Above Ground

Music

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November 12, 2024

I told him, ‘If you’re too busy, then this is the band for you,’” laughs Clifford Dinsmore. “Because we don’t do shit!”

The singer is talking about when he asked guitar player Ed Gregor (ex-No Use for a Name/Hedgehog) to join doom-laden sludge metal act Dusted Angel. It’s a half-joke, half-truth. Locals in the heavy music scene should know the name Dusted Angel since they’ve been a band since 2008. However, in those 16 years the group has only put out one full-length and has a tendency to play sporadically—often only a couple times a year, if that.

Yet, all that has changed in the last two years.

Not only have they been playing more shows—like the matinee on Nov. 17 at Moe’s Alley with local post-hardcore rockers Hotlung and Oakland’s stoner metal quintet, Blackwülf—but the band also has their second full-length,This Side of the Dirt, recorded and ready to be heard.

The band attributes this sudden push in creativity partially due to Dinsmore’s diagnosis of multiple myeloma—a form of bone marrow cancer—in 2021.

“I was getting a front-row seat of what he was going through,” Gregor says. “When he reached the other side—like the superhuman he is—and started building back his health I felt really inspired. So when he asked me to join the band [in 2022] I felt the urgency like ‘What am I doing with my life? I’m not playing, and look what he’s going through.’”

When we last left Dusted Angel in 2017 the band was hoping to record a new album as soon as ex-guitar player and co-founding member Scott Stevens recovered from hand surgery. However, as are all of the best laid plans of mice and men, life had a different path.

“Dusted Angel fans put up with a lot,” Dinsmore says. “Now we have shirts but you used to not be able to buy a shirt or record at a show. Which worked for us in a weird way because people knew ‘Dusted Angel is playing, go see it now!’”

Stevens continued to have problems playing and eventually had to step down, opening up the position for Gregor to fill. Along with Dinsmore and Gregor, today’s Dusted Angel features Steve Ilse on drums, and co-founders Eric “Dog” Fieber and Eliot Young on guitar and bass, respectively.

It’s a lineup that has all of the stars aligned, just as the prophecy foretold—if there was one.

For starters, they’ve already played six shows this year alone, a huge feat for a band who is normally too busy with their actual lives. And then there’s This Side of the Dirt, which they recorded with Tim Green at Louder Studios in Grass Valley.

“For me it was a sense of urgency like, ‘What if I die and Dusted Angel doesn’t have representation of where we are at?’” Dinsmore remembers. “That created the motivation that this has to happen with the best representation of what Dusted Angel is.”

Gregor agrees, adding that the influence Green had on the album cannot be denied.

“What Tim did for the recording allowed Dog and I to open up and go back and forth bringing some of the guitar out,” he says. “Tim also dialed in our tones. He has a great ear and would say, ‘Can I tweak your amps?’ and we’d say ‘Go for it!’ So there’s a lot of clarity to every instrument that was drowned out in the previous recording.”

The band is currently shopping the album around to different labels in the hopes of getting the most distribution possible. It’s the first step in Dusted Angel holding more of a presence with underground metal heads throughout the country and world.

“When I was [in Europe] it surprised me but people know Dusted Angel and asked when we were coming over,” Dinsmore says. “But without having something out, it just felt limited like, do we even want to play outside of the area without this record released?”

So for now, fans have a lot to look forward to as the band sheds their “too busy” ways with a new sense of urgency and purpose.

“I always thought, ‘Man, if this could happen in the right way, it would be really great,’” Dinsmore says. “And now I feel like we’re able to have that opportunity to do it for real.”

Dusted Angel plays at 3pm on Nov. 17 at Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz, 831-479-1854. TIckets: $15/adv, $20/door.

Free Will Astrology

Astrology

Rob Brezsny

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November 12, 2024

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ARIES March 21-April 19

You may be on the verge of the breakthrough I prophesied a while back. Remember? I said you would be searching for the solution to a boring problem, and on the way you would discover a more interesting and useful problem. That exact scenario is about to happen. I also predict that the coming weeks will be a time when you tame an out-of-control aspect of your life and infuse more wildness into an overly tame part of you. I will speculate on one further stroke of good fortune: You will attract an influence that motivates you to be more passionately pragmatic about one of your key dreams.

TAURUS April 20-May 20

It’s time for some friendly warnings that will, if heeded, enable you to avoid problematic developments. 1. An overhaul in your self-image is looming; your persona requires tinkering. 2. Old boundaries are shifting and in some places disappearing. Be brave and draw up new boundaries. 3. Familiar allies may be in a state of flux. Help them find their new centers of gravity. 4. Potential future allies will become actual allies if you are bold in engaging them. 5. Be allergic to easy answers and simplistic solutions. Insist on the wisdom of uncertainty.

GEMINI May 21-June 20

To honor and celebrate your melancholy, I’m turning this horoscope over to Gemini author T.H. White and his superb formulation of the redemptive power of sadness. He wrote: “The best thing for being sad is to learn something. That is the only thing that never fails. You may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honor trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then—to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting.”

CANCER June 21-July 22

A Massachusetts woman named Andrea Martin loves chickens so much she treats them as family. A few years ago, she took pity on one of her favorites, a young bird named Cecily, who had been born with a damaged tendon in one of her legs. Martin arranged to have the limb amputated. Then she made a prosthetic device on a 3-D printer and had it surgically grafted onto Cecily’s body. Success! The $2,500 cost was well worth it, she testified. I propose we make Andrea Martin one of your role models for the coming weeks. May she inspire you to take extra good care of and shower bonus blessings on everyone and everything you love. (PS: This will be really good for your own health.)

LEO July 23-Aug. 22

Once a year, the city of Seoul in South Korea stages a Space-Out Festival. Participants compete to do absolutely nothing for 90 minutes. They are not allowed to fall asleep, talk or check their phones. To test how well they are banishing stress, burnout and worries, their heart rates are monitored. The winner is the person who has the slowest and most stable pulse. If there were an event like this in your part of the world sometime soon, Leo, I’d urge you to join in. I expect the winner would be a member of your astrological tribe, as you Leos now have a high potential for revitalizing relaxation. Even if you don’t compete in a Space-Out Festival, I hope you will fully cash in on this excellent chance to recharge your spiritual batteries.

VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22

My favorite Virgos love to learn. They are eager to add to their knowledge. They have a highly honed curiosity that is always percolating, continually drawing them toward new comprehension. On the other hand, some of my favorite Virgos are inefficient at shedding long-held ideas and information that no longer serve them. As a result, their psyches may get plugged up, interfering with their absorption of fun new input. That’s why I recommend that you Virgos engage in regular purges of your mental debris. Now would be an excellent time for one of these sessions. PS: The futurist Alvin Toffler said that a key to intelligence is the ability to learn, unlearn and relearn. I invite you to act on that counsel.

LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22

I endorse Libran tennis star Serena Williams’ approach to self-evaluation—especially for you right now. She testified, “I’m really exciting. I smile a lot, I win a lot, and I’m really sexy.” I’m convinced you have the right to talk like that in the coming weeks—so convinced that I suggest you use it as a mantra and prayer. When you wake up each morning, say what Williams said. When you’re asking life for a sweet breakthrough or big favor, remind life why it should give you what you want. Feel free to add other brags, too, like, “I’m a brilliant thinker, a persuasive negotiator and a crafty communicator.”

SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21

You are entering a phase when you can acquire more mastery in the arts of self-care and self-sufficiency. I hope you will become more skillful in giving yourself everything that nurtures your emotional and physical health. Have you gathered all you need to know about that subject? Probably not. Most of us haven’t. But the coming weeks will be a favorable time to make this your main research project. By the way, now is also an excellent time to kick your own ass and unbreak your own heart.

SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21

My father was a big fan of the military. As a young man, he served as a lieutenant in the army and for a time considered making that job his career. I’m the opposite of him. I keenly avoided becoming a soldier and have always been passionately anti-war. I bring this subject to your attention because I think now is an excellent time for you to get clearer than ever about how you don’t resemble your parents and don’t want to be like them. Meditate on why your life is better and can get even better by not following their paths and ways. There’s no need to do this with anger and blame. In fact, the healthiest approach is to be lucid, calm and dispassionate.

CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19

At age 49, James Patterson retired from his job as an advertising writer. Until then, he had produced a few novels in his spare time. But once free of his 9 to 5 gig, he began churning out books at a rapid pace. Now, at age 77, he has published over 305 million copies of 200+ novels, including 67 that have been #1 New York Times bestsellers. Would you like to make an almost equally memorable transition, Capricorn? The coming weeks and months will be an excellent time to plan it and launch it.

AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18

The Breakfast Club was an iconic 1985 film about teenagers coming of age. Critics liked it. At the box office, it earned 100 times more than it cost to make. Aquarian director John Hughes wrote the screenplay for the 97-minute movie in two days, on July 4 and 5 of 1982. I predict that many of you Aquarians will have a similar level of productivity in the coming weeks. You could create lasting improvements and useful goodies in short bursts of intense effort.

PISCES Feb. 19-March 20

Ben & Jerry’s is a wildly successful ice cream maker that sells its products all over the world. Its founders are two Pisceans who met in seventh grade. Over 45 years since they launched their business, they have become renowned for their wide variety of innovative flavors and their political activism. When they first decided to work together, though, their plans were to start a bagel business. They only abandoned that idea when they discovered how expensive the bagel-making equipment was. I suspect that you are near a comparable pivot in your life, Pisces: a time to switch from one decent project to an even better one.

Homework: Can you feel less anger about a person who wronged you? It would be good for your health to do so. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Weed Killers

Cannabis

Dan Mitchell

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November 12, 2024

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Everybody should know that the cannabis business includes a fair number of fascists among its ranks, maybe even more than the average consumer-facing industry.

And of course tons of people who just voted for Donald Trump are avid weed-consumers. Just look at how many people have pot-themed pages among their Facebook likes right next to pictures of Marjorie Taylor Greene brandishing an assault rifle, or Trump’s mugshot.

But as with many of the people who voted for Trump because “he’s a businessman” or “he tells it like it is,” many of those people are likely to soon find out that they got way more than they bargained for.

Some of the execs at the big cannabis companies are probably high-fiving each other right now, since federal regulations of all kinds, including the weak-sauce restrictions on industry concentration, seem likely to be gutted. That spells trouble for smaller operations that are already struggling under the yoke of Big Weed.

But even Big Weed is subject to an “I never thought leopards would eat MY face” moment when the bros realize that hopes for federal legalization have been all but dashed, especially if the GOP takes both houses of Congress. They have the Senate, and, at this writing, it looks more likely than not that they’ll take the House, too. There’s nothing Big Weed desires more than federal legalization: you can’t truly be a domineering behemoth unless you can sell your wares across state lines.

That doesn’t necessarily mean legalization won’t happen, but even if it somehow does, the resulting legislation is likely to be completely fucked: again, especially for smaller players. Interestingly Project 2025, the “blueprint” for a second Trump administration written by his close allies and former (and future) staffers, and published by the ghoulish Heritage Foundation, contains no references to cannabis at all. But there’s tons of stuff in there about “dismantling the administrative state,” by eliminating whole swaths of regulatory agencies, including offices that investigate antitrust violations.

We probably don’t have to worry about that, though, since nationwide legalization seems more remote than it has since states started legalizing weed a decade or so ago. Up until last week it seemed like legalization was all but certain to happen in the coming few years. But this country’s “everyday Americans” have put the kibosh on that.

Though there are a fair number of GOP legislators, like the buffoonish and rapey Matt Gaetz of Florida, who favor legalization, the politics just don’t add up for it. In Marijuana Moment, William Garriott, a professor at Drake University in Des Moines and an expert on drug policy and pot legalization in particular, took note of what he calls the “red wall” that stands in the way of legalization. He noted that, on Election Day, voter initiatives to legalize failed in both Dakotas, as well as in Florida (even though Trump, who overwhelmingly won the state, announced he’d vote for it).

Twenty-six states still outlaw adult-use weed, and the congressional representatives in the vast majority of those states are unlikely to snub their constituents. While more than 70% of Americans now favor legalization, only slightly over half of Republicans do. And the Republicans who oppose it are often particularly exercised in their opposition.

Trump himself seems friendly toward legalization, as NPR News reported on Nov. 11. But the report, which extensively quoted optimistic statements from a flack from the U.S. Cannabis Council lobbying group, didn’t even mention legislation except in quoting Trump pledging to “work with Congress” on the issue. Congress of course would have to pass a measure for Trump to sign it. Or at least that’s how it worked in pre-2025 America.

In the meantime, the DEA’s re-scheduling that we all expected to happen (making pot a Schedule 3 drug rather than keeping it in Schedule 1 along with heroin: i.e., illegal in all situations) won’t come, if it does, until next year because the hearings were delayed until at least January or February. It seems like it might well still happen, but we can’t even bank on that anymore. We can’t really bank on anything.

Mad Drip

Dining Reviews

Mark C. Anderson

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November 12, 2024

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Simple ideas are often the best.

That finds tasty expression with the debut of Nico’s Ice Cream in Santa Cruz (111 Locust St.) doing New Zealand–style ice cream that’s also called real fruit ice cream.

The straightforward formula involves a choice of fresh fruit (Nico’s prioritizes blueberries, strawberries and raspberries) plowed directly into soft ice cream (Tillamook vanilla is the house fave here) through a special Little Jem machine manufactured in New Zealand.

Drawing from two taste tests—I went for raspberry and blueberry on my visits—I can testify the Jem produces a swirl satisfying on the palate and the Gram, boosted by optional add-ons like Tajin spice and graham cracker dust. (Nico’s also does a vegan take with a Coconut Bliss base.)

As creator-owner-operator Nico Vergara told me when his Cannery Row spot was announced, “Part of the show is to see it all blended together.” nicosicecream.com

PEEL DEAL

The grand opening of Tanuki Dry Farmhouse Cider’s new shared home in the now-Sones Cellars/Tanuki Cider Tasting Room (334-B Ingalls St, Santa Cruz) happens 1-9pm Saturday, Nov. 16.

That’s where cidermaster Robby Honda will pour from his locally grown-and-sown catalog of single-varietal and six-strain ciders, wine grape-cider co-ferments, canned and corked ciders, and ciders from apple trees ranging from a dozen years to a dozen decades old.

The occasion will include oysters shucked by H&H Fish, live music from local performers, and art by FJ Anderson on the walls, tanukicider.com

BALLER APPETITE

The Santa Cruz Warriors leapt into a new season last weekend, splitting games with the Valley Suns at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Another home game, against the South Bay Lakers, tips 7pm Friday, Nov. 15. That has me hyped as a hoops head, but also as a fan of good food because of a) synergies with outfits like Penny Ice Cream (free scoop with 100 points scored) and Woodstock’s Pizza (10 percent off with code SeaDubs10), and b) The SeaDubs’ Swishes for Dishes program, which partners with Second Harvest Food Bank to donate 10 meals for each point the team scores, santacruz.gleague.nba.com

SPORE IN STORE

It is impossible to overstate Paul Stamets’ impact on mycology—he’s discovered new species, developed game-changing patents to remediate eco-disaster and pest invasions, authored books like Mycelium Running, and tutored millions on the healing power of psilocybin. That’s fitting, because the same can be said about the fungi kingdom he’s obsessed with, which he calls, “the neurological network of nature.” A few GA tix remain for his talk Nov. 14 at Golden State Theatre in Monterey, goldenstatetheatre.com

NUTRITIONAL NUGS

A special viewing of Food, Inc. 2, deepened by a discussion with co-writer/producer/investigative journalist Eric Schlosser, happens Nov. 23 at 418 Project (155 River St., Santa Cruz, $13-17), homelessgardenproject.org…Santa Cruz-based New Leaf Community Markets’ freshest branch is officially open in the former Lucky’s supermarket location at King’s Plaza Shopping Center (1475 41st Ave., Capitola), newleaf.com…Pete’s Fish House (231 Esplanade, Suite 102, Capitola) has started up lunch service noon-3pm Saturday-Sunday (4-5pm Pearl Hour and 5-8:30pm dinner are ongoing Thursday-Monday), petesfishhouse.com…Centrally located Cruz Kitchen and Taps (145 Laurel St., Santa Cruz) has closed after almost three years. Co-creator Mia Thorn’s emotional IG message is worth checking out for its raw appeal for community support, which includes, “I want to close…with dignity.”

Island Vibe

Foodie File

Andrew Steingrube

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November 12, 2024

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Continuing to evolve their passion for combining Spanish culture and cuisine with a farm-to-table concept, Elan Emerson and her husband, Brett, opened Ibiza two months ago. Five years ago, they founded the popular Barceloneta; before that, they owned a successful Spanish restaurant in San Francisco. With more than 40 years of industry experience collectively, Elan says their move to Santa Cruz was inspired by great local farms and becoming part of downtown’s vibrant culture.

Now the Barceloneta space on Pacific Avenue is housing Ibiza, which Elan describes as bright and open, invoking a Mediterranean beach vacation. The affordable and approachable menu offers salads or housemade flatbread as a base, with added proteins like slow-cooked pork, panko-fried chicken and “transformative” herby falafel. Other favorites include shakshuka, a spicy tomato pepper stew with poached eggs and feta cheese, and pita chip “nachos” topped with baharat-spiced beef. The shawarma-spiced fries are a big hit, distinctly aromatic and deeply flavorful. “You won’t want to share them,” Elan says.

What does Ibiza mean to you and Brett?

ELAN EMERSON: It is the most fun we’ve ever had in the industry; the food and service is exactly what we’ve always wanted. It’s not fancy or fussy, it’s just a really good, delicious time. Our dog’s middle name is Ibiza and we also love the hippie party culture on the island and the Bohemian vibe—it has a lot of crossover with Santa Cruz and a similar feel. And we absolutely love our downtown location. Our restaurant is a perfect complement to the business culture here and we are thrilled and humbled to be a part of it.

Tell me about paella nights.

We have monthly pop-up dinners featuring a different paella paired with Spanish wine and housemade sangria. They are a really fun and special experience; it’s an event where we really take care of people. And the paella is always the star. We make huge 30-40 person portions and it is a great way to honor our fans and their love for our paella at Barceloneta. There are a lot of paella fans out there, and we are happy to showcase it and continue to make it accessible.

1541 Pacific Ave., Suite B, Santa Cruz, 831-900-5222; ibizasantacruz.com

EVOO Essentials

Wellness

Elizabeth Borelli

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November 12, 2024

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Santa Cruz is a long way from Greece and Italy, but our ideal growing climate brings that essence closer than you might think. Between the coastal vibe, ocean breezes and food scene, it’s our own slice of the Mediterranean. And thanks to local makers, you don’t have to cross continents to score some top-quality olive oil, rich in flavor and loaded with health benefits.

A cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) packs serious health perks: it’s been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and even some cancers. Its healthy fats—essential for brain function—help protect against cognitive decline. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, those who add a generous pour of EVOO to their weekly diets could see a dramatic drop in risks for dementia and breast cancer.

When I hear people say the most delicious foods aren’t good for you, I have to wonder where they’re shopping. For me, EVOO is a culinary default, so I keep a range of price points handy. I save the fresh-pressed, high-end local bottles for drizzling and dressing, while my everyday olive oil is great for sautéing and marinating without the high price tag.

How to Shop for Olive Oil

Brad Asmus, olive oil expert and former owner of Pleasant Valley Olive Oil in Aptos, says most Americans haven’t tasted authentic olive oil. For decades, low-quality, mislabeled oils have flooded U.S. shelves.

A study by UC Davis found that 69% of imported oils labeled “extra virgin” in stores didn’t meet the standard, which leaves many consumers with a skewed sense of what olive oil should taste like.

When shopping, go for “extra virgin”—the only grade that preserves olive oil’s natural antioxidants and health-boosting compounds. True EVOO is cold-pressed; the heat and chemicals used in other grades strip away beneficial nutrients.

Fortunately, the Santa Cruz climate is an ideal spot for cultivating quality olives, and Asmus is happy to recommend some top-notch local producers.

Founders Steve and Marguerite Remde of Belle Farms, based in Watsonville since 1997, say that, like fine wine, olive oil’s taste is influenced by soil, climate, and careful farming. According to Belle Farms, fresh olive oil can range from “robust” and “fruity” to “grassy,” “buttery” or “peppery.” Their olives are hand-picked and cold-pressed within 24 hours of harvest.

Even the finest extra virgin olive oil doesn’t age like wine. Think of olive oil as you would fresh fruit juice—it’s best enjoyed soon after it’s made. Olive oil’s flavor and nutrition peak within six months of harvest, but supermarket oils often spend months on cargo ships, in warehouses and on store shelves.

If you like your oil with a twist, the True Olive Connection in Aptos carries a wide selection of infused and award-winning small-batch olive oils. Founded by Susan Pappas, and owned by Alisa Hart and Alasdair Dents since summer 2022, this spot offers EVOOs from Spain, Italy, Greece and Chile, as well as local mills. Each oil is carefully sourced and priority shipped for freshness.

This list is by no means inclusive, and if you have a recommendation I missed, post a comment on this article online. Most of our local specialty stores—like Shopper’s Corner, New Leaf and Staff of Life—carry regionally produced olive oils. I also recently discovered an EVOO (and balsamic vinegar) tasting station in the back of Toque Blanche, the cooking store on Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz, and left with two bottles tapped from the can, sealed and labeled right on the spot.

As you explore Santa Cruz’s local olive oil scene, remember that quality olive oil is as vibrant and complex as wine. Whether you’re drizzling it on a bed of greens, in a sauté pan or as a dip for fresh focaccia bread, skip the supermarket knock-offs and treat yourself to the real deal. Your taste buds—and your health—will thank you for it.

Belle Farms LLC, Watsonville. bellefarms.com

True Olive Connection, 7556 Soquel Dr., Aptos. trueoliveconnection.com

Toque Blanche, 1527 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. mytoque.com

Elizabeth Borelli is a certified plant-based nutrition expert, professional life coach, yoga teacher and author of the upcoming book Tastes Like La Dolce Vita. Learn more at ElizabethBorelli.com.

LETTERS

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

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November 12, 2024

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WHAT ABOUT THE BIRDS?

Your recent article on animals suffering car encounters brings to mind those creatures killed even closer to home: our wondrous birds. There are many free-roaming cats which exact a terrible toll on our struggling avian friends. Bird numbers are down, in decline, and cats are estimated to take 1 to 4 billion birds a year. Owners equipping cats with brightly colored collars and bells (such as the “Birdsbesafe” collar) can really help (audubon.org/news/how-stop-cats-killing-birds and more here, allaboutbirds.org/news/faq-outdoor-cats-and-their-effects-on-birds/). Also, it will help distinguish feral cats from those cats who have “people” so the former can be spayed and neutered. But restraining your cat to your home is best for its health, its safety and this beautiful avian world around us which we are rapidly losing.

G. Bruno

GEN Z MUST LEAD NOW

In the wake of an election that has once again propelled Donald Trump to power, a palpable sense of urgency grips our nation—not just to act, but to lead. This is more than just a political setback; it signals that now, more than ever, it’s our turn to step up. History teaches us that every generation faces its crucible, a defining challenge that summons its collective spirit to action. Ours is no different, and the battlegrounds are dauntingly clear: climate change, soaring rents, global genocides and a fragile peace are not mere issues but calls to arms.

This moment must be our awakening, a catalyst for intense, action-oriented engagement. Our generation—interconnected, digitally native, and socially conscious—is uniquely equipped to challenge the status quo. We must channel our frustrations into mobilization, turning our online discourse into substantive real-world impacts.

It’s time for more than tweets of frustration or ephemeral protest marches. Why not us? Why shouldn’t we run for office, lead the charge, and make the decisions that steer our lives? We are the architects of new forums for dialogue, crafting platforms where truth outshines misinformation and where diverse voices aren’t just heard but are leading the narrative.

The plan is simple but ambitious: Dive into the fray. Run for office. Take those leadership spots we’ve been told to wait for because our challenges won’t wait. We need to channel our collective anxiety about the future into reimagining American politics, transforming our digital fluency into a tool for broad societal impact.

From advocating for climate resilience to demanding economic reforms, from championing civil rights to promoting global peace—our energy, our innovation, and our relentless spirit are imperative. We must step into the arena, not as spectators but as champions for humanity itself. This isn’t just about participating in democracy; it’s about transforming it.

We will be the ones historians write about—the young leaders who dared to step up when the world seemed stacked against us. Let this be the era where Gen Z doesn’t just inherit democracy but redefines it, driven by a relentless pursuit of justice and equity. Let’s harness this moment with everything we’ve got to forge a future that will not only be remembered for the challenges we faced but for the innovative and bold ways we overcame them.

Ayo Banjo

The Editor’s Desk

Letters to the Editor

Brad Kava

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November 12, 2024

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

Some people think the trend of buying vintage clothes is a way to help save the Earth; others think it just makes them look cool.

We go for both.

For decades Santa Cruz has been a capital for buying cool old things, gently used, as they say, but the competition has been better for consumers than for the businesses. Carefully curated vintage clothes are a big draw for downtown and a bunch of other locations around the county, a never-ending flea market, particularly after we have lost the great drive-in flea market that was a mainstay for years.

Fashion writer Morgan Guerra found great treasures downtown, from sweaters to rock band shirts, to boots and hats, masks, statement-making stuff that breaks wearers out of the mass-produced fast-fashion bland landscape.

Our stores are a tourist draw also. Where else besides Haight Ashbury here can you spend a day wandering shop to shop scoring one-of-a-kind treasures? We are to hippie cool what Carmel is to nose-up-in-the-air rich high fashion.

But do we have too much of a good thing? Is the competition killing business for individual stores? And is the seemingly endless construction choking shopping and making downtown a wasteland? Some say so.

Will there be a boom when residences are built and new people are able to do the downtown stroll? One would hope so. See what some of our vintage owners say in our cover story.

Who knew there was such a thing as New Zealand style ice cream? The new owners of Nico’s which just opened downtown with ice cream that blends fruit, are banking on it being a new draw. Read about it in Mark Anderson’s Dining column.

He also covers a special viewing of Food, Inc. 2 and a discussion with co-writer/producer/investigative journalist Eric Schlosser, happening Nov. 23, before a certain food-filled holiday.

This coming year is a big one for anniversaries (Good Times will celebrate its 50th) and the wonderfully collated Comic News has its 40th, defying the odds of a successful print publication. Check out DNA’s story about the great local funny news source.

Thanks for reading.

Brad Kava | Editor

PHOTO CONTEST

SEEING DOUBLE Reflection of the Walton Lighthouse in a puddle, photographed on an iPhone last month. Photograph by Brian Caulfield

GOOD IDEA

Santa Cruz officials stepped up two days after the election in which President-Elect Donald Trump vowed to deport millions of immigrants and refugees, to voice support for local undocumented immigrants and women. “We know this is going to be a very difficult time for our community. We know there’s going to be a lot of fear,” said Santa Cruz County Administrative Officer Carlos Palacios. “But we are here to let you know that we will support you. We will do everything in our power to continue to provide every service that we can to our community and continue as we have been in the past.”

GOOD WORK

Cabrillo College has been awarded a $150,000 grant from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to implement the Veterans Mental Health Demonstration Project. The two-year grant is one of ten awarded to community colleges statewide for the project term starting November 2024 through November 2026.

“The awarding of this Chancellor’s Office grant allows us to expand veterans mental health services, while creating professional development programs that enable all Cabrillo faculty and staff to participate in supporting our student veterans,” said Matt Wetstein, Cabrillo College president.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it.” —Leo Tolstoy

Finding Their Way

Music

Mat Weir

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November 11, 2024

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Purgatory.

A state of temporary suffering or purification after death in order for souls to be cleansed before reaching heaven. It isn’t hell, but a constant feeling of dread while trying to reach the other—hopefully more beautiful and easier—side.

It’s a state of being all too familiar to Mike Brandon, lead singer and guitar player for the Mystery Lights, a New York via Salinas garage psych band playing the Catalyst Atrium on Wednesday, Nov. 13 with Ron Gallo. They’re currently touring on the September release of their third full-length album of the same name.

For Brandon, purgatory was a period when the band was just going through the motions, saying he “forgot the point” of music and performance as important, life-changing elements in people’s everyday struggle.

“Purgatory has a bigger meaning than what people might think,” he admits. “The Mystery Lights lay dormant for four years and we were kind of lost, not sure of what was next. We were in a purgatory state. Are we going to give in, staying lost, succumbing to the shadow and end? Or are we going to come together, expand our sound and elevate ourselves?”

Thankfully for fans of fuzzy guitar rock everywhere, the five-piece went through what Brandon calls “an interesting purification” of getting back to their roots.

“It’s supposed to be a fun time!” he remembers. “We’re trying to get up there and have a party with our friends in the crowd. When we got back to the basics of connecting with people and inspiring ourselves, it all became fun again.”

This Wednesday will be the first time in two years that the Mystery Lights have played their—original—hometown area and promises to be a show not to miss. The band started in 2004 when co-founding member and lead guitar player Luis Alfonso (“L.A”) Solano saw Brandon practicing at the Salinas Skatepark.

“He watched me do these crazy 360s off a box and not-but-almost landing them,” Brandon says. “He just thought I was a crazy kid and we ended up having mutual friends in common who introduced us.”

It’s a rare thing for a band who started two decades ago to only have three albums out in the wild. However, for the Mystery Lights quality is always better than quantity and Purgatory delivers all of the raw, psychedelic garage energy needed in these post-election times. By pure coincidence—or maybe cosmic design outside of the group’s hands—their albums seem to always be around an election or some major world event.

“The math is crazy,” says Brandon. “The first record [2016’s self-titled] came out when Trump won the first time. The second [2019’s Too Much Tension!] was before Biden won, but during the Trump reign. And now Trump gets elected again! I don’t know why it happens this way.”

The new album shows a band that has finely tuned their sound with their now permanent lineup of Brandon and Solano on guitars, Alex Amini on bass, Lily Rogers on keys/organ and Zach Butler on drums. While the group’s sound draws from massively pivotal bands from the dawn of rock ’n’ roll like the Kinks, the 13th Floor Elevators, Blue Cheer and the Nuggets collections, they also list acts like Television, Ramones and Watsonville punks Los Dryheavers as influences.

The result is a crunchy yet poppy sound straight outta the 1960s with darker, deeper, spiritual and psychological themes about facing one’s demons and the state of society instead of romance and wanting to hold hands. Like the title track with the lyrics “I truly tried my best/to cleanse the sins off my chest/Sometimes, see, it just don’t come out,” or the opening lines to the driving track, “In the Streets” (“He preferred life living out in the streets/He found more freedom livin’ out in the streets”). Then there’s “Trouble” which nails the message home with lines like “I create my pain/Embrace my insanity/For it’s my own/I call it home.”

However, it’s not all dark and gloomy. Songs like “Sorry I Forgot Your Name” have a playful edge to them with a universal, all-too-human theme.

The irony of Purgatory is that it finds the band at their very best in years. They have walked through the fire and come out better for it, ready to spread the message to fellow travelers that things can get better with perseverance, love and a little insanity.

The Mystery Lights play at 8pm on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at the Catalyst Atrium, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Tickets are $24.56. 831-713-5492.

Norovirus Outbreak Closes Valencia Elementary School in Aptos

Breaking News

Todd Guild

-

November 8, 2024

0

Norovirus Outbreak Closes Valencia Elementary School in Aptos

Valencia Elementary School was closed Friday after numerous students were sickened by what is likely norovirus. The school will reopen Tuesday.

Pajaro Valley Unified School District notified parents in an email on Nov. 7.

“The purpose of the school closure is to stop the additional transmission of the virus,” the email states.

Families should keep their children home if they have any of these symptoms, and keep them home until 48 hours after symptoms have ended, Pajaro Valley Unified School District officials said.

According to PVUSD Impact and Resource Development Officer Andrea Carlos Willy, 236 students were absent on Thursday.

In a public alert from the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency (HSA), 33 additional cases of gastrointestinal illness were reported in a workplace setting in late October, with no known connection between the two outbreaks.

There have been no known hospitalizations or deaths.

A school employee who asked not to be identified said that more than 80 students were absent on Wednesday, followed by well over 200 the next day.

The employee expressed concern that the school was not closed on Thursday, and that the employees were not warned the cause of the sickness was norovirus.

In a text message, PVUSD Superintendent Heather Conrtreras said that the district has been in contact with the HSA since Wednesday, and has monitored the situation with that agency’s guidance.

“We always take closing schools very seriously,” Contreras stated. “We also keep the health and safety of our students as a top priority. As we monitored the situation and as the numbers of student absences increased, we made the decision to close the school.”

Contreras added that school and county officials determined on Wednesday that “the number of absences reported for nausea and vomiting didn’t conclusively indicate a school closure, and that the deep cleaning and sanitization of the site that occurred during the night would work to contain and mitigate the spread.”

According to the HSA, viruses such as norovirus are easily transmitted via surfaces contaminated by stool or vomit, or close contact with an infected person. Schools and other places where many people are in close proximity with each other are therefore particularly vulnerable.

“Noroviruses are extremely contagious, since high viral loads are present in both stool and vomit, and only a few viral particles are required to transmit illness,” the HSA stated in a public service announcement.

Even after symptoms resolve, individuals are still highly infectious—especially during the first 48 hours, but up to two weeks after the symptoms resolve.

Treatment should include supportive care with fluids.

Advice from the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency

Practice frequent handwashing with soap and water. Alcohol-based sanitizers are NOT effective against norovirus.

Always wash hands with soap and water
• Before and after contact with an ill or suspected ill individual
• After using the toilet
• Before AND after preparing food
• After touching potentially contaminated objects such as doorknobs, counters and keyboards

Use Contact and Standard Precautions when caring for ill or suspected ill individuals.
• Stay home if you experience symptoms, and do not return to work until you have been symptom-free for 48 hours.
• Clean and disinfect frequently.
• Use disinfectants recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Use a 1:10 dilution of bleach to water for surfaces soiled by bodily fluids.
• Wash soiled linen in hot water and dry at the hottest setting possible.

For information, visit cdc.gov.

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Norovirus Outbreak Closes Valencia Elementary School in Aptos

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LETTERS

The Editor’s Desk

Finding Their Way

Norovirus Outbreak Closes Valencia Elementary School in Aptos