Scotts Valley Times: April 2021

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April 2021 • Vol 24 No. 4

Back on Campus

Last week, Scotts Valley schools opened up for partial in-person learning opportunities.

At Scotts Valley High School, the seniors set foot on campus first, returning after an entire year away — and a crazy year at that.

Full Story page 5

Orange Tier is the New Normal

SV Cross Country: SCCAL Champs Boothby, Kain Win Varsity Races; Boys Team Takes Title

By Jondi Gumz When cross country season arrived, the Scotts Valley High School teams did not know if there would be a season.

The highly contagious coronavirus, COVID-19, had already forced instruction online and halted beloved traditions such as homecoming, prom, the senior class

trip and graduation ceremonies attended by hundreds of proud parents.

So what were the chances of a cross country season?

Coach Gretchen Schmitt told her team to just keep running. ... continues on page 4

Full Story page 10

Saying Goodbye

Twenty years ago I was a pastor at Santa Cruz Bible Church. Having transitioned from a career in electronic manufacturing, I experienced eight years of spiritual growth, completed my seminary training, and was ready to become the lead pastor at the right church.

Full Story page 17

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Hunger Fighters Make a Difference

Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County Honors Community’s COVID-Year Support

T

his year’s Hunger Fighters of the Year are Brenda Villafana and her friends and family, who volunteered more than 500 hours to keep the Freedom School food distribution site open, and Mary Wells, lead volunteer at St. Vincent de Paul’s Our Lady Star of the Sea pantry.

Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County honored them March 4 at its first ever virtual Annual Awards via Zoom and celebrated the 2020 Holiday Food and Fund Drive, which raised more than 5.5 million meals, the most ever, in a year when the COVID pandemic left so many struggling economically, doubling the numbers of

Brenda Villafana (second from right) and her team of friends and family.

Thank you Santa Cruz County!

Holiday Food & Fund Drive 2020: 5.5 million meals provided!

Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County is so grateful to all the Hunger Heroes and Hunger Fighters who participated in the 2020 Holiday Food & Fund Drive to make it the most successful drive in history, and you did it during one of the most challenging years’ our community has ever faced. Heroes are among us!

people seeking food for themselves and their families.

UC Santa Cruz Chancellor Cynthia Larive will succeed Megan Martinelli as co-chair with County Administrative Officer Carlos Palacios for the 2021 Holiday Food & Fund Drive, which kicks off in November.

Second Harvest Food Bank, founded in 1972, saw unprecedented need in 2020, supplying 150 local agencies and programs to feed 85,000 people — one of every three county residents.

Villafana had a team of seven, her daughter, son, grandchild and three friends — Maria Elena, Angel, Pablo, Jose, Angelina and Rosa. The five adults are farm workers, all Watsonville residents for 15-plus years and loyal volunteers.

Typically, the Freedom School food distribution site has 12 volunteers but due to the pandemic, only seven could help. This team did not want the food distribution to stop, so they kept it going, while social distancing and taking precautions to protect themselves from the coronavirus.

Brenda Villafana and team include a mom, her daughter, son, grandchild and three community friends. This amazing group of people have been volunteering for over five years and have volunteered over 500 hours to the Freedom School food distribtution site.

Mary Wells Mary Wells is the lead pantry volunteer for St. Vincent de Paul pantry run by parishioners of Our Lady Star of the Sea. She has been volunteering for roughly 20 years.

Complete list of awardees at www.thefoodbank.org/awards2021

2 / April 2021 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

“Hunger Fighters” page 8

Special Awards Community Spirit Award

CEO Award

Olivia Strusis Bregante Malia Nacht Finn & June Grillos

UCSC - Nathan McCall

President’s Award

Hunger Hero Community Spirit Award

Heavy Hitters Award

County of Santa Cruz Employees

Main Street Elementary School

Twin Lakes Church Driscoll’s

Special Promotions Award

Hunger Fighters of the Year

SUP Shack KPIG

Brenda Villafana & Team Mary Wells

Coordinator of the Year

Lifetime Achievement Award

Jillian Ritter Sarah Marshall

KSBW under the Leadership of Joseph W. Heston

Above and Beyond Bay Federal Credit Union

Trudie Ransom, SUP Shack Special Promotions Award

Lap Award Canepa Motorsports

Tech Feeds Hope Leadership of Susan Lovegren

Civic Engagement Award City of Santa Cruz City of Capitola County of Santa Cruz

Champion Sponsors

Santa Cruz Community Credit Union

Pajaro Valley United Soccer Girl Scout Troup 15015

Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County

Presenting Sponsor

Chairman’s Corporate Award

Neighborhood Award

Helping Hands Award

Brenda Villafana & Team

Mary Wells Wells volunteered for 20 years at St. Vincent de Paul pantry, which feeds 70 to 100 people a week. She arranges the weekly food order, organizes the pantry and helps others with joy, dignity and love.

She greets people who come in and listens to their stories.

Bruce Canepa, Canepa Motorsports Lap Award

Ambassador Sponsors Alexis Party Rentals, Boardwalk, CalFresh, GoodTimes, iHeart Media, KAZU, KSCO, KPIG, Looker, Santa Cruz County Bank, Deluxe Foods of Aptos, KSBW, Nordic Naturals, Palace Business Solutions, PVUSD, Santa Cruz Community Credit Union, The Pajaronian, County of Santa Cruz Human Services Dept., Times Publishing Group

No. 4

Volume 24

12

16

22

Table of Contents

6

Cover

SV Cross Country: SCCAL Champs: Boothby, Kain Win Varsity Races; Boys Team Takes Title, By Jondi Gumz

2 5 6 10 16 19 23

Community News Hunger Fighters Make a Difference: Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County Honors Community’s COVID-Year Support Back on Campus: Excitement and Anxiety Surrounds Returning Students, By Willa Reed • What Will Graduation Be Like This Year?

Q&A With New Pres./CEO Krista Snelling: First Woman to Lead Locally Owned Santa Cruz County Bank Orange Tier is the New Normal, By Jondi Gumz Electric Rail to Pajaro: $478M, By Jondi Gumz Time to Talk About Sexual Assault Who was Cabrillo?: Dr Iris Engstrand Shares Research on College Namesake, By Jondi Gumz

Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce Newsletter • Pages 11-14 11 CALL FOR ARTISTS!: Scotts Valley Art Wine & Beer Festival Will Return in August • Looking For a Fresh Start? Scotts Valley Gym is Now Open!

12 New Member Spotlight — Pagoda Technologies 13 Think Local First: Supporting Small Business for Free • Valley Churches United Kicks Off 2021 Buck For Hunger Drive • Santa Cruz County Bank Expands SBA Lending Department 14 New Member Spotlight — Corvin’s Legal Services: Chamber Office Provides a Notary Public Every Monday

In Memoriam 19 Charlotte Mulcaster: June 1, 1945 ~ March 5, 2021

Monthly Horoscope • Page 18 – The Fire & Light of Aries, By Risa D’Angeles Community Calendar • Arts & Entertainment – Pages 20, 21

Featured Columnists 17 Pastor Fred Says Goodbye, By Fred Hennes 22 New Road Rules with Countywide Impact: 36 Days to Comment, By Bruce McPherson, Supervisor, Fifth District

SCCAS Featured Pet • Page 23 – High Energy, Lotsa Love

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COVER STORY Patrice Edwards Jondi Gumz

publisher editor

contributing writers Jondi Gumz, Willa Reed, Risa D’Angeles, Fred Hennes, Bruce McPherson

layout Michael Oppenheimer, Jim Johnson graphic artists Michael Oppenheimer, Jim Johnson photography Michael Oppenheimer, Jim Johnson, Brad King

“Cross Country Titles” from page 1 “We’re going to have a season, I just don’t know when,” she said.

The kids who were dedicated kept running.

That persistence in face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles paid off.

On March 26, the Scotts Valley varsity boys avenged their loss during the shortened season to their top rival Aptos, winning the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League championship by two points, 29-31.

“I was so thrilled,” said Schmitt.

“We’re unbeatable right now.”

Jeremy Kain, a junior, led the way, coming in first at 14:49 on the 2.95-mile

website Michael Oppenheimer, Camisa Composti production coordinator Camisa Composti media consultants Don Beaumont, Teri Huckobey, Brooke Valentine office coordinator Cathe Race distribution Bill Pooley, James Hudson

Times Publishing Group, Inc. 9601 Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA 95003 The Times Publishing Group, Inc., publishers of the Aptos Times, a bi-monthly publication, the Capitola Times and Scotts Valley Times, each printed monthly, Coastal Weddings Magazine, Coastal Home and Garden Magazine, Aptos’ Fourth of July Parade Official Program Guide and Capitola’s Begonia Festival Official Program Guide, is owned by Patrice Edwards.

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Reproduction in any form is prohibited without the publisher’s written permission

Sophomore Amber Boothby maintains a strong pace in the SCCAL cross country championship, eventually finishing second behind her younger sister Ashlyn.

PHONE: (831) 688-7549 FAX: (831) 688-7551 GENERAL E-MAIL: info@cyber-times.com Patrice Edwards: patrice@cyber-times.com Publisher’s Assistant: assistant@cyber-times.com Editor: info@cyber-times.com Calendar Listings: www.tpgonlinedaily.com Graphics Department: graphics@cyber-times.com Billing Inquiries: cathe@cyber-times.com Classified Sales: sales@cyber-times.com Production: production@cyber-times.com CHECK OUT OUR WEB SITE AT: www.tpgonlinedaily.com mission statement We at the Times Publishing Group, Inc. are dedicated to providing a voice for the individuals and organizations in our community while highlighting the outstanding accomplishments of our local businesses. We seek to promote healthy family values through our coverage of youth activities, school news, senior events, community groups and entertainment Cover grass graphic courtesy of freevector.com

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course at Pinto Lake Park — using his kick to arrive one second ahead of Aptos senior Ben Laughlin.

Sophomore Jack Brownfield placed seventh at 15:55 for Scotts Valley and junior teammates Ryan Brabo finished 10th at 16:28, and Austin George, 11th at 16:35, and sophomore Aiden Boothby, 15th at 16:36.

Aptos had runners finish fourth, Aiden Tomasini; fifth, John Eikemeyer; ninth, Trent Nosky, and 13th, Chase Jacques-Mayne.

The championship meet was bigger than usual because teams outside the SCCAL were invited, such as Watsonville, St. Francis, St. Abe’s, Monte Vista Christian and Pacific Collegiate School.

With a crowded field of 62 runners, one of the safety precautions was staggering the start times to prevent runners from bunching up too close together, making it easier to spread the virus. While running, they were allowed to take off their mask.

Schmitt made the case to include fastest senior runners in the first heat, and that was allowed.

Running head to head is “more fun,” she said, but the staggered start times worked and “the kids totally enjoyed it.”

However, the different start times made it hard to tell which team was the League champion — “a nail-biter,” Schmitt said.

In cross country scoring, the scores of the first five runners are counted, and the lowest score wins.

That’s what happened in the championship.

“If one guy had been two seconds slower, we would have lost,” Schmitt said, pleased to see the team effort that won the title.

In the varsity girls’ race, sisters Ashlyn and Amber Boothby surprised everyone

Jeremy Kain and Patrick Goodrich, who finished first and third in the League championship, with their medals. with their 1-2 finish.

Ashlyn, a freshman, ran the course in 17:31, competing against girls with more experience who plan to run in college.

Amber, a sophomore with more experience, followed in 17:59.

Dresden Brabo, another freshman, was 13th in 20:41, Rafaela Putnam, a sophomore, 14th in 20:44, and Greta Feague, a junior, 17th in 20:52.

Schmitt knew the Aptos girls team was “super strong and deep” so she wanted to be competitive with Soquel, and her team delivered.

“We came within nine points of Aptos,” she said.

Aptos won with 28 points, Scotts Valley took second with 37 points, Soquel third with 63 points.

“Cross Country Final” page 9

COMMUNITY NEWS

Back on Campus

Excitement and Anxiety Surrounds Returning Students

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By Willa Reed

ast week, Scotts Valley schools opened up for partial in-person learning opportunities.

At Scotts Valley High School, the seniors set foot on campus first, returning after an entire year away — and a crazy year at that.

Students now go to school in person two days a week, while they continue to attend the other three days via Zoom. This transition from yearlong isolation fosters positive prospects and hope in students, but it’s a difficult adjustment.

After going back to school for her first day of senior year, Chloe Allen described the experience as “a weird mixture of excitement and anxiety.”

Joelle Andrews

She was excited to see her teachers and peers in person for the first time in a year, but she said, “I was also anxious because I knew it wouldn’t feel like going back to normal school. It’s very different and yet another adjustment we’ve had to make.”

Many students feel conflicted with similar feelings.

“Going to school in person after a year was a very weird experience for me!” said senior Joelle Andrews. “It was just so weird to physically sit at a desk again. But honestly it was nice to feel that again before I go off to college. I’d say I liked it but it still doesn’t feel completely the same.”

Although returning to campus feels strange and new, teachers and staff hope

Brianna Campbell

Ryan Lansdowne

it will provide students with a wonderful opportunity to re engage with one another and make up for lost time.

Senior events are beginning to restart and students can see their friends and meet their teachers in person, some for the first time ever.

“Hybrid was not too overwhelming like I had worried it would be,” said senior Brianna Campbell. “It was a super beautiful day outside, and a lot of fun to see everyone.

It made me feel hopeful, which was nice.”

She added, “Especially as a senior, I just feel a sense of community with everyone at this point, so it was nice.”

“On Campus” page 9

Chloe Allen

What Will Graduation Be Like This Year?

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hat’s the question for parents after Scotts Valley High School welcomed students back to campus March 23 for hybrid instruction following a year of online lessons due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hybrid instruction allows half the students on campus while half get online lessons at home, meeting the federal and state requirements for six feet of distance between desks to prevent the contagious coronavirus from spreading.

On March 19, federal officials announced that three feet between student desks provides safety in classrooms, and state officials agreed March 20.

Scotts Valley will survey parents after spring break to assess comfort with three feet.

On March 24, Scotts Valley Unified School District Superintendent Tanya Krause alerted parents that she is awaiting state guidance on activities for graduating seniors and graduation ceremonies. “It is our intent to be able to provide our seniors as many opportunities as we are able,” she wrote.

The state posted graduation guidance on March 26. n

Photo Credit: Jim Johnson

Scotts Valley High School students James Johnson, Zach Miller, Rowan Johnson, and Roxie Kring make their way to campus, where in-person instruction resumed after a year due to COVID-19 safety precautions.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Q&A With New Pres./ CEO Krista Snelling

First Woman to Lead Locally Owned Santa Cruz County Bank

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rista Snelling, the new president and CEO at Santa Cruz County Bank, describes herself as a math geek and an extrovert.

She double-majored in math and economics in college and went to graduate school at UC Davis to get a doctorate in economics. A year in, she realized she should pivot out of academics. She got her master’s degree, bypassed accounting, and took a job in the audit division at Arthur Andersen.

She enjoyed the work. Her next move was the KPMG audit division.

Her experience working with a client company seeking to go public with an initial public offering led to a job at a bank seeking to go public. The bank then grew through three acquisitions.

She left Sacramento, with her husband and two teenagers to join her in the summer, recruited to become the first woman president at the locally owned Santa Cruz County Bank, succeeding David Heald on March 1.

“I’ve been a math person, I loved numbers — banking is a great place to be,” she said with a smile, holding up her calculator.

Founded in 2004, Santa Cruz County Bank has achieved 10 years of record earnings, top ratings statewide and nationally, grown to $1.4 billion in assets, acquiring local competitor Lighthouse Bank and most recently expanding into Monterey.

Snelling talked with Times editor Jondi Gumz about the impacts from the

Krista Snelling pandemic and the future for women in banking.

••• Competing with three major national banks, Santa Cruz County ranks fourth in the county with 14% of deposits.

What’s your strategy to grow deposits? t absolutely is a priority. What we’re going to do, the same as always, is build relationships… Not just making loans, but understanding the needs of the business rather than having it be transactional.

Competing is easier to do now. One of the initiatives we have is the future of online banking and mobile banking — making sure we’re right there relative to the majors.

Use technology to level the playing field, we have the community focus, you get the whole package.

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COMMUNITY NEWS A Harvard analysis found community banks issued almost two million forgivable Payroll Protection Program loans worth nearly $200 billion in three months, representing 45% of the total number and 41% of the dollar value, while controlling only 12% of banking assets. Can you talk about PPP and community banks? verything I’ve heard is that community banks crunched above their weight on PPP. The feedback from customers was working with community banks was a lot easier because of having access to decisionmakers and speed to serve.

The PPP loan is a perfect example of the value community banks bring.

Customers who had relationships saw the value of having those relationships.

At larger banks, the decision-makers are elsewhere, where you are in the queue is harder to get your hands on than at a bank where you have a relationship. I know who to call and can get back to them real quick.

What changes from the pandemic do you think will be permanent? Any idea when employment might recover locally? here’s a lot of flexibility in where and how people work. People have gotten used to using technology. That entire landscape has changed. People at tech companies are leaving California, going to cheaper areas to live. People have seen they’re just as effective as they were before. It’s going to change the commercial landscape.

I am so happy to see the Santa Cruz numbers improving week by week. I feel there’s a lot of pent-up demand for tourism in this area … People stuck at home for a year want to get out. When will it happen? I’m not sure. I’m happy because I live here now.

What advice do you have for local business owners? e flexible, adaptable, willing to pivot.

The companies and people who’ve made it are people who did that … I think a lot of that is going to continue. I heard a story on NPR about restaurants with outdoor dining. Now people can eat inside, but they’re saying we want to keep these outdoor spaces.

I hope a lot of that lasts. I live in Capitola, I walk to the village all the time, you see pedestrianized outdoor areas. To do that, we had to give up parking spaces, isn’t it worth it?

What’s your impression of the local housing market? The median home price was $1.1 million in January and February with listings historically low. ll I’ve been hearing is it’s tough out there right now. Houses are selling really quickly, multiple offers, low inventory. I’ll be entering the fray this summer … It’s kind of stressful. It’s great for the seller. Sacramento is seeing the benefit of a lot of Bay Area people coming in — tech people.

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What is it like being a successful career woman in banking — not so long ago considered a man’s world with deals made on the golf course? have been given a lot of really great opportunities in the banking community.

I have had lot of really great mentors, but I’ve never had a woman as a mentor.

I’m pleased to say anyone who works around me will not have that experience …

I look forward to mentoring women and men in the future.

Can you give an example of mentorship that made a difference? ’ve lived in Sacramento my entire life, and I have mentors and friends and colleagues and confidants in this network.

When this opportunity came up, I said, OK, team, circle around. Everyone was so supportive.

My son is going to college in the fall, but my daughter is still in high school, I can’t imagine making a life change without having that network to advise me. With COVID and remote school for my teens for 9 months, their lives were not the same. When people hear they’re moving to Santa Cruz, they say, “Oh, you’re so lucky!”

How does having a woman in top bank leadership make a difference in the community?

Can you give an example from your experience? t Five Star Bank, I started a group of all women customers of the bank, either business owners or decision-makers, executives. We would get together. The group got really big, 40 people from C suites … A lot of these women had spent a lot of time being the only woman in the room — seeing the energy and positivity in the room, it was amazing.

And people got business out of it.

A woman who owns recruiting firm, one with an employee benefit company, and a CPA met each other at this event, and they hired each other. We met three times, then COVID happened. I would like to start something like that here … It’s one of things I’m most proud of.

With state law mandating women on corporate boards, do you foresee another woman joining the board at Santa Cruz County Bank? How can banks encourage women to move into leadership positions? he bank is always looking, always looking for great people, communityminded, high impact, to join the board.

Encourage women to step into leadership roles that get offered and to be ambitious and ask for what they’re worth.

Any mentor should do that for you. It’s really meaningful for a woman to have another woman give that kind of encouragement.

I was so happy when I announced I was moving here, two women at my old bank got promoted into the C suite. I had helped them and mentored them. They were ready, so ready. n

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“Hunger Fighters” from page 2 When a community member she befriended became temporarily homeless, then in a car accident and in a walker and living on very little, she spent many hours driving her friend to buy cat food, put rides on a bus pass, and get groceries.

A special Lifetime Achievement Award went to KSBW-TV under Joseph W. Heston, president and general manager who retired in 2020. KSBW hosted Share Your Holiday, which raised millions for Second Harvest and The Salvation Army. After shelter in place, KSBW organized Project Community: A Day of Help and Hope, raising $525,000 for tri-county food banks, with $236,000 for Santa Cruz County.

Community Spirit Awards Olivia Strusis Bregante, inspired by her mom Melissa, a Sutter Health nurse, started a class project to raise 1,000 meals for families who lost their jobs because of COVID-19 and raised 2,748 meals.

Sisters Finnly & Juniper Grillos organized their first virtual fundraising campaign with a video, raising 3,069 meals.

Malia Nacht learned how to sew during the pandemic, sewing masks to keep friends and relatives safe and donating money she made. She raised 2,088 meals.

Main Street Elementary School office manager Jennifer Del Carlo organized teachers, students and families to focus

Oliva Strusis Bregante

on virtual fundraising, generating 8,979 meals, a school record.

Neighborhood Awards Under Gina Castaneda’s leadership, PV United Soccer joined the first worldwide Soccer United Against Hunger campaign and 15 local youth teams raised 19,772 meals.

Girl Scout Troop 15015, a small troop of girls, led a lemonade stand, donated from cookie sales, raising 4,149 meals.

Special Promotions Sup Shack owner Trudie Ransom organized the SUP for Food fundraiser,

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dressing up like Santa and his elves, cruising the harbor on a standup paddle or kayak, raising 8,021 meals.

Three days before Christmas, a generous donor offered to match donations by KPIG listeners who mentioned KPIG when they gave. KPIG staff loved the idea. A listener in Marin heard the “hog call” and gave another match — resulting in 72,000 meals.

Coordinators of The Year Jillian Ritter, a county analyst, was the coordinator for county government employees, a challenge since many worked at home. But she believed they would do their best. Departments held virtual gift basket raffles, silent online auctions, and got a match, surpassed their goal.

Sarah Marshall, coordinator at Rio Del Mar Elementary School, engaged the whole community, designing their very own flyers and raising 40,592 meals.

• Helping Hands Award: Community Foundation Santa Cruz County and executive director Susan True, for leadership through the pandemic and the fires, facilitating collaboration, and assisting with surveys, funding and matches.

• Above & Beyond Award: Bay Federal Credit Union raised the most ever, 127,599 meals, thanks to competition, prizes and pride at branches, among co-workers and supervisors with customers joining in and a generous donor matching donations.

• Lap Award: Canepa Motors owner Bruce Canepa pledged donations to Second Harvest Food Bank for every collector car sold during the pandemic, and donated 240,000 meals.

• Tech Feeds Hope: Susan Lovegren, who joined the food bank board in July, launched the Tech Feeds Hope Initiative to engage tech companies and tech professionals to fight hunger in Santa Cruz County, raising 371,148 meals.

Civic Engagement Awards Christina Alberti, office supervisor in

Malia Nacht and family City of Santa Cruz Public Works, and her co-chair replaced cupcake sales with selling an online cookbook with recipes from city employees. City Manager Martin Bernal and his department heads supported competitions such as one between police and fire, won by fire. In all, city employees raised 69,235 meals.

Capitola City Clerk Chloe Woodmansee coordinated efforts by her 66 co-workers and with a match, they donated 8,301 meals.

Santa Cruz County analysts Jillian Ritter and Amy Miyakusu accepted the county award. They emphasized the importance of everyone contributing a little, and collectively that would amount to a lot. They surpassed their goal and a generous donor matched up to $50,000, raising 477,832 meals.

• CEO Award: Nathan McCall, manager of UC Santa Cruz human resources business information services, knew many neighbors and students faced food insecurity. The Banana Slugs raised 175,000 meals.

• Chairman’s Corporate Award: Santa Cruz Community Credit Union, led by president and CEO Beth Carr, launched “Return the Favor” to help nonprofits and donated 64,924 meals.

• Presidents Trophy: County of Santa Cruz employees’ goal was $50,000 and they raised $67,000, more than 477,000 meals, despite COVID restrictions, staff furloughs and the CZU wildfires. A matching donation of $50,000 helped.

Heavy Weight Champions Twin Lakes Church members and staff made a massive effort — lemonade stands, home-prepared meals, outreach to friends and family, raising more than 2 million meals — a historic number.

When COVID hit, Driscoll’s was one of the first to call the food bank and ask, “What do you need?” At the time, a forklift was needed. Soon a forklift showed up, followed by sponsorships, and a large donation: More than 425,000 meals. n

“Dependable Service, Affordable Quality”

“Cross Country Final” from page 4 Aptos seniors Susana Estrada and Kirsten Martin locked up fifth and sixth, running 18:43 and 18:44, and Summer Jacob was eighth in 19:36, Annie Eikemeyer, ninth in 19:43, Rachel Hoops, 10th in 20:00, and Brooke Willoughby 11th in 20:20.

Cross country was the first high school sport in the county to compete in its COVID-shortened season.

Teams followed protocols such as temperature checks and wearing masks while training, an unusual scenario the student athletes got comfortable with, Schmitt said.

And how many COVID cases cropped up in cross country?

None, said Schmitt.

Now that’s a winning season. n ••• Photos Credit: Patrice Fernald Cover Photo: Scotts Valley High School Boys varsity cross country concluded their 2021 season by winning the

SPECIALIZING IN

Freshman Ashlyn Boothby, running at a fast pace, placed first in the League championship.

Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League championship. From left: Jack Brownfield, Jonah Verinsky, Aiden Boothby, Austin George, Coach Gretchen Schmitt, Ryder Brabo, Patrick Goodrich and Jeremy Kain.

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Varsity girls (from left): Jessica Hill Roddick, Rafi Putnam, Greta Feague, Dresden Brabo, Amber Boothby, Ashlyn Boothby, and Diana Alivov.

“On Campus” from page 5 A week after seniors returned to the high school, juniors, sophomores, and freshmen joined them.

This was a momentous occasion for the school since most freshmen had never even set foot on campus before, and sophomores were only at school for just over half a year before the shutdown.

For them, this adjustment of getting re-acclimated with the school is strange in a whole new way. Several students said they just missed the little things, like talking to a teacher after class or taking notes on actual binder paper.

“The strangest thing about going back

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had to be sitting at a desk,” said sophomore Ryan Lansdowne. “It was weird to sit at a desk after such a long time.”

Like most underclassmen, Lansdowne is hoping for good things to come of the new transition.

“I can’t wait to see how the next few months work out,” he said.

Certainly, transitioning from a whole year of fully online school to more familiar teenage life is proving to be difficult for the students.

However, returning to school presents opportunities for positive interactions with peers and teachers, and reminds the high school students that there is indeed a light at the end of the COVID tunnel. n

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Orange Tier is the New Normal

By Jondi Gumz

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ith 153,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered and new cases down to levels of last June, Santa Cruz County moved into the Orange Tier on March 31, allowing businesses to expand operations after three weeks of restrictions.

Restaurants, movie theaters and museums and places of worship can operate at 50 percent capacity and retail stores can operate at full capacity – no lines to get into the grocery.

Wineries can operate indoors at 25 percent or 100 people, whichever is fewer.

Gyms and fitness centers can increase indoor capacity to 25 percent; yoga and dance studios can open indoors at 25 percent capacity. Indoor pools, climbing gyms, and bowling alleys can open.

Breweries and bars can open outdoors.

Live-audience events can be staged outdoors at 33 percent capacity, and the Scotts Valley Chamber of commerce announces plans to host the Art & Wine Festival Aug. 21-22.

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk plans to reopen rides April 1 under state guidelines allowing any California visitors at amusement parks with capacity at 25 percent.

As of June 1, the state will allow overnight sleepaway camps, another return to normalcy.

Desk Spacing Survey n March 24, Scotts Valley Superintendent Tanya Krause posted to say parents will be surveyed after spring break on the new federal and state guidance saying three feet distance between desks provides protection. The three-foot change is only for classrooms and only between students, she noted.

The previous six-foot requirement is the reason public schools in Scotts Valley and across the county adopted hybrid schedules, bringing half the students to campus on alternating days.

Private schools, with smaller class sizes, had the space but public schools’ didn’t.

Research is scanty on how much distance is protective and Indiana changed its requirement to three feet, in line with the World Health Organization guidance.

An MIT study this summer concluded distancing rules are based on outdated science and factors such as ventilation and occupancy and exposure time made a difference.

In a March 24 letter to parents, all

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Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz

A line of people with COVID-19 vaccine appointments forms outside the Kaiser Permanente Arena, 140 Front St., Santa Cruz, on March 19. Security staff asks each person entering: “Do you have an appointment?” of the local school superintendents said switching from a hybrid schedule to full reopening “would require vast environmental changes to classrooms and redesign of our instructional programs,” with some conditions requiring negotiating with bargaining units.

The letter added, “However, we are confident that as long as community transmission of COVID-19 remains low, all public schools in Santa Cruz County will be fully open for in-person instruction in the fall 2021.”

High school cross country teams, following safety protocols, were the first to complete their season — and it was COVID-free.

On March 26, the state announced guidelines to graduation ceremonies, something parents have been awaiting eagerly.

The Orange Tier allows youth and adults to play football, basketball, water polo and soccer outside and participate in gymnastics, and singles pickleball and tennis indoors.

Economy Reopening he potential for economic turnaround is huge.

Cabrillo College in Aptos is getting $16 million in federal COVID relief in the $1.9 trillion package signed by President Biden.

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10 / April 2021 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

The city of Scotts Valley is getting $2.2 million with millions more going to the county, Watsonville Santa Cruz and Capitola.

The aid package includes $25 billion for restaurants with grants to be awarded by the federal Small Business Administration, $7.25 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loans for small business and nonprofits applying through a bank, $15 billion in targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan advance grants through the SBA, and $16 billion in grants to shuttered entertainment venues, also through SBA. From mid-November to mid-March, the pandemic kept restaurants, gyms and movie theaters from opening indoors, eliminating thousands of jobs and sending unemployment up to 8.4 percent.

The move to the Orange Tier came as Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel Newel had predicted with the spread of the contagious coronavirus slowed to a trickle.

The adjusted case rate has fallen to 2 per day per 100,000 people with the test positivity rate down to .8 percent. If the case rate is below 1 per day per 100,000 people, the county would qualify for the Yellow Tier, which has fewer restrictions.

CineLux Scotts Valley, which upgraded

ventilation and added seat spacing, started showing movies March 26.

The Seymour Center in Santa Cruz announced in-person Ocean Explorers summer camp for kids, with applications due April 7. Santa Cruz Shakespeare plans a small outdoor live season in July and August. Arts Council Santa Cruz County plans to resume Open Studios in October.

Family members can visit loved ones at nursing homes and assisted living centers after a year of being apart to keep the contagious coronavirus from spreading.

COVID-19 has claimed the lives of 57,900 Californians.

Deaths in Santa Cruz County have plateaued at 200, with 51 percent of deaths at nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Locally, 79 percent of those who died were age 70 or older and 78 percent had other health conditions.

A year after the pandemic began, with 18 million vaccine does administered and case rates plummeting, 36 counties are in the Red Tier and 17 in the Orange Tier.

Two cases of the B117 variant, which spreads more easily, were reported in January and February but Newel said a surge forecasted for March and April due to variants is unlikely.

“COVID Update” page 15

CALL FOR ARTISTS!

Scotts Valley Art Wine & Beer Festival Will Return in August

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Save $40 with Early Bird Discount before June 15

he Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce is happy to announce that they have been approved by the Santa Cruz County Public Health Director, Gail Newell and the City of Scotts Valley to hold the Scotts Valley Art Wine & Beer Festival. The festival is traditionally always held on the third weekend in August and this year in 2021 the dates are Saturday Aug. 21 from 10am to 6 p.m. and on Sunday, Aug. 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What’s New? Well, for starters the venue will change.

This year, the location for the festival will be at Siltanen Community Park on the upper and lower fields located in the north end of town on Vine Hill School Road.

Parking for the festival goers will be at Scotts Valley High School and the festival entrance will be via the Shugart Park Walkway and Bridges pathway on Glenwood Drive. Handicap parking and shuttles will be provided.

The beautiful lawn and fields at Skypark unfortunately suffered

•••

Earlybird Pricing

extensive damages last summer as host during the CZU Cal Fire basecamp for two months and the City of Scotts Valley is currently in the beginning stages repair and the lawn and fields will be closed all summer.

In addition to our wonderful Artists, there will be food trucks and vendors with innovative cuisine, live music and a special entertainment headline band this year will be the famous Santa Cruz White Album Ensemble!

The Kids Fun Zone will be back and the area’s most prestigious wineries and award-winning micro-breweries

pouring their best. The ever-popular Cops ‘N Rodders Car Show will be on Saturday; and on Sunday, the fun-filled “Dog Day” will feature many canine contests and prizes!

All artwork will be juried. Artist must have original, quality art and excellent craftsmanship in all areas of the various mediums. No kits, mass-produced items, commercial reproductions or imports will be allowed.

The Artist Application is Now Open and You can Apply at svartfestival.com Artist Questions? Contact Angela Marshall, Artist Chair, at amarshall@scottsvalleychamber.com.

Save $40 through June 15 Registration Fees: Local SC County Residents • Single Booth (12x12) $185 + $35 (non-refundable) jury fee = $220 • Double Booth (12x24) $355 + $35 (non-refundable) jury fee = $390 Non-Local SC County Residents • Single Booth $295 (12x12) + (non-refundable) jury fee = $330 • Double Booth $575 (12x24) + (non-refundable) jury fee = $610 Initial Results of Jury will be Posted on June 15. Applicants after June 15 will be Juried on an individual basis. Final Registration Deadline is July 20.

••• To protect against the spread of COVID-19, all vendors, volunteers, and attendees of the festival shall comply with the stricter of the currently effective Santa Cruz County or State of California Health Orders.

Looking For a Fresh Start? Scotts Valley Gym is Now Open!

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cotts Valley Gym was founded by the world-renowned bodybuilder Dave Draper in 1989, based off of the style of Joe Gold’s original gym in Venice Beach.

Draper wanted the gym to have “no frills but very cool, off white, black and red in smart balanced contrast, clean, with

the best, needed equipment.” The current owners Mike Tyree, Tyffanie Epps and Ron Gerstien have worked hard to hold on to Dave’s overall values, aesthetic and environment.

They pride themselves on creating fitness and nutrition for everyone, regardless of training experience or budget.

With the regulations of Covid-19 they

are excited to announce that they are now open and better than ever! They have upgraded their indoor equipment and created a new outdoor gym with your safety in mind. They have also launched a Next Level Coaching program that guides you in fitness and nutrition throughout your training, and offer a sports nutrition store.

All of their memberships now also include fitness on demand for virtual streaming!

Make Your Vaccination Appointment Now! Happy Spring!

This past year has been a challenge, and as they reopen, they aim to create a community of health and support with your safety as our top priority. With community well-being at the forefront of all of our minds, what better way for a fresh start than to refocus on your own mind and body health!

“Scotts Valley Gym” page 12

Call the Chamber Today or Visit www.scottsvalleychamber.com

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Scotts Valley Times / April 2021 / 11

Scotts Valley Chamber News

New Member Spotlight

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Pagoda Technologies

agoda Technologies provides complete IT support to small businesses and agencies, primarily in Santa Cruz County, Monterey County, and Silicon Valley. Based in Santa Cruz, California, Pagoda loves serving clients in the local area, providing in-person and remote, concierge customer service rarely available from outside IT support. Pagoda clients benefit from cus-

tomized offerings, tailored to advance their business goals, improve workflow, and strengthen cybersecurity.

As a managed service provider that charges a flat monthly fee, Pagoda is motivated to ensure your systems are secure and running smoothly each and every day. If an issue does arise, they will spend as much time as it takes to fix it, at no additional charge. You never worry about going over budget and can rest easy knowing Pagoda is always on the lookout for any IT security or productivity issues. Reliable, affordable management of your network’s performance and security makes your life easier and your business

stronger. Their motto is really true, “Pagoda Technologies is your path to IT enlightenment.”

Jon Allen and Robbin Finnerty head Pagoda Technologies and believe strongly in creating long-lasting relationships with their clients. These relationships span upwards of two decades and encompass clients locally and globally, including fire departments, government offices, technology manufacturers, insurance brokers, engineering firms, real estate agencies, attorneys, and CPAs. They have diverse and complementary backgrounds. Jon, from a New Zealand sheep farming family, is a physicist, programmer, and technology innovator with a passion for combining technologies to

Jon Allen

Robbin Finnerty

increase business productivity. Robbin, originally from Hong Kong, is an engineer who spent years in heavy construction, roller coaster engineering, and figuring out how to do remote IT support decades ago.

The Pagoda Team looks forward to meeting everyone in the Scotts Valley Chamber and welcomes you to find out more about them at pagoda-tech.com.

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“Scotts Valley Gym” from page 11 Their team has a background in personal training, nutrition and life coaching tailored to your fitness goals in order to ensure optimal health and maximum results. They are currently offering a complimentary fitness assessment to find out where you are now on your fitness journey, define goals, and identify your strengths. Whether you are brand new to the gym, or a trained athlete, they will create a plan to guide you toward your goals.

In addition to this assessment, they are offering your first month free when you buy a monthly membership. They are happy to work with any budget as they put integrity and health first. They are looking forward to welcoming their gym family back!

Located at 105 Whispering Pines Drive, Scotts Valley. Visit their website at scottsvalleygym.com, text or call 831-332-5555 or email 365@scottsvalleygym.com

12 / April 2021 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Scotts Valley Gym trainers (from left): Ellen, Mary, Jackie & Joey

Scotts Valley Chamber News

Think Local First: Supporting Small Business for Free S cotts Valley Chamber is excited to announce that local, independently owned and operated businesses can now be part of an on-line registry of businesses being created by Think Local First Santa Cruz.

The registration is free and Think Local First will promote the directory to encourage everyone to support our local economy.

Think of it as an online version of the yellow pages, allowing

potential new customers to find you.

You don’t need to be a member of Think Local First to take advantage of this great offer.

First launched in 2007, in the midst of the great recession, Think Local First brought together Santa Cruz County business owners around common concerns: the global trend of proliferating chain stores and the rise of on-line shopping.

As we emerge from the pandemic, the concern about on-line shopping remains, threatening our local owned businesses. At the same time, there is a noticeable desire in our community to support these businesses.

The trend to “shop local” seems to be growing. Now, is the time to get your name in front of potential new customers.

Think Local First Santa Cruz will be investing in an integrated

marketing campaign to include radio, digital, social media, email, print, and direct mail. Television is also under consideration and, of course, the advertising will be supplemented with a public relations campaign as well.

As business is driven to the website, you’ll want your business to be listed in the directory. And, remember, it’s free!

Go to thinklocalsantacruz.org to learn more.

Valley Churches United Kicks Off 2021 Buck For Hunger Drive

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alley Churches United is kicking off their 31st annual spring Bucks For Hunger fundraising drive with a mailing that community residents have received recently. The year-round food pantry is looking forward to the community support that helps fill the pantry shelves and provides assistance to local qualified residents in need. Valley Churches United is a donorsupported, volunteer-powered nonprofit organization, not a church, which serves low-income households in San Lorenzo Valley, Scotts Valley and Bonny Doon.

“The wonderful generosity of our local community will help us keep the food pantry and other client programs going strong, especially during these challenging times”,

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said Executive Director Lynn Robinson.

“As we know, hunger never takes a holiday, and we don’t receive government funding.

This fundraising drive is an extremely important opportunity for our amazing community to step up and give what they can.

We are seeing many new clients who never thought they would be in a position to ask for help and we can help lift them back up with the help of this financial support.”

Tax deductible donations may be sent to the Valley Churches United, PO Box 367, Ben Lomond, CA 95005, on Facebook, online at vcum.org, or donate in person at 9400 Highway 9, Ben Lomond, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Santa Cruz County Bank Expands SBA Lending Department

ur local bank is pleased to announce the expansion of its SBA Lending Department with the recent hiring of three experienced business development officers, two processors and a loan underwriter.

Santa Cruz County Bank’s Senior Vice President and SBA Department Manager, Susan Chandler, commented, “Our commitment to supporting small businesses is unwavering, especially in these challenging times. Santa Cruz County Bank has assisted borrowers to the fullest extent possible through Paycheck Protection Program loans and forgiveness, SBA

loan payment deferrals as a trusted partner to and as a resource for satisfied customers, business guidance brokers, developers throughout the panand our government guaranteed program demic. The expansion partners.” of our SBA team Santa Cruz through the hiring of Kevin Rappleye County Bank’s recently experienced business Andrew Chambers Emily Baxter development officers, processors and an addi- hired SBA team members include: Andrew Chambers joined Santa Cruz tional underwriter demonstrates the Bank’s continued commitment to support small busi- County Bank as Vice President, SBA Business nesses. We have built a positive reputation in Development Officer. He brings eighteen years the marketplace, resulting in repeat business of banking experience with a focus on SBA and

USDA financing. Andrew is located in Windsor California and covers the San Francisco Bay Area and north to the Oregon border.

Andrew’s work in small business lending in Northern California began as an Underwriter, and soon advanced to VP Loan Officer, providing SBA and conventional financing for small businesses in the Western United States. He also brings experience with SBA and USDA financing for businesses on a nationwide level.

“SCCB Lending” page 14

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Scotts Valley Times / April 2021 / 13

Scotts Valley Chamber News New Member Spotlight

Corvin’s Legal Services

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Chamber Office Provides a Notary Public Every Monday

ho needs a Mobile Notary Public?

If you are an individual having loan papers drawn up or you are a loan officer, a bank, or a title company and you need a document legally notarized the Chamber is happy to announce that Cami Corvin will be on-site every Monday at the Scotts Valley Chamber Office located in Kings Village Shopping Center from Noon to 1:30 p.m.

She is also a mobile Notary who can come to your place of business or home and the Chamber welcomes her to provide notary services onsite. Cami, is a trusted professional “SCCB Lending” from page 13

Andrew earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Oregon State University, with a History Minor.

Emily Baxter joined Santa Cruz County Bank as Vice President, SBA Business Development Officer, bringing nine years of SBA experience to the Bank. Emily is located in Fresno, California and covers the Central Sierra foothills from Fresno out to the Central Coast.

and a certified Paralegal with over 25 years of experience in various areas of law.

Last year with Covid, many people changed career paths, and Cami found her niche and freedom to start her own business.

Cami takes great pride in being able to serve her community with respect and ensures your confidentiality which is her Cami Corvin utmost concern.

Cami’s family has been in Santa Cruz

since 1924! She went to school at Santa Cruz High and attended college at De Anza in Cupertino. Her hobbies are gardening and include working in the community with the Santa Cruz Mustang Club and is currently the Club President. She volunteers her time with many nonprofit organizations in Santa Cruz.

In addition, she is a famous radio talk show host on KSCO for the Think Local First Radio where she is the Executive

Producer. Cami values and supports all small locally owned businesses by providing information to her listeners.

She is a wealthy resource of knowledge on business referrals and is happy to provide referrals for all things Santa Cruz County.

Corvin’s Legal Services is $15 for each signature and she charges a flat fee of $40 to travel anywhere in Santa Cruz County. You can visit her website at corvinslegalservices.com or call her directly at (408) 406-4137.

Emily has a background in business development and was consistently named top SBA 7(a) and USDA B&I income producer for a national lender. Emily attended California State University, Fresno, and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Kevin Rappleye joined Santa Cruz County Bank as Vice President, SBA Business Development Officer, bringing thirty years of experience in the banking industry. Kevin is located in Elk Grove, California and covers

the Greater Sacramento Area and north to the Oregon border. He most recently served as Vice President, Business Development Officer with a Northern California bank, growing the SBA Division and focusing on SBA 7a loans.

Kevin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, with a Marketing Concentration, from California State University, Sacramento.

Additionally, Santa Cruz County Bank welcomes three new members to the SBA Department’s underwriting and loan processing

teams. Ricardo Monedero, Assistant Vice President, SBA Loan Underwriter, was former AVP Senior SBA Risk Manager/ Underwriter in the Sacramento, California area; Dayna Herron, Senior SBA Loan Processor, previously served as Loan Processor II and AVP, SBA Loan Closing Officer in Las Vegas, Nevada and Temecula, California; and Laurie Frank, Senior SBA Loan Processor, formerly worked as Senior Loan Processor and as Loan Documentation Specialist with Northern California institutions.

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14 / April 2021 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

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“COVID Update” from page 10 On Wednesday, the county reported only two people hospitalized with COVID, including one in intensive care, only 188 active cases, and 123,000 negative test results.

With 153,000 doses given to county residents, that’s more than half of the population.

The state required 70 percent of doses go to people age 65 and up who are at greater risk of dying, 30 percent to people in riskier jobs – and 10 percent set aside for educational and child care workers.

Newel urged everyone to get a vaccine once they are eligible and in the meantime, wear masks and practice social distancing in public so as to protect unvaccinated elders and those who are medically vulnerable.

Vaccine Signup nyone who wants a vaccine appointment is advised to register at MyTurn.ca.gov, the new app, but there is no guarantee of an appointment as the state keeps expanding eligibility ahead of vaccine supplies.

As of April 1, people age 50 and up will be eligible to make an appointment.

Starting April 15, anyone 16 and older will be eligible.

With the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine now being delivered along with the two-shot Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, the supply picture is expected to improve.

One new option is Kaiser Permanente’s vaccine clinic at the Kaiser Arena in Santa Cruz, which gives members priority but allows non-members to register.

To check availability at CVS, RiteAid and Walgreens, visit santacruzhealth.org and click on the vaccine button. n •••

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County COVID Deaths 200 As of March 31

Age 90 and up: 55 • 80 to 89: 61 • 70 to 79: 42 60 to 69: 27 • 50 to 59: 5 • 40 to 49: 6 30 to 39: 4 Race/Ethnicity White: 111 • Latinx: 72 • Asian: 15 Black: 1 • Amer. Indian/Alaskan Native: 1

CineLux Scotts Valley began showing movies March 26 after being closed since mid-November.

Underlying Conditions Yes: 155 • No: 45 Gender Male: 97 • Female: 103 Skilled Nursing/Residential Care Santa Cruz Post Acute: 20 Watsonville Post Acute: 18 Pacific Coast Manor: 14 Hearts & Hands Post Acute: 8 Sunshine Villa: 7 • Aegis: 4 Maple House 1: 4 • Valley Convalescent: 4 Watsonville Nursing Center: 4 Montecito Manor: 3 • De Un Amor: 2 Dominican Oaks: 2 • Driftwood: 2 Hanover House: 2 • Maple House II: 2 Rachelle’s Home 1: 2 • Paradise Villa: 1 Rachelle’s Home II: 1 • Valley Haven: 1 Westwind: 1 Total: 102 Not at a facility: 98 COVID Cases by Town Aptos: 763 • Ben Lomond: 111 Boulder Creek: 141 • Capitola: 435 Felton: 144 • Freedom: 956 Santa Cruz: 3,654 • Scotts Valley: 408 Soquel: 342 • Watsonville: 7,927 Unincorporated: 245 Under investigation: 237 Total: 15,363 Source: Santa Cruz County Public Health ••• For details on what can open in the Orange Tier, see https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy.

Editor’s Note: Would you like to share your family’s COVID-19 story? Email Jondi Gumz at info@cyber-times.com or call 831688-7549 x17.

Anyone who wants a vaccine appointment is advised to register at MyTurn.ca.gov, the new app, but there is no guarantee of an appointment as the state keeps expanding eligibility ahead of vaccine supplies.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Scotts Valley Times / April 2021 / 15

COMMUNITY NEWS

Electric Rail to Pajaro: $478M

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By Jondi Gumz

s supporters envision a new era of electric commuter rail or light rail on the little-used Santa Cruz branch line through Capitola and Aptos to Watsonville, the question — how much would it cost?

— hasn’t been answered, until now.

A new report from the staff of the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (also known as RTC) estimates the cost of construction and rail vehicles at $465 million to $478 million and the annual operating cost at $25 million, with service potentially starting 14 years from now.

The report, described as a 25-year business plan, details potential federal and state revenue sources, estimating a $200 million shortfall for construction of the 21.9mile route from Pajaro to Westside Santa Cruz and a $125 million shortfall for operations and maintenance, necessitating a sales tax measure requiring support by two-thirds of county voters or some other taxes or fees.

Funds could come from vehicle registration fees, a local fuel tax, property tax, income tax, transient occupancy tax on hotel rooms and vocational rentals, student fees, vehicle miles traveled charges or parking fees, the report noted.

The biggest federal funding program limits the federal share to 60% of the cost.

The 66-page business plan was to be presented to the 11-member RTC commission for review, input, and acceptance at its April 1 virtual meeting. To view, see:

https://sccrtc.org/projects/multi-modal/ transitcorridoraa/ In February, the RTC accepted an earlier study identifying electric passenger rail as the preferred alternative, providing the most benefit to county residents, businesses, and visitors in terms of improving the economy, equity and the environment.

The business plan assumes 7,150 riders each weekday and 2,800 per day on Saturday and Sunday starting in 2040. That amounts to 7 percent of the 100,000 vehicles a day using Highway 1 in Capitola.

The plan assumes passengers would pay $4.50 per ride CHECK per day?

Fares typically cover 20% to 40% of rail operation costs in the U.S., offering affordability to underserved communities, the plan notes.

Assuming construction costs at $478 million, that would include construction, $364 million; vehicles, $64 million; final design and permitting, $34 million; preliminary engineering, preparing environmental documents, $17 million; initial and final conceptual design, cost estimates and ridership projections, $5 million; identifying critical design issues and governance strategy, $600,000.

As for right-of-way acquisition, no costs are anticipated as the RTC owns the branch line, which extends 32 miles from Davenport to Watsonville.

The plan expects passenger service to terminate in Westside Santa Cruz.

The timetable assumes the initial operating plan will be ready in fiscal year 2022-23, environmental documents in fiscal year 2025-26, construction starting in 2029-30 with rail vehicle acquisition in 2031-32, with both finishing in 2034-35.

Federal Funding Sources he biggest federal funding source for construction is the Federal Transit Administration New Starts and requires a local match before a grant is awarded. The assumption is $100 million.

Grants are not provided until 30% of the preliminary engineering is complete to provide confidence on cost estimate accuracy. Typically, the project sponsor

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Poll: 52% Strongly Support Electric Rail

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By Jondi Gumz

poll of 618 active voters found 52 percent said they “strongly support” continuing with the plan for electric light-rail passenger train service on the 32-mile Santa Cruz County branch line, according to Santa Cruz County Friends of the Rail & Trail.

The poll found 21 percent “somewhat support” the plan, 14 percent “strongly oppose” it, 4 percent “somewhat oppose it” and 9 percent didn’t know or didn’t answer.

The margin of error was 4 percent.

The poll was conducted in mid-February by California-based FM3 Research, the firm that did polling for the successful 2016 Measure D tax for transportation.

That was before the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission staff produced a cost estimate for a 22-mile electric passenger train of $478 million to build from Pajaro to Westside Santa Cruz and $275 million a year to operate, with 7,150 boardings a day on weekdays.

To FORT Board Chair Faina Segal, a Watsonville native, the poll showed 74 percent “favorable,” adding “strongly” and “somewhat” support together.

“This community, especially those who are active voters, are very clearly saying they want planning for rail service to continue,” she concluded.

“Highway 1 commuters, including essential workers, need an option to free

themselves of gridlock that robs them of time with their families,” Segal continued.

“A zero-emissions light rail service will give our county an important tool in the fight against climate change. Rail service will also help improve public transportation for local seniors and those with disabilities.”

The greatest support appeared to be in supervisorial District 4, which includes Watsonville, where residents deal with daily traffic jams on Highway 1 to and from work.

The least support appeared to be in District 1, which includes Live Oak, which would access the train, and the Summit, which would not, and District 2, where train tracks run through Aptos.

The most opposition appeared to be in District 2, which includes Capitola, which is bisected by train tracks, and Aptos, followed

by District 1, then District 5, Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley, which are the farthest from the branch line.

The announcement of the poll results did not include breakdowns of the “strongly” and “somewhat” in each supervisorial district. The Times requested that information and was told it is not available.

The poll asked about two other options: 19 percent were in favor of pausing the electric rail planning and keep building a trail alongside the rail line, and 17 percent were in favor of removing track and converting the corridor into a trail for walking and biking. n

must front these costs for two to four years until the grant arrives.

The second construction source of funding is the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development transportation discretionary grants, which may require a 20 % non-federal match. The assumption is $15 million.

The third federal source, which can be used for pre-construction construction and vehicles, is the Surface Transportation Block

Grant, for which a 11.47% non-federal match is required. The assumption is $9 million.

Funding is considered unlikely from the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement program, Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment and Railway Highway Crossing Section 130 to eliminate hazards. The assumption is $0.

development manager, estimated the cost to complete an environmental impact report at $210,186 plus $36,000 for a biological survey.

The developer bears those costs.

Bateman estimated the environmental review will take ten months.

The developer wants to rezone from

commercial and open space to medium-high density (5-9 units per acre) residential, commercial and open space.

The project requires a General Plan amendment, planned development permit, land division, conditional use permit and design review approvals. n

“Electric Rail” page 18

COMMUNITY BRIEF Valley Gardens: What’s Next developer proposes to rezone the shuttered Valley Gardens golf course at 263 Mount Hermon Road, Scotts Valley, and build 130 single-family homes and 10,000 square feet of commercial space on 30 acres. Robson Homes of San Jose has eyed the site since 2018.

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On projects of this size, the city of Scotts Valley typically contracts with a consulting firm to prepare the necessary environmental documents.

Two firms submitted proposals. KimleyHorn & Associates was selected for its experience and knowledge of the city.

Taylor Bateman, the city’s community

16 / April 2021 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Pastor Fred Says Goodbye T

By Fred Hennes

wenty years ago I was a pastor at Santa Cruz Bible Church. Having transitioned from a career in electronic manufacturing, I experienced eight years of spiritual growth, completed my seminary training, and was ready to become the lead pastor at the right church. I had hoped that I would end up “somewhere west of the Mississippi River.”

Little did I know that God would provide my assignment here in Scotts Valley, just a short drive from my home in Aptos. I joined GateWay Bible Church as the Senior Pastor on Aug. 1, 2001. Twenty years later I have announced my retirement, effective on my hiring date anniversary.

I followed the footsteps of a father-andson duo.

Pastor Glennon Culwell was a fixture in Scotts Valley and served as the pastor here for 28 years. His son Chris followed as the pastor for 12 years. Both men had had a significant impact in our community, and I was honored to be handed the baton to continue in their path.

Over these years (2001 – 2021) I have come to love GateWay Bible Church and the people living in our beautiful Scotts Valley.

I have been blessed beyond measure to be used of God to help people in their journey of faith. I have worked with an incredibly gifted staff and highly dedicated volunteers.

We have remained true to our mission and have established significant goodwill in the community.

GateWay grew to the size that allowed us to minister to several hundred families and work with people of all generations.

I have always felt that a church should be multi-generational as each generation has much to offer to the others.

I will always remember baptizing a

92-year-old widow who accepted Christ through conversations that resulted after providentially dialing a wrong number. I recall the recognition from the Chamber of Commerce naming us Organization of the Year. I look back on several years of celebrating Easter with our community by drawing in thousands of people to our Eggapalooza event. And I will never forget the hundreds of children here each summer enjoying our Vacation Bible Camp. But most of all I will remember the amazing people who allowed me to be their pastor.

This church is generous and encouraging like no other. Many churches have 20% of the people do 80% of the work (we call this the 20/80 rule). At GateWay I have always seen the number of people giving and serving far outnumbering those who did not.

GateWay has been outward focused, sending resources locally and globally. Over my tenure we have invested more than $3.5 million into missions. Our efforts have built churches, evangelized communities, strengthened believers, fed the hungry, provided economic opportunity to the poor, gave eyeglasses to those without access, helped men and women recover from drug and alcohol addictions, aided women in giving birth through unplanned pregnancies, and distributed food weekly here in our city.

All of this done with the sole aim of pleasing God. I will miss the monthly gatherings with the other pastors of Santa Cruz County.

We have great unity among us as we acknowledge that we are not in competition with each other (just everything else!) It has always been refreshing to pray for each other and offer practical support when needed.

As my wife and I will be moving to the Sierra foothills, we look forward to continued

ministry opportunities in strengthening other church leaders. Of course, we both love the outdoors and tending to a few acres, finding the local fishing holes, and building new friendships are things we eagerly anticipate. We also long to spend more time with our family (three married children) and our five grandchildren.

I will be leaving Scotts Valley and GateWay Bible Church, but Scotts Valley and GateWay Bible Church will never leave me. They both have a permanent spot in my heart. n

Pastor Fred Hennes and his wife Maredith.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Scotts Valley Times / April 2021 / 17

The Fire & Light of Aries

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Esoteric Astrology • April 2021 • By Risa D’Angeles

e are in the full light of Aries now, following Easter and the Aries full moon festival. The Aries energy will continuetill the end of April, when Taurus begins. Aries is the first sign of the zodiac. It is the initiating idea, a new idea for the new spiritual year. Aries is apoint of light faint and flickering, seeking what can receive its divine expression. Aries drops an electric fire to the Earth.

Electric fire is that aspect of God that creates heat and a fire that can burn and destroy. As the firstzodiacal sign, Aries, with mars, calls each individual to courage, to bravery, to fiery impulses, to fearlessness. This is the path of Earth experienceunder Aries. With Mars, the personality ruler of Aries, what we experience is the fire of challenge, war, strife, and conflict. These are the keynotesof the life of the personality. Later, Mercury, the fire of knowledge comes forth and illuminates the mind.

The Plan for humanity is patterned not through the energy of ARIES

Everything changed for you when the Sun entered Aries.

Your energy lifted and became more available. You were no longer drowning in the waters of Pisces. You feel more impatient now, wanting to move forward, engage in new enterprises, make new impressions in the world. You might feel the need to assume leadership over everyone and everything. Careful. Be kind. Be a gracious and benevolent leader, and understand you move and think more quickly than others. Always have love.

LEO

You may feel a longing for things far from your usual life and ways of living. Other cultures, people, places and things are summoning you in subtle persistent ways. We have been hidden away for a year now. So, you’re restless for new realities, new journeys, a new adventure.

You need new activities, conversations, goals, new subjects to study. An outer fire blends with your inner Leo fire.

Everything you seek will appear. Careful with legal issues.

Cultivate patience.

TAURUS

You tell everyone you’d rather remain at home and research and not go out and about for a long long time. You want to catch up on tasks not tended to the past many years. Needing to maintain reserves of energy to get through each day, you need privacy and long solitary walks. Many previously learned behaviors may arise. Observe them.

Consider, are they useful? If not, eliminate them. You may dream more. Record all dreams. Over time they tell you a story.

VIRGO

You may be called to be more helpful and cooperative and it may be a challenge. But you can do this.

Relationships will actually be the challenge, possible, due to confusion, activating a wound. It may be good to consult with someone concerning how to accommodate more easily and settle differences and how to allow everyone to be heard. Careful with impatience and ending things too quickly. Reconcile with those you have had differences.

It’s always good to love more.

GEMINI

You need to recite mantrams and positive affiliations as well as sharing with groups of friends, seeking their cooperation in either working on a project with you or listening to you with care and intention so you can clarify your thinking. If leading a group, mentor them in cooperation, organize them as a team to achieve a particular goal. Ask each member their hopes, wishes, dreams and aspirations for the future. You’re achieving Aquarian goals, guiding people to ack with intelligence and benevolence.

CANCER

You want to be recognized for your knowledge, abilities, and what you accomplish each day.

It’s good to want this recognition for it stimulates your ability to share and provide information to others. Many are in need of real and true information. You always ask the question, “What is real and true?” When we ask, the answers are always given. For those seeking new work or a profession, after mid-May it’s easier to step forward into the world. It is waiting for you.

Mars (war, strife, separation), but through the energy of Mercury (knowledge, the Mind, harmony, unification). It thus furthers us to develop ourmental faculties, for they are the same pattern and prototype as the Mind of God, from which humanity issued forth.

Upcoming astrological events: Easter, the Resurrection (Aries) festival is Sunday, April 4th.

It’s a practical day with Capricorn moon. Sunday, April 11this the first spring new moon, 22 Aries. At new moon times we support and endeavors of the New Group of World Servers, extending kindness to all the kingdoms. Mercury leaves Aries (fire) and enters Taurus (earth) April 14th. We begin to seek comfort everywhere. Saturday, April 17this a very complex day. Every planet and star seems to be activated that day. Care and mindfulness is needed. Monday, April 19th, Sun enters Taurus and the Forces of Enlightenment sweep into the Earth, preparing us for the Taurus Festival, the Wesak Buddha Full moon festival, Monday, April 26th, the most important full moon for the year.

LIBRA

Life seems to be accelerating, moving faster each day.

Sometimes those around you move too quickly and you feel left behind. Perhaps you’re working too hard and too long. Even though you may have abundant energy, tend to your health making this an important priority and a consistent daily practice. Careful with inflammation and infections, too. Begin to slow down on grains and sweets.

Eat apples and drink celery juice in the morning. Be calm with co-workers.

SAGITTARIUS

There’s so much energy flowing through your body and mind you simply can’t seem to slow down and you think perhaps you have no selfdiscipline. Use and direct the unbounded energy for creative activities. You could also take up a sport and/or find children, or those who are childlike, to play with. Romantic things are good too and your love life may call forth a deeper level of passion. Make sure you get enough sleep. Don’t risk anything taking changes.

Do play (innocently) more. Reveal yourself more, too. It has unsuspecting consequences.

CAPRICORN

Much of your energy is focused at home or where your domestic self resides. You’re highly instinctual at this time and protective. It’s important that you feel secure because you are called to make important decisions concerning family and the home. When feeling unusually moody or frustrated tend to home repairs and re-arrange family activities. Step back if arguments begin. Old emotional issues may resurface. They’ve arrived for review.

Soothe them with prayers. Then they disappear.

AQUARIUS

So many ideas and plans on your mind that you feel a bit overwhelmed and scattered and so you try to share these ideas with others but so many errands and tasks come in between you and sharing with others that you feel frustrated and can move into arguments if you’re not careful. Realizing you could feel impatient and impulsive, be careful driving and when using machinery, scissors or knives (while cooking). Your inventive original mind slowly reveals your future. You adapt to all the changes around you with skill and humor.

SCORPIO

Intimacy is important for you at this time. There are many types of intimacy — from friendship to lovers, intimacy of the mind, the heart, and physical intimacy. Things held in common with another is an intimacy. Knowing your values is an intimate level concerning the self. Sometimes, intimacies end and new intimacies begins. Both affect you deeply. Be aware of your subtle and hidden feelings.

Realize what you need. Ask for it. Intimates will respond with care.

•••

Risa D’Angeles • www.nightlightnews.org • risagoodwill@gmail.com 18 / April 2021 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

PISCES

As the new spiritual and astrological year begin, it’s good to create a new journal of values (past, present and future) and aspirations). Draw in your journal too and paste in images. We can ascertain true values by deciding what we need. Tend to monetary issues — bank accounts, taxes, insurance, inheritances, precious metals, etc. With Venus in Aries, money, values and resources need close attention. Don’t impulse buy. It’s important also, to acknowledge your value and worth. What about yourself do you value?

“Electric Rail” from page 16 State Funding Sources he largest state funding source for construction and vehicles is SB 1, Solutions for Congested Corridors Program. The assumption is 52 million.

The second largest state source for construction and vehicles is the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program. The assumption is $30 million.

Next is the SB 1 Local Partnership competitive grants for construction and vehicles, which require a one-to-one match of state funds. The assumption is $25 million.

SB 1 State Rail Assistance could fund any part of the project from environmental review to maintenance. The assumption is $17 million.

State Transportation Improvement Program dollars, which goes to projects selected by the Santa Cruz County RTC, can fund all parts of construction. The assumption is $10 million.

Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities grants fund projects that benefit low-income communities by increasing access to key destinations with low-carbon transportation. The assumption is $10 million.

Sustainable Transportation Equity Project funds can be used for construction and vehicles to increase access to key destinations. The assumption is $7 million.

Operations Funding Sources ith operations estimated at $275 million a year, all of these funding sources are smaller than those for construction.

Here are the funding assumptions: • Federal State of Good Repair Grants: $2.25 million a year for seven years.

• State Transit Assistance: $220,000 a year • State SB 1 Local Partnership: $150,000 a year once final designs.

• SB 1 State Rail Assistance: $500,000 a year.

• Local operations funding • Measure D 2016 county transportation sales tax: $1.6 million a year to preserve the rail line once it is built.

• Rail Line lease/concessions/ads: $750,000 a year.

• Fare revenue: $105.5 million a year • Maintenance paid by freight operator: $0.

The report suggested private financing as a possibility, forming a partnership with a private partner to accelerate the project or lower costs.

Such arrangements usually are made near the completion of environmental documents. If the 11-member RTC Commission is interested, staff would issue a request to see if any private entities are interested. n ••• To read the business plan, see https://sccrtc. org/projects/multi-modal/transitcorridoraa/

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Time to Talk About Sexual Assault D id you know April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month?

In 2020, local nonprofit Monarch Services assisted 520 sexual assault survivors in Santa Cruz County. April is a chance for community members to proactively discuss sexual assault, demonstrate support for survivors, raise awareness and brainstorm prevention techniques.

This year, Monarch Services is partnering with the Santa Cruz City Commission for the Prevention of Violence Against Women, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, Sexual Assault Response Team and Kidpower to host and promote community awareness events.

All events will be virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The dates: • April 6: Sexual Assault Awareness Month Day of Action https://bit.ly/3sg3IHP Wear teal in solidarity with survivors.

• April 14: Sexual Assault, Consent and Bystander Intervention https://bit. ly/2P7HdpA 9:30 to 11:15 a.m. Presented

by Monarch Services • April 16-22: Virtual Documentary Screening of “The Bystander Moment: Transforming Rape Culture at its Roots” at https://bit. ly/3r0SBRA Available for online viewing from April 16-22. No registration required.

Presented by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office and the Sexual Assault Response Team. Supported by the Santa Cruz Commission for Prevention of Violence Against Women.

• April 20: “The Bystander Moment” Virtual Conversation at https://bit.ly/30Wqc4x 6-8 p.m. with educator-activist Jackson Katz, Sheriff Jim Hart, and activist-writer Ann Simonton. Presented by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office and the Sexual Assault Response Team. Supported by the Santa Cruz Commission for Prevention of Violence Against Women. Limited to 250 registered attendees, recording available afterward.

• April 28: Denim Day at https://bit. ly/31uN23r Virtual rally on YouTube.

Connect with the online movement to end sexual violence.

• April 29: Protecting Kids from Sexual Abuse Without Scaring Them at https:// bit.ly/3tzutXR Presented by Santa Cruz Commission for Prevention of Violence Against Women, Kidpower and Monarch Services. 6-7 p.m.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced sexual violence in their

lifetimes. Preventing sexual assault requires the collective voice and power of individuals, families and institutions.

Actions you can take to address sexual assault: • Promote social norms that protect against sexual violence -- end “rape culture,” stop blaming the victim, halt harassment at work. See unwomen.org • Be an active bystander when you see a potentially violent situation • Create a culture of consent in your home and social circles • Use social media to raise awareness among peers

• Listen to and validate survivors of trauma n ••• Monarch Services has a 43-year history of providing advocacy and resources to community members in Santa Cruz County affected by violence. Services include court accompaniments, restraining order assistance, counseling, emergency shelter, 24-hour crisis line, outreach, education and support groups. All services are available in Spanish and English and are free or low cost. For information, call (831) 722-4532 or (831) 425-4030 or visit http://www.monarchscc.org/ The 24-hour Bilingual Crisis Line is 1(888) 900-4232.

Learn more about Jackson Katz at https:// www.jacksonkatz.com/

In the Garden

IN MEMORIAM

Charlotte Mulcaster

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June 1, 1945 ~ March 5, 2021

harlotte (Kelley) Mulcaster cherished wife, mother & friend of many passed away in the early morning of March 5, 2021 at home in Murphys, CA. She was born June 1, 1945 in Madera, CA. Charlotte was a fierce warrior who lost her battle with Multiple Myeloma (Cancer) after a 3-1/2 year battle. Cared for in her final days by her loving husband Larry Mulcaster, daughters Kimberly Lane Mueller, Krista Nicole Hefner and the kind and gentle people of Adventist Hospice Sonora.

An amazing artist working in oil on canvas, watercolors on paper, sculpting clay who was also an accomplished print maker. She was a respected member of the art communities of Santa Cruz and Calaveras county’s with many friends. Her work was selected for a

number of juried shows and is in private collections throughout the United States.

She is survived by siblings Gloria Kelley of Madera, CA and Ronald Kelley of Fresno, CA, her grandsons Paul Kammer, Calvin Kammer, Cameron Derr, son-in-law John Mueller, step children Sean, Jennifer and Christopher Mulcaster all of whom loved her dearly.

Charlotte loved her Havanese dogs, El Greco and Leonardo who followed her everywhere. Gone now to be with the Lord, she’s no longer in pain. She was a sweet and loving person who saw the good in everyone. Our thank you to all for your love and kindness during this trying time.

••• There will be a Celebration of Life Memorial held for Charlotte at 1:00 PM on May 8, 2021 at the Beautiful Ironstone Vineyards & Winery in Murphys, CA, 95247. It is open to all!

ACROSS

1. Great divide 6. World’s oldest national broadcaster 9. Pasturelands 13. Chinese fruit 14. #9 Across, sing.

15. Clemency 16. One in advertising 17. “____ the land of the free ...”

18. Characteristic of birds 19. *Ongoing job in the garden 21. *Without synthetic fertilizers 23. 2nd tallest bird 24. Theatrical production 25. Curiosity killed it?

28. Additionally 30. Capital of Poland 35. Passage into a mine 37. Prefix in levorotary 39. Mid-century modern, e.g.

40. Toothy wheel 41. *Some are heirlooms 43. Make like a cat 44. Erasable programmable read only memory 46. Stanislavski’s rifle, e.g.

47. Unwanted correspondence 48. Motionless 50. Catch-22 52. “Are you sure?” in a text 53. Freight horse cart 55. Opposite of don’ts 57. *6 or more hours of sunshine

61. *Radicchio or frisée 65. On foot 66. Negative vote 68. 2020 NFL MVP 69. Morrison’s “The ____” 70. Hockey great Bobby 71. Respectable and quiet 72. Sports award 73. Affirmative response 74. Infernos 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

DOWN

Old bathtub foot Opposite of seek Ne plus ultra *Opposite of #57 Across Minimum, pl.

Influencer’s journal *Stinging pollinator Holiday song Bulgarian money

10. Julia Roberts’ Academy Awardwinning role 11. Popular smoothie berry 12. Update an iPod 15. Inhabitant of Hungary 20. Nothing, pl.

22. Like sashimi 24. Lack of money 25. *Tomato supports 26. Highly skilled 27. Miss America’s headdress 29. Slowly leak 31. Moves at the gym 32. Monument to Buddha 33. Orderly arrangement 34. *Wiggly plowers 36. Faster than a walk 38. *Some plants and flowers emit a good one

42. *Type of digger 45. Centers, old-fashioned 49. French vineyard 51. *Last of 3 numbers on a bag of fertilizer 54. Be a pest 56. Washington, e.g.

57. Grow dim 58. Extraterrestrials’ rides 59. Pilot’s stunt 60. Type of parrot 61. “Musical” constellation 62. Russian mountain chain 63. *Type of garden hose that saves space 64. Goes with “odds” 67. Am is to I as ____ is to we © Statepoint Media

Answers on 23 »

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Scotts Valley Times / April 2021 / 19

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

ANNOUNCEMENTS

JOB BOARD ONLINE The Santa Cruz job market is picking up steam. Startups to established enterprises have open positions across countless work areas and industries. Software engineers, recruiters and more are all in high demand. As the local economy regains momentum, there are increasing opportunities for new hires.

Joby Aviation has more than 100 open roles!

ProductOps, Amazon, Blix, Santa Cruz Bikes, Zero Motorcycles and many more are looking for their next top hires.

Every week Santa Cruz Works features a fresh catch of new jobs in at https://www.santacruzworks.org/jobs where employers and job-hunters can post for free.

Details: https://www.santacruzworks.org/news/companieshiring-in-santa-cruz-and-beyond

OPEN STUDIOS APPLICATION DEADLINE Friday, April 30, Midnight Arts Council Santa Cruz County is making plans for the 2021 Open Studios Art Tour following guidelines for health and safety. The dates are: South County Oct 2-3, North County Oct 9-10, and all county Oct 16-17.

All Santa Cruz County visual artists over age 18 are invited to apply to be a part of this event where local artists invite the public to experience art at the source. The deadline to apply is midnight, April 30.

Open Studios & Events Director Ann Ostermann will host drop-in sessions via Zoom on March 23, April 3 and April 15 to assist artists in applying. For details, guidelines and FAQ, see https://santacruzopenstudios.com/

CZU FIRE RECOVERY SURVEY The County of Santa Cruz urges residents who suffered property damage during the CZU Lightning Complex fires to fill out a brief survey offered by United Policyholders to understand more about the recovery process.

One survey per household is requested.

The survey is intended to help to track progress, identify problems and gather information about insurance coverage in fire-impacted areas. The survey is anonymous, and results will be based on aggregate data and not include personally identifiable information.

Email santacruzltrg@gmail.com to be added to the recovery group’s mailing list.

Those taking the survey will be entered into a drawing to win $50 Amazon gift card. To take the survey, go to www.uphelp. org/surveyCA.

GARDENERS CLUB The Gardeners’ Club is looking for people who share their love of plants and want to know more about gardening.

The website is at http://www.thegardenersclub.org/ and there is a monthly newsletter.

Dues are $15 per calendar year. For information call Cherry at 831-475-0991.

Make check to “The Gardeners’ Club” and mail to P.O. Box 3025, Ben Lomond, CA 95005. Meetings, when they are allowed, are at 7 p.m. on the 2nd Thursday of each month at the Aptos Grange, 2555 Mar Vista Drive, Aptos.

SENIOR CENTER WITHOUT LIMITS This new program from Community Bridges brings enrichment activities like yoga, art, music, tai chi, cooking, tech and support groups to seniors age 60 and up in their homes at no cost. To participate, you

Have a virtual or live event you want to promote?

Send your information to info@cyber-times.com by April 15 need an internet connection and a computer, tablet or April 8 — global & human studies smartphone.

April 15 — entrepreneur, business & creative To participate, view the calendar at https://communitybridges.org/ April 22 — health & public safety SCWOL/ and find a class. That day and time, click on the link in April 29 — science tech engineering math the calendar to be connected. If you have a problem connecting, There are also four resume workshops on April 6, 12, 19 and call Clara Munoz at (831) 458-3481.

27 and four career coaching classes on April 7, 16, 20 and 26.

Students can register and employers can post jobs at https:// RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES www.cabrillo.edu/career-services/ Red Cross is thanking donors for stepping up to meet the CALL FOR ARTISTS: 15TH ANNUAL PVA SCULPTURE constant need for blood amid the pandemic.

All blood types are needed, especially Type O. Donors EXHIBITION must be 17 and weigh at least 110 pounds.

Deadline to Apply is Monday May 3 To make an appointment, download the American Curators Susana Arias and Hedwig Heerschop of Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood. Pajaro Valley Arts & Jeff Rosendale of Sierra Azul org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or Nursery and Gardens invite your participation in the enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo 15th annual Pajaro Valley Arts sculpture exhibition, device. taking place in the beautiful two-acre Sierra Azul Dates: Nursery demonstration gardens, 2660 East Lake April 4: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ Ave., Watsonville. Submit online to Hedwig@pvarts. of Latter-day Saints, 220 Elk St., Santa Cruz. org.

April 3: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Community Health Trust of The show will be June 1 through Oct. 31 outdoors Pajaro Valley, 85 Nielson St., Watsonville. and pieces submitted must be weatherproof (to be April 8: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Community Health Trust of insured), and of a scale suitable for outdoor display.

Pajaro Valley, 85 Nielson St., Watsonville.

Summer coastal weather includes sunshine, fog, wind and rain.

SECOND HARVEST FOOD DISTRIBUTION Sculptures larger than 30” is encouraged. Pieces with bold negative and positive elements and pieces Second Harvest Food Bank drive-through food 5 to 6 feet tall show best in the garden. distribution schedule: There is a $30 participation fee for artists selected Watsonville: Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds and sales are subject to a commission, 30% for PVA Fridays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. members, 45% for non-members.

April 2 • April 16 • April 30 Questions: 831-722-3062.

Santa Cruz: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Fridays, 9 a.m.-11 a.m.

April 9 • April 23 ONGOING EVENTS Food hotline: 831-662-0991.

First and Third Monday Each Month ITALIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES SENIOR LIFE ONLINE Learn the language of “la dolce vita” with native 4 p.m., Online Meeting Italian-speaking instructors. Whether you are new to Join a local group of senior citizens for “Senior Life the Italian language, totally fluent, or everything in Online,” a free online (Zoom) program featuring a between, the classes the Dante Alighieri Society of presentation by a local expert. Senior Life Online Santa Cruz is offering for spring-summer 2021 are meets on the first and third Monday of each month for you. at 4 p.m. View the schedule at http://scottsvalleyseThe online 10-week session begins the week of niorlife.org/current-activities/.

April 19, so register now to secure your spot and Recent presentations included talks about take advantage of the early bird discount which ends preventative care for dogs and cats, an update from April 1. the Scotts Valley Water District, goal setting, trusts See: https://www.dantesantacruz.com/services and estate planning, COVID-19, genealogy, Scotts Questions? Email: dantesantacruz1265@gmail.com Valley history and Santa Cruz history.

To participate, you need an Internet connection CAREER MONTH AT CABRILLO and a computer, tablet or smartphone. A one-time preregistration is required at https://tinyurl.

Four free job fairs are available for current students com/SVSLA-5. Questions? Call George at (831) at Cabrillo College in the month of April. The fairs 334-7763. take place from 3-5 p.m. four Thurs. starting April 8.

Senior Life Online is sponsored by Scotts Valley Senior Registration is required.

SLV WATER BOARD VACANCY Tina Marie To, who was elected to a four-year term on the San Lorenzo Valley Water District board in November, resigned with an email March 18. She said she had to prioritize her first year in law school and her family. The first opportunity for the four members of the board to decide what to do was the April 1 board meeting at 6:30 p.m.

A special election to fill the vacancy, based on the number of voters in San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts Valley in the water district, would cost in the $70,000 range. Another option is for the remaining board members to appoint a replacement. The vacancy has to be posted for 15 days, and the board could discuss applicants in May. Or the seat could remain vacant until the next election in 2022.

Board President Gail Mahood indicated she’s leaning toward appointment.

For information and to view district board meetings, see www.slvwd.com

20 / April 2021 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Life Association (SVSLA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to promote healthy living for senior citizens.

Information is at http://scottsvalleyseniorlife.org.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday NAMI RECOVERY SUPPORT 1-2:30 p.m., confidential Zoom meetings.

National Alliance on Mental Illness Santa Cruz County offers the “Connection Recovery Support Group,” a free, peer-led support group for any adult 18 or older who has experienced symptoms of a mental health condition (no diagnosis required).

You will gain insight from hearing the challenges and successes of others. Groups are led by trained leaders who’ve been there. It’s confidential and drop-in friendly.

To attend, complete the registration form. You will immediately get an email with the Zoom link.

You will need to do this only once, and will be able to use the same link for all groups in the future.

Register at: https://tinyurl.com/nami-zoom-register (Full URL: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMld6trTgjEtOukidbv3qCQQTitZ92kXFf) If you are unable to register, do not have an email address, or have other questions, call the office at (831)-824-0406 or email anastasia@namiscc.org.

For a recording of the March 18 speaker or more information on support groups and classes, https://www.namiscc.org/ Third Thursday of the Month PET LOSS AND GRIEF SUPPORT VIA ZOOM 6 to 7:30 p.m., virtual meeting BirchBark Foundation’s Pet Loss and Grief Support Zoom group offers a free support group, moderated by a licensed grief counseling therapist, on the third Thursday of each month.

Register at https://www.birchbarkfoundation.org/griefsupport or call 831-471-7255.

Fourth Thursday of the Month First Sunday Every Month MONTHLY OUTDOOR MARKETPLACE IN SANTA CRUZ! 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Old Wrigley Building Parking Lot, 2801 Mission Street, Santa Cruz 95060 The Westside Marketplace is an exciting, new monthly market where local art, handmade and vintage shopping meet delicious food!

This collaboration between Food Trucks A Go Go and the SCM Makers Market presents a great mix of creators of all kinds! There is also live music at each event!

The upcoming outdoor market is on Sunday, April 4 at the Old Wrigley Building parking lot. Rain dates are scheduled for the following Sundays.

Come hungry to sample an amazing array of food from the food vendors and shop local with 40 artists, makers and vintage sellers at this new monthly event.

The Market is free to attend and is 100% local — all vendors are based in Santa Cruz County!

All local and state health guidelines will be followed. Please wear your mask, maintain social distance while you shop and stay home if you don’t feel well. Hand sanitizing stations will be available.

For more information, go to the event page: https:// www.facebook.com/events/170470481551895; Food Trucks A Go Go: https://www.foodtrucksagogo.com/; or SCM Makers Market https://scmmakersmarket.com/ for a list of all of the vendors.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Tuesday April 20

DATED EVENTS

VEGAN COOKING DEMO 4-5 p.m., Zoom Class Join Café Carmel chef Sarah Cook for a virtual cooking demo spotlighting a vegan dish 4-5 p.m.

Tuesday, April 20. The demo is free and open to everyone.

To join Zoom meeting: https://zoom.us/j/92835341968?pwd= RXdpcG9PcUJIRnVUa2psZjFLMlFjUT09 Meeting ID: 928 3534 1968 Passcode: 495514

Saturday April 3 CRUISE COFFEE COMPANY JOB FAIR Noon-3 p.m., 246 Kings Village, Scotts Valley The new Cruise Coffee Company Café (and the existing drive thru) will host a job fair for new staff.

Needed: Head baristas, baristas, prep cook, onsite manager and bakers assistant. Coffee, food, cheese, wine experience a plus. Customer service is a must! https://www.facebook.com/Cruise-CoffeeCompany-439462799799287/

Monday April 22

Tuesday April 6 FARMWORKER JUSTICE 6 p.m., Democratic Club of N. Santa Cruz County Online The Democratic Club of North Santa Cruz County will meet via Zoom and hear Elizabeth Strater, director of strategic campaigns at United Farm Workers, discuss her work to protect the health and safety of farmworkers and to advocate for a safe and just food supply.

She’ll discuss digital Elizabeth Strater campaigns and how people can support justice for farmworkers. Members of the public are invited.

Visit www.svslvdemocrats.org for Zoom link. Social time is 6 p.m.; the meeting officially starts at 6:30 p.m.

WALLACE STEGNER LECTURES*: JOSÉ ANDRÉS 7 p.m., Online Lecture Chef, restaurateur and humanitarian José Andrés will appear in conversation with Bay Area food personality Jesse Ziff Cool to discuss his work as founder of World Central Kitchen, helping to feed those in need throughout the course of the pandemic.

Andrés is a Michelin-starred, James Beard Award-winning Spanish-American chef, as well as the author of three cookbooks José Andrés and the New York Times bestselling We Fed an Island, which describes how Andrés and his team cooked for thousands of hungry people in Puerto Rico after the devastation of Hurricane Maria. Andrés advocates for sustainability in the restaurant industry. https://openspacetrust.org/wsl-2021/ ••• *Cost for the Wallace Stegner Lecture Series is $30. The price gives you access to four lectures, plus the ability to watch recordings until April 30. This includes January’s Dolores Huerta & Luis Valdez and April’s José Andrés ectures.

Wednesday April 7

WEAR A MASK POSTER DESIGN CONTEST DEADLINE Wednesday April 7 Over the past year, we have all learned to live with COVID-19. For most of us, this has meant wearing a mask as a method of protecting ourselves and others. We wear masks because we value our family members, doctors, nurses, essential workers and many others in our community.

Pajaro Valley Arts invites you to design a poster that tells your story. All members of the community are invited to participate. There is no entry fee. Images of your poster will be placed in the pvarts.org online gallery. Two $50 gift certificates to Kelly’s Books in Watsonville will be awarded, one each in the youth and adult categories.

The poster can be a drawing, painting, photograph or collage.

Photograph your poster using a jpeg file format. Email entry form and jpeg of poster to Hedwig@pvarts.org by April 7.

Take Aways: Art to Go! This is an invitational exhibit featuring 76 local artists from Santa Cruz County.

Works includes sculpture, drawing, ceramics, fiber, mixed media, encaustic (wax), printmaking, photography, glasswork, and are priced to fit many budgets.

Curators are Jane Gregorius and Chris Miroyan.

Red Dot Tumblers Gallery Hours: Friday, Saturday

by Peter Vizzusi and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. by appointment only. To request an appointment for you and/or your group (no more than 10) visit: pvarts.org/appointment/

Saturday April 10

PROPERTY TAX DEADLINE NEW TECH MEETUP 5 p.m.

7-8:30 p.m. Santa Cruz Works Online The second installment of your tax bill is due Feb. 1 and There is no better place to see what is going on in SC becomes delinquent after 5 p.m. with penalties if not received by the Santa Cruz County Tax Collector by that date and time.

Tech than at the Santa Cruz Works New Tech Meetup.

Santa Cruz Works produces as many as 5 events every Drop boxes for checks are available at the county Governmental Center, 701 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. month — including the Santa Cruz New Tech Sunday April 11 “meetup” — to learn about new tools and practices or to ignite your entrepre- PRESCRIBED BURN WORKSHOPS neurial flame and clinics where you can learn new skills. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Davenport • Registration due by April 4.

Learn the fundamentals of prescribed firelighting and wildland Visit www.santacruzworks.org for more details. firefighting during this hands-on field training in Davenport.

Training will cover fireline construction, communications, Friday April 9 thru May 23 prescribed fire ignitions, operation of a firefighting pump, TAKE AWAYS — ART TO GO installation of a hose-lay and more.

You will be prepared to participate in local cooperative burns Appointment Only, 37 Sudden St., Watsonville hosted by the new Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association Pajaro Valley Arts invites you to a fundraising exhibit,

OCEAN RECORD-KEEPING TALK 6-7 p.m., Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Zoom Session Must register by 5 p.m. to receive link.

On April 22, Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History welcomes Dr. Emily Miller from Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Attendees must register at https://www.pgmuseum.org/eventcalendar A research technician, Miller will present a talk titled “Marine Algae as Ocean Record Keepers.” She will cover how her team used older algae specimens to extend the Bakun upwelling index back to 1878, 70 years before monitoring of upwelling began in Monterey Bay. Her goal is to document patterns to help understand the shifts in the foundation of the food web to make more informed conservation decisions in the future of Monterey Bay. Until now, this process has been largely limited to instrument records and observations that begin around 1950. The talk is free, but the suggested donation is $15 per person.

Friday April 23

CONGRESSIONAL ART CONTEST DEADLINE 5 p.m., Submission via E-mail.

The annual Congressional Art Competition entry deadline is coming for high school students in the (calpba.org). If you do not have wildfire or prescribed fire 18th Congressional District represented by U.S. Rep. experience, the one-day workshop will be a prerequisite for Anna Eshoo (D-Palo Alto). participation in future CCPBA burns so don’t miss out.

The training can certify you as a Basic Wildland Firefighter Due to COVID, students will submit their art for 2, with pre-completion of online coursework plus an “arduous judging online by sending a high-quality digital pack-test” prior to attending the in-person field day if you are image of their artwork — along with a completed interested.

Student Information and Release Form — to Eshoo’s Cost: $20 with scholarships available upon request. Space is limited. Palo Alto office at eshoo.artcompetition@mail.house.

Full Details and Registration at: https://ucanr.edu/survey/ gov. survey.cfm?surveynumber=33128.

For details and contest rules, visit eshoo.house.gov/ For questions email Jared Childress (childress.ember@gmail. services/art-competition com) or Devii Rao (drorao@ucanr.edu). n

Wednesday April 14 HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF LINKEDIN 11:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m., Santa Cruz Works Online Social media coach Karen Kefauver will talk about how to make the most of the business network LinkedIn. Free if you give your contact information to the Santa Cruz Small Business Development Center. RSVP at www.santacruzworks.org

Friday April 16 PVA POETRY READING 6:30-8:30 p.m., Pajaro Valley Arts Zoom.

Pajaro Valley Arts Presents a free poetry reading, “Pandemic Take Aways,” featuring Alex Rocha, Gabriel J. Medina and Claudia Meléndez Zoom link: https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/91026783529 Meeting ID: 910 2678 3529 Contact: Shirley Flores-Munoz, shflores@cabrillo.edu

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS 5-8 p.m., 361 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley After a hiatus due to the pandemic, Food Trucks A Go Go is bringing Food Truck Fridays back to Skypark.

Celebrate the season kick-off with delicious dinner from your favorite food trucks, which will rotate month to month. All local and state health guidelines will be followed.

Follow @foodtrucksagogo on social media or email: info@ foodtrucksagogo.com

Saturday April 24 DUCKY DERBY 2 p.m., Online Fundraiser This fundraiser for Omega Nu’s scholarship program will be a virtual event at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 24.

Info: http://www.duckyderbysantacruz.org/#duckyderby n

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Scotts Valley Times / April 2021 / 21

FEATURED COLUMNIST

New Road Rules with Countywide Impact: 36 Days to Comment

By Bruce McPherson, Supervisor, Fifth District

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s our community continues its neighborhoods is shaped by topography. recovery from last summer’s CZU Our ability to make wider roads or make Lightning Complex fire, a new new through-connections between dead-end concern has emerged. Proposed changes to roads is limited, and therefore a one-size-fitsall approach does not fire safe regulations by make any allowances the Board of Forestry Proposed changes to fire for that. and Fire Protection safe regulations by the Santa Cruz could directly impact Board of Forestry and County supports numerous properties the current process throughout Santa Fire Protection could Cruz County, not just directly impact numerous that allows local fire departments, together in the burn zone. properties throughout with local govOn March 22, Santa Cruz County, not ernment, to identify even after my office just in the burn zone. alternative means and and other County methods for meeting Supervisors and residents from around California expressed safety standards when site-specific condiour concerns to the Forestry Board, a tions require it. Retaining our ability to do majority of its members voted to publish that is essential. And rebuilding after the the proposed rulemaking, which until then fire will not be possible for many families had been less formally under discussion unless disaster rebuilds are exempt from for months. The vote officially began a the minimum standards.

In our formal comments to the For45-day window to receive public estry Board, we will stress the importance comment, which many who spoke of applying the proposed exemption for to the Forestry Board that day had primary residences and accessory dwelling sought to delay in order to provide units to all portions of the code, as well more time for shaping the as the importance of maintaining regulations. our ability to address site-specific The changes, which issues through local agencies. include new road, access I appreciate all of the and turnaround restricconstituents who have contions, could make it much tacted my office about this more difficult to build or rebuild issue, and we will continue in our rural and mountainous to monitor it closely. areas. We recognize that we have a We are seeing a lot of critical need to improve safety and progress in the initial stages reduce risk for our residents and our of our rebuilding process with first responders. However, we also Four Leaf, the highly experineed to support our community’s ability enced firm hired by the County to rebuild and recover after the fire while to operate its Rebuilding Permit maintaining some local control over how Center. As more properties we address safety concerns through altercomplete the debris removal native means.

This is not a challenge that began processes, rebuilding permits are coming overnight. Our mountainous areas in. And along with Supervisor Ryan began developing in the 1800s, and the Coonerty, whose district was also impacted road network that supports our rural by the fire, my office received approval by

22 / April 2021 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Local Local Local

the Board to request a temporary suspension of local rules to allow timber operations on the weekend in an effort to speed up the clearing of dead and damaged trees on timberland.

Meanwhile, the economy is opening up more as our COVID-19 indicators continue to improve, with our County expected to move into the Orange Tier (moderate spread) this week and then the Yellow Tier (minimal spread) several weeks later. As of March 29, more than 149,000 County residents have received at least one Thomas Higgins of Grey Bears waits on a customer recycling cans dose of the vaccine, at the Ben Lomond transfer center, which paid out $306,000 in and of the more than redemption value in 12 months.

70,000 doses of vaccine received by the County, all but about 8 tell the story. For the 12-month period percent has been distributed with the rest ending in February, the operation yielded more than $306,000 in redemption value allocated for future use.

All residents over the age of 50 will be paid to customers. More than 3,600 undueligible April 1 and then anyone over 16 will plicated customers were served across be eligible April 15. We know it has been nearly 7,100 transactions, and the weight difficult for many residents to schedule of redeemed materials exceeded 419,000 an appointment with their healthcare pro- pounds.

Many thanks go to Grey Bears and vider or other vaccine distributors, but we anticipate more vaccine will be available in the Department of Public Works for their collaboration on making this a successful coming weeks.

For more information on how to schedule venture. n ••• an appointment, visit the County’s COVID-19 As always, if District 5 residents have website at santacruzhealth.org/coronavirus and any comments or questions, please contact me click on the Vaccine section.

Lastly, I’d like to close with some at bruce.mcpherson@santacruzcounty.us or great news. We were fortunate in 2019 831-454-2200.

Editor’s note: Public comments to reopen the California Redemption Value center at the Ben Lomond Transfer regarding Board of Forestry and Fire Station with a new partner, Grey Bears. Protection matters or actions should be The most recent participation numbers submitted to publiccomments@bof.ca.gov.

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SCCAS Featured Pet

COMMUNITY NEWS

Who was Cabrillo?

Dr Iris Engstrand Shares Research on College Namesake

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High Energy, Lotsa Love

crossword on 19 »

iya, hiya, hiya!! I’m Flipper (A279631), but I call myself FLIPS! Why? Because watch this! *does jump-spin.* Cowabunga dude! Or, um, whatever the people here say. Give me a break, I’m from Modesto!

Anyways…HIYA! I’m Flipper, aka FLIPS, and I’m buzzing with excitement for a new home! Shelter staff says I’m a 9 month old, 47lbs, Keeshond mix that is compact and full of energy! Sounds like what they meant to say is, “When you ADIPT the FLIP, it’s time to ZIP”…wait…I don’t know if that…

PLAYTIME! That’s what I’m about! Play by myself? I’m my favorite entertainment! Play with other dogs? It’s a tumblin’ fun time! Play with all the humans?

Let there be toys! When it’s play time, it’s Flip time; and ain’t no Flip time like a quick zip Flip time! In other words, I’m looking for a fun, fun, fun new family that can keep up with me physically and mentally! Sure I’m young. I may pull a bit on leash, chase all the squirrels, and get super excited … but for the warmth of a new home I’m willing to learn! Just give me patience and love, and I’ll give you lots of fun!!

So come meet me for play time! You can email Jill at jillian.ganley@santacruzcounty.us to set up an appointment.

Adoptions are first come, first served! Please view available animals on our website and then visit the Shelter to turn in your application. All adoptions require proof of home ownership or landlord approval. Please have this information prepared. If an animal is in Foster Care, please bring in your adoption application and schedule an appointment to meet the animal. Call 831-454-7200 x0 during business hours or visit www.scanimalshelter.org for more information! n ••• Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter’s full-service, open-admission shelter: Santa Cruz Location (Public Entrance): 1001 Rodriguez St., Santa Cruz, 95062 Hours: Daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Watsonville Location: CURRENTLY CLOSED 580 Airport Blvd, Watsonville, CA 95076 SCCAS Main line: 831-454-7200. Animal Control: 831-454-7227. After-Hours Emergency: 831-471-1182 • After Hours: jillian.ganley@santacruzcounty.us

In the Garden © Statepoint Media

By Jondi Gumz

s Cabrillo College explores whether to rename the college — or not — in response to a request made in the wake of widespread social unrest, the question naturally arises: Who was Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo?

To answer that question, the college turned to Dr. Iris Engstrand, history professor emerita at the University of San Diego, Dr. Iris Engstrand author of 21 books on Spain, California and the West, and recipient of the Order of Isabel la Catolica from Juan Carlos, King of Spain, for outstanding contributions to the history of Spain in the Americas.

Engstrand shared her research in an online talk with more than 130 participants March 18.

••• abrillo was born in Palma del Rio, Spain.

He has been celebrated as a Portuguese navigator but Engstrand cited documents unearthed in the past decade by researcher Wendy Kramer starting with a 1532 deposition in a lawsuit over theft of gold from a ship headed from the New World to Spain.

Cabrillo, who was aboard to return to Spain and marry a lady from Seville, denied taking the gold. Upon arrival in Seville, a hearing took place where Cabrillo had to truthfully state his name and his birthplace – Palma del Rio. “You’re not going to lie in a deposition,” said Engstrand.

Since her initial discovery, Kramer, a scholar at the University of Toronto, has found 25 references to Cabrillo’s life in Palma del Rio. He was born in 1499, but his birth date is not known.

Cabrillo’s birth name was Juan Rodriguez — comparable to John Smith today — so he added Cabrillo as a surname.

Ship Builder Here are more of Engstrand’s findings: • He was 13 or 14 when he decided to join a Spanish fleet of warships to the Americas.

Likely he was seeking opportunities and riches not available in his homeland, which had been occupied by Moorish invaders for 700 years.

• He had trained in the crossbow and he became known as a ship-builder, building galleons that were perfect for exploration.

After building ships for Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortez he changed allegiance

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to Spanish conquistador and military leader Pedro de Alvarado to conquer Guatemala, where Cabrillo got rights to work the land.

• He had two daughters and acknowledged them (they were included in probate of his estate) but continued as an explorer, being commissioned in 1542 to sail three ships to map the coast and search for a shorter shipping route to China — an important destination since the Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo overland travels of Marco Polo — to establish trade relations.

This exploration led to Cabrillo’s death.

• He took possession of today’s Ensenada Sept. 17, sailed into San Diego Bay Sept. 28 and named it San Miguel after his ship, establishing friendly relations with natives.

Along the coast, when natives appeared, Cabrillo ordered his men not to shoot their arrows.

But he never set foot in Santa Cruz, dying Jan. 3, 1543 on the Channel Islands, likely a bacterial infection after a fall that broke his arm.

Should Cabrillo Be Remembered?

“Cabrillo discovered the winter wind pattern … a forerunner of useful navigational information worth of being remembered,” Engstrand concluded. “Cabrillo is the person who gave California to the world … he was a navigator and made some good discoveries … People just have make up their mind — it was a different world.” n Four talks are planned for 6 p.m. in April: Thurs. April 8 Topic: Native American Panel on Impacts of Colonization https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/91997981867 Thurs. April 15 Topic: Sandy Lydon, Retired Cabrillo College History Professor — How and Why Cabrillo College Got Its Name https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/93990699782 Thurs. April 22 Topic: Student Debate: Should Cabrillo Change its Name? https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/98813902824 Thurs. April 29 Topic: President’s Essay & Art Competition Entry Awards (PEACE Awards) https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/97432344983 ••• Visit tinyurl.com/cc-name-exploration for more information.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Scotts Valley Times / April 2021 / 23