MORE TRAILBLAZERS!
I commend you on many of your selections for the “Top 50 Trailblazers.” What a history lesson! Santa Cruz County has nurtured some exciting and rare talents. Of course, a list like this is going to bring out the question, who was left off?
Perhaps you could do another issue of 50 more trailblazers and include those who really should be on the list. The current list is filled with overt political choices and that should be stated in the brief lead-up paragraphs to the piece. For example, why Ryan Coonerty and Cynthia Mathews, but not Celia Scott and Katherine Beiers? If Fred Keeley is there, certainly former Mayor Mardi Wormhoudt belongs on this list. Why include writer Geoff Dunn, but not Santa Cruz historians Sandy Lydon, Ross Gibson and Bruce Bratton?
Yep, lots of savory and unsavory political choices are being made here, you should acknowledge it. Where is musician and super music promoter Michael Horne? Peace activists Sherry Conable, Doug Rand and Ruth Hunter surely have all had lasting impacts on Santa Cruz, as well as Raging Granny Jan Harwood. You rightly included street artist and bubble aficionado Tom Noddy, but what about those others who make us happy every time we’ve gone downtown over the past 50 years: The Great Morgani, the Flying Karamazov brothers, UCSC Acapella, Singing Wood Marimba, Mr. Twister and humanitarian Curtis Reliford.
I agree on the greatness of academics like Norman O. Brown and Donna Haraway, but should Bettina Aptheker, Bill Domhoff and Paul Lee be included? I am proud to call home where poet Adrienne Rich did too, but certainly Morton Marcus, Nate Mackey and Gary Young have also had profound influences on our county. I urge you, have another Trailblazer edition and include the 50 that were left off your current list.
Chris Krohn | Santa Cruz
FAKE NEWS
A few days ago I received a glossy four-page “voter Information” flyer in the mail. I immediately saw a quote attributed to the president of the League of Women Voters, an organization of high integrity. I was confused. She seemed to oppose the redirecting measure that will be on our ballots this Nov. 4. The League has issued a denial of having anything to do with the group that mailed the flyer and unequivocally states that this was a false report. Consumer beware. I was fooled by this malicious hit piece from a creepy group funded by billionaire conservative Charles Munger, Jr. He has been influencing and spinning California ballot propositions in favor of Republicans for the past 20 years. My takeaway is to read anything mailed, online, texted, etc., twice or more and find out who’s behind it before sharing the information or deciding how to vote.
Timmi Pereira | Santa Cruz
STILL MORE TRAILBLAZERS
I enjoyed the list of awesome people that helped make Santa Cruz great.
However, you omitted some Cruzans, those in the healthcare field, especially 50-70 years ago. These folks made it possible for the other folks to do what they did.
Carl Washburn | Santa Cruz
LOVE YA, SANDY!
I am saddened to see that you have left out the “History Dude,” Sandy Lydon, who has gathered and shared so much of everything Santa Cruz. His classes and trips have been a joy for thousands. Please mention him.
Pat McVeigh | Santa Cruz
