Page 94 – Good Times

The Lords of Vance

Cover Stories

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September 4, 2024

In the late 1990s, I lived in a rented room in an old Victorian on Potrero Hill in San Francisco. This was just before the Tech Boom of the ’90s imploded, and the entire Bay Area was awash with lavish corporate parties. The vibe at that time was a lot, with dramatic and excessive displays of wealth as each new NASDAQ company tried to out-glitz the other.

Tech companies had already transformed the Santa Clara Valley into Silicon Valley, replacing fruit orchards from Sunnyvale to the southern reaches of San Jose with campuses for the likes of Apple, Oracle, Adobe, Intel, Hewlett-Packard and Cisco.

But tech employees were choosing to live in San Francisco and commute down the Peninsula, reversing traffic flows that traditionally moved from the suburbs into the city. Though the tech downturn of 2000 would soon hit many of these companies, this was the beginning of Big Tech “invading” San Francisco and altering its politics—and national politics—in ways we are just now beginning to understand. What does this sea change in San Francisco politics mean for Santa Cruz County?

The impact companies like Salesforce, Yelp and Twitter have had on San Francisco has gone far beyond economics. The city itself has become a pilot program with which to study what tech and cryptocurrency titans might envision for our nation. Because their companies are here, many executives have focused their political designs on and around the Bay Area and, in particular, San Francisco—historically known as a hotbed of LGBTQ+ activism and progressive politics.

While often claiming a moderate, centrist or even “progressive” mantle, and riding the wave of the YIMBY movement (or Yes in My Backyard), tech and crypto executives and VC heads Garry Tan, Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz, Peter Thiel, David Sacks and Balaji Srinivasan, among others, have altered San Francisco’s political landscape, helping elect Mayor London Breed, recalling progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin and upsetting the school board and, most recently, the Democratic Central Committee. They are pro-police, support criminalization of homelessness and—echoing new Democratic campaign rhetoric re: MAGA—can rightfully be called very, very weird.

Since Trump tapped Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his VP, it has been widely assumed that Thiel, Sacks, Elon Musk and other tech titans pushed for Vance to be Trump’s VP pick. Paypal founder Thiel, in particular, has attracted media scrutiny.

The Paypal founder poured $15 million into Vance’s Ohio Senatorial campaign—more money than Vance raised within his own PAC. And Thiel helped Vance ingratiate himself at Mar-a-Lago with Trump for an endorsement. Trump has famously said about that meeting that Vance was “kissing my ass, he wants my support so bad.” And shortly before the VP pick was revealed, Thiel has said he would vote for Trump only with a gun to his head, which implies that the grander scheme may look beyond the current MAGA leader.

The two men’s ties go back to 2015, when Thiel hired Vance to work at his venture capital firm Mithril—named after the precious metal in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series—and introduced Vance to his networks of tech and venture fund capitalists, as well as his own version of reactionary Catholicism, giving J.D. a moral purpose to replace or justify the simple thirst for money and success Vance has said he had before.

Vance soon left Mithril for the VC firm Revolution. Former employees from Mithril told the Wall Street Journal that Vance was barely seen at Mithril and cannot remember anything he accomplished there. Vance, they said, was mostly promoting his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy. Vance went on to found Narya (named for a ring in Lord of the Rings, with funding from Thiel), a VC firm based in Ohio which invests in Rumble and a company called Strive, among others.

J.D. Vance at a speaking event — **TECH TWIST** There’s more to J.D. Vance than the hillbilly life portrayed in his book ‘Hillbilly Elegy.’ He has strong ties to Silicon Valley.

San Francisco and the Donor Class

The first signs of a new wind blowing in San Francisco came with the recalls of Chesa Boudin, a progressive district attorney, and school board members Ali Collins, Gabriela Lopez and Faauuga Moliga. Much of the San Francisco legacy media and even “liberal” outlets like NPR have reported superficially on these events as a city moving “centrist.” But more energetic and even unpaid digging by Bay Area alternative journalists like D. Scot Miller and Kevin L. Jones (co-hosts of the Doom Loop Dispatch podcast) Toshio Meronek (“Sad Francisco” podcaster) and Emily Mills (citizen journalist @sf_mills on X) has revealed a more disturbing picture.

The school board recall, for example, was led by a bizarre conglomeration of tech execs, out-of-towners who had just moved to the city, YIMBY supporters and back-channel affiliates of Moms for Liberty.

As documented by Southern Poverty Law Center, Moms for Liberty has spent the last few years attempting to overrun school boards and purge schools of LGBTQ+ materials, POC history and even gay-friendly Disney films. They seem, ultimately, to want to privatize and Christianize the schools.

Diane Yap, a major player in the school board recalls, as president of Friends of Lowell Foundation in SF—who accused then school board member Ali Collins of racism—would go on to regularly flame-throw racist tropes on X and in essays for the Manhattan Institute (where Christopher Rufo, architect of the GOP’s anti-DEI campaign, is also housed). Mills discovered that Friends of Lowell shared an IRS mailing address with Moms for Liberty.

Community volunteers Julie Pitta and Jeremy Mack did the work paid journalists should have been doing and led research for The Phoenix Papers, tracking money (at least what can be tracked) coming from all quarters into SF elections, under the guise of “moderation.” This money comes through both nonprofits and political PACS.

“Not surprisingly,” the authors write, “74 percent of all donations–over $10 million–comes from just 23 extremely wealthy, mostly right-wing and conservative donors and corporations. Combined, these donors have a net worth of over $22 billion.”

Miller, a veteran Bay Area journalist, says he first noticed a sea change in the early 2000s, when the older, Black chess players at Market and Powell were cleared out of the area by police and the city.

“These older Black men were keeping the peace down there, but then these new folks felt uncomfortable with them. All these tech people wanted to turn the city into the suburbs,” Miller says. “I kept thinking: ‘Who has that much power?—to culturally transform the city like that?’ And that’s also when our cultural institutions started to shut down.”

Miller and Jones have been tracking the rise and fall and rise again of tech in San Francisco on Doom Loop Dispatch, which has, over the last few years, taken a turn toward the bizarre as millionaire and billionaire techies throw their considerable weight around.

What About Santa Cruz?

The nationally growing YIMBY movement is one darling of the new “moderate,” SF “Democrats.” YIMBY is a pro-housing movement that purports to alleviate the very real Bay Area housing affordability crisis by removing obstacles to building new housing.

While many Democrats support YIMBY, M. Nolan Gray, the California YIMBY Research Director, has been contributing regularly to the far-right Manhattan Institute.

YIMBY claims to want to house the unhoused, but the Manhattan Institute recently submitted an amicus brief to support Grants Pass–as did SF Mayor Breed–in the recent Supreme Court decision which has made being unhoused a national crime.

Here in Santa Cruz, YIMBY Action is deeply involved in electoral and Democratic politics, including making endorsements. Santa Cruz has become one of the most YIMBY-friendly small towns in the state, driven by expensive housing, a severe housing crunch and big bucks from tech and real estate.

The policy director for both YIMBY Action and Law, Rafa Sonnenfeld, lives in Santa Cruz. Sonnenfeld and other staffers at Yimby Action and Yimby Law have distanced both groups from CA YIMBY and the Grants Pass decision by condemning it.

The most nefarious trends in San Francisco are perhaps still just a cautionary tale for Santa Cruzans. We may have at least one billionaire here in the form of JoeBen Bevirt, who landed Joby Aviation headquarters in the Harvey West industrial park. (Bevirt lives in Bonny Doon). In February, the Santa Cruz City Council granted Joby—a company with a market cap hovering around $4 billion—$500,000 in the form of a forgivable loan. And wealthy individuals like Bud Colligan have weighed in heavily for Manu Koenig’s campaigns and against the Rail and Trail.

Wealth has always translated into political power, including here in Santa Cruz County, but San Francisco illustrates the inevitable trajectory of US wealth disparity, unchecked political contributions a là Citizens United and the new and seemingly unhinged power of global tech.

‘Grays’ Are Really Red

Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator, is nationally famous for calling for the “slow death” of still progressive members of the SF Board of Supervisors. (His attorneys contacted Metro to say that the remark was “a reference to lyrics in a 1996 Tupac Shakur song” and that “The tweet was made during an alcohol-fueled night of celebratory karaoke in Chinatown; an act for which Mr. Tan has since profusely and publicly apologized.”—Editor)

Tan has poured over a hundred thousand dollars into props, and recalls, as well as supporting YIMBY and YIMBY-allied electeds. Though he calls himself a Democrat, Tan is allied in many ways with Balaji Srinivasan, CTO of Coinbase, who calls for whole sections of San Francisco to be walled off from “Blues,” or Democrats. Srinivasan is famous for the tech-bro version of Project 2025, “The Network State” manifesto, also published online. The book promotes tech communities starting whole new cities, even new countries—as successors to the nation state, or “network states.”

In a “Moment of Zen” podcast, Srinivasan stated that San Francisco’s call for Musk to remove the unpermitted and possibly dangerous “X” sign he had hung on Twitter headquarters somehow logically necessitated creating “Gray Zones” comprising whole city blocks in San Francisco, where only “Grays,” for example, with key cards, could enter. (Musk’s company just this month announced it would leave SF for the South Bay.)

On the podcast, Srinivasan said Gray Zones would be the natural “inverse of the situation” in which San Francisco Democrats or “Blues” actually enforce city laws on tech companies. His “Grays” are tech workers, their families and police—lots of police—who would wear uniforms and badges showing their “Gray pride” and march in parades with drones flying overhead. Balaji also calls for an overall purge of “Blues” from the City, citing Saddam Hussein’s “De-Ba’athification” in Iraq as a model.

Many write Srinivasan off as nuts, but Srinivasan is a former partner at Andreessen and Horowitz, which, with a gaggle of other tech founders, recently made a play to establish “California Forever,” a tech-company town in Solano County, in the East Bay. (California Forever removed itself from this November’s ballot in Solano due to community pushback.)

Tan, who has funded and fundraised for candidates and recall campaigns in San Francisco, speaks often in public with Srinivasan. Tan has advocated for tech “campuses” in San Francisco—some of which have taken shape in the form of the Solaris Project, which first listed Srinivasan as a funder and then claimed he had no role in the project. The Solaris idea is also to create sort of tech-exclusive neighborhoods in the City, to “build community”—bypassing the idea that one might build community by connecting with people who already live in these neighborhoods. Tan recently said at an “Effective Accelerationist” meet up: “If we can build it here, we can build it anywhere and we can take over the whole world.”

No DEI on the Musk Space Ark

In April, reporter Gil Duran wrote, in an important article for The New Republic: “Those who try to downplay Balaji’s importance in Silicon Valley often portray him as a ‘clown.’ But Donald Trump taught us that clowns can be dangerous … Since his secession speech at [Tan’s startup incubator] Y Combinator, Balaji’s politics have become even more stridently authoritarian and extremist, yet he remains a celebrated figure in key circles.”

Scratch the surface of figures like Thiel, who is obviously politically important, and you find the same “Network State” ideas in Thiel’s founding of the SeaSteading non-profit, which seeks to build autonomous, floating, libertarian nations. One version of sea-steading, EphemerIsle, is enacted every summer in the Sacramento Delta, in which enthusiasts build a flotilla of rafts upon which they then proceed to do a lot of drugs.

Journalist Duran notes that the SF mainstream media has turned a blind eye to this darker aspect of the “centrist” takeover. “No local story has mentioned [Tan’s] long affiliation with Balaji or the Network State cult that is currently trying to create tech-controlled cities around the globe, and which maintains a fascination with an alt-right, neo fascist movement known as the ‘Dark Enlightenment.’”

Overall, this seems a familiar trend of the absurdly wealthy, to attempt to remove themselves from the rest of society, or the unwashed masses, altogether. And serious attempts have been made at such “apartheid” nations, according to Oakland-based Miller, who says all these extremist and authoritarian ideas have taken the form of actual projects in Honduras, El Salvador, Nigeria, Palau and the Mediterranean.

Miller is especially concerned with the spread of this “tech takeover” into Oakland, where a similar effort to recall the newly elected female and Hmong Mayor Sheng Thao and Black, female DA Pamela Price has been 80 percent funded by hedge fund manager Philip Dreyfuss.

“We’ll see what happens here in the most racially diverse metropolitan area in the nation. I love this community and I am going to try to protect it,” Miller says.

“There is a profound anti-Blackness under all these intentions, which they try to cover by running POC candidates who do their bidding. But remember that Peter Thiel and David Sacks were authors of The Diversity Myth in 1996.”

In December of 2022, Musk tweeted a painting of a spaceship called “The Ark” getting ready to launch from Earth with animals marching up its ramp, two-by-two. Armed guards kept masses of humans at bay, who all, in this painting, appear to be Black. Musk’s X platform is hardly alone in amplifying the racist dog whistles and misogyny of the Tech-Crypto-Bro-MAGA movement. Vance’s capital fund Narya funds the social media platform Rumble, which is rife with white supremacist conspiracies, as well as asset-management company Strive, which has sent lengthy, threatening letters to Boeing, claiming that its “DEI” policies created Boeing jet crashes and that it must cease integrating its workforce immediately.

Libertarian Dreams and Authoritarian Schemes

Successful tech and VC executives have built and controlled corporations and seem unable to comprehend why they can’t control the overall society as well. As David Corn reported in Mother Jones, democracy is an obstacle for them and Thiel has said as much. “I no longer believe that democracy and freedom are compatible,” he wrote for the Cato Institute. He also asserted that women’s suffrage is an obstacle to libertarianism.

Applying top-down, corporate logic to our nation would likely feel a natural extension of the power executives create for themselves in the so-called “private” world, actually often a major beneficiary of government (read: taxpayer) funds. Anyone who opposes them must be simply removed from the company, or, er, country.

But these dictatorial dreams—fueled by the new, untethered, or “crypto” currency—bump up against the realities of American democracy and the fact that not everyone who lives in their worlds agrees with them, wants to join their communities without being paid to do so, nor even appreciates their products, which they often refer to as miraculous feats of “innovation.”

California Forever CEO Jan Sramek, an immigrant from the Czech Republic, gets his Western idealism, he says, from “the movies” and now intends to change the face of California. While he and other execs want to “build community” for the children of tech employees in Solano or elsewhere, they fail to appreciate how tech itself has destroyed much of the community they now crave.

The coordinated influence of these power players from the Bay Area is now visible in the Trump-Vance platform and Trump’s promotion, early this year, of “freedom cities” built by private individuals on federal land. The platform also calls for uninhibited development of AI and states the GOP “will end Democrats’ unlawful and unAmerican Crypto crackdown and oppose the creation of a Central Bank Digital Currency [sic].”

Additionally, Trump “will defend the right to mine Bitcoin,” and, in an apparent nod to Musk, “create a robust Manufacturing Industry in Near Earth Orbit, send American Astronauts back to the Moon, and onward to Mars, and enhance partnerships with the rapidly expanding Commercial Space sector to revolutionize our ability to access, live in, and develop assets in Space.”

Reclaiming ‘Lord of the Rings’

Self-driving cars, smart phones, on-line shopping, Uber Eats, DoorDash, “self-check-out” and AirBnB have increasingly created a society in which human contact, and especially contact between classes, races and ethnicities, has plummeted. Just because these innovations have made life prosperous for the C-suite class does not always mean they have made life “better” for all of us. Indeed, technology is likely now killing us.

Nowhere is the conflagration and disaster that is the ongoing climate crisis mentioned in their blogs and speeches as these executives extoll AI and cryptocurrencies, both of which are setting the transition to alternative energy back decades. We are already 30-plus years behind in the “race” (if there even is one) to ensure a habitable world for most of us.

Recall that Thiel hired Vance to his firm Mithril. Another of Thiel’s companies—Palantir, the controversial, CIA-funded surveillance and data synthesis company founded in Palo Alto, which helped target immigrant families for deportation after Trump’s election—also takes its name from LOTR, as does Vance’s Narya.

Both seem to love the Lord of the Rings series. I do too. But what role do these wealthy execs play on our Earth?

Chief opponent to Sauron—the evil force that must be defeated in LOTR—is Gandalf the Grey, known to all groups in Middle-earth and loved by them all. He did not separate elves from dwarves, nor hobbits.

But there is another wizard—Saruman the White—who joined with Sauron and tried to recruit Gandalf to his cause, in which only one race—the race of Men—would rule the kingdom. Gandalf refused, countering that evil was afoot. Fighting Sauron would “require the union of all our strength,” Gandalf said. In the end, it was a diminutive hobbit and a mixed-race band of unlikely warriors who saved the realm.

As for Thiel, Vance and others who see themselves as lords and kings—now casting their sizable lot with the would-be dictator of our own lands—the legend of Mithril may be apt.

In Fellowship of the Ring, Gandolf recounts the legend of the Dwarf Durin, his people and how they mined for Mithril: “The Dwarves tell no tale, but even as Mithril was the foundation of their wealth, so also it was their destruction: they delved too greedily and too deep, and disturbed that from which they fled, Durin’s Bane. Of what they brought to light, the Orcs have gathered nearly all, and given it in tribute to Sauron, who covets it.”

Ami Chen Mills is an author, coach and host–with a team–of the podcast and radio show, “Moment of Truth with Ami Chen Mills,” where she has recently covered J.D. Vance and the tech bros of San Francisco. Meilin Obinata and Joy Schendledecker contributed to this article.

An earlier version of this article misattributed a post applauding Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet’s practice of throwing communists out of helicopters to Mr. Tan. The author of the X.com tweet was made by Tan’s colleague, Lee Edwards, who described it as a “sarcastic shitpost.”—Editor

Things To Do In Santa Cruz

Things To Do This Week

GT Staff

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September 4, 2024

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THURSDAY 9/5

PSYCHEDELIC

THE POLYPHONIC SPREE—In our fast-paced, ever-changing society, who wants to be tied down by committing to one religion or cult (and really, what’s a cult but a religion in its beta phase)? Tim DeLaughter’s nebulous musical and visual happening, the Polyphonic Spree, allows you to join a cult for a night—a third-eye-opening, spiritual-gift-giving, soul-engaging, chakra-aligning night. Maybe you’ll drag a bit at work the next day, but at least you won’t be moving into a compound or handing out flowers at the airport. The Spree’s music is gorgeous, and they leave everything they have on the stage. Embrace! KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
INFO: 8pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $36/adv, $42/door. 479-1854.

EXPERIMENTAL

THE WAMEKI—What is punk rock? The question has plagued hipsters, outsiders, cranks and cool kids for over five decades—even longer if one considers that “punk rock” can be interchanged with whatever status quo-defying trend is happening at the time. But the Wameki, a musical Molotov cocktail igniting a warehouse of C4, is here to destroy all definitions of what is or isn’t punk rock. In the true style of Japanese noise, they mix chaos, power violence, electronic static and offbeat time signatures for a sound that leaves questions but will be a helluva live show. Joining them are Apparition (hardcore industrial hip hop), Vantana Row (East Bay dystopian Nintendocore) and I’ve Never Been Here Before (hyper electronic punk). MAT WEIR

INFO: 7pm, SubRosa Community Space, 703 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 426-5242.

SATURDAY 9/7

DEATH METAL

SEPSIS—As if their indecipherable logo wasn’t challenging enough, Sepsis is back for another barn burner of a show with two killer (operative word) SC locals. Sepsis is named after the body’s extreme response to an infection and a life-threatening medical emergency; it’s a moniker that couldn’t be more apropos for a much-buzzed-about death metal quartet. For the curious, the band has a dedicated Bandcamp page that features their Twisted Remains demo (2016), the heavier-than-Hades “Facial Deformities” single (2019) and the over-the-top Interdimensional Decay, released back in October 2019. Sepsis is Sam Hughes (drums, vocals), Ballard Greedy (guitars), Liam Harris (bass) and Mason Aalgaard (guitars). Time to die! Special guests: Terra and Hideous Creature. EDDIE JORGENSEN

INFO: 9pm, Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, $10. 423-7117.

ELECTRONICA

RANDOM RAB—After immersion in the San Francisco underground music scene, electronic artist Random Rab relocated to Colorado in the ’90s. There, he launched his career with a fusion of electronic sources and vocals. Deep-groove beats coexist with ethereal, ambient textures and washes of synthesizer pads, disembodied voices and evocative soundscapes characterize his work, but straightforward and catchy pop values often make themselves known, as well. To date, Random Rab has released over a dozen albums; On Magnificence is his latest. His live performances aim for—and deliver—a multisensory, enriching experience. Koresma opens. BILL KOPP

INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Highway 9, Felton. $24/adv, $27/door. 704-7113.

MONDAY 9/9

SINGER-SONGWRITER

ANGEL OLSEN—Asheville-based indie singer-songwriter Olsen has a distinctive sound that bridges folk, country and pop. Throughout nine albums, Olsen has traversed a great deal of stylistic ground; her music is informed by classic country and western, but she’s far too individual an artist to fit neatly into that category. The haunting quality of her approach colors her collaborative work, too. Olsen’s latest effort finds her guesting on “Mercury Avenue,” a Maxim Ludwig single. The tune is a modern-day indie take on the classic and grandiose Phil Spector “wall of sound” pop of the early ’60s. BK

INFO: 8pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $47.25. 423-8209.

JAZZ

JAZZMEIA HORN—Jazzmeia Horn—one of the most acclaimed, celebrated jazz vocalists, three-time Grammy nominee, and NAACP Image Award winner, Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Competition winner and Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Competition winner—is in town for one night only. While the artist and the venue haven’t shared the specifics, it seems safe to assume only the best musicians imaginable will join an artist of her stature on stage. She is improvisational, innovative and passionate, and her voice is truly a finely tuned instrument played by a maestro, the kind of voice you need to experience live. KLJ

INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $47-$53. 427-2227.

TUESDAY 9/10

ROCK

SORRY IT’S OVER—Sorry It’s Over is here to hold the hands of everyone who needs a close and emotional talk. The brainchild of Louis Petrella, Sorry It’s Over is an alternative indie pop project flowing from the uplifting and emotionally manic to the down-and-out dog days. Throughout their music, a dreamlike sense of wonder maintains innocence while delivering the news, good and bad. The show also marks the first day of Sorry It’s Over’s West Coast tour, so even though it’s free, throwing a couple of bucks Petrella’s way toward gas in exchange for a T-shirt, sticker or CD adds karma credits from the concert gods. MW

INFO: 5pm, Streetlight Records, 939 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 421-9200.

AUTHOR EVENT

HUMMINGBIRD POETRY PRESS POETS—Significant poets and heavyweights in the local written and spoken word arena will bring it big time to aficionados and those with noses pressed to the glass. The poets of Hummingbird Poetry Press (a rare gathering!) will share current work by Charles Atkinson, Wilma Marcus Chandler, Maggie Paul, Kim Scheiblauer, Amber Sumrall and Ken Weisner. Almost nothing is as primal, soothing and provocative as the spoken word. Discover that it is still possible, even nowadays, to fall under a spell of poetic enchantment. Okay, maybe you won’t love every poem, but bring an open mind and be prepared to engage in hand-to-hand criticism after the dust has settled. CHRISTINA WATERS

INFO: 7pm, Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 423-0900.

WEDNESDAY 9/11

THEATER

THE GLASS MENAGERIE—When to leave home and when to stay is a dilemma many people struggle with. We love our family, but it’s healthy to leave the nest and experience the world. Even Tennessee Williams wrestled with similar quandaries. He loved his family but knew he would have to leave his hometown to grow as a writer. That internal struggle inspired the short story “Portrait of a Girl in Glass,” which then became The Glass Menagerie, a play that launched him into the spotlight. Runs through Sep 28. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE

INFO: 2pm, Santa Cruz Shakespeare, 501 Upper Park Rd., Santa Cruz. $5-$50. 460-6399.

Street Talk

John Koenig

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September 4, 2024

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What are the little things that make you happy?

Bees asleep on flowers — under special circumstances. I used to work at a farm, and we would often see little bees before the sun was fully up, asleep on the flowers.
Sarah Carruth, 39, Cabrillo Horticulture Major

Running into people I know, like when I’m Downtown, or anywhere in Santa Cruz, just spontaneously.
Eldritch Alvarez, 22, Juggler

Sunsets that are orange and pink, especially around Scotts Valley. I really like to see them at the park, like the sunset over the mountains.
Leona Agrella, 14, Student

Walking Downtown at 9am, the pure quiet, the seagulls and the ocean. The peacefulness of the morning and enjoying nature. I’m a late sleeper, but I’ve had to be up early for work. One day it just totally caught me off guard. The atmosphere just completely captured me.
Samuel Spivey, 19, Pizza My Heart on Pacific / UCSC Computer Science Major

Bubbles. Clouds. Kids playing. Small animals, like puppies, kittens, birds. Good food. Music, especially on the street here downtown.
Trinity Hinde, 20, Portal of Love on Pacific Av

A good walk. All kinds of weather. And any time with my son, anything, any time. He’s just 4, so he keeps me young.
Aaron Drake, 48, Massage Therapist / Teacher

Google Sued in California For Crypto Wallet App

Crypto

Sadie Smith

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September 3, 2024

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Google Sued in California For Crypto Wallet App

Published in cooperation between CryptoNews and Good Times

Consumers are increasingly interacting with crypto assets using all sorts of platforms. Digital assets have become some of the most sought-after investment vehicles in the market and whether they’re being used to gamble or buy consumer goods, they’re fast becoming a major part of our lives. Take the sheer number of tokens that investors are putting money into.

There are already thousands of tokens in existence but our appetite for new ones seems insatiable. As Alan Draper points out, many consumers are looking to invest in a new meme coin that sees massive success in the market. After all, we’ve seen Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and everything in between find their way into the market so there is precedent for this behavior.

Investing or even spending crypto, however, will require the use of a crypto wallet. These wallets have become essential for virtually all crypto users and the market has responded by providing a wealth of options. Unfortunately for a Florida-based woman, the crypto wallet app she downloaded from the Google Play Store turned out to be fraudulent and cost her money. Now, she’s suing Google in a California court for not taking down the app.

Maria Vaca has alleged that she began her crypto investing journey between February and July 2023 and downloaded the Yobit Pro app from the Google Play Store. During that time, she deposited $4.6 million into the app, and it said that her investments were doing well, netting her $7 million.

The trouble began when she tried to withdraw some of the money and was told that she had to deposit another $500,000. This money, the app said, was to cover taxes related to her investments. She deposited the money but when she was asked for another $2 million, she began to get suspicious. She didn’t put any more money on the app but this didn’t stop the issue. Instead, she began receiving threats to her life via WhatsApp.

She turned to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) which then informed Google about the scammy app. But the suit says that Google was very slow to do anything about the issue. In fact, the app stayed on the Play Store for another 3 months despite the information it received. It turns out that Maria was not the only one with this experience as Yobit Pro had been downloaded by over 12,000 people.

Five of these people have reported also having their money stolen, which shows just how far-reaching the issue is. Maria is seeking $5 million in damages from Google and is accusing the company of “material misrepresentations and other deceptive conduct”. Maria has also said that the whole ordeal led to the collapse of her real estate business and damaged her mental health.

This incident is a rather tricky one because, as the lawsuit points out, Maria and others trusted the app because it was on the Google Play Store, meaning it had been vetted by the company. The Play Store is one of the biggest app platforms in the world and users might naturally assume that Google has a responsibility to keep them safe.

Google, on its part, has taken some action to combat the issue of fraudulent apps. Earlier this year, it sued two developers who had developed 87 fraudulent apps. These apps scammed a total of 100,000 users and included a number of crypto apps. Similar to Yobit Pro’s strategy, users were drawn in by the promise of making massive profits but once they deposited their money, they weren’t able to get it out.

Any industry that is financially viable will have to deal with scammers but cryptocurrency is especially tricky to navigate. Crypto transactions, because they are decentralized, are very difficult to track and they cannot be reversed. So when someone is scammed of their crypto assets or through a crypto investment scheme, it is harder for them to get justice. This is why crypto investors are always told to only invest with verified platforms. In Maria’s case, an app approved for listing on the Google Play Store is perhaps as verified as it gets, but she still got scammed.

Google hasn’t responded to the suit just yet but its outcome will set a precedent for both it and other firms moving forward. It might prompt Google to be more proactive about removing scam apps lest it lose the confidence of some of its users. For crypto investors, it is yet another cautionary tale of avoiding scammers.

Ethereum ETFs Officially Launch in the US

Crypto

Katerina Orr

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September 3, 2024

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Ethereum ETFs Officially Launch in the US

Published in cooperation between Techopedia and Good Times

After months of waiting, a significant milestone for the cryptocurrency industry in the United States and all over the world has been achieved as Ether (ETH) officially begins trading in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on U.S. exchanges. The long-awaited development is expected to make room for the wider adoption of Ethereum in institutions. In fact, it could be much like the success of Bitcoin ETFs that debuted earlier this year.

The launch of Ether ETFs has brought with it a familiar way of investing in the crypto space. ETFs will be tracking the price of the underlying Ether asset—just how much Ether is worth overall—so that investors can be aware of Ethereum’s price movements in real time without having to own the cryptocurrency itself directly. Because of that, there is no need for individual investors to manage their own crypto wallets—a hurdle that has previously hindered some investors from entering the market in the first place—making crypto more accessible to a lot more people than before.

Not only are there more opportunities for investment, but the launch of these ETFs could manufacture a rise in the popularity of crypto on the whole. Not many people are aware of the crypto gambling scene but as Ethereum and Bitcoin ETFs are coming up, more and more people will be dabbling in Bitcoin casinos with instant withdrawals that can transfer winnings to player wallets in less than ten minutes; and in other online casinos with different perks like anonymity for players. The launch of ETFs could also see crypto being seen as more legitimate as an investment opportunity—which has already been helped by Bitcoin’s huge surge in value in recent years.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) accepted applications from nine different issuers for Ether ETFs. Interestingly, the SEC’s approval of Ether ETFs comes after a recent investigation into whether or not Ether 2.0 is a commodity or security. The investigation was dropped in mid-June 2024. The SEC has deemed both Bitcoin and Ether as commodities, making them fall under a different regulatory umbrella than securities. In order to get their ETFs approved, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others have had to agree to exclude any features related to staking, which means they have forfeited potentially higher returns for their investors to do so. This is a point of great argument, with some, like SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, suggesting that these features could be revisited in the future. The situation highlights the ongoing uncertainty surrounding cryptocurrency regulations and the SEC’s efforts to navigate the space.

Still, the SEC has approved different issuers including established traditional investment firms like BlackRock and Fidelity who are in the running along with crypto-focused firms such as Grayscale and VanEck. Each ETF may have slight variations in fees and structures, offering investors a choice depending on their specific needs. Over a billion dollars in shares have been traded and Grayscale Ethereum Trust had the largest volume overall. Bitcoin experienced a slump on Tuesday while Ether’s assets grew significantly.

Pre-market trading for some of the Ether ETFs began on July 23, 2024, with modest price movements. Experts in the crypto industry say they are looking forward to significant interest from investors in retail and bigger institutions. The ETFs offer convenience and regulatory clarity to investors and users, a perk that will probably attract new capital to Ethereum and which could boost its long-term growth.

While the price impact of Ether ETFs is yet to be realized, their launch is a clear sign that there is great potential in Ethereum’s technology, and a lot more is to be uncovered in coming years through the innovative crypto. Opportunities will arise in online retail and with the recent launch of Bitcoin ATMs, even physical shops may accept cryptocurrency as the crypto revolution continues. Unlike Bitcoin, which is mainly seen as a store of value, Ethereum’s blockchain carries a vast network of decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts. The more it gains popularity with popular banks and in everyday life, and the more people are exposed to Ethereum through ETFs, the further the cryptocurrency will develop and the more likely it is to be adopted at a larger scale than ever before.

Although there is much optimism currently surrounding Ether ETFs, it’s important to remember and consider the fact that the cryptocurrency market is and will remain inherently volatile. Investors who are considering entering this space will be wary and will be diligently conducting thorough research to understand the potential associated risks before allocating any funds. This means that any negative changes, like significant dips in market value, might result in investors pulling out and fewer investment opportunities until stability is regained. Currently, investor sentiment is split, and the CEO of Gray Digital has been quoted saying, “It will be less of an event than people are making it seem to be.” An estimated 25 percent of Bitcoin’s flows are expected to be the general stream of investment ETH is to look forward to going forward.

The launch of Ether ETFs is a big event for Ethereum and the cryptocurrency industry as a whole in the United States and all over the world. With wider accessibility and institutional validation, Ethereum is bound to experience a new chapter of growth and innovation. Whether it mimics the successful rise of Bitcoin ETFs or whether it carves its own path, the world of finance is definitely taking notice of Ethereum’s potential.

Arrests Made in Santa Cruz Pot Shop Burglaries

Todd Guild

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August 30, 2024

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Arrests Made in Santa Cruz Pot Shop Burglaries

California Attorney General Rob Bonta was in Santa Cruz County on Thursday to announce the arrest of 22 people who are facing a total of 32 felony charges stemming from multiple burglaries of marijuana dispensaries throughout the Bay Area.

Dubbed “Operation Sticky Fingers,” the arrests came thanks to the Oakland Police Department, DOJ, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office and the California Highway Patrol, Bonta said.

During the operation, investigators identified crimes in Monterey, Solano, Kern, San Luis Obispo, Fresno, Merced, Sonoma, San Diego and Santa Cruz counties.

The suspects stole 1,000 pounds of cannabis and products such as THC-infused gummies, all of which is valued at more than $1 million, Bonta said.

The suspects then sold the products via social media, he said.

Of the 22 arrested, just one is still in custody, and 14 have made their initial court appearances, Bonta said.

Charges include grand theft, organized retail crime and burglary.

The majority of the suspects are part of multiple criminal street gangs based in Oakland, said Oakland Deputy Police Chief Frederick Shavies.

Burglaries in that city spanned from the middle part of 2023 to July.

The message, Bonta said, is that anyone considering similar crimes can expect a law enforcement response.

“We will come for you,” he said. “We are fed up with organized retail crimes, and as a result we have been and will continue to crack down.”

The operation covers 15 burglaries, half of which were in Santa Cruz County, and most of which occurred late at night, he said.

This includes the May 25 burglary at The Hook dispensary in Watsonville, when a group of suspects smashed their vehicle into the business and stole hundreds of dollars in products before fleeing, leading police on a miles-long chase over Highway 17 and into Hayward.

“As California’s chief law enforcement officer, I’m here to make sure that California remains the best place to live, to work, to do business, to raise a family. And that includes going after organized retail crime,” Bonta said.

The incidents, he said, were far more serious than simple shoplifting.

“We’re talking about coordinated schemes, organized efforts that hurt our businesses and pose a threat to our communities, and those organized criminal schemes deserve and require an organized response on the part of law enforcement,” Bonta said.

A House Divided: Navigating the Complexities of Poker Laws in the United States

Gambling

David Fox

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August 30, 2024

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A House Divided: Navigating the Complexities of Poker Laws in the United States

Published in cooperation with Good Times and Techopedia.com

Poker has captivated American players for generations. The earliest reference to the game in the United States was in 1829 when an English actor described a four-player, 20-card game on a steamboat in New Orleans. While the game’s fundamental rules may have changed since, that first game left an imprint on America, and it’s not hard to see why. Poker nurtures an appetite for risk and a strategic mind, both valuable assets for chasing the American Dream. Moreover, the portability and ease of learning meant it was accessible to everyone, from all walks of life. However, as gambling legislation came in over the 20th century, the states naturally took divided approaches towards how to approach poker. Now, in the 21st century, poker has a complex standing in the United States.

The Emergence of Online Poker:

Today, the U.S. poker scene is transformed from where it began. Since the rise of the internet in the late 1990s, online poker has been dominant in the gambling industry. However, strict laws quickly came into place, and many states have taken entirely different stances on how to approach regulating the game.

This legal ambiguity across the United States has created a scenario where some states have taken the initiative to carve out a space for online poker platforms, but some are yet to see the potential. As of 2024, eight states—Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Michigan, Connecticut, and Rhode Island—have embraced the potential of online poker by legalizing and regulating it. But this is not to say that the rest of the United States is without options. Players options for online poker sites in Florida, for example, are primarily offshore platforms like those in Techopedia’s Florida poker guide that utilize the best technology for security and gameplay without regulation. New York, with its vast population and potential tax windfall, has seen recent legislative efforts, while Illinois and California are also exploring similar possibilities.

The United States In-Person Poker Scene:

For fans of the classic casino experience, the news is generally positive. Nevada stands as the undisputed champion, with Las Vegas casinos offering an array of poker variations and high-stakes tournaments. Beyond the glittering lights of Vegas, many other states with established commercial casinos also allow live poker tables to operate. These include established gambling hubs like Atlantic City in New Jersey and tribal casinos scattered across various states.

However, venturing outside the realm of commercial casinos presents a murkier picture. Home games, a staple of the social poker scene, are generally tolerated in most states as long as certain conditions are met. Key among these is the absence of a rake, a fee taken by the house to facilitate the game. Additionally, the stakes need to remain low, essentially ensuring the game functions as a social activity rather than a disguised gambling den. This tolerance, however, is not universal. Some states have stricter regulations, making even casual home games with friends a potential legal gray area.

Poker enthusiasts with a philanthropic streak can find solace in charity tournaments. These events, where buy-in fees are channeled toward a worthy cause, often find a legal haven, even in states with stricter gambling laws. The specific regulations for these tournaments vary by state, but typically, charities require a license and need to ensure buy-ins and prize pools adhere to designated limits. This ensures both the integrity of the game and responsible fundraising practices.

The Future Of United States Poker:

The fragmented nature of poker laws across the United States is constantly changing. With the potential for increased tax revenue and growing demand from players, several states are actively considering legalizing and regulating online poker. The introduction of new payment options for online gambling, such as crypto casinos, has expanded the potential player base and potential for security with its blockchain technology.

The key takeaway for poker enthusiasts, both online and offline, is to be fully aware of the laws in their state before indulging in their passion. For in-person games, understanding local regulations and social norms is crucial. Online players should only use platforms licensed and regulated in states where online poker is legal. With a little research and due diligence, you can ensure your poker experience remains on the right side of the law and allows you to focus on the strategy and thrill of the game itself.

A Backside Slide Down Devil’s Slide

Take a Hike with Richard Stockton

Richard Stockton

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August 28, 2024

1

“An adventure is never an adventure when it happens. An adventure is simply physical and emotional discomfort recollected in tranquility.” —Tom Cahill

For the past 15 years, every three or four weeks I’ve hiked with Ben Rice, Sleepy John Sandidge and Laurence Bedford. In five-mile increments, we have walked the beaches and cliffs from Santa Cruz to the Golden Gate Bridge and back, three times.

When beach hiking, the game is to walk as close to the ocean as possible—in it if necessary. Today is Oct. 23, 2018, and we are eager to return to the northern overlook of the Devil’s Slide Trail, off Highway 1 up in San Mateo County, between Montara and Pacifica.

We had walked the old Highway 1—the part that has been abandoned and turned into a hiking trail—but today we want to climb over the top, to scale the heights of Montara Mountain, above the Devil’s Slide Tunnels, looking over the Pacific Ocean.

Ben announces that Katherine Beiers is joining us. An 86-year-old Santa Cruz political legend, she is famous for standing up to developers and led the fight to save Lighthouse Field. She is a former two-time mayor of Santa Cruz, serving a total of 15 years on the Santa Cruz City Council, 11 of them consecutively in what remains a city record.

The woman knows how to go the distance; she is a marathon legend, running the Boston Marathon 14 times. Laurence, Sleepy John and I would have done well to take her achievements into account, but we look at Ben.

“An 86-year-old? Really, Ben? Will she be all right?”

Ben laughs and says, “Gentlemen, on the trail she will kick your ass.”

Like everyone who meets Katherine Beiers, I am won over by her easy smile, her razor-sharp wit, and impressed by her ease with hiking poles. PHOTO: Ben Rice

As the five of us climb higher and higher over the mountain up into the Pedro Point Headlands, Katherine proves Ben right: the slight-of-build lady has no difficultly with our pace. Sleepy John and I are gasping and wheezing, and Katherine just keeps smiling, clicking along with her poles. Jokes flow around her stamina, “Say, Katherine, would you give me the number of your drug dealer?”

We make it to the top of the ridge and the views of the Pacific Coast below are stunning.

“A mountaintop is not simply an elevation, but an island, a world within a world, a place out of place.” —conservationist Paul Gruchow

We wander on top, trails diverge and suddenly we are guessing where we are. I am relieved; if the boys and I don’t get lost, I don’t feel like we really went hiking. The good news: the Rebels Without a Compass are lost again, a type of hiking we call “trying to remember where we parked our car.”

It’s a long, uphill pull to get into the Pedro Point Headlands. Photo: Ben Rice

After wandering on top of the Pedro Point Headlands, we realize that we’ve got to find a way down. We start trail blazing and the hills get steeper and steeper as we slide down the slopes towards the community of Shelter Cove. Ben, Laurence and Sleepy John split off: Laurence goes south; Ben and Sleepy John go north to look for a trail. Katherine and I continue to inch our way straight down.

Katherine tells me that hiking, for her, is about not falling, and now we are sliding down the vertiginous Montara Mountain.

One of my physical attributes is my bulk. I am big and stiff, not much range of motion, I’m like a big slab of congealed protoplasm. My density affords my comrades endless amusement. They make videos of me trying to put on a coat; while getting an arm in the first sleeve is easy, it’s that second sleeve hole that can be elusive. But my mass comes in handy today.

The hill becomes steep, and I see Katherine struggling to stop her slides with her hiking poles. I’m concerned that she will tumble down the mountain and so is she, so I place my body downhill from her, in case her slides turn into a fall. And she does slide into me. At first, she starts to apologize but I say, “No, no. Being solid is my thing.”

She reaches out and holds onto my backpack. Together we inch down the mountain in tandem, and to be honest having her attached to my backpack feels safer. She turns into an anchor for me as the slope feels like it’s surely going to become vertical. We turn into a slowly-sliding-four-legged creature. The drop-off gets even steeper, and Katherine holds on to my belt. We slide down out of a thicket and can see the incline run down into the back of a house on the eastern side of the community of Shelter Cove.

While our hiking group believes in hiking wherever our bootheels might wander, we are very strict about not walking in on someone’s residence. We feel that signs, fences and streams are all meant for us to traverse, but a private residence is something we respect and stay clear of. And here Katherine and I are, 100 yards above someone’s house with no other way to go but down. It occurs to me that there are rural homeowners who protect their houses with firearms. What if an angry homeowner is having a Remember-the-Alamo moment?

We brainstorm on what we could say. Katherine says, “One of us could claim that they are the other’s caretaker; one of us has dementia and wandered off and the other found them lost in the wilderness.” I agree, “Yeah, I play insane pretty well. Maybe you’re taking me back to a mental hospital. That might make them eager to get us off their property.”

We watch the house. No lights, no movement, no sounds. Walking alongside a residence out in the woods may not be the safest way to get off a mountain but we see no alternative. We inch toward the house, our concern about the slope turning into fear of meeting the homeowner. Then Laurence calls out a way to get around the house, and Katherine and I are out into the road and we step spritely downhill toward Highway 1. Finding Sleepy John, Laurence and Ben has never felt like such a relief.

Ben Rice, Katherine Beiers, Sleepy John Sandidge, Laurence Bedford and Richard Stockton above Devil’s Slide. PHOTO: Shot by hiking passerby.

More about the trail: Pedro Point Headlands Park is on a high point above the city of Pacifica, Shelter Cove Beach and San Pedro Rock. The trails along the headlands offer stellar views. Pedro Point Headlands shares the same parking lot as the northern trailhead of the Devils Slide Trail; restrooms are available there.This is a 2.8-mile out-and-back trail near Pacifica. (We were lucky to find our cars and get home before dark.) For further details, see californiabeaches.com and alltrails.com.

How to get there: It is ½ mile north of Montara State Beach. The trailhead is immediately south of the Tom Lantos Tunnel, south of Pacifica on Highway 1. The route from the lower lots to the trailhead is uphill. These lots fill quickly…there is also a free shuttle from Pacifica that runs 9am–4pm on Sat.-Sun.

“A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles.” —Tim Cahill

Locals Applaud Capitola Crosswalk

Local News

Kristen McLaughlin

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August 28, 2024

8

Some drivers are confused by Capitola’s new street markings, but the city is trying to explain.

The changes on Bay Avenue and Hill Street (near Nob Hill) are part of a broader study examining all intersections on Bay Avenue from Highway 1 to Capitola Village. Construction was completed Aug. 2 and white plastic “safety bollards” came Aug. 7.

WIth a lane closure and lighted stop signs, there’s a lot to get drivers’ attention at this busy intersection. There is a red and white striped crosswalk, green bike lanes, tactile yellow curb ramps, and a new blue zone.

“I will say it’s caused some congestion when people don’t realize where the lane ends,” said Jessica Kahn, Capitola Public Works Director. “Lots of people were concerned because traffic has changed so much lately in Capitola… Capitola bridge went out and then when school started as well.”

Residents are hopeful about the changes. “It’s a very dangerous intersection,” said Mary Healy, who lives less than a mile away. “I think it’s an improvement because there was nothing special there before.” Healy said she used to walk across the intersection “all the time” to workout at Capitola Fitness. “After two women were hit there, I started driving my car here, even though it’s an easy walk.”

Debby Towne, 70, was hit and killed by a driver near Crossroads Loop and Bay Avenue while she was walking her dog in November 2023.

The city did an exceptional job making it aesthetically pleasing, said Randall S., 80, who studied architecture and earned his undergraduate degree in commercial art.“That is the best intersection design I’ve yet to see anywhere in this county. As far as the colors and the way that guides people, I think that made it much safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.”

Soquel resident John Kyle, 57, had a different opinion. “All the way through this corridor is not managed well,” he said. “I don’t come through here too much. It reminds me of back in the day, when I used to go to Mexico and it’s a free for all.”

The traffic study was done in 2022, and the council directed planners to do a short-term quick build this year.

The Quick Build modifications are designed to be temporary measures to assess their effectiveness before a long-term build can proceed. “The intent was to have this be up for 12 to 18 months,” Khan said. “The idea was to have this installed after the main summer season but before school started.”

Background Information

The project was funded in the city’s 2023-24 budget, with $50,000 for the intersection.

Still some motorists are baffled about the different zones, especially the zone painted blue. “I know that’s really confusing,” Khan said. “With a quick build, you’re trying to delineate space for pedestrians and places for cars not to drive. In a lot of other places they’ve made it almost an artscape, sometimes using flowers or other scenes… It is not to be confused with ADA parking.”

The blue paint serves both pedestrian and bicycle traffic, Hahn said. “Blue is a buffer for the bike lane,” she said. “In a permanent project, that blue area would be made out of concrete.”

Two travel lanes have been removed to decrease congestion and reduce the number of vehicles entering the intersection simultaneously. Sidewalks have been extended with blue paint, shortening pedestrian crossing distances. Buffered bike lanes marked with green paint provide greater separation between cyclists and vehicles.

Arrest Imminent In Santa Cruz Harbor Shooting

Josué Monroy

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August 28, 2024

14

Arrest Imminent In Santa Cruz Harbor Shooting

It’s been almost three weeks since the Aug. 8 double shooting after a beach party at the Santa Cruz Harbor’s Crow’s Nest restaurant rattled the community. The two victims were shot multiple times and remain in critical condition, and police have not disclosed a motive behind the brazen attack. But authorities say they are closing in on a suspect and an arrest is imminent.

In the aftermath, the Santa Cruz Port District, which patrols the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor where the Crow’s Nest is located, announced it was canceling the remaining beach parties.

But despite the shocking end to a normally joyous summer night, many residents and revelers are defiant in the wake of the shooting and say that it shouldn’t ruin the spirit of community here.

The Events

Just before 9pm on Aug. 8, law enforcement agencies responded en masse to reports of a shooting at the Santa Cruz Harbor. Police scanners reported two males shot, with one suffering up to six gunshots to the chest.

Witnesses said after a brief altercation in the Crow’s Nest parking lot, a Black male in his early 20s opened fire on two men and fled the scene in a black Dodge Charger or Challenger. The suspect was wearing a red puffy jacket and was accompanied by a Black female of indeterminate age, they said.

Emergency dispatchers also relayed reports of an armed person near the Murray Street Bridge by the upper harbor, but that was never corroborated.

Santa Cruz Police, Santa Cruz Sheriff’s deputies and Watsonville Police secured the scene while the two victims were medevaced to out-of-county trauma centers.

A witness, who asked not to be identified, recalled hearing what sounded like loud pops.

“I heard what I thought were fireworks,” she said. “They were too loud.”

She said she was walking about five feet behind the victim through an alleyway and the crosswalk leading to the parking lot when the suspect pulled out a gun and fired.

Investigators said that other witnesses described an altercation between the men shortly before the shooting. Santa Cruz Police took the lead on the investigation. But nearly three weeks later, there are more questions than answers about that night, and police are saying little beyond a press release the following day.

Santa Cruz Police Deputy Chief Jon Bush said on Aug. 27 that investigators were still scouring hours of video surveillance footage from the scene and working to get witnesses to cooperate with the investigation.

A person who said they witnessed the shooting on the night of Aug. 8 told Good Times on condition of anonymity that someone they were with wrote down a full or partial license plate and handed it over to Harbor Patrol. The witness went on to say that when Santa Cruz Police investigators contacted them for a follow-up interview, they were unaware of the license plate information.

“We did get a possible plate. We’re still trying to confirm its the right vehicle,” Bush said.

When asked if there was a possible delay in the hand off of that information, Bush said he was unaware of that specific claim.

Port Director Holland Maclaurie, who oversees the Harbor Patrol, did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the situation.

Authorities have not released the identities of the victims, but a GoFundMe fundraising page created for the medical expenses of Santa Cruz resident Gregory Hagio identifies him as one of the shooting victims.

“Gregory along with a fellow friend was a target of a random act of violence. Six shots and eleven holes later Greg is now in the ICU battling for his life from his traumatic injuries,” read a statement posted by fundraiser organizer Shannon Stidham.

The page has raised $18,332 of its $25,000 goal as of Aug. 26, and an update on the page posted on Aug. 17 said he is still in critical condition after a third surgery.

In the wake of the unexpected violence, some local residents and attendees — including one that performed that night — think canceling the remaining events has sent the wrong message.

‘Don’t Give In To Violence’

Don Caruth had just finished playing the beach party with his band, The Joint Chiefs, when he saw the shooting in the parking lot.

“I’m still processing it, because it happened 6 feet from me. I saw the whole thing — I was loading stuff in my van, it was after the show, and then I was standing with my son and his girlfriend […] I heard this ‘pop, pop, pop, pop.’ I thought it was firecrackers or fireworks,” said Caruth.

He and his family ducked behind his van and saw the shooter as he ran away, while others rushed to help the victims. The incident left him shaken and he was unable to sleep that night. But in spite of this, Caruth thinks the show should have gone on.

“I don’t think you should give in to the violence and take the music and the joy away from the community of Santa Cruz,” he said. He added that this was an extremely rare incident and wasn’t afraid of it happening again.

The performers who were booked for the remainder of the summer were also affected, losing income they were counting on as working musicians, according to Caruth. Local favorites Sambada and The Dylan Rose band were set to round out the last two August dates of the beach parties.

A Facebook post from Aug. 14 which argued that “a few messed up people should not have so much power over our community gatherings” got hundreds of likes and supportive comments.

Trudie Ransom, the owner of the Sup Shack on the Santa Cruz Harbor, was at home in Capitola when the shooting occurred. When she returned to work the next day, she was shocked by the news.

Ransom expressed disgust at the shooter’s behavior while also encouraging people not to let this incident change how we live as a community.

“I’m a believer in business as usual,” she said.

Ransom isn’t alone when it comes to this train of thought. Jose Calderon, a retired mason, also thinks the shooting shouldn’t change how the harbor community functions.

“I don’t see a reason why it should be shut down because of a couple of crazy people,” Calderon said. “It was just one of those incidents. It’s a shame it happened, but I do not believe it should be closed down.”

The Crow’s Nest owner Charles Maier did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Other recurring live music events in the area have not been canceled in response to the shooting. For example, the Twilight Concert series at the Capitola Village Esplanade has continued to hold Wednesday night performances that draw hundreds of people.

Capitola Police Captain Sarah Ryan said that there had been no serious concerns voiced by residents after the Crow’s Nest shooting and security protocols for the concerts remained the same.

However, Ryan did sympathize with the management and staff of the restaurant.

“They have to take care of their people,” Ryan said.

As of Aug. 27, Santa Cruz Police said they are close to cracking the case.

“We’ve got some leads that we’re tracking down. We hope to make an arrest in the coming days, but right now we’re still working the case,” Bush said.

Ruby Lee Schembari contributed to this report.

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Background Information