Be Our Guest: ‘Wynonna & The Big Noise’

GT Staff

-

January 21, 2020

Wynonna Judd is one of country music’s biggest stars. In the ’80s and early ’90s, she racked up a string of singles with her mom Naomi in their group the Judds. Then in 1992, Wynonna kicked off a run of successful solo albums. Since the millennium, her output has been more sparse. But Wynonna fans know that when she puts out a record, it’ll be fantastic. Her latest, 2016’s Wynonna & The Big Noise, is a fierce collection of country music the way she’s always done it. A little bit rock and a lot of passion. She brings her band to the Catalyst, a rare treat.

8pm. Thursday, Jan. 30, Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $35. Information: catalystclub.com.

WANT TO GO?

Go to santacruz.com/giveaways before 11am on Thursday, Jan. 23 to find out how you could win a pair of tickets to the show.

How Hardcore Rock Band Fury Found its Way

Aaron Carnes

-

January 21, 2020

0

How Hardcore Rock Band Fury Found its Way

Jeremy Stith wasn’t sure if his hardcore band Fury had anything left to say. This wasn’t an unusual thought—every time the group released something, he and guitarist Madison Woodward talked about how they’d be fine if it was the band’s last. Their prior record Paramount was an intense and well-received album, but they didn’t know what—if anything—was next.

But then in 2016, inspiration struck unexpectedly. A friend emailed Stith a poem while Fury was on tour in Europe, and he read it on his phone over and over again.

“It was like a bomb went off in my head,” Stith says. “The poem was so simple and succinct. It brought up so many different parts of the human condition. I got my pad and pen. I couldn’t stop writing, like I was throwing up.”

Last year, Fury released Failed Entertainment to wide acclaim, even reaching beyond the limits of the hardcore crowd that so eagerly adored their previous record. Failed Entertainment manages to retain the screaming intensity of classic hardcore while infusing the nuance of mid-tempo ’90s alt-rock, the groove of Fugazi, and the guttural power of doom metal. As the group broadened its sound beyond hardcore music, it never veered from the genre’s energy.

“We all love hardcore. We are students of it. We’re also students of other things,” Stith says. “We don’t like doing the same thing twice. We’re going into it with the ideals of ‘let’s do something new.’”

It’s hard for Stith to say what was so impactful to him about that poem, other than it felt like the antithesis to the complacency he was feeling. Stith’s words are furious, confused and raw, and never explicit in their meaning. Yet, you can feel him try to make sense of the world around him. On “Goodtime,” he sings: “Sun comes up/What of it but another dying season/All for what/We see ourselves how the whole world sees us/All the same.”

The musicality of the record is mostly the work of Woodward. His dynamic songwriting includes more peaks and valleys than a traditional hardcore album, which gives Stith’s sense of searching greater emotional impact. It was a collaboration between them, but in a sense, they were on their own journeys that happened to align beautifully.

“It’s a testament to Maddie and I’s friendship,” Stith says. “It would blow me away every time he would show me a song because it was like he was speaking to me in the way that he could communicate. It was unbelievable.”

But Stith sworried that the record’s meaning was too transparent.

“I felt butt naked the day the record came out, because I felt it’s so obvious. I had to take a step back to realize that I really am hiding in plain sight,” Stith says. “I wanted it to be open to interpretation. This record is me at this time of my life. It’s the only way I could have been honest and genuine about what I was dealing with right then and there.”

The second to last song on the record, “New Year’s Eve,” is just a spoken track of the poem that created the record, with friends reading different lines. Like the album it inspired, it’s open for interpretation and elicits deep, unexplainable emotions.

Stith still gets goosebumps from the poem. He imagines its author a kindred spirit.

“Sometimes you come across a human who’s really feeling what you’re feeling, and they’re able to communicate it in a way that sounds like it came right out of your head,” Stith says. “It’s so real. It really turned everything from black and white to color.”

Fury plays at 9 pm on Sunday, Jan. 26, at the Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $12. 423-1338.

Music Picks: Jan. 22-28

Amy Bee

-

January 21, 2020

0

WEDNESDAY 1/22

INDIE

FOG LAKE

Arena anthems are all well and good, but if your life was a soundtrack, how often would you hear “Eye of the Tiger?” Honestly, we all wish our lives were nothing but Rocky moments when really we’re more like a bunch of Daniel Johnstons, hanging out in our garage, yelling at our moms, and making moody jingles for every little thing that happens. Fog Lake is that somber, lo-fi band that’ll make up the bulk of your soundtrack and help you take meaning from it: lonely, melancholy, lyrical tunes accentuating the unbearable emotional acuity underneath all our average everyday happenings.

8pm Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton Music Hall. $10/adv, $12/door. 704-7113.

THURSDAY 1/23

POST-ROCK

…AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD

It was the early 2000s. Y2K had passed uneventfully, and Limp Bizkit was still one of the world’s largest bands. Clearly there was some pent up rage that needed releasing. Enter Source Tags and Codes, the third album by …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead. Dark and angular, peppered with some unexpected moments of pop clarity, Source Tags was the sound of the coming maelstrom, the bubbling dread of the techno-dystopian millennium to come, and a major flashpoint for indie rock in general.

9pm Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $18/door. 429-4135.

COUNTRY

JESSE DANIEL

Who’s ready for some hootin’ and a hollerin’? Ben Lomond native turned Austinite Jesse Daniel returns to Santa Cruz for a night of honkytonk, outlaw country, and lonesome, highway-soaked blues. Last year proved to be a major one for Daniel and his better half—co-writer, singer and tattoo artist Ms. Jodi Lyford—as he seemed to not only be touring endlessly, but also filmed a couple of music videos, moved to Texas and and managed to record his highly anticipated second album Rollin’ On. With the new year still fresh, Daniel and the gang has hit the road again in support of the new tunes, which are set to be released on March 27. MAT WEIR

7:30pm Michaels on Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $10/adv, $12/door. 479-9777.

FRIDAY 1/24

ACOUSTIC

COFFEE ZOMBIE COLLECTIVE

Local sort-of-bluegrass acoustic ensemble Coffee Zombie Collective know you like to pretend you’re a hipster with your sealed first edition of Neutral Milk Hotel’s On Avery Island hanging up on your wall. They also know that as soon as they fire up their goofy acoustic reggae-tinged rendition of Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off,” or their old timey, foot-stomping interpretation of ’80s classic “Send Me An Angel,” you will gleefully sing every word. Don’t worry, they won’t totally demolish your street cred, giving you the opportunity to sing along to Fugazi’s “Waiting Room” and Neutral Milk Hotel’s “In The Aeroplane Over The Sea.” AARON CARNES

8:30pm Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $15/door. 479-1854.

SATURDAY 1/25

COMEDY

PHIL JOHNSON

Do you like hilariously inappropriate songs? Or hilariously appropriate songs, like “I Wanna Rock (Socially Responsibly),” with such updated lyrics as “I wanna rock, but that means being inclusive” and “If you don’t wanna rock, that’s ok, this is a judgement free zone?” Look no further than Phil Johnson, who will be filming his latest comedy special, Burning Sensation, filled with jokes about race, sex, religion and…doughnuts? This uncensored comic says his underlying theme is “the intent behind words,” which makes us really curious about the doughnut part. MW

7 & 9:30pm. DNA’s Comedy Lab, 155 S. River St., Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 900-5123.

INDIE

KITE HANDS GLOWING

Nadia Lucia has one of the best local projects you don’t know about. Her one-person band Kite Hands Glowing play quiet songs—almost lullabies—that evoke huge emotions and tell stories that span time and space. She wrote her last album, Lucia, for her grandmother, her mother and her great-grandmother. How is she connected to their story? What is the deep truth buried within the gentle fog that rolls into the California coast. The record searches for identity while basking in the simplest and most spiritual moments of life and letting it all blow away, like the wind. AC

9pm. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $7. 429-6994.

SUNDAY 1/26

FOLK

THE PAPERBOYS

Extra, extra, read all about it! Canadian troupe the Paperboys combine Celtic jigs with Mexican folk, Cajun dance music, and island ska! Audiences worldwide held in thrall for quarter-century! “Audio alchemy, or musical magic?” ask baffled scientists. “Neither!” insists frontman Tom Landa—but what is he hiding? “Moving mountain melodies a-plenty,” say reviewers—but what are they hiding? “Can’t capture power of live show in review,” audiences say—but what are they hiding? Truths promised to be revealed at Michaels on Main! MH

1pm. Michael’s On Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $17 adv/$20 door. 479-9777.

ACOUSTIC

SCROGGINS AND ROSE

Instead of dueling banjos, Scroggins and Rose duke it out with mandolin and violin, creating an expressive, lively back and forth that masterfully spins tradition on its head with a good dose of bluegrass and whimsy. Often Scroggin’s mandolin starts the conversation, friendly and familiar plucks on the string, before Rose’s fat violin tones interject and they’re off, until both instruments come together with newfound harmony. No matter how far they fall down the spiral of stringed discordance, they always find their way back together, like they know the secret to world peace. AB

8pm. Lille Aeske, 13160 Hwy 9, Boulder Creek. $25. 703-4183.

MONDAY 1/27

JASON MORAN & MARVIN SEWELL

Pianist Jason Moran was a highly regarded young jazz progressive in the mid-1990s when he started playing with guitarist Marvin Sewell in Cassandra Wilson’s band. He credits their friendship with providing deep insight into the blues, that at its best embodies an African-American aesthetic that’s an existential response to life’s tribulations and pleasures. They played their first duo concert last year at the Smithsonian and make their West Coast debut at Kuumbwa, Sewell’s first Bay Area performance since a run of gigs with African-American/ Native American soul singer Martha Redbone’s Roots Project. ANDREW GILBERT

7pm. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $36.75/adv, $42/door. 427-2227.

Bidding Adieu to a Bonny Doon Staple

Christina Waters

-

January 21, 2020

0

Channel your inner David Bowie and chant along to “Changes” as you consider that after 35 years, there will not be a Randall Grahm as owner and president for life of Bonny Doon Vineyard. The brand was just bought by WarRoom Ventures LLC, a San Luis Obispo-based wine company that will handle management and marketing of a select group of Bonny Doon Vineyard wines.

Meanwhile, Nicole Walsh, who just opened an Aptos tasting room for her own brand Ser, will continue to oversee winemaking. Grahm might step back into Bonny Doon Vineyard’s cellar from time to time as a consultant, but we’ll see. It is the perfect time for something new for the Rhône Ranger after so many years of tinkering, finessing, creating, schlepping, selling, pouring, and all that involves—and it is a bittersweet end to one of the colorful sagas in Santa Cruz oenological mythology.

bonnydoonvineyard.com.

Winding Down?

Meanwhile, according to Silicon Valley Bank’s annual State of the Wine Industry report, overall wine sales by volume in the U.S. are down for the first time in 25 years. Millennials aren’t drinking as much expensive wine, and boomers are getting messages about health concerns and wine consumption. So I checked in with some of the people in our local wine world to see what their tea leaves indicate

Alexia Moore wine rep Robert Marsh: “Boomers, who carried the ball for decades, are consuming less for health reasons and/or retiring with less money to spend on premium wine,” Marsh says. “Three decades ago, you could drink wine from the great producers of France and California at reasonable prices. Being able to buy those types of wines at reasonable prices vis-a-vis your income was not a choice between homelessness and a bottle of wine. It is now.” Marsh believes wine “is a casualty of the current high cost of living.” Also, there are now many craft beer and cider producers that did not exist for boomers, along with “vast amounts of bourbon, rum and vodka.” Plus, there’s legal weed to appeal to younger consumers. “But declining California wine consumption could change for domestic producers if the Trump wine tariffs come into play,” Marsh says.

Alex Krause of Birichino: Krause acknowledges that we’re in “a fiercely competitive marketplace. In order to succeed, one has to have the right wine for a given market, and the ability to present it in a way that stands out and resonates with buyers and ultimately consumers.” Birichino is small and “very lean, with just John [Locke] and myself and one part-time employee, so it’s possible for us to be very efficient with our production costs,” Krause says, adding that Birichino’s sales are growing. “We just had our best year ever, and have a strong millennial consumer following.”

Jordan Iverson of Vinocruz: “Craft brewing of both beer and wine has shot up significantly over the past decade,” Iverson says. “Locally, we have seen both the beer and wine industry thriving yet facing increases in pricing due to costs [of items] such as hops and barrels shooting up. California property costs are making it very difficult for new wineries to even get into the game. Additionally, the alcohol percentage of beer has increased significantly, so when you look at bang for the buck in terms of getting a buzz, I feel like the economics sometimes comes into play for a younger audience, which may account for a shift toward beer.”

Jim and Judy Schultze of Windy Oaks Estate: “Boomers are drinking less wine as they age. We’ve even noticed that in our own consumption,” the winemakers admit. “We don’t think it’s lack of finances, at least not with our wine club. We see very positive trends with millennials, and many of our new members are in this category. People tend to forget that the wine industry is cyclical, like our economy. Several strong years of production have resulted in an excess of bulk wine—we saw this a few years ago in Europe, particularly with vast pools of bulk wine in Bordeaux.”

I’ll continue exploring this trend in future columns, but clearly marketing matters, as does knowing your target consumer. And, yes, libation choices have increased exponentially.

Forget the Oscar Nominations; Watch These

Lisa Jensen

-

January 21, 2020

0

Forget the Oscar Nominations; Watch These

Women filmmakers are making inroads into the old boy’s club of Hollywood moviemaking, but you couldn’t tell from last week’s Oscar nominations. Not one single woman was nominated for directing, although five of my eight favorite movies of 2019 were directed by women! (Can #OscarsSoMale be far behind?) If you’re looking for alternatives to the Oscar-annointed, check these out:

PAIN AND GLORY Pedro Almodovar directs this wonderful, semi-autobiographical movie about a Spanish filmmaker looking back on his own life and career, and the people and events that shaped and inspired him. It’s my favorite movie of the year! It may not look like much plot-wise, but watching this movie unfold onscreen is rapturous. And star Antonio Banderas is riveting in every single frame—you can’t take your eyes off him.

YESTERDAY In Danny Boyle’s audacious what-if movie, a struggling singer-songwriter (Himesh Patel) is the only on Earth who remembers the Beatles, whose entire song catalogue is suddenly his to plunder. Detractors claim Beatles songs would never be so huge if separated from the context of the band and its era. But here’s why I (still) believe in Yesterday: It’s not that the songs are supposed to be the best ever written (although you could certainly make a case for some of them), but that there are so many of them, in so many diverse styles, that an unassuming young man of color is able to produce seemingly out of the blue—capturing the public imagination, much as the working-class lads from industrial Liverpool did with their cheeky attitude and funny haircuts. Boyle turns it into a sly morality play about fame, honor, and sacrifice, with a 4/4 beat and a larky sense of fun.

HARRIET The times have finally caught up to the amazing life of Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave who led many others to freedom in the North, via the Underground Railroad, armed with little more than raw courage, and a flintlock pistol. Filmmaker Kasi Lemmons explores the woman behind the historical footnote, played with bristly moral conviction by Cynthia Erivo.

SWORD OF TRUST An aging hipster confronts the dark heart of extreme Southern yahooism in Lynn Shelton’s very funny culture-clash comedy. Marc Maron is all dry wit and scruffy sarcasm as a pawn-shop owner tasked with selling a Civil War sword that supposedly “proves” the Confederacy won the war. The sharp, funny conversations (largely improvised) had me laughing out loud.

THE MUSTANG Director Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre sets her tale of wild horses, regret, and redemption in a high-security prison out in the Nevada desert. Inmates are chosen to break and train wild mustangs for auction, and Matthias Schoenaerts delivers a towering, if taciturn performance (it’s all in his eyes) as a prisoner who learns tenderness by bonding with his animal.

RAISE HELL: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MOLLY IVINS Six-foot-tall Texas progressive Ivins, the smart, savagely funny political journalist, was not gifted with conventional proportions, so she felt entitled to hold outsized opinions expressed with outsized gusto. There’s plenty to laugh at—and get riled up over—in this Janice Engel documentary, celebrating all the hell Ivins raised as a pioneering woman in a world and profession run by good ol’ boys.

WAVES This intense domestic drama from Trey Edward Shults encompasses euphoria, tragedy, and everything in between, depicting a middle-class black family in South Florida sliding in and out of crisis. Some incidents seem torn from screaming headlines, yet Shults humanizes everything with careful attention to the personal relationships that guide our lives—between parents and children, siblings, and couples.

LITTLE WOMEN Greta Gerwig combines the adventures of Louisa May Alcott’s fictional March sisters with Alcott’s real-life journey to publication. Through Alcott’s surrogate, Jo (Saoirse Ronan, who is absolutely wonderful), Gerwig inserts the author’s early writing career and her tribulations with her patronizing male publisher. If the elliptical time frame becomes confusing toward the end, the movie’s exuberance and heartfelt goodwill is irresistible.

Love Your Local Band: James Lee Murray

Aaron Carnes

-

January 21, 2020

0

For the past two years, local R&B/blues/soul singer-songwriter James Lee Murray has been slinging his guitar and keyboard to shows (and for the past seven months, his kick drum, as well). Shuffling through genres, he has created a dynamic one-man band with a gentle, intimate sound.

But his debut album, Resonate, is a whole different beast—backed by a full band, Murray passionately performs vintage sounding mid-70s R&B tunes. The session was recorded at San Jose’s Greaseland Studios by acclaimed producer Kid Andersen, who worked with a global network of musicians. This lively, retro vibe is their specialty.

“That’s Kid Andersen’s wheelhouse. I was very open to all the stylistic ideas,” Murray says. “They’re all my tunes, but the aesthetic of it—a big part of that is Kid putting his thumbprint on it. And I really love that. I feel really proud to have gone through that filter.”

It’s not totally out of the blue for the singer. For seven years, he sang lead vocals in West Coast Soul, a soul tribute band lead by his dad, and backed by his dad’s buddies. But he’d always itched to start his own solo career with his original music.

“I’ve been writing music for a long time. The solo project was inevitable. It’s almost all entirely new material,” Murray says. “It’s soul and R&B, and blues, but more of my music, moving stylistically into a direction that I’ve been craving.”

8pm Saturday, Jan. 25, Lille Aeske, 13160 Hwy 9, Boulder Creek. $15. 703-4183.

Serene Cellars’ Satisfying Sauvignon Blanc

Josie Cowden

-

January 15, 2020

0

Serene Cellars’ Satisfying Sauvignon Blanc

One of the most popular wines made under MJA Vineyards’ Serene Cellars label is Sauvignon Blanc.

The 2018 “Insatiable”–every wine gets named by owner Marin Artukovich–is a fruity-floral white wine that “will leave you wanting more.” With its pale straw color and bright minerality, this delicious Sauvignon Blanc ($32) is choc-full of zingy Meyer lemon, notes of nectarine, and cucumber flower on the nose. Ending with a tangy marmalade finish, there’s not much more you could want from a Sauvignon Blanc.

Artukovich suggests pairing it with grilled tandoori-spiced chicken breast and peach chutney.

MJA has two tasting rooms, both of them fun to visit and each with a different vibe.

MJA Vineyards, 328-A Ingalls St., Santa Cruz, 421-9380; 24900 Highland Way, Los Gatos, 408-353-6000. Mjavineyards.com.

Testarossa Wine-Tasting at Seascape Sports Club

Testarossa Winery is located in Los Gatos, but they will be pouring their wonderful wines at Seascape Sports Club in Aptos from 6-7:30 pm on Friday, Jan. 17. Cost is $20 and includes heavy hors d’oeuvres.

Pelican Ranch Winery Moves to Scotts Valley

Pelican Ranch closed its Capitola location at the end of December and has relocated to Scotts Valley. Their opening date is Jan. 18, with noon-5 pm tasting room hours every Saturday. Pelican Ranch owners Phil and Peggy Crews say the cellar conditions in their new facility (in the old Skov Winery) are ideal. They see the move as a major plus, and look forward to hosting special tastings in a lovely spacious room, which is also available to rent. Pay them a visit on their opening day.

Pelican Ranch Winery, 2364 Bean Creek Road, Scotts Valley. 332-5359. Pelicanranch.com

Passport – Winetasting in the Santa Cruz Mountains

The next Passport event is Saturday, Jan. 18. If you have a Passport for winetasting, you can visit as many participating wineries as you like on that date. Your Passport also lets you visit them on other days.

Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association, scmwa.com.

Hole Foods Dreams Up Healthy, Vegan Donuts

Denize Gallardo

-

January 15, 2020

0

Hole Foods Dreams Up Healthy, Vegan Donuts

It was during their travels up and down the West Coast that Steven and Eva Castro had an idea. The Salinas Valley residents were inspired to open their own pop-up shop. Their specialty? Donuts that are actually healthy—or at least healthier.

Hole Food Vegan Donuts has since taken its fan favorites—like egg-less, butter-less churro donuts—around the Central Coast, to pop-up food destinations like Watsonville’s Elkhorn Slough Brewery and Fruition Brewing.

How did you come up with the name and logo?

EVA CASTRO: The name Hole Foods is a funny spin on “Whole Foods.” As in, eat more wholesome, healthy foods, but most people correlate it with the grocery store.

When it came to our logo, we wanted to incorporate our Mexican culture. Steven grew up watching wrestling and lucha libre with his dad and abuelito, so that was the inspiration behind the luchador and the donut mask.

What makes a donut vegan?

A common misconception about vegan desserts is that they’re dry, bland and taste healthy. But if you’ve had one of our donuts, you know they’re just as delicious as a regular donut. Dare we say, maybe even better?

Our donuts are made without animal products. That means no butter, milk or eggs. Instead, we use plant-based alternatives such as almond milk. Our donuts aren’t deep fried. They’re baked and made with organic and natural ingredients. We pride ourselves with using healthier alternatives, but we don’t sacrifice any of the flavor.

What are your most popular flavors?

Our flavor menu rotates at every pop-up shop, so we have a few fan favorites. If we had to narrow it down to three, I would say churro, Mexican chocolate and blueberry.

Where can people find your donuts?

We don’t have a storefront. The best way to find us is to follow us on Instagram @vegandonuts831, where we post fliers about our events. We’ve had pop-ups in Salinas, Watsonville and Gonzales. Next year, we’ll be in more surrounding cities and the Bay Area.

Opinion: Jan. 15, 2020

Steve Palopoli

-

January 15, 2020

0

EDITOR’S NOTE

At this point, many of us have been asked by law enforcement to turn over security footage as part of an investigation. We certainly have here at the GT office, thanks to the crazy things that go on regularly around the river. And who doesn’t want to help, if it means making our streets safer?

But as this week’s cover story reveals, there are deeper questions in the ever-escalating world of surveillance. For instance, would you feel as happy to help if law enforcement was able to access your personal footage without your permission? When do privacy issues begin to trump public safety concerns? Nicholas Chan takes a deep dive into these and other issues in a story that may make you rethink home security.

In other news, I saw “Night B” of 8 Tens @ 8 last weekend, and this year’s selection of 10-minute plays are as thought-provoking and funny as ever. I hope to still catch “Night A,” but I’m told most of the remaining weekends are already sold out or selling out, so those of us who still want tickets had better be quick about it.

Also, check out this week’s news section for the final results of Santa Cruz Gives. And time is running short on Best of Santa Cruz balloting, so go to goodtimes.sc and get your votes in now!

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Read the latest letters to the editor here.

Circle Back

I was very interested to read Todd Guild’s article, “As the Church’s Downtown Brewpub Fails, A Fight Over Its Old Home” (GT, 1/8). I appreciate that the Good Times is publicizing this issue, but the article paints an incorrect picture of the true beauty of the Circle Church and the significance of its history.

The current owners have abandoned landscape maintenance and have let the buildings fall into disrepair. This formerly vibrant and lively property has become neglected and underutilized. Neighbors and friends of the Circle Church want to protect the Church from demolition and support revitalization. We want to see the Circle Church return to its full glory as a thriving spiritual and community Center, the heart of the Circles Neighborhood, and a hub for classes, gatherings, and events. We have been active for over a year and have more than 1050 petition signatures and a large email list.

We were especially concerned about the developers’ first historic report for the property. Guild’s article has incorrect information about the historic report. The developers’ historic report uses the California State document number of DPR523. The State did not prepare this report—the developers paid a consultant to prepare it. This first historic report was critiqued by members of the Santa Cruz City’s Historic Preservation Commission and found to be inadequate, incomplete, and full of errors. The developers were required to submit a second historic report.

The Santa Cruz City Council voted on December 10th to ask the HPC to review the second historic report at a Public Hearing on Thursday, January 30, 7pm, at the City Council Chambers (note re-scheduled date). The City Council has also asked the HPC to provide a recommendation as to whether the property merits designation as a Local Historic Landmark.

We are convinced that the property will receive historic designation and will be spared from demolition.

Sue Powell | Circles Neighborhood

Getting to Yes

Re: “Walk This Way” (GT, 12/4): As Jimmy Panetta began his run for Congress in November 2015, impeaching President Trump had to have been the furthest thing from his mind, mainly because the very idea of Trump as president was the furthest thing from any of our minds.

Then, two months ago, when he knew he would be called upon to cast a vote for or against the initial impeachment inquiry, Congressman Panetta approached his decision with the same careful thought and determination that he learned to apply as a U.S. Navy intelligence officer in Afghanistan and as a deputy district attorney in Monterey County.

The executive board of the Santa Cruz County Democratic Party asked to meet with him as he was considering his position. For us, the sooner Trump is gone, the better. Nevertheless, we were altogether impressed and pleased with Jimmy’s logical and legally sound approach, culminating with his vote to approve the Articles of Impeachment against Donald Trump.

Thank you, Congressman Panetta.

Coco Raner-Walter | Chairperson, SCCDCC

Online Comments

Re: Circle Church

As a member of the Circle Women’s Coalition, a group that has come together to preserve and develop this property as a community center, I am aware that a very purchasing offer was made to the Circle of Friends. And they refused. Also of significance is the fact that a huge L.A. developer, Alex Hakakian is the major shareholder of this development. And that’s being buried in the greenwashing of this project. We all agree housing is an issue. But hitting a community for the financial benefit of a few very privileged people isn’t folksy. And neither is this project.

We want to think of the good of the many and true social equity of a place that provides culture, connection, and confluence to our children and the future, in perpetuity.

— Jennifer Smith

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

Birds at the Hook. Photograph by Aurore Sibley.

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

HITCHING POST

Many young romantics have their ideal wedding planned out in their heads. For some, that’s a ceremony at a coastal resort, while others dream of tying the knot in a fancy cathedral. But some couples would prefer to save thousands of dollars by getting hitched at the County Government Center! Sign-ups are now available for weddings on Valentine’s Day, Friday, Feb. 14. Ceremonies cost $100, last 30 minutes and can accommodate 20 guests. For scheduling, visit sccoclerk.com or call 454-2060.

GOOD WORK

SCHOOL OF THOUGHT

The Santa Cruz County Office of Education will be hosting two free upcoming community events titled Delivering on Our Promise: The Santa Cruz COE’s Strategic Plan for Education. The events will mark the release of a new strategic plan. Speakers will include 2020 Senate candidate John Laird. The first event will be at Watsonville Civic Plaza Building on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 5pm. The second will be at the Museum of Art and History on Tuesday, Jan. 28.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“No one likes to see a government folder with his name on it.”
-Stephen King

5 Things To Do in Santa Cruz: Jan. 15-21

GT Staff

-

January 14, 2020

0

5 Things To Do in Santa Cruz: Jan. 15-21

Green Fix

DIY Reusable Beeswax Wraps

Learn to make reusable beeswax wraps to avoid wrapping food in plastic. Plus, learn to wrap gifts #ZeroWaste style — without plastic tape! Reusable wraps made with beeswax and other natural ingredients help reduce the use of cling film, ziplock bags and aluminum foil that aren’t recyclable or easily reusable. The workshop is hosted by local tree-based, zero-waste skincare line Anato. Each attendee will create eight reusable wrappers, and are encouraged to bring any of their favorite cotton fabrics from home.

INFO: 3-5pm. Saturday, Jan. 18. Anato Life Studio, 2215 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz. anatolife.com. $66.

Art Seen

‘Scoville Units’

Tandy Beal and Company presents a celebration of Jon Scoville’s extraordinary music for two shows only. Scoville’s music and artistic insights have inspired dances for not only Tandy Beal herself, but for choreographers around the world. Scoville’s music has been featured on international concert stages, circus tents, radio, video, art galleries, corporate events and commercials. Scoville Units is a multi-arts celebration of Scoville’s wide-ranging compositions from cool to hot, accompanied by 32 musicians and dancers, and two filmmakers.

INFO: 7:30pm Saturday Jan. 18 and 2pm Sunday Jan. 19. Cabrillo Crocker Theatre, 6500 Lower Perimeter Road, Aptos. tandybeal.com. $22-$50.

Thursday 1/16

Renowned Cheeses Event

Staff of Life Natural Foods will host its inaugural “Slow Foods Santa Cruz ”—a meet-the-producer tasting event showcasing cheeses from around the world. There will be top cheese experts from Europe representing generations of artisan cheesemaking in France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and more. There will also be beer pairings from local brewers Sante Adarius, Elkhorn Slough, Shanty Shack, Discretion and more. Proceeds go to nonprofit Slow Food Santa Cruz.

INFO: 4:30-7pm. Staff of Life Market, 1266 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10.

Thursday 1/16

Tannery Talks: Water and Environmental Justice

The Tannery Talks series brings Tannery artists together with artists, activists and other professionals from the Santa Cruz region and beyond for discussions about the pressing issues of our times. This talk in particular focuses on examining issues of water and environmental justice, and is moderated by local artist Wes Modes. This year’s Tannery Talks series will include four conversations on the role of the arts in the environmental justice movement. View the lineup online for additional dates, topics and speakers.

INFO: 7pm. Radius Gallery, 1050 River St., Santa Cruz. 706-1620. Free.

Sunday 1/19

Protecting Manta Rays from Our Seafood System

Manta and devil rays are a group of charismatic and biologically fascinating ocean icons. Unfortunately, they also face enormous threats from wildlife trafficking, plastic pollution, and accidental entanglement in fishing gear. A unique collaboration of scientists, fisheries managers, and industrial tuna fisheries is out to document and understand this accidental manta and devil ray “bycatch,” and to develop conservation solutions to save these threatened ocean giants. Join Melissa Cronin as she discusses her work on these incredible creatures, and explains how consumers can play a role in protecting them.

INFO: 1:30pm. Seymour Marine Discovery Center, 100 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz. 459-3800. Free with $9 admission.

LATEST ARTICLES

LATEST ARTICLES

LATEST ARTICLES

LATEST ARTICLES

8pm. Thursday, Jan. 30, Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $35. Information: catalystclub.com.

WANT TO GO?

Go to santacruz.com/giveaways before 11am on Thursday, Jan. 23 to find out how you could win a pair of tickets to the show.

WEDNESDAY 1/22

INDIE

FOG LAKE

8pm Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton Music Hall. $10/adv, $12/door. 704-7113.

THURSDAY 1/23

POST-ROCK

…AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD

9pm Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $18/door. 429-4135.

COUNTRY

JESSE DANIEL

7:30pm Michaels on Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $10/adv, $12/door. 479-9777.

FRIDAY 1/24

ACOUSTIC

COFFEE ZOMBIE COLLECTIVE

8:30pm Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $15/door. 479-1854.

SATURDAY 1/25

COMEDY

PHIL JOHNSON

7 & 9:30pm. DNA’s Comedy Lab, 155 S. River St., Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 900-5123.

INDIE

KITE HANDS GLOWING

9pm. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $7. 429-6994.

SUNDAY 1/26

FOLK

THE PAPERBOYS

1pm. Michael’s On Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $17 adv/$20 door. 479-9777.

ACOUSTIC

SCROGGINS AND ROSE

8pm. Lille Aeske, 13160 Hwy 9, Boulder Creek. $25. 703-4183.

MONDAY 1/27

JASON MORAN & MARVIN SEWELL

7pm. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $36.75/adv, $42/door. 427-2227.

MJA Vineyards, 328-A Ingalls St., Santa Cruz, 421-9380; 24900 Highland Way, Los Gatos, 408-353-6000. Mjavineyards.com.

Testarossa Wine-Tasting at Seascape Sports Club

Pelican Ranch Winery Moves to Scotts Valley

Pelican Ranch Winery, 2364 Bean Creek Road, Scotts Valley. 332-5359. Pelicanranch.com

Passport – Winetasting in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association, scmwa.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

GOOD IDEA

GOOD WORK

QUOTE OF THE WEEK