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Exploring the California Ballot Measures: Data Privacy, Cash Bail

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October 23, 2020

Exploring the California Ballot Measures: Data Privacy, Cash Bail

Editor’s note: This is the final entry in a series exploring the California propositions going before voters in the Nov. 3 election.

California voters will make a decision on 12 propositions in the upcoming election. The initiatives cover various issues, including the California tax code, rent control and voting rights. Here’s a look at three of the 12 propositions:

Proposition 23

When voters cast their vote on Proposition 23, it will not be the first time they have decided on a law governing dialysis clinics. Nearly 60% of voters in 2018 rejected Proposition 8, a nearly identical measure.

The proposed law would require a physician to be onsite at dialysis clinics during treatment and require them to report infections to the state. It would also prohibit them from refusing services based on payment source.

Supporters include the California Democratic Party and the California Labor Federation. They say that the law would improve safety and sanitation at dialysis clinics, and stop patient discrimination based on insurance.

Opposition to Prop. 23 includes the California Medical Association, the American Nurses Association of California and the American Academy of Nephrology PA’s.

They say that the law would threaten the lives of an estimated 80,000 patients by forcing many dialysis clinics to close. The lion’s share of these, opponents say, would be in rural and low-income areas where it is difficult to recruit doctors.

This would worsen the state’s doctor shortage, cause ER overcrowding and increase healthcare costs by hundreds of millions annually, opponents say.

Proposition 24

Proposition 24 would expand the reach of the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA), a first-of-its-kind set of regulations that among other things allowed consumers to opt out of having their data collected.

Prop. 24 would also create the California Privacy Protection Agency to oversee the new law.

Under the proposed law, consumers could tell businesses not to share their personal information. In addition, businesses would be required to provide an opt-out option for having their personal information used for marketing.

Companies would have to get permission to collect data for consumers over age 16, and get parental information for those younger than 13. The law would triple fines for companies that violate this provision.

They would also be required to correct inaccurate information upon the consumer’s request.

Prop. 24 would reduce the number of companies that must follow privacy laws. Currently, rules apply to those with 50,000 customers or more. The new law would raise that number to 100,000, and would not apply to devices such as cell phones and tablets.

Analysts say the law would cost at least $10 million annually for the new state agency.

Supporters include the NAACP, Common Sense Media, Consumer Watchdog and several labor unions. They say the law would give consumers an important tool in an era when businesses track nearly every aspect of daily life.

Opponents of the law include the ACLU, the California Nurses Association and civil rights leader Dolores Huerta. They say that the law was written by a tycoon, and establishes a pay-for-privacy system that would allow businesses to charge higher fees to stop sharing confidential information.

They also say that the law would place the onus of privacy on the consumer by requiring them to ask each company, instead of relying on automatic settings.

Proposition 25

If passed, this proposition would allow Senate Bill 10 to go into effect. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed that law on Aug. 28, 2018, but it still needs voter approval.

The law would eliminate the state’s cash bail system. Instead, defendants would either be held in jail or released based on their danger to the public and their flight risk. Most misdemeanor offenses are subject to automatic release.

Supporters say the new law dismantles a system in which wealthy defendants can pay to get out of pre-trial detention, while low-income ones suspected of the same crimes languish in jail.

But opponents, including the law enforcement community, the NAACP and, predictably, the bail bond industry, have come out strong against the law, saying that it reduces public safety. They also say the law would rely too heavily on a computer-generated algorithm and predictive models in determining a suspect’s potential for release.

Learn more about all of the statewide ballot measures at the California Secretary of State website.

Click here to see all of our ongoing 2020 election coverage.

Santa Cruz METRO Boosts Safety Measures Amid Pandemic

Tarmo Hannula

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October 22, 2020

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Santa Cruz METRO Boosts Safety Measures Amid Pandemic

In an effort to meet public transit safety standards set during the Covid-19 pandemic, Santa Cruz METRO officials showcased the safety and precautionary measures they have put in place during a Wednesday press conference.

Santa Cruz County Supervisor John Leopold and METRO Board of Directors Chair Mike Rotkin joined METRO officials in the brief ceremony flanked by two buses that were on display to give a first-hand view of how the buses are geared to protect passengers and drivers.

METRO has installed hand sanitizer dispensers, between-row sneeze barriers and clear plastic operator curtains on its busses. It has also posted all preventative guidelines.

METRO CEO and General Manager Alex Clifford welcomed the crowd of around 30 people.

“Today we relaunch our pledge and welcome back our customers in helping them to feel good about the protective measures that we put in place for both our customers and for our employees,” he said.

On Oct. 12 METRO announced that it joined the American Public Transportation Association’s Health and Safety Commitments Program, tabbed as the industry’s pledge to passengers that transit systems are taking the necessary measures to operate safely during the pandemic.

“By signing the pledge we are joining 150 other transit agencies in the country who are actively working to instill confidence in riders by committing to protect their health and safety,” said Leopold, who is also a member of METRO’s Board of Directors.

The pledge was developed after organizers talked to riders across the country to understand what they needed to feel confident while returning to public transit. METRO also conducted a similar survey.

“If we can avoid things like the tragic outbreak that we had at the Watsonville Post Acute Center and continue to practice the simple rules we can keep our community safe and we can think about other things that might be able to reopen,” Leopold said.

James Sandoval, general chairperson for SMART Local 23, the union representing METRO operators, said the agency and the union have only one goal in mind: “to make sure our employees, our operators and our customers are safe while using our services.”

“We want our community and our customers to know that we are taking all necessary steps to safely transport them while using our services and encourage riders to return back to METRO,” Sandoval said.

For information on METRO’s safety guidelines, visit scmtd.com/safety.

Apple Harvest Wraps Up Following Challenging Growing Season

Johanna Miller

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October 22, 2020

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Apple Harvest Wraps Up Following Challenging Growing Season

It has not been an easy harvest season for California apples.

When temperatures shot up into the 100s in August and September, sparking wildfires across the state and harming numerous agricultural commodities, apples were one of the hardest-hit crops. The fruit is susceptible to high heat, especially when it lasts for more than a couple of days.

“It’s basically like putting the apples into a convection oven—they literally bake right off the trees,” said Karell Reader, owner of Luz de Valle Farms in Corralitos. “If they’re not protected by enough leaf cover, they just turn brown and fall onto the ground.”

Reader estimates that about one-quarter of their apple crops were lost this season due to the scorching temperatures.

“Really, all we could do was stand by and watch,” she said. “It’s kind of a helpless feeling … but that’s farming. There’s always some sort of pestilence or foul thing from Mother Nature that wants to come get you.”

Reader’s family has owned Luz de Valle Farm since 1880, when her great-grandfather, who was part of the Silva family, settled in what is now Pleasant Valley. After her uncle used the orchard as a retail outlet, it was eventually leased out—leading to it falling into disrepair.

That is until Reader and her husband, Phil Reader took it over in 2012.

“When we inherited [the farm], it was kind of a disaster,” she said. “It hadn’t been maintained … the barn roof was collapsing, the shop was falling apart. We started tossing around ideas about how to renovate and bring it back.”

Luz de Valle now covers about 17 acres of land off of Hames Road in Corralitos and boasts more than 26 varieties of apples, including many rare heirloom varieties. They grow standards such as Fuji and Gala, as well as Newton Pippins, which they mainly sell to Martinelli’s and Santa Cruz Cider Company.

Reader said that they inherited the farm “amongst a multitude of disasters,” from labor shortage issues to high water costs due to the drought. They were also dealing with low soil fertility due to neglect, and switching from conventional to organic farming.

“The orchard had been let go for so long that a lot of the bigger trees were tapped out,” she said. “We’ve had to rip some older trees out, go back in and plant.”

When ash began to fall over Santa Cruz County in August due to the CZU Lightning Complex fire, Reader said she was reminding customers to wash the fruit as much as possible. While ash does not harm the apples, it can affect the taste.

Luz de Valle became a temporary evacuation site for friends of the Readers who had evacuated from the fires, setting up an outdoor kitchen and tents on the property.

“They were here for almost a month,” Reader said. “It was a crazy time … but absolutely the right thing to do.”

Reader said that the Covid-19 pandemic has compelled the farm to focus on its community U-Pick days, which had families coming to the farm for apple-picking and to learn more about the crop.

“People have been looking for positive, constructive things to do,” she said. “We really enjoy meeting and educating people … helping deepen their understanding about their food.”

The 2020 apple season will soon be coming to an end. By the end of October, most apples at Luz de Valle will be harvested, and the Readers will take a short break before jumping into plans for next year.

“Right before Halloween, we take a deep breath,” she said. “We kind of have to force ourselves to take a day off …. The work never really ends on a farm. But we really love what we do.”

Bartolo Wines’ Bold, Fruit-Forward Petit Verdot 2012

Josie Cowden

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October 21, 2020

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Bartolo Wines’ Bold, Fruit-Forward Petit Verdot 2012

Barry Jackson is the winemaker of this 2012 Petit Verdot. Better known for his fabulous sparkling wines under his Equinox label, he also makes excellent wines under his Bartolo label, often searching out lesser-known grape varieties such as Petit Verdot—rare in both Bordeaux and California.

“Petit Verdot produces rich, dense wines with aromas of cassis and intense flavors of ripe blackberry,” Jackson says. Grapes were sourced from the Mann Vineyard in Gilroy, and Jackson added a touch of Merlot (13%) to this full-bodied red wine, then barrel-aged it for 30 months. Bold and fruit-forward, the Bartolo Petit Verdot ($25) goes well with barbecue, aged cheeses, portobello mushrooms, eggplant dishes and more.

Jackson and his wife Jennifer run a welcoming tasting room on the Westside of Santa Cruz. Check if they are running any specials. The last time we visited, we bought a whole case for an excellent price.

And do taste the Equinox sparkling wine as well as the Bartolo. After all, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here before you know it—and we’ll certainly need some bubbly.

Bartolo and Equinox Wines, 334 Ingalls St., Unit C, Santa Cruz. 831-471-8608, equinoxwine.com.

Galante Vineyards’ Halloween Costume Contest

Galante Vineyards in Carmel is doing a Halloween costume contest on Zoom on Oct. 30 at 4pm. There will be spooktacular bingo prizes and frightfully fun giveaway prizes for their favorite costume. The Zoom ID is 664494604. RSVP to ma****@**************ds.com. Galante Vineyards tasting room is open for outdoor tasting Friday 1-9pm, Saturday 1-7:30pm, and Sunday-Thursday 1-6:30pm.

Galante Vineyards Tasting Room, Dolores Street, Carmel-by-the-Sea. 831-624-3800, galantevineyards.com.

Twisted Roots Hallow-wine Party

Wear your favorite Halloween costume and pair some candy with your favorite Twisted Roots wine or cider. Then do a Hallow-wine Zoom meetup on Oct. 29 at 6pm with Twisted Roots Vineyard and share why this combo is your Twisted favorite. To get the Zoom login, just email your receipt or proof of purchase to in**@******************rd.com. There’s a full moon on Halloween night, so have a howlin’ good time!

Twisted Roots Vineyard, 12 Del Fino Place, Carmel Valley. 831-594-8282, twistedrootsvineyard.com.

Things To Do in Santa Cruz: Oct. 21-27

GT Staff

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October 21, 2020

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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******@*******es.sc.

ARTS AND MUSIC

VIRTUAL EXHIBITION TOUR: QUEER SANTA CRUZ Celebrate LGBTQ pride month in a 35-minute virtual tour of Queer Santa Cruz. Travel back to the 1970s to uncover our local queer history, from early trailblazers to modern day movements. Time for questions and conversation will follow the event. Free. Wednesday, Oct. 21, 3-4pm. Learn more at: santacruzmah.org/events/virtual-tour-queersc/2020/10/21.

IMAGINE DISABILITY FILM FESTIVAL Friday, Oct. 23: Save the Date! Imagine is happy to announce our Ninth Annual Disability Film Festival to be held at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk River Parking Lot. Imagine hosts an annual film festival event meant to empower artists with disabilities and raise awareness in our community. Each film is either directed by, starring, or about people with disabilities. This year we have put together a very special event unlike any of our past film festivals. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has helped us create an event that you can safely attend and participate in from your vehicle. We will be reprising some of the films shown in our past film festivals and adding a very moving feature film, “The Peanut Butter Falcon.” We hope that you will join us in celebrating the work of artists and creators with disabilities and their stories. This event is free of charge! Our goal is to create awareness that reaches as much of our community as possible. If you are able to make a donation to keep this event going please do so when registering for tickets. Don’t forget to register for your free tickets! Only vehicles with tickets will be allowed into the event. If you are an individual with a disability and require accommodations in order to attend this event, please feel free to contact pa***@********ls.org! We look forward to seeing you there! Learn more at: imaginesls.org/film-festival.

ANNUAL LIVE OAK GLASS PUMPKIN PATCH The Santa Cruz Glass Pumpkin Patch at Live Oak Grange Returns with golden leaves and autumn breezes! Beautiful handmade glass pumpkins and gourds created in the glass blowing studio of local glass artist Chris Johnson. A dazzling array of colors, in all sizes and for every budget. We are delighted to again be in the heirloom fruit garden at historic Live Oak Grange on 17th Avenue. Five percent of all proceeds will be donated to the Grange to sustain their awesome work in the community. Join us Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24-25, 10am-4pm. No purchase required. All are welcome to come enjoy the outside garden of beautiful art glass! One weekend only. Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave., Santa Cruz. Come by and put your name in the box to win a pumpkin handmade by Chris Johnson.

CATAMARAN ART SHOW AT R. BLITZER GALLERY Starved for real live artwork? Then don’t miss the Seventh Annual Catamaran Show at the R. Blitzer Gallery, featuring a curated array of original artwork from Linda Christensen, David Ligare, UCSC alumna Julie Heffernan, Frank Galuszka, Noah Buchanan, Joao De Brito and Philip Rosenthal. While you’re there don’t miss artworks by Robert Blitzer, Alan Sonneman, Rand Launer and handmade stringed instruments by luthier Charles Sutton. Open now through Nov. 27. Tuesday and Thursday noon-5 pm or by appointment. Strict Covid-19 protocols followed (masks, five or six people at a time, social distancing). R. Blitzer Gallery, 2801 Mission St., Santa Cruz. 831-458-1217.

CLASSES

THE BASICS OF TAXIDERMY Learn what you need to know to dive into taxidermy as a hobby. During this webinar, Alex Krohn will share the basics of preserving animals, the laws surrounding the process in California, and an overview of necessary tools, before diving into an example on an Acorn Woodpecker specimen. Register for link to Zoom webinar: santacruzmuseum.org/10-27-the-basics-of-taxidermy-with-alex-krohn. This program is part of the Halloween series, Museum of the Macabre, presented by the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. Alex Krohn is the Assistant Director of the Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History at UCSC. While he is a reptile and amphibian specialist, he loves helping connect people with all aspects of nature, both in the museum and across the natural lands of Santa Cruz County. Tuesday, Oct. 27, 1-2pm.

BREASTFEEDING BASICS This is a virtual class that will help you learn the information you need for getting breastfeeding off to a good start. This one-session class will cover how to ensure a good milk supply, techniques for getting a good latch, how to know if your baby is getting enough, and ways you can avoid common problems. Recommended for mothers in mid-to-late pregnancy. Support person welcome. 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. For further information, please call The Dominican Lactation Warm Line at 831-462-7862. Wednesday, Oct. 21, 6:30-8:30pm.

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: Oct. 24-25, Nov. 14-15, Dec. 19-20.

COMMUNITY

ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT JOB FAIR Join us for Santa Cruz County’s largest job fair! Free for employers and job seekers! Explore local employers, staffing agencies, and community resources. Discover a broad range of open positions, including: entry-level or mid-level positions for recent graduates and young alumni; high-level careers for applicants with leadership and experience; and internships and volunteer opportunities for students. Register today at: eventbrite.com/e/job-fair-tickets-104370358552. For additional information, visit access2employment.com. Thursday, Oct. 22, 1pm.

PARENTING WORKSHOP SERIES This is a free series of workshops to support parents during these difficult times. There will be a Kids Zoom Hour run at the same time so that you can attend the workshop. Each Kids Hour will be sponsored by a different organization, such as the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz Children’s Discovery Museum, and Santa Cruz Public Library. All workshops will take place from 3-4:30pm on Zoom. Tuesday, Oct. 27, workshop: Supporting Children with Special Needs in Distance Learning. Register at: santacruz.k12oms.org/1284-191085.

2020 BE THE DIFFERENCE AWARDS ONLINE CELEBRATION The Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County is excited to host the 2020 Be The Difference Awards! This event annually brings together civic and business leaders, nonprofit champions, and trailblazers for good to celebrate the top individuals, groups, nonprofits, and businesses who do the most to transform our community through volunteerism. While there will be no in-person gathering this year for the annual gala, the Volunteer Center and partners will honor all selected nominees through the Be The Difference Awards Online Watch Party Celebration on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at noon. You can expect an hour of entertainment and inspiration with local musicians, community leaders, and your favorite local heroes—all in celebration of volunteers. Do you want to take an extra step to honor volunteers and help the Volunteer Center sustain this great event? Become a Friend of the Be The Difference Awards. Donate $50 or more to be entered into a drawing to win a Warriors jersey signed by Draymond Green. Also, thanks to a meal deal with Woodstock Pizza, you can order your lunch on the day of the event and support the Volunteer Center at the same time! Learn more at: scvolunteercenter.org/events-2/be-the-difference-awards.

EVENING TOASTMASTERS ONLINE OPEN HOUSE The Evening Toastmasters Club 3802 invites residents to its online open house to meet members and watch special guest speaker, Belinda Mei, a seasoned project manager, talk about how Toastmasters has brought change to her life. The open house will be hosted online using the Zoom video sharing. Meeting begins at 6:30pm, and attendees are encouraged to join at least 15 minutes prior to start. After hearing from special guest Belinda Mei, members and guests will enjoy a regular Toastmasters meeting that will include prepared speeches, Table Topics™ (impromptu speeches) and evaluations. Lisa Hamil, who has served in various club positions, will be the Table Topics master. Alex Hardy, Owner of Hardy Roofing, Inc., will also be speaking. Monday, Oct. 26, 6:30-8pm. Online via Zoom. For more information, email co**********@***************bs.org or use the Contact Us link on the club’s website at evening.toastmastersclubs.org.

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

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***@*************er.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

BIRDS AND FARMS: FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS Homeless Garden Project presents an online conversation with Jo Ann Baumgartner and Jonathan Franzen. Join Jo Ann Baumgartner, the executive director of the Wild Farm Alliance, and author Jonathan Franzen in a conversation about the mutually beneficial relationship between sustainable agriculture and the birds around us on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 5pm. Jo Ann Baumgartner will talk about the latest research on birds as natural pest-control allies, and give practical remarks about how to sustain and encourage healthy bird populations on healthy farms. Jonathan Franzen will discuss the critical role that farming can play in nature conservation. This special, online presentation is free and open to the public. Be sure to register in advance at bit.ly/FarmsBirds to receive the Zoom link. Jo Ann and Jonathan will answer questions following the presentation.

AN EDIBLE EVENING WITH DEBORAH MADISON Homeless Garden Project presents the first event of Sustain in Place: A series of at-home tastings, Saturday, Oct. 24 (6:30-7:30pm), begins with a keynote video presentation from Deborah Madison. A pioneer in the farm to table movement, Deborah will share some secrets to the art of bringing out the best in farm-fresh produce, by leading us through making some of her favorite salad dressings. Guests will also have the chance to come to the farm to harvest your own salad greens, vegetables and herbs along with an accompanying gift bag featuring a bottle of wine and fresh, delicious, gourmet pasta from La Posta restaurant, in a reusable tote bag. Guests will be able to pick up bags from the HGP Farm anytime from 12-6pm on Saturday, Oct. 24. The presentation will be online and be premiered at 6:30pm at a link sent exclusively to attendees. See the full set of ticket options at bit.ly/Deborah4HGP. The Sustain In Place series of at-home tastings are generously sponsored by New Leaf Community Markets, La Posta Restaurant and Mutari Chocolate.

ROCKIN’ POP-UP: CAVES In honor of Halloween, we’re exploring the curious, the scary, and the strange all week during our series, Museum of the Macabre. And what’s scarier than a deep, dark cave? For the special Halloween Pop-Up, Gavin and Graham will explore the different ways that caves form. Wednesday, Oct. 28, 3pm. Watch live on Facebook: facebook.com/SantaCruzMuseumOfNaturalHistory/live_videos. Join the Geology Gents, Gavin and Graham, for monthly conversations about rocks live on Facebook. Each month we’ll explore a different geologic topic, from Santa Cruz formations to tips for being a more effective rockhound. Graham Edwards and Gavin Piccione are Ph.D. candidates in geochronology with the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at UCSC.

LABSIDE CHATS: CONVERSATION WITH A SCIENTIST Tune in for the Seymour Center’s next Labside Chat with Caroline Casey, research associate at UCSC, on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 11am, to explore the fascinating behavior of northern elephant seals. Join the conversation! Submit your questions in advance for Caroline, then watch the conversation to hear the answers during the live streamed chat. Visit the Seymour Center’s website to submit your questions in advance and to access the livestream: seymourcenter.ucsc.edu/learn/ongoing-education/labside-chats. Labside Chats are offered at no charge. Please support the Seymour Center by becoming a member or making a donation today at seymourcenter.ucsc.edu/get-involved/join or seymourcenter.ucsc.edu/get-involved/donate/make-a-donation.

JUST TRANSITION: RESTORATIVE ECONOMICS AND THE FUTURE Winona LaDuke is an environmentalist, economist, and writer, known for her work on tribal land claims and preservation, as well as sustainable development. She co-founded Honor the Earth to create awareness and support for Native environmental issues and to develop needed financial and political resources for the survival of sustainable Native communities. Honor the Earth develops these resources by using music, the arts, the media, and Indigenous wisdom to ask people to recognize our joint dependency on the Earth and be a voice for those not heard. Part of the Environmental Justice and Sustainability Speaker Series at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Free, open to public, no registration required. Learn more at: middlebury.edu/institute/events/just-transition-restorative-economics-and-future-winona-laduke-10-22-2020. See all lectures in the series at: go.miis.edu/sustainability. For questions, contact Rachel C., Center for the Blue Economy, cb*@**is.edu or 831-647-4183 (leave message to receive call back). Thursday, Oct. 22, 12:30pm.

WHEN LOVE LEADS TO LAWS: HOW TO SAVE CALIFORNIA’S COAST The ocean draws people to it for restoration and relief from inland heat. But our beaches are predicted to vanish, our coastal cliffs to erode. The battle between those who hold title to coastal land and those who hold only a constitutional right is, like our climate, only getting hotter. Join speaker Amanda Sackett, California policy coordinator at the Surfrider Foundation, as she discusses how interpretation of the California Coastal Act will determine whether or not our beloved beaches and coastal habitats survive the rising seas. Part of the Center for the Blue Economy Speaker Series at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Free, open to public, no registration required. Online via Zoom. Learn more at: go.miis.edu/sustainability. For questions, contact Rachel C., Center for the Blue Economy, cb*@**is.edu or 831-647-4183 (leave message to receive call back). Tuesday, Oct. 27, 6pm.

Manuel’s Serves Classic Mexican Food Tied to Family Traditions

Andrew Steingrube

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October 21, 2020

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Manuel’s Serves Classic Mexican Food Tied to Family Traditions

Manuel’s Restaurant in Aptos has been serving up classic Mexican food based on the owners’ family traditions since 1965.

Founded by the late Manuel Santana, the place is renowned for not only their food, but also their warm and friendly service. The restaurant started with just nine tables and has since expanded to become a favorite spot among locals. GT caught up with co-owner Patricia Santana, who talked about the restaurant’s food, service, and more.

What is your philosophy on service and hospitality?

PATRICIA SANTANA: We want our servers to treat guests like a guest in their own home. We want them to feel comfortable, like friends or family. When people walk into a restaurant and aren’t acknowledged in a minute, it feels much longer to them. We try to connect with people right off the bat, so they feel that we really appreciate them being here. We try to make every guest feel welcomed, whether they are first-timers or long-time regulars.

What are some of the most popular menu items?

Our specials are always popular; they are different for every night of the week. Different days have different followings. People often come just for the specials. On Sundays we have a molé poblano, a traditional Oaxacan sauce made with 27 ingredients. My husband (Manuel’s son) wakes up at 2am on Sundays just to make the molé. The process takes about eight hours. It’s a dark and slightly spicy sauce with a hint of chocolate and is served over chicken. Another popular special is the Friday night snapper. It’s a breaded and pan-seared fresh snapper topped with a cool sour cream-based sauce.

How has the restaurant been doing amid the pandemic?

We’re basically making it, thanks to our loyal regulars who have really come through with takeout orders and recently coming back to dine-in. We never had outdoor seating before July, but we have recently added seven outdoor tables in our back patio and can currently sit six of our 28 tables inside with proper distancing. We are surviving. It’s not ideal, but we are going to make it through this. Our main focus has been to retain our 39 employees and help support them and their families. Our employees have really pulled together. Many have been here for 10 years or more. We see them as family.

261 Center Ave., Aptos. 831-688-4848, manuelsrestaurant.com.

Opinion: Oct. 21, 2020

Steve Palopoli

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October 21, 2020

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EDITOR’S NOTE

I guess we can have some nice things in 2020 after all, because Santa Cruz Restaurant Week is back! It wasn’t a sure thing, believe me, but I see it as local restaurants and GT taking a stand for a little normalcy—and for the community’s dining scene, which has been devastated by the pandemic. We have made some changes to our annual event—for which all the participants will feature a special prix-fixe menu beginning today and running through next Wednesday, Oct. 28—like a takeout option (you can read about all the particulars in our pullout section in this issue, and at santacruzrestaurantweek.com). But despite the changes, I found I get a lot of comfort just flipping through this issue and reading the quotes from locals chefs and restaurateurs talking about what they love to do, and feeling the excitement of an actual dining event. Every year, this issue makes me hungry; this year, it makes me feel better about life in general.

Also, I want to remind you that our election coverage continues on our website goodtimes.sc. This week we’ll have a closer look at all the state propositions, so if you’re still undecided on some of the many complex measures on the ballot, let us help you sort them out. Meanwhile, hope to see you on a patio for some SCRW dining this week!

STEVE PALOPOLI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Read the latest letters to the editor here.

Rebuild With Equity

My heart sank as I walked by two shuttered, beloved locally-owned businesses, apparently ravaged by the pandemic: Buttercup Cakes and Bad Animal bookshop. I thought about 99 Bottles, Poet and Patriot, Nourish, also closed in the heart of Santa Cruz. I fear community businesses will be replaced by cookie-cutter chains, losing not only our character, but also revenue—local ownership circulates three to four times more money.

Employee ownership has proven adaptive, resilient and a valuable resource for preserving Covid-challenged businesses. Last year, Santa Cruz City Council approved a resolution affirming support for “the development and growth of worker cooperatives throughout the region,” declaring the month of October Cooperative month. The Main Street Employee Ownership Act —national legislation spotlighting worker cooperatives—also took effect, facilitating funding sources, mandating that SBA actively engage.

Let’s rebuild—with equity—through employee ownership. Oakland-based Project Equity offers free consultations and has available masterful webinars that can point the way and identify funding sources.

Sheila Carrillo | Santa Cruz

Leopold’s Agenda

Re: Voter Guide (GT, 10/14): As a business owner in Pleasure Point for the past 25 years I have worked with many local government agencies and representatives to improve our business community. No person has been more helpful than John Leopold, especially these past six months through the shelter-in-place. John has worked tirelessly to help local merchants find ways to survive. He is the most approachable county supervisor I have ever known. He has provided our business community with the most up-to-date information regarding Covid restrictions from the local and state level. When our services could no longer be offered in our studio John helped pave the way for free county permits to be issued so our business could continue running curbside. It is no secret that John Leopold has an agenda: to build, support, and nurture Santa Cruz County. I endorse John Leopold for County Supervisor.

Rocky Snyder | Santa Cruz

No on Prop. 22

Why are Uber and Lyft spending $100,000,000.00 to pass Proposition 22? They would rather spend that kind of money to continue to exploit their drivers who they refuse to acknowledge work for them. AB5, passed by the Legislature, declared that those who drive for Lyft and Uber—as well as thousands of other workers—are entitled to benefits such as unemployment insurance and workers compensation if they are hurt while working. These app companies would rather have the burden of providing these benefits fall on the taxpayer and not on them.

Their claims of wanting to help their drivers is disingenuous. Drivers can be employees entitled to benefits like all other employees and still maintain flexibilities in their schedules.

Years ago, farmworkers were denied standard benefits that were provided to most workers, but we ended that discrimination in California. Let’s not let the billionaires at Lyft and Uber continue to exploit many of our most vulnerable Californians.

Also, keep in mind that their business model calls for these drivers to be eventually replaced by self-driving cars, thus putting them out of work anyway.

Gil Stein | Aptos

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

The Original Paint Nite: Unleash your inner artist

YOU WILL NEED THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS FOR THIS EVENT:

– CANVAS (*SIZE OPTIONAL)

– ACRYLIC PAINT or your favorite medium (2 oz minimum per color) Blue, Yellow, Red, Black, and White

– PAINT BRUSHES (Reccomended Short Handle Value Pack brush set from Walmart, Michael's, or your favorite craft store. Make sure you have a veritty of brush sizes)

– WATER CUP (10oz tap water)

– PAINT PALETTE OR A COATED PAPER PLATE

– PAPER TOWEL/NAPKIN

– APRON or OLD CLOTHES

– TABLE TOP EASEL (*Optional)

-TABLE COVER (*Optional)

Event will be held on ZOOM.US Please check your email the day of the event for your webinar invite and instructions. Please login 15 minutes in advace so that you are ready to go at showtime.

Canvas Optional Size – Canvases come in many different sizes. From thumb nail to the size of a wall. Canvases are either streched to a frame or come with a cardboard backing. You can use almost any surface to paint on, canvas, wood, plastic, glass, the options are unlimited. The artist will be instructing on a 16×20 stretched canvas.

Table Top Easle Optional – Although painting on an easle is reccomended, it is not always necessary. If you do not have a table top or standing easle, don't stress. You can also work flat on a table and stand to make sure your image is not distorted or pile up a couple of books/shoe boxes to raise the canves to see what you are doing.

Paint – Artist will be using student level/grade acrylic paint.

The Original Paint Nite: Unleash your inner artist

YOU WILL NEED THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS FOR THIS EVENT:

– CANVAS (*SIZE OPTIONAL)

– ACRYLIC PAINT or your favorite medium (2 oz minimum per color) Blue, Yellow, Red, Black, and White

– PAINT BRUSHES (Reccomended Short Handle Value Pack brush set from Walmart, Michael's, or your favorite craft store. Make sure you have a veritty of brush sizes)

– WATER CUP (10oz tap water)

– PAINT PALETTE OR A COATED PAPER PLATE

– PAPER TOWEL/NAPKIN

– APRON or OLD CLOTHES

– TABLE TOP EASEL (*Optional)

-TABLE COVER (*Optional)

Event will be held on ZOOM.US Please check your email the day of the event for your webinar invite and instructions. Please login 15 minutes in advace so that you are ready to go at showtime.

Canvas Optional Size – Canvases come in many different sizes. From thumb nail to the size of a wall. Canvases are either streched to a frame or come with a cardboard backing. You can use almost any surface to paint on, canvas, wood, plastic, glass, the options are unlimited. The artist will be instructing on a 16×20 stretched canvas.

Table Top Easle Optional – Although painting on an easle is reccomended, it is not always necessary. If you do not have a table top or standing easle, don't stress. You can also work flat on a table and stand to make sure your image is not distorted or pile up a couple of books/shoe boxes to raise the canves to see what you are doing.

Paint – Artist will be using student level/grade acrylic paint.

(10258166)

Grab the kids and unleash your inner artist at the Original Paint Nite. You’ll all go from a blank canvas to a masterpiece of your own, with plenty of laughs along the way.

You’ll be guided by a talented and entertaining artist, who will:

bring all the supplies and set you and your group up with canvases, paints, and brushes
lead you through step-by-step process to paint “Milky way at the Pines”
entertain and delight your group and make it a memorable experience!

You and the kids will love what your create, and how much fun you have doing it. No experience needed. Come early and grab some snacks!

Please Note:

This event is for children ages 6 and up
Each child must be accompanied by an adult
Every attendee(child and adult) need a ticket

Looking for something besides Plant? At Yaymaker, we do a lot more than Plant Nite and Family Events. Check out some of our other experiences like Paint Nite and Candle Making. For all of our events check out: www.yaymaker.com

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

GOOD IDEA

JUST IN TRACE

In anticipation of people wanting to gather for the holiday season, the California Department of Public Health issued new guidance on private gatherings during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The state guidelines allow for people from no more than three households to gather. The state says the host should collect names of all attendees in case the list is needed for contact tracing, should anyone from the gathering test positive for Covid-19. Learn more at cdph.ca.gov/covid19.

GOOD WORK

REAL DEAL

Santa Cruz County Supervisor Ryan Coonerty’s podcast “An Honorable Profession”—created jointly with the local government network NEWDeal—is going strong. For the 51st episode, NEWDeal CEO Debbie Cox Bultan turned the tables and interviewed Coonerty himself. In the Oct. 8 episode, Coonerty opened up about his Santa Cruz High School years, the power behind national monuments, his new project on anti-Semitism and how a Johnny Cash song changed his life.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“People who love to eat are always the best people.”
-Julia Child

Santa Cruz Restaurant Week: Menu Favorites and Navigating Tough Times

Andrew Steingrube

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October 20, 2020

1

Santa Cruz Restaurant Week: Menu Favorites and Navigating Tough Times

For local restaurants, this year has been challenging at best. Dine-in was not an option for several months, which meant going to takeout only—or even closing completely (raise a glass to 99 Bottles, Gilda’s, Cremer House, et al.).

Outdoor dining was the first step back, and more recently reduced-capacity indoor dining has provided another lifeline. But restaurants operate on razor-thin margins under normal circumstances, and many are still struggling with no end to the pandemic in sight.

Enter Santa Cruz Restaurant Week (SCRW). While it’s true that “more important than ever” is now reaching a “we’re all in this together” level of overuse, the truth is that this showcase for our community’s dining scene is actually more important than ever. There is no more waiting until the time is right to support our Santa Cruz dining ecosystem—if we don’t get out and show our love for our favorite restaurants, we very well may lose them.

Many locals are ready to do that; others don’t yet feel entirely comfortable being out to dinner, even outdoors. With that in mind, SCRW has adapted for the age of social distancing with options for both dine-in and takeout.

To introduce you to this year’s SCRW participants and what they’re offering for this week of fine dining, we let them tell their stories, both about how they are navigating these uncertain times, and what they are most excited about on this year’s menu. So without further ado, here are the chefs, owners and staff of your SCRW restaurants, in their own words.

What are you most excited about on the Restaurant Week Menu?

“New to the menu are items that we will be featuring regularly, such as the artichoke soufflé and blackened ahi appetizers. And for dessert, we’re doing a housemade berry cobbler with cornmeal crust and vanilla ice cream.”

–Ben Kralj, executive chef/general manager at Back Nine Grill and Bar

“All of the menu is exciting to me, especially the local halibut that is pan-roasted and has heirloom tomatoes, pickled red onions, and fresh arugula. The dish comes with a choice of side, either Parmesan creamy polenta, whipped potato, or mushroom risotto. It is finished with a basil, garlic, and lemon olive oil and a little Parmesan for added flavor.”

-Jesus Espinoza, executive sous chef at Chaminade

“It’s kind of like asking ‘Who’s your favorite child?’, but I would say the truffle mushroom ravioli which is made by Bigoli, a local pasta company. The sauce is housemade; it’s a garlic cream sauce with bacon, tomato, sweet peppers, summer squash, and Parmesan cheese.”

-Paul Cocking, owner at Gabriella Café

“Our homemade meatballs are always a hit as an appetizer. And our gourmet pasta is a favorite of many as well. For dessert, our housemade and traditional cannolis are delicious.”

-Tracy Parks-Barber, co-owner of Kianti’s

“It is a really nice opportunity to come back to a little bit of normalcy and try something new. For sure the lobster and crab ravioli, with a prawn bisque ragout sauce. We’re also bringing in black truffles from Italy, and we’ll serve a special black truffle pizza.”

-Matteo Robecchi, manager of Tramonti

“The pumpkin-seed stew. It has a tomato-based sauce with collard greens and is seasoned with salt and pepper. It really brings out the flavor of the pumpkin seeds. Most people don’t realize how tasty they are.”

-Akindele Bankole, owner of Veg on the Edge

“The caramel apple cheesecake. It has a walnut crust and is a caramel cheesecake topped with caramelized apples and candied walnuts, finished with a rosemary whipped cream.”

-Jesikah Stolaroff, owner/executive chef at Vim

“A chance to be able to showcase our food to the public. Our beef short ribs are amazing, they’re boneless Kalbi-style and served with mashed potatoes and house veggies. We will also feature a fresh local catch, served with Asian rice and vegetables.”

-Michael Harrison, owner of Michael’s on Main

“The homegrown kale salad, with marinated onions, avocado, and a lemon soy vinaigrette. The short ribs are braised with chocolate coffee stout and served with a jalapeño spoon bread, which is almost a cross between cornbread and risotto. For dessert we have a flourless chocolate cake with honeycomb candy crumble.”

-Trevor Bridge, general manager at Costanoa

“The veal scallopini: it has a light tomato sauce with olive oil and capers, and comes with polenta and a spring mix salad. It’s a dish you don’t usually find here in Santa Cruz.”

-Giovanbattista Spanu, owner/chef at Lago di Como

“We are most excited to introduce our offerings to Santa Cruz; it is our first time doing Restaurant Week. People really love our Hawaiian barbeque pork sliders. We smoke the pork in house and have a unique housemade barbeque sauce as well. We are also offering our Makai burger, served with a housemade pineapple jalapeño chutney.”

-Peter Drobac, co-owner of Makai

“The seasonal and local food, and all the local organic fruits and vegetables. We’re serving specialties like wild-caught Alaskan salmon, wild-caught coconut shrimp, and a grass-fed beef dish. We also use Ayurvedic healing spices: The moment you eat our food you feel better, nourished and healed.”

-Ayoma Wilen, owner/executive chef at Pearl of the Ocean

“To let the hotel guests and locals alike try Sanderling’s in a different way than they’re used to. We’re serving local-caught black cod coming with sunchokes, braised kale, and a celery apple slaw. I’m also excited for Auntie Julie’s cake, coming with persimmons and dates, and a spiked cream similar to eggnog. It kind of has that holiday warmth.”

-David Baron, executive chef at Sanderling’s

“The scallops: It’s a killer deal, and they should be really delicious. They are served with preserved lemon and wild mushrooms. It will be a rich and creamy dish but have a lovely freshness. Also the endive salad, coming with shaved fennel, fall fruit, and pecans. It will have a nice balance between the bitter greens and the fall fruit.”

-Dede Eckhardt, wine shop manager at Soif

“We make a sautéed calamari over spaghetti, with garlic and white wine, served in a spicy tomato sauce. We also serve a riccioli pasta, which comes with mushrooms, Italian sausage, and marinara sauce.”

-Marco Paoleppi, owner of Sugo Italian Pasta Bar

What is the biggest challenge you’re facing during the pandemic?

“The lack of customers, that’s the biggest thing. At first people weren’t allowed to come out, then the fires hit, and with all the ash in the air people didn’t want to dine outside. But now people are coming back. We have expanded our outdoor seating and have two heated outdoor garden patios.”

-Jean-Pierre Iuliano, chef/owner at Café Mare

“To be honest, it’s the uncertainty, the not knowing what is going to happen next. This has been not just for us, but for everyone I can think of—there is no certainty. And for restaurants, we set up outside but then it was smokey and then it was hot, and we weren’t sure when we could seat inside. The uncertainty in not knowing where we’re going next, what is and is not allowed beyond a month or two, is really, really difficult.”

-Patrice Boyle, owner of La Posta

“Not meeting our normal revenue and not being able to have our regulars inside the restaurant. We’re hoping for a recovery from the pandemic and to get back to normal business volume. We’re very grateful to the local customers; their loyalty has kept us open.”

-Jay Dib, owner of Mozaic

“Initially it was the challenge of creating an outdoor space that reflected the uniqueness of our indoor space. From there, the challenges were staffing appropriately and learning to adapt to the constantly changing protocols, such as indoor dining or lack thereof. It’s what I call the ‘Covid Coaster.’”

-Liza Corona-Wadstein, general manager at Hula’s

If Kicking Out the Homeless Doesn’t Work, What’s Next?

Jacob Pierce

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October 20, 2020

2

If Kicking Out the Homeless Doesn’t Work, What’s Next?

This is part five of a series on the health impacts of homelessness. Part six runs Nov. 4. —Editor

At 27 years old and homeless for the third time, Mark Matthews was spending his nights in a parking lot on the corner of Laurel and Front streets until Santa Cruz police and city workers broke down the encampment at the beginning of October.

Downtown outreach workers handed out phone numbers about shelter options, but when he tried calling those numbers, Matthews learned that there weren’t enough beds for everyone who had been staying at the camp, he says. So Matthews moved his tent up to the San Lorenzo River levee just around the corner from the parking area, known as Lot 27. He fully expects Santa Cruz officials to move him and his friends again soon. He just doesn’t know when.

“It’s almost like they forgot about us again,” says Matthews, who lost his job in March, just before Covid-19 pandemic shutdowns began their economic damage.

Matthews says that between the pandemic and the chaos created by recent fires, his current bout of homelessness has been his toughest yet.

Last month, an executive order from City Manager Martín Bernal announced the Lot 27 sweep, citing social distancing problems, “nuisance” conditions and food handling violations by the volunteer group Food Not Bombs, which was serving hot meals. Food Not Bombs has since set up across the street, in Lot 23. The city has since granted Food Not Bombs a permit to stay through at least the end of October.

Meanwhile, a few tents remain on the levee paths, known as the San Lorenzo Riverwalk. They aren’t without impacts, says Greg Pepping, the executive director of the Coastal Watershed Council.

Pepping explains that it creates a dirtier river when such camps go unmanaged, meaning that they don’t have bathrooms, places to wash up or trash pickup. He also says that when campers block the path, it deters others from enjoying the beauty of the river.

“It’s a public path. And we don’t have a solution for homelessness,” he says. “I hope we can keep a bike and pedestrian path open for everybody, not for a few people.”

ROAM AT LAST

Santa Cruz City Manager Martín Bernal says that, given the large unsheltered population, police officers and parks officials often end up moving homeless people and their impacts from one part of town to another.

“What we end up doing is herding people from one place to another—which is not a solution,” Bernal tells me as he stands outside the new managed homeless camp at San Lorenzo Park, just after wrapping up a tour of local parks with other local government officials.

That approach creates an ever-shifting calculus: If law enforcement breaks up one encampment, will the aftermath just create a bigger headache somewhere else?

Recent fire evacuations have already pushed many homeless residents out of the Santa Cruz Mountains and into the city of Santa Cruz. Additionally, it’s unclear how the destruction of 900 homes in a county already dealing with a housing crisis will affect homelessness. Not only that, but the threat posed by fire risk prompted the city to push homeless residents out of the meadow-laden Pogonip greenspace, Bernal says.

Although it’s surrounded by unsanctioned camps, the San Lorenzo Park Benchlands’ newly managed encampment—overseen jointly by the city and Santa Cruz County—is, by all accounts, going well. As the Oct. 9 tour wraps up, a man walking his bike stops by to thank everyone who made the camp a reality. “This camp is helping me out a lot. I’m 62, true-born American. I just want to get off the street,” he says.

But the current setup won’t last forever. Honestly, it may not last much longer.

The county is spending temporary coronavirus relief money on the camp. Also, the camp will have to move elsewhere once the rain starts, as it is in a floodplain.

BE RESOURCEFUL

In her closing remarks as the tour wraps up, Santa Cruz City Vice Mayor Donna Meyers pleads with government leaders to step up and bring in more resources.

She points her remarks mostly toward state Assemblymember Mark Stone and congressman Jimmy Panetta, who are both in attendance. But her overall message is clear—that Santa Cruz is doing its fair share of helping and managing the homeless, and then some.

Supervisor Ryan Coonerty, a former Santa Cruz mayor, speaks next, and he stresses that the county is also already doing a lot, having doubled the number of shelter beds locally in the past six months.

The past few recent years have been marked by city and county officials trading barbs as they try to shift responsibility for homeless issues to one another, but that’s not happening now, they say. As staffers and elected officials trickle out of the park following the tour, I awkwardly insert myself into Meyers and Coonerty’s conversation. They both tell me that the keys going forward will be a different approach to problem-solving and an even higher level of collaboration between the city and the county.

Both Meyers and City Manager Bernal stress that many homeless services are currently centered in the city of Santa Cruz, and they feel that creates challenges. The city, however, could be getting more services before long, per the recommendations laid out by the Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness, which suggested there be a new homeless navigation center in Santa Cruz’s Harvey West neighborhood.

Bernal says he supports that approach. But he also thinks there should be additional navigation centers in Mid-County and in South County, something he thinks he remembers reading in a recent Santa Cruz County plan.

Santa Cruz County spokesperson Jason Hoppin tells me the county’s plan actually calls for just two navigation centers, one in the northern end of the county and the other at the county’s southern end.

Phil Kramer, executive director of the Housing Matters shelter and services campus, says what’s clear is that people who live outside are struggling.

In a statement to GT, Kramer explains that he sometimes wonders if a lack of community or political will is limiting the rollout of further services. In any case, he says it’s time for everyone to step up and pitch in.

“All I know is that we have hundreds of people sleeping outside right now all over town and winter is coming and everyone needs to step up and do more. Every agency, every community member, everyone,” he states. “The status quo is so harmful to both the people sleeping outside and to the community dealing with the impacts of so many people sleeping rough all around the community. Write to elected officials and tell them that you don’t want unmanaged camping scattered all over the place. Tell them you want people sleeping outside to have a safe, healthy, managed place to go—and that you want the safe, managed sites to be in thoughtfully-selected sites that will work for the housed and unsheltered residents in our community. And then, when a site is proposed in your neighborhood, say, ‘Let’s manage it well and make it work.’”

Additional reporting by Mat Weir.

How Physical Space Shaped the Sound of Local Quartet Majk

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October 20, 2020

0

How Physical Space Shaped the Sound of Local Quartet Majk

Initially, the members of local quartet Majk just got together to play a gig that cellist/vocalist Alexis Hawks had booked but didn’t have a band to perform.

When they rehearsed, each brought some of their own tunes, working together to arrange them as a four-piece. Right away they saw there was something special about the group. They not only wanted to keep it going, but also to make sure there was a permanent document of the music.

“We were making really magical music, and there were moments where it was like, ‘Are we going to be a forever band?’” says vocalist/pianist Kelly Koval. “We all agreed that we couldn’t just let it disappear into the ether.”

It was a long process, but last month, four years after that initial gig, Majk released its debut self-titled album. It’s a gorgeous, lush blend of instruments and vocals—sort of Americana, but not quite. The group often plays slowly, using empty space whenever possible.

Through those four years, the album remained the centerpiece of the band. They even stayed selective about when they’d play shows. They faced numerous hurdles over the course of completing the album, but the extra time it took also allowed them to make it exactly how they wanted.

“It was always like, ‘Majk will not be complete until there is an album.’ So we had to do it,” Koval says. “There were so many life events—weddings, deaths, and pandemics, being separated while traveling. Our songs went through evolutions. We recorded them one way three years ago. We listened back and thought, ‘I’m not sure if that’s how they should be set in stone forever.’”

Visually, the group looks like a string band. Though Americana, chamber and folk are influences, the music goes in some pretty unexpected directions. Part of what makes Majk unique is the way the musicians let everything blend together and use the vocals as another instrument. They also mix in a fair number of pop elements as well, while keeping it highly emotive.

Some of this overlapping of instruments evolved from rehearsing in a tight space. They would literally crowd around each other in a small circle, touching each other’s knees, giving them a tactile sense of there being no individual member, just a single musical entity.

“The space shaped the sound,” Hawks says. “I think we were often focused on what the song needed over what we wanted to play. Does what you’re adding serve the song? A lot of them come off as pretty minimal.”

Their sound really came together when they worked on the album.

“When we were recording, things would change pretty drastically. That whole process was really important to finding the true essence of what each of those songs were supposed to be,” says bassist Jeff Kissell. “I think that mindfulness was baked in from the beginning.”

But the process of documenting these songs, more than anything, was its own kind of journey. Not only were they polishing these songs, they were stripping them down until the core emotions revealed themselves.

“A lot of our music is about expressing some deep emotion we’re trying to convey. A lot of times, when we’re working out a song, we’re trying to get to that essence of, ‘What’s the feeling behind the song?’” says guitarist/vocalist Mathew Harmon. “I don’t know if that’s something we talk about logically. I think a lot of this music is subtle and some of it is even melancholy, but it’s about expressing these deep emotions that we all go through and trying to find a way sonically for us to all be in that together, and share it through song.”

For more information on Majk, go to majk.hearnow.com/majk.

Good TimesGood Times

Good TimesGood Times

Proposition 23

Proposition 24

Proposition 25

Galante Vineyards’ Halloween Costume Contest

Twisted Roots Hallow-wine Party

ARTS AND MUSIC

CLASSES

COMMUNITY

GROUPS

OUTDOOR

EDITOR’S NOTE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

The Original Paint Nite: Unleash your inner artist

The Original Paint Nite: Unleash your inner artist

GOOD IDEA

GOOD WORK

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

ROAM AT LAST

BE RESOURCEFUL