Letter to the Editor

We would like to send a heartfelt “Thank You” to all of the many participants who “attended” events during our 2021 season. It was only our fourth year, and what a strange one it was. Luckily, we had an incredible group of highly esteemed presenters who, from their offices and living rooms via Zoom gave it their all!

Thanks to Senator Laird and his stellar panel, to David Reichard of CSU Monterey Bay faculty, to the powerful personal story of local resident Dinah Davis. We all grew and learned and felt the emotion of what has transpired over the years relative to HIV/AIDS. Supervisor Zach Friend gave us some levity with our annual Trivia Night, and allowed readers of The Great Believers a place to share their knowledge of the book and win some prizes in the process!

We are grateful to our many branch book discussion group leaders, from Aptos, Capitola, Felton and La Selva Beach for bringing people together to dive deep into the themes of Rebecca Makkai’s powerful novel, and also to volunteer April Zilber for leading a very fun and creative hands-on art event.

All of the effort made by everyone whether participating in or leading events, enrich this dream of ours to bring people together, to create community, and to learn and grow through the experience of reading a single book together. Thank you all!

We also thank Santa Cruz Public Libraries for lending their support to Our Community Reads. Special thanks to Rowan Rammer and Sarah Jones for coordinating events and providing tech support.

See you next year in the 2022 Season of Our Community Reads. n — Aptos Chapter of the Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Library:

Jim Bourne, Bobbie Edgin, Pat Emard, Kris

Franceschi, Melanie Freitas, Gale Farthing,

Barbara Gaebe, Ofelia García, Teri Handzel, Coni Hendry, Sandy Laue, Diana Mejia, Eileen Miller, Ginny Morris, Lynn McNussen,

Debby Peronto, Jodi Pratt, Susan Schenck, Denise Ward, and Tricia Wynne

Eric & Carol Smith with the taxi the group toured Havana in.

Figaro the driver (named for being a singer). He works 7 days a week driving a government-owned taxi. He also runs a back-alley barbershop to make ends meet and doesn’t get to see his children much.

“Cuba Churches” from page 6

“For a while, Ted and I thought they would not let us into the country,” said Pastor Kevin. “Just as we thought we’d cleared the hurdles, there was one more at the exit, but thankfully Eric and Carol helped us navigate this inconvenience.”

He continued: “Ted and I attended the conference in Pinar del Rio, a province in dirty, unpainted stucco even in downtown Havana. Some of the balconies had collapsed and were not repaired. They were careful to follow the regulations set forth by the government. The government must be notified exactly where visitors are staying and that hotel/hostel must be in possession of all visitors’ passports during the entire stay. They were also instructed to avoid topics of conversation that might be considered revolutionary or oppositional to the government. The Smiths related that on one trip they tried to bring in a wireless microphone sound system for the church. This was confiscated at the airport for fear of it being used for spying or illegally transmitting information out of the country. “We had a warm and wonderful the eastern part of the island. We visited a reception from our ministry hosts and school that the host church had started in hostel operators,” Pastor Kevin said. “We Pinar del Rio. We also heard about many felt no reason to be fearful on the streets of humanitarian projects, for examples pro- Pinar del Rio where our conference took viding items such as water filters, etc., place or even in Havana after dark.” requiring only a small amount of money “Taxi drivers and people in Havana to fund. Given the poverty level we saw, it were very friendly. They really like was heartening to meet Cuban pastors with American dollars so they are very helpful a heart to serve the needy. We heard that and friendly, even though we spoke very people live on as little as $30 per month. little Spanish,” said Eric. Pastors are paid How People Can Help about $6 per month and usually have to Cell phone recharge program: Most pastors struggle just to provide food have another way of and household necessities for their famearning a living. ilies so cell phone service is unattainable “In this very without support from U.S. donors. poor country, people The cell phone recharge program are humble and, of started as an opportunity to get financial necessity, very inno- support indirectly to pastors in Cuba. vative. Some sell fruit Online phone recharge companies offer from a cart pulled double and triple recharge promotional by a bicycle. Our rates twice a month. taxi driver drove a Stateside CUPA volunteer staff has government-owned a list of CUPA pastors’ phone numbers. a pink 1950s Chevy Depending on the number of donations Deluxe Styleline con- received, the pastors’ phones are recharged vertible. He also had online during the promotion week. a small rustic hair Once received in Cuba, each pastor salon where I got a passes a portion of the recharge to two Cuban haircut.” other pastors, giving each pastor a month’s The team saw a worth of cell phone service. A $25 donation, lot of buildings with a standard price for recharging one phone that qualifies for a special promotion, will enable three pastors to have one month’s phone service.

Given the very limited transportation and the lack of money for cell phone service, the CUPA program is essential for a pastor to do the work of the ministry.

Thank you to Pastor Kevin Stottrup of Aromas Bible Church, for sharing this information, telephone 831-726-2850.

Pay it forward cell phone recharge donations: https://www. paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_ id=X43TFGHEVPK9L&source=url.

An alternate link going into the General Cuba Benevolence Fund: https:// www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_ button_id=RNZXJN8EKSCKC. n •••

“Hunger Fighters” from page 2

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

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

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

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

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

Main Street Elementary School office manager Jennifer Del Carlo organized teachers, students and families to focus on virtual fundraising, generating 8,979 meals, a school record.

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

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

Sup Shack owner Trudie Ransom organized the SUP for Food fundraiser, dressing up like Santa and his elves, cruising the harbor on a standup paddle or kayak, raising 8,021 meals.

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

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

Sarah Marshall, coordinator at Rio Del Mar Elementary School, engaged the whole community, designing their very own flyers and raising 40,592 meals. Oliva Strusis Bregante Finn and June Grillos Malia Nacht and family

• Helping Hands Award: Community

Foundation Santa Cruz County and executive director Susan True, for leadership through the pandemic and the fires, facilitating collaboration, and assisting with surveys, funding and matches. • Above & Beyond Award: Bay Federal

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

Bruce Canepa pledged donations to

Second Harvest Food Bank for every collector car sold during the pandemic, and donated 240,000 meals. • Tech Feeds Hope: Susan Lovegren, who joined the food bank board in

July, launched the Tech Feeds Hope

Initiative to engage tech companies and tech professionals to fight hunger in Santa Cruz County, raising 371,148 meals.

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

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

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

business information services, knew many neighbors and students faced food insecurity. The Banana Slugs raised 175,000 meals. • Chairman’s Corporate Award: Santa

Cruz Community Credit Union, led by president and CEO Beth Carr, launched “Return the Favor” to help nonprofits and donated 64,924 meals. • Presidents Trophy: County of Santa

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

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

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

Plenty of Free Customer Parking

Wilder Associates Inc.

Property Management Specialists 662-0291 Kumon Math & Reading Center

Learning for the Long Run 508-8200 Warmboard Radiant Subfl oor

Simply Smarter Radiant Heat

Village Liquors

For All Your Beverage Needs 688-5691

Joy of Movement Pilates & Gyrotonic®

More Zest for Life 688-8077

Epicenter Cycling

Trek Bicycles for All Types of Riders 662-8100

Dentistry for Animals

Dr. Judy Force, DVM 768-7148

Starting March 15, tenants and landlords in Santa Cruz County can apply for federal COVID-19 aid for back rent from April1, 2020, through March 31, 2021 at HousingIsKey.com

Funds are limited so early applications are advised.

The program pays up to 80 percent of the back rent owed to the landlord, who must agree to forgive the rest.

If the landlord does not participate, the program pays far less, 25 percent of back rent.

••• March 26 Coyote Workshop

The first workshop offered by the California Fish and Game Commission and California Department of Fish and Wildlife will offer an online workshop on coyotes 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 26, to reduce conflicts between humans and coyotes. To register, see https://fgc. ca.gov/meetings/2021.

Participants will join via Zoom and are asked to register in advance and take an online survey.

State officials say the principal reasons wildlife, including coyotes, ventures into populated areas is to search for food, water or shelter. Human-coyote interactions are on the rise due to increased urbanization, increased abundance of food and water sources, and access to attractants such as pet food, human food, pets and small livestock. Interactions can lead to bites and loss of pets.

The first workshop is focused on the science and research related to coyotes in the urban environment as well as the current laws, regulations and jurisdictional roles that create a foundation for communities to reduce human-coyote interactions.

•••

On Tuesday, the Santa Cruz City Council unanimously extended the compliance date for the 2020 update to the Environmentally Acceptable Food Packaging and Products Ordinance for one year until March 8, 2022.

The ordinance aims to reduce the amount of disposable food service ware used by food facilities in the City of Santa Cruz, and the new deadline was adopted due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on local businesses.

The ordinance: • Requires a 25-cent fee on hot and cold drinks sold in disposable cups. • Expands the “Upon Request” mandate for straws, utensils, condiments, etc., to all ordering platforms — including online and third party delivery apps like

Door Dash, Grubhub and Uber Eats. • Encourage businesses to offer a 25-cent credit to customers who bring in their own cup and/or container.

Consumers are advised to carry your own reusable straw and utensils, and bring your own container for leftovers when eating out.

Starting March 8, 2022, disposable food service ware must be free of intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS-PFOS) and certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute or other third-party certifier.

To read the ordinance see www. cityofsantacruz.com/to-go-ware. For questions, ask Waste Reduction Manager Leslie O’Malley at LOMalley@cityofsantacruz. com or (831) 420-5593. •••

Proposition 19, the Home Protection for Seniors, Severely Disabled, Families, and Victims of Wildfire or Natural Disasters Act, approved by voters in November, took effect Feb. 16.

This means significant property tax law changes for families transferring real property between parents and children, or between grandparents and grandchildren if the parents are deceased.

Proposition 19 allows for a parent’s primary residence to be transferred without a property tax increase only if their child keeps the home as their primary residence.

Starting April 1, Proposition 19 caps the transferable amount equal to the home’s taxable value at the time of transfer plus $1 million. The $1 million allowance will be adjusted annually beginning in 2023.

Family farms can be eligible but clarification is expected from the State Legislature.

Additional revenue this ballot measure may generate is allocated to wildfire agencies and counties.

Taxpayers are encouraged to visit the State Board of Equalization, boe.ca.gov, for answers to frequently asked questions and new information as it becomes available. •••

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District introduces Diane Bury as academic coordinator for Mintie White Elementary and Gary Webb as director of maintenance and operations. Trustees approved these appointments at the Feb. 24 meeting.

Diane Bury has been with the district since 2005, as an elementary and middle Diane Bury Gary Webb

school teacher. She was a summer school head teacher and an after-school coordinator. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in political science from Westmont University and her teaching credential from San Jose State. She obtained her administrative credential from the Santa Clara County Office of Education, Leaders in Educational Administration Program.

Gary Webb has 30 years of experience in facilities with a background and skills in heating, ventilation and air conditioning, refrigeration, boilers, generators, and computerized maintenance management systems. He focuses on effective customer service and strives to build relationships earning the respect of his crew and customers. He worked for the County of San Mateo for 30 years before coming to PVUSD as lead maintenance specialist, HVAC, in October.

He was a machinist mate, petty officer 2nd class, in the South Pacific from 1984 to 1988 aboard the USS Midway naval aircraft carrier. He operated the No. 3 engine room of the aircraft carrier, which is now a historical museum in San Diego. The No. 3 engine is one of the main attractions on the guided tour. •••

The Santa Cruz Chapter of the San Jose State University Alumni Association is accepting applications for scholarships for students from public Santa Cruz County high schools and from Cabrillo College. Deadline is March 31.

Most scholarships are $500 to $1,000 and are renewable for four years for high school students and for two years for Cabrillo transfers. The Carol Coe Memorial Scholarship, for $2,000, is awarded to the finalist who exemplifies outstanding community service.

For the application link, see sjsualumnisantacruz.org

•••

On February 4, the state Division of Water Rights released a staff report on climate change, with recommendations to make water availability analysis for permitting new water rights more robust.

The public is invited to provide input on the report. The comment period has been extended until the end of day on March 31. Provide comments electronically to Jelena Hartman at jelena. hartman@waterboards.ca.gov.

Staff will host a live webinar on the report and recommendations 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 18 on Zoom.. Participants may provide input on the recommendations, data sources and approaches not captured in the report. To register, visit: https:// waterboards.zoom.us/webinar/register/ WN_NrKP4Sy5RAGAOtDwb0c5uw

The webinar will be recorded for those who cannot attend or if the webinar surpasses Zoom meeting capacity.

For more information, visit https://www. waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/ programs/climate_change/ •••

Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast has extended this year’s Girl Scout Cookie Program from March 14 until April 18.

After reviewing the latest research and CDC guidelines, the Central Coast Girl Scout Council has also decided to reopen traditional troop cookie booths.

This means Girl Scouts will be selling cookies once again in locations such as outside of their local grocery and convenience stores — following COVID safety guidelines such as fewer girls and volunteers, facemasks, and a focus on electronic payments.

To support the next generation of female entrepreneurs, visit www. girlscoutsccc.org/findcookies or use the official Girl Scout Cookie Finder app, free on iOS and Android devices. n