The numbers of Santa Cruz County residents experiencing homelessness dropped 20% from those of last year to the lowest number in the count’s history.
Volunteers on Jan. 30 counted 1,473 homeless people in the annual Point in Time (PIT) count, whose results were released Thursday by the Santa Cruz County Housing for Health Partnership.
But while the 20% reduction showed progress in housing some populations, the report reveals persistent challenges in helping people with disabling health conditions secure stable homes, said Santa Cruz County Housing for Health Director Robert Ratner.
“The results reflect both our year-over-year progress and the serious work that remains,” Ratner stated in a press release. “We’ve reduced the overall number of people experiencing homelessness and see signs of significant progress with youth, working adults, and veterans, populations benefitting from more consistent funding and community support for housing and services. We need similar commitments to see progress among those with disabling health conditions.”
While the largest decline was in Scotts Valley, dropping 84% from 44 to 7 people experiencing homelessness, the most significant decline was in Watsonville, where the numbers dropped 50% from 673 to 335, the report shows.
The PIT Count is a federally mandated snapshot of people and families experiencing homelessness on a single day to create a census of homeless individuals in the community.
Follow-up surveys are used to develop additional information about the population and the challenges they face. The county’s annual survey was conducted using 85 volunteers who were previously homeless.
Despite the progress shown in the PIT count, funding for homelessness reduction is at risk as the current Republican administration threatens cuts and reductions to programs such as State Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention grant funding.
Federal budget proposals also include proposed cuts to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the source of Section 8 funding used to house an estimated 10,000 local homeless people, including seniors, veterans, children and people with disabilities.
The data is used to guide policy decisions, secure state and federal funding, and inform the county’s efforts to help the homeless population.
Other takeaways from the 2025 PIT Count:
• Unsheltered homelessness remains high: While overall numbers declined, 76% of individuals experiencing homelessness were unsheltered, residing in places not meant for human habitation.
• First-time homelessness on the rise: 40% were experiencing homelessness for the first time, up from 30% in 2024, highlighting growing economic pressures and rising costs of living.
• Economic causes: Loss of employment (18%) and high cost of living (15%) were leading causes of homelessness.
• Local Roots: 78% of respondents became homeless while already living in Santa Cruz County, reaffirming that homelessness remains a local issue requiring local solutions.
• Chronic homelessness is growing: People meeting the federal definition of chronic homelessness (disabling health condition and more than one year homeless) now represent 60% of the overall count, up from 38% in 2024
• Health-related challenges:75% of survey responders reported having at least one disabling condition, with 54% reporting a psychiatric or emotional condition, and 43% having a physical disability.
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission on Aug. 7 had its first discussion about its Zero Emission Passenger Rail and Trail project concept report since it was released to the public on July 30.
But the commissioners agreed that they wanted more information before making any decisions about the controversial rail-trail project, saying they would wait for the final plan to be released in December.
Plans to build a passenger rail line spanning the length of the county have long been controversial, with supporters saying it would be a sound infrastructural investment for the future, and opponents calling it an expensive, impractical boondoggle.
That disagreement came to a head in June, when a preliminary report put the cost estimate for the project at a staggering $4.2 billion, and as much as $41 million a year to operate.
Those numbers are more than four times the estimated costs released in 2022.
The draft report estimates that the passenger train would run every 30 minutes, and could make the cross-county trip in 40-55 minutes, with stops at nine stations. An estimated 4,200-5,400 riders would use the train on weekdays, the report says.
It is still unclear how the county will fund the project, but what seems certain is that residents will be asked to pay for 20%–50% through a sales tax measure starting in 2031, depending on the amount of state and federal funding the RTC is able to secure.
For the 20% scenario, residents would see a 1.5% sales tax increase, along with $345 million in bonds that would last through 2067-68.
The higher 50% scenario would mean a 2.25% sales tax with $900 million in bonds through 2071-72.
Commissioner Steve Clark worried about how the increased taxes would affect the senior community living on fixed incomes. He also said that the $4.2 billion price tag for construction is the combined 16-year budget for Scotts Valley, Capitola, Watsonville and Santa Cruz.
“It’s a big lift,” he said. “It’s a lot.”
The numbers—and the estimated $10 one-way ticket price—did not sit well with RTC Commissioner and Santa Cruz County Supervisor Kim De Serpa, who pointed out that people living in rural areas would have to shoulder the cost while not directly benefitting from the train.
“It’s just not affordable for people,” she said. “The costs are staggering and I don’t think they make sense.”
Commissioner Manu Koenig, also a county supervisor, expressed concern that the California Coastal Commission—which has oversight on construction projects near the ocean—will impose unforeseen requirements for the project. This includes possibly ordering the RTC to move the tracks 100 feet inland, and to build a tunnel under La Selva Park.
“These are major infrastructure implications, major cost additions, to this project,” Koenig said. “I think we need to be very clear with the Coastal Commission if they would impose any impacts on this project that would impact our costs in a significant way. They must outline them or we will assume they don’t exist. We need to know from them what they want.”
As part of the final report in December, Koenig also said that he wants to see any added costs, information on constraints on Walker and Beach streets in Watsonville, a financial analysis of cost per-passenger mile compared to other systems and a peer review of the study.
Commissioner Andy Schiffrin had a slightly less bleak view, saying that while the cost is not affordable “at this time,” that could change if outside funding becomes available.
“While it looks from my perspective very bleak in terms of passenger rail at this point, that doesn’t mean it’s always going to be that,” he said.
Schiffrin, who made the motion to delay the discussion to December, said that he wanted to see the final report before moving forward.
Whatever the RTC decides to do, Schiffrin said that South County’s rail system should see improvements.
“No matter what we do on rail, we need to pursue the rail trail segments from Freedom to Watsonville,” he said. “They’re really critical.”
Commissioner Vanessa Quiroz-Carter, who also serves on the Watsonville City Council and has long supported the rail-trail, asked the RTC to look for other funding sources to help alleviate the tax burden on residents.
“We in Watsonville are completely capped with our taxes, and placing that on Santa Cruz County I think is too much of a burden to shoulder at this time,” she said.
But the train, she said, would be a win for Watsonville residents, particularly those who contend with the daily traffic to and from North County.
“People who commute I think would rather spend 45 minutes in a train or on the bus doing something rather than driving in gridlock 2-mile-per-hour traffic, because it is very exhausting,” she said.
Commissioner Felipe Hernandez said that families who don’t purchase a personal vehicle can save around $1,000 monthly in payments, gas, insurance and maintenance.
“Rail means real economic relief and greater access to jobs, schools, health care across our county and even the region,” he said.
And connecting to rail lines in Monterey County, Hernandez said, would be “transformative for our county.”
“Public transit is one of the most effective investments a community can make,” he said.
For locals seeking to work through the stresses of the day through the practice of meditation, classes and sessions come in many forms. Though not an exhaustive listing, the centers mentioned below all have long histories in Santa Cruz County.
Breath+Oneness—Meditation is included in the wide array of classes offered here (breathwork, sound baths, reiki, and more). Morning Meditation with Laxman Panthi is offered at 8am in person and on-line. 708 Capitola Ave., Capitola. 831-515-7001. breathandoneness.com
Insight Retreat Center—Insight meditation, or Vipassana, is offered both at the center and online. 1906 Glen Canyon Rd, Santa Cruz. 831-430-9198. insightretreatcenter.org
Insight Santa Cruz—A meditation community practicing insight meditation, also known as Vipassana. Sessions are online and in person. 740 Front St., Suite 240, Santa Cruz. 831-854-7998. insightsantacruz.org
Land of Medicine Buddha—This 108-acre redwood refuge in the Buddhist tradition holds online morning and evening express meditations, weekly in-person drop-in meditations and daylong retreats. 5800 Prescott Road, Soquel. 831-462-8383. landofmedicinebuddha.org
Mount Madonna—A mountaintop retreat overlooking the Monterey Bay, Mount Madonna offers a full calendar of yoga activities, as well as both in-person and online meditation classes. 445 Summit Road, Watsonville. 408-847-0406. mountmadonna.org
Santa Cruz TM Center—A local center for transcendental meditation practice. 4245 Capitola Road, Suite 203, Capitola. 831-818-4962. tm.org/centers/santa-cruz
Santa Cruz Zen Center—Dedicated to communicating the teachings of the Buddha, the center offers daily meditation, educational programs and meditation retreats. 113 School St., Santa Cruz. 831-457-0206. sczc.org
Vajrapani Institute for Wisdom Culture—Meditate in the redwoods at this Buddhist center that hosts educational programs, group retreats and meditation training. 19950 Kings Creek Rd, Boulder Creek. 800-531-4001. vajrapani.org
While so many of us are looking at what to do next, there are more and more groups learning what not to do next, or to “be here now,” in the words of Ram Dass.
In fact, if you were to do a random eavesdropping survey around local coffee shops, I would bet the words meditation and mindfulness will crop up as much, if not more, than “Taylor Swift,” “Trump,” “Project 2025,” “homeless” or “Right Wing Takeover.”
Along with yoga, meditation is one of the cornerstones of life in our alternative bubble culture, one of the things that help you to “sit, feel and heal,” in the words of our cover story’s subject, as reported by journalist and explorer Mat Weir.
You have to love a quietness teacher, Joe Clements, who was the lead singer for a punk band called Fury 66. He covers all the bases.
He found his cure for hopeless mindlessness after trying just about everything else. “He knew drugs and alcohol wouldn’t ease any of his problems after a ‘lifetime’ of trying,” Weir writes.
Take a slow read on this one and it may lead you to a new path.
You aren’t going to want to miss Mark C. Anderson’s Dining column this week, for news of two favorite restaurants closing and one surprise: Cantine in Aptos is celebrating its 10th year. Man, that went quickly.
Speaking of a decade passed, the 10th annual Círculo de poetas and Writers Conference will be held at the MAH on Aug. 23, and online Aug. 30.
If you’ve ever wished you could craft a poem using only the glossary of DEI words banned by this administration, that’s one of the many opportunities afforded at this poetic gathering featured in Sean Rusev’s insightful story.
“When I saw the list, that there’s actually people in the government scratching off words on documents, I was shocked,” says poet Adela Najarro, who will be leading that particular workshop’s prompt, “Disappearing Words,” during the conference. “What is this, 1984?” she asks.
How’s this for a review’s beginning sentence? “Bravo to a director who refuses to condescend,” writes Christina Waters in her poignant review of Pericles. Read on, MacDuff.
How about some good news, you might ask. What would you say to learning that the numbers of Santa Cruz County residents experiencing homelessness dropped 20% from those of last year to the lowest number in the count’s history? Todd Guild’s article this week will clue you in to some surprisingly good news.
Have a great week and go out and have some fun while it’s still summer.
Thanks for reading.
Brad Kava | Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
CHASING THE BUBBLE For kids, what could be better than the beach and giant bubbles? Photograph by Eric Olsen
GOOD IDEA
There’s one thing that never fails to bring this whole county together: The annual Santa Cruz County Fair, which runs Sept. 10-14 and features exhibits and prizes for the best Livestock, AgHort, Amateur Wine, Fine Arts, LEGOs, Photography, Poultry, Baked Goods, Floriculture, Collections, Hobbies, Home Arts and more. The deadline for many of them is Aug. 21, so hurry. Some entries can be made as walk-ins. Check santacruzcountyfair.com for details.
GOOD WORK
The Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery unveils its groundbreaking Enchanted Forest exhibit this week, featuring innovative technology that brings children’s drawings to life through artificial intelligence. The immersive exhibit represents a first-of-its-kind collaboration between local youth technologists, master craftspeople and museum staff to create an enchanting space that Santa Cruz has never seen before. The exhibit’s centerpiece is a massive, hand-crafted hobbit hole designed for children to climb and explore, featuring a recycled textile moss wall, woven waterfall, and interactive mushroom sound installation. This installation was made possible with generous donations via Santa Cruz Gives.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
‘I was able to find relief, my nervous system relaxed, and from then on I was all in.’ —Meditation teacher Joe Clements
I’m responding to the article about the stresses that our Seabright businesses are enduring because of the Murray St. bridge construction. Come on, City of Santa Cruz government, step up and help these valuable parts of our community. Throw some money their way to stay afloat. And come on, people of Santa Cruz. These businesses aren’t impossible to get to. There are three ways to get there without going over the bridge. We are about to lose some special businesses if we all don’t step up.
Sheryl Loomis | Santa Cruz
ZERO EMISSIONS OR NOT?
This letter is a formal demand that RTC immediately cease describing hydrogen fuel as “zero-emission” or “emission free,” unless you can provide verifiable scientific data proving otherwise. Your current messaging is misleading to the public. While hydrogen fuel cells emit only water at the point of use, the overwhelming majority of hydrogen available in California today is produced by steam methane reforming (SMR) or electrolysis powered by fossil fuels. Both methods carry significant upstream emissions. Our analysis, based on DOE and CARB data, shows: ● Over 95% of hydrogen produced in the U.S. is derived from natural gas (SMR). ● The carbon intensity of SMR hydrogen is 9–12 kg CO₂ per kg H₂. ● Operating a hydrogen train on SMR hydrogen results in more emissions than running a modern diesel-electric train. Beyond production, RTC has not disclosed the logistics emissions tied to hydrogen delivery. Hydrogen must be trucked in from facilities such as Martinez—a 160-mile round trip. Each Class 8 diesel truck emits ~1,800 g CO₂ per mile, or over 300 kg CO₂ per trip. Even in the most modest scenario (one train per day), hydrogen transport alone adds nearly 2 metric tons of CO₂ per month before the first passenger boards. This is incompatible with any honest claim of “zero emission.” We demand truth. Any public claim must match the science and math. Until then, hydrogen rail cannot be presented as “zero emission.”
Damon Meyer | Santa Cruz County
CIVIC SLIDE?
In the right light you can see that the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium is not actually an auditorium at all but a statue of FDR. You can refurbish that statue or rebuild it (at which point it would no longer be a statue, at least not of FDR), and they will rebuild the arena and you will have two auditoriums, both of which will remain empty for half the year. But if you can bear to demolish the statue you could have one (modern up to date) arena/auditorium, which would be full all year, an empty space where the statue used to be, ready to have a better use built upon it, and with the money you save you can build an amphitheater (as in outdoor) somewhere in town. The quarry may be suitable for Primus but I think many people would agree that this town could use an actual amphitheater.
Drawing comparisons to garage rock legends like The Cramps and Pacific Northwest pioneers The Sonics, all-female Seattle quartet The Darts serve up raw power, a sound rooted in gritty psychedelia, punk and proto-punk.Organist Nicole Laurenne and bassist Christina Nunez launched the group in 2016. The current lineup also features guitarist Meliza Jackson and Mary Rose Gonzales on drums. The band’s wild shows center on original songs exploring empowerment, revenge, lust, and rebellion—in other words, the good stuff. The band’s latest release is the raucous Nightmare Queens. Like-minded San Francisco garage rockers Hot Laundry open the show. BILL KOPP
Texas-based singer-songwriter Dallas Burrow is part of the musical storytelling tradition. His music draws from outlaw country and folk, and explores resonant themes like struggle, redemption, self-discovery, growth and the musician’s life on the road. He makes a point at each and every show of sharing a personal anecdote about his father. Burrow’s approach is informed by troubadours such as Kris Kristofferson and Townes Van Zandt. A gifted and prolific writer, Burrow has released four albums and four EPs to date. His latest release, Read ’Em and Weep, is a collaborative single with Ray Wylie Hubbard. BK
She’s a luminary of the luminous Austin music scene, but singer-songwriter Eliza Gilkyson’s renown extends to the rest of the nation. Her songs have been covered by the likes of Joan Baez and Bob Geldof, and her activist streak can be seen in her new album, Dark Ages, which pulls no punches in commenting on the current efforts of a sitting president to dismantle our Constitution. Adding to the musicality of the evening, prominent folk guitarist Nina Gerber will provide accompaniment. SHARAN STREET
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $35/$45. 427-2227.
EXPERIMENTAL
CYBERPUPPETS The Robopocalypse comes to Felton. PHOTO: Sorrell LaLune
ROBOPOCALYPSE
Puppeteers for Fears return with “Robopocalypse: The Musical!” a two-hour, R-rated cyberpunk puppet odyssey about the rise of artificial intelligence and the plucky teen hacker who accidentally started it all. Set in a neon-drenched near future, the show follows Jolie Daniels (screen name: Ha.G.) as she battles sentient appliances, rogue algorithms, and her own garage-built bot in a synth-scored quest to save the world. Fresh off a national tour, the Oregon-based troupe behind “Cthulhu: The Musical!” levels up with 13 new songs, an all-puppet cast, a Hype Bot Chorus, and plenty of analog weirdness. SONYA BENNETT-BRANDT
Vetiver is the pet project of folk singer, songwriter and guitar strummer Andy Cabic and his merry crew of favorite producers and collaborators. This Friday, Vetiver will commandeer the Garden Stage at Crepe Place to celebrate their latest collection of songs, Up On High. With multiple guitars being strummed, and choruses that invite singing along this is the kind of folk music that lets audience members forget about the fast-moving world outside, and breathe awhile. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
The nine-piece Budos band blend Ethiopian-inspired rhythms, 1970s psychedelia and proto-metal, creating a style entirely their own. While blazing horns, driving bass lines and mesmerizing rhythms make up the band’s distinctive musical language, they embrace an approach to traditional music that they describe as “wrong.” After more than two decades of playing together, the Budos are back on the road with their first album in five years, VII. This new album comes with freewheeling confidence, punchy horns, fuzzy guitar and glimmers of electric organ. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: 8:30pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $35-$43. 713-5492
SATURDAY 8/23
JAZZ
DJANGATOS
This skillful swing trio breathes new life into legend Django Reinhardt’s hot club music. Featuring Robert Witmeyer, named “KFOX Best Guitarist in the Bay Area,” leading on guitar, banjo, mandolin and vocals and luthier Ron La France holding it down on rhythm guitar. Djangatos combine swinging rhythms, intricate guitar and walking bass to create and preserve the “Jazz Manouche” sound. In the tradition of “Gypsy Jazz,” the musicians play without a drummer, with unique strumming styles driving percussion. A toe-tapping set is to be expected as the band celebrates the release of their debut album, Roulette. SN
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $33/adv, $43/door. 427-2227
PUNK
ROBSTOCK
Apparently today is the day for music festivals in Santa Cruz. Not only is Felix Fest happening at the Catalyst, but The Blue Lagoon is also the home to the inaugural Robstock. Hosted by Rob Beneshan, Robstock features three local, heavy-hitting bands: Grimpire (the human slaves for local metal monsters, A Band of Orcs), FUX and Outpatient X, the newest to the scene of the trio. Beneshan will also be opening the show with an all-original set of music and local pole dancing troupe Steel & Grimace will leave spectators wanting more. Oh, did we mention the free skateboard giveaway at 10pm? MAT WEIR
INFO: 7pm, Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $20/door. 423-7117.
SPOKEN WORD
STORYTELLING 2025
In this age of computer-generated images, and film budgets soaring into the hundreds of millions of dollars, a persona can still walk out on stage and with nothing more than their voice, share stories of their true (or true enough) experiences and captivate an audience, bringing roaring laughs, tears, and gasps. It’s the oldest art form and its popularity endures with storytelling shows packing theatres, and being shared on public radio as well. Brad Roades directs “NextStage Presents Storytelling 2025” featuring two different casts to give audiences a different show both nights. Performance on Saturday and Sunday. KLJ
INFO: 7pm, SC Actors Theatre, 1001 Center St., Santa Cruz, $15. 431-8666.
WEDNESDAY 8/27
ROCK
POPPING INTO SANTA CRUZ Chicago’s North By North keeps power pop alive. PHOTO: Contributed
NORTH BY NORTH
As a genre, power pop doesn’t get enough respect. Either it’s written off as “too bubblegum” or mildly thought about for a whole two seconds before it’s forgotten when discussing favorite types of music. However, power pop has had an important foothold on the evolution of underground music, particularly punk and new wave. And with bands like Chicago’s North By North keeping it alive, there’s hope the catchy yet crunchy genre might get the respect it deserves in 2025. This week, get a dose of the melody with them at Crepe Place as they are joined by Santa Cruz’s own indie pop group Far West and Americana rockers, Eyes Like Lanterns. MW
This past April 19 life changed for many people in the Santa Cruz area—and beyond—when Felix Lozano passed away suddenly at the age of 51. He was a father and a fiancé, a brother and a son. He was a bartender, a punk rocker and someone who I was lucky enough to call a dear friend and inspiration.
Anyone who knew him can attest to Felix’s love for his community, be it the Chicano community he had pride in, punks or his “guys” (as he called them) with developmental disabilities that he worked with for decades at Hope Services.
And on Saturday, August 23, the local community is showing up to celebrate his life with Felix Fest, a five-band punk show in the Catalyst main room with all proceeds going to his family. In full disclosure, I am one of the central organizers for the show.
In honor of Lozano’s time in local Latino punk band Los Dryheavers and his huge influence on the punk scene organizing shows for bands local and just passing through, Felix Fest is a blast from the past. There are three reunions of punk bands from the 1990s and early 2000s: Good Neighbor Policy (GNP), Here Kitty Kitty and headliners Fury 66. Before the headliners take the stage, there will be a special guest band (who will even have a few but crazy special guests within their set) that doesn’t want to be named but anyone paying attention will likely figure it out.
Opening the show is Fulminate, a self-described “Latin Punk Party” trio—and the only band currently playing regular shows.
“Without Felix and the Dryheavers there would be no Fulminante,” explains singer and guitar player Brenda Martinez. “He inspired a generation of Brown kids to play music and have a voice.”
When asked about her reaction to playing the benefit show, she said there was “no hesitation” from all three members.
“Felix made us feel a part of a community when it’s easy to feel alone,” she says.
This will be the first time Fury 66 has played together in nine years, when they packed out the Atrium for the 27th anniversary of Numbskull Productions.
“It was a no-brainer,” says the band’s lead singer, Joseph Clements, when asked about his reaction to playing Felix Fest.
Clements and Lozano’s friendship expanded over four decades. In the early 2000s Clements’ indie label, Lorelei Records, released both of Los Dryheavers’ full-lengths along with their 7-inch single “Seven Inches Just For You.” When Clements started his Buddhist hardcore project—The Deathless–it was Lozano he asked to play guitar.
Despite all that, Clements says he doesn’t exactly remember the first time he met Lozano (possibly in the early 1990s, when Fury 66 played with Lozano’s first band, STUBB, in King City) but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
“Felix was one of those people who all of a sudden was my brother,” he states. “We just hit it off with all the stories of the people we knew and our mutual love of music. That’s just Felix. He treated people like you knew him your whole life.”
It’s a sentiment shared by GNP’s guitarist, Chris Jönsson.
“GNP played at The Blue a lot and Felix was always around so we became buddies like 20 years ago,” he explains. “Every time I walked in and Felix was working he would take time to come and talk. We’d have actual, real conversations about life. He always had a real positive but rational way of talking about things. He was just that guy, always.”
Of course, nobody performing knew Lozano better than his sister, Gabby, whose band Here Kitty Kitty will play for the first time in 12 years.
“It really means a lot,” she says while holding back tears. “But there’s also been a lot of emotions coming at me. The fact that people are doing this is so crazy to me because it’s such a huge show.”
Adding an extra touch of love and sentimentality, she will be playing some of the instruments and equipment her brother used during his time in Los Dryheavers.
It’s impossible to express how much Lozano meant to his friends, family and community in only 700 words. I could sit for hours and write pages upon pages, with many dedicated to what he meant to me alone. He touched the lives of everyone who will be on the stage on Aug. 23 and—most likely—a majority if not all of the people in attendance.
That’s just who he was. A person who gave a shit, who showed up for his friends and community and stayed true to who he was, cutting through all the B.S. we—and society—create. It’s my hope that Felix Fest will be a celebration for everyone and one that inspires others to go out and be a positive influence on the lives around them.
“I still get stopped by people who say, ‘Your brother was in Los Dryheavers,’” Gabby says. “And so many kids now are messaging me saying they got into music because of encouragement from my brother or they saw him play and thought, ‘I want to do that.’”
It’s a full day of bands, musical genres and brews as Rock the Soul kicks off Saturday at Woodhouse Blending & Brewing. The all-ages “minifest” is the one-year anniversary of “music, good vibes and unforgettable memories,” says Alexandra Henry, CEO of Soul Good Entertainment, a company that coordinates events, distribution and manages artists.
“We didn’t want all the same type of music,” said Colton Cori, bass player for Clay Moon, who performed at last year’s entry and occasionally helps with bookings. “We wanted to give a variety of sounds.”
Utah-based Cassie Wanders opens the show, followed by local vocalist/musician Jo Coleman and Clay Moon. Skinny Hendrix and the Earthtones bring in the hardcore soul funk, and it’s always a high note when the band’s Spanish-speaking lead singer “adds a splash of bilingual” to songs, Henry said.
Woodhouse welcomes back Birdcalls, a tight-knit trio that performed at last year’s fest. And the lineup also includes sets by Jeffrey A Meyers Band (known as J.A.M,), Roadside Honey and Cement Ship.
Growing From Last Year
“We decided we want to make this an annual thing,” says Henry, whose résumé includes hosting 16 shows over the years at Woodhouse and who has brought in 109 different artists to Santa Cruz.
Soul Good puts on ticketed shows at Woodhouse, a wide range in terms of both genres and ethnicities, says Henry, who also is a musician. “For me as an artist I have spent a lot of time in a lot of places playing. Woodhouse was one of the only places in town I actively never received any weird racialness.”
Henry also led promotion behind Soul Good Sundaze, a series of shows and events aimed to celebrate Black artists, feature live music, and foster community engagement. The first Soul Good Sunday opened during Black History Month with an all-Black lineup. “It was not supposed to keep going,” Henry says. “This is not something I had ever done before. We had such an array of musicians that year, including a poet and a yodeler. There was a huge range of Black artists and musicians.”
When it came time to decide on “a space where people look like me, a protected space,” Henry says, Woodhouse hit all the right marks.
Woodhouse brought out “a lot of positive things including making sure the bands get paid what they asked for,” she says. “They just put good energy out there.”
This is the only event that Soul Good is planning for Santa Cruz this year; the company’s other events are primarily in Oakland. “We’re just appreciating other musicians in our community,” Henry adds. “The community needs this.”
A bassist in multiple bands, Cori says, “I wanted to bring more musicians into the show, not only the musicians here in Santa Cruz but also those I know from San Diego as well.
“We were excited to make it a little bigger than last year,” he adds. “Not only to showcase local bands, but also bands from Utah and the Bay Area while maintaining the importance of local music. Woodhouse is a great venue. I also wanted to showcase Woodhouse as, in my opinion, a somewhat underutilized space.”
There’s no need to seek lunch or even dinner arrangements elsewhere, as both food trucks and vendors will be on site throughout the event, including Shockwave Food Truck.
Rock the Soul takes place noon–10pm on Aug. 23 at Woodhouse Blending & Brewing, 119 Madrone St., Santa Cruz. Tickets: $28.52 on eventbrite.com.
If you’ve ever wished you could craft a poem using only the glossary of DEI words banned by this administration, that’s one of the many opportunities afforded at the upcoming 10th annual Círculo de poetas and Writers Conference held at the MAH on Aug. 23, and online Aug. 30.
“When I saw the list, that there’s actually people in the government scratching off words on documents, I was shocked,” says poet Adela Najarro, who will be leading that particular workshop’s prompt, “Disappearing Words,” during the conference. “What is this, 1984?”
Or 1934.
She decided to use her revulsion for creative exploration and, judging by the other workshop titles—“Poetic Racial Justice: Healing Our Streets,” led by 2025-2027 Watsonville Poet Laureate Dr. Victoria Bañales; “Dealing with Grief Through Poetry,” with Xicana high school teacher Erica Castro and “Flor y Canto: Writing as Collective Medicine for Organizers, Artists, Healers,” with Laura Diaz Tovar—her fellow writers had similar inspirations: use the horrors of this national or personal moment as fertile ground.
The workshop, then, becomes the community garden to tend together.
“It’s a beautiful thing,” Najarro says.
After the nonprofit summons hosts through their newsletter and online channels, applicants fill out a form with their workshop idea pitch, and the winners get a free year membership to Círculo, plus free attendance to the rest of the conference.
“All of our workshops should be one-third presentation discussion, one-third writing, then the last third, the participants share.”
Attendees will have an opportunity to share to a wider audience at the open mics occurring near the end of each conference day, right before closing remarks and “benediciones.”
As the name Círculo suggests, the non-hierarchical nonprofit seeks and speaks in multicultural voices, with primarily Californian Latino membership, but decentralized and international, thanks in part to the pandemic. The first conference was held at Cabrillo College, supported by the English department, as an attempt to keep creative momentum going after writers met in 2015 at a summit of sorts.
“Francisco Aragón of the Latino Studies department at the University of Notre Dame put together a tour of a Smithsonian exhibit called ‘Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art,’ and part of that, he gathered a bunch of Latino writers at the Crocker Museum in Sacramento to spend a weekend writing on the museum pieces and creating a dialogue between art and poetry.”
They realized quickly how crucial it was to be creating with “like-minded people with similar concerns, cultural backgrounds and linguistic ideas. How do you push your Latino poetry to the best it can be by engaging with each other?”
Lucha Corpi, who Najarro calls a “canonical” Bay Area poet along with Francisco X. Alarcón, hosted everyone at her house to begin dreaming up what Círculo could be. She and Alarcón became the “mentors,” instrumental in developing a volunteer board to serve its members, who pay union-like “dues” in order to attend quarterly workshops and the annual conference, which celebrates its ten-year anniversary with an anthology, submissions opening Aug. 24, the day after the MAH event.
Najarro, who serves on that board, insists it doesn’t violate their non-hierarchical design, and that experiential inclusivity is part of why they’ve made it ten years.
“Everybody’s equal,” she says. “Lucha and Francisco, they have published tons of books, have national literary reputations. But they are sitting next to somebody who’s writing their first poem.”
Visit Círculo’s website and the lattice of member thumbnail photos sit next to each other in the same equality. Click on each and up pops author bios, reflecting different successes, vocations and locations, with brief writing samples below. A playwright from Glasgow, Scotland. A humanities professor in San Antonio, Texas. A poet from Mumbai, India, who will be leading a workshop for the online conference.
This is the third time the MAH has hosted their in-person conference after Covid forced them online but broadened their participant base, and Najarro says the hope is their stay is indefinite.
“The space is so amazing, and people like [Rentals and Events Manager] Jessi Bond so supportive, that we just decided: ‘let’s make this a tradition.’”
That tradition continues in the format they have developed: meet en masse in the morning; break off into breakout groups for workshops; lunch; more workshops; dinner; reunite and bring it home with an open mic. Time is also carved out for their Tribute to Living Writers series, an opportunity to honor one selected elder, or “veteranx,” for their contributions to the art form. This year, it’s Chicana and Chumash poet Lorna Dee Cervantes.
While the solo work of being a writer can be invigorating, Najarro wants potential attendees and future Círculo members to know the next process, publishing, doesn’t have to be so lonely. The organization has affiliations with small presses, and the mastheads will be in attendance.
Círculo is all about linking arms to increase everyone’s reach.
“Especially now in our political climate, if you can create a circle of community where we learn from each other, that is the power.”
For more info on the Círculo Summer conferences, including the full schedule, visit circulowriters.com. Doors are at 9:30 for the in-person conference at the MAH on Aug. 23. The reading at 6pm is open to the public. Zoom starts at 10am PST on Aug. 30. Círculo’s next quarterly writing workshop is Oct. 15.
Time-honored neighborhood nexus Seabright Social (519 Seabright Ave. Santa Cruz), formerly Seabright Brewery, closes Sept. 1, as the three-year Murray Street Bridge retrofit has made maintaining slim profit margins impossible.
Purchased by Jason and Keiki McKay and Jon Bates during the pandemic in 2020, Seabright Social won’t go out with a whimper, but a band. Sons of Surf play 6pm on Sunday, Aug. 31, preceded by DJ Pabulem 7pm Saturday Aug. 30.
And there is some progress at work to support the two dozen Santa Cruz Harbor and Seabright restaurants affected by the ongoing bridge repair. A petition calling for pedestrian and bike access approaches 2,000 signatures as I have to file this column.
“We, the undersigned, respectfully request pedestrian and cyclist access across the Santa Cruz Harbor via the Murray Street Rail Bridge for the duration of the…closure,” it reads. “This temporary access is crucial for the survival of small businesses and the well-being of the two neighborhoods that have been severely impacted by the closure.”
More at change.org/open-the-rail-bridge.
Other modest morsels of uplift merit mention. One, SeaSosh’s sister spot Cantine winepub (8050 Soquel Drive, Suite B, Aptos) still flows a great time—and just celebrated its 10th anniversary, cantinewinepub.com.
Keiki McKay helps steer things over there, and at the Wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains collective, where she is executive director.
As Laura Ness reports for Edible Monterey Bay, in a quiet but potentially transformative vote, county supervisors unanimously backed the new Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Improvement District earlier this month.
By pooling a 1% fee on winery sales, the region’s vintners hope to use the funds to elevate their profile, attract more visitors and cement the AVA’s identity as a standout wine destination.
That move gains contextual import as it hits the same month Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association discontinued its own grower group’s advocacy and education efforts—after more than four decades—citing flagging funds and hinting at a reinvention in another format.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
A second serving of tough news arrives direct from the source: “After 15 years of flipping burgers and sharing laughs, Betty’s Eat Inn will be closing our Downtown Santa Cruz location [1222 Pacific Ave.] on Aug. 17,” its team reports on social media. “It’s a tough call, but like many small businesses in the area, we’ve been feeling the effects of reduced foot traffic, fewer visitors, and a downtown environment that’s been harder and harder to thrive in.” The good news: Other Betty Burgers outposts remain open in Aptos, on 41st Avenue and in Seabright, though the latter ranks among the many nearby restaurants wrestling with the effects of limited access.
NIMBLE NIBBLES
Campaign for Organic & Regenerative Agriculture hosts a rally around organic farming near schools and residences 3-5pm Sunday, Aug. 24, at Barrios Unidos (1817 Soquel Ave.), parlaying a short film and great speakers on converting Watsonville to more regenerative farming practices, followed with a show by the Chicano All Stars. farmworkerfamily.org/cora…Downtown S.C.’s Summer Sunset Series continues 5-8pm every Thursday evening through Sept. 18, stocked with artisans, farmers, businesses, local food vendors, downtown restaurants and live music, downtownsantacruz.com/do/sunset-market…Boulder Creek Fire Department Summer Dance & BBQ gets smokin’ 5:30-11pm Saturday, Aug. 23, at Boulder Creek Firehouse (13230 Highway 9, Boulder Creek) with live music from Neon City Limits and Bootleg Country Band and James Durbin, bpt.me/6672301…downtownsantacruz.com/do/sunset-market rumble on 5-8pm at Skypark (261 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley) with dope curated rolling foodie options, live music and beer + wine garden to benefit local schools…This feels like a good column for Buddha to breathe us out on: “It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act.”
For locals seeking to work through the stresses of the day through the practice of meditation, classes and sessions come in many forms. Though not an exhaustive listing, the centers mentioned below all have long histories in Santa Cruz County.
While so many of us are looking at what to do next, there are more and more groups learning what not to do next, or to “be here now,” in the words of Ram Dass.
I'm responding to the article about the stresses that our Seabright businesses are enduring because of the Murray St. bridge construction. Come on, City of Santa Cruz government...
On Saturday, the local community will celebrate the life of Felix Lozano with Felix Fest, a five-band punk show in the Catalyst main room with all proceeds going to his family.
While the solo work of being a writer can be invigorating, Najarro wants potential attendees and future Círculo members to know the next process, publishing, doesn’t have to be so lonely.
