While many of us were ringing in the New Year with loved ones, ball drops, and new resolutions, Troop 604 of The Boy Scouts of America were forced to add to their wish list.  Sometime in the past week, approximately 1,500 dollars in camping supplies were stolen from a locked storage shed at the Felton Bible Church.  Matthew Bond, the troop leader, and Janeen Bond, the troop committee chair, were about to leave on a trip for their 19th anniversary when they heard the news.  They only had the time to scan the shed and resecure it before they left town to try and celebrate.  Both Bonds had difficulty taking their minds away from the theft while away.  Janeen lamented, “It is very dark when someone steels, worse is when it is from our youth who work so hard for every piece of equipment they have.”

It’s amazing how many potential pollutants can be found in a home. For most of a winter day, our homes are closed tight with no windows or doors open to let out pollutants and let fresh air circulate. Toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene can be released from furniture upholstery, carpets, cleaning products, paint, plastics, and rubber. Carbon monoxide from the incomplete burning of wood and nitrogen oxides from cigarette smoke, vehicle exhaust, and smog can also be present in indoor air.

One of the most challenging issues for my office in 2019 was the reduction of recycling services in the San Lorenzo Valley and the loss of California Redemption Value (CRV) centers throughout the 5th District. While we have advocated for a legislative fix to the state recycling law, we also now have a local proposal designed to create relief for residents and retailers alike.

Mari Rossi, a Scotts Valley philanthropist, just offered the Santa Cruz Boys and Girls Club a challenge grant, to match up to 50,000 dollars for a new portable classroom outside of their clubhouse off Scotts Valley Drive.  On top of providing school lunches for needy children throughout Scotts Valley, Rossi has been working with the Boys and Girls Club for a couple of years.  Rossi exclaimed, “If kids are hungry, they can’t learn! You’d be surprised how many food insecure kids we have, even though we live in an affluent community.”  When asked about the motivation for her philanthropy, Rossi answers with her simple slogan, “Our kids, our future.”

You can end 2019 by helping more kids in Santa Cruz who have nowhere safe to go after school. But you must make your year-end gift to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County before midnight tonight. Donate now!

Here we sit with the very last issue of the Press Banner for 2019! What a year it’s been for us all here. 

 With the holidays upon us, I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about holiday safety. I will discuss just a few of the many recommended safety precautions.