News briefs

Library to celebrate anniversary
On May 19, a Saturday, the Friends of the Scotts Valley Library will celebrate the facility’s first year.
Birthday cake will be served, and the celebration will showcase local artist Beth Allison Gripenstraw’s “Endangered Species” sculpture collection. A book sale will raise money for the library’s back patio project.
Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the artist and have birthday cake and refreshments from 2 to 4 p.m. The annual used-book sale will be open from 10 to 4 p.m.
Scotts Valley Branch Library is at 251 Kings Village Road.
For information: www.fsvpl.org/.
Poll workers needed for June primary election
Santa Cruz County election officials are recruiting people to staff 130 voting precincts throughout the county on June 5, a Tuesday.
To serve at the polls, one must be either a registered voter or a high school student, age 16 or older, who is a U.S. citizen and has at least a 2.5 GPA.
Poll workers who speak Spanish are especially needed.
Polling places open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Workers must report an hour before the polls open and must stay two or more hours after the polls close to prepare the equipment and election materials for return to the central counting location.
Poll workers are paid $75 for clerks and $100 for inspectors, in addition to $20 for attending a training class, if they complete their service at the polls.
For information: Heather Kennedy, Santa Cruz County Clerk-Elections Department, 454-2416 or he*************@**************ca.us; or Jana Vargas, 454-5135 or ja*********@**************ca.us.
Education groups to host Simitian town hall meeting
The Santa Cruz Education Foundation and the Scotts Valley Educational Foundation will host a free town hall meeting with state Sen. Joe Simitian at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 10, at Santa Cruz High School, 415 Walnut Ave., in Santa Cruz.
Simitian will address issues related to public education funding and legislation in California, including the two tax initiatives slated for the June ballot, thoughts about Gov. Jerry Brown’s May budget revision, local school funding through parcel taxes, and what community members can do to support public schools.
A question-and-answer session is also scheduled. Those who intend to attend should RSVP by Tuesday, May 8.
For information: Rose Filicetti, 425-0401 or ro************@****ca.gov.
Boulder Creek to host weekly ‘flea auction’ events
Beginning May 12, downtown Boulder Creek will host an event that is being called the BC Flea Auction.
From 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays, it will be a regular flea market in the parking lot on the corner of Forest and Pine streets, behind the old pet store.
After a 30-minute lunch break ends at 12:30 p.m., however, all unsold items at each space will be divided into lots and auctioned off. The auction itself begins at 2:30 p.m.
Seller spaces cost $40 each, and less than 10 remain. Portions of the proceeds will go to the Odd Fellows organization and San Lorenzo Valley Museum.
For information: Renee’ McAnally, 332-6321; John McAnally, 261-4711; or on***********@***il.com.
Garden tour, English tea in Scotts Valley
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church will host its 10th annual Garden Tour and Tea on May 12, the Saturday before Mother’s Day.
The full high tea-style luncheon includes English favorites, such as scones with jam and cream, carrot-cilantro soup, sausage rolls and finger sandwiches, English toffee and shortbread cookies.
Plants, gardening books and cookbooks will be available for sale.
Seatings are available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and guests are welcome to tour the gardens at any time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 5271 Scotts Valley Drive in Scotts Valley.
Tickets are $30 per person ($35 at the door); $25 per person for groups of six or more; and $15 for children younger than 9 years of age.
For information: 438-4360.
Free legal help in Felton
Starting May 16, the Santa Cruz Superior Court Self Help Center will be available the third Wednesday of each month at Mountain Community Resources in Felton.
The center offers information about court forms, procedures, and community and legal resources.
The center will be open from 2 to 4:30 p.m. May 16, June 20, July 18, Aug. 15, Sept. 19, Oct.17, Nov. 21, and Dec. 19.
The services are on a first-come, first-served basis, and staff members will spend up to 15 minutes with each person who needs help. The self-help center does not offer legal advice and cannot represent anyone.
Mountain Community Resources is at 6134 Highway 9.
For information: www.santacruzcourt.org, 786-7200 or se*****************@************rt.org.
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