As our coveted Santa Cruz summer winds into its third month, we have a lot to be grateful for: late sunsets, movies at the beach—and a weekend of original one-acts performed in the heart of the redwoods.
Mountain Community Theater’s annual New Works Weekend returns to Park Hall Aug. 15–17, offering three nights of script-in-hand staged readings spotlighting local playwrights.
Produced by Ian Dyer, this year’s lineup features new one-act plays by Gail Borkowski, Steve Capasso and Harvey Landa, each sharing deeply personal work coming from their hearts, souls and experiences as Santa Cruz locals.
At the heart of the weekend is Borkowski’s Rain Walk—A Short Play, helmed by Maia Yates, who makes her directorial debut with the project.
“I’ve been part of theater in this valley since I was five—that’s 35 years,” Yates says. “To be directing a piece written by someone from this same community means everything. It’s personal. And it makes the work even more meaningful because it’s rooted in where we live.”
Borkowski premiered Rain Walk as a table read last summer with 36 North, a Santa Cruz playwrights’ collective. The script has since evolved and moved into the hands of a director and a cast, to explore new angles beyond the page.
“Submitting to New Works meant letting go, trusting that someone else would direct the piece with care,” Borkowski says. “That moment of surrender wasn’t easy, but it was freeing. And then meeting Maia made me feel like, yes, this is going to be in good hands.”
Rain Walk doesn’t promise a tidy resolution, but it does offer truth: Even if we get through this, there will always be something else as life moves on, like the wind and rain.
“Rain Walk is about a mother and son navigating their way toward acceptance—of each other, and of who they are right now. They’ve already been through a lot, and now they’re facing something new together. It’s not a ‘happily ever after’ kind of story. It’s messier, more human, and that’s what makes it real,” Borkowski says.
“When the audience walks out of the theater and imagines what happens next, that’s when I know the story did its job. That’s what creativity is. Not answering everything, but opening the door to possibility,” Borkowski adds.
Rain Walk is only one of the three spotlighted works: also included are Neighbors, written by Steve Capasso and directed by Scottie Tsubota, exploring the moral complexities of a crime gone wrong; and Where Imagined Things Belong, written by Harvey Landa and directed by Sue Ann Guildermann, examining the choices that made us who we are.
Each performance will be followed by a talkback session, allowing audiences to discuss the work directly with the writers, directors and cast.
New Works Weekend runs at 8pm on Fri.–Sat., Aug. 15–16, and at 2pm on Sun., Aug. 17, at Park Hall, 9400 Mill St., Ben Lomond. Tickets: $10. mctshows.org
Rama is the star of the ancient Hindu epic story, the Ramayana. I love him! He’s one of my favorite legends! His heroic journey isn’t fueled by a greed for power or personal glory. Unlike 90 percent of modern action heroes, he’s not pumped up with anger or a lust for vengeance. Instead, he is animated by a sense of sacred duty. Against all odds, and in the face of bad behavior by weird adversaries, he acts with exemplary integrity and calm clarity. During your upcoming exploits, Aries, I invite you to be inspired by his exalted and unwavering determination. As you proceed, ask yourself, “Is this in rigorous service to my beautiful ideals? Are my decisions and words in alignment with my deepest truths?” Be motivated by devotion as much as by hunger. Aim not just for novelty and excitement, but for generosity of spirit.
TAURUS April 20-May 20
In the Mexican festival of La Noche de Rábanos—Night of the Radishes—giant radishes are carved into elaborate altars and scenes. Humble roots become fancy art. I think you’re engaged in a metaphorically similar process, Taurus: sculpting with uncommon materials. Something you’ve regarded as modest—a small breakthrough or overlooked strength—is revealing unexpected value. Or perhaps a previously latent or indiscernible asset is showing you its neglected magic. Celebrate your subtle but very tangible luck. Take full advantage of half-disguised treasures.
GEMINI May 21-June 20
In Zen archery, the aim is not simply to hit the target. Instead, it’s to align one’s body, breath, mind and bow so fully that the arrow releases itself naturally and effortlessly. It shoots itself! I would love for you to adopt this breezy attitude in the weeks ahead, Gemini. See if you can allow an evolving project, relationship or vision to reach a new maturity, but not through pushy effort. Rather, trust life to bring you the precise guidance exactly when you need it.
CANCER June 21-July 22
In ancient Rome, the priestesses known as the Vestal Virgins tended an eternal flame. They never let it be extinguished, not even for a moment. Their devoted focus on nurturing the fire was both a religious practice and a symbol regarded as essential for the well-being, prosperity and survival of the Roman state. I propose, Cancerian, that you engage in your own version of Vestal Virgin-like watchfulness. Assign yourself the role of being the keeper of a sacred promise or resource. What is it, exactly? Identify this repository of spiritual wealth and dedicate yourself to its sustenance.
LEO July 23-Aug. 22
In medieval Europe, pilgrims traveling to the shrine of Saint James in Spain often wore scallop shells. These were badges to signify they were on a sacred path in quest of divinely inspired transformation. The shell also had practical uses. It was a scoop for food and water, underscoring the humility and simplicity embraced by wayfarers on the road. I invite you to acquire and wear your own equivalent of this talisman, Leo. You have begun a new chapter in your self-perception, and life is asking you to proceed without pretense. You don’t need definite answers. You don’t have to rush to the end of the journey. The becoming is the point. I hope you seek out inspirational symbolism and generous companions to help nurture your brave transformations. (PS: Your best conversations may be with people who will lovingly witness your evolution.)
VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22
In ancient Greek drama, the peripeteia was a term for the moment when everything turns. The pivot doesn’t happen through force, but through the revelation of what was always true. I see the coming weeks as your peripeteia, Virgo. There may be no fireworks or grand announcements. Just a soft spiraling crackle that signifies a realignment of the system, a cathartic shift of emphases. Confusion resolves. Mysteries solve themselves. You might say, “Oh, yes, now I see: That’s what it all meant.” Then you can glide into the future with a refined and more well-informed set of intentions.
LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22
In coastal Portugal, there’s a lighthouse called Farol do Cabo da Roca. Built on a cliff where land ends and the Atlantic Ocean begins, it marks the westernmost edge of continental Europe. We might say it’s a threshold between the known and unknown. I believe you will soon be poised at a metaphorically similar place, Libra. An ending is at hand. It’s not catastrophic, but it is conclusive. And just beyond it are shimmers, questions, and a horizon that’s not fully visible. Your job is to finish your good work, even as you periodically gaze into the distance to see what’s looming.
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
I Invite you to channel the spirit of Kali—not in her form as the destroyer, but as the fierce liberator. She has the power to burn away stagnation, neutralize the poison of old lies, and slice through illusion with a sword of compassion—and so do you. I believe you are ready to sever a bond that has secretly (or maybe not-so-secretly) limited you. Don’t be afraid of the emptiness that results. It may appear to be a void, but it will quickly evolve into a fresh sanctuary. Into this newly cleared room, you can pour your strongest longings and most rebellious love. What are the wildest versions of your truths?
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21
In some early maps of the cosmos, Sagittarius wasn’t just an archer. Your sign was symbolized by a centaur with wings: part horse, part bird, part god. I bring this to your attention because I suspect your own hybrid nature is extra wild and strong these days. A part of you wants to roam, and a part wants to ruminate. A part wants to teach, and a part needs to learn. How should you respond to the glorious paradox? I say, don’t force harmony. Let contradiction become choreography. Maybe liberating joy can arise through a dance between apparent opposites.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19
In Sardinia, there are tombs carved into rock called Domus de Janas—“houses of the fairies.” People once left offerings there to court the help of beings they couldn’t see. They truly believed that fairies are real and can exert effects in this world. In modern times, fewer Capricorns actively consort with invisible presences than any other zodiac sign. But I hope you will take a short break from your usual stance. Mysterious and mythic influences are gathering in your vicinity. You’re being nudged by forces that defy explanation. What do you have to lose? Why not have fun making room to be delighted and surprised by miracles and wonders?
AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18
Thou shalt embrace the confounding contradictions, Aquarius. That’s the first commandment. Here’s the second commandment: Thou shalt caress the tricky incongruities. Third: Thou shalt whisper endearments to the mysterious ambiguities and invite the mysterious ambiguities to whisper endearments to you. Fourth: Thou shalt rumble and cavort with the slippery paradoxes. Commandment number five: Thou shalt chant spicy prayers of gratitude to the incongruities, paradoxes, contradictions and ambiguities that are making you deeper and wiser and cuter.
PISCES Feb. 19-March 20
In early medieval gardens, there was sometimes a space called the hortus conclusus. It was a walled sanctuary that protected plants and herbs from harsh weather and predation by animals. It comprised a microclimate and provided a private, peaceful space for contemplation, prayer and study. Sometime soon, Pisces, I would love for you to create your personal equivalent of a hortus conclusus—even if it’s metaphorical. You will harvest maximum benefits from surrounding yourself with extra nurturing. The insights that would come your way as you tend to your inner garden would be gently and sweetly spectacular.
Something monumental is happening on the north side of Santa Cruz, times two.
Six miles from Westside Santa Cruz, the long-awaited—and much-anticipated—debut of Cotoni-Coast Dairies, a 5,800-acre section of the California Coastal National Monument opposite the beach with the same name, debuts Saturday, Aug. 16.
The dramatic lands feature nine miles of new trails navigating undulating hills, coastal terraces, mountain ridgelines, riparian canyons and six creeks.
The Sempervirens Fund explores its glory on its website. “A rich diversity of vegetation includes coastal grasslands, oak woodlands, and redwood forests,” it reads. “Diverse ecosystems provide habitat for a variety of rare or special-status species like steelhead, coho salmon, red-legged frogs, and mountain lions. Expansive hillsides offer dramatic vistas of the Pacific coastline and Monterey Bay.” (For more: sempervirens.org/visit/cotoni-coast-dairies.)
Less than 3 miles further north, at Davenport Roadhouse Restaurant & Inn (1 Davenport Ave., Davenport), new owners are learning the ropes and listening to locals about what they want. The tight-knit community’s also showering them with offers to help on everything from music programming to landscaping to produce procurement.
Co-owner and French Culinary Institute alum Gavin Parsons directs operations after years in restaurants and residential facilities, partnering with Ginny and Teddy Miller, who have been visiting Davenport since they were kids.
There are a ton of things that recommend the new leadership—including a desire to take things slow, learn by doing, keep the live music program strong, and evolve the big back patio and cocktail program.
Perhaps most importantly, though, Teddy has lived in the population-500 town for a decade, and incoming chef Roland Konicke of Uncle Ro’s Pizza—and Companion Bakery, Pie Ranch and Fifth Crow Farm fame—is also a resident. They understand what the Roadhouse means to a unique place and are pot-committed to provide it.
The clear impression is that things are clicking practically and spiritually, something Parsons echoes.
He and the Millers “quickly understood that we were looking at this project from very similar points of view, without much prompting,” Parsons says. “So we could spitball and get into the weeds of the [project] pretty early on.
“It’s been a wildly beautiful journey, dare I say kismet. And to think we’re just getting started!” davenportroadhouse.com
SECOND (WIND) SUMMER
The Summer Sunset Series launches into six weeks of what organizers call “pure magic” at Lot 16 on Church Street, 5-8pm on Aug. 14 and continuing every Thursday evening through Sept. 18. Curated selection of artisans, farmers and businesses anchor a night market. Local food vendors and restaurants—including Dani O Bakeshop, Melrose Cafe, Mariposa Coffee Bar and Shaka’s Chicken & Waffles—treat the taste buds. Sante Adairius, Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing and Birichino flow adult beverages. Plus there’s lots of live music and performances from the likes of Fire Peach, Surf City Line Dancing, and Papiba & Friends, free admission, downtownsantacruz.com/do/sunset-market.
IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE
One of my happy places gets that much happier this Saturday, Aug. 16, 11am-4pm, with the 10th Annual Parks & Rex Dog Pool Party FUNdraiser at the expansive Simpkins Family Swim Center in Live Oak (979 17th Ave., Santa Cruz). Great food, music and fun in the pool for adults, children and—oh yes—dogs, too. Entry enables enjoyment of the whole event, your dog’s 20-minute swim window (swindow?) will be indicated on your ticket. Visit rec.us for more, where doggie slots are already filling up. Will Rogers, ride us out: “If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
Named in memoriam after Scott Edelstein’s father—who, Scott says, left this world too soon—Izzy’s Ices was founded two years ago in downtown Santa Cruz as both an homage and a fulfilled longtime dream. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens, Edelstein says Italian ices were a big part of New York City culture and his upbringing.
He moved to Santa Cruz in 1993, drawn here by his fandom for the Grateful Dead as well as a desire to learn the security business. And learn it he did, owning one security business and then another, before ultimately consolidating and selling. Longing for Italian ices and wanting to open his own shop locally, he took the proceeds from his security business exit to open Izzy’s.
He describes his shop as clean and inviting with prominent light pink and blue hues, headlined by authentic Italian ices in flavors like Jamaican Mango, Meyers Luna Park Lemon and Espresso Yourself Chunks. Edelstein’s personal favorites are Pistachio Italiano, Maui Pineapple and Birchmont Blueberry, and he says the number one most popular pick is the multi-flavored Keep the Peace Rainbow. They also have vegan options, and other offerings include large Bavarian-style soft pretzels and hand-crafted old school espresso.
How did your dad inspire the business?
SCOTT EDELSTEIN: He was a frozen dessert fanatic and a huge ice cream fan, but I was more of an Italian ice fan, so that was a fun struggle between us growing up. Italian ice has always been my thing; it’s so near and dear to my heart. Many of our flavors are fun spellings and plays on words inspired by my father, whose legacy lives on here at Izzy’s.
Tell me about your pizza pop-ups.
Because I’m from New York, pizza is my favorite food and I’ve always loved it. After selling my security business, I went back to New York City and went to pizza school to learn how to make a great pizza. I missed New York pizza and wanted it here, so I started making pizzas at functions and house parties and got rave reviews. People said I should sell them, so now I do on Tuesdays and Thursdays as kind of a local’s special and a nostalgic nod. It’s a fun way to share my love for pizza with others.
Silver Mountain Vineyards is an amazing place to visit. At 2,100 feet atop Skyland Ridge, tasting excellent wines also comes with panoramic views of organic vineyards and the Monterey Bay beyond. This is where proprietor Jerold O’Brien has made it his life’s work to take care of the land in keeping with his sustainable philosophy. The multi-purpose triple green canopy he built in 2007 reduces energy requirements, saves resources, collects rain water, and makes Silver Mountain entirely energy self-sufficient.
Silver Mountain’s wines are handcrafted and superb. The 2017 Syrah ($44) combines the best of two vineyards, Gali in Corralitos and Muns in the Santa Cruz Mountains, giving it depth and complexity. Its smooth tannins and delicious flavors of blackberry and plum make this earthy, spicy syrah a winner.
Silver Mountain is partnering with Abercrombie & Kent for an “unforgettable adventure” through the wine regions of Chile and Argentina. This exciting travel event takes place the first two weeks of March 2026—just in time for harvest season—and is a special opportunity to experience the heart of South American wine culture. I have tasted wines in Chile and Argentina, and can attest to their appeal and quality. Contact Silver Mountain for an overview of the fascinating itinerary.
Upcoming Events
Aug. 24—2pm tasting and history tour with owner Jerold O’Brien, who founded Silver Mountain in 1979.
Aug. 29—4–7pm Jerold O’Brien and Silver Mountain’s winemaker—British-born Tony Craig, whose Sonnet Cellars wines are available at Silver Mountain—have joined forces to hold a fun tasting called The Brit and The Yank.
Silver Mountain Vineyards, 269 Silver Mountain Drive, Los Gatos, and Silver Mountain’s tasting room in Santa Cruz at 328D Ingalls St., Santa Cruz. 408-353-2278. Silvermtn.com
The Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium drains more than half a million dollars from the city’s budget each year. But the real problem is that the city spends about $10,000 a week for the building to sit empty. On most nights, the 85-year-old landmark is a ghost.
It wasn’t always this way. To understand what we stand to lose, you have to travel back to its birth in 1940. America was clawing its way out of the Great Depression, powered by the New Deal—a radical belief that the government could invest directly in its people and places. The Works Progress Administration wasn’t just about creating jobs; it was about building monuments to a shared future. And in Santa Cruz, it built the Civic.
Imagine walking through its doors for the first time then. You would have felt the solid weight of the handles, smelled the fresh plaster and paint, and seen the light gleaming on polished concrete floors. Look up, and the vast, curved ceiling would have arched over you, not just as a roof, but as a promise. This wasn’t a private club; it was a cathedral of civic hope, built by and for the community. The air didn’t hold the silence of emptiness, but the hum of possibility. It was a declaration in steel and concrete that said, “We believe in this place. We believe in each other.”
In its heyday you could see internationally known acts, including Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, the Clash, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, the Ramones, Talking Heads, Smashing Pumpkins, Shakti and Ozzy Osbourne.
Flash forward 85 years, and that vibrant promise feels faded. The magnificent ceiling is still there, but it covers more empty nights than sold-out shows. The vastness that once felt like possibility can now feel like neglect. The silence is no longer hopeful; it’s the sound of missed opportunities.
The building’s modern story is told by a different set of numbers. It has a math problem. According to the City of Santa Cruz’s own budget, the Civic once recovered up to 80 percent of its operating costs. Today, that number has slipped below 50 percent. The city’s adopted FY 2025 budget shows the Civic Auditorium Fund requires a transfer of $564,303 from the General Fund to cover its operational shortfall. That is what it costs to maintain the ghost.
JAMMING Bob Marley is one of many big names that have played at the Civic over the years. Photo: Contributed
The Anatomy of a Decline
The Civic’s slide hasn’t been the result of a single catastrophe, but a slow erosion, a story told in the quiet language of budget documents and deferred decisions.
Inside the city’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP), a multi-year plan for infrastructure projects, the Civic appears repeatedly next to the words “unfunded” or “deferred.” A 2023 facilities report noted that its main barrel roof has reached its projected end-of-life. The item was flagged but pushed into future planning.
A modest request for a new $62,000 sound system was acknowledged in 2021 but never funded; in some documents, the line item disappears without explanation. A comprehensive $12 million renovation, addressing seating, seismic safety, lighting and accessibility, has remained a fantasy on paper for years.
City Council transcripts reveal a similar pattern. When the Civic is discussed in budget hearings, it’s often in the context of service reductions. In 2020, temporary event staff positions were cut. The move was described as a temporary measure, but those roles have not been restored, quietly lowering the building’s operational capacity. Revenue targets have also been lowered, from a projection of nearly $700,000 in a 2018 memo to the current reality of under $500,000. This reflects a quiet resignation to diminished performance.
The real-world consequences are clear. Archived booking calendars show the venue hosted over 180 event days in 2015; that number has now fallen below 130. Veteran promoter Eddy Dees, who learned under the Catalyst’s Gary Tighe, says a big reason is the city’s 5% admissions tax—enacted after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake as a short-term measure but never retired. The surcharge, unique in the region, adds cost for audiences and overhead for promoters, making Santa Cruz a harder sell compared to nearby markets. “It helps keep people away,” Dees says. “It’s not the staff—it’s decades of bad decisions.” On a $50 ticket, the tax adds $2.50; for a 1,200-seat show, it’s $3,000 tacked on to the event cost. For touring acts working with tight margins, that can be enough to skip the Civic—and for local cultural presenters, it can feel like a built-in penalty for bringing entertainment to town.
The fact that the tax has lasted more than three decades shows how a “temporary” fix can quietly become permanent. City leaders have never revisited whether it still serves its original post-earthquake purpose—and in a competitive live-music market, that absence of review can influence which acts choose Santa Cruz and which ones pass it by.
A Venue Out of Step
Local promoters and festival organizers, many speaking off the record, confess they’ve tried to book the Civic. They cite a history of unpredictable labor rules, outdated booking systems and a slog of bureaucracy that stifles creative risk. As one veteran producer sighed, “If I can book the Fox in Oakland in half the time, why keep begging for Santa Cruz? We love the place, but it isn’t set up for growth.”
REGULAR TENANT The Santa Cruz Symphony calls the Civic Auditorium home. Photo: Tarmo Hannula
Voices from the Inside
Gary Reece, executive director of the Santa Cruz Symphony, has lived this reality for years. He’s not a musician; he’s a former banker and turnaround specialist, a professional hired to rescue struggling ventures from the brink of failure. He was brought in to keep the symphony solvent, and he’s blunt about the challenges posed by its home venue.
[Editor’s note, Aug. 13, 2025: Good Times in no way meant to imply that the symphony is not solvent—only that Mr. Reece has the background to ensure that the organization continues to stay solvent. Reece shared more details on his background: Having served for many years as treasurer of the Santa Cruz Symphony’s board, he became executive director after his predecessor retired and an interim director stepped down. He brings a strong background in finance and management, and under his leadership the Symphony continues to thrive—presenting full seasons, attracting guest artists, and running a fully donor-funded program that brings nearly 4,500 local students to their first classical concert each year. He’s one of several voices advocating for a Civic that works better for audiences and performers. “This isn’t about rescuing the Symphony,” he emphasizes. “It’s about making the Civic a place that inspires.”]
“We’re performing on a basketball court,” he says plainly, referencing the flat floor that serves as the main stage. “That’s not hyperbole. It’s a fact.”
This isn’t a new conversation. Back in 2017, Good Times reported on a community push to renovate the Civic. Then-Mayor David Terrazas stated, “This building is intended to present the best of Santa Cruz’s past, present and future … the facility is letting down the performers and guests. The Civic is not living up to its potential currently.” At the same event, Cabrillo Festival Executive Director Ellen Primack warned that the aging facility was becoming a barrier to access. “The seating is becoming a deterrent to cultural participation. … People choose between beautiful facilities over the hill and coming here,” she said. Years later, Gary Reece is echoing the same frustrations.
On the other side of the desk is Tremain Jones, the city’s civic supervisor and superintendent of recreation. He sees the building through a different lens. “The Civic isn’t a loss,” he insists. “It’s a public good.”
Jones points out that the Civic hosts city council overflow meetings, firefighter training and departmental gatherings, which are dozens of uses the public never sees. He has also overseen critical changes; promoters can now bring in their own stagehands and use third-party ticketing platforms. The problem? Adoption lags, and many are unaware the old rules are gone. Jones acknowledges the slow pace of government. ADA upgrades, though federally funded, face frustrating delays. “If someone tells me to move faster, I’ll try,” he says, “but government moves slowly.”
A Personal Note: Why This Building Feels Familiar
I used to work night shifts running operations for a startup that promised to get you anything you wanted with a single text message. Behind the curtain, it was controlled chaos. We had a term for when a task was truly finished: “done-done.” It meant the problem was fully resolved, not just checked off a list, not escalated, not left for someone else to chase.
The Civic reminds me of that chaos. ADA handrails, lighting, ticketing, labor policy—all of it is in flight, but nothing feels done-done. The city is doing a lot, but this historic venue needs more than just progress reports. It needs someone to truly handle it.
At that same startup, I once watched a founder pop the tab off a can and let it clink onto the floor. It was a small thing, but it was the task right in front of us. I picked it up. The understanding was that we were all janitors; you build the magic, but you also sweep the stage. The Civic is littered with these small, fixable things, the kind of tasks you trip over when no one claims ownership. My concern for the ripped seats and the unfunded sound system stems from a belief that we deserve a worthy place to gather.
The Crossroads: Renovation or Replacement?
The conversation is now more urgent than ever as it unfolds within the context of the city’s larger Downtown Plan Expansion, a project aimed at revitalizing the city core south of Laurel Street. A key component is a potential new arena for the Santa Cruz Warriors, which would be significantly larger than the Civic. Warriors President Chris Murphy has confirmed the vision is for a versatile venue, stating, “The Civic has been the go-to performing arts arena in Santa Cruz for more than eight decades. … The plan under study now is closer to 4,000 seats,” capable of supporting year-round concerts and events in addition to sports.
This raises a pivotal question: Will a new, modern space render the Civic obsolete, or will we fight to ensure it can be revitalized to complement it? If the Civic is to remain meaningful, it will take more than maintenance. It will take imagination and a renewal of civic pride.
A Blueprint in Our Own Backyard
Inspiration for that renewal doesn’t have to be imported. Santa Cruz author Taylor Lahey’s novel, Cambio, provides a powerful local metaphor. The book, whose title means “change” in Spanish, tells the fictional story of a California coastal town, strikingly similar to Santa Cruz, where citizens become fed up with bureaucratic inertia and social decay. Instead of waiting for officials to act, they form a grassroots movement, organizing community cleanup days and taking direct action to reclaim and beautify their public spaces.
Lahey’s story offers a fictional blueprint for the exact kind of civic pride the Civic Auditorium needs. It argues that meaningful change doesn’t have to come from a top-down master plan; it can be sparked by a community that decides to care for what it already owns. The Civic is a perfect candidate for that kind of energy, a place where a “Friends of the Civic” group could organize volunteer days, fundraise for specific upgrades, and bring new life to its halls.
A phased, strategic plan could build momentum:
Estimated Costs on Projects
• ADA Handrail Installation (Already Funded): $360,000
This is not an insurmountable sum. It’s a tangible investment in a place that has served Santa Cruz for eight decades and, with the right support, could serve it for decades more.
The generation that built the Civic gave us more than a building; they gave us a head start. Today, that legacy of public belief doesn’t need to be a ghost haunting the halls; it can be a foundation to build upon. The plan to awaken this landmark doesn’t require a miracle—it requires a decision, followed by action. Santa Cruz has never been short on people who believe in the power of place. This is a moment for that belief to become tangible, for new names to join the long history of those who have invested in our city’s soul. The future of the Civic is not a question mark. It is a possibility, waiting for us to write its next vibrant chapter.
The last chapter of the Redman-Hirahara house was written Aug. 5 when the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors approved a staff recommendation to delist it as a historic resource.
The decision will allow the property owner to eventually demolish the decrepit 128-year-old building, but not before offering it to the public for salvage.
The resolution will now go to the California Office of Historic Preservation, which will likely remove the house from the National Register of Historic Places.
It is unclear when demolition would happen, but what is certain is that nothing will happen immediately.
Santa Cruz County Mark Connolly said that state and federal entities still have to approve the de-listing.
Connolly added that the current zoning of mixed commercial agriculture will likely be changed to be compatible with the development around it.
That includes a gas station, hotel and coffee shop recently built nearby.
“That would be the eventual goal,” he said. “To foster development that is appropriate for the neighborhood there.”
Juggy Tut, whose company Elite Agriculture owns the property, said he has no immediate plans for either the house or the 14-acre parcel of land on which it sits.
The house’s story began in 1897 when architect William Weeks built a home for sugar beet farmer James Redman.
The Victorian was eventually sold to the Hirahara family, who lived in the house and continued to farm there until World War II, when they were imprisoned in a Japanese internment camp.
Local attorney John McCarthy protected the property so that it stayed with the Hirahara family, who moved back and housed others who had also been sent to the internment camps.
The Hirahara family lived there until the house was red-tagged after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake.
That synopsis, superficial as it is, nevertheless encapsulates the spirit of Pajaro Valley—hard work, friendship and community, with a mix of agriculture and architecture thrown into the mix.
Still, the house’s stateliness notwithstanding, the structure has been deemed uninhabitable, dangerous and unrepairable. Uninhabited and unmaintained for four decades, it has been deemed uninhabitable and, saving for a last-minute donor willing to cough up the millions of dollars it would take to fix up, beyond the reach of restoration.
There were efforts to save the house. The Redman-Hirahara Foundation purchased the property and led efforts to place it on the National Register of Historic Places. That group planned to restore the house and use it as a visitor’s welcome center.
But the economic recession hit and the foundation declared bankruptcy.
The house has now deteriorated to the point where it is considered a safety hazard, said Santa Cruz County Mark Connolly.
The Santa Cruz County Historic Resources Commission agreed, and on Feb. 10 unanimously voted to recommend delisting and rezoning the property.
County Planner Matthew Sundt, who oversees the commission, said that the house would need new plumbing, new electrical, and new redwood lumber sourced from the Santa Cruz Mountains. It would take “millions of dollars” to restore the structure, he said.
“It would be a huge effort,” he said. “Nothing is impossible, but here we are 40 years later. This house—this thing, this grand dame—has been advertised to the world with thousands of people driving by every day. All it takes is one person to say, ‘I’d like to rebuild that.’ And it just never happened, and here we are.”
Becky Steinbrunner, has been at the forefront of recent efforts to keep the house, pointed to Emma Prusch Farm Park in San Jose as an example of a successfully restored historic structure.
She said that the building inspector that deemed the house uninhabitable didn’t bother to go inside.
“This is historic preservation,” she said.
Eloise Shim, who sits on the Historic Resources Board in Salinas, said the house is “the last remnant of a large Victorian estate in a rural setting, which is itself a historic accolade.
“To delist it for the purposes of demolition is a travesty, and should not have been recommended by the historic commission,” Shim said.
Supervisor Justin Cummings, the only dissenting vote, said he has seen examples in the past of historic buildings that were allowed by owners to deteriorate over time, and use that as justification to demolish them.
Supervisor Manu Koenig said that the deterioration is the “inevitable result of years of inaction.”
But the fact that no donor has come forward is evidence it’s time to act, he said.
“If this house was going to be saved—if there was enough community support to save it—then that would have happened by now,” he said.
Supervisor Felipe Hernandez agreed, saying that the house has gone unfunded through times of prosperity and of economic troubles. Anyone who wanted to purchase it, he added, would also have to purchase the property.
“There’s going to be no magic pill, and no one is going to come give us $7 million to fix the house,” he said.
Next, the county will coordinate with a professional historian to document the site for archival preservation funded by the property owner. The supervisors agreed that the property will eventually get a plaque with historic information.
Keith McHenry is one of the most recognizable humans in Santa Cruz. Burly, with an almost cherubic smile, combined with the steely reserve of a man on a mission.
If you’re looking for McHenry, he is easy to find. He’s in downtown Santa Cruz, feeding the hungry.
The nonprofit that McHenry started in 1980, Food Not Bombs, is now active in over 33% of the countries in the world. There are a thousand Food Not Bombs, every day, somewhere, feeding those who cannot feed themselves, with vegan or vegetarian meals.
This isn’t the kind of founder who starts a viral grassroots movement and retires in Fiji. McHenry has been on the street since 1980, tirelessly promoting compassionate exchanges between the haves and have-nots.
“We started on May 24, 1980, in Boston and Cambridge,” McHenry begins. “I was studying painting and sculpture at Boston University. And I had a job as a produce worker at Bread and Circus.” At the time, Bread and Circus was the biggest distributor of “natural foods” in the Northeast. But the term “bread and circuses” was a ploy that the Romans used to pacify citizens from rising up in rebellion, by giving them free grain. McHenry isn’t interested in making citizens docile, nor interested in corporate involvement.
Bread and Circus “is now run by Whole Foods,” McHenry says, laughing.
McHenry grew up in a literate household that valued ideas and philosophies. “I had dyslexia, but my dad gave me Walden by Thoreau in fifth grade. That’s how I learned to read. But I mostly read the shorter part, on ‘Civil Disobedience,’” McHenry says.
It’s no wonder that the rugged activist is also third-generation Natural Parks Service. “My grandfather was the chief naturalist of Yosemite. And, my grandfather, on my dad’s side, lived with the Hopi. He would take us to the Snake Dances before they started strip mining Black Mesa. So I saw the Hopi land before electricity and walked it when it was pristine. Then, I saw the destruction of that whole area. And that was the final thing where I said, ‘OK, I’m going to just do nothing but organize to change society,’” McHenry recalls.
The name Food Not Bombs, known to millions, came about when McHenry heard of a building in Cambridge that was being used by people designing nuclear bombs, while he was delivering food. It should be obvious, but the two-fold agenda, perhaps hidden by the delivery of food to the unsheltered or hungry, is to stop all wars.
“On May 24, 1980, I was at the Seabrook [nuclear plant site in New Hampshire] protests with my friends. And one of my friends got arrested and we found somebody with a bunch of money to bail them out,” McHenry says. This was the day that Food Not Bombs was born. You can almost hear Thoreau whispering through the decades: “Under a government which imprisons any unjustly,” he writes, “the true place for a just man is also a prison.”
BOTTOM LINE “The food is always free to anyone, rich or poor, drunk or sober,’ Food Not Bombs founder Keith McHenry says. PHOTO: Contributed
From that protest, the young McHenry and friends had an epiphany that straddled the land of the Diggers/Yippies and Pranksters. A bake sale that fed the hungry. Which is a noble pursuit as long as one doesn’t have rent to pay.
Luckly, McHenry’s landlord at the time, who was owed back rent, was also a socialite who had heard of the nascent Food Not Bombs. “She said everybody loved what we were doing in Cambridge. Her husband was head of the French department at Harvard,” McHenry remembers. And like that, Food Not Bombs became a cause célèbre.
By 1992, the idea of Food Not Bombs was spreading quickly, and McHenry decided it was time to come up with the three principles of what the organization stood for. “The food is always free to anyone, rich or poor, drunk or sober. That there’s no headquarters, presidents or anything like that that we are dedicated to. Also, each Food Not Bombs must be decentralized and autonomous. And then the third thing was that we were not a charity, but that we were dedicated to taking nonviolent direct action to change societies,” McHenry says.
Now, in the middle of 2025, there are more hungry people than ever. While it might seem daunting to the average person, McHenry was never merely average. “The lines keep getting bigger at the meals. For three years now, I’ve been getting between ten to twenty calls a day from seniors looking for food, for home delivery. I mean, in the middle of the night, I get calls from Michigan and Alabama. The poverty is incredible. And the stories they tell me—it’s just heartbreaking,” McHenry concludes.
Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s governing body on July 30 took the first step toward allowing students to vote in district elections and help choose the trustees that represent them.
The board voted to form an ad-hoc committee that will talk to students, families and community members and research the legal implications of lowering the voting age to 16. The committee will report its findings to the board.
Trustee Gabe Medina, who created the “Student Promise Proposal,” said that he promised students during his campaign that he would give them a voice at the table.
“Students suffer direct impact from school board decisions, yet lack formal representation,” he said.
If ultimately approved—Medina estimated that could take about four years—it would lower the voting age to 16 for PVUSD trustees.
Allowing them to participate could boost attendance and activism, Medina said.
“Students who already lead walkouts, advocacy campaigns and coalition building now need the ballot to match their voices,” he said.
He pointed to Oakland Unified School District, where 67% of voters supported Measure QQ, which gave young people the right to vote in elections there. The measure added some 8,000 new voters to the roster.
‘We Need the Right to Vote’
Several people spoke about the issue, all of them in favor.
“The students should be able to hold the trustees accountable for their actions,” said Pajaro Valley High School junior Maximiliano Barraza Hernandez, who pointed out that former board members “expressed indifference and even antagonism” when students addressed them.
“As a 16-year-old, I know it would be a game-changer to be able to vote for board members, because I remember having to fight really hard just to be able to support people who represented me,” he said.
PVHS sophomore Ixel Barraza said she has been speaking at board meetings for two years.
“I feel like as students we need the right to vote, because I don’t want adults speaking for me without even asking what I think,” she said. “We are affected by the decisions of the board members who we don’t even get to elect. It’s unfair for us to not have a voice.”
Trustees Medina, Jessica Carrasco and Carol Turley volunteered to be on the committee.
Trustee Misty Navarro warned that a similar issue came before the Watsonville City Council, and that the city’s charter only allows citizens 18 and older to vote.
“Hopefully you can figure out a way around that,” she said.
Navarro also said that the district comprises two counties, and that lowering the voting age in only one could create equity issues.
No-Confidence Vote Rejected
In other action, the trustees rejected a vote of no confidence against Board President Olivia Flores, Vice President Misty Navarro and Superintendent Heather Contreras.
Medina, who brought the issue to the board, said he has seen a failure of leadership that includes unequal treatment of schools, blocking his requests to place items on the board agenda and disrespect during closed meetings that has not been addressed.
“What we’re seeing is not just dysfunction,” Medina said. “It’s leadership that abandons transparency, fairness and core values of public service.”
As one example, Medina said that the board declined to discuss the removal of critical youth programs, but held a vote on placing uniformed police officers on high school campuses that Trustee Joy Flynn requested—and during a meeting when she was absent.
“That’s not procedural oversight, that’s political opportunism,” Medina said.
He also said that the board has failed to hold Contreras accountable when she did not respond to trustees’ request for information.
In addition, Flores did not address “micro-aggression and racially charged comments” during closed-session meetings, Medina said.
“Silence in the face of this behavior is complicity,” he said.
The trustees rejected a motion by Medina to table the issue until Trustee Joy Flynn could be there.
Navarro said that the agenda-setting committee has been grappling with packed agendas, and that the decisions they made had nothing to do with Flynn’s absence.
“Had trustee Flynn asked us to table this, we would have, but she did not,” Navarro said.
‘Let’s Work on Real Stuff’
Several people addressed the board, both in favor and against the proposal.
“Of all the things we should be talking about—the budget, closing schools, declining enrollment, improving academic performance—we’re here to consider a no-confidence vote,” said Bill Beecher. “Talking about the pot calling the kettle black. Trustee Medina wants a no-confidence vote when he has been the major source of disruption for this board.”
Beecher asked that the issue be “tabled forever.”
“Let’s work on real stuff,” he said.
Eli Davies said that they have appreciated Medina’s stances on issues they feel are important to the community.
“If you look at actual items and policy, (Medina) speaks for the community, thinks about what the community needs,” Davies said. “To call him the divisive one is really coming from a place of not knowing the intricacies of what’s happening here.”
Gabriel Barazza said that Martin Luther King Jr. was criticized as being divisive during the Civil Rights movement.
“I always find it amusing that people who want to preserve the status quo and systems that are unjust and are not serving the community always tend to hide behind civility and respect,” he said.
Imagine not only losing your home and all of your property, but also five years or more of your life. That’s what’s happened to the more than 60,000 residents whose 911 homes and 1,500 structures burned in the CZU Lightning Complex Fire, which blazed from Aug. 16 to Sept. 22, 2020.
On the fifth anniversary of fires that affected 2 million acres in Northern California, including those 911 homes, we look at some of the success stories of people who, with community help, rose from the disaster.
Yes, we also need to know about the failures: 155 single-family homes have been rebuilt in the CZU fire area, with outstanding permits for another 142 dwellings. Less than a third of the total lost homes have been rebuilt five years on.
The county’s permitting process has been a major roadblock; despite years of promises to “streamline” processes, residents continue to have issues. But county officials—including a recently elected supervisor—have been pushing to fix the problems, working to get residents back in their homes and better prepare for the next disaster.
Is that the good news? Read Josué Monroy’s cover story for an in-depth look at how some of our neighbors have fared.
In other news: what’s going on at the Capitola Mall? Here’s a weird one: A “dimensional convergence” has taken over the abandoned Victoria’s Secret in the mall, transforming it into Middleof: A Journey of Mythical Proportions—an immersive experience that sets “accidental adventurers” on a perilous quest through elaborate dimensions, packed with intricately detailed puppets and interactive digital displays. The mission? To save the universe from the evil clutches of the Interdimensional Cryogenic Capture and Containment Corporation (ICCCI).
Intriguing? Love to see local creatives strutting cool stuff. You can read about it in Mathew Chipman’s fun article.
Speaking of Capitola, that’s what poet Magdalena Montagne is doing in her celebration of her history in the beloved village. It’s a fun read for locals and tourists.
Did you know there’s a second Silver Spur location backing up the one on Soquel Drive? Our Foodie FIle introduces you to the owners and the tucked-away spot well worth visiting.
Health columnist Elizabeth Borelli is out to quash all the quackery of some of the latest food trends…but this week she looks at an ice diet. Ice? Of course if that’s all you ate, it could work. But can anyone live on that? She has other helpful suggestions.
Eat well and prosper and have a great week.
Brad Kava | Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
LEARNING TO FLY A fledging scrub jay takes a perch while practicing flying. Taken at home at Pleasure Point. Photograph by Alex Bevan
GOOD IDEA
In 2023, storms fueled by strong atmospheric rivers pounded into Santa Cruz, damaging parts of West Cliff Drive. Ever since, tourists and locals alike have had to navigate around a detour on this beloved scenic stretch of road. To mark the opening of the road, the city will host a celebration with live music performed by SambaDá, activities for all ages and—most important of all—food trucks. S.C. Eatery, Rollin Snack Shack and Taquizas Gabriel will roll up to dispense their wares.
The party runs 5–8pm at Lighthouse Point, 700 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz. Admission is free. For more details, call 831-420-5591 or visit cityofsantacruz.com.
GOOD WORK
Goodwill Central Coast is marking a milestone that speaks to nearly a century of community integration, economic empowerment, and lives changed: 97 years of service in Santa Cruz. Since opening its doors in 1928, Goodwill Central Coast has provided job training, employment and pathways to self-sufficiency.
“Santa Cruz isn’t just where we started—it’s the heart of who we are,” said Christine Westbrook, president and CEO of Goodwill Central Coast. From families shopping secondhand and donors keeping reusable goods out of landfills, to job seekers finding their footing through on-the-job training and career services, Goodwill’s footprint touches every corner of the region.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
‘The last five years have been so damn hard. I’m so grateful to get the help with the rebuild.’ —Tonia Weakland in our cover story
Mountain Community Theater’s annual New Works Weekend returns to Park Hall Aug. 15–17, offering three nights of script-in-hand staged readings spotlighting local playwrights.
At Izzy's Ices downtown, the most popular pick is the multi-flavored Keep the Peace Rainbow. Also look for Pistachio Italiano, Maui Pineapple and Birchmont Blueberry.
For over 30 years, the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium hasn’t broken even, yet it holds generations of Santa Cruz memories. An investigation into the numbers, the missed opportunities, and the fight to bring it back from the brink.
Imagine not only losing your home and all of your property, but also five years or more of your life. That’s what’s happened to the more than 60,000 residents...
