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Backyard Campout
Organize a Memorable “Staycation” BY JHONEE FILLMORE I am not sure what type of vacation plans you had arranged for this summer but chances are you are rearranging. June is looking as if we might all need to get creative and plan something fun and exciting at home. You and your family have been home a great deal these past couple of months so you ask…. “What can we do that is different?” I am speaking from personal experience when I share this idea. My family has been living this fun every weekend for the past month. We have been using this as a weekend getaway but you can…
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Train Pet
More Free Time? How About Using it to Train an Adopted Pet BY IVAN ROCHA Pets are in high demand across the nation as the quarantine leaves people craving a COVID-companion. The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is quieter than it has likely ever been thanks to locals that have opened their homes to the animals in the shelter. Erika Anderson, the program and development manager at the Shelter, said there have been more people in search of pet-partners through this pandemic. “It seems that people feel that maybe now is a really good time to get a pet because they’re home a lot and have the time to spend…
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Anti-racism
Anti-racism Resources for Parents BY NICOLE M. YOUNG, MSW I am a woman of color, raised in a White family, mother of two bi-racial children. I’ve experienced racial ignorance, microaggressions (words and actions that seem trivial, but are hurtful because they’re based on stereotypes), prejudice, and racism in my personal and professional life – even in my own family. But I am not Black, and I can’t even pretend to know what it’s like to live in fear that doing everyday things like jogging (Ahmaud Arbery), sleeping at home (Breonna Taylor), driving (Sandra Bland), watching birds (Christian Cooper), or waiting for a friend at Starbucks (Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson)…
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JULY EDITORIAL
July Editors Notes We are living through tough times right now all over the world. Sure, we haven’t been asked to make the sacrifices people had to make in bigger catastrophes. Other generations would laugh at our “problems,” like being asked to wear masks or to stay home and watch Netflix, but we are also seeing firsthand the plight of losing the business you loved and built as the economy goes into a tailspin. Like most, we are shaking our heads trying to awaken from a bad dream and wondering what will come next and how we will deal with it. The good news is that our community is filled…
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JULY COLORING
July Coloring Page Color this crafty drawing and send us your entries to [email protected]. You could win day passes to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, when it opens.
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Youth Protest
Youth Led Protests Paddle Out for Peace PHOTOS BY KEVIN PAINCHAUD On Tuesday, June 2, at noon, 22 year old Megan Rodriguez organized a “Paddle Out for Peace” event. The purpose of the event is to spotlight the racism and discrimination displayed in and out of the water. Rodriquez is mixed race and moved out to Santa Cruz in 2015 from New York. Coming from the diverse community of NY, witnessing and feeling the racial tension in our waters was a bit shocking. Rodriquez states, “most of the racial comments came from the children. I’d ask them why they said certain things, and they’d say that they heard these things…
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Sarah Jane
Sarah Jane Local Artist and Mother Giving Back Through Art When shelter in place started, I decided I would offer online painting classes through facebook to help parents at home fill time for their kids. These are still available and free at paint live with Sarah Jane. When George Floyd was murdered and more stories began to emerge of the wrongful deaths of POC, I felt awoken but powerless. I have two little kids at home and didn’t feel safe marching. So I took to the canvas. I put my heart and love into a memorial portrait of Breonna Taylor to be auctioned off and raise money for the BLM…
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Cabrillo Promise
Free Tuition for Cabrillo College CABRILLO COLLEGE CABRILLO COLLEGE PROMISE FREE First and second year of tuition to any graduating senior from the Cabrillo College District service area. The Cabrillo College Promise eliminates financial barriers to highe education, making a college degree a reality. For information and to apply, visit cabrillo.edu/services/promise/ . DUAL ENROLLMENT Take Cabrillo Classes for free while in high school. Hundreds of students jumpstart their college education by enrolling at Cabrillo College while they are still in high school. Through Dual Enrollment, high school students may attend classes at Cabrillo for free, with the permission of their high school counselors. For every one unit of college credit…
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Cabrillo
Cabrillo Extension Offers Online Camps CABRILLO COLLEGE EXTENSION In response to the ongoing Shelter in Place Orders for Santa Cruz County, Cabrillo College Extension has moved many of their popular workshops and summer camps to a virtual format with live instruction. Classes in creative arts, culinary, health & wellness, home & garden, as well as Extension’s summer youth camps are offered via live instruction that can be enjoyed from home. Students can interact with instructors and fellow students to complete projects and learn new skills, and classes are full of instructor-led demonstrations, social interaction, and expert guidance. The Cabrillo Extension staff now works from home, but they have stayed connected…
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Local Heroes
Helping Heroes Get Homes BY ILYANNA HENDRICKS After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks shook the nation and claimed the lives of 412 first responders and injured countless others, Ruth Johnson and her family wanted a way to give back to the brave men and women around the country who strived to make a difference in their communities. Together, they created Homes For Heroes, a non-profit organization that works with more than 3,200 real estate agents and mortgage professionals around the country who strive to “provide extraordinary savings to heroes who provide extraordinary services.” Wendy Guin, an agent who assists Maggie Barr at Keller Williams Realty located on Soquel Avenue, is…
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Autism
Special Programs for Kids with Autism BY NATALYA DRESZER Preston is 6 and he has autism. He goes to school to learn, and goes to the Autism Family Network (AFN) to have fun. The Autism Family Network is a community organization in Santa Cruz that focuses on connecting families to special needs resources and support groups, and creating inclusive events for families. During Shelter-In-Place they’ve been hosting dance parties and support groups online. Preston’s mom, Karyn Homeriki, 37, said the Autism Family Network is a great resource for their family. She heard about AFN through Preston’s school, Chrysalis School in Santa Cruz, which focuses on special needs education for children…
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Meal Planning
Meal Planning Get the Most Value Out of Your Food Budget BY GRETCHEN HEIMSOTH As we find ourselves riding out this pandemic, many of us are facing the reality that we need to try to more with our dollar in the direction of food and nutrition. Stressors are higher, as well as the need to keep ourselves and our families healthy. I want to give a little focus on things we can avoid, something we can learn and practice and healthy, low cost, nutrient-dense staples to maximize your food budget. These tips, as well as a little thought and prep time, you can find yourself eating a more varied and…
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Keeping Cool
Keeping Your Cool BY Laura Maxson, LM While summer may not be the most comfortable season to be pregnant, Santa Cruz with its many microclimates is a great place to be for the summer. Damp and foggy mornings provide a welcome break to hot afternoons. A walk on West Cliff in the early evening can provide exercise, a beautiful view and most often a cooling ocean breeze. A quick drive up to Felton, Boulder Creek, or the Aptos hills will find shady redwoods and babbling creeks. To beat the heat, dress for comfort from top to bottom. A sundress, airy and lightweight (and no waistband), is perfect for a heat…
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That’s Kool
That’s Kool Cool Kid Lives His Dream with Vintage Sports Shop BY IVAN ROCH Want a Steph Curry signed basketball? How about your favorite old team jersey? You can find them and hundreds more sports collectables at Thats Kool, a small business in Soquel owned by 21-year-old Nick Gonzales and his father Leo, that offers vintage sports items ranging from small players figurines to jerseys. Nick’s father started collecting items in the early 2000s and eventually introduced his son to the trade when he was about 12. “It was mostly him at the start but I would go searching with him. We started to get a bunch of inventory in,”…
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Aquatics
Aquatics in the Time of COVID-19 Treading safely into the new Guidelines BY TIFFANY HARMON “There is no evidence that COVID-19 can spread to people through properly treated water used in pools, hot tubs, or water playgrounds.” Summer is upon us! As of the writing of this article, California has entered into Stage 4 of Governor Newsom’s reopening guidelines. As of June 12, 2020, pools and fitness clubs were allowed to re-open after proper precautionary procedures are implemented as stated in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidelines. Santa Cruz County is home to many active and outdoorsy families, so beach and pool closures have affected us profoundly. As…
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Parenting Internet
Parenting in the Internet Age Using Screens Intentionally BY SUKI WESSLING Parents raising children today are like first-generation immigrants to a very strange land. We grew up in a world where children went to school in a building, played games on boards, courts, or fields, and mostly had friends who lived near them. Now our kids are coming off a semester of distance learning, they play games that their parents have never heard of, and they make “friends” with people who may or may not exist. It’s a crazy time to be a parent.One of the problems is that most of us feel like we’re making it up as we…
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Special Ed
A Test of Resilience Special Ed During SIP BY SUKI WESSLING Interested in hearing more? Check the end of the article for a link to our podcast of the full interview! The January opening of Leo’s Haven, the new inclusive playground in Santa Cruz, was a milestone for children in our community. But Leo’s Haven closes where this story starts: When parents and teachers of students with special needs found out that they were going to have to shelter in place in mid-March. “I still really haven’t processed that loss,” says Trisha Potts, who spearheaded the campaign to create a playground where her son, who uses a wheelchair, could play…
