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March 20, 2007
March 20, 2007 - April 2, 2007
Volume XVIII, Issue 6
In This Issue...
Will 2007 Be a Drought Year?
Former Capitola Councilman Norton Leads Charge for City Land Purchase
Transportation Commissioners Report Some Appraisals Low for Union Pacific Purchase
Building Purchase for County Office of Education Moves Forward
Signs of Success in Soquel Creek’s Annual Water Report
Construction Equipment Damages Transformer at Aptos High
Hundreds of Acres Rezoned for Logging
UCSC Settles Runoff Lawsuit with City, Development Opponents
Cabrillo Employees May Decertify SEIU Union
Water Catchment, a Way of Caring for a Precious Resource
Chance Discovery Sheds Light on the Life Cycle of Endangered Local Salmon
NEWSMAKERS
911
Capitola PD Responds to Increased Sexual Assaults
CRIMEBEAT
Around Aptos
Beach Boardwalk Celebrates 100th Birthday
Business Profile
Elkhorn Native Plant Nursery Sells Hearty Plants That Will Survive the Drought
Health
Flu Treads Lightly on the Central Coast This Year
Can Stress Cause Weight Gain?
History
Capitola Classic Once Welcomed Skaters to the City’s Streets
Judi Oyama Rolls On
Opinions
Postmarked
Six Hundred Miles of Weeds
People
Charter School Organizer Tom Brown Came Slowly to Education
The Mid-County Post > History
Judi Oyama Rolls On
Some people never change: Judi Oyama loved riding a skateboard growing up in Mid-County and still does today. She was one of two female skaters that Richard Novak sponsored through Santa Cruz Skateboards by the time she won the 1980 women’s Capitola Classic. He remembers her as a determined, hard-working competitor.

She remains one even now, managing to maintain her number-one international legend’s ranking in women’s slalom, and number six overall.

“I was number four for years, but now some of those young girls have caught me. They are really fast,” she said, obviously just as proud of the next generation as she is of her own achievements.

“I try to get more women and girls involved,” she said. “I want to show them they don’t have to stand on the sidelines and watch their husbands or boyfriends skate.”

Oyama shares her feet-on knowledge of skating by teaching classes through Santa Cruz Recreation. She also found a career related to her passion. A graphic designer, she serves as art director for the Giro division of Bell Sports, working on specialty and competitive helmets and gear.

In addition, Oyama designed the artful wave pipe at Santa Cruz’s new skate park along with fellow designer Jimbo Phillips.

Still an Aptos resident, Oyama yearns to provide the new generation of skaters with their own local event, and is negotiating with the city of Capitola to bring back the Capitola Classic. Given her history of determination and success, don’t be surprised if she does.
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