Electric Mountain Bike Ride Shifts One Rider’s Perspective By Karen Kefauver Photo Credit: Mark Woodhead. Karen Kefauver gives the electric mountain bike another try a week later in down- town Santa Cruz at current e-Bikes. I finally tried an electric mountain bike after years of dismissing the beefed up bikes as “cheating.” to zip uphill on a trail on a battery-powered bike, passing fellow cyclists huffing and puffing up the same climb on traditional mountain bikes just seemed wrong, like doping in the Tour de France. Plus, safety issues seemed more urgent: No one wants to be startled — or possibly hit — by a rider barreling towards them uphill…
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Hands On Chalk Art
Hands On Chalk Art By Jennifer K. Mahal What You’ll Need CHILD SAFE CHALK * 1 1/5 cups cornstarch * 1 cup water * mixing bowl * stirrers * small wax-lined paper cups * Food coloring PARIS CHALK * 1 1/2 cups plaster of paris (can be found at craft stores) * 3/4 cup warm water * 2-4 disposable containers (large yogurt containers work well) * popsicle sticks or disposable spoons * tempera paint * small wax-lined paper cups * Optional: silicon mold The lazy days of summer are a wonderful time to play hopscotch, race your friends to a finish line and draw funny faces on your walkway. What…
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Pajaro Valley Schools Collaborate on Illustrated and Animated Book
Pajaro Valley Schools Collaborate on Illustrated and Animated Book Terrorizing Tacos, Immigration, Poems, and Movies By Elaine Ingalls Manuel Madrigal, an eighth grader at Alianza Charter School, brought tacos to life in his play, “The Terrorizing Tacos.” “I was thinking of a game I could play with my friends,” said Madrigal, a Prunedale resident. “They (the tacos) like attacking people and you have to try to escape from them.” Madrigal, a student in Amparo Yodar-Jiménez’s Spanish Language Arts class, worked with the other students in the class to create a collaborative literature and art project. The project consists of 18 pieces: five theatrical acts and 13 poems. Students originally wrote…
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Health Coverage – Protecting Your Personal Investment: Letter to the Editor July 2018
Health Coverage – Protecting Your Personal Investment: Letter to the Editor July 2018 By Dr. Kenneth W. Kizer and Cástulo de la Rocha The two of us are among dozens of commencement speakers at California’s colleges and universities this year who are calling out the importance of having health insurance coverage in our remarks to new graduates and their families. We congratulate you on what you have accomplished and offer our good wishes for what lies ahead. Like us, many of you are the first in your family to get a college or advanced degree. You have worked hard and made many sacrifices. Indeed, you have made a big investment…
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Making the Most of Summertime Schedules: Ask Nicole
Making the Most of Summertime Schedules: Ask Nicole By Nicole M. Young MSW Last summer, my daughter was a junior counselor at a day camp next to the preschool she used to attend. As I dropped her off one morning, she noticed several young children also getting dropped off and asked, “Those poor kids have to go to preschool during the summer? Don’t they get a summer vacation?” I laughed and reminded her she used to be one of those “poor kids” who went to preschool year-round (and loved it) because her parents worked year-round. Our conversation made me miss the simplicity of summer during the preschool years and having…
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June 2018 Editors Note
June 2018 Editors Note Dear Readers, Santa Cruz has an amazing opportunity to do something special for families, pedestrians, people in wheelchairs and the environment— but it appears that those in our government are asleep at the wheel. The county could turn the 32 miles of dilapidated tracks and crumbling trestles into a bike and pedestrian path between Watsonville and davenport, making a safe eco- friendly route not only for local families to spend off time, but for commuters and tourists to enjoy the blissful coastline without fear of traffic, noise or giant diesel trains plowing by. Other places in the country have done this to huge success. in Missouri,…
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At Cabrillo, Special Needs Become Assets
At Cabrillo, Special Needs Become Assets By Suki Wessling When students identified with a learning difference in their K-12 program register at Cabrillo, one of their first stops is the Accessibility Support Center run by Beth McKinnon. In this interview, McKinnon explains the ASC’s purpose, how students are identified, and how ASC support helps student succeed at Cabrillo and beyond. What is the mission of the Accessibility Support Center? Our purpose on every college campus is to serve students with disabilities. We are here to make sure that there is equal access and what we call equity for students who have any kind of disability—everything from physical and visible disabilities…
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Ask Nicole: Dads, Your Presence Matters
Ask Nicole: Dads: Your Presence Matters By Nicole M. Young, MSW When my kids were younger, my husband worked from home and had a very flexible schedule. On Fridays, the kids stayed home for “Fun-day Friday” with daddy instead of going to their usual child care provider or preschool. Once they started going to school, each child had their own week of “Camp Daddy” during the summer doing activities that they chose. Sometimes Camp Daddy involved going to the beach, having a picnic at the municipal airport, or the occasional trip to the Boardwalk. One year, Camp Daddy involved making an elaborate paper mache animal. I still don’t know what…
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Stuck on Ducks: June 2018 Santa Cruz Book Recommendations
Stuck on Ducks June 2018 Santa Cruz Book Recomendations By Michelle Spence I’m a Duck Written by Eve Bunting, Illustrated by Will Hillenbrand Practice makes perfect in this new rhyming tale of a young duck that is afraid of the water. “I cannot swim, and that is bad. A landlocked duck is very sad.” And yet, despite all the fears, trepidation, and unsolicited advice, this duckling finds just the right combination of preparation and confidence to take the plunge. The Other Ducks Written by Ellen Yeomans, Illustrated by Chris Sheban In another new duck-centric picture book, This Duck and That Duck are trying to make sense of their Big Puddle…
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A Summer of Fun in County Parks
A Summer of Fun in County Parks By Zach Friend Santa Cruz County offers a number of free and low cost summer events, programs and activities in our local parks. These family friendly options include everything from free movie nights, to picnic locations with ocean views, to short and easy hikes in the redwoods to learning how to disc golf. Events and Activities Free family-friendly movie nights will be held on the third Thursday of the month (from May-October) at Heart of Soquel Park. Films begin at 8 pm (or dusk) and you are welcome to show up early to bring a picnic to enjoy. While parking is limited, there…
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Letters June 2018
Letters June 2018 The Blessings of Family During this time of honoring our Mothers, Fathers and Grads, its reminds me of how truly blessed we are. As older parents of two children ages 10 and 12, we get so busy and caught up in the day to day activities that we sometimes forget (or are too tired) to slow down and appreciate the experience. There are those folks who chose to have children later in life and those that for whatever reason are raising grandchildren or are foster parents. Parenting is a bit more challenging as we age, I speak for my husband and I who are at and approaching…
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It’s a No-Brainerz: Wear a Helmet – Six Tips for Bike Helmet Safety
It’s a No-Brainer: Wear a Helmet Six Tips for Bike Helmet Safety By Karen Kefauver Last month, hundreds of parents hopped on their bikes and pedaled with their kids to Bike to Work/School Day events countywide to enjoy a free breakfast for cyclists. As the kids gobbled strawberries, devoured bagels and stocked up on energy bars, I asked clusters of parents what their biggest concerns about their kids riding bikes. Not surprisingly, safety topped the list. And it should — school age children are indeed at high risk for injuries as they learn to balance and maneuver their bikes on streets and sidewalks. For the under-18 set — who are…
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Treat Your Kid Like a Rock Star
Treat Your Kid Like a Rock Star By Chris Jackson Your kids aren’t rock stars, so why treat them like it? Because it works. It brings parents and kids closer together. Let me explain. One of the best things about being a radio host on 98.5 KFOX is that I get to meet a lot of bands like Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Beatles, Van Halen, Journey, Bon Jovi, AC/DC, Aerosmith (and let’s not forget all the bands that play at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk!). When my son and daughter became teenagers, I started to notice two major similarities between those rocks stars and my kids–and no I’m not talking…
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It Isn’t Summer Without Plenty of Bubbles: Here’s How to Make Your Own
It Isn’t Summer Without Plenty of Bubbles Here’s How to Make Your Own By Jennifer K Mahal Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery Summer is here, with its warm, sunny days. It’s a great time to be outdoors. One thing we love to do outside is blow gigantic soap bubbles! It’s fun, if a bit messy. Bubbles are basically a very thin film of soapy water filled with a gas, in most cases air. If you looked at their molecules (the incredibly tiny building blocks that make up matter), you would see a layer of water molecules sandwiched between two layers of soap molecules. The layers creating the bubble walls…
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Always Amused: Your Guide to Theme Parks, Tourist Attractions, Rides and Cool Events
Always Amused Your Guide to Theme Parks, Tourist Attractions, Rides and Cool Events By Erik Chalhoub In the late 1990s, Smash Mouth was on top of the music world. Its first major hit in 1997, “Walkin’ on the Sun,” hit number one on a slew of charts, and its follow-up in 1999, “All Star,” propelled the band to seemingly another universe. You couldn’t turn on the radio, watch a movie, or attend any kind of event without hearing the San Jose-based band telling you to get your game on and how only shooting stars break the mold. For me, as an elementary-schooler at the time, I was hooked. But as…
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Hidden Disabilities, Hidden Stress
Hidden Disabilities, Hidden Stress By Suki Wessling “I think I have it easy.” Her statement took me by surprise. Easy to raise a child with Down Syndrome? Easy to know that your son may never be able to live an independent life? I was speaking with a friend about being the parent of a child with special needs, and her point of view was unexpected. She explained that as soon as people looked at her son, they knew a lot about him. It led people, she said, to feel comfortable with him. People were generally kind and accepting, didn’t have unreasonable expectations, and appreciated what he could offer to the…
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In Celebration of May Flowers: Book Recommendations
In Celebration of May Flowers: Book Recommendations By Michelle Spence The old English proverb “April showers bring may flowers” provides an anchor for this month’s book recommendations and an excuse to peruse seed catalogs, regardless of whether or not you will be planting a garden this spring. Here is a smattering of old and new gardening stories to share and inspire your gardening dreams or realities. Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert Bulb planting in the fall and seed sowing in the spring set the stage for a colorful flower garden all summer long. in the deceptively simple board book Planting a Rainbow, we discover the pace of a garden,…
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Hands On Cork Boats
Hands On Cork Boats By Jennifer K. Mahal What You Need -3 corks–same size -2 rubber bands -Toothpick -Construction paper or cardstock -Scissors -Optional: crayons, markers, or paint Look out upon Monterey Bay on any given day and you are likely to see a boat floating in the water. sail boats, row boats, fishing boats, even large Coast Guard cutters all float. But if you throw a rock in the water, it will sink! So how does a large boat made of heavy steel stay afloat while a small pebble ends up in Davy Jones’ locker? In ancient Greece, a scientist and mathematician named Archimedes discovered why things float. He…
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One Step at a Time Summer Camp Can Lead to a Lifelong Path
One Step at a Time Summer Camp Can Lead to a Lifelong Path By Bryan Miller The stairs at Pepperdine University were too big for me. They twisted themselves against the large hills of the college, climbing across the terrain for what felt like miles. Back then, scaling the stairs felt unwieldy and improbable, a feat meant for older, more experienced people. A feat for college students. I was not a college student. I was 12 years old. I was there playing tennis for five days as part of a summer camp. It was the first time I remember being exposed to a college campus, and I found it overwhelming.…
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E-Bikes: Love ‘Em or Hate ‘Em They’re Here to Stay
E-Bikes: Love ‘Em or Hate ‘Em They’re Here to Stay The Newest Cycle Tech Levels the Playing Field for All Ages By Karen Kefauver Photo Credit: Ivo Obregon. Crystal Obregon pedals her two kids, Carolina, 4, and Sean, 1, in Santa Cruz, on her Xtra- cycle brand electric bike in Santa Cruz in 2007, on the way up to ride trails in UC Santa Cruz. I admit I was a snob when it came to electric bikes. for years, I thought people who rode e-bikes were generally lazy, out of shape and worst of all, a potential danger to those of us who knew how to ride “real” bikes. As…
