As California finalized its state budget for this year, Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County—your food bank and the first established in the state—extends our deepest gratitude to State Senator John Laird for his steadfast leadership and unwavering commitment to ending hunger in our community and beyond.
Thanks to Senator Laird’s steadfast advocacy, the CalFood program—which supports food banks across California—was funded at $60 million for the 2025–26 fiscal year, a significant increase from the $8 million proposed in the governor’s May revision. This landmark investment underscores Senator Laird’s deep-rooted commitment to food security on the Central Coast and throughout the state.
Working alongside Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen, Senator Laird helped secure critical funding that enables food banks to purchase fresh, California-grown food—nourishing families while investing in our state’s farmers and food producers. This funding helps us provide not just more food, but better food—nutritious, locally sourced and rooted in dignity.
Erica Padilla-Chavez | CEO, Second Harvest Food Bank | Santa Cruz County
POETRY EVENT
Círculo de Poetas & Writers’ annual conference is at the MAH on Aug. 23 and then online on Aug. 30. You can go to our website for all the details.
I’m hoping Good Times could write about the conference for two reasons—it’s our 10th anniversary, and the first Círculo conference was held at Cabrillo College; then we have a Tribute to a Living Writer series, and this year Lorna Dee Cervantes will be there. I think this would make a great story.
Adela Najarro | Author of ‘Variations in Blue’
ONLINE COMMENTS
REBUILDING AFTER CZU FIRE
I started out after the CZU fire with deep sympathy for the people in planning and building. They also had been through a trauma, there are regulations that they must comply with. They are hard-working people, who are part of our community. Codes are in place to keep all of us safe.
I was in contract with an architect by September 2020, and I manage design projects in my profession. I had enough hubris to think that I could make everything come out okay.
I had to build a bridge to access my land, which was a uniquely challenging barrier to getting started with the cabin. To do this I had to learn how to work with civil engineers, geotechnical engineers and structural engineers. Get approval from Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Water Quality District, and from Planning, Building, Roads, and the fire chief. Then I had to build the darn thing in the three-month period you are allowed to build in a riparian corridor.
Now I have had plans for a cabin in for permit for almost a year. The response time is slow, there is little consistency in the comments. It truly seems like the plan checkers are TRYING to find a way to deny my permit.
The fire was a devastating trauma. But the process of rebuilding is incremental, slow torture.
Kirstin | Goodtimes.sc
PRIMUS
Primus at the UCSC Quarry was truly a magical night—great sound, magical atmosphere in the redwood forest, and a legendary band that still knows how to rock every generation with their unique weirdness.
All-woman string band Della Mae packs a punch with powerhouse players: founder and lead vocalist/guitarist Celia Woodsmith, Grand National champion fiddler Kimber Ludiker, guitarist Avril Smith, and two-time IBMA Bass Player of the Year Vickie Vaughn. Della Mae’s playful and high-energy performances inspire audiences to clap and stomp along. It is bluegrass, after all, and they bring twangy finger-plucking, sailing strings and hooky melodies. The band is not only passionate about their performances, but they also advocate for increased opportunities for female musicians through mentorship and programming. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: 7:30pm, The Landing, 251-B Kings Village Rd., Scotts Valley. $35/adv, $45/door. 566-9411.
REGGAE
DAMIAN & STEPHEN MARLEY
Sons of reggae legend Bob Marley, Damian and Stephen Marley carry on their father’s legacy on their own and together. Stephen Marley is a multiple Grammy winner, earning recognition for his solo work and production of other artists. Starting from a roots reggae foundation, his music is informed by hip-hop, soul and dancehall, all with a Rastafarian perspective. Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley secured worldwide fame with 2005’s Welcome to Jamrock. The record’s title track landed two Grammys. His lyrics often focus on social issues, including poverty and social justice. Together, the brothers Marley continue their musical journeys and embrace Bob Marley’s groundbreaking contributions. BILL KOPP
INFO: 7pm, Quarry Amphitheater, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz. $70-$130. 459-4184.
FRIDAY 8/15
ART
ED PENNIMAN
Through meditative landscapes, joyful seascapes and fresh still-lifes, Ed Penniman creates peaceful mirrors of the natural world. Born and raised in Santa Cruz, his pieces reflect the lush greenery and warm sands of sunny California. Penniman’s love of art began in childhood and came to fruition in the early 1970s. In 1984, Guillain-Barré syndrome left him quadriplegic for three years. During this time, he continued painting and learned to use his mouth to hold the brushes. In his recovery, Penniman developed a deep appreciation for the relationships between humans and nature, and he tenderly depicts this in his art. The exhibit goes until Jan. 25, 2026. SN
INFO: MAH, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-1964.
ELECTRONIC
IN THE ROUND SESSIONS VOL. 4
Time to go round and round with In The Round Session Volume 4, featuring locals DJ Sardine, MR.EXTRACREDIT, and Joey Aliotti. This immersive night of house music promises to bring party people on a journey with energetic mixes and a unique setup. DJs will be in the middle of the Atrium floor—in the crowd. In other words, they won’t be separated by a stage. This is a special opportunity to connect, jump and dance to the beats as one. Unwind from the stress of the week with these deck demons and go into the weekend with high energy and egalitarian vibes. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
Kentucky-born Ben Sollee is an interesting cat. The phrase “folk R&B cellist” isn’t heard often enough in the popular music pantheon. That he’s an environmental activist who once packed a cello on his back and biked around the country in a tour he called the “Ditch the Vans” tour makes him the most unique R&B cellist ever. That’d be an impressive feat with a guitar, but a cello?! His lyrics are sweet and romantic, delivered in a beautifully sincere and soulful voice. He’s collaborated with My Morning Jacket and Bela Fleck, and his compositions include ballet and indie film soundtracking. Interesting cat indeed. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
Portland strikes again, or rather STRFKR strikes again. STRFKR was started by Josh Hodges, who wanted to create music that would inspire dancing but would also serve as just plain ol’ pop music. The lineup currently consists of Shawn Glassford on bass and drums, Keil Corcoran drums and vocals, and Arian Jalali on guitar and keyboards, and literally every member of the band on keyboards at some point. Is STRFKR succeeding with this band? Well, if chart placement, use in shows, ads and other media, and packed concerts full of sweaty, dancing bodies equals success, then yeah, pretty much. KLJ
INFO: 8pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $38. 713-5492.
SUNDAY 8/17
COMEDY
LEWIS BLACK
They say all good things must come to an end and that includes the howling of the dogs of society. With that, famed angry comedian Lewis Black is saying, “Goodbye Yeller Brick Road.” But instead of going back to the plough, the 76-year-old comedian is only quitting the open road, putting away the tour life after 35 years, and will focus on the simpler things in life like his podcast (aka his “Rantcast”), writing and maybe finally becoming the professional golfer he “was born to be.” Black’s comedy is viciously on-the-nose and sharp, especially when dealing with politics or the trappings of modern society. MAT WEIR
INFO: 8pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $57. 423-8209.
ROCK
MEATBODIES
This psychedelic rock band hails from Los Angeles and is spearheaded by one Chad Ubovich. A longtime bass player for famous psych acts like Ty Segall and FUZZ, Ubovich started Meatbodies in 2011 around the same time FUZZ also formed. While the latter would have more of the indie media spotlight, Meatbodies became a favorite in the psych underground earning a fanbase with their fuel-injected live performances, catchy beats and lo-fi heavy sounds. Over the years they’ve released four albums, with last year’s Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom as their latest and definitely most diverse work to date. MW
Grammy-nominated guitarist and singer-songwriter Raul Midón is known for his distinctive guitar sound and his skillful combination of influences from pop, R&B, Latin and jazz. Blind since childhood, New Mexico-born Midón developed a trademark guitar style that incorporates rhythmic hand percussion and improvisation. His second major-label release (2005’s State of Mind) featured Jason Mraz and Stevie Wonder as guest artists. Midón has also collaborated with Herbie Hancock, Mike Stern, Lalah Hathaway, Queen Latifah and many others. His vocal “trumpet solos” are a popular element of recordings and live performances. Midón’s most recent studio album, Lost & Found, was released in 2024. BK
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $40-$42. 427-2227.
Lacy J. Dalton claims that living in Santa Cruz was the best time of her life, and one reason was because the musical community here pushed her to keep getting better. She says, “Santa Cruz has more musicians than people.”
Lacy J.’s love and connection with Santa Cruz is mutual. KPIG jock, musician and writer Michael Gaither believes Dalton ties into our hometown pride. “Santa Cruzans are proud of the fact that Lacy started here, developed here, and after big success in Nashville, she has always claimed Santa Cruz as her own. She’s still writing songs, and we play her stuff on KPIG. We feel like she is ours.”
Dalton will be back in the area this Saturday, and fans can catch her at El Vaquero Winery in Corralitos.
Dalton, 78, is one of the most instantly recognizable voices in music. People magazine called her “country’s Bonnie Raitt.” In March 2017 she was inducted into the North American Country Music Association International Hall of Fame, and in 2022 she was awarded a Lifetime Career Achievement Award from the Josie Music Awards. Known for her gritty, powerful vocals, she had hits in the 1980s that included “Takin’ It Easy,” “Crazy Blue Eyes” and “16th Avenue,” known as the anthem for Nashville songwriters.
Dalton’s Santa Cruz bona fides go deep; she wrote one of her biggest hits, “Crazy Blue Eyes,” in her 20s when she lived in Ben Lomond on Alba Road, during a period she says was one of the happiest times of her life. She laughs, “The cabin was so funky that when the rains came, I had to get up on the roof and put big plastic tarps down.”
She met her first husband there, the father of her son, who later became quadriplegic. Dalton found out a couple weeks after he broke his neck that she was going to have his baby. “It was the last child in his family line. I never was into the whole trad wife thing, but he could never have any more children, and I thought, ‘Okay, I’m going to have this baby.’ I brought my husband and my baby home from the hospital the same day.”
From ‘Black Sheep’ to Reno Pops
Dalton recently played two dates in July and August with the Reno Pops Orchestra, with selections of her original hits scored for orchestra. “It’s amazing to hear your hillbilly songs set to symphonic music. What an honor. One of the songs was a tune I wrote with Santa Cruz’s Ginny Mitchell,” Dalton says.
Arguably one of Lacy’s most requested and controversial songs is “Texas Taliban.”
One thing’s got me troubled, boys, I’ll never understand
The pinhead politicians of the Texas Taliban
Dalton, a fierce advocate for women’s rights, says that there are so many people she loves in Texas—she speaks of wonderful years there touring with Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings—but feels the politicians have taken treatment of women back one hundred years. “I think the Taliban would be perfectly comfortable moving to Texas. If Texas disappeared tomorrow, I would not grieve.”
Dalton says she generally doesn’t do political songs live but is considering doing “Texas Taliban” because so many Santa Cruzans say it’s their favorite song. She says the predominance of patriarchy is tilting the world out of balance. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the world tipped on its axis. Women are so strong—how dare anyone tell them they are less than. It offends my spirit.”
I suggest that her support of women’s rights flows through many of her songs. Lacy agrees and says one of those that she will perform at El Vaquero is “The Devil by a Different Name,” from her new Black Sheep album.
I am a woman, I am strong But I’ve been told that I am less-than for so long Eve ate an apple, they say we’re to blame That’s just a devil by a different name, boys The devil by a different name
Black Sheep has one song called “Everybody Loves to Hate.” Dalton asserts, “I don’t remove myself from that equation. We all have that in us, and we need to overcome it.”
It will be a trio at El Vaquero Winery: Dalton will be bringing guitar player Dale Poune and bassist Bill Laymon with her. Fans can drink fine wine and hear her sing starting at 5pm.
As our coveted Santa Cruz summer winds into its third month, we have a lot to be grateful for: late sunsets, movies at the beach—and a weekend of original one-acts performed in the heart of the redwoods.
Mountain Community Theater’s annual New Works Weekend returns to Park Hall Aug. 15–17, offering three nights of script-in-hand staged readings spotlighting local playwrights.
Produced by Ian Dyer, this year’s lineup features new one-act plays by Gail Borkowski, Steve Capasso and Harvey Landa, each sharing deeply personal work coming from their hearts, souls and experiences as Santa Cruz locals.
At the heart of the weekend is Borkowski’s Rain Walk—A Short Play, helmed by Maia Yates, who makes her directorial debut with the project.
“I’ve been part of theater in this valley since I was five—that’s 35 years,” Yates says. “To be directing a piece written by someone from this same community means everything. It’s personal. And it makes the work even more meaningful because it’s rooted in where we live.”
Borkowski premiered Rain Walk as a table read last summer with 36 North, a Santa Cruz playwrights’ collective. The script has since evolved and moved into the hands of a director and a cast, to explore new angles beyond the page.
“Submitting to New Works meant letting go, trusting that someone else would direct the piece with care,” Borkowski says. “That moment of surrender wasn’t easy, but it was freeing. And then meeting Maia made me feel like, yes, this is going to be in good hands.”
Rain Walk doesn’t promise a tidy resolution, but it does offer truth: Even if we get through this, there will always be something else as life moves on, like the wind and rain.
“Rain Walk is about a mother and son navigating their way toward acceptance—of each other, and of who they are right now. They’ve already been through a lot, and now they’re facing something new together. It’s not a ‘happily ever after’ kind of story. It’s messier, more human, and that’s what makes it real,” Borkowski says.
“When the audience walks out of the theater and imagines what happens next, that’s when I know the story did its job. That’s what creativity is. Not answering everything, but opening the door to possibility,” Borkowski adds.
Rain Walk is only one of the three spotlighted works: also included are Neighbors, written by Steve Capasso and directed by Scottie Tsubota, exploring the moral complexities of a crime gone wrong; and Where Imagined Things Belong, written by Harvey Landa and directed by Sue Ann Guildermann, examining the choices that made us who we are.
Each performance will be followed by a talkback session, allowing audiences to discuss the work directly with the writers, directors and cast.
New Works Weekend runs at 8pm on Fri.–Sat., Aug. 15–16, and at 2pm on Sun., Aug. 17, at Park Hall, 9400 Mill St., Ben Lomond. Tickets: $10. mctshows.org
Rama is the star of the ancient Hindu epic story, the Ramayana. I love him! He’s one of my favorite legends! His heroic journey isn’t fueled by a greed for power or personal glory. Unlike 90 percent of modern action heroes, he’s not pumped up with anger or a lust for vengeance. Instead, he is animated by a sense of sacred duty. Against all odds, and in the face of bad behavior by weird adversaries, he acts with exemplary integrity and calm clarity. During your upcoming exploits, Aries, I invite you to be inspired by his exalted and unwavering determination. As you proceed, ask yourself, “Is this in rigorous service to my beautiful ideals? Are my decisions and words in alignment with my deepest truths?” Be motivated by devotion as much as by hunger. Aim not just for novelty and excitement, but for generosity of spirit.
TAURUS April 20-May 20
In the Mexican festival of La Noche de Rábanos—Night of the Radishes—giant radishes are carved into elaborate altars and scenes. Humble roots become fancy art. I think you’re engaged in a metaphorically similar process, Taurus: sculpting with uncommon materials. Something you’ve regarded as modest—a small breakthrough or overlooked strength—is revealing unexpected value. Or perhaps a previously latent or indiscernible asset is showing you its neglected magic. Celebrate your subtle but very tangible luck. Take full advantage of half-disguised treasures.
GEMINI May 21-June 20
In Zen archery, the aim is not simply to hit the target. Instead, it’s to align one’s body, breath, mind and bow so fully that the arrow releases itself naturally and effortlessly. It shoots itself! I would love for you to adopt this breezy attitude in the weeks ahead, Gemini. See if you can allow an evolving project, relationship or vision to reach a new maturity, but not through pushy effort. Rather, trust life to bring you the precise guidance exactly when you need it.
CANCER June 21-July 22
In ancient Rome, the priestesses known as the Vestal Virgins tended an eternal flame. They never let it be extinguished, not even for a moment. Their devoted focus on nurturing the fire was both a religious practice and a symbol regarded as essential for the well-being, prosperity and survival of the Roman state. I propose, Cancerian, that you engage in your own version of Vestal Virgin-like watchfulness. Assign yourself the role of being the keeper of a sacred promise or resource. What is it, exactly? Identify this repository of spiritual wealth and dedicate yourself to its sustenance.
LEO July 23-Aug. 22
In medieval Europe, pilgrims traveling to the shrine of Saint James in Spain often wore scallop shells. These were badges to signify they were on a sacred path in quest of divinely inspired transformation. The shell also had practical uses. It was a scoop for food and water, underscoring the humility and simplicity embraced by wayfarers on the road. I invite you to acquire and wear your own equivalent of this talisman, Leo. You have begun a new chapter in your self-perception, and life is asking you to proceed without pretense. You don’t need definite answers. You don’t have to rush to the end of the journey. The becoming is the point. I hope you seek out inspirational symbolism and generous companions to help nurture your brave transformations. (PS: Your best conversations may be with people who will lovingly witness your evolution.)
VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22
In ancient Greek drama, the peripeteia was a term for the moment when everything turns. The pivot doesn’t happen through force, but through the revelation of what was always true. I see the coming weeks as your peripeteia, Virgo. There may be no fireworks or grand announcements. Just a soft spiraling crackle that signifies a realignment of the system, a cathartic shift of emphases. Confusion resolves. Mysteries solve themselves. You might say, “Oh, yes, now I see: That’s what it all meant.” Then you can glide into the future with a refined and more well-informed set of intentions.
LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22
In coastal Portugal, there’s a lighthouse called Farol do Cabo da Roca. Built on a cliff where land ends and the Atlantic Ocean begins, it marks the westernmost edge of continental Europe. We might say it’s a threshold between the known and unknown. I believe you will soon be poised at a metaphorically similar place, Libra. An ending is at hand. It’s not catastrophic, but it is conclusive. And just beyond it are shimmers, questions, and a horizon that’s not fully visible. Your job is to finish your good work, even as you periodically gaze into the distance to see what’s looming.
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
I Invite you to channel the spirit of Kali—not in her form as the destroyer, but as the fierce liberator. She has the power to burn away stagnation, neutralize the poison of old lies, and slice through illusion with a sword of compassion—and so do you. I believe you are ready to sever a bond that has secretly (or maybe not-so-secretly) limited you. Don’t be afraid of the emptiness that results. It may appear to be a void, but it will quickly evolve into a fresh sanctuary. Into this newly cleared room, you can pour your strongest longings and most rebellious love. What are the wildest versions of your truths?
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21
In some early maps of the cosmos, Sagittarius wasn’t just an archer. Your sign was symbolized by a centaur with wings: part horse, part bird, part god. I bring this to your attention because I suspect your own hybrid nature is extra wild and strong these days. A part of you wants to roam, and a part wants to ruminate. A part wants to teach, and a part needs to learn. How should you respond to the glorious paradox? I say, don’t force harmony. Let contradiction become choreography. Maybe liberating joy can arise through a dance between apparent opposites.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19
In Sardinia, there are tombs carved into rock called Domus de Janas—“houses of the fairies.” People once left offerings there to court the help of beings they couldn’t see. They truly believed that fairies are real and can exert effects in this world. In modern times, fewer Capricorns actively consort with invisible presences than any other zodiac sign. But I hope you will take a short break from your usual stance. Mysterious and mythic influences are gathering in your vicinity. You’re being nudged by forces that defy explanation. What do you have to lose? Why not have fun making room to be delighted and surprised by miracles and wonders?
AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18
Thou shalt embrace the confounding contradictions, Aquarius. That’s the first commandment. Here’s the second commandment: Thou shalt caress the tricky incongruities. Third: Thou shalt whisper endearments to the mysterious ambiguities and invite the mysterious ambiguities to whisper endearments to you. Fourth: Thou shalt rumble and cavort with the slippery paradoxes. Commandment number five: Thou shalt chant spicy prayers of gratitude to the incongruities, paradoxes, contradictions and ambiguities that are making you deeper and wiser and cuter.
PISCES Feb. 19-March 20
In early medieval gardens, there was sometimes a space called the hortus conclusus. It was a walled sanctuary that protected plants and herbs from harsh weather and predation by animals. It comprised a microclimate and provided a private, peaceful space for contemplation, prayer and study. Sometime soon, Pisces, I would love for you to create your personal equivalent of a hortus conclusus—even if it’s metaphorical. You will harvest maximum benefits from surrounding yourself with extra nurturing. The insights that would come your way as you tend to your inner garden would be gently and sweetly spectacular.
Something monumental is happening on the north side of Santa Cruz, times two.
Six miles from Westside Santa Cruz, the long-awaited—and much-anticipated—debut of Cotoni-Coast Dairies, a 5,800-acre section of the California Coastal National Monument opposite the beach with the same name, debuts Saturday, Aug. 16.
The dramatic lands feature nine miles of new trails navigating undulating hills, coastal terraces, mountain ridgelines, riparian canyons and six creeks.
The Sempervirens Fund explores its glory on its website. “A rich diversity of vegetation includes coastal grasslands, oak woodlands, and redwood forests,” it reads. “Diverse ecosystems provide habitat for a variety of rare or special-status species like steelhead, coho salmon, red-legged frogs, and mountain lions. Expansive hillsides offer dramatic vistas of the Pacific coastline and Monterey Bay.” (For more: sempervirens.org/visit/cotoni-coast-dairies.)
Less than 3 miles further north, at Davenport Roadhouse Restaurant & Inn (1 Davenport Ave., Davenport), new owners are learning the ropes and listening to locals about what they want. The tight-knit community’s also showering them with offers to help on everything from music programming to landscaping to produce procurement.
Co-owner and French Culinary Institute alum Gavin Parsons directs operations after years in restaurants and residential facilities, partnering with Ginny and Teddy Miller, who have been visiting Davenport since they were kids.
There are a ton of things that recommend the new leadership—including a desire to take things slow, learn by doing, keep the live music program strong, and evolve the big back patio and cocktail program.
Perhaps most importantly, though, Teddy has lived in the population-500 town for a decade, and incoming chef Roland Konicke of Uncle Ro’s Pizza—and Companion Bakery, Pie Ranch and Fifth Crow Farm fame—is also a resident. They understand what the Roadhouse means to a unique place and are pot-committed to provide it.
The clear impression is that things are clicking practically and spiritually, something Parsons echoes.
He and the Millers “quickly understood that we were looking at this project from very similar points of view, without much prompting,” Parsons says. “So we could spitball and get into the weeds of the [project] pretty early on.
“It’s been a wildly beautiful journey, dare I say kismet. And to think we’re just getting started!” davenportroadhouse.com
SECOND (WIND) SUMMER
The Summer Sunset Series launches into six weeks of what organizers call “pure magic” at Lot 16 on Church Street, 5-8pm on Aug. 14 and continuing every Thursday evening through Sept. 18. Curated selection of artisans, farmers and businesses anchor a night market. Local food vendors and restaurants—including Dani O Bakeshop, Melrose Cafe, Mariposa Coffee Bar and Shaka’s Chicken & Waffles—treat the taste buds. Sante Adairius, Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing and Birichino flow adult beverages. Plus there’s lots of live music and performances from the likes of Fire Peach, Surf City Line Dancing, and Papiba & Friends, free admission, downtownsantacruz.com/do/sunset-market.
IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE
One of my happy places gets that much happier this Saturday, Aug. 16, 11am-4pm, with the 10th Annual Parks & Rex Dog Pool Party FUNdraiser at the expansive Simpkins Family Swim Center in Live Oak (979 17th Ave., Santa Cruz). Great food, music and fun in the pool for adults, children and—oh yes—dogs, too. Entry enables enjoyment of the whole event, your dog’s 20-minute swim window (swindow?) will be indicated on your ticket. Visit rec.us for more, where doggie slots are already filling up. Will Rogers, ride us out: “If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
Named in memoriam after Scott Edelstein’s father—who, Scott says, left this world too soon—Izzy’s Ices was founded two years ago in downtown Santa Cruz as both an homage and a fulfilled longtime dream. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens, Edelstein says Italian ices were a big part of New York City culture and his upbringing.
He moved to Santa Cruz in 1993, drawn here by his fandom for the Grateful Dead as well as a desire to learn the security business. And learn it he did, owning one security business and then another, before ultimately consolidating and selling. Longing for Italian ices and wanting to open his own shop locally, he took the proceeds from his security business exit to open Izzy’s.
He describes his shop as clean and inviting with prominent light pink and blue hues, headlined by authentic Italian ices in flavors like Jamaican Mango, Meyers Luna Park Lemon and Espresso Yourself Chunks. Edelstein’s personal favorites are Pistachio Italiano, Maui Pineapple and Birchmont Blueberry, and he says the number one most popular pick is the multi-flavored Keep the Peace Rainbow. They also have vegan options, and other offerings include large Bavarian-style soft pretzels and hand-crafted old school espresso.
How did your dad inspire the business?
SCOTT EDELSTEIN: He was a frozen dessert fanatic and a huge ice cream fan, but I was more of an Italian ice fan, so that was a fun struggle between us growing up. Italian ice has always been my thing; it’s so near and dear to my heart. Many of our flavors are fun spellings and plays on words inspired by my father, whose legacy lives on here at Izzy’s.
Tell me about your pizza pop-ups.
Because I’m from New York, pizza is my favorite food and I’ve always loved it. After selling my security business, I went back to New York City and went to pizza school to learn how to make a great pizza. I missed New York pizza and wanted it here, so I started making pizzas at functions and house parties and got rave reviews. People said I should sell them, so now I do on Tuesdays and Thursdays as kind of a local’s special and a nostalgic nod. It’s a fun way to share my love for pizza with others.
Silver Mountain Vineyards is an amazing place to visit. At 2,100 feet atop Skyland Ridge, tasting excellent wines also comes with panoramic views of organic vineyards and the Monterey Bay beyond. This is where proprietor Jerold O’Brien has made it his life’s work to take care of the land in keeping with his sustainable philosophy. The multi-purpose triple green canopy he built in 2007 reduces energy requirements, saves resources, collects rain water, and makes Silver Mountain entirely energy self-sufficient.
Silver Mountain’s wines are handcrafted and superb. The 2017 Syrah ($44) combines the best of two vineyards, Gali in Corralitos and Muns in the Santa Cruz Mountains, giving it depth and complexity. Its smooth tannins and delicious flavors of blackberry and plum make this earthy, spicy syrah a winner.
Silver Mountain is partnering with Abercrombie & Kent for an “unforgettable adventure” through the wine regions of Chile and Argentina. This exciting travel event takes place the first two weeks of March 2026—just in time for harvest season—and is a special opportunity to experience the heart of South American wine culture. I have tasted wines in Chile and Argentina, and can attest to their appeal and quality. Contact Silver Mountain for an overview of the fascinating itinerary.
Upcoming Events
Aug. 24—2pm tasting and history tour with owner Jerold O’Brien, who founded Silver Mountain in 1979.
Aug. 29—4–7pm Jerold O’Brien and Silver Mountain’s winemaker—British-born Tony Craig, whose Sonnet Cellars wines are available at Silver Mountain—have joined forces to hold a fun tasting called The Brit and The Yank.
Silver Mountain Vineyards, 269 Silver Mountain Drive, Los Gatos, and Silver Mountain’s tasting room in Santa Cruz at 328D Ingalls St., Santa Cruz. 408-353-2278. Silvermtn.com
The Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium drains more than half a million dollars from the city’s budget each year. But the real problem is that the city spends about $10,000 a week for the building to sit empty. On most nights, the 85-year-old landmark is a ghost.
It wasn’t always this way. To understand what we stand to lose, you have to travel back to its birth in 1940. America was clawing its way out of the Great Depression, powered by the New Deal—a radical belief that the government could invest directly in its people and places. The Works Progress Administration wasn’t just about creating jobs; it was about building monuments to a shared future. And in Santa Cruz, it built the Civic.
Imagine walking through its doors for the first time then. You would have felt the solid weight of the handles, smelled the fresh plaster and paint, and seen the light gleaming on polished concrete floors. Look up, and the vast, curved ceiling would have arched over you, not just as a roof, but as a promise. This wasn’t a private club; it was a cathedral of civic hope, built by and for the community. The air didn’t hold the silence of emptiness, but the hum of possibility. It was a declaration in steel and concrete that said, “We believe in this place. We believe in each other.”
In its heyday you could see internationally known acts, including Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, the Clash, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, the Ramones, Talking Heads, Smashing Pumpkins, Shakti and Ozzy Osbourne.
Flash forward 85 years, and that vibrant promise feels faded. The magnificent ceiling is still there, but it covers more empty nights than sold-out shows. The vastness that once felt like possibility can now feel like neglect. The silence is no longer hopeful; it’s the sound of missed opportunities.
The building’s modern story is told by a different set of numbers. It has a math problem. According to the City of Santa Cruz’s own budget, the Civic once recovered up to 80 percent of its operating costs. Today, that number has slipped below 50 percent. The city’s adopted FY 2025 budget shows the Civic Auditorium Fund requires a transfer of $564,303 from the General Fund to cover its operational shortfall. That is what it costs to maintain the ghost.
JAMMING Bob Marley is one of many big names that have played at the Civic over the years. Photo: Contributed
The Anatomy of a Decline
The Civic’s slide hasn’t been the result of a single catastrophe, but a slow erosion, a story told in the quiet language of budget documents and deferred decisions.
Inside the city’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP), a multi-year plan for infrastructure projects, the Civic appears repeatedly next to the words “unfunded” or “deferred.” A 2023 facilities report noted that its main barrel roof has reached its projected end-of-life. The item was flagged but pushed into future planning.
A modest request for a new $62,000 sound system was acknowledged in 2021 but never funded; in some documents, the line item disappears without explanation. A comprehensive $12 million renovation, addressing seating, seismic safety, lighting and accessibility, has remained a fantasy on paper for years.
City Council transcripts reveal a similar pattern. When the Civic is discussed in budget hearings, it’s often in the context of service reductions. In 2020, temporary event staff positions were cut. The move was described as a temporary measure, but those roles have not been restored, quietly lowering the building’s operational capacity. Revenue targets have also been lowered, from a projection of nearly $700,000 in a 2018 memo to the current reality of under $500,000. This reflects a quiet resignation to diminished performance.
The real-world consequences are clear. Archived booking calendars show the venue hosted over 180 event days in 2015; that number has now fallen below 130. Veteran promoter Eddy Dees, who learned under the Catalyst’s Gary Tighe, says a big reason is the city’s 5% admissions tax—enacted after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake as a short-term measure but never retired. The surcharge, unique in the region, adds cost for audiences and overhead for promoters, making Santa Cruz a harder sell compared to nearby markets. “It helps keep people away,” Dees says. “It’s not the staff—it’s decades of bad decisions.” On a $50 ticket, the tax adds $2.50; for a 1,200-seat show, it’s $3,000 tacked on to the event cost. For touring acts working with tight margins, that can be enough to skip the Civic—and for local cultural presenters, it can feel like a built-in penalty for bringing entertainment to town.
The fact that the tax has lasted more than three decades shows how a “temporary” fix can quietly become permanent. City leaders have never revisited whether it still serves its original post-earthquake purpose—and in a competitive live-music market, that absence of review can influence which acts choose Santa Cruz and which ones pass it by.
A Venue Out of Step
Local promoters and festival organizers, many speaking off the record, confess they’ve tried to book the Civic. They cite a history of unpredictable labor rules, outdated booking systems and a slog of bureaucracy that stifles creative risk. As one veteran producer sighed, “If I can book the Fox in Oakland in half the time, why keep begging for Santa Cruz? We love the place, but it isn’t set up for growth.”
REGULAR TENANT The Santa Cruz Symphony calls the Civic Auditorium home. Photo: Tarmo Hannula
Voices from the Inside
Gary Reece, executive director of the Santa Cruz Symphony, has lived this reality for years. He’s not a musician; he’s a former banker and turnaround specialist, a professional hired to rescue struggling ventures from the brink of failure. He was brought in to keep the symphony solvent, and he’s blunt about the challenges posed by its home venue.
[Editor’s note, Aug. 13, 2025: Good Times in no way meant to imply that the symphony is not solvent—only that Mr. Reece has the background to ensure that the organization continues to stay solvent. Reece shared more details on his background: Having served for many years as treasurer of the Santa Cruz Symphony’s board, he became executive director after his predecessor retired and an interim director stepped down. He brings a strong background in finance and management, and under his leadership the Symphony continues to thrive—presenting full seasons, attracting guest artists, and running a fully donor-funded program that brings nearly 4,500 local students to their first classical concert each year. He’s one of several voices advocating for a Civic that works better for audiences and performers. “This isn’t about rescuing the Symphony,” he emphasizes. “It’s about making the Civic a place that inspires.”]
“We’re performing on a basketball court,” he says plainly, referencing the flat floor that serves as the main stage. “That’s not hyperbole. It’s a fact.”
This isn’t a new conversation. Back in 2017, Good Times reported on a community push to renovate the Civic. Then-Mayor David Terrazas stated, “This building is intended to present the best of Santa Cruz’s past, present and future … the facility is letting down the performers and guests. The Civic is not living up to its potential currently.” At the same event, Cabrillo Festival Executive Director Ellen Primack warned that the aging facility was becoming a barrier to access. “The seating is becoming a deterrent to cultural participation. … People choose between beautiful facilities over the hill and coming here,” she said. Years later, Gary Reece is echoing the same frustrations.
On the other side of the desk is Tremain Jones, the city’s civic supervisor and superintendent of recreation. He sees the building through a different lens. “The Civic isn’t a loss,” he insists. “It’s a public good.”
Jones points out that the Civic hosts city council overflow meetings, firefighter training and departmental gatherings, which are dozens of uses the public never sees. He has also overseen critical changes; promoters can now bring in their own stagehands and use third-party ticketing platforms. The problem? Adoption lags, and many are unaware the old rules are gone. Jones acknowledges the slow pace of government. ADA upgrades, though federally funded, face frustrating delays. “If someone tells me to move faster, I’ll try,” he says, “but government moves slowly.”
A Personal Note: Why This Building Feels Familiar
I used to work night shifts running operations for a startup that promised to get you anything you wanted with a single text message. Behind the curtain, it was controlled chaos. We had a term for when a task was truly finished: “done-done.” It meant the problem was fully resolved, not just checked off a list, not escalated, not left for someone else to chase.
The Civic reminds me of that chaos. ADA handrails, lighting, ticketing, labor policy—all of it is in flight, but nothing feels done-done. The city is doing a lot, but this historic venue needs more than just progress reports. It needs someone to truly handle it.
At that same startup, I once watched a founder pop the tab off a can and let it clink onto the floor. It was a small thing, but it was the task right in front of us. I picked it up. The understanding was that we were all janitors; you build the magic, but you also sweep the stage. The Civic is littered with these small, fixable things, the kind of tasks you trip over when no one claims ownership. My concern for the ripped seats and the unfunded sound system stems from a belief that we deserve a worthy place to gather.
The Crossroads: Renovation or Replacement?
The conversation is now more urgent than ever as it unfolds within the context of the city’s larger Downtown Plan Expansion, a project aimed at revitalizing the city core south of Laurel Street. A key component is a potential new arena for the Santa Cruz Warriors, which would be significantly larger than the Civic. Warriors President Chris Murphy has confirmed the vision is for a versatile venue, stating, “The Civic has been the go-to performing arts arena in Santa Cruz for more than eight decades. … The plan under study now is closer to 4,000 seats,” capable of supporting year-round concerts and events in addition to sports.
This raises a pivotal question: Will a new, modern space render the Civic obsolete, or will we fight to ensure it can be revitalized to complement it? If the Civic is to remain meaningful, it will take more than maintenance. It will take imagination and a renewal of civic pride.
A Blueprint in Our Own Backyard
Inspiration for that renewal doesn’t have to be imported. Santa Cruz author Taylor Lahey’s novel, Cambio, provides a powerful local metaphor. The book, whose title means “change” in Spanish, tells the fictional story of a California coastal town, strikingly similar to Santa Cruz, where citizens become fed up with bureaucratic inertia and social decay. Instead of waiting for officials to act, they form a grassroots movement, organizing community cleanup days and taking direct action to reclaim and beautify their public spaces.
Lahey’s story offers a fictional blueprint for the exact kind of civic pride the Civic Auditorium needs. It argues that meaningful change doesn’t have to come from a top-down master plan; it can be sparked by a community that decides to care for what it already owns. The Civic is a perfect candidate for that kind of energy, a place where a “Friends of the Civic” group could organize volunteer days, fundraise for specific upgrades, and bring new life to its halls.
A phased, strategic plan could build momentum:
Estimated Costs on Projects
• ADA Handrail Installation (Already Funded): $360,000
This is not an insurmountable sum. It’s a tangible investment in a place that has served Santa Cruz for eight decades and, with the right support, could serve it for decades more.
The generation that built the Civic gave us more than a building; they gave us a head start. Today, that legacy of public belief doesn’t need to be a ghost haunting the halls; it can be a foundation to build upon. The plan to awaken this landmark doesn’t require a miracle—it requires a decision, followed by action. Santa Cruz has never been short on people who believe in the power of place. This is a moment for that belief to become tangible, for new names to join the long history of those who have invested in our city’s soul. The future of the Civic is not a question mark. It is a possibility, waiting for us to write its next vibrant chapter.
The last chapter of the Redman-Hirahara house was written Aug. 5 when the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors approved a staff recommendation to delist it as a historic resource.
The decision will allow the property owner to eventually demolish the decrepit 128-year-old building, but not before offering it to the public for salvage.
The resolution will now go to the California Office of Historic Preservation, which will likely remove the house from the National Register of Historic Places.
It is unclear when demolition would happen, but what is certain is that nothing will happen immediately.
Santa Cruz County Mark Connolly said that state and federal entities still have to approve the de-listing.
Connolly added that the current zoning of mixed commercial agriculture will likely be changed to be compatible with the development around it.
That includes a gas station, hotel and coffee shop recently built nearby.
“That would be the eventual goal,” he said. “To foster development that is appropriate for the neighborhood there.”
Juggy Tut, whose company Elite Agriculture owns the property, said he has no immediate plans for either the house or the 14-acre parcel of land on which it sits.
The house’s story began in 1897 when architect William Weeks built a home for sugar beet farmer James Redman.
The Victorian was eventually sold to the Hirahara family, who lived in the house and continued to farm there until World War II, when they were imprisoned in a Japanese internment camp.
Local attorney John McCarthy protected the property so that it stayed with the Hirahara family, who moved back and housed others who had also been sent to the internment camps.
The Hirahara family lived there until the house was red-tagged after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake.
That synopsis, superficial as it is, nevertheless encapsulates the spirit of Pajaro Valley—hard work, friendship and community, with a mix of agriculture and architecture thrown into the mix.
Still, the house’s stateliness notwithstanding, the structure has been deemed uninhabitable, dangerous and unrepairable. Uninhabited and unmaintained for four decades, it has been deemed uninhabitable and, saving for a last-minute donor willing to cough up the millions of dollars it would take to fix up, beyond the reach of restoration.
There were efforts to save the house. The Redman-Hirahara Foundation purchased the property and led efforts to place it on the National Register of Historic Places. That group planned to restore the house and use it as a visitor’s welcome center.
But the economic recession hit and the foundation declared bankruptcy.
The house has now deteriorated to the point where it is considered a safety hazard, said Santa Cruz County Mark Connolly.
The Santa Cruz County Historic Resources Commission agreed, and on Feb. 10 unanimously voted to recommend delisting and rezoning the property.
County Planner Matthew Sundt, who oversees the commission, said that the house would need new plumbing, new electrical, and new redwood lumber sourced from the Santa Cruz Mountains. It would take “millions of dollars” to restore the structure, he said.
“It would be a huge effort,” he said. “Nothing is impossible, but here we are 40 years later. This house—this thing, this grand dame—has been advertised to the world with thousands of people driving by every day. All it takes is one person to say, ‘I’d like to rebuild that.’ And it just never happened, and here we are.”
Becky Steinbrunner, has been at the forefront of recent efforts to keep the house, pointed to Emma Prusch Farm Park in San Jose as an example of a successfully restored historic structure.
She said that the building inspector that deemed the house uninhabitable didn’t bother to go inside.
“This is historic preservation,” she said.
Eloise Shim, who sits on the Historic Resources Board in Salinas, said the house is “the last remnant of a large Victorian estate in a rural setting, which is itself a historic accolade.
“To delist it for the purposes of demolition is a travesty, and should not have been recommended by the historic commission,” Shim said.
Supervisor Justin Cummings, the only dissenting vote, said he has seen examples in the past of historic buildings that were allowed by owners to deteriorate over time, and use that as justification to demolish them.
Supervisor Manu Koenig said that the deterioration is the “inevitable result of years of inaction.”
But the fact that no donor has come forward is evidence it’s time to act, he said.
“If this house was going to be saved—if there was enough community support to save it—then that would have happened by now,” he said.
Supervisor Felipe Hernandez agreed, saying that the house has gone unfunded through times of prosperity and of economic troubles. Anyone who wanted to purchase it, he added, would also have to purchase the property.
“There’s going to be no magic pill, and no one is going to come give us $7 million to fix the house,” he said.
Next, the county will coordinate with a professional historian to document the site for archival preservation funded by the property owner. The supervisors agreed that the property will eventually get a plaque with historic information.
I started out after the CZU fire with deep sympathy for the people in planning and building... But the process of rebuilding is incremental, slow torture.
Lacy J. Dalton’s Santa Cruz bona fides go deep; she wrote one of her biggest hits when she lived in Ben Lomond during one of the happiest times of her life. She performs Saturday at El Vaquero Winery.
Mountain Community Theater’s annual New Works Weekend returns to Park Hall Aug. 15–17, offering three nights of script-in-hand staged readings spotlighting local playwrights.
At Izzy's Ices downtown, the most popular pick is the multi-flavored Keep the Peace Rainbow. Also look for Pistachio Italiano, Maui Pineapple and Birchmont Blueberry.
For over 30 years, the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium hasn’t broken even, yet it holds generations of Santa Cruz memories. An investigation into the numbers, the missed opportunities, and the fight to bring it back from the brink.
