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Problems Have Not Gone Away

Scotts Valley Times: February 2010

Scotts Valley School Bond Measure Q’s failure a year and a half ago didn’t end Scotts Valley School District’s problem with the dilapidated Scotts Valley Middle School (SVMS) and other district buildings. Although SVMS has successfully implemented a great new program that uses “Academies” to restructure the school day (see update on the Academies in the March Issue of SV Times), SVMS still needs better buildings.

“Despite the aging facilities, SVMS provides an educational program that is outstanding,” said Scotts Valley Middle School Principal Mary Lonhart. “The students of Scotts Valley deserve to attend school on a campus that meets their academic, technological, athletic and social needs.”

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Aptos Times: February 2010

Reggie teaches at Aptos High School where he also coaches the Wrestling team. The special education program he has helped develop and administer within his classroom is unique, inspiring and powerful.

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Capitola Soquel Times: February 2010

The Sempervirens Fund stated this week that its focus is to create a Great Park—the size of Redwood or Zion National Parks—in the Santa Cruz Mountains by connecting existing public lands and working forests to each other. The Great Park planning area is 215,000 acres, of which 76,000 have already been protected. Sempervirens has targeted another 45,000 acres as its priority for acquisition.

Brian Mathias law student and Santa Cruz County Fair Board member doesn’t see the concept of a “Great Park” as a positive. He said, “I think the idea of a ‘Great Park’ is in reality a ‘Great Boondoggle.’ It is a threat to the concept of private property ownership. There is a very strong connection between the ‘Great Park’ and the attempt to pass SB 211, which would provide a new layer of government over both the incorporated and unincorporated areas of Santa Cruz County and give taxpayers another governmental mouth to feed.”