Capitola Soquel Times: January 2022

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January 2022 • Vol 27 No. 1

Bytheal Ratliff

Unforgettable Coach & Mentor

By Colleen Martin

Rydell Visual Arts Fellowships

Four local visual artists have been selected by Community Foundation Santa Cruz County to receive Rydell Visual Arts Fellowship awards for 2022 and 2023.

They are Kristiana Chan, Anna Friz, Kajahl BenesTrapp, and Janette Gross. Each fellowship recipient receives a $20,000 award to further their artistic career.

Full Story page 11

Community Workshop: Jan. 20 for Live Oak & Soquel Full Story page 30

Dave Draper: Treasure Your Health

Editor’s Note: Bytheal Ratliff was passionate about giving kids opportunities to play sports. His own athletic career at Cabrillo was cut short by kidney disease; a kidney transplant from his sister saved his life. At Shoreline Middle School, which has an enrollment

of 450, he was a giant in terms of influencing kids’ lives. After his death at age 49, parents are raising money to install a new wood floor in 2022 and rename the gym in his memory. Principal Colleen Martin explains his impact: ... continues on page 4

r! a e Y w e N y Haa

Dave Draper, the championship bodybuilder who outlived heart failure for almost 40 years by training and eating well, died Nov. 30 at his home in Aptos with his wife of 33 years, Laree, at his side. He was 79.

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No. 1

Volume 27

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Table of Contents

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Cover

Bytheal Ratliff: Unforgettable Coach & Mentor, By Colleen Martin

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Community News Help For Homeless Families With Pets Greenway, Seeking Trail Vote, Turns in 16,000 Signatures COVID: Two Deaths, Omicron Forecasts & Denmark Reports The Capitola Ballroom: Ella, Louis & Duke, By Deborah Osterberg Dominican to Boost Physician Training with Morehouse Med School Rydell Visual Arts Fellowships: Exhibition to Open January 21 New HVAC, Lights Coming to Soquel Union Schools $240M: Fire Prevention and Forest Grants New Owner at Palace Art in Capitola Tales of the Hunger Heroes Watsonville Hospital’s Bankruptcy Filing, By Jondi Gumz • Cabrillo VP Charged with Embezzlement at his Former Job 24 Wilburn to Head Santa Cruz Public Libraries, By Jondi Gumz • 8 Tens @ 8 Returns: Actors’ Theatre Live on Jan. 14 • Santa Cruz County Jobs

Letters to the Editor 4 Celebrate Clara Barton’s Birthday By Helping Others 18 Why Not Mansion Park?

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Local History The Capitola Ballroom: Ella, Louis & Duke, By Deborah Osterberg

In Memoriam 10 Championship Bodybuilder Dave Draper: Treasure Your Health

Monthly Horoscope • Page 26 – New Year — New Beginning — Creating a Temple for the Good, By Risa D’Angeles Community Calendar • Arts & Entertainment – Pages 28, 29

Featured Columnists 14 A New Year and a New Future for Sustainable Water, By Dr. Tom LaHue, President, Soquel Creek Water District Board of Directors 16 For 2022: Dining Outside, Mansion Park Landscaping, Wharf Rebuild,

By Sam Storey, Mayor, City of Capitola 21 Wilder Ranch Lemon Prints, from the Wilder Ranch Cookbook 25 A Christmas Carol Revisited, By Ron Kustek 27 Gifts from Pets, By Joyce and Barry Vissell 30 Roads and Water for the Holidays: Community Workshop: Jan. 20 for Live Oak & Soquel, By Manu Koenig, Supervisor, First District 31 Citrus Fruits Ripen Through Winter, By Tony Tomeo

SCCAS Featured Pet • Page 31 – Senator Warren Is Ready To Move On

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COVER STORY Patrice Edwards Jondi Gumz

publisher editor

contributing writers Colleen Martin, Jondi Gumz, Deborah Osterberg, Risa D’Angeles, Tom LaHue, Sam Storey, Ron Kustek, Joyce and Barry Vissell, Manu Koenig, Tony Tomeo layout Michael Oppenheimer, Jim Johnson graphic artists Michael Oppenheimer, Jim Johnson photography Michael Oppenheimer, Jim Johnson, Brad King website Michael Oppenheimer, Camisa Composti production coordinator Camisa Composti media consultants Teri Huckobey, Brooke Valentine, Tara Carcamo office coordinator Cathe Race distribution Bill Pooley, James Hudson

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“Bytheal Ratliff” from page 1 Bytheal Ratliff worked for the Live Oak School District for about 18 years.

He was hired as a campus supervisor at Shoreline Middle School and quickly started coaching after-school sports for the middle school: Boys’ basketball and girls’ softball. He became our athletic director and was passionate about making sure that we had new equipment and uniforms that our students could wear with pride.

Bytheal was a fixture on campus. He stayed every weeknight for our evening games, usually handling the scorebook and the clock for basketball and volleyball for all 3 teams. He spent the rest of his evenings and weekends coaching football at Santa Cruz High School, baseball at Live Oak Little League and softball with Cabrillo Crushers.

Bytheal wanted every student to learn how to be on a team, so he was always willing to add another team and coach it himself, in order to give the kids in our community an opportunity to play, even if they didn’t make the A team.

He was known around the Cabrillo Gals League for the C teams in travel ball, spending his summer teaching girls how to improve their softball game and have fun with the teammates. These were volunteer coaching positions, when he didn’t even have a daughter on the team.

Bytheal established relationships with all students on campus and dramatically changed the culture at our school. He earned the trust of the students, so they would share information knowing he would never give up his source.

He made sure that no child ever went hungry.

I often observed him handing $2 to kids who didn’t have money and weren’t able to get free lunch from the school. He was very passionate about kids having access to food.

Bytheal had gone to culinary school and then shifted his focus to working with

kids when he was hired by Live Oak School District.

His position grew from a 5-hour campus supervisor, to an 8-hour campus supervisor/district security. He was trusted with keys to the entire campus and he checked up on each campus, every day, 7 days a week.

Everyone in the neighborhood knew him and respected him when he told skateboarders to leave campus, dog walkers to go to a park, or teachers to go home and not work so late.

Bytheal never went home until everyone was home for the evening.

Even though it was the job of each night custodian at our 5 sites to alarm the buildings in the evenings, Bytheal kept driving to each campus to check on staff who were still working.

When he suddenly passed away on June 1, 2017, we were a community struck by grief.

He was a friend to everyone. Every school in our sports league had stories to tell about how Bytheal had helped their coaches, players and athletic directors.

Every employee and student in our district had a special relationship with him.

Our district realized that we had to hire about 4 people to replace him, he did so many jobs, and never asked for anything.

We used to tease him because he was always talking on his phone.

Parents from other schools would call and ask for details about game times and locations (even when they weren’t playing against Shoreline). Everyone knew that Bytheal had the answer.

He played football, basketball and baseball at Santa Cruz High School and went on to play football at Cabrillo College.

That was the extent of his collegiate career.

His friends described him as not the best player on the team, but the guy with the biggest heart.

How to Help n Dec. 12, Bytheal’s birthday, parent volunteers at Shoreline Middle School launched a fundraising campaign, to

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Bytheal Ratliff

upgrade Shoreline’s gym with a new wood floor in his memory.

The goal is to complete fundraising by June 1, the fifth anniversary of his death, so installation can take place over the summer, and then rename the gym in his honor, commemorating his legacy in Santa Cruz County youth sports.

The campaign includes a matching donations up to $7,500, grant-writing, and a fundraiser with the Santa Cruz Warriors at 1 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 17, at the Kaiser Arena in Santa Cruz. Details: https://sites.google. com/losd.ca/shorelines-gym-floor n ••• Cover Photo: Shoreline Middle School parents are raising money to redo the floor at the 24-year-old gym and rename it in memory of Bytheal Ratliff, a beloved coach who worked for the school district for 18 years.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Celebrate Clara Barton’s Birthday By Helping Others “You must never think of anything except the need, and how to meet it.” hese words from American Red Cross founder Clara Barton — who would have turned 200 in December — continue to serve as a guiding light for today’s Red Cross volunteers, donors and partners, who exemplify her compassion and devotion to helping others.

This generous spirit is needed now more than ever. COVID-19 has taken

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a heavy toll on our most vulnerable neighbors, and they’re in dire straits when another crisis strikes.

That’s where our Red Cross community — of people like you — steps in to provide help and hope. This year, our volunteers responded to 63 local disasters — many of them home fires — collected 5,323 units of lifesaving blood and trained 4,926 residents in first aid and water safety.

And those are just a few of the many ways our chapter made a difference in our local communities.

This continues to be a time to take care of each other, and what better time to honor Clara’s lifesaving legacy than when we celebrate her 200th birthday this holiday season. Join us by making a financial donation, an appointment to give blood or platelets, or becoming a Red Cross volunteer.

Visit redcross.org to learn more about how you can make a difference for those in need.

— Michele Averill, CEO, American Red Cross of the Central Coast

COMMUNITY NEWS

Help For Homeless Families With Pets W ould you give up your beloved pet if you lost your housing, especially if you thought you would be able to get new housing soon?

Pets provide companionship, mental health benefits, and can be a safety measure for people living on the streets.

Between five and ten percent of unhoused community members have pets, and too often, families including pets are discriminated against, judged, and excluded because of their animal companions.

The SHARE Center in Salinas, part of Bay Area Community Services, has a different approach — people can come with their pets, partners, or families, and mental health challenges — there are no barriers to coming indoors.

The focus is on getting people housed, while breaking down other barriers that can hold people back, providing mental health support, employment / benefits support, and more. Housing navigators work with clients one-on-one to help them end their cycle of being unhoused and help them find permanent, sustainable housing. The team works with clients for 6 months afterward to ensure they remain stably housed.

pets can get the love A spacious and care they need location at 845 E. so they, in turn, can Laurel Drive, the provide support SHARE Center and stability to their has a health clinic, human families. counseling offices, The SHARE library, a comCenter is a “housing mercial kitchen, fast” program with a multipurpose the goal to get room, pet kennels, people of the streets outdoor dining and into temporary area, children’s housing. play areas, bed“Everybody rooms, and private deserves health family spaces, with room for 125 One of the SHARE animal residents at the Dec. 14 and housing,” said celebration who will be registered for a wellness exam. Nora Daly, BACS people. development director, “and in order for Currently 13 pets are on site.

In December, BirchBark Foundation, BACS to create housing opportunities that based in Santa Cruz, announced a part- last, we take into account the whole person, nership to provide veterinary care, support the whole family structure — including services, and supplies to the pets of people pets. Pets can help make us happier, safer, on their way from homelessness to housing and less isolated. This program is already bringing joy.” at the SHARE Center.

Birch Bark Foundation provides This pilot program honors the humananimal bond, while doing “whatever it financial assistance for life-compromising takes” to uplift local unhoused families and animal crises, pet loss and grief support help them stabilize. Dogs, cats, and other counseling, and a robust education program

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to empower people to be the best caregivers of their animal companions.

“We know that the bond with our animals can be one of the most important relationships in our lives,” said Michelle Frampton, BirchBark Foundation executive director.

Funding animal wellness exams upon arrival at SHARE can “ensure a pet and their family are getting the best start to success possible,” she added. “No matter the circumstances in someone’s life, animals are family and need to be protected as such.”

The partnership kicked off with an event at the SHARE Center, building a “tree of hope” decorated with words of love and meaning made by people impacted by their pets and all people who have needed hope during challenging times.

Peace of Mind Dog Rescue and SPCA Monterey County joined the event to honor the partnership and the supports they will offer, such as kennel and behavior training, volunteers transporting pets to veterinary appointments, and the joint veterinary care with Birch Bark Foundation through Peace of Mind Dog Rescue’s Harry and Jaynne Boand Clinic. n

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Greenway, Seeking Trail Vote, Turns in 16,000 Signatures O n Dec. 14, Yes Greenway delivered more than 16,000 petition signatures for the Greenway initiative to the Santa Cruz County Clerk, who has 30 business days to certify the signatures.

“We are confident that we have collected sufficient signatures to qualify the Greenway Initiative for the June 7, 2022 ballot,” said Ellen Martinez, one of the original signatories to the “Notice of Intent to Circulate Petition” filed in July. “Over 170 volunteers for YES Greenway gathered signatures in all five supervisorial districts.

The reception from voters was overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic.”

Yes Greenway says the number of signatures collected for a voter-generated initiative is the largest in Santa Cruz County history.

Greenway proposes to amend Santa Cruz County’s General Plan to support building an interim trail down the center of the rail-bed of the unused rail corridor from the San Lorenzo Bridge in Santa Cruz to Lee Road in Watsonville.

The “Greenway is to include two lanes for wheeled traffic on a paved path and an adjacent walkway for people on foot.

Once completed, it could be used for commuting, active transportation, and recreation by people on foot, on bicycles, in wheelchairs, riding e-bikes or skateboards.

Yes Greenway said future use of the corridor for rail would be preserved through railbanking, a Federal program that allows an existing rail corridor to be used as a trail and leaves certain infrastructure, including bridges and trestles, for future rail use.

The current Roaring Camp tourist railroad from Felton to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk would be protected and preserved, as would the existing freight service in Watsonville, according to Greenway Funds to create new paths are available through Measure D, the sales tax dedicated to county transportation passed by voters in 2016, which means no new taxes are needed, according to Greenway.

“It’s time to give voters the opportunity to state their opinion on what to build on the unused rail corridor,” said Rowland Rebele, a resident of Dominican Oaks in Santa Cruz. “Having collected signatures myself, I know that the majority of voters want a resolution of this issue and prefer that the corridor be used now for active transportation.”

The Greenway would become part of an integrated transportation system in Santa Cruz County, one long advocated by Greenway proponents and detailed at: https://sccgreenway.org/ transportation-position.

The plan calls for improving Metro, ParaCruz and Lift Line, making investments in long-neglected bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, bus-on-shoulder on oft-congested Hwy. 1, and active signal control on Soquel Drive to improve the movement of people throughout the county. Such investments are all funded through existing Measure D funds and require no new taxes.

“Greenway” page 9

COMMUNITY NEWS

Two Deaths, Omicron Forecasts & Denmark Reports

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By Jondi Gumz

he death toll from Covid-19 in Santa Cruz County rose to 227 before the impact from the South African Omicron variant could be seen.

Omicron, which is spread much more easily than the Delta variant, prompted Gov. Newsom to order health care workers to get a booster shot by Feb. 1 and University of California campuses, including UC Santa Cruz, to order classes to shift online for the first two weeks of January.

South Africa, where Omicron was first seen, reported thousands more cases per day, but only 1.7 percent of those Omicron cases were hospitalized, compared to 19 percent of the Delta cases, according to data shared by health minister Joe Phaahla.

Covid cases appear to have peaked and are falling in South Africa, hospitalizations declining and ICU admissions less than a quarter of the Delta peak despite the high number of Covid cases. A wastewater analysis found a smaller percentage of viral particles for two weeks in a row.

In Denmark, a study by Statnes Serum Institute, looked at 143,000 cases between Nov. 22 and Dec. 15. The finding: People who contracted Omicron were nearly two-thirds less likely to wind up in a hospital. Only 0.5% of Omicron patients were treated at a hospital, compared to 1.4% of patients with other variants.

The United Kingdom Health Security Agency reports people with Omicron are 50% to 70% less likely to need hospital care compared to those with previous variants.

However, because Omicron spreads so faster than other variants, concern remains that a mild virus could put pressure on hospitals.

Omicron arrived in California after 11 Kaiser hospital employees in Oakland attended a wedding in Milwaukee, Wis. They were vaccinated, with boosters, and took off their masks while eating and drinking. They reported mild symptoms, and recovered at home.

The fast-spreading nature of Omicron and modeling predicting a surge in January led to UCSC’s announcement on Dec. 21 of online classes in January.

Local Omicron anta Cruz County Public Health reported two COVID-19 samples collected on Dec. 16 and 17 were identified as known as the Omicron variant. Both are North County residents in their mid-20s.

“While we must remain vigilant against COVID-19 and Omicron, this new variant is not a cause for panic,” said Dr. Cal Gordon, Santa Cruz County deputy health officer.

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He said individuals should get vaccinated and boosted, wear a mask indoors and in crowded settings, get tested if symptomatic or exposed; and stay home if sick. Everyone 5 years and older is eligible for a vaccine and everyone 16 years and older is eligible for a booster.

A Danish study published Dec. 22 and not yet peer reviewed reports a third dose of either Pfizer-BioNTech’s or Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine offers a “significant” increase in protection against the Omicron variant for people age 60 and up.

Contract Tracing Texts n the meantime, Santa Cruz County health officials advise people to get tested before visiting or traveling, upon return, and again 3-5 days later. They recommend keeping group gatherings small, preferably outside or in a well-ventilated space.

A new contact tracing system is being used — the state’s Contact Tracing Virtual Assistant may send you a text message from 23393, the California COVID-19 Response Team. Health officials ask for cooperation to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Some testing sites are on holiday schedules, resuming regular hours on Jan. 3.

For local information on COVID-19 including on where to get vaccinated or tested go to www.santacruzhealth.org/ coronavirusor call (831) 454-4242 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

California health officials say people with two shots aren’t protected from the new Omicron variant, so they recommend a second booster.

The two people in Santa Cruz County who recently died with Covid had underlying conditions.

On Dec. 13, with California Covid cases up 47 percent and hospitalizations up 14 percent, the state Department of Public Health ordered masks be worn indoors to prevent this new highly transmissible variant from spreading. Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel had already ordered masks to be worn indoors as of Nov. 22, including at home with guests.

On Dec. 15, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported Omicron infections are likely in people who are fully vaccinated.

A U.S. study, not yet peer-reviewed, found all three U.S. Covid vaccines appear to be significantly less protective against the Omicron variant in lab testing, but a booster dose appears to restore protection.

Pfizer reported three shots neutralized Omicron in the lab. Moderna and Johnson

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& Johnson have not released data.

Santa Cruz County reports 596 active cases as of Dec. 20, down from 612 active cases a week ago, 21,798 cases since the pandemic began, 633 hospitalizations, and 231,300 negative test results. Statistics are updated on Mondays and Thursdays.

A total of 16 people are hospitalized in the county, split between Dominican Hospital and Watsonville Community Hospital, which filed Dec. 5 for bankruptcy protection to pave the way for a sale. Three are in intensive care.

The CDC tracker hasn’t updated test positivity in Santa Cruz County; it was 2.37 percent three weeks ago; the statewide rate is up to 4.2 percent.

Four Student Cases he Santa Cruz County Office of Education reports all positive cases of student and staff regardless of the source of transmission. See santacruzcoe.org/ coviddashboards.

Currently there are 47 active cases connected to schools.

Soquel Union Elementary School District reports 4 active student cases and zero staff cases in December.

Three were at New Brighton Middle School, and one at Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary.

With Inspire Diagnostics, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education has conducted 133,800 PCR surveillance tests for COVID at no charge to those tested, and reports a 14-day positivity rate of .44 percent, down from .5 percent a week ago.

Testing for the school community is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 27-29, then the regular schedule resumes Jan. 3.

Regular testing hours are: Cabrillo’s parking lot K, 2-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; the PVUSD District Office parking lot, open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays, and the county Office of Education, 400 Encinal St., Santa Cruz.

Students and their families, and staff and their families can get tested free; fill out the registration once at http://sccoe. link/inspiresc and go to any site --no appointment is needed.

Boosters & Mandates ollowing authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine are available at the three local clinics for 16-17 year-olds who got their second dose at least six months ago.

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Booster doses of all three vaccine types are available for all school staff.

Appointments are required at https:// santacruzcoe.org/boosters/ Booster shots are available for school staff who got their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least six months ago, or who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least 2 months ago.

Deaths are still rising — 813,000 in the United States, 75,000 in California, 227 in Santa Cruz County — and part of President Biden’s strategy is to mandate vaccines or weekly tests for employers with 100 more employees (part time as well as fulltime — independent contractors are not counted).

The deadline to comply is Jan. 4.

Due to legal challenges, the future of the mandate is not known.

Four judicial rulings put a hold on mandates, finding the administration’s orders mandating vaccines exceeded the power Congress had given the executive branch. The rulings: Nov. 12: BST Holdings v. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, opinion written by Kurt D. Engelhardt.

Nov. 30: Louisiana v. Becerra, Judge Terry A. Doughty stayed the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services order.

Nov 30: Kentucky v. Biden, Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove stayed the executive order on federal contractors in three states.

Dec. 7: Georgia vs. Biden, Judge R. Stan Baker made the stay national in scope.

In Florida v. Department of Health and Human Services, a Florida district court upheld the CMS mandate. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit affirmed it on Dec. 6.

A CDC analysis published Nov. 18 in the American Journal of Infection Control found 30 percent of healthcare workers in more than 2,000 U.S. hospitals were unvaccinated against COVID-19 as of Sept. 15.

The Biden administration backed off on penalties this year for federal workers and military personnel not fully vaccinated (or requested a religious or medical exemption) by Nov. 22.

Enforcement will begin in 2022, when the unvaccinated may get a letter of reprimand. About 92 percent of federal employees are vaccinated.

“COVID Update” page 8

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LOCAL HISTORY

The Capitola Ballroom: Ella, Louis & Duke

By Deborah Osterberg “New Year’s Eve promises to be the biggest night that Capitola has seen in years. The reason is the beautiful new Capitola ballroom, where more than 2,000 merrymakers will celebrate the coming of 1937 with the usual carefree fun that is typical of this popular new resort.”

— Santa Cruz Sentinel, Dec. 29, 1936 ••• he New Year’s Eve celebration of 1936 was the first of many held at the new Capitola Ballroom. Amid a flurry of “… balloons, serpentine (streamers), horns, hats, and novelties galore,” patrons danced until 2 a.m. to the music of Stewart Maus and his 12-piece orchestra.

Built in 1935 from a short-lived rollerskating rink, the new ballroom occupied the beachfront site of the famed Hotel Capitola, which burned in 1929 (today the site of Esplanade Park). The new music and dance venue, along with the adjoining Capitola Beach Club, helped usher in a new era for the seaside resort. From the late 1930s to the early 1950s, the Capitola Ballroom featured top dance orchestras and visiting jazz musicians.

The Capitola Ballroom featured dancing every Wednesday and Saturday nights. In 1937 the dance floor was enlarged, and a new direct radio hookup allowed the ballroom’s music to be broadcast over the Northern California network.

Though the beachfront location of the ballroom drew the crowds, it also had its drawbacks. A storm in January 1939 swept waves through the double doors and into the ballroom. Sand was carried over the floor, nearly to the bandstand. Ballroom

manager “E. Vetterle hurriedly called out a crew of workers with brooms and sawdust to dry the floor. Mr. Vetterle said the floor would be resanded, waxed and in shape for business Saturday night.”

One of the early jazz headliners to appear at the Capitola Ballroom was the “Queen of Swing” herself, Ella Fitzgerald.

Twice in the summer of 1940, she appeared with the 16-piece orchestra, led by “torrid trumpeter” Taft Jordan. The July 24, 1940, Santa Cruz Sentinel, described her music as “… the pulsating rhythm which is characteristic of negro music.” Another jazz great appeared later that year. Louis Armstrong, the “Trumpet King of Swing,” and his orchestra entertained Halloween revelers.

One advertisement touted Armstrong as the “highest paid Negro Musician in the world.”

The year 1940 also saw improvements

made to the Capitola Beach Club by its new owners, the Capitola Investment Company, whose chief stockholders were Lowell and Everett Vetterle. The club was enlarged by 1,350 square feet. One of the two new bars measured eighty feet long, making it the longest bar in Santa Cruz County at the time. The renovation plans included enclosing, with glass, the side of the club extending along Monterey Bay and decorating “… with a nautical motif made up partly of knotty pine.” The original menu of the Capitola Beach Club featured southern cuisine prepared by “colored chefs.” In 1940 the dining room was leased to Bill Jung, owner of the Rice Bowl in Santa Cruz. Later the club became known for their $1.50 dinners consisting of tossed green salad, a half-fried chicken, ravioli, and dessert.

During World War II, the nightlife of Capitola slowed to a crawl. The Capitola Ballroom was closed and used for storage.

But by 1946 advertisements were already encouraging people to return to “dance in this swank establishment” and enjoy “[w] here the surf rolls beneath your windows as you drink and dine.” In 1947, the Capitola Ballroom scored a coup when they were able to get Duke Ellington after one of his other bookings was cancelled. This was the second time the Duke performed at Capitola. Back in 1938, the famed orchestra leader played “… to one of the largest crowds in the history of the dance hall.”

Into the early 1950s the Capitola Ballroom continued to attract big names in the music business including Harry James and Lionel Hampton. The ballroom’s continued success was attributed to new owner and local resident Jim Scott, who had previous experience in the dance promotion business.

The year 1954 brought an end to an era when the Capitola Ballroom closed.

Another local, Brad Macdonald, founder of Shadowbrook Restaurant, renovated the ballroom by adding a South Pacific islands theme. The new Saba (pronounced SAY-bah) and Caribbean Nightclub became a local, but short-lived favorite. The Saba burned to the ground in 1957, ironically suffering the same fate, on the same site, as the Hotel Capitola back in 1929. n ••• Deborah Osterberg is the curator of the Capitola Historical Museum. The museum’s regular hours are Friday thru Sunday, Noon-4 p.m. Call 464-0322 for more information.

has provided COVID-19 booster shots every Thursday since they were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and CDC. To make an appointment, see myturn.ca.gov.

Although protection wanes, studies show the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are highly protective against hospitalization.

The CDC said people can “mix and match” vaccines.

The Dignity Health Medical GroupDominican pediatric practices in Aptos and Capitola began offering the Pfizer vaccine to their patients 5 years and older after the FDA granted authorization.

Some parents worry about myocarditis, heart inflammation, which has been reported in adolescent and young adult males. It is a rare condition and Dr. Steven Black, co-director of the Global

Vaccine Data Network, a consortium researching vaccine safety, told The New York Times that physicians will know to look for it.

Some parents worried about longterm side effects do not want to vaccinate their children. In other cases, if the children have had COVID, the parents contend they have natural immunity.

Jobs anta Cruz County had a healthy 103,400 jobs as of mid-November, and unemployment was 4.9%, down from 6.6% a year ago. Many businesses still have “help wanted” signs, especially in retail – Palace Art & Office Supply – and at restaurants such as Burger King.

Santa Cruz Toyota posted a job on Indeed.com for an automotive technician paying $150$40 an hours. Jumpstart MD

in Capitola is offering $22-$24 per hour for customer services/office manager. n ••• Total COVID cases: 21,798 ••• COVID Deaths: 227 As of Dec.23 Age 85 and older: 98 • 75-84: 50 • 65-74: 41 60-64: 14 • 55-59: 3 • 45-54: 9 • 35-44: 7 25-34: 5 Underlying Conditions Yes: 181 • No: 46 Race White 125 • Latinx 83 • Asian 16 Black 1 • Amer Indian/Alaskan native 1 Gender Male: 116 • Female 111 Aging Facility Yes: 106 • No 121

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“COVID Update” from page 7 92% One Dose ealth experts had surmised that once 70 percent of the population (or 80 percent or 85 percent) was vaccinated against COVID-19, the new coronavirus would fade away — the world could return to normal.

That hasn’t happened.

The CDC Covid Tracker says Santa Cruz County has 92.2 percent of those 12 and older with one dose and 82 percent of that age group fully vaccinated.

Studies show protection from Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccine begins to wane after a few months, which is why booster shots are available to those 18 and older whose shots were six months ago.

Dominican Hospital’s vaccine clinic

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The Capitola Ballroom and Capitola Beach Club, circa 1940s.

8 / January 2022 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Dominican to Boost Physician Training with Morehouse Med School D ominican Hospital is one of seven sites selected to address the shortage of diverse clinicians via a partnership between CommonSpirit Health, Dignity Health’s parent company, and Morehouse School of Medicine.

The Nov. 30 announcement launches the first phase of the More in Common Alliance, a 10-year, $100 million initiative to expand medical education and improve access and quality of care for patients.

“We know that, statistically and anecdotally, patients have better outcomes when treated by a clinician who comes from a similar background,” said Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, president and CEO of Morehouse School of Medicine, a historically Black medical school and a leading educator of primary care physicians.

“Yet, in the medical field, there are far too few providers from underrepresented groups, and the impact that has on patient care is astounding,” she added. “Our aim is to change the math and the face of health care in the U.S.’’ “Dominican Hospital was chosen because of the opportunity to impact patient outcomes in the diverse community “Greenway” from page 6 “We have an existing bus system that has suffered in ridership due to the pandemic, route cuts and budget issues,” said Buzz Anderson, 4th generation Santa Cruz County resident who lives in Live Oak. “We need to invest in Metro, ParaCruz and Lift Line. We need to improve Hwy. 1. And we need to build the most beautiful and safe active transportation corridor in the world.

That’s a vision worth getting behind.”

The Santa Cruz County Counsel’s impartial Title and Summary of the Greenway Initiative and the full text of the proposed Amendment to the General Plan are online at www.yes-greenway.org.

YES Greenway is registered with the state Fair Political Practices Commission.

The Greenway announcement sparked an immediate response from the No Way Greenway campaign’s public relations consultant.

The statement attributed to No Way Greenway representative Matt Farrell, former city of Santa Cruz parking manager,

that we serve,” said Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz, Dominican Hospital president.

“We are laying the foundation for patients to have more access to culturally competent providers and for underrepresented medical students, post-graduate residents and fellows to gain community-based experience that they need to be successful in their work.”

Santa Cruz County’s population is 56% white, 34% Hispanic, 5% Asian, and 1% Black.

CommonSpirit Health is one of America’s largest health systems with locations in 21 states from coast to coast.

The partnership is expected to increase medical education opportunities for more Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC).

Other sites besides Santa Cruz include undergraduate training opportunities at CommonSpirit hospitals in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Lexington, Kentucky, and Seattle, Washington, and post-graduate residencies and fellowships in California in Bakersfield, Los Angeles and Ventura County.

Dominican Hospital is in the process of

said, “The highly deceptive and elitist Greenway Initiative is a giant lump of coal dumped on Santa Cruz County just in time for the holidays.”

He contends Greenway’s trail proposal does nothing to address climate change or unclog Hwy. 1. He contends the initiative takes away rail commuting for working people.

He also contends the initiative would delay trail construction for years, and violate the California Coastal Act “because it will forever reduce public access options for those who don’t live near the coast.”

Farrell predicted, “Should this measure qualify for the ballot, it will be defeated by a very strong coalition of volunteers, leaders, respected organizations and local businesses.” n ••• To learn more about NO WAY Greenway, which is registered with the Fair Politicak Practices Commission, see www.nowaygreenway. org, www.facebook.com/nowaygreenway2022, www.instagram.com/nowaygreenway2022/, or www.twitter.com/nowaygreenway.

Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz

establishing its program, which includes an application process with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and typically takes several years.

With Morehouse School of Medicine as the program’s academic sponsor, postgraduate residents and fellows will benefit from training focused on addressing health inequities and underserved patients.

“Dignity Health, as part of CommonSpirit Health, trains nearly 900 post-graduate residents and fellows each year and we believe this number will grow through the More in Common Alliance,” said Dr. Gary Greensweig, system senior vice president and chief physician executive of physician enterprise at CommonSpirit Health. “We will expand upon our work with new opportunities that will build a

Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice

more diverse and dynamic workforce that reflects the communities we serve.”

While the U.S. has 155 accredited medical schools, Morehouse School of Medicine and the other three historically Black medical schools produce the majority of the nation’s Black physicians.

CommonSpirit Health serves some of the most diverse communities in the country and is a leading provider of MediCal services.

“The More in Common Alliance is the perfect example of what can happen when two health care organizations, devoted to the creation and advancement of health equity in underserved communities, come together,” Dr. Montgomery Rice said. n ••• Learn more: www.moreincommonalliance.org

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / January 2022 / 9

IN MEMORIAM

Championship Bodybuilder Dave Draper: Treasure Your Health D ave Draper, the championship bodybuilder who outlived heart failure for almost 40 years by training and eating well, died Nov. 30 at his home in Aptos with his wife of 33 years, Laree, at his side. He was 79.

A handsome blond who mentored Arnold Schwarzenegger, Draper became Mr. America in 1965, Mr. Universe in 1966 and Mr. World in 1970. He appeared in movies and on television. He wrote books.

He was a pioneer in opening gyms in Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley when training facilities were not available. He had a website, davedraper.com, and an email newsletter that at its peak reached 50,000 people.

Asked what he would want to be known for, Laree said she wasn’t sure but she noted one standout quality: Paying attention.

“Everyone who talked with him will tell you they felt like the only person in the room—his attention was singular on whomever he was talking to, even in an expo hall filled with thousands of bodybuilding fans,” she explained. “He’d be focused on one person and stayed focused until the person got all the needed answers. (Hence, we were late a lot.) It was remarkable, at a level I’ve never seen in anyone else.”

Asked what message he would leave for his followers, she responded: “Treasure and protect your health and don’t let your friends drift away.”

He had already earned the title of Mr. America when steroids came on the scene, helping athletes become more muscular and powerful, long before a recent study found steroid use may damage the heart permanently.

Laree said he was open about his steroid use and didn’t hide it.

“But he didn’t talk about it much either because he felt that glamorized it,” she explained. “He was active in the local DARE program in the hope of helping keep kids off drugs; for him, it was young people using steroids that was the problem.

He knew pro athletes in many sports use performance enhancers. He just didn’t want young athletes getting caught up in them and then discovering their training tanks when trying to come off them. Many people quit training after taking and then stopping steroids; Dave was a strong and vocal advocate of life-long strength training.”

In 1982, before he met Laree, Dave was eating well, training and drinking heavily.

Chiropractor Dave Love, who met him at the gym and took care of his spine, found him passed out at home and took him to the Emergency Room.

For three weeks, Dave detoxed while unconscious in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.

The diagnosis: Congestive heart failure.

10 / January 2022 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Love invited Dave to join him at Santa Cruz Bible Church after he got out of the hospital, and he did, returning to the faith he had grown up with.

“When you hit bottom, you find Jesus,” said Love, who baptized Dave at Santa Cruz Bible Church.

“He lived his faith in a practical way,” Love said. “He was always so very grateful Jesus gave him a new chance.”

A skilled woodworker, Dave made his friend a cross, “the most amazing cross,” to show his thanks.

Once out of the hospital, he restarted his training and good eating, habits he kept for decades.

“I think his doctor would tell you that’s what got him through 40 years of a fouryear prognosis,” Laree said.

“At the time, the doctors, who knew about the steroid use, called it ‘alcoholic cardiomyopathy.’ They didn’t know much about the effects of steroids on the heart at the time, so it could be they just didn’t know.”

She said his doctors were very clear he wouldn’t survive another bout if he started drinking again. So he didn’t.

Laree met Dave at the gym in 1984.

They bumped into each other from time to time at a gym called Power Unlimited, long gone now, and then got together in 1986 to take pictures for a magazine article and work on a couple of projects. They were married in 1988.

Dave and Laree attended Santa Cruz Bible Church and Twin Lakes Church in Aptos.

In 1989, with three other partners, they opened World Gym in Santa Cruz, and then in 1991, World Gym in Scotts Valley.

“At the time, we felt the area needed that type of gym,” Laree said. “There are plenty of small and large gyms and personal training facilities now, but that wasn’t true in the late ‘80s.”

With the gym business and his writing, his days were full.

“Dave was a writer and a thinker,” Laree said. “He could spend a day working on a single paragraph.”

She said he was unusually observant, able to express what he saw in ways that captured the reader’s attention.

She and others noticed this trait: “We were in the same room, saw the same thing, but he saw it on a deeper level and explained it better.”

His most recent book and one Laree considers his best is a collection of memoir bits called A Glimpse in the Rear View.

Dave’s approach to food and nutrition: Higher protein, higher fat, lower carb, very structured.

“In the earlier days when he was trying to gain or hold weight, he ate every three or four hours,” Laree said. “As he got older, he ate when hungry instead of on a schedule.

For decades, every day began with a protein shake. I doubt if he missed a morning protein shake in probably 60 years.”

“Draper” page 13

COMMUNITY NEWS

Rydell Visual Arts Fellowships Exhibition to Open January 21

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our local visual artists have been selected by Community Foundation Santa Cruz County to receive Rydell Visual Arts Fellowship awards for 2022 and 2023.

They are Kristiana Chan, Anna Friz, Kajahl Benes-Trapp, and Janette Gross.

Each fellowship recipient receives a $20,000 award to further their artistic career.

••• ajahl Benes-Trapp was born in Santa Cruz in 1985 and received his BFA in painting from San Francisco State University in 2008. He spent his final year studying at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, Tuscany, Italy. In 2012, BenesTrapp received his MFA in painting from Hunter College in New York.

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In 2013, he was a recipient of the Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters and Sculptors Grant. He was also a 2016 Artist in Residence at the Joan Mitchell Center, New Orleans. More recently, Benes-Trapp was awarded an Artist-in-Residence at Lower Eastside Printshop New York in 2019.

Benes-Trapp is represented by Richard Heller Gallery, Los Angeles, and Monique Meloche Gallery in Chicago. Recent solo exhibitions include Obscure Origins at Tillou Fine Arts Brooklyn, NY, curated by Larry Ossei-Mensah. Unearthed Entities at Richard Heller Gallery in Los Angeles.

His latest solo exhibition, Royal Specter, opens at Monique Meloche Gallery in Chicago, IL. His work is in the public collections of Collection Solo, The Dean Collection and 21c Museum Hotel: Art Museum.

••• ristiana Chan is a first generation Malaysian-Chinese artist, writer, and educator from the American South. Her work examines the material memory of the landscape and the excluded histories of the displaced Chinese diaspora.

K Kajahl Benes-Trapp at work.

She researches the political, historical, and environmental heritage of the landscape and its material elements, incorporating their elemental properties into her processes. Working across disciplines, she uses video installation, archival p h o t o g r a p h y, and experimental alternative photographic processes.

Most recently, Chan has been working with wild Kristiana Chan harvested clay and ceramics. She is deeply fascinated by how the not-so-distant histories of racial exclusion, erasure, and extractive environmental capitalism lay the foundation for every day, lived contemporary experiences, and contribute to our concurrent crises of violent racism and climate disaster.

By uncovering roots of our origins, her work seeks to revive and reckon with lost histories and lives, and their implications on race and environment, so that by

knowing where we come from, we can envision a new future for ourselves.

Chan’s solo exhibitions were at the START Gallery (Winston-Salem) and The Growlery (San Francisco). Group exhibitions include SOMArts, ProArts, Root Division, Kearny Street Workshop and CTRL+SHFT Collective. Chan’s work was featured in Lenscratch Magazine, Seawitches Zine, and Thank You For Nothing Zine. She has a BA from Wake Forest University.

••• nna Friz creates media art, sound, and transmission art, working across platforms to present installations, broadcasts, films and performances. Her works reflect upon media ecologies, land use, infrastructures, time perception, and critical fictions.

Currently Friz’s focus is on a series of audiovisual works under the title We Build Ruins, which expressively consider mining and industrial corridors in the high-altitude desert in northern Chile.

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“Rydell Arts” page 13

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Your journey to motherhood is a precious time. That’s why Dignity Health – Dominican Hospital’s Family Birth Center is here to support your big day with a customized birthing experience focused on you. From live virtual classes and birth center tours, to our midwifery program and Level III NICU, Dominican Hospital offers the highest level of care in the Monterey Bay area. See for yourself how we’re safely delivering humankindness at DignityHealth.org/DominicanBirthCenter.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / January 2022 / 11

EVERY LITTLE PATIENT IS A BIG DEAL

No two families are the same. That’s why we offer personalized, high-quality pediatric care for you and your littlest loved ones. To learn more, visit kp.org/santacruz.

Scan code to watch a video about our services in Santa Cruz.

12 / January 2022 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Tomorrow’s health care. Today.

“Rydell Arts” from page 11 She has often worked with Torontobased collective Public Studio to create multi-channel film installations and sculptures which critically consider the social politics of landscape, environment, and urban systems.

Presentations of her work in the recent years include Ars Electronica Festival (Linz, Austria), the Museum of Arts and Design (New York), SITE Gallery (Houston), The New York Times Magazine, esc Media Kunst Labor (Graz, Austria), ReWire Festival (The Hague, Netherlands), Soundhouse at the Barbican (London), Espace Multimedia Gantner (Belfort France), and RE:SOUND Festival (Aalborg, Denmark).

Anna Friz at work.

Friz’s radio art/works have been heard on the airwaves of more than 25 countries, and commissioned by national public radio in Austria, Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, and Mexico.

Friz has a PhD from York University in Toronto, and she is currently assistant professor in film and digital media at UC Santa Cruz.

••• anette Gross is a tapestry weaver whose work primarily focuses on wedge weave, a technique developed by the Diné Nation (Navajo) in the late 19th century. She honors the Diné tradition but uses contemporary designs and techniques.

Gross dyes most of her wool yarn with natural dyes, many from local area plants. Gross began studying weaving and tapestry techniques after retirement. Her current work addresses the devastating effects of climate change.

She and an invited group of local weavers have worked for many years in the Watsonville studio of renowned rug weaver, Martha Stanley. Gross’s work has been exhibited at the Richmond Arts Center, Textile Center Minneapolis, Santa Cruz Art League, Museum of Quilts & Textiles, and the American Tapestry Biennial 13.

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“Rydell Arts” page 15

“Draper” from page 10 Dave was born April 16, 1942, in Secaucus, N.J., the middle child with two older brothers, Don (Arizona) and Jerry (Florida), and two younger twin sisters, Dana and Carla (Oklahoma).

Growing up, he was introverted and insecure.

“Team sports were uncomfortable for him, but tinkering around with a little hand-gripper led to dips between chairs, which led to buying a used weight set from a neighbor,” Laree said.

At age 21, he won the Mr. New Jersey title, then came out West for a job with magazine publisher Joe Weider, who pioneered competitions of the top bodybuilders.

Journalist Dick Tyler, later author of West Coast Bodybuilding Scene, dubbed Dave the “Blond Bomber,” a nickname that fit.

Here is Tyler’s line about Dave at Mr. America 1965, competing after several Herculean and better-known contestants: “When Draper posed, you could see the looks of surprise on everyone’s face. “ Dave and his first wife Penny had a daughter named Jamie, who died in 2016. They have two grandkids, Taylor, who lives in Santa Cruz and teaches infant rescue swimming locally, and Cooper, who lives with his wife Jacki in

Clovis. Cooper and Jacki have a daughter named Vivianne—Dave and Penny’s great-granddaughter.

For Dave, Thanksgiving 2021 was “terrific,” Laree said. “His family was all here and spent the day together laughing and eating good food.” n ••• Photos courtesy of Laree Draper

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www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / January 2022 / 13

FEATURED COLUMNIST

A New Year and a New Future for Sustainable Water

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elcome to 2022, from the Soquel Creek Water District! As your new President of the District’s Board of Directors, it’s my pleasure to offer a brief look at some of what we anticipate accomplishing in the upcoming year. We are confident of a bright future for the new year.

I want to talk about the two primary

By Dr. Tom LaHue, President, Soquel Creek Water District Board of Directors

things the District will be focused on this year. One is our core service of efficiently providing clean, safe water to the community, every minute of every day, for the entire year. And, to ensure we can continue to accomplish that fundamental objective in the long term, we must also focus on a key sustainability objective, especially in light of climate change: To maintain our momentum and progress on the Pure Water Soquel Groundwater Replenishment and Seawater Intrusion Prevention project.

Just last month we reached a remarkable milestone as we broke ground on the advanced water purification center, which is the very heart of Pure Water Soquel. Now, the three main elements of this project are moving forward — the water purification center (along with a new recycled water plant at the Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility), the eightmile conveyance pipeline system, and the seawater intrusion prevention wells.

We are well on the way to an operational system in 2023, when we can begin to purify recycled water that will recharge our groundwater and protect the future of our water supply. This is also a critical part of the Mid-County Groundwater Agency’s Groundwater Sustainability Plan. As construction proceeds, we’ll continue seeking state and federal grants to help further offset the project’s costs to our customers.

14 / January 2022 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

So, this year brings a clear focus on continuing to move Pure Water Soquel forward. This includes overseeing the construction on these three, very complex and multifaceted elements. The seawater intrusion prevention wells are largely complete. The conveyance system is steadily making its way from the Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility to the purification center, and to the seawater intrusion prevention wells. Our goals are to keep all of this construction moving ahead smoothly, to maintain the all-important partnerships that are facilitating this project, and to continue communicating with and providing project updates to our customers and the wider community affected by construction.

We have our work cut out for us this year, but given the wonderful progress already made, I have confidence in a successful year for Pure Water Soquel construction.

As that project makes its way toward completion, we never waver from our core services: • We’ll keep up the pace of our pipeline replacement program – monitoring and inspecting the system and taking proactive measures to repair or replace pipelines that are worn out or damaged.

• We expect this year to finish up full implementation of our i-Meters throughout our service area and get more people using our WaterSmart online portal — giving customers more control and information for monitoring their water use, leak control, and billing. Use of WaterSmart allows customers to become aware of any leaks much more quickly, which saves water.

• We’ll continue providing our customers with other tools they need to continue their already-remarkable job of conserving water

• We want to ensure our customers are fully engaged in the District’s programs, projects, and activities, by maintaining our communications and public outreach — a lot of that is still virtual, but when circumstances improve, we’ll be doing more and more in-person • And we are committed to working toward the use of more (and eventually all) renewable energy by the District, with the eventual goal of achieving carbon neutrality in our operations.

The District very clearly recognizes the great challenges we all face with climate change and its extreme effects on our water supply. 2022 will likely bring more of the same kinds of issues as we’ve experienced in preceding years, and we need to be prepared.

The good news is that our future now clearly includes a sustainable, droughtproof water supply — Pure Water Soquel.

And, I can assure you that the people who work here at the Soquel Creek Water District are committed to providing you with the safe, dependable water you and your families and businesses need, to the best of our best abilities, every day. n ••• Dr. LaHue has served on the Board of Directors since 2003. He is the District representative on the Santa Cruz Mid-County Groundwater Agency and serves on the District’s Water Resources Management and Infrastructure Committee. Dr. LaHue is a former member and vice-chair of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board. He has a BS in Biological Science from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from UC Davis, and a teaching credential from California State University Monterey Bay. He retired from teaching environmental science at Aptos High School in 2019 after 23 years of teaching and continues to work as a veterinary surgeon.

“Rydell Arts” from page 13 Gross is a member of the Santa Cruz Textiles Arts Guild, Tapestry Weavers West, the Handweavers Guild of America, The Textile Arts Council, and the American Tapestry Association where she currently serves as board treasurer.

For many years she has worked with blind and visually impaired weavers in a program sponsored by the Santa Cruz Textile Arts Guild.

Gross lives in the Opal Cliffs section of Santa Cruz County with her husband. She has a BA from Drew University in New Jersey.

••• oy and Frances Rydell established the Roy and Frances Rydell Visual Arts Fund at the Community Foundation in 1985 to promote Santa Cruz County artists and arts organizations.

Following their passing, their estate was bequeathed to the foundation. Their gift has generated more than $1.4 million in fellowships for artists and support for Santa Cruz County visual arts organizations.

The Rydell Visual Arts Fellowship program was developed with input from the local arts community to honor the wishes and intent of the Rydells. The fellowship program, now in its 16th year, has awarded $680,000 directly to artists.

(Complete list of current and past award recipients is available at www.cfscc.org/articles/ the-rydell-visual-arts-fellowship-program) Gifts allow artists uninterrupted creative time to focus solely on their work and its impact on the local community and the larger world.

The fellowships help individual visual artists pursue their creative work and are made solely on the merits of their artistry and not tied to the completion of any specific projects.

“Roy and Frances Rydell understood that artists not only bear witness to life, but they play an integral role in helping humanity process our collective experience,” said Susan True, CEO of the Community Foundation. “As we move into the third year of the global COVID-19 pandemic and our community continues to heal from the CZU fires, there is just so much life to witness and process. This new cohort of artists–their diversity in terms of age, background, and forms of expression– will help us think, learn, grow, and witness as life in all its beauty and pain continues to unfold.”

For this round of fellowships, 51 artists applied from a candidate pool nominated by 26 local and regional visual arts organizations and former Rydell Fellows.

Nominees were limited to working artists, 25 years or older, who reside in Santa Cruz County and are not enrolled in a degreegranting program.

Nominating organizations were

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BirchBark Foundation protects and honors the human-animal bond.

Janette Gross with her art.

asked to consider the broad disciplines the Rydells thought of as part of the visual arts: painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, installation, mixed media, stage set design, photography, costume design, textiles, glass, film and video.

In October, a panel of three nationally recognized arts professionals met at the Foundation to judge the artists’ works and select the fellowship recipients. The panel members were Maori Holmes, artistic director and CEO of BlackStar in Philadelphia; Garth Johnson, Paul Phillips & Sharon Sullivan, curator of ceramics, Everson Museum in Syracuse; and Astria Suparak, independent curator, former director and curator of the contemporary art galleries at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and Syracuse University.

The $80,000 in new Rydell Fellowships were complemented by another $200,000 in unrestricted grants made to local arts organizations this spring.

“The fellowships and arts grants we make year in year out support those making our local arts landscape as vibrant and vital as it is. The creativity of our local arts community never ceases to inspire us.

We are proud of the funding we’re able to channel to the arts, and it’s thanks to people who love this place, have a vision of a better tomorrow, and act on it by giving.” said Kevin Heuer, director of engagement & impact.

The 2020-2021 Rydell Fellows will be featured in the Rydell Visual Arts Fellowship Exhibition at Museum of Art & History in downtown Santa Cruz from Jan. 21 to March 20, 2022. For information visit: https://www.santacruzmah.org/ exhibitions/rydell-fellowship Community Foundation Santa Cruz County helps donors and their advisors invest wisely in causes they care about, to provide grants and resources to community organizations, and to offer leadership around key local issues. The Foundation manages more than $168 million in charitable assets and provides customized and tax-smart giving solutions that resulted in more than $21 million in grants in 2020.

Thanks to generous donors, more than $131 million in local grants and scholarships have been awarded locally since 1982. The Community Foundation seeks to make Santa Cruz County thrive for all who call it home, now and in the future. Learn more at www.cfscc.org. n

Financial help for low income families struggling to save their pet during a medical crisis Pet advocacy education for all people that love their pets Grief and loss counseling for those that had to say goodbye to their beloved companion

Please share your love through Santa Cruz Gives santacruzgives.org/birchbark or call 831.471.7255

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / January 2022 / 15

FEATURED COLUMNIST

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For 2022: Dining Outside, Mansion Park Landscaping, Wharf Rebuild

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By Sam Storey, Mayor, City of Capitola

TRANSFORMING YOUR WATER FOR TOMORROW

ere’s wishing you a Happy New to the public. This project has been a very Year in 2022! Let’s hope that long, long time acoming.

The fountain will be refurbished and 2022 is the year that we finally defeat Covid-19 in all its variants and the walls replaced to visually open up the we are able to get back to some sense of the Mansion and grounds. The landscaping normalcy. will be modeled after the original and the For Capitola City, I look forward to Monarch habitat will be protected and pregetting back to in-person council meetings served. Grab a book from the new library in a safe manner. In addition to the tradi- just across the street and read next to the tional meetings, we will reflecting fountain. At continue to have Zoom night, you may even and webhosting so see the ghosts that are that all members of the rumored to dwell in the public may attend and Mansion. contribute to Capitola This is the year council meetings. And that the iconic Capthere are many things itola Wharf will be happening in Capitola rebuilt, made wider in 2022 for the public to at the entrance, and weigh in on. have public restrooms This will be the added. The citizens year that Capitola passed a quarter-cent permanently dines sales tax in 2016 to outside. protect the wharf, the In response to jetty, and the flume Sam Storey Covid the City worked that takes Soquel Creek with the local restaurants to move dining back to the Monterey Bay. outside with temporary parklets in the The jetty and flume have already been village. This has been very popular and rebuilt and in 2022 we will begin work on worked well so the City will be completing the wharf. The new, reinforced pilings will plans for permanent dining parklets. preserve the wharf for decades to come.

A total of 25 parking spaces will be After it is rebuilt, make a trip to the wharf set aside and used as outdoor dining to fish, stroll, and enjoy the views of Monparklets. In 2022, the City will complete terey Bay. prototype designs that the restaurants As you can see, in addition, to the may use to build attractive and safe par- beautiful beach there will be many things klets. Our goal is to have these designs to do in Capitola. Come and enjoy the completed and permits available to the beautiful scenary, the fine dining, and restaurants to open by this summer. boutique shops. Hoping you stay safe and If you’re in the area, come by and dine have a great 2022. n outside in Capitola!

••• Also in 2022, the new landscaping Sam Storey is the mayor of Capitola. for Rispin Mansion will be completed and Contact him at samforcapitola@yahoo.com or the Mansion grounds will finally be open 831-475-7300 Ext. 576.

S o q u e l C r e e k Wa t e r. o r g

I look forward to getting back to in-person council meetings in a safe manner. In addition to the traditional meetings, we will continue to have Zoom and webhosting so that all members of the public may attend and contribute to Capitola council meetings.

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16 / January 2022 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

COMMUNITY NEWS

New HVAC, Lights Coming to Soquel Union Schools A ddressing the rising price of electricity along with power shutoffs, Soquel Union Elementary School District has approved a plan to install its own generator, along with new LED lighting and heating, ventilation and air conditioning with advanced filtration.

The project includes solar shade structures and electric vehicle charging stations, creating more opportunities for students to dine and learn outdoors, and “smart” irrigation controls designed to save water.

After considering findings from a series of assessments, the board of trustees approved the proposed program, greenlighting construction to begin at the end of 2021.

Soquel Union tapped funding sources ranging from utility incentives and programs to redevelopment funds with a municipal lease. The project is expected to save $8.3 million during a 30-year lifetime.

“The work Soquel Union Elementary School District does to help each child succeed and positively impact our world begins in the classroom,” said Soquel Union Superintendent Scott Turnbull. “By renewing our energy infrastructure, we are improving the reliability and quality of our facilities now and well into the future.”

District trustees began pursuing this program in March, bringing in Climatec,

a turnkey energy and building solutions specialist in Irvine, to identify aged infrastructure across its five schools. The district called for air conditioning upgrades along with green technologies to minimize energy use and mitigate expected rate increases.

“Over the next three years, PG&E projects raising the price for power by over 18% while simultaneously increasing the number of PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutoff) events,” said Assistant Superintendent of Business Michelle Kennedy said.

“Those are realities that could impede our ability to keep the lights on at our schools, quite literally, if it wasn’t for this program.

We’re saving greatly in the long run.”

Rob Reading, Soquel Union’s lead at Climatec, said this program would “provide a buffer to rising utility costs and service challenges that are inevitable in California,” plus “more comfortable learning environments for students” and “relieving pressure from both its budget and the electrical grid.”

Soquel Union Elementary School District has 1,700 students in Capitola, Soquel and Santa Cruz. n Founded in 1975, Climatec has clients in all public sector market segments, including education, state, county, local and federal government. See climatec.com.

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www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / January 2022 / 17

COMMUNITY NEWS

$240M: Fire Prevention and Forest Grants

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COVID-19 vaccination or approved exemption required to register for in-person classes.

18 / January 2022 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

al Fire is soliciting applications for projects that prevent catastrophic wildfires, protect communities, and restore forests to while sequestering carbon and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Cal Fire plans to award up to $120 million for local projects in and near firethreatened communities that focus on increasing the protection of people, structures, and communities.

Qualified activities include hazardous fuels reduction, wildfire prevention planning and wildfire prevention education with an emphasis on improving public safety while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Cal Fire plans to award up to $120 million to landscape-level forest restoration projects that increase resilience to catastrophic disturbance.

Eligible activities include forest fuels reduction, fire reintroduction, reforestation, and the use of forest biomass.

These grant programs are part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of cap-andtrade dollars to work.

The programs complement the 2018 Strategic Fire Plan for California and the State Forest Carbon Plan.

Fire prevention applications are due by 3 p.m. Feb. 9, 2022.

Forest Health application filing opens Jan. 3, 2022, with the deadline 3 p.m. March 3, 2022.

Public workshops, in person and virtual, will be scheduled. The Fire Prevention Grant Program hosted its first virtual workshop on Dec. 17. n Check www.fire.ca.gov/grants/fireprevention-grants/ and www.fire.ca.gov/ grants/forest-health-grants/ for more dates, times, and locations. Workshops are recorded.

For more information and to sign up for grant email announcements, visit www.fire.ca.gov/ grants.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Why Not Mansion Park?

Editor’s Note: Barbara Bernie sent this letter to the Capitola City Council s you may, or may not know, I was one of the many concerned and interested Capitola residents to volunteer countless hours, for years, to the renovation of the property in the hopes of someday opening the grounds for the public enjoyment.

I hosted work days of Community Service arrestees for the Capitola Police Department, cleaning bricks following the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, to possibly be used in restoring the brick walkways throughout the project.

I was thrilled that one of my fellow students in the Landscape Architecture classes offered by UC Santa Cruz, Michael Arnone, was chosen as the landscape architect to complete the plans. I had initially designed a Conceptual Plan as my final project for that Certificate and later, the planting plan for the butterfly gardens when it was being considered as a bed & breakfast.

Granted, I am no longer a resident of Capitola, or for that matter of California, having retired to Boise, Idaho, where I briefly continued my Landscape Design business (now retired) and work at FarWest Landscape & Garden Center (not to be confused with my previous employment at Far West Nursery in Santa Cruz).

A

A walkway and road leading to Rispin Mansion.

I have been involved in Rispin Mansion projects for almost 30 years and I am constantly checking to see if the beautiful design that Michael created has been installed yet.

With the current discussion of the racism and inappropriate behavior of its owner, Henry Allen Rispin, I am amazed that political correctness is blocking the development of this site. I have a suggestion for the name, that I hope will be taken seriously. In the information plaques that will be installed on site, the story needs to be told of the ‘whites only’ clauses (unfortunately popular at the time), the stories of his possible rum-running career during Prohibition, etc.

So, why not just call it: MANSION PARK? n — Barbara Bernie, former Landscape Committee Rispin Mansion chair

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / January 2022 / 19

COMMUNITY NEWS

New Owner at Palace Art in Capitola A fter 72 years, Palace Art & Office Supply has a new owner — putting a halt to previously announced plans to close the store at 1501 41st Ave., Capitola.

Besides art and office supplies, the store sells gifts, cards, frames, photo albums, journals, games and lots of things for children.

The new owner, Charles Meier, owns The Crow’s Nest restaurant, and more recently took ownership of Santa Cruz Diner (2018), Paradise Beach Grill in Capitola (2020), and Gilda’s on the Wharf in Santa Cruz (2020).

The Trowbridge family posted an announcement on Facebook: “We’re honored to hand the keys over to a new Santa Cruz family who will carry on the Palace tradition of making every day a canvas for creators of all ages.

“The Trowbridge family will continue its legacy through the success of Palace Business Solutions. We hope you’ll keep in touch with us there.

“Thank you to everyone who has supported Palace Art & Office Supply over the decades; it’s your passion and loyalty

that have helped to make this new era possible.”

Here is the formal announcement: Effective Nov. 16, 2021, Palace Art & Office Supply will open its doors with

a new family at the helm. Local family Charles Maier along with his wife, Al-lee Gottlieb and their four children, will carry on the Trowbridge family legacy as the new owners of the beloved retail store.

“We’re excited to carry on this legacy and help preserve what the community has always loved about Palace,” says Charles Maier. “Everyone can expect to be able to get the same great products and the same service from the same friendly staff.”

Maier is also the owner of other longtime Santa Cruz institutions, all of which have remained successful by sticking close to the original vision for each business.

Palace will continue to operate out of their longtime location at 1501-K 41st Ave. in Capitola and customers can expect ‘business as usual’ and a seamless transition of ownership.

“When we made the decision earlier this year to end our retail journey, we didn’t imagine this turn of events,” says Roy Trowbridge, whose father originally purchased Palace in 1949. “We are honored that the Palace retail store will live on with another local family.”

This change does not impact Palace Business Solutions, the commercial division of Trowbridge Enterprises, which remains under original ownership. n

We’ve got Ruby Star grapefruit, Cara Cara oranges, and Page mandarins full of fresh flavor from California growers who farm responsibly for 10% of profits go generations to come.

Try these healthy, versatile fruits all winter long.

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20 / January 2022 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

IT’S CITRUS SEASON! Stay healthy during cold and flu season and brighten up winter with sweet, juicy grapefruit, oranges, and mandarins.

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Wilder Ranch Lemon Prints B ake the Wilder Ranch way! If you’ve ever had a cookie or a brownie at Wilder Ranch State Park’s Old-fashioned Independence Day celebration or the Harvest Festival, you know how delicious they are.

The Wilder Ranch Cookbook is a compilation of historically accurate recipes handed down by the Wilder family. The recipes were meticulously researched

by Wilder Ranch docents who are active bakers and who do woodstove baking in the cultural preserve at the state park in Santa Cruz.

Recipes in the cookbook date from to the 1870s to the 1920s, when Wilder Ranch was an active dairy farm. There are more than 50 recipes for breakfast, cookies, breads and muffins, butter and ice cream, cakes, preserves and more.

Try a brownie recipe from 1896 that — surprise! — doesn’t include chocolate, or a cornbread muffin recipe that is more than 200 years old. The cookbook includes historical notes and living history, such as a scrapbook of Wilder Ranch special events and directions to make bubbles for kids.

This recipe for Lemon Prints is a fun twist to make a lighter, more refreshing cookie this holiday season. Plus, Meyer lemons are seemingly always in season in Santa Cruz County.

The simple recipe uses basic ingredients found in most kitchens. Bonus — if you’re back to cookie exchanges, this recipe makes a lot of treats to share!

•••

Ingredients ¾ C butter, softened ¾ C sugar 1 egg yolk 1 Tbsp. grated lemon peel 2 C flour ½ tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt Directions eat the butter and sugar until fluffy.

Beat in egg yolk and lemon peel.

Stir in flour mixed with baking powder and salt.

Roll dough in small (3/4inch) balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet and flatten with fork.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or just until the edges begin to brown (golden). Cool on wire racks.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies. n ••• The Wilder Ranch Cookbook is available in the ParkStore at Wilder Ranch State Park and in Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks’ ParkStore Online (thatsmypark. org/products/cookbook-004590) for $16.95.

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Share A Recipe!

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o you have a recipe that is a family favorite? Or maybe one from your childhood you would like to share? The Capitola Soquel Times will be publishing one recipe each issue from a community member.

Feel free to add a little history to the recipe if you want (approximately 75 words). Every issue we will randomly choose a recipe to publish.

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www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / January 2022 / 21

COMMUNITY NEWS

Tales of the Hunger Heroes H unger Hero is the name for the incredible range of county residents of all ages, inventing ideas and investing time raising donations for Second Harvest Food Bank and its 80+ food distribution partners. They make the annual Holiday Food & Fund Drive, Nov. 4 to Jan. 15, an annual success.

Heroes raise more than half of the food Second Harvest provides through the year for food-insecure families in our county. One hundred percent of Holiday Food & Fund Drive funds are feeding hope for local community members, no money raised goes to administration or overhead.

Who Are Our Hunger Heroes?

There are so many. Here’s a small sampling.

“Second Harvest Food Bank has always been our favorite to donate to,” says Robin Berkery, owner of Jazzercise Santa Cruz and Aptos. “Our community feels there is no better way of donating to this wonderful cause than through a workout program. Last year we began selling virtual raffle tickets in exchange for food bank donations. People win prizes for local businesses like restaurants, massages, art, and wine. Our goal this year is beating last year’s record of $7,000.”

Feeding hope and nurturing empathy, Mount Madonna School’s second grade Hunger Heroes are leading their community’s food and fund drive. Guided by their teacher, students connect with preschool through

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12th grade peers, asking school families, teachers, staff, and friends to help feed hungry people.

See the students’ Second Harvest donation page: https://give.thefoodbank. org/teams/16653-mount-madonna-school).

At the other end of the education spectrum, the UC Santa Cruz community has created a donation page at https:// give.thefoodbank.org/teams/16440uc-santa-cruz. Each year the university community runs a contribution campaign donating tens of thousands of dollars to this year’s drive.

“UC Santa Cruz is fully engaged in campus-wide support of the Holiday Food and Fund Drive — our Chancellor is also chair of the county-wide effort this year,” points out Nathan McCall, manager, HR Business Information Services at UCSC. The drive “allows the rare opportunity for the whole university community of students, staff, faculty, and retirees to engage in one effort,” he says. “In fact, a contingent of student leaders, employees, and retirees recently volunteered at Second Harvest to pack food for families.”

Alexander Pedersen, founder of Blue Circle and a Second Harvest Food Bank board member, is pledging to run a mile for every ten dollars donated. So far, he’s helped raise more than $800.

To learn more about Blue Circle o r to donate to his campaign, visit www.bluecircleusa.org.

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Mount Madonna School second graders.

Sequoia Wealth Advisors in Aptos and San Jose, is a sponsor of this year’s Holiday Food & Fund Drive and major corporate sponsor for many food bank events, including the Chef’s Dinner. The company has engaged clients, staff and the community in fundraising.

“Our reasons for supporting Second Harvest are many,” says Kristina Kuprina, company president. “Increased financial pressure is amplifying food insecurity in our area. And no one should have to choose between food and other essential needs.”

For the students at Santa Cruz Montessori in Aptos, their effort started with a news story showing mile-long lines for food banks around the country during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Teacher Kristin Tosello shared this news with her 4th, 5th, and 6th graders.

She streamed videos from Second Harvest Food Bank explaining that one in three people and one in two children in Santa Cruz County face food insecurity.

Her students were shocked by the number of hungry people in their own community. But rather than feeling helpless, they organized a walkathon with a goal of $2,250, equal to 9,000 meals. Before they began walking, they surpassed this goal.

On the day of the walkathon, 17 students walked to Cabrillo College spending three hours at the track. One student racked up an amazing 12 miles. Each student walked more than 5.75 miles.

“After a while it started getting a bit tiring, but we reminded ourselves of our cause and walked on,” a student said.

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22 / January 2022 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Robin Berkery (far right), owner of Jazzercise Santa Cruz and Aptos, leads a workout fundraiser outdoors for Second Harvest Food Bank.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Watsonville Hospital’s Bankruptcy Filing

T

By Jondi Gumz

he financial woes that led to Watsonville Community Hospital filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Dec. 5 with plans to sell to a local consortium erupted six months after new operators took over.

That’s according to attorney Debra Grassgreen of Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones, who explained the situation at the first-day hearing Dec. 7 in federal bankruptcy court in San Jose to Judge M. Elaine Hammond.

“The goal of keeping the doors open… is top of everyone’s mind,” Grassgreen said, noting that the closest emergency department is 25 to 30 minutes away depending on traffic.

The hospital is the third largest employer in Watsonville.

In September 2019, with the hospital in financial straits, new operators took over.

The building in which the hospital operates was sold to Medical Properties Trust of Birmingham, Alabama, a real estate company founded in 2003 that owns healthcare facilities worldwide.

Watsonville Community Hospital leases the property from MPT. Six months after the sale, the hospital operators were in default on that debt.

The reason: Patient mix, Greengrass said.

She’s referring to reliance on Medicare or MediCal, which pay only a portion of the cost of care, and not enough privatepay patients who pay full freight.

Staffing shortages led to hiring traveling nurses, which are more costly than staff nurses.

The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic

in March 2020 made the financial situation worse.

Grassgreen said Watsonville Community Hospital owes MPT $40 million, which includes $9.25 million in emergency advances to keep the doors open.

She said there’s another $19 million in liquidated claims and potentially other unsecured claims.

The list of the 35 largest unsecured claims is headed by the California Nurses Association, followed by the California Technical Employees Coalition, Teamsters Local 912, Meritain Health Inc. of Amherst New York, and Principal Financial Groups of Des Moines, Iowa, and QHCCS Retirement Committee of Brentwood, Tennessee.

The filing then lists Health Trust Workforce Solutions of Atlanta, Georgia, $2.9 million, Guidehouse Managed Services, Chicago, $1.3 million, PG&E, $1.1 million, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Palo Alto, $930,000, Emergency Medical Services Authority of Rancho Cordova, $789,000.

Local entities in the top 35 include: Kaiser Permanente, $373,000, and Dominican Hospital, $215,0000.

WHM, the management for the nine physicians in Coastal Health Partners, has claims of less than $150,000.

The operators hope to sell the operation to the Pajaro Valley Healthcare District Project, a new nonprofit entity in the process of formation headed by Mimi Hall, former Santa Cruz County Heath Service Agency director.

The consortium includes the county,

the city of Watsonville, Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley and Salud Para La Gente.

Greengrass said the consortium is expected to assume the lease, and all employee obligations, PPO, pension and health insurance.

This year, two independent board members, Frank Williams and Jeremy Rosenthal joined the board, followed by David Gordon in September.

The new board appointed Rosenthal CEO. Greengrass said on the eve of Thanksgiving, the coalition was unable to pay the financing and sign the term sheet for the proposed sale.

The day after Thanksgiving, Watsonville Community Hospital posted state-required WARN notices indicating plans to lay off 677 employees.

At that point, MPT agreed to provide emergency financing while coalition pursued government funding to buy the hospital operation.

Greengrass said the goals are to sell

the hospital, keep the doors open, keep providing health care services to people who need health care and preserve the jobs.

“There’s a lot riding on it,” she said.

The timetable calls for closing the sale

by March 31.

The judge set Jan. 19 as the filing date for financial records after an attorney for the hospital said it could not be submitted accurately by Jan. 4.

The second-day hearing will be by Zoom at 10 a.m. Jan 5 and with the third hearing at 10 a.m. Feb. 15, which will be hybrid, allowing in-person proceedings “This is new,” the judge said. “If we find we’re going to have too many people, we may limit it.”

She said she found Zoom works for large chapter 11 cases, but not for people who don’t generally show in such cases, older people representing themselves, people who are hard of hearing and people who aren’t English speakers. n A recording of the Dec. 7 hearing is on Stretto.com at https://cases.stretto.com/ WatsonvilleHospital

Cabrillo VP Charged with Embezzlement at his Former Job

O

n Dec. 9, Paul De La Cerda, vice president of instruction at Cabrillo College, was charged with overbilling his former employer for trips he took.

De La Cerda, 47, was charged with one felony count each of misappropriation of government funds Paul De La Cerda and embezzlement of government funds, according to a press release issued by Los

Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón.

De La Cerda is expected to be arraigned on Jan. 7 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles.

He is accused of overbilling East Los Angeles College, where he was dean, about $1,575 for several hotel stays between March 2017 and 2019.

He allegedly forged documents he submitted for reimbursement, according to Gascón.

The case remains under investigation

by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Fraud and Cyber Crimes.

De La Cerda joined Cabrillo in June of this year.

Cabrillo spokeswoman Kristin Fabos said via email, “We cannot discuss details due to the fact that it is a confidential personnel matter.”

She provided a statement on behalf of the college: “The Cabrillo Community College District is actively engaged in working on this matter. We take this development very seriously and recognize this is creating concern among

employees, students, and the community. We acknowledge that concern, but are restricted in what we can publicly share as this is a confidential personnel matter. Please know that this has our full attention and that we will share additional details as we are able. The best interests of the College, its students and employees, and our community continue to be paramount.” n The Cabrillo Community College Governing Board meets virtually Monday, Dec. 13, at 6:15 p.m. To attend, here is the Zoom link: https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/92614254891

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / January 2022 / 23

COMMUNITY NEWS

Wilburn to Head Santa Cruz Public Libraries Y

By Jondi Gumz

olande Wilburn is poised to be the next director for the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, succeeding Susan Nemitz.

With approval by the SCPL joint powers authority board of directors, Wilburn would be the first woman of color to the lead the system in its 153-year history. Her first day would be Jan. 3.

Santa Cruz Public Libraries consist of 10 branches, a $15 million budget, 98 full-time equivalent staff, 438,466 Yolande Wilburn items in the collection and circulation of 672,684 for physical items and 467,875 for electronic materials.

Wilburn’s specialty is meeting the needs of the community via library services.

She comes from Torrance, population 146,860, where she was city librarian for two

S

years, overseeing six branch locations with 573,000 items, circulation of 658,246 and a $7 million budget.

During the pandemic, she read children’s storybooks in “virtual storytime” on YouTube and implemented Polaris and Vega software to improve search functions for patrons and reduce staff time spent on catalogue management.

She was involved in the California Library Association’s Advocacy & Legislation Committee, proposing library database-sharing for youth, which State Librarian Greg Lucas then championed.

Wilburn grew up spending many hours at the Chicago Public Library. Later, she worked there as page. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois.

She got a master’s in library and information science at San Jose State University

before returning to Chicago Public Library where she won a MacArthur Foundation grant to create the library’s first makerspace — which won the 2013 Social Innovator Award.

She went on to work at Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where students commonly used ebooks, returning to California as manager for the County of Los Angeles Public Libraries, overseeing renovation at A C Bilbrew Library, which houses the county’s African American Resource Center, hosting a Black Books Expo, and opening the Manhattan Beach Library.

Next she spent three years in the Nevada County Community Library system, first as a deputy director and then program manager before being named library director. She oversaw six branches and two service locations in the Sierra

Nevada foothills, completing an outdoor amphitheater, forging a partnership to provide musicians for the Summer Learning Program concert series, and participating in the Aspen Institute Dialogue on Public Libraries.

“Yolande’s talent and experience align perfectly with the direction of our library system,” said Carlos Palacios, Library Board Chairman and county administrative officer, in announcing her selection. “Through Measure S, we are in the middle of the largest public investment in our system’s history, and Yolande is the best choice to carry this work forward.”

Wilburn said, “I sincerely look forward to working closely with patrons, staff and our community to make our system the best it has ever been. I’m grateful for the faith the selection committee has placed in me, and I’m ready to get to work.” n

8 Tens @ 8 Returns: Actors’ Theatre Live on Jan. 14

anta Cruz County Actors’ Theatre returns to live performances after nearly two years of pandemic closure, presenting the 26th Annual 8 Tens @ 8 Short Play Festival: Jan, 14 through Feb. 6,

Santa Cruz County Jobs

Report posted Dec. 17 November unemployment 4.9%

Change from

Nov. 2021 a year ago Leisure & hospitality 10,400 Up 1,300 Private education 17,600 Up 800 & health Government 20,500 Up 600 Other services 4,700 Up 300 Professional/business 10,500 Up 100 services Construction 4,600 0 Information 500 0 Trade/transportation/ 16,200 Down 100 utilities Financial 3,100 Down 100 Manufacturing 6,900 Down 100 ••• Farm 8,400 Up 1,100 Nonfarm 95,000 Up 2,800 Total 103,400 Up 3,900 Labor force 134,200 Up .8% Employed* 127,300 Up 3.3% Unemployed 6,900 Down 30% Count is on the 12 of the month * Includes commuting to jobs outside county

Source: California Employment Development Department

at the Center Stage Theater, 1001 Center St., downtown Santa Cruz.

The 10-minute play festival is one of the most anticipated and popular events of the theatre season in Santa Cruz.

The 2022 Festival will stage 18 awardwinning short plays from the 2020/21 International Playwriting Contests as well two winners from the Young Playwrights’ Contest last summer.

The 18 plays will be presented in repertoire over the four-week festival with nine plays on “A” night and nine different plays on “B” night.

“Hunger Heroes” from page 22 The result? They raised 26,168 meals and learned a valuable lesson — every step counts.

Others organized rummage sales and bake sales, employee raffles and online auctions, and some converted their personal time off to donations. Generous musicians in a band donated the proceeds from their performance.

From surfers, cyclists, paddleboarders and joggers to firefighters, law enforcement and the faith community, our county unites around the Holiday Food & Fund Drive.

It’s impossible to acknowledge all the Hunger Heroes making a difference for so many this year. This story celebrates them all. n

24 / January 2022 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Every summer Actors’ Theatre holds an international playwriting contest, judged by a select group of local writers and directors. The winning plays are then produced into full productions for the January Festival. The renowned contest draws well over 300 entrees every year from around the world.

“Actors’ Theatre is now home to the longest running short play festival in the United States,” said Andrew Ceglio, the new executive artistic director.

“8 Tens @ 8” page 26

••• Become a Hunger Hero Second Harvest is supporting about 50 percent more people this year compared to previous year averages. Participating in the 2021 Holiday Food and Fund Drive is easy for individuals, organizations, or businesses.

Contact — julie@thefoodbank.org or visit www.thefoodbank.org/hero to order a ‘Mini Collection Barrel’ for cash collection.

Nominate a Hunger Hero Second Harvest is looking for all the hunger heroes. Nominees may be educators, advocates for food policy change or volunteers who use their time, energy, or resources to help fight hunger in our county.

The Hunger Fighter of the Year is recognized at the annual Awards Dinner in March.

Nomination deadllne is Jan. 7.

Photo Credit: Jana Marcus

Waking Up — starring Avondina Wills and Karen Blagmon. (presented pre-COVID)

Santa Cruz Montessori student Honu Blick running at a walkathon for Second Harvest Food Bank.

FEATURED COLUMNIST

A Christmas Carol Revisited

I

n December of 1843, just 178 short years ago, Charles Dickens wrote ‘A Christmas Carol.’ It’s been made into countless movies, abridged, interpreted and modified.

However, it is often overlooked that one of the main tenets of the book is about business, and especially how the developing economic principle of Capitalism was affecting everyday people at the time.

This was one of the first novels written for the general public that characterized the haves (business owners) vs. the havenots (workers).

Likely, we’re all very familiar with the repentance and reclamation of Scrooge after being visited by 4 spirits: The ghost of Christmas Past, the ghost of Christmas Present, the ghost of Christmas Future, and the 4th spirit (actually the first to visit) was Jacob Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge’s former business partner.

A Christmas Carol is an illustration of how two young capitalists (Marley & Scrooge) joined forces to take over a business and in doing so, put Scrooge’s prior employer, mentor and subsequent competitor Fezziwig — out of business.

It all seemed the logical progression of success, being able to leverage one’s strength in order to outcompete in the marketplace to eliminate competitors.

Besides, Fezziwig and his wife were very simple ol’ school folks, who too frequently put the joys and welfare of their employees above their own need for more profits. In fact, the Fezziwigs were known for their employee Christmas parties, where gifts, music, food, drinks, appreciation, singing and dancing among all attending was known throughout the entire city.

But as the story developed, it became clear that the way Scrooge defined being a good and smart business person had some drawbacks.

Scrooge lost the love of his life in exchange for the love of money from business. Scrooge overworked his clerk Bob Cratchit — the father of Tiny Tim who was in need of medical care beyond what the family could afford.

Think of how we sometimes manage our businesses — tightening our profit margins, hiring qualified people for the

amount we choose to pay them, because we also have to provide for our own families … just as every one of our employees must do.

So let’s revisit one of the most overlooked parts of ‘A Christmas Carol’ which Dicken’s foreshadowed in his preface that he “endeavored in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season or with me.”

As a refresher, Jacob Marley died alone, without any family or other friends, leaving everything he had to Scrooge. Marley’s only earthly friend was Scrooge, so Marley arranged for Scrooge to be visited by 3 spirits, in hopes that Scrooge would better understand how to be a better person in both life and business.

Jacob Marley’s ghost confronted Ebenezer Scrooge late on Christmas Eve, and the exchange between the two former successful business partners was one of the most poignant scenes in literature and in film: “But you were always a good man of business, Jacob,” faulted Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself.

“Business!” cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. “Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”

It held up its chain at arm’s length, as if that were the cause of all its unavailing grief, and flung it heavily upon the ground again.

“At this time of the rolling year,” the spectre said, “I suffer most. Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down….”

So, to all of us workers, employers and community members, let’s all endeavor to embrace the teachings of ‘A Christmas Carol’ and truly make a reality Tiny Tim’s request of fairness and understanding, when he simply said, ‘God Bless Us, Everyone.’ n ••• Ron Kustek is a former senior executive at The Coca-Cola Company and small business entrepreneur currently teaching at Cabrillo College.Reach him at rokustek@cabreillo.edu

By Ron Kustek

Winter Fun

ACROSS

1. Rope fiber 5. Mai ____ 8. Russia’s Terrible one, e.g.

12. “What ____ Happened to Baby Jane?”

13. Tattled 14. Actress Reed 15. Internet share-able 16. Inwardly 17. Black tropical hardwood 18. *Winged impression in winter 20. Home of the Hawkeyes 21. Investigative report 22. Chicken or this?

23. Not dense 26. Early-day supercontinent 30. Afternoon shut-eye 31. Even though 34. Picture on a coat 35. Anti-seniors sentiment 37. Jean of Dadaism 38. Crewneck alternative 39. Half-man, half-goat 40. Arm cover 42. Victoria Beckham ____ Adams 43. Lacking sense of moral standards 45. Flying high 47. Often part of disguise 48. Queen-like 50. Wood file 52. *____ ____ Plunge 56. Secret stash

57. Damien’s prediction 58. Not at work 59. Opposite of cation 60. Abbreviated seconds 61. Precedes stated rank 62. Moon pull 63. *Like toddy or cocoa 64. Trans-Siberian Railroad city

10. Tolstoy’s Karenina 11. R&B Charles 13. *Glittery decor 14. Condescend 19. Indian black tea 22. Nibble 23. Big mess 24. Like a Druid, e.g.

25. Celery, technically 26. *Snowman’s corn cob DOWN accessory 1. Shortens pants 27. Are not 2. Like fair share 28. Wedding singer, e.g.

3. Short for memorandum 29. Questioned 4. Antebellum 32. *Snow____, 5. Polynesian kingdom ammunition 6. Ten-pin establishment 33. *”But I heard him 7. Bucolic poem exclaim, ____ he 8. *Ride on runners drove out of sight...”

9. *Winter building 36. *Winter walking aid material 38. Type of consonant

40. Actors’ grp.

41. a.k.a. strict vegetarians 44. Mature, as in fruit 46. Like Silas of “The Da Vinci Code” 48. Young Montague 49. Decide at the polls 50. Jasmine of “Aladdin” 51. Turns blue litmus red 52. #42 Across, once 53. Cheese from Netherlands 54. Contributions to the poor 55. Stink to high heaven 56. *Arctic ____, snowmobile brand © Statepoint Media

Answers on 31 »

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / January 2022 / 25

New Year — New Beginning — Creating a Temple for the Good Esoteric Astrology • January 2021 • By Risa D’Angeles

B

eginnings are fragile things. A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care that the balances are correct.” ― Frank Herbert, Dune. And so here we are at the beginning of the new year, 2022. We take the most delicate care that everything is harmonious and balanced. That we have Right Relations with all the Kingdoms at this time, that we are poised and calm, that we bring beauty forth in all that we do.

Our new year begins with a new moon (January 2) at 12 degrees Capricorn. New Moon seed the new for the new year. The seed is that of Initiation, humanity’s Initiation.

At the beginning of a new year, we create a template of Good for the rest of the year. Our first task in the new year is following the 12 zodiacal signs, with the Three Kings, on our way to Epiphany (January 6). Each of the twelve signs provide a keynote for the following twelve months.

Mary’s Day The first day of each new year is dedicated to Mary, the feminine ARIES

aspect, the Mother of the World. In pre-Christian Rome under the Julian calendar, the day was dedicated to Janus, god of gateways and beginnings, for whom January is also named. We honor Mary as the feminine template offering us virtues to imitate — kindness, care, comfort, nourishment and love. Mary, the Mother of the holy child, the Mother of the world, a Master within the Hierarchy, is a Gateway. We pray to Mary in times of need.

We are told to go slow into the new year.

Slowness is connected to abundance. The month of January has multiple planetary changes including the first Mercury retrograde of the year joining the Venus Retrograde. The United States will return to its roots with a Pluto return, the first one in the history of our country. Follow along with the daily celestial movements and weekly updates on my FB page (Risa D’Angeles) and website (www.nightlightnews.org).

Happy New Year everyone — a year of deep and transformational change ahead. Love, Risa n

LEO

SAGITTARIUS

Deep and long-lasting changes will affect your work in the This year, the next and for many years now on, work will increase, This year, the next and the years thereafter the way you use your world. If you are not focused upon serving become more in depth and at times profound. finances and resources will be restructured. others, you will be soon. Your ambitions are so Keep your shoulders and back up as you carry You will build new ways of using your money. large and deep only someone with a powerful the heavy load of serving others. You are like Atlas It is important to be schooled and to study will can handle them. This includes yourself these days - experiencing the complexities of a what these new ways are. I suggest you read and all those encountering your energies. Inner strength will world that is suffering, tending to all different levels and respon- Catherine Austin Fitts (Solari.com) and read about the present have to be drawn upon and this will increase month after sibilities. That last word, responsibility have become your keynote. financial picture. Find or create a local group whose main goal month. New realities within your profession will continue to Use the fire within your heart to guide you and your high intelligence is keeping money and resources local. The new currencies for unfold. Be sure to center your intentions upon serving others. to discern what’s real and what’s not. Ask others you trust for help. the new era are bartering, sharing resources and food. Gain Then your success will be assured.

You will be changed by this experience. knowledge about these and grow a garden even if it’s a garden in pots. Whatever challenges you will eventually be of benefit.

TAURUS

VIRGO

You will push yourself into the sphere of work that life has planned for you. It is rigorous. It will call you to a depth and height of knowledge, preparation, planning and manifestation. You will need others to assist you. Who are they? Do tend to caution a bit. Apply everything practically and with a focus on serving the whole. This will be a challenge. Your work, as always, is to prepare form and matter so that it survives and is sustainable into the seventh generation. Stand up straight. Tend to yourself with care. Rest when you can.

Should relationships become more complex, which often happens over time, know that the true warrior’s stance is communication that’s heartfelt, intelligent and compassionate. Read Thich Nat Hahn or Rajneesh or the Tibetan Djwhal Khul or study astrology when in confusion. New levels of creativity will emerge.

Especially if one studies astrology. It provides a true self-identity, mental strength, truth and courage all of which you seek. Maintain a seasonal garden, build a rose trellis, a garden gate, continue to study. Through these you create your own nature community.

GEMINI

LIBRA

During the year you will meet with power — within yourself You would do well to consider what your limitations are, and and with others. Learn to step aside if power is then have the intention to push beyond them. directed incorrectly at you. You can overwhelm I’m speaking about deep emotional barriers and others with your power, too. Great strength beliefs held since childhood that need to fall away and endurance will grow exponentially. All so your life can move forward. The level of your that you’ve done and/or hoped for will gather itself and be the happiness is in relation to the truth you seek to uncover about foundation for future world work. Think now on what it is you what family means. Should you maintain a distance from this truly want to accomplish, your aspirations, what goals will you you’ll be forced into the truth. This may be uncomfortable. Your set before yourself. Maintain an attitude of love and goodwill. psychology of self is being restructured so you can see what truly These protect you and everyone you work with. kind and good things came from your childhood. Simultaneously, tend to your health with deep and thoughtful care.

CANCER

You will want to leave home and send yourself out in search of an adventure. Perhaps it will be travel or a new level of education. Studying martial arts, attending an inter-faith religious seminary, deep sea diving … these are some archetypal projects calling you. Do be careful with knees and thighs, tending to them with natural anti-inflammatory herbs cayenne and turmeric. Relationships will teach you many things — one is how to speak and act with more Goodwill, which creates Right Speech and Right Relations and the Peace you are seeking.

CAPRICORN

It is important for me to tell you, so you can be prepared, that with Pluto in Capricorn, your whole life has changed. Much that you built went through a metamorphosis so that new things in your life were built upon the old. This has been a most powerful time. Perhaps you felt the need to head back down the mountain into the past. Don’t. Hold on and keep moving forward.

There will be others walking with you as your life continues to shift and rebalance. Keep your love intact, your intentions for helping others continually on your mind, and you, in turn, will be safe. A new world is being built. You’ll be called to build it.

AQUARIUS

Although I know you are powerful and building toward great success, it could be that some others cannot see this. Pay them no mind. We both know that something internally is shifting and a new sense of authority, power and strength are subtly yet profoundly coming into your awareness. Allow challenges with others be times where you are strengthened in your self-awareness. Remind yourself that you are good, successful and deserving of recognition, praise, acknowledgement, appreciation and gratitude. And you, when appropriate, offer the same.

SCORPIO

The way you think, what you were taught earlier in life will change over the course of the next years, beginning now.

Observe and note this. A journal tracking these changes would be good. New impressions and ideas will be offered. You will ponder them deeply and find they are needed for new thinking to come about. Your thoughts will be potent. Allow no self-criticism to exist, nor criticism toward others. Everyone is on their own developmental level and stage. Your development will grow in leaps and bounds. Mental regeneration is occurring as the past disappears. Love grows too.

•••

Risa D’Angeles • www.nightlightnews.org • risagoodwill@gmail.com 26 / January 2022 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

PISCES

Through your work in the world, a new network is being created.

You’ve had to begin anew over time and you’ve done it courageously. We applaud your stamina and bravery. In the times to come, what you envision and aspire to will build until it becomes, no longer simply an idea within your heart, but real in time and space, form and matter. Then you will assume a new leadership, becoming a magnetic core around which others will be attracted to. It’s been long in coming. You’ve done your work. Patience and quiet are needed now.

“8 Tens @ 8” from page 24 Ceglio continued: “With our return to live theatre, this year’s selections offer a wide variety of comedies and dramas filled with heart, gravitas and thoughtprovoking perspectives.”

The intimate Center Stage Theater at the Art Center has been newly renovated with a CDC-recommended Hepa HVAC system that circulates fresh air every seven minutes. The company is putting safety first with a fully vaccinated staff, including performers, and a theater that will be sanitized after every performance.

Patrons must show proof of vaccination to be admitted to the theater.

Curtain is at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays with Sunday matinees at 3 p.m.

Tickets are $38, general admission, $35 seniors and students. A two-night package is $70 general admission and $65 for seniors and students.

Purchase at www.santacruzactors theatre.org/tickets.

Currently, only 45 of the 89 seats are being sold at each performance to allow for some social distancing. Depending on the state of the pandemic come early January, additional seats may open up.

Due to the limited seating during a usually sold-out festival, a full-length, professional film of the festival will be available “on demand” come mid-February.

This year’s award-winning short plays include: “A” NIGHT Wonder People by Madeline Puccioni.

Directed by Hannah Eckstein Are You One of Those Robots? by Dierdre Gerard. Directed by Gail Borkowski Me and Him by Michael John McGoldrick.

Directed by Andrew Davids Nobody’s Hero by Charles Anderson.

Directed by Evan Hunt Free Hugs by L. H. Grant. Directed by Marcus Cato Old Aquatics by Steven Kobar. Directed by Gerry Gerringer Together at Last by Stella Pfefferkorn (Young Playwrights Festival winner) Directed by Kathie Kratochvil Kew Gardens by James Armstrong. Directed

by Bill Peters God on the Couch by Dan O’Day. Directed

by Peter Gelblum “B” NIGHT Stress for Success by Terrence Patrick Hughes.

Directed by Kathie Kratochvil Gone by AJ Davey Ouse (Young Playwrights Festival winner) Directed by Andrew Ceglio Rosa & Leo by Adam Szudrich. Directed by Jim Schultz The Maltese Walter by John Minigan. Directed

by Cathy Warner Ditmas by Glenn Alterman. Directed Helene Simkin Jara The Coriolus Effect by Robert Lynn. Directed

by Anita Natale Slow Dating by Adam Szudrich. Directed by Buff McKinley Unheard by Glenn Alterman. Directed by Sarah Albertson Dress Blues by Donald J. Loftus. Directed by Karin Babbitt n

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Gifts from Pets T

here is a magnet on our refrigerator that reads, “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” — a quote from Anatole France.

Pets awaken our hearts in a way that nothing else can. Yes, human relationships are very important, perhaps even more important, but our pets can open our hearts in a quiet very sweet way that nothing else can. If you cannot have a pet of your own, perhaps you could bond with someone else’s pet.

Barry and I have had many pets, mostly golden retriever dogs starting when we were 25 years old. We have also had cats, and at one time had five cats all from the local shelter. Currently we have one feral rescued cat named Gertie, who lets us pet her and loves our company as long as we do not bring her inside, and also we have two golden retrievers, Honey and Gracie.

Our pets bring so much joy and peace to our lives. We always know that they will love us. Our dogs’ greatest desire is just to be near us and walk with us and love us.

Whenever I feel sad about something or need to feel peaceful, I go to our older dog Gracie who is very motherly and I bend down and hug her in a very big full hug.

She stands there very patiently knowing that what is happening is very important. After I am done hugging her, I always feel better and then she looks up at me with her soft brown eyes and wags her tail in love and devotion.

By Joyce and Barry Vissell

We feel completely accepted by all of the goldens we have ever had. They love us just the way we are; we do not have to be any different. We are their heroes, their object of devotion. Each and every morning they greet us with 100% enthusiasm.

My parents moved to be near us seven years before my father died at the age of 89.

My father became totally deaf and hearing aids did not much help.

A heavy object could fall right behind him and he would not even know, his hearing was that bad. I got the idea to get him a cat. I did not even ask my mother, as she would say no as she had said all along for their many years of marriage.

Of course, I should have gone through my mother, but I just felt it was so important.

I went to the shelter and picked out this beautiful totally black cat that was about nine months old. I named him Ben. With great excitement, our whole family marched up to my parents’ next door apartment with Ben. My mother was all set to object when she saw how happy my father was. He was ecstatic!! I wrote down on a piece of paper that we had named him Ben. From that minute, Ben was my father’s best friend.

Ben sensed that my dad could not hear his purring so he would lie on top of him when he rested on the couch and purr very loudly so that my father could feel his vibration. Ben followed my father everywhere and when others in the room were talking and my father could not hear them, he petted Ben and very softly talked to him and Ben purred very loudly so that my father could feel him.

Before Ben came into his life, my father was starting to withdraw as he could not hear anyone. Ben changed all of that. My dad woke each morning with joy in his heart to be able to spend another day with Ben. And Ben was very funny, causing hours of laughter with my mother as well.

She had grown to love Ben very much.

When my father suddenly died, my mother lived alone in the apartment next door to us. Ben took it upon himself to be her guardian.

He sat next to her always. Every week, I took my mother out to lunch at her favorite restaurant. If we were gone too long for Ben, he would loudly cry out when we returned, letting us both know

that we should not keep her away for such a long time.

The night before my mother died, we had been up for over twenty-four hours with her. She was absolutely unresponsive during this time, and it was obvious that death was imminent. Barry and I were so tired that we could hardly keep our heads up. I called Hospice and asked for advice.

They had been on the scene with my mother for three months.

A night nurse came that we did not know. She was wonderful with us and helped us stay awake for another hour.

Then she had to leave and she told us to go and get some sleep.

My mother, she informed us, had essentially died. Her body was just taking time to completely close down. She suggested that we leave my mother in the hands of her beloved cat.

Ben rose to the occasion with such love and loyalty. He lay upon my mother’s chest and purred very loudly. I got up to check on my mother in the middle of the night and as I was nearing her room, I heard very loud purring, almost like a motor, Ben was still on the job!!

Then Ben became our cat and we enjoyed him for several more years until he peacefully passed on from this world.

There is an anonymous poem, also on our refrigerator, that I read almost every day. I am going to share my favorite lines: “If you can start your day without caffeine.

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles.

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it.

If you can ignore a friend’s limited education and never correct him/her.

If you can conquer tension without medical help and sleep perfectly without the aid of drugs.

If you can overlook it when something goes wrong through no fault of yours and those you love take it out on you.

If you can honestly say that deep in your heart you have no prejudice against creed, color, religion, or politics.

Then, my friend, you are almost as good as your dog.”

I want to be as good as our dogs. I want to give love and understanding unconditionally. I want to be ready to play and have fun at a moment’s notice. Our dogs give us so much love and joy that Barry and I feel that we will never be without a dog through our dying days.

And just remember, dog spelled backwards is God. n ••• Joyce & Barry Vissell, a nurse/therapist and psychiatrist couple since 1964, are counselors in Aptos who are passionate about conscious relationship and personal-spiritual growth. They are the authors of 9 books and a new free audio album of sacred songs and chants. Call 831-684-2130 for information on counseling sessions by phone, online, or in person, their books, recordings or their schedule of talks and workshops. Or visit their web site at SharedHeart.org for their free monthly e-heartletter.

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / January 2022 / 27

COMMUNITY CALENDAR ANNOUNCEMENTS CALL TO ARTISTS The Santa Cruz County Department of Parks, Open Space and Cultural Services announces an opportunity for local artists to help contribute public art to library projects in Live Oak and Aptos.

Both calls to artists are due Jan. 21.

For details about the application processes, site plans and other materials, go to http://www.scparks.com/ Home/AboutUs/WorkWithUs/CalltoArtists.aspx.

Aptos Library An artist will be selected to create a site-specific public art component for new Aptos Branch Library.

The new library’s design will be inspired by the concept of “forest, coastal, and terrace” and other local environmental elements. The proposed public artwork should help create an inviting space where people of all ages will gather, learn, connect, and share.

Proposals should reflect the community’s identity and values while celebrating the unique culture and natural beauty of Aptos, and may incorporate a literary element and/or community participation component.

All proposals for this project must address outdoor fencing and gate needs.

The budget for the public artwork, which includes all costs associated with, but not limited to design, materials, travel, insurance, fabrication, installation, and documentation of the artwork, is $106,000.

Live Oak Annex The budget for public artwork at the library annex at Simpkins Family Swim Center is $85,500.

CENTRAL FIRE DISTRICT ELECTIONS HEARING Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County invites all interested persons to attend public hearings on districtbased elections at 9 a.m. on January 13 and February 10, at 930 17th Avenue, Santa Cruz.

CAPITOLA LIBRARY ACTIVITIES Board members will discuss, consider, and take action In-Person Tech Help: Tuesdays — 10 a.m. to noon. on one or more district map(s). Actions may include • Are you stuck with a technology question? Tech modification of division boundaries, sequencing of elecsavvy staff at the Capitola Library would like to help you tions. For more information, contact (831) 479-6842, or troubleshoot your issue with a 30 email: PublicComments@centralfiresc.org minute (or less) appointment.

Information: https://www.centralfiresc.org/2279/ReHidden Gems Film Club: Sunday, Districting-Process-2021-2022.

Jan. 9 — 2-6 p.m. • The Santa Cruz Public Libraries invite you to an evening of cinema.

ONGOING EVENTS Enjoy these “hidden gems.”

Preschool Storytime: Tuesday, Jan. 18 & 25 — 10 First Tuesdays of the Month to 10:30 a.m. • Read stories, sing songs, and chant UCSC ARBORETUM: FIRST TUESDAYS FREE rhymes. There will be an art & craft project to pick up 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., UC Santa Cruz Arboretum, 1156 High St, SC and complete at home.

Community Day at the UCSC Arboretum means Aptos/Capitola Youth Chess Club: Tuesday, Jan. 18 free admission on the first Tuesday of every month — 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. • Play chess, one of the world’s 9 a.m-5 p.m. oldest and most popular games, against other kids.

Guests are invited to explore the biodiversity of the gardens, One-hour meetings include 15 minutes of instruction enjoy bird watching or relax on a bench in the shade. by chess master Dana Mackenzie. For ages 6-18. https://arboretum.ucsc.edu Homework Help: Tuesday, Jan. 25 — 3 to 5 p.m. • Bring your assignments to a FREE drop-in Wednesdays in January Homework Help sessions. Students to grade 12. Call TECH TALKS 831.427.7713 for information.

11 a.m.-Noon, Zoom Classes STEAM: Fridays, Jan. 21 & 28 — 2 to 4 p.m. • Every Is your New Year’s resolution to learn more about week a new project idea to build or explore. Projects will technology? Then the Santa Cruz Public Libraries is the include Science, Arts & Crafts, model building. For ages place for you. Learn more about using your phone or 6-11. tablet with this month’s series of Tech Talks. Each class is free. Registration is required.

ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION Topics: CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUPS • Thursday, Jan. 6: All About Android Photos, make Alzheimer’s Association is offering video and phone the most of your camera and google photos on meetings for caregivers throughout the month: your android device. Register at https://santacruzpl.

Second and Fourth Wednesdays libcal.com/event/8611946.

Santa Cruz, 2-3:30 p.m. via phone — Facilitators: Jill • Thursday, Jan. 13, All About Apple Photos.

Ginghofer and Laurie McVay. Storing and sharing photos on your Apple mobile First and Third Wednesdays device. Register at: https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/ Santa Cruz, 5:30-7 p.m. via video or phone — event/8611956.

Facilitators: Francie Newfield and Kathleen McBurney.

• Thursday, Jan. 20, Google Calendar Optimized, Second Saturdays learn to organize your schedule and life with Scotts Valley, 10-11:30 a.m. via video or phone — calendar apps for both Apple and Android users.

Facilitator: Diana Hull.

Register at https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/ Register by calling 800-272-3900 or email ymflores@alz.org. event/8611983.

••• Call 831-427-7713 for help with registration. If you are new Second Wednesdays to using zoom, see santacruzpl.org/digitallearning.

Spanish, 7-8:30 p.m. via phone — Facilitator: Yuliana Mendoza.

Register by calling 831-647-9890 or email ymflores@alz.org. Third Thursday Each Month PET LOSS AND GRIEF SUPPORT VIA ZOOM 6 to 7:30 p.m., virtual meeting BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS GET $296 MILLION BirchBark Foundation’s Pet Loss and Grief Support As part of Gov. Newsom’s Clean California initiative, Zoom group offers a free support group, moderated Caltrans will fund local beautification projects in by a licensed grief counseling therapist, on the third communities throughout the state with $296 million in competitive grants. Applications for grants up to $5 Thursday of each month. million began Dec. 1, and Caltrans will announce grant Register at https://www.birchbarkfoundation.org/griefsupport or call 831-471-7255. recipients on March 1.

Applicants must be local or regional public agencies, transit agencies, or tribal governments. Nonprofit organi- Saturdays & Sundays zations may be sub-applicants. Half of the overall funds ECOLOGICAL RESERVE TOURS AT ELKHORN SLOUGH must benefit or be located in underserved communities.

Tours start at 10 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday,1700 Eligible projects shall include, but not be limited to: Elkhorn Road, Watsonville Community litter abatement and beautification, litter Volunteers lead walks highlighting the natural history of abatement events and educational programs.

A local match ranging from 0% to 50% of the project the Elkhorn Slough. Capacity is limited due to physical costs is required. distancing requirements, and individuals must sign up Projects will be selected based on need and on a first-come, first-served basis. potential to beautify public space and for greening to Groups of six or more should call ahead at (831) provide shade, reduce the urban heat island effect, 728-2822 or visit https://www.elkhornslough.org/ and use of native drought-tolerant plants, along with group-reservation/ to reserve a tour. public engagement in the project proposal.

For more info, visit www.elkhornslough.org/esnerr/tours/ Information: https://cleancalifornia.dot.ca.gov/local-grants

Have a virtual or live event you want to promote?

Send your information to info@cyber-times.com by January 24 Hours for English/Spanish bilingual career assistance at the downtown Santa Cruz library will begin in January.

These services are funded by two Library Services and Technology Act grants. A $100,000 project called the “Santa Cruz Workforce Collaborative” brings together Monterey Bay Economic Partnership’s Workforce Development Initiative; Cabrillo College’s Career Technical Education; the Workforce Development Board’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act programs; Goodwill Central Coast’s training and employment services; and the nonprofit Your Future is Our Business.

The grant also funds devices and hotspots, transportation to interviews, and MBEP’s Monterey Bay Career Coach Tool for job seekers.

A second grant for $15,000 creates a formal partnership between Santa Cruz Public Libraries and the Workforce Development Board of Santa Cruz County, supporting education and training for library staff and a Resource Fair for job seekers in the spring.

ITALIAN LANGUAGE CLASS REGISTRATION Registration is open for Winter 2022 Italian language classes beginning Jan. 17.

Learn the language of “la dolce vita” with our native Italian-speaking instructors over 10 weeks of classes.

Whether you are new to the Italian language, totally fluent, or everything in between, the Dante Alighieri Society of Santa Cruz is offering classes for you, Register today to secure your spot and take SENIOR CENTER WITHOUT LIMITS advantage of the early bird pricing, which ends Jan. 3.

This new program from Community Bridges brings Pricing & location (on-line, in-person, or hybrid) varies enrichment activities like yoga, art, music, tai chi, by class; for details, see https://www.dantesantacruz. cooking, tech and support groups to seniors age 60 and com/classes up in their homes at no cost.

For questions, email: dantesantacruz1265@gmail.com To participate, you need an internet connection and a computer, tablet or smartphone.

CABRILLO SPRING REGISTRATION To participate, view the calendar at https://communityRegistration is under way for the spring semester at bridges.org/SCWOL/ and find a class. That day and time, Cabrillo College, which begins Jan. 24. click on the link in the calendar to be connected. If you have Visit https://www.cabrillo.edu/catalog-and-classa problem connecting, call Clara Munoz at (831) 458-3481. schedules/#browse-classes for more information.

PROPERTY TAX BILL DUE AGRI-CULTURE, INC. 2022 SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE The Santa Cruz County has mailed out property tax Agri-Culture is accepting applications for its four college bills, and the second installment due date is Feb. 1. The scholarships, with Jan. 28 the deadline to apply. bill becomes delinquent after April 10.

They are: The first installment was due on Nov. 1 and became • Jimmie Cox Memorial Scholarship: $4,000 for delinquent after Dec. 10. Penalties will be incurred if a student entering or currently attending college not paid before becoming delinquent. and majoring in agriculture. (includes $2,000 from American AgCredit).

SUPPORT FOR MOTHERS OF SURVIVORS • Jeannie Witmer Memorial Scholarship: $1,500 for a student active (past or present) in Survivors Healing Center is offering online women’s California High School Rodeo Association District 4 support groups and mothers of survivors of childhood or California 4-H Horse Program, entering or cursexual abuse support group. The goals are to empower rently attending college and majoring in agriculture through a healing process and prevent sexual abuse of and/or animal sciences. children and youth.

• J.J. Crosetti, Jr. Memorial Scholarship: $1,000 You are not alone. You are not to blame. for a student entering or currently attending college More information: (831) 423-7601 or www.survivorshealing and majoring in agriculture. center.org • Laura Brown Memorial Scholarship: $2,000 for a student entering or currently attending college PUBLIC LIBRARY CAREER WORKSHOPS and majoring in agriculture or a related field, or The Santa Cruz Public Libraries presents career majoring in culinary arts. development workshops for teens and adults through The online application is at: http://www.agri-culture.

April, thanks to grant funding. us/scholarships/ Second Wednesdays: Resume and interview skill To request an application, contact the Financial Aid office at your school or the Agri-Culture office, 141 Monte Vista workshops at 10 a.m.

Ave., Watsonville, CA 95076 or call (831) 722-6622 or (831) Third Wednesdays: Resume and interview skill 818-1193 or email: agri-culture@sbcglobal.net. workshops in Spanish, 10 a.m.

28 / January 2022 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

COMMUNITY CALENDAR On Jan. 22, Sean Keilen, associate professor of literature at UCSC and director of the university’s Shakespeare Workshop, will address the group.

The following Saturday, Jan. 29, a DVD lecture discussing “Othello” by Peter Saccio, professor of Shakespearean studies at Dartmouth College, will be shown.

On Feb. 5, Rebecca Clark, of the UCSC education committee, will examine aspects of race, gender and politics revealed in the play.

The film version of “Othello” will be shown Feb. 12.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh, who also plays Iago, it features Irene Jacob as Desdemona to Fishburne’s Othello.

Although all sessions are free, those who tune in are encouraged to send a donation of at least $2 per session or $10 for the series to Santa Cruz Shakespeare, with a check made payable to the organization at 500 Chestnut St., Suite #250, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.

People who are not yet on the email list but would like to attend and get the Zoom link should email a request to: saturdayshakespeare@gmail.com

First Sunday Every Month WESTSIDE MARKETPLACE 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Old Wrigley Building Parking Lot, 2801 Mission Street, Santa Cruz 95060 Come by on Sunday and shop at over 40 unique & wonderful artists, makers & vintage sellers — there’s something for everyone at the Westside Marketplace!

Rain dates are scheduled for the following Sundays.

The Market is free to attend and is 100% local!

All local and state health guidelines will be followed. Please wear your mask, maintain social distance while you shop and stay home if you don’t feel well. Hand sanitizing stations will be available.

For more info, go to the event page: www.facebook.com/ events/ 170470481551895; Food Trucks A Go Go: www. foodtrucks agogo.com/; or SCM Makers Market: scmmakersmarket.com/ for a list of all of the vendors.

DATED EVENTS

ARTIST OPENING: JUST FUTURES

HABARI GANI! HONORING KWANZAA 6-8 p.m., Museum of Art & History, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz Curated by Santa Cruz Black Health Matters Initiative, this community gathering at the Museum of Art & History honors the annual celebration of Kwanzaa.

Admission is free.

Since 1966, Kwanzaa has been recognized amongst the winter holiday classics. However many lack understanding of its significance and practice. Habari Gani! welcomes the community to join in for: Kinara lighting ceremony, traditional dance, music, and a gift-giving ceremony.

The event features a pop-up by black-owned bookstore, BlknPrint, plus a Kwanzaa market and 10% of sales will be donated to the Santa Cruz Ofrenda.

4-6 p.m., Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery, UC Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz UC Santa Cruz Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery plans to host an in-person opening reception of Just Futures: Black Quantum Futurism, Arthur Jafa, and Martine Syms, featuring the works of Arthur Jafa, Martine Syms, and Black Quantum Futurism.

The centerpiece of the exhibition, Arthur Jafa’s Love Is The Message, The Message Is Death, was screened simultaneously over 48 hours across art museums in 2020 as an international response to racial justice uprisings and civil unrest.

Note: Exhibition includes violent imagery and content.

The reception will feature remarks from Arts Dean Celine Parreñas-Shimizu, curator, T.J. Demos, professor, history of art and visual culture, and Camilla Hawthorne, assistant professor, sociology, critical race and ethnic studies.

Covid-19 protocols will be followed. Complete a symptom check before or upon arrival. Rules may change depending on the Covid situation. https://art.ucsc.edu/sesnon/just-futures ••• Still from Black Space Agency, Black Quantum Futurism (2018). Courtesy of the artist.

Wednesday December 29

Monday January 3 Tuesday January 4 BASKETBALL JONES CAMP 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (8:45 a.m. drop off), Aptos High School, 100 Mariner Way, Aptos, CA 95003 Youths ages 7-14 can attend the Basketball Jones Winter Camps at Aptos High School.

Students attending should dress in (or bring) layers and wear shoes for outdoor and indoor surfaces, bring their own ball, water bottle, hearty lunch and healthy snacks as the camps do not provide either.

Cost for two-day camps is $100; one-day camps, $50.

Sibling, multiple camp and team discounts are available.

To register see: https://www.basketballjonescamps.com/

Monday January 3 Wednesday January 12 TUTOR ORIENTATIONS 11 a.m.-Noon Jan. 3 / 7:30-8:30 p.m. Jan 12, Online Seminar The Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County Literacy Program will offer online orientations in January for people interested in becoming a tutor.

Tutor training takes 14 hours. Volunteer tutors are matched with an adult student who has a strong desire to learn English, whether to get a better job, to talk with their children’s teachers, to navigate the health care system.

Tutoring can take place at your student’s home, a library, or other community location. No teaching or foreign language experience needed. It is rewarding, and requires only a few hours a week.

Call 831-427-5077, and sign up at https://scvolunteercenter. org/programs/literacy-program/volunteer/ for the mandatory one-hour orientation.

Wednesday January 19

Tuesday January 6 PVUSD BUS TOUR Noon-4 p.m., PVUSD District Office, 294 Green Valley Rd., Watsonville See what’s new on a tour of sites that have seen an upgrade, modernization or new construction, including Aptos Junior High (1:20 p.m.), funded by Measure L. A light lunch and beverages will be provided.

To join the tour, you can ride the bus or meet at the site at the noted time. To ride the bus, email Alicia_jimenez@pvusd.net by Jan. 4 and meet at the district office at noon.

For full details about the tour stops, visit https://tinyurl.com/ y33o3wts

Friday January 7 6-8 p.m., Jade Street Park, 4400 Jade Street.

Capitola Recreation presents Family Movie Night at Jade Street Park in Capitola. The movie to be shown is “Abominable,” an animated film from Dreamworks telling the story of three teenagers who must help a Yeti return to his family while avoiding those who would harm it.

Admission is free.

Wednesday January 12 Thursday January 20 SOQUEL DR. BIKE LANES & CONGESTION WORKSHOPS 6-7:30 p.m., Online Seminars The Santa Cruz county Department of Public Works

plans two virtual community workshops on plans to make Soquel Drive more walkable and bikeable and less congested.

The Jan. 13 workshop is designed for Aptos residents, while the Jan. 20 workshop is for Live Oak and Soquel residents.

Registers at bit.ly/soquelzoom1 for District 2 and bit. ly/soquelzoom1 for District 1.

The improvements currently planned for 5.6 miles of the busiest segment of Soquel Ave/Drive from La Fonda Ave to State Park Drive include buffered bike lanes, ADA-accessible ramps, and flashing sidewalk beacons.

Wednesday January 19 LUNCH WITH SUPERVISOR FRIEND 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Seascape Golf Course, Aptos The Aptos Chamber of Commerce plans a community networking luncheon meeting with 2nd District Supervisor Zach Friend at Seascape Golf Course in Aptos.

The price is: $30 members/ $35 non-members. RSVP at 831-688-1467.

Wednesday January 19 Saturday January 22 ECO-FARM CONFERENCE The 42nd EcoFarm Conference will be in person, Jan. 19-22 at the Asilomar State Beach & Conference Center in Pacific Grove. The theme is “Rooted in Resilience.”

This annual gathering of agriculturalists working to advance just and ecological farming and food systems will offer visionary keynote speakers, skill-building workshops, expo, seed swaps, networking, and farm tours.

Register at https://eco-farm.org/conference Questions: 831-763-2111 • info@eco-farm.org

Saturday January 22

TRAINING TO STOP SEX TRAFFICKING Noon-2:30 p.m., Zoom Class The Santa Cruz County Branch of the American Association of University Women is hosting an anti-sex trafficking training session on Zoom Saturday, Jan. 22, from noon to 2:30 p.m. for groups and individuals who Saturday January 15 work with teens.

SATURDAY SHAKESPEARE RETURNS WITH OTHELLO Titled “Mind Games: Understanding the Predator Psy10 a.m., Weekly Online Discussion chological Methodolgy,” the session will teach participants Shakespeare’s tragedy “Othello,” along with the film the techniques traffickers use to gain the trust of children version featuring Laurence Fishburne, will be examined and teens and then manipulate and control them. when the Saturday Shakespeare Speakers are: Dr. Deena Graves, an award-winning Club begins its new sessions via communicator, strategist and founder of M3 TransforZoom. mations, an organization that designs solutions that The gatherings, each open to the bring children back from predators and trauma, and public, begin with a lecture lasting Derek Williams, a former trafficker who now works to about an hour and include a brief stop human trafficking, explaining how traffickers work discussion, followed by a reading and what can be done. aloud of that portion of the play “We invite all those who work with teens to this under consideration. valuable session,” said AAUW President Phyllis Taylor.

UCSC Emeritus Professor Michael Warren, a noted Join the Zoom meeting at: https://tinyurl.com/ Shakespeare authority and dramaturg for Santa Cruz prevent-trafficking Shakespeare, will first give an overview of the play, its For audio, find your local number: https://us02web. history, relevance to its time and ours, and aspects of zoom.us/u/kbxNMcjKt special interest.

For info, call AAUW at (831) 425-1306. n

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / January 2022 / 29

FEATURED COLUMNIST

Roads and Water for the Holidays

Community Workshop: Jan. 20 for Live Oak & Soquel

By Manu Koenig, Supervisor, First District

H

appy Holidays from the First District office!

As we enter the New Year, we reflect on the issues we have worked on together over the last year, and we look forward to the good work to come. The year 2021 wrapped up with some positive news for both water and roads.

Pure Water Soquel Breaks Ground n December, the Pure Water Soquel project at Chanticleer and Soquel avenues broke ground. Soquel Creek Water District and their partner agency, the Santa Cruz Water Department, have done an incredible job evolving this project based on community feedback over the last decade.

It’s gone from a desal project to a recycled water project, changed l o c a tions, and become part of a larger portfolio of projects that includes conservation and water transfers between agencies.

The project is stronger because of that community engagement.

The Pure Water Soquel recycled water project will protect our aquifer from seawater intrusion and provide our community a resilient water

I

source during droughts. Pure Water Soquel will also be an educational facility, providing school children and community members alike with a first-hand look at advanced water treatment right here in mid-county. The project is planned for completion in 2023.

For more info visit https://www.soquelcreek water.org/260/Informational-Materials.

Soquel Drive Buffered Bike Lane & Congestion Mitigation ommuters looking to escape the congestion on Highway 1 often cut through on Soquel Drive. With operational improvements to Highway 1 in the works, the Soquel Drive Buffered Bike Lane & Congestion Mitigation Project is designed to provide improvements for 5.6 miles of the busiest segment of Soquel Ave/Drive from La Fonda Ave (Harbor High) to State Park Drive in Aptos.

The project aims to reduce congestion, enhance safety for bicyclists and pedestrians, and improve travel time reliability for bus riders and motorists.

This project has the potential to greatly improve both safety and congestion on this major County corridor. County Public Works will host two virtual community engagement workshops in January; join us on Thursday, Jan. 20, from

C

SPECIALTY SCREEN & GLASS SHOP Contact us for a free on-site consultation.

831-476-2023 Skylightplace.com

30 / January 2022 / Capitola Soquel Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com

Local Local Local

6 to 7:30 p.m., for a community meeting focused on the Live Oak and Soquel Village area improvements.

Register: bit.ly/ soquelzoom1 There will also be a workshop focused on the Aptos section on Wednesday, Jan. 12, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Register: bit.ly/ soquelzoom2.

For more information about the Soquel Drive Buffered Bike Lane & Congestion Mitigation Project, visit www.soqueldrivebufferedproject.com/. $6.5 Million for County Roads n more good news for County roads, in December the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission approved my motion to increase funding for County roads from the current round of gas tax revenues.

Roads are one of the most universal investments we can make -- they benefit car drivers, bus riders, cyclists and pedestrians. This $6.5 million will construct essential projects, including resurfacing and improved bike lanes on Soquel San Jose Road from Porter Street up to Laurel Glen Road.

The total list of County road projects from this funding is as follows: • Emergency Routes Resurfacing: Alba & Jamison Creek roads: Approx. $1.8M • Soquel Drive Buffered Bike Lanes & Congestion Mitigation: Approx. $1M • San Andreas Road Resurfacing: Approx. $1.6M • Soquel San Jose Road/Porter Street, Road Resurfacing & Multimodal Improvements, 3.15 miles: Approx. $1.5M • Holohan Road Resurfacing: $440K Also exciting are some of the bike and pedestrian projects in the cities such as: • Capitola: 41st Ave. intersection reconstruction at Capitola Road and Clares Street • Santa Cruz: Ocean Street pavement rehab and bike/ped upgrades

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News ...

Sports ...

Politics ...

• Scotts Valley: Granite Creek Road overcrossing, widened bike lanes, green treatment and repaving of sidewalks • Watsonville: Complete Streets Downtown, pedestrian and bike improvements To review a complete list of projects, visit: https://sccrtc.org/wp-content/ uploads/2021/12/RTIP-Approved-Projects.pdf.

Community Meetings n 2022 we will host monthly in-person hybrid meetings at rotating locations throughout the First District on the second Thursday of every month.

Upcoming meetings include: Thursday, Jan. 13: 6 – 7:30 pm.

In-person: Simpkins Swim Center Community Room, 979 17th Ave. Hybrid Zoom link: https://zoom. us/j/97980866000 Thursday, Feb. 10: 6 – 7:30 pm.

In-person: Loma Prieta Joint Union School District campus, the Forum Room, 23800 Summit Road.

Hybrid Zoom link: https://zoom. us/j/98411667502 Visit our website for a full list of upcoming community meetings: http:// www.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/Government/ BoardofSupervisors/District1.aspx n ••• We welcome you to reach out to us any time at (831) 454- 2200 or email us at first.district@ santacruzcounty.us. Hope to hear from you soon!

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SCCAS Featured Pet

COMMUNITY NEWS

Citrus Fruits Ripen Through Winter W

M

Senator Warren Is Ready To Move On

crossword on 25 »

eet Elizabunth Warren, a sweet shorthaired rabbit that has been at the Shelter for almost 6 months!

Elizabunth is one of many Shelter rabbits hoping to find her new home in time for the holidays — could it be with you? She was surrendered to the Shelter when her owner could no longer care for her and she is looking for a home where she can run and play and of course munch on some green treats.

Elizabunth is spayed and ready to go home with you today!

At animal shelters across the state, rabbits are coming in at an alarming rate.

Sadly, rabbits continue to be surrendered to the Shelter and there isn’t enough space for them all. There are hundreds of beautiful rabbits available for adoption and we are hoping you’ll stop by the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter and adopt a Shelter rabbit during our Winter Wonderland adoption special!

Due to this increase, all rabbits will be available for adoption for $22 when you adopt now through the end of February.

Visit the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter at 1001 Rodriguez St. or learn more at www.scanimalshelter.org.

Adoptions are first come, first served! Please view available animals on our website and then visit the Shelter 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. Call 831-454-7200 x0 during business hours or visit www.scanimalshelter.org for more information! n ••• Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter’s full-service, open-admission shelter: Santa Cruz Location (Public Entrance): 1001 Rodriguez St., Santa Cruz, 95062 Hours: Daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Watsonville Location: CURRENTLY CLOSED 580 Airport Blvd, Watsonville, CA 95076 SCCAS Main line: 831-454-7200. Animal Control: 831-454-7227. After-Hours Emergency: 831-471-1182 • After Hours: jillian.ganley@santacruzcounty.us

By Tony Tomeo

inter seems like an odd time for fruit to ripen. Winter weather is cool enough to inhibit vascular activity in plants.

That is why most plants are dormant to some extent through winter. Most familiar fruit trees are deciduous, so defoliate in winter chill. Stone fruits ripened through early summer. Pome fruits ripened through late summer and autumn.

Nonetheless, citrus fruits are now in season.

The various citrus fruits and their cultivars ripen at various times through their season.

Like stone fruits and pome fruits, they are on distinct schedules. Furthermore, climate affects ripening. Citrus fruits that ripen earlier than other cultivars in a particular climate may ripen after the same other cultivars in another climate.

A few cultivars produce sporadically, or notably later than citrus season.

Such cultivars are justifiably popular.

For example, ‘Eureka’ lemon is a mutant of ‘Lisbon’ lemon. ‘Lisbon’ lemon works well for orchards because all the fruit ripens within a limited season. ‘Eureka’ is more practical for home gardens because it instead produces

sporadically throughout the year. A few fresh lemons are always available. The winter crop is abundant, but not too overwhelming.

Mandarin oranges are the first citrus fruits to harvest, even if they are not the first to completely ripen. Because their rinds fit so loosely, they are the most perishable of citrus fruits. They will oxidize and dehydrate before they rot. Tangerines are the same, since they are merely American descendants of Mandarin oranges. ‘Rangpur’ lime is not a lime at all, but a sour Mandarin orange hybrid.

Oranges, lemons and grapefruits, although ripening now, can remain on their trees for quite a while. The tartness of grapefruits mellows with age, and might be preferable after a few months.

The same applies to the acidity of lemons.

However, too many lingering citrus fruits can inhibit bloom. Some limes are supposedly best before totally ripe. All citrus fruits stop ripening when harvested. Juice of the various citrus fruits can be frozen for storage if necessary. n Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.com.

Winter Fun © Statepoint Media

www.tpgonlinedaily.com Capitola Soquel Times / January 2022 / 31

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