Coastal Cleanup Efforts Adapt in the Age of Covid-19

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Coastal Cleanup Efforts Adapt in the Age of Covid-19

For years, Save Our Shores (SOS) has hosted Coastal Cleanup Day, where residents help clean beaches, parks and other sites across Monterey Bay.

Due to Covid-19, the event—usually held the third weekend of September—will not take place in 2020. But that is not stopping SOS from inviting the community to participate in a new way through Coastal Cleanup Month.

Every Saturday in September, residents are encouraged to go out by themselves or with the people they’ve been sheltering with to do their own cleanups. This can be at beaches but also at parks and in neighborhoods.

“Picking up trash anywhere can help our oceans,” said SOS Program Manager Emily Pomeroy. “Litter travels far through storm drains, rivers and out to sea. Wherever you find yourself … you can make a difference.”

Coastal Cleanup Month is part of an international campaign organized by the Ocean Conservancy. Many other groups, from the California Coastal Commission to Watsonville Wetlands Watch are involved.

On its website, SOS has resources on how to safely conduct a cleanup. This includes instructional videos in English and Spanish, safety tips and a list of links relating to Covid-19, as well as an air quality index.

Participants are encouraged to download the Ocean Conservancy’s Clean Swell application onto their smartphones. The app tracks how far you travel, how many people are with you, and what sort of debris you pick up. Once the data is entered, the app can even estimate the total weight of debris that was cleaned up. Pomeroy says use of the app is key to the success of the event.

“The data will show us how many people participated and what sorts of goals we met,” she explained.

Pomeroy recommends that people who are susceptible to the virus or live where smoke from the CZU Lightning Complex fire is still prevalent should stay home. SOS has organized at-home activities for such cases, and it is also holding virtual events to spread awareness.

Once such an event is Plastic Pollution Trivia Night on Sept. 18, where registered participants can test their knowledge of plastic and its effect on the ocean. Winners will receive prizes such as reusable utensil kits and grocery bags.

Pomeroy says she and two others from small, five-person team of SOS were displaced by the recent fires. Between this and the pandemic, the organization has had to switch gears to focus on fundraising and applying for grants.

“Financially, we’ve been hit hard,” she said. “We’ve had to hunker down. We’re not able to do a lot of what we planned.”

However, Pomeroy says SOS is determined to keep moving forward—especially since new waste, such as face masks and food takeout containers have started worsening the problem.

“There are so many emergencies happening right now … which is pulling our attention away from environmental issues,” Pomeroy said. “But plastic pollution has not gone away. So the fight to reduce our impact must go on, too.”

For more information on Coastal Cleanup Month and how to support Save Our Shores, visit saveourshores.org.

How Local Museums, Galleries Are Staying Afloat During the Pandemic

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How Local Museums, Galleries Are Staying Afloat During the Pandemic

In late July, the New York Times published an article that revealed an alarming statistic: About 16% of museums and galleries in the U.S. are at risk of closing permanently because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Immediately after, the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History (MAH) began receiving calls from patrons and partners, concerned that it and other local museums may be part of this statistic.

MAH was quick to console its supporters. In an open letter published on Aug. 6, the organization’s executive director Robb Woulfe explained how the museum is doing—and why he believed it is here to stay.

“[The article] jolted a lot of people, and for good reason,” Woulfe said. “But [MAH] has worked so hard the last decade to get out into the community. We are going to survive.”

Most museums and galleries at risk to close, Woulfe said, are dependent on ticket sales and philanthropy, and go without much government funding. MAH’s admission revenue is not that high; about $50k a year, he estimated.

“We are in a unique position,” Woulfe said. “Our funding is diversified. We don’t depend on one thing.”

The MAH oversees many outdoor spaces, including Evergreen Cemetery and Abbott Square, an open-air gathering space adjacent to the museum. This gives the organization the opportunity to engage with the community in a safe manner amid the pandemic, Woulfe said. 

The MAH is preparing to open its first-ever outdoor exhibit on Friday, Sept. 4, in the museum’s garden at 705 Front St. in Santa Cruz. The free exhibit, “Community is Collective Care,” features work by artist Irene Juarez O’Connell. It is part of a year-long series aimed at supporting the community through the health crisis.

In addition, the museum is looking to install pop-up exhibits and host “micro-gatherings” across the county. Its education team has been providing support to local schools as they navigate distance learning.

In South County, Pajaro Valley Arts (PVA) has had to shutter its indoor gallery in Watsonville. But as with the MAH, it is a nonprofit and does not rely on admission.

“Most of our events are free,” said PVA board member Judy Stabile. “We operate through grants, donations, memberships and art sales.”

PVA secured grants through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, as well as a $20,000 California Humanities Grant and a PPP Loan through Santa Cruz County Bank. In addition, PVA’s annual membership drive was a success, said exhibit coordinator Hedwig Heerschop.

“People came through, despite everything,” Heerschop said. “The community really helped us out.”

PVA has been adapting exhibits to virtual formats, hosting Zoom gatherings and starting up an online public art gallery. Last month they opened the annual “Sculpture Is” exhibit at Sierra Azul Nursery, and the show has already sold a number of pieces.

However, Stabile said that funding for next year will be a different story.

“We won’t have CARES funding, and a lot of our granters are reevaluating where they are giving their money,” she said. “We will have to be frugal.”

For Woulfe, who just moved to Santa Cruz County in February, taking the helm of a museum during the pandemic has been a “whirlwind,” but he says that he and his colleagues feel grateful for how much they can do.

“It is important to maintain perspective,” he said. “We have so much empathy for our friends in the performing arts, who are struggling a lot more right now. But I marvel at what people are doing even there …. It really is the creative minds who are going figure this all out.”

Both Woulfe and Stabile said that while they do welcome donations, they understand that it is not possible for everyone.

“We want to be careful when asking for help,” Woulfe said. “We know people are struggling. First and foremost, we want to help and be a resource for them.”

Stabile agreed, adding that the fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains has for many compounded the struggle.

“The pandemic was hard enough … now we’ve got another crisis on top of that,” she said. “That’s why it’s really important for us to support our community in any way we can.”

For more information, to donate and to stay in touch about upcoming events visit santacruzmah.org and pvarts.org.

Water Quality: San Lorenzo Valley District Explains Do-Not-Drink Order

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Water Quality: San Lorenzo Valley District Explains Do-Not-Drink Order

With nearly half of the CZU Lightning Complex fire contained, the terrain around it has begun to cool. But the San Lorenzo Valley Water District (SLVWD) does not know when officials will resolve outstanding water quality issues after the heat of the fire destroyed several miles of water supply lines.

SLVWD Water Treatment and System Supervisor Nate Gillespie said on a community Zoom call Thursday that he didn’t know when the water would be safe to drink in all areas of Boulder Creek.

“This is going to be a marathon, not a sprint,” he said.

Currently, there are 354 homes in the district without water, mostly in the area of Big Basin Way and West Park Avenue. SLVWD Interim Manager Rick Rogers said the district will restore service to all remaining customers by Saturday, Sept. 12.

Meanwhile, a do-not-drink order has been issued to 3,197 homes in the district. An SLVWD memo tells water customers affected by the do-not-drink order that they should use bottled water for drinking, brushing teeth, making ice and food preparation. Additionally, the district warns that boiling, freezing, filtering, adding disinfectants, like chlorine, and letting water stand will not make the water safe in the affected areas.

Rogers said the district is working with the county to provide bottled drinking water. Customers may pick up one or two cases of water a day at the district’s operation’s building, located at 13057 Highway 9.

Also, Rogers said the fire destroyed lots of infrastructure, including 7.5 miles of the district’s raw water supply lines—at least some of which were made of HDPE plastic and ran above ground.

Finance Manager Stephanie Hill said the district has $3 million in reserves to help finance the start of emergency repairs. She said district officials are working with FEMA and the California Office of Emergency Services to secure emergency funding for repairs.

Water district officials wouldn’t conclusively say whether the water is safe to use for bathing and showering for customers affected by the do-not-drink order. Gillespie urged customers to err on the side of caution if they were at all concerned about the water quality. On the Zoom call, some community members, including former Santa Cruz County Supervisor Joe Cucchiara, wanted to know why the district didn’t issue a do-not-use order and tell customers that they shouldn’t use the water at all.

Rogers said the district was dealing with the state Water Resources Control Board, which is the responsible agency in this field and that the district was following their processes and timelines.

“It takes a little time,” he said.

The district will post a full video of Thursday’s meeting on slvwd.com.

Follow continuing in-depth fire coverage here and in our live blog.

Fire Inspections: Santa Cruz Fire Chief’s Problem With Grand Jury Report

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Fire Inspections: Santa Cruz Fire Chief’s Problem With Grand Jury Report

Big changes could follow the CZU Lighting Complex fire, which is now 48% contained acres, having burned 85,746 acres, as of Thursday morning.

The fire has destroyed 1,490 structures, including at least 928 homes. Fire safety discussions will likely continue long after the flames extinguish.

Santa Cruz County Land Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) is paying special attention to a Santa Cruz County Grand Jury report, released two months ago, that examined fire risk in the county. LAFCO is getting ready to start an analysis in which it could recommend changes to fire services across the county.

In the months ahead, other aspects of fire safety are also sure to get a second look.

A separate Grand Jury report released this past June looks at the rate of fire inspections in the county. A state law that went into effect at the beginning of 2019 requires departments to file annual reports tallying up required inspections they’ve completed of schools, hotels and multi-family residences, including apartment buildings and residential care facilities. The Grand Jury found that nearly all fire districts in the county were behind on their required inspections.

Santa Cruz Fire Chief Jason Hajduk has a few problems with the report: he points to a math error on a chart about the Central Fire District; he says the figure in the report for the number of schools Santa Cruz Fire officials inspected was wrong, and he doesn’t know where it came from. “What I’m saying is their numbers are bullshit,” he says.

The Grand Jury found that Santa Cruz Fire inspected just 15% of its apartment buildings, but Hajduk says his department is stretched thin. He says the city’s fire department has the same number of inspectors as smaller agencies that have far fewer investigations on their plates. He believes that a report designed to provide clarity may have muddied the waters.

The Santa Cruz City Council has tasked Mayor Justin Cummings with writing the city’s response to the fire inspection report and to six other Grand Jury reports released in recent months.

Rich Goldberg, the Grand Jury foreperson, says he’s open to criticism. He looks forward to hearing from all the agencies as they file their responses.

“If they have different or better data, that’s something we encourage them to provide,” Goldberg says. “If there’s other information or if we misinterpreted some data, they can clarify that.”

Follow continuing in-depth fire coverage here and in our live blog.

County Supervisors Move to Streamline Rebuilding Process Following Fire

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County Supervisors Move to Streamline Rebuilding Process Following Fire

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday set the stage for a streamlined process for rebuilding homes and other structures damaged in the CZU Lightning Complex fire.

The item was part of the consent agenda and therefore garnered no discussion. The board directed the directors of the Planning, Public Works and Environmental Health departments to return on Sept. 15 with a plan. 

The fire has destroyed a total of 1,483 structures, including 921 single-family homes, the vast majority of which are in Santa Cruz County. Many displaced residents are struggling to find temporary shelter, county staff told the supervisors.

County officials now hope to build on the procedures established in 2008 after the Summit Fires, and after the 2017 fires in Sonoma County, when officials there developed a website and permit review program.

Santa Cruz County’s rebuilding process will focus on four areas: streamlining the project approval process, placing a cap on permit fees, waiving debris removal fees at the Buena Vista Landfill, and establishing a website with detailed information on the process.

In addition, property owners under the proposed plan would be allowed to live in temporary housing on their parcels, with services, during the rebuilding of their homes.

The supervisors also approved an emergency health declaration for the county due to the fire, which will allow the county to qualify for state and federal financial relief.

In declaring a health emergency on Aug. 26, County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel cited the smoky air, toxic remains, ash and charred remains, along with the need for shelter for displaced residents that is likely to last “for a very long time to come, months if not years.”

“We are still in the thick of it, and as you know this has presented a number of health issues,” Newel said. 

The emergency declaration will last through September.

Follow continuing in-depth fire coverage here and in our live blog.

Local Author’s Book Weaves Tale of Survival in the Santa Cruz Mountains

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Local Author’s Book Weaves Tale of Survival in the Santa Cruz Mountains

For the past eight years, Nikki Lewen has been writing and releasing a trilogy of novels—all the while being a full-time teacher and coach at Watsonville High School.

This year, all that hard work has paid off as Lewen celebrates not only the release of the third and final book of her series but her retirement, as well.

“It took a lot of work … a lot of odd hours,” Lewen said. “But I’m so glad I did it. I really like how things have come together.”

Lewen’s “Three Sisters” trilogy follows the story of Sadie Larkin, a woman who has survived a global natural catastrophe and taken refuge in the Santa Cruz Mountains. After reuniting with someone from her past, Larkin discovers she is in a position to make a difference in the world.

The first book, “A Tale of Survival” was released in spring 2019. By then, Lewen had almost finished the second installment, “Return to Three Sisters” and had a start on the third, “Destined,” which was released last month.

Dubbed “Cli-Fi” (short for Climate Change Fiction), the action-adventure trilogy has underlying themes of humans’ effect on the natural environment. It is not lost on Lewen how pertinent this subject is right now.

“We are at a critical tipping point,” she said. “Things are crazy, from the pandemic to this devastating fire season. I hope this story can reach readers …. Sometimes people tune out from articles, facts and data …. Fiction is a great way to get people thinking in a different way.”

There is also a strong female presence that permeates the trilogy, which Lewen hopes will have a positive and inspiring effect on both women and men. (She notes that the novels are meant for older teens and adults.)

Completing “Three Sisters” was a challenge for Lewen—one that nearly made her give up after the first book. Dealing with publishers, editors and promoters was frustrating and turned her off to the industry.

But Lewen said she felt “compelled” to complete the story, and that it was her duty to get it to page.

“I don’t feel like I had a choice but to write this … the characters, the setting, everything just sort of came to me in a rush,” she said. “Sometimes I’d wake up from a dead sleep and a dialogue would be running through my mind. It took over me.”

Lewen has been using her platform on Amazon to give away copies of her books to various nonprofits, fellow teachers and local 2020 high school graduates. She hopes to continue this gifting into the upcoming holiday season.

Lewen said that now she is retired, she will focus on freelance jobs and put more effort into marketing her writing—which is especially hard during the pandemic, when authors are unable to do in-person events.

As for “Three Sisters,” Lewen hopes that the story will remind readers that even in difficult times, all is not lost, and that people can still make a difference if they work together. 

“We may disagree on things, look different from each other, come from different backgrounds, but we’re all on one giant team,” she said.

50 Plus Magazine 2020

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50 Plus Magazine 2020

Our latest issue of 50 Plus spotlights people in the Santa Cruz community who are challenging stereotypes about aging in incredible ways.

First, Richard Stockton’s story of isolating in the pandemic, learning to change his breathing, and discovering he can’t live without his comedy reveals how creativity burns bright throughout our lives. Not only does the story of Patricia Grube, the 97-year-old poet who has two new books, reinforce the point, but in one of those books, Then and Now, Grube directly challenges the ageism in our culture.  Finally, local photographer Jana Marcus is making the world look at women over 50 in a whole different way with her latest project—and perhaps even more importantly, making them look at themselves differently, as well. We hope you enjoy this issue!

STEVE PALOPOLI | EDITOR


FEATURED STORIES:

FULL ISSUE:

50 Up Senior Guide

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50 Up Senior Guide

A guide to resources in Santa Cruz County:

Living Facilities

There are many types of senior housing options, ranging from residential facilities and assisted living homes to independent living and retirement communities. Learn more about the differences and search for options near you at eldercare.gov (800-677-1116) or seniorfacilityfinder.com. 

Alexandria Victoria 

226 Morrissey Blvd., Santa Cruz, 429-9137.

Dominican Oaks

3400 Paul Sweet Rd., Santa Cruz, 462-6257, dominicanoaks.com.

Golden Age Convalescent Hospital

523 Burlingame Ave., Capitola, 475-0722.

La Posada

609 Frederick St., Santa Cruz, 429-9230, laposadaretirementcommunity.com.

Maple House

410 Pennsylvania Ave., Santa Cruz, 423-6347, themaplehouse.com.

Oak Tree Villa

100 Lockewood Lane, Scotts Valley, 205-7363, brookdaleliving.com. 

Pacific Coast Manor

1935 Wharf Rd., Capitola, 476-0770, covenantcare.com.

Paradise Villa 

2177 17th Ave., Santa Cruz, 475-1380, paradisevillaelderlycare.com.

Sunshine Villa

80 Front St., Santa Cruz, 459-8400, sunshinevillaseniorliving.com.

Twin Lakes Manor

777 Volz Lane, Santa Cruz, 477-1100, twinlakesmanor.net.

Valley Haven 

2266 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz, 818-8372, valleyhavencare.com. 

Valley Heights

925 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville, 722-4884, valleyheights.com.

Westwind Memory Care

160 Jewell St., Santa Cruz, 440-8795, westwindmemorycare.com.

Classes & Activities 

Academy of Martial & Internal Arts

1570 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz, 475-1429, reelingsilk.com.

Awakening Chi

1060 River St., Ste. 111,Santa Cruz, 334-7757, awakeningchi.org.

Bridge Of Hope

P.O. Box 576, Soquel, 464-2362, bridgeofhopefoundation.org.

Chair Yoga with Suzi

Yoga Center Santa Cruz, 428 Front St., Santa Cruz, 234-6791, suzimahler.com.

City of Capitola Recreation Department

4400 Jade St., Capitola, 475-5935, cityofcapitola.org/recreation.

City of Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation Department 

323 Church St., Santa Cruz, 420-5270, cityofsantacruz.com.

Dominican Hospital’s Personal Enrichment Program 

1555 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz, 462-7709, dominicanhospital.org.

Lenz Arts

142 River St., Santa Cruz, 423-1935, lenzarts.com.

Santa Cruz County Parks Department 

979 17th Ave., Santa Cruz, 454-7901, scparks.com./adult_senior.html.

Simpkins Family Swim Center

979 17th Ave., Santa Cruz, 454-7960, scparks.com.

Watsonville Community Hospital

75 Nielson St., Watsonville, 724-4741, watsonvillehospital.com.

Adult Mental Health Services

Santa Cruz: 1400 Emeline Ave. Bldg. K, Santa Cruz, 454-4170, santacruzhealth.org.

Adult Protective Services (Human Services Department)

1400 Emeline Ave. Bldg. K, Santa Cruz, 454-4101, santacruzhumanservices.org.

Family Service Agency of the Central Coast

104 Walnut Ave. Ste. 208, Santa Cruz, 423-9444; 11 Alexander St. Ste. D, Watsonville, 728-9970 (24-hour multi-lingual crisis line), fsa-cc.org.

Hospice of Santa Cruz County

940 Disc Drive, Scotts Valley, 430-3000, hospicesantacruz.org.

Mental Health Client Action Network

1051 Cayuga St., Santa Cruz, 469-0462, mhcan.org.

Santa Cruz Vets Center

1350 41st Ave. Ste. 102, Capitola, 464-4575, santacruzhumanservices.org, va.gov.

Women’s Crisis Support—Defensa de Mujeres (Monarch Services)

1685 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz, 425-4030; 233 E. Lake Ave., Watsonville, 722-4532, (888) 900-4232 (crisis line), wcs-ddm.org.

Financial Services

Bay Federal Credit Union

Multiple Locations, 479-6000, bayfed.com.

Countryside Financial 

464-6464, countrysidefinancial.com.

Edward Jones Investments

Multiple locations, edwardjones.com.

Main Street Realtors 

2567 Main St., Soquel, 462-4000, mainstrealtors.com.     

Pacific Inland Financial Inc.

5161 Soquel Drive, Soquel, 475-2600, pacificinland.com.

Santa Cruz Home Finance

1535 Seabright Ave., Santa Cruz, 425-1250, santacruzhomefinance.com.

Santa Cruz Community Credit Union

324 Front St., Santa Cruz, 425-7708, scccu.org.

Terry Ballantyne/Sereno Group Real Estate 

2407 Porter St., Soquel, 588-8485, terryballantyne.com, navigatingolderhood.com.

Food and Nutrition 

Agri-Culture

141 Monte Vista Ave., Watsonville, 722-6622, agri-culture.us.

Grey Bears

2710 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz, 479-1055, greybears.org. 

Carnation Cafe Senior Lunch at Louden Nelson Community Center

301 Center St., Santa Cruz, 427-0901, cityofsantacruz.com.

Cindy’s Celebrations, Inc.

320 Carrera Circle, Aptos, 479-7509, cindyscelebrations.org.

Community Bridges Adult Care Food Program 

236 Santa Cruz Ave., Aptos, 688-8840, communitybridges.org.

Elena Baskin Live Oak Senior Center

1777 Capitola Rd., Santa Cruz, 476-3272, liveoakseniorcenter.com.

Highlands Senior Dining Center at the Senior Center of San Lorenzo Valley

8500 Hwy. 9, Ben Lomond, 336-8900.

Human Services Department

1020 Emeline Ave. Bldg. B, Santa Cruz; 18 W. Beach St., Watsonville, (888) 421-8080, santacruzhumanservices.org.

La Manzana Community Resources

521 Main St. Ste. Y, Watsonville, 724-2997, communitybridges.org/lmcr.

Live Oak Family Resources 

1740 17th Ave., Santa Cruz, 476-7284.

Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County

Contact Community Bridges for meal times, locations and drop-off information: 464-3180, communitybridges.org/meals.

Mountain Community Resources 

6134 Hwy. 9, Felton, 335-6600, communitybridges.org/mcr.

Pajaro Rescue Mission 

111 Railroad Ave., Royal Oaks, 724-9576, teenchallengemb.org.

Second Harvest Food Bank

800 Ohlone Parkway., Watsonville, 722-7110, thefoodbank.org. Food hotline: 662-0991.

Scotts Valley Senior Center 

370 Kings Village Rd., Scotts Valley, 438-8666.

Watsonville Senior Center

114 E. 5th St., Watsonville, 722-1333.

Healthcare & Health Resources

Aimée Gould Shunney, ND

Licensed Naturopathic Doctor. 740 Front St. #130, Santa Cruz, 465-9088, drshunney.com.

Alzheimer’s Disease Care Center at Elderday 

100 Pioneer St. Ste. C, Santa Cruz, 458-3481, communitybridges.org.

Arthritis Foundation Great West Region

90 New Montgomery St. Ste. 710, San Francisco. (415) 915-2862, arthritis.org.

Cabrillo College Stroke & Disability Learning Center

6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos, 477-3300, cabrillo.edu/academics/strokecenter.

Cancer Detection Program: Every Woman Counts Central Coast Regional Contractor: Community Health Partnership

1401 Parkmoor Ave., Ste. 200 San Jose, (408) 556-6605, dhs.ca.gov/cancerdetection. 

Carol Shwery, DC CCN

831 Bay Ave. Ste. 1E, Capitola, 476-6906, drcarolshwery.com.

Central California Alliance for Health

1600 Green Hills Rd. Ste. 101, Scotts Valley, 430-5500, ccah-alliance.org.

Dakota Health Center

111 Dakota Ave. Ste. 2, Santa Cruz, 429-1188.

Diabetes Health Center

85 Nielson St. Ste. 201, Watsonville, 763-6445, pvhealthtrust.org.

Dominican Hospital

1555 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz, 462-7700, dominicanhospital.org.

EyeCare America Seniors Eye Care Program

(877) 887-6327, eyecareamerica.org.

Health Projects Center

1537 Pacific Ave. Ste. 300, Santa Cruz, 459-6639, hpcn.org.

Hearing Aid Helpline

(734) 522-7200 ext. 2, ihsinfo.org.

Hearts & Hands, Post Acute Care & Rehab Center

2990 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, 479-9000. 

Holistic Pelvic Care

515 Broadway, Santa Cruz, 431-3826, kelleylinn.com.

Homeless Persons Health Project

115-A Coral St., Santa Cruz, 454-2080, santacruzhealth.org.

Horsnyder Pharmacy

1226-A Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, 458-1400, horsnyder.com.

Katz Cancer Resource Center at Dominican Hospital

3150 Mission Drive Fl. 1, Santa Cruz, CA, 462-7770.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

100 W San Fernando St. Ste. 365, San Jose, (408) 490-2666, lls.org.

LifeCare Management & Caregiver Referrals

200-1870 or 650-714-6377, lifecaremanagement.com. 

Medi-Cal

18 W. Beach St., Watsonville, 454-4036, medi-cal.ca.gov. Also, see Central California Alliance for Health.

Medicare

(800) 633-4227, medicare.gov.

Natural Foundations

4450 Capitola Rd. Ste. 105, Capitola, 325-0202, naturalfoundations.com.

Optimage Health Inc.

930 Mission St., Santa Cruz, 421-0197, optimagehealth.com. 

Orthonorcal

4140 Jade St. Room 100, Capitola, 475-4024, orthonorcal.com.

Pacific Pulmonary Services

440 Westridge Drive, Watsonville, 722-3001, ppsc.com.

Parkinson’s Support Group in Santa Cruz

477-9412, 708-2906, parkinsons.stanford.edu. 

Physicians Medical Group of Santa Cruz 

100 Enterprise Way Ste. C110, Scotts Valley, 465-7800, pmgscc.com. 

Rejuvenate Medi Spa

304 Lincoln St., Santa Cruz, 226-2108, navigatormedical.com.

Santa Cruz AIDS Project

542 Ocean St. Ste. 1, Santa Cruz, 427-3900, scapsite.org.

Santa Cruz Core Fitness and Rehab

317 Potrero St., Ste. C, Santa Cruz, 425-9500, santacruzcore.com.

Santa Cruz County Prostate Cancer Support Group

1555 Soquel Drive, Education Bldg., Santa Cruz, 462-7770, scprostate.org.

Santa Cruz Naturals

9077 Soquel Drive, Aptos, 688-7266, santacruzcannabis.com.

Side By Side Memory Care

687-8121, sidebyside.info.

Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center of Santa Cruz

2900 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz, 477-2200, sutterhealth.org/smscsc.

Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired

413 Laurel St., Santa Cruz, 458-9766, vistacenter.org.

Watsonville Community Hospital

75 Nielson St., Watsonville, 724-4741, watsonvillehospital.com.

Watsonville Pharmacy Medical Supplies and Gifts

1433 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville, 728-1818, watsonvillepharmacy.com.

Westside Pharmacy Medical Supplies and Gifts 

1401 Mission St., Santa Cruz, 423-7175. westsidepharmacyrx.com.

WomenCARE

2901 Park Ave., Ste. 1A, Soquel, 457-2273, womencaresantacruz.org.

Housing

Bay Avenue Senior Apartments

750 Bay Ave., Capitola, 464-6435.

Habitat for Humanity, My House My Home

469-4663, habitatmontereybay.org.

Homeless Services Center

115-A Coral St., Santa Cruz, 458-6020, santacruzhsc.org.

Housing Authority of Santa Cruz County 

2160 41st Ave.. Capitola, CA, 454-9455, hacosantacruz.org.

Mobile Home Commission

701 Ocean St., Santa Cruz, 454-2772, sccounty01.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/mhc/index.html. 

Mobile Home Ombudsman’s Office

(916) 263-6928, hcd.ca.gov.

Senior Housing Finder

462-1433, seniornetworkservices.org.

The Shelter Project of the Community Action Board

501 Soquel Ave., Ste. E, Santa Cruz, 457-1741; 406 Main St. Suite 207, Watsonville, 728-4634, cabinc.org.

Valley Haven

2266 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz, 818-8372, valleyhavencare.com.

In-Home Services 

Care from the Heart Home Service

3143 Paul Sweet Rd., Santa Cruz, 476-8316, carefromtheheart.net. 

ComForcare Home Care

100 Doyle St. Ste. F, Santa Cruz, 427-1553, comforcare.com.

Companion for Life /Lifeline Project

234 Santa Cruz Ave., Aptos, 688-9217, seniorscouncil.org/programs/companionforlife.

Dominican Home Health

8030 Soquel Ave. Ste. 104, Santa Cruz, 465-7988, dominicanhospital.org.

Familiar Surroundings

2901 Park Ave. Ste. C3, Soquel, 480-3990, fshomecare.com.

Helping Hands Senior Home Repair Program

427-5070, scvolunteercenter.com/programs/elderly-disabled/helping_hands.

Home Helpers

343 Soquel Ave. #100, Santa Cruz, 477-6265, homehelpers.com.

Home Instead Senior Care

3912 Portola Drive Ste. 3, Santa Cruz, 476-9500, homeinstead.com.

Heartland Hospice

824 Bay Ave. Ste. 40, Capitola, 476-2158, heartlandhospice.com.

Hospice of Santa Cruz County

940 Disc Drive, Scotts Valley, 430-3000, hospicesantacruz.org.

In-Home Support Services (IHSS) Public Authority

1400 Emeline Ave. Bldg. K, Santa Cruz, 454-4101; 12 W. Beach St., Watsonville, 763-8800, santacruzhumanservices.org.

Lifespan Care Well-Being Program

600 Frederick St., Santa Cruz, 469-4900, lifespancare.com.

Safe At Home Senior Care

820 Bay Ave., Capitola, 462-3500, safeathomeseniorcare.com.

Senior Network Services Registry

1777-A Capitola Rd., Santa Cruz, 462-1433, seniornetworkservices.org.

Visiting Angels

5274 Scotts Valley Drive, Scotts Valley, 430-0616, visitingangels.com/centralcoast.

Visiting Nurses Association (VNA) of Santa Cruz County

2880 Soquel Ave. Ste. 10, Santa Cruz, 479-6620, santacruzvna.org.

Volunteering

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County

1500 41st Ave. Ste. 250, Capitola, 464-8691, santacruzmentor.com.

Grey Bears

2710 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz, 479-1055, greybears.org.

CASA

813 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville, 761-2956, casaofsantacruz.org.

Dominican Hospital Volunteer Services

1555 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz, 462-7740, dominicanhospital.org.

Seniors Council of Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties

234 Santa Cruz Ave., Aptos, 688-0400, seniorscouncil.org.

Suicide Prevention Service

104 Walnut Ave. Ste. 208, Santa Cruz, 459-9373, fsa-cc.org.

Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County’s Retired Senior Volunteer Program

1740 17th Ave., Santa Cruz, 427-5070; 349 Main St. Suite 208, Watsonville, 722-6708, scvolunteercenter.org.

50 Up: The Power of Jana Marcus’ ‘50 Over 50’ Portrait Project

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50 Up: The Power of Jana Marcus’ ‘50 Over 50’ Portrait Project

Jana Marcus has made a lot of women cry—in a good way. And all she had to do was show them what they look like.

When she started doing her “50 Over 50” project—portraits of 50 women over the age of 50—out of her photography studio in Santa Cruz this year, she quickly got into a pre-Covid rhythm: consult with each woman to design the shoot; bring them into the studio for makeup, hair and wardrobe; and then take the pictures.

But that isn’t the end of the process, and the most powerful moments inevitably come afterward.

“What I usually do in non-pandemic times is I invite them back to the studio about a week after our shoot, and I put 20 of the best images up on the wall for them to look at,” says Marcus. “And most women come in and start crying. They can’t believe it’s them. They’re like, ‘Oh my god, it’s me! I look good!’”

Now, of course, she’s doing the unveiling process on Zoom rather than in person—but that doesn’t stop many of the women from shedding tears when they see the images.

Marcus isn’t really surprised. It’s a reaction she first got a few years ago when doing portraits of transgendered women for her photography book Transfigurations.

“It was while I was shooting that that I realized the power of photography,” she says. “It’s not that I didn’t know that before, but I had these transgendered women who, when they went to the exhibit and saw the pictures of themselves on the wall, would start to cry. And they were like, ‘Oh my god, you captured the way I feel inside that I never thought I looked like on the outside.’ I realized how transformational photography can be in a person’s life.”

After that project, she took her studio full time and was trying to think of a portrait project that would get it noticed and bring people in, but that she also felt a personal connection to.

“I started thinking about how all of us women in our late 50s are in the second half of our lives—and we’re probably at our best,” says Marcus, who is 58. “We’re fully conscious and aware of our power, what we’ve lived through. But a lot of us don’t like how we look, because we don’t look like we did when we were in our 30s and 40s. I thought, ‘You know what, I want to do this for women. I want to photograph women. I want to give them a day where they can feel like a rock star and come to the studio and have a makeover and a fabulous photo session totally designed around them. Whatever they want represented of themselves—have them celebrate exactly who they are right now, whether they’re 50, 60, 70, 80, whatever they are.”

Once she started offering the 50 Over 50 package, she quickly had three times that number of women wanting to be a part of it. She planned to have finished the project by now, but thanks to Covid-19 she has only done about half. Her studio is currently closed, but she plans to open in September and is booked through November.

She has also been asking each of her subjects to write a few words about aging, or advice they would give their younger selves.

“Women are so all over this, because there is no representation in the media of women over 50. We’re invisible, like we don’t exist anymore. So they are loving this opportunity to be seen and to say a few words.”

Most of her subjects have never been professionally photographed, Marcus says, and while there’s a strength and confidence that shines through in the photos, it’s often her job to bring that out.

“Every single one of them is nervous before they come in,” she says. “I have a Zoom consultation with them before they come, and we talk in detail about how they want to be photographed, what they’re going to wear, and they’re all nervous, and they all are like, ‘Oh my god, get rid of this, and this, and this, and this.’ I’m like, ‘OK, I can airbrush whatever you want, but this is about photographing you right now, as you are.”

As the shoot goes on, the women being photographed inevitably get more comfortable, and Marcus says most of the best shots come near the end. The project itself seems to be gaining swagger as it goes on, too.

“They’ve started to bring props with them. People are wanting to say something about what they do in their life with the pictures,” says Marcus. “I had a florist who brought in flowers, and we photographed her with all these flowers. I had one woman who brought everything but the kitchen sink—she brought a bicycle and a fly-fishing rod and life-saving equipment! She had all this outdoor stuff that represented her life as an active person. And then when we were shooting in the studio, she said, ‘I also have these gowns from the 1940s that were my grandma’s.’ So I said to her, ‘Put the gown on.’ We made her all glamorous, and then we put her with all her outdoor stuff around her. It sounds crazy, but it’s the coolest picture, and she actually looks like a warrior woman holding the staff of the fishing rod.”

Currently, Marcus is planning her latest round of 50 Over 50 shoots, which will include Santa Cruz’s Ethel Lewis, the 90-year-old great-grandniece of Harriet Tubman. She hopes someone in the community will host an exhibit of the project in January, health orders permitting.

Marcus has always embraced the unusual and countercultural—from her 1997 book In the Shadow of the Vampire, about Anne Rice fan culture, to her award-winning 2004-2005 photo series “After Midnight: Youth Subcultures of New York City” to Tranfigurations (which won an Independent Publishers Book Award for Best LGBT Non-Fiction Book of 2012) to this summer’s Line of Blood: Uncovering a Secret Legacy of Mobsters, Money and Murder. With this project, too, she’s ready for anything.

“I had my first senior tell me she wanted a nude,” she says. “I hadn’t shot any nudes! So I said, ‘Well, what do you want?’ and she said, ‘I’m a free spirit, and I think everybody should love their body.’ I was like, ‘Ok!’”

Jana Marcus Photography can be found at janamarcus.com.

50 Up: A Boomer in Lockdown

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50 Up: A Boomer in Lockdown

It has been three days since I last cleaned the horse stalls and I believe I have finally dug all the manure out from under my toenails. On day one of lockdown, March 16, I scored a job taking care of nine Arabian horses on the Corralitos farm where I live in my Airstream trailer. It’s a good job—it’s a stable job.

There is no time clock; my day starts at dawn. I push my cart to the horse pens loaded with their hay and grain as the horses paw the ground in anticipation. While the outside human world descends into madness to fight over masks on their faces to prevent infection of their lungs, it’s my job to put fly masks on the horses’ faces to prevent infection of their eyes. The horses do far better with masks than the humans.

The horses can see through their eye masks, but it is still an intimate maneuver for me to reach under their necks and lift the mask over their faces, adjust it over their eyes and fasten it with Velcro. My first two weeks on the job, I am terrified of the 1,200-pound Arabian named Moose. You could put a half-dollar in his nostril. A few years ago Moose was abused by a man and injured. Moose is not mean, but because I am a large man, the minute I come through the gate his eyes go wild, ears go back and he runs in circles, kicking and snorting. I am scared, and he knows it.

By April, I get my breath under control and announce my intention to Moose. I stand still and he comes closer. I whisper to him that I am here to protect his eyes and that’s why we are going to put his mask on. He lowers his nose to my nose and I feel the powerful suction as he inhales me. He lets me scratch his neck and lifts his head with pleasure. He leans into my hands so that I will scratch him harder and it nearly knocks me down. Then he lowers his head to receive the mask.

Laughus Interruptus

Moose and I connect through breath. Air connects every one of us on earth. I have read that atoms from Julius Caesar’s last breath are in every breath I take, so I’m glad to hear that the big guy didn’t die of Covid-19. It turns out he had a bad day in the senate. Some things never change.

For my generation’s mantra of “We are the generation of sex, drugs and rock and roll,” I have a punchline: “any one of those three can lead to a hip replacement.” Coronavirus has made my joke obsolete. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll? Any one of those three can kill you.

As a small boy, I knew that I was born to perform in vaudeville but had arrived 40 years too late. Then I discovered standup comedy, and I got to be who I was born to be after all.

Standup is a call and response dialogue with the audience. It’s not intellectual, you feel their response. My body knows where the audience will let me take them; it’s not a calculated transaction, it’s emotional intelligence. When I am doing my job well, I am as sensitive as a horse.

I’ve gone all in on committing to make rooms of drunk people laugh. This is who I am, it’s what I got good at, and I’ve done it 3,000 times. I did my last live show on March 15 at Michael’s on Main in Santa Cruz, and it felt like the crowd was desperate to laugh. There was doom in the room. On March 16, the calls started coming in from agents and bookers—all my clubs, casinos and theaters had closed. By 5pm, my live performance career was over.

I feel obsolete. If I’m not a comedian who makes people laugh, then who am I? I start doing Zoom shows and build my YouTube Channel, Richard Stockton Comedy. At first I love the zero travel time and Zoom seems like the answer for isolation. But Zoom family meetings seem vacuous, and Zoom comedy shows have a built in delay that makes us feel more separated. Computer dating is great if you’re a computer.

I begin smoking weed and binge-watching the news. Starting with CNN, I pour over every news story. Hours pass. When I finally do push myself away from my computer, I am spent and cannot remember 95% of what I read. The news is an intravenous drip of fear into my blood. I walk toward Safeway without my glasses and think I see Trump rising out of the sidewalk. I get closer and see that it is an orange safety cone half buried in gravel. I hold my breath until I can get back on the farm to talk things over with Moose.

I do see news that inspires and lifts me, as even the Statue of Liberty is taking a knee. We thought the times were a-changin’ in the ’60s, and then they didn’t. But this feels different, as people of all colors march for racial equality. I hear from my kids who protest at the capitol in Sacramento. The image of my children running from rubber bullets terrifies me, but it makes me so proud of them. I pray they wear their goggles and masks while my heart soars to hear how they are finding their defining moment; they could be the generation to bring equality home.

Family Time

My two kids and I become a family again. Before the pandemic I was estranged from my children, but when the disease spread they came back to me. This is the best thing that has happened to me since their birth. There is nothing like an apocalypse to bring a family together.

I succumb to the cheap thrills of Google and read The Dangers Of Letting Your Lawn Go To Seed! And How Not To Let Your Cannabis Go To Seed! What I want to know is how to keep myself from going to seed. I have stopped shaving and stopped addressing ear hair, nose hair, and eyebrow hair. I lose the will to remove the manure from under my nails. I call Julie and tell her that I have turned into a sloth and she sends me a video of a sloth scratching his ass. As I watch this video, I find myself scratching my ass.

For financial reasons, Julie and I shelter in place 500 miles apart. I’m afraid that I’ll never work again, and on the farm I do have a job. So Julie gets a puppy, I get nine horses, and the animals keep us alive. We have experienced being apart for a month before, so we thought a few weeks would be easy. Turns out that the coronavirus did not decide to take a summer vacation.

I am crazy about this woman. Julie is half-Italian and half-Chardonnay. We are Weedo and Wino. Julie is a scientist and she says that moving at the speed of light is when you take a wine bottle out of the refrigerator before the light comes on. I find a substitute for my horse job and plan our wild weekend. Julie asks me to quarantine for two weeks before I drive down. I consider boiling myself.

I came of age during the glorious experiment of Free Love, before HIV and herpes and just three years after the arrival of the pill that unlocked sex and marriage. A woman with several lovers was considered “popular.” And now 50 years later I have to quarantine for two weeks before I see my wife. I always thought the apocalypse would somehow be more exciting.

Sick Days

Back in the trailer on June 19, I come down with the symptoms of Covid-19: fever, cough, sore throat, aches, weakness, and the onset is like a fire hose running through my alimentary canal. One end just loses its steam in time for the other end to take over. This continues until I am completely empty Monday morning.

I sleep all day, through the night and Tuesday morning my throat is so sore I cannot swallow. I try to coax water down but my throat squeezes shut. I keep my EpiPen handy.

Tuesday night my delirium turns into scenes where I kill my friends with disease. I hallucinate living through Revelations as a horse of the Apocalypse. I have done bad things in my life, but I have never killed anyone. Kind of a low bar I know, but I’d like to be able to take that one with me.

When I wake Wednesday morning, I feel like days have passed. I think it’s Friday. I look at my laptop, “What? No way!” Surely a timer got switched on, it says Wednesday! I look at my phone, “My phone is wrong, too!”

Then my head starts spinning, the walls of the trailer whirl to the left, I realize I’m losing it and push off my kitchen sink to fall backwards onto the bed. That’s the beautiful thing about passing out in the Airstream—the soft landing.

I pull out of the sickness, but have to take two weeks off from the horses. I obsess over how I intend to make a living. I have been offered performance opportunities at outdoor wineries, but wonder if this is the time to gather people to drink alcohol.  Laughter does heal in ways, but I doubt that hospital nurses are shouting down the halls outside of ICUs, “Somebody quick! We need to get a comedian in here!”

Off the Clock

Now I have a new appreciation of time. I go to bed early and get up at dawn because I am in alignment with the sun. Moose doesn’t care what day it is, he cares about getting fed at daylight. I feel like I’m living in an earlier human time, in rhythm with the animals and the sun, a time when it is natural to stay home.

Since we got off the clock we have enjoyed the glorious experience of living with less pollution and we may see a path to our survival. Civil rights seems to be at a tipping point and we may see Harriet Tubman’s picture on the twenty dollar bill. And if I ever do get to stand in front of a comedy crowd again I will be a better comic when I breathe them in like Moose.

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