Page 333 – Good Times

Scotts Valley Selects New City Manager

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December 2, 2021

Scotts Valley is moving to hire Nevada County Assistant Executive Officer Mali LaGoe as its new city manager, after the departure of Tina Friend, earlier this year.

And LaGoe couldn’t be happier.

“I’m so excited to join the community and join the team of staff at Scotts Valley,” she said. “I think it’s just a really good fit with my background.”

LaGoe has worked in Nevada County for the past nine years. Before that she worked in the solar energy sector and for nonprofits, including as the market manager at Nevada City Farmers Market.

“Coming down to the Santa Cruz area is something I’ve done several times on vacations,” she said. “My husband lives in San Jose, so we’ve been living in two places for the last two years.”

When she was considering which nearby community she might want to work in, Scotts Valley was at the top of her list, she says.

Now that she’s secured the position—expected to be formalized Dec. 1 by the City Council—her husband and two stepsons have begun considering housing options here.

LaGoe says she’s looking forward to hiking with them around Scotts Valley on weekends.

“I might get back into riding horses,” she added. “That’s something that was a passion of mine in the past.”

Scotts Valley Mayor Derek Timm says while their hiring casts netted plenty of good candidates, it was clear LaGoe was the best of the catch.

“When she came in and we met with her, both the staff and the Council were just so impressed with her,” he said. “Everyone just felt she was the best candidate for our city.”

Her wildfire prevention task force work in Nevada County was of particular note, he said.

“She set it up and ran it,” he said. “I was more impressed with the County’s trust in her to run something that’s so complex.”

LaGoe studied political science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and public administration at CSU Northridge. She’s also served as a board member for the Nevada County Economic Resource Council.

She says she’s excited to work on economic development in Scotts Valley, including focusing on the question, “How can we recover from the pandemic?”

That’s something Timm says will be an important part of her new role.

“One of the key ones is making sure we have economic stability for our community for the future,” he said. “We are in the process of completing renovations in Scotts Valley to the Kmart center and getting that turned into the Target center.”

Timm said Scotts Valley’s recruitment consultant said, despite a difficult climate for hiring, the community garnered more interest than others have recently.

There is a dearth of talent for senior local government roles, the recruiter said, because after the financial crisis of 2008 municipalities slimmed their middle-management roles, according to Timm.

He adds it wasn’t that the other applicants weren’t appealing—just that LaGoe was clearly a better choice.

“In the recruitment process there were other candidates who had been city managers in other cities who had great pedigrees, but her skill set and her leadership qualities were just a step higher,” he said. “I mean, she really stood out.”

Biden Vows to Fight Omicron With ‘Science and Speed, Not Chaos and Confusion’

The New York Times and GT Staff

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December 2, 2021

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Biden Vows to Fight Omicron With ‘Science and Speed, Not Chaos and Confusion’

By Sheryl Gay Stolberg, The New York Times

President Joe Biden, confronting a worrisome new coronavirus variant and the potential of a winter surge, laid out a new pandemic strategy on Thursday afternoon that includes hundreds of vaccination sites aimed at families, booster shots for all adults, new testing requirements for international travelers and insurance reimbursement for at-home coronavirus tests.

The push to expand access to at-home testing is a tacit acknowledgment by the White House that vaccination, which the president has touted as the path out of the pandemic, is not enough on its own. Experts have argued for months that mask-wearing and testing are also essential, and the need for testing will become even more urgent if the Omicron variant is found to evade protection from vaccines, which has not yet been established.

“We’re going to fight this variant with science and speed, not chaos and confusion,” the president said at the National Institutes of Health.

Biden’s announcement comes a day after the new Omicron variant was detected in the United States for the first time, in California. On Thursday, a second case was detected, in a Minnesota resident who had recently traveled to New York City. Experts said the announcement on testing was particularly important.

“We agree with an applaud the fact that the president is taking a holistic view,” Dr. Nirav Shah, president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, adding, “for this next phase of the pandemic, rapid access to rapid testing will be key.”

Senior administration officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to preview the plan Thursday night, said it was aimed at keeping the economy, workplaces and schools open.

A big part of the plan is a renewed push to get people vaccinated, including the latest group to become eligible, children ages 5 to 11. The administration plans to launch “hundreds of family vaccination clinics” that will offer vaccinations and boosters for people of all eligible ages, according to a fact sheet provided by the White House.

The plan also includes a national campaign to reach the 100 million Americans who are eligible for booster shots and have not had them. The campaign will include paid advertising and free rides to vaccination sites coordinated by AARP, the advocacy group for older Americans. And the Federal Emergency Management Agency will launch what the administration is calling Family Mobile Vaccination Clinics, beginning with deployments to Washington and New Mexico. The goal is for states and localities to replicate the model “with full federal funding and support,” officials said.

Biden called on employers to provide paid time off for employees to get boosters.

Biden’s new strategy will extend the current mask mandate for people on airplanes, trains and buses, and in terminals and transit hubs, through mid-March. But the president, who put a strong emphasis on mask-wearing at the outset of the pandemic, does not appear poised to call on governors to revive the mask mandates that many of them abandoned.

Only six states now require people to wear masks in indoor public settings regardless of their vaccination status. Three more — California, New York and Connecticut — require masks indoors for people who are unvaccinated.

Biden ran for office in 2020 on a promise to get the pandemic under control. Since then, though, the virus “has thrown us a number of curveballs, and unfortunately they were thrown at 200 miles an hour,” said Michael T. Osterholm, who directs the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.

Many experts predict a surge in the United States over the winter, regardless of whether the Omicron variant spreads widely in the country. The nation has been reporting an average of more than 80,000 new cases a day over the last few weeks, according to a New York Times database; six months ago, the average was roughly 12,000 new cases a day.

Much remains unknown about the Omicron variant, which was first spotted by scientists in southern Africa and now known to be present in more than 30 countries including the United States. It has mutations that scientists say may allow it to spread more quickly and cause more breakthrough infections in vaccinated or previously infected people, though neither characteristic has yet been confirmed.

Under the president’s plan, at-home tests would be reimbursed for the 150 million Americans with private insurance. To ensure access for those who lack insurance, or who are covered by Medicaid, the administration intends to distribute an additional 15 million tests to community health centers and rural clinics.

Looking forward, experts envision a world where people will test themselves as soon as they exhibit symptoms — and then, if they are positive, would go into quarantine and seek treatment with new antiviral medicines that are in development. Early testing is important because the antivirals work best just after the onset of symptoms. The White House says it is taking steps to secure 13 million courses of antiviral treatments.

In the United States, home coronavirus tests have been relatively hard to come by because of supply shortages, and they are expensive — as much as $25 apiece. Dr. Carlos del Rio, an infectious disease specialist at Emory University, said that rather than have people go through the cumbersome process of seeking insurance reimbursement for tests, “we should just subsidize them and make it incredibly cheap.”

In Britain, he noted, rapid tests are free, and in Germany they cost consumers about $1 apiece.

Reimbursement for at-home tests in the United States will not happen immediately, and will not be retroactive, the senior administration officials said, adding that federal agencies would issue guidance by Jan. 15 to clarify that insurers would have to reimburse people for at-home tests during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

It was unclear how many tests a person could be reimbursed for buying, or how the reimbursement would work. Shah, of the state health officials association, said his group would prefer that people get reimbursed when they buy the tests in pharmacies, as opposed to having to file later for reimbursement.

Private insurers already cover the cost of coronavirus tests administered in doctor’s offices and other medical facilities. At least eight at-home tests are on the U.S. market.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Watsonville City Council Appoints Tamara Vides as Interim City Manager

Tony Nuñez

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December 2, 2021

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Watsonville City Council Appoints Tamara Vides as Interim City Manager

The Watsonville City Council appointed Tamara Vides to serve as the interim city manager in a special meeting on Tuesday night.

Vides, an employee of the city of Watsonville for 23 years, will step into the role on Dec. 15, the day after outgoing City Manager Matt Huffaker will leave his position.

Huffaker, the city’s chief executive for the past three years, is slated to take over as Santa Cruz’s city manager on Jan. 3.

The City Council voted 4-2 to approve the move, with Mayor Jimmy Dutra and City Councilwoman Rebecca Garcia dissenting.

After the brisk 20-minute meeting was adjourned, Dutra and Mayor Pro Tempore Ari Parker engaged in a brief verbal spat about the former’s vote. The two eventually went their separate ways as the 15 or so people gathered in the City Council Chambers quickly dispersed.

Vides, who was named deputy city manager in 2018 and then reassigned to assistant city manager in October 2020, stuck around as the chambers emptied and hugged and kissed her kids telling them several times that “it’ll be OK.”

Asked what she was feeling after the meeting, Vides said it was tough to pin down only one emotion.

“One feeling is relief, just knowing that I can really plan and start looking forward because not knowing was unsettling,” Vides said. “It has not been an easy process and I know there’s work to do and I’m ready to do it.”

The meeting brought to an end extensive deliberation among the Watsonville City Council about who should take the reins from Huffaker in the interim. The elected leaders met four times in closed sessions to discuss the matter.

The topic was a contentious one. Nearly all city of Watsonville department directors spoke in favor of Vides’ appointment over the past four weeks, but other city employees—both on the record and in private messages to the City Council and media—came forth with concerns over her stepping into the role.

Only one person spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting. Pedro Castillo, a community activist and UCSC professor of history emeritus, said that Vides had no connection to the community.

“I think that you still have time and I think there is terrific, wonderful, qualified people within the city that you could appoint in an interim basis,” he said.

Both Dutra and councilman Francisco “Paco” Estrada said that the process has brought to light workplace issues in the city that must be addressed in the coming months.

“We need to make sure that our city continues to move forward, but we also want to make sure that we have somebody that is going to unify our organization,” Dutra said. “We can’t deny that there are issues in our organization, because there are. I don’t want to brush anything under a rug. However we move forward, we have to address those issues.”

Added Estrada: “It breaks my heart to hear that there are members of the city that come to work, that are not happy and that do not feel confident enough to express themselves or to share a concern either in person, anonymously or in any other way. That is an issue that we will be asking the next city manager to immediately address. Because I think spending 40 hours a week of your life unhappy is not fair.”

Normally a supporting staff member that operates in the background, Vides was thrust into the center of the conversation when Huffaker announced he would leave the city in late October. The experience, Vides says, has at times been brutal, as people have questioned her leadership, temperament and commitment to the city.

“It’s been hard because I pour my heart and soul and for someone to stand there and say ‘we don’t know this person,’ I just don’t know how you don’t know me,” Vides said, holding back tears. “How do you not know me when I’ve been here 23 years, and I’ve consistently dedicated not 40, not 50 [hours per week]. I dedicate an incredible amount of hours and I’m incredibly enthusiastic about the job I do. I don’t recruit through a flyer. I’ve walked the streets of this community. I have knocked on doors. I have sat in the living rooms of these families. I’ve visited the fields. I’ve visited the schools. It’s hard for me to hear some of the feedback.”

But, she says, it has also been a big learning experience.

“At the end of the day, the workplace is super important to me. I spend way too many hours here. I was just telling (another city employee) earlier this week, ‘you know this is my community.’ I live here now, but I didn’t go to high school here. This is where I make friends. This is where I connect with people. So my workplace, it is my all. So to have positive professional relationships, to me, is super important. I’m going to work hard on making sure that we work to uplift our employees and our organization.”

The City Council also approved a contract with the recruitment firm Peckham & McKenney to seek candidates to replace Huffaker.

Finding his permanent replacement will take anywhere from three to six months, the city said.

New County Health Services Director Has Local Roots

Johanna Miller

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December 2, 2021

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New County Health Services Director Has Local Roots

Mónica Morales was 2 years old when her family immigrated from Mexico to Watsonville. She grew up attending local elementary schools, graduating from Watsonville High School while her mother worked in nearby agriculture fields and canneries.

This background, she said, is sure to guide her in her new role as Santa Cruz County’s new Health Services Agency (HSA) director. Morales was announced as the new director on Nov. 29.

“I’m still processing,” Morales said. “I’m very excited. I have a lot of roots in Watsonville … For me, coming back is almost like doing a 360. I’m proud to come back and serve my community.”

The position will have Morales overseeing the health and well-being of county residents, focusing not only on clinical services but also broader prevention. The job entails keeping communities as informed as possible about physical, emotional and behavioral health issues, and protecting the most vulnerable residents.

“I want to continue the work the leadership of the county has already been doing,” Morales said, “so that all individuals can rebound from the losses of the pandemic. It’s not just about health. It’s about our institutions, businesses, systems … The county has a strong role to play, so that we are rebounding in an equitable manner.”

Key priorities, Morales said, include ensuring that services are available to residents. The county is experiencing a major increase in homelessness, and rising cases of suicide, overdose and anxiety—especially in teenagers.

The healthcare workforce has also been severely impacted, she said.

“Even before the pandemic we were underfunded,” she said. “During the pandemic, people realized the role of public health. It was eye-opening.”

County Administrative Director Carlos Palacios said in a press release that the county conducted a nationwide search to fill the position.

“It became clear that the best candidate was raised in Watsonville and knows our community well,” said Palacios, also a Watsonville resident. “I’m pleased to welcome Mónica and her family back home, and look forward to working with her to protect the health and well-being of our residents.”

Morales earned bachelor’s in sociology from UC Santa Cruz and a master’s in public administration from Columbia University in New York. She currently holds the position of Deputy Director of the Center for Healthy Communities for the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), where she oversees environmental and occupational health, injury and violence, chronic disease prevention, suicide prevention, and substance use and addiction programs.

She is also a planning member of the California Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative, a representative on the UC Merced Farmworker Research project and on the California Health and Human Services Alzheimer’s Advisory Committee. She is a board member of the National Association of Chronic Disease directors, serving as president from 2019-20.

Morales has also served as the deputy director of CDPH’s Fusion Center for Strategic Development and in several roles with the Nevada State Division of Public and Behavioral Health, including statewide Chronic Disease Director and Deputy Bureau Chief for Child, Family and Community Wellness.

Morales said she is eager to return to Watsonville. She will move back with her family: a 7-year-old daughter, 4-year son and her spouse, Adriana (and their dog, “Choco”).

“Being from the area, I have a sense of the dynamics,” she said. “My relatives still live there, so I keep ties. I recognize the pockets that have been underserved.”

Being a woman of color, she said, has also helped her “connect the dots” in rural and working class communities.

“I do have a lot to learn, but having that experience brings a lot to the position,” she said.

Judge Allows Homeless to Temporarily Stay Along Pajaro River Levee

Todd Guild

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December 2, 2021

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Judge Allows Homeless to Temporarily Stay Along Pajaro River Levee

MONTEREY COUNTY—A federal magistrate has declined to issue a preliminary injunction that would have temporarily stopped Monterey County from evicting a group of people from an unsanctioned campsite along the Pajaro River Levee.

In her ruling, Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen said that the plaintiffs did not show that being moved from the site put them in more danger than leaving them there would.

But van Keulen left in place a temporary restraining order, giving the county and the residents until Dec. 13 to get hotel vouchers and work out a plan to move them there, said Anthony Prince, general counsel for the California Homeless Union/Statewide Organizing Council, who is representing the homeless people.

Both parties will be back in court on Dec. 16 to discuss an ongoing civil lawsuit, Prince said.

According to Prince, van Keulen agreed with Monterey County officials in their concerns for the safety of the residents.

“Her main concern was that people are in the path of the river, and that just presents too much of a hazard,” he said. “We think the county is exaggerating that risk, given the history. And in any event, people that camp there know the river and would move to higher ground if anything happened.”

Another problem, Prince says, is that the vouchers for the roughly 86 people camping along the levee are for hotels that are located from 30 to 50 miles away.

“Many have jobs and family obligations,” he said.

The case began after a Nov. 18 cleanup by county officials and the sheriff’s department, during which several lost their possessions, Price says.

County officials have expressed concern about the harm to the waterway and the environmental degradation caused by the unsanctioned encampment. They also say that some of the residents have dug into the levee, which officials say could weaken the walls.

Things To Do in Santa Cruz: Dec. 1-7

GT Staff

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December 1, 2021

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A weekly guide to what’s happening.

ARTS AND MUSIC

CELTIC TEEN BAND PROGRAM Teenage musicians ages 12-19 play in an ensemble, developing musicianship, flexibility, and musical creativity. Participants work on music from Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, Norway, Sweden, and the United States, in addition to modern and more quirky pieces. Instruments welcomed include fiddle, viola, flute, tin whistle, pipes, cello, upright bass, guitar, mandolin, banjo, dulcimer, autoharp, ukulele, Celtic harp, accordion and percussion. Students must have at least two years of experience on their instrument and must be able to read sheet music and chord symbols. The group meets twice a month Wednesday afternoons from 3:30-5pm at the London Nelson Center with fiddle teacher John Weed. Cost is free-$10 per session on a sliding scale. Potential students are welcome to come for a session and see if they like it—no obligation! More information and registration at CommunityMusicSchool.org/teenband. Wednesday, Dec. 1, 3:30pm. London Nelson Community Center, 301 Center St., Santa Cruz.

PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES Filled with an exuberant mixture of country/pop/rock and musical theatre tunes, Pump Boys is a slice-of-life show about some down-home folks who run the local gas station and diner in a rural southern town. This cast of characters and their straightforward take on life, love and music will leave you tapping your foot and smiling from ear to ear. Thursday, Dec. 2, 7:30pm. Friday, Dec. 3, 8pm. Saturday, Dec. 4, 8pm. Sunday, Dec. 5, 2pm. The Colligan Theater, 1010 River St., Santa Cruz.

THE UCSC JAZZ ORCHESTRA UNDER DIRECTOR CHARLES HAMILTON PRESENTS CHARLES TOLLIVER PERFORMING JOHN COLTRANE’S AFRICA/BRASS AT 60 CELEBRATION Experience John Coltrane’s legendary classic Africa/Brass in its entirety in this new show, reconstructed by guest artist, world renowned jazz trumpeter Charles Tolliver, with featured artists: Charles Tolliver, Charles Hamilton, and Karlton Hester. Saturday, Dec. 4, 7:30pm. UCSC Theater Arts Mainstage Theater, Meyer Dr. & McHenry Road, Santa Cruz.

WESTSIDE MARKETPLACE HOLIDAY EDITION It’s our last weekend at the Wrigley for 2021! Bring your holiday list and shop amongst the one-of-a-kind creations from our 40+ artists and makers—all while getting your food truck fix on. Michael Gaither & Friends perform live from 1-4pm. Free admission, easy parking, friendly leashed pups are welcome. For the full list of vendors and more details visit scmmakersmarket.com or foodtrucksagogo.com. Sunday, Dec. 5, 11am-5pm. The Old Wrigley Building, 2801 Mission St., Santa Cruz.

WHEN WE PAINT OUR MASTERPIECE: THE ART OF THE GRATEFUL DEAD COMMUNITY Learn how the members of the Grateful Dead and the global Deadhead community took inspiration from one another in creating an image-rich, worldwide art practice that, like the band’s music, scrambled perceived standards and norms. The creative works presented in When We Paint Our Masterpiece reveal a world full of variety when it comes to design practices, international traditions, visual icons, and vernacular art forms. There has been space for all of these patterns and visions in the community of fans and fellow artists that blossomed around the band, and that community of creators continues to thrive today. This exhibit explores the mutual appreciation among fans as well as between fans and the band. Free. McHenry Library, UCSC, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz. Through December 22, 2022.

COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY PILATES MAT CLASS Come build strength with us. This very popular in-person community Pilates Mat Class in the big auditorium at Temple Beth El in Aptos is in session once again. Please bring your own mat, small Pilates ball and theraband if you have one. You must be vaccinated for this indoor class. Suggested donation of $10/class. Thursday, Dec. 2, 10am. Tuesday, Dec. 7, 10am. Temple Beth El, 3055 Porter Gulch Road, Aptos.

CUÉNTAME UN CUENTO Join us for Spanish storytime, activities, and music! This program is best suited for kids ages 0-8 and their families. Storytime takes place on Wednesday at 4:30pm. We will meet on the outside porch. Storytime will take place at Capitola during Live Oak’s construction period. In the event of bad weather, storytime will be cancelled. Wednesday, Dec. 1, 4:30pm. Capitola Library A Santa Cruz City County Public Library Branch, 2005 Wharf Road, Capitola.

FARLEY’S CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND From Saturday, November 27 to Friday, December 31 (except when it’s raining), Farley’s Christmas Wonderland will be open. A walk-in Christmas display located in the midtown of Santa Cruz, this exhibit is very traditional: lots of Christmas trees, garlands, sleighs, an elf village, a miniature village, and a log cabin that Santa uses for his rest stops. There is also a fairy grotto with two waterfalls and fairies that can be viewed on special nights. Also, on those special nights, it even snows! Donations are welcome. 108 Seaview Ave., Santa Cruz. farleys-christmas-wonderland.com.

HOLIDAY LIGHTS TRAIN A seasonal tradition returns to Santa Cruz with the Santa Cruz Holiday Lights Train. Vintage excursion cars, adorned with thousands of colorful lights, roll through city streets past homes of Santa Cruz. First-class private coach cars can also be reserved for groups up to 50 people. Availability is limited so book in advance. Roaring Camp Railroads, 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton. Runs through Dec. 23. Schedule and tickets at roaringcamp.com.

HOLIDAY LIGHTS 2021 The Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Foundation and the Agricultural History Project presents Holiday Lights 2021 at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Holiday Lights is a half-mile drive-through experience at the fairgrounds of spectacular lighted holiday displays. See giant Christmas trees twinkling with lights, Santa, reindeer, snowmen, lighted tunnels and more. New this year are two evenings of walk-through holiday lights on Friday, Dec. 3 and Saturday, Dec. 4 in conjunction with the Heritage Holiday Craft and Gift Fair. Tickets will only be available at the gate for these two evenings, and ticket gets you admission to Holiday Fair Shopping, too. For drive-through tickets (Thursday, Friday, Sunday), go eventbrite.com/e/holiday-lights-tickets.

GREY BEARS BROWN BAG LINE Grey Bears are looking for help with their brown bag production line on Thursday and Friday mornings. Volunteers will receive breakfast and a bag of food if wanted. Be at the warehouse with a mask and gloves at 7am. Call ahead for more information: 831-479-1055, greybears.org. Thursday, Dec. 2, 7am. California Grey Bears, 2710 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz.

HOPI, NAVAJO, AND APACHE COMMUNITIES Curtis Reliford and the Peace trailer will be open to receive gifts for the Hopi, Navajo, and Apache communities in Arizona and New Mexico.

Here are the items on the wish-lists: warm jackets, boots, pants in large sizes (especially mens), new toys, new underwear, roll(s) of black roofing “paper” for flat roofs, vinyl windows, hammers, nails, shovels, rakes, hand tools of all kinds. Help Curtis bring an abundant, merry Christmas to our sisters and brothers in the Southwest. Money for gas is also appreciated. Saturday, Dec. 4, 9am-noon. Peace United Church of Christ, Santa Cruz, 900 High St., Santa Cruz.

KNITTING AT THE FELTON LIBRARY Join us every Monday afternoon at the Felton Branch for a knitting party. All you need to do is bring some yarn and knitting needles. All ages are welcome. Monday, Dec. 6, 12:30pm. Felton Branch Library, 6121 Gushee St., Felton.

LA SELVA BEACH PRESCHOOL STORYTIME Join us for a fun interactive storytime. We’ll read books, sing songs and use rhythm and movement. This event is suitable for children ages 3-6 years. There will be an arts and crafts project to take home. This event will be held outside on the back patio. Please bring something to sit on and dress for the weather. Masks will be required. Repeats weekly. Tuesday, Dec. 7, 11am. La Selva Beach Branch Library, 316 Estrella Ave., La Selva Beach.

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME IN THE SECRET GARDEN Join us in the Secret Garden in Abbott Square at the MAH for storytime! We’ll share stories, songs and rhymes in a safe environment! This 30-40 minute program is intended for children aged 2-6. Do it yourself craft kits will be provided every week. Every other week we will feature STEM-related stories and concepts. Tuesday, Dec. 7, 11am. Abbott Square, 118 Cooper St., Santa Cruz.

R.E.A.D.: REACH EVERY AMAZING DETAIL CAPITOLA R.E.A.D. is one-on-one reading comprehension instruction for readers second-12th grade. Instructors are California credentialed teachers. Sessions are 25 minutes long. By appointment only. Contact SCPL Telephone Information if you have any questions: 831-427-7713. Wednesday, Dec. 1, 3pm. Capitola Library A Santa Cruz City County Public Library Branch, 2005 Wharf Road, Capitola.

R.E.A.D.: REACH EVERY AMAZING DETAIL @ DOWNTOWN R.E.A.D. is one-on-one reading comprehension instruction for readers second-12th grade. Instructors are California credentialed teachers. Sessions are 25 minutes long. By appointment only. Contact SCPL Telephone Information if you have any questions: 831-427-7713. Thursday, Dec. 2, 3pm. Santa Cruz Public Libraries, 240 Church St., Santa Cruz.

R.E.A.D.: REACH EVERY AMAZING DETAIL @ LA SELVA BEACH R.E.A.D. is one-on-one reading comprehension instruction for readers second-12th grade. Instructors are California credentialed teachers. Sessions are 25 minutes long. By appointment only. Contact SCPL Telephone Information if you have any questions: 831-427-7713. Wednesday, Dec. 1, 3pm. La Selva Beach Branch Library, 316 Estrella Ave., La Selva Beach.

SPEAK FOR CHANGE WITH SARAH CRUSE & THOMAS SAGE PEDERSEN Sarah Cruse joins Thomas Sage Pedersen for the next Speak for Change Podcast live show, exploring emergence: the process of coming into view or becoming exposed after being concealed. Sarah will begin with a performance exploring the sound of emergence, by improvising and exploring the energy of the room to create a moment of reflection for people in the space. They will explore what emergence feels like in our personal, communal, and political lives. This will also be the celebration of Thomas’s 30th birthday! So come celebrate Thomas’s birthday by exploring emergence and celebrating his new journey into a whole new decade! Proof of vaccination is required for all attendees. Please bring a CDC vaccination card, a photo of a card, or a California SMART Health QR code. All attendees must be masked while inside the space. For more information visit indexical.org. Tuesday, Dec. 7, 7pm. Indexical, 1050 River St. #119, Santa Cruz.

THE SUSTAIN AUCTION: A FIRST FRIDAY RECEPTION AND HOLIDAY FUNDRAISER The Homeless Garden Project (HGP) announces its Sustain Auction: a First Friday Holiday Reception and Fundraiser in support of HGP’s proven transitional employment program. Featuring wine and delicious bites from the Soif Restaurant, each entry ticket will feature a stocking stuffer gift bag of organic products, along with a live auction and an entertaining program featuring local luminaries including City of Santa Cruz Mayor, Donna Meyers and incoming City of Santa Cruz Mayor, Sonja Brunner (invited). Executive Director, Darrie Ganzhorn, says the event “puts a unique spin on HGP’s traditional First Friday holiday fundraiser. Sustain invites us to gather safely in person and celebrate the success of our trainees, as we raise funds to grow our program and operation at a critical time.” HGP’s 2021 live auction features fantastic experiential offerings, including a weeklong stay in Galway, Ireland, a sail on the San Francisco Bay, a private flight to Napa’s wine country, a stay at Yosemite, and more. Event tickets are $100 per person. Covid protocols require proof of vaccination and identification or a negative PCR test within 48 hours and indoor masking. Friday, Dec. 3, 6-8pm. Resource Center For Nonviolence, 612 Ocean St., Santa Cruz.

GROUPS

ENTRE NOSOTRAS GRUPO DE APOYO Entre Nosotras support group for Spanish speaking women with a cancer diagnosis. Meets twice monthly. Registration required, please call Entre Nosotras 831-761-3973. Friday, Dec. 3, 6pm. WomenCARE, 2901 Park Ave., Suite A1, Soquel.

FAMILY SANGHA MONTHLY MEDITATION Come help create a family meditation cooperative community! Parents will meet in the main room for about 40 minutes of silent meditation, followed by 10-15 minutes of discussion about life and mindful parenting. Kids will be in a separate volunteer-led room, playing and exploring mindfulness through games and stories. Parents may need to help with the kids for a portion of the hour, depending on volunteer turnout. All ages of children are welcome. Please bring toys to share. Quiet babies are welcome in the parents’ room. Donations are encouraged; there is no fee for the event. Sunday, Dec. 5, 10:30am-noon. Insight Santa Cruz, 740 Front St. #240, Santa Cruz.

S+LAA MENS’ MEETING Having trouble with compulsive sexual or emotional behavior? Recovery is possible. Our small 12-step group meets Saturday evenings. Enter through the front entrance, go straight down the hallway to the last door on the right. Thursday, Dec. 2, 6pm. Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center, 2900 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz.

WOMENCARE ARM-IN-ARM WomenCARE Arm-in-Arm Cancer support group for women with advanced, recurrent, or metastatic cancer. Meets every Monday, currently on Zoom. Registration is required, call WomenCARE at 831-457-2273. All services are free. For more information visit womencaresantacruz.org. Monday, Dec. 6, 12:30pm. WomenCARE, 2901 Park Ave., Suite A1, Soquel.

WOMENCARE MEDITATION GROUP WomenCARE’s meditation group for women with a cancer diagnosis meets the first and third Friday from 11am-noon. For more information and location please call 831-457-2273. Monday, Dec. 6, 11am-noon.

WOMENCARE TUESDAY SUPPORT GROUP WomenCARE Tuesday Cancer support group for women newly diagnosed and through their treatment. Meets every Tuesday currently on Zoom. Registration required, call WomenCARE 831-457-2273. Tuesday, Dec. 7, 12:30-2pm.

WOMENCARE: LAUGHTER YOGA Laughter yoga for women with a cancer diagnosis. Meets every Wednesday, currently via Zoom. Registration is required, please call WomenCARE at 831-457-2273. Wednesday, Dec. 1, 3:30-4:30pm.

OUTDOOR

FREE TUESDAY AT UCSC ARBORETUM Community Day at the UCSC Arboretum, free admission on the first Tuesday of every month. Come explore the biodiversity of our gardens, great birdwatching or simply come relax on a bench in the shade. Tuesday, Dec. 7, 9am. UCSC Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz.

HISTORIC RANCH GROUND TOUR Discover what life was like a century ago on this innovative dairy ranch. This hour-long tour includes the 1896 water-powered machine shop, barns and other historic buildings. The vehicle day-use fee is $10. For more information, call 831-426-0505. Spaces are limited and early pre-registration is recommended. Attendees are required to self-screen for Covid-19 symptoms when pre-registering. Masks and social distancing are also required at all programs. Saturday, Dec. 4, 1-2pm. Sunday, Dec. 5, 1-2pm. Wilder Ranch State Park, 1401 Coast Road, Santa Cruz.

After Announcing Retirement, Oliver Tree Plays Santa Cruz

Mat Weir

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December 1, 2021

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After Announcing Retirement, Oliver Tree Plays Santa Cruz

When it comes to Santa Cruz musicians, there’s nobody like Oliver Tree.

At 28, he’s played massive festivals like Outside Lands and Coachella. He’s performed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Late Late Show with James Corden. He’s written and directed his own music videos, as well as videos for other artists, like hip hop musician Lil’ Yachty. Tree’s video for his song “Hurt” currently holds the number 34 spot in the top 100 most expensive music videos ever created; he tricked his label into making, as seen in the behind-the-scenes documentary on YouTube. He has a following of over 10 million on TikTok, and 20.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Plus, he holds the Guinness record for the world’s largest scooter kick.

His songs have permeated the consumer world through commercials and video games, and his single, “Life Goes On” is a certified platinum hit, inspiring memes and fan art around the world.

“They were even playing it on the radio in Morocco,” he recalls of a recent trip to the Middle East. “It’s amazing that it’s transcended on such a global scale.”

So where does Santa Cruz’s biggest pop anti-star go from here? Back home for a benefit concert, of course.

In collaboration with Carmel’s 101.7FM The Beach, Tree returns to the Rio Theatre on Friday, Dec. 3 for a surprise show in his hometown.

“Hopefully it inspires a lot of kids who are artists themselves,” he tells GT. “There’s such an absurd amount of creativity in Santa Cruz, and I hope to be an example of taking it to the next level and making an impact.”

If there’s one thing Tree knows how to do, it’s make an impact. And he does it in unexpected ways—for example, this show will be free. He is renting out the room himself and fans will be able to attend on a first-come, first-served basis. Because of this, he admits it won’t be a normal Oliver Tree show, since he won’t have all the components usually at his disposal. However, that just means his message has to hit even harder.

“Anyone can do this, it’s just a matter of getting your hands dirty and dedicating your life to the craft,” he says.

Even though he now lives in Los Angeles, Tree’s roots run deep at home. His band consists of longtime friends and collaborators Casey Mattson on keys and Amir Oosman on drums, both ex-Santa Cruzans themselves. Along with Southern California artist Contradash on the bill, Tree enlisted opening local acts Ray “Marcellous” George and Shelf Nunny, a Santa Cruz native who is now an Seattle-based electronic artist and was a prominent collaborator in Tree’s early high school and college projects.

If that’s not enough local love, attendees are encouraged to make a monetary donation—with proceeds going to the Homeless Garden Project—or to bring canned food, which will go to Second Harvest Food Bank.

It seems Tree is going out with a bang after his recent announcement he will be retiring from music.

“My new album I’m making—this country album, Cowboy Tears—will be my last album ever,” he says. “But in a lot of ways, it will be my first, because [2020’s] Ugly is Beautiful was selected works of music made over the course of five years.”

The news sent shockwaves through his fan base, with the internet speculating it to be some sort of publicity stunt—a valid theory, as Tree has made a career out of satirizing current pop culture through YouTube, TikTok and a plethora of memes. Even his signature style—large JNCO jeans, a pink and blue windbreaker jacket and bowl-cut hair—was an “ugly is beautiful” statement on celebrity that he carefully curated for memeing. He’s recently changed up the bowl cut for a long, bleach-blonde mullet in line with his country theme.

Ahead of his possibly final album, Tree plans on one final world tour, first hitting the U.S. at the beginning of 2022 and then touring South America in an attempt to visit all seven continents before the age of 29. There are even plans for a possible Antarctic show in the works.

After that, he plans to continue writing scripts and focusing on film through his production company, Alien Boy Films, which he started during the 2020 quarantine.

“I’ve been focused on trying to segway into film, that’s the next big goal for me,” he says. “We film way more than we can edit. So right now we’re focusing on filling out our roster of editors so some of these things that are four or five years old can see the light of day.”

Oliver Tree will play at 7pm (doors 5:30) on Friday, Dec. 3, at the Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. Free; seating is first-come, first-served. (831) 423-8209.

Letter to the Editor: Lyrical Praise

Letters to the Editor

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December 1, 2021

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Re: “Deep Cuts” (GT, 11/24): Your recent article on the history of the Santa Cruz hip-hop scene left out a major member of the local hip-hop community today: Lyrical I, aka Isaac Collins. Isaac is a local institution, both as a rapper and as a hip-hop activist. His presence on Pacific Avenue is unmissable, and he is constantly in the community representing hip-hop. Ask any Santa Cruz MC and they will tell you that he is at every show, spitting lyrics at every opportunity, and keeping the scene alive. Lyrical I needs to be mentioned in any piece recognizing the Santa Cruz hip-hop scene.

Ghost Hour, Eliquate, Khan, Mesha L, Spc-Cdt

After publishing last week’s story, we received many emails asking “Why wasn’t [one particular artist] included?” The simple answer is that as with any scene, there are far more artists of importance in the Santa Cruz hip-hop scene than we had room to fit into one story. I encourage readers to keep sending in their tributes to those we left out, and we’ll run them as we can. — Editor]

This letter does 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*****@go*******.sc.

Letter to the Editor: Unsafe Streets

Letters to the Editor

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December 1, 2021

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Re: “Biketober Returns for Another ‘Spokey’ Season” (GT Online, 10/4): I have been a bike commuter for the dozen plus years that I have lived and worked in Santa Cruz. I have always expressed what a bike friendly city this is, and I have felt grateful for the cars who recognize the rights of cyclists and watch out for their safety on our streets.

I am a defensive rider, who wears a bright-colored, reflective, safety vest and helmet. Lately I have noticed a rise in the number of drivers who are not looking out for bicycles. I have slowed or come to complete stops while drivers who didn’t even see me turned or proceeded right in front of me without even looking.

Still, twice this week I have been nearly hit by vehicles. I slammed on my brakes within inches of the drivers who hit the gas while I was fully into and nearly through intersections. These close calls have turned what should have been a celebration of biking this Biketober into a period of questioning whether it has become too dangerous.

I don’t know who needs to hear this: People that didn’t commute for a year while working at home during the pandemic and are driving to work again? Students who have come to attend UCSC from cities with fewer bicyclists? Whoever you are, please take the extra time to look both ways and check to see if a bicycle might be approaching.

Veronica Daley Zaleha

Santa Cruz

This letter does 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*****@go*******.sc.

Opinion: All Kinds of Positive Growth

GT Staff

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December 1, 2021

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EDITOR’S NOTE

You will find trees everywhere in this issue, from the cover to Mat Weir’s story about breakout Santa Cruz musician Oliver Tree. The latter was a complete coincidence, I swear, but it does lend some pleasing thematic symmetry to this issue. Especially when right between them is Erin Malsbury’s cover story about the recovery of Big Basin State Park, and the surprising ways it is making officials rethink the very nature of how we as big, clumsy, impact-leaving humans interact with forests. I love a lot of things about this story—it’s a scientific look at how forests recover from fire, as well as a history lesson, and an intellectually curious consideration of how we should be stewarding our most treasured natural resources—but I think my favorite is how it starts. It’s just Erin and a State Parks environmental scientist all alone in the still-closed legendary park, having an experience of humbled wonder at what surrounds them, even as they’re considering how the future of those surroundings should be managed.

Here at GT, we’ve been humbled by your response to our Santa Cruz Gives campaign. When I recorded a video update on the campaign on Monday (you can find my weekly videos by going to the Santa Cruz Gives Facebook page or @scruzgives on Twitter.), I mentioned that in two weeks, Gives had raised $627,000 for our 80 participating nonprofits. Well, as I write this one day later, we’ve jumped to $641,000. By the time you read this, I hope we’ll have passed the $650,000 mark. So go to santacruzgives.org and be a part of this! I’ll also be talking about the Gives campaign on the Cruz, News and Views show on KSQD on Wednesday from 3-4pm. It’s a great show that covers a lot of local issues and reporters’ top stories every week. Tune in!

STEVE PALOPOLI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Read the latest letters to the editor here.

RE: HIP-HOP

The Serendipity Project was not mentioned hmmm … We toured the entire country and Canada with Del the Funky Homosapien and Hiero for over 5 years in the 2000s. We also were some of the first to throw shows and pay to bring acts in, like KRS-One at Moe’s and Shock G at the Cat, members of Pharcyde and Jurassic 5, Souls of Mischief etc. etc. We did a lot. In fact, the reason you can’t post fliers on poles in Santa Cruz is because of us. We did so much promotion for shows they made it illegal to post on telephone poles. Also started rap battles at the Catalyst and super early on did hip-hop nights at the Med. Don’t know how you missed that! I played bass for the band and still love and play hip-hop. Been into playing upright bass and trying to get some acoustic hip-hop cyphers back on the corner. Peace.

— Finn Stobbe

GOOD IDEA

FAIR ENOUGH

With local businesses still recovering from the effects of the pandemic, the Shop Santa Cruz campaign is in full force to encourage holiday shoppers and diners to support local businesses this holiday season. Some events to look forward to include the one and only jolly Santa Claus coming into town, and a Downtown Holiday Fair this Saturday. The fair will include hot cocoa by the fire, free kids games, Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History family crafts, a Downtown Maker’s Holiday Pop-Up and more. Let the festivities begin!

GOOD WORK

TAKING DIRECTION

Mónica Morales, a Watsonville native, will be Santa Cruz County’s new health director. Morales currently works with programs that address chronic disease prevention, suicide prevention and addiction for the Center for Healthy Communities for the California Department of Public Health. As health director, she promises to make public health policies that are first and foremost equitable.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Our forests offer much more than just beautiful landscapes and wildlife. Each one has a different story to tell.”
-Raveena Tandon

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