Community

Claudia Amling, who lives on the westside of Santa Cruz, arrived in Scotts Valley on Thursday to celebrate a friend who she says is nothing short of amazing. Adina Licht was one of the influential women being honored during an informal soirée at Cruise Coffee. “She’s...

San Lorenzo Valley Middle School Theatre will present “Moana JR.” this weekend, Nov. 15-17, at the SLV Performing Arts Center, located at 7105 Highway 9 in Felton. This heartwarming coming-of-age story follows the strong-willed Moana as she sets sail across the Pacific to save her...

Did you know that the human body is made up of about 60% water, so it’s no surprise that proper hydration is critical to a variety of essential functions that can impact athletic performance. Staying hydrated is fundamentally important to your successful fitness routine, as well as day to day function, especially during the Summer weather. During my clients training sessions, I remind them to regularly hydrate while performing their fitness routine. While training or performing any type of workout, proper hydration is highly important. Hydration regulates your body temperature, aids in avoiding muscle cramps, lubricates joints, moistens tissues in your eyes, nose and mouth, protects your body organs and tissues, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells. Consume water both pre- and post-workout to replace fluids lost through sweat. Your body perspires to cool itself down during exertion, which means you lose water during exercise. The body can lose several liters of water during a one-hour period of exercise, so you'll need to replace that water or face the effects of dehydration.

I hike in the Bonny Doon Ecological reserve quite often but had never seen the waterfall. Since the Martin fire in 2008 I have written several columns about the remarkable comeback nature can make after a natural catastrophe. Each spring I eagerly await the new growth of manzanita, chinquapin, pine and the spring flower display. Recently I joined a group led by botanist and revegetation specialist Val Haley, who has been a volunteer at the reserve since 1993 and knows just about everything there is to know about this unique place on the planet.

We human beings spend a great deal of time seeking happiness and avoiding distress; we do this as a constructive means of handling the inherent ambiguities of human life. Contemplative practices like meditation and Mindful Yoga can be a tremendous aid in this endeavor, because they help us rise above life’s inevitable ups and downs. As a veteran yoga student and teacher, I have to come to appreciate my yoga mat as a living laboratory for training my mind. I’ve found that incorporating mindful practices into yoga improves my emotional and physical health.

August 2024 marked the four-year anniversary of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire ripping through the Santa Cruz Mountains. Through fundraisers, educational forums and memorial events, residents—including victims of the fire who remain in the area—have gathered to support and assist fellow survivors in their...