NEWSBRIEFS-November 20

Be a Hero: Help a Hero
By the end of 2016, a motivated group of veterans’ advocates aim to end veteran homelessness in Santa CruzCounty. On this Veterans Day, a significant percentage of Santa CruzCounty’s homeless population is made up of veterans. Already, 175 are being housed using housing vouchers, coupled with case management and clinical services, provided through Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers.
Still there is more work to be done. An additional 193 local veterans are still homeless, many of them living unsheltered on the streets. Through HUD-VASH vouchers and other means, ending veteran homelessness in Santa CruzCounty by the end of next year is a realistic goal.
“Homelessness is an issue that significantly impacts the individuals experiencing it and the community as a whole. If we all work together to identify much-needed housing, we can make significant inroads in addressing the problem,” Santa Cruz Mayor Don Lane said. “These men and women made sacrifices to help defend our country. As we honor all veterans today, we should pay special attention to those still living out on the streets. They helped us when we needed it; it is now time to help them.”
There are three things that the “Be a Hero: Help a Hero” initiative requests that members of the community can do as individuals:
–         House a Hero: If you are a landlord, offer a home to a veteran. The vouchers are a stable, hassle-free, reliable source of income.
–         2) Help a Hero: Volunteer to help homeless veterans navigate the housing market, or assemble move-in kits.
–         3) Support a Hero: Purchase a “Welcome Home” move-in kit for veterans, or donate essential household items such as linens, clothing, utensils, appliances, toiletries, cleaning supplies and more. Gift cards are also welcome.
Through this effort, Santa CruzCounty can join other communities across the country that have ended veteran homelessness. From New Orleans to New York, other communities have cured that problem.
The HUD-VASH program removes many of the barriers to housing veterans. One of the main barriers, particularly locally, is the availability of housing. Federal housing vouchers provide landlords with a stable, dedicated source of incomes, and First Lady Michelle Obama recently called on landlords to make housing available to veterans. “You all have the power to open doors for Vets, and give them the stability they deserve, and help our country solve an issue that has been swept under the rug for far too long,” Obama said in a video message released last week.
Close the Gap CA
Close the Gap CA is a statewide recruiting campaign to find talented, progressive women to win seats in the California legislature. Currently only 19 seats, or 25%, are held by women. Close the Gap CA is actively recruiting for the open seats and may have as many as 16 progressive women to support.
One of those women is Karina Cervantez Alejo from District 30, which includes southern Santa CruzCounty and northern MontereyCounty.
Research shows that when we elect progressive women, we are taking steps to resolve the following issues:
–         to close the school funding gap,
–         to provide access to affordable health and reproductive care,
–         to close the growing gap between the wealthy and those in poverty.
The 2016 election could produce significant gains for women. Join with other women and their supporters for a lovely Sunday, November 15, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. while gathering at the historic Darling House at 314 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz. Enjoy the ocean view, tasty appetizers, and convivial conversation.
RSVP to Carol Fuller at fu*****@cr****.com.
2016 Water Project Ballot Initiative
On November 12, the “Water Priorities Constitutional Amendment and New Surface Water and Groundwater Storage Facilities Bond Act” was submitted to the California Attorney General for an official title and summary.
Vice Chair, Board of Equalization, George Runner and California State Senator Bob Huff (R-San Dimas) submitted a 2016 ballot initiative that establishes priorities for the state’s use of water as a constitutional amendment.
The initiative would redirect unspent High Speed Rail Proposition 1A (2008) and Proposition 1 (2014) water bond designated water storage money to build new surface water and groundwater storage projects without adding more debt or levying new taxes. The measure adds a new section to Article X of the California Constitution making drinking water and irrigation the primary beneficial water use priorities of the state ahead of all other needs.
“California’s ongoing water crisis continues to stress our reservoirs and groundwater basins and has led to mandatory water cuts and fines on all Californians,” said Aubrey Bettencourt, Executive Director of the California Water Alliance. “This initiative offers a meaningful way for California to address its chronic problems stemming from aging water infrastructure, increasing population and the ramifications of climate change that will continue to stress our already fragile water system.”
Bettencourt added, “This ballot initiative ensures all regions of California will have a reliable water supply for their homes, businesses and our state’s food producers and does not authorize any additional state bond debt or raise our taxes; it redirects funds to better uses by conserving, recycling and recharging groundwater aquifers and building new projects and permanent infrastructure to capture and store water to be used for domestic water supplies and food production.”
Valley Women’s Club seeks board members
The Valley Women’s Club board nominations are in full swing and we are looking for a couple of new board members for the VWC. If you are a current member of the club, they need you.
The board meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 5:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Satellite in Felton. Share your skill set and leadership abilities. New board members’ terms will begin in January. The areas of interest and committees are: environmental, educational, website, marketing, memberships, women’s Issues, local student scholarships, the arts, and business.
To apply for board membership, please send a brief description about yourself and what you have to offer the club. Please send in your information by December 1, 2015 to VWC President, Roz Alley. Send to: ro************@gm***.com
Salinas grocery store worker wins lottery
On October 30, 2015 Fernando Montero bought a $5 California Gold RushScratchers® ticket while he was on his way to work. The 33-year old grocery store employee from Salinas said he felt that he was going to win. He did. He won $500,000. Although he doesn’t speak much English, he was able to explain how he had dreamed that he was going win and that he “just knew it was going to be a big win.”
Through an interpreter, Montero described the shock of winning this way: “It was one of those moments where you look around and you really can’t see anything – where everything is fuzzy and grayed out. I was thinking, ‘this can’t be!’”
Montero said he really couldn’t believe it until he scanned his ticket and saw that he was a big winner. He isn’t sure what he’s going to do with his winnings, but the odds are good this avid California Lottery player will be buying more Scratchers.
The California Lottery is a $5.5 billion enterprise based in Sacramento. It is one of the few state agencies that is a revenue generator, not accepting taxpayer dollars from the State’s General Fund. Its mission is to provide supplemental funding to California schools while simultaneously supporting local communities. In FY 2014-15, the Lottery created 100 new millionaires. Ninety-five cents of every dollar spent by our players goes back to local communities in the form of contributions to public schools and colleges, prizes and retail compensation. The California Lottery urges its customers to play responsibly and within their budgets. If you feel you have a gambling problem, or know someone who does, you can get help at 1-800-GAMBLER.