Page 457 | Good Times

Why Aptos is Happy to Have the Hideout Back

Christina Waters

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August 3, 2021

Why Aptos is Happy to Have the Hideout Back

Now that the fire that closed them down for two years is but a flash in the rear view mirror, the folks over at the Hideout are busy making up for lost time. I mean, this place jumps! It sizzles with energy and upbeat vibes. You should see it on Friday night, says my lunch companion. The spacious front patio, replete with hanging heat lamps and a cozy al fresco firepit, welcomes patrons to a newly expanded interior. Skylights and strategically placed flat screen TV monitors adorn the well-populated main bar. A huge back dining room beckons, and to the side is the revamped original dining room, complete with the stone fireplace from its Chez Renee days of continental cuisine. There’s no doubt that Aptos is happy to have the Hideout back in action.

The menu cuts to the chase. If you can get past the lineup of mouth-watering cocktails, there’s tasty food here. Spicy appetizers, from shishito pepper with lime aioli to shoestring truffle fries, get things started. And a long list of salads and sandwiches aims directly at lunchtime appetites. There are a few choice entrees too—short ribs, a New York strip steak, two pastas and currently a king salmon risotto. But I had my eye on the house cheeseburger ($15). I ordered it my way, medium rare, with cheddar cheese and a side of fries ($15). Melody opted for the Cuban, a gorgeous sourdough sandwich of smoked ham, aged swiss, dill pickles and slow-cooked Yucatan pulled pork slathered with dijon aioli ($18). I wanted some aioli too, so the waitress brought me a small container of Sriracha aioli, which you can get with side orders of fries—and let me tell you that was one fiery aioli, absolutely brilliant with my cheeseburger. It was a textbook, classic cheeseburger, the kind you fantasize about. Soft potato bun, juicy delicious ground beef, which for no particular reason came topped with a mound of caramelized onions. They looked great but I’m not a fan, so I simply scraped them to the side, applied catsup and dug in. Melody also dug in, giving me enough of a sample of her sandwich to make me grin with pleasure. I was glad I’d ordered the cheeseburger, wonderful with a tall, cold glass of lemonade lightly laced with fresh strawberry puree ($4). One of these Fridays that cozy firepit on the front terrace will be calling my name. The Hideout, 9051 Soquel Drive, Aptos. Open daily 11:30am—9pm. thehideoutaptos.com.

Yes Ser!Over at Ser Winery Tasting Room, just up the road from the Hideout in Aptos Village, winemaker Nicole Walsh and company will be pouring some choice Ser wines on Saturday August 7 out on the green in front of the spacious New LeafMarket. Ticket sales benefit Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries. Nice event for a great goal. On Thursday, August 29th, Persephone and Ser get together again for one of those popular Ser winemaker dinners. Walsh is singing the praises of Persephone Chef Cori Goudge-Ayer and her knack for making artistic wine/food pairings … Plan ahead for the September 18 Fall Feast at Live Earth Farm. Beverages by Storrs Winery, Venus Spirits, Discretion Brewing and more. Multi-course dinner from the Live Earth Farm fields prepared by Chef Diego Felix, Jessica Yarr and others. Live music and auction, 100% of sales and auction purchases go to support the Farm Discovery’s various programs. Good programs, great idea. Sliding scale tickets at eventbrite.com. Info at farmdiscovery.org/event/shine.

Former SLVUSD Teacher Won’t Have to Register as Sex Offender After Guilty Plea

Drew Penner

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July 29, 2021

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Former SLVUSD Teacher Won’t Have to Register as Sex Offender After Guilty Plea

A former San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District middle and high school teacher who was accused of abusing a 10-year-old girl during private after-school lessons pleaded guilty to a felony assault count in Santa Cruz County Superior Court Wednesday.

Judge Paul Burdick ordered Michael Henderson homebound for six months at his Washington State residence, but as part of the terms of the plea deal, he won’t have to register as a sex offender.

“He cannot be a teacher, with a felony conviction, in any state,” said Kristal Salcido, the assistant district attorney, explaining the ramifications of Henderson agreeing to the charge of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury. “It’s something that I brought to the victim, in terms of him having to register for being a sex offender versus not. And ultimately the most important thing for the victim was that he was not permitted to be a teacher anymore, which has been achieved.”

Henderson has been placed on probation for two years and must pay $370 in fines. He will get credit for two days already served. Judge Burdick also issued a protective order for the victim.

Evidence presented during the preliminary examination painted a picture of Henderson isolating the girl during tutoring, turning the lights off and touching her on the buttocks and breasts.

He was held to answer on four counts of lewd acts with a child under the age of 14, although those charges were all dismissed as part of the guilty plea.

Henderson appeared in person alongside his lawyers George Gigarjian and Peter Leeming.

“I think it was a complicated problem,” Gigarjian said afterward. “The allegations were strongly denied by Mr. Henderson, and he decided to engage in this compromise, rather than take the case to trial—to put it behind himself and the rest of his family.”

Victim impact statements read by Michelle Cardinale, a victim advocate with the district attorney’s office, highlighted the results of Henderson’s actions.

“This happened when I was 10 years old,” read the text from the victim. “His hands were holding me back from living my middle school life.”

She says she’s on the road to recovery now, but wrote that Henderson’s behavior triggered an eating disorder.

“I would be playing sports and almost pass out from lack of food,” she said. “Due to Michael’s actions I have panic attacks.”

The statement from the girl’s sister pointed to how the victim was driven to self-harm and to consider suicide.

“I’m scared when she doesn’t answer the phone because I fear the worst,” Cardinale read aloud in court. “We trusted this man and I wish we hadn’t.”

Her mother spoke of blaming herself.

“I beat myself up daily for trusting Mr. Henderson,” she said in her statement, adding that he stole her innocence. “We continue to work through this new reality. I hate you.”

An independent investigation into several other accusations of SLVUSD teacher sexual misconduct is still ongoing, superintendent Christopher Schiermeyer told the Press Banner.

During sentencing, Gigarjian asked Burdick for permission to extend the date of when Henderson must show up to be outfitted with an ankle monitor by a few weeks so he can travel.

“Where is Mr. Henderson going?” Burdick asked.

“Visiting family,” Henderson replied.

Burdick set the reporting date for Sept. 30, which was not quite as long as Henderson had hoped for.

Gigarjian then asked for one more exception: that Henderson be allowed to leave his home jail cell every day to take his son to and from school.

The victim’s family members shook their heads at the request.

“I’m not going to authorize it,” Burdick said.

Covid-19 Outbreak Linked to Show at Felton Music Hall

Drew Penner

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July 29, 2021

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Covid-19 Outbreak Linked to Show at Felton Music Hall

At least four concertgoers have tested positive for the novel coronavirus after attending a Grateful Dead-themed performance in Felton, although none had to be hospitalized, Santa Cruz County health officials said Tuesday.

“That meets the definition of an outbreak,” said Santa Cruz County spokesperson Jason Hoppin, explaining that designation is given after three cases pop up in one place. “It sounds like there may be more.”

Los Angeles-based Grateful Shred played a pair of weekend dates in Felton on July 17 and 18. The first was held outdoors at Roaring Camp, but there are no reports of Covid-19 cases coming out of that event, authorities said.

However, at least nine people (including the band) out of the 291 attendees at the second performance held inside the Felton Music Hall have come down with Covid-19, said Thomas Cussins, owner of the venue, who organized both shows.

At least one of the infected people emailed the venue to say they’d already been vaccinated, Cussins confirmed.

“This is a very trying time as a small business,” he said, noting he’s closed the club, for now, ordered all staff to get tested and mandated masks for future shows. “Having this happen is just devastating.”

Hoppin said the people who are most seriously affected by Covid-19 are those who have not yet been vaccinated.

“That’s why we would encourage everyone to get vaccinated,” he said. “It does keep you out of the hospital or the morgue.”

Grateful Shred’s July 18 show included “Rider,” “Eyes of the World” and “Alligator,” according to the setlist posted on their website.

They’d just come off playing The Moroccan Lounge in downtown LA on July 15, and in Ventura County at Libbey Bowl in Ojai on July 16.

An Ojai Recreation Department employee contacted by the Press Banner said she was unaware of any Covid-19 cases emerging from the band’s performance at the Libbey Bowl, an outdoor venue. She said future shows are still going ahead.

A week after the first Felton concert, the band posted an Instagram update, saying that, in addition to fans testing positive, “Nearly all of the band and crew have also tested positive and are at home recovering with their families.”

The band urged attendees to quarantine if they feel sick.

“Apparently the vaccine does not prevent transmission,” the post reads. “But fortunately, it does seem to really help with reducing sickness and preventing hospitalization.”

Instagram user @gratefulstardust, aka Bradley Stockwell, replied to the post saying he attended both LA-area shows and tested positive the following Tuesday—despite being fully vaccinated.

“Had fever, chills, and flu-like symptoms,” he said, noting he’s “all better now except I still have no smell. Get vaxxed and be safe everyone!”

IG user Holly Bailey (@mother.planter) said she also tested positive after the Moroccan show.

Colleen (@cocoriggs) commented that she attended a Felton performance, but said “it felt way too crowded” and so she left after about 20 minutes.

“I’m fully vaccinated and tested positive on Friday,” she wrote. “I wish I had masked up. I will in the future.”

Hoppin said health officials are investigating whether a lack of airflow in the Felton Music Hall is what allowed the virus to spread so quickly.

“The ventilation is not exceptional,” he said. “That may have been a contributing factor.”

But the venue has been “very helpful” in the aftermath, according to Hoppin.

Hoppin said there are around 196 active Covid-19 cases in the county—although he says that’s probably an undercount. In addition, four people are currently hospitalized with Covid-19 in the county, including two in ICU beds, Hoppin said.

Fifth District Supervisor Bruce McPherson says he’s looking forward to chatting with Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel to learn more about the outbreak, and recommends locals who haven’t been vaccinated yet get the jab.

“I can understand about the privacy rights,” he said. “I can understand people who don’t want to do it for their own health reasons.”

But even those groups should get checked frequently for the virus, he emphasized.

“Be tested for it,” McPherson said. “That’s just a civil thing to do.”

MaKendree VanHall, a manager at Greater Purpose Brewery in Santa Cruz, said the Felton outbreak played into the restaurant’s recent decision to up Covid-19 precautions again.

“I got wind that it was happening, but I didn’t know how bad it was,” he said, adding on Tuesday he found out the Felton Music Hall incident had technically been deemed an outbreak. “We can’t survive another wave of this, economically.”

Greater Purpose announced it would start requiring proof of vaccination for indoor seating the following day.

“We’re just going to be proactive instead of reactive,” he said, noting none of their staff has tested positive before adding, “Get the damn vaccine! You can quote me on that.”

The same day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed course on some of it mask wearing guidance, recommending that full-vaccinated individuals in areas of the country with high Covid-19 infection rates should wear masks indoors.

Cabrillo Stage Goes Big With ‘Pirates of Penzance’

A&E
Stage

Christina Waters

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July 28, 2021

1

Cabrillo Stage Goes Big With ‘Pirates of Penzance’

The play is a century-and-a-half old. The story—a tale of inept pirates and ill-fated lovers—is deliciously silly. Yet it’s irresistible, because it’s Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance.

As Musical Director Cheryl Anderson puts it, “We are simply having a blast.”

Anderson and the rest of the Cabrillo Stage company deserve the fun they’re having getting this production ready for prime time. Last year, Cabrillo’s haunting performances of Concerning Matthew Shepherd were halted by the pandemic in March.

“We only had three performances left of when we realized we just couldn’t continue. Everybody was pretty much devastated. We’d become family. People felt like they were participating in something important,” Anderson recalls. “But we didn’t have any choice, we had to close through the rest of 2020.”

But it takes more than a pandemic to stop Anderson and her many Cabrillo-based choral groups. It was on to Zoom—“but there were lots of connectivity issues.” Then in the fall, there were rehearsals in Parking Garage A. “Only 20 people at a time, with masks and shields and standing 12 feet apart,” she explains. “But we were so happy to work together. We even did a Christmas concert outside in the amphitheater. By spring, we had it dialed. The alternative—not singing together—was unthinkable.”

Originally the summer production was to be Bernstein’s Candide.

“But we have been closed down, and there was no way we could chance a show that complicated. Everyone knows Pirates, so it seemed to be a great solution. The cast is brilliant. Many Cabrillo grads now out making names for themselves, but halted by the pandemic, returned home to shelter.” Pirates will be fully staged, “which means costumes, choreography, orchestra—all out in the amphitheater.”

Anderson has been a Gilbert and Sullivan devotée since grammar school, when she was introduced to the H.M.S. Pinafore (think Monty Python crossed with eye-rolling puns and clever music). Pirates of Penzance premiered in New York in 1879. So what’s the enduring appeal of this tale of swash-buckling pirates (not a rocket scientist among them) and semi-honest but patriotic British nobles?

“It’s really excellent music, well-crafted. The arias are challenging,” she explains. “The stories resolve themselves in the nicest possible ways. The characters fall in love, everybody ends up with something they want. I just tear up thinking about how powerful the sound and the sentiment are.”

Anderson once again has teamed up with veteran director Joseph Ribeiro to bring the uproarious stage antics to life. “I’m at all of those rehearsals. Fascinated by how other artists approach this work, the choreographer, the stage director. We’re just laughing through all the rehearsals. All of the leads have had considerable stage experience, so they are terrific,” she says.

David Graham plays Major General Stanley who performs the tongue-twisting lyrics of the show-stopper “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General.” Lori Schulman sings the stratospherically high arias of Mabel, beloved of Frederic, who is played by Michael Stahl. And Melanie Olivia Camras plays Ruth, nanny to our hero Frederic and the one who mistakenly apprenticed Frederic to a band of pirates, instead of nautical pilot.

Anderson knows audiences will love what they see and hear. “The amphitheater has a great sound system. If you’re in the high bleacher seats, you might want to bring glasses,” she says. “But everybody in the cast understands how big the motions have to be.”

‘Pirates of Penzance,’ directed by Joseph Ribeiro and Cheryl Anderson opens Friday, July 30 with one show, two shows on Saturday, the 31st, and two on August 1. cabrillostage.com/piratesofpenzance.

Things to do in Santa Cruz: July 28-Aug 3

GT Staff

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July 28, 2021

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Things to do in Santa Cruz: July 28-Aug 3

A weekly guide to what’s happening.

ARTS AND MUSIC

BANFF CENTRE MOUNTAIN FILM VIRTUAL FESTIVAL Now’s your chance to catch all our Virtual World Tour Programs. Join us online for a mixed program of award winners from the 2020, 2019 and 2018 Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festivals. Catch up on missed films or relive some of the best that Banff has to offer. For more information and tickets, visit riotheatre.com or call 831-423-8209. Wednesday, July 28-Saturday, July 31.

COMEDY BURST FOR DURST El Vaquero Winery stages a standup comedy extravaganza to raise funds for Will Durst, with standup performances by the brilliant monologist Dan St. Paul, the powerhouse ranting of Johnny Steele, the musical comedy of Richard Stockton and with special guest DNA, to celebrate the healing of our community and to donate to the recovery of comic legend Will Durst. All proceeds from ticket sales and all donations to “The Bucket of Love” will be sent directly to Will’s wife Debi Durst. The El Vaquero Winery is donating 10 percent of show wine sales. Saturday, July 31, 5pm. El Vaquero Winery, 2901 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville.

FREE CONCERT AT SAN LORENZO PARK Come join San Lorenzo Park Neighbors at the duck pond stage for an afternoon of music performed by HolySea and others. Bring a picnic and chair or a blanket. Free, all-ages event preceded by volunteer beautification project at the park playground. Come one, come all! Sat, July 31, San Lorenzo Park, 137 Dakota Ave, Santa Cruz. Saturday, July 31, 9:30am-2:30pm. San Lorenzo Park, 137 Dakota Ave., Santa Cruz.

GREATER PURPOSE COMEDY NIGHT Every Friday night at Greater Purpose Brewing it’s the Greater Purpose Comedy Show. Hosted by DNA and Chree Powell, this show features the best of California comedy. The show is 90 minutes long; doors at 7pm, show at 7:30pm. Admission is $10 and we strongly suggest buying your tickets in advance on Eventbrite. Show is for ages 16+. Friday, July 30, 7-9pm. East Cliff Brewing Co., 21517 E Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz.

IN THE WORKS CONCERT Cabrillo Festival presents a concert of nine world premieres (solo works and duets) written for members of the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra by three emerging composers, Theo Chandler, Meng Wang, and Jeremy Rapaport-Stein. This presentation is part of the 2021 Cabrillo Festival Composers Workshop, led by Pierre Jalbert, composing faculty mentor. Followed by a post-concert artist talk and Q&A. For more information visit cabrillomusic.org. Sunday, Aug. 1, 7pm.

OPENING NIGHT: CONTESTED EDEN CONCERT Cabrillo Festival’s 2021 Virtual Season opens with “Contested Eden,” a new work by composer Gabriela Lena Frank, reflecting on the California wildfires and climate crisis. The work is presented as a dance video, with choreography by Molly Katzman, filmed on location by Swan Dive Media in CZU Lightning Complex Fire sites in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and music remotely recorded by members of the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra. Followed by a post-concert artist talk and Q&A. For more information visit cabrillomusic.org. Saturday, July 31, 7pm.

SALSA SUELTA FREE ZOOM SESSION Weekly online session in Cuban-style Salsa Suelta for experienced beginners and up. May include mambo, chachacha, Afro-Cuban rumba, orisha, son montuno. No partner required, ages 14 and older. Contact to get the link; visit salsagente.com. Thursday, July 29, 7pm. Louden Nelson Community Center, 301 Center St., Santa Cruz.

SANTA CRUZ SHAKESPEARE: RII The story that sets England’s Wars of the Roses in motion, Jessica Kubzansky’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Richard II tells the story of that king’s ill-fated reign using just three actors. What is our responsibility when a bad leader rightfully occupies the throne? This exploration of divine right, capricious leadership and bloody insurrection is packed with contemporary political relevance. A critic’s choice pick when it premiered at the Boston Court theatre in Los Angeles, Charles McNulty, critic for the LA Times, called the play a “feat of ingenious stagecraft.” Santa Cruz Shakespeare performances take place in the Audrey Stanley Grove at Upper DeLaveaga Park in Santa Cruz. With a “safety first” mantra, Santa Cruz Shakespeare has implemented numerous Covid-19 safety protocols for its 2021 season, including a revised seating layout that ensures adequate space and comfort for patrons. Due to limited capacity at the venue, people are encouraged to purchase tickets early. For more information visit santacruzshakespeare.org. Thursday, July 29, 7:30-9:30pm. Saturday, July 31, 8-10pm. Sunday, Aug. 1, 1-3pm. The Grove at DeLaveaga Park, 501 Upper Park Road, Santa Cruz.

SANTA CRUZ SHAKESPEARE: THE AGITATORS This play tells the story of Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony. Over the 45 volatile years they knew one another, they were friends, allies and adversaries. Their hopes and dreams for equality brought them to common ground and political battlefields. As agitators, they were not content to let either our nation or each other rest in complacency, and their respective fights for racial justice and gender equity continue to this day. Santa Cruz Shakespeare performances take place in the Audrey Stanley Grove (The Grove) at Upper DeLaveaga Park in Santa Cruz. With a “safety first” mantra, Santa Cruz Shakespeare has implemented numerous Covid-19 safety protocols for its 2021 Season, including a revised seating layout that ensures adequate space and comfort for patrons. Due to limited capacity at the venue, people are encouraged to purchase tickets early; visit santacruzshakespeare.org. Wednesday, July 28, 7:30pm. Friday, July 30, 8pm. Saturday, July 31, 2pm. Sunday, Aug. 1, 7pm. The Grove at DeLaveaga Park, 501 Upper Park Road, Santa Cruz.

SOUNDING PUZZLES SANTA CRUZ COUNTY YOUTH SYMPHONY CONCERT Cabrillo Festival is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony in two world premieres: “Sounding Puzzles,” a work for remotely-recorded youth orchestra by composer Danny Clay; and “Violin Quartet” by Elias Gilbert for the Fourtés Violin Quartet, an ensemble of the SCCYS Chamber Music Academy. Founded in 1965, and led by Nathaniel Berman, Music Director, the Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony offers serious young musicians from throughout Santa Cruz County the opportunity to study and perform orchestral music at a pre-professional level. The Chamber Music Academy is led by Cynthia Baehr-Williams, head teacher, and is a program of the Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony. More information at cabrillomusic.org. Sunday, Aug. 1, 11am.

TOBY GRAY AT CHAMINADE Please join us for this very special and free event. Plenty of seating for all. A night outside by the fire pits with great music and friends at the incredibly beautiful Chaminade Resort overlooking the Monterey Bay. Great music and stories of touring with It’s A Beautiful Day, Dick Clark Productions, and a multitude of characters from San Francisco’s Summer of Love and LA music scenes. Monday, Aug. 2, 5:30pm. Chaminade Resort & Spa, 1 Chaminade Ln, Santa Cruz.

ZOOTOPIA SHOWING To celebrate National Night Out, the Santa Cruz Warriors and Santa Cruz Police Department invite you to a free showing of the movie, Zootopia. Prior to the film, there will be a bounce house, crafts, K9 demonstrations and other activities for youth. We look forward to seeing you there! Zootopia is a Disney comedy-adventure about a rookie bunny cop determined to crack her first case, even if it means partnering with a cynical con artist fox to solve the mystery. Tuesday, Aug. 3, 6:30pm. Kaiser Permanente Arena, 140 Front St., Santa Cruz.

COMMUNITY

AMAH MUTSUN FIRE RELATIONSHIPS (ONLINE) Fire is many things to the Amah Mutsun and other California Indian Tribes: it is sacred, it is a tool gifted by Creator, and it is a way to restore balance to Mother Earth. This presentation hosted by the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History will share more about how the Amah Mutsun are using fire to restore landscapes and relationships in the Santa Cruz mountains and beyond. Lawrence Atencio is the Native Stewardship Corps Field Manager for the Amah Mutsun Land Trust, an initiative of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, which is the vehicle by which the Amah Mutsun access, protect, and steward lands that are integral to their identity and culture. The AMLT returns the tribe to their ancestral lands and restores their role as environmental stewards. For more information or for the registration link, visit santacruzmuseum.org. Tuesday, Aug. 3, 6-7pm.

ASK ME ANYTHING: CONVERSATIONS FROM THE FRONT LINE OF HOMELESSNESS Join Housing Matters’ Programs Staff in their newest webinar: “Ask Me Anything: Conversations from the Front Line Of Homelessness”. This is your opportunity to hear what is going on every single day to solve homelessness and ask all the questions you have about working to solve homelessness in our community. Wednesday, July 28, 11am. Housing Matters, 115 Coral St., Santa Cruz.

BUILDING WITH PURPOSE PART 2: HOUSING MATTERS’ NEWEST HOUSING PROJECT In Part 2 of the Building with Purpose two-part webinar series, we will be discussing the specifics of Housing Matters’ newest 120 unit permanent supportive housing project that will be located on our campus here in Santa Cruz County. This webinar will be led by Housing Matters executive director, Phil Kramer. To register, or for more information, visit eventbrite.com/e/building-with-purpose-part-2-housing-matters-newest-housing-project-tickets-146645501643.Thursday, July 29, 3-4pm.

FALL IN LOVE WITH BIRCHBARK-LOVE HEALS Join local nonprofit BirchBark Foundation on July 31 for a free virtual event to celebrate and help save pets’ lives! An hour of laughter and tears as we share inspiring stories and videos of love and healing hope; of dogs and cats BirchBark has helped save over the last year. Check out the amazing silent auction items (beginning July 24), and a very special performance by acclaimed indie rock artist, Marty O’Reilly. Love Heals! For more information, visit facebook.com/BirchBarkFoundation. Saturday, July 31, 6:45-8pm.

GRAB AND GO STEAM: MAKE YOUR OWN ROBOTIC HAND! We provide the materials and directions, you pick them up and make them at home. Learn about anatomy and engineering! The strings in your robot hand function much like the tendons in your own hand, which connect muscles to bones and let you bend your fingers. Your muscles create the pull that makes your fingers bend and lets you pick things up, just like your robot hand. Registration for a STEAM kit is required. To request a kit, fill out this form. First come first serve. Registration will close when all kits are claimed. Kits will be ready to pick up at a requested branch on July 28th. These kits are suggested for children over age 6. Choking hazard: this kit contains small pieces and is not suitable for young children without adult supervision. Adult assistance may be required for some children. For more information, visit santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/7831185. Wednesday, July 28, 4-5pm.

GREY BEARS BROWN BAG LINE Grey Bears are looking for help with their brown bag production line on Thursday and Friday mornings. Volunteers will receive breakfast and a bag of food if wanted. Be at the warehouse with a mask and gloves at 7am. Call ahead for more information: 831-479-1055, greybears.org. Thursday, July 29, 7am. California Grey Bears, 2710 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz.

NEXTSTAGE FUNDRAISER NextStage Productions fundraiser to benefit its Percussion Program for People Living with Parkinson’s at El Vaquero Winery on Freedom Boulevard. Musical performances by the Magical Mystery Troup playing your favorite Beatle songs; Ellen and Glenn reliving the ‘60s through songs; sultry and sassy songs by Valerie Arno; Patrick True voicing his inner Tom Petty; and a special presentation of a Sally Bookman-directed comedy play. Saturday, July 31, Noon-3pm. El Vaquero Winery, 2901 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville.

UNDERSTANDING ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA WEBINAR Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. Join us to learn about the impact of Alzheimer’s; the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia; stages and risk factors; current research and treatments available for some symptoms; and Alzheimer’s Association resources. Register at alz.org/crf or call 800-272-3900. Monday, Aug. 2, 1-2:30pm.

GROUPS

CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP VIA ZOOM Support groups create a safe, confidential, supportive environment or community and a chance for family caregivers to develop informal mutual support and social relationships as well as discover more effective ways to cope with and care for your loved one. Meeting via Zoom and phone. For questions and registration, call 800-272-3900. Wednesday, July 28, 2pm.

ENTRE NOSOTRAS GRUPO DE APOYO Entre Nosotras support group for Spanish-speaking women with a cancer diagnosis. Meets twice monthly. Registration required: call Entre Nosotras at 831-761-3973. Friday, July 30, 6pm. WomenCARE, 2901 Park Ave., Suite A1, Soquel.

FAMILY SANGHA MONTHLY MEDITATION Come help create a family meditation cooperative community! Parents will meet in the main room for about 40-minutes of silent meditation, followed by 10-15 minutes of discussion about life and mindful parenting. Kids will be in a separate volunteer-led room, playing and exploring mindfulness through games and stories. Parents may need to help with the kids for a portion of the hour, depending on volunteer turnout. All ages of children are welcome. Please bring toys to share. Quiet babies are welcome in the parents room. Donations (dana) are encouraged; there is no fee for the event. Sunday, Aug. 1, 10:30am-noon. Insight Santa Cruz, 740 Front St. #240, Santa Cruz.

S+LAA MENS’ MEETING Having trouble with compulsive sexual or emotional behavior? Recovery is possible. Our small 12-step group meets Saturday evenings. Enter through front entrance, go straight down the hallway to the last door on the right. Thursday, July 29, 6pm. Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center, 2900 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz.

WOMENCARE ARM-IN-ARM WomenCARE ARM-IN-ARM Cancer support group for women with advanced, recurrent, or metastatic cancer. Meets every Monday at WomenCARE’s office. Currently on Zoom. Registration required, call WomenCARE at 831-457-2273. All services are free. For more information visit womencaresantacruz.org. Monday, Aug. 2, 12:30pm.

WOMENCARE MEDITATION GROUP WomenCARE’s meditation group for women with a cancer diagnosis meets the first and third Friday from 11am-noon. For more information and location call 831-457-2273. Monday, Aug. 2, 11am-noon.

WOMENCARE TUESDAY SUPPORT GROUP WomenCARE Tuesday Cancer support group for women newly diagnosed and through their treatment. Meets every Tuesday currently on Zoom. Registration required, call WomenCARE 831-457-2273. Tuesday, Aug. 3, 12:30-2pm.

WOMENCARE: LAUGHTER YOGA Laughter yoga for women with a cancer diagnosis. Meets every Wednesday, currently via Zoom. Registration is required, call WomenCARE at 831-457-2273. Wednesday, July 28, 3:30-4:30pm.

OUTDOOR

CASFS FARMSTAND Organic vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers are sold weekly at the CASFS Farmstand, starting June 15 and continuing through Nov. 23. Proceeds support experiential education programs at the UCSC Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems. Tuesday, Aug. 3, Noon-6pm. Cowell Ranch Historic Hay Barn, Ranch View Road, Santa Cruz.

COASTAL BIRDING WALK On this 2.5 mile hike, be prepared to walk on uneven surfaces, with many stops to view the many birds, plants, and scenery along the way. You will help each other spot and identify birds! Bring your binoculars if you have them, clothes for variable weather, and good walking shoes. Meet next to park map in Wilder Ranch main parking lot. Rain cancels. Vehicle day-use fee is $10. For more information, call 831-426-0505. Spaces are limited and early pre-registration is recommended. Attendees are required to self-screen for Covid-19 symptoms when pre-registering. Masks and social distancing are also required at all programs. To register, visit: santacruzstateparks.as.me/schedule.php. Friday, July 30, 9-11:30am. Wilder Ranch State Park, 1401 Coast Road, Santa Cruz.

FREE TUESDAY AT UCSC ARBORETUM Community Day at the UCSC Arboretum, free admission on the first Tuesday of every month. Come explore the biodiversity of our gardens, great birdwatching or simply come relax on a bench in the shade. Tuesday, Aug. 3, 9am-5pm. UCSC Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz.

HISTORIC RANCH GROUND TOUR Discover what life was like a century ago on this innovative dairy ranch. This hour-long tour includes the 1896 water-powered machine shop, barns and other historic buildings. The vehicle day-use fee is $10. For more information, call 831-426-0505. Spaces are limited and early pre-registration is recommended. Attendees are required to self-screen for Covid-19 symptoms when pre-registering. Masks and social distancing are also required at all programs. To register, visit: santacruzstateparks.as.me/schedule.php. Saturday, July 31, 1pm. Sunday, Aug. 1, 1pm. Wilder Ranch State Park, 1401 Coast Road, Santa Cruz.

JAMES HENRY HOUSE OF SAMBA KIDS OUTDOORS EVENT AT ANNA JEAN CUMMINGS PARK IN SOQUEL James Henry, master percussionist, has traveled the world and incorporates cultural wisdom from across the globe into his performances. Expect to dance, sing, and be transported to many areas of the globe through the sounds of drums and percussion. The performance will be outside in the Felton Branch Library parking lot. Please find free alternative parking on the street. Saturday, July 31, 11am-noon. Anna Jean Cummings Park, 461 Old San Jose Road, Soquel.

NATURAL BRIDGES LITTLE RANGERS Participants are invited to play games, listen to stories and songs, and learn about nature. Activities and games vary from week to week, but always cover a topic relevant to Natural Bridges. Meet at the side porch of the Visitor Center. Parents or caregivers are required to stay and encouraged to help facilitate the fun and games. Day-use fee for vehicles is $10. For more information, call 831-423-0871. Masks and social distancing are also required at all programs. Although no pre-registration is required, this program has a class capacity and operates on a first come first serve basis, so make sure to arrive early. We can’t wait to see you again. Monday, Aug. 2, 10-10:30am. Natural Bridges State Beach, Swanton Blvd. & W Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz.

NEW BRIGHTON JUNIOR RANGERS This fun one-hour program offers kids, ages 7-12, an opportunity to earn prizes while learning about birds, sea life, and local park animals, playing games, and doing arts and crafts. Meet at the campground ramada. For more information, call 831-685-6444. Spaces are limited and early pre-registration is recommended. Attendees are required to self-screen for Covid-19 symptoms when pre-registering. Masks and social distancing are also required at all programs. To register, visit: santacruzstateparks.as.me/schedule.php. Friday, July 30, 3pm. Saturday, July 31, 3pm. New Brighton Beach, 1500 Park Ave., Capitola.

SUNSET BEACH BOWLS Experience the tranquility, peace and calmness as the ocean waves harmonize with the sound of crystal bowls raising vibration and energy levels. Every Tuesday one hour before sunset at Moran Lake Beach. Call 831-333-6736 for more details. Tuesday, Aug. 3, 7:15-8:15pm. Moran Lake Park & Beach, East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz.

YOU PICK ROSES We are growing over 300 roses, deeply fragrant, lush and in every color, and we want to share them with you! Get out of the house and enjoy cutting a bucket of roses for your own pleasure or to share with family and friends. Once you have made a purchase, you will be sent a calendar link to pick a time for your reservation and directions to our farm in Watsonville. Friday, July 30, 11am. Sunday, Aug. 1, 11am.

Comics Unite to Benefit NorCal Icon Will Durst

DNA

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July 28, 2021

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Comics Unite to Benefit NorCal Icon Will Durst

If you could manifest the spirit of the Bay Area comedy scene into one human being, it would be Will Durst. Beloved political comedian and now at 69, elder statesmen, Durst suffered a debilitating stroke in October of 2019 and has been on the mend since then. While the rehabilitation has been excruciating, his wife of 32 years, Debi Durst (comedian, actress and Queen Bee of Comedy Day in Golden Gate Park, which is back this year on Sept. 19) is sanguine.

“Will’s recovery seems to be taking forever, but every time we go to therapy he’s progressing,” she says. “He’s been in ICU twice, and the second time he was there for six weeks. The muscles got atrophied and his knee is kind of bent, so straightening out his legs is our focus.”

On Saturday, July 31, veteran local comedian Richard Stockton is holding a comedy fundraiser for Will called Comedy Outburst for Durst. All proceeds from this event will go directly to Will Durst’s recovery fund, and El Vaquero Winery in Corralitos, which is hosting the event, is donating 10% of their sales.

“Will Durst has been my teacher for 30 years,” says Stockton. “From leading brainstorm joke-writing sessions to filling up theaters with his fame to give the rest of us the most intelligent audience ever to perform for, to showing me how to get ready in the green room before going onstage, he has been my sensei.”

And it wasn’t just onstage lessons that Stockton learned from Durst, it was also lessons on how to be a better human being. “After shows, when we felt too amped up and too full of ourselves from performing, we’d take long walks in the dead of night through a sleeping city to gently ground ourselves again.” Stockton recalls. “He wants us to be as great as we can be and still have a balanced life. He infuses us with the joy of making people laugh out loud on purpose. This is a great man. He brings out the best in us. He needs help.”

Will Durst, Larry “Bubbles” Brown and Johnny Steele are the comics at the core of the documentary 3 Still Standing by directors Robert Campos and Donna LoCicero. The film explores the wild ride of stand-up comedy in the Bay Area during the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. According to Bay Area comedic legend Steele (who will be performing at the benefit), Will Durst is the glue that held the lauded regional comedy scene together. “Durst is the godfather of SF comedy. When others abandoned the fort, he stayed, hosting both radio and TV shows, hanging with the mayor, and regularly headlining the Punchline longer than anybody,” Steele says. “He’s got a work ethic that most comics can only dream of. I’ve actually seen him writing jokes side-stage as he’s being introduced. Talk about topical humor. And he’s also a damn fine fellow.”

One of Durst’s closest friends and comedians who will also be performing is boomer spokesman Dan St. Paul. “I met Will at the Holy City Zoo in SF in 1981. He was headlining,” says St. Paul. “I was just starting out, building an act. Because he was a political comic, he would add and subtract from his act day to day. He immediately had my respect. Even though he was way further up the career ladder, he never pulled rank. So friendly and approachable and we both loved stand-up and baseball and became quick friends.”

Known for his political savvy and razor-sharp observations, Durst has entertained Santa Cruz audiences for decades with his one-man show From LSD to OMG and his ability to earn laughs from all political denominations (he performed for both President Bill Clinton and President George H.W. Bush).

Benefit organizer Stockton promises a special afternoon of comedy and wants everyone to know that this is about helping a genuinely gracious human being regain his balance, literally, so he can once again charm and educate us from the stage. “Will took me under his wing,” Stockton says, “but Will would take anyone under his wing, he would help comics. But what Will cares about most is bringing out the best in all people.”Comedy Outburst for Durst will be held Saturday, July 31 at 5pm at El Vaquero Winery, 2901 Freedom Blvd, Corralitos. Tickets are $25 and available at Eventbrite. If you want to help out, but cannot attend, you can donate directly to gofundme.com/f/awukk-will-durst-needs-your-help.

Moshe Vilozny Plays Farewell Show at Moe’s Alley

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July 28, 2021

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Moshe Vilozny Plays Farewell Show at Moe’s Alley

Moshe Vilozny remembers the time in 2009 when Fishbone played Moe’s Alley. Unlike most shows he booked, this one felt like things could get out of hand at any moment. In fact, the club, which tended to book blues, reggae, Americana, and mellow indie rock at the time, didn’t have staff for crowd control—it wasn’t needed. But at that show, owner Bill Welch told Vilozny to go over to the stage to make sure no one got hurt.

“I didn’t know how crazy it would get with Fishbone getting older,” Vilozny says. “[Lead singer] Angelo [Moore] jumps off, he’s swinging on our lighting rig, flipping over, hanging on his leg, just going absolutely nuts. That’s probably one of the edgiest shows we ever booked at Moe’s.”

Vilozny began helping out Welch with booking in 2005, and did not expect it to become his career for the next decade and a half. But on July 31, he’s going to officially retire, and celebrate the moment with a performance of his own tunes, along with sets from Peter Harper and Dave Holodiloff.

“I wasn’t intending to do this for as long as I did. I started working there while I was going to UCSC,” Vilozny says.

Fortunately for locals, Moe’s Alley is in good hands with new owners Lisa Norelli and Brian Ziel, who took over the club from Welch this year and are eager to keep the spot great.

Under Welch’s ownership, Moe’s has been a very consistent venue, with several of the same acts coming through every year to good-sized crowds. In an industry with extremely high turnover, Vilozny booked for 16 years, developed relationships with people in the industry, and got to understand the markets extremely well. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what constituted a Moe’s Alley show, but you knew it when you saw it.

“It was comfortable for everybody, everyone knew what to expect,” Vilozny explains. “It was the kind of thing where people could just walk in—I’m just going to Moe’s and see a good show. We had, like, a certain thing we were going for.”

Welch and Phil Lewis opened the club in 1992 as a purely blues venue. Lewis left about a decade later, and Welch knew he wanted to broaden the kinds of acts that played there. On Jan. 7, 2005, Vilozny booked his own band there, the eclectic world beat-infused Universal Language, which sold that show out. Afterward, Welch chatted with him and found out that since 2000, he’d had experience at Palookaville and the Catalyst, and knew his way around several markets, including reggae, bluegrass, and Americana. At first, Welch continued to book blues and other acts he knew well, while Vilozny took over with other genres. He also helped with press releases, filing contracts, prepping ads in the paper. By 2020, Vilozny was booking nearly all the acts that played at Moe’s

“It was definitely a team effort, and I want to stress that and show Bill Welch some love for all the work he put in supporting live music. He dedicated his life to the venue. More hands-on and involved than any other club owner I know.”

When the pandemic hit, Moe’s completely shut down. Unlike some of the other spots, they couldn’t operate as a restaurant or throw outdoor shows. By mid-April, once it was clear this was going to go on for quite a while, Vilozny used the time to get his substitute teaching credentials. During the summer, he enrolled in online classes for his Masters in Elementary Education.

“I’m ready to give that a try, something that’s more—I don’t know if it’s mainstream, but more secure,” Vilozny says “I like working with kids.”

Moe’s new owners are off to a good start. Once they bought the venue in early 2021, Vilozny started getting them up to speed.

“The new team is doing a great job,” Vilozny says. “I am stoked the Moe’s legacy is continuing with them. It’s the perfect fit and I have no regrets. I have nothing but love for Moe’s Alley and the folks that have helped make it one of the best live music venues in the area.”

Moshe Vilozny performs with Peter Harper and Dave Dave Holodiloff at 6pm on Saturday, July 31 at Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $15. 831-479-1854.

Letter to the Editor: Take a Stand Against Gender Violence

Letters to the Editor

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July 28, 2021

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Letter to the Editor: Take a Stand Against Gender Violence

Re: “Without Warning” (GT, 7/14): According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 4 women and nearly 1 in 10 men will experience physical violence at the hands of their partner. When the pandemic began, Monarch Services projected an increase in domestic violence due to economic stressors on families, COVID-related shelter in place orders and isolation from community. As predicted, the need for our services (specifically domestic violence-related services) escalated significantly.

In fact, our service numbers nearly doubled from 2019 to 2020. While we reported providing 15,740 services to clients in 2019, we provided approximately 27,448 in 2020, a 75 percent increase in services in just one year. These services include counseling, shelter, emergency financial aid, transportation, support groups and more. We specifically provided emergency shelter and motel vouchers to over twice as many clients, reporting 43 shelter clients from 2019 and 107 clients in 2020. Our number of crisis line calls more than tripled, with 1,661 calls reported in 2019 and 5,792 in 2020.

These numbers only narrowly represent the actual number of those experiencing abuse, as domestic violence is highly underreported. In fact, as many as 50 percent of domestic violence incidents go unreported and victims do not typically seek support until experiencing violence an average of seven times. Tragically, in the past ten months alone, our county has also mourned four femicides that are known to be a result of domestic abuse.

Although individuals of every gender can be victims of domestic violence homicide, women are disproportionately murdered by their intimate partners in comparison with other genders. Using terms like “murder” and “homicide” ignores this distinctive type of violence disproportionately perpetrated against women. Patriarchal power structures and traditional ideas about gender and power often influence men to murder women at disproportionately high rates. Referring to these horrific murders as domestic violence femicides is important, as our community must understand the true dynamics behind this specific type of violence in order to constructively act to prevent it from happening in the future. We must work to understand the cycle of violence and conditions that keep individuals (disproportionately women) in unhealthy and dangerous relationships.

Domestic violence has never been a simple phenomenon to understand, but the pandemic made it increasingly complex. Here are some ways each of us can help support victims of domestic violence: Believe and validate survivors and ensure they have a support system; check on your loved ones and neighbors and help them plan in case they need to flee to safety; use social media to raise awareness around domestic and sexual violence and ask your followers to do the same; challenge toxic masculinity and machismo culture that perpetuates violence; don’t judge, victim blame or shame survivors; don’t make decisions for the survivors–offer options and allow the survivor to make their own choices.

Domestic violence impacts us all as a community, and if we each do our part, we can stop this cycle of violence for us and for future generations. We stand with the families and loved ones of all domestic violence femicide and homicide victims and encourage individuals currently experiencing domestic violence to seek help. If you, a friend or neighbor, or a loved one is experiencing abuse, please call our 24-hour confidential, bilingual crisis line at 888-900-4232 today to seek help. Remember you are not alone.

DELPHINE BURNS | MONARCH SERVICES, 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.

Opinion: How Creative Expression Heals

GT Staff

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July 28, 2021

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EDITOR’S NOTE

When Christina Waters pitched this week’s cover story about poetry’s surge in popularity during the pandemic, I honestly had no idea what she was talking about. I knew many of us stuck in quarantines and other pandemic weirdness had turned to creative expression for some mental and emotional relief. But why, I wondered, would poetry in particular be part of this?

After reading what the many poets from Santa Cruz and around Northern California have to say about it in her story, I get it. But I’ve also had a more personal experience with poetry since we first talked about this story months ago. Not with writing it—what still exists of my efforts from various Creative Writing classes at UCSC proves I was never very good at that—but with reading it. I don’t know if it’s because she planted the notion in my head, but I’ve found myself reading more poetry this year than I have in forever. Not necessarily poetry about the pandemic, although I teared up just like everyone else at what the young poets in the Washington Post’s KidsPost contest wrote about their experiences with distance learning, alienation and hope. But I’ve been discovering new poetry and reconnecting with my favorites—Patti Smith’s Collected Lyrics, 1970-2015, Roky Erickson’s Openers II. My daughter and I just went back and re-read every Shel Silverstein book aloud. I don’t know exactly what has fueled this personal poetry Renaissance, but I know it’s not just escapism, because I just finished and loved Santa Cruz Poet Laureate David Sullivan’s forthcoming Black Butterflies Over Baghdad, which is incredibly intense.

I think you’ll find after reading this week’s story that the reasons for poetry’s broader resurgence right now are equally complex. And who knows, maybe you’ll be inspired to become part of it, too.

STEVE PALOPOLI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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GOOD IDEA

STUDIO TIME

The community can support local artists at the annual DoonArt Studio Tour this Saturday. Last year, the pandemic and CZU Lightning complex canceled what would have been DoonArt’s 10-year anniversary, but this year the event has returned to share the Bonny Doon art community’s work with the public. The free tour will feature 24 artists across 12 studios this Saturday and on August 1, from 11am to 5pm. For more info, go to DoonArt Studio Tour’s Facebook page.

GOOD WORK

ORCHESTRAL MANEUVERS

The Association of California Symphony Orchestras has awarded Board President of the Santa Cruz Symphony Linda Burroughs the 2021 Most Valuable Player Volunteer Award. Symphony orchestras across California relied on volunteers during the pandemic, and the MVP award recognizes exemplary volunteers who supported orchestra operations during this tumultuous year. This is the second year Burroughs has won the MVP volunteer award (she also won in 2019), a testament to the ongoing quality of her outstanding work.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.”
-Emily Dickinson

Why Poetry Has Seen a Resurgence in the Pandemic

Christina Waters

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July 27, 2021

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Why Poetry Has Seen a Resurgence in the Pandemic

Everywhere I looked over the last year, there was a Zoom reading, a Zoom workshop, an online magazine, an upcoming webinar—all devoted to poetry. Was it my imagination that there was a lot more poetry action going on during the pandemic?

Not according to Jeevika Verma of NPR’s Morning Edition, who noted on the show in April that “overall visits from readers to the website poets.org went up 30 percent during the pandemic.” Maya Angelou’s famous poem “Still I Rise” alone received roughly 30 percent more visits on the Poetry Foundation’s website in 2020 than the year before.

Poetry has famously flourished in times of crisis—including pandemics past—thanks to poets and writers galvanized by suffering and confusion, from Boccacio’s Decameron in the 14th century to Jack London’s The Scarlet Plague in 1912 to Camus’ 1947 The Plague to Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Love in the Time of Cholera in 1985. Certainly the electrifying effect of Amanda Gorman’s reading at the Presidential Inauguration on Jan. 20 is a case in point. Within hours of delivering her poem, the young poet went viral, and in a single day Gorman attracted more than two million Instagram followers, Buzzfeed reported. Her poetry struck a collective nerve in a moment of national turmoil.

“Poetry is an art form that has always been a resource in times of crisis,” says Jennifer Benka, president of the Academy of American Poets.

That’s proven true once again in the pandemic. Virtual poetry workshops sprang up in response to the physical and emotional confinement of Covid-19. The Hope Storytelling Project was one successful movement, founded during the early quarantine by two Harvard students who said they were inspired by the need “to share the therapeutic power of poetry” and “create a sense of solace and community.”

Vermont-based poet James Crews, co-host of an online webinar I’ve been attending, says that one reason poetry has provided solace this year is because it’s a powerful medium for working through change.

“A lot of poems are read during funerals, weddings, graduations, and huge transitions in our lives,” he says. “And I feel that we’re all turning to poetry as a way of capturing and naming this huge transition that we’re all going through together right now.” Former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins put it like this: “The virus is slowing us down to the speed of poetry.”

I was among those turning to reading, writing, studying, and hearing poetry during the past year’s lockdown. I studied style and technique with Ellen Bass’ Living Room Craft Talks. I submitted my beginning poems to Dion O’Reilly’s craft workshop critiques, and listened to readings from around the country with the Poetry of Resilience series hosted by Crews and Danusha Lameris, whose Bonfire Opera just won the Northern California Book Award in Poetry.

So I asked a cross-section of Santa Cruz and Bay Area practitioners: Was poetry truly having a moment? Has the Zoom phenomenon expanded our access to it? And how has our virtual year changed the nature of our bond with spoken poetry? Here’s what they told me.

Kim Addonizio

Author of ‘Mortal Trash’

“Yes, there’s an upswell of poetry, I think so absolutely. Poetry is always the thing people reach for in time of struggle. A way to respond, to process some large event. Death, birth, war. It’s always deepened and expanded our awareness of an occasion. So it makes total sense that people would now reach for the solace that poetry can provide. For those of us lucky enough to work from home, there was time during Covid to write, at least time for contemplation.

This year, I lost a lot of teaching and conference gigs, but it inspired me to switch over to Zoom. I discovered I love teaching on Zoom. I have students in Ireland, Scotland—all over the world. It’s a real opportunity for more people to come together—that’s not possible with live readings.

There are more organized readings, also more online ways to read and hear poetry. I can see people in their little squares on the screen. It’s a wonderful way to hear people read. Just listen. With the pandemic shutdown, we had to invent spaces to meet. I got my former students and we all got together for an online reading. Lots of Zoom gatherings have enabled poets to connect. It’s broadened the community. The new and emerging poets can have a platform they wouldn’t otherwise have. I’m currently on a Zoom book tour with my new book, Now We’re Getting Somewhere. I’m staying with teaching on Zoom.”

Danusha Lameris

Author of ‘Bonfire Opera’; Poetry of Resilience webinar host

“I found poetry has truly been a lifeline to me. It has provided me with community, humor, creativity, shared grief, and an intellectual passion, all in one. I have never been more grateful for poetry than I’ve been this past year. Poetry was already experiencing an upswell, the pandemic cloistering gave it added momentum. Plus, it’s easy. The technology made it possible to expand poetry reading and writing.

People need connection. Poetry is all about connection and poets are especially good at communicating—it’s a handle we can grasp. It deals in metaphor, which is already a connection. People want to tell their story, and they want to hear each other’s. Everybody wants to become part of the secret life of poets. People tell me they wrote poems in high school, but then they stopped. This was the perfect moment for them to start again. And we were moving toward more online classes, more webinars. We offered small classes on Zoom all through the pandemic. It’s an open medium; more and more voices are being heard. The Amanda Gorman effect, especially here. It’s an exciting moment for poetry. Fragmentation increases richness; conflict breeds creativity. American poetry right now is exciting.”

Dion O’Reilly

Author of ‘Ghost Dogs’; co-founder of the Hive Collective

“I had to cancel my entire book tour for Ghost Dogs, which was released in February 2020. I did get the opportunity to read in webinars and Zoom readings, which was perhaps not quite as fun, although it could be argued that more people heard my work. There is a certain intimacy to live readings I miss. You can feel the room responding. Still, as time went on, I began to feel the digital audience more. I learned to make it fun, to appreciate the opportunity.

In lockdown, people were seeking simple tools to talk about complex feelings. Shelter in place brought me new students, people hungry for connection and clarity. I loved seeing my students connect, both with their own ideas, with each other, and with the poetry universe.

They want to talk about the things that matter, unfiltered. In poetry writing and workshops, there is a huge feeling of relief. I kept writing during the long shelter in place. I must admit, it was super hard. Harder than usual. The plague, the politics, the wildfires and hurricanes—it was all terrifying, difficult to clarify or interrogate. When I managed to express myself, the rewards were greater for having worked harder.

Texting has also inoculated how poetry is done—the compression of texts, shorter poems, things that can fit onto Instagram. We live in brevity as poets. Things are so complex now, poetry is a place where things can be ambivalent, where there doesn’t have to be either black or white. We can live with complexity.”

David Sullivan

Poet Laureate, Santa Cruz County

“I’ve realized how much outside stimulus is part and parcel of my creative process. My students, visits to museums, traveling, hugs and physical contact—they’re all part of the writing. Without them I felt bereft, empty, hollowed out. And I realized what a privileged life I lead. The ability to attend readings in far-flung places, to get participants from other countries, was remarkable. I attended poetry workshops online, including a week-long Dodge Poetry Festival virtual series. We’d receive a prompt each morning, and post what we wrote later in the day. And a poet friend from Nevada, Ann Kenniston, arranged a week-long session with five poet friends where we’d Zoom each morning, share a poem we’d written the previous day, and then give positive, generative feedback. Now with the Agents of Change project, I’ve asked people to send up to two pieces of art, which we post on our website [santacruzagentsofchange.wordpress.com], and then poets can write up to two poems about them. Hopefully we’ll have a gallery show and reading next Spring to celebrate what this amazing community comes up with.”

Farnaz Fatemi

Co-founder of the Hive Poetry Collective

“So much of the world—climate health, public health, any old future at all—is marked with uncertainty. Poetry has always been a place to turn to explore the unknown and help people maybe make some sense of it. That’s one of the reasons I return to it as a writer and a reader.

I think more people have consciously sought out access to poetry in the last few years, and during the shutdown we have taken advantage of access to readings, workshops for a range of writers (from novice to experienced) and affirmation that we are not alone in our appreciation for what poetry provides. Yes, Zoom and other Internet-based poetry programs absolutely opened up access. I was able to participate in workshops and craft classes that I never would have otherwise over the last 18 months. What Zoom did was brought poetry into peoples’ kitchens and living spaces, which in some ways is more intimate and is also a return to the deep origins of poetry itself.”

Stephen Kessler

Author, ‘Garage Elegies’; ‘Last Call’

“The Bay Area was a poetry mecca from the late 1940s, early 50s, and the San Francisco Renaissance—of which Kenneth Rexroth was the prime mover with his literary salons, incubator of what became the Beat movement; radio programs on KPFA; live readings in galleries, cafes, and jazz clubs with musical improvisation accompaniment; newspapers and book publishing, with Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s City Lights Books (and the 1956 “Howl” obscenity trial) in the vanguard. As a geographic setting, Berkeley was also friendly to poets, but I think the epicenter was North Beach with Ferlinghetti playing the role of godfather.

As far as Zoom goes, there was a certain intimacy in inviting the audience into my office, and I was glad to have far-flung friends be able to attend from other parts of the country. But as a medium for poetry, I feel the screen, whether for text or performance, is an inferior medium to the printed page or in-person voicing because, as Marshall McLuhan once said, the medium is the message. The energy in the room with a live audience creates a completely different—and far more interesting—dynamic, as far as I’m concerned.

During the pandemic, I wrote far less in public spaces, cafes, concert halls, restaurants, and parks, which I find stimulating and inspiring in their unpredictable distractions and sensory surprises. But otherwise, staying at home alone is normal for me and only made me pay closer attention to my immediate domestic surroundings for inspiration.”

Gary Young

Poet, printer, director of UCSC Cowell Press

“I think the current abundance of poetry is a manifestation of what I think of as the 9/11 Syndrome. After the towers fell, it seemed that everyone was reading poetry. It happens every time there’s some catastrophe, natural disaster, or human-wrought bloodbath. Most people don’t habitually read poetry, but they turn to it whenever they need solace.

I have participated in several readings on Zoom since the pandemic struck, and I’ve taught three classes every quarter on Zoom as well, so I’ve become far more familiar with the platform than I might have wished. Whether teaching or giving a poetry reading, anything done on Zoom feels like kissing someone with your mask on. It’s always a simulacrum. Because most Zoom readings mute the audience, it’s impossible to know if the audience is bored, thrilled, or amused.

The pandemic was different in that in addition to people reading poems for emotional comfort, they started writing poems as well. The proliferation of Zoom readings gave us easy and open venues, and people took advantage of that. I think another reason for the popularity of Zoom readings is their informality—looking at the audience and feeling like one in a crowd was very satisfying after our prolonged lock down. Writing poetry has been an activity that’s united us in our fight against loneliness and despair.”

Wilma Marcus Chandler

Author ‘The Night Bridge’; founder, Celebration of the Muse

“I agree that there’s more interest in poetry writing and craft since the pandemic closure. New workshops keep popping up all the time. One of the gifts of the hideous pandemic is time. And with time, if you have a calling as a writer, you honor that, you explore that. You have to be daring. I think the writing is a gift we give each other, sharing each other.

I’ve had contact with incredible writers. With Diane Grunes and Donna Gorman, I started the Celebration of the Muse in 1982. The National Festival of Women’s Theater was in town and there was an empty slot for women’s poetry in the Santa Cruz area. Claire Braz-Valentine and lots of others were involved, and it just kept going. Then Hummingbird Press got started. It started to support manuscript development, and to publish a book a year. I’m happy to be one of them, it’s a wonderful group. There are so many poetry groups and writing groups here now. I’m more and more aware of magazines online and readings all over the country. I can be on Zoom with so many writers everywhere. The Porter Library Readings, Zoom Forward. We are so gifted in this community of writers.”

Catherine Segurson

Founder, Catamaran Literary Reader and Poetry Prize

“We saw an increase in poetry submissions that addressed some of the emotional issues around quarantine, such as loneliness, increased connections with nature, dealing with distance and silence, the longing for family and social gatherings, and of course death. As always, poets take a large emotion and condense it, and with the pandemic they did have a grand subject matter to use.

I believe poetry is an essential part of a literary magazine. I also felt that poetry should be given a two-page spread with fine art, and that visual art and poetry often inform each other.

While we missed the in-person interaction during the pandemic at our year-round poetry courses, First Friday Lit Chats, and poetry workshops at our conference, because poetry is so essential we found a way to pivot to online readings, workshops and even conference talks virtually.”

Erin Redfern

Former Editor of ‘Caesura’ Magazine, Poetry Center San Jose

“I found that the quarantine, at first, created a lovely spaciousness, but then people found their way to poetry and there was a rush of readings, online magazines, workshops, classes. San Jose has a really lively arts culture that doesn’t get much press. We have all of the action of the Bay Area with none of the attitude. The South Bay is a younger culture; a lot of it is performance poetry and very downtown-based. We’ve got museums, San Jose State, the Poetry Center San Jose, all these things playing together. Plus Third Thursday readings, Well-Read, all live. This year, most of that has shifted online. We lost our public cultural spaces during the pandemic, but with Zoom we can find each other.

Poetry nationally is academic poetry, attached to universities and MFA programs. That’s the poetry we see and hear about, and we need money to access that. I see the pandemic and Zoom culture as democratizing poetry. So I don’t think there’s necessarily more of it, it’s just more accessible. Going online has opened highways of access. With Zoom classes, there’s lots more diversity. Diversity has blossomed.

In my career, after getting a PhD I went in the direction of writing essays on poetry. And then I started up a few classes. I have a lot of teaching experience, and now I don’t have to charge as much as I would if I had to rent a space. I can attract more people to my class now that I have little or no overhead. So we can make classes real affordable.

With the pandemic, it became shockingly apparent that we have no ground under our feet. We had more time to write, but also, as Frost said, poetry was ‘a stay against confusion.’ Poetry puts words to how I feel—it’s like medicine. It helps us think and process. No one is using language more consciously than poets. We’re hungry for it.”

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Why Aptos is Happy to Have the Hideout Back

Former SLVUSD Teacher Won’t Have to Register as Sex Offender After Guilty Plea

Covid-19 Outbreak Linked to Show at Felton Music Hall

Cabrillo Stage Goes Big With ‘Pirates of Penzance’

Things to do in Santa Cruz: July 28-Aug 3

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Comics Unite to Benefit NorCal Icon Will Durst

Moshe Vilozny Plays Farewell Show at Moe’s Alley

Letter to the Editor: Take a Stand Against Gender Violence

Opinion: How Creative Expression Heals

EDITOR’S NOTE

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Why Poetry Has Seen a Resurgence in the Pandemic

Why Aptos is Happy to Have the Hideout Back

Former SLVUSD Teacher Won’t Have to Register as Sex Offender After Guilty Plea

Covid-19 Outbreak Linked to Show at Felton Music Hall

Cabrillo Stage Goes Big With ‘Pirates of Penzance’

Things to do in Santa Cruz: July 28-Aug 3

Comics Unite to Benefit NorCal Icon Will Durst

Moshe Vilozny Plays Farewell Show at Moe’s Alley

Letter to the Editor: Take a Stand Against Gender Violence

Opinion: How Creative Expression Heals

Why Poetry Has Seen a Resurgence in the Pandemic