“The Wizard of Oz, every Christmas. In Chicago, it used to come on every year, and that was what I looked forward to. It was on TV for free in black and white. We didn’t know that it became color. Now I own three or four copies of DVDs”
Isaac Naranjo, student
“Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favorite movies ever. I love Tim Burton’s art style and the aesthetic of it. It’s macabre and darker, that’s my style.”
Tammi Brown, vocalist-musician
“It’s a Wonderful Life. An 80s rock band songwriter did a musical adaptation for the Crocker Theater. I played the head angel that told Clarence what to do. Watching the movie was a tradition for me, and the play made it more-so.”
David Orth, IT Tech
“The Knight Before Christmas. It’s just so sappy and cheesy. A time travelling knight meets a school teacher who owns the most luxurious house in the world. She has an 1,800 square feet guest house stocked to the gills with Crate and Barrel.”
Paula Gregoire, self-employed, holistic beauty products
“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase, it’s just so funny. With the crazy uncle and the in-laws—the Christmas lights overload the circuit breaker—the cat gets electrocuted—and the neighbors are like, ‘oh my God!’”
Mikal Davenport, Industrial Superintendent
“Die Hard. Christmas. It’s got Christmas-kinda rap music in it, and a Christmas party. That’s what makes it Christmassy. The terrorists come and crash the Christmas party and Bruce Willis saves the day!”
On July 14 Los Gatos resident Christopher Chambers got a call saying that his wife and daughter had not arrived for their doctor’s appointment. Filled with dread, he and his young son immediately drove towards the doctor’s office when they saw smoke in the sky ahead.
A white Tesla Model Y had veered into the opposite lane, crashed into a tree and burst into flame. Chambers tried to approach the wreck, but was prevented by police. They checked the car’s VIN number and confirmed his worst fears. Chambers’s 44-year-old wife Beidi and 12-year-old daughter Elyse died at the scene.
“I was left with unbearable questions–were my girls conscious in the end? Did they suffer?” Chambers later wrote on Gofundme where his appeal for financial aid quickly almost doubled its $50,000 target.
According to Chambers, witnesses claimed that within 30 seconds the flames around the vehicle were too hot to approach, and one apparently said it was “like an inferno” and all he could see inside was smoke.
“We investigate every single incident where the driver alleges to us that their vehicle accelerated contrary to their input, and in every case where we had the vehicle’s data, we confirmed that the car operated as designed,” wrote Tesla in a press statement from January 2020. “In other words, the car accelerates if, and only if, the driver told it to do so, and it slows or stops when the driver applies the brake.”
Chambers does not believe what he has been told by police or the vehicle data that indicates user input of excessive speed. He said his wife would not have driven at 95 miles an hour with their daughter in the car. “She just didn’t drive like that,” said Chambers.
Chambers plans to bring suit against Tesla for the alleged unintended acceleration and fire.
With this lawsuit he joins many others globally and nationally who have alleged cases of unintended acceleration. Tesla has refuted these claims. In 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigated the issue and determined that all the reported cases it evaluated were due to user error, although they recently reopened the investigation after another petition.
New EDR Data Findings
“In many cases of sudden acceleration over the past few years the driver has claimed that his/her foot was on the brake pedal or on the floor during the incident instead of on the accelerator pedal. However, a subsequent look at the EDR data showed that the accelerator pedal was pressed to a maximum of 100% in less than a few seconds during the incident, apparently showing that pedal error was the true cause of the incident,” wrote AutoSafety.org in a June report.
The safety document goes on to explain how the accelerator sensors can potentially malfunction, leading to no action needed by the driver to inadvertently accelerate their vehicle. “A vehicle defect can cause the digitized outputs of the accelerator pedal sensors to increase up to 100% without the driver stepping on the accelerator pedal even though the analog outputs of the accelerator pedal sensors remain at their un-pressed values of 0%,” wrote the document. “The vehicle defect in this case is that the control software allows ADC calibration with an incorrect value of the calibration voltage.”
When it comes to fires, cases are easier to verify. In February this year a brother and sister in Sacramento were driving eastbound on Highway 50 when their Tesla began emitting smoke. They pulled over and exited the vehicle just before the engine caught fire. There are several similar stories circulating the internet.
Tesla and other EV car manufacturers assert that electric vehicles are far less prone to catching fire than internal combustion engine vehicles, and fully electric vehicle sales are climbing with a market share of 7.2% in the first quarter of 2023. This is a jump from 4.3% last year in the same period.
A recent study by AutoinsuranceEZ compared results per 100k sales and reported 25 EV fires compared to 1,530 for gas cars, with just over double 3,475 for hybrids.
When they do happen, fires involving electric vehicles are known to be severe. Firefighters often have to use thousands of gallons of water to extinguish them due to the intense heat. In order to conserve water, some firefighters have used less conventional methods, such as placing the burning wrecks in containers of water or sand. This also guards against the possibility of fires reigniting even after they’ve been extinguished.
“It can take between approximately 3,000-8,000 gallons (11,356- 30,283 liters) of water, applied directly to the battery, to fully extinguish and cool down a battery fire,” wrote Tesla’s 2016 Model S emergency response guide. “Battery fires can take up to 24 hours to fully cool.”
DRIVING SAFELY As more and more vehicles turn electric, lithium battery usage will continue to grow. Photo: Shutterstock Armands photography
The Lithium Reaction
Electric Vehicles as well as most electronic devices use lithium, a soft alkali metal that is very reactive. Fires involving batteries are exacerbated by a process called ‘thermal runaway,’ chemical chain reactions that can lead to a rapid and exponential increase in temperature.
To understand this chemical reaction, it helps to know how a battery works. There are two basic components to a battery; the electrolyte (typically a liquid) and a cathode (typically a solid), which is what the ions from the electrolyte can transfer into. Lithium is only number three on the periodic table, so its ions are very light, small and mobile. Ions are electrically charged particles that are formed when atoms gain or lose electrons. When a battery discharges, ions are moving from the electrolyte into the cathode and when a battery charges up, the opposite process occurs.
“When lithium ion batteries burn, the cathode material breaks down and releases O2, and the battery combustion will also release CO and other combustible gasses,” wrote a 2017 ScienceDirect report about the effects of fire and explosion suppression within lithium ion batteries. “The large amount of heat released by internal reaction can also provide energy for lithium ion battery combustion.”
When a battery undergoes repeat use, the many chemical reactions can cause residual compounds to form on the interface where liquid and solid materials meet. This causes a battery to be less efficient over time; the reason why an old laptop or phone won’t hold charge for as long as a new one. That’s unavoidable, but an additional problem can occur when little finger-like deposits called dendrites form and spread into the electrolyte. These dendrite formations can be conductive and can even short-circuit the battery.
The exact chemistry behind this is not perfectly understood by scientists, but when this reaction happens, a lot of energy can be discharged in a very short amount of time, leading to a sharp increase in temperature and even combustion. This is why the TSA, for example, warns against bringing lithium-ion batteries into airplane cabins.
“Spare (uninstalled) lithium ion and lithium metal batteries, including power banks and cell phone battery charging cases, must be carried in carry-on baggage only,” writes TSA.gov. “Lithium metal (non-rechargeable) batteries are limited to two grams of lithium per battery. Lithium ion (rechargeable) batteries are limited to a rating of 100 watt hours (Wh) per battery.”
Many people already know to watch out for potentially faulty batteries. If they are taking an unusually long time to charge, show swelling or have any corrosion, it’s best to take them to a recycling center. Batteries should not go in the trash.
Fire Departments Respond
A concern is that fire departments around the country may not be adequately prepared and trained to handle these situations. “Lithium-Ion Batteries: Are You Ready?” was the theme of this year’s Firefighter Safety Stand Down.
An initiative of all the leading U.S. fire prevention agencies, Safety Stand Down is a week in June when departments are asked to suspend non-emergency activities so that all shifts can participate in the training.
“Lithium-ion batteries power a vast range of products and equipment, from laptops and smartphones to micro-mobility devices, electric vehicles and energy storage systems,” wrote Safety Stand Down’s 2023 press release. “[The week] will be broken down into five daily focus areas: recognition of hazards, firefighting operations, firefighter safety, post-incident considerations and public education.”
As most major car manufacturers have set goals to release more EV options or completely transform their fleet from combustion to electric, other industries will need to develop new safety standards as well.
Community Concerns
Richard Stover, a retired astronomer who lives in Santa Cruz, became concerned about the issue when he learned that a new parking garage was going to be built in the city and include only one entrance and exit. As the owner of a Honda hybrid EV, he’d been casually aware of battery fire incidents in the news. In particular, he was alarmed by the fact that toxic hydrogen fluoride gas is released during such fires.
“Are residents going to be protected from that [gas] and is there any way for the fire department to get in there and get people out?” he asked. “I think the likelihood of a fire is relatively low, but the consequences of that happening with housing above could be very serious.”
After sending a report on the matter to council members as well as the fire chief, he’s gotten no response. “I don’t know if they’re taking any of the issues seriously,” said Stover. “I hope it’s not the case, as it so often seems to be, that nothing happens until something really bad happens.”
Additionally, until just recently there were no national standards for the installation, operation or maintenance of EV charging stations. Last year, the Federal Highway Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation released regulations setting minimum standards and requirements for projects funded under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. NEVI is a program that will provide $5 billion in funding to states to build charging infrastructure as part of the Biden Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
When it comes to regulating EV charging site design, the rule “encourages states and other designated recipients to require any necessary fire prevention strategies,” but leaves the regulation of these codes to the building industry, according to the announcement.
“To address climate change, we all must eventually convert to electric vehicles,” said Stover. “Unless there is some dramatic breakthrough in battery technology, we will all be using lithium batteries in most of those vehicles.”
Lithium Batteries and the Future of Safety
Many scientists are working hard to make safer lithium batteries, especially in regards to electric vehicles. Michael Zuerch, assistant professor in the University of California at Berkeley’s Department of Chemistry, became interested in this field when he considered how all studies that had been done on the internal interfaces of lithium-ion batteries, essentially had been done post-mortem.
A researcher would take a perfectly good battery, cycle it thousands of times in a lab until dendrites developed, and then cut it open to look at them under a microscope.
“What caught my attention was that it would probably be more useful to be able to look at these structures as they form in real time so that you can watch things happening without taking [the battery] apart,” said Zuerch.
This was an ambitious idea. Zuerch and his team had to travel across the globe to use an electron-free laser called SPring-8 Angstrom Compact free electron LAser (SACLA) in Harima Science Garden City, Japan. The x-ray radiation spectroscopy allowed Zuerch’s team to view the chemistry at work inside the battery.
Zuerch and his team decided to skip lithium-ion batteries altogether, finding it more useful to look at a material that is being tested for use in solid state batteries, lithium lanthanum titanium oxide (LLTO). Their aim was to learn more about how the movement of small charge-bearing ions would interact with the movement of the heavier LLTO atoms.
“It’s like if you have a lot of heavy people dancing in a room, and then you have a skinny person who wants to run through,” said Zuerch. “The more that people move, the more difficult it gets.”
The team discovered that some of the movement from the heavy atoms impedes the flow of lithium-ions, and some of their movement can help by pushing the ions and increasing their activity. It will take many more similar studies until a consensus on this is reached, but being able to observe this movement in real time is a breakthrough that could help engineers refine the design criteria for this new technology.
“Our research provides a better understanding of the surface and interface characteristics of solid-state electrolyte materials and the molecular-level interactions at play at an interface that limit the ion mobility,” Zuerch said in an April press release issued by the school’s chemistry department. “Understanding such phenomena enables us to focus on designing better interfaces in the future and also provides impetus for guided design of future solid-state electrolytes.”
Solid-state batteries have been highly anticipated for years and for good reason. They’re more durable and could carry more charge, thus extending the range of electric vehicles. In a crystal form, like LLTO, they could be small enough to be grown directly on a microchip, handy for small devices like smart watches. Many people are expecting potentially safer results from these batteries.
As their name implies, solid-state batteries use a solid electrolyte substance between the anode and cathode, yet it should still be porous or spongy enough to let the ions pass through and do their energy-bearing work. Because there’s no longer the problem of a liquid interfacing with a solid, these batteries are far less reactive and far less flammable. You can find people on Youtube cutting or smashing solid-state battery packs, and watch nothing happen at all.
“I don’t even know how you would short-circuit such a battery,” Zuerch commented on their durability.
Why then, when lithium-ion batteries have so many known flaws and solid-state batteries are seemingly so superior, are people not using more of the latter? In Zuerch’s case, his LTTO crystal was a perfect lab-grown specimen, however, producing them at scale is a challenge. “Detailed understanding of the involved lithium dynamics [within solid-state electrolytes] is missing due to a lack of inoperando (spectroscopic) measurements with chemical and interfacial specificity,” wrote an April article on the topic by Nature Materials journal.
Many, like Santa Clara County-based startup Natron Energy are placing their bets on sodium-ion batteries. The company is using the salt-based pigment commonly known as Prussian blue as the basis for its batteries. They claim to be one of only five companies in the last century to achieve commercial scale success with a new battery chemistry.
“Just think about when lithium-ion batteries were invented and how long it took until they made their way into all our computers and phones,” said Zuerch. “With solid-state electrolytes, we are only a few years into even knowing that this is a usable approach. It’s going to take time.”
Free publications: Newsracks outside a local grocery store.
Brad Kava | Good Times Editor
Reporter Josué Monroy set out to cover a pro-Israel march last week and fairly present the views of the participants. We’ve also covered three pro-Palestinian demonstrations, and this was the first coverage that contained views from Israel’s supporters.
Josué presented a first-hand account of how divisions in the Middle East play out in our community.
Our mission as journalists is not to select and quote views with which we agree. Rather, we must unflinchingly ask questions and share answers—even if we disagree with or are horrified by the thoughts expressed. That is the nature of free expression.
A quote is not an endorsement. Sunlight is the best disinfectant.
Since publishing comments from several named individuals from the march on the Good Times website, we have heard from people who feel that we “amplified” the remarks, should not have published them, that we should apologize and issue statements on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The quotes in question were not printed, appeared on our site for 48 hours and were viewed by less than 1000 people. They were posted on Saturday and removed midday Monday.
We listened to the community and were also asked by the individual quoted to retract the statement.
After the removal, two masked individuals showed up at Good Times’ office and anonymously posted flyers. They claim we support genocide.
The leaflets personalize and give further distribution to the very words and ideas our critics contend we promoted. They publicly single out Monroy, who was doing his job as a journalist: reporting on local events, including quotes from the people in attendance.
One group subsequently made threats and issued demands that we make political statements in support of Palestine. That’s not our job. We are here as independent journalists, to present situations fairly and objectively, to cover local issues and dig deep into the things that make Santa Cruz tick.
We oppose Islamophobia, antisemitism and hate speech; and we also believe that drawing attention to these issues serves the public interest.
Activists on the Palestine issue should understand that the same protections afforded their critics protects their own free speech rights. We will continue to do that and we will continue to elicit and print comments from the community, which is fundamental to our role as the Santa Cruz County’s principal locally-owned newspaper.
In these times of war and misinformation, a free and independent press is more important than ever.
At a time when the journalistic community should stand together for free expression and the safety of journalists, we are also deeply disappointed to see competitors exploit this situation. They have given advance publicity to anonymous persons who will be engaging in an aggressive pressure campaign this week on our property.
The chilling effect of silencing opposing views through intimidation should concern all of us who value the free exchange of ideas in an open society.
BRAD KAVA
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Peace brings with it so many positive emotions that it is worth aiming for in all circumstances.” —Estella Eliot
PHOTO CONTEST
LOOKING UP The storied cumulochimbley cloud spotted at Black’s Beach, Santa Cruz. Photograph by Matt Regan.
Around 50 pro-Israel demonstrators marched on West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz this past Friday in a call to free hostages held by Hamas and show support for Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza. The protest was held the same day that Israel and Hamas agreed to a hostage and prisoner swap that returned 24 hostages to Israel for 39 Palestinian prisoners.
According to the BBC, among the returned hostages were the Israelis Margalit Mozes, 78, who was abducted from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz and Doron Katz Asher, 34, who was abducted along with her two daughters Raz, 4, and Aviv, 2. Ten Thai nationals were also released.
Demonstrators gathered on the lawn at 2pm at Lighthouse Point as they waved Israeli and U.S. flags. Some carried posters with the names and photos of hostages taken by Hamas militants during the attack on Israeli settlements near the Gaza border on Oct. 7.
An estimated 1,400 people were killed by Hamas that day, according to the Israeli government, in what it called the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. In response, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) unleashed an unprecedented bombing campaign against the Gaza strip that has killed more than 14,000 people, according to Gazan officials, as reported by theNew York Times. Ten thousand of the deaths have been women and children.
Now, almost two months into the conflict, a four-day ceasefire has been agreed to by Hamas and Israel in order to swap prisoners and hostages and for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. Demonstrators on Friday were there to demand all hostages held by Hamas be returned immediately.
In the wake of pro-Palestinian protests erupting across the nation and internationally, pro-Israeli groups are concerned with what they characterize as antisemitic chants, such as “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” According to the Anti-Defamation League, the chant is an antisemitic slogan calling for the destruction of Israel and the killing of Jews.
Earlier this month, Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib was censured in Congress for using the slogan. Tlaib is Palestinian-American and has shown support for the people of Gaza.
On this sunny day after Thanksgiving, West Cliff teemed with tourists as craft market booths dotted the parking lots. Demonstrators departed the lawn area and proceeded towards the surfer statue in a peaceful march that looped back around towards Natural Bridges. A few passing cars honked in solidarity.
When asked what his thoughts were on the march, an onlooker did not have a strong opinion either way.
“It’s a free country,” he said.
An earlier version of this article contained quotes from pro-Israel demonstrators that community members on both sides of the issue, including one of the individuals who was quoted, have asked to be removed.
Local, state and federal officials gathered in Watsonville on Tuesday to commemorate an agreement that paves the way for the decades-overdue reconstruction of the Pajaro River Levee.
The legally binding agreement between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Pajaro Regional Flood Risk Management Agency describes the $599 million project and the cost-sharing and construction responsibilities of both parties.
Zach Friend, chair of the Pajaro Regional Flood Risk Management Agency, said the Tuesday signing marks something that hasn’t been “seen in generations: an opportunity to rebuild the levee for communities that deserve it.”
“We are today at a defining moment in the over 75-year history of this river levee,” he said. “We’ve been looking for some sense of hope to transition from fear of flooding to moving toward construction.”
Known as the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project, the work is expected to provide 100-year flood risk reduction to Watsonville, Pajaro, and surrounding agricultural areas by constructing levees and improvements along the lower Pajaro River and its tributaries.
Winter storms during the first three months of 2023 caused the levee to break in places and overtop its banks in others. The town of Pajaro was flooded, as were surrounding agricultural fields. Thousands of people were evacuated.
That was the latest in decades of floods that have devastated the area since the levee was built in 1949, including during the 1990s, which killed multiple people and caused more than $100 million in damage.
In March, President Joe Biden’s administration announced it had approved $67 million to help fund the long-awaited project. That funding was part of a $2.7 billion bipartisan infrastructure package to strengthen the nation’s ports and waterways.
In October 2022, state, county and federal lawmakers celebrated the completion of funding for the levee rebuild following a series of legislative moves, including Senate Bill 489, authored by Sen. John Laird to authorize the Department of Water Resources to advance funds to the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project.
Per the agreement, 65% of the project’s costs will be funded by the federal government, with the rest funded by the state.
Costs for ongoing levee operations and maintenance is a local responsibility, and in 2022, voters who own property near and along the levee approved a property tax assessment to help with that cost.
In October 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas’ Assembly Bill 876, which fast-tracks the work by exempting the project from certain local environmental laws and regulations under the California Environmental Quality Act through construction. Officials say without the bill, construction would have started in 2025 at the earliest.
Now, construction is expected to start in the summer of 2024, Rivas said.
“We were able to shave off years of the construction of these levees,” he said. “Time matters. With each passing year, our escalating climate crisis raises the stakes for all of our communities along our state’s waterways.”
Rivas noted that while the signing was an important moment, he told the crowd of government officials and media gathered at the Watsonville Civic Plaza that “these repairs should’ve occurred decades ago.”
“It shouldn’t have taken this type of effort, it shouldn’t have taken this long to get this done,” he said. “We have to do better.”
To paraphrase President Franklin D. Roosevelt, society is beholden to building a better future for youth—and to building youth for that future.
If this year’s Santa Cruz Gives drive is any indication, the commitment to fostering positive formative experiences for youth and giving them the tools to succeed is strong. For 2023, 26 youth serving organizations are seeking to get the community’s support for their Big Idea 2024: a specific goal or project they are hoping to raise funding for to complete.
From food justice, climate justice and environmental stewardship to mentorships and career training, local organizations are investing in childrens’ potential. These are some organizations that are sowing the seeds of possibility for society’s future adults.
MENtors Driving Change For Boys Men and Dads
Founded in 2017, MENtors has been creating opportunities and nurturing environments to identify, resist and replace “toxic masculinity” among the county’s boys, men and fathers. Its mission is anchored in the belief that individuals have the potential for emotional and social development through the positive impact of a mentor.
Deutron Kebebew, the executive director of MENtors, says the organization helps boys and men have better relationships, self awareness and a deeper sense of connection.
“Our work really addresses gender-specific services for boys, young men, men and fathers, with the idea that they can have a better and healthier social and emotional development that improves their connection, awareness and relationship with themselves, their family and their community,” Kebebew says.
MENtors employs the 40 developmental assets, a framework that teaches individuals “external and internal assets,” according to the Search Institute. External assets include the development of a family support network and personal boundary setting, while internal assets include developing self-esteem and peaceful conflict resolution.
The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns are still being felt and Deutron says that boys and young men are particularly vulnerable to the ongoing issues related to it.
“The needs are more compounded because of Covid,” Kebebew says. “We see it with parents as well as young men. They’re really disconnected from school. So the more they get disconnected, they’re going to drop out and that’s going to lead toward a negative pathway. We’re actively trying to support our Pajaro Valley youth as well as Santa Cruz youth.”
The organization’s main focus is to reach middle school-aged boys who are in need of mentorship during a critical time in their life. It also works with older boys and young men to develop social and emotional skills later in life. The program for fathers is designed to help them create a positive connection between them and their children. Based in Watsonville, MENtors has a presence in South County, but with the help of this year’s Santa Cruz Gives drive, it is hoping to add 100 new mentors to their roster in 2024.
Kebebew wants people in the community to reflect on how role models outside of their households have positively impacted them in their lives. He wants the same for minority and low-income boys and men for whom it may not be easy to find such a person.
“We’re intentionally trying to support them in a positive way so that they can have opportunities and see themselves beyond just surviving, but thriving.”
Additional Youth-Serving Organizations
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County
Since 1982, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County has served over 8,500 at-risk youth at no cost through its proven model of mentoring services. It serves youth of all genders ages 6-19 and offers support for families as well.
This year, the organization’s campaign is “It Takes Little To Be Big” and invites the community to become a mentor or volunteer. “It takes a little time, a dash of encouragement, and a hearty laugh or two” to help brighten the lives of young people, according to the organization. To be a mentor is to change lives in no small way.
Girls Inc. of the Central Coast
Girls Inc. serves 1,300 girls in 21 schools across the area, pairing them with trained mentors who work with them in a safe environment. Mentees are inspired to pursue higher education, develop leadership skills and serve their communities,
For its Big Idea 2024, Girls Inc. seeks to expand its leadership mentoring program and bring100 girls together to meet twice a month during the school year. It will participate in 14 interactive sessions covering topics including college planning, public speaking and nutrition education.
Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services
Since 1998, Jacob’s Heart has provided emotional,financial and peer support to hundreds of local children and teens with cancer as they go through treatment. Additionally, it has helped thousands of family members get through the grief and bereavement process.
80% of Jacob’s Heart families rely on its transportation services, and for this year’s campaign the organization’s goal is to purchase a hybrid vehicle to help transport kids in treatment. A safe and reliable vehicle will make a difference for many low-income families who need to get to appointments in the Bay Area and beyond.
Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance
Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance (PVPSA) aims to improve the quality of life for children, youth and families of the greater Pajaro Valley. By providing health education, mental health, and substance use services, the organization promotes well-being in the community.
For 2024, its goal is to serve a minimum of 60 families split into three groups that will engage in 12 educational sessions. The focus will be on family unity and will help with skill development to counter the disconnect, isolation and conflict that pulls them apart. Topics will include positive identity, self-advocacy, substance/violence prevention and leadership development.
Live Like Coco
The Live Like Coco Foundation gives local kids the opportunity to get involved in beach clean ups, planting gardens, art classes and field trips. However, the foundation is best known for its literacy program.
Its Big Idea for 2024 is to convert a commercial step van and build a bookmobile with the help of Watsonville Charter School of the Arts. The mobile library will hold up to 2,000 books and is a win-win for both organizations. Currently, the charter school does not have a library and its students will have access to the bookmobile’s catalog. Live Like Coco will use it for outreach and book delivery during the summer and weekends.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County
The Boys & Girls Club helps with social and character development for youth ages 6 to 18 by offering educational, vocational and recreational programs. After school programs are offered five days a week at their Santa Cruz, Live Oak, and Scotts Valley clubhouses, in addition to summer camps.
As the need for financial assistance for participating families has grown, in 2024 the organization is raising donations to fund their club scholarships for working families.
CASA of Santa Cruz County
CASA of Santa Cruz County advocates for children in the court system by providing court-appointed volunteers that help them feel connected and cared for. For 30 years, CASA has served foster youth and recently launched a mentorship pilot program for youth on probation for minor offenses.
For 2024, CASA wants to expand its Advocates program. The program will provide mentorship and connection to needed services, experiences, and opportunities to help juveniles comply with their probation requirements. Based on data from the pilot project, CASA has determined that 50% of individuals in the program are less likely to reoffend and have a substantial increase in their self-efficacy.
Digital NEST
Digital NEST provides underserved Latino youth with the skills, resources and network to build confidence and launch successful careers. By providing access to technology and career building opportunities, the organization is helping create the area’s next tech entrepreneurs.
The Big idea in 2024 is to expand its bizzNEST program to provide up to 40 young adults ages 18-24 with real-world, paid experience in web and graphic design, web development, and/or video production internships. The year-long internship will have participants work with Digital NEST staff and local professionals to network and build a portfolio.
Santa Cruz Gives is funded by the generosity of Good Times, Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County, Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, Applewood Foundation, Joe Collins, Driscoll’s, Inc., Monterey Peninsula Foundation, Comcast, Santa Cruz County Bank, Wynn Capital Management, The Pajaronian, and Press Banner.
Six people have announced their intention to run for the Second District seat on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, which opened when Zach Friend announced he would not seek a fourth term.
Previous stories covered Kim De Serpa, Kristen Brown, Doug Dietch and Tony Crane.
Now we take a look at David Schwartz and Bruce Jaffe.
The Second District runs along the coast from Aptos to Pajaro Dunes—including parts of Watsonville—and north through Nisene Marks State Park. It encompasses both rural and urban areas, as well as agricultural portions of the county.
The person who fills the seat must balance both business and agricultural interests and will serve a diverse population that ranges from wealthy to low-income.
David Schwartz
Schwartz has run a tax services and accounting business for three decades. He says this financial experience, which includes interpreting government rules and regulations, has prepared him for the role.
“This is a good opportunity for me to run for office, and I think the supervisor’s position is something I could do very well,” he says. “I think it’s time for me to give back to my community that’s done so well for me. I am ready to make a commitment to public service.”
If elected, Schwartz says he wants to address the county’s aging system of roads, as well as the housing crisis.
He would also prioritize streamlining the county’s notoriously difficult permitting system.
“We need more (accessory dwelling units) but permits are expensive and they take a long time to get,” he says.
Schwartz says the county only has a handful of employees to check building plans, which he says will make it difficult for the county to meet its state-mandated requirement of building out 4,634 housing units by 2031.
“If you really want to do that many homes, you really have to get those permits out,” he says. “They have to be affordable and they have to be issued quickly.”
The supervisors in July approved a plan to allow builders to bring their plans for review to a third-party entity.
Additionally, the county has streamlined the process with the Unified Permit Center.
Schwartz also wants to change the proportion of money that the county collects from the property taxes. Just 13.5% goes to the county, with the rest going to the state.
“We get a very small piece of the pie, but we’re expected to do a very large amount of work,” he says.
He wants to streamline county services, saying he sees overlap between different departments.
“We can’t really save people tax dollars, we can’t lower the taxes,” he says. “But if we can spend more efficiently, then I think we can get more out of it. We can spend those dollars more effectively.”
“There is a gap in the way the county community relays information to the public,” Schwartz says. “It is difficult to find information on ongoing road work or when public meetings are held.”
This is evidenced by low turnout he sees at meetings. This includes keeping the county website updated and streamlined, he says.
“If people are engaged, then they can be a bigger part of the decisions.”
Bruce Jaffe
Jaffe has served for 21 years on the Soquel Creek Water District (SCWD) Board of Directors, during which time he says he has become fluent in the parliamentary procedure required of elected bodies.
There, he says he has learned open-mindedness, patience and critical thinking.
“I am running to give back to the community,” he says.
An oceanographer and geologist by trade, he helped SCWD battle impending seawater intrusion with the successful Pure Water Soquel, a system that uses highly purified wastewater to recharge the critically overdrafted Santa Cruz Mid-County Groundwater Basin.
“This is not a small task. The project is $140 million, and our district has about 16,000 connections,” he says. “The way we’re getting it done without fee increases is by getting grants from state and federal agencies and low interest loans.”
Jaffe also served as the first chair of the Santa Cruz Mid-County Groundwater Agency, an agency tasked with overseeing groundwater management.
“I’ve been very successful as director of the Soquel Creek Water District board, and I want to bring that success and skills from that to be a supervisor,” he says.
Jaffe also says he wants to tackle affordable housing, which he calls one of the “greatest challenges that our county faces.”
He would also address homelessness and emergency preparedness, which he says his work for a federal agency responding to disasters such as tsunamis, floods and storms prepared him for.
He would also look to improve the county’s transportation system.
“We need to develop a multifaceted approach to increasing the effectiveness of transportation,” he says.
The ongoing bus-on-shoulder project, in addition to work on the rail-trail system, he says, “is a start.”
Jaffe wants to bolster the county’s disaster resilience capacity, and cites a Malay proverb that reads “prepare the umbrella before it rains.”
“In terms of disasters I’ve seen that a little preparation goes a long way towards recovery and safety,” he says.
“I know what I’m getting into and I think I can do a good job,” he says. “My mindset is to improve the quality of life for all residents of the second district. After 21 years on the board it’s been proven that I listen, I react and I deliver.”
The owner of a Harvey West Park medical marijuana business who was arrested on four counts of attempted murder after he allegedly fired a gun at several suspected burglars was released Friday.
Dep. Chief Jon Bush of Santa Cruz police said Derek Hubbard, 36, was arrested on Nov. 13 based on surveillance footage at the scene on Encinal Street and witness statements.
The incident started when Santa Cruz Police said that an alarm was tripped around 4:30am at Decibel Gardens. Police believe that at least eight masked people were involved in the robbery—no arrests have been reported.
Hubbard managed to get to the scene before police. Armed with a handgun, Hubbard reportedly fired around eight rounds at the suspects and then gave chase with his car.
Bush said police believe Hubbard fired at the suspects first and it appears that the suspects fired back at Hubbard at least once.
Hubbard then reportedly rammed into a white sedan that was later found through an allied law agency on Highway 17. When police ran the license plate, they learned it had been stolen out of the Bay Area.
“This is typical with these incidents, that people will use a stolen car or stolen plates to commit such crimes,” Bush said.
On Friday Hubbard was released from jail and put on house arrest, as ruled by Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Syda Cogliati. Hubbard’s court proceedings continue to develop.
Bush also said that marijuana dispensaries and growing business crimes occur more frequently than other commercial businesses due to high product value.
“The owner in this case, when he arrived on the scene, used lethal force, or deadly force to try and stop a property crime occurring,” Bush said. “Not only was it a property crime, but these suspects were exiting his business and did not pose a threat of violence or harm to anybody.”
ARIES (March 21-April 19) When we experience authentic awe, our humility deepens. This is turn tends to make us kinder, smarter, and more positive. So how can we stimulate awe? Among the many possible ways are gazing at magnificent art, hiking in a natural wonderland, or being in the presence of a beautiful human soul. In accordance with astrological omens, I recommend that you go in quest of awe and related feelings like reverence, amazement, adoration, and veneration. Your mental, physical, and spiritual health will flourish in response.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) It’s the Season for Cherishing and Smoking Out Secrets. So let’s talk about the subject. 1. Some secrets are sad, haunting, even risky—and worth keeping secret. 2. Other secrets can be beautiful, healing, and potentially life-changing if they are revealed gracefully. 3. Some secrets are buried so deeply that only very persistent seekers dig them up. 4. Some secrets are “hidden” in plain view, and only visible to people who are clear and brave enough to identify them. I suspect you Tauruses will have a special knack for managing all types of secrets in the coming weeks, including those I mentioned.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) I hope you won’t fill yourself up with appetizers and hors d’oeuvres in the coming weeks, Gemini. My soul will be at peace if I see you save your hunger for the main courses. Your motto should be “Feasts, not snacks!” or “The Real Deal, not the pretenders!” or “The jubilee, not the distractions!” If you ever find yourself feeling halfhearted or inattentive, you’re probably not in the right situation. Here’s an affirmation to go with your mottoes: “I am liberating my divine appetite!”
CANCER (June 21-July 22) Playwright Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) is regarded as one of history’s great writers. That does not mean everything he said was wise, useful, or worthy of our attention. For example, he was once asked to give his opinion about ballet. “During the intermissions, the ballerinas stink like horses,” he replied. I hesitate to bring up such a vulgar reference, but I wanted to make a vivid point. In the coming weeks, I hope you will ignore the advice of people who don’t know what they are talking about, no matter how smart or charismatic they may be. I hope you will not attribute expertise to those who have no such expertise. I hope that as much as possible, you will rely on first-hand information, rigorous research, and reliable influences.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Researchers have determined that there are two basic dispositions among tigers. One is what they call “majesty.” Creatures with this orientation tend to be dignified, imposing, and agile. The other type of tiger personality revolves around “steadiness.” This is the opposite of neuroticism, and includes the qualities of being affable, easy to get along with, and well-adjusted. I know many astrologers associate lions with you Leos, but I prefer to link you with tigers. If you agree with me, here’s my prediction: You are beginning a phase when you will be more majestic than steady—but with plenty of steadiness also available if you want it.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) “It is better to entertain an idea than to take it home to live with you for the rest of your life,” wrote author Randall Jarrell. That’s decent advice, though I will add a caveat. If you entertain an idea for a while and it turns out that you love it, and you also love the beneficent effect it has on you, you may be smart to take it home to live with you. I’m guessing you Virgos are at a pivotal point in this regard. Not yet, but soon, you will know whether it will be wise to get cozier with certain influences you have been flirting with—or else decide they are not ones you want to keep.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) If I could give an award for Most Curious Genius in the World, it would be to Libran author and naturalist Diane Ackerman. She would also get my prize for Most Voracious Learner and Best Questioner and Most Exuberant Seeker and Searcher. “To hear the melody,” she writes, “we must hear all the notes.” In response to the question, “What is life?” she offers this answer: “corsages and dust mites and alligator skin and tree-frog serenades and foreskins and blue hydrangeas and banana slugs and war dances and cedar chips and bombardier beetles.” In accordance with current astrological omens, I encourage you to be like Diane Ackerman in the coming weeks.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Have you located any of your soul twins? If not, is that an interesting prospect for you? Please note that soul twins are not necessarily the same as dream lovers. They may simply be people with whom you share deep values and perspectives. They might aspire to influence the world in ways similar to you. With a soul twin, you feel at home in the world and extra happy to be yourself. I bring these meditations to your attention, Scorpio, because the coming months will be an especially likely time for you to encounter and engage with soul twins. Be on the alert!
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) was charismatic and forceful, but also hot-tempered and prone to rude behavior. The writer Goethe, his contemporary, said “his talent amazed me,” and described him as an “utterly untamed personality.” Beethoven seldom lived in one home for very long and loved to sing at the top of his lungs as he washed himself. Although he played piano with exquisite skill, he was quite clumsy as he moved through the world. Can you guess what astrological sign he was? Same as you! Sagittarius! I’m not saying you are exactly like this wild, unruly genius, but you do have tendencies in that direction. And in the coming weeks, I expect you’ll be inclined to be more Beethoven-esque than usual. Please work on emphasizing the winsome aspects.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) I hope you have developed good boundaries, Capricorn. I hope you are so skilled at taking care of yourself that you steadfastly refuse to let people manipulate you or hurt you. Just to make sure your discernment is working at peak levels, though, I will offer you a tip. In the English language, we have the idiom “to rub salt in a wound,” which refers to the fact that daubing salt in an open gash in the skin makes the pain even worse. But did you know that smearing sugar in a wound is equally distressing? The metaphorical lesson is that you should be vigilant for seemingly nice, sweet people who might also violate your boundaries to hurt or manipulate you.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) I estimate this horoscope is worth $22,225. It has been made possible by my many years of disciplined meditations, extensive reading of holy texts, and an ever-growing devotion to astrology and my readers. But here’s the fun part: You can read these words for free! No cost at all! I will, however, ask you to do something for me in return. First, give your gifts joyously and generously in the coming weeks, holding nothing back. Second, don’t be in the least concerned about whether you will receive benefits in return for your gifts. Find the sweet spot where you love bestowing blessings for no other reason except this one: You are expressing your gratitude for the miraculous life you have been given.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) Do you possess gambits, tactics, and knacks that we might refer to as your “bag of tricks”? I hope so, because such an asset will be extra valuable during the coming weeks. You will be wise to employ every cagey move you can imagine and call on every favor that’s owed to you and cash in on every advantage you have accrued. I don’t want you to engage in outright cheating, but I encourage you to use ploys and stratagems that have full integrity. Be on the lookout for secret shortcuts, magic cookies, and wild cards.
Homework: What’s the best thing you could do to heal yourself right now?
The King Street Giants lept from the stage with their tuba, trombone and trumpet, leading a parade through the crowd.
Farm tours guided by organic trailblazer Paul Muller included deep cuts on pesticide-free practices and the chance to harvest all the cherry tomatoes, sweet bell peppers and watermelons you could.
Two thousand attendees—swelling the size of tiny Guinda, population 113—delighted in everything from a fiendish corn maze to intricate jack-o-lanterns to comforting Rocko’s Ice Cream Tacos.
In other words, it was a helluva heehaw.
Best of all, Full Belly Farm’s annual Hoes Down—part campout, part cookout, part concert, all harvest party—did more than throw an epic outdoor party. It raised $13,433 to support farmer scholarships to the EcoFarm Conference.
EcoFarm, the oldest and wisest organic farming convention in the country (the world?), is coming up quick, happening Jan. 17-20 at Asilomar Conference Grounds.
While it digs deep on big-picture policy and in-the-dirt practicum, it also involves a lot of fun for the casual organic soul, like beer and kombucha tastings and an Expo Center blooming with cool books, products and tools.
Longtime organic activist and EcoFarm sponsorship manager Dina Izzo encourages locals to come for, say, the wine and cider sampling and stay for the keynotes and seminars.
“It’s an amazing event based on farmer-to-farmer education, and there are a lot of gardeners too,” she says, noting the picturesque grounds merit a pilgrimage by themselves. “More than anything it’s people who grow food and care about how it’s grown, who want to learn something and who want to meet like-minded folks and enjoy delicious breakfast, lunch and dinners specifically created for the conference.”
Balefire Brewing is alive and well in Live Oak. I popped in on its one-month anniversary and tried a few of their flagship beers—a tasty Leeloo American IPA, smooth Moped red ale and a chocolatey house porter among them. The thing that distinguishes the handiwork of brewers Leslie Buchanan and Nate Murphy is subtle but mighty: The beers are all balanced and weighty—without being heavy—which Murphy attributes to a slow brewing process that prioritizes depth of flavor and smooth mouthfeel. Now they’re adding programming with things like live music (check the website) and pub trivia (next appearing Tuesday, Nov. 28) and inviting over food trucks regularly (a drippy queso birria from Espadin Cocina made my afternoon). balefirebrewing.com
NATIVE REVELATION
November is Native American Heritage Month and a reminder that the erased history Thanksgiving sits on can and should be reanimated. To that end, this fall I visited the closest Indigenous restaurant for a few hundred miles, Wahpepah’s Kitchen in Oakland. I loved the art and epicurean elements Kickapoo nation chef Crystal Wahpepah and her team do, from the colorful murals to the heirloom corn bread to the smoked salmon-berry salad to the sweet potato-hibiscus “taquitos.” It felt like a grace to get to enjoy such a thoughtful and thought-provoking meal, and for that I give thanks.
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ARIES (March 21-April 19)When we experience authentic awe, our humility deepens. This is turn tends to make us kinder, smarter, and more positive. So how can we stimulate awe? Among the many possible ways are gazing at magnificent art, hiking in a natural wonderland, or being in the presence of a beautiful human soul. In accordance with astrological omens,...
EcoFarm, the oldest and wisest organic farming convention in the country (the world?), is coming up quick, happening Jan. 17-20 at Asilomar Conference Grounds. While it digs deep on big-picture policy and in-the-dirt practicum, it also involves...
