Community

Finishing as the runner-up in last year’s Uesugi Farms Great Pumpkin Weigh-off did not sit well with 48-year-old Napa gardener Leonardo Urena.

With less than a month until Election Day, the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters’ Office is facing a critical shortage of volunteers to serve at 836 polling places throughout the county.

The last thing on the minds of property owners who lost everything in the Loma fire might be their home values, but authorities say those who suffered significant property damage due to the blaze could be eligible for a lower property tax bill.“In these instances, the Assessor’s Office wanted to make sure those property owners who may have lost all or part of their home…are aware of a special program to help them reduce their assessed value to reflect disaster-related damages,” Santa Clara County Deputy Tax Assessor David Ginsborg said.Assessor’s staff will participate in a community meeting, called by the County of Santa Clara, scheduled for 10 a.m. Oct. 8 at Loma Prieta Elementary School, 23800 Summit Road, Los Gatos.The overall purpose of the Oct. 8 meeting is to provide residents within the Loma fire destruction area with information on county services and supportive resources as they recover from the blaze, which scorched more than 4,400 acres of vegetation and destroyed a dozen homes, according to county staff.The county’s Office of Emergency Services has established a Loma Fire recovery hotline at (408) 808-7879, which will provide “easy access to information residents will need over the next few weeks,” County Executive Jeffrey Smith said.The Loma fire started Sept. 26 in the area of Loma Prieta and Loma Chiquita roads, northwest of Morgan Hill. The wildfire spread rapidly in the first few days, but firefighters have the blaze nearly 100 percent contained as of Oct. 7. Twelve homes and 16 unspecified “outbuildings” were destroyed in the fire, according to authorities.A reduction in home values, and a subsequently lower property tax bill, is just one aspect of post-fire services that officials want to make sure property owners are aware of. The assessor’s website, sccassessor.org, has information and forms available for homeowners who think they qualify for such a reduction.Ginsborg said there are three key eligibility requirements:• The assessable property damage must be greater than $10,000, which would equate to a little more than $100 savings on their tax bill—“and probably even less, as the relief is only for the period between the date the damages occur and the date the damages are repaired.”• The damage was sudden, caused by a natural calamity, and not the property owner’s fault.• The property owner must submit an application for a reduced assessment to the Assessor's Office within 12 months of the date of the disaster.The application for a reduced assessment is located on the assessor’s website.“The assessor’s office is proactively working to notify the affected property owners,” Ginsborg added.The program provides “proportional amounts of property tax relief,” Ginsborg explained. “In many cases, the savings may be significantly less than 1 percent of the damage amount, due to the fact that assessed values pursuant to Proposition 13 may be considerably lower than current market values.”An example is provided in the application form available at the assessor’s website.Damages to personal property, such as furnishing or crops, are not eligible, Ginsborg noted. Other assessable properties such as boats and airplanes are eligible. Upon completion of the repairs, the assessment will return to the rate prior to the disaster.The disaster relief program applies not only to the recent Loma fire, but to any other calamity or misfortune—such as a flood or earthquake—that results in damage to a business or home, Ginsborg added.Taxpayers can view a copy of their upcoming tax bill at scctax.org.The Oct. 8 community meeting is not confined to the subject of property tax relief.Staff from a variety of county departments will be available to answer questions and provide information. These include the Office of Emergency Services, Department of Planning and Development, Social Services Agency, Department of Environmental Health, South Santa Clara County Fire District, Tax Collector’s Office and the American Red Cross.Some resources available at the meeting are:• South Santa Clara County Fire District Fire Recovery Handbook.• Information about permitting for reconstruction, and points of contact for the permitting process.• Guidance and locations for safe disposal of fire debris, expired and damaged food, and hazardous household materials such as cans of paint.Those unable to attend can contact the hotline or visit the resource web page at sccgov.org/oes.

Enjoy a BBQ meal with all the trimmings while you meet local rescued wild animals at the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center’s 21st annual Wildlife Feast Oct. 15.The fundraiser takes place 12 to 3 p.m. at the Morgan Hill Buddhist Community Center, 16450 Murphy Ave. In addition to the food, there will be a live and silent auction for unique items, raptor handling lessons, guided bird walks, original artwork and more. There will also be fun activities for kids.Barnadette, WERC’s educational barn owl, and other rescued animals will make an appearance.Advance ticket purchase is required, and the deadline to purchase is Oct. 12. Tickets cost $45 for adults, and $10 for children age 5-12. Children age 5 and younger can get in for free.WERC is a Morgan Hill nonprofit that takes in orphaned, injured or abandoned wildlife—including birds and mammals—and helps them rehabilitate so they can return to their natural habitat. They also focus on educating the public about local and regional wildlife.Tickets for the Oct. 15 BBQ can be purchased at the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce, the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce or BookSmart in Morgan Hill.For more information about the fundraiser and WERC, visit werc-ca.org.

Retired teacher and military veteran David Fulcher is glad to be alive to tell his story—what he remembers of it anyway.

Janet Harper-Beam could see the flames of the Loma fire in her rearview mirror as she raced down the hill from her family property last Monday, Sept. 26.Harper-Beam, whose son Jared Beam is a sophomore at Ann Sobrato High School, saw the fire blaze out of control firsthand, days before it ended up scorching more than 4,400 acres of vegetation and a dozen homes. She was at home on Loma Prieta Road when her husband Frank Beam arrived and said there was a fire. The couple turned on the scanner and started making preparations, just in case it got out of control.Then, suddenly, the fire got out control. The couple—Jared was at school—had to leave before authorities could even get the word out about evacuation warnings.“We were totally alone,” Harper-Beam said. “It started cresting (over the hill behind the property), blowing fire bombs down toward our house. We had literally minutes to change our plans.”Harper-Beam ran through the house grabbing photos off the wall and a few other essential items, but in the panic she didn’t have time to retrieve even an iota of the family heirlooms, original inventions created by her father, vehicles, antiques, valuables, collectibles, Jared’s Boy Scout merit badges and karate black belts—“generations (and) lifetimes of things.”Destroyed in the blaze was not just the home that had an “amazing view” of the valley below, according to Harper-Beam’s step-daughter Danielle Beam. They also lost a host of structures that sit on the 72-acre property that has been in the family for 53 years. A workshop, a generator shed, two storage sheds, a cabin, a barn and a lab were razed by the Loma fire.Harper-Beam’s wedding rings—she doesn’t wear them every day because she works with her “hands in the dirt”—were lost in the fire. She lost her deceased brother’s ashes and his military decorations from when he served in Vietnam.“I lost everything from my christening dress to my wedding dress,” Harper-Beam said.Danielle—who set up a fundraising page for the family on gofundme.com shortly after the fire—noted that her mother saved a newspaper from Jared’s birthday every year since he was born. Those memories went up with the flames.“I planted a tree for my son every year since he was born, and they’re gone,” Harper-Beam added.The 55-year-old Morgan Hill resident cried throughout a phone interview with the Times earlier this week as she recounted the tragedy. She said she has been “exhausted, and not sleeping well” since the destruction on her family property. But she praised the support they have received from friends and complete strangers.She is particularly grateful to the Sobrato High community for their generosity toward Jared, her only son. The school counselor, his teachers and fellow students have helped more than Harper-Beam would have asked.“The kids were ambushing him with an outpouring of love and support,” Harper-Beam said. “They have been so concerned about my son’s well-being.”The Red Cross has helped Harper-Beam, her husband and son with accommodations at a hotel since they lost their home. They have also assisted in getting medications that Harper-Beam—a cancer survivor—needs on a regular basis; she didn’t even have time to take her own supply from her home before it burned. Downtown Morgan Hill’s restaurants have provided gift cards.“You try to plan for these things, and it’s so surreal; it’s hard to make it through if it weren’t for so many nice, caring people,” said Harper-Beam, a former Human Resources director who has been involved in numerous volunteer efforts and organizations—including the Casa Loma volunteer firefighters—over the years.As of Oct. 5, firefighters had the Loma fire—which started in the area of Loma Prieta and Loma Chiquita roads—more than 90 percent contained. A dozen homes, as well as 16 unspecified “outbuildings” were destroyed by the Loma fire, according to authorities. The fire’s cause remains under investigation.Miraculously, the Harper-Beam family’s 15-year-old horse, Nakiyah, survived the fire. The animal was roaming the property when the family fled Sept. 26. Frank returned a couple days later to find Nakiyah rolling on what used to be their home’s front lawn.In the 20 minutes or so the couple had to race down from their home when they saw the flames approaching, they were able to save their indoor cat and 90-pound German Shepherd. Lost are two outdoor cats, chickens and fish.The fundraising page set up by Danielle, found at gofundme.com/2rgruvx8, has raised $4,300 as of Oct. 5. The page has a goal of $150,000.Harper-Beam said they haven’t even had a chance to think about the possibility of rebuilding a home on the family property.“We’re just cleaning up, and trying to get our horse out of there,” Harper-Beam said.

Local canines got a chance to swim with new friends and familiar humans at the Morgan Hill Aquatics Center's annual Doggie Dip Day Oct. 1. 

Visitors and residents from throughout Santa Clara Valley visited South County for the Fall Passport Weekend Oct. 1 and 2. The Passport event allowed ticket holders to sample wines from numerous wineries along the Santa Clara County Wine Trail. The semiannual event takes place one weekend in the fall and one in the spring. For more information about local wineries, visit santaclarawines.com.

The overall air quality in Santa Clara County remains poor, largely due to the hot weather, according to a Sept. 27 release from the Public Health Department. Smoke from the Loma fire, which can be seen throughout the South Bay, is affecting the air quality in mountain and South County areas. Much of the rest of the county’s air quality remains poor, but not because of the fire.Smoke may increase in Santa Clara County over the next days and week, public health officials warn. The Public Health Department is monitoring the situation through a “syndromic surveillance system” for any increases in reports of respiratory symptoms. Currently, there are no increases in Santa Clara County Emergency Department visits related to smoke.“Please pay attention to air quality and take precautions this week and weekend, especially when it comes to doing any physical activity,” said Dr. Sara Cody, Health Officer and Director of the Santa Clara County Public Health Department. “If you can see or smell smoke in the air, you may want to hold off on biking, running or other strenuous physical activities until the air clears.”When smoke can be seen or smelled, people with respiratory problems, young children and older adults should limit their time outside and stay indoors as much as possible, according to health officials. Windows and doors should be kept closed to stop smoke pollutants from coming inside. People in good health should use common sense and limit outdoor activities when smoke is visible.Symptoms that may develop from the smoke include irritation of the lungs and eyes, coughing, scratchy throat and irritated sinuses. If you develop repeated coughing, chest tightness or pain, wheezing, difficulty breathing or nausea, call your medical provider immediately.