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                                 “A wonderful bird is the Pelican,

Residents and staff of Oak Tree Villa donated $1,500 toward the families of deceased Santa Cruz Police Officers Loran “Butch” Baker and Elizabeth Butler on Wednesday, Aug. 21. The assisted living home held a rummage sale in its courtyard on July 20 and raised $1,500 towards the cause. They chose to donate to the families of the officers because they were killed in duty around the same time planning for the rummage sale began, said Oak Tree Villa Executive Director Tracy Freudendahl. To accept the donation, Santa Cruz Police Officers, including Chief Kevin Vogel came to Oak Tree Villa in their 1961 Chevrolet Biscane cruiser and gave rides to some of the residents. “It was very cool,” said Freudendahl. “The residents enjoyed it.” Oak Tree Villa will hold another rummage sale this Saturday, Aug. 24 to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association — the same charity the sale benefitted in 2012.

What really makes a garden? For one, it might be the comfortable reading chair tucked under a shade tree in the back of the garden. For another, it’s a cutting garden or vegetable garden that puts a smile on the face of its creator. But for many, a garden isn't a garden until it gets that personal touch.

Art History lecture features discussion on Cerveteri The first Art History lecture of 2024, sponsored by Dante Alighieri Society of Santa Cruz, will feature “Cerveteri: Etruscan City of the Dead” on Sunday, Jan. 7, from 6:30-8:30pm, at the Cabrillo Aptos Campus, VAPA Forum, Room 1001. Art...

Everybody has them. Some are burgundy, while some are variegated with fragrant flowers. I’m talking about shrubs that provide reliable good looks without a lot of work.