Santa Cruz California editor of good times news media print and web — **Brad Kava** | Good Times Editor

This week’s cover story celebrates a woman who worked her way up from a teenage barista at the Ugly Mug to CEO and co-founder of Eventbrite. There are a few messages here: 1. Hard work and ambition pay off. She started working as a young teen and never stopped. That’s impressive in a culture that sometimes values hobbies and surfing over hard labor. 2. She’s encouraging her kids to do the same: get jobs and learn a work ethic. I salute Julia Hartz for that.

As an aside, when I arrived in Santa Cruz, I’d go to parties and ask people what they did. They would answer: I surf, or I bike or I hike. “But what do you do?” I’d repeat. ‘’Oh, you mean for a job?” Then they’d tell me they were a lawyer or doctor or programmer. The job came second here, unlike the East Coast, where the first priority was the work.

A few other people have made news this week for their work.

Former County Supervisor John Leopold won a Grammy over the weekend for producing the best regional roots album for the albumA Tribute to the King of Zydeco, a tribute to Clifton Chenier including music by the Rolling Stones, Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Jimmie Vaughan, David Hidalgo, Taj Mahal and Molly Tuttle.

Leopold’s bright red suit and boots were a red-carpet-worthy highlight. It’s a long way from sitting through endless hours of County Board meetings, although the televised show seemed endless.

“An amazing experience,”Leopold said by text Monday. ‘’Haven’t slept so it’s still hard to capture it.”

Local Remy Le Boeuf won a Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition, The Snow, which is a big-band jazz record. His twin brother, Pascal, won a Grammy last year.

Their mother Joanne Reiter was on the board of the Santa Cruz Jazz Festival, again keeping talent and work ethic in the family.

The twins were in the Cabrillo College Big Band when they were just 16, playing way above their ages.

And while we are speaking of music, the sold-out tribute to Americana songwriter Todd Snider Saturday at Kuumbwa Jazz Center was a giant hit, attracting some of the best and most ardent musicians around town and bringing in a national luminary, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, whose career started with Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan.

At 92, he took the stage to tell stories about touring with Snider and keeping the windows in the back of the bus open to let the smoke get out.

The show was a benefit for Encompass Mental Health Services. Musicians included

Todd’s former guitarist and Lacey J. Dalton bandmate Jim Lewin, Michael Gaither, Jackson Emmer, Andy Fuhrman, Ginny Mitchell, the Coffis Brothers, Jeff Meyer and KPIG DJ turned songwriter/singer, Ralph Anybody.

Thanks for reading.

Brad Kava | Editor

PHOTO CONTEST

SURE BIRD A Greater Yellow Legs shorebird shot at Pajaro Dunes. Photograph by Mark Bickerstaffe

GOOD IDEA

You can nominate your favorite unknown artist for the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission’s Spotlight Award, which honors excellent artists who are not widely known. The deadline for nomination letters is March 9.

The award will be given for visual, performing and literary artists. They should have been recognized by critics, educators, or arts professionals.

A nomination letter must include the name of the artist and their contact information (e-mail, website if available, phone and local address), a brief description of your relationship to the artist and why you are nominating them.

Send your nomination to: ka**********@***************ca.gov with the subject Line: Spotlight Award Nomination. Search Spotlight Award and Sanra Cruz for more info.

GOOD WORK

The new Capitola Avenue Overcrossing replaces the aging former structure and provides significantly enhanced bicycle and pedestrian facilities, creating a safe and accessible crossing for people walking and biking while maintaining vehicle access across the highway. It improves connectivity between Soquel Drive to the north and the future Coastal Rail Trail to the south, linking neighborhoods, schools, parks, beaches, transit, and nearby commercial centers.

The community is invited to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration for the Capitola Avenue Overcrossing on Feb. 26, from 4-5pm, at 911 Capitola Road. More information will be posted on the RTC website soon.