Aptos Times: April 15, 2023

High Sports Hall of Fame Event

Cover A Curious Incident at Cabrillo

Community News

4 Your Future is Our Business

6 Aptos High Sports Hall of Fame Event: Breana Kostreba, Rylan Hunt, Joe and Jack Smith to be Honored April 29, By Mark Dorfman

8 President Biden’s Disaster Declaration, By Jondi Gumz • Disaster Recovery Centers Open 7 Days A Week • If You Have Insurance, File a Claim: Disaster Survivor’s Checklist

9 Small Business Disaster Loans Available: Santa Cruz County: 360 Loans Top $14 Million, By Jondi Gumz • Attorney General: Consumer Alert for Pajaro Valley

10 No-Cost Chipping Boosts Storm Cleanup & Wildfire Prep • Dancing in the Streets Returns

11 Walk of Remembrance: Saturday, May 13, 1-4 p.m.

12 Jack Rabbit Fun Run

18 Bay Fed Taps Maldonado as Aptos Branch Manager • U.S. Postal Service Wants You

19 Where Does Our Fog Come From?, By Steve McGuirk

20 Empowering Pajaro Valley Teens to Reimagine Systems, By Jondi Gumz

21 Summit for the Planet Celebrates Earth Day

22 Staff of Life Natural Foods and Smart Chicken Donate to Second Harvest Food Bank

27 Panetta, Padilla & Lofgren Visit Watsonville • Saturday Shakespeare To Read And Discuss King Lear

California News

14 AG Talks About School Closures

National News

15 New Bill Targets ‘Zombie Drug’ Xylazine: Veterinary Tranquilizer Causing Fatal Overdoses

Monthly Horoscope • Page 26 – A Sign Change, a New Moon, an Eclipse, a Retrograde & a Festival, By Risa D’Angeles Community Calendar • Arts & Entertainment – Pages 28, 29

Featured Columnists

7 Rename Cabrillo College? Why Not Consider This ..., By Doug Barr

23 PVUSD Recruits, Bridge Delay, No FEMA Aid for Undocumented & Hazardous Waste, Q&A With Dr. Michelle Rodriguez, Superintendent, Pajaro Valley Unified School District

24 Cruise Credits: What to Do?: New Federal Law Requires Refunds for Cancellations at U.S. Ports, By Christopher Elliott

25 An Invitation to Serve on Santa Cruz County’s Civil Grand Jury, By Judge Syda K. Cogliati

30 County Access to Kaiser Medical Care, By Zach Friend, Supervisor, Second District

SCCAS Featured Pet • Page 31 – Elsa’s Looking For A Home

Patrice Edwards

Jondi Gumz

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editor

contributing writers

Mark Dorfman, Jondi Gumz, Steve McGuirk, Risa D’Angeles, Doug Barr, Michelle Rodriguez, Christopher Elliott, Syda K. Cogliati

Michael Oppenheimer, Ward J. Austin

Your Future is Our Business

Santa Cruz County came together March 31s to celebrate the youth and the community’s investment in them at the annual Your Future is Our Business (YFIOB) luncheon. Many Santa Cruz County students, educators, parents and sponsors attended.

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Last year, YFIOB served more than 2,000 students county-wide. This year, in just the first quarter, that number has already been exceeded. The success of this event could not have been achieved without the support of the sponsors and attendees.

Twenty-two students were awarded scholarships that ranged from $200 to $1,000.

Yvette Lopez Brooks, executive director of YFIOB, expressed gratitude for the community’s support, saying, “We really could not do it without you. Your support has made it possible for us to reach even more students this year.”

Rosemary Menard, water director of the City of Santa Cruz, received an award of appreciation for her exceptional leadership during the 2022 Construction Trades Day. Menard’s guidance and direction were instrumental in the event’s success.

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mission statement

We at the Times Publishing Group, Inc. are dedicated to providing a voice for the individuals and organizations in our community while highlighting the outstanding accomplishments of our local businesses. We seek to promote healthy family values through our coverage of youth activities, school news, senior events, community groups and entertainment

The YFIOB luncheon was a celebration of the youth and the community’s investment in them. The event was made possible by the support of sponsors who

COVER STORY

“Curious Incident” from page 1

When someone murders the neighbor’s dog, Christopher is driven to discover

invest in the future of Santa Cruz County students. n

•••

Career Exploration Scholarship

Charles (Charlie) Benham, Oasis High

Nevaeh Karraker, Harbor High

Averie Young, Cypress High

Natalia Galdamez Mijango, Harbor High

Elana McGrew, Santa Cruz High CTE Scholarship

Isabella Chavez-Guerrero, Watsonville High

Saul Cruz, Costanoa High

the culprit. He embarks on an investigation that unwittingly uncovers family secrets shattering his reality.

Based on the novel by Mark Haddon,

Kenneth (Corbin) C. Kronschnabl, Diamond Tech

Charlie Figueroa, Costanoa High

Nathaniel Dow, Aptos High

Perla Patricia Valentin, Harbor High

Eva Carrillo, Harbor High

Justy Olvera-Serna, Costanoa High Luncheon Showcase Winners

9th Grade — Mauricio Calderon-Luis, Harbor High

10th Grade — Mary Henderson, Soquel High

“Youth’s Future” page 7

adapted by Simon Stephens, the original London and New York productions of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time won five major awards — the Tony, Olivier Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League.

Haddon said his book is about being an outsider, about seeing the world in a surprising and revealing way.

The director is Robin Aronson, with Skip Epperson as set designer; Carina Swanberg, lighting and projection designer; Maria Crush, costume designer; Doug Davis, Props master; and Marcel Tjioe, technical director. n

Show dates: Fri. thru Sun., April 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30.

Curtain will be at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $19.50; students and seniors 65+ are $17.50.

Cover Photo: Mathew Chipman as Christopher • Credit: Skip Epperson

Michael Oppenheimer, Camisa Composti

Michael Oppenheimer, Ward J. Austin, Brad King website

photography

YFIOB Executive Director Yvette Brooks (left) and Board Member Amy Nema (right) awarded one of the winning Showcase Scholarships to the Aptos High School team for their video entry. From Left: Kenzie Smith, Monreve Maguire, Carina Kessler.

Aptos High Sports Hall of Fame Event

Breana

Kostreba, Rylan Hunt, Joe and Jack Smith to be Honored April 29

By Mark Dorfman

The Aptos High School Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023 gets inducted on April 29.

The 11 new members are highlighted by Breana Kostreba, a two-time SCCAL MVP and three-time All-State softball player, Rylan Hunt, a distance runner who won three SCCAL cross-country titles and eight SCCAL track & field titles, and Joseph and Jack Smith. Joe, with 272 victories, is the 2nd-winningest boys’ basketball coach in school history, trailing only the legendary Bill Warmerdam. He is also the 3rd winningest girls basketball coach in school history. His father, Jack, was his right-hand man and assistant coach at every level and every step of the way.

Breana Kostreba (Class of 2011) was a four-time 1st-team All-SCCAL softball player, a two-time SCCAL MVP, a threetime All-State selection, and an ESPN Rise 1st-team All-American. She led the state in home runs as a senior, and is No. 4 all-

time in CA history. She led the Mariners to three SCCAL team titles, and was selected as the Santa Cruz Sentinel Female Athleteof-the-Year in 2011. Bree matriculated to UC Berkeley, where she earned multiple All-PAC 12 honors, and, hitting .318 with 12 homeruns as a frosh, she led the Bears to the 2012 PAC 12 Championship and into the College World Series.

Rylan Hunt (Class of 2009) was an extraordinary distance runner. In crosscountry, Rylan won three individual SCCAL titles, and he led the Mariner harriers to four SCCAL team championships and two CCS team championships. In track & field, Rylan earned eight individual SCCAL titles, winning the 1,600 meters an unprecedented four times and the 800 meters three times, and he led the Mariners to three team titles. He was a multiple CCS medalist, 4th in the state in the 1,600 meters in 2008, and left Aptos High with top marks in four events. He was selected

as the Aptos High Male Athlete-of-the-Year in 2009.

Joe and Jack Smith coached basketball at Aptos together for more than 20 years, Joe as the head coach and his father, Jack, by his side. They started with the JV, then moved on to the varsity girls for 4 years before transitioning to the varsity boys in 2003. Together they won more than 350

games and five SCCAL team championships. They reached the CCS Finals and qualified for the Nor-Cal Playoffs in girls’ basketball in 2001, and reached the same heights in boys’ basketball in 2015. Both seasons remain two of the finest in AHS history.

“AHS HoF” page 16

Breana Kostreba Rylan Hunt Jack and Joseph Smith

Rename Cabrillo College? Why Not Consider This ...

By Doug Barr

I’m making a call to action!

“Honor Cabrillo College” by opposing the negative impact of an inprogress college name change.

This HONOR CABRILLO COLLEGE campaign simultaneously advocates a more acceptable approach to meet the same goal more effectively and universally: Implement multiple means to separate a remote 15th century explorer from the incredibly positive 20th/21st century 60+ year history of CABRILLO COLLEGE!

Suggestions:

1) Declare and celebrate the distinction

with a public “divorce,” complete with Cabrillo College, public officials, campus constituencies and community dignitaries, removing explorer references.

2) Create an outdoor relaxing campus (garden or patio) setting that identifies and fosters permanent awareness of this debate/outcome, respectful of contrary opinions. Permanently “educate” future visitors of the impact of negative human behaviors today and the distant past where the explorer is a primary, but not an exclusive,

example. Promote continuous goals of mutual respect, positive interactions, “listening,” and friendship among all peoples!

3) Identify an annual date for renewed reminder and awareness of the basis for this original event; and the often-emotional conflicted struggle resulting with celebrating “Cabrillo College”!

4) “Model” future serious life or organizational disagreements, that continuing debate and real “listening” makes “middle ground” the

Share Your View With Trustees

Cabrillo College board members are: Donna Ziel, Adam Spickler, Christina Cuevas, Rachael Spencer, Martha Vega, Dr. J. Dan Rothwell, Steve Trujillo, and student trustee Deviné Hardy

To reach you representative, see www.cabrillo.edu/governing-board/

optimum vs. divisive permanent separation.

“Cabrillo Name” page 10

“Youth’s Future” from page 4

11th Grade — Calvin Lenz-Parton, Harbor High

12th Grade — Corvinrook Champion, Scotts Valley High

Honorable Mention — Kenzie Smith , Aptos High; Carina Kessler , Aptos High; Monreve Maguire , Aptos High Board Members

David Wright, VP of Operations at Elements Manufacturing

Cristine Chopra, Executive Director of the Santa Cruz County College and Career Collaborative.

Nicole Correa, Bay Federal Credit Union

Elaine Johnson, Santa Cruz County Neighborhood Courts Program

Kevin Painchaud, Photojournalist

David Lee, Assistant Professor of Computational Media at UC Santa Cruz

Michael Marheineke, Retired Hayley Mears, Monterey Bay Economic Partnership, workforce development program manager

Amy Nama, Graniterock, Environmental Services Administrator

Nisha Patel, Deputy Director of Personnel at County of Santa Cruz

Murry Schekman, Teacher, San Jose State University

Carol Siegel, Director of the After School Day Care, Inc, Campus Kids Connection, Inc,

Margie Whiting Sisk, Owner, Whiting’s Foods

Jane Iana Kostina, Diriscoll’s, Strawberry Breeder

Leslie DeRose, Cabrillo College CTE Coordinator

Dante Searcy, Human Resources Generalist for Joby Aviation

Pamela Price, Cardiovascular Critical Care Nurse

Thomas Sage Pedersen, CEO of Everyone’s Music School

Sponsors: Santa Cruz County Office of Education, Bay Federal Credit Union, Construction Industry Education Foundation, Santa Cruz

City Schools, San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District, Live Oak School District, Graniterock, Shadowbrook Restaurant, Mary Gaukel, County of Santa Cruz, Beckmann’s Bakery, Pacific Cookie Company, Deluxe Foods

Raffle Donors: Boardwalk, Bookshop Santa Cruz

Plenty of Free Customer Parking

Wilder Associates Inc.

Property Management Specialists 662-0291

Kumon Math & Reading Center Learning for the Long Run 508-8200

Village Liquors

Future is Our Business Board Members David Wright and Elaine Johnson with the CTE Scholarship Awards Winners

President Biden’s Disaster Declaration

By Jondi Gumz

On April 3, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of California and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides, and mudslides beginning on Feb. 21, 2023, and continuing.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Kern, Mariposa, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Tulare, and Tuolumne.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding on a cost-sharing basis is available to eligible state, tribal and local governments and certain private nonprofits in Calaveras, Los Angeles, Monterey and Tulare counties for

emergency work and repair or replacement of damaged facilities.

Lastly, Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Andrew F. Grant is the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations.

On March 28, Gov. Gavin Newsom requested a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration with a 100% federal cost share for the first 90 days to bolster the emergency response. His 20-page letter pointed out Monterey County reported agricultural losses exceeding $450 million, and damages in four counties — Calaveras, Los Angeles, Tulare and Monterey exceeded $92 million. Private property damages are expected to top $329 million statewide.

In the affected counties, only about 5% have flood insurance.

FEMA tallied 200 homes in flooded Pajaro with major damage or destroyed and the flooded Pajaro Middle School closed for the rest of the school year, with students moved to another site, Lakeview Middle School.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in Kern, Mariposa, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Tulare, and Tuolumne counties.

In Santa Cruz County, seven homes were destroyed and 26 had major damage.

On March 29, U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta joined the full California Congressional delegation in urging President Joe Biden to issue a major disaster declaration for the state of California.

On March 28, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed an eviction moratorium to protect floodimpacted residents of Pajaro, effective

immediately. The moratorium extends through August. The supervisors also asked financial institutions pause foreclosures against impacted property owners or landlords.

The Los Angeles Times reported that FEMA policy was to provide individual disaster assistance when the affected community has more than 1,600 homes, to which FEMA spokeswoman Tiana Suber said there is no specific number threshold to meet.

“We assess the affected area as a whole and the over-all need to make a determination,” she said via email.

FEMA follows government code on individual assistance, assessing state fiscal capacity and resource availability, uninsured home and personal property Losses, disaster Impacted population profile, impact to community infrastructure, casualties and disaster-related unemployment. •••

See www.fema.gov/disaster/individualassistance.

Disaster Recovery Centers Open 7 Days A Week

Disaster Recovery Centers in Felton and Watsonville are officially open, with hours from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.

The recovery centers are located at the Felton Branch Library, 6121 Gushee St., Felton, and at the city Government building, 250 Main St., Watsonville. They

will include Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staff, the California Office of Emergency Service (CalOES), and various state, local, and community agencies.

President Biden approved a disaster

declaration for Santa Cruz and Monterey counties several other California counties due to severe winter weather beginning Feb 21, and continuing. Anyone impacted during this period, regardless of location, damage

type, insurance, or immigration status, is invited to visit the Disaster Recovery Centers to access information and resources needed for recovery. n

•••

Additional resources are available at the Virtual Recovery Center at https://www.santa cruzcounty.us/OR3/Emergency.aspx

If You Have Insurance, File a Claim: Disaster Survivor’s Checklist

Be sure to take photos to document damage. Submit any updates from your insurance company to FEMA as soon as possible.

Apply to FEMA

There are multiple ways you can apply for FEMA assistance:

• Go to DisasterAssistance.gov

• Download the FEMA mobile app

• Call the FEMA Helpline, tollfree, at 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service, please provide FEMA the number for that service.

People with disabilities should

make reasonable accommodation requests at this step.

Schedule a FEMA Inspection

After applying, a FEMA inspector will typically contact you to discuss your disaster related damage and needs within 10 days.

Read Your FEMA Decision Letter

FEMA will review your application and inspection information, and a decision letter will be sent to you by mail or through your DisasterAssistance.gov account.

The letter will explain FEMA’s decision and notify you of any additional information required to determine your eligibility.

The letter also advises you on how to appeal if you disagree with FEMA’s decision.

Use Your FEMA Assistance for Its Intended Purposes

The decision letter from FEMA explains the types of assistance you have received and how to use the funds appropriately.

Save Receipts and Maintain Good Records

Document how the funds were used and retain records for all repairs, cleanup, and disaster-related costs for at least three years. n

•••

FEMA Helpline: 1-800-621-3362

Small Business Disaster Loans Available

Santa Cruz County: 360 Loans

Top $14 Million

By Jondi Gumz

Low-interest federal disaster loans are now available to California businesses and residents as a result of President Biden’s major disaster declaration, according to U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman.

The declaration covers Kern, Mariposa, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Tulare and Tuolumne counties as a result of the severe winter storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides that began Feb. 21, 2023, and continue.

“SBA’s mission-driven team stands ready to help California’s small businesses and residents impacted by severe winter storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides,” said Guzman. “We’re committed to providing federal

disaster loans swiftly and efficiently, with a customer-centric approach to help businesses and communities recover and rebuild.”

As of April 5, the SBA had approved low-interest loans in Santa Cruz county to recover from the severe storms and flooding Dec. 27 to Jan. 31 for 29 businesses and/or nonprofits, totaling $1,789,200, and 331 homeowners or renters at $13,083,700, for a total of 360 loans for $14,872,900.

Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds

to businesses and homeowners to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage in the future.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofits of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available to businesses regardless of any property damage.

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate.

Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, which includes disaster-damaged personal vehicles.

Interest rates can be as low as 4% for businesses, 2.375% for private nonprofit organizations and 2.375% for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition. n

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, survivors must first contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.disasterassistance.gov. SBA will provide one-on-one assistance to disaster loan applicants at the federal Disaster Recovery Centers. For information on the hours, call the SBA Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955.

Attorney General: Consumer Alert for Pajaro Valley

On April 4, Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert to provide resources for the Pajaro community and other communities affected by natural disasters.

The recent Pajaro River levee rupture in Monterey County has caused significant destruction in the adjacent community, home to mostly low-income Latino farmworkers and immigrants, forcing nearly 2,000 Pajaro residents to evacuate.

This alert provides tips for California tenants and homeowners impacted by flooding, fires, and other catastrophes.

“California has been impacted by a series of weather-related catastrophes in recent months, and the Pajaro community and other affected communities have experienced a devastating amount of loss,” said Bonta. “Impacted residents are not alone during these difficult times. Today’s alert provides valuable tips and information about available resources to aid residents facing housing crises. As a state, we must continue working on ways to better prepare before disaster strikes and implement long-term solutions that protect our most vulnerable communities. My office will continue monitoring the situation and work closely with our partners

to ensure all Californians receive the assistance needed.”

Tenants and homeowners have certain protections if their home has been damaged or destroyed by a natural disaster, such as an earthquake, wildfire, flood, or severe storm.

Tips for Tenants

Ifyour rental home is completely destroyed by a natural disaster:

• Your lease ends, meaning you cannot continue living at the unit and you can stop paying rent. Take photos of the unit and communicate with your landlord about the condition of the property. This is important because if your unit is not completely destroyed, your lease does not end.

• If you are not sure if the rental unit was completely destroyed, call your local code enforcement office to request an inspection.

• Your landlord must return the prorated rent for the rest of the month, along with your full security deposit. For example, if your home is destroyed on June 10th, your landlord should return 20 days of rent.

• Renters insurance may cover the cost of temporary housing. Save your hotel and food receipts and contact your insurance company right away. If you don’t have insurance, the Red Cross may offer temporary shelter in your area. You may apply for assistance

from the Federal Emergency Management Agency if a disaster has been declared.

If your rental home is damaged but not completely destroyed by a natural disaster:

• Your lease continues, meaning you can continue living there and your landlord must make repairs and allow you to move back in.

• Your landlord must ensure that the unit is habitable, meaning fit for living in. This includes making sure that the roof and walls are waterproof, the windows and doors securely close and lock, the electrical wiring is safe and in good working order, and the plumbing is in good working order, along with other requirements.

• If you need repairs, let your landlord know. Make the request in writing and keep a copy. It is against the law for a landlord to retaliate because a tenant has asked for repairs. It is important to talk to a lawyer if your landlord refuses to make repairs or threatens to evict you.

• You must continue paying rent, but you may be entitled to a rent reduction while repairs are being made.

• If you want to move out, you will need to read your lease carefully to understand your options. For example, if you are on a month-to-month lease, you will need to give 30 days’ notice that you are moving.

“Consumer Alert” page 10

Rob Bonta

COMMUNITY BRIEFS

No-Cost Chipping Boosts

Storm Cleanup & Wildfire Prep

The Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County announces the Spring 2023 No-Cost Community Chipping Program for Santa Cruz County residents who live in the Wildland Urban Interface, with potential for wildfire to impact their properties.

Pre-registration opened on April 1 and goes through April 30.

Chipping starts May 9. Residents

“Consumer Alert” from page 9

Tips for Homeowners

Ifyou own a home that has been destroyed by a natural disaster:

• Continue paying your mortgage. If you are facing financial difficulties, you may be eligible for a forbearance to postpone your mortgage payments. Contact your mortgage servicer to see if a disaster-related repayment program is available and to discuss possible mortgage-relief options. For information about forbearances and other mortgage-relief options. See https://oag.ca.gov/consumers/ homeowner-issues

• Homeowners insurance may cover the cost of temporary housing. Save your hotel and food receipts and contact your insurance company right away. The Red Cross may also offer temporary shelter in your area after a disaster. You may also apply for assistance from FEMA if a disaster has been declared.

• Homeowners insurance may cover rebuilding or repairing your home. If your insurance claim has been denied, ask your insurance company about the appeals process and request a written copy of their reason for denying your claim. You may wish to contact an attorney or ask for help from the California Department of

“Cabrillo Name” from page 7

5) Create public statement/policy that ALWAYS officially publicizes, states in writing, with oral / verbal communications “CABRILLO COLLEGE” as two inseparable words!

6) Fostering consistency, redesign necessary athletic uniforms, public sale T-shirts or sweatshirts, and emblem paraphernalia to ensure “Cabrillo College” is universally represented never again by a single surname reference.

7) Create and emphasize Cabrillo College and community wide

who live in recognized FireWise neighborhoods get early bird registration. Register at https://www.rcdsantacruz. org/chipping-programs

This program is funded through CalFire grants.

For information, email Laurel Bard at lbard@rcdsantacruz.org

•••

Dancing in the Streets Returns

For 13 years, Santa Cruz County dancers have hit the streets of downtown for

Insurance at http://www.insurance. ca.gov/01-consumers/101-help/

• If you need to rebuild your home, hire a licensed contractor to help avoid financial risk and other issues that may arise with unlicensed contractors. Anyone who acts as contractor in a federal or state disaster area without an active license could face felony charge. To check the validity of a contractor’s license and to learn more about how to avoid getting scammed, see https:// www.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/ CheckLicenseII/CheckLicense.aspx

Tips to Find a New Home

• Your local area may be subject to price gouging protections if a state of emergency has been declared. Landlords, hotels, stores, contractors, and others may be prohibited from raising rents or prices by more than 100%. For more information about price gouging, see https://oag.ca.gov/consumers/ pricegougingduringdisasters

• Don’t be the victim of a scam! Always see a rental unit in person before signing a lease or sending large amounts of money. Scammers may demand money for an apartment that does not exist or may show you one unit but rent you a different unit in worse condition. Legitimate landlords may ask for a small fee for tenant screening, but they should not insist that you pay the security

publicity that announces a mutual solution that pulls together/ reunites a disenchanted community; donors (and disappearing donors) back into the fold of CABRILLO COLLEGE support. Become a model SOLUTION to the universe, avoiding the destruction of the incredible positive history of CABRILLO COLLEGE, and no longer insulting the thousands recently disenfranchised who created or benefit from such.

I offer this as a single individual from afar: 300 miles south and 32 years removed from Cabrillo College.

April 15th 2023 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Dancing in the Streets. And now, after three years of cancellations due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this free outdoor spectacular returns.

Santa Cruz Dance Week returns April 20-28, thanks to Motion Pacific in Santa Cruz.

The kick-off is Thursday, April 20, with “Dancing in the Streets” featuring 40 dance groups on three outdoor stages on Pacific and Cooper from 5:15-8:40 p.m. Performers come from Agape Dance Academy, Dancenter,

deposit or first month’s rent before you have seen the unit and signed a lease.

• If someone insists you pay with cash, gift cards, or by wire transfer, it may be a scam. To learn how to spot a scam, see https://consumer.ftc.gov/ articles/how-avoid-scam

Preparing for Disaster

• Pack a “go bag” with IDs and important documents such as insurance policies, a copy of your lease, family photographs, birth and marriage certificates, and immigration documents. Also pack an emergency supply kit: view this FEMA checklist and this California Department of Public Health checklist for what to include.

• Come up with an emergency plan for your family and for your pets/ livestock.

• Renters insurance or homeowners insurance may help after a disaster. Insurance may cover lost or destroyed personal property, as well as the cost of temporary housing.

• Keep your receipts and take photos of electronics, furniture, and other valuable items in your home. Photos and receipts could be useful if you are asking your insurance company to replace lost items.

More Help

• Check the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services website for tips

Yet, as a 16-year resident of Watsonville and professional at Cabrillo College, the privilege included Community Education, Business then Student Services, and Instruction.

The impact of Cabrillo College and the larger community framed the whole positive foundation of our young family and future life. The values of respect and rewarding interactions with and among all cultures, ethnicities, and lifestyles, were fostered through every day of those 16 years of experience at Cabrillo College and the surrounding communities.

Try Again! Make YOUR VOICES (ignored once) to Cabrillo College “Trustees”

International Academy of Dance, Synergy and Cabrillo College.

All performances are free.

The “Cirque” themed finale, with performances by Stellaria Creative Company, Elevate Fire Dancing, Hoopalights, Pole Diversity, Circus of the Moon and Cirque, Tumble, and Cheer starts at 8:45pm in front of Santa Cruz Theaters on Pacific and Cooper.

Visit https://www.scdanceweek.com/ for more info. n

about how to prepare for a disaster and where to get help if a disaster occurs.

• Find out whether the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is offering assistance in your area at disasterassistance.gov.

• Tenants and homeowners can learn more and find help at Disaster Legal Assistance Collaborative.

• If you are in a dispute with your landlord or insurance company after a disaster, you may need to speak with a lawyer. To find a free or low-cost legal aid office near where you live, visit LawHelpCA. org. If you do not qualify for legal aid, you may also obtain a referral to a certified lawyer referral service by contacting the California State Bar.

• Learn about general tenant protections, including limits on rent increases and evictions, at the Attorney General’s LandlordTenant Issues website.

• To notify the Attorney General’s Office of violations, visit oag. ca.gov/report. Although the Attorney General’s Office cannot represent or provide legal advice to individuals, complaints from concerned Californians are critical to developing information about patterns and practices Californians face statewide. n

via President Matt Wetstein. Don’t give up! Help avoid what will be more divisive approaches before such are necessary.

•••

Doug Barr was the initial director of Cabrillo College Watsonville Center, founding board member of “Agriculture,” a member of the “Focus Agriculture” charter class, during the 1980s served on the Board of Director of Santa Cruz County NAACP, and Santa Cruz County Volunteer Bureau. He now lives in Mission Viejo. To reach him, email: honorcabrillocollege@gmail.com

Editor’s note: Barr says he has adjusted a $25,000 bequest in his will to the Cabrillo College Foundation, conditional on the name remaining Cabrillo College, and urges others to do the same.

Walk of Remembrance: Saturday, May 13, 1-4 p.m.

Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month! Learn more about the historic Chinese who settled in the Monterey Peninsula in the 1850s and 1860s, pioneering the fishing industry and contributing to the natural history and economic development of the region. The 2023 Walk of Remembrance will take place from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, May 13,

in honor of the community of the Chinese Fishing Village at Point Alones and to celebrate the life of teacher, activist, and scholar Gerry Low-Sabado.

There will many educational and inspiring events connected to the Walk and AAPI Heritage Month in May, including a traveling exhibit at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, 165 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove, titled Called to Rise: Chinese Americans in CBI, on loan from the Chinese Historical Society of America from April 15-May 15.

All Walk of Remembrance events are free and open to the public.

There is limited capacity so to attend, register at https://www.eventbrite. com/e/2023-walk-of-remembrancehonoring-the-monterey-bays-chinesecommunity-tickets-562690671947 n

•••

The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, a partner in this event, recognize partners at the Coalition for Asian Justice, the Chinese Historical Society of America, Hopkins Marine Station, the City of Pacific Grove, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

What every birthday needs, party planners.

Choosing the right foods. Deciding on a safe exercise routine. Creating a birth plan. As a mom-to-be, you have a lot of planning to look forward to. Fortunately, Dignity Health – Dominican Hospital’s Family Birth Center has a whole team of specialists ready to safely guide you throughout your journey—from the support of our midwives to the added security of the only Level III NICU in the Monterey Bay area standing by. We even have live virtual classes to help you prepare for the big day.

Take a virtual tour of our Birth Center at DominicanBaby.org.

Photo Credit: Julie Chon

Pre & K Discovery Day!

Jack Rabbit Fun Run

Sunday, April 16

The 2nd Annual Live Oak Jack Rabbit

1 Mile FUNdraiser Run will take place 9 a.m. to noon Sunday, April 16, at Shoreline Middle School, 855 17th Ave., Live Oak.

After Covid delayed the inaugural run in March 2020, it debuted last year, and the 2023 Jack Rabbit promises to be bigger and better: Waves of 1-mile track races will take place, with USA Track & Field-certified 1 mile races coordinated by Chris Nestlerode of Santa Cruz Track Club.

Plus: Performances by the Shoreline Band and White Hawk Indian Council, treats from Areperia831, Brother’s Mexican, Mattia Pizza, Cakes with Care, and the Aparicio Family ice cream truck, free community fitness classes taught by Fuel PHitness and Group Open Air Training (GOAT), free family art activities with materials donated by Palace Art & Office Supplies & display

Envirotokens

of student art, a pop-up market with art, jewelry, and gifts for sale from Aptos Art Garage, frida & cactus, Jared Leake, kdezynz, and Salty Sweet Studio (Mother’s Day is coming!)

A community expo features Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County, Cradle to Career Santa Cruz County, Live Oak Community Resources, Santa Cruz Community Health, Santa Cruz Chapter of Moms Demand Action, Cub Scouts Pack 676 and Girl Scouts Troop 15000.

The Jack Rabbit event is coordinated by the nonprofit Live Oak Education Foundation. Funds raised will be directed to TK-8th grade student arts programming in the public Live Oak School District. Race registration is $10. See https:// raceroster.com/events/2023/66070/2ndannual-live-oak-jack-rabbit-1-milefundraiser-run-and-student-art-contest n

AG Talks About School Closures

On April 11, Attorney General Rob Bonta announced statewide guidance on school districts’ legal obligations and best practices when considering school closures, including mergers, and consolidations.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020, the state has seen enrollment decline sharply then steadily, and because state funding for schools is based on enrollment, this will bring challenges once extra Covid-19 funding dries up. At first, this would mean layoffs and cutting programs.

If declining enrollment persists, communities are faced with the prospect of school closures, including mergers, and consolidations.

For families, students, and staff, losing a beloved neighborhood school can upend livelihoods, and cause educational disruption and emotional distress. Students may have difficulty transitioning to a new school community, have to travel farther distances, or experience an increase in transit costs and time, exacerbating barriers to an equal education. These impacts are serious and can cause educational harm to students and their families.

Bonta said school districts that follow the legal mandates and best practices described in the 18-page guidance will take a step toward providing equal educational opportunity to all students, and

begin to remedy the continuing harms of segregation.

The Guidance, he added, provides best practices to improve community trust and parent engagement and reduce a district’s legal risk before, during, and after the closure selection process.

School superintendents and members of school boards throughout California received the Guidance on April 11.

Bonta said it contains clear standards and procedures to establish a mindful community engagement process.

“Our 5.8 million public school students in California deserve an equitable and high-quality education,” he added. “We must proactively mitigate harm and ensure equity in our school system to help navigate this difficult process. I am committed to working with our schools and school board leaders to achieve successful outcomes for all our students.”

“School Closures” page 16

New Bill Targets ‘Zombie Drug’ Xylazine

Veterinary Tranquilizer Causing Fatal Overdoses

On March 28, United States Representatives Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), August Pfluger (TX-11), Gus Bilirakis (Fl.-12), Ken Buck (CO-04), and Chris Pappas (NH-01) with Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, bipartisan bicameral legislation with to crack down and schedule the highly dangerous sedative causing fatal overdoses nationwide.

Panetta worked closely with colleagues in Congress and the Senate, agency partners, and outside stakeholders to author this bill that goes after the usage of xylazine, a drug that is an easily accessible veterinary tranquilizer that is being used as a low-cost cutting agent for fentanyl and other drugs.

The Drug Enforcement Agency recently reported 23% of fentanyl powder contained it in 2022.

Xylazine causes depressed breathing and heart rate, unconsciousness, necrosis, and even death, and naloxone does not reverse its effects because it is not an opioid.

Despite alarming reports about the rise of xylazine-adulterated fentanyl, which has been called “tranq” and the “zombie drug,” federal, state and local law enforcement do not have the tools necessary to effectively track it or crack down on traffickers using it to increase their profits.

The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act would address this gap in federal law by:

• Classifying its illicit use under Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act;

• Enabling the DEA to track its manufacturing to ensure it is not diverted to the illicit market;

• Requiring a report on prevalence, risks, and recommendations to best regulate illicit use of xylazine;

• Ensuring all salts and isomers of xylazine are covered when restricting its illicit use;

• Declaring xylazine an emerging drug threat.

Xylazine is essential in veterinary medicine with large animals, and while this legislation will help law enforcement crack down on its illicit use, it will also protect access for veterinarians, farmers, cattlemen, and ranchers by protecting the veterinary medicine use of xylazine.

“The recent rise in the illicit use of the combination of xylazine and fentanyl threatens the health and safety of every community. This toxic brew of drugs makes fentanyl, which has taken thousands of lives in California and around the country each year, not just cheaper but deadlier and more addictive,” said Panetta. “Although xylazine has legitimate uses in agriculture, we need to prevent it from being misused on the streets.” n

SPRING SPECIAL

If we paint your interior and/or exterior by May 31, 2023 we will buy the paint.

Real Estate Update

Ruth Bates

831.359.2212

ruthbates1@gmail.com

CalBRE#01799929

APTOS SOLD —

21 homes sold in the past 30 days, high sales were 627 Seacliff - $3,000,831 (3 bed/2.5bath/1607SF ocean view property) and 110 Glen Brae$3,000,000 (4bed/4.5bath/2895SF new home in Aptos Hills). Small homes in Rio Del Mar were very much bid up – 307 Martin (3/2/1215sf) listed for $1,299,000 and sold for $1,500,000 and 185 Baltusrol (3/2.5/1572) listed for $1,399,000 and sold for $1,550,000. 801 Cresta Vista was the low sale at $1,115,00 (3/2.5/1658sf). Median List Price last month was $1,299,000 and Median Sales Price was $1,305,000.

APTOS ACTIVE — There are only 23 Active listings, one-month inventory (normal market would be 4-6 months). 120 Debernardo is high list at $6,000,000 (many years and many agents). 5411 Freedom is low list at $959,000 (2/2/1080sf). My Listing at 850 Day Valley is next at $1,025,000 (2/2/1635 on a 1/3 acre lot – close-incountry), I’m pretty sure this will be sold soon. The Median List Price is $1,600,000.

VACATION RENTALS — Seascape Resort and Pajaro Dunes require no rental permit. Beach Drive, Las Olas and Rio Flats are approved for Vacation Rentals, while the general SALSDA area (Seacliff/Rio Del Mar/La Selva Beach) now has a waitlist of 64 applications, which will take many years to reduce. Vacation Rental permits do not transfer to new owners. There are no permit restrictions yet on Aptos Hills, Larkin Valley and Corralitos. City of Santa Cruz only allows “hosted rentals” where the owner lives in the property. City of Capitola only allows permits within the Village. City of Scotts Valley does not allow short-term rentals, City of Watsonville does and has no waitlist.

COMING SOON — I have several New Listings coming soon:

604 Maple — 3 bed, 2 bath, 1290 Sq. Ft. on a 5600 lot in Seacliff – $1,300,000

528 Cuesta — 3 bed, 2 bath, 1906 Sq. Ft. with panoramic ocean views – CFP

342 Village Creek Road — 2 bed, 2.5, 1785 Sq. Ft. Townhome adjacent to Nisene Marks, up the hill to Aptos Village, down the hill to Rio Del Mar Beach - CFP

Call, email, text anytime and Get Results With Ruth!

“School Closures” from page

14

One little discussed reason for declining enrollment is California’s mandate for vaccines to attend public and private schools with exemptions for religious objections no longer allowed.

Anecdotally, parents have seen family friends move to states such as Texas or Florida, where parents have more say. Other parents have opted to homeschool younger children, and it remains to be seen whether they would return the children to public or private schools when they are older.

Under AB 1912, enacted in September

2022, financially distressed school districts are mandated to engage the community before closing schools. Deep community engagement is the best practice for all school districts, as it pays dividends beyond school closures. Increased parent and student engagement lead to better academic achievement and attendance, which in California leads to more funding for schools and the decreased likelihood of future school closures.

Under AB 1912, a financially distressed school district must also conduct an equity impact assessment before school closures, mergers, or consolidations and provide the public with the

set of metrics or criteria proposed for closure decisions so that the public can provide input.

Additionally, existing California civil rights laws impose mandates for all school districts in California considering closures. The Guidance issued today explains these legal mandates and offers best practices for all school districts to take before implementing school closures to protect California’s students and communities from inequality and injustice. n •••

You can read a copy of the guidance at:https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/letterschool-districts-school-closures-04112023.pdf

“AHS HoF” from page 6

Jack’s mantra “All in, all out, all the time” remains a core principle of both programs. Jack sadly passed in 2014.

The Class of 2023 also features some of Aptos High’s best competitors in football, soccer, tennis, volleyball, and water polo:

Jamie O’Mahony (1984)

Jamie is in an exclusive club. In 50-plus years of Aptos football, he is one of only two AHS football players to ever be selected to the AllSCCAL 1st-team three times!

Not Trent Dilfer. Not Sam Kennedy. Not Kevin Walters. Not Carlos Torres. Only Jamie O’Mahony and Rick Downey. Jamie was a ferocious and unrelenting defensive lineman, and he helped the Mariner win the 1982 SCCAL team championship.

In 1983, he won the coveted Golden Helmet Award. Jamie was also a member of the 1983 SCCAL championship boys’ soccer team, one of only two boys’ soccer championships in AHS history.

Emily Di Franco (1990)

After50-plus years of Aptos athletics, Emily is one of only 30 studentathletes, out of over 12,000 participants, to earn four 1st-team AllSCCAL selections. She earned three 1st-team selections in soccer and one in softball.

In soccer, she was a four-year starter, a tenacious defender, and she helped the Mariners win three SCCAL team championships, including an 11-0-1 record in 1990, the second best season in school history.

Emily also participated in track and field, and both of her relay teams qualified for the CCS Finals in 1989.

Alissa Bailey (1990)

Alissa was our No. 1 singles player all four years. She was a two-time SCCAL finalist, and lost in the semi’s the other two years.

She led the Mariners to the 1989 SCCAL team championship, our first in almost 10 years. In 1990, she led all amateurs at the BMW Cal Open at the Seascape Tennis Club.

She matriculated to Cal Poly, SLO, where she played both singles and doubles for four years, including in three NCAA National Championships, where the Mustangs finished 2nd in the nation in 1993.

Alissa achieved a remarkable overall record of 77-19 in four years at SLO. She was also a two-time 1st team All-CCAC selection.

Amy Larson (2002)

Amy is one of the top two or three pitchers in AHS history. She was a four-year starter in softball, a three-year 1st-team All-SCCAL selection, and a two-time SCCAL Pitcher-of-the-Year.

In the AHS record book, she is No. 1 in ERA, No. 1 in fewest walks allowed, No. 2 in strikeouts, No. 4 in complete game shutouts, and No. 4 in no-hitters pitched. She also led the Mariners to four consecutive SCCAL team championships.

Amy matriculated to Occidental College where she continued to pitch successfully for another four years.

Brice Dahlmeier (2005)

Adominating outside hitter, Brice led the Mariners boys volleyball team to its first SCCAL team championship and to our first appearance in the CCS Finals. In 2005, he was selected as the SCCAL MVP.

In four years, Brice led the Mariners to an overall 95-33 record, a four-year span of success not yet duplicated, and to deep runs into the CCS playoffs every year.

Brice matriculated into a joint degree

program at UC Santa Cruz and UC Berkeley, and he played volleyball successfully at both schools, including making two Top 10 Lists at UCSC.

Torrey Ornelas (2012) Torrey is the most-decorated girls’ water polo player in AHS history. She earned four 1st-team All-SCCAL selections, including Frosh-of-the-Year in 2008, Sophomore-of-the-Year in 2009, Junior-ofthe-Year in 2010, and SCCAL MVP in 2011.

Aptos High has only won two SCCAL team championships in girls’ water polo, and Torrey was the leading scorer on both of those teams.

Dave Ensminger (assistant coach)

The recently-retired Dave Ensminger is the 2nd-longest tenured football coach in AHS history, trailing only Hall of Fame member Jamie Townsend. Dave started coaching football at Aptos High in the fall of 1985. Yes, 1985. 37 years ago.

That’s over 400 football games ago, and almost 4000 practices, and yet he never missed a game or practice since he started. Dave has coached the wide receivers at the frosh, JV, and varsity levels, and for very many years he was also the official varsity football stat keeper, which required double-duty from him at games.

Dave’s generous nature, his attention to detail, and his soft-spoken witticisms are treasured by legions of wide-outs.

•••

The Hall of Fame event begins with social hour at 4 p.m., with dinner and the program to begin at 5 p.m. n

•••

Tickets for the Aptos High Sports Hall of Fame celebration are $65 each and may be reserved through Aptos High Athletic Director Travis Fox, at 728-7832, ext. 5201 or travis_ fox@pvusd.net, or through Mark Dorfman at mark_dorfman@pvusd.net.

Jamie O’Mahony

Emily Di Franco

Brice Dahlmeier

Alissa Bailey

Amy Larson

Torrey Ornelas

Dave Ensminger

Including:

n Sofas

n Chaises

n Fire Pits

n Umbrellas

n Love Seats

n Dining Sets

n Custom Cushions

n Heaters

We also do complete patio furniture restoration and repair.

Bay Fed Taps

Maldonado as Aptos Branch Manager

Maribel Maldonado is the new branch manager/assistant vice president at Bay Federal Credit Union’s Aptos location.

She is a longtime employee, who spent the past six months as interim branch manager at Bay Federal’s flagship branch in Capitola. She has spent this time learning the ropes and strengthening her leadership abilities. In her new role at the Aptos Branch, she will be in charge of staffing, overseeing operations and lending, and member experience.

“I take pride in working for BayFed and being a part of the local community,” she said. “When I’m helping a member, I seek out ways to save them money and offer solutions to help them reach their financial goals that’s fulfilling. I’m excited to meet our members and be a part of the Aptos community.”

The opening was created when Marissa Ledesma, who was in charge of the Aptos branch, was selected branch manager/assistant vice president for the Scotts Valley branch.

With more than $1.6 billion in assets, Bay Federal Credit Union is a largest financial institution in the region, serving 86,000 members and 2,400 local businesses in Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Monterey counties.

More new faces at Bay Federal Credit Union: Loan Servicing Manager Cora Bentz, Card Services Manager Tyler Boyett, and Consumer Lending Manager Nicole Colipapa.

Bentz will manage a staff of six and oversee the credit union’s servicing, which it does entirely in-house. She has worked in the financial industry in multiple areas of lending for more than a decade.

Boyett will manage the credit and debit card portfolio and move Bay Federal forward in the ever-changing payments industry.

He brings nearly a decade of experience in credit unions and extensive knowledge of card services. His goals are to enhance fraud mitigation strategies, streamline processes, and to lead his team in continuing to provide exceptional member service.

“I really believe in what credit unions stand for,” Boyett said. “The credit union movement started as People Helping People, and I’ve seen that first-hand.”

Colipapa, who will oversee consumer loan underwriting and indirect funding, has expertise in relationship and project management. n

U.S. Postal Service Wants You

With nearly 1,000 positions to fill across the Bay Area the U.S. Postal Service is hosting job fairs in April.

By joining the Postal Service, you will reap the benefits such as health and retirement benefits, good pay, stable employment, training, and the ability for career advancement.

Plus, working for the Postal Service gives you the chance to deliver essential goods in your community and make a realtime impact.

City carrier and rural carrier associates positions are open. See usps.com/careers. n

Maribel Maldonado

Where Does Our Fog Come From?

By Steve McGuirk

Author and satirist Mark Twain once said, “The coldest Winter I ever spent was a Summer in San Francisco.” What he was talking about was fog. And certainly no other weather event in northern California is more fiercely contested.

If you live in Santa Cruz County and want a sunny Summer, fog is the bane of your existence. But if you’re a coastal farmer, or if you live in the San Joaquin Valley – where temperatures top out over 110 – fog is the enshrouded blessing of being here.

So what is fog?

Retired meteorology instructor David Balough offers the simplest definition: “Fog is a cloud in direct contact with the ground or water,” an adequate description. What differs about fog is its formation, the means to an end.

There are different kinds of fog, but because only several of them primarily affect those of us in the Monterey Bay region, we will deal with advection fog (that forms along the coast) and upslope fog (that forms along the mountains).

Coastal Advection Fog

Around this time of year, the end of the rains and the increase in air temperature cause radiation fog which form above the irrigation of dark, open agricultural soils in our region’s farming areas. Coastal winds generally brush the ethereal fog as the day grows warmer.

But in the summertime the marine fog that occurs along coastal areas with climates similar to California’s – Chile, Peru, South Africa, and the Canary Islands – is a result of complex air, land, and sea interactions that occur along the eastern edge of ocean basins.

Although the margins vary with the time of year, generally at or beyond the mouth of the Monterey Bay lies the eastern edge of the northwest to southeast-trending

California Current. As any surfer or ocean swimmer can tell you, our northern portion of the California Current maintains a very chilly average temperature of around 55 degrees. As warmer, moist northwestern air from the Pacific passes over the Current in Spring through Fall, it gathers moisture from the ocean, much as water droplets form on a glass of ice water in warm weather.

Fog’s microscopic water droplets form when they encounter a cloud condensation nucleus. The nucleus around which fog droplets can form can be any microscopic airborne particle such as salt or other ion, molecule, dust, pollen, metabolicallyactive bacteria, protozoan, fungus, or biogenic fragments (produced or brought about by living organisms).

Breaking ocean waves and bubbles bursting from foamy whitecaps produce sea-spray droplets that evaporate into sea-salt aerosols, relatively large, moisture-attracting cloud condensation nuclePhotosi. Sea-salt aerosols attract and hold water so efficiently that fog droplets can even form in unsaturated air. This is most often observed as a mist hovering over the ocean on a warm summer day along the California coast.

As the warm air travels southeasterly, it stirs up the waters of the Monterey Bay, and at the same time, summertime temperatures rise in deep, adjacent valleys, the largest of which are the Salinas and Santa Clara. And as hot air rises in the backs of these valleys, moisture-laden air is drawn landward from the Current to fill the void.

When the fog comes ashore, its movement is at the mercy of hot valleys and landforms. In the Monterey Bay region, the most powerful rising column of warm air is over the Salinas Valley.

“Coastal Fog” page 25

Empowering Pajaro Valley Teens to Reimagine Systems

By Jondi Gumz

On March 29, Pajaro Valley Unified School District, Applied Survey Research, Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency and Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance gathered at the PVUSD Wellness Center to release and discuss the 2023 County Health Rankings National Findings Report.

The ranking system, which came out more than 10 years ago, gives a way to compare Santa Cruz County to other counties in the state and in the nation.

This year, there is a new focus on civic participation and how it relates to wellbeing.

There’s still a lot of imbalance in power and access, said Monica Morales, director of the Santa Cruz County Health Agency, who grew up locally.

Latino children have the highest poverty rates, she pointed out, so many families do not have access to the delicious fruits and vegetables produced in the Pajaro Valley – in their own communities.

“We continue to challenge institutions that they’re meeting the needs of our community,” Morales said. “We need to be at the table listening and actually being part of the solution.”

The data show improvements but more work must be done, she said.

Susan Brutschy of Applied Survey Research said the county’s teen birth rates are much lower than statewide, for example, and only 6% of babies had low birth weight compared to 7% in the state and 8% nationwide.

Severe housing problems affect 26% in Santa Cruz County compared to 17% for the nation.

What the rankings do not provide is a way to dig into the disparities between North County and South County but that is something the Health Services Agency staff is trying to do using data on income, employment and insurance levels.

Jasmine Najera, CEO of PVPSA, recalled when Morales was in a Summer Youth Employment program, which she said shows the power of mentorship.

The issue around behavorial health is skyrocketing, Najera said, citing trauma brought on by the pandemic, wildfires, gun violence, and most recently flooding.

“The good news is people are asking for services,” she said.

Her agency provides school-based counseling services to Pajaro Valley Unified schools.

But there aren’t enough clinicians to provide those services, and the people in those professions are burnt out.

Over the years, PVPSA has supervised and mentored about 300 master’s level clinicians, many of whom have gone to work at Pajaro Valley schools and county Behaviorial Health and other sites.

“We’re actually doing really well in the county (which ranked 9th in the state) compared to the rest of the counties,” said Dr. Rodriguez, who came to Pajaro Valley seven years ago and still sees disparities.

“Reimagine” page 22

Summit for the Planet Celebrates Earth Day

From barn owls and bearded dragons to California kingsnakes and turkey vultures, the opportunity to get up close with wildlife at the annual Summit for the Planet Earth Day festival on Saturday, April 29, is always a huge draw.

Children and adults alike enjoy the many birds, reptiles and amphibians shared by the Bay Area Herpetological Society and Wildlife Education Rehabilitation Center, both participating in this eco-festival.

Everyone is welcome to check out the wildlife and family-friendly activities at the 17th annual Summit for the Planet from 9 am to 1 pm at Mount Madonna School, 491 Summit Road, Watsonville, located 2.5 miles off of Hwy. 152, between Gilroy and Watsonville. This free admission public event begins with a 5K family hike through the redwoods, and features an eco-carnival, face painting, live wildlife and reptile area, a “trash fashion”

show, model solar car races, activities, live music and tasty food.

Hike registration begins at 9 am; the hike starts at 10 am. The eco-carnival opens at 11 am, followed by music, the Trash Fashion show and learning expo.

In the past, the Summit for the Planet festival has attracted 500 people.

“Summit for the Planet is a celebration of Earth Day,” said Head of School Ann Goewert, “and honors our school’s rich tradition of teaching environmental stewardship and raising environmentally aware children.” n

•••

For event information visit: Summitforthe Planet.org.

Staff of Life Natural Foods and Smart Chicken Donate to Second Harvest Food Bank

Staff of Life, natural foods pioneers, partnered with Smart Chicken to donate over four tons of chicken to Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County.

With the Smart Giving Program, Staff of Life Natural Foods and Smart Chicken have donated over 8200 Pounds of chicken to Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz in Watsonville. This chicken is high-quality, air chilled, and humanely raised without hormones or antibiotics.

“Second Harvest Food Bank is thrilled to be the beneficiary of Staff of Life Natural Foods and Smart Chicken’s exceptionally large donation. With over 8200 pounds, which adds up to 6520 meals for our community,” said Richelle Noroyan, Corporate Community Relations Director for Second Harvest. “With everything that is happening in our area, we are happy to help the Pajaro community as they move forward in their recovery.”

“Staff of Life is proud to feature Smart Chicken in our Santa Cruz and Watsonville stores,” said Gary Bascou, Co-owner, Staff of Life. “And to be able to give back to the community and the recovery efforts in Pajero is extremely important to us. Our local family-owned store has been giving back to the community for over 54 years.” n

Started in 1969, Staff of Life is a Santa Cruz tradition. We have been locally owned and managed for over 54 years and counting and have locations in Santa Cruz and Watsonville.

“Reimagine” from page 20

She said “85% of our students are living in poverty,” which is a far larger percentage than exists countywide.

And 14% of Pajaro Valley students were without permanent housing before the flooding, she pointed out.

One of her strategies is community partner organizations that interact with students, 89 such partners at the last count.

Another strategy is listening to people in the community and allow them to “codesign” the solutions.

Hearing the need, Rodriguez opened the Family Wellness Center in Watsonville to create a resource for families when most schools close for winter break for three weeks.

Since that center opened in December 2021, she said, 14,800 families have walked through the doors — and 7,980 families have come to get food.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and Saturdays from 9 a.m.to 4 p.m. Students assist and committed more than 300 community service hours.

“We didn’t stop listening,” Rodriguez added. “We provided frozen meals through Martha’s Kitchen.”

That was in response to people who said they could not cook with eggs or milk because they do not have a kitchen with appliances, they are living in their car, or renting a room with a microwave or a hot plate.

Since the flooding, the number of frozen meals provided has gone from 150

a week to over 600 a week, Rodriguez said.

Another partner is Triple P, to help parents cope with behavior issues of their children, and Empower Watsonville, a group for young people to speak up for change.

It’s not just about wraparound services,

it’s about empowering teens to reimagine and rebuild systems, which haven’t been working for many of the Pajaro Valley students.

“We have 95% of our Pajaro students back in school,” Rodriguez said. “Families are telling me I want my child back in normalcy.”

The state Legislature in 2017 passed a bill to recognize students for participation and understanding of the U.S Constitution, state constitution and the democratic form of government. High school students can earn a civic seal on their diploma.

Pajaro Valley is one of the nine school districts that is an early adopter of this program.

A requirement is for students to be involved in one or more civic engagement projects, “inquire into civic needs or problems, consider varied responses, take action and reflect on efforts.” n

•••

See the rankings at https://www. countyhealthrankings.org/?&utm_ source=google&utm_medium=paidsocial&utm_ campaign=rankings2023

Here is a link to the recording of the live streamed event: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ju4rnwcEyhY

PVUSD Recruits, Bridge Delay, No FEMA Aid for Undocumented & Hazardous Waste

I had the amazing opportunity to attend the California Association for Bilingual Education 2023 conference. There was so much valuable information for administration, teachers, and parents. There were 29 districts recruiting for teachers and unfilled vacancies. With our district’s need to fill vacancies, it was unfortunate not to see PVUSD there. Is PVUSD attending job fairs at our local CSU and UC campuses?

PVUSD is actively recruiting via EdJoin, EdWeek and job fairs. We have attended the CSU Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz County Office of Education and our own PVUSD Job fair this past weekend.

We have also been working closely with the credentialing programs at UC Santa Cruz and CSU Monterey Bay. We have already begun to hire teachers for next year including staff including bilingual teachers with a BCLAD as a result of participating in these fairs. We also hired classified staff this past weekend at our own PVUSD job fair.

We are planning on hosting another PVUSD job fair in early May.

It is dangerous by PVHS in the morning with all of the students walking to school. Is the pedestrian bridge still coming?

PVUSD continues to receive regular updates from both City and County officials on the progress of this important project. The Harkins Slough Road Pedestrian Bridge at Hwy 1 is still in process, however, the project is experiencing a delay due to both bridge design and utility pole relocations.

Caltrans is preparing the design of the bridge and had originally estimated that the work would have been completed by now.

The design will not be complete until later this year. Caltrans design calls for some utility poles to be relocated. Caltrans contacted PG&E and requested the poles be moved and has not received confirmation of a completion date for the pole removal.

Once the utility pole removal is complete, Caltrans can finish their design and provide a revised completion date for the pedestrian bridge.

My child has been sick a lot of times this year, not sick enough to take them to the doctor every time but sick enough to be contagious and uncomfortable at school. With all of this flu and Covid seasons, why are the schools not cleaning and sanitizing classrooms?

PVUSD has made a commitment to continue disinfecting all classrooms using electrostatic misters throughout the district during the night shift after the students and staff are gone to remove viruses.

This process does not require the wiping down of the furniture. We will continue with this practice for the 2022-2023 school year and re-evaluate the need for the 2023-2024 school year.

I heard that the County of Monterey put an eviction moratorium forward for Pajaro. Can you provide more information?

OnMarch 28, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed an eviction moratorium to protect unincorporated county residents impacted by flooding from atmospheric rainstorms in March.

The Board also requested that financial institutions pause foreclosures against impacted property owners or landlords. Effective immediately, the moratorium applies to residential and commercial properties and mobile homes. The moratorium extends through the end of August but does not stop rent from accruing nor does it stop the eviction process as outlined in state law. The tenant must notify the landlord that they are unable to pay rent due to the impacts of the March floods, including reduced work hours or loss of employment.

If tenants receive eviction papers from a landlord who is unaware of, or ignoring, the moratorium, those tenants should respond to their landlord properly.

Community Bridges is providing workshops on April 13 and April 20 at the Ramsey Park Family Center at 1301 Main St., Watsonville, directed toward tenants and landlords affected by the Pajaro floods.

The workshops will be offered in English, Spanish and Mixteco with simultaneous interpretation. These are educational workshops meant to provide information, answer questions, and provide guidance in reaching viable solutions if and when possible.

Is FEMA available to undocumented people in Pajaro as well?

We spoke with FEMA representatives, and they confirmed that they do not cover undocumented people.

However, if a child of an undocumented person is documented, FEMA will

at times utilize their documentation for the individual assessments.

What is the Residential Debris Removal Program for Pajaro? How does it work?

Monterey County has organized teams of private contractors and requested the support of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control to remove flood debris from residential communities and

any household hazardous waste that may pose a threat to human health, animals and the environment. Those affected only need to put rubble on the sidewalk in front of their homes for it to be picked up and removed. The County and its contractors may not access private property to remove debris.

“PVUSD Q&A” page 26

Cartoon Characters

words)

69. “Time,” e.g., colloquially

70. Hint of color

71. “The Way We ___”

72. Farm pen

73. Skedaddle DOWN

1. What hedonism and idealism have in common

2. Rejections

3. Flatfoot’s lack

4. Pie option

5. Calamitous

6. One of the Eagles

7. *Pluto or Snoopy

8. Acrobat maker

9. Rural building

10. Homesteader’s purchase, sing.

11. Nabisco’s “Chips ____!”

12. To use a Singer

15. Dairy industry missing personseeking prop

20. Nordic gl¸hwein

22. Ooh and ____

24. Troublemaker

25. *Fudd’s first name

26. Line to the audience

27. “It is silent,” in sheet music

29. Living space

31. Don Johnson’s Bridges

32. Plaudit and pomp

33. Bake an egg

34. *One of the Pickles

36. Like a broken horse

38. *Phineas’ stepbrother

42. Be a parasite 45. Just about (2 words) 49. Hula necklace 51. Builds a tower, e.g. 54. Very small particles 56. Opposite of ecbatic 57. Ready for picking 58. A bit cracked 59. Not the life of the party 60. Same as cagey 61. Lotto variant 62. Palm starch 63. Gift topper 65. *Garfield or Tom 67. Butterfly catcher

Q&A With Dr. Michelle Rodriguez, Superintendent, Pajaro Valley Unified School District

Cruise Credits: What to Do?

New Federal Law Requires Refunds

for Cancellations at U.S. Ports

By Christopher Elliott

What should travelers do with all these cruise credits?

A week before Carolynne James’s Rhine river cruise last spring, she got some bad news: Uniworld had canceled her sailing and issued a future cruise credit.

But James, a retired office administrator from Columbia, Mo., didn’t want the cruise line’s voucher. Prices for the same cruise the following summer were running twice what they were during the deeply discounted 2021 season.

“I’ll need to spend another $10,000 — excluding airfare — just to go on the same trip,” she says. “I really do not want the vouchers.”

It was bad enough that she would never be able to enjoy the postcard-perfect views of Germany’s Rhine Valley. Now she faced the real possibility that her cruise line would pocket the $10,174 she’d paid. What should you do with a cruise voucher? Cruise lines loved issuing credits for sailings canceled during the pandemic, which allowed them to keep your money — and may have saved them from bankruptcy. But sometimes the credits only last a year or two, and the cost of a new cruise is often considerably more than the original one, making it unaffordable for some passengers. So what do you do with your cruise credits?

James was in a bind. She had a limited time to use her vouchers, but prices for her European river cruise, which was supposed to be a 40th anniversary present for her husband, were unaffordable. She tried to file a claim with her travel insurance company, but it said she wasn’t eligible because her policy didn’t cover a cancellation by the cruise line.

What do you do with a credit you can’t use? I asked Uniworld. A representative reached out to her and agreed to refund the vouchers and her travel insurance. (I have a free guide on booking a cruise that will help you avoid a problem like this in the future.)

So far, only about 60% of pandemic cruise vouchers have been redeemed, according to estimates by Internova Travel Group. Many passengers don’t fully understand the terms of these vouchers, according to John Lovell, president of Travel Leaders Group, a division of Internova.

Not only that, but some cruise lines increased their credits to 125% of the value of the cruise. And, as Lovell explains, even though the base credit has no expiration date, the extra 25% does.

“Generally, the future cruise credits do not have an expiration date,” he explains. “Only the bonus piece of the additional 25% expires on the date specified.”

Are cruise lines allowed to keep your money when they cancel?

Cruise passengers used to be out of luck when it came to refunds. During the pandemic, some cruise lines arbitrarily converted their money to future cruise credits without even asking. The reason?

The cruise line’s ticket contract allowed them to do it, and no laws prevented them from keeping a customer’s money indefinitely. Or so they claimed.

But that wasn’t entirely true. Some states, such as Massachusetts, had laws that required a cruise line to offer a refund after a canceled cruise or tour.

And last year, a new federal rule went into effect that requires a cruise line to offer a full refund for a cruise that begins in the U.S. and is canceled or is delayed by at least three days. The law also makes cruise lines refund any prepaid fees.

None of these laws should have been necessary, of course. If a cruise line cancels your cruise, it should offer a quick refund no matter what the law says. If your cruise

line canceled your vacation during the pandemic and kept your money, you’re dealing with an unethical business. How long do I have to use my cruise credits?

Most cruise credits issued during the pandemic last at least two years. However, many cruise lines have routinely extended the validity of these future cruise credits when passengers ask. And some go even further.

“Your cruise company may not openly advertise it,” says Narendra Khatri, principal of Insubuy, a travel insurance company. “But some have offered to convert cruise credits to monetary refunds this year if the credit was due to a cruise cancellation.”

For example, NCL will allow customers to convert an existing credit to a monetary refund if they’ve been affected by one or more cruise suspensions. You can also get a cash refund if you canceled through NCL’s Peace of Mind policy and then were affected by at least one additional suspension, according to the company.

“The actual amount you would get back will depend on the cruise line and circumstances, but it’s worth contacting them if you can’t negotiate an extension or make time to take another cruise before the credit expires,” says Khatri.

Cruise passengers need more protections

The issue of future cruise credits is endlessly frustrating not just to passengers but also to travel advisors and consumer advocates. It’s remarkable that

until recently, the law allowed cruise lines to cancel a sailing and keep your money. Clearly, much more needs to be done to protect cruise purchases.

A cruise line should always offer the choice between a full refund or a future cruise credit when it cancels a sailing -- no matter where it’s going. The federal law only applies to cruises that leave from U.S. ports. If you’re shopping for a cruise and can’t get that promise in writing, don’t give the company your business. And no waiting three days. If it cancels, it should refund you right away.

Shockingly, cruise lines are under no obligation to refund a sailing when a passenger dies before a cruise. Many companies will refund the fare as a courtesy, but I’ve encountered one or two cases where even death will not produce a refund. Again, if your cruise line won’t offer a refund if you or a member of your party passes on, it’s time to move on to a different cruise line.

The cruise industry hates government regulation, but everyone is watching how it behaves now that the pandemic has eased and things are returning to normal. If too many customers like James come forward with impossible-to-use credits, it will almost certainly lead to more rules.

Pro Tips

• Know your rights

You do have some rights -- but not many. Check your cruise line ticket contract, the legal agreement between you and the cruise line.

There’s also a passenger bill of rights with some limited consumer protections. The Federal Maritime Commission also has information about your passenger rights, limited as they are, on its website.

• Negotiate a better deal

The pandemic credits are uncharted waters for the cruise industry. They made up the policy of offering a 125% credit on the fly and then adjusted their policies as the pandemic continued to evolve.

Travel agents have privately told me that when it comes to future cruise credits, cruise lines are often far more flexible in practice than they are on paper.

You may be able to negotiate an extension of your full voucher — or a full refund.

“Cruise Credits” page 27

Illustration by Christopher Elliott

An Invitation to Serve on Santa Cruz County’s Civil Grand Jury

By Judge Syda K. Cogliati

Are you interested in learning more about how our local government works? Are you interested in helping improve our local government? Do you enjoy working in a collaborative setting with other community members?

If you answered yes to these questions, please apply to serve on the 2023-2024 Civil Grand Jury.

The Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury is comprised of 19 volunteer community members who serve for a one-year term, with an expected time contribution of about 20 hours per week. Civil Grand Jury members work together to examine local government functions, write reports on their findings, and make recommendations that have improved our community.

“Coastal Fog” from page 19

But as the fresh fog moves down the length of the Salinas Valley, it encounters the bottom of the Santa Clara Valley, where warm air is also rising. Part of the fog layer pulls off the main bank and turns north, in diametric opposition to the mass that moves deeper into the Salinas Valley.

Subsequently, as this portion of fog moves northerly — where it will eventually combine with fog moving southerly from the Golden Gate — it encounters the southern flank of the Santa Cruz Mountains and is deflected westerly over Watsonville, coalescing with a finger of fog that has been pulled up into the Pajaro Valley watershed. Finally the links are made and we settle into the gray reality of our living here.

And whereas the fog might make your day at the beach unpleasant, it is essential for the growth and sustenance of much of the vegetation in our region, and especially the Redwood tree, whose needles are uniquely shaped for the collection of the airborne moisture fog brings with it.

Upslope Fog

As you drive over Highway 17 towards San Jose you may

Our past Civil Grand Juries have accomplished incredibly important work. Prior investigations have examined how our county is preparing to prevent future wildfires, and topics such homelessness, school safety, county elections, water districts, law enforcement agencies, and the public library system.

The importance of having a Civil Grand Jury that reflects our entire community cannot be understated. The Civil Grand Jury should consist of people who will bring a variety of perspectives to the

experience two kinds of cloud or fog types close to the Summit. The first is simply the bottoms of clouds sitting on or above the mountain tops and encountered primarily during the rainy season.

The second kind is upslope fog. On your drive over 17, you may enter fog around the Laurel Curve, but you will pass through it by the time you are at, or just over, the Summit. This fog forms adiabatically – the process that causes sinking air to warm and rising air to cool.

As moist winds blow toward a mountain, they up-glide and this causes the air to rise and cool. The cooling of the rising air pushes it up with its related dew point temperature, where water in the air condenses into visible droplets. Fog forms at or near the tops of the mountains. Upslope fog appears as a stratus clouds — low lying layers with either white or grey coloring.

If you’d like more information on fog, check out the Coastal Fog Project, from which much of this information was drawn. It is a production of the United States Geological Service (USGS) online at https://www. usgs.gov/centers/wgsc/science/ pacific-coastal-fog-project?qtscience_center_objects=0-qtscience_center_objects.

important work of ensuring that our local government agencies are providing services in a fair, just, and transparent manner. We aim to include people with diverse backgrounds and voices.

The current Civil Grand Jury has been working both in person and remotely through videoconferencing and document sharing programs. We anticipate that the next Civil Grand Jury, which will begin its one-year term on July 1, 2023, will likewise have a hybrid system of remote and in-person work.

Thus, no matter where you live in the county, you can participate and serve.

As the Supervising Judge of the Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury, I humbly request that you consider applying to serve on the 2023-2024 Civil Grand Jury. Please also spread the word to your friends and family. Let them know about this wonderful opportunity to learn and make a difference. n

For further information, please consider attending one of the two upcoming informational meetings, both via Zoom, on Wednesday, April 19, at 1 p.m. or on Thursday, April 20, at 5 p.m. You can also email jury.information@ santacruzcourt.org or go to the Civil Grand Jury website: http://www.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/ Departments/GrandJury.aspx

You can also learn how to forecast the likelihood of fog by reading Jeff Haby’s list of characteristics at https:// www.weather.gov/source/ zhu/ZHU_Training_Page/ fog_stuff/forecasting_fog/ FORECASTING_FOG.htm

Contemporary Turkish playwright Mehmet Murat Ildan once wrote, “When you are happy, you feel the sunshine even inside the fog; when you are unhappy, you feel the fog even in the sunshine.”

Be happy and learn to accept

this essential part of coastal living. n

•••

Steve McGuirk is a retired landscape architect and enjoys writing about the natural elements of the Monterey Bay region. He lives in Soquel.

A USGS Landsat image from 1991 showing heavy fog off the coast of the San Francisco and Monterey bay areas.

A Sign Change, a New Moon, an Eclipse, a Retrograde & a Festival

In the following weeks, we will be experiencing two signs, two planets and two elements Aries (Mars, fire) and Taurus (Venus, earth). Aries is the Light of Life itself, initiating all things new (original ideas from the Mind of God). Aries needs Taurus to stabilize those “new ideas” and anchor them into the world. That is the task of Sun in Taurus which begins Thursday, April 20. Taurus stands for stability, fertility, growth and beauty.

Just moments before Sun enters Taurus, around midnight, April 20, we have a new moon solar eclipse. The new moon is in the very last degrees & moments of Aries (29.50 degrees/minutes). Seventeen minutes after the Aries new moon, the Sun enters Taurus. Everything is fast in this new Age of Aquarius. Solar Eclipses tell us something essential in our lives has come to an end, its usefulness complete. We ponder upon what that would be for each of us.

We begin a second Mercury retrograde of the year Friday, April 21. Mercury retrogrades at 15 degrees Taurus back to 6 degrees Taurus on May 14, Mother’s Day. We will need to summon extra care when

ARIES

Be careful that you don’t become exhausted with ceaseless work. It’s best if you have your own schedule, your own business, can be independent, working at your own pace and not be frustrated or upset by those who work in a much different rhythm than you. You must remember everyone is not an Aries Sun. There are eleven other signs and rhythms. Everything you do has your own signature and enthusiasm. Gain the respect of others working with you by being generous, kind and compassionate. Soul virtues.

TAURUS

Usually you’re placid and quiet, love good food and seek comfort, ease and pleasure in all that you do. However you also can participate in risk-taking and speculation, which seems like play to others but, to you, is very serious. Often (silently) you’re competitive and you respect those who are independent, sports enthusiasts and good talkers. Somehow you always get what you want and everyone admires you. People wonder often about you. You never tell (your opposite sign being Scorpio!).

GEMINI

Sometimes you feel a sense of upsetness with family and your early years. Sometimes you’re protective of them. Sometimes you sense childhood realities you can’t quite remember. You know present behaviors you don’t understand have roots in childhood. Your instincts tell you something must be done to have a new balance. Yes, it must, but how? First all of your life experiences must be embraced and accepted. Wounds heal when we have compassion for ourselves. We must realize we made family choices before we were born.

CANCER

You’re learning how to speak carefully yet truthfully. Sometimes unknowingly what we say hurts others. You’re also learning discrimination and how to communicate with both understanding and kindness. This takes many lives for everyone. You want to be direct and clear. But sometimes your communication is tinged with judgment and/or provocation. You can be informative and you can be disruptive. Again, understanding is needed. We are all learning these virtues together.

preparing for Mother’s Day. In retrogrades we find ourselves more inward than outward.

The New Group of World Servers is preparing for the next full moon festival, the Taurus Wesak Buddha Full moon, Friday, May 5. It’s also a lunar eclipse. During the Wesak festival, the Buddha brings a blessing to humanity from the Lord of the World. Many disciples will be traveling to the Wesak Valley in the Himalayas to participate in this festival.

This Sunday, April 16, is Divine Mercy and Forgiveness Sunday. The hour each day for forgiveness and forgetting is 3:00 pm. The World Teacher tells us He has forgiven everyone their transgressions. This we too must do for peace in our world. Let us offer mercy and forgiveness to the world. Forgiveness is under the Law of Love and is related to the Will to Good.

Sunday, May 28 is Pentecost, fifty days after Easter. At this time the Spirit of Truth descends upon humanity. Pentecost is when the Spirit of Truth shines out over all of humanity. So humanity can begin to understand and to love one another. These are esoteric teachings. n

LEO

Always you ask questions - what is useful, how is something made, what are the steps and methods of creating things yourself? You love things to be practical. But they must also be beautiful, have value, make money, be challenging and allow you to remain independent. This sounds like the types of relationships you seek. This year you’ve been slow and steady in all endeavors. Soon the pace will pick up. Careful to spend money only on things of value. Something essential falls away. What is it?

VIRGO

You can at times react immediately and with force to new situations and events, like a firecracker sizzling and ready to explode. It’s good to take Aconite (homeopath) if your nerves seem stressed, anxious and uncontrollable. This is the activity of Mars, a fiery force like lightning. This can occur with others, with groups and even friends. You may begin things and then be unable to complete them. This will pass soon. You also may feel a bit of discontent. This too will pass. Then you will shift into a sense of comfort and ease.

LIBRA

Often since January, you have felt stifled, a bit defeated, convinced that efforts won’t be seen, heard or understood. You may have fallen ill. Perhaps you wanted to cease certain ways of living, acting or being knowing this would take time. You have not felt your usual sense of self-confidence. Often these days you’re overtired. You work well on your own. Your values and principles are strong, yet one aspect of your life feels incomplete, not quite right. What is it? You need more rest, too.

SCORPIO

Certain people in your life actually assist you in achieving your many hopes, wishes and dreams. Most of these people are acquaintances, few are close friends. This is how you like it. You choose only a few trustworthy people to be friends and to support your ambitions and aims in life. You have a warrior sensibility. Whatever your goals, you achieve them. Often undercover and in the dark of the night...for protection. We can learn the art of strategy and war from you.

SAGITTARIUS

You’re one of the signs that seeks freedom above all. This allows you to do independent, original work. You have been given courage from the stars in order to pursue your own choices and decisions that lead to that independence. Your ambition carries you to the heights and to the depths and sometimes to the “razor’s edge.” When you add charm, care of others, a bit of music and good food to the mix, you are without limit. You become a magician.

CAPRICORN

You love different ideas, a bit of debate, constant learning and a challenge. You don’t like self-righteousness in others, especially about you because you know they don’t understand your character. You’re playful yet serious, energetic within limits. You like to laugh, have a quirky sense of humor, you like your partner (for life) and are seeking new endeavors and a new path in life. It’s on a hill, in a garden with mulberry trees. Chickens underneath. Remember your greenhouse.

AQUARIUS

When you know what you want and need, you pursue them with steadfast focus and over time, everything finally appears (suddenly and unexpectedly). Sometimes you feel no one loves you, or there’s no relationship ahead. You are uncomfortable with anything or anyone that projects glamour or illusions. You uncover things untrue and unkind. You find things. You live in the future, in a place not yet realized by most of humanity. You can be lonely. There are others, magical, like you. Call to them.

PISCES

Cooperation, kindness and forethought are the qualities needed by you in relating to those close to you. Often, it’s best to work one-on-one. Compromise isn’t easy unless you’re studying with and respect one another. You are learning always how to lead and be a leader. A fine and difficult task. Let others feel they are your heroes and heroines. This is the way diplomats work at their best. Diplomacy, compromise, negotiations are art forms. You are an artist cultivating these skills.

“PVUSD Q&A” from page 23

Can I drop off debris elsewhere in Pajaro?

How long will the service be offered?

Debris must be picked up at the curb in front of your home. Leaving debris in a place that is not your home or an approved collection site would be considered illegal dumping.

The service began on March 25 and will likely continue for several weeks and up to a month. This is a slow process, and as such, not all debris will be removed immediately.

The contractors will work their way throughout the community and will continue their presence for several weeks. They are prioritizing high-density areas and major throughways.

I heard there have been fights and social media threats between students at Lakeview and Pajaro Middle. What are you doing to fix that? How many have fights there been?

While there have been rumors about some students interacting negatively through social media, as tends to happen with some teens, the vast majority of our students from Pajaro and Lakeview have been very welcoming toward each other.

They are curious and interested to meet one another. Our school site student leadership teams are working on ways to create events where students from both schools can get to meet one another, in numbers that are manageable. An event took place in March at our site, where students will participate in a grade-level meet and greet activity.

All students will get a collaborative t-shirt and donuts at this mixer. The goal is to start to interact as a larger community and have students know that at the end of the day they are more similar than different from each other.

There has been one isolated incident since the two schools merged into one campus. Students involved in that incident were dealt with and the campus has been relatively calm since then.

We have ample adult supervision as we now have twice as much personnel available to help supervise unstructured time. The fact that we have two completely separate schedules also helps us maintain smaller numbers of students during passing periods, break, and lunch.

In a previous “Ask Dr. Rodriguez” you mentioned we could drop off donations at Ohlone and Hall to donate directly to our PVUSD families. Does this include gift cards? Can these schools receive gift cards and give them directly to families?

Both Ohlone and Hall District do not accept gift cards at the school site.

Ohlone does have a donation room which parents can utilize to receive needed resources. Hall District does not currently have a location to store donations.

If you wish to donate to either site, you can contact the site principal who can share a wish list generated by our affected families and staff members. n

Panetta, Padilla & Lofgren Visit Watsonville

On April 12, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla and U.S. Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Jimmy Panetta hosted an afternoon press conference in Watsonville to discuss federal efforts to reduce flood risk for the historically underserved communities of Watsonville and Pajaro.

The visit came in the wake of a devastating breach of the aging Pajaro River levee, flooding the community, displacing hundreds of families and leaving fields too wet for spring planting before the $400 million levee reconstruction scheduled for 2025 could begin.

Padilla, along with Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Reps. Lofgren and Panetta, sent a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers urging the agency to move up

the timeline for the federally authorized project to reduce flood risks, and to provide emergency repairs and response for the towns of Pajaro and Watsonville.

Photos of Pajaro show piles of possessions outside homes ready to be taken to the landfill.

Last month, Padilla pressed Director of the Office of Management and Budget Shalanda Young to ensure adequate resources go to historically overlooked

and low-income communities like Pajaro, which disproportionately bear the impacts of natural disasters due to inadequate protection.

Padilla, Feinstein, and Panetta secured $149 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law with Lofgren’s support to address the urgent flood risks along the Pajaro River, including the modernization of the 74-year-old levee system that breached before improvements could be made.

The visit also comes as Padilla and Lofgren successfully led the California Congressional delegation in urging the Biden administration to approve a Major Disaster Declaration for the most recent severe winter storms and atmospheric river systems. This allowed Pajaro residents to apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for individual assistance for damage or loss of their homes and possessions.

The 2010 U.S. Census reports 652 homes in Pajaro with only 3 vacant, but Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo thinks that may be an undercount.

Dr. Mark Strudley, who heads the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency, was on hand for the press conference. n

Saturday Shakespeare To Read And Discuss King Lear

Often considered the Bard’s greatest tragedy, “King Lear” will be the focus of the Saturday Shakespeare Club over a five-week period on Zoom beginning April 22, at 10 a.m., as are all sessions.

“King Lear” was selected because it is one of the plays being produced by Santa Cruz Shakespeare this summer and hasn’t been examined by the club since 2014. Paul Mullins, who will direct this year’s production, will be one of the group’s speakers.

Speaking April 22 at the first session will be Michael Warren, UC Santa Cruz emeritus professor of English literature. Warren has been dramaturge for many of Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s productions and continues that work with the company.

Mullins will speak at the second session, April 29, speaking at 11 a.m. after

“Cruise Credits” from page 24

• Check your account often Cruise lines change their policies occasionally and don’t always announce it. “Check your account periodically,” says James Hills, owner of the website CruiseWestCoast.com.

A new credit may appear — or disappear — depending on the cruise line’s new rules. “Don’t be neurotic,” says Hills, “but you never know what you might find.” n

•••

Christopher Elliott is the founder of

the group reads Act II and parts of Act III of the play under discussion starting at 10 a.m.

Speaking at the third session, May 6, will be Heather James, professor of English at the University of Southern California.

Speaking at the May 13 session will be Julia Reinhard Lupton, English professor at UC Irvine, who has written extensively on Shakespeare, Renaissance literature, religious studies and the humanities.

Lupton is the co-director of the New Swan Shakespeare Center, which partners with UCSC’s Shakespeare Workshop on public programming.

On May 20, a film version of “King Lear” will be shown; it has yet to be chosen.

Participants are urged to read the play prior to the weekly sessions. The club will use the Pelican edition.

All sessions are free, but the group

Elliott Advocacy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can’t. He’s the author of numerous books on consumer advocacy and writes weekly columns for King Features Syndicate, USA Today, Forbes and the Washington Post. He also publishes Elliott Confidential, a critically acclaimed newsletter about customer service and the Elliott Report, a consumer news site. If you have a consumer problem you can’t solve, contact him directly through his advocacy website. You can also follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or sign up for his daily newsletter.

urges those who participate to contribute $2 per session or $10 for the series to Santa Cruz Shakespeare, which, like many local theatre companies, is facing difficult financial times. Donations may be made at

http://www.santacruzshakespeare.org/ donate/ n

To join the Saturday Shakespeare Club and receive notifications and online sign-in code for each session, email saturdayshakespeare@gmail.com

Alex Padilla Zoe Lofgren Jimmy Panetta

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

ANNOUNCEMENTS FREE BUS RIDES IN PAJARO

As of April 11, Monterey Salinas Transit will have a “Free Fare Zone” in Pajaro.

All boardings in the community of Pajaro will be free through June 30.

“Doing what we can to help the community of Pajaro recover and rebuild, one ride at a time,” the transit agency posted.

CALL FOR ARTISTS

California State Parks is seeking 10 artists to join parks staff on a two-day, one-night camping experience in Big Basin Redwoods State Park June 3–4.

Participating artists will create a piece of art that will be displayed at the park through the summer season in an effort to reimagine the visitor experience at this beloved destination. Each of the 10 artists will receive a stipend of $2,500.

The deadline to apply for this unique opportunity is April 28. For more infor-mation, questions, or concerns, call 916-639-4039 or email santacruz@ports-ca.us.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY PARKS Wedding Showcases

Santa Cruz County Parks Open Spaces & Cultural Services hosts spring showcases.

Sunday April 16: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Highlands House and Quail Hollow Ranch in Ben Lomond.

Thursdays May 4, Sept., 7, Nov. 2: 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Aptos Village Park and Valencia Hall in Aptos.

FINANCIAL WELLNESS WORKSHOPS

Santa Cruz Community Credit Union will present four financial workshops during the noon hour on Thursdays in April at the Capitola Library, 2005 Wharf Road, Capitola. Lunch provided by Togo’s; 30 seats available. Topics: April 20: Credit 101 for Teens (pizza for lunch) Register at https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/10471894

April 27: Identity Theft. Register at https://santacruzpl. libcal.com/event/10472057

This is an opportunity to learn in a no-stress, low-key, and friendly environment.

CABRILLO YOUTH STRINGS PROGRAM

The Cabrillo Youth Strings Chamber Music Program will begin its spring session on Friday, April 21, from 4:15-5:30 p.m.

Classes will be held for 5 weeks on consecutive Fridays in the Music Building, VAPA 5000, Aptos. String players ages 8 to 18 are welcome to join the chamber music program. Students must be good note-readers and have had previous group experience. The program conclude with a concert at 7 p.m. Friday, June 3. Registration is underway. For those interested in participating in or making contributions to this program, call (831) 479-6101 or visit https://www.cabrillo.edu/ cabrillo-youth-strings.

You may register through Cabrillo Extension, 479-6331, or extension.cabrillo.edu before the first class.

REDWOOD MOUNTAIN FAIRE AT ROARING CAMP

Saturday June 3 and 4, Roaring Camp, 5401 Graham Hill Rd, Felton

This is a weekend-long, family-friendly music festival with 20+ bands on three stages, local beer/wine/cider, local artists, locally made food and a kids zone. It all takes place in an open field surrounded by redwoods in the Santa Cruz Moun-tains.

Gates open at 10:30 am. Music, 11 am-8 pm. This is a benefit for local nonprofits. Buy tickets at the gate, $30 per day for adults. Kids 12 and under free.

$20 parking: cash only or pre-purchase online. Green event: Bring a RMF glass or purchase onsite More details at www.redwoodmountainfaire.com

RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES

April 15: From 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Mid County Senior Center, 829 Bay Ave. Capitola

April 21: From 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 9545 Lovecreek Road, Ben Lomond

April 22: From 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Santa Cruz Live Oak Grange #503, 1900 17th Ave., Live Oak.

April 18: From 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., St. Francis High School, Salesian College Preparatory, 2400 East Lake Ave., Watsonville.

To make an appointment, download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767)

UC MASTER GARDENERS ANNUAL SPRING PLANT SALE

April 17-26 • Curbside pickup by appointment in Salinas &Watsonville

UC Master Gardeners of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties will have their annual Spring Plant Sale. Garden-ready summer vegetables include greens, lettuces, onions, peppers, squash and heirloom and hard-to-find varieties of tomatoes. The spring collection features several types of basils and culinary varieties of popular herbs for summer recipes and teas.

Drought-tolerant and water-wise plants, such as California natives and succulents, will also be available in the online store, along with annual and perennial pollinator plants to add biodiversity and attract beneficial insects to your garden.

Place your order online and schedule a pick up appointment at the greenhouse in Salinas or at the demo garden in Watsonville.

All funds benefit the all-volunteer UC Master Gardener program, which offers a gardening help line, events and seasonal classes designed to give home gardeners the knowledge and skills to grow food and garden sustainably.

For information, visit mbmg.ucanr.edu.

COUNTY FAIR BOARD MEETINGS

1:30 p.m., Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 E. Lake Ave., Watsonville

Here are the dates of the remaining County Fair Board meeting dates in 2023. Each meeting takes place on a Tuesday: April 25, May 23, June 27, July 25, Aug. 22, Oct. 24, and Dec. 5, all at the fairgrounds.

Meetings also take place on Zoom. For agendas, see santacruzcountyfair.com.

ONGOING EVENTS

Mondays

BRIDGE CLUB

10 a.m.-Noon, Capitola Branch Library, 2005 Wharf Road

The Capitola Branch Library will host Bridge Club sessions on Mondays (except holidays).

Everyone is welcomed from beginners to social players. Make new friends and sharpen your mind.

Bridge Club is a partnership between Santa Cruz County Parks and Santa Cruz Public Libraries. Register at scparks.com or in-person the day of the event.

Fridays

RESILIENCE: WORKS BY JUAN R. FUENTES

4-6 p.m., Pajaro Valley Arts Porter Building, 280 Main St., Watsonville

Pajaro Valley Arts presents a special exhibit featuring powerful works by artist Juan R. Fuentes, Resilience: Works of Strength & Dignity at the Porter Building.

Fuentes is an artist and social activist supporting the global movement for social change. His posters and relief prints address many issues relating to communities of color, social justice, racism and international struggles for liberation.

His beautiful designs have been translated into four monumental mosaic murals of the ongoing Watsonville Brillante Project installed outside the Watsonville Civic Plaza parking garage.

A 1969 graduate of Watsonville High School, he was one of the originators of the Chicano art movement. Today, he lives in San Francisco. His work is in the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

“This exhibit is a printmaking retrospective of my work spanning close to 50 years,” Fuentes said. While I’ve been in many shows over the years, this is the first

HELP PAJARO WITH STICKERS!

Ricky Coria of somekid831 designed this sticker to earn funds for community organizations helping the people of the flooded town of Pajaro. Selling for $5, the funds will go to Campesina Womb Justice, Center for Farmworker Families, Raices y Carino, and Little Burrito. Stacks of stickers were left at local shops with QR codes so money would go via Venmo directly to the organizations.

The first run was 500 stickers in hopes of raising $2,500. Until they sold out, the stickers were at Santa Cruz Naturals, 9077 Soquel Drive, Aptos, which has a second dispensary in Pajaro at 19 San Juan Road, Royal Oaks. The Royal Oaks location was closed when its parking lot flooded, but reopened March 23 when Monterey County officials allowed people access to the community.

Coria can be found on Instagram.

April 15th 2023 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

exhibition where I have been able to select and show a large body of my printmaking work.”

First and Third Fridays thru May 19

CABRILLO NAME CHANGE TASK FORCE

Noon-1:30 p.m., Online Meetings

The Cabrillo College Name Selection Task Force will meet four times during the spring semester via zoom: April 21, May 5, and 19.

These virtual Task Force meetings are not open to the public.

Task Force members are trustees Adam Spickler and Christina Cuevas, student representative Krystal Buenrostro, and president Matt Wetstein. To communicate with them, see https://www. cabrillo.edu/governing-board/name-explorationsubcommittee/

The college aims to resolve the name issue this year.

Second Saturdays of the month

GREY BEARS THRIFT STORE 50%-OFF SALE

9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., 2710 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz

Upcoming dates: May 13 and June 10

Saturdays & Sundays

ECOLOGICAL RESERVE TOURS AT ELKHORN SLOUGH

Tours start: 10 and 11 a.m., Sat. and Sun.,1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville

Volunteers lead walks highlighting the natural history of the Elkhorn Slough. Group size is limited to one household or up to five people, and individuals must sign up on a first-come, firstserved basis.

Groups of six or more should call ahead at (831) 728-2822 or visit https://www.elkhornslough.org/ group-reservation/ to reserve a tour. For more info, visit www.elkhornslough.org/esnerr/tours/

Second Sundays of the Month

SANTA CRUZ ANTIQUE STREET FAIRE

9 a.m.-5 p.m., Pacific Ave., Lincoln St. and Cedar St. More than 40 vendors participate in this monthly outdoor fair.

Weather updates are posted on Facebook at https://www. facebook.com/santacruzantiquefaire

DATED EVENTS

Friday April 14

CABRILLO YOUTH STRINGS CONCERT

7 p.m., Music Building, VAPA 5156, Cabrillo College in Aptos

The Cabrillo Youth Strings Music Program presents a Spring Concert in the Music Building, featuring baroque music, English folk songs, jazz, and contemporary music. String orchestra music will be performed by local youth. Suggested donations: $10 general, $5 students/ seniors, and ages 17 and under, free Facial coverings are required.

For more information about this event or to find out about joining the orchestral, chamber or private lesson programs, call 479-6101 or visit cabrillo.edu/cabrillo-youth-strings.

Saturday April 15

BOOK SALE

10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Aptos Grange, 2555 Mar Vista Drive Friends of Aptos Library will have a gigantic book sale at the Aptos Grange.

Have books to donate?

E-mail us at friendsoftheaptoslibrary@fscpl.org and let us know.

Meantime, you may purchase books from the Book Sale Cart at Pacific Coffee Roasting Company across from the Aptos Library and at several library branches. https://www.friendsofaptoslibrary.org

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

NINTH ANNUAL ROD & CUSTOM SPRINGTIME SWAP MEET

7:30 a.m.-Noon, Twin Lakes Church, 2701 Cabrillo College Drive, Aptos

The Kingsmen and the Impalas Car Club host this springtime swap meet at Twin Lakes Church.

Drop by to find some cool vintage parts for your current project, or bring by what’s leftover from your last project and make some cash!

Need some headers? Hubcaps? A distributor? A rearview mirror for a ‘41 Chevy pickup? Or maybe some vintage 1950’s car ads, to frame and give to someone?

Someone’ll probably have it for sale. Come on by! The meet benefits the “Kingsmen Industrial Arts Scholarship Program.” Spectator admission is free. Suggested donation $2 per person.

EARTH DAY EVENT AT PURISSIMA CEMETERY

Noon-3 p.m., 1165 Verde Rd., Half Moon Bay

Celebrate Earth Day this year with a tour of Purissima Historic Natural Green Cemetery over-looking the Pacific Ocean just a little north of Santa Cruz. Green burial is a natural choice that emphasizes simplicity and sustainability. Choosing a plot is the first step in getting affairs in order.

Drop-in for a short guided walking tour with Q&A. See PrePlanWithPatricia.com for pictures and a map. Text or call 831-295-8158 for more info or directions. https://preplanwithpatricia.com/

Sunday April 16

SANTA CRUZ WEDDING EXPO

11 a.m.-3 p.m., Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church St. You’re engaged! It’s time to plan your wedding!

The Santa Cruz Wedding Expo at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium will be the perfect opportunity to meet with wedding professionals for one day, at one location who are there to answer all of your wedding planning questions and plan a beautiful wedding day.

At the wedding show you will see a combination of wedding professionals, wedding planners, florists, entertainment, photo booths, wedding venues, wedding photographers and more.

Don’t stress about wedding planning. At the event, you can compare products and services, get great ideas from seasoned wedding professionals and maybe even win some prizes.

This is a very special time in your family and everyone wants you to enjoy it! See strolling fashions up close and personal to find the gown of your dreams, tuxes for your wedding party, bridesmaid dresses, flower girl dresses, mother of the bride and more. Tickets are $15.

Monday April 17

CAREER & JOB FAIR

11 a.m.-1 p.m., Hartnell College Central Plaza, 411 Central Ave., Salinas Hartnell College will host its annual Career and Job Fair with a health fair. Students, job seekers, and the general public can meet with employers for jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities, and learn about health resources in Monterey County.

The event is free and open to the public. More than 150 agencies/resources will be on hand.

This is the first year Hartnell has combined the career and job fair with the college’s annual health fair. Both were huge successes last year. Attendees can learn about the job search process and mentorship, internship, volunteer, part‐time, and full‐time opportunities.

Jobs include public health, administration of justice, agriculture, business administration, and social and behavioral sciences.

EARTH DAY SANTA CRUZ RETURNS

Saturday April 22

Noon-4 p.m. Saturday, April 22, Downtown Santa Cruz: Cooper Street • Abbott Square • MAH

The community is invited to celebrate the environment at Earth Day Santa Cruz 2023 at Cooper Street, Abbott Square and the MAH in downtown Santa Cruz.

Organized by the City of Santa Cruz, County of Santa Cruz and Ecology Action, this free family-friendly event promotes environmental stewardship, healthy living and sustainability — celebrating the importance of protecting the Earth’s resources in Santa Cruz County and beyond. The event includes performers, live music, eco-minded exhibitors, arts and crafts, and interactive youth activities.

Visitors are invited to bring an article of clothing to participate in the community tie-dye party hosted by No Trace! (A plastic bag or bucket is recommended for transport home.) Event details are at http:// scearthday.org where community members may sign up to participate as Earth Day volunteers. Earth Day Santa Cruz 2023 is a Zero Waste event; it is recommended visitors bring reusable shopping bags and water bottles. Free drinking water will be offered inside Abbott Square and free parking will be at the Santa Cruz County office complex, 701 Ocean St., Santa Cruz.

For information, call (831) 770-6151 or email nhs@hartnell. edu.

Tuesday April 18

EL MERCADO RETURNS

2-6 p.m., Ramsay Park, 1301 Main St., Watsonville El Mercado, sponsored by Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley, is a weekly farmers’ market reopening at Ramsay Park and returning every Tuesday.

The goal is to decrease food insecurity and improve access to health-promoting resources for Pajaro Valley families.

The grand opening will have a fruit tree giveaway, games and prizes.

No cash? No problem! Use your credit card at the Manager’s Booth to buy tokens valid at every El Mercado vendor. And you can redeem EBT and VeggieRx vouchers. The healthy choice should be the easy choice.

El Mercado includes: Fresh produce, tasty food, community resources and activities for the whole family.

SEWING 101: ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS CLASS BEGINS

4-5 p.m., Watsonville Library, Freedom Branch, 2021 Freedom Blvd.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to sew? The Freedom branch of the Wat-sonville Library will offer classes.

Learn about the various parts of a sewing machine, beginner vocabulary, and techniques. Attend the absolute beginner session and then level up to our ad-vanced beginner sessions to focus on a project. There are only 6 machines, so bring a partner or your own machine.

Outreach Librarian Stephanie Barraza wrote the grant for $12,000 with children’s library Elizabeth Griffo to fill a need in the community.

Donations of fabric and thread are welcome. Information: 831-768-3420.

Tuesday April 18

Wednesday April 19 FOR WILDFIRE SURVIVORS

7 p.m. Tuesday/ 5 p.m. Wednesday, Online Meeting

The nonprofit United Policyholders presents the monthly Survivor to Survivor series.

Tuesday: Disaster survivors connect and share stories and tips for recovery. Register: www.uphelp.org/apr18

Wednesday: Scoop on “Scope of Loss” — How to understand and correct your in-surance company’s “dwelling” estimate. Register: www.uphelp.org/apr19

Wednesday April 19

RIO DEL MAR IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION

6:30 p.m., Rio Sands Hotel reception/meeting room, 116 Aptos Beach Road, Aptos RDMIA members and Rio Del Mar residents are invited to the semi-annual meeting of the Rio Del Mar Improvement Association at the Rio Sands Hotel. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Speakers will include:

Marcus Pimentel, Santa Cruz County Budget Manager, will explain how very little of our tax contributions are spent on county projects compared to other counties in the state.

Kent Edler, P.E., Santa Cruz County Community Development and Infrastructure. A licensed professional engineer, he is an authority on the drainage challenges in the Rio Flats neighborhood.

Sarah Christensen, Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission. She is senior transportation engineer in charge of key projects, including the Watsonville to Santa Cruz Multimodal Corridor Program and Coastal Rail Trail, and will provide Trail and Highway updates that impact residents of Rio del Mar.

Snacks and refreshments will be provided courtesy of Mangiamo Pizza.

The meeting is free to attend and open to all RDMIA

members and Rio del Mar residents, but you must RSVP to rdmia1941@gmail.com.

HISTORY OF CENTRAL COAST STATE PARKS

4-6 p.m., Museum of Art & History Garden Room, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz

The Museum of Art & History presents a History Forum talk about Big Basin State Park in the Garden Room. The Santa Cruz locals’ vision helped define the future of state and national parks. But without their extraordinary resilience, realization of the vision would not have survived horrific natural disasters and bureaucratic corruption.

Come hear Traci Bliss present the dramatic story of commitment that created first Big Basin and then Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. Free for History Forum members; $20 for guests and non-members.

Thursday April 20

PVUSD FAMILY ART NIGHT

6-7 p.m., Wellness Center, 530 Palm Ave., Watsonville Arts Council Santa Cruz County and Pajaro Valley Unified School District present Family Art Night at the Wellness Center.

Food is available at 5:30 p.m.

Artist Josefina Rocha will lead visual art activities. Register to attend: https://app.peachjar.com/flyers/2432588/ schools/57602

Friday April 21

UCSC DNA DAY

11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Baskin Engineering Courtyard, UCSC, 606 Engineering Loop, Santa Cruz

The UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute will host its 10th annual National DNA Day celebration in the Baskin Engineering Courtyard of UCSC.

The event, which organizer Zia Isola has referred to as “part scientific symposium, part public science education, and part block party,” will highlight the contributions UC Santa Cruz students and faculty are making in genomic science.

The heart of the event is a scientific poster session where undergraduates present their research, and there will be fun activities for scientists of all ages.

This unique event has been celebrated at UC Santa Cruz since 2012, and materials will be in English and Spanish. For information, visit genomics.ucsc.edu.

REPUBLICAN MEETUP

5:30 p.m., Cafe el Palomar, 2222 E Cliff Dr STE 100 (next to Crow’s Nest), Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor

Santa Cruz Republicans are holding a meetup at Cafe el Palomar.

Come for the conversation and the yummy food!

Saturday April 22

SAVE A LIFE WITH NARCAN

12-4 p.m., Cabrillo College Parking Lot R

The Santa Cruz County Office of Education, in collaboration with SafeRx, Inspire and Cabrillo College, will distribute Naloxone (Narcan) at a free drive-thru distribution clinic at Cabrillo College in Parking Lot R. SafeRx is an initiative of the Health Improvement Partnership of Santa Cruz County.

Parents, guardians and youth are invited to pick up free doses of Narcan, a life-saving tool that can reverse an opioid overdose.

Attendees can also receive information about how to talk to youth about opioids and other drugs and get connected with local resources. “Calendar” page 31

County Access to Kaiser Medical Care

By Zach Friend, Supervisor, Second District

Recently the Board of Supervisors considered an “Access to Medical Care” agreement with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals. These agreements are important in ensuring health services are adequately provided to low-income patients.

Given Kaiser’s relatively new entry into our county, there was interest in ensuring they also entered into an agreement (similar to other local health systems) to provide care for our most vulnerable local populations.

What are Access to Medical Care agreements?

The County (through the Health Services Agency) has negotiated and maintains Access to Medical Care agreements with the three local health systems: Dignity Health Dominican Hospital (Dominican), Sutter Health Santa Cruz Maternity and Surgery Center (Sutter), and Watsonville Community Hospital (Watsonville). The purpose of the agreements is to ensure that these health systems provide care to the lowest-income patients in our community. Specifically, they are designed to ensure that these systems provide inpatient, emergency, and other health care services to low-income (MediCal) and uninsured patients.

What is in the Kaiser agreement?

Through the agreement, Kaiser agrees to provide 2% each year of its commercial dues received annually from residents of Santa Cruz County for health-focused charitable and community benefits to our community. This currently equates to about $4.5 million but may fluctuate.

Here is how Kaiser can meet its annual community benefit commitment:

Contributions for Charity Care: Kaiser may count provision of charity care provided to residents of Santa Cruz County. Charity care may be provided within the County at a Kaiser Permanente

provider hospital (Watsonville Community Hospital) or via telemedicine provided by a Kaiser Permanente provider outside the County to residents within the County.

Uncompensated Care to Non-Kaiser Permanente Patients: Kaiser may count toward its annual community benefit commitment Kaiser’s provision of uncompensated care to non-Kaiser Permanente patients who are residents of the County, and the costs of care for which a patient’s payment or third-party payment is not received, including bad debts. Non-Kaiser Permanente patients include individuals who are uninsured, or have non-Kaiser Medi-Cal, or non-Kaiser Medicare.

Grants for the Top Five Health Needs: Kaiser may count toward its annual community benefit commitment grants made to non-profit causes that support any one or more of the top five health needs identified by Kaiser in Santa Cruz County through either its internal Community Health Needs Assessment or the joint Community Health Needs Assessment conducted in partnership with other health system providers and County Health.

Recruitment of Physicians: In recognition that additional physicians and specialists are needed to meet the needs of the Santa Cruz County community, Kaiser may count toward its annual community benefit commitment an amount up to $150,000 per physician spent by Kaiser for recruitment and relocation of physicians to the Permanente Group based in Santa Cruz County, who may provide care to MediCal, Medi-Cruz and indigent patients.

The agreement also allows for Kaiser’s commitment to sustaining services at Watsonville Community Hospital (Hospital), through the hospital’s bankruptcy and ownership transition to the Pajaro Valley Health Care District to be considered toward their community benefit.

Specifically, it includes:

• In-Kind Services

towards its annual community benefit commitment the dollar value of in-kind services Kaiser provided (consulting, accounting, and administrative services) for the purposes of supporting Pajaro Valley Healthcare District Project to acquire the Hospital out of bankruptcy.

• Initial Grant: Kaiser may count toward its annual community benefit commitment the full dollar value of its 2022 grant of $3,000,000 to the Pajaro Valley Healthcare District for the acquisition of the Hospital.

• Additional Grant: Kaiser may count toward its annual community benefit commitment additional grants paid in 2023 through 2025 to the PVHCD for the acquisition of the Hospital, against Kaiser’s $4,500,000 pledge made in 2022.

How will the Agreement be Reviewed?

During the Board of Supervisors meeting there was an understanding, also shared by Kaiser representatives, that this agreement was a starting point and that as needs evolve in our community there will be additional reviews of the agreement to ensure it is meeting local needs.

Concerns were raised about how

current Medi-Cal patients (Kaiser currently does not have any local Medi-Cal patients) and whether Kaiser would start taking local Medi-Cal patients (and if so how many), whether Kaiser would accept non-Kaiser patients (they currently do not) and whether it would expand access to specialists.

Given the evolving nature of the heath care need locally (particularly for lowincome residents) and the evolution of the growth of Kaiser locally it was understood that this would need annual review.

The agreement will come with yearly review to the Board of Supervisors (along with the other local Access to Medical Care agreements) to ensure compliance with the agreement and also ensure access to health care is being provided to our local lowincome residents.

During those reviews there will be an opportunity to discuss whether the agreement needs to be adjusted in order to improve access for low-income residents. n •••

As always, I appreciate any feedback you may have on this (or any other County issue). I’m maintaining regular updates on social media at www.facebook.com/supervisorfriend

SCCAS Featured Pet

“Calendar” from page 29

Santa Cruz County reported 39 fentanyl deaths in the first nine months of 2022, up from 9 in 2019.

Lisa Cooper, CEO of the Santa Cruz Surgery Center, is raising awareness of the issue. The life of her son, who is 22, was saved by a dose of Narcan.

Until a month ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required a doctor’s prescription to buy Naloxone. This meant it hadn’t been readily available to reverse an overdose on the spot.

Young people who are used to ordering what they want online have gotten home deliveries of pain or anxiety remedies that they did not know were tainted by deadly fentanyl and died before help could arrive.

Elsa’s Looking For A Home

This week our SCCAS Pet of the Week is Elsa! It is almost spring and this week for Pet of the Week we have a gentle dog who would love to frolic in the flowers with you!

Elsa the German Shepherd is about 6 years old and had a rough start to life. She had been primarily outdoors in her previous home with other dogs and livestock and when she was brought to the Shelter the observed dry leathery skin, fleas, infected ears and broken teeth. Our vet staff took good care of her and helped improve some of her chronic conditions and since then she has had her hair grow back, gained weight, and blossomed into her beautiful personality!

Despite her past she is the sweetest dog with people and coexists wonderfully with other dogs- she would probably fit in a home with another dog if they meet before adoption. Elsa is very tolerant of handling by people and by more invasive veterinary handling. A home with respectful children might be a fit and though we do not have a history of Elsa with cats, with a slow introduction she would most likely be fine with a dog savvy cat in the home. If you are looking for the gentlest pup to spoil and give a wonderful home to please come and meet Elsa! This dog has a heart of gold and is waiting for the perfect match!

Right now the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter’s kennels are full of dogs who are up for adoption. If you have been thinking about getting a dog- just in time for fun in the sun this summer- please consider coming and adopting your best friend from your local Shelter! We appreciate our community’s support and right now we would love for our amazing dogs to go to loving homes — please check out our website at www.scanimalshelter.org.

We are also looking for dog fosters so if you are interested please email jillian.ganley@ santacruzcounty.us

Adoptions are first come, first served! Please view available animals on our website and then visit the Shelter at 1001 Rodriguez St. in Santa Cruz to turn in your application. All adoptions require proof of home ownership or landlord approval. Please have this information prepared. If an animal is in Foster Care, please bring in your adoption application and schedule an appointment to meet the animal. Adoption hours are 10 am-5 pm. All adoption shows must begin before 4:45pm. n

•••

Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter’s full-service, open-admission shelter: 1001 Rodriguez St., Santa Cruz, 95062

Hours: Daily 10 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

Cartoon Characters

© Statepoint Media

Violence Against Women presents “Imagine a World Without Violence: Men Speak Out” at the Resource Center for Nonviolence.

Free admission; no registration required

This in-person event features Chis Murphy, president of Santa Cruz Warriors and named Person of the Year 2022 by Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce; Faris Sab-bah, Santa Cruz County superintendent of schools; and Brandon Kahl, martial arts instructor, Garth Taylor JiuJitsu, and human rights advocate. Deutron Kebebew, the Founder and President of MENtors: Driving change for Boys, Men, and Dads, will both speak and moderate the discussion.

REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEETS

Now the FDA is allowing over-the-counter sale of Naloxone, which could arrive at retailers by late summer, according to Associated Press.

CAPITOLA GARAGE SALE

All Day, throughout Capitola Celebrate Earth Day by giving unwanted items a renewed purpose! Mark your calendars for the Capitola Citywide Garage Sale. All you need to do is register online before April 20.

The Friday before the Garage Sale, a map will be available to the public at City Hall (420 Capitola Ave.) and at www.cityofcapitola.org listing all the addresses of the garage sale participants. Get your map and go find that one-of-a-kind treasure!

After the Garage Sale, package up your unsold items to be picked up the week of April 24 on your regular garbage day by GreenWaste Recovery, or even better, donate the items to a charitable cause of your choice. This is a terrific opportunity to clean out your garage and help to divert refuse from landfills by reusing and recycling.

Saturday April 22

Sunday April 23

BOWL FOR KIDS’ SAKE 2023

All Day, Boardwalk Bowl, 115 Cliff Street, Santa Cruz Join Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County at Bowl for Kids’ Sake 2023 hosted by Boardwalk Bowl, the largest annual fundraiser for the nonprofit.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a youth empowerment organization. Investing in youth your benefits all of us. Make a big difference in the lives of these children while having fun.

Register and receive your own personal fundraising page to customize and share with friends and family. Enlist friends, family and co-workers to help fundraise by creating a team and inviting them to register and get their own fundraising pages. Give your team a fun name. Register your team at: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/bbbsscbfks/ For more info, see https://www.santacruzmentor.org/events/ bowl-for-kids-sake/

Saturday April 23

DUCKY DERBY SANTA CRUZ

10:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m., Harvey West Park, 326 Evergreen St., Santa Cruz Omega Nu of Santa Cruz reports the Ducky Derby family carnival and duck races are returning to Harvey West Park. This will be first in-person race in two years, resuming after the Covid-19 pandemic. Proceeds go to scholarships for local students. http://www.duckyderbysantacruz.org/duckyderby

Wednesday April 26

A WORLD WITHOUT VIOLENCE: MEN SPEAK OUT

7 p.m., Resource Center for Nonviolence, 612 Ocean St. Santa Cruz

City of Santa Cruz Commission for the Prevention of

6:45-8:30 p.m., Scotts Valley Water District Community Room, 2 Civic Center Drive

The Santa Cruz County Republican Central Committee will have their monthly meeting in the Scotts Valley Water District community room.

Free snacks and beverages on a first come, first serve basis.

NATIONAL AG DAY SPRING LUNCHEON (NEW DAY)

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Heritage Hall, Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 E Lake Ave., Watsonville

Due to the storm, flooding and evacuations, the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau in conjunction with the organization Agri-Culture has rescheduled the National Agri-culture Day Spring Luncheon.

Sarah Newkirk, Executive Director, Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, will be the featured speaker and present on the topic of “Conserving Working Lands in the Era of Climate Change.”

Winners of the poetry and poster contests will be announced, along with winners of college scholarships.

Tickets are $60 per person. RSVP at http://www.sccfb.com/news/ national-agriculture-day-spring-luncheon/ or call (831) 724-1356.

Saturday April 29

RETREAT: WHAT TO DO WITH ANGER

10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 229 Stanford St., Watsonville

Due to current unprecedented atmospheric rivers sweeping the area, the retreat with Dr. Peter Coster, “What to do with Anger: Understanding our Emotion” is re-scheduled for Saturday, April 29 at First United Methodist Church. Check-in is at 9:30 a.m. Lunch is served at noon.

Coster is executive director & clinical supervisor, Center for Psychotherapy, Spirit-uality & Creativity in Berkeley.

The fee is $25. Call the office at (831) 724-4434 or email of-fice@watsonville1stumc.org

For those who have registered, you are already registered for April 29. If you wish to receive a refund, contact the office.

SMALL BUSINESS FAIR

11 a.m.-4 p.m., Aptos Grange, 2555 Mar Vista Drive

The Aptos Grange hosts its first Small Business Fair. Meet the small businesses and local crafters of Santa Cruz. Get a present for mom, dad, or that special grad!

Free admission and parking! Delicious, homemade food for sale to benefit the Aptos Grange.

Thursday May 4

32ND ANNUAL APTOS GOLF SCRAMBLE

1 p.m., Seascape Golf Club

The Aptos Chamber of Commerce presents the 32nd Annual Aptos Golf Scramble at Seascape Golf Club. Shotgun start.

Registration: $170 for a single golfer. www.aptoschamber.com or call 831-688-1467. n