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Across Table handkerchief (6) Flowed out (6) As well (3) Humoring (9) Professional cook (4) Viewpoints (8) Forfeit (9) Suffering delusions of fear (8) Simple aquatic plant (4) Incredibly (9) Common wine flavorer (3) Hazy and polluted (6) Toxin (6)
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Volume 10: Issue: 12
Down Observe (6) Food blender (9) Bird often seen in hieroglyphics (4) Magnificent (8) Place of higher education (3) Compendium (6) Keeping back (9) Has an aerial view of (9) Looking quickly but not thoroughly (8) Squirts (6) Small non-speaking part (4-2) Stabilizing device (4) Back in time (3)
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December 2021-January 2022
Santa Cruz Mountain Bulletin Turns 10 Years Old
by Wendy Sigmund That first issue, The Boulder Creek Bulletin, was a bit of a mess, I have to admit. I didn’t have an editor, or even another writer! I remember, vividly, picking up the first run and passing the paper out around town. I brought a stack into Johnnies and asked if there was a place I could leave them. The amazing lady behind the counter told me “put them on the counter for all to see!” I was so proud to do that, yet nervous for the reaction…. and still am today for every volume I drop off. It was a dark January night and I was sitting around a fire pit with some friends. I had a huge dilemma; I was a single mom with two small boys to care for. My youngest had just been diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes. I had to quit my job because the commute was too much. I just couldn’t drive so far away from my 5-year-old as we learned how to deal with man*************ECRWSSEDDM**************** Postal Customer Boulder Creek CA 95006 Felton CA 95018, Ben Lomond CA 95005
December 2021-January 2022
aging his diagnosis. I needed a job, but couldn’t commute “over the hill”. Remembering back to January 2012? The economy was not great, especially not for my situation. I could not find a job that fit my situation. My only option was to make one. I spent a month considering all possible businesses to start here, in the little town that I grew attached to. There was a night with friends where it came into focus. As I was staring into the flames I said to my friend, “I wish there was a community newspaper where I could work.” Then it came to me, I can start one. I studied journalism in college, worked on a couple small papers in my life, and had an idea. I knew I could do it. I used my rent check to pay for the first printing. A few Boulder Creek small business owners were so excited to have a community paper, they took a chance and paid for an ad in advance. They did not even know me, much less my background, or what I could do. Thank you Richard- of Richard’s Tree Service- for the first ad. You didn’t know what I could do, and honestly, neither did I. By the time I got home, I had three emails from people who Continued page 8
Past issues of the Bulletin, 2013 & 2015
PG&E Agrees to Implement Wood Waste Removal Program Santa Cruz County is pleased to announce additional enrollment options and public forums for residents with large wood debris remaining after the CZU Fire cleanup and tree removal conducted by PG&E Under the terms of a settlement reached with the County, PG&E agreed to implement a wood waste removal program and provide additional measures meant to protect the community from the threat and impact of wildfires. The County filed suit with the Public Utilities Commission following complaints from impacted residents that PG&E’s vegetation management and hazardous tree removal practices following the CZU Fire were insufficient, including failing to remove large wood debris resulting from tree removal activities, creating additional burdens for landowners. “After hearing from our constituents, it became clear that we needed to take strong action to remedy PG&E’s neglectful actions during the recovery process. We look forward to PG&E
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working more collaboratively with the County and our residents in the future to assure that their needs are met following major disaster events and outages,” Supervisor Bruce McPherson said. “Our role as elected officials is to look out for the interests of residents when they need us most. We’re very pleased to see this suit come to a positive resolution on behalf of those affected by the CZU Fire, and happy that we could negotiate additional measures to help reduce risk the wildfire throughout our community,” Supervisor Ryan Coonerty said. Under terms of the settlement, PG&E will notify customers regarding the opt-in wood waste removal program, which expires January 31, 2022. The County created an enrollment form on the Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience (OR3) website, at https://www.santacruzcounty.us/ FireRecovery/DebrisRemoval/ PGEWoodHaulProgram. aspx. Once completed, the form will automatically be sent to PG&E.
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letter from the publisher
On the Water Front
Hello Santa Cruz Mountain Friends,
by Mark Dolson
Happy New Year. I was reminded just today how only a short time ago things were cruising along at a nice pace. There were no really big crises to speak of. In the last two years we have seen enough crises for a lifetime.
Progress on Consolidation Planning; Rejection of Rate Adjustment; 2022 Board Officers The two December SLVWD Board Meetings ended up being held in rapid succession on December 2nd and December 7th. Only a few members of the public were in attendance, and many of the agenda items concerned fairly routine procedural matters. However, there were also multiple developments of public interest.
So I want to help remind you of what I am grateful for as I begin my personal journey of healing. I am grateful for the family members who surround me. I am grateful for an amazing community full of wonderful people I am proud to call my neighbors. I am grateful for the rain and our mighty mountain who so far is holding, not sliding. Please stay safe out there and remember to love and appreciate each other. I certainly appreciate you. Thank you and Happy New Year! Wendy Sigmund Publisher Santa Cruz Mountain Bulletin
Letters
Photo by SLV Steve, December 2021
Letter to the SC Mountain Bulletin, I visit your website to see my home town; the places and the people. I get homesick and visiting your site helps. The love in my soul for this special place lives on. Thank you. ~ Kim Byers
- SCM Bulletin contributors Publisher: Wendy Sigmund-Mountain Publishing, LLC Editor: Lori Suzanne Holetz Contributors: Robert Arne, Dee Ash, Mark Dolsom, Kevin Foster, Lori Suzanne Holetz, Taylor Kimble , Marcey Klein, Marybeth McLaughlin, Lisa Robinson, MJ Stearns, Joy Stewart Photographers: Steve Kuehl , Chucke Walkden Layout: Bree Karpavage The Santa Cruz Mountain Bulletin 6265 Hwy 9 - Felton CA 95018 831-508-0033 | scmbulletin@gmail.com | wendy.mountainpublishing@gmail.com www.santacruzmountainbulletin.net | @santacruzmountainbulletin mountainpublishing.net | info@mountainpublishing.net Subscription Info: 1 Year for $50.00. FREE locally. The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not necessarily reflect those of the Santa Cruz Mountain Bulletin (SCM Bulletin). SCM Bulletin is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement. Written permission from the publisher of the SCM Bulletin is required to reprint this issue of the SCM Bulletin in part or in whole.
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The most consequential topic at the December 2nd meeting involved the possibility of a temporary rate increase that the Board was unanimously eager to avoid. The District’s current rate schedule (approved via a public process in 2017) included a provision for revised “revenue-stabilizing” rates to potentially take effect if cumulative consumption during a water year declined more than 10% compared to the average for the prior three years. This trigger threshold was designed to ensure that the District’s target revenue stream could be maintained, via a Board-approved temporary rate increase, in the face of reduced consumption due to conservation or unusual weather patterns. District Staff explained that water consumption had recently fallen below this trigger threshold for a variety of reasons including both unusual weather and anomalous events like the CZU Fire and the Covid pandemic. They projected that revenue could be reduced by $613,000 if water consumption continued at lower levels for the remainder of the fiscal year. They also noted that the District had realized an unanticipated savings of $181,000 due to its inability to promptly fill three currently open Staff positions. District Manager Rick Rogers proposed that delaying certain capital expenditures (water meter replacement and vehicle and equipment purchases) could account for another $288,000, and the remaining $147,000 could be taken from the District’s reserve fund. The Board unanimously accepted this plan as preferable to temporarily raising rates; however, they also noted that this issue could resurface at some point in 2022. The most contentious topic at the December 7th meeting concerned next steps in the process of enabling potential consolidations
Board members noted that the state grant was for a million dollars less than the District had estimated it would need and that, while it was possible that the State might make up the difference if necessary, there was also a conceivable scenario in which the State would effectively retract the grant (namely, if the projected collaborations were to fall apart). The ensuing discussion culminated in a fairly pointed confrontation between District Manager Rick Rogers and the Board, and the Board eventually approved a revised plan via which the District would move forward as recommended, but more cautiously and incrementally. In other business, the Board approved a Proposed Water Rights Protest Resolution Agreement with the City of Santa Cruz in closed session but then ended up still having to press City representatives for more ironclad assurances (of appropriate protections for SLVWD) in the ensuing open session discussion. The City eventually agreed to put these assurances in writing. Lastly, the Board approved (by a vote of 4-0, Director Fultz abstaining) to retain Gail Mahood as Board President and Lois Henry as Board Vice President in 2022. Committee memberships mostly stayed the same for Board members (though further changes appear to be pending). Twelve members of the public applied to serve on Board Committees (ten of whom served the same roles in 2021), and all twelve were appointed to their first-choice committees. The next regular Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for 6:30 PM on January 6th (still via Zoom).
Nov-Dec Issue Answers
Instead of looking back as I often do in my letter to you for the New Year I want to look forward instead. Let us remember the blessings we have. We have each other. I have recently experienced great loss. I feel a grief of unbelievable magnitude in my personal life. For me it shadows all the other events of the last two years, and leaves an enormous hole. Counting my blessings is the only way I can cope with this.
with the Bracken Brae and Forrest Springs water companies north of Boulder Creek, both of which are badly in need of assistance. District Manager Rick Rogers was seeking Board authorization to begin spending money on preliminary engineering work based on: (a) continued progress towards formalizing collaboration agreements with the two water companies, and (b) receipt of a grant for $3.2 million from the State of California. Board members, however, were concerned about the worst-case financial risk that this course of action could expose the District to.
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December 2021-January 2022
SLV History his brother’s untimely death in 1898 at age 57. In 1916, Luther E. McQuesten took over as publisher of the Mountain Echo newspaper. Owed money by his subscribers, faced with the high cost of printing, and a paper shortage, he printed four editions of the newspaper on cottonwood leaves. In the subsequent paper edition, he printed the text of all four, for those who might have found the “fig leaf editions” difficult to read.
Celebrating Valley Newspapers by Lisa Robinson Congratulations to the Santa Cruz Mountain Bulletin on your tenth anniversary! Let’s take a look back at some of the other newspapers that have, in the past, reported on local Valley news. The first was The Hatchet, published in Boulder Creek in 1889 by the Reverend Sam Wallis of New Zealand with the slogan “The Hatchet Will Chop, the Chips Will Scatter, and the District Benefitted.” Two years later it was renamed the Boulder Creek News and was published by Captain Ferdinand Lee Clarke. It was renamed again the following year as The Woodsman. The newspaper was short lived however, and died the following year. Then, in 1894, came the Boulder Blast published by the Rev. Joseph Richard Watson. When Watson was called to “other and urgent fields of usefulness” in 1896, the Mountain Echo newspaper was born. Its first edition was October 24, 1896, describing itself as “the old paper under a new name and management.” The Mountain Echo described its platform as “the advocacy of truth, justice and right as we see it.” The Mountain Echo printing works were located next to the post office on the corner of Central Avenue and Forest Street in Boulder Creek. Charles Campbell Rodgers was the founder and Winfred Scott Rodgers Sr., his brother, was editor of the paper and continued in that role after
In 1905, Clarence Davis bought the newspaper printing plant of the Campbell Visitor with the intent of shipping it to Ben Lomond where he would “conduct a newspaper in conjunction with some other line of business.” Just one month later, the Santa Cruz Sentinel congratulated him on his first run of the Ben Lomond News, which carried “a good quantity of advertising, which is complimentary to the progressiveness of Ben Lomond business men.” However, his name wasn’t Davis but Probert - and he was a con man (see the article in the Santa Cruz Mountain Bulletin November 2014 issue). In 1914, California poet Charles Elmer Upton, principal at the Boulder Creek Grammar School started the short-lived The Patriot monthly newspaper “issued on the belief that home itself is the foundation of the nation. It espoused that “We are opposed to all shades and sorts of vice and crime, whether the wrongdoer is a pauper or a millionaire, an individual, a state, or a nation.” After the closing of the Mountain Echo newspaper, the void was filled by Arthur H. Townsend “an old newspaper man of Ben Lomond.” He worked with boys at the Boulder Creek Union High School who were studying printing to create a quality local newspaper called Community. Arthur was also a correspondent for the Santa Cruz Evening News and the editor of the Santa Cruz County Herald. He believed in the need for a community newspaper as in his words: “The people of the San Lorenzo River Valley are bound together by ties of neighborhood, common environment, resources and interest.” The newspaper ran from 1921-1923. To be continued. Image: The offices of the Mountain Echo newspaper next to the post office on the corner of Central Avenue and Forest Street in Boulder Creek. Now Scarborough Lumber’s Boulder Creek Hardware. Courtesy of the San Lorenzo Valley Museum.
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Taking the Bull by the horns The Joyous Kitchen Kindness In The World Today by Kevin Foster Whether it be holding the door open for others. Yielding to traffic to allow someone to merge. Checking on a neighbor during the storm. Stopping to try to get the dog that’s wandering on the roadside. Acts of kindness are few and far between these days. What most people don’t realize is, it’s contagious when you perform a good deed or act of kindness for another; it plants the seed and odds are pretty good they’ll pay it forward someway or somehow. For example when you buy coffee in line for the person behind you. Next thing you know everybody in line is paying it forward to the person behind them. If we could create similar things like this in our daily lives, imagine the smiles it would bring and make the world a little bit better place. If you stop and think about it, it’s really the smallest acts of caring or compassionate kindness that makes the biggest difference. I think a lot of us lose sight of that in our daily busy lives. The world could use a little more kindness—especially with the year we just had. Here’s one small act of kindness that really planted a good seed.
Twice as Nice Two firefighters were waiting in line at a fast-food restaurant when the siren sounded on their fire truck parked outside. As they turned to leave, a couple who had just received their order handed their food to the firefighters. The couple then got back in line to reorder. Doubling down on their selfless act, the manager refused to take their money. — JoAnn Sanderson, What is the meaning of kindness? According to the dictionary:
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Penne with Broccoli Rabe and Spicy Italian Sausage
Kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. But kindness means so much more. Kindness can mean different things to different people. The meaning is in how YOU choose to show it. Be it through empathy, acceptance, kind gestures, thoughtfulness; the possibilities are entirely up to you. Kindness might look like being helpful or showing empathy. It may mean doing nice things without expecting anything in return. Kindness goes beyond merely being nice. Think about it - would you prefer people describe you as being “kind” or “nice?” There can be a lack of sincerity in just being nice; there is often a perception of doing the minimum. Whereas being kind is doing intentional, voluntary acts of assistance. Not only when it’s easy to be kind, but especially when it’s hard. Kindness is a movement. Has someone ever done something kind for you and all you wanted to do after was pay it forward? That’s because kindness is a chain reaction. It’s a wave that keeps rolling, and all it needs is one person to start it. One small kind act can cause a ripple effect that has the potential to impact an entire community. If we all would focus on being kind, we would be creating a movement of change. You know that famous “be the change you wish the see in the world” quote? That quote isn’t just about change, and it isn’t only about one person being able to change their world. It’s bigger; it about a movement that can be started from one person acting with intention.
by Joy Stewart
Recipe:
Garlic. Olive oil. Rich pork sausage. The delicious combination of bitterly anise-y broccolini next to the sweet herbs and actual anise in Italian sausage, combined with the rich fat is delightful. Garlic infused olive oil adds a sweet funky depth. This is comfort food at its finest. If I’m so moved (and they’re in season), I’ll throw in a chopped roma tomato or three. It changes the subtle sauce, but can really be a wonderful in season addition. The key to making simple dishes taste phenomenal is to source their few ingredients carefully. The recipe which follows is beautiful in its simplicity and an absolutely lovely offering in a pinch. It’s also one of my family’s favorite dishes. This can also be made with fresh broccoli florets and is even a dish you can add the stems into (just trim the fibrous parts off first).
1 lb. Penne pasta 1 lb. or 1 bunch broccoli rabe (also called broccolini), chopped into 1.5” pieces. 3 large Italian sausages (roughly 2/3 to 3/4 lb.) 3 tablespoons olive oil 4 large cloves of garlic minced or put through a press ¼ cup white wine Salt, to taste Pepper, to taste In a large saucepan over low heat, combine garlic and olive oil and a dash of salt. Cook for ten minutes to infuse the olive oil with garlic. If you notice the garlic turning darker at all, you have the heat too high. Remove sausage casings and crumble meat inside; add to pan and increase the heat to medium.
I’d like to wish all our readers a merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a happy new year. Be that act of kindness you wish to see in the world and if you can’t find the blessing, be one!
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December 2021-January 2022
Healthy Tidbits Cook until sausages are browned and starting to ooze fat. Add wine and scrape bottom/sides of pan to deglaze. In a big pot of well salted water, cook pasta according to package/ preference. Add broccoli rabe, more salt and pepper to taste in the saucepan with sausage and garlic. At this point I like to cover the saucepan to allow the broccoli rabe to steam in its own moisture, but feel free to leave it uncovered and sautee the broccoli rabe; in any case, your broccoli should take about as much time to cook as the fusilli does to boil. Before draining pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain pasta and toss with ingredients in pan and reserved pasta water. Serve topped with freshly grated parmesan and minced fresh flat leaf (Italian) parsley, if you have it on hand.
Eating Well During the Holidays by Marcey Klein BS, NC We don’t have to give up and eat everything in sight during this time of year, there is a strategy we can follow for success. With just a few tweaks we can have some fun, let loose a little, but maintain a healthy balance, not going in one extreme or another. It’s important to have fun with friends and family, it’s good for our wellbeing, and it’s good to also take care of ourselves, not letting ourselves fall too far out of balance. The number one rule for success is to never go to a party or restaurant famished. We will set ourselves up for failure that way. Keeping our blood sugar in check helps us make healthy food choices. Remember a higher protein/fat meal in the morning will be important for energy and satiety, and having a snack with protein every 3 hours is important as well for blood sugar. I try to keep snacks in the car with me in case my blood sugar dips. I have a snack bag that I keep an apple, a nutrition bar, a bag of nuts, and some beef jerky. The apple gives me fiber, hydration, and phytonutrients, the almonds and jerky give me fat and protein, and the bar gives me carbohydrates and fiber. I also carry a water bottle wherever I go to keep hydrated, which is important for all body systems.
When we are at a get together, and we don’t arrive ravenous, we can make some better food choices. I will scope out the appetizers and completely opt out of the highly refined and processed foods and desserts, these are the ones that wreak havoc on our bodies. I will also opt out of the store bought baked goods, those have damaged fats and chemicals in them that inflame the body and damage our cell membranes. I will eat an olive tapenade, possibly some cheese and crackers, deviled eggs, definitely the veggies, items that seem home- made, and a few chips. To tell you the truth, sometimes there’s very little at a party that is edible to me, and that’s where my snacks come in. Drinks; these can be tricky. Sip slowly, savor, enjoy. The cheese, crackers, and protein usually served along with our wine, help our blood sugar not spike from the alcohol which is naturally high in sugars. When our blood sugar rises and dips too quickly, we get really hungry, a bad recipe for trying to fit into our cute New Year’s outfit. Try to limit your drinks to one if you’re a female, and 2 for a male. Some of us will have to sip very slowly, but if we are really making an effort to remain health conscious and take care of ourselves, we need to not overly imbibe. After your drink, have a fruit
juice. I like unsweetened cherry juice because of the antioxidant benefits, mixed with sparkling water. People will not know the difference and you can stay hydrated and hangover free. Drinking Kombucha instead of alcohol is a good choice too because it has a little alcohol in it, but it is good for your liver and digestion. Travel: If I’m traveling for the holidays, I will bring packets of green drinks that include probiotics and an array of super greens. Wild Roots carries these little packets at the register. I also take packets of Electrolytes or vitamin packets which will give me extra electrolytes, antioxidants, minerals, B and C vitamins. Remember to wear your face mask around people as the pandemic is still taking place, and stay up on your vaccinations and booster shots to keep your immunity up. I also recommend extra Vitamins D, C and B, Zinc, Selenium, and Quercetin. Have a happy and healthy Holiday with loved ones and stop into Wild Roots to say hi, or if you have any further questions.
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Carpe DiEm
Henry David Thoreau in the Santa Cruz Mountains by Robert Arne Five years ago, I was a poor tax accountant who lived with a city-loving wife in Santa Clara, in a cheap rental I had obtained for $169k. Yet I dreamt that I might “live deliberately” as Henry David Thoreau did in 1840’s Massachusetts: “...to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” The prospective site of my isolation was not Walden Pond, but spare land behind my rental property up Scenic Drive in Ben Lomond. These Santa Cruz mountains had once been filled by thousands of tiny shacks for those who wanted hunting and private life. My mother even gave me $5,000 to pursue dreams Thoreau lauded: “I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.” Seeking solitude in a location that blocked no one’s view and bordered on no one’s property, I began construction alone on a 6 by 14 square foot shack, under the 120 square foot permitting limit. Should this be the privilege of the monied elite? I knew nails, windows and roofing well enough to make it all safe. I even poured a foundation, and all went well until I built a ground-hugging staircase to the street below. Without warning or conversation, someone turned to the County complaining that I was blocking the street and building an illegal granny unit. Though this man didn’t live near my house, he even posted signs on trees encouraging neighbors to echo his wrath to the authorities. I have forgiven this man for costing
me $10,000 and a heap of troubles, but I may write him up as a communist mole leading people to death in the Cultural Revolution. “Rather than love, than money, than fame,’ wrote Thoreau, “give me truth.” In the moment of truth a “red tag” provides, I met the gentle inspector who showed up at my property and hinted that he probably would have ignored me but for the vociferous neighbor. From a distance, he noted that I had an unpermitted deck on the main house and that I had to: - Recognize the construction of 260 sq.ft. uncovered deck & stairs. - Reduce the height of the existing 109 sq. ft. shed such that it does not exceed 10 feet and detach deck framing from the shed. - Construct support for the detached portion of the deck. - Recognize electrical work at the shed. Countless times, I told inspectors that I wanted a tiny shack and not a nuclear power plant, coal mine or slaughterhouse. I soon found that amateur drawings would not satisfy inspectors even if they could look at an existing shed to see if it was safe. I hired someone to make drawings and he managed to talk the city out of requiring thousands of dollars of surveying work and soil testing. Then I discovered that I had to tear down two year old decking because it bridged a septic tank. These tanks are the key to regulation: I knew that it would be illegal to expand my house without over $20,000 of sewer work. But who was bothered by the deck
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and neither deck nor shack had plumbing? To no one’s benefit, I tore down a deck. The Building Department sent me to Environmental Planning, which forced me to swear that I would never finish the interior of the shack or use it for housing. Acts like these multiplied a thousand times over, keeping a thousand people homeless who might have lived in shacks like this. It seemed strange for the government document to suggest “detach deck framing from the house” because detaching decking from concrete foundation would only weaken the decking. What matter is safety when regulations are at stake? If the decking is attached and the building is too tall, I would have to seek permits; the Building Department, (utterly indifferent to costs) politely asked me for engineering drawings and calculations on a 109 foot shed. So I shelled out $2,500 to an engineer who submitted a list of mathematical calculations that everyone clearly ignored, but it made inspection appear thorough. Squabbling with the city over plans cost a year of time and I had to pay $2,000 for shed permits and over a thousand dollars to
renew permits when I couldn’t afford expenses of permitting and construction to satisfy permitting requirements. I could only finish removing electrical work and hiring a general contractor to complete the project to code when I borrowed money from the realtor to sell off the whole property. The $5,000 shack and decking cost over $17,000. The inspector signed off without hassle and I wept. Thoreau understood what delay and expense meant: “The cost of a thing is the amount of what I will call life, which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run.” Good and kind people populate Building Departments and pass regulations for health and safety. Yet their regulation destroys the “tonic of wildness” Thoreau lauded and the urban life doesn’t help those who step to the music of “a different drummer”. It is hard to “suck out all the marrow of life” sitting long hours waiting for regulators and trying to prepare their paperwork; and I didn’t finish the novel I had planned to write in the shack. Thoreau had famously protested the Mexican War by refusing to pay taxes, and he wrote about his night in jail for civil disobedience. If the government can violate conscience with wars,
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December 2021-January 2022
can it not also violate conscience with regulations to keep small shacks too expensive for commoners? Tax disobedience would certainly cost me my Enrolled Agent’s license and I wonder if holding signs in front of the County Offices would have an effect? Would the homeless march against building codes? Would the rich enable poor renters to live nearby, or should they be crowded into urban public housing projects? Would locals who do vote, support urban idealists who don’t vote locally? Would urban planners want us all to live in crowded cities using public transportation? Do the interests of environmentalists and wealthy not-in-my backyarders come together to defeat the freedom of solitude in nature? Over time, my investments paid off and I left my city wife behind to buy my Emersonian dream house in the Santa Cruz Mountains where I can do Buddhist meditation and ponder the fundamental unity of religions. Wealth now makes me lucky enough to: “Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.”
THE MOUNTAINEAR New Year, New Home by MJ Stearns & Mary Beth McLaughlin - Room Realestate If you’re looking to buy a home, there’s no doubt you want to pay the best price. Sometimes, entering the market at the right time can help. Just like there are hot times of the year to buy cars, there are peak buying seasons for homes. Generally, winter is the best time of the year for buyers looking for a good deal. During the winter, and specifically in January, there is a scarcity of buyers. This is especially true where temperatures dip dramatically and fewer people want to venture out into the cold. In fact, you can consider January as the near opposite of the spring, when buyers flood the market and home prices shoot up. The length of time a home is on the market has a direct impact on the sale price. Sellers are more willing to lower their price expectations the longer a home is on the market. That means buyers have more room to bargain for a good price in January than they would in more active sales months such as June. Remember that there may indeed be less home buyers looking for properties in January, so sellers may have fewer options. But there is also less supply of properties in January. So, while you may get a better
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price for a home in January, you may be able to find a more suitable home (or at least have a wider selection) in the summer, when there are more homes on the market. If you really want to get into a new home in the New Year, then you might want to start the year off looking, because January offers several benefits that the summer months do not. Here are four reasons why January is one of the best months to shop for a new home. Most home buyers want to be in their new homes in time for the new school year and the holidays. Since the number of buyers drops off significantly in the winter months, this leaves you with less competition to worry about. The chances of you getting into a bidding war tend to be pretty slim. Of course, this also means that inventory won’t be as high, so you will have fewer homes to choose from. But if you see a home you are interested in, you can be sure
the sellers will be glad to receive your offer. With the market less saturated with buyers, realtors often find themselves with a lack of clients. By looking for a home in January, your realtor will be so glad to have your business they will provide you with outstanding service. Your realtor will be quick to answer your calls, ready to show you homes at a moment’s notice, and help you get into your home much quicker than it would take in the warmer months. If getting a great deal on a home is important to you, then you don’t want to wait long into the new year before you start looking. Home prices will continue to rise as the months pass by. The home you find in January could wind up costing thousands of dollars more if you wait to put in your offer in April or May.
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December 2021-January 2022
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Mr. Astrology - January Three to four times a year the planet Mercury gives the impression of traveling in reverse in the sky for a period of about three weeks. This phenomenon is known as Mercury retrograde. Retrograde cycles are illusions that are caused by our perspective from earth, because the earth is circling the sun at a different rate than the other planets. Mercury is the planet that rules communication. When Mercury is exhibiting its apparent retrograde motion, confusion tends to ensue. Mercury governs areas such as commerce, speaking, contracts, transportation and technology. Assessments can be difficult to make, and setbacks and obstacles are more likely to occur. It is a period when being careless with resources, personal data, or correspondence can be detrimental. After having been retrograde since January 14th, Mercury goes direct on February 3rd, 2022 at 8:07 PM (PST). Aries March 21-April 20 Venus enters your 10th house of career on the 29th. Take time out to refresh and renew your spirit, and pursue good relations with your coworkers. On the 23rd your ruling planet Mars squares off with Saturn. The tremendous energy you have at your disposal now should be used constructively or you might find you are just spinning your wheels. Taurus April 21-May 21 On the 5th your ruling planet gracious Venus forms a harmonious alliance with mystical Neptune. Make a wish! The sun enters your 10th house of career on the 19th. Congratulations on a job well done! New starts can take place in your profession that can effectively modify its path. Gemini May 22-June 20 The moon illuminates your 2nd house of resources on the 17th, providing opportunities to reflect on your skills and talents. On the 28th your ruling planet Mercury teams up with powerful Pluto, allowing access to enticing ideas that can assist you in creating a winning plan! Cancer June 21-July 21 On the 17th your ruling planet the moon lights up your 1st house of self. As is your desire, so is your will. As is your will, so is your deed. As is your deed, so is your destiny! The sun enters your 8th house of shared resources on the 19th. Look for a fresh start in attaining a greater depth of unity with other people. Comprehension will develop concerning your needs in a partnership. Leo July 22-Aug. 22 Your ruling planet the Sun squares off with Jupiter on the 6th. Avoid the impulse to go in too many directions at once. On the 28th Mars enters your 6th house of health and service. Others seem to be especially opinionated. It is best to reserve judgment for the time being. Virgo Aug. 23-Sept. 22 On the 29th Venus enters your 5th house of romance and creativity. Reconsider your beliefs in regard to partnerships and stay open to visions that clarify how a relationship can truly aid you. Your ruling planet Mercury is in a harmonious alignment with lucky Jupiter on the 21st. Being romantic feels healthy and sustaining! Libra Sept. 23-Oct. 22 Your ruling planet Venus is in a beneficial configuration with mystical Neptune on the 12th. You’re prepared to generously provide something significant for the aid of another. On the 17th the moon enters your 10th house of career. Explore how to modify or expand work duties.
Scorpio Oct. 23-Nov. 22 On the 16th the sun forms a beneficial configuration with your ruling planet Pluto. Helping others helps you more fully sense your inner resources. Mercury enters your 4rd house of home and roots on the 2nd. Conversations can stimulate new plans with regards to a richly rewarding family life. Sagittarius Nov. 23-Dec. 21 The Sun squares off with your ruling planet Jupiter on the 6th. Try to keep things in perspective. Providing assistance to a friend can be rewarding, but take care to acknowledge your own needs as well! On the 19th the sun enters your 3rd house of communications. Over the next four weeks, discover new parts of your community. You can gain valuable insights. Capricorn Dec. 22-Jan. 20 On the 1st Mercury enters your 2nd house of resources. People may want to rely on you for counsel or friendly conversation because of your upbeat and encouraging demeanor. Venus harmonizes with your ruling planet Saturn on the 27th. Enjoy the opportunity to lavish extra care with loved ones on that day. Aquarius Jan. 21-Feb. 19 Mars races into your 12th house of solitude on the 24th, presenting an ideal opportunity to work on intellectual projects in privacy and with secure focus! On the 30th the sun squares off with your ruling planet Uranus. Be open to ideas coming on suddenly, seemingly from out of nowhere, but take care to make sure that they are grounded in reality. Pisces Feb. 20-March 20 On the 29th Venus is in your 11th house of community. This is a time when you express the gentler and more sympathetic aspects of your personality to those around you. Venus teams up with your ruling planet Neptune on the 5th. You are predisposed to art, music and all forms of beauty during this influence. The real purpose of Mercury retrograde is to evaluate and improve our lives and our relationship to the universe. Mercury possesses an orbit that periodically races ahead of the Sun, permitting us a glimpse of the future on the road to implementing new and innovative ideas. But we cannot proceed until we return to the present defined by the position of the sun and apply our new concepts to reality. Have a great month, and always remember: keep looking to the stars!
Bulletin - Continued saw the initial paper. One amazing lady, Deb Longly, wanted to be the editor. The next thing I know is Boulder Creek Hardware wanted an ad. Then, of course, there was a person that pointed out all my typos and helped me along the way- without that person the paper would not have become what it is today. A couple months later, Bree Karpavage contacted me. She said she wanted to get her hands on the paper and make it beautiful. Which she did. Dennis Gobet contacted me and became my mentor, as well as a valued columnist. He had run several papers in his life and wanted to help. We would not have been successful without his knowledge. We grew fast, and I realized it was no longer just a Boulder Creek paper. The name was changed to “The Santa Cruz Mountain Bulletin.” Candi and Josh came onboard with Mr. Astrology, Steve Poikenon loved to make people upset with his controversy. Oh… what times we had putting those issues together! Then one day I got an extraordinary call from Al Wasserman. He wanted to debate something that I had printed. We met for coffee and had a wonderful lively debate. By the end he would be coming on board as our political columnist.
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Only later did I learn of his famous life marching with Rev. Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. He put us on the map. We printed his column until the time he passed away, and we miss him still. So many amazing characters and friends have come into my life because of the Bulletin. We have covered so many topics in the last 10 years. Lisa Robinson, the curator of the SLV Museum, always has some wonderful tidbits from our past. “Tips for Teens” by Marnie DeFosset has helped so many teens and parents. “Healthy is Wealthy” by Chandala Snow-Shiva was an informative column. Marcie Klein with “Healthy Tidbits” too! I’m blessed with knowing, and having a relationship with, a great core of advertisers- like MaryBeth McLaughlin and Justin at the Pizza and Pub. We have had our challenges. One person, that I trusted, flat out stole the website that was built for the paper. One of the past editors left and started a competing publication, and that’s great- at least as long as honesty is still a virtue in the small town news business. But none of it matters. The work matters. The paper matters. This community matters. It has been a pleasure to serve, to the best of my ability. Thank you all so much for your support. Here’s to the next 10 years.
December 2021-January 2022
Event Calendar: january 2022 Saturday January 1 California King Tides January 1, 2022 @ 7:00 Am - January 3, 2022 @ 5:30 PM - Various locations in Santa Cruz County 831-425-1234 www.santacruz.org Redwoods and a River Saturday, January 1 at noon - Meander through the redwood forest and down River Trail to Cable Car Beach with a knowledgeable docent. On the way, you will experience two of the park’s ecosystems, discuss redwood and river ecology, and see wildlife of both ecosystems. Bring water, snacks, and layered clothing. Meet at the visitor center. Free event. Vehicle day-use fee is $10. For more information, call (831) 3357077. Event made possible by Mountain Parks Foundation and California State Parks. Redwood Grove for kids! January 1, 2022 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park 101 N Big Trees Park Rd Felton 831-335-7077 www. thatsmypark.org
Friday January 7 First Friday Santa Cruz Friday January 7, 2022, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM Various locations in Santa Cruz County Plan your First Friday night and visit participating venues in Downtown, the Tannery Arts Center, Midtown, Westside, Eastside, Felton, and Ben Lomond! Get out and support the arts! Find the full listing of participating artists and venues + all of the details on our website, firstfridaysantacruz.com
Saturday January 8 Tea Party Saturday, January 8 at 8 am - Drop by to warm up and learn more about a few of the herbs found in Santa Cruz County. Three teas will be prepared for your enjoyment and delight! Casually discuss the properties of these herbs, how to identify them, and where to find them with a state park interpreter. Please bring a personal mug. Meet at the visitor center. Free event. Vehicle day-use fee is $10. For more information, call (831) 335-7077. Event made
possible by Mountain Parks Foundation and California State Parks.
Sunday January 9 Birding for Beginners Sunday, January 9 at 9:00 am Join State Park Interpreter Dylan McManus for a tranquil morning filled with resident and migratory birds. Learn about the birds in our park and ways to participate in birding community science, receive a Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park birding brochure, and begin your hobby as an enthusiastic birder! Make sure to bring water, comfortable footwear, and a keen eye and/or ears! Meet in the campground located off Graham Hill Road. Free event. Vehicle day-use fee is $10. For more information, call (831) 335-7077. Events made possible by Mountain Parks Foundation and California State Parks
Saturday January 15 Tree Identification Walk Saturday, January 15 at 9:00 am - Learn all about the life histories and characteristics of up to 15 different tree species residing in the redwood forest or riparian ecosystems, practice the fundamentals of tree identification, and receive supporting materials and guides. Participants should be prepared to walk approximately 2 miles on level ground. Meet at the visitor center. Free event. Vehicle day-use fee is $10. For more information, call (831) 3357077. Event made possible by Mountain Parks Foundation and California State Parks. Santa Cruz Symphony: Rites of passage Saturday January 15, 2022 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium 831-420-5260 santacruzsymphony.org Tammi Brown (Speaker), COPLAND Fanfare for the Common Man SHAW Entr’acte, WINEGLASS Unburied, Unmourned, Unmarked, BRAHMS Symphony No. 4
Sunday January 16 Santa Cruz Symphony: Rites of passage January 16, 2022 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Henry J. Mello Center for the Performing Arts 831-768-3266 santacruzsymphony.org (event is
same as above with a different location) The Downtown Santa Cruz Makers Market EVERY THIRD SUNDAY! Come on out and support small business and local art! JAN 16 10am-5pm. This market hosts a wide range of locally handmade goods! You can find some of your favorite Santa Cruz makers here AND brand new makers...the variety of goods at the market is AMAZING! Located on the 1100 block of Pacific Ave. between Cathcart and Lincoln Streets near New Leaf and alongside so many amazing downtown restaurants. Friendly leashed pups are welcome! Presented by SCM Makers Market. Visit our website for more info! www.scmmakersmarket.com
Save the date February 6 The Westside Marketplace - 1st Sundays at the Wrigley...it’s the Westside Marketplace! Featuring LOCAL art, handmade & vintage shopping + Food trucks & pop-ups and LIVE MUSIC... all outdoors at the Old Wrigley Parking Lot on Mission. FREE admission! FREE & Easy Parking! Friendly leashed pups are welcome! LIVE MUSIC from 1-4pm! Presented by your friends at SCM Makers Market & Food Trucks A Go Go. SPONSORED BY: New Leaf Markets & Farm Fresh to You Can’t wait to see you all out supporting local! For more details visit www.scmmakersmarket. com or www.foodtrucksagogo.com & keep an eye on our social media!
February 26 & February 27 41 st Annual Clam Chowder Cook-off 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk 831-423-5590 beachboardwalk.com Taste the best at the 41st Annual Clam Chowder Cook-Off! Sample chowder from Amateur Chefs on Saturday, followed by Professional Chefs on Sunday. Both days feature Boston and Manhattan Clam Chowder, and you can help pick a winner each day. Rain or Shine! Tasting kit proceeds benefit Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation.
SLV Crime Blotter 12/02/2021 19:47 HIGHWAY 9 FELTON, A subject was arrested for local bench warrants and possession of drug paraphernalia. 12/03/2021 15:49 HIGHWAY 9 FELTON, Counterfeit bill case. 12/03/2021 16:59 PINE ST BOULDER CREEK, A deceased subject was located in his residence by his friend, who contacted emergency services. 12/03/2021 22:20 FELTON, This report documents the arrest of a felon in possession of a firearm, cocaine, and other miscellaneous offences. 12/04/2021 15:47 HIGHWAY 236 BOULDER CREEK, A victim reported fraudulent usage of
December 2021-January 2022
their debit card online.
12/06/2021 13:50 BOULDER CREEK, DOA
12/09/2021 10:53 NINA DR BOULDER CREEK, This report documents a neighbor dispute where one neighbor allegedly attempted to run over another neighbor. Patrol follow-up to identify/ contact the responsible neighbor. Negative video surveillance and negative injuries to the reporting party.
12/06/2021 19:30 FELTON, Report of a rumored prank at the high school.
12/13/2021 01:53 BEN LOMOND, A carjacking was reported.
12/08/2021 08:28 BOULDER CREEK This report documents a fraud.
12/14/2021 23:50 BOULDER CREEK, Subject was arrested for DUI after crashing into a cement guardrail.
12/06/2021 10:30 16600 BLK HIGHWAY 9 BOULDER CREEK, Two vehicles were reported burglarized.
12/09/2021 00:27 BEN LOMOND A woman battered her ex-boyfriend causing visible injury. I arrested the woman and booked her into jail.
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12/16/2021 12:13 FLAT ST BOULDER CREEK, Suspect put his dog inside victims house without her permission. Suspect also took the victim’s phone while he was inside the house.
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Plumbing
Apollo Drain & Rotto Service 831-338-3203
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BC Recreation & Park Boulder Creek Recreation & Parks District Hallie Greene 13333 Middleton Ave Boulder Creek, CA 831-338-4144
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December 2021-January 2022
One Tribe Spirit Most of All, I Wish You Joy
~ celebrating the light within the darkness ~ by Lori Suzanne Holetz Deep peace of the running waves to you. Deep peace of the flowing air to you. Deep peace of the quiet earth to you. Deep peace of the shining stars to you. Deep peace of the gentle night to you. Moon and stars pour their healing light on you. Deep peace of the Light of the World to you. ~ Gaelic Blessing It is a quiet time now, for the Earth. It is a time of going inward. The days shorten to the Solstice, the light waning. And then the moment of the return of the Sun. Bringing shining light, hope and faith. Life will bloom again. Within the peace of the Wintertime, there resides a solitude, a deep knowing that resonates within all life. The Sun low on the hori-
December 2021-January 2022
zon, drives us inside to find warmth of home, family and friendship. Our health and wellbeing depends on these earth cycles, the synchronization of all, together. When we see this, respect, and honor this, within nature, within ourselves, life is enriched and made sweeter in this eternal dance. Nature goes to sleep in the darkness. And what is that deliciousness as the first rays of light return. What does the darkness feel like within us? And what does that hope feel like when the light does begin to return? It is a Holy Season, a time to explore the light within the darkness; for we know, we cannot have one without the other. The pendulum of time swings and the seasons’ cycles have been a part of the
Earth and Her beings since the dawn of time. We as humans are not separate from this, it is inherently part of our deep intuitive nature. Yet we have become so disconnected by and lost within our modern technological societies. In celebration of the mystical substance that is the light, we go inward, alighting our interiors with warmth and security of home and hearth, the sparkly twinkling lights of the tree, bringing us joy within the darkness. The light is illuminating, shining upon the dark corners of our lives, inside and out. It is a time to turn our vision and attention towards those dark places and to sparkle and shine our own personal light outward to our fellow friends and
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loved ones. This brings us joy. And what is joy? Joy is a feeling of great happiness and pleasure, made larger with sharing. It is to rejoice, in our blessed gifts from Mother Earth, and all the abundance surrounding us. It is a time to be grateful and pass those abundant blessings along, paying forward and blessing our own love with gestures of grace. So as all of you, in the various ways you do, celebrate this mystical season of Holy Days, remember and touch upon the deeper meanings of all the traditions, no matter what spiritual social-cultural beliefs and practices you observe. The specifics do not matter, the heartfelt meanings do. And the light and love they create, shines brightly with joy and happiness out into the world, as a glorious gift to everyone. There is always light within the darkness. Blessed be the light, and within the dark of the season of Wintertime, most of all, I wish you great JOY!
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610 Mitchell Drive $1,100,000
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SO
G DIN
• • • •
Lot 01 Highway 9
$275,000
Boulder Creek
Ridgetop 2213 sqft home 5 bed/2.5 bath Open floor plan Two car garage
• 26.2 acres • Adjacent to Castle Rock State Park. 5 miles to BC • Zoned TP (Timber Production) • Utilities available
18065 Moonrise Road
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L SA
$1,250,000
N PE
• • • •
G DIN
Boulder Creek
3309 sqft remodeled two story home 3 bed/2 bath Oversized wrap around redwood decks Off the grid, solar owned
113 Oak Street
E
L SA
$99,000
N PE
• • • •
Lot ‘-09 Nina Court, $169,000 • • • • •
Boulder Creek
Brookdale
2 Parcels totalling 14,027 SF Lot. Great neighborhood. Original home was approx 1180 SF. Come rebuild your own home.
111 Aspen Lane $174,000
Boulder Creek
• Features a double lot (18165 SqFt) • Previous house approx. 1054 sqft with detached garage • Semicircular driveway • Use of the local swimming pool
1.13 Acres Desirable neighborhood. SW sun exposure. Fenced. Ample space. Paved Road. Public Utilities Available
View more properties at: www.santacruzmountainrealestate.com
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December 2021-January 2022