uates 1,240: 50% Latinx For First Time Hwy 17 Wildlife Crossing Funded • Incline Village Owners May Be Due A Tax Refund

COMMUNITY NEWS Hwy 17 Wildlife Crossing Funded

In May, the California Transportation Commission allocated $924 million for projects to improve critical transportation infrastructure, including $2.3 million to construct a wildlife undercrossing on Highway 17 near Laurel Road near Scotts Valley in Santa Cruz County.

Nearly half of this funding — $458 million — comes from Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.

“Caltrans is building a brighter future through a transportation network that serves all Californians,” said Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin. “This significant investment will help us fortify and enhance our state’s vast network of highways, bridges, transit lines, bikeways and pedestrian routes.”

Also approved: $7.6 million to widen and improve the bridge railing of the Castroville overhead on State Route 156 between the State Route 156/183 separation and Castroville Boulevard in Monterey County.

In March, the commission approved: • $5 million to build a tieback wall, restore the roadway, improve drainage facilities, and install permanent erosion control measures on State

Route 236 near Boulder Creek in Santa

Cruz County. • $2 million to replace the San Lorenzo

River bridge and the Kings Creek bridge on State Route 9 near Boulder

Creek in Santa Cruz County. • $4 million to rehabilitate pavement, repair drainage systems, upgrade the median barrier and guardrail on U.S. 101 from north of Boronda Road to north of CrazyHorse Canyon Road near Salinas in Monterey County. n

Incline Village Owners May Be Due A Tax Refund

Residents of Aptos, Scotts Valley, referred to the Supreme Court Settlement Capitola, and Soquel have long Program. On Oct. 5, 2020, a hearing was found Lake Tahoe is a popular area held by the District Court to consider for second homes. Owners of property the resulting settlement agreement and in Incline Village and Crystal Bay during Judge Drakulich issued an interim order 2002-2005 may not realize that, because one of approval for the agreement on Oct. 12, of the largest property tax lawsuits in the 2020. United States, they are due a property tax As a result, the Washoe County Assesrefund. sor’s Office has been directed to replace

Here’s the history of the case and how taxable land values for certain parcels in to get the refund. Incline Village and Crystal Bay billed for

On Oct. 21, 2019, Judge Kathleen tax years 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2005/06 Drakulich of the with the 2002/03 Second Judicial (rollback) taxable District Court for land values, the State of Nevada applying a factor issued an order of 1.08% to the in favor of Village 2002/03 values for League to Save the 2005/06 tax Incline Assets, Inc. year only. (“Village League”), Owners of et.al. in the case of record for a listed Village League to property during Save Incline Assets, Inc., et.al. vs. State of one or more of these tax years may be eliNevada, et.al., Case No. CV03-06922. gible for refund of a resulting property tax

The Village League, a 501c3 nonprofit, overpayment and applicable interest. The sued in 2003 alleging the methods used total amount of refunds has been estimated by the assessor were unconstitutional. between $47 million and $56 million. Best Prices On Best Prices On The Nevada State constitution mandates property taxes be fair and equitable, and Owners of record or their inheritors must submit a claim in order with Washoe Michelin & BF Goodrich Tires Michelin & BF Goodrich Tiresonly owners of property in Incline Village and Crystal Bay were assessed on their County to receive any refund: https:// forms.washoecounty.us/f/RefundClaim “view.” One local property owner told the

The case went to the Supreme Court Aptos Times he didn’t submit a claim of Nevada. The Court ruled in favor of because he bought in Incline Village late in the Village League, and in 2011, Washoe 2005, and he didn’t think the refund would County issued checks to property owners amount to much. He reconsidered when he of record for 2002. The Village League then learned it was $900. sued again for subsequent years: 2003- The claim process does not provide 2005. It is this matter that is now being the refund amount. Therefore, the Village adjudicated. League created a secure lookup facility for

The Washoe County Board of County property owners of record to obtain their Commissioners filed an appeal of that estimated refund amount: https://nevada District Court Order and the parties were propertytaxrevolt.org/?page_id=22.

Calculations of the estimate are based on data provided by the Washoe County Assessor’s office.

As of February more than two dozen Incline Village and Crystal Bay property owners of record living in Aptos, Scotts Valley, Capitola and Soquel had not yet used the Village League facility to lookup their refund amount, and likely have not claimed their refund. Refund amounts depend on the property assessed value for the period, and for second homes, generally range from a hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars.

The clock is ticking. n

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“COVID Update” from page 6

Restaurants, bars, and other businesses providing on-site food and drink submitted 266,000 applications seeking $65 billion, a “huge shortfall,” according to headline in the online Journal of Accountancy.

Congress set aside $5 billion for businesses with 2019 gross receipts under $500,000, and the SBA set aside $500 million for small businesses like food carts and food trucks with receipts under $50,000; and $4 billion for those with receipts between $500,000 and $1.5 million.

It wasn’t enough.

Applications came in from 13,114 businesses making less than $50,000 requesting $330 million; 100,410 from businesses with less than $500,000 requesting $8.14 billion; and 61,535 applicants from businesses with between $500,000 and $1.5 million requesting $15.1 billion.

This indicates the economic experts advising Congress badly underestimated the pandemic’s impact on restaurants, food trucks and food carts.

The Rescue Plan allocated $16 billion for Shuttered Venues Operator Grants, a first for the SBA, but it’s not clear how many Santa Cruz County venues – many closed for a year — might get funding.

A $50 assist in paying for Internet also was included in the American Rescue Plan for people using food stamps or Medicaid and households with a child getting free school lunch and households who lost a job or was furloughed and make less than $99,000, single, and $198,00 for joint filers. The program ends when the money runs out. Check your status at getemergencybroadband.org.

Student Support

On May 10, federal regulators granted emergency use authorization for the two-shot Pfizer vaccine, for kids ages 12 to 15, following clinical trials for that age group. There is no approved vaccine for younger children, but there is little evidence of spread by young school-age children.

The Santa Cruz County Office of Education will present an update on student support 6-8 p.m. Monday, June 14, with Spanish translation. Watch for details at https://santacruzcoe.org/

Santa Cruz County health officials have prioritized equity, allocating 60 percent of its doses for the greater Watsonville area and its Latinx community, which has seen the most cases.

On April 27, the federal Centers for Disease Control issued guidelines on wearing masks to prevent COVID spread, saying fully vaccinated people can skip the mask outdoors — unless they’re in a big crowd.

President Joe Biden told the Associated Press, “If you’re vaccinated, you can do more things.”

California is expected to sync its mask guidance with federal guidelines on June 15.

EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO SHAPE THEIR FUTURES WITH CONFIDENCE

Most health providers offering free vaccine are on www.MyTurn.ca.gov.

Federally qualified health care centers such as Salud Para La Gente and Santa Cruz Community Health are not using MyTurn, so to get an appointment there, go to santacruzhealth.org, click on vaccines.

The Toll

COVID-19 has claimed the lives of 62,000 Californians.

Deaths in Santa Cruz County have leveled off at 206, with 50 percent of deaths at nursing homes and assisted living facilities, a percentage that was higher early in the pandemic.

Locally, 78 percent of those who died were age 70 or older and 78 percent had other health conditions — those percentages have remained stable.

A year after the pandemic began, case rates have plummeted statewide with 37.5 million vaccine doses administered.

On Monday, Santa Cruz County reported two people hospitalized with COVID, none in intensive care. •••

County COVID Deaths: 206

As of May 31

Age

90 and up: 56 • 80 to 89: 63 • 70 to 79: 43 60 to 69: 27 • 50 to 59: 5 • 40 to 49: 7 30 to 39: 5

Underlying Conditions

Yes: 160 • No: 46

Gender Male: 102 • Female: 104

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 • La Posada: 1

Paradise Villa: 1 • Rachelle’s Home II: 1 Valley Haven: 1 • Westwind: 1 Total: 103 • Not at a facility: 103 COVID Cases by Town Aptos: 814 • Ben Lomond: 126

Boulder Creek: 154 • Capitola: 458 Felton: 158 • Freedom: 996

Santa Cruz: 3,969 • Scotts Valley: 446 Soquel: 361 • Watsonville: 8,150 Unincorporated: 256 Under investigation: 281 Total: 16,169*

Source: Santa Cruz County Public Health •••

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.

See what can open in the Yellow Tier at https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy. *Fewer than before because of data cleanup

Endless opportunities await your student at Kirby School. Visit kirby.org and contact our Admissions team to learn more about our Test-Free Application process and to schedule a tour.

Kirby School 425 Encinal Street Santa Cruz, CA 95060 KIRBY.ORG 831-423-0658 admissions@kirby.org

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