Greensite… with more on the campaign trail… Steinbruner… BESS… new aquatic center?… RIP Al Hughes… Hayes… Getting to Know Your Place… Patton… The Politics Of Presence… Matlock… morale…crucified…theatrics…infiltration… Eagan… Subconscious Comics and Deep Cover … Webmistress serves you… crowds and the point of no return… Quotes on… “Crowds”
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WHEN SHIT YOU DO ENDS UP IN THE NEWS… You can’t have missed that I do fireworks, pretty much any time I can. The company I work with is Pyro Spectaculars by Souza, and we do shows all over the Bay Area, in Hawaii, and in New York. You may have seen the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks on TV…? Yeah, that’s us 🙂 We’re doing 4th of July in San Francisco this year, and I can’t wait!
Why do I mention this, you ask? Well, this past weekend, Saturday to be specific, CSI (a software company) had a big party in the city and booked us for a fireworks show. It was a BIG show that took 2 days to set up, and then made the news when it went off Saturday night. I’m including a video for you right here. It’s taken from a boat, 800 feet or so from the barge that the fireworks were on. Enjoy the spectacle! It’s from a vantage point most people don’t get. See you in a few days!
~Webmistress
STRANGER THINGS (final season). Netflix. Series. (9.3 IMDb) 
Final season, and once again Will Byers gets absolutely brain-fracked. For the uninitiated: Stranger Things is steeped in the early ’80s, following a quartet of young teens (I was all of 20 when it’s set) doing the usual – playing D&D, blasting a killer soundtrack, biking everywhere unsupervised… and occasionally getting snatched by nightmare creatures from the Upside Down, a vine-choked mirror of their hometown.
They cross paths with Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), a runaway lab experiment with psychic powers and a deep love of Eggos. From there: more Upside Down lore, bigger and nastier villains, government conspiracies, a mall food court leveled, peak ’80s fashion, coming out, and a truly unfair amount of trauma for poor Will. Season 5 breaks up the cast in teams who each have their own stories – this season Linda “Sarah Conner” Hamilton pops up to give Vecna a run for his money as a “big bad”. Mike’s little sister gets dragged into things, and his mom finally gets to shine as a badass. It neatly cleans up all the loose threads. It’s both satisfying and a little sad to see it end – but no worries, the Duffer Brothers already have more Strangerverse on the way. Worth a watch.
~Sarge
PROJECT HAIL MARY. In theatres. Movie. (8.4 IMDb) 
This is hard-science sci-fi that blends in laughs without undercutting the tension. Ryan Gosling – somehow I’d never really noticed him before, sort of Arthur Davrill – plays Ryland Grace, a middle-school science teacher turned astronaut, who wakes up alone on a spaceship light-years from home with zero memory of why he’s there. Slowly, he pieces together that Earth’s survival literally hangs on him – and then he meets an alien whose planet is in just as much trouble. Cue the odd-couple science team: two species, zero common language, and enough physics to make your head spin. Gosling is charmingly competent, the alien is nicely alien (not just a guy in a weird forehead prosthetic), and while the story feels a lot like The Martian, it’s a solid high-stakes ride. I enjoyed it, even with the odd shortcomings. Running 2:36, it didn’t really lag. Definitely worth a watch.
~Sarge
THE PITT. Hulu, Max. Series. (8.97 IMDb)
Noah Wyle is back in the ER… can George Clooney be far behind?
Set in a brutally busy Pittsburgh ER, a grizzled Wyle leads a rotating pack of residents, interns, and students through near–real-time shifts (one episode = one hour, one season = one day). The writing is sharp, the characters click, and the show pulls no punches on nudity or bodily damage—approach with caution, but it’s worth it. Season two is still rolling out weekly. Now with more ICE!
~Sarge
SCARPETTA. Prime. Series. (5.9 IMDb) 
This series is about a noted Medical Examiner (Kidman) investigating a murder tied to a string of killings from 25 years ago.
Wait—no. It’s about sibling rivalry that apparently has no expiration date (Kidman/Curtis).
Then again, it’s about the adult niece of a Medical Examiner who can’t let go of her deceased wife and builds an AI replacement.
Any one of these might’ve made for an interesting series—just not all at once. Good cast, so-so mystery, and way too much going on. Pick a lane.
~Sarge
A MURDER BETWEEN FRIENDS. Prime. Movie. (3.5 IMDb) 
Half a point for being in focus. Joan Collins fronting for a series – at least according to the end card. Six… “people,” I guess… reunite at an Airbnb “castle” owned by a legendary mystery writer, played by Joan Collins. One of them ends up floating in the hot tub. That’s about it.
Everyone treats Joan Collins as a full-blown Mary Sue: “You’re a great mystery writer – we should all listen to you.” What does she actually do? Watch security cameras that most of the cast already know about, while they continue misbehaving anyway.
It’s embarrassing to watch, especially since I’m reasonably sure she bankrolled it. Not worth a watch. Stand well back. Mind the gap. Go watch “Agatha Christie’s 7 Dials” on Netflix.
~Sarge
THE LAST KIDS ON EARTH. Netflix. Series (1hr pilot). (7.2 IMDb) 
This largely bloodless animated series began with a pilot-style special and ran for two seasons. It’s based on the children’s book series by Max Brallier, with character designs inspired by the illustrations of Douglas Holgate.
The story follows orphan Jack Sullivan as he adjusts to life after an invasion of extra-dimensional monsters and a zombie apocalypse. He soon bands together with a scrappy group of kids who missed the evacuation – along with a loyal monster-dog – forming their own ragtag survival team.
Aimed primarily at the 8–12 crowd, the show still has enough sharp humor and creature-feature flair to entertain adults. The voice cast includes Nick Wolfhard (brother of Finn), Mark Hamill, Keith David, Catherine O’Hara, and Rosario Dawson. Worth a watch – with or without your kids.
~Sarge
AGATHA CHRISTIE’S SEVEN DIALS. Netflix. Series. (6.2 IMDb)
There have been a fair few non-Poirot/Marple adaptations recently, and this is certainly one of them.
The cast is solid – Martin Freeman is great, and Mia McKenna-Bruce really shines in the lead role (though Helena Bonham Carter kind of phones in a stock twitchy character). The film doesn’t quite hook you into the mystery, though. It’s not slow, just… not all that engaging. The highlight for me was definitely Mia jumping out of a window to dodge a wedding proposal. On the plus side, it’s only 3 episodes. Many clocks.
It’s probably worth a watch if you’re looking for something to pass the time before the next episode of your favorite show drops.
~Sarge
THE MUPPET SHOW. Disney+. Series. (8.4 IMDb)
Or, as I like to think of it, ANTI-MELANIA. They both star a woman who is completely self-obsessed, clinging to a less attractive mate’s position: I mean, of course, the return of … THE MUPPET SHOW!
That’s right, the same old gang at the same old theatre. Minus the legendary Jim Henson and Frank Oz (who is still alive, at time of writing), it actually defies the concern of losing the magic – it’s almost like it never ended. Which is a good thing. Only one episode so far, but it’s off to a good start. Worth a watch!
~Sarge
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Sarge, aka Jeffery Sargent, cut his teeth on the Golden Age of Hollywoood on TV and with regular trips to the Sash Mill. Film classes then, at Cabrillo with Morton Marcus, broadened his scope – he found he preferred Keaton over Chaplin, and Akira Kurosawa was his Yoda. Sarge spent 15 years working in Special Effects, on everything from Starship Troopers to Battlestar Galactica. He is a staunch geek who has a weak spot for Cozy Mysteries and loathes “Reality” shows. While he doesn’t care for the unrelenting banal horror of “True Crime”, he licks his lips over a twist like the end of Chinatown. Email Sarge at JeffLSargent@gmail.com |
April 7, 2026
The Democratic Women’s Club candidates’ forum was held last Saturday. Out of the five candidates running for mayor only one was absent, Ryan Coonerty. The only mayoral candidate endorsed by the Democratic Women’s Club was, Ryan Coonerty. You can interpret that decision any way you like. To me, it means that the fix was in.
I realize that the more than 50-year-old DWC is open to males and females and that only one of its long-buried aims is to further Democratic women in government. I also realize that the years when we thought it vital for women to share political power with men has faded; that women don’t inherently make better politicians than men but nonetheless, following four years of a male mayor (Fred Keeley) that yet another male was endorsed for mayor by the DWC, by all the political heavies, including all current city council members prior to any other candidates declaring their candidacy, suggests an indifference to the issue of sex.
Ironically, one of the DWC’s prepared questions asked of all candidates at the forum was: are you a good listener? How would you rate yourself on a scale on one to five? Give an example of your listening skills. I wonder just how carefully members of DWC are listening to the community? My reading of the community is that many, many people are fed up with all the overdevelopment. They feel, as I do, a deep sense of loss when long-time small businesses are bulldozed into oblivion and neighborhoods are overshadowed by big buildings out of all previous scale. Some enablers cite the guilt-tripping falsehood that “we’ve built no housing for the past 50 years” when the US Census shows the city built 11,000 housing units during that time. Others cite the misleading mantra that “we have no choice; this is mandated by the state” when the city approved double the state-required housing units for the last 8-year cycle and already has more than 4,000 housing units in line for the current 8-year cycle and we are only 3 years in.
So, the upcoming election is a watershed moment. Whether the city will be led deeper into an urban chic transformation with upscale entertainment districts, surfing reserves monetized, with open space” activated” depends at least partially on who politically leads the city. We have not seen much spine from the current city council in trying to preserve the familiar, the human scale, the funky, the low-key, the small businesses. When Economic Development refused to extend the lease for Andy’s Bait and Tackle Shop on the Wharf in 2012, I saw the writing on the wall.
If you want a fighter for the equivalent of Andy’s, then you need to support my campaign. Please check out my website at greensite4mayor.org. Volunteer to drop flyers in your neighborhood, ask for a yard sign, donate some $’s (yard signs are $11 each when made at a union shop and I’ll have no other). Don’t sit this one out. The future of our city is at stake.
| Gillian Greensite is a long time local activist, a member of Save Our Big Trees and the Santa Cruz chapter of IDA, International Dark Sky Association http://darksky.org Plus she’s an avid ocean swimmer, hiker and lover of all things wild. |
Maybe you read local news reports last week about New Leaf Energy / Sequoia Enerty LLC filing a pre-application with the California Energy Commission (CEC) for the grid-scale Seahawk Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project in Watsonville’s working-class neighborhood. Is that such a horrible thing to have happen?
Do you think it really WILL happen….or is it a bluff to scare the County Board of Supervisors into buckling to the will of the developer?
New Leaf Energy may seek state approval for Minto Road BESS facility | The Pajaronian | Watsonville, CA
Note what Project developer says is the cause of this action:
The County Board of Supervisors in January approved a draft ordinance to regulate new large-scale battery energy storage systems in unincorporated areas, while maintaining local oversight.
Christian said amendments added Jan. 13 by Board of Supervisors make the Seahawk project “nonviable.”
“Particularly, the requirement of an additional approval by the Board of Supervisors for the transfer of ownership for the project would create a significant hurdle to project financing and is also unprecedented in the energy sector,” Christian said.
Is New Leaf just throwing a tantrum because this requirement would inhibit them from flipping the business?
Also, please note the submissive, plaintive attitudes of Supervisor Felipe Hernandez, and PIO Jason Hoppin, mouthpiece for County Executive Officer Nicole Coburn:
Santa Cruz County Supervisor Felipe Hernandez, whose district includes much of Watsonville, called the move “disappointing.”
“We worked so hard on our ordinance to keep our community safe and maintain local control,” he said in a text message. “It’s the strongest BESS ordinance in the United States. We ensured it includes best practices and strong safeguards for our residents. Despite New Leaf considering to opt out, I’m hoping we can come to an agreement with several of the key safety items on the ordinance.”
County spokesman Jason Hoppin said officials have long recognized the possibility of a state review.
“We are hopeful that the CEC and New Leaf will incorporate elements of our proposed ordinance as the project moves forward,” he said in an email. “As originally conceived, the Board’s framework included some of the strongest fire, emergency response and environmental protections of any local ordinance, while helping facilitate a necessary transition to a carbon-free future.”
How can Supervisor Felipe Hernandez make the ludicrous statement that this County’s Draft BESS Ordinance is “the strongest in the United States”???? Is this his re-election narrative?
His claim is not supported by the 2025 US Dept. of Energy’s “Principles and Options for Designing Battery Energy Storage Zoning Ordinances”
The Santa Cruz County Draft BESS Ordinance fails to prohibit grid-scale BESS facilities in seismic or high fire-risk areas, unlike BESS ordinances of Solano County. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) Ordinances: Solano County CA Case StudyI
It also fails to prohibit risky flammable lithium battery technology, unlike the City of Vacaville’s BESS Ordinance. Amelia County, Virginia does not allow grid-scale BESS projects within ONE MILE of a residential (Village development) while Santa Cruz County would allow it with only a 100;setback. Beaumont, California’s Ordinance only allows BESS in areas zoned for manufacturing, and the same for the town of Islip, New York. Santa Cruz County;s BESS Ordinance has no such protective language.
Johnson County, Iowa is unique among jurisdictions surveyed in that it requires all power and communications lines that connect BESS to other structures or that connect BESS units to each other to be buried underground “to the extent feasible.” (page 22 of the Analysis) Santa Cruz County fails to address this at all.
King George County, Virginia only allows grid-scale BESS in areas zoned for industrial use and facilities cannot be visible from any “street, use or building”.
Santa Cruz County fails to restrict grid-scale BESS projects to industrially-zoned areas, and makes no mention of visibility from adjacent residential or commercial areas. In fact the Seahawk BESS Project at 90 Minto Road (whose developer is leading our County by the nose to exact what is needed to be permitted) is adjacent to the large working-class Diamond Estates subdivision and would be impose visual blight, high EMF and noise, not to mention risk of toxic plumes when thermal runaway occurs.
Most, but not all, county or city codes that address energy storage systems specify the zones in which BESS are permitted to be built. page 18
However, Santa Cruz County’s Draft BESS Ordinance identifies only two areas to include in the Combining Zone Ordinance: 90 Minto Road in Watsonville, and parcels adjacent to the Rob Roy Substation just across Freedom Boulevard from Aptos High School. What about industrial zones, such as Substation and natural gas power plant near the Santa Cruz City Landfill on Dimeo Lane? Santa Cruz Energy | Landfill Gas Power Plant in Santa CRUZ, CA
The vast majority of BESS installations in the United States are still lithium-ion (EIA 2023). However, by adopting zoning ordinances that differentiate by technology based on the risk profile and community impacts of different technologies, local jurisdictions can stay ahead of the rapidly changing battery technology landscape and can also send signals to developers to consider other technologies that may better align with the jurisdiction’s preferences (page 22)
In my opinion, the Seahawk BESS project developer is taking the action to file the pre-application with the California Energy Commission (CEC) to further bludgeon the County Board of Supervisors into submission and coerce them to remove the language they amended to require that the developer notify the County when the facility changes ownership. Supervisor Koeng asked for that at the January 13, 2026 Board consideration of the BESS Ordinance in order to keep noticed of “bad actors” that might purchase the project in the future.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE PLAN OF CAPITOLA MALL’S 1,700 NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS?
Last month, the Capitola City Council approved rezoning the Capitola Mall for an expansive mixed use development that would include 1,700 new residential units, an 85-room hotel and reduced commercial space. There will will be housing units 75′ tall, and the hotel will be 85′ tall.
https://tpgonlinedaily.com/Here is a good article about the issue.
I actually remember attending the public meetings decades ago when the Capitola Mall was first proposed. I remember how the adjacent neighborhood residents opposed the project, voicing traffic and noise concerns and loss of their community character. The Mall happened anyway..and here we are now.
What do you think about this? Here is a survey about traffic circulation alternatives:
Capitola Corridor Plan Alternatives Survey
WHO CARES IF LOCALS DO NOT WANT THIS NEW TRAFFIC LIGHT IN SOQUEL VILLAGE?
Last Thursday, First District County Supervisor Manu Koenig held a public meeting in Soquel Village to let residents know about the impending new traffic light on Soquel Drive at Robertson Road, replacing the existing three-way stop sign. About 15 people attended, and there may have been some online participants as well. It was somewhat shocking to hear that the County had already identified adding a new traffic light to replace the current three-way stop signs at Robertson Street and Soquel Drive, and has bee awarded $1.6 Million in grant funding by the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC).
We were told he project has been on the books for about three years, and will go out for bid in May, and construction will begin this August. It is anticipated to take three and a half months to complete.
Why was this the only meeting with the residents to discuss it now?
The staff presentation gave no data to justify the need for the $1.6 million traffic light system and re-striping plan, yet the only selling point by County staff was to improve pedestrian safety because admittedly, it will not ease traffic congestion of 21,000 vehicles/day.
Residents of Alimur Mobile Home Park voiced great concern that the entrance to their neighborhood of 500 people was not even included in the design. Right now, motorists will at least make eye contact with exiting drivers there and let them in on the road way. That likely will not happen if a traffic light dictates the scene. One Alimur resident asked that there be a “NO RIGHT TURN ON RED” sign on the eastbound lane of Soquel Drive at Robertson to help protect the safety of her neighbors exiting the Park. “Oh, that’s a great idea!” said Deputy Director of Public Works, Steve Wiesner.
I think there are many other great ideas the public could contribute if given the chance before the Project goes to bid next month. Will the County pause this project to correct the egregious lack of public involvement???
I suggested that rather than installing an expensive new traffic light system, try adding pedestrian-activated flashing lights. Mr. Wiesner informed me that is not possible because it would only confuse motorists. Hmmm….even if the flashing lights are red?
I also mentioned research I had done regarding the Aptos Village Project Plan and the ineffectiveness of traffic lights spaced too closely together.
How far apart should traffic signals be placed on an arterial?
Traffic signals are used to regulate traffic flow and preserve capacity along arterial routes. The ideal spacing for traffic signals is at least one half-mile apart (2,640 feet), which also corresponds to the preferred spacing of intersections between arterials and collectors. This represents about four to six blocks, depending on the block length. A minimum spacing of one-quarter mile (two to three blocks) should always be maintained.When the spacing between signals falls below one-quarter mile (1,320 feet), the traffic flow along the route may be disrupted. The ability of the route to carry through traffic will decrease, travel speeds may decrease, and traffic delays and queues may develop at intersections. There is also some evidence from research that placing more than three traffic signals per mile on an arterial increases the traffic accident rate.
Apologetically, the County staff said there likely would not be any sidewalks added because “there is not enough money for that.” for the same reason, there will also not be any bike lanes added to Robertson Street.
NONE of the people attending the meeting wanted the traffic light and demanded to know the data used to convey its need to the RTC in order to obtain the $1.6 Million to support it. One woman stated a survey on NextDoor indicated 100% disapproval of the idea.
I pointed out that a few years ago, then-Supervisor John Leopold had nearly been shouted out of the public meeting when he presented the traffic light idea. He promised the people then that the idea would not be pursued. “The County was aware the light was a controversial topic and had met with great public resistance, yet chose to pursue a grant from the RTC to do it without any public meeting in advance? That is not right.”
Supervisor Manu Koenig became visibly angry. “This grant is a once-in-a-lifetime funding opportunity. I can’t be responsible for some agreement made in a dark room!” he steamed. “It wasn’t in a dark room. It was at a meeting like this that was packed with people,” I said. “Thank you, Becky!” he barked, and sternly criticized other people who continued to demand data and to voice complaint about the current traffic light’s disastrous impacts on traffic. Many wanted to know why the meeting was noticed so poorly?
The meeting ended. It was clear that holding the meeting was likely a requirement, checking off a box in order to secure the RTC grant for a project Mr. Wiesner said was the County’s top priority project for funding.
I can think of other road projects that would be a better use of that money, can’t you? Maybe some paving and replacement of failing culverts?
Write your thoughts on this to Deputy Director of County Public Works Mr. Steve Wiesner <steve.wiesner@santacruzcountyca.gov> and County Senior Traffic Engineer Mr. Tim Nguyen <tim.nguyen@santacruzcountyca.gov> or call him at 831-454-2371
MORE BIKE LANE BOLLARDS COMING ON SOQUEL DRIVE FOR APTOS
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors will consider hiring yet another consultant, this time to help manage the $3.8 Million Grant from the RTC to continue putting bollards along the bike lanes from State Park Drive to Freedom Boulevard in Aptos, while adding sidewalks as well. The last time I checked this Plan, it will require removing on-street parking in the Aptos Village area of Soquel Drive, not even attempting to coordinate with the RTC’s Segment 12 Corridor Plan to put in a 14′-wide pedestrian/cyclist trail also through the area.
Hello? What do local businesses and residents think of this? Who knows…there have been NO public meetings.
Write Supervisor Kim DeSerpa <kimberly.deserpa@santacruzcountca.gov> or call 831-454-2200 and ask for a town hall meeting about the Phase 2 Soquel Drive Multi-modal Project. Why wasn’t this work required to be funded by Barry Swenson Builder as a traffic mitigation for the Aptos Village Project?
See Consent Item #43
Discussion
The Request for Proposal (RFP) allows CDI to hire a consultant to manage the Soquel Drive Multimodal Project Phase 2. A project manager is necessary because of the current Public Works staff availability and a tight project timeline. The SCCP grant requires that the Soquel Drive Multimodal Project be ready to list for construction bids within two years. The chosen consultant will be tasked to manage to this deliverable, with the option to extend the management work into the construction phase.Financial Impact
The project management services being solicited through the RFP for up-to-construction activities, including design, environmental review, permitting, and overall project management, will be funded by the $3.8 million SCCRTC 2025 Consolidated Grant.
A NEW AQUATICS CENTER FOR WATSONVILLE AT PINTO LAKE CITY PARK?
The April 14 County Board of Supervisor Consent Agenda Item #44 would approve the County Parks Dept. to move ahead with a feasibility study examining issues to build a new aquatics center at Pinto Lake City Park. The study would cost $120,000 and would be equally funded by the City of Watsonville and Measure Q discretionary funding allocated by Second District County Supervisor Kim DeSerpa.
The City of Watsonville has committed $60,000 to support the study, reflecting the shared regional interest in expanding aquatic recreation opportunities in South County. In addition, Second District Supervisor De Serpa has committed $60,000 in discretionary funding from Measure Q allocation to support the feasibility effort.
I wonder if Supervisor DeSerpa knows about the Watsonville YMCA Aquatics facility? It is a nice place and is centrally located in Watsonville on Sudden Street.
HOW WILL THIS WORK IF NO ONE CAN AFFORD IT?
County CEO Nicole Coburn and staff continue to push forward with the Radio Interoperability Next Gen (RING) communication system that is wildly expensive and will not only place great financial burden upon local fire districts already struggling, but also potentially just not work in a disaster.
Chiefs of these fire districts wrote a letter to the County Board of Supervisors, asking for reconsideration and clearly laying out the facts supporting the problem with the RING system.
Chair of the Board, Supervisor Monica Martinez of the Fifth District responded in an almost condescending manner while failing to recognize the real issues presented by the Fire Chiefs: (see pages 49-51).
At the April 9 Central Fire District Board meeting, Mr. Jim Frawley, paid consultant for the County to push the RING forward, addressed the Board on the issue during Public Comment. He announced that the County is pursuing three grant funding avenues for the RING Project totaling $10.9 Million. The total cost is anticipated to be more than $28 Million.
He also stated that the Technical Advisory Committee met March 19 with fire agencies and RING contractor EF Johnson staff are now examining issues raised, mostly regarding the VHF system overlay of the RING digital encrypted radios.
Finally, he stated that the governance committee will soon be meeting regularly, and will operate under the Brown Act. That means all meetings are open to the public and will be noticed on the County meeting website. Anyone interested in attending can sign up with the Clerk of the Board to receive automatic notification of meetings.
You can sign up to receive automatic notification of this and other County government meetings here
Here is a link to the RING project description and initial financial obligations for each local fire agency: (see page 5)
DO YOU REMEMBER THIS LOCAL DATA CENTER & DESAL PLAN?
Do you remember the DeepWater Desalination Project in Moss Landing that was to combine with a data center?
Here is a YouTube of the KSBW report about it
I think the desalination project got shot down by the State’s new requirement to have all seawater intake be subsurface. DeepWater Desal had enlisted a study from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution scientists to determine taking the water at 130′ deep would reduce impacts on marine life.
DeepWater Desal forges ahead with environmental planning.
The City of Salinas had partnered with the Project to supply power at lower rate and receive water from the desal project.
Interestingly, the Director of the DeepWater Desal Project was, for a time, Ms. Kim Adamson, who had been the General Manager for Soquel Creek Water District for awhile. Current General Manager of Soquel Creek Water Dsitrict, Ms. Melanie Mow-Schumacher, also worked briefly at DeepWater Desal, but returned to working at the District.
Deepwater Desal has long been out of the public eye, but expect that to change in 2018.
I wonder if any of the data center plans are still active?
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISOR REMODEL STILL ONE MONTH AWAY FROM COMPLETION
The remodel of the 701 Ocean Street Fifth Floor Board Chambers is still a month from completion, according to the contractor I spoke with at the site. He was just finishing the installation of the floor-to-ceiling bullet-proof glass panels lining the hallway.
Can you imagine carrying these one-inch-thick glass panels up the stairs to the fifth floor? That is indeed what had to be done, since they would not fit in the elevator.
“Funding for the $2 million remodel came from the Digital Infrastructure Video Competitor Act/Public Education Government fees that local governments collect from cable franchise providers such as Xfinity. But the funding is reserved exclusively for capital improvements and equipment upgrades that support the broadcast of open government meetings and can’t be spent in any other way.”Does the complete remodeling of the 5th floor restrooms qualify for enhancing broadcasting of public meetings???
Hmmmm…..
Consent Item #19 on the 4/14/2026 Board of Supervisor meeting agenda shows that the cost has doubled for services rendered by William Fischer Architects.
Financial Impact
This amendment increases the total contract value by $34,314.75, from $371,118.83 to $405,433.58. Funding is provided entirely by DIVCA/PEG fees — restricted revenues that may only be used for capital improvements supporting public education, government broadcasting, and digital access. The additional cost is within the current approved project budget and requires no new appropriation.
REST IN PEACE, AL HUGHES
I met Al when a handful of Aptos folks were fighting back on the Aptos Village Project in 2015. He was very wise, a man of great principle, and kept a close eye on the construction as it progressed, sadly transforming Aptos Village into an overly-dense subdivision with expensive vacant buildings replacing the once world renowned Post Office Bike Jumps and pump track that our youth had so enjoyed. Al and I also worked together with others in 2020 to convince State Parks to implement much-needed safety improvements on the Aptos Creek Road access to many private residences and the entrance to Nisene Marks State Park. Nisene Marks: A Park Loved to Death
Al was an astute and very curious person. He often sent me news bits that I would then further research and post here on Bratton Online. He was also a Ham Radio operator, and had just renewed his license so that we could talk on the air waves for fun and in case of an emergency. Like many others, his land line phone service suffered in big storms.
One of his last messages to me was an Aptosia post about speeding on Aptos Village side streets:
PSA: Valencia St near Betty Burger is a residential street, STOP SPEEDING to avoid the Trout Gulch/Soquel Dr light. This is a family neighborhood with kids and pets. You don’t need to go 50 MPH.
He also wrote about Watsonville Police chasing down two youths on illegal e-bikes. Next week, I will write about that, in honor of my good friend, Al.
I will miss Al tremendously, and am very grateful to have known him. May he rest in peace, a job well done.
MAKE ONE CALL. WRITE ONE LETTER. TAKE A WALK IN A PLACE THAT YOU LOVE AND ENJOY THE DAY.
DO ONE THING THIS WEEK AND MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
Cheers, and Happy Easter,
Becky
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Becky Steinbruner is a 30+ year resident of Aptos. She has fought for water, fire, emergency preparedness, and for road repair. She ran for Second District County Supervisor in 2016 on a shoestring and got nearly 20% of the votes. She ran again in 2020 on a slightly bigger shoestring and got 1/3 of the votes.
Email Becky at KI6TKB@yahoo.com |
Water
Where does your drinking water come from? This is a good thing to know. For some of us, it comes from the ground, from wells. For many, it is municipal water. Santa Cruz County is a rare county in California in not importing any water from elsewhere. Like other places, Santa Cruzans drink river water, filtered and chemically treated so as not to make people sick. Undue sediment, caused by human carelessness, is filtered out. Fecal bacteria seeping into the streams from pet poop, wildlife feces, and accidental human mishaps gets chlorinated to death. When clean, water is piped to households and comes out the tap. Perhaps we take this for granted. Water becomes a ‘bill.’
Fill a glass with water, gaze at it imagining its source. Take a sip and transport yourself to the place of the water’s origin. Your mind’s eye is taking a sip at the well or a drink from the river, but don’t really do that! Sad that you can’t…
Rain
Precipitation is ultimately the source of drinking water, but where does the rain come from? Mainly, our rain comes from the Pacific Ocean – atmospheric rivers carry the most…the ‘Pineapple Express’ with clouds stretching out towards Hawaii, jetting into California, waving up and down the state. Otherwise, rain mostly comes from the northern Pacific – cold rain showers a few days at a time moving from the north to south. The coastal mountains capture the atmospheric rivers and northern rain fronts, then the clouds race over the central valley and dump a lot of the remainder of their moisture onto the Sierra Nevada.
Since the late 20-teens, we have been seeing regular summer storms, from the South. These are tropical storm or hurricane remnants and the rain comes with lightning. Such is the newfound energy of the atmosphere with global warming. Expect more of this type of ‘unusual’ rain.
The rain isn’t just water, never was. Each raindrop carries things: dust from far away, legacy mercury from California gold mining, ocean salts – even silver!
Step outside. First face West and stretch your mind way out into the ocean, towards Hawaii, the long journey of our most important rains. Then face North-West and envision the spiral-churning storms spinning down towards California spewing chill drizzle. Turn South, feel your heart beats increase – the fear of lightning fire, summer storms, line force winds, future conflagrations…emanating from the gasoline pump, from Fossil Fuels and greenhouse gases – yes, we have caused this phenomenon. We are making the world burn.
Air
We sip the air with our lungs, fueled by plant-derived oxygen mixed and carried by the wind – from where? The Amazon Basin and the oceans are critical sources of our respiratory bliss. Winter air comes as with the rainstorms, from the West to Northwest. Summer air, along our coast, comes from the North, downcoast. Fierce summer winds fan wildfires, mostly blasting from the North to South.
We haven’t forgotten that the air can carry smoke. Some days, it has been difficult to breathe outside and, depending on how well sealed our abodes or workplaces, even inside. If you haven’t purchased one, now is a good time to get a really good air filter for your home this summer: it is too late when the fires come and smoke fills the air.
Notice your breath right now. Imagine the sweet oxygen rich air sweeping from the dense Amazonian rainforest canopy, into the atmosphere, mixed and spread into so many noses, making smiles, charging our electrically sparkling eyes.
Firmament
It supports you like nothing else, the ground beneath you- but what is it? Much of the Monterey Bay is on the Salinian block, riding between the San Andreas Fault to the East and the San Gregorio Fault to the West. We are reminded about plate tectonics when the world goes ‘bump!’ like it did recently: that epicenter was on the Ben Lomond Fault in which the San Lorenzo River mostly runs. The crisscrossing faults are cracks running through the bedrock somewhere down below our butts. I like the granitic bedrock of Ben Lomond Mountain, which also protrudes near Loma Prieta and down in Big Sur. On top of that portion of what used to be part of the Southern Sierra Nevada are sandstones, schists, limestones, and mudstones. There aren’t so many rock types around the Monterey Bay that you can’t figure them out, if you try.
Keep your eye out for rocky outcrops to examine. What does your mind see as you imagine going down, down, down from where you sit right now?
Soil
The geology begets soil, but what kind of soil is around you? Soil is born from the bedrock, weather, rain, water, and plants. The Monterey Bay area has a wealth of soil types. The deep fertile soils of the great river valleys – the Pajaro and the Salinas – are sandy or clay loams, wonderful for agriculture. There are wide marine terraces on either side of the Bay with mainly sandy loams. The center of the Bay at Fort Ord has deep ancient sand dunes. High on the ridges are nearly soil-less rock covered by chaparral: the soils there are thin veins stuck in cracks.
When was the last time you picked up a handful of moist earth…felt it…smelled it? There is rain on the horizon and it might be the last time this rainy season to experience moist soil. Give it a try.
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Grey Hayes is a fervent speaker for all things wild, and his occupations have included land stewardship with UC Natural Reserves, large-scale monitoring and strategic planning with The Nature Conservancy, professional education with the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, and teaching undergraduates at UC Santa Cruz. Visit his website at: www.greyhayes.net
Email Grey at coastalprairie@aol.com |
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
“What might heal if we trade social media debates for real life civic participation?”
That question has been posed by Brandon Taylor, in an article that you might be able to read online. Just click this link to read it (if possible paywall protections permit that, of course).
Online, Taylor’s article appears under the following headline: “Can We Trade Our Social Media Wars For Something Better?” The hardcopy version of Taylor’s article is titled, “The Politics of Presence.”
I am consistently urging those who might read one or more of my blog postings to “Find Some Friends,” and then get together with those friends, in “real life,” on a regular, in-person basis. Why get together? Well, “civic participation” describes what I think such small groups should be focusing on. Margaret Mead’s injunction – again, often mentioned in these blog postings of mine – point out their civic and political power.
In terms of my own experience, I am not infrequently stopped on the street by someone who tells me how much they have appreciated all that I have done for Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz County, and often mention how I “Saved Lighthouse Field.”
Well, just to be clear, I did work on that effort, and played an important role, but it was the members of The Save Lighthouse Point Association and voters in the City of Santa Cruz who really “Saved Lighthouse Field.”
The Save Lighthouse Point Association, which numbered about twenty-five or so, met in person on a regular basis, and worked together to reverse the unanimous decisions of both the local City Council and the Board of Supervisors, who wanted to turn this jewel-like field on our coast into a massive development that was proposed to include a high-rise hotel, a huge covention center, a shopping center about the same size as the Rancho Del Mar Shopping Center in Aptos, high-rise condo apartments for the wealthy, and seven acres of blacktopped parking.
That was the proposed project, and “everyone” (all the electeds, the Chamber of Commerce, the unions, and other civic groups, absolutely supported this). “Everyone” supported it except for “everyone else,” comprised of the vast majority of the citizens of the City of Santa Cruz. Citizen action saved Lighthouse Field.
Other, later efforts, after I was elected to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, similarly demonstrated that small groups of people can change the world (just what Margaret Mead always claimed).
Take it from Brandon Taylor. Or, take it from me. There is nothing more satisfying, more “fun,” than getting together, regularly, and in person, with friends and neighbors, and deciding to change the world, and then working to do just that.
And…. (and I know you know this) the world really does need changing. Now more than ever! At the local level, and at the state, and at the national level, and it’s not going to happen if we wait around for someone else – including our elected officials – to do it!
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Gary Patton is a former Santa Cruz County Supervisor (20 years) and an attorney for individuals and community groups on land use and environmental issues. The opinions expressed are Mr. Patton’s. You can read and subscribe to his daily blog at www.gapatton.net
Email Gary at gapatton@mac.com |
ARMAGEDDON, STUPID PEOPLE, VICTORIOUS
The long-standing notion of separating church and state took another blow last week with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s revelation of monthly worship services for military personnel, led by evangelical faith leader Hegseth himself, as reported by The Washington Post. Pentagon staffers, current officers, former high-ranking military officials, the chaplain corps, and veterans groups expressed concerns the Hegseth is flouting the Constitution by pushing his evangelical beliefs onto service members. One source told the Post, “I don’t approve of cramming your religious faith down people’s throats, and when the top of the chain couches these operations in this hyper-Christian tone, it flies in the face of the freedom of religion that the Constitution enshrines and that our men and women in uniform sign up to defend.” Some critics say Hegseth’s approach may be bad for overall morale, but Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson disputes that contention, insisting, “The prayer undoubtedly improve morale for those who attend. No special treatment or punishment is given as a result of one’s choice to attend these services.”
Military officials have long looked askance at Hegseth’s Jerusalem cross tattooed across his chest, and are unsettled that he wears his evangelical faith on his sleeve, along with his proselytizing comments, especially in connection with the US/Israeli action in Iran. In a press briefing on March 19, the Secretary encouraged viewers to pray for US success in the Middle East, saying, “To the American people, please pray for them everyday on bended knee with your family, in your schools, in your churches, in the name of Jesus Christ.” In a recent worship service, Hegseth called for “overwhelming violence” against Iran, unconcerned about the 2,500+ killed in both Iran and Lebanon, including hundreds of children. Pentagon Pete recently announced that he was downsizing the number of faith codes used in the military, from 200 to 31 in an effort to address “political correctness and secular humanism,” which he believes has afflicted the Chaplain Corps, or the ordained, interfaith clergy supporting service members. The result of this move according to retired Army Major General Randy Manner is that “dozens and dozens” of active-duty chaplains who don’t identify with Hegseth “are being marginalized” and some are “not included in staff meetings.”
During the first month of the Iran “excursion,” many service members have reported unsettling rhetoric from their commanders citing the idea of a holy war. Advocate for service members’ constitutional right to religious freedom, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, reports that it received over 200 calls from active-duty personnel following strikes in Iran, as military leaders spoke of Armageddon to encourage troops to fight. One caller who identifies as a Christian, told the MRFF his commander told troops this was “all part of God’s divine plan,” specifically referencing citations from the Book of Revelation, referring to Armageddon and the “imminent return of Jesus Christ.” The commander is also quoted as saying, “President Trump has been anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark His return to Earth.” Hegseth is a member of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, an archconservative network co-founded by Doug Wilson, who identifies as a Christian nationalist, and who infiltrated the Pentagon in February with a sermon.
A lawsuit has been filed by Americans for Separation of Church and State over the Pentagon services, and is seeking to compel the Pentagon to hand over internal documents about their cost, attendees, and any complaints raised by employees. A corresponding suit has been filed against the Labor Department, where Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer runs her own monthly gatherings inspired by Hegseth’s model. Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United, charges, “Secretaries Hegseth and Chavez-DeRemer are abusing the power of their government positions and taxpayer-funded resources to impose their preferred religion on federal workers. Even if these prayer services are presented as voluntary, there is pressure on federal employees to attend in order to appease their bosses.” At a gathering of Christian broadcasters in February, Hegseth dismissed critics of the Pentagon prayer services, saying, “We hear a lot from the ‘freedom from religion’ crowd. They hate it. The left-wing shrieks, which means we’re right over the target.”
The military’s historical approach to faith has been in a more nondenominational manner, but Hegseth’s faith leader, evangelical minister Brooks Potteiger is due to relocate to Washington, DC to lead a new congregation, encouraged by Hegseth. Potteiger found himself in hot water recently for calling for the death of a Democrat candidate, Texas candidate James Talarico. On the extreme Christian nationalist podcast, Reformation Red Pill, the show’s co-host declared, “I pray that God kills him,” to which Potteiger agreed, “Right. Right. We want him crucified with Christ.” Later, a spokesperson for the organization insisted that the pastor did not ‘call’ for Talarico’s death, but for his Biblical ‘conversion.’ At last week’s prayer service, Hegseth called for “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy, that ‘wicked souls’ be ‘delivered to the eternal damnation‘” in the fight against Iran. An unidentified senior Army civilian describes the current situation as “terrifying — if US troops are trained to believe that ‘God is on our side,’ what precludes us from doing anything we want to win?” “It feels like decades worth of progress has been undone in 12 months. It’s heartbreaking and it’s heartbreaking to watch our chaplains try to navigate this,” says an unnamed Air Force general.
President Trump hosted a group of MAGA pastors and religious allies for a luncheon on the Wednesday before Easter, making several off-the-wall remarks during the event — never meant to be seen by the public, so they were quickly deleted from the White House pages, but too late! Bryan Metzger of Business Insider saved the footage, revealing that Trump expressed his true feelings about the Supreme Court hearing he had stormed from earlier in the day. “Republicans, judges, and justices,” Trump ranted. “They always want to show that they’re independent. ‘I don’t care if Trump appointed me, I don’t care, if it doesn’t make any difference to me. I’m voting against him.’ ‘Cause they want to show their independence, you know, stupid people.” The visibly annoyed president then went on to insult French President Macron for not supporting him with the Iran engagement, and implying that Brigitte Macron is a tough cookie. He then took credit for sales of the Bible, saying, “Bible sales are now at the highest number in many decades. And church attendance among young people nearly doubled compared to five years ago.”
Trump then went on to liken himself to a king, complaining about the delay on his ballroom vanity project because a federal judge ordered a halt on construction. “I can’t get a ballroom approved. It’s pretty amazing, right? If I was a king, we’d be doing a lot more. I’m doing a lot, but I could be doing a lot more if I was a king,” he whined. In a confession, he explained why he aligns himself with unsavory characters. “You know, we’re not supposed to be seduced that way, right? But I am. When someone’s nice to me. I love that person. Even if they’re bad people. I couldn’t care less. I’ll fight to the end for them.” Sure, buddy — let’s hear what Pam Bondi has to say about that! Trump’s spiritual adviser, televangelist Paula White-Cain caused a bit of an uproar during the Holy Week luncheon, when she compared the president’s legal battles and assassination attempts the trials endured by Christ. Standing near the president, she said, “Jesus taught so many lessons through his death, burial and resurrection. He showed us great leadership, great transformation requires great sacrifice. And Mr. President, no one has paid the price like you have paid the price. Because he was victorious, you are victorious.”
White-Cain’s praise ended with applause by the attendees, but social media posts identified her remarks as “insanity;” “blasphemous — stunning to see a US Bishop on stage while Paula White compares Trump to Jesus;” “Turning this White House lunch toward the Divine is a campaign prop — it’s theatrical;” “Freaks, liars, charlatans, grifters, criminals — anything but Christians. All of them.” Televangelist Paula has been in contact with Donald Trump since 2002, when he called her after seeing her on TV, and she was in the White House circle in 2019 as an adviser. In 2020, she delivered a sermon calling upon Jesus to “command all satanic pregnancies to miscarry,” and has previously declared the White House as “Holy Ground,” saying that, “to say ‘no’ to President Trump would be saying ‘no’ to God.”
It wasn’t exactly an Easter message, but in March US Secretary of State Rubio said, “Imagine in Iran that instead of spending their wealth, billions of dollars, supporting terrorists or weapons, had spent that money helping the people of Iran, you’d have a much different country.” That quote was voiced on ‘Good Morning America‘ in a discussion on the US “excursion” into Iran, and now available on YouTube. A few days later, President Trump’s Easter luncheon message was that the US has “to take care of one thing: military protection” and isn’t able to provide people in this country with necessities like healthcare and childcare, demanding that states fully fund daycare programs. “We’re fighting wars. We can’t take care of daycare. You gotta let a state take care of daycare, and they should pay for it too. It’s not possible to take care of daycare, Medicaid, Medicare, all these individual things.” Michigan Representative Rashid Tlaib commented about Trump’s statement, “The warmongers in the White House and Congress will always fund death and destruction. They will let people in our country starve and die before they will stop funding wars.”
Attorney Dina Doll’s guest post on MeidasTouch addresses Trump’s grifting, writing, “You didn’t buy the Bible. You didn’t mint the coin. You didn’t sign up for Trump University or bid on the NFTs or book a room at Mar-a-Lago. You’re opted out of every scheme, every hustle, every grift and it didn’t matter. Because while you were watching an illegal war burn through a billion dollars a day and TSA workers suffered because Congress couldn’t find the money to pay them, Trump was doing something quieter. He was taking yours. Trump has grifted his entire life. Now he’s just taking it.” She goes on to say that Trump transferred $1.25 billion in foreign aid to Trump’s Board of Peace, pulling $1 billion from international disaster assistance, $200 million from peacekeeping operations, and $50 million from international organizations. Moneys that Congress had authorized for hurricanes and refugees, moved in Trump’s direction without a congressional vote, into a fund that Trump created by executive order and controls PERSONALLY! Reporters approached the State Department regarding the transfers, but they had “nothing to announce at this time.” Maybe later?
The defining characteristic of the Board of Peace is that Trump controls it forever, naming himself chairman for life with no audits, no transparency requirements, no conflict of interest rules, with countries paying $1 billion into a fund he runs to get a seat at the table. No money has been transferred to Gaza, nothing has been disclosed about its spending, but it has received $1.25 billion of YOUR disaster relief money with no explanations offered. When Trump leaves the White House, he keeps the fund — not a loophole, it’s by design. Attorney Doll reminds us of another pending grift initiated by Trump — the $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax records by a contractor. Problem? Trump controls the government he is suing — he gets to work out the settlement with himself! With Todd Blanche heading the Department of Justice, and Treasury Secretary Bessent’s pen ready to sign the check, we don’t have to purchase cheap trinkets this time — the money wasn’t going to you, or you anyway, so we’ll just skip the transaction! And we don’t have to read a cheap brochure or visit a crappy web page.
President Trump’s dismissals of Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has sent a clear message to this remaining Cabinet members, that job security is no longer guaranteed. He has become increasingly willing to consider firing top officials who he believes are underperforming, amid deepening frustration with his declining approval ratings and fears of a wipeout in the upcoming midterm elections. “This is a recalibration. There are high expectations that are not being met,” said one Trumper. “It’s just a function of whether he thinks you’re doing your job well. When it comes to this stuff, it’s an audience of one,” said another. CNN reports that beyond Trump’s personal feelings, there are also more conventional concerns in play when it comes to dismissing his top officials — chief among them who might serve as a viable replacement. “I don’t think anybody’s safe. Ever,” said one White House ally. Like Pam Bondi famously shrieked, “The stock market’s over 50,000! Why are you laughing?” Ha-ha!
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Dale Matlock, a Santa Cruz County resident since 1968, is the former owner of The Print Gallery, a screenprinting establishment. He is an adherent of The George Vermosky school of journalism, and a follower of too many news shows, newspapers, and political publications, and a some-time resident of Moloka’i, Hawaii, U.S.A., serving on the Board of Directors of Kepuhi Beach Resort. Email: cornerspot14@yahoo.com. |
Each week, I will feature a selection of interesting and historically significant places in Santa Cruz County from the 1986 edition of Donald Thomas Clark‘s wonderful book, “Santa Cruz County Place Names: A Geographical Dictionary“, published by the Santa Cruz Historical Trust.
“Nuggets” If I find something topically relevant, but not necessarily directly related to the week’s selection, you’ll see it under the Nuggets heading. Note: for reasons of brevity, sources are usually dropped when I reproduce an entry. You can always email me if you’re curious, or, even better, buy a copy of the book!
Dateline: April 8, 2026
All the school things means that Thomas is sitting this one out,
and will be back for the next column!
Thomas Leavitt is the husbandy thing to our illustrious webmistress. A resident of Santa Cruz (now part time) since 1993, his interests include history, technology, and community organizing. He started the world’s first self-service web hosting company, WebCom, located at 903 Pacific in May of 1994. He’s been part of too many community organizations to mention, and ran for City Council in the early aughts.
Email Thomas at ThomLeavitt@gmail.com
“Crowds”
“Every crowd has a silver lining.”
~P. T. Barnum
“In a live performance, it’s a collaboration with the audience; you ride the ebb and flow of the crowd’s energy. On television, you don’t have that.”
~Jon Batiste
“The mass, whether it be a crowd or an army, is vile.”
~Benito Mussolini
“What I like about Japanese venues is that the front barrier is right up against the stage, so when you’re bending over, they’re right there in front of you. In some European festivals, they’re so paranoid, you need a taxi to go and touch the crowd!”
~Keith Flint
“In New Orleans, we like to interact with the crowd. We don’t like people sitting down.”
~Trombone Shorty
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This is a little long, but very, very interesting. At least I think so 🙂 I figured out too late that the video wouldn’t embed, so click the link to watch it on YouTube! |
Direct questions and comments to webmistress@BrattonOnline.com
(Gunilla Leavitt)
