Capitola Soquel Times: May 2024

Capitola Aptos Rotary Raises

Inquiring Photographer

Robert Scott, a student at Cabrillo College in Aptos, asked this question on campus: What do you wish for your mom on Mother’s Day?

Owen Ghigliazza, 19, Santa Cruz: “I hope she can really take a minute, take a whole day to relax, longer. I just hope I’m able to return the favor and be there for her.” Full Story page 6 Firefighter Gear Without Forever Chemicals? Full Story page 8

By Tricia Wiltshire Potts

The Capitola Aptos Rotary Club community dinner and auction in honor of Supervisors Zach Friend and Bruce McPherson raised $90,140 to support Treasure Cove at Jade Street Park in Capitola. Rotary members presented the check to County Park

Friends, which is in the midst of a campaign to raise $1 million dollar for the universally-accessible playground as part of a public-private partnership with the City of Capitola. ... continues on page 4

Geoff Alexander, Nisene Marks State Park Advocate, to be Honored Visitors to the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park marvel at the redwoods, but do they know who built the bridge that makes it possible for the trail to cross the creek to reach a spectacular waterfall? Full Story page 5

Capitola Aptos Rotary Raises $90,000 for Treasure Cove: Capital Campaign for Accessible Playground at Halfway Point, By Tricia Wiltshire Potts Community News

4 County Housing for Health Grants

5 Geoff Alexander, Nisene Marks State Park Advocate, to be Honored: Volunteer Center to Recognize Community Service Stars, By Jondi Gumz

8 Firefighter Gear Without Forever Chemicals?: HR 4769 Could Help, By Jondi Gumz

9 EPA Limits Forever Chemicals in Drinking Water, By Jondi Gumz

12 Kristen Brown, Rebecca Downing New Metro Board Leaders • Bay Fed Recognizes Bennett, Campos for Service Excellence: Credit Union Names Top Employees of 2023

14 Federal Funds for Community Projects: Includes Capitola’s Cliff Drive Bluffs; Child Care in Cabrillo Student Housing

16 Better Santa Cruz: Focus on Housing Attainability, By Kaelin Wagnermarsh

18 Center for Spiritual Living Receives Excellence in Community Award

19 Ryan Coonerty to Lead Leadership Santa Cruz County • Dominican Hospital Matched with Eight Morehouse Medical Students in Training

20 Teen Girls Told: ‘Dream It, Be It’ • Women Building Homes for Habitat for Humanity

21 Youth Poet Laureate Dina Lusztig: 3 Poems

22 County Sales Tax Hike, Hospital Bond Pass: Brown & De Serpa in Nov. 5 Runoff, By Jondi Gumz • AG Urges Feds to Set Overdraft Fee of $3: In 2022, Consumer Paid $7.7 Billion in Overdraft Fees

23 Highway 1 Slip-out Blocking Big Sur Scheduled to be Fixed by Memorial Day • Jobs in Santa Cruz County

24 Santa Cruz County Cycling Club Invites You to the Newest Ride • Repeat Salmon Closure Eyed for 2024 • Insurance Chief Proposes Reform: Consumer Watchdog says Transparency Needed

25 City of Santa Cruz: $4 Million in State Homeless Funding • County Budget Hearings: April Thru June

31 2024 Santa Cruz County Fair Artwork In Memoriam

10 Philip Scofield: Retired Aptos La Selva Fire Chief was Man of the Year

10 Beverly Dale Wesley

Monthly Horoscope • Page 26 – Taurus: Beauty, Bible, Egypt, Moses & the Ten Commandments, By Risa D’Angeles Community Calendar • Arts & Entertainment – Pages 28, 29

Featured Columnists

6 Wishes for Mom on Mother’s Day, By Robert Scott, the Inquiring Photographer

7 Manny Perez and the Milk, By Joe Ortiz

27 Traveling This Summer? Here’s What You Need to Know, By Christopher Elliott

30 Community Center Update in the Works, By Kristen Brown, Mayor, City of Capitola

contributing

Tricia Wiltshire Potts, Jondi Gumz, Kaelin Wagnermarsh, Risa D’Angeles, Joe Ortiz, Christopher Elliott, Kristen Brown, Robert Scott

County Housing for Health Grants COMMUNITY

In February, the County of Santa Cruz Housing for Health Partnership announced $6.014 million in federal funding and $3.58 million in state funding from the Homekey Program to support housing and services in Santa Cruz County.

“These critical federal and state resources are much needed and bolster our plan to address homelessness throughout our county,” said Robert Ratner, the County of Santa Cruz H4H Division Director.

“Housing Matters’ new 180 Together project is the latest example of our growing collaboration with nonprofits and the

COVER STORY

“Treasure Cove” from page 1

Rotary’s successful fundraising efforts were matched 1:1 by a $250,000 challenge grant from the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, host of the annual AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament.

Central California Alliance for Health to benefit community members.”

Federal Funding

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funded 17 projects submitted from Santa Cruz County. These include two new projects:

• $270,910 for a Housing for Health Partnership planning grant

• $313,548 for Housing Matters’ 180 Together permanent supportive housing project, to provide rental subsidies for 13 unhoused individuals and family members.

The HUD grants represent a 65%

increase in funding compared to 2019, the year before the County of Santa Cruz created the Housing for Health Division.

Eight projects requested funding to renew existing programs. These awards totaled $4.15 million, mostly to provide housing and services for helping adults and families experiencing homelessness to become permanently housed.

Seven projects requested funding for the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program. These projects were awarded $1.28 million.

“Housing Health” page 6

Pooley, Erik Long

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“Thanks to the generosity of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation and the support from the Capitola Aptos Rotary Club and other community members, we are happy

to announce we have raised over $500,000 for the playground,” said Mariah Roberts, executive director of County Park Friends.

“Our Rotary club is highly gratified at the outpouring of support at our sold-out event,” said Lowry Fenton, club president. “Capitola’s mayor, vice mayor, city council, event sponsors, donors and community members showed their commitment to building a public space that can be enjoyed by all.”

People attending saw the conceptual plans for Treasure Cove, enjoyed dinner and entertaining stories from McPherson’s and Friends’s county supervisor careers, and participated in a lively auction.

Friend said, “The Capitola Aptos Rotary has led the way in improving park access for our community. From LEO’s Haven to Willowbrook to Treasure Cove at Jade Street Park, future generations will experience parks in a new way because of the leadership, love and commitment of club members.”

Capitola Vice Mayor Yvette Brooks, who spearheaded the City of Capitola’s planning for the playground, said, “I am grateful to Capitola Aptos Rotary for its hard work and generosity which will benefit all children for years to come.”

The Rotary Club has more fundraisers planned this year, including a Kentucky Derby party on May 4, and a pickleball tournament (date TBA). n •••

To view the new playground design, see www.countyparkfriends.org/jadestpark.

Cover Photo Credit: Rotarian Doug Deaver

Friday, May 31, 6 – 9pm @ Bargetto Winery

by Capitola-Soquel Chamber of Commerce

We at the Times Publishing Group, Inc. are dedicated to providing a voice for the individuals and organizations in our community while highlighting the outstanding accomplishments of our local businesses. We seek to promote healthy family values through our

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Geoff Alexander, Nisene Marks State Park Advocate, to be Honored Volunteer Center to Recognize Community Service Stars

By Jondi Gumz

Visitors to the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park marvel at the redwoods, but do they know who built the bridge that makes it possible for the trail to cross the creek to reach a spectacular waterfall?

The answer is the nonprofit Advocates for the Forest of Nisene Marks, co-founded by Sandy Lydon in 1992 and shepherded for 30 years by Geoff Alexander of Soquel.

Alexander is one of the 33 individuals and organizations to receive Be the Difference awards, hosted by the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County on Wednesday, May 8, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the Boardwalk’s Cocoanut Grove Ballroom.

A Renaissance man able to write software, make apple cider and design his own home, Alexander served as president, vice president, chairman and secretary of the board, holding the Advocates together when times were hard and money was tight.

He has been in ill health but hopes to attend the ceremony in a wheelchair. n

Here is the list of honorees: Arts & Culture

David Lyng Real Estate, Capitola

Sue Dormanen of Soquel, Santa Cruz

Shakespeare

Pat McVeigh, Habitat for Humanity

Judy Stabile, Pajaro Valley Arts

Building Community

100+ Women Who Care

Crew Point Logistics LLC

Erica Chapin, Volunteer Center’s disaster response team

Terri Fisher, Santa Cruz Hostel

Fellow board member William Stauble called him a “thought leader” able to pull in donors to fund projects and talented volunteers to complete them.

Alexander oversaw construction of Margaret’s Bridge at Nisene Marks, on the trail to

Short-Term Goals,

the seasonal waterfall. He also built restrooms and seasonal bridges needed to cross creeks filled with rain, championed improvements to trails and roads, and did dust abatement and education projects.

Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay “Golden Hammer Crew” Gerry Jensen, Capitola advocate and activist

“Be the Difference” page 15

Volunteers with the Advocates for the Forest of Nisene Marks building a bridge in the early 1980s. Geoff Alexander, wearing a beard, is at right. The VW bus is also his.

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FEATURED COLUMNIST

Wishes for Mom on Mother’s Day

By Robert Scott, the Inquiring Photographer

Robert Scott, a student at Cabrillo College in Aptos, asked this question on campus: What do you wish for your mom on Mother’s Day? •••

Owen Ghigliazza, 19, Santa Cruz: “I hope she can reallytakeaminute, take a whole day to relax, longer. I just hope I’m able to return the favor and be there for her.”

Lawson, 21, Prunedale: “I wish for you to find fulfillment, joy, and happiness every single day; and for you to get that adventure vehicle you want and go travel the world.”

Taylor Cannon, 26, Santa Cruz: “Peace of mind, I wish her good health and I hope that she knows I’m doing my best and there’s nothing to worry about and I want her to be content.”

Lucy Roberts, 16, Scotts Valley: “For Mother’s Day, I wish my mom can do what she wants, I think she deserves a bit of a break and some freedom after raising me and my two siblings.”

“Housing Health” from page 4

State Funding

A $3.58 million Homekey Round 3 award was secured to develop a new 21-bed youth transitional housing project on Freedom Boulevard near Watsonville.

The project will convert a former children’s residential treatment program into new housing units for youth. CFSC Inc., Front St., and Covenant House partnered on this application.

The partners aim to have the site ready for use by the end of 2024 or early 2025.

Kaeli Roessler, 20, Live Oak: “Just happiness if that’s not too basic. Probably like a bouquet of flowers, she likes flowers.”

Serena Hernandez, 19, Freedom: “A good day, a good happy Mother’s Day.”

Esbeydi Juarez, 19, Freedom: “To have a day to rest and have a good day I guess.”

Beau Chilson, 19, Corralitos: “I’ll say a trip to Iceland, she’s always wanted to take a trip to Iceland.”

Grayson Hutchinson, 18, Aptos: “I wish that she is happy and feels emotionally fulfilled, because she has the best kids ever.” n

Do you have a question for our Inquiring Photographer? Email editor Jondi Gumz at info@cyber-times.com

Housing Matters was awarded $200,000 for the Rebele Family Shelter and Association of Faith Communities was award $181,150 for its emergency shelter.

Houising Matters also was awarded $200,000 for rapid rehousing. n

For a full list of the awards in Santa Cruz County, see https://housingforhealthpartnership. org/ForProviders/FundingOpportunities.aspx

Manny Perez and the Milk

Previous episode: After Mom caught Dad roughing me up behind the café, she kicked him out of the house for good.

•••

Manny Perez was friendly, outgoing, and dependable most of the time. When he started working at the drive-in dairy on Avalon Boulevard, he offered to buy me, at his cost, the newest thing in milk packaging.

The milk was in a container that weighed about twenty-five pounds and, although it was awkward to carry, you didn’t have to pick it up to pour it. You just sat it on a shelf in the fridge and popped a plastic spout out of a cardboard box, pouring milk right into your glass or bowl.

It cost me lots more than my mother and I had ever spent for milk—around two dollars and change for three gallons worth. Before we had only bought milk a quart at a time, or on occasion we’d pay 49 cents for a half-gallon at Von’s. This time Mom agreed to give me the money because Manny was so nice to do it for us, and she rarely refused anything that I thought was a good idea.

For some reason Manny didn’t show up with the milk after dinner that night like he promised. He didn’t show up later either. I did a little homework; but I couldn’t concentrate. I listened to the last few innings of the Dodger game; but all I could think about was Manny and the milk. It got later and later. And after having spent that kind of money, I finally decided, well maybe that’s a lot of milk to buy all at once.

The more I thought about it, the more I started to feel glad Manny didn’t show up and hoped he had forgotten the deal. Maybe the next day I could tell him, Let’s just forget it—Mom and I can buy our milk at the store a quart at a time like we always did.

I went to bed early, hoping I would fall asleep, forget all about Manny and the milk and wake up the next day without having caused a lot of commotion in the house in the middle of the night. But as I was falling off to sleep, I heard a scratching at the window. At first I thought it was a bug caught in the screen or some kind of bird tapping. But when the scratching got louder and the pattern more regular, I realized it was Manny.

I tried to make believe I was asleep. Maybe he would go away, I thought. If he had brought the milk, maybe he would take it home with him, put in in his refrigerator, and wake up his mom instead of mine.

But no. Manny was persistent. Even if it

Spring’s Best Locally Grown

By Joe Ortiz

meant scoring a goal for the other team, which he had done in one of our JV basketball games.

That night was no different. He wasn’t the kind of kid to be defeated by a dark house or a closed window. Before too long, I heard the window slide open.

“Hey, Joe,” he whispered through the half-opened window, “You awake?”

I kept my eyes shut tight and didn’t move. I wanted him to leave. Instead Manny opened the window the rest of the way, and I sank deeper into the covers. He scooted the milk container through the window and onto my desk, then crawled up and started climbing in through the window himself.

“What’s going on?” I said. “Who is it?”

“Don’t worry,” he said, “It’s Manny and I’ve got your milk.”

By then I realized I had to get up.

There we were whispering to one another in the dim light of my room, exchanging the milk for the few dollars I had wadded up and stashed into the coin pocket of my Levi’s, which were gathered on top of my sneakers in the corner.

“Manny & Milk” page 15

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Firefighter Gear Without Forever Chemicals? HR 4769 Could Help

By Jondi Gumz

Troy Niles joined Central Fire four years ago, with the goal to become a full-time firefighter after working in restaurants and manufacturing.

He’s 39, currently working in logistics and on call, the father of twin daughters age 2½, and the issue of safer protective clothing is not theoretical to him.

In his four years, he’s attended two funerals of fellow firefighters, both due to cancer.

At the firefighter academy, he learned “safety first.”

He puts on his gear, which weighs a hefty 85 pounds, to protect him against flames and hazardous chemicals but he doesn’t know if his gear is made with highly toxic substances known as forever chemicals or PFAS.

“I just wear what they give me,” he said.

Central Fire Chief Jason Nee is working to provide safer gear.

He said, “We have allocated $240,000 to spend to replace half of our employees’ equipment with the goal of replacing the other half in the next budget year.”

Why are they called forever chemicals?

As the U.S. Centers for Disease Control explains, these chemicals don’t break down in the human body or the environment.

Notre Dame Researcher

Graham Peaslee, professor of physics at the University of Notre Dame, began researching per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS after a 2005 discovery at a lake near his home. The lake was contaminated with chemicals from flame retardants.

PFAS was commonly used in firefighting foam, sprayed from helicopters to halt wildfire and during training at military bases. The chemicals seep into groundwater and then drinking water.

Peaslee used Notre Dame’s St. Andre particle accelerator to test products for PFAS and get results in minutes instead of hours.

Products coated with PFAS resist heat, oil, stains, grease and water, and Peaslee found them in fast food wrappers at 20 different chains.

They are commonly used in nonstick pans-- think Teflon –raincoats and carpet– think Scotchgard, sleeping bags, popcorn bags, dental floss, cosmetics, and firefighter protective gear, which must withstand fire and water and has multiple layers including a moisture barrier.

Peaslee began testing firefighter gear after getting an email from Diane Cotter, whose healthy firefighter husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer. She suspected more than smoke was the reason, and obtained new and used gear to be tested.

The results: Peaslee consistently found PFAS on the inside and outside of the gear, “startling high levels” of toxic fluorine.

Last year, producer Mark Ruffalo with Etheral Films, the Last Call Foundation and Footpath Pictures released “Burned” a documentary on Diane and Paul Cotter, Graham

Peaslee, and how significant exposure to forever chemicals are affecting the fire community.

New Restrictions

On April 10, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the first time set a contamination limit on PFAS forever chemicals in drinking water.

The enforceable limit is 4.0 parts per trillion for PFOA and 4.0 parts per trillion for PFOS.

There have been clues that these chemicals are especially unhealthy.

In 2017, forever chemicals were found in drinking water in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, home of a 1,750-acre 3M factory that made chemicals for Scotchgard. The state of Minnesota sued and sought $5 billion; after eight years, 3M settled for $850 million but admitted nothing.

Internal documents later show company officials knew the chemicals were toxic, with one scientist warning of cancer risk in 1979.

Dupont, which invented Teflon, was sued by people who claimed they were affected by the toxin. In 2012, Dupont funded a science panel that found probable links between its chemical known as C8, and health problems such as cancer after testing almost 70,000 people.

In 2017, Dupont and its spinoff Chemours paid $670 million to settle a lawsuit, but did not admit wrongdoing.

When PFOS, another forever chemical was found in lakes near Greensboro, North Carolina, the source was an airport where firefighting foam with PFOS was used in training exercises.

The Hawes River was contaminated with PFAS from an upstream wastewater treatment plant where the filters were not designed to remove PFAS coming from local industries.

In 2017, a new version of PFAS called GenX was found in the 200-mile Cape Fear River, the main water source for Wilmington, North Carolina and millions more people. The source was wastewater from the upstream Chemours manufacturing plant.

firefighters to hazardous exposures and need for decontamination, and to consider body composition in product design.

Recent studies have shown that all three layers of firefighter turnout gear contain Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), a class of fluorinated chemicals known as “forever chemicals.”

PFAS chemicals are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic, and are linked to reproductive harms, weakened immune systems, and cancer – the leading cause of firefighter death.

Research has found the strongest links are to kidney cancer and testicular cancer;

“Firefighters’ jobs are already dangerous enough without worrying about the long-term health risks of being exposed to dangerous PFAS in their turnout gear,” said Dingell. “The PFAS Alternatives Act will remove this unnecessary occupational hazard and help protect firefighters as they work every day to protect us.”

In 2019, Chemours made an agreement with North Carolina to remove GenX and other PFAS contamination.

Michael Regan, who now heads the EPA, was then head of North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality.

A year and a half after Regan became EPA chief, EPA proposed to designate PFOA and PFOS as hazardous. After weighing the evidence, the EPA determined that PFOA and PFOS are likely to be carcinogenic to humans.

One priority is to prevent PFAS from entering the environment.

Bill in Congress

In July 2023, a handful of Congressional representatives took up the issue of the “forever chemicals” PFAS in firefighter turnout gear.

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) along with Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Sam Graves (R-MO), Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ), Dina Titus (D-NV), Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced the Protecting Firefighters and Advancing Stateof-the-Art Alternatives Act (PFAS Alternatives Act), to support development of PFAS-free turnout gear for firefighters to better protect them from the dangers of their work.

The bill, if passed, would authorize $25 million annually for each fiscal year 2024 through 2028 to support research, development and testing of new materials, and $2 million annually for training to reduce harmful exposures through proper wearing and cleaning of gear.

The legislation, H.R.4769, would require a program be established within 180 days of passage to award grants to manufacturers, which would be required to consult with firefighter organizations and organizations that represent them to ensure the new turnout gear will be practical and effective.

Stated goals are to protect against particulates and byproducts of combustion, greater ease of cleaning or visible indicators to alert

The bill is endorsed by the International Association of Fire Fighters, the union representing firefighters, and Globe Manufacturing Co., in New Hampshire, North America’s oldest manufacturer of firefighter turnout gear acquired in 2017 by MSA Safety, a global manufacturer that bought Bristol Uniforms, a turnout maker in the United Kingdom, in 2021.

Since the bill was introduced, it now has 78 sponsors, including Rep. Jimmy Panetta, DCarmel Valley, who signed on as of March 24.

H.R. 4769 requires a progress report two years after passage.

No. 1 Killer

Nearly 75% of those honored at the 2022 Fallen Fire Fighter remembrance died of occupational cancer, according to the IAFF.

“Cancer is the No. 1 killer of firefighters… For too long, firefighters have been needlessly exposed to cancer every day simply by putting on the protective gear necessary to respond to emergencies in our communities,” said IAFF President Edward Kelly, who joined the Boston Fire Department in 1997 and defeated Mahlon Mitchell of Wisconsin in 2021 in a rare contested election.

Kelly succeeded Harold Schaitberger, who had held the top spot since 2001.

Kelly said, “Chemical companies, who have known for years about the cancercausing properties of PFAS, have seen increased earnings while firefighters face repeated exposure to toxins directly linked to illness and death. The PFAS Alternatives Act can change this sad fact by putting firefighters — not corporate interests — at the center of the research for next-generation gear, guaranteeing we have a voice in developing the products we rely on for safety.”

Kelly added, “Our membership is grateful to Reps. Dingell, Graves, Kean, Bonamici, D’Esposito, Ivey, Fitzpatrick, and Titus, and we applaud their courage in sponsoring this bill.”

“PFAS Gear” page 11

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz

Cover Photo: Troy Niles, at Central Fire in Aptos, shows off the protective clothing firefighters wear.

EPA Limits Forever Chemicals in Drinking Water

By Jondi Gumz

On April 10, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued the first national and legally enforceable drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to harmful per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals.”

Exposure to PFAS has been linked to deadly cancers, impacts to the liver and heart, and immune and developmental damage to infants and children, according to the EPA.

For PFOA and PFOS, EPA is setting a Maximum Contaminant Level Goal, a nonenforceable health-based goal, at zero. This reflects the latest science showing there is no level of exposure to these contaminants without risk of health impacts, including certain cancers.

EPA is setting enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels at 4.0 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, individually. This standard will reduce exposure from these PFAS in drinking water to the lowest levels that are feasible for effective implementation.

For PFNA, PFHxS, and “GenX Chemicals,” EPA is setting the Maximum Contaminant Level Goals and Maximum Contaminant Levels at 10 parts per trillion.

EPA also announced $945,700,000 for states and territories for detecting, treating, and mitigating PFAS and emerging contaminants in drinking water. California was allotted $82,961,000.

On April 19, the EPA designated PFOA and PFOS hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, known as Superfund, with the goal for polluters to pay to clean up their contamination.

This final rule aims to prevent thousands of premature deaths, tens of thousands of serious illnesses, including certain cancers and liver and heart impacts in adults, and immune and developmental impacts to infants and children.

This rule represents the most significant step under EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap released in October 2021 and President Biden’s action plan assigning the EPA, FEMA, FDA, USDA, FAA, depart -

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ments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services to combat PFAS pollution.

Among those actions: A phaseout of PFAS in food wrappers, an inventory of PFAS in firefighting foams and research on alternatives, and funding a study by the University of Arizona on firefighter exposure to PFAS and health impacts.

At that time, 29 PFAS forever chemicals had been found in the nation’s water systems.

Spurring this effort was the 2017 discovery that the Cape Fear River, the drinking water source for 1 million people around Fayetteville, North Carolina, was heavily contaminated with PFAS pollution from a nearby manufacturing facility.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan said, “Drinking water contaminated with PFAS has plagued communities across this country for too long.”

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said, “We asked for this because we know science-based standards for PFAS and other compounds are desperately needed.”

“EPA” page 11

IN MEMORIAM

Philip Scofield

Retired Aptos La Selva Fire Chief was Man of the Year ~1948-2024 ~

Philip Scofield, the first firefighterparamedic in Santa Cruz County and a retired chief of Aptos/La Selva Fire District, died Feb. 23 at the age of 75.

Phil was known for his charismatic personality, storytelling, and strong connections to the community.

Born in Santa Cruz on Dec. 21, 1948 to George H. and Helen S. Scofield, he grad uated from Soquel High and began as a volunteer firefighter with Aptos Fire District in 1971.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from UC San Francisco in 1998.

In 1978, he was the first firefighter/paramedic in Santa Cruz County.

In 1979, Aptos Chamber of Commerce named him, along with fellow paramedics, “Men of the Year.”

As battalion chief, Scofield worked in training/operations and advocated protective hearing gear.

In 1995, at age 46, he was appointed chief of the Aptos/La Selva Fire District. He increased staffing and helped form first

Scofield taught CPR/fire pre vention education, became a captain in 1981, and instructed fire sciences at Cabrillo College.

He served on the Soquel Elementary School District Board of Trustees for six years and was president for one year.

The Aptos and La Selva Fire Districts merged in 1985.

In 1998, he retired, due to disabilities resulting from his years of service. He served as local CalPERS president.

In 1999, he began a new career in real estate, working at Bailey Properties. He also was a volunteer docent at Seacliff State Beach in Aptos and at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

The impact of his service to the Santa Cruz community will be forever felt by the many whose lives he touched. He will always be remembered as a local hero.

His daughter Amber said he was an amazing dad and loving grandfather.

Survivors include his brother George H. Scofield Jr, Kristin Scofield, mother of his children; daughters Heather Sarah Scofield and Amber Elizabeth Tesler; grandchildren Kyle Allen Scofield, Kayla Barros-Matheney, Hayden Tesler, Wyatt Tesler, and his fire department family. n

Beverly Dale Wesley: 1943-2023

Beverly Dale Wesley was born May 6, 1943 in Florida, but later moved to New Jersey where she grew up.

She fondly remembered going on fishing trips with her family.

She studied art and Spanish at Guilford College in North Carolina.

She taught art, Spanish and jewelry making at Watsonville High School for over 30 years, where she will be long remembered for her antics at the faculty talent shows.

She married architect Herbert Ichikawa and was a long-time resident of Capitola and Aptos. She and Herb enjoyed travelling and time with family and friends before he passed in 2016.

She loved music, and was a member of the Mission Valley and Cabrillo Sweet Adelines Choruses, and later a member of the Gold Standard Barbershop Chorus in Santa Cruz. She sang in quartets, duets, and trios,

and was a member of the Santa Cruz Ukulele Club and Mid-County Pluckers.

She travelled the world with her Mixed MetaFour quartet, one of barbershop’s first quartets with 2 men and 2 women, and performed locally with her trio Three in a Chord and her ukulele duet, The Broken G Strings.

She is remembered by many as a hilarious friend who always lived in the moment and loved puns, costumes, and singing. She passed away in Sparks, Nevada on October 24, 2023 at the age of 80.

She is predeceased by her parents, siblings and husband, and survived by her sister, Irene Thomas of Fernley, Nevada, her step-children, Dean Ichikawa and Jill Ichikawa Ng, and her grandchildren. n

A memorial service will be held on May 5, 2024 from 1-3 p.m. at the Mid-County Senior Center in Capitola.

“PFAS

He told 800 union leaders, “As firefighters, we aren’t Republicans or Democrats. We aren’t red or blue. We’re firefighters through and through.”

He spoke of a widow in Lubbock Texas who lost her husband to job-related cancer.

In his opinion, the top priority is to get “next-generation toxic-PFAS-free carcinogenic bunker gear, PPE.”

In January 2023, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, a part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, created a National Firefighter Registry to learn more about cancer in the fire service. The registry is at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ firefighters/registry.html

Companies like 3M and DuPont, along with nearly 40 other firefighter gear makers, are facing a mounting number of lawsuits, according to DrugWatch.com, which reports on lawsuits against high-risk drugs and devices. With enough lawsuits, a federal judicial panel could consolidate them into a multidistrict litigation, such as those against Roundup, Facebook and Juul Labs.

Why is PFAS in Turnout Gear?

The International Association of Fire Fighters claims a testing standard of the National Fire Protection Association for protective gear effectively requires using PFAS.

In March 2023, the IAFF, which represents 300,000 professional firefighters and paramedics, filed a lawsuit against the NFPA with the goal to change that standard, spurred by Diane Cotter, whose firefighter husband was diagnosed with cancer.

“We can’t rely on so-called experts to tell us what is safe for us,” said Edward Kelly, president of the IAFF. “We have to do our own research. We have to make sure we have independent research to make sure we are operating as safe as possible.”

The IAFF’s lawsuit contends the NFPA is influenced by the industry that makes money off the testing standard in fire safety gear.

The NFPA issued a statement saying, the IAFF’s comments falsely portray NFPA, its

standards development process, and the role the IAFF plays in that process.

The gear standard does not specify any particular material, according to NFPA, but it does require a moisture barrier test to ensure the gear is protective, and it’s the manufacturer that decides how to comply. NFPA said anyone can propose changes and the IAFF has not recommended a ban on PFAS in firefighter gear.

Travis Temarantz, president of the WilkesBarre Firefighters Union IAFF Local 104, proposed labeling for firefighter gear with PFAS.

The NFPA Technical Committee adopted a rule allowing companies to say their garment/ gear is PFAS-free. One member, Amanda Newsom, a staff engineer for Underwriters Lab, questioned whether it was enforceable by the certification organization, and another member ,Jeffrey Stull, president of International Personnel Protection, said some test methodology should be included.

Another rule adopted: The certification organization should use its best judgment in determining the relevant categories of restricted substances to be evaluated based on the information provided by the manufacturer or supplier for the respective material(s) and component(s).

Currently there is no test to evaluate the leachability of hazardous chemicals from the textile material to the skin while sweating.

Another new rule says the garment with PFAS shall be evaluated for leaching. Newsom said the test method should be validated to understand the impact and feasibility of these materials. n

To order the documentary “Burned,” see https://etherealfilms.org/burned/

“EPA” from page 9

Emily Donovan, co-founder of Clean Cape Fear, said, “We learned about GenX and other PFAS in our tap water six years ago. I raised my children on this water and watched loved ones suffer from rare or recurrent cancers. No one should ever worry if their tap water will make them sick or give them cancer. I’m grateful the Biden EPA heard our pleas and kept its promise to the American people. We will keep fighting until all exposures to PFAS end and the chemical companies responsible for business-related human rights abuses are held fully accountable.”

Ken Cook, Environmental Working Group president and co-founder, said, “For decades, the American people have been exposed to the family of incredibly toxic ‘forever chemicals’ known as PFAS with no protection from their government. Those chemicals now contaminate virtually all Americans from birth. That’s because for generations, PFAS chemicals slid off of every federal environmental law like a fried egg off a Teflon pan.”

EPA estimates between 6% and 10% of the 66,000 public drinking water systems subject to this rule may have to take action to reduce PFAS to meet these new standards.

All public water systems have three years to complete initial monitoring. They must inform the public of the level of PFAS measured in their drinking water.

Where PFAS exceeds these standards, systems must implement solutions to reduce PFAS in drinking water within five years.

The EPA said the limits “are achievable using a range of available technologies and approaches including granular activated carbon, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange systems.”

The Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, serving Wilmington, North Carolina, has effectively deployed a granular activated carbon system to remove PFAS. n

EPA offers a communications toolkit at https:// www.epa.gov/sdwa/pfas-communications-toolkit. For more stories on PFAS, see www. tpgonlinedaily.com

Diane Cotter, who discovered her husband Paul Cotter’s exposure to forever chemicals, talks to Elijah YetterBowman, director of the film “Burned.”

COMMUNITY NEWS

Kristen Brown, Rebecca Downing New Metro Board Leaders

Santa Cruz Metro announces Kristen Brown of Capitola as the new board chair and Rebecca Downing of Seacliff as vice chair.

Brown is mayor of Capitola and chairs the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission. She is senior associate of government relations at Silicon Valley Leadership Group.

She has a bachelor’s degree from CSU Monterey Bay and a master’s degree from CSU Northridge.

“We stand poised to advance exciting initiatives like Reimagine Metro Phase 2, One Ride At a Time and Youth Cruz Free programs, and to bring forth exciting new opportunities in the near future,” she said.

Reimagine Metro aims to provide more frequent service and double ridership.

One Ride At a Time showcases the natural resources of Monterey Bay with dramatic images by photographers Frans Lanting and Jodi Frediani on buses, and every ride makes

a donation to local nonprofits protecting the environment.

Youth Cruz Free means free bus rides for K-12 students through Dec. 31. High school students are asked to show their student ID.

Downing, who lives in Seacliff, is a citizen appointment made by the County Board of Supervisors.

She grew up riding the bus in Honolulu and on the mainland, not needing a license or car until moving to rural Michigan. She

transferred to Santa Cruz County for work in 1989 after earning her bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Barbara in 1982.

Her career was in sales and human resources, including several years in transportation and logistics for a subsidiary of Union Pacific Corp.

Since 2002 she has been active on the board of the Seacliff Improvement Association. She strongly supports public transit and pedestrian safety and traffic calming measures.

“I am looking forward to the next phase of Metro’s Wave service planned for this September,” said Downing. “It will both increase the frequency of buses on our most popular routes and expand service to reach new riders.

Public participation in Reimagine Metro provided us with the information needed to create a more robust and inclusive network improving travel times with frequent service and timely connections.” n

Bay Fed Recognizes Bennett, Campos for Service Excellence Credit Union Names Top Employees of 2023

Two employees at Bay Federal Credit Union received the coveted Service Excellence Award as the credit union recognized the top performing employees of 2023.

The honorees are: Trisha Bennett, assistant vice president enterprise applications and Project Management Office, and Rachael Campos, Member Service Center assistant manager.

Bennett is known for her positive, proactive, and collaborative attitude. She actively seeks solutions to work through challenges, keeps our member’s experience in mind, facilitates a fun and engaging environment, and creates new ways to experience team building and service to our community.

Campos consistently goes above and beyond to help members and fellow employees, while always remaining

friendly, engaging, and helpful under all circumstances. While stepping into a new role this last year, she provided thoughtful leadership, collaboration, and accountability while solving complex issues.

Another 32 employees received awards, such as the Wind Beneath our Wings award, which celebrates collaboration between back-office departments and frontline branch staff; the Community Champions Award, which honors employees who go above and beyond when volunteering in the community; and the Pacific Spirit Award, for employees who represent Bay Federal’s values and demonstrate dedication, initiative, and a positive outlook.

Awards also went to employees who made significant contributions by proposing efficiencies (BayIDEAS Awards), regularly collaborating with others (Collaborator Club Award), and making positive impacts within their first year (Rookie Awards).

Bay Federal also continued its tradition of honoring branch employees for outstanding member service with its Member Experience Champions Award, Member Hero Awards, Sales Super Star Awards, Service Supervisor

Award, Service Manager Award, and Branch Manager Award. n •••

Here are the winners

Member Experience Champions Award: Aptos Branch

Member Hero Award — Member Service Representative: Joseph Brito, Capitola

Member Hero Award — Member Service

Center Representative: Abra Larr

Sales Super Star Award — Financial Services Officer : Drew Thompson , Capitola

Sales Super Star Award — Home Loan Consultant: Camac Serna

Financial Advisor Award: Sam Solgan

Service Supervisor Award: Sam Hammerness, Capitola

Service Manager Award: Denise Gomez, Capitola

AVP/Branch Manager Award: Nicole Beaver, Capitola

Collaborator Club Award: Ryan Borella, MSS, Capitola Rookie Awards

Omar Garibay, Facilities • Victor Verdugo, River Street • Lauren Walker, Marketing

BayIdeas Awards

Wimala Brown, FSO, Capitola • Michelle Asistin, Senior Loan Services Specialist

Kristen Brown • Rebecca Downing

Trisha Bennett

Rachael Campos

Ivy

Deborah Cypert Owner Bobbie Frandeen

Need Home Care?

Exceptional Caregiving Services For Elders & Adults with Disabilities

Federal Funds for Community Projects Includes Capitola’s Cliff Drive Bluffs; Child Care in Cabrillo Student Housing

U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) announced he has secured $5.53 million in community project funding for 6 local initiatives in Santa Cruz County. These projects include:

• $1,666,279 for the Cabrillo Child Care Center to construct an expanded child care center as part of Cabrillo College’s housing project and support services for low-income students.

• $1,000,000 for the Scotts Valley Town Center to acquire 8.15 acres of land, with the eventual goal being to develop 14 total acres of vacant land into a mixeduse “downtown” urban core, including affordable housing.

• $959,752 for the City of Santa Cruz for Newell Creek Pipeline Replacement to replace approximately 2,600 lineal feet of the Newell Creek Pipeline located within a steep hillside off Brackney Road in rural Ben Lomond and relocate the pipeline within geologically stable ground for both landslide and earthquake protection.

• $959,752 for the San Lorenzo Valley Water District Tank Replacement Project to consolidate two small mutual water companies, Forest Springs, and Bracken Brae, with the San Lorenzo Valley Water District to provide a safe and reliable water supply to the approximately 440 customers served by these two systems.

• $500,000 for the Real Property Acquisition for Natural Bridges Apartments Affordable Housing Project to support a 20-unit, single-room occupancy, threestory apartment building providing affordable housing and other amenities to low-income residents.

• $450,000 for Capitola Cliff Drive Infrastructure Resiliency which would stabilize the failing coastal bluffs along Cliff Drive to protect local public infrastructure and public safety.

In 2021, Panetta and House Democrats led the way in bringing back a process to allow representatives—who know their districts best—to request and secure funds for the programs and places that matter most to communities. The process, formerly known as “earmarks,” had been halted for 10 years due to accusations of pork spending.

“Local projects that directly impact the quality of life of our community need federal investment to properly scale,” Panetta said. “Through this funding, I am working to foster an important, ongoing connection between the federal government and the organizations doing incredible work on housing, childcare, water resiliency, and more in California’s 19th Congressional District. Alongside local partners,

we are making tangible improvements to our community and bringing exciting new initiatives to fruition in Santa Cruz County.”

Matt Wetstein, Cabrillo College president and superintendent, said, “We are incredibly grateful for Congressman Panetta’s support in securing U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funding of $1.67 million for the Cabrillo College Child Care Center that will be included in our low-income student housing project in partnership with UCSC.”

He added, “Many of our students are also parents, and having reliable, affordable child care is essential for them to be able to stay in school. The Child Care Center will include classroom space, child care services, an outdoor recreation space, and nutritious meals.”

Santa Cruz Water Department Director Heidi Luckenbach said, “The Newell Creek Pipeline is one of the oldest and most important pieces of our water system. Replacing it will improve our water deliveries and strengthen our ability to respond to the increasing threats of severe wildfires and intense storms associated with climate change.”

She added, “This new funding will help ensure safe, reliable, and affordable drinking water for our community for decades to come, and we are grateful to Congressman Panetta for championing this initiative.”

San Lorenzo Valley Water District Interim General Manager Brian Frus said, “The San Lorenzo Valley Water District is honored to be a recipient of 2024 Congressional Community Project Funding. The District will utilize project funding to assist with the consolidation of two local water mutual companies heavily impacted by the 2020 CZU Fire.”

He elaborated, “Funding will specifically be used to construct water storage to ensure potable water along with adequate fire flows far into the future. This opportunity marks progress in our consolidation efforts and emphasizes the importance of collaborative approaches to address critical infrastructure needs.

“Child Care” page 16

Proposal Render of planned students housing © 2022 Jones Lang LaSalle IP, Inc. All rights reserved.

“Be the Difference” from page 5

Nancy Murray, Santa Cruz County

Mounted Posse

Santa Cruz Elks Lodge

Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability

Ecology Action Bike Repair Program

Geoff Alexander, Soquel, Advocates for the Forest of Nisene Marks

Nicola Wagner, Homeless Garden Project

Suzanne MacLean, Homeless Garden Project

Dean Spieller, Homeless Garden Project

Tom and Libby Purdy, Ben Lomond, Wilder Ranch State Park Docents

Families & Youth

Cradle to Career Santa Cruz County

Daryl Wise, Shared Adventures volunteer

Debbie Falconer, Santa Cruz SPCA

Dora Gonzalez, CASA Court Appointed Special Advocates

Natalie Martinez, Watsonville community volunteer Health & Wellness

Gardenia Amor Y Bienestar Para La Mujer

Teen Kitchen Project Delivery Angels, Soquel

Gary Bencomo, Dientes dental and nonprofit champion

“Manny & Milk” from page 7

Manny stood there counting the money while I stood in my socks and underwear, holding a milk container the size of a rugby ball that I had already decided was too much for a 12-year-old kid and his moneystrapped mother to drink before it went bad.

When Manny slipped back out the window, I had to put the milk in the fridge and, of course, you know who woke up and followed me into the kitchen.

“Joey,” Mom said, “What’s going on out here? What’s all the noise?”

There really wasn’t that much noise, just me opening the refrigerator and sliding the milk onto the shelf. But Mom could hear anything. Like Dad used to say, “Ya can’t put anything ova on ya Mutha, Joey. She can hear a mouse fart a mile away.”

“It’s me, Mom,” I whispered, “Manny just dropped off the milk and I’m putting it away. Go back to sleep.”

JGerri Ashton, Hospice of Santa Cruz County

Jennifer Fenton, The Equine Healing

Collaborative

Social & Economic Justice

The Santa Cruz Welcoming Network

Dennis Cavaille, Felton, tutor with the Volunteer Center Literacy Program

MaryJo Van Verth, Aptos, Team Just Us

Sister Rosa Dolores Rodriguez, Casa de la Cultura, Pajaro

Tickets for the luncheon cost $60. Purchase at https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/ weblink.aspx?id=67&name=E162036

“Manny and the milk?” she said. “I didn’t hear the door open.”

“Well, he came in through the window, Mom.”

“Bringing milk in through the window?” she said, starting to wake up.

I could imagine her in a few minutes biting her finger and getting worked up. But now she was still whispering. I felt us both hunching over, trying to make ourselves small and inconspicuous as we spoke. It was something I’d learned from her, as if when whispering you also had to hunker down so you could hide from anyone who might be looking or listening to what you were talking about.

“I don’t understand that Manny,” she said, hunching down even more as if she had something more serious to tell me. “What’s he thinking, waking people up in the middle of the night?” she said. “He means well. And so did your father . . .”

“Well, he’s gone now,” I interrupted her. I couldn’t let her finish. Here it comes, I thought.

Joe Ortiz Memoir: Episodes & Recipes

oe Ortiz’s memoir, Pastina — My Father’s Misfortune, My Mother’s Good Soup, became the framework for the musical Escaping Queens, which ran at Cabrillo Stage in 2012 and 2013.

Since 2022, the Capitola Soquel Times is the exclusive publication of various episodes from the book — including a recipe that helps shape each installment. You may have read one of the pieces in the Times a few months ago entitled, “Pastina, Food for the Soul — The Night Freddie the Bookie Showed Up with the Gun.”

The idea of weaving anecdotes about food with an ongoing narrative came to Joe after reading Heartburn by Nora Ephron.

“Using recipe descriptions to help tell a story seemed the perfect way to weave the angst of a father’s chaotic life with the salvation of a mother’s cooking,” Ortiz explains. “For me, the soothing aromas and descriptions of my mom’s food became the salve to assuage my father’s abusive actions, and the ironic humor of it all helped to dull the pain.” n

“And Dad’s gone, too.” I said. “So, we don’t have to talk about any of it. Let’s go back to sleep. At least the milk’s here and tomorrow we can start to drink it.”

And sure, I guess I’d have to find out what she had on her mind about Dad.

Joe’s Club Clam Chowder

Makes 4 servings

Whenyou have so much milk in the house, you have to come up with ways to use it. Here’s a good recipe I learned much later.

As mom had taught me by example, whole cream was expensive. So, this simple chowder with milk, though lighter than a traditional, thicker version with cream, gets its richness from a small dose of butter.

½ medium yellow onion, diced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 large carrot, cut in oval coins, very thin

4 medium yellow finn potatoes, peeled and diced in 1/4-inch cubes

½ teaspoon salt and ground fresh pepper to taste,

3 cans minced clams, with their juice (16 ounces total)

2 cups milk

8 ounces canned corn (1/2 of a 15.25 ounce can)

1 teaspoon Italian herbs

Sauté the diced onions in the oil and butter a few minutes, until translucent. Add the potatoes and carrots and sauté a few minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Add only the juice from the clams, reserving the clams for later, and cook down a few minutes on low heat. Add the milk and cook on very low heat for 8 to 10 minutes until the potatoes are just cooked.

Add the clams, corn and herbs toward the end of warming. n

Advocates for the Forest of Nisene Marks gather for a birthday party in 2020. Geoff Alexander is the bearded fellow at the head of the table.

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Better Santa Cruz: Focus on Housing Attainability

By Kaelin Wagnermarsh

During the past year we have seen some correlations between many of the systemic issues we’ve been investigating. The overall goal for Better Santa Cruz is a thriving Santa Cruz.

For Santa Cruz to be thriving, this is what we see as being needed:

• Opportunity for its citizens

• Healthy citizenry

• Sustainable environment

• Safe environment

• Attainable housing

• Strong and accountable systemic structures from budgetary, to the education system, to available services, judicial, jails, foster care, etc.

One thing that we believe is a starting point to all of this is availability of housing for all its citizens.

One cannot take advantage of opportunity if they are not able to take a shower before an interview, one cannot be safe if many of its citizens are in an unstable situation. One cannot be healthy without a consistent, safe place to recover.

Considering Santa Cruz is the most unaffordable place to live, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, housing affordability is a key peace to this puzzle. Step one, in our opinion.

So, for the next year Better Santa Cruz is shifting our focus to Housing Attainability. Instead of monthly panels, we are moving toward an event every few months to highlight actionable items and areas of impact toward our current focus-- attainable housing in Santa Cruz for all its citizens.

“Child Care” from page 14

Frus concluded: “We express our gratitude for this funding opportunity and look forward to continuing this productive collaboration with Rep. Panetta’s office.”

On May 21, we will host a Housing Discussion Meet-up, a more informal event to encourage discussion among the community. We are very excited about this, and more details to follow soon.

In the meantime, here are some events worth attending:

Costs and benefits of affordable housing — Zoom meeting with architects FORA Tuesday May 14 from 11 am- 12:30 pm. https://www.housingsantacruzcounty. com/affordable-housing-month/ emd0jpy8rurj3scsv5luwo7vrwp3xt County wide housing programs, — location tba, Monday May 13 from 5 – 7 pm. https://www.housingsantacruzcounty.com/affordable-housing-month /5us7vyirc8i3eu5azpoxu3mxyne2jv Housing Challenges and Solutions with Geoffrey Morgan of CHISPA, — Miriam Greenberg of UC Santa Cruz, Julie Conway, Matt Huerta: May 16 from 5:30 – 8 pm at 1807 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz https://www.housingsantacruzcounty. com/affordable-housing-month/ ewa00d453ln3k3p62e8w966rilx44b Affordable Housing Month Kick Off — Dr Margo Kushel, Saturday May 4, 6-8 pm at the Hotel Paradox https:// www.housingsantacruzcounty. com/affordable-housing-month/ affordable-housing-month-kickoff Housing Matter’s March to End Homelessness — Saturday, May 18 from 10 am-12:30 pm, Santa Cruz City Hall, 809 Center St, Santa Cruz https://housingmatterssc.org/event/march2024/ n

generous support will have a lasting impact on our community and make a difference in the lives of those we serve.”

Capitola Mayor Kristen Brown said, “Failing coastal bluffs along Cliff Drive present a threat to public safety for Capitola residents. Through this federal funding, our community will be able to continue to make progress on infrastructure improvements to this critical roadway. The city of Capitola looks forward to our continued partnership with Rep. Panetta in our collective work to improve quality of life for our residents.”

Scotts Valley Mayor Randy Johnson said, “The City of Scotts Valley is profoundly grateful for the funding secured by Rep. Panetta for our Town Center project. This

Santa Cruz County Housing Authority Executive Director Jenny Panetta said, “The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz extends our deepest gratitude to Congressman Panetta for his unwavering commitment to affordable housing for our community. With his instrumental support in securing $500,000 of Community Project Funding for Natural Bridges Apartments, Congressman Panetta has paved the way for 20 households to secure stable and affordable housing in the heart of Santa Cruz’s Westside neighborhood. We commend Congressman Panetta and his team for their tireless advocacy and collaboration towards our shared goal of using affordable housing as a platform to foster a thriving community for all.” n

Center for Spiritual Living Receives Excellence in Community Award

This is a big year for the Center for Spiritual Living Santa Cruz, located at 1818 Felt St., in Live Oak.

The congregation will celebrate 60 years in Santa Cruz – and leaders at the international headquarters in Golden, Colorado, chose the Santa Cruz spiritual community out of 400 locations worldwide to receive the Excellence in Community Award for 2024.

“Santa Cruz is proof that if you are open at the top and stay open to transformation, a new and exciting experience evolves,” said Rev. Val Benedict, who chairs the Centers for Spiritual Living Awards Committee.

In 2010, the parent organization renamed itself to “Center for Spiritual Living,” and most of the member centers followed suit.

In 2022, Rev. Elisha Christopher was installed as the Spiritual Director.

At 30, Christopher was singled out by the renowned Dr. Jean Houston and invited to the prestigious Emerging Leaders Initiative. Christopher studied under Dr. Houston for nine years.

The Center for Spiritual Living Santa Cruz is committed to fostering an environment of inclusivity, support and growth.

The mission is to provide spiritual tools for personal and global transformation. The vision: A world that works for everyone, and all life on earth.

Our Mission

Rev. Elisha Christopher, Spiritual Director CSL Santa Cruz, said, “As we celebrate this well-deserved recognition, we look forward to witnessing the continued success and the ripple effects of our contributions that will undoubtedly enrich the lives of many for years to come.”

CSL Santa Cruz began as a discussion group and was incorporated as the First Church of Religious Science in 1964 under Rev. Elizabeth Bryce Reed, the first woman elected president of the Cabinet of the United Clergy of Religious Science and president of the local Soroptimist Club.

Since then, the Center has been led by a number of ministers.

Starting in 1968, services were on Pioneer Street, Santa Cruz, and in 1990, the center moved into 1818 Felt St. At that time the name was changed to the “Center for Conscious Living.”

“Bay Fed” from page 12

Pacific Spirit Awards

Alex Shehab, Branch Sales & Service

Trainer • Ana Montejano, Senior MSC Support Specialist • Anna Ladas, Digital Systems Leader • Claudina Chavez, Senior MSC Support Specialist • Crystal Espinoza, FSO, Aptos • Hale Brewer, Deposit Production Specialist • Jennifer Price, Senior Accountant • Joey Miranda, Compensation & Benefits Assistant Manager • Karen Salazar, Digital Lending Officer • Kaylee Raymond,

Christopher also studied the Science of Mind philosophy of Ernest Holmes and received ministerial training through the Holmes Institute and Centers for Spiritual Living School of Spiritual Leadership in Santa Rosa, achieving a license as a Minister of Religious Science in 2020.

Today, CSL Santa Cruz has more than 785 community members.

The active registered membership is 120.

Sunday services, which take place in person at 10:30 a.m. and are broadcast live on YouTube, average 120 attendees in the sanctuary and 20 to 100 online viewers via Facebook and YouTube.

The Center offers a variety of classes, with the most popular being Synthesis classes with Rev. Elisha Christopher, BodyWise with dance/ movement instructor Marcia Heath, Qigong to reduce anxiety and stress with John Frey.

The Center hosts a popular flea market that will return this summer on the 4th Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Dates are: May 25, June 22, July 27, Aug. 24 and Sept. 28.

Shoppers are welcome, and volunteers are needed.

With the 60-year anniversary comes a celebration, sometime in July. Organizers are working on the details. n •••

For information about CSL Santa Cruz, services and classes and the Excellence in Community Award, visit https://cslsantacruz.org.

FSO, Capitola • Melissa Fitzpatrick, Digital Experience & Website Management • Paul Henry, Senior Deposit Production Specialist

Wind Beneath Our Wings Awards

Sean Carter, Mortgage Operations Manager • Scott Nguyen, AVP Loan Servicing & Collections • Jessika Wilson, AVP Human Resources

Community Champion Awards

Jess Rodriguez, DMV Titling Specialist

• Brenda Espana, Member Relationship Specialist, Watsonville • Michelle Asistin, Senior Loan Services Specialist

Rev. Elisha Christopher

COMMUNITY NEWS

Ryan Coonerty to Lead Leadership Santa Cruz County

Leadership Santa Cruz County announces former county supervisor Ryan Coonerty as its new executive director, succeeding Dave Vincent, who has filled the role on an interim basis since September.

Vincent, who was executive director from 2008 to 2019 after working for State Parks, voiced enthusiasm for Coonerty.

Coonerty, 50, is a former two-time Santa Cruz mayor and twoterm county supervisor and an entrepreneur, author, and educator with a passion for leadership. He has been a senior policy advisor for San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan since 2023.

“Santa Cruz County will thrive or struggle in the coming decades depending on the quality of our leaders,” Coonerty said. “I look forward to building on a strong program by providing people the skills, knowledge and connections they need to effectively lead. Leadership Santa Cruz County helped shape my knowledge of our community decades ago, I can’t wait to work with the next generation of leaders.”

Coonerty will be responsible for strategic planning, program development, fundraising, and community engagement. He will work with the board of directors, staff, volunteers, and community partners.

“He brings with him an extensive knowledge of the inner workings of our community, he has well-established relationships with leaders throughout the county, and a clear vision for what LSCC can become in the years ahead,” Vincent said.

Board Chair Shaz Roth said, “On behalf of the board, we are thrilled to welcome Ryan. We are confident that under his guidance, LSCC will continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve.”

Founded in 1985, Leadership Santa Cruz County is a nonprofit that teaches a broad base of community knowledge to class members, provides field trips to tourist and agricultural buisnesses and human service providers, and creates opportunities for participants to interact with leaders in government, education, criminal justice, and other industries.

The fee to participate in the leadership training is $1,400; scholarships are available.

The deadline to apply for the next class is July 31. n

For info about Leadership Santa Cruz County and its program, visit leadershipsanta cruzcounty.org or call 831-419-5007

Dominican Hospital Matched with Eight Morehouse Medical Students in Training

For the first time, eight medical students at Morehouse School of Medicine have been matched to come to Dignity Health Dominican Hospital in July for a three-year residency program as the next step in their training to become a physician.

The announcement of the eight residents from Morehouse, a historically Black medical school, was made on Match Day March 15, an annual occasion within medical circles, which this year had 50,413 apply for a residency program, up 4.7% from a year ago. That matches are made by algorithm.

The increase was due largely to 1,986 non-U.S. citizen international medical graduates and 623 seniors in osteopathic medicine.

Of all positions offered, 38,941 filled for a rate of 93.8%.

The 2024 Match offered 19,423 primary care positions, which includes training for internal medicine, family medicine and

pediatrics. Emergency medicine offered 3,026 positions, and the pediatrics specialty 3,139. Specialties included surgery, radiology, and obstetrics/gynecology.

CommonSpirit Health, Dominican’s parent organization, and the Morehouse School of Medicine are backing a 10-year $100 million initiative — More in Common Alliance — to increase medical education opportunities for more Black, Indigenous and people of color.

Dominican Hospital was chosen as one of seven sites nationally to address two of the most pressing challenges in healthcare — a shortage of diverse clinicians and the need for more equitable health care.

“Morehouse Medical” page 20

Ryan Coonerty

Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz

COMMUNITY NEWS

Teen Girls Told: ‘Dream It, Be It’

Soroptimist International Clubs of Capitola-by-the-Sea and Watsonville, United Way of Santa Cruz County and Girls, Inc. of the Central Coast hosted nearly 30 teen girls at their “Dream It, Be It,” event at the Watsonville Youth Center.

The goal is to give girls the tools they need to achieve their education and career goals, empowering them to break cycles of poverty, violence, and abuse.

The teens, ranging in age from 13-18, listened to a welcome and aspirational message from Watsonville Mayor Vanessa Quiroz-Carter.

They also heard three women talk about careers: A first-year law student, a rookie San Jose police officer and a woman educated in the United States and Switzerland who landed a job teaching English in China.

Then the girls were asked to create dream boards using materials supplied by United Way of Santa Cruz County to help them visualize their future goals.

“I encourage you to brush those negative thoughts you have about yourselves off your shoulders,” United Way

CEO Keisha Browder, event emcee, told the girls. “Sometimes those negative thoughts are what holds us back from

Odoing what we want to do and be who we want to be.”

The teens enjoyed lunch and received gift bags with toiletries, cosmetics and hair accessories.

Soroptimist International of Capitola and Watsonville are part of a global volunteer organization that provides women and girls with access to the education and training to achieve economic empowerment; United Way ignites the community to give, advocate and volunteer so that youths succeed in school and life, residents are healthy, and families are financially independent; Girls, Inc. of the Central Coast’s mission is to inspire all girls to be strong, smart and bold and to respect themselves and the world around them. n

For information, contact Soroptimists of Capitola at sicapitola.by.the.sea@gmail.com; Soroptimist of Watsonville at siwatsonville@ soroptimist.net; United Way of Santa Cruz County at (831) 479-5466 and Girls, Inc. of the Central Coast at info@girlsinccc.org.

Women Building Homes for Habitat for Humanity

n March 16, Santa Cruz County Bank employees took part in Women Build Month, volunteering for Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay at the Rodeo Creek Court project, an 11-home development in Live Oak.

Volunteers included Krista Snelling, Cecilia Situ, Brianna Carabba, Heather Schnell, Jenny Grove, Dara Harris, Kim Luke, Yadira Rudoni and Jessica Lopez. The team worked under the direction of Habitat’s professional construction crew, led by Construction Managers Dylan Childs and Keaton Port-Gaarn, and Construction Associate Sal Dibiasi. Together with Habitat’s homeowners, the SCCB team assisted on preparing century-old chicken coop wood for re-use, priming and painting wood panels for a planned children’s playhouse, installing solar panels on a roof, and sealing the walls of a shower/tub area in preparation for tile installation.

After four years of construction, the Rodeo Creek Court development is in its final stages, with a

completion date expected in early summer this year. The development includes five two-story duplexes and one ADA-accessible single-story home. Finishing touches on the last phase of the dwelling units, along with work on the development’s common areas, are the final tasks to be completed.

Krista Snelling, president and CEO of Santa Cruz County Bank, who joined bank staff at the site again this year, said, “We are so thrilled to contribute to the completion of the Rodeo Creek Court site. The Build days we have participated in over the years have been meaningful and rewarding. We’re grateful for our longstanding partnership with Habitat Monterey Bay and for their dedication to housing families in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. We’re excited to celebrate as the families move into their new homes.”

Satish Rishi, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay, said, “We are immensely grateful for their team’s tenacity and generosity.” n

“Morehouse Medical” from page 19

“This is a pivotal milestone in our journey towards equitable healthcare provision in Santa Cruz, said Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz, president and CEO, Dominican Hospital. “As we welcome our inaugural class of residents we stand committed to addressing health disparities and serving our diverse community. This momentous occasion not only celebrates the achievements of our residents but also reaffirms our dedication to a more inclusive healthcare landscape.”

The More in Common Alliance Family Medicine Residency Program at Dominican Hospital reflects a commitment to expanding opportunities for underrepresented medical students.

Post-graduate residents will benefit from clinical training focused on addressing health inequities and working with underserved patients.

For example, Santa Cruz Community Health Center sponsors the resident physicians’ outpatient continuity clinic training. And Salud Para La Gente and Watsonville Community Hospital in South Santa Cruz County provide support for many of the resident core rotations.

“It is through the dedication of these community partners that our residency program will truly excel. Together, as a community, we are dedicated to our shared mission of eliminating healthcare disparities in Santa Cruz County,” said Dr. Walt Mills, Morehouse School of Medicine program director. n

From left: Watsonville Mayor Vanessa Quiroz-Carter, Volicitie Dodge, Taneesha Dodge, Jackee Bindzi and United Way CEO Keisha Browder.

Santa Cruz County Bank employees volunteered at Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay’s Rodeo Creek Court development. From left, back row: Jenny Grove, Yadira Rudoni, Krista Snelling, Dara Harris, Brianna Carabba, Heather Schnell; front row: Kim Luke, Jessica Lopez, Cecilia Situ.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Youth Poet Laureate

Dina Lusztig: 3 Poems

Requiem

Requiem, say any other word to me butRequiem by any other name would taste as brash. A thousand tales and thrash could tell of requiem.

Lethargy, use my time for anything butLethargy by any other whim would sing as mute. A thousand rhymes and roots could tell of lethargy.

Fallacy, live my days with any thought butFallacy by any other horror feigns as weak. A thousand livid creaks could tell of fallacy.

Mezzanine, if I could only view my life fromMezzanine by any other sting could cut as deep. A thousand lacks of sleep can’t see a Mezzanine.

Fractures, if I could see where my lifeFractures with reality, where the cracks are. A thousand letter locks could tell of Fractures.

Tornado

Note experientially what’s turned to aristocracy. Take life experimentally. It’s tantamount to anything but heresy. Oh spareth me your crown of turk’s cap lilies threaded into parity. Of woe is thee!

Wrap thyself in heraldries, and thousand tiny apathies. And forget wealth disparity and our growing polarity. And I might need shock therapy to fix my own aberrancy, so I can leave this barren sea. Turn silent ears to parody, and burst a second cap’llary, and STOP.

Break circularity. Falter the errancy. Come back to Kansas Dorothy, and sleep.

Feedback

Step one: question everything. Bloody fists truthward hurl, because your kenning is not “dead girl”… yet.

Step two: answer them yourself. Blink, you’ll die, not as two. Darling all herself that wasn’t you cadet.

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Step three: change angles. A bullet’s war will grow boy to man, mangled, not boy to girl: so burn me.

Step four: understand your want. You are mannequin: broken toy. Hope not yourself to haunt. Do not ridicule the boy turned she.

Step five: begin, self actualize. Repair damage self inflicted, but not self galvanized. You were addicted. Heart attack.

Step six: you are bulletproof. Circular logic, how clever. But, not weather proof. Not forever. You fall back.

Step seven: question everything.

Santa Cruz County Youth Poet Laureate Dina Lusztig submitted these poems to the countywide competition to earn the title. Dina attends Pacific Collegiate School, a charter school on the Santa Cruz Westside. She lives near downtown Santa Cruz, just across the San Lorenzo River from Front Street.

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“Youth Poet Laureate” page 23

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Dina Lusztig

County Sales Tax Hike, Hospital Bond Pass

Brown & De Serpa in Nov. 5 Runoff

ABy Jondi Gumz

ll of the votes are counted from the March 5 election in Santa Cruz County and none of the outcomes changed.

Santa Cruz County residents in the unincorporated areas such as Soquel, Aptos and Corralitos can expect to pay more sales tax starting July 1 as 54.6% of the voters approved Measure K to raise the sales tax from 9% to 9.5%.

The measure needed only 50% plus one to pass.

The County estimated it will get $5 million to $7.5 million this fiscal year and $10 million in future fiscal years. The supervisors’ budget priorities this year include $1 million for housing and essential work force retention, $1 million for Countywide homeless services, $1 million to support climate resiliency and County parks, $1 million to fund road repair and infrastructure projects, and the reminder unspecified. As of June 30, 2022, the county was liable for $403.1 million for pension benefits and $198.1 million for other retirement benefits.

Sales tax in Capitola is 9%.

AG Urges Feds

HIn Scotts Valley and Watsonville, it’s 9.75%.

Sales tax in the City of Santa Cruz is also going up, as 61.78% of voters approved an increase from 9.25% to 9.75%.

The Pajaro Valley Health Care District’s $116 million bond to purchase the Watsonville Community Hospital property from the out-of-town owner and upgrade the facility passed.

The district extends from Aptos to Pajaro.

In Monterey County, 1,096 voted, with 64.42% in favor – short of two-thirds needed to pass– but 14,479 in Santa Cruz County voted, with 68.55% in favor, making Measure N successful.

County Supervisor Races

In District 2, where the incumbent did not run, Capitola Mayor Kristen Brown got 5,310 votes — 32.77% — but she did not get a majority in the five-person race.

She will be in a runoff Nov. 5 with Kim De Serpa, a member of the Pajaro Valley Unified School District board, who finished second with 4,085 votes—25.21%.

David Schwartz, Bruce Jaffe and Tony Crane got 41% of the vote, and their supporters will have to choose another candidate.

In District 1, incumbent Manu Koenig earned a second term with 9,264 votes to 8,310 for nonprofit founder Lani Faulkner, and 104 write-ins. That’s 52.40% to 47.01%.

In District 5, where four candidates ran to succeed a retiring incumbent, no candidate got a majority.

Monica Martinez, CEO of the nonprofit Encompass, got 7,849 votes -- 46.43% – and will be in a runoff with Christopher Bradford, a software engineer, who got 3,619 votes for 21.41%.

Builder Tom Decker and Theresa Ann Bond, a member of the Los Gatos Saratoga Joint High School District board, got 31 % of the votes, and it remains to be seen who their backers will support.

Live Oak School District’s $44 million bond measure needed 55% to pass and 64.63% voted yes.

In Happy Valley, a one-school school district, 83.97% of voters said yes to a $99 parcel tax for six years. A 2/3 yes vote was needed.

Voters in the Pacific Elementary School District in Davenport passed two bonds, which needed 55% to pass, one for $1.3 million, with 61.26% yes and one for $675,000 with 67.71% yes. n

Complete results at www.tpgonlinedaily.com

to Set Overdraft Fee of $3: In 2022, Consumer Paid $7.7 Billion in Overdraft Fees

ave you been paying overdraft fees?

In 2022, consumers paid over $7.7 billion in overdraft and non sufficient fund fees, according to the federal Consumer Financial Prot4ection Bureau.

On April 2, California Attorney General Rob Bonta joined 17 attorneys general in submitting a comment letter supporting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s proposed overdraft fee rule, amending Truth in Lending Act regulations.

The proposed rule would require large banks to apply consumer protections, include interest rate disclosures, to overdraft fees.

This would close a regulatory loophole that enables banks to extract billions of dollars from consumers by charging overdraft fees without adequately disclosing basic credit terms, according to Bonta.

“Overdraft fees are a relic and should be left in the past. These fees harm lowincome Californians the most, while lining the pockets of large financial institutions,” said Bonta. “The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s proposed rule would protect consumers’ pocketbooks and create more transparency about how overdraft fees are handled in the places where they bank.”

The Truth in Lending Act was enacted in 1968 when many families used the mail

to send and receive checks and had little certainty about when their deposits and withdrawals would clear. When a bank clears a check and the consumer doesn’t have funds in the account, the bank charges an overdraft fee and in doing so is issuing a loan to cover the difference. The Federal Reserve Board created an exemption to TILA protections if the bank

was honoring a check when their depositor inadvertently overdrew their account. At the time, this was used infrequently and resulted in a small cost for consumers. It was not a major profit driver.

This exception no longer serves its original purpose given the automation of overdraft pay, prevalence of debit card

transactions as an alternative to checks, and drastically increased overdraft fees.

Today, 23 million households pay overdraft fees in any given year. Banks usually charge $35 for an overdraft, most of which are repaid within three days—representing an annual percentage rate of 17,000%.

The annual percentage rate is the yearly rate charged for a loan or earned by an investment and includes interest and fees. Typically, on a personal loan, this ranges from 6% to 36%.

In the letter, the attorneys general endorse the proposed rule and request that the CFPB set the benchmark overdraft fee at $3, which would not trigger TILA disclosures and reduce overdraft fees for consumers.

The attorneys general also urge the CFPB to consider expanding the proposed rule to small financial institutions given that many are among the most frequent chargers of costly overdraft fees.

Agreeing with Bonta are attorneys general of New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, and the District of Columbia. n

The letter is posted at https://tinyurl.com/ ag-overdraft-fee-cap.

Kristen Brown Kim De Serpa

Monica Martinez Christopher Bradford

Highway 1 Slip-out Blocking Big Sur Scheduled to be Fixed by Memorial Day

On Saturday, March 30, during heavy rain, a slip-out occurred on Highway 1 just south of the Rocky Creek Bridge that led to the closure of the highway in both directions at Palo Colorado Road.

On Sunday, after an examination of the roadway over the slip-out by engineers, one lane of Highway 1 was opened to temporarily evacuate motorists via convoy. Some 1,600 visitors went through. Six hotels offered to help affected travelers and residents. Convoys were cancelled when rain was forecasted for two days.

On April 12, Caltrans announced that initial repairs to stabilize the road could be complete by Memorial Day, May 27. This would end convoys and allow alternating one-way traffic using 24/7 signalized traffic control.

“We know how important Highway 1

is to the regional economy, especially during the summer, so we are working to reopen the roadway as quickly and safely as possible while at the same time making it more resilient to future extreme weather events,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares.

For updates on Highway 1 repairs and convoy times: www.readymontereycounty. org/emergency/rocky-creek-slide

“Although it was Easter Sunday, it was important to visit the location of the slip-out in person in order to get an idea not just

Jobs in Santa Cruz County

Sector March 2024 Change from March 2023

Source: California Employment Development Department

Unemployment in Santa Cruz County in March was 7.4% on seasonal job gains in hospitality and construction as rain gave way to sun while retail saw losses.

Professional and business services lost 300 jobs in January and has not regained.

Jobs in Capitola include finance manager at Santa Cruz Subaru, paying $100,000 to $150,000 a year. The City of Capitola is recruiting lifeguards, paying $19.66- $22.76 per hour, and summer recreation leaders, paying $16.80-$23.63 per hour.

the

“Youth Poet Laureate” from page 21

Growing up she never read poetry, and so the first time she wrote a poem she barely even knew what it was that she had written.

In writing as a whole, perhaps her biggest inspiration has been the author David Sedaris, who taught her ways in which to see her own life that picked apart the details she found most interesting in her experiences. She personally recommends his books to anyone who cares for dry wit and memoir.

of the extent of damage, but also the difficulty that lies ahead for Caltrans in its effort to repair that section of the roadway,” Panetta said.

He said he will coordinate with state and local partners in their efforts to

repair Highway 1 and ensure that the Federal Highway Administration plays its part to provide any possible reimbursement for emergency repairs.

Panetta added, “Although this section of road will be difficult to fix, Caltrans continues to do remarkable work when it comes to repairing this highway. They do so in tough locations and in a timely and safe manner so that the residents of that area have access and we can continue to experience the beauty and magnificence of Highway 1.”

New Leaf Community Market is offering $17.55-$22.20 per hour for a full-time produce clerk and $18-$25 per hour for a chalk artist.

Margaritaville is offering $16 per hour for a part-time bartender.

During 2022, unemployment hovered around 3.8%, compared to 17+% in 2020, fueled by pandemic restrictions. n

After high school graduation, she intends to go to the East Coast for college. She has always loved New York City and as she has family and friends there, it is her intention to center her undergraduate education around the city.

Finalists in the youth poet laureate competition were: Sylvi Kayser, Aptos High, Gregory Souza, San Lorenzo Valley High, Simon Ellefson, San Lorenzo Valley High, and Madeline Aliah, Cypress High School. All of them will promote and support youth poets. n

Three major slides occurred on Highway 1 due to epic rain in January 2023 closing the highway, and the Paul’s Slide area near Limekiln State Park has yet to reopen.

Due to the road slipout, all State Parks in the Big Sur area are closed to day use and camping. This includes Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Andrew Molera State Park, Limekiln State Park, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and Point Sur State Historic Park.

All camping reservations will be cancelled, and refunds will be processed, State Parks said.

An exact timeline on when these parks will reopen depends on road repairs. For more on those repairs, contact Caltrans.

The Highway 1 shut down is also bad news for the people who work in hotels, restaurants and other attractions such as Esalen.

Caltrans reported the contractor worked through the weekend with the goal of having a schedule for completion of the temporary roadway stabilization. n

For updates, see https://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/highway_conditions.html

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Santa Cruz County Cycling Club Invites You to the Newest Ride

The Santa Cruz County Cycling Club has added a new ride on Sundays to encourage new riders. The D ride is

intended for those who have some bike skills but lack the stamina needed for the more strenuous A, B, and C club rides.

These rides take place in South County as well as Mid County and North County.

“One of our starting locations is Aptos Village next to Penny Ice Creamery, in the plaza,” said Kathleen Ferraro, a member. “We also have rides meeting at the Capitola Community Center on Jade Street as well as a few spots in Watsonville. Our website gives the start for each ride. We do our best to move it around so all our riders don’t always have to travel far.”

Rides are typically between 10-15 miles and 1,000’ or less of elevation gain. Average pace is generally 8-10 mph on the flats. There will be regroup and food/beverage stops.

The D group is no-drop. This is a ride where no one gets left behind should a rider not be able to hold the pace or if they have a mechanical or flat tire. These are great rides to start with as they are more conducive to learning how to safely ride in a group.

Repeat Salmon Closure Eyed for 2024

On April 10, the Pacific Fishery Management Council acted unanimously to recommend closure of California’s commercial and recreational ocean salmon fisheries through the end of the year, mirroring recommendations made last year to close the fisheries in 2023.

The salmon currently present and returning to California’s coast and rivers were impacted by a multi-year drought, severe wildfires, and associated impacts to spawning and rearing habitat, harmful algal blooms and ocean forage shifts.

The low ocean abundance forecasts, coupled with low 2023 returns, led the PFMC to recommend full closure of California’s commercial and recreational ocean salmon fisheries.

The National Marine Fisheries Service is expected to review the recommendations and take regulatory action to enact the closure in mid-May.

On May 15, the California Fish and Game Commission will consider whether to adopt a closure of inland salmon fisheries at a teleconference meeting.

“Salmon Fishing” page 26

However, all riders must always plan to be self-sufficient.

You do not need to be a club member to join a ride.

With the arrival of spring, and sunny weather, the Santa Cruz County Cycling Club offers various rides for cyclists that start around the county and include ride distances of 25 - 50 miles with elevation gain.

The Santa Cruz County Cycling Club encourage healthy lifestyles through education, friendship, teamwork and fun.

Ride coordinators Paula Bradley, Ron Wolf and Mike Hale, and rides director Toby Ferguson, who has entered all the rides in the Ride With GPS app online at www.santacruzcycling.org, were chosen the Members of the Year for 2023.

The organization raises money via the Santa Cruz Mountains Challenge, which was very successful last year, but no one has stepped forward to direct it this year, according to the new club president Maura Noel.

The club membership fee has been raised to $40 a year. For details, email Alex Gilbert at a12gilbert@gmail.com. n

To learn more and how you can join a ride or become a member visit https://scccc.clubexpress. com

Insurance Chief Proposes Reform Consumer Watchdog says Transparency Needed

Carmen Balber, executive director of the nonprofit Consumer Watchdog, is not impressed by California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s reform proposals for setting insurance rates. He proposed to allow use of catastrophe models for fire and flood; currently that is allowed only for earthquakes and fire after earthquakes.

Consumer Watchdog’s view: “Black box catastrophe models are notoriously contradictory and unreliable, which is why public review and transparency are key before insurance companies are allowed to use them to raise rates. Commissioner Lara’s proposed rule appears drafted to limit the information available to the public about the impact of models on rates in violation of Proposition 103.”

Balber added, “The rule fails to spell out whether or how the Department of Insurance would assess a model’s bias, accuracy, or the validity of the science, instead creating a pre-review process that appears primarily focused on determining what information companies must disclose and what they may conceal from public view.”

The rule proposes use of non-disclosure agreements to meet confidentiality demands.

Balber pointed out, “If a nondisclosure agreement prevents public interest organizations from sharing their analysis of a model

with the public, public participation in a review is meaningless.”

She noted the rule proposes to allow allowing the Commissioner, at his discretion, to approve use of catastrophe models in any line of insurance.

“That could mean auto, non-wildfire residential or commercial, cyber insurance and more,” she said. “It would also allow insurers to use models to predict all losses, not just catastrophe losses, a dramatic departure from current practice and one that would guarantee an explosion of rates.”

In her view, “California needs a public catastrophe model to ensure climate data is transparent and to prevent insurance pricegouging and bias.”

Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, a nonprofit dedicated to getting homeowners resources and information to get insured, said homeowners may have to consider insurers they have never heard of.

She sees “paranoia” by insurers worried about the drought, dead trees, high value homes destroyed, cost of materials and labor to rebuild.

She thinks the state is doing everything it can while private sector businesses are doing what they think is necessary.

“Reform” page 26

Courtesy of Cindy Pierce Riding in the redwoods

Photo Credit: Kathleen Ferraro

A recent club ride

City of Santa Cruz: $4 Million in State Homeless Funding

On April 19, the City of Santa Cruz was awarded $4 million from the state Encampment Resolution Fund, one of 17 communities awarded $192 million with the goal to move homeless individuals into housing.

Twelve projects are designed to resolve encampments along state rights-of-way.

Typically, the state awards funds to counties.

A state audit this month found that despite allocating $24 billion to tackle homelessness over the past five years, California has done little to track whether that spending improved the situation. For this round of funds, cities and counties are expected to produce more data.

The 2023 point in time count in Santa Cruz County reported 1,804 unhoused individuals, down from 2,299 in 2022.

In the city of the Santa Cruz, the 2023 number was 1,028, down from 1,439. The data from the January 2024 count is not yet available.

Last year, about 30% were in a temporary shelter and 70% were “unsheltered.”

The grant administered by the California

Interagency Council on Homelessness “signifies a significant investment in Santa Cruz’s ongoing efforts to reduce unsheltered homelessness,” according to city officials.

In Santa Cruz, the grant will support:

• Adding 20 interim housing units on the Housing Matters campus, 115 Coral St., Santa Cruz.

• Provide outreach, coordination of services such as mental health, and housing navigation to support 55 people living in encampments in the Harvey West/Coral Street area, helping them transition into secure and stable housing.

“These funds will empower the City to implement targeted initiatives tailored to the unique needs of the community, fostering pathways to sustainable housing solutions,” said Mayor Fred Keeley.

“As Santa Cruz continues its work to address homelessness, the $4 million in state funding represents a significant step forward in achieving tangible outcomes for individuals experiencing homelessness within the City,” said Larry Imwalle, homelessness response manager.

In 2022, Santa Cruz launched a three-year

County Budget Hearings: April Thru June

The County of Santa Cruz announces a 2024-25 proposed budget of $1.126 billion, down from the $1.213 billion budget adopted for this year, and scheduled public hearings from April to June.

The proposed budget includes a $754.2 million General Fund, which pays for public works, public safety and health and human services.

The downsized budget is due to 34 reduced positions primarily due to the sunsetting of Covid-19 funds) and the elimination of General Fund investments in aging facilities.

Employee salaries and benefits comprise about 43% of the budget.

Fiscal challenges including $144 million in unreimbursed state and federal natural disaster-related costs — the equivalent of an entire year of General Fund property tax and vehicle license revenues. The county tallied $250.4 million for repairs after disasters, and FEMA has not paid what the county expected. To cover the shortfall, staff propose to sell leave revenue bonds; that will be discussed May 14.

Voters on March 5 approved an increase in sales tax but that revenue estimated at $75. Million to $10 million is not figured into the proposed budget.

The state has mandated the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, and the Santa Cruz courts will accept filings for them starting Dec. 1.

Homelessness Response Action Plan, focusing on comprehensive solutions. Key initiatives, including Safe Sleeping Programs, a Safe Parking Program, and proactive Encampment Response, have yielded significant impact.

More than 960 new affordable housing units have been established, with 121 individuals now in long-term stable housing.

Another 776 people have taken advantage of shelter and safe parking, and 109 individuals have been successfully reconnected with family and friends.

Also, 165 safe sleeping spaces in tents are available at 1220 River St. and the National Guard Armory.

The city approved Harvey West Studios, 121 units of supportive housing, a project that was championed by non-profit New Way Homes and will be operated by nonprofit Housing Matters. Construction is to start this year. n

For information about the City of Santa Cruz Homelessness Response Action Plan, visit www. cityofsantacruz.com/homelessness.

Fictional Mothers

The County expects several significant achievements this year. They include:

• Opening of the South County Government Center at 500 Westridge Drive, Watsonville,

• Full operation of the Recovery Center, a sobering center opened in February at 265 Water St., Santa Cruz,

• Completion of the Sheriff’s DNA Lab,

• Creating a master plan on aging, in response to a state initiative

• Construction of a 32-bed navigation center for homeless individuals (funded by a $10.2 million state grant) at 2202

Soquel Ave. next to the county’s Behavioral Health Center operated by Telecare,

• Groundbreaking on a new Children’s Crisis Center at5300 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz, for youth in mental distress. The proposed budget may change, as the projected state deficit of $73 billion.

Gov. Newsom will release his revised budget in May.

The Board of Supervisors scheduled a series of budget hearings to review the 2024- 25 proposed budget on April 9, May 21 and May 22 at 9 a.m. and June 4 at 1:30 p.m. All meetings will be in board chambers, 701 Ocean St., 5th Floor, Santa Cruz. n

To learn more about the 2024-25 proposed budget, visit the County’s budget website at www.santacruzcounty.us/VisionSantaCruz/ Budget.aspx

Capital of Vietnam 68. Yours is as good as mine? 69. Tennis retry 70. Cause anxiety (2 words)

Bookie’s quote

Well-kept secret, for some

Teatime treat

Do like volcano

Honey home 3. Iris holder

Human trunk

iPad “pen”

*Matriarch, ____ Munster of “The Munsters”

*Nadezhda of “The Americans,” ____ Elizabeth Jennings, acr.

8. Muhammad’s birthplace

Taurus: Beauty, Bible, Egypt, Moses & the Ten Commandments

Esoteric Astrology

Taurus. the second sign of the zodiac (Aries, Taurus), where beauty and stability are significant, is the sign that rules the neck, throat and shoulders. Famous singers are often Taurus people. Taurus is fixed earth (each sign works with an element) sign and this is both the purpose behind and reason for how they value possessions, resources, money and land. Their spiritual purpose is to maintain as much in form as possible so that seven generations into the future can be well taken care of. The symbol for Taurus is a bull or calf, a celestial spiritual animal. Bulls are serene, seeking sweet grass in wide meadows. Taurus flows through Venus, planet of beauty and love, values and money. Many consider Taurus to be stubborn (like a bull). But being stubborn is not the reality. Taurus must think deeply about matters before making decisions and this often is interpreted, thought of, judged and seen as being stubborn. Their hesitancy and saying “no” means “Give me time to think things through, to adjust my previous thoughts, to adapt to t new reality.”

By Risa D’Angeles

and were enslaved in Egypt. When the Age of Taurus was over (ages last 2,500 years) the Hebrew people, led by Moses (an Initiate), were taken out of Egypt. They were walking from the end of the Taurus Age to the beginning of the Aries Age. This “walk” or journey took forty years. The desert sojourn was a time of purification which allowed their identity as slaves to fall away.

Ancient Egypt and the Age of Taurus. In the Bible we find a story about the Age of Taurus. It signified the time the Hebrew people lived

ARIES

Jupiter, the heart of Aquarius, calls you to leadership in the creation of the new culture and civilization. This great god provides you with courage, inimitable daring and mental audacity to see far into the future and adapt and reorient your professional talents for the progress of humanity. You will resist being overbearing and arrogant, opposing virtues of a good leader. You will travel and your gifts will be recognized.

TAURUS

Through study, possible travel, and involvement with many different occult and historic, artistic and philosophical studies, you learn how different countries are meeting the needs of their people. You adapt them to the need of the country you live in. It is natural that previously held beliefs and possible prejudices cease as perspectives expand and knowledge leads to wisdom. You will then bring needed change to your community. Think soil, food, fish, algae, biodynamics and building with nature.

GEMINI

We must always begin with ourselves before offering change to the world. In coming months, a deep psychological self-awareness unfolds that offers a deep healing to your past. This liberates your energy and creates an inner regeneration. You then will understand more deeply the suffering of humanity and apply your love/wisdom to their needs. Many benefit from your loving beneficence. You will receive and then share a spiritual inheritance.

CANCER

An inner need to help others grows more and more each day. Partnerships will be formed around the common themes of nurturing and caring those less fortunate. You are to cultivate gardens, animals, build storehouses of food, medicines, seeds, water and books for many in need may be arriving at a later date. For those who are married, attending to these tasks together enhances your original vows and promises.

While in the desert, continuing to be led by Moses, God gave to the people the Ten Commandments (Laws of the Aries Age). Moses remained on the mountain so long that his people became restless and frightened. Not knowing what to do or even if Moses would return, the people turned back to what they knew and understood, which was their religion during the Taurus Age (gold, materialism, sex, food, comforts of the flesh — appropriate during the Taurus Age) and they built a golden calf.

When Moses returned from the mountaintop with the Ten Commandments and saw the golden calf he destroyed it — for the previous age of Taurus and all that was to be learned in Taurus was to be over. (continued mid-month) n

LEO

Realizing humanity (Aquarius) is your marriage partner, you will openly and willingly seek to offer creative and artistic skills to humanity as greater and greater needs surface in the world. As your true purpose of help and healing surfaces, you cultivate and better understand your creative strength, power and might. You will work hard to achieve balance and harmony for the kingdoms (earth, animals, plants, human) summoning you. Your health is vital. Lead with both power and love.

VIRGO

More and more your true self becomes apparent, the vital essential inner beauty of self. You then become yourself, no longer dutiful or fearful and acting as expected but a new confident expression comes forth. This authentic self becomes useful to others. You are the sign of the mother who feeds the world. Your heart must be open to the world before you can attempt to nourish it. Think about food gardens — biodynamic and hydroponic. Why are they useful for the coming times?

LIBRA

As the year unfolds, as the continuing crisis also continues, humanity will seek safety, healing, peace and security, and they must be found in many different ways. It is good to consider using your resources to seek land, create community and provide a stable purposeful village, commons, center for those close to you. Your generosity toward friends will expand to include many more. Something new is soon coming into the world. It will be a shake-up. You have the ability to create and sustain comfort, solace, security — psychological gifts soon needed.

SCORPIO

Although you are considered the hermit of the zodiac, it will surprise you (and others) that in times to come you will emerge from your cave and offer the world vital and needed information. Your research into the coming times makes you more knowledgeable than most about a coming upheaval and reorientation. It’s good to study and train in survival skills. Extended travel may be necessary forging newly formed relationships. Mental confusion, questioning and fears will cease. As world need arises, you step to the forefront.

SAGITTARIUS

Perhaps you are not aware of this but you have been in training on using resources carefully and wisely. In the coming times, resources we’ve placed great importance on will dwindle and new resources will gradually become available. You will be very sensitive to these new resources — how to seek, find and obtain them. Then, because your compassion is developed, you will share and disperse them judiciously, managing the new materialism with intelligence and prudence. The new materialism is the new sharing society.

CAPRICORN

You will understand a new cycle is appearing in our world and your inherent leadership, governing and democratic skills come to light. No longer hiding talents under propriety or childhood wounds, you become a resource for others in how to survive difficult challenges. You’re ahead and at the top now, providing everyone with direction in constructing the new culture and civilization. There will be many ladders to climb. You provide a creative impulse for others to follow.

AQUARIUS

Deeply spiritual and religious dimensions have begun to reveal themselves to you. Seeking to know your past lives, seeking to help heal others, these are a few of what is new thinking in your life. Aquarians will become new era ministers and healers and the new scientists will eventually prove the Soul’s existence. Empathy and dispassion grow along with keen observational abilities. You may help build the new Noah’s Ark through writing and/or publishing. Humanity will seek comfort from the future you already know of and live in. Keyword: listening.

PISCES

There is an aspiration within calling you to offer humanity a place where education, culture, knowledge and wisdom flourish. This place will be found. You will teach others to have hope, ideas, goals and wishes, all of which impact the future. You will teach the new values needed on our planet that will create the new materialism (spiritually focused goals). You will not work alone. Many will share your visions. Your communication and how you live will assist others in understanding the coming social reforms. You will build that community. It’s already in the etheric plane.

“Reform” from page 24

For homeowners who have lost their insurance, Bach recommends finding a good agent to locate a new policy.

She’s also an advocate of creating defensible space around a home even though homeowners aren’t getting the discounts from insurance companies for doing that work. n •••

Resources: ConsumerWatchdog.org and uphelp.org

“Salmon Fishing” from page 24

“After the closure last year, this decision is not an easy one to make,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “While we have been enjoying back-to-back wet winters this year and last, the salmon that will benefit from these conditions aren’t expected to return to California until around 2026 or 2027. The current salmon for this year’s season were impacted by the difficult environmental factors present three to five years ago.”

“While incredibly painful to fishing families and fishing communities, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations supports the closure,” said George Bradshaw, president of PCFFA. “We all need to be doing everything we can to give California’s salmon a chance to recover. It has to be an all hands-on deck effort to ensure survival for our Central Valley and Klamath salmon runs.”

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife plans to expedite a request for federal fishery resource disaster determination for the State of California 2024 Sacramento River Fall Chinook and Klamath River Fall Chinook ocean salmon fisheries. Gov. Newsom made a similar request in response to the closure in 2023, which was approved.

The Department sought comments on the 2023 spend plan for the $20,625,729 that has been allocated by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration for the disaster. n

For information about federal disaster relief, see https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/ Disaster-Info

Traveling This Summer? Here’s What You Need to Know

Summer travel in 2024 will be “expensive in every way,” says Katharine Nohr. And she should know.

She’s planning a two-week adventure to Europe in June, which starts with a marathon flight from Honolulu to Zurich, where she’ll speak at a conference. Then she’s hopscotching across Europe -- to Vienna, then on to the Olympics. She’s made plans to be in Nantes, France, to watch a soccer game, Lille for basketball and Paris for gymnastics, boxing and swimming.

All told, it’ll set her back five figures despite her best efforts, which include flying economy class and staying in the lowestpriced hotels.

“The trip is pricey, even with my efforts to economize,” says Nohr, an attorney from Honolulu. “But it’s a once-in-my-life adventure.”

Exciting, Expensive Vacations

Nohr is part of a wave of travelers that are making big plans for this summer. The itineraries are exciting — and expensive.

Pretty much every barometer of travel intent is up for the summer travel season. Inflation and unemployment are low, and consumer sentiment and curiosity are high, fueling an unprecedented interest in travel during the summer of 2024.

“Bookings are rising,” says Susan Sherren, who runs Couture Trips, a travel agency. “Unfortunately, hotel, tour, and air prices are not falling. So, if you plan on hitting the road this summer, make sure you are willing to splash some cash.”

Travel companies say they’re overwhelmed with summer reservations.

“The travel economy is booming,” says Joe Ialacci, owner of Yacht Hampton Boating Club, a company that rents yachts in Sag Harbor, N.Y. He’s seeing a 40% increase in rentals this summer compared to last year as Americans shift some of their vacation dollars to domestic destinations.

Prices aren’t the only thing trending higher. People’s expectations for their summer vacation are also higher than at any time since the pandemic, says Sangeeta Sadarangani, CEO of Crossing, a multinational travel agency headquartered in London.

By Christopher Elliott

expensive than last summer. But they’re rising elsewhere. Here’s the breakdown:

• Airfares are mixed. Domestic roundtrip airfares for summer are averaging $325 per ticket, which is down 5 percent from last year, according to the travel platform Hopper. Flights to Europe are cheaper, too. They’ve fallen 12% from last year to $1,012. But flights to South America are up 4% and flights to Canada have risen 5%. You’ll pay an average of $759 to fly south of the border and $430 to head north.

• U.S. hotel rates are down. Domestically, they’re down 7% to an average of $304 per night. Internationally, they’re up 2% to $314 per night, according to Kayak.

• Car rental prices are rising. Average domestic car rental rates are up 10% this summer to $113 per day, according to Kayak. Last summer, rates dropped 14% after the car rental shortage ended. Internationally, rates are up 3% to an average of $88 per day.

But you can avoid the high prices with a little strategic planning, experts say.

What to Avoid

“They’re embracing the unknown,” she says.

And one of the great unknowns is travel prices. How much higher will they be?

Rundown on Prices

It depends on where you’re going. There’s good news if you’re traveling within the U.S.: flights and hotels are a little less

look-up, otherwise, you could face some real disappointments.

Strategies for traveling

One tactic that consistently works is splitting your getaway into two sections. Take that required summer vacation with your family somewhere less expensive during the high season. Then, wait until shoulder season for the big trip.

That’s what Ross Copas, a retired electrician from Tweed, Canada, is doing during the summer of 2024. It’s a road trip across the northern U.S. by motorcycle — New York to Washington State, and then back east through Canada.

American travelers are becoming more predictable in their summer vacation choices, says John Lovell, president of Travel Leaders Group. Immediately after the pandemic, they embarked on “revenge” vacations to far-flung locations. Now they’re returning to more conventional vacations.

“We continue to see U.S. travelers heading back to the more traditional locations across Europe this year, like London, Rome, Athens and Munich,” he says.

There are places that will be exceptionally busy — and exceptionally pricey — this summer.

Paris during the Olympics. The Olympic Games are taking place in Paris this summer.

Rooms are more than double the normal rates. which is typical of the Olympics. Paris is already crowded with tourists during the summer, so you can probably imagine what it will be like with the Olympics. Zut, alors!

Taylor Swift is touring Europe this summer. Prices will be higher and the crowds will be denser. “If you aren’t planning to attend one of her concerts, I recommend planning around those European cities when she’s there,” says Betsy Ball, co-founder of Euro Travel Coach. (Want to know if your schedules overlap? Check Taylor Swift’s concert schedule.)

Other big summer events. Even if you steer clear of Taylor and the Olympics, you’re still not out of the woods. There’s the UEFA Euro 2024 football tournament in Germany in June. There’s the Tour de France in July, which begins in Florence and finishes in Nice. France is also hosting the Paralympic Games in August and September, which will take place in Paris, Nice, Marseille and Bordeaux. Best Time to Book?

Since this is going to be a busy one, the sooner you book, the better.

Hopper recommends buying your airfare two to three months before your departure for domestic flights, and for international — well, it’s probably too late to get that rock-bottom fare. If you’re reading this in April, you can still find something for late August or early September, according to its airfare experts.

As always, you can save money by booking a flight for midweek instead of on the weekend — and, of course, by keeping far, far away from the big travel holidays like Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day.

Also, if you’re going overseas, remember their holiday calendar is different. For example, half of Europe shuts down during August for summer vacation. It’s worth a

Then he’s heading to Amsterdam in September for a 23-day European river cruise. He says the late summer getaway will be costly, but he doubts fares will fall anytime soon. “So price be damned,” he adds.

Actually, that’s pretty smart. I took the same cruise he’s planning on Viking River Cruises many years ago, and it was worth every penny.

With hotel rates rising in some places this summer, this is the right time to consider alternatives. Monica Fish, a writer from Glen Rock, N.J., is headed to Ireland to catch one of Taylor Swift’s performances. She says hotel rooms in Dublin are overpriced if they’re even available. But Fish found an affordable vacation rental.

“We just had to book it farther in advance than we normally would,” she says.

I think it’s fine to follow the crowds this summer. I’ll be doing it. I’m planning to rent an apartment for a month in Switzerland with Blueground, a long-term apartment rental company. Then I’m crashing on a friend’s sofa in Spain, then heading to Sweden to see other friends and visiting my brother in Finland. Yes, travel writers know people everywhere.

But don’t follow the crowds off a cliff.

There are places even I won’t go. I might take the four-hour train trip from Zurich to Paris in June to check out my favorite patisseries, but I wouldn’t go anywhere near the City of Lights during the summer games in July unless I made a reservation a long time ago.

And Taylor Swift? Puh-leeze. I’m more of a jazz guy. n

•••

Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes Elliott Confidential, a travel newsletter, and the Elliott Report, a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, email him at chris@elliott.org.

Illustration by Aren Elliott.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

ANNOUNCEMENTS

SOQUEL HIGH SENIOR EVENTS

Multicultural Graduation: May 24 at 6 pm in the stadium

Senior Award Night: May 29 at 6:30 pm in first quad

Graduation: May 31 at 10 am in stadium

CALL FOR ARTISTS

Judy Gittelson of Studio Judy G, 430 Main St., Watsonville, is organizing an art exhibit about trains for June 9 – Aug. 10, and is asking artists to submit art about trains, views from the train seat, and the possibility of train travel in Santa Cruz County in the future.

Apply at www.studiojudyg.org. Entry deadline is May 15.

PARK RX

Santa Cruz County Parks offers free fitness and tai chi classes for people 50+ at Anna Jean Cummings Park in Soquel. Gentle fitness with anaerobic conditioning and stretching started Tuesday April 9 at 9:30 a.m. Consult with your physician before you begin.

Tai Chi for beginners is 1-2 p.m. Wednesday and Friday from May 22 to July 19.

Wear sturdy, supportive footwear and bring water. Information: scparks.com

SUMMER

ITALIAN CLASSES

Registration is now open for summer Italian language classes with Dante Alighieri Society.

Learn the language of “la dolce vita” with native Italianspeaking Instructors. Whether you are new to the Italian language, totally fluent, or everything in between, you will have an opportunity to practice via reading and discussion. The 8-week session has in-person classes and online classes. Read the descriptions carefully to determine the best class for you. The cost varies. Early bird discount pricing ends on May 12 and the last day to register is June 9. Classes start mid-June.

To register go to: www.dantesantacruz.com/classes

SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE

The nonprofit California Legislative Central Coast Caucus Foundation offers a scholarship for students from the California Central Coast.

Eligible students must come from Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, or Ventura counties.

Candidates apply by visiting CLCCCF.org, where details about criteria and process are available. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. May 31.

COUNTY CLEANUP DAY COMING MAY 11

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors announces the first “Santa Cruz County Cleanup Day,” Saturday, May 11.

The Board adopted the resolution to support designating the second Saturday in May as an annual clean-up day to improve local beaches, wetlands, riparian corridors, parks and other open spaces. The event is being led by the Trash Talkers Coalition, local leaders behind the Pitch In initiative focused on eliminating litter and illegal dumping and making Santa Cruz the cleanest county in California.

The County is supporting the effort by allocating a portion of Measure C single-use cup funds toward public cleanup events in unincorporated Santa Cruz County by offering a disposal site fee waiver voucher.

Participants must contact Kasey Kolassa by May 1 to request a voucher at: kasey.kolassa@santacruzcountyca. gov or fill out the online form at pitchinsantacruz.org. Fee cannot be waived for private property cleanups.

COUNTY FAIR BOARD MEETINGS

The Santa Cruz County Fair Board will meet each month in 2024 except September and November.

Remaining dates are May 28, June 25, July 23, Aug. 27, Oct. 22, and Dec. 3.

There is no meeting in September or November. Meetings typically begin at 1:30 p.m. on the fourth

Tuesday in the Heritage Building at the fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake Blvd., Watsonville. For agendas, posted 10 days in advance, see santacruzcountyfair.com

ONGOING EVENTS

Ongoing thru Friday May 17 CABRILLO COLLEGE STUDENT EXHIBITION

Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Wed-Thr 6-8 p.m., Cabrillo College Library 1002, 6500 Soquel Dr. Aptos

Student Exhibition 2024 is a wide-ranging survey of artwork produced by students in the Cabrillo College Art Studio and Art Photography Departments during the spring semester.

The show, from April 22 to May 17, showcases student talent and creative imagination.

Isabel Olmes-Leiva, Boots n’ birdies, enamel on copper. Student Exhibition 2023

This exhibition includes painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, small-scale metals/jewelry, digital fabrication, graphic design, mixed media, woodworking, video, and traditional, alternative process and digital photography.

Student work will be for sale at the reception.

Ongoing thru May 18

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ART SHOW

Open Wednesday-Saturday, 1-4 p.m., Santa Cruz Art League at 526 Broadway, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Art League hosts the 66th Annual High School Show.

This year, 11 schools are participating with 140+ pieces gracing the gallery, showcasing the creativity of the next generation.

The schools are Aptos High School, Delta Charter High School, Harbor High, Kirby High, Pacific Collegiate School, Santa Cruz High School, Scotts Valley Arts Center, Scotts Valley High School, Soquel High School, St. Francis High School, and Watsonville High.

See ceramics, lino prints, oil and acrylics, watercolor, and more.

Mondays

BRIDGE CLUB

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

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

Bridge Club is a partnership between Santa Cruz

NINA SIMON VIRTUAL TALK

Wednesday May 8

4 p.m., Online and Capitola Branch Library, 2005 Wharf Road

County Parks and Santa Cruz Public Libraries. Register at scparks.com or in-person the day of the event.

First Wednesdays

SONS IN RETIREMENT

Time TBD, Elks Lodge, 150 Jewell St., Santa Cruz SIR (Sons In Retirement) is a nonprofit, nonpolitical public benefit organization of senior men. The organization’s mission is to enhance the lives of its members through social events while making friends.

The Twin Valleys, Santa Cruz Branch welcomes new members and meets the first Wednesday of each month. Contact Ray Disperati at 831-588-8876 for information.

Thursdays in May

JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

7 p.m., Capitola Library, 2005 Wharf Road Capitola Library will screen three more films from the Jewish Film Festival.

May 9: Birth of a Conflict, episode 2, how the JewishArab conflict turned from a territorial dispute to a religious conflict, and the little-known Great Arab Revolt

May 16: Birth of a Conflict, episode 3, failure of the Arab national movement, success of the Zionist movement in creating a Jewish state, and crumbling of the British Empire.

May 23: Children of Peace (documentary): Dreamers founded a community of Arabs and Jews, Neve Shalom in 1970s Israel, and children who grew up there, now adults, must deal with the reality of war.

Second and Fourth Saturdays

SOQUEL HOMESTEADERS MARKETS: NEW HOME, NEW DAY

11 a.m.-3 p.m., 2505 and 2525 South Main St. parking lots Soquel Homesteaders Markets in in a new location and on a new day and time starting April 13 and active through Dec. 14.

The markets will be in the parking lots across from Soquel business’s Beer 30, Sunny Side Produce, Buzzo Wood Fired Pizza, and Carpo’s.

The Soquel Homesteaders Markets, organized by Jill Troderman of Holistic Family Nutrition, supports vendors of all good things, with a focus on promoting quality, natural, organic, and sustainable foods and products.

There will be vendors of locally grown produce, cottage industry foods, local meats, cheeses, ferments, natural products, homesteaders’ wares, arts and crafts, honey, candles, sweet treats, coffee and tea, health and wellness

products, services, and practitioners, healers, spiritual endeavors, nonprofits, schools, plants, flowers, seeds and herbs, jewelry, green living and up-cycled garage sale items. The Markets will include live music, food trucks, a gleaner’s table with free local produce, and a seed share/seed bank. There will also be homesteading classes from 12 - 1 p.m. Find “Soquel Homesteaders Markets” on Facebook.

Third Sundays of the Month

ANTIQUE FAIR & FLEA MARKET

9 a.m.-2 p.m., Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Drive Clark’s Auction presents a monthly Antique Fair & Flea Market on the third Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos, starting March 17. Admission tickets are $8 at https://www.eventeny.com/ events/ticket/?id=9559&action=ticket&action_ticket=14707 Earlybird tickets are $15 to get in at 7 a.m.

DATED EVENTS

Saturday May 4

DR. MARGO KUSHEL TO SPEAK ON HOUSING

4-6 p.m., Hotel Paradox 611 Ocean St, Santa Cruz Housing Santa Cruz County announce May as Affordable Housing Month, with a kickoff event at Hotel Paradox featuring Dr. Margot Kushel, MD, an expert in homelessness research and solutions.

As a professor of medicine at UC San Francisco and Director of the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, Dr. Kushel will discuss the critical role of advancing affordable housing solutions toward ending homelessness and improving health outcomes. Tickets ae $30 per person at bit.ly/ahm-kickoff-2024 and include light refreshments. Attendees may support HSCC’s mission to promote affordable, safe, stable homes for local residents and workers at https://secure. everyaction.com/crVapmdnu0a9hiuEB-kjXA2 This year’s theme is “Be Part of the Solution.” For more events in May, see: https://www.housingsantacruzcounty.com/affordable-housing-month.

WORLD LABYRINTH DAY

1-3 p.m., Calvary Episcopal Church, 532 Center St, Santa Cruz World Labyrinth Day is an international event held on the first Saturday each May, sponsored by The Labyrinth Society in collaboration with partner organizations including the Australian Labyrinth Network, Legacy Labyrinth Project, and Veriditas. Visit worldlabyrinthday.org.

The event takes place at Calvary Episcopal Church at Cedar and Lincoln Street. You’ll be able to:

• Walk a temporary labyrinth.

• Learn about the Labyrinth Garden coming in 2024 on the grounds of Calvary Episcopal Church.

• Hear about the landscape design and permaculture gardening from Terra Nova Ecological Landscaping.

• Tour the church and view displays about Calvary history.

Information: labyrinth@calvarysantacruz.org

Saturday May 4

Sunday May 5

SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAIN MUSHROOM FESTIVAL

Nina Simon of Santa Cruz, author of The New York Times best-seller “Mother-Daughter Murder Night,” will kick off the Santa Cruz Public Libraries Virtual Author Talks series with a watch party at Capitola Branch Library.

The free monthly series comes via the Library Speakers Consortium and support from support of the Friends of the Capitola Branch Library.

Patrons will be able to access not only the live-streamed events but also past presentations. The virtual talks format is a live, one-hour interview with a best-selling author led by a professional moderator; it includes a Q&A section that mixes questions prepared by the moderator, as well as questions that attendees can submit before or during the event.

Authors presented by the Library Speakers Consortium include Douglas Brunt, author of “Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I,” Rebecca Kuang, author of “Yellowface,” and Frieda McFadden, author of “The Housemaid is Watching.” To register for this event and to view and register for upcoming virtual talks, visit the SCPL and LSC Virtual Author Talks website at: https://libraryc.org/santacruzpl

10 a.m.-7 p.m., Roaring Camp, 5401 Graham Hill Rd, Felton Roaring Camp in Felton hosts the Santa Cruz Mountain Mushroom Festival.

There will be cooking and cultivation demos, functional mushroom talks, and DIY workshops, plus networking, live music, book signings and art.

Presenters include: Dr Christopher Hobbs, mycologist Alan Rockefeller, mushroom enthusiast Dr. Gordon Walker, Guilietta Octavio, doctor of herbal medicine, mushroom growers Taylor Bright, Erik Lomen, and Amanda Janney, researcher Sarah-Kate Boylan of Lily’s Lighthouse, herbalist Indy Srinath, author-herbalist Jess Starwood, mushroom teacher Wilder Herbertson and Jasper DeGenaars of Fungi Academy, and William Padilla Brown of MycoSymbiotics.

Photo Credit: Crystal Birns

Hands-on Workshops: Fabric dyeing • painting with mushroom pigment • fermenting with fungi • log cultivation demo • straw pasteurization • tissue cultures • microscopy tent • spore prints.

Kid zone: Face painting • henna • mushroom cornhole • archery range • rock painting • bubbles • Giant Bamboo hoops • bounce house

Tickets are $75 for one day or $140 for both days. Buy tickets at scmmfest.com

Thursday May 9

STEPHEN GRAY AT APTOS CHAMBER

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., Seascape Golf Club, 610 Clubhouse Drive, Aptos

Stephen Gray, CEO of locally owned Watsonville Community Hospital, will speak to the Aptos Chamber of Commerce at Seascape Golf Club.

RSVP at 831-688-1467.

Friday May 10

CABRILLO YOUTH STRINGS RECITAL

7 p.m., Cabrillo College, VAPA 5156, 6500 Soquel Dr, Aptos

The Cabrillo Youth Strings Chamber Music Program for kids ages 8 to 18 will present a recital at the VAPA 5156 building.

Saturday May 11

BLUE PLAQUE CEREMONY

1-2:30 p.m., MAH, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz

The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History will host the Historic Landmark Blue Plaque Award Ceremony the MAH.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Blue Plaque program in Santa Cruz.

This year’s event will also honor 2020-2023 awards which occurred without a ceremony due to the pandemic. These plaques were awarded to several houses and a number of pioneer surf shops.

The 2024 plaques will be awarded to residential buildings, an affordable apartment project, and a fire station.

Honoring the structures and the people who make them special, this free event is for anyone who loves Santa Cruz history.

Blue Plaques are awarded to structures in Santa Cruz County that are at least 50 years old and have historic significance.

Hear from local historians and community members as they dive into interesting research and personal stories related to the Blue Plaque recipients.

More than 300 plaques have been awarded since 1973.

OPEN MIC BENEFIT FOR VETERANS VILLAGE

3-4:30 p.m., St. Andrew Church, 9850 Monroe Ave., Aptos St. Andrew Church in Aptos will host an open mic benefit for Veterans Village on its patio.

All are welcome, no ticket required; donations will be accepted.

To participate as a performer (musical, dramatic, improvisational, etc.) or for information, contact info@ nextstagesantacruz.org or call 408-357-0640 (messages).

Sponsored by Next Stage Productions and St. Andrew Presbyterian Church.

CAPITOLA VILLAGE SIP & STROLL

Noon to 5 p.m. (Check in 11 a.m.), Capitola City Hall Community Room, 420 Capitola Avenue

Enjoy sipping local wines and beers while strolling through charming shops and boutiques in Capitola by the Sea, rain or shine.

Pre-registration is $45 and includes:

• Capitola Village Sip & Stroll commemorative glass

• 12 two-ounce pour tickets to be used as you shop

• A map to locate Village shops hosting Purchase at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/capitolavillage-sip-and-stroll-tickets-837790783787

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

Friday May 3 thru Sunday May 5

7 p.m. Fri/Sat | 2 p.m. Sun., Harbor High School, 300 LaFonda Ave., Santa Cruz

The Knight-Pirate Theatre Collective presents **Dirty Rotten Scoundrels**, a hilarious con men comedy musical at the Warner Theatre at Harbor High School.

This production is a collaboration between Harbor High and Soquel High.

Tickets available at the door.

Photo Courtesy of Jeff Clarke

Check-in at Capitola Community Room in the Capitola City Hall, next to the Capitola Police Department. Bring your Eventbrite ticket and your photo ID. ABC regulations prohibit walking between tasting locations with wine in your glass. Please consume or pour out wine at each tasting location before walking to the next.

Sunday May 12

40TH ANNUAL MOTHER’S DAY RUN & WALK

7:45 a.m. | 8 a.m. | 8:45 a.m., Pinto Lake County Park, 757 Green Valley Road, Watsonville

The 40th Annual Mother’s Day Run & Walk will be the morning of Sunday, May 12, at Pinto Lake County Park.

The kids 1K fun run will be at 7:45 a.m., the 5k run/walk at 8 a.m. and the 10K run at 8:45 a.m.

Last year’s runners included Bruce & Tami Corum of Capitola, Emily Thayer, 17, of Soquel, and Clay McDaniel, Cyleste McKeon, Margaret Brewington, Marilyn Mercer, Joseph Henderson, and Roberto Letamendi, all of Aptos, Johnny Cornejo of Watsonville, and Jade Giotta and Steven Occipinti, of Felton.

Proceeds benefit Pajaro Valley Shelter Services. Race fee is $40 for 5k and 10k and $25 for 1k. Enter by May 8 at www.pvshelter.org

Monday May 13

present a free online workshop on growing citrus trees

5-6:30 p.m. Monday, May 13.

Citrus trees can be grown in a container or in the ground and a healthy citrus tree will provide years of abundant fruit.

Learn which varieties do best in the Monterey Bay area, how to choose a good plant and how to plant it properly whether in a container or in the ground.

If you already have citrus in your garden, you’ll learn how to care for and fertilize your citrus as well as protect it from the most common pests.

To register, visit mbmg.ucanr.edu. Donations are welcomed.

Tuesday May 14

TALK ABOUT HOUSING

6:30 p.m., Bruno’s Bar and Grill, 230 Mount Hermon Road, Kings Village Shopping Center, Scotts Valley

In recognition of Affordable Housing Month, Julie Conway, former Santa Cruz County Planning Department housing manager and current chair of Santa Cruz City’s Planning Commission, will be the guest speaker for the Democratic Club of North Santa Cruz County’s May meeting.

She will discuss efforts to address the ongoing housing crisis and answer frequently asked questions about what affordable really means, income levels for affordable housing and how residents can apply for rental and for sale affordable homes.

Club meetings are upstairs at Bruno’s Bar and Grill. Meetings start at 6:30 p.m. Arrive at 6 p.m. to write postcards and letters to support Democratic candidates in competitive races.

Members of the public are welcome to attend.

Thursday May 16

CREDIT UNION GRAND OPENING

5 p.m., Santa Cruz Community Credit Union, 55 River St., Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Community Credit Union announces the Grand Opening of the new downtown branch.

This building used to house the Santa Cruz County Law Library and still houses private law offices.

There will be a celebration and ribbon-cutting with CEO Beth Carr.

There’s plenty of parking.

With locations in Santa Cruz, Watsonville and Soquel, the credit union’s goal is to provide affordable financial services — economic empowerment — to all. Services include online banking, mobile banking, digital wallet, loans, credit cards, business checking, cannabis accounts to local licensed operators, plus small business resources.

Since opening the first branch in downtown Santa Cruz in 1977, SCCCU has grown into a thriving $190 million financial cooperative with 15,000 members.

Saturday May 18

MARCH TO END HOMELESSNESS

10 a.m., Santa Cruz City Hall, 809 Center St. Housing Matters announces the second annual March to End Homelessness in Santa Cruz County will be at Santa Cruz City Hall.

Attendees will hear from local leaders, advocates and people who have been homeless about the importance of “Housing as a Human Right.” The march will finish with a Resource Fair of services.

Partners include Abode Services, Association of Faith Communities, Homeless Garden Project, Housing Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County Public Defenders Office, the Free Guide and Wings Homeless Advocacy.

“Last year, we had a great turnout of around 500 people and this year we’re hoping even more community members come out to show their support,” said Phil Kramer, Chief Executive Officer of Housing Matters. “The March is not just a symbolic show of solidarity for those experiencing homelessness. It is a great opportunity to raise awareness about the actions that the City and County and the whole continuum of care, including Housing Matters and all the other service providers, are taking to support our unhoused neighbors.” For information, visit: housingmatterssc.org/event/march2024

Friday May 24

MUSIC FOR MIGRATORY BIRDS

7:30-9 p.m., Cowell Ranch Historic Hay Barn at UC Santa Cruz, Ranch View Road, The Bowerbird Collective presents “A Season on the Wind | Music for Migratory Birds” at Cowell Ranch Historic Hay Barn.

This concert comes from Australia and is based on author, ornithologist and conservationist Kenn Kaufman’s book.

A musical and visual journey from the shores of Lake Erie across the Americas, this 50-minute performance stars three internationally acclaimed musicians, and features spectacular visuals and a newly commissioned score by The Brothers Balliett.

Also on the program is ‘Rivers are our Brothers’, a 20-minute song cycle by Majel Connery on ecological responsibility told from the point of view of the land. Commissioned by Musica Sierra and created with Learning Landscapes, an educational program of the Feather River Land Trust.

Performers: Majel Connery, vocals, keyboard with The Bowerbird Collective, Simone Slattery, violin, vocals, and Anthony Albrecht, cello.

Tickets are: Adults $35, seniors $30, under 19 & students $5 at https://events.humanitix.com/a-season-on-the-wind-santa-cruz

Photo Credit: Charley Harper Art Studio

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Community Center Update in the Works

By Kristen Brown, Mayor, City of Capitola

In the heart of Capitola, significant strides are being made towards enhancing community spaces to ensure inclusivity and accessibility for all. With a vision to create welcoming environments that cater to diverse needs, the City of Capitola is embarking on ambitious projects to update the Community Center and develop a universally accessible playground at Jade Street Park.

The Community Center on Jade Street stands as a vital hub for the community where the city’s recreation department offers a range of programs and services aimed at improving the lives of our youth, seniors and everyone in between.

While the City has been working towards Community Center renovations for several years, recent funding developments have propelled this initiative forward. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of Assemblymember Dawn Addis, the City secured a generous $1 million grant through the Natural Resources Agency.

Additionally, the City has applied for a $3.3 million Community Development Block Grant grant, which if awarded would provide a significant boost towards the center’s upgrades. The City, while hopeful that we will receive the funding, will find out this summer if the grant is officially awarded.

The importance of our Community Center was underscored during recent local disasters when it served as an evacuation site for local residents amidst coastal flooding and widespread power outages. The renovation project, divided into two phases, will address various aspects of the center, including roof repairs, plumbing, HVAC system enhancements, ADA facilities, and overall landscaping. These improvements will not only ensure the center’s structural integrity but also enhance its capacity to serve as a vital resource for our community.

Complementing the Community Center’s revitalization efforts is the ambitious endeavor to create “Treasure Cove at Jade Street Park”—a universally accessible playground designed to cater to individuals of all

While the City has been working towards Community Center renovations for several years, recent funding developments have propelled this initiative forward. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of Assemblymember Dawn Addis, the City secured a generous $1 million grant through the Natural Resources Agency.

ages, abilities, and backgrounds. This transformative project is a result of a collaborative partnership between the City of Capitola and County Park Friends, aimed at fostering inclusive recreational spaces.

Reunion

Sandy Weaver D’Amato, left, of Watsonville, and Janet Thorne of Brigham City, Utah, chat on opening night with Steve “Spike” Wong of Soquel, their eighth grade classmate and one of the stars of “White Sky, Falling Dragon,” which he wrote and directed, based on his father’s World War II experience. The show is at Actors Theatre for one more weekend and closes May 5. Curtain at 7:30 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets at https://www.santacruzactorstheatre.org/

Treasure Cove’s design, crafted by Verde Designs with community input, embraces a marine and shoreline theme, featuring distinct zones such as Climb and Slide, Swing and Sway, Tot, Sensory, and Game Zones. Universally accessible equipment, including swings, a wheelchairaccessible merry-go-round, spinners, slides, and a cozy dome, will be strategically placed over rubberized surfacing to ensure ease of access for individuals of all ability levels.

As the Treasure Cove at Jade Street Park project progresses, the City of Capitola and County Park Friends are actively seeking support through a public-private partnership. While the City has allocated $475,000 for the playground, County Park Friends aims to raise an additional $1 million in private funding from the community. Together, these collaborative efforts underscore Capitola’s commitment to creating inclusive spaces that foster community engagement, recreation, and well-being for residents and visitors alike. You can learn more about how to contribute to this project at countyparkfriends. org/jadestpark. n

Kristen Brown is mayor of Capitola. Email her at thekristenbrown@gmail.com.

SCCAS Featured Pet

Sam I Am

Our Pet of the Week is Sam AKA Sam I Am (A311157)! He is an 8 year old grey and white neutered male Pit Bull.

This senior sweetheart came to the Shelter from a partnering organization after he was surrendered due to his family moving. He was in his previous home for his entire life. He lived with a family including children, French bulldogs and dogsavvy cats. Sam was described as house trained in his previous home.

Sam is a mellow guy who enjoys hanging out and having a couple short sniffaris a couple times a day. In his previous home, he was free roaming when left alone and also would go in and out of the doggy door. Sam enjoyed going for walks in his previous home. He also knows “sit” and “down”. Although he is an older dog, he is an example that old dogs can in fact learn new tricks.

An adopter that will commit to positive reinforcement training to continue bonding with Sam will be great. Sam has been hanging out at client services at the Shelter and has been fairly easy going. He is such a love a kind member of the public has sponsored his adoption fee! Sam is the bestest boy and looking for a low key home to hang out with and a loving family to be his best buds!

If you are looking for a work from home companion to be your steady sidekick –come meet Sam today!

Right now we are having a “Big Dogs Rule!” adoption special since we have so many large, loveable and fun pups! All dogs 40lbs and up are half off of their adoption fees! When you adopt a dog at SCCAS you get neuter/spay, microchip, age appropriate vaccinations, flea treatment all included with your adoption fee! What a great deal when you find your new BEST FRIEND!

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

Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter’s full-service, open-admission shelter 1001 Rodriguez St., Santa Cruz, 95062 • Hours: Daily 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. 580 Airport Blvd., Watsonville, 95076 • Hours: Tues.-Sat. 9:30 a.m. – noon; 1–5 p.m. (Closed Sun/Mon)

Website: www.scanimalshelter.org

SCCAS Main line: 831-454-7200. Animal Control: 831-454-7227. After-Hours Emergency: 831-471-1182 • After Hours: jillian.ganley@santacruzcounty.us

2024 Santa Cruz County Fair Artwork

Look closely! There are many fun and fantastic details in this year’s Santa Cruz County Fair artwork… based on the theme, “Pioneer Days to Modern Ways!”

Artist Susan McBeth created the timedefying design. It features a covered wagon hovercraft, an astronaut, plus pioneers with a smartphone and tablet in hand. And don’t miss the drone cleverly hidden in the logo. The artwork is the perfect depiction of fairs past, present and future.

The timeless tableau is the culmination of many creative minds, both Fair officials and marketing team members, brainstorming the limitless possibilities inspired by “Pioneer Days to Modern Ways.” They handed off their ideas to McBeth who crafted them into the hand-drawn and original and colorful artwork.

McBeth is the artist who created a memorable character for a past fair, the surfing pig.

This artwork will first be featured on the cover of 2024 Entry Guide. The Entry Guide will be available online, and distributed to local businesses, early next month.

The Santa Cruz County Fair will be Sept. 11-15, so get ready to show your best. n For updates, visit santacruzcountyfair.com.

Art by Susan McBeth

“Calendar” from page 29

Friday May 31

CAPITOLA ART & WINE KICKOFF PARTY

6-9 p.m., Bargetto Winery Creekside Courtyard, 3535 N Main St, Soquel

It’s Art & Wine Kickoff time ... on the beautiful creekside courtyard at Bargetto Winery.

Enjoy Italian cuisine while sipping local wines from Festival wineries.

Bid on fabulous silent auction items featuring art pieces donated by Festival artists, and gift baskets from local businesses. See the official 2024 poster. All attendees (must be 21+) will receive the official 2024 Capitola Art & Wine Festival glass for wine tasting. Tickets: $50.

Hosted by the Capitola-Soquel Chamber of Commerce, this is a fundraiser in support of the 41st annual Capitola Art & Wine Festival, to be held Sept 14 & 15 in Capitola Village.

Saturday June 8

Sunday June 9

CLASSIC CAR SHOW

9 a.m.-5 p.m., Capitola Village

Capitola Village will host the 14th Annual Capitola Rod & Custom Classic Car Show.

Presented by the Capitola Foundation, this familyfriendly event features more than 200 classic cars plus vendor booths in the seaside village. Streets in the village will be closed for this event. n

Register at https://www.capitolafoundation.com/classic-car-show