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 jthomas@graniterock.com. 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.
