The last concert of the Santa Cruz Symphony season offers more than simply an orchestral tribute to movie maestro John Williams. Join the street party before the concert, from 5pm-7:30pm in front of the Civic Auditorium. There will be food trucks, music, dancing and a costume contest for those who dress in character for the featured movies – Star Wars, Harry Potter, and others. It’s all a love fest for legendary composer John Williams, a man who has created memorable soundtracks for more than five decades. Star Wars! You can already hear it. Indiana Jones, you’re singing along. Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, and the immortal duh duh, duh duh, duh…
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Hiking Fall Creek at Henry Cowell
It’s dawn and I’m the first to park in the Henry Cowell State Park parking lot up Felton-Empire Grade Road. I had to use my phone alarm to wake up. I hope hiking will get my circadian rhythm in alignment with the sun and moon, but for now my circadian rhythm is in alignment with Netflix and my bladder. My left knee cramps and my phone says its 40 degrees. I thought hell would be warmer. If you are a beginning or casual hiker, this column may be for you. If I can walk these trails, you can too. I hike every week, but I am not good at it.…
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A Volcanic New Direction for Mystery Writer Leslie Karst
Known for her popular Sally Solari cozy mystery series, local author and parttime Hawai’i resident Leslie Karst has just whipped up a brand-new adventure mystery, Molten Death. The new cozy (non-violent, no bad words) mystery is planned to be the first of Karst’s Orchid Isle series. In this fast-moving caper Karst takes the reader well beyond tiki bars and luau buffets. Once her protagonist sees a body being engulfed by hot lava, the hunt is on for a killer. Readers of Molten Death will be treated to well-researched island lore, simmering eco-politics, panoramic hot lava, and of course, Karst’s tasty menus with an Aloha flavor. GU: Did the experience of…
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Music Teacher Reaches Autistic Kids Through Rhythm
The student and the teacher sit facing one other, their feet on the drum pedals, drumsticks in their hands. Autism may make the ten-year old’s speech unique, it may make his attention variable, but right now he is communicating with his teacher in a different dimension, in a language he can feel. “Can you go from there back into the beat?”“I got you.”And the ten-year-old lays down a funk groove with panache, does a fill around the toms and then leans back into the groove, accenting the off beats as his face settles into a quiet, confident smile.The teacher laughs and hits the rim of his snare drum. “You rock!”…
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Three Things You Won’t Regret This Summer
Summer is here and we are in the midst of the months where the weather has shifted and we can celebrate the sunniest time of year. What often happens for parents during the summer months is often that it can feel difficult to balance work and family time while keeping everyone entertained. It is also usually full of big decisions around camps, trips and even considering how to keep the house clean. To maximize your joy, center some focus around finances and organizational skills this summer. Read more for how to do that and still have fun! Here are some tips for parents on how to stay social and still…
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Children’s Phone Use Isn’t Always Harmful, Despite Beliefs
The first thing my 8-year-old son does in the morning is go to the Duolingo website on his iPhone to study Spanish. The last thing he does at night is play eight games of Word Chums, the Scrabble-like game. His vocabulary in both languages is growing in leaps and bounds. I bring this up because there’s a new best-selling book out by Jonathan Haidt called “The Anxious Generation” that basically blames our kids’ mental health problems on the preponderance of smartphones. He claims depression, anxiety and suicide picked up in 2012 when the phones became omnipresent. “The phone-based life produces spiritual degradation, not just in adolescents but in all of…
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Santa Cruz County Youth Poet Laureate Announced
Santa Cruz County’s first ever Youth Poet Laureate honor was given to Dina Lusztig Noyes at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz, CA. SC County Youth Poet Laureate finalists include Gregory Souza, Simon Ellefson, Madeline Aliah, and Sylvi Kayser. During the inauguration ceremony, each youth poet performed several of their poems, demonstrating their unique voices and talents. The cohort will continue to be a team of artistic excellence and community engagement through poetry work. Some members of the cohort will be reading their poetry at the Scotts Valley Multicultural Fair on May 4. Dina Lusztig Noyes will be Community Writers’ featured reader in-person on Sept. 28 from 2:30-4:30pm at…
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Trick Your Family Into Spring Cleaning!
Okay, I know this sounds impossible, but I actually got my kids (and husband!) to VOLUNTEER to spring clean my house! No, I didn’t bribe them, or threaten them. So here’s how I did it: I made a list of all of the things that needed spring cleaning: organizing closets, rearranging gardening supplies, cleaning out the fridge, cleaning windows – you get the idea. Spring cleaning can feel daunting because there is so much that can be done, so pick 3-4 things that are your top priorities for each room. The rest you can do in another spring cleaning day later or even next year. By listing specific tasks for my…
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Overcoming Tragedy By Helping Others
Mother’s Day is about celebrating the sacrifices in which moms throughout the community make every day for their children. Few parents have made more sacrifices than 40-year-old Amy Ramsey, who, in April 2020, lost her 5-year-old son Jett after a year-long fight with brain cancer. “It’s like losing a limb and trying to find it all the time,” Ramsey said. “You always kind of feel like a part of you is missing. But I would say that our hope comes from God and that’s what has gotten our family through.” Ramsey is the owner of Jett&Rose – a home decor and gift shop in Corralitos – and loves working every…
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Summer Reading Program Sparks Imagination and Creativity
Santa Cruz Public Libraries is excited to kick off summer with the 2024 Summer Reading Program. This year’s theme is Read, Renew, Repeat! This conservation message invites participants to reduce consumption, reuse materials, and take the time to read as a restorative measure of self-care and renewal as reading transports us to magical worlds, sparking our imagination and creativity. The Summer Reading Program encourages children to explore the world of books and reading during their summer break. Participation in the Summer Reading Program fosters a love for reading and learning and prevents the “Summer Slip” — a term used to describe the loss over the summer months of academic skills…
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Family Meetings Can Be Meaningful and Fun
Have you ever run a business, led an event team, or organized a group of people with a common goal? If you experienced success, you probably shared ideas, problems were given time to be resolved, protocols were established, grievances were aired, appreciation was expressed and jobs divided. Am I right? Whether it’s two people or twenty, families are an organization in need of all of those listed elements in order to be less chaotic, predictable, and, ultimately, an emotionally safe place to be. Family Meetings, Problem-solving sessions, Family Summit, Talk Time…whatever you’d like to call it, taking 10 minutes a week to focus on important aspects of household issues and…
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Mock Trial Competition Teaches Teens About Justice
This year, a group of teenagers was tasked with bringing justice following the death of Kieran Sunshine, a biomedical executive found with apparent stab wounds in a hotel room as it began to emerge the company’s ForeverFlex5000 wasn’t such a wonder-device after all. Thankfully no one actually died—it was just a storyline dreamed-up for the 2024 Santa Cruz County Mock Trial competition. But the way the scenario played out (in the courtroom where people really do get sent to jail), had legal practitioners commenting that the kids were doing a better job than what they’ve even seen from some lawyers. “Congratulations on making it to the final round,” said Santa…
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Grandparenting Outside the Box
Before my granddaughter was born, I had a sense about what kind of grandmother I would be. I may have underestimated how obsessed I would be with her, but other than that, I am the sort of grandmother I imagined I would be. After all, grandparenting is just an extension of who we are as parents, which is an extension of who we are as human beings. Now that we’re older (sorry to break the news), we may have mellowed in some ways while some personality traits might have gotten even more annoying, but we’re basically the same people we’ve always been (no matter how many self-help books we’ve read).…
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A Tribute to Motherhood: The Heroes of Everyday Life
Let’s be real. Motherhood is a lot. A lot of love and a lot of juggling. A lot of joy and a lot of messes in the kitchen. From pregnancy to 24/7 caring for our babies, and all the way until kids become adults – the job of a mom never ends and sometimes even means hiring a babysitter to come so you can just clean for a couple hours. Or Reheating your coffee 10x each morning and doing more with one hand than you could ever imagine, moms are basically magicians without a wand. Today we are raising awareness in this story to the ones who deserve some extra…
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Introducing Your Monthly Guide to Family Finance Education
I’m really excited to introduce you to a new column this month and every month about family financial fitness. It’s something I’ve wanted since we purchased this magazine, a place to help parents and kids learn about finance. Let’s face it, money management is not taught in schools, but it sure should be. It’s one of the most important life lessons but is virtually ignored in classrooms. And it’s not something you want to learn through trial and error, because errors cost! When I was a kid, my grandfather gave me some shares of stock so I could learn about the market. I tracked it every day and read up…
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Cigs, Vapes and Now Zyn
Do you know what Zyn is? Have you heard of the “upper-decky lip pillow? If you have tween or teen children or grandchildren, hang on because you need to be in the know. Zyn is the smokeless alternative to vapes, and vapes was the less-noticeable form of smoking cigarettes. Zyn is a nicotine pouch that is placed under your lip like chewing tobacco or tobacco dip. It is less visible than vapes because there are no cartridges or battery pens, and certainly inconspicuous next to cigarettes and smoke. Zyn comes in 2 strengths: 3- and 6-milligram pouches. The nicotine ingredient is very addictive – especially for young tweens. First-time users…
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How Silence Can Speak A Thousand Words
National Day of Silence was a foreign concept to me until my freshman year in high school. National Day of Silence is a national peaceful protest where queer people and allies participate in a vow of silence to bring attention to the discrimination that queer individuals experience. I quickly learned that it is not just about silence; it is a powerful statement. The silence speaks volumes—it is a testament to the struggles, the resilience, and the solidarity of the LGBTQIA2S+ community and its allies. When I first heard of the National Day of Silence, I felt inspired and eager to make the day count for activism and awareness. I was…
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Create a Cozy Corner to Increase Peace in Your Home
What is a Cool Down Zone? Everyone needs to take a break sometimes. Creating a cool down zone in your home can be a simple and effective way to normalize big feelings and encourage emotional regulation. This space can be very small and simple; it doesn’t need to be extravagant or expensive. You also do not need to have a big home. A cool down zone can be a small corner of a room with some favorite pillows, stuffed animals and books that you already have. The idea is that there’s a spot in your home that is intentionally set up as a place that anyone can go to when…
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Kids Day Downtown
Sunshine, sandy beaches, and a laid-back vibe – Santa Cruz embodies the California dream. But beyond the coastal attractions, the Downtown district offers a treasure trove of experiences that make it a haven for families with kids and teens. Many of the folks who run downtown businesses, are also parents. We wanted to know what they do with their kids Downtown. My three kids love the variety that Downtown Santa Cruz has to offer for each of them. For the oldest, the outdoor adventurer, it’s usually to shop for a new wetsuit or a skateboard deck. For my middle kid, the epicurean, it’s to check out the newest restaurant or…
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Aloha Santa Cruz
As we enter springtime, the weather (finally) shifting, plans for summer emerge, and a lovely time to gear ourselves up for fun in the sun. Summer is RIGHT around the corner. (Have you registered for Jr Guards or Camp Capitola yet? ) On a recent adventure to Hawaii, for both business and pleasure – I felt so thankful to get away from the cold, wet, winter we have had and enjoy beach bliss with my family:) . It got me thinking of the ways we can embrace the Aloha vibes at home. Aloha means “love, peace, and welcome it is a main word used all over the islands of Hawaii.…
