Rob Brezsny’s Astrology June 15—21

 
ARIES (March 21-April 19): The coming months will be a favorable time to boost your skills as a cagey warrior. I don’t mean you should push people around and get into lots of fights. Rather, the goal is for you to harness your aggressiveness constructively and to wield your willpower with maximum grace. In the face of fear, you will not just be brave, but brave and crafty. You’ll refrain from forcing storylines to unfold before they’re ready, and you’ll rely on strategy and good timing instead of brute strength and the decree “Because I said so.” Now study this counsel from the ancient Chinese statesman Zhuge Liang, also known as Crouching Dragon: “The wise win before they fight, while the ignorant fight to win.”
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Everything you do in the coming days should be imbued with the intention of enhancing the Flow. It’s high time to identify where the energy is stuck, and then get it unstuck. You have a sacred mandate to relieve the congestion … to relax the tweaks … to unravel the snarls if you can, or simply cut through them if necessary. You don’t need to tell anyone about your secret agenda. Just go about your business with zealous diligence and unflagging purpose. If it takes more effort than you wished, so be it. If your progress seems maddeningly gradual, keep the faith.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): My long-term predictions for the next 15 months are a blend of hopeful optimism and a reasonable interpretation of the astrological omens. Here we go: 1. You will have an excellent chance to smooth and soothe the rough spots in your romantic karma. 2. You will outgrow any addiction you might have to frustrating connections. 3. Unrequited love will either be requited, or else you’ll become bored with the futile chase and move on. 4. You’ll be challenged to either refresh and reinvent an existing intimacy, or else get shrewd enough not to repeat past mistakes in a new intimacy. 5. You will have an abundance of good ideas about how to install the theme of *smart fun* at the heart of your strongest alliances.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Author Courttia Newland quotes the pre-Socratic philosopher Meno: “How will you go about finding the thing the nature of which is totally unknown to you?” In response to this riddle, Newland riffs on what it means to him: “Even more important than the journey itself, is the venture into the unknowable. The ability to find comfort moving forwards without quite knowing where you are going.” I nominate these to be your words to live by in the coming days, Cancerian. Have open-hearted fun as you go in search of mysterious and impossible secrets! I’m confident you will track them down—especially if you’re willing to be lost.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Your homework is to write a story about the life you’re going to live between now and next April. The length of this predictive tale should be at least three pages, although it’s fine if you produce more. Here are some meditations to lubricate the flow of your imagination. 1. What three questions would you love to have answered during the next 42 weeks? 2. Of the numerous adventures that might be fun to explore, which are the two that would be most consistently energizing? 3. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about your attitude or revamp about your life? 4. What new privilege will you have earned by April 2017?
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): According to an old Chinese proverb, if you want to get rich, you must have a nickname. My meditations on your future suggest that this curious formula may have some validity. The next 15 months will be a favorable time to attend to the groundwork that will ultimately increase your wealth. And your luck in doing this work is likely to be oddly good if you add a frisky tweak to your identity—such as a zesty new nickname, for example. I suggest you stay away from clichés like Ace or Vixen or Sharpie, as well as off-putting ironic monikers like Poker Face and Stonewall. Instead, gravitate toward lively choices like Dazzler, FluxLuster, Hoochie-Coochie, or FreeBorn.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): During the next 15 months, you will have an unprecedented chance to materialize a fantasy you’ve harbored for years. Essential to your efforts will be a capacity to summon more ambition than you ever have before. I’m not talking about the grubby self-promotion that typically passes for ambition, however. Arrogant self-importance and selfish posturing will not be part of your winning formula. Rather, the kind of ambition I’m referring to is a soaring aspiration that seeks the best and highest not just for yourself but for everyone whose life you touch. I mean the holy hunger that drives you to express impeccable integrity as you seek to master the tasks you came to Earth to accomplish. Get started!
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): During the next 15 months, composting should be a primary practice, as well as a main metaphor. If you have been lazy about saving leftover scraps from your kitchen and turning them into fertilizer, now is an excellent time to intensify your efforts. The same is true if you have been lax about transforming your pain into useful lessons that invigorate your lust for life. Be ever-alert for opportunities to capitalize on junk, muck, and slop. Find secret joy in creating unexpected treasure out of old failures and wrong turns.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Have you ever made a fool of yourself while trying to fulfill your deepest yearnings? I hope so. If you haven’t, your yearnings probably aren’t deep enough. Most of us, on multiple occasions, have pursued our longings for connection with such unruly intensity that we have made foggy decisions and engaged in questionable behavior. That’s the weird news. The good news is that now and then, the impulse to leave our safety zone in a quest to quench our deepest yearnings can actually make us smarter and more effective. I believe this is one of those times for you.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): During the next 13 months, what can you do to enhance your ability to be the boss of yourself? What practices can you engage in on a daily basis that will build your potency and authority and clout? How can you gain access to more of the helpers and resources you need to carry out your life’s master plan? These are excellent questions to ask yourself every day between now and July 2017. It’s time to find or create your ultimate power spot.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The prison population in the U.S. is over two million, more than twice what it was in 1990. In contrast, Canada keeps about 41,000 people in jail, Italy 52,000, and France 66,000. That’s the bad news. The good news, at least for you and your tribe, is that a relatively small percentage of you will be incarcerated during the next 15 months. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, Aquarians all over the world will specialize in liberation. Not only will you be extra ethical; not only will you be skillful at evading traps; you will also be adept at emancipating yourself from your own delusions and limitations. Congratulations in advance! It’s time to start singing some new freedom songs.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The English word “catharsis” is derived from the ancient Greek katharsis, which was a technical medical term that meant “purgation” or “purification,” as in flushing out the bowels. Aristotle converted katharsis into a metaphor that described how a drama performed in the theater could “clean out” the emotions of spectators. These days, catharsis may refer to any event that precipitates a psycho-spiritual renewal by building up and then releasing tension. I foresee at least one of these strenuous blessings in your immediate future.


Homework: If you could change your astrological sign, what would you change it to and why? Go to Freewillastrology.com and click “Email Rob.”

Risa’s Stars June 15—21

We have a complex and busy week ahead. Friday, Saturn squares Neptune (and again in September before the elections). Saturn is social structures, the laws. Neptune places all social structures and laws no longer working on a ship and quietly glides away.
Sunday is Father’s Day. We recognize and celebrate all fathers in all shapes and sizes, genders and relationships. Fathers who are mothers. And the mothers who are fathers, too.
Monday, June 20, is a blue moon, the second full moon (solar festival of Humanity) under Gemini. Eleven hours later, Sun enters Cancer, it’s Summer solstice. The solar festival (full moon) occurs early morning (4:02 Pacific time). The Sun at 29 degrees Gemini (important degrees) continues its close contact with Venus (3 degrees Cancer). Blue moons create an intensity of energies. This solar festival has a double potency. The Sun in Gemini is poised at that last degree (29) at the full moon time. The Sun later shifts into Cancer and Summer begins. The Sun is poised at the Tropic of Cancer, resting for three days before beginning its journey southward. Beginning at summer solstice, the light in our world decreases. A paradox.
Solstices and the equinoxes are the four most important festivals of the annual cycle of Light and Dark. At these cardinal (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn in cardinal signs initiating a new state) points specific spiritual energies of Light are present, through which many layers of wisdom are able to unfold. By attuning to these energies of Light (containing information) we are able to develop subtle perceptions and understandings. Monday is the longest day of light for the year.


ARIES: You will now feel there is more than enough inner strength and energy to meet all the expectations and demands of work and the world, both self-imposed and from others. You will bring beauty and balance, prosperity and connectivity to your work. Also, detail, order and organization. These you will teach and then ask of others as well. Careful. Be patient.
TAURUS: It’s time to tend to yourself now. To spend time where you live in order to order and organize both inner and outer realities. It’s been a long long time (years?) since you’ve been able to assess needs in your personal life. Since you’re been focused outwardly, saving the world, things at home are quite in need. Seeking assistance is practical. For there is much work to do. Afterward there may be a move.
GEMINI: Consider your needs for a while. Allow yourself to think of all the things you need in all aspects of your life. Consider the state of your home and family, your relationships and money, your communication and sense of well-being. Are all these as they should be? Do you offer comfort, calmness and ease to others? Assess, observing quietly over time. Allow emotions to be acknowledged should they appear.
CANCER: It’s good for you to seek, ask for and assess the truth, available to you from your feelings and senses. Then it is good to share with people what you feel about everything, and why. When we speak the truth about something, sincerity and integrity enter every relationship and interaction. When speaking the truth, be neutral, ask questions, be kind and courteous. Truth sets everyone free. You, too.
LEO: You are being very responsible. Your creative endeavors are being applied to daily life situations. Daily life is transformed. Is there something else you would like to be doing in your life allowing you to be out and about into the wilds, serving the animal (or bird or fish) kingdom, offering them food, shelter, medicine and comfort? Do you want to be elsewhere? However, you are here. Needed here.
VIRGO: You have new vital energy. You’re active, self-confident, happy, purposeful and enthusiastic (filled with God). You’re so busy, there’s no time for relaxation. When you’re not working night and day, counting your blessings, notice how you’ve expanded into a new sense of self confidence. It’s been growing all along. Notice past life gifts coming forth.
LIBRA: A spiritual essence (message) begins to stream into your daily life. It expands you and provides the gift of understanding. It is alleviating all judgments you may be carrying since childhood. Those judgments affect your present life and although you think you’re happy, the shadow of judgment is eventually projected upon those around you. Even in the best relationships. Forgiveness releases us in the same way truth does.
SCORPIO: What expansion is occurring in your life? Does it feel like a revolution? What new direction is being taken along with the seeking of a new self-identity, new focus and activities? Everything’s changing for you. It’s not just your perception. Things you’ve sought eventually appear. Now all you have to do is begin to prepare without feeling overtaken, overwhelmed or dissolved. Remain poised at the center.
SAGITTARIUS: Remember to do your work with composure, inner poise, exhibiting no pressure toward self or others. You are being watched (scrutinized) as to your ability to create Right Relations, balancing leadership, friendship, keeping the two separate with finesse, elegance, grace and skill. This is quite a job. You most likely already display all of this. Now more is called for.
CAPRICORN: Many days, weeks and months of work reach a summit. If you look back on the autumn of last year, something began. Now it has reached a point of manifestation, of being seen in the world. Perhaps this is you, who is presently always in a state of transformation and transfiguration. There are perhaps lots of thoughts concerning travel, going far away, experiencing new cultures, foods, people. Yes, go. There’s a place for you.
AQUARIUS: Tend to money carefully. Put money away for future needs. Always do this second, when money comes in. Tithe some of it first. This assures you a constant supply in terms of your life needs. When we give, more is returned. Humanity is yet to learn this. That the new materialism is the new Sharing Society. You could be leading humanity in this endeavor. You’ll say to others, “Don’t worry, be happy!”
PISCES: You shift between pain and feeling wounded, grieving and being comforted. It’s such an interesting polarity. Both can be felt as extremes. However, you seek the way in between, a point of poise, and you realize it’s a “razor’s edge.” Yes, it is. A crossroads is coming up. A decision, too. You need sensitive handling. Tend to yourself, your money and resources with great care. You reach out to family and bring everyone who is separated together.

What do you think about the Uber and Airbnb business models?

“In some ways they’re awesome, but I can see how Airbnb is making the rental market really tough for a lot of people.”

Kelly Gavin

Santa Cruz
Television Producer

“As a taxi driver in Santa Cruz, Uber is making it harder to make a living. They’re putting us out of business, and they’re not regulated.”

Ryan Skotland

Santa Cruz
Taxi Driver

“Great for the creators, and tough for the competition.”

John Starks

Santa Cruz
Homemaker

“I think Uber and Airbnb are a positive in these times, because of efficiency.”

Valen Harper

Santa Cruz
Sign Artist

“As long as nobody gets hurt, it’s OK with me.”

Helen Del Toro

Santa Cruz
Student

Music Picks June 8—14

 

WEDNESDAY 6/8

INDIE

TRAIL & WAYS

This is an interesting time to check out Easy Bay’s Cocteau-Twins-meets-bossa-nova indie quartet Trails & Ways. The group first came into prominence a few years back with a killer EP Trilingual, combining chill vibes, indie rock, world beat and, yes, three languages. Last year’s debut full-length Pathology did not disappoint. But now as they prepare for their follow-up, half the band has left. Their replacements are Miriam Speyer and former Santa Cruzan Kendra McKinley, who helped them record the new album. The first song they’ve released, “My Things,” is a dream-pop gem. AARON CARNES
INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $12. 429-6994.

FRIDAY 6/10

FUNK

KATDELIC

If there’s anyone perfect to pay tribute to Prince, it’s Bay Area funk group Katdelic. They play funk the way it was meant to be played—weird. Taking cues from Parliament, Katdelic mixes grooves with soul, psychedelic, rock, pop and a lot of flamboyance. Sound like anyone else? Leader Ronkat Spearman got his start as part of the P-Punk All Star touring group in 2000. About a decade later, he left and let his own creativity blossom with Katdelic. This Friday’s show will be a combination of Katdelic and Prince songs. AC
INFO: 9 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $15/door. 479-1854

RETRO

DAVINA & THE VAGABONDS

A high-energy, high-impact retro outfit that draws from New Orleans music, classic soul, rock, gospel and jazz, Davina & the Vagabonds are creating quite a buzz as a top act on the national music scene. Led by frontwoman Davina Sowers, the Twin Cities-based outfit garners praise for its careful balance of swagger, soul and tenderness. Sowers is often compared to powerhouse women, including Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, and Etta James, but her theatrical delivery and fresh take on the music of bygone eras sets her apart as a true original. CJ
INFO: 7:30 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 427-2227.

SATURDAY 6/11

HIP-HOP

DEJ LOAF

Mixing hip-hop and smooth R&B, it’s no wonder Dej Loaf was called out as part of 2015’s “Freshman Class” (aka, artists to watch out for) by XXL magazine. Born in Detroit, she first hit the scene in 2012 with her mixtape Just Do It, followed by Sell Sole in 2014 and this year’s All Jokes Aside. Between the mixtapes, Dej Loaf worked with a who’s-who in the hip-hop world ranging from E-40 to Ty Dolla Sign, and opened last year for the North American part of Nicki Minaj’s Pinkprint Tour. MAT WEIR
INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst Club, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $39-$139. 429-4135.

COUNTRY

HONKY DONKY &  HEARTBREAKER

Hot damnation and icy-cold beer! Y’all better get ready for the “100 percent foolproof alcoholic love making music” that is Honky Donky & Heartbreaker. This is real honky-tonk for anyone with a lovesick heart and liver of steel. With a lot of twang in their guitar and humor in their lyrics, Honky Donky & Heartbreaker just might be your next favorite band. MW
INFO: 9 pm. The Pocket, 3102 Portola Drive, Santa Cruz. $5. 475-9819.

CAMBODIAN ROCK

DENGUE FEVER

These days, a simple Internet search will reveal a treasure trove of ’60s international garage-rock gems. But back in the ’90s, L.A. native Ethan Holtzman discovered a heap of old vibrant Cambodian psych-rock bands the old fashioned way—by visiting South East Asian and ransacking local stores. His group Dengue Fever, formed in 2001, is heavily influenced by this sound, itself a hybrid of surreal American psych-rockers and traditional Cambodian melodies. Most of Dengue Fever’s tunes are sung in Khmer. It’s a unique updated take on the music with bits of surf and indie tossed in the pot as well. AC
INFO: 8 p.m. Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. 335-2800. $15/adv, $18/door. 335-2800.

SUNDAY 6/12

BLUES

GUITAR SHORTY

If you caught Buddy Guy at the recent Santa Cruz American Music Festival, you understand that before there was a Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton or Jimmy Page, there was Guy. What you might not know, however, is that before there was Guy, there was Guitar Shorty. A blues legend from Houston, Texas who has influenced countless rock and blues guitarists, Shorty is five decades into a career as a blistering and unpredictable guitarist, a fierce vocalist, and an inimitable showman. On Sunday, he hits Moe’s Alley for an afternoon set. CJ
INFO: 4 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $14/adv, $18/door. 479-1854.

TUESDAY 6/14

JAZZ

JOSHUA REDMAN QUARTET

Even when he tries to keep his name off the marquee, Joshua Redman tends to draw the lion’s share of attention in whatever band he’s performing in. Which is a pity, because the Berkeley saxophone star can usually be found keeping company with the most prodigious cats on the scene. Tuesday’s show is no exception. Pianist Aaron Goldberg, bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Gregory Hutchinson toured and recorded widely with Redman around the turn of the century, joining him on the albums Beyond and Passage of Time (both on Warner Bros.). Among the most sought-after accompanists of their generation, they’re exceptional musicians who’ve helped define progressive mainstream jazz over the past 25 years. Rogers and Hutchinson are a particularly exciting rhythm section tandem, a supple and coruscating unit captured on Redman’s consistently enthralling 2014 album Trios Live (Nonesuch). ANDREW GILBERT
INFO: 7 and 9 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $30/adv, $35/door. 427-2227.


IN THE QUEUE

GIANT SAND

Tucson-based Americana outfit led by Howe Gelb. Friday at Don Quixote’s

LOUIS THE CHILD

Electronic duo out of Chicago. Friday at Catalyst

MATTSON 2

Jazz-rock duo comprising twin brothers Jonathan and Jared Mattson. Friday at Crepe Place

BENNY GREEN TRIO

Hard bop keyboardist whose resumé includes work with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. Monday at Kuumbwa

PRAYERS

“Cholo-goth” duo out of Southern California. Tuesday at Catalyst

Be Our Guest: African Guitar Summit

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A collection of outstanding guitarists from across the African continent, African Guitar Summit is a joyful, danceable celebration of contemporary African music. Comprising Alpha YaYa Diallo from Guinea, Donne Roberts (above) and Madagascar Slim from Madagascar, Kofi Ackah from Ghana on drums, and Guinea’s Naby Camara on marimba and bass, the outfit is a guitar-centric exercise in stylistic diversity, collaboration, and mutual respect. 


INFO: 7 p.m. Monday, June 20. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 427-2227. WANT TO GO? Go to santacruz.com/giveaways before 11 a.m. on Friday, June 16 to find out how you could win a pair of tickets to the show.

Love Your Local Band: No Greater Fight

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Malachi Greene noticed something not long ago at his hardcore band No Greater Fight’s second performance ever—locals were hungry for a good hardcore show. That show at Caffe Pergolesi had kids packing into every corner of the building, and even crowd surfing.
“A lot of people were caught off guard on the energy. Santa Cruz’s hardcore scene used to be pretty big. We didn’t see a lot of bands or people trying to get shows going. We decided we wanted to change that. That show gave us hope,” Greene says.
They’ve since played a handful of shows locally and throughout the region, and they have a five-song EP on Bandcamp, which shows off their pissed-off, beefy riff-driven hardcore sound that recalls L.A. punk from the early ’80s.
The members—Greene on vocals, Jay Morris on guitar, Justin Rhode on bass and Ben Eissmann on drums—met around town at punk shows. Upset that there wasn’t a lot of hardcore in Santa Cruz anymore, they decided to start their own group. Morris came up with the name, which, to the band is about standing up and fighting for what is right. The message is resonant in their tunes, as Greene yells at the top of his lungs about things that frustrate him, and ways he hopes to change it.
“A lot of people say the music sounds really angry or negative. But if you actually listen to the lyrics, it’s more positive than anything you’ll hear on the radio, where you’ll hear ‘be with every girl you can,’” Greene says. “It’s a way to have a controlled outlet. People are releasing energy in a mosh pit through music. It’s telling them that there’s more people feeling the same way, frustrated at whatever life is giving you at the time. That’s what we’re about, being ourselves.” 


INFO: 8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 9. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $12/door. 429-4135.

Who should Hillary choose as a running mate if she gets the nomination?

“Elizabeth Warren, because she’ll put Hillary and her money-hungry bankers in check.”

Josh Pearlman

Santa Cruz
Commercial Diver

“Joe Biden, obviously. Because he’s amazing and he’s been through a lot and he’s served our country.”

Roxanne Burdick

Santa Cruz
Salon Owner

“Bernie Sanders should have Hillary’s back. They should all get together and make the Democratic party better. ”

Nhut Nguyen

Santa Cruz
Solar Installation

“Sarah Palin, because she’s hot.”

Troy Taylor

Santa Cruz
Bartender

“Trey Anastasio, for he will bring music, and music will heal everything.”

Austin Carlson

Santa Cruz
Biker

Opinion June 8, 2016

EDITOR’S NOTE

What is Juneteenth? That’s what most everyone I talked to about this week’s cover story asked me. It’s not like no one has heard the word before, there’s definitely a glimmer of recognition that a lot of people get when they hear it, but the fact that most can’t quite put their finger on it illustrates the need for Geoffrey Dunn’s cover story. Juneteenth, after all, has been a celebration in our community for 25 years now.
But even though, for that reason, I knew the general facts about Juneteenth, I have to admit that it wasn’t until reading Dunn’s story that I realized how much I hadn’t known. There’s a lot of myth and legend surrounding this celebration of African-Americans—what has become, as he writes in his story, commonly thought of as the “Black Fourth of July.” The real story, as Dunn reveals it, is fascinating.
Dunn also illuminates quite a bit about a local figure most of us also probably think we know pretty well: London “Louden” Nelson. But his story, too, has been altered and garbled in the historical repression of African-American rights—even the rights to one’s name. Here’s to setting the record straight.
STEVE PALOPOLI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Read the latest letters to the editor here.

Widening Implications
Re: “Driving the Issue” (GT, 6/1): The job engine of Silicon Valley results in a nearly insatiable demand for housing. Extraordinary housing prices inspire the SV workforce to travel long distances to find housing. It’s going to get worse. Jobs in Santa Clara County are projected to grow by 90,000 in 2015-2020. Silicon Valley employees (average wage 53 percent higher than Santa Cruz County) are able to outbid local residents for housing.
One factor that discourages Silicon Valley commuters from locating in Santa Cruz County is traffic on Highway 1 and 17.  If our county’s Regional Transportation Commission’s plan to widen Highway 1 comes to fruition, any congestion relief could inspire more commuters from over the hill to reside here. That will put more cars on the highway, cancelling out the congestion relief.
Even the Caltrans Draft EIR concluded that the Highway 1 widening project “would result in a very slight improvement in traffic congestion.”  It’s a no-win project: negligible congestion relief, but more cars, more greenhouse gases, and higher housing costs.
To sign the online petition to Support Sustainable Transportation—Not Highway Widening, go to sensibletransportation.org.
Rick Longinotti
Santa Cruz

Keep Trump Out
A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll of registered voters shows Clinton with a 3 percent lead over Trump, within the margin of error of the poll. The same poll shows Sanders with a 15 percent lead over Trump. The poll also reveals that both Clinton and Trump are viewed unfavorably by a majority of voters (-20 percent for Clinton and -29 percent for Trump), while Sanders is viewed favorably by a majority of voters (+7 percent).  Moreover, among Democrats, 38 percent of Sanders supporters view Clinton favorably, while 54 percent of Clinton supporters view Sanders favorably. This is not the first poll to show these results. I think that all Democrats and progressive independents can agree that keeping Trump out of the White House is by far the most important task of the coming election. If so, Sanders is clearly the right choice.
Peter Gelblum
Boulder Creek

Online Comments
Re: Take Back Santa Cruz
Elerick, without a doubt, has a personal vendetta against TBSC. One need look no further than “Take Back Santa Cruz from TBSC,” a page she authored. It’s fine if she doesn’t like them, but both she and the author of this article should take a bit of responsibility.
— Gern Blanston
I think Santa Cruz is waking up to what Take Back Santa Cruz really is: a hate group. You can’t walk around this small community acting like a jerk as long as they have and not expect to get some blowback. I suspect that the Sentinel, KION and other news outlets are intimidated by this group of community bullies, and that’s why you rarely see any counterpoint to the group’s rhetoric. It’s refreshing to see opposition to the censored and manufactured discussions on their closed Facebook page where the level of discussion rarely reaches a junior high-school level. Thank you Good Times! Please look into TBSC more.
— Albert Chron

Correction
In last week’s news story, “Driving the Issue,” GT reported that Bike Santa Cruz County has endorsed a possible ballot measure from the Regional Transportation Commission. Bike Santa Cruz County has not made an endorsement, although director Amelia Conlen has spoken positively about aspects of it. The group plans to vote on it this month. We regret the error.


PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

Submit to ph****@go*******.sc. Include information (location, etc.) and your name. Photos may be cropped. Preferably, photos should be 4 inches by 4 inches and minimum 250dpi.


GOOD IDEA

SPECIAL DELIVERY
People are ranking cities for everything these days. Apparently, Santa Cruz is a pretty good place to be a mail carrier—maybe not the best, but one could do worse. That’s according to ValuePenguin, an online financial advising company, which factored in things like the number of jobs available and the average salary. Santa Cruz came in at number 25, right between Burlington, North Carolina and Janesville, Wisconsin.


GOOD WORK

CLEARED WATER
The San Lorenzo Valley Water District has announced that it received a special transparency award. The District Transparency Certificate of Excellence from the Special District Leadership Foundation of California recognizes outstanding efforts to promote transparency and good governance. It comes two years after a Santa Cruz County Grand Jury report blasted the district for shady financial dealings and ignoring public process requirements.


QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I didn’t know I was a slave until I found out I couldn’t do the things I wanted.”

-Frederick Douglass

Trout Gulch Vineyards

A visit to the Kuumbwa Jazz Club recently to see Ukrainian singers DakhaBrakha turned into a magical evening. Not only was the group’s performance mesmerizing, but the wine we shared—a Trout Gulch Vineyards Pinot Noir 2013—also added a ton of flavor to the whole experience.
Expertly made by Gerry Turgeon, whose late father Bernie Turgeon was a pioneer in the wine industry, this Pinot is bursting with bold flavors. In fact, it was Bernie who planted the Pinot Noir grapes in the early 1980s on the now-famous Trout Gulch Vineyards in the Aptos foothills.
Grapes for the 2013 Pinot Noir La Source—so named because of the “source” of natural artesian springs that issue from the estate—were night-harvested in early October, yielding 226 cases. Enticing aromas of plums, berries and spices add to the lingering fruity finish of this intense Pinot (around $38).
Turgeon suggests pairing it with hearty fare such as game, chicken, roast pork, wild salmon, curry dishes, and grilled eggplant. Or, try it with some of the excellent fare offered at Kuumbwa.
For info on where to buy locally visit troutgulchvineyards.com or call 588-9639.

Route 1 Farms Dinners

There are three dinners lined up for the summer at Route 1 Farms—July 17, Aug. 14 and Sept. 25. Although the July dinner with Chef Brad Briske of La Balena in Carmel is sold out, there is a waiting list you can add your name to. As of this writing, tickets are still available for Aug. 14 with Chef Damani Thomas of Oswald in Santa Cruz and wines by Sones Cellars; and Sept. 25 with Chef Carlos Espinas of Assembly and Kendra Baker of the Glass Jar with wines by Odonata. Tickets are $120, all inclusive. For more info visit route1farms.com.

Redwood Hill Farm

Goat-milk yogurt is not just for kids! I really enjoyed sampling Redwood Hill’s flavors in New Leaf recently. The company also makes a variety of other goat-milk produce, including cheeses and kefir. Based in Sebastopol, the farm offers tours and milking demonstrations—and you can even visit their baby goats. Next time you’re in New Leaf, pick up some of this delicious yogurt. Visit redwoodhill.com for more information.

A Different Take on Probiotic Drinks

Probiotics have become popular in the health industry over the last decade. And KeVita provides an easy and convenient way to get them, with their sparkling fermented drinks.
The company launched in 2010, and their products can be found in Whole Foods, New Leaf and other health stores. We spoke with co-founder Robert Adams, the Santa Cruzan of the group. (The other two are Bill Moses and Chakra Earthsong Levy). Adams told us all about the health benefits of drinking probiotics, and the other products they sell.
Why consume probiotics?
ROBERT ADAMS: Probiotics are the ultimate functional ingredient in preventative health, which was why we started the company, to empower people to take control of their health. What probiotics do is help your digestive track. What that really means is it helps you metabolize and assimilate all the vitamins and minerals, which ultimately leads to a higher level of immunity and a healthy gut. Something like 70 percent of diseases start in the gut. Probiotics have been present in a lot of food products, not just the fermented drinks: yogurt, sauerkrauts even. We may not have known what they were doing scientifically, but I think we knew that we felt better and our health was generally improved by eating those types of products. So here we are in the past 10-15 years, it’s really entered the American lexicon, that probiotics are probably the most important supplements you can take.
Is getting probiotics from your drink a better source than other products?
I think beverages are always a great delivery system. They’re very convenient. You’re on the go, you grab one, you don’t have to remember your pill. I think it’s also what science has found is that variety is good. Not one probiotic fits all. In fermented foods and specifically in our products, you have probiotics that complement the natural flora we all have in our system.
What are your different product lines?
KeVita is unique in the entire chilled wholesome beverage category. We have three. We have the original sparkling probiotic. It’s actually a water kefir. We also have kombucha, which is an entirely different product. Using black teas and green teas, it’s a fermentation that puts off organic acid, it has beneficial yeast. Then we have a third product. We developed a line of tonic, which includes apple cider vinegar. That specific line also has digestive benefits with the apple cider vinegar, as well as anti-inflammatory properties. It’s basically the same water kefir ferment that’s in the KeVita product, but with the addition of apple cider vinegar. It’s the only product like it on the market. You can actually drink it. You don’t have to hold your nose as you take a shot of it.


For more information, go to kevita.com.

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A Different Take on Probiotic Drinks

KeVita puts a twist on the fermentation trend
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