Aptos Times January 15th 2012 by Times Publishing Group, Inc.

January 15 2012

C O M M U N I T Y N E W S T H AT M A K E S A D I F F E R E N C E

Vol 21 No. 2

Serving Aptos, La Selva Beach, Corralitos, Freedom, Watsonville, & Pajaro

Farm Bureau Director appearing in global ad campaign

Jameson Irish Whisky poster

ess Brown, executive director of the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau and Agri-Culture, is now appearing in an international ad for Jameson Irish Whisky. The ad is part of a four-part campaign that the company is promoting to show John Jameson as a strong, independent man. The ad shows Jameson armwrestling and reads:

The Third Lane project on Highway 1 continues to extend to Soquel Ave. beginning in February

HIGHWAY 1 WIDENING BEGINS 18 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT CONTINUES

Chamber Orchestra visits Kremlin Distinguished Artists Series

2012 Poetry Contest Times Publishing, Inc.

FEB.

FISHHOOK LEFT OFF

at the beginning of summer break in 2012. The La Fonda Bridge will take approximately 6-8 months to rebuild. Highway 1 from Soquel Drive to Morrissey Boulevard is historically the busiest section of

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tion and tree cutting, followed by soundwall construction. In order to minimize disruptions to Harbor High School, DeLaveaga Elementary School and the neighborhood, demolition of the La Fonda Bridge is scheduled to start

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he Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) will start construction on the Soquel/ Morrissey Auxiliary Lanes Project in February 2012. Construction of the project will begin with vegeta-

WHERE

the highway carrying over 115,000 vehicles per day and routinely operating at the worst level of service (LOS) “F” for 8 hours each day.

Stress vs. Depression Learn the Difference

... continued on page 4

“After the 57th tried unsuccessfully to procure the secret of my distillation process, I had no choice but to switch to my good arm.” — John Jameson “Taste Above All Else”

The ad in which Jess appears can currently be seen on the New York and London subways and will be appearing in San Francisco as well as other US and European cities. It is based on an original oil painting by Pacific Grove artist, Warren Chang. Brown is the long-time executive director of the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau and appears as three of the figures in the ad. First he is the judge kneeling by the barrel serving as the platform for the contest.

Locally owned & operated www.TPGonlinedaily.com

... continued on page 4

CommunityNews

Cabrillo College’s new, accelerated Medical Assistant Certification Program has openings

abrillo College today announces that registration is currently underway and spaces are still available in a new, accelerated and nationally accredited pathway to a career as a certified Medical Assistant. This new, four-semester program begins in Spring 2012 with an orientation on January 26. “This program’s curriculum is based upon feedback we’ve received from Medical Assistant employers countywide and provides a strong foundation in the essential skills that entry level Medical Assistants need for success,” said Pamela Sanborn, Medical Assistant Program Chair at Cabrillo College. “We believe this employer-based approach will make our graduates more likely to get hired upon completion of the program.” The new, accelerated Medical Assistant certification program is a fulltime, four-semester program in which students sign up for a block of classes and move through those classes together as a cohort. Classes are held Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Agricultural History Project Docent Training he Agricultural History Project is looking for new volunteers who are willing to donate four hours of their time per month to serve as a museum docent. Docents greet visitors at the Codiga Center & Museum and provide general information about AHP’s collections. The next training is on Saturday January 21 from 10 AM to 4 PM at AHP, 2601 East Lake Ave, Watsonville (entrance to the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds). Ron Tyler, retired Santa Cruz County farm advisor, will share his knowledge of our area’s agriculture past, present and future in the morning and AHP specific exhibits and procedures will be discussed in the afternoon. Lunch will be provided. Current docents are welcome to attend also. Please contact the AHP office at 831724-5898 to register. ••• Combat Vehicle Theft hen a car, truck, or trailer is stolen, it ends up being sold, stored, driven, or used for parts. If you suspect someone is driving, storing, or using parts from a stolen vehicle, report it to the Santa Cruz Auto Theft Reduction Enforcement Team

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Successful completion of the four-semester program will result in the student receiving a Medical Assistant certificate and completion of their externship hours. Students may also opt to complete an Associate in Science degree. n ••• Registration for the program is currently underway and spaces are available on a firstcome, first-served basis, to any student willing to commit to the entire block of classes. For additional information, please visit www.cabrillo.edu/academics/medicalassist.

CommunityBriefs

(SCARE). SCARE is a team of auto theft investigators from California Highway Patrol, Watsonville Police Department and the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office working together to recover vehicles and to arrest those who steal them. Help combat vehicle theft. Call the tip-line for the Santa Cruz Auto Theft Reduction Enforcement Team at 831-465-7433. ••• FREE CPR Class ue to the success of our first free CPR class in December, the Aptos/La Selva Fire Protection District will be hosting a free community CPR class on Tuesday, January 24 from 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM. The class will be held at our main station/Administration building at 6934 Soquel Drive in Aptos. This free class is for basic hands-free CPR, with infant CPR available upon request. Based on the same technique as American Heart Association, used by most medical professionals within the county. Space is limited, so those interested in registering can email sarahm@aptosfire.com or call the office at 831-685-6690. More classes will become available in the future, and will be posted on our website at www.aptosfire.com as they are scheduled. n

Table of Contents

Cover Highway 1 Widening Begins in Feb. – 18 Million Dollar Project Continues Where Fishhook Left Off Farm Bureau Director appearing in global ad campaign By Noel Smith 2 5 6

VOL. 21 NO. 2

8 11 13 14 17 19 21 23

APTOS TIMES

Community News Cabrillo College’s new, accelerated Medical Assistant Certification Program has openings • Agricultural History Project Docent Training • Combat Vehicle Theft • FREE CPR Class The Chamber Orchestra Kremlin featuring pianist Sara Davis Buechner – Presented by the Distinguished Artists Concert & Lecture Series Treat Yourself to Some Organic ... Music! – Concert ‘Certified Organic’ featuring organist Jonathan Dimmock 2012’s Valentine’s Day Poetry Contest – 12th Annual Times Publishing Group, Inc Competition By Noel Smith Cabrillo trustee Rebecca Garcia resigns Preventing identity theft at tax time Stress vs. depression – Learn the difference and how to help yourself People and Places – Interpretations of the Familiar – Exhibit at the Santa Cruz County Government Center 1st & 5th Floors • Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau and Agri-Culture presented National Award Tips for tax season – Charitable giving Sanctuary Stewards Being Recruited by Save Our Shores John Larry Granger Named Recipient of Gail Rich Award • Court Rejects Lawsuit Against PVWMA Fifth Annual Santa Cruz Chocolate Festival – January 22 Chocolate-tasting extravaganza raises funds for scholarships

Estate Planning Attorney Moves to Aptos

anta Cruz County attorney Roy W. Litherland recently moved his office to 9057 Soquel Drive, Bldg B, Ste D, Aptos. Litherland has been serving Santa Cruz County residents for over 35 years and has assisted thousands of families with their estate planning needs. He is a well-respected public speaker on estate planning and will present a free living trust seminar on Saturday, February 4 at 10:00 a.m. at the Seacliff Inn, Aptos. To learn more details about the law office and upcoming seminar, please visit their website at www.attorneyoffice.com. The phone number for the Law Office of Roy W. Litherland is (831) 476-2400.

Roy W. Litherland

New In Town • Page 3 - Estate Planning Attorney Moves to Aptos

Sports Wrap • Page 9 – Aptos High School Scoreboard 11 21 24

Health & Fitness Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet – A New Year’s Resolution from Your Pharmacist Know Your Vitamin ABC’s (And D’s and E’s …) Sleep Apnea – Waking up to the problem

School Spotlight Choosing a College Degree – Which is Best for You? By Jordan Dunham • Eight Steps to Building and Developing Great Kids

Business Profile Learn for Excellence – For Those Who Want to Go Far By Gail Penniman

Home & Garden Keeping Resolutions While on the Go Inspiring Recipes by Chef Candice Kumai

Keeping Fit Fighting arthritis with exercise • Sustaining Your Healthy New Year Calendar • Arts & Entertainment – Pages 28 & 29

Monthly Horoscope • Page 29 - Your January Horoscope - Annabel Burton, Astrologer© 10 22 31

Featured Columnists EarthTalk® – Reducing Your Carbon Footprint through Energy Audits The Book Bag by Robert Francis – Some good reads in front of the fireplace for cold, dark January nights… Mathbox by Bert Lundy – How to Square any multiple of 5 in your head

SPCA Featured Pet • Page 31 – Let Keebler Make Your World a Little Sweeter

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APTOS TIMES publisher

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Lindsay Nelson editor

Noel Smith contributing writers

Bert Lundy, Robert Francis, Annabel Burton, Candice Kumai, Gail Penniman, Jordan Dunham, Noel Smith layout

Michael Oppenheimer, Mike Lyon graphic artists

Mike Lyon, Michael Oppenheimer production coordinator

Sandra Gonzalez advertising sales

Don Beaumont, Sadie Wittkins, Meredith Pozzi Feldsted office coordinator

Cathe Race distribution

Bill Pooley, Jana Mears

Times Publishing Group, Inc. 9601 Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA 95003 The Times Publishing Group Inc., publishers of the Aptos Times, a bi-weekly publication, the Capitola Times and Scotts Valley Times, each printed monthly, Coastal Weddings Magazine, printed twice annually and Hospice Magazine, printed once annually, is owned by Patrice Edwards. Entire contents ©2012. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form is prohibited without the publisher’s written permission. PHONE: (831) 688-7549 FAX: (831) 688-7551 GENERAL E-MAIL: info@cyber-times.com Patrice Edwards: patrice@cyber-times.com Publisher’s Assistant: assistant@cyber-times.com Editor: info@cyber-times.com Opinions / Letters: editorial@cyber-times.com Calendar Listings: www.cyber-times.com Graphics Dept: graphics@cyber-times.com Billing Inquiries: cathe@cyber-times.com Classified Sales: assistant@cyber-times.com Production: production@cyber-times.com

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www.tpgonlinedaily.com mission statement We at the Times Publishing Group, Inc. are dedicated to providing a voice for the individuals and organizations in our community while highlighting the outstanding accomplishments of our local businesses. We seek to promote healthy family values through our coverage of youth activities, school news, senior events, community groups and entertainment.

CoverStory

“Highway 1 Project” from pg 1

The completion of this project is anticipated to shift vehicles traveling in the area to Highway 1, rather than using local neighborhood streets. The project is consistent with the RTC’s mission to provide the community with a range of safe, convenient, reliable, and efficient transportation choices. Karena Pushnik of the SCCRTC said, “These auxiliary lanes are for merging and will help to increase the operational efficiency of highway 1 between Morrissey and Soquel. The next stretch slated for improvement is from Soquel Drive to 41st Avenue.” Newly elected Board of Supervisors’ chairman John Leopold who also sits on the RTC board said, “The SCCRTC board voted 11-1 to go ahead with the project. We were very pleased that the cost of construction was bid 22 percent lower than was estimated.” The $9.9 million highway construction contract was awarded to RGW Construction. The project total of $18 million dollars includes all costs including right-of-way, landscaping, and project management in order to complete the job. The public is invited to attend a Project Kick Off meeting to be held on January 19 at the DeLaveaga Elementary School featuring a presentation from 7 to 8 pm, preceded and followed by an open house with displays. Doors will open at 6:30 pm. A project flyer with Q&A is available on the RTC website. (http://sccrtc.org/wp-content/uploads/ 2011/12/Flyer-Final-for-web.pdf) Components of the Highway 1 Soquel/Morrissey Auxiliary Lanes project include: • Adding one auxiliary lane in each direc-

tion on Highway 1 between the Soquel Avenue and Morrissey Boulevard interchanges. Auxiliary lanes connect an on ramp with the next off ramp to extend the weaving and merging distance between the ramps and improve traffic flow. They are not designed to carry through traffic, but to provide greater separation between vehicles entering and exiting the freeway to and from mainline traffic. • Rebuilding the La Fonda Avenue overcrossing, adding bicycle lanes and a wider sidewalk for pedestrians. • Adding new “green” sidewalks along Rooney Street and Morrissey Boulevard between Elk Street and San Juan Avenue where none currently exist. The sidewalk work will feature the first publicly advertised application

of a new concrete product that reduces green house gases using a partial cement replacement. The innovative product uses industrial carbon dioxide, which would otherwise be released into the atmosphere, and instead is permanently captured in a solid form. This project is funded with a combination of federal and state funds, including Proposition 1B bonds approved by California voters in 2006, State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) funds, Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) funds and a federal earmark. For more information about this project and to find out ‘what’s new,’ please visit the project page on the RTC website: http://sccrtc.org/projects/streets-highways/ highway-1-aux-lanes/

“Jess Brown” from pg 1

Second he is seen as the shirtless man standing behind Jameson. Lastly as one of the opponents standing at the back of the line with his arm raised. Brown and his wife Laura already own three paintings by Chang. “Because I know Warren and his work depicting agricultural subjects when he asked me to be one of the models I said, ‘yes’.” According to Brown, the painting was posed and photographed by a director from Los Angeles working with a group of eight models at a Carmel winery last summer. Brown is an art collector and has served on the boards of the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County and the Monterey Museum. To learn more about Warren Chang and his art go to warrenchang.com n

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Jess Brown’s image is used three times (circled) in this original art piece by Warren Chang as part of an ad campaign by Jameson Irish Whisky.

CommunityNews

The Chamber Orchestra Kremlin featuring pianist Sara Davis Buechner

Presented by the Distinguished Artists Concert & Lecture Series

ow in its 26th year, the Distinguished Artists Concert & Lecture Series is proud to offer another outstanding season of musical variety and excellence for the whole family to enjoy. We are very proud to present one of the premiere chamber orchestras in the world and feature international star, Sara Davis Buechner. ••• Saturday, February 4, 8 pm. At the new Cabrillo College Crocker Theatre rogram 4: Mozart’s charming Divertimento in D; Mozart’s dazzling Piano Concerto No. 13; Tchaikovsky’s luscious Serenade for Strings The virtuoso players of the Chamber Orchestra Kremlin with Sara Davis Buechner, Tchaikovsky Bronze medal winner, playing on one of the finest pianos in the world: the new Yamaha CFX nine-foot concert grand piano. Founded in 1991 by a RussianAmerican violinist and conductor, Misha Rachlevsky, this 17-member string orchestra has earned national and international recognition as a leading Russian ensemble. It has performed over 1300 concerts — nearly 500 in Moscow, the rest on tours in 24 countries of Europe, North and South America and the Far East. The orchestra has recorded over 30 CDs, receiving widespread international acclaim and awards such as the Diapason d’Or in France, Critics Choice in London’s Gramophone and in the New York Times, Record of the Year in Hong Kong and others. Of about 900 compositions in the orchestra’s repertoire over 20 were written especially for the orchestra by composers from Russia, Europe and the USA. The orchestra, comprising some of Russia’s finest young string players, has consistently earned high praise from reviewers. The group has completed 25 tours in the United States: Misha Rachlevsky’s lifetime affinity for chamber music and chamber orchestra repertoire began at the College of the Moscow Conservatory and the Gnessin Academy of Music. Born in Moscow, his violin studies began at the age of five and continued through the well-traveled path of the Russian school of string playing. After leaving the Soviet Union in 1973, he lived and worked in different countries on three continents, and in 1976 settled in the

The Chamber Orchestra on stage in the Kremlin.

United States, becoming active in the field of chamber music. The Distinguished Artists Concert & Lecture Series and the Yamaha Peninsula Music Center is proud to present one of the premier chamber orchestras in the world, a veteran of over 1400 concerts in 24 countries on an international tour coming to Santa Cruz County Tickets may be purchased online at TicketGuys.com 831-656-9507 ••• Sunday, February 5 at 3 p.m. Crocker Theatre: solo recital by Sara Davis Buechner rogram 5: Haydn’s Sonata in E Flat, Hob. XVI:52; Von Weber’s Sonata in G Major, Op. 24; Turina’s Danzas Gitanas; Gershwin’s Foxtrots Sara Davis Buechner (born: David Buechner, 1964) is a transsexual American concert pianist and educator. Buechner received her undergraduate degree from Juilliard School, and received her doctorate in music from the Manhattan School of Music. Sara Davis Buechner has been celebrated as a pianist of noteworthy accomplishment, virtuosic mastery, artistic sensitivity and extraordinary versatility. With an active repertoire of nearly 100 piano concertos ranging from Bach to Wuorinen, she has appeared as soloist with America’s most prominent orchestras: the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Profiles of Sara Davis Buechner have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Paris Match, Noticias del Argentina, Out, Blade and Frontiers maga-

zines; and she has been featured on the television programs Entertainment Tonight, Extra, In the Life, and Bynon. Her appearances on radio include profiles on NPR’s The Fishko Files and Performance Today, WFMT’s Dame Myra Hess Recital Series and WNYC’s New Sounds with John

Schaefer. Sara Davis Buechner’s recording of piano music by George Gershwin was selected as a “Record of the Month” by Stereophile magazine. Tickets $25 - $45 at www.ticketguys.com 831-656-9507 or www.BrownPapertickets.com, www.google.com or call John at 831-539-0000. ••• Buechner will perform both concerts on the new Yamaha CFX concert grand piano, named the Juanita Orlando Memorial Concert Grand. A marriage of old world craftsmanship and modern Japanese engineering, the CFX is considered by many to be the finest concert grand piano ever made. It’s clear, velvet sound has become the piano of choice by professionals and competitors in recent international piano competitions. This magnificent instrument will be available for members of the community to play on the Crocker Stage on Friday, February 3. Call 831-539-0000 to learn how you can take advantage of this incredible opportunity. n

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CommunityNews

Treat Yourself to Some Organic ... Music!

Concert ‘Certified Organic’ featuring organist Jonathan Dimmock

ot everything organic can be found at the local farmer’s market. The Symphony will be serving some delectable organic treats for your ears on Saturday, January 28, 8 pm at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium and Sunday, January 29, 2 pm at the Mello Center for the Performing Arts in Watsonville. With a special organ brought into town and two great pieces for organ performed by an allstar organist, we guarantee that this concert is Certified Organic! The program opens with “Daybreak,” the lush Jonathan Dimmock first movement of Frederick Delius’ Florida Suite. Written while the English composer was working on an Florida orange plantation, this emotionally evocative piece follows the mood of a new day unfolding and represents Delius’ fusion between styles of European

composers of the time, such as Grieg and Wagner, with the African American spirituals that entranced Delius during his time on the plantation. Then the Symphony will transform the Civic and Mello venues into the sonic equivalent of a great cathedral like Notre Dame for the rest of the program. A twomanual Allen Quantum Protégé Organ will be delivered to the Civic and brought down to the Mello Center just in time for the afternoon matinee. Taming the dual keyboards and array of pedals, dials and switches of this special organ will be Jonathan Dimmock, among the world’s leading concert organists. Dimmock serves as organist for the San Francisco Symphony as well as several major Bay Area Churches. He has released over 30 CDs, appeared on NPR, ABC and MTV, and founded Art to the Nations, which uses music in international conflict resolution. Dimmock’s prowess on the organ will shine as the featured soloist in Francis

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Poulenc’s vivid Organ Concerto. This unique work fuses styles of the early twentieth century with the mystical and spiritual components of baroque sacred works for organ- inspired by Poulenc’s newfound religious conversion after the death of a close friend in a horrific car accident. Originally commissioned as a simple piece for the heiress of the Singer sewing machine fortune, the piece blossomed into Poulenc’s most ambitious work. The Organ Concerto presents a rich, complex soundscape with wild, crashing chords and bittersweet melodic refrains that mirror the composer’s intense emotional and spiritual life. Dimmock will also be featured in Camille Saint-Saëns’ triumphant and masterfully orchestrated Organ Symphony, recently featured in the movie, Babe. This brilliant, virtuosic piece notably features four hands simultaneously playing one piano alongside the organ. The themes of this majestic piece build from the serenely melodic to the thunderously powerful, culminating in a brilliant climax. Of composing the work Saint-Saëns said, “I gave everything to it I was able to give. What I have here accomplished, I will never achieve again.” To this day, the Organ Symphony remains the premier symphonic work for organ- a must-hear piece for classical music aficionados. n

John Larry Granger conducts

‘Certified Organic’

Saturday, January 28, 2012 - 8:00 pm. Pre-concert Lecture - 7:00 pm. Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church Street, Santa Cruz Sunday, January 29, 2012 - 2:00 pm. Pre-concert Lecture - 1:00 pm. Henry J. Mello Center for the Performing Arts, East Beach and Lincoln Streets, Watsonville Program: Delius: “Daybreak” from Florida Suite; Poulenc: Organ Concerto; Saint-Saens: Symphony No. 3 “Organ”

••• Tickets: Single tickets ($20 - $65) are on sale now. Call 831.420.5260 or visit SantaCruzTickets.com. Student Rush: Bring your student ID to the box office between 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm at the Civic and 1:00 pm and 1:30 pm at the Mello and pay just $10! Season Tickets for the 3-concert 2011/12 mini-season will be available by calling 4620553, ext. 10 to subscribe and save. Group Sales are also available. For details, call 831.462.0553, ext. 11. Civic Concert sponsored by Millie & Jerry FitzGerald and Owen Brown & Mary Akin. Additional funding provided by The New Years Eve High Rollers Party.

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CommunityNews

2012’s Valentine’s Day Poetry Contest

12th Annual Times Publishing Group, Inc Competition

By Noel Smith

hether it’s young Love, Love that has stood the test of time, or the memory of Love, it is Love that is at the center of what we celebrate each 14, February Va l e n t i n e ’ s Day. And what The Aptos Times’ could be more winning prize is a romantic than Valentine’s Day dinner to write poetry for two at Sanderlings about that Love Restaurant — Seascape for your lover Beach Resort. — and for our readers to read. So, submit your poem about those tender, passionate feelings and romantic thoughts to our annual poetry contest. Times Publishing Group is sponsoring its 12th Annual Times Publishing Annual Valentine’s Day Poetry Contest to reward three local poets (and their sweethearts) with the ultimate in Valentine’s Day romance.

It’s time for poets throughout the county to again wear their hearts on their sleeves making public their feelings for those whom they love. By entering the 2012 Times Publishing Annual Valentine’s Day Poetry Contest, you could be one of our three First Place winners. The 2011 Times Publishing Annual Valentine’s Day Poetry Contest drew poems from Watsonville to Boulder Creek in every style imaginable. Some were funny, some romantic, some touching, and all were a joy to read! A winning poem was chosen for each of our three newspapers (Aptos Times, Capitola Soquel Times, and Scotts Valley Times). To express your love – in 250 words or less – (see “Contest Rules” for complete details) tell the world what makes your Valentine special. All entries must be received by 5 pm, Monday February 6. Three first Place winners will be selected with the winning poems published in the March 1 issues of the Aptos Times, Capitola Soquel Times and Scotts Valley Times. n ••• 2012 Poetry Contest Rules Please Read Carefully rite a poem about, or to your Valentine and send it to us. Only one poem per poet and no more than 250 words and 25 lines. Submit it via email to info@cyber-times.com with Poetry Contest in the subject line or mail it to 9601 Soquel Dr, Aptos, CA 95Be sure to include your name, address, day and evening phone numbers, e-mail address, and for whom (fiancée, spouse, lost love, etc.) your poem is written. Three First Place winning poems will be selected by the Times Publishing editorial staff: from south county representing the Aptos Times; from Capitola/Soquel/Santa Cruz representing the Capitola Soquel Times and from Scotts

Valley/San Lorenzo Valley representing the Scotts Valley Times. (Note: We welcome submissions from all readers living within Santa Cruz County.) The Aptos Times’ winning prize is a Valentine’s Day dinner for two at Sanderlings Restaurant – Seascape Beach Resort. The winning poems will be published in the March 1 editions. All entries must be received by 5 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012. The winner will be notified on or before Friday, February 10. Please call us at 831/688-7549 if you have any questions. ••• 2011 Winners Aptos Times – Robin Moyer Capitola Soquel Times – Bob Lilley Scotts Valley Times – Barbara Obey Aptos Times First Place — Robin Moyer In Tribute to My Mom, Diane As a kid, we’d spend hours with doilies and glue,

It’s time for poets throughout the county to again wear their hearts on their sleeves making public their feelings for those whom they love.

8 / January 15th 2012 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

glitter and hearts, for all the Valentines I knew.

You’d run off to check on your pasta and sauce, sausage and meatballs, a salad to toss.

We’d practice a tap, from the dances you knew, curl my hair in white rags, start the next day anew. As I aged, so you aged, with class and with grace, greeting me always, with a smile on your face.

My years went by waiting, for romance to bloom, but you’d send a Valentine, to free me from gloom.

The years, they kept passing, now with child of my own, your love remained solid; I was never alone. So, this year dear mom, as I wait at your side, knowing your passing has finally arrived.

My heart, in these words of farewell do I send, to my Valentine, my mom, and yes mom, my friend.

With honor and reverence, I dedicate this to my dear mother Diane. After hours in a nursing home sitting by my mom’s side as she passes, I came home and saw that this contest was taking place again. I thought it was fitting that I write this tribute to her. She was an amazing woman, a professional dancer in her youth, and a housewife, I honor my mother Diane with this tribute.

SportsWrap

Aptos High School Scoreboard Wrestling

Aptos 62 – Harbor 10 Aptos Season Record: (4-1, SCCAL 1-0) 06 – (NM); 113 – Jordon Mazon (H) pin 1:16; 120 – Ramon Zacarias (A) pin 0:43; 126 – Jonah Porter (A) 19-4; 132 – Kevin Feeley (A) pin 0.33; 138 – Miguel Barranco (A) pin 0:36; 145 – Willie Lamacchia (H) 131; 152 – Brandon Lopez (A) wbf; 160 – Jake Carr (A) wbf; 170 – Joe Else (A) 9-6; 182 – Denniz Kapkin (A) wbf; 195 – Riggs Powell (A) pin 0:53; 220 – Frank Ramirez (A) pin 0:47; 285 – John Sullivan (A) wbf

Girls Soccer

Scotts Valley 1 – Aptos 0 Aptos 1 – Soquel 0 Aptos Season Record: (7-2-0, SCCAL, 1-0-1) ptos Scoring: Haley Bermingham 4:00

Boys Soccer

Soquel 5 – Aptos 3 Aptos Season Record: (0-5-1, SCCAL 0-0-1) ptos Scoring: Sage Parker (Edgar Cuellar) 6:00, Steven Corona 25:00, Arturo Milanes (Gustavo Gutierrez) 77:00 Goal Keeper: Eric Kirby (80) 12 Saves

Boys Basketball

Aptos 83 – Harbor 36 Aptos Season Record: (9-5, SCCAL 1-1) ptos Scoring: Danny Victory 16; Jake Harrell 14; Justin Montoya 13; John Sakoda 9; Ryan Parker 8; Antonia Andrade 7; Chris Galvan 5; Cole Welle 4;

Photo Credit: Patrice Edwards

Aptos High’s Camisa Composti (12) grabs a rebound in a game against Notre Dame-Salinas.

Justin Cellona 3; Cody Clifton 3; Ben Brenkwitz 2.

Santa Cruz 69 – Aptos 48 ptos Scoring: Cole Welle 13; Jake Harrell 10; Justin Montoya 10; John Sakoda 5; Danny Victory 4; Ryan Parker 4; Rewyn Reyes 2.

Girls Basketball

Aptos 46 – Harbor 45 Aptos Season Record: (4-9, SCCAL 1-1) ptos Scoring: Camisa Composti 16 pts, 6 rbds, 6 assists, 8 steals;

Dierdre Wilson 19 pts, 6 rbds; Josie Bruce 4 pts, 10 rbds; Vanessa Ramos 2 pts; Karianna Krowder 3 pts; Siena Norton 2 pts. Santa Cruz 55 – Aptos 36 ptos Scoring: Dierdre Wilson 15 pts, 10 rbds; Camisa Composti 6 pts, 4 assists; Josie Bruce 5 pts; Vanessa Ramos 4 pts; Kristin Haduca 3 pts; Megan Maxwell 3 pts. n

Photo Credit: Patrice Edwards

The Mariners’ Deirdre Wilson (15) defends during a game against North Clovis.

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FeaturedColumnist

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint through Energy Audits Dear EarthTalk: There are a number of companies out there now doing “energy audits” for the home, after which they try to sell you attic insulation and other products and services. Is this just a scam or would it be wise for me to look into this? — Bill Richards, New York, NY

or the most part, companies offering energy audits are reputable and legitimate and will help you both save money and reduce your carbon footprint if you follow their advice in regard to upgrading things like insulation, windows and appliances. “A home energy assessment, also known as a home energy audit, is the first step to assess how much energy your home consumes and to evaluate what measures you can take to make your home more energy efficient,” reports the U.S.

Department of Energy (DOE). “An assessment will show you problems that may, when corrected, save you significant amounts of money over time.” “During the assessment, you can pinpoint where your house is losing energy,” adds DOE. “Energy assessments also determine the efficiency of your home’s heating and cooling systems [and] may also show you ways to conserve hot water and electricity.” You can conduct your own energy audit if you know where to look for air leaks (drafts), water waste and other key areas of a home’s inefficiencies. The DOE’s energysavers.gov website has guidelines to

help homeowners conduct their own do-it-yourself home energy assessments. For instance, DOE recommends that homeowners make a list of obvious air leaks, such as through gaps along baseboards or at the edges of flooring and at wall and ceiling junctures. The potential energy savings from reducing drafts in a home can be as high as 30 percent per year, reports DOE. (The DOE website also provides information on other ways to save money and resources through less obvious things such as outdoor landscaping. It also posts guidelines for energy-efficient designing and remodeling.) You should also check the filters on heating and cooling equipment to see if they need to be changed to keep your furnace and air conditioners functioning at maximum efficiency. And if these or other appliances over 15 years old consider replacing them with newer models that meet federal EnergyStar efficiency criteria. Also, swapping out older incandescent bulbs in light fixtures with higher efficiency compact fluorescent or LED bulbs will save money and energy. A professional energy auditor with dedicated assessment tools and the knowledge of how to use them will in all likelihood carry out a more comprehensive assessment than you can do yourself. “Thorough assessments often use equipment such as blower doors, which measure the extent of leaks in the building envelope, and infrared cameras, which reveal hard-to-detect areas of air infiltration and missing insulation.” If you are concerned about enlisting a for-profit firm that upsells its own energy efficiency upgrade services based on a “Energy Audits” > 13

Photo Credit: USDA

A home energy auditor inspects a hot water heater. Companies offering energy audits are generally reputable and legitimate. 10 / January 15th 2012 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

HealthandF Fitness

Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet

A New Year’s Resolution from Your Pharmacist

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the New Year begins, and healthy resolutions are made, the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) is encouraging Americans to clean out their medicine cabinets. Pharmacists recommend patients clean out their medicine cabinets once a year to dispose of all the unused and expired medications that accumulated over the previous year. This once a year tradition will help keep everyone safe and healthy. Unused medications have the potential to be abused and misused and expired medications can lose their potency thus reducing or providing no value to the condition being treated. “Over the course of a year, we can accumulate many medications to treat colds, headaches and infections, as well as more serious conditions,” stated Thomas Menighan, CEO and Executive Vice President, APhA. “These medications play an important role in helping patients obtain better health and wellness, but if we do not store and dispose of them properly, they can become a hazard. When they fall into the wrong hands, these medications have the potential to be abused, and if improperly disposed of, they can harm wildlife, pets and other people. Make sure to talk to your pharmacist about the best storage of medications in your household, the length of time a medication should be kept and the efficacy of that medication past its expiration date.” Prescription drug abuse is the Nation’s fastest-growing drug problem. While there has been a marked decrease in the use of some illegal drugs like cocaine, data from the National Survey on Drug

Use and Health (NSDUH), show that nearly one-third of people aged 12 and over, who used drugs for the first time in 2009, began by using a prescription drugs nonmedically. The National Institute on Drug Abuse tells us that every day in the US, an average of 2,000 teenagers use prescription medication for the first time without a physician’s guidance. The same NSDUH survey found that over 70% of people who abused prescription pain relievers got them from friends or relatives. Tips for Storing and Cleaning Out Your Medicine Cabinet: • Medications should be stored in a secured area – up, away and out of site of children and teenagers - that has low humidity, a stable temperature and adequate lighting. • Check the date on everything in your medicine cabinet and dispose of anything that has passed the expiration date. • Dispose of anything you have not used in the past 12 months or that you no longer need. Do not share medications with others. • Dispose of medicines that are no longer in their original container, have changed color or odor, or that can no longer be identified. • Do not flush unused or expired medications and do not pour them down a sink or drain. They should be disposed of properly in the household trash or through your community’s medication disposal program, when available. Talk to your pharmacist or visit www.smarxtdisposal.net for tips on how to properly dispose of your medications. n

CommunityBrief

Cabrillo trustee Rebecca Garcia resigns abrillo trustee Rebecca Garcia Announced at the January 9 board meeting that it would be her last saying that she, “realized on reflection that I can no longer be the best trustee for District 5.” Fellow trustees were surprised at the Rebecca Garcia announcement, and thanked her for her years of service and advocacy on behalf of the community college.

Garcia, was elected in 1992, is the longest-serving member of the board and said after the meeting that she never intended to serve that long. The board’s vacancy must be filled within 60 days and Garcia told the Board she has spoken with three Latino community members who said they plan to apply for the position. Garcia said she would continue as a volunteer tutor for first-generation English-language learner Latino college students. Brian King, Cabrillo’s president, said after the meeting that he was aware Garcia was weighing whether to seek another term on the board and was “disappointed” in her decision. n

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / January 15th 2012 / 11

SchoolSpotlight

Choosing a College Degree — Which is Best for You?

By Jordan Dunham

hoosing a college degree can be a very difficult decision to make. There are many things to consider but it is important to decide on the right college degree for the type of occupation that you want to pursue. You may find that you do not actually need a college degree but that a certificate or diploma will be sufficient, or your chosen profession may require further study after a college degree such as medicine or law. It’s important to choose the right classes beginning in high school to help prepare you for making a decision about a major or a course of study. Education, experience and role models are all influential in helping to find an educational direction. However, many college students change their majors two or even three times before finding a clear path to their ultimate profession. Certificates or diplomas require a shorter period of study than a traditional college degree and are usually taken by students wanting to pursue a career in an occupational field. Quite often a certificate or diploma can be earned before embarking on a college degree course. An associate degree is awarded after completing a two-year college degree course. Community colleges offer an associate degree program that allows you to

transfer to a four-year college degree course after you have been awarded your degree. There are a number of occupations where a two-year college degree is recommended or required including: Administrative Assistant • Automotive Mechanic • Cardiovascular Technician • Commercial Artist • Computer Technician • Dental Hygienist • Drafter • Engineering Technician • Funeral Director

• Graphic Designer • Heating, AirConditioning and Refrigeration Technician • Hotel or Restaurant Manager • Medical Laboratory Technician • Medical Record Technician • Insurance Agent • Registered Nurse • Surgical Technologist • Surveyor • Visual Artist • Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator A traditional four-year college degree is the most frequently required qualifica-

tion for a number of occupations. Some examples of professions requiring a fouryear college degree in an appropriate discipline are: • Accountant • Computer Systems Analyst • Dietitian • Editor • Engineer • FBI Agent • Investment Banker • Journalist • Medical Illustrator • Pharmacist • Public Relations Specialist • Recreational Therapist • Research Assistant • Social Worker • Teacher • Writer There are also a number of occupations that require a student to obtain a college degree that is longer than the conventional four-year college degree programs. These extended professional college degree programs include: • Architect • Biologist • Chiropractor • Dentist • Diplomat • Doctor • Economist • Geologist • Lawyer • Librarian • Management Consultant • Paleontologist • Priest • Psychologist • Public Policy Analyst It is important to choose a college degree course that is suitable for the career path you want to follow. If you are unsure of which field of occupation you want to enter then it is advisable to take a certificate or diploma course first. This will enable you to change disciplines without having spent four years on a degree course that ends up not being something that you want to pursue. n

Eight Steps to Building and Developing Great Kids

ropping the kids off at school, helping them with their math homework or having dinner ready on time are just a few of the everyday tasks that parents perform, and those are the easy ones. “Easy” is rarely used to describe parenting, and for many parents, finding simple, yet effective ways to help their children make positive, responsible choices – including the choice to avoid alcohol use and other risky behaviors – takes a lot of patience and creativity. The good news for parents — there are many real, everyday actions they can take to impact their children’s decisions. “Our research shows the more Developmental Assets young people experience, the more likely they are to engage in positive or thriving behaviors, such as succeeding in school, helping others, maintaining good health and avoiding high-risk behaviors, including underage drinking, violence and illegal drug use,” says Dr. Peter L. Benson, president and CEO of Search Institute. Search Institute offers eight ways parents or any adult with children in their lives can help to build Developmental Assets — one for each category of assets. 1. Support young people with Caring and Attention — Children thrive when they receive encouragement, support, and love from parents and other family members. 12 / January 15th 2012 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

2. Empower Them to use their abilities to help others — Adolescents should be encouraged to be active contributors inside and outside the home, taking on appropriate responsibilities for themselves, their families, their communities and the organizations to which they belong. 3. Set Reasonable Boundaries and have High Expectations — Children need to know what’s expected of them at home, at school, and other places they spend time. They also need clear rules and consequences for what they should and shouldn’t do. 4. Help them find activities that make Constructive Use of Their Time — Shared and individual hobbies, spiritual activities, volunteer work, youth programs,

and quality time at home play a role in your child’s healthy development. 5. Spark their Commitment to Learning — Nurturing a lifelong commitment to learning begins with the belief that all young people can learn — and that all young people have something they can teach others, even adults. 6. Guide them toward a life based on Positive Values — By talking with your children about what’s important to your family (such as honesty and responsibility), you help your children develop an internal “compass” that guides their choices. 7. Help them develop Social Competencies and Life Skills — Every child needs to learn how to build relationships, make decisions, resolve disagreements, cope with challenges, and get along with many different kinds of people. 8. Celebrate their uniqueness and affirm their Positive Identity — A strong sense of their own power, purpose, worth, and promise helps young people make wise decisions. The MVParents.com site provides parents with the asset-building tools they need to address situations their children may face. n Courtesy of ARA Content

CommunityNews

Preventing identity theft at tax time E ven if you’re expecting a refund, tax time can be stressful. Gathering all the necessary income and financial information, making sure forms are completed and filed on time, and waiting to see if you’ll owe or get money back can weigh heavily on your mind well before April 15. Do you really need one more thing to worry about? Unfortunately, you also need to think about security and identity theft at tax time. Whether you file online or by mailing paper forms, your tax return contains a staggering amount of information about you. You need to protect that information at every step of the preparation and filing process. Fortunately, the steps you take to stop identity theft throughout the year - such as subscribing to an identity theft detection, protection and resolution product like ProtectMyID - are still effective at tax time. You just need to add some extra precautions to your regular habits. First, arm yourself with information about what the IRS is doing to combat identity theft. The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), a nonprofit organization that aims to educate consumers about identity theft prevention, reports that the IRS has implemented several measures, including: • Development and implementation of standardized processes for tracking and handling identity theft reports. • Creating procedures to identify and resolve identity theft cases related to taxes. • Tracking identity theft incidents reported by taxpayers. • Tracking identity theft cases discovered by the IRS. Next, know the signs of tax-related identity theft. If you receive a written notice from the IRS (they don’t contact taxpayers via email!) that they received more than one tax return for you in the same year, or IRS records indicate you received income from an employer you don’t know, you may be a victim of identity theft.

Keep in mind that as tax time approaches every year, criminals impersonate the IRS by email, phone, websites and even tweets - all in an effort to scam your information. Be suspicious of any email or phone contact you receive, and if you suspect it’s a scam, go to www.irs.gov/contact/index to determine if the contact is legitimate. Forward suspect emails to the IRS investigative team at phishing@irs.gov. Finally, ProtectMyID recommends these additional steps to guard against identity theft while filing taxes: When preparing your return: • Never leave your tax prep documents, such as pay stubs, W-2s and financial statements in an unsecure spot, like your car. When transporting tax documents, keep them hidden from view at all times. • Be careful when choosing a tax preparer. Do your homework on the preparer’s credentials, reputation and security measures before hiring someone. Ask how your information will be protected while in the preparer’s possession, and the method he or she will use to file your return. While many tax software providers offer free online versions of their products that can help those whose tax needs are basic, be especially skeptical of individuals who advertise online as tax preparers. For something as important as your tax return, it pays to have face-to-face meetings with the person working for you. When filing your return: • Keep firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware software up to date, especially if you’ll be filing online, or using your Internet-linked PC to store financial information or prepare your return. • Use a strong password to protect your data file when e-filing. Burn the file to a CD or flash drive once you’ve filed and remove the personal information from your hard drive. Store the backup in a lock box or safe. If an account-

“Energy Audits” from pg 10

only energy efficient but warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. n ••• Contacts: DOE Energy Savers, www.energysavers.gov; EnergyStar, www.energystar.gov. EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com.

“free” energy audit, check with your utility to see whether it offers unbiased, independent energy audit services (which it may do for free or for a nominal cost). The assessor from your utility may be able to recommend window and door replacement companies, heating and cooling specialists and other vendors nearby that do reputable work to make your home is not

ant is preparing your taxes, ask him or her what measures are being taken to protect your information. • If you’re filing by mail, take your return directly to the post office and mail it from there. Never mail from your home mailbox or from an outgoing mailbox at work. As an added layer of security, consider getting delivery confirmation service. If you’re getting a refund, consider asking for direct deposit. If you must receive your refund by check, then collect your mail daily. While you can’t escape your tax responsibility, you can prevent criminals from taking advantage of you while you’re doing your civic duty. With the appropriate identity theft protection steps, you can cross one item off your list of tax-time concerns. n ARA Content

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SELECT SHOPPING / APTOS VILLAGE www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / January 15th 2012 / 13

CommunityNews

Stress vs. depression

Learn the difference and how to help yourself

imes of sadness, stress and anxiety are common to everyone and can be triggered by numerous factors. In response to tough situations, about 25 percent of Americans will experience sadness that may seem like depression, but the good news is that these feelings are often temporary. Sometimes, overwhelming feelings of sadness remain persistent and significantly interfere with a person’s behavior, physical health and interaction with others. In these situations, depression could be the underlying cause. Depression can be serious and is most likely caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental and psychological factors. Depression can be linked to substance abuse and even suicide. If you feel sad, worthless, and hopeless every day for two weeks or more, it’s time to take a mental health screening to see if you are atrisk for depression. Anonymous, online screenings are

available at www.helpyourselfhelp others.org. Screening for depression and other mood disorders is important as it allows you to identify warning signs early on, before things become serious. Depression screenings can help you determine whether what you are experiencing is a simple case of the blues or something more serious that requires seeing a health professional. “Just like any other disease, there are certain risk factors that can lead to depression,” says Dr. Douglas G. Jacobs, president of Screening for Mental Health, a non-profit organization committed to promoting the improvement of mental health. “It’s important to learn the signs and symptoms of depression, such as changes in appetite, loss of energy or loss of interest in your usual activities, as well as the necessary steps you can take to improve your health.” Depression can cloud your mind, zap your energy and make anyone feel discouraged. It can be difficult to take action

14 / January 15th 2012 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

and get help, but there are ways you can help yourself, starting right now. First, take a free, anonymous screening at w w w. h e l p y o u r s e l f h e l p o t h e r s . o r g . Additionally, you can try these self-care tips: Take care of your mind and body • Take part in activities you usually enjoy (movies, concerts, community events, sporting events, etc.). • Avoid drugs and alcohol. • Eat a well-balanced, healthy diet. • Get enough sleep. Focus on what’s doable • Do not expect to suddenly “snap out” of your depression. • If you have a decision you feel overwhelmed by, discuss it with others who know you well and have a more objective view of your situation. • Break up large tasks into small ones, set some priorities and do what you can, as you can. Celebrate small steps • Often during treatment for depression,

sleep and appetite will begin to improve before your depressed mood lifts. • Expect your mood to improve gradually, not immediately. • Remind yourself that positive thoughts will replace negative feelings as your depression responds to treatment. If you or someone you love is in immediate danger because of thoughts of suicide please call 911. If you need to talk to someone, call the national suicide prevention line at 1-800-273-8255. ARA Content

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BusinessProfile

LEARN FOR EXCELLENCE L

For Those Who Want to Go Far

By Gail Penniman

earn for Excellence in the Crossroads Shopping Center on Main Street in Watsonville is a tutoring center directed by Dr. Bert Lundy for the purpose of training children to excel in mathematics and reading primarily. Help is also available for advanced subjects like calculus, physics and computer science as well as history and Spanish. Dr. Lundy is a member of the computer science faculty at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey where he has taught since 1988. He has also written a book on the history of telecommunications, Telegraph, Telephone and Wireless: How Telecom Changed the World (2008, Amazon.com).The book has received several good reviews which can seen at Amazon. Nowhere else in our community can your child be individually tutored by a full professor! Dr. Lundy has a PhD in comput-

er science from Georgia Tech, an MS in computer science from the University of Texas, Dallas and a BA in mathematics from Texas A&M University. Please do not be intimidated by Dr. Lundy’s credentials! He is a soft-spoken man with kind eyes and a passion to see young people really learn the fundamentals of math and reading, build a strong foundation and then master and advance in these important subjects. Lundy’s 9 year old son Thomas has been educated by his father from the very beginning and his adult daughter was home-schooled for her high school years and is now an engineering major at UC Davis. Mastering Math In order to learn mathematics properly, a student needs to learn and master each step along the way. Dr. Lundy says that most schools move the students from one assignment to the next far too quickly,

16 / January 15th 2012 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

without the necessary repetition to master each skill or level. In his tutoring center, he evaluates a child to determine what level of math they have mastered. From there he only allows the child to move to the next level if they can solve the problems to at least a 90% proficiency. Learn for Excellence is not a franchisetype tutoring center. Bert Lundy has developed his teaching materials himself and they are proven to work. He has a system of math worksheets that span all levels. He Dr. Bert Lundy thinks high school students should be prepared to study calculus if at all possible so ships are awarded to students based upon that when they get to college they won’t be merit, so the better students are more likeswamped, as happens to so many fresh- ly to receive these rewards. Training at Learn for Excellence men. Dr. Lundy is a valuable asset teaches his students [Dr. Bert Lundy] is a when it comes to SAT how to perform as well as squares and square soft-spoken man with preparation for accomplishing roots in their heads and other skills and kind eyes and a passion regular school assignments. short cuts they would to see young people All Grade Levels never learn in school. are Welcome Each time a stureally learn the fundaStudents are dent comes to the mentals of math and accepted at Learn center he or she will for Excellence from solve the problems reading, build a strong grades 1 through 12. on the assigned math worksheet. Until foundation and then Junior college students and adults there is mastery, the master and advance in wishing assistance student does not are also welcome. move on. By repeatthese important subjects. Dr. Lundy’s stuing and repeating the dents come from all particular math skill, the student becomes a master at that skill socio-economic backgrounds and ethnicso when the next level is reached, they are ities. His students are from public and ready for a challenge that will require the private schools as well as home-schools. old skills in order to solve the new prob- Dr. Lundy’s goal is not a quick fix solution, but building a strong foundation lems. and progressing steadily through the levReading and Writing In reading, the students have assign- els so that over a period of months and ments that involve vocabulary building, years, a child will reach his or her full spelling, reading comprehension, writing potential. Five Principles to Succeed and poetry memorization. The reading and Lundy says, “We have five major prinwriting assignments are based on historical and scientific subjects at the student’s read- ciples which we strive to live by and teach ing level. Students read out loud regularly to our students. These are integrity, discipline, respect, excellence and responsibilito master verbal skills. ty. We believe that a commitment to these Learning to Excel There is no question that the best col- principles is critical to the long term sucleges and careers require math and science cess both of our program and our students’ proficiency. There is no question that chil- futures.” Why learn for mediocrity or average? dren who do well in school, are successful test-takers and have confidence in their There is no time like the present to help abilities are the ones that are accepted at your child Learn for Excellence. 1929 Main the top universities. Furthermore, scholar- Street, Watsonville. 831-656-2094. n

CommunityNews

People and Places – Interpretations of the Familiar

Exhibit at the Santa Cruz County Government Center 1st & 5th Floors

new art exhibition presented by the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County will engage viewers as

they experience the richness and depth of the work on display. This exhibit features five local artists’ insight into familiar

David Fleming-Color Wings (Sopwith Camel), oil on canvas, 36 x 60

Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau and Agri-Culture presented National Award

places, people and beyond – providing their creative interpretations of the everyday and commonplace through bold, expressive artworks. Laurie Longenecker’s brilliant acrylic works portray the one-of-a-kind characteristics and nostalgia of everyday places and images of Santa Cruz. Sandra Cherk’s pastels explore the beauty of local landscapes and far-flung sites. Her pastels are both vibrant and peaceful, showing the interplay of light and shadow. David Fleming’s exhibit, titled “Big & Bold,” explores bright colors, shapes, settings and landscapes that make you stop and take notice. The viewer may discover a deeper meaning upon closer examination. Isobel George’s abstract/figurative watercolors are dramatically colorful, bold and free. Maren Sinclair Hurn’s love for form, shadow, texture and color is expressed in her ceramic sculpture. Currently, she is pushing the boundaries of paper clay: clay with paper pulp added for strength and

January 16 – March 29 701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz Gallery Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Public Reception/ First Friday Art Tour February 3, 5 to 8 p.m.

even-drying that is high fired and glazed. The public is invited to a reception as part of the First Friday Art Tour at the County Government Center (701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz) on February 3, from 5 to 8 pm. The Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County in collaboration with the Santa Cruz County Department of Public Works sponsors four exhibits each year. Applications to exhibit are open to all artists residing in Santa Cruz County and available in August of each year. n

he Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau and the organization Agri-Culture were presented with a national award for the 2011 Santa Cruz County Agriculture Video/DVD. The award was presented at the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting in Honolulu Hawaii. A delegation of Jane Nelsen, AgriCulture board member Nita Gizdich and Cynthia Mathiesen Farm Bureau board members represented the two organizations. This is the second consecutive year that these organizations have been given a national award for a program. Last year, they were honored for the Focus Agriculture program. There are 3,140 county farm bureaus in the United States. Very few ever receive a national award and it is even more rare for a county to receive awards two years in a row. The video/DVD was selected because of the manner in which it was developed and promoted. The video/DVD was directed and narrated by Cristina King, who was an NBC anchor in Missouri before settling in Santa Cruz County. Acclaimed artist Damon Meyer did the cinematography. The movie stars are local

Nita Gizdich (from left), Jane Nelsen and Cynthia Mathiesen in Hawaii at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual meeting.

growers. The script was written and edited by local agriculture experts Ron Tyler, Dave Moeller and Bill Ringe. The executive producer was Jess Brown. A booth was set up at the convention in Hawaii to recreate the unique “red carpet” premiere. The booth included played the video and the delegation dressed as local produce greeting the 12,000+ conference attendees. n

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / January 15th 2012 / 17

Local News ... Local Sports ... Local Politics ...

18 / January 15th 2012 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

CommunityNews

Tips for tax season – Charitable giving T is the season to be giving. The holidays are a great time to give to those who need it most and what better way than to donate to your favorite charity? Giving to a good cause is great for the soul, but it can also be a tax deduction. “Many charitable givers are aware of tax deductions,” says Todd Baylis, president of Qgiv, an online fundraising platform, “But many of those who give are not always aware of the qualifications come tax season.” Here are a few things to keep in mind to make sure your good deed doesn’t go unnoticed during tax season. Make sure your donations qualify First, make sure your donation qualifies. In order to receive tax savings your contribution must go to an IRS-certified, 501(c)(3) qualified organization. You can

find an updated list at many public libraries as well as the IRS website. Another important tip, itemize, itemize, itemize. Make sure you itemize your deductions on your tax form under Schedule A, otherwise you’ll be out of luck. Keep records Now is the time to make sure you receive a receipt or acknowledgement from the organization you give to. Donations of $250 or more will not be allowed as a tax deduction unless you have the right documentation. To claim a deduction for cash, check or other monetary gift, you must have written acknowledgement from the charity that includes the name of the organization and the date and amount of the contribution. For donations less than $250, if you do not have a receipt, a can-

celled check or bank record will work. You can also receive a deduction for donations such as property, clothing, household furnishings or office equipment, but there are specific rules. The process is the same when claiming your deduction. You must have a receipt for the goods from the charity, and if the item donated is worth more than $500, you will need to file IRS Form 8283. “Many nonprofit organizations now have the ability to accept online donations,” says Baylis. “When a nonprofit organization partners with Qgiv, those donating to that organization will receive customized receipts by email in addition to

the having the ability to print a receipt for their tax records.” With the increase use of smartphones, mobile giving has become more and more popular. If you donated using your phone, you can use your phone bill as a receipt as long as it lists the date, amount donated and the name of the charity. When in doubt, ask When preparing for tax season there are many resources to help you make sure you are getting your correct deduction for charitable giving. If you have a question, ask a tax adviser or go visit the IRS website for specifics on charitable giving. n ARA Content

HomeandG Garden

Keeping Resolutions While on the Go

Inspiring Recipes by Chef Candice Kumai

ear after year, saving money and eating healthier rank high on the list of New Year’s resolutions, but as many know all too well, busy schedules can make it hard to keep these resolutions up. “Pretty Delicious” author and “Top Chef” alum Candice Kumai has partnered with The Glad Products Company to create delicious recipes that help bring healthy food out of the kitchen, and in turn, help to save you both the cost and calories associated with eating lunch out. Chef Kumai’s recipes are inspired by

Glad To Go reusable lunch and snack containers, allowing you to confidently transport foods that you haven’t been able to before. Just imagine — no more dressing leak disasters when bringing a salad to work. “Now there’s no excuse for us to break our New Year’s resolutions,” says Kumai. “My recipes are not only healthy, delicious, convenient meal time options, but they fit into our everyday lives while helping to save money, time and calories and reduce waste.” “New Year Recipies” > 27

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / January 15th 2012 / 19

KeepingFit

Fighting arthritis with exercise

hen it comes to fighting arthritis, there’s no arguing with the axiom “move it or lose it.” Movement and physical activity have been proven effective in relieving arthritis pain and, in some cases, delaying the onset of symptoms. But if you’ve been recently diagnosed with arthritis, or have been battling the disorder without much success, you may be unsure just what, or how much, physical activity will help you. One in five American adults has arthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to research by the Ad Council, only 16 percent of those with arthritis are confident they can manage their pain. “Arthritis is common, costly, disabling and often thought to be a reality of the aging process that cannot be changed,” says Dr. Patience White, vice president of public health for the Arthritis Foundation. “However, the limiting effects of osteoarthritis can be minimized with an action plan that includes physical activity.” Regular exercise offers two important benefits for those with osteoarthritis. It helps reduce the risk of developing other health problems, and helps manage the

disease. No matter your ability level, you can engage in meaningful, beneficial activity to help fight arthritis pain and symptoms. You should always discuss your abilities and needs with your health care provider before starting any exercise regimen. In addition, the Arthritis Foundation offers some physical activity tips for people of all mobility levels: Low mobility f you’ve been sedentary, starting out gently is essential. Talk to your doctor about what types of activities will be appropriate for your mobility level. He or she may advise you to begin with simple, lowimpact exercises, such as walking or water aerobics. Don’t overlook opportunities to work low-intensity exercise into your daily routine. Activities such as sweeping, mopping, vacuuming and washing windows are great ways to incorporate beneficial

movement into your day. Take the stairs rather than the elevator or escalator when you’re shopping at the mall, and park at the far end of the lot and enjoy the stroll to the door when you go grocery shopping. Gentle stretching is essential for all ability levels, and definitely manageable for those with lesser mobility. Stretching helps keep joints and muscles limber. In addition to simple aerobic activity, stretching exercises such as tai chi or yoga can help fight arthritis pain. Moderate mobility he Arthritis Foundation recommends that every week you do at least two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity. This should be at least 10 minutes of exercise at a time throughout the week. Those with moderate levels of mobility should be able to achieve this goal, provided they choose

activities appropriate for their overall health and fitness level. Moderate intensity physical activity can include sports like badminton, bowling and golf. Walking faster than 3 mph or while holding weights also qualifies as moderate activity. You may opt to incorporate in your exercise regimen both fun activities, such as dancing or cycling, with practical ones like carrying firewood, doing yard work or washing and waxing the car. High mobility f you exercised regularly prior to your diagnosis, you may have better mobility, and could benefit from increasing your activity level. Aim for five hours of moderate-intensity or 2 1/2 hours of vigorousintensity physical activity every week. Incorporating a mix of different activities will not only help keep you moving, but can enhance your enjoyment of your exercise time. Consider including in your routine exercise such as jogging, swimming or cross-country skiing and higherimpact sports such as basketball, tennis or volleyball. You can learn more about osteoarthritis at www.FightArthritisPain.org. n ARA Content

Sustaining Your Healthy New Year

ew Year’s Day spurred many people to resolve to follow healthier lifestyles in 2012, but how many will carry through with their pledges? The journey to better health is not as daunting as it may seem. Slight adjustments to your eating, sleeping and exercise habits can have a dramatic impact on your overall health. Focus on improving these three aspects, and you’ll be well on your way to a healthier you. Whole foods hile it’s difficult for many of us to stick to a “diet,” a few adjustments to your daily food intake can be equally effective and, more importantly, sustainable. One of the best ways to improve your diet is to increase the amount of whole foods you consume each day. Processed foods lack many of the nutrients our bodies crave and are laden with added sugars and preservatives. Whole foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, are packed with nutrients yet low in calories to help manage weight. Not a fan of raw fruits and veggies? You can easily blend these vital food groups into your diet — literally. Toss a variety of fresh produce into a high-per-

formance blender, add some ice and water, and you’ve got a simple, tasty way to get several servings of whole fruits and vegetables at once. These machines pulverize their contents into smooth, silky treats that are full of nutrition. Healthy, whole food recipes and information are available at www.vitamix.com. Rest up s the pace of our world continues to pick up speed, we tend to neglect important aspects of our health, including giving our bodies the rest they need. Unfortunately, fatigue has many negative impacts on physical health and personal wellbeing. Adequate rest is needed to complete everyday tasks effectively, including performing well at school and work. Functions like your metabolism and immune system also depend on sufficient amounts of sleep to operate properly. Sleep deprivation can lead to a number of serious health risks, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

20 / January 15th 2012 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

To ensure a better night’s rest, the Mayo Clinic recommends several tactics, including sticking to a sleep schedule, limiting caffeine and other beverages before bed, creating a bedtime ritual, limiting daytime naps, including physical activity into daily life, and managing stress. The National Sleep Foundation suggests most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night, but even one additional hour per night is proven to have a significant impact on physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. By making sleep a priority, other aspects of your life will improve and you’ll be living healthier in 2012. Taking steps ith American obesity at an all-time high, the need for more physical activity is evident. But fitting in time to exercise can be challenging with our hectic lifestyles. Fortunately, simply adjusting your routine to increase the number of steps you take each day can truly make a difference. Combating a sedentary lifestyle

doesn’t need to mean hours in the gym, and you can reap many benefits from this free and low-impact exercise. A reasonable walking goal for the average person is 7-8 thousand (3-4 miles) steps per day. Sedentary people who may only be averaging 1,000 to 3,000 steps per day can work up to this goal by aiming to add 500 steps each day. To track your progress, purchase a pedometer and wear it every day for a week. You may be surprised at how many — or how few — steps you get in each day. There are many ways to increase your daily activity without major changes to your daily routine. Walking the dog, using the stairs instead of the elevator, parking farther from the grocery store, and walking to a coworker’s desk instead of emailing are just a few ways you can incorporate more steps into your lifestyle and walk your way to better health. With just a few adjustments to your everyday routine, you will see the many health benefits of improved nutrition, sleep and exercise habits. Cheers to a healthy New Year and a healthy new you. n ARA Content

CommunityNews

Sanctuary Stewards Being Recruited by Save Our Shores

or the benefit of the marine environment, Save Our Shores (SOS), the leader in ocean awareness and advocacy on the Central Coast, is looking for the next class of local leaders to join the 2012 Sanctuary Steward Program. Sanctuary Stewards are the core volunteer force of Save Our Shores, each one of them instrumental in advancing ocean conservation work in the communities surrounding Monterey Bay. “The Sanctuary Stewards Program is your chance to make a difference for the ocean and your community. Get educated, get trained, and get busy as a volunteer leader for the environment with Save Our Shores in 2012,” says Andrew Hoeksema, coordinator of volunteer programs at Save Our Shores. “I had three goals for the summer of 2011: do something that would benefit my local community, be outdoors as much as possible, and hopefully learn something in the process. The Save Our Shores Sanctuary Steward program allowed me to achieve all three,” said Curtis Luckado, 2011 Sanctuary Steward. The Sanctuary Steward training course begins in Santa Cruz on February

21, and continues on Tuesday evening through April 10. The course includes presentations from local experts on the ecology of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, sustainable fisheries, plastic

pollution, clean boating, ocean policy and advocacy. Stewards also receive hands-on training in classroom and outdoor event leadership with the staff of Save Our Shores. An alternate training based in

Monterey will be held in April and May. Following the training, Stewards will take the lead on Save Our Shores’ beach and river cleanups, as well as have numerous opportunities to educate, advocate, and share their skills. Those looking for opportunities to make a difference in ocean conservation are encouraged to apply to the 2012 Sanctuary Steward Program. For more information contact Andrew Hoeksema, Coordinator of Volunteer Programs at SOS at 831.462.5660 ext. 3 or volunteer@saveourshores.org. Information and applications can be found online at: http://saveourshores.org/volunteer/sanc tuary-stewards.php ••• Save Our Shores is the Central Coast leader in caring for the marine environment through ocean awareness, advocacy and citizen action. Save Our Shores helped to establish the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, prevent offshore oil drilling and cruise ship pollution, and today focuses on educating youth about our local watersheds, tackling pollution on our beaches and rivers, and providing our community with educated and inspired Sanctuary Stewards. For more information visit: www.saveourshores.org.

HealthandF Fitness

Know Your Vitamin ABC’s (And D’s and E’s …)

walk down the vitamin aisle at your local pharmacy or grocery store can be overwhelming. There are so many options that it can be hard to know where to begin. Pharmacist Lauren Fallieras says it’s important to understand how and why your body uses certain nutrients in order to decide which supplements are right for your needs. “Vitamins play a key role in building a healthy body from the inside out,” she says. “It is important to get these nutrients from a well-balanced diet, but it’s not uncommon to fall short on select vitamins and minerals without even knowing it.” Fallieras recommends not only understanding what nutrients your body may need more of, but when you are looking at supplements, to ensure you know the ABC’s of what to look for on the vitamin bottle. Here’s what you need to know about some of the “letter” vitamins — A, B, C, D and E — that will help you make the right choices to support personal health and wellness. Vitamin A — An important develop-

mental building block, vitamin A plays a key role in vision, white blood cell production, tissue maintenance and more. Good food sources include yellow and green leafy vegetables, such as carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes and squash, as well as yellow fruits such as peaches and cantaloupe. The B Vitamins — There are actually quite a few B vitamins. Here are just some of them: p Vitamin B-6: Involved in over 100 cellular reactions throughout the body, vitamin B-6 is instrumental in keeping various bodily functions operating at their best. B-6 is needed to metabolize amino acids and glycogen and is also necessary for normal nervous system, hormone and red blood cell function. Vitamin B6 is fairly abundant in the diet and can be found in foods such as meat, poultry, bananas, fish, fortified cereal grains and cooked spinach. p Vitamin B-12: Is needed for the synthesis of DNA, for red blood cell formation and for healthy nervous system function. It also helps maintain healthy

red blood cells, which deliver oxygen to the body and support normal energy levels. Vegetarians need to be sure they get enough B-12 because this vitamin is found mainly in animal products like chicken, beef, seafood, milk and eggs. p Riboflavin: Also known as vitamin B-2, riboflavin is a basic building block for normal growth and development. It is needed for normal/regular energy production and supports antioxidant activity throughout the body. Commonly found in a variety of foods such as fortified cereals, milk, eggs, cooked salmon, beef, spinach and broccoli. p Folic Acid: While it is true that folic acid is very important for women of

child-bearing age, all people should ensure adequate folic acid intake through the diet. It is essential in the development of DNA and amino acid synthesis. “Vitamins” > 30

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / January 15th 2012 / 21

FeaturedColumnist The Book Bag by Robert Francis

The Book Bag by Robert Francis

The Boy in the Suitcase

By Lene Kaaberbol and Agnete Friis Soho. $24 (Rating-Excellent) hat could two Danish children’s literature writers possibly know about crime novels? Apparently quite a bit since their collaboration on a new Nordic noir series has created quite a stir. The first book in the Nina Borg trilogy introduces the Copenhagen Red Cross nurse whose strong sense of social justice and helping illegal refugees gets her into all sorts of trouble. In this initial outing, Nina is asked by another nurse to take a key to a train station public locker and quickly remove a large suitcase, Nina is told she’ll have to take good care of the container’s contents. When she opens the heavy, large suitcase Nina is surprised to find a drugged, three-year-old child crammed into it. Afraid to turn the child over to the authorities because she realizes something is very wrong here and she doesn’t want the youngster to fall back into the hands of the person responsible for this atrocity, Nina begins to do some digging trying to discover who the child is. Then the woman who passed the key on to Nina is found dead and, to coin a phrase, “all hell breaks loose.” What follows next is a chase across Denmark where the child’s mother pursues Nina and her child as the two are in flight from the youngster’s kidnapper who wants him back. Not only did this novel win the Harald Morgensen Award for Best Danish Thriller of the Year when it appeared in 2008, but it was also short listed for the Scandinavian Glass Key Award for crime fiction (“The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” won!).

Some good reads in front of the fireplace for cold, dark January nights …

Silent Kills

By C.E. Lawrence Pinnacle. $7.99 (Rating- Very Good) n apt title for this thriller, the victims of the psychopath committing a series of murders, picks up the women he’s looking for in nightclubs, chats them up and then sedates them. Once the young women are rendered senseless, he quietly and efficiently drains their blood with stark, professional expertise. The reasons for dispatching his victims in this bizarre manner as well as his rationale for launching such a macabre crime spree will all be revealed as NYPD profiler Lee Campbell, tries to stop this modern day vampire. Unfortunately for Campbell, the loss of his own sister will bring this case way too close to home and force him to face some issues that all but ended his own career. If you read and enjoyed “Silent Screams” and “Silent Victim,” you’ll certainly want to read this latest thriller by C.E. Lawrence. The author has been working outside the box with these novels and the entire idea of the serial killer. The complexity found in the first two novels certainly is present here with a few new quirks in character development that makes” Silent Kills” perhaps the best of the lot.

Gun Games

By Faye Kellerman William Morrow. $25.99 (Rating- Good) his latest installment of the Decker/Lazarus series focuses on the apparent suicides of two students who attend an elite prep school. As LAPD Lieutenant Decker and his officers investigate the case, they uncover a nasty group of rich and privileged teens with a predilection for guns and violence.

22 / January 15th 2012 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

The situation is even more interesting and disturbing for Decker and his wife, Rina, since they have taken in a 15 year old, the son of a former friend. Although he thought he understood young people, the LA cop is beginning to wonder if he and Rina aren’t in over their heads. The son of former gangster Chris Donatti, Gabe, the boy they have taken in, has had a life filled with way too much free time and too little adult supervision. Now it becomes apparent that although the youngster is a brilliant piano prodigy, the enigmatic teen also has another side not easily accessible by Decker and Rina.

Dead Low Tide

By Bret Lott Random House. $26 (Rating-Good) he long awaited sequel to “The Hunt Club” has finally arrived. Brett Lott takes his readers back to the marshy, South Carolina low country and the residents of the wealthy Landgrave Hall section of Charleston. The discovery of a woman’s body at low tide anchored deep in the mud at a local golf course sets off a chain of events that places Huger Dillard and his family at risk. This unfortunate event sets Huger at odds with not only old friends but also a secret military force with a global reach. Landgrave Hall has had some odd inhabitants over the years but none more creepy, lethal and dangerous than this sleeper cell of terrorists and the Dillard clan is going to have to deal with them.

Need You Now

By James Grippando Harper. $25.99 (Rating-Excellent) he Bernie Madoff affair provides the inspiration for this James Grippando stand-alone thriller. Abe Cushman sets up a sixty billion dollar Ponzi scheme and then commits suicide, taking all the gritty details of the scam to the grave. Patrick Lloyd, a Wall Street advisor at the world’s largest Swiss bank, gets involved in the mess when his former girlfriend is connected to the electronic transfer of at least two billion of the missing money to Cushman’s partner. When Gerry Collins, Cushman’s fellow schemer, is killed, it appears some very powerful and nasty folks are not happy about losing their money. Now it gets complicated with Lloyd and his former sweetie, Lilly, the new targets of the bad guys. The couple decide they better figure out what’s going on and where they money has gone before they end up dead. A gripping, fast paced, topical story based on recent financial shenanigans on Wall Street, this novel touches upon a number of issues raised by the Madoff case and its aftermath. For example, why did certain individuals apparently “smell a rat” and see a problem but never blow the whistle on Madoff? Was that scenario just” collateral damage” from a much larger and complex financial mess that powerful people didn’t want aired? As you read this riveting novel you’ll wonder why whistleblowers were ignored, the red flags were overlooked and who in our government might have known there was something very, very amiss with Mr. Madoff’s business operations but chose to look the other way. n

CommunityNews

John Larry Granger Named Recipient of Gail Rich Award

he Maestro of the Santa Cruz County Symphony, John Larry Granger who is retiring and is in his final season, was announced as a winner of the Santa Cruz Sentinel’s Gail Rich Award for his 21 seasons of musical leadership with the Symphony, the Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre, the Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony and Youth Music Monterey. The Gail Rich Award is the premier award for local artists in our creative arts community. Maestro Granger won the award for his artistic excellence and advancement of the orchestra, his tireless commitment to teaching youth, and for his ability to collaborate with other local groups such as the Ballet, the Youth Symphony, ZunZun and the White Album Ensemble. The Gail Rich Award ceremony honoring John Larry Granger and the other award recipients will be held at the Rio Theatre on Tuesday, January 24, 7:30 pm. Admission to the event is free. We

Photo Courtesy of Van Zantes Photography

John Larry Granger

hope you can come out and support the symphony’s Maestro and celebrate our artistically vibrant community. Congratulations, Maestro Granger! n

The Gail Rich Award is the premier award for local artists in our creative arts community. Maestro Granger won the award for his artistic excellence and advancement of the orchestra, his tireless commitment to teaching youth, and for his ability to collaborate with other local groups ...

Court Rejects Lawsuit Against PVWMA

WATSONVILLE On January 4, 2012, the Sixth District Court of Appeal issued a ruling affirming the dismissal of a 2010 lawsuit brought against the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency (PVWMA) by Board Member John G. Eiskamp. The lawsuit sought to invalidate the Agency’s $80 per acre foot augmentation charge which was adopted in 2002 and used by the Agency to fund programs and projects to reduce groundwater overdraft and seawater intrusion. The decision comes almost a year after Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Almquist originally threw out the lawsuit. Unless a petition is filed and the California Supreme Court accepts the case

for review, the appellate court decision puts to rest any further litigation over the original $80 augmentation charge. PVWMA General Manager Mary Bannister is looking forward to the end of these legal battles “Hopefully this ends a decade of legal wrangling over the old fees which at times overshadow the mission of the agency and drain our limited resources.” The decision is a step forward in the Agency’s ongoing efforts to reduce and ultimately reverse the basin’s water overdraft condition. A loss would have created uncertainty about past water pumping fees that were collected since 2002 and used to fund the Agency’s basin management programs and projects. “PVWMA” > 31

HealthandF Fitness

Sleep Apnea – Waking up to the problem

any people struggling to get a restful night’s sleep are unaware that a serious health problem may be keeping them up. Sleep apnea, which affects 18 million Americans, is a disorder which causes breathing to repeatedly pause during sleep. Sleep apnea lowers a person’s blood oxygen level and results in a fragmented sleep pattern - making for a potentially dangerous health situation. Sleep apnea is linked to major health conditions including diabetes, hypertension, obesity and coronary heart diseases. Often, sleep apnea goes undiagnosed by physicians since it is difficult detecting the condition during a routine office visit. In fact, untreated sleep apnea may cause up to $3.4 billion in additional medical costs in the United States. With the added challenge of having no blood tests available for diagnosing the problem, symptom recognition is extremely important. Discuss the possibility of sleep apnea if you answer positively to the below questions, using the acronym STOP: • Snore — Do you snore loudly? • Tired — Do you often feel tired, fatigued or sleepy during the daytime? • Observed — Has anyone observed you stop breathing during your sleep? • Pressure — Do you have or are you being treated for high blood pressure?

Once identified, a sleep study may need to be administered to confirm the diagnosis, which may require staying overnight in a sleep lab or self-administering a home sleep test. Treatment may be an ongoing process, but with proper maintenance and care, the quality of life for patients with sleep apnea can improve. Here are some common tips and treatment options. Be sure to consult with your doctor, as they will be able to provide you with the best treatment plan based on your own individual health.

p Positive airway pressure devices (PAP): PAP devices are prescribed by your physician and come with a variety of breathing masks, meant to be worn over the nose and/or the mouth, supplying air into the throat, which prevents the airway from collapsing. These devices are most often obtained from a home health care company and are typically covered by insurance. p Oral appliances: An oral appliance, which looks like a sports mouth guard or orthodontic retainer, is worn while sleeping and is designed to keep the airway open by preventing the tongue and soft tissues in the back of the throat from collapsing. p Maintain a healthy weight: About 70 percent of people with sleep apnea are overweight or obese - a common link between diabetes and sleep loss is obesity. Taking steps to lose weight will increase your chances of managing sleep apnea and also reduce the risk of diabetes, a condition that comes with its own set of health problems like kidney disease, heart disease and blindness. p Avoid alcohol consumption and smoking: Alcohol consumption relaxes the upper airway breathing muscles, which makes it difficult for the airway to remain open, further aggravating sleep apnea symptoms. Smoking swells the upper airway, which also worsens symptoms. For more information and to see a video series on sleep apnea, visit www.LibertyMedical.com/video. n Courtesy of ARA Content

LISTEN & BE HEARD ON ULTIMATE LOCAL RADIO Listen to KSCO’s Happy Hour Commute from 4pm to 7pm

“Genial Genius” Charley Freedman

“Dead Air Dave” Dave Michaels

Local News, King of the Hill Traffic, Sports in Your Shorts, Weather, Music from the Past, Comments about the Present and Your Telephone Calls about Everything 24 / January 15th 2012 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Listen as 89 of your friends and neighbors talk their walk on AM 1080 KSCO

Be heard by KSCO/KOMY’s audience of decision-making adults. Contact Michael Olson mo@ksco.com • 831-475-1080

Dave Alan, Easton Allyn, Kim Allyn, Gary Arnold, Steve Ashley, Tavia Avila, Sam Badawi, Jamie Baker, Mike Baxter, Dr. David Biles, Sam Blakeslee, Vernon Bohr, Catherine Boult, Jennifer Brewer, Allen Bushnell, Karen Calcagno, Al Carman, Don Carroll, Lisa Carter, Dr Matthew Chalmers, Rosemary Chalmers, Rebecca Costa, Katherine Cunningham, Donald Davidson, Jacques Delacroix, Ron Dornseif, Charley Freedman, Benjamin Fuchs, Jeff Galipeaux, Dr Cory Gold, Bill Graff, Steve Gregg, David Harken, Franklin Harris, Helbart, Pamela Fugitt-Hetrick, Thomas Hughes, Don Husing, Michael Jacobi, Donna Jacobs, Nikki James, Chris Jensen, Dr Pete Keesling, Steve Kuehl, Kristina Kuprina, Michael Larson, Al Lundell, Sun Lundell, Richard Luther, Jim Martin, Joey McMurry, Renee Mello, Dave Michaels, Nada Miljkovic, Michael Milligan, Bill Monning, Dr Stan Montieth, Kelsey Olson, Michael Olson, Ric Orlando, Rick O’Shea, John Pengally, Tom Quinn, Dan Rusanowsky, Michael Sammet, Michael Sarka, Tim Sculley, Edmund Scurich, Rocky Snyder, Jeff Shapiro, Rachael Shelton, Dr Aimee Shunney, Alan Smith, Carol Stafford, Mark Silverman, Susan Simon, Michelle Sousa-Pennuto, Chris Spenser, Teresa Thomae, Kurt Useldinger, Melanie Useldinger, Alex Valesquez, Katia Valesquez, Peter Vokos, Dr Joel Wallach, Rex Walters, Natalia Williams, Doug Winfrey, Kay Zwerling, Michael Zwerling

CommunityNews

Fifth Annual Santa Cruz Chocolate Festival

January 22 Chocolate-tasting extravaganza raises funds for scholarships

hirty purveyors of delectable chocolate treats will offer their wares for tasting on Sunday, January 22, 2012 from 1 – 4 p.m. as the UC Santa Cruz Women’s Club presents the fifth annual Santa Cruz Chocolate Festival at the Cocoanut Grove, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. In its first four years, this familyfriendly event raised more than $40,000 for scholarships for re-entry students returning to higher education after an extended absence. In addition to chocolate tastings, chocolate gift items sure to please any palate will be on sale. Returning to the festival is the silent auction featuring many items (chocolate and non-chocolate themed) donated by community businesses and individuals. The jazz trio Hold Tight will entertain attendees with musical selections and the 5th annual Chocoholic of the Year will be awarded. A new addition to the festival activities will be a cupcake decorating area for young and old who wish to display their culinary artistic skills. Cabrillo

3 Convenient locations to serve you

Soquel

College Culinary Arts will be demonstrating the chocolate making process- from beans to candy and other tasty treats. There is something for everyone at this truly unique and delicious event. Participants include Ashby Confections, Cabrillo College Culinary Arts, Chocolate, the Restaurant, Chocolate

Happens, Chocolate Visions, Cocoanut Grove Banquets, Coldstone Creamery Santa Cruz, Dove Chocolates, Goose’s Goodies, Little Sky Lavender, Lula’s Chocolates, Marini’s Candies, Mission Hill Creamery, Nut Kreations, Original Sin Desserts, Pacific Cookie Company, Shaman Organic Chocolates, Snake and Butterfly,

Starz Cupcakes, Sudzzz, Sunridge Farms, TCHO, Theo, Toffee by the Sea, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods Market in Santa Cruz and Capitola, and Xocai Antioxidant Chocolate. Advance tickets are on sale at Whole Foods Market in Santa Cruz and Capitola, at Bookshop Santa Cruz, the Bay Tree Bookstore at UC Santa Cruz, and at Norrie’s Gift Shop at the UCSC Arboretum. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door and entitle the holder to six tastings. Attendees are urged to buy tickets early; the number sold will not exceed the number of available tastes. Nominations for the Chocoholic of the Year are now open. To nominate your favorite chocolate lover, go to the Chocolate Festival web site at www.santacruzchocolatefestival.org and click the Nomination link on the right side. n ••• The UCSC Women’s Club is a non-profit organization that raises scholarship funds to benefit students who are returning to college. Membership is open to all.

Have a Very Happy New Year!

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“Self Storage you can trust with a personal touch” 26 / January 15th 2012 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

“New Year Recipies” from pg 19

For additional recipes, lunchtime tips, coupon offerings and more, visit www.Facebook.com/Glad. ••• Spicy Tequila Lime Shrimp Salad Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 5 minutes – Serves: 4 For the shrimp: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin Pinch red pepper flakes 1 pound medium shrimp, deveined 3 tablespoons high-quality tequila Salt, to taste 1 teaspoon dried chipotle powder 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped For the salad: 4 cups dark, leafy mixed greens 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, sliced thin 1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed 1 avocado, sliced thin For the dressing: 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt 3 tablespoons high-quality tequila 1 tablespoon grated lime zest 1 teaspoon hot sauce 2 tablespoons fresh limejuice Pinch of sea salt to taste Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add chopped garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add cumin and red pepper flakes, and let flavors blend.

Add shrimp and toss. Carefully add tequila and cook until alcohol burns off. Season with salt, and add dried chipotle powder. Once shrimp are cooked, add chopped cilantro, toss and put aside on a plate. Toss mixed greens in a large salad bowl and add in roasted red peppers and black beans. In medium bowl, whisk all of the dressing ingredients together and alter to desired taste by adding additional hot sauce and salt. Top with avocado slices and sautéed shrimp. ••• Roasted Fig and Blue Cheese Salad Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes – Serves: 4 For the figs: 2 cups fresh black mission figs, sliced in half 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon honey 1/4 teaspoon sea salt For the salad 1/2 cup blue cheese, cut into elegant wedges or thin slices 6 cups mixed salad greens with arugula 1/2 cup candied walnuts Sea salt to taste For the dressing: 3 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 teaspoon sea salt To roast figs, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove stems off end of each fig,

then slice fig in half. Roast for approximately 30 minutes or until a bit golden brown. Remove and cool slightly. In small mixing bowl, mix 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, olive oil and honey. Add figs and toss to coat evenly. Marinate for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk honey, mustard, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and sea salt together to create dressing. Place greens in large salad bowl; toss in candied walnuts. Serve with two fig halves on top of each salad with a blue cheese wedge. ••• Spinach Salad with Walnuts, Strawberries and Goat Cheese Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes – Serves: 4 For the salad: 1/2 cup walnuts

4 cups fresh spinach, stems trimmed 8 large strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese For the dressing: 3 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 teaspoon sea salt Heat the oven to 375°F. Place walnuts on rimmed baking sheet and bake until fragrant and toasted, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Toss spinach with strawberries in a large bowl. In small bowl, whisk together honey, mustard, vinegar and salt. Sprinkle walnuts on top of spinach and strawberries mix. Serve sprinkled with goat cheese, with remaining dressing on the side. n

Hollywood Legends

ACROSS 1. Large, imposing house 6. "Lake" in France 9. *"Que ____," sang Doris Day 13. Unwritten exams 14. Spermatozoa counterparts 15. *Hollywood legend quality? 16. Laker great 17. Judge on "Dancing with the Stars" 18. L on clothes 19. *"The Big Sleep" leading lady 21. *He played "Spartacus" 23. Before, old English

24. Ancient Greeks' harp 50. 2009 Daniel DayLewis musical 25. Cattle prod 52. Charlotte of "Facts of 28. "For" in Spanish Life" fame 30. *"Louie, I think this is 53. First, second or third the beginning of a beautiful friendship," in in baseball 55. Follow ems "Casablanca," e.g. 57. *Last name of two 35. Port of Yemen female legends 37. Comedy Central's 1990s animated series 61. *He called for Stella "Dr. ____, Professional 64. Relating to axis 65. Second person of "be" Therapist" 39. Country singer _____ 67. "Unbearable Lightness of _____" Tucker 69. Pulitzer winner _____ 40. Irritate Cather 41. _____ of parsley 43. *What Perkins did in 70. Decorate cake the shower in "Psycho" 71. Dam 44. Accord or comport 72. Flower holder 73. Once around with 46. Yugoslavian commu- 74. Undo nist 47. Location of Dante's DOWN 1. *Garland to Minnelli nine circles 48. *Eastwood's Josey 2. United ____ Emirates 3. Hindu serpent deity Wales, e.g.

4. New York is famous 34. *He said, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a for it 5. Protective embankment damn." 36. A Broadway legend, 6. Be lazy or idle given name 7. ____ Maria 8. *Canadian funny man 38. Tubular pasta 9. Ore smelting by-prod- 42. One who's doomed 45. Singular of tabulae uct 10. Basketball great ____ 49. It engulfed the world in the 1940s "The Pearl" Monroe 51. Render capable 11. Capital of Latvia 54. Escargot 12. Greek god of war 15. Like a native speaker 56. Express contempt 57. Hems and ____ 20. Accidental holes 58. Sign of escape 22. Mine deposit 24. Soldier's bathroom 59. Arrange in a stack 25. *Famous for her low, 60. Healing ointment 61. Road Runner sound husky voice 62. Cher or Celine Dion? 26. *"Farewell" from Catherine Deneuve 63. Dollar bills 27. Blue and white pottery 66. AV manufacturer 68. "____ whiz!" style 29. Wholly engrossed 31. 100m ____ © Statepoint Media 32. Prefix for "among" Answers on 31 » 33. African antelope

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / January 15th 2012 / 27

Announcements

The I-You Venture

he I-You Venture needs volunteers of all ages with various talents and interests to share some time with our care facility neighbors living in residential care homes, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities. For more information, call (831) 459-8917 or ext. 205

Survivors Healing Center

urvivors healing center is a place where people victimized by sexual abuse can heal. The goal of this center is to prevent the sexual abuse of children and youth in our community. SHC is forming new ongoing twelve-week, closed intensive therapy groups for men and women who are survivors of sexual abuse. Call (831)423-7601 to register

Al-Anon

re you bothered by someone else’s drinking? Al-Anon is a 12-Step program for family and friends of alcoholics. There are meetings every day of the week and there are no dues or fees. For a meeting near you call 831-462-1818 or visit www.ncwsa.org/d23. Everyone is welcome.

Ongoing Events First Mondays of the Month

Lecture Series on "Great Decisions"

7:00pm-8:30 pm, Episcopal Church of St. John, 125 Canterbury Dr. in Aptos ectures will be lead by Dr. Laina FarhatHolzman, sponsored by Santa Cruz Beach, American Association of University Women. For more information, call (831) 688-0541

Second and Fourth Mondays First and Third Wednesdays

Alzheimers Support Groups

Monday: 2:00 - 3:30pm Wednesday: 5:30 – 7:00pm Conference Room at Elena Baskin/Live Oak Senior Center, 1777-A Capitola Rd, Santa Cruz acilitated by Jill Ginghofer, this group is for caregivers and family members of people with Alzheimers.

Tuesdays

Women Care Drop in Cancer Support

rop in Support Group is a gathering for women with all types of cancer. We offer support for women through all stages from diagnoses through treatment. For more information or to register call (831) 457-2273

Tuesdays thru Fridays, Sundays

Svaroopa Yoga Instruction at Aptos Yoga

Aptos Yoga, 783 Rio Del Mar Blvd. Ste.23B, Aptos. 831-688-1019 varoopa® Yoga is very different from what most of us think of as yoga. With the support of blankets, beginning students relax into easy poses designed to release the deepest tensions in the body along the spine. This release deeply relaxes the body, quiets the mind, reduces pain, accelerates injury recovery, and promotes better overall health. Classes five days each week. First Class free. For more information, call 688-1019 www.aptosyoga.org

First Tuesdays and Third Wednesdays each month

Orientations to Become Advocates for Children

North County, 5:30-7p.m., first Tuesday of month (for location details contact Danielle at 761-2956 X102) South County, 5:30-7 p.m., third Wednesday of the month at the CASA Office, 294 Green Valley Rd. Suite 326, Watsonville. ASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Santa Cruz County needs your help. Volunteer 3-5 hours per week to provide support, guidance, and a powerful voice in court for children who have been removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect. Everyone welcome, men and bilingual folks especially encouraged. To RSVP call 761-2956 Ext. 102, or email Danielle@casaofsantacruz.org

Wednesdays

Cooking Course on Cancer Prevention and Survival

January 25-February 15, 6:00pm-8:00pm, New Leaf Community Markets, 1101 Fair Ave. Santa Cruz hysicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is sponsoring a 4-week course entitled “Food for Life: The Power of Food for Cancer Prevention and Survival.” Learn how proper diet can help prevent and survive cancer. Topics: how foods fight cancer; beneficial low-fat, high-fiber foods; dairy and meat alternatives; cancer-fighting compounds; and healthy weight control. $95 To register, visit www.cancerproject.org/ classes, call 831-325-381l, or email simplynutritious@gmail.com

Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay ADHD Support Group Meetings

6:30pm-8:00pm at Mar Vista Elementary School on Soquel Dr. or more information, contact Jude Brenis at jbrenis@sbcglobal.net or call (831) 684-0590

First Wednesday of the Month

Child Welfare Review

6:00pm- 9:00pm 1400 Emeline Avenue room 206, Santa Cruz. he orientation is designed to review the child welfare system and to give you a chance to have your question answered by child welfare staff. To register to one of the meeting and for directions, please call 454-4024.

Fourth Wednesday each Month

Ongoing Constitution Classes

7:00 pm Quaker Meeting House, 225 Rooney St. Santa Cruz

28 / January 15th 2012 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

iew video lessons of an in-depth teaching about our Constitution, one of the most respected and copied documents in our nations history. For more information, visit www.meetup.com/santacruz-freedom-forum or email scfreedomforum@gmail.com

Thursdays

Capitola-Aptos Rotary Club Meeting

12-1:30 p.m. at Seascape Golf Course. ontact Doug at 831- 724-9192 or e-mail dnakashima@razzolink.com for more information.

City Council Member Stephanie Harlan to hold Office Hours in Capitola Mall

1:00pm-4:00pm Capitola Mall ouncil Member Harlan will meet with residents and persons interested in discussing City issues at Capitola Mall. She looks forward to meeting with her constituents and encourages Capitola residents to stop by and meet with her. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (831) 475-7184

Second Thursdays of the Month

Veterans of Foreign Wars

6:30 pm, 2259 7th Ave. Santa Cruz ommander: Ronals Petty. For more information, call (831) 475-9804

Second and Fourth Thursdays of the month

Cabrillo Host Lions

7:30pm at the Cabrillo Community Center, Aptos Village Park, 100 Aptos Creek Rd. ublic is invited to all programs. Contact President Paul Henry 831-688-31 or Past President Barbara Chamberlain at 831-688-3356. For meeting/dinner reservations or information or visit www.cabrillohostlions.org.

Fridays

Clutterers Anonymous

5:30-6:45 Sutter Maternity & Surgical Center, 2900 Chanticleer Ave, Soquel Dr. Santa Cruz. ired of Clutter? Stuff piling up? Support is available. CLA meeting every Friday. For more info call 426-1868 FREE

Saturdays

Come As You Are Zen

9-10:30 am, Ocean Gate Zendo, 920 41st Ave. Suite B, Santa Cruz (next to Family Cycling Center) ome as you are Zen focuses on Buddhist practices that enhance our daily lives. This will be an informal talk with time for discussion. Free - donation accepted. Visit oceangatezen.org for more info.

Aptos Certified Farmers Market

8:00 -12:00pm at Cabrillo College, Aptos. he Aptos Market, with over 80 vendors, is open year round, with the best selections of fresh fruits and vegetables, plants, seedlings, flowers, local honey, fresh eggs, fresh fish, artisan baked goods and gourmet foods. In addition, family activities, music, cooking demos by professional chefs, gardening workshops, seasonal fairs and events are a part of the market.

Scotts Valley Farmer’s Market

9a.m.-1p.m. SV Community Center, 360 Kings Village Drive www.santacruzfarmersmarket.org

Learn to Meditate with Ease

7 – 8:30 pm, Aptos Yoga, 783 Rio Del Mar Blvd, Ste 23B, Aptos. ain powerful, effective tools to quiet your mind and help you settle into deep and easy meditation from the beginning. Includes discussion on meditation and yoga philosophy. 3-part class. $75. 25% discount if you also register for Core Opening series.

Core Opening Svaroopa® Yoga Series

Sundays

Main Beach Volleyball Club Blenders Program

9:30am - 11:30 am Cabrillo College Gym 5-6th grade coed, 7-8th grade girls. Contact Jan Furman at 831-345-1441

Dated Events

Tuesday January 17

Aptos Chamber Mixer at Cafe Rio

5:00-6:30pm, Cafe Rio Aptos ome join us at Cafe Rio for the first mixer of the New Year. Delicious appetizers will be provided along with a No Host bar. Ring in the holidays with your friends, neighbors, and business associates. Call (831) 688-1467 to RSVP or for more details. $5.00 for Chamber members, $10.00 for non-members.

California's Battle of the Ballot Box Six Ballot Measures that could change civil society in California

7:00pm- 9:00pm, Quaker Meeting House oin us to learn about and analyze new ballot measures and determine where to focus our combined energy in the coming months.

Wednesday January 18 Peripheral Neuropathy Support Group Meeting

1:00 pm Trinity Presbyterian Church, 420 Melrose Ave. SC peaker Patricia Shea will talk about a treatment method called "Frequency Specific Microcurrent." Meetings are held bi-monthly at Trinity Presbyterian Church. For more information, call Mary Ann Lear at (831) 477-1239

Santa Cruz ADHD Support Group Meeting

6:30-8:00pm, Mar Vista Elementary School Library For more information, contact Judy Brenis at jbrenis@sbcglobal.net or call (831) 684-0590

Thursday January 19 Open House at the Aptos Academy

explore the Science Fair in our fully equipped theatre. The Aptos Academy is an affordable, WASC-accredited, non-denominational, nonprofit school. For more information, call (831) 688-1080 or visit www.aptosacademy.org.

6:00pm- 8:00pm, The Aptos Academy, 1940 Bonita Dr. Aptos he Aptos Academy invites you to an evening Open House. Join us at our beautiful five-acre campus to learn how PreK- 8th grade students are inspired by individualized, arts-enriched academic programs, and daily PE. Meet our friendly, dedicated teachers, and

4:30 – 6 pm, Aptos Yoga, 783 Rio Del Mar Blvd, Ste 23B, Aptos. 688-1019, ore opening” is spinal decompression that relieves pressure on organs and glands so everything functions better. Enjoy stress relief and relaxation. $45, 25% discount if you also register for Learn to Meditate. For more information and registration, email chudala@aptosyoga.org or call 688-1019. www.aptosyoga.org

Friday January 20 A talk on the California Open Primary

11:30 am, SCPD Community Room, 155 Center St. Santa Cruz ponsored by the Democratic Women's Club of Santa Cruz. Fred Keeley will speak on the California Open Primary. To RSVP, call Pat at (831) 688-2931.

Tuesday January 24 Sons In Retirement(SIR) Luncheon Meeting

11:30 am at Severino's Bar & Grill, 7500 Old Dominion Court, Aptos. ptos Branch will have monthly meeting. Speaker will be Louis Arbanas of Pajaro Valley Historical Association on"The Fascinating History of our Pajaro Valley." Sir is an organization for retired men which there is no dues,fees,religious or political agenda. Call 688-0977 for information.

Thursday January 26 Compassionate Communication

1:00-3:00pm, Live Oak Senior Center, 1777 Capitola Rd. his program will provide strategies to improve communication skills in connecting with memory-impaired individuals and to help prepare caregivers for possible behavior changes and ways to respond using a positive and proactive approach. For more information, call (831) 464-9982

Saturday February 4 Intro To Svaroopa® Yoga

9 – 10:30 am, Aptos Yoga, 783 Rio Del Mar Blvd, Ste 23B, Aptos. 688-1019 xperience how Svaroopa® Yoga works in your body at an introductory class – FREE with no obligations. Supported by blankets, you’ll relax into poses that release deep tensions in your spine. This unique form of yoga quiets your mind, reduces pain, and accelerates injury recovery. For more information and registration, call 688-1019 or email chudala@aptosyoga.org. www.aptosyoga.org. n

Venus is in your sign at the start of the month and this favours your friendships and close relationships. You enjoy the company of others and this could also be the start of something new, if you are single. Meanwhile, you have plans and ideas that you are working on which are still at the drawing board stage. You could be thinking of working for yourself and these ideas could begin to take shape as early as the 21st. The Sun is in your sign form this time onwards, and you are energized and empowered to make the changes you wish. Push yourself a little harder and believe in yourself.

Aquarius (Jan 21-Feb. 18)

Announcements

The 2012 Aptos History Calendar is finally Available!

his calendar, created by Heidi and Dick Garwood of Aptos, features photographs and brief anecdotes describing historical events in mid-county. It also features ads from many local advertisors! Buy it now at seven Aptos locations as well as the Capitola Book Cafe.

Thursdays thru February 9 (Starting January 26)

he First Friday Art Tour is a Santa Cruz Institute of Contemporary Arts event, managed in conjunction with the participating art venues. The event takes place year-round and illuminates some of the most talented local artists from local galleries. To find out where to participate in a First Friday art tour, visit firstfridaysantacruz.com (Most galleries are open 12-9 pm for First Friday viewings.)

Ongoing Events

Mondays and Wednesdays

Salsa Rueda Class

7:00pm at Louden Nelson Center, 301 Center St., Santa Cruz. earn Salsa Rueda. For more information visit www.salsaruedasantacruz.com or call 831-457-7432

Tuesdays

BINGO

6:30 p.m. Santa Cruz Elks Lodge, 150 Jewell St. osted by Soquel Sports Foundation. BuyIn $25. Also, we have a special BINGO, celebrating our 2nd anniversary, on Sept. 28 at 6:30. Buy-in only $15. www.soquelsports.com

Saturday: 8:00pm, Sunday: 3:00pm, Christ Lutheran Church, 10707 Soquel Dr. Aptos eaturing Dvorak's Piano Quintet in A Major and works by Brahms, Bartok, and Kreisler. Director and pianist Ian Scarfe with violinists Roy Malan and Philip Brezina, violinist Polly Malan, and cellest Erin Wang. Tickets will be available at the door and 1/2 hour before performances, you can also purchase them at santacruztickets.com

Ballroom Dancing

SPECTRA Arts Learning

he Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County is seeking stories and anecdotes from people with current or past experience with SPECTRA Arts Learning. These stories will serve as examples of successes students have found through the Council’s SPECTRA program over the years, and may be used to promote the Council’s Arts Learning Resource Directory. If you are an artist, parent, teacher or student with a story to share about your experience with SPECTRA, you are invited to send a brief narrative to Sonia Deetz at the Cultural Council: sonia@ccscc.org.

Alla Zingarese: A Winter Dance Festival Inspired by European Folk Dances

Fridays

Saturday January 21 Sunday January 22

6:30 pm, German-American Hall, 230 Plymouth St. Santa Cruz he Lucky Steppers invite you to learn to square dance! Classes are held every thursday night. Couples are welcome. Call (831) 722-1131 for more information.

rtists/Crafts people volunteers Share your talent and make creative expression possible by leading an art group of care facility residents. Become an Ageless Art Project Volunteer. For information call 459-8917 ext. 208

Ageless Art Project

Dated Events

Learn to Square Dance with the Lucky Steppers

7:30- 11:00pm at Mid-County Senior Center, 829 Bay Ave, Capitola. ive music by The Rainbows. Refreshments, large floor, friendly atmosphere, free parking. All for a donation of $8 per person.

First Fridays of each month

Friday January 27 Saturday January 28

First Friday Art Tour

Love as Activism: The Revolutionary use of Soul Force

Friday: 7:00 pm- 9:30 pm, Saturday 9:00 am - 5:00pm ev. Deborah Johnson and Andrew Harvey will present the key principles of Love as Activism. The event will also include music by the Inner Light Choir. Organic lunch available for $10

Every other Friday

Saturday February 4 Sunday February 5

Shakespeare Club of Santa Cruz

10:30-12:30 pm, First Congregational Church, 900 High St. Santa Cruz, Next: January 27 hakespeare's club is seeking new members to join in the study of his plays. For more information, visit www.fridayshakespeare.org

Fourth Friday of each month

Musical Me Inc. Family Jam Night

6:30-8:30p.m. 239 High St., Santa Cruz. ring your favorite music to dance to and any instruments you'd like to share or perform with. Sliding Scale donation per family of $10$25 (all proceeds going to our scholarship fund.) For more information call 831-438-3514.

Building Blocks: Winds and Piano in Combination

Fourth Saturdays of each month

Writers and Poets Open Mike

2:00pm-4:00pm, Porter Memorial Library, 3050 Porter St. Soquel riters and Poets are invited to a new monthly open mike reading series. Come and read your fiction, essays, or poetry. For more information, call Jean at (831) 475-4221

Tuesdays and Weekends

Pisces (Feb. 19-Mar. 20)

This month brings the possibilities of promising interviews if you are keen to forge ahead with your career. You can be organized and prepared as you look further ahead towards your ideal situation. Make your plans and goals early on but avoid anything that is simply too hard to achieve in the time frame you have set yourself. Mercury, planet of communication is helpful to you from the 8th to the 28th. Better news regarding your finances is welcome but you are somewhat restrained in your spending. After the 21st, you can be impulsive without worrying so much about the consequences.

Aries (March 21-April 20)

While the Sun is in your fellow earth sign of Capricorn, life is a lot more harmonious for you. Your focus is on your higher ideals and aspirations and you could be signing up for courses and furthering your knowledge in an area that really interests you. Travel is likely for some and connections with overseas could prove reasonably lucrative both in terms of your emotional well being and your financial status. Your ruler, Venus, is helping with your career options and business relations are good this month. Your best time for creativity is from the 15th onwards.

Taurus (April 21-May 21)

Mercury, your ruler, whizzes through Capricorn from the 8th. This is your wake up call to clear out your clutter, deal with unfinished business, and prepare the way for new ventures. Expect some intriguing offers but you are going to have to juggle a bit to fit everything in. You can be fairly ruthless when necessary, and you don't allow sentimentality to get in the way, at least sometimes. Travel is good for you this month, and love and romance can begin with someone from overseas. You come to an interesting conclusion regarding your finances around the 9th.

Gemini (May 22-June 21)

You may be in a bit of a quandary romantically at the start of the month. You don't do ultimatums, but you feel something has to give, and a successful conclusion to this state of affairs is nearer than your think. The Full Moon in your sign on the 9th brings a situation to a head and a natural conclusion. The time is right to move onwards and upwards. After the 21st, your attention is on new beginnings in terms of money and/or your love life. You are more passionate and involved as you become creative and engaged in the process of living.

Cancer (June 22-July 22)

This could be a fabulously romantic time for you as Venus, planet of love, spends a little while in your chart area of relationships. Make the most of future plans together and creating the life you want with your loved one, or be alert to new relationships if you are currently single. There are progressive times ahead for you in your career as your role is expanding. This brings responsibilities but also benefits. After the 21st earlier plans take shape and while you have felt a little stuck now you can expect some significant change for the better.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 23)

Mars in your sign continues to set the pace as you initiate change and improvement in so many areas. This may involve a certain amount of disruption, but it is temporary as the results are well worth it. Since this action planet is in your sign for the next few months (around eight months in total) then you need to be clear and motivated about what needs to happen. It's hard to take a back seat and go with the flow, but you can move mountains if you want since you have the energy to do so. You are encouraged to work hard, and of course, play hard.

Virgo (Aug. 24-Sep. 22)

Venus is in a helpful position for you until at least mid month. this is the best time for you to be creative and follow your bliss. You have already done your homework and you have high hopes for the New Year. Saturn is set to leave your sign in October, so learn the lessons of your experiences over the last couple of years or so. It is useful to take stock but also know what you don't want. Meanwhile, enjoy a time of socializing, and getting to know people in January. Your love life is picking up to with some interesting liaisons promised.

Libra (Sep. 23-Oct. 23)

You are seeking out knowledge and perhaps reading and discussing new ideas. You are after something a little elusive which may simply be about happiness. Since your values may be changing what once seemed important is now less so, as the simple and uncomplicated life beckons. This is the perfect time to eliminate what isn't strictly necessary which will be good for your bank balance too. You have been learning about the importance of spirituality as a foundation to peace of mind, but in your own way. After the 21st, your home life is a source of much pleasure and satisfaction.

Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Live Music on the Esplanade

Paradise Beach Grille 215 Esplanade, Capitola. ive music weekends and acoustic guitar Tuesdays. For schedule and more information: (831) 476-4900 Or visit paradisebeachgrille.com

While it is natural at the start of the year to review the last and think about what you want for the New Year, it is also important to acknowledge what you already have going for you. So often it is about going on to the ext stage, and ticking off the list of what has to be done. Give yourself a break and appreciate who you are and what your values are. The Sun in Capricorn can bring things down to earth and how you measure your success in terms of money and finance. There is still a theme of getting the balance right with home and work but you make some massive breakthroughs this month.

Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

Wednesdays

Peninsula Banjo Band

7:00 - 8:30 p.m., Harry’s Hofbrau, 390 Saratoga Ave, San Jose orty-seven years of performing in the Bay Area, over 250 popular tunes. Come see our band for Free in Sunnyvale Every Wednesday. No cover. Contact Lee McLaughlin, Booking Agent, at 408-993-BAND (2263) for information about booking the band for Non-profit events (donations are tax deductible). www.PeninsulaBanjoBand.org

Saturday: 8:00pm, Sunday: 3:00pm Christ Lutheran church 10707 Soquel Dr. Aptos he audience will hear compositions from the late 19th and 20th centuries featuring delightful and diverse combinations of these melodic instruments directed by oboist Peter Lemberg, with Jeffrey Gallagher. Tickets are available for 1/2 hour before the performance, and at Santacruztickets.com.. For more information, call (831) 425-3149 or e mail m@scchamberplayers.org n

Friends, organizations and clubs are favoured at the start of the month while the Sun is in Capricorn. Being part of a team or belonging to a group which has a common goal can be a source of satisfaction and importance to you as you seek to make a difference. This is a good time share knowledge and information as well the fun of knowing that others are in the same boat. But after the 14th Venus enters your sign which is even better for relationships for you. This also helps with your priorities as you make simple pleasures an option rather than achieving goals on a list.

Since the Sun is in your sign now until the 21st, it is as if everyone else is on the same wavelength as you and you find that it's easy to say ' I told you so' . Your good sense and perfect timing have proved right and this continues to help you make the right decisions and choices, especially about what it is that you want to pursue over the next few months. Write a list if necessary, not so much about resolutions that are too fixed but 'what if's'. You make the ordinary quite special and this is your gift. Consider it more. ••• Find Out More www.AnnabelBurton.tv

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20)

Peninsula Banjo Band

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Aptos Times / January 15th 2012 / 29

HealthandF Fitness

From Watsonville to Santa Cruz Free estimates for new roofs, reroofs, repairs, or just some advice!

KNOX ROOFING

461-0634 Lic.#696146

You’ll Find it here 30 / January 15th 2012 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

“Vitamins” from pg 21

Fortified foods such as breads and cereals are good dietary sources of folic acid. Other good sources are dark green leafy vegetables such as asparagus and spinach, as well as, liver, orange juice, beets, dates and avocados. Fallieras says, “If you are not able to get your daily dose of these important B vitamins through food consumption alone, I’d recommend a supplement, like Nature Made’s Super B-Complex with Folic Acid and Vitamin C. As a pharmacist, I know that getting the nutrients you need means taking the highest quality vitamins available in the right dosage. I like Nature Made because they have been the leading choice of pharmacists in many of the key vitamin and supplement segments since 2006, according to a ranking by Pharmacy Times.” Vitamin C — As the body’s main water-soluble antioxidant, vitamin C has been found to fight against free radicals and guard the healthy cells of the body. It is active throughout the body, and is especially effective when taken in conjunction with vitamin E. Additionally, vitamin C is a building block for collagen (connective tissue), supports healthy immune function, and is essential for synthesizing compounds involved in the energyproducing pathways of the body. Vitamin D — It plays a key role in the proper absorption of calcium for strong bones and teeth, and some research suggests vitamin D may support colon, breast, prostate, ovarian, heart and colorectal health. It’s needed to help muscles move, help support healthy nerve function and supports a healthy immune system. For most people, sunlight is the most common source of vitamin D

Before taking any dietary supplement, read the label instructions. Talk to your health care provider if you have any questions, particularly about the best dosage for you to take.

because they eat few foods that naturally contain it, such as cod liver oil, oily fish (salmon, herring, and sardines in oil), egg yolks and fortified milk. However, where you live may affect the amount of sunshine you receive, especially in winter, and therefore, sun exposure alone is not adequate. The current recommendation for vitamin D is 600 IU a day. Some scientists and vitamin D researchers are now recommending having your blood level checked and possibly increasing daily consumption to 1,000 IU or more per day. In addition to fortified foods, such as yogurt, cereals, milk and orange juice, and exposure to sunlight, supplements are an effective way of improving levels of vitamin D. Vitamin E — This is a fat-soluble nutrient that helps protect the heart and helps protect body tissues from free radical attack. Vitamin E and vitamin C work as a strong antioxidant team, and taking them together enhances their effectiveness. It’s found naturally in nuts and vegetable oils. Before taking any dietary supplement, read the label instructions. Talk to your health care provider if you have any questions, particularly about the best dosage for you to take. If you experience any side effects that concern you, stop taking it, and contact your health care provider. Learn more about vitamins and your health at www.naturemade.com.

Choosing Supplements When choosing a supplement, it’s important that you keep these things in mind: p Talk to your physician or pharmacist. Talk to a health care professional about supplements, including dosage values for your individual needs. p Look for the USP Verified Dietary Supplement mark. Seek brands that participate in thirdparty verification programs with organizations such as the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). p Think twice about chasing the latest headline. Sound health advice is generally based on research over time, not a single study. Consider vitamins and minerals for overall health, and be wary of results claiming a quick fix or one study suggesting a certain result. p Do your research. There are a number of resources available. Visit FamilyDoctor.org for credible, physician-reviewed information on health and wellness topics, including the role vitamins and supplements can play in a healthy, active and balanced lifestyle. p Read the label and follow dosage instructions carefully. Follow the dosage instructions on the label. Look for any warning statements such as combining certain supplements with prescriptions or over-the-counter medicines. Be wary of claims that seem too good to be true. n Photos courtesy of Getty Images

SPCA Featured Pet

Let Keebler Make Your World a Little Sweeter

How to Square any multiple of 5 in your head

ne of the most common math problems is squaring a number, or multi- plying the number by itself. This is denoted by showing the number with a “2” subscript: 52 is read as “5 squared,” and means 5 × 5 = 25. In learning their multiplication tables, most school children learn to square the numbers up to about 10 and sometimes 11 or 12, but most schools never teach children to square larger numbers. Yet, with a little practice anyone can learn to square numbers up to 50, or even 100. In your head, without pencil and paper, and in most cases faster than you can type it into a calculator. In this lesson, I’ll show you how to square the multiples of 5, up to 100. That is, 5, 10, 15, ... 100. All you need to know is your multiplication tables up to 10. First, those that end in 0 are especially easy. To square any of the multiples of 10, all you do is square the left digit and say “hundred.” Or if you are writing it, square the left digit then add “00.” For example, to calculate 30 squared, or 30 × 30, multiply 3 by itself to get 9, and then say “hundred:” 302 = 900. Seventy squared, 70, is 4900. Just multiply the 7 by itself to get 49, then say “hundred.” The numbers ending in 5 (15,25,35, etc.) are almost as easy. The key fact to “PVWMA” from pg 23

At the time the lawsuit was filed PVWMA was in the final stages of a two-year process of public hearings and outreach efforts to replace the $80 charge. The new charge was also challenged in Santa Cruz County Superior Court in a trial last November. A deci-

remember is that all these answers end in 25. So, the last part of your answer is always “25.” The first part is just the first digit of the number times the next higher digit. Example 1: Find the square of 65, that is, 65 × 65. The first digit is 6, and 6+1 = 7, so multiply 6 and 7 to get 42, then say “25.” The answer is 4225. Example 2: Find the square of 85. The first digit is 8, 8+1 = 9, 8×9 is 72, then say 25. The answer is 7225. Now you can square 20% of the integers up to 100. In future issues, I’ll explain how to do the others, as well as other interesting math ideas. n ••• Bert Lundy is the Director of Learn for Excellence tutoring center, 1929 Main Street, Watsonville. 831-656-2094. sion in that case is expected in the coming weeks. n ••• The PVWMA is a public agency whose mission is to protect and preserve the water resources within the agency’s jurisdiction, generally the greater coastal Pajaro Valley. More information on the agency and its work is available at www.pvwater.org.

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in his heart and this two-and-a-half year old Cairn terrier mix will be your loyal sidekick for life. Keebler rode in on a jet plane from an overcrowded shelter in Southern California where his hours were numbered. He was going to be one of ten dogs to be put down the day the Santa Cruz SPCA arranged to give him a plane ticket to life. We are sure glad we made that choice because Keebler has been such a joyful and lively spirit. He’s a scruffy guy with an eye for fun and loves to race around throwing his toys in the air. He enjoys the company of other dogs, both male and female but would do fine as an “only dog” as well. The thing about Keebler is…he likes to be courted. When meeting new people, he can be a little shy and play hard to get but with some persistence, friendly encouragement, and a falsetto voice he becomes putty in your hands. Once you’ve won him over, Keebler will act like you are the most important thing in his entire life. When you walk through the door, he’ll greet you like you’ve been gone for 10 years. He’ll cover you in kisses, jump in your arms at the drop of a dime, follow your every step, and even share his coveted toys. Keebler would do best in a quiet home with adults only or a family with older children. He spent some time in a foster home with a young child who he tolerated with absolutely no aggression but didn’t seem to be interested in bonding. Because he is a terrier he does need mental stimulation, adequate exercise and at the very least basic obedience training. He does have longer wirehair that requires regular brushing and trimming. Keebler has a lot of love and loyalty to give to the right person. Come down to the Santa Cruz SPCA and try to win his sweet heart! Our adoption package for dogs and cats includes spay/neuter, vaccinations, micro-chipping, an ID tag, collar, a free health exam with a licensed Veterinarian, one month’s free health insurance, discounted crate purchase and other animal care materials. If you would like to help animals like Keebler and his orphaned friends, please consider donating to the Santa Cruz SPCA. The Santa Cruz SPCA is a 501c3 charitable organization and receives no government funding, relying solely on public donations to run its many programs that benefit the animals and people of our community. For more information call the Santa Cruz SPCA at 4655000, or visit www.santacruzspca.org. The SPCA is located at 2685 Chanticleer Avenue in Santa Cruz, CA 95065 and is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday, 11:00 A.M. to 5:00 p.m. n

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