Input sought on school routes plan

WATSONVILLE — The public is invited to help create a “Safe Routes to School Plan” for 15 schools in Watsonville in partnership with Ecology Action, the City of Watsonville and the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency.

The plan will include a list of projects that will improve access to schools.

In 2014, the California Office of Traffic Safety ranked Watsonville as the worst out of 105 similarly sized cities for injury crashes that involve pedestrians under age 15 and as the fourth worst for pedestrian collisions that cause injury or fatality. Although biking and walking account for only three percent of transportation in Watsonville, cyclists and pedestrians are involved in 75 percent of crashes.

The goal of this project is to gather community input and create a comprehensive plan for traffic safety improvements near schools. Having a Safe Routes to Schools Plan in place will also make the city more competitive for grant funding, which is available through Caltrans’ Active Transportation Program.

This project was modeled after a similar planning process in the City of Santa Cruz. According to Ecology Action, after completing the plan, Santa Cruz received $1.4 million in grant funding to design and construct a variety of safety improvements around Santa Cruz schools. 

Two project kickoff meetings are scheduled:

• Wednesday, Sept. 26, 6:30–8 p.m., at Starlight Elementary, 225 Hammer Drive

• Thursday, Sept. 27, 6:30–8 p.m., at E.A. Hall Middle School, 201 Brewington Ave.  

Dinner and childcare will be provided as well as Spanish translation.

Following the kickoff meetings, walking audits will be held at each school to observe the school drop off and hear from parents and school administrators about specific safety issues.

The planning team will present a list of recommendations and gain feedback in the spring, and the final plan will be presented to the Watsonville City Council in early 2020.

This project is funded through a Caltrans Planning Grant.

For information, visit ecoact.org/planningwatsonville, or contact Amelia Conlen at [email protected] or 515-1351.

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Watsonville Rotary Foundation announces start of grant cycle

WATSONVILLE — The Watsonville Rotary Club Foundation is accepting grant applications from eligible nonprofit organizations serving youth in Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley. 

The grant cycle period will remain open until Jan. 31. Applicants will apply this fiscal year for programs they will provide in FY 2019-20. 

Interested organizations should visit Watsonville Rotary’s website at watsonvillerotary.com/community-grants where they can review the foundation’s grant guidelines to determine if their organization may be eligible for grant funding.

The foundation does not make grants to individuals. Watsonville Rotary prefers to fund programs that are offered in an organizational setting for the benefit of groups of children, youth and students.

After the grant application period closes on Jan. 31, the Watsonville Rotary Foundation’s Grants Review Committee (GRC) will begin its review of all submissions. The GRC will provide its final recommendations Watsonville Rotary’s Board of Directors in May, and grant awards will be announced early in June. 

Grant awards will range from $250 to $2,000. Organizations awarded a grant will be invited to attend a Watsonville Rotary Luncheon in June to receive their award checks.

For information about the grants, contact Kathleen King, grants committee chair, at 234-0062 or [email protected].

For information about the Watsonville Rotary Club, including information about joining, visit www.watsonvillerotary.com.

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Dog training classes to begin

WATSONVILLE — Dog training classes with the Monterey Bay Dog Training Club are starting Sept. 25 and 27.

Class sessions are eight weeks long and are held at two locations. All levels of training are taught by professional trainers: puppy, beginning, intermediate and advanced.

Starting Sept. 25, the classes will be held Tuesday nights at the JJ Crosetti Building at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake Ave. in Watsonville.

Starting Sept. 27, the classes will be held Thursday nights at the Mid-County Senior Center, 829 Bay Ave. in Capitola.

Classes are $100 per eight-week session.

For times and class descriptions, visit www.montereybaydog.org or email [email protected].

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Retired Teachers Association holding luncheon

APTOS — The California Retired Teachers Association Division 7 luncheon will be held Oct. 3 at 11:30 a.m. at Seacliff Inn, 7500 Old Dominion Court in Aptos.

The guest speakers will Taylor Brenis, staff member of Congressman Jimmy Panetta, and Kaitlyn Kane,  Thomas Johnson and Rebecca Jones, who received Cabrillo College Foundation Scholarships because they are interested in becoming educators.

Those interested in attending are asked to mail their name and phone number and a check for $20 per lunch made payable to CalRTA, Division 7. Indicate your choice of pork loin or spinach ricotta. Mail your check to Glenda Hastings, 6013 Thurber Lane, Santa Cruz, CA 95065 by Sept. 24 or after that date call to reserve at 476-5886.

For information, visit CalRTA.org and search for “Division 7.”

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Birchbark Foundation holding annual fundraiser

MOUNT MADONNA — BirchBark Foundation’s second annual Art and Wine on the Mountain will be held Sept. 29 from 3-6 p.m. on Mount Madonna. 

Donations and sponsors help provide lifesaving services to pets when owners are unable to afford treatment.

All of BirchBark’s funds come from individual donations, grants and fundraising events.

BirchBark was founded by Merrianne Burtch, a long-time Central Coast veterinarian. Since 2013, BirchBark has helped save nearly 200 family pets.

Tickets, which are $95, can be purchased at www.birchbarkfoundation.org/tickets. The address of the event will be disclosed once a ticket is purchased.

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Northern Monterey County Foundation announces grant recipients

MONTEREY COUNTY — The Northern Monterey County Foundation (NMCF), an affiliate fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County, has awarded its second year of grants to benefit the communities of North Monterey County.

The NMCF, established in 2016, raises funds to provide grants now and into the future. Since its start, the NMCF has provided nearly $60,000 in support to 18 local nonprofits. It is supported by individuals, families and businesses who want to give back to their communities.

“The response to the NMCF has been inspiring, both the support of local donors and the impact the grants have already made in two short years,” said Don Chapin, chair of the NMCF Advisory Board. “We look forward to building on this momentum to benefit North County communities into the future.”

Grants totaling $35,500 were made in 2018 to the following 14 projects and programs serving Northern Monterey County residents:

• Animal Friends Rescue Project: $2,500 to provide mobile spay/neuter clinics in North County

• Aromas Community Center Foundation: $3,000 for an irrigation system for the youth soccer field

• Center for Land-Based Learning: $3,000 to prepare students for STEM careers in agriculture and environmental sciences

• Central Coast YMCA: $2,500 for Pajaro Park programs to build community and promote health and wellness

• CHISPA: $1,500 to provide after-school music enrichment programs at three locations in Castroville

• Coastal Kids Home Care: $3,000 to support in-home nursing and palliative care for children with serious illness

• Foundation for Monterey County Free Libraries: $2,500 for the “Navigating a New World” program, providing literacy activities for new immigrants

• Girls Incorporated of the Central Coast: $3,000 for the Will Power/Won’t Power program empowering North County girls

• Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services: $3,000 to provide practical and financial support for families of children with cancer

• Legal Services for Seniors: $3,000 for no-cost legal representation for North Monterey County seniors

• Neighbors Helping Neighbors: $1,500 for a storage shed and freezer for the Aromas food distribution program

• Pajaro Valley Shelter Services: $2,000 to support financial consciousness training and tenant education to address family homelessness

• Partnership for Children: $2,000 to help increase access to medical care and support for children with serious illnesses

• Positive Discipline Community Resources: $3,000 to provide parent education on navigating the teen years with positive discipline in English and Spanish

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Chefs sought for chili cook-off

SANTA CRUZ — Registration is open for the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Chili Cook-Off.

The ninth annual Cook-Off takes place along the Boardwalk on Oct. 27. Cash prizes will be awarded for Best Chili, People’s Choice, Most Tasted, and Most Original teams.

Two types of chili are eligible: red (con carne) and vegetarian.
The entry fee for amateur cooking teams is $50, and $75 for professionals. Each team receives two Boardwalk All-Day Rides Wristbands, two 2018 Chili Cook-Off T-shirts, and a complimentary parking pass.

A portion of the proceeds from this year’s event will benefit Teen Kitchen Project. The nonprofit serves Santa Cruz County, bringing young people into the kitchen to learn to cook nourishing food for individuals and families in crisis due to a life-threatening illness.  

Admission to the Chili Cook-Off is free. Visitors can watch chefs prepare their chili on the Boardwalk, and for $10 taste up to six different samples as well as vote for the People’s Choice winner. Cooking begins at 10 a.m., tasting starts at 1 p.m., and winners will be announced at 4 p.m.

For information, including the official entry form and Cook-Off rules, visit www.beachboardwalk.com/chili.

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