Re: “Re: Districting” (GT, 9/22): Currently both Watsonville and Santa Cruz use plurality voting to elect its city council. Plurality at-large is used in Santa Cruz, and was used in Watsonville before 1989. Each citizen can only vote for a number of candidates equal to the positions open. If four must be elected, citizens must vote for no more than four. The four candidates who receive the most votes are elected. The problem is that plurality frequently allows less than 50% of the citizens to elect all the winners. Therefore, it prevents the remaining votes from helping to elect candidates of their choice. This is illustrated by the election results for the existing Santa Cruz Council:
All Winners All Losers
2018 47.05% 52.95%
2020 44.04% 55.96%
About 53% and 56% of the votes were prevented from helping to elect a representative of their choice.
When this happens to members of a Black, Latino, or other minority, the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) refers to these wasted votes as being “diluted.” It requires cities to change their voting methods to reduce this dilution as much as possible. Watsonville’s change to by-district elections reduced the vote dilution somewhat because districts could be drawn containing enough Latino voters to elect their councilmember by a plurality. The same seems not to be possible in Santa Cruz. At the same time, see how many votes can also be diluted in a district in which candidate C is elected with 34% of the votes when candidates A and B received 33% each–66% of the votes diluted.
Unfortunately, a majority of the Santa Cruz Council are locked within a plurality mindset. They have not even considered the two better alternatives that use modified at-large elections, but not plurality: Single transferable voting (STV) dilutes about 12%. An improved STV method called evaluative proportional representation (EPR) dilutes 0%. Each of these ballots can be as easy to use as a plurality ballot.
Democratically, EPR is the most attractive because it guarantees that every citizen’s vote will proportionally increase the voting power in the council of the elected candidate judged suitable for office by that citizen. If 30% of the voting population in Santa Cruz vote for a Latino candidate, that candidate will have 30% of the votes in the council. There are more details at https://www.jpolrisk.com/legislatures-elected-by-evaluative-proportional-representation-epr-an-algorithm-v3/.
Stephen Bosworth
Santa Cruz
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Even though I wrote a feature story last year on the rebirth of drive-ins during the pandemic, I ironically didn’t actually get to any of Santa Cruz’s drive-in events until Pivot’s show in the wide expanse of the Boardwalk parking lot in November. I was already impressed that Tina Brown and Rose Sellery had added a new layer of meaning to their event’s name by suddenly taking this outrageous fashion show they produce every year and turning it into a film to be shown to a drive-in audience. I thought the leaps of faith it must have required to get from “We produce an annual live runway event” to “We are making a film about fashion” were remarkable, since they are entirely different mediums. I wondered what it would even be—just footage of models walking runways? Nah. I knew Brown and Sellery wouldn’t be satisfied with that.
Still, I wasn’t expecting what they were able to create. As thoughtful and relevant as it was stylish, the Pivot film was a beautiful piece of work. The closing segment in particular—a somber metaphorical meditation on the state of the world that featured Sellery’s designs—was incredibly moving. Remembering the power the Pivot crew were able to channel even in the sealed-off drive-in setting makes me excited for the return of their live event. Johanna Miller’s cover story on the Saturday, Oct. 23 show will get you in the mood, too. If you’ve never seen a Pivot show, I can tell you two things from experience: 1) it’s not what you expect a fashion show to be, and 2) you won’t forget it.
I feel sad for all of us residents in the mountain area. It was great that we didn’t have to go into Santa Cruz for our urgent care. A lot of us residents up in these mountains don’t have a ride all the way into Santa Cruz, especially for urgent care. Sure wish this decision would have considered us elderly mountain folk.
— Candy Frantz-Crafton
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GOOD IDEA
BEAR NECESSITIES
Santa Cruz Community Credit Union is matching all donations to Grey Bears, the organization that provides food and meals to seniors across the county. Last year, Grey Bears delivered more than 2.7 million pounds of food to those in need during the pandemic and CZU Complex fire. As we enter the winter season, Grey Bears is gearing up to increase its food deliveries, and will hopefully provide more meals than ever with the help of donations. Donate at https://www.grapevine.org/nonprofit/GwSny7p/Grey-Bears
GOOD WORK
MINDFUL SPENDING
Santa Cruz County is set to receive $3 million in federal grants to help those experiencing homeless who also face mental-health-related issues.
About a third of the homeless population has a serious mental illness, according to the Treatment Advocacy Center. In a county that has one of the highest per-capita rates of homelessness in the state, this money is much-needed. The funds will go to the County of Santa Cruz Behavioral Health, which connects homeless with resources that address substance abuse, mental illness or both.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life.”
For the past six years, artist and designer Tina Brown and stylist Rose Sellery have joined forces to bring a different kind of fashion show to Santa Cruz County.
Pivot: The Art of Fashion was first held in 2015, after Brown and Sellery were looking for a way to expand on what they were already doing at other runway events in the area, and carry on the tradition of the annual Fashionart event they had worked on with Angelo Grova.
“We wanted to do shows in other places,” Sellery says. “We wanted to offer different opportunities for designers, have workshops, marketplaces. We wanted to support them throughout the year, not just at one show.”
Since its inception, Pivot has grown in size and influence, gaining a reputation as a welcoming space for diversity and inclusion. Models—and the consumers the clothes are designed for—range in size, age, race, ethnicity, gender and orientation.
“We’re trying to define beauty in a broader sense,” Sellery says. “It’s not just about the size zero, 6-foot tall models. Beauty is the norm, it’s everywhere, in everyone you look around and see. Clothes are something every person can relate to. They are a mirror of our inner selves.”
“We want to inspire people, so they see the beauty in all kinds of clothes, and know they can have that beauty in their lives, too,” says Brown.
Artist: Rose Sellery, ‘Party’s Over.’ PHOTO: R.R. JONES
Pivot returns Oct. 23 with a night of runway presentations, featuring designer fashions and wearable artwork, as well as live music, spoken word, dance, and more at the Tannery Arts Center.
“Everyone is excited to be back,” Brown says. “They were so isolated during the pandemic. They’ve needed something to do, to look forward to and show off their work.”
When last year’s event was canceled due to the pandemic, Brown and Sellery adapted it into a film. A two-day shoot they describe as “intense” had artists and designers film segments at Curated-By-The-Sea and the Rispin Mansion in Capitola.
The film was shown at a drive-in movie event at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
“We had the best time,” Sellery says. “We were in lockdown for so long. This allowed us to get together with people who were like family to us, connect and create.”
Despite the success of the film, Brown admits there was something missing in the experience.
“At our live shows, the feelings, the excitement is palpable,” she says. “But last year we were in our cars. We couldn’t see people’s reactions. We definitely missed the audience.”
Pivot is back to an in-person event, this time outdoors. Originally the show was going to be at the Rio Theatre, as with previous years. But the Delta variant changed everything.
“We realized we couldn’t jam all those people backstage,” Sellery says. “We didn’t feel good about being indoors, even if we limited the amount of people. What were we going to do? By then we were already heading into August.”
Artist: Rose Sellery, ‘In Knots.’ PHOTO: R.R. JONES
Enter the Tannery, which Sellery says was “very eager” to take on the project. Working with Program Manager Mercedes Lewis, they began putting the pieces together for the new event.
“We’ve been scrambling a bit,” Sellery says. “But we’re super excited. The lineup we have, the surprise performances—we think it’s going to be fantastic.”
Pivot highlights both local artists and designers, and some from across the U.S., including Hawaii, Iowa and Massachusetts. Many focus on sustainability and “upcycling,” the process of transforming by-products and other unwanted items into new creations.
Haute Trash, a group that originated in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, creates pieces from recycled materials. Local designer and Tannery resident Asha Tobing will show off her line of kidswear, “Lil’ Jax,” made from salvaged textiles. Sonia Le of Santa Cruz will display her custom pieces made from upcycled sari pieces.
Local favorite I.B. Bayo is also set to present his unique womens and mens creations at the show.
“Everyone waits to see what kind of feather concoction gown [Bayo] is going to put together,” Brown says. “He’s incredible. You never know what he’s going to come up with.”
Rebecca Wendlandt of Davis will be showing off two wearable artworks. The sea-themed pieces, one a jellyfish and the other inspired by coral, utilize LED lighting elements.
Wendlandt says she enjoys how Sellery and Brown blend art pieces like hers with more wearable fashion.
“I really appreciate them providing this unique sort of opportunity for artists,” she says. “I’m sure it’s a lot of work to organize and put on this show. It’s a really great thing to participate in.”
Designer: Asha Tobing for Liljax. PHOTO: R.R. JONES
Runway to South County
This year includes some new faces, including designer Sindy Hernandez, owner of Queen’s Shoes & More in Watsonville. Her line, “Sindy,” caught the attention of Brown and Sellery for its simple, clean lines and high quality fabrics.
“She’s fabulous,” Brown says. “Her stuff is very wearable, compared to some of the gowns you’ll see at the show. We do want some pieces that people will look at and say, ‘I would wear that!’”
Hernandez says she learned about Pivot through a customer, who introduced her to Brown.
“They really wanted to bring Watsonville into the mix, which is wonderful,” Hernandez says. “It’s been a rough year, and I haven’t been able to design much, but I do have a small collection of pieces I’ve been working on.”
Hernandez praised Pivot’s focus on diversity and sustainability.
“I’m very excited to be a part of it,” she says. “I’ve had fashion shows but they’ve always been here, in my store. With Pivot, I’ll get to experience the other side of things, with other designers. To see their work.”
A major goal of Pivot, Sellery says, is to educate the public about “slow fashion.” That is, embracing local and quality-made garments instead of mass-produced clothes from overseas.
“It’s about buying less, but better quality,” Brown says. “It’s about valuing and buying clothes made right here. You don’t need to go to Forever 21 to find something cool.”
“The fashion industry is one of the biggest producers of waste in the world,” says Sellery. “This is a big thing we can do to help the planet.”
Designer: Sindy Collection for Queen’s Shoes Boutique. PHOTO: R.R. JONES
Pivot will be catered by Emozioni Patisserie, a new Italian pastry shop in Santa Cruz, that will serve up both sweet and savory treats. Local band Los Improviders will act as the soundtrack for the evening; it is the first time Pivot will utilize live music for its runway show.
A catered VIP reception will be held prior to the event, where guests can enjoy food, champagne and mingle with designers and artists, plus have front row seating.
Face masks will be required for all guests and all participants backstage will either be vaccinated or have taken a recent Covid test.
“We usually have quite a big crowd,” Brown says. “So we’re trying to be as safe as possible.”
Both Brown and Sellery have their own jobs apart from Pivot. Sellery is a working artist and designer, while Brown works as a fashion stylist in the region.
But this show is their passion project, and something they look forward to every year.
“This is our labor of love,” Sellery says. “It is a joyful, fun experience where you can meet new people, make new friends and engage with art.”
Artist: Dag Weiser, ‘The Break Up.’ PHOTO: R.R. JONES
For Brown, the most rewarding thing about Pivot is the community of artists and designers they have created over the past six years.
“It is very difficult to make a living as an artist,” she says. “Especially in the past year, people have struggled. It’s been rough. So it’s helpful to have a network of people. You can check in with each other, collaborate, or just talk. I think our work has really paid off this past year. We’ve achieved what we set out to do.”
Pivot: The Art of Fashion will be held Oct. 23 at 7:30pm (doors 7pm) at the Tannery Arts Center, 1010 River St. in Santa Cruz. For information and to purchase tickets, visit pivot-artfashion.com.
In early 2020, the Watsonville City Council approved a plan for how Santa Cruz County’s southernmost city would improve its parks and recreation offerings. The 2020 Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan identified the potential of the city’s parks, but it also highlighted the decades-long deficiencies that have plagued the city’s parks department. It showed that not only was the city’s available park space per 1,000 residents gravely behind the national standard, but also that the park space available was largely in disrepair, with the city facing some $18 million in deferred maintenance because of low revenues.
And yet, just a year-and-a-half later, Watsonville’s parks department is in arguably the strongest position it has been in recent memory. Case in point: a roughly $22 million infusion of local, state and federal funding for a complete renovation of Ramsay Park, its largest recreation outlet. The wholesale facelift that will happen over the next five years includes the construction of an inclusive park, a completely reimagined Nature Center, and the long-awaited modernization of the two fields at Sotomayor Soccer Field.
For some, the massive investment of taxpayer dollars—at least a third of which is federal funding from President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act—might seem like a misstep from local elected leaders. But Raquel Pulido, who helped lead the charge in convincing the Watsonville City Council to make the investment, knows exactly how much a renovation of Ramsay will mean to Watsonville’s soccer-crazed community, which has long struggled to find fields to play on.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Pulido, as politicians, community leaders and city employees took photos after a Sept. 17 press conference recognizing the renovation’s milestone. “We had the plan, but obviously didn’t have the funds. Now that it all came together, I’m really excited for what it’s going to do for our community.”
Soccer City
There are few things that are more synonymous with Watsonville than soccer, and yet the limited locations to play the beautiful game within city limits paints a different portrait of the community’s connection to it.
As it stands today, Ramsay Park is one of the few spots under the city’s 143 acres of park space that offers a full-sized soccer pitch. But the two fields there are often unplayable because of excessive usage, flooding from poor drainage and a lack of lighting as fall and winter set in and sunlight dwindles. As a team manager for her son’s competitive squad, Pulido knows firsthand how difficult it is to find a place for a team to practice, let alone play. Sometimes, Pulido says, that means moving practice to hardwood basketball courts for games that will take place on grass fields.
This predicament, says Pajaro Valley Youth Soccer Club (PVYSC) coach Gladys Mondragon, is nothing new. The Watsonville High School and Cabrillo College alumna remembers having to practice on the corner of a softball field when she was young, and her youth team often played on the road because there were no fields available to host games. Even now, as the head coach of the Watsonville High girls’ team and the Cabrillo College women’s team, Mondragon says space and time to practice remains tight around Watsonville because of the high demand of youth, school and adult teams that operate in the area.
Despite all of this, Watsonville’s youth soccer teams have consistently found success. Pulido boasts that her son’s team has placed first and second at state tournaments. PVYSC teams, also known as Pajaro Valley United, have won several championships and traveled around the country to play in high-level tournaments. And the Watsonville High boys’ team is often tops in the state and among the best in the nation some years.
That success, Mondragon says, speaks to the love for the game that permeates through many facets of the community. It’s commonplace to see people playing a pick-up game of soccer on the street with random items—shoes, traffic cones, sweaters or plants—placed as goalposts. So, too, is it to see a group playing deep into the night with car headlights dimly illuminating a field, or using an empty tennis court to play futsal—a compact version of soccer typically played indoors.
“I think it shows the commitment of the coaches, the commitment of the parents and the commitment of the athletes, regardless of the resources that we have, to manage to figure things out and continue to do what we love to do most,” Mondragon says. “[They find] an open space; if it’s a futsal [court] or a corner on a grass field, they manage to continue playing. Sometimes street soccer makes good players, too.”
Soccer, Mondragon says, is many times a common language that brings people together. And that is important for a city that has prided itself on welcoming immigrants. For many people that have decided to move here and call the U.S. home, soccer has been the connective tissue that has given them a chance to find a community.
“It’s not just a sport. It provides so many different things,” she says. “The connection you have with your teammates, your coaches and the connection that it creates with the community. The feeling of belonging to something, you know?”
Dream Big
On top of the Ramsay renovations, the city recently partnered with the Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) on a joint-use agreement that will allow the municipality to use the fields at three schools when class is not in session. The hope, officials from both institutions have said, is that the agreement will lead to a long-range plan of how PVUSD can open up more of its fields for public use. The city is also weighing whether it will implement a sales tax that would solely benefit its parks department, and working to update the fees it charges developers that feed back into its parks.
City officials are not alone in trying to solve the community’s field shortage dilemma.
The Pajaro Valley Sports Foundation (PVSF), a committee of community leaders gathered for the sole purpose of creating more soccer fields in Watsonville, is a couple of months away from unveiling a renovated soccer mini-complex at Freedom Elementary School. The project, says local attorney and Watsonville Rotarian Tom House, is the result of years of grassroots organizing and fundraising supported by numerous donations big and small, from people volunteering to dig trenches at the field on weekends to farmers and businesses in Watsonville giving monetary gifts.
“This was not a hard sale to raise the funds. It was just the matter of asking enough people, and very few said no,” House says. “I think [they] understand this is good for the community.”
House says the calls for additional soccer fields—and the benefits they would provide for Watsonville’s young people—were hard to ignore. A few years ago, legendary Watsonville High soccer coach Roland Hedgpeth and revolutionary community leader and probation officer Gina Castaneda spoke to Watsonville Rotary within two months of one another. At the end of their respective presentations, Rotary asked the soccer community giants what they could do to support their mission.
“They both said the same thing: ‘We don’t have enough soccer fields for the kids that want to play in the area,’” House says.
So the Rotarians rolled up their sleeves and got to work, creating PVSF and drafting a plan of how to solve the issue. They first dreamt big, House says, trying to find vacant land on the outskirts of the city that could be converted into a sports complex similar to sprawling sports centers in Morgan Hill and Sunnyvale. But restrictions on land use, specifically on the conversion of agricultural land, made that a difficult proposition.
PVSF pivoted to another, smaller option: refurbishing an existing field within city limits to show what they were capable of. Working with PVUSD, Pajaro Valley United and the Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley, PVSF got the OK to move forward with the project. They would turn the gopher-hole-riddled field at the school in the heart of the north side of the city into a sparkling three-field soccer complex, and in return, Pajaro Valley United would have a place where more than 200 youth soccer players can practice and play games.
Initial estimates put the project around $270,000. House says they raised roughly $350,000.
House says bringing a larger sports complex is still PVSF’s ultimate goal. At the moment, there is no clear path forward for the project, but he believes the benefits of a sports complex will make the project too good for the community to say no.
“I think Watsonville can use lots and lots more parks with fields and activities for kids to be engaged in constructive stuff and away from doing bad stuff,” House says.
True Equity
Mondragon says the fields at Freedom Elementary will serve as a home base for Pajaro Valley United, and allow the program to continue to grow at a key inflection point in which more girls locally have become interested in playing competitive soccer.
Since taking the helm at Watsonville High shortly after graduating in 2002, Mondragon has helped the local landscape of the girls’ game evolve. When she played youth soccer, there were no local programs that gave Watsonville’s girls an opportunity to move up the competitive ranks. Many of the girls who wanted to keep playing competitively had to move to programs that played and practiced in Santa Cruz—a dealbreaker for those who had no transportation.
Through PV United, Mondragon pushed in 2007 for the start of more competitive teams for Watsonville’s girls.
“My thing was to provide for the community and have more girls be able to travel and have the exposure that I had when I was young,” she says. “And it’s happening now. Some of them are playing college, some of them are transferring out.”
Back then, that wasn’t an easy sell, Mondragon says. After all, she wasn’t only trying to convince young girls that through playing soccer they could get a portion—if not all—of their college expenses paid for; she was also tasked with breaking Latinx cultural barriers that still exist in some families today.
Local artist Jessica Carrasco knows those barriers all too well. When she played youth soccer in the early 2000s, the girls’ competitive scene in Watsonville was still in its fledgling stage, so she decided to play on boys’ teams. She remembers hearing “Futbol es para hombres” (soccer is for men).
“I feel like a lot of us who played who are [in] our 30s and 20s right now, we grew up with that mentality, but at the same time we loved it so much that we didn’t care,” she says. “You could label us as tomboys, whatever you wanted to label us. We loved playing.”
Carrasco says that the recent explosion of girls’ competitive teams in Watsonville has given her hope for the future, but adds that more needs to be done to make sure the game continues to grow. The former Watsonville Parks and Recreation Commissioner says that as the city adds soccer fields she hopes it will also start up a women’s soccer league as well.
“This is awesome that you’re advocating for these fields, but how equitable are we going to be?” she asks. “Are these fields going to be again for the men and youth, or are you going to open them up for women?”
To donate to PVSF’s renovation of the Freedom Elementary School field or for information about their cause, visit their Facebook page.
When Santa Cruz County Supervisor Ryan Coonerty announced in April that he would not run when his 3rd District seat came up for reelection in 2022, he explained that, among other things, he was looking forward to spending time with his family. So his decision to apply for the Santa Cruz City Manager position, which opened this year when former manager Martín Bernal announced his retirement in February, came as a surprise—even to them.
“My wife had the same question,” says Coonerty, 47, when asked what prompted his decision. He says it came after he was asked to apply for the position by several of his supporters in the county.
“This wasn’t on my radar at all,” he says. “I was looking forward to stepping away, but this is a critical moment in the city.”
Coonerty has nearly 20 years of experience in local government. He was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2014, a tenure that followed eight years as a Santa Cruz City Councilmember—including two terms as mayor, in 2008 and 2011.
News of Coonerty’s application was leaked to GT through a confidential source.
Santa Cruz Human Resources Director Lisa Murphy says that “multiple” people have applied for the position in the nationwide search, but declined to elaborate. Candidate searches are typically guided by strict confidentiality rules.
Murphy says that the city held its first round of interviews in July, and plans on another round later this month.
A decision is possible in November, she says.
Murphy adds that competition is high among cities nationwide for qualified candidates after the past year saw a record number of city managers retire. The Covid-19 pandemic and corresponding budget crises are a big factor, she says.
“I’ve never seen this many retirements of city managers,” says Murphy.
Coonerty acknowledges that the position will be a tough one, with the city’s growing homeless population, the ongoing drought, several infrastructure projects, the housing crisis and UCSC looking to increase enrollment from 19,000 to 28,000 by 2040.
On top of all of that, the city will also have to find a new police chief after Andy Mills announced Tuesday that he was resigning at the end of the month to accept the position of Chief of Police for the City of Palm Springs. He was appointed Chief of the Santa Cruz Police Department in July 2017.
“There is a lot going on, and you have a council that wants to address it,” he says. “And it’s critical who they pick to help guide the city towards their vision.”
Before venturing into politics, Coonerty worked on two national commissions that worked to address election reform and civil liberties. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon, a master’s from the London School of Economics and a law degree from the University of Virginia. He is currently a legal studies lecturer at UCSC, and is a University of California 2020-21 Fellow for the National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement.
“I’m happy to serve if the council thinks it’s the right way to go,” he says. “I love Santa Cruz and I’m always happy to serve my hometown if I can.”
The beginning of 2023 will mark the first time in 16 years that a Coonerty won’t be on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors; his father Neal held the same seat from 2007 to 2014. It will also mark the first time in 18 years that there won’t be a Coonerty holding a major local elected office in the county. (Coonerty’s aunt Sheila remains a trustee on the Santa Cruz City Schools Board.)
In addition to his work navigating the compounding crises of the past year, Coonerty told GT in April that he’s proud of what he’s done to help expand drug treatment options, improve the county’s response to homelessness and expand support for young mothers and working-class families. Coonerty also spearheaded the creation of the Nurse Family Partnership and the Thrive By Three Fund—both of them aimed at improving opportunities for babies and young children.
Two candidates—both Santa Cruz City Councilmembers—have launched campaigns to fill his impending vacant seat on the Board of Supervisors: Justin Cummings and Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson.
Momentum is building behind an affordable 11-unit housing development in Live Oak.
First-time home-buyer families have now moved into the first two houses at Habitat for Humanity’s Rodeo Creek Court development, where things are off to a good start.
“It’s going really well,” says Satish Rishi, CEO for Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay. “The families moved in. They’re feeling grateful and getting settled.”
Habitat for Humanity has also chosen the applicants for the next two homes, which are under construction. And now, local families have a shot at the next half-dozen homes. The nonprofit is opening up applications for the next six homes on Rodeo Creek Court.
Habitat Monterey Bay is hoping to get more housing applications for new units than it ever has before. Even though Rishi knows that there’s enormous need for affordable housing in Santa Cruz County, Habitat only received 20 applications in the initial application window. And not all of those worked out.
Some households made too much money—more than 80% of the local area median income (AMI)—to qualify. Others made too little—less than 60% of AMI. And then, some applicants were too sluggish in dotting their I’s and crossing their T’s.
“The ones who were in the middle—between 60% and 80% of AMI—some of them were slow in providing the paperwork, or they didn’t have the credit,” Rishi says. “There’s a culling process.”
At the end of the day, Habitat had four qualified applicant families—enough to fill the first four homes. Rishi hopes that Habitat can get enough applicants this time around to create a lottery and randomly choose the lucky households from a pool of qualified families. To do that, Rishi says Habitat is upping its outreach efforts, including through the media and local schools.
In order to prove eligibility, qualified applicants should demonstrate their need for housing, verify their ability to pay an affordable mortgage, and show their willingness to put in sweat equity. Each chosen family will partner with Habitat to help build their new home.
Interested applicants should first register for a virtual application orientation, which will walk potential applicants through the process, and allow them to ask questions.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): According to my understanding of the upcoming weeks, life will present you with unusual opportunities. I suspect you will find it reasonable and righteous to shed, dismantle, and rebel against the past. Redefining your history will be a fun and worthy project. Here are other related activities I recommend for you: 1. Forget and renounce a long-running fear that has never come true. 2. Throw away a reminder of an old experience that makes you feel bad. 3. Freshen your mood and attitude by moving around the furniture and decor in your home. 4. Write a note of atonement to a person you hurt once upon a time. 5. Give yourself a new nickname that inspires you to emancipate yourself from a pattern or habit you want to leave behind.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus poet Donte Collins’ preferred pronouns are “they” and “them.” They describe themself as Black, queer and adopted. “A lover doesn’t discourage your growth,” they write. “A lover says, ‘I see who you are today, and I cannot wait to see who you become tomorrow.'” I hope you have people like that in your life, Taurus—lovers, friends, allies and relatives. If there is a scarcity of such beloved companions in your life, the next eight weeks will be an excellent time to round up new ones. And if you are connected with people who delight in your progress and evolution, deepen your connection with them.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini author Lisa Cron advises her fellow writers, “Avoid exclamation points! Really!! Because they’re distracting!! Almost as much as CAPITALIZING THINGS!!!” I’ll expand her counsel to apply not just to writers, but to all of you Geminis. In my astrological opinion, you’re likely to find success in the coming weeks if you’re understated, modest and unmelodramatic. Make it your goal to create smooth, suave, savvy solutions. Be cagey and cool and crafty.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu told us that water is in one sense soft and passive, but is in another sense superb at eroding jams and obstacles that are hard and firm. There’s a magic in the way its apparent weakness overcomes what seems strong and unassailable. You are one of the zodiac’s top wielders of water’s superpower, Cancerian. And in the coming weeks, it will work for you with even more amazing grace than usual. Take full advantage of your sensitivity, your emotional intelligence, and your empathy.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Leo author James Baldwin told us, “You read something which you thought only happened to you, and you discover that it happened 100 years ago to [Russian novelist] Fyodor Dostoyevsky. This is a great liberation for the suffering, struggling person, who always thinks that he is alone.” In that spirit, Leo, and in accordance with astrological omens, I urge you to track down people who have had pivotal experiences similar to yours, either in the distant or recent past. These days, you need the consoling companionship they can provide. Their influence could be key to liberating you from at least some of your pain.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Poet Octavio Paz described two kinds of distraction. One is “the distraction of the person who is always outside himself, lost in the trivial, senseless, turmoil of everyday life.” The other is “the distraction of the person who withdraws from the world in order to shut himself up in the secret and ever-changing land of his fantasy.” In my astrological opinion, you Virgos should specialize in the latter during the coming weeks. It’s time to reinvigorate your relationship with your deep inner sources. Go in search of the reverent joy that comes from communing with your tantalizing mysteries. Explore the riddles at the core of your destiny.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “We must never be afraid to go too far, for truth lies beyond,” declared novelist Marcel Proust. I wouldn’t normally offer that counsel to you Libras. One of your strengths is your skill at maintaining healthy boundaries. You know how to set dynamic limits that are just right: neither too extreme nor too timid. But according to my analysis of the astrological potentials, the coming weeks will be one of those rare times when you’ll be wise to consider an alternative approach: that the most vigorous truths and liveliest energies may lie beyond where you usually go.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Author William S. Burroughs claimed his greatest strength was a “capacity to confront myself no matter how unpleasant.” But he added a caveat to his brag: Although he recognized his mistakes, he rarely made any corrections. Yikes! Dear Scorpio, I invite you to do what Burroughs couldn’t. Question yourself about how you might have gone off course, but then actually make adjustments and atonements. As you do, keep in mind these principles: 1. An apparent mistake could lead you to a key insight or revelation. 2. An obstruction to the flow may prod you to open your mind and heart to a liberating possibility. 3. A snafu might motivate you to get back to where you belong. 4. A mess could show you something important you’ve been missing.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In her novel We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Sagittarian author Shirley Jackson wrote, “Today my winged horse is coming, and I am carrying you off to the moon, and on the moon we will eat rose petals.” I wonder what you would do if you received a message like that—an invitation to wander out on fanciful or mysterious adventures. I hope you’d be receptive. I hope you wouldn’t say, “There are no such things as flying horses. It’s impossible to fly to the moon and eat rose petals.” Even if you don’t typically entertain such whimsical notions, the time is favorable to do so now. I bet you will be pleased with the unexpected grace they bring your way.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn author Susan Sontag wrote about people who weren’t receptive to her intensity and intelligence. She said she always had “a feeling of being ‘too much’ for them—a creature from another planet—and I would try to scale myself down to size, so I could be apprehendable and lovable by them.” I understand the inclination to engage in such self-diminishment. We all want to be appreciated and understood. But I urge you to refrain from taming and toning yourself down too much in the coming weeks. Don’t do what Sontag did. In my astrological opinion, it’s time for you to be an extra vivid version of yourself.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “I am diagnosed with not having enough insanely addictive drugs coursing through my body,” joked comedian Sarah Silverman. Judging from current cosmic rhythms, I’m inclined to draw a similar conclusion about you. It may be wise for you to dose yourself with intoxicants. JUST KIDDING! I lied. Here’s the truth: I would love for you to experience extra rapture, mystic illumination, transcendent sex, and yes, even intoxication in the coming weeks. My analysis of the astrological omens suggests these delights are more likely and desirable than usual. However, the best way to arouse them is by communing with your favorite non-drug and non-alcohol inebriants. The benefits will last longer and incur no psychological cost.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “The truth is,” writes cartoonist Bill Watterson, “most of us discover where we are headed when we arrive.” I sense this will describe your life during the next six weeks. Your long, strange journey won’t come to an end, of course. But a key chapter in that long, strange journey will climax. You will be mostly finished with lessons you have been studying for many moons. The winding road you have been following will end up someplace in particular. And sometime soon, I suspect you’ll spy a foreshadowing flash of this denouement.
I love the wine Jeff Emery makes. His talents seem to know no bounds. The wine I’m writing about is the Pierce Ranch 2019 Petite Sirah under Emery’s main Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard label. Emery’s other label, Quinta Cruz, showcases unique grape varieties that originated in Spain and Portugal but are now grown in California.
“The variety known in California as Petite Sirah has its origins in France where it is called Durif,” says Emery. “Grown from vines in the San Antonio Valley appellation of southwestern Monterey County, this release has many layers of complexity including deep bush berries, exotic spices and hints of black pepper.”
More good news: It’s only $20 a bottle. Emery mentions that the wine is unfiltered so it may require decanting before serving. He also suggests pairing the Petite Sirah with hearty foods like stews, roasts and rich pasta sauces. I paired it with a veggie stir-fry, and it turned out to be a great match.
You can sample all of Emery’s wines at his tasting room on the Westside.
Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard, 334-A Ingalls St., Santa Cruz, 831-426-6209. santacruzmountainvineyard.com.
Allegretto Vineyard Resort
Every time we visit Paso Robles, we head to Allegretto’s beautiful hotel. This stunning property is well worth a visit, not only to feast your eyes on the amazing artwork, both inside and outside, but also to taste their awesome wines. They have their own vineyards and make wine from their estate grapes—during one of our stays, our room overlooked those lush vineyards. We always enjoy an outdoor tasting, and usually order some heavy hors d’oeuvres, which are served right where you’re seated. It couldn’t be nicer!
Allegretto, 2700 Buena Vista Drive, Paso Robles, 805-369-2526. allegrettowines.com.
Correction
The article, “Bottle Jack,” published Sept. 29, 2021, stated incorrectly that Corvo makes 2020 Corvo Rosé and 2020 Duca di Salaparuta Calanica Rosato. Two different outfits produce them under the Disaronno International umbrella. The online version of this article, “Bottle Jack Winery Proves that Tasty Malbec Doesn’t Always Come from Argentina,” has been corrected.
Oswald owner/chef Damani Thomas learned to make fried chicken by watching his grandma cook it as he worked on his homework after school. Now, that same fried chicken recipe is behind one of the most popular items on Oswald’s menu, and is one of the reasons the casual fine dining spot has become a mainstay in downtown Santa Cruz.
Thomas characterizes the menu as seasonal California comfort cuisine that utilizes local organic ingredients along with his own twists and inspiration he’s sourced from his life, like his grandma’s fried chicken.
The Dungeness crab tower appetizer, savory mushroom bread pudding and flourless chocolate soufflé are some of the other top sellers. Meanwhile, the bar serves up a mix of classic and original signature cocktails; the extensive wine list features local staples and a variety of international selections. Oswald offers indoor and outdoor dining and take-out; they’re open Wednesday-Saturday for lunch (noon-3pm) and dinner (4pm-9/10pm). Thomas spoke with GT about his culinary career, its birth and the night that defined it.
How did you get started as a chef?
DAMANI THOMAS: I was a busser at a restaurant in Oakland in 1988. The place had a huge kitchen, and I was very impressed by the level of coordination and organization, the team aspect, and just how synchronized everyone was putting out hundreds of dinners per night. It was amazing and a pleasure to watch. I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I asked the chef for an entry-level position, so I started as a prep cook and learned basic skills, and ended up working all the stations. I enjoyed it and did it well. I learned a lot about food; it was like discovering a new world.
Tell me about your first night at Oswald’s current location.
It was New Year’s Eve in 2008, and we had a lot of new staff. It was a hard night but rewarding because we were closed for two years and many guests were regulars from our old location. At the end of service, the guests all gave me a standing ovation that lasted for like five whole minutes. It felt great and was affirming. I knew what I could do, and that moment proved that I was doing the right thing, that all the hard work had paid off, and the community loved us.
121 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-423-7427; oswaldrestaurant.com.
The realities of pandemic dining are dicey: tips are thin, servers are few and nerves are frayed. We all know how lucky we were that many Santa Cruz area restaurants and food trucks bravely stayed open to offer carryout meals through most of the quarantine, followed by outdoor dining, and finally indoor—after more than a year of barely making ends meet.
I thought everybody knew how hard it was to hire staffers given health concerns, plus the availability of lucrative unemployment. But some diners didn’t get the message. Restaurants trying to juggle indoor dining, outdoor dining and carryout meals are essentially trying to triple themselves in output while remaining only a single kitchen with minimal staff. I think anyone can do that math. Of course it will take longer for meals to be cooked, plated and delivered. And take-out needs to be ordered way in advance. Some restaurants, like Lillian’s, have added a 10% service charge to take-out orders to help compensate kitchen and staff.
Tatiana Glass,co-owner of Avanti, admits this has been “an extremely difficult time.Before it was hard to find qualified people to work. Now it is impossible. It’s expensive to train and a lot of them end up not working out. So we start the cycle again. Meanwhile, we have the restaurant full and we find ourselves always apologizing to customers about the service or the wait.” Glass says that “to-go orders helped a lot, and if a customer calls and I know we are packed, I can delay their order and help the kitchen. If online orders were available, I wouldn’t be able to control it. We know some customers don’t like it, but it’s a way we have been successful at it.”
Avanti poured money and labor into opening outdoor seating before most local restaurants. And they stayed open for carryout from the very start of quarantine. “We are extremely lucky to have made it this far and we have been working extremely hard, wearing every single hat in the restaurant, from server to dishwasher. We hope to return to a normality so we can have our personal lives back.”
The problem forservers is acute. The pay structure for restaurant workers is based on tips, but many to-go orders yield no tips at all. Rebecca Prete, a lead server and manager with Sushi Garden, has been with the company for two years, but is now traveling from Scotts Valley to Aptos, working three of four restaurant locations due to understaffing.
“Nobody’s applying,” she says. “We essentially have to hire anyone who walks in, but many days I’m the only one working. We have been inundated with to-go orders. We are overwhelmed. So a lot of my fellow staffers took unemployment.” In pre-Covid days, she says she was making good tips. “But during the pandemic, my tips went down to less than 8%. A lot of people didn’t know that it was customary to tip on carry-out orders—but it takes just as much time to make the food for carryout as it does for inside dining.”
Chris Sullivan, manager of Mentone, agrees that the labor shortage is a real phenomenon.
“While the labor I have here is really great, the lack of applicants is frustrating,” he writes in an email. “A combination of industry folks finding side hustles (cash-only pop-ups promoted by social media and local hype) or entirely new fields, plus the unemployment payouts, have contributed to a dearth of labor.”
To maintain the restaurant’s standards of service Sullivan has trimmed to-go orders and numbers of tables. “I’ve seen places adding outdoor spaces when that was the only option, but now have indoor tables too with roughly the same amount of staff as the original model. This results in those long waits on everything, longer turn times, not to mention a tired staff.”
La Posta/Soif restaurateur Patrice Boyle has kept her pandemic game plan low-key and cautious. “While we continue to have some staffing shortages, we have managed to field great teams at both places. Soif doesn’t do much takeout, and La Posta doesn’t have online ordering. It’s all by phone,” she says. “That way we can control the flow of orders.”
And there are more dining issues, some obvious, others not, that have surfaced during the past 18 months of lockdown—to be continued.
