The La Honda Voice

August 2018 edition of the La Honda Voice

Here is a link to the August 2018 edition of the La Honda Voice:

Download TheLaHondaVoiceAug2018

Sept. 15th Coastal Cleanup Day at San Gregorio State Beach!!

Join us Saturday, September 15^th 9am - 12noon at San Gregorio State Beach to help clean up our local beach. Each year volunteers remove hundreds of pounds of trash and recyclables.

Parking has always been free for cleanup volunteers. Bring sturdy shoes or boots, layered clothing, sunscreen, and the whole family!  We encourage plastic buckets, reusable water bottles, and heavy gloves for cleanup, but we'll have plenty of supplies on hand.

There are additional cleanup locations along the coast and inland.  Visit smc health (https://www.smchealth.org/general-information/coastal-and-bay-cleanup-day) to find more information about the event and cleanup sites.

San Gregorio Environmental Resource Center (SGERC) is proud to have been site captain for cleanup at the beach since 2003. SGERC has also assisted in cleanup efforts at Pomponio and Tunitas Creeks. The organization adopts a stretch of highway on Hwy 84, keeping that area clear of trash since 2007. SGERC has also been removing invasive plants such as pampas/jubata grass and stinkwort since 2016. To find out more about SGERC, call their office at (650) 726-2499, or visit their website sgerc.org. 

New Invasive in Town!

Now that the Kick Pampass sheriffs have rounded up most of the Jubata plants in town, a new invasive has arrived to challenge the authorities. Dittricia graveolens (aka Stinkwort) is rapidly moving onto roadsides and pastures all around the Peninsula. Stinkwort is a short, yellow-flowered annual blooming in late Sept.-Oct.

Few plants have been spotted in La Honda or San Gregorio, but the Pampas team has turned its attention to identifying and removing Stinkwort before it gains a toehold in our area. One local horse pasture with a sizeable infestation is being tackled by the owner and our team this month, hopefully before the plants flower. Even now, the horses get sticky foliage on them causing issues with their hair.

A native of southern Europe, Stinkwort grows to about 3 ft. tall with sticky and aromatic foliage. These invasives take advantage of disturbed soils, roadsides, overgrazed pastures, drained wetlands, washouts, service line corridors, etc. Removal is quite easy either by cutting or pulling (in soft soil) or using a rogue hoe or pick axe. If cut or pulled before flowering, the plant can be composted in place and will not return the following year. Once buds have formed, all plants should be bagged since viable seeds will still develop from the pulled plants. The life of the seeds is about 2 years.

Be on the lookout, and either remove plants yourself, or report to the appropriate authorities (in this case, San Gregorio Environmental Resource Center [email protected] or 650 726-2499). As always, feel free to contact us for assistance in removal of Pampas, Jubata or Stinkwort on your property or volunteer to join our team. Our enthusiastic volunteers love seeing native plants have a chance to thrive in the San Gregorio watershed.

Jack Eddy 1928-2018

 

 

by craig eddy

On the morning of August 16^th La Honda resident Jack Eddy passed away on the hospice wing of the VA hospital in Palo Alto. Jack lived with his son, Craig Eddy, and daughter in-law, Laurie McLean, in a cottage that allowed him his independence right until the end. Jack had spent many years dealing with pain and limited mobility but never complained through it all.

Jack has moved on but we should all aspire to, like him, leave something behind that will live on.  One morning 12 years ago Jack was having coffee at the La Honda Country Market and met local resident Greg McCartney.  Turns out they had many things in common.  Both had a long history in ham radio and emergency communications.  They both knew many of the same people that worked in San Mateo county emergency services.  Realizing that South San Mateo County coastside locals are left on their own during emergencies, they got San Mateo County officials to donate equipment to set up our own emergency communication network. To date the SC4ARC ham radio club has over 40 trained members who are able to respond quickly in emergencies, providing communications when cell phones and land lines go down. Many club members are also members of CERT (community emergency response team) and able to assist fire and police when needed. Jack didn’t get around much but was always monitoring the local frequencies and could be counted on for a ‘radio check’ or to forward emergency info to the proper department.

 Jack was a relative newcomer to La Honda, having lived here for only 12 years, but he was very involved with The Merry Prankster Café and was a big supporter of local music. Jack will be missed, but his legacy will live on long after we are gone ourselves. If anyone would like to make a gesture to honor Jack and his contribution to our area, please consider a donation in his name to the nonprofit SC4ARC club so we can continue to serve the community at the level you all have become accustomed to. Checks made out to SC4ARC can be mailed to SC4ARC, PO Box 237, La Honda, CA 94020.