There are experiences, people and places that can either be good for you or bad for you. Which way they tilt at any particular time may depend on your mood or their mood or forces beyond your immediate control. An example for me is social media. Sometimes it’s a mediocre drug that dulls my sensibilities and aggravates my fears. On other occasions, it brings rich new connections and teaches me lessons I’m thrilled to learn. What about you, Aries? In my astrological view, 2025 will be a time when you will be wise to re-evaluate and redefine your relationships with these paradoxical resources. If there are some whose influence is far more likely to be bad than good, consider ending your bond. For those that are equally bad and good, do what you can do to enhance the goodness.
TAURUS April 20-May 20
Taurus supermodel Linda Evangelista has supreme levels of self-esteem. At the height of her career, she bragged that she got out of bed each morning with the intention of earning no less than $10,000 in the coming day. I’m not advocating that you be equally audacious in your expectations during 2025, dear Taurus. But it’s reasonable for you to adopt at least a measure of Evangelista’s financial confidence. According to my analysis of your destiny, cosmic rhythms will be conspiring to open up economic opportunities for you.
GEMINI May 21-June 20
In 2025, dear Gemini, I invite you to make ample use of at least five of the following 11 tactics: 1. Shatter the molds. 2. Defy the conventions. 3. Challenge the norms. 4. Redefine the boundaries. 5. Disrupt the status quo. 6. Defy old rules and create new ones. 7. Go against the flow and against the grain. 8. Bushwhack through frontiers. 9. Dance to unfamiliar rhythms. 10. Search for curious treasures. 11. Change the way you change.
CANCER June 21-July 22
Good advice for the first half of 2025: 1. Lose your respect for tangled complications that have begun to rot. 2. Keep some of your necessary protective defenses, yes, but shed those that no longer serve you and are weighing you down. 3. Bury a broken-down dream to make room in your heart for a sweet new dream. 4. Scour away as much resentment as you can. 5. Sneak away from people and situations that are far too demanding. 6. Discard as much as you can of what’s inessential, unhelpful and defunct. 7. Don’t make a radical break for freedom yet, but begin plotting to do so by your birthday.
LEO July 23-Aug. 22
The coming months will be an excellent time to dream up bigger, better, more original sins and seek out wilder, wetter, more interesting problems. You should experiment with being naughty and even sweetly wicked as you uplift your spirit and deepen your love for life. You are being invited by your future self to experiment with daring departures from tradition that bring you exciting challenges. Dear Leo, my wish for you in 2025 is that you will be cheerfully courageous (not belligerently courageous) as you become both smarter and wiser than you have ever been before.
VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22
Aztecs were originally known as the Mēxihcah people. Before they forged an empire, they were semi-nomadic tribes. But even then, early on, they were guided by a prophecy that they would eventually settle permanently in a place where they found an eagle roosting on a cactus holding a snake in its talons. In 1325, wanderers spied this precise scenario on a small island in Lake Texcoco. Soon they began to construct the city of Tenochtitlan, the capital of their future kingdom. I bring this true myth to your attention, Virgo, because I want to invite you to formulate a similar prophecy in 2025—and then fulfill it. Your personal empire is primed for expansion and consolidation.
LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22
As 2025 unfolds, your burdens will grow lighter, and your duties will become more interesting. Joyless missions and trivial hopes will be increasingly irrelevant and easy to relinquish, opening up opportunities for fresh assignments that motivate you to play more and to work smarter rather than harder. During the coming months, dear Libra, I predict you will be basking in extra good karma and tapping into more fertile mojo than you have in a long time. Would you like more freedom than ever before? It’s yours for the plucking.
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
Painter P. K. Mahanandia is well-known because of his fine art. He is even more famous for an amazing adventure he had in the name of love. It’s a long story, but his wife was living in her native Sweden while he was stuck in his native India. Mahanandia was still at an early stage of his career and couldn’t afford to fly by plane. Instead, he bought a used bicycle and headed west, covering about 27 miles per day. He pedaled through Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey until he arrived in Europe 127 days later. He had raised money by drawing portraits of people he met along the way, so he had enough to travel by train the rest of the way to Sweden. I’m thinking you may have an epic romantic adventure yourself in 2025, Scorpio. Maybe not quite as extreme, but very interesting.
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21
To symbolize your destiny in 2025, I drew a Tarot card. It was the 9 of Cups. Here’s my four-part interpretation: 1. Sometime soon, you should identify your top desires and ruminate about how to express them in the most beautiful and fulfilling ways possible. 2. Take a vow that you will shed half-hearted, insecure approaches for bringing them to fruition. 3. Be uninhibited about seeking not just a partial but a complete version of each fulfillment. 4. Figure out which allies you will need in your life to manifest the happiest and most meaningful outcomes.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19
You’re the most pragmatic sign of the zodiac and are most highly skilled at getting constructive things done. It’s also true that you thrive on organizing the chaotic details of our messy world into smooth-functioning systems. But I periodically need to remind you that these superpowers of yours require you to nurture a vigorous and rigorous imagination. All of what you ultimately accomplish originates in the fantasy realm. This will be especially crucial for you to keep in mind during 2025.
AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18
The Mona Lisa is a world-famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Beneath its visible surface is evidence that the artist reworked it extensively. There are at least three earlier versions with different facial features. In one, the figure has eyebrows and is wearing hairpins and a headdress. These details were scrubbed out of the image that now hangs in the Louvre Museum in Paris. I bring this to your attention, Aquarius, because I suspect you have been engaged in a comparable process as you have worked on your labor of love. In my reckoning, you’re finished with your false starts, practice runs and dress rehearsals. In the coming months, you can make excellent progress toward ripening and culminating your creation.
PISCES Feb. 19-March 20
Ancient Greek literature references a drug called nepenthe. Anyone who ingested it would forget memories that stirred pain and sorrow. Many of us modern people might consider taking such medicine if it were available. But let’s imagine a very different potion: one that arouses vivid memories of all the wonderful experiences we have been blessed with. If there were such a thing, I would recommend that you sample it frequently in the months to come. That’s because your relationship with the good parts of your past will be especially useful and inspirational. In fact, drawing on their power will be instrumental in helping you create your best possible future.
Homework: Visualize yourself accomplishing a goal you would have thought impossible a year ago. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com
As pretty much everyone expected last New Year’s Day, 2024 has turned out to be a challenging and in some respects horrendous year for cannabis in California.
The biggest hurdle to a thriving pot market in the state and nationally remains the continued illegality of cannabis at the federal level. With the election of Donald Trump as president and with the Republicans controlling both houses of Congress, it seems likely that this hurdle will remain in place for at least the next few years, though some reforms such as de-scheduling pot and allowing banks to do business with weed companies might yet come through.
But federal illegality means that California companies can neither export nor import pot, which makes them vulnerable to volatile prices for bud and concentrates.
Retail prices, meanwhile, have to remain high no matter what to cover the continued high costs faced by dispensaries. In particular, they must pay the ruinous taxes imposed by the state—and often also by local governments. Those taxes—15% in the case of the state excise tax—come on top of normal sales taxes. The resulting high prices send potential customers back into the arms of unlicensed pot sellers, resulting in what more than one observer has called a “death spiral” of the legal industry all along the supply chain.
California growers, who have struggled most of the time since they started selling weed legally in 2018, got a tiny bit of relief this year. Several previous growing seasons were harmed by bad weather, wildfires or both, and that didn’t happen this year, which has seen the “best harvest ever,” according to one Humboldt County grower who talked toMJBusinessDaily last month. But that good news comes on top of years of strife, and it’s estimated that only about a quarter of farms growing legal weed in the Emerald Triangle just a few years ago are still operating.
Outdoor growers, however, got a bit of boost from the pesticide scandal that erupted in the summer, when WeedWeek and the Los Angeles Timesreported that there were “alarming levels of pesticides in pot products across the state,” despite the state’s supposedly strict testing regime. But that didn’t help indoor growers or anybody else in the legal-weed business, of course. Through 2024, a state industry that saw sales actually fall in each of the previous two years continued to sink, with many companies large and small going out of business, employment shrinking, and the number of separate brands store shelves diving to below one-quarter of their peak.
Much of this is thanks to idiotic business strategies and grotesque profligacy, as in the case of the large, national dispensary chain MedMen, which folded early this year.
But it’s also a result of policy. High taxes are just one issue. Another major one is the California constitution’s “home rule” provision, which allows localities to decide whether to allow cannabis businesses to set up shop. Large swaths of the state are still “pot deserts.” This situation has improved in recent years, but geographically, more than half the state is bereft of legal weed. Michigan, a far smaller state, has 8.7 dispensaries per 100,000 residents. California has just 3.2. Monthly sales per capita shows the problem even more starkly: monthly sales per Michigan resident are at about $23; in California, that figure is just over $9.
Perhaps the most dispiriting fact of all is that the state government doesn’t appear to be willing to take these issues on in any serious way. Several years ago, when the state was running big budget surpluses, there was a lot of optimism that the excise tax could be severely cut, and many bills were proposed. But then came deficits in the wake of the pandemic.
The budget is now supposedly “roughly balanced,” but Gov. Newsom has warned that it will likely go into deficit again with Trump promising to, for example, impose ruinous tariffs on imported goods and deport millions of immigrants, which would hurt governments across the country.
The most likely scenario for at least the coming year, then, is: more layoffs, more business exits, continued high retail prices, and an increasingly thriving illicit market.
What are you anticipating in 2025 that is exciting for you?
FERN
I’m getting pet rats today, so that’s something I’m excited about for the New Year. Their breed is called Fancy Rat. I didn’t want a dwarf rat, or a hairless rat—they don’t live as long, and they require a lot of care. You get pet rats from a breeder; it’s the ethical way.
Fern Perchal, 21, SF State Psychology Major
AUGUST
I started a new job at the Mystery Spot, so I’m looking forward to that. I applied and it was really kinda crazy. They scheduled me for an interview, I walked in, and they just said, “You’re hired!” My dad was a tour guide in L.A. for a long time, so it’s in my blood.
August Jonker, 20, Cabrillo College Journalism Major
MARAYA
A reaction to turmoil is often creativity and an explosion of art and music, so that’s something I’m going to cultivate in the New Year moving forward. More shoegaze music in 2025!
Maraya Fisher, 30, Bass Guitarist in My Transparent Eye
SIMON
For me personally it would be sharpening my focus, not just in life, but with art and making music—having focus and trying not to pile things on, just trying to focus on the main details. I make my own music, no band, just talking to a computer.
Simon Tabakh, 24, Student/Musician
CLIONA
I would say just putting stuff out there, maybe judging yourself less, without trying to overthink it too much.
Cliona Shirey, 25, Figuring it all out.
JARED
I’m looking forward to a lot of good things. I just got clean a couple months ago, so there are so many things happening. It’s a huge, huge thing for me. I’m getting another knee surgery—hopefully my final one, I’ve had six already—a full knee replacement. Hopefully that will change a lot of things.
Jared Russell, 39, Portal of Love on Pacific Avenue
The quaint little Santa Cruz we’ve known for decades has been booming in 2024, like no other time since the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. It’s been a boom year for construction all over the county. It’s also been a boom for environmental troubles, a time when officials have to decide how they will face climate changes that have affected not just the coast, but everywhere throughout the county.
UCSC is growing, while public schools face budget troubles because families and teachers can barely afford to live here. There have been positive steps, including bond measures to help build affordable housing for teachers and students. Legislators in 2024 showed they are walking the walk after decades of talk.
One only has to look at the skyline—a skyline!—in downtown Santa Cruz to see what’s made the year’s biggest change. Is it a plus or a minus? Depends on who you ask.
On the fun hand, the good times have blossomed in this county with more entertainment and great food than you could find in a county of fewer than 300,000 people anywhere in the country. Every night of the week there’s something special going on, from poetry to pop, from Shakespeare to punk.
JANUARY
’SHROOM ZOOM
Finally, after hundreds of years, California got a state mushroom; surprisingly, it’s not psychedelic.
This year, Cantharellus californicus became the official state ’shroom. So what does it do? You eat it and it tastes great, fans say, and the portions are huuuuge.
The yellow-orange native fungus, clocking in at a max of 20 inches wide, is the largest edible chanterelle in the world, although nothing compared to the Termitomyces titanicus, of West Africa and Zambia, whose cap reaches 3.28 feet in diameter.
Just imagine the pizza you could make.
DEBATE FORESTALLS ACTION
The Santa Cruz City Council unveiled a new version of the Wharf Master Plan, designed to enhance and maintain the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf. The new plan ditched the proposed Western Walkway, a pedestrian path eight feet below the restaurants with new, shorter pilings to protect the current pilings from big waves. The change came after a group called Don’t Morph the Wharf, headed by Gillian Greensite, won a CEQA ruling in 2022 that found the city’s plan didn’t take environmental repercussions into account.
On Jan. 9 the council voted unanimously for the new plan, in part because Don’t Morph the Wharf agreed to drop ongoing litigation—which allowed the city to get $6 million in funding from the Coastal Conservancy for wharf repairs. Councilmember Renee Golder, who favored the walkway, explained her vote: “It is time we move on. We just need to protect the infrastructure.”
More proof of how badly that work was needed came at the end of the year when 150 feet of the wharf fell into the sea during especially high waves. Expect the battles to continue.
LAWFARE
California lawmakers were busy making your life more complicated for the new year. Sacramento legislators sent off 1,046 bills, of which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 890 into law. They included: raising the minimum wage up to $20 an hour from $15.50 and up to $25 an hour for health care workers, or still not enough to afford a home in Santa Cruz. Another law raises the number of employee sick days from three to five and prohibits employers from penalizing sick workers. In response to harsh abortion laws passed in other states, California shields doctors from being prosecuted for providing abortions to women who come from other states and protects physicians who mail abortion pills to out-of-state patients. Landlords have been restricted from asking for more than one month’s rent for a security deposit and PG&E rates were defined by income. Low-income customers were to be billed $300 a year less and those earning more than $180,000 a year would pay $500 more. In the fun dept., lawmakers made it unlawful for cities to make cruising illegal and forbid employers from testing or asking about past marijuana use.
SANTA CRUZ GAVE
Who says there’s no good news? There was plenty to end 2023 and start 2024 on a high note: Santa Cruz Gives, the charity sponsored by Good Times, raised $1 million for 65 charities last year and is on track for more good news this year.
FEBRUARY
KIDS STRANDED
Pajaro Valley School District students were being left at school and parents have had to take time off work to pick them up because of a shortage of bus drivers. The district needs 75 drivers to take care of the area’s largest school district, but is short 21. The district voted to reward $1,000 to anyone who recommends qualified bus drivers. Low pay and high housing costs contribute to the shortage. Hourly wages range from $19.68 to $25.11 and it can take six months to get certified.
TERMINAL TERMINATED
The downtown Santa Cruz bus terminal, long a fixture on Pacific Avenue, was closed this month for a reset. Bus service has been kicked to the curb, literally, along Front Street, Soquel Avenue and River Street, while the old spot is turned into a behemoth of apartments that will contain 126 units of affordable housing, commercial and office space and a new bus station.
For better and worse, Santa Cruz now has a skyline more resembling Mountain View than Carmel.
Some people claim quaint Santa Cruz is now ain’t Santa Cruz.
PUBLIC OR NOT?
Despite the California Coastal Commission’s order to allow the path behind Aptos condos along Beach Street in Rio Del Mar to be open and available for all, the owners of what are mostly beachside vacation rentals rebelled against a $4.8 million fine and replaced the small, haphazard wall they first made with a big fence, blocking the public from walking along the beach and forcing them to walk in a busy street.
This is a long-standing debate that will still have more days in court. The local court ruled in favor of the homeowners, while the Commission favored public access to the path.
FAREWELL TO A LOCAL HERO
Hundreds of locals showed up at Cabrillo College Feb. 17 to say goodbye to philanthropist Rowland Rebele, who passed away in November 2023.
Reb contributed so much to this community, as writer Geoffrey Dunn recalled “his tireless advocacy for those experiencing homelessness; his generous commitment to the arts, education, journalism and newspaper publishing; his relentless protection of First Amendment rights; his delight in political campaigns (win or lose). Reb was seemingly everywhere at all times…his passions were broad and his energies both enthusiastic and unyielding.”
Recently retired County Supe Zach Friend noted: “Whether it was helping build skate parks for local youth or ensuring that the least fortunate are elevated in local government, Reb always quietly and effectively finds a way to make our community better for future generations.”
MARCH
GETTING HIGH
On March 4, local developer Workbench submitted a pre-application plan for the Clocktower Center to the City of Santa Cruz. At 18 stories with 260 apartments, the building at the former site of Santa Cruz County Bank and the Rush Inn would be the tallest building in the county. The next day, voters nixed Measure M, which would have required an election for buildings taller than the city’s current limit of five to eight stories.
But even without the threat of the vote, there was significant pushback on the idea of an 18-story structure. As it currently stands, Workbench has submitted an application for an eight-story project with 174 units on the Clocktower site, and city planners are reviewing the application.
To get a rough idea of what eight stories looks like, one needs to look no further than the 530 Front St. housing project in downtown Santa Cruz, an eight-story, 276-unit rental housing complex now under construction by Swenson Builder, which was approved by the city in April 2023 and soared skyward in the past year.
APRIL
SLUGGER TIME
The most illustrious member of the Ariolimacidae family, the banana slug, was upgraded from UCSC’s mascot (voted in by students in 1986) to California’s own state slug in April when the Legislature gave thumbs up to Assembly Bill 1850, authored by Santa Cruz’s Gail Pellerin.
Signed into law by Gavin Newsom in September, the bright yellow gastropod takes its place among other state symbols, including the pallid bat, the California dogface butterfly and the Pacific leatherback sea turtle.
STORM WATCH
The West Cliff 50-Year Community Vision was adopted by the Santa Cruz City Council on April 9. A response to the damage sustained by West Cliff Drive from the 2023 winter storms, the 50-year plan addresses the biggest issues facing the roadway.
But one part of the vision—a pilot program for one-way traffic—was voted down after dozens spoke out during public comment, including residents, former officials and members of the Santa Cruz Boardriders Club.
Since then the city has continued working on a 5-Year Roadmap for this beloved stretch of road, with a final report heading to the Santa Cruz City Council in March 2025. A public comment period will run through mid-January.
MAY
GROWING LIKE WEEDS
The corner of Mission and Laurel began a process of transformation this spring, first on May 13, when the contentious debate over approval of a dispensary operating near Santa Cruz High School ended when the Santa Cruz City Council voted 6-1 to greenlight the Hook Outlet at the former site of Emily’s Bakery.
But the bigger change came on May 28 when the Santa Cruz City Council unanimously approved a 48-unit housing project at the current site of the Food Bin and Herb Room, a project with no available parking, where residents aren’t allowed to own cars. WTF?
UPS AND DOWNS
One century ago, on May 17, 1924, the wheels began to turn on the Giant Dipper, and the momentum kept the historic wooden roller coaster moving into the 21st century.
In his Good Times, author Geoffrey Dunn remembers the day that he, like countless locals before and after him, finally surpassed the 50-inch mark and was tall enough to take that first thrilling ride.
He also reveals other milestones in the history of roller coasters in Santa Cruz, which began in 1885.
CURTAIN FALLS…AND RISES
On May 26, Jewel Theatre Company took its final bow with a production of Ted Swindley’s Always … Patsy Cline. Company founder Julie James plays the title role, which Good Times critic Christina Waters fits her talents perfectly, “from her bouffant hairdo down to her kitten heels.”
Though it survived a 20-month shutdown during the pandemic, the Jewel—like many other theater companies—suffered a form of “long Covid” in the 2022/23 season, when only 70% of its subscribers returned.“Many people just simply got out of the habit of attending performing arts events,” James said when she announced the closure at the end of that season.
The good news? All About Theatre, a great local company, has moved in.
UNCLE CHARLIE’S SPRING CAMP
Extracurricular activities on the UC Santa Cruz campus made headlines this year, especially as the spring semester drew to a close.
UCSC Students for Justice in Palestine began an encampment at Quarry Plaza, echoing protest demands on other campuses that colleges nationwide divest from companies with ties to Israel.
On May 20, UCSC graduate students and researchers went on strike to protest the treatment of fellow union members during pro-Palestinian protests at UCLA and UC San Diego. In the early morning of May 31, law enforcement agencies from across the state were called in to dismantle a blockade at the base of the campus.
University officials said more than 100 protesters were arrested, and the University also issued a two-week campus ban for students who were detained. Charges are still pending.
JUNE
NEW TOWN?
The north end isn’t the only part of downtown Santa Cruz that’s seen taller buildings sprouting. Also in the works is the South of Laurel Area Plan, which envisions a bustling neighborhood and a new 3,200-seat arena for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the south end.
A riverwalk, open-air dining on Pacific Avenue down to the beach and a pedestrianized Spruce Street in front of the future Warriors’ arena are among the enticements, along with 1,600 new living spaces. Comments were collected through mid-July, and we are awaiting a final report.
HEADING SOUTH
Santa Cruz County took a big step toward equity for residents in the south when the new South County Government Center opened on June 11. A makeover of the former West Marine building on Westridge Drive, the 121,000-square-foot building holds the Human Services Department, Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, County Clerk/Elections and Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office.
TWO DECADES OF FRIDAYS
This year, Santa Cruz’s First Friday celebration turned 20—and it’s still going strong.
Writer Richard Stockton interviewed its founders, Kirby Scudder and Chip, and also talked to current director Bree Karpavage, who says that although the monthly open gallery event was intended to help emerging artists.
“Over 20 years it has become a place for any artist of any level to show their work. A lot of well-known artists are Santa Cruz based; they live and work here but they haven’t necessarily shown here, and now because of First Friday, they’re starting to show in Santa Cruz.”
JULY
BIG MUSIC BOOST
The Santa Cruz Symphony announced a $1 million legacy gift from longtime board member Mark Chambers-Bray in memory of the late Roy Chambers-Bray, the largest single donation in the 67-year-history of the Symphony.
A longtime supporter of the arts, Mark Chambers-Bray recalls that he and Roy had agreed, upon their retirement, that they “really wanted to funnel our energies and our passion toward the things that inspired us. And the Santa Cruz Symphony was one of those things.
TINY HOUSES, BIG QUESTIONS
For years, unhoused people have camped in the levee area at the border of Watsonville and Pajaro, which is vulnerable during floods.
The “Recurso de Fuerza” (Resource of Strength) tiny home micro village was proposed in 2023 as a joint effort between Santa Cruz and Monterey counties to address homelessness. But residents in the East Front Street neighborhood of Watsonville pushed back against the project, saying local officials had ignored their concerns over crime and safety.
“Why is our voice not being heard?” asked Catalina Torres, who is a spokesperson for the group. Councilmember Eduardo Montesino said the decision on the project will lie with the county and state, but he urged residents to keep an open mind.
CAMPS OUT
Days after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order directing jurisdictions throughout the state to address the homeless encampments within their borders—and about one month after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that laws banning sleeping in public do not constitute cruel and unusual punishment—unsanctioned camps throughout the state have been cleared, and the residents moved to shelters, or to other illicit sites.
On July 29, Santa Cruz Police were in Pogonip Open Space, clearing out several encampments where homeless advocates say 50 people had been living. Santa Cruz Homelessness Response Manager Larry Imwalle said the action was not sparked by Newsom’s announcement or the Supreme Court decision. Rather, officials were looking to clear fire-prone areas and ameliorate environmental impacts caused by campsites.
Police “made multiple visits over several weeks trying to engage folks, connect them with services if they’re interested and shelter options in particular,” according to Imwalle, who added, “It’s the humane and respectful way to go through this process.”
Similarly, in Watsonville, officials cleared encampments along the Pajaro River, where people living along the levee have dug shelters into the soil, which weakens the levee and increases flooding risks, Watsonville Police spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said.
Athena Flannery of Homeless United for Friendship and Freedom took exception with the sweeps, arguing that 10-day notices didn’t give campers enough time, especially for homeless people with few resources, many of whom are disabled. She added that the Homeless Persons Health Project would present a letter to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, asking for a shift in thinking in the way local officials deal with the homeless population.
AUGUST
REASONABLE DOUBTS
The courtroom was packed as Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Denine Guy read her ruling that the prosecution had shown there was reasonable doubt that convicted murderer Adrian Gonzalez should be released from the juvenile detention system in October—on his 25th birthday—after his conviction for the 2015 kidnapping, rape and murder of his 8-year-old neighbor, Madyson “Maddy” Middleton.
According to state law, the juvenile system only keeps individuals until they are 25 years old. After that it is up to the courts to decide if they should be released. The judge said there was “probable cause to warrant a trial,” leaving Gonzalez’s fate in the hands of 12 jurors, with a verdict not expected until the new year.
HARBOR FUGITIVES
Two people were shot Aug. 8 after the Crow’s Nest Beach Party in the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor. Santa Cruz Police arrested Moses Dollar, 27, after he was captured in Los Angeles Sep. 18.
On Sept. 30, a second suspect, Mo Jakaella Porter, walked into the Santa Cruz Police Department, turned herself in and was booked for criminal conspiracy and attempted homicide.
SEPTEMBER
SHERIFF APPARENT
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors unanimously appointed Undersheriff Chris Clark to take the agency’s lead role, a decision that was foreshadowed when Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart announced in August that he would leave before the end of his term and endorsed Clark to succeed him.
The supes got on board Sept 3, along with Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeff Rosell and Chief Public Defender Heather Rogers, to make it official. County Supervisor Zach Friend said that said the tension that exists in many other law enforcement agencies—and the high turnover—does not exist in the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office thanks to the leadership of Clark.
Clark took on the new position Dec. 6.
WHARF’S UP
Several thousand people showed up for the reopening ceremony of the Capitola Wharf on Sept. 25, celebrating its survival after it was cleaved in two by heavy storms.
The wharf, built in 1857, boasts new lighting, side rails, benches, permanently mounted viewing scopes, several art installations, a wider deck, restrooms, bait and gift shops and a boat rental facility. Around 150 new pilings were added for strength. The renovation repaired damage from the 2023/24 storms and tidal surge.
Jessica Kahn, the city’s public works director, said the $10 million project was “a huge investment for a city this size.”
NEW LOSD LEADERSHIP
After this year’s budget crisis, threat of layoffs and resignation of a beleaguered superintendent, things are finally looking up in the Live Oak School District. Patrick Sánchez takes the reins as district superintendent, seeking to turn things around and avoid more cuts amid enrollment declines at the district’s six schools.
The working 2025-26 budget calls for an additional $1.3 million in salary reductions if the district’s financial picture does not improve by next year. Sánchez is aiming to increase enrollment by developing “signature programming” at each school site.
DISLODGING PROTEST
After USCS’s 2024 spring quarter ended with dramatic clashes between hundreds of protestors and multiple law enforcement agencies at the base of the campus, resulting in over 122 arrests, new university policies are tamping down on direct actions. The policies were required by state lawmakers as part of the Budget Act of 2024, which allocated over $4.8 billion for the UC system.
The new policies ban any form of encampment on university property; the erection of any structures on university property; the blocking or obstructing of roadways, walkways, buildings, parking structures or other passageways. It also bans the use of masks to conceal identity.
On Sept. 9, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a suit in Santa Cruz County Superior Court against the University, saying the bans were “unconstitutional and overbroad, depriving students and faculty of their due process rights.”
Jimmy Dutra liable in sexual abuse case
A jury found that Watsonville City Councilman Jimmy Dutra committed sexual battery and lewd and lascivious acts on a minor in his Los Angeles apartment 19 years ago.
The jury awarded Stephen Siefke more than $1 million in damages for emotional and mental suffering and economic losses. The jury did not, however, determine that Dutra acted with malice, and so could not award punitive damages.
Only one juror dissented.
The verdict came after roughly three days of deliberation, which followed a weeklong civil trial.
OCTOBER
SOUTHERN EXPOSURE
Pajaro Valley Health Care District—the board responsible for overseeing Watsonville Community Hospital—announced the purchase of the building and surrounding property. The move would bring full local ownership to the institution after years of corporate mismanagement.
In more good news for South County, a gaggle of local, state and federal officials gathered in Watsonville to celebrate the groundbreaking for the $600 million Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project, which will build up the levee system and give the region the flood protection it’s needed for decades.
And the party didn’t stop there. The Watsonville art community gathered downtown to celebrate the completion of Watsonville Brilliante, the massive mural project that graces the Civic Center parking structure and transforms the city’s modest skyline with a splash of color.
BUTTS OUT
Santa Cruz County supervisors passed an ordinance banning the sale of filtered cigarettes in unincorporated areas. The thinking was commendable enough—smokers should indeed keep their dirty butts off of our streets, sidewalks and natural areas. Opponents found the move silly and more than a little performative, since smokers need only drive to their friendly local tobacco shops in unaffected cities to find their butts.
NOVEMBER
LOSE SOME, WIN SOME
On Election Day voters in Santa Cruz approved Measure Z, the 2-cent-per-ounce sales tax on sugary beverages that is expected to raise $1.3 million a year for improving parks and providing safe routes to schools, among other things. The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors will get its first female members since Ellen Pirie left in 2012. Kim De Serpa and Monica Martinez, who represent the First and Fifth districts respectively, were sworn in on Dec. 23. Changing of the Guard Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees incumbents Oscar Soto, Georgia Acosta and Adam Scow were unseated by political newcomers Gabriel Medina, Carol Turley and Jessica Carrasco. With Misty Navarro having been appointed the previous month to replace Jennifer Holm, the two-month period represented the biggest upset on the board in the past decade. The new board will now be tasked with a coming economic recession, budget woes caused by declining enrollment and $5 million in budget cuts next year. But the financial news in PVUSD was not all bad. Voters approved Measure M, the $315 million bond measure that will raise $18.3 million annually by placing $60 per $100,000 of assessed value on properties within the district. The funds will go to construction projects, upgrades and repairs at all of the district’s 35 schools. Cabrillo College must cut 70 of its 1,394 classes and $4.5 million from its $89.3 million budget as a result of low attendance and state funding cuts. While the news was grim for Santa Cruz County’s community college, it was not all bad because…
DECEMBER
INTERMURAL HOUSING
Cabrillo College is working with UC Santa Cruz to build a 624-bed student housing complex, a move that is expected to bring in more students and pave their way toward higher degrees.
TURBULENCE
With newly reelected President Donald Trump promising to take a hard-line stance against immigrants, those here both legally and illegally are bracing for an unknown future. The county supervisors showed their support for the immigrant community with a resolution that county officials will not cooperate with federal immigration officials. While some are expecting stormy weather ahead in 2025, plenty came before the end of the year. Speaking of strange atmospheric phenomena, on Dec. 14 Scotts Valley experienced its first tornado, which flipped several cars and left the little city reeling. And on Dec. 23, heavy waves smashed the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, shearing off a 125-foot section that was already being repaired from damage incurred in the 2023 storms. Pilings and wood debris were scattered in the ocean and onto the shore, along with entire buildings that fell off the wharf.
MATT HARTLE—As a celebrated figure in the Bay Area live events space, Matt Hartle is a melody maestro, standing at the forefront of the jam band scene. The lead guitarist for the China Cats and Painted Mandolin keeps feet moving and spirits soaring sky-high with engaging live performances featuring his signature “hot Hartle licks.” The inimitable Hartle also hosts a lively Grateful Sunday jam—curated collaborative sessions with talented rising and established Bay Area artists for musical magic and mayhem. Hartle’s a crowd favorite; his energy and artistry ignite the dance floor. Expect to hear classics from Jerry Garcia, Neil Young and Bob Dylan, alongside an exhilarating mix of rock, blues, jazz, Americana and original compositions from Hartle. MELISA YURIAR
INFO: 5:30pm, Discretion Brewing, 2703 41st Ave., Suite A, Soquel. Free. 316-0662.
HOLIDAY
CHANUKAH TRAIN—Roaring Camp’s historic trains, including a 130-plus-year-old steam train, take guests on a journey through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, into the San Lorenzo River Gorge, across a century-old truss bridge and through a 15-year-old tunnel. For the holidays, Roaring Camp has the Chanukah Train, with a pre-ride menorah lighting, Chanukah games and traditions, Kosher refreshments (latkes and apple cider) and live music, all sponsored by Chabad by the Sea. Departing and returning to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the one-hour excursion occurs twice on January 2. BILL KOPP
INFO: 5pm, Roaring Camp, 5401 Graham Hill Rd., Felton. $38-$53. 335-4484.
FRIDAY 1/3
COMEDY
TEARS FOR CHEERS Puddles Pity Party appears Friday in Felton. PHOTO: Andrew Woodman
PUDDLES PITY PARTY—Puddles Pity Party, the seven-foot clown with a voice likened to Freddie Mercury and Tom Jones, has amassed nearly 1 million subscribers on YouTube and performed sold-out shows worldwide. His unique act melds humor, heartbreak and a bittersweet, absurdist charm to create unforgettable moments filled with tears and laughter. After appearing as a quarterfinalist on America’s Got Talent, Puddles’ absurdity and pathos continue to earn praise from comedic all-stars like Jack Black and “Weird Al” Yankovic and resonate with audiences across the globe. MY
FEASTING ON THE WORLD—They say variety is the spice of life because the world is so massively diverse: the cultures, the food, the architecture, the animals—it’s hard not to physically and metaphorically eat it all up. Maybe that’s why local painter Gene Holtan created Feasting on the World. His abstract Cubist style seeps up life’s flavors, colors and nuances in vibrant ways, with something new to see at each glance. Art lovers are invited to explore the world through Holtan’s eyes in the front gallery at m.k. contemporary art while imbibing the poems of famed local poet Gary Young. Afterward, a nightcap and stroll through the back gallery featuring over 25 local and regional artists will satiate even the hungriest soul. MAT WEIR
INFO: 6pm, m.k. contemporary art, 703 Front St., Santa Cruz. Free. 250-2224.
SATURDAY 1/4
ROCK
TRESTLES—Santa Cruz-based Trestles describes its original music as “beach rock.” In practice, that means merging indie rock with classic surf-rock textures, informed by the garage rock that two of the group’s members (guitarists Jackson Jones and Hunter Kelly) made with a previous project. Rounded out by the rhythm section of bassist Sophia Wall and drummer Malena Clark, Trestles released their self-produced debut album, Halfway Up the Hill, in 2022. Tight playing, sharp lyrics (check out “Rip Curl Sweatshirt” as a representative track) and a commitment to melody are hallmarks of this band-to-watch. BK
SEEING THROUGH STONE—Anyone who hasn’t had a chance to check out Seeing Through Stone, a group art that includes currently and formerly incarcerated artists, should grab the opportunity while they can, as it’s soon coming to a close. Even those who’ve visited the exhibit will want to return for the closing ceremony, which includes talks from North Carolina artist Sherrill Roland and curators Gina Dent, Lauren Dickens and Rachel Nelson, who will discuss the exhibit in relation to the ongoing “Visualizing Abolition” initiative. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
INFO: 2pm, Institute of Arts and Sciences, 100 Panetta Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 502-7252.
SUNDAY 1/5
SING ALONG
BEATLES JAM GROUP—When RSVPing to a local Beatles Facebook group event, attendees are asked to choose two songs from The Beatles Complete Chord Songbook. For four hours, the Beatles Jam Group will play those chosen songs on acoustic instruments, and around 75 individuals will take turns singing, giving it their best John, Paul, George and sometimes even Ringo. Attendees are invited to join the band, playing along on ukuleles, hand drums, acoustic guitars and more. There’s also a potluck, making the event sound a bit like a church service for Beatles worshippers—and a whole lot of fun. KLJ
THE BOX—Why not let out the inner goth lurking with the first Box of the new year? For 25 years, Santa Cruz’s premier goth club has been beating weekly in the heart of the city’s downtown. Dance macabre to a soundtrack of post punk, darkwave, synthwave, industrial—everything from goth music’s roots to modern-day bangers. For those just dipping their toes in, don’t worry. Not only are the goths much friendlier than they appear, the DJs mix in a healthy dose of more mainstream bands like the Cure, the Smiths, Billy Idol and some of the other darker music of the ’80s. Plus, it’s free. The only thing left to say is, release the bats! MW
INFO: 9:30pm, Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 423-7117.
WEDNESDAY 1/8
BOOK EVENT
WINTER READING PROGRAM MIXER—Ready, Set, READ! The Bookshop Santa Cruz is kicking off its annual Winter Reading Program with a charming mixer at the Hotel Paradox. Enjoy food and wine while staff give presentations on each of the eight recommended books. Adults who read at least three of the eight recommended books by Feb. 28will receive rewards from the Pacific Cookie Company, Birichino Winery and Bookshop Santa Cruz. It’s a perfect opportunity and a lovely incentive for the folks who look forward to unwinding with a good book after the holiday chaos. All eight copies will be available to purchase at the mixer for those eager to get started. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 7pm, Hotel Paradox, 611 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Free. 423-0900.
Resolutions can wait one more day—unless they include taking a pause to reflect.
A wave of new restaurants washed over greater Surf City in 2024, most notably a swell of promising seafood-centric spots, which inspires a year-end meditation to savor them.
Here are those fish-forward debuts, in alphabetical order:
Dos Pescados landed in Aptos (21 Seascape Village) just ahead of Fourth of July, with some superlative fundamentals in place: coastal cuisine like snapper ceviche with aji amarillo and mahi mahi tacos with chipotle aioli and mango salsa from Chef Trent Lidgey of One Fish Raw Bar; an ambitious cocktail program with drinks like the Mangonada Margarita with hot honey; and a great perch in the former Palapas Cantina.
Hook & Line opened in the space formerly occupied by Soif in the thick of downtown Santa Cruz (105 Walnut Ave.) last spring, and made an immediate splash with sustainable catch including roasted halibut with braised greens and potato skordalia and oyster preps befitting a shucking station custom designed by Chef Santos Majano. The wider space, meanwhile, enjoys ample sight lines and elbow room thanks to a newly opened layout.
Oyuki Sushi (1010 Pacific Ave., Suite F) started dishing its formidable fusion of Japanese technique and Peruvian ingredients—think fresh fish with aji pepper and lime versus wasabi and soy sauce—in late winter 2024. The big flavors in a modest 24-seat spot include lomo saltado, baked mussels in spicy mayo sweet sauce, papa a la huacaina and choros a la chalaca, aka steamed mussels with corn, cilantro, onion, tomato and traditional spices.
Pete’s Fish House began meeting seafood cravings in Capitola Village (231 Esplanade #102) in August. The same team behind Margaritaville, an oyster’s throw away, led by Chef Desmond Schneider, spotlights items like Hog Island oysters, seasonal crudo and soft shell crab sandwiches with gochujang aioli on brioche.
MORE FLAVOR
The year-gone-by also added a gem in Cavalletta (9067 Soquel Dr, Aptos), the modern Italian-Californian taste destination from Trestles creator Nick Sherman, who partnered with his pal and fellow restaurant vet Shawn Ryberg on the project. The February debut focuses on goodies emerging from 1) a custom wood-fired oven proficient at roasted cauliflower and pizzas with great char, bubbles and caramelization; and 2) an Emiliomiti pasta extruder pushing out strozzapreti, rigatoni and bucatini.
KEEP IT COMING
Still more eateries earned enthusiastic receptions in 2024. Dani O Bakeshop popped at the end of August in the Capitola Mall (1855 41st Ave.), with “intentional indulgence” in the form of focaccia pizza lunch boxes, pecan sticky buns and sea salt chocolate chip cookies all devoid of refined sugars, seed oils and GMO ingredients…Nico’s New Zealand-style ice cream dropped its magnetic concept of blended soft serve and frozen fruit on downtown (111 Locust St., Santa Cruz) in November. Jack’s Bao (49 Rancho Del Mar, Aptos) started steaming and souping in early fall. Bottega del Lago launched its market-cafe action in fall too, by way of coffee service, paninis, Roman pizza, salads, gelato…And, last and most un-least, Watsonville Public House (625 Main St.) began tapping good vibes in February, featuring a working brewery, immaculate wood bar and food from My Mom’s Mole food truck.
An iconic spot for San Lorenzo Valley locals to eat, drink and be merry, Henflings came under new ownership recently after being purchased by Mario Ibarra and his business partner, Antonio. Born and raised in La Paz, Mexico, and now a Ben Lomond resident, Ibarra has over 25 years of do-it-all industry experience, starting as a dishwasher before evolving to cook, server, manager and then ultimately becoming an owner of several local spots. Upon learning Henflings was for sale, he leaped at the opportunity to carry on its long-standing legacy, making it the fifth place he has owned.
Ibarra’s love for socializing and serving people with an “everyone is family” mindset makes for a perfect pairing with Henflings’ ethos, a place he describes as a rustic biker-vibed restaurant/bar/nightclub with themed nights and plenty of live entertainment. The elevated bar food menu features classic finger food options of buffalo chicken wings, onion rings, jalapeño poppers and garlic/parmesan fries, and bigger plates like ground ribeye hamburgers and salads such as the Italian Chop. Mexican options abound as well: al pastor tacos with homemade tortillas and even a popular birria “pizza” with slow-cooked shredded beef, mozzarella, onions and cilantro between two flour tortillas.
Tell me more about your special nights.
MARIO IBARRA: Henflings has been here for over 40 years with an already great local following. Live entertainment has always been a big part of that, so we continue to offer fun events that bring the community together. We do trivia on Tuesdays, bingo (“Flingo”) on Wednesdays, karaoke on Thursdays and live music on Friday/Saturday. We are also planning to offer stand-up comedy soon too. Henflings is a really special place and it’s always fun to be here.
To what do you attribute your success in the industry?
I have a positive mentality that when you want something, you have to go for it and really fight for it. Owning my previous restaurants, I really had to commit myself, put myself out there and hustle to make it happen. And now up here in the mountains, I have found a really amazing community and I am blessed to call my customers my friends. Owning restaurants is not easy—there are a lot of stresses and responsibilities—but seeing happy faces on my guests makes it all worth it.
Your story about the chance meetup with Bob Dylan is not so far-fetched. Probably around the same time period, I was parked by brother Peter Vizzusi (Magic Sands Glass) in the Catalyst deli while big brother went surfing. Alone at a table, in walked a wild-looking lady, beads everywhere and cursing at the bearded man she was with. I was chugging an apple cider and she motioned me over and out of her knapsack came a bottle of Southern Comfort, grabbing my cider bottle and pouring the booze in. “Here ya go kid…have fun! No imposter here, it was Janis Joplin!
John Vizzusi | Sights & Sounds Films
MORE BOB
I loved Geoffrey Dunn’s article and review of the new biopic about Bob Dylan, A Complete Unknown. In it Dunn mentions that he read somewhere that Jay Cocks “actually interviewed Dylan in 1964 while Cocks was a student at Kenyon College.” This is true. The interview was published in the Nov. 20, 1964, edition of the Kenyon Collegian, and it is also included in the book Bob Dylan—The Essential Interviews (pp. 31-39; Simon & Shuster, 2006, edited by Jonathan Cott), which can be viewed on the Internet Archive. Best wishes.
Mike Ross
ONLINE COMMENTS
MORPH THE WHARF
Greensite doesn’t want anything changed. The plan included a fishing deck below the walkway on the east side of the wharf, badly needed, and other improvements. If the wharf costs rise, she and her group, Don’t Morph the Wharf, should be morally responsible…not that they would ever be fiscally responsible.
Robert Bosso | GoodTimes.sc
RIVER WORK
I was delighted to learn about the rare cooperation between conservationists and farmers with regard to the health of the Pajaro River. Co-writers Julie Flannery and Richard Stockton brought life and understanding to this near-heroic effort.
Daniel Goldstein | GoodTimes.sc
NO ONE WANTS A REMAKE?
Who wrote this headline? Of COURSE we want to see this new retelling of Nosferatu! By the way, I had already forgotten about Chloë Grace Moretz’s feral teenager in Let Me In; it’s the original actress in Let the Right One In that I remember, which raises the question, who really wanted to see a remake of THAT?
Vikaryis Thrill | GoodTimes.sc
TAQUIZAS GABRIEL REVIEW
We ordered tamales, rice and beans for our Christmas Eve dinner for eight people. We picked up our order from the Capitola Mall. Everything was hot and beautifully prepared for transport. We all agree, the best tamales we’ve ever had, and the rice was outstanding! We were so happy Gabriel made them to order this year! My husband and I often stop at Gabriel’s for a taco and fresh horchata that they make daily. Last night we had a dozen chicken, a dozen pork and six vegetarian. All were delicious and not packed with too much masa…just right! Thanks, Gabriel!
It’s a portent that we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Boardwalk’s Giant Dipper roller coaster this year, because 2024 has been a roller coaster of a ride.
On the one hand, we’ve had floods, one wharf collapsed and one was rebuilt, power outages, a tornado, and we elected a president who has no love for California or the immigrants who do so much to support the economy on every level, from the fields to the silicon clean rooms.
On the other, we’ve had major development around the county, particularly downtown Santa Cruz, where years of asking for more housing have finally taken shape in the form of giant apartment buildings along Pacific Avenue.
Will more rooms bring down what are unlivable rent and home ownership costs? That’s the big question that politicians and developers have been pitching and debating for decades.
Our year-end review looks at the housing projects, as well as the year’s big local stories.
Talking about ups and downs, we lost the Jewel Theater at the Tannery. After it sat empty for months, the nonprofit group Theatre 831 (the parent organization of All About Theatre) took it over. Christina Waters does an interview with the new head of the Colligan Theater and gives us a lot of hope for live plays in the future.
Holy coffee, Batman, Santa Cruz has plenty of holy coffee you didn’t know about. Learn all about it in John Koenig’s article, “Good Brews.” Cheers.
In a million years I never thought I’d see the day that cannabis was legalized here or anywhere. I used to see the Legalize booths at various public functions and kind of laugh to myself that they were sure wasting time. Slap me in the face! It’s now legal for medical or pleasurable pursuits. But, 2024 wasn’t so great for the cannabis industry, says our columnist Dan Mitchell. Read it and weep.
Holy chicken wings, Batman, Henflings is back. One of the premier entertainment halls in the mountains, a place with a 40-year-long history of great music and tavern food has returned with new owners. Andrew Steingrube fills us in. And yup, they have chicken wings.
Finally, raise a glass to Vine & Dine columnist Josie Cowden, marking her 25th anniversary with Good Times. Happy New Year to her, and to us all.
Brad Kava, editor
PHOTO CONTEST
TIDE TURNING This Monterey Bay Sanctuary plaque from the damaged wharf somehow managed to make it onto Seabright Beach unscathed. Photograph by Jim Sklenar
GOOD IDEA
As in previous years, the Santa Cruz Police Department will deploy all
available officers to ensure a safe New Year’s Eve environment.
They will enact a Safety Enhancement Zone in the downtown corridor from 8am Dec. 31 to 8am Jan. 1. They will pass out triple fines for lawbreakers.
Those include possessing alcoholic beverages in public and other unsafe or illegal behavior-related ordinances, such as public urination.
GOOD WORK
Over this year, the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership helped secure two California Advanced Services Fund Adoption Account grants, which launched outreach to improve access and adoption of digital literacy skill-building across San Benito, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. Working in collaboration with technical and administrative assistance, new community workshops helped further close the digital divide, getting computing devices into the hands of low-income residents and helping them acquire the digital fluency skills to use them effectively.
Because of those funds, Loaves, Fishes and Computers was able to complete 303 digital literacy courses for residents of the tri-county region, distribute 550 computer devices, serve a total of 528 residents through digital literacy courses, and provide tech support for 400 seniors.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“What we know is a drop, what we don’t know is an ocean.” —Isaac Newton
California lawmakers in 2024 introduced 4,821 bills, but most of them were tossed, rejected or never even saw the light of day during a months-long legislative process.
Just 1,206 made it to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, with 1,017 getting signed into law and the others vetoed.
Such is the process every year, as senators and assembly members seek to fine-tune the state’s legal machinations. California residents, then, must adjust to a spate of new laws that affect nearly every facet of life.
Here are a few of the more notable Assembly Bills (AB) and Senate Bills (SB) that take effect this year, not the least of which are 10 laws that target retail theft.
Among other things, these laws increase penalties for repeat offenders and allow felony charges for some crimes.
AB 1779—Prosecutors can consolidate crimes from multiple jurisdictions into one case.
AB 1802—Permanently allows felony charges for organized retail theft. Indefinitely extends the CHP’s Property Crimes Task Force.
AB 2943—Targets serial retail theft for crimes committed within 90 days of each other.
AB 3209—Allows restraining orders against theft suspects.
SB 905—Allows prosecution of auto burglary whether the vehicle was locked or not.
SB 982—Laws targeting organized retail theft are now permanent.
SB 1416—Increases penalties for selling, exchanging or returning stolen property.
Food delivery services
SB 1490—Requires food delivery services such as Doordash and GrubHub to specify the fees they charge to both customers and restaurants.
Menstrual products for incarcerated people
AB 1810—Requires jails and prisons to provide menstrual products to female inmates, without them having to first request them.
New parking rule
AB 413—Also called the “daylighting law,” this prohibits parking from within 20 feet of a corner. The law was designed to eliminate blind spots, increase visibility and make it easier for drivers to see pedestrians and other vehicles.
Workers Rights
SB 988—Freelance Worker Protection Act requires employers to pay freelance workers within the time outlined in their contract, and within 30 days if there is no contract.
Housing
AB 2347—This law changes the time tenants have to respond to eviction notices from five days to 10.
SB 1395—Allows for streamlined zoning and faster building for single-room housing for unhoused people, and lets developers bypass environmental review for the projects.
Reckless Driving and Sideshows
AB 1978—Allows police to seize vehicles used in a sideshow without arresting the suspect.
AB 2186—People who race in a parking facility can be arrested and their vehicle impounded for 30 days.
AB 2807—Defines a “sideshow” and a “street takeover” as the same type of event.
AB 3085—Allows police to impound vehicles used in a sideshow without a warrant.
Electric Bicycle Safety
AB 1774—Prohibits modifying an electric bicycle’s speed capability and also selling a product or device that can modify the speed capability.
ARIES March 21-April 19
There are experiences, people and places that can either be good for you or bad for you. Which way they tilt at any particular time may depend on your mood or their mood or forces beyond your immediate control. An example for me is social media. Sometimes it’s a mediocre drug that dulls my sensibilities and...
As pretty much everyone expected last New Year’s Day, 2024 has turned out to be a challenging and in some respects horrendous year for cannabis in California.
The quaint little Santa Cruz we’ve known for decades has been booming in 2024, like no other time since the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.It’s been a boom year for construction all over the county. It’s also been a boom for environmental troubles, a time when officials have to decide how they will face climate changes that have affected not...
A wave of new restaurants washed over greater Surf City in 2024, most notably a swell of promising seafood-centric spots, which inspires a year-end meditation to savor them.
It’s a portent that we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Boardwalk’s Giant Dipper roller coaster this year, because 2024 has been a roller coaster of a ride.
Here are a few of the more notable Assembly Bills and Senate Bills that take effect this year, not the least of which are 10 laws that target retail theft.
