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ONGOING EVENTS (cont.)

Second and Fourth Wednesdays WELLNESS ON THE CANCER JOURNEY 11-12:30 pm, Old Soquel Plaza Learn how to safely support your body and emotions through the journey of Cancer — from diagnosis to softening the impact of chemo, radiation, and recovering well from surgery. We’ll address nausea, low energy, weakness, digestion, immune support, grief, stress and more. Feel free to bring your partner or care team to this free class. Please come fed; water is available. Limited Seats. Please register all attendees on Eventbrite — Wellness on the Cancer Journey or call 831-254-3270to RSVP. Address given upon registration receipt.

ADHD SUPPORT GROUP 6:30-8 p.m., Aptos Fire Station, 6934 Soquel Drive, Aptos The Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay Branch of CHADD hosts monthly support group meetings for anyone who would like to learn more about ADHD or has questions or concerns. Come share with those who understand.

Second Wednesdays’ meeting is for parents of children, teens, and young adults with ADHD. The group for adults with ADHD, spouses, partners of someone with ADHD meets fourth Wednesdays of every month. Judy Brenis: jbbrenis@comcast.net, or call 831-818- 9619.

Last Wednesdays Each Month MAGICIANS’ CLUB 7 p.m., Antonelli Club Room, 2655 Brommer St., Santa Cruz Attention Magic Lovers! Our new Magicians’ Club meets on the last Wed. of every month at 7pm in the club room at the Antonelli Mobile Home Park. If you do magic or want to get started in this fun hobby, join us. Questions? Call Jim at 685-3829

Thursdays FRIENDSHIP PUT TO MUSIC! 6:30 p.m., New Hall, La Selva Beach Club House, 3124 Estrella Ave. Classes every Thursday night. For more info call Sue Harris or Don Benson (831) 726-7053 or email at caller4u@att.net

LUCKY STEPPERS MODERN SQUARE DANCE 6:30 pm, La Selva Beach Clubhouse, 314 Estrella Ave., La Selva Beach, CA 95076 It’s fun and easy to do! Friendship put to music; family friendly. Class takes place every Thursday Night at our new home in La Selva Beach! (Take Mar Monte off of Hwy 1, turns into Playa Blvd., turn right on Estrella) For more information, contact Sue Harris or Don Benson at (831) 726-7053 or e-mail at caller4u@att.net. Second and Fourth Thursdays CABRILLO HOST LIONS CLUB MEETINGS 6:30 p.m., Aptos Village Park, 100 Aptos Creek Road. Want to make a difference in our community? Join the Cabrillo Lions Club twice every month and see what you can do to help in Santa Cruz County. Please RSVP cabrillolions@gmail.com

Fridays NAR-ANON SCOTTS VALLEY 6:30 p.m., Camp Recovery Center (Bison Center Room), 3192 Glen Canyon Road, Scotts Valley. Nar-Anon is a twelve step support group for families and friends of addicts. There are no dues or fees to join. Just come to a meeting. You will hear others, who are going through similar problems, talk about how they cope and find recovery. To locate additional times and locations of meetings, please go to our website at www.nar-anon.org.

DROP-IN GRIEF SUPPORT 12-1 pm, Hospice of Santa Cruz County, two locations: 940 Disc Dr., SV • 85 Nielson St., Watsonville Hospice of Santa Cruz County is offering a drop-in grief support group for adults grieving the death of a family member or a friend. This group is a place where you can share stories, learn tools for coping, and receive support from people who care. For more information, please call (831) 430-3000. Preregistration is required.

First Fridays each month FIRST FRIDAY ART TOUR The 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.)

Saturdays PILLS ANONYMOUS (PA) 8 a.m., Sutter Hospital, 2025 Soquel Ave The purpose of PA is to provide a safe, secure, and supportive place for people who are addicted to pills who want to get off of them. PA is offered all over the world. For questions, please contact Gary at (831)801-9578 or Kristin at (831)345-6515

SANTA CRUZ TENNIS CLUB 9 a.m., Soquel High School Tennis Courts The nonprofit Santa Cruz Tennis Club meets every Saturday morning at the Soquel High School courts beginning at 9:00 am. We play doubles and mixed doubles, mostly at an intermediate level, and switch around the players every 45 minutes. Balls are provided. $2 for first time visitors.

Second Saturdays Each Month 2ND SATURDAY ON THE FARM 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Ag History Project Center at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Join us every 2nd Saturday on the Farm for free family activities. Each month we select a new theme to highlight historical agriculture with games, activities, and demonstrations that relate. We often have guest appearances from farm animals like llamas, draft horses, sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits, and more! You are sure to find something fun and entertaining for the whole family. Check our website and Facebook page for more details. FREE

Sundays NAR-ANON SANTA CRUZ 6:30 p.m., Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center (Sutter Room), 2900 Chanticleer Avenue, Santa Cruz Nar-Anon is a twelve step support group for families and friends of addicts. There are no dues or fees to join. Just come to a meeting. You will hear others, who are going through similar problems, talk about how they cope and find recovery. To locate additional times and locations of meetings, please go to our website at www.nar-anon.org. n

FEATURED COLUMNIST Bronze Is The New Green

By Tony Tomeo

Bronze foliage will never actually replace green foliage. Even if there were enough variety of plants with bronze foliage to do so, too much bronze would look dreary.

Bronze is just another option for foliar color in landscapes with significant vegetation. It is distinct from simpler green, and contrasts nicely with gold, blue, gray and variegated foliage. Some bronze foliage is variegated too.

There is all sorts of bronze foliage. Some is brownish bronze. Some is reddish. The most popular bronze foliage is rather purplish. It can be evergreen or deciduous. Annuals, perennials, shrubs, vines, trees and houseplants can provide bronze foliage. Most plants that provide bronze foliage are variants of plants that also provide bloom or fruit. Some are common. Others are rather rare.

Bronze foliage is not an advantage to plants that produce it. The most efficient foliage is green. Gray or bluish foliage has the advantage of reflecting some of the harsh sunlight that could scald it in severe climates. Otherwise, foliage that is a color otherthangreenreflects more ofthe useful sunlight than it should. Incidentally, dark foliage also absorbs more of the sunlight that can scald it.

This is why many bronze plants are noticeably less vigorous than their greener counterparts. Although it would not be an advantage in the wild, diminished vigor makes some bronze plants more adaptable to compact home gardens. For example, the brownish bronze ‘Summer Chocolate’ silk tree will not get half as high and wide

as the common silk tree. It can fit nicely into a cozy atrium.

Cultivars of purple leaf plum, Japanese maple and Eastern redbud are more familiar complaisant bronze trees. ‘Ruby Lace’ honeylocust is still quite rare. Bronze shrubbery includes smokebush, Chinese fringe flower, elderberry, barberry and ninebark. New Zealand flax, canna, houseleek, ajuga, mondo grass and coral bells are popular bronze perennials. Cordyline is a larger perennial.

Bronze foliage adds a bit more color than typical green foliage. In the right situations, it is appealing bold. •••

Smokebush

Cliche is barely avoidable regarding smokebush, Cotinus coggygria. It provides rich foliar color from spring until autumn, with uniquely billowy bloom through summer. Then, it provides exquisite fall color until winter. Then, it provides sculptural form of bare stems until spring. Smokebush ‘has it all’. . . almost. All the spectacle distracts from a lack of floral fragrance. Will anyone ever notice?

Foliage is rich purplish bronze, bright greenish yellow or olive green through spring and summer. Formerly common old fashioned cultivars with olive green foliage are now Smokebush seems to have it all. rare. Nowadays, most are rich purplish bronze. Fall color is fiery yellow, orange and red. The round leaves are about one to three inches long. Purplish to pale pinkish plumes of smoke-like bloom are a striking contrast.

The largest of smokebush grow at a moderate rate to more than fifteen feet high and wide. Most cultivars are more compact. They get wobbly in the ground if they grow too vigorously. Aggressive pruning during winter improves stability and enhances foliar color for the next season. However, minimal pruning of stable plants promotes bloom. Smoke tree wants full sun, but is not demanding. n

Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.com .

TO ADVERTISE IN THE BUSINESS GUIDE SECTION call our offices !

831.688.7549

FEATURED COLUMNIST Now is the Time to Prepare for Fire Season

With our relatively dry winter comes the increased riskofaseriousfireseason. There are some things that you can do to help protect your home or business from a wildfire (or a structure fire). Here are some general tips to get started.

One of the first things is to ensure that you have a home emergency plan (and evacuation plan) and practice it with your family.

All homes should have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and at least one ABC-rated fire extinguisher in your home. You can sign up for emergency notices, such as Code Red at www.scr911.org to learn about possible evacuations or changes in conditions.

Ensuring that the Fire Department can respond quickly also means having visible address numbers on the outside of your home and business (and if you have a sidewalk — along the curb).

All homes should be kept clear of combustible debris such as cardboard boxes, rags, paper products, flammable liquids and fireplaces and wood stoves should be maintained and cleaned and inspected annually. By Zach Friend, Second District Supervisor

The topography of Santa Cruz County, and location of homes within the rural areas, means that it’s imperative to create a defensible space around your home.

Defensible space is the buffer you create between your home or business and the vegetation that surrounds them to prevent these structures from catching fire. The defensible space can reduce risk to both your home (from fire directly or radiant heat associated with fire) as well as to firefighters using the space to defend your property.

How do you create a defensible space?

California State law requires that you maintain 100 feet of defensible space around your home and other buildings on your property. This is a minimum recommended amount and should be increased if your home is on a steep slope.

You can create a defensible space by ensuring that trees are the furthest from your home and that elements that are less likely to burn (or burn at lower temperatures) such as lawns, small plants/beddings/high water content plants and so on are closer to the home.

For the first 30 feet from all buildings, decks and structures you should: • Remove or mow all dead plants, grass, or weeds. • Create paved or gravel driveways, walkways, patios as firebreaks • Remove dead or dry leaves and needles from yard, roof, and gutters. • Trim trees regularly and maintain a minimum of 10’ between canopies. • Remove branches that overhang your roof and any dead branches close to chimney. • Remove flammable items near any structure

For the next 70+ feet from your home (extending to at least 100 feet from your home) you should: • Cut or mow annual grass down to a maximum height of 4” • Maintain 10 foot clearance around woodpiles • Thin trees and shrubs and leave big gaps between plants • Remove dead or dry leaves, needles, twigs, bark, cones, and branches from ground.

How can you get more information?

The Aptos/La Selva Department website — www.aptosfire.com — contains preparedness information on defensible space, general fire prevention and even the power shutoffs that have occurred.

Fire Safe Santa Cruz County also maintains a comprehensive site with downloadable fact sheets and videos on how to prepare your home or business: www.firesafesantacruz.org.

As always, I appreciate any feedback you may have on this (or any other County issue). n •••

I’m maintaining regular updates on social media at www.facebook.com/ supervisorfriend and during the shelterin-place order I’m hosting weekly tele-townhalls with County and community leaders on Tuesday nights from 6-7 p.m. The call in information for the town halls is 454-2222 with the Meeting ID: 145384# — you are welcome to speak about this issue during the town halls or you can always call me at 454-2200.

Turbo Is Looking For Lots Of TLC

Turbo spent 2 months on someone’s property before she realized that it simply wasn’t in his best interest to be in limbo there. She considered keeping Turbo, especially when, despite his nervousness, he started asking to come indoors, but he and her existing cat didn’t have good chemistry so she brought him to the shelter in hopes another tender-hearted cat lover would come along for him.

Since being with us, Turbo has continued to be quite fearful. It seems clear thathewasn’tofferedthestabilityandsocializationthathelpsmostanimalslearn to trust and to associate humans with safety and all the other good things we should offer. In spite of his fear, he shows glimpses of the sweet-natured cat that is under the worried outer persona. His eyes will often go soft when you whisper his name. He allows handling without any aggression or even protest and, with patience on the part of his handler, he begins to relax and actually seems to find some enjoyment in being petted.

Volunteers have reported that when he feels safe, he shows all the signs of what a fabulous cat he has the potential to be for someone. Prospective adopters will need to be prepared for a slow, steady program of confidence building. He will likely do best as an only pet in a quiet, mellow, stable, adult-only home where he doesn’t have to battle scary environmental factors while he finds his footing. We know that a cat-savvy saint is out there for Turbo. What a rewarding partnership it will be as he starts to shine.

The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is currently doing adoptions by appointment only. An application must be submitted and landlord permission or proof of home ownership received prior to arranging a meet. Call 831-454-7200 x0 during business hours or visit www.scanimalshelter.org for more information! n •••

Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter has two full-service, open-admission shelters:

Santa Cruz Location (Public Entrance): 1001 Rodriguez St., Santa Cruz, 95062

Hours: Daily10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Watsonville Location: 580 Airport Blvd, Watsonville, CA 95076 Hours: CURRENTLY CLOSED SCCAS Main line: 831-454-7200. Animal Control: 831-454-7227. After-Hours

The 4th of July

© Statepoint Media “Hummm” from page 17

The trees — deemed a fire hazard — were taken down in October — not only here but at the Rob Roy substation in Aptos — as PG&E implemented massive power shutoffs as a precautionary measure.

“They solved one problem and inadvertently created another,” Meeks said.

She said she has a case number with PG&E and has called several times. She said she was promised a callback but six weeks have gone by.

Asked about the situation, PG&E

“Letters” from page 23

Perhaps the least discussed and most impactful result of these changes will be the increased workload on the city staff. Any change affecting the ownership structure by 30 percent or more will require a new application and review even though there might be no change in “proprietorship” or control of the entity.

State law and most other jurisdictions only require notification, not a new license, when any change in ownership exceeds 20 percent. This is to ensure transparency of financial interests. Requiring a new application and review anytime new investment exceeds 30 percent will result in many more hours of work for both businesses and regulators.

Cannabis businesses are among the spokesman Jeff Smith said Friday, “We appreciate the concerns the residents are raising. We will absolutely look into what may be causing this. If it’s being caused by our equipment, we will look into what could mitigate it.”

Supervisor John Leopold said, “My staff is investigating this issue, but we don’t have enough information to identify the source of the sound. We have reached out to both (county) Environmental Health and UC Santa Cruz to seek their assistance infindingthe source ofthis low

You can track where people have reported hearing the “Soquel Hum” on Google Earth.

hum.” n

most regulated businesses in the state. Compliance costs are excessive, taxes are burdensome and the lack of access to traditional banking systems creates additional costs and constraints. This is just the latest in “Reefer Madness.” I can only hope that as the staff and City Council consider even more substantive changes to local cannabis regulations to address equity, public consumption, special events and taxation it can do so without succumbing to the irrational fears that 50 plus years of propaganda have created.

Cannabis has been and will continue to be good for the community. It is past time that we treat cannabis businesses as a positive force or at least like any other business. — Jim Coffis, Deputy Director, Green Trade Santa Cruz