Rebuilding After CZU

Cover Stories

Josué Monroy

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July 30, 2025

The morning sun beams between the charred trunks of redwood trees towering over a work site on Rambling Road, deep in the Riverside Grove neighborhood of Boulder Creek. Hammers pound and saws slice as volunteers begin erecting wood framing over the recently poured concrete foundation for what will be Tonia Weakland’s new home.

Almost five years ago, the cabin that had been in her family for decades burned to the ground in the CZU Lightning Complex Fire that tore through the area in late August 2020. Her neighborhood had been one of the first to be evacuated, and the home was gone within the first days of the inferno’s monthlong siege.

Since then, the single mother of two has been renting an apartment in Santa Cruz—all the while holding out hope that someday she would rebuild. Now, that “someday” has finally arrived. The project broke ground just a few weeks ago with the help of volunteers from the Santa Cruz County Long-Term Recovery Group and Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay.

“The last five years have been so damn hard,” Weakland says. “I’m so grateful to get the help with the rebuild.”

These and other organizations are helping residents like Weakland rebuild as part of the community-led recovery and rebuilding efforts. They are working alongside county officials and partner organizations to bolster both the immediate response and lasting recovery efforts after disasters.

The CZU Lightning Complex Fire blazed from Aug. 16 to Sept. 22, 2020. It was among the 650 wildfires that scorched over 2 million acres in Northern California due to dry lightning strikes. It displaced over 60,000 residents, burned more than 86,500 acres and razed almost 1,500 structures, including 911 homes.

Tonje Switzer’s home in Bonny Doon was lost in the flames. At the time, she was the operations manager for the Family Resource Collective, run by county nonprofit Community Bridges.

“We were personally impacted. Our house burned down in Bonny Doon, so that was my entry point, really, into that work,” Switzer says.

Switzer is now the executive director of the Long-Term Recovery Group. Formed in late 2020, it was created as a collaboration of agencies and organizations to provide coordination of recovery services to CZU Fire victims. In 2023, the organization obtained nonprofit status to formalize their efforts. They work with the county’s Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience, which was also formed in the wake of CZU. Partner organizations include Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, Catholic Charities Monterey Bay, Community Bridges, Habitat for Humanity, and Valley Churches United. Representatives of these organizations form part of the Long-Term Recovery Group’s Unmet Needs Committee, which identifies residents still needing assistance with recovery.

Two people posing at a construction site on a lot in the forest — **RECOVERY MODE** Tonje Switzer (right), executive director of the Long-Term Recovery Group, lost her Bonny Doon home in the CZU fires. PHOTO: Josué Monroy

To this day, CZU victims are still grappling with permitting and other issues stopping them from rebuilding, and the Long-Term Recovery Group is continuing to show up.

“It’s my community; talking to my neighbors, being aware of the people that live here that still haven’t been able to recover, and why, has allowed me to also be an advocate in the community. And sort of bridge that gap between the community and the county,” Switzer says.

The county’s permitting process has been a major roadblock and despite years of promises to “streamline” processes, residents continue to have issues. But county officials—including a recently elected supervisor—have been pushing to fix the problems, working to get residents back in their homes and better prepare for the next disaster.

Changing the Culture

Santa Cruz County Fifth District Supervisor Monica Martinez had to evacuate her Felton home during the fire. Luckily, her home was spared, but many of her neighbors lost theirs.

Martinez, who at the time was the CEO of healthcare nonprofit Encompass Community Services, saw the difficulties they faced as they embarked a rebuilding process mired by red tape, and decided to run for the fifth district seat, winning in November 2024.

“To rebuild in the Santa Cruz Mountains is incredibly difficult, and our county didn’t have the process or the infrastructure or the support it needed to expedite the rebuilding process at the time. There were really outdated systems and protocols in our planning department that became barriers,” Martinez says.

The county began tracking the pace of recovery in February 2022 with the CZU Fire Recovery Permit Center Dashboard. As of this writing, the dashboard shows 155 single-family homes rebuilt in the CZU fire area, with outstanding permits for another 142 dwellings. Less than a third of the total lost homes have been rebuilt five years on.

David Reid, director of the Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience, acknowledges residents’ frustration and says the county has been working to streamline processes where it can, but that rebuild timelines are unique to each case, and certain regulatory requirements like geological surveys and septic system designs can’t be skirted.

“All of these things…can make recovery harder, and yet, there’s not a lot the county can do to streamline those things or make them go away,” Reid says.

Despite these efforts by the county, Tonia Weakland is still skeptical.

“I think there needs a more consolidated effort to make rebuilding more affordable.”

Many residents were underinsured for fire damage, with payouts not being enough to cover rebuilds. Weakland says she had a $250,000 policy on her home, less than the estimated $400,00 cost to rebuild. The federal response was also a challenge for residents, as the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Weakland says that she, like many, was denied FEMA assistance because she already had some form of fire protection insurance.

In response, disaster recovery is being supported by a community-built safety net.

Local Safety Net

Erin Shiroda is a disaster case manager for Catholic Charities Monterey. She’s seen her clients go through the “grueling” permitting process to rebuild. But despite that, she sees a community coming together.

“We’ve seen the strength of our community up in the SLV area. It’s been really amazing to see people come together to recover—the neighbors help each other—and all the different partner organizations that are involved,” Shiroda says.

They are working to fill the gap in funding needed for clients to rebuild. These efforts are primarily supported by Community Foundation Santa Cruz County’s Fire Fund. The fund has provided over $7 million in assistance.

Community Foundation CEO Susan True says that the relationships her organization built with other nonprofits during the COVID-19 pandemic response helped lay the ground for the local response to CZU.

“Our neighbors rely on us both for the early and for the enduring response. After the TV cameras leave, it’s us that’s left, and that’s just the way it is. This community has continued to give to help their neighbors recover and we are responsible for making sure those dollars go to help people rebuild their lives,” True says.

**HANDS ON** Long-Term Recovery Group project manager Dylan Childs leads the all-volunteer work crew helping out on Tonia Weakland’s rebuild. PHOTO: Josué Monroy

County officials recognize the importance of partnering with other organizations.

“What the Long-Term Recovery Group and the philanthropy support through the Community Foundation has been able to do is to support closing that gap for community members and getting more people in through their new front door. And I think the importance of that work cannot be understated,” Reid says. “I think one of the greatest learnings and successes, I would say, of the aftermath of the CZU.”

Back at Tonia Weakland’s rebuild site, Long-Term Recovery Group project manager Dylan Childs is leading the all-volunteer work crew, which is saving her the high cost of labor.

“The struggle is to be underinsured and to be able to afford to rebuild with the new regulations…out here it’s most of everybody’s budget. On projects like this, we’re able to save close to $200,000,” Childs says.

Lydia Morgan is volunteering with the Santa Cruz County Long-Term Recovery Group through AmeriCorps.

“It’s beautiful to see the reaction from our clients, like when they see that we’re breaking ground. … I think it’s a very emotional thing for them. It’s been almost five years, and I think for them to finally see progress is just very validating and very important, and to be a part of that is super fulfilling,” she says.

Weakland is feeling the love.

“If there’s any silver lining around it, certainly I’m much more connected to my community and my neighbors now than I was before.”

Josue Monroy is communications coordinator for Community Foundation Santa Cruz County. For more about the foundation, visit cfscc.org.

Watsonville Farmers Market Chilled by ICE Presence

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July 30, 2025

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Watsonville Farmers Market Chilled by ICE Presence

On a normal Friday afternoon, the farmers market in downtown Watsonville is a bustling, joyous event, with gaggles of children playing in a bounce house and families happily in long lines to purchase fresh produce and freshly made food.

But since President Donald Trump took office in January—and the Republican-led government began enforcing his hardline immigration policies—the definition of ‘normal’ has shifted significantly.

Now, with fears that immigration officials could be patrolling communities on the lookout for undocumented residents, many people are opting to stay away from events that normally encourage large gatherings.

Ivan’s Baked Potatoes, which has been a mainstay at the Watsonville market for more than 20 years, usually boasts a line of dozens of people.

Vanessa Cosio, whose family owns the stand, said that the crowds at the Hollister farmers market have also been lower, and were significantly down at the recent Salinas Rodeo.

“Seeing that impact is sad, because it impacts not just us, but all of the local businesses,” she said. “We’ve definitely had a hit, but hopefully we get better days.”

“We want to support the community any way we can,” Cosio added. “They supported us for many years, and this affects us not just business-wise, but seeing our community in pain and scared, that definitely is sad.”

Alvaro Acosta, whose business MJ Bees Honey began selling last year, said he has seen a 30% decline in his walk-up business at both the Watsonville and the Salinas markets.

“Everyone is afraid,” he said. “They don’t feel free walking around.”

The same is true at the Tu Universo farms produce stand, said that some customers are now having their food delivered, rather than risk going to the market in person.

Citlalli Nunez, 23, who has been working at the Watsonville farmers market for 14 years, said she has seen a huge decline in business at local markets.

“Ever since we got the notice that ice was in town, people are scared,” she said. “But I try to encourage people to come out and get what they need, because everyone has to eat.”

Farmers Market Manager Jesus Madrigal said the problem is the same across the U.S.

“I think there are a lot of people who are afraid of being out,” he said.

One vendor stopped coming, saying they said they didn’t want to put their employees at risk.

“You get the feeling it’s not very festive,” he said. “It feels more quiet.”

**CHILLING EFFECT** The Watsonville Certified Farmers Market has experienced thinner crowds recently following President Trump’s crackdown on immigration. PHOTO: Tarmo Hannula

Madrigal says he has not yet seen any immigration enforcement at the market.

A big part of the problem, he said, is that many people are spreading rumors that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are in town—and even at the market—without first checking on the truth of the claims.

In Santa Cruz County, that can be done through Your Allied Rapid Response (YARR) and in Monterey County at the Solidarity Network Monterey County Response.

Spreading rumors without checking their veracity, Madrigal said, can unnecessarily scare residents and harm businesses.

Still, there have been confirmed actions by ICE in both Watsonville and Santa Cruz.

According to the city of Watsonville, ICE contacted Watsonville eight times between March 1 and June 19 to say they were conducting various operations, and each time called to report when they were finished. The federal agency did not, however, request assistance from WPD.

“There are a lot of people that are afraid, for very good reasons, and we see that throughout the country,” Madrigal said. “There is a fear that if you are legally here and you happen to look a certain way, they will take you.”

The foot traffic now, he said, is far lower than the 3,000-plus people he usually sees on a typical Friday.

“I’d like to say don’t be afraid, but I can’t say that because it is happening throughout California and throughout the country. The fear is real,” he said.

He suggests people have a plan wherever they go, and to refer to the “red card” listing everyone’s rights and responses when contacted by immigration officials.

“Everybody has rights, even if they are illegally here,” Madrigal said.

H.R. 4696 Would Provide Path to Citizenship

Todd Guild

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July 30, 2025

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H.R. 4696 Would Provide Path to Citizenship

Martin Rubalcava came to the U.S. in 1979 from Mexico, and before he earned his citizenship, he constantly worried about getting rounded up by immigration officials.

“With the papers, I could begin to feel safe,” he said through a translator. “I could invest, help my kids get ahead, and feel free. Nobody could kick me out anymore.”

Rubalcava told his story July 25 in Watsonville, during a press conference, as Rep. Zoe Lofgren introduced H.R. 4696, a bill that updates parts of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), better known as the registry.

Rubalcava’s fellow field workers are now facing the same fears as President Donald Trump and his administration enforce their hardline stance against undocumented residents.

“I feel bad watching my community be afraid,” he said. “The workers today deserve the same thing I received: the opportunity to become American citizens and get ahead.”

H.R. 4696 would allow immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for seven years or more and have a clean criminal record to apply for permanent residency.

Watsonville Mayor Maria Orozco called the bill “a proposal that could change lives.”

It would, she said, provide a pathway to legal residency to immigrants “who have built their lives here, raised families here, and contributed to cities like Watsonville for decades.”

Santa Cruz County Supervisor Felipe Hernandez agreed.

“In Santa Cruz County, immigrants aren’t just a part of our community, they are the heart of it,” he said.

Lofgren’s bill, he said, is “about giving people who have proved their commitment to this country the opportunity to step out of the shadows and into the light.”

But while the bill is likely to strike a chord with many residents, not everyone is on board with it.

Santa Cruz County Central Republicans Central Committee Chairman Mike Lelieur said that the proposed legislation effectively functions as an amnesty program for undocumented individuals.

“While proponents argue that this update modernizes an outdated system and provides stability for long-term residents who contribute to society, we view it as undermining the legal immigration process,” Lelieur wrote in an email. “By prioritizing those who entered or remained in the U.S. unlawfully, H.R. 4696 risks creating an unfair advantage over immigrants who have diligently followed legal pathways, waiting years for visas or green cards.”

That could “disincentivize lawful immigration and reward illegal entry, contrary to the principles of fairness and the rule of law,” he said.

Lelieur added that the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 legalized approximately 2.7 million people, but failed to curb illegal immigration in the long term.

“We argue that such policies may encourage further illegal immigration by signaling that long-term unlawful presence will eventually be rewarded,” he said.

Lofgren said that most people agree with President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to deport violent criminals.

But many people, such as day laborers, busboys and farm workers—even those without criminal records—are being rounded up by immigration officials, she said.

“I think that’s outrageous, and it deserves condemnation,” she said.

Lofgren said that the local agriculture industry generates some $1.5 billion annually.

“Clearly farmworkers are invaluable in Santa Cruz County,” Lofgren said. “In fact, Americans around the country have food on their tables day in and day out because of the backbreaking labor in the fields by farmworkers. Providing stability to our communities versus terrorizing them will make our country stronger.”

The bill is almost certain to get pushback from the Republican-controlled U.S. government, but how much is unclear.

Because the hardline stance on immigration issues is affecting law-abiding residents, many Republican lawmakers are receiving backlash from their constituents, Lofgren said.

“This is a bill that gives them a way out,” she said. “It’s in keeping with American values, and I hope that they come to their senses.”

Lofgren authored the bill along with Representatives Norma Torres, Lou Correa, Grace Meng, Adriano Espaillat and Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García.

The registry provision was first enacted on March 2, 1929.

It allows certain immigrants who have been continuously present in the U.S. to apply for permanent residency if they have a clean record.

The press conference coincided with U.S. Senator Alex Padilla’s reintroduction of the Senate companion legislation at an event in Los Angeles.

Click here for the full text of H.R. 4696. Click here for a one-pager about H.R. 4696.

Work Begins on Tiny Village in Watsonville

Local News

Todd Guild

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July 30, 2025

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Work Begins on Tiny Village in Watsonville

Monterey County officials have finally broken ground on a “tiny village” project that was delayed for months after neighbors raised concerns and twice appealed to the city of Watsonville.

The 34 small dwellings were intended to give homeless residents living along the Pajaro River a place to live while construction crews rebuild the levee.

But as they prepare for construction to start soon—with a target completion date of late November—officials in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties and several nonprofits are scrambling to find places to move the more than 100 people living in unsanctioned encampments along the levee.

“We’ve got to clean up the river sometime later this summer, and it’s likely to be before the tiny homes are fully ready, and that’s unfortunate,” said Mark Strudley, director of the Pajaro River Flood Management Agency, which is responsible for the levee operation and maintenance. “It’s not the way we wanted it to happen.”

Plans to do a wintertime preemptive cleanup in January fell through when bids for the work came back between $600,000 and $2.2 million, Strudley said.

The agency’s annual maintenance budget, he added, is $2.5 million.

“Even at the lower end we just can’t spend that much money out of our budget to deal with encampments,” he said. “Our budget is really meant to address levee maintenance and channel maintenance.”

The main issue, Strudley said, is that the task of cleaning up from unsanctioned encampments is beyond the purview of a flood management agency’s expertise and experience.

“It’s not something a flood control should or could deal with alone, and that’s going to require that acknowledgement and partnership with both counties and the city, and quite honestly the nonprofit community as well, to help move people out of the river on a permanent basis and to deal with the cleanup itself,” he said.

This includes repairing damage created when people dug shelters into the levee walls, he said.

“It’s actually a risk to the community itself,” he said. “That’s a major structural deficiency to the levee system that protects the community. That’s something we can’t have.”

The project was funded by an $8 million Encampment Resolution Funding grant in 2023 from the State of California.

Management of the 34-unit facility is intended to be a collaboration between Monterey County’s Homelessness Services Program, Santa Cruz County’s Human Services Department and the City of Watsonville.

The project, planned for the parking lot of Westview Presbyterian Church on First Street in Watsonville, has been controversial since it was proposed last year, with neighbors separated from the lot only by a chainlink fence expressing concern how it will affect their quality of life.

It received the final green light in March after a second appeal was denied.

Monterey County Homeless Services Director Roxanne Wilson said that both counties are dedicated to ensuring the project is going to be a benefit to the community.

“We are very excited to see movement after more than a year of going through the process of getting a building permit, and we still have a long way to go,” Wilson said.

But with the Encampment Resolution Funding grant expected to last only two years, and with the Trump administration threatening to slash Medicaid—which in part would help fund the village—officials are grappling with funding concerns, Wilson said.

The units will start being delivered next week, Wilson added. Once they are placed, work crews will begin hooking up the electricity.

They will be fully powered with air-conditioning and heating, and a separate bathroom and laundry facility will be available.

Once ready, the village will be run by Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County.

The village, once completed, will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the public, Wilson said.

Currently, more than 100 people live along the levee, and several nonprofit organizations are working to find shelter for them.

This includes San Luis Obispo-based Access Support Network and Community Action Board, along with housing organizations and the County of Santa Cruz.

So far, 50 people have asked for help, Wilson said.

“We’re not going to get to 100,” she said. “There’s not enough resources on either side of the levee. But clearly that there are individuals that need help now; that can’t wait, and they can’t be displaced. As long as we have people who say they want help and don’t want to be homeless, we’re going to do everything we can to help them.”

Cabrillo Festival Brings It

Cover Stories

Christina Waters

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July 30, 2025

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Time again for the mighty Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music to fill the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium and its surrounding landscape with unexpected, unpredictable and unrepeatable sights and sounds. And in honor of the 50th anniversary of Santa Cruz Pride, this season spotlights musical LGBTQ luminaries from Lou Harrison to Jennifer Higdon.

Lots of new energy in this year’s summer festival, starting with guest conductor Daniela Candillari, who will open up the first week, and ending with the return of Music Director Cristian Măcelaru for the final two concerts.

Honoring 50 years of Santa Cruz Pride celebrations, the season’s composers in residence include Jake Heggie—whose operatic setting of Dead Man Walking receives its 25th anniversary revival at San Francisco Opera this fall—Pulitzer Prize winner Higdon and festival veteran John Corigliano.

Joining the opening evening is the dazzling Missy Mazzoli with the West Coast premiere of her violin concerto for violinist Jennifer Koh. A returning guest to the festival, Mazzoli has been commissioned to create an opera of Lincoln in the Bardo for New York’s Metropolitan Opera. (more on Mazzoli )

There will be some huge concerts, filled with a half-dozen choice new works by current and up-and-coming masters of an evolving genre. Expect some life-changing sonic moments. At the least some very intriguing encounters.

In a departure from past seasons, this festival finds a new opening conductor at the helm. Candillari is currently in her fourth season as principal conductor at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. A rising star in the opera world, the conductor grew up in Serbia and Slovenia and holds a doctorate in music from the Universität für Musik in Vienna.

A frequent guest conductor at top orchestras throughout the country, Candillari is also a sought-after composer. She has worked with several of the festival’s featured musicians in the past, and her presence at the podium should broaden the instrumental interpretations of new music with “confidence and inexhaustible verve” (per The New York Times).

Started in the 1960s, and dedicated to performing new and contemporary works, mostly by living composers, the festival continues to earn its worldwide reputation. Five major concerts are programmed for the two-week musical array. It all starts with “Lumina” on Aug. 1, with works by Corigliano and Mazzoli, as well as a new piece by Nina Shekhar. On Aug. 2, “Chasing Light” spotlights women composers, including Stacy Garrop’s Frederick and Susan B, sourced from letters between Civil War–era correspondents Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony.

The “Grand Finale” on Aug. 10 concludes with a new song cycle by Heggie co-commissioned by the Cabrillo Festival. Heggie’s Good Morning, Beauty features mezzo-soprano Gabrielle Beteag with poetry by Taylor Mac.

Excitement at the Edges

The festival is also famous for more intimate offerings, the ones that fill the margins of its two-week run with surprises and interactive workshops, many of them free events. And it’s a chance to hear from the composers themselves about this strange and wonderful thing they do for a living: compose music that will stretch our ears and imaginations.

Open rehearsals are a prime chance to watch and hear the development of the programs. These rehearsals are held on July 29–31 and Aug. 6–8. Each day in the afternoon the Civic will be filled with the sounds of musical passages rehearsed, refined and rehearsed again until the musicians and conductor are satisfied. This is a great way to learn the variations of one’s favorite instrument in an orchestral context. Rehearsals are free and open to the public. (As long as the public is quiet.) Check the program for times.

Arguably my favorite event of the entire festival, Meet the Composers takes place this year on August 2, 1:30–2:30pm, in the Civic—and it’s free. The in-depth discussion among visiting composers will be moderated by maestra Candillari and include Corigliano, Mazzoli, Garrop, Rene Orth and Aleksandra Vrebalo.

The Family Concert—also free—unfolds Aug. 3 and, in addition to works by Karen LeFrak and Frank Duarte, continues its Tour of the Orchestra tradition, an invitation for those interested to visit the various orchestra sections and learn more about how each segment of the whole company adds to the overall texture. New this year, in a partnership with Santa Cruz/Pajaro Valley, selected honor students will perform side-by-side during the Family Concert and will enjoy mentorship and coaching by orchestra musicians.

The second weekend, which begins with “Becoming” on Aug. 9, finds maestro Măcelaru back on the podium with Creative Lab’s colorful world premiere by Darian Donovan Thomas. Following is a powerful exploration of environmental impact by Anna Thorvaldsdottir, a West Coast premiere. And no celebration of pride would be complete without something from innovator and festival co-founder Lou Harrison: Concerto for Violin with Percussion Orchestra, with festival concertmaster and dazzling violinist Justin Bruns.

Concluding on Aug. 10, the program “Rising” offers the excitement of Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain Suite and the new composing voice of Tyson Gholston Davis, winner of the Cabrillo Emerging Black Composers Prize. A song cycle newly composed by celebrated Jake Heggie (creator of the opera Moby Dick) brings the festival to a close, embroidered with original poems from Taylor Mac and voiced by guest mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz.

Lineup of Luminaries

The season features 20 composers (many in residence) and seven guest artists, plus three world premieres and four festival commissions. Works commissioned especially for this festival include an orchestral song cycle by Garrop, a second Creative Lab filled with surprises from Darian Donovan Thomas, and a new co-commission by Heggie.

In addition to pieces by the composers in residence—Heggie, Corigliano, Garrop, Mazzoli, Higdon, Davis, Orth, Vrebalov and Thomas—works by Lou Harrison, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Adolphus Hailstork, Julia Wolfe, Karen LeFrak, Nina Shekar and Frank Duarte are also on the program. This year’s guest artists include violinists Koh and Justin Bruns, Tim McAllister on saxophone, soprano Michelle Areyzaga, mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz and baritone Sidney Outlaw.

The Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music fills our downtown with the sounds of new and exciting music every year. Join friends and fellow lovers of adventurous music for an always-surprising two weeks.

Details and tickets at cabrillomusic.org.

Read next: Ode To Joy — Missy Mazzoli’s new concerto weaves
healing spells, by Christina Waters

Ode to Joy

Cover Stories

Christina Waters

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July 30, 2025

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A blazing-hot composer of radical multi-genre music, Missy Mazzoli brings her Violin Concerto (Procession) to this season’s Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. The piece was written for violinist Jennifer Koh, who will perform it at the opening concert on Aug. 1.

A prodigy approaching her hyper-productive mid-forties, Mazzoli can boast of being one of the first two women to receive a commission from New York’s Metropolitan Opera House, and she’s also the founder and keyboardist for Victoire, an electro-acoustic band. A go-to creator of musical storytelling, her operatic works include SALT (a mini-opera about Lot’s wife) and the Met-commissioned Lincoln in the Bardo, from the book by George Saunders with libretto by Pulitzer Prize winner Royal Vavrek (premiering in 2026).

And she’s writing the music for The Galloping Cure, an opera about the opioid crisis (another 2026 premiere). The opera’s developer, John Berry—the former artistic director of the English National Opera—calls Mazzoli “one of the world’s most exciting opera composers.”

Collaborators for 16 years, Mazzoli and Koh have grown into a simpatico creative collaboration, one that inflects and flavors their musical relationship. In Violin Concerto (Procession) the soloist is soothsayer, sorcerer and healer, leading the orchestra through five interconnected healing spells, from medieval processions to cast out evil spirits, through hymns to cure broken limbs and ancient charms to prevent plague. In the final movement, “Ascending,” the piece circles back to its beginning and leads the orchestra upward in a burst of sheer joy.

In a recent interview, Mazzoli talked about her work for the festival’s opening concert.

On her collaboration with violinist Jennifer Koh: “She’s just this incredibly deep person who investigates everything, feels everything very deeply. Her interests range from film to philosophy to literature, and everything in between. The first piece I wrote for her was in 2009 and was called Dissolve, O my Heart. It was a solo piece commissioned by the LA Philharmonic. That was actually the first time I met her. And then I wrote three other solo works for her throughout the years, and have performed with her, toured around the country and Canada. A couple years ago she said, ‘You know, I really think that we need to work on a concerto together.’ I feel a lot of her wide-ranging intellect made its way into the concerto.”

On sheer willpower: “I was really struck when we started performing together at how much Jen rehearses. She’s a rehearsing machine, always working. And I really relate to that. I think that my success as a musician, so much of it is just sheer willpower and hours put in. I don’t think there’s necessarily anything mysterious going on in our brain chemistry or our wiring. It’s just that we worked so hard we put in the hours. It’s just a joy to be around her.”

A favorite passage of the concerto: “There’s a bit at the end of the concerto where it just kind of becomes a joyous ascension. So the final movement of five movements is called ‘Procession Ascending,’ and it sort of takes all the material from the first movement and reorders it so that it’s going from low to high. The end is just like pure release and pure joy. So I really, I love that.”

Composing this piece in Ingmar Bergman’s house on the Baltic Sea: My friends Mika Karlsson and Royce Vavrek were working on a residency on an island in the Baltic Sea, where Bergman had his house and foundation, and they invited me to join them. It was in 2021 and it was very much inspired by the circumstances of the pandemic. We were exploring every day in Bergman’s world. It was a magical two months, watching his films in his own theater. We’d go to this beach where they filmed Persona, for example. We were just kind of in that world. And so a lot of the themes that he was obsessed with—you know, life and death, the afterlife, human relationships in times of great struggle—they were really floating around in my mind as I made this music.”

Read our cover story: Cabrillo Festival Brings It: Colorful and courageous season celebrates transformative music, by Christina Waters

The Editor’s Desk

Letters to the Editor

Brad Kava

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July 30, 2025

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Santa Cruz California editor of good times news media print and web — **Brad Kava** | Good Times Editor

For two weeks a year, Santa Cruz is at the center of the universe…the universe of new classical music. During the internationally celebrated Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, now in its 60th year, which runs from July 27 to Aug. 10, there are activities that will appeal to those who know nothing about classical music all the way to fans who travel far and wide to hear the most experimental and world-shaping new notes.

One of the beauties of the fest for us locals is that there are free rehearsals, a family concert, a chance to meet the conductors and a fun street fair outside the Civic. I’m surprised when I meet local people who didn’t know about this state-of-the-art music festival, considering that tourists come from all over the world to experience it.

Christina Waters’ cover story gives you all you need to enter a new world, one that we are so privileged to have in our hometown. Perhaps because it is in our still weird town, the festival is neither snooty nor overly cerebral, although there are parts that may seem that way. My advice is to follow Christina’s tips to find the shows that will make you comfortable.

Also, don’t forget to bring your kids, particularly to the free rehearsals, so they can see what’s behind the music. We’ve really enjoyed watching them practice and then later seeing the finished work. It’s ear- and eye-opening for everyone and particularly educational for kids to hear great music played by the top musicians in the world.

How does it feel to be a local Southern drummer elevated to a nationally known band Primus? Mat Weir has the inside story interviewing the new guy, living his dream come true.

Do you know the indie artist Ezra Furman, who plays this week? She wrote that her new album is “twelve songs, twelve variations of completely losing control.” Sounds like our kind of show, right? Stuart Thornton gives you her background in his story this issue.

A friend of mine who is new to town was surprised that the community college students at Cabrillo put on such a professional version of the musical, Sweeney Todd. Here’s a lesson: the theater company, like the Cabrillo Music Festival, brings in national talent and puts on world-class productions. Cabrillo Stage does in fact use Cabrillo’s stage, but these are Broadway-level productions, as Christina Waters’ review points out.

Mangia and enjoy our midsummer issue.

Brad Kava | Editor

PHOTO CONTEST

NIGHT MOVES I saw one of the most amazing and riveting sunsets on West Cliff this past Wed, I’ve ever seen anywhere on Earth. Definitely one from the “Wow, what a cool planet” category! Photograph by Ross Levoy

GOOD IDEA

It has been roughly 165 years since strawberries were first grown commercially in Watsonville.

In 1994, the city of Watsonville hosted the first Strawberry Festival, a late-summer extravaganza that features strawberry-themed performances, art and carnival rides.

More importantly, festival-goers can also partake in such delicacies as strawberry tacos, pizza, beer, desserts and other concoctions inspired by the distinguished berry.The festival begins downtown Watsonville on Friday, Aug. 1 and continues the next day from 11am-8pm, and on Sunday from 11am-7pm. During the festival, there will be free METRO shuttle service running every half-hour from 500 Westridge Drive.

GOOD WORK

The Santa Cruz County Office of Education and United Way of Santa Cruz County are teaming up to send local students back to school with the supplies they need to succeed as part of the 16th annual Stuff the Bus school supply drive. The campaign aims to distribute 2,500 backpacks filled with essential school supplies to Santa Cruz County students experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity and other hardships. After raising funds and supplies from generous donors, it’s time for a team of dozens of volunteers to fill up the backpacks—and Stuff the Bus 10am-1pm on Saturday at Kaiser Permanente Arena. The Stuff-A-Thon is hosted in partnership with the Santa Cruz Warriors and UPS. For more information, visit unitedwaysc.org/stb.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

‘Build your own dreams or someone will hire you to build theirs.’ —Farrah Grey

LETTERS

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

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July 30, 2025

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PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLOSED

Maybe I’m missing something? Why the decision was made to close Santa Cruz (City) Planned Parenthood? Federal cuts to Medicaid (CEO of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte). Truth is, Medicaid has only been cut from illegal aliens and US citizens who don’t have jobs but should. So that reason is BS. Have “Mar Monte” and the powers that be asked the County (HPHP) for assistance? Have they asked the City of “Endless Enabling” to divert some or all of their Measure L funding away from the transient criminals? That’s about $10M annually. How about seeking private donations? Google dumped $50 million toward homeless ventures in Santa Cruz. Have they or others been asked to help? Obviously they haven’t. The Watsonville facility will remain open, so why can’t PP provide disenfranchised county residents (Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, SL Valley) with round-trip Metro tickets? There are options for continued service. What there hasn’t been is any real effort to continue providing services to patients.

Big Joe 77 | Santa Cruz

BRAINS WASHED

A message to my Trump-supporting friends: Since 2016, I have tried hard to listen to many of you, hoping to find some middle ground, and you have made some good points.

Immigration needs to be regulated, post-adolescent boys should not compete against girls in sports, drug use and crime are out of control—especially in liberal cities—and federal government regulations can be onerous.

But here’s the problem: President Trump and his appointees do not seem to believe in 1. Science: i.e. Global Warming, vaccines and defunding research universities. 2. Law and Order: i.e. insisting that the 2020 election was stolen after 60+ judges confirmed that Trump lost, as well as firing 17 federal agency Inspectors General, whose purpose is to prevent fraud in those agencies. 3. Facts: i.e. over 30,000 fact-checked lies during President Trump’s first term, and recent lies about grocery prices going down and keeping the US out of war with Iran. 4. The Constitution: i.e. 39 judges have ruled against President Trump’s violations of the Constitution, and in a recent interview, the president said, “I don’t know if I have to obey the Constitution.”

I cannot allow my beloved country to continue to be run by people who do not believe in science, law and order, facts, or the Constitution, and I’m not alone.

Don Eggleston | Aptos

ONLINE COMMENTS

RE: FOODIE REVIEWS

Thank you for this review and interview. We’ve been going to the Farm House since we moved to Watsonville five years ago. It is our GO-TO breakfast place and we are now considered regulars. Hats off to Richard, Andrea, Angela, Naomi, Antonio and all the wonderful front-of-house staff who help make every visit outstanding!

Luisa Cardoza and Meera Collier | goodtimes.sc

Benajawan [BAYNARD, co-owner of Star of Siam], your food is FABULOUS. Thanks so much to you and your staff’s efforts to create such a great place. You are the STAR of Siamese food!

Steve Trujillo | goodtimes.sc

RE: First to Surf

What a wonderful article! So much history and really interesting. Kook or not, thank you.

Monica Alvarez | goodtimes.sc

RE: “Into the Woods”

Great review—spot on! Wonderful descriptions! So glad I got to see this show last night!!

Erinne Morse | goodtimes.sc

Seeing Red? Highway 1 Bus Lanes Explained

Looking at those red bus-only boxes it is clear that they are meant to allow a bus to occupy the exit lane, which is thought to be less congested than the through lanes, and then force-merge back into a continuing lane. Thus causing more congestion and crowding. I do not think this has been well thought out. In fact, it reminds me of the ridiculous zig-zag mess on Portola Drive last year.

Carl | goodtimes.sc

Free Will Astrology

Astrology

Rob Brezsny

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July 30, 2025

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ARIES March 21-April 19

For many bamboo species, nothing visible happens for years after the seeds are sowed. Beneath the surface, though, the plants are developing an extensive underground root system. This is referred to as the “sleep” or “creep” phase. Once the preparatory work is finished, the above-ground growth explodes, adding as much as three feet of stalk per day. Dear Aries, I sense you have been following a similar pattern. Soon you will launch a phase of vigorous evolution and expansion. It might feel unsettling at first, but I predict you will come to adore it.

TAURUS April 20-May 20

You are very close to uncovering interesting information about yourself—some new, some forgotten. But you will have to be brave and strategic to actually find it. If you manage to pull off this demanding-but-not-impossible trick, a series of breakthroughs may stream your way. Like what? Here are the possibilities. 1. A distorted self-image will fade. 2. An adversary’s hex will dissolve. 3. An inhibition will subside, freeing you to unite with a fun asset. 4. You will knock down a barrier that has been so insidious you didn’t know how strong it was.

GEMINI May 21-June 20

In medieval music, “organum” refers to passages that feature two voices. One is sung in long, sustained notes, and the other performs intricate, faster-moving melodic lines above it. This is an apt metaphor for the roles I invite you to take on in the coming weeks, Gemini: both the drone and the melody. One way to do it is to hold steady in one realm as you improvise in another. Another is to offer your allies doses of stability and inspirational dreams. Welcome the duality! You are capable of both deep-rooted rhythm and visionary risk; both fortifying truth and playful fun.

CANCER June 21-July 22

Cancerian author Ernest Hemingway had a reputation for bravado, but he was adept at wielding the protective, self-nourishing skills your sign is renowned for. He was sensitive about his works-in-progress, refusing to discuss unfinished stories. He understood that raw creative energy needed to be sheltered from kibitzing until it could stand on its own. “The first draft of anything is shit,” he said, but he also knew that defending the right to write that mediocre first draft was essential for him to thrive. Hemingway’s ability to channel his emotional vulnerability into moving prose came from establishing firm boundaries around his generative process. I recommend you do all that good stuff in the coming weeks, dear Cancerian.

LEO July 23-Aug. 22

In ancient China and ancient Greece, the lion was not the king of beasts, but the guardian of gates. The threshold keeper. The one who asked, “Are you ready?” Now is a good time to bring this aspect of Leonine symbolism to your attention. You may soon feel a surge of leadership radiance, but not necessarily the stage-commanding kind. It will be more like priest and priestess energy. Gatekeeper presence. People and situations in your orbit are on the verge of transformation, and you can be a midwife to their transitions—not by fixing or moralizing, but by witnessing. So I invite you to hold space. Ask potent questions. Be the steady presence ready to serve as a catalyst.

VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22

The love-fakers and promise-breakers and delusion-makers are no fun, but I think you will ultimately be grateful they helped you clarify your goals. The reverse healers and idea-stealers and greedy feelers are perilous to your peace of mind in the short run, but eventually they will motivate you to create more rigorous protections for your heart, health and stability. In conclusion, Virgo, it’s one of those odd times when people with less than pure intentions and high integrity can be valuable teachers.

LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is built into a Norwegian mountain near the Arctic. It’s humanity’s backup garden. It stores over a million seed varieties from all over the world, serving as a safeguard for biodiversity. In accordance with astrological omens, Libra, I invite you to imagine yourself as resembling a seed vault. What valuable capacities are you saving up for the future? Are there treasures you contain that will ensure your long-term stability and security? Which of your potentials need to get extra nurturing? Bonus: Now is a good time to consider whether you should activate any of these promises.

SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21

There’s a myth in Gnostic traditions that Sophia, the Goddess of Divine Wisdom, split herself apart and dispersed into the material world. She became embedded in every stone, plant and drop of blood. And she’s still here, murmuring truth from within every part of the material world. In Sophia’s spirit, Scorpio, here is your message: Wisdom isn’t elsewhere. It’s embedded in your body; in your grief; in the wood grain of your table and the ache behind your eyes. More than ever, you have a mandate to celebrate this gift. So for now, refrain from thinking that spirituality is about transcendence and ascendance. Instead, greet the sacred in the dust and mud. Listen for Sophia in the ordinary. She speaks in sighs and sparks, not sermons.

SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21

When I do tours to promote the books I write, the range of encounters can be wide. On one trip, over 300 people came to see me at a bookstore in New York City. They listened raptly, posed interesting questions, and bought 71 books. In Atlanta three days later, I was greeted by nine semi-interested people at a small store in a strip mall. They purchased three books. But I gave equal amounts of energy at both gigs. The crowd in Atlanta got my best, as did the audience in New York. I invite you to regard me as a role model, Sagittarius. Proceed as if every experience deserves your brightest offerings. Express yourself with panache no matter what the surroundings are.

CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19

In ancient Egyptian cosmology, ka is the vital essence and the double of a person that lives on after death. But it also walks beside you while you live. It drinks, eats and dreams. It is both you and more than you. Dear Capricorn, I invite you to tune in to your ka in the coming days, and any other spiritual presences that serve you and nourish you. Be alert for visitations from past selves, forgotten longings and future visions that feel eerily familiar.

AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18

“Dear Rob Brezsny: I wonder what you are like in person. Sometimes I get a Gen X vibe, like you wear vintage T-shirts from obscure bands, are skeptical but not cynical, and remember life before the internet, but are tech savvy. Other times, you seem like a weird time-traveler visiting us from 2088. It’s confusing! Are you trying to be a mystery? When’s your next public appearance? I want to meet you. —Aquarian Explorer.” Dear Aquarian: I’m glad I’m a riddle to you. As long as I avoid being enmeshed in people’s expectations and projections, I maintain my freedom to be my authentic self, even as I continually reinvent my authentic self. By the way, I recommend you adopt my attitude in the coming weeks.

PISCES Feb. 19-March 20

In Norse mythology, the god Odin plucked out one of his eyes and hung himself upside down from the World Tree for nine days. Why would he do such a thing? The ancient stories tell us this act of self-sacrifice earned him the right to learn the secret of the runes, which held the key to magic, fate and wisdom. You don’t need to make a sacrifice anywhere near that dramatic, Pisces. But I do suspect you are primed for a comparable process. What discomfort are you willing to endure for the sake of revelation? What illusions must you give up to see more clearly? I dare you to engage in an inner realignment that brings metamorphosis, but not martyrdom.

Homework: Something dear that you left behind can now be retrieved. What? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Story of Pie

Foodie File

Andrew Steingrube

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July 30, 2025

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In the traditionally transitory restaurant industry, David Bohigian’s career has seen him ascend to owner of the only place at which he has ever worked. Born and raised in Santa Cruz, as a young adult he initially did manual labor before deciding to get into the restaurant game. Starting at Mangiamo Pizza in 2011 as a dishwasher, he got moved up to delivery driver and then became a cook.

When the previous owner wanted to pass the reins, Bohigian—with his thorough understanding of the business—was offered ownership. Seizing the opportunity, he purchased Mangiamo’s and has now been operating it for almost a decade.

The vibe is casual counter-service with minimalist all-about-the-product décor, that product being primarily thin-crust pizza. The original owner’s New York–born recipe for dough is made in-house daily along with the housemade sauce is—a thick marinara with robust flavor, very savory and slightly spicy.

Favorite pies are the barbecue chicken and the classic meat lover’s combo. Bohigian’s personal favorite hits every note on the palate with red sauce base, mozzarella and ricotta cheeses, jalapeño, pineapple, pepperoni and bacon. Other classic offerings include calzones and stromboli, described by Bohigian as a sort of meat, cheese and pepperoncini turnover. There are also salads, like Caesar, BLT and Greek. Beer, wine and soda make for perfect pizza-paired beverages.

Why were you selected to carry on Mangiamo’s legacy?

DAVID BOHIGIAN: Honestly, I don’t really know for sure, but I think it was probably mostly because of my work ethic. The previous owner mentored me for a couple years, but never said anything about me taking over the business. It wasn’t until I quit and came back that his wife told him he better tell me about his plan, and that’s when he offered me the business.

What has becoming owner/operator meant to you?

What it’s all about for me is taking an opportunity to do better for myself. I didn’t finish high school and had no real prospects in life at the age of 28 with a wife and kids. Owning Mangiamo’s has allowed us to keep living in the Aptos community that I love and it was the best professional business decision that I’ve made in my life.

783 Rio Del Mar Blvd., Suite 45, Aptos; 831-688-1477. mangiamopizza.com

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