Scotts Valley Times: January 2024

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January 2024 • Vol 27 No. 1

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Working to Make Town Center a Reality

You may have noticed that a new fence has gone up around the future home of Scotts Valley’s town center off Mount Hermon Road.

Full Story page 5

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National Golf Champion at 13 Lucius Niesen, 13, of Scotts Valley, who took up golf to be like his dad, has become legendary in the junior golf world.

On Dec. 3, he posted one of the best performances in the 16-year history of the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour’s National Championship in Orlando, Florida.

He shot an 8-under 64 on an incredibly difficult Panther Lake Course, including 6 birdies on the Back 9.

He won the #HJGT National Championship in the Boys 11-13 Division by 8 strokes, finishing an astounding 12-under-par for the weekend. ... continues on page 4

Caitlyn Taylor: Gold Award & Eagle Award Here’s a rare accomplishment for a teen: Caitlyn Taylor of Scotts Valley earned her Girl Scout Gold Award and her Eagle Award, and she was recognized at a dual “Courts of Honor” ceremony at Pizza Series on Dec. 16.

Full Story page 7

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Volume 27 No. 1

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Table of Contents

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HAPPINESS HAPPENS HERE.

Cover National Golf Champion at 13

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Community News Salute to Chuck Fetter RTC Names Weiss Interim Executive Director • SCCRTC Approves $61.3 Million Budget For Projects Caitlyn Taylor: Gold Award & Eagle Award Iman Moshari, 18, Founder of Bikes4All Our Community Reads: The Monk of Mokha, By Denise Ward Free National Park Pass for Fourth Graders Dominican Provides Grant to Youth in Crisis • Syda Cogliati Chosen Presiding Judge New County App Adds Purchase Option

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Local Sports PCAL Mission Division North All-League Football

4 6 7 8 15 17 19

Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce Newsletter • Pages 11-14 11 The Valley Women’s Network Celebrates One Year of Connecting Local Women: • 2023 Scotts Valley Community Awards: Last Chance for Nominations 12 Brooke’s Resale Boutique 13 Real Estate Outlook for 2024, By Tobin Shaeffer & Laura Waltz 14 Santa Cruz Voice — Listen and Be Heard • Fallen Officer Foundation Ball

VISIT US TODAY!

Monthly Horoscope • Page 18 – The Year that Was, from Earth to Air, & the Magic & Gifts of Each Sign, By Risa D’Angeles Community Calendar • Arts & Entertainment – Pages 20, 21 Featured Columnists Working to Make Town Center a Reality: $1 Million Congressional Earmark Could Go to Buy Land, By Jack Dilles, Mayor, City of Scotts Valley 10 Better Santa Cruz: Overdoses, Foster Care, Miracle Messages, By Kaelin Wagnermarsh 16 El Nino Extreme Weather Travel Survival Guide, By Christopher Elliott 22 County Sales Tax Measure Coming March 5, By Zach Friend, Supervisor, Second District 5

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COMMUNITY NEWS

publisher

Patrice Edwards

editor

Jondi Gumz

contributing writers Denise Ward, Tobin Shaeffer, Laura Waltz, Risa D’Angeles, Jack Dilles, Kaelin Wagnermarsh, Christopher Elliott, Zach Friend layout

Michael Oppenheimer

Salute to Chuck Fetter O n Dec. 6, longtime volunteer Chuck Fetter received a mayoral proclamation from Mayor Jack Dilles recognizing his contributions to the community.

The proclamation is for Chuck Fetter’s many years of volunteering service in Scotts Valley organizations, including Scouts, Lions

graphic artists

Michael Oppenheimer, Ward Austin

photography Michael Oppenheimer

website Michael Oppenheimer, Camisa Composti

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production coordinator

Camisa Composti

media consultants

Teri Huckobey, Brooke Valentine, Danielle Paul Cathe Race

Club, Scotts Valley Historical Society and others.

Here is the text of the proclamation: ••• h e r e a s Chuck Fetter has served his community well as an accomplished leader in Scotts Valley and throughout the Monterey Bay area over many years; and hereas, Chuck has inspired many people, especially young people, Scotts Valley City Council with Chuck Fetter (from left): Council Member Allan Timms, to also become Council Member Donna Lind, Fetter, Mayor Jack Dilles, Council Member Derek Timm, and leaders, contribute Council Member Randy Johnson. to the community and help those around them; and Valley and to enlighten many residents about hereas, Chuck was honored as the historical events, Chuck recently completed Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce his 28-year term as President of the Scotts “Man of the Year” _in 1997 and as the San Valley Historical Society; and Lorenzo Valley Chamber of Commerce hereas, Chuck served as President “Man of the Year” _in 2000; and he has of the Monterey Bay Council of Boy received many awards from the Boy Scouts Scouts of America for 3 years, overseeing of America, including the prestigious Silver 6,500 Scouts and 2,500 volunteers in three Beaver Award; and counties; and hereas, After steadfastly working “Chuck Fetter” page 9 to preserve the rich history of Scotts

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distribution Bill Pooley, Erik Long

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Chuck Fetter dressed as Hiram Scott at one of the Vine Hill School history days.

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COVER STORY “Lucius Nielsen” from page 1 “Simply legendary. And quite deserving of the title of #HJGT National Champion,” the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour posted on Instagram.

Asked about the key to his success, Lucius said in a past-match interview, “The putting. I had a pretty good pace and sometimes they fall in, you know.”

He had expected to finish four or five strokes under par, “but hey sometimes they fall in, like I said,” and his face broke into a grin.

Three players shot 3-under to tie for third.

In August, Lucius was one of 20 boys selected to play in the Van Horn Cup Worlds Championship.

Fellow golfer Bento Assis posted about that: “What a great experience to play in the Van Horn Cup! Team Event: Best Ball, Stroke Play. I’m glad to be representing Brazil in this prestigious tournament. I played with my friend Lucius Niesen against @theconnorwolfe and @coledurhamgolf . It was a great match with a ton of emotions until the last

4 / January 2024 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

hole. The game ended tied with -5. What a cool trophy!”

Lucius’ father Travis is a police sergeant and his mom Bonnie is a math teacher.

He has an older sister, Liberty.

See Lucius’ post-match interview at: https://youtu.be/phc08kJIH5E Photos Credit: Bonnie Niesen

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Working to Make Town Center a Reality $1 Million Congressional Earmark Could Go to Buy Land

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By Jack Dilles, Mayor, City of Scotts Valley

ou may have noticed that a new fence has gone up around the future home of Scotts Valley’s town center off Mount Hermon Road.

In November 1,400 tons of contaminated soil were removed from the site, and with it, one of the reasons the town center hasn’t happened was resolved. The fence serves to protect this investment in the future of our city.

The investment is part of a fresh approach to making the town center happen, an effort led by the Town Center Subcommittee, composed of incoming Mayor Randy Johnson and incoming Vice Mayor Derek Timm, along with City Manager Mali LaGoe. ••• Town Center History ince the mid-1990s, various proposals have not produced a Scotts Valley town center, despite major efforts. Various challenges, like changes in the economy, the state takeaway of local redevelopment funding, unknown costs related to soil contamination, and mixed ownership of essential properties, have impeded progress.

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In 2008, the city adopted a Town Center Specific Plan to guide the development of a mixed-use downtown, which would become the heart of the city. The Specific Plan includes 58 acres along Mount Hermon Road.

It focused on the creation of 310,000 square feet of commercial space and construction of 300 homes within that area. Fifty of those homes have been built off Bluebonnet Lane.

The Specific Plan also describes a portion of land as the Town Center Core, which includes mostly vacant land of the former Skypark Airport.

Over the years, the city acquired some parcels of land in the Town Center Core with redevelopment funds and grant monies.

A portion was sold to the developer who built Faultline Brewing Company, Home by Zinnia’s, MADabolic, Penny Ice Creamery and Starbucks, kickstarting more economic activity along Mount Hermon Road. Another parcel has been leased for RV storage; however that lease expires in March 2024, opening the opportunity for redevelopment.

Over time, the city has assembled key

complementary pieces of our future town center, including Skypark, the Senior Center, the Scotts Valley Library, Metro station and the Scotts Valley Cultural and Performing Arts Center.

Recent Progress fter K-Mart closed in 2020, then Mayor Derek Timm contacted Target and encouraged them to fill this space. And Target did come in 2022, bringing sales tax dollars to the city and inspiring major upgrades to the entire Scotts Valley Square Shopping Center.

In 2021, a retail study from national retail expert Robert Gibbs was completed.

According to the study, the city should anticipate 82,000 square feet of retail space in the town center, much less than the 310,000 square feet planned in 2008.

The COVID-19 pandemic also shifted how people shop and has impacted the retail economy from order-online and drive-up services to outdoor dining, smaller storefronts and experience offerings. These changes have to be accounted for as we move ahead with our town center planning.

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More recently, the city has been taking a proactive role to remove barriers to the town center’s development, and to address housing demands. As market conditions have shifted and state mandated housing planning has ramped up, the 2008 Town Center Specific Plan is no longer viable.

In 2022, the city hired Good City Company to assess how to update the Specific Plan for today’s conditions.

“Town Center” page 7

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COMMUNITY NEWS

RTC Names Weiss Interim Executive Director M itch Weiss, former executive director of the California Transportation Commission, has been chosen interim executive director for the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission Weiss will temporarily succeed Guy Preston, who retired Dec. 1, while the RTC searches for a new permanent executive director.

Weiss, who retired from the CTC in March 2023, started his new role on Dec. 21, and will report directly to the RTC Board of Directors.

“Mitch Weiss will make a great interim Mitch Weiss executive director for the RTC. His background in economics means the Commission can count on him

for clear and unbiased presentation of the facts,” said Manu Koenig, RTC board chair and Santa Cruz County supervisor.

“His experience at the CTC managing state awards totaling over $20 billion means that Santa Cruz County will have additional insight as we navigate grant applications. Finally, he has firsthand experience with reorganizations, meaning that he will bring valuable perspective to the RTC as we consider our own structural changes.”

Weiss led the CTC for three years before retiring and doing consulting.

Before that, he was on CTC staff for a dozen years, including chief deputy director and deputy director. He also was deputy secretary for administration and finance for State Transportation Agency, and worked in the budget office of Caltrans.

He has worked on nearly every major

transportation funding program in the state.

At the CTC, Weiss led the agency’s implementation of Senate Bill 1, which provided the first significant, stable, and ongoing increase in state transportation funding in over two decades.

This effort culminated in the programming of nearly $18 billion across six programs in 13 months. He also led the development of the Active Transportation Program, which funds more than $220 million annually for projects across the state and managed the $5 billion State Transportation Improvement Program.

At CalSTA, he was responsible for fiscal policy and administrative and personnel matters for the agency and departments under the agency, including Caltrans, California Highway Patrol, Department of Motor Vehicles, and High-Speed Rail

Authority. He also co-authored the first Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program guidelines.

“I appreciate the trust placed in me by the commission and am excited to help guide the RTC in its continued work to develop and deliver sustainable transportation solutions to the region as the commission searches for a permanent executive director,” said Weiss. n

SCCRTC Approves $61.3 Million Budget For Projects

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n Dec. 7, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission approved spending $61.3 million of its anticipated share of state and federal funds on road, bike, and pedestrian projects and bus service.

The RTC is responsible for selecting transportation projects to receive funds from the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program/Regional Surface Transportation Program Exchange, the State Transportation Improvement Program, and the SB1 Local Partnership Program-formula.

This year, the RTC also programmed $34.7 million in one-time formula funds designated for transit capital and operations projects through the SB125 Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program and the Zero Emission Transit Capital Program.

All of these funds can be used to advance regional, state, and federal priorities.

Project that received funding include: • Santa Cruz Metro Rapid Corridors — to give buses traffic signal priority • Santa Cruz Metro transit operations — to provide more frequent service • Environmental analysis of Zero Emission Passenger Rail and Trail • Go Santa Cruz County Bicycle Incentives • Rehab projects on local roads including Murphy’s Crossing, Roggie Lane, Lee Road, West Beach Street, Corralitos Road, Amesti Road, Empire Grade Road, Bear Creek Road, Soquel San Jose Road, Rio Del Mar Boulevard, Bay Street, Scotts Valley Drive, Mt, Herman Road, 41st Avenue and Green Valley Road • New and upgraded bicycle/pedestrian facilities in Capitola, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Watsonville, Ben Lomond, and on Green Valley Road in the county

RTC Approved Funding

• Complete Streets improvements in the Felton-SLV Schools Complex area and the Bay corridor in Santa Cruz “This is a really exciting day, said Kristen Brown, RTC vice-chair and chair elect for 2024. There are a lot of great projects that are before us that are either fully or partially funded. We’re looking at road repair and improvement projects, bicycle and pedestrian projects, and projects that address equity and accessibility.”

She added, “The opportunity to move forward with Metro’s Reimagine Metro program and what that means for transportation and housing, and again equity, in our county, is all just really exciting.”

She saw consensus.

“We heard from almost every single

6 / January 2024 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

interest within transportation within our county in support of the staff recommendation, and to me that is the best example of what it looks like to convene, collaborate, and build consensus to build good public policy.”

Project sponsors submitted 23 applications requesting more than $95 million.

RTC staff used metrics to evaluate the projects that align with regional, state, and federal goals in the areas of safety, infrastructure condition, system performance, sustainability, resiliency, equity, and public health.

Staff also assessed the potential for projects to leverage additional grants using RTC-discretionary funds. n •••

Capitola 41st Avenue pavement rehab $1,000,000 Santa Cruz Escalona Complete Streets $2,941,656 Bethany culvert replacement* $1,500,000 Bay Street paving $875,000 Bay corridor design $399,000 Scotts Valley Mount Hermon Road improvements $523,000 Scotts Valley Drive corridor improvements $500,000 Watsonville Green Valley Road rehabilitation $1,833,000 Santa Cruz County Emergency Routes Phase 2 resurfacing $3,200,000 Glen Arbor Road Sidewalk $2,100,000 Intercounty Routes resurfacing $2,044,000 Green Valley Road multi-use path $2,000,000 Robertson Street and Soquel Drive signal $1,595,536 Hwy 17 corridors resurfacing $1,500,000 Corralitos corridor resurfacing (Amesti Rd & Corralitos Rd) $1,500,000 Rio Del Mar resurfacing $300,000 Ecology Action youth SRTS bike/pedestrian education $300,000 SCCRTC Zero Emission passenger rail and trail $2,000,000 Felton-SLV Schools Complete Streets improvements $1,800,000 Planning, programming, and monitoring $430,000 Go Santa Cruz County bicycle incentives $305,100 Santa Cruz Metro Transit operations* $28,339,199 Metro rapid corridors $4,000,000 Grand total: $60,985,491

COMMUNITY NEWS

Caitlyn Taylor: Gold Award & Eagle Award H ere’s a rare accomplishment for a teen: Caitlyn Taylor of Scotts Valley earned her Girl Scout Gold Award and her Eagle Award, and she was recognized at a dual “Courts of Honor” ceremony at Pizza Series on Dec. 16.

A member of Troop 15502, Caty created a lesson plan to teach kids about food waste reduction, winning the Gold Award for carrying out a project to make the world a better place.

To earn the Eagle Award, her project was building garden beds at the Scotts Valley Boys and Girls Club, which is next to the seasonal Farmer’s Market.

Adina Licht, Girl Scout co-leader of Troop 15502, said Caty is “a total star,”

adding “much gratitude to all of the local leaders to came to support Caty.”

Both awards are the culmination of years of service and learning in both organizations.

Caty attends Whitman College in Washington State, Caitlyn Taylor where she is focused on science. She is someone who seeks realworld experiences and knowledge.

A home baker, she enjoys experimenting with baked goods. She also plays basketball and volleyball. n

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“Town Center” from page 5 As the strategy developed, an architecture firm, Urban Field Studio, was brought on to bring this new reality to a new vision of the Town Center Core layout. In addition, a regional agency “assigned” the city 1,220 homes to plan for, with 803 being affordable over the next eight years.

This shifted 657 homes to be planned for the Town Center Specific Plan area, including 466 affordable units.

This number is substantially higher than the 300 planned back in 2008. The increase in homes is the direct result of the statewide shortage of affordable housing and state housing mandates.

Many people don’t realize that 8 of the 14 acres of the old airport site are owned by the City of Santa Cruz. This has posed another barrier to past development efforts.

Scotts Valley requested Congressional earmark funding from Congressman Jimmy Panetta to help the city acquire this land. This

Photo Credit: Jack Dilles

Future site of the Town Center. funding request is recommended at $1 million, pending Congress passing a FY24 budget.

Owning this land will enable Scotts Valley to work directly with a future developer to build the 14-acre core area including commercial, public and residential uses.

An Exciting Future By taking these steps, Scotts Valley is working to make the future town center a reality.

Removing obstacles and unknowns will enable the city to bring more affordable housing, retail businesses, outdoor experiences and a gathering place for residents and visitors to the heart of Scotts Valley. n Stay tuned for further developments by visiting ScottsValley.gov/towncenter.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Iman Moshari, 18, Founder of Bikes4All A ptos High School senior Iman Moshari, 18, came to the United States from Tehran, Iran, at age 4 with his mom looking for a better life.

He’s a cycling fanatic who saved up his money to buy a pricey bike.

He’s entrepreneurial, starting his own nonprofit called Bikes4All. He and fellow classmates collect bikes that are abandoned or not in use, repair them and give them to people who apply — more than five dozen.

He’s ambitious, applying for the Rise Challenge along with 143,000 other teens, aiming for a full-ride four-year college scholarship and becoming one of the 99 finalists.

Aptos Times interviewed Iman Moshari via email.

••• How did your family land in Aptos?

When my mother and I immigrated to the United States, we were simply following a path left by my father’s family.

When my parents separated, we found ourselves in Aptos — the rest is history. I guess you can call it fate in a sense.

How big is your family? Do you have siblings?

My family is incredibly large, but they are largely in Iran. I love them so much and I miss them every day. Maybe I can have them come to U.S. one day, but until then I’ll be Face-timing them as much as I can.

I do not have any siblings.

What do you love about biking?

Do you have a favorite trek?

Cycling serves as my sanctuary — a way to break free from our ever-imploding world and a relaxation from the stresses that constantly ache our minds.

I don’t have a favorite trail. I like to think of Santa Cruz as one big trail that I have yet to finish riding. Everywhere you explore will be just as stunning as the next.

When did you get this brainstorm about recovering abandoned bikes for kids in need?

This idea originally came back to me in my sophomore year of high school, just before summer break. I heard from a friend that the state parks were throwing away

dozens of bikes every couple of months and I was shocked.

I know a lot of deserving kiddos and adults whose lives would be changed for the better if they had a bike. So I started Bikes4All — with the bright goal of serving everyone in Santa Cruz County by providing them with a free bike.

You’ve gotten bikes from the Capitola Police Dept. How much repairs do the bikes need?

How many students have done repairs to earn community service?

Bikes are like humans, each one has a

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unique ailment that makes them different from the rest—which makes fixing them complicated, but a lot of fun.

The bikes are repaired by high school students under my mentorship and guidance, and then they are rigorously tested before they go out.

As a result, we have around 10 kids who have completed their community service requirements through us.

How many bikes have you matched with kids?

Less than half of the bikes we have given out have gone to kids.

Most of the applications we receive are from adults without a means of transportation. We help them with that.

Is there a waitlist?

The people who apply are all over the Santa Cruz County. That’s who we serve and who we will continue serving.

Our waitlist is quite large at the moment — though we are very grateful — because of the recent influx in applicants as a result of more people talking about us.

We are not a first-come-first-serve organization. If your situation is dire, you will be placed favorably in line so that we can get you out of whatever situation you are in.

However, if your situation is not dire, you will still be served, regardless of your need.

Parents will be buying new bikes for kids who have outgrown their old bikes. Could they donate those bikes to your nonprofit? How? Parents or folks who would like to donate a bike they have laying around, left by their kids, or are just not riding anymore can go to bit.ly/ bike4all and follow the directions to donate.

We will pick up the bike for you and find a time that works with your schedule.

How else could people in the community support this effort?

Monetary donations are greatly, greatly appreciated. Sometimes a bike will simply be marked for the dump simply because we don’t have the overpriced tools to fix it.

Monetary donations allow us to get the bikes working again and ready to go.

Folks can go to bit.ly/bike4all and email us to find out how to donate.

What’s the update on your early admission college applications?

I have decided to rescind my early decision application.

After some more research, I have become interested in more colleges and programs that I would like to have the option of attending.

When will you find out about the Rise scholarship?

I have already found out about the Rise scholarship! I won it!

Who will take over Bikes4All when you go to college?

That’s a tough one.

We have so many passionate people currently working in our organization that it will be tough to choose.

I will continue overseeing the organization when I am in college, but there will be new leaders who will physically run the organization to serve the community. n

I know a lot of deserving kiddos and adults whose lives would be changed for the better if they had a bike. So I started Bikes4All — with the bright goal of serving everyone in Santa Cruz County by providing them with a free bike.

— Iman Moshari

LOCAL SPORTS

PCAL Mission Division North All-League Football S cotts Valley High School’s football team, League champion with a 6-0 record and 10-2 overall, had three players earn AllLeague top honors: Offensive Player of the Year: Quinn Turowski, senior Defensive Player of the Year: Jess Ringel, junior Lineman of the Year: Marshall Dodge, senior Richard Chamberlin Sportsmanship team: Dylan Gowdy (Senior), MVC; Isaiah Garife (Senior), NMC; Matteo DeMarco (Senior), Santa Cruz; Khaliel Milhouse (Junior), Scotts Valley; Adam Chong (Senior), Seaside; Gavin Valencia (Senior), St. Francis; Jiovani Guerrero (Senior), Watsonville Elgie Bellizio Sportsmanship team: Santa Cruz Some leagues choose a coach of the year, but PCAL policy is to recognize players only.

••• First Team Offense Dominic Pierini (Junior), Monte Vista Christian Eli Velez (Junior), Scotts Valley Andrew Beal (Senior), Seaside Alex Arevalo (Junior), Watsonville Nico Downie (Junior), MVC Quinn Turowski (Senior), Scotts Valley Julius Escort (Junior), Seaside Luke DaRosa (Senior), MVC Ethan Yates (Senior), North Monterey County Arnulfo Jimenez (Junior), NMC Marshall Dodge (Senior), Scotts Valley Lorenzo Gonzales (Senior), Scotts Valley Jose De La Torre (Senior), Watsonville Taylor Rice (Senior), Seaside First Team Defense Jesse Martinez (Senior), NMC Marshall Dodge (Senior), Scotts Valley James Bullock (Senior), Scotts Valley Jeremiah Laui (Sophomore), Seaside

“Chuck Fetter” from page 4

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hereas, Latino youth and their parents have been encouraged by Chuck to become active in Scouting; and hereas, Chuck served as a Past President and long-time member of the Scotts Valley Host Lions Club, participating in many community events; and hereas, Boy Scout Troop 604 in Scotts Valley benefitted from his 20 years of leadership – incredibly, 35 Scouts in Troop 604 earned the highest honor of Eagle Scout; and

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Ruben Mora (Senior), Watsonville Max Torres (Junior), MVC Jes Ringel (Junior), Scotts Valley Niko Iles (Senior), Scotts Valley Genghis Atalima (Senior), Seaside Adan Magana (Junior), Watsonville Damian Hernandez (Senior), NMC Brady Siechen (Senior), Scotts Valley Jamari Vaughns (Senior), Seaside Javier Fonseca (Junior), St. Francis Second Team Offense Jamari Vaughns (Senior), Seaside Connor Pallott (Senior), MVC Chris Rasmussen (Junior), NMC Niko Iles (Senior), Scotts Valley Ryan Ruiz (Senior), NMC Pedro Ibarra (Senior), St. Francis Patrick Miller-Brown (Junior), Watsonville Hector Pantoja (Junior), NMC James Bullock (Senior), Scotts Valley Anthony Collins (Senior), Scotts Valley Keoni Riparip (Senior), Seaside Bladimir Mendoza (Senior), Seaside Marcus Gonzalez (Jr.), St. Francis Markel Parker (Senior), St. Francis Second Team Defense Kente Dorsey (Junior), Santa Cruz Imanol Cruz (Senior), Seaside Taylor Rice (Senior), Seaside Donovan Dominguez (Junior), St. Francis Guadalupe Rico (Senior), Watsonville Gunner Sorensen (Junior), MVC Alex Guzman (Senior), NMC RJ Bradfield (Senior), Scotts Valley Colton Dureson (Senior), Scotts Valley Ben Dewig (Senior), St. Francis Ayden Valdez (Senior), NMC Jacob Womack (Junior), Scotts Valley Keon Ealey (Junior), Seaside Issac Urbina (Senior), Watsonville n

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hereas, Chuck has enthusiastically worked as a driving force to improve our community through many organizations, including the Scotts Valley Nostalgia Nights, Cabrillo College Foundation Board, Santa Cruz Elks Club, Santa Cruz Moose Lodge, and Museum of Art and History Board. ow, therefore, I, Jack Dilles, as Mayor of the City of Scotts Valley, on behalf of the entire City Council, do hereby salute and thank Chuck Fetter for his outstanding efforts to lead and positively impact so many in our community, especially young people. n

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www.tpgonlinedaily.com Scotts Valley Times / January 2024 / 9

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Better Santa Cruz: Overdoses, Foster Care, Miracle Messages

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By Kaelin Wagnermarsh

aelin Wagnermarsh, a real estate agent with Room Real Estate, is a member of Better Santa Cruz and shares an update on three issues of concern: Opioid overdoses, which have killed 715,000 people nationwide since 1999, foster care, and Miracle Messages, which has Kaelin Wagnermarsh reunited 750+ unhoused people with loved ones.

Safe RX I attended a zoom update put on by SafeRX that covered a lot of data, but specifically overdose trends here in Santa Cruz. I have a couple of standout points: • 80% of the overdose deaths had fentanyl in their system.

• While there are statistics of overdoses, we need to keep in mind narcan usage as well — when both of these are calculated together we’d get a better understanding of this issue.

• For 2023 (up to Oct) most were white males in their late 30s to mid 50s and 53% of the overdose deaths were of unhoused individuals and 47% were housed.

• Only 16% who overdosed were not in contact with the jail — so, what is our intake / exit process? How can we adjust how we approach our jailed individuals to change this outcome?

We need to work on preventative measures.

• Opioid overdoses are third on the list of “deadliest events in US history” after Covid-19 and the Civil War, which I found really striking.

••• Foster Care Our recent foster care panel was incredibly enlightening. To set the stage of this discussion: Our most recent point in time count (a survey of those experiencing homelessness conducted on one day, once per year) indicates that 23% of those surveyed had been in the foster care system. Aside from foster care experience, of those surveyed as a whole, 334 were unaccompanied children/transition aged youth 18-24 years old ( 99% were unsheltered).

According to the Children’s Law Center of CA, research indicates foster youth experience rates of homelessness ranging from 11% to 38%, disproportionately higher than that of the general population.

When considering a recent publication by the County of Education, more than 2,700 Santa Cruz County students are currently experiencing homelessness.

That is about 1 in every 14 students across TK-12, a rate 45% higher than the average statewide. According to their numbers, the youths in shelters + unsheltered just within their count, equated to 400 students (not counting motels + “doubling up”). This shines a light on how limited the PIT count may be.

We hope to explore how we can prevent these staggering statistics. What would

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preventative, supportive and successful measures look like?

Takeaways • Foster youth many times don’t have what most of us take for granted — a general safety net. Many of these foster youth don’t have someone to call if their options run out, which could mean the difference between being housed and not. This is an element similar to that which we’ve heard before — connections keep people out of homelessness.

• Foster youth need to be able to know what a healthy adult relationship looks like — one that’s for free and forever.

• Again, we heard echoes of previous conversations — there is an issue with navigation and communications within the systems and programs. Someone mentioned Santa Cruz is so great because we have so many “doors” but once you get there you’re told you need to go somewhere else ... and it gets complicated and confusing. The overall complexity of each available program, service and provider is a lot for an adult to comprehend, let alone a foster youth.

Each has their own criteria, age range, length of time, etc.

• Money always helps - but the investment of PEOPLE is most important. People who can volunteer to show up for foster youth.

• Foster youth have to relive and discuss their story with countless adults, frequently. I wonder how that would affect me, if so many people were not only aware of my deepest personal memories or traumas but if I had to constantly discuss and acknowledge it, with practically strangers.

• Most of the cases CASA deals with are between the ages of 0-5. When I think of that foundational, critical time for a child, and not having a parent with them but under the care of the state — my heart breaks.

• Acknowledging that sometimes families are separated for simply making one bad decision. It’s important to keep in mind — each of us are not our worst mistake.

People can change given the right resources and support. The best outcome is the child to return to a healthy safe environment with their family. “An okay parent makes a better parent than the state” — as one panelist put it.

Watch the full video at https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=2fZS-Rc1X4w This was an incredible conversation, let me know what your takeaways were.

•••

Miracle Messages attended the Community Connections: Key to Resolving Homelessness Dinner Benefit. Miracle Messages is a nonprofit that connects unhoused individuals to their loved ones. It’s an incredible organization, and the event they held was so enlightening.

Here are some of my takeaways from the panel discussion: The perpetuation of the “others’’ mentality. People have biases that allow them to disassociate people they see on the street with their actual neighbors and community members. This lack of connection and association allows one to justify the us and THEM mentality. This also illuminated some of my own biases. I consider how often I look a homeless person in the eye vs consciously look elsewhere. A big takeaway is the sense that this is a “homegrown issue.”

Not everyone has the same opportunities. The fact that when growing up and developing important foundations, I had the benefit of two parents caring about my health, future and wellbeing every night is a benefit many people do not have. That’s just one example, and it’s important to recognize that just because you worked hard and “made it” by pulling yourself up by your bootstraps doesn’t mean someone who is experiencing homelessness has not made similar efforts, or even had the tools and opportunities to develop that ability.

Homelessness is the most “intersectional issue of our time” — meaning that can affect any one of us. Most of Californians in particular are just a couple of paychecks away from losing their housing. One large life change — a death, medical condition, divorce, etc can dramatically change someone’s circumstance.

The life expectancy of someone experiencing homelessness is 50, significantly less than the average. It makes me wonder what that says about the vital importance of community connections, shelter, and support.

Something is deeply flawed in our foster care system — 1 out of every 3 foster care youth who age out of the system experience homelessness by age 26.

I left this event pondering my own biases, my own circumstances, and our current policies and legislation. What could be different that changes the current circumstance that makes Santa Cruz, better?

••• What is your biggest concern for Santa Cruz — what do you see as the most pressing issue that we should focus on? Pick one issue, and include any information you think is important to give us a better understanding. Contact Kaelin at info@ BetterSantaCruz.org

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The Valley Women’s Network Celebrates One Year of Connecting Local Women

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Ribbon Cutting: Janurary 10 at Inversion Wines

n January 10th, The Valley Women’s Network invites you to celebrate their one year anniversary together with the Scotts Valley Chamber.

The Valley Women’s Network was created by Maaliea Wilbur and Jenny Boffy as a way to connect like-minded, community focused women. As local business owners, Wilbur and Boffy know the power of connection and collaboration and wanted to foster a supportive, positive environment for women in Scotts Valley, San Lorenzo Valley, and other local communities.

The goal of each monthly happy hour event is to meet new friends, expand personal networks, and support local woman-owned businesses. All while enjoying wonderful wine at Inversion Wines.

“As local business owners, we know how important relationships are to building and

sustaining a business. We wanted to create a place for women business owners to build community connections while also supporting and highlighting local women-owned businesses,” said Wilbur.

“It has been so fulfilling to see what this network has provided to everyone who has been part of it this past year. We can’t wait to see what year two brings,” added Boffy.

The anniversary celebration and ribbon cutting will take place on Wednesday, January 10th from 5:30-7:30pm at Inversion Wines located at 75 Mt Hermon Rd, Scotts Valley, CA 95066. All are welcome!

Maaliea Wilbur is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the CEO of TherapyWorks.

To learn more, visit mytherapyworks.com. Jenny Boffy is a Mortgage Advisor and founder of the Boffy Group.

To learn more, visit crosscountrymortgage.com.

2023 Scotts Valley Community Awards: Last Chance for Nominations

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he Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce seeks your assistance in recognizing the people and businesses that make our community such a special place.

Please send us your 2023 nominations for outstanding businesses and individuals for the following categories: • Alvin Scarborough Memorial MAN OF THE YEAR • Annette Marcum Memorial WOMAN OF THE YEAR • YOUTH OF THE YEAR • EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR

Deadline Friday, Feb. 2nd

• BUSINESS OF THE YEAR • ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR • Claire Hodgin Memorial BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT OF SCOTTS VALLEY

Happy New Year!

• It may be in the previous year or over a period of time which you specify.

• A business of the year nominee must be a current Scotts Valley Chamber member.

• An individual may live or work outside the city limits, but their contribution must be within Scotts Valley.

• Youth of the year nominee must be of High School age.

••• ••• Criteria for nomination: Nominating is quick and easy!

• Each nominee must have made a Go to ScottsValleyChamber.com and valuable contribution to Scotts Valley. help us honor the leaders of our community.

Call the Chamber Today or Visit www.scottsvalleychamber.com

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Scotts Valley Times / January 2024 / 11

Scotts Valley Chamber News

Brooke’s Resale Boutique Ribbon Cutting Jan 25th, 5:30-7 p.m.

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n the heart of Scotts Valley, Brooke Kane, a Santa Cruz County native, proudly welcomes the community to “Brooke’s Resale Boutique.” Having officially opened its doors on August 5, 2023, this charming children’s shop is tucked away in the Camp Evers Shopping Center, situated behind the well-known restaurants, Auntie Mame’s and Maya’s.

Brooke’s Resale Boutique offers a diverse array of items for kids of all ages. From newborn to teen, you’ll find quality clothing, shoes, toys, and books, ranging from board books for babies to chapter books for teens.

As a dedicated retailer of Ty Beanie Babies, Brooke ensures fresh arrivals in this category regularly, keeping up with the new releases from Ty. What sets Brooke’s Resale Boutique apart is not only the variety of products but also Brooke’s commitment to sustainability. With a passion for reducing waste, Brooke meticulously curates pre-loved items, restoring them to pristine condition. From clothing and toys to books, every piece finds a new home, contributing to a more sustainable and ecofriendly community. Additionally, Brooke textile recycles unusable items, striving to minimize the environmental impact.

To enhance the community’s experience further, there are exciting plans for the near future. Brooke’s husband, Kalen Kane, a child passenger safety technician and instructor (CPSTI) with seven years of experience as a civilian employee at the CHP, will soon offer car seat checks at the shop. This valuable service underscores the shop’s commitment to the safety and well-being of the community’s little ones.

To add to the shopping experience, Brooke consistently introduces new items

throughout the store categories on a daily basis. Brooke has plans to expand the shop by offering consignment selling options for toys and equipment. To celebrate this

thriving venture, a ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for January 25, 2024, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Join Brooke, Kalen, and the community

in commemorating the success of Brooke’s Resale Boutique, a haven for affordable, sustainable, and delightful treasures for the little ones.

Celebrating 43 Years of Managing & Selling Homes throughout Santa Cruz County — 1981 – 2024 $4200/mo 3BR/2BA 2-story Forest Lakes Home on Redwood Rd in Felton. Loft. Deck. W/D. Wood flooring; no carpet. Pet friendly. ....................................................................................................................................AVAIL NOW $4200/mo 3BR/2BA Home on 11000 block of Hwy 9 in Brookdale. Loft. Office. Hardwood floors. Woodstove. HVAC. W/D. Fenced yard. Hot tub.........................................................................................................................AVAIL NOW $3200/mo 2BR/2BA Home on 9000 block of Glen Arbor in Ben Lomond. Breakfast nook. Lg bedrms. Laundry rm. Fenced yard. Garage. Pet friendly. ...........................................................................................................................AVAIL NOW $3150/mo 3BR/2BA Retro Condo at the Boulder Creek Country Club. Located on E. Hilton Dr. in Boulder Creek. Tenancy includes 1-car garage. W/D. FP. No pets. .....................................................................................AVAIL LATE JANUARY $2800/mo 3BR/2BA Single-level Triplex unit on Pedro Avenue in Ben Lomond. Deck. Garage. No pets. ...............................................................................................................................................................AVAIL NOW $2100/mo Stand Alone Studio Cottage on 700 Block of Felton-Empire Road in Felton. No laundry on site. No pets. ...............................................................................................................................................................AVAIL NOW $2100/mo 1BR/1BA Home with office and loft on Ralston Ridge in Boulder Creek. Custom woodwork throughout.

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12 / January 2024 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Turf’s Up!

Take advantage of the District’s Turf’s Up program and get a $2 rebate per square foot of irrigated lawn replaced. www.svwd.org/TurfsUp

Scotts Valley Chamber News

Real Estate Outlook for 2024

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By Tobin Shaeffer & Laura Waltz

he Santa Cruz County real estate market is expected to undergo significant shifts in 2024, influenced by a combination of economic, demographic, and environmental factors.

One key factor shaping the real estate landscape throughout California is the ongoing trend of remote work. The allure

of coastal living combined with the flexibility of remote work should continue to drive increased demand for homes throughout Santa Cruz County.

Environmental considerations are gaining prominence in real estate decisions. California’s susceptibility to natural disasters, such as wildfires and droughts,

may influence property values and insurance costs. Homebuyers may prioritize eco-friendly features and resilient infrastructure when making purchasing decisions.

The County’s housing supply challenges, a long-standing issue, are anticipated to persist. Limited inventory and high demand have historically driven up prices, making affordability a concern for many prospective buyers. Policymakers and industry stakeholders may continue to explore solutions to address housing shortages and promote more sustainable development. Recent and upcoming laws related to Accessory Dwelling Units may provide more flexibility for homeowners to develop their properties.

The trajectory of interest rates is a crucial factor to monitor in 2024. The Federal Reserve is expected to begin cutting interest rates in 2024, with rate cuts expected through 2026. These cuts could greatly impact buyer behavior in the coming months as mortgages become more affordable.

It’s important for individuals navigating the Santa Cruz County real estate market in 2024 to stay informed about these dynamic factors. Engaging with local real estate professionals, keeping an eye on market trends, and considering the evolving landscape of work and lifestyle preferences will be essential for those looking to buy or sell property in the coming year.

••• The Shaeffer Waltz Group can be contacted at www.shaefferwaltzgroup.com. Tobin Shaeffer: DRE # 02008139 | Laura Waltz: DRE # 02108117

MKT-9811D-A

Tobin Shaeffer

Laura Waltz

© 2023 EDWARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. AECSPAD

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Scotts Valley Times / January 2024 / 13

Scotts Valley Chamber News

Santa Cruz Voice — Listen and Be Heard S taying connected to what’s happening locally is important to a lot of Central Coast residents. That is the reason for the recent launch of a new resource for local news and talk, SantaCruzVoice.com.

This full-service internet radio station celebrated its grand opening in April of 2023, and now features 34 local hosts, with well over 300 years of combined local radio experience, including Rosemary Chalmers,

Bill Wolverton, Charles Freedman, “Sleepy” John Sandidge, Gary Shapiro, and Michael Olson.

Many of these well-known voices fell silent when a local radio station abruptly ended much of its local programming at the end of 2022.

At the time, Rosie, as she is affectionately known by her listeners, called on everybody to “stick together,” and within a few short weeks the radio community banded together to help build one of the nation’s first, fullservice, “Local, News & Talk” streaming radio stations.

Rosie, Bill & correspondents begin the day’s live programming with “Good Morning Monterey Bay” from 6 to 9 a.m., followed by the “Genial Genius” of Watsonville with the Charles Freedman Show.

Daily hosts pick up the program at noon with the “Noon Balloon” and then, from 1 to 5 p.m., full-length news talk programs covering everything of interest to the Central Coast community. Almost all

Voice programs are “live and local”, and most accept audience participation calls.

SantaCruzVoice.com’s program schedule continues to grow with original programming Monday through Saturday and “Best of” programs running through the night and all-day Sunday.

The Voice is still looking for new voices to cover additional topics of interest to listeners throughout the Central Coast.

Interested individuals can contact Santa Cruz Voice, part of the Think Local First — County of Santa Cruz organization, at info@ santacruzvoice.com.

Fallen Officer Foundation Ball

Saturday, February 10, 2024, 5:30-11 p.m. • Cocoanut Grove Ballroom, Santa Cruz

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oin in supporting local First Responders.

The past few years have been extremely difficult. We’ve seen attacks on law enforcement, massive wildfires, unprecedented storms with flooding and landslides.

There’s both a physical and emotional toll, including a dramatic increase in injuries, many suffering post-traumatic stress. They continue through the challenges while trying to heal. Fallen Officer Foundation continues to be there for them with your support.

We’re pleased to announce The Lost

Boys featuring James Durban will be performing after the live auction. The Cocoanut Grove will provide appetizers, delicious dinner & desserts for the evening. Table wine provided by our sponsors.

A preview of auction items is available to Sponsors prior to the doors opening at 5:30 p.m. Sponsors & guests are invited to arrive at 5:00 p.m. for complimentary drinks, appetizers and a special preview of the silent and live auction items.

Tickets available on website: https:// buytickets.at/scfof.

Advertise in the Scotts Valley Chamber Newsletter

14 / January 2024 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

The Fallen Officer Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit founded in 2004 with an all-volunteer board. Proceeds directly assist local first responders.

The outpouring of community support has been overwhelming and continues to grow. Thank you to all our supporters by contributing as sponsors and donating items for the silent & live auction. We couldn’t do it without you.

••• For more information, visit our website at www.

SCFOF.org or Social Media https://www.facebook. com/Fallen-Officer-Foundation-170086503017063 or contact us at 831-662-3105.

CALL FOR SPECIAL RATES 831.688.7549

Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce 360 King’s Village Road Scotts Valley, CA 95066

COMMUNITY NEWS

Our Community Reads: The Monk of Mokha

By Denise Ward

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ur Community Reads, a program of the Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, will kick-off the 2024 season on Jan. 24 with a book discussion facilitated by Book Shop Santa Cruz owner Casey Coonerty-Protti.

Be sure to pick up your copy of The Monk of Mokha, by bestselling author Dave Eggers, so you can join us for this, plus a vast selection of upcoming events that will be unveiled shortly.

This fast-paced true story weaves together the history of coffee, the ongoing Yemeni civil war, and the courageous journey of a young man — a Muslim and US citizen — following the American dream.

Our events will delve into the many themes of the book through a variety of types of events including an author talk with both Dave Eggers and the protagonist of the story, Mokhtar Alkhanshali presenting in person.

There will be art, music, films, lectures, and our ever-popular Trivia Night on the calendar plus so much more. You won’t want to miss this season!

All events will require registration on the SCPL website calendar. For more information about Our Community Reads and a description of events visit: www.friendsof aptoslibrary.org. n •••

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, Jan. 24 Book Discussion | 11 a.m.

Join your fellow readers to talk about our 2024 selection and discuss major themes in depth. Casey Coonerty Protti, owner of Bookshop Santa Cruz, will facilitate the conversation. Sandwiches provided by Aegis Living Aptos.

The Loft coffee shop — 2701 Cabrillo College Drive, Aptos ••• Tuesday, Jan. 30 An Evening with Dave Eggers and Mokhtar Alkhanshali | 7p.m.

Monk of Mokha author Dave Eggers and the monk himself, Mokhtar Alkhanshali, talk about the multiyear collaboration that became the story of Mokhtar’s quest, traveling from San Francisco to the remote coffee farms of Yemen in search of the world’s most dangerous cup of coffee. Questions from the audience are encouraged.

Radius Gallery at the Tannery Arts Center — 1050 River St #127, Santa Cruz

••• Friday, Feb. 2 Sacred Brew? The Religious, Political, and Cultural Role of Coffee in Yemen | 6 p.m.

Dr. Flagg Miller, UC Davis Professor of Religious Studies, talks about the role coffee plays in Yemeni culture and about his current coffee-growing research project in Yemen.

Dr. Miller’s academic focus is on cultures of modern Muslim reform in the Middle East, especially Yemen. Dessert and coffee will be provided.

Fireside Room, Scotts Valley Library, 251 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley.

Tuesday, Feb. 6 Yemeni Stories: The Yemeni Immigrant Experience | 7 p.m.

Jehan Hakim, a 2nd-generation YemeniAmerican Muslim, founder of the Yemeni Alliance Committee and board member of Just Foreign Policy, will join us for a virtual talk from Texas. Her experience spans interfaith coalition building, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training, and consulting. Geneffa Jahan, professor of English at Cabrillo College, will moderate further discussion, and there will be a bag of Harazi Blend Yemeni Style coffee for a lucky audience member!

Ow Family Community Room, 2005 Wharf Road, Capitola Library ••• Wednesday, Feb. 7 Coffee Warms the Heart (art workshop) 1 p.m.

Hearts and flowers are familiar symbols of love. With Valentine’s Day just a week away, you’ll create a bouquet or a greeting card using coffee paint as your medium.

Artist Lise Bixler leads this art workshop. No experience needed. All materials supplied.

Felton Library Community Room ••• Saturday, Feb. 10 Writing Under the Influence of Coffee! (workshop) | 11 a.m.

Starting with a few coffee-flavored writing prompts to get you motivated, facilitators June Langhoff and members of the Santa Cruz chapter of Shut Up & Write follow up with silent writing, and end with optional sharing. Loads of encouragement and coffee will be provided.

Fireside Room, Scotts Valley Library ••• Tuesday, Feb. 13 “Baristas” (film) | 6:30 p.m.

Follow four passionate National Barista Champions — from Japan, Ireland, the USA, and Germany — as they represent their countries at the 2017 World Barista Championship in Seoul, South Korea. You’ll get a terrific behindthe-scenes peek into the preparations required for this tense competition. (Popcorn will be available!) [This film contains some profanity.]

Ow Family Community Room, Capitola Library

Dave Eggers and Mokhtar Alkhanshali • Photo Credit: Jeremy Stern

High School Art Competition Winners.

View designs from the High School Art Competition, where students redesign The Monk of Mokha book jacket.

Judged by staff members from Bookshop Santa Cruz.

••• Thursday, Feb. 15 Brewing Revolution: Coffee and Class Struggle in 20th-Century Central America | 6:30 p.m.

Back by popular demand, Nick Rowell, professor of political science at Cabrillo College, discusses how coffee is a factor in contributing

to peace and prosperity in some instances, and civil war and revolution in others.

Rio Sands Hotel Community Room — 116 Aptos Beach Drive, Aptos ••• Saturday, Feb. 17 Coffee Botanical Illustration (art workshop) | 1 p.m.

Facilitated by art educators Sharon Ferguson and Jo-Neal Graves, participants will learn to look closely at each part of the coffee plant and create a botanical illustration.

“Our Community Reads” page 17

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www.tpgonlinedaily.com Scotts Valley Times / January 2024 / 15

FEATURED COLUMNIST

El Nino Extreme Weather Travel Survival Guide

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race yourself for a hard winter, fellow travelers.

“Prepare for the worst,” warns aviation expert David Doughty. “You might encounter ice storms, blizzards and other treacherous weather conditions.”

These won’t be ordinary storms, either.

Meteorologists say they’ll be powered by climate change and El Nino. Last month, the National Weather Service issued an El Nino advisory, predicting the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Will El Nino Affect Your Next Trip?

Travelers like Nikita Sherbina are ready.

“I’ve taken precautions for my winter travel plans,” says Sherbina, who runs a business software company in Seattle. “I’ve also booked refundable or flexible tickets for my trip, and I’m keeping a close eye on weather forecasts to adjust travel dates if necessary.”

Is Sherbina overreacting? No. Crazy weather could sink your winter vacation, and

By Christopher Elliott

meteorologists expect the erratic conditions to continue through early spring. But there’s a way to weatherproof your next trip, and the time to do it is now. I am, but my solution is a little bit contrarian. I’ll tell you more in a moment.

So what happens when the weather disrupts your trip? An internal survey of 1,400 TripIt’s users found that 15% of its users were affected by extreme weather this summer, but it projects that number will rise as El Nino weather patterns form.

“Unpredictable weather could mean trouble for travelers this winter,” says Jen Moyse, vice president of product at TripIt. Of those surveyed by the travel planning app, 41% of travelers stuck to their plans and only 1% of respondents canceled their trip. If that pattern holds, it means more of us will be stuck in traffic, waiting at the airport, or trapped somewhere in a snowstorm, unable to get home. But what parts of the country will get the worst of it?

16 / January 2024 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Winter Difficulties Traveling during winter is hard enough, with snowstorms, rain and flooding always a possibility. But El Nino has the potential to turn it up a notch. El Nino disrupts regular weather patterns and can trigger intense storms.

What does that mean for domestic travelers?

Most of the action will happen in the Southeast, which will be wet and stormy, according to Ray Schmitt, president of the weather analytics company Salient Predictions.

“The East Coast, in general, should be rather wet, but not too snowy,” he predicts.

Paul Pastelok, the lead long-range forecaster and senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, says the Pacific Northwest could have active, El Nino-fueled storms later this year, with more “hit or miss” weather heading into 2024. For late November and December, he sees more storms and precipitation across California extending into the central Rockies.

“El Nino will be strong and can be a dominant factor in the forecast,” he says.

Translation: Remember the winter storms in January that prompted the cancellation of thousands of flights? You might see a few more of those early next year. They’ll be bigger than last year’s storms and bring more rain and snow.

Jeff Rolander, vice president of claims at Faye Travel Insurance, says the extreme weather is part of a broader trend, which some experts have attributed to climate change.

“The baseline of normal has changed significantly,” he told me. “A decade ago, there’d be a couple of large hurricanes per season. Now, storms are on the horizon quite frequently, and it’s a matter of severity, not if it will hit.”

Bottom line: It’s already been a busy few years for extreme weather, as far as travel is concerned. And it’s about to get busier.

Flexibility and Awareness El Nino could ruin any trip in late 2023 and early 2024, including yours, experts say.

“You should be mindful of this when you’re booking a flight to somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere that is prone to adverse weather conditions,” says Doughty, who is the CEO of an aircraft charter company.

Airlines use what’s called a hub-andspoke system, which means if you’re flying

Illustration by Dustin Elliott

somewhere, you might be making a connection in Atlanta, Chicago, or Dallas. So even if you’re headed somewhere that isn’t prone to extreme weather, you might be making a stopover there and subject to El Nino weather patterns.

If you’re driving, you’ll want to make sure your vehicle is ready for winter weather long before the first winter storm hits. Winter tires, a first aid kit, and maybe brushing up on your winter driving skills are a must.

For Sherbina, flexibility is the key to handling Mother Nature’s wrath. He’s implemented a remote work plan for his employees to ensure that harsh weather doesn’t disrupt his business. So if the weather outside is frightful, his employees stay home. It’s a philosophy he applies to his travels, too. So if he can’t fly, he switches to driving -- or vice versa.

“My advice would be to always have a backup strategy in place to tackle any potential disruptions due to El Nino-induced weather,” he says.

Travel Insurance Yes, travel insurance can cover an extreme weather event like an El Ninopowered blizzard. But the time to think about it is now.

“Once an event impacting a destination is named, like a severe winter storm, it’s too late to purchase travel insurance and have your prepaid expenses protected,” explains Daniel Durazo, director of external communications at Allianz Partners USA. Don’t forget to read the policy. Some insurance coverage is general, covering weather disruptions. But other policies can get quite detailed, and you need to know what’s covered before a big storm slams into your airport.

“El Nino Travel” page 18

COMMUNITY NEWS

Free National Park Pass for Fourth Graders F ourth grade students in Santa Cruz County will get a free pass to visit national parks with their families in 2024.

The Santa Cruz County Office of Education received 3,000 park passes for distribution by the end of January. The program began in 2015 as part of the National Park Service centennial and transitioned to the 2019 Every Kid Outdoors Act, House Resolution 1184.

“Our Community Reads” from page 15 You’ll be guided every step of the way.

No experience needed. Materials, Instruction, support, and encouragement will be provided.

Ow Family Community Room, Capitola Library ••• Sunday, Feb. 18 Johann Sebastian Bach’s Coffee Cantata (live music) | 3 p.m.

Bach’s aria will be sung by lyric coloratura-soprano Lori Schumann, co-founder of the Santa Cruz Opera Project. She will be accompanied by piano and flute. Come enjoy the music and learn about Bach’s relationship to coffee. (Hint: He drank 30 cups a day!) Learn a bit more from Dinah Phillips about the intertwined history of coffee and music over the years.

Downtown Library Meeting Room, 2nd floor — 224 Church Street, Santa Cruz ••• Wednesday, Feb. 21 “A Small Section of the World” (film) & Coffee Tasting | 1 p.m.

A moving documentary about a group of women in a small, remote farming community in Costa Rica as they spark a revolution in the coffee growing world. Stay to taste some Costa Rican coffee after the film.

(Program ends at 2:30 p.m.)

Felton Library Community Room

The passes are valid to access national parks, lands, and waters — more than 2,000 sites — through Aug. 31, 2024.

Research on program participants indicates that without free access, 73% would never have visited a national park.

“Few experiences are as powerful and transformative as visiting our nation’s national parks and monuments,” said Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Faris Sabbah.

Research shows students are more likely to visit parks throughout the rest of their lives if they experience parks with their family or school at age 10. However, the program has required families to register online and download a printable pass, and participation has remained low.

“The entire Bureau of Land Management distributed just over

••• Saturday, Feb. 24 Verve Coffee Tour and Tasting (field trip) | 1 p.m.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the coffee roasting process and learn about the secret sauce behind third-wave coffee. Our tour leaders, Hannah Meade and Laney Drury, represent this world-famous coffee company headquartered in our own backyard.

104 Bronson St. Suite 19, Santa Cruz ••• Sunday, Feb. 25 Dror Sinai Musical Adventures | 4 p.m.

“Rhythm is all around us, in everything we see, we touch, we breathe.”

Experience this true force of nature as Dror Sinai shares his musical gifts and tells stories about his Yemeni roots.

La Selva Beach Community Church — 26 Florido Ave., La Selva Beach ••• Tuesday, Feb. 27 Trivia Night | 6 p.m.

The ever-popular 2nd District Supervisor Zach Friend poses challenging questions from The Monk of Mokha. Join us for a fun-filled evening. Bring your book club members, friends, or come solo to show off your knowledge of The Monk of Mokha and all things coffee-related. Dinner & Drinks available for purchase at this new venue.

41st Ocean Breakfast & Grill — 2623 41st Ave, Soquel (behind Café Cruz)

2,200 of these passes in 2022,” said Zachary Ormsby, field manager at the Bureau of Land Management California Central Coast Field Office. “Through a collaborative effort with County Supervisor Justin Cummings, our Central Coast Field Office was able to connect with the Santa Cruz County Office of Education and get these passes into the hands of every local 4th grader. This shared commitment to the communities we serve enables expanded access for local families to connect with nature.”

Cummings said, “This is yet another way we are helping families in our community to overcome barriers to accessing the outdoors.”

The hard-copy passes go to students

at public schools, but all 4th graders — public, private, charter, and home-school — can receive a printable Every Kid Outdoor Pass.

Families can find out more, and apply for a printable pass online, at www.everykidoutdoors.gov This program rovides passes only for fourth graders. If you lose your pass, get a new one by visiting the website and signing up again. The pass admits all children under 16 and up to three adults for free. Students can’t transfer the pass.

The pass doesn’t cover parking fees, camping, boats, and special tours. Private operators may not honor the pass; check with the site in advance to find out. n

Cocktails

ACROSS 1. Great divide 6. Priestly vestment 9. Took to court 13. Haile Selassie’s disciple 14. 10 decibels 15. *Appletini’s ____ schnapps 16. Rose oil 17. Maui garland 18. Birth-related 19. *Old Fashioned liquor option 21. *Gin+vermouth rosso+Campari 23. Not him 24. Bye, in Palermo 25. VA.gov beneficiary

65. Spy’s other name 28. Puerto follower 66. Knicks’ org.

30. Like Ferris Bueller 68. Give a speech 35. Exclude 37. “____ Your Enthusiasm” 69. Clan emblem 70. Party barrel 39. Green-light 71. Clean a spill (2 words) 40. Tiny coffee cup, or 72. Part of pump ____-tasse 73. Sargasso or Barents 41. Cut mission short 74. Same as apse 43. Not final or absolute 44. Makes a sweater 46. Wing-shaped DOWN 47. Bird, in Latin 1. Sticking point, in 48. One with drug alimentary tract dependency 2. Possesses, archaic 50. Do like a frog 3. *Bellini with ____ 52. A U.S. time zone Spumante 53. Dance with #17 Across 4. Squirrel away 55. Anatomical duct 5. a.k.a. felt-pen 57. *It usually comes in a 6. Competently conical glass 7. Motley Crue’s Tommy 61. *Popular cocktail mixer ____

42. Crossbeam 8. Russian pancakes 45. Religious split 9. Practice in the ring 49. 252-gallon wine cask 10. As far as (2 words) 51. *Tequila+grapefruit 11. Distinctive flair juice+sparkling water 12. Place for a hero 15. Fluffy sweater material 54. Kind of golf course 20. “All My Children” vixen 56. Razor sharpener 57. S.A.T. section ____ Kane 22. 2010 Movie “____ Pray 58. Balm ingredient 59. Baptism or shiva, e.g.

Love” 60. Asian weight unit 24. Toyota model 61. John Galsworthy’s “The 25. *Moscow Mule spirit Forsyte ____” 26. Make corrections 62. Nukes 27. Shy 63. Sewing case 29. *____ Libre 64. Gym set 31. Forearm bone 67. *____’s Knees 32. Not dead 33. Honkers 34. *Lemon or orange piece 36. South American monkey © Statepoint Media 38. Highlands hillside

Answers on 23 »

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Scotts Valley Times / January 2024 / 17

The Year that Was, from Earth to Air, & the Magic & Gifts of Each Sign Esoteric Astrology • January 2024 • By Risa D’Angeles

W

e begin the new year of 2024 under a stationing (standing still) Mercury. A Mercury station means anything could occur in the coming year. Life itself becomes life unexpected. In addition, 2024 will be the most important election year of our lives — and we (history books) will look back and say “that was the crazy year that was.” The absurdity of what we have been listening to, witnessing and experiencing the past eight years has been, well, absurd, to say the least, if not unbelievable.

In looking back at these years, and gazing into the future, one can say there is definitely purpose in these unprecedented times, a purpose that humanity must come to know. Absurdities help humanity choose which path to follow. This way, or that (way). And in this voting year, the choice of this president or that president (the false one or the real).

We are at the end of an age. There is always confusion, difficulties and chaotic unrest at the ending of an age. And evil shows its face.

What do we know about 2024? The words most applicable would be “acceleration, a quickening, speeding up, increases in velocity, actions, speech and vibration and change occurring in the blink of an eye!” These are ARIES

Creates the beginnings of things, has a fiery, quick thinking mind, does not exhibit patience (especially for slower signs Pisces, Taurus, Cap, etc.), is filled with enthusiasm which means “filled with God.” Using the “I” word constantly, Aries is always developing a sense of self or a new identity, amidst being competitive, aggressive, and an impulsive risk taker. The Hierarchy looks on to see if Aries is a good risk for them. Because Aries goes where even angels fear to tread. The Initiator.

TAURUS

Learning how to say “no” is a gift. The word “no” is often the first word Taurus says. People think Taurus, saying “no” so often, is stubborn, but that’s not the reality.

Taurus people think deeply before responding to questions. Their mind is based upon sensibility and practicality. Give them time to ponder on all aspects of the question before answering (and saying “yes”). Taurus loves gold and beautiful (Venus) things. Gold is valuable, and like Taurus, is a serious and long-lasting investment. Taurus illuminates the minds of humanity.

They begin with themselves first. Quietly. The Illuminator.

GEMINI

Aquarian words. Pluto has been in Capricorn, an earth (slow, Saturn) sign for the last 14 years (since 2008, financial crisis). Pluto leaves Capricorn and enters Aquarius January 20, (next year), signifying a complete transformation of the social structure, and a in vibration for humanity and the earth. From slow earth to the lightness and movement of wind and air. The beginning of a new era, epoch, threshold and entryway into an unknown world. As the Pisces Age is succeeded by the Aquarius Age we will see a gradual “rising up of humanity with healing in its wings.”

At each new year we walk with the Three Magi Astrologer Kings to Bethlehem (House of Bread) to offer gifts to the Holy Child (“light of the world”). This is behind our gift giving during Christmas and on a deeper level, reminds us that we too are gifts (magical gifts). Each sign we were born under holds a gift. So at the beginning of each new year it’s good to review what these signs and gifts are - gifts of self which we offer to each other and to the world. Each sign has a name, a magical gift and a task. (Continue to follow Risa daily on FB, NLN, & various other social media sites as the year unfolds.) Happy & Peaceful New Year everyone!

LEO

Known as the sign of Truth, Sags are like beams and arrows of light. They’re straightforward, uncomplicated, undemanding and supremely interested in the world. They’re always focused on what’s ahead, on the mountain top, over the plains toward a goal almost unreachable. This makes them adventurous, always on a journey somewhere. They are cultural, photographers, publishers, musicians, lovers of food. They need freedom. Their companion is Jupiter, the Lord of beneficence and joy. Sometimes, for little moments in time, they can also be sad. Sagittarius leads us to the mountaintop to the midnight Sun. The Way Shower.

VIRGO

CAPRICORN

They bring order and organization to our lives. Known as a perfectionist, the reality is they harbor, nurture and gestate a harmonious new state of reality. Hidden within Virgo is the Soul of humanity. However, before becoming aware of this, they are often critical, judgmental, opinionated and silently unappreciative. But this is just a stage and after awareness sets in, they become trustworthy, exploratory, appreciative and helpful. Virgo’s purpose is to create gardens, interact with the devas and inform humanity that “love underlies the happenings of the times.” The Mother.

The sign of self-reliance, like Taurus but different, Caps never ask for help for they must prove to themselves they’re independent, responsible, accountable, dependable and trustworthy. Often, no matter how much Caps accomplish, they feel unworthy and undeserving, judging themselves as not having done enough.

This is the lower level of Saturn. Caps need help understanding they are always on the Path, they always do enough (and more).

Having earned a starry place among their serving brothers and sisters in the heavens. Caps need to be reminded they are the “midnight rising sun, the Light Supernal.” The Temple Builder

LIBRA

Look at the shape of Gemini’s eyes. The eyes of Gemini are different than the other signs, except for the eyes of Aquarius. Gemini’s eyes ‘see” things others don’t see. They gather what is new, especially information in order to share it with others. Gemini is the messenger (Mercury), quite imaginative, sometimes a bit of a gossip, can be charming when it’s important and absent when it’s not. Gemini’s task and purpose, after dispensing information to the world, is to love beyond everyone else’s capacity. Sirius is Gemini’s guiding star. Gemini helps us become acquainted. The Messenger.

Libra is the life of the party, loves to play, have fun, be social, and create events where everyone comes together. They have a sense of fairness and justice. If they don’t see justice they set about changing things in order to bring forth a state of balance to everyone’s life – actually to life itself. Librans experience many relationships. Why? They’re learning how to be in relationships, learning how to choose, to discriminate between partners, to share and love and extend themselves so they can learn and radiate Right Human Relations. They are mediators, servers and bring beauty into the world. The Harmonizer.

CANCER

Scorpions experience deep, potent and emotional desires and feelings. Scorpios also have strong and powerful wills. Serious, determined, often reclusive, Scorpios are spectacular researchers. They are often, if not always, somewhat in a Halloween situation as they understand darkness, death and rebirth. They appear out of the ashes. They are the phoenix. On rare occasions, they ask others to walk with them through the darkness. Most everyone declines the invitation and withdraws. Scorpios never show weakness, take a long time to trust others, and can be harsh and undiplomatic (a stage). They suffer greatly and we find them deeply and profoundly admirable. The Disciple.

•••

SCORPIO

This water sign is truly a crab, in and out of the water, always circling whatever interests them, and never moving in a straight line. Cancer’s energy is circuitous in order to assess the safety and well-being of places, things, people, events, etc. When safety is assured, they then offer nurturing and nourishment to all beings – babies, people, animals, gardens, etc. Shy and evasive in public they are lively and talkative with those close to them. Flowing with the moon’s cycles and ocean’s tides, they are very very sensitive.

Neptune summons them. The Nourisher.

SAGITTARIUS

The heart of the zodiac, its magical creative force flows through Regulus, the heart of Leo, which is also the heart of those born under Leo. It the star of magic (maga). Leos are the proud lions, the world their jungle. They have a strong will, a high forehead, signifying their great intelligence and sometimes they have big hair. Leos can be generous, dramatic, rather intense, over-confident, and at times a pain to everyone. They are leaders, need to be in charge, very creative to the point of inspiring others and sensitive like Cancer. Their purpose is to unfold and become aware of their innate talents and gifts, and offer them to humanity. They are a “child of the Sun, of fire.” The Lover.

AQUARIUS

Honest and sincere, understanding brotherhood and seeking freedom, bringing the future into the present, always different and slightly revolutionary, Aquarians are comforted by knowing everyone.

Everyone is their friend. It’s good being in their presence (parties, groups), as Aquarians are loyal and sympathetic (if their needs are met). These “waters of life” star children, thought of as eccentric, sometimes very determined, learn by being both alone and in groups and consider their work with seriousness. Aquarians are the “light that shines on Earth, across the sea.” They are the future. The Futurist.

Risa D’Angeles • www.nightlightnews.org • risagoodwill@gmail.com 18 / January 2024 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

PISCES

Very sensitive (like Cancer), a delicate fish (actually two), most comfortable in water (ocean, pools, river, lakes, rain), Pisces can suffer tremendously, not understanding life in form and matter.

Sometimes the fish finds themselves in places and positions not quite right, sometimes with broken feet and bones. This is frightful for them. The Talmud says that “Every blade of grass has its angel bending over it, whispering, ‘Grow, grow.’” Pisces has their angel, bending over them, too. To care and protection. It’s just invisible. The Compassionate One.

“El Nino Travel” from page 16 For example, a policy like Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection (BHTP)’s AirCare, which specializes in covering flights, will kick in when there’s a snowstorm causing a flight cancellation or a delay caused by de-icing plane wings.

In addition to its air travel coverage, BHTP also has a policy called ExactCare Extra, which includes coverage for snowy mishaps like rental car collisions on icy roads or snowstorm-related delays and cancellations. Other travel insurance policies have similar coverage.

“Insurance is a small investment that can save you a lot of stress and money,” says Ajay Kumar Shrestha, a trekking guide in the Himalayas. “But you have to make sure it covers weather.”

Avoiding Weather Disruptions There’s only one way to avoid extreme winter weather and still travel -- and that is to select your destination carefully to steer clear of the worst of it. Head south to avoid severe blizzards. Or travel to Asia or Europe to escape the worst effects of this climate pattern.

That’s how I’m planning to sidestep El Nino this year. My next writing assignment is taking me to South America for the southern hemisphere summer in December, January and February. I’ll be in Chile next month, which experts say will be a little warmer than usual because of El Nino. But, thank goodness, no snowstorms.

Elliott’s El Nino Travel Tips

Find a Travel Advisor who can Handle a Crisis Hire a competent travel advisor and make sure they know how to handle a crisis.

Agents who specialize in adventure travel and business travel should fit the bill. Here’s how to find an agent.

Give Yourself More Time to Get There If you’re traveling during El Nino, it may take longer if you get caught in a storm.

“I personally always plan extra time on either end of my travels during the winter to ensure I’m not cutting it too close and missing an important meeting or event,” says John Gobbels, chief operating officer of Medjet.

Download a Weather App and Set up Alerts No one gives weather smartphone apps a second look, but you need them in an El Nino year.

Here’s a good place to start: Set up weather alerts for your destination on your iPhone at https://support.apple.com/en-az/ guide/iphone/iph39ae9474a/ios.

That way, you know what kind of trouble lies ahead. Bookmark the National Weather Service site and check out an app like MyRadar, which allows you to track a storm. n ••• Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes Elliott Confidential, a travel newsletter, and the Elliott Report, a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can email him at chris@elliott.org.

Dominican Provides Grant to Youth in Crisis D ignity Health Dominican Hospital has provided a $750,000 grant to support the County of Santa Cruz Health Services Agency Youth Crisis Diversion Project, slated to start Jan. 1 and run through June 30.

These funds will help establish a temporary diversion of youth experiencing a behavioral health crisis to a preferred Emergency Department with trained behavioral health staff. It is anticipated that 150 youth under age 18 and their families will be served, regardless of ability to pay.

“Currently, Santa Cruz County has limited options for crisis support services for our youth. We recognize that our community is in need of these services and we are proud to step up and make this contribution,” said Dominican Hospital President Nanette Mickiewicz, MD. “We believe there is a significant opportunity to impact outcomes and lives.”

The County of Santa Cruz is working to establish a permanent youth crisis stabilization and residential program at 5300 Soquel Ave., which is expected to open in 2025.

In the interim, this grant from Dominican Hospital aims to help bridge the gap and ensure that

youth have access to quality behavioral health crisis support services, while minimizing the impact to emergency services.

Health Services Agency Director Mónica Morales said, “We are grateful to Dignity Health Dominican Hospital for their generous grant to support the youth Crisis Diversion Project and for their commitment to improving the health and well-being of our community. This grant will help provide vital services to our youth and families who are in crisis and struggling with behavioral health issues until we can launch our permanent youth Crisis Stabilization Program and Crisis Residential Program in 2025.”

Dominican Hospital conducts a triannual Community Health Needs Assessment to identify the top community health needs. The most recent, in May 2022, identified behavioral health, tied with housing and homelessness, as the top community health need.

During the fiscal year 2023, Dominican Hospital provided more than $40 million in patient financial assistance and community benefit programs. n

COMMUNITY NEWS

J

Syda Cogliati Chosen Presiding Judge

udge Syda Cogliati has been elected by the bench to serve as presiding judge for Santa Cruz County Superior Court, and Judge Jerry Vinluan has been elected assistant presiding judge, starting Jan. 1, 2024.

Cogliati has served as judge since 2018, after being Syda Cogliati appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown following her election.

She currently presides over a felony department and serves as the criminal supervising judge. She also participates on the Judicial Council’s Appellate Advisory Committee and the Local Committee on the Prevention of Bias.

Vinluan has served since 2021, after being appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. He currently presides over juvenile justice, a misdemeanor department, and civil harassment retraining Orders.

He also participates on the Local Committee on the Prevention of Bias.

As of Jan. 1, Judge Nancy de la Pena will be the criminal Jerry Vinluan supervising judge.

The following judicial assignment changes will begin April 1, upon the retirement of current Presiding Judge Timothy Volkmann: “County Judge” page 23

Enjoy The Benefits Of Indoor-Outdoor Living Milgard Moving Glass Walls Come in to see our display.

Three door designs to select from: Stacking, Bi-fold and Pocket

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www.tpgonlinedaily.com Scotts Valley Times / January 2024 / 19

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

ANNOUNCEMENTS

RED CROSS NEEDS BLOOD This is a busy time for many. Holiday gatherings, travel and seasonal illnesses can all impact donor availability, making it hard for the Red Cross to collect enough blood. Donors are needed every single day.

Those who come to give blood, platelets or AB Elite plasma through Jan. 5 will receive an exclusive Red Cross long-sleeved T-shirt, while supplies last. Those who come to give Jan. 1-31 will be automatically entered for a chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. Details are at RedCrossBlood.org/SuperBowl.

Schedule an appointment by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767)

Have a virtual or live event you want to promote?

Send your information to info@cyber-times.com by January 17

or innovative ideas that can inspire positive change when building financial resilience.

Applications are at bayfed.com/scholarships. A panel of judges will review and score each eligible applicant’s submitted materials.

Winners will be notified via phone and/or email by April 30.

Over the past 15 years, the credit union has awarded $84,000 in scholarships.

Upcoming Classes Available prizes include 2 tumblers, 9 packs of reusable straws, 12 beeswax wrappers, and 5 reusable shopping bags (first come, • Market St. Senior Center, Santa Cruz, 4 Tuesday evenings and one full Saturday. Class is filling quickly. first serve) Begins Tuesday, Jan.16 • NEW! Central Fire Admin Building, Live Oak. 4 CRAB SEASON OPENS NORTH OF MENDOCINO JAN. 5 COUNTY SEEKS LIVED EXPERIENCE EXPERTS Thursday evenings and one full Saturday. Begins On Dec. 21, the California Department of Fish and Thursday, Feb. 22 The Housing for Health Partnership is seeking comWildlife announced the commercial Dungeness crab • NEW! Loma Prieta Elementary, Loma Prieta. 4 munity members for two separate Lived Expertise and fishing season will start Jan. 5 for fishing zones 1 and Thursday evenings and one full Saturday. Begins Youth Lived Expertise advisory groups, both to launch 2 (from the Sonoma/Mendocino County line to the in spring 2024.

Oregon/ California border), while continuing the delay Thursday, April 18 Register at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/CERTBasic#/ Once appointed, advisory group members will in fishing zones 3-6 (south of Sonoma/Mendocino Sign up for the class you want using the class tab or drop-down work with like-minded individuals to recommend County). tab, not the landing page. improvements to County leaders regarding Santa Cruz Santa Cruz County is in Zone 4 County’s various housing systems, in an environment The commercial opener has experienced multiple delays meant to develop leadership skills. The H4HP is this season due to a combination of excessive humpback CABRILLO YOUTH STRINGS CAPITOLA RECREATION EVENTS seeking people from different backgrounds and life whale entanglements and high numbers of whale sightings Registration for the String Orchestra Program is Capitola Community Center, 4400 Jade St experiences, including people who identify as LGBTQ+, plus a recent death of an endangered Pacific leatherback underway. Classes will begin Jan. 26 for 9 weeks on ~~~ sea turtle that was entangled and drowned in commercial consecutive Fridays in the Cabrillo College Music Building, from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, and of Clothing Exchange | Sat., Jan. 27, 10 a.m. — Join different abilities and ages.

VAPA 5000, Aptos.

Capitola Recreation Women’s Clothing Exchange and turn crabbing gear.

Robert Ratner, director of the County of Santa Cruz The recreational fishery opened on Nov. 4 with hoop An entry level String Orchestra Class, 4th-6th Grade your unwanted clothes into “new to you.”

Housing for Health Division, said, “Together, this nets, and the recreational crab trap prohibition was Beginning Strings for violin/viola/cello will be offered on Bring unwanted, gently used, clean and scent-free diverse collective of individuals will use their voice lifted for fishing zone 1 — the northern most waters off Fridays, 4-5:15 p.m. clothing, shoes and accessories and swap for as much and experience to make a difference.”

California. Recreational crab traps are still prohibited in Auditions for Festival Strings (beginning note-readers) as your closet will hold. Any items not claimed will be and Cabrillo Strings (intermediate-advanced) will be Friday, Advisory group members must be: • Currently donated. Arrive at 10 a.m. to sort clothes and get a peek zones 3 and 4 (Santa Cruz County).

Jan. 26, from 3:45-4:15 p.m. with a rehearsal following. experiencing or previously experienced homelessness The next assessment is scheduled for around Jan. 11. at what is available.

Festival Strings will meet 4:15-5:45 p.m. and Cabrillo • Living in Santa Cruz County • Passionate about ~~~ Strings will meet 4:15-5:55 p.m.

CLAM CHOWDER COOKOFF COMING being a part of collaborative community change • Parents Night Out | Sat., Feb. 3, Feb. 24, March 16, Ages 18 – 24 for the Youth Advisory Group April 13, 4-8 p.m. — Capitola Recreation offers “Parents The 43rd Annual Clam Chowder Cook-Off, will be Saturday and String players ages 6 to 18 are welcome to join the Sunday, Feb 24 and 25, at the String Orchestra and Chamber Music programs. Register Advisory group members will be paid $25/hour for a 20-hour Night Out” for kids age 4-12 on select Saturdays at the for the String Orchestra session by Jan. 12 at https:// Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. monthly commitment. Interest forms are due Jan. 19 and can be Capitola Community Center. www.cabrillo.edu/cabrillo-youth-strings or call Cabrillo Amateur chefs will found at: https://bit.ly/LivedExpertise ActionBoard There will be games, pizza and a movie. Price is: $25 Extension, 479-6331, or email extension@cabrillo.edu . compete on Saturday, folper child for residents and $31 for non-residents.

The 5-week Chamber Music Program will begin on April APPLY FOR FOCUS AGRICULTURE CLASS lowed by professional chefs ~~~ 12. Register by March 29. on Sunday.

Tai Chi Classes | Tues. & Thurs., Jan 9 thru May 2, 9 a.m.

Due by Jan. 10 To participate in or support this program, call (831) 479-6101 or Applications are due Jan. 10 to apply for Class 33 Order your tasting and 10:15 a.m. — Kat Brown will lead Yang-style Tai Chi visit https://www.cabrillo.edu/cabrillo-youth-strings. kits and merch at www. classes at the Capitola Community Center. Beginners class of Focus Agriculture, a “first-in-the-nation” program, cityofsantacruz.com/ is 9-10 a.m., advanced class (for those who have completed designed for selected community leaders to learn BAY FEDERAL SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST chowdermerch. Tasting kits are $15 and include the part one of the long form) is 10:15 -11:15 a.m. about agriculture in Santa Cruz County and the Pajaro Application Deadline: Wed., Jan. 31 Price through Capitola Recreation is $40 for 16 weeks 6 tasting tickets, a bowl, a spoon, a napkin, and a Valley. ballot to vote for your favor-ite Boston and Manhattan Bay Federal Credit Union is accepting applications for its for resident and $55 for non-residents.

This award-winning program consists of once-aChowders!

2024 Education Scholarship Contest. ~~~ month daylong seminars, over a period of eight months Interested in competing in the cook-off? Register your Up to three individual winners will be awarded $1,500 Online and In-Person TheraPilates Classes | Call with many farm tours and hands-on experiences. toward their education or career training expenses.

831-475-5935 or e-mail capitolarecreation@ci.capitola. team by Feb. 19 at https://beachboardwalk.com/ Speakers, ranging from elected officials to representaClam-Chowder-Cook-Off/.

Acceptance or enrollment into a post-secondary education tives from environmental groups, address the class. ca.us for details program at any accredited college, university, trade, or Event details are at www.cityofsantacruz.com/chowder or call Gina Enriquez, CPT, offers TheraPilates via Zoom and Sessions will begin March 15 and end Oct. 25. technical school is required. in-person through Capitola Recreation starting in January 420-5273.

The sessions cover such topics as: Environment The application process, which is now entirely COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM for six weeks. and technology, diversity of crops, ethnic groups in digital, includes a signed and completed application, agriculture.

This bones and balance class with chair and mat options CERT Basic Training is free. The 21-hour course is conducted by FEMA-certified instructors, with classroom proof of enrollment or letter of acceptance, and is to strengthen legs and prevent falls and injuries.

Twenty people will be selected for Class 33. an original essay on the following topic: Building and hands-on training on weekday evenings and/or Statistics show 1 in 2 women over 50 and 1 in 4 men Agri-Culture President Steve Bontadelli said, financial resilience. over 70 fracture their wrist, spine or hip, as they lose bone weekend days.

“Many people who are involved in the community Essays should explore ways in which one can Training covers: Disaster Preparedness, Fire Supdensity due to aging. So Sherri Betz, physical therapist are interested in agriculture. Focus Agriculture was cultivate financial resilience such as saving for emer- created to allow community leaders an opportunity to pression, Medical Aid, Search and Rescue, Disaster developed TheraPilates. gencies or managing student loan debt. Applicants Psychology, & Terrorism Response, Team Organization, The price for Zoom sessions is $120.60 for Capitola learn, through discussions and hands-on experiences, are asked to share any personal anecdotes, research, about local agriculture.”

Disaster Simulation residents and $137.60 for non-residents.

The price for in-person classes is $140 for Capitola Alumni include: John Laird, secretary of California residents and $157 for non-residents.

Resources Agency; Jimmy Panetta, 20th District SHE ADVENTURES FILM TOUR congressman; 2nd District County Supervisor Zach RESILIENT CENTRAL COAST PRIZES Friend,; 4th District County Supervisor Greg Caput; Saturday January 27 Erica Padilla-Chavez, CEO, Second Harvest Food The City of Capitola is part of the Resilient Central Coast 7 PM, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz Bank; Ted Burke, owner, Shadowbrook Restaurant; Campaign, a 6-County collaborative effort from Santa Cruz The She Adventures Film Tour announces its highly Bud Colligan, founder/CEO, South Swell Ventures; and to Ventura with the goal to activate 500,000 residents on the anticipated return for another year of celebrating and Ceil Cirillo, Tannery Arts Center. central coast by 2030 to prepare for climate change impacts. honoring adventure women around the world. Join us in a Applications are at http://www.agri-culture.us/news/ The city is offering prizes for the first 28 households celebration of the inspiring women of the adventure world. focus-agriculture-class-30/ or at the Agri-Culture office, that sign up for Resilient Capitola! Join our community Born out of a desire to showcase the strong, inspira141 Monte Vista Ave., Watsonville and by calling (831) action challenge by taking simple steps in your home to tional, adventurous women of the outdoor world, the She 722-6622. combat climate change. To create your profile and start Adventures Film Tour presents a carefully curated selection recording your climate actions, visit http://tinyurl.com/ of short films that will entertain, enthrall and enlighten.

SOCIAL IMPACT TRAINING TO BEGIN capitola-carbon-challenge.

Showcasing a 2 1/2 hours program of the most heartfelt, You can track our progress and see the impact. To Application Deadline Fri., Jan 5. inspiring and entertaining films celebrating adventurous women from independent filmmakers around the globe. claim your prize, stop into Capitola City Hall during Radical Transformational Leadership for Social Impact will Visit https://www.riotheatre.com for tickets and list of films. business hours and present your completed household start a new cohort of training Jan. 18.

Tickets $20 plus fees. A portion of ticket sales benefit Girls Rock — Womens Mountain Biking profile.

Apply at https://www.impactlaunch.org/rtlregistration 20 / January 2024 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

COMMUNITY CALENDAR SENIOR OUTREACH Family Service Agency of the Central Coast offers Senior Outreach, peer counselors to help adults 55 and up maintain their independence and a higher quality of life.

Family conflict? Seasonal depression? Isolation and loneliness? Accepting changes? Peer counselors offer help at no cost. Services are provided in both English and Spanish.

Call: 831-459-9351

Langdale, will discuss some of the more remarkable tombs of the necropolis of Cerveteri, one of the most striking archaeological sites in Italy.

No tickets required, although seating is limited; first come, first served.

Cash donations welcome at the door. For info: https://bit.ly/ Jan2024-Lecture

Tuesday January 9

NORTH COUNTY DEMOCRATS ENDORSEMENT FORUM 6:30 p.m., Bruno’s Bar and Grill in the Kings Village Shopping Center (upstairs), 230 Mount Hermon Road, Scotts ONGOING EVENTS Valley Mondays The Democratic Club of North Santa Cruz County will host BRIDGE CLUB a candidate and ballot measure endorsement forum for 10:30 a.m.-Noon, Capitola Branch Library, 2005 Wharf Road the March 5 primary election upstairs at Bruno’s Bar and The Capitola Branch Library will host Bridge Club Grill. sessions on Mondays (except holidays).

The forum will include Democratic candidates running Everyone is welcomed from beginners to social for the 5th District seat on the Board of Supervisors, players. Make new friends and sharpen your mind.

Theresa Ann Bond, Christopher Bradford, and Monica Bridge Club is a partnership between Santa Cruz Martinez.

METRO: MORE FREQUENT SERVICE; FREE THRU JAN 4 County Parks and Santa Cruz Public Libraries.

Club members will also consider endorsing Measure Register at scparks.com or in-person the day of the event.

K, the county’s proposal to increase the sales and use Ends Wednesday, March 13 Third Thursdays tax. Speakers will discuss the pros and cons of the ballot Santa Cruz Metro is revamping bus routes and frequencies to better meet our community’s needs. measure.

Major changes include: New Routes 1, 2, 3, and 73, which replace Routes 10, 66, 68, 69A, 69W, and 71; the Members of the public are welcome to attend.

SIP AND STROLL return of the Watsonville/Santa Cruz Express.

6-9 p.m. (check-in starts at 5 p.m.), Seacliff Inn, 7500 Old Route 1 — Soquel/Cabrillo/Airport: This new route follows the route of discontinued Route 71 from Santa Wednesday January 10 Dominion Court, Aptos Cruz to Cabrillo College, then roughly the route of discontinued route 69A from Cabrillo College to Watsonville.

Come to the Seacliff Inn: Tapestry Collection by Hilton, TITANS OF TECH Route 2: This new route mainly follows the route of discontinued Route 69W, but with some segments that for a Sip & Stroll event where local artists to show and 6-8 p.m., Kuumbwa Jazz, 320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz used to be Route71. sell their works. Wines are 30% off, and the featured Every year, Santa Cruz Works honors people who have Route 3A/3B — UCSC/Capitola Mall/Live Oak: This new route offers direct service from Capitola Mall, Live winery will offer tastings of three varietals for $10 per contributed to the growth of the local tech and entrepreOak, and Seabright to UCSC by combining segments of Live Oak routes 66 and 68 with former UCSC Route 10 person. neurial community. that ran via High St. Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wine30-sip-strollThis year’s Titans of Tech will be at Kuumbwa Jazz Route 73 — Soquel/Freedom/Cabrillo: This new route provides service along Freedom Blvd and Soquel tickets-668910307737 Center.

Drive from Watsonville Transit Center to Cabrillo College, replacing the discontinued Route 71 between Freedom Tickets are $25 at https://www.santacruzworks.org/ Blvd/ Airport Blvd and Soquel Dr. Second Friday Each Month news/tot2023awardees Route 90X — Watsonville/Santa Cruz Express Service: Route 90X brings back express service between NEW BRIDGE GROUP Honorees Watsonville and Santa Cruz. This new route serves limited stops in Watsonville and Santa Cruz, but travels mainly 10:30-Noon, La Selva Beach Public Library, 316 Estrella Ave. • Alexi Sevastopoulos — Founding Member, on Highway 1.

Come for bridge on the second Friday of each month from Armature Systems | SCU Venture Accelerator | View the new schedules and maps to see the changes in detail.

10:30 to noon at the La Selva Beach library.

Santa Clara Ventures | Santa Cruz Ventures https://scmtd.com/en/ First meeting was Oct. 13. Bette Harken, • Cameron Pye — Co-Founder Unnatural Products Master Bridge player, will give an introduction for Inc. beginners.

• David Lee — Assistant Professor, Computational Years of Inspired Expression,” the annual members’ Saturday February 3 Call La Selva Library to reserve your seat: 831-427-7710. exhibit curated by Tim Sterling, from Jan. 17 to Feb. Media at UC Santa Cruz FLY FISHING FUNDRAISER 25.

• Ethan Rublee — Founder of farm-ng 5 p.m., Pajaro Valley Rod & Gun, 557 ½ Lakeview Road, For the past 40 years, PVA has presented extraor• Juliane Farrand — Head of People, Joby DATED EVENTS Watsonville dinary artworks in exhibitions that honor emerging Aviation The Santa Cruz Fly Fishing Club will host its annual voices and established artists in the Pajaro Valley and Monday January 1 • Jorian Wilkins — Executive Director, fundraising dinner at Pajaro Valley beyond.

DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION OF SANTA CRUZ FIRST DAY HIKES Rod & Gun. This is a significant anniversary, at a significant • Marco Rolandi — Co-Founder, Cruz Foam and Visit http://tinyurl.com/SCparks-First-Day-Hikes for more The dinner will feature grilled time, when more and more we rely on art to help Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer information. wild-caught Alaskan salmon, door us make sense of a complex and the uncertain Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz California State Parks wants you to kick off 2024 in prizes and a huge raffle. world. a healthy way and enjoy the fresh air with the annual • Shanta Bodhan — Director of CX at Talespin Tickets are $40 online at: santacruzflyfishing.org/ Pajaro Valley Arts: 40 Years of Inspired Expression • Sri Hastuti Kurniawan — Professor of the ComFirst Day Hikes, on Monday, Jan. 1. Currently, more product-category/annual-fundraiser/ putational Media Department, Baskin Engineering, commemorates PVA’s history while also looking forward to than 60 state parks will be participating, with over 80 Seating will be limited, purchase your ticket now. its future.

University of California Santa Cruz guided hikes taking place across the state.

For information, visit Santacruzflyfishing.org n https://pvarts.org • Susana Ruiz — Co-founder of Take Action Nature has been proven to boost our moods and Games and Assistant Professor of film and digital make us feel healthy and exploring the outdoors is media at the University of California, Santa Cruz the perfect way to start the new year.

Check out details below for start times and hike TEXTILE ARTS GUILD MEETING descriptions. This year there is a more interactive 9:30 a.m.–Noon, 225 Rooney St., Santa Cruz map for visitors to search for hikes by park name, Santa Cruz Textile Arts Guild will meet at 225 Rooney county and region.

St., Visitors can share their experiences on social media The meeting will feature a presentation by using the hashtags: #HikeInto2024, #FirstDayHike2024, Youngmin Lee, MFA, who will lecture and show her #HikeWithCAStateParks and #CAStateParks. work on Bojogi, (Korean wrapping cloth), using handSunday January 7 stitched remnants as an act of wishing recipients happiness.

LECTURE: ETRUSCAN CITY OF THE DEAD More information: santacruztetileartsguild.com 6:30–8:30 p.m.. Cabrillo College VAPA Forum, Room 1001, Aptos Sunday January 21 The first Art History lecture of 2024 sponsored by Dante Alighieri Society of Santa Cruz is “Cerveteri: Etruscan City ‘40 YEARS OF INSPIRED EXPRESSION’ OPENING RECEPTION of the Dead” 6:30 - 8:30 pm Sunday, Jan. 7, at Cabrillo 2 to 4 p.m., Pajaro Valley Arts Gallery, 37 Sudden St., College VAPA Forum, Room 1001, Aptos.

Watsonville Art and Architectural historian from UC Santa Cruz, Allan The next exhibit at Pajaro Valley Arts Gallery will be “40

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Scotts Valley Times / January 2024 / 21

FEATURED COLUMNIST

County Sales Tax Measure Coming March 5

By Zach Friend, Supervisor, Second District

R

ecently, the Board of Supervisors voted to send a proposed sales tax to the voters in the March 5 election.

What is the purpose of the proposed tax, how will the revenue be spent and how much will it bring it? Here is an overview.

What will voters be considering?

On the March 5, 2024 ballot, voters will be asked to consider a one-half cent sales tax measure. The funds will go directly to the County (all of the funds stay local) and would be collected on all consumer taxable goods and services.

The County’s sales tax rate of 9% is equal to the lowest rate among the five local jurisdictions (County and Cities of: Watsonville, Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz, and Capitola).

With recent successful ballot measures, the Cities of Watsonville and Scotts Valley are both at the statutory cap of 9.75%.

The City of Santa Cruz is currently at 9.25%, and the City of Capitola is equal to the County at 9%.

Voters will consider increasing the current unincorporated rate from 9% to 9.50%.

Why is the new tax being proposed?

The County is unique in that more than half the population lives in the unincorporated area. Places like the San Lorenzo Valley, Live Oak, Aptos, Corralitos, and more rely on the County for traditional municipal services such as road maintenance, law enforcement, parks, and building permits. In reality, the County is the largest “city” in Santa Cruz County.

Simultaneously, the County is responsible for providing countywide services for all residents including public health and safety net support services, district attorney

Fifth District Supervisor Bruce McPherson’s regular column will return in February.

and public defender services, and conducting elections. The County serves a greater proportion of the county population than all our peer counties and higher proportion than the statewide averages.

Over the past several years, natural disasters resulting from climate change, housing affordability driving away essential frontline workers and increasing homelessness, and a challenging economic environment impacting the County’s ability to improve critical infrastructure, like roads and parks, are straining the County’s limited financial resources.

Due to historic state allocation models for public funds, Santa Cruz County only receives about $550 per resident in property and sales taxes. For comparison, Santa Clara County gets almost $11,000 per resident from property tax revenue, as compared to only $463 for Santa Cruz County.

Drilling down on this a bit more, we often receive questions about property taxes (given the high amounts people pay on local assessed value) and how much of your property tax dollar stays locally. Under this Prop. 13 formula, the County of Santa Cruz retains some of the lowest amounts of property taxes of any other County in the state. Only 13% of your property tax dollars end up back with County government to fund our local services.

As mentioned above, approximately 50% of residents live in the unincorporated county (compared to about 4.5% or so in Santa Clara County).

This low recovery amount has significant impacts on how the County provides services.

As you can imagine, counties that are able to retain higher amounts under their Prop. 13 formula have more money available for roads and services without needing new funding streams to backfill these needs. If the Prop. 13 formula were to change in the state at some point in the future, unincorporated residents could see significant improvements to services and infrastructure without increased taxes - by simply having more of your local property tax dollars stay with local County government.

22 / January 2024 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

As Prop. 13 was approved by voters as a state constitutional amendment, any changes to the formulation and distribution cannot occur at the local level.

In the meantime, local governments with challenging tax distributions like this often turn to local sales tax measures as they have complete local control over the funds and it’s a relatively stable income source for providing services.

How would the tax revenue be spent?

As part of the approval for the item going before the voters, the Board of Supervisors adopted a spending framework for how the tax revenue would be spent. Here is an overview: Housing and Essential Workforce Retention ($1 million) — Address the acute housing crisis, ensuring frontline workers can afford to live in the community, with funds to support housing plans and predevelopment costs on County campuses and other potential housing sites.

Countywide Homeless Services ($1 million) — Tackle homelessness with a focus on year-round, 24-hour navigation centers and other services distributed across Santa Cruz, Watsonville, and unincorporated areas.

Climate Resiliency and County Parks ($1 million) — Enhance the County’s response to climate change with funds for wildfire, flood and emergency response, prevention programs, and disaster recovery services. Additionally, support maintaining and improving neighborhood parks.

Road Repair and Infrastructure Projects ($1 million) — Address pressing infrastructure needs, including street repairs, potholes, and failing public facilities, to ensure safe and efficient transportation networks and government service centers.

Other Essential County Services — Address current challenges and emerging community needs, including mental health services for children and vulnerable populations, and invest in improved public safety.

How much would the tax bring into the County?

If approved, the half-cent sales tax is estimated to generate $10 million annually.

In the first year, it’s estimated to generate approximately $7.5 million. n ••• As always, you are welcome to call me at 454-2200 with any questions on this or any other County-related issue. I am also maintaining regular updates on social media via Facebook at www.facebook.com/supervisorfriend.

SCCAS Featured Pet

T

Christmas Gingerbread!

crossword on 17 »

his holiday week our Pet of the Week is Gingerbread the bunny! (A#307346) He is an unaltered boy rabbit who came in as a stray at the end of November.

He is a festive guy who loves presents (of lettuce and apple), enjoys singing carols and just jumping around with holiday joy!

He is the friendliest little bunny and cuddling and warm snuggles are his favorite.

Come in and meet Gingerbread to brighten up your new year!

SCCAS is closed to the public Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. n ••• The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is full of adoptable animals. Fostering animals is an awesome way to improve a Shelter animal’s life and fill your home with love and fun! If you are interested in fostering any kind of animal please email jillian.ganley@santacruzcounty.us.

You can also Follow SCCAS on Instagram and/or Facebook to stay up-to-date on shelter news and where to find adoptable pets around town at breweries, stores and events.

••• Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter’s full-service, open-admission shelter: 1001 Rodriguez St., Santa Cruz, 95062 Hours: Daily 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. • Website: www.scanimalshelter.org SCCAS Main line: 831-454-7200. Animal Control: 831-454-7227. After-Hours Emergency: 831-471-1182 • After Hours: jillian.ganley@santacruzcounty.us

COMMUNITY NEWS

New County App Adds Purchase Option O n Cyber Monday, Santa Cruz County launched a new MySCCounty+ app with a digital platform to purchase and store digital permits and other county services.

Available on the App Store and Google Play, MySCCounty+ allows residents to access community services, apply for public benefits, sign up for emergency alerts, report potholes, abandoned vehicles and other nuisances, and access other programs – like the original app – but now there is a purchase option.

Moreover, residents can store permits purchased online, which makes them readily accessible.

“With the launch of the new MySCCounty+ app, the County has taken a technological leap forward that helps lay the groundwork for fully secure anywhere, anytime county services,” Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Chair Zach Friend said.

“No other local government in California is as dedicated to leveraging the power of technology to serve residents.”

The MySCCounty+ app allows visiting relatives or anyone else to secure RV parking permits in unincorporated areas.

Also, the app allows public safety officials and residents to verify whether someone has permits without making contact with permit-holders.

The app is powered by HUMBL, a San Diego-based company that develops mobile apps for digital payments, including transactions founded on blockchain technologies. This is the first municipal app

“County Judge” from page 19 • Presiding Judge Cogliati will hear civil, conservatorships, unlawful detainer cases, CEQA, writ of mandates, and complex litigation matters in Department 5.

developed with a local jurisdiction in California.

The app includes a library of credentials called a “Vault.” Payments are made online, and HUMBL does not store or have access to users’ financial information.

For additional security, residents can use biometrics to login. n

• Judge de la Pena will hear the felony calendar in Department 6.

• Judge Leila Sayar will hear criminal domestic violence, felony and misdemeanor calendars in Department 4.

• The Department 2 misdemeanor calendars will be heard by visiting judges. n

Cocktails © Statepoint Media

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Scotts Valley Times / January 2024 / 23

Celebrating equity and inclusion for all.

Everyone deserves inclusive representation and dedicated allies. Kaiser Permanente is committed to destigmatizing disabilities and creating a culture of inclusion for all. Learn more at kp.org/santacruz For all that is Santa Cruz County. For all that is you.