Scotts Valley City Council approves Tobacco Retailer License Ordinance
The Scotts Valley City Council is the fourth jurisdiction is Santa Cruz County to pass a tobacco retailer license to discourage teenage smoking. Retailers caught selling the product to minors can be fined or have their licenses revoked.
Newsbriefs
Putah Creek Wildlife Area Closed to All Public AccessDue to Wragg FireThe Putah Creek Wildlife Area in Solano County will be closed until further notice due to impacts from the Wragg Fire. The Wragg Fire has burned 8,051 acres in Napa, Solano and Yolo counties, including the entire Putah Creek Wildlife Area.The closure affects all public uses including, but not limited to, hunting, fishing, hiking and nature viewing. The closure is intended to allow the landscape and wildlife to recover, minimize erosion, and ensure public safety. As a result of the fire, potential hazards such as loose rocks and falling tree branches exist in the area. CDFW will reassess the Putah Creek Wildlife Area in spring 2016 to determine if it is suitable for public access. Putah Creek Wildlife Area is located in Solano County just east of Lake Berryessa.Felton Fire Protection District Budget for Fiscal year 2015-2016The district will meet on Monday, September 14, at 7:00 p.m. at 131 Kirby St., Felton, for the public to discuss the new budget.For more information call 335-4422Wind Acre Farm Floral opens in Scotts ValleyAs the owner and principal designer of the new Wind Acre Farm Floral, Erin Schwartz uses locally grown flowers and botanicals to create custom floral arrangements for any occasion. Wind Acre Farm Floral offers a spectrum of services from everyday arrangements to special orders for weddings, private parties, and corporate events. “I’ve always loved to create beautiful things for people to enjoy. Making others happy feels good to me and that really is my inspiration,” says Schwartz. Prior to opening Wind Acre Farm Floral, Schwartz worked under established local florists and trained with floral designers in the Los Angeles and Seattle areas. She also attended interior design school where she specialized in floral arrangements for home and office settings. Wind Acre Farm Floral is located on Glen Canyon Road in Scotts Valley. For more information call 212-9032Man reported taking pictures of nude childSanta Cruz Police Department ask or help in identifying man that was reportedly taking pictures of a naked 7-year old girl in a public shower near the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf on July 13. The suspect is described as a white male about 5 feet 8” with medium build. He appears to be 65-70 years old with white hair. He was wearing a cowboy hat and sleeveless shirt at the time of the incident.Anyone with information relative to the suspect’s identity is encouraged to contact the Santa Cruz Police Department Investigations Unit (831) 420-5820Teen injured at Garden of Eden in Henry Cowell ParkOn August 4, a teenage female dove off of a hill into the Garden of Eden pond in Henry Cowell Park. The water in the pond was very low. The diver injured her back and feet which required a Cal Fire helicopter to provide rescue services, said a dispatch person at Felton Fire Department Protection District.“Usually the local people know how dangerous it is to dive into the Garden of Eden during a drought. It is the people from out of the area who get hurt,” said the dispatch person.
Wragg wildfire is destination for local firefighters
There are 21 active fires across California with well over 9,000 firefighters battling them. Twenty two firefighters from Santa Cruz County were sent to the Wragg fire in Napa and Solano Counties. Scotts Valley Fire Chief Dan Grebil is reported to have said that five fire engines from Zayante, Santa Cruz, Central and Branciforte fire departments were deployed. The firefighters are scheduled for 14 days depending on the fire outcome. Coastal fire departments between Monterey and Del Norte counties have sent 12 strike teams to the location.“Thousands of lightning strikes have occurred since last week, sparking several hundred small wildfires. A slight chance of thunderstorms will continue in far northern and eastern areas today, but the majority of the region will see more sunshine and slightly higher southwest to west winds, which could fan any lightning strikes from over the weekend,” said Daniel Berlant of CAL FIRE.Berlant stated that a Red Flag Warning remains in effect as of August 3, in the upper part of California, due to lightning and wind. These storms will be on the dry side so a high risk has been issued for dry lightning for these areas on Tuesday.
Back-to-school roundup:
The 2015-2016 school year begins August 24 for the San Lorenzo Unified School District. While parents and teachers are busy shopping for school clothes and supplies, instructors and school administrators are preparing to welcome the students back.This week the Press-Banner looks at some of the new developments in our schools. This year, we are doing something different. In this issue, we visited a few of the schools in both San Lorenzo Valley and some in Scotts Valley. Next, week we will visit the other schools.San Lorenzo Valley High School7105 Highway 9 in Feltonhttp:hs.slvusd.org/335-4425Karen van Putten is pleased to note that she starts her fourth new school year as the Principal of SLVHS. Assistant Principal, Keri Billings, is commencing her sixth year. Together, they are happy to lead the school forward into this new academic year. Under this consist leadership, the school has several new developments in staff and programs to be proud about.First, they are pleased to announce that there are new faces on the staff. Education Specialist, Lisa Andersen, will be teaching Special Education. New also is Karina Alvarez as Instructional Assistant for Special Education.Gene Knipe joins the high school staff to teach in the new Technology Pathway. He will be teaching the Introduction to Computer Science and Computer Programming.“The Agrigculture and Natural Resources Pathway is partnering with SchoolGrown to build a state of the art aquaponics greenhouse,” said van Putten.Principal van Putten is also very proud of the athletic track that was just resurfaced. She believes that the over 700 students that will attend this year will get good use from this improved track — and a lot of fun.This year the District is continuing the BYOD/lap top initiative for grades 6-12.They hope that every student will soon be working on their own device for learning and collaborating.In addition to continuing to implement Common Core standards, van Putten said “the school is dedicted to helping its students prepare for their college and career pathways.”Also new this year, said van Putten, “is a collection of touch-screen Google Chrome computers designed for use by math students.” Students will also be able to participate in the Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) program, a 4-year elective course designed to equip them with college-level study skills.San Lorenzo Valley Middle School7179 Hacienda Way in Feltonhttp:/ms.slvusd.org/335-4452About 500 sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students are expected at SLVMS this year, said Principal Jeff Calden.Joining the staff this year will be two new science teachers, Rachel Hager and Jessica Curzio, while Tony Purtscher will teach social studies and Dereck Seymour will teach a sixth grade core class. Marisol Briones will teach special education. Tamara Smith will be teaching art classes for the sixth grade and Jennifer Lahey will teach eighth grade art. “We will also be offering the first ‘honors language classes to the eighth grade and they will be taught by Matt McMillan,” Caulden said.“Moving forward, our ‘one-to-one’ device program for laptops is for ages 6-12 only. They will be on a ‘school-to-home’ basis. We will also have loaners in the classrooms although the program is not mandatory,” said Caulden.Proudly, Caulden announced that they also have new lockers.Students can also participate in AVID, a high school and college-prep class that serves as a precursor to the program in place at the high school.Scotts Valley Middle School8 Bean Creek Road in Scotts Valleyhttp://www.svms.santacruz.k12.ca.us/438-0610Principal Mary Lonhart said that she expects approximately 600 sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students to arrive on campus when this Gold Ribbon award winning school opens.Lonhart welcomes three new teachers: Michael Belli, part-time English 8 and Letricia Marquardt, math 8. Mark Andres, will be shared with the high school for science 8.“SVMS continues our full implementation of the Common Core with increased infusion of technology in the classrooms with the use of Chromebooks. All but four of our core subject area classrooms have a full set of Chromebooks available for student use at all times,” said Lonhart. “The majority of these have been funded through our generous PTA! Additionally, we will continue the use of our new Carnegie math materials,” she said.“We are continually grateful that the Scotts Valley community supports our construction project. Planning is moving forward,” she said. “Regular updates on the project will be provided at Board meetings, via the school and district websites and the SVUSD Facebook page. Thank you for your patience as we work through this very important process,” said Lonhart.
Grace Elizabeth Reichert
December 1, 1919 – July 26, 2015Services will be held on September 5th 2014 for Grace Reichert who passed away peacefully at the age of 95 with her loving family at her bedside. Born in Oakland, California, the daughter of Welsh emigrants, Grace attended Fremont High School, and helped her country in the wartime efforts by working in the factories, turning armatures at the General Electric Plant in Oakland.Grace married Cliff Taber in 1939. Throughout the 1960’s and 70’s, Grace worked in her husband’s construction business in the San Lorenzo Valley. She facilitated meetings between subcontractors and their clients. She was a resident for 55 years. Mr. Taber preceded her in death.Grace was the coordinator, bus driver, and lead organizer for the Ben Lomond Senior Center for many years. It was at the Center where she met, and later married, Hal Reichert. Grace and Hal enjoyed many travels in their R.V. as members of “Thousand Trails Motor Home Club.” Grace was a familiar face at all Pancake Breakfasts at the Senior Center and was an accomplished artist in both painting and crafts. Her family will forever remember and cherish the memories of her love of the Christmas season with the decorating and fun that it brought.Hal preceded Grace in death in 2013. Grace lived at Oak Tree Villa for 9 years and left many dear friends and health care workers that miss her vibrant spirit. Grace’s family would especially like to thank the care givers at Blue Hammock Care Home in Freedom for their love and concern in making her final days so restful.She is survived by her daughter, Diane Beardsley of Ben Lomond, her son Don Taber of Santa Cruz; her brothers, Donald Davies, Kenneth Davies, and Jake Davies; her beloved grandchildren, Donald and John Beardsley, Jesse and Meriah Campbell-Taber; her great grandchildren, Nicholas and Lindsey Beardsley and Chloe and Zephyr Jones.Friends and family are invited to attend a burial service on September 5, at 11:00 a.m. at Felton Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest beside her late husband Hal Reichert, and her son-in-law, Richard Beardsley who preceded her in death in 2012. A farewell ceremony will continue at the Ben Lomond Senior Center, following the burial. Any acts of charity can be made in Grace’s memory to the senior center. You can share a memory or condolence with her family by visiting www.pacificgardenschapel.com
New commerce options begin to bud for medical marijuana
Credit card transactions at cannabis clubs may be the future of buying the medicine. State Board of Equalization (SBOE) panel, comprised of industry leaders, politicians and financial experts convened their first meeting in Sacramento last week to discuss financial impacts of the booming industry, which currently operates on a cash only basis.Board Member Fiona Ma, CPA led the meeting, with a statement that access to banking is one of the biggest challenges faced by medicinal marijuana providers.“As we move towards a paperless society, it is unfair for a whole class of citizens to live their lives using cash and manual transactions,” she said.Though the 1996 Proposition 215 legalized dispensary operations in California, cannabis club owners have been unable to function like any other business due to federal restrictions imposed on banks.Jeff Angell of Creekside Collective in Boulder Creek said that prior to last year; he handled all his transactions by getting money orders and paying in cash. Approximately a year ago, one of the local banks created an infrastructure that allows medical marijuana dispensaries to open business accounts. Having that happen has been a time saver because it’s now easier to do basic things like payroll.“I am encouraged by the meeting they have had because we believe in sensible regulations, and we are proud to pay taxes. That legitimizes us,” he said.But despite the fact that Creekside Collective’s bank facilitates some of the day-to-day routines; the system has its limitations.“Our situation is we are in the middle,” he said. “We have some access to banking, but we don’t have access to using credit cards. If we needed a line of credit, we couldn’t do it like any other business.”Angell said that as far as he knows, none of the dispensaries are allowed to accept credit cards, and everyone faces the same obstacles when it comes to accounting.“Our patients have to use ATM and get charged a fee,“ he said about the teller machine that’s on site. It’s so much more convenient when everywhere else you go you can use a credit card.”Angell’s business currently serves a few hundred patients per month; some come more frequently than others. For everyone’s safety, cash is stored off site. There are security cameras inside and out, and overall Angell said he considers himself lucky to be the owner of a small dispensary in a peaceful community.To keep up with fair reporting to the government, Angell uses a point of purchase system that tracks every transaction the collective makes. That way, should an audit occur, the information is all in one place. The collective also keeps a paper record of transactions with vendors.Even if the SBOE meeting marks the first step to progress, decisions are expected to be slow going forward. Since Angell became owner of Creekside Collective in 2012, he has seen little change in the way the state handles medicinal marijuana commerce.“Sadly, I don’t think we’ll see real change until Congress acts,” he said. “Because cannabis is considered a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance, the Feds have to do something about it.”
Dispatch Log (August 8, 2015)
Santa Cruz County Sherriff’s Office August 03 10:22 p.m.: A suspect was arrested driving while intoxicated on Jonathon Way in Scotts Valley. July 317:55 p.m.: A suspect was arrested for contempt and disorderly conduct on the 9700 block of East Zayante Road in Felton. July 303:25 a.m.: A suspect was arrested for probation violation, possession of unlawful paraphernalia, possession of stolen property, and possession of a controlled substance on Mount Hermon Rd. in Scotts Valley. July 309:36 p.m.: A suspect was arrested for violation of parole in Ben Lomond.
IOOF Softball
In the Independent Order of Odd Fellows' San Lorenzo Valley Softball Men's Summer League two semi-final games, played last Wednesday at Highlands Park, there were two, contrasting patterns.In the first game, Mountain Mechanics jumped to an early lead and were never threatened, as they hammered the Nailers, 20-6. During the regular season, a 10-point lead would kick-in a mercy rule and the game would be over, but in the playoffs the teams must play 7 full innings (unless there are extra innings).In the evening game, between the Sharks and the Woodpeckers, the game was close until the last inning. Tied at 20-20, the Sharks scored a run at the bottom of the 7th inning, and so they will meet the Mountain Mechanics in the championship game next Wednesday, August 12, at 6 p.m. at Highlands Park.The August 12 game has a “Shakespearean-like” family’s conflict side to it. There will be a first-ever grandfather/grandson duo on the Mountain Mechanics team. Chris Currier and his grandson, Ben Knudson, will be pitched against a “Father with Three Sons” (Mark Mullins with his sons Billy, Robert and John, all former jocks at SLVHS) on the Sharks team.
Letters to the Editor
Recycled water fill-up station coming to Scotts ValleyBy Bill Maxfield On August 4, Scotts Valley Water District, a regional leader in the distribution of recycled water, announced plans to open, by late August, a recycled water fill-up station that will provide free recycled water to Scotts Valley residents.Believed to be the first of its kind in Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties, the station will provide Scotts Valley residents up to 250 gallons of recycled water per day, free of charge, that can be used to irrigate residential landscaping, fruit and vegetable trees, as well as to wash down hard surfaces and control dust from construction projects. Recycled water is wastewater purified through multiple treatment processes that meets California Department of Public Health quality and safety standards. Since 2002, the District has delivered about 530 million gallons of recycled water to customers, an amount equivalent to about a year’s worth of water used by the entire system, which serves 4,000 accounts. “We are excited about making recycled water more widely available to Scotts Valley residents, who we know are committed to helping us reduce groundwater pumping during the drought,” said District General Manager Piret Harmon. “Increasing our community’s use of recycled water for landscaping and gardening will help us maintain our target consumption level of 75 gallons of potable water per person per day.”The fill-up station will be located in a lot behind the Scotts Valley Library Branch on Kings Village Road, across from the Scotts Valley Senior Center. The operation schedule will be announced in late August.For more information about recycled water use within the District, visit http://svwd.org/your-water/recycled-water.About Scotts Valley Water DistrictScotts Valley Water District is a public agency providing water and sewer service over six square miles including most of the City of Scotts Valley and a portion of the unincorporated areas north of the city limits. The community of Scotts Valley places a high value on livability, innovation and planning for the future. Scotts Valley Water District is proud to play a vital role in supporting those efforts by providing a reliable, sustainable, high-quality water supply. Through partnership with our community, strategic investment in resources and pursuit of new ideas, Scotts Valley Water District is redefining its historic role in order to meet future challenges and turn them into opportunities. Learn more about Scotts Valley Water District at www.svwd.org or www.facebook.com/svwater.
The Mountain Gardener: Gardening with Kids
My friend Adelyn came to visit the other day. Adelyn just turned three. We always have a good time exploring my garden and checking out the forest. This time, her visit was even more fun.I didn’t have any cherry tomatoes to share because Mr. Gopher got to the plants first but there are always lots of flowers to admire and some have a wonderful fragrance. Over a dozens hummingbirds visit my feeders daily and they love the flowers that produce nectar, too. Songbirds have their own feeders plus suet to eat and all the little seeds that nature can provide. My sunflowers will soon be ripe for the goldfinches to enjoy.To share one’s excitement and knowledge of the outdoor world with a child is fun and rewarding. The wonder that can be seen on a young person’s face as they discover a swallowtail butterfly or a flower just starting to open or a bird feeding in the garden is priceless.Sure it would be great to have a large vegetable garden to share with Adelyn. We could build a teepee out of fallen branches and plant scarlet runner beans around the outside. Alternatively, we could grow a pizza garden in a circle divided like pizza slices with long wooden stakes. We’d plant tomatoes, sweet red peppers and basil in the slices and use stepping stones to mimic pepperoni slices.But I have lots of other cool things to do, so when Adelyn comes to my house we become a couple of naturalists and horticulturalists and that’s OK with us.For Adelyn’s last visit I made a bird book for her with pictures that I took at my house. It has photos of other things besides birds — butterflies, flowers, a tree frog and pictures of family members when they have visited. It was fun to watch her run around and identify which bird or flower had a picture in her book.In a short time, she had seen the Grosbeak, Junco, chickadee, purple finch, goldfinch and nuthatch all snatching a seed from the feeder. The flowers were easier to find since they can’t fly. She really liked the blue hydrangeas and the red flowering maples. Hiding among the huge hosta leaves was fun for her, too.We took some more pictures during the afternoon and printed them out on the computer to add to her little book. The book is one of those inexpensive four by six inch photo albums with sleeves for the photos. We looked for the chipmunks to photograph for the album but they were out feeding elsewhere in the forest.Finding things to do in the garden is easy. You probably already have some edible flowers in your garden. Tuberous begonia petals taste like lemon. Calendulas are spicy as are carnations and marigolds. Dianthus are clove-flavored, nasturtiums give a hint of horseradish and violas, pansies, hollyhock, squash blossoms and johnny-jump-ups taste like mild lettuce. You can also freeze flowers like violas, fuchsias, geranium, stock and thyme in ice cubes.Flowers that kids can cut will be interesting for them, too, especially when planted in their own garden. Cosmos, planted from six packs, provide instant color as well as attracting butterflies. Zinnias come in a rainbow of colors and are a favorite of swallowtail butterflies. Another easy to grow flower for cutting is the snapdragon.Besides flowers, fragrant plants like lemon basil, lemon verbena, lime thyme, orange mint and other herbs engage the senses and can be included in a kid's garden. Lamb's ears are soft and furry.Get a kid into gardening and nature and they'll be good stewards of the land for a lifetime. Plus you’ll have a lot of fun in the process. -Jan Nelson, a landscape designer and California certified nursery professional, will answer questions about gardening in the Santa Cruz Mountains. E-mail her [email protected], or visitwww.jannelsonlandscapedesign.comto view past columns and pictures.
One week of overnight traffic control on Highway 9 in Felton...
Travelers on Highway 9 in Felton will encounter overnight traffic control beginning Monday, Jan. 12, as part of utility relocation work.
Travelers on Highway 9,...
