A visit to the Felton Covered Bridge Park
If you are a visitor to Felton and want to know where to go, you might check out the Santa Cruz County’s web page to read about the local parks. It describes The Felton Covered Bridge Park as being “one of the few left in the state!” It says: you can “walk on the path, picnic or BBQ, play volleyball, use the playground, or one of the large, grassy areas.” It also promises that fishing with proper licenses is allowed and that restrooms are available.” You will also be told that the park is open from 8:00 a.m. to sunset and there are 32 parking spaces available.Maybe you plan to pick up supplies at the Safeway grocery store across the street from the park for a family BBQ. If so, you may have a hard time in locating the BBQ facilities once you arrive at the park.A 35 year resident of San Lorenzo Valley, Feltonian Ken Lewis is disappointed that he can no longer take his family to the Felton Covered Bridge Park to BBQ. Although he can still walk his dog there usually twice per day, he can no longer use the BBQ pits. They have been removed.Lewis believes that high level of vandalism and misuse of the park equipment is the reason why the BBQ pits were removed along with two of the park tables at either end of the park. Lewis said that he called Bruce McPherson’s office (5th District Supervisor) and talked to his assistant Robin Musitelli about the park issues.Lewis notes that there are many people who appear to be over indulging in alcohol and taking drugs who become belligerent when spoken to. He said he has seen the sheriff’s deputies approach them, but does not see the problem go away. “It is just disappointing for lack of enforcement. We need someone there all day writing citations,” he said.Lewis laments the irresponsible show of public drunkenness and the use of hard drugs. He recognizes that only about 20% of the homeless or near homeless from the Felton or San Lorenzo valley fit that description.
Obituary
Barbara Nancy (Martin) Guerrero Barbara Nancy (Martin) Guerrero made her way to heaven on June 9, 2015.Barbara was born July 23, 1941 in Syracuse, New York, where she grew up. In her early 20’s, her adventuresome sprit took her to San Francisco where she spent many years pursuing various occupations and eventually marrying. Barbara moved to Bakersfield in 1975 raising her five children.She was very creative. She enjoyed needlepoint and loved helping her kids redecorate their rooms in whatever colors they wanted. Barbara managed a clothing store; was co-owner of a diet food store; helped to manage El Chile Verde restaurant; and enjoyed many years working as a saleswoman at Best Rents. Barbara willingly relocated to help raise her grandchildren. She spent time living in Clovis and Fresno, taking care of her grandson. Eventually Barbara moved to Flagstaff, where she spent the balance of her years helping to raise her granddaughters. She also spent time in Santa Cruz with her baby granddaughter. She loved her animals and considered them to be her ‘children.’ Barbara had many friends in Flagstaff including people that lived in her apartment complex and her various doctors and therapists. Barbara’s family has received many condolences from these people. Barbara loved her children and grandchildren deeply and to her they were her greatest accomplishment. She was so proud of everything they did and was always their strongest supporter. She leaves behind two sons Emmett Guerrero and Tomas Guerrero, three daughters MaryAnn (Ron) Froehlich, Jennifer Guerrero and Christine (Karl) Rohrkemper and grandchildren, Jordan, Alec, Sage, Madison, Tanner and Stoli. Barbara is truly missed by those closest to her.
Grace Elizabeth Reichert
December 1, 1919 – July 26, 2015Services will be held on September 5th 2014 for Grace Reichert who passed away peacefully at the age of 95 with her loving family at her bedside. Born in Oakland, California, the daughter of Welsh emigrants, Grace attended Fremont High School, and helped her country in the wartime efforts by working in the factories, turning armatures at the General Electric Plant in Oakland.Grace married Cliff Taber in 1939. Throughout the 1960’s and 70’s, Grace worked in her husband’s construction business in the San Lorenzo Valley. She facilitated meetings between subcontractors and their clients. She was a resident for 55 years. Mr. Taber preceded her in death.Grace was the coordinator, bus driver, and lead organizer for the Ben Lomond Senior Center for many years. It was at the Center where she met, and later married, Hal Reichert. Grace and Hal enjoyed many travels in their R.V. as members of “Thousand Trails Motor Home Club.” Grace was a familiar face at all Pancake Breakfasts at the Senior Center and was an accomplished artist in both painting and crafts. Her family will forever remember and cherish the memories of her love of the Christmas season with the decorating and fun that it brought.Hal preceded Grace in death in 2013. Grace lived at Oak Tree Villa for 9 years and left many dear friends and health care workers that miss her vibrant spirit. Grace’s family would especially like to thank the care givers at Blue Hammock Care Home in Freedom for their love and concern in making her final days so restful.She is survived by her daughter, Diane Beardsley of Ben Lomond, her son Don Taber of Santa Cruz; her brothers, Donald Davies, Kenneth Davies, and Jake Davies; her beloved grandchildren, Donald and John Beardsley, Jesse and Meriah Campbell-Taber; her great grandchildren, Nicholas and Lindsey Beardsley and Chloe and Zephyr Jones.Friends and family are invited to attend a burial service on September 5, at 11:00 a.m. at Felton Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest beside her late husband Hal Reichert, and her son-in-law, Richard Beardsley who preceded her in death in 2012. A farewell ceremony will continue at the Ben Lomond Senior Center, following the burial. Any acts of charity can be made in Grace’s memory to the senior center. You can share a memory or condolence with her family by visiting www.pacificgardenschapel.com
New commerce options begin to bud for medical marijuana
Credit card transactions at cannabis clubs may be the future of buying the medicine. State Board of Equalization (SBOE) panel, comprised of industry leaders, politicians and financial experts convened their first meeting in Sacramento last week to discuss financial impacts of the booming industry, which currently operates on a cash only basis.Board Member Fiona Ma, CPA led the meeting, with a statement that access to banking is one of the biggest challenges faced by medicinal marijuana providers.“As we move towards a paperless society, it is unfair for a whole class of citizens to live their lives using cash and manual transactions,” she said.Though the 1996 Proposition 215 legalized dispensary operations in California, cannabis club owners have been unable to function like any other business due to federal restrictions imposed on banks.Jeff Angell of Creekside Collective in Boulder Creek said that prior to last year; he handled all his transactions by getting money orders and paying in cash. Approximately a year ago, one of the local banks created an infrastructure that allows medical marijuana dispensaries to open business accounts. Having that happen has been a time saver because it’s now easier to do basic things like payroll.“I am encouraged by the meeting they have had because we believe in sensible regulations, and we are proud to pay taxes. That legitimizes us,” he said.But despite the fact that Creekside Collective’s bank facilitates some of the day-to-day routines; the system has its limitations.“Our situation is we are in the middle,” he said. “We have some access to banking, but we don’t have access to using credit cards. If we needed a line of credit, we couldn’t do it like any other business.”Angell said that as far as he knows, none of the dispensaries are allowed to accept credit cards, and everyone faces the same obstacles when it comes to accounting.“Our patients have to use ATM and get charged a fee,“ he said about the teller machine that’s on site. It’s so much more convenient when everywhere else you go you can use a credit card.”Angell’s business currently serves a few hundred patients per month; some come more frequently than others. For everyone’s safety, cash is stored off site. There are security cameras inside and out, and overall Angell said he considers himself lucky to be the owner of a small dispensary in a peaceful community.To keep up with fair reporting to the government, Angell uses a point of purchase system that tracks every transaction the collective makes. That way, should an audit occur, the information is all in one place. The collective also keeps a paper record of transactions with vendors.Even if the SBOE meeting marks the first step to progress, decisions are expected to be slow going forward. Since Angell became owner of Creekside Collective in 2012, he has seen little change in the way the state handles medicinal marijuana commerce.“Sadly, I don’t think we’ll see real change until Congress acts,” he said. “Because cannabis is considered a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance, the Feds have to do something about it.”
KION shutters news department without warning
KION TV abruptly shut down its news department this week after 56 years on the air.
According to Managing Editor and Anchor Jeanette Bent, the...
