State encourages ideas to get the public healthy
As California government strives to lead the nation in health, all who feel passionately about the subject are invited to submit their input on how to get better through Let’s Get Healthy California “Innovation Challenge.”Community leaders, health practitioners and wellness groups are encouraged to participate by sending their suggestions to California Health and Human Services agency through September 30, 2015. Improvement recommendations should cover the following subjects:• Healthy Beginnings• Living Well• End of Life• Redesigning the Health System• Creating Healthy Communities• Lowering Cost of CareFinalists from each goal area receive recognition at the statewide Innovation Conference in early 2016. Selected submissions are also set to appear on the Let’s Get Healthy California website, which launches in 2016. Additional attention is slated for the statewide Open Data Fest in spring 2016.“This Innovation Challenge allows people to think outside of the traditional public health framework to create innovative solutions that support the Triple Aim of better health, better care, and lower costs,” said Dr. Karen Smith, CDPH Director and State Health Officer. “We hope that these ideas will launch Californians on a path to living healthier lives.”And while the challenge takes place on a statewide level, a Scotts Valley based business has already been in the innovation mode with its effort to make people healthier.Since its inception in last year, Nourish Balance Thrive has helped more than 400 people get healthier with customized plans that consider the whole body, not just its illness. Their regimen considers the body as a mechanism capable of self healing once it’s set on the right track.Through dietary modifications, exercise and stress management techniques, Nourish Balance Thrive leads each client to their desired goal.When asked about the subject of getting healthy, co-founder Christopher Kelly said that nobody really knows what a healthy diet is.“Further compounding the problem is the fact that what might be healthy for you could be unhealthy for me. Everyone has different goals, and those goals change from time to time,” he said.Kelly, a professional mountain biker, formed his business with three others. The team includes Kelly’s wife, who is a food scientist, another pro mountain biker, who is a doctor, and a registered nurse. Kelly functions as the coach who helps clients find their way to optimal health.He claims to have healed his own issues by following Nourish Balance Thrive’s methods. By getting healthy, he became even faster on his bike.“I was racing amateur before all of this, I fairly recently upgraded to pro,” he said. “To do that you have to beat all the other amateurs. The real win is living to tell the tale! Longevity and health is what I really care about.”And while the whole body approach is already a step away from conventional medicine, the fact that Nourish Balance Thrive does it all remotely is yet another proof of how the road to getting healthy is changing.“All the coaching takes place over the phone or Skype and we all work from home,” said Kelly. “People prefer it this way, especially the men who only go to doctor as a very last resort.”In addition to coaching and nutritional support, Nourish Balance Thrive offers lab testing of various sorts as part of their services. That way the whole body picture can be explored to the fullest.Fatigue, insomnia, digestive or hormonal problems are evaluated using scientific methods. The labs Nourish Balance Thrive uses may be considered uncommon in a traditional setting. So having these types of sources only helps form a better picture of health for everyone.“Often people come to us for help because they’re doing all of the above and they’re still not getting the brochure experience,” Kelly said. “Perhaps they’re still not sleeping, or their sex drive is gone, or they’re still tired. In these circumstances the testing we do is extremely helpful for performing a critical evaluation of the person’s biochemistry.”And while the innovation seems to take place with or without the state’s initiatives, there is still much work ahead for being able to get the services and support one may want at an affordable cost.“Insurance will pay for the drugs that manage a disease, but they won’t pay for all of the above which probably would prevent the disease from ever happening,” said Kelly.To submit ideas for the California Health and Human Services agency, visit [email protected]. To learn more about Nourish Balance Thrive, visit www.nourishbalancethrive.com.
What is PG&E doing in Felton?
In order to serve 44,000 customers in the Felton and Santa Cruz area, PG&E has had to activate “the largest portable LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) job in the known universe,” according to Austin A. Hastings, and he was only partly joking. Hastings is PG&E’s Professional Engineer / Senior Manager of the LNG/CNG Engineering & Operations Group. Starting in mid-August, fifty-one of his department have been working on the project, most of them on the Graham Hill Road cordoned-off secure site near the Roaring Camp Railroad and San Lorenzo Lumber. They hope to be finished mid-week after Labor Day.
The music man on the mountain
Our “music man” is Michel Singher, Conductor of Espressivo, a small, intense orchestra.On September 13 at 4:00 p.m. at the San Lorenzo Valley Performing Arts Center in Felton, Espressivo will play selected pieces by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Jacques Ibert, Richard Wagner, and Paul Hindemith. The program, Music on the Mountain, will be brought to SLVPAC by the San Lorenzo Valley Foundation for Education to benefit San Lorenzo Valley schools.Michel Singher conducted the Hamburg State Opera and now resides in Felton with his wife, renowned abstract oil painter, Elizabeth Kaminski. Less than one year ago, Singher was retired. Now, he is engaged in an quest that he had never imagined would occur. “It is a totally consuming adventure to be organizing this program. Last year, I was retired and catching up on my reading and now I am a very busy man,” said Singher.Asked about the challenge of creating Music on the Mountain, Singher explained that because the orchestra is small, there are few pieces for them to play. Small groups between three and eight players and up to 17 players might be playing chamber music and would do so without a conductor. Espressivo is made up of seven players and will be conducted by Singher. He said that the main challenge for them is finding enough pieces by excellent composers that can be played by a small orchestra.Espressivo will perform “Capriccio” by Ibert. Singher describes this piece as “urbane, smooth and suave.” He contrasted that piece to Hindemith’s “Kammermusik Nr. 1, Op. 24.” He said that work “was one of the most important of the 20th century.” Describing it as “youthful, brash, complicated, loud but catchy,” he felt that it would be another appropriate piece for Espressivo to perform.Singher compared the visual art of a painter to that of a musician. He said that a painter starts with nothing and pulls out of themselves what they need to express; with music, the artist is given a recipe.“The way that works is the composer writes a score, each player has a piece of it, and the conductor brings all pieces together to create the final result,” said Singher. He talked about the whole ‘shape’ of the piece being made of implied ‘shapes’ and ‘forms.’ “These are the patterns of repetition that make up the composition. It’s like seeing the whole picture when you recognize the shapes and forms made by rhythm, notes, harmony, and melody,” he said.Come listen to Espressivo at Music on the Mountain and hear the ‘shapes’ and ‘forms’ of the music produced by our man of music as he conducts this small, intense orchestra.Tickets are on sale at: slvfoundation.org. For more information, call: 234-0236
NEWSBRIEFS
Red Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Core Connections Physical Therapy and Pilates On Wednesday, August 26, the Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce welcomed a new member, Core Connections Physical Therapy, during the noon festivities.Core Connections Physical Therapy is located at 108 Whispering Pines Drive, Suite 120 in Scotts Valley. The group uses Pilates methodology and equipment. They will work with clients on an individual basis.For more information, call 440-8301.How Caltrans saves waterDid you know that Caltrans is responsible for more than 30,000 acres of landscaping along the state highway system? During California’s fourth year of extended drought, Caltrans is balancing its dual goals of reducing its water use by 50 percent while also protecting the more than $1 billion in investments made into the plantings along California’s highways.Public Information Officer David Richardson shares the department’s water saving efforts and provides an overview of Caltrans’ efforts to use smart controller devices for its irrigation systems. Richardson says, “These high tech devices automatically adjust watering based on the weather, soil type and plants, and can automatically turn off the water and notify maintenance of any malfunctions.”This video can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/tQJo6MSrF4Y Look for signs of vision problems in childrenAugust is widely known as Child Eye Health & Safety Month. As we move from summer fun to focusing on the three Rs (reading, writing and arithmetic), watch your child’s behavior for signs of vision problems.Common signs of vision problems in children include frequently rubbing their eyes, squinting, tilting or turning their heads to look at objects, wandering eyes, or squeezing their eyes. If your child displays any of these symptoms, please schedule an appointment to have his or her eyes checked. Nina Preschool opens in Scotts ValleyThere is a new preschool opening between Scotts Valley and Felton, off Mt. Hermon Road. Gray Gables Cultural Learning Center reopens its doors as Nina’s Preschool and Childcare. The former Cultural Learning Center is now a creative, educational preschool, specializing in organic nutrition, Spanish lessons, and educational enrichment. It is owned and operated by Gray Gables Director’s daughter, Christina Schmidt, who 15 years earlier, was a student of the arts at Gray Gables. Now she is offering her talents here for preschool age children. Christina, a graduate in Applied and Nutrition Science from Cal Poly, will teach children the importance of healthy living and eating.Christina is a nurturing mother who loves children, has over 15 years of childcare experience, completion of early childhood development courses, and the desire to provide a safe and wholesome environment for preschool age children. Included in her curriculum are cooking, gardening, and hands-on crafts which Nina will teach to coincide with weekly themes for a well-rounded education.Call today for availability: 831-566-3082. License #444414572 Operation Safe PassageOn August 26 through September 2, the Scotts Valley Police will be monitoring motorists in the vicinity of all local school zones in Scotts Valley. The goal of the operation is to increase the safety of students commuting to and from school at the beginning of the school year. Extra officers will be working to strictly enforce traffic violations.Officers will focus on the following violations by both motorists as well as commuting students:• Failing to stop for school buses with flashing stop lights• Speeding vehicles• Failing to yield to pedestrians• Jaywalking• Juvenile bicyclists without required helmets or helmets not properly worn• Seat belt and child restraint seat violations• Cell phone and texting violations• Stop sign violations“The first week of the school is always a concern for the police department because we have new groups of kids walking and biking to school for the first time,” said Lt. Steve Walpole, “The extra officers assigned to each school will be a reminder to the students and the motorists in the area to follow the rules of the road in an effort to keep everyone safe during their travels.”Rocket Fuel for the Entrepreneurial Soul Event SeriesThe Slingshot to Success, a small business advocacy program, will be launching their inaugural “2015 Small Business Challenge.” Their mission is to give small business owners an opportunity to have their number one business or marketing questions answered. The Rocket Fuel for the Entrepreneurial Souls series debuts on Wednesday, September 16th, 2015 at Green Hills Events Center in Scotts Valley.For more information, call 824-4135.
Carolyn Marie Ryder
(October 12, 1946 – August 3, 2015) On August 3, 2015, Santa Cruz County lost a precious daughter, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. Carolyn Marie Ryder (previous married name: Neathery) passed away with her family by her side. Carolyn was the sixth generation born in Santa Cruz County and attended Santa Cruz High School, Fremont High School and Foothill College. Carolyn spent many years employed at the Santa Cruz Medical Clinic in Scotts Valley as an X-ray Technician and Medical Assistant.Carolyn enjoyed all types of music and dance. The smile on her face when she was dancing would warm your soul. Carolyn also really enjoyed playing bridge with her friends. She was known for always looking her best with matching jewelry every time she left the house.Her greatest joy in life was spending time with her family. Her grandkids gave her much happiness. Some of her favorite things throughout her life were becoming a mother and grandmother, gardening, swimming, camping, visiting Hawaii and living in Boulder Creek. Carolyn is survived by her father, William Ryder; her brother, Robert Ryder; her daughters, Denise Neathery Rinnert and Jennifer Neathery Thomas; her sons-in-law, Christopher Rinnert and Ryan Thomas; and her granddaughters, Amanda Rinnert, Natalee Thomas and Shelly Thomas. Carolyn was preceded in death by her loving mother, Elizabeth Decoto Neaves. Carolyn and her smile will live in our hearts forever and will be greatly missed.
Dispatch
Scotts Valley Police DepartmentAugust 1910:08 p.m. Health & Safety Offense.Subject contacted for trespassingon property from which he had beenrecently evicted on Mt. Hermon Rd.,SV. Evaluated for narcotics, testedpositive. Arrested.August 2000:09 a.m.: Battery at Best Western,Scotts Valley Dr., SV. Victim wasattacked by two suspects. Arrested.August 213:28 p.m.: Urinating in public at PG&EPlant on Mt. Hermon Rd., SV. Suspecthiding in bushes, possibly trying to cutfence to enter PG&E site. Arrested.9:19 p.m.: Male subject detained for theft outside K-Mart onMt. Hermon Rd., SV. Arrested.10:09 p.m.: Male suspect detained fordriving under the influence at Union 76gas station on Mt. Hermon Rd., SV. Arrested.Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s OfficeAugust 186:36 p.m.: Female detained for prostitutionon 6000 block of Scotts Valley Blvd, SV. ArrestedAugust 205:50 a.m.: Male subject in Felton foundto have two outstanding warrants aswell as approximately 4.3grams ofsuspected methamphetamine. Arrested.9:25 a.m.: Male subject on GrandviewStreet in Felton accused of criminalthreats and domestic violence. Arrested.4:00 p.m.: Publicly intoxicated male subjecttaken into custody on 6000 block of Graham HillRd., in Felton. Arrested.August 221:35 p.m.: Male subject in Felton in possessionof open container, under the influence ofalcohol, and in violation of his probationterms. Arrested.5:07 p.m.: Subject with outside agency mis-demeanor warrant on 6000 block of GrahamHill Rd., Felton. Arrested.
San Lorenzo Valley Water District to support a merger with the Lompico County Water District
At their August 20, Board Meeting, San Lorenzo Valley Water District presented Resolution 8 (15-16) to support a merger with Lompico County Water District. The terms of the resolution specify how the “capital financial considerations are (to be) enforced.”
San Lorenzo Valley Water District might finally merge with the Lompico County Water District
In May, 2015, the San Lorenzo Valley Water District extended their agreement with Santa Cruz County’s Local Agency Formation Committee to merge with the Lompico County Water District. A prerequisite of that original agreement was that appropriate funding for capital improvements would be arranged. The latest proposal is for LCWD to raise a $2.75 million capital cost, a component of the latest agreement, by forming an Assessment District across all of the parcels that would benefit from having the capital improvements built.The original plan was to be executed over a five year plan, but the new agreement spreads out over a 10 year schedule.Brian Lee, District Manager of SLVWD recommended that the Board of Directors — “authorize staff to send a letter to Lompico County Water District providing a commitment to merge upon successful formation of an Assessment District for the collection of $2.75 Million of capital costs.”“Staff has been working with Lompico and the County regarding how to utilize Lompico’s recently passed $50 per month charge as a funding mechanism for the $2.75M (million) Capital component of the LAFCo Application,” said Lee.It is unclear if the terms of the original agreement would free SLVWD to fully manage the construction of the capital improvements of if they could be hampered in some way. It is also not clear if there might be additional costs associated with the projects or in terms of loss of interest due to a slower rate of revenue collection.At their August 6, meeting, the SLVWD Board sent the topic back to committee for further discussion regarding these issues. On the August 20, board meeting, they are expected to decide if substituting an Assessment District plan for the original bond issue plan is acceptable. If SLVWD agrees that this is agreeable, they will be expected to vote in favor of merging with LCWD.Lee said that “Current estimates put the time to successfully form an Assessment District at six to nine months. If successful, the District’s could complete the merger as early as February of 2016.”The procedure for forming an Assessment District begins with a petition being signed by the property owners who want the public improvements. The proposed district will include all properties that will directly benefit from the improvements that will be built. A public hearing is held that gives the property owners the opportunity to protest the formation of an Assessment District. It would take a negative vote of 51% to prevent the process from succeeding.If the process succeeds, the property owners have the right to prepay the assessment prior to bond issuance. After the bond is issued, the cash prepayment period is concluded and a Special Assessment lien is recorded against each property with an unpaid assessment. Each parcel will be billed on their property tax bill for annual installments until the assessment has been paid off. Property owners have the right to prepay any remaining balance of the assessment plus any prepayment fees at any time.If Assessment District property owners fail to pay their tax bill on time, the bondholders have the right to foreclose on property when taxes are delinquent for a period of time — usually 90 to 180 days. The delinquent property owner must also pay for any penalties and collection costs.
Newsbriefs
Affordable housingcommunity forumAffordable Housing Now! will host a community forum on Saturday, August 29th, from 2 to 4 p.m. at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 5271 Scotts Valley Drive in Scotts Valley. The forum will include presentations on affordable housing plan updates for Santa Cruz County and the cities of Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley. Fifth District CountySupervisor Bruce McPherson, Scotts Valley City Council Member Stephany Aguilar, and city and county senior planning staff will participate in the event. Assembly Member Mark Stone will be on hand to discuss affordable housing legislation moving forwardin Sacramento.The forum will also include presentations on local innovative housing solutions including a senior housing project to be located on St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church property, Habitat for Humanity’s Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) pilot project, and a Section 8 ADU.Community members will learn about opportunities to get involved and help find creative solutions to the current affordable housing crisis. This is the second community forum organized by AHN! dedicated to implementing actionable policies to create more affordable housing options for people who live and work in Santa Cruz County.Co-sponsors of the community forum include Habitat for Humanity; CommunitiesOrganized for Relational Power in Action (COPA); People’s Democratic Club, and the Crosson North County Democratic Club.For more information, call 465-8272 or go to Facebook.com- Affordable-Housing-Task-Force. Graniterock’s ballgame contestGraniterock is giving away three sets of five San Francisco Giants game tickets each day, for five days, to highlight the launch of their new website. That’s 75 tickets in all to AT&T Park that they want you and your crew to be a part of!Just check out the great new Graniterock website, take a look at the revamped RockBlog and enter to win. Sign up to win your Giants tickets. And they hope you’ll take a moment to explore the many benefits of our new digital home and come back often to see the latest in Great Products, Great Projects and Great Lives atwww.graniterock.com.No purchase necessary, but entrants must be at least 18 years old. Winners will be announced on Graniterock.com and Facebook.com/Graniterock. Contest runs August 31 - September 4. For more information, contact: Janae Thomas [email protected]. Mountain Community Resources programStarting September 22 and 23 Mountain Community Resources is offering a Teen Program on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at San Lorenzo Valley Middle School.The program offers a supervised place for students to hang out after school and receive help with homework, if needed. There will be an outing or a fun activity planned for the last Wednesday of the month.At SLVMS’ Back to School Night on September 17 at 5:30 p.m., Courtney Sondreal will be representing MCR’s Teen Program and answering questions. Please feel free to reach out with any questions about the Teen Program or Mountain Community Resources. Call 335-6607. Road Work on Alba RoadJohn Presleigh, Director of Public Works, County of Santa Cruz, has announced that Alba Road, 1.4 miles west of Highway 9, will be subject to traffic delays with potential lane closures between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday, August 24, through Friday, August 28, weather permitting.These delays and lane closures are necessary for guardrail installation. The Department of Public Works would like the motoring public to avoid this area, if possible, or be prepared for delays of up to twenty minutes.For up-to-date information onCounty maintained roads inSanta Cruz County, please visit:http://www.sccroadclosure. Board of Supervisors calls local road fundingThe Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution calling on Gov. Jerry Brown and the California Legislature to identify and passa sufficient and stable source of funding to maintain the state’s network of roads and highways, including funding for local roads. Nearly two-thirds of Santa Cruz County’s local roads are rated as “at risk,” “poor,” or “failed,” according to the 2014 California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment.The county’s average pavement condition index of 55 is far below the statewide average of 66, and without further action, a quarter of county roads will fall into “failed” condition within ten years. While Gov. Brown showed leadership in calling an extraordinary session to locate “permanent and stable funding to adequately and responsibly maintain and repair the state’s transportation and infrastructure,” he unfortunately made no mention of funding sources for local roads.While the county has worked hard to replace aging bridges and repair damage from the March 2011 storms, it is struggling with cuts to gas tax funding and a lack of new grant money from state and federal sources. More funding is needed to make streets safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles alike.With debate on transportation funding expected to begin in the state Senate this week, the county is ready to get to work repairing neighborhood streets. It has a five-year work plan for local road projects which would be considerably aided by new funding proposals that could mean millions annually for local projects. “Based on the current condition of our roadways, we would put the money to use as soon as possible,” Santa Cruz County Public Works Director John Presleigh said. Dancer Isadora Duncan - Still a Role ModelLois Flood, authority on Isadora Duncan, will perform a series of authentic dances passed down from those who knew Duncan and were taught by her. Flood will also share her fascinating insights into Duncan’s life of fame and tragedy. She will be joined by Connie Kreemer, noted Santa Cruz dancer, teacher, and former UCSC lecturer, at 7:00 p.m., Saturday, August 29th, at Park Hall in Ben Lomond.One of the most remarkable and influential dancers of all time, Isadora Duncan, provided a new model for women, education, and dance in the United States, Europe and Russia during the late1800’s and early 1900’s. She was an advocate and example for women seeking freedom and independence during a time when society placed severe limits on women’s behavior and rights.All are invited to this free performance, brought to the community by the Women’s Issues Committee of The Valley Women’s Club (www.vwcweb.org).Local arts and crafts will also be featured and refreshments will be served. Park Hall is at 9400 Mill St., just off Hwy 9; street parking.For information, please call Roz Alley at338-9748.
Randall Dennis Birch
Randall Dennis BirchMarch 3, 1962 – August 7, 2015Randy Birch passed too soon from a world that needed him. He was born in Salinas, CA, but lived most of his life in Felton and Santa Cruz. Twenty minutes after he was born, the hospital staff pronounced him hyperactive and that’s how he lived his life, as if he had too much to do and not enough time.He was the first non-athlete to be voted Homecoming King at San Lorenzo Valley High School. He navigated a rainy football field in a white tuxedo without collecting a spot of mud.He was a founding member of San Lorenzo Valley’s Mountain Community theatre. He captivated audiences with his portrayals of Professor Harold Hill in The Music Man, Nathan Detroit in Guy & Dolls, and many others. Even with bit parts, he could steal the show. He coaxed his shyest friends — and even his mother — to join him on stage. He was known for his great singing, but even more for his infectious laugh. Actors loved to have him in the front row.He worked 70 and 80 hour weeks, first as manager at Color Tile, and later, as a Quality Assurance Manager at several computer technology companies, armed only with a high school diploma, amazing intelligence, and irresistible charm. In addition, he was a regular in a community TV program, The Chick Show, which ran for 8 years.His real family recently learned Randy was an honorary member of many other families, all of whom miss him terribly. He delivered warm soup when someone was sick, a listening ear when someone was troubled, and the unfailing patience to fix anyone’s computer.He is dearly missed by his parents, James and Rosemary Birch of Felton, CA, and his three siblings, Kathleen —Dan — Sherman in St. Joseph, MI, Luanne (Paul) Oleas in Cupertino, and William Birch in Cottage Grove, OR. He was adored by his two nieces, Katie Sherman and Natalie Oleas.If you were lucky enough to know him, his family requests your attendance at “Remembering Randy: A Musical Tribute” which will be held from 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm on Saturday, August 29, 2015 at Park Hall, 9400 Mill Street, Ben Lomond. Bring a song to share, a picture, or a memory.
Despite high temps and pile-burning setbacks, fire officials aren’t worrying just yet
Scott Weese, a division chief with Cal Fire CZU, spends plenty of time pouring over forest-fuel-environment maps and briefing safety crews on weather conditions.
The...
