Jimmy Dutra Denies Sexual Assault Allegations

Todd Guild
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Jimmy Dutra Denies Sexual Assault Allegations

Santa Cruz County Supervisor candidate Jimmy Dutra told a group of reporters and roughly two-dozen supporters that allegations of sexual abuse made against him last week are “completely false and untrue,” and stem from a dispute with his late father’s ex-wife over his estate.

Dutra held a brief press conference in front of Watsonville Main Library to address the allegations on Thursday. 

A white Toyota pickup pulled up, and Dutra stepped out to the cheers of several supporters, who were wearing his campaign buttons. He declined to answer questions after reading his prepared statement—referring further inquiries to his attorney—before getting back in the truck and leaving. 

The accusations came to light on Oct. 5, when Stephen Siefke, 29, filed a lawsuit in Santa Cruz County Superior Court, claiming that he was 12 when Dutra fondled him during a family visit to Dutra’s Los Angeles residence.

In addition to denying the claims, Dutra questions the timing, coming on the cusp of early voting.  

“I find this timing not only troubling, but really telling of the bigger picture of what is going on,” he said. 

Dutra said that Siefke’s number-one witness is his father’s ex-girlfriend Susie McBride, with whom Dutra recently got out of a contentious six-year legal battle over his father’s estate.

“So, let’s be clear on what this case is about,” he said. “This case is about money, and it’s about revenge. I am confident that once all the evidence is presented that justice and truth will prevail.”

The accusations, Dutra said, have taken the place of the community’s real issues.

“The fact that this election has recently become this false story, rather than talking about the issues, has been quite disrespectful to our community,” he said. “Let’s not rush to judgment. Let’s create space for the courts to do what they are supposed to do and let us get back to discussing these issues that we are facing here in our valley.”

Spokeswoman Alicia Jimenez confirmed that Dutra, who had been a teacher for Pajaro Valley Unified School District, is no longer working for the district. A board member said that he has stepped down from his position on the Board of Directors of Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance.

The outcome of the probate case to which Dutra referred was unclear Thursday. 

Siefke’s attorney Dana Scruggs did not return a call.

Dutra is running for the 4th District seat on the Board of Supervisors against former Watsonville City Councilman Felipe Hernandez. 

South County Questions Firing of Fairgrounds CEO

Todd Guild
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South County Questions Firing of Fairgrounds CEO

Santa Cruz County Fair Board President Don Dietrich has taken over as CEO in the wake of the Oct. 4 dismissal of Dave Kegebein, and says he’ll stay at the helm as the Board recruits a replacement.

It is unclear how long that could take, Dietrich says, but added that the picture will likely be clearer after the next Fair Board meeting on Oct. 25. If the process seems likely to drag out more than a few months, his seat on the nine-member Board will likely be filled.

In the meantime, he says that things are running “seamlessly” at the fairgrounds, thanks to the staff and workers tasked with day-to-day operations.

“They are taking care of business like they always have, and always will,” he says.

Kegebein was fired after an audit from the California Department of Food and Agriculture showed that more than $100,000 was charged to a state-issued credit card, most of which was for fuel and maintenance for his truck. At issue was whether the charges were legitimate, and that the receipts were not duly submitted to the State.

Kegebein acknowledged that he should have done so, but said that some of the charges came because he used his truck for fairground business, putting more than 200,000 miles on it by his estimation. He said in a text message Tuesday that he will release a detailed response to the audit soon.

Dietrich says he plans to run the fair until a replacement is found. He rejects assertions that Kegebein’s termination was an attempt to take over the Fairgrounds.

“As far as taking over, I don’t know that I would say that,” he says. “I’m just there to make decisions that are above (staff’s) comfort level to make. But they know what they are doing.”

In addition to the financial allegations—which include more than $5,000 for “unallowable” purchases such as birthday celebrations, employee lunches and holiday dinners—the audit also looked at the fairgrounds as a whole, criticizing the institution for not forging an agreement with the Fairgrounds Foundation—the fair’s fundraising arm. It also states that the Fairgrounds failed to pay overtime to employees and didn’t keep track of who used an onsite fuel tank.

Dietrich says he doesn’t want to “point fingers” at the all-volunteer board in regard to those allegations, but acknowledged that some of the items in the audit need to be addressed.

“We probably should have done some of this stuff years ago,” he says. “When it comes to light like this, it just means you need to do it now before you get past it and the memories fade. There is a lot of policy work that has to be done to make sure we put up guard rails and checks and balances to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

Realtor and fair volunteer John Skinner says the decision caught many people off guard, particularly since the Fairgrounds are in good shape, both physically and financially.

It boasts revenues of $4 million last year, and a $1.75 million reserve, by Kegebein’s estimation. That’s a monumental change from a decade earlier, when revenues were less than half that, and there was nothing in reserve. 

“We have a Fairgrounds which has moved from insolvency to a very well run cornerstone of our community largely due to the efforts of one man, who has literally thrown everything he had into the transformation,” Skinner wrote in a letter to the community.

Skinner says he trusts Kegebein “implicitly” after knowing him for 30 years.

“…And based on the managers who preceded him, I would say there is no chance of replacing him with anyone nearly as effective,” Skinner says.

He added that anyone currently involved with the Fairgrounds should stick with it, despite the current situation. 

“While our first reaction may be to walk away from the Fairgrounds, we should remember that this is Dave’s legacy and a very important part of our community,” he says.

Watsonville Realtor Chuck Allen, who managed the fair for five years in the 1960s, says his involvement began long before that, when he entered a poultry project as a 10-year-old 4-H member.

It is experiences like his, he says, that makes it vital the Fairgrounds remains.

“It is contributing significantly to the foundation of those individuals,” he says. “The fair and the fairgrounds and all that it represents is a big part of who we are.”

Managing a state-run institution such as a fairground can be frustrating, Allen says, with both the CDFA and Fair Board watching.

Even with that level of scrutiny, the CDFA didn’t perform an audit during a 10-year stretch before the most recent one came out. But it was this that the Board used as justification for Kegebein’s termination.

“What was unorthodox is that they used a prelim audit, but didn’t have any opportunity to answer,” Allen says. “They just used it as a means to a goal—which was to get rid of David. And he still hasn’t had a chance to respond.”

What is important now, Allen says, is to maintain the levels of participation, and to watch what happens next with the Fairgrounds.

“It’s a time when we all have to come together as a community and really continue to be engaged as much or more than we’ve ever been,” he says.

Cabrillo College Putting On Bilingual ‘Romeo and Julieta’

Johanna Miller
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Cabrillo College Putting On Bilingual ‘Romeo and Julieta’

When tasked with choosing a production for Cabrillo College Theater Arts Department’s Fall 2022 season, Abel Cornejo knew he wanted to find something that celebrated Hispanic culture.

After a long search, however, Cornejo still hadn’t found just the right play. That’s when he had the idea of a Shakespeare adaptation.

“Coming out of the pandemic, I wanted something that could be fun to do, a celebration,” he says. “I thought about Romeo and Juliet. It celebrates the power of love.”

Opening Oct. 28 at Cabrillo in Aptos, Romeo and Julieta is a bilingual retelling of the classic William Shakespeare play, set in 1910 in Mexico City, on the eve of Día de los Muertos. The story is told through narration by José Guadalupe Posada—a real life, highly acclaimed Mexican illustrator.

Cornejo has rewritten the script to contemporary language, which he says not only makes it more accessible to modern audiences, but also helped in the translation of lines to Spanish.

Then, after the show was cast, Cornejo invited the actors to get involved in the adaptation process. 

“They gave feedback about how they and their character would phrase things,” he says. “We adapted and edited together. That’s great for them because they’re not just actors, they’re creators.”

Angel Camarena, who plays Julieta alongside Eiji Mori as Romeo, says that the experience was very fulfilling. 

“Theater is always a labor of love, but this process in particular has been really unique and involved,” Camarena says. “We’re so lucky to have a diverse and amazingly talented cast and crew working together to bring this story to life.”

Julieta is Camarena’s first-ever lead role, calling it an honor to be able to represent and celebrate their heritage in such a way.

“It’s indescribably gratifying as a proud Mexican-American to be able to connect with my character on a deeper level and be part of telling this powerful and profound story,” Camarena says.

While Cornejo had always planned to make the show bilingual, it was at first mostly in English. But encouragement from two actors prompted him to write more Spanish lines.

“They said, Abel, you’re going to have a lot of the audience that are primarily Spanish speaking,” he says, “so you need to add more!”

Romeo and Julieta is Cornejo’s first production at Cabrillo, but he has taught for three years at UCSC and before that, worked for 15 years at colleges and universities in Florida.

Since the pandemic, Cornejo says he’s noticed that casts and crews alike are more motivated than ever.

“The pandemic was a terrible thing that happened to us, but it came with some blessings,” he says. “People really appreciate culture and the arts. The students are so eager, open minded to try new things. This cast and crew is amazing. I’m so blessed to have the opportunity to create a new work and that everyone has been so willing to participate.”

Cornejo says he thinks audiences will be surprised at the amount of historical and cultural references in the adaptation.

“It’s already a good story, but it’s been adapted to this time period, with a very socially conscious message,” he says. “This can provide an opportunity to open up further discussion about the things that make each culture unique.”

Camarena agrees. 

“I hope [the show] impacts the audience to think more about the themes and values explored onstage, particularly love, unity, power, and anti-oppressive ideology,” Camarena says. “This production is so incredibly rich, culturally, historically, and artistically, and I really hope it helps the audience to nurture and deepen a love, respect and appreciation for Mexican culture as well.”

Romeo and Julieta opens Oct. 28 and runs most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 13. The show will be held at the Black Box Theater, located inside the Crocker Theater on lower campus. To purchase tickets, visit bit.ly/3eubGez.

Faultline Brewing Company Opens in Scotts Valley

dpenner
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Faultline Brewing Company Opens in Scotts Valley

As the fog began to envelop the coastal areas of Santa Cruz County Tuesday evening, the sun beamed, uninterrupted, on a building up the hill that, from a distance, looked like there could be aircraft stationed inside.

A remote-controlled copter buzzed about the open field next to it, swooping this way and that. Someone swept the patio outside. Someone else wiped glass panels along the edge.

It’s been a long road to the opening date for Faultline Brewing Company’s Scotts Valley location, in a building designed to look like an airplane hangar. Its form reflects the history of the airstrip once located out the front window, a greenspace that still serves as a touchdown point for medical evacuations.

But the Sunnyvale brewer’s Santa Cruz County expansion date had finally arrived, and the excitement in the air was palpable—particularly given the seemingly endless construction delays due to pandemic challenges and supply chain bottlenecks.

“We just kept getting pushed back and pushed back,” says Sam Ghadiri, the 38-year-old who owns the business with partner Joe Jean. “It’s frustrating when you order something in September 2021 and you receive it in March 2022.”

He’s thinking about the hood for the kitchen, for one, a key component they needed in place before many of the other puzzle pieces could be assembled.

“All of these things are made to order,” Ghadiri says. “It was a little frustrating. But now, when you see the light at the end of the tunnel, all is forgotten. All the hardships, the aches and pains, they go away when you’re on the precipice of opening.”

From updating the layout to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements to heading to auctions to source equipment when Plan A got jammed in logistics snarls, the developers behind the restaurant say it certainly wasn’t easy to get here.

“It just becomes a joke,” says Corbett Wright, of CW Land Consultants, Inc., noting the team wanted the facility to be as sustainable as it was sparkling. “It just takes a lot of time, energy and money—lots of money.”

But as front-of-house staff cleared the dust from outdoor tables and checked the orientation of disc golf and apparel merchandise by the front door, the pain of the coronavirus era could almost be forgotten.

And it seems the community can’t wait to get in on the action, either.

When Faultline opened reservations for the soft opening, Saturday, they were flooded with 70 reservations of over 200 people.

Kurt Hoerzing, the 51-year-old general manager from Boulder Creek, has been trying to ensure employees get up to speed.

“We let everyone try our food and they’re super excited about it,” says the service industry veteran with 30 years of experience, most recently at an Applebee’s. “Overall, our menu’s just unique and different. It’s not like everyone else has.”

Mike Ward, the head chef—who locals may recognize from his days at Malone’s Grille—says he appreciates being allowed to continue the experimentation he started in his last job, over the past three years.

“I want to start bringing back childhood classics, but with an elevated fine-dining twist,” he says, adding he’s blending comfort food with healthy fare for the gastropub. “We care deeply about how the food pairs with the beer.”

So, along with the Louisiana-style or bourbon BBQ “Faultline Wings” ($15) and pretzel sticks with hefeweizen beer cheese ($11), Ward’s planned roasted portabella ($18) and an elote with a citrus vinaigrette ($16) for the initial pared-down slate.

He’s particularly excited about the cheese skirt burger, which features two quarter-pound patties and a mound of sharp cheddar cheese, dressed around a stainless steel lid for a unique effect.

“Your cheese is going to be that crispy cheese that everyone’s going to love,” he says. 

Andrew Pederson, 31, has been tapped as assistant general manager.

“We want to be that all-inclusive spot in Scotts Valley for everyone to lay their hats down and relax,” says Pederson, who grew up in Santa Cruz. “Our mission statement, so to speak, is ‘Food, Beer and Community.’”

Not only do lights spell that play on the brewer’s initials (F.B.C.) out on the main floor, but upstairs, neon lights proclaim “CHEERS” in different shades and translations.

“We didn’t get every language, of course, but I don’t see why we can’t add more things on as we go,” he says. “Everyone’s welcome. And no matter what, we’ll ‘Cheers!’ you at the bar.”

Ghadiri says it was important for him to weave a sense of continuity into the establishment.

He worked with Scotts Valley historian Jay Topping to design a series of vignettes posted on the walls.

“I said, ‘Tell me the history here; tell me what happened,’” he recalls.

Topping regaled Ghadiri with the stories of the post-WWII period when California Highway Patrol-sanctioned hot rod races occurred on the property next door. This became one of the first panels visitors will see upon entry.

Lesa Jackson, the sous chef, says she’s excited to see how Faultline can continue the city’s storyline into the future.

“I think it’s something that Scotts Valley really needs,” the Felton resident says. “I think they can expect to build community here. It’s more than what’s on the sign. Everyone here has this air of hospitality.”

The soft opening was set for Oct. 12, with the official ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for Oct. 20. For information about Faultline Brewing Company, visit faultlinebrewing.com. 

Santa Cruz Worker Strike Looms—Again

Todd Guild
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Santa Cruz Worker Strike Looms—Again

Workers for the City of Santa Cruz are set to strike beginning Monday after rejecting a tentative agreement between their union and the city made Oct. 2.

Roughly 84% of the workers represented by Service Employees International Union Local 521—whose jobs range from trash collection to water systems to parking facilities—said no to a 12% increase over three years and a one-time payment of $1,100.

Negotiations have been ongoing since early this year. Four of the City’s six employee groups have agreed to similar offers, City officials say.

SEIU told the City the strike would begin Oct. 17, and last through Oct. 21.  

Chapter President Ken Bare said the workers want the City to improve working conditions.

“When my coworkers spoke out about our dangerous working conditions, the City responded with intimidation and retaliation,” he said. “These are the main reasons we are going on an (Unfair Labor Practices) strike—our members voted down the City’s deal for a long-term resolution to the City’s 14% vacancy rate, unsafe working conditions and workers living in poverty.”

Santa Cruz City Manager Matt Huffaker said the strike will result in “significant reductions in City services.” 

All essential services, including police, fire, water, and sewer, will continue uninterrupted. However, there will be no trash collection and both the City’s landfill and recycling center will be closed. In addition, most libraries and City parks will be closed, and many recreation programs will be canceled.

“The City has worked hard to negotiate an agreement with SEIU,” Huffaker stated in a press release. “Our employees are hardworking and dedicated to their community. It’s unfortunate that the impacts of a strike will hit city residents hardest.” 

The City made an identical announcement of an impending strike on Oct. 2, only to have the expected action canceled when both parties reached a tentative agreement.

It was unclear why the union rejected it. SEIU representatives did not immediately return a request for comment.

For information, visit cityofsantacruz.com/serviceimpacts.  

Things to Do in Santa Cruz: Oct. 12-18

GT Staff
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Things to Do in Santa Cruz: Oct. 12-18

ARTS AND MUSIC

ATMOSPHERE WITH BLIMES & GAB AND PLAIN OLE BILL DJ and producer Ant and rapper Slug make their own rules as they go. For over two decades, the revered and prolific Minnesota duo Atmosphere has sustained a laborious yield, releasing over two dozen studio albums, EPs, collaborations and side projects. The outfit’s 2007 acclaimed Strictly Leakage was released as a free internet download—an out-of-nowhere gift to fans fueled by perpetual-mix stamina. The release complemented the three EPs Slug had dropped six months before. New material has been coming in meaningful droves: Last October, Atmosphere released WORD?, featuring “Barcade,” which includes a guest spot from Aesop Rock and a posthumous verse from MF Doom. The 14-track record debuted at No. 4 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart and has over five million streams on Spotify. $34.50/$38 plus fees. Friday, Oct. 14, 8pm. The Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. catalystclub.com.

PUNKTOBERFEST 2022 This eight-band punk-o-rama might not be strictly punk rock, but that makes it even more punk. Sacramento’s The Seafloor Cinema’s description might have your brain spinning a bit: A blend of “midwestern emo, pop-punk and math rock?” Yup. You will have to hear for yourself. Coming down from San Jose, the Trim is more straightforward ’90s Brit-pop a la The Cure. Dallas’ Lil Lotus is a pop-punk revivalist who’s unafraid to veer off in any direction that moves him—he grew up playing in metalcore bands, then went solo acoustic until he was introduced to emo-rap. (Whatever the hell that is). Lotus’ Epitaph Records debut ERRØR BØY is quickly gaining traction. Unwell, Pomi, Goldview, Summon the Hero and Bareknuckle. Round out the eclectic night of music in the Santa Cruz Mountains. $30/$35 plus fees. Saturday, Oct. 15, 5pm. Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. feltonmusichall.com.

GRATEFUL SHRED Los Angeles’ Grateful Shred happened by accident. And they’re not “just another fucking Dead tribute band. We’re more of a take on the Dead,” says bassist Dan Horne. In addition to Horne (Cass McCombs, Jonathan Wilson), Sam Blasucci and Clay Finch (of country-folk revivalists Mapache) handle vocals and guitar and there’s a rotating cast of drummers and keyboardists. Grateful Shred doesn’t play facsimiles; this group of musicians is simply having fun, rocking the music they enjoy playing. Their vibe, their spirit, their authentic adoration for the songs are infectious. “Strangely enough, in a world overflowing with wax museum nostalgia and Deadly sentimentalism, we need the Shred, now more than ever.” $32/$37 plus fees. Saturday, Oct. 15, 8pm. The Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. catalystclub.com.

HOT BUTTERED RUM With THE LO-TIMERS Hot Buttered Rum is the only band who can say they are the “Official Bluegrass Band of the 2014 World Champion San Francisco Giants.” For over two decades, the group has seamlessly interlaced bluegrass, folk, jazz and soul into an original iteration of spellbinding Americana. Part dance party, part Appalachia roots, HBR came to be in the High Sierra backcountry and San Francisco basements. On the heels of their 2022 release Shine All Night the band continues to tour nonstop. The Lo-Timers, meanwhile, are string pluckers building a repertoire of original western-centric tunes. $20/$25 plus fees. Saturday, Oct. 15, 9pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. moesalley.com.

INSECT SURFERS WITH FASCINATING CREATURES OF THE DEEP AND DEAD KAMPERS The self-proclaimed “planet earth’s longest-running modern surf band,” the Insect Surfers formed over 40 years back in Washington D.C., with David Arnson at the helm—they’ve been based out of Los Angeles since the mid-1980s. Inspired by the psych surf sounds of the ’60s, their tight instrumentals are propelled by Agent Orange-flavored punk. The two Santa Cruz bands who are opening—Fascinating Creatures of the Deep and Dead Kampers—are perfect fits for a bill saturated in surf rock. $15. Saturday, Oct. 15, 8pm. The Crepe Place ,1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. thecrepeplace.com.

ZERO In 1980, Steve Kimock joined the Grateful Dead’s Keith (keys) and Donna Jean Godchaux’s (backup vocals) Heart of Gold Band, featuring drummer Greg Anton. Sadly, Keith didn’t make it to Zero’s Zenith. Initially an all-instrumental band, the dynamic changed after Dead lyricist/poet Robert Hunter convinced them to add vocals with lyrics he’d provide. The reimagined Zero performed a three-night run at the Great American Music Hall in 1992, unleashing their barrage of new songs outfitted with Hunter’s majestic prose—master sound director Dan Healy was on board to record them. The result was Chance in a Million. Zero has played 1,300 shows and dropped nine albums, including their 2022 Naught Again. In addition to Anton, the all-star lineup includes Steve Kimock, Pete Sears, Spencer Burrows and Hadi Al-Saadoon. $34/$45/$49 plus fees. Sunday, Oct. 16, 8pm. Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. feltonmusichall.com.

‘MY NAME IS ANDREA’ Considered one of the most radical and controversial writers of the 20th century, Andrea Dworkin’s analysis of male supremacy with a singular, apocalyptic urgency has been dubbed as “revolutionary” by many scholars. The “hybrid feature documentary” uses Dworkin’s personal experiences of sexual assault to develop “epic concepts around what it means to be a woman.” The film intertwines rare archival footage of Dworkin with visceral dramatizations performed by Amandla Stenberg, Soko, Andrea Riseborough, Ashley Judd and Patti LuPone. Detested and fiercely critiqued in her time, Dworkin’s commanding voice speaks vibrantly to contemporary movements like #MeToo. My Name is Andrea was written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Pratibha Parmar, who will be on hand during the screening. Free with registration (donations appreciated). Tuesday, Oct. 18, 7pm. Del Mar Theatre, 1124 Pacific Ave., #4415 Santa Cruz. mynameisandreamovie.com.

COMMUNITY

KAREN MACNEIL: ‘THE WINE BIBLE, THIRD EDITION’ $168,000. That’s the price tag of all the wines combined that Karen MacNeil tasted for her latest edition of the well-respected Wine Bible, which features new chapters on Great Britain, Croatia, Israel and a new section called “In the Beginning…Wine in the Ancient World.” The “Great Wines” section—formerly “Wines to Know”—features expanded chapters on France, Italy, Australia, South America and the U.S. There are also updated glossaries and a prolonged “Mastering Wine” section that incorporates the latest science on taste and smell. $5-45. Thursday, Oct. 13, 7pm. Soif Wine, 105 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz. bookshopsantacruz.com.

WORLD ARTS FEST 2022 Join in and celebrate Santa Cruz’s abundant cultural diversity. The festival includes performances by Arnaud Loubayi, Dandha da Hora, John and Nancy Lingemann, Antara Asthaayi Dance, Raizes do Brasil Capoeira, Senderos, Elie Mabanza, DJ Monk Earl, Ukrainian STEPPE and more. There will also be an assortment of artisans and vendors selling crafts, wares and food. Free. Saturday, Oct. 15, noon-5pm. Tannery Arts Center, 1050 River St., Santa Cruz. tanneryworlddance.com.

GROUPS

EARTH SISTERS It might initially sound like hippy-dippy nonsense, but Earth Sisters’ nature and dance-based journey of “self-discovery, purpose, sisterhood and rite of passage” is the real deal. The collective aims to provide a transcendental experience for 17-20-year-old women. This opportunity offers support and guidance to young women transitioning from adolescence to adulthood. Earth Sisters meet twice monthly with day-long outdoor adventures, dances, sharing and fire circles and full moon hikes. $495-795 (scholarships available). Wednesday, Oct. 12, 6-8:30pm. Moore Creek Preserve, Moore Creek Trail, Santa Cruz. thriveyoungleaders.com/earth-sisters.

WOMENCARE ARM-IN-ARM Led by Sally Jones and Shirley Marcus every Monday, the longtime group for women with advanced, recurrent or metastatic cancer is a safe place for those going through similar hardships to find support in one another. Free (registration required). Monday, Oct. 17, 12:30pm. WomenCare, 2901 Park Ave., A1, Soquel. 831-457-2273. womencaresantacruz.org.

OUTDOORS

SANTA CRUZ KIDS IN NATURE The Santa Cruz Kids in Nature Program is an outdoor-based nature club for children with core curriculums revolving around social and emotional learning, natural and cultural history and social justice. The grassroots outfit focuses on encouraging creativity, confidence, communication skills, community, ecological stewardship, curiosity and more. Email ki*****************@***il.com about pricing and scholarships. Wednesday, Oct. 12–Friday, Oct. 15; Monday, Oct. 17 and Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2:45-5:15pm. 1156 High St., Santa Cruz. kidsinnaturesc.com.

Email upcoming events to Adam Joseph at least two weeks beforehand. 

Or, submit events HERE.

James McMurtry and Todd Snider Perform the Rio

Adam Joseph
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James McMurtry and Todd Snider Perform the Rio

“You never knew where my old white Lincoln might take you, party on wheels with suicide doors/Bring the kids and the dogs and your grandma too, we always had room for more,” James McMurtry sings with a slight Texas drawl. “Till that white knuckle ride back from Santa Cruz/Second best surfer on the Central Coast had you wrapped up all the way back to Los Gatos, and I could’ve cut his throat.”

James McMurtry doesn’t remember precisely when he came up with the references to Santa Cruz and the “second-best surfer on the Central Coast.” He does know it was sometime after his 1989 debut, Too Long in the Wasteland. 

“I knew I needed a song to put that line in,” McMurtry says. “That’s why the story starts with a flashback to the Central Coast.” 

The opening track of the acclaimed singer-songwriter’s 2022 The Horses and the Hounds, “Canola Fields,” begins with “crossing Southern Alberta canola fields on a July day” before heading south to Santa Cruz, then to Brooklyn “before it went hipster.” Those Western Canada canola fields are at the heart of McMurtry’s location-laden song.

“I was amazed at the color,” he says. “Yellow and chartreuse all the way to the horizon, which is way far away—I’ve seen old Volkswagens painted that color. The song evolved over years of travel. It’s a work of fiction. There was no specific inspiration. I just followed the words.”

After 30 years on the road and recently releasing his tenth album, McMurtry continues to follow the words, and it’s led to a spot on a shortlist of notable Lone Star State songwriters, including Steve Earle and Townes Van Zandt.

“I consider a song complete when I can sing it to an audience without cringing,” James McMurtry says. PHOTO: Mary Keating-Bruto

Many of his greatest songs are filled with gloom, others fueled by sadness and resentment; while the stories in McMurtry’s tunes are occupied by fictional characters, those characters are all pieces of him.

“Sometimes I’ll try to envision a character who might have said those lines,” he explains. “If I can feel the character, I can sometimes find the character’s story and shape it into a verse and chorus structure. I consider a song complete when I can sing it to an audience without cringing.”

“Canola Fields” is one of his less complicated stories; it’s jubilant and bustling with happiness. “Jackie” is at the other side of the spectrum—an intense tragedy that feels so real you want to jump inside the song and hug the protagonist.

McMurtry says he knows he has a “good” song when it keeps him up at night during the writing process. The feeling never grows old. 

If anyone can relate to McMurtry’s sentiment, it’s singer-songwriter Todd Snider. The Nashville-bred troubadour might seem like a stoned-out-of-his-mind hippy, sporting a floppy hat and rambling on about this and that. But the veteran musician’s ability to weave satire, politics and humor throughout songs like “Talkin’ Seattle Grunge Rock Blues” is a gift. 

“I think absurdity is the most rational response to the human condition,” Snider says. “Under this guise of the Reverend Willie B. Wasted, I just started saying stuff like we’ve been divided by infinity, pomp and circumstantially, racially, religiously, physically, financially. I don’t know any of that stuff. But I say it like I know it. That’s what preachers do.”

If anyone knew what preachers do, Snider would qualify. He became ordained to marry his close friends, country star Jason Isbell and Americana fiddler extraordinaire Amanda Shires. 

Talking to Snider is like talking to singer-songwriter icon Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. One minute, he’s talking about body surfing in Santa Cruz; the next minute, it’s all about how if it weren’t for Jimmy Buffet and John Prine, he wouldn’t be doing what he’s doing. Also, he recently discovered that Tom Jones released a strange electronic version of his song “Talking Reality Television Blues.”

Like Elliott, Snider is full of stories about matter-of-factly stumbling into extraordinary and unbelievable situations. In 2020, one of the songs, “Hard Luck Love Song,” inspired a full-length film of the same name, directed by Justin Corsbie and starring Dermot Mulroney, RZA and Sophia Bush. Also, the entertaining stories that preface his songs during his live performances are sometimes as poignant as the songs. Snider’s follow-up to his 2021 First Agnostic Church of Hope and Wonder, Live: Return of the Storyteller, is a 27-song crash course on the barefoot wanderer. It also reveals Snider’s tender side. The last two years have been rough, losing friends and mentors, including Neal Casal, Jerry Jeff Walker and Jeff Austin. When Prine died, it hit Snider hard. He spent several years touring with the songwriting luminary, learning from him about life, humility and everything in between.

Snider dealt with the pain by penning “Handsome John,” which appears on the First Agnostic Church record. But his live version of the tune on Return of the Storyteller is particularly heartfelt and humorous, punctuated by the story leading up to the song. Snider talks about the John Prine he came to know, love and joke around with. In one story, specifically, Snider recalls a long flight to Europe with Prine. When they arrived, everyone was exhausted and just wanted to get to the hotel and nap. On the way, Prine said to the driver, “I don’t think this is the right way.” The driver assured the musician that it was the correct way. Two hours later, the driver announced, “I think you were right. We didn’t go the right way.” Everyone in the car was fuming, Snider says. Meanwhile, Prine responded, “I like to drive around anyway.” 

“And you knew [Prine] meant it,” Snider says. “That’s who he was.”

James McMurtry performs Friday, Oct. 14 at 8pm. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $29.40 plus fees. Todd Snider with Ryan Montbleau (solo acoustic) performs Sunday, Oct. 16, at 8pm. $35/$55 plus fees. folkyeah.com.

Turntables, Whips and Beyoncé: Evicshen’s Wild World of Self-Made Sonics

Steve Palopoli
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0
Turntables, Whips and Beyoncé: Evicshen’s Wild World of Self-Made Sonics

As Victoria Shen walks me through her plans for the night’s performance, testing each piece of audio gear that she’s created on the table in front of her, she says she doesn’t always know where things are going to go.

“I know how I’m going to start, for sure,” says the San Francisco experimental musician, who uses the stage name Evicshen. “Tonight I’m going to start with the amplified music box—play a little bit with the music box, like feedback and reverb—and then go into turntablism stuff. And intersperse it with synths and amplified objects. And I’m almost always gonna end with the whip.”

Then again, she’s not entirely sure if tonight’s audience is going to get the whip.

“There’s often times where I don’t feel like I’ve built up enough attention for the whip,” she explains.

So the audience has to earn the whip?

“Yeah,” she says with a laugh. “Something like that.”

We’re standing on the stage of the Kuumbwa while Shen does her soundcheck. It’s a Friday night, Sept. 16, and Shen is opening for Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s sold-out show. I’m there because I’ve just seen Shen perform the week before at the San Jose club the Ritz, opening for the iconic Bay Area experimental group Negativland. Negativland’s set—a sprawling multimedia performance that started out by exploring whether we’re still playing video games or they’re playing us, and eventually turned that into a question of how the insurrectionists on Jan. 6 were allowing themselves to be played—was brilliant, but having seen them before, I knew that it would be.

What I was unprepared for was Shen’s startling performance, which is what inspired me to reach out to her and see if I could tag along tonight to see what an Evicshen soundcheck could possibly be like.

At the Ritz, Shen started off on the floor in front of the stage, at the audience’s level. The fold-up table that held the boxes and DIY instruments she plays was visually intriguing, especially the way the multi-colored vinyl records on her turntables are lit from underneath. Not only does she create the turntables the records play on, by the way, she makes the records, too, molding together slices of existing records, and then playing them with wired phonographic needles attached to her fingertips. The sound is a wild cacophony as she plays different mashed-up recordings at different speeds.

Then there’s the industrial noise she creates by manipulating various metal pieces that she’s turned into instruments—like a band saw blade, two bass string dangling from a collar with a guitar pickup mounted to it (that she plays with a violin bow) and even a comb that creates very ASMR-like noises when she brushes her hair.

All the while, she maintained an incredible intensity and an aggressive performance style, pushing her table further into the audience as the set progressed. By the time I saw the whip come out at the end of the Ritz set, I leaned over to my friend and whispered, “Did you sign a waiver for something? ’Cause I didn’t sign a waiver.” You could feel the tension in the audience as Shen climbed up on the table and began to spin the whip over her head confidently, finally cracking it a very safe distance above our heads, with the crowd taking a collective cathartic sigh after the amped-up sound thundered through the room.

In person at the sound check, Shen is the furthest thing from her stage persona. She’s friendly and warm, and adept at explaining her complicated electronics to a layperson like me who has no clue how anyone could make things like this. (For her, it all started years ago with an MIT class called “How to Build Anything.” She is living that class name’s best life.)

When I ask her how it feels to crack the whip above the heads of a nervous audience, she smiles. “I do feel very in control. It’s an ‘Ah, I have people’s attention’ type of thing, you know? Like, what’s gonna happen next? It feels very playful, honestly. It feels mischievous, I guess. I don’t ever intend to hurt anyone—but I want people to think that.”

And then she laughs again. Whatever you might call Shen’s music—noise, experimental, avant-garde—the sound itself seems less important, in the live setting at least, than the self-made world of sound she creates, and the performance aesthetic that is pure punk rock.

“I really want the physicality and presence to be at the fore,” she says.

Her brash style has gotten her some unexpected attention this year; in July, Beyoncé’s creative team admitted to the San Francisco Chronicle that they had lifted the idea for the superstar dragging chrome needles across a record, in a video released by British Vogue, from Shen. After Evicshen fans called out the copycat move, Beyoncé’s publicist apologized for not crediting her.

Shen didn’t know anything about the video before it came out, and was actually in Santa Cruz when she first heard about it in July.

“That was a super weird experience,” she tells me at the Kuumbwa soundcheck. At the time, there was a bit of weirdness left hanging about what exactly Beyoncé’s team was going to do next in regards to Shen’s needle-nail designs. By the time I talk to her, though, that has changed.

Evicshen doing what she does best. VIDEO: Steve Palopoli

“They actually just bought a set,” she says. “They were like, ‘Can you overnight this to L.A.?’ So I stayed up ’til 4am Saturday night making a set for Beyoncé.”

A couple of hours later, I watch Shen’s opening set, and the Kuumbwa audience at first seems a lot different than the one at the Ritz (which was admittedly a bit more prepared for Evicshen simply by the fact that they were there to see Negativland). A few people actually walk outside as the first wave of metallic chaos washes over the room. 

But by mid-set, the tide has turned. People are standing from their seats and craning their necks to try to see everything Shen is doing as she moves around the stage and into the audience. They cheer when she picks up various new instruments.

In the end, they earn the whip—and love it.

Will the next Santa Cruz audience? We’ll find out when Shen performs an Evicshen set at Indexical on the Tannery campus on Saturday. She’ll be celebrating the opening of her electro-acoustic installation Light Scratches, Deep Cuts, which will run through Feb. 28.

Evicshen performs at 8:30pm on Saturday, Oct. 15 at Indexical, 1050 River St., #119 on the Tannery Arts Center campus. $16 general, $8 members. There will be a Q&A afterward with Victoria Shen. The exhibit Victoria Shen: Light Scratches, Deep Cuts runs through Feb. 28 at Indexical. evicshen.com. indexical.org.

Letter to the Editor: Farmland Should Be a Priority

Adam Joseph
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Letter to the Editor: Farmland Should Be a Priority

I’m writing in response to the article “Drawing the Line” (GT, 9/14). It is obvious that Francisco “Paco” Estrada is passionate about his point of view. The article, written by Tony Nunez, was extremely biased. He used the words of one person to frame the title and the article. Not everyone agrees with Mr. Estrada’s provocative language. 3000 signatures were collected to put Measure Q to a vote of the people of Watsonville. Readers of the Good Times deserve to hear with equal passion both sides of an issue.

As a Santa Cruz resident, owner and operator of a restaurant, with my husband for the past 24 years, I am concerned about protecting farmland. Our restaurant depends on substantial quantiles of organic produce from farms in and around Watsonville, to provide nourishment for our community. As more farmland is turned into developments, farmland is becoming scarce. Nourishing our citizens should be a top priority.

I chose to drive into Watsonville and collect signatures. I was repeatedly greeted with warmth and enthusiasm from the citizens of Watsonville, eager to add their signature to keep the Urban Limit Line. I am unclear what Mr. Estrada means by, “The needs of the people are not being met. It’s hard to not call out racism in all this.” I heard repeatedly from the lovely people of Watsonville their vocal opposition towards sprawl, more traffic, and their passion to protect farmland.

Carolyn Rudolph

Santa Cruz

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

Letter to the Editor: Turning Point for Downtown

Adam Joseph
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0
Letter to the Editor: Turning Point for Downtown

Re: “Zone Defense” (GT, 9/7): In the process of adopting Objective Standards, the city of Santa Cruz conducted a survey to gather community input on the choice of street furnishings (benches, lighting, bike racks, etc.). In a more open-ended category asking what other elements could improve the look of downtown, respondents’ answers included “Creation of more car-free public space,” “Inclusion of space for outdoor dining, farmers’ market … street performance,” “Support for more art and interactive art,” and “A desire for shaded seating and more landscaping.” 

These are exactly what proponents of Measure O envision for a Town Commons on Lot 4.  

Santa Cruz is at a crucial turning point regarding “placekeeping,” a concept related to “placemaking,” which considers what should be preserved as a community changes. Those who say, “But Lot 4 is just a parking lot” seem willfully blind to the potential of that central downtown location. We already have a library which is ideally located. There is no reason the city cannot offer the Farmers’ Market the improvements on Lot 4 that they are offering on Lot 7.  

This quote from How to Turn a Place Around by Projects for Public Spaces resonates with those of us who support Measure O: “For far too long, the shaping of public spaces has been left to architects and urban planners, who plan from the top down. Placemaking ensures that changes to a space will reflect the needs of the entire community, and it boosts that community’s sense of ownership in a project.  

Lot 4 presents an opportunity for a community-led process to create a well-loved public space that can connect us and enrich our lives far into the future. Losing this space will be an irreversible mistake. 

Yes on Measure O! 

Judi Grunstra 

Santa Cruz

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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