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 17
This constitutional amendment, if passed, would allow people on parole for felony convictions to vote in California elections.
California is one of three states that require people with felonies to complete their prison and parole sentences before being able to vote. There are 19 states that allow parolees to vote. All but two of those states do not allow people to vote while imprisoned.
Costs are likely to run hundreds of thousands of dollars statewide for voter registration, ballot materials and to update voter registration cards and systems.
Numerous Democratic lawmakers support the initiative, including vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris and state Reps. Mark Stone and Kevin McCarty.
On the opposition to Prop 17 are people such as state Sen. Jim Nielsen, who said that those being allowed to vote would include “murderers, voluntary manslaughter, rape, sodomists.” He added that for people that commit such crimes—in particular, heinous crimes—that wrapped into the sentences is having to complete their parole periods.
Opponents also say that passing Prop 17 would allow criminals to vote before paying their debt to society and deny justice to victims of crime.
If passed it would apply to around 50,000 people.
Proposition 18
This initiative would allow 17-year-olds who will be 18 at the time of the next general election to vote in primary and special elections.
The measure would amend part of the California Constitution, which only permits individuals who are at least 18 on the date of any election to vote.
If passed, the fiscal impact would be increased costs between hundreds of thousands of dollars and $1 million every two years to send voting materials, as well as one-time costs of hundreds of thousands of dollars to update registration systems.
Supporters of Prop 18 say it will empower new generations of voters, and that youth on the verge of becoming adults deserve a say in their future. Secretary of State Alex Padilla supports the proposition, as well as state Rep. Kevin Mullin.
Opponents of the measure, most notably the Election Integrity Project California, say that since many 17-year-olds are in school and living at home, they are still under the influence of parents or teachers and have not yet formed their own, independent opinions.
If Prop 18 passes, California will join 18 other states and Washington, D.C. which allow 17-year-olds to vote in these elections.
Proposition 19
This initiative would amend the state constitution to make significant changes to property tax assessment transfer and inheritance rules.
California homeowners who are 55 or older, victims of natural disasters or hazardous waste contamination or those with severe disabilities can transfer their tax assessments to a different home of equal or lesser value in participating counties, which allows them to move without paying higher property taxes.
Prop 19 would expand that tax break, allowing those homeowners to transfer their property tax assessment to any county in the state. It would also allow their assessments to be transferred to a more expensive home with an upward adjustment, and increase the number of times homeowners 55 and older can transfer their property tax assessment from one to three.
Prop 19 would also eliminate the exemption that allows parents or grandparents to pass down their homes to their children or grandchildren without the property’s tax assessment resetting to market value if the heir is not using the property as their primary residence—if the child or grandchild is using it as a rental home, for example.
Additional revenue created by Prop 19 would be distributed to the California Fire Response Fund (25%) and the County Revenue Protection Fund (75%).
The California Association of Realtors Issues Mobilization PAC ($30.7M) and the National Association of Realtors ($4.8M) have been the initiative’s largest supporters. Gov. Gavin Newsom has endorsed Prop 19 as well as the Seniors Council of Santa Cruz & San Benito Counties.
There is no major campaign against the initiative. But critics have tabbed it as a “billion-dollar tax increase” that would infringe on the right for parents to pass on their property free of tax hikes. Detractors have also said it would stack the real estate market in favor of older homeowners.
Beginning in December, Santa Cruz County will have another tool to tackle crime, one considered an alternative way to help the community, victims and offenders find solutions to deal with low-level crimes.
The Santa Cruz Neighborhood Courts program will use trained citizen volunteers—called panelists—to determine the outcome for offenders who commit any of 12 low-level misdemeanor crimes.
Each conference consists of three panelists, the offender and the victim. Participation is voluntary. Organizers say it reduces the caseload for the overburdened court system, reduces reoffense rates and allows offenders to keep criminal convictions off of their record.
“We’re taking low-level misdemeanor offenses, and instead of routing them through the traditional criminal justice system we’re going to reroute them through the community,” says program coordinator Elaine Johnson.
The Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office is now recruiting volunteers.
Each case would start with a referral from the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office.
The Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office is holding a series of four town hall meetings throughout October to highlight and explain the Neighborhood Courts program.
During the neighborhood court sessions, offenders must first take responsibility for the harm they have caused, Johnson says. “This conference gives the participant the opportunity to take a look at who they think they may have harmed,” she says.
After that, three panelists will work with the offender to come up with a list of “directives,” or reparations, they must complete. This can include letters of apology and community service, which ideally would be tailored to the offender, Johnson says.
“We’re not just looking at reducing the reoffense rate,” Johnson says. “We’re also looking at how we can make the community, the participant and the victim whole. So we want to set them up to be successful.”
Offenders then have two months to complete their directives. If unsuccessful, the case will be redirected to the District Attorney’s Office, Johnson says.
The idea for neighborhood courts got its start in 2012 in San Francisco, which now has 10 separate programs spread throughout the city. Similar programs have since launched in Los Angeles and in Solano, Santa Clara and Yolo counties.
Los Angeles’ program has resolved 3,366 cases since its inception, and boasts a 5% recidivism rate, according to L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer.
Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig says the neighborhood court program began there in 2013 as a pilot at UC Davis to handle low-level misdemeanors.
The program went countywide in 2015 and has since expanded to handle felonies, Reisig says.
“I wanted to engage and empower communities in the process, reduce mass incarceration, restore victims and give offenders a chance to own their conduct and make things right with their victims and communities in a new holistic way,” Reisig says.
Yolo County’s Neighborhood Courts program has diverted more than 2,000 criminal cases, Reisig says, with more than 90% of offenders successfully completing the program.
Too often, Reisig says, offenders commit crimes while under the influence of alcohol or the stress of poverty. Intervention can therefore involve treatment and classes designed to help the offender improve their lives, Reisig says.
This community-driven approach—which takes both victim and offender into account—is what sets neighborhood courts apart from the traditional criminal justice system, which largely focuses on punitive measures, Johnson says.
“Neighborhood Courts will give us the opportunity to ask the participant, ‘What was going on in your life when the crime happened?’” Johnson says. “The most important thing is, it will benefit everyone in the community. To build up the health and well-being of the community, to bring the trust back into the community. This is about giving people a second chance.”
Offenses that the Neighborhood Courts program will start with include:
• Series #1 with District Attorney Jeff Rosell, 4th District Supervisor Greg Caput, and Watsonville Police Chief David Honda: Oct. 7 at 6pm. Zoom meeting: zoom.us; Meeting ID: 951 5552 9700; Passcode: 3j7cSZ. Or dial by telephone: 669-900-9128 or 253-215-8782; Meeting ID: 951 5552 9700; Passcode: 528863.
• Series #2 with District Attorney Jeff Rosell, 3rd District Supervisor Ryan Coonerty, UC Santa Cruz Police Chief Nader Oweis, and Santa Cruz Police Chief Andy Mills. Thursday, Oct. 8 at 6pm. Zoom meeting: zoom.us; Meeting ID: 972 7743 5667; Passcode: K7p5Mu. Or dial by telephone: 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799; Meeting ID: 972 7743 5667; Passcode: 762967.
• Series #3 with District Attorney Jeff Rosell, 5th District Supervisor Bruce McPherson, and Scotts Valley Police Chief Steve Walpole. Oct. 15 at 6pm. Zoom meeting: zoom.us; Meeting ID: 984 0615 6310; Passcode: vRyaH1. Or dial by telephone: 669-900-9128 or 253-215-8782; Meeting ID: 984 0615 6310; Passcode: 876773.
• Series #4 with District Attorney Jeff Rosell, 1st and 2nd District Supervisors John Leopold and Zach Friend, Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart, and Capitola Police Chief Terry McManus. Oct. 19 at 6pm. Zoom meeting: zoom.us; Meeting ID: 962 7695 0374; Passcode: wdhWH6. Or dial by telephone: 669-900-9128 US or 253-215-8782; Meeting ID: 962 7695 0374; Passcode: 664614.
The city of Santa Cruz is projecting the Covid-19 pandemic-related recession will last four years and that the budget crisis will continue for even longer than that.
It could be eight years before the city returns to normal, Santa Cruz Finance Director Kim Krause told reporters on a recent Zoom call. On Thursday evening, the Santa Cruz City Council is expected to adopt the revised budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year, which is now under way, during a special meeting that begins at 6pm.
After the pandemic started, the city began dipping into its financial reserves. Those reserves are set aside in part in order to respond to emergencies, including ones that the city faced this year—as well as ones that may still be to come.
“We had a pandemic happen and then fires,” City Manager Martín Bernal said. “Anything can happen. We need to have reserves at all times.”
Krause said it could be six years before the city restores its reserves and an additional two years before the city is able to fully reverse the depth of its cuts.
Part of the budget crisis was structural, stemming from pension obligations, payroll and other costs that predated the Covid-19 pandemic.
The new revised budget—which includes $5.3 million in cutbacks—comes after approval of a placeholder budget in July and meetings held by a three-councilmember Ad Hoc Budget Committee over the summer.
Earlier this year, the city of Santa Cruz furloughed its workforce, created an early retirement program, initiated a hiring freeze and cut back its department budgets. The total cuts that city staff are now bringing forward to the council include $1.7 million to the Santa Cruz Police Department and $1.1 million to the Parks and Recreation department. (Those departmental cuts include early retirements and position eliminations.)
The city is also shifting some economic development money into the general fund. City staff may schedule mid-year budget check-ins for December and February.
Additionally, Bernal said the city will look at placing a measure, like a sales tax initiative, before voters for a possible special election in 2021.
Some city councilmembers had been exploring the possibility of a new hotel tax for ballots in November of 2020. But after the pandemic decimated the local tourism industry, they ruled that out.
The annual Open Farm Tours will return this weekend—albeit in a different capacity.
Preregistration is now required for small, socially-distanced outdoor tours at the following farms: Thomas Farm and Luz Del Valle Farm in Aptos, and GroundSwell Farm in Santa Cruz. Additional participating venues include Watsonville’s Sierra Azul Nursery, Santa Cruz Cider Company and The Slough Brewing Collective.
This is the first year that Open Farm Tours is requiring fees, with 100% of proceeds going back to the farms. In the case of climate or pandemic emergencies, money will be refunded (minus the Eventbrite fees). Cost varies between farms. Kids age 12 and under are free.
The theme of this year’s event is “2020 Insight,” focusing on transforming food systems—from seed planting to meat production. Guests can participate in the tours as well as purchase products. At Luz Del Valle Farm, a coupon for 5 pounds of apples is included in the tour fee.
For the safety of guests and farm staff, face masks and social distancing is required at all locations.
Open Farm Tours will also be hosting a free online “Plasticulture” webinar with Healthy Soils about the use of plastics in agriculture. Join the discussion on Oct. 3 from 2-2:30pm.
Visit openfarmtours.com for information about each farm and to preregister. To stay updated follow Open Farm Tours on Facebook.
For the second month in a row, a Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office jail official has been arrested for improper sexual relations and other charges.
Detectives arrested 35-year-old Correctional Officer Jenna Baldwin Sunday, Oct. 4, at 6:30pm and booked her into the Santa Cruz Main Jail.
The charges against her include sexual activity with an inmate, assault by a public officer, and bringing contraband into a detention facility, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office announced today.
Santa Cruz defense attorney Jonathan Gettleman, who has represented several Main Jail inmates, says that—shocking as it is—the news doesn’t particularly surprise him.
“Nothing that happens at the jail surprises me anymore. It is unfortunate, but there have been out-of- control, seemingly lawless conditions for so long,” says Gettleman, whose firm is currently representing victims of alleged violent crime at the jail. “It’s the type of environment that breeds lawless behavior, both from inmates and staff.”
Numerous Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury reports have detailed issues of possible jail mismanagement at the jail, predating the start of Sheriff Jim Hart’s tenure at the helm in 2015. Earlier this year, Tamario Smith, who suffered from mental health issues, died from low sodium after apparently over-hydrating, according to an autopsy report. In November 2019, German Carrillo was allegedly killed in his cell by two cellmates.
The investigation into Baldwin began in May 2020, according to a press release. After detectives received information that Baldwin was having an inappropriate relationship. Baldwin worked for the sheriff’s office starting in 2008.
Previously, Santa Cruz County Correctional Officer Jessica Smith was arrested and booked into the Main Jail on Sept. 4. She was booked on charges including sexual activity with an inmate, assault by a public officer and unauthorized computer access.
Another then-correctional officer, Marco del Real, was arrested for sexual relations with an inmate in 2018. He served no jail time, according to a 2019 story in the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Lester Estate Wines’ Deer Park Ranch property is a stunning place to visit. I took a friend there recently—a last hurrah to taste wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains before she moved to Santa Barbara.
Lester is extremely careful regarding the protocols of the coronavirus. Glasses are brought to your table in a special carrier, and visitors are well separated. My friend and I settled onto comfortable couch-like seating under the shade of a garden umbrella. With an abundance of cushions surrounding us, we could have happily lingered in this cozy spot until way beyond sunset.
The 2017 Syrah called SCMSTRONG (Santa Cruz Mountains Strong) is a very special wine produced by Pat Lester (founder of Lester Estate Wines with her late husband Dan Lester) and talented winemaker John Benedetti, who also makes wine under his own label, Sante Arcangeli Family Wines. As well as the SCMSTRONG, Benedetti makes other wines for Lester Estate, including the outstanding “Mercurio” Pinot Noir.
Made solely to help support local restaurants during the Covid-19 crisis, the 2017 SCMSTRONG Syrah ($25 at Lester Estate) is brimming with dark fruit and peppery/earthy flavors.
“We love our local community,” say Lester and Benedetti on their SCMSTRONG label. “Enjoy this wine and toast your friends and neighbors. We’ll get through this together.”
Lester Estate Wines donated all of the SCMSTRONG wines made—the Syrah and also a 2018 Pinot Noir—as a precious gift to folks in the restaurant business who are suffering monetarily during these hard times of the coronavirus, followed by recent fires. About 50 cases were distributed to Persephone, Home, Café Sparrow, Cantine, Seabright Social, Vinocruz and other local eateries at no cost to them. “It helped restaurants get back on their feet and recoup some of their losses,” says Keiki McKay, project manager for Lester Estate.
Kudos are due to Lester Estate Wines and John Benedetti for their exceptional generosity.
Lester Estate Wines, 1950 Pleasant Valley Road, Aptos. 831-728-3793, deerparkranch.com.
Sante Arcangeli Family Wines Aptos Tasting Lounge, 154 Aptos Village Way, Aptos. Open for outdoor tasting 2-6pm Fridays; noon-6pm Saturdays and Sundays. 831-207-6048, santewinery.com.
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
OPEN SHOW SANTA CRUZ We have continued to present Open Show Santa Cruz via Zoom and have our final, regularly scheduled event featuring three local photographers on Wednesday, Oct. 14. We are also planning a special fundraiser event the following week on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Open Show Santa Cruz co-producer and Sentinel photographer Shmuel Thaler has offered to do a fundraiser event, titled “Photojournalism in the Fire Zone,” featuring his photos from the CZU fire, with him talking about his experience as a photojournalist on the front lines. We plan to donate all proceeds to the Community Foundation’s Fire Response Fund. For this special event, we will ask for a minimum donation of $10. Learn more at openshow.org/en/santacruz/694.
BENEFIT ART SHOW Benefit Art Show by local ocean artist F.J. Anderson on Saturday, Oct. 10, 11am-5pm. Masks and social distancing required. 20% of all proceeds donated to the Live Oak Education Foundation. Oil paintings, prints and cards. 212 16th Ave., Santa Cruz.
WILD AND SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL The Ventana Wilderness Alliance is presenting its eighth annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival on Thursday, Oct. 8. Attendees of this virtual event will enjoy online access to 14 beautiful films and guest speaker clips through Monday, Oct. 12. Since 2013, the Ventana Wilderness Alliance (VWA) has brought the Wild and Scenic Film Festival on tour to the Monterey Bay area. The local screening is a distillation of films from the iconic annual festival held each January in Nevada City. Wild and Scenic focuses on films which speak to the environmental concerns and celebrations of our planet. Virtual Live Event is Thursday, Oct. 8. ‘Doors’ open at 6pm and the show starts at 6:30pm. Attendees may return to the recorded program online through Monday, Oct. 12. Ticket prices: $12 general admission with special ticket packages offered. Tickets can be purchased at qudio.com/event/ventana/register. For more information, contact the Ventana Wilderness Alliance at vw*@*********ld.org or 831-423-3191.
OCEAN FILM FESTIVAL WORLD TOUR Designed to mesmerize and enthrall, the Ocean Film Festival World Tour showcases a cinematic celebration of our oceans, comprised of sublime footage taken above and below the water’s surface. Featuring all new films, this carefully curated selection of short films document the beauty and power of the ocean, and celebrate the divers, surfers, swimmers and oceanographers who live for the sea’s salt spray; who chase the crests of waves; and who marvel at the mysteries of the big blue. Inspiring and thought-provoking, the Ocean Film Festival World Tour is filled with moving footage, touching interviews and insightful narrations. Each of the festival’s films conveys a deep respect and appreciation for the world’s oceans and the creatures that call them home. View from Oct. 15-20 only. Once you start viewing the program, you have 48 hours to finish watching it or until midnight on Oct. 20—whichever comes first. For information visit riotheatre.com/events-2/2020/10/14/ocean-film-festival-2020-presented-by-the-rio-theatre.
CLASSES
65-HOUR TRAINING Community members may participate in a Monarch Services virtual training to become California state-certified peer counselors for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking. The training will be held through Oct. 14 during these times: Mondays 1pm-3:30pm, Wednesdays 1pm-3:30pm, Thursdays 1pm-3:30pm. Register by emailing al********@********cc.org.
NAMI FAMILY-TO-FAMILY CLASS NAMI’s Family-to-Family Class is an eight-week educational program for family and friends of adults with mental health challenges. Learn about how to support your loved one, gain valuable communication and coping skills, and become educated on the latest mental health research. Class is led by two trained volunteers with lived experience caring for someone with mental health conditions. Sign up online and learn more at namiscc.org/family-to-family.html. Mondays and Wednesdays at 6pm.
CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION WEEKEND EXPRESS CLASS This Saturday and Sunday virtual class from Dominican Hospital is intended for expectant mothers and their labor support team. Focus will be on the birth process, including the stages of labor and when to go to the hospital. Non-pharmaceutical coping techniques for pain, including breath work, mindfulness practices, supportive touch and positions for labor and birth, along with standard hospital procedures, pain medication options, medical interventions, cesarean birth, postpartum recovery, newborn procedures and breastfeeding basics. In this class, we will actively practice positions and coping techniques for pain, so please be dressed for movement. Please register for the PEP class session. Only after you have completed this process, the Zoom meeting information will be provided to you via email prior to your class. Classes run 1-5:30pm on these days: Oct, 24-25, Nov. 14-15, Dec. 19-20.
COMMUNITY
SANTA CRUZ BONSAI KAI FUNDRAISER The Santa Cruz Bonsai Kai is hosting an outdoor fundraising sale benefitting the Sempervirens Fund and the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County, charities working to mitigate the impact of the CZU fire. Bonsai, pre-bonsai, pots, soil, wire and related items will be available for sale. 50% of the proceeds will be donated to charity. For the safety of everyone, masks must be worn and six feet of social distancing will be enforced. Sunday, Oct. 18, 10am-3pm, at Aptos Grange Hall, 2555 Mar Vista Drive, Aptos. For questions about this sale contact SCBK President Sarah Tiller at sa**********@***il.com or visit santacruzbonsaikai.com
UCSC HARVEST FESTIVAL AND LIFE LAB FALL BENEFIT Celebrate community and the abundance of the fall harvest with UCSC’s annual Fall Harvest Festival, happening all week from October 5-10. A collaboration between the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, Life Lab, and students of UCSC’s Food Systems Working Group, this year’s festival will feature a series of free, interactive online events for all ages. Join us for Saturday, Oct. 10 at 10:30am for Life Lab Reimagined: Program Updates, Inspired Learning, and Community. The events of this unprecedented year have provided opportunities for Life Lab to support our local community and national networks in new ways, expand our reach through virtual connections, and dive more deeply into justice and equity in all of our work. Join us to learn more about our PVUSD Partner School updates, the launch of our Science in the Garden K-2 NGSS Curriculum, new online workshops, our new Life Lab Educator Certification, new Life Lab staff and garden additions, plus much more! Registerat lifelab.org/fallbenefit. Sponsorship opportunities available.
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
FUNDING THE OCEAN: EXPLORING ENVIRONMENTAL PHILANTHROPY How do donors (ranging from traditional foundations to impact investors) craft strategies to maximize positive marine outcomes? Mariko Powers, program officer at Oceankind, will highlight case studies that show how investment in cell-based seafood, marine protected areas, and blue carbon catalyze solutions for ocean health. 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. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 6pm. Learn more at go.miis.edu/sustainability. For questions, contact Rachel C., Center for the Blue Economy, cb*@**is.edu, 831-647-4183 (leave a message to receive a call back).
EVOLUTION OF AGROECOLOGY AS A PRACTICE, RESEARCH DISCIPLINE, AND SOCIAL MOVEMENT What does agroecology mean? How is it practiced? Who are the holders / creators of agroecological knowledge? What are the exciting questions or recent advances in agroecology research? A panel of experts will give five-minute “lightning talks” on their interpretation of the evolution of agroecology as a practice, research discipline, and social movement. Q and A session to follow. This is a virtual event. Wednesday, Oct. 7, 1:30pm. Learn more at casfs.ucsc.edu/news-events/events/quarterly-lecture-series.html.
Roux Dat has been serving up authentic New Orleans-inspired Cajun fare since 2014.
Its two locations, in Capitola on Clares Street and downtown in Abbott Square, are open seven days a week from 11am-7pm. Owner Chad Glassley says he always dreamed of opening a restaurant, and when he fell in love with New Orleans cuisine during his time in culinary school, he thought Cajun food could find a place here in Santa Cruz. He spoke to GT about how it’s going.
How would you define Cajun food?
Chad Glassley: It’s a blend of New Orleans flavors—a melting pot of a bunch of different cultures coming together to create a cuisine that you can’t find anywhere else in the world. It has Italian, German, African, and Spanish influences. All these people brought their recipes to New Orleans, then combined and adapted them to what grew well and was available.
What are some of the most traditional dishes on the menu?
Our po’ boys, a classic Cajun-style sandwich, are really authentic. We use bread that we import from New Orleans, it’s crunchy and also really light and flaky. When you combine it with corn-meal crusted ingredients like chicken, catfish, shrimp, or oysters, it’s really similar to what you’d find in New Orleans. We even serve gator, which kind of tastes like a chicken that’s fallen into a lake. It has a freshwater taste and, no pun intended, more of a bite than chicken with a nice meaty flavor. We also have jambalaya, a traditional tomato-based stew that has shrimp, chicken, and sausage. It’s mildly spiced and has a ton of flavor, and is by far our best seller. We have gumbo, too, another traditional stew with chicken, sausage, and okra. It is thickened with a dark roux, which adds a robust, toasty, and deep flavor. We also do traditional cornmeal-crusted fried green tomatoes and hush puppies, as well as handmade beignets, which are Cajun-style donuts finished with powdered sugar and rum dipping sauce.
How have the restaurants been doing during the pandemic?
We’re really just figuring things out day-to-day. We have outdoor seating at both locations, and we’re doing more to-go food and paying close attention to how we package the food. We’ve been getting along just fine; the community has been really supportive. The employees have been great as well, they’ve stayed positive and have helped us stay open and provide great customer service.
3555 Clares St., Suite G, Capitola, 831-295-6372; 118 Cooper St., Unit B, Santa Cruz, 831-888-6500; rouxdatcajuncreole.com.
A lot of our job in these pages this year has been finding out who in our community has been affected by which disaster, and how people can help. (And anytime we have to specify which disaster, you know it’s been a crazy year.) Christina Waters’ cover story this week is an important part of that mission, because while our wineries are an essential part of this area’s identity, I don’t think most people in Santa Cruz realize just how hard hit they’ve been—especially by the fires. Once you read about “smoke taint,” however, I guarantee you’ll understand. And like almost all of the stories we’ve covered around the fires this year, there’s also an inspiring side to the story that involves people looking out for each other, and even putting their lives on the line. It’s a great read that provides a lot of insight into how wineries work and how they’re doing their best to salvage this vintage.
In other news, we have a big announcement this week: Good Times has purchased the Press-Banner, the weekly which this year celebrates 60 years of covering Scotts Valley, San Lorenzo Valley and Boulder Creek. The Press-Banner was first published on December 2, 1960 as the Valley Press. In 1974, its owners began publishing the Scotts Valley Banner, and the two papers merged in 2006 to become the Press-Banner. It’s been owned since 2012 by Tank Town Media, and by bringing it into the locally based Weeklys publishing family anchored by Good Times, we extend our mission of bringing you hyperlocal coverage from all corners of the county. Check out our the announcement here for more about this exciting addition!
In response to your article “Will We Ever Learn?” (GT, 9/23) I wish to offer my gratitude to Dr. Sabbah at the COE and to Dr. Rodriguez, the superintendent of PVUSD. These two school leaders, and many others in our county, have been working tirelessly to prepare for a safe, sane, science-based, return to school. They have made the health and safety of our communities a priority, and understand that our genuine desire to have kids return to school should not be at the expense of anyone’s life.
As an educator with 25+ years in PVUSD, I believe that I speak for many colleagues when I say that no one wants a return to school more than teachers! We understand the many challenges and frustrations that come with distance learning. We face them all day. Every day. Distance learning is no substitute for in-person instruction. There are many subjects and effective teaching strategies that simply cannot translate effectively to a screen. In addition, many of our students and their families are suffering on multiple levels: economically, socially, emotionally, and more. And yet despite these obstacles, teachers continue to work diligently to teach, and children continue to learn (to answer the question posed in the title of the piece). I resent the implication that they are not.
The fact is this: California has been near the bottom of per pupil funding for public education for decades. Our systems are facing an unprecedented challenge (the pandemic) from a place of severe and cumulative deficit: facilities, transportation, staffing, supplies, are all suffering from years of neglect, making preparations for the return to school even more daunting.
As for the parent of a 6-year-old who asks: “Businesses through the county are open, so why are schools still shuttered?” I would answer this: Have you ever been in a room full of 25 six-year-olds? Or even half that number? Children that age cannot stay away from each other. They are not developmentally capable of consistently following the safety protocols. Add to that that the classroom they are in may not have operable windows, nor a functioning air filter system, nor sufficient staff to deep clean daily, nor have a functioning sink for hand-washing, nor a school nurse, and I believe you have the answer to your question.
To this parent, and all others, I suggest that you begin to look at public school funding and what you can do to support your schools now and in the future. An important first step would be to vote Yes on Proposition 15, the Schools and Communities First ballot measure, this November.
Caitlin Johnston | Felton
Thanks for Normalcy
I just wanted to thank you for continuing to publish such wonderful editions of Good Times during the pandemic/fires/racial injustices/political insanity/apocalyptic skies. It has given me a much-needed respite of normalcy each week.
Lizanne Reynolds | Aptos
PHOTO CONTEST WINNER
With the Boardwalk showing The Lost Boys at its drive-in event last week, this seems like a good time for this shot. Photograph by Kasia Palermo.
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
MEANS TO A RENT
Santa Cruz County has announced a second round of CARES Rental Assistance Program funding. The county has allocated a portion of its Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds to provide housing stabilization assistance to residents of unincorporated Santa Cruz County who have lost income due to the Covid-19 pandemic and whose housing is at risk because they are in arrears for rent and/or utility payments. For more information and to apply, visit cabinc.org by Oct. 14.
GOOD WORK
NUNN TO SEE
Last year, basketball Kendrick Nunn was on the Santa Cruz Warriors, a development-league team. This year, he’s on the Miami Heat, facing down against the L.A. Lakers in the NBA Finals—even pulling off an incredible block of Anthony Davis in game two. Former Santa Cruz Warriors have had serious championship success—some of them with their NBA affiliate Golden State Warriors. Last year, power forward Chris Boucher and coach Nate Bjorkgren have won with the Toronto Raptors.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“One person’s disaster is another person’s talking point.”
On Aug. 21, the headlines screamed warnings that the entire vintage of 2020 might be ruined by smoke from the wildfires set off by lightning strikes five days earlier.
Five wineries including Big Basin Vineyards, Beauregard Vineyards, Hallcrest Vineyards, and McHenry Vineyard in the San Lorenzo Valley, Bonny Doon and Woodside/Skyline growing regions were in or near evacuation zones due to the CZU Lightning Complex fires. Forced to evacuate, winemakers could only hope and pray that fire would spare their homes, vineyards, and winemaking facilities. Some prayers were answered. Others weren’t so lucky.
Ryan Beauregard, winemaker at Beauregard Vineyards, found himself in the thick of the raging CZU flames. “No cell service up here has really been a problem,” Beauregard recalled. “Not having access to phones made it tough. We got these crappy hand radios, a few of us. That helped some. I wasn’t leaving. I have a life of dedication to this mountain.”
Sending his family to safety, he slept outside in the smoke the first four nights, and “drove around looking for Cal Fire.” But the agency was overwhelmed. Beauregard joined up with many of his fellow Bonny Doon landowners to help.
“There were so many fires,” he says. “First couple of days felt like we were alone. Smart and fearless people with heavy equipment stayed. Multiple brigades; eight guys in my neighborhood.” Beauregard helped make a fire break around the winery. In the end, it worked. “It was a combined effort,” he says, proudly. Luck and grit prevailed.
“The good news is that our winery and our family homes are still standing,” says Beauregard. “Our vineyards have had minimal physical damage, though the crop is destroyed.” He is now working to harvest his prized, all-organic Bald Mountain Chardonnay. “But it’s still unknown in terms of quality. My goal is to make all 20 acres into one Santa Cruz Mountains non-vineyard-designate wine, and who knows—we may make it all into sparkling wine this year.”
Grapes from beyond the smoke’s reach also came to the rescue for Beauregard, who was able to purchase Pinot Noir grapes from Hirsch Vineyard on the Sonoma coast. “I also bought fruit to make the Lost Weekend wine from 130 year old vines in Antioch, plus Zayante and Regan vineyards,” he says. As for his Zinfandel and Cabernet? “It’s not looking good,” he admits.
The intense smoke that gripped the Santa Cruz Mountains for a full month after the fires began was only one of the challenges plaguing winemakers. There was an actualplague, Covid-19, that necessitated new protocols for harvesting, transporting, and fermenting the grapes. A stretch of extreme heat in mid-August also accelerated ripening and fried many grapes into raisin status. That same heat generated the lightning strikes that unleashed historic wildfires.
Smoke Taint
Vineyard consultant Prudy Foxx explains that “smoke taint” (guaiacol), which can afflict wine with the flavor profile of a wet ashtray, occurs when grapes exposed to smoke are fermented into wine. That transformation releases the unpleasant compounds that have permeated the fruit’s molecules. “Smoke taint is the term for an identifiable chemical compound,” Foxx says. “We know from other fires in the past that this could be a problem.”
After the wildfires broke out Aug. 19, “we collected samples on the 22nd and urged everyone to take samples. Tests are done on micro-fermentations using small quantities of fruit,” she says.
Given that Santa Cruz Mountains is “such a small, elite AVA [American Viticultural Area], with a reputation of high integrity,” no premium winemaker wants to put their label on tainted wine. “People who are heavily exposed to the wildfire smoke simply cannot harvest their Pinot Noir, which is a tender varietal,” she explains. “If it’s picked really cleanly, with no leaves, there’s still a good chance you can make a rosé,” which requires minimal skin contact.
Foxx predicts that Corralitos vineyards will get through all of this unscathed. The early samples at Lester Family Vineyards, which she personally manages, were “exciting.”
“In general, the Chardonnay escaped the worst of it,” she says. As far as the extreme heat, she explains that “the vineyards with trouble were younger, newly planted, or those that had smaller vines. Just about everybody with thinner-skinned fruit took a 10% hit. The heat affects volume, not quality.”
Up in Smoke
One of the oldest family-run estate wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains, McHenry Vineyard, was one of the hardest hit. The winery and winemaker’s residential cabin were destroyed by the CZU fire.
“We have lost our 2018 and most of the 2019 vintages,” McHenry winemaker Brandon Blanchard tells me. “Our library of old wines and all of our winemaking equipment—gone.” Crews were able to save other structures, including winery founder Dean McHenry’s home. “But there’s lots of smoke damage to the remaining structures, trees are all torched,” says Blanchard. “The Pinot Noir grapes survived, but you can’t get analysis fast enough before you need to harvest. The 2020 crop is likely lost due to smoke damage. We still have to go through the process of having samples analyzed for crop insurance. We’ll end up tilling them under.”
Blanchard’s most pressing concern, in addition to working with five different insurance companies, is getting water to the vineyard.
“Both our wells burned,” he says. “Right now, I’m trying to buy grapes. Prudy Foxx is working to source some for us, and John Benedetti has offered to help us make wine at his Aromas facility. Ideally we’ll buy a small batch of grapes so that we can at least have a 2020 vintage. Losing a winery is heartbreaking.” A GoFundMe account has been set up to rebuild McHenry winery.
Vintage Outlook
Last month, Birichino’s Alex Krause got up at 3am “to pick the oldest Cinsault vineyard on the planet, and then on to our second pick of the day by 5:30am. We are sad we won’t make any red Cinsault from 2020, nor Carignane from Montague, but boy the Vin Gris will be good,” says Krause. “Fingers crossed.”
Krause is grateful to fire crews from Los Angeles who helped out, including one that had driven 3,000 miles from New Jersey.
Krause’s winemaking partner John Locke admits that it’s difficult to be certain about the amount of smoke contamination in the grapes. “It may be difficult to generalize the vintage at this point. There have obviously been a large number of very, very hot days, yet acid levels are higher than normal. Some people picked early to avoid the smoke and/or heat. Others waited it out. We chose a mix of paths and adjusted practices along the way,” says Locke. The Covid-19 pandemic, he says, “will alter the way we pick, the way we press, the way we ferment. There will be a lot of experimentation in finessing the harvest of 2020.”
As with other winemakers I asked, Locke acknowledges the closeness of the winemaking community. “There’s a tremendous amount of conversation going on—people are free with strategies and techniques.”
Birichino buys grapes already picked. “So we bring our bins and pull out the leaves. Important not to have leaves. They hold the smoke,” says Locke. “Picking a shitload of leaves.”
The crazy thing about the wine business, he notes, is that “we’re working on something that we won’t sell for 18 months. Next year’s crops might be completely fine. But they are a long way away.”
Locke says the worst-case scenario for local winemakers is “you buy grapes and you pay for winemaking facilities, and you end up with something you can’t sell. Many grapes originally intended for red wines are being pressed and diverted to pink wine production. The heat has been a bit of a menace, and significantly pummelled the old vine Zinfandel from Gilroy. However, the old vine Mourvedre which came in from Contra Costa before the fires looks wicked good.”
Getting in Line
Nicole Walsh, winemaker for her label Ser, as well as for Bonny Doon Vineyard, began harvesting Orange Muscat during one of the intense heat waves in mid-August. While the ripeness wasn’t what she wanted, she was glad she got her grapes in before the smoke arrived there. Worried about possible smoke taint, she decided against grapes from one of her favorite blocks, “the old vine Cinsault from Bechtold vineyard in Lodi. I was almost going to take a gamble, but that particular week we were dealing with the CZU fire threatening Santa Cruz, especially the winery on the Westside. I was not certain I would even be able to bring the fruit or juice to the winery, friends being evacuated, virtual school with my kids, my husband—a firefighter in Palo Alto—being pulled in many directions and not able to come home.”
Walsh explains that trying to send samples for analysis meant getting in line with every other winemaker trying to check for smoke taint levels in their grapes.
“Some winemakers were even sending samples to Australia and Europe for faster turnaround,” she says.
As far as the heat waves, she says, “the fruit in many areas seemed to be erratically jumping into chemical ripeness overnight. Because of Covid-19 protocols, one of the main custom crush facilities I work with was demanding a week’s notice before scheduling any trucks.” Usually, winemakers can count on a 24-hour window for picking.
Walsh calls this year’s crop, “an extremely challenging vintage on so many levels.”
Winemaker Bradley Brown lost the house that he lived in next to his Big Basin Vineyards estate in the fire. PHOTO: BRADLEY BROWN
A Complicated Aftermath
The custom-crafted house that winemaker Bradley Brown lived in, next to his Big Basin Vineyards estate, burned to the ground.
“Our winery has been miraculously spared, but the house is tragically gone and the vineyard has been badly scorched,” says Brown. The events leading up to his Aug. 18 evacuation came fast and hard. “Winds started whipping up late in the day, Pescadero was already ablaze. Helicopters flew overhead and told us over bullhorns to evacuate, and evacuate immediately. That was Tuesday night. Then it hit Eagle Rock, and then down to Bonny Doon and toward Boulder Creek. We tried to get back up to save things, but couldn’t.”
Brown had just finished bottling some 2019 vintages on the same day that he was evacuated.
“I see it as a setback,” he says, “but it’s not fatal.”
Brown has hired a public adjuster to deal with all his insurance issues. “We’ve been scrambling. It’s just all too complicated,” he says. “The structures and equipment are covered, but the fruit isn’t, the vines aren’t.”
His estate Pinot Noir is a total loss. “Two acres of campfire flavor,” he quips. “As for the Grenache and Syrah that power his celebrated Rhône-style wines, “we don’t know if it is salvageable as a rosé or not. Analysis will find out. Same with estate Roussanne and Viognier. Our other vineyards appear like they might dodge the smoke taint bullet, but until we ferment to wine, we can’t be sure. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us to catch up—equipment is covered with sticky soot. Still, we’re super grateful that the winery survived. So many people reached out and offered their facilities to us. This is an amazing community.”
Testing Clean
On the bright side, winemaker Richard Alfaro assures me “there’s no doom and gloom here” at Alfaro Family Vineyards. Micro-fermentations from Corralitos and Trout Gulch have smelled beautiful. The first batches back from the lab have tested clean for smoke taint, as did our neighbor’s.” Alfaro did lose some fruit due to seven days of 100-plus degree weather.
“We dropped [left in the fields] all the sunburned or raisined fruit,” he says. “The fruit that was picked is exceptional.”
Given his large acreage of vines, Alfaro’s grapes will find their way into neighboring wines. “We have picked for ourselves and for Marty Mathis, Big Basin, Ceritas Arnot, Roberts, Jamie Kutch and Fernwood. Crazy year. We are making the best of it. We are fortunate to be far from the fires. The devastation of properties and grapes of my friends in the mountains is so sad.”
California, along with Oregon and Washington produces about 90% of all U.S. wine. “The true impact on the $70 billion industry will not be known for months,” noted a Reuters report last month.
Birichino’s John Locke sums it up this way: “It is a crazy vintage all the way around, but what is undeniable is that there will be a lot of pink wine from many unexpected sources.”
