Most of us have at one time or another had a nocturnal leg cramp. Some individuals suffer frequently from them. Almost anyone can experience cramps, but they are more common in the elderly. Although they are technically harmless, they can be quite debilitating sometimes lasting 15 minutes or more. Most cramps have no obvious underlying cause.

Dear Editor,I would like to thank and commend the Sheriffs Department for their enforcement in our community parks, particularly with respect to the drunk and disorderly behavior. (It's a community affair, Aug. 14th) I would also like to request that the Sheriff's enforce the "No Smoking" ordinance that exists for all of our county parks as well.Although a common occurrence, I am always stunned when people choose to light up in our parks and playgrounds and around children in particular. For kids, secondhand smoke causes ear infections, bronchitis and other respiratory infections. It also exacerbates asthma and increases chances of SIDS. In adults who have never smoked, secondhand smoke causes heart disease, lung cancer and stroke.According to the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services, there is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke exposure and even brief exposure can be harmful to our health.Our parks should be a safe and healthy environment. Smoking should not be tolerated anymore than drunk and disorderly conduct.Jennifer Gomez,Lompico

 In 2007, Scotts Valley Redevelopment Agency was a government body that was dedicated to renewing neglected and blighted urban areas. Redevelopment efforts typically targeted restoration of historic buildings, removing unsafe buildings, lowering crime, attracting businesses, creating landscaping and developing suitable new housing.In Scotts Valley the RDA accomplished many projects such as to provide funding for affordable housing; to rebuild Scotts Valley Drive; bring in new business and more. All were funded by the RDA.In their 2011 Budget Act, the State of California Legislature approved the dissolution of the California’s over 400 Redevelopment Agencies. February 1, 2012, the RDAs were officially dissolved. As a result, property tax revenues were then used to pay for servicing required payments on bonds and other enforceable obligations than had been paid by the RDAs.In 1978 when Proposition 13 was passed, it limited the tax rate for real estate. It stated in Section 1. (a) The maximum amount of any ad valorem tax on real property shall not exceed one percent of the full cash value of such property. The one percent tax is to be collected by counties and apportioned according to law to the districts within the counties.Scotts Valley Mayor, Dene Bustichi, explained that in 2007 Council member Randy Johnson and Mayor Bustichi approached the County requesting a tolling agreement because the allocation of taxes to the city of Scotts Valley was incorrect. The County disagreed and the City of Scotts Valley was forced to file a lawsuit to protect the taxpayer’s rights. It was believed that SCC had shortchanged Scotts Valley of the amount of property tax allocations that the city should receive. He said “the county froze the property tax allocations for Scotts Valley at four percent of the one percent allowed of total collected property tax permitted by Proposition 13. Other cities were allocated at between seven to 20 percent. We did not think that was fair for Scotts Valley property tax payers.”Scotts Valley prevailed in a substantial part of the suit, but the litigation has taken many turns during the past years. It has been a long running suit.In 2015, the State Department of Finance approved the implementation of a court ordered settlement of the long-running dispute between the County of Santa Cruz and the City of Scotts Valley. The settlement agreement was approved by the San Mateo Superior Court in February and the matter was pending before the Department of Finance before the terms were able to be implemented.Bustichi believes the resolution of the dispute is good for the tax payers in Scotts Valley because it protects them from further litigation costs. He said “We acted to protect the taxpayers of Scotts Valley, and we look forward to a new era of trust between Scotts Valley and the County.”Both sides look forward to putting the matter behind them. Rather than pursue a case that dates to 2007, the two sides agreed to a settlement that protects taxpayers from further court cost while laying the groundwork for strengthening of the relationship between the City and County.Both the County and City would like to thank Assemblymember Mark Stone, D-Monterey Bay, for his support of the agreement and his work with the Administration and the Department of Finance to bring this matter to a conclusion. We would also like to express our appreciation to the Department of Finance for their thoughtful review of the Court’s actions.“This case has dragged on too long, and I am grateful both sides were able to come to a mutual agreement,” Santa Cruz County Supervisor Bruce McPherson said. “This shows what can happen when people set aside their differences and work together to find a solution.”“It was the collaboration of the current group that made good communication possible. We wanted a new beginning and did not let old arguments poison the discussion,” said Bustichi. “Now,” he observed, “the property taxes generated in Scotts Valley will benefit Scotts Valley.”

National Preparedness Month is sponsored by the Federal Management Agency of the Department of Homeland Security and it encourages Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies. The aim is to encourage individuals to take important steps like getting an emergency supply kit, making a family emergency plan, being informed about the different emergencies that may affect them, as well as taking the necessary steps to get trained and become engaged in community preparedness and response efforts.September 2015 is when families in communities across the nation will be making plans about what to do if an emergency strikes in their community. For example, your family may not know where everyone will be when disaster strikes, so it is important to put a plan in place that says where to contact each other. Think about the different conditions that might be experienced in your home area.What hazards might your family face? Earthquakes, wildfires, winter storms, floods, tornados, and hurricanes are all a threat to communities across the nation. “In California we currently have 12 active fires,” said the CAL FIRE State Information Officer, Lynne Tolmachoff. Earthquakes are usually on our minds and many local residents can tell you where they were during the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989.National Preparedness Month is a part of a governmental effort to strengthen the United States' preparedness capabilities. The national preparedness plan includes prevention, protection, response, and recovery efforts to prepare the United States for all hazards.On September 13, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Home Depot parking lot on 41st Street in Santa Cruz, National Preparedness Month will be observed in Santa Cruz County. A group of emergency preparedness volunteer organizations will be represented. Among them will be the La Selva Fire Department and County Emergency Response Team (CERT) and they will be featuring live demonstrations, exhibits and CERT training.On September 26, in Felton, the Red Cross will be operating a limited program of installing fire alarms in a few targeted locations. The recipients will be selected based on fire hazard criteria. For more information about this program, call Mike De Mars at 479-6843.

Some of the people of Asia, especially the Chinese and the South Koreans, have been experiencing a huge growth in their middle classes. As a result, more people are now able to afford foreign travel. Just as the Europeans, after recuperating from World War II, have been coming here for decades, now with the Asian economy having improved during the past 20 or so years, we are seeing many more people visiting from the Far East, especially from China and South Korea.Felton’s Roaring Camp Railroad has had to increase the number of trains that they run in June, July and August because the peak vacation season for the visitors is the same as ours, according to Joanne Hirasaki, Director of Sales & Marketing. They have had to add non-scheduled trains to accommodate the visitors and the “train robbery” has become mandatory for these enthusiastic fans of the Old West cowboy-era visitors.Another factor encouraging travel to the United States is that the length of time a visa is valid has been increased from three years to 10 years. The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs’ website section, “The Straight Facts on U.S. Visas in China” states: “From FY2006 to FY2014, the non-immigrant visas issued to Chinese nationals increased more the 462%.” “Non-immigrant” or “B” visas are defined as business and tourist visas.According to Hirasaki, the increase in longevity for a visa from three years to 10 years, the huge growth in the middle classes, more air service to California, and more tour companies offering trips to the U.S. account for more Asian tourists. San Francisco has China Southern, China Eastern, Air China, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, China Airlines and Korean Airlines flying in from the cities of Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Xiamen, Beijing, Singapore, and Taiwan. There are more flights coming into Los Angeles as well. As of June 2015, Hainan Airlines is flying from Beijing into San Jose International.She also commented that the Asians are attracted to the beauty of our natural wonders. Our redwood forests are of great interest to them. Just as for many Europeans, the Western-style cowboy culture with the train robbery and a barbecue dinner is a huge draw. Photo ops with conductors, engineers, and engines are always popular. Since almost all the younger visitors understand English, the tours are given in English. However, in the event there is a need, they do have written material in Mandarin.Finally, with a population of 1,365,090,000 people as of June 2014, China is the world’s most populous country and also the world’s second largest economy. Although there has been a recent downturn in their stock market, in the opinion of Franklin Templeton, the prediction is that their market will recoup. Their forecast is that in the next decade China will become the world’s largest economic power. No doubt we will be seeing even more Chinese tourists in the future.

On September 2, at approximately 2:15 p.m., a robbery occurred at the Wells Fargo Bank on Mount Hermon Road in Scotts Valley. A man robbed the victim while she was making a withdrawal from the ATM. The suspect, a white male adult, was last seen driving away in a grey Ford Expedition. Witness statements and evidence found at the scene of the crime led the Officers and Detectives to identify the suspect. At approximately 6:30 p.m., the Officers and Detectives located the suspect at a local residence. A 22 year old white male was arrested without incident.

Fire fighters on the job in Ben LomondOn September 2 at about 8:30 a.m., firefighters were alerted to a fire in the 8600 block of Highway 9. The flames spread to a home and nearby trees, but the home was saved from total loss. It is reported that the tenant was taken to a hospital for evaluation.Illegal DumpingOn Tuesday the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors took action to confront the countywide problem of illegal dumping. Illegal dumping costs taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, according to Jason Hoppin, Communications Manager for the Santa Cruz County Administrative Office. Hoppin indicated that the Board’s unanimous vote set the stage for a working group to consider code changes and outreach efforts to address serious and costly environmental problems. He said “the Board directed the county’s Public Works Department to convene a group to consider measures to reduce illegal dumping, and also to initiate a pilot program which may include the use of camera monitors at illegal dumping hot spots.” The Board also directed county staff to return in January with a more complete plan, including possible funding sources. “In order to address this problem, there’s not going to be one silver bullet. It’s not going to just be the cameras, or public education, or enforcement. It’s going to be all those pieces put together. If it were easy to figure out, we would have figured it out by now. But we need a coordinated plan and to move aggressively to address a problem that’s affecting us all,” Supervisor John Leopold said.County staff identified several dumping hot spots such as Eureka Canyon Road, Bonny Doon Road, Buena Vista Road, Alba Road and others. In addition, several cherished county parks have also become targets for illegal dumping, including Anna Jean Cummings Park, Moran Lake Park, Greyhound Rock Beach and more. Annually, the county budgets have dedicated between $150,000 and $400,000 to clean up illegal dump sites, although the actual costs may be higher.Ironically, many of those illegally dumped items could have been deposited free of charge at county landfills, including electronics, household hazardous waste such as used paint cans, small propane tanks, etc. The county also recycles yard waste and some construction debris for reuse. Santa Cruz County is a leader in environmental stewardship, having passed laws banning single-use carryout plastic bags, limiting the sale of polystyrene products, regulating the collection of electronic waste and licensing commercial waste haulers. The county has also set a “zero waste” goal and operates two disposal sites: the Buena Vista Landfill in Watsonville and the Ben Lomond Transfer Station in Ben Lomond. For more information, go to www.santacruzcountyrecycles.org. To report illegal dumping, call 477-3999.Skin cancer sun-safety tips for back-to-school-kidsWhile sun protection is often associated with hot summer days, harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays are present year-round and can be just as dangerous on the schoolyard as they are at the beach. Because UV rays are associated with about 86 percent of melanomas and 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers, children must be diligent about sun protection when they head back to school. Parents also play a role, by teaching kids to lead a sun-safe lifestyle. "There is a well-established link between sun exposure and skin cancer risk," said Perry Robins, MD, President of The Skin Cancer Foundation. "Children and teens spend most of their time at school, so it's important that they incorporate sun protection into their everyday lives, as it's the best method of skin cancer prevention." The Skin Cancer Foundation offers the following recommendations to keep kids sun-safe when at school:The sun's UV rays are strongest from 10 AM to 4 PM, and this is when students are usually outside for recess, physical education and afterschool programs. Check with the school to see if there are adequate places for students to seekshade during outdoor activities.Clothing is the single most effective form of sun protection. Send students to school in densely woven and bright- or dark-colored fabrics, which offer the best defense. The more skin you cover, the better, so choose long sleeves and long pants whenever possible.Send children to school with a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses, to protect their face, neck, ears and eyes. If they won't wear a wide-brimmed hat, a baseball cap is better than nothing.Parents should apply a broad spectrum SPF 15+ sunscreen to their children's skin every morning, at least 30 minutes before going outside. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours outdoors and right after swimming or sweating heavily. Older children should learn to apply sunscreen themselves, and make it a routine habit. For extended time outdoors, a broad spectrum SPF 30+sunscreen should be used instead. One ounce of sunscreen (about the size of a golf ball) should be applied to all exposed areas of skin. Remind children to cover those easy to miss spots, such as the back of ears and neck, as well as the tops of the feet and hands.Refuel Your FunUse refillable propane canisters instead of disposable types and reduce the local waste in our environment. Santa Cruz County is one of the leading municipalities in reducing waste, with more than 70 percent now diverted from landfills.According to John Laird, California Secretary for Natural Resources, each year in California, more than 4 million propane canisters are wasted. They not only harm the environment, they are costly to consumers: 80 percent of the price of each canister pays for the container, with 20 percent paying for gas. Refillable, one-pound propane canisters work the same as disposable canisters. They have the same valve and fit all your camp stoves, lanterns and heaters.Scotts Valley Dentist to lecture at AcademyDr. Ariana Ebrahimian of Scotts Valley will be lecturing at the inaugural Academy of Applied Myofunctional Sciences Congress in Los Angeles on September 12. More than 30 speakers, researchers, and public leaders from over a dozen countries will be addressing everything from sleep apnea to tongue ties. Ebrahimian will be speaking on Orthotropics and how she believes that the orthodontic standard of care is slowly improving.For more information contact Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry 438-4411.