This Week on the Central Coast…
Big Sur Land Trust adds to its conservation, Oystertown is getting a storefront, support for local schools, and Food Truck Fridays begin in Santa Cruz.
Monterey
Big Sur Land Trust Adds To Its Conserved Lands
The Big Sur Land Trust added to its conserved lands with the acquisition of Hiss Parcel, an 84-acre portion of the Canyon Del Rey watershed. The Canyon Del Rey watershed begins near Laguna Seca raceway and flows west, into the Monterey Bay.
The acquisition is significant simply for preventing any development on those lands. The conservation will protect the habitats that are home to deer, coyote, and even black bears. “Proper management of this land will reduce wildfire risk for the surrounding wild land urban interface of Monterey and Del Rey Oaks.”
In addition to its environmental significance, the land also holds importance to the local Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation (OCEN). Big Sur Land Trust said it will collaborate with the OCEN to achieve the shared goal of eventually returning the ancestral land. “With this land, my hope is for my people to learn how to protect the earth and to reclaim what was taken from them, their homeland,” said the Chairwoman of the OCEN.
In the near future, Big Sur Land Trust plans on conducting further research and assessments that will help them maintain the land more effectively.
The SPCA Monterey County Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center reported that they had rescued several pelicans earlier this week. The birds were found with extreme weight loss and “poor blood values”, leaving them unable to fly.
If you see a pelican in distress you can call the SPCA Wildlife Center at 831-264-5427.
Oystertown Opening on Lighthouse
Popular pop-up Oystertown will finally be getting a brick-and-mortar location. Chef Phillip Wojtowics and Hospitality Director Monica Schweitzer are taking over the site of the former Lilify space on LIghthouse Avenue. The duo has built a following, not only with their pop-ups at Other Brother Beer Co. and Vin Wine Bar + Bottle Boutique, but also with Poppy Hall in Pacific Grove. The plan is to keep the familiar atmosphere of Chef Wojtowics’ restaurants with intimate seating, a cold menu, and personalized attention.
Oystertown has an optimistic opening date of late summer, with “optimistic” being the keyword. The pair know how much work will go into transforming a retail space into a restaurant.
In the meantime, you can catch them at their next pop-up at Vin Wine Bar + Bottle Boutique on May 18, from 1-4pm.
Salinas
Salinas City Elementary School District Put On Its First Student Film Festival
Salinas City Elementary School District hosted its first-ever film festival to a crowd of students, teachers, and parents. Students from grades K-12 participated in the event, showing off their own original work across 72 entries. Teachers loved the event, praising it for allowing students to show “what they know and what they learned, especially in content like science”.
The festival was usually run by a local nonprofit, but when they were unable to do it this year, the school district decided to step in and make it happen.
Santa Cruz
Donated Supplies Help Local School Build Vegetable Gardens
Every year, Big Creek Lumber donates supplies to local schools within 25 miles of its lumber yards. In 2016, they decided to start donating garden beds. Schools within range are encouraged to apply, simply by telling Big Creek how they plan to continue the garden program. “This is a great opportunity for kids to learn about construction, where their food comes from and healthy eating habits.”
Two entries are drawn at random at each lumber yard to decide who will get new garden beds. Schools can apply on Big Creek Lumber’s website by clicking here.
Skypark Kicking Off Taco Tuesdays and Food Truck Fridays
This last weekend marked the start of Food Truck Fridays at Skypark in Scotts Valley. The areas largest food truck event features all the known local vendors, such as “Cracked Cookies, Epoch Eats, Kuki’s Bowls, Mattia Pizza, Pesce Veggie, Santa Cruz Eatery, Taquizas Gabriel and a perennial favorite for the kids, Aunt Lali’s,” as well as live music. There is also a beer and wine garden that benefits the Scotts Valley Educational Foundation. Food Truck Fridays will happen every Friday from 5 to 8pm now through October.
Then, starting May 14th, the site will host Taco Tuesdays, where “local taco trucks (will be) bringing classic and unique twists on everything taco!” Taco Tuesdays will be on every second Tuesday of the month at Skypark from 5-8pm. It will also feature a beer and wine garden with proceeds benefiting a local nonprofit.