Santa Cruz Mountain Bulletin Volume 11 Issue 10

Main Street Boulder Creek

Having spent most of my life living in the Santa Cruz Moun tains, I have always had a deep love of our small townships, our history, and our connection to the environment. I live in a historic house, and at one time operated an inn here. When guests stayed with me, they usually did so to experience a little bit of what it was like to live in a simpler time. They would marvel about how rare small towns like Boulder Creek were. Whenever I travel, I also seek out small historic towns with “Main Street” districts popu lated by mom and pop shops, and stay at small historic inns. That is where the heart is. Innkeepers are always a wealth of information. Over a breakfast, not only can I

By Wendy Sigmund

There are several seats up for grabs this voting cycle. It is your responsibility to answer that call. Without citizen participation,

learn about their history, but how they are preserving their culture while continuing to be economical

ly prosperous. I learn something new from every historic town I visit.

When I refer to “Main Street“ districts, I am referring to a grass roots movement that follows a four point approach to help re vitalize older historic districts.

“Main Street America” is a pro gram under the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It provides a roadmap for a community to set their own destinies by working together to increase locally driven prosperity. There are over 1,200 “Main Street” communities across the United States.

There are many signs of a suc cessful community, but the most immediate one would be how it

Giant Boulder Creek Pumpkin Growing Contest

our system does not serve us- the people.

There is a lot of voting information out there. There are organizations that try to make it easy for you by telling you what to vote for, and who to vote for. That is one easy way to make these decisions, though probably not the best way. It takes the work out of it and says, “You think like we do, so we have your back, all you have to do is vote this way”.

That is a lot of trust to put into an organization or group. Maybe it’s a news outlet or maybe it’s a vot ers organization. Whichever it is, think long and hard about voting this way. Can you really rely on these groups to align one hundred percent with your values? That is what it comes down to. Vote your conscience and find a candidate that aligns with your values. Your representative is just that, they are representing you so to give them your vote is to give them your

The first year of the Giant Boulder Creek Pumpkin Growing Contest proved to have quite the turnout, with over 25 entries and a large weigh off/costume party for the contestants, their friends and fami lies. The competition was planned by Brother and Sister In-law, Shane Ellett and Camila Velasco, with the weigh-off party hosted at Shane and his wife, Jenna Sue’s home in Boulder Creek on October 22nd. This event was over four months in the making, contestants picked up their Dill’s Atlantic Giant Pumpkin starts in late May, early June for a $20 entry fee and started competing for the heaviest pumpkin and the grand prize consisting of a trophy, the pot of entry fees and of course bragging rights. With the years to come Shane and Camila are hoping the event and the pumpkins will keep growing in size.

1st Place - Trophy and $640 cash Debbie Edington 98.6 pounds and 60” Circumference

2nd Place - Medal and Gift Cer

Debbie Edington’s winning pumpkin, 98.6 pounds and 60” Circumference

tificate to Jenna Sue’s Cafe Shane Ellett 95.6 pounds and 64” Circum ference

3rd Place - Medal and Gift Certif icate to Jenna Sue’s Cafe CJ and Amy Carter 60.8 pounds and 53.5” Circumference

Honorable Mentions: Prettiest Pumpkin - Melissa Bushnell Small est Pumpkin - Anna Craven

Mable Baker donated first bench to husband Jay Baker

feels as you drive into town. Is it welcoming? Are the sidewalks bustling with people? Are the mom and pop shops open? Are the buildings well cared for? Are there places to sit and linger and be part of the community? Is there a cen tral gathering place? Basically, is there a sense of place, and do they take pride in preserving it?

In my “previous life” I had the unfortunate experience of hav ing to commute for work. As I drove through Boulder Creek every morning just before sun rise, I would admire all of the historic buildings, but noted that downtown in general looked a bit weathered. The twinkle lights on the buildings had failed, there was no seating, some of the trees were dying, the old concrete trash cans had rebar sticking out and the lids were broken, and the building facades could use a coat of paint. The highway lights were even leaning!

So, I approached the BCBA with the idea of following a “Main Street America” approach to begin a downtown beautification proj ect. It had been attempted before in 1992 when Boulder Creek had created its Specific Plan, but it was valleywide (too big of an area) and each town was too unique.

SLVWD - Cont.

be found on the website at www. slvwd.com and can be returned to the District Secretary, 13060 High way 9, Boulder Creek, CA 95006, or hhossack@slvwd.com by De cember 7, 2022, @ 3:00 p.m.

Contact the District Secretary with questions (831) 430-4636 or hhos sack@slvwd.com.

Applications will be reviewed by the Board and appointments

What I found interesting in my research was that the Boulder Creek community still desired the same things that they did way back when. The easiest thing to begin with would be to fix things that already existed but had failed…basically all of the build ing lights that framed the facade of downtown. The second item was to replace highway lights with something more becoming of a historic downtown district, seating so people can linger downtown and shop, and new trash cans to match. Of course, I knew I could not do this alone. Before I knew it, I was on the board (early 2000’s?) and began working towards all of these goals. Because we are on a state highway, everything we work on has great hurdles to overcome through a very complicated per mitting process. It is only due to the hard work of the entire board that we are able to accomplish these things. We are all volunteers with busy work lives, families to attend, etc. Sometimes we need to step back due to life circumstanc es, and let other board members step forward and carry the ball forward.

So when you ask who’s idea it was, I would have to say the com munity of Boulder Creek. Seating

throughout town has been some thing that has repeatedly come up in community polls over the decades. It is one of the drivers of a functioning and thriving down town district. I simply saw the need, found something that would be historically accurate for our period of significance (which is focused around the year 1900) and implemented it.

locate the BCBA bench to another location. There are four more benches on order simply by word of mouth.

will be announced at the Board of Directors meeting on December 15, 2022. Your presence at this m eet ing is encouraged but not required.

San Lorenzo Valley Water District -accepting applications2023 PUBLIC COMMITTEE MEM BERS

Due DECEMBER 7, 2022 by 3p.m.

The entire downtown beautifica tion project started when I began on the board in the early 2000s, but the fundraising and purchase of our first bench actually happened in 2019. The first “demonstration” bench was donated by the BCBA and installed in front of the Boul der Creek Hardware store, hosted by Morgan Scarborough. We were held up quite a bit in a complicat ed permitting process through Cal Trans, then the Covid shut down, then the CZU fire. By the time all was said and done, that first bench was not installed until May 2022, three years later. Our goal was to have at least one bench downtown for folks to experience, then begin an “adopt a bench” program to install more throughout town. A long time and very beloved com munity member, Maybel Baker purchased the first bench of the “adopt a bench” program. The bench is dedicated to her husband Jay Baker, one of the founders of the BCBA back in the 60’s and the owner of Boulder Creek Hardware store, where the BCBA bench is currently installed. It seems ap propriate that Jaye Baker’s memo rial bench is placed there. We will

Each bench can be purchased singly, or families can team up and share the cost. We are not marking up the bench, so there is no income being made from this project. It is simply a mechanism to move the project forward and involve the community in the process.

Why are benches needed?

Benches spread throughout our town will not only to beautify our district, add historic ambiance, but also to provide a more accessible place for our community to gather and linger downtown in comfort. When folks gather, it activates a space, decreases crime by having “more eyes on the street” and encourages more shopping of our mom and pops shops.

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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.

This month has some intense cosmic weather! We are in eclipse season, which always brings change. The first on the Oct 25th new moon at 2° Scorpio, and the second on the Nov 8th full moon at 16° Taurus. Expect new beginnings and letting go of old outmoded things. Remember that Mars begins its retrograde on Oct 30, so our energy and ambition may feel slowed down. Push through where you need to, but rest where you can. Jupiter re-enters Pisces by retrograde on Oct 27th. With both of Pisces’ rulers in their home territory, dreams, visions and meditations will be potent. So will the desire to find release in escapist behaviors, so watch out for that! The Sun en ters optimistic Sagittarius on November 22 at 12:20am. Jupiter goes direct (in Pisces) on November 23 and it may feel like good things are starting to slowly roll forward again.

Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 22 You may be feeling territorial this month and a bit on edge. Let folks share your space, they can benefit from your perspective. Be the leader you want to be for others. Then retreat to your happy place, the season of divination and spirits. You have lots of support for communications from the other side, from land and sky. Full Moon: Time for practical magic. Keep it simple. Make it real. Be true to yourself. Bring a trusted friend. New Moon: Let the goodness in. Write down your accomplishments, the things you are proud of. Let those seeds of self worth grow into something wonderful over the next moon cycle. Enjoy what you have, but watch out for overspending.

Sagittarius Nov 23 - Dec 21 Allow yourself to be uncertain, which can be tough for you. Dream, listen to the wind, go inward. Listen to the still, small voice inside of you. Retreat from your quest for a while. Rest. Things will get much more clear and energized when Sagittarius season starts on the 22nd! Though you still may feel a bit out of sorts at home, let the dreams inform your arrow. Full Moon: Shake up your daily routines, try something new. Seek out a guide or mentor to help you make sense of the psychic messages coming through. New Moon: You are shining radiantly. Be the leader you wish to be. You have the charm and wit to accomplish your aim. Go forth and inspire.

Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 20 It may seem like your finances are under strain, but you eat obstacles for breakfast. You can turn this moun tain into gold and have the fuel to do it. You are unstoppable! How ever, make sure you are working this alchemy for a good cause, and not just for the sake of materialism itself. Your community needs you. Full Moon: You are suddenly full of genius to solve a problem for a group project. Will you keep it to yourself, or share your rich es? New Moon: Your next quest is percolating, but seems just out of reach. Allow yourself to daydream and the answers will come soon.

Aquarius Jan. 21 - Feb 19 This is a very active month for you. You are being called into the service of change. You have insights that cannot be ignored and it’s time to show up in the spotlight and share your message. Folks will look to you for guidance. Full moon: The way your inner world compares to your public reputation is high lighted. Other folks’ opinions of you come to light, but you know who you are. And that truth will shine through. New Moon: This is the time to plant the seeds of your ideals and future vision in the groups you have an alliance with. These seeds will be important for the future.

Pisces Feb 20 - March 20 Your dreams and visions are important and powerful this month. You are connected deeply to the collective consciousness and half the sky is supporting you and feeding you messages. Watch out for escapism, as it will be a tempting release, but do write down your dreams, or bring them into the world in some way, especially through art. You carry the healing poetry we all need right now. Full Moon: This is a very potent full moon for you. Take time off if you can. Your dreams and intuition are fully charged, and the messages are important. But you may feel rather spacey and disconnected from day to day tasks and work. New Moon: Time to focus on your work life and public roles. Take those full moon dreams and see how they can apply to what you are bringing into the material world.

Aries March 21-April 20 You find yourself a bit more confused than usual, unclear on how to power ahead. You are asked to allow yourself to daydream, and get in touch with your spiritual side in order to see the way forward. You don’t have quite as much ener gy as you are used to, rest is ok! Full Moon: You may have sudden mood swings or fresh perspectives around your values, informed by a penetrating look at the way you reveal your story with some one very close to you. New Moon: You feel supported to pursue your new ideas, and take a chance on yourself.

Taurus April 21-May 21 You are feeling a bit zanier than usual, and have probably surprised yourself and your friends. You have more ability than usual to look at and talk about difficult but honest things with your loved ones. Now is the time for that kind of intimacy. Full Moon: Your feelings may seem more complicated than usual and you are being asked to lean in and hear their lessons. New Moon: All that work was worth it and a fiery, charming, communicative libido is here for sweet relief. You have a newfound sense of bravery and confidence that you can deal with unsettling things!

Gemini May 22 - June 20 Take an honest look at the story your daily routines tell about you. Have you made room for self care? For love? If you’ve been holding someone you care about at arm’s length, mid month challenges you to make a move. Full Moon: Strange dreams are in the air. You feel a pull to seek out a guide, or perhaps a divina tion reading. You are being asked to receive an important message, but not in the way you are used to. New Moon: You feel optimistic and adventurous in pursuing commitment and trusted partnerships, and you’ve got the smooth talking romantic flair to get your way!

Cancer June 21 - July 21 Your ruler, the Moon, passes every planet in the sky every month. She touches on every point in the Zodiac, and doing so conveys messages to you about what humanity is going through. You may be more sensitive and emotional than the rest of us because you can feel ALL of us. This often leads you to want to care for, to nurture, to heal. Thank you. Full Moon: This moon will be extra potent for you. You may find new ways of grounding group projects and materializing plans for the future. Meanwhile your psychic intuition is turned up to 11, you’ve got messages com ing through that want to be expressed. New Moon: What new skill have you been wanting to develop? This is an excellent time to get started (or plunge deeper) on your quest!

Leo July 22 - Aug 22 You may be asked to look at difficult subjects at home this month, but you have the powers of love and communica tion on your side. If you tend toward a magical life, expect messages from the land spirits and your ancestors. Full Moon: Deep revela tions in your inner world ask you to bring a fresh approach to work. You may feel pulled to change how the public sees you. The answer is - be true to yourself. New Moon: Play. Express yourself. Make art. Hang out with your kids. Go on a date. You thrive on being seen and have a lot to offer.

Virgo Aug 23 - Sept 22 Ever the observer, you have access to a deeper layer of information this month. You can see right through to the underbelly of things, and you can see both sides of the issue. On the one hand, watch out for speaking out too rashly at work, sit on your info for a few days. On the other, how does this view of the underbelly of things question your beliefs? Full Moon: Speak. Your. Truth. (And don’t be surprised if you suddenly become passionate about changing your course of studies). New Moon: Perhaps a quest to your ancestral lands is in order? You feel pulled to explore your roots. Your ancestors are speaking to you.

Libra Sept 23 - Oct 22 Trust your gut about investments. A shift is in the air. Mid month brings a driving curiosity to learn and explore new ideas, places and people. Dialogue and storytelling will nour ish you, and you’ve got some charm to share.Full Moon: You may have a shift in perspective about what you truly value. Remember, you can adjust your values without doubting your self-worth. New Moon: Your thoughts are flavored with optimism, and you fantasize about adventure and new experiences. Plant the seeds to make it so.

The Joyous Kitchen

Sausage & Kale Pasta with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

by Joy Stewart of Joyous Kitchen

Lately I’ve been seeing a fabulous trend: creamy, silky pumpkin pas ta sauce. In some instances this is created by combining pasta water with pumpkin puree and in oth ers the puree is thinned by cream. I’ve decided to go the cream route, as well as incorporating some white wine. To balance the sweet I’ve added kale and to heighten the decadence of the rich, creamy sauce I’ve added mild Italian sausage. The anise in the sausage brings out the lightly sweet notes in the kale and is a fabulous com pliment. If you like a bit of crunch you could add toasted pine nuts over top of the finished dish.

Sausage & Kale Pasta with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce Ingredients

• 6 ounces chopped kale, stems discarded

• 1/4 cup chopped shallots

• 1/2 cup white wine

• 1/2 cup cream

• 1/2 cup (reserved) pasta water

(see method)

• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage

• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

• 1 lb thick spaghetti or bucatini

• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

• Salt, to taste

• Pepper, to taste

For serving:

• Fresh parmesan

• Chopped Parsley

• Toasted chopped nuts Method

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to the boil. Meanwhile, In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil and sausage. Once the water is boiling add pasta and cook accord ing to package directions. Break up sausage into small bits and saute until thoroughly cooked, scoop out sausage into a bowl and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan. In the fat saute shallots until starting to brown, then add kale. Saute until kale begins to crisp lightly, then add wine and pasta water to

deglaze. Once kale is cooked to your liking, scoop it out into the bowl with the sausage, leaving liquid and fat in the pan. Turn heat to low, add pumpkin and cream, stirring to combine. When the pumpkin is combined, reintroduce

kale, sausage and pasta and toss to combine thoroughly. Serve hot topped with grated parmesan, chopped parsley and toasted nuts (if desired).

voice. Make sure it is the right person.

Here in the San Lorenzo Valley, there are two races that will have a great impact on the citizens of this valley. The first is the San Lorenzo Valley Water District. Prior to the CZU Lightening Complex Fire, the water district had many many hur dles to overcome and the tensions have been high for a very long time. Then the fire hit and wiped out some of the infrastructure as well as affecting the watershed. This has not made the board mem bers’ jobs easy. However, with the enormous impact of the drought only compounding the aftermath

The other important race is that of the Fire Protection District. This board is not often discussed because it has run on its own for a very long time. That is, there was no real debate when it came to adding new members to this board. That is not the case in this race. Pay attention though, there are more than just good old boy issues on the table. The underlying issue may actually be the firehouse. The property the firehouse is built on also includes the Boulder Creek Department of Parks and Recreation. Many years ago, the fire district leased the land to the rec center for $1 per year. They were able to do this because the land was donat ed to the district. Just to be clear the Boulder Creek Fire District is guided by the 5 member board while the Boulder Creek Volun teer Fire Department is the fight ers. Two board positions are up for re-election. So the defining question is about the need for

a new firehouse. If so, will they push to take the land back from the Rec Department? Is the fire house fine as is, is it in need of re pair, or too small for the inevitable weather occurrences we are pre paring for? Is it best to let the lease with the rec department stand? Allegedly, this is the issue on the table, behind the scene of standing members or new members to serve on the board.

Let us not forget that the Boulder Creek Volunteer Fire Department and the firefighters are the ones who saved the town of Boulder Creek. Without the gallant men and women, there would be no Boulder Creek. Instead, what would we have? Modern build ings? A strip mall? Aside from this, is the changing climate and the odds of another fire coming to our mountain. Or a different kind of catastrophe. We all rely on the fire department. Don’t we want them set up in the very best way we can so they can protect us?

These are a lot of questions. There are no easy answers. As in all elec tions, find the candidate that you most align your values with and elect that person to speak and act for you. If you do not, then there is no way you will be properly represented.

Be sure and vote on November 8.

of the fire it is more important than ever to elect members to this board who align with your values and can shape the future of water politics in our valley.

Healthy Tidbits

Eating to Optimize our Immune Systems

by Marcey Klein BS, NC

Yes, we can eat to enhance and help our immune systems stay healthy, and in fact, we can eat to nourish all of our body systems. Sometimes we feel a disconnect from what we put in our mouths, we eat for pleasure, convenience, or what just tastes good, not really checking to see if it’s a rich source of good nu trition. Here is some information that can guide us in choosing our meals in a more educated direction to help not only our immune sys tems, but to help bring down our inflammation, help our digestive system, our livers, and elimination organs.

Tip one, more than 70% of our immune system lies in our diges tive systems. The beneficial bacteria in our gut create a barrier from harmful intruders, they also com municate and update our immune

system since it was once outside the body and can give it new informa tion. It’s important to eat what our bacteria like in order to keep them happy and more likely to stay put. These are prebiotics, also known as soluble fibers. Some foods that are high in prebiotics include Jerusalem artichokes, onions, garlic, leeks, as paragus, bananas, barley, oats, flax seeds, jicama, potatoes, leafy green vegetables, avocados, wheat germ, and wheat berries. There are also several prebiotic fiber mixes we carry at Wild Roots Market that mix easily and are very effective.

Another important food for our immune health are mushrooms. That is because they are high in selenium, a necessary component for our immune system to fight the flu, and a great antioxidant helping us combat those free radicals trying to break down our cells and DNA. Shitake and maitake mushrooms

are high in a nutrient called beta glucan that help our immune cells to communicate more efficiently. If you find that you have a severely deficient immune system, or just want to stay healthy while others out there are getting sick around you, there are several mushroom immune formulas we carry at Wild Roots that can help you out.

Fermented foods help to replenish our good bacteria. Try to get some in your body every day in various ways. I will have yogurt or kefir with my breakfast, l like miso soup and kimchi, I have kombucha with my lunch, and I will have a splash of the gut shot (which is the brine from raw sauerkraut) with my vegtable juice with my dinner. These good bacteria in turn keep us happy, literally; our gut is referred to as our second brain. It produces a significant amount of serotonin along with communicating with our immune systems.

Ginger and turmeric can help support our immune systems and help keep our inflammation down, important in overall health and prevention. Make a delicious soup with these grated in and also some garlic, which is a great antimicro bial. Be sure to squeeze in some lemon, great for liver detox, and throw in some of the cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, arugula, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, bok choy, and kale. The high sulfur compounds in them makes them great for liver detox, helping the body remove harmful toxins that make us tired and sluggish.

Super grains like quinoa are high in

antioxidants. I have found that they give me sustained energy. I also like organic brown rice, and millet because they’re easy and gluten free. I like to cook my grains in bone broth to give me extra protein to balance blood sugar and to give me extra nutrients that help with gut health.

Protein is very important for a heathy immune system, after all that is what we are made from. I like to get my protein from pas tured chicken eggs, bone broth, sea food, tofu, and clean animal meats free of hormones and antibiotics.

Good fats help keep us satisfied longer from our meals and give us fat soluble vitamins. If you can digest dairy, grass fed butter has vitamin A, E, D and calcium. Co conut oil and cream have medium chain fats to stoke our metabolisms. Olive oil and avocado oil have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties.

Be sure to watch your refined sug ar, flour, and processed food in take, as these depress the immune system, use up necessary vitamins and minerals to metabolize them, and feed the bad bacteria. Also remember to stay hydrated, warm teas are wonderful this time of year, and citrus fruits and juices with the pulp give us bioavailable vitamin C and bioflavonoids.

Stay well, eat for health, move the body, and stay positive! And stop on by to Wild Roots in Felton to say hi, or if you want more tid bits on health and nutrition.

Housing Matters and Santa Cruz Public Libraries jointly announced today a new program for bringing residents together to talk about is sues related to homelessness in Santa Cruz County. The new program, called Neighbors for Neighbors,

will consist of a series of in-person meetups at select library branches. The meetups will give residents a chance to learn about local issues, and take an active role in identifying and proposing solutions that can be implemented in their specific neigh

borhoods.

“Education around the issue of homelessness is foundational for anyone interested in change-making at the neighborhood level,” said Mer Stafford, Housing Matters’ Chief Im pact Officer. “It is our goal with the Neighbors for Neighbors program to help people who want to take an active role in their neighborhood, but don’t know what to do, by pro viding a framework for discussion and opportunities for engaging in meaningful activities right in their own neighborhood.”

Housing Matters will provide an informational overview for each group about local homelessness through guest speakers and facili tated neighborhood-focused discus sions to discover opportunities for supporting unhoused neighbors. Group members will work together to brainstorm activities that can help reduce or resolve homelessness in their neighborhoods.

“The Santa Cruz Public Libraries are pleased to serve as a space that can foster conversations around the critical issues that face our commu nities,” said Library Director Yolande Wilburn. “One of our new strate gic priorities is to collaborate with partners to improve positive health outcomes for all Santa Cruz County

residents. We see this partnership as a great way to spearhead the effort toward an inclusive community that supports all members of society.”

Examples of volunteer-led and volunteer-funded advocacy proj ects may include: neighborhood food pantries and voter canvassing. Informational topics for discussion may include: Housing stability; the Housing First model; barriers to creating permanent supportive and low-income housing; renters rights and tenancy; local neighborhood ini tiatives; and City and County ballot initiatives.

The Neighbors for Neighbors meetup series will begin with two library branches, Garfield Park and Capitola, serving as pilot sites for the program. Meetups at additional branches are planned for early 2023.

The first Garfield Park meet up is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 10 from 4-5 p.m. Register here:

https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/ event/9774575

The first Capitola meet up is sched uled for Tuesday, Nov. 22 from 5:306:30 p.m. Register here:

https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/ event/9690444

By Kevin Foster

I asked that question to hundreds of people this week. What I found most interesting was although it was so long ago, those that are old enough to remember, remembered exactly what they were doing that day, and that evening, when the big earthquake struck. Stories of those that were at home, watching their cabinets getting emptied from the rumbling and shaking, while hearing all the glass breaking on the kitchen floor. A lot of people were out on the road commuting watching the road roll. Some were at locations watching bridges collapse, seeing neighbors houses, shaking off their foundations. Oth ers reported bookcases falling over and blocking their exit paths, from home or the works place, all while taking cover as windows were breaking.

And then in the aftermath of after shocks, those that were so terrified they slept in cars away from build ings were camped outside due to the worry of aftershocks. It was quite amazing the small details that everyone could remember. I myself went into help mode. I started with small businesses, installing wires across shelves in bars. I then de veloped a plan for how to educate others on what I had learned from

that big earthquake, and other di sasters I encountered such as flood ing; where I assisted Morgan Hill PD with my big four-wheel-drive, helping evacuate elderly from a mobile home park while their mo bile homes were all floating.

From past experiences as I grew older, I learned to take various trainings to help assist communi ties in preparation for disasters or emergencies. I asked several of the folks that remembered the 89 earth quake what they did differently afterward. I was happy that about 40% who put childproof locks on their upper cabinets. Another 50% secured large bookcases and large standing furniture that was in the path to their exit points and fas tened them to walls. About 75% started to store food and water after the big quake.

I implemented an alternate com munication plan for out of state contacts where all family members could check in if they weren’t with one another during a major event, as well as a meeting place if they were within a 10 mile radius, if communications were knocked out along with power.

Experiencing those major disasters escalated to prepare people for home fires and wildland fires along with torrential rains and flooding

where folks are trapped at home. The world’s climate is drastically changing and for that reason we as a community need to practice good procedures to stay safe and always have a game plan.

Every few months several fami lies I know of will have a family meeting and test their plan while re-viewing it to make sure every body in the family remembers the basics on what to do. I might add it’s extremely valuable to connect with all your neighbors nearby to be able to help one another in the event of something catastrophic.

Nowadays all of this information, and more, can be obtained online at places like ready.gov. Googling di saster preparedness or earthquake preparedness has endless valuable information. So this month let’s utilize the big quake as a reminder to stay prepared, be prepared, and practice preparedness. (Written just prior to the Oct. 25th, 2022 5.1 quake in San Jose.)

By: MJ Stearns ROOM Real Estate

When you think of the best timing of selling your home, winter might not be the first season that comes to mind! Aside from the freezing temperature outside, people are often preoccupied with the holiday season! However, there are many reasons why you should consid er selling your home during the winter.

If you want to sell your home during the winter but are hesitant, here are five reasons to do it!!

1. The buyers are serious. Unlike popular belief, demand

2. There Is less competition.

You won’t have that much compe tition if you sell your home during winter. Many people decide against listing their homes during winter and wait for Spring instead. With less competition, it will be easier for your listing to stand out. You’ll be able to have a higher chance at attracting buyers and selling your home much quicker and at a better deal for you..

3. Loans are processed quicker.

For lenders, winter is a time when the inventory is smaller and they have more time to process loans.

a good and sound contract, and have it inspected so you can put a premium on its price. You can take advantage of serious buyers and try to sell your property at a high

financial reasons, relocation, or if it’s an investment property you’ve been holding on to, is a decision that you will be thankful for when Springtime comes.

Community Calendar October-November 2022

October 19 at 12 am –October 31

13 Days of Halloween on the Wharf

Saturday October 29

2nd Annual Fall-o-ween Fest

Zayante Hollow Ranch Join us for fall fun! Bounce House, Face Painting, Games & Crafts, Hay Rides, Horse Rides, Food, Vendors, Costumed Staff, Spooky decor, and proceeds benefiting our rescue animals!

Witches Ball

7:00 pm - 1:00 am

Celebrate the season at the Hal loween Event of the Season. The eighth annual Witches Ball will see a costume contest, Witches Hat Contest, Fire Dancer, Great food, multiple bars, and music by Redwood Groove. See you there

Sunday October 30

12:00 pm – 7:00 pm Halloween at the Boardwalk

Monday October 31

Trick or Treat Downtown Felton Trick or Treat Downtown Boulder Creek

Saturday, November 5

10:00 am-5:00 pm

Santa Cruz Sea Glass & Ocean Arts Festival

Don’t miss the 14th annual Santa Cruz Sea Glass & Ocean Art Fes tival.

Located inside the historic Sun room and Cocoanut Grove at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

$5 admission supports ocean con servation through the Monterey Bay Sanctuary.

Admission includes a chance to win a spectacular gift-basket. Four drawings per day.

Full bar, Kids Free, over 50 Au thentic Sea Glass artists plus ceramics, fabric art, mosaics, resin art and so much more.

Saturday, November 5

Hot Rods at the Beach 8 am – 5 pm Check out hundreds of sweet hot rods, street rods, vin tage, muscle, custom, and classic cars in the Boardwalk Parking Lot. Free admission! Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk 400 Beach st Santa Cruz

Sunday November 6

Family Fun Day 3:00 - 5:00 pm Obstacle courses, kid-friendly races, and a lot of fun!

Do you remember having a field day as a child? Going through ob

stacle courses, having relay races with your friends and seeing who is the fastest in your grade. We are excited to partner with Happy Valley Run Club to bring you this family-friendly experience. Asics, Brooks and Diadora will be join ing us to create fun activities for you and your kids to participate in. Soquel High School

Friday November 18Sunday November 20

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk: Bites and Brews 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Saturday November 19

2022 Santa Cruz Turkey Trot 3:45 – 6:00 pm

Flat, fast out and back courses that begin & end on Delaware Street by the back entrance to Natural Bridges. A run with spec tacular ocean views!

10k, 5k, and kids 1k all offered. Signature Santa Cruz Track Club finisher socks for all 5k and 10k finishers. Prizes for top three overall. Antonelli Pond at Dela ware Ave, Santa Cruz

Sunday November 20

Downtown Santa Cruz Makers Market

10 am – 5 Ppm EVERY THIRD SUNDAY! Come on out for some fresh air and crafty goodness in

Downtown Santa Cruz on Pa cific Ave at Cathcart & Lincoln. 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 work at the market is AMAZ ING. Check out our website www.scmmakersmarket.com for the full list of participating ven dors! 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! Masks are recommended per the current health guidelines for outdoor public spaces.

Friday November 25

Holiday Train Rides at the Boardwalk

Friday, November 25, 2022 4:30 pm - Friday, December 23, 2022 4:30 pm

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, 400 Beach Street Santa Cruz

Vintage excursion cars, adorned with thousands of colorful lights, roll through Santa Cruz streets. Passengers lend their voices to holiday carols and sip spiced cider while Santa visits with the little ones and the young at heart!

by Mark Dolson

The San Lorenzo Valley Water District (SLVWD) Board has not met since my last report, so this is a perfect opportunity for me to focus on the upcoming November 8th election. Regular readers may recall that I closed my September report by writing:

One important aspect of … re cent Board meetings that would not be apparent to anyone not in attendance is that the current Board members are provid ing impressively detailed and valuable cross-checking of Staff decision-making. This is import ant for residents of the valley to understand because the upcom ing November election features four candidates running for three open four-year Board seats (a fourth open two-year Board seat will be filled by a current incum bent who is unopposed). All four candidates are well-qual ified, but voters owe it to our community to try to identify the three who will have the most

positive impact.

As someone who has lived in the SLV since 1995, I have to confess that I spent many of those years barely aware of the existence of the SLVWD Board. At election time, I simply asked a more knowledge able friend who to vote for, and I then cast my ballot accordingly. I also know that I was far from alone in this behavior!

Ironically, now that I have become extremely active in understand ing SLVWD issues and following SLVWD developments, I have also developed a commitment to maintaining a strictly nonparti san position with regard to Board elections. Instead of telling voters who I think they should vote for, I believe I can have a more positive impact by persuading as many community members as possible to become better informed and more responsibly involved in our local governance.

In selecting our community repre sentatives on the SLVWD Board of Directors, I think there are at least

two important considerations that we should be attentive to. One of these, of course, is whether dif ferent candidates are promoting differing policies for the District (and whether we ourselves have done our homework sufficiently to have an informed opinion about the relative merits of competing policies).

The other important consideration, however, is one that voters often overlook: what special attributes will this candidate bring to the Board? Two things that can be important here are: (1) specific areas of relevant expertise, and (2) ability to work well in a collabora tive decision-making setting.

Happily, there are multiple venues in which the four Board candidates are sharing relevant information about their positions and compe tencies. As of this writing, two of these are especially notable, and I urge voters to take the time to read through both of these before casting their ballots:

https://slvpost.com/2022water/

https://www.friendsofsan lorenzovalleywater.org/novem ber-2022-election

Some candidates are also provid ing additional information on their own personal websites.

Full Disclosure: The second link above is part of a project that I have been directly involved in as a member of the Friends of San Lo renzo Valley Water (FSLVW). This is a local citizens’ group whose primary mission is to provide our community with reliably objective and accurate information about local water-related issues. FSLVW does sometimes advocate for spe cific policies, but the organization takes great pains to remain strictly neutral with regard to elections (even though individual members of this organization are free to campaign for specific candidates on their own time).

The next regular Board of Direc tors meeting will be at 6:30 PM on October 20th (still via Zoom).

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By Lori Suzanne Holetz

The lively burst of Spring is long gone, the brilliant exuberance of Summer fading, and the season of dying is upon us. It is the season we celebrate life into death, Mother Earth is tired, trees dropping leaves, the hills brown, dried and desolate, and yet there is a certain beauty as life begins to lay to rest. We harvest our bounty, rich and nourishing, and we are glad for the coming celebra tions of our labors with family and friends. The holidays quickly upon us.

In the dying season, things fall away, but they are not gone forever, only a time until rebirth. It is the way of all life, the way of the Great Mother, and nothing is immune. It is the perfect time to practice the way of Swedish death cleansing, it is an ancient way come round again. And, as I have entered my own elder age in the 60s, it is the perfect time all the way around. It does not mean that death is looming, quite the contrary. It is a graceful way to move through and towards time, lightening up more each day.

What is Swedish death cleansing?

It is the gentle art of those over 50

and their families, purging their homes and possessions in the hope that their children won’t be overbur dened by their belongings once they do pass away. It is the decluttering strategy of getting rid of things of lit tle or no import in our lives. It is the setting in order those things that are of import in our lives, that we may leave behind for our loved ones once we are gone. It is never too soon to begin, and I find the timing of the seasons, particularly synchronistic and motivational. It is not about getting rid of all one’s things. It is about a permanent form of organiza tion that makes everyday life more smooth, light and easy

This method of sorting and cleans ing is not limited to the elderly or the dying. Rather, it has become a popular idea by any other name. It has become a trend, along with tiny houses, that simply by their nature require we have less things. It has become cool to recycle, reduce and gift away things that no longer serve.

“Use it or lose it” has become my motto. And it has become an ongo ing process in my house. I see it as peeling off layers of items in order of significance and importance. So many of the beautiful items in my

home hold memories (however only important to me) or are gifts from be loved people. Those items are hard to part with, but sometimes they will find just the perfect home to move to, with the perfect person who will appreciate it as much as I have.

I started with things that were just things, with no real significance or purpose to begin with. It is just “stuff”that was easy to choose and easy to part with. I found there was a developing desire to get rid of more and more. I began to tangibly feel more space around me, less dust, less clutter, motivating me to do more. A box a day is a great plan, often turning into 2 or 3 boxes. To help me decide, I asked myself if anyone else would care about this or that item, this piece of paper…. Most often the answer was a resounding “No”, away it goes. The burning of piles of collected “important papers” was exceptionally satisfying. Ashes to ashes, my prayers went with the smoke into the ethers. The death

cleanse also includes setting about order to those items, papers and affairs that are important when left behind. And to tackle those things, it is good to have a buddy who can assist and support critical decisions to be made.

It has taken me years to finally clear out the myriad of bits and pieces of my folks’ lives, the majority of which had no meaning or significance in my life or anyone else. I was ad amant that I would not do that to my own kids upon my departure. So as the days get shorter, in hours and lifetime, there are empty boxes awaiting my fill. I am only too hap py to lighten up and see these many bits go. I know my body, mind and especially my spirit will be lighter and freer for all the gifting and giv ing away.

Happy Halloween, All Souls Day and Dia de los Muertos, as we kiss the clutter goodbye and with good riddance!

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