Aptos Times: March 1, 2025

Daughters of the Strike

By Jondi Gumz

Blanca Baltazar was 12 when the historic Watsonville Cannery strike began.

When her mother — who worked in the plant — walked the picket line, she would come along, carry signs and chant in Spanish while her father picked strawberries.

Of course, she didn’t realize the 1985 strike, precipitated by wage cuts and lasting 18 months until new owners restored

wages and provided health insurance, would become a milestone in labor history.

But now, 40 years later, the impact of the strike by more than 1,000 workers, overwhelmingly Latino, in two frozen food plants is being acknowledged with a Jon Silver documentary, “Daughters of the Strike,” to be screened for the Watsonville Film Festival, which opens March 6 at Cinelux Green Valley in Watsonville. ... continues on page 4

League

Aptos Mariners, undefeated in league, sailed away with the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League crown and then topped the rival Cardinals to earn the tourney championship. Full Story page 9

By Edita McQuary

Dorothy Helen Crane, known as “Dottie” among her family and friends in the Watsonville chair yoga group she attends three times a week, will be 102 years old on March 11.

Story page 10

COUNTRY TO COAST

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5 PVUSD Statement on Proposed Staffing Reductions

7 Waste: Hazardous Fire Debris Does Not Belong near Schools & Homes, By Erin Brockovich and Suzanne Boothby 10 101 & Going Strong!, By Edita McQuary

12 County: No S. County Health Risk from Lithium Battery Fire

13 CPUC Investigating Vistra Fire in Moss Landing: New Safety Rules to Be Discussed March 13, By Jondi Gumz

15 Meet Nancy Gomez Miller: Santa Cruz County Poet Laureate, By Jondi Gumz 16 Shelter Benefit Shop Starts GoFundMe: Resale Shop Lease is Up, Must Move

Live Your Dream for Nine Single Moms

6 Homeowners to Pay Half of FAIR Plan $1 Billion Surcharge, By Levi Sumagaysay, CalMatters

22 Tri-County Health Departments Asks Residents to Participate in Vistra Health Survey

Champs & Tourney Champs!

Aptos Extends Win Streak at CCS, Story and Photos By Jondi Gumz

National Champ, Twice! Monthly Horoscope • Page 26 – Mars Direct, Two Retrogrades, Mardi Gras, Lent, Eclipse, Purim etc., By Risa D’Angeles

People Are Paying Twice for Veterans’ Healthcare, By Anthony J. Principi

Freed Hostage: Thank You President Trump: Calls on Him to Free All 76 Hamas Hostages, from Keith Siegel 18 Acupuncture for Pets, Courtesy of the Aptos-Capitola Veterinary Hospital

22 Chinese Brush Drawing: Precision vs. The Happy Accident, By Joe Ortiz 24 Who Will Pay for Pricey Wildfire Mitigations?, By Kristian Fors

Patrice Edwards

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COVER STORY

“Film Festival” from page 1

Today, Blanca is married, mother of two children, and vice president of student services at Cabrillo College in Aptos.

She is passionate about helping firstgeneration students succeed via education.

She talked to Aptos Times about how the strike affected her life.

She was born in Mexico and came to Watsonville with her parents at the age of 2.

Her grandfather was in the Bracero program, which allowed Mexican citizens to work in the United States on temporary agricultural contracts to give them the opportunity to earn higher wages and to address labor shortages due to World War II.

Enjoying the mild weather, the family put down roots on Kilburn Street.

Three younger siblings were born in Watsonville.

Blanca attended E.A. Hall Middle School, and Watsonville Cannery was close by.

The women who worked at the plant lived in the neighborhood, attended church together, sent their children to the same schools and watched soccer games in the same parks; they created a close-knit community.

Blanca’s family relied on the two incomes of her mother and her father to put food on the table.

In the winter, her father had no work in the fields, and when her mother went on strike, there was no paycheck.

With four kids, she got creative.

“We’re going to make milk,” she told her daughter.

Powdered milk. Much less expensive than bottled milk.

But Blanca did not feel poor.

“It’s just how we were growing up,” she said.

When she saw Cesar Chavez and Jesse Jackson come to Watsonville, she thought, “Wow, we have the support.”

Analysts say the unity of the striking women, their determination to not back down despite the financial hardship, was the key to getting a contract they could live with.

They wanted to be treated with dignity.

At 18, Blanca began to understand what that meant.

When Blanca advanced to Watsonville High School, the strike wasn’t discussed.

She learned about more in a Cabrillo College class on Chicano history and became president of the Organization of Latin American Students.

In her work-study job with Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, she provided academic counseling to firstgeneration students, which in 1990 were a tiny percentage of those enrolled. (Today a majority of graduates are Latino.)

Program director David Trevino became her mentor, advising what to do when Hispanic students faced financial struggles.

“Talk to the director of financial aid, the board of trustees, and Chicano Latino Affairs Council,” he told her.

The Vision

Learning how to navigate the system, she realized “this is why my mom and all the other women were so determined not to cross the picket line… she was understanding something positive would come out of it.”

She added, “That vision, that foresight, that’s impressive.”

She learned the importance of building a network of support — “how do we help each other to support one anther?”

She remembers the lessons she learned from her father: Don’t ever judge anybody. And be kind.

Her dad died at age 40, leaving her mom a widow.

Blanca was at Sacramento State, and her siblings were 18, 12 and 9.

She had to decide whether to come home and help her mom, or finish her degree.

She stayed, though it was not easy.

Degree in hand, she returned and got hired at Aptos High School as the migrant resource teacher.

This was fortuitous because at Aptos High, she met her husband-to-be, Faris Sabbah, who was teaching in a classroom next to hers.

They were friends for 10 years before dating.

They have been married 18 years. Privilege

They have two sons, and Blanca said she wants them to use the “privilege” they have “to make things better.”

Zahir, 17, is already at Cabrillo studying statistics, and Amir, 15, is a freshman at Diamond Technology Institute, part of the Pajaro Valley school district in Watsonville.

Math was Blanca’s major until she got a D in one class. She switched to social science and kept math as a minor.

Blanca is close to all of her siblings.

Brother Cesar Baltazar, an All American soccer player at Hartnell College, is a counselor at Santa Cruz Community Counseling Center.

Brother Ulises Baltazar attended Hartnell College and works at Chase Bank.

Sister Wendy Baltazar graduated from UC Davis and is assistant principal at Alianza Charter School.

For 20 years, Blanca commuted to work for the Salinas Union High School District but when the pandemic hit, she wanted to work closer to home.

“I wanted to work in my community,” she said.

Cabrillo College had an opening, dean of the Academic Counseling, Career, Educational Support Services Division, and after talking with her mentor, she jumped from the K-12 school world.

When the vice president of student services left, she filled that role on an interim basis, the first Latino in that capacity, then took on the permanent position in December.

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“I felt I could be of value at the executive cabinet level,” she said. Being the first carries a lot of responsibility…I’m grateful. It’s full circle to come back to Cabrillo.” n

•••

COVER PHOTO: Blanca Baltazar (from left), with her mother Sylvia and sister Wendy. • “Daughters of the Strike,” a documentary by Jon Silver

COMMUNITY NEWS

PVUSD Statement on Proposed Staffing Reductions

On Feb. 12, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees voted to reject proposed staffing reductions that would have impacted certificated and classified employees.

The proposal was brought forward to address the district’s financial standing, accounting for the end of one-time pandemic-era federal funds and due to declining enrollment.

PVUSD Superintendent Heather Contreras formed the Sustainable Budget Team last year; a group of parents, educators, staff and stakeholders to evaluate the district’s finances and identify recommendations to maintain fiscal solvency.

Contreras acknowledged the difficulty of the decision and emphasized the district’s ongoing commitment to financial stability while prioritizing student success.

“No district takes these recommendations lightly, and we recognize the concerns shared by our community,” Contreras said. “At the same time, we must address significant budget challenges due to the expiration of one-time federal funding and declining enrollment. We remain committed to working collaboratively with our board, staff, and

stakeholders to identify solutions that ensure the long-term fiscal health of our district.”

PVUSD will explore next steps in the coming days, which may include reconsidering budget adjustments, scheduling a special board meeting, or identifying alternative cost-saving measures ahead of the March 15 notification deadline.

If not addressed this year, the district would face more severe cuts next year, district administrators say.

PVUSD remains committed to engaging with employee unions and community partners to seek sustainable solutions that balance fiscal responsibility with the needs of students and staff. n

Editor’s note: On Tuesday, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District board met in special session for five hours to discuss cuts for rightsizing staffing before the March 15 deadline to send layoff notices.

A third of the district’s funding comes from the federal government, where the Trump administration is scrutinizing spending and looking for efficiencies.

Trustee Gabriel Medina proposed to zero cuts for school staff but that motion failed, and a motion to make cuts also failed. After graduation, “everything (in the budget) will be looked at,” board president Olivia Flores said.

PVUSD is seeking a director of fiscal services.

The third annual Alfred Hitchcock Festival celebrates the work of the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock.

It occurs during Alfred Hitchcock week in the City of Scotts Valley, where Hitchcock enjoyed a home for many years.

The Festival o ers lectures, runs movies, and provides entertainment, including a Saturday evening Gala. During the Gala this year the Festival will show the silent movie, The Lodger, with stunning musical accompaniment.

The third annual Alfred Hitchcock Festival celebrates the work of the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. It occurs during Alfred Hitchcock week in the City of Scotts Valley, where Hitchcock enjoyed a home for many years. The Festival offers lectures, runs movies, and provides entertainment, including a Saturday evening Gala. During the Gala this year the Festival will show the silent movie, TheLodger, with stunning musical accompaniment. The entire schedule, ticket pricing and other information can be found at: https://hitchcockfestival.com

The entire schedule, ticket pricing and other information can be found at: https://hitchcockfestival.com

The Landing (Scotts Valley Cultural & Performing Arts Center) 251B Kings Village Rd, Scotts Valley, California 95066 Fundraiser for: Scotts Valley Community Theater Guild TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT http://www.hitchcockfestival.com/

Heather Contreras

CALIFORNIA NEWS Homeowners to Pay Half of FAIR Plan $1 Billion Surcharge

By Levi Sumagaysay, CalMatters

After saying it would run out of funds by March, California’s last-resort fire insurance provider will impose a special charge of $1 billion on insurance companies — which will in turn pass the costs along to homeowners the first such move in more than three decades.

On Feb. 11, the state Insurance Department approved a request from the provider, the FAIR Plan, to impose the charge and ensure it stays solvent as it covers claims from victims of the Los Angeles County fires, the department said in an order by Commissioner Ricardo Lara.

Most California home and fire insurance customers will see temporary fees added to their insurance bills as part of the charge, known as an assessment marking the first time insurance companies will have imposed an assessment directly on customers.

The FAIR Plan is a pool of insurers required by law to provide fire insurance to property owners who can’t find insurance elsewhere. Its customer base has grown dramatically in the past several years as insurance companies have increasingly refused to write or renew policies in the state, citing increased risk of wildfires. It now has more than 451,000 policies.

Many LA fire victims have insurance through the FAIR Plan. Residents of the Pacific Palisades, where thousands of structures burned last month, held 85% more FAIR Plan policies in September than they had a year prior.

The FAIR Plan assessment is the latest insurance fallout from the LA fires. State Farm, California’s largest property insurance provider, recently asked for permission to temporarily raise its premiums an average of 22% because of the claims it is facing from the fires. The insurance department said no and asked for more information.

The FAIR Plan’s president, Victoria Roach, had been warning about its ability to pay claims in case of catastrophe, telling a state Assembly committee last year that the plan “one event away from a large assessment.”

As of Feb. 9, the plan had paid more than $900 million in claims, the commissioner’s order said. “A $1 billion assessment puts the FAIR Plan at an estimated cash position of just under $400 million by July 2025, as the 2025 wildfire season is just beginning,” Roach told the insurance department in the plan’s request for the assessment.

Insurance companies will need to submit filings with the insurance department before they can collect the one-time fees from their customers, said Michael Soller, department spokesperson.

It is unclear on what percentage of policyholders’ premiums the fees will be based.

“The FAIR Plan does not have a role in determining how insurers manage costs associated once an assessment is approved,” the plan said in a press release.

Under new regulations that took effect this year as part of Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s effort to address the growing difficulty of finding property insurance in California, insurance customers will now have to shoulder 50% of any assessment through a temporary fee added to their premiums. Before the new rules went into effect, the plan would have gotten all the additional funds directly from its member companies, which would have then tried to recoup that money by raising premiums.

The insurance industry supports the change.

“Surcharge” page 9

Waste: Hazardous Fire Debris

Does Not Belong near Schools & Homes

By Erin Brockovich and Suzanne Boothby

Editor’s note: Vistra’s lithium battery energy storage system in Moss Landing, which caught fire Jan. 17 and closed Highway 1, reignited the night of Feb. 18 as residents await a report on the cause. Erin Brockovich is working with law firm Singleton Schreiber, which has sued Vistra, PG&E and LG Energy alleging inadequate fire safety measures.

Never ever underestimate the power of a pissed off mom. When you mess with their kids’ health and their community, they will organize, and they will fight for justice.

When Kelly and Natasha reached out for my help last weekend (with a sweet baby in tow), I knew I needed to listen and use my platform to help elevate their cause.

They are part of a larger group (www. protectcalabasas.org) trying to protect their community from receiving thousands of tons of debris per day as part of a massive cleanup operation following the devastating Los Angeles County wildfires last month.

Calabasas is a town in the foothills of the Santa Monica and Santa Susana mountains about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. It’s also a community with a residential landfill. The Calabasas Land-fill sits within a one mile of radius of six schools, close to playgrounds, parks, and thousands of homes.

“We are just a bunch of moms looking to protect our kids, our schools, our health, not wanting this to become some huge thing in 20 years when a bunch of kids are sick and we have to sue for damages,” Kelly Rapf Martino told the Los Angeles Times. “We’re trying to stop that before that happens.”

No one wants toxic waste in their backyard.

Los Angeles County made this decision without giving residents notice, without a city council vote or community discussion, and without testing the debris, which could be full of harmful lead, asbestos or arsenic, as well as newer synthetic materials. If older homes had carpets or rugs, they may have contained PFAS.

I talk about this issue all the time. We need transparency from our elected officials. Decisions like where to put tons of toxic debris should not be made in secret. The Eaton and Palisades fires destroyed more than 9,400 structures in Altadena and more than 6,800 in Pacific Palisades.

While my heart breaks for everyone who lost a cherished home in those fires, we cannot swap one tragedy for another.

Toxic Leftovers

The toxic leftovers from these fires threaten not only the land but also the drinking water and the air. It could create a toxic legacy for the families that live nearby for generations to come.

The City Council for Calabasas sent a letter of opposition to the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors on Feb. 14, expressing concern over the proposed course of action.

“Protect Calabasas” page 8

Erin Brockovich (center) with Kelly (left) and Natasha (plus one) in a YouTube video promoting Protect Calabasas.

SEACLIFF

“Protect

The council met for a special meeting on Monday and with a unanimous vote, authorized the City Attorney to file a writ petition, including a temporary restraining order, to enjoin the Los Angeles County Sanitation District and Los Angeles County from receiving any fire debris material at the Calabasas Landfill, based on the concern that the debris will contain hazardous materials.

The City Council is planning to attend the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors meeting on Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. to express their opposition to the decisions being made. Residents are encouraged to submit public comment at: https://www.cityofcalabasas.com/?splash=https%3A%2F%2Fbos. lacounty.gov%2Fboard-meetingagendas%2Fhow-to-participate

To further express the community’s opposition, the City is renting a bus to bring participants to the meeting, in-person, at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration in Los Angeles.

Waste is a growing problem—even without devastating disasters that create hazardous debris.

The immense quantities of waste that need to be processed each day require communities to develop new infrastructures for processing and disposal, which are often beyond the resources available.

Landfills are regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle D (solid waste) and Subtitle C (hazardous waste) or under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

The EPA does not maintain a list of all the landfills in the United States, but estimates say we have about 3,000 active landfills and 10,000 closed landfills. Studies indicate that residents living closer to landfill sites have higher health risks when compared to those living further away from them.

Landfill 101

Subtitle D (solid waste) focuses on state and local governments as the primary planning, regulating, and implementing entities for the management of nonhazardous solid waste, such as household garbage and non-hazardous industrial solid waste.

They include:

• Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (MSWLFs) – Specifically designed to receive household waste, as well as other types of non-hazardous wastes.

• Bioreactor Landfills – One that operates to rapidly transform and degrade organic waste.

• Industrial Waste Landfill – Designed to collect commercial and institutional waste (i.e. industrial waste), which is often a significant portion of solid waste, even in small cities and suburbs.

• Construction and Demolition (C&D) Debris Landfill – A type of industrial waste landfill designed exclusively for construction and demolition materials, which consists of the debris generated during the construction, renovation and demolition of buildings, roads and bridges. C&D materials often contain bulky, heavy materials, such as concrete, wood, metals, glass and salvaged building components.

• Coal Combustion Residual (CCR) landfills – An industrial waste landfill used to manage and dispose of coal combustion residuals (CCRs or coal ash).

Subtitle C (hazardous waste) establishes a federal program to manage hazardous wastes from cradle to grave.

They include:

• Hazardous Waste Landfills Facilities used specifically for the disposal of hazardous waste. These landfills are not used for the disposal of solid waste.

• Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) landfills PCBs are regulated by the Toxic Substances Control Act. While many PCB decontamination processes do not require EPA approval, some do require approval.

PFAS in Landfills

Many toxins are a concern for landfills, but PFAS pollution is a known problem at landfills throughout the U.S., demonstrating the importance of monitoring and testing at these sites.

Experts estimate that about 16,500 pounds of PFAS end up in landfills each year from discarded household goods, industrial waste, and more. About 1,100 pounds of these chemicals get released, creating air pollution problems for people living nearby.

Another 1,760 pounds of PFAS escape through liquid waste called land-fill leachate, contaminating groundwater and drinking water. At some landfills, PFAS are detected at levels in the tens of thousands of parts per trillion, or ppt, which is dramatically higher than the 4 ppt drinking water limit the EPA has established for six PFAS.

Some examples from across the country:

• Minnesota officials found PFAS in 100 closed landfills, including 16 sites where PFAS detections were 10 times above state drinking water standards for the chemicals.

• New Hampshire officials found that 135 out of 174, or 77.5%, sampled landfills had PFAS in groundwater above state standards.

• Vermont officials found elevated levels of several different PFAS in the leachate of all landfills tested.

• California officials found the leachate at 84 sampled landfills contained PFAS. At some sites individual PFAS were found at tens of thousands ppt.

• Michigan officials have identified 93 landfills where PFAS have been detected.

• Researchers in Washington state found elevated levels of PFAS in 17 sampled landfills.

• New York officials found PFAS in the groundwater above state standards at 70% of inactive landfills surveyed. More than 13 million people live within one mile of a landfill. Cancer is more prevalent among communities living near landfills. I stand with the mothers and the community of Calabasas. This fight is not just another environmental incident. It is a opportunity for all of us to learn more about landfills, get engaged with local governments, and lead the conversation for more responsible waste management. n

The Brockovich Report is a reader-supported publication. © 2025 Erin Brockovich

LOCAL SPORTS

League Champs & Tourney Champs!

Aptos Mariners, undefeated in league, sailed away with the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League crown and then topped the rival Cardinals to earn the tourney championship.

With their 10-0 league record and 23-4 overall and a13-game win streak, they were seeded No. 1 in the Central Coast Section playoffs Tuesday.

They hosted No. 8 Pioneer (10-14) at 7 p.m. for the quarterfinal.

Santa Cruz (8-2 league and those losses were to Aptos and 15-11 overall) in the same division is ranked No. 5.

“Surcharge” from page 6

“This is essential to prevent even greater strain on California’s already unbalanced insurance market and avoiding widespread policy cancellations that would jeopardize coverage for millions of Californians,” said Mark Sektnan, vice president for state government relations for the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, in a written statement.

But Consumer Watchdog, a consumer advocacy group, is considering suing over the fact that consumers are now on the hook for the additional funding for the FAIR Plan, which its executive director calls a “bailout.”

“We’ll be exploring every legal option to protect (consumers) from those surcharges,” Carmen Balber told CalMatters.

Balber added that some insurers, such as Mercury General Corp., said shortly after the L.A. fires began in early January that they expected to have adequate reinsurance

Defense has been the key to success for the Mariners, but they have guys who hit 3s, score layups and make putbacks.

With 6-foot-4 Isaiah Ackerman, who has scored 1,000 points in his high school career, 6-foot-8 Owen Warmerdam and 6-foot Nick Tovani, they dominate when it comes to rebounds.

Coach Brian Bowyer is in his ninth year. The team’s motto is “All in, all the time.” n

to cover any possible increased contributions they would have to make to the FAIR Plan. In that case, “are they going to let insurers double dip and charge consumers (anyway)?” Balber asked.

The insurance department said the last time the state approved additional funds for the FAIR Plan was in 1993, after the Kinneloa Fire in Altadena and the Old Topanga Fire in Malibu and Topanga. Some of those areas were also affected by the fires this year. The additional funds approved then are equivalent to $563 million today, the department said.

In a statement, Lara characterized the new regulation as a “necessary consumer protection action.” The commissioner added: “The fact that we are once again facing this issue 30 years after wildfires devastated these same communities highlights the need for change.” n

This story was originally published Feb. 11 by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

Winning Mariners: Victor Avalos, Quinn Billings, Gabe Castillo, Sean Mullen, Caden Bogle, Zen Weaver, Owen Warmerdam, Demian Matlow, Diego Mejia, Carter Keith, Ryan Solorio, Nick Tovani, Isaiah Ackerman, Sam Penera, Jack Tovani, Levi Race, Zane Matlow.

101 & Going Strong!

By Edita McQuary

Dorothy Helen Crane, known as “Dottie” among her family and friends in the Watsonville chair yoga group she attends three times a week, will be 102 years old on March 11..

Besides participating in chair yoga, Dottie keeps busy creating and sending out books for sick children in children’s hospitals on the West Coast. Her interest in decoupage started about 20 years ago when her favorite hobby, gardening, became a bit challenging.

Born in Alameda, Dottie grew up in

Bruce, was shipped off to Europe with the army immediately after they were wed. After the war, they moved to the Santa Cruz/ Boulder Creek area. They had three children, two daughters and a son. Eventually they needed to move to Arizona, a drier climate, for her husband’s health.

A few years after her husband’s death in 2007, Dottie started creating books for children, cutting out magazine photos, making collage pages tied together with colorful ribbons. She decided to send her books to children’s hospitals because the little ones needed cheering up while facing their health challenges.

Dottie creates and sends out about 1,000 books a year. To date, that is 18,000 books total she has created and sent!

The books are mailed to children’s hospitals, including in Phoenix, Shriner’s Hospital in Arizona, and hospitals in Scottsdale, Portland, Tucson and Salt Lake City. Many doctors and nurses have sent Dottie letters expressing their appreciation for brightening their patients’ hospital stay and thanked her for her kindness. Neighbors and friends are happy to donate their old used magazines. Donations of magazines to the Aromas Library are greatly appreciated.

Last Oct. 19, Dottie moved out of her home in Arizona and now lives with her daughter, Joyce Oroz and son-in-law Art in Aromas. The name Joyce Oroz may be familiar to readers. A local author, she has written 20 books, most of them cozy mysteries set in the Santa Cruz/Monterey area with muralist Josephine Stuart, as the protagonist.

As if making books were not enough, Dottie builds and tones her little body by lifting 2-lb weights while performing yoga

poses at Sonia Westphal’s yoga classes three days a week. Dottie dresses carefully, pulling on her colorful yoga pants and top. Her socks and scarf usually match the ensemble.

You will see mother and daughter Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. at the Kathleen King Conference Room across from the entrance to Watsonville Community Hospital.

Dottie says regular yoga classes have helped her to stay young and fit. Her wonderful sense of humor also helps.

She lives one day at a time with quick smiles and laughter. A recipe for a long life. This mother and daughter duo have brought a lot of reading pleasure to readers big and small. n

JOIN US FOR LUNCH & DINNER OPEN DAILY 11:30AM - CLOSE DINNER BEGINS AT 5PM

HOUR

SPECIALS

VIEWS

Joyce Oroz can be reached at joyceoroz@ sbcglobal.net.

Dottie Crane’s books for children

Joyce and Dottie

Dottie Crane at her exercise class

FAMILY

County: No S. County Health Risk from Lithium Battery Fire

Responding to community concerns following the Jan. 16 fire at the Vistra Energy lithium-ion battery facility in Moss Landing, Santa Cruz County reports extensive environmental testing to assess potential impacts on air, water, soil, and agricultural resources.

Under direction of the Board of Supervisors, County staff initiated comprehensive environmental testing through the Santa Cruz County Agricultural Commissioner and Santa Cruz County Environmental Health, following industry-standard protocols.

Testing focused on soil, plant material, surface water, and sediment in South County, which was most likely to be impacted by the fire.

Results indicate that metal levels detected in Santa Cruz County are significantly lower than samples collected in Monterey County closer to the Moss Landing site and do not suggest elevated public health risks or food safety concerns.

Testing of South County lakes, for example, showed cobalt levels were several orders of magnitude lower than samples collected in the vicinity of Elkhorn Slough.

Many metals tested, including cobalt, nickel, manganese and lithium, occur naturally and may not be linked to the fire, and their presence should not be presumed to represent a public health concern, according to a statement released by county spokesman Jason Hoppin.

Manganese, for example, is added to fertilizer to support healthy plants, and other metals are considered essential micronutrients when present at safe levels.

Samples taken from agricultural soils were taken at the surface and subsurface levels for comparison.

No elevated levels of metals were found in surface samples, consistent with the recent Department of Toxic Substances Control finding that “there are not elevated metals associated with the fire in soil” near Moss Landing.

Initial plant material testing identified two outliers with elevated cobalt and nickel levels.

However, follow-up testing showed a significant decline in these levels, possibly due to plant water uptake in the field.

Absent background data, it is difficult to attribute the presence of metals to the Moss Landing fire.

Surface water and sediment samples were collected from multiple locations, including Drew Lake, Kelly Lake, Pinto Lake and Watsonville Slough, with additional samples collected at Antonelli Pond, Loch Lomond Reservoir and Forest Lake as spatial controls due to the lack of background data.

Metals detected were below U.S. Environmental Protections Agency screening thresholds, with the exception of elevated manganese levels at Drew Lake, Watsonville Slough and Antonelli Pond.

However, levels were not consistent with deposits from a battery fire and are likely due to natural or other anthropogenic sources, according to Hoppin.

Santa Cruz County continues to collaborate with Monterey County and state agencies to monitor environmental conditions. n

•••

Residents concerned about health effects related to the Moss Landing fire are encouraged to complete a regional survey available at: www. mtyhd.org/MLFireSurvey

COMMUNITY NEWS

CPUC Investigating Vistra Fire in Moss Landing

New Safety Rules to Be Discussed March 13

By Jondi Gumz

On Jan. 25, nine days after the Vistra lithium battery storage plant caught fire, the California Public Utilities Commission issued an announcement saying the agency staff are investigating the fire that closed Highway 1 and evacuated 1,200 people in Moss Landing and proposing new regulations with the goal to enhance the safety of battery energy storage facilities.

The CPUC issued a 172-page proposal that, if approved March 13, would:

1) Implement Senate Bill 1383 (2022) to establish standards for the maintenance and operation of battery energy storage facilities.

2) Require owners to develop emergency response action plans for battery energy storage facilities, as required by SB 38, submit that plan to the county and city where it’s located, and coordinate with local authorities and first-response agencies.

3) Require operators to maintain records of storage facility outages and to provide those records to the CPUC daily.

If approved, the CPUC says, these changes “will enhance the safety of battery energy storage facilities, which play a crucial role in California’s transition away from fossil fuels.”

According to Rachel Peterson CPUC executive director, the changes “represent time-sensitive safety measures required for the CPUC to ensure the safety and reliability of energy storage systems.”

Incidents at lithium-ion ESS facilities have caused fires, evacuation orders, and shelter in-place orders for nearby residents, and warranting an investigation by the CPUC’s safety division.

Besides the four safety incidents in Moss Landing, the CPUC notes six more lithium battery safety incidents elsewhere in the state:

Terra-Gen; Valley Center Energy Storage Center, April 5, 2022

Terra-Gen; Valley Center Energy Storage Center, September 18, 2023 SDG&E; Kearny South Energy Storage, April 29, 2024

Convergent; Orange County Energy Storage 2, July 17, 2024

REV Renewables; Gateway Energy Storage Facility, May 15, 2024 SDG&E; Northeast Operations Center, Escondido, September 5, 2024

However there is currently no regulation requiring operators to report injuries, fatalities, fires, thermal runaways a technical term describing a chian reaction where heat leads to fire or other system failures to the CPUC.

The proposed changes do not specifically call for upgrades to safer designs.

The rules on electric generating facilities and power plants were adopted in 2004 after the Legislature began a push for power plant reliability.

In 2015 SB 350 mandated a 50% renewable portfolio by 2030 and utilities to plan for zero-carbon resources to reach California’s carbon neutrality goal by 2045.

CPUC Investigation

The CPUC’s Safety and Enforcement Division promptly began its investigation of the Moss Landing fire, requesting information and updates and maintaining communication with Vistra.

On Jan. 22, SED staff conducted an initial site visit. The investigation is ongoing.

Battery Storage Growing

With encouragement from the state, the deployment of battery storage systems has grown significantly, from 500 megawatts in 2019 to over 13,300 megawatts in 2024.

The state is counting on battery storage systems to enhance reliability and reduce dependency on polluting fossil fuel plants.

The CPUC says the state’s projected need for battery storage capacity is estimated at 52,000 MW by 2045.

Battery storage systems soak up clean energy in the daytime when the sun is shining, store that electricity, and then export it to the grid in the evening hours when the sun is down.

The CPUC says battery storage system technologies are maturing.

In South Korea, where battery-maker LG Chem is based, after multiple EV car battery fires caused a nationwide panic in South Korea and skepticism about EV safety, according to EVPedia.

Four months ago, LG Chem reported a potential solution, a special layer to suppress thermal runway fire. That solution aims at cars, not battery storage plants. n

Housing Growth in Fire Zones Must Stop

By John McCauley

Given recent tragic wildfires in Los Angeles and Maui, fire danger is naturally on everyone’s mind. Evacuation readiness planning was a top priority during the nine years I served on the Mill Valley City Council.

In its zeal to promote more housing, the California Legislature passed numerous laws taking away local control of housingdevelopment decisions irrespective of fire danger. Local jurisdictions like Mill Valley must comply with new state building mandates that appear to ignore fire risk.

Working with Google researchers, Mill Valley officials participated in a groundbreaking simulation of a full evacuation of all greater city and county families living west of Highway 101. Actual street configurations and garage locations were used. This work was published in a peer-reviewed academic journal in 2023.

There is a sobering impact in understanding specific evacuation times, which vary greatly by neighborhood. Although we have indisputable data for Mill Valley, this is an issue for all communities in California with housing in zones with high fire risk and challenging evacuation routes.

The researchers and city officials developed a detailed plan that significantly reduces evacuation time by using our freeway access points in a better way. Plans were also made to quickly and safely store many cars in the flatlands to make room for cars proceeding out of the canyons.

For details, review the Oct. 16, 2023 City Council meeting video on Mill Valley’s website. Great progress has already been made, including prepositioning tools necessary to implement the plan. Another citywide drill is scheduled for April 26.

Wildfires are unpredictable. No amount of planning can mitigate every scenario. The simulation predicts that most families will be in their cars within an hour of the start of a massive event. At the two-hour mark, the simulation predicts that 78% of all cars in the 17,000-car “greater Mill Valley area” will reach a safer location due to much better traffic planning. This is a significant improvement from the baseline. However, three neighborhoods still achieve a much slower result.

About 1,500 of the 3,300 cars (along with their occupants) in the combined neighborhoods of Cascade, Summit and Warner Canyon would not be expected

to reach a safer area within two hours. These neighborhoods represent only 20% of the total car population, but 42% of the remaining cars that are at higher risk. These neighborhoods have greater density of cars, challenging road conditions and are farther up in the canyons, in high fire hazard severity zones.

While existing conditions are difficult to change, common sense would suggest that these three areas are the last place to expand housing, making things worse.

Irrespective of the fire danger conditions present, new state law allows up to four units on any single-family zoned lot, originally zoned for one unit only. Each new unit adds

more lives and cars attempting a possibly life-threatening exit from the neighborhoods least able to cope with evacuation.

The way housing-mandate laws are written now, no city in California can stop a proposed development in high fire areas for fire safety considerations.

Enough is enough.

Now is the time to demand that all California jurisdictions be given greater discretion over building in high fire zones. The state cannot continue to ignore the consequences of it providing incentives to build in these higher risk areas. It is time for the state to better balance growth with safety.

I am promoting this call to action as a person committed to expanding the diversity in housing, but placed in the right locations. I was proud when I was in office to advocate the One Hamilton Project, a 45-unit development of low-income rental housing.

Please join me in calling on the Marin Board of Supervisors, state Sen. Mark McGuire and Assemblymember Damon Connolly to advocate for allowing local jurisdictions to override our state-mandated building codes regarding development levels in high fire risk zones. Please sign the petition found at chng.it/rzDwj56VWS to make your voice heard.

This is just common sense. We can no longer ignore the real-world consequences of promoting housing growth at all costs, ignoring the impacts on the safety of our citizens. n

John McCauley is a former member of the Mill Valley City Council.

This was published Feb. 7 in the Marin Independent Journal. So far, more than 500 people have signed the petition.

People Are Paying Twice for Veterans’ Healthcare

By Anthony J. Principi

The federal government is wasting billions of taxpayer dollars — by prepaying private Medicare Advantage insurers for care that’s ultimately provided and paid for by the Veterans Health Administration.

It’s an astonishing waste of resources.

As a former secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, I believe the money the government pays to private insurers to not pay for care could instead be redirected to offer more services to veterans or used to reduce our ballooning national debt.

More than 9 million veterans are enrolled in healthcare through VHA, which

provides care at 1,400 hospitals and outpatient clinics designed to meet the unique needs of former service members.

However, VHA isn’t the only source of health coverage available to veterans. Those over 65 years or those with permanent disabilities typically also enroll in Medicare.

When folks sign up for Medicare, they have two primary options. They can enroll in “traditional Medicare,” — where the federal government directly reimburses doctors and hospitals for care already provided to the beneficiary. Or

Anthony Principi

they can enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan sponsored by private insurance companies.

In Medicare Advantage, the government pays an upfront lump sum to private insurers, who then pay for all the same services that traditional Medicare covers. Medicare Advantage plans are increasingly popular since they often offer vision, dental and hearing benefits in addition to standard hospital and outpatient care.

About 1.3 million veterans with VHA health coverage are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.

Here is where the problem lies: Essentially, the government pays Medicare Advantage insurers a fixed monthly amount based on the average cost of providing care to the typical beneficiary — but it doesn’t factor in that veteran beneficiaries obtain at least some of their care, and in many cases, all of their care, through the VHA.

However, VHA facilities don’t bill Medicare Advantage insurers for the care provided. In fact, they aren’t allowed to do so by law.

“Vets Health” page 20

Meet Nancy Gomez Miller: Santa Cruz County Poet Laureate

By Jondi Gumz

Nancy Miller Gomez, the author of “Inconsolable Objects” and “Punishment” is the 2025-2026 Santa Cruz County Poet Laureate.

A native of Kansas, she lives with her family in Santa Cruz.

“Punishment,” her first collection of poems, was inspired by her experience teaching crea-tive writing to people incarcerated at Salinas Valley State Prison. She’s done this for 10 years.

In June, she told Rumpus, “I’ve taught lots of workshops in jails and prisons and the healing and humanity that happens in those workshops is magic.”

She adds, “Creative expression can mend emotional wounds, bridge differences, and re-connect us to our humanity.”

She went on tour with her latest, “Inconsolable Objects,” a finalist for the Saturnalia Book Prize, which is “part cautionary tale and part love letter to the broken objects and people of this world.”

One memorable poem, “Missing History,” voices her regret that she has never found a manuscript of poetry written by her grandmother, who left her infant daughter with relatives in Tennessee in the 1930s and moved to a small coastal town in Southern California living in a beach shack and

writing poetry. Her life’s work went missing, and Gomez grieves the loss of her stories and those of other women who have been silenced.

Her poetry and essays have been published in numerous literary journals and

Healing the heart. With heart.

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anthologies including Best American Poetry, Prairie Schooner, TriQuarterly, The Adroit Journal, The Hopkins Review and a special mention in the 2023 Pushcart Prize Anthology.

She cofounded the Poetry in the Jails program to bring poetry workshops to incarcerated women and men in Santa Cruz County.

“Poetry can bring connection to the community even for those who have little experience with poetry,” Gomez said. “If you take it out of the ivory towers and off the academic pedes-tals, it has the power to unify people and deliver hope, especially for those who have been marginalized. We need poetry now more than ever, and I will use this role to spread poetry throughout the county and into all the places where it is needed most.”

Gomez encourages community members to share their ideas and sign up for her newsletter for updates and future poetry events. Find her at www.nancymillergomez.com.

“Poet Laureate” page 17

Shelter Benefit Shop Starts GoFundMe

Resale Shop Lease is Up, Must Move

The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter

Benefit Shop, which has netted

$262,912 in 10 years, will close March 1 because the landlord, County Parks, needs its building on Felt Street back and the lease is up.

The re-sale shop is not accepting donated items, but prices are greatly reduced to simplify moving to a new location. Hours are Thursday – Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 pm.

If adequate funding and insurance can be secured, the shop aims to re-open in April as an independent nonprofit called Love Animals Benefit Shop (LABS), possibly nearby, in the East Cliff Village shopping center.

“A warm, inviting, hard-working and close-knit community of volunteers, donors, and customers has formed, and no one wants to see that lost,” said Amber Rowland, general manager of the Animal Shelter. “Unfortunately, the shelter just doesn’t have a space for the shop now, nor the funds to pay for retail space.”

The Benefit Shop originally opened in November, 2014 in a historic bungalow behind the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter, now called “the Annex,” making productive use of what was unused space.

Total revenue over 10 years was $594,308, with $331,395 in expenditures, which included remodeling and fixtures, utilities and upkeep, and pay for a half-time contracted shop coordinator Lea Goodman merchandising the eclectic donated items.

The net proceeds went to Animal Shelter operations.

When the shelter began remodeling in 2018, space was desperately needed for spay/neuter and other veterinary services.

The County Parks Department allowed the Benefit Shop to move into their building on Felt Street, and the Shelter’s clinical operations moved into the Annex Building, so there was no disruption during the remodel.

County Parks offered extremely generous rent, according to county spokesman Jason Hoppin, and allowed local artist Janice Serilla to decorate the building with delightful and colorful animal murals, now a local landmark.

The Parks Department had made a 2-year commitment, but now, after nearly 7 years, parks staff needs their Felt Street space for operations.

There is no other county-owned and insured property for the Benefit Shop to occupy.

However, Goodman and the team of dedicated shop volunteers, however, all ardent supporters of animal welfare in Santa Cruz County, are determined to find a way forward for the shop, which plays an important role in recycling, reuse, and upcycling in the community and provides volunteer opportunities and a gathering and social activity for people with diverse abilities and interests.

Goodman and Serilla have set up a GoFundMe, titled “Seven Years of Giving, Now We Need You” with a goal to raise $36,000 and have made plans to form a new 501c3, to operate a re-sale shop. and again donate profits to groups working to prevent animal homelessness and over-population: the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter, Project Purr, and Friends of Watsonville Animal Shelter.

So far 67 donations have been made.

(Project Purr was once funded almost entirely by its “Rescued Treasures Shop,” which closed when the landlord stopped donating the retail space and sold the property.)

“We’re hoping the community will step up to support the unique and multifaceted work of the Benefit Shop team,” said Goodman, “which just wants to creatively re-use and recycle for the collective goals of spay/neuter, ending pet homelessness, and supporting the community’s well-being. We encourage people to continue to donate, to volunteer, and to support animal welfare in whatever way they can.”

n

https://www.gofundme.com/f/seven-yearsof-giving-now-we-need-you

Freed Hostage: Thank You President Trump

Calls on Him to Free All 76 Hamas Hostages

Editor’s note: Keith Siegel, released following a ceasefire deal brokered between Hamas, the U.S. and Israel, is married to Aviva Klompas, a hostage taken with him on Oct. 7, 2023, and released earlier. As a young couple, they had settled in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. They have family in Capitola who are grateful for his release. In his 2-minute video message, Keith wore a yellow pin, a symbol advocates use to support safe return of hostages.

My name is Keith Siegel and I am a 65-year-old American citizen. I love country music and I love pancakes on Saturday morning.

But that was my previous life.

Since Feb. 1, I am a newly released Hamas hostage.

I am a survivor.

I was held for 484 days in unimaginable conditions.

Every single day felt like it could be my last.

President Trump, you are the reason I am home alive.

You are the reason I was reunited with my beloved wife, four children and five grandchildren.

Thank you for your continued fight against terror and for your bold leadership that has brought me and many others back home to our families, to safety, to security. When I was in Gaza, I lived in constant fear, fear for my life and for my personal safety. I was starved and I was tortured, both physically and emotionally.

“Keith Siegel” page 25

“Poet Laureate” from page 15

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors appointed Gomez on Jan. 28 following a com-petitive application process with a panel considering artistic achievement; community en-gagement experience and ability to communicate well across a diverse range of communi-ties; commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The announcement cited the involvement of Santa Cruz Public Libraries and the County of Santa Cruz Department of Parks, Open Spaces, and Cultural Services, Arts Council Santa Cruz County, and Poetry Santa Cruz. n

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, at the recommendation of the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission, established a County Poet Laureate honorary position in 2022. Gomez will appear at Bookshop Santa Cruz on 7 p.m. Monday, April 14, to share poems and conversation with Farnaz Fatemi, her predecessor. RSVP at www.bookshopsantacruz.com.

HOW TO FORGET

By Nancy Miller Gomez

I am lining my memories up against the wall. They are begging me for reprieve. Here is the night I found you on the floor, folded like laundry. Here are the bloody towels, the smell of ammonia and rotting fruit. Once I was a wife. Now

I am a wilderness. I am the grove of aspens. All that’s left of you are candle stubs and carpet stains. All your goodbyes have turned into horses. They are grazing peacefully. Your words are blades of grass, our last argument a pasture dotted with poppies. That night I watched you wash your bruised hands in the sink. Now,

I see two fish diving into a stream. I am re-remembering the last time we spoke. I have turned it into a holiday, marked it on the calendar with an asterisk. A day to eat cake. A day to enter the cellar and retrieve the special vintage with its sweet notes of smoke and honey. Lush on the tongue. Easy to swallow.

The golden crowned sparrows have returned from their long summer singing of loss. Three notes.

One for the knife, one for the cut, one for all I have forgotten.

Keith Siegel in his video message.

Acupuncture for Pets

Courtesy of the Aptos-Capitola Veterinary Hospital

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a form of integrative Chinese medicine that has been used in people and animals for centuries. Acupuncture is a gentle, non-invasive treatment used to treat a variety of conditions. Each acupuncture treatment is tailored to the individual and typically well tolerated by animals.

The approach is to stimulate certain acupuncture points on the body using small sterile needles that activates the nervous system, immune system, and encourages blood flow. These points are chosen based on a traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis and a detailed exam.

In addition to the traditional “dryneedle” technique, we can stimulate these points by injecting a small amount of fluid in the area, pressure using our fingers, gentle electric stimulation, and a red light laser. The goal of acupuncture is to reduce inflammation, reduce pain, and restore balance in the body.

How can Acupuncture Help my Pet?

Acupuncture can help treat and reduce negative symptoms for a variety of conditions. Most commonly, acupuncture is beneficial in animals with chronic arthritis and orthopedic conditions, especially ones that have other comorbidities where treatments are limited.

It is also commonly used for patients with neurologic conditions such as disc disease, degenerative myelopathy, and others, to help stimulate the nervous system and reduce pain.

Acupuncture can often complement traditional medicine when a pet is being diagnosed with metabolic conditions, organ disease, and cancer, as these disease processes and treatments can have negative effects. In addition to traditional treatment, acupuncture may help reduce inflammation, pain, and nausea in pets.

For example, acupuncture may help reduce nausea and stimulate appetite in a pet receiving chemotherapy for cancer treatment.

One of the most valuable aspects of acupuncture is that it can be very effective with few side effects. Some animals may be slightly sore or tired after treatment, but the symptoms resolve by 48 hours. n

Aptos-Capitola Veterinary Hospital is newly located at 22 Rancho Del Mar, Aptos, staffed by veterinarians River May, Nicole Hage and Karolina Wirga, all fear-free certified, and offering acupuncture, surgical procedures, diagnostics, pet nutrition, pet dental care, pet laser therapy, pet behavior therapy, microchipping, pet emergencies and end of life pet care. For information, see www. aptoscapitolavet.com or call (831) 476-7387.

LOCAL SPORTS

Aptos Extends Win Streak at CCS

Story and Photos By Jondi Gumz

Senior Nick Tovani was everywhere on the floor scoring at will in the CCS Division III quarterfinal at home as the No. 1 ranked Aptos Mariners defeated No. 8 Pioneer, 57-41. He led all scorers with 21.

Senior Isaiah Ackerman scored 17, and Damien Matlow 6.

Ryan Solorio, Owen Warmerdam and Carter Keith each added 3.

The name of the game was defense, and as the first quarter ended, the teams were tied 15-15.

The Mariners tightened up to keep Pioneer’s Mustangs off balance, repeatedly stealing the ball and grabbing rebounds when the Mustang 3s fell short, and shooting 3s themselves.

And the Mariners stayed out of foul trouble.

By halftime, Aptos was up 32-22.

In the third quarter, Mustang No. 22 fell hard and limped off the floor, limiting the Pioneer offense.

The win gave Aptos a new opponent for Thursday’s semifinal, No. 4 Sacred Heart

Cathedral of San Francisco (10-15) and eighth place in the powerful West Catholic League, victor over Saratoga, 87-74.

SHC is led by sophomore Kiran Tate-Day, who leads in points, steals and assists.

How far can the Mariners go?

Can Santa Cruz earn their way into the final?

That remains to be seen.

The final is scheduled for Saturday, March 1. Location to be announced. n

“Vets Health” from page 14

So, in effect, taxpayers pay for care twice. They pay for the operation and upkeep of VHA facilities that provide the treatment. And they also pay full fare for veterans’ Medicare Advantage coverage — even though the insurers don’t have to pay for this care or even for copayments that veterans may be required to pay for specific treatments not related to their service-connected disabilities.

Between 2011 and 2020, VHA spent a whopping $78 billion treating veterans enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, according to an August 2024 study in the Journal of the

Association.

A separate study in the November 2024 issue of Health Affairs found that, in 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services paid Medicare Advantage insurers

more than $1.32 billion for care that was ultimately delivered by the VA.

Medicare Advantage insurers reap profit when veterans who’ve selected their plans seek care at VHA facilities instead of in non-VHA hospitals and doctors’ offices. They literally get paid to do nothing.

The most sensible way forward is to require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — and private Medicare Advantage plans — to reimburse VHA facilities directly for the care the VA provides.

That way, taxpayers wouldn’t pay twice for the same care. n •••

Anthony J. Principi was secretary of Veterans Affairs from 2001 to 2005. This piece originally appeared in the DC Journal.

Editor’s note: In November, Dr. Mehmet O, a surgeon, was nominated to oversee Medicare, but he has yet to be confirmed by the Senate.

Nick Tovani, on a fast break, going all in.

Aptos Coach Brian Bowyer shares words of wisdom.

Live Your Dream for Nine Single Moms

On March, 8, Soroptimist International of Capitola-by-the-Sea will honor nine single mothers – a record number -- with Live Your Dream awards.

Each will receive a cash award she can use for anything that enables her to complete her education, including rent, medical bills, child care and car repairs.

Awards go to women enrolled in or accepted into a bachelor’s or technical or vocational training program, are heads of their household and have a demonstrated need.

“We’re very proud of our winners who have persevered in their dreams of getting an education despite multiple setbacks,” said Therese Malachowski, Live Your Dream program chair and club vice president. “Our

role model for her children by getting an education.

After several previous attempts, she successfully completed her studies for her GED last year. She is now enrolled full-time at Cabrillo College seeking a degree in human services. Her goal is to be a social worker. She believes her greatest accomplishment so far is getting her GED, something she wanted her children see her do.

“I accomplished that and still to this day am so proud of myself for getting it and showing my kids it’s never too late to follow your dreams,” she wrote.

becoming a preschool teacher working with developmentally delayed and special needs children. She is nearly a straight-A student and wants to serve low-income and minority communities on the Central Coast when she completes her education.

“My dedication to children and their families has always been the driving force behind my desire to become a preschool teacher,” she wrote.

Kailey Johnson

Kailey Johnson, 28, of Santa Cruz, is the mother of a 7-year-old son who began working toward a nursing degree when her son was 18 months old. For several years, she had to work full-time in low-paying jobs barely meeting her expenses and putting her

“I have put so much time and effort into my classes and grades and it is my dream to make it happen,” she wrote in her application.

Christine Saunders-French Christina Lee-Ana Saunders-French, 40, of Scotts Valley, is a single mother of an 11-year-old daughter, and is studying criminal justice at Cabrillo College. After working as a house cleaner for more than 20 yeas, at age 38, she went back to school and got her GED in 2024. Immediately afterward, she enrolled at Cabrillo and has completed one year. She has applied to be a police officer with the Santa Cruz Police Department.

“As I walked up on that stage (to get her GED) I felt such a huge surge of accomconfidence,” she wrote in her application. “I knew I could do anything

Jessica Armstrong

Christine Saunders-French

Chinese Brush Drawing: Precision vs. The Happy Accident

Editor’s note: This is the sixth in a series by Capitola creative Joe Ortiz.

Chinese brush drawing is an ideal medium for combining precision with spontaneity. Its essence lies in “trying not to try.” This idea supports the Buddhist notion of focusing one’s practice on “no goal.”

As Zen teacher Shunryū Suzuki explains: “The way to practice without having any goal is to limit your activity, or to be concentrated on what you are doing in this moment . . . instead of having some particular object in mind.”

In any art, focusing solely on precision and a defined outcome can often lead to stiltedness.

Practitioners of Chinese brush drawing—while guided by an intention to render calligraphic forms or natural scenes with accuracy—also allow spontaneity to emerge through unintended, expressive strokes. For instance, the flick of a wrist that scatters ink unpredictably can help reveal the artist’s authentic spirit.

spontaneity that brings the painting to life. Achieving this balance calls for a paradoxical mindset: Letting the eye and mind guide accuracy while allowing the hand and heart to move freely, unencumbered.

As Edward Hill notes in The Language of Drawing, brush strokes not only capture the outward and inner qualities of the subject but also create rhythm and reflect the painter’s unique identity.

What We Can Learn : Of course, working artists often strive for an honest portrayal in rendering a calligraphic figure or a landscape detail.

Yet they also see the benefits of gestural glitches, stutters, and blips of the hand and brush that uncover inner emotion and reveal a discovery of something unseen in the original object.

What We Can Do Now : Grab any old used, pointed brush with distressed bristles. Choose a nice piece of drawing paper and use some dense India ink or dark watercolor.

Look into a mirror and draw the major contours and shadows of your face with the tip of the brush, allowing the stray bristles to express any accidental marks that might occur. On occasion, give the brush varying degrees of pressure to alter its emphasis on detail.

Flick the brush with the wrist in a rhythmic, unrestrained manner. Strive for a reasonably faithful representation of your face overall but allow the rough nature of the brush to be unrestrained.

By Joe Ortiz

This technique requires the painter to aim for precision while yielding to the

Similarly, an artist can achieve innovative graphic flourishes by using novel drawing mediums: For example, crayon, charcoal, or crow-quill pen. All of these make for different interpretations, revealing how an unfamiliar technique can generate new accidents and uncover hidden stories.

CALIFORNIA NEWS

Temper your intense focus on detail with abandon from time to time, as impulsively as possible, depending on the facial feature you’re drawing at any given moment. Be precise one minute, wild the next.

Cherish the difficulty of the practice. Although this exercise requires a large dose of patience in the moment and practice over time, it’s important not to regard it as a measure of one’s ability. In fact, our limited capabilities are what will impart personal expression to the drawing.

As knitting and fabric designer Kaffe Fasset once said, “Don’t strive for a style; your limitations will be your style.”

So forget that you don’t have talent for drawing portraits. Most of us don’t. This practice is not about the precision or the accurate representation of our subject matter, but about the happy accidents that will give it emotional resonance.

Go ahead and surprise yourself. n

Tri-County Health Departments Asks Residents to Participate in Vistra Fire Health Survey

The Health Departments of the Counties of Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz invite the public to participate in a community survey to systematically gather information about potential health concerns related to the Jan. 16 lithium battery fire at the Vistra Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility.

The survey will be available through March 14.

The five-minute survey is available in English and Spanish via URL. If individuals have difficulty completing the survey electronically or would like to complete the survey in a different language, community members can call 831-755-4549.

The survey will be available through March 14.

Health officials encourage anyone affected by the fire to complete the survey even if they did not experience illness or symptoms. The survey also asks about the effectiveness of public messaging.

“We recognize that residents have concerns about their health,” states Dr. Edward Moreno, Monterey County Health Officer and Director of Public Health. “We want to reassure the public that the information shared is valued and will be used to improve future Health Department responses.”

More than one household member can complete the survey. Parents and guardians may submit responses on behalf of their dependent children.

The survey does not collect personally identifying information or information about residency status.

Survey results will be aggregated to preserve confidentiality and released publicly following analysis of the information. n

For information about the battery fire, visit the County of Monterey website at https://www. readymontereycounty.org/emergency/2025-mosslanding-vistra-power-plant-fire.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com

The beauty of cork, wood and laminates

Featuring Graber and Hunter Douglas Custom Draperies and Roman Shades!

Who Will Pay for Pricey Wildfire Mitigations?

By Kristian Fors

The horrific wildfires that devastated the Los Angeles area — and necessitated a $1 billion bailout of the FAIR Plan, California’s insurer of last resort — have many people asking why so few homeowners harden their homes against wildfires.

Home hardening is how homeowners reduce their wildfire risk by retrofitting their homes with fire-resistant materials and removing excess vegetation. A report by Guidewire analyzed data from over 90,000 California homes and found that home hardening consistently reduced wildfire risk, in terms of likelihood and damage severity.

The wildland-urban interface is where human development and nature collide, leading to greater wildfire risk. From 1985 to 2013, around 80% of the buildings destroyed by wildfires in California were located in this interface. The areas ravaged by the Los Angeles County wildfires Altadena, Malibu and Pacific Palisades — are all part of this zone. Yet despite the risks involved with living in these areas, it appears that few homes there were fire-resistant. Meanwhile, fire-resistant architecture and defensible open space appear to have saved some of the homes that were not destroyed.

Why aren’t more homeowners taking steps to reduce their wildfire risk? The answer involves California’s broken property insurance market.

steps and get certified by a nonprofit can receive premium discounts of about 10%.

According to a recent Politico report, however, experts conclude that the discounts are “too small to encourage wildfire mitigation.” The State Farm discount for fireresistant windows for example, which can cost more than $700 per window, amounts to 0.1% or a $14 discount on a $13,800 annual insurance premium.

Few policyholders will be moved by such small discounts to adopt expensive upgrades.

So why don’t insurers just offer larger discounts to improve outcomes? California’s broken insurance market disincentivizes insurers from doing so — because insurance rates are not actuarially sound.

To understand why that is, you need to understand the concept of “regulatory rate suppression” which is the difference between market rates that allow insurers to cover expected costs and rates that are approved by regulators.

Research from the International Center for Law & Economics found that California is the worst in the nation for both home and auto insurance rate suppression. Even though California is an expensive and disasterprone state, the average cost of homeowners insurance, $1,250 per year, is well below the national average of $1,915.

In 2022, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara mandated that insurers provide discounts to policyholders who implement specific wildfire mitigation efforts on their properties, including fire-resistant vents and Class-A fire-rated roofs. Discounts vary by insurer and are itemized in companies’ rate filings. State Farm policyholders, for example, who adopt all 12 mitigation

While this sounds like a boon to consumers, in practice, insurance companies operating in California are overexposed to risk. They respond by charging homeowners who undertake fire-risk mitigation efforts more than they should to make up the difference. So-called “premium revenue” from armored homes is precious to insurers in California.

“Wildfire Mitigations” page 26

When the war intensified, the terrorists who held me treated me even worse than usual. Terrorists kicked me, spat on me and held me with no water, no light, and no air to breathe.

Mr. President, once again, your leadership, power and authority are necessary to enforce the ceasefire and put an end to the unnecessary daily dangers to the lives of

“Live Your Dream” from page 21

She became a teen mother at 14, had her second child at 16, and had no familial support. She was in a toxic relationship for many years. However, in her early 20s, she went back to school and became a dental assistant, a career she loved and has worked in for four years, but she was unexpectedly let go.

Despite that setback, she enrolled in the Health Science program at Cabrillo College in 2024. She will work to complete that program, which will enable her to move into Dental Hygiene training.

“I want to provide a better life for my kids before they get too big,” she wrote.

Nancy

Zamora Fernandez

Nancy Zamora Fernandez, 38, of Scotts Valley, is the single mother of two children, 13 and 17, and is pursuing a degree in human services at Cabrillo College.

She is working on earning a family development certificate, and her long-term goal is to get a master’s degree and found a nonprofit that supports kids with mental and behavioral health needs.

She has struggled financially, being offered minimal job opportunities and limited work hours. Last year, she was unemployed for eight months.

“Trying to focus on school, manage family responsibilities and keep up with work has been difficult,” she wrote. “Financial stress has jeopardized all three.”

Priscilla Figueroa

Priscilla Figueroa, 37, of Watsonville, is a divorced mother of four children ages 8, 13-year-old twins and a 19-year-old, all of whom she supports by herself. During the pandemic, she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse and enrolled at Cabrillo College.

She was raised by a single mother and is the first generation in her family to attend college. She has faced significant financial struggles while trying to stay in school and complete her nursing studies.

But she is planning to graduate from

innocent hostages and civilians.

Your leadership and strength will ensure the agreement is honored by all sides.

That is what will allow all 76 hostages to return home to their families.

I trust your strength and leadership, Mr. President.

The helpless hostages in the dark, cold tunnels also trust you. Please bring them home. n

the BRN nursing program this spring while simultaneously starting a bridge program this summer to get her bachelor’s degree in nursing at California State University Monterey Bay. She will graduate in spring 2026.

“I made the choice to show up for myself, and to show my kids that against all odds we can do hard things and overcome hardships,” she wrote in her application.

TaRaya Lundy

TaRaya Lundy, 41, of Aptos, is the single mother to two children, ages 17 and 19, who are students. She is attending Cabrillo College studying business administration with a minor in counseling and teaching.

She says she has a huge dream— to open a restaurant that sells comfort food from around the world and a hair salon, both of which would operate as teaching facilities for young students.

“Owning the two businesses, I can employ, teach and mentor my students in being successful in life,” she wrote. “Teaching them work ethic, leadership and trade skills that can be used in the real world and even as a means of financing through college.”

Iracema Torres

Iracema

Torres, 28, of Santa Cruz, is the single mother of a daughter, is enrolled at Cabrillo College and is pursuing a human services career path.

After a difficult childhood that led her to make some poor choices and surviving domestic abuse, she decided to get an education so that she could provide a better future for her daughter.

She currently works 25 hours as a behavioral aide while attending classes. Her goal is to work with juveniles released from detention who have experienced addiction.

“Working as a behavioral aide will prepare me for my future career as a drug and alcohol counselor,” she wrote. n •••

Soroptimist International of Capitola-by-theSea is a global volunteer organization that provides women and girls with access to the education and training to achieve economic empowerment. For info, visit www.best4women.org, or email sicapitola. by.the.sea@gmail.com

The Oscars

item

Metal-bearing rock

Mountain nymph

Southeast Asian org.

Lavatory, abbr.

*____ Theatre

Whimper

Sodium hydroxide

Follow DOWN

Scottish cap

Barbara of “I Dream of Jeannie”

Nadine Atilano

Nancy Zamora Fernandez

Priscilla Figueroa

Iracema Torres

“Keith Siegel”

Mars Direct, Two Retrogrades, Mardi Gras, Lent, Eclipse, Purim etc.

Risa D’Angeles

Our next week and month are busy with festivals, a full moon eclipse, and two new retrogrades! In the sky, Mars, after 2 ½ months in retrograde, is now slowly moving forward. After one week of no retrogrades two new retrogrades begin (Venus and Mercury)!

Note, the recent conversations (Mercury) in the news about gold (Venus). What is in Fort Knox?

Mars: In the sky, Mars, retrograde since December 6, is slowly moving forward. Since early December, humanity has been internally focused. Now with Mars direct (in Cancer), we are testing the waters, ever so slowly considering new activities, new actions and plans. Mars in Cancer can be tumultuous waters! A strain perhaps on our emotions for a while.

Shadow: Although Mars is moving forward, the red planet remains in its retrograde shadow until the beginning of May! So, we, too, here on Earth, move ever so slowly — from inward looking (for 2 1/2 months) to outward looking. It’s a contemplative process.

frustration, fanaticism and inflammation. During the Mars retro we may not have known what our desires were, we may not have been hungry and our bodies may have hurt. Slowly this shifts, changes and dissolves away.

Mars is action, activity, desires, aspirations, hopes, wishes and dreams (skillful means). It is also the physical body and blood, anger,

ARIES

The coming year will be of great potency for Aries. Not only will you experience relentless change but will actually personify change for others, especially in your work world. This means you have the opportunity to initiate completely new and transformative ideas that will re-shape the structure of your personal and professional life, coworkers, and all environments. Everyone around you will listen.

TAURUS

After this winter time, knowing full well the reality of the times we’re in, you will work harder this year to provide essentials and establish stabilization among your circle of family and friends. You have the knowledge, energy, impetus and constancy to ask for help and to reach out to those in need providing information on needed preparation. Many will look to you for guidance. We stand with you, with love, help and care.

GEMINI

You know many things, your mind is like a meadow of flowers, often hiding your thoughts and ideas from others. You wonder at the reality of your intuition but truly it’s intact and revelatory. Use it to guide others in ways that reveal to them their own spiritual worlds. Use your intuition also to improve the life of someone entrusted to your care. I know you will do this. It’s in your heart and Venus guides you. It’s love that informs your intelligence.

CANCER

Working with, caring for, nurturing and nourishing others brings all your gifts forth. At first during these times it may seem difficult to enter into groups of people. That’s natural for Cancer preferring to remain at home and under the shell of protection. Contact family, distant relatives, tend to close relationships with special care especially children, renew vows of marriage and commitment, and stand steady in the radiating light of goodwill. Goodwill propels you. And do your taxes early this year.

The Week: Saturday, March 1, Venus retrogrades. Sunday, March 2 is rather veiled, mysterious and mystical (Mercury/Neptune). Monday March 3, Mercury leaves the watery depths of Pisces to enter fiery Aries. Communication becomes animated, forceful, passionate and heated, initiating new ideas! Tuesday, March 4 is Mardi Gras under the golden Taurus Moon. And on Wednesday, March 5, the season of Lent begins; our foreheads marked with a cross of ashes. We understand this. Thursday, March 13 is a lunar eclipse full moon Pisces festival. It is also Purim, the Jewish festival of Esther (Festival of Truth). On Saturday, March 15, Mercury retrogrades. Both Venus and Mercury retrograde simultaneously in Aries. A must unusual situation! And so, life moves on and we happily sail along with it. We realize life is a party, a joy ride, a car festival, a garden in bloom, a tree of mysteries. And looking around, we see the kingdom is colorful! n

LEO

Communication becomes quite interesting as the year unfolds. You become more and more of a leader. Talk of love and detachment, dispassion and discrimination weaves themselves into and through all conversations. At times, you may be anxious and burdened with work. Go slow, Balancing the two — relationships and daily work — is what your health needs. Concentrate primarily on what creates happiness. Relationships do, and they heal wounds.

VIRGO

The challenges of the last years lessen and diminish over the coming months. A relatively calm and peaceful time, will begin although you may feel there is simply too much work, too many papers and communications to tend to. They offer, however, new opportunities and possibilities not felt before. Focus on good will, friendship, romance if possible. Deepen into your commitments through intention. When you do so, inspiration awakens.

LIBRA

Daily life, its ups and downs, how you tend to yourself, how you serve others, perhaps small animals, too, are a primary focus and will continue to be so in the coming year. Any sense of limitation has a purpose. Ask what that purpose is. Only do that which sustains, comforts, nurtures, reassures and calms. There will be situations this year offering insight into your early years. A truer understanding will surface creating psychological changes needed for your health and well-being. All of this is good. Your work may change, too.

SCORPIO

You may be contemplating childhood years, seeking to recognize what nurtured your self identity and creativity, what your parents provided, and how your psychological foundation influences your present life. Thoughts run deep, feelings deeper. Wounds resurface but soon dissolve away. A finely tuned creative vein begins to materialize. You seek ways to express yourself differently than before. Spaciousness in all areas is needed. Play for you is serious. Find some children and play with them.

SAGITTARIUS

You go through periods where you’re thrilled with life. And then days where you wonder what that was all about and cannot find any happiness or joy in any area of life — work, home, responsibilities or tasks. You are learning about life’s ups and downs, vicissitudes and dualities. They become tools for living. The challenges experienced are training grounds for deeper understanding and service. We don’t learn through comfort. Seek new friends and professional contacts. They are waiting for you.

CAPRICORN

Always seeking to be productive, you find satisfaction, pride of accomplishment and solace through work. Last year and for many years, Pluto was your taskmaster. Pluto was training you. Now you will be called to shape the new culture and civilization, lead in creating the fabric of communities, and be part of what transforms our planet, making her sacred. What is not needed in your life will fall away. Your time has arrived to be part of the New Group of World Servers.

AQUARIUS

A spiritual crisis may unfolded in your life either in the past or in this coming year. Many of us skirt spiritual issues or reject past religious upbringing or have no religious attractions whatsoever. You will ask deeply religious and spiritual questions and from out of your experiences, a philosophy of life appears. Seclusion, retreat and contemplation will help define your purpose in this lifetime. Allow any irritations to settle down. Allow your imagination to fill your nights and days with creative thoughts. The purpose of Aquarius is to be a friend to all of humanity.

PISCES

So many planets are in Pisces now. It’s a watery world for the two fish, gazing at the heavens, the other’s gaze upon the earth. Great benefits from unknown sources will be offered to Pisces this year. Study all aspects of the Soul this year. Allow knowledge to deepen. Solitude will be your keynote even when you reach out to groups, friends and family. There will be a desire to make peace with everyone. Remember that peace is the result of Goodwill, which creates Right Relationships with all kingdoms. People will come to you. Guard them and yourself with care.

“Wildfire

The discrepancy between what risky homes should pay compared to what they do pay is the result of Proposition 103 and the state’s regulatory system, which requires insurance companies to receive approval from the California insurance commissioner before changing rates on property and casualty insurance policies. Under this system, companies are limited by price controls and by the variables they are allowed to factor into insurance rates, such as previous prohibitions on using catastrophe models and pricing reinsurance costs into rates. The system is notoriously inefficient, taking months on average to reach a decision for rate filings and even longer if applications are moved to a rate hearing.

Even the FAIR Plan, California’s “insurer of last resort,” which had its reserves decimated by the Los Angeles area fires, has fallen victim to the state’s regulatory hurdles. According to Victoria Roach, president of the FAIR Plan, in 2021 the plan had a “rate need” of 70% but instead applied for a 48.8% rate increase; only a 15.7% increase was approved.

The insurance rates permitted in California do not reflect the level of risk that insurance companies are exposed to. If the system were permitted to function properly, without price controls, insurance companies would be able to consider the true value of mitigation efforts and offer steeper discounts to those who implement them.

Moreover, under actuarially sound rates, homeowners in high-risk fire zones would bear the full financial brunt of the risk they are exposing insurers to, providing them with stronger incentives to make their homes more resistant to wildfires and to receive larger discounts.

The best way to encourage homeowners to harden their homes against wildfires is to create robust incentives to do so. Under the current system, discounts will continue to be minimal, and homeowners will lack sufficient incentives for crucial risk mitigation practices — perhaps until it is too late. n •••

Kristian Fors is a research fellow with the Oakland-based Independent Institute and director of the California Golden Fleece Awards. A version of this piece was originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle. Read Guidewire’s report at https://www.guidewire.com/resources/ blog/technology/analyzing-the-effectiveness-ofwildfire-mitigation-measures

Even the FAIR Plan, California’s “insurer of last resort,” which had its reserves decimated by the Los Angeles area fires, has fallen victim to the state’s regulatory hurdles. According to Victoria Roach, president of the FAIR Plan, in 2021 the plan had a “rate need” of 70% but instead applied for a 48.8% rate increase; only a 15.7% increase was approved.

National Champ, Twice!

Aptos High alum Nikki Hiltz is enjoying a record 2025 track season.

At the U.S. Track and Field Indoor Championships in Staten Island, N.Y., Hiltz finished first in the 3,000-meter race on Saturday in 8:32.52 ahead of Shelby Houlihan, then finished first in the 1,500meter race on Sunday in 4:05.76 ahead of Sinclaire Johnson.

Hiltz celebrated with a post on Instagram: “I PR’d [personal record] in the mile. PR’d in the 3,000M. And then won the mile and the 3,000M at USAs. It doesn’t get much better than this.” n

Nikki Hiltz competing in Monaco, Montecarlo. Courtesy of Nikki Hiltz’ Instagram

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

ANNOUNCEMENTS

PVUSD ACTIVITIES

Congratulations Red Apple Award Winners! On Feb. 12, the Board of Education honored four staff, nominated by peers, Eric Maldonado, Lynn Sales, Faith Sterling, and Elizabeth Ortiz!

Ms. Ortiz was nominated nine times! Winners are selected randomly and the list resets for every meeting.

See all winners at https://sites.google.com/pvusd.net/red appleawards/home

March 3: Family Engagement • 6-7:30 pm., Online

The Family Engagement team will host a virtual event Navigating Disasters and Uncertainty around ICE with Positive Discipline.

The event is offered in English, Spanish and Mixteco! Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89681451768 #success

March 14: Watsonville Teen Artist Showcase Opening

Reception • 5-7 p.m., Porter Building, 280 Main St. Watsonville High and Pajaro Valley Arts host the Watsonville Teen Artist Showcase (including Aptos High students) March 8 - 23, with an opening reception at the Porter Building.

March 14: Screening of Piscando en Pajaro • 5-7 p.m., Porter Building, 280 Main St. Watsonville Mosaic and Pajaro Valley Arts invites you Piscando en Pajaro, a film screening and celebration of farm workers and the art of Juan Fuentes at the Porter Building .

LAUNCHPAD JOB FAIR COMING

The 8th annual Santa Cruz Launchpad career fair and student pitch competition is returning on Wednesday, May 21, at the Coconut Grove, 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz. Last year’s event drew in over 500 job seekers, making it the place to be for employers looking to hire or build their talent pipeline. Employers from all industries with any type of opening (internships, part-time, full-time, etc.) are welcome.

The job fair portion of the event is from 5-7 p.m.

Registration is free to Santa Cruz Works partners, $250 for others, reduced rate for nonprofits.

Space is limited, and registration closes on Wednesday, April 30. Sign up at www.santacruzworks.org/sclaunchpad

TREE SCHOOL

UC Cooperative Extension will host California Tree School at San Lorenzo Valley High School in Felton on Saturday, April 5.

There will be 25+ classes on forestry and natural

DIANE SCHAFFER, MORTAL ZIN

Wednesday March 5

7 p.m., Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave

Have a virtual or live event you want to promote? E-mail info (no PDFs please) to info@cyber-times.com For beginning of the month, due the 15th • For mid-month, due the 1st

resources throughout the day, led by regional and global experts on forestry, ecology, and natural resource management.

Topics include forest health, fire ecology, pile burning, prescribed burning and tax tips for forest owners. Classes range from beginner to expert level, and participants choose 4 classes.

The fee is $70; assistance is available. Email Kim Ingram at Registration is open at https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey. cfm?surveynumber=44008

COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID

For most state college financial aid programs in California, submit your application no later than March 3 (postmarked date).

PROJECT SCOUT TAX PREP ASSISTANCE

Project Scout offers volunteer income tax assistance and tax counseling for local residents during tax season at sites throughout Santa Cruz County.

Volunteers are trained by Internal Revenue Service and Franchise Tax Board personnel. For disabled individuals unable to get to the tax sites, they have trained volunteers who can do in-home tax preparation.

Seniors get priority at all library sessions.

Income of $64,000 and below, simple returns only.

The Project Scout schedule for libraries is:

• Aptos Tuesdays 10am – 1 pm Feb. 4 thru April 15

• Capitola Wednesdays 2 – 5 pm Feb. 5 thru April 16

• Downtown Tuesdays 10am – 3 pm Feb. 4 thru April 15

• Downtown Saturdays 10am – 3 pm Feb. 1 thru April 12

Appointments are necessary for tax help and can be made by calling 831-427-7713 or by visiting the Downtown or Capitola Branch Library Information Desk. For info, call the Watsonville Office at 1-831-724-2606 or toll-free at 1-877-373-8297, or visit https://seniorscouncil.org/project-scout/

PG&E OFFERS FREE GAS APPLIANCE SAFETY CHECKS

To help customers prepare their gas appliances for safe use during the cold weather months, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is offering free in-home gas safety checks. During the gas safety checks, PG&E will re-light pilot lights for customers who have heaters or other appliances that have been turned off during warmer months.

Free safety checks help ensure that gas appliances,

Longtime Aptos resident Diane Schaffer, who was on the social work faculty at San Jose State, will speak at Bookshop Santa Cruz about her book Mortal Zin, the first in a new mystery series which is rooted in her summer work at a local Zinfandel winery.

Diane Schaffer

What’s the mystery? A crusading attorney’s death. Sabotage at a family winery. Secrets buried in California’s past. And the fun of knowing locations in the book: The harbor with the sailboat races, the geodesic dome homes, and Mt. Charlie.

The protagonist is corporate attorney Noli Cooper, who visits her godparents’ Santa Cruz Mountains winery, thinking she might come home to change careers, taking over for her childhood mentor. But before they meet up, the crusading social justice lawyer is found dead in a rocky ocean cove.

There is a suicide note, but the handwriting does not match. Noli teams up with private investigator Luz Alvarado, who worked for her mentor, to look for answers. Meanwhile, her godfather’s winery is on the brink of ruin after two years of lost vintages and new neighbors want to buy him out to take advantage of the terroir.

Can Noli and Luz — two fearless women from different worlds — unravel the truth? RSVP at https://bookshopsantacruz.com/diane-schaffer

including water heaters, furnaces and ovens, are operating safely and efficiently, reducing the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning within the home.

Carbon monoxide is especially dangerous because it can’t be seen, smelled or heard.

“This free safety program is a great way for customers to prepare for increased use of their natural gas appliances as the cold season approaches. One of our gas team members will conduct safety inspections to help ensure that gas appliances are in proper working order and also relight pilot lights,” said Joe Forline, PG&E senior vice president, gas operations.

Before the colder winter months when natural gas appliances typically see the most use, PG&E encourages customers to schedule an inspection by visiting www. pge.com/pilotlights. Scheduling your appointment online is free and easy and will help you avoid hold times on our customer service line.

Customers can also call 800-743-5000 to schedule appointments.

If you suspect carbon monoxide in your home, you should get out immediately and call 911. If a PG&E customer ever smells the distinctive “rotten egg” odor of natural gas in or around their home or business, they should immediately evacuate and then call 911 and PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.

APTOS PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS

Saturdays

Saturday Shakespeare • 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

The play will be Timon of Athens Timon is one of the less-often performed Shakespeare plays. He is immensely wealthy and his generosity makes him extremely popular, until his money runs out.

National Craft Month Events 1-3 p.m.

In celebration of National Craft Month, the Aptos library will host a craft program every Saturday in March.

March 1: 3D Origami

March 8: Printmaking, with Jane Gregorius

Saturday, March 15 • Saving the Redwoods, 10:1511:45 a.m. — Saving the Redwoods: The Story of Big Trees Grove. The event is free. AAUW presents an engaging talk by author Deborah Osterberg.

WINTER WATER TABLE TESTING

The Winter Water Table Testing Period for Santa Cruz County Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems is open through Thursday, March 13.

This period is crucial for property owners considering development on previously undeveloped land, major remodels, or repairs on properties served by an onsite wastewater treatment system that may be susceptible to high groundwater levels.

The length of the WWTT period may be extended with continued rainfall.

“Determining groundwater levels is a critical constraining factor when designing an OWTS that meets current code standards,” said Heather Reynolds, Environmental Health program manager. “We encourage residents to act now and participate in the Winter Water Table Testing Period to ensure the safety and compliance of their property.” Property owners are strongly encouraged to arrange for multiple groundwater observations on their property during this testing period. Applications can still be submitted until Feb. 21 for the current WWTTP.

Piezometer readings, required at the beginning, middle, and end of the testing period, must be conducted by a qualified professional who must submit the site evaluation application with a monitoring plan that is approved by county environmental health land

use staff. An updated list of qualified professionals is at www.scceh.org

Parcels with an active Winter Water Testing Site Evaluation application are encouraged to contact their Environmental Health Land Use District Inspector at Landuse@santacruzcountyca.gov to schedule readings. For inquiries email Landuse@santacruzcountyca.gov

CABRILLO JOB & INTERNSHIP FAIRS

Two dates are set:

• Tuesday, April 22 from 4-6 pm Watsonville Center

• Wednesday, April 23 from 11 am-1 pm Aptos Campus-Upper Quad

Meet with local employers to learn about a variety of job & internship opportunities. Have your current resume reviewed and edited.

Check out the Seahawk Job Board at https://www. cabrillo.edu/career-services/jobs/ For questions, email StudentJobs @cabrillo.edu

CORRALITOS WOMAN’S CLUB SCHOLARSHIP

The deadline is March 15 to apply for the Corralitos Woman’s Club College Scholarship. Applicants must be a high school student in a Pajaro Valley school with a minimum 3.5 GPA; or be a Santa Cruz County resident in one of the following zip codes: 95076, 95019, 95003; and be a U.S. citizen. Recipients will be notified in May; scholarship awards will be sent to the college of their choice once a student ID# has been provided to the Corralitos Woman’s Club. This form is at: www.corralitoswomansclub.com

Application must be postmarked by March 15 and mailed to: Corralitos Woman’s Club PO Box 997 Freedom, CA 95019-0997

COUNTY FAIR BOARD MEETINGS

The Santa Cruz County Fair Board will meet most months at 1:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday in the Heritage Building at the fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake Blvd., Watsonville. Upcoming Meetings: March 25, April 22, May 27, June 24, July 22, Aug. 26, and Oct. 28; none in September. Dates in November and December have not yet been decided.

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

ONGOING EVENTS

Mondays

LEARN TO PLAY BRIDGE

10 a.m.-Noon, Santa Cruz Bridge Center, 2450 17th Ave. Beginner bridge classes will start on Monday, Jan. 6 at the Santa Cruz Bridge Center.

Classes are taught by Nancy Wainer. Come and check out the world’s greatest game! First class is free. Reserve a spot via emai: NLMBRIDGE@yahoo. com.

BRIDGE CLUB

10:30 a.m.-Noon, 7695 Soquel Dr, Aptos, CA 95003

The Aptos Branch Library will host Bridge Club sessions on Mondays (except holidays).

Bridge Club is a partnership between Santa Cruz County Parks and Santa Cruz Public Libraries. Register at scparks.com or in-person the day of the event.

Last Wednesdays of the Month

PV HEALTH CARE DISTRICT BOARD MEETINGS

6 p.m., Watsonville Community Hospital, 85 Nielson St. Pajaro Valley Health Care District Board, which oversees Watsonville Community Hospital, is holding monthly meetings on the last Wednesday of each month through 2024, except Nov. 20 and Dec. 18 due to the holidays.

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

Saturday Shakespeare

April 27-May 25 online: See https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/ event/12190276

Second Saturdays HISTORICAL AIRCRAFT DISPLAY

10 a.m.-4 p.m., Watsonville Municipal Airport, 100 Aviation Way Watsonville Municipal Airport hosts a Historical Aircraft Display every second Saturday. Admission is free.

DATED EVENTS

Saturday March 1 AN EVENING OF ILLUMINATION

5:30 p.m., Portola Plaza Hotel, Two Portola Plaza, Monterey Thrive & Shine: An Evening of Illumination, Chartwell’s spring fundraiser, will be at the Portola Plaza Hotel, with a three-course meal, live auction and dancing.

This is a fundraiser and a celebration of the transformative power of education for students with dyslexia, ADHD and other learning differences.

This event is for everyone who believes in empowering our students to thrive.

Tickets are $250 at https://tinyurl.com/Evening-Illumination-2025.

PVUSD FAMILY CONFERENCE

8 a.m. – 3 p.m., E. A. Hall Middle School, 201 Brewington Ave., Watsonville

The 2025 PVUSD Family Conference will be at E. A. Hall Middle School, featuring informative workshops in the morning and fun interactive activities for families in the afternoon. Breakfast and registration will begin at 8 am and the conference will begin at 9. Lunch is included.

Youth between the ages of 12-18 who go to the conference with their parent/caregiver will attend workshops at E. A. Hall.

Free childcare for ages 3-11 at Mintie White School across the street.

For info call the Family Engagement Team, at (831) 786-2365

Saturday March 1 and Saturday April 5

KIDS FLY FREE

9 a.m.-2 p.m., Watsonville Aviation Education Center, 60 Aviation Way

Kids Fly Free is scheduled for March 1 and April 5 between 9 am and 2 pm at the Watsonville Aviation Education Center, weather permitting. The Young Eagles Program has been developed by the EAA Aviation Foundation to welcome young people ages 8-17 into the world of aviation. Participants should expect to spend 1-2 hours at the airport.

Youth get quality, one-on-one time with EAA pilots. The hope is that the experience will spark a young person’s curiosity to learn more. Each Young Eagle participant receives a certificate and is entered into the “World’s Largest Logbook,” maintained by the EAA Air Adventure Museum.

EAA Chapter 119 has safely flown over 7,000 kids since 1992. The program consists of an explanation of how airplanes fly and a flight of approximately 20 minutes around the Watsonville — Santa Cruz area. After the flight, each child receives a certificate commemorating the experience. Parents / guardians are required to sign a registration form. Pre-registration at https://events.eaachapters.org/.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

TOP DOG FILM FESTIVAL

Saturday March 22

7 pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz

The Top Dog Film Festival — Australia’s premier showcase of the best dog-themed movies from around the world — comes to Santa Cruz to celebrate the passion of dog lovers at Rio Theatre in Santa Cruz with Yappy Hour at Sante Adairius Midtown.

A curated selection of hilarious, heartwarming, and delightfully dog-centric films, supporting the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter.

Don’t miss out on this year’s event. It sells out each year. You’d be barking mad to miss it!

Tickets are $21 at https://www.riotheatre.com/events-2/2025/3/22/topdog Films

Bionic Pets: In a modest workshop in Virginia, a modern-day miracle worker is animals in need.

Andy A Dog’s Tale: A puppy with an unwavering spirit overcomes obstacles to become a service dog.

Dogsville: A Shakespearean drama set in the world of dog sports. Mutt competes against the best purebred dogs in the world at the Agility World Championship in the Netherlands, determined to prove that talent and heart can defeat bloodlines and privilege.

The Comforter: Penny Ruthberg is an artist on an emotional quest to capture the essence of man’s best through her ceramics in rugged Tasmania.

A Dog’s Tale: This is a trail dog’s life, one cherished by both dogs and their humans every time they head out for a ride together.

Man’s First Friend: In the forbidding elevations of the Tibetan Plateau, we bear witness to the ancient Mastiff lines developed by nomadic tribes to fearlessly guard their camps and herds against predators and thieves.

Tuesday March 4

WATSONVILLE READS: REYNA GRANDE

6:30 p.m., Watsonville Public Library, 2nd Floor Community Room, 275 Main St #100

Watsonville Friends of the Library hosts a book signing and reception with Reyna Grande, co-editor of Somewhere We Are Human: Authentic Voices on Migration, Survival, and New Beginnings, at the Watsonville Public Library.

The anthology, edited by Reyna Grande and Sonia Guinansaca, is a ground-breaking collection of 41 essays, poems, and artwork by migrants, refugees and Dreamers that challenges the current and oversimplified narrative immigration in the United States.

Wednesday March 5

THE CIGARETTE SURFBOARD DOCUMENTARY

6:30 p.m., Del Mar Theatre, 1124 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz Impassioned surfer Taylor Lane builds a functional surfboard with 10,000 cigarette butts collected from California beaches.

The Cigarette Surfboard becomes a platform to learn from professional surfers who are working to protect the ocean, and the symbol of a grass-roots campaign to hold Big Tobacco accountable for their toxic, plastic waste.

View the documentary at Del Mar Theatre for free. Reserve a seat at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ the-cigarette-surfboard-documentary-screening-del-martheater-santa-cruz-tickets-1217186801489

Friday March 7

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH SYMPOSIUM

8:15 a.m. – 4 p.m., Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s Cocoanut Grove, 400 Beach St. Youth mental health will be the focus of the 27th annual Jon E. Nadherny/Calciano Memorial Youth at the Cocoanut Grove. Registration closes Feb. 28.

“Building Youth Mental Health Supports: Social Media, Services, and Youth Voices in Prevention, Early Intervention, & Well-being” will feature Dr. Steven Adelsheim, Ana Lilia Soto and Vicki Harrison from Stanford’s Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science. Local experts and youth with lived experiences will speak. Continuing Education credits will be offered. For more info visit www.calcianoyouthsymposium.org

Saturday March 8

SECOND SATURDAY AT THE FARM

11 a.m.-3 p.m., Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake Ave., Watsonville

Bring your family, friends and neighbors to 2nd Saturday on the Farm at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. The Agricultural History Project’s 2nd Saturday events are like taking a step back in time! In addition to all the winterthemed special activities, you’ll be able to milk a “cow,” drive a tractor and learn about the history of agriculture in the Pajaro Valley while visiting the many museum exhibits. There will be story time, Kid’s Drive-a-Tractor, hay wagon rides around the fairgrounds and so much more! And in the case of inclement weather, festivities move inside the spacious Codiga Center & Museum building. Bring your lunch and enjoy a picnic on the lawn. Admission is free and donations are gladly accepted.

Sunday March 9

MICO’S PATH TO HEAVEN

6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Cabrillo College Aptos Campus, VAPA Forum, Rm 1001, 6500 Soquel Dr.

Enjoy an Art History lecture sponsored by Dante Alighieri Society of Santa Cruz: “Mico’s Path to Heaven: The Frescoes of the Guidalotti Chapel” at Cabrillo College’ VAPA Forum, Rm 1001.

Art and architectural historian from UC Santa Cruz

Allan Langdalewill discuss the frescos of the Way of Salvation and The Triumph of Thomas Aquinas by painter Andrea da Firenze, commissioned in 1365 by the patrician Buonamico Guidalotti after the ravages of the Black Death. The frescoes can be seen to be Dominican propaganda synergized with the celebration of the Order’s most famous theologian.

No tickets required, although seating is limited; first come, first served.

Cash donations welcome at the door.

For more info: https://bit.ly/LectureMarch2025

Monday March 10

PAJARO WATERSHED RESILIENCE WORKSHOP

1-4 p.m., Aromas Grange, 361 Rose Ave.

The California Department of Water Resources selected the Pajaro River Watershed as one of five watersheds to pilot the Watershed Resilience Program.

This initiative, which is supported by a $2 million grant from DWR and administered by Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency, will help the watershed better prepare for future climate extremes.

The first workshop focused on the vision will be 1-4 pm at Aromas Grange, with future dates in June, August, and October.

RSVP by emailing Mendiola@pvwater.org.

The goal is convene a watershed-wide network of communities from Morgan Hill and Watsonville to San Benito County and by February 2026 develop a Watershed Resilience Plan to:

• Holistically resiliency at a watershed scale.

• Integrate and prioritize equity and inclusiveness.

• Analyze climate vulnerabilities/risks and develop adaptation strategies.

• Collaborate across water resource systems.

• Develop and apply performance indicators and metrics to measure, track, and report on outcomes.

HIVE POETRY COLLECTIVE

7 p.m., Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave.

The Hive Poetry Collective announces the next offering in their bimonthly series The Hive Live! is at Bookshop Santa Cruz.

Featured poets are Luke Johnson, Ellen Bass, and Jan Beatty.

Information and registration: hivepoetry.org.

Wednesday March 12

RECOVERING FROM LOSING EVERYTHING

10:30-11:30 a.m., Porter Memorial Library, 3050 Porter St., Soquel

The Porter Memorial Library will host Nicole Sallak Anderson, author of a powerful memoir, Wildfire: Losing everything, Gaining the World, as the third in the library’s Meet the Author series.

In the 2020 CZU Lightning Fire, she lost her home, belongings, beloved pets, bees, trees, and the gardens that had been her sanctuary for 13 years. Part ecodisaster handbook and part climate refugee chronicles, the book is also a love story about a piece of land and a family rebuilding together from scratch.

Call 831-475-3326 or visit https://www.porterlibrary.org/ upcoming-events for more information.

Thursday, March 13

4TH ANNUAL WATER SUMMIT

8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Boardwalk’s Cocoanut Grove, 400 Beach St. Santa Cruz

Mark your calendars as K&D Water Management hosts the 4th Annual Central Coast Water Summit at the Boardwalk’s Cocoanut Grove. This year’s focus: Solutions for sustainable water management. Panel discussions, interactive exhibits, and networking.

Building the Next Generation of Water Guardians

It’s important that water agencies don’t just manage water — they must also protect it. Water is more than a resource; it’s a lifeline, a force of nature, and a responsibility that requires a team of skilled, dedicated heroes.

Ensuring our community has access to clean, reliable water takes more than just pipes and pumps — it also includes vision, innovation, and a dedicated workforce ready to take on the water challenges of tomorrow.

That’s why Soquel Creek Water District has joined forces with organizations like Your Future is Our Business, local high schools, and our regional partner agencies to inspire and empower the next generation of water defenders.

Through career fairs, educational programs, and hands-on experiences, we’re showing students and job seekers that the water industry isn’t just a career — it’s a calling, a mission, and an opportunity to make an impact on the world.

Recruiting the Next Wave

Justlike the Avengers assemble to save the world, we’re gathering the best and

brightest to take on one of the planet’s greatest challenges: protecting our water. Our partnership with Your Future is Our Business is a key part of this mission, engaging students early and exposing them to the hidden superpowers of local government and water careers.

Through career panels, school presentations, mentorship programs, and internships, our team of water warriors shares their knowledge, sparking curiosity and inspiring the next generation of protectors. But here’s the best-kept secret: The water sector is far more diverse than most people realize!

It’s not just engineers and operators keeping the water flowing. We need environmental planners safeguarding our natural water sources, infrastructure managers designing resilient systems, data analysts optimizing efficiency, and public outreach specialists rallying communities toward conservation.

By Rebecca Gold Rubin

We emphasize the importance of certifications, internships, and lifelong learning, helping them chart their own heroic journeys toward careers that truly make a difference.

The Next Generation

We’re

not just preparing future employees — we’re training the next generation of water protectors, defenders of sustainability, and champions of innovation.

As climate challenges grow, the demand for creative, forward-thinking problem-solvers in the water industry will only intensify.

From managing sustainable aquifer operations to pioneering game-changing projects like Pure Water Soquel, we need skilled professionals who are ready to step up and lead the charge.

munity engagement, every role plays a vital part in the mission.

Graphic designers and marketing experts translate complex ideas into action, while accountants and customer service representatives ensure financial stability and strong community connections.

No matter your power — whether it’s problem-solving, creativity, technical expertise, or strategic planning — there’s a place for you in the water industry.

Pathways to Opportunity

Every superhero has an origin story, and we love sharing ours. Many of our team members started in entry-level roles and, through professional development and perseverance, rose into leadership positions. We take pride in fostering career growth and equipping future leaders with the tools to succeed.

At local high school career panels, we open students’ eyes to the possibilities within water and beyond — whether in government, high-tech solutions, or hands-on environmental work.

Through mentorship, real-world problem-solving, and exposure to the exciting world of water management, we’re empowering future leaders with the knowledge and experience they need to make an impact.

Whether in engineering, environmental science, data analytics, public policy, or com-

If you’re a student exploring career paths, an educator inspiring young minds, or a job-seeker looking for meaningful work, we invite you to discover what it means to be a guardian of water.

At Soquel Creek Water District, we are committed to rallying our community and assembling the next generation of water warriors — because together, we can protect this vital resource and shape a sustainable future for all. n

District Staff at 2024 Trades Day in Santa Cruz

Our Water Sampling Technician at a monitoring well.

SCCAS Featured Pet

Ready for Your Zoo!

This week we have a gem of a Pet of the Week — Coco (#A317934)!

Coco is a one-year-old neutered male Cane Corso. He came to the Shelter when his previous owners moved and could not bring him with them. Coco has been at the Shelter for more than a month and has made friends with staff, volunteers and other dogs. He can come on strong but once matched with a similar play style he loves other rambunctious dogs- and in his last home he lived with other dogs and did well.

Along with dogs, Coco lived with cats, guinea pigs and livestock so if you already have a zoo at your house Coco would be a great dog to consider! While Coco has lived with teens and adults, his size and zealous attitude might mean he is best with older, sturdy and dog savvy kids and not small children. His very favorite activities are playing with squeaky toys, playing fetch, running and cuddling.

Coco had lived indoors and then outdoors, so he might need reminders of indoor living but he already knows lots of commands, so he catches on to new tricks and situations quickly.

This big boy is looking for his new family and is excited to meet you- come to SCCAS to meet our big buddy Coco!

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. (Arrive before 4 p.m. for “meet and greet”)

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

“Calendar” from page 29

Speakers: Justin White of K&D Landscaping and JW Group, Kevin Battistoni of Hunter Industries, Justin Black, City of Roseville Business Water Efficiency program, and Michael Johnson with California Horticulture Services. The Summit is designed for: Landscape and irrigation professionals, contractors, property managers, homeowners, students and HOA boards. Register at https://kndlandscaping.com/

ONLINE CITRUS CLASS

5:30-7 p.m., Online Workshop

Master Gardeners of Monterey, Santa Cruz & San Benito Counties present a free online workshop on care of citrus trees.

Now is a great time to plant a citrus tree bush or tree! Citrus trees are versatile additions to any home garden. They can be grown in a container or in the ground and a healthy citrus tree will provide years of abundant fruit. With so many citrus varieties available to us, choosing the right ones for our area can be overwhelming. Learn which varieties do best in the Monterey Bay Area, how to choose a good plant and how to plant it properly whether in a container or in the ground. If you already have citrus in your garden, you’ll learn how to care for and fertilize your tree as well as protect it from the most common pests.

Cost: Free (donations appreciated). Register at mbmg.ucanr.edu

Wednesday, March 12

SEASCAPE BEACH RESORT MIXER

5-7 p.m., Wednesday, Seascape Beach Resort Bayview Room, 1 Seascape Drive, Aptos

Aptos Chamber of Commerce plans a networking mixer upstairs in the Bayview Room at the Seascape Beach Resort. The resort’s Sanderlings Restaurant will offer a variety of appetizers and a no host bar. Fee: $10 per person or two for $15. RSVP: 831-688-1467.

Friday March 14 thru Sunday March16

SCOTTS VALLEY HITCHCOCK FESTIVAL

The Landing (Scotts Valley Cultural & Performing Arts Center), 251B Kings Village Rd, Scotts Valley Friday — Box Office opens 5 p.m., Doors Open 6 p.m.

6:45 PM Welcome by Mayor Derek Timm

7:00 PM “Hitchcock in Scotts Valley

7:45 PM 30-minute intermission.

8:15 PM Panel discussion. Audience Q&A afterwards. Saturday — Doors Open 12 p.m.

1:00 PM Alfred Hitchcock and the Wrong Man. (followed by 10-minute break)

3:00 PM A discussion about the real story of Manny Balestrero. Audience Q&A afterward. Evening Reception Gala

6:30 PM Doors Open

7:30 PM The Lodger (silent movie) Sunday — Doors Open 11 a.m.

12:00 PM “The Hitchcock 20: The Forgotten TV Gems. Directed by the Master Filmmaker”

1:00 PM TV Episodes: “Bang You’re Dead!”, “Breakdown”, “One More Mile to Go”. Audience Q&A afterwards.

Tickets for all three days: $110 | For other option and more details visit www.hitchcockfestival.com or call (831) 566-9411.

Wednesday March 19

NATIONAL AGRICULTURE DAY SPRING LUNCHEON

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Heritage Hall at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 E Lake Ave, Watsonville The Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau with the organization, Agri-Culture, will again host the National Agriculture Day Spring Luncheon in the Heritage Hall at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.

This popular annual event brings together the community from North and South County, elementary school students, high school students, and the farming community.

One highlight will be the presentation of the Al Smith Friend of Agriculture Award, presented by last year’s honoree, Zach Friend.

Farm Bureau and Agri-Culture co-sponsor a poster contest (grades K-6) and poetry contest (grades 7-12) in Santa Cruz County and Pajaro Valley schools. Winning entries will be displayed during the luncheon and contest winners will be introduced.

Tickets are $75 per person. Reservations and sponsorships are available. Call (831) 724-1356.

OUTSMART DISASTER WEBINAR

4 p.m., Online seminar

Small business owners, are you prepared for the unexpected? A power outage, a natural disaster, or a cyberattack can bring your business to a halt in an instant. Don’t let it be your worst nightmare. Register for a free webinar to create your customized plan. Join the California Office of the Small Business Advocate to learn practical steps to build business resiliency. Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/ WN_w7QJOsvRSY2iuzB6K1rYzA#/registration

TRADES JOB FAIR

4-6:30 p.m., Watsonville Civic Plaza Community Room, 275 Main St.

The Santa Cruz County Skilled Trades Job Fair takes place on the top floor of the Watsonville Civic Plaza Community Room.

Hosted by the Cities of Santa Cruz and Watsonville, the Skilled Trades Job Fair provides job, training, and career opportunities for applicants ages 18+.

The Santa Cruz County Skilled Trades Job Fair 2025 will bring together skilled trades employers and job-seekers. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet employers in the trades, and learn about job opportunities, classes, apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships. On-site resume review and translation services will be available. RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/santa-cruz-countyskilled-trades-job-fair-2025-tickets-1049202863007

Thursday March 20

APTOS CHAMBER LUNCHEON: CARLOS PALACIOS 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Seascape Golf Club, 610 Clubhouse Drive, Aptos.

Don’t miss this chance to hear important news straight from the source! Enjoy lunch with CAO Carlos Palacios from the County of Santa Cruz. He will bring the latest county updates.

There will be time for questions and community reports. Come out to the Seascape Golf Club to enjoy lunch and learn from a professional.

General Admission $35. Reservations required, no walk-ins please. (831) 688-1467, aptoschamber.com.

Friday March 21

SANTA CRUZ SMALL BUSINESS BOOT CAMP

8 a.m.–3 p.m., Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, 705 Front St

Event Santa Cruz will host the Santa Cruz Small Business Camp, an all-day event at MAH and downtown Santa Cruz crafted to inspire, educate, and empower local entrepreneurs.

There will be 14 interactive breakout sessions covering essential topics like marketing, financial strategies, social media, business funding, and more, and a keynote address by Jared Truby, Cat & Cloud, co-founder, early bird networking and a closing session at Abbott Square Market. Speakers include Nicole Fischer of Rootstock Collective, Kenne Johnson-Sciarra, founder of Terra and Self skin care, podcaster Jay Brown of MindFrame and Justine Willeford, founder of Pelican House swimwear.

Tickets are $43 at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/santa-cruzsmall-business-camp-tickets-1217072268919?aff= oddtdtcreator n