Without getting into their specifics, a couple of thoughts regarding 2021. The saddest personal moment of the year directly led to my most uplifting and grace-laden moment, four months later. The most challenging and frustrating endeavor of the year morphed over five months into a project I’m more proud of than any other one of mine, ever.
So, with a humbled and heavy—but also strengthened and renewed—heart and soul, I say adios (“goodbye” and “to God”) to 2021 and here’s to a brighter 2022.
“And now abide faith, hope and charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity” (or “love” or “kindness”—whichever word works for you). At their core, all three seem to espouse basically the same sorely needed sentiment for this troubled—but also potentially positive and transformative—time that we’re in.
Russ Lake
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 Please include your name and email address to help us verify your submission (email address will not be published).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*****@*******es.sc.
Before I get into anything else, let me start this year by saying a huge thank you for helping us raise over a million dollars in our Santa Cruz Gives holiday drive. A million! Actually, $1,068,588.86 by last official tally, though there may be some straggler checks that have yet to be counted. We’ll have the official final numbers, along with a wrap-up of the campaign, in the next issue, but for now, just … wow. Everyone here has been completely blown away yet again by the generosity of our readers. At a time when there’s so much uncertainty and anxiety out there, you’ve done something that will positively affect thousands of lives in Santa Cruz County. I’ll be talking more about the results of the campaign, and some of the lessons we learned this year, on KSQD’s Cruz News and Views on Wednesday from 3-4pm.
Now, onto our first issue of 2022. As many of you will remember, we always start the year with a cover story from the graduate students of the UCSC Science Communication Program. It’s one of the top programs for science journalists in the country, and we love collaborating with them. Every year we pick a different set of topics for the students to research, and this year, as part of the never-ending effort to battle back the bad science floating around our culture, they’re tackling some of pseudoscience’s greatest hits. I think what’s remarkable about these pieces is that in the span of just a couple of hundred words each, they often go much deeper than you’d expect, into the question of why certain beliefs endure. Thanks so much to our guest science writers, to Erika Check Hayden, director of the SciCom program, and Rob Irion, the program advisor and former director who started this tradition with us and continues to work closely with his students on each piece.
EHT supporters provide completely unsupportable statistics to rationalize a bumper-sticker policy, particularly their flatly false assertion that there is a 9.5% vacancy rate in Santa Cruz. The U.S. Census ACS clearly states that the homeowner vacancy rate is one-half of one percent in the entire county, so the rate within the city will be even less. Accordingly, this initiative will raise no money for affordable housing, and will end up costing the city money.
EHT supporters’ real goal is to create a shadow City Council with a revenue stream to enact policies that they cannot pass through the normal course of city government. To do so, they are utilizing the same “evil rich” tropes that we were all treated to during the Measure M/rent-control debacle, this time focusing on an even narrower demographic they portray as some kind of bogey-person, in order to get people that don’t know any better to vote against their own interests. Don’t forget, it is brought to you by the same group of activists that advocated the elimination of all private property rights by 2050 during that campaign. Don’t sign the petitions, or if you want to rescind your signature, contact the elections department.
— John McKelvey
Re: Jury Room Retirement
Awww farewell, Marv! I wish I could be there! Definitely the most dapper bartender in SC.
— Colleen Carey
PHOTO CONTEST WINNER
Submit to ph****@*******es.sc. Include information (location, etc.) and your name. Photos may be cropped. Preferably, photos should be 4 inches by 4 inches and minimum 250dpi.
GOOD IDEA
BARK YOUR CALENDAR
Last week we wrote to you about the $22 rabbit adoption special at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter, and this week we bring you: the $50 dog adoption special! The shelter is overloaded with well-trained, social dogs who want to be your best friend. Shelter animals are already a bargain, since their fees include spay/neuter, microchip, vaccinations and a free pet wellness exam. The special applies to all dogs over 50lbs, and goes through Valentine’s Day. Learn more at scanimalshelter.org.
GOOD WORK
TEST PATTERNS
With Omicron spreading and the holidays coming to an end, it feels like everyone knows someone who was exposed to Covid-19, and tests are in high demand. So to keep up with testing demand, Santa Cruz County will expand testing hours at select locations. Mobile testing facilities in Depot Park, Ramsay Park, the Felton Library and more will be ramping up their testing hours and available appointments. For a list of local testing sites, go to santacruzhealth.org/coronavirus and click “Get Tested.” Stay healthy!
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“There’s a difference between an open mind and an empty head.”
Each year, the graduate students of UCSC’s Science Communication Program research a different topic for the first GT issue of the new year. This year, with so much abuse and misuse of science floating around, especially on social media, we decided to take on the topic of pseudoscience. It’s a wildly varied list of subjects, and whether they’re fun and seemingly harmless, have implications for believers’ pocketbooks, or are the basis for sinister conspiracy theories, it’s edifying to know their scientific basis—or lack of one—and to consider why their popularity has endured.
Brain supplements
Mental exercise? There’s no supplement to replace keeping your brain healthy and active. Despite this, many health supplement labels claim to ward off dementia and other neurological decline. Their marketing drives global annual revenues of $8 billion.
We all want super-powered brains—or at least limitless memories. It’s personal for me: Ten years ago, I had a brain hemorrhage. I feared future damage and wanted to boost my chances to recover, so I foraged my way through the supplement aisle.
Today, I worry that my injury makes me more likely to get dementia later in life. In a quest to decide whether to take more supplements, I reached out to neurologist Joanna Hellmuth of UC San Francisco’s Memory and Aging Center.
“There really isn’t evidence to suggest that any particular vitamin or supplement can help improve or reverse cognitive changes,” says Hellmuth.
Unlike medications, supplements aren’t strictly regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As a result, labels often make extraordinary claims like “clinically proven” or “studies show.” Companies also are protected by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, which forbids the FDA from asking for supporting data.
“Our brains and our minds are very personal,” Hellmuth says. “We want to do what we can to protect them.” But the government lacks power to pursue bad supplement actors. So while your purchases probably are harmless, some might pose risks—such as hemorrhagic stroke from excessive vitamin E.
Proper sleep, a healthy blood pressure and mental and physical activity are better for the brain, neurologists agree. General health supplements such as fish oil, vitamin D and caffeine have shown positive impacts as well.
People considering supplements should consult their doctor. But drug store browsers should be aware: There’s no research to back the bright claims of neurodegenerative supplement manufacturers. There are plenty of free and safe things you can do to boost your brain—and, at the same time, your body.
—Emily Moskal
Jet contrails form when warm water vapor produced during jet fuel combustion meets cold atmospheric air. PHOTO: ZACK SAVITSKY
Chemtrails
Wispy trails of clouds laced across blue skies track the familiar paths of passing jets. Known as condensation trails, or “contrails,” they’re the aviation equivalent of visible plumes of steamy breath exhaled on a cold morning.
But many people believe they are something far more nefarious: “chemtrails,” contrails filled with chemicals intended to control the weather or the humans below. This conspiracy theory has spiraled into a kaleidoscope of Machiavellian government plots. Surveys show 40% of Americans believe these conjectures to some degree.
Proponents point to contrails lingering for hours as evidence of their unnatural makeup. However, contrails either vanish quickly or paint the sky with persistent stripes depending on atmospheric conditions alone: temperature, humidity and winds.
“There is no validity from a scientific perspective,” says veteran Bay Area meteorologist Jan Null.
Contrail science is simple, Null says. Warm water vapor produced during jet fuel combustion meets cold atmospheric air, creating strings of ice crystals that behave like high-altitude cirrus clouds.
“If the plane is going through an area of high pressure, [they] will linger,” says Null. High pressure leads to low winds and clear skies, he adds, making contrails stand out in the sky.
Chemtrail anxieties first arose in the 1990s from reports that the U.S. military had explored weather manipulation in combat zones. Seeding clouds to induce rainfall also aroused suspicions, but this method uses harmless chemicals like dry ice and silver iodide.
Recently, researchers have studied ways to reduce global warming by reflecting sunlight via materials dispersed in the atmosphere. This “geoengineering” science is legitimate, but still theoretical—with no connection to contrails.
In 2016, 77 qualified experts reviewed claims of chemtrail evidence. Atmospheric chemists scoured contrail photos, while geochemists examined alleged deposits with high levels of heavy metals. Their conclusions: Natural environmental variations and sampling errors explained every example.
Those aren’t chemtrails over the country club; they are the transient, innocuous marks of our constant desire to travel the globe.
—Elyse DeFranco
Cryonics
Floating feet-up, nestled in sleeping bags, chilled in tubs of liquid nitrogen, hundreds of corpses around the world await Frankensteinian reanimation. It sounds like a science fiction plot. And that’s because it is.
The practice, known as cryonics, involves packing the freshly deceased on ice, replacing their blood with antifreeze and preserving their bodies. The hope: One day, advances in medical technology will “enable full restoration to life and health,” according to the webpage of Trans Time, a cryonics facility in San Leandro—one of only a handful on the planet.
But there’s one small problem with this life insurance policy for dead people: It doesn’t work. Oh, and it costs around $150,000.
When scientists freeze biological samples, ice crystals take over. The crystals stab, dehydrate and over-concentrate cells. Cryobiologists often add chemicals to keep the cold water in a glassy hybrid state. This “vitrification” process safely preserves eggs when prospective mothers have their ovaries removed, for example. On this small scale, the technique works.
But if we can freeze and revive pre-humans, why can’t we do it for post-humans?
“The biggest limitation is that you have to get it to cool down very rapidly,” says Kimball Pomeroy, scientific director at the World Egg and Sperm Bank in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Objects freeze and thaw from the outside-in—think of the icy core of your warming chicken breast. To protect tissues, cells must all freeze together. But that’s a problem for larger samples. For dense, complex structures like the brain, there’s no way to freeze everything quickly enough to keep cells alive and slowly enough to prevent permanent damage.
Cryonics practitioners acknowledge this dilemma, but they sell false hopes that scientists of the future will work it all out.
“There’s no recovering from damaged tissues once the cells have been lysed by ice crystals or poisoned by chemicals,” Pomeroy says. “It’s wishful thinking; it’s not science. It’s taking advantage of humans who have a desire not to die.”
—Zack Savitsky
Crystal healing has become a billion-dollar industry. PHOTO: BRIAN PHAN
Crystal Healing
As long as humans have been alive, crystals and gems have enchanted people. We collect them for jewelry and art—or, for some believers, for their possible healing properties.
This billion-dollar industry has grown in popularity since the cosmic 1960s. Crystal healing now intrudes on everyday life, from celebrity social media to your grandma’s shelves.
Crystal followers believe a positive energy from these minerals flows to your body, displacing any negative energy. Healers place carefully chosen crystals on your skin to absorb negative energy and rebalance your life—as their promotional materials claim.
However, practitioners and marketers assign different healing properties to the same crystals and gems. It’s all quite confusing. Some sellers say the best healing crystals are the ones that call out to you, and that bigger is always better.
But is there any science to this? When crystal healers talk about energy, it’s not the same energy that UCSC geophysicist Elise Knittle thinks about. “They don’t mean the same thing we mean, in a physics sense,” says Knittle, who has studied Earth’s minerals for her entire career.
Crystals are subjected to myriad forces and energy. “I throw the crystal at you. It’s got kinetic energy,” Knittle says. “If I hold the crystal, it has gravitational potential energy. But crystal healers think about energy more like an ancient spiritual practice. And that’s fine. But those are two different things. There’s really no link between them.”
Instead, Knittle pinpoints the psychological side: Crystal healing is calming. “It’s like meditation,” she says. “That does help, if you’re feeling anxious. I think it has a very strong placebo effect.”
Indeed, studies have shown that crystal healing induces a placebo effect in many people. But there is no evidence crystals “heal” the mind or the body in a medical way. Despite the faith you might place in these rocks, please seek professional help if you are struggling with mental health or a life-threatening disease.
—Brian Phan
Cryptozoology
Grab your crappiest camera and your sense of whimsy—we’re going Bigfoot hunting. A hairy human-esque creature, Bigfoot purportedly strides through North American forests on two legs and tantalizes cryptozoologists everywhere.
Cryptozoology is a subculture that seeks convincing signs of cryptids—creatures of lore whose existence has never been proven. While Bigfoots and their globe-spanning cousins like the Yeti are iconic, many regions harbor similar tales. Couldn’t our serious world use a few clairvoyant mothpeople, mislaid plesiosaurs or antlered bunnies?
These creatures wouldn’t be cryptids if we had reproducible evidence that they live outside of people’s hopes. Despite the ubiquity of smartphones and trail cameras, no one has captured a high- or even regular-quality photo of Bigfoot. Nor have they identified its remains, fossils or hairs.
But this doesn’t stop followers from searching. A wall-spanning map in the Bigfoot Discovery Museum in Felton tracks alleged Bigfoot encounters. About two dozen pins perforate the Santa Cruz Mountains. The museum displays videos, plaster footprints and ephemera to inform guests about bestial reports and to bolster local investigations.
Adrienne Zihlman, a celebrated primatologist and professor emerita of anthropology at UC Santa Cruz, says good scientists should fairly assess new evidence that challenges their understanding of the world. The problem is how seldom new Bigfoot evidence arises. “I’d be happy with the skeleton,” Zihlman says. “To understand it more, you’d need a live one or the whole body.” Instead, she’s seen the same grainy photos for decades.
Other claims haven’t stood up to scrutiny. In 2012, a group of cryptozoologists analyzed hair from a Texan “Bigfoot” with genetic tests. Mainstream scientists rejected their findings. So did other cryptozoologists, who showed the hairs came from a bear, a human and a dog.
Unlike other pseudosciences, cryptozoology tends to capture hearts rather than wallets. A handful of low-quality photos and some dog hairs don’t cut it for science, but keep an eye out for Bigfoot if it brings you joy.
—Graycen Wheeler
DOWSING
Perhaps you’ve seen them walking across the fields, clasping a rod or two, seeking signs of hidden water: the dowsers.
Dowsing, also known as water witching, is a form of divination that goes back thousands of years. Dowsers walk with one Y-shaped or two L-shaped sticks, scanning the ground until the sticks turn downward or cross over each other. These twitches unveil the whereabouts of underground water, the stick handlers say, claiming they have a kind of sixth sense or that their hands transmit external forces like the sliding piece on a ouija board.
Dowsers are in high demand in California, especially during droughts. They charge about $1,000 to scout lands and suggest where to dig new wells. The West Coast Dowsers even held their annual conference in Santa Cruz back in 2012.
But despite dowsing’s popularity, you’re as likely to find water by hovering sticks above the ground as you are by random chance, says Andy Fisher, a UCSC hydrologist who studies groundwater recovery.
“There are no scientific studies that support the use of dowsing,” says Fisher.
Groundwater, which dowsers claim they can detect through 50 feet of earth or more, seeps through underground formations known as aquifers. The search for groundwater during droughts has driven desperate landowners to drill deeper into depleted aquifers in a never-ending race to the bottom.
These landowners recruit dowsers who claim they can find water by feeling heat, a chilling sensation, or changes in the energy surrounding their bodies that cause their hands to quiver involuntarily and move their rods. Dowsers may be cheaper to hire than geologists or prospectors, but their services amount to paying a grand for gut feelings.
Fisher sticks to known science. He is involved in engineering projects that aim to replenish the region’s groundwater supply with excess surface water. If such efforts fail, soon there will be little groundwater to find—using dowsing rods or otherwise.
— Guananí Gómez-Van Cortright
Evergreen Cemetery is a favorite ghost-hunter spot in Santa Cruz. PHOTO: BRITTNEY J. MILLER
Ghost Hunting
Moisture clings to the headstones in Santa Cruz’s Evergreen Cemetery. Something moves in your peripheral vision; your body stiffens. Fog and fear hang in the air as you wonder whether a long-gone resident is rising once again.
This site appears perfect for the kinds of ghost investigations that make the Bay Area a hotspot for ghost hunting. But be aware: This is a $100 million tourism industry, says Dallas psychologist James Houran. During his 25 years of studying paranormal claims, Houran has uncovered the recipe behind the lure of commercial ghost hunts.
One ingredient is physical: Dark and dilapidated locations steal the scenery in every scary movie. But the psychological aspect is the most misleading element—especially if you’re prone to believing in ghosts. During your visit to a “haunted” spot, you partake in alleged encounters through your emotions and reactions, Houran says. By helping to “shape the story,” you trigger higher sensitivities to stimuli—leading to interpretations that seem, well, unreal.
Your role may involve another key factor: props. Gadgets featured in ghost tours are essentially toys, Houran says. Gizmos that beep and blink deceive you and conflate entertainment with science. Legitimate environmental psychologists use professional gear to measure variables like electromagnetic fields, temperature and air quality—not to prove whether ghosts exist, but to evaluate how these conditions induce “haunted” experiences.
In the end, nearly all ghostly evidence immediately falls apart under scrutiny, Houran says. Mysterious orbs floating through pictures are dust particles reflecting light. Other photos are faked or staged. Houran’s equipment has never spotted anything science can’t explain.
So the next time you stay at our own seemingly supernatural Brookdale Lodge, sleep peacefully. Houran’s research promises no spectral interruptions.
“I would love to meet a paranormal ghost, because I have a lot of questions to ask,” he says. “I have yet to see any evidence that convinces me of what psychology and physics can’t already explain, but I hold out hope.”
—Brittney J. Miller
The number systems of numerology don’t hold up to closer scrutiny. PHOTO: JUDE COLEMAN
Numerology
If numbers could talk, numerologists would be their interpreters. Several sects of numerology exist; their core tenet is that the unique symbology of numbers guides our lives. But do numbers truly carry significant weight? Or are our pattern-driven minds just looking for meaning?
As with astrology, the foundation of numerology utilizes your birthday. Summing the digits allegedly reveals important traits about your character and life path. Practitioners also assign the numbers 1-9 to the alphabet to numerically decode words like your name. They claim any repeating numbers contain valuable messages.
Let’s use Leonardo DiCaprio as an example. Born November 11th, 1974, Leo’s life path formula would be 11 + 11 + 1974 = 1996. Because numerology operates on the numbers one through nine, keep adding until a single digit is reached: 1 + 9 + 9 + 6 = 25; 2 + 5 = 7. Seven supposedly embodies knowledge and a quest for truth.
Maybe that’s why Inception seemed so well cast.
Or maybe it’s just a trick of the mind, says Peter M. Nardi of Pitzer College in Claremont. A Ph.D in sociology and a numerology-naysayer, Nardi explains that people have a tendency to agree with vague, universal descriptions bestowed upon them—a psychological phenomenon known as the Barnum effect. Named after P.T. Barnum, it refers to the tendency to accept information as true, even if it’s so broad it could apply to anyone. It’s the driver behind tarot, horoscopes, and any system that boils down the complexity of personality to a few phrases.
“[Numerology] emphasizes something that’s devoid of social context. It’s not focusing on the reasoning,” says Nardi. Among its flaws: Numerology doesn’t stand up to scientific investigation. It lacks the ability to explain nuances such as name changes, or the arbitrary assignment of numbers to the letters of our language. Nor can anyone prove or vet the random traits attributed to those numbers.
Rather, numerology aligns with beliefs we already hold, or would like to be told. If you plan on using numerology to make a major life choice, do the math: “It’s confirmation bias,” explains Nardi. “People see what they want to see.”
— Jude Coleman
Tarot readings rely on interpretation and personal belief. PHOTO: VIVA LUNA STUDIOS/UNSPLASH
TAROT CARDS
Your past, present and future—it’s all in the cards. Or is it?
Tarot cards are allegedly a divine tool that reveal insights from your life and foretell the future. After thinking of a question, you shuffle 78 intricately illustrated cards and select three face down. With help from a tarot reader or a guidebook, you interpret your cards’ meanings to answer your query.
Some believers read their own cards—or consult an app—to assist with everyday decision-making. Others sink big bucks into psychic tarot reader consultations, then make life-changing decisions based on what they’re told. The cards supposedly channel your spiritual wisdom; they uncover your deepest thoughts and consciousness. At least, that’s the promise.
Tarot believers think they’re “tapping into something more truthful or objective,” says psychology graduate student Spencer Mermelstein of UC Santa Barbara. “It’s not being filtered through a person just telling you something, but this impartial source.” These seemingly unbiased cards help people trust a fated outcome.
However, tarot readings are usually vague. Believers’ tendency to think these sweeping interpretations are personalized is another example of the Barnum Effect at work.
“People are super free to read whatever they want to see in a horoscope or a tarot reading,” Mermelstein says.
Today’s tarot resurgence may stem from the “spiritual but not religious” movement. The cards offer an appealing connection to spirituality outside of organized religion.
Another catalyst is a hunger for answers during tumultuous times. Tarot’s uptick in popularity began in 2017, and experts speculate Donald Trump’s presidency and Brexit played a part. Many tarot readers say their businesses skyrocketed during the pandemic.
However, tarot began as a humble card game in the 15th century. In that spirit, enjoy reading tarot cards, but don’t let them influence your decisions. Remember, it’s all fun and games.
It’s been a little over two weeks since the San Lorenzo River flooded on Dec. 13, forcing people in the Benchlands encampments alongside the banks of the river to move or risk the threat of the rising water.
The flooding received international coverage, landing in The Guardianand sparking intense debate on social media, with some criticizing the city for not taking more precautions ahead of the storm. Elizabeth Smith, the spokesperson for the city of Santa Cruz, says the city alerted people who call the Benchlands home about the storm. But with no room at local shelters, many of the people who agreed to relocate didn’t have a dry place to go, and some people opted to stay with their belongings.
Now, as Coastal Watershed Council Executive Director Greg Pepping looks out his office window that has a clear view of the Benchlands, he says the encampments are cleaner and less populated than they were before the storm—but that’s not saying much.
“I would say that it’s still in a really rough state, and it’s also better than it was,” says Pepping. “There’s trash, and a lot of people’s belongings just left behind.”
Pepping has for more than 12 years worked to protect and transform the San Lorenzo River. When he last spoke to GT, he wondered if the trash that was swept into the river might make the city vulnerable to a lawsuit.
But Thea Tryon, assistant executive officer at the Central Coast Water Board, says a lawsuit is unlikely. Homelessness is a difficult issue, and agencies will try to work with cities to clean up trash and pollutants after an event like this, she writes to GT in an email.
At a press briefing about the flooding, Santa Cruz’s Director of Parks and Recreation Tony Elliot said the work the city does ahead of storms is largely preventative. The focus is to make sure riparian areas and that the levee are free of trash.
Still, Pepping says, there’s a responsibility for the city to ensure that the rivers and ocean stay clear of trash.
“It’s not just about some tree huggers advocating for a water body. There are laws in place and they’re not being followed,” says Pepping.
When the California Citizens Redistricting Commission published a draft Congressional map on Dec. 13 that proposed wide-ranging changes to representation on the Central Coast, dozens throughout the Pajaro and Salinas valleys hurried to denounce the alterations—some even going as far as claiming the 14-member commission was blatantly gerrymandering the region.
Among those protesting the changes were regional business giants, local politicians and everyday people who felt splitting the 20th Congressional District overseen by Jimmy Panetta would, among other things, negatively impact the area’s top industry: agriculture.
A week after the commission solidified its final maps, many still fail to see a silver lining in the massive political shift. Barring an unlikely legal challenge to the new Congressional map, Watsonville, the lone city separated from its Santa Cruz County neighbors, will face an uphill battle in having its voice heard at the federal level, says Santa Cruz County 2nd District Supervisor Zach Friend.
“The new map puts Watsonville on an island,” Friend says. “I’m not sure how you can look at the new maps and make a case that it’s a good thing for that community or the county.”
Making Moves
Every decade following the release of census data, jurisdictions must adjust their district lines to account for possible shifts in population from one area to another. This is done to ensure that all elected districts remain as fairly represented as possible in government and communities of interest—a group of residents with a common set of concerns that may be affected by legislation—are protected. While most cities and counties throughout the state leave the local redistricting process up to their elected leaders, the national and state offices—Congress and State Senate and Assembly—are determined by five Republicans, five Democrats and four people not affiliated with either of those two parties selected to the commission.
According to the new maps, Santa Cruz County will be split among three Assembly districts. Most county residents will be familiar with Mark Stone and Robert Rivas—the former represented much of the county in the 29th District, and the latter oversaw Watsonville in the 30th—but will have to get acquainted with Jordan Cunningham, a Republican who lives in Templeton and oversaw the 35th District.
The new 30th District, which Cunningham will move into, will stretch from Live Oak down the coast into San Luis Obispo County, ending near Pismo Beach. Along with Watsonville, Rivas’ new district, the 29th, will cover Gilroy and the Salinas Valley, and Stone’s new district, the 28th, will continue to oversee North Santa Cruz County, while also welcoming Los Gatos and Morgan Hill.
In the State Senate, not much will change for Santa Cruz County, as Senator John Laird’s 17th District only saw significant alterations to the east—it now includes San Benito County and relinquishes parts of South Santa Clara County.
The local congressional district, however, saw massive upheaval that many throughout the Central Coast say could negatively impact the region. The 20th District was split down the spine of the Salinas Valley, creating a new L-shaped 19th District to the west that starts in the Santa Cruz Mountains, runs down the coast into Northern San Luis Obispo County and curves east to hug the southern border of the new 18th District. That district contains the majority of the Salinas Valley, San Benito County, Watsonville, Gilroy, Morgan Hill and parts of San Jose, including much of the city’s downtown.
These districts take effect with the June primaries and continue for the next decade.
List of Concerns
Friend was one of the first Santa Cruz County politicians to express concern when the final proposed Congressional map was released. The commission pitched the move as a way to create a Latinx majority district that would ultimately benefit communities similar to Watsonville, but Friend, whose 2nd District represents parts of Watsonville and much of the farmland surrounding the county’s southernmost city, strongly disagrees that will be the case.
In a letter to the commission, he argued that splitting Watsonville from the rest of the county would dilute its influence at the federal stage. Friend wrote that he saw parallels between the goals of the new map and the landmark court case Gomez v. the City of Watsonville. Much like that 1988 lawsuit, which found Watsonville’s at-large elections were unconstitutional, the new redistricting map would limit Watsonville’s power to elect a leader of its choosing, Friend wrote.
“This proposal for the new Congressional district brings forth many of the same concerns—diluting Watsonville’s voice on the federal stage and, in particular, diluting the voices of Santa Cruz County farmworkers, non-native speakers and first-generation residents,” he wrote.
A few days after Friend submitted his letter, the Watsonville City Council voted to file a similar objection with the commission. Friend called Watsonville’s stance “unprecedented” because of the fact that the city was strongly against the move despite the commission’s belief that it was in the municipality’s best interest.
“They’re saying that [the move] is in the opposite of our interest and to not have that taken into consideration, that’s tough,” Friend says. “I think it’s going to be a 10-year shift where you’re going to need whoever is in Congressman Panetta’s seat to really be backfilling the needs of the city of Watsonville much more than I would rely on a Silicon Valley representative to do.”
And the needs in Watsonville are many. Along with gathering some $260 million in federal funding for the reconstruction of the Pajaro River levee, the agricultural industry is at a critical junction, says Jess Brown, the executive director for the farm bureaus in Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.
Chief among the litany of issues facing agriculture today, Brown says, is the labor shortage fueled in part by a broken and outdated immigration policy. Immigration reform took a positive step early last year when President Joe Biden introduced the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. But Brown says he wonders how far down immigration reform will fall on Congress’ to-do list now that one of the country’s key agricultural hubs is fighting for federal assistance with big tech in San Jose.
He is also concerned about what that move could mean for Santa Cruz County’s unique agriculture industry. While there are similarities to the agriculture industry in the Salinas Valley, Brown says that Santa Cruz County’s role as a bastion of organic farming and the work it conducts at the Co-op Extension at UC Santa Cruz differentiate it from its Central Coast neighbors.
“Not only does it split up the County of Santa Cruz for us, but it also puts a major emphasis on an urban area of the [new 18th] district,” Brown says. “It’s disappointing, and it leaves us with a lot of questions going forward.”
Brown says the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau submitted a letter of opposition to the commission after the proposed map was released. The farm bureau also asked its members and community partners to submit letters calling for the Central Coast to be kept together. In retrospect, Brown doubts the dozens of comments submitted to the commission had any effect on its decision-making process over its final week of public meetings.
“I don’t think [the commission] acknowledged the comments they received,” Brown says. “District 20 has traditionally been an agricultural-based voice, and that’s probably going to change going forward … We can only hope that the new representative can really delve into the industry and understand agriculture’s role in our area.”
“What’s driving the economy of the heart of the district now is tech,” says Friend. “A community of interest between ag and tech is a stretch. I don’t see a lot of C&N Tractor dealerships in downtown San Jose. So you’re trying to balance the Tesla dealership with a C&N factory, and they’re just fundamentally different interests. Whether or not that individual can bridge that gap is going to be a real testament to that individual’s success.”
New Challenger
Panetta has already said he will seek reelection in the new 19th Congressional District, and San Jose Democrat Zoe Lofgren, who has been in Congress since 1994, has said she will do the same in the new 18th District.
Though some politicians, including Seaside City Councilman Jon Wizard, have already come forward to challenge Cunningham in the new 30th Assembly District, no challengers have stepped forward in upcoming local Congressional elections. Lofgren, who scored the endorsement of the United Farm Workers last week, will likely be the Democratic candidate that Watsonville voters will see on their ballot later this year.
It won’t be an easy task for Lorgren to connect with Watsonville, San Benito County and the Salinas Valley, says former State Senator Bill Monning. Elected in 2012 into the 17th Senate District in the year after last decade’s redistricting lines were solidified, Monning says the focus of his first year in office was meeting as many people as possible in the district’s new communities.
“My advantage is it was pre-Covid,” Monning says. “I can’t imagine learning a new district or new communities in the district during [the pandemic]. Maybe things might be a bit easier because you can reach more people over a video conference, but that’s not what being a public servant is about. It’s about the relationships you make when you meet people, and that, obviously, is tough today.”
Monning, who exited politics in 2020 after serving as the State Senate Majority Leader, says that “it’s tough to make sense” of the commission’s decision to make San Jose the population center for the 18th District. But, as he studies the new map and tries to play the devil’s advocate over a phone interview, he finds two possible positives for Watsonville residents.
The first is that having Santa Cruz and Monterey counties split between two representatives could mean that they have twice the say at the federal level if the pair works hand-in-hand on issues that affect their residents. It’s a theory that he’s heard before, but that he somewhat disagrees with.
The second is a more straightforward takeaway: The establishment of the Latinx majority district could mean Watsonville can elect a candidate that truly represents its large Latinx population.
“For somebody in Watsonville, I think it’s fair to be concerned about the move,” Monning says, “but the question now should be ‘OK, we’re out of Santa Cruz County, but will this give us a representative that better reflects our community?’ I think you have to look at this situation through multiple lenses.”
Former Watsonville Mayor Daniel Dodge, Sr. is a little more pessimistic about those prospects than Monning. Dodge, currently the president of the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council, says that although the district might be majority Latinx, that does not necessarily translate into a representative that would benefit the Central Coast.
“We know this from previous elections, not all Latinos are the same,” he says.
He is also dubious of how a candidate from the Pajaro and Salinas valleys and San Benito County would compete with a candidate backed by Silicon Valley donors. The real question, Dodge says, is not whether a candidate from those communities can run a successful campaign against a Silicon Valley candidate, but whether the latter is willing to listen to and fight for the agricultural community they will represent.
“It looks good on paper—I think this might give the impression that the Latino population might be represented in this district—but the voting power is still located in Santa Clara County and the money is, too,” Dodge says. “Can a candidate from Watsonville, Salinas, King City, Soledad really beat someone from Silicon Valley? We don’t know. I hate to be negative, but the odds are not great.”
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the fantasy tale “The Wizard of Oz,” a tornado lifts the hero Dorothy from her modest home in rural Kansas to a magical realm called Oz. There she experiences many provocative and entertaining adventures. Nonetheless, she longs to return to where she started from. A friendly witch helps her find the way back to Kansas, which requires her to click her ruby slippers together three times and say, “There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home.” I suspect, Aries, that there’ll be a different ending to your epic tale in 2022. At some point, you will decide you prefer to stay in your new world. Maybe you’ll even click your ruby slippers together and say, “There’s no place like Oz, there’s no place like Oz.” (Thanks to author David Lazar for that last line.)
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Fifty-five percent of the people who live in Toronto speak primarily English or French. But for the other 45 percent, their mother tongue is a different language, including Portuguese, Tagalog, Italian, Tamil, Spanish, Cantonese, and Mandarin. I wish you could spend some time there in the coming months. In my astrological opinion, you would benefit from being exposed to maximum cultural diversity. You would thrive by being around a broad spectrum of influences from multiple backgrounds. If you can’t manage a trip to Toronto or another richly diverse place, do your best to approximate the same experience. Give yourself the gift of splendorous variety.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): One of your primary meditations throughout 2022 should be the following advice from The Laws of Human Nature, a book by motivational author Robert Greene. He writes, “In ancient times, many great leaders felt that they were descended from gods and part divine. Such self-belief would translate into high levels of confidence that others would feed off and recognize. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy. You do not need to indulge in such grandiose thoughts, but feeling that you are destined for something great or important will give you a degree of resilience when people oppose or resist you. You will not internalize the doubts that come from such moments. You will have an enterprising spirit. You will continually try new things, even taking risks, confident in your ability to bounce back from failures and feeling destined to succeed.”
CANCER (June 21-July 22): I would love to unabashedly encourage you to travel widely and explore wildly in 2022. I would rejoice if I could brazenly authorize you to escape your comfort zone and wander in the frontiers. It’s not often the planetary omens offer us Cancerians such an unambiguous mandate to engage in exhilarating adventures and intelligent risks. There’s only one problem: that annoying inconvenience known as the pandemic. We really do have to exercise caution in our pursuit of expansive encounters. Luckily, you now have extra ingenuity about the project of staying safe as you enlarge your world.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I suspect that your life in 2022 might feature themes beloved by Leo author Emily Brontë (1818–1848). “No coward soul is mine,” she wrote, “No trembler in the world’s storm-troubled sphere.” I suggest making that one of your mottoes. Here’s another guiding inspiration from Emily, via one of her poems: “I’ll walk where my own nature would be leading: / It vexes me to choose another guide: / Where the grey flocks in ferny glens are feeding; / Where the wild wind blows on the mountain-side.” Here’s one more of Brontë’s thoughts especially suitable for your use in the coming months: “I’ll be as dirty as I please, and I like to be dirty, and I will be dirty!”
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): What reversals and turnabouts would you like to experience in 2022, Virgo? Which situations would you like to transform dramatically? Are there imbalances of power you would like to rectify? Contradictions you’d love to dissolve? Misplaced priorities you could correct? All these things are possible in the coming months if you are creative and resourceful enough. With your dynamic efforts, the last could be first, the low could be high, and the weak could become strong.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “Everything good I’ve ever gotten in my life, I only got because I gave something else up,” wrote author Elizabeth Gilbert. That has often been true for me. For example, if I hadn’t given up my beloved music career, I wouldn’t have had the time and energy to become a skillful astrology writer with a big audience. What about you, Libra? In my reckoning, Gilbert’s observation should be a major theme for you in 2022.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Author C. S. Lewis wrote that we don’t simply want to behold beauty. We “want to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it.” If there were ever a time when you could get abundant tastes of that extravagant pleasure, Scorpio, it would be in the coming months. If you make it a goal, if you set an intention, you may enjoy more deep mergers and delightful interactions with beauty than you have had since 2010.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian singer-songwriter Tom Waits began his career in 1969. He achieved modest success during the next 11 years. But his career headed in an even more successful direction after he met Kathleen Brennan, who became his wife and collaborator. In a 1988 interview, Waits said, “She’s got the whole dark forest living inside of her. She pushes me into areas I would not go, and I’d say that a lot of the things I’m trying to do now, she’s encouraged.” In 2022, Sagittarius, I’ll invite you to go looking for the deep dark forest within yourself. I’m sure it’s in there somewhere. If you explore it with luxuriant curiosity, it will ultimately inspire you to generate unprecedented breakthroughs. Yes, it might sometimes be spooky—but in ways that ultimately prove lucky.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn-born Muhammad Ali was far more than a superb professional boxer. He was an activist, entertainer and philanthropist who gathered much wisdom in his 74 years. I’ve chosen one of his quotes to be your guide in the coming months. I hope it will motivate you to rigorously manage the sometimes pesky and demanding details that will ultimately enable you to score a big victory. “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you down,” Ali said. “It’s the pebble in your shoe.”
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): At a pivotal moment in his evolution, Aquarian playwright Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) swore an oath to himself. I’ll tell you about it here because I hope it will inspire you to make a comparable vow to yourself about how you’ll live your life in 2022. Author Robert Greene is the source of the quote. He says that Chekhov promised himself he would engage in “no more bowing and apologizing to people; no more complaining and blaming; no more disorderly living and wasting time. The answer to everything was work and love, work and love. He had to spread this message to his family and save them. He had to share it with humanity through his stories and plays.”
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Here’s what Piscean author Anais Nin wrote in one of her diaries: “When I first faced pain, I was shattered. When I first met failure, defeat, denial, loss, death, I died. Not today. I believe in my power, in my magic, and I do not die. I survive, I love, live, continue.” According to my analysis of the astrological omens, Pisces, you could claim her triumphant declaration as your own in 2022, with special emphasis on this: “I believe in my power, in my magic. I survive, I love, live, continue.” This will be a golden age, a time when you harvest the fruits of many years of labor.
My friend Mari and I drove to La Vida Bella on a bright and sunny autumn day in the Aptos hills. We found a warm spot at an outdoor picnic table and munched on our quiche, cheese and crackers as we went through a flight of La Vida Bella wines. LVB’s tasting room is inside a rustic barn where Mari and I headed every time we wanted to try another wine. The whole experience was delightful. There was even a bocce ball court on the property.
Of all the wines I tried that day, my favorite was the 2016 Estate Pinot Noir ($47), “Reir” (Spanish for “laugh”).
“It’s one of the fanciful names we have given most of our wines that describe ‘the beautiful life,’ or la vida bella,” says Pamela Minnis, who founded the vineyard with her husband Joseph Quink.
The Pinot’s bright red fruit flavors, pepper, spice and bold tannins paired well with our munchies.
The winery is open only the first Saturday of the month by reservation (the next one noon-5pm on Feb. 5), so plan your visit in advance. Tastings are $20 per person. LVB also produces extra virgin olive oil from its trees ($25/375 ml).
La Vida Bella Vineyard, 1624 Chardonnay Ridge Road, Aptos. 831-722-3394. lavidabellavineyard.com.
Clean Juice
Karen Brenner, owner of Clean Juice in Aptos, poured samples at a recent event. They were all wonderful, with a distinct “health-boost” flavor in each sip. The Wellness Shots, including elderberry and wheatgrass, are delish, and the cold-pressed juices are divine, especially the cashew milk latte. Clean Juice also makes açai bowls, protein smoothies, sandwiches, wraps, salads and more.
Clean Juice, Rancho Del Mar Shopping Center, 100 Rancho Del Mar, Aptos. 831-661-0614. cleanjuice.com.
Santa Cruz native Nate Goode loves Chill Out Café’s breakfast burritos so much—he says they’re the best in town—that he took a job as a barista at the Pleasure Point spot last April. For more than 20 years, Chill Out has amassed many fans who are just as passionate as Goode. The beloved No. 3 breakfast burrito is stuffed with bacon, avocado, cheese, eggs and hash browns—a marriage of quintessential breakfast components rolled up tightly in a tortilla of your choice. The quiet back patio’s mellow vibe beckons most diners to sit down and tear into their food on site. Additionally, Chill Out’s menu also features a variety of breakfast sandwiches, bagels and salads. The coffee drinks, many handcrafted by Goode, keep the traffic steady, too. The eclectic selection of smoothies is popular; the Sho ‘Nuff is a blend of soy milk, peanut butter, honey and banana. Chill Out is open every day, 7am-2pm. Goode recently spoke about his favorite breakfast burrito joint, and he was all smiles.
What made you fall for Chill Out Café? NATE GOODE: The tasty breakfast burritos and chill vibes. Most places in town that offer breakfast burritos use cubed potatoes, but I remember the first time I tried one from here; it was the best I had ever had because it was really big, and I loved the crispy hash browns and crispy bacon. I was hooked from there, and I still love the breakfast burritos just as much, even though I work here now and eat them all the time.
What is your favorite coffee drink to make? The mocha, because I really love using the espresso machine. It’s really satisfying and is a good hands-on experience with all the pushing, pulling and twisting. It’s a super old-school machine, and we have different varieties of mochas, including the Blanca with white chocolate powder, the Mexican Mocha and the Mocha Chai.
Congratulations to Birichino Winery and winemaker Alex Krause, whose excellent Saint Georges 2018 Pinot Noir was on the 2021 Thanksgiving Dinner menu—at the White House! Made from Central Coast grapes, this lovely wine floats on 13.5% alcohol. Elegant, balanced tannins, loaded with raspberry fruit notes. Krause admits to being stoked. “I’m especially grateful it’s at Joe and Jill’s table, rather than some other guy’s … It is a special honor and thrill to know that our wines have been served there. I had no idea this was happening. We only received notice after the fact, and I’m not sure how it was selected.” Krause revealed that before Birichino existed, he was “lucky enough to meet one of the people in charge of wine for the White House, and he was kind enough to give me a private tour of the White House, which was absolutely exhilarating.” Krause added that in terms of the honor’s PR value for the Birichino label, “I suppose it has some, but it’s mostly personal pride, and gratitude and a small measure of disbelief that our little Santa Cruz winery has been served at America’s Table, as they call it.” Look for the 2018 Pinot Noir—check the Church St. Tasting Room. It’s gorgeous with steelhead.
New Not-Normal
Ted Burke of the Shadowbrook has seen it all. And this is what he says about now: “It has been quite a struggle not only for restaurateurs but also for our staff. Being completely closed for eight months out of the 12 months of Covid-related regulations and lockdowns dug a big hole in our finances. Fortunately, 40+ years of operations build up sufficient reserves to get us through, but also dug a hole in a well-trained staff. The third closure—which came like the others with little or no notice of shutdown—was understandably the tipping point for many who needed a reliable source of income for their rent obligations, car payments, student loans, etc. So many not only left us but also left the restaurant industry, as it was deemed in this ‘new normal’ to be unstable and unreliable for their needs.” Burke also believes that outdoor dining during the winter months, “limits their options and their spending for our business and for staff.” So how is Shadowbrook planning for the new year? “Our answer is to take it day by day, be grateful for the blessings that come, and be prepared for the challenges that persist. I am hopeful that either the virus or the way that it is being dealt with will change for the better. The ‘new normal’ is not one that we hope stays fully in place.” Amen to that!
Cleaning Out, Stocking Up
January feels like an Ingmar Bergman film: crisp, chilly, and filled with regret over the acres of cookies, turkey, chile verde, pumpkin pie and other rich foods you might have recently consumed. If your house is anything like mine, it’s sticky with butter and sugar, and cries out for a deep, scrub-out-the-old, ring-in-the-new cleaning. Unappealing though it may be, nothing is as soul-gratifying as throwing out all the gummy jars of jam, the chutney darkened to the color and texture of tarmac, that container of olives that has taught itself to speak perfect Latvian, the antique yam turning purple in the bottom of the crisper. Once that’s done (ugh), you can scour and disinfect the shelves, wipe dry, and start over. Chez moi that means new containers of Cholula, tamari, sriracha, hot mango chutney, Tiptree orange marmalade (medium cut), prosciutto, Irish butter, Gerolsteiner mineral water, chunky peanut butter, dried apricots, parmesan reggiano, usw.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released two studies Thursday that underscored the importance of vaccinating children against the coronavirus.
One study found that serious problems among children 5 to 11 who had received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were extremely rare. The other, which looked at hundreds of pediatric hospitalizations in six cities last summer, found that nearly all of the children who became seriously ill had not been fully vaccinated.
More than 8 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been given to children 5 to 11 in the United States so far. But concerns about the unknowns of a new vaccine caused some parents to hesitate in allowing their children to be inoculated, including those who said they preferred to wait for the broader rollout to bring any rare problems to the surface.
By Dec. 19, roughly six weeks into the campaign to vaccinate 5- to 11-year-olds, the CDC said that it had received very few reports of serious problems. The agency evaluated reports received from doctors and members of the public, as well as survey responses from the parents or guardians of roughly 43,000 children in that age group.
Many of the surveyed children reported pain at the site of the shot, fatigue or a headache, especially after the second dose. Roughly 13% of those surveyed reported a fever after the second shot.
But reports of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle that has been linked in rare cases to coronavirus vaccines, remained scarce. The CDC said there were 11 verified reports that had come in from doctors, vaccine manufacturers or other members of the public. Of those, seven children had recovered and four were recovering at the time of the report, the CDC said.
The CDC said that reporting rates for vaccine-related myocarditis appeared highest among boys and men ages 12 to 29.
A number of parents or doctors also reported instances of 5- to 11-year-olds receiving the incorrect, larger vaccine dose meant for older children and adults. The CDC said that those problems were “not unexpected” and that most such reports mentioned that the children experienced no problems afterward.
The CDC detailed two reports of deaths, in girls ages 5 and 6, who the agency said had chronic medical conditions and were in “fragile health” before their shots. “On initial review, no data were found that would suggest a causal association between death and vaccination,” the agency said.
The CDC’s separate report on pediatric hospitalizations provided additional evidence about the importance of vaccinating all eligible children. The study, which looked at more than 700 children younger than 18 who were admitted to hospitals with COVID-19 last summer, found that 0.4% of those children who were eligible for the shots had been fully vaccinated.
The study also found that two-thirds of all the hospitalized children had a comorbidity, most often obesity, and that about one-third of children age 5 and older were sick with more than one viral infection.
Overall, nearly one-third of the children were so sick they had to be treated in intensive care units, and almost 15% needed medical ventilation. Among all those hospitalized, 1.5% of the children died, the study found. The six hospitals were in Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Texas and Washington, D.C.
“This study demonstrates that unvaccinated children hospitalized for COVID-19 could experience severe disease and reinforces the importance of vaccination of all eligible children to provide individual protection and to protect those who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated,” the authors of the study wrote.
