Santa Cruz Mountain Bulletin Vol 11 Issue 9

County Park Friends Donates to Gutzwiller Memorial

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to accept $83,984 from County Park Friends for the Reimaging Willow brook Park Project in honor of Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller.

These funds, paired with contri butions from the County of Santa Cruz, will be used to construct a memorial seating area and flag pole in the Aptos park, which was renamed in honor of Gutzwiller in May of this year. County Parks will begin the bidding process for this phase in the coming weeks.

Sgt. Gutzwiller, who was killed in the line of duty on June 6, 2020, was a 14-year veteran of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. He owned his first home in the Wil lowbrook neighborhood and fre quented the park with his family and dog, Shasta. This memorial

seating area and eternally flown flag will serve as a place of reflec tion for his loved ones and the greater community.

“Damon’s dedication and sacrifice to his community will be forev er felt in this space,” said Parks Superintendent Rebecca Hurley. “Through the generosity of our local partners, this memorial is set to break ground before the end of 2022.”

More than $300,000 has been raised for this park dedication and improvement project so far. Following the construction of the memorial seating area and flag pole, the remaining funds for this project will be used for a new and more-inclusive play structure and play surfacing.

Through a collaborative effort by Santa Cruz County Parks, County

Big Basin is Now Open for Day-use

by Reservation Only

Big Basin Redwoods State Park was saved from the ax 120 years ago and, in a peculiar twist of fate, it was an ax that has been key in the rebuilding process following the devastating CZU Fire in 2020.

The wildfire burned over 97 percent of the park and destroying nearly every structure, including the Park Headquarters, camp grounds and housing for park employees. This summer, Big Basin Redwoods State Park reopened through a limited access day-use reservation system.

Hundreds of feet of split rail fence are among the first evidence of new construction in the park. Crafted by hand by State Parks staff, volun teers and members of the California Conservation Corps, the rails are derived from redwood trees so

Youth Communithy Members are Invited to be Water Board Advisors

The Scotts Valley Water District (SVWD) announced its Board of Directors is accepting applications for two Junior Associate Board Members.

Junior Associates are appointed by the Board for a two-year term. As non-voting advisors, they attend monthly Board meetings and participate in Board discussions to provide additional input and perspectives.

Eligibility: Reside, work or attend school in the District service area, Age 16 to 30, Interest in local gov ernment and civic service, Avail ability to attend monthly board meetings and review meeting materials in advance Willingness to commit to a 2-year term

Term: Two years starting December of each even year, Eligible individ uals may serve multiple terms but must re-apply, Maximum two of Ju nior Associate Board Members may be selected for each term, No more than one member from a house hold, Stipend: $50.00 per meeting

To Apply: To be considered for appointment as a Junior Associate Board Member, submit an online application and a upload resume by 5:00 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2022. Apply online at www.svwd.org/junior.

Appointment: All submissions will be acknowledged and considered. Potential interviews with the Board of Directors are scheduled for the evening of Nov. 10, 2022

Park Friends, the Deputy Sheriff’s Association, and the Second Dis trict Supervisor’s Office the capital campaign is in its final stages. Recent generous donations from

the community have included a $20,000 donation from Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Cal

Hispanic Pioneers

By Lisa Robinson

September 15 – October 15 is His panic Heritage month. Here we will look at two local pioneer families with pre-California Hispanic roots.

For almost fifty years Santos Omnes and his family lived in Boulder Creek. Son of Maria Con ception Espinosa, whose family came to California in 1776 with the second De Anza party, and Julian Omnes Guy, a French sailor, Santos was described in The Santa Cruz Sentinel in 1941 as “the last remain ing link between the present Boul der Creek generation and the Mex ican war of 1846-48.” His father, a veteran of the Mexican war, served under Commodore John Sloat, who took Monterey in July 1846, raised the US flag at the Custom House, and claimed California for the Unit ed States.

Julian Omnes Guy passed away in 1899, and his wife Maria in 1902 at the home of her son Ed, Santos’ brother, in Boulder Creek. Maria is buried at the Boulder Creek IOOF Cemetery.

Gutzwiller - Cont.

ifornia and its member contractors Granite Construction, Graniterock, and XL Construction. The upcom ing Boardwalk Chili Cookoff on October 22 will designate a portion of the event’s proceeds to the me

Santos was a teamster for the Gro ver Mill and Lumber Company and he presided as the grand marshal for several Boulder Creek Days parades until his death in 1947. He was born in 1861, near Watson ville and in 1889, he married Elsie Lorenzana whose family were early residents of the Villa de Branciforte township. In later years, he and his wife operated a tamale parlor in Boulder Creek.

Two of their three children attend ed Sequoia School. In this image, Sequoia School students are on a large tree stump at the entrance to the Koster’s Ranch, circa 1902. Ida Omnes is in the front row, second from the left and Ernest Omnes is on the stump second row from the top on the right.

Another Boulder Creek pioneer with Hispanic heritage was Soila Grazia Denison, wife of George Denison, who together ran the Boulder Creek House on the corner of West Park Avenue. Soila was the daughter of Frenchman Bertrand Grazia and Melania Gonzales. When they married in Branciforte,

morial. To date, over $300,000 has been raised and less than $100,000 remains to reach the funding goal!

If you would like to make a dona tion to help complete this commu nity-lead effort to create a space to remember Damon, please visit

there was a two-day fiesta in cele bration. Melania was born in Santa Cruz in 1829. Her parents Juan José Gonzáles and Maria Ana Rodriquez were also native Californians. Juan José Gonzáles was a former major domo of Mission Santa Cruz from 1834 to 1839 during the seculariza tion of the mission and was granted

www.countyparkfriends.org/wil lowbrook for more information.

Opportunities to be a part of this

La Playa del Rancho Pescadero for his services.

The Santa Cruz Sentinel commented: “Mrs. [Soila] Denison … is one of the best housekeepers in the State, as all know who have dined at her table of purest linen and most deli ciously cooked viands.”

project are ongoing. For more in formation, please visit www.coun typarkfriends.org/willowbrook.

Image courtesy the San Lorenzo Valley Museum, George Alfano Collection.

Astrology With Faelan Shiva - Oct. 2022

Fall is upon us! While we enjoy the change of colors, light and tempera ture here on our beautiful planet Earth, here are the key points happen ing in the sky for October:

Our Full Moon at 16° Aries lands on Oct 9 at 1:54pm, lending us an extra dose of energy to make our preparations for the colder months. If there is anything you’ve been putting off, now is a great time to do it! Oppo site the Moon Mercury conjoins the Sun in Libra, an excellent time to brave communications in relationships.

Venus approaches her conjunction with the Sun in the sign of Libra throughout the month, they conjoin on Oct 22 in Libra, just in time to jump into Scorpio together holding hands.

The Sun enters Scorpio on Oct 23rd at 3:36am. The Spirit of Halloween is ignited, and we are all invited to look deeper into our secret worlds. What needs to be brought into the light to heal?

The New Moon lands on Oct 25 at 3:45am, catching up with the Sun and Venus at 2° Scorpio. Relationships take a leap toward deeper intimacy. Love is a trusted advisor for the month of Underworld Journeys and psychic nakedness.

Mars goes retrograde on Oct 30 at 6:26am in the late degrees of Gemi ni. This may be a time to review and revise some of the bold ideas and communications we’ve been bringing forth. Have they been too aggres sive, or with just the right amount of confidence? Is there anywhere we missed an opportunity to be brave in our perceptions?

Libra Sept 23 - Oct 22: You exude grace and your style is on point. Folks are compellingly attracted to your charm. This month is an excellent time to express yourself with words, stories, songs. Sing to us about who you are! Full Moon invites you to boldly take the next step with your trusted partners, whether they be romantic, friends, or business. You know who you are, invite them to the party. New moon gives you a glimpse into the underbelly of your values, do you like what you see there?

Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 22: Your intuition is always strong, but this month it is off the charts. Here is a mystery for you, watch out for paranoia, but trust your thoughts. Your detective skills are sharp as a blade, the truth cannot hide, but grace with others may be harder to access. Full moon asks you how you can use these skills to be of service, and to develop your compassion. New Moon? This is your time. Make art, practice divination and ritual, make love with abandon, embrace your inner Scor pio!

Sagittarius Nov 23 - Dec 21 Watch out for overextension. Your usual optimism may be feeling a little frustrated as if it’s all fired up but moving backwards. Find grace in spending time with friends and develop your ability to be a good listener. There is much comfort to be had in sharing time with others (it’s not all about you). Full Moon is a great time to share your generosity. Share your good fortune! New Moon brings quiet insights into your spiritual endeavors. Get very quiet and listen to the wind.

Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 20 As always, things are going to be your way. There is some friction between your killer discipline and your valued individuality vs finding comfort in new ways, and maybe even some….play? Allow yourself to get a little weird. It’s good for you. Full moon brings harmony between your unique values, your passionate thoughts about how to put them to use, and a graceful reputation with others. A great time to share your thoughts with the public! New Moon asks you to consider what company you keep.

Aquarius Jan. 21 - Feb 19 Your home has been a big focus for you. Perhaps you find yourself trying many different styles and expressions to find the perfect fit for your unique flare. You have found courage to express your identity to others. Full Moon invites you to explore how your one passionate idea can find balance with the ideals of the world at large. Also a great time to plan travel. New moon asks you to ex plore if your public reputation is inline with your inner beliefs.

Pisces Feb 20 - March 20 Your dreamy nature is a sanctuary for you, but are you being honest and communicative with your closest partners? On Oct 27th you get a super octane boost to your personal energy. Embrace it, dream big and watch out for over indulgence. Full Moon gives you the courage to speak up about your personal values which leads

to deeper trust. New Moon has your intuition dialed into the deeper meanings of life and love.

Aries March 21-April 20 Your thoughts and ideas are on fire! An excellent time to consider learning and study endeavors, but try to avoid too many soap box speech es. Full moon asks you to strike a balance between your maturing humanitarian efforts, the needs of your loved ones, and your own inner desires. New Moon brings deeper intimacy and an opportunity for a sudden investment.

Taurus April 21-May 21 You’ve been having a disconcerting amount of new experiences and shifts in stability. The month starts off with a friction between your thoughts, inner moods, dreams, spiritual yearnings and self expression. They are all connected but not quite sorted. The Full Moon finds you focus ing on the needs of others. Your own needs are just as import ant, though harder to contact. The New Moon brings you grace, and a willingness to discuss deeper subjects with your closest companions.

Gemini May 22 - June 20 Your leadership skills are super charged, but watch out for coming on too strong. Your drive to multi-task and do all the things needs some balance, don’t forget to breathe! There is big energy for you to play, enjoy, create and have some romance. The Full Moon has you consid ering how those pleasures might tie into your life goals. New Moon has a strong focus on how your daily routines bring you comfort. Are you being honest with yourself? What are they showing you?

Cancer June 21 - July 21 You have been hearing a call to brave ly seek out a new spiritual journey or education. Pursue it. Meanwhile your home is enjoying some aesthetic upgrades and loving connection. Full Moon reminds you that when your own cup is full, you have much more energy to be seen by others out in the world. New Moon ups the ante on your intuition and your playful authentic intimacy. An excellent time to take up Tarot, or find some release in angsty art.

Leo July 22 - Aug 22 You find yourself quite eloquent when speaking on matters of love, and gain new insights in balancing relationships. You passionately defend your friends. Full moon brings a courageous desire to travel and expand your horizons. New Moon asks you to look deeper into your home life, and to be honest yet compassionate with what you find.

Virgo Aug 23 - Sept 22 Your communication skills are your superpower as the month opens. You bring important insights we all need to get us through these challenging times of growth. You find comfort and value in poetry and closeness with others. Full Moon invites you to be a little more courageous in your intimacy and inner longings. New Moon finds you asking ques tions about taboo subjects. The seeds of curiosity are planted.

The Joyous Kitchen

worth it.

by Joy Stewart of Joyous Kitchen

What is chicken mole? Well, the thing to understand about mole is that the word is something of a catch-all word for sauce. However in the U.S. it is commonly under stood that it very often refers to a type of sauce featuring chocolate and spices called mole sauce, or mole poblano. The dish originates in Mexico, although there is some debate as to whether it comes from the state of Puebla, Oaxaca or Tlax cala. In restaurants it is served over chicken enchiladas: shredded roast ed chicken and soft mild cheese rolled in soft corn tortillas. They are served with a generous amount of mole sauce and a drizzle of mild, loose Mexican sour cream called crema, as well as sprinkled with [record scratch] Wait a minute, I can hear you thinking; Did she just say chicken and chocolate? I sure did. You’re probably wondering how they go together. Well, the amaz ing thing about mole poblano is the depth of flavor imparted by its many ingredients. Smoky adobo, redolent with spice and personality is a subtle compliment to the rich, bittersweet chocolate. The chocolate flavor pairs incredibly well with mild corn tortilla and the richness of the sauce, enhanced by a nut paste, goes surprisingly well with chicken and chicken fat. It’s got a lot of in gredients, but don’t be intimidated. It’s easier than you’d think and so

Big Basin- Continued

fire-damaged, they had to be felled.

Patrick Courtright, State Parks Maintenance Supervisor, led the effort to process the logs into some thing that could be useful to the park when it reopened.

“We did what we needed to do to get the park open,” Courtright said. “It’s a unique type of work. It’s not something you get to do every

• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts

• 1/4 cup blanched almonds

• 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

• 1 clove star anise

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

• 1 disk Mexican chocolate

• 2 roasted habanero, seeds and ribs removed

• 2 Tablespoons adobo paste

• 5 spice cloves, heads only

• 2 Tablespoons powdered bak ing chocolate

• [Up to] 4 cups chicken stock

• 1 onion, roughly chopped

• [Up to] 1/4 cup coconut oil or lard

• 4 tomatillos, roasted

• Salt, to taste

• 4 cloves roasted garlic Toppings & Garnishes:

• Crema

• Queso Blanco

• Minced Cilantro

For enchilada assembly:

• 2 lbs shredded cooked chicken (can be roasted or poached)

• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, chopped into small bits

• 1 package soft corn tortillas

Add oil or lard to cover the bottom of a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and salt to taste and cook without stirring for up to 4 minutes. Stir and then leave for another four minutes. When they are just browned, re move from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, add oil or lard to cover the bottom of a small saucepan heated to low-medium and toast nuts, sesame, cinnamon stick, cloves and star anise for 1.5 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Set cinnamon stick aside and pulse nuts, sesame and spices in the blender, 3 pulses about 5 seconds each.

Add tomatillos, habaneros, adobo paste, 2 cups chicken stock, onions, garlic. Pulse in a blender 5 times at 5 seconds each.

Strain contents of blender through a sieve and reintroduce to a larger saucepan. Add cinnamon stick back

in and bring to a lazy simmer. Thin with remaining chicken stock until sauce reaches the desired consisten cy.

While sauce simmers over the lowest heat setting, preheat the oven to 325 degrees and in a baking dish assemble chicken enchiladas: pile a generous amount of chicken and chopped mozzarella in a line down the center of a corn tortilla in a 3:1 ratio (chicken to cheese); roll tortilla up and place in baking dish. Continue rolling tortillas up with chicken and cheese and placing into the baking dish until the dish is filled with rolled up tortillas, fitting snugly inside. Bake until the cheese is melted (about 7 to 10 minutes).

Remove sauce from heat, find and discard cinnamon stick and add chocolate in all forms, stirring to melt and incorporate.

Remove enchiladas from the oven and pour the desired amount of sauce over them.

Serve enchiladas drizzled with cre ma and sprinkled with cilantro and crumbled queso blanco.

day.”

In fact, it’s so unique that it proved impossible to find a local saw shop or lumber cutter who had the right wedge — a checker — for the job.

“This is an old-school technique,” explained Juan Villarino, Santa Cruz District, Mountain Sector Park Maintenance Chief II. “This is not something that’s practiced

frequently,”

Through a connection, Courtright found a forge in Washington state that could make checker wedges to his specifications. Understand ing the breadth of the work ahead, State Parks ordered about a half dozen. Mountain Parks Foundation generously covered the cost of the wedges.

Creating split rails begins with a log that’s 3 to 5 feet in diameter and 10 feet long. Once it’s checked for end rot and preexisting splits that would terminate the split run, crews split the log in half using a checker wedge. From there, it’s a labor-intensive effort — inserting splitting wedges to crack the log from the top down. The log is halved, then quartered. Sheets will peel off and those can be split into rails.

“Sometimes the log will split clean but a lot of times you get there and you have to use pry tools like rock bars and pry bars to finish,” Courtright explained. “You’re just pounding like the dickens.”

Two 10-foot rails become a section of fencing. Another 10-foot rail is

halved and used for posts, 2 feet in the ground and 3 feet up. The fencing pieces are smoothed using a draw knife, essentially a rudimen tary form of sanding, to prevent visitors from getting splinters when they lean on the fences.

“Making rails by hand is not an easy thing to do,” Villarino said. “For weeks, months we had people out here making rail.”

One log takes a crew about 2 hours to break down and generates 30 to 40 rails. State Parks staff from Facility Maintenance, Natural Resources Management, Visitor Services, Roads and Trails crews, as well as volunteers provided the time intensive labor to make the split rail. So far, crews have made about 400 rails.

“It takes a lot of finesse to get done,” Courtright said.

Staff, volunteers, contractors and the California Conservation Corps all assisted with installation of the fencing along the Redwood Loop Trail near the Campfire Center in advance of Big Basin’s reserva tion-only day-use access starting on July 22.

Tidbits

Eye Health

by Marcey Klein BS, NC

Our eyes are so crucial and im portant for us, usually working overtime to meet our needs, yet, we abuse and neglect them all too often. They need to be exercised, nourished, and loved for all the work they do for us.

Our eyes need to be exercised like the rest of our bodies to enhance the peripheral vision and to strengthen them. I have recently started doing eye exercises every day and have noticed benefits. With your eyes open, you do 3 sets of figure eights in one direction, switch directions, then continue with zig zags, up and downs, and left to right. I find that this really helps relieve eye strain and eye headaches. Another great exercise is to focus on something nearby, then look at something in the dis

tance, and keep focusing on things further and further away.

Nutrition is also incredibly import ant for eye health. Vitamin A plays an important part in the health of our rods which oversee our night time vision. Therefore, it’s really important for us to eat our carot enoids which our body will con vert to vitamin A. These foods are rich in pigments like red, orange, yellow, and green. So the foods we want to ingest are pretty and vi brant: cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, squash, dark leafy greens, carrots, tomatoes, apricots, and pumpkin. When we cook the vegetables and put oil on them, it actually helps us with absorption since beta caro tene is fat soluble.

Vitamin C is also a crucial anti oxidant for eye health and for preventing cataracts. I like to take

1000mg per day with bioflavo noids which increase absorption as a health insurance policy since vitamin C is also important in car diovascular health, cancer preven tion, and skin health. Foods that are rich in this nutrient are rasp berries, citrus fruits, red peppers, broccoli, strawberries, grapefruit, and kale.

Hydration is also very important in eye health as it keeps our tears nice and fluid. Tears are necessary for lubricating our eyes, keeping our vision clear and washing away debris which helps prevent the development of eye infections. We need to drink 8x8 oz glasses a day, or half our weight in ounces a day. What I do is drink a nice big glass of water upon waking, then I keep a water bottle with me at all times which I refill with purified water (no tap water please!) The more water you drink, the more you will want to drink, your body knows what it needs. If you want to make your water taste delicious so you will drink more, just throw in a tea bag that will give it a slightly sweet or fruity flavor.

Good oils are important for our eyes, especially DHA from cold water fatty fish. Our eyes utilize DHA since it is a major structural and functional fat in eye health. You can receive enough of this fat from 3 sardines a day, by eating fatty fish like salmon, cod, macker el, and herring, or by taking a 1000 mg supplement a day. I also take a tablespoon of flax oil daily, some coconut oil, and vitamin E. In my book, the more oils we have the better, since our cell membranes

are made up of fats, our hormones need fat to be made, we need fats to absorb our fat soluble vitamins, and our brain is comprised of fat, we just need fat!

On last note, antioxidants in gen eral will help us with keeping the fragile components in the eye run ning properly. Also, keeping our blood sugars in a normal range will help, as excess sugars in our blood can cause damage to those fragile capillaries in our eyes. That means watching our intake of refined sugars from sodas, pas tries, alcohol, and desserts. We also want to keep the free radicals that are coming in in check. Smoking is the worst offender, but also abus ing acetaminophen which decreas es the most potent antioxidant in our bodies called glutathione, can leave our eyes susceptible.

Healthy eating and supplement ing well benefits us in more ways than one, take care of your body, and your body will take care of you. Please come into Wild Roots if you have any further questions, or would like to check out supple ments and foods to support your eye. Thank you and be well!

Crime Blotter

09/26/2022 16:17 FELTON, CA

Missing Person was reported as a voluntary missing adult after not returning home for 2 weeks.

09/23/2022 13:34 7200 BLK

COAST RD DAVENPORT, CA

The subject returned to a residence he had been evicted from the day prior. He entered the residence through a window.

09/23/2022 15:17 BOULDER

CREEK, CA This report docu ments a female who was scammed into giving money to an unknown individual.

09/23/2022 19:45 BEN LOMOND, CA This report documents a fe male arrested for public intoxica tion involving drugs.

09/24/2022 11:30 BOULDER

CREEK CA On the listed date and time, A(1) was arrested for being drunk in public.

09/21/2022 12:52 10000 BLK

WEST DR ZAYANTE, CA This report details the unlawful move ment of mailboxes.

09/21/2022 18:27 6300 BLK

STATE ROAD 9 FELTON, CA An unknown male punched another male in the face after a road rage incident. Return to patrol for fol low up.

09/20/2022 11:01 5300 BLK GRA

HAM HILL RD FELTON, CA An unknown suspect stole a back pack and wallet from an unlocked vehicle.

09/20/2022 13:43 5300 BLK GRA

HAM HILL RD FELTON, CA vic tim had an Apple iPhone and $20 in case stolen from her unlocked vehicle.

09/17/2022 09:30 9500 BLK

HIGHWAY 9 BEN LOMOND, CA

A store in Ben Lomond sold and delivered over $8000.00 worth of goods and services to the suspect in Fremont. The purchases were declined by the credit card compa ny. The identity of the purchaser is unclear.

09/18/2022 08:29 1300 BLK CON

FERENCE DR SCOTTS VALLEY, CA This report documents the arrest of a subject for trespass that was likely to continue. A dagger was found concealed on the sub ject’s person.

09/15/2022 01:22 : 9500 BLK MILL

ST BEN LOMOND, CA This re port documents a man in posses sion of a concealed dirk or dagger as well as being intoxicated.

09/15/2022 15:02 12000 BLK CEN

TRAL AVE BOULDER CREEK,

CA Suspect was cited and released for Pc 602(o) - trespassing.

09/14/2022 12:43 6000 BLK GRA

HAM HILL RD FELTON, CA This report details a subject that sur rendered a short barreled shotgun.

09/14/2022 13:35 3800 BLK BON

NY DOON RD SANTA CRUZ, CA Unknown suspect(s) forced entry into (V1)’s vehicle and stole items. At this time, insufficient evidence to continue investigation.

09/12/2022 09:59 BOULDER CREEK, CA A subject was arrest ed for disrupting a school and violating a child custody order.

09/09/2022 13:04 : 1300 BLK

CONFERENCE DR SCOTTS

VALLEY, CA This report docu ments the citation of a subject for trespass after being previously admonished by a Deputy.

09/08/2022 12:32 CONFRENCE

DR FELTON, CA This report doc uments the theft of a golf cart.

09/07/2022 09:53 VALHALLA

WAY FELTON, CA This report de tails a residential burglary where a shotgun was stolen.

09/07/2022 15:36 LOGANS

CREEK RD BOULDER CREEK, CA This report documents a death investigation.

09/06/2022 15:15 JAMISON

CREEK RD BOULDER CREEK

CA An unknown suspect slashed the victim’s tires, causing approxi mately $1300 in damages.

09/01/2022 17:20 100 BLK

CHARLES HILL RD SCOTTS

VALLEY, CA This case documents a violation of a criminal protective order. The suspect turned herself in and she was booked into jail.

09/01/2022 18:15 OLD COUNTY

ROAD BEN LOMOND, CA Sub ject was arrested for public intoxi cation and public disturbance.

Taking the Bull by the horns

to

By Kevin Foster

With reports of 2 inches of rain recently, it gets me thinking about the continuous efforts to keep my property and the space around my house defensible. With rain comes growth. All the seeds and dormant weeds hiding in the dirt get in spired to grow from our little bits of rain we get here and there. Fingers crossed we get a bunch more this winter since our lakes and rivers and forests are in dire need of a good drink. But with that being said, it means more work.

The rains bring the redwood duff out of the trees and it fills our gut ters and covers our roofs. With fire season being all year now, the con stant chore of keeping fuels cleaned

up around our houses is an ever growing battle. So don’t let winter make you lazy, keep up on it just in case this winter brings minimal rainfall.

Another thing I noticed is a lot of elderly can’t keep up with their properties. Either the family lives too far away, or they’re on a fixed income and can’t afford to hire professional landscapers. With that being said, reach out to your im mediate elderly neighbors on your street and try to be a blessing and ask them if you might be of assis tance. There’s no greater feeling in the world than helping someone else that is really in need of it and isn’t asking. In doing so, you help make your neighborhood a little more safe from fire and you will

bring your neighborhood closer together. Some of the nicest strang ers I’ve met were by offering to lend a hand or asking if they could use some help from time to time. Granted a lot will refuse any type of help but you will definitely make their day by offering. That’s one of the beautiful things about living in the Santa Cruz mountains. There are so many of us that offer to help others not for anything in return just for the wonderful feeling we get when we see that sparkle in your eye which is the best payment possible. Helping others is what makes this world great.

And another reminder to keep your branches cut back for your drive ways for first responders. Have your address highly visible on a fence, tree or mailbox so address es are easily found. Keep any dry vegetation away from your house and trees cut back so there’s no way for fire to travel up a tree and get to

your eaves. Living in the redwood forest and trying to keep properties fire safe and defensible is more than a chore, it is a nonstop project that never ends.

New folks that are getting genera tors, keep them at least 5 feet away from your house and do not store gas or firewood against your house. These are some of my winter tips and suggestions to make for a safer community for everyone. Always remember the best neighborhoods are the ones where everyone knows everyone and watching out for one another is the most help of all.

Community Calendar September-October 2022

Friday October 7

FIRST FRIDAY ART TOUR

Every First Friday Evening from 5pm-9pm at various locations in Santa Cruz County. Plan your First Friday night and visit partic ipating 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 October 15

ROARING CAMP RAILROADS: THOMAS AND PERCY’S HAL LOWEEN PARTY

Dress up for Halloween with favorites Thomas and Percy, for a 20-minute train ride, entertain ment, and fun-filled activities for the entire family.ACTIVITIES in clude: Face Painting, Storytelling, Train Play Tables, Cookie Deco rating, Coloring, Pick a Pumpkin

Sunday October 16

DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ: MAKERS MARKET

EVERY THIRD SUNDAY! Come on out for some fresh air and crafty goodness! 10am-5pm on Pacific Ave at Lincoln St in Down town Santa Cruz.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 AMAZING!Located on the 1100 block of Pacific Ave. between Cathcart and Lincoln Streets near New Leaf and along side so many amazing downtown restaurants.Friendly leashed pups are welcome!

Wednesday October 19 13 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN ON THE WHARF

Join us for 13 days of frightful fun on the Santa Cruz Wharf!

Take part in the Great Pumpkin BINGO Hunt, snap a photo at our scenic photo booth, and enjoy fes tive Wharf specials ALL 13 days! It all kicks off October 19!

The Great Pumpkin BINGO Hunt – All 13 Days

Join the Great Pumpkin BINGO Hunt! Take your Bingo Card to the Wharf any day during the 13 Days of Halloween on the Wharf.Find hidden pumpkins on the Wharf. Match their ghoulish image on your bingo card and stamp your card Can you find them all?! Pho to Booth on the Wharf Stage – All

On the Water Front

13 Days: Snap a festive photo with your family with the scenic Mon terey Bay and Lighthouse as your backdrop. Wharf Specials – All 13 Days – Enjoy fabulous, unique specials from restaurants and gift shops perfectly catered to the Hal loween theme. Trick-o-Treating on the Wharf – October 31, 3:00 – 6:00 pm. Bring the family to show off your creative costumes and tricko-treat at Wharf business

Friday October 21Saturday October22

SANTA CRUZ BEACH BOARD WALK: CHILI COOK-OFF

Bring your appetite and join the fun as both professional and amateur chefs work their culinary magic and compete for the title of Best Chili!

Cook-Off Schedule

• 9am-10am: Chef’s prep (no heat)

• 10am-1pm: Chili cook time

• 10am: Tasting kits go on sale

• 1pm: Public tasting begins

• 4pm: Winners announced at the Neptune’s Stage (beachside of Neptune’s King dom)

Saturday October 29

WITCHES BALL at the Brook dale Lodge

7:00 pm - 1:00 am Event of the season. Come out and celebrate the Halloween season at the most haunted hotel in California. Live music by Redwood Groove, Great Food, Cash prizes costume contest, Witches Hat Contest. Multiple bars, Hotel transformed into the greatest halloween party. Don’t miss the Fun. Free Broom parking available

Monday October 31 Halloween

Trick or Treating Boulder Creek downtown, Ben Lomond and Felton Downtown

Contracts Awarded for Major Construction Work, Environmental Assessments, and Outreach

by Mark Dolson

The San Lorenzo Valley Water District (SLVWD) Board has met three times since my last report: on August 18th, September 1st, and September 15th. All three meet ings were fairly short and relative ly free of controversy as the Board focused much of its attention on the details of contract awards for upcoming projects.

By far the largest contract was for $5,023,000 and was awarded to JMB Construction, the lowest of five bidders, for the District’s “CIP Pipeline Project.” This project bundles together multiple proac tive infrastructure improvement measures. An aging 40,000-gallon redwood tank will be replaced with a new 160,000- gallon tank fitted with improved monitoring instrumentation. Also, approxi mately 8,500 feet of aging and/or undersized water pipeline spread across four locations within the District will be replaced with 8inch ductile iron pipe. This will improve water delivery and fire

protection.

The District awarded three related contracts in support of its Conjunc tive Use Project. Regular readers may recall that the goal of the Conjunctive Use Project (discussed most recently at the August 4th meeting) is to enable the District to minimize depletion of groundwa ter by allowing water to be freely transferred between various parts of the District’s water system as needed. Unfortunately, the Dis trict is being forced to complete an expensive Environmental Impact Review (EIR) due to an objection filed by the City of Santa Cruz. Contracts were awarded to Rin con Consultants (for $132,058 to complete the EIR document and process), to Nossaman LLP (for $64,250 for legal costs associated with completing the EIR process), and to Mike Podlech (for $32,000 to provide essential support as a fisheries biologist).

In a subsequent meeting, the Dis trict awarded a contract for $72,193 to Panorama Environmental for

essential environmental consulting services needed for the consolida tion of the Bracken Brae and Forest Springs mutual water companies into the District’s system. A com peting bidder actually submitted a lower bid, but the Board found important deficiencies in this latter proposal. Also, the District has received a state grant which will cover the required spending in full.

Lastly, the District awarded a maximum of $55,000 to the SantaCruz-based public relations firm Miller Maxfield to replace Buzz PR as the District’s supporting partner in its ongoing and expand ed outreach efforts. There was some extended discussion about this as Director Fultz expressed a strong preference for the compet ing (larger and Southern-Califor nia-based) firm of Dudek. Staff and other Board members viewed Miller Maxfield as the respondent who best demonstrated a strong understanding of the local area, clear ability to understand local water policy issues based on past

work, and the full range of public outreach and event planning capa bilities which would be required to meet all the District’s evolving needs. The final vote was 4-1 in favor of Miller Maxfield.

One important aspect of these recent 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 upcoming 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 incumbent who is unopposed). All four candidates are well-qualified, but voters owe it to our community to try to iden tify the three who will have the most positive impact.

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

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Dare to Dream Big

By Lori Suzanne Holetz

How big do you dream? Growing up, we are never given the secret to a life of ease and gentle flow. Rather we are taught, or trained, indoctrinated if you will, into a life where we appear to need to toil away, working hard day after day, with few truly restorative breaks. This is what our society tells us. It is supposed to be the pathway to the common view of success. But what is the definition of success really? More importantly, how do you define success in your life?

Autumn upon us again, it is a time to begin going inward, to home and hearth, of self, family, and community. A time for rest, res toration, and reflection; quiet and peaceful, as the seasons shift, and the leaves begin to fall.

Again, we arrive at a place where the slightest shift in habitual thinking can make an enormous difference in how our lives play out…. if we dare to dream. More times than not, when I work with clients, we chat about this shift in thinking. A slightly different view point can change the look, feel, and ultimate outcome of any situation one might find themselves with

in. It’s rather like standing back and taking in a good long view of whatever might be in front of us. It could be anything. But if we move, walk around to the “backside” the view changes dramatically. It is the same with anything else in our lives. If we pause, take a moment to allow for the universal life force to be with us, the view will change.

Herein lays the daring to dream. We are not intended to “do it all” by ourselves, alone. We are intended to “dance” daily with the oneness of the Universe. Its 50/50 all the way, but first we must dream and then be ready to show up when the Universe does grant assistance, pointing the way. Day dreaming is the key to the active creation of one’s life. It is no differ ent than planning a trip or vaca tion. We are inspired by person(s), place(s) or thing(s), and then we move towards that. We plan that trip we’ve always dreamed of; we begin move towards it in the planning and imagining. Our plans may not always turn our as envisioned. We may become sidetracked many times, thinking we are off course. But more times than not, whatever pulls upon us,

or leads us into an unknown is a better journey in the long run, often with delightful surprises as well. (The Universe loves to give us wonderful surprises!) After all, life is a journey, and the journey is most often more important than the destination.

It’s no different with our daily lives. The active daydreaming of our life into what we choose it to be is one of the ways to happi ness…. our choice, with the Uni verse supporting us by flowing into our life what we need for that

October

dream to manifest effortlessly. Next we must apply trust, patience and relax, as we wait for the Uni verse to respond. It’s very clear; the answer will be “yes”, “no”, or “maybe later”. But the answer in your better interest will come if we listen quietly for a few moments throughout the day.

Give it a whirl… pause for a mo ment to daydream. What will you dream today? For a better life, a better community, a better world, for all?