What do a dead clown, a murderous turkey cult and groups of buskers battling it out for territory all have in common?
Well, a couple of things, it turns out.
First, they all inhabit Santa Lacrimosa—a fictitious beach town that Santa Cruzans might find a little too familiar. Second, they were all written by local Santa Cruz independent author, Whiskey Leavins, who just published his third book in the Santa Lacrimosa series: The Busker War: A Sarah and Jess Adventure, now available at Bookshop Santa Cruz and on Amazon.
“I’m about laughs, first and foremost,” says Leavins—whose real name is John Williamson Page (seriously). “I’d probably call myself a humorist before I call myself a ‘novelist.’”
He pauses before adding with a laugh, “But I like to think there’s something of value there in the books.”
Part Raymond Chandler, part Christopher Moore, a Whiskey Leavins book is for fans of dry—and dirty—humor. For example, his first book is a collection of short stories called The Devil’s Own Pissand Other Stories with the tagline, “This is Definitely an R-Rated Book.”
“I didn’t think of it as being that offensive,” explains Page. “But for the Santa Lacrimosa novels I dialed it back a bit. However, there’s still plenty of dirty jokes and I still make fun of religion in all my books.”
WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW Santa Cruzans might find the fictitious beach town in Whiskey Leavins’ mystery series a little too familiar. Photo: Steve Kuehl (SLV Steve)
The Busker War is the fourth book published under the Leavins name and the third in Page’s Santa Lacrimosa series following Murder in Greasepaint and A Turkey Danced Death. A bustling beach town, Santa Lacrimosa boasts a university and community clown college, a boardwalk, a wharf, several dive bars like the Liv (The Asti) and the Pretty Baby (Blue Lagoon) and a main drag in the downtown called—what else—Seafoam Street. It’s a case of “write what you know” that has gained a life of its own.
“When I first started writing it was convenient to already know the geography,” Page admits. “But then it turned into a thing. I got a lot of feedback from Santa Cruzans who read Murder saying it was fun to figure out what is what.”
It’s a choice that has been profitable for the author.
“When people go to the Local Author section, they like to see things that represent Santa Cruz,” says Bookshop Santa Cruz’s local author coordinator, who goes by the single name Yves. “It’s never too weird.”
Yves says at any given time Bookshop Santa Cruz—which just celebrated its 58th anniversary in mid-November—has anywhere from 200 to 400 local authors available on their shelves. Anyone interested in selling their words at the Bay Area favorite can find all the information on Bookshop’s website.
“I was comparing [Leavins’ books] to others and he sells well,” Yves explains. “I think the most important thing he does for himself is have multiple titles. Independent authors don’t make that much money from one book but over time from a large backlist.”
The first two Santa Lacrimosa publications follow a hard-drinking, noir-style detective for the Santa Lacrimosa Police Department named Rock Cobbler. Despite the trope, Cobbler isn’t really a tough guy in the classic sense. Sure, he can throw a punch and take one like the best of ’em, but he hates carrying a gun. Plus, instead of solving cases, Cobbler ends up falling into the answers with the help of his official partner, Luis Ruvalcaba, and his unofficial partners and friends, Sarah Milliner—a nerdy in the best way head librarian at the Santa Lacrimosa Clown College—and a goth, transwoman bartender at the Statesman (a midtown bar that’s a combination of Brady’s Yacht Club and the ex-Blue Lounge now Hold Fast Lounge), who goes by the single name Jess.
In The Busker War, a new busker comes to town wearing a giant, blue bird costume to take photos with tourists for money at the wharf. However, this newbie—who ends up getting the nickname #badbluebird—is very un-Santa Lacrimosan. He’s a homophobic, transphobic white nationalist who is in town to stir up controversy and chaos during the annual cornhole contest. Cobbler is out of town on a much-needed gambling and boozing vacation in Vegas, so it’s up to Jess, Sarah and Luis to figure out who he is and what he’s up to in a Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew style adventure.
It’s an idea he spawned last year when Santa Cruz had its own bad Cookie Monster last year.
“I like the idea of being able to write something that’s not Rock Cobbler but in the same place,” Page says. “So Sarah and Jess are amateurs who go off sleuthing.”
Born to Baptist missionaries in the city of Torreón in the Mexican state of Coahuila, Page’s family moved to Mexico City shortly after. It was there that Page was first bitten by the humorist bug when he wrote a story for English class from the perspective of someone interviewing Wile E. Coyote from Looney Tunes.
However, it wasn’t until later in life that Whiskey Leavins was created. Page needed a pseudonym for his blog, which featured short stories that later became The Devil’s Own Piss. Many of the stories began as jokes he already had the punchline for, but needed to come up with the backstory. It was while he was compiling The Devil’s Own Piss that Page began writing Rock Cobbler.
“I wanted to try my hand at a novel,” Page says. “And I had the first bit for Murder with detectives looking down on the sidewalk at a dead clown. It was going to be a story for the blog but I thought, ‘I wonder if there’s something I can do with this.’”
Despite The Busker War still in its fledgling stages of retail, Page is already working on his next couple of novels, which will be centered around Cobbler once more.
“The next, next book is shaping up like it’s probably going to be an honest-to-god whodunnit,” he says. “Which will be more of a challenge because I just want to create funny characters and throw them together.”
There are two sides to a levee, but a conservationist and a farmer have found common ground at the swampy mouth of the Pajaro River.
To some, they may seem like strange bedfellows. Some might see collaboration between a lifelong conservationist and a pragmatic farmer as unlikely, but the environmental organization called Land Trust Santa Cruz County and Lakeside Organic Gardens are working together at Beach Ranch to form the most natural alliance in the world and use nature to restore ecological and financial balance to the Pajaro Valley.
“What we want to do to tackle climate change is find win-wins,” says Land Trust Santa Cruz County Director Bryan Largay. “Working with Lakeside Organic Gardens is that kind of solution.”
Dick Peixoto (peh-SHUTE), owner of Lakeside Organic Gardens, concurs: “The Land Trust is good at what they do, on that side of the levee, and I hope we’re good at what we do on this side of the levee. There’s that levee that separates us, but we do good together, I think.”
How high’s the water, Mama? Two feet high and risin’ How high’s the water, Papa? She said it’s two feet high and risin’
We can make it to the road in a homemade boat That’s the only thing we got left that’ll float It’s already over all the wheat and the oats Two feet high and risin’.
—Five Feet High and Rising, Johnny Cash
WATER WAYS The Pajaro River mouth and agricultural land, all farmed by Lakeside Organic Gardens. PHOTO: Richard Stockton
Let Old Man River Spread Out
The waters of the Pajaro River travel 100 miles. They start at Pinnacles National Park, the least-visited National Park in the state, where the condors live, to wind through the Pajaro Valley and empty into Monterey Bay just west of Watsonville. Levees were built along the Pajaro River to contain it and keep it from flooding. Except when they didn’t.
On March 11, 2023, the levees gave way near the town of Pajaro after storm surges caused massive flooding, causing $800 million in damage to the Pajaro area, flooding businesses and driving out hundreds of low-income residents. Since built in 1949, the Pajaro levees have failed five times: 1955, 1958, 1995, 1998 and 2023. Lakeside grower Peixoto says the March 2023 breach left 70 acres of his broccoli 10 feet under water, “Some of it was a month from harvest and we lost it all.”
Land Trust Santa Cruz County was established in 1978, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the lands of Santa Cruz County. The Land Trust has directly protected 3,200 acres of land and protected with partners another 10,000 acres that include wetlands at the heart of the Watsonville Sloughs, and 1,400 acres of farmland in the Pajaro Valley.
In August 2024, the Land Trust purchased 247 acres at Beach Ranch, where the Pajaro River meets the Pacific Ocean. According to the organization’s website, “With the acquisition and conservation of 247 acres at Beach Ranch, the Land Trust aims to create a resilient physical landscape that protects prime farmland and buffers the surrounding at-risk community from some of the worst impacts of climate disruption.”
LAND USE Fields in Beach Ranch adjacent to the Pajaro River. PHOTO: Bryan Largay
Beach Ranch is at the intersection of the fertile farmland of the Pajaro Valley and the productive estuary and wetlands of the Pajaro River mouth. Largay says that a wetland is an estuary where the river meets the sea, where the freshwater and saltwater mix.
Land Trust Marketing and Communications Manager Vicki Lowell says the idea is to transform marginal farmland into wetlands, restoring habitat to create living shorelines that improve water quality and help mitigate inland flooding. Lowell says that a lot of the farmland along the Pajaro River has repeatedly flooded, to the point where it’s become unproductive.
In addition to Beach Ranch, the Land Trust purchased some of that unproductive farmland to restore it back to wetlands, and that soft area will disperse the water before it hits land, so it doesn’t hit so hard.
Lowell says, “It’s a couple of things; taking unproductive farmland out of production to restore the wetlands, which is restored habitat, and that will also protect surrounding communities from future flooding from these storms.”
Director Largay says that restoring wetlands will help reduce flood risk because it allows space for the water to spread out. “If your levee or berm is back from the river to give it space to swell, the river puts less pressure on the walls of the levees.”
Near the Pajaro River, floods have become more intense in the past 10 years as big waves pour seawater into the Pajaro River and the wetlands around Watsonville.
Largay says, “These farmlands get hit by the river floods; they also get hit by these big ocean wave events when there’s not much fresh water in the river to push the salt water out. Saltwater will flood from the ocean coming in rather than the river coming down from the mountains.” This makes these farmlands unusable.
Working With Nature Works
American Rivers is a nonprofit organization that advocates for river protection. In 2006, it designated the Pajaro River as the most endangered river in America, because of pollution, problems with the levees, and neglect. Largay is excited by how much investment is happening to support the Pajaro River.
“The Pajaro River Flood Control Project is going to include a bunch of new wetlands and riparian forests as part of the Flood Control Project. What Watsonville Wetlands Watch, and the Land Trust are doing in the Watsonville Slough to restore habitat is making a really big difference.”
Largay says that wetlands are the nursery of wildlife. “One-third of all bird species depend on wetlands. Wetlands are where all the amphibians go to lay their eggs. The frogs and salamanders will lay their eggs there. The wetlands are where biodiversity happens. We think of them as a nursery for life. They’re the cafeteria and snack bar.”
Largay says the new wetland areas will be formed by using the current berm, which is a non-engineered, six-foot, snow-plowed pile of dirt that runs for about two miles between the farmland and the slough.
To create additional wetland area, they will be breaching it in several places and moving it back and allowing the water to come onto the marginal poor-performing farmland. And then they’ll propagate and grow plants in their nursery that occur in the wetlands in Watsonville naturally. The Land Trust will then work with the farm crews to plant these native species. One of these is pickleweed, adapted for the salty conditions—and it actually tastes like a pickle.
COMMON GOALS Bryan Largay talks to Land Trust members about the Beach Ranch project. PHOTO: Land Trust Santa Cruz County
It’s About the Money, Honey
Dick Peixoto and family established their first Lakeside Organic Gardens farm in 1996 in Watsonville, California. While Peixoto has been a community leader for sustainable farming and community development all his life, Lakeside Organic Gardens must show a profit; his 350 employees (11 of them family) depend upon it.
Peixoto says, “I got into organic because I thought it was a viable business decision. That business decision led to a byproduct of improving health and well-being for people and the earth. But working with the Land Trust makes it easier to be profitable.” He says the relationship with the Land Trust is unique, “A lot of people shy away from working with Land Trust, thinking that they’re a competing deal. I don’t. We look at them as a partner in managing the ranch.”
Regarding Beach Ranch, Largay says that once the growers said they were on board, the Land Trust felt comfortable purchasing the ranch and moving forward with the project.
“We own that land outright and lease the best of it to farmers. Then we will steward the rest. We’re going to convert 47 acres on Beach Ranch to wetlands. We’ll take care of that land and ensure that it’s good for farming where it’s appropriate and good for nature and biodiversity where it’s appropriate.”
The Land Trust partnered with the State of California Wildlife Conservation Board, Coastal Conservancy and California Department of Conservation to fund this project. Not only has the land been fully protected, a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will provide the Land Trust with $6 million to begin restoration at Beach Ranch. The grant is part of over $71 million awarded to the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation to address the highest priority climate risks in the Monterey Bay region.*
Peixoto says, “We have been farming the whole ranch [Beach Ranch] for about 10 years from the previous owners, and then the Land Trust bought it. When they were in the process of buying the property, they came to me and said, ‘What part of the property is not really valuable farmland? Like what’s too wet to farm; where’s your challenges?’ So we talked about where our challenges are, where the toughest ground to farm is; it’s right up against the slough and stays real wet and floods in the wintertime. We kind of went over the property piece by piece and drew a line and said, ‘These are the properties we’d rather not farm.’ We have a tough time making a profit on the part of the property that floods, and so by them increasing the slough area, that will become a bigger floodplain outside of our farming area to protect the farmland a little bit from flooding.”
Peixoto explains that he has worked with the Land Trust before when they leased land to farm on the Harkin Slough Ranch. They had what he calls “a symbiotic relationship” where they both benefited. The Land Trust removed from their lease the “marginal,” unproductive land so they only had to pay rent on the best-producing land. Then the Land Trust turned that marginal land back into wetlands—a win-win-win for the farmer, the conservation folks and the wildlife.
On Beach Ranch, Largay says they will widen the whole channel and make 47 more acres of wetland. That’ll give a lot more space to hold the water. They’re going to work with engineers to use computer models to determine how deep the water is going to get when they give this land back to the wetlands. And one of the things that the wetlands are great for is absorbing those big flood flows. “Take a berm about eight feet tall—it’s a pretty big pile of dirt. A berm can be much shorter because we’re going to double the amount of land available for those floodwaters.”
SUSTAINABLE Lakeside Organic Gardens owner Dick Peixoto says ‘working with the Land Trust makes it easier to be profitable.’
Elections and Consequences
The Heritage Foundation–driven Project 2025 has a 922-page handbook that is a crafted manual of actions the next president’s appointees could take, and it details the steps to take them. When Trump and his administration return to power, they say they intend to go after federal funding for projects like this one.
Project 2025 wants to abolish the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and they would love to kill this project. What impact might a Trump administration have on this Land Trust project?
Largay says, “It is exciting that the entire county is all pulling in the same direction. Over the past three years, the Land Trust has secured about $40 million in grant funds. Over 85% of our funding is from state and foundation sources. Federal grants were about 15% of our grant funding. If 15% dries up, you’re still in business. So, California is taking care of itself pretty well. We can do an awful lot with locally led conservation and at the state level.”
This Beach Ranch Project brings it all together and connects the city of Watsonville to the ocean. It will restore the natural relationship between the water and the land. Community-wide commitment to nature doesn’t happen in very many places, but Santa Cruz County is on board.
In November, 67.7% of voters in Santa Cruz passed Measure Q, the Santa Cruz County Water and Wildfire Protection Initiative. The measure will raise about $7.3 million annually for land management, cleanup and conservation projects in forests, streams, beaches and other open spaces.
The success of Measure Q is a testament to the deep commitment of Santa Cruz County residents to environmental stewardship and an understanding that it is integral to community resilience. In addition, California is committed as well; Prop 4, the $10 billion climate change initiative, passed with 60% of the statewide the vote. Now we have a consistent funding source that will provide a reliable stream of money, which is critical for long-term conservation efforts.
With the passage of both Prop. 4 and Santa Cruz County’s Measure Q, two funding sources come together to bring significant investment to conservation.
Lakeside Organic Gardens grower Dick Peixoto says, “Dealing with climate change, the rising sea levels and the flooding, that’s what we want. I’ve been on the Farm Bureau board for 25 years and I’m one that always believes that everybody has to survive around here. We’re going to have to build housing, but let’s direct them away from our prime land and put them on the marginal lands. The Land Trust has the right idea.”
Largay and the Land Trust Santa Cruz County would love people to join them. He says, “We’ve got about 2,000 members. Anyone can join. The membership amount is $1. I gave a speech at Cabrillo College last week and I mentioned a dollar is all it takes. One of the students in the front row opened up a wallet, handed me a buck and said, ‘Sign me up.’ We’d love people to stay involved and celebrate renewal.”
In the midst of this uncertain political climate, one may wonder, “What can we do?” We can preserve our farmland, our rivers, our coastlines and our community. We can gather around something that’s real. We can discover more options for helping conserve the unique beauty of our area and support the environment, economy and quality of life for future generations.
To get involved with Land Trust Santa Cruz, become a member, staff information tables at events, sign up for the Land Trust newsletter, and volunteer to help maintain the properties (such as removing invasive species and replanting native plants—like pickleweed!). We can make a difference. It’s the most natural thing in the world.
*This passage was changed on 12/18/24 to address an error in describing what the NOAA grant money will fund.
What is your go-to, can’t-miss holiday gift to give?
KUMI
Wine and German chocolates from Aldi’s, which is what Trader Joe’s is called in Ohio. My husband is German. People love the German chocolate, and it’s not something you can get here, only Aldi’s gets it.
Kumi Koknat, 53, Sales
JONATHAN
One time I did the Claw Machine and won a stuffed animal for my Mom. I realized then how much she likes them, so I get her one every year. My Dad’s hard to shop for, but I get him a big Sudoku book every year.
Jonathan Rose, 25, Cabrillo College Chemistry Major
JANE
Chocolate! Sometimes I’ll go to Donnelly Chocolates on Mission Street, or just go to the grocery store and get an assortment.
Jane Howse, 18, Cabrillo College Psychology Major
KENT
It’s always a challenge. I was really inspired last year, and I got just the right present for my nephew. But just before he opened it, my niece gave him an almost identical present.
Kent Vanderbundt, 75, Retired Electrician
CHRISTINE
Probably books. I have a niece in college who is into Taylor Swift and there’s a book about how she has changed music because of her literary references and such, so I thought she might like that book.
Christine Vanderbundt, 75, Retired Nurse
JULIAN
Money! Let people buy their own gift. For my daughter, I’ve always given her earrings, ever since she was tiny. It’s always my little thing to get her a pair every year.
Why isn’t the total estimated cost of the train plan being fully considered now? This glaring concern has left many residents wondering if our small community, spanning the Boardwalk to Watsonville, is being left in the dark about the financial reality of a passenger train and little trail.
RTC’s (Regional Transportation Commission) own pre-pandemic study estimated the project at $1.3 billion to build. Operating costs have not yet been estimated but it is expected that these will be taxpayer subsidized. Experts now warn that inflation and updated requirements could push that construction number to $5 billion or higher. What does this kind of cost inflation mean for future operating costs?
Moving ahead without an official updated estimate including operating costs adds to more meaningless studies that we the taxpayers have funded and will continue to fund. These studies that are using up our transportation budget are asking about premature items of design while leaving taxpayers uninformed about the most critical financial burden they may ultimately bear.
Della Davis Watsonville
ONLINE COMMENTS
RE: FAREWELL TO BRUCE BRATTON
Bruce was not only a Santa Cruz icon, he was a true friend, mentor and positive influence on my life. Always interested in what I was doing and where I was. I will miss his wisdom and leadership in acknowledging the trends of city government and culture. Bruce, you will not be soon forgotten. RIP dear brother.
Cedar Geiger | Goodtimes.sc
Cafe Pergolesi, gone. Logos, gone. Tampicos, gone. India Joze, gone. Saturn Cafe, gone. Literary Guillotine, gone. Tabby Cat, gone. Poet and the Patriot, gone. Nickleodeon Theatre, gone. Toadal Fitness, going. New Leaf, gone. Credit Union, for all intents and purposes, gone. And now drops the biggest, progressive, (hippie era) cultural institutional beam of all, the one that held up so many others, columnist and fellow rabble-rouser, Bruce Bratton. I will miss you, my friend, miss you already.
Chris Krohn | Goodtimes.sc
We are going to miss you, Bruce. I enjoyed discussing all manner of subjects. One being what happens after this life. You were a force of nature, a unique blend of brilliance and eccentricity, sharp wit and unwavering opinions. A captivating conversationalist, always ready to spark a debate. Beyond your intellect you were a talented musician and writer, leaving a legacy of creative expression. We will miss your authentic voice, infectious laughter and unwavering spirit… and your movie reviews. No one cared so much about the quality of life in Santa Cruz County as you. What a fantastic life… 5 out of 5 stars
SPANISH HARLEM ORCHESTRA: SALSA NAVIDAD. For over two decades, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra has upheld the legacy of salsa dura, blending Spanish Harlem’s raw, vibrant instrumental sounds with dynamic arrangements of heart and soul. Led by Oscar Hernández, whose career spans collaborations with Panamanian Afro-Cuban jazz luminary Rubén Blades and folk singer-songwriter Paul Simon, the three-time Grammy-winning orchestra continues bringing together world-class musicians to honor the rich traditions of Latin music. Salsa Navidad will be no different, distilling the cultural essence of the Caribbean by highlighting traditional Puerto Rican aguinaldo and reimagining holiday classics with salsa rhythms. Each performance is a testament to tradition and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra’s acclaimed artistry. MELISA YURIAR
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $63. 427-2227.
AMERICANA
POI TO THE WORLD. Acclaimed musicians Gerard Egan (acoustic guitar, triple-neck steel guitar) and Carolyn Sills (doghouse bass) are inductees into the Sacramento Western Swing Hall of Fame; Sills is also the Academy of Western Artists Female Vocalist of 2022. The married duo’s artistry keeps alive the Western swing musical traditions that thrived nearly a century ago in California and beyond. As Poi Rogers, they infuse that style with vintage country, cowboy and even Hawaiian sounds, all delivered in the form of originals and classic covers. Their holiday special, Poi to the World, adds yuletide merriment to an already appealing mix. BILL KOPP
TOY TRAINS 2024. There’s something so incredibly alluring about creating miniature forests, mountains and little towns—complete with movie theatres, saloons and trading posts—and then traversing that world by miniature train. The enduring hobby has been exciting the passions of enthusiasts for nearly two centuries. Fans can enjoy the hobby without the considerable investment of time and money when the modern-day model rail enthusiasts of the Golden State Toy Train Operators share their impressive collection of toy trains at the Museum of Art & History this week. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
INFO: Noon, Museum of Art & History, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. Free. 429-1964.
FRIDAY 12/20
HIP HOP
MILES MINNICK. Christian rap meets Bay Area hyphy with San Francisco native Miles Minnick’s self-proclaimed West Coast Christian Music. The Bay Area native rapper’s ChristlikeTour makes a local stop on his mission to bring “Jesus to the Bay.” The rapper’s latest release features acclaimed Filipino American rapper P-Lo and Vallejo’s DaBoii, garnering copious streams on Spotify since dropping only a few months ago. Armed with inspiring messages of faith and self-worth coupled with the sounds of hyphy, Minnick continues to generate buzz with a string of collaborative singles, films and social media challenges for his devout group of followers, the “Glo Nation.” MY
INFO: 6:30pm, Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $32. 713-5492.
ROCK
HAZ BIN. Haz Bin is a very Santa Cruz band. Just a glance at their song titles like “Mid Town Underdog,” “Bar Hopppin” and “Barely Makin It” can confirm they aren’t no outside kooks. Their music is compelling, combining an eclectic mix of ’70s funk, ’80s reggae and ’90s grunge for a sound that couldn’t come from anywhere else but here. Think Men Without Hats meets Sublime crossed with the Butthole Surfers. With Joe Gray on bass, Dustin DiMauro on drums and Brent Witmer on guitar and vocals, Haz Bin is a unique mix of fun dancing, stoner jams and getting through hard times with music. MAT WEIR
FUX When it comes to the older Santa Cruz punk scene, there aren’t too many bands left that can claim 10 years together, let alone almost 30. However, Salinas’ F.U.X., a throwback to thrash/skatepunk crossover times, is one of those bands. Despite claiming to have broken up (most likely several times), F.U.X. has been thriving on a resurgence lately, playing multiple shows locally with big names like T.S.O.L. and D.I. This week, catch them with other local favorites, such as Truth Decay and Rumble Steelskin, for a night that celebrates the scene. MW
INFO: 8:30pm, Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 423-7117.
SATURDAY 12/21
HOLIDAY
MERRY TUBACHRISTMAS With the increasing popularity of Mexican banda, the tuba may finally be getting a bit of respect around town. The biggest of brass instruments ain’t messin’ around, son! This week’s merriment promises to take the comeuppance a step further with TubaChristmas—like regular Christmas but with dozens of tuba players oompah-ing out everyone’s favorite Christmas carols and a few Hanukkah songs. TubaChristmas is really a thing, and it happens in over 200 cities each year; there are even rumors of a possible Santa Claus appearance. The big question is, does Santa play the tuba, or is he merely a fan? KLJ
INFO: 3pm, Henry J. Mello Center, 250 E. Beach St., Watsonville. Free. 728-6462.
DANCE
FASCINATION STREET. Cultures have observed and commemorated the darkest night of the year since before the dawn of recorded history. The solstice tradition continues with Middle Eastern flavor in Estrella Collective’s Fascination Street. The solstice hafla (Arabic for party) features a dance performance showcase, an MC, a dance party and even jewelry vendors for those who wish to truly sparkle. The formal evening presents an opportunity for guests to break out their fanciest clothing; there’s a prize for the “best glittering dressed” attendee. BK
REINDEER RUN 5K. Lace up the running shoes, fasten the reindeer antlers and let the sleigh bells ring because it’s time to join the herd for the 8th annual Reindeer Run! Reindeer will gather in Junction Park between 9am and 10am for a staggered start, depending on the preferred heat, and bystanders can watch them walking, strolling, running or trotting along Highway 9 and Irwin Highway. Animals and humans are welcome to participate and are encouraged to wear costumes. Prizes will be handed out to the best human costume, animal costume and the most unique animal. There’s no better way to celebrate the holidays and prepare for a hearty Christmas meal than with a festive 5K run. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 9am, Recreation & Park District, Junction Park, Boulder Creek. $30-$35.
Under his Quinta Cruz label, Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard owner Jeff Emery has made a winner: the 2019 Souzão ($24) from San Antonio Valley is a brut sparkling wine that is perfect for any festive occasion, or just because you love a delicious drop of bubbly.
“The wines of our sister brand, Quinta Cruz, are made from grape varieties that originated in Spain and Portugal,” the winemaker says. Souzão is a variety that originated in Portugal.
This gorgeous sparkling wine has “aromas and flavors like nothing you have ever had in a red wine before,” Emery says. “Very deep berries, earth, tar, anise, floral and other subtle elements.”
Emery has several decades under his belt as an expert winemaker, and it shows in this unusual dry crimson-hued sparkling wine. Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard, 334 Ingalls St., Santa Cruz, 831-426-6209, santacruzmountainvineyard.com.
Problem-Solving Products
Stain Out is a red wine stain remover made by the Party Foul company. Spilled some Merlot on your carpet? Worry not! “Say goodbye to the panic that follows a party foul and hello to effortless clean-ups with Wine Stain Out,” says the company. Stain Out also works on ink, blood, coffee and other beverage stains. And Party Foul stands out for its commitment to sustainability. The small-size Stain Out is $8.99 and would make a great little gift. For a full range of products, including for pet odors and stains, visit partyfoulsealer.com.
Bevee’s Six-Drink and Twelve-Drink Carriers make it easy to carry multiple drinks at once—hot or cold—without struggling and juggling. Simply carry them out with one hand in a Bevee. The Bevee comes with a sturdy handle and folds for easy storage. Visit bevee.com for more info.
Some people drive by the Watsonville Wetlands and see a big useless swamp. Others see something that could be drained and replaced with giant Miami Beach-style condos. And you can be sure others see a place that could be drilled, baby, drilled for fuel.
But groups of heroic locals see a piece of nature and history that must be saved, despite a climate that seems to favor short-term profits over long-term wildlife sanctuary.
The Pajaro River, which flows 100 miles from Pinnacles National Park, to the Pacific Ocean through Watsonville, has been designated as the most endangered river in the U.S. because of pollution, problems with the levees, and neglect.
The things that aren’t obvious when you travel past it are that wetlands are the nursery of wildlife, Richard Stockton and Julie Flannery explain in their important cover story. “One-third of all bird species depend on wetlands,” says Land Trust Santa Cruz County Director Bryan Largay. “Wetlands are where all the amphibians go to lay their eggs. The frogs and salamanders will lay their eggs there. The wetlands are where biodiversity happens. We think of them as a nursery for life. They’re the cafeteria and snack bar.”
We should thank our good fortune that people who care about the environment live here and spend their time fighting the good fight to save things too many people overlook.
And not just overlook: there is a national proposal to stop funding projects that save and study wildlife in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, which despite his claims otherwise, the incoming president has shown he is partial to.
And can environmentalists and the farmers who grow crops along the river get along? Read this story to see the answer.
Thanks for reading.
Brad Kava | Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
MOONSCAPE Taken Dec. 14 in Capitola. Photograph by Julie Bitnoff
GOOD IDEA
United States Representative Jimmy Panetta praised the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposal to list the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. This action follows Panetta’s letter demanding the Biden Administration take action to protect this iconic species whose remarkable migration and cultural significance are at risk due to environmental pressures. Panetta has been an outspoken leader on monarch conservation, passing legislation to support pollinator-focused habitat restoration and continuing to lead bicameral legislation to expand monarch preservation and protection.
GOOD WORK
The “Staging Area” at Año Nuevo State Park has been renovated to improve the visitor experience and the new space opened Dec. 15, in time for the start of Guided Elephant Seal Tours.
The more than $500,000 project provides park visitors with a greater area to shelter from inclement weather and allows for larger interpretive tours and talks. Coastside State Parks Association and Año Nuevo volunteer docents began a fundraising campaign in 2018 to improve the Staging Area. Fires and COVID slowed progress, but construction started in June of this year.
“The Coastside Board of Directors is pleased that the project is being completed this week, meaning we will be ready for the annual breeding season as planned,” said Coastside Treasurer Janet Oulton.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.”
A three-generation-and-counting family business with a prominent role in the community, Freedom Meat Locker was founded in 1969 by Sarah Lewis’ grandfather. She started working there as a 9-year-old, passing out food samples every Saturday until she was 21. After doing medical assisting for several years, health issues inspired a career change and she went back to work for the family, learning the ropes of the business from her mom and dad. Four years ago, she asked for an opportunity to prove herself as general manager. “I crushed it, and I’m not holding my breath anymore,” she says.
Freedom Meat Locker is a specialty retail butcher shop with a deli featuring “choose-your-own-adventure” handcrafted sandwiches. Her fave is the spicy mesquite-marinated tri-tip with pepper jack cheese, mayo and grilled onions. Others include the turkey/bacon/avocado and barbecue-glazed slow-smoked brisket (all sandwiches can also be made into a salad). Wildly popular French fries and onion rings stand out, as well as macaroni and potato salads. For dessert they feature lemon bars, brownies, cheesecake and pie. Food can be enjoyed amidst picnic-style dining with a chill farmhouse feel.
Tell me the business’s origin story.
SARAH LEWIS: My father, Howard Jr., started cutting meats with my grandpa at age 8 while standing on a milk carton. Inspired to open his own butcher shop, my grandpa and grandma started this place and worked so hard to make it successful. Then when my parents took over, they continued this hard-working legacy, often putting newspaper over the windows at night and working until the wee hours of the morning. A major family value of ours is hard work and earned success.
Describe your commitment to community.
It’s something we are proud of and take very seriously. We make a concerted effort to support fairs and many other local events, contributing especially to the youth because they are our future. I grew up in 4H going to many of these same community events that we now support, and it is our honor to give back.
The Dalai Lama gets it. He believes all humans deserve happiness. He cultivates warm-heartedness. He advocates for forgiveness, tolerance and self-discipline.
In other words, you’re not going to catch me disagreeing with His Holiness much.
But he did say, “Happiness is not something ready made.”
And I have evidence to the contrary, courtesy of a Watsonville icon.
Jalisco Mexican Cuisine (618 Main St., Watsonville) enjoys plenty to recommend it—including classic especialidades de casa, high-value combos and a historic Coast Counties Gas & Electric building that was built in 1931—but the most remarkable element is its ready-made happiness.
Jalisco’s happy hour(s) stretches 3-7pm weekdays, plus every time there’s an NFL game on, which translates to Sundays and extended time on Mondays and Thursdays (and all the other days the league is doing holiday games these days).
The bargains transport me to a bygone era of real-deal happy hours: The solid house margaritas, salty dogs, Cuba libres and screwdrivers are $5. Chicken or carne asada nachos run $10, bacon-wrapped jalapeños $8, flautas $7, sliders and fries $6 and hot dogs $5.
Tell me a better happy hour around Santa Cruz County via @MontereyMCA on IG and I’ll buy.
The lunch specials merit a mention too: Ten options, from shrimp enchilada-relleno combos to wet burritos, start at $11.95.
Bonus tasty news from another Mexican food favorite in Watsonville: El Frijolito (11 Alexander St, #B) emerged from two years worth of renovations to reopen last month, equipped with a larger kitchen, double-sized dining room and ambitions on an expanded menu. Like Jalisco, this 39-year-old spot also plays the hits, with popular chile rellenos, camarones a la diabla and formidable burritos, plus tacos, tortas and more. As one staffer told me, “un poquito de todo.” She also predicted Frijolito’s locally famous “Hole in the Wall” takeout window will leap back to life in January. Hours are 10am–8pm daily, until 7pm Sundays. @el_frijolito831 on Instagram.
CLOSING NOTES
La Bahia Hotel & Spa (215 Beach St.), geo-located right next to the Beach Boardwalk and across from the Main Beach sand, aims to open this summer, and is bringing a motherlode of culinary intrigue along with it: Its four-sided flavor equation includes a live music-bolstered bar and grill (Low Tide), a Pacific Rim inspired upscale restaurant (High Tide), a pool bar (Plunge) and a Champagne bar (Pearl), labahiahotel.com…Bummer alert: Flower Bar (912 River St., Santa Cruz), the downtown café–flower shop hybrid, closed abruptly earlier this month, after a three-and-a-half-year run peddling floral arrangements, high-end chocolates and an espresso bar with pastries, sweets and sandwiches…Monterey Bay Farmers Markets has developed a holiday gift guide to maximize your Santa game with items like farmstead cheeses, holiday wreaths, cold-pressed walnut oil and fresh-baked pies at Aptos Farmers Market (Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Drive) 8am-noon Saturdays, montereybayfarmers.org/holiday-guide…Pebble Beach Food & Wine (April 10–13, 2025) has announced its slate of stars, somms, lunches, dinners, grand pavilions, panels and more, with Giada De Laurentiis, Jonathan Waxman Nancy Silverton and Alice Waters among the 135 chefs participating across 40 events, pebblebeachfoodandwine.com…“Food is art, and food is love,” Mark Bittman once said. “And we should show love and appreciation for those who cook it by eating it with relish.”
If you worked eight hours per day, seven days a week, it would take you 300 years to count to the number one billion. I don’t recommend you try that. I also discourage you from pursuing any other trivial tasks that have zero power to advance your long-term dreams. In a similar spirit, I will ask you to phase out minor longings that distract you from your major longings. Please, Aries, I also beg you to shed frivolous obsessions that waste energy you should instead devote to passionate fascinations. The counsel I’m offering here is always applicable, of course, but you especially need to heed it in the coming months.
TAURUS April 20-May 20
In 1951, minister and author Norman Vincent Peale was working on a new book. As he wrote, he would regularly read passages to his wife, Ruth. She liked it a lot, but he was far less confident in its worth. After a while, he got so discouraged he threw the manuscript in the trash. Unbeknownst to him, Ruth retrieved it and stealthily showed it to her husband’s publisher, who loved it. The book went on to sell five million copies. Its title? The Power of Positive Thinking. I hope that in 2025, you will benefit from at least one equivalent to Ruth in your life, Taurus. Two or three would be even better. You need big boosters and fervent supporters. If you don’t have any, go round them up.
GEMINI May 21-June 20
I love how colorfully the creek next to my house expresses itself. As high tide approaches, it flows south. When low tide is on its way, it flows north. The variety of its colors is infinite, with every shade and blend of green, gray, blue and brown. It’s never the same shape. Its curves and width are constantly shifting. Among the birds that enhance its beauty are mallards, sandpipers, herons, grebes, egrets and cormorants. This magnificent body of water has been a fascinating and delightful teacher for me. One of my wishes for you in 2025, Gemini, is that you will commune regularly with equally inspiring phenomena. I also predict you will do just that. Extra beauty should be on your agenda!
CANCER June 21-July 22
Just 81 billionaires have commandeered half of the world’s wealth. Even worse, those greedy hoarders are usually taxed the least. That’s hard to believe! How is it even possible that such a travesty has come to pass? I also wonder if many of us non-billionaires have milder versions of these proclivities. Are there a few parts of me that get most of the goodies that my life provides, while other parts of me get scant attention and nourishment? The answer is yes. For example, the part of me that loves to be a creative artist receives much of my enthusiasm, while the part of me that enjoys socializing gets little juice. How about you, Cancerian? I suggest you explore this theme in the coming weeks and months. Take steps to achieve greater parity between the parts of you that get all they need and the parts of you that don’t.
LEO July 23-Aug. 22
Anthropologist Robin Dunbar theorizes that most of us have limits to our social connections. Typically, our closest circle includes five loved ones. We may also have 15 good friends, 50 fond allies, 150 meaningful contacts and 1500 people we know. If you are interested in expanding any of these spheres, Leo, the coming months will be an excellent time to do so. In addition, or as an alternative, you might also choose to focus on deepening the relationships you have with existing companions and confederates.
VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22
Uncle Tom’s Cabin was the best-selling novel of the 19th century. It was written by a Virgo, Harriet Beecher Stowe. Her story about the enslavement of African Americans in the US was not only popular. It awakened many people to the intimate horrors of the calamity—and ultimately played a key role in energizing the abolitionist movement. I believe you are potentially capable of achieving your own version of that dual success in the coming months. You could generate accomplishments that are personally gratifying even as they perform a good service for the world.
LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22
According to my reading of the astrological omens, you will be teased with an abundance of invitations to grow in 2025. You will be encouraged to add to your current skills and expertise. You will be nudged to expand your understanding of what exactly you are doing here on planet Earth. That’s not all, Libra! You will be pushed to dissolve shrunken expectations, transcend limitations and learn many new lessons. Here’s my question: Will you respond with full heart and open mind to all these possibilities? Or will you sometimes neglect and avoid them? I dare you to embrace every challenge that interests you.
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
Scorpio-born Rudolf Karel was a 20th-century Czech composer who created 17 major works, including symphonies and operas. His work was interrupted when Nazi Germany invaded and occupied his homeland. He joined the Czech resistance, but was eventually arrested and confined to Pankrác Prison. There he managed to compose a fairy-tale opera, Three Hairs of the Wise Old Man. No musical instruments were available in jail, of course, so he worked entirely in his imagination and wrote down the score using toilet paper and charcoal. I firmly believe you will not be incarcerated like Karel in the coming months, Scorpio. But you may have to be extra resourceful and resilient as you find ways to carry out your best work. I have faith that you can do it!
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21
What is the perfect gift I could offer you this holiday season? I have decided on a large square black box with nothing inside. There would be a gold ribbon around it bearing the words “The Fruitful Treasure of Pregnant Emptiness.” With this mysterious blessing, I would be fondly urging you to purge your soul of expectations and assumptions as you cruise into 2025. I would be giving you the message, “May you nurture a freewheeling voracity for novel adventures and fresh experiences.”
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19
One of my paramount wishes for you in 2025 is this: You will deepen your devotion to taking good care of yourself. You will study and learn more about the sweet secrets to keeping yourself in prime mental and physical health. I’m not suggesting you have been remiss about this sacred work in the past. But I am saying that this will be a favorable time to boost your knowledge to new heights about what precisely keeps your body and emotions in top shape. The creative repertoire of self-care that you cultivate in the coming months will serve you well for the rest of your long life.
AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18
To fulfill your life mission, to do what you came here to earth to do, you must carry out many tasks. One of the most important is to offer your love with hearty ingenuity. What are the best ways to do that? Where should you direct your generous care and compassion? And which recipients of your blessings are likely to reciprocate in ways that are meaningful to you? While Jupiter is cruising through Gemini, as it is now and until June 2025, life will send you rich and useful answers to these questions. Be alert!
PISCES Feb. 19-March 20
Mysteries of the past will be extra responsive to your investigations in 2025. Persistent riddles from your life’s earlier years may be solvable. I encourage you to be aggressive in collecting previously inaccessible legacies. Track down missing heirlooms and family secrets. Just assume that ancestors and dead relatives have more to offer you than ever before. If you have been curious about your genealogy, the coming months will be a good time to explore it. I wish you happy hunting as you search for the blessings of yesteryear—and figure out how to use them in the present.
The waters of the Pajaro River travel 100 miles. Levees were built along the Pajaro River to contain it and keep it from flooding. Except when they didn’t.
