Press Banner

Trash fees outside of Santa Cruz County cities will be increasing in 2017.The county Board of Supervisors on Nov. 15  adopted an new rate structure for solid waste ratepayers for the unincorporated areas of Santa Cruz County.Typical residential customers would see monthly charges for Green Waste refuse and recycling services increase by approximately $2.50 a month for 2017.The suprvisors cited the need to create “a more sustainable solid waste system.” County oficials said the county’s residential rates would still be lower than in many neighboring communities.Contributing factors are increased maintenance costs, new reporting requirements, and more money to combat illegal dumping and graffiti, capture landfill gasses, conduct public outreach and meet new State mandates, among other activities.The commodities market for recycled goods is also down and not expected to recover, limiting the county’s ability to recover costs from recycling operations. “Beginning with the introduction of curbside recycling in the 1970s – one of the first communities in the U.S. to do so – through this year’s adoption of the Zero Waste Plan, Santa Cruz County has long been a leader in environmental protection,” Public Works Director John Presleigh said.“These modest rate increases will help us maintain our leadership position.”Under the plan, commercial rates would also rise. Absent any action, reserves in the County’s Solid Waste Enterprise Fund are expected to be run out by 2019. No General Fund money is used to support solid waste programs. In recent years, the state Legislature has passed several new mandates, including increased recycling, more organic material from commercial and multi-family buildings, and new reporting requirements for recyclables and organics.The new rates take effect Jan. 1, 2017.

The beginning of a new year means starting fresh, particularly when it comes to health habits. In 2016, The Skin Cancer Foundation urges everyone to make skin health a top priority.

Locals finish in top 100 in wharf race

Dominic Grillo of Whitehouse Station, N.J., set the pace in the 41st running of the Race Thru the Redwoods on Sunday, Aug. 16, capturing the title of the annual 10-kilometer race in 39 minutes, 1 second. The 34-year-old averaged six minutes, 17 seconds per mile on the hilly course that hosted a total of 459 10K racers.

Anyone who relies on a car to make ends meet (that is, nearly everyone in the U.S.) knows that gasoline is quickly approaching the $5 mark and may hit $6 a gallon by the end of the summer. With the lack of jobs in Santa Cruz County, especially in San Lorenzo Valley, we simply don’t have many choices other than driving “over the hill” for a paycheck.

EDITOR,

The returning numbers from last fall for Chinook salmon are promising, while future years may be of concern. The counts have come in from the Sacramento River and its tributaries and they were higher than expected.