa Cruz with the score set by the Moscow Symphony, this production has Santa Cruz Holiday Lights Train. The trains depart and Spend time with horses in a calm become an annual tradition, showcasing local dancers, return in front of Neptune’s Kingdom on the Boardwalk environment where you can share your feelings or simply as well guest artists from the Bay Area and beyond. of Santa Cruz at 5:00pm, 6:30, and 8:00 pm for a reflect quietly. No prior experience with horses is Visit www.nutcrackersantacruz.com for more information.

60-minute round-trip excursion. needed.

Visit www.roaringcamp.com for tickets and more information.

Santa Cruz Dance Theater Beyond Liberty is a nonprofit horse retirement December 21 – 22, | 1 pm / 4:30 pm, and equine education center offering programs Santa Cruz Symphony Holiday Pops Concert Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium 307 Church St, Santa Cruz that bring more people into the world of horses.

December 14 – 15 | 7:30 pm, Register at https://beyondliberty.as.me/schedule/3f76c386/ Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium 307 Church St, Santa Cruz Start a new holiday tradition with Santa Cruz Dance Theater’s inaugural production of The Nutcracker.

The inaugural Holiday Pops Concert will showcase ?appointment favorites from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, This year, we are thrilled to welcome Lucien Postlewaite, Leroy Anderson’s A Christmas Festival, and many more. principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet. Perfect BAY FEDERAL EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP for the whole family, this breathtaking performance will Music by Tchaikovsky, Anderson, Rimsky-Korsakov, Bay Federal Credit Union is accepting applications for transport you to a world of holiday splendor.

Bartholomew-Poyser, Williams, and more! its 2025 Education Scholarship to support students as Visit www.santacruzdancetheater.org for more information.

Call 831.462.0553 for more information. they pursue educational and career goals. The program 28 / December 15th 2024 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

your home and decorations, share in the additional comments section of the registration process. If you have any questions, reach out to recreationevents@santacruzca.gov and in the subject line, please input, “ATTN: Holiday Glow Guide Map Listing”.

Every entry will receive a $5 promo code to use when registering for a class activity offered by the Parks and Recreation Classes Department. All entries will be entered in a contest for the best decoration. The winner will receive a $50 P&R Gift Card!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR HOMELESS COUNT The next annual Point-in-Time Count is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 30.

This count is an estimate of the number of people experiencing homelessness on a single day in Santa Cruz County.

In 2024, the number of people experiencing homelessness increased slightly, up 2.6% to 1,850.

The count is a requirement to receive federal homeless assistance funds and is used to support strategic decisions about programs.

If you are interested in volunteering, attend at least one of the trainings. If you are interested in receiving meeting reminders, sign up at https://mailchi.mp/ santacruzcounty/2025-pit-count Most training is via zoom: Thursday, Dec. 19 | 12:00 – 1:30pm | Via Zoom ZoomGov Meeting, https://santacruzcounty-us.zoomgov. com/j/1619189419?pwd=yDEh1BcXCU0vp8xpcrHioJ2BqPkSBg.1 Meeting ID: 161 918 9419 | Passcode: 583683 Friday, Jan. 24 | 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. | Via zoom and in-person (location TBD) ZoomGov Meeting, https://santacruzcounty-us.zoomgov. com/j/1602531515?pwd=aL5C9nq0Kghdszw9a5TyhZhnBpzmAB.1 Meeting ID: 160 253 1515 | Passcode: 986265 Do you have lived experience of homelessness? There is a need for those who would like to be a peer guide during the Count.

If you are interested, add your email to the list at https://tinyurl. com/PIT-count-peer-guide.

RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES Aptos Dec. 31: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Seacliff Inn, Tapestry Collection

by Hilton, 7500 Old Dominion Court Ben Lomond Dec. 20: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 9545 Lovecreek Road Capitola Dec. 21: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Mid-County Senior Center, 829 Bay Avenue Santa Cruz Dec. 18: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 220 Elk Street Dec. 27: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Hotel Paradox, 611 Ocean Street Jan. 2: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 220 Elk Street Jan. 3: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Hotel Paradox, 611 Ocean Street Watsonville Dec. 17: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley, 85 Nielson Street Dec. 27: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley, 85 Nielson Street How to Donate Blood Download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment.

All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients.

FOCUS AGRICULTURE CLASS 34 APPLICATIONS Applications are available to be submitted for Class 34 of Focus Agriculture, a “first-in-the-nation” program, designed for selected community leaders to learn about agriculture in Santa Cruz County and the Pajaro Valley.

The program consists of once-a-month, daylong

COMMUNITY CALENDAR seminars, held over a period of eight months. Speakers, ranging from elected officials to representatives from environmental groups, address the class.

The sessions cover such topics as: Technology • Marketing • Commodities • Research • Environment • Farm Tours • History • Hands-on experiences Twenty people will be selected for Class 34.

In announcing the application process for Class 34, Agri-Culture President, Steve Bontadelli, stated, “Many people who are involved in the community are interested in agriculture. Focus Agriculture was created to allow community leaders an opportunity to learn, through discussions and hands-on experiences, about local agriculture.” Bontadelli continued, “We are proud that the program is a recipient of a National Award.”

Alumni of the program include: Jimmy Panetta, 20th District Congressman; John Laird, California State Senator; 2nd District County Supervisor Zach Friend,; 4th District County Supervisor Felipe Hernandez; Stephanie Connor Kent, CEO, Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center; Erica Padilla-Chavez, CEO, Second Harvest Food Bank; Nan Mickiewicz, President/CEO, Dominican Hospital; Ted Burke, Owner, Shadowbrook Restaurant; Steve Gray, CEO, Watsonville Community Hospital; Bud Colligan, Founder/CEO, South Swell Ventures; and Susan True, CEO, Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County.

Sessions will be held one full day per month commencing March 14, 2025 and ending October 24, 2025.

Applications are available online at www.agri-culture.us or at the Agri-Culture office, 141 Monte Vista Avenue, Watsonville and by calling (831) 722-6622.

Applications are due Thursday, January 9, 2025 COUNTY FAIR BOARD MEETINGS The Santa Cruz County Fair Board typically meets each month at 1:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday in the Heritage Building at the fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake Blvd., Watsonville.

For agendas, posted 10 days in advance, see santacruzcountyfair.com

ONGOING EVENTS Last Wednesdays of the Month PARENT/CAREGIVER MENTAL HEALTH SEMINARS 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., Online Meeting Dr. Ramona Friedman of the Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Soquel will be hosting a free Parent Drop-in Zoom session. Parents and caregivers are invited to log on and ask questions to Dr. Friedman about youth mental health issues, challenges, and ideas.

Parent Drop-Ins are free, 1-hour sessions where parents can seek guidance from experts specializing in specific mental health disorders. Parents can also connect with others facing similar challenges.

Clinical psychologists who specialize in anxiety, depression, eating disorders, suicidality, and medication, experienced youth mental health experts, host each session.

For more info, visit https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/groups/ parent-drop-in-soquel-ca/247794

DATED EVENTS Saturday December 14

APTOS COMMUNITY NIGHT 7 p.m., Kaiser Permanente Arena, 140 Front St., Santa Cruz Enjoy an exciting evening of basketball as the Santa Cruz Warriors take on the San Diego Clippers in their first Santa Cruz appearance at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at Kaiser Permanente Arena, 140 Front St., Santa Cruz.

A portion of the ticket proceeds purchased through a special link go to support students and programs at Aptos Jr, High School and Sport Foundation.

Highlights include: High Five player tunnel & pre-game

graders and a combined 7th/8th Grade division.

The next tournament is scheculed for Jan. 11, and will feature 5th grade and 6/7th grade divisions.

Visit www.cruzball.org for more information.

CAPITOLA SANTACON 5-11 p.m., begin at Katalina’s by the Sea, 312 Capitola Ave. Keep calm & get your ho ho ho on!

Meet at Katalina’s by the Sea for Capitola SantaCon. Bring your ID, cash and tip your bartender.

5-6 p.m. — Katalina’s by the Sea / Cork and Fork Wine Bar, 312 Capitola Ave 6-7 p.m. — Capitola Wine Bar, 115 San Jose Ave. 7-8 p.m. — Zelda’s, 203 Esplanade 8-9 p.m. — Bay Bar, 209 Esplanade 9pm to close — Karaoke at the Britannia Arms, 110 Monterey Ave. Dress in your finest holiday attire and join us in taking over a bevy of bars in Capitola Village!

Remember: Santa is jolly. If you plan to get a little extra jolly, bring a designated reindeer or take a taxi/ uber home.

For ages 21+. This SantaCon event is completely free to attend — no tickets or registration.

NEW YEAR’S EVE | FIRST NIGHT MONTEREY Don’t miss a fantastic New Year’s Eve interactive family-friendly celebration at First Night Monterey 2025 in downtown Monterey, entertaining for all ages.

Join in the fun of Kids Night Out from 3 to 5 p.m., the Twilight Procession featuring bands, dance groups, large-scale movable sculptures, puppets, and costumed participants and glow-in-the-dark materials at 5:30 p.m., make a New Year’s colorful Celebration Hat, and dance the night away at over 60+ performances.

From jazz to rock, Celtic to country, bluegrass to amazing dance performances, there is something for everyone.

Two indoor finales: The Coffis Brothers at Golden State Theatre and Latin Jazz Collective with John Nava and 14 musicians at Serra Ballroom at the Monterey Conference Center.

Finale tickets, available after 8 p.m. at the Plaza Kiosk, are free for button-holders.

Enjoy a great array of top entertainment as First Night Monterey turns age 32!

Earlybird prices are $24 for adults age 16 and up, $14 for kids age 6 to 15, and family, 2 adults, 2 kids, $69.

Order at https://www.firstnightmonterey.org/Buttons/ Pick up at Will Call at Monterey Conference Center.

Free park and ride: Park at Del Monte Center by the MST transit stop (in back of Macy’s) and be picked up by MST bus to take attendees downtown, even with strollers. 3 pm to 1am.

You can ride the bus for free and get to First Night with your First Night Monterey Button. Details at www.firstnightmonterey.org. activities; halftime performance by Aptos High Cheer; post-game free throw fun for kids under 18.

Tickets are $30 at https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/ Aptoscommnight24 For questions, Lisa Bailey at lbailey@baileypm.com or text 831.588.3675.

LIVING NATIVITY 3 to 8 p.m., Messiah Lutheran Church & Pre-School, 801 High Street, Santa Cruz For more than 75 years, Messiah Lutheran Church & Pre-School has been presenting a “Living Nativity” to our community.

Saturday December 14 Sunday December 15

THE LITTLE MERMAID JR. 2 p.m., Hawks’ Nest Theater, Mount Madonna School, 491 Summit Rd., Watsonville The seaweed is always greener in somebody else’s ocean ... or is it? This idea resonates deeply in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid Jr.,” a tale that explores the longing for a different life, the struggle to accept one’s circumstances and the pursuit of curiosity.

Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most beloved stories, “The Little Mermaid Jr.” — presented by Mount Madonna School’s middle school cast — is a look at the sacrifices we all make for love and acceptance.

Ariel, a young mermaid, longs to leave her underwater home – and her fins — behind and live in the world above. But first, she has to defy her father, King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea There will be an Arts and Crafts show from 3- 7 p.m. witch, Ursula, and convince the human Prince Eric and Tree Lighting and Caroling at 5 p.m. that she’s the girl whose enchanting voice he’s been This event will feature live animals, children’s crafts, a seeking. bake sale, hot apple cider and hot chocolate. Popcorn is This production, directed by Chelsea Otterness, is complementary.

Members are collecting socks for the local unhoused population. designed for children and families of all ages.

Tickets are at mms-the little mermaid.brownpapertickets.com.

Admission is free.

Adult tickets are $20; seniors are $15 and $10 for 18 and under; all seats are reserved.

A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Agricultural History Museum, Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 E. Lake Boulevard, Watsonville Enjoy “A Country Christmas,” part of the 2nd Saturday on the Farm series at the Agricultural History Museum.

Farm animals, tractors, games, holiday crafts & more!

Rain or shine.

ST. JOHN’S CHRISTMAS FAIR 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Episcopal Church of St. John, 125 Canterbury Drive, Aptos This is a fundraiser for the ministries of the Episcopal Eighth grader Cadence Barr plays Ariel in Mount Madonna Church of St. John.

School’s production of The Little Mermaid Jr. Delight in the festivities & treasures of this Christmas sale including baked goods from traditions worldwide, fine art, collectibles from the past, handmade decorations, & one-of-aSunday December 15 kind gifts.

WHAT THE ELF? GRINCH HOLIDAY BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT 2 p.m. Mid-County Senior Center, 829 Bay Ave., Capitola 4-9 p.m., Holly Cross Church Gymnasium, 170 High St., Santa The MCSC Choraliers will present a holiday show, “What Cruz the Elf?” at the Mid-County Senior Center.

Local nonprofit Cruz Ball, founded by Jefferson De La Cruz, Directors: Wanda Kocina & Lee Ann Grey. Admission: $10. presents its third basketball tournament in the Holy Cross Church gym.

“Calendar” page 31 There will be two divisions: one for teams of only 8th

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / December 15th 2024 / 29

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Preparing for Winter Rains (& Other Natural Disasters)

T

he major flooding over the last few years and the extensive damage throughout are community were a reminder of the need for local homes and businesses to do everything possible in advance of the rainy season to prepare.

Additionally, with some of the recent earthquakes in Northern California it’s a reminder that we should always do general preparations for emergencies for our home and business.

What can you do to prepare and what is the County doing ahead of this season to get ready?

In advance of the winter season, Public Works will be cleaning culverts, mowing and clearing brush in an attempt to reduce flooding potential.

They are encouraging the community to call them at 454-2160 if you know of any culverts that need inspection or repair or brush that needs to be cleared.

Residents can also download the free County mobile app My Santa Cruz County via the app store or submit requests online at https://cconnect.santacruzcounty. us/ to report non-emergency issues. Additionally, Public Works is also asking that residents rake (if it’s safe) and clean storm drains to help prevent flooding.

By Zach Friend, Supervisor, Second District

This simple task can significantly improve drainage. Road hazards can always be reported via the 24-hour Public Works dispatch number at 477-3999 (option 1). If it’s an emergency situation, please call 9-1-1.

You can visit the County’s winter prep resource page: www.santacruzcounty.us/ elnino -- it provides a wealth of information on what to do before, during and after a storm. It provides checklists on what to have on hand at your home, contact numbers and more.

If you believe that a tree has the potential to impact a power line, PG&E has arborists that will inspect trees and perform maintenance if needed. You can call them at 1-800-743-5000. Residents can also sign up for mobile alerts regarding power outages directly from their website.

Central Fire also has a host of resources on their website with tips on how to prepare for winter rains or general emergency preparedness. If you visit their website at www. centralfiresc.org and click on the Education and Preparedness tab, you will find links on where to obtain sandbags, information for storm prep and also classes and educational opportunities for general disaster preparedness.

The County has a new notification system that you can sign up for called CruzAware. The free service will provide alerts during emergency and nonemergency situations.

During the storm season it will provide information for evacuations and other critical information but is also intended to provide info on road closures and other neighborhood impacts.

You can sign up for the alerts on the County’s website at www.santacruzcountyca.gov and

30 / December 15th 2024 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

navigate to the Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience page (it will be prominently featured) or you can visit: https://cruzaware. genasys.com/portal/en directly to sign up.

You will need to create a password.

What other things can you do to prepare your home or business?

According to FEMA and the Red Cross, here are some tips: • Build an emergency kit with water, nonperishable food, flashlight, batteries, radio, and baby items and medicines (if needed) to last a few days • Keep your pets indoors if possible during heavy rain events • Have a plan that your family is familiar with — in case you are unable to get home due to road hazards or need to shelter in place for multiple days ensure that your family knows how to communicate and possibly a back up location for meeting or lodging. This would be relevant during major storm events or earthquakes or other natural disasters.

• In advance of rains, clear drains, rain gutters and downspouts of debris

• If you have drainage issues around your home consider having them inspected and addressed and inspect your roof for leaks • Get flood insurance. If you already have it, check your policy to make sure you have enough coverage • Make copies of all your important documents and make sure the originals are stored safely somewhere outside of your home • Take photos of your possessions (furniture, collectibles, electronics) in case you need them for an insurance claim • Learn how to shut off gas valves, bolt and brace water heaters, install strong latches on cabinets and don’t hang heavy items (like a picture or mirror) near beds or couches where people sleep or sit.

• Check at your workplace and your children’s schools to learn about their emergency plans for an earthquake or other natural disaster n ••• As always, I appreciate any feedback you may have on this (or any other County issue). Feel free to call me at (831) 454-2200.

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News ... Sports ... Current Events ... because it matters to you!

SCCAS Featured Pet

O

Meet a Happy Ginger

crossword on 27 »

ur Pet of the Week is our friend Ginger (#A312400). She is a 1 year, 6-monthold Malinois mix (Malinois is just a guess!) and is a medium size — about 55 pounds.

Ginger has been at our Shelter since May and has lots of pup friends. She went to a foster home with a couple and an XL dog foster brother and is thriving! Ginger LOVES fetch, going for hikes and playing with her dog foster brother. She also enjoys a nice sunbathing session in the backyard.

While Ginger has a lot of energy, she does know “sit” and “down”, is house trained and crate trained and is super smart! She does love to chase and is not recommended for a house with cats.

Ginger is the sweetest pup just looking for her forever home — and we would love to find that before the end of the year. Are you looking for a fun and happy pup to brighten up your home? Look no further — Ginger is the girl for you! ~~~ From now through Dec. 17, SCCAS is partnering with Bissell Pet Foundation for the EMPTY THE SHELTERS ADOPTION EVENT! All cats and dogs are only $50!

This adoption fee includes spay/neuter, a microchip and current vaccines. n ••• The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is full of adoptable animals. Fostering animals is an awesome way to improve a Shelter animal’s life and fill your home with love and fun! If you are interested in fostering any kind of animal please email jillian.ganley@santacruzcounty.us. You can also Follow SCCAS on Instagram and/or Facebook to stay up-to-date on shelter news and where to find adoptable pets around town at breweries, stores and events. All adoptions are first come, first served.

••• Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter’s full-service, open-admission shelter 1001 Rodriguez St., Santa Cruz, 95062 • Hours: Daily 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

580 Airport Blvd., Watsonville, 95076 • Hours: Tues.-Sat. 9:30 a.m. – noon; 1–5 p.m. (Closed Sun/Mon) Website: www.scanimalshelter.org SCCAS Main line: 831-454-7200. Animal Control: 831-454-7227. After-Hours Emergency: 831-471-1182 • After Hours: jillian.ganley@santacruzcounty.us

Year-in-Review © Statepoint Media

“Calendar” from page 29 BREAKFAST WITH SANTA 9 a.m.-Noon, Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall, 1960 Freedom Blvd, Freedom Recreation Advocates, McDonald’s and Western Roofing Supply will host the 32nd Annual Breakfast with Santa at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall. of 2002. Before that, the only ukulele events in town were This Watsonville tradition brings the once-a-year springtime party in the founder’s living together families for a fun-filled room. morning of holiday cheer, deliToday things are different. Besides the original, and cious food, and festive activities world famous, there are gatherings of ukulele players — all while supporting the youth almost every day of the week, as well as annual and of the community. semi-annual events and the latest; Cork and Fork.

Breakfast features eggs, sausage, fruit, beverages, and Friday December 20 all-you-can-eat pancakes, along with an opportunity to visit Santa SOQUEL HIGH WINTER CONCERT and share your holiday wish and 6:30 p.m. | 8 p.m., Soquel High School, 401 Soquel San Jose take a photo, play holiday games, and make ornaments. Road Soquel High School Music Department will present winter Tickets are $7 for children and seniors, $8 for concerts on campus. adults, and free for children under 2 with a paying There will be two shows, tickets are $10 per person. adult. Proceeds support recreation scholarships SoMu Foundation co-president Jael Hicks said attendees for local youth in Watsonville, helping kids access are asked to donate a dessert or savory appetizer to share. sports, arts, music, dance, swim lessons, and other Coffee, hot tea, and water will be provided. recreational activities.

Tickets for Breakfast with Santa can be purchased in advance at SoMu welcomes all parents and caregivers to become https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/desayuno-con-santabreakfast- involved in helping the Soquel High music programs grow with-santa-at-veterans-of-foreign-wars-in-watsonville-ca, or at and thrive by coming to campus the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria. the door.

Wednesday December 18

HOMELESS MEMORIAL SERVICE

10 a.m., Portuguese Hall of Santa Cruz, 216 Evergreen St., WINTER CONCERT Santa Cruz 6 p.m., E.A. Hall Middle School, 201 Brewington Ave, During the winter solstice, Housing Matters and Homeless Watsonville El Sistema and Expanded Learning Opportunities Program Person Health Project host the 25th annual Homeless Memorial Service at the Portuguese Hall. present a winter concert at EA Hall’s auditorium.

This special service is an opportunity to gather and pay ••• respects to neighbors experiencing homelessness who PVUSD Youth Orchestra were lost in 2024.

Does your student want to join an orchestra?

All are welcome.

El Sistema and Extended Learning Opportunities Program invite students in 4th to 12th grade to join the Sunday December 22 Spring 2025 orchestra now.

Practice takes place at EA Hall School in Watsonville. No CHRISTMAS CONCERT experience is necessary!

4 p.m., The Episcopal Church of St. John, 125 Canterbury Drive, For information, contact Amalia Diaz, 831-200-3480 or via Aptos email: amalia_diaz@pvusd.net Episcopal Church of St. John is presenting a Christmas Concert.

This will be a “Unity Choir” collaboration between St. John’s & the Congregational Church of Soquel performing the Christmas Oratorio by Camille Saint-Saëns.

Saturday February 1 FLYFISHING FUNDRAISER 5 p.m., Pajaro Valley Rod & Gun Club, 557 Lakeview Road, Watsonville The Santa Cruz Fly Fishing Club will host its annual fund raising dinner at Pajaro Valley Rod & Gun Club.

Thursday December 19 The dinner will feature grilled wild caught Alaskan UKELELE CLUB salmon, door prizes, and a huge raffle.

6-8:30 p.m., Cork and Fork, 312 Capitola Ave. Seating will be limited, purchase your tickets now.

The ukulele scene in Santa Cruz has really grown since Tickets are $40 online at: santacruzflyfishing.org/productthe founding of the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz in January category/annual-fundraiser/. n

“Wagner” from page 27 Compounding this challenge are rising operational costs, uncertainty about the program’s current headquarters at the Live Oak Senior Center (which is owned by the Live Oak School District) and stagnant or declining government funding at federal, state, and local levels.

“This is an expensive place to live, and with inflation over the last few years,

it has been a challenging time for many older adults on fixed incomes,” Wagner said. “Meals on Wheels is so important for meeting their needs and helping them stay in their homes.”

She added, “The reason I have continued to work with Community Bridges all this time is because it aligns with my values of service and helping others.” n To volunteer for Meals on Wheels, see https:// communitybridges.org/mealsonwheels/

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / December 15th 2024 / 31

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