Community Television of Santa Cruz County

Many families are still homeless due to the CZU fires. The county is asking landlords for help. Click on the link for complete information. https://www.co.santa-cruz.ca.us//CZUHousingNeeds.12022020.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY OFFERS ELECTION DAY COVID-19 SAFETY TIPS Santa Cruz County, Calif. For many, Election Day comes with its own traditions, but the COVID-19 pandemic has added new considerations. Cases are increasing in California and it’s important to remember that the pandemic has not ended. Instead of gathering in person to watch results, hold a virtual watch party. If you are planning to gather with people outside of your household, gather outdoors, wear a face covering,... stay at least six feet away, and carry hand sanitizer. Remember the risk of spreading COVID-19 goes up when gathering in large crowds or when shouting, chanting, or singing, even if you are outdoors. For those who do gather consider getting tested for COVID-19 within a few days through your health care provider or at our free community site. You can find testing location sites on the county’s Get Tested page. Some people may also experience a heightened sense of anxiety and uncertainty. If helpful, consider limiting the amount of news you take in throughout the day and tune off when you can. Stay focused on what you can control. Get exercise, drink water, eat well, and get plenty of rest. Check-in with your friends and loved ones to provide support. We’re in this together and will get through it by taking care of each other. If you haven’t voted, it’s not too late. Every voter was mailed a ballot. Drop it off at 24-hour Ballot Drop Boxes. You can also go to Accessible Voting Locations. Can’t find your ballot? Ask to vote provisionally. Tomorrow and in the following days, please keep yourself, your loved ones, and your community safe

More Days, More Ways to Vote this Election The final days of voting this election will include the opening of 16 additional voting locations on Oct. 31 to Nov. 3 where any voter can go to any location to vote, get a ballot to go, or register and vote on the same day. Voters in California were mailed a ballot to promote safe voting from home. However, many voters still prefer to vote in person, or don’t have the ballot mailed to them and must vote in person, or need to registe...r and vote in person. The Santa Cruz County Elections Office located at 701 Ocean Street, Room 310 in Santa Cruz and the Watsonville City Clerk’s Office located at 275 Main Street, 4th Floor in Watsonville have been open for voting since October 5. On October 12, the county’s new VoteMobile was launched to provide pop-up voting at several locations throughout the county. Starting Oct. 31, 16 more locations will be open for four days: 9am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday, 8am to 5pm on Monday, and 7am to 8pm on Tuesday, Nov. 3, the last day to vote! We are implementing a new model for voting in Santa Cruz County due to the pandemic, County Clerk Gail Pellerin said. It’s a very voter-friendly model that provides for more days and more ways to vote. Traditional polling places have been replaced with larger voting locations to provide for more space to ensure physical distancing. Offering more days of voting will help flatten the voting curve. Locations include: Aptos - Temple Beth El, 3055 Porter Gulch Rd. Boulder Creek - Boulder Creek Recreation Hall, 13333 Middleton Ave. Capitola - New Brighton Middle School, 250 Washburn Ave. Felton - San Lorenzo Valley High School, 7105 Highway 9 Santa Cruz - Simpkins Family Swim Center, 979 17th Ave. Santa Cruz - Bonny Doon Elementary School, 1492 Pine Flat Rd. Santa Cruz - Kaiser Permanente Arena, 140 Front St. Santa Cruz - Masonic Center, 828 N. Branciforte Ave. Santa Cruz - Gateway School, formerly Natural Bridges School, Gym, 255 Swift St. Scotts Valley - Scotts Valley Community Center, 360 Kings Village Rd. Scotts Valley - Scotts Valley High School, 555 Glenwood Dr. Soquel - Soquel High School, 401 Soquel San Jose Rd. Watsonville - Pajaro Valley Community Trust, 85 Nielson St. Watsonville - La Selva Beach Clubhouse, 314 Estrella Ave. Watsonville - Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake Ave. Watsonville - Calabasas Elementary School, 202 Calabasas Rd. On Monday and Tuesday a voting location will open at UCSC at the Merrill Cultural Center on campus, bringing the total number of in-person voting locations to twenty. In addition, the county’s VoteMobile will be on the road at various locations in the county until 8pm Tuesday, Nov. 3. The schedule is posted online at www.votescount.us

Voting Matters Oct. 29 - The Last Zoom Event before Election Day The last Voting Matters Zoom event before Election Day will take place on Thursday, Oct. 29 at 6pm with Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin who will review plans for the last 5 days of this November 3 Election. To join Voting Matters on Zoom, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83963125578... To participate via phone, call 1-669-900-9128. The meeting ID is 839 6312 5578 and the passcode is 679197.

ADDITIONAL COVID-19 RENTAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS AVAILABLE The County of Santa Cruz and its partners announce that funding remains available for the County’s CARES Rental Assistance Program. Eligible applicants are encouraged to apply now through November 16. ... https://www.santacruzhealth.org//CARESRentalRound3.1028202

Vote early on Vote Early Day! The Santa Cruz County Clerk’s Office and the Watsonville City Clerk’s Office will be open for early voting on Saturday, Oct. 24 from 9am to 5pm as part of Vote Early Day, a movement of nonprofits, businesses, election administrators, and creatives working to ensure all Americans know their options to vote early.

FOOD BENEFITS AVAILABLE FOR WILDFIRE VICTIMS Starting October 14 through October 22, Disaster CalFresh food benefits may be available to residents impacted by the CZU Lightening Complex wildfires. Santa Cruz County is one out of 6 wildfire impacted counties operating a Disaster CalFresh program during this temporary period.... A family of four with a monthly income up to $2,893 per month, after taking disaster-related expenses into consideration, may be eligible to receive up to $646 in food benefits through this program. For info, click below. https://www.co.santa-cruz.ca.us//DisasterCalFresh.10142020

DISASTER ASSISTANCE DEADLINE EXTENDED The federal deadline for individual assistance and small business assistance for those impacted by the CZU Lightning Complex fires has been extended to Nov. 21, 2020. https://www.co.santa-cruz.ca.us//DisasterAssistanceDeadlin

Voters Check Your Mailbox for your Ballot and Voter Guide Voters will begin to find election materials for the November 3, 2020, Presidential General Election in their mailboxes this week. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ballots have been mailed to all voters in Santa Cruz County to promote safe voting from home. The ballot is in a 9.5 by 6-inch envelope with a big XO on the flap....Continue reading

Check out this CTV job on Idealist https://ideali.st/oBa9o2

DONATION PICKUP SITES The County of Santa Cruz is pleased to announce two donation distribution sites for those affected by the CZU Lightning Complex fires. These sites are located closer to the impacted area than prior distribution sites in Watsonville and Santa Cruz.... For those with needs related to the fires, the location and hours of each site are: St. Peter and St. Paul Orthodox Church 9980 Hwy 9, Ben Lomond Wednesday 4 p.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Valley Churches United 9400 Highway 9, Ben Lomond Monday-Friday, 9 p.m.-4 p.m. In addition, Valley Churches United will continue accepting donations on behalf of those in need. Please call (831) 336-8258 to make arrangements prior to dropping off any donated items. #CZUAugustLightningComplex #CZULightingComplex

Take a look at your Santa Cruz County Candidates for election in 2020. https://youtu.be/EzMNYi2yXeM

Santa Cruz County Friends, Here's CTV's interview with Gail Pellerin, our County Clerk about How to Vote in a Pandemic. If you have time, take a look. Gail and her team have figured out how to overcome just about any obstacle to voting. From remote voting to an audio version of the voting guide. There is even a way to vote in person without waiting in a line. They've thought of everything. https://youtu.be/SBvLEFfhx8c

/ DONATION WAREHOUSES TO CLOSE Since the start of the CZU Lightning Complex fires, county residents and community supporters both locally and beyond have stepped forward to make sure the needs of CZU Lightning Complex fire evacuees are being met. ... Effective Friday, September 18 at 4 p.m., the 1082 Emeline Ave. warehouse in Santa Cruz and the 114 Walker St. warehouse in Watsonville will no longer be accepting donations for fire evacuees or open to evacuees. We thank the public for their amazing demonstrations of community support and inspiration during a very difficult time. The County is currently reaching out to community partners in the CZU Lightning Complex fire area to identify convenient locations for ongoing drop off and pick up of needed donation items. If evacuees are in need of water, clothing, toiletries, non- perishable food or other items during this transition time, please contact Santa Cruz County General Services at 831-454-2210, Monday-Friday 8 a.m.5 p.m. Total community donations to CZU Lightning Complex fire evacuees include (at minimum): 20,000 cases of water 2,000 sleeping bags and pillows 2,500 blankets 1,200 tents 1,000 tarps In addition, non-perishable food items, toiletries, new clothes, hundreds of pairs of shoes, and much, much more have been donated. Residents of Santa Cruz County should be proud of the support they have shown for their neighbors. The County also thanks corporate supporters such as Patagonia, O’Neill, Live Nation, Warner Entertainment, Sketchers, Pepsi, Pacific Wave, as well as the American Red Cross and hundreds of volunteers who have helped make relief efforts possible. For updates on donations, please visit www.santacruzcounty.us/FireResources.aspx.

PRICE GOUGING PROHIBITIONS EXTENDED Due to the ongoing CZU Lighting Complex fire emergency, the County of Santa Cruz has extended prohibitions on price-gouging through October 18, 2020. https://www.co.santa-cruz.ca.us//2020/PriceGouging.0917202