Supervisors Create New County Office to Handle Disasters

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Supervisors Create New County Office to Handle Disasters

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors last week unanimously approved a plan to create an Office of Recovery and Resilience, which will coordinate the county’s continuing response to the CZU Lightning Complex fire.

The new office would also respond to future disasters, which county staff says are increasingly likely.

Supervisor Ryan Coonerty said that the program was a way to help coordinate the county’s departments and their response to events such as fires and earthquakes.

“We really need to have our community prepare for this new reality,” he said.

The program was modeled on a similar one in Sonoma County, Coonerty said. 

The supervisors will discuss ways in which to fund the program during their Nov. 10 meeting. The program is set to begin on Dec. 11

The program will be run by a county administrator, who will assign three staff members from the Planning, Public Works and Environmental Health departments to work full-time in the ORR.

The creation of the program came in the wake of the CZU fire, which from Aug. 15 through Sept. 20 burned more than 86,000 acres and damaged or destroyed 1,431 structures in Santa Cruz County.

In other action, the supervisors also approved an ordinance in concept that would extend the prohibition on commercial evictions countywide through March 31, 2021. The move comes as economic restrictions remain in place during the Covid-19 pandemic and local business owners are concerned about how they’ll fare amid the crisis.

The ordinance will return for final adoption on Oct. 20.

“(The prohibition) is an important effort to help people respond to this pandemic and ensure economic vitality,” Supervisor Coonerty said.

Supervisor John Leopold said that the prohibition gives the same protections to businesses that renters currently have during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This helps protect our local businesses,” he said.

Spanish-Language Novel Delves Into Canning Strike

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Spanish-Language Novel Delves Into Canning Strike

Author Graydon Miller says he’s been working on his latest novel on-and-off for over three decades.

It began in July 1985, when a number of Latina workers at Watsonville Canning went on strike, protesting sudden wage cuts and reduced health benefits. The workers, represented by Teamsters Local 912, prevailed after more than a year of striking.

Miller says he was inspired by the strength and determination of the workers. He grew up in Watsonville but was living out of town when the strike began. He hurried back and began interviewing participants. 

“When the strike came up, I knew that history was being made,” Miller says. “I knew I had to capture what was happening.”

Miller’s new Spanish-language novel, “Mujeres con Navajas” (Women with Knives) is a novelization of the strike. It follows the dreams and conflicts of the Flores family, and in particular the mother of the family’s discovery of her inner strength.

“She is a somewhat timid person,” Miller says, “a person who might not think she is cut out for a long and difficult struggle, but who becomes involved and makes a difference. I think it shows we don’t have to already be on fire… sometimes circumstances just push us into it.”

Miller was born in Santa Cruz but moved to Watsonville with his family after his father acquired a pharmacy business. Miller says the move to South County was a “determining factor” in his life.

“I heard so much talk,” he says. “People always said things like, ‘That town is trash,’ or ‘It’s really not a nice place.’ It had a bad reputation. But if you’ve never actually come here, you wouldn’t know … it is a very special place.”

Miller attended Watsonville High School, where he discovered a love of literature and writing. He eventually began learning Spanish. 

Intrigued by the people he met during the strike, Miller moved to Guadalajara, Mexico for almost a decade. He published poems, short stories and worked for a local newspaper.

Miller now lives in Los Angeles but returns to visit Watsonville often. 

“A major character in [‘Mujeres con Navajas’] is this town itself,” he says. “Watsonville is a place that ought to be on the map. It’s very significant in history.”

Miller says it was his editor who suggested he first release the story in Spanish, and gave a lot of credit to them and his official translator, who is from Argentina. An English copy will come eventually, he says.

“It’s been a dream to finish and publish this story,” Miller says. “It’s been a lot of fun, and I’ve learned so much.”

“Mujeres con Navajas” is available on Amazon as a paperback and on Kindle, as well as an audio book. For information visit Graydon Miller’s Facebook page.

Santa Cruz Sheriff: Officer Arrested on Domestic Violence Charge

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Santa Cruz Sheriff: Officer Arrested on Domestic Violence Charge

A Santa Cruz County correctional officer was arrested in Monterey County on Friday, Oct. 2 for robbery and for assaulting a spouse or cohabitant. He’s no longer in custody.

In a call with GT, Sheriff Jim Hart confirmed the news, which is available in Monterey County arrest records. The officer, Jesus A. Villarreal, is no longer working for the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, said Hart, whose office has not publicly released any information about the arrest.

Hart did not offer further comment about the nature of the alleged crime. He did say recent incidents of misconduct by correctional officers have been troubling and hard on his office. 

“We do a lot of training around this,” Hart said. “Our supervisors are acutely aware and they’ve been briefed about the situation. But at the end of the day these people are adults, and they’re making poor decisions. We’ve made everyone aware that this type of behavior is unacceptable. And they’re paying the price. They’ve been arrested, and they’ve lost their jobs.”

The news comes not long after the arrests of two Santa Cruz County correctional officers for various crimes, including having sexual relations with inmates.

Detectives arrested 35-year-old Correctional Officer Jenna Baldwin Sunday, Oct. 4, for charges, including sexual activity with an inmate, assault by a public officer, and bringing contraband into a detention facility. 

Previously, Santa Cruz County Correctional Officer Jessica Smith was arrested Sept. 4. She was booked into the Main Jail on charges including sexual activity with an inmate, assault by a public officer and unauthorized computer access. 

Hart says each of the three officers resigned after the sheriff’s office opened an investigation into their behavior but before the investigation was finished.

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.

How the Musicians of WaxFeet Discovered an Audience for Ambient Music

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How the Musicians of WaxFeet Discovered an Audience for Ambient Music

Local musician Damon Danielson has written hundreds of traditional verse-chorus-verse songs with lyrics, vocals and a message—acoustic music, power-pop, yacht rock, R&B.

But he’s over all of that now. Since 2019, he’s been crafting feelgood, dreamy, chilled-out instrumental tracks with Patrick Brede under the name WaxFeet. He couldn’t be happier with the transition.  

“I wanted to do chill music because I fell in love with it, and it made me happy,” Danielson says. “There’s so much negative shit in the world. I’m not interested in angst. Let’s put people in a place where they can enjoy where they are and find a happy moment.”

Though the group is still very new, at the end of the month they will be releasing their debut EP. And in January 2021, they’ll be following it up with a full-length. They’re already working on material for their second album.

They’re also starting to build an audience online with the first couple of singles they released on the internet, using YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and more recently Spotify to find people craving gentle melodies with lo-fi beats and ambient overtones.

“We don’t have millions of people, but we’re in the thousands. It’s all organic. We’re not just kids releasing singles and making noise,” Danielson says. “We’re going to keep doing good material, getting it out there. We think at some point people looking for good music will find us. We’ll see if that works.”

With Spotify, they’re learning about the people that consume their music. A lot of their fanbase are between the ages of 13 and 18, and are presumably using it as background music to study—a particularly popular trend on Spotify and YouTube for that demographic. There’s also a larger market via streaming sites that didn’t exist a decade ago for pleasant background instrumental music. That’s not why the group got into crafting this type of music, but they are aware of its potential and have hired a PR team to help promote their upcoming releases to see if they can connect with this audience.

“The hard part is getting out in front of people and breaking through the clutter. That’s our biggest challenge right now,” Danielson says.

The duo works hard to create the music they envision. It starts with Danielson fiddling around on the guitar or the piano and recording any riff that catches his fancy. Once a month, he and Brede rifle through these licks to find the gems that can blossom into WaxFeet songs. Three times a week—often for five hours a session—they work on new material. It takes several sessions to complete a single song; a lot of the process is tweaking the sonic elements to produce just the right surreal vibe.

WaxFeet’s songs are rarely washed-out like much of chillwave tends to be. The pianos, guitars, and drum machines are clearly distinguishable. The songs tend to be slow and cinematic, and create an almost tender otherworldly feeling.

“We’re really sonically oriented. A lot of the chill stuff, they don’t focus as much on production,” Danielson says. We sit and work in front of those speakers. That’s part of the creative process, just trying to make ear candy. I want people who like sound, who like getting carried away and traveling with their ears—we try to give them lots of stuff to listen to.”

The plan was to first release the album, then start figuring out what form of DJ/live band hybrid they’d create to take these songs to the stage. But Covid-19 delayed both their album and live debut, and they still don’t know exactly how they’ll approach live performance.

“I think there’s a very good chance we won’t see a lot of [live events] even in 2021. I think it’s going to be a little while,” Danielson says. “It’s hard for me to figure out what the venue would be. It’s almost like a zombie chill rave. I don’t think anybody’s doing that, and that might be because there isn’t a market for it. I think that’s what we would try to do.”

For more information, go to waxfeet.com.

Exploring the California Ballot Measures: Voting Rights and Taxes

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Exploring the California Ballot Measures: Voting Rights and Taxes

Editor’s note: This is the second entry in a series that will explore 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 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.

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.

Neighborhood Courts Program Gives Citizens Say in Criminal Cases

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Neighborhood Courts Program Gives Citizens Say in Criminal Cases

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:

  • petty theft 
  • shoplifting
  • vandalism
  • trespassing
  • disorderly conduct
  • drunk in public
  • misdemeanor assault and battery
  • drug possession 
  • drug paraphernalia
  • receipt of stolen property
  • possession of burglary tools

For information, or to apply to become a volunteer, visit the District Attorney’s website at: bit.ly/2SGKs5S, or contact coordinator Elaine Johnson ne****************@*************ty.us or 831-454-2534.

Online Town Hall Series

• 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.

City of Santa Cruz to Approve $5.3 Million in Budget Cuts

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City of Santa Cruz to Approve $5.3 Million in Budget Cuts

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.

Open Farm Tours Return with Focus on Transforming Food Systems

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Open Farm Tours Return with Focus on Transforming Food Systems

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. 

Santa Cruz Sheriff: Another Officer Arrested for Sex with Inmate

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Santa Cruz Sheriff: Another Officer Arrested for Sex with Inmate

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.

The Generous Idea Behind SCMSTRONG 2017 Syrah

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The Generous Idea Behind SCMSTRONG 2017 Syrah

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.  

Supervisors Create New County Office to Handle Disasters

housing stock
New office will respond to fire recovery and future disasters
Read more

Spanish-Language Novel Delves Into Canning Strike

Story inspired by Latina workers at Watsonville Canning who went on strike
Read more

Santa Cruz Sheriff: Officer Arrested on Domestic Violence Charge

santa cruz county immigration policy
Sheriff Jim Hart troubled by recent rash of incidents
Read more

How the Musicians of WaxFeet Discovered an Audience for Ambient Music

WaxFeet delivers gentle melodies with lo-fi beats and ambient overtones
Read more

Exploring the California Ballot Measures: Voting Rights and Taxes

California voters will decide on 12 propositions in the upcoming election
Read more

Neighborhood Courts Program Gives Citizens Say in Criminal Cases

Trained citizen volunteers will determine outcome for offenders of some misdemeanor crimes
Read more

City of Santa Cruz to Approve $5.3 Million in Budget Cuts

Santa Cruz city hall
City’s budget crisis, worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic, could last eight years
Read more

Open Farm Tours Return with Focus on Transforming Food Systems

Guests tour farms and purchase products
Read more

Santa Cruz Sheriff: Another Officer Arrested for Sex with Inmate

corrections
Santa Cruz Main Jail under scrutiny for its conditions
Read more

The Generous Idea Behind SCMSTRONG 2017 Syrah

Wine was made to support local restaurants during the Covid-19 crisis
Read more
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