Deal: No County Worker Strike • Santa Cruz County Jobs

Deal: No County Worker Strike

Adeal the night of Jan. 24 halted a Jan. 25 strike planned by the union that represents 1,600 Santa Cruz County workers.

The three-year agreement would provide 9% raises (3% wage each year) and $1,250 in pandemic/hazard pay bonuses for Service Employees International Union Local 521 working for the County of Santa Cruz, the second largest employers in the county.

Negotiations took eight months. SEIU contended the vacancy rate hovered around 20%. A public health nurse noted that in 2020, County Administrator Carlos Palacios was paid $313,569.

Veronica Velazquez, a social worker and SEIU Local 521 president, said in a statement, “This agreement invests in the services that our community needs and relies on, and sets a framework to attract and retain dedicated essential county workers.”

The tentative agreement must be ratified by the County Board of Supervisors. •••

Santa Cruz County Jobs

Report posted Jan. 21 December unemployment 5.4%

Dec 2021 Change from a year ago

Leisure & hospitality 9,600 Up 1,500 Private education & health 17,900 Up 1,200 Government 20,600 Up 1,200 Other services 4,600 Up 300 Professional/business 10,600 Up 300 services Construction 4,500 0 Information 500 Down 100 Trade/transportation/ 16,300 Down 300 utilities Financial 3,100 Down 100 Manufacturing 6,900 0 Farm 5,800 Down 100 Nonfarm 94,600 Up 2,800

Total 100,400 Up 3,900

Labor force Employed*

131,100 Up 2% 124,000 Up 5% Unemployed 7,100 Down 32%

Count is on the 12 of the month * Includes commuting to jobs outside county

Source: California Employment Development Department n

“Senior Center” from page 4 Step 5: Bring your Tax Prep

Envelope to the senior center during the operating hours for drop off — please bring with you, your California driver’s license or California identification card. Step 6: You will be advised by a Project Scout tax preparer when your taxes have been completed and are ready for pickup.

Spring Bocce Registration

Here is the schedule to register to play in the Spring Bocce League. Play begins the week of April 4.

To play Bocce Ball, all players must register and must be a current member of the Scotts Valley Senior Center — no exceptions will be made.

Bocce registrations will take place/accepted at the Senior Center only on the dates and times listed:

Feb 22nd: 12pm - 2pm

Feb 24th: 12pm - 2pm

Feb 28th: 12pm - 2pm

Mar 2nd: 12pm - 2pm

Mar 4th: 11am - 1pm

Mar 8th: 12pm - 2pm

Mar 10th: 12pm - 2pm

New Hours

The Scotts Valley Senior Center, Kings Village Road, has new operating hours:

Mon. – Thurs.: 10am - 2pm

Friday: 10am - 1pm

The center is closed every 4th Friday of the month. Masks are required to be worn inside the facility.

Thank you! n

Receptionist Marlene Flannery is waiting to greet you!

“Weiss” from page 8 Think about the last time you truly savored something? Maybe it was an amazing dinner with a loved one. Or a relaxing walk with your dog. Remember how good you felt?

Taking the time to savor pleasant moments is good for your health. As noted in the OutsideOnline.com article:“The benefits of savoring are similar to those of mindfulness: studies have found that it can improve mood, lead to greater life satisfaction, and increase feelings of gratitude and appreciation. But it can also help you remember things more vividly, something mindfulness doesn’t do.”

If we know savoring is good for us, how come we don’t do it more?

Sometimes we have to train ourselves to savor the positive things in our lives. We must schedule time to enjoy positive experiences and special moments.

“I’ve always believed in savoring the moments. In the end, they are the only things we’ll have.” — Anna Godbersen, The Luxe

Here are three tips to help you savor the good things in your life more.

Identify stressful, negative feelings

It’s hard to settle into special moments and savor the experience if you are feeling sad, anxious, afraid, angry, etc. Negative feelings must be dealt with.

Ask yourself why you are feeling negative feelings. Identifying the cause of your stress is the first step in dealing with it.

From there, you might seek the advice of someone you trust and respect. Or you can write down the stressor and various solutions. Putting it down on paper makes it less scary and easier to manage. Also, it helps you set it aside, so you can move on to savoring pleasant things.

Beware of cognitive distortions

Cognitive distortions are basically unhelpful thoughts. They can emerge from our insecurities, or be caused by a bad experience.

For example, maybe someone on the freeway cut you off on your way to a special event. Don’t let red lights, rude servers, traffic headaches, and all the other little frustrations of life overshadow the good stuff. The stuff you want to savor.

Slow down

This is often the hardest one for me. My mind is always thinking about things I’ve done, and things I want to do. It’s hard to slow down and savor the present moment.

If this happens to you, try slowing down your breathing. Inhale slowly, exhale slowly.

Focus on the pleasant things you’re enjoying at that moment. Silently say encouragements to yourself, like: “I enjoy this soothing music,” or “I love the warmth of this amazing campfire.”

Savoring is the one habit I wish I discovered in my twenties. Back then I was young and full of ambition. Who has time to savor when there are dreams to conquer?

But then we age and after the battles are won what is left?

Memories.

And if we have learned how to savor, then our memories will be sweeter. They will comfort us through our remaining years and beyond the landscape of eternity. n •••

John P. Weiss is an artist and writer and the former police chief in Scotts Valley. See his blog at johnpweiss.com.