A slide show from downtown Santa Cruz’s No Kings protest Saturday
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Free Will Astrology
ARIES March 21-April 19
Life is tempting you to tiptoe to the brink of the threshold of the rawest truth, the wildest beauty and the most precious love. Your ancestors are conspiring with your guardian angels to lure you into the secret heart of the inner sanctum of spiritual truth. I am totally sincere and serious. You now have a momentous opportunity—a thrilling opening to commune with subtle powers that could provide you with profound guidance.
TAURUS April 20-May 20
In the forests of America’s Pacific Northwest, “nurse logs” lie fallen but fertile. These dead trees host seedlings, mosses and new saplings that rise from their decaying trunks. I regard this as a powerful metaphor for you, Taurus. Something old in you is crumbling, like outdated beliefs, outmoded duties or obsolete loyalties. Part of you may want to either grieve or ignore the shift. And yet I assure you that fresh green vitality is sprouting from that seemingly defunct thing. What new possibility is emerging from what was supposed to end? Resurrection is at hand.
GEMINI May 21-June 20
A deeper, wilder, smarter version of love is beckoning you from the horizon. Are you ready to head in its direction? I’m not sure you are. You may semi-consciously believe you already know what love is all about, and are therefore closed to learning more. It’s also possible that your past romantic wounds have made you timid about exploring unfamiliar terrain. Here’s my assessment: If you hope to get exposed to the sweeter, less predictable kinds of intimacy, you will have to drop some (not all) of your excessive protections and defenses. PS: At least one of your fears may be rooted in faulty logic.
CANCER June 21-July 22
Princess Diana transformed the British monarchy because she insisted that royal duty should include genuine emotional connection. Her generosity wasn’t merely ceremonial but was expressed through hands-on charity work. She had close contact with youth who had nowhere to live. She walked through minefields as part of her efforts to rid the planet of that scourge. She hugged people with AIDS at a time when many others feared such contact. “Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward,” she said. Her ability to maintain grace while remaining emotionally authentic reflected a genius for blending strength with sensitivity. Can you guess her astrological sign? Cancerian, of course. Now is a perfect time for you to draw inspiration from her example. Express your wisely nurturing energy to the max!
LEO July 23-Aug. 22
Certain African lions in Kenya have no manes. Scientists theorize it’s an adaptation to heat or a reflection of extra aggressive hunting strategies. But symbolically, it challenges expectations: Is royalty still royalty without the crown? I bring this to your attention, Leo, because I suspect you will soon be asked to explore your power without its usual accouterments. Can you properly wield your influence if you don’t unleash your signature roar and dazzle? Will quiet confidence or understated presence be sufficiently magnetic? Might you radiate even more potency by refining your fire? I think so. You can summon strength in subtlety and majesty in minimalism.
VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22
During the next nine months, you will face a poignant and potentially inspiring choice: whether to wrangle with an endless tangle of mundane struggles, or else to expand your vision to the bigger picture and devote your energy intensely to serving your interesting, long-term dreams. I hope you choose the latter option! For best results, get clear about your personal definition of success, in contrast to the superficial definitions that have been foisted on you by your culture. Can you visualize yourself years from now, looking back on your life’s greatest victories? You’re primed to enter a new phase of that glorious work, rededicating yourself with precise intentions and vigorous vows.
LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22
I’m pleased to inform you that the coming weeks will be an excellent time to make a big wish upon a bright star. But I must also tell you how important it is to be clear and exact. Even a slight error in formulating your wish could result in only a partial fulfillment. And aiming your plea at the wrong star could cause a long delay. Sorry I have to be so complicated, dear Libra. The fact is, though, it’s not always easy to know precisely what you yearn for and to ask the correct source to help you get it. But here’s the good news: You are currently in a phase when you’re far more likely than usual to make all the right moves.
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
During World War II, Scorpio actor and inventor Hedy Lamarr developed frequency-hopping technology to prevent enemies from jamming torpedo guidance systems. Her solution rapidly switched radio frequencies in hard-to-intercept patterns. The technology was so advanced that no one could figure out how to fully adopt it until years later. Engineers eventually realized that Lamarr’s invention was essential for WiFi, GPS and cell phone networks. In the coming weeks, Scorpio, you, too, have the potential to generate ideas that might not be ready for prime time but could ultimately prove valuable. Trust your instincts about future needs. Your visionary solutions are laying the groundwork for contributions that won’t fully ripen for a while.
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21
I guarantee you won’t experience a meltdown, crack-up or nervous collapse in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. What unfolds may bring a similar intensity, but in the opposite direction: a personal breakthrough, a cavalcade of illumination or a surge of awakening. I urge you to be alert and receptive for relaxing flurries of sweet clarity; or streams of insights that rouse a liberating integration; or a confluence of welcome transformations that lead you to unexpected healing. Can you handle so many blessings? I think you can. But you may have to expand your expectations to welcome them all.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19
In 1959, a Swedish engineer named Nils Bohlin designed the three-point seatbelt, revolutionizing car safety. Working for Volvo, he insisted the design must be made freely available to all car manufacturers. Bohlin understood that saving lives was more important than hoarding credit or profit. Capricorn, your assignment now is to give generously without fussing about who gets the applause. A solution, insight or creation of yours could benefit many if you share it without reservation. Your best reward will be observing the beneficial ripple effects, not holding the patent.
AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18
Your exploratory adventures out on the frontiers have been interesting and mostly successful, Aquarius. Congrats! I love how you have avoided tormenting yourself with self-doubt and roused more boldness than you’ve summoned in a long time. You have managed to ignore useless and superstitious fears even as you have wisely heeded the clues offered by one particular fear that was worth considering. Please continue this good work! You can keep riding this productive groove for a while longer.
PISCES Feb. 19-March 20
In Korean tradition, mudangs are shamans who endure a personal crisis or illness and emerge with supernatural powers. They perform rituals to seek the favor of spirits. They heal the ancestral causes of misfortune and ensure good fortune, prosperity and well-being for the people they serve. I don’t mean to imply you’re following a similar path, Pisces. But I do think your recent discomforts have been like an apprenticeship that has given you enhanced capacity to help others. How will you wield your power to bless and heal?
Homework: My home country, America, is in a dire crisis that impacts the whole world. Read my comments here: Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com.
© Copyright 2025 Rob Brezsny
Pasta Perfect
As a food lover and author, I’m endlessly fascinated by what goes into crafting a cookbook that is as inspirational on the page as it is on the plate. James Beard Award–winning author Joshua McFadden’s new book, Six Seasons of Pasta: A New Way with Everyone’s Favorite Food, currently ranked No. 1 in Pasta and Noodle cooking, is exactly that: a celebration of seasonal ingredients, simple techniques and the joy of cooking. McFadden will share his culinary wisdom at UCSC’s Cowell Ranch Hay Barn on Oct. 21.
“I grew up around farming, animals and big gardens,” McFadden says. “That probably led me to culinary school after dropping out of film school. I worked on a farm first, then jumped headfirst into the culinary world.”
Curious about the detour, I asked, “Was it the farming, a love of food, or the allure of a creative career?”
“Film school professors kept asking what I wanted to do. I said, ‘Make movies,’ and they said I had to focus on one thing. I realized I didn’t want to focus on just one thing. I started going out to restaurants more, fell in love with their design and food. My family background is in interior design and industrial arts, so I’ve always been drawn to spaces. And I’ve always loved food. Telling a story and throwing a party—that’s what I love.”
Alice Waters claims McFadden has the soul of a farmer, as stated in her book review. “I guess I share the same love affair farmers have with their produce. I do it by putting it on a plate and keeping it simple—never messing it up,” he explains.
Seasonal food is central to his approach. “We live in a world with better food than ever—and worse food than ever. Seasonal food is often tastier, more nutritious, and supports local communities. You can’t fake good food with bad ingredients. People are confused because grocery stores carry everything year-round. Seasonality is a compass for quality.”
His recipes balance tradition and innovation. “It’s all grounded in Italian techniques I learned while living in Rome for six months. I extend those methods to seasonal vegetables and local ingredients, but keep it simple. Nothing in my book is something I wouldn’t serve in Italy.”
On the difference between Italian and American pasta, he laughs: “Italy is small; a lot of their wheat comes from Oregon and Washington. There’s incredible American pasta available now—Flour & Water and Sfoglini, for example. (Both brands are available locally at Staff of Life and elsewhere.] Good pasta is out there everywhere if you look for it.”
Pasta, of course, is the ultimate comfort food. “I make vegetable-forward dishes, but pasta is the number-one food in the world. A bowl of pomodoro is a universal favorite. It’s more popular than pizza. Italy is known for their pasta, but noodles are a comfort food in so many cuisines,” McFadden says.
For home cooks surrounded by Santa Cruz’s markets and farms, McFadden’s advice is practical: stock your larder. “Have salts, vinegars, oils, spices, grains, pastas, beans. Then when you go to the market, you’re ready to buy what inspires you and turn it into a meal. Cooking is both nourishment and creativity.”
He also emphasizes learning by doing. “I aim to teach, not tell people how to cook. When you work with something like tomatoes, you create a moment of success—or failure—and learn from it. That lesson carries forward. Mistakes aren’t mistakes—they’re understanding why good pasta is good pasta.”
McFadden is inspired by regenerative agriculture, heritage grains and local eating. “There’s so much misinformation, and people live fast lives, but slowing down to connect with food is always positive. Cooking and eating deliberately, even a little, matters.”
At his upcoming event, expect more than recipes. “We’ll talk about the new book, past books, future projects—lots of fun things. But mostly, I hope people walk away excited to cook with good ingredients, seasonally and simply.”
Joshua McFadden speaks at 7pm on Oct. 21 at Cowell Ranch Hay Barn on the UCSC campus. Visit bookshopsantacruz.com/joshua-mcfadden for tickets to this event.
Learn more about author and plant-based nutrition expert Elizabeth Borelli at ElizabethBorelli.com.
Street Talk
Which scary movie franchise is the best?
I would say the Happy Death Day movies. I think the concept is kinda unique—the fact that it’s the same day again and you have to figure out how to kill the killer. It’s fun to watch.
Stone Summers, 20, Works at Monster Energy Drink
The Conjuring is my favorite one. I like the history of the Warrens. I like the movies because they’re not the same plot every single time. It’s the same idea, but they have to solve each one differently. It keeps it interesting. The Scream movies got repetitive, but The Conjuring introduces new characters all the time.
Sophia Santana, 18, Psychology Major at UCSC
I like the Scream movies because they’re filmed in Santa Rosa, my hometown. But also I like it because it’s nostalgic, it’s aesthetically pleasing and it’s a classic. Even if it’s not that exciting, it’s just good.
Marissa Caesare, 18, Cognitive Science Major at UCSC
There’s so many, but probably Halloween, I like those a lot. It’s classic slasher horror—a little cheesy, but it’s fun, the old one. The Rob Zombie ones put a different spin on it, but the classic ones I like a little better.
Preston Johnson, 22, Music Instructor, Guitar and Bass
Child’s Play, the Chucky movies. The first one is probably my favorite, but I really like Bride of Chucky also. It was made in the year I was born.
Gabi Ceja, 27, Pro Movie Buff
I like Human Centipede. I just think it’s a weird concept. I like movies that are kinda campy— like they’re bad, but they’re kinda good because they’re bad. Part of it is when people ask me my favorite horror movie and I say that, they say, “Oh, that’s kinda weird.” But I think that’s kinda funny. Terrifier is a good one too.
Kenedi Bikovsky, 20, Game art and design at UCSC
Squeeze Play
In the current calendar year, Glenn Tilbrook has been quite the road dog. Since the beginning of 2025, Tilbrook and his Squeeze bandmates spent some time opening on a leg of the Heart tour. From there, he decamped to Houston, where the Squeeze founding member joined Daryl Hall and his band to open an early 2025 tour, while also stealing time away to do solo dates.
Between Hall and Heart, Tilbrook, with and without Squeeze, has recently opened/co-headlined with a number of disparate acts including Boy George, The Psychedelic Furs and an arena tour in the UK alongside ska/pop legends Madness last December.
Tilbrook says he’s happy to play this self-described “tumble dryer of different shows” either as part of Squeeze or as a solo act.
Tilbrook’s currently back on the road, playing solo dates as well as opening for Hall, who the power pop veteran first met when Squeeze opened for the latter and his former creative partner John Oates when they were on what became their final tour a few years back. Tilbrook’s admiration for Hall, though, goes back much further, to when “She’s Gone” landed on the UK charts in 1976.
“When ‘She’s Gone’ suddenly got radio play, I was absolutely nuts about that song,” Tilbrook recalled in a recent interview. “What I’ve found in being with Daryl and opening up for him is that while we’re very different, there are still quite a lot of similarities musically in terms of what we’ve listened to and what’s inspired us. I can hear that in his music and my music.”
The Hall tour has an unusual wrinkle for Tilbrook as he’s borrowing the headliner’s band to back him when he opens the shows.
“I’ve put all my time into Squeeze over the past 10 years—it’s been pretty unfailing,” Tilbrook said. “With Daryl’s band, I’m playing quite a bit of my solo stuff and it’s great to hear that fleshed out by their musicality. Their band is very different from Squeeze and I’m loving the difference. If you go into any situation, you wonder what the best is that can come out of it given the tools you have. That band is an immaculate bunch of musicians and it’s a pleasure and privilege to play with them.”
Since Squeeze came over to the United States for the first time in 1978, Tilbrook has been humbled and grateful for the reception he’s received every time. Being part of a heritage act, he’s noticed how the band’s audience has evolved. While he admits advances like streaming have “become another criminal enterprise where artists miraculously don’t get paid,” he admits that it’s a gateway for people who might not otherwise be familiar with his band.
“Streaming has opened up our audience in a way that would never have happened were we signed to a label,” Tilbrook said. “The label decides who they’re going to push and when they’re going to push us. Or conversely, you’re not worth pushing or your time is done, like it occurred to us. We’ve seen our audience grow and I attribute that directly, not only to us being good, but for the availability of our catalog to younger people, who don’t have any sort of barriers about when music was made. They’re just interested in the music and whether they like it or not. I don’t think any other service would done that for us. I don’t think radio could have done that for us. TV could not do that for us, but streaming did.”
As for Squeeze’s activities, Tilbrook and his songwriting partner, guitarist Chris Difford, have been busy working on a new album and a special archival project, Trixie’s, which will compile previously unreleased songs the duo originally wrote roughly 50 years ago—around the same time as the songs that made up the basis for the band’s self-titled 1978 debut album. The band has not set a date yet for its arrival.
“We’ve got all our songbooks going back to when we first met,” Tilbrook explained. “We always thought Trixie’s was a good set of songs that we wrote in the first year that Chris and I were together, in 1974. The thing about that time is that we had very little else to do except write songs and go out to work. We spent a lot of time writing a lot of songs and then they get pushed aside by the newer songs. Trixie’s was the first proper flowering of our songwriting. We really set each other off in a way that I can feel proud of now because although it was 50 years ago and those people are very distant to me, what they did was incredible I’d say.”
Glenn Tilbrook plays at 8pm on Oct. 20 at Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $32. feltonmusichall.com
Sweet Feats
Along the way to becoming a pastry chef, Jennifer Ashby says she fell in love with making chocolate and candy making and has made that her life’s work ever since. After graduating from culinary school, she worked around town locally as a chocolatier, gaining further experience and education before going to confectionary school in Florida.
She then founded Ashby Confections in 2004, making chocolates for herself at home before leasing a space at a local bakery while she developed wholesale clientele. From there she got her own space in Scotts Valley in 2012 and will soon be moving to an upscale storefront in downtown Santa Cruz that she says will be bright, welcoming, modern and elegant.
Ashby defines her namesake confections as artisanal, small-batch and hand-crafted, made with high-end organic ingredients and available on her website, at farmer’s markets, wholesale and walk-in retail. Flagship chocolate stand-outs include truffles like fresh banana, mocha, roasted hazelnut and the award-winning raspberry. Other favorites are cherry chocolate crackle with puffed quinoa and dried cherries, caramel/chocolate/roasted pecan tortoises and nut brittles inspired by her mom’s recipe—like IPA peanut and porter almond pecan. Non-chocolate crowd-pleasers are the soft, tender and chewy fruit candies, somewhat akin to elevated Sour Patch Kids. Almost all offerings are gluten-free and many are vegan.
What about chocolate so inspires you?
JENNIFER ASHBY: It’s a product that brings people joy and happiness, whether it’s for themselves or as a gift for someone else. Putting something delicious like a chocolate in your mouth is very grounding and brings you right into the present here and now. As the world changes and life speeds up, all we have is this moment and these sweet delicacies that we make can really enhance that.
What differentiates your wares?
It’s not only the quality, but also the care that goes into our products. Most businesses are and should be concerned about the bottom line, but I don’t put a primary focus on that. Instead, I make items that are incredibly time-consuming, but it’s a passion project and I don’t compromise quality even at the expense of profit. We don’t cut corners, we actually add them, and these details really make a difference. We are about making great products the right way, old-fashioned and with no stabilizers or preservatives.
16C Victor Square Ext., Scotts Valley, 831-454-8299; ashbyconfections.com
Pedal and Mettle
Who has two thumbs, pedals beneath his feet and thinks every month is Bike Month? (Points thumbs at self then puts hands back on handlebars.) This guy!
So I was stoked to hear Biketober 2025 is a thing, and rolling on with its month-long, free and fun challenge to get Surf City souls aboard, connecting with their community and treading lighter on the climate.
Prizes for logging rides include happiness, health, grocery gift cards and cash (up to $1,000 for an individual and $2,000 for a workplace), and neighborhood events include group rides, e-bike demos and repair opportunities.
More—including tips, trips and ways to connect—at lovetoride.net/santacruz.
The same organizers behind Biketober, namely Modo and its nonprofit parent Ecology Action, are also celebrating the completion of the Santa Cruz Bikeway.
SCB traces an 11-mile bike route through five Santa Cruz districts designed to minimize exposure to traffic and maximize enjoyment, scenery, safety, flow and efficiency, and shares the glory with walkers, skaters, bladers and scooters.
As the Bikeway website puts it, “Less stressed, more connected, less road noise, more bird songs, less honking, more waving.” letsmodo.org
KEEP ’EM COOKING
Efforts are ongoing to mitigate effects of the Murray Street Bridge closure for repairs.Free two-hour parking is in play at Seabright metered spaces, and a free water taxi traverses the waterway 5–9pm Thursdays, 3–8pm Fridays and 11am–6pm Saturdays and Sundays. Speaking on the condition of anonymity after Seabright Social shuttered, one restaurant veteran told me, “They were the first [bridge area] business to go because of the closure, and they won’t be the last.” It would be awesome if we could prove that prediction wrong, santacruzharbor.org.
PLEASING CHEESE
The 10th Annual San Francisco Cheese Fest did its sublime stinky thing this time last month and this curd bird was there to volunteer, an awesome way to get a peek behind the curtain, meet cheese legends, and gain free entry. The world debuts included several revelations: Petite Breakfast Chive, Petite Breakfast Everything, and 8 oz Big Breakfast by Marin French Cheese Co. (Petaluma); Princess Pride (cream cheese style), Rocky (Esrom semi-soft style), Heritage (gouda style) and Heiress (hoop style) by Rocky Oaks Goat Creamery (Clovis); Triple Cream Brie by Cowgirl Creamery (Petaluma); and fresh sheep cheese, farmer cheese, Portuguese topo cheese and goat cheese by JUSTCreamery (Saratoga). Next up: The 20th Annual California Artisan Cheese Festival March 20-22, 2026 in Sonoma County. (Volunteer with me!) Meanwhile, current Executive Director Valerie Miller is resigning her post to start her own business, so the California Cheese Guild is looking for a chief cheesehead, cacheeseguild.org.
FLEET FIXINGS
Fieldworker justice superhero Dolores Huerta returns to Watsonville to speak at a “No Kings” rally and march starting 10am Saturday, Oct. 18, at San Lorenzo Park. I was there for her last area appearance in the spring and at 95 she’s still exuding energy, heart, advocacy and action, indivisiblesantacruzcounty.com…“An Evening with Alice Waters,” presented by Bookshop Santa Cruz and The Humanities Institute, happens Oct. 30 at Rio Theatre and hinges on her new cookbook, A School Lunch Revolution, thi.ucsc.edu/event/an-evening-with-alice-waters…The Michelin Guide has announced it will introduce a world-wide wine-ranking system, the latest frontier beyond its noted restaurant ratings, guide.michelin.com…From The-Future-Is-Now Files: Some dairy cows in the Central Valley now wear high-tech collars with sensors and WiFi that track biometric health, milk load and location…Huerta, please march us out: “If people don’t vote, everything stays the same. You can protest until the sky turns yellow or the moon turns blue, and it’s not going to change anything if you don’t vote.”
Things to do in Santa Cruz
THURSDAY 10/16
FOLK
BECCA STEVENS
Born in North Carolina, Becca Stevens graduated from New York’s New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music with a degree in vocal jazz and composition. These are two talents she’s applied to her solo music, which incorporates jazz, pop, folk and elements of indie rock melodies under songs that bare her soul and welcome the listener into her head while still maintaining creative wordplay that lacks pretension. Along with singing, playing and writing music, Stevens can also put “actor” on her resume as last summer she also starred in Illinoise the musical based on the Sufjan Stevens’ (no relation) album of the same name. MAT WEIR
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $19-$37. 427-2227.
REGGAE
BLAKKAMOORE
Georgetown is the capital, and largest, city of Guyana in South America. It’s also the hometown and launching pad of the eclectic reggae artist Blakkamoore. His star has been rising, slow and steady since his debut album dropped in 2009. He was invited to guest on Reincarnated, Snoop Dogg’s grammy nominated 2013 foray into reggae. In 2020 The Doggfather returned the favor appearing on Blakkamoore’s Upward Spiral. 2024 brought Full Spectrum, a collaboration with Yungg Trip. He continues to stay busy, touring and bringing his music and message to the masses. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
Info: 8pm, Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $13-$29. 423-7117.
FRIDAY 10/17
INDIE-POP
CALVIN LOVE
Writing love songs for the wallflowers, poetic crooner Calvin Love sings the things most are too shy to say. His dark, lingering voice weaves together stories of hopes and dreams from yesteryear. Nods to classic singers of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s and a blend of modern electric guitar, lo-fi indie, and romantic pop give Calvin Love’s music a uniquely lush and synthetic feel. Love’s mix of spooky, psychedelic frequencies and earnest lyrics give just the right tug on the heartstrings. Synths, layered vocals, and a sprinkle of saxophone create a nostalgic intimacy for romantics of any age. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $15, 429-6994.
FOLK
CARSIE BLANTON
With a rich, soulful voice, a bright smile, and an impassioned message, Carsie Blanton comes ready to fight—not with a sword, but with a song. Her humor, political wit, and experiences from 15 years on the road make for poetic yet poignant lyrics, encouraging audiences to be good to each other, and fight against fascism. Inspired by Nina Simone and Woody Guthrie, her activist anthems are fiery, but the melodies and rhythms are delightful enough to get dissenters dancing. Accompanied by her four-piece “handsome band,” Carsie delivers hooks with chutzpah to what she’s determined is “a world worth saving.” SN
INFO: 8pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, $30/adv, $35/door, 479-1854.
THEATER
MISERY
Sometimes Santa Cruz still knows how to have fun. Last year the city got Evil Dead the Musical and this year The Addams Family musical. Now, Santa Cruz gets another horrifically fun production just in time for Halloween: Stephen King’s Misery. When romance novelist Paul Sheldon has a car accident in the snow, he’s rescued by Annie Wilkes who—as luck would have it—just happens to be his biggest fan. As she nurses him back to health Sheldon begins to notice certain, disturbing things about Annie. This classic horror story opens on Friday and continues every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday until Nov. 1. MW
INFO: 8pm, Santa Cruz County Actors’ Theatre, 1001 Center St., Santa Cruz. $35. 431-8666.
SATURDAY 10/18
EDM
THE POLISH AMBASSADOR
The man we call The Polish Ambassador may or may not be wearing his trademark jumpsuit when he takes the stage at Felton Music Hall this week, but he will most definitely be sharing the rump shaking beats he is known for. Live electronic music combined with a captivating and exciting stage presence has made TPA a fixture at music festivals around the globe. This San Francisco native works hard to keep his tour’s carbon footprint small, he creates music in a solar-powered studio, and his label, Jumpsuit Records, donates generously to various nonprofit organizations and charities that fans help choose. KLJ
Info: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $40. 704-7113.
FAMILY
HALLOWEEN MASK-MAKING FESTIVAL
Halloween season is here again. The annual challenge of finding the perfect costume is upon us. Why go store-bought when a one-of-a-kind handmade mask is within reach? The City of Santa Cruz’s Halloween Mask Making Festival features mask making, of course, but so much more. Dancers have been rehearsing for a month to nail the Thriller dance, and there’ll be a theatrical performance of Nightmares—a Stage Spooktacular. The dance and play will both take place twice during the day. The full schedule is on the website for the London Nelson Community Center. KLJ
Info: Noon, London Nelson Community Center, 301 Center St., Santa Cruz. Free. 420-5591.
MONDAY10/20
LITERATURE
JEFF VANDERMEER
Jeff Vandermeer, author of the Southern Reach series, will be at Bookshop Santa Cruz for a reading and signing of the surprise fourth volume of the series, Absolution. The bestselling author travels back to Area X searching for answers and untold stories not touched by the first three books (Annihilation, Authority, and Acceptance). Divided into three parts, Vandermeer explores the first mission into the forgotten coast, how did Area X take hold, and could someone know what would happen after the events in Acceptance. Even after a decade and three books, Absolution provides a terrifying, fresh, and unique look into Area X. Absolution will be available in paperback during the event. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 7pm, Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 423-0900.
WEDNESDAY 10/22
ROCK
EARTHLESS
Let the heavens shake! For soon we shall be Earthless! Or, we’ll be at the Earthless show at the Vets Hall this week. Yes, our favorite out-of-town psych rock trio (don’t call them stoner rock!) returns to Santa Cruz and this time they’re making another notch in their Santa Cruz Hall of Venues belt. For those who have never experienced an Earthless gig, be prepared for a sonic exploration of the inner mind across different dimensions, planes of existence and perceived boundaries between space and time. Unfortunately, it’s been four years since their last release Night Parade of One Hundred Demons begging the question, “What have we done to not deserve a new Earthless album?” MW
INFO: 8pm, Santa Cruz County Veterans Memorial Building, 846 Front St., Santa Cruz. $43-$48. 454-0478.
By Its Fingernails…
The notion that what is happening at our federal government level mirrors Germany in 1933 is not far-fetched. The blatant intimidation and control of the media has happened. A personal presidential army of thugs created under the guise of border enforcement is in place. The guardrails of judicial restraint have been removed. Congress has been built to rubber-stamp whatever the president wants. And most of all, Trump has stated many times that he desires to stay in power and will do so at any cost to our democracy.
This story is about California State Senator John Laird’s plea for Proposition 50 and the critically important Latino community’s view of it.
“We have to fight fire with fire. This is an existential crisis for democracy and the rule of law,” Laird believes.
What’s on the ballot: Whether California should adopt the one-time congressional map through 2030 described by Prop. 50, then automatically revert to the state’s independent redistricting commission for future cycles.
Framing it as a defense of democracy and the Central Coast, State Senator John Laird urged voters to back the Proposition 50 November ballot measure, saying it’s a direct response to congressional map changes in Texas that tilt the playing field ahead of the 2026 congressional elections.
Addressing the Democratic Women’s Club of Santa Cruz County, Laird sketched a picture of an existential crisis for the region “getting hit hard by the current administration,” as Medicaid cuts threaten the viability of Watsonville Community Hospital, while promised federal dollars for the Pajaro levee project could also be at risk. Labor shortages tied to immigration enforcement are straining farms “that bring us food,” and the Central Coast’s agricultural sector “is endangered.” At the same time, the speaker argued, the nation is “walking away” from climate action, and potential federal reductions of “$4 to $5 billion” to the University of California research would ripple across local campuses and communities.
“Taken together, the Central Coast is really threatened,” Laird said. “Our only option is to make sure the U.S. House reflects where the people are on these issues.” That’s where Prop. 50 comes in.
What Prop 50 Would Do
Called the Election Rigging Response Act, Proposition 50 would adopt one-time congressional maps by statewide vote, to counter a partisan redistricting pushed by President Trump, to tilt the outcome of the 2026 congressional midterm election to the Republican Party. The measure would replace California’s current U.S. House districts with a new map, only through the 2030 election. It would keep the California Citizen Redistricting Commission intact for the State Assembly and State Senate and return congressional map-drawing to the commission after 2030. Laird also says that Prop 50 would prioritize keeping communities of color whole, that the ballot map aims to avoid splitting those communities.
Laird says the proposed map would create five new opportunities for Democrats, roughly offsetting changes elsewhere in the country. He points to the far northern district now held by a Republican, the Sierra foothills near Sacramento, southern San Joaquin County, the east of Riverside and northern San Diego County. Laird says the Central Coast would see minimal change. Districts represented by Congressmen Jimmy Panetta and Salud Carbajal would largely remain as they are, while Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren’s seat would trade a bit of San Jose for territory moving toward Coalinga.
Laird warns that without a California response, even a national Democratic edge of three percentage points in the popular vote could still produce a tied House. “We have to fight fire with fire, this is an existential crisis for democracy and the rule of law. Prop. 50 places a temporary congressional map before the voters through 2030 and then returns power to the citizen commission. It doesn’t touch state legislative maps. It’s about protecting good government, protecting the rule of law, and protecting the Central Coast from federal policies hurting our communities.”
Latinos: Economic and Immigration Anxiety, Prop 50 Uncertainty
The Latino vote is widely viewed as critical to the passage of Proposition 50. A new statewide poll of Latino voters paints a sobering picture of economic dissatisfaction, deep concerns over immigration enforcement, but a limited awareness of Proposition 50.
The survey, conducted Sept. 8–16 for the Latino Community Foundation, questioned 1,200 registered Latino voters across California. Foundation CEO Julián Castro said, “What Latino voters are thinking in California right now is going to be tremendously important to what happens in November on items like Prop. 50, and also ultimately to what happens in the midterm elections in 2026,” Castro said.
Nearly half of Latino voters (47%) reported their personal economic situation had worsened under the Trump administration. Gary Segura of BSP Research described the results as unprecedented: “We found a 35-point turnaround in a negative direction. Latinos are a remarkably optimistic community, but this is the most pessimistic finding we’ve ever seen.”
Immigration remains a defining political fault line. Three out of four respondents said President Trump broke his pledge to deport only violent offenders. “Half report that they’re worried for themselves or a family member or other loved one who is at risk,” Segura said. “And by a 3-to-1 margin, Latino voters believe the president is deporting people who are simply going about their lives without documentation.”
That anxiety carried into related policy questions. By a 3-to-1 margin, voters supported Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new law banning federal agents from wearing masks, citing safety and transparency. Trump’s approval rating among California Latinos was just 31%, with 67% disapproving, while 65% said Governor Newsom was handling his job well. On Proposition 50, awareness remains low. Only 29% said they had heard much about Texas’s redistricting moves, even as 54% expressed general support for redistricting reforms.
For many who were polled, the biggest question was whether new maps would improve Latino representation. Eighty-five percent said it was important to create districts where Latino candidates could fairly compete for Congress. “Latinos are the largest group in California now, and Democratic priorities are not winnable without Latino votes,” Segura said. “Control of the House of Representatives will have a big Latino component a year from now.”
What’s There, Here
John Freeman, author of just-released , has an ask for his East Coast friends. “Picture the entire length of the East Coast as one state,” he says. That might give them an idea of the multi-habitat, multicultural, multi-political jigsaw puzzle that is California.
This concept is reflected in the 51 essays that make up California Rewritten, covering work from living California writers from Deborah A. Miranda (Bad Indians) to Amy Tan (The Backyard Bird Chronicles). Multiple Bay Area authors are part of the mix, including Rebecca Solnit (A Paradise Built in Hell), Elaine Castillo (America Is Not the Heart), Karen Tei Yamashita (I Hotel), Tommy Orange (There There) and Maxine Hong Kingston (The Woman Warrior) along with others.
The idea for the book first came up in 2019, when Freeman was having dinner in Berkeley with a group of people associated with his magazine, Freeman’s. It evolved as he hosted Zoom conversations with Alta Journal’s California Book Club. One of the first discussions kickstarting the idea was of C Pam Zhang’s How Much of These Hills Is Gold, Freeman said in a phone interview. The story about a Chinese family moving to California during the Gold Rush is “a story distorted by time,” he said.
In the essay on this book, he writes, “It might be a stretch to call it California’s Beloved, but [the writing] moves with the same rough magic and has a similar relationship to America’s radicalized indentured labor as Toni Morrison’s haunted masterpiece.”
That California is the source of so much contemporary literature, fiction, poetry and nonfiction—“more Californians have won Pulitzers in literature in the past decade than writers from any other region in America,” Freeman writes in the book’s introduction—made selections for California Rewritten difficult, he said. But two parameters made it a little easier. He wanted the authors to be alive, and he wanted to cover the gamut of California, not just LA and San Francisco. And themes arose, which seemed to naturally create sections.
So the book is divided into 12 sections, beginning with “Early Myths.” The first essay delves into Deborah A. Miranda’s Bad Indians: A Tribal Memoir.
Myths, Landscapes, Sounds, Ruptures
The essay on Bad Indians begins with Freeman’s own memories of being taught about the California missions as a school kid. “It is astounding how long this destructive and delusional fantasy of benign coexistence sold by ‘the mission project’ has remained a core part of the California curriculum,” Freeman writes, despite the reality being genocide of the state’s indigenous peoples.
Miranda’s book, which includes poems, narratives, oral histories, field notes, “pseudo phrenological data” and other forms, is “a dazzling array of storytelling modes,” he writes. It delivers “vivid portraits of people,” her own people, the Ohlone—Costaloan Esselen.
Freeman quotes Miranda: “Maybe, like a basket that has huge holes where pieces were ripped out and is crumbling to dust and can’t be reclaimed, my tribe must reinvent itself—rather than try and copy what isn’t there in the first place.”
In section seven, “How We Sound,” one of the selections is Jaime Cortez’s Gordo. The short story collection is set in a farmworkers’ camp in Watsonville, and is based on Cortez’s own childhood. “To read this book is to feel part of a neighborhood, a place, one Cortez invites you into and allows you to watch as it asserts its boundaries through the eyes of a young, probably queer, slightly husky kid named Gordo. … That the sweat and labor of working happens off-screen, so to speak, speaks volumes.”
From Gordo, quoted by Freeman: “Primi loved a party. He splurged and rented maroon Bostonian lace-up shoes and a matching tuxedo with ruffles that made him look like a downwardly mobile rain forest rooster puffing up his plumes for one last mating dance.”
In the section “The State of Poetry,” Freeman includes musings on Lawrence Ferlinghetti and other poets. “On Gary Snyder” illuminates the poet’s very long life and literary odyssey, his “sensitivity to geography and our connection to land,” his many decades of studying Zen.
In section twelve, “Ruptures,” the reader finds Hua Hsu’s Stay True. “It begins,” Freeman writes, “as so many California stories do, in the car.” The book is about Hsu’s real relationship with his best friend, Ken, who is murdered. There are many references to books and songs of the times. “The songs, through their repetition, take on the power of a soundscape,” Freeman writes. “Of all these, the Beach Boys’ ‘God Only Knows,’ is the most lasting, with its repeated phrase, ‘God only knows what I’d be without you.’”
The Book as a Map
Freeman is aware that California Rewritten isn’t the kind of book most people will sit down and read cover-to-cover. It requires time to think about each book discussed, time to absorb what each one is saying about California, its myths, its deceptions, its beauty, its constant reinvention.
“The book is like a map,” said Freeman. “There’s no right way to read it.” But it wasn’t written for academics, he emphasized, but for “delight and engagement.” California has always been a place where “oddballs are welcome,” he said, “and I hope readers [find the book] as openhearted as California at its best. I’m just trying to help that along…it’s part of a conversation that began with a conversation.”
John Freeman speaks with Karen Tei Yamashita at 7pm on Oct. 16 at Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz. bookshopsantacruz.com
Thousands Gathered for No Kings Day in Santa Cruz
A slide show from downtown Santa Cruz's No Kings protest Saturday
Pasta Perfect
Joshua McFadden’s new book, Six Seasons of Pasta: A New Way with Everyone’s Favorite Food is a celebration of the joy of cooking.
Squeeze Play
Glenn Tilbrook has recently opened/co-headlined with disparate acts including Boy George, The Psychedelic Furs and ska/pop legends Madness. At at Felton Music Hall, October 20.
Sweet Feats
At Ashby Confections, flagship chocolate stand-outs include truffles like fresh banana, mocha, roasted hazelnut and award-winning raspberry.
Pedal and Mettle
Efforts are ongoing to mitigate effects of the Murray Street Bridge closure for repairs, with free two-hour parking and a free water taxi traverses the waterway.
Things to do in Santa Cruz
Becca Stevens incorporates jazz, pop, folk and elements of indie rock melodies under songs that bare her soul while still maintaining creative wordplay that lacks pretension. Performing Thursday, 7pm at Kuumbwa
By Its Fingernails…
Nearly half of Latino voters (47%) reported their personal economic situation had worsened under the Trump administration.
What’s There, Here
Picture the entire East Coast as one state, John Freeman says. That might give an idea of the multi-habitat, multicultural, multi-political jigsaw puzzle that is California.
