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STILL ANOTHER NORTH COAST LAND USE BATTLE HAPPENING. Details will follow but some honcho from Microsoft has purchased some historically important and scenically grand property including a quarry and stupendous views up on Smith Grade. Known plans include a 9000 square foot mansion. Frans Lanting, Ray Gwyn Smith and other neighbors are really upset. Hopefully Supervisor Neal Coonerty who supervises this beautiful territory will make sure everything’s preserved. It’ll be a good test of the Sierra Club’s3 new board members commitment and especially that of our new anchors of greenery Fred Keeley, Gary Griggs, Cynthia Mathews and Micah Posner.
Ray Gwyn Smith said in a Facebook contribution about the historic Walrath mine in the property…”There was some gold in this Walrathmine but apparently not enough to warrant sifting through the bituminous rock. This quarry in our neighborhood is extraordinary property. Views along the whole north coast from the top, vernal pools full of wildlife in the old quarries and amazing history. Santa Cruz was the first town in the state to have paved roads made of the bituminous rock from this mine, and it was of such quality they sent it by railroad along the coast and paved most of San Francisco with it , coinciding with the Gold Rush. The property is now threatened by a development application that would decimate the character of the place, unless there is input from historians”. Obviously there will be more to follow on this.
ABOUT MURALS & SANTA CRUZ AND EDUARDO CARRILLO. Sheila Carrillo sent Maureen Davidson of Exhibitionist fame and BrattonOnline the following…it needs some attention and action. ” I was delightedly surprised to see the photo of Ed’s mural in this week’s Good Times. I was Ed’s first wife and married to him at the time of the painting and destruction of the mural. It was a project that he worked on over the course of a year with many of his students and others including my brother. We were out of town and came home to find out that it had been painted out without warning by the bank that owned the building–I think it was Coast Commercial. We later found out that they destroyed it because they claimed that it was attracting vagrants. In actuality, the truth was that the hallway attracted vagrants because it was dark and needed night lighting. It was heartbreaking for Ed and the community (including a choir that used to meet and sing there every Sunday) who loved being in the reverent, beautiful space created by the mural in that former entry hall to the Palomar complex. Hundreds signed a petition urging the bank to remove the paint, but Ed was so drained that he never met with the bank’s authorities to give it to them. After he died, I investigated the possibility of somehow restoring the mural and found that the space had been physically altered after the earthquake, making access impossible.
In terms of other murals that no longer exist, Ed and his classes had painted several murals on the exterior of buildings on the UCSC campus which I believe no longer exist and he may have painted one inside one of the buildings. Also, Cruz Zamarron had painted a beautiful Virgin of Guadalupe under the cover of night on a large boulder on the cliff by the open area at the corner of Pacific and Mission where there is now that insipid painting of dark silhouettes that I can’t bear to look at.
But what I wanted to pass on to you is that there is a lovely mural right here on the Westside–Ed had great admiration for it– that is slowly being destroyed through ignorance and neglect: the striking and beautifully painted mural depicting Native Americans harvesting crops on the side of the (now) Mexican grocery store at Laurel and Mission. Living in the neighborhood, I drive by it all the time, heartsick at its decay. The current occupants have drilled holes in it, hung signs over it, stacked trash in front of it, sloppily painted out graffiti and let places crumble. I have thought over the years about trying to petition the City to protect it and restore it, but haven’t followed through. A big question for lovers of public art is how can we prevent this striking painting from being added to the list of extinct murals and what could be done to restore it? I hope you will explore these questions as you investigate murals in Santa Cruz County and maybe consider researching the artist and doing an article about the mural. Thanks for taking on the subject, Sheila Carillo. Now if someone who knows someone on the Arts Commission who would just get involved.
| DANCIN THE BOOGIE. As Doug Pomeroy famed conservator of mouldy 78 records said when he sent this clip…”there’s hope for the human race yet!!!” This couple makes Boogie Woogie into an art form. |
DIRECTORS JOB OPEN AT MAH. As it says in their website….”The Museum of Art and History (MAH), Santa Cruz, California seeks a highly motivated, articulate and experienced executive director. A graduate degree in Museum Studies, Art History, Art Criticism, History or related field is preferred and a minimum seven years of increasingly responsible museum management or leadership experience with a non-profit organization, public administration, business or finance, including a thorough understanding of fiduciary responsibilities of such an organization; knowledge and understanding of museum best practices is also important. MAH provides a competitive salary commensurate with experience and local market salary ranges, and a comprehensive benefits package. Submit in electronic format to MAHsearchcommittee@comcast.net a statement of interest and salary requirements; resume detailing qualifications, experience and salary levels; and examples of material written by the applicant. Closing date: open until filled; application review will begin on January 31, 2011.
BOOKWORKS APTOS TO CLOSE IN 3 WEEKS. Bookworks owner Diana Meija told me and the website also announces that “Bookworks will be closing for good on January 31, 2011. Huge clearance sale now in progress. 50% off all used books. 60% off all Christmas merchandise. $3.00 boxed Christmas cards. $1.00 Christmas ornaments Much more merchandise priced to sell. BOOKWORKS is a member of the American Booksellers Association,the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association, and Think Local First Santa Cruz County. Thanks for visiting. We look forward to serving you soon–either on line or in person”. Diana added that the Amazon “Kindle” did them in, and that she’s really retiring this time.
ELERICK’S INPUT. Sierra Club Executive Committee changes.
The Sentinel tried and failed (in my opinion) to drive a wedge between the progressive/environmental communities by portraying last week’s Executive Committee into an “us vs. them” election. The “us” being candidates supporting city council staff favored projects like bicycle paths over Arana Gulch and through Pogonip to drive out the druggies. Of course, the “them” would be those of us who don’t agree with these proposals.
Response to the Sentinel’s editorials was mild, at best. I never saw any of these articles appear in their “top 10″‘ on their website and only a few comments were written. Voter turnout by Sierra Club members eligible to vote was also on the light side. But we do have new ex com members, and I wish them the best. That would be Keresha Durham, John Howerton and David Casterson, the so-called slate that generated the Sentinel’s push to add controversy in an election where it really didn’t exist.
County Code Enforcement needs to wake up.
Sad to report that over the holidays, when our County staff people were not working, the want to-be developer of a subdivision on the old Koch Property above Cabrillo College, cut down over 60 mature conifers on his property that bordered existing homes. He asserted that they would soon become diseased and would have to be cut down anyway. However, neighbors view it as abuse of his discretionary permit to build one Mc Mansion on the acreage and retaliation for them not allowing a second access (for future development) through their property. One neighbor reported that when he confronted the developer about the tree-cutting he was told that “this is the American Way!” Let’s hope this isn’t going to become Santa Cruz County’s “way”.(Paul Elerick is a member of Nisene 2 Sea, a group of open space advocates, serves as the chair of the Campaign for Sensible Transportation, and is a member of the Sierra Club’s Santa Cruz Group’s executive committee).
| DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ RIGHT AFTER THE ’89 QUAKE. |
PATTON’S PROGRAM. Gary relates to the changing of County Supervisors and what it may mean. He tells of the creeping urban development onto farm lands in Watsonville. Then he gives us a suggestion of the Brown Act and teleconferencing. Then he talks about Capitola’s General Plan and closes with news of LAFCO and water issues.
(Gary Patton is “Of Counsel” to the Santa Cruz law firm of Wittwer & Parkin, which specializes in land use and environmental law. The opinions expressed are Mr. Patton’s. Gary has his own website, “Two Worlds / 365” – www.gapatton.net )
EAGANS DEEP COVER. Again, we bring you Eagan in full color, scroll down to see one version of the Tea Party coming to Washington D.C.
LANDAU’S PROGRES. Read all of Saul Landau’s article in Progreso Weekly titled “Welcome to 2011”. He kicks it off by saying…“What’s good for General Motors is good for the country,” was a statement attributed to former GM CEO Charles Wilson in 1953, during hearings before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Could he, as Defense Secretary, make a decision adverse to the interests of General Motors? Wilson assured the Committee such a situation was inconceivable “because for years I thought what was good for the country was good for General Motors and vice versa”. Later this statement got reduced. But the words resonated because GM employed more workers than the U.S. government – second only to the number on payroll for Soviet state industries. In 1955, General Motors became the first American corporation to pay taxes of over $1 billion. (Wikipedia). Go here…
Saul Landau is an Institute for Policy Studies fellow whose films are on DVD from roundworldproductions@gmail.com
| OPTICAL ILLUSIONS. There are a couple photos in this clip that are stupefying. |
LISA JENSEN LINKS. This week at Lisa Jensen Online Express she (being Lisa) asks us to “pardon my rant on traditional publishing in the post-Maxwell Perkins era of editors-for-hire, check out some local authors doing it for themselves at Bookshop Santa Cruz, and welcome back a venerable local event, Hearts for the Arts, as re-imagined by the folks at Artisans Gallery”.
Lisa Jensen has been writing film reviews and a column for Good Times since 1975.
WATERS WEIGHS IN. Christina takes on “True Grit” and a few good wines, this week at http://christinawaters.com
COUNTRY STRONG. The plot’s confusing, meaningless, and Gwyneth Paltrow picked another loser film. Country western music has been so firmly linked with booze drugs and sex for a century and this doesn’t help any. Doesn’t anyone think that other music forms are any different? Renting this on a one buck night would work.
BLUE VALENTINE. This is it, a genuine fine film. Michelle Williams does another winning performance. Ryan Gosling is equally great in this description of a love relationship gone awry. It’s one of my ten best for 2010. See it at all costs, and then realize how you made the ending work the way you want it to end. A fine piece of filmmaking.
CASINO JACK.The supposedly comic view of Jack Abramoff’s lobbyist career.I don’t find Washington politics very funny, even though Kevin Spacey did squeeze in some of his interpretations. That this stuff goes on daily in Sacramento, and every other political arena makes it interesting, and important but not funny. Go see it.
MEET THE FOCKERS. It was the last film in the theatres last week that I hadn’t seen, and it was of course #1 in box-office money for 2 weeks, so I saw it only out of curiosity. Critics and intelligent movie goers hated it but what they didn’t tell us was how mean and hateful the characters are. Not just gross crotch and poop jokes but fist fights and real anger. To see Dustin Hoffman sink to this level just for the bucks along with DeNiro, Streisand, and an all-star but desperate cast. Don’t think of even renting it…ever.
HOSTETTER’S HOT STUFF. Paul puts down his luthier and emails…January is hopping, starting with the inimitable California Honeydrops tearing it up in Santa Cruz, immediately followed by Bruce Molsky playing hither and thither in the area, and John McCutcheon appearing at a new place in Santa Cruz, the church right in the middle of the Circles, as well as The Freight. The Santa Cruz Baroque Festival’s first concert for 2011 celebrates flutes and voice in French out front of the SC Chamber Players, Mr. Dave Lindley will be in town soon, discussing food and playing his marvelous music, Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin make a rare appearance at the Freight, Panacea (a band dear to my heart and should be dear to yours) will perform an even rarer concert in Berkeley, and then it will be February and you can get the details on January and some February events by, as usual, cycling over to http://www.lutherie.net/live.music.html There it is for today. All the best, ph.
SANTA CRUZ CHAMBER PLAYERS. Their Music For The Sol Concert features Music by the Couperins, Lully, Clérambault, and d’Anglebert. Immerse yourself in a musical narrative about the sun and the Sun King, Louis XIV (1638-1715), told from the French baroque perspective using replicas of original 17th and 18th century instruments. A solar tale weaves throughout the program, illuminating a colorful array of works for chamber ensemble with baroque flutes, violin, voice, and harpsichord solo – all composed in reference to the sun, the sun god Apollo, and the illustrious Sun King himself. Though sunbathing was unusual at Versailles, the likes of d’Anglebert, Clérambault, Louis & François Couperin, and Lully dedicated many compositions to the sun and its personifications. Our program depicts an exciting encounter with Apollo, a jubilant cantata about the sun’s conquest over the clouds (an allegory for the Sun King’s recovery from illness), music for the setting of the sun (the king’s bedtime) and shorter instrumental pieces, largely set in the key of G (Sol) – the key of the sun. Playing those pieces will be; Alissa Roedig, artistic director and baroque flute Lars Johannesson, baroque flute, David Wilson, baroque violin • Sheila Willey, soprano John Dornenburg, viola da gamba • Rebecca Maurer, harpsichord. Concerts are Saturday, January 15: 8 pm and Sunday, January 16: 3 pm. At Christ Lutheran Church 10707 Soquel Drive, Aptos Exit Highway 1 at Freedom Blvd.
SANTA CRUZ NEW MUSIC WORKS. Presents their 32nd Season 2010-11 Concert II: WOMEN’S VOICES…A concert featuring women’s artistry in literature, music composition and performance. There’ll be 3 World Premieres by:
Linda Burman-Hall – Suara Betina (Female Voices) JUST ANNOUNCED!
Hyo-shin Na – Night Procession of the Hundred Demons (arranged by Shoko Hikage)
David Loeb – Seiyuu (Calm Evening). Plus 1 US Premiere by: Naoko Kurauchi – Dreaming Plus music by: Joan Szymko – Nada Te Turbe (nothing can harm you) (based on texts inspired by Saint Teresa of Ávila’s writings). Joan Szymko –Ye Jaliya-o (with text excerpts sung from “The Pulse of Life” by Catherine De Vinck) and JUST ANNOUNCED! Osvaldo Golijov – There is Wind and There are Ashes in the Wind (texts: Elie Wiesel) Phil Collins – Tonight I watched (a selection from Sappho Songs) (based on Sappho‘s writings). It all happens Saturday, January 15, 2010, 7:30PM @ UCSC Music Recital Hall, Heller & Meyer Dr., Santa Cruz. Tickets at the door, maybe.
EIGHT 10’S @ 8 at ACTORS THEATRE. Now in its 16th year, this year’s crop of eight ten minute plays is about the same as every year…some are fantastic and some should never be seen again. That’s the plays, and the acting is the same thing. There’s one play in the first half (before intermission) and one in the second half that could and should be developed into full productions…they leave a mark. Just go and see which ones you like. The plays run weekends now through the 30th; more info here!
UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer (live only, or sometimes old programs are on “blog”) at WWW.KZSC.ORG. Ann Simonton brings us up to date on Media Watch and current sex exploitation on Tuesday, January 11. Sayaka Yabuki and Lori Rivera follow Ann and talks about the New Music Works concert Women’s Voices on 1/15. Judy Bouley casting director for Peter Weir tells us back stage stories about Weir’s latest film The Way Back on January 18th after Judy UCSC’s Rob Wilson will describe his new book, “BEATtitudes BEattitudes”. Karen Kefauver will be back discussing “social networking” on January 25. On February 1st County Supervisor John Leopold will interview me about my showbiz career especially the re-union of our original “Goodtime Washboard 3” happening Feb. 5th at Berkeley’s Freight & Salvage and I’ll interview him about his work with Arhoolie Records. Kinan Valdez from El Teatro Campesino will be on February 8th. Any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in and keep listening.
QUOTES. “Wanta go, I do,
To sweet Watsonville,
Sleep in the river
Of Cairi…” Jack Kerouac, 1955.from “BEATtitudes”, by Rob Wilson.
DEEP COVER.
BEST OF DeCINZO.
Deep Cover
View Tim and Tea Time…
