Page 502 – Good Times

The Importance of Attention to Quality at This Precarious Time

-

September 29, 2020

The Importance of Attention to Quality at This Precarious Time

Dining outdoors is what’s for dinner.

Bantam’s outdoor seating has been attracting the regulars for two months now. Vim’s petite patio books up fast. Avanti’s open air seating feels so inevitable it’s hard to remember when it wasn’t there. Sotola’s balcony serves outdoor dining with an ocean view.

Downtown Santa Cruz is wide open for dining and the sidewalk cafe atmosphere is thick and vibrant. Pacific Avenue has reconfigured itself for outdoor seating: at the Kianti veranda; at Gabriella, Oswald, and Mozaic, tables along the fronts of the restaurants host patrons eager to enjoy the warm evening weather. Up at Chaminade, the panoramic view is matched by al fresco dinner specials. And everybody’s glad to see that Shadowbrook is back open! Limited seating indoors and 50% capacity outdoor patio dining.

Cautionary Tale

Restaurateurs, we’re on your side. You’ve got the toughest road to hoe during this whole pandemic crisis. Smaller clientele, social distancing, costs of setting up new interiors and adding outdoor seating. I get it. You can barely meet your costs, much less employee payroll. That’s why I want to be able to nudge GT readers toward the best meals. I want to be able to recommend dining spots that have maintained their standards even during the worst of times.

And that’s why I was so disappointed when I brought home a takeaway dinner from an established place and found it pretty much inedible. Meat and seafood practically raw. The salad limp, watery, and flavorless (it only took me five minutes max to get this meal from restaurant to my house). Here was the real deal-breaker: hard, tough rice pilaf. Like little plastic ovals tinged with yellow, this was rice that simply wasn’t worth eating.

But I kept thinking, since this is one of those times where quality can make or break a restaurant, how could they have been so indifferent? Didn’t anybody in the kitchen bother to taste the food? Maybe they’ve made ten thousand orders of rice pilaf and the kitchen is bored. But that’s no reason to send out a meal that is such a negative advertisement for the restaurant. What about pride in their reputation? Every patron paying for a meal deserves better.

The more I fumed over having spent $70 for food that was frankly a joke, the more it hit me: A restaurant that doesn’t even bother to care about pleasing patrons might not survive these hard times. Survival of the fittest.

Pro-tip for diners—an obvious strategy. Reverse triage. You know the restaurants you love. You want these restaurants to survive, and they deserve to! Show your love by dining there or ordering takeout—often. Your support will help keep them going during this delicate period. And your devotion will be rewarded with a meal you want to eat. If you have the resources, you can expand your dining horizons to include places that other people recommend. Give them a try. See what you think. If you have a good experience, by all means go back. Often.

Finally, restaurants like the one I described above that can’t be bothered to give fair value for the patrons’ money should cut back their menus to a handful of dishes they can do well. Dwindling patronage is a clear indication that they’re not delivering the goods. I for one won’t return.

Chefs and owners: Never let a meal leave the kitchen that you wouldn’t be proud to serve to anyone. Even a restaurant reviewer.

Massive Watsonville Mosaic Moves Into Second Phase

Johanna Miller

-

September 28, 2020

1

Massive Watsonville Mosaic Moves Into Second Phase

The second phase of “Watsonville Brillante,” a five-year community art project spearheaded by local organization Community Arts Empowerment, kicked off last week.

Another 1,200-square-foot mosaic featuring the artwork of Watsonville-born artist Juan Fuentes is being situated on the six-story garage adjoining the Watsonville Civic Plaza. The piece, titled “El Cielo,” depicts a man reaching up through a tree to pick a single apple.

Community Arts Empowerment Executive Director Kathleen Crocetti said that installation is “right on schedule,” and credits the hard work of local young people who participated in the organization’s summer camp. Twelve high schoolers came to the Muzzio Mosaic Arts Center a few days per week to help with the mosaic. The participants also worked on their own pieces to bring home, and were treated to dinner every night.

“Several of these kids … they are babysitters for their families, watching their siblings when their parents work,” Crocetti said. “So I think it was really fun for them to be away from home, with their peers, listening to music … and just being a part of something.”

After the summer camp, a handful of community volunteers stepped up to help in the mosaic’s completion. In total, 22 people helped with the fabrication of “El Cielo.” That was a huge reduction from the 180 people who worked on the first panel, “Strawberry Picker,” earlier this year.

“We have to thank everyone for their dedication … for really giving their time and effort,” Crocetti said.

Rinaldi Tile and Marble of Pajaro have been installing “Watsonville Brillante” free of charge, something Crocetti said has been “a huge gift.”

“It’s a big sacrifice for them,” she said. “They’re short on crews … but are still pulling crews in to do this. We are super appreciative of that.”

Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, Community Arts Empowerment has been looking for ways to remain active in the community. The limited-capacity summer camp did just that. However, since more restrictive state rules have gone into effect, the organization has no plans for fall camps.

Instead, they are currently working on building a “traveling workstation” which can be brought to farmers markets and other outdoor events. The station will be the same size as the work table at Muzzio Park, with drawers holding tiles, safety materials and other items. With the station, the community can join in with fabricating the next phase of “Watsonville Brillante.”

“We’re really excited about it,” Crocetti said. “Even when Covid-19 ends, we can keep using it … bring it to high schools, senior centers, the Strawberry Festival. It’ll be a great thing for the community.”

“El Cielo” was voted for by the community along with two other pieces by Fuentes, who intentionally left out any cultural markers on the apple picker.

“The image is of a universal man. Everyone can see themselves in it,” Crocetti said.

Community Arts Empowerment is still looking for local artists to submit work to be featured on the horizontal sides of the garage.

Email wa******************@gm***.com by the end of November for consideration.

For more information visit communityartsempowerment.org.

Local Companies Gift Second Harvest Food Bank a New Parking Lot

Johanna Miller

-

September 28, 2020

0

Local Companies Gift Second Harvest Food Bank a New Parking Lot

Since the outbreak of Covid-19, Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County has been distributing almost twice as much food to local families than usual.

As such, the organization’s parking lot is now full of distribution and refrigeration trucks, forklifts and storage containers. Staff, volunteers and visitors had to start parking in an adjacent lot near Moreno Petroleum Company.

But the lot was full of dirt, weeds, rocks and litter. Ruts in the ground were growing. After precipitation, muddy puddles would develop. Then one day, a staff member’s small car got stuck in a large pit that had formed. They had to be forklifted out.

“That was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” said Chief Development Officer Suzanne Willis. “We had to do something. Nobody wants their car swallowed by a pit.”

The organization reached out to companies to see if they could get the lot cleared out and graded. The numbers were high—one quote was close to $15,000.

“We always turn amounts into meals … so that was about 60,000 meals,” Willis said. “And we’re already stretched thin right now.”

Enter Ed Kuerzel, owner of E&S Trucking and longtime donor to Second Harvest. At first the organization asked Kuerzel for a discount. But Kuerzel took things a step further, calling a friend at Granite Construction and seeing if they could make a donation.

Granite Construction agreed, donating $5,000 worth of recycled blacktop. Then E&S Trucking did the grading of the lot—completely free of charge.

“They needed help, and [grading] is something I do for a living. It just made sense to do this and help them out,” Kuerzel said. “And [Granite Construction] has always been community-driven. They value being able to help others.”

The project was also beneficial to the owner of Moreno Petroleum Company, who owns the lot and has been letting Second Harvest use it.

“It was a combined effort between four groups,” Willis said. “Moreno helped us out, and now that property is improved, too.”

Kuerzel said that he hopes more businesses feel compelled to support nonprofits during Covid-19.

“The need across the board is so huge, and will continue to be for a while,” he said. “This is the perfect time to help out.”

Community Gathers to Thank National Guard Members

Tarmo Hannula

-

September 28, 2020

0

Community Gathers to Thank National Guard Members

Seventy-two members of the California National Guard got a warm thank you Sunday for their widespread efforts with food distributions, staffing evacuation centers and more during the coronavirus pandemic and the CZU Lighting Complex fire.

In addition to gift bags stuffed with Santa Cruz T-shirts and sweatshirts, local logo beach towels and other treats, the 58 men and 14 women plus family members were honored with a catered dinner before they were treated to a sunset sail out of the Santa Cruz Harbor aboard several local charter boats.

City of Santa Cruz Councilmember Sandy Brown said she was deeply touched by the National Guard members’ efforts.

“I’m just so thrilled to be here and to be able to pay thanks,” she said. “Our council is so grateful. I mean, these folks came here as complete strangers and did a lot of the heavy lifting to help feed people in trying times. On top of Covid issues, then we had the fire and smoke and these folks were here—they left their families and helped our community get through.”

Sgt. Marci Boozer of San Diego said she has been in Santa Cruz County helping with food distribution for Second Harvest Food Bank, both at the county fairgrounds and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

“Our whole mission is to serve, so yes, I am honored to be here to lend a hand,” she said. “The thing I love the most about the Guard is it’s all about California first—period. It’s been really nice to be here, but it has also been a big sacrifice. I had to drive north and leave my family behind. My kids are 13, 15 and 25. It’s definitely been a big commitment.”

Rebecca Campbell, who used to run Rebecca’s Mighty Muffins on Front Street in downtown Santa Cruz, headed up the catering table that was festooned with a rich array of donated foods from bakeries between Boulder Creek and Santa Cruz.

“Why wouldn’t I be here today to help these wonderful folks out?” Campbell said. “I’m so grateful for these people that have been here for six months; I’d do anything for them.”The event was coordinated by Dawn Roh, president of the High Council Foundation under their Creative Collective Acts of Kindness program.

“We only had about two weeks to pull this off,” Roh said. “There were over 50 businesses—Trader Joe’s, Verve Coffee, Rebecca’s Flowers, Desserts First, Freedom Bakery, the list goes on—that stepped up to help.”

Toni Ramirez of Petaluma, who has been in the National Guard for three years, said he came to Santa Cruz seven months ago.

“It feels great,” he said. “Just helping people out—even folks I don’t know. I’m glad to be here. It’s a little sad to be leaving, but I’m happy for what we did.”

The National Guard is scheduled to pack off and head home Wednesday, Sept. 30.

A Terrific Cabernet Franc 2014 From El Vaquero Winery

Josie Cowden

-

September 23, 2020

1

A Terrific Cabernet Franc 2014 From El Vaquero Winery

Just past Alladin Nursery on Freedom Boulevard lies a little gem of a winery called El Vaquero. I was very impressed on my first visit there last month for a music event and tasting. Not only were El Vaquero’s wines terrific, but also the musicians were outstanding.

Duncan Shipton was brilliant on guitar (he also teaches guitar), Eva Scow on mandolin was equally talented, and Adam Bolaños Scow, who plays violin in the Santa Cruz Symphony, played breathtaking pieces, including some beautiful Paganini. As the sun was setting, sassy Brazilian singer Claudia Villela also made a guest appearance—adding even more pizzazz to a very entertaining evening.

All the wines I tried at El Vaquero were excellent, but I was particularly smitten with their 2014 Cab Franc, Athena Vineyard in Santa Clara Valley ($35). Its full-bodied rich red fruit and raspberry flavors make it an ideal wine to pair with food.

Bob Prikazsky started El Vaquero with his wife Dean in 2011—and their daughter Alex jumped on board as winemaker in 2015. Running a thriving winery and organizing popular events, they really can’t go wrong.

Local comedian Richard Stockton is now doing comedy nights at El Vaquero—the next one being Saturday, Oct. 3.

El Vaquero’s label depicts a spirit who watches over the estate vineyard. “This apparition of a cowboy, el vaquero, has made himself known on several occasions—believed to have been a shaman who often meditated on the hilltop property overlooking the Monterey Bay in the 1880s,” their website says.

El Vaquero Winery, 2931 Freedom Blvd., Corralitos. 831-607-8118. elvaquerowinery.com.

Wine Tasting in Napa

Before the CZU Lightning Complex fire hit, my husband and I made a couple of trips to Napa. Two places we visited for a flight of wines included lunch, and I highly recommend both. Medlock Ames in Healdsburg served a picnic-style lunch under the shade of their olive trees; Robert Sinskey, which lies on the famed Silverado Trail, prepared a gourmet tasting of small bites paired with their superb wines.

Things To Do in Santa Cruz: Sept. 23-29

GT Staff

-

September 23, 2020

0

Because many in-person events across Santa Cruz County have been canceled or postponed during the pandemic, Good Times is compiling a weekly list of virtual events hosted by local nonprofits, artists, fitness instructors and businesses. To submit your virtual event, send an email to ca******@go*******.sc.

ARTS AND MUSIC

TOP DOG SCREENING We are excited to announce a Virtual Screening of Top Dog. The Top Dog Film Festival was launched in 2017 to showcase the incredible bond between dogs and their people through independent films. Touring annually, the Top Dog Film Festival screens over two hours of the most inspirational, heartwarming and entertaining films related to dogs and their human companions from independent filmmakers around the globe. Including a carefully curated selection of films of varying lengths and styles covering topics relevant to dogs and dog lovers. A portion of ticket sales benefits Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter. Sponsored by Pacific Paw, Santa Cruz Waves, Pet Pals and Community Mobile Vet, Dr. Hannah Good, D.V.M., and Santa Cruz Film Festival. Sept. 20-25. Learn more at riotheatre.com/events-2/2020/9/12/top-dog-film-festival.

CLASSES

TECH TALKS: NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT FOR APPLE AND ANDROID Are you getting the most out of your mobile device? Join us for a discussion about news and entertainment apps. We’ll share our joys and disappointments. We look forward to also learning from you. Register at: santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/7049332. Thursday, Sept. 24, 11am.

GENTLE YOGA Nurture your mind-body-spirit connection with this gentle hatha yoga class. It includes asana, pranayama, and meditation to help you destress, get clear, and feel centered. The practice can also improve flexibility, strength, and balance. Great for all levels and all are welcome! Registrations must be received at least two hours prior to start time. Register by donating any amount via paypal.me/LunaRaeWellness, $10-20 suggested. Affected by the fires? Experiencing financial hardship? Join for no cost, with no questions asked, by emailing lu*************@gm***.com. First time? Try it out for free by emailing lu*************@gm***.com. About the teacher: Luna Rae has a passion for helping others live happier, healthier lives through education, empowerment, and community. Luna is a certified yoga teacher, food and mindful eating educator, and peer support facilitator. Luna has been practicing yoga for 10 years and completed her 200-hour yoga teacher certification in 2015 at Ramapo College of New Jersey. There, she also earned a B.A. in Psychology and a B.A. in Nutrition and Community Health. Come see how her wellness classes are filled with connection and compassion to nourish your body, mind, and spirit! Wednesdays at 5:30pm.

65-HOUR TRAINING Community members may participate in a Monarch Services virtual training to become California state-certified peer counselors for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking. The training will be held through Oct. 14 during these times: Mondays 1pm-3:30pm, Wednesdays 1pm-3:30pm, Thursdays 1pm-3:30pm. Register by emailing al********@mo********.org.

NAMI FAMILY-TO-FAMILY CLASS NAMI’s Family-to-Family Class is an eight-week educational program for family and friends of adults with mental health challenges. Learn about how to support your loved one, gain valuable communication and coping skills, and become educated on the latest mental health research. Class is led by two trained volunteers with lived experience caring for someone with mental health conditions. Sign up online and learn more at namiscc.org/family-to-family.html. Mondays and Wednesdays at 6pm.

CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION WEEKEND EXPRESS CLASS This Saturday and Sunday virtual class from Dominican Hospital is intended for expectant mothers and their labor support team. Focus will be on the birth process, including the stages of labor and when to go to the hospital. Non-pharmaceutical coping techniques for pain, including breath work, mindfulness practices, supportive touch and positions for labor and birth, along with standard hospital procedures, pain medication options, medical interventions, cesarean birth, postpartum recovery, newborn procedures and breastfeeding basics. In this class, we will actively practice positions and coping techniques for pain, so please be dressed for movement. Please register for the PEP class session. Only after you have completed this process, the Zoom meeting information will be provided to you via email prior to your class. Classes run 1-5:30pm on these days: Sept. 26-27, Oct, 24-25, Nov. 14-15, Dec. 19-20.

COMMUNITY

FARM TO FORK GALA The fifth annual Farm to Fork Gala, benefiting human services nonprofit Community Bridges, will be held virtually from Sept. 19-27. The public is invited to get comfortable at home, grab their favorite snack and log in to Community Bridges first online auction, Farm to Fork “To-Go.” The weeklong event culminates in a Facebook livestream on Sunday, Sept. 27 at 4pm and will feature surprise guest stars and a Mystery Treasure Chest prize. All proceeds from the auction benefit Community Bridges’ 10 programs that serve over 17,000 children, families and seniors throughout Santa Cruz County. Demand for services, like meals for seniors, youth tutoring, food distributions and grocery gift cards, unemployment and rental assistance, has multiplied. Funds raised from Farm to Fork “To-Go” will ensure that we can continue to meet the needs of those who have been most impacted by Covid-19 and the CZU Lightning Complex fire.

APTOS BRANCH LIBRARY VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE A new Aptos Branch Library is on the way! The Santa Cruz Public Library, County of Santa Cruz Department of Public Works, Anderson Brule Architects (ABA), Bogard Construction and Second District Supervisor Zach Friend invite you to the Aptos Branch Library Virtual Open House. Learn about the design, ask questions and share comments. The Aptos Branch of the Santa Cruz County Public Library System has outgrown its current facilities. The county has completed a feasibility study, selected a design-build team, and begun the design process. The design concept has been developed based on input gathered from four community meetings during the study. Bogard Construction and ABA, the design-build team, is now ready to share the design concept, answer questions, and hear your comments. Come see the exciting results of the hard work and collaboration of the community and the county at a virtual open house event. The discussions will focus on site and architecture and interior layout. RSVP at: surveymonkey.com/r/NewAptosBranchLibrary. Reserva: surveymonkey.com/r/AptosSRC. Monday, Sept. 28, 5:30pm.

ANNUAL WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S Join the fight for Alzheimer’s first survivor. This year, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s is everywhere! We aren’t gathering as a large group on Sept. 26, but we will be walking safely with family and friends in our own neighborhoods, parks, and favorite trails throughout Santa Cruz County—walking to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. Mark your calendar, register, watch our inspiring online ceremony, drive by our beautiful Promise Garden, and help us paint Santa Cruz County purple to honor and celebrate the millions of families touched by Alzheimer’s and all other dementias. Visit act.alz.org/santacruz2020 to learn more! For more information on participating or getting involved with your local Walk to End Alzheimer’s, please call 831-647-9890 or visit alz.org/walk.

VIRTUAL WALK-A-MILE Our annual Walk-a-Mile fundraiser is going virtual this year! The walk will take place on Saturday, Oct. 3, to coincide with the first weekend of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Between now and event day, participants can sign up online individually or as a team, create a personalized web page and outreach to their networks to fund their walk. Through our event site, social media networks and teams, we will raise awareness and build support for the movement to end violence in our community. All funds raised through this year’s Walk-a-Mile event will go toward meeting the immediate needs of survivors (housing support, food, transportation, etc.), violence prevention programming for youth and teens, as well as outreach to those most at-risk of violence during this time. Learn more at monarchwam.funraise.org.

LUMA BOOK CLUB This is a time of seismic shift, and yet also one of opportunity. Luma Yoga is a community center operating on principles of inclusion, compassion, and, yes, reflection, but make no mistake—also of action. The first step in effective action is gaining knowledge. To this end, Luma is hosting a book club on the topic of racism and social justice issues. The reading groups will be held remotely (for now) over Zoom Thursday nights 7-8:15pm. The purpose of the groups is to learn the endless shapes oppression can take in the world, to recognize our own biases within ourselves, and to move from discomfort to action in support of Black and non-white POC. The groups will be facilitated by Steven Macramalla, a professor of psychology at SJSU. The Club will work on a 3- to 4-week cycle, reading one book per cycle, with several chapters covered each week. For more info visit lumayoga.com. Thursdays at 7pm.

TALES TO TAILS GOES VIRTUAL SCPL’s early childhood literacy program, Virtual Tales to Tails, has moved to a new time slot: Mondays, 3:30-4:30pm. At the end of your school day, hop online and have fun reading at your own pace to an audience of therapy dogs, cats and other guest animals. Have math homework? Good news! Your furry audience would also love to learn how to count, add and subtract. Register online. Registrants receive reminders, links to the live program, and fun (educational) activities to complete and have showcased on future sessions Learn more at santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/6764938.

GROUPS

PEER SUPPORT CIRCLE These are especially hard times. Whatever you’re struggling with, you’re not alone! The Peer Support Circle is a facilitated container to express, connect, and support each other with care and empathy. Authentic shares and compassionate responses are encouraged. Whether you’re dealing with a challenging situation or difficult emotions, we are here for you. All are welcome! Drop-in, so you can come any week you like. Space is limited to six participants each week. Registrations must be received at least two hours prior to start time. Register by donating any amount via paypal.me/LunaRaeWellness, $10-20 suggested. Affected by the fires? Experiencing financial hardship? Join for no cost, with no questions asked, by emailing lu*************@gm***.com. First time? Try it out for free by emailing lu*************@gm***.com. About the facilitator: Luna Rae has a passion for helping others live happier, healthier lives through education, empowerment, and community. Luna is a peer support facilitator, certified yoga teacher, and mindful eating educator. Luna has been facilitating peer support groups since 2012. Her educational background includes a B.A. in Psychology and a B.A. in Nutrition and Community Health from Ramapo College of New Jersey. Come see how her wellness offerings are filled with connection and compassion to nourish your body, mind, and spirit! Sundays at 11:30am.

VIRTUAL YOUNG ADULT (18-30) TRANSGENDER SUPPORT GROUP A weekly peer support group for young adults aged 18-25 who identify as transgender, non-binary, genderqueer, agender, or any other non-cisgender identity. This is a social group where we meet and chat among ourselves, sharing our experiences and thoughts in a warm, welcoming setting. Our meetings will be held on Discord during the shelter-in-place order. For more info, contact Ezra Bowen at tr***@di*************.org.

LGBTQNBI+ SUPPORT GROUP FOR CORONAVIRUS STRESS This weekly LGBTQNBI+ support group is being offered to help us all deal with stress during the shelter-in-place situation that we are experiencing from the coronavirus. Feel free to bring your lunch and chat together to get support. This group is offered at no cost and will be facilitated by licensed therapists Shane Hill, Ph.D., and Melissa Bernstein, LMFT #52524. Learn how to join the Zoom support group at diversitycenter.org/community-calendar.

OUTDOOR

SEA OTTER AWARENESS WEEK Virtual Sea Otter Awareness Week is Sept. 20-26. Discover the critical role sea otters play in the nearshore ecosystem during the Seymour Center’s virtual Sea Otter Awareness Week. Special at-home activities, lectures, interviews with scientists, and crafts will highlight sea otters’ natural history, reveal conservation issues facing these marine mammals, and so much more. For more details on Sea Otter Awareness Week events and activities, visit the Seymour Center’s website: seymourcenter.ucsc.edu/learn/family-activities/family-events/#sea-otter-week.

EVERGREEN AT DUSK: CEMETERY HISTORY TOURS Discover the shadows and secrets found within Evergreen Cemetery, one of the oldest public cemeteries in California, on a self-guided tour of the grounds. Bring your curiosity (and maybe some flashlights) as you explore the final resting place of Santa Cruz’s early settlers. The 45-minute tour is a self-driven adventure uncovering the stories and tombstones of the people who made Santa Cruz what it is today. Designed for daring, curious, and history-loving households, this tour is great for all ages! Registration is limited to one household per tour to ensure plenty of spacing as groups individually explore the cemetery. Each tour should take 30-45 minutes to complete. The time you select is when your group/household tour start; we recommend arriving 5-10 minutes early to ensure you can begin right on time. Dates and times vary. You will be able to select the date and time of your tour when purchasing tickets. Learn more at santacruzmah.org/events.

ANNUAL COASTAL CLEANUP For over a decade, Save Our Shores has regionally hosted Annual Coastal Cleanup in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. This year, to prevent the spread of Covid-19, Save Our Shores will not be hosting cleanups at organized sites on one particular day. Instead, you can conduct your own local cleanup with those you have been sheltering in place with on any Saturday during the month of September. These individual, close-to-home cleanups will protect our oceans beginning at our own front doors. Learn more and find out how to participate by visiting saveourshores.org/coastal-cleanup-2020.

New Beach Hut Deli Serves Up Sandwiches With a Surfside Vibe

Andrew Steingrube

-

September 23, 2020

0

New Beach Hut Deli Serves Up Sandwiches With a Surfside Vibe

It’s not easy to open during a pandemic, but Beach Hut Deli in Santa Cruz is doing its best to gain a foothold and local following.

Recently opening its doors (seven days a week from 10am to 8pm), the franchise is owned by local couple Joe and Marisa DuBois. Joe, a former UCSC men’s basketball assistant coach, and Marisa, a 15-year restaurant industry veteran, wanted to combine their love of good food, sports, and music into the deli. Marisa shares with GT her thoughts on their burgeoning business.

What was it like opening during the Covid-19 pandemic?

MARISA DUBOIS: It was definitely interesting and challenging. We’ve been working on this for quite a while—we were in too far to turn back. We knew it would be a challenge, but we felt like Santa Cruz needed a deli with good vibes and a family-friendly atmosphere. We are parents ourselves. It’s very important for us to be kid-friendly, and we have a great kid’s menu with items like hot dogs, PB&Js, and grilled cheese. Our deli is kind of like a cross between a sports bar and a family spot. We like to look at it as a lunch vacation with reggae music and big screen TVs.

What is your most popular sandwich?

The “Surfing Bird,” which has turkey, bacon, avocado, and cream cheese. A lot of our sandwiches feature cream cheese, avocado, and bacon, and we use only the freshest ingredients from local farms. What sets us apart from other delis is how loaded with fresh ingredients our sandwiches are; they are more filling and a better value. We have lots of vegetarian and vegan options, too. One popular vegetarian sandwich is the Cali Caprese, which has garlic sourdough cheese bread, balsamic dressing, pesto, tomato, jack cheese, and spinach. We really do have something for everyone; it’s a diverse menu for a deli.

What are some of the highlights from the soup and salad menu?

Our Chef Salad is really popular, it has turkey, ham, salami, jack and cheddar cheese, avocado, tomato, onion, peppers and bacon. We have a Buffalo Chicken Salad that has ingredients like bacon, tomato, blue cheese crumbles, and buffalo seasoned chicken. We also have up to eight different soups: Two of our most popular are turkey lasagna and chicken poblano.

381 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. 831-431-6921. beachhutdeli.com.

Opinion: Sept. 23, 2020

Steve Palopoli

-

September 23, 2020

0

EDITOR’S NOTE

Sure, opening public schools up to all students right now is risking not only the health of our children, but also our entire community. And sure, they would undoubtedly close within a couple of weeks after one if not multiple outbreaks of Covid-19 scares everyone back to their senses. And yet, what parent hasn’t briefly considered that even that brief respite from distance learning just might be worth it, while trying to explain to their kid how to multiply decimals, calculate the area of a geometric plane or whatever other grade-equivalent nightmare they are now tasked with teaching?

In his story for our Back to School Issue—somewhat ironically named under the circumstances, it’s true—Todd Guild examines both how parents and students are coping with these challenges (spoiler alert: not well) and if we can expect any normalcy to return to school in the near future. He also writes about why the timing may now be right for Cabrillo College to be renamed. Meanwhile, Wallace Baine explains how a new two-volume book takes a remarkably in-depth look at the history of UCSC.

I also want to remind readers who saw our cover story last week about the “Love You Madly” fire relief effort that the second week of videos from local and national musicians is now up at santacruzfirerelief.org, encouraging donations to Community Foundation Santa Cruz County’s Fire Response Fund. There’s a very sweet message from Los Lobos’ Louis Perez, in which he talks about how “Santa Cruz has always had a special place in our heart,” and the band contributes a performance of “Anselma.” There are also songs from Mira Goto, Tess Dunn, Keith Greeninger, Henry Chadwick, Poor Man’s Whiskey, Cement Ship—and those are just the videos for this week. Make sure to check out the new releases every week, and please donate to help the hundreds of fire victims in our community.

STEVE PALOPOLI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Read the latest letters to the editor here.

EXPANDING EMPATHY

Reading the latest Good Times about the Fire Relief campaign (GT, 9/16), I was struck by the similarities of circumstance with many of the homeless in our community. They, too, have lost their homes, but unlike the fire victims, they have truly lost everything else. They have no assets or friends to fall back on. Fire victims have lost physical assets, which is a great psychological loss, but they have friends, family, the land, insurance and an outpouring of help from the community to aid in their recovery. And I, for one, am glad to help in that effort.

I realize that helping the homeless requires a long and sustained effort because the depth of their helplessness and lack of resources makes reintegration back into society a very hard thing to accomplish. I just hope our community’s eyes are opened a little wider as a result of this tragedy to view our homeless with a heightened sense of compassion and empathy as we help fire victims recover from this conflagration.

Richard Rammer | Santa Cruz

Trail Decision is Not Either-Or

So train or bus. It’s come to this. That’s like asking us if we want boots or galoshes when really we wanted running shoes all along. Oh my, our feet are hobbled.

I know I could never be a politician. I can’t answer and respond on the spot. It’s been days and nights since I read the “Major Decision” train-or-bus group letter (GT, 9/2). It bothered me when I read it, but it took days of riding around on my bicycle and nights in between to arrive at the realization that what’s happening in our body politic at the macro and micro level is this strange weaving of narrative to accomplish certain outcomes, not all of which are apparent on the surface; i.e., nothing is quite what It seems. I guess you could say we’re living in a fairy tale.

Where I arrived at is that you could take this whole letter and just switch out a couple of lines and it would be just as “true.” We could have had a world-class transit trail (our Santa Cruz finessed version of Monterey) within months of signing the deal and instead we’ve been forced to be in traffic—and heavy traffic at that—all the while knowing we have this treasure of a coastal corridor worth its weight in gold to our day-to-day quality of life.

Randomly selected citizens who came into the Wise Democracy Citizens Wisdom Council on the rail corridor expressed in the first evening that there was some strange kind of fight going on that nobody could make sense of. There was a general feeling that everybody would love a train but nobody really knew if it made sense for our demographic. Two days later from their own process, through being dynamically facilitated; that means it’s what comes out of them entirely, they emerged with “railbank the corridor so that we don’t lose the possibility of some futuristic light rail and open the rail corridor forthwith to modes of transport including bicycles and electric (swift people-movers) as well as space for families and elders to pedal along at their own pace, but for goodness sake just give the community the means to commute and recreate in this safe corridor away from traffic…yesterday.”

Central to what they distilled in their hours together is that this actually isn’t about transportation per se, it’s about a bigger conversation as a community that we haven’t even begun to have.

You can check out Santa Cruz County citizen wisdom council archival on the rail corridor at peoplewisdom.org. It happened in January 2019 and was the first Wise Democracy Citizens Wisdom Council in Santa Cruz County.

Corinna McFarlane | Santa Cruz

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

DAVID SPADE & ROB SCHNEIDER – 8 pm – COMEDY IN YOUR CAR
Think DRIVE-IN meets LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
Visit: https://www.concertsinyourcar.com

Each ticket is valid for ONE car. The number of passengers must not exceed the number of safety belts /seats in your vehicle.

CBF Productions is proud to present California’s FIRST social distancing LIVE Entertainment series, “Concerts In Your Car” at the Ventura County Fairgrounds!

This drive-in concert series will create a new entertainment experience – all from the comfort and safety of your own vehicle.

DAVID SPADE & ROB SCHNEIDER – COMEDY IN YOUR CAR ***LIVE IN PERSON, ON STAGE***

David Spade: Nominated in 1999 for an Emmy Award for his memorable role as Dennis Finch, the wise-cracking, power-hungry assistant on “Just Shoot Me,” David Spade became a household favorite during his five-year stint as a cast member on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” He was also nominated for a Golden Globe in 2000 and an American Comedy Award in 1999 for his work on NBC’s “Just Shoot Me.”

Spade’s new late-night series “Lights Out with David Spade” premiered on Comedy Central last month. The series follows “The Daily Show” at 11:30PM and features Spade’s signature take on pop culture news of the day while incorporating field segments that mirror his popular Instagram stories. He recently wrapped production on the Netflix original comedy, THE LAST MISSY and is signed on to star in Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman’s half-hour comedy which is currently in development at HBO.

Rob Schneider is an accomplished actor, comedian, screenwriter and director. A stand-up comic and veteran of the award-winning NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, Schneider has gone on to a successful career in films, television and continues his word-wide standup tour.

Most recently, Schneider launched his first ever podcast “See What Happens,” available on streaming platforms. Hosted by Schneider and his wife Patricia Maya Schneider, the weekly show features occasional guests-from the duo’s Hollywood friend to their gardener while dissecting show business, their contrasting parenting methods, jokes, good food, philosophy and more. New episodes begin airing in August

Extra high 360 degree stage and screens will ensure a good viewing experience for everyone.

Sound will be distributed via FM radio. If your car stereo is not working, please bring a FM radio.

Space is very limited.

All the event information can be found on our website at ConcertsInYourCar.com, please be sure to review FAQs before purchasing and arriving, but here is some info to get you started:

Each ticket is valid for ONE car. The number of passengers must not exceed the number of safety belts /seats in your vehicle.

All vehicles are subject to search.

All tickets are first come, first parked, in the row you purchased and will not be assigned prior to arrival (first come, first parked basis). Parking attendants will direct each driver to a parking space in their designated row upon arrival. To ensure you don’t miss a thing, we added large video screens on each side of the stage.

All CDC and State of California guidelines will be followed, and we are working closely with Ventura County and the City of Ventura to ensure this event meets or exceeds all recommended standards.

To be considerate of all attendees we do not allow smoking at this event. Thank you for your understanding.

We ask that all attendees stay inside/by their vehicle. You are allowed to sit in folding chairs by your vehicle but you MUST wear a face mask and maintain social distancing.

You may view the show from the bed of your truck. You may not be sitting so high as to obstruct the view of others. You MUST wear a face mask.

Hatches may be open but must not exceed roof height. If hatch is spring loaded please tie it down so it doesn’t obstruct the view of others. Please use common courtesy so everyone can enjoy the show.

If a medical condition exists that prevents a guest from wearing a face-covering, then they must remain inside their vehicle at ALL times. No exceptions.

Portable restrooms will be available onsite. We ask that only two people per car at a time leave the vehicle to use. Please wear a mask and follow social distancing guidelines

In the event it is necessary for a fan to leave their vehicle, safe social distancing will be strictly enforced. Failure to follow safe social distancing, or requests of staff members for participants to follow, will cause the participant to be subject to ejection.

Event staff will be wearing personal protective equipment as required by CDC guidelines.

Tickets are ONLY available online and in advance.

Your ticket is only valid for the DAY & TIME on the top of the ticket. Nontransferable to another show.

No RVs or buses allowed.

All lifted trucks and high profile vehicles (any vehicle over 6.5 feet tall) MUST park in the ORANGE, RED, GREY OR TEAL SECTIONS.

Rain or Shine event. All sales are final and there will be no refunds.

No in and out privileges.

Outside food and drinks are permitted.

Please review ALL facts on our website prior to arrival.

Gates open 90 minutes before show starts.

All sales are final and there will be no refunds. This is a rain or shine event and there are no refunds. In the unlikely chance of a Thunder, Wind or Lightning Storm and the event gets canceled due to safety concerns there will be no refunds. Management reserves the right to refuse service to anybody or to revoke your tickets.

RELEASE AND WAIVER OF LIABILITY AGREEMENT by entering the fairgrounds ALL (“Participant”), acknowledge and agrees to the terms below. Each Person will be participating as a volunteer or participant in the Concert In Your Car Series activities at the Ventura County Fairgrounds premises and facilities (the “Fair”): I AM AWARE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND RELATED GOVERNMENTAL ORDERS,DIRECTIVES AND GUIDELINES (COLLECTIVELY “DIRECTIVES”), INCLUDING DIRECTIVES FOR FREQUENT HAND WASHING, SOCIAL DISTANCING AND USE OF FACE MASKS IN PUBLIC LOCATIONS. I AM AWARE THAT THESE ACTIVITIES ARE OCCURRING IN A PUBLIC LOCATION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AND ALSO POTENTIALLY INVOLVE LIVESTOCK OR OTHER FAIRGROUNDS ACTIVITIES, AND ARE THEREFORE HAZARDOUS ACTIVITIES. I AM AWARE THAT I COULD BE INFECTED, SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN DIE DUE TO COVID-19 OR DUE TO ACTIVITIES ON THE FAIRGROUNDS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LIVESTOCK ACTIVITIES. I AM VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATING IN THESE ACTIVITIES WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE DANGER INVOLVED AND AGREE TO ASSUME ANY AND ALL RISKS OF BODILY INJURY, DEATH OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, WHETHER THOSE RISKS ARE KNOWN OR UNKNOWN. As consideration for being permitted by the Fair, the State of California (“State”), the County of Ventura(the “County”), and any lessor of the fair premises (“Lessor”), to participate in these activities and use the Fair premises and facilities, I forever release the Fair, CBF Productions (Producer Of Shows), the State, California Fair Services Authority (“CFSA”), the County, the Lessor, and any fair affiliated organization, along with their respective directors, officers, employees, volunteers, agents, contractors, and representatives (collectively“Releasees”) from any and all liabilities, causes of action, lawsuits, claims, demands, or damages of any kind whatsoever that I, my assignees, heirs, distributees, guardians, next of kin, spouse and legal representatives now have, or may have in the future, for injury, death, or property damage, related to (i) my participation in these activities, (ii) the negligence or other acts of any Releasee, whether directly connected to these activities or not, and however caused, or (iii) the condition of the premises where these activities occur, whether or not I am then participating in the activities. I also agree that I, my assignees, heirs, distributees, guardians, next of kin, spouse and legal representatives will not make a claim against, sue, or attach the property of any Releasee in connection with any of the matters covered by the foregoing release. I HAVE CAREFULLY READ THIS AGREEMENT AND FULLY UNDERSTAND ITS CONTENTS. I AM AWARE THAT THIS IS A RELEASE OF LIABILITY AND A CONTRACT BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE FAIR, CBF PRODUCTIONS, THE STATE, CFSA, THE COUNTY, AND THE LESSOR.

Submit to ph****@go*******.sc. Include information (location, etc.) and your name. Photos may be cropped. Preferably, photos should be 4 inches by 4 inches and minimum 250dpi.

GOOD IDEA

POWER OF FUN

Santa Cruz County has launched the Powered by Me campaign to gather community input to help develop the county’s first-ever Active Transportation Plan. The plan will provide a roadmap for future improvements for walking and bicycling in unincorporated Santa Cruz County with funding from Caltrans Sustainable Communities Transportation Planning grant and matching funds. Those who live, work, or play in unincorporated Santa Cruz County may provide input on biking and walking infrastructure at ecoact.org/poweredbyme.

GOOD WORK

CITIZEN GAIN

The county’s election office is getting ready to drop ballots in the mail Oct. 5. California is allowing all registered voters to vote from home in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Voters impacted by the CZU Lightning Complex fire do not need to re-register. They do, however, have the option of filling out a change-of-address form at votescount.us. Ballots can’t be forwarded. Residents may also go to an in-person location to get a ballot or sign up to receive a ballot via email.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Well we got no class/And we got no principals/We ain’t got no innocence/We can’t even think of a word that rhymes.”
-Alice Cooper

Students, Teachers and Parents Feel the Strain of Distance Learning

Todd Guild

-

September 22, 2020

0

Students, Teachers and Parents Feel the Strain of Distance Learning

Santa Cruz’s Jennifer Gallacher already had a busy schedule. She works a full-time job in the UCSC administration, and runs a small business, the Santa Cruz Rehearsal Studios, with her husband.

But since the Covid-19 pandemic hit, forcing schools to close and students to work from home in so-called distance learning, the couple have added a new job: de facto educators to their two kids, in fourth and seventh grade.

With strained timetables, frustrated kids and overloaded home internet, Gallacher says it is difficult to devote enough time to both work and kids.

“I pretty much vacillate between feeling like I’ve gotten it under control, and that I’m a complete failure as a parent,” she says.

And it’s not just the adults that are feeling the strain of the shift to home learning. Her kids, she says, desperately miss the social aspect that comes with going to school.

Steve Wuerth, whose 6-year-old son is engaging in distance learning, says he’s frustrated by the decisions that are keeping students at home.

Businesses through the county are open, he says, so why are schools still shuttered? He says education is more than merely sitting and listening to teachers talk—it’s the sum total of teaching, hands-on experience and peer interactions that make up learning.

“He doesn’t just learn on his own,” says Wuerth. “He learns by watching everyone. You put it all together and you formulate who you are.”

When California Gov. Gavin Newsom released the state’s four-tier protocol for reopening on Aug. 27, Santa Cruz County soon reduced its numbers of Covid-19 cases and moved into to the red—or “substantial”–category.

Previously under the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, California’s purple “widespread” category all but prohibited schools from reopening.

But after spending two weeks under the less restrictive label–meaning the county’s number of new positive tests was down to 5-8% per 100,000 residents–schools can technically begin to allow students to return on Sept. 22.

But doing so immediately for any district would be a risky move. School superintendents must balance student and staff safety with directives from their own county health offices, and consider that the enormous complexity of reopening their schools could be compounded if their county moves back to a more restrictive category, says Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah.

It is unlikely that school will reopen on a large scale, he says.

“It has to be thoughtful, and it has to be sustainable,” says Sabbah. “Our approach has to be really well-thought out and not reactive, and I think that’s in the best interest of students and families and staff. The reality is that we’re still in a pandemic. So if we don’t do it carefully and widely, it could create an outbreak.”

The California Department of Education has a comprehensive list of criteria to help guide school districts in their decision making.

Students throughout the U.S.–40,000 in Santa Cruz County, according to Ed-Data–have been engaged in distance learning since early this year, when Covid-19 began to make its worldwide sweep and schools began to close their doors.

That has been a hardship for many parents, particularly those who work full-time, who found themselves unwittingly cast into the role of academic coach.

The shift has also been a strain on educators, who now have to reinvent the way they do their jobs.

“Our teachers have been working really hard,” Sabbah says. “We did a lot of preparation over the summer, but we were preparing for a hybrid learning environment, so the pivot to full distance learning happened at the end of July.”

While most students have adapted to the brave new world of coronavirus-era schooling, distance learning has taken a toll on some, Sabbah said.

“In some ways it’s had the deepest impact on our students who have educational needs, like our special education students or English learners,” he said. “For those students, it’s very difficult to create a comprehensive, effective distance learning program.”

District officials are also concerned about a different category of students: those who, for a host of reasons, are not participating in their virtual classes.

Pajaro Valley Unified School District this week began to hold small groups in “safe spaces” for those students, Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez says. That plan, if successful, is likely to expand, she adds.

“We will eventually need to bring back small subsets of special education students,” she says. “We have a commitment and a requirement to support not only special education students, but other students who are not participating in distance learning.”

According to Rodriguez, PVUSD is developing a Return to School Readiness Index, a comprehensive algorithm customized to each of the district’s 35 school sites that rates such factors as classroom air flow, signage, transportation and food service.

The index also looks at whether desks are spaced six feet apart, and if that is not possible, whether plexiglass shields separate students.

In addition, the district must be able to meet the state requirement to test 25% of its staff every two weeks–or all of them every two months–before she will consider reopening.

The district is taking direction from the Santa Cruz County Health Department, too, she says.

“As superintendent, my main focus is assuring that the system is ready,” Rodriguez says. “So if and when the health conditions are ready, we can move simultaneously. I don’t want us to be the last.”

Sabbah says that, as a parent of school-aged children, he understands the pressure parents are feeling. SCCOE, along with districts across the country, are hearing from parents and students frustrated by the distance model.

Still, he says that any decision regarding reopening–or staying with the current model–must be made judiciously.

“We’re looking at the science when it comes to safety and to our local health officers, and to the guidance we’re getting from the state,” he said. “This way we can provide the very best learning environment for our students.”

Sprawling Oral History Traces the Evolution of UCSC

Wallace Baine

-

September 22, 2020

0

Sprawling Oral History Traces the Evolution of UCSC

In the early 1960s, when the University of California decided to establish a new campus in Santa Cruz, the 13th employee it hired—right alongside the campus engineer and its principal architect—was a historian.

Elizabeth Spedding Calciano was brought in to lead the Regional History Project as part of UCSC’s nascent library system. From the beginning, her job was to establish an oral history of not only the founding of the new campus, but the Monterey Bay communities that surrounded it.

That kind of fundamental commitment to history as it unfolds has now borne fruit in the form of a remarkable two-volume oral history titled Seeds of Something Different, a detailed and diverse account of UCSC’s ongoing 50-plus-year story, told by those who lived it.

The twin volumes—each featuring a landscape photograph of the campus by Ansel Adams—is the work of a trio of historians including Irene Reti, Cameron Vanderscoff, and Sarah Rabkin. Included are verbatim anecdotes, descriptions, and accounts from more than 200 people—students, faculty, administrators, artists, activists, and townspeople, all chronicling the last half-century (and more) of Santa Cruz and its idiosyncratic, ever-evolving namesake university.

“It’s a complicated book,” says Reti, a UCSC alum who still works as an oral historian at the university. “That’s why it’s 925 pages.”

Seeds will remain for years to come the go-to source on the cherished story of UCSC’s founding and its pioneering class. But Reti says it was important for the book to be more than that well-known origin story.

“We felt it was important that we not fall into the trap of only enshrining those first years.”

As a result, Seeds traces a complex story from the university’s unlikely journey from an almost utopian teaching-based college to a science-oriented research university, and the winding, often contentious journey it took to get there.

Still, the early chapters of the first volume are dominated by the staggering task of building a UC campus on ranch land outside Santa Cruz, the dream project of two men, UC president Clark Kerr and his old grad-school roommate Dean McHenry, who would go on to be the new university’s first chancellor.

Reacting to a growing sense that higher education was getting larger and more impersonal, the new campus was to be designed as a reflection of the Oxford model, small “colleges” within a single university framework, to create a more intimate and immediate educational experience. McHenry especially, says Reti, “had a strong interest in utopian movements, and was very much a product of the progressive 1930s and ’40s.”

Bringing this model to life fell largely to former UCLA historian Page Smith, the initial college’s first provost, a man who embodied both radical ideas and traditionalist notions about education. Smith—who came up with the narrative evaluations of students in lieu of letter grades, another distinct quirk of UCSC—was, says Reti, “this imposing Western cowboy intellectual.”

However progressive his ideas about education, Smith was not a figure of the 1960s counterculture. Despite a widespread stereotype that the university brought the hippie movement to Santa Cruz, Reti says that the counterculture caught UCSC as off-guard as it did the town itself.

“Both [Smith] and Dean McHenry were concerned about the image of the campus, and the community was horrified. The university students looked a lot different [when the university first opened] than they did just five years later when the counterculture took hold. Smith was caught in this bind—and McHenry, too—of wanting innovation, but not that much innovation.”

The book also tells the story of the many subcultures and academic interests that developed in the university’s first couple of decades, from the anti-war movement, to the development of the arts, to the growing power of feminist consciousness on campus. The two volumes contain more than 250 photographs of this rich history, from images of dorm life, protests and demonstrations, and formal ceremonies (including a shot of revolutionary Huey Newton receiving his Ph.D.)

The book also has its share of campus celebrities, some of the most influential faculty associated with the university, from Alan Chadwick, an innovator in gardening who established UCSC as an enormous influence in the organic-gardening movement, to William Everson, the master printer and poet who served as a kind of high priest of the Santa Cruz back-to-the-land aesthetic.

As years went by, the university’s form—the college system, narrative evaluations—remained constant while its mission was entirely re-engineered, largely by Robert Sinsheimer, who served as chancellor from 1977-1987. Sinsheimer himself was a pioneering biologist in the study of genetics and DNA, and as chancellor he laid the groundwork for UCSC to be a significant player in the development of the Human Genome Project years later.

“One of the great paradoxes of UCSC,” says Reti, “is that it was originally intended to emphasize the liberal arts. But with the arrival of (biologist and Crown College provost) Kenneth Thimann, it became a prestigious science campus, which continues to the present day.”

Woven throughout both volumes, however, is the ever-dynamic relationship between the university and the Santa Cruz community, particularly when it comes to the university’s growth, and its continuing influence on the town’s political, economic, and cultural personality. (The book’s most recent interviews were from 2019, so Covid-19 and the 2020 fires will have to wait for Volume 3).

“I really believe that the campus and the community have created each other,” says Reti. “We’re absolutely entwined at this point. Anyone who lives in Santa Cruz is impacted by the university, and the entire culture of Santa Cruz changed with the coming of the university. This is definitely a story for all of us locals, as well as for anyone interested in history in general, of the counterculture, of higher education, or California.”

LATEST ARTICLES

LATEST ARTICLES

LATEST ARTICLES

LATEST ARTICLES

Cautionary Tale

Wine Tasting in Napa

ARTS AND MUSIC

CLASSES

COMMUNITY

GROUPS

OUTDOOR

EDITOR’S NOTE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

GOOD IDEA

GOOD WORK

QUOTE OF THE WEEK