Dr. David Hunter, a longtime resident of Scotts Valley, recently traveled to Huntington Beach, where he was honored for his work with CEPAmerica, the largest physician-owned emergency medical group in the U.S.
He is the first recipient of the Wacholder Legacy Award, named for the founder of the 1,000-partner group.
Hunter became a partner of California Emergency Physicians, recently renamed CEPAmerica, shortly after it was established. Over three decades, he has been medical director, regional director and board member for the group.
Dr. Joel Stettner, CEPAmerica board chairman, said while introducing Hunter at the awards ceremony that, as a physician and graduate of Harvard Law School, Hunter’s knowledge of law and medicine has provided valuable insight to the partnership in dealing with complex issues involving both professions.
CEPAmerica treats more than 3 million emergency patients a year nationwide and locally staffs six of the hospital emergency departments in Santa Clara County, including two trauma centers that serve Santa Cruz-area residents.
Hunter has three children: Scott, a sophomore at Scotts Valley High School; John, a junior premedical student at the University of Minnesota; and Allison, a University of California, Los Angeles, graduate in her last year at Harvard Law School.
For two local bakers, winning is easy as pie
Felton’s Debbie Biddle and Scotts Valley’s Noelle Downing won third-place ribbons in the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau’s 33rd annual Apple Pie Baking Contest on Sept. 15, the opening day of the Santa Cruz County Fair.
Biddle won in the senior division and Downing in the junior division. Best of Show went to Kayce Pavlovich of Watsonville.
Local helpers celebrated
Jody Cramer and Crystal Dunniway, the co-founders of the Assisted Living Project in Scotts Valley, were named 2009 Community Heroes by the United Way. The pair founded the nonprofit in 1996 and earned kudos from the United Way’s Community Assessment Project and the Santa Cruz Sentinel for their work to improve quality of life for disabled young adults.
Local graduate earns wings
Amanda Murray graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base on Sept. 25. She completed 8½ weeks of training, earning her the rank of airman first class. She will continue her technical training at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss., with a focus on air traffic control.
Murray is the daughter of Donald Murray of Scotts Valley and Deanna Murray of Tracy.
SLV student wins scholarship
Tucker Brofft, a 2009 San Lorenzo Valley High School graduate, was awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the California Grocers Association Education Foundation. Brofft attends California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, where he studies political science.
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