The Pajaronian

Two and a half years after taking the helm of Pajaro Valley Unified School District, Superintendent Heather Contreras will be leaving for a new post.

Contreras has been selected to become superintendent of San Luis Coastal Unified School District on July 1, 2027, following the retirement of current Superintendent Eric Prater, according to a Facebook post by SLCUSD Trustee Michael Glavan.

The SLCUSD Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote on her appointment Tuesday night.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Contreras to San Luis Coastal Unified School District (SLCUSD),” Glavan wrote. “With 25 years of experience in public education and a strong commitment to students, educators, and community, she brings a wealth of leadership and dedication to our district.”

Contreras did not respond to a request for comment Monday.

Her departure will come a little more than three years after she took the helm of PVUSD on May 1, 2024.

Contreras began her tenure with what she called a “Look, Listen and Learn” tour, meeting with students, teachers, community members, nonprofit organizations and law enforcement officials to assess the state of the district.

In a 2025 interview with The Pajaronian, Contreras said those meetings generated more than 1,500 responses that helped shape district goals covering academics, professional development, fiscal responsibility and employee recruitment and retention.

Much of Contreras’ tenure has been dominated by PVUSD’s financial challenges, including declining enrollment and the expiration of one-time federal Covid-19 relief funding that had been used to pay for employees.

As the district faced millions of dollars in reductions, Contreras oversaw the creation of the Sustainable Budget Team, a 24-member group tasked with examining the district’s finances and recommending cuts.

Contreras told The Pajaronian in 2025 that the process was designed both to involve the community in difficult budget decisions and to help the public better understand school finance.

“School finance is really complex,” she said at the time. “There are so many rules that govern how we spend our money. So I think it’s been a real educational tool for people.”

Her tenure also included the passage of Measure M, the $315 million general obligation bond approved by voters in November 2024 to fund construction and renovation projects throughout the district.

Contreras has also worked to increase student involvement in district governance. That included creating the “Core Six,” a group of students who meet with the superintendent before Board of Trustees meetings to review agendas and provide feedback to the district’s student trustee.

PVUSD has also worked under Contreras to address declining enrollment by expanding programs and looking for ways to keep students in the district. Those efforts have included expanding Mar Vista Elementary School to serve transitional kindergarten through eighth grade, restructuring Pacific Coast Charter School and exploring an early-college partnership with Cabrillo College.

At the same time, the district has continued to struggle with academic performance, particularly in math, as students recover from learning losses associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Contreras’ time with the district has also been marked by turmoil on the Board of Trustees, where discussions have at times veered away from district business and into disputes among board members.

The Pajaronian will update this story as more information becomes available.

Santa Cruz County residents will be able to register to vote, obtain replacement ballots and get other election services at eight local libraries this month.

The Santa Cruz County Clerk/Elections Office is holding its Ballots & Books events throughout October in preparation for the Nov. 3 General Election.

Residents can register to vote, drop off completed ballots, obtain replacement ballots and vote using an accessible ballot. Elections staff will also be available to answer questions and provide information about voting.

Activities for children will be offered to give families an opportunity to learn about elections together.

The South County events are Oct. 17 from noon-4pm at the Watsonville Public Library, 275 Main St., and the Freedom Branch Library, 2021 Freedom Blvd.

The full Ballots & Books schedule is:

Oct. 15, 1:30-5:30pm
Boulder Creek Library
13390 West Park Ave., Boulder Creek

Oct. 16, 12:30-4:30pm
Capitola Library
2005 Wharf Road, Capitola

Oct. 17, noon-4pm
Watsonville Public Library
275 Main St., Watsonville

Oct. 17, noon-4pm
Freedom Branch Library
2021 Freedom Blvd., Freedom

Oct. 21, 1:30-5:30pm
Downtown Santa Cruz Library
224 Church St., Santa Cruz

Oct. 23, 12:30-4:30pm
Branciforte Library
230 Gault St., Santa Cruz

Oct. 24, 12:30-4:30pm
Aptos Library
7695 Soquel Drive, Aptos

Oct. 26, 1:30-5:30pm
Live Oak Library
2380 Portola Drive, Santa Cruz

For information, visit votescount.santacruzcountyca.gov or contact a participating library.

A 14-year-old girl who disappeared with her father while authorities investigated the death of her newborn daughter has been found safe in Mexico, and her father has been arrested, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office announced Sunday.

The victim was rescued by Mexican law enforcement, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Her father, Sergio Galvez Perez, 38, was arrested during the operation after authorities allegedly found him in possession of narcotics. 

Mexican authorities are also aware that Galvez Perez faces charges in Monterey County for alleged crimes against the victim, Sheriff Tina Nieto said.

“Monterey County Sheriff’s Office detectives have worked closely with the FBI and Mexican authorities to secure [the victim’s] safe rescue,” Nieto said.

The victim is currently in the care of authorities in Mexico. The Sheriff’s Office did not say when or where in Mexico she was found, or when she could return to the United States. The investigation remains active, and officials said additional information will be released at a future press conference. 

The Pajaronian does not generally identify victims of sexual assault. Although authorities have publicly released the girl’s name in connection with the investigation and the Amber Alert, The Pajaronian is withholding her name because she is an alleged victim of sexual abuse.

The discovery ends a search that began as investigators looked into the Aug. 1 death of a newborn girl, whom authorities have called “Baby Angelita.”

The baby was found dead alongside Struve Road in north Monterey County. Investigators later determined that the victim, who was 14, had given birth alongside the road and left the newborn there. A post-mortem examination found signs of traumatic injury, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The victim was subsequently identified as a suspect in the baby’s death.

But investigators have also described the girl as the victim of alleged sexual abuse by her father.

Sheriff’s investigators previously said Galvez Perez is the biological father of both the victim and Baby Angelita. Authorities allege that he sexually abused and impregnated the girl when she was 13. Warrants were issued for his arrest on suspicion of incest, lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, lewd acts with a minor, unlawful sexual intercourse, child concealment and child endangerment.

The victim’s mother, Ofelia Garcia Ortega, 36, was previously arrested on suspicion of felony child endangerment. Investigators said the charge stemmed in part from allegations that she failed to obtain medical care for the girl when circumstances should have prompted her to do so.

The search intensified in early September after investigators discovered surveillance footage showing the victim and Galvez Perez together in the Salinas area in a white Nissan Altima without license plates. The footage allowed authorities to confirm that the two were together and provided enough information to request an Amber Alert. They had last been seen in Salinas at about 2am Aug. 4.

At the time, investigators said they did not know whether the girl was with her father voluntarily or against her will.

The Sheriff’s Office said Sunday that a press conference will be scheduled to provide more details about the investigation, the victim’s rescue and Galvez Perez’s arrest.

Pajaro Valley Unified School District trustees on Wednesday will consider final approval of a three-year contract with the district’s teachers union that includes ongoing salary increases while the district continues to grapple with substantial deficit spending.

The Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers has already ratified the tentative agreement, which covers the 2025-26 through 2027-28 school years. Board approval would finalize the agreement and resolve negotiations between the district and union.  

The agreement gives PVFT members a 2% ongoing salary increase retroactive to July 1, 2025, followed by 1% increases in 2026-27 and 2027-28. Because these increases compound, salaries will be about 4.05% higher by 2027-28.

Because PVUSD already closed its books for 2025-26, the retroactive 2% increase will be paid during 2026-27. Combined with the current-year increase, that produces a 5.02% disbursement impact in 2026-27.

The AB 1200 financial disclosure estimates the compensation increase for roughly 1,051 represented employees at about $2.51 million for 2025-26, $2 million in 2026-27 and $2.81 million in 2027-28. 

The agreement also restores a $250 classroom-supply reimbursement beginning in 2026-27, increases instructional aide support for general-education kindergarten classrooms and makes numerous changes to workload, hours, leaves, evaluations, transfers and other working conditions.

Beginning in 2027-28, Aptos High School will move from seven periods to six and eliminate its additional collaboration period. PVUSD projects the change will reduce staffing by eight full-time-equivalent teachers and could affect the number and types of courses offered. 

The agreement would also resolve two pending unfair labor practice cases, which the district and union have agreed to withdraw with prejudice after final approval.

The settlement comes as PVUSD continues to face significant financial challenges.

The district says the agreement will create deficit spending in the current year and increase deficit spending in subsequent years. The ongoing costs will be funded primarily through the district’s unrestricted fund balance and reductions in some operating expenses. 

For the combined general fund, the settlement adds about $6.64 million in expenditures to the 2026-27 budget. After other budget revisions, PVUSD projects its fund balance will decline by about $14.18 million this year, $24.65 million in 2027-28 and $17.58 million in 2028-29. The combined general-fund ending balance is projected to fall from about $86.6 million this year to $44.3 million in 2028-29.  

Those projections assume PVUSD will implement $20 million in additional funding or ongoing expenditure reductions by 2027-28. That budget-balancing target existed before the settlement and has not increased as a result of the agreement.  

Despite the projected deficits, PVUSD says it can afford the agreement. The district projects reserves of 3.04% in 2026-27, 3.12% in 2027-28 and 3.01% in 2028-29, remaining just above California’s 3% minimum reserve requirement.  

The Board of Trustees will meet on Wednesday at 6pm in the PVUSD Boardroom at 294 Green Valley Road in Watsonville. For information, visit bit.ly/4rJdK3C

The City of Watsonville has released its General Plan 2050, a sweeping update that will guide development, housing, transportation and conservation in the city for the next quarter-century.

The plan replaces the city’s 2005 General Plan and establishes policies governing Watsonville’s growth and investment through 2050.

Under the plan’s buildout projections, Watsonville could accommodate as many as 5,980 new homes and approximately 2.67 million square feet of new commercial and other nonresidential development.

The plan focuses much of the city’s future growth in downtown Watsonville, along the Freedom Boulevard and East Lake Avenue corridors and in designated new growth areas.

It also calls for a wider variety of housing, new employment and commercial development, regional retail, visitor-serving businesses and recreational uses.

Other goals include preserving agricultural land and natural open space, improving parks and community facilities, making streets more accessible to different modes of transportation and rerouting truck traffic around the city.

The General Plan also updates Watsonville’s land-use map and establishes goals, policies and implementation measures that will guide decisions on future development.

The city will hold a community open house Oct. 14 from 5:30-7:30pm in the Civic Plaza Community Room. A presentation is scheduled for 6pm.

Following the presentation, attendees can visit stations focusing on the city’s growth strategy, land use, transportation, parks and conservation, public services and safety, and the Watsonville Municipal Airport.

The draft General Plan is available at watsonville.gov/2440/General-Plan-Update.

Information about participating in the General Plan process is available at bit.ly/WatsonvilleGPUGetInvolved.

The man running for the Area 5 seat on the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees has been arrested on felony charges.

Curt Wilcox faces felony charges of perjury, improper voter registration and filing a false declaration of candidacy, according to court records.

The charges stem from paperwork he filed in connection with his candidacy for the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees.

He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $30,000 bail, jail records showed.

It was not immediately clear what led to his arrest or what specifically he is accused of doing.

In an August interview, Wilcox told The Pajaronian that he was living in Shasta County but planned to move to Santa Cruz County. He said he was using his father’s Area 5 address as his mailing address.

Wilcox also said he was seeking the seat despite having no political leadership experience and little knowledge of PVUSD.

County Clerk Tricia Webber said at the time that his paperwork met the legal requirements to run for the seat and that her office does not investigate candidates’ credentials beyond verifying their paperwork.

Wilcox’s daughter-in-law, Brooke Wilcox, previously told The Pajaronian that Wilcox attacked her with a stun gun during a 2017 confrontation as she and her children were preparing to leave property where her family had been living.

She alleged that he shocked her repeatedly, causing her to lose consciousness, and that she suffered a broken foot during the confrontation.

Court records show that Wilcox was convicted in a separate Capitola case stemming from June 2023. The records show a conviction for resisting or deterring an officer, which was later reduced to a misdemeanor, as well as a vandalism charge listed in his sentencing records.

Assistant District Attorney Ilia McKinney did not immediately return a call for comment.

Brett Miller, a Watsonville man with a 40-year history of wild crimes, is going back to prison for two years after 15 years of freedom.

Miller, 62, was sentenced on Wednesday by Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Nancy de la Peña. Miller had earlier pleaded no contest to cockfighting and weapons possession charges stemming from his February 2023 arrest at the property he leased on Ranport Road outside of Watsonville.

De la Peña called Miller’s criminal record “appalling,” a word echoed by prosecutor Nicole Jones.

Miller was sentenced to federal prison in 1995 for two 1992 bank robberies in Merced County. He was released in 2011 and completed his parole.

Instead of state prison this time, Miller offered to wear an ankle monitor if he could remain out of custody. 

“An electronic monitor was never even in my contemplation,” de la Peña said.

Deputies seized guns when Miller was arrested, and he later turned in three more guns. “And he still has a gun” that he has not turned in, Jones said.

A pre-sentencing report from the probation department said “significant risk factors stemming primarily from (Miller’s) extensive criminal history, prior prison commitment, prior supervision violations, and the nature of the present offenses” worked against allowing probation.

As Miller was being led out of the courtroom in handcuffs, the judge said, “Take good care of yourself,” which she says when sentencing people.

“Thank you,” Miller replied.

Miller’s partner, Angie Gonzales, 24, is facing similar charges. Her case is pending. Miller had told probation officers that he and Gonzales were married last week, but Jones produced documents showing that the couple had not applied for a marriage license until this week.

 In a court filing in July, defense attorney Shane Kelly said Miller “immediately sought and gained employment and has not looked back” since being released from prison. Kelly listed 15 companies Miller has worked for, many of them in agriculture.

In a phone interview after Wednesday’s hearing, Kelly said Miller has an “excellent work ethic,” even though the jobs were “mostly menial labor.”

Miller was born and raised in Watsonville. His criminal history is dotted with bank robberies, escapes, high-speed chases, extortion, and even cattle rustling. His schemes often failed because they were too grandiose, but he was usually successful in escaping from custody or eluding police when he was on the streets.

His crimes drew front-page coverage over the years in the Pajaronian and other local media. He looks quite different from when his picture was in local newspapers in the 1990s. He’s a little heavier and his hair is gray.

In 1984, Miller, then 20, was a leader of a plot to extort money from Mitch Resetar, a Watsonville farmer. The plot was bungled, but authorities were unable to capture Miller at the time.

Among the crimes Miller botched was a plot to kidnap a Watsonville bank manager in 1985. A plan to kidnap a bank manager in San Luis Obispo in 1991 fell through when the manager alerted authorities before anybody could get to the bank with her keys.

At Miller’s home at the time in Hilmar, Merced County, authorities found an escape tunnel under the house.

In the early 1990s in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, Miller and an accomplice were suspected of breaking into a bank overnight. An employee who entered the bank in the morning was able to signal other workers that something was amiss. Police were unable to find the perpetrators.

Miller escaped from the old Santa Cruz jail on Front Street in 1986 by sliding down a pole from the rooftop exercise area and running through downtown in his orange jumpsuit. Miller broke out of the current jail on Water Street in 1991 when he and two others went over the wall.

 In June 1985, Miller bolted from the van transporting him to Watsonville Municipal Court, shed his jumpsuit, and ran into the Crestview-Brewington area, clad only in his boxer shorts. He was caught 45 minutes later.

Miller eluded authorities on a half-dozen chases over the years, including one where he ran through thick shrubbery and jumped into the Pajaro River. In another case, in San Luis Obispo County, authorities caught him hiding in a water tank, shivering and soaking wet.

Lane Wallace is a former Pajaronian reporter who covered Brett Miller’s cases in the 1980s and 1990s.

An 81-year-old woman suffered major injuries early Monday after she was struck by an SUV in a hit-and-run crash that led to an arrest two days later of a 78-year-old woman.

The victim was walking across Cynthia Drive at Tuttle Avenue around 6:30am in the senior neighborhood of Pajaro Village in Watsonville when the white newer model SUV smashed into her and knocked her onto the pavement. 

As she began yelling for help, the SUV sped off. On Wednesday afternoon, police arrested Inesia Bravo Pinong at her Cynthia Drive home. 

She is now cooperating with the investigation, said Watsonville Police spokeswoman Erika Vazquez.

ARREST MADE A Watsonville Police officer is shown outside the Cynthia Drive home of the suspect driver where she was arrested Wednesday. 

During the investigation, officers gathered information from witnesses and surveillance video from surrounding homes and businesses. The leads aided WPD’s traffic unit in finding the suspect’s SUV, identity and address. 

The victim suffered major injuries and was taken to an out-of-county trauma center and is recovering, Vazquez said. 

Watsonville Police ask anyone with information about the incident to call 471.1151.

To my Republican Friends

Despite our different political opinions, I think we can all agree that we want a better future for our children.

The president you elected twice, and the representatives and senators in Congress that you elected who continue to support President Trump, have set in motion or accelerated the following trends, which threaten our children’s future.

Trends:

Cost of living: Basic living costs have increased $4,000 per family this year, and they are still rising. President Trump says, “The affordability issue is a hoax.”

Concentration of wealth: The richest 1% (many of them friends of President Trump) own 31% of the wealth in this country, while the bottom 50% (that would be me and you) own only 2.5% of the wealth, and our tiny slice is shrinking.

The national budget deficit: The deficit increased $11.6 trillion (a 29% increase) during President Trump’s two terms.

Global warming: Average temperatures in Santa Cruz have increased about one degree Fahrenheit every decade recently, and the rate of increase is accelerating. Meanwhile, President Trump calls global warming a “hoax.”

Corruption in government: President Trump’s net worth has increased by at least $3 billion since he became president.

Despite promises to end wars, Trump has involved us in two potential nuclear conflicts with no peace in sight. And the proposed Pentagon budget for 2027 has increased by 42%.

Free elections: According to neutral monitors, free and fair elections face significant and escalating threats from Trump.

Artificial intelligence: Although virtually all of the experts tell us that AI is the most immediate threat to humanity, Trump calls it a “hoax.”

Our only hope for reversing or even slowing these trends is to act TOGETHER. For the sake of the future of our children, I ask you to consider these trends when you vote in November.

Don Eggleston
Aptos

The Pajaronian recently published articles about potential closures of some services at Watsonville Community Hospital. I have a different view of our hospital’s situation that I would like to share.

When WCH was purchased out of bankruptcy, it had less than 10 days’ cash. Most hospitals have about 150 days’ cash. This lack of cash impeded everything we tried to do. In late 2023 we were attacked by cybercriminals. The financial impact of that attack rippled throughout 2024. Shortly after Donald Trump came into office, fear of ICE and CBP led many people to stay home in order to avoid arrest, detention and deportation. People also avoided the hospital and the average number of patients in our hospital dropped from 30 to 25 a day. We lost $2-2.5 million a month and ended 2025 with a $24 million loss. The picture is different for 2026.

Measure N, which this community voted for, gave us the money to purchase the hospital building which freed us from $3 million in annual rent. Unfortunately, the use of Measure N funds is restricted to infrastructure projects. We have been able to make roof repairs, replace air handlers, purchase a new MRI and an additional CT scanner. It is also letting us upgrade two of our four operating rooms. But we can’t use Measure N money for a new electronic medical record system or phone system which are both sorely needed.

Until last year, we had problems with surgeries being cancelled due to lack of anesthesia coverage. And due to a lack of specialists, many patients who came to the ER had to be transferred to other hospitals. Both of these problems confirmed the negative reputation that WCH acquired when we were owned by Community Health Systems (CHS). Consequently, most local people still go elsewhere for their hospital care.

We are on the cusp of having a fully functional hospital with two additional operating rooms,  stable anesthesia coverage, reliable CT and MRI, additional gastroenterologists, a pain specialist, a new group of radiologists and an inquiry from interventional radiologists who want to practice at WCH.

In recent months, I have been part of a committee looking at the finances of various service lines. In one of those analyses, eight of 11 service lines lost money. The losses were very widespread and could not be offset by closing the neonatal ICU (NICU) or labor & delivery (L&D). This information made it clear that there is no way to make a 106-bed hospital financially sustainable with an average patient census of 30. 

For years, I have tracked the patient census as an indicator of our financial performance. At 25 patients a day we lose $2 million a month, at 32 patients a day we break even and at 35 we make roughly $1 million a month. In the past, CHS made $5 million a year with an average patient census of 45. The cure for our financial problem is more patient volume, not service line cuts.

The way the hospital’s finances were presented at the recent special board meeting led some people to conclude that we lose $85,000 a day. Without the additional payments we get from the state and federal government, that is true. Along with many other California hospitals, we do get additional payments, grants and loans. Recently, we got a $10.6 million grant from a program that Senator John Laird championed. When these state and federal dollars are included, our daily loss drops to $30,000. That comes out to $900,000 a month or $11 million a year, which is still significant. While we did lose $24 million last year, we are close to breaking even so far in 2026. In fact we made slightly more than $400,000 in August.

NICU and L&D are interdependent with each other, but they are the service lines that are least connected to the rest of the hospital. However, there are still vital connections between these services and the emergency department, surgery, lab and radiology. Nurses from L&D evaluate pregnant women who come to the ER to be sure the fetus is OK. Sick children in the ER are frequently evaluated by the pediatric hospitalists who staff the NICU.  Obstetricians also evaluate women in the ER for a variety of conditions and perform surgeries on patients in the operating room. All of this generates the need for lab and radiologic studies. All of these patient services will be lost if the NICU and L&D are closed.

The removal of some services undermines the capability of the remaining ones and starts a downward spiral that leads to further cuts. Throughout the industry it is believed to be five times more difficult to restart a service line than to maintain it, so service line cuts are almost never temporary. WCH discontinued admitting most patients between a month old and 18 years old about two years ago and there is no hint of it returning.

To some, it feels like we have “tried everything” but failed to lift WCH’s financial position. This is not accurate. We have solved many of the problems that contribute to WCH’s financial losses, but there is still much more that we can do. I fear that the push to close NICU and L&D is rooted in exhaustion and frustration rather than accurate financial analysis or a realistic assessment of our growth potential. 

WCH doctors, nurses and other hospital employees have lots of ideas about how to improve the quality of what we do, how to save money, how to generate more and how to reach out to the community. The goal of engaging the community is to assure local people that they can safely get their hospital care at WCH. The quality of the care WCH provides is better than the California average on every measure.

At this moment I am reminded of a quote from Nelson Mandela, “It always seems impossible until it is done.”

Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” (H.R. 1) goes into effect on Jan. 1. With the MediCal cuts and eligibility changes, thousands of people will lose MediCal. As a result, WCH faces a huge challenge. It makes the future seem impossible. 

As a 75-year-old, I have seen lots of disasters that weren’t as bad as predicted. I’ve also been through horrible disasters where people pulled together and figured out how to prevail. In our case, ballot measures offer one path forward. Measure E, the temporary 0.5% sales tax, is expected to generate $27 million a year for health care. Proposition 40—the one-time 5% tax on people with assets over $1.5 billion—is projected to generate $100 billion for health care. Please vote for them.

We live in the richest state in the richest country. We are the lifeboat for our community. Nearby hospitals do not have the capacity to replace WCH. There are solutions to our problems. We need to find or make them. There is never a time when the solution is to renege on our commitment to pregnant women and newborn babies in the Pajaro Valley. 

Near the terminus of the new bike path along South Green Valley Road—at the entrance to Pinto Lake County Park—lies a construction site that, by the end of the year, will be Watsonville’s second skatepark.

It will also be the only one of its kind in the Watsonville area owned and maintained by Santa Cruz County.

Construction began in July. As of Sept. 30, crews were working on grading, bioretention drainage, formwork and steel coping installation.

The $1.4 million cost was funded entirely by the Santa Cruz-based Richard Novak Foundation, in partnership with County Park Friends.

Grindline Skateparks designed and is building the concrete skatepark. The company also built the skatepark in Seacliff. Santa Cruz County Parks will own, operate and maintain the facility.

The cast-in-place concrete park is intended for beginner, intermediate and advanced skaters. Grindline’s design uses a “Ladder of Progression,” offering features for different ability levels, and “organic flow,” which connects features so riders can move naturally through the park and develop their own lines.

Gavin Denike, a brand manager with NHS—the parent company of Santa Cruz Skateboards—said the “beginner-friendly” park, which will be about 8,000 square feet, will be the kind of place skater parents can bring their kids.

“Just kind of back and forth, always flowing and moving, rather than back and forth, get off your board,” he said. “And little features that hit as you’re flowing through this.”

Mike Eyre, who sits on the four-member Novak Foundation board of directors, added that it was also created with advanced skaters in mind.

“This is still going to be super fun,” he said. “Because it’s got that flow aspect that a lot of parks don’t have.”

The park, therefore, is suitable for a wide range of skating styles.

“It’s going to be fun,” he said.

Grindline, a company well known in the skateboarding community, has created parks across the U.S., Europe and Israel.

“They’re like the most notorious in the skateboard community, so everyone’s really stoked to get an official Grindline skatepark,” Denike said.

Eyre said he hopes the new park will give young people a recreational opportunity.

“And this is an underserved part of the county,” Eyre said. “And I’m hoping that all of these kids in all these neighborhoods are going to be thrilled once this is done and have a great spot to hang out and enjoy recreation opportunities, enjoy skateboarding, enjoy the community, enjoy the parks.”

•••

For information or to donate, visit countyparkfriends.org.

The Aptos High girls flag football team continued their dominance in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League after winning their 15 consecutive game in league play Wednesday.

Senior team captain Ellie Marta had an 18-yard touchdown reception, three tackles and one pass deflection to help navigate the Mariners past Scotts Valley High, 33-0, on a foggy evening at Soquel High School.

With the win, Aptos remains undefeated with a 5-0 record in SCCAL play this 2026 fall campaign. They extended their win streak dating back to last season in which they finished with a 10-0 record.

“It’s just practicing hard,” Aptos senior Summer Michelli said. “If we have something that we realize we didn’t do the best on in a game, just practice that over and over again. Working on both offense and defense is key to success.”

Aptos senior defensive back Val Hernandez led the defense with eight tackles, while senior captain Lauren Galster added five tackles. Junior quarterback Autumn Mata passed for 40 yards and had a 4-yard rushing touchdown.

Junior rusher Mary-Anne MacCarthy had an impactful performance on both sides of the ball with a pick-six, one sack, four tackles and a 14-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Junior Isa Alvarez contributed two tackles, one sack and one pass deflection, while sophomore team captain Ellia Correia caught a 3-yard pass for an extra point attempt, registered one interception and one pass deflection.

Freshman Claudia Burgueno hauled in a 9-yard touchdown reception, while freshman Elianna Garcia added a pair of tackles and hauled in a 3-yard reception on an extra point conversion.

Garcia’s extra point conversion was momentous because now each Mariner player on the varsity roster has been in the end zone at least once this season.

Aptos head coach Denise Russo said in an email that she’s excited to have several four-year players return, but the roster from top to bottom is filled with tons of talent.

Marta is a two-time team captain, All-SCCAL First Team defensive player and the team’s defensive player of the year twice in a row.

“Ellie is a threat on both sides of the ball and we are looking forward to her senior year,” Russo said. 

Marta commits to her training year round in the weight room during the off-season and participates at the girls flag football Sunday Sessions with the Reggie Stephens Foundation.

“[Marta’s] reinforcing the work that we do with agility, speed and technique in the weight room, and on the field,” Russo said.

Myla Applebee is a third-year varsity player that earned All-SCCAL First Team defense honors in 2025. The junior two-way player has plenty of speed, which is what makes her hard to catch on offense or avoid on the defense.

Applebee has also been putting in the work like her teammate Marta at the RSF Sunday Sessions.

Mata, who was the backup quarterback in 2025, is another third-year varsity player and pure athlete who has been working year round at RSF.

“Her offseason development and summer work has earned her the starting QB position,” Russo said.

Junior Julia Parello came in as a third-year varsity player, and is another athlete who has an impact on both sides of the ball with great vision and instincts. She recorded five tackles and had 26 yards rushing on two carries Wednesday night.

Correia returns as a two-way player. She earned All-SCCAL First Team offense honors, and was the team’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2025.

“[Correia’s] skill and development has been phenomenal to watch the past few years,” Russo said. “Her speed, vision, agility and kinesthetic awareness, it’s all really coming together for this player.”

Correia, who like most of the others on the defending SCCAL champion Mariners, has been strength training in the weight room during the off-season and attending Sunday Sessions. 

“Everybody brings their A game to every game,” said Michelli in reference to being the defending league champion. “But we always like to think that there’s a target on our back so that we can work harder to hopefully win.”

The Mariners were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Central Coast Section Division II playoffs following a loss to Hill High.

Michelli said it was a nice introduction to CCS because it was the first time any flag football program had played in the postseason.

“This was just good practice,” she said. “And now we’re gonna come back stronger, hopefully, and try our best.”

Other players slowly making a name for themselves are junior Rosi Resendiz and sophomore Myla Pine. Both players, who were part of last year’s junior varsity team, spent the summer training in the weight room.

The Mariner duo committed to strength training for injury prevention and speed/agility development that has really shown on the field. 

“We were able to kind of get a head start in the season,” Hernandez said. “I feel like it helped us be envisioned and ready.”

Russo was also just as excited to have her coaching staff that includes four-year coach Angela Chemlicek and assistant coach Gabby Russo.

Denise Russo aims to change their offense after each season. The Mariners are under the direction of new offensive coordinator Scott Russo, who has a new playbook that plays to the strengths of the players while adjusting to their opponents.

“We have strength and depth at all positions which means teams will have to defend our entire team on every play,” Denise Russo said.

Similar to the offense, Aptos adjusts its defense depending who the opponent is that day. Russo said they’ve taken reps in a variety of formations from one-on-one to a variety of different coverages.

“We prepare to be ready one game at a time,” Russo said. “We have strength in a deep bench of returning players, our speed and our adaptability.”

Next up, Aptos (7-2, 5-0) hosts San Lorenzo Valley (0-5, 0-5) in SCCAL play Friday at 5pm, followed a league match against Santa Cruz on Oct. 7 at 8pm.

#tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item1 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PAJ2640-Aptos-girls-flag-football-WEB-1-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item2 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PAJ2640-Aptos-girls-flag-football-WEB-2-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item3 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PAJ2640-Aptos-girls-flag-football-WEB-5-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item4 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PAJ2640-Aptos-girls-flag-football-WEB-4-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item5 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PAJ2640-Aptos-girls-flag-football-WEB-6-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item6 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PAJ2640-Aptos-girls-flag-football-WEB-3-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item7 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PAJ2640-Aptos-girls-flag-football-WEB-7-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } 1 of 7 Aptos High senior Summer Michelli is one of several leaders for the Mariner girls flag football team, which remains undefeated with a 5-0 record in Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League play this 2026 fall campaign. (Juan Reyes/The Pajaronian) Aptos High junior Mary-Anne MacCarthy had a pick-six, four tackles and a 14-yard rushing touchdown for the Mariner girls flag football team in their 33-0 win over Scotts Valley High in Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League play Sept. 30. (Juan Reyes/The Pajaronian) Aptos High junior quarterback Autumn Mata tossed for 40 yards and had a 4-yard rushing touchdown for the Mariner girls flag football team in their 33-0 win over Scotts Valley High in Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League play Sept. 30. (Juan Reyes/The Pajaronian) Aptos High girls flag football head coach Denise Russo is in her fourth year with the program. (Juan Reyes/The Pajaronian) Aptos High freshman Claudia Burgueno, No. 20, snatches the ball in mid-air for the touchdown during a girls flag football game against Scotts Valley in Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League play Sept. 30. The Mariners defeated the Falcons, 33-0. (Juan Reyes/The Pajaronian) Aptos High's Rosi Resendez looks for some open space to run with the ball for the Mariner girls flag football team in their 33-0 win over Scotts Valley High in Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League play Sept. 30. (Juan Reyes/The Pajaronian) Aptos High girls flag football offensive coordinator Scott Russo is in his first season with the program. (Juan Reyes/The Pajaronian)

Watsonville High School’s homecoming parade makes its way along Main Street in downtown Watsonville Wednesday. The WHS Wildcatz were set to take on St. Francis High School on their home turf on Friday.

Though Jody Chiang just started as a dentist at Dientes in July, her journey with the organization began years before when she sat in the same chair as a child—often.

Growing up, Chiang dealt with her fair share of dental problems including cavities and tooth extraction, which were treated at the Capitola clinic where she now works. But instead of scaring her away, Chiang grew more curious about dentistry.  

“When I started dental school and learned about the whole world of pediatrics—preventative dental care, working with children, that sounds like my type of thing,” Chiang said. 

Dientes, a nonprofit community health clinic providing care to low-income communities, also recently welcomed Danny Do to its lineup of pediatric dentists.

Do and Chiang knew each other from dental conferences, and he credits Chiang with helping him find the Dientes position. Originally from Southern California, Do has always lived near the water and is happy in his new community.

“Pediatric dentistry is probably the most rewarding specialty to me,” Do said. “I’ve seen so many scared kids transform into scared adults at the dental chair, so if I can make an impact early on and really set good habits … then it’s the most rewarding thing for me.”

Pediatric dentistry is a dental specialty that provides primary and preventative care for patients aged 0-18. These dentists complete an extra two years of residency to specialize in pediatric practice, turning an 8-year education into 10.

Though all dentists can work on children, pediatric dentists are trained in behavior management and family dynamics that make them better equipped to work with children, who require a different approach than adults. 

Sepi Taghvaei, executive vice president of operations and chief dental officer, said there have already been situations where Do and Chiang have been able to treat children where general dentists had been unsuccessful.

“As a pediatric dentist, you sometimes have to think outside the box,” Do said. “Not every treatment is suitable for each kid. Sometimes the visit is just to build rapport and gain a child’s trust.”

Pediatric dentists are also well educated in orthodontics and understanding the growth and development of a child’s mouth, which helps them know what preventative care can be done to provide the child with the best outcomes as they grow older.

Preventative care and education is an important part of the Dientes mission, which aims to bring lasting oral health to the people of Santa Cruz County.

According to Taghvaei, children from low-income families have three times the risk of cavities than children from middle or high-income families. On top of that, Santa Cruz County does not put fluoride in the water, meaning children raised in the county are more likely to get dental decay. 

“It’s really, really important to have pediatric dentists here who can really focus on prevention because with dental decay, prevention is a lot easier and more important than treatment,” Taghvaei said. “Our pediatric dentists are here to provide education to the parent, to provide prevention, to establish trust … and to really bring that excellent care to our community.”

Dientes is the only community clinic in the county that takes Medi-Cal Dental and has pediatric dentists available. 

Before the arrival of Chiang and Do, some kids with severe situations that couldn’t be treated in-house had to drive as far as the East Bay for sedation covered by Medi-Cal.

“With me and Dr. Jody being here, we kind of meet that need,” Do said. “A lot of the parents unfortunately are unable … to take a full day off to have their child fully sedated for the dental treatment. So if we can meet that need and do the work here, then it helps out a lot.”

Pediatric dentists use sedation more often than general practitioners, as some children are unable to be operated on otherwise. Chiang said both of their residencies included repeated experience with sedation, which gave them extensive operating room experience. 

“You don’t have to be a pediatric dentist [to work on children], but we at Dientes believe that pediatric dentists are so special because they have that specialized training and education and behavior management skills and expertise,” Taghvaei said. “We really believe in giving our patients the best possible care, so that’s why we invest in hiring pediatric dentists.”

•••

Syd Fluker is a California Local News Fellow. Visit fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/cafellows.

As our one-week August vacation was nearing an end in Zacatecas, Mexico, my wife Sarah and I had been to around 20 dance performances around the colonial city during the weeklong International Dance Festival.

In between the heavy dose of world culture, from Poland to the Canary Islands, France, Chile and all over Mexico, we felt fortunate to have such a rich blast of culture at our fingertips. And it was all free. 

STREETWISE Each year the International Folclor Festival wraps up with a grand parade that files through downtown Zacatecas.

The festival winds down with a colossal parade through town where townspeople flood the main drag of downtown for a view of the action.

Zacatecas is an easy city to visit on foot. The curvy, winding streets offer a colorful, rich blend of both shops and street vendors with benches sprinkled all over the city for rest stops. We found one street vendor who sold all kinds of copperware, from tiny, miniature toys and bowls, to large kettles and huge cook pots. I bought a cooking apron from a street vendor who was doing a brisk business. It cost around $12. I saw the identical apron, with the colorful letters ZACATECAS embroidered on the front a week later in a supermarket in Watsonville for twice the price. 

BIG COLOR The streets of Zacatecas, Mexico, radiate bright colors.

Several times was passed by a friendly street vendor with his burro named Frank in tow. He offered some form of alcoholic beverage in large wooden jugs strapped to the burro’s back. Almost every evening we stumbled on loud, wandering parties known as callejoneada. They are typically  a wedding or birthday celebration that incorporate live musicians, dancing and a burro who carries the drinks. Anyone can stop and join in and be part of the mobile celebration.

SHARING CULTURES Folk dancers from Croatia treat the crowd to traditional steps and attire.

Open air markets in Mexico are one of the biggest draws for us. From Oaxaca to Mexico City, Chiapas, Ensenada or Veracruz, the markets are often the town hub, the heart of Mexico that all else seems to revolve around. Blend that in with the weeklong open air dance festival in Zacatecas, street musicians, tasty gorditas, and dramatic early day architecture and it’s quite the mix.

In the final chapter of my story, I’ll share photos of the dance festival finale. 

The 2026 Billionaire Tax Act is dominating airwaves this election season as Californians get ready to vote on the nation’s first wealth tax.

Also known as the Billionaire Tax, Proposition 40 creates a one-time 5% wealth tax on taxpayers with over $1 billion in assets. 90% of the revenue will be spent on public healthcare and the other 10% on education, food assistance and administrating the tax. 

This tax affects the roughly 250 billionaires who hold a collective $2.4 trillion in wealth. As of Sept. 28, it is expected to generate around $109 billion for California, according to California Billionaire Wealth Tracker.

The Legislative Analyst Office found the state tax would “probably” collect tens of billions of dollars from the wealth tax spread across several years, but that potential wealth flight could reduce state revenues by less than $1 billion per year. 

The tax is retroactive, meaning it affects billionaires residing in California as of Jan. 1, 2026. According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, retroactive taxes are standard practice and the Supreme Court has approved this approach in previous matters. This element is threatened if Proposition 42 passes.

Directly held real estate, pensions and traditional retirement accounts are excluded. Roth accounts are excluded up to $10 million, as well as up to $5 million of art, cars and personal property.

Prop. 40 has been spearheaded by the healthcare union SEIU-UHW and is supported by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, CA 17th District Rep. Ro Khanna, California Labor Federation, California Democratic Party and Teamsters CA.

According to Dave Regan, president of SEIU-UHW West, Prop. 40 is a direct response to H.R. 1, also known as President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill.

The LAO projects that California could see an annual shortfall of $20 billion to $35 billion by the fiscal year 2027-2028 as a result of H.R. 1. Regan said Prop. 40 is the solution “to this problem that’s a freight train coming at us.”

“This is an incredibly modest and relatively speaking small tax against the gargantuan wealth held by these people, and it’s all to avert a public health catastrophe,” Regan said. 

According to economists Emmanuel Saez of University of California, Berkeley, and Gabriel Zucman of the Paris School of Economics, California billionaires saw wealth increases of an average of over 15% per year and paid on average 0.26 of their wealth annually in state income taxes—accounting for 2.4% of California’s income tax revenue. 

“The income tax is irrelevant to [billionaires],” Regan said. “The billionaire’s wealth does not come in the form of wages and salaries, and what we’ve seen in the last 10 to 20 years is this incredible accumulation of wealth, not income, but wealth concentrated at the very, very upper level of our state.”

Regan said this tax is intended to be a one-time “temporary bridge” while legislators figure out a long-term solution. 

Support for the proposition is split among party lines. The San Francisco Democratic Party voted to oppose Prop. 40 against its state party. Gov. Gavin Newsom and gubernatorial candidates Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton are also against the tax, along with CA 3rd District Rep. Kevin Kiley, California Professional Firefighters and the California Teachers Association.

Opponents say the one-time tax would not produce the long-term funding needed to counteract the effects of H.R. 1. 

In a press release, CTA said it “determined that this policy will not provide the sustainable and long-lasting funding that our schools and communities deserve.”

Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California opposes Prop. 40, citing a lack of accountability and specificity on how funds would support patients and healthcare providers. 

Its staffers launched their own campaign in favor of Prop. 40, signing a public letter to PPAC CEO Jodi Hicks, saying her “position stands in direct conflict with the mission and values this organization was created to uphold.”

According to a Truthdig investigation, 22 California billionaires, most notably Google co-founder Sergey Brin, have spent a combined $150 million to oppose the initiative and endorse Propositions 41 and 42, which could nullify Prop. 40 if all three pass. SEIU-UHW and other supporters have spent $36 million on the campaign.

In this week’s episode, Juan Reyes and John Devine will revisit Week 5 of high school and junior college football. 

Then they’ll chat with Scotts Valley football coach Louie Walters on how the Falcons are turning things around just before league play begins.

And finally, the guys will end the show with an update on cross country and the Games of the Week for Week 6 of the prep football season. 

We’ll have all this and more on… the Cover 3 Sports Podcast.

The Aptos High football team saw nine different players record one touchdown en route to a 60-7 crushing victory over Alvarez High in nonleague play Sept. 25.

Xander Gonzalez, Anthony Najera, Magnus Vitten, Johnny Martinez, Jasiah Thompson, Bryce Boudreault and Preston Carvalho each had one rushing touchdown for the Mariners, who improved to a 2-3 overall record in the 2026 fall campaign.

Aptos junior quarterback Jared Verdia-Moya connected with senior Parker O’Hara for a 12-yard touchdown reception, while junior Ivan Cortes returned a blocked punt 25 yards for a TD in the first half.

Carvalho was credited for the blocked punt, while Martinez recorded one interception on defense.

Next up, Aptos (2-3) plays at Monte Vista Christian (4-1) in the teams’ Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission North Division opener Oct. 3 at 7:30pm.

King City 34, at Monte Vista Christian 14: Senior quarterback Evan Vessey tallied 368 yards passing and a pair of touchdowns in the Mustangs’ loss to King City in nonleague play Sept. 25. 

Vessey also tossed five interceptions, including three that were returned for touchdowns. Teammate senior Jordan Ramirez had 10 receptions for 115 yards and one touchdown, while Johnny Finney had 10 receptions and 103 yards receiving.

James Tipton hauled in a 30-yard touchdown for MVC just before halftime, cutting the deficit in half at 14-7.

Reece Walker tallied 15 total tackles, one sack and recovered two fumbles, while Finney and Bryson Boles each had one interception for MVC, which dropped to a 4-1 overall record this season.

Sophomore RJ Ayon recorded a 38-yard punt return for a touchdown, and had a 98-yard pick-six late in the fourth quarter that sealed the deal for King City. 

Teammate senior Nathan Vega had an 80-yard interception return for a TD also in the fourth quarter, while Kody Lambert had a pick-six in the second stanza.

Senior running back Carson Tidwell finished with 42 yards rushing and one touchdown on seven carries for King City, which improved to a 5-0 overall record this season.

Next up, MVC (4-1) hosts Aptos (2-3) in the teams’ PCAL Mission North Division opener and Homecoming Night on Oct. 3 at 7:30pm.

Harbor 14, at Pajaro Valley 7: Senior running back Adrian Mendoza-Torres scored in the fourth quarter for the Grizzlies but it wasn’t enough in a defeat against the Pirates in PCAL Santa Lucia Division action Sept. 26.

Pajaro Valley dropped to 0-2 in league play this season, and are currently on a three-game losing streak. 

Hudson Bare tossed a 60-yard TD pass to Diego Diaz-Cashatt, while teammate Ryan Reager added a rushing touchdown from 1-yard out that put Harbor ahead at 14-0 going into halftime.

With the win, the Pirates remain undefeated at 2-0 in league play and improved to a 4-0 overall record this season.

Next up, Pajaro Valley (2-3, 0-2) plays at Seaside (3-2, 2-0) in PCAL Santa Lucia Division play Oct. 2 at 7:30pm.

Stevenson 21, at St. Francis 20: The Sharks failed to score on a 2-point conversion attempt late in the game that resulted in a loss against the Pirates in nonleague play Sept. 26. 

Senior quarterback Max Madrigal hit senior wide receiver Keon Barcinas-Hill for a touchdown reception in the fourth quarter that pulled St. Francis to within one point.

Madrigal also had a touchdown pass to Nicholas Fantl in the third quarter, while Frankie Ortiz added a rushing TD in the fourth.

Junior defensive back Jacob Fonseca recovered a pair of fumbles for St. Francis, which dropped to a 2-3 overall record this season.

Junior quarterback Lincoln Clymo completed 14 of 26 pass attempts for 223 yards and one touchdown for Stevenson, which improved to a 3-2 overall record.

Clymo added 63 yards rushing and one touchdown on 16 carries, while teammate senior Barak De La Rosa had three receptions for 101 yards and one TD. 

Next up, St. Francis (2-3) plays at Watsonville (2-3) in the teams’ PCAL Mission North Division opener Oct. 2 at 7:30pm.

Soledad 21, at Watsonville 14: Senior Mark Flores had one touchdown pass and an 85-yard kickoff return for a score in the Wildcatz’s loss to the Aztecs in nonleague play Sept. 25.

Flores connected with Christopher Sigala for a 77-yard TD reception in the second quarter that tied the game at 7-all going into halftime.

Aaron Dominguez and Daniel Garcia each scored in the third quarter for Soledad, which improved to a 1-4 overall record this season.

Next up, Watsonville (2-3) hosts St. Francis (2-3) in the teams’ PCAL Mission North Division opener Oct. 2 at 7:30pm.

Editor’s note: Check back for an updated version with quotes.

The Digital NEST tech nonprofit settled a sexual harassment lawsuit centered on allegations against Pajaro Valley Unified School District Trustee Gabriel Medina, according to court documents. A former employee filed the 2020 court action that involved incidents before Medina was elected to the public school oversight board.

The former employee—The Pajaronian withholds names of people who report sexual assaults—accused the Watsonville-based 501(c)(3) of enabling an alcohol-fueled sexualized workplace and of failing to adequately address Medina’s alleged sexual misconduct. 

As Digital NEST’s assistant program director and digital arts and technology manager, Medina was the accuser’s supervisor. The accuser says the nonprofit later retaliated against him after he complained. In a response filed by the San Jose law firm Hopkins & Carley, Digital NEST denied the conduct and said the plaintiff engaged in conduct that could have resulted in his termination.

According to the lawsuit, Medina referred to himself as the “gay Trump” at a September 2018 wine-tasting event and said, “I grab guys by the balls.” 

In October of that same year, Medina told coworkers about a trip to New York, in which “he had a man snort cocaine off of his penis in the men’s restroom then received oral fellatio from that man.”

The accuser said he found Medina’s comments “vulgar and offensive” but did not complain because supervisors were present and he believed doing so would be futile.

Later, at an April 19, 2019, employee retreat, employees drank mimosas at breakfast before participating in a scavenger hunt that ended at the home of then-Deputy Director Steve Bean.

Bean no longer works for Digital Nest. He could not be reached for comment.

The accuser alleged that an apparently intoxicated Medina arrived and continued drinking, despite Bean’s warning that they were at a work event and should moderate their consumption.

The complaint alleges that Medina made sexual comments about another male employee, grabbed and slapped the co-worker’s “glutes” and later pressed his pelvis against another male employee from behind.

The former employee said he believed that Digital NEST did not adequately address his concerns and eventually asked him to resign. 

He sued the nonprofit in Santa Cruz County Superior Court in May 2020, alleging hostile work environment, retaliation, failure to prevent unlawful conduct and constructive wrongful termination.

Allegations denied

Digital NEST denied the accusations. Founder and CEO Jacob Martinez declined to comment for this story. He was not named in the allegations.

The accuser also opted not to provide comments, citing a nondisclosure provision in the settlement.

His attorney, Santos Gomez, similarly said he was bound by the agreement not to discuss the case. Gomez said only that his office does not file lawsuits unless it believes the cases have merit.

Court records show the parties agreed to settle in late 2021, and the case was subsequently dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled.

Sources familiar with the matter said the payout was in the six figures.

A successful nonprofit

Founded in 2014, Digital NEST (Nurturing Entrepreneurial Skills with Technology) was created to offer a range of technology classes to young people aged 12-24 and prepare them for an evolving job market.

The topics range from video and sound production to computer programming.

The nonprofit had $384,094 in revenues and $248,277 in expenses in 2014, according to public filings. Its budget grew to $4.7 million by 2024.

The organization’s mission is to provide “equal access to technology and resources.” Martinez has said he wants members to enter the job market with several industry contacts under their belts, along with real-world experience.

The organization expanded rapidly, with support from Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the Packard Foundation, the Gilroy Foundation and others. In addition to Watsonville, it also operates in Gilroy, Modesto and Stockton. Martinez said about 4,800 young people have come through its five centers.

A recent Pajaronian story featured a former student who has found success as a software engineer.

Allegations of harassment

The accuser was hired in July 2018 to work with Latino youth. His immediate supervisor was Medina.

The lawsuit alleged that Digital NEST “maintained an environment of alcoholism and unprofessionalism” and described several incidents involving Medina.

The most extensive allegations stemmed from the April 19, 2019, retreat.

During the employee retreat, the accuser alleged that Medina approached him as he tried to avoid Medina.

According to the complaint, Medina put an arm around the accuser’s chest and his right hand on his face. The accuser said he then felt Medina’s fingers moving toward his lips. When he tried to avoid the contact, the complaint states, Medina laughed and stumbled away.

The accuser later complained to Bean, who told him that other employees had also complained and that an investigation would be conducted, according to the lawsuit. The complaint alleged, however, that Digital NEST subsequently minimized what happened.

Medina responds

In an interview with the Pajaronian, Medina disputed significant portions of the accuser’s account while acknowledging that alcohol affected his behavior at the retreat.

Medina said employees had been drinking during the event and that he became intoxicated. He described himself as affectionate when drinking and said he remembered hugging people, but said he did not remember grabbing anyone’s buttocks or engaging in the other sexual touching alleged in the lawsuit.

“I don’t remember grabbing anybody’s glutes,” Medina said.

Asked specifically about allegations of sexual touching described in the complaint, Medina said, “I do not remember any of that.”

Medina said he was going through a difficult period at the time and was using alcohol to cope. He said the incident became a turning point, after which he went to therapy and eventually stopped drinking.

He also said he apologized to the accuser.

“If you felt like that, I already gave him my full apology,” Medina said. “Those were never my intentions.”

Asked about the allegation that he called himself the “gay Trump” and said he grabbed men by the genitals, Medina said he did not remember making the remark but added, “I’m always joking. So if it was said, I’m pretty sure it was a joking banter.”

Complaint and investigation

According to the lawsuit, Digital NEST placed Medina on administrative leave while an investigation was underway. The organization also arranged for the accuser to see a psychologist at its expense.

Medina returned to work May 9, 2019 after Bean said  there were several tasks that Medina needed to return to the office to finish, according to the complaint. 

The accuser alleged that because the two worked in the same office, he worried about being left alone with Medina and feared retaliation or another confrontation.

The complaint also describes a series of restorative justice meetings involving the accuser, Medina and other employees. The complainant alleged that the process made him feel pressured to forgive Medina and that his concerns were not adequately addressed.

At one meeting, according to the lawsuit, Medina acknowledged behaving inappropriately and attributed his behavior to drinking and blacking out. “I don’t know, I guess I was horny that night,” he joked.

Staff members laughed at that, the complaint says, and none of the facilitators interrupted to correct the remark.

The complaint says the accuser “felt disgusted, angered and paralyzed” by Medina’s behavior.

Medina told the Pajaronian that he does not remember many of the actions attributed to him.

“I don’t recognize the person that you all are telling me,” he said.

Retaliation alleged

The accuser alleged that after he complained about Medina, Digital NEST increasingly focused on his job performance and recruitment numbers.

He said he was uncomfortable recruiting young people into programs in which they might interact with Medina. The complaint states that he told the organization he did not want to recommend programs to parents and minors because he could not guarantee they would be free of harassment.

Medina disputed the suggestion that the accuser’s recruitment performance was scrutinized because of his complaint.

He said the accuser was generally a strong recruiter and “fantastic” with students but struggled with outreach to some groups, including the LGBTQ+ community.

“He was great at recruiting and going out to like sports events and clubs,” Medina said. “Other than that, he was fantastic.”

Medina said he turned supervision of the accuser over to others after the incident because he did not want him to believe that subsequent criticism amounted to retaliation.

The accuser formally resigned in October 2019 after being asked to do so. He later alleged that the circumstances amounted to constructive wrongful termination.

Digital NEST denies allegations

Digital NEST issued a general denial when it formally responded to the lawsuit in July 2020, disputing “each and every allegation” and denying that the former employee suffered damages for which the organization was legally responsible.

The response did not give Digital NEST’s account of the underlying incidents or specifically respond to each allegation against Medina. Instead, the organization raised 17 affirmative defenses.

Among other things, Digital NEST said that it took reasonable steps to prevent and correct harassment and retaliation and that the plaintiff failed to take advantage of available preventive or corrective measures. It also maintained that employment decisions involving him were based on legitimate, nondiscriminatory and nonretaliatory reasons.

Digital NEST further argued that the accuser’s own conduct may have contributed to his claimed damages, and it raised several procedural defenses. The court never ruled on those allegations or defenses because the case was settled and dismissed.

The settlement ended the litigation without a trial or adjudicating the truthfulness of the allegations.

Defense attorneys Ernest Malaspina and Jennifer Coleman did not respond to a request for comment.