Memorial Day ceremony honors fallen soldiers
MOSS LANDING — The Memorial Day Avenue of the Flags Ceremony will take place Monday from 10 a.m. to noon a the Castroville Public Cemetery, located on Highway 1 in Moss Landing.
The event will honor veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces.
Guest speakers will give remarks, and the names of each veteran buried at the Castroville Public Cemetery will be read. Taps will be played followed by a Three Volley Salute.
Guests are invited to bring and share a picture of their fallen soldier. Free coffee and donuts will be served from 9-10 a.m.
Elected officials and guest speakers include Congressman Jimmy Panetta, Senator Bill Monning and Assemblyman Mark Stone.
The event is sponsored by NMC LULAC Council #2907, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion Post #31 and the Castroville Public District Cemetery.
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PVHA open on second Saturdays
WATSONVILLE — The Pajaro Valley Historical Association, 332 East Beach St., is now open on the second Saturdays of each month from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
The only exception is Sept. 9, which has been reserved for a wedding.
The archive will be open for research, have a slide show of historic Watsonville, and will provide hands-on activities for children.
The Bockius-Orr house will be open for tours. The Carriage House and garage will have hands-on displays and activities for children.
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Forum addresses criminal justice reform
SANTA CRUZ — On May 31, criminal justice experts from across Santa Cruz County will join at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church St., to discuss the impacts of recent reforms across the local, state and federal criminal justice systems.
Presented by Smart on Crime and the Community Corrections Partnership’s Community Education & Engagement Workgroup, the community forum will address recent changes in approach to crime, punishment, rehabilitation and recidivism, including Propositions 47, 57, 64 and Assembly Bill 109.
“Over the past six years, California has experienced the most sweeping justice system reforms we have seen in the past 30 years,” said Fernando Giraldo, Chief Probation Officer of Santa Cruz County. “Santa Cruz has responded in innovative and effective ways to manage new local responsibilities and enhance public safety efforts.”
Speakers include Santa Cruz Mayor Cynthia Chase, Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart, Giraldo, UCSC Professors Craig Haney and Craig Reinarman, and others. A panel will also take questions about criminal justice reforms.
This event, which runs from 6-8:30 p.m., is free and open to the public.
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Salud, Dientes provide dental care in Beach Flats
SANTA CRUZ — Salud Para La Gente and Dientes Community Dental Care are working to ensure the Beach Flats community will continue to access dental care.
Starting June 1, Dientes will provide dental services twice a week to uninsured and “underinsured” adults and children in Santa Cruz County in the same location previously occupied by Salud.
Salud recently closed its Beach Flats Community Health Center, located at 302 Riverside Ave. in Santa Cruz, and “with Dientes’ partnership, Beach Flats patients will continue to get the dental care they need in their neighborhood,” said Marc Pimentel, Board Chair of Salud Para La Gente. “We are honored to partner with Dientes to serve these patients.”
Dientes’ recent needs assessment highlighted that 30 percent of patients on Medi-Cal are going to the dentist, in large part due to not enough dental appointments being available.
“When Salud brought to us the opportunity to provide care to the Beach Flats community, we knew we had to step in and help address the huge need,” said Dientes Executive Director Laura Marcus. “We are grateful to be able to work with Salud on this project.”
Based in Watsonville, Salud provides comprehensive health services including medical, dental, vision and behavioral health services and support for healthy living through 120,000 visits with 28,000 patients.
With clinics in Santa Cruz and Watsonville and through a 35-location Outreach Program, Dientes provides nearly 35,000 visits to 10,000 patients annually, half of which are children.
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Supervisors approve GreenWaste contract
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY — The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a new contract with recycling and waste hauler GreenWaste Recovery.
Under the 10-year agreement, GreenWaste will expand organic waste collection and composting, set a raised target to recycle 65 percent for the waste stream, replace its local fleet with greener vehicles that use locally-sourced biodiesel, hold three free annual curbside pickups for bulky items such as couches or washing machines, and increase educational and outreach opportunities.
The new contract also continues existing programs such as used motor oil and filter collection, holiday tree pickup and a 15 percent “Lifeline” discount for qualifying low-income customers.
“There are a lot of great things on this agreement. I think it’s one of the best in the state,” Supervisor Bruce McPherson said.
Negotiations over the new agreement took approximately 18 months to complete, and includes rate increases that maintain competitiveness with other local jurisdictions.
“We’re very excited,” said Emily Finn of GreenWaste Recovery. “We believe this is a very advanced, state-of-the-art agreement. We can’t wait to start rolling out the new programs.”
The new agreement takes effect Jan. 1, 2018.
