Santa Cruz County supervisors are considering softening the blow to local nonprofits this year by adjusting a proposed 20 percent cut to 12 percent. The county currently gives about $3.4 million to local nonprofits, about half of what it gave in 2002.
Articles by Danny Wool
Man Arrested for Kissing Kids
The SCPD has arrested Max Cagle for randomly kissing young children he met while walking down the street.
After 22 Years, Juvenile Murderer Up For Parole
Back in 1988, when he was only 16, Donald Schmidt was convicted of sexually assaulting and drowning a 3-year-old. He has since been under lock and key at the Stockton Youth Facility, the oldest ward of the state in a juvenile facility.
Teen Beaten on Beach
On Sunday, a local 18-year-old got into a fight on the beach near West Cliff Drive and Fair Avenue. According to reports, he was attacked by four assailants aged 15-27 who hit him, kicked him and possibly beat him with an unknown object.
Watsonville Pilot Program Provides Health Care for Infants
A new program called Baby Gateway is making sure that babies born in Watsonville get the care they need, and that parents of these babies get the support they need in those critical early years.
Though half of all babies born in Santa Cruz County qualify for MediCal, the registration process can be confusing for many parents, and infants often end up being brought to the emergency room when there is a problem. Baby Gateway hopes to alleviate the problems by assisting new parents with the MediCal enrollment process and ensuring that each family has a primary care physician to help it with its needs. New parents are also offered a crash course in how to tend to their babies, and what signs to look out for that may indicate that the child is ill. Materials are provided in English, Spanish and Korean.
Homeowners Hot For Chicks
We’re used to hearing that 60 is the new 40 and that gray is the new black. Could chickens be the new dog? Some people in Santa Cruz seem to think so. There’s a new trend in Santa Cruz—raising chickens for eggs in your own backyard. Way back in 2005, Scotts Valley Feed sold just a couple of hundred chickens. In 2009, they sold more than 3,000 to avid backyard farmers who want to raise chickens and harvest their eggs. After all, a happy chicken can produce as many as six eggs a day, meaning that just a few chickens can produce quite a bit of food for the truly cholesterol-starved. Especially popular are the heritage brands, which add color and flavor to the Food Inc.-style variety eggs we tend to find in the grocery.
Grand Jury Weighs in on Library Crisis
The Santa Cruz County Grand Jury is not happy with the way the county’s libraries are being run. A report released yesterday noted that the technology infrastructure is outdated, buildings are aging, and the collections are not being updated as necessary. Its conclusion: local libraries will no longer be able to meet the needs of their patrons in an age where technology is changing so quickly. As an example of the problem, the Grand Jury noted that the system is the only one in the country to still use an outmoded computer system.
Rock Throwing Vandal Arrested
Santa Cruz police have arrested Zakari Adams, 22, as one of the vandals responsible a wave of incidents throughout the city.
Watsonville Teacher Arrested for Having Sex with Student
Tanya Thienngern, 37, who teaches English at Pajaro Valley High School, has surrendered to the Watsonville police after a judge signed a warrant for her arrest. Thienngern is charged with have sex with a 17-year-old student and at least one other current or former student, as well as serving alcohol to minors and contributing to the delinquency of minors. If convicted, she could face up to 7 years and 4 months in prison.
Plan to Clean Up Pogonip
City officials are prepared to rethink the Pogonip master plan in order to combat the drug dealers and homeless camps that call the park home. Over the past few years, the park’s reputation has caused many joggers and nature lovers to avoid it, and budgetary constraints make the cost of maintaining more park rangers there prohibitive. The new plan is based on the assumption that increasing usage by the general public would force the undesirable elements out. “You gotta bring the public in,” says Chief Ranger John Wallace.
