They conned us again and this time might be the worst. First, they told us cigarettes were safe and even healthy, all the time knowing they were killing people. With grassroots efforts, we quashed that. Then, they ignored the fact that thousands of people were dying from drunk driving. They ignored it until Mothers Against Drunk Driving launched a nationwide effort to solve that problem by getting more enforcement and stricter laws. Now they have covered up the incredible harm plastics are doing to the Earth, acting like recycling will solve the problem. NO IT WON’T and they know it. Reporter Susanne Rust kept a record of all the plastics…
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Look Lively, There’s a New Kid’s Store Downtown
As the bright, mid-morning light streams through the Lively Kid’s storefront windows, owner Kayti Mata thoughtfully puts the finishing touches to her picture-perfect store. Surrounded by her hand-embellished furniture and snap-shots of her kids and their elementary school peers grinning down from the walls, Mata is completely in her element in the store of her dreams, located in the heart of her hometown. A third-generation Santa Cruzian, Mata always wanted to raise her two young children here, where they could have the same hometown experience she adored growing up. “There are so many roots here for our family… Santa Cruz was [always] the main option for us,” Mata said. “I’ve…
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How Can We Make Colleges Accessible to All Students?
In my previous article last month, I addressed how affirmative action really affects college admissions by creating substandard classes and dumbing down our best universities. Instead of giving free passes to students who meet ethnic and socioeconomic numbers, let’s level the playing field so all students have similar opportunities to compete for admission based on merit. We need to start teaching academic skills in preschool and offer cutting-edge courses in K-12. Remember there are over 4,000 colleges in the United States, and most will accept all applicants. For the sake of this article, we are only addressing the super selective colleges with acceptance rates below 10%. Academic preschool for all…
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Keeping the Airwaves Alive
“Our motto at the station is ‘Serve the Community First’,” said Tina Davey, station manager and co-founder of KBCZ Boulder Creek Community Radio Station, 89.3 FM. Every day since the station’s inception in 2013, Davey and her fellow DJs enter their small booth in downtown Boulder Creek, ready to share news updates, personal insights and community-based interviews with local listeners. Born in the UK, Davey originally moved to North Hollywood to pursue a career in rock music and eventually worked in television production in the 90’s. However, after visiting Boulder Creek with her husband, the pair resolved to move to the area. They packed up their instruments and moved here…
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Bellies, Birth and Babies is Back
Birth Network of Santa Cruz County is excited to offer the first Bellies, Birth and Babies (BBB) event since 2019, on September 10, 2-4pm at the Circle Family Center in Aptos. This 2-hour community event offers expectant and new parents, as well as their support teams, education, skills and resources to enhance their childbirth and parenting journey. Birth Network will offer BBB events every two months with the next one planned for November 12, at the RC Fam/Raíces y Cariño in Watsonville. Next year’s schedule will see BBB events held in the Westside/Scotts Valley area, as well.Each Bellies, Birth & Babies will offer a panel of speakers and an activity…
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Becoming a Great Grandmother
An old adage says the best thing about being a grandparent is that you can give the baby or toddler or teenager back to the parents when you’ve had enough. That might be true, but for me it doesn’t get to the heart of the matter. Plus, I don’t always want to give my granddaughter back to her parents when my time with her is up. Of course, I always do, because that would be kidnapping and kidnapping is bad.For me one of the best things about being a grandparent is that I know I’m not going to mess up or mess her up. As I mother, I wasn’t so…
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How Do You Feel About Going Back to School?
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Coloring Contest Winners
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Coloring Contest
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To Punish or Not to Punish?
How could we possibly raise children without punishment? How will they know the difference between right and wrong? I think when people picture an absence of punishment they are actually picturing an absence of discipline. Discipline is different than punishment, though. Discipline comes from the word disciple, which implies teaching and learning. Punishment is punitive in nature and it often comes out of our own anger and need to release that anger. Learning new skills (such as learning the difference between right and wrong) can’t come from punishment because punishment creates an atmosphere that is threatening and often disrespectful. This is not an atmosphere that is conducive to learning. As…
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Iconic Attraction Returns Soon to the Boardwalk
Something has been missing at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for too long, an attraction that is a staple at any seaside amusement park: a Ferris wheel. Thankfully, that’s about to change. Plans are in the works to install a new Ferris wheel at the Boardwalk, more than five years after it removed its classic ride due to decades of wear and tear and salty air. This Ferris wheel, approved by Santa Cruz city planners in August, will stand 68 feet tall, roughly the same size as the previous one, and feature 15 gondolas that can sit up to four adults or six children at a time, according to the…
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Skipping Grades, Relevance of College and Homework Research
Editor’s Note: The following questions were submitted by Growing Up in Santa Cruz to Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Faris Sabbah, based on common questions we’ve received from our readers. If you have questions about a topic impacting TK-12 education, please submit them to [email protected] with “Ask the Superintendent” in the subject line for a chance to have them addressed in a future column How do you know whether your child should skip a grade or stay back?This question really depends on the age of your child, the school district’s specific policies, and your child’s academic and social-emotional preparation. But in general, skipping a grade – also called…
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A Brave Space for All
By Sion Erkiletian, Juniper, and Daphne The Queer, Trans & Allied Student Summit of the Central Coast has a special place in my heart because of how much fun I had when I attended last year. It was a very powerful experience, and I made lifelong friends that will forever be in my heart. When I first got to the summit, I was immediately given a warm welcome by friendly attendees, kind volunteers, and I realized I wasn’t alone. I observed delighted youth from different counties participating in activities, and it felt impactful to be in a space so unapologetically queer. My name is Sion Erkiletian, and I am a…
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Best of 2023
We asked you to share your favorite places to take your kids and places you enjoy as a family. We wanted to know what businesses you consider the Best in Santa Cruz, and man, did you ever respond! Thanks to everyone who answered our survey. Camps Day Camps Kennolyn Day Camps kennolyncamps.com Runners up Henry Cowell Girl Scout Day Camp Farm Discovery at Live Oak Residential Camp Kennolyn kennolyncamps.com Runners up Mount Hermon Mission Springs Dining Bakery Gayle’s Bakery & Rosticceria 504 Bay Avenue, Capitola 831.462.1200 gaylesbakery.com/ Runners up Companion Bakeshop The Buttery Coffee Shop Verve Coffee Vervecoffee.com 4 Santa Cruz locations Runners up Lula Carpenter’s Cat & Cloud Breakfast…
