News Briefs

Health care signups exceed expectations
The California Department of Health Services announced at as of Dec. 31, 25,301 people on the Central Coast had signed up for subsidized and non-subsidized Covered California health insurance plans.
The six counties include Santa Cruz Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura. The count topped Covered California’s initial projection of 32,602 by 2,699, and the number of signups was accomplished in three months since the health care plans were rolled out, rather than a projected six months. For more information: www.coveredca.com
Student app challenge announced
Rep. Anna Eshoo has announced the House Student App Challenge, which calls on high school students to show off their own software applications for mobile, tablet and computer devices.
Students must be enrolled, or eligible to enroll in high school in the 18^th Congressional District. The first annual competition calls for students to submit a YouTube or VIMEO video demo where they explain their app and what they gained through the competition experience. The competition began February 1 and runs through April 30. For information: www.StudentAppChallenge.house.gov.
Cigarette butt receptacles installed along ocean
Save Our Shores announced last week that it has installed cigarette butt receptacles along the Pleasure Point walkway in Santa Cruz. The receptacles, called “Bait Tanks” were installed because a Save Our Shores Beachkeeper named Sienna White had collected thousands of butts in the area over the past year. She walked the path weekly collecting butts. Her record was 174 in one day and she collected more than 4,400 butts between March and December. SOS said cigarette butts are the most common trash collected at beach and river cleanups, and volunteers have collected more than 466,000 cigarette butts since 2007.
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