Page 675 – Good Times

Festival of Atonement: Risa’s Star’s Sept. 19-25

Risa D’Angeles

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September 18, 2018

Festival of Atonement: Risa’s Star’s Sept. 19-25

We are in the Jewish High Holy Days of the New Year (Rosh Hashanah). Following Rosh Hashanah, we have had 10 days of reflection, ending in the Day of Forgiveness (Yom Kippur).

In the book Dune, author Frank Herbert writes, “Beginnings are fragile things. A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care that the balances are correct.” It is good therefore to begin a new year with forgiveness—offering and receiving forgiveness. These Days of Awe, Reflection and Forgiveness occur this year in Virgo, sign of purification, preparing us for the balance and harmony of Libra.

And so, among ourselves, to and for each other, we offer forgiveness. When we do so, we are “likened to the angels.” And, as we forgive, we too are forgiven (by G-d). “For on this day He will forgive us, purify us, that we be cleansed from all imbalances (ignorance, inabilities, unknowings, hurting others, judgments, criticisms, non-virtuous ways of being that create separations, etc.) before G-d.”

Candles are lit. We read the Book of Jonah & Psalm 27. Praying to G-d. Knowing G-d is Goodness always. In our introspections, we come closest to G-d (essence of our Soul). “G-d, benevolent G-d, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and truth; He preserves kindness for two thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, and He cleanses.” This is the prayer of the Angels. We have “captured” it. So we can be angels too.

We ask forgiveness. We offer forgiveness to those who have hurt us. Being forgiven, we, in turn, forgive. “Forgive me,” we beseech G-d and all those we have hurt. “You are forgiven,” we say to each other. And then we see G-d has written and sealed our names in the Book of Life. And all 12 petals of the heart unfold in Joy.

ARIES: The season’s about to change and so must our health regimes, diets, ways we exercise and plan our day. Through this Virgo time, it’s good to begin thinking along new lines, preparing for the coming changes in the sunlight, shadows, color, air and clouds. These changes are reflected within ourselves, too. Relationships need extra tending so others around us don’t feel cold, separated, alone and left out. We embrace them.

TAURUS: You want to be out and about, learning new things, attending lectures, classes, gathering information. Always your life and its task are to illuminate the minds of humanity. And so, you are serious and disciplined. It would be good to consider what is playful for you, brings enjoyment, fun; what calls forth your humor and spontaneity? Perhaps you need to swim more, in clear pure warm waters.

GEMINI: Family, whether biological, friend, group, colleagues, etc. matters more and more these days. Something new has occurred in your life and you are to bring forth the next stage in a relationship. Harmony is your focus with a touch of compromise (not much). Listening to others until you understand the essential message is a parallel goal. All of this brings love forth—your task. Love heals.

CANCER: Make contact. These two words have a depth most don’t understand. Making contact releases Love. But it must be true, real and intentional contact. It must be from the heart, connecting heart to heart, Soul-to-Soul. The results are that the Love released creates liberation for everyone. You are the one to begin this process. Do this ceaselessly, quietly, with heartfelt intention with all of the kingdoms. Begin in the garden.

LEO: It’s time to create a new plan concerning finances and resources. When you do so, a new state of values also comes forth. You may want to communicate more deeply with people close to you, sharing your values with them, asking what values they hold, assessing what values are held in common. What are your desires and aspirations for the future, based on these values? Your sense of identity and values have changed this past year.

VIRGO: You will want to come out of the shadows and into a greater light. Standing in shadows, perhaps in the shadow of another can be comforting. However, there comes a time when we each must define ourselves, recognize our own self-identity, understand what we initiate, realize that we’re capable, summon our confidence, and seek a new support system. Am I speaking to Virgo or Pisces? Both. They are the shadow of each other.

LIBRA: This morning I saw a drawing of a sheaf of wheat. A Virgo symbol of nourishment for humanity. I thought of Libra and what nourishes them. Relationships, beauty, friends, equilibrium, balance, love, parties, art. In the beauty and balance of the wheat sheaf I thought Librans must return to their art in whatever form calls to them. Some Librans design clothing, some paint, some have galleries, some are collectors. What art form of beauty and balance calls to you?

SCORPIO: Do you sense restlessness, a discontent? That there’s a group that belongs to you, yet somehow you can’t find it or they you? Not yet. As you both search for the other, assess your present and future goals (again). They’ve changed recently or are in the process. So many of us are on the fence, uncertain about the future. We must summon patience. Speak with those close to you. Ask for their visions and goals. Listen deeply. There’s a message there.

SAGITTARIUS: During these months the perfect execution of your creative work is a priority. It always is but a new dimension has been added. Multiple concepts flow through your mind; you’re being impressed with ideas that become ideals and later, goals. There’s an inner enthusiasm. You’re gestating a new reality. Do you sense the need to begin something? Share your ideas with others who love to listen to you. Diplomacy is paramount.

CAPRICORN: What will you do when autumn begins? It’s only days away. It seems something’s calling you, someone, somewhere. Maybe it’s a garden deva. Perhaps it’s a course of study, something you want (or need) to learn. Is there somewhere you want to visit, travel to, discover? Maybe it’s freedom. Is there something you need to say to someone far away? Or visit? Something lovely your ways comes (soon).

AQUARIUS: Take extra care with money and resources. Use this time to discriminate between what is needed and what is not. Give away what is no longer useful and then give more away. Giving provides us with meaning, a true sense of service. Giving liberates and allows everyone involved to move forward in their lives. Give to yourself then give of yourself to others. With love.

PISCES: We are to do our best wherever we find ourselves. Many of us are uncertain these days, on the fence (uncomfortable), unable to know where we’re going, what to do when we don’t know what to do, and how to provide our gifts when opportunities don’t seem to exist. Again, we (especially Pisces) are to do our best wherever we find ourselves. We’ve been placed there for a reason. Relationships need a bit of compromise. A bit of surrender. You understand.

Preview: Hiss Golden Messenger to Play the Catalyst

A&E
Music

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September 18, 2018

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Preview: Hiss Golden Messenger to Play the Catalyst

A strange thing happens when you listen to the new Hiss Golden Messenger record Hallelujah Anyhow. You kind of don’t know how to feel. At least that was my reaction, which I tell leader MC Taylor at the beginning of our interview.

He responds with a knowing chuckle, as though this is exactly the reaction he was hoping for.

“I’ve always been interested in whether there’s a way to translate that tangle of emotions into a song—a mix of joy and confusion and anger and sorrow all at the same time. That feels real to me,” Taylor says. “That is something that I like and definitely mean to have in there. Especially with the way that America feels right now.”

There is something particularly poignant about the record in these polarizing times, and what often feel like catastrophic moments in history. It’s almost as though Taylor read our collective unconscious despair, and set our confused emotional state to bittersweet indie-Americana music.

There’s a whole range of contradictory emotions on the record. Opening track “Jenny of the Roses” has the line: “I’ve never been afraid of the darkness/It’s just a different kind of light.” He tells me I’m not the first person today to point out that specific line to him.

Joy in the midst of despair was a particular area of focus for him on the record, Taylor says. The title of the album basically says it all.

“I’m trying to find hope in small corners. We need that joy. We can be horrified about separating children from their parents at the border, and we can also find joy in certain moments in our day-to-day lives. They’re not mutually exclusive,” he says. “Maintaining that level of horror and shock alone is too exhausting. I think it leads to a normalization of the policies that show up in the news so much these days.”

Not that there are any specific references on the album to anything happening in our world.

“I have an aversion to feeling like I’m going to compose ‘protest music.’ I had absolutely no compulsion to speak for anybody other than myself and my family,” Taylor says. “My job as an artist is to make something that feels real.”

The album is an extension of what he’s been doing since his 2010 masterpiece Bad Debt, a landmark moment for him in terms of expressing contradictions via music. He’s been making music before that for years, and although it was still within the Americana world, it never quite had this depth. Ever since, he’s taken the same approach with each subsequent album.

“There’s nothing drastically different about how I went about composing the songs for this record. I think it has to do maybe with the way that this album rubs up against what life feels like in our country right now,” Taylor says. “With Bad Debt, I just hit some emotional something. I felt like the only way my music is going to be worth anything to anybody including myself is if it feels real.”

Hallelujah Now, he tells me, just poured out of him. He’s not even sure why. He’s currently working on his new record, which he says isn’t coming out with nearly as much ease. However, it’s all relative. Ever since he struck gold with Bad Debt and learned a way to express himself in a sincere way, it hasn’t ever really been too hard.

“I’m always surprised to hear people talk about how difficult song writing is for them. I’ve never really had that feeling,” Taylor says. “Even with the latest batch of songs, it’s not like it was hard. It’s more like, ‘Am I going to want to live with this song forever?’ That’s one of the questions that I ask myself a lot.”

Hiss Golden Messenger performs at 8 p.m. on Tues., Sept. 25 at the Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $20. 429-4135.

Photo or Painting? Exploring Artist F.J. Anderson’s Ocean Realism

A&E
Art

Georgia Johnson

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September 18, 2018

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Photo or Painting? Exploring Artist F.J. Anderson’s Ocean Realism

F.J. Anderson is both a painter and photographer, but there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to tell which is which when you look at his art.

Most people can’t, initially, hence the signs denoting “oil painting” at his shows. With a background in scientific illustration and a passion for the ocean, his realistic wave and landscape works embody Santa Cruz surf culture.

Just don’t ask him if he surfs.

“Last weekend at the Sausalito Art Festival, I got asked if I surf probably 100 times. Every time, I was just like, ‘yeah,’” Anderson shrugs. “People are surprised, too, when they see my work, then see me sitting in my chair. They are always like, ‘You did this?’ I guess it’s because I’m young, I don’t know.”

A lifelong Santa Cruzan from a family of creatives, Anderson has been painting and drawing his whole life, working his way up to a successful full-time career from his idyllic beachside bungalow. He will work on anywhere from eight to 10 paintings at a time, jumping between series and sometimes revisiting old works in progress. He’s recently started a new, more abstract motion-based series that, unsurprisingly, still closely resembles the ocean and waves.

“I’ve always been drawn to realism, I think just because I was good at it growing up,” he says. “There’s a lot of planning involved and experimenting with color and layers, so it’s kind of hard to decide when I’m done. Sometimes I could just fiddle with something forever.”

In the first part of his process, Anderson will go out bodysurfing with a waterproof camera. Blacks Beach is just a hop, skip and jump away, so he messes around in the waves there and gets photos to enlarge and use in a painting. He says one of the main reasons he’s drawn to realism is the challenge of copying a photograph.

“I have to approach each painting differently, so it keeps it interesting. Also one of the most satisfying parts of being an artist is experiencing people’s reactions to my work,” he says. “It’s always inspiring when people have an emotional connection with my paintings.”

Every new painting starts with a thick bright red or orange base color, which comes as a bit of a shock considering Anderson deals in mostly soft blues and greens. But he says it’s all about the layers, and will leave nothing more than proof flecks of red and orange around the canvas sides as he layers different colors, hues and notes across the canvas.

“A lot of my clients have said they need to buy a certain painting,” Anderson says. “Sometimes they tell me they don’t exactly know why, but feel a connection [to a painting]. Maybe because humans are mostly water, so it’s an unconscious attraction? A lot of other people say they make them feel calm and comforted.”

Anderson is one of 300 Santa Cruz County artists participating in Open Studios next month, and after a long month of sales at the Sausalito Art Festival and Capitola Art and Wine Festival, he’s preparing paintings, prints and illustrations for another big event.

“I’ll be showing my work at my parents’ house. There just isn’t enough room in this place to show everything,” he says. “I might have a sale on some old series stuff, sort of an out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new. I have work everywhere, my house, my parents’ house, my closet, it’s time to try and move it along.”

Anderson’s work will be on show at Open Studios Oct. 6-7 and 20-21. For more information, visit fjartwork.com and santacruzopenstudios.com.

Film Preview: ‘We the Animals’

A&E
Film

Lisa Jensen

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September 18, 2018

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It could almost be a Third World country. The overgrown landscape is lush and green, with rambling, clapboard houses tucked in here and there, and a swimming hole hidden under an outcropping of trees. It’s an Eden for two of three young brothers growing up half-wild in the woods of upstate New York while their parents are preoccupied with each other—but a challenging proving ground for the youngest brother struggling to come of age in We the Animals.

Documentary filmmaker Jeremiah Zagar makes an impressive transition to fictional storytelling in We the Animals. Adapted by Zagar and Dan Kitrosser from the novel by Justin Torres, the movie is a lyrical plunge into the subconscious of a boy on the brink of manhood trying to piece together his own identity. Zagar manages a very deft balance between powerful, evocative visual style and the casual poetry of Torres’ narrative voice, using minimalist dialogue, documentary realism, and fanciful animation to tell a simple-seeming, yet complex and moving tale.

The story is set in the 1980s, when Torres himself was growing up, and the absence of cell phones, social media, or basically any kind of technology (besides a broken-down TV) adds an extra layer of mysteriousness and insularity to the brothers’ lives. Jonah (Evan Rosado) is the youngest, just about to turn 10. His two older, alpha siblings are Manny (Isaiah Kristian) and Joel (Josiah Gabriel).

While his brothers take after the quick-tempered Puerto Rican father they call Paps (Raul Castillo), Jonah is closer to their mother, Ma (Sheila Vand), who tries to protect his sensitivity from the harshness of life. But the playful, simmering sexual tension between their parents that fascinates the boys also explodes into anger sometimes when things don’t go right. And when Paps lashes out, it’s Ma on the receiving end.

But Jonah has a private escape route from the unpredictability of family life. At night, while the others sleep, he sneaks off to scribble his own story in a secret notebook, illustrated by expressionistic drawings—not only of what he sees, but what he feels and imagines. These rough-hewn images take flight on the page, providing a vivid, animated commentary on the fractious realities of Jonah’s life.

At the same time, Jonah’s words provide another ongoing narrative as he appraises his family life. “Us three. Us brothers. Us kings,” he says at the outset. “We wanted more. More volume. More muscle.” But when they all charge indoors to find their parents peacefully curled up together on the sofa, asleep, he notes, “Sometimes less. Less noise.”

When Paps takes off after a violent interlude, and Ma is too despondent for a while to care for them, the brothers try shoplifting at the mini-mart for food. But eventually, Paps does come back, when, Jonah notes, “He wanted more of us. More of her. More of our family.” As the family’s precarious fortunes—financial and emotional—fluctuate, the older brothers become more aggressive, testing and taunting Jonah to the point that they start appearing as beaked, flying demons in Jonah’s drawings.

Questions of male identity and adulthood percolate throughout the tale as Jonah searches for his own place in the world, separate from his family unit. And filmmaker Zagar makes the journey compelling by sticking close to Jonah’s viewpoint, observing everything, and setting it to Nick Zammuto’s yearning musical soundtrack and Mark Samsonovich’s animated sequences, which beautifully convey Jonah’s inner life.

Castillo and Vand are quite good as the parents whose volatility has such an impact on their kids’ lives. (When Paps teases Ma that they should “make some more boys,” she groans, “Just what I need—more men!”) There’s enough going on in the story to keep viewers invested, but this is not a movie of big events. Instead, it depends on small, profound moments—like the first time the brothers see their humbled father close to tears—to achieve its singular vision.

WE THE ANIMALS

*** (out of four)

With Evan Rosado, Isaiah Kristian, Josiah Gabriel, Sheila Vand, Raul Castillo. Written by Dan Kitrosser and Jeremiah Zagar. Based on a novel by Justin Torres. Directed by Jeremiah Zagar. Rated R. 94 minutes.

Oswald’s Lunch is an Afternoon Delight

Christina Waters

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September 18, 2018

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Behind the bar, a mixologist is muddling orange peel into a tall glass. Chef/owner Damani Thomas is finessing dishes in the open kitchen. Beverly and I slide into the front window banquette and enjoy the sun-filled ambience of the dining room, which feels light and relaxing in the middle of the day.

Lunch at Oswald has an entirely different vibe than the sizzle of happy hour, or the expansive, robust energy of the house dinner times. Wednesday through Friday, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., lunch restores serenity to this popular downtown restaurant at the corner of Front and Soquel.

We like the trend of making additions such as chicken, seafood, or a fried egg available on entrees at smart places like Oswald. However, my eyes went immediately to the house burger and fries ($18), and Bev jumped on the lunch special—King salmon over a hash of Jimmy Nardello peppers, potatoes, shallots, and zucchini. Sparkling water made sense on a warm afternoon, although we found ourselves gazing over at two women happily consuming cocktails in midday. The last few weeks of summer can provide an excuse for indulgence, no?

We also had time to savor the current art exhibition filling the walls of Oswald. Barbara Lawrence’s rugged landscapes showcase plein air insight and savvy knife work. And then our dishes arrived. In the center of one plate, a thick wedge of salmon filet lay at a diagonal on a golden dice of vegetables, bathed in basil olive oil vinaigrette. The moist salmon was topped with slices of radish and more vinaigrette. A terrific dish for an amazing price—$20.

My burger ($18) was nothing short of huge. A thick patty of rare/medium rare beef perched on a fresh brioche bun, with cheddar cheese melting all over the top, and an underpinning of aioli, sliced late-harvest tomatoes, and a fan of dill cornichon. I laid on the catsup and worked my way through almost half of the exceptional burger, the rest to take home. Every bite was accompanied with one of the crisp, hot, salty french fries that covered more than half the plate. These were fries that mock the entire idea of restraint.

Thank you, Damani and company. I had forgotten how good this comfort classic could be. Having absolutely no room for either the chocolate mousse or the creme brulee dessert options, we sipped French press coffee and green tea as we decompressed from our totally satisfying lunch at Oswald. There will be more of these midday Oswald episodes in our future, and that’s a fact!

Oswald, 121 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. Closed Monday. oswaldrestaurant.com.

Gourmet Grazing

Mark your calendars now for the Oct. 6 Gourmet Grazing on the Green, noon to 4pm at Aptos Village Park. Your ticket admits you to the event, plus souvenir wine glass and the day of food, wine, and beer tasting. Here are a few top tastes you don’t want to miss.

Vendors and restaurants include Hula’s Island Grill, Friend in Cheeses, Ella’s at the Airport, Cafe Rio, Shadowbrook Restaurant, SunRidge Farms, Zameen Mediterranean Cuisine and lots more. To drink, consider Odonata Wine, Storrs Winery, Venus Spirits, Discretion Brewing, Bargetto Winery, Soquel Cider, and Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard.

A classic outdoor neighborhood event, with proceeds going to the Santa Cruz Cancer Benefit Group. Be there!

INFO: Early-bird tickets, $55 through Oct 5. Otherwise, $70 at the door. Tickets at sccbg.org or at New Leaf Community Markets.

UCSC Chancellor Blumenthal To Retire

Local News

Georgia Johnson

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September 18, 2018

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Chancellor George Blumenthal has announced his retirement following the end of the coming academic year.

Student enrollment has more than doubled since he was named chancellor—the tenth in the school’s history—in 2007, and Blumenthal points to an increase of underrepresented minority groups in the student body, improvement in town-gown relations, renovation and expansion of Porter and Merrill colleges, and the opening of UCSC Extension in Silicon Valley as some of his proudest accomplishments over the last 12 years.

“This university is filled with people eager to make a difference, change paradigms, and challenge conventional ways of doing things,” Blumenthal said in a statement. “That is what makes UC Santa Cruz the dynamic place it is and always has been. It has been thrilling be a part of that mission since 1972, when I arrived on campus as an assistant professor, eager to help shape the future of a still-young university.”

Blumenthal’s background in astrophysics and astronomy is something that he’s not quite ready to leave behind. He will stay on campus after his retirement; teaching, writing and maybe even offering some words of wisdom to his successor.

“Now it feels like the right time to pass the reins,” he said. “Our new Strategic Academic Plan is in place, and I sense the same energy on campus that I felt when I first arrived — a feeling that our future is limitless, and that we are on the precipice of remarkable change. I believe a new campus leader should help chart our next steps.”

His resignation announcement comes as the university preps development projects that have proven to be controversial both on campus and off, including the recently modified Student Housing West Project proposal, which will provide an additional 3,072 student beds on campus.

The search for a new UCSC Chancellor will begin immediately and will be spearheaded by UC President Janet Napolitano’s office.

“The list of George’s accomplishments, far too numerous to list here, is a testament to his devotion to a life of learning, teaching and public service,” Napolitano said in a statement. “In all his endeavors at the university, he has demonstrated his sharp intellect, deep engagement, curiosity and wit. In the coming weeks, I intend to convene a committee to conduct a national search to find a new chancellor for the dynamic and beautiful Santa Cruz campus, which deserves and demands the best leadership possible.”

UCSC Revises East Meadow Student Housing Plan

Local News

Georgia Johnson

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September 17, 2018

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UCSC Revises East Meadow Student Housing Plan

After increased pressure and feedback from the alumni foundation, faculty, and students, UCSC has issued a revised Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and updates to the proposed Student Housing West development project to create over 3,000 new bed spaces on campus between its Hagar and Heller sites.

Chiefly, the average height of the six buildings at the West Campus Heller site will be reduced by 20 percent, and the buildings slated for the East Meadow Hagar site will be reduced to lessen the effect on visibility from afar, though the buildings and layout will remain the same.

This comes as somewhat good news to those who have rallied against East Meadow development, as the buildings will be less visible from both the road and from higher on campus, according to UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal. But ultimately, despite a 72,000-signature petition, faculty and alumni protests, development in the East Meadow will continue, he says.

“I have no desire to build on the East Meadow. I never woke up in the morning and thought, ‘I just have to build on the East Meadow,’ and I have sympathy for those who want to protect it,” Blumenthal says. “On the other hand, there is a major housing crisis on campus and in Santa Cruz. This project is not about university growth, this is about housing the students we already have.”

UCSC currently houses more than half of its students on campus. The development of Student Housing West has nothing to do with future enrollment of students, despite the 10,000-student increase that UC officials have mandated over the next 20 years. It’s an immediate solution to alleviate current university pressures on the housing market in Santa Cruz.

“It is interesting to me that I do sense a generational thing here, I think generally younger people—faculty and alums—are much more positive about this project than the older faculty and alums,” Blumenthal says. “The viewpoints of campus have been such a big part of campus since it inception, so I understand how it undermines the essence of UCSC, and sympathize with that to some extent.”

The Hagar family-student housing will have 140 new housing units specifically for students with children. Blumenthal highlighted the new child-care center, which is the first of its kind on campus that serves the children of faculty, staff and students. He says that because of the childcare and family student housing, the site needs to be near the campus entrance and other employee housing.

“The Hagar site is just across the street from staff housing, so it isn’t as though we are creating housing on campus where there was no housing before,” he says. “More housing is right there.”

The Heller site buildings will house over 2,900 upper-division undergraduates and graduate students, and since the overall height of the buildings will be reduced, the ratio of singles has decreased from the original 70 percent single and 30 percent shared to 53 percent single and 47 percent shared. UCSC has a historical pattern of turning doubles to triples or quads in response to increased student numbers, sparking criticism from students whose living conditions worsened as a result. Vice Chancellor of Business and Administrative Services Sarah Latham says that this time the rooms have been designed with potential increases in mind to lessen the effects of future increased students, as well as including new units unique to Student Housing West.

“I feel very positive about the quality of unit configurations, anything that is currently a triple or could become a triple is being sized with that in mind,” Latham says. “The number of bathrooms and size of the rooms was taken into account, whereas in other established residences it was not.”

After switching locations from the Porter Meadow last year due to a potentially threatened red-legged frog, UCSC plans for on campus housing expansion have come under fire for proposing development in the East Meadow. Many alumni have expressed the importance of the East Meadow as not only an iconic part of campus, but also essential to maintaining the vision of the founders and overall appeal.

The university has come under fire for their choice of construction company. Sundt Construction, who as of last spring was spearheading the project, was involved in the construction of Japanese-American relocation camps in New Mexico and Arizona during World War II. As of earlier this year, Sundt was also vying to win the contract for building President Donald Trump’s Mexican border wall.

It isn’t clear if Sundt will remain on the project, Hernandez-Jason could say only that “we are using multiple construction firms to deliver the project.”

UCSC plans to take the project to the UC Board of Regents for approval in January 2019. Following months of meetings with community members, advisory boards and the alumni foundation, UCSC has announced another series of meetings to get feedback on the updated EIR. The EIR is available online, and will undergo a 45-day public review period, ending Nov. 1. The meetings are as follows: 6:30 p.m. Oct. 23. Louden Nelson Community Center. 301 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. 5 p.m. Oct. 24 Kresge Town Hall at UCSC.

For more information visit ucsc.edu/shw.

E-scooter Wars Hit Santa Cruz With Bird’s Surprise Launch

Local News

Lauren Hepler

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September 13, 2018

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E-scooter Wars Hit Santa Cruz With Bird’s Surprise Launch

Update, Sept. 13, 4:15 p.m. — A City of Santa Cruz press release on Thursday afternoon says that a cease-and-desist letter has been sent to Bird, giving the electric scooter startup “until midnight September 13, 2018, to remove all of their scooters from all public sidewalks and/or rights-of-way in the City.” The move, the statement continues, follows steps taken in San Diego, Boston, Nashville and Fresno to issue cease-and-desist letters, restrict scooter use or ban the devices.

“Bird’s approach is dismissive of the hundreds of businesses in Santa Cruz who play by the rules, receive proper permits and licenses, and operate legally,” City Manager Martin Bernal says in the statement. Though he adds that Santa Cruz “would have welcomed a preliminary conversation with Bird,” it is not clear how the city will approach the issue moving forward.

Original story: As of Thursday, Santa Cruz residents have a new type of on-demand transportation available with a few clicks of a smartphone—though not many locals knew it was coming.

Black and white, two-wheeled electric scooters sporting the logo of Santa Monica transportation startup Bird were neatly lined up Thursday morning in small clusters around midtown and near downtown Santa Cruz. At least three dozen scooters spread from the Westside to Seabright appeared ready to ride on the Bird mobile app as of late morning on Thursday.

The model of insta-renting electric gadgets to get from Point A to Point B will be familiar to local residents who have used the bright orange, Uber-owned Jump bikes available in town.

But the launch of e-scooters, city officials say, was more of a surprise.

“Bird hasn’t contacted anyone at the city about their program, which is apparently consistent with their business model,” City Spokesperson Eileen Cross told GT in an e-mail.

The Bird app works by allowing users to upload a credit card, use a map to locate nearby scooters, then take a picture of a code on the device to ride for $1, plus $.20 per minute.

Startup database Crunchbase says Bird has raised some $415 million from venture capitalists to bring its on-demand scooters to the masses, often attracting controversy about safety and neighborhood nuisances in the process. Bird declined to answer questions on Thursday morning about how many of the scooters will be on the street in Santa Cruz, or whether the company reached out to any local officials or businesses in advance of the launch.

“Santa Cruz is a forward-thinking city that shares Bird’s vision of getting cars off the road to reduce traffic and carbon emissions,” a company spokesperson said in a statement to GT. “We are thrilled to bring our affordable, environmentally friendly last-mile transportation option here, and we hope to work closely with city leaders so that we can help the entire community more easily get around town.”

Like ridesharing providers Uber and Lyft before them, e-scooter companies are an example of the often-thorny relationship between fast-moving startups and local governments. The friction is especially obvious with transportation in California, where many environmental and social groups are already campaigning for more alternatives to notoriously car-centric development sprawl.

Where trouble tends to arise with e-scooters in particular is the devices’ 20-mile-an-hour-plus speeds, sometimes making it dicey to share bike lanes or sidewalks, and their providers’ reluctance to police users. In addition to a reputation for asking cities for forgiveness rather than permission to launch their scooter-sharing systems, Bird and competitors like Uber-backed Lime have argued that they shouldn’t be responsible for users who ride recklessly or leave devices in the public right of way. Cities like San Jose, meanwhile, have argued that they already don’t have enough cops for regular traffic stops, let alone scooter-related incidents.

In June, Santa Cruz Transportation Planner Claire Fliesler told GT that the city had no plans to pursue a scooter system, since planners were focused on building out bike sharing. Still, she said, local officials have been following the saga of e-scooters in neighboring cities.

San Francisco took the harshest approach to scooters released to the public with little or no warning to the city, banning the devices after concerns about mowing down pedestrians and sloppy parking that obstructed sidewalks. In late August, the city began allowing licensed operators back on the road, though they notably barred Bird, Lime and several other competitors from the newly legal industry.

5 Things to Do in Santa Cruz September 12-18

Things To Do This Week

GT Staff

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September 12, 2018

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5 Things to Do in Santa Cruz September 12-18

A weekly guide to what’s happening.

Green Fix

Upcycling Art

They say one person’s trash is another’s treasure, but any trash can be made into treasures, really. Join the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center for an Upcycling trash challenge for kids in elementary and middle school. Sanitized trash collected from Cowell Beach will be used to make new inventions and artwork. There will be a raffle, and endless opportunities to explore the Marine Sanctuary and learn about the rich marine ecosystem in the Monterey Bay. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

INFO: 2 p.m Saturday, Sept. 15. Monterey Bay Sanctuary Exploration Center. 35 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. 201-0808. $22.

Art Seen

Radius Gallery’s ‘In the Industry: The Economics of an Artist’

In order to avoid the “starving artist” lifestyle, many local artists work in the service industry or have part-time supplemental jobs to help pay the bills. “In the Industry” connects five artists who balance a studio art practice and a professional position in the service industry, and brings the artists’ everyday lives into focus. See the other, more creative, side of servers and bartenders from Oswald, Linda’s Seabreeze Cafe, and West End Tap and Kitchen.

INFO: Exhibition runs through September 30 with a First Friday artists talk at 2 p.m. Sept. 9. Radius Gallery. 1050 River St #127, Santa Cruz. 706-1620. radiusgallery.com. Free.

Thursday 9/13

Intro to the Ketogenic Diet

What’s all the buzz around “going keto?” Is it like gluten-free, raw master cleanse, Bulletproof and ear-stapling diets? Er, not really. The keto diet is a high-fat and protein, low-carb diet that encourages the burning of fats rather than carbs. This class will teach the basics of the keto diet, and how switching from burning sugar to fat can increase mental clarity and physical energy, and even protect against degenerative disease. Anti-Inflammatory chef Magali Brecke, co-founder and nutritional director of Kitchen Witch Bone Broth, will go over the whys and hows of ketogenic diets, and discuss the current media and research outpouring on it. At the end of class, attendees will share a keto meal.

INFO: 6-8:30 p.m. New Leaf Community Markets. 1101 Fair Ave., Santa Cruz. 426-1306. newleaf.com. $40.

Sunday 9/16

Pie For the People

With fall right around the corner, now is the time to start testing and tasting pies for the holidays. Local fundraising group Pie for the People is holding a fundraiser to benefit the NAACP Santa Cruz Branch’s Scholarship Fund and the work of the Education Committee. A great opportunity to try out new recipes or break out the ol’ faithful family pie, the community pie potluck welcomes all vegetarian sweet or savory pies. Don’t forget your own plate, utensils, napkin and cup.

INFO: 1-3 p.m. The Homeless Garden Project Farm. Shaffer Road at Delaware Avenue, Santa Cruz. pieforthepeople-santacruz.org. $5 donation suggested plus a pie.

9/15

‘Thriller’ Flash Mob Classes

’Cause this is thrillerrrrr! Thrillerrrrr night (insert fancy dance moves here). Learn the infamous “Thriller” dance and be a part of the world’s largest flash mob. Plus, Michael Jackson would have just celebrated his 60th birthday last month. We aren’t crying, you’re crying! But one doesn’t simply become a “Thriller” dance expert overnight. There are six classes offered, leading up to the simultaneous group dance on Saturday, Oct. 27. All ages are encouraged.

INFO: 10 a.m.-Noon. Louden Nelson Community Center, 301 Center St., Santa Cruz. 420-6177. Free.

Love Your Local Band: August Sun

A&E
Music

Aaron Carnes

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September 12, 2018

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When putting together his new band August Sun, Santa Cruz guitarist/vocalist Christian Walsh gave a lot of thought to what had gone wrong with his previous group, Poor Beggar Thieves, which dissolved last year.

“We didn’t try hard enough. And I wanted to try harder,” Walsh says. “So I was just like, ‘It’s go time.’ I started booking and booking and booking.”

That was last September, when August Sun started as a trio with a punky sound. By the end of the year, they’d expanded into a five-piece with two guitars (Walsh and Dan Knox), bass (Brendan Brose), drums (Jonny Hampton), keys (Tony Whittaker), and multiple members providing backing vocals. And their music evolved quickly, as well.

“I’d say it’s centered around straight-ahead rock ’n’ roll,” Walsh says. “Over time, as we’ve grown our sound, we really delved into more classic sounds.”

In 2017, the band played 25 shows. They’ve already more than doubled that this year, while recording and releasing the full-length album Mountainside, and writing several songs for a follow-up album.

“We’re playing four to six gigs a month. We practice twice a week. We like to treat this like a job, because that’s what it is,” Walsh says. “We’re working hard. I want this to happen. I’m not getting any younger.”

INFO: 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

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WE THE ANIMALS

Gourmet Grazing

Green Fix

Upcycling Art

Art Seen

Radius Gallery’s ‘In the Industry: The Economics of an Artist’

Thursday 9/13

Intro to the Ketogenic Diet

Sunday 9/16

Pie For the People

9/15

‘Thriller’ Flash Mob Classes