Music Picks: Oct. 30-Nov. 5

Mike Huguenor

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October 29, 2019

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Santa Cruz County live entertainment picks for the week of Oct. 30

WEDNESDAY 10/30

INDIE

PILE

If you like your indie rock angular, sharp and a little menacing, then Pile is what you have been looking for. On this year’s Green and Gray, the Boston band sounds almost classically indie rock, like a transmission from the year 1992 that got lost somehow en route. There’s a bit of Archers of Loaf in the murky melodicism, some Jawbox in singer Rick Maguire’s croon/scream dynamics. And while this might sound like a throwback, Pile excels at finding new pressure points, and then proceeds to hammer the heck out of them. MIKE HUGUENOR

8pm. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz. $13 adv/$15 door. 423-1338.

THURSDAY 10/31

BRAZILIAN

SAMBADA

The Monterey Jazz Festival last month featured some of the world’s greatest Brazilian musicians, from percussionist Luciana Souza and pianist Eliane Elias to guitarists Chico Pinheiro and Ian Faquini. Right there also was Santa Cruz’s own SambaDá, delivering an uproarious wave of Afro-Brazilian funk. Led by capoeira expert Papiba Godinho and Dandha da Hora, SambaDá has been spreading the gospel of Afro-Brazilian grooves for over two decades. Given the amazing costume traditions of Salvador’s carnival and Lavagem do Bonfim (think Sun Ra meets P-Funk), Moe’s might be the best Halloween dance party in these parts. ANDREW GILBERT

9pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $15 adv/$20 door. 479-1854.

FRIDAY 11/1

ROCK

BODEANS

If you were an angsty ’90s teenager, chance are you flipped on the TV every week to see what the gang on Party of Five was up to. Inevitably, that alt-rock theme song “Closer To Free” got you all emo-pumped for the show. The group that penned this song, longtime college rock band BoDeans, scored a legitimate hit with the placement during the Party of Five’s opening credits. But there are several decades of tunes in these guys’ catalog that bring the breathy, alt-rock vibe for hardcore fans. AC

8pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25 adv/$30 door. 479-1854.

POST-PUNK

GUERILLA TOSS

Guerilla Toss vocalist Kassie Carlson shouts and sing-songs her way through rhythmic incantations and odd time signatures, often sounding like there are 20 of her on stage at once. Sometimes evoking a twisted Gina X vibe, and other times emanating the best of any Brian Eno era, Guerilla Toss is continually diving into the depths of experimental music and bringing forth shiny, enigmatic treasures. The result is manic, high-energy no-wave punk tunes with a dash of noise rock and distorted synths. Yet an apparent love of addictive pop melodies also winds its way throughout their puzzlelike art-rock cacophonies. AMY BEE

9pm. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $12. 429-6994.

COMEDY

BUTCH ESCOBAR

It’s hard not to be just a little intimidated by a big man with a big beard who throws big rants and, appropriately, has one of the toughest sounding names in show business. But after just a few minutes of listening to one of Escobar’s hilarious tirades, the intimidation turns to agreement, laughter and applause. This Berkeley resident is a frequent flyer throughout the Bay Area and can often be seen anywhere from the Sacramento Punchline to the Sunset Strips’ Comedy Store. But Escobar reps Santa Cruz with a Blue Lagoonies shirt in his head shots. MAT WEIR

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

SATURDAY 11/2

PUNK

THE PARANOYDS

Feminists fought so women could find worth on their own, and not just because of which man they attached themselves to. Unfortunately, this isn’t a fight that’s over, as LA garage-punk band the Paranoyds note on new single “Girlfriend Degree.” “I’m not just a shadow of myself/Looking good for somebody else.” The song, like most of the catalog, is a little bit grunge, a little bubble-gum pop and heavy on the feel-good garage-rock vibes. They know just how to deliver important messages without making you feel like you’re being lectured to. AC

9pm. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10 adv/$12 door. 429-6994.

HORROR-PUNK

ARGYLE GOOLSBY

Blitzkid may be a done deal, but Argyle Goolsby is still out there frightening fans and looky-loos with slashy, trashy horror-punk backed-up by the Roving Midnight, a merry band of horror misfits. Fast, relentless guitar licks and infectious drumbeats underlie ghoulish, gothic storytelling, while Goolsby’s dark persona thrashes on stage with his rich voice yelping and purring at the audience. In between songs, Goolsby is warm, friendly, and inviting, which is precisely what a beast of the night would want an unsuspecting person to think. AB

8pm. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $10 adv/$12 door. 423-1338.

PUNK

MDRN HSTRY

Tell me if you’ve heard this one before: “Surf disco punk art core gone questionably appropriate.” Yeah, me neither. That’s because there’s never been another band quite like San Diego’s MDRN HSTRY. After all, they have a song about San Jose. Who does that? (Aside from, you know, Burt Bacharach.) Adding to the confusion is the band’s incredibly smooth-yet-tight jazz sound. Underneath is an ocean of surf rock that ebbs and flows subtly, crashing in your face before crawling back under for the next song. Floating on top is a polished radio sound worthy of the Growlers, Interpol and the Strokes. MW

8:30 p.m. Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $5. 423-7117.

TUESDAY 11/5

ALT-COUNTRY

RHETT MILLER

On his new solo album, Rhett Miller says the truth is he’s a “total disaster.” Yeah, well, guess what buddy, me too! The only difference is I didn’t front the influential alt-country band Old 97s, pen eight critically acclaimed solo albums, or write a book of verse for kids. Miller did, and after all these years, he still has the classic cool, lacerating tongue and pervasive self-deprecation that made the Old 97s a favorite of lovers and reprobates alike. Looks like even when it comes to being a disaster, this guy is a disaster. MH

8pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Dr., Santa Cruz. $20 adv/$25 door. 479-1854.

Next-gen Veggie Burgers Capitalize on Climate Guilt

Jordy Hyman

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October 29, 2019

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Next-gen Veggie Burgers Capitalize on Climate Guilt

Guilt is a powerful emotion. It turns us against ourselves, quietly judging and punishing even our most negligible misdeeds. Which makes it an equally powerful market force, because in the quest for perpetual growth, businesses must constantly plumb the depths of human psychology.

Organic, fair trade, cage free, non-GMO—a rainbow of certification schemes have sprung up to comfort consumers as we learn new ways our purchases contribute to the suffering of others.

Enter a new wave of fake meat products seeking to capitalize on our fears of climate change. Also known as meat substitutes, replacements, analogues, or even the oxymoronic “meatless meat,” these lab-engineered products are designed to look, taste, feel, and in some capacity replace popular animal products like ground beef and shredded chicken.

These aren’t your weird aunt’s veggie burgers—these fake meats are aimed directly at carnivores. They’re made of strange proteins isolated from soy, potatoes, coconuts, wherever they can be found, and reverse-engineered to mimic a juicy burger. In the case of the Impossible Burger, they famously even “bleed” when you cut into them.

Beyond Meats, Before the Butcher, Field Roast, Gardein, Lifelite, Quorn: alternative meat producers have proliferated rapidly in the last year or two, with investors pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into the industry. Nestle even acquired Moss Landing plant-based food company Sweet Earth.

In Santa Cruz, you can find varieties at most grocery stores, as well as menus all over town. There’s Saturn Cafe, the Parish, Michael’s On Main, Veg On The Edge, Malone’s, Dharma’s—and even fast food chains. At the county’s six Burger King franchises, it took less than two months for sales of Impossible Whoppers to surpass the original, says District Manager Christina Montenegro, and total sales are up across the region.

“People love them,” Montenegro says. “Now I eat only Impossible. The flavor is great—it’s more of meat than the real meat, but it’s not meat… I don’t know how.”

But the rapid growth in demand has sometimes made it harder for local businesses to get their hands on the products.

“The Impossible Burger, for a couple months, was impossible to get,” says Chef Jon Dickinson of Michael’s on Main. He says beef burgers still outsell substitutes at the restaurant, and there remains a debate about home-made veggie patties vs. newer engineered varieties. “I like the garden burgers better, myself,” Dickinson says.

But beyond imitating a real burger, some new meat producers seek to replace the old entirely, especially for those who find themselves adrift in the rising sea of doomsday climate change scenarios but can’t get themselves to kick their dietary habits.

Last March, an independent analysis of the environmental impact of the Impossible Burger 2.0 found that its production uses 96% less land and 87% less water than burgers made from cows. It also causes 89% less greenhouse gas emissions and 92% less nutrient runoff, which can cause aquatic eutrophication.

But there are skeptics critical of these new products’ ability to replace animal agriculture, as well as their real health impacts. There have been plenty of unsubstantiated claims about the dangers posed by imitation meats, especially about heme, the key ingredient of Impossible Foods that’s fermented in blood-red vats of genetically modified yeast. But heme is an essential and nearly ubiquitous protein, there is broad scientific consensus that GMOs don’t pose any major risks, and these products have been ruled completely safe.

The only accusation leveled against them that might stick is that they’re imitating foods that are unhealthy to begin with. The Harvard Health Blog published a side-by-side nutritional comparison of Impossible, Beyond and beef burgers, which showed all three to have similar calories, protein and fat content. Impossible actually has a higher amount of saturated fat than the other two, but the plant-based burgers have zero cholesterol.

“These products are not healthy, they are not something that I would choose to eat myself, they’re highly processed… they’re certainly not in and of themselves going to help us make the shift that we need to make,” says Beth Love, a Santa Cruz-based plant-rich diet activist, chef, coach, reverend, and author of cookbooks like Sensational Salads to Cool the Earth. She says that while meat substitutes are a step in the direction of health and sustainability, ultimately they are only a stop-gap measure or a gateway to a plant-rich diet.

The upshot: If you’re eating fake meat because you feel guilty about animals and the environment, why not go all in and eat your vegetables instead?

Love Your Local Band: Louie The 1st

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October 29, 2019

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In 2015, Everett Louie started DJing alone in his dorm room at UCSC. As a fan of EDM shows, he thought it would be cool to make some trap, hip-hop, EDM, house, dubstep, and bass mixes, and upload them to his Soundcloud. Just like that, his DJ moniker Louie The 1st was born.

Then something unexpected happened: his mixes found an audience online far beyond what he had imagined.

“I started getting bigger and bigger,” Louie says. “At one point I was like, ‘Wow, this is blowing up in my face right now. I need to do something about it.”

His first show as Louie The 1st was in June 2018. Later that year, he would play his first Santa Cruz show at the Catalyst, opening for ARMNHMR. On Nov. 2, he’ll play his fourth show at the Catalyst, opening for Elephante. As much as it’s an honor, he recognizes he has a tough role as a local opener.

“You have to be the person to get people engaged. Get them ready for the headliner,” Louie says. “You have to play music that’s entertaining enough the audience doesn’t get bored out of their minds, but you’re not playing songs that would take away from the headliner.”

He’s already got a great feel for the arc of his sets. He opens with songs that invite people to join in, then segways into infectious dance songs and closes with some slower, emotive songs to leave a strong impression.

“Essentially to be a DJ, you really have to tell a story,” Louie says. “How I play my music in my sets, I tell the story.”

8pm. Saturday, Nov. 2. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave. Santa Cruz. $20 adv/$25 door. 423-1338.

Film Review: ‘The Current War’

Lisa Jensen

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October 29, 2019

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No, it’s not about the latest international outrage launched by our so-called president. But The Current War concerns a subject every bit as cutthroat and high-stakes as any of the recent shenanigans out of D.C.: the clash of titans Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse as they race against time and each other to bring the magic of electrical power to America.

The movie is powered by a few titans of its own. Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Edison (another brusque, eccentric genius in the Sherlock/Alan Turing mode). Michael Shannon plays Westinghouse, peeking out over a formidable handlebar moustache (the era is around the turn of the last century). Nicholas Hoult pops up as Nikola Tesla, the unsung hero of the conflict, and Matthew MacFadyen (the smoldering Mr. Darcy in Pride And Prejudice, once upon a time) plays J. P. Morgan, the fickle financier for whose funding the others compete.

The subject may be electricity, but director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon doesn’t go in for a lot of flash and dazzle. His focus is on the hard work and endless trial-and-error that goes into producing a miracle like the electric light bulb—as well as its unexpected uses and sometimes grim consequences—and the dueling egos and private agendas of the miracle-workers who make it happen. Gomez-Rejon and scriptwriter Michael Mitnick rely on effective storytelling, interesting characterizations and period opulence to give the movie its charge.

Edison, a brilliant tinkerer, has invented the light bulb, and is feverishly working to build a power grid that will deliver electricity to private homes and entire cities. Industrialist Westinghouse is not an inventor himself, but he has a nose for profit and employs a research team to do what Edison is trying to do—but faster. (Also cheaper: a bottom-line mentality that echoes into our own era of lawsuits and random shut-offs.)

Edison lights up his first model town using Direct Current (DC), which requires the cables to be laid underground. There’s a wonderful shot of laborers at work on two levels of these underground tunnels, in cross-section; it looks like an ant farm, with tiny little humans scurrying around, one of many stirring and atmospheric compositions from cinematographer Chung-Hoo Chung. But Westinghouse is putting his money on the Alternating Current (AC), which is cheaper to produce—but far more dangerous, should any unlucky life form make contact with its volatile cables, which have to be strung up on poles above ground.

Already famed as an inventor, Edison doesn’t care about celebrity or money; he just wants to see his ideas come to life, and will organize press junkets and oblige autograph-seekers to do it. Westinghouse covets such fame and desperately wants to build his legacy. Serbian immigrant Tesla is more of a visionary than either of them. He works for Edison’s team for a while, where his engineering skills are not appreciated, but when he designs a motor that runs on AC, Westinghouse brings him on.

Their rivalry plays out in the press, especially when both men submit bids to light up the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. Dueling lawsuits and court appearances ensue. An animal is sacrificed to demonstrate how lethal electrocution can be—leading to the development of the “humane” electric chair, soon to be given a test drive on a convicted murderer. Such ghoulish fallout irks Edison, who has staunchly refused to allow his designs to be weaponized against other humans.

Katherine Waterston and especially Tuppence Middleton have small but key roles as Westinghouse and Edison’s wives. Tom Holland co-stars as Samuel Insull, Edison’s right-hand man and moral conscience. (He voices one of the movie’s main themes, challenging Edison as to whether he’d rather be remembered as P. T. Barnum or Isaac Newton.) And Chung’s often stunning cinematography (including a breathtaking aerial shot of the World’s Fair) and canny use of split-screen techniques remind us what the movie only hints at in its later scenes—that Edison’s most enduring legacy may be the development of motion picture technology.

THE CURRENT WAR

*** (out of four)

With Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon, Tom Holland, and Nicholas Hoult. Written by Michael Mitnick. Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon. A 101 Studios release. Rated PG-13. 107 minutes.

Dilated Pupil 2019

Students

Jordy Hyman

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October 28, 2019

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All the bad news in recent years about statewide budget cuts at community colleges has led to a creeping sense that perhaps they don’t offer the same possibilities for personal growth and transformation that they once did.

While there is undoubtedly a crisis in higher education in California, the truth is that the chance to discover a new direction for one’s life is still the core of what makes community colleges so appealing. That’s why Jordy Hyman’s piece in this issue of Dilated Pupil is so inspiring. When he went on a search for a new path, I mean, he really went on a search for a new path. And what he found at Cabrillo changed his life. (It also brought him to us, so good job, Cabrillo!)

Elsewhere in these pages, you’ll find a guide to everything student. If you want to discover the wide world of Santa Cruz cannabis, you’ve come to the right place. If you’d like to know how to get started in comedy around here, same. If you don’t know the wild counterculture history of the trailer park at UCSC, you really need to read our article by Susan Landry. And if you want to smoke out while pursuing a new career with a comedy performance at the trailer park at UCSC, whoa—by finding this magazine, you have just broken the universe. So be sure to read it cover to cover!

STEVE PALOPOLI | EDITOR

FEATURED STORIES

BACK TO SCHOOL: HOW I FOUND NEW PURPOSE AT CABRILLO COLLEGE

THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE UCSC TRAILER PARK

HIGH TIME: A GUIDE TO SANTA CRUZ CANNABIS DISPENSARIES

WHERE TO FIND COMEDY IN SANTA CRUZ

FULL ISSUE:

Santa Cruz County OKs New Development, Syringe Committee

Todd Guild

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October 28, 2019

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Santa Cruz County OKs New Development, Syringe Committee

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors this week approved a plan to build a car dealership at a busy mid-county intersection as part of a project that will include demolishing several existing buildings.

The Nissan dealership on the 2.5-acre parcel on the corner of 41st Avenue and Soquel Drive will include a 12,550-square-foot showroom and a 10,000-square-foot service area. The project includes rezoning the area from community commercial to service commercial.

The business will replace King’s Paint & Paper, an adjacent self-car wash and an abandoned house. It will be a relocation for the Nissan dealership at 1605 Soquel Drive. Construction will include landscaping and a new sidewalk in front of the dealership. It will also include a signal light at Soquel Avenue and Robertson Street.

As part of their Tuesday vote, supervisors also approved an environmental impact report for the project, which must now be approved by a Santa Cruz County Superior Court judge.

Don Groppetti, who owns the dealership, will pay 2.8% of the cost of the signal lights, which he said is about $200,000.

He will also pay for a dedicated vehicular right turn lane along the Soquel Drive property frontage, and for a sidewalk along the front of the business, which will extend 300 feet to the west and 250 feet to the south of the project site.

Workers will remove eight trees and plant 50.

SEEING GREEN

The project, which the supervisors initially approved in May 2018, does not come without controversy. A lawsuit filed in July 2018 by the group Sustainable Soquel ended in March when a Santa Cruz County Superior Court judge ruled that the county needed to look at alternative sites.

Sustainable Soquel member Lisa Sheridan has said that she wants to see the creation of “walkable neighborhoods” that include mixed-use projects.

All but one of the dozen or so people who addressed the supervisors spoke in opposition.

Jill Troderman of Soquel expressed concern about the increased traffic she envisions stemming from the project. She proposed instead a community space that could include music venue and cafes. That sentiment echoed what many people told the supervisors.

“This could be a really special place for our community,” she said.

But the trouble with such a proposal is that nobody has yet proposed an alternative project.

Supervisor Bruce McPherson said that there have been no improvements to the corner for decades. He said the auto dealership plan uses the property in a “common sense manner” that complements existing uses.

McPherson predicted that the mitigations of the new traffic signals will lessen traffic, rather than add to it.

Supervisor John Leopold, whose district includes the site, agreed, saying that the project will improve what he called the busiest commercial corridor in the county.

“It’s not an attractive corner,” he said. “It’s got dumpy buildings. It has some trees, its got no wildlife, it’s got derelict homes. I think we can all agree we want something different than what’s there now.”

Gillian Greensite, chair of the Santa Cruz chapter of the Sierra Club, urged the supervisors to reject the project.

“While we have no shortage of car dealerships, we do have a shortage of land available for the sort of development determined to be the best for this area as outlined in the 2014 Sustainable Santa Cruz Plan,” she said, referring to a document that lays out plans for sustainable planning and transportation.

Former Santa Cruz County Greenway Executive Director Manu Koenig agreed, saying that document was approved after numerous community meetings.

“The consensus was clear,” said Koenig, who’s challenging Leopold for his District 1 seat. “We need to create walkable communities. Are we going to create another temple to the automobile, or are we going to use this opportunity to create a temple to community and sustainability?”

Santa Cruz insurance salesman Lou Tuosto, who has served on several boards, was the only public voice speaking in favor of the plan. He said it will bring jobs to the community and improve the otherwise “blighted” corner.

Tuosto pointed out that the county looked at alternative sites, and that nobody else has stepped forward with an alternative plan.

“This site looks good,” he said. “It makes sense. It makes financial sense.”

Supervisor Zach Friend was the lone dissenting vote. He said that approving the project would mean the county would not be able to change its mind if a potentially better project pops up down the road.

“We do future planning as a county, and I think that in 10 or 15 years we would envision something else at this location,” he said. But it’s going to be very difficult to undo what will be there in 10 or 15 years.”

The proposal passed 4-1.

NEEDLE NEWS

In other action, the supervisors unanimously approved a first reading of a proposal to create a Syringe Services Program Advisory Commission.

The seven-member public body would oversee the county’s syringe services and would be bound by public meeting rules.

These programs help reduce the risk of communicable diseases such as AIDS, Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency Director Mimi Hall said. The item will return to the supervisors for a second reading and approval on Nov. 5.

An advisory council has overseen the program since 2013.

“We’re forming this commission because syringe services is a very important piece of the work we do,” Hall said.

Update 10/29/19, 12 p.m.: A previous version of this story misstated Manu Koenig’s affiliation with Santa Cruz County Greenway.

Bartolo’s Spirited Merlot 2013

Josie Cowden

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October 23, 2019

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Looking for a dark and spirited brew for Halloween? Bartolo’s Merlot should do the trick. And it’s a treat for body and soul with its dynamic aromas of ripe plum, coffee, herbs, and touches of molasses. Flavors of red fruits, coffee and vanilla make this a perfect wine to enjoy with your mile-high stash of Halloween chocolate.

Produced from grapes grown in Gilroy, this 2013 Merlot ($32) is blended with 21% Petit Verdot, adding unique floral notes of violet and lavender. Blackberry and blueberry give yet more full body to this robust wine.

“Bartolo is the sibling brand to Equinox,” says Winemaker and Owner Barry Jackson, who is well known around these parts for his Equinox sparkling wines. “Born under the same family as Equinox, Bartolo specializes in still, non-sparkling wines made from grapes harvested from the bountiful Central Coast of California.” Under the Bartolo label, Jackson also makes wines such as Fiano and Grenache. Check the website for what’s in stock.

Bartolo and Equinox wines tasting room is open daily 1-7pm at 334 Ingalls St. Unit C, Santa Cruz. 471-8608, equinoxwine.com.

Chia Pudding at Seascape Foods

If I had to describe ambrosia, then the Chia Pudding sold at Seascape Foods would be it. A delicious mix of organic chia seeds, organic coconut milk, seasonal fruit, and a dash of maple syrup, it’s a healthy breakfast or snack. And don’t miss the breakfast burrito or a fresh-baked muffin available in the excellent deli. Owners Julie Kellman and Dan Hunt focus on organic and locally sourced food—and they do catering, too. They were recently voted Business of the Year with the Aptos Chamber of Commerce.

Seascape Foods, 16 Seascape Village, Aptos. 685-3134, seascapefoodsaptos.com.

Stockwell Cellars Sells Merlot Jelly

Want something other than strawberry jam on your morning toast? Try vine-ripened Merlot Jelly made by Morning Glory Farms. It sells for $9 at Stockwell Cellars. Winery owner Eric Stockwell says it’s delicious with cheese and toast.

Stockwell Cellars, 1100 Fair Ave., Santa Cruz. 818-9015, stockwellcellars.com.

Opinion: October 23, 2019

Steve Palopoli

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October 23, 2019

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EDITOR’S NOTE

It’s funny, just this week I was speaking to a graduate writing class up at UCSC, and the subject of alt-weekly news coverage came up. I was saying how the whole business of news has changed for us; how alt-weeklies used to be on the fringe, but now have had to pick up some of the slack of mainstream news coverage as dailies have declined, and how I sometimes worry there’s not as much room anymore for the totally out-there, bleeding-edge kind of stories that would flat-out scare conventional media outlets.

And the same week, ironically, we run a cover story about a book on Lyme disease so controversial that the word “controversial” barely seems to cover it. Did the spread of Lyme disease start as a Cold War weapons program? You’ll have to draw your own conclusions after reading Chuck Carroll’s cover story on Kris Newby’s book Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weapons. But I’ll tell you one thing for sure: this is exactly the kind of “classic” alt-weekly story I’ve been missing.

STEVE PALOPOLI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Read the latest letters to the editor here.

Re: Nuz, Oct. 2: After a lengthy phone interview, I was disappointed to see Nuz only took two small quotes from all I said, and quoted them out of context in both cases.

To set the record straight, I got involved in the recall effort after the proposal to allow RV camping on Delaware and Swift. Allowing RV parking in an environmentally sensitive area is a bad idea, particularly without any kind of sanitation services, dumping station, garbage cans, etc. But what I told you was that our environmental education high school program performed seven years of community service projects at Natural Bridges and Antonelli Pond, clearing non-native plants, planting native ones, creating kiosks explaining the local flora, building pathways and rest spots, and that I was sad to see that all that hard work was “trashed.”

As to Nuz’s comment that we are “recalling city council members over a rabid aversion to homelessness,” that is completely untrue. We want to assist people in need, but not in the way it was done at the Ross camp, and not in the way it is being proposed by Krohn and Glover. People experiencing homelessness are not all the same, and they need different services. We want people’s needs to be addressed with mental health services, drug/alcohol rehabilitation services, etc., in collaboration with the county, and not allow people to live in the mud with rats and needles with no actual shelter. Permitting that does not help either the homeless or our community. Proposing transitional homeless encampments in city neighborhoods and parks is a bad idea. State studies show that transitional homeless encampments are not the solution for getting people out of homelessness. We are not anti-homeless; we are anti-bad decision. We need leaders who are collaborative, who can listen to all kinds of community concerns and ideas openly and respectfully, who consider the whole community, without bullying, demeaning behavior or grandstanding. Those Glover/Krohn supporters who think it’s ok to yell insults from their cars or bicycles as opposed to actually having a discussion about our city’s significant issues, or who accuse people they don’t even know of being racist or fascist as their frontline offense, or who harass and follow volunteers, just validate our reasons for doing this. That type of behavior is unproductive and unacceptable.

To learn more about the reasons for recall, as well as how you can help, go to santacruzunited.com.

Carol Polhamus
Santa Cruz

Re: “Commission Granted,” (GT, 10/2): Good Times did a disservice to its readers with this article, which neglects to summarize the allegations of misconduct against Councilmembers Glover and Krohn. Those who have not followed the story closely would be justified in imagining the councilmembers must be accused of sexual assault or sexual harassment, given the vagueness of the alleged misconduct and the commission’s fervor in condemning the two men. Some backstory is useful here.

Last year, Glover was elected on a progressive platform, which included aggressive steps to address our city’s problem with homelessness, and to help those struggling to survive on the streets. Glover was stymied by Mayor Watkins, who refused to place his policy suggestions on the official agenda. Frustrated, Glover posted an essay called “The Fierce Urgency of Now” on social media, in which he criticized the lackadaisical pace with which our local government addresses this issue.

At the next council meeting, Mayor Watkins said that Glover and Krohn, another member of the council’s unofficial progressive wing, “are intentionally bullying me because I’m a woman,” displaying remarkably thin skin for a politician, especially for a mayor. What followed was an expensive, independent investigation of Krohn and Glover’s conduct. This report did not substantiate Watkins’s claim of sexist bullying, although it did detail an incident in which Councilmember Meyer held a meeting in a conference room that went over schedule, and ate into a meeting Glover had slated in the same room afterwards. As Meyer’s meeting concluded, Glover stood in the doorway and chewed Meyer out, forcing those leaving to awkwardly squeeze by him. Unprofessional? Sure. Scandalous? Hardly.

As for Chris Krohn, the only substantiated misconduct found was an incident in which he laughed in a sarcastic manner. All of this was reported by Good Times, but you can’t just assume that every reader reads every issue. Casual readers should know just how petty this tempest in a teapot really is.

Patrick Rooney
Santa Cruz

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

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GOOD IDEA

Aimed at supporting a diverse regional food economy, a local grocer has introduced a new Partner Fund Microloan Program. New Leaf Community Markets will offer low-interest loans and business mentorship to local, small and underserved independent food producers. The fund prioritizes underrepresented entrepreneurs who historically have faced barriers to capital—such as mission-based companies and businesses owned by women, people of color, immigrants, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

GOOD WORK

Helping the federal government better understand who lives in the county would be good work! The U.S. Census Bureau’s nationwide recruiting efforts launched on Oct. 21. Residents can earn up to $22 per hour while helping make sure all parts of their community get counted during the 2020 Census. A full and accurate count ensures access to $675 billion in federal funding, including for roads, schools and emergency services.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Why do we love the idea that people might be secretly working together to control and organize the world? Because we don’t like to face the fact that our world runs on a combination of chaos, incompetence and confusion.”
-Jonathan Cainer

5 Things To Do In Santa Cruz: October 23-29

GT Staff

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October 22, 2019

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5 Things To Do In Santa Cruz: October 23-29

A weekly guide to what’s happening

Green Fix

8th Annual Halloween Paddle

Who needs broomsticks when there are … paddle boards? For all the Santa Cruz witches, ghouls, goblins, and warlocks out there, Santa Cruz SUP is loaning out boards at the Santa Cruz Harbor—let’s go scaring!! Participants will hand out candy to the boaties, scare the locals and participate in general shenanigans on this witchly day at the waterfront.

INFO: 9am-noon. Sunday, Oct. 27. SUP Shack Santa Cruz, 2214 E Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz. Free.

Art Seen

Glass Pumpkin Patch

Why carve a pumpkin that only lasts a month or two when you can get one that lasts for decades? This year, local glass blower Chris Johnson has been busy working on a bumper crop in the hot shop. His stock includes beautiful handmade glass pumpkins and gourds in an array of colors, shapes and sizes for all budgets. No purchase required—all are welcome to enjoy the glass art, and 5% of sales will be donated to the Live Oak Grange for their community programs.

INFO: 10am-4pm. Saturday, Oct. 26 and Sunday, Oct. 27. Santa Cruz Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave., Santa Cruz. 476-6424. Free.

Sunday 10/27

7th Annual Run by the Sea

If there is such a thing as a relaxing run, this is it. The annual Run by the Sea is a 12K run, 4K run/walk, or a half-marathon (for the real ambitious folks) that meanders along the gorgeous coastal bluffs of the Central Coast. The run consists of mostly of flat, packed dirt trails along Wilder Ranch, plus a beach crossing for those doing the longer races. The dolphins and seals have been known to join the cheer squad, too.

INFO: 8am. Wilder Ranch State Park, 1401 Coast Rd., Santa Cruz. runbythesea.org. $40-80.

Wednesday 10/23

‘Is Our Groundwater Too Salty?’

For years, groundwater levels in our region have been dropping to record lows at such a rate that our aquifers are no longer being naturally replenished by rainfall. As groundwater levels fall, salty ocean water moves inland. In what can be a costly and irreversible process called saltwater intrusion, aquifers become contaminated and wells too salty for use. Experts will address what that means for the future in an event moderated by former Mayor Cynthia Chase with panelists from UCSC, Stanford and the Soquel Creek Water District.

INFO: 7-8:30pm. Seymour Marine Discovery Center, UCSC Coastal Science Campus, 100 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz. 459-3800, seymourcenter.ucsc.edu. Free/passes available beginning at 6 p.m.

Friday 10/25

‘Ghostbusters’ at the Del Mar

The all-Female Ghostbusters reboot may have been completely ignored, and the This Ain’t Ghosbusters XXX porn parody may not have garnered the popularity it deserves, but the original and all-time best Ghostbusters is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. In honor of one of the best comedies ever, the Del Mar is welcoming all of the Egons, Silmers and Venkmans everywhere just in time for Halloween.

INFO: Midnight. Del Mar Theatre, 1124 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. landmarktheatres.com. $7.

Mr. Z’s Brings Crepes, Teas to Watsonville Hanger

Georgia Johnson

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October 22, 2019

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Mr. Z’s Brings Crepes, Teas to Watsonville Hanger

The newest addition to the Watsonville Hangar, a South County counterpart to Abbott Square, is Mr. Z’s Crepes and Teas. They make acai bowls, too, but that doesn’t rhyme.

Ru Patel opened the café a month ago with her family, which also owns a Baskin Robbins in Watsonville, in an effort to up the area’s novelty food game with a local outpost for boba, or bubble tea. Crepes and acai bowls also fit the fun theme of the restaurant, and the community’s emerging dining scene.

How did you settle on the name “Mr. Z’s?”

RU PATEL: I really wanted to have an animal be our brand mascot. My father is from East Africa, and I spent a lot of time in Africa on safaris, so it was very nostalgic to me to have an African animal as our mascot. Once we figured out we wanted an animal, we played around with names, and the zebra in particular looks fantastic with the sunglasses and hat that ties in with the airport theme.

What have the best sellers been?

We come up with some unique menu items, like the Cali club crepe and smoked salmon crepe—those have been really popular. Also because they are so fresh. We source our ingredients every day from Watsonville Coast produce and Freedom Meat Locker. For teas, we have a layered matcha-strawberry tea and mango fruit tea with boba.

You’re already a business owner, but what was unique about opening this business, in an airport hangar?

There is no plumbing, lighting or electrical. That was the biggest challenge … But after all the work, it’s so nice to see a building that’s not a traditional strip mall converted into this community space. People can have a crepe from us and a beer from Beer Mule next door. The whole place is inviting people to come out of their homes, stay unplugged from their devices and just hang out.

Mr. Z’s Crepes and Teas, 45 Aviation Way #2, Watsonville. 228-1588, facebook.com/mrzsteas, Instagram: @mrzsteas.

Good TimesGood Times

Good TimesGood Times

WEDNESDAY 10/30

INDIE

PILE

8pm. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz. $13 adv/$15 door. 423-1338.

THURSDAY 10/31

BRAZILIAN

SAMBADA

9pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $15 adv/$20 door. 479-1854.

FRIDAY 11/1

ROCK

BODEANS

8pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25 adv/$30 door. 479-1854.

GUERILLA TOSS

9pm. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $12. 429-6994.

COMEDY

BUTCH ESCOBAR

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

SATURDAY 11/2

PUNK

THE PARANOYDS

9pm. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10 adv/$12 door. 429-6994.

HORROR-PUNK

ARGYLE GOOLSBY

8pm. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $10 adv/$12 door. 423-1338.

PUNK

MDRN HSTRY

8:30 p.m. Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $5. 423-7117.

TUESDAY 11/5

ALT-COUNTRY

RHETT MILLER

8pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Dr., Santa Cruz. $20 adv/$25 door. 479-1854.

THE CURRENT WAR

FEATURED STORIES

FULL ISSUE:

SEEING GREEN

NEEDLE NEWS

Chia Pudding at Seascape Foods

Stockwell Cellars Sells Merlot Jelly

EDITOR’S NOTE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

GOOD IDEA

GOOD WORK

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

8th Annual Halloween Paddle

Glass Pumpkin Patch

7th Annual Run by the Sea

‘Is Our Groundwater Too Salty?’

‘Ghostbusters’ at the Del Mar