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The Onslaught of Shootings Inspires New Bill

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February 7, 2023

The Onslaught of Shootings Inspires New Bill

On Jan. 28, 18-year-old Rowan Parham was fatally shot at a party in Boulder Creek by a 16-year-old. Parham was fondly described as a loyal friend with a quick wit, a friend to many other students in the San Lorenzo area.

This shooting came less than a week after a mass shooting rocked the Half Moon Bay community. Just an hour down Highway 1 from Santa Cruz, Chunli Zhao allegedly shot and killed seven people and wounded one at a labor camp. The next day, on Jan. 24, another mass shooting in California made headlines when Hemet resident Huu Can Tran killed 10 people and wounded 10 others in a dance studio in Monterey Park near Los Angeles.

And these shootings are just the ones in California. This year, there have already been 59 mass shootings throughout the country, in which at least four people were wounded or killed, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

The spate of ongoing gun violence ignited the attention of California Senator Anthony Portantino, who, along with Gov. Gavin Newsom and several co-authors, introduced a bill on Feb. 1 that intends to strengthen California’s already stringent concealed carry regulations.

Portantino says the legislation was also spurred by New York Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, the recent Supreme Court decision that declared unconstitutional New York’s law requiring gun owners to show good cause to carry a concealed weapon. While that decision does not affect California law, some worry the precedent could prompt gun rights advocates to overturn other legislation.

“In the wake of the recent tragedies in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay and the continued threat of mass shootings, it’s critical that California leads on the issue of gun safety and reform,” Portantino says. “I am proud to be working with Governor Newsom, Attorney General Bonta and activists on SB 2 to strengthen our existing concealed carry laws and ensure every Californian is safe from gun violence.”

The National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action did not respond to multiple calls for comment. But on its website, it describes Senate Bill 918’s failure, a bill similar to SB 2, as a huge win for gun owners, who would not have to bear the additional costs, burdens and restrictions that the law proposed.

Newsom, who co-authored the bill, says that California’s strict gun laws have led to a 37% lower gun rate than the national average.

“We’re doubling down on gun safety and strengthening our public carry law to protect it from radical Republican attacks,” he says.

California already requires anyone applying for a CCW permit to justify their need by showing they are under threat. SB 2 would add to this by setting the minimum age for obtaining a permit to 21. It also requires stricter storage and training requirements and limits each CCW license to no more than two guns.

Also, under the proposed law, applicants must undergo interviews—usually with their local sheriff’s departments—a process that includes reference checks and a review of their social media.

Portantino’s bill would also establish several “sensitive public areas” where firearms would be forbidden, such as schools, government buildings, playgrounds and places of worship.

“The Supreme Court’s reckless Bruen decision opened up the floodgates for more guns in more places—but with this bill, California once again renews its commitment to being a national leader in the fight against gun violence,” Shannon Watts says. Watts is a California resident and founder of Moms Demand Action, part of Everytown’s grassroots network. “While the gun industry celebrated the ruling that put their profits over our safety, our grassroots army is proud to stand with our Gun Sense Champions in California to pass this critical bill and make our communities safer.”

Rob Brezsny’s Astrology: Feb. 8-14

Rob Brezsny

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February 7, 2023

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): During my quest for advice that might be helpful to your love life, I plucked these words of wisdom from author Sam Kean: “Books about relationship talk about how to ‘get’ the love you need, how to ‘keep’ love and so on. But the right question to ask is, ‘How do I become a more loving human being?'” In other words, Aries, here’s a prime way to enhance your love life: Be less focused on what others can give you and more focused on what you can give to others. Amazingly, that’s likely to bring you all the love you want.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You have the potential to become even more skilled at the arts of kissing and cuddling and boinking than you already are. How? Here are some possibilities. 1. Explore fun experiments that will transcend your reliable old approaches to kissing and cuddling and boinking. 2. Read books to open your mind. I like Margot Anand’s The New Art of Sexual Ecstasy. 3. Ask your partner(s) to teach you everything about what turns them on. 4. Invite your subconscious mind to give you dreams at night that involve kissing and cuddling and boinking. 5. Ask your lover(s) to laugh and play and joke as you kiss and cuddle and boink.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You are an Italian wolf searching for food in the Apennine Mountains. You’re a red-crowned crane nesting in a wetland in the Eastern Hokkaido region of Japan. You’re an olive tree thriving in a salt marsh in southern France, and you’re a painted turtle basking in a pool of sunlight on a beach adjoining Lake Michigan. And much, much more. What I’m trying to tell you, Gemini, is that your capacity to empathize is extra strong right now. Your smart heart should be so curious and open that you will naturally feel an instinctual bond with many life forms, including a wide array of interesting humans. If you’re brave, you will allow your mind to expand to experience telepathic powers. You will have an unprecedented knack for connecting with simpatico souls.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): My Cancerian friend Juma says, “We have two choices at all times: creation or destruction. Love creates and everything else destroys.” Do you agree? She’s not just talking about romantic love, but rather love in all forms, from the urge to help a friend, to the longing to seek justice for the dispossessed, to the compassion we feel for our descendants. During the next three weeks, your assignment is to explore every nuance of love as you experiment with the following hypothesis: To create the most interesting and creative life for yourself, put love at the heart of everything you do.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I hope you get ample chances to enjoy deep soul kisses in the coming weeks. Not just perfunctory lip-to-lip smooches and pecks on the cheeks, but full-on intimate sensual exchanges. Why do I recommend this? How could the planetary positions be interpreted to encourage a specific expression of romantic feeling? I’ll tell you, Leo: The heavenly omens suggest you will benefit from exploring the frontiers of wild affection. You need the extra sweet, intensely personal communion that comes best from the uninhibited mouth-to-mouth form of tender sharing. Here’s what Leo poet Diane di Prima said: “There are as many kinds of kisses as there are people on earth, as there are permutations and combinations of those people. No two people kiss alike—no two people fuck alike—but somehow the kiss is more personal, more individualized than the fuck.”

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Borrowing the words of poet Oriah from her book The Dance: Moving to the Deep Rhythms of Your Life, I’ve prepared a love note for you to use as your own this Valentine season. Feel free to give these words to the person whose destiny needs to be woven more closely together with yours. Oriah writes, “Don’t tell me how wonderful things will be someday. Show me you can risk being at peace with the way things are right now. Show me how you follow your deepest desires, spiraling down into the ache within the ache. Take me to the places on the earth that teach you how to dance, the places where you can risk letting the world break your heart.”

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libran author Walter Lippman wrote, “The emotion of love is not self-sustaining; it endures only when lovers love many things together, and not merely each other.” That’s great advice for you during the coming months. I suggest that you and your allies—not just your romantic partners, but also your close companions—come up with collaborative projects that inspire you to love many things together. Have fun exploring and researching subjects that excite and awaken and enrich both of you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio writer Paul Valéry wrote, “It would be impossible to love anyone or anything one knew completely. Love is directed towards what lies hidden in its object.” My challenge to you, Scorpio, is to test this hypothesis. Do what you can to gain more in-depth knowledge of the people and animals and things you love. Uncover at least some of what’s hidden. All the while, monitor yourself to determine how your research affects your affection and care. Contrary to what Valéry said, I’m guessing this will enhance and exalt your love.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In his book Unapologetically You, motivational speaker Steve Maraboli writes, “I find the best way to love someone is not to change them, but instead, help them reveal the greatest version of themselves.” That’s always good advice, but I believe it should be your inspirational axiom in the coming weeks. More than ever, you now have the potential to forever transform your approach to relationships. You can shift away from wanting your allies to be different from what they are and make a strong push to love them just as they are.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I analyzed the astrological omens. Then I scoured the internet, browsed through 22 books of love poetry and summoned memories of my best experiences of intimacy. These exhaustive efforts inspired me to find the words of wisdom that are most important for you to hear right now. They are from poet Rainer Maria Rilke (translated by Stephen Mitchell): “For one human being to love another human being: that is perhaps the most difficult task that has been entrusted to us, the ultimate task, the final test and proof, the work for which all other work is merely preparation.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): To get the most out of upcoming opportunities for intimacy, intensify your attunement to and reverence for your emotions. Why? As quick and clever as your mind can be, sometimes it neglects to thoroughly check in with your heart. And I want your heart to be wildly available when you get ripe chances to open up and deepen your alliances. Study these words from psychologist Carl Jung: “We should not pretend to understand the world only by the intellect; we apprehend it just as much by feeling. Therefore, the judgment of the intellect is, at best, only the half of truth, and must, if it be honest, also come to an understanding of its inadequacy.”

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “In love there are no vacations. Love has to be lived fully with its boredom and all that.” Author and filmmaker Marguerite Duras made that observation, and now I convey it to you—just in time for a phase of your astrological cycle when boredom and apathy could and should evolve into renewed interest and revitalized passion. But there is a caveat: If you want the interest and passion to rise and surge, you will have to face the boredom and apathy; you must accept them as genuine aspects of your relationship; you will have to cultivate an amused tolerance of them. Only then will they burst in full glory into renewed interest and revitalized passion.

Homework: Name one thing you could do to express your love more practically. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Alderwood Pacific Opens in Downtown Santa Cruz

Mark C. Anderson

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February 7, 2023

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Alderwood Pacific Opens in Downtown Santa Cruz

Familiar yet new. Reliable yet daring. Exceptional yet accessible.

That’s the philosophical burger Alderwood Pacific, which opened on Feb. 3, is trying to flip.

Fittingly enough, the same headlining burger at original Alderwood Santa Cruz—just a few blocks away—will be a big part of that.

So will less splurgy price points, draft cocktails, handmade pasta, a wider selection of sandwiches and a 4-6pm happy hour with oyster-Champagne specials among others.

Beyond the burger, the familiar

elements include a raw bar, AWSC’s signature hen-of-the-woods dish, a solid wine list and a contemporary setting.

As Pacific opens, Alderwood on Walnut Avenue, recently spotlighted in the latest Michelin Guide, has embarked on “a style refresh and menu update,” according to a statement.

That also allows Executive Chef Jeffrey Wall and company to focus on the new place, as Executive Director of Operations Sam Woods points out.

“It is an important moment for us as a company, and why we chose

to temporarily close [ASC],” Woods says. “We’re putting our name on a new restaurant, and the only way to pull it off is to focus all of our energy here and let the community know how important it is to us.”

In what ultimately will become a double debut, the improvements for the first Alderwood sound promising on their own.

“When we refocus on Alderwood Santa Cruz, we have a plan for an exceptional new culinary experience that hasn’t been done here,” she says.

More than anything, Woods—who recently returned to her native Santa Cruz after extended time working in New York City’s fashion scene—hopes the Pacific Avenue spot is the kind of place repeatedly frequented within a given week; somewhere that’s welcoming and affordable.

“Back East, you have your neighborhood spot,” she says. “For us, we want to carve that out. The goal, eventually, is to be a seven- days-a-week restaurant. There’s no place like that in Santa Cruz.”

At the same time, Alderwood’s fast-casual fried chicken spinoff, Flashbird, in the Abbott Square food- and-drink hall, anticipates two new locations soon.

The “craft-fast” fried chicken sandwich spots aim to open on Mount Hermon Road in Scotts Valley and 41st Avenue in Pleasure Point in mid-February and late spring, respectively. alderwood-pacific.com

BIG DEAL FOR BIGFOOT

Inventive chef Jessica Yarr, who brought Santa Cruz foodie sensations Chicken Foot and The Brunch Shift, has something fresh coming. She’s returning to her native Felton—where her parents own Bigfoot Discovery Museum—to debut The Grove Bakery Cafe on March 2. She’ll do wood-fired vegan baked goods, grain and veggie bowls, grab- and-go goodies, coffee alternatives and more. In the meantime, she’s prepping Valentine’s Day treat boxes, available for preorder via Grove’s Instagram through Feb. 10 ($60), packed with delicious baked goods and chocolates. “A preview of what we’re going to do, to share with your sweetheart and support our opening,” Yarr says.

DRINK BAY BEER

Day drinking, overrated. Bay drinking, underrated. San Francisco Beer Week 2023 stretches south, all the way to Lupulo Craft Beer House in Santa Cruz. Lupolo is rocking collaborations with Seattle’s Fair Isle (and nine of their beers) on Feb. 10 and Portland’s Upright (seven more brews) on Feb. 11. A Saison spotlight follows on Feb. 12, with still more events the next weekend. lupulosc.com

Priest Ranch’s 2018 Brut Rosé is a Napa Love Letter

Josie Cowden

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February 7, 2023

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Priest Ranch’s 2018 Brut Rosé is a Napa Love Letter

Priest Ranch Brut Rosé is the perfect libation for Valentine’s Day. If you want to treat your sweetheart to something special, this stunning salmon-pink wine could be your answer.

Produced and bottled by Priest Ranch in Napa Valley, the 2018 Brut Rosé ($60) is 100% estate-grown Syrah and made in the traditional Méthode Champenoise style. It has terrific balance and a creamy-smooth finish. Hints of fruity flavors include strawberry, cherry and peach.

The historic Priest Ranch is now part of the Somerston Estate, “a significant property totaling 1,615 acres planted to hillside vineyards.”

Their delightful tasting room gives visitors to Priest Ranch an enjoyable time. And as a special event for Valentine’s Day, a Caviar & Bubbles Experience is offered. “Effervesce with us and enjoy the luxury of bubbles and fresh caviar,” Priest Ranch co-founder and GM Craig Becker says. The Caviar & Bubbles Experience includes a bottle of Brut Rosé paired with a 1-ounce serving of high-quality caviar, with crème fraiche and kettle chips. So, whatever you’re celebrating, this unique pairing will enhance the occasion. There’s also a Valentine’s Day Special from Feb. 9-15. And the 2021 Priest Ranch Rosé of Pinot Noir ($38) is another pink-wine beauty. Reservations recommended.

Priest Ranch Wines, 6490 Washington St., Yountville, 707-944-8200; priestranchwines.com

OTHER BROTHER BEER

If you love beer, head to Seaside for a terrific beer-tasting event on Saturday, Feb. 11, 5-10pm ($65). The Other Brother Beer Co. hosts the Bay Area Brewers Guild Coast Chapter kick-off party for San Francisco Beer Week. Enjoy unlimited tastes of fabulous beers being brewed across the region. There will be merch and food from Ad Astra Bread Co. at Other Brother’s tap room.

Other Brother Beer, 77 Broadway Ave, Seaside. 831-747-1106; otherbrotherbeer.com

Silver Spur is a Santa Cruz Breakfast Champion

Andrew Steingrube

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February 7, 2023

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Silver Spur is a Santa Cruz Breakfast Champion

For Germán Lopez, owning the Silver Spur with his father for the last three years has been a lifelong dream fulfilled. His dad worked in restaurants for most of his life, which inspired Germán to purchase the longtime breakfast and lunch spot. The space is themed like an old-time saloon from the wild west. Germán defines the menu as classic American style with Tex-Mex and Spanish influences, exemplified by the Chilaquiles, Huevos Rancheros and the South of the Border Scramble with Ortega chiles. Other breakfast standouts include the hand-grated, cooked-to-order hash browns, the homemade sausage country gravy and “the best pancakes in town”—scratch-made and fluffy, they have banana nut, chocolate chip, blueberry and their signature orange poppyseed. Lunch favorites include the Beach St. Burger with bacon, avocado and cheese, and the Chinese Salad. Silver Spur is open daily from 7am-2pm. Germán dished on his influences and what makes the chilaquiles so special.

What does owning Silver Spur mean to your family?

GERMÁN LOPEZ: My family has never owned any type of business or gone to college, so buying the Silver Spur has been a big accomplishment. My mom inspired my love for food, and my dad washed dishes at several restaurants and would bring me as a child. Turning my family’s dream into a reality has been very fulfilling.

How would you describe your chilaquiles?

We have the traditional option with red enchilada sauce made by my mom, served with my dad’s homemade refried beans and my mom’s rice. Every time I cook and serve this dish, I am filled with pride because it represents our family and how we combine our talents and work together. It’s a dish we grew up eating, so it holds a special place in my heart.

Silver Spur, 2650 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz, 831-475-2725; cafesilverspur.com

Boulder Creek Shooting Victim ID’d

Local News

Todd Guild

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February 2, 2023

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The 18-year-old killed Saturday, Jan. 28, at a Boulder Creek party—Rowan Parham—was described as a man who loved his friends and family, a sentiment returned by those who knew him.

“Anyone that knew Rowan, knew that he was an extraordinarily loyal friend with a quick wit, an infectious laugh and a smile that always lit up the room,” said Philip Wartena in a GoFundMe for the family.

Parham previously attended Soquel High School—at the time of his death, he attended Oasis High School, a Santa Cruz County Office of Education program with a campus at Cabrillo College.

Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the 1000 block of Brimblecom Road at about 10pm for multiple reports of a shooting.

Witnesses said players from the San Lorenzo Valley High School girls soccer team and cheerleading squad were at the party when several uninvited people arrived, including the 16-year-old suspect.

Witnesses said that Parham put his hand on the suspect’s shoulder when the suspect turned around and shot him.

The suspect then rode away on a dirt bike after the shooting. He is not being named because he is a juvenile.

Two attendees performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but Parham was pronounced dead at the scene.

San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District Superintendent Christopher Schiermeyer said that the school district contacted its mental health counselors at SLV High School, Coast Redwood High School and the County Office of Education for additional counseling support.

He added that the district, on behalf of Parham’s family, is asking for donations to help cover funeral expenses and a celebration of life.

The incident is still under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 831-471-1121.Parham’s family has set up a GoFundMe page: gofund.me/0b1f3b0e

Things to Do in Santa Cruz: Feb. 1-7

GT Staff

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February 1, 2023

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ARTS AND MUSIC

DR. MADD VIBE (ANGELO MOORE OF FISHBONE) AND THE MISSIN’ LINKS WITH MONKEY The whirlwind of punk, funk, ska, metal, soul and reggae that propels Fishbone is ever-present in lead singer/saxophonist Angelo Moore’s latest project, Dr. Madd Vibe and the Missin’ Links. The multiple time signatures, reggae rhythms and jazz triplets glide smoothly alongside Moore’s soulful vocals. “Music saves lives,” Moore told Pasadena Weekly. “It saves people’s minds and gives people a different perspective to look at life when there isn’t one. The music is the answer to a lot of people’s problems and prayers.” The multi-talented musician also plays the theremin and Hammond B3 with his other band, Angelo Moore & the Brand New Step. But the Missin’ Link adds more of a hardcore sound to the ensemble—it’s also a platform for Moore to show off his skills on the double-tier organ. Monkey was born in 1996 at the height of the 4th Wave Ska Craze. They have been recording and touring the world since. $20 plus fees. Friday, Feb. 3, 8pm. The Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. thecrepeplace.com

A RAINBOW OF AMERICAN MUSICS Under the direction of Michael McGushin, UCSC Chamber Singers will open the show with a performance of the first printed music to originate in the “New World,” including music in the ancient Inca Quechua language and Nahuatl, the Aztec language. To celebrate Black History Month, the award-nominated Endurance Quartet of Houston, Texas, will perform a set of traditional gospel music. The group’s African American hymnody—the roots of the gospel style we know today—is an emotional and unforgettable live music experience. There will also be a pre-concert talk in the sanctuary at 7:15pm and a meet-the-artists reception for season ticket holders and donors in Holy Cross Hall at 6pm. $12-30 plus fees. Saturday, Feb. 4, 7:30pm. Holy Cross Church, 210 High St., Santa Cruz. scbaroque.org

JENNY DON’T AND THE SPURS WITH HANK AND ELLA WITH THE FINE COUNTRY BAND PLUS MIKE HELLMAN For more than a decade, Jenny Don’t and the Spurs has been a musical force—a burst of spirited garage-infused country music delivered with sincerity and raw conviction. They churn out infectious energy during their must-see live shows. The group’s persistent touring and recording schedule has amounted to nearly 500 live appearances in almost a dozen countries and a slew of albums and singles. Now, with a revamped lineup and a lot of live experience under their “tooled-leather western belts,” the outfit keeps riding into the sun that never sets. Husband and wife duo Hank and Ella with the Fine Country Band is a throwback to vintage country, traditional Americana and the deep roots that are considered the foundation of all music. $15/$20 plus fees. Saturday, Feb. 4, 9pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. moesalley.com

DEB TALAN (OF THE WEEPIES) WITH KACIE HILL After climbing the charts with indie rockers the Weepies, Deb Talan tells her story through her own music on a solo tour focused on healing and storytelling. Talan has been frank in interviews and blog posts about her mental health struggles and being a survivor of childhood incest. More recently, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent chemotherapy—Lucky Girl, Talan’s fourth solo record, goes deep into that chapter of her life. San Francisco singer-songwriter Kacie Hill opens. $20/$25 plus fees. Sunday, Feb. 5, 8pm. The Catalyst Atrium, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. catalystclub.com

THE WOOD BROTHERS The Wood Brothers were grateful that they didn’t know they were making a record. “If we had known, we probably would have been too self-conscious to play what we played,” bassist/vocalist Chris Wood says. “At the time, we just thought we were jamming to break in our new studio, so we felt free to explore all these different ways of performing together without worrying about form or structure. It was liberating.” On past records, the band—Wood, guitarist/vocalist Oliver Wood and drummer/keyboardist Jano Rix—would write an extensive collection of songs and then record them all at once. With Kingdom In My Mind, the Wood Brothers create tunes from expansive instrumental jam sessions. The easygoing, improvised sessions became a massive pool of source material, which became Kingdom, their seventh studio release and most experimental and intuitive collection yet. “A testament to the limitless creativity of the unharnessed mind, the record explores the power of our external surroundings to shape our internal worlds, reckoning with time, mortality and human nature.” $22/24 plus fees. Monday, Feb. 6, 8pm. Rio Theatre 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. folkyeah.com

KENNY BARRON TRIO 2016’s Book of Invention marked Kenny Barron’s first trio outing in 20 years and first recording with Kenny Barron Trio bandmates bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa and drummer Johnathan Blake. The National Endowment for the Arts honoree mesmerizes audiences with his sensitive melodies and contagious rhythms. Jazz Weekly calls him “The most lyrical piano player of our time.” The Philadelphia native moved to New York City at 19 and freelanced with Roy Haynes, Lee Morgan and James Moody after the tenor saxophonist heard him play at the Five Spot. Upon Moody’s recommendation, Dizzy Gillespie hired Barron in 1962, and he developed an appreciation for Latin and Caribbean rhythms. The pianist went on to play with Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Milt Jackson and Buddy Rich. In the early ’70s, Barron worked with Yusef Lateef, a key influence in his art for improvisation. Barron’s Sunset To Dawn was his first of 40 recordings as a band leader. His duo record with Stan Getz, People Time, was the first of 11 Grammy nods. Without Deception, Barron’s 2020 follow-up to The Art of Conversation, was hailed as one of the top jazz records of the year. $57.25/$63.00; $31.50/students. Monday, Feb. 6, 7pm. Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. kuumbwajazz.org

MATT ANDERSEN WITH MARIEL BUCKLEY When Matt Andersen steps on stage, he brings a lifetime of music to every note. His soulful performances run the scope from intimate to headbangers. In the studio, Andersen’s always got the same attention to detail as he has to his live shows. His poignant work has amassed over 18 million streams on Spotify and 18 million views on YouTube. His forthcoming record, The Big Bottle of Joy, comes out on March 10. Meanwhile, Mariel Buckley reveals authenticity and pushes her songwriting to challenging peaks on Everywhere I Used to Be. While in the studio, she moved towards contemporary production and quickly found herself in a “daily rhythm of deconstructing and rebuilding each song to find its full potential.” On “Whatever Helps You,” Buckley serenades the night with country futurism, and in “Neon Blue,” she struggles with loss through reverberated guitar riffs and ‘80s deep synth chords that transition into a throbbing rock beat. Other tunes are coated in detailed, personalized lyrics. $22/24 plus fees. Tuesday, Feb. 7, 8pm. Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. feltonmusichall.com

COMMUNITY

UCSC INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS AND SCIENCES GRAND OPENING The community is invited to celebrate the launch of this new cultural center in Santa Cruz—in addition to the three exhibits, there will be food trucks and live music. The new galleries provide a home for the innovative and nationally renowned art and justice exhibitions and events for which the Institute of the Arts and Sciences has become known. Inaugural exhibitions include Seeing and Seen, a collection of the work from 2022 MacArthur Fellow artist and filmmaker Sky Hopinka presented in collaboration with the San José Museum of Art, and Degrees of Visibility/ Ashes Ashes by artist and activist Ashley Hunt. These exhibitions expose the troubling histories and current ramifications of prisons and are part of IAS’s ongoing project “Visualizing Abolition,” UCSC’s Mellon Foundation-funded public scholarship initiative. Free. Sunday, Feb. 5, noon-5pm. UCSC Institute of Arts and Sciences, 100 Panetta Ave., Santa Cruz. ias.ucsc.edu/venue/institute-of-the-arts-and-sciences

DR. IBRAM X. KENDI AND NIC STONE: ‘HOW TO BE A (YOUNG) ANTIRACIST’ The New York Times bestseller How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi shapes how a generation thinks about race and racism. How to Be a (Young) Antiracist is a positive reframing of the concepts shared in the adult book, with young adulthood front and center. Aimed at readers 12 and up, and co-authored by award-winning children’s author Nic Stone, How to Be a (Young) Antiracist empowers teen readers to help create a more just society. Kendi and Stone have revised this work to provide anecdotes and data that speak directly to the experiences and concerns of younger readers, encouraging them to think critically and build a more equitable world. Antiracism is a journey, and young adults will have a map to carve their own path. $25-45. Sunday, Feb. 5, 8pm. Kaiser Permanente Arena, 140 Front St., Santa Cruz. bookshopsantacruz.com

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The Jewel Theatre’s World Premiere of ‘Little Heart’

Christina Waters

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February 1, 2023

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The Jewel Theatre’s World Premiere of ‘Little Heart’

A prolific artist and member of the Immaculate Heart teaching order in Los Angeles, Sister Corita Kent produced bold Warholian silkscreen posters, banners and murals that proclaimed the substantial cultural shift of the late 1960s. The Vatican II edicts of Pope John the 23rd allowed Mass to be conducted in English, tolerated the secularization of nuns’ clothing and relaxed the organization of religious communities. Hippie Revolution slogans soon penetrated Kent’s teaching community, and her colorful artwork surfed that wave, bringing her fame and her religious community’s sudden wealth. Kent was in the right place at the right time.

Playwright and poet Irene O’Garden sensed an untold personal story in this cultural flux, and Little Heart, receiving its world premiere at the Jewel Theatre, is made of her discoveries. An excellent cast of seasoned professionals—led by Patty Gallagher as Sister Corita, the “Little Heart” namesake—works its chronological way through the life and times of this vibrant woman.

Starting as a complete novice in art and teaching, 18-year-old Corita is plunged into curriculum-building at Immaculate Heart College by her senior colleague Sister Maggie (Sheila Savage). Maggie is full of ambition, sass and Broadway show tunes. Fueled by Coca-Cola and chocolate, she also knows how to push Corita’s buttons, and soon the newcomer has acquired her first class of art students and discovered the commercial potential of silkscreen.

Little Heart‘s busy stage is an installation of workstations, craft tables, lecture sites and illuminated screens on which media propaganda and Kent’s actual artwork and catchy affirmations are displayed. Everything is in motion as if to keep us in touch with how the times they were a ‘changing just as Kent’s career takes off. Something of a benevolent dictator, Kent was a hugely successful teacher, fearlessly firing off commands to her assistants in conversation and posters and books. Her famous rules for artmaking quickly became a best-selling ten commandments to live by. “Nothing is a mistake. There’s no win and no fail. There’s only make.” Words still as fresh as they were fifty years ago.

Clearly, there’s a goldmine of provocative and inspiring material here and an excellent cast to bring it all to life. The use of collage and vignette, rather than dramatic encounter, of chronological documentation rather than deep focus on a few personal issues to heighten and ultimately resolve, makes this world premiere a challenge.

It’s impossible not to fall for Gallagher’s Corita, whose experimental approach to artmaking seems to open every door and every heart. The sequential vignettes that comprise the entire piece are peppered with pronouncements about how influential she was and how many lives she changed. And how hard she was pushed to keep on making lucrative visual messaging. With so much history to cover, the playwright has chosen to tell us how Corita Kent’s career unfolded rather than show us the woman and her life-changing epiphanies. Ultimately Kent’s increasing engagement with political and secular themes outrages her superiors, including the authoritarian Cardinal McIntyre (Jesse Caldwell), who forbids her to continue making art that dares to refresh the liturgical canon.

O’Garden’s strength as a poet is on display in so much of the dialogue. When Corita and activist priest Daniel Berrigan meet, their scenes unfold more in beautifully crafted words than in spontaneous conversation. People don’t really talk this way to each other, even if we wish they did. There is much to savor in Sister Corita’s encounters with Berrigan, played with warmth and dignity by Jewel veteran Shaun Carroll. As Corita’s close friend and early days mentor Sister Maggie, Sheila Savage provided a humorous counterpoint to Corita’s arduous work ethic, and Diana Torres Koss, as the order’s Mother Michael, maximized the moments of political tension.

Still in its infancy, this ambitious world premiere is sure to tighten over time. Patty Gallagher’s brilliance illuminates each fast-paced interaction. One longs, however, for a lot more of Gallagher’s Corita and fewer testimonials.

Little Heart, by Irene O’Garden, directed by Susan Myer Silton, shows at the Tannery Arts Center’s Colligan Theater, 1010 River St., Santa Cruz, through Feb. 19. jeweltheatre.net

Opinion: What’s Going On?

Adam Joseph

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February 1, 2023

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EDITOR’S NOTE

adam joseph editor good times santa cruz local news

Between the storms and the senseless violence, 2023 isn’t off to a very good start. In fact, it’s been downright bleak. The Tyre Nichols tragedy was maybe even more disturbing than the recent onslaught of shootings. His death wasn’t at the hands of some sociopath or deranged killer; Nichols was “murdered” by people who swore oaths to protect and serve everyone. Just like doctors, we put our lives in the hands of these trained professionals and trust that they will treat us all as they would their own children. So, why does this shit continue to happen? It’s nothing new. In 1969, the Four Tops’ tour bus arrived in Berkeley just before Renaldo Benson witnessed police brutality against anti-war activists at People’s Park—people of all colors who shared a common belief, which wasn’t shared by the police, showed up that day. Disturbed by what he saw—the attack was dubbed “Bloody Thursday”—the singer couldn’t let it go. “Why are [police] attacking their own children in the streets?”

Benson posed this question that didn’t have an answer to music writer Ben Edmonds, then eventually his Motown buddy Marvin Gaye. It’s been over 50 years since “What’s Going On” hit the radio waves, and we still can’t answer that question: What’s going on?

Meanwhile, in lighter news, Santa Cruz Burger Week (Feb. 22-28) is just a few weeks away, which means lots of delicious giveaways to look forward to.

The planning and preparation have already begun behind the scenes for Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s 2023 summer festival, which will run mid-July through the end of August in the Audrey Stanley Grove in DeLaveaga Park. Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, King Lear and Lauren Gunderson‘s The Book of Will are on the docket. Member tickets will go on sale soon, and tickets to the general public will be on sale by May 1 at sant acruzshakespeare.org. You won’t want to miss what will be a memorable and delightful experience in one of Santa Cruz’s most majestic settings.

ADAM JOSEPH | INTERIM EDITOR

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

A new arrival to Santa Cruz’s Westlake Park following the storms. Photograph by Bronwyn Black.

Submit to ph****@*******es.sc. Include information (location, etc.) and your name. Photos may be cropped. Preferably, photos should be 4 inches by 4 inches and minimum 250dpi.

GOOD IDEA

In honor of Rosa Parks, Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) will offer free fares countywide on Saturday, Feb. 4, which is Parks’ birthday—all fixed-routes, Hwy 17 and ParaCruz services will be free. The day is one of a series of events by Transit Equity Week, a national coalition movement celebrated to commemorate Parks’ life. Throughout the week, there will be panels, movies and bike riding parties, all revolving around the role of public transit. scmtd.com

GOOD WORK

The county and Santa Cruz Public Libraries named Farnaz Fatemi this year’s Santa Cruz County Poet Laureate. Fatemi, an Iranian American poet and writer, is a founding member of The Hive Poetry Collective, a member of Writers of Color and a former Lecturer in Writing at UCSC. Fatemi’s book, Sister Tongue خواهر زبان , was published in September 2022. It won the 2021 Stan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize, among other awards. farnazfatemi.com

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

When the well’s dry, we know the worth “No human race is superior; no religious faith is inferior. All collective judgments are wrong. Only racists make them.”
― Elie Wiesel

Letter to the Editor: Senseless Act of Violence

Cat Johnson

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February 1, 2023

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Letter to the Editor: Senseless Act of Violence

On behalf of the NAACP Santa Cruz County Branch, we send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Tyre Nichols. May they know that the people of Santa Cruz County stand with them during this most difficult time.

Too many families have suffered the loss of loved ones at the hands of law enforcement officers who do not uphold the oath that they take to protect and serve. We know this will continue if law enforcement agencies don’t have brave and courageous leaders who are willing to hold their staff accountable to treat each and every citizen with respect while adhering to appropriate policing protocols.

No person, because of their race, gender or identity, should be subjected to differential treatment by law enforcement. No parents, family members or friends should have to mourn the loss of loved ones because of illegal law enforcement practices.

While the bad apples do not represent law enforcement as a whole, if accountability is not held, how will we know the difference? And how can we be called upon to support law enforcement if we can’t tell the difference between the good and the bad? We do not want to see this happen again in Santa Cruz County, much less anywhere else.

To our local law enforcement leaders, we support you to center equity and ensure every person receives equal protection and equitable resources from our law enforcement officers and that your agencies are a model for others to follow.

Tyre, we will speak your name over and over. We will stand with your family, your son and your community in peace and solidarity.

As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stated, “The time is always right to do what is right.”

Sincerely,

Elaine Johnson, President of the NAACP Santa Cruz County Branch

These letters do not necessarily reflect the views of Good Times.To submit a letter to the editor of Good Times: Letters should be originals—not copies of letters sent to other publications. Please include your name and email address to help us verify your submission (email address will not be published). Please be brief. Letters may be edited for length, clarity and to correct factual inaccuracies known to us. Send letters to le*****@*******es.sc

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