In today's newscast,
City of Santa Cruz to mark Arbor Day
The City of Santa Cruz wants volunteers to help plant trees for Arbor Day.
The Parks and Recreation department is inviting residents to join arborists on May 7 at 11:00 a.m. at University Terrace Park to plant medium-sized canopy trees, including maple and Chinese pistache.
The department is encouraging community members of all ages and experience levels to take part. No prior tree planting experience is required.
Tools, water, and snacks will be provided. People can register for the family-friendly event online.
Study finds academic benefits of CalFresh
A new UC Berkeley study finds CalFresh benefits may be a cost-effective way to improve community college success.
A year of CalFresh benefits costs about $860 per student—a fraction of what traditional student support programs like tutoring and mentoring cost.
Study co-author Jesse Rothstein told our news partner CapRadio that researchers can't pinpoint exactly why the benefits help—but two explanations are likely.
"This may free up students who are having to work long hours in order to pay their basic expenses, and that was distracting them from their studies," Rothstein said. "The other (explanation) is that some students might have just been going hungry, and being hungry distracted them from their studies."
Rothstein said helping students keep their CalFresh benefits could improve graduation rates statewide.
About 200,000 college students in California receive CalFresh food benefits.
