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October 2021 • Vol 26 No. 10
Free Electric Rail Demo
Coast Futura announces a free demonstration of an affordable, accessible streetcar on the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line, presented by Roaring Camp Railroads, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 16-17, in Watsonville, and Thursday, Oct. 21 through Sunday, Oct. 24, in Santa Cruz. Full Story page 8
A Small Serving of Art & Wine Full Story page 13
A Refugee Story You Haven’t Heard By Edita McQuary “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Current Middle East events remind me of my family history of fleeing out of harm’s way 80 years ago. In August, 1939, the Molotov-Ribbentrop NonAggression Agreement was signed between Nazi Germany
and the Soviet Union dividing northeastern Europe between themselves. The Soviet Union was to get the Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia), Belarus, Eastern Poland and Finland, while Nazi Germany was to get West and Central Poland. ... continues on page 4
Open Studios Art Tour is Back
This October means the return of the Open Studios Art Tour, a free self-guided tour that invites the public into nearly 300 artist studios working in dozens of mediums across Santa Cruz County. Full Story page 12
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No. 10
Volume 26
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Table of Contents
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Cover A Refugee Story You Haven’t Heard, By Edita McQuary 6 7 8 9 10
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Community News Annual Coastal Cleanup: 4,812 lbs. of Debris Three More COVID Deaths: County Workers Must Vaccinate or Test; Students Staying In Classrooms, By Jondi Gumz Free Electric Rail Demo in October Cannabis Permits Debate to Rise Oct. 19, By Jondi Gumz • A Heart for Horses: Bike, Walk or Ride for Rescues on Oct. 9, By Jennifer Wooten Cabrillo College Name Exploration Dialogues • Child Safety In Cars • Cabrillo Football Returns Next Year • Santa Cruz Elks Honors Veterans on Sept. 11 • Donnelly-Greenan Named New Ex.Dir. of Save Our Shores • Santa Cruz County Jobs Painchaud Wins International Photo Award Open Studios Art Tour is Back: After a Hiatus Due to Pandemic, Nearly 300 Artists Ready to Greet Patrons A Small Serving of Art & Wine, by Jondi Gumz ‘Gourmet Grazing on the Green’ Returns: 16th Annual Food, Wine & Beer Festival Takes Place Oct. 9 • David Reid Heads New County Office Mental Illness Awareness Week County Health Leader Mimi Hall To Depart • Marcus Pimentel Promoted to County Budget Manager, By Jondi Gumz EIR and Scoping Meeting Oct. 6: Rail Trail Segments 8 and 9 To Be Discussed • Sierra Ryan Named County Water Resources Manager Cabrillo Name: No Decision Until 2022, By Jondi Gumz Attorney General: Arrest in Student Loan Debt Case; Affected 19,000 Borrowers
Business Profile 27 BirchBark Foundation: Saving Pets, Supporting Families, By Edita McQuary
Monthly Horoscope • Page 26 – Mercury Retrogrades in Libra, By Risa D’Angeles Community Calendar • Arts & Entertainment – Pages 28, 29
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Featured Columnists Safe Fun in the Fall, By Yvette Brooks, Mayor, City of Capitola Thorny Plants Are Naturally Repellent, By Tony Tomeo Soquel Creek Water District: 60 Years of Delivering Reliable Water, By Rebecca Gold Rubin 25 Turning Customers Into Loyal Customers: And Loyal Customers Return — Again and Again, By Ron Kustek 30 Increasing Fire Preparedness and Improving our Roads, By Manu Koenig, Supervisor, First District
SCCAS Featured Pet • Page 31 – Miss Star Is Here To Steal The Show!
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COVER STORY Patrice Edwards Jondi Gumz
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contributing writers Edita McQuary, Jondi Gumz, Jennifer Wooten, Risa D’Angeles, Yvette Brooks, Tony Tomeo, Rebecca Gold Rubin, Ron Kustek, Manu Koenig layout Michael Oppenheimer, Jim Johnson graphic artists Michael Oppenheimer, Jim Johnson photography Michael Oppenheimer, Jim Johnson, Brad King website Michael Oppenheimer, Camisa Composti production coordinator Camisa Composti media consultants Teri Huckobey, Brooke Valentine, Tara Carcamo office coordinator Cathe Race distribution Bill Pooley, James Hudson
“Refugees” from page 1 Soon after this, the Lutheran pastors in Lithuania (and perhaps in the other affected countries) started to warn their parishioners who were generally of German ancestry to consider leaving southwestern Lithuania and emigrate to Germany. Now who would want to emigrate to Nazi Germany, you ask? Many Germandescent families had already suffered under the Soviets in World War I. My grandfather and many other Lithuanian Lutherans spent years in Siberian prisons for allegedly being German partisans. Grandfather Karl, in the late 1890s emigrated to the United States and worked in thePennsylvania coal mines for a number of years. Upon his return, he bought a 75-acre farm near Marijampole close to the German border. In 1903, he married Mathilda, a fellow Lutheran, and they raised a family.
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BirchBark Foundation protects and honors the human-animal bond.
Financial assistance to save pets lives Pet care education program Grief support for pet loss Learn more about our programs at www.birchbarkfoundation.org
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At the beginning of World War I, they had three sons and two daughters and a successful farm when a neighbor accused him of being a German collaborator, which, of course, he was not. The Russian army took him, as well as many others of German descent, to Siberia to spend the war years working in mines and subsisting on little more than potato peelings.
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At war’s end In 1917, he and others were released to go back to their families. Grandmother hardly recognized him – he was mostly skin and bones. Being young, however, he recuperated and he and grandmother had two more children, my aunt in 1919 and my mother in 1921. The older siblings used to call them the “two Russkies” because they were born after grandfather came back from Siberia. Grandfather died of lung disease in 1936 in his early 60s — coal mines and Siberia killed him. By February 1941, the Soviet Russians were already in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, and would soon be in southwestern Lithuania. Heeding the warnings of the pastors, grandmother Mathilda prepared to flee to Germany with her unmarried children: Two sons, two daughters — and my mother and father who had just married three weeks earlier so they could escape together. Choosing to stay behind was the oldest daughter, Ona, her husband, Jonas, with their two young children. Grandfather had given them a good-sized farm as her marriage dowry and they did not want to leave this to the Russians. Again, a neighbor accused them of being Nazi sympathizers and the husband was taken to Siberia. My aunt and the two children were transported to Tajikistan along with many other Lithuanian Lutherans. She was forced to work on a cotton farm where there was very little food. Her two young children were put into a Soviet orphanage and grew up believing they were Russians. My aunt died at age 44 from starvation. Many other transported people also died. Her husband, released from Siberia after the war, went back to Lithuania looking for his wife and children. When told of their fate, he had a mental breakdown, became an alcoholic and also died young. On Feb. 21, 1941, grandmother and her family hitched up the horses and drove a wagon out of Lithuania into Germany, out of the Soviet Army’s grasp. Bombs were dropping being dropped over northern Germany regularly. “Refugees” page 8
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Annual Coastal Cleanup: 4,812 lbs. of Debris
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n Sept. 18, the annual Coastal Cleanup Day, Save our Shores hosted 62 cleanup events, where 1,774 volunteers removed 4,812 pounds of debris from beaches, rivers, and inland parks around the Monterey Bay. Kudos to everyone involved. During September, you can still pitch in.
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Follow the safety steps at SaveOurShores.org, download the Clean Swell App (https://oceanconservancy.org/trashfree-seas/international-coastal-cleanup/ cleanswell/) to collect data on the types of trash you find, and follow the safety steps online while you’re collecting and reporting. n
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Three More COVID Deaths
County Workers Must Vaccinate or Test; Students Staying In Classrooms
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By Jondi Gumz
ctive COVID-19 cases are declining in Santa Cruz County, but three more deaths were acknowledged in the past two weeks, bringing the total fatalities to 213. All three of the recent deaths were male, unvaccinated, and had underlying health conditions. On Aug. 24, with the state seeing the fastest increase in COVID-19 cases due to the more contagious Delta variant and a state order for healthcare workers to vaccinate, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors voted to require COVID-19 vaccinations or weekly testing for county employees. About 85 percent of the county’s budgeted 1,937 employees are vaccinated, and about 300 are deemed unvaccinated, according to County Administrative Officer Carlos Palacios. “This is a significant statement by the Board on the importance of vaccinations to protect the health and safety of our community,” Board Chair Supervisor Bruce McPherson said. “Our employees have demonstrated leadership through their already high vaccination rates, and the Board encourages every community member to follow suit if they are able to obtain a vaccine.” The vote gave employees 30 days — Sept. 23 — to comply with the mandate or submit to weekly testing. Employees who do not comply will face leave without pay or termination. No information on compliance has been released. At the time of the vote, Santa Cruz County ranked 13th among California’s 58 health jurisdictions for vaccination. Currently, the county updates its metrics on Mondays and Thursdays, with 499 active cases as of Sept. 23, and 70.2 percent of eligible residents with one dose and 63.3 percent fully vaccinated. An employee who refuses to vaccinate or test weekly “will be deemed to have subjected co-workers to unnecessary safety risks,” according to the staff report from the County Administrative Office. “Appropriate action may include a leave without pay for non-compliance or termination based on the circumstances. Simply allowing the employee to continue working would not be an acceptable option.” Due process in the form of a Skelly hearing is required for permanent employees who have a constitutionally protected interest in their job. The estimated cost to carry out this mandate was not available.
Potentially, the state could provide testing kits for free. If not, the cost of the kits is estimated at $40 or more, with the cost of testing administrators estimated at $70 to $100 per hour. County government is the second largest employer in Santa Cruz County; UC Santa Cruz is the largest. Cases Slow Down he Santa Cruz County Health Officer mandated face coverings be worn indoors regardless of vaccination status starting Aug. 21. The indoor mask mandate applies to all businesses and governmental entities, which must require employees to wear masks and post signs that are clearly visible and easy-to-read at all entry points for indoor settings informing the public. And County Public Health released recommendations for participants in youth sports, those under 12 and ineligible for vaccines, along with staff, volunteers, and spectators, to reduce spread. “We are seeing more cases in our youngest residents, including those not yet eligible to be vaccinated,” said Dr. Gail Newel, Santa Cruz County’s health officer. “Schools and organizations that provide youth sports and other activities should take precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19 among these populations.” The number of active COVID in the county cases dropped from 923 to 871 to 499, according to the county dashboard, which is updated on Monday and Thursdays. New cases are mostly in north Santa Cruz County. The 14-day change, a metric updated on Wednesdays, showed new cases down 37 percent — a big change after increasing 64 percent in August. The number of hospitalizations, which had been as low as 12, rose to 21 then dropped to 20, with the number of intensive care cases dropping from five to two, with 3 ICU beds available. Full Approval n Aug. 23, federal regulators granted full approval to the two-dose PfizerBioNTech vaccine, which means the fact sheet people get will no longer describe the vaccine as experimental. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration had granted the Pfizer vaccine emergency use authorization in December after a clinical trial of 44,000 people 16 and older were followed for a median of two months after their second shot. Half got the
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County Workers will have to either be vaccinated or tested weekly. shot, and half got a placebo, the FDA said, with the vaccine 91 percent effective. To get full approval, Pfizer followed 12,000 people for at least six months, the FDA said, and more studies will be required to assess the risk of heart damage as higher risk was observed for males under age 40, with the highest risk for those age 12 to 17. The Pfizer vaccine will now be marketed as “Comirnaty.” FDA Acting Commissioner Janet Woodcock, in announcing the approval, said, “We recognize for some, the FDA approval may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated.” A national NAACP poll in August found 53 percent of African-Americans worried that the worst of the pandemic is
yet to come, with restrictions on life to ease later in 2021. More Testing anta Cruz County Public Health and OptumServe added a third testing lane at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, bringing daily testing capacity to 594. Hours are Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., with closures from 11 a.m.-noon and 4-5 p.m. To guarantee your test, make an appointment at https://lhi.care/covidtesting. On Sept. 1, a second lane was added at the Ramsay Park OptumServe testing site in Watsonville, boosting daily testing capacity to 396.
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Free Electric Streetcar Demo in October
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oast Futura announces a free demonstration of an affordable, accessible streetcar on the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line, presented by Roaring Camp Railroads, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 16-17, in Watsonville, and Thursday, Oct. 21 through Sunday, Oct. 24, in Santa Cruz. Tickets for the 45-minute ride will be available online from Roaring Camp Railroads starting Friday, Oct. 1. Sign up at coastfutura.org The Coast Futura demonstration rail vehicle was manufactured by Californiabased TIG/m, LLC., operating on batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. The vehicles are wireless and are expected to move quietly through neighborhoods alongside the Rail Trail, portions of which have been completed or are forward. The innovative streetcar is envisioned to help in the fight against climate change, producing zero emissions and powered by batteries and hydrogen — and recharged with clean energy sourced from Central Coast Community Energy. The demonstration aims to provide a proof-of-concept about what car-free commuting would look like. The Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Commission authorized the demonstration as an opportunity for the
“Refugees” from page 4 The men were recruited (forced) to work in a mine in the Harz Mountains digging for minerals necessary for the war effort. After the mine gave out — there was no other work available except the German army. My uncles and father joined the army, were captured, and were not heard of for a very long time after the war ended. Of course, these events, as bad as they were, pale in comparison to the slaughter of thousands of Lithuanian Jews in Lithuania by the Nazis with the complicity of the Lithuanian population. Fortunately, DNA testing was not known at that time. If it had been, my 2% Jewish DNA would have consigned me to the same fate. We all know how this war ended. Thank God for the Americans who helped the Allies save Europe but at a great loss of American military lives. We are eternally grateful for their sacrifice! After the war’s end, there was a choice for us displaced persons. We could stay in Germany and suffer the consequences of
Rides Oct. 16-17 in Watsonville & Oct. 21-24 in Santa Cruz
Image shows the electric passenger train made by TIG/m LLC
public to see an example of a modern electric rail vehicle on two sections of the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line track. Each demonstration routes will be approximately 4 miles, with the Watsonville route running from the intersection of
West Beach and Walker Streets to Harkins Slough and back, and the Santa Cruz route running from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk to Capitola and back. The demonstration, originally planned for spring 2020, was delayed due to the pandemic
and will follow current COVID safety guidelines require all passengers to wear a mask. Tickets are free but reservations on the Roaring Camp platform will be required. Learn more at coastfutura.org or on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. n
no shelter, no food, everything bombed out. Or, we could become refugees under the International Refugee Organization program of the United Nations and emigrate out of Germany. Between 1948 and 1952, 36,000 Lithuanians emigrated to the United States. Many more Thousands, perhaps millions, of displaced Europeans emigrated to the U.S., Canada, Australia, Great Britain and South America. For about two months we stayed in the Displaced Persons relocation camp barracks and were carefully vetted to be sure we were not war criminals. Then we had medical examinations every week. One week it was eyes, another week it was ears, then other parts of the body, and immunizations. During one of these examinations, it was discovered that our mother had nasal polyps. They operated to remove the polyps so she could be healthy to support herself and her two children. All of this was paid for by the International Refugee Organization, of which the United States was the biggest contributor.
On March 31, 1951 after a scary but thrilling nine-day sea voyage on the U.S.S. General Blatchford, we landed on Ellis Island. Once on American soil, we were expected, with the help of our sponsors, to pay our own way. We took a long train journey to Chicago where our sponsors lived. They had arrived in the U.S. a year or two before us and had agreed to shelter us, help Mom sign up for English classes, and take her to find work. This Lithuanian married couple with two very young sons lived in a threeroom basement apartment in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, one of the poorer parts of Chicago. They naturally wanted to help Mom find work and get us our own apartment. In a month or so, Mom found a job and we were fortunate to rent our own two-room makeshift “apartment” built in the front of a garage. I cannot say we were welcomed with open arms by the Irish-Americans in Bridgeport. We were not Catholic and we were competing for jobs. But, as we got to know each other and could speak English,
we were accepted and became friendly neighbors. Over time, as we immigrant families improved our English and got better jobs, we were able to move into better places and to live in better neighborhoods. Our version of upward mobility. In those years, from after the war to perhaps early ‘60s, every immigrant had to fill out an address form each January and submit it to the government. The U.S. government wanted to know where we were living in case they needed to contact us. We never questioned this process and did not feel it violated our right to privacy. We were just thankful to be in the United States. So that was Immigration Old School. I am not saying it was a perfect system but it certainly worked for so many of us who arrived here in the U.S. after World War II. And, in spite of difficulties and setbacks, we all learned the language, became citizens, paid our taxes, educated our children, and wound up living good lives in this great land of opportunity! God bless America! n
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Cannabis Permits Debate to Rise Oct. 19
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By Jondi Gumz
he conflict between people living in rural Corralitos and would-be cannabis growers who see opportunities in the less populated areas of the county will return in 45 days, with a public hearing slated Oct. 19. That’s because county supervisors voted 4-1 on Tuesday to support a 45-day moratorium on cannabis licenses to better understand the potential problems and work out a solution. The proposal initially supported by Second District Supervisor Zach Friend, whose district includes Corralitos, Aptos and La Selva Beach, would have prohibited cannabis licenses on commercial agriculture land within 500 feet of residentially zoned parcels. A preliminary analysis found this would have decreased the commercial land available to cannabis growers from 1,462 to 689 parcels. Many sites are not suitable for cannabis due to proximity to homes. Haven Williams and other residents on Browns Valley Road worried about odor, noise from buzzing generators, and additional security. Third District Supervisor Manu Koenig proposed the ban apply to parcels within 500 feet of “residential structures,” which got the votes of supervisors of Friend, Manu Koenig, Bruce McPherson and Greg Caput but not
Zach Friend speaking remotely during the meeting.
Ryan Coonerty, who felt the moratorium was too big of a change. The county counsel ruled the wording of the proposed ordinance could change because it was presented as an urgency measure. At this point it’s not known how many parcels are affected but there may be clarity before the public hearing. Robert Kitayama of Kitayama Brothers in South County, a grower for 55 years, said he is in the process of
selling 5 acres of greenhouse land, property eligible for cannabis — a deal would probably be in jeopardy if this moratorium were adopted. The proceeds from the land sale would “go to upgrade cut flower farming,” he said, adding, “We believe legal cannabis can be done correctly.” Darren Story, 49, CFO for Strong Agronomy, described himself to the Aptos Times as “born and raised in the area” with good relations with neighbors thanks to regular communication. His operation sells organic blueberries to Live Earth Farm in Watsonville for CSAdelivered boxes and cannabis sold via Coastal Sun Farm throughout the state. He worried about license renewals becoming more difficult, harming an operation that has 79 employees now and has had up to 120 employees in the past. Corralitos residents have formed a group called Coalition for Balanced Land Use, researching the names of people involved in a cannabis grow on Browns Valley Road looking for criminal activity. Friend said he had been deluged with public comment from both sides, and that is likely to happen again leading up to to Tuesday, Oct.19, public hearing, and subsequent action. n Agendas for upcoming supervisor meetings will be posted at: http://santacruzcountyca.iqm2.com/citizens/default.aspx?
A Heart for Horses: Bike, Walk or Ride for Rescues on Oct. 9
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By Jennifer Wooten
anham Farm Horse Rescue is a horse rescue, training and education facility dedicated to helping all horses in need with a special focus on wild horse rescue and advocacy. Whether it be horses or ponies who have been neglected and need a place to rehabilitate, those who are gifted to us by their owners who can no longer
keep them, horses bound for slaughter in Canada or Mexico or unwanted wild horses, we try to help as many horses as we can. Our mission is to work with rescue horses, horse owners, communities, organizations, government and advocate for wild horses to help improve welfare standards and stamp out equine suffering.
We also have a project called Horses Helping Humans aimed to use the healing power of horses for anyone suffering from anxiety, stress, people dealing with difficult circumstances, vulnerable youth and children and adults with disabilities. The founder of Canham Farm Horse Rescue is Julia Hyde. She has been lucky enough to be able to spend a lot of time with horses when she was younger and through the years and has grown to love and respect them more and more. A proud mother of four grown children, she lives in Scotts Valley with her husband, her own three horses, and rescue dog. Julia says, “I have seen a lot of good things done with horses in my time but unfortunately I have seen more bad. This is the reason I started Canham Farm Horse Rescue and Rehab — it was, and still is, a way for me to give back to all the horses that have, and are still, abused, neglected or unwanted.” Canham Farm is hosting a fundraiser Oct. 9 in Scotts Valley. All donations from the fundraiser go
directly to the care of our rescue horses! Funds raised go towards grain, hay, vet expenses, dental care, farrier costs, and much more. We are nonprofit run solely by volunteers and are always grateful to our generous supporters, donators, and sponsors! “Heart for Horses” page 16
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COMMUNITY BRIEFS Cabrillo College Name Exploration Dialogues he last of three discussions taking place this month on Zoom is Thursday, Sept. 30, from 6-7:30 p.m. To join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https:// cccconfer.zoom.us/j/99977129453 Meeting ID: 999 7712 945 Join the conversation. Listen and learn. For information see: www. cabrillo.edu/governing-board/ name-exploration-subcommittee/ ••• Child Safety In Cars hild Passenger Safety Week focused on educating parents and caregivers about the importance of choosing, installing, and using the correct car seat. “Your plate is always full as a parent, but the goal … is to offer parents and caregivers the time to make sure their child is as safe as possible in the car,” Santa Cruz Police Department Sgt. Mike Hedley said. Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among children, and nearly half of car seats are misused, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. California law requires a child to be properly secured in a safety seat until they are at least 8. Children 8 and older, who are at least 4 feet, 9 inches in height, may ride in the back seat of a vehicle in a properly fitted safety belt. Children under the age of 2 must ride rear-facing or until they reach 40 pounds or 40 inches in height. To search for car seat programs in your county, the California Office of Traffic Safety has a dropdown menu on the OTS website (www.ots.ca.gov). You may also contact your local CHP Area Office to schedule a free safety seat inspection.
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“COVID Update” from page 7 Hours are Wednesday-Sunday from 7 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., and closed from 11 a.m.noon and 4-5 p.m. Make an appointments at https://lhi.care/covidtesting/ On Sept. 10, County Public Health opened a mobile testing bus which can handle 84 tests per day, at Community Bridges’ Mountain Community Resource Center in Felton. Hours are Friday-Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the foreseeable future. For information on rapid-turnaround tests see www.santacruzhealth.org/coronavirus under “Get Tested” link. Some sites may charge a fee. For local information on COVID-19, call (831) 454-4242 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The OptumServe mass vaccination site at 250 Main St., Watsonville, transitioned operations to County Public Health
Child Passenger Safety Week was September 19-25. ••• Cabrillo Football Returns Next Year abrillo College trustees voted unanimously in May to reinstate football after a two–year suspension for a rules violation. Here is a football update from Mark Ramsey, Cabrillo College associate dean of athletics, kinesiology, & health science: “We are currently in the process of hiring for the Head Football Coach/Kinesiology Instructor position and hope to have the position filled in the next couple of months. We have football classes scheduled for the spring 2022 semester and look forward to having football student-athletes back on campus! Cabrillo football will return to competition fall 2022.” The violation was an assistant under former head coach Darren Arbet signing multiple apartment leases to help secure housing for players coming from out of the area. Local rentals have been reported to be expensive, rivaling rates in San Jose, but such aid is not allowed under college rules. ••• Santa Cruz Elks Honors Veterans on Sept. 11 n honor of the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11, two teams of volunteers from the Santa Cruz Elks Lodge created a special tribute to local veterans at the Santa Cruz Memorial Cemetery on Ocean Street. The morning crew raised dozens of American flags at 6:30 a.m. and the afternoon crew lowered and folded the flags at 3:30 p.m. The volunteers included Boy Scout Troop 674.
The Lodge shows its support for area veterans by raising and lowering the flags several times of year, including Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Veterans Day. To learn more about Santa Cruz Elks Lodge, visit www.santacruzelks.org. ••• Donnelly-Greenan Named Executive Director of Save Our Shores rica Donnelly-Greenan is new executive director of Save Our Shores, as of Sept,13, replacing Katherine O’Dea. Michael Jones, who chairs Save Our Shores Board of Directors, cited her background as a marine conservation scientist and experience with organizations focused on threats to the regional environment make her an exceptionally qualified leader. She was a research collaborator at Oikonos and supervisor wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in Fremont for the 2020 field season. She also
oversaw citizen scientists doing beach surveys at Moss Landing for three years. Director Jane Silberstein summed up the board’s enthusiasm: “…I am very excited about having an Erica Donnelly-Greenan executive director with such passion for ocean conservation, marine science and social equity and inclusion focus.” ••• Santa Cruz County Jobs Report posted Sept. 17 August unemployment 6.3% August 2021 Change from a year ago Leisure & hospitality 11,500 Up 1,900 Other services 4,800 Up 500 Private education 17,100 Up 300 & health Professional/business 10,600 Up 300 services Manufacturing 7,000 Up 200 Construction 4,600 0 Information 500 0 Financial 3,100 Down 100 Trade/transportation/ 15,600 Down 200 utilities Government 18,100 Down 700 Farm 12,200 Up 1,000 Nonfarm 92,900 Up 2,200 Total 105,100 Up 3,200 Labor force 134,400 Up 1.7% Employed* 126,000 Up 5% Unemployed 8,500 Down 30% Count is on the 12 of each month *Includes commuting to jobs outside county Source: California Employment Development Department n
Superintendent of Education Faris Sabbah said all unvaccinated school employees are being tested at least weekly in compliance with the statewide order. Two outdoor drive-through PCR testing sites are open to the entire school community for symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, with most test results available within 24-hours — faster than most alternatives. The first site is open at Cabrillo College in Aptos, parking lot K, from 3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. The second location is at the PVUSD District Office parking lot, open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays. Students and their families, and staff and their families are welcome to use this free service. Those needing a test simply fill out the registration one time at http://sccoe.link/inspiresc and go to either site. No appointment is required. In a Sept. 10 letter to the community,
Sabbah said: “We have yet to close a single classroom across Santa Cruz County this fall — a sign of success for which all students, parents, and staff members share credit.“ A recording of a town hall on the testing process is at https://www.youtube. com/user/santacruzcoe n ••• COVID Cases by Town As of Sept. 23 Aptos: 1,042 • Ben Lomond: 216 Boulder Creek: 271 • Capitola: 577 Felton: 235 • Freedom: 1,087 Santa Cruz: 5,111 • Scotts Valley: 628 Soquel: 488 • Watsonville: 8,911 Unincorporated: 330 Under investigation: 330 Total: 19,226 ••• COVID Deaths: 213 As of Sept. 24
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and reopened Sept. 9, providing Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Hours are Thursdays, 9 a.m. –1 p.m., Fridays, 2–6 p.m., Saturdays, 9 a.m. –1 p.m. and Sundays. Appointments should be made at www.MyTurn.ca.gov. For more locations, see www.santacruzhealth.org/ coronavirusvaccine The state reports more than 68,000 COVID-19 deaths, a number that has been rising, with 83.4 percent of Californians receiving at least one dose of vaccine and 23.7 million fully vaccinated. Local Classrooms Stay Open he state’s mandate for full vaccination or weekly testing of all teachers and support staff is to be fully implemented by Oct. 15. The Santa Cruz County Office of Education is handling testing with Inspire Service and reporting a handful of cases at https://santacruzcoe.org/.
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10 / October 2021 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com
Santa Cruz Elks Lodge volunteers pay tribute to veterans on the afternoon of Sept. 11, from left, Aaron Romanowsky, Sawyer and Isaac.
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Painchaud Wins International Photo Award T his week Aptos resident Kevin Painchaud received an award for one of the photos he took last year during the CZU lightning fire. His caption: “Local photojournalist, Shmuel Thaler, runs towards the flames in order to get the shot. This is during the Santa Cruz CZU Fire in 2020.” This is for an international photo competition put on by Life Framers in August’s “Open Call” category. He was one of 20 photographers chosen. His reaction: “Pretty stoked.” The judge, South African conceptual photographer Tsoku Maela, said: “The wildfires that ravaged Northern California last year were huge global news, highlighting both the increasing frequency of extreme weather events and the bravery of those that battled them. Here we witness the ferocity of the fires up close, and that bravery in action — the road markings and arc of smoke drawing the viewer into the center of the frame where a lone figure runs into, rather than away from the flames. What appears at first to be a firefighter is in fact another photographer, heading into the fire to ‘get that shot’ as Kevin puts it. It’s a staggering image that examines the risks reportage photographers take to capture and disseminate news.” n ••• Fore more about the competition, visit https://www. life-framer.com/open-call-2021/
Committed to our healthy community. CalPERS members: This Open Enrollment, choose a network with care all over. As Santa Cruz County’s largest health care network, Dignity Health administered more than 33,000 COVID vaccines to our patients, friends and neighbors this year. With Open Enrollment season upon us, it’s a great time to make sure your health plan puts Dignity Health’s resources within reach. Learn more at DignityHealth.org/CalPERS.
www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / October 2021 / 11
OPEN STUDIOS
Open Studios Art Tour is Back
After a Hiatus Due to Pandemic, Nearly 300 Artists Ready to Greet Patrons
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his October means the return of the Open Studios Art Tour, a free selfguided tour that invites the public into nearly 300 artist studios working in dozens of mediums across Santa Cruz County. There are seasoned artists who’ve participated since 1986, talented newcomers, and makers and creators of all kinds. Neighbors, friends, collectors and art lovers are invited to meet the artists, see their creative process up close, and buy art directly from the source.
12 / October 2021 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com
“We’re so happy to be producing the tour again this year,” said Ann Ostermann, Open Studios director for Arts Council Santa Cruz County. “Artists are really looking forward to having one on one conversations with their visitors after a long year of interacting with folks online.” She added, “We’ve supplied every artist with face masks, hand sanitizer and signage Michele Hausman of Soquel to keep themselves, their families, their helpers and three weekends of October, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Studios are divided between North their guests safe during the tour.” This year, more than ever, it’s taken a and South County (with the SantaCruz lot of planning and rearranging to prepare Yacht Harbor as the dividing point) on the following schedule: for the tour. “The payoff comes in the form of Oct. 2-3: South County artists new connections, art sales, and a renewed Oct. 9-10: North County artists sense of joy in sharing the artistic process,” Oct. 16-17: All County weekend featuring Ostermann said. select artists. A program of Arts Council Santa Cruz County, Open Studios takes place the first There are many ways to plan your tour and they’re all free. Whether this is your first Open Studios or you’ve been attending for years, here are a few strategies for finding your way: 1) Pick up a FREE artist guide at Good Times drop off points throughout the County. Find artists in your neighborhood, by medium, or simply browse through the guide and find artwork that captures your eye. 2) Download the FREE app — available Sept. 27 on iTunes & Google Play (search for “Open Studios Art Tour”). Mark favorite artists, map their location, and then build a tour around that. 3) Follow the green signs. During Open Studios weekends you’ll see lime green signs with artist names and arrows all over the county. “Open Studios” page 14
COMMUNITY NEWS
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“Open Studios” from page 12 Please consider every Open Studios sign as your own personal invitation. Follow the signs and enter a studio. 4) Check out the preview exhibit at Santa Cruz Art League, featuring artwork from a majority of the participating artists. The exhibit opens Friday, October 1 as part of the First Friday Art Tour, and runs through Saturday, Oct. 16. It’s a great way to discover artists and plan your tour. Pop into the gallery, find artwork that intrigues you, and make a note of which studios you want to visit. Can’t make it in person? Take a walk via a Virtual Tour, available on santacruzopenstudioes.com starting Sept. 29. 5) If you’re interested in art from the outlying studios, visit the satellite preview exhibit at the R. Blitzer Gallery, 2801 Mission Street in Santa Cruz. This exhibit features work by artists in remote areas throughout the county, including Bonny Doon, Corralitos, Felton and more. The satellite exhibit opens on Oct. 1 as part of the First Friday Art Tour and will be open to the public through Oct. 17. 6) Visit one or 100! No one is keeping score. Spend a day or just a few minutes. Open Studios is a self-guided, free tour. Cater it to your style and mood. n ••• The Arts Council generates creativity, vibrancy, and connection in Santa Cruz County. For 42 years it has fueled this creative community, supporting individual and collective artistic expression and building bridges and bonds between people throughout the county. The council has provided grants to artists and art organizations, funded arts education programs that serve more than 17,000 kids across Santa Cruz County, and supported community initiatives such as Open Studios and Ebb & Flow.
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14 / October 2021 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com
John Crawford of Soquel
COMMUNITY NEWS
‘Gourmet Grazing on the Green’ Returns
16th Annual Food, Wine & Beer Festival Takes Place Oct. 9
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ourmet Grazing on the Green, Santa Cruz County’s premier event for local food and artisan libations, will take place October 9 noon to 4 p.m. in Aptos Village Park — celebrating the unique culinary flavor, local fresh ingredients, and diversity of Santa Cruz County. The fundraiser brings together local community farmers, chefs, winemakers, brewers, spirits distillers, artisans and restaurateurs to celebrate community and enjoy great food and drink. Gourmet Grazing on the Green is the ultimate foodie festival, featuring an afternoon of tasting fine local wines, refreshing handcrafted beers, delicious food from top local chefs, plus live music.
This year’s event features more than 45 local wineries, restaurants and breweries. and is a must stop for Santa Cruz foodies. Experience the talents of some of Santa Cruz’s best chefs and taste specialty creations for the event, using locally grown produce and products generously donated by Coke Farms and Watsonville Coast Produce. This year’s attendance is capped at 750 guests to provide more open space for participants. Attendees will be required to show vaccination proof or a negative COVID test; see website sccbg. org/gourmetgrazingonthegreen for full COVID entry requirements. If bought in advance, general tickets are $95 and designated driver tickets are $60. Tickets for those ages 10-20 are $45,
and kids 9 and under are free. If the event isn’t sold out, tickets will be $120 at the door or $70 for designated drivers. For tickets, visit sccbg.org For a full list of this year’s participating vendors see sccbg.org. The event is sponsored by Devcon Construction, Santa Cruz County Bank. SunRidge Farms, Wedeen Hammer Locatelli Group at Morgan Stanley, New Leaf Community Markets, Watsonville Coast Produce, Coke Farm, the Shadowbrook Restaurant, Sandbar Solar, Allterra Solar, and Greenwaste Management. Gourmet Grazing on the Green is a fundraising event of Santa Cruz Cancer Benefit Group, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of life for people living with cancer in the Santa Cruz community. Working with volunteers and partners, SCCBG raises community consciousness through events and outreach and provides vital financial support for several Santa
Cruz beneficiary organizations: Hospice of Santa Cruz County, Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Association, Katz Cancer Resource Center, WomenCARE cancer advocacy, researchers from the University of California Santa Cruz and the Teen Kitchen Project. Over the last decade, Santa Cruz Cancer Benefit Group has distributed more than $2 million to directly support the Santa Cruz community. n
David Reid Heads New County Office
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ave Reid has been selected as the first director of the Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience. Reid, a UCSC graduate, is a 14-year County employee who has been working closely with CZU fire survivors for the past year. He will lead a new office responsible for emergency response, community preparedness, climate change mitigation and more. “I’m honored to be chosen for this role,” Reid said. “There is no higher responsibility than protecting the residents of Santa Cruz County from disasters, preparing and building climate change resilience and helping our CZU Fire families through their recovery journey. I look forward to collaborating with the community as we meet these challenges together.” Established by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors in response to the CZU Lightning Complex fires, the Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience (OR3) serves as the County’s primary emergency response agency, while helping prepare for future disasters and other events, and assisting residents through the recovery
process. The Office also helps prepare the community for climate change. Reid previously served as a senior staff analyst for the Board of Supervisors. Over eight years, Reid worked extensively with constituents, organizing residents and building coalitions to address issues related to land use, environmental policy and social equity. Prior to that, Reid worked for the County’s Department of Public Works and Redevelopment Agency, and as a research scientist with the USGS. He has a comprehensive understanding of the science behind climate change and how our community and local government can prepare for and adapt to it. In his new role, Reid will continue recovery work from the CZU Lightning Complex fire while working to mitigate future hazards and increase community resiliency, including using an equity lens to protect those most vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters. n ••• For more on the Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience, visit santacruzcounty. us/or3.aspx.
www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / October 2021 / 15
COMMUNITY NEWS
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16 / October 2021 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com
October 3-9
he numbers are troubling. Each year, millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental health condition. One in five U.S. adults experience mental illness each year, one in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year and one in six U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year. Mental illness affects everyone directly or indirectly through family, friends or coworkers. That’s why the National Alliance on Mental Illness and other organizations, during the first week in October, raise awareness of mental Illness, fight discrimination and provide support through Mental Illness Awareness Week. Resources are at nami.org This year’s activities are centered on new awareness campaign, “Together for Mental Health,” where supporters will focus on the importance of advocating for better care for people with serious mental illness. Each day throughout the week, people who have experienced serious mental illness to talk about the need for improved crisis response and care. Mental Illness Awareness Week, which runs Oct. 3–9, coincides with related events, including: Tuesday Oct. 5: National Day of Prayer for Mental Illness Recovery and Understanding Thursday Oct. 7: National Depression Screening Day Saturday Oct. 9: NAMIWalks United Day of Hope Sunday Oct. 10: World Mental Health Day •••
“Heart for Horses” from page 9 Our Oct. 9 fundraiser is a chance for the community to come together to bike, hike, or ride for our rescues. The event will begin at Siltanen Community Park, 127 Vine Hill Road, Scotts Valley, with options of a mountain bike route, paved route, family friendly, or horse trail! A $39 donation gets you an entry ticket, event T-shirt, and entry into a raffle for prizes. Kids under 12 are free! We look forward to a day of the community coming together to help support our rescue horses! n ••• Buy event tickets at: www.eventbrite.com/e/ bike-walk-or-ride-for-rescues-tickets-166258793527
Mental illness affects an estimated: 44% of Lesbian Gay Bisexual adults 32% Mixed/Multiracial adults 22% of White adults 19% of American Indian or Alaska Native • 18% of Latinx adults • 17% of Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander adults • 17% of Black adults • 14% of Asian adults Annual prevalence among U.S. adults, by condition: • Anxiety Disorders: 19% (est. 48 million people(M) • Major Depressive Episode: 8% (19 M) • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: 4% (est. 9 M) • Bipolar Disorder: 3% (est. 7 M) • Borderline Personality Disorder: 1% (est. 3.5 M) • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: 1% (est. 3 M) • Schizophrenia: <1% (est. 1.5 M) n ••• For more information on mental health, go to NAMI’s Mental Health by the Numbers page at https://www.nami.org/mhstats. In addition, NAMI will be featuring special blog topics at nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog and personal stories at nami.org/personal-stories. • • • •
FEATURED COLUMNIST
Safe Fun in the Fall
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By Yvette Brooks, Mayor, City of Capitola
all is one of my most favorite times of the year. It is the kick-off of what I would consider some of our community’s best annual events. However, we must continue to be aware that we have not surpassed the pandemic. Please continue to follow CDC guidelines. This also serves as a reminder that we are a resilient community impacted by disasters in all forms. We have become stronger as we have moved through natural disasters, a pandemic, and tragedies. I am grateful for our community and its support of one another. Mayor’s Proclamation t the Capitola City Council’s meeting on Sept. 23, I had the honor of declaring October College and Career Awareness Month. College and Career Awareness Month is observed throughout Santa Cruz County including Cabrillo College, in
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collaboration with school districts in North and South County and businesses throughout all career sectors. The purpose of the proclamation is to highlight the importance of supporting Santa Cruz County’s next generation of workers, by providing access to quality education for all students along with exceptional career development opportunities; and to bridge the gap between education and the real world by exposing them to a variety of careers. Mayors Town Hall Series Returns am pleased to announce the next set of speakers in my Mayor’s Town Hall series. For more information please visit: https://www.cityofcapitola.org/ • Oct.: 3CE Central Coast Community Energy (https://3cenergy.org/) • Nov.: Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Education Faris Sabbah • Dec.: Congressman Jimmy Panetta
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Women in Leadership Virtual Forum lease join me on Oct. 6 at the Women in Leadership Virtual Forum. This is a nonpartisan event sponsored by the Santa Cruz County of Women’s Commission and the League of Women Voters of Santa Cruz County. The forum is being coordinated by a diverse group of women in Santa Cruz County to encourage more women to run for elected positions, serve on appointed commissions, and support women running for office. Gail Pellerin and Christina Cuevas will be the moderators. The virtual event will showcase the experiences of four women with experience in elected or appointed positions, and provide an opportunity for small group discussions on how we can support and encourage women, especially those from under-represented communities. The Women in Leadership Forum will be: • Virtual, via Zoom. The link to register is https://bit.ly/WILVirtual
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• Open to the public, with pre-registration required • Simultaneously translated into Spanish. Capitola City Council Meetings he Governor signed AB 361 allowing cities to continue holding virtual meetings during any emergency proclaimed by the governor. To continue meeting virtually, every 30 days, the City must make findings that meeting in person would present imminent risks to the health or safety of attendees, or recommend social distancing measures.
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“Mayor Brooks” page 24
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www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / October 2021 / 17
COMMUNITY NEWS
County Health Leader Mimi Hall To Depart M
D I D YO U K N O W? We provide free water-saving devices for our customers. Learn more at soquelcreekwater.org/devices
imi Hall, a tireless advocate for improving the health outcomes of all county residents and who helped lead Santa Cruz County through the COVID-19 pandemic, is departing her role as director of the Health Services Agency Oct. 30. She is pursuing other health care opportunities. “My time with Santa Cruz County Mimi Hall has been immensely fulfilling and marks the end of more than two decades of public service in California’s local health jurisdictions,” Hall said. “I have tremendous gratitude for the opportunity to have served during such a crucial period in history. I’m especially grateful to have led such a wonderful staff, whose dedication during these unprecedented times helped protect the people of Santa Cruz County.” Since becoming director of Health Services in 2018, Hall oversaw numerous improvements, including clinic renovations
and the opening of a new Behavioral Health Center in Watsonville. “Leaders rise to the challenge, and Mimi Hall has been an inspiration to our community,” County Administrative Officer Carlos Palacios said. “Her focus on equity and using data and science in taking action to protect residents set a high bar. We will miss her greatly.” When COVID-19 arrived in March 2020, Hall immediately began coordinating with the local health care system and community partners to minimize harm, resulting in a pandemic response that limited and in many cases eliminated inequities, while eventually fostering one of the highest county vaccinations rates in California. Hall is the daughter of immigrants who followed her parents’ footsteps into the health care field. She began her public health career working to reduce the prevalence of communicable diseases, and previously served as public health director in Sierra, Plumas and Yolo counties. The county is searching nationwide for her successor. The salary ranges from $196,144 to $262,766, depending on experience. n
Marcus Pimentel Promoted to County Budget Manager By Jondi Gumz
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18 / October 2021 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com
arcus Pimentel is the new budget manager for Santa Cruz County, succeeding Christina Mowrey, who retired. County supervisors adopted a $932 million budget for 2021-22, down 8 percent from the prior year as responses to the CZU wildfire and the COVID-19 pandemic wound down, with the general fund up 5 percent to $653 million. Pimentel was assistant director of the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency, responsible for executive oversight of fiscal and budgetary services. Since January, he provided support to the County Administrative Office, most recently overseeing the pension obligation bonds process. COVID-19 led to shutdowns of businesses, notably retail stores and in tourism, and county revenues from sales tax and the hotel and vacation rental tax dropped. The county’s 2,300 employees were furloughed
until the county was allocated $53 million in federal relief, half this year and half next year. Pimentel is a veteran of municipal finance, having worked 25 years for cities: Capitola, Monterey, Watsonville and Santa Cruz. He spent seven years as director of finance for the City of Santa Cruz and before that, six years as administrative services director for the City of Watsonville — Marcus Pimentel overseeing city budgets during periods of economic uncertainty. “While we continue to face economic challenges, I remain confident in the wisdom of the Board of Supervisors and the skills of county staff to help me navigate the changes ahead,” Pimentel said. “Pimentel” page 20
www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / October 2021 / 19
COMMUNITY NEWS
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he City of Santa Cruz is preparing an Environmental Impact Report and hosting a public scoping meeting from 5-6:30 p.m. Oct. 6 on the Rail Trail Segments 8 and 9. The two segments are designed to create a 2.2-mile bicycle and pedestrian system from along the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line corridor, from the Beach Street/ Pacific Avenue roundabout on the west to the eastern side of 17th Avenue on the east. Segment 8 (0.6 mile) comprises a Class IV on street bicycle system and pedestrian sidewalk improvements. Segment 9 (1.6 miles) is comprised of a multi-use bicycle and pedestrian trail. The focus of this notice and the scoping meeting is specifically to gather input on potential environmental issues and project alternatives to be evaluated in the environmental review process, not the merits of the project itself or the project design. There will be future opportunities
for community input on the schematic plans. Responses should be received no later than 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15. For more information, visit http:// www.cityofsantacruz.com/railtrail89 or contact Nathan Nguyen, P.E., Project Manager City of Santa Cruz Public Works Department, 809 Center Street, Room 201, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, nnguyen@cityofsantacruz.com. To ensure email receipt of your comment/question, use the following subject line: “RAIL TRAIL 8/9” The EIR Scoping Meeting date, time, and location designed is to gather additional input on the scope of the EIR analysis. n ••• Wednesday, Oct. 6 from 5-6:30 p.m. Zoom Webinar Link: https://rrmdesign. zoom.us/j/87554617851 Zoom Webinar ID: 875 5461 7851 Call-in Options via Telephone: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 408 638 0968
Sierra Ryan Named County Water Resources Manager
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ierra Ryan has been selected as Santa Cruz County’s next water resources manager, succeeding John Ricker who retired in 2020. “I’m honored to be chosen to serve in this capacity,” Ryan said. “Water is one of our most precious resources, and responsible stewardship of our water is key to our communities, our environment and the ecosystems that depend on water for their survival.” Ryan has 14 years of experience working with water and environmental health issues in Santa Cruz County, including serving as a resources planner for the last 7 years with the County of Santa Cruz. She has experience
“Pimentel” from page 18 He is the president of the California Society of Municipal Fiscal Officers and has been an active volunteer for Salud Para La Gente Health Center in Watsonville. “We are fortunate to be able to fill this important position with an accomplished and respected fiscal manager,” County Administrative
working closely with water purveyors and other stakeholders to protect and enhance water resources in Santa Cruz County, including providing technical assistance and guidance on the development of local groundwater sustainability plans. The County Water Resources Manager monitors and evaluates water resources issues within the county, tracks and evaluates water-related legislation, makes policy recommendations, and works with a wide variety of individuals and groups, including elected officials, community groups, consultants and other government agencies, to assure the sustainability of local water resources.
Officer Carlos Palacios said. “As we emerge from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and CZU fires, Mr. Pimentel’s proven leadership will help us in reaching our long-range strategic priorities for the community.” Pimentel attended Cabrillo College and earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Santa Clara University. He lives in South County with his wife and two daughters. n
COMMUNITY NEWS
Cabrillo Name: No Decision Until 2022 A
By Jondi Gumz
s Cabrillo College’s exploration of a name change passes the one–year mark, it’s clear a decision won’t be made until 2022. It’s also clear that the process so far has focused on Cabrillo, a Spanish navigator who never walked on the soil here, and the little research done before his name was deemed an acceptable compromise to residents of North County and South County. The fact that he became wealthy via slave-holdings makes him less of a role model for today’s aspiring students who might otherwise appreciate his derring-do and navigational skills. College officials, including a subcommittee of trustees charged with making a recommendation to the full board, have been hearing from historical experts, leaders of people who were displaced by missionaries, and students past and present, to get their thoughts. During the current sessions, with one scheduled 6-7:30 p.m. Sept. 30 on Zoom,
participants are promised confidentiality and speakers were asked to be mindful about others waiting to speak. About 30 attended last week, listening to answers to a question about who would feel good about a name change, and who might not. The dialogue was respectful, and most speakers indicated they were in favor of a change. It’s not clear whether people supporting the name were not participating or not speaking up. The expenses of a name change are estimated to cost $400,000, according to Cabrillo President Matthew Wetstein. Not all the expenses would be incurred at once, but spending of resources on new plaques and road signs, stationary and athletic uniforms made some uncomfortable when there hasn’t been enough funding to meet student needs. n For details on the name discussion process, see https://www.cabrillo.edu/governing-board/ name-exploration-subcommittee/
www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / October 2021 / 21
FEATURED COLUMNIST
Thorny Plants Are Naturally Repellent
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22 / October 2021 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com
By Tony Tomeo
oses might be more fun to grow and prune without their thorns. Blackberries are easier to pick from thornless canes. Thorny vegetation is simply unpleasant to work with. Some very desirable plants, such as roses and most blackberries, are innately thorny. The only alternative to contending with their thorny condition is to grow something totally different. Thorns and similar structures are as diverse as foliage, with a few distinct classifications. True thorns are simply modified stems, like those of hawthorn. Spines are modified foliar structures or leaves, such as those of cacti. Prickles, such as those of rose, are modified epidermal structures. Spinose foliar margins, like those of holly, serve the same purpose. The purpose that thorny vegetation serves is defense. It intends to inhibit consumption of foliage, fruit or bloom. That is why some trees are thorny only while young and low to the ground, then almost thornless as they grow beyond the reach of grazing animals. Thorny trunks of honeylocust may protect seed pods from bears, so birds can disperse the seed. It is therefore no mystery that many of the thorniest plants are endemic to desert regions. The scarcity of edible vegetation in such regions increases the need for protection. Also, it is no mystery that most grazing animals are not too deterred by thorny vegetation to get enough to eat. Otherwise, roses and firethorn would be exempt from the ravages of deer. Despite its intentions of deterrence, thorny vegetation inhabits home gardens for various reasons. Some produces
Black locust is painful to handle.
desirable bloom or fruit, like roses and blackberries. Cacti and agaves develop remarkably striking forms. Such plants should be situated appropriately. Rose canes can be bothersome close to walkway. Agaves can be downright dangerous. Thorny shrubbery, such as firethorn, barberry, Natal plum and English holly, is a practical deterrent for unwanted traffic. Firethorn espaliered on the top of a fence is as effective as barbed wire, and is more appealing. Maintenance of thorny plants is more of a challenge than for thornless plants. Otherwise, thorny plants should be more popular than they are. ••• Barberry t certainly looks innocent enough. The modern cultivars of barberry, Berberis thunbergii, barely get taller and wider than six feet. Densely dwarf cultivars might not get much taller and wider than only two feet. Columnar sorts are quite narrow with mostly vertical stems. Even the old fashioned types get less than ten feet tall. Barberry is not exactly imposing. H o w e v e r, like an angry chihuahua, it has Delicate foliage hides sharp a nasty bite. Its barberry thorns. finely textured foliage obscures thin but very sharp spines. These spines are numerous enough to be visually appealing while the thin stems are bare through winter. Where necessary, they are sharp enough to inhibit encroachment. Unfortunately, these spines are annoying to handle while pruning. Most popular cultivars of barberry have richly reddish or almost purplish foliage. Few are variegated with white. Some have bright yellowish chartreuse foliage. Formerly common green barberry is now rare. The small and neat leaves are obovate, and may seem to be circular. They turn vivid reddish orange through autumn, prior to defoliation during winter. Tiny red berries are rare. n ••• Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.com.
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FEATURED COLUMNIST
Soquel Creek Water District
60 Years of Delivering Reliable Water By Rebecca Gold Rubin
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n 1961, the world was a remarkably different place than it is today…how different was it? Here are some examples: President John F. Kennedy held the first-ever televised presidential news conference; the Dow-Jones average reached a high of 734; the average cost of a new home was about $17,000, a new car was $2,275, and a gallon of gas was 31¢; the Grammy for Best Rock & Roll song went to Chubby Checker for “Let’s Twist Again,” and “West Side Story” got the Academy Award for Best Picture; the top TV show was “Wagon Train;” and IBM introduced the “Selectric” electric typewriter was introduced. As if all that wasn’t enough, it was 60 years ago this month that the Soquel Creek County Water District Board of Directors met for the very first time. That Oct. 19, 1961, meeting took place in the old Soquel Firehouse. The District had no offices, no staff, and not even its own letterhead. At that time, the District (which later dropped the word “County” from its name) had a mission focused on flood control and water conservation. While today’s District looks very different from its 60-year-old ancestor, water is of course still at the center of everything we do. During the last 60 years, the District has thrived and grown its boundaries, staff, and infrastructure. We’ve become a water service provider that is well-respected
both locally by our customers and within the water industry. We’ve maintained the agency’s status as a forward-thinking special district that consistently keeps an eye on the future. And today, as we celebrate our diamond anniversary, we’re also known for our attention to engaging the community, gaining the public’s input, vision, and support, creating a Community Water Plan, and helping to foster a greater
ABOVE: Cornwell Storage Tank, one of 18 storage tanks. LEFT: Old redwood water pipe found in the Seacliff area in summer of 2008 during a main replacement.
An Old Drawing of the District
understanding of the value of this most precious of resources. Particularly in light of the impacts of climate change, including the current drought, the District is highly regarded for taking the necessary visionary steps now to ensure a sustainable, clean, safe water supply into the future. Together with the community, we’re confidently facing new challenges as we work toward resiliency in addressing today’s
issues of an over drafted groundwater basin, sea water intrusion, wildfires, and weather variability. We’re directly addressing these new realities, which require everyone to be flexible in reexamining and refocusing our priorities — while never diverging from our core function as a diligent steward of our local water resources. “60 Years” page 31
ABOVE: Laura Brown, first female general manager of Soquel Creek Water District. LEFT: Ken Izant was first president of the board
www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / October 2021 / 23
COMMUNITY NEWS
Attorney General: Arrest in Student Loan Debt Case; Affected 19,000 Borrowers O n Sept. 21, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the arrest of the leader of a nationwide, multiyear, multimillion-dollar student loan debt relief scam. The defendant owned a network of third-party debt relief businesses based in Orange County. They employed managers and sales agents to operate multiple call centers that contacted individuals across the country promising to reduce or eliminate their federal student loan debt. Instead, the owner, as well as four call center managers and two sales agents allegedly stole over $6,130,000 in less than three years from over 19,000 victims, including 3,000 in California. Two additional defendants have been arrested for their alleged connection to this scheme. All of the defendants face multiple counts, including grand theft by false pretenses, computer access and fraud, and unauthorized use of personal identifying information. The lead defendant has been charged with all 87 counts of the indictment, as well as special allegations for money
“Mayor Brooke” from page 17 AB 361 sunsets on Jan. 1, 2024. At this time, Capitola City Council meeting will continue to be held virtually until we see a significant decrease of new cases of COVID-19 in our community. Excellence in Financial Reporting ast week staff was informed that the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the City of Capitola for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Fiscal Year that ended June 30, 2020. The report has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management. Capitola has received the Certificate of Achievement every year since Fiscal Year 2011-12 and prior to that received the Certificate for Outstanding Financial
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The lead defendant has been charged with all 87 counts of the indictment, as well as special allegations for money laundering in excess of $2.5 million and aggravated white-collar crime.
laundering in excess of $2.5 million and aggravated white-collar crime. “Millions of Californians — myself included — know what it’s like to finish your education, only to start the often decades-long journey of paying off your student loans,” said Bonta. “Life happens, and whether it be because a person is out of work, faces an unexpected medical bill, or other life change, many struggle to make those monthly payments. When greedy companies prey on vulnerable individuals and use misleading tactics to steal from them, they must be held accountable. I’m thankful to our local and federal law enforcement partners for their work in this investigation. Now, the work begins to bring to account those responsible for these alleged actions.” “The victims are the most important people to remember in this case,” said Orange
County Sheriff-Coroner Don Barnes. “All of the work of the entire team, including OC Sheriff’s investigators, is well worth the effort to provide justice for unsuspecting students who thought they were paying off student loans. While it’s an unfortunate reality, scammers will take advantage of victims for their personal financial gain. The best defense against these scams is to be informed about different types of fraud and how you can avoid becoming a victim.” “This case demonstrates our shared commitment to protecting the U.S. taxpayer’s investment in the Federal student loan programs and we’re proud to be involved with this State, local, and Federal partnership that brought about today’s actions,” said Tom Harper, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Technology Crimes Division, the unit
Reporting from the California Society of Municipal Finance Officers from 1999-00 through 2010-11. Capitola Parks and Recreation he Fall 2021 Brochure is now available. View it at: https://www.cityofcapitola. org/recreation COVID-19 Mandatory Testing and Vaccination Policy he City of Capitola has adopted a COVID-19 vaccination and testing policy requiring all staff to show proof of vaccination, or be PCR-tested twice a week. Outdoor Dining Update emporary outdoor dining permits have been extended to Jan. 3, 2022; rules are also imposed on current permit holders to maintain outdoor dining areas to certain standards. The Capitola City Council will review the temporary permits at the Nov. 10 meeting. COVID-19 Small Business Rental & Mortgage Assistance Grants he city of Capitola is pleased to announce a partnership with Santa Cruz Small Business Development Center to develop a grant program that provides economic relief to small businesses that were negatively impacted by COVID-19. Using Community Development Block Grant Cares Act funding, the program offers up to $7,500 in grants to
eligible applicants for use towards reimbursement of qualified rental or mortgage costs incurred between April 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2021. An estimated thirty to thirty-five businesses are expected to benefit. If the number of qualifying applications received exceeds the amount of funding available for disbursement, the City will implement a lottery system for all eligible applicants. ELIGIBILITY Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible: • Businesses must demonstrate a financial need as a result of COVID-19. • Legally operate as a for-profit, brick, and mortar business within the City of Capitola. Home-based businesses do not qualify. • Business must be legally operating since January 2019. • Business must have 25 or fewer fulltime employees, or an equivalent combination of 25 full and part-time employees, including the owner. • A complete application must be received by the Sept. 30, 2021 deadline, and supported with required documentation. • Businesses must meet a CDBG “National Objective.” • Applicants can be current on their rent or mortgage.
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that works to protect education programs and network infrastructure by investigating technology crimes. “This should serve as a warning to anyone operating these and other scams aimed at students and student borrowers: you will be caught and held accountable for your criminal actions.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting the U.S. mail from criminal misuse and is proud to be a part of this large-scale investigation with our law enforcement partners,” said Carroll Harris, Inspector in Charge of the Los Angeles Division. “Together we seek to stop these scammers involved in illegal computer access, fraud, identity theft, and money laundering from continuing to defraud and victimize thousands of individuals located throughout the United States.” Between 2017 and 2020, sales agents from the third-party debt relief call centers contacted an estimated 380,000 student loan borrowers who were struggling to meet their monthly debt obligations. “Student Loan Debt” page 26
To learn more visit: https://www.cityof capitola.org/communitydevelopment/ webform/covid-19-small-business-rentalmortgage-assistance-cdbg-grant-program Annual Golf Tournament apitola Foundation’s annual fundraiser turns 15 and takes place Oct.1. To learn more and to register visit https://capitolafoundation.org/golf/. All proceeds go to local nonprofits. National Night Out! he Capitola Police Department will host National Night Out on Tuesday, Oct. 5 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Jade Street Park. The event will feature a free BBQ, a meet and greet with the Chief and other police officers, and fun and games for all. This event promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie, helping make our neighborhoods safer while growing community. The Capitola Police Department will be joined by the Central Fire District and American Medical Response. National Night Out is a great opportunity to bring neighbors and public safety organizations together in a relaxed and positive environment. n ••• As always should you have any questions feel free to email me at brooksforcitycouncil@gmail.com. You can also email citycouncil@ci.capitola.ca.us and your note will automatically be sent to all five Councilmembers, the City Clerk, and the City Manager.
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Turning Customers Into Loyal Customers
And Loyal Customers Return — Again and Again
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he question is how do we first turn our customers into happy customers, and then get them to be loyal customers? The key is in understanding this is a 2-phase process which requires us to know our customers as much as possible, and that they understand how we value them for who they are, thankful for them visiting our business and buying from us. Whether you sell online or in a physical store, or both, knowing details about your customer is the first part of making them happy. A customer is a relationship, and to use a dating analogy — on your first date you don’t know that much about the other person, so you ask questions. You ask questions to get to know them, what do they like or not like. So getting to know what your customer likes or dislikes is extremely important. And we cannot make assumptions. Just because they smiled and bought a service or item from you doesn’t mean they’re going to be happy when they get home to use or wear their item. If they leave with a smile, whether that’s from your website, restaurant or storefront, how do you know they’re smiling beyond that post-purchase moment? Studies show if someone has a good experience with your business, they’ll tell on average 4-6 people. If someone has a negative experience with your business, they’ll tell 12-16 people! It’s critical to know how each customer feels after they’ve bought and left your business. That’s why establishing a connection — a relationship with each customer is so vitally important. And to keep with the dating analogy, just because the other person smiled after your date doesn’t necessarily mean they had a good time (sorry). But unlike dating, we can survey our customers directly, we can thank them for their review and/or we can interact with them on social platforms once they’ve shared pictures of their purchase. This is all part of what is known as “Customer Relationship Management.” • Emailing Customers: Collecting customer emails is still a very
By Ron Kustek
important marketing and communications tool for your business. You can have customers opt-in to your email list from your website, or you can collect their email or text info from an intake form or quick survey given to them during their purchase. You’ll need to collect customer emails and commit to using email for thank you messages as well as emailing newsletters that provide helpful, relevant and valuable information each time you email your customers in the future. • Review Thanking: This is also a much-needed step in developing your relationship with each customer, especially those that post reviews. If they spent the time and effort posting a review, either positive or negative, you will need to put forth an even greater effort to thank them for their review or offer assistance in resolving any issue they’ve posted. • Social Platforms: Similar to reviews, if your customer has been especially happy with their purchase, they will likely be sharing that experience with their friends on twitter, Instagram, Snapchat or Facebook depending on which platforms they favor (which you’ll know from the customer survey you’ve done). Being able to know when and how you’re being talked about is extremely important, as you can engage publicly with your customer — both current and future — because all will be seeing how you gratefully respond. And remember, being conversational and thankful is the best approach, resisting the urge to be self-promoting. There are companies that can make parts of this process much easier with the help of their software tools. You may be using SQUARE for your credit card processing, and they offer a suite of helpful customer management tools so you know when each customer last made a purchase, what they bought, how much they spent and how loyal they are. Another company is FiveStar, which uses a customer’s phone number each time they ‘sign in’ to your business, so you are able to track their purchase history. This allows you to communicate with customers to develop their loyalty by offering
return customer discounts and more, all via text messages instead of email. Customer loyalty happens over time, and develops with multiple contacts and experiences between business and customer. When you begin viewing each customer as the most important asset of your business, you’ll be on your way to
better understanding how to keep them satisfied and returning today, tomorrow and into the future. ••• Ron Kustek is a former senior marketing executive at The Coco-Cola Co. and entrepreneur who currently teaches business at Cabrillo College. Contact him at RoKustek@Cabrillo.edu.
World Series
ACROSS
1. Locker room infection? 6. Vow at #41 Across 9. Smoke plus fog 13. Veranda in Honolulu 14. Salmon on a bagel 15. Hindu religious teacher 16. To the left, on a boat 17. Hula dancer’s necklace 18. Cheryl Strayed on the Pacific Crest Trail, e.g. 19. *Winningest World Series team 21. *Infield shape 23. Acronym, abbr. 24. Make or break, e.g. 25. Repellent brand 28. Minimal distortion
30. Loathes 35. Make children 37. Low-____ diet 39. Cry of the Alps 40. Swarm like bees 41. Location of #6 Across vow 43. Tiny piece 44. Lack of intestinal movement 46. Siren’s song 47. Buffalo lake 48. Makes sense, 2 words 50. “Aid and ____” 52. “Game, ____, match” 53. Like time with Bill Maher 55. Road, in Rome 57. *Current baseball champions 61. *Won in NLCS or ALCS
65. Mode of communication 66. “____ Now or Never” 68. Styluses 69. *____ Martin, 5-time World Series champion 70. Bad-mouth 71. Upright in position 72. Let it stand, to proofreader 73. Is, in Paris 74. Rodeo rope
DOWN
1. Kill 2. Spanish appetizer 3. Any minute, arch. 4. Winter cover 5. Of advanced technology, colloquially 6. Bad wishes 7. Buck’s partner
8. Nitrous ____, a.k.a. laughing gas 9. Sink or this? 10. Type of shark 11. Damien’s prediction 12. To put a girdle on 15. Showing signs of wear and tear 20. Writer ____ Jong 22. Retirement plan acronym 24. Like a Zoom session 25. Port of old Rome 26. *____ of dreams? 27. Let out of jail 29. *____ Classic 31. *Runner’s destination 32. Frankincense and myrrh, but not gold 33. Adjust, as laces 34. Between rain and snow 36. Outback birds
38. Prickle on a wire 42. “Super” Christopher 45. Definitely 49. p in mpg 51. Glittery decoration 54. Digression 56. Bone hollows 57. Young female socialites, for short 58. Fail to mention 59. Earnhardt of racing fame 60. Coating of aurum 61. Attention-getting sound 62. Pirates’ affirmatives 63. *ALCS counterpart 64. *Nickname of Red Sox manager who won two World Series 67. “____ the season ...” © Statepoint Media
Answers on 31 »
www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / October 2021 / 25
Mercury Retrogrades in Libra
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Esoteric Astrology • October 2021 • By Risa D’Angeles
n studying astrology one becomes very aware of the seasons, each one bringing subtle change to our world. These seasons are governed by the planets, stars, sun and moon. They guide humanity and all of nature by a rhythmic cycle of light and dark, growth and rest. Another rhythm began last Sunday, September 26th– the rhythm of Mercury retrograde. This is our third and last Mercury retrograde for 2021. Mercury is retrogrades in Libra until October 18th. The significance of this retrograde of Mercury is Libra, sign of deep intimate relationships, marriage, interaction with others, partnerships, diplomacy, balance and our social identity. Libra points out the duality and polarization within relationships and under Ray 3 (a star in the Big Dipper), Libra represents our intelligence, our ability to be democratic. Esoterically, Libra rules finances and the economy. All of these may be challenged during the retrograde. With Mercury retrograde in Libra (air sign, thinking sign), we turn inward, assessing all that Libra rules. We become aware of miscommunication, misinterpretations and misinformation with our intimates, closest friends and partners. Conflicts with others arise, ARIES
there are challenges, social cues that may be missed, messages lost or forgotten, a struggle to express ourselves clearly. Mercurial themes are thinking, talking, gathering and offering information. Libra is all these with the “other”. When we have the knowledge of how astrology works and how it will affect us, we then are able to work with the planets efficiently and effectively. How we do this is through observation of our lives and the best observation can be done during Mercury retrogrades. During the retrograde (when everything can be reset, rearranged, reviewed, revisited, resolved) we make a point of remaining emotionally and intelligently balanced, poised, always observing self and others. We also give the benefit of the doubt to others. Everyone is experiencing the Mercury retrograde. But only a few understand it enough to work with (and not against) the retrograde energies. We remember too, Shakespeare’s words, “All the world’s a stage, each of us playing our part.”Let our part be the bright more charming side of Libra — that of balance, goodwill, harmony and beauty — that which humanity longs for.
LEO
SAGITTARIUS
Mercury retrograde is moving through your house of partnership and marriage. Notice any conflicts impatience or misunderstandings. Notice thoughts and feelings concerning all partnership and relationships. Rearrange yourself so that harmony is the goal, not conflict. If anyone has wedding plans during the retro dates, it’s best to postpone the celebration. One does not want a Mercury retrograde marriage unless both partners were born with Mercury retrograde natally, which means they communicate telepathically.
As Mercury retrogrades through your third house of thinking and communication you may find yourself walking a bit more, traversing neighborhoods, camera in hand. You may also seek to understand how what you learned a child affects your present life. Attempt to bring balance to friend and sibling relationships. Notice if your use your hands more. You consider what thoughts and aspiration have brought you to this moment in time. And gain clarity about your authentic friends, collaborations and ambitions. At the end of the retrograde, blinders are removed from your eyes.
Mercury retrograde will traverse your house of groups, friends, hopes, wishes and dreams. It’s a perfect time to review these things. Who are your real friends? What groups do you belong to? Do they further your hopes, wishes and dreams? What ARE your hopes, wishes and dreams? Is your technology up to date? Notice if anything technological just stops working! Alternate sources of information may pop up unexpectedly. Study them for their usefulness. Stay in the heart, Leo. There isn’t anything else to do!
TAURUS
VIRGO
Mercury retrogrades in your house of work in the world, how you’re recognized and it concerns the master plan for your life. You may need to ask others to assist you in completing previous tasks. You may be impatient, too, feeling the need to direct everything. However, that will be impossible. You are used to doing things by yourself, being your own boss, taking the reins. However, before the new can come forth everything concerning your world of work needs cooperation from others. Assess this so a re-balance can come forth.
During the retrograde, Mercury will be moving through your sixth house of everyday living. The sixth house rules health, service to self and others, small animals, diet, gardens, routines and daily work. It is important to focus on nutrition, how one tends and cares for the self. Be aware of the health of one’s animals, too. Be sure your daily routines are balanced between health and on work that is gratifying, rewarding and fulfilling. You need a bit of enchantment.
In this Mercury retro in Libra, your values and resources are assessed. Also, your need to see the self as valuable. You may notice your need to rest more, seek comfort and calmness, not push your will so strongly. You may seek more in-depth personal communications with those you care about. Feelings may appear that are unexpected and a sense of Venusian stillness and composure may arise. Your imagination may take hold and all things hidden away within may surface. An important choice also will be made.
GEMINI
The Mercury retrograde takes your creativity inward, offering you the opportunity to explore different future pathways, imagine new directions and points of view. It calls you to be flexible and fluid so you can assess the last three months events and what may be in store the next three months. Nothing limits your ability to dream, visualize, imagine plans for the future. It’s important to explore ways to bring more of your creativity to light. I always thought you and Aquarius might have a found-art gallery. Try to recapture childhood spontaneity. CANCER
This Mercury retrograde will offer you the opportunity to be out and about in the world offering your talents, gifts and abilities. You will, however, also long to be home, while being very aware of inner emotional shifts, feelings of missing someone or something, and focus upon all inner needs. New patterns of creativity are taking shape. You may also consider a reorganization of your home. Is the daily work you are doing offering enough creative opportunity? New aspirations emerge.
LIBRA
Mercury retro in Libra will be in your first house (Aries house) of self-identification and purpose. During these difficult times, has your awareness of self and your abilities, or your sense of purpose changed? Do you find yourself more courageous, more risk-taking? As the retrograde progresses you may need to slow down, rest more, evaluate who you thought you were and who you might be now. A change has occurred within and the retrograde will introduce you to your “new self.” Practice a bit of reverie now and then. SCORPIO
The Mercury retrograde will be in your house of mystery, religion, things hidden and veiled, which offers great refuge. During Mercury retrograde review and assess what religion or spirituality means to you. Perhaps you long for vision, hope, for refuge and a place for the mystical to be revealed. Mercury retrograde is offering the sounds, colors, tones, and beauty of harmony and balance. Scorpio and Pisces are like sibling - one the Disciple, the other the Savior. You need each other. Do daydream a bit more. Dream about the future. •••
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
Mercury retrogrades through your house of journeys, justice, and the law. We are all asked to take your blinders off and look around. Our world is in a state of conflict and chaos and since you are the messenger from the future, it’s important to recognize inner work is needed. You are to research the truths humanity needs to know in order to survive. Everything will slow down so you can do thorough work of study and research. You are and will be called to put on the professor hat soon. Get ready.
Risa D’Angeles • www.nightlightnews.org • risagoodwill@gmail.com 26 / October 2021 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com
PISCES
Mercury retrograde travels through your Scorpio house of deep dark secrets, of puzzling things and mysteries and it calls you to gather your wisdom and your strategies to understand them. Uncovering secrets helps us create security and safety and truth in our daily lives. You have the wisdom needed to navigate our present difficult times. You will need patience, more courage than usual. In between your warrior work bring to all relationships tender loving care. They, too, may be on a “precipice.”
“Student Loan Debt” from page 24 These agents allegedly feigned an association with the U.S. Department of Education and, without authority to do so, guaranteed borrowers enrollment in programs to lower their monthly payments and result in loan forgiveness. If borrowers became suspicious or unsure, the agents would allegedly apply more pressure by implying that their company was the only way to enroll in these plans and that their offers only applied for a limited time. By leading victims to believe they were with the U.S. Department of Education or that they were a commercial entity with the power to acquire loans or enroll students in a federal loan forgiveness plan, the call centers allegedly led borrowers to divulge personal identifying information and then used that information to access and make changes to borrowers’ Federal Student Aid accounts without consent. Allegedly, many victims also unknowingly signed a third-party authorization form or a power of attorney agreement that purported to give the thirdparty debt relief centers authorization to make decisions on their behalf. Each victim paid — or was scheduled to pay — the third-party call centers upfront fees and additional monthly fees totaling over $1,000 for services federal loan servicers provide at no cost. Most victims believed these payments were being applied by the third-party call centers toward their student loan debt when, in reality, they were not. This belief led many of the victims to stop making their monthly payments on their actual student loans, which resulted in late payment notifications, increased loan balances, and sometimes, defaulting on their student loans. Bonta reminds all federal student loan borrowers that the U.S. Department of Education and its federal loan servicers never charge any fees to qualify borrowers for loan forgiveness programs, change repayment plans, lower monthly loan payments, consolidate multiple loans, postpone payments due to temporary hardship, or get loans out of default. Visit www.studentaid.gov/resources/ scams for more information about how to avoid student aid scams. The case was investigated by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of the Inspector General. The California Department of Justice’s eCrime Unit will handle the prosecution. DOJ’s eCrime Unit (https://oag. ca.gov/ecrime) investigates and prosecutes large-scale, multi-jurisdictional criminal organizations, networks, and groups that perpetrate identity theft crimes, use an electronic device or network to facilitate a crime, or commit a crime targeting an electronic device, network, or intellectual property. n ••• It is important to note that a criminal indictment contains charges that must be proven in a court of law. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.
BUSINESS PROFILE
BirchBark Foundation
By Edita McQuary
Saving Pets, Supporting Families
“If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.” — James Herriott
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ets have always been important in people’s lives but the pandemic has brought people’s dependence on their pets to a whole new level. “Pet owners who have not been able to see family and friends have had to rely on ‘Coco’ or ‘Buddy’ for daily interaction, comfort and happiness,” according to Michelle Frampton, Executive Director of the Birch Bark Foundation. A University of Colorado graduate with degrees in psychology and social work, Michelle has built and worked in various non-profits for 25 years helping people
combat food insecurity and in locating community services. She is a perfect fit to lead the BirchBark Foundation (BBF). Michelle added: “Since its inception in 2013, BBF has grown from the vision of Dr. Merrianne Burtch, DVM, DACVIM, to a successful organization saving the lives of hundreds of pets each year, and providing stability to thousands of animalloving families and individuals.” The foundation, serving Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito Counties, has as its main focus financial help for lifesaving veterinary care. They work with 31 Veterinary Partners to save pets’ lives and help pet owners afford to pay for the life-compromising or life-threatening treatments. BBF will pay for a fixable but unaffordable prognosis which the pet owner cannot afford to pay.
The Veterinary Partners receive a $500 quarterly stipend from BirchBark Foundation, sign a partnership agreement and help in fundraising efforts. Emergency veterinarians receive three stipends per month. Some veterinarians also give a donation of $5 to $15 to honor a lost pet. The Vet Partner discounts 25% of the cost, the pet owner pays 25% of the cost and BirchBark Foundation pays the balance of 50% of the cost of care with no limit. The only stipulation is that the Veterinary Provider must be a member of the BirchBark Foundation. There is a list of providers on their website. As an example, Max, a 2-year old dog, inhaled a foxtail which wound up in his lung. The veterinarian removed one lung lobe and after spending two weeks in the hospital, Max was released to go home. Can you imagine how happy his owners were? A program open to all animal lovers is their monthly Zoom support group for Central Coast people as well as anyone anywhere who has lost their pet. When life becomes “normal” again, BBF will again offer additional in-person support groups. Counselors are available for one-on-one meetings on Zoom or on the telephone with individuals and families. Lastly, BBF provides newsletters, social media and quarterly webinars to all animal-loving people so they can be the best care-givers for their pets. As you can imagine, a foundation offering such wonderful benefits has to raise funds from the general public in order to continue operating. They do not at this time have a building/office presence. They do have Sarah, Community Support Coordinator, who answers the Help Line. In order to participate in the BBF program, certain criteria must be met by the pet owner. The website has a list of questions which must be answered in order to be accepted into the program.
Fund-raising is of the utmost importance. Before the pandemic in 2019 they held a “Fall in love with Birch Bark” in-person gala in Monterey’s Marriott, which 150 people attended and was very successful. The recent July 31 live on-line “Love Heals Auction” on U-Tube netted $100,000 thanks to our Central Coast and beyond animal-loving public. “Our goal is unique — we want to be a resource to the animal-loving public so they can make the best choices for their pets who are in need of serious medical aid,” explained Michelle. “We appreciate and are grateful to all who contributed to this event. Our focus is not on finances but on providing choices for animal care. There are seniors in our community who will sacrifice their own well-being to allocate their funds to their animals. We want to reframe how we think about the human/animal bond.” n ••• BirchBark Foundation, a 501©(3) organization, 101 Cooper St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060, P.O. Box 1903, Monterey, CA 93942, phone: 831.471.7255. www.birchbarkfoundation.org
www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / October 2021 / 27
COMMUNITY CALENDAR CAREER ONLINE HIGH SCHOOL The Santa Cruz Public Libraries invites you to jump start your future by earning an accredited high school diploma and career training through Career Online High School. SCPL offers a program called Career Online High School, designed for adults who were unable to complete high school and could benefit from additional job training. This nationally-accredited program allows adult students to earn an accredited high school diploma— not a GED—while gaining career skills in one of ten employment fields across a wide spectrum, from home care professional and office management to homeland security. SCPL awards scholarships to qualified adult learners on a first-come, first-served basis. Career Online High School is a great solution for those who need extra academic support and flexibility. Once in the program, students are assigned an academic coach who helps keep them on track and connects them with tutors if needed. The online curriculum is accessible 24/7, which is helpful to those balancing work and family obligations. Students are given up to 18 months to complete the program, but many finish sooner because previously earned high school or GED test credits are accepted. This is an opportunity to focus on advancing one’s education and career opportunities. Learn more at santacruzpl.org/pages/career-online-high-school or visit an information session with the project manager: • Sept 28, 2-4 pm, La Selva Beach Library • Sept 29, 1-3 pm, Capitola Library • Sept 30, 1-3 pm, Felton Library FREE MUSIC EDUCATION SERIES With the start of the school year, the Monterey Symphony has released four new episodes of Music To YOUR Ears. This is an open-source virtual education series, with the first four episodes released in April 2021 still available. • Episode 5: Alone features the world-premiere of the award-winning performance of ‘Alone’ for Solo Violin, Live EFX, and Electronica by the Emmy-award winning MSO composer-in-residence John Christopher Wineglass. The piece is performed by MSO’s concertmaster Christina Mok and is filmed with the empty Sunset Center seats as a backdrop. • Episode 6: A “Suite” Musical Offering features MSO cellist Isaac Pastor-Chermak at the Winfield Art Gallery in Carmel. Pastor-Chermak plays a stunning Bach suite with the paintings and statues as his only audience members. • Episode 7: Making Music at Home features MSO’s principal flautist Dawn Walker, cellist Mark Walker, and MSO’s Executive Director Nicola Reilly in the gorgeous and newly renovated Pacific Grove Library. • Episode 8: Holiday Cheer celebrates local singer, songwriter, and actress Malinda DeRouen and her new Christmas song and music video Christmas This Year. The Monterey Symphony is offering this series featuring the animation style of local artist Rory Glass at no charge with language options in Spanish and English. The narrator is musicologist and MSO assistant principal horn player Dr. Alicia Mastromonaco.
Have a virtual or live event you want to promote? Send your information to info@cyber-times.com by October 22 To view see https://www.montereysymphony.org/music••• Santa Cruz to-your-ears.htm where episodes can be viewed online Sept. 28, 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. — The Church of Jesus or downloaded and shared. Each episode includes three worksheets in English and Spanish printable from the website. Christ of Latter-day Saints, 220 Elk St., Sept. 30, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. — Sponsored by IATSE Local 611, the stage workers’ union, at Santa Cruz Civic SATURDAY SHAKESPEARE READING CLUB Auditorium, 307 Church St. TACKLES ‘THE TAMING OF THE SHREW’ The Saturday Shakespeare reading club will examine SCULPTURE IS: IN THE GARDEN 2021 “The Taming of the Shrew” beginning Oct. 9 with a On display thru Oct. 31 Zoom evaluation by UCSC 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sierra Azul Nursery and Garden, 2660 East Emeritus Professor Michael Lake Ave., Watsonville Warren. Sculpture IS: In the Garden 2021, is the 15th sculpture A noted Shakespeare exhibit in partnership with Sierra Azul Nursery and Garden. authority and dramaturg for The jurors, Susana Arias and Jeff Rosendale, selected more Santa Cruz Shakespeare, than 100 sculptures created by 42 artists and collaborators. Warren has frequently Visit the stunning two-acre demonstration garden, kicked off the club’s relax under the umbrellas, and spend an afternoon discussion series with an enjoying the outdoor exhibit. overview of the play under Admission is free. consideration, its history, relevance to its time and ours, and aspects of special interest in it. SENIOR CENTER WITHOUT LIMITS The sessions, all Saturdays at 10 a.m., will be on This new program from Community Bridges brings Oct.9, 16, 23, 30 and Nov. 6. Abby Heald, a lecturer in enrichment activities like yoga, art, music, tai chi, the UCSC Literature Department, will be the speaker Oct. cooking, tech and support groups to seniors age 60 and up in their homes at no cost. To participate, you need an 30. Other speakers will be announced later. internet connection and a computer, tablet or smartphone. The Nov. 6 gathering will present the Zeffirelli film To participate, view the calendar at https://communityof “The Taming of the Shrew” with Richard Burton and bridges.org/SCWOL/ and find a class. That day and time, Elizabeth Taylor. All sessions are free and open to the public, although click on the link in the calendar to be connected. If you have participants are encouraged to send a fee of at least $2 a problem connecting, call Clara Munoz at (831) 458-3481. per session or $10 for the series to Santa Cruz Shakespeare, with a check made payable to the organization at ONGOING EVENTS 500 Chestnut Street. Suite #250, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. People who are not yet on the email list but would like to attend First and Third Monday Each Month SENIOR LIFE ONLINE and get the Zoom link should email a request to: saturday4 p.m., Online Meeting shakespeare@gmail.com Join a local group of senior citizens for “Senior Life Online,” a free online (Zoom) program featuring a DRIVE FOR SCHOOLS FUNDRAISER presentation by a local expert. View the full schedule Tickets are now on sale for the Santa Cruz Beach at scottsvalleyseniorlife.org/current-activities/. Boardwalk Drive for Schools, a fundraiser in its 17th Next date: Sept. 20 at 4 p.m. with Karen Kefauver year. The top prize is $25,000, with dozen more prizes to be given out in a drawing talking about social media (No meeting on Labor Day). To participate, you need an Internet connection and a at the Santa Cruz Beach computer, tablet or smartphone. Boardwalk at 1 p.m. Sunday, A one-time preregistration is required at https:// Oct. 24. tinyurl.com/SVSLA-5. Questions? Call George at (831) Tickets are $5 each or 6 for 334-7763. $25. Tickets are sold through Senior Life Online is sponsored by Scotts Valley Senior participating schools through Sunday, Oct. 17. Life Association (SVSLA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose Purchased tickets must be returned to your school by mission is to promote healthy living for senior citizens. the school’s posted deadline. Purchased tickets will not Information is at http://scottsvalleyseniorlife.org. be accepted at the Boardwalk. Tuesdays Tickets sold on Oct. 24 at the Boardwalk will benefit the Santa Cruz County Office of Education Special FARMERS’ MARKET AT RAMSAY PARK Education Department. 2–6 p.m., Ramsay Park, Watsonville Since starting in 2005, Drive for Schools has raised more than El Mercado is a new farmers’ market hosted by Com$7 million in support of local schools. munity Health Trust of Pajaro Valley. There will be healthy locally grown produce, a veggie RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES Rx redemption site, cooking demonstrations and As Covid-19 cases increase due to the Delta variant, the wellness screenings. Red Cross is concerned about meeting hospital demand Sponsors include Lakeside Organic, Salud Para La Gente and for lifesaving blood and platelets during hurricane season. Kaiser Permanente. Visit pvhealthtrust.org/elmercado for more info. In recent weeks, the Red Cross has seen blood donor turnout decline by nearly 10% while hospital demand First Tuesdays of the Month outpaces donations. Factors in the decline include blood UCSC ARBORETUM: FIRST TUESDAYS FREE drive cancellations due to the pandemic and back-to9 a.m. – 5 p.m., UC Santa Cruz Arboretum, 1156 High St, school preparations for many families. Santa Cruz Schedule an appointment by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, or calling Community Day at the UCSC Arboretum means free admission on the first Tuesday of every month 9 a.m-5 p.m. 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
28 / October 2021 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com
Guests are invited to explore the biodiversity of the gardens, enjoy bird watching or relax on a bench in the shade. https://arboretum.ucsc.edu Third Thursday Each Month PET LOSS AND GRIEF SUPPORT VIA ZOOM 6 to 7:30 p.m., virtual meeting BirchBark Foundation’s Pet Loss and Grief Support Zoom group offers a free support group, moderated by a licensed grief counseling therapist, on the third Thursday of each month. Register at https://www.birchbarkfoundation.org/griefsupport or call 831-471-7255. Fridays CAPITOLA’S FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS Do you love eating outside while enjoying live music? If so, the Capitola’s Food Truck Friday events are perfect for you! The events are Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m. MIDTOWN FRIDAYS Ongoing thru Oct. 29, 1111 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz (next to the fire station) Event Santa Cruz is hosting a Friday festival through the end of October. Called “Midtown Fridays,” the event will have a featured musical act plus food, artists, vendors, and more. Admission is free. Saturdays ECOLOGICAL RESERVE TOURS AT ELKHORN SLOUGH Tours start at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.,1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville Volunteers lead walks highlighting the natural history of the Elkhorn Slough. Capacity is limited due to physical distancing requirements, and individuals must sign up on a first-come, first-served basis. Groups of six or more should call ahead at (831) 728-2822 or visit https://www.elkhornslough.org/ group-reservation/ to reserve a tour. For more information, visit http://www.elkhornslough.org/ esnerr/tours/ One Saturday Each Month COOKING WITH GREY BEARS’ POPPY DEGARMO 11 a.m. Online Class Cooking with Grey Bears next few classes will be online only. Upcoming class: Oct. 23 Use this Zoom link to participate in your home at time of class: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/92906805068. First Sunday Every Month WESTSIDE MARKETPLACE 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Old Wrigley Building Parking Lot, 2801 Mission Street, Santa Cruz 95060 The Westside Marketplace is an exciting monthly market where local art, handmade and vintage shopping meet delicious food! This collaboration between Food Trucks A Go Go and the SCM Makers Market presents a great mix of creators of all kinds! There is also live music at each event! The music on Sept 5. will be provided by Ancestree. Rain dates are scheduled for the following Sundays. The Market is free to attend and is 100% local! All local and state health guidelines will be followed. Please wear your mask, maintain social distance while you shop and stay home if you don’t feel well. Hand sanitizing stations will be available. For more information, go to the event page: https://www. facebook.com/events/170470481551895; Food Trucks A Go Go: https://www.foodtrucksagogo.com/; or SCM Makers Market https://scmmakersmarket.com/ for a list of all of the vendors.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR WAVES & WILDLIFE CONTEST DEADLINE Each year Save Our Shores hosts the Waves & Wildlife Marine Protected Areas Photo & Video Contest with support from the Resource Legacy Fund. Raise awareness about the beauty and biodiversity of these essential protected habitats by submitting your favorite photos and videos by the end of the day. Dream Inn and Ethos Santa Cruz have donated prizes. RSVP for Virtual Awards Ceremony 6-8 p.m. Nov. 5, which will be on EventBrite. See photo of last year’s winner and register at https://tinyurl. com/waves-wildlife
Second Sundays SANTA CRUZ ANTIQUE STREET FAIRE 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Pacific Ave. between Lincoln and Cedar Streets The Santa Cruz Antique Street Faire features more than 40 outdoor vendors. Visit https://www.facebook.com/santacruzantiquefaire/ for more information
DATED EVENTS Tuesday October 5 MIKE ROTKIN TO SPEAK AT DEMOCRATIC CLUB 6 p.m., Online Zoom Meeting Mike Rotkin will be the guest speaker for the Democratic Club of North Santa Cruz County on Tuesday, Oct. 5. Rotkin, who served as a representative on the 12-member Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, will talk about the Coastal Rail Trail and a petition focused on giving people a chance Mike Rotkin to vote to pursue rail transit. Rotkin will discuss how the rail line can benefit the community and help address climate change and social justice concerns. Members of the public are invited to attend. For Zoom meeting link, visit www.svslvdemocrats.org. Social time starts at 6 p.m. and club meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday October 9 WALK OR RIDE FOR HORSES 9 a.m., 127 Vine Hill School Rd, Scotts Valley Come join us for a fun day of biking, walking or horse back riding to help raise funds for Canham Farm Horse Rescue and Rehab. Funds raised go towards the vet care, hay/grain, farrier, and medical needs of our horses. Funds also go towards our horses helping humans program. Choose from MTB, Road, Family or Horse trail! Your $39 donation includes an exclusive event T-Shirt and entry into a drawing for prizes. To purchase tickets to attend please go to: https://www. eventbrite.com/e/bike-walk-or-ride-for-rescues-tickets166258793527?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Tuesday October 12 CAPITOLA SOROPTIMISTS MEETING 4-5:30 p.m., Michael’s on Main, 2591 S. Main St., Soquel Soroptimist International of Capitola by-the-Sea will meet on the creekside deck at Michael’s on Main to focus on assigning launch dates and tasks to members for upcoming fund-raisers. The meeting is free and open to the public. Members recently presented new fund-raising ideas to replace projects that were canceled or reduced due to the pandemic. Next, the teams will submit implementation dates and plans for those activities. Soroptimist International of Capitola-by-the-Sea is a global volunteer organization that provides women and girls with access to the education and training they need to achieve economic empowerment. For information email info@best4women.org or visit at www. best4women.org.
‘SHE ADVENTURES’ FILM TOUR Friday October 15 7 p.m., Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz The She Adventure Film Tour presents a carefully curated selection of short films designed to entertain and inspire adventurous women. The film festival will premier with an in-person viewing at the Rio Theatre. It will also be available online Oct. 15–24. The 2021 tour will take you around the globe: Biking in an attempt for the speed record, longboarding in the French Alps, diving into the world of Sri Lanka’s first competitive female surfer, pushing the limits with French-Canadian sport of ice canoeing and joining Lucy Barnard on her walk around the world. Tickets for the two-and-half-hour-show at the Rio Theatre cost $18 at EventBrite.com or $18 for a 48-hour rental at https://www.adventurereelstv.com/film/she-adventures-film-tour-2021/ Films included are: BETWEEN WALLS 2 minutes : Austria — In spring 2019 gigantic walls of snow piled up along the pass road to the Timmelsjoch, Austria. Johanna Bolanos Cabrera and Jasmijn Hanegraef grab their longboards and took the chance to downhill at great speed through this stunning scenery. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS ANYWAY 12 minutes : Canada — 50 years ago the first women’s ice canoe team crossed the icy waters of the St. Lawrence River during the Carnival of Quebec’s traditional race. In 2018, six women decide to form their own team. Their goal: to compete in the Quebec Ice Canoe Circuit. EASTBOUND 50 minutes : UK — Join Jenny Graham’s attempt to become not only the first woman to ride around the planet unsupported, but also the fastest. BLACKBERRY SWIRL 5 minutes : USA — Mountain bike pros Corinne Prevot and Ella McAndrew enjoy summer in Vermont as they zig-zag down flowy trails and leaf peep through the incredible forests of their home state. WALK THE EARTH 22 minutes : Australia/Canada (top photo) — In a fleeting moment Lucy Barnard decided to become the first woman to walk the length of the earth. Starting in Ushuaia, Argentina she will be walking 30,000km over 5 years until she reaches Barrow, Alaska. She will be the first woman — and one of only a handful of people — to have ever completed it. SKIVAS 17 minutes : France — Featuring 10 of the best female skiers and snowboarders, Skivas introduces us to some rad riding women. The 100% female film proves that these “Ski Divas” are pushing the boundaries of freedom, creativity and sisterhood on and off the mountain. Blackberry Swirl MUDDIEST KNOWN TIME 5 minutes: Australia — Young adventurer Milly Young runs the full 100-mile Port Davey and South Coast Tracks in remote southwest Tasmania, Australia. The gruelling course, with 7,000 miles of elevation gain, endless mud, obstacles, sleep deprivation and crazy weather, pushes her to the limit. WE ARE LIKE WAVES 13 minutes: USA — Along the South Coast of Sri Lanka, surfing is everywhere. Yet only foreigners and local men fill the lineups. Surfing is not seen as a sport for girls. But when Sanu turned 18, she began working in the kitchen at a surf camp alongside her brother, a surf instructor, and the trajectory of her life changed dramatically.
STRIKE OUT AGAINST CANCER Times below, Boardwalk Bowl, 115 Cliff Street, Santa Cruz WomenCARE’s 25th Annual STRIKE OUT AGAINST CANCER Bowling Benefit on Saturday, Oct. 23, at the Boardwalk Bowl. This year also marks WomenCARE’s 29th anniversary! We are looking forward to another fun day of bowling and raising money and awareness. We will be adhering to current CDC guidelines and COVID-19 safety protocols for the in-person events, as well as having a more dynamic VIRTUAL option. There will be three bowling sessions, starting at 1 p.m., approx. 2:30 p.m. and approx. 4 p.m. There will also be a “virtual team” option for people unable to attend the event but wish to provide support. We hope to make this year our most successful yet! Visit https://fsa-cc.org/strike-out-against-cancer/ for details.
Saturday October 23 Sunday October 24 GLASS PUMPKIN PATCH Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave., Santa Cruz The 2021 Live Oak Glass Pumpkin Patch is on! It takes place one weekend only, outdoors in the heirloom orchard of the Live Oak Grange, with plenty of fresh air and room for social distancing. Come see the creative ideas that Chris Johnson and the team have come up with this year. He will be at the 2021 ACGA Clay & Glass Festival Sept 11 & 12 in Palo Alto. To preview his work, visit www.chrisjohnsonglass.com. Or join the conversation at https://www.facebook.com/ClayandGlass.
Saturday November 20 Sunday November 21
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 IN CONCERT Saturday: 2:30 p.m. / 7:30 p.m. • Sunday: 1:30 p.m., San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 255 S. Almaden Blvd., San Jose The Harry Potter Film Concert Series returns to San Jose Center for the Performing Arts with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 - In Concert. John Jesensky will conduct Symphony Silicon Valley in performing Alexandre Desplat’s Grammynominated score live while the entire film plays in • 4 p.m.: Winners announced at Neptune’s Stage Saturday October 23 high-definition on a 40-foot screen. (beachside) In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil SANTA CRUZ BEACH BOARDWALK CHILI COOK OFF Try Some Chili: Boardwalk admission is free. forces of the Wizarding World escalates into an all-out war. 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Tasting kits are $10 each and include six taste tickets, The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. Bring your appetite and join the fun as professional and It is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the amateur chefs work their culinary magic and compete for spoon, cup, and a People’s Choice ballot. Benefits: A portion of the proceeds from Tasting ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic the title of Best Chili! Kit sales will benefit Your Future is Our Business. This showdown with Lord Voldemort. Schedule nonprofit provides work-based learning opportunities Ticket prices range between $50 to $100 and can be purchased • 9-10 a.m.: Chef’s prep (no heat) at: www.symphonysiliconvalley.org or by phone: 408.286.2600 to elementary, middle, and high school students as • 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Chili cook time well as internships for post-secondary students within ext. 23. COVID vaccination cards for those over 12 years of age • 10 a.m.: Tasting kits go on sale will be checked for entry as required by the City of San Jose. n Santa Cruz County. • 1 p.m.: Public tasting begins
www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / October 2021 / 29
FEATURED COLUMNIST
Increasing Fire Preparedness and Improving our Roads By Manu Koenig, Supervisor, First District
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primary focus through the month of September was continuing our efforts in the areas of fire prevention and mitigation. At the Board of Supervisors meeting on Sept. 14, our office introduced an item to improve our County’s early detection system through the installation of several new fire camera sites. Santa Cruz County uses the ALERTWildfire camera system for early detection of wildfires, and there are currently four cameras providing coverage for the entire county. Our office, working together with County Fire, identified 12 potential new sites. In our Board letter, we asked for these new fire camera sites to be approved, and we requested the Office of Response, Recovery & Resilience (OR3) work with County Fire and any other relevant parties to obtain permission, cost quotes, and other logistical needs for these camera installations. We also asked the OR3 to provide a status update every 90 days until at least three cameras are operational in the county. Our goal here is to have as many of these new camera sites up and running as soon as possible! As of now, we have already secured funding from a private donor for a fire camera to be located at the Silver Mountain Winery near the Summit. This new site will greatly expand fire camera coverage and early detection capabilities for the Summit-area and Soquel valley. Continuing with our goal of public outreach and involvement, our office hosted a community meeting, “Prepared Not Scared.” Presenters included the Central Fire District, CalFire, the Office of Response, Recovery, and Resilience, the Fire Safe Council of Santa Cruz, FireWise, and the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County.
The view from a potential fire camera site at Silver Mountain Winery.
Our focus was education and outreach on how residents can reduce wildfire risk, and the meeting was informative and well attended. I have been pleased to attend many neighborhood FireWise gatherings over the last few months, including an impressive gathering of folks from the North Rodeo Gulch area on Sept. 11. I applaud County residents for working together to address fire risk and increase prevention and mitigation efforts in your neighborhoods. Together we can all become FireWise! For more information about becoming a FireWise community, visit: Firewise USA
30 / October 2021 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com
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Recognition Program (firesafesantacruz. org). Another major focus of our office continues to be road repairs and improvements. While road maintenance has always been a priority, this issue feels especially critical during the fire season, with rural residents dependent upon reliable and safe evacuation routes in the case of a fire. We have been pleased to see a great amount of work done over recent weeks in key First District areas by the Department of Public Works. Storm damage repair is now complete at Soquel San Jose rd. at mile markers PM 3.97 and PM 5.67; repair at Soquel San Jose PM 1.25 is planned for the coming year. Additional projects identified for
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work in the coming year include Laurel Glen, Prescott Road, and Paper Mill Road. In town, roadbed maintenance has recently been completed on Soquel Drive from Porter Street to Center Street, Soquel Drive from Soquel Avenue to Mission Drive, and on Eaton Street at the 7th Avenue intersection. To find up-to-date information on County road repairs and closures, visit: http://www.sccroadclosure.org/. n ••• Want to speak to us? We invite you to give us a call at (831) 454-2200, email us at first.district@santacruzcounty.us, visit our website (santa-cruz.ca.us), or join us for a community meeting (full list of upcoming meetings available on the website).
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“60 Years” from page 23 How has the District managed to thrive, adapt, meet all challenges, and achieve continued success through the complexity of the social, political, and environmental conditions that have evolved in the last 60 years? The answer is: through the foresight of the District’s Board of Directors over
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tar is a beautiful one-year-old cat who was surrendered when her family couldn’t find pet friendly housing. Star is an independent young lady looking for a family who will respect her decisions, because she is obviously the star of the show! She did live in a home with dogs and even played with a small dog friend, so she could do well in a home with dogs who like cat friends. Miss Star is ready to find her new home — could that be at your place?! Adoptions are first come, first served! Please view available animals on our website and then visit the Shelter to turn in your application. All adoptions require proof of home ownership or landlord approval. Please have this information prepared. If an animal is in Foster Care, please bring in your adoption application and schedule an appointment to meet the animal. Call 831-454-7200 x0 during business hours or visit www.scanimalshelter.org for more information! n ••• Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter’s full-service, open-admission shelter: Santa Cruz Location (Public Entrance): 1001 Rodriguez St., Santa Cruz, 95062 Hours: Daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Watsonville Location: CURRENTLY CLOSED 580 Airport Blvd, Watsonville, CA 95076 SCCAS Main line: 831-454-7200. Animal Control: 831-454-7227. After-Hours Emergency: 831-471-1182 • After Hours: jillian.ganley@santacruzcounty.us
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www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / October 2021 / 31
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