A pillar of the Watsonville dining scene, Imura has been in Jee Kajihara’s family since she started working there 33 years ago, eventually becoming the general manager in 2004. Born in Korea and raised in Salinas, she got a degree in hospitality with a minor in business and worked in high-end hotels, catering and sales before ultimately returning to Imura. She credits the rest of her family and the incredible staff for the restaurant’s sparkling reputation, describing the ambiance as warm, inviting, open and bright.
The menu is a combination of traditional Japanese and Korean cuisines, evolved over time based on customer feedback. Korean favorites include bibimbap, served in a hot stone bowl with mixed rice, steamed vegetables, sunny-side-up egg and choice of protein, as well as a marinated, thin-sliced spicy pork dish. Another cultural favorite is duk mandu guk, a meat dumpling rice cake soup served traditionally in Korea on New Year’s Day.
Can’t-miss Japanese items include fresh sushi with generous portions and custom rolls—such as Spicy Heaven, with albacore, salmon, jalapeño, almonds and sauces. The build-your-own bento boxes are also popular, with assorted mix-and-match proteins and vegetables. Local ice cream with tempura option headlines desserts, and beverages include complimentary green tea.
How has being born in Korea shaped you?
JEE KAJIHARA: Although I was very young when I came here, I was the oldest child so I had to translate and help my parents adjust to American culture. So even now, the way I think and do things is a lot like my parents: family-oriented, hard-working and committed to success. I’ve worked multiple jobs most of my life, staying very close-knit with my family, and I try to take care of my employees as if they are family too.
What makes Imura so successful?
I think it’s the personal touch that we provide here with our food and service, and how much we appreciate and give back to our wonderful Watsonville community. In Korean and Japanese cultures, we give back but do it quietly and from the goodness of our hearts. We would not have been here for this long without such great local support. We have seen our customers transition from children to adults bringing in their own children years later. There is nothing more beautiful than that, and I hope this story continues.
1994 Main St., Watsonville, 831-761-8799; imurasushi.com
Thank you for the wonderful article on youth poetry, by Addie Mahmassani. I am deeply moved both by the poetry and the entire project beautifully profiled in the article. It is a great antidote to discouragement in destructive times. And to the youth who might not think their poetry is a big gift to the world, I want to add my voice: It is!
Michael Levy/Santa Cruz
ONLINE COMMENTS
PASSION FOR POETRY
I was on the Watsonville City Personnel Commission for three years before I ran for election as trustee for Cabrillo College. It helped me greatly.
As to poetry, it is just another form of music, which opens the mind to creativity and self-discovery. Thank you, Faris Sabbah, for realizing this and making it policy for our county public schools.
I see Jimmy Panetta wasted no time in working to correct the faux pax of the Trump administration in omitting the wine industry from the Big Ag $12 billion Tariff Relief Act. He cosponsored a new act to provide welfare funding for the cute people in the wine industry. So the rest of us slobs get to pay for the price increases caused by the tariffs as well as the billions given to the biggest welfare queens in the country: Big Ag. It’s time for Jimmy, who is in the hip pocket of Big Ag, to get primaried by someone truly progressive. How about a firebrand Latina from Watsontown, for instance?
The food at Fusion Fare is some of the better Chinese food in our area!
Mad Yolks #2 is a welcome addition to the food zone of lower 41st Avenue. (Hello, Zameen!!)
The Salty Otter gets no love from me due to severely inconsistent open hours. (It is super tough to run a food biz that way…)
About Mane K&C—curious that they do not give menu info on their website. I’m not really willing to brave the parking/construction/raving transients downtown without that pertinent info—just me…
Dee/Goodtimes.sc
For the Record
In the Dec. 17 issue of Good Times, Alicia Gibson should have been identified as Charles Pasternak’s co-director in Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s production of A Christmas Carol.
In the Dec. 3 issue, credits were inadvertently omitted for photographer Crystal Birns on two striking images of the Holiday Parade (page 1 and page 18). Our apologies to Birns and the Downtown Association of Santa Cruz.
Compassion. That was the first word I heard when I asked a volunteer, Zoe Davidson, to describe the Veterans Meal and Pantry Program (VMPP). Zoe moves through the room like an angel—touching shoulders, really seeing people, stopping to listen and connect. We could all learn from Zoe. It is the right word: compassion.
While the building itself is owned by Santa Cruz County, with oversight from Parks and Recreation, the VMPP operates entirely under the umbrella of the United Veterans Council, a separate nonprofit led by President Hutch Collier and managed by Dawn Collier. The program exists solely on volunteers and donations, independent of the county’s building budget. This cross-pollinated model—where community funding ensures vital services exist outside government support—is the backbone of what may be one of the most quietly heroic programs in our county.
I have lived in Santa Cruz for more than 20 years and I have rarely seen a local effort so consistent, so stubbornly human, and so built from the ground up by people who refuse to let their community slip through the cracks. Every week, the VMPP does something radical. It shows up. No matter what else is going on. No matter the politics. Wednesday is sacred.
How It Works
The program runs entirely on volunteers and donations—no government grants, no federal safety net. Dawn and Hutch Collier of the United Veterans Council coordinate a countywide alliance that keeps both the Wednesday Santa Cruz program and the Tuesday Watsonville pantry alive. “These programs are 100 percent supported by volunteers and donations,” Dawn says. “The community must never forget that.”
Wednesday is just the visible day. Behind it runs a seven-day operation. A dedicated cook team and support team secure donations from business partners like Safeway, Costco and others to help sustain the program. One week’s cacciatore alone required 25 chickens, all prepped the day before. The stocked pantry tables required constant coordination throughout the week. What veterans see when the doors open at 10am is the culmination of work that never stops. Ashley, the program’s bright star with the warm smile, is there early prepping silverware and plates and all sorts of things, making sure every detail is ready.
Service begins the moment the doors open. The room feels warm and inviting. You can feel the laughter and love. More than a hundred warm meals are served each week. A veteran praised the kitchen crew: they absolutely never miss when it comes to the salads, he said, and he always loves the entrees. The chicken cacciatore I saw disappear off trays would be considered comfort food in any home. For many who arrive cold and exhausted, it is their first real meal in days, as Gary Poland told me early on.
Keeping that meal warm, steady, and ready takes a crew as dedicated as the veterans they serve.
The heartbeat of the kitchen is a two-man crew: Scott Hamm and Danny Perel. Scott, a former Air Force officer, has volunteered for many years and also handles Sunday donation pickups. Danny was recruited over two years ago by the former head chef and quickly became essential. They arrive at 7 AM every Wednesday, working in quiet sync as they prep, roast, and keep everything hot. Dawn and Hutch call them the steady engine of the program—the reason the room smells warm, the plates stay full, and the meal feels like it came from someone’s home kitchen.
By the time the doors open at 10 AM, Scott and Danny have already put in hours of work to make sure the day starts with dignity.
Pantry distribution runs at the same time. Veterans now draw numbers and wait until called—a system that replaced the long, shaming lines that once dominated the room. When their number comes up, they shop through long tables of produce, canned goods, and essentials. Craig Johnson, an Army veteran and longtime volunteer, praised the change for eliminating arguments and restoring dignity. There is no screening. No prying into housing status or income. The only qualification is service.
At the center of it all are Joyce and Stan Stanhope, known as the originals. Stan is an Army veteran. Joyce is the quiet force who keeps the room warm even when spirits are low. She puts great care into managing the clothing donations, organizing them with intention, constantly making herself useful and solving problems for people. Between them, they have kept this program steady for 12 to 14 years, long enough to anchor the community around their table. Stan has the easy warmth of someone who could be a greeter at Disneyland, welcoming everyone who walks through the door. The volunteers live by a simple motto: “Still serving America.”
Robert and Judy Balzer round out the core volunteer team, longtime originals whose steady presence helps anchor the program week after week.
STILL SERVING Local veteran Gary Poland volunteers regularly with VMPP. PHOTO: Contributed
The Voices of Service
The Vets Hall is a living gauge of the modern veteran experience, where trauma and triumph sit side by side.
The scale of the mission is immense. There are over 9,100 veterans in Santa Cruz County, and the vulnerability is staggering. The California Association of Veteran Service Agencies report shows the Santa Cruz-Watsonville region has one of the highest rates of unsheltered homeless veterans in California.
Trevor Hutchison, operations coordinator for Dawn and Hutch, was the Meal Program Manager when the United Veterans Council first took over the program in early 2024. He views the VMPP as “a comprehensive operation requiring coordination across multiple programs and sites.” Trevor’s early tenure came with enormous growing pains. The VMPP and the separate Armory Meal Program—which Trevor manages through People First funding, preparing two meals daily for homeless veterans encamped at the DeLaveaga Armory—created simultaneous demands that required careful coordination.
Dawn’s arrival in October 2024 stabilized operations, allowing Trevor to introduce improvements like the outside hot meal service and expanded pantry variety. Her leadership freed him to help open the crucial Veterans Food Pantry in Watsonville, which now provides groceries to over 200 family members every Tuesday. He gives credit to two other members of the community: United Veterans Council leaders LoisRae Guin, still very active at 97 years of age and serving as senior vice commander of VFW Post 10110, and James Dailey, a Marine veteran and junior vice commander of the same post. He notes the current leadership of Doc Garza and his wife, Violet, who run the Watsonville program today.
Competence and crisis exist in the same person, often in the same week.
Trudy Leigh Heise served as an Army flight nurse on Huey helicopters over Vietnam. She faced danger in the air with iron calm. Today she avoids elevators and buses. Trauma changes shape but never disappears.
Thomas Hamilton, a Navy veteran, excelled as honor man in a notoriously difficult hydraulics school. In Da Nang, during a rocket attack, he was accidentally shot in the leg by his own assistant. He also shared a little-known truth: large amounts of unused ordnance were routinely dumped over Laos, an undeclared war zone, because planes could not land with it in Thailand.
Craig Johnson, an Army veteran and VMPP “original,” now faces losing his home to downtown development. After years of serving the unhoused, he finds himself at the edge of displacement too.
Kevin Buchanan, an Air Force veteran and former Cisco software engineer, came to the VMPP after a business collapse and the stress-induced mini-stroke that followed. He’s sharp, articulate and quick to connect dots others miss; it is easy to see why engineering teams wanted him in the room. He gave talks to students in Silicon Valley and continues building security-related technology, standing by his ideas even as circumstances shifted. Kevin’s story breaks the lazy stereotype of the veteran in need—here is someone who briefed executives, mentors engineers, builds security tech.
Sef Gallardo, the quick-witted Vietnam veteran I served food alongside, delivers the kind of Tommy Chong-style humor that lets people breathe for a minute. His last name means “gallant”—also the name of a Lamborghini model, he will tell you—and his civilian career as a director of global business operations seems a world away from his time as an airborne paratrooper. “I volunteered for the draft. I volunteered for the infantry. I volunteered for the Rangers. I volunteered for airborne training. I just volunteered every chance I got.” The reason was simple: “Nobody else wants to go.” Years ago he owned bikini shops in San Diego. Now he brings levity to Wednesday mornings. That laughter matters.
Zoe Davidson, stylish and steady, shows up because her son served in Afghanistan. She summed up the program’s beating heart in one sentence: “People need connection. Real connection.”
This struggle spans generations. While the room is often filled with Vietnam veterans, you will also find a charismatic young man, barely in his twenties, who is unhoused. He works on cutting-edge AI projects and has a LinkedIn profile to prove it, clearing his mind through juggling and flow arts. He proudly described his meticulously organized tented setup—living out in nature, a necessary adaptation to instability. The older veterans recognize him, approach him, include him. The program bridges generations, offering non-judgmental community for those dealing with fresh, often invisible, wounds.
Santiago Calderon, a Vietnam Navy veteran who now runs the weekly door prize raffle of donated items, was home alone one day, overwhelmed by “dark, bad, evil thoughts,” when someone suggested he visit the Wednesday program. The community pulled him back. “I look forward to Wednesday,” he said. “Wednesday is my favorite day of the week.”
How to Invest in Stability
Dave Ramos, the managing director of the Santa Cruz County Veterans Memorial Building, has spent more than 13 years embedded in the veterans community. He worked in the Veteran Services Office during his time at Cabrillo College, interned under his predecessor at CSUMB, and even served on the building’s Board of Trustees before the pandemic. To him, the VMPP is “more than a program—it is a multifaceted mission with many layers of support and direction.”
Ramos hopes to scale the operation into a true weekly resource hub, filling the auditorium with service tables, outreach groups and education kiosks. “It is a prime opportunity to do outreach, education, and service provision,” he said. With more than 9,100 veterans in Santa Cruz County, many of whom are unaware of or unable to access existing programs, his goal is simple: “I want direct interaction with every single one of them.”
Trevor emphasizes that the program’s impact comes from countless volunteers whose names rarely appear in articles. The Wednesday program connects to a broader Santa Cruz food security network—Grey Bears, Holy Cross, Second Harvest, St. Francis Soup Kitchen—creating a spiderweb of support that keeps the least amount of food from hitting the landfill while the maximum number of people are fed.
Before I left one afternoon, Gary Poland pressed a gold medallion into my hand after learning my nephew is currently serving in the Army. It was a final reminder of everything this program embodies: veterans who have endured the hardest experiences still finding ways to lift the next generation in uniform.
Note: Some full names and ranks have been withheld for privacy.
How to Help
The Santa Cruz County Veterans Memorial Building is located at 846 Front St., Santa Cruz. To volunteer with the Veterans Meal and Pantry Program, contact Dawn Collier at 831-345-2426 or db*********@***il.com. Donations can be mailed to UVC VMPP, PO Box 1063, Santa Cruz, CA 95061.
Watsonville Veterans Memorial Building is located at 215 E. Beach St., Watsonville. To volunteer or donate at the Watsonville Veteran Pantry, contact Roland “Doc” Garza at 760-807-8326 or do********@*ol.com.
Needed investments:
Furniture: 100 to 120 new sturdy lifetime chairs and replacement tables
Dignified Tools: Higher-quality kitchen tools that are easy to use for those with arthritic hands or limited grip strength
Technology and Outreach: New desktop computers, new Wi-Fi mesh units, improved cell-phone learning stations, and continued support for the long-running clothing program
The end of the year has a way of sneaking up on us. One minute we’re making summer plans, the next we’re standing in line at the grocery store wondering how December disappeared, and why we feel both relieved and exhausted. While the culture pushes us toward frantic celebration or rigid goal-setting, there’s another option: ending the year with intention.
Here are ten grounded, doable ways to close the year feeling clearer, calmer and more connected—to yourself and the life you’re actually living.
1. Create a retrospective inventory list
Before rushing into New Year’s resolutions, pause. Ask yourself what truly worked this year, and what didn’t. No judgment required. A simple list of “more of this” and “less of that” can be far more revealing than a lofty vision board. For example, leaning into local Meetups was a great way to meet people. Dating apps, maybe not.
Gym membership underused? Instead of vowing to become a regular this year, identify the activities you’re drawn to, whether that’s salsa at the Palomar or Dance Church at the Tannery. Resolve to pursue the things you’re most drawn to for more sustainable results. When you’re clear on what to let go of, you free yourself up to focus on the things you want to commit to.
2. Clear One Physical Space
You don’t need to Marie Kondo your entire house. Choose one area—your desk, pantry or even one half of your closet (less daunting!)—and resolve to clear some space. Physical clutter is a sneaky path to distraction, like when you have to spend 20 minutes looking for the scissors. Who knows, maybe one clearing space will naturally lead to the next step in what psychologists call a virtuous cycle.
3. Take a Year-End Walk
There’s something illuminating about moving your body without a destination. Walk West Cliff at sunset. Wander a redwood trail. Let your thoughts unfold. Movement helps us process what words often can’t. You may be surprised by your insight.
4. Name the Hard Things (and the Wins)
Not every year is worthy of a photo album, and that’s okay. Acknowledge what was difficult without minimizing it. Then, just as intentionally, name what you survived, learned or grew through. Both deserve airtime. Journals are built for moments like this.
5. Revisit Your Relationship with Rest
If the year taught us anything, it’s that exhaustion isn’t a badge of honor. During winter’s shorter days, give yourself permission to slow down. Earlier bedtimes, quieter mornings, fewer commitments. Rest is not quitting, it’s recalibrating. Your mind and body will thank you.
6. Cook One Mindful Meal
Choose a recipe that feels nourishing rather than challenging. Maybe it’s soup that simmers all afternoon or a simple pasta shared with friends. Mindful meal preparation can be a ritual of self-care, a way to savor the sensory experience and feed the soul.
7. Write a Letter You’ll Never Send
To a past version of yourself. To someone who changed you. To a year that surprised you. To someone who disappointed you. Writing privately allows for honesty without performance. You don’t need closure, just expression.
8. Reconnect with Your Senses
This is an underrated reset. Light a candle. Make a cup of your favorite herbal tea. Put on some music that uplifts you. Step outside and notice the filtered light of winter, the way the air smells after it rains. Sensory moments bring us back into the present, where real healing happens.
9. Choose a Word, Not a Resolution
Instead of a list of things to fix, choose a word that feels supportive, steady, spacious, curious, grounded. Let it guide your decisions gently, without pressure. A word can be a companion rather than a command. Write it down. Find an image and caption it with your word. For years, mine has been “breathe.” It may sound irrational, but like all things in our environment, it gradually seeps in.
10. Celebrate Quietly
Not every ending needs fireworks. Sometimes celebration looks like an early night, a good book or a deep exhale. Honor what feels true for you, even if it doesn’t match the highlight reel.
As the year comes to a close, remember: you don’t need to become a new person overnight. You’re allowed to carry forward what’s working, release what isn’t, and step into the next chapter with humility and hope.
Ending the year well isn’t about perfection, it’s about presence. And that, thankfully, is always available.
Join Elizabeth Borelli for a sensory reset weekend retreat at Mount Madonna Center in Watsonville this January. Learn more at ElizabethBorelli.com.
‘The fruit in this wine is out of this world,” says Steve Storrs. And he’s absolutely right. Rich and elegant, the handcrafted 2021 Zinfandel ($38) is filled with “vibrant flavors of blackberry, boysenberry and olallieberry.” It comes with luscious notes of vanilla—and with a delightful lingering finish.
Grapes were harvested from Lion Oaks Vineyard on the eastern slopes of Mt. Madonna, and then aged in 10% American oak barrels and 90% French oak. It’s traditionally punched down by hand, and great care is taken during the whole process of making this delicious wine.
Stephen Storrs and wife Pamela Bianchini-Storrs have been in the wine business for decades—first honing their skills at UC Davis. Along the way, they have won numerous awards, including Best of Show at the California State Fair.
As well as their downtown tasting room, they opened another one on a gorgeous piece of property they acquired in Corralitos, where you might catch sight of their flock of babydoll sheep. These sweet-faced creatures control the weeds in Storrs Winery’s estate vineyards. And, as they say, it’s a win-win situation.
The wines this husband and wife duo make are truly wonderful, and it is well worth a visit to try them.
Storrs Winery & Vineyards, 1560 Pleasant Valley Road, Aptos, 831-742-5030; 303 Potrero St., Suite 35, Santa Cruz, 831-458-5030.
Añejo Nuevo
Calling all tequila lovers: the newly launched Pantera De Oro is fabulous. It’s silky and smooth with cinnamon and light agave notes, framed by coconut and toasted hazelnuts. Brandy and cognac notes on the palate add to the intricate flavors. It’s what the makers call “a layered, luxurious tequila experience for true connoisseurs.” The brand was founded by Bay Area native Scott Baird, known for his involvement with Tequila Ocho and Ancho Reyes. panteradeorotequila.com
One of the brightest stars in the world of bluegrass and old-time music is also one of its youngest. Already a veteran performer and recording artist with three albums and an EP to her name, Nora Brown hasn’t yet reached her 20th birthday.
Acclaimed for her work on a somewhat unusual instrument—the fretless, nylon-string banjo—Brown cultivates folk traditions, carrying them forward for current and future generations of listeners. Joined by old-time fiddler Stephanie Coleman, Brown comes to Kuumbwa Jazz Center on Jan. 7.
Brown released her debut album, Cinnamon Tree, in 2019. She was 13 years old. Today she readily concedes that at that point, she “didn’t have much of a creative idea” about what she wanted the record to sound like. “I was [just] like, ‘I’m learning these songs. I like to play them.’” So she did. Six years later, she still looks back fondly on that experience. “There were a lot of people around guiding me on the journey of recording,” she says. “They were excited to give me an opportunity.”
But six years is a long time, especially in the life of a teenager. So by the time Brown made 2023’s Lady of the Lake—an EP with Coleman—she had taken a much more active role. “There was a much more curatorial instinct that had to be awakened,” she says.
Much of Brown’s repertoire is built around the folk tradition: passing songs along from musician to musician, from one generation to another. That process keeps the songs alive; it not only preserves them but reinvents the music with each new interpretation.
Brown’s family home in Brooklyn is filled with records. “I’m often listening through that stuff,” she says, searching for ideas. But Brown is far from a copyist; when it comes to adding a song to her repertoire, she focuses on giving it her own interpretation. “I wouldn’t say I feel a responsibility to hold true to a source recording,” she emphasizes. On the contrary, she feels an internal pressure to change things.
“There are real gems—old field recordings from the ’20s, ’30s, and even more recently, up to the 1970s—that are just perfect,” she enthuses. “You’re like, ‘Wow, this musician was incredible.’” And in those cases, even though the particular song itself might be far older than the recording, that version becomes accepted as the version. “But that sort of denies the fact that the process [of interpretation] was happening even at that time,” she says. “People were altering things; that’s the folk process.”
With that in mind, when Brown scours archives of old recordings, she tries to focus on the song itself, not the recording. “A skill that I’m trying to cultivate is to see the song: just the melody, just the rhythm, just the components that make up that song.” She readily concedes that it’s impossible to do that fully, but insists that it’s worth the effort to try. Sometimes Brown will tell herself that she doesn’t even like the way that the artist on the recording has interpreted the song; that framework gives her the freedom to explore her own interpretation.
It’s often the case that once an artist gets five or six years into their recording and touring career, they grow bored with the approach that got them started. They might branch off onto a wildly divergent path: a concept album, perhaps. Or maybe a record backed by an electric band. But Brown waves away such ideas. Those sorts of questions “don’t even come to my mind,” she says. “I’m finding creative fulfillment.”
But at the same time, Brown doesn’t believe that she is traveling on any sort of set path to begin with. “I’m really still learning about what I like to do as an artist,” she says. “It’s so much of a process of learning that I’m not looking for any big [changes]. It’s more like, ‘More work needs to be done.’”
Brown’s current run of concert dates fits neatly into the winter break between her college semesters. She seems to have found the balance that suits her. Brown believes that if music is an artist’s only means of financial support, that can pose a threat. “There’s something good about a model in which you don’t have to rely [solely] on your art to make money,” she says. Finding oneself in that situation “can lead to a loss of enjoyment in the work, a kind of pressure that stifles creativity,” she suggests.
In an interview six years ago, Brown told me, “I’m not sure if I want to continue a career in music for my entire adult life.” Reminded of that quote, she shrugs. “Not much has changed, to be honest,” she says. “It’s definitely the time of life to be wondering those things. I moved away from home to go to college, and I am focused on school.”
For now, Nora Brown is in her happy place: preserving the folk tradition while engaging in collaborative artistry with Coleman. “It’s a joyful experience,” she says, “to blend your sound with someone else’s.”
Nora Brown and Stephanie Coleman perform at 7pm on Jan. 7 at Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St, Santa Cruz. $29.14 adv/$31.50 door.
Storms, both weather and economic, defined this year in Santa Cruz. Locals did what they could to stifle and recover from both.
JANUARY
TERMINAL CONDITION
The year started off with a literal bang, as the battery energy storage system (BESS) facility in Moss Landing caught fire. The chemistry of the lithium-ion batteries meant that water from firefighters’ hoses only fueled the blaze, which burned for days, emitting a black plume of toxic smoke andtons of toxins into soil and water.
The incident spurred reactions from local and state lawmakers hoping to rein in the BESS industry.
FAIR PLAY
After firing previous manager Dave Kegebein—and after a manager before him departed under mysterious circumstances—the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds announced that manager Zeke Fraser had resigned after less than two years. Later in 2025, the governing board hired Dori Rose Inda, who has extensive experience managing nonprofits. Based on the success of last year’s fair, we assume her time is going well.
PIER PRESSURE
On Dec. 23, a storm damaged the end of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, forcing its closure. This was evidenced spectacularly when a public bathroom broke free and washed up on a nearby beach. The wharf reopened less than a week later, 150 feet shorter and minus the Dolphin restaurant, which was under repair at the time and is gone.
TRUMP CARD
Santa Cruz County officials began to prepare in earnest for President Trump’s hard-line immigration policies, with many undocumented residents and nonprofits predicting a severe impact on the local workforce, the economy and the families that live here. Since that time, those fears have played out, with an estimated 65,000 in ICE custody as of Nov. 16. Many protests and demonstrations have followed throughout the U.S.
BYE BRUCE
We said goodbye to former Santa Cruz County Supervisor Bruce McPherson, who retired from the board after a 25-year career in politics the month before.
LEAVE THOSE TEACHERS ALONE
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees made $5 million in cuts, knowing that the financial picture would worsen as enrollment declined and federal funding slowed. Indeed, the board is back to the chopping block, with roughly 150 positions at risk of layoff.
FEBRUARY
LAYOFFS REJECTED
The PVUSD Board of Trusteesconsidered—andlargely rejected—roughly 100 layoffs district staff said were meant to ease upcoming budget troubles. But wait, there’s more. The layoffs kicked in by the end of the year to much protest.
BID BARRED
A man who committed one of the most gruesome crimes we’ve ever heardlost a bid for parole. Adrian Gonzalez lured 8-year-old Madyson “Maddy” Middleton into his apartment in the Tannery in Santa Cruz, then raped and killed her before dumping her body in a recycling bin.
MARCH
DUAL RALLIES
With our communities cleaved to pieces by national politics, it’s more important than ever to reach out to all sides of the issue. We went to an invitation-only viewing party whereTrump supporters gathered to watch the president give a speech. While reporters were not welcome inside, we managed to convince an organizer to talk to us. We also spoke to protestors outside.
LOUNGING AROUND
Californians approved recreational pot in 2016. The county supervisors took the next logical step by approving smoking lounges à la Netherlands. In concept, anyway. The red tape required in the actual creation of one means that we’re years away from people lighting up indoors, county officials say.
VILLAGE PEOPLE
A village of 34 tiny homes for unhoused people in the parking lot of a Watsonville church continued to take shape, to the chagrin of neighbors. The project, which opened in September, is intended to help clear the Pajaro River Levee of unsanctioned encampments in advance of a project to rebuild it.
THE CUPBOARD IS BARE
Second Harvest Food Bank, which helps fill the pantries of thousands of county residents who need the help, began to sound the alarm of impending budget cuts and increased need that could impact the nonprofit’s ability to provide its services.
SMOKE ’EM IF YOU GOT ’EM
Remember when you needed a doctor’s note to buy weed? Later you could buy it and take it home to smoke. In March, the county has approved making dispensaries into social sites, like bars, where you can smoke inside the lounge, talk to friends and get an education on cannabis. They are still refining the rules, such as who is responsible if a patron gets in a car accident after smoking, but to the chagrin of alcohol lobbies, we can expect the opening of cannabis lounges.
SLUGFEST
Why aren’t we the slug capital of the world? Not only do we have the only university that uses the bright yellow banana slug as its mascot and the psychedelic mollusks populate our forests, but the longest-running band in Santa Cruz is named for them: the Banana Slug String Band, which celebrated its 40th anniversary this month. In a field filled with the starving musicians, the Slugs found a way to afford trips to Hawaii: they play educational, environmental songs for kids in schools. Check out our cover story on the band right here.
YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN
After a seven-year hiatus, former owners Adam Bergeron and wife Jaimi Holker repurchased The Crêpe Place, a restaurant and independent music center in Midtown that features bands inside and outside in the exotic gardens. Adam explains that he and Jaimi came back because they missed it from the moment they sold it to Chuck Platt on Jan. 26, 2018. They feel magic in the Crêpe Place. “It’s one of those kinds of places that is either special to you or not. A lot of people find it special, and we’re two of them.”
CUTS TO THE NEEDY
Two months into the new federal administration, nonprofits began feeling the effects of what short-lived Trump crony Elon Musk called DOGE, a program that was supposed to help balance the budget but ended up costing more than it saved. Locally, a program that helps the hungry was suffering. The Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz is facing major problems serving its clientele after getting hit with cuts by the Trump Administration, according to CEO Erica Padilla-Chavez.
“We actually got four cancellations in one week that amounted to over $250,000 of food that didn’t come in,” she said. “It was milk, it was pork chops, it was cheese. It’s basic, essential nutrients that our community needs.” The food bank was not prepared for these cancellations and its budget didn’t account for such a profound loss of food.
Second Harvest helps feed 65,000 people each month, according to its website, including children, seniors, veterans, homeless and working poor people, whose jobs don’t pay enough to support their families.
BREAKING UP WITH AMAZON
They are everywhere, those boxes with the smile on them that put a frown on the faces of local business owners. Amazon, the company that allowed its founder to build rockets and a yacht so big a bridge had to be removed to get it out of the shipping yard, is sadly ubiquitous. But our writer, Joan Hammel, took a stand and broke up with the company and shopped only in our county. Could it be done? Was it easy? Check out her cover story for the answers.
SAFETY FIRST
How sad is it that women have to worry about leaving their drinks behind when they use a bar restroom, for fear that someone will drug them? It’s not a theoretical fear. It’s been happening. Luckily, bars and legislators have taken preventive measures. Santa Cruz is at the forefront of making bars safer by offering patrons a new type of coaster that can quickly detect if your cocktail has been spiked. Simply smear a few droplets of your drink on the testing area of the coaster and it can tell if ketamine or GHB, often referred to as “date rape drugs,” are present.
APRIL
EARTH DAY RETURNS WITH PUNCH
Downtown Santa Cruz spilled onto Pacific Avenue on April 19 as Earth Day 2025 roared back with a full lineup of sustainability fervor and community spirit. The annual celebration, anchored by live music from SambaDá, a zero-waste fashion showcase by FashionTeens, vendor booths and free face painting, drew families, activists, and eco-curious locals alike. The event’s return marked a reinvigoration of environmental advocacy after years of pandemic disruption, spotlighting climate action and green living amid county efforts to energize recycling and public participation in sustainability. Good Times chronicled the bustle along Abbott Square Market as activists, artists, and small businesses converged to celebrate the planet and push for tangible change.
HIDDEN BEACH PARK GETS NEW RESTROOMS
Santa Cruz County marked the ribbon-cutting for the new restroom facilities at Hidden Beach County Park near the end of April. The project, years in planning and community discussion, aimed to upgrade aging infrastructure at one of the county’s most beloved coastal access points. Community leaders and park advocates lauded the improvements as a small but meaningful step toward accommodating rising park usage. The new facility reflects broader efforts by local officials to balance environmental stewardship with increased recreational demand, recognizing the importance of inclusive public spaces. The celebration brought out families and volunteers who have long championed better amenities in Santa Cruz’s treasured outdoor spaces.
BRIDGE HOUSING CONSTRUCTION BEGINS
Ground formally broke in early April on a new bridge housing building intended to serve people experiencing homelessness across central Santa Cruz County. The project, a collaboration between county housing agencies and nonprofit partners, aims to blend temporary shelter with case management, employment support and pathways to stable housing. Local advocates see the facility as a humane intervention in a crisis that has taxed county resources and civic patience for years. Critics, meanwhile, pushed for more transparency in siting and long-term operational funding. Still, the start of construction represented a significant milestone in Santa Cruz County’s slow pivot toward scalable solutions to homelessness.
COUNTY BUDGET PASSES WITH CONTROVERSY
April closed with the release of Santa Cruz County’s $1.23 billion 2025-26 proposed budget, a trove of figures that set the stage for summer fiscal debates. The budget outlined funding for core services—from public health and parks to permitting and infrastructure upgrades—and shined a spotlight on rising costs amid inflationary pressures. Public comment sessions drew stakeholders concerned about housing, environmental programs and public safety. In the shadow of statewide economic uncertainty, county supervisors urged constituents to engage in the process, framing the budget as a blueprint for resilience, equity and community care in the year ahead.
MAY
WATER CONTAMINATION AT FARMWORKER HOUSING SPURS FIXES
In a story that galvanized the Pajaro Valley community, residents of farmworker housing reported unacceptable levels of contaminants in tap water early in May. The outcry prompted immediate county and state responses, including infrastructure assessments and expedited remediation plans. Local advocates said the episode highlighted persistent environmental injustices in unincorporated areas where essential services lag. County officials responded with a commitment to prioritize upgrades and promised more rigorous testing regimes. The incident sparked spirited debate in Watsonville City Council meetings and community forums, with residents demanding transparency and long-term solutions for safe drinking water.
CARMAGEDDON AS HIGHWAY 1 RESEMBLES LOS ANGELES FREEWAYS
Chaos on Highway 1 in Capitola and Live Oak became a defining theme of May as closures and lane shifts for maintenance snarled morning commutes. Parents, workers and cyclists inundated city hotlines with complaints as delays stretched for miles. Local commentary in Good Times captured the fraught blend of practical frustration and deep concern about infrastructural neglect in one of the county’s busiest corridors. Road work along the beach at the Murray Street Bridge and lane closures on Highway 1 made for an ugly mess.
BABY BURNING MAN
For those who can’t get enough of the late summer Burning Man Festival, locals started unSCRUZ, an art and camping gathering in Hollister, filled with Santa Cruzans. The May 1-3 event is described by organizers as “a radically inclusive regional burning man event.” This year’s unSCruz—which spread out over the San Benito County fairgrounds, indoors and outdoors, in a wide spectrum of venues—includes a sound rooms, open art sessions, creative kitchens, acrobatics, experimental lighted and flame-breathing vehicles, games, bizarre architectural constructs, music, dance, unique campers and tents all under the umbrella of non-judgmental acceptance.
HOW DO YOU WANT THE CRUZ TO LOOK?
Santa Cruz County launched a series of public workshops and surveys in May to shape the Measure Q Vision Plan—a long-range blueprint for land use, housing, and economic development. County planners emphasized community input as critical to balancing growth with environmental protections, particularly in unincorporated areas facing housing crunches and climate threats. Sessions drew a broad cross-section of perspectives, from homeowners wary of density to advocates pressing for equitable access to affordable housing. The initiative underscored the county’s attempt to craft policy through engagement rather than top-down decisions.
OUT OF THE CLOSET AND INTO THE STREETS
Santa Cruz celebrated the 50th anniversary of Pride celebrations biggly with three days of parties, dances, music, art and a giant parade. Since 1975, Santa Cruz Pride has convened an annual event, parade or festival that brings nearly 5,000 people to downtown Santa Cruz. The 50th anniversary of Santa Cruz Pride is a milestone in history for the visibility and celebration of a vibrant LGBTQ+ community unlike any across the country. It is a time to celebrate all people and allies across the county.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING CELEBRATION
May’s designation as Affordable Housing Month was marked by a cascade of events, including ribbon cuttings, informational webinars and community celebrations. Four new condominium units became available through Measure J, part of ongoing efforts to add supply in a market that has squeezed working families for years. Nonprofit partners, housing advocates and county officials touted the progress while acknowledging that incremental gains fall short of demand. The month’s festivities showcased success stories, creative financing tools and cross-sector collaborations aimed at expanding access to stable, affordable homes throughout Santa Cruz County.
JUNE
CHILDCARE LOAN PROGRAM OPENS
June also saw the launch of a forgivable loan program aimed at childcare providers, a rare win for working families and small business owners juggling high costs. The Child Care Developer Fee Loan Program opened applications for eligible providers seeking capital to expand or launch new facilities. County officials and advocates hailed the move as a practical investment in early childhood education and economic mobility. Parents who have long pressed for affordable, accessible care welcomed the initiative, though many underscored that supply still lags far behind need.
HOW HIGH WILL THE SEA RISE?
Amid ongoing climate anxieties, Santa Cruz County kicked off a sea-level rise vulnerability assessment survey aimed at charting future coastal resilience strategies. The initiative invited residents and stakeholders to weigh in on priorities for shoreline protection, infrastructure adaptation and community preparedness. The project emerged as part of a broader suite of environmental planning actions intended to position the county for decades of shifting coastal dynamics. Early responses suggested strong interest in collective problem-solving, though debates simmered over costs, equity, and the balance between human use and ecological preservation.
JULY
CRACKING DOWN ON ILLEGAL DUMPING
July brought the first full month under Santa Cruz County’s new illegal dumping penalty regime—a cultural pivot with teeth. With fines now in the thousands and cameras installed at frequent dumping sites, the county documented early compliance improvements and several misdemeanor referrals. Enforcement crews teamed with community volunteers to clear notorious hotspots, from rural side roads to forgotten lots. Environmental advocates crowed that the banished era of casual dumping may finally be nearing its end, while civil liberties critics cautioned about surveillance scope and equity. Regardless, public streets and hillsides looked noticeably cleaner as summer peaked.
HOMELESSNESS DOWN
The annual Point-in-Time Count of people experiencing homelessness, released in early August but grounded in July fieldwork, suggested modest progress in shelter placement and outreach engagement. County outreach teams, nonprofits and volunteers logged hundreds of interviews and service referrals during the chilly early morning count, finding small dips in unsheltered numbers compared with prior years. Leaders attributed the shift to coordinated job training, housing subsidies and bridge housing expansions. Still, advocates stressed that progress was fragile and that housing supply, rent pressures and mental health resources remain critical pressure points.
TERRIBLE COUNTY FOR WALKING, BIKINGMid-July saw the Santa Cruz County Community Traffic Safety Coalition release a comprehensive crash report highlighting trends over the past decade. The data detailed persistent hotspots for collisions, vulnerable road user injuries, and disproportionate impacts on lower-income neighborhoods. Public officials and activists seized the report as a call to reimagine street design, prioritize safe crossings and expand education campaigns. Some residents pushed back on enforcement-centric proposals, urging instead for infrastructure redesigns like protected bike lanes and traffic calming measures. The summer debate fused data with grassroots demands, shaping conversations heading into the fall legislative cycle.
GREEN VALLEY ART CELEBRATED
Local culture punctuated the summer when a new public art installation along Green Valley Road drew community praise. The work, funded through local arts grants and neighborhood partnerships, transformed a stretch of thoroughfare into a vibrant corridor celebrating community heritage. Residents brought picnics, cameras and kids to the launch party, blending visual delight with a reaffirmed sense of place. The installation became a social media favorite and a touchstone for broader conversations about investing in shared public aesthetics amid civic priorities like housing and climate resilience.
AUGUST
COTONI-COAST DAIRIES TRAIL OPENS TO PRAISE
August delivered long-awaited access to new trails at the Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument, expanding opportunities for hiking, biking and nature connection on protected landscapes. The first wave of trails offered sweeping coastal views and interpretive signage, and outdoor groups called the opening a milestone for recreation and conservation alike. Local outfitters reported brisk weekend traffic, and park stewards reminded visitors to respect sensitive habitats. The rollout anchored broader conversations about access versus preservation in one of Santa Cruz County’s ecological crown jewels.
GREEN VALLEY ROAD MULTI-USE TRAIL OPENS
Santa Cruz County cut the ribbon in August on the new Green Valley Road multi-use trail, a connective spine for walkers, cyclists and commuters linking rural and urban pockets. Elected officials and community members lauded the project as a victory for sustainable transport and healthier lifestyles. The trail quickly drew daily users, from dog walkers to road warriors seeking scenic shortcut alternatives. Still, adjacent traffic and safety concerns sparked a side conversation about the need for complementary lighting and crossings to ensure year-round usability.
SHORT-TERM RENTAL REFORMS PASSCounty supervisors in August gave tentative approval to updated short-term rental reforms intended to balance tourism demand with neighborhood livability. The measures, which refined permit processes and introduced new compliance requirements, aimed to reduce disruptive party rentals and preserve housing stock. Local hosts reacted with mixed reviews—some welcoming clearer rules, others warning about potential reductions in supplemental income. Community groups framed the changes as long-overdue tools for protecting residential character in year-round neighborhoods.
ANNUAL PARKS & REC DOG POOL PARTY RETURNSSummer’s tail end saw the tail-wagging return of the annual Parks & Rex Dog Pool Party, an over-the-top celebration of community and canine culture. Families packed the pool deck with pups in bow ties, bandanas and blow-ups, sharing laughs and local brewery sips. The event underscored a lighter side of county life: spirited, quirky and deeply communal. Good Times spotlighted the splash-filled afternoon as a quintessential Santa Cruz moment, blending absurdity with heartfelt neighborliness under the August sun.
SEPTEMBER
WEEK WITHOUT DRIVING PROMOTES TRANSIT AND TRAILS
In late September, Santa Cruz County launched its first “Week Without Driving,” urging residents to ditch cars in favor of transit, biking and walking. The initiative offered free transit passes, pop-up bike repair stations, and a calendar of events promoting alternative mobility. Coverage in The Pajaronian and county outlets highlighted packed bike lanes, commuters rediscovering walking routes, and spirited debate about long-term sustainable transport investment. Supporters touted the effort as practical climate action; detractors cited lingering gaps in infrastructure that still make car alternatives challenging for some residents.
WHO ARE THE PEOPLE WHO SHAPED SANTA CRUZ?
For our 50th anniversary, Good Times looked at 50 people who helped make our county what it is today. Did we get them all? Who did we miss? Who do you think should be there? Should we do another one next year with 51 people? Drop us a line.
HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN RELEASEDA draft of Santa Cruz County’s updated Hazard Mitigation Plan was released for public review in September, outlining strategies for preparing for wildfires, floods, earthquakes and sea-level rise. The plan drew from community input, scientific assessments and emergency management insights. While some residents worried about property impacts and insurance costs, many praised the transparent, data-driven approach. Workshops and comment periods through October aim to refine the draft before final adoption. Advocates see the plan as a crucial roadmap in an era of increasing climate extremes.
BOARD MOVES TO BAN RECREATIONAL NITROUS SALES In a quirky but serious policy move, county supervisors voted in late September to push toward banning recreational nitrous oxide sales—a response to spikes in youth misuse labeled a public health concern. Supporters argued the ban would remove easy access to potentially harmful substances, while small business owners and civil liberties proponents raised questions about enforcement. The debate blended public safety rhetoric with local culture—and sparked late-night barroom discussions across Santa Cruz’s eclectic blocks.
OCTOBER
LIGHTS, CAMERAS, IT’S BACK
Huge news for Santa Cruz film buffs: the Santa Cruz film festival is back with 90 films in six venues and it inspired our weirdest cover of the year. After many of the films, visiting filmmakers, directors and producers participated in Q&A sessions with the audiences. Let’s hope it’s back again next year. It really put us on the film map, along with the great Watsonville Film Festival.
WHAT THE CLUCK?
Santa Cruz County has been home to so many movies, some among the best and some dismal. So what will come of the film called Poutrygeist2 being shot in town this month? Reporter Mat Weir went undercover and got to work on the film to give us an insider’s view of the film that takes its place along with Us, The Tripper and—of course—The Lost Boys. “For those of us who are new to the Troma world, it was a bloody, gore-filled, offensive dream come true. Even if it meant flying out halfway across the country,” Weir writes.
PINBALL WIZARDS
Sure, we know there are plenty of arcade games at the Boardwalk, but I bet you didn’t know there’s a new pinball palace in Soquel. It’s quite amazing. Called Nine and Three Quarters (bonus points if you know where the name comes from), it’s a two-story building tucked away in a warehouse near the Honda dealership and the dispensary on Soquel Drive. You have to really look for it. But once you get there, you can play all the machines you want for $10 an hour or you can buy a membership to play with no limits. Owner Dean Roblee brings in some really cool contemporary games and is in the process of building his own West Coast-style machines. For those of us who complain there’s not enough to do for teens here, well, this one is a homerun.
NOVEMBER
THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE WAS BUILT IN LESS TIME
Businesses along the waterfront and near the Murray Street Bridge are suffering while it’s taking three years to retrofit the roadway. Before the work, the coastal route was packed with cars and local businesses were full. Owners asked the city council to build a bike and pedestrian passage along the adjacent railroad bridge, but the city said it couldn’t be done because Progressive Railroad had the rights to the tracks.
BIG BROTHER?
Local police agencies have been using license plate readers—cameras that take pictures of your car’s plates—to help solve crimes. But local agencies have found out that the information has been going out nationwide, possibly for use in efforts to track immigrants. A group called Get the Flock Out (the company that makes the readers is called Flock) has asked local cities to stop sharing the information and to better monitor who has access to it.
“I think that the federal government used 9/11 to strip away a substantial amount of our freedoms and rights with the so-called Patriot Act,” said Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley. “I’m not over that.”
DECEMBER
TOXIC PLUME
While people complained that they were getting sick from the smoke from the Moss Landing lithium-ion battery fire last January and officials downplayed the effects of a fire they couldn’t put out, a San Jose State study showed the effects were worse than declared. Tons of toxic metals ended up in some of the most fertile fields in the country. Meanwhile, local officials are debating building another battery plant in Watsonville and the state is leaning toward building many more of them.
TRAIL OVER TRACKS
After years and years of study and debate and millions of dollars spent on consultants, the county’s Regional Transportation Commission finally realized we couldn’t afford a $4.5 billion train and voted to make a more affordable bike and walking path from Santa Cruz to Aptos.
OPEN HEARTS AND POCKETS
The Los Angeles Times listed Santa Cruz in its top 10 counties nationwide per capita for donating to nonprofits. The county was eighth on a list that included Los Angeles; Marin; Hampshire, Mass; Buncombe, N.C.; Kings, N.Y.; Ulster, N.Y.; Chittenden, Vt.; Ventura; and Santa Barbara. The list was researched by GoFundMe.
RUM DUM DUM
Who knew you could find 650 kinds of rum in one place on the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf? Stop by Makai restaurant, the one with the tiki theme, and you can get a college course on the intricacies of the pirates’ favorite libation, which is made worldwide. Owner Peter Drobac travels the world finding fascinating versions of a beverage that is too often underrated and buried beneath eggnog or pineapple.
‘I have so many records,” says San Francisco-based singer-songwriter Chuck Prophet, talking about his collection. “And I don’t know if I could tell you what it is that makes me return to some.”
His latest release, Wake the Dead, is the sort of record that listeners will want to engage with again and again.
Over the course of his more than four decades as a recording artist—10 albums with Green on Red, 17 solo albums and a long list of guest credits and collaborations—Chuck Prophet has explored a wide variety of musical styles. His music has moved through rock, alt-country, punk, garage, psychedelia and more. And he’s no dilettante: Prophet’s excursions into those various genres and sub-genres are expressions of his deep, authentic and wide-encompassing musical values.
“I’ve been making records a long time,” he explains, emphasizing that all of his releases share an important characteristic. “The one thing that they all have in common is that somewhere along the line I got excited about something,” he says.
Luckily for Prophet and followers of his work, that excitement happens often. And it happened against the backdrop of a difficult period. First, he and most everyone else was sidelined by the pandemic. Moreover, Prophet faced a diagnosis of stage four lymphoma, followed by treatment and recovery. In normal times, he’d be busy: on tour, preparing for a tour or “wrestling a record to the ground,” he explains. “But I had a lot of downtime, and it afforded me the time to do a lot of listening.”
What he listened to was cumbia (folk and dance music of the Latin American tradition) and chicha, a Peruvian hybrid music style that incorporates huyano (Andean folk), psych- and surf-rock. “It’s very guitar-centric dance music,” Prophet says, “and it can get you out of your head.” He fell in love with the styles, and began writing songs informed by his new musical discoveries. “And then,” he says, “I started fantasizing about making a record.”
For that project, Prophet connected with Salinas-based cumbia group ¿Qiensave? That group—four members of whom are siblings—had already made two albums, an EP and a remix collection before working with him on what would become Wake the Dead. “The way I make records is to ‘circle my prey,’” Prophet says with a chuckle, admitting that he “kind of imposes” himself on the musicians with whom he works.
But in the case of ¿Qiensave? he found that they taught him a great deal. “Subtle things,” he says, “like, ‘Why don’t you make that a major chord?’ I’m pretty grateful to them.” Prophet also enthuses about the band of brothers’ “blood harmonies; there’s nothing [else] like it. When we utilized that on the record, it gave a lot of flavor.”
There’s also a clear—if not wholly intentional—topical feel to the music. “Sally Was a Cop” is a song Prophet co-wrote more than a decade ago with Alejandro Escovedo, first heard on the latter’s 2012 album Big Station. But—especially with its new cumbia-inflected arrangement—it feels like a subtle comment on current-day masked government thugs.
Yet Prophet says that when he co-wrote the tune circa 2010, he was inspired by an observation by an acclaimed author. “Cormac McCarthy was on Oprah or something,” he says, “and someone asked him how he was able to write with such graphic violence.” Prophet says that McCarthy replied that he needed only to look around at what was happening, and then imagine what it might be like in 20 or 30 years. The lyrics of “Sally Was a Cop” mention “marching of the street, people hiding in their cupboards,” so apparently that dystopian vision has arrived in America a few years ahead of schedule.
Calling himself “a brat,” Prophet laughs and says that he “never had much of a relationship with mortality; I pretty much figured it was for other people.” But his encounter with lymphoma changed things. “I’m a little more aware that I have a limited amount of time on this planet,” he admits. “And I just don’t have time for everything.”
Yet with admirable consistency, Chuck Prophet finds time to write and record new music. “I’ve always done it out of necessity,” he says, noting that a new record usually means another tour, which keeps the musicians gainfully employed. “For a lot of people, the road is a real grind,” he observes, emphasizing that even after all these years—and at age 62—he enjoys touring. “When I get in the van, that’s like a vacation.”
Against that backdrop, writing and recording is much more than a means to an end; for Prophet, it’s a rewarding endeavor unto itself. “If I’m lucky enough to get a bunch of songs I’m excited about, and if I’m lucky enough to get people in a room to record them,” he says, “I’m in.”
And Chuck Prophet is clearly excited both by the opportunity to tour with his current band, and by his new crop of songs on Wake the Dead. “Anybody can write a song,” Prophet observes. “That’s the craft part. But the thing that makes us return to a record? That’s the magic.”
Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes take the stage at 8pm on Dec. 28 at Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25 adv/$30 door. 479-1854. moesalley.com
DEATH AND SAXES Tenor Sax man John Bouwsma plays it smooth and cool as he leads his jazz sextet, made up of himself, Harrison Brand on guitar, Jamie Brudnick on double bass and drummer Ben Sibley on sticks and skins. This may be the perfect Boxing Day festivity, mellow and chill, creating a space and opportunity to recover from the busy, hectic, enforced merriment of the Christmas Holiday. Have a flight of Discretion’s own brews or enjoy something from their selection of non-alcoholic beverages. No one’s going to make you sing along about jingling bells. Jollyness is totally optional. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
EDGE OF THE WEST Billing themselves as a “cosmic country jam band,” Edge of the West are made up of experienced touring musicians who have individually played with legends such as Todd Snider, Jefferson Starship, New Riders of the Purple Sage, and even the great Bo Diddley. They’re frequently joined by musician pals with equally impressive pedigrees. Expect a good mix of originals and covers by their 1970s West Coast musical heroes like The Grateful Dead, New Riders and Gram Parsons, as well as some deep cuts that may become new favorites. Of course, as a jam band, there will be surprises, even to the band members. KLJ
KWANZAA CELEBRATION Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) and Imani (faith), the seven principles that unite everyone during Kwanzaa. These shared values provide the foundation for the seven-day celebration. On the second day of Kwanzaa, Kujichagulia, the MAH welcomes all to celebrate with music, remarks by local dignitaries and, of course, candle lighting. This warm and welcoming event is free to everyone. Those who have been celebrating Kwanzaa for years and those still learning about the cultural holiday can come together to honor and celebrate the African and African-American culture, heritage and shared values that connect the community. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: Noon, The MAH, 705 Front St, Santa Cruz. Free. 429-1964.
SOFT ROCK TRIBUTE
FLEETWOOD MACRAMÉ Though Fleetwood Mac got its start as an impressive part of the late-’60s British blues boom, by the mid-1970s, only rhythm section Mick Fleetwood and John McVie remained from the original lineup. Joined by superb singer-songwriter Christine McVie, eventually came Americans Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, ushering in a SoCal soft-rock sound that shifted millions of units. That blockbuster ’70s lineup released its last album in 2003, but the music endures, as evidenced by the plethora of tribute bands performing their hits. This Bay Area outfit may win the award for cleverest name, one that evokes the era of Fleetwood Mac’s biggest successes. BILL KOPP
ELDRITH For the past two years, Eldrith has been bringing the slow and heavy back into the Santa Cruz scene. With a mix of clean, funereal vocals and abrasive death growls, Eldrith writes music that ascends the ladders to heaven and drops into the bowels of hell, giving the listener more than just a song, but an entire journey. Just listen to their 11-minute and 40-second track on Spotify, “Fractured,” to get a taste of what the guys bring to the table. Joining them are Rest in Decay and the premier of Alexander Undead, so make sure to get there early. MAT WEIR
INFO: 9pm, Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 423-7117.
ROCK
MIDNIGHT DUMPSTER FIRE Midnight Dumpster Fire wants it known they are not like other bands. Consisting of five locals who have been playing in the Santa Cruz music scene for decades, Midnight Dumpster Fire takes the fury of punk and applies it to rock melodies for an alternative/indie sound that gets the kids moshing and everyone else nodding their heads. For the past two years, they’ve played with a list of bands as mixed as their sound, including Unholy Things, No Ordinary Yokel, and Nuisance in Public. This week they hit The Crepe Place with Chrome Serpent, a sludge metal group, for a night that is guaranteed to shred some faces. MW
CHUCK PROPHET AND HIS CUMBIA SHOES Rock veteran Chuck Prophet trades his guitar for cumbia shoes in an intoxicating dive into rhythmic Latin sounds. Flashes of rock ’n’ roll, punk, surf, and soul weave through tracks that inspire dance. Although his repertoire contains over a dozen critically acclaimed solo albums since 1990, earning praise from the likes of Rolling Stone, Prophet’s music often goes overlooked. It’s not hard to hear the honest passion in his songwriting. In this newest album, the California native blends cumbia’s rich tradition with his signature storytelling to create something altogether fresh and infectious. SHELLY NOVO
WHITE ALBUM ENSEMBLE The Beatles broke up in 1969, but their music and legacy endure, as made clear by the popularity of the newly revised and updated Anthology documentary now on Disney+. Covering the Beatles is a rite of passage for budding musicians. Their timeless tunes are part of several generations’ shared cultural lexicon. But getting the tunes right isn’t as easy as it might seem. A coterie of Santa Cruz’s best players came together as The White Album Ensemble with the goal of doing just that. The core six musicians add auxiliary players as needed to take on the more complex arrangements. Performance on Dec. 30 as well. BK
INFO: 8pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $35. 423-8209.
TUESDAY 12/30
PSYCHEDELIC
MONOPHONICS With powerhouse vocals and commanding keys, Kelly Finnigan leads Monophonics through a cosmic blend of psychedelic soul and heavy grooves. Austin Bohlman on drums, Max Ramey on bass, and Aquilles Magaña on guitar hold down a tight rhythm section while Ryan Scott’s trumpet and Jason Cressey’s trombone elevate performances with old school soul textures. Since 2012, Monophonics has been perfecting their fusion of late ’60s and early ’70s R&B and contemporary psychedelic rock. Energetic live shows captivate audiences across continents, in venues from London to Istanbul. With their 2022 album, Sage Motel, on Colemine Records, earning praise from NPR and BBC, Monophonics continues delivering timeless, soulful performances. SN
Imura in Watsonville blends Japanese and Korean cuisines with a deeply personal approach, from fresh sushi and bento boxes to bibimbap and dumpling soup.
The Veterans Meal and Pantry Program operates entirely on volunteers and donations, providing food and connection to veterans every Wednesday without government funding.
On his new album Wake the Dead, Chuck Prophet finds creative renewal through cumbia rhythms, collaboration with Salinas band ¿Qiensave?, and hard-earned perspective shaped by illness and recovery. 8pm on Dec. 28 at Moe’s Alley
The Bay Area outfit Fleetwood Macramé may win the award for cleverest name that evokes the era of Fleetwood Mac’s biggest successes. At Felton Music Hall 8pm Saturday 12/27
