How has it been 25 years since The Corrections came out? And how was it released right around the tragedy of 9/11? And how did it become so controversial when author Jonathan Franzen had the nerve to echo what every Manhattan writer was saying about Oprah and her book club, describing her picks as schmaltzy?
That in no way describes Franzen’s novel, or others, including Wally Lamb’s She’s Come Undone. The Corrections hit like a slap in the face and is worth several reads to soak up all the details of a troubled Midwestern family and how they may or may not overcome their issues.
I was proud to know that Franzen was inspired by his life in Santa Cruz to break away from the Manhattan writers’ club and move full-time to our homey county. There is so much greatness here, often tucked away and avoiding publicity. That’s one of the things I love about working at Good Times.
They are often happy to be featured locally and our writers, like Steve Kettmann, a best-selling author himself, have a knack for uncovering their whereabouts and bringing their stories to light.
P.S.: The New York Times did a feature on the anniversary of The Corrections last week.
In other news of local breakouts: Goodles, the pasta company food writer Mark C. Anderson wrote about a couple of weeks ago, just made national news as it was bought by the biggest pasta company in the world, the Barilla Group. Goodles was valued at $88 million in 2023 and overall shelf pasta sales are $2.3 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Its headquarters on River Street is so unassuming, but the tasty, healthy pasta is another big thing to emerge from a town of 60,000 and a county of around 300,000. I don’t think there’s any place else in this country of this size with so many successful people.
On the musical front, writer DNA celebrates Kentucky Mule, a local band with a kick, poised to move up in the world. Also in our arts department, you can read Gwyneth Holcomb’s story about Shaun Logan, an artist whose murals are all over town, including the Boardwalk, and who does album covers for the likes of the Expendables and much of the art you see around Monterey’s California Roots Music and Arts Festival, known as Cali Roots.
Again, artists so big they are known around the world, but they choose to live right here.
Love it.
Brad Kava | Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
OWL’S WELL I was watching the raptors at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon, and all of a sudden this barn owl was coming straight for me. Lucky to get this shot!
Photograph by Jan Bowman
Submit to ph****@*******es.sc. Include information (location, etc.) and your name. Photos may be cropped. Preferably, photos should be 4 inches by 4 inches and minimum 250 dpi.
GOOD IDEA
Planes were flying over Seacliff Beach Sunday, not too thrilling for residents who didn’t like the noise of them circling for what felt like hours. However, looking up at the sky, they saw the prop planes were doing tricks, like spinning upside down, and the reason is simply awesome.
Some parents were celebrating their son’s third birthday, and he loves planes. They asked on social media for pilots to volunteer for a flyover to thrill their son, and the pilots went above and beyond expectations, giving the kid a personal air show. Thanks to those great pilots!
GOOD WORK
Once a 14-room hotel, Jessie Street Terrace has been transformed by MidPen Housing into 50 studio and one-bedroom permanent supportive housing apartments for residents earning 20%-50% of Area Median Income ($27,692-$79,100 for households of one or two people). Nearly half of the homes are designated for veterans, and another third are set aside for people who have been homeless.
Located within a mile of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk with access to several bus lines, Jessie Street Terrace includes a community room with a kitchen, shared laundry and computer rooms, an outdoor terrace, and bike parking.
Sponsors include the California Department of Housing and Community Development, the No Place Like Home Program, Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Program, Loan Portfolio Restructuring Program and California Housing Accelerator Program. Funding also came from the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz, JPMorgan Chase, Central California Alliance for Health, and Central Coast Community Energy.
