Around Town November 2018 By Jordy Hyman Chelsea Clinton Shows Off New Book to Santa Cruz Students Westlake Elementary students were excited to have a visit from former first daughter Chelsea Clinton on Oct. 10, part of a tour promoting her new book for young activists that included an engagement at Bookshop Santa Cruz later that evening. The visit was organized by Casey Coonerty Protti, owner of Bookshop Santa Cruz and mother of Devin Protti, a fifth grade student at Westlake. Devin Protti introduced Clinton to an auditorium packed with 200 mostly well-behaved students. In an eloquent opening that his mother helped him write, he welcomed the author and thanked…
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How Parks are Surviving the Off-Season: Always Amused November 2018
How Parks are Surviving the Off-Season: Always Amused November 2018 By Erik Chalhoub It’s November. Summer is long past and Halloween is in the rear-view mirror. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is now in limited operation mode, California’s Great America is closed until its WinterFest event starts at the end of the month, and rides in parks throughout the state and nation are down for their annual maintenance. The off-season blues are kicking in. So why are parks reporting record numbers during this time of the year? According to Cedar Fair, the company that owns Great America, revenues increased by 19 percent in 2017 from October through November compared to…
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The Right Fit
The Right Fit It’s Scary How Many Kids are Playing Sports in Shoes that May Look Cool, But Will Hurt Them By Bob Pursley Here we are again a new school year which brings new sports seasons, whether it is football, cross country, basketball or soccer the kids are asking you to buy the equipment that they will need for these sports. Some of these sports require very specific equipment including the proper footwear for the sport. Sports such as field sports require cleats which are a no brainer but when it comes to running and indoor sports it is not so cut and dry. As a High School Athletics…
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Why #MeToo is #MeAlone
Why #MeToo is #MeAlone By Chris Jackson With the #MeToo movement affecting public figures more and more, it’s important to understand why #MeToo is so often #MeAlone. If you want your kids to not be or feel alone when someone does something to them, read on. Think of the most shameful secret you keep. Something that happened to you. Embarrassing’s not the word; it’s worse than embarrassing. In school, kids picked on me, and I never told anyone–including my parents. In fact, this is the first time I’m mentioning it to anyone. You have one too. Why didn’t you tell anyone? Why didn’t you tell everyone? Why didn’t you tell…
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Your Letters and Thoughts: November 2018
Your Letters and Thoughts: November 2018 Please send your opinions to [email protected] What does the Nov. 6 ballot have to do with parenting? As a parent, I’m increasingly concerned about the ability of vital and vulnerable community members to afford to stay in Santa Cruz County. From local daycare providers to medical assistants, from grocery checkers to our teachers, the very people we depend on to help us raise healthy, happy children in Santa Cruz County are threatened by our housing costs. As a nonprofit housing professional, I know stability has a profound impact on the development of children, with the ability to significantly improve health and educational outcomes. Just…
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Local Student, 16, Gets His Shot on “The Voice”
Local Student, 16, Gets His Shot on “The Voice” Being a Baseball Pitcher Helped Anthony Arya Stay Cool in Front of 10 Million Viewers. By Jordy Hyman Anthony Arya, a junior at Georgiana Bruce Kirby Preparatory School, said his battle round on the singing competition show “The Voice,” was “a whirlwind, a rollercoaster of emotion” when he was saved from elimination by a steal from coach Jennifer Hudson. “It felt so good that she believed in me enough to use one of her two steals on me, out of all the incredible artists in the battle, it was really an honor,” said Arya. “She’s an incredible singer so I was…
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Third Trimester Tasks: Birth Matters November 2018
Third Trimester Tasks: Birth Matter November 2018 By Laura Maxson LM Everything about having a newborn is, well, new. Although it doesn’t take long for a parent to become an expert on their own baby, those first few weeks can go a little smoother with some preplanning. Nothing can change the reality of the 24/7-ness of the early days, but here are a few things to check off your list. Attend a Santa Cruz Baby Wearing meeting before baby comes. They meet monthly, so be sure to get it on your calendar before your last month of pregnancy. Experienced baby wearers are on hand to help answer questions and other…
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Housing, Roads, Parks: Ballot Issues will Affect Local Families: County Scoop November 2018
Housing, Roads, Parks: Ballot Issues will Affect Local Families: County Scoop November 2018 By Zach Friend The November ballot will have a number of measures at the state and local level. Some of these measures will have elements that have a strong family focus. The most notable in the County are a bond measure for affordable housing and a sales tax for the unincorporated area that provides funding for parks among other priorities. Statewide, Proposition 6 is receiving the most attention. It’s a proposed repeal of SB 1 – adopted by the legislature to address the backlog of deferred road maintenance by increasing the gas tax and vehicle registration fees.…
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What are “Spacers”? Who Needs Them?
What are”Spacers”? Who NeedsThem?: Healthy Smiles November 2018 By Dr. Megan You might have heard of “spacers” when some parents talk about their children having a spacer in their mouth or the need for the spacers to be removed. Space maintainer, the more professional term, refer to appliances used to hold the space needed to maintain the form of the arch in mouth. In most cases when a baby tooth is extracted earlier than it is supposed to fall on its own, a space maintainer is recommended, but why? Believe it or not, teeth move! This is how braces work. Teeth movements including tilting, shifting or rotating would not be something…
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What Do You Want To Do With Your Life?
What Do You Want To Do With Your Life? Teens Face Life Decisions Earlier Than Ever By Suki Wessling This article is first in a three-part series on the college application experience for teens. This month: college applications don’t just come out of nowhere. How can teens start early determining what they might want to do in college and beyond? Being a teen is never easy, but perhaps the most exasperating thing teens experience is the assumption that they should know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. Adults who work with teens say that now, more than ever, the pressure is on. “Part of me…
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Giving Thanks: Ask Nicole November 2018
Giving Thanks: Ask Nicole November 2018 By Nicole M. Young MSW I often start this monthly column with a true story about my experiences as a parent. Writing about my own parenting challenges is like giving myself free therapy. I relive memories of difficult situations, work through my emotions in a safe environment (my office, with a lot of coffee), find the humor in nearly every parenting struggle I’ve ever faced, then end up feeling proud that I’ve managed to figure things out and have ended up with two amazing kids. Now that’s something to be thankful for. This monthly column provides tips for anyone who is helping raise children,…
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Do Dogs and Bicycles Mix?
Do Dogs and Bicycles Mix? Here’s How to Run Your Dog Safely By Karen Kefauver It’s a painful truth of cycling, so let’s face it: Chances are good that at some point, you’re going to crash your bike. I certainly have. Most of the crashes have been my fault, like the time I was pedaling to yoga class and tried to make a phone call (stupid!) Another time, I was testing clipless pedals, a system in which cleated shoes snap securely onto specialized pedals. I couldn’t put my foot down fast enough and tipped over on the road. Ouch! Not all crashes are my fault and fortunately I’ve never caused…
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Finding the Right Tutor for Your Child
Finding the Right Tutor for Your Child By Jan Pierce There are many reasons for a child to fall a bit behind in one school subject or another. Maybe your family moved and the new school does things differently, or maybe your child is operating on a different developmental clock than the curriculum. Whatever the reason, being behind other learners is never a happy situation for your child. You may be able to do extra work at home to catch up, but often a tutor is the best way to help a child make great strides in learning. Hiring a tutor is a serious venture. You don’t want to risk…
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Howling at the Moon: Book Recommendations November 2018
Howling at the Moon: Book Recommendations November 2018 By Michelle Spence This November, the full moon—a Beaver Moon, named by the Algonquin Native American tribes—will officially occur at about 9:30 pm on Thanksgiving night. Even if the fog rolls in, you will likely notice the brighter-than-usual night sky during your evening walk. To get into the spirit of the full moon, here are some books to inspire howls from the whole family. Kitten’s First Full Moon By Kevin Henkes Reading this Caldecott Medal– winning picture book is the perfect way to discover the moon all over again. Remember chasing the moon down the street or peering at it through the…
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Tired of Watching your Kids Play Video Games?
Tired of Watching Your Kids Play Video Games? HERE’S HOW THEY CAN BUILD THEIR OWN. IT’S MORE FUN By Ricky Chavez Fortnite, Minecraft, Roblox, and Super Mario may all be titles that you’re familiar with, whether it’s kids, teens, or adults, the amount of people that these games have reached is baffling. Today you can’t go anywhere without seeing people doing one of the many popular dances from Fortnite. Everyone seems to be so hooked on so many of these games and many have enjoyed them so much that they’ve said to themselves, “I want to make a video game!” but where does someone even start? My name is Ricky…
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In Santa Cruz a Bar Mitzvah Isn’t Just a Party
In Santa Cruz a Bar Mitzvah Isn’t Just a Party It’s Giving Back, Repairing the World By Michelle Dennis People may be familiar with the idea of a Bar or Bat Mitzvah; the rite of passage for many Jewish teens symbolizing their maturation from childhood to adulthood. Although the word ‘mitzvah’ is more popularly used to mean a good deed, it actually means ‘commandment’. Photo by: Dan Ackerstein RIDE-A-WAVE Sae Ackerstein, 13, organized a team of 13 volunteers to help special needs children ride the waves. she also led three training sessions on kayak rescue and surf skills. Over 35 years ago, Temple Beth El began including a “Mitzvah Project”…
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Editor’s Note: November 2018
Editor’s Note: November 2018 Dear Readers, The first time we took our 2-year- old to get a haircut was traumatic. He was sure the scissors would hurt, even though he was sitting next to his older brother, who was also getting his locks trimmed. Parker was having none of it. It was such a scream fest we had to take him out and forget about it until his hair got so long, we had no choice. We anticipated another miserable attempt. Then came the Hulk Hands. I bought them as a bribe, to give them to him after he got his hair- cut…but then it hit. Having him look at…
