Fire fighters on the job in Ben LomondOn September 2 at about 8:30 a.m., firefighters were alerted to a fire in the 8600 block of Highway 9. The flames spread to a home and nearby trees, but the home was saved from total loss. It is reported that the tenant was taken to a hospital for evaluation.Illegal DumpingOn Tuesday the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors took action to confront the countywide problem of illegal dumping. Illegal dumping costs taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, according to Jason Hoppin, Communications Manager for the Santa Cruz County Administrative Office. Hoppin indicated that the Board’s unanimous vote set the stage for a working group to consider code changes and outreach efforts to address serious and costly environmental problems. He said “the Board directed the county’s Public Works Department to convene a group to consider measures to reduce illegal dumping, and also to initiate a pilot program which may include the use of camera monitors at illegal dumping hot spots.” The Board also directed county staff to return in January with a more complete plan, including possible funding sources. “In order to address this problem, there’s not going to be one silver bullet. It’s not going to just be the cameras, or public education, or enforcement. It’s going to be all those pieces put together. If it were easy to figure out, we would have figured it out by now. But we need a coordinated plan and to move aggressively to address a problem that’s affecting us all,” Supervisor John Leopold said.County staff identified several dumping hot spots such as Eureka Canyon Road, Bonny Doon Road, Buena Vista Road, Alba Road and others. In addition, several cherished county parks have also become targets for illegal dumping, including Anna Jean Cummings Park, Moran Lake Park, Greyhound Rock Beach and more. Annually, the county budgets have dedicated between $150,000 and $400,000 to clean up illegal dump sites, although the actual costs may be higher.Ironically, many of those illegally dumped items could have been deposited free of charge at county landfills, including electronics, household hazardous waste such as used paint cans, small propane tanks, etc. The county also recycles yard waste and some construction debris for reuse. Santa Cruz County is a leader in environmental stewardship, having passed laws banning single-use carryout plastic bags, limiting the sale of polystyrene products, regulating the collection of electronic waste and licensing commercial waste haulers. The county has also set a “zero waste” goal and operates two disposal sites: the Buena Vista Landfill in Watsonville and the Ben Lomond Transfer Station in Ben Lomond. For more information, go to www.santacruzcountyrecycles.org. To report illegal dumping, call 477-3999.Skin cancer sun-safety tips for back-to-school-kidsWhile sun protection is often associated with hot summer days, harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays are present year-round and can be just as dangerous on the schoolyard as they are at the beach. Because UV rays are associated with about 86 percent of melanomas and 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers, children must be diligent about sun protection when they head back to school. Parents also play a role, by teaching kids to lead a sun-safe lifestyle. "There is a well-established link between sun exposure and skin cancer risk," said Perry Robins, MD, President of The Skin Cancer Foundation. "Children and teens spend most of their time at school, so it's important that they incorporate sun protection into their everyday lives, as it's the best method of skin cancer prevention." The Skin Cancer Foundation offers the following recommendations to keep kids sun-safe when at school:The sun's UV rays are strongest from 10 AM to 4 PM, and this is when students are usually outside for recess, physical education and afterschool programs. Check with the school to see if there are adequate places for students to seekshade during outdoor activities.Clothing is the single most effective form of sun protection. Send students to school in densely woven and bright- or dark-colored fabrics, which offer the best defense. The more skin you cover, the better, so choose long sleeves and long pants whenever possible.Send children to school with a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses, to protect their face, neck, ears and eyes. If they won't wear a wide-brimmed hat, a baseball cap is better than nothing.Parents should apply a broad spectrum SPF 15+ sunscreen to their children's skin every morning, at least 30 minutes before going outside. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours outdoors and right after swimming or sweating heavily. Older children should learn to apply sunscreen themselves, and make it a routine habit. For extended time outdoors, a broad spectrum SPF 30+sunscreen should be used instead. One ounce of sunscreen (about the size of a golf ball) should be applied to all exposed areas of skin. Remind children to cover those easy to miss spots, such as the back of ears and neck, as well as the tops of the feet and hands.Refuel Your FunUse refillable propane canisters instead of disposable types and reduce the local waste in our environment. Santa Cruz County is one of the leading municipalities in reducing waste, with more than 70 percent now diverted from landfills.According to John Laird, California Secretary for Natural Resources, each year in California, more than 4 million propane canisters are wasted. They not only harm the environment, they are costly to consumers: 80 percent of the price of each canister pays for the container, with 20 percent paying for gas. Refillable, one-pound propane canisters work the same as disposable canisters. They have the same valve and fit all your camp stoves, lanterns and heaters.Scotts Valley Dentist to lecture at AcademyDr. Ariana Ebrahimian of Scotts Valley will be lecturing at the inaugural Academy of Applied Myofunctional Sciences Congress in Los Angeles on September 12. More than 30 speakers, researchers, and public leaders from over a dozen countries will be addressing everything from sleep apnea to tongue ties. Ebrahimian will be speaking on Orthotropics and how she believes that the orthodontic standard of care is slowly improving.For more information contact Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry 438-4411.
