feature - Growing Up in Santa Cruz

How a Children’s Book Sparked a New Kind of River Cleanup

growingupsc — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:19:41 +0000

Taylor Lahey's children's book 'Cambio' inspired a unique river cleanup model in Santa Cruz that rewards volunteers with value they can spend at local businesses.

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The College Dream Nearly Slipped Away

growingupsc — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 07:16:58 +0000

Estrellas Brillantes helps Watsonville students navigate the FAFSA crisis and achieve their dreams of attending a four-year college through personalized support.

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Most Popular Baby Names In California

Steve Dinnen — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:21:29 +0000

Welcome to the world, baby Mia. And same to you, Liam. You are tops in California – in names, at least. The Social Security Administration keeps an eye on baby names, which come to it by way of registering newborns for Social Security accounts. Each year it publishes a list of the 100 most popular baby names, and for 2024 – they don’t yet have a running total for 2025 – Olivia was number one for girls and Liam came in tops for boys. For 2024, here are the top 10 names for both girls and boys: Mia, Liam Olivia, Noah Camila, Matteo Emma, Santiago Sophia, Sebastian Isabella, Julian Amelia, Oliver Sofia, Ezra Luna, Lucas Gianna , Ethan You can see all 100 top names at the website for Social Security, www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/namesbystate.cgi. And once you are there, you can scroll back to any year to 1960 and see what names were popular and how they have changed over time. Half a century ago, names were markedly different in California. Here are the top five girls and boys names for 1975: Jennifer, Michael Michelle, Jason Amy, David Maria, Christopher Heather, Robert Obviously, there has been a shift toward Hispanic names. In 1975 it is believed that around 12 percent of California’s population was Hispanic. Today the figure is around 40 percent. While there is a lot of research on baby names, there is little by way of scientific explanation. Clive Thompson, writing in 2019 in JSTOR Daily, said that in the earliest days of the Puritans immigrating to America, Americans tended to pick Biblical names, like Ichabod and Samuel. Later, they switched to moral attributes like Faith, Mercy, and Standfast. But in the late 18th century, the American Revolution began filling newspapers with tales of rebels fighting for independence from Britain. So American parents began naming their children George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Washington Irving and Martha Dandridge (Washington’s wife). Waves of non-British Isles immigrants from Germany, Italy and Scandinavia began to change, and broaden, the name game. And obviously Hispanics. You can explore baby naming protocols to your heart´s content at Baby Center, a digital parenting resource, www.babycenter.com. It has peaked at 2025 names ahead of Social Security and informs us that the most popular names year-to- date are Noah, Liam and Oliver for boys and Olivia, Amelia and Sophia for girls. www.babycenter.com. Nationwide, Liam and Olivia dominate. Still. The two names have, for a sixth year together, topped the list of names for babies born in the U.S. in 2024. Liam has reigned for eight years in a row for boys, while Olivia has topped the girls’ list for six. Also, for the sixth consecutive year, Emma took the second slot for girls, and Noah for boys. The girls’ name Luna slipped out of the Top 10 and was replaced by Sofia, which enters at number 10 for the first time. After Liam, the most common names for boys are, in order: Noah, Oliver, Theodore, James, Henry, Mateo, Elijah, Lucas and William. After Olivia, the most common names for girls are Emma, Amelia, Charlotte, Mia, Sophia, Isabella, Evelyn, Ava and Sofia. Sophie Kihm, editor-in-chief of nameberry, a baby naming website, said the latest data showcases how American parents are increasingly choosing names that have cross- cultural appeal. Kihm’s first name shows up in two variations on the annual list. “A trend we’re tracking is that Americans are more likely to choose heritage choices,” Kihm said, including names that work “no matter where you are in the world.” ”More families in the U.S. come from mixed cultural backgrounds and I hear parents commonly request that they want their child to travel and have a relatively easy to understand name.” The Social Security Administration’s latest data show that 3.61 million babies were born in the U.S. in 2024. That’s a slight increase from last year’s 3.59 million babies, representing an overall increase in the American birthrate. Social media stars and popular television shows are having some impact on the rising popularity of certain names, Social Security says. Among those rising in popularity for girls: Ailany, a Hawaiian name that means “chief,” topped the list. The boys’ name Truce, an Old English name meaning “peace,” rose 11,118 spots from last year’s position to rank 991.The complete, searchable list of baby names is on the Social Security website.

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Kokoro No Gakko Reaches 36th Year

growingupsc — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 23:34:27 +0000

Kokoro no Gakko, a one-week summer program designed to expose the culture of Japan to area youths, wrapped up its 34th recently during an open house at the Watsonville Buddhist Temple. Formed 36 years ago, in 1989, the school cancelled two years during the Covid pandemic. The “School with a Heart” (in English translation) this year welcomed 53 students, grades kinder through 6, to five days of lessons in traditional Japanese activities, including bonsai, ikebana, origami, calligraphy, cooking, language arts, music and more. Friday’s event treated a crowd of over 250 people to choral works punctuated with theatrics and traditional Japanese attire. The gathering, headed up by principal Melissa Eguchi-Song, included a raffle and potluck dinner. Sixth-grader Jayle Wong said, “I would come back to this program next year because it was fun. We did a lot of different things that I liked. We made mochi and did artwork, like sumi-e, a Japanese art where you can only use one color in brush work.” Gakko is a parent-cooperative undertaking that is largely fueled by the students’ families and the facility support of the Buddhist Temple. Eight teachers, a hefty list of volunteers, local businesses and organizations lay the foundation for the program. Mikalea Song, also a sixth-grader, said, “I liked helping build the community. I would definitely come back. I like knowing that I was helping my community be a better place.” Performance directors Denise and Bob Gómez have taught at Gakko for years and have traveled to Watsonville’s sister city in Japan, Kawakami, seven times. The couple helped orchestrate and choreograph, through guitar playing, poetry and singing, six stage works that represented each grade. The event culminated with a schoolwide performance of the popular folk song “Will the Circle be Unbroken/Sonkei no Uta,” for the theme Sonkei, or Respect. The Gómezes dedicated the program to Kawakami, in the Nagano Prefecture of Japan. “People come here to find support that comes from the heart,” said Aimée Mizuno, who has taught at Gakko for 18 years. “This is always a special week for the Japanese/American community to expand their cultural horizons. This is an inter-generational group that truly helps kids and grandparents, and everyone in between, share values, respect and gratitude. It’s an amazing learning situation.” First-grader Simone Sampson said she “had a lot of fun. I got to make a traditional fan and do other artwork. The fan is used for Japanese dancing. This was really different. I want to come back next year.” By TARMO HANNULA

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Breaking Up With Amazon

growingupsc — Thu, 22 May 2025 22:31:58 +0000

Ending a relationship is never easy, but in this case the reason was undeniable. Right there in black and white. Line after line after line (after line!) on my Visa statement. It was time to break up with Amazon. No one said this was going to be easy. Amazon can be an addiction: the convenience, the returns, the anonymity. But there must be a better way. But who would I start seeing instead? Wanting to keep things light, I fooled around a little with Facebook Marketplace. At first, that seemed to have decent potential. But it’s weird how quickly it starts to feel like a dating app. And not in a good way. Profiles matter. A lot. You need highly refined search terms to weed out the junk and even then, there’s a lot to scroll through. And trust me…very few were a “swipe right” situation. There were a lot of sketchy weirdos and shady too-good-to-be-true offers. Over and over, the red flags kept coming, and I encountered things I knew were bots, or worse. I’d see someone who seemed great, get closer, reach out, make a connection, chat a little, get my hopes up. And then it would end either with me choosing to leave or getting dumped. (Did I mention the dating app vibes?) Plus, the ways you’re told to buy things safely (meet in public, bring a friend, protect yourself, use secure payment methods) felt less like I was buying pre-owned treasures at a bargain I could brag about and more like I was negotiating a hostage release. There is an adage that says if you want to save money, you have to spend time. But the tradeoff between buying brand new on Amazon vs. getting something “gently loved” on Facebook Marketplace was so nominal it can turn out to be far easier to pay a tiny bit extra for the convenience, ease and peace of mind. I mean, I want to reduce, re-use and recycle as much as the next person, but still. We both decided we needed our space, and it was over. And then it dawned on me. This is the very reason behind the death of retail as we’ve come to know it. It seems like every day we bemoan the demise of yet another retailer – most recently in Santa Cruz we’ve lost O’Neill’s, Forever 21 and Rip Curl, among others – while we unbox yet another Amazon package. We decry the shuttered, papered-over commercial spaces downtown, while UPS and FedEx drivers race from one home to the next, barely able to keep up with the pace and demand for to-your-doorstep, next day or even same-day deliveries. Maybe it started or further accelerated with COVID, but either way it shows no sign of stopping or even slowing. If anything, it’s gotten worse (Temu anyone?!) Regardless of the root cause, what we want to buy and, more importantly how we want to buy it has forever changed. Sad but true. Breaking up with Amazon wasn’t going to be easy. But then I realized, maybe it’s not all or nothing. Perhaps we could have an open relationship. “See other people” as it were. After all, we are consenting adults. And then an idea occurred to me. What if I didn’t just replace Amazon with more online shopping? Could I gently wean off my addiction to next day, home delivery and experience some new retail relationships “IRL.” Could I handle a digital detox of the shopping variety? What would that even look like? I knew one thing for certain…I’d have to shower, get dressed and leave the house – and not just in sweats and slippers to fetch a package from the mailbox. It was time to start shop-dating locally! I’m not sure what it says about me that the first local shop I walked into is called “Another Banger,” but that’s how it worked out. Sandra Thi Martinelli, owner of the shop, is also the author of the cookbook “Another Banger: 75+ Culinary Hits for the Home Chef’s Playlist.” After finishing each of her recipes on YouTube, her catch phrase was “and there you have it, another banger!” The name stuck. The shop is in Aptos, near where Café Sparrow used to be. It features a mix of specialty goods for home and kitchen, lovingly and personally curated by Martinelli, that reflects her passions, talents and eclectic interests. Expect things like the very tasty Supremo olive oil and handy garlic-grater dishes that she and her husband first found at Christmas markets in Spain and Portugal. The store also offers things like Bialetti moka pots, anything-but-typical French presses (one is red and heart shaped), handmade woven shopping baskets (“to slay at the Farmer’s Market,” says Martinelli) along with “punny” cards, sweets, teas, glassware, hot sauce, cocktail/mocktail mixes and even jewelry from Martinelli’s namesake line. But wait, how did I know the olive oil was tasty? Because when I first visited the store, Martinelli enthusiastically insisted on an impromptu tasting of several varieties for me and my friend. There’s a saying, “They don’t make ‘em like they used to,” but Martinelli is breaking that mold. She brings an abundance of charm, wit, smarts and kindness that feels almost old-world…from an era where you could meet and talk directly with a shop’s owner, who lives right in your community, who energetically shares their story and you can feel their passion and energy. They care. Putting it all together, something incredible happens — you have an experience. And let me tell you — Amazon ain’t got nothin’ on that! Martinelli puts it this way, “Small businesses bring culture and value to our local communities. In a world where we can pretty much have anything delivered to our doorsteps, I encourage folks to be intentional about convenience vs. supporting the community. There is certainly room for both, but local support is so important in ensuring our small businesses have the opportunity to survive and thrive.” Supporting a local business comes in all shapes and sizes, according to Martinelli, “Whether you decide to purchase from the store, pop in to meet new shop owners, share your experience on social platforms – no matter how big or small, these moments of engagement can really help the growth of small businesses.” What stood out to me most in my conversations with Martinelli was the notion of being intentional about how and where we shop and what we buy. In this “buy now with One-Click” and “one-button-to-buy with Apple Pay” world, it is so easy to end up buying robotically, reactively, impulsively, mindlessly….just by pressing a button. We insta-buy things we probably don’t need and may not have even wanted until seeing a promoted post on social media, most likely, and a bit ironically, also created by some form of mindless AI machine, algorithm or bot. But I was now well on my way to realizing that was not the consumer I wanted to be, personally or financially. My Visa bill would be pleased. The next attractive local shop that caught my eye was Bottega del Lago, at the corner of 17th Avenue and Portola Drive in Live Oak. One part deli, one part Italian foodie heaven, the store is a delight for the eyes and the belly. Because one thing I quickly realized about shopping locally….it makes me hungry…and thirsty. Additionally, now that I live by the beach, there is suddenly a steady stream of friends and family who want to visit, so I like to have inviting, distinctive snacks and drinks on hand at a moment’s notice. Bottega del Lago had me swooning on all fronts. While I waited just a few minutes for a delicious Savoia focaccia sandwich with brie cheese, salami and arugula (served warm upon request) and a refreshing Galvanina organic red grapefruit sparkling Italian soda, I was almost magically transported back to the romance of Italy. From the stylish décor with cheeky Italian wallpaper to the beautiful shelves and colorful displays brimming with everything from house-made pesto, charcuterie and olives to eucalyptus honey, lemon biscotti and candied sour black cherries in syrup, the shop is a feast. There are dips with pesto, bruschetta and wild fennel and a pistachio spread with Sicilian extra virgin olive oil….perfect for dipping with the pesto chips I found. Forget the houseguests, this was a haul I couldn’t wait to eat myself! But the thing that truly surprised me was what happened when my sandwich and soda were ready. I didn’t jump in my car and scarf down the meal while driving (or sitting in traffic) like I normally would. I found a café table outside, in the warm sun, sat down, alone, and slowly and fully enjoyed my meal. And like all great dates, I wasn’t on my phone the whole time. You would need many more diners all gesturing and talking loudly at once, far fewer SUVs and a few dozen more buzzing scooters to fully replicate an outdoor café dining experience in Italy….but it was close. And it felt great. I fell even more deeply in love with our beautiful town. Plus, I came home satiated and with a big ol’ bag of goodies I knew would excite my future guests….who I will also be bringing back to Bottega del Lago for Gelato, which I was too full to enjoy the first time. Shop-dating locally was proving extremely satisfying on numerous levels. My senses were all turned on. I was meeting new people and having great experiences. I was moving slowly, with intention. What’s more it came with a strong dose of “do-gooder-ness” because I was supporting the local economy. My morale soared. At this point, like in all the best rebound relationships, I wasn’t thinking about the “other guy” (aka Amazon) at all anymore. But unfortunately, day in, day out shopping isn’t about exotic olive oils, European kitchen gadgets or hard-to-pronounce jars of Italian deliciousness. Sometimes it’s about houseplants. Which I have a terrible penchant for killing. With alarming speed. Which is how I ended up at Dig Gardens talking to Joy about how to stop hurting my newly purchased plant. She took one look at the plant in question (after advising me next time to bring a picture, not the actual plant – noted) and sized up the situation in about 30 seconds. “Too much water. WAY too much humidity. Either move the plant or find a plant that likes that location.” I chose the latter and she swiftly guided me to a few plant critters that would like the climate I had in mind. In no time at all, I already trusted Joy fully and let her pick out a good one for me. I also needed a couple (heavy) bags of potting soil for another project, which an employee carted directly to and hoisted inside my vehicle in about 5 minutes….without me even asking for help, which to my mind is the definition of great service. They spoke my love language. As I drove home, hopeful that me and my new plant friend were destined for a long-term healthy relationship, I tried to imagine what that whole experience would have felt like at Home Depot. Who knows? Maybe I would have gotten lucky. (Yes I’m an optimist and, hey, stop laughing.) But more likely I would have found myself lost in the cavernous aisles, wandering, hungry, alone, aimlessly, trying not to be run over by pushcarts full of lumber. The words inconsiderate and ignored come to mind and I don’t even need a couple’s therapist to tell me that isn’t good. I suppose there’s someone for everyone when it comes to this particular type of shopping, but let’s just say you’ll find me at Dig Gardens (either of their two locations) or my small, local, independently owned hardware store. In most communities, a thriving local economy relies on a vibrant downtown shopping district and Santa Cruz is no different. There’s been a lot of...

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Keeping Food Local and Fun

growingupsc — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 10:12:37 +0000

What looks like a glorious local grocery store is actually, more and more with each passing year, a form of rebellion, a forefront in the fight to keep Santa Cruz more…Santa Cruz. Andre Beauregard, 42, the hands-on owner-operator behind that Shopper’s Corner store in Midtown Santa Cruz, understands the city about as well as anyone. He grew up biking and surfing along the Westside, playing hide-and-seek at Lighthouse Field State Beach, and romping with his siblings and dogs—and riding motorcycles—around his family’s vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Meanwhile he was helping his family at Shopper’s, which involves interacting with hundreds of fellow residents, and tracking how the area’s small local business identity has eroded. His wife, Julia is the daughter of famous surfer/shaper Joey Thomas and her uncle is big wave legend Richard Schmidt. They have three kids Brandon, Elioise and James aged 8-13. “At one point, Santa Cruz was adamant about not letting chains in town,” he says. “Santa Cruz had the idea that they wanted to keep it weird and unique. That went away. At one point they decided big corporations were a priority.” He feels the effects on a visceral level, but uses it as fuel. “I hate driving through town and seeing empty storefronts,” he says. “If we didn’t have greedy ‘super’ stores, maybe that would be different, which is part of why we want to focus on quality first, and giving local up-and-comers a chance. If we’re not going to, who is?” These days there are highly visible details that illustrate that ethic, and the abiding uniqueness of Shopper’s Corner, especially as chains proliferate around it. Note the tidal wave of born-in-Santa-Cruz items—think Companion and Beckmann’s baked goods, Marianne’s Ice Cream, Gizdich pies and jams. Or the small army of butchers—aprons and smiles and neck ties in place, customers’ names on their lips—ready to fill an order. Or the vino selection so attentively stocked that the Wine Enthusiast lists the grocery store as a buying destination. And, with the holidays upon us, the benevolent overload of seasonal decorations. “We really go for it to deck out the store with small town charm,” Beauregard says. “Customers get sentimental—it reminds them of their childhoods—and it almost brings tears. And every year [we] get slightly more carried away.” The single most compelling detail, though, might be S.C.’s “Weekly Specials” flier. (OK, that’s cheating, because the homespun circular packs about 77 details into one page.) There are surprisingly strong deals from the cheese aisle, bakery, produce section, butcher shop. There’s a rundown of the Good Times readers’ votes Shopper’s Corner wins with the steadiness of the tides—Best Cheese Selection, Best Wine Selection, Best Butcher Shop and Best Green Business, among others. The store was also picked BEST GROCERY by Growing Up in Santa Cruz readers! There’s a recipe (lemon garlic swordfish!) or a seasonal deal (Diestel turkeys for Thanksgiving, with Pinots and red blends to pair!) on the left side. Then there are Shopper’s Spotlights along the bottom, regular earnest-and-easygoing testimonials from customers with their own stories, tips and shopping list favorites. “I feel sometimes the world is just so crazy at Shopper’s you know you’re going to get good service,” says 30-year customer Ashley Garcia of Watsonville in a recent Weekly Specials, while shouting out the pasta, produce and Mary’s chicken. “I feel like we need more of that friendliness.” The most important detail, meanwhile, is invisible. It’s a belief that seems surprising coming from a third generation owner-operator like Beauregard, who learned the grocery craft from his dad, who in turn learned it from his dad: Andre genuinely believes this whole homespun operation doesn’t belong to him, or his family. “I don’t feel like it’s my store,” he says. “It was Santa Cruz’s for 50 years before I was born.” That ideal is evident in the interactions at the checkout register, or the deli counter, or on the floor where employees are ever present and Beauregard lives for customer feedback (“I appreciate the ‘bad’ feedback the most because I can fix it!” he says). The general vibe would feel like a corny Hallmark movie—holiday decor aside—if it wasn’t so authentic, and hadn’t been happening since pre-World War II (1938 to be exact). “We’re proud of the fact we’re a store that’s been passed through generations,” Andre says. “Everyone who works here feels that it’s not just a grocery store, but a slice of shared Santa Cruz history, and everyone I work with gets jazzed by the challenge of improving however we can.” While Shopper’s Corner embraces its old-school Santa Cruz identity, it also honors a progressive city’s evolution. It’s one of the first grocery stores in the state to earn green certification from the California Green Business Network—and is working toward the Green Innovator Tier. SC earned its certification seven years ago by doing things like upgrading refrigeration, managing food scraps, installing 270 solar panels, limiting energy use and collaborating with its vendors on best sustainable practices. The big picture impact extends to more subtle decisions too, including the choice to defer to neighbors like The Flower Shack or The Buttery to provide flowers and coffee, respectively “A lot of people throw around, ‘We’re your local Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s,’ but what they’re missing is caring for the businesses around us,” Beauregard says. “Our focus isn’t solely on the bottom line. It’s not taking the biggest slice you can. It’s considering the well-being of the town. There’s enough for everyone. It’s about all of us.” Office Manager Vicki Chaney ranks among many staffers who bring both decades of Shopper’s Corner experience—across three generations of Beauregards—and an abiding affection for the spirit of place. “Everywhere you go—the deli, the meat department, checkout—we’re getting our work done and having a good time doing it,” she says. “Our staff has been here a long time, know our customers, and customers know them.” The Beauregards’ quintessential Santa Cruz identity extends beyond the store. Two of the region’s most iconic industries, sailing and winemaking, are also family trades. The family takes locals and visitors alike out on the Chardonnay sailboat, and Andre’s brother Ryan cultivates their dad’s dream of a thriving vineyard, on land their great grandpa purchased in the 1940s. Ryan moved over to the vineyard after working at Shopper’s because of a shared passion with his pops, fellow viticulturist Jim—who is going on his 61st vintage, and 62 estate acres planted—and because it was enough work on its own. “My dad’s always been a multitasker, always taking on an extraordinary amount of projects,” Ryan says. “Myself, I just do the winery. It keeps me busy.” Ryan adds that there’s a legacy in the soil similar to what’s happening on the corner: Decades from now Jim will be known for establishing the Ben Lomand wine AVA, naming a place where individuals can grow grapes with character specific to Santa Cruz. “I don’t know another person who’s done that, and has been working in winemaking for as long either,” Ryan says. Working hard, and happily, to perpetuate something uniquely Santa Cruz. That sounds on brand. More at shopperscorner.com By Mark C. Anderson

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