New Briefs

Poetry reading a success in Boulder Creek
Eleven locals read poems during the Favorite Poem Project on July 12 at the Boulder Creek Recreation Hall.
Readers were Jerry DeLany, Jim Goldrup, Tom Goldrup, Bruce Holloway, Will Irwin, Sally Warren, Theresa Lofty Juelch, Michal Lauren, Becky Trudelle, Nick Herbert and Dennis Morton.
Poetry Santa Cruz presented the free annual reading.
Backpack collection begins countywide
The Santa Cruz County Office of Education has launched its annual Write-Start Backpack Project for homeless and low-income students.
Last year, through a partnership with Costco and Feed the Children, the office gave backpacks to more than 4,100 children in Santa Cruz County. This year, organizers are aiming for 4,500.
They seek:
**New backpacks in dark, solid colors; no royal blue or bright red.
**School supplies including 2-inch ring binders, binder paper, colored pencils, spiral notebooks, pencils, pens, rulers, 16-packs of crayons, calculators and Spanish-English dictionaries.
**Santa Cruz Metro bus passes.
**Gift certificates for new clothing and shoes.
**Cash donations or checks made payable to “SCCOE Students in Transition Program.”
Donations should be dropped off at the county office or mailed to Nohemi Macias, Project Coordinator, Students in Transition Program, Santa Cruz County Office of Education, 400 Encinal St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060.
For information: Nohemi Macias, 466-5710 or nm*****@**************ca.us
Homeless report to be released
The 2011 Santa Cruz County Homeless Census and Survey will be shared during a presentation at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 27, at Twin Lakes Church, 2701 Cabrillo College Drive, in Aptos.
The biannual report, put together by the United Way, details trends in the county’s homeless population and looks at what’s being done locally and nationally to meet needs in the county.
Injured fan shows improvement
Injured Giants fan Bryan Stow received a special bone flap on his head to replace bone that was removed in April to reduce swelling of his brain. The bone flap is a replica of the right side of his head.
Prior to the surgery, relatives said, Stow had been opening both eyes and had opened his mouth on his own when doctors checked his temperature. They also noticed some reactions when the TV was switched on in his room.
Stow, a San Francisco Giants fan from Santa Cruz, was beaten March 31 outside of Dodger Stadium and remains in serious condition. The family has ties to Scotts Valley.
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