DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ 1884. This lovely Swanton House stood at 850 Front Street. It was destroyed by on May 30 1887 May 30. It was built over the Bonner stables and stood right where the post office is today. Built by Albion Paris Swanton. Anybody know if Albion was related to Fred Swanton?                                                          photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE April 17, 2017

UCSC HEAD COUNT QUESTION. For now, let’s ask why Chancellor Blumenthal is so far off in his report on the number of students.  He says UCSC has 17,500 students now ; the UCSC registrar says 18,783 were enrolled in fall of 2016. Moreover, isn’t UC President Napolitano pushing another 600 students on top of that for 2017? Then in addition, he says, “Our 2005 LRDP, updated more than a decade ago, identifies an enrollment envelope of 19,500 students”.  Those numbers change the lives of everyone and everything is Santa Cruz , there’s got to be some explanation. Being truthful, I moved here because Santa Cruz is a university town. It gives us so much but it is taking away more in these last years. Somebody should ask the Chancellor for an explanation or correction on those numbers…it is important.

POOR STATE OF MOVIES. Just about everybody who watches or reads the news knows that the Fear of The Furious (better title “Fart of the Furious” as in exhaust) movie topped almost every box office record ever set. Vin Diesel (real name Mark Sinclair) was born in Alameda in 1967 and has been the lead in all eight exact copies of one of the dumbest plots ever filmed. To see such stars as Helen Mirren sink to a three minute role, Charlize Theron half act some part as a Russian killer is just sad. There’s a street race in Havana and somehow it ends with cars taking on the Russians in some sort of war. The USA reaction and most of the world’s reaction to such a crap of a film is an embarrassing statement of our collective taste. Dwayne Johnson is in it too but he is always in these sort of things.

MORE ABOUT MOVIES. Another tired re-hash is Going In Style starring Morgan Freeman-79, Alan Arkin-83, Michael Caine-84, Ann Margret –76, and Christopher Lloyd – 79 as the same grumpy old geezers who decide to rob a bank. That these actors would align themselves with Steven Mnuchin who was the National Finance Manager for the presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump, and who Trump just appointed as Secretary of The Treasury is a shame. The first version was in 1979 and starred now long gone stars George Burns, Art Carney and Lee Strasberg. Making our senior citizens as the butts of jokes is about as funny as Mantan Moreland, Aunt Jemina, Gordo,

KIMBERLY ELLIS AS HEAD OF CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY?

That’s the huge question around the state. The Democrat party is moving rapidly in all directions at once…and so are defections. The local Peoples Democratic Party (PDC) is meeting to decide “Should PDC endorse Kimberly Ellis for California Democratic Party chair? Be part of the decision – Thursday night PDC meeting.

To help decide how to vote on the endorsement, watch five minutes of excerpts from her presentation here last month edited by Erik Erikson,  PDC representative to the  Central Committee and AD Delegate,  to  show how Kimberly plans to reshape the California Democratic Party.

It’s happening  6:30pm. Thursday April 20 at Democratic Party Headquarters 740 Front Street  on the groundfloor of the Galleria next door to the  Riverfront Theatre….across from Mobo Sushi.

CLASSICAL DeCINZO. The joys of hiking in Nisene Marks..except……(scroll below)

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s “E.Coli Trump” down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent  Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog. With his “Quit while you’re Ahead” thinking this week!!!

LISA JENSEN LINKS.  Lisa writes: “It’s a good thing Chris Evans didn’t follow W. C. Fields’ famous advice for actors: “Never work with children or animals.” Otherwise, he might not have made Gifted, in which he plays the guardian of a 7-year-old math prodigy. Find out why it turns out to be one of his best roles, This week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com).” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

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 archived for two weeks… (See next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. Jeffrey Smedberg and Camille Walker will talk first about the Reel Work Labor Film Festival on April 18, then Lloyd Kahn author of “Small Homes – The Right Size” visits us from Bolinas and illumines us on their virtue. Carla Brennan discusses Mindfulness and Awareness on April 25 after which Keith McHenry talks about “Food Not Bombs” and the Santa Cruz experience.  On May 2nd UCSC Film Professor emeritus Earl Jackson talks about films and his Asian teaching experiences. May 9th has director Kinan Valdez discussing the traditions behind the new version of the “Zoot Suit” play opening May 26-June 4 at UCSC. Bookshop Santa Cruz features its top Short Story Winners on May 30. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always and only at bratton@cruzio.com  

NEW UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVE FEATURE. Stuff changes at KZSC a lot. If you missed either of the last two weeks of Universal Grapevine broadcasts go here… http://www.radiofreeamerica.com/dj/bruce-bratton You have to listen to about 4 minutes of that week’s KPFA news first, then Grapevine happens.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 9 years here’s a chronological list of some past broadcasts.  Such a wide range of folks such as  Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, and Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Company. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011.

QUOTES.    “APRIL and the like”

“Those who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation are men who want rain without thunder and lightning”.  Frederick Douglass

“Don’t give cherries to pigs or advice to fools“. Irish Proverb

“If every fool wore a crown, we should all be kings” Welsh Proverb

“Now the noisy winds are still; April’s coming up the hill! All the spring is in her train, Led by shining ranks of rain; Pit, pat, patter, clatter, Sudden sun and clatter patter! . . . . All things ready with a will, April’s coming up the hill!”  Mary Mapes Dodge

“The children with the streamlets sing, When April stops at last her weeping; And every happy growing thing Laughs like a babe just roused from sleeping”. Lucy Larcom

“For after all, the best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain”. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“If the state of oratory that inundates our educational institutions during the month of June could be transformed into rain for Southern California, we should all be happily awash or waterlogged“. Samuel Gould

EARLIEST KNOWN PHOTO OF DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ. Somehow you can almost tell that this is the corner of Water, Front (then called  Willow) Pacific Mission and Main  Streets. The year was 1860. Just think how back then the folks had no Jamba Juice or Bank of The West. photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE April 10. 2017

SANTA CRUZ’S & UCSC’S FUTURE. UCSC is going through a special study to develop their next LONG RANGE DEVELOPMENT PLAN.(LRDP). Their LRDP plans

forever change the lives of everyone who lives, works, and commutes to Santa Cruz. Many very involved Santa Cruzans had opinions on UCSC’s future. I’ve cut, edited and included as many shades and aims of these opinions to help all the rest of us catch up and not lose focus on where and how we are growing. Gillian Greensite’s ideas rang very straight and to the point she emails..

1. UCSC has grown too big for the town to accommodate without severe and negative impacts. With close to half the students competing for off-campus rentals, every increase in student numbers worsens the ability of local workers and families to find rental housing. Affordability is a pipe-dream.
2. Building more housing on campus does not solve the problem. UCSC cannot force students to live on campus and most prefer to move off-campus after their first or second year for independence. Building more housing on campus results in higher rents both on and off campus due to the high cost of building on complicated geological and soil lands and the fact that the cost of building has to be born by students.
3. It is frustrating that UCSC keeps repeating that they house a higher % of students than any other UC campus. While true, it avoids facing the reality that Santa Cruz has far less land availability for housing growth than other UC campuses.
4. The vast majority of off campus people who support UCSC growth are those making money from such growth ( landlords, developers and businesses who profit off students consumption needs.) The rest of the community is strongly opposed to continued growth and has a low opinion of UCSC as a result.
5. UC Merced was built to accommodate the increase in student numbers. UCSC is not playing fair in continuing to advertise for extra students when it could be better responding to the impact of such growth on the town.
6. If a poll or ballot measure was circulated amongst residents who live here and do not own rental property for “A moratorium on further growth at UCSC” it would win by a huge majority.

WORLD JUGGLING DAY

Another voice.. “One calculation which would indicate the significance of this imbalance would  be to count ( in five-year increments) the number of single family homes in each block near the university that house students and then move further out geographically as the dynamic of single home conversion to student housing occurred.  This has a very direct impact on the quality of residential living in a neighborhood and among other things also negatively effects single-family housing values”

And another view.. “UCSC cannot force students to live on campus and most prefer to move off-campus after their first or second year for independence.”    UCSC cannot control where students live; UCSC can control enrollment”.

More…”The issue of percentage housed on campus is real, but is also part of a “shell game” strategy to take attention away from the key issue: enrollment, enrollment, enrollment…

I believe students would definitely live on campus if it was a whole lot cheaper regardless of the independence issue…I speak with students all the time and many say they would rather live on campus because it’s “easier,” but too costly”. 

The main issue is cost…independence does factor in, but not as much as cost.

Still more…”The most common local belief is that if there were just more parking on campus, or more housing on campus, then things would not be so bad.  When really, to me, those things (parking, inexpensive housing on campus) are just pie-in-the-sky and the ultimate issue is enrollment. I think if the issue were clear, then essentially all my neighbors (and yours) would realize that they are against enrollment growth. (And that doesn’t make them against education or against diversity or any of the other distracting arguments one hears.)”

Another source stated, “the point is to stop further growth not debate whether it should be on or off campus”. On the same point, and Chris Krohn also includes Coonerty’s letter in his “minority report” column…

In a letter to the Board of Supervisors on April 4, 2017 Supervisor Ryan Coonerty says among other good points… “On the other hand, UCSC also has impacts in terms of housing, traffic, and water demand. The County has a legitimate and significant interest in the University’s plans and policies for the UCSC campus”. The impact of students, faculty, and staff on our community, especially the City of Santa Cruz, is significant and is a contributing factor in the high cost of housing in Santa Cruz and traffic congestion on our roads.

In my view, given the relatively small size of Santa Cruz, the capacity of the community to absorb campus growth has been reached and, ideally, there should be no further increase beyond the 2020 LRDP projections in student population. However, if the University, which is not regulated by local government, determines that additional growth should be allowed, the amount should be as low as possible and all increases, including students, faculty and staff, should be housed on campus”.

A partially related comment that just few in and …adding to Ryan’s UCSC comments above is his guest speaking at the PDC.. People’s Democratic Club (4/20)  presupposed that …just maybe Ryan’s running for Mark Stone’s Assembly seat?? And gee, now (4/10) UCSC sent out a UC Advocacy Network message saying they care about our feelings and input.

UCSC STUDENT VIEW. UCSC Student Andrew Austin emails…

This Winter, a new student group called the Campus Expansion Student Coalition began to re-organize the students who came together for “anti-expansion” events last Spring. We’ve only had three or four events so far, but we also have a Facebook page called ‘UCSC Beyond Capacity’ and we’re going to be sending out a lot of informative literature and outreach materials for events very soon this Spring.

About actual UCSC growth: there are currently a few different on-campus construction projects in planning and preliminary stages, all of which will probably face direct resistance from “anti-expansion” activists and other forms of resistance from students more concerned with the accessibility and affordability of new housing. Some examples include a proposed extension to Crown College, redevelopment of Kresge College, a new residential college, and possibly new parking spaces/facilities. Over spring break UCSC cleared some trees near the Kerr Hall bus stop, but it turns out it’s not for housing it’s for an “Environmental Health and Safety Facility” which has been quietly public for a year or so. Some students are strongly in favor of new construction and are putting on pressure for more housing as soon as possible, and others are strongly opposed and more concerned with the current capacity. But almost everyone involved seems concerned with the lack of transparency and the lack of university response in general. It seems unlikely at the moment that UCSC will take into account either of these student viewpoints, as long as it continues to rely on fees/tuition and research profitability as revenue sources” . Gillian Greensite added to Austin’s news a question…This Winter, a new student group called the Campus Expansion Student Coalition began to re-organize the students who came together for “anti-expansion” events last Spring. We’ve only had three or four events so far, but we also have a Facebook page called ‘UCSC Beyond Capacity’ and we’re going to be sending out a lot of informative literature and outreach materials for events very soon this Spring. Gillian Greensite added a question to Austin’s news… “Are students aware that the new facility will store nuclear waste?”.

GREENSITE’S INSIGHT. Gillian emails… “traveling back to Santa Cruz. Column resumes next week.”

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).


QUESTION: HOW DO YOU SPELL GROWTH?

(Note:   See answer and New feature this week : I love footnotes, so check’em out at                 the end of the column)

When will the city begin exercising its negotiating powers in confronting university student growth? Eighteen thousand students and growing, and no new bed space. Singles, doubles, triples and quads with a five-day meal plan now range in price from $1468 (quad) to $1967. This means, if four students live in a “Quad,” (the cheapest available dorm), they would collectively pay a total is $5,872. They used to be able to score a five-bedroom house with a yard near the ocean for less than that, but there aren’t any left because guess who is driving up the rents in Santa Cruz? (Of course, the real estate folks are lovin’ it since the norm that’s resulted is to place ever larger numbers of students into single family homes and charge them per head. It ends up being a bargain for students after 1-2 years of high dorm prices. The result is that local families are on the edge of extinction in many neighborhoods.)

Eco-Hotspots and Mountain Bikes

I went walking this week up Chinquapin Road, past the campus fire station and the UCSC Crown-Merrill apartments; the asphalt soon gives way to an upper campus dirt trail. I was invited for a hike by my old friend, emeritus physics professor, Peter Scott. His two-foot long flowing white beard makes him appear like Moses, and he walks briskly in leading me toward his Promised Land—the “ecological hot spot” that is upper campus. At eighty-plus years old I wondered how he so easily outpaced me on this hike. I follow him to a trailhead that he says is “new” to his eyes.

“Where does it go?” I ask.

“Not sure, but let’s just go and see where it takes us,” he says with a joyful grin.

Peter’s taking me out to look for signs of erosion, tire tracks that have formed new gullies and will lead to future seasonal streams. The tire markings are abundant in this area of campus. There are now herds of mountain bikers among the deer, fox, and mountain lion populations. Many of the spandex-clad riders perhaps do not realize they are traversing an area that the Smithsonian Institute has made a place for on their ecological hot spot map. It is also an area that’s said to have been one of Henry Cowell’s favorite places to ride his horse back in the late 1800’s.

Later, I’m still trailing Peter as we emerge from our forest walk. He wanders toward McLaughlin Drive and I follow. We turn right and walk up Science Hill. Peter marvels at how many students are waiting at both bus stops between Baskin Engineering and the Science Library. There are literally hundreds. It is 5:15 pm after all, and a great human tide is about to descend off campus. But as we walk, there are both white campus shuttles and Metro buses passing up the hundreds who are waiting.

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As we made our way down the east side of campus there were two lines of cars gridlocked at the intersection of Coolidge and Hagar, a place where the cows gather to look out across grass and asphalt onto the subsidized faculty housing. No one was moving, except the cows. I wondered in that moment what might ensue when we get to the Long-Range Development Plan’s (LRDP) max of 19,500 students, which leads me to the letter Supervisor Ryan Coonerty submitted to the SC Board of Supes last week.

Supervisor Coonerty, seeking to catch up to a fast moving UCSC train wrote to his colleagues this week subtly observing that the university has become a community behemoth. He points out in the letter that UCSC has now begun the planning process for preparing the next LRDP. It will set limits on future campus growth, and identify the facilities and policies to support this growth. He sought to be measured, and arguably pulled some of his punches. He writes:UCSC provides many benefits to our community, particularly in the cultural and economic areas. On the other hand, UCSC also has impacts in terms of housing, traffic, and water demand. The County has a legitimate and significant interest in the University’s plans and policies for the UCSC campus.

Coonerty makes three points in his letter, his second being a rather gentle and gracious and important “ask” of the university. He writes:University growth in the next LRDP should be no greater than 19,500 students as allowed under the current LRDP and, if additional student growth is approved, it will be minimal and all the students, faculty, and staff resulting from this growth should be housed on campus. Translation: Could they please house their students on campus if they just happen to go over the 19,500 mark, which they are damn near right now.

Gown Now Hiding Town?

If there are already 18,763 students on campus, and an estimated 650 coming next year…help me do the math. That’s a whopping 19,413! One might say that UCSC has reached the limit, no? Does this mean no more students housed in town after next year (okay, 87 more) as agreed to in the LRDP? Unfortunately, new bed space on campus has been talked about, but I am not aware of any being built. What this figure means for the town of Santa Cruz is huge (Trump voiceover here)! In terms of housing, homeless services, Metro Bus service, police calls-for-service, and the competition for jobs we are fast approaching a social, economic, and political day of reckoning. Does the “Gown” now envelop the “Town,” and “the Hill” begin where Highway 17 meets Ocean Street? Or will the city council, and Santa Cruz county board of supervisors representing the people of Santa Cruz, start to push back on our UC guest…just a little bit?!

Rent Control, Mountain View-style

The vice-mayor of Mountain View, Lenny Siegel made his way down the coast last Saturday to promote his city’s recently passed rent control initiative. He said it tries to bring some sanity to the housing market by rolling back rents to their October 2015 rates. Siegel, speaking before a crowd of some thirty housing, rent control and wage activists (there was also one city planner present), said he was elected in 2014 and immediately called for a rent control ordinance. But when the city council majority refused to place one on the ballot, activists huddled around him and did it the old-fashioned way. They organized a petition signature campaign and achieved a majority vote in November of 2016, while also electing two more supportive council members. Of course, the California Apartment Association immediately sued, but lost the first-round in court last week according to Siegel.

The peninsula vice-mayor contended that there may be a second judicial round over the issue of a rent rollback to 2015, as the new ordinance mandates, but he was holding his breath and clearly relishing their first legal wining the case. Although it was a significant victory for the renters of Mountain View, Siegel sees “rent control as a tool to diminish displacement, not as a long-term solution.” And it doesn’t affect new construction, “only units built before 1995,” he assured the audience. He also said, in order to avoid a rash of arbitrary evictions, any rent control initiative must include a just-cause eviction clause as well. Siegel said that 60% of households in his town were renters, as compared to 56% in Santa Cruz.

Since it was a session on rent control and transportation, Siegel talked about working with Google and how they have expanded the options for getting to work and school for many Mountain View residents. These include increased Caltrain service, bicycle amenities, greater skateboard access to transit (no joke!), lots more buses, and what he hopes the future might look like, Personal Rapid Transit (PRT). He said he’s been pushing Google, or “working with them” on building the “North Bayshore” project, some 10,000 units that will have a .50 required parking space for each bedroom, meaning it will be very transit-oriented.(Siegel supports a .75 parking space per unit because that would be more family-oriented he said.) He’s also working on getting 15%-20% of all of these units HUD—Housing and Urban Development—affordable. He says there exists “entitled” development, and development with the help of “legislative acts.” If the city council passes legislation to assist the developer then the city can demand more from that developer, he said, “and get the city attorney to make that really clear to the council.”Siegel also touted some current legislation, Assembly Bill 1505 that would restore local authority in cities ability to demand a certain percentage of new rental units be built as “affordable.” Heads in the room nodded approvingly over this new affordable housing-friendly bill.

Answer to OPENING question: The UC Regents. Why? Because they are directing more students to Santa Cruz without providing the resources to adequately house and educate them and that spells G-R-O-W-T-H.

Footnotes….Don’t Believe Everything You Read. Look it up!

• UCSC dorm fees 2017-18:http://housing.ucsc.edu/rates/index.html
• Ecological Hot Spots: http://www.forestgeo.si.edu/
• Henry Cowell’s Ranch days: https://people.ucsc.edu/~rosewood/guidebook/text.html
• Total Fall 2016 enrollment was 18,783 https://admissions.ucsc.edu/apply/parents-and-guardians/prospective-students/facts.html
• Ryan’s Letter to the Board of Supes (Item 27):http://santacruzcountyca.iqm2.com/citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1231&Inline=True (BTW, while looking for this letter I noticed that the Board of Supervisors agenda packet is 642 pages…!?! Is that possible?)

Mountain View’s recently passed rent control ordinance:http://www.mountainview.gov/depts/comdev/preservation/rentstablization.asp

Bernie quote of the week:”The goal of a health care system should be to keep people well, not to make stockholders rich.” (Tweeted April 8, 2017)

~Chris Krohn is a father, writer, activist, former Santa Cruz City Councilmember (1998-2002) and Mayor (2001-2002). He’s been running the Environmental Studies Internship program at UC Santa Cruz for the past 12 years. He was elected last November to another 4-year term on the Santa Cruz City Council.


UNPRECEDENTED ACTION FOR APTOS/LA SELVA FIREFIGHTERS

Last week, the entire membership of Aptos/La Selva Firefighters local 3535 signed a VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE against Chief Jon Jones.  This has never happened in the 87-year history of the District.  What is happening?  I spoke with Local President Captain Ryan Peters to find out.  Captain Will Wingert, the Vice-President, sent written clarification and is quoted below. Since Chief Jones was hired in October, 2014, there has been a steady decrease in services offered to the public. “This is alarming since even during the greatest economic recession witnessed since the 1930s Aptos/La Selva always managed to find ways to expand its base of service. And now in a time of economic expansion the fire department is offering less than it did 3 years ago. ”

*GONE:   “A well used car seat program for expectant families is gone. This valuable program offered car seat education, proper installation and helped parents to understand how best to keep their children safe while in a car.”  

*GONE:  “The Surf Rescue Program which has saved many many lives has had to struggle to justify itself and is still at an impasse about holding training off duty so that members can all get trained. On duty training is problematic as call volume pulls people away and people sometimes miss training altogether. The Chief has been recalcitrant to allow off duty training because he doesn’t want to pay overtime costs for it, but the cost would be minimal.”

*GONE:  The Fire/Arson Investigation program.  ” There has been no succession planning on the part of the Fire Chief. Division Chief Conrad retired in December. He was our chief investigator. There was nearly a year to forecast this.  Individual members are interested in taking classes and filling this important position. Presently the program has not been funded, and no classes to get people trained have been authorized although requests have been made. Waiting for the outcome of a strategic plan is not an excuse to not train and fill existing needs. ”


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*GONE: Administration Office now closes noon-1pm…no more business there during your lunch hour.

*NEARLY GONE: Fire Prevention Bureau..helping property owners learn how to develop fire defensible space to give firefighters a safer opportunity to save homes and prevent fire spread to wildlands.  ” The Fire Prevention Bureau was once staffed by a Fire Marshall, a Deputy Fire Marshall, and an administrative assistant who had a role in prevention. The administrative assistant was dedicated 17 year employee of the district who resigned because of the unfavorable work environment. She had a significant role in Fire Prevention, part of which included updating our alarm card information. She has been gone for close to a year now and her position has yet to be filled.”

“The absence of alarm card data means sometimes we don’t have reset data on alarms, nor does the 911 center. This results in commercial establishments whose alarms can’t be reset. This means as was the recent case with the now-abandoned movie theater which connects to several offices on that side of Rancho Del Mar that much of the east end of that complex sat un-alarmed. Often times business residents tired of hearing the malfunctioning alarm would just silence it. This could result in a shopping center burning for hours before fire crews were made aware of it. A clear and present threat to both the public and fire crews.”

THE DEPUTY FIRE MARSHAL CHOSE TO RETIRE EARLY, CITING THE UNFAVORABLE WORK ENVIRONMENT.  “Again, although there was ample notice given – there was no succession planning to fill the position. The Chief’s idea was to outsource the Deputy Fire Marshall position to a private company that through no fault of their own is not working 40 hours a week.  This was a 40 hour a week position filled with a very experienced local inspector. There was no way they would be able to keep up. What is left now is a Fire Marshall, and some outsourced help here and there. ”

***SERIOUSLY COMPROMISED: The busiest fire engine is taken out of service daily to fulfill a contract agreement with American Medical Response (AMR) requiring Aptos/La Selva paramedic firefighters to respond in a smaller vehicle to medical calls.  This occurs when AMR is unable to meet the response times required in their contract with the County.  Medical response calls have increased 13% in the past four years. “To be fair, Aptos La Selva does get paid for those transports, but  we believe that with the increased call volume, not just in  Aptos and La Selva Beach, but county-wide we can no longer support this resource and serve the community properly. AMR was recently granted its 15th contract extension in a row and not a peep of protest came from the administration of Aptos-La Selva Fire.  Significant incidents including serious medical calls and fires with people trapped have occurred just blocks from the station. More maddening is that there is a clause in the county ambulance contract that says any agency that feels it is being adversely impacted can open the contract at any time and modify it with 30 days notice. The Chief has been approached numerous times by numerous individuals about this. Nothing to date has happened. Curiously it is now placed in the board agenda nearly 3 years after taking over.” What happens to fire response time if a structure or wildland fire occurs while this small medical response unit is on duty, not a fire engine?  Not good.

DISTURBING….. Here is what the firefighters wrote to the District Board: “Internally, our Firefighters’ morale has never been lower.  Chief Jones’ management style has alienated our Division Chiefs and firefighters alike, resulting it an organization that is in disarray without direction.  The threat of discipline is frequently used as a tool for intimidation and retaliation.  Lawsuits are now a regular part of our district as the Firefighter Bill of Rights and labor standards are consistently violated.”

CHIEF JONES’ CONTRACT ENDS THIS YEAR, BUT THE BOARD CAN APPROVE A TWO-YEAR EXTENSION AT HIS REQUEST, WHICH CAN BE MADE WITHIN THE FINAL 6 MONTHS OF HIS CONTRACT.  His contract expires in October 13, so the door opens this week, April 13. According to The Sentinel, he does plan to make that request.  The issue will be on the April 13 agenda (and may be continued). “We felt that this issue could not be left to chance and was important enough to the future of how emergency services are provided, how responders are prepared and equipped that we could not wait until he put his formal request in. This is a matter that affects the entire constituency we serve and we felt like it was time that the public knew what was happening.”

*****Attend the Board meeting Thursday, April 13, 7pm at the Aptos Fire Station #1 near Cabrillo College. Write all five Board members:

Bob Spisak <Bspisak.aptlsfd@gmail.com>
George Lucchesi <Glucchesi.alsfpd@gmail.com>
Joe Foster <Jfoster.alsfpd@gmail.com>
Jim Abendschan <Jabendschan.alsfpd@gmail.com>
Vincent Hurley <Vhurley.alsfpd@gmail.com>

Let them know you feel the unanimous decision for a vote of no confidence against Chief Jones is a brave step taken in the best interest of service to the Community.  Support your emergency responders. Personally, I wondered why Chief Jones immediately ordered a chain link fence installed at Station #1, making it look like a fortress against the people.  I have written him letters, but received no response. However, it was his comments regarding the Aptos Village Project that raised my eyebrows:

1)  “It is not my job to make sure there is secondary emergency access” for the residents of Village Drive and Granite Way or emergency responders going there.  Barry Swenson Builder plans to cut off access to Aptos Creek Road for those two streets.

2)  “I am sure that the Aptos Village Project will not affect traffic congestion in the area” he said at a recent community meeting regarding traffic impacts of the County road project in Aptos Village.  I wondered how he can be so sure?  Maybe he knows something I don’t because he always sits next to Barry Swenson Builder staff at the Aptos Chamber of Commerce breakfasts.  Hmmm…..

WHY ISN’T THE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS FOLLOWING COUNTY CODE AT APTOS VILLAGE? I contacted the Department of Public Works team about a fact brought to light in a discussion I had with a notable local historian regarding the geologic antiquity of the soils beneath and adjacent to the railroad in the Aptos Village road construction project.  This is relevant because in addition to the bus bay excavation near the intersection, 200′ of track will be removed and soil excavated to 31″ deep. The berm where the westbound Metro bus bay will be is soil that Chinese laborers brought in sometime around 1882-83 and have not been significantly disturbed since.  The soils beneath the tracks have never been disturbed.  I asked politely for an archaeological observer and a Native American observer to be actively present at all excavation work.  NO ONE REPLIED.  I sent a follow-up message to all, including the press, asking for a response.  Only KION News responded, and were interested in doing a story on the issue.  (That aired Wednesday, April 5).  

I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM COUNTY AGENTS. I stood in front of the excavator to make my point.  Mr. Simmer, the foreman for John Madonna Construction, called in the County (and the sheriff) and instructed his crew to do other work for the time being.  County Department of Public Works project foremen Ms. Carisa Duran and Mr. Mark Christensen told me there was no requirement for an archaeological observer unless there were artifacts discovered.  “Who will be observing the excavation and making that call?” I asked.  Their reply:  “the excavator operator   ‘.  When Mr. Simmer said his crew has not been trained on this project to recognize artifacts of historic significance, I returned to ask the County staff more. When pressed, Mr. Christensen admitted that he would observe the dig when he is there. Soon, the excavator operator called out to the shovel operator about something shiney in the soil.  Sure enough, the co-worker retrieved a bottle, and quickly tossed it back in front of the excavator.  I called out “Hey, don’t throw it back in!”  He picked it back out and offered it to me. Mr. Christensen then came running over and took the bottle.  “Are you going to note it, and research it’s age? ”  I asked. “NO” “Are you going to check with local historians about the age and significance of this bottle”  I asked. “NO” I offered to research the issues, and he then gave me the artifact. After some research, I had help determining that the bottle is dated to the 1800’s.  I let Mr. Christensen and Mr. Simmer know right away.  No response, at all.

WHY DOES THE COUNTY NOT FOLLOW CEQA GUIDELINES? At this time, I still have no response for observers to be on site.  Mr. Simmer’s crew did extensive excavation work at the bus bay location the following day. There were no observers present. I wonder what would happen to you or me if we found an 1800’s bottle on our property?

STAY TUNED NEXT WEEK….  The Aptos Village Project Public Hearing….violations, anyone? Stay warm and enjoy the pleasing sun.

WRITE ONE LETTER.  MAKE ONE CALL.  MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE!

BUT DO SOMETHING NOW.

~Cheers, Becky Steinbruner  (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).



Saturday, April 8, 2017
#98 BRANDEIS SAID IT


“Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for social and industrial diseases. Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants… ”

I was reminded of Brandeis’ advice when I read the David Talbot column in the April 2, 2017, edition of The San Francisco Chronicle. Talbot’s column was titled, “Hot Trump story gets little media attention.”  

Citing to WhoWhatWhy, an online provider of responsible investigative journalism, Talbot noted that James Comey, Director of the FBI, has apparently been “sitting on” information demonstrating that our current President is directly tied to Russian mobsters, and specifically to Semion Mogilevich, “a Russian crime kingpin closely connected to Putin.” 

This information about Trump’s ties to Russian mobsters was supposedly known by Comey prior to the November 2016 election. I am betting that the information might have been of interest to the voters had it been disclosed prior to the balloting. Comey chose to highlight possible irregularities in how Hillary Clinton dealt with her State Department-related emails, instead of saying anything about this particular topic.

Comey, in other words, is no friend of the Democrats. So says Talbot. And Comey appears to be a friend of President Trump, in terms of how Comey conducts the official business of the FBI. That’s Talbot’s conclusion.  Here is a link to the WhoWhatWhy story that Talbot is talking about, if you’d like to read it.  In the meantime, ponder what Justice Brandeis had to say about sunlight and secrecy. Maybe we ought to have a system that lets the American people have access to all that “information” that we are paying that “Federal Bureau” to collect!

Brandeis said it: “Sunshine is said to be the best of disinfectants!”

~Gary 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 his blog at www.gapatton.net



CLASSICAL DeCINZO. DeCinzo took a look at the only am radio station in Santa Cruz. See downwards just a bit.

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Tim Eagan’s “Another trophy”down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent  Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “Discover one of the best, unsung movies of the year, Frantz, a haunting tone-poem to love, loss, and absolution, this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com ). Run out and see this beautiful French film right this minute, before it disappears! Also, check out my Beast of the Month for April, courtesy of another great French filmmaker, Jean Cocteau!” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

FRANTZ. Subtitled and in French and German this is another masterpiece from the young (40)  Francois Ozon (Swimming Pool, See The Sea). Subtle, sensitive, perfectly paced and engrossing acting by all concerned. It’s about the aftermath of WW1 and the heart tearing effects it has on the soldiers and the families that survived. Love, enemy hatred, family loyalty, a soldiers duty are all paced and packed together in a film that will keep you completely involved up to and including the closing scene. See it quickly, Landmark closes these films way too quickly.

T2 TRAINSPOTTING. Danny Boyle is one of the most effective and wide ranging film directors working today. Not only did he direct the original down, gritty and dirty original Trainspotting in 1996 but he also did Slumdog Millionaire, and Steve Jobs fils. T2 takes us back to the original four druggies, thugs, and crazy guys who did that heroin robbery 20 years ago. They get together again and NO they don’t do “another job” they argue, hug, fight and give us a very busy film full of creativity, brilliance and Edinburgh Scotland atmosphere. It too has Iggy Pop music and Ewan McGregor in the lead. You have to see it if you liked the original.



THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE. Jessica Chastain and her husband ran the Warsaw Zoo in Poland in 1939 before, during and after the Germans invade. A true story adapted from the book it details how the couple managed to hide 300 Jews from the Nazis inside the zoo during the invasion. You might get to thinking, as I did about half way through the film about the contrast, similarity, duality of watching the animals escape from behind bars and then keeping the Jews in the same place. Or of watching the animals escape to their freedom or posible death…well you see what I’m getting at. Besides that I’m against Zoos, Aquariums, animal parks, and all that cruel stuff. So go se this film, Jessica is very good in the lead role except that her fake Polish accent sounds fake.

GET OUT. Rotten Tomatoes gives this one an amazing 99%. Plus, it’s a huge box office hit !!! That’s surprising to everybody because it’s a low budget semi horror-comedy, black and white theme film. Probably released in February because that’s when they release films that aren’t expected o make much money. Catherine Keener is about the only actor whose name any of us might know. It’s a white girl brings home a black boyfriend topic. Only it goes into zones and situations that will amaze and get you laughing!! Wild, inventive, new, fine acting, twisted…you’ll love it.

LIFE. Jake Gyllenhaal and Ryan Reynolds and a “nice” interacial crew are trapped aboard a space station with an ever-growing giant calamari from space, that almost kills everybody. Yes, it’s the old Alien plot, and it’ll do just fine for 12 years olds. I mean that, it’s tense, exciting only a few fuck words in it and plenty of 2001 scenic memories.  To be honest I got to thinking (which you’ll have plenty of time to do) what if that space creature just wants to save it’s own fate and travel to earth with “our guys”? Why not write a movie where somebody from earth wants to escape its dying future and tries to climb aboard an extraterrestial vehicle and the outer space visitors keep fighting him/her away like we treat our extraterrestial visitors? Send the kids, don’t take them.

GHOST IN THE SHELL. If you can stand watching Scarlett Johansson running, jumping, leaping, shooting and maybe being a robot for 106 minutes while she’s wearing just a skin tight, white, thin, body suit…then go see this movie. It’s a zillion dollar Japanese Studio production and another good thing about it is that Takeshi Kitano has a brief appearance and it’s amazingly powerful. Then again, he always is. The plot is way too complex and unbelievacle to fathom out. It’s copied from a Japanese comic book. Not to insult them, but 12 year olds will love it.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Total 100% Disney sights, sounds and drech. You couldn’t possibly tell the songs from this Disney production from any of the last 30 years of Disney product songs.  A wasted cast includes Emma Watson, Kevin Kline, Ewan MacGregor, Ian McKellan, Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, and Audra McDonald. BUT most of these actors play the roles of animated tea pots and candlesticks. There is or are no reasons to see this re-hash of every commercial triumph the Disney Factory has turned out for more than 50 years. And the kids will probably love it.

LOGAN. Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart lower themselves considerably by playing the lead roles in this last of the Wolverine series. I’ve tried hard and failed to stop thinking that this is exactly the kind of film I’ll bet that Donald Trump likes. Even though the Wolverine (Jackman) is a comic book character and the special effects are just about 90% of the picture, the cruelty, killing, blood, evil, are all so typical of today’s biggest boxoffice hits, it’s too over the top for me. No plot, no emotions, no humanity…just more blood and more killing. Even the ending when Wolverine is in a stone covered grave I kept worrying  and watching to see if some of the stones didn’t start shaking, meaning we’ll be tortured by an even worse Wolverine # 10. Yes Jackman has played the part nine times!!!  Go if you like Donald Trump type movies.  





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 archived for two weeks… (See next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. Carson Kelly tells us about the political force “Santa Cruz Indivisible” on April 11. Followed by Brian Spencer talking about the See Theatre play “The Nether” opening April 14 at the Center Stage Theatre. We’ll talk first about the Reel Work Labor Film Festival on April 18, then Lloyd Kahn author of “Small Homes” illumines us on their virtue. Carla Brennan discusses Mindfulness and Awareness on April 25.  On May 2nd UCSC Film Professor emeritus Earl Jackson talks about films and his Asian teaching experiences. Bookshop Santa Cruz features its top Short Story Winners on may 30. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always and only at bratton@cruzio.com  

NEW UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVE FEATURE. Stuff changes at KZSC a lot. If you missed either of the last two weeks of Universal Grapevine broadcasts go here… http://www.radiofreeamerica.com/dj/bruce-bratton You have to listen to about 4 minutes of that week’s KPFA news first, then Grapevine happens.

(You are not going to believe this, but I picked out my video before I had a clue that Bruce was putting one, let alone TWO, juggling videos in this week’s column!! Weird, huh?) This is interesting. I like juggling. Can’t juggle myself to save my life, but this guy is good, and he’s funny in an understated sort of way 🙂

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 9 years here’s a chronological list of some past broadcasts.  Such a wide range of folks such as  Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, and Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Company. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011.

QUOTES.     “SPRING”

One of my very favorite e.e. cummings poems for many decades….

“sweet spring is your
time is my time is our
time for springtime is lovetime
and viva sweet love

(all the merry little birds are
flying in the floating in the
very spirits singing in
are winging in the blossoming)

lovers go and lovers come
awandering awondering
but any two are perfectly
alone there’s nobody else alive

(such a sky and such a sun
i never knew and neither did you
and everybody never breathed
quite so many kinds of yes)

not a tree can count his leaves
each herself by opening
but shining who by thousands mean
only one amazing thing

(secretly adoring shyly
tiny winging darting floating
merry in the blossoming
always joyful selves are singing)

sweet spring is your
time is my time is our
time for springtime is lovetime
and viva sweet love”
E.E. Cummings   

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

“When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest. The only thing that could spoil a day was people and if you could keep from making engagements, each day had no limits. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself.” Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

“If people did not love one another, I really don’t see what use there would be in having any spring.” Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

COLUMN COMMUNICATIONS. Subscriptions: Click and enter the box in the upper right hand corner of each Column. You’ll get a weekly email notice the instant the column goes online. (Anywhere from Monday afternoon through Thursday or sometimes as late as Friday!) Always free and confidential. Even I don’t know who subscribes!!

Snail Mail: Bratton Online
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Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Direct email: Bratton@Cruzio.com
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BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.



Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

THE GOODTIME WASHBOARD 3 with BING CROSBY. That’s Wayne Pope on the left, then  Bing Crosby, Bruce Bratton on washtub bass and Pete Arnott with banjo on the far right. This was on Bing’s nationwide TV show The Hollywood Palace. It happened April 1, 1967 Read more about us below.                                                     photo credit: my personal scrapbook Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

                                                                                                        DATELINE April 3, 2017

MY COLLEGE FRIEND WAYNE POPE DIED. Wayne Pope was the kindest, most friendly, generous person I’ve ever known. We met in Spanish class at UC Berkeley in 1957. Our trio The Goodtime Washboard 3 needed a new washboard player and I convinced Wayne he would be fantastic…we bought thimbles and a washboard and our lives chamged forever. Our trio The GTW3 went on to play and perform at the Purple Onion, the Hungry i, and on Bing Crosby’s Hollywood Palace. We recorded two albums for Capitol Records (never released) and wrote and recorded the “Oakland Song” for Fantasy Records. (available on iTunes) We opened and closed shows with Milton Berle,  Shelley Berman, Ray Bolger, Turk Murphy, Barbara Dane and dozens more. Showbiz was a great hobby for us.

Another UC Berkeley friend Chris Strachwitz who created Arhoolie Records (recently acquired by the Smithsonian Institute) and the Down Home Record store needed a graphic artist to design his album covers. I introduced him to Wayne and the two of them remained good friends and worked together for decades. We three did an interview for NPR two years ago. To say that Wayne will be missed, doesn’t come close to reality…

#11   April 3, 2017

STRATEGIC PLANNING. Part 2.  (Sounds Boring?)

Jim Frawley the Santa Cruz Fire Chief was doing a crossing-guard routine last Saturday morning on Encinal Street over in the Harvey West Park area. Councilmembers, Sandy Brown and David Terrazas were looking  just as lost as I was. We were searching for the city council strategic planning session. It was to be an all-day meeting, and supposedly the location was the Santa Cruz County Office of Education at 400 Encinal. “It’s not over there, it’s over here,” Frawley yelled out from the corner of Dubois and Encinal. He pointed in the direction of #399. He directed us away from the main headquarters to this other building across the street.

Inside the meeting room were tables positioned in a horseshoe shape, with other smaller round tables nearby where city department heads would be. It was a sunny, cloudless Saturday and all council members and department heads would be inside investing eight hours in some “strategic planning.” What would the future of Santa Cruz look like after today I wondered? Heady and creative cooperative planning?  Or simply another opportunity for the city manager to affirm who runs Surf City?

First, we heard from members of the public. Since this was a “public meeting” in which more than three council members were present it is required by the Brown Act that community members be allowed an oral communication. They were, and they told us about the “illness of climate change,” (Pauline Seales); that it is “strange that our ‘norms and values’ session came before our strategic planning” meeting, and that out of the 73 strategy-related projects on our schedule” only 1 is related to UCSC” (John Aird); and we should be thinking of “giving the other species half of the earth” too (Barbara Riverwoman); and Santa Cruz has an opportunity in taking the lead on the environment by either centralizing environmentally-related issues into “a Department of the Environment, or at least hiring an environmental coordinator “(Jane Mio); and finally, Nancy Park reminded everyone present that it was all about “how we treat people”—homeless people, immigrants, and those who are the most vulnerable in our community.

The city manager and his staff—Martin Bernal (CM), Tina Schull (ACM) and Scott Collins (DCM)—then went to work shepherding the council through some “strategic planning” that they had likely spent days strategically planning. And by the way, Tina Schull handed out a pie graph depicting “city average percentages by effort type” (whew!) as it was also being projected onto a wall. Important stuff! She made the point that the current staff (800 full-time employees) has just 17% of its time left for anything city council members might want them to do because they are already overworked and really busy. We were constantly reminded of this throughout the day-long “retreat.”

click here to continue (link expands, click again to collapse)

The $10,000 Man, Shawn Spanos, professor of communications at San Jose State University

Next, our attention was directed to five pieces of four-foot long sheets of butcher paper attached to another wall. Each had categories atop that included: City of Santa Cruz Programs and Spotlight, which were supposed to be “ongoing efforts” by staff and included the “Beach Flats [Community] Garden” along with “disaster planning”,”sanitation and illegal campsites” and “Youth Programs.” The butcher paper on the Main Stage had a threesome category approach. It had been whittled down from the supposed unwieldy seven-category document we were working off of that had been produced at a 2015 city council retreat (with Don Lane and Micah Posner present and minus Sandy Brown and me), titled: City of Santa Cruz-Two-Year Work Plan FY17-18 through FY18-19. The three categories that were preserved from 2015 were “Safety and Well Being, Housing, and Infrastructure.” Gone were “Environmental Sustainability” and “Economic Vitality,” which by the way later had me voting with Cynthia Mathews to restore, but alas, she voted for them before she voted against them. The CM’s office people argued that environment and economics permeated the document already (without actually saying environment or economy) and those categories didn’t need to be explicitly stated. I respectfully disagreed, but I only had three votes if I wanted to preserve them. We moved on.

The issues I kept coming back to early and often were: How can we get the UCSC admin. to house more of its students? How can the city buy up apartment units and make them affordable for people who live here now? What are the steps we need to take to buy the Beach Flats Community Garden? Can we send the BearCat tank back? And, how are we going to put the Corridors Plan to bed?

The most stunning aspect of all of the chart-making, dot-putting, and color marker-marking was that “ucsc” (sic) was only mentioned once, as if were a passing fad. It was nowhere to be seen in the “Goal/Focus Area” or “Deliverable(s)” categories. Nor was the Seaside Company. (I wondered, how the hell can you “strategically plan” out the next two years without talking about those two Santa Cruz economic Godzillas?!?) The County (gov.) was brought up often, but only in context of helping the city shoulder the costs of the homeless “problem.”

If this is all starting to sound like an entire Saturday swallowed up by heaps of bureaucratic B.S., well, you might be on to something, but the lunch was good (Eric’s Deli tuna sandwich and salad), and I have to say, each councilmember placing colored sticky dots on their faves and least favorite city projects was fun and instructive for this council member. I loved placing my red dots (means: get rid of it!) next to the “corridors plan,” “downtown amendments” (which Devcon desperately needs to develop hundreds of market-rate units between Front and Pacific), and the more “ordinances” category that would add additional rules regulating street behavior.

Okay, Some of the Things I Found Interesting and Strange About this City Decision-making Combine Day

• There were many weirdnesses, and they started with council members being asked to support the implementation of “City Council and Homelessness Coordinating Committee recommendations” without us ever seeing a list of what the recommendations were, but we heard offhanded references to them all day. (What?)
• Another moderately disturbing event was when the city manager said that a downtown building boom would likely be commencing soon and we should expect 500 new units of housing. But when I asked about affordability, he seemed to agree that there would be no more than 75 affordable units, and that’s only if they are “for-sale units” and if the council majority doesn’t let the developer buy their way out of building those.(I’m becoming convinced more each day of this job that similar to health care, we need to take the greed and profit out of housing. All of us need a place to live and it should not take 50-70% of our salary, nor should it depend on luck or “a really nice landlord.”)
• The city has $6 million to spend on affordable housing in the above referenced downtown project area, said Bonnie Lipscomb the SC Economic Development Director. So, we can expect some affordable rentals somewhere in this project, I guess.
• Library hours will be expanded at all branches as of June 1st according to Susan Nimitz, the Library Director.
• The Rental Inspection ordinance no longer puts units out of commission, but the city assists to “legalize units,” according to acting Planning Director, Alex Khoury.
• Oh, by the way, did I mention that the neo-city manager form of government (“Taylorism,” 2017?) has calculated that city staff only has 17% time to work on the issues of the city council? )-:)
• The facilitator in the picture that goes along with this column was paid $10,000 to…ready for this? Facilitate our discussion. (?!?)
• The “fiber network” system (“Fourth utility” as the Public Works Director called it) is currently estimated to cost the city $45-$50 million. (Given that expense, can we also find the money for a 24/7 homeless shelter, or to place a social worker in every police car, or to expand the sobering center or increase counseling and job services for the homeless? What are our priorities?)
• “Corridor Plan” was moved off the Two-Year Work Plan and onto the Tier 2 butcher block paper as a result of two red dots (Sandy and I) and five yellow (lower status) ones. Maybe we are making some progress…eastsiders, you gotta keep pushing though!
• “Paddling” on the San Lorenzo River (I think) was taken off the city’s agenda entirely!
• “Evaluate Police and Park Ranger Staffing” received a solid seven green (go!) dots. Was the council saying they wanted more oversite of public safety agencies?

READY, SET, GO!
City Council should’ve passed a resolution, “Standing with Standing Rock,” by the time you read this. Last line of the resolution is… RESOLVED that the City of Santa Cruz stands in support of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s opposition to the construction and use of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) across the Tribe’s ancestral lands, waters, and sacred sites;

But the heavy lifting begins at the April 25th city council meeting when we should have a resolution divesting the city from Wells Fargo because they continue to finance this absurd pipeline. Hope you can join us.

I went to a most amazing reading this past Sunday of the Martin Luther King speech, “Beyond Vietnam, A Time to Break Silence.” It happened on the steps of the downtown post office, how timely given the chain-link fence surrounding this historic federal structure. MLK gave the speech on April 4, 1967. It is so real, so prescient, and so eerily reflective of the time we are living in now that I was brought to tears. And, so many people wanted to read that it was presented twice! My favorite line in the part I was privileged to read was: “The war in Vietnam is but a symptom of a far deeper malady within the American spirit, and if we ignore this sobering reality we will find ourselves organizing…for the next generation.” That was fifty years ago.

Bernie tweet of the week:
“How insane is it for us to literally discourage bright young people from attending college because of how much money their parents make?” (April 2, 2017)

~Chris Krohn is a father, writer, activist, former Santa Cruz City Councilmember (1998-2002) and Mayor (2001-2002). He’s been running the Environmental Studies Internship program at UC Santa Cruz for the past 12 years. He was elected last November to another 4-year term on the Santa Cruz City Council.

CLASSICAL DeCINZO. DeCinzo does a fly-by viewing “selective forest harvesting”. See below a few pages…

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s “The Revolutionary Obama Care future”                       down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent  Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog.

THE SANTA CRUZ BAROQUE FESTIVAL. The Baltimore Consort is coming to Santa Cruz this Saturday April 8 at 7:30pm to UCSC’s Music Recital Hall. The program is titled “Musick’s Silver Sound”. Their Shakespearian tunes filled the air surrounding the common folk who came to the Globe Theatre; played on street corners, in taverns, and in the theatrex, they were a part of the public subconscious in England and abroad. This Baltimore Consort program will send you dancing from the halls feeling as if you’ve travelled back in time to the world of Shakespeare. Location: UCSC Music Recital Hall .

Tickets….. here!  Or maybe at the door, but they have a huge following herabouts, so plan ahead.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa’s up to her eyes in editing and will be back with us/you next week! See her website this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). And find out about her own “Beast book” heading into production at last. Drinks all around!” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.    

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 archived for two weeks… (See next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. On April 4 Linda Burman-Hall returns to talk about The Santa Cruz Baroque Festival’s spring concerts. After Linda, UCSC’s Ben Leeds Carson details the April In Santa Cruz concerts. Carson Kelly tells us about the political force “Indivisible” on April 11. Followed by Brian Spencer talking about the See Theatre play “The Nether” opening April 14. We’ll talk about the Reel Work Labor Film Festival on April 18. On May 2nd UCSC Film Professor emeritus Earl Jackson talks about films and his Asian teaching experiences. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always and only at bratton@cruzio.com  

NEW UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVE FEATURE. Stuff changes at KZSC a lot. If you missed either of the last two weeks of Universal Grapevine broadcasts go here… http://www.radiofreeamerica.com/dj/bruce-bratton You have to listen to about 4 minutes of that week’s KPFA news first, then Grapevine happens.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 9 years here’s a chronological list of some past broadcasts.  Such a wide range of folks such as  Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, and Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Company. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011.

QUOTES.          “TAXES“
“One in four corporations doesn’t pay any taxes”.  Bernie Sanders
“The avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual pursuit that still carries any reward”, John Maynard Keynes
“What are called ‘public schools’ in many of America’s wealthy communities aren’t really ‘public’ at all. In effect, they’re private schools, whose tuition is hidden away in the purchase price of upscale homes there, and in the corresponding property taxes”, Robert Reich

PACIFIC AVENUE January 26, 1965. Note Palace Stationers and Webers Photo Shop in their original locations next door to each other in the I.O.O.F. (International Order Odd Fellows) Building.  The Palomar Building has Del Williams Jewelers  and Ferrari Florists. Beyond that is The Bank Of America, the Del Mar Theatre, all there on the East Side of Pacific. Note too…the amazing width of Pacific Avenue two passing lanes, two parking lanes, and the wide sidewalks with potted plants and pedestrians.                                                 photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE March 27, 2017

SENTINEL’S PRO TRUMP HEADLINE. Any reader of the Santa Cruz Sentinel’s ” Letters to the Editor” page knows how they love to print those rare letters saying that the Sentinel is “too liberal”. Huge laughs result from any and all locals who’ve read more than a few editions and know all too well where the editors are now and have always been politically. Nowhere was this more clearly demonstrated than in last week’s biggest TRUMP headline when his Health Care bill was defeated. The San Francisco Chronicle headline stated ,”Stunning Defeat on Health Care” . New York Times headline read  ” In Major Defeat for Trump, Push To Repeal Health Law Fails”.  Newsday said, “Trump, Ryan suffer defeat”,  the Huffington Post had “Trump Concedes Defeat”… worldwide news talked about Trump being defeated.

Look now at our Santa Cruz Sentinel headline that same day (Saturday March 25) “Trump, GOP pull health care bill”   Just as if it were a minor legal point, or some small step to a major Trump victory. That same issue carried Stephen Kessler’s pro Trump column stating Trump’s cutting of the  government supporting the arts is a good idea saying that artists produce great art when they are starving. Or Kessler‘s column the week before damning the homeless saying they were too messy and didn’t clean up spaces where they were sitting.

SAN FRANCISCO AND ANTI-WALL BUILDING. The City of San Francisco is stopping any and all financial connections with companies that are bidding on building Trumps wall against Mexico. Shouldn’t we demand the same from our Santa Cruz City Council?  Read Chris Krohn’s #10 minority report below a few pages about Watsonville’s Granite Construction wall building bid.

NEWS FROM THE GRAPEVINE. There are always plenty of news and opinions on my weekly Universal Grapevine radio program Tuesdays 7-8 p.m. on KZSC (now in its 11th year!) “Chip” the executive director of The Downtown Association of Santa Cruz was my guest last Tuesday. (It’s archived at KZSC.org) we were talking about the present, past and future of our Pacific Avenue Downtown. He made an excellent point, whether we like it or not, that retail stores are in serious danger all over the country due to online buying. Small locally – owned retail stores have an extra rough time meeting high rents….so franchised businesses are becoming more and more prevelant. Walk down, or up, Pacific Avenue again and figure out what percentage of businesses of any kind are locally-owned.

BE VERY AWARE. Wouldn’t you think that if our police shoot people carrying rakes that they would have murdered dozens of those dreaded leaf blower intruders around town? I mean those leaf blowers look just like machine guns or bazookas…maybe it’s because they’re louder???

BOB BROZMAN’S HAWAIIAN GUITAR HISTORY I can’t embed this video as per the request of the original poster, but I am going to provide the link, here. Spend 13 minutes for some truly fascinating facts and things you never knew about music!

CLASSICAL DeCINZO. Takes on the “nature loving” bike riders scroll downwards.

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s “Secretary Tillerson’s Trips ” down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent  Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog.

ESPRESSIVO- SMALL AND INTENSE. Now in its second season, our newest serious music chamber size orchestra presents its fifth concert. The concert’s title is “An American Heritage”.  
That means music by composers Charles Ives, Ned Rorem, and Aaron Copland. They’ll perform Copland’s “Applachian Spring” that Copland himself conducted at Cabrilho College for the Cabrilho Music Festival directed by Dennis Russell Davies in 1978. It happens Thursday March 30, 2017 at 7:30pm at the Peace United Church of Christ, 900 High Street in Santa Cruz. Probably tickets at the door or at their website http://www.espressorch.org.

THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY. The Santa Cruz Chamber Players play musics by Debussey, Ravel, along with works by Hahn, Valderrabano and concert director Chris Pratorius Gomez. That’ll be Saturday April 1, at 7 :30  and Sunday April 2nd at 3 p.m. in the Christ Lutheran Church, 10707 Soquel Drive just off Freedom Blvd. Highway 1 turnoff just above the CHP headquarters. You could hope for tickets at the door or go to www.scchamberplayers.org

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “Even though my friend and colleague Richard von Busack scooped me in the paper, you can still read my review of Disney’s new Beauty and the Beast this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). And speaking of which, find out about my own Beast book heading into production at last. Drinks all around!” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.  

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 archived for two weeks… (See next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. Roy Malan discusses the Hidden Valley String Orchestra concert happening April 9. John Aird follows with an overview of UCSC growth, water, and our tourist driven wharf plans. On April 4 Linda Burman-Hall returns to talk about The Santa Cruz Baroque Festival’s spring concerts. After Linda, UCSC’s Ben Leeds Carson details the April In Santa Cruz concerts. Carson Kelly tells us about the political fo rce “Indivisible”  on April 11. Followed by Brian Spencer talking about the See Theatre play “The Nether” opening April 14. On May 2nd UCSC Film Professor emeritus Earl Jackson talks about films and his Asian teaching experiences. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always and only at bratton@cruzio.com  

NEW UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVE FEATURE. Stuff changes at KZSC a lot. If you missed either of the last two weeks of Universal Grapevine broadcasts go here… http://www.radiofreeamerica.com/dj/bruce-bratton You have to listen to about 4 minutes of that week’s KPFA news first, then Grapevine happens.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 9 years here’s a chronological list of some past broadcasts.  Such a wide range of folks such as  Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, and Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Company. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011.

QUOTES.                 “APRIL”

“April is a promise that May is bound to keep”. Hal Borland
“April is the cruellest month”. T. S. Eliot
“Here cometh April again, and as far as I can see the world hath more fools in it than ever”. Charles Lamb
“The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year“. Mark Twain

PACIFIC AND CATHCART STREETS, Downtown Santa Cruz, November 29, 1950. This is where you’ll find Kianti’s Pizza and Hoffman’s Bistro.  The building that says “Fulmer’s Furniture” was once upon a time  known as The Good Times Building. It was owned by Jay Shore the original creator and publisher of Good Times. With an incredible piece of luck he sold the building a very short time just before the 1989 earthquake.                                           photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE March 20, 2017

BLACK “POLICE” CARS…PLEASE TELL US. I believe it was last Saturday and I was driving around the Santa Cruz Police Headquarters area when two sleek, all black, no white doors, black searchlights cars turned the corner. Each contained a pair of some kind of uniformed personnel. Who or what are they? ICE staffers/agents? some secret unmarked Santa Cruz Police? Anybody know who or what these cars are doing here? Lemme know ASAP

POWER TO AND FOR THE PEOPLE. Supervisors Bruce McPherson and John Leopold appear to be genuinely in support of and are actively pushing the Monterey Bay Community as a group to buy our electric power at wholesale prices from PG& E and forming our own power company so we can get that power at more reasonable rates. Other California communities like Palo Alto have been doing it for decades. It’s about time we became involved. Salinas is voting on it Tuesday March 21, 2017. There has been very little coverage in our local papers and here’s what I found in Supervisor John Leopold’s monthly newsletter…

“On February 28th, the Board of Supervisors took a critical step in the creation of a locally run, municipal power utility that will greatly increase the amount of renewable energy in use in Santa Cruz County and beyond. Since 2013, the County has joined with San Benito and Monterey counties and the cities in each county to examine the feasibility of using the Community Choice Energy (CCE) model to provide clean-source power at a cost equivalent to PG&E. This model is used in a number of other counties and would allow our community to choose what kind of power we wanted to pursue while still having PG&E maintain the power lines and provide customer service. Importantly, revenues that have historically flowed to PG&E will stay in our community to help fund renewable energy projects and local jobs. 

Known as Monterey Bay Community Power, the new utility will have rates equivalent to what is now charged by PG&E. A local board of elected officials would set rates and determine the type of energy mix that best serves the community.  My priority will be the reinvestment of revenue from this new entity to create local jobs by creating new renewable energy projects locally. Cities and counties in the three county region have been signing on quickly. While there are still some issues to be resolved, the next step in implementation is putting together the financing for the startup of the operation.  You can read about the Board’s action here. Check out the website for Monterey Bay Community Power here for complete information and updates.

If you go to the MBCP you’ll read…

MONTEREY BAY COMMUNITY POWER UPDATE.
Monterey Bay Community Power is continuing their effort to move forward in its final phase of formation. Jurisdictions  from throughout the tri-county region are bringing the JPA Agreement and ordinance to their Boards of Supervisors and City Councils for consideration with hopes of seating the Joint Powers Authority (JPA) in April 2017 and delivering its first renewable power to local residents and businesses in Spring of 2018. The program is projecting up to 62% renewable energy portfolio as early as 2019, nearly double the 2020 requirement of 33% set by California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard.

MBCP is being touted as the single most important climate initiative our region can adopt to support local climate action goals. MBCP is receiving broad community support from the public, local businesses, and local non-profits.

The Compact is grateful to all supporters who have contributed public comment at council and board meetings, letters of support, and additional outreach to ensure the success of MBCP. A very special thank you is in order to the County of Santa Cruz, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Romero Institute, and Emerging Ecologies for their support and community outreach. The efforts of these organizations have been instrumental in the  recent formation of the JPA. 
Official Joint Powers Authority Members to date: San Benito County, Santa Cruz County, Capitola, Scotts Valley, Marina, Hollister, and  Soledad.

Jurisdictions who have passed the first reading:Watsonville, Gonzales, Seaside, San Juan Bautista,  King City, Del Rey Oaks, Monterey County, Sand City and Monterey.

I don’t know who is responsible for all the pushing and shoving a major move like this takes …and that person should receive a medal (not made of metal!).

DEVELOPING OUR DOWNTOWN. Jean Brocklebank wrote this piece that says everything about what should concern all of us about the City of Santa Cruz, our environment and how little our City Council seems to care about all of above.

“On behalf of Friends of San Lorenzo River Wildlife environmentalist Jean Brocklebank shared concerns sent to City planners, about proposed Downtown Recovery Plan, General Plan and Local Coastal Plan amendments that will have impacts on wildlife.  Those amendments will be a way to make Santa Cruz grow in scale, once more — this time by getting closer to the San Lorenzo River and getting higher into the sky. “Any development along the river corridor will absolutely impact avian species. East-facing windows will reflect the rising sun and cause confusion for birds.  More birds are killed by flying into building windows than by any other means.  FoSLRW expects the City to address this impact and research ways to prevent bird deaths due to new buildings, regardless of height.

“There is precedence for the FoSLRW request.  On Tuesday March 7, 2017 the San Jose City Council voted to prioritize working on bird-safe design guidelines for buildings near creeks. San Jose City staff will begin work on studying this issue over the coming year, and will bring their recommendations to the City Council when this work is finished.  The City of Santa Cruz would be wise to emulate the City of San Jose. FoSLRW wants development farther away from the river and the Riverwalk.  This will allow people to enjoy the river without buildings being built almost on top of it.” Check out Friends of San Lorenzo River Wildlife at http://foslrw.weebly.com/

22,438 TRUMP SUPPORTERS (VOTERS) IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. Just repeating this, as promised. Many times this last week I brought up this statistic to friends…it amazes everybody. We should never forget it.

LEAF BLOWER MEETING. Has anybody ever met a human who likes leaf blowers…either gas or power driven? Everybody hates them and other cities are doing something about it….Santa Cruz is finally organizing and maybe we can get the City Council to join the world and again help save the environment and our ears, and noses, and sensibilities.

C.H.A.S.E. (Santa Cruz Coalition for a Healthy And Safe Environment) advocates a ban on the use of gas powered leaf blowers and blowers louder than 55 decibels in the City of Santa Cruz. They have organized a CHASE Postcard Signing Event for : this  Saturday March 25th at the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center. Refreshments will be served  & you can drop in anytime between 1 and 4 p.m. The Center is located across from the Municipal Wharf by the tracks at 35 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz.  CHASE invites you, your family, friends, and neighbors to fill out our postcard expressing your support for leaf blower regulation.  CHASE will deliver the postcards en masse to the Santa Cruz City Council with a request for action.  Children are welcome to sign as well; their voices must be heard!  If you cannot attend but would like to sign a postcard, email chasesantacruz@googlegroups.com and we will deliver one or more to you. Alternatively you can sign the online petition

You should also read Steve Kessler’s article from The Santa Cruz Sentinel March 10, 2017 titled Legislators: for quality of life’s sake, ban the leaf blowers!

CABRILLO FESTIVAL HOUSING. I’ve known and still know, dozens of folks who have housed Cabrillo Music Festival musicians during the fest and they love it. Here’s what the Festival says re: sharing a room or space…”Our most critical need!! The Festival is in constant need of donated accommodations to comfortably house our orchestra members, esteemed composers, guest artists, and technical staff. Specifically, if you have a spare bedroom, guest house, or granny unit that you can offer for one to two weeks during the Festival, please contact us right away at: (831) 426-6966, or use the form provided on their website. Our Housing Coordinator Valerie Hayes will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Hosts are not expected to provide meals or transportation, just aclean, safe, and friendly home base while artists are here for the Festival. Housing an orchestra musician is reportedly one of the most rewarding aspects of the Festival experience!

CLASSICAL DeCINZO. Check out his news re: Shopping bags and the profits see below.

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s “Lime Tick Trump” down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent  Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, check out this week’s feature “On Second Thought” (circa 1987) and the ever- entertaining Eaganblog.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “I hope you’re in the mood for surprises, because I have no idea what I’ll be coming up with this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). But the sun is out (for a few days, anyway), the trees are in bud, Spring is lurking just offstage, and anything is possible! But do expect to hear from me about the new Beauty and the Beast movie soon!” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

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 archived for two weeks… (See next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. .  Espressivo conductor and artistic director Michel Singher talks about their March 30 concert on March 21 followed by Chip from The Downtown Association of Santa Cruz. Roy Malan discusses the Hidden Valley String Orchestra concert happening April 9. John Aird follows with an overview of UCSC growth, water, and our tourist driven wharf plans. On April 4 Linda Burman-Hall returns to talk about The Santa Cruz Baroque Festival’s spring concerts. After Linda, UCSC’s Ben Leeds Carson details the April In Santa Cruz concerts. Carson Kelly tells us about the political force “Indivisible”  on April 11. Followed by Brian Spencer talking about the See Theatre play “The Nether” opening April 14. On May 2nd UCSC Film Professor emeritus Earl Jackson talks about films and his Asian teaching experiences. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always and only at bratton@cruzio.com  

NEW UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVE FEATURE. Stuff changes at KZSC a lot. If you missed either of the last two weeks of Universal Grapevine broadcasts go here… http://www.radiofreeamerica.com/dj/bruce-bratton You have to listen to about 4 minutes of that week’s KPFA news first, then Grapevine happens.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 9 years here’s a chronological list of some past broadcasts.  Such a wide range of folks such as  Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, and Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Company. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011.

QUOTES.  “WHALES”

“Ships are expendable; the whales are not”, Paul Watson
“Nature did not put whales on this earth to splash kids while stuck in a pen”, Jane Velez-Mitchell
“If you were to make little fishes talk, they would talk like whales”, Oliver Goldsmith
“If I say that I am more interested in preventing the slaughter of large whales than I am in improving housing conditions for people, I am likely to shock some of my friends”, Richard Dawkins

OUR ORIGINAL SANTA CRUZ PUBLIC LIBRARY. With funds donated by Andrew Carnegie this great structure went up in 1908 and being Santa Cruz, it was destroyed in 1966.Obviously it was replaced by what we have now.                                                 photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE March 13, 2017

FIRST THE BEACH FLATS, NOW THE POST OFFICE. I’m guessing many of us are wondering about the chain link fence that was put up last week around the U.S. Post Office, Santa cruz branch. Is this another Trump government /police tactic against the homeless like last month’s raid on Beach Flats against immigrants? Did our Santa Cruz Police put up the fence…which branch of what government is responsible. The post office is Federal property, and just exactly what laws were the homeless breaking when they slept and hung out there? It’s been days and still I haven’t seen a word in the Santa Cruz Sentinel…am I missing something here? By the way now that the Santa Cruz police have admitted to having a permanent Homeland Security office and official in their building and since they said they would be “evicting” him soon…just when will that be?

MORE POST OFFICE FENCE NEWS.

The NAACP Santa Cruz County Branch, and the Santa Cruz chapter of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom invite you to take part in a community reading of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Beyond Vietnam” speech. It’s where he connected militarism, capitalism, and racism – an electrifying speech. We will read it from 1 – 3 pm on April 2nd – close to the 50th anniversary of the speech (April 4th) – on the steps of the downtown Post Office.  There are many more questions and opposition to that fence. The Post Office Building is a designated Historic building and to alter or deface or erect new additions is illegal. Who’s in charge of all this, who’s behind it?

RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL? Just like Bruce McPherson gave up the Republican Party just in time, and Ryan Coonerty and Mike Rotkin ditching de-sal in split seconds we are seeing our local Santa Cruz City Council future being re-shaped. First J.M Brown who lost his first City Council campaign, now attending The People’s Democratic Club (PDC) meeting trying to score new left – progressive votes!!! Then we have Mike Rotkin almost a guaranteed council candidate, actually agreeing and having his name associated with Rick Longinotti’s in The Sentinel. Another topic worth mumbling about is whether or not Cynthia Mathews would run again. She’s lost big popularity according to the last election results and insiders say she’s also lost some of her usual force and drive. WRITE THIS DOWN… Cynthia Chase and Richelle Noroyan are up for re-election, and David Terrazas is out after 8 years.

WELLS FARGO & SANTA CRUZ CITY MONEY? Our city apparently has millions invested in Wells Fargo Bank for various purposes and tasks as well as in other financial institutions. How can we citizens (voters) get the city to stop Wells Fargo… and their crooked business deals and screwing their customers? Plus the no less serious investing and supporting the Dakota Access Pipeline project? Both Seattle and Davis, California pulled their accounts with Wells Fargo. If we are really, really going to be a world class city we need to join them.

SANTA CRUZ …. A “WORLD CLASS CITY”?

As the U.S. Edition of The Guardian stated….”While housing shortages and homeless epidemics have afflicted communities up and down the west coast, a major crisis has emerged in Santa Cruz, the liberal seaside city 80 miles south of San Francisco, known internationally for its surfing and laid-back boardwalk attractions. With a swelling presence of Airbnb short-term rentals and university students, Santa Cruz has increasingly become unaffordable and inhospitable to many longtime low-income workers and middle-class families, and experts say the tech boom and housing crunch in nearby Silicon Valley is exacerbating the displacement”.

The Guardian continues… ‘Least affordable’ housing in the US. Santa Cruz, which was originally controlled by Mexico, was incorporated as a California town in 1866. The city is constrained by mountains and the ocean but has steadily grown since the gold rush, attracting agriculture and commercial fishing along with a vibrant resort community and tourism industry. Housing development has not kept pace with the growth of the population, which is now 62,000 in the city and 270,000 total in Santa Cruz County. The county has added roughly one housing unit for every 10 new residents in recent years, according to county housing manager Julie Conway”. AND in spite of this we are hearing and seeing the usual Business suspects like the Chamber of Commerce and developers up the gazoo clamoring to bring in more big business, build more high rises and so on. They use the same old numb & dumb slogan ” Growth will bring in the taxes which support our civil services’ which has been disproven eons ago. Stop the growth, stop the development. It’s never too late. Look at San Jose por ejemplo.

CABRILLO MUSIC FEST’S BIG NEW SEASON. The new music director Cristian Macelaru has lined up some guaranteed big attractions for this years Cabrillo Music Festival. When you have names like Lou Harrison, John Adams, Evelyn Glennie and Jake Heggie you know some serious planning has been done. This season’s highlights include seven world premieres, one US premiere, three West Coast premieres, plus 11 composers in residence. They are… Karim Al-Zand, Clarice Assad, Gerald Barry, Michael Gandolfi, Aaron Jay Kernis, David T. Little, Cindy McTee, Christopher Rountree, Gabriella Smith and James Stephenson. Special guest artists include Dame Evelyn Glennie (percussion), Jennifer Frautschi (violin), Gemma New (conductor), Clarice Assad (piano/vocals), Keita Ogawa (percussion), Jason Hardink (piano), and Jonathan Lemalu (bass-baritone). Go here for more details and figure ways to get your tickets early. http://cabrillomusic.org/2017-season-announcement . Also IF you have an extra room or space and want to partake in the extra fun of the Festival, share a space/ bedroom with a Festival musician…especially if you live near the Civic auditorium. Then too you could volunteer to be an usher or donate $$ or help out at the street Fair. Remember, no more concerts at San Juan Bautista Mission!

CLASSICAL DeCINZO. DeCinzo depicts Danged UCSC students facing reality…or Santa Cruz!!! Scroll below just a bit…

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Tim Eagan’s “The President Who Cried Wolf” down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent  Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “Childhood is not for sissies. But marginalized kids on the fringes of the social norm get their story told with humor an compassion in the charming animated featutre, My Life As a Zucchini, this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com).” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

MUNCHING WITH MOZART. Every third Thursday Carol Panofsky presents… “MUNCHING WITH MOZART & FRIENDS” it’s this Thursday, March 16th, 12:10 – 12:50 at the Santa Cruz Public Library Downtown Branch – in the upstairs Meeting Room. It’ll feature Mozart and Chopin played by Carol Panofsky and Ben Dorfan, solo pianists. Carol will be playing Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)  Sonata in A Major, K. 331 and Ben will play Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) Ballade in G Minor, op. 23. Get there early, the good- but few seats fill fast.

JEWEL THEATRE’S “The Dance of Death” a play by August Strindberg plays March 16-April 9 at the Colligan Theatre over in the Tannery Arts Center. Wikipedia says it has black humor. It’s about a soured marriage and reviews have almost always said it has overtones of George and Martha in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”. Tickets and more information here.

PATRICE VECCHIONE’S ONE—WOMAN SHOW. Author, artist, teacher, poet and performer Patrice Vecchione has created and will perform her newest one –woman show “Words Dressed & Undressed:Women, Aging & Identity” Friday March 17 and Saturday March 18 at the Center Stage Theatre 1001 Center Street. With humor, fashion and flair she’s put together a performance that reveals much of her most surprising personal history. Get tickets at Brown Paper Tickets online.

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 archived for two weeks… (See next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. Patrice Vecchione returns March 14 to talk about her one-woman show “Dressed and Undressed” happening March 17 & 18, then Bruce Van Allen from the Affordable Housing Now and S.C. Tenant’s Organizing Committee will talk about short term vacation rentals.  Espressivo conductor and artistic director Michel Singher talks about their March 30 concert on March 21 followed by Chip from The Downtown Association of Santa Cruz. Roy Malan discusses the Hidden Valley String Orchestra concert happening April 9. John Aird follows with an overview of UCSC growth, water, and our tourist driven wharf plans. On April 4 Linda Burman-Hall returns to talk about The Santa Cruz Baroque Festival’s spring concerts. After Linda, Ben Leeds Carson details the April In Santa Cruz concerts. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always and only at bratton@cruzio.com

NEW UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVE FEATURE. Stuff changes at KZSC a lot. If you missed either of the last two weeks of Universal Grapevine broadcasts go here… http://www.radiofreeamerica.com/dj/bruce-bratton You have to listen to about 4 minutes of that week’s KPFA news first, then Grapevine happens.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 9 years here’s a chronological list of some past broadcasts.  Such a wide range of folks such as Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, and Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Company. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011.

QUOTES. “WALLS”

“Men build too many walls and not enough bridges.” Joseph Fort Newton

“If there is a hard, high wall and an egg that breaks against it, no matter how right the wall or how wrong the egg, I will stand on the side of the egg. Why? Because each of us is an egg, a unique soul enclosed in a fragile egg. Each of us is confronting a high wall. The high wall is the system which forces us to do the things we would not ordinarily see fit to do as individuals . . . We are all human beings, individuals, fragile eggs. We have no hope against the wall: it’s too high, too dark, too cold. To fight the wall, we must join our souls together for warmth, strength. We must not let the system control us — create who we are. It is we who created the system. (Jerusalem Prize acceptance speech, JERUSALEM POST, Feb. 15, 2009)” Haruki Murakami

“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance”. Robert Kennedy

“There are no constraints on the human mind, no walls around the human spirit, no barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect”. Ronald Reagan

PRE DEPOT PARK 1905. The Santa Cruz Union Station was built in 1892  for the South Pacific Coast Rail Road. Note the Santa Cruz electric open car on the far right. Now there’s mostly an artificial turf  soccer field taking up all that space. photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE March 6, 2017

WHARF TO WHARF COMPARISON. The editorial in Sunday”s Santa cruz Sentinel (03/05) had a great bit of statistics that hopefully convince locals of the need to preserve our Municipal Wharf instead of developing it into a non descript shopping mall. To quote the Sentinel…

“For Monterey, a recent Herald report found that city’s Fisherman’s Wharf was the second most visited attraction in the area in 2016 (Cannery Row was number 1 and the Aquarium was number 3.)”. It clearly shows that visitors go first to the historic and preserved sites (Cannery Row) then second they go to the more modernized Monterey Wharf. Lastly they go to the Aquarium. Adult admision to the Aquarium is now $49.95!!!

22, 438 TRUMP SUPPORTERS IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. One way or the other I’m going to repeat this voting statistic often. We must remember that even in this heavenly liberal bubble we somehow keep thinking we live in..that the reality is that 22,438 neighbors voted for Trump! (lest we forget)

THE COTONI-COAST NATIONAL MONUMENT NEWS. Everyone one who cares about the environment, climate change, tourism, and politics waited with bated breath to see if President Obama would declare this space a national minument just before leaving office….and he did it.What’s been happening since? How do the neighbors who live near the “monument” feel about it? What’s the future hold for the development? The Latest issue of The Rural Bonny Doon Association newspaper The Highlander has thai article in it…it’s four or more pages long and if you want to understand more about what monument status means…go for it.

Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument:

LOTS OF QUESTIONS, FEW ANSWERS.

As most of us expected, on Jan. 12 then- President Obama, under the auspices of the National Antiquities Act, proclaimed Coast Dairies a national monument, and added to it the name of the Cotoni (pronounced Cha-tone-ee) band of Amah Matsun people who used to inhabit the area.

Along with other local groups like Friends of the North Coast and the Davenport/North Coast Association, the RBDA Board feared the designation would attract many more visitors to the 5,800 acre property that stretches from Highway One up into Bonny Doon, surrounds Bonny Doon Road, and reaches up the coast into Swanton, than if it were simply maintained as a protected area managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management, a division of the Interior Dept.

The problem is that national monument designation gears up a global barrage of publicity, while guaranteeing only a pittance of additional funding for management and stewardship.

Cotoni-Coast Dairies faces the same dilemma as most other protected lands. They are managed for two conflicting purposes: public recreation, and environmental and habitat preservation. But Cotoni-Coast Dairies is different from most other large protected lands: it is just two hours or less away from a population of 8 million people, many of whom are enthusiastic hikers and bikers. It isn’t hard to foresee that when a visitor center and trails are established, 500,000 or more people a year may be enjoying the property. [State Parks estimates that that many visitors—obviously, many of them locals who use it frequently—tramp or ride about on Wilder Ranch State Park each year. We think that estimate is high.] Since being named a monument, Ft. Ord’s visitation has zoomed to over 400,000.

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KZSC’S NEW NEWS. The Monterey Bay Area News coverage scene has changed. UCSC students at KZSC have been creating and broadcasting weekly news every Thursday morning from 8:00-8:10 am. They work hard and wisely on gathering and checking sources…and the enthusiasm is unbeatable. Tune in Thursdays 8 am to KZSC 88.1 fm or online at KZSC.org.

CLASSICAL DeCINZO. Check out DeCinzo’s idea of our housing problem a page or two below.

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s ” What Smell “down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent  Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog.

JEWEL THEATRE’S “The Dance of Death” a play by August Strindberg plays March 16-April 9 at the Colligan Theatre over in the Tannery Arts Center. Wikipedia says it has black humor. It’s about a soured marriage and reviews have almost always said it has overtones of George and Martha in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”. Tickets and more information here!

SANTA CRUZ CHAMBER PLAYERS. “The Greatest Music You’ve Never Heard” is the title of their next concert happening Saturday March 11th at 7:30 pm; and Sunday March 12th at 3:00 pm. That means Rarely Performed Chamber Works by Jaun Crisóstomo Arriaga, Aaron Copland, William Grant Still, and others. The concert will be performed by Ivan Rosenblum, Concert director and piano; James Pytko, clarinet; Shannon Delaney and Rachel Magnus Hartman, violins; Arlyn Knapic, viola; Aude Castagna, cello. Their press release says, “Rarely performed?”  We know what you’re thinking: surely there are good reasons for that!  Our program judiciously avoids those unworthies in favor of first-rate, seldom-performed pieces that deserve wider exposure.  We explore why even excellent music is sometimes under- programmed and under-appreciated. For example, Arriaga, the “Spanish Mozart,” who died at age 20, didn’t have time to amass enough compositions to insure a lasting reputation. Even though Aaron Copland is well-known, his Sextet is not, because it’s written in a less popular style than Appalachian Spring. Some composers, for sociological or historical reasons, never received their full due.  Such was the fate of Afro-American composer William Grant Still, whose lively dance Dance Suite will be performed. By exploring the twists and turns of “rarely performed” repertoire, we discovered the intriguing Zemlinsky Trio and opera composer Gian Carlo Menotti’s instrumental Trio. With its 18th-20th century varied repertoire and diverse instrumentation, this concert is not to be missed.  You might not get another opportunity to hear these pieces for quite some time! Once again…it’s Saturday March 11th at 7:30 pm; Sunday March 12th at 3:00 pm at Christ Lutheran Church in Aptos off Freedom Blvd. near the old run down CHP headquarters.  

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “Find out if Hugh Jackman’s last Wolverine movie  LOGAN is a worthy send-off, and join the countdown to publication day for my next book,    this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). Also, fasten your seatbelts for the Return of the Oscar Barbies — 2017 edition!”  Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

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 archived for two weeks… (See next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. On March 7 Newton and Helen Harrison talk about their book, “The Time of The Force Majeure”. Tony Russomano follows talking about the structure of the Democratic Party in California. Patrice Vecchione returns March 14 to talk about her one-woman show “Dressed and Undressed” happening March 17 & 18, then somebody from the Sanctuary Santa Cruz group will give us new details.  Espressivo conductor and artistic director Michel Singher talks about their March 30 concert on March 21 followed by Chip from The Downtown Association of Santa Cruz. Roy Malan discusses the Hidden Valley String Orchestra concert happening April 9. John Aird follows with an overview of UCSC growth, water, and our tourist driven wharf plans. On April 4 Linda Burman-Hall returns to talk about The Santa Cruz Baroque Festival’s spring concerts.  Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always and only at bratton@cruzio.com

NEW UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVE FEATURE. Stuff changes at KZSC a lot. If you missed either of the last two weeks of Universal Grapevine broadcasts go here… http://www.radiofreeamerica.com/dj/bruce-bratton You have to listen to about 4 minutes of that week’s KPFA news first, then Grapevine happens.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 9 years here’s a chronological list of some past broadcasts.  Such a wide range of folks such as  Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, and Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Company. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011.

QUOTES. “MARCH”

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade”, Charles Dickens

“Indoors or out, no one relaxes
In March, that month of wind and taxes,
The wind will presently disappear,
The taxes last us all the year”. ~Ogden Nash

“March brings breezes loud and shrill,
Stirs the dancing daffodil”. ~Sara Coleridge

“Don’t ever become a pessimist… a pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events”.  ~Robert A. Heinlein

“By March, the worst of the winter would be over. The snow would thaw, the rivers begin to run and the world would wake into itself again. Not that year. Winter hung in there, like an invalid refusing to die. Day after grey day the ice stayed hard; the world remained unfriendly and cold.”    ~Neil Gaiman

FRONT AND SOQUEL STREETS January 1959. The lower left corner is now the CVS/Trader Joe’s parking lot also known as  Riverwalk Plaza. How many Santa Cruzans have ever said or even used the term Riverwalk Plaza?? And in the upper center where the gas station was, sits the infamous Wells Fargo Home Mortgage building. photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE February 27, 2017

PLAN WHAT NEW GARAGE & LIBRARY? There’s a workshop this Saturday March 4th in the Police Community room at 11 a.m  to hear experts tell why and how we can easily do without a new FIVE (5) story parking garage that the City wants to build on Cedar Street between Lincoln and Cathcart streets. Go here to read The Campaign For Sensible Transportation’s views and news about it.  http://sensibletransportation.org

Part of that plan is to build a new Public Library on the first floor of that 5 floor parking garage. The Santa Cruz Public Library just (2/14) put an anouncement online…

“HELP DESIGN THE NEW PUBLIC LIBRARY”
They are looking for seven(7) folks to meet regularly to plot and plan this new library. They want to create a Downtown Library Advisory Committee Read about it here on their website…  Aren’t they jumping the gun just a bit?

SANTA CRUZ SHOULD WITHDRAW ALL CONNECTIONS AND JOB ORDERS WITH GRANITE CONSTRUCTION.
Like conscientious cities and institutions everywhere are doing with Wells Fargo …The City and County of Santa Cruz should cancel, stop and cease any and all dealings with Granite Construction unless and until Granite ends any plans cooperating with TRUMP and his plan to build  the wall. Granite has been an involved part of the county community for decades

and

ANOTHER POINT!!! Even if this wall idea becomes closer to reality why wouldn’t it be better to build a FENCE? Aside from the fact that a fence would be cheaper, doesn’t it make better sense to be able to see what’s on the other side? Sure, cameras & expensive tech gizmos would give some screening opportunities over the top of the wall, a fence would provide 100% vision of any action on the other side. And of course I’m as opposed to a fence as I am to a wall but just in case….read the Granite construction article here…

And on the internet I found, “OK Santa Cruzans, time to make a phone call or send a letter. James Roberts, the president of Granite Construction (headquartered in Watsonville) has announced that they are bidding on the WALL. This is unacceptable on so many levels. Please call 831-724-1011 or write to 585 W. Beach St., Watsonville, CA 95076. Build bridges, not walls!”

SANTA CRUZ SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES RAID MONTEREY COUNTY POT GROW. Why??? Ralph Davila sent this link to this week’s Monterey County Weekly and asks “Can’t figure out why Judge in Santa Cruz County would issue a warrant in Monterey County & why Santa Cruz County Sheriffs would have any jurisdiction in Monterey?” The article tells about how our County Sheriff’s raided a well known Monterey Pot growing facility and how attorney Ben Rice was involved and the possibility that some former Santa Cruz Deputy quit the force and is now growing pot and maybe this was a grudge raid by his former cop friends…read it and think again about the role our police play in so many areas.

SMART PHONES, TEXTING THE LAW AND HAMBURGERS!!! I can’t be the only one who wonders why,  if “texting” while driving is illegal because it takes our attention away from the road and traffic threats why then hasn’t eating hamburgers and tacos and eating all drive-thru food been made just as illegal?? Munching a hamburger, managing those fries, sipping that cola, and avoiding pedestrians all at the same time has to be as absorbing and tricky as any “texting”.

READING ORWELL’S 1984. Hopefully you’ve heard and read about a bunch of us locals reading the complete George Orwells “1984” at Bookshop Santa Cruz this Thursday March 2nd, starting at 10 am. As of Monday noon Feb 27 here’s the lineup, in case you want to miss or hit your favorite readers
SPECIAL NOTE…some readers are not reading in their official capacity, titles provided for identification only!!!

• 10:00 – Steve Kettmann, Wellstone Center in the Redwoods
• 10:20 – Rabbi Paula Marcus, Rabbi Temple Beth El
• 10:40 – Alisun Thompson, Santa Cruz City Schools Board Member
• 11:00 – John Sandidge, KZSC Host
• 11:20 – Amy Ettinger, Author
• 11:40 – Elizabeth McKenzie, Author
• 12:00 – Ryan Coonerty, Santa Cruz County Supervisor
• 12:20 – Giovan Michael, UCSC Student
• 12:40 – Paul Skenazy, Author
• 1:00 – Stephen Kessler, Author
• 1:20 – Jolene Kemos, Librarian
• 1:40 – Steve Palopoli, Good Times Editor
• 2:00 – Paul Fleischman, Author
• 2:20 – Danusha Lamerias, Poet
• 2:40 – Patrice Vecchione, Author and Poet
• 3:00 – Bruce Bratton, Columnist and Radio Host
• 3:20 – Jenny Bitner, SF Writer’s Grotto
• 3:40 – Rico Lange, Author and Bookseller
• 3:50 – Rachel Goodman, Professor & Radio Host
• 4:00 – Farnaz Fatimi, Professor
• 4:20 – Clifford Henderson, Author
• 4:40 – Micah Perks, Author
• 5:00 – Nikki Silva, Radio Personality
• 5:20 – Laurie R. King, Author
• 5:40 – Mayor Cynthia Chase, Mayor of Santa Cruz
• 6:00 – Thad Nodine, Author
• 6:20 – Reverend Deborah Johnson, Reverend Inner Light Ministries
• 6:40 – Karen Joy Fowler, Author
• 7:00 – Mike Ryan, Santa Cruz Shakespeare Artistic Director
• 7:20 – Michael Mehr, Immigration Attorney
• 7:40 – Lisa Jensen, Author
• 8:00 – Susan Freeman, Poet & Educator
• 8:20 – Wallace Baine, Santa Cruz Sentinel Arts Editor
• 8:40 – Katherine Farrell, UCSC Student

CLASSICAL DeCINZO. DeCinzo (now residing in Cuba) looks at our county timber management see below.

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s “Clean Sweeping Cabinet” down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent  Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog. It‘s about simple things like “What is True” and things like that.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “Now that we’re all living in an Orwellian nightmare, the good folks at Bookshop Santa Cruz, the Wellstone Center, and Wallace Baine are staging a public reading of “1984” at the Bookshop on Thursday, March 2, from 10 am until the book is done. Read all about it this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com ).” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

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 archived for two weeks… (See next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. Robert Stoll from the Santa Cruz Bonsai Club guests on February 28 talking about the ancient art of making bonsai.  Then Cynthia Berger and Zav Hershfield talk about the Santa Cruz Tenants Association. On March 7 Newton and Helen Harrison talk about their book, ” The Time of The Force Majeure”. Tony Russomano follows talking about the structure of the Democratic Party in California. Patrice Vecchione returns March 14 to talk about her one-woman show “Dressed and Undressed” happening March 17 & 18. Espressivo conductor and artistic director Michel Singher talks about their March 30 concert on March 21 followed by Chip from The Downtown Association of Santa Cruz. Roy Malan discusses the Hidden Valley String Orchestra concert happening April 9. John Aird follows with an overview of UCSC growth, water, and our tourist driven wharf plans. On April 4 Linda Burman-Hall returns to talk about The Santa Cruz Baroque Festival’s spring concerts.  Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always and only at bratton@cruzio.com

NEW UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVE FEATURE. Stuff changes at KZSC a lot. If you missed either of the last two weeks of Universal Grapevine broadcasts go here… http://www.radiofreeamerica.com/dj/bruce-bratton You have to listen to about 4 minutes of that week’s KPFA news first, then Grapevine happens.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 9 years here’s a chronological list of some past broadcasts.  Such a wide range of folks such as  Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, and Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Company. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011.

QUOTES.    “DICTATORS”

“Dictators can fix up their entire families in good jobs, in or around government, and often do. In democracies, such a practice is frowned upon. Privileged access to the corridors of power through family connections and a kind of old boys’ network is also deemed an abuse of power, and so it is”.  Jimmy Reid

“Italy in the 1920s, Germany in the ’30s, East Germany in the ’50s, Czechoslovakia in the ’60s, the Latin American dictatorships in the ’70s, China in the ’80s and ’90s – all dictatorships and would-be dictators target newspapers and journalists”,  Naomi Wolf

“All dictators, the rich and famous, to the lowest security guard who holds a gun, easily forget that power is transitory”,  F. Sionil Jose

“Dictators never invent their own opportunities”,  R. Buckminster Fuller

“Dictators must have enemies. They must have internal enemies to justify their secret police and external enemies to justify their military forces”,  Richard Perle

Speaking of quotes…..

Donald Trump retweeted a quote from Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini In February 2016.The Republican President shared the saying made famous by the founder of the fascist movement with his 6.4 million followers. “@ilduce2016: ‘It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep,’ – @realDonaldTrump #MakeAmericaGreatAgain,” the tweet said.

THE CASTLE AT SEABRIGHT BEACH BEING DEMOLISHED. This was March 23, 1967. It was just about across from where our Natural History Museum with the whale is today.                                                    photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE February 20, 2017

REVISING OUR DOWNTOWN…IN 30 DAYS!!!

City Planning and Community Development just announced that they are doing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that will both affect and effect fully one third (12 acres)of our downtown. That’s from Cathcart south to Laurel and from the San Lorenzo river on the east to Front Street on the west. Officially stated they say….”The proposed amendments and potential increased building heights could result in additional development. City staff estimates that the proposed amendment to height zones could result in a net increase of approximately 711 residential units and approximately 2,200 square feet of office space with a net decrease of approximately 14,700 square feet of commercial building space over existing conditions within the study area.”

The announcement goes on to state that the impact would include changes in;

• Aesthetics. Potential aesthetic impacts related to increased building heights.
• Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG)
• Potential impacts resulting from emissions related to potential future development.
• Biological Resources
• Potential impacts to San Lorenzo River habitat and species  
• Potential development resulting from increased building heights.
• Cultural Resources
• Potential impacts to historical resources with redevelopment under the proposed plan amendments Hydrology and Public Services and Utilities.
• Fire and police protection services, schools, parks and recreation, wastewater treatment, municipal water service and solid waste disposal. will be reviewed based on potential future development that could occur as a result of the proposed amendments
• Traffic and Transportation. Findings of a traffic impact analysis, which is being preparedfor the City’s Planning and Community Development Department, will be provided and supplemented as needed in the EIR. Updated traffic counts and level of service analyses.

We have until March 15 to respond. This EIR will be huge, every environmental and human centered group and individual should be concerned. The announcement says,

“Please respond with written comments regarding the scope and the content of the EIR as it may relate to your agency’s area of statutory responsibility or your areas of concern or expertise. Your agency may need to use the EIR prepared by our agency when considering your permit or other approval for the project, if any is required. Responses are due within 30 days of the receipt of this Notice, as provided by State law. PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 809 Center Street Room 206  Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Alex Khoury Acting Director. We should all place bets on what kind of support or influence our City Council will have on this. It is only the future of our Downtown that is at stake here.

ROBBIE SCHOEN UPDATE. All things considered, Robbie Schoen of Felix Kulpa Gallery and MAH, is doing pretty good after his stroke last week. He’s been moved to a regular hospital room at Stanford and his daughter Nikita has been taking good care of him. Brigette “Jet” Cawiezell is going up there today to stay with him for a while. Streetlight Records who owns the Kulpa Gallery is planning on a benefit to help with the financial costs of Robbie’s setback. Jet sent this…” if folks don’t do online then they can make their checks payable to:

Robbert Schoen Rehab Fund
Santa Cruz County Bank
720 Front St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Attn: Mary Ann Carson

Check the Felix Kulpa website for updates, and the gallery will probably be closed for the month of March, while future details are worked out. There’s a special fundraiser being worked on for March’s First Friday.

THE BEST MOVIES OR THE OSCARS ???

The more movies I see (maybe 250 per year) and the more I read about and watch the Academy Awards the more I’m convinced that great films and Oscars have little, if any connection. The enormous money influence, the growing support of violence and gross humor in our major film releases have taken the Academy far away from what will be entered into cinema books of fame.

My only Oscar sharing picks this year are Manchester By The Sea, and Moonlight. I’ll bet neither wins for Best Film next Sunday. My really sincere choices are Julieta, Captain Fantastic, Paterson, I am Not Your Negro, 20th Century Women, A Man Called Ove, The Light Between Oceans, The Handmaiden, and Jackie. Down just one small notch are; Demolition, Sing Street, The Innocents, Our Little Sister, Indignation, Hell or High Water, Don’t breathe, The Hollars, Nocturnal Animals and Anomalisa (Charlie Kaufman’s animated masterpiece).

HISTORIC PHOTO DATA. If you scroll down to last week’s flood photo taken at Soquel and Seabright you’ll see cars splashing through the overflow. I asked what year the photo might have been taken John Wilkes replied…Bruce — The photo in today’s “Bratton Online” shows a 1949 Oldsmobile and a Studebaker of the same vintage in front of it.  That’s as close as I can come to the date of the photo” . Thanks John, at least we know it was after 1949!!! Maybe the ’55 flood???

CLASSICAL DeCINZO. Another week, another Girl Scout Cookie shout out!!! See De Cinzo just a bit further below.

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s “A Galactic Disease” and it’s  spreading fast… see                  down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent  Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “Who’s going home with the gold at the Oscars Sunday night? Compare my fearless (often clueless) predictions with yours, this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). Also, what does it means when a girl gets roses from her editor? Good news for the latest revision, I hope! ” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

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 archived for two weeks… (See next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. Dean Kaufman and Travis Deyoung from Veterans Services bring us up to date on veterans issues and programs on Feb. 21…then Becca King Reed  reports in on our Santa Cruz Community Television station.  TBAguests on February 28 talking about TBD Then Cynthia Berger and Zav Hershfield talk about the Santa Cruz Tenants Association. On March 7 Newton and Helen Harrison talk about their book, “The Time of The Force Majeure”. Tony Russomano follows talking about the structure of the Democratic Party in California. Patrice Vecchione returns March 14 to talk about her one-woman show “Dressed and Undressed” happening March 17 & 18. Espressivo conductor and artistic director Michel Singher talks about their March 30 concert on March 21 followed by Chip from The Downtown Association of Santa Cruz. Roy Malan discusses the Hidden Valley String Orchestra concert happening April 9. John Aird follows with an overview of UCSC growth, water,  and our tourist driven wharf plans.  Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always and only at bratton@cruzio.com

NEW UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVE FEATURE. Stuff changes at KZSC a lot. If you missed either of the last two weeks of Universal Grapevine broadcasts go here… http://www.radiofreeamerica.com/dj/bruce-bratton You have to listen to about 4 minutes of that week’s KPFA news first, then Grapevine happens.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 9 years here’s a chronological list of some past broadcasts.  Such a wide range of folks such as  Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, and Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Company. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011.

QUOTES.                 “FEBRUARY”

“February is merely as long as is needed to pass the time until March”, J.R. Stockton

“Good morrow, Benedick. Why, what’s the matter,
That you have such a February face,
So full of frost, of storm and cloudiness?”,
~William Shakespeare, Much Ado about Nothing

“Late February days; and now, at last,
Might you have thought that winter’s woe was past;
So fair the sky was, and so soft the air”, William Morris, The Earthly Paradise: A Poem, 1870

SEABRIGHT AND SOQUEL AVENUES 3:22 pm but CIRCA??? Car enthusiasts should be able to pin point the year this was taken. Maybe these aren’t flood waters, maybe just drain/plumbing water department problems? Do note that Horsnyder’s Pharmacy was located right there where Ace Hardware is now. photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE February 13, 2017

DESTROYING OUR OCEAN VIEW. Many, many reactions to my words last week (scroll down) about that almost constant addition by our officials of junk and art and exercise equipment and water fountains that subtract and diminish the pleasure of having an ocean view.

Lee Taiz wrote to the City Council, “Hello Council, I dislike having the view from West Cliff Drive disrupted by artwork, even good artwork.  There are a great many other places for art.  The view of the Bay from West Cliff is a unique treasure, and marring it unnecessarily with human structures of any kind is cruel.  I was happy to hear that one of our misplaced, and now deteriorating, artworks was about to be removed at last. Now it seems that not only will it be repaired, and continue to blight the view, but a tall ugly fountain has been added in another spot.  A peaceful view of the Bay without human structures is priceless.  I don’t understand why humans are so bent on destroying natural spaces with ill-placed human constructs.  When you gild a lily, it dies. I hope both the old artwork and the new fountain will be removed”.

Adding to that, let’s be clear  it’s not about ART… even statues by masters such as Rodin, DaVinci, Picasso, Moore and Andy Warhol would ruin the view. Sure it’s possible to become attached to almost anything. I’ve got an ugly coffee cup with a broken handle that I’ve kept on my shelf for decades because I used it so long it’s like a friend but I don’t expect others to like looking at it. Another constant reader wrote, ” Count me as one who loves Guardian I on West Cliff. It’s always been a part of my Santa Cruz, for the last 30+ years”. Guardian I is that sculpture that is rotting out and apparently will be refurbished at some cost by our City funds. Let’s not re-live that battle over the tacky, un-necessary Surfer Boy sculpture. Keep our cliffs clean. As I said before tourists do NOT come here to see that huge amount of stuff our City allows to ruin our Ocean View.

ROBBIE SCHOEN’S STROKE.  (Felix Kulpa Gallery) Friends and professional connections were shocked, amazed and hurt by the news that Robbie Schoen who runs the Felix Kulpa Gallery had a stroke Friday (2/10) while working at MAH and is still (Monday 2/13) in ICU and is rated CRITICAL  at Stanford Hospital. Not only did Robbie hang all the art and do all the booking at F. Kulpa, he also did almost all of the display work at MAH and was very good at it. Friends tell me he had high cholesterol levels before,  but this stroke was a total surprise. In the meantime friends are planning to run the Felix Kulpa Gallery just as before and will soon have the schedule figured out. If you happen to know anyone who still prays tell them about Robbie. We are all hanging in there. MAH’s Nina Simon adds, ” Robbie has given so much to the MAH and to our artistic community. We want to do whatever we can to help him and his family at this time. Marla Novo is in conversation with his daughter Jett. Jett has encouraged us to set up a fund where people can donate to support Robbie. We are working today on how to do so… We will let you know as soon as we have information on that” Plans are also underway to do a benefit plus a Kickstarter thing. Go to the Felix Kulpa website for late breaking details.

SYPHILIS & GONORRHEA IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. Speaking of love, the latest issue of City On A Hill Press (Feb. 9) says…”Santa Cruz county has had a higher percentage increase in cases of gonorrhea and syphilis compared to the rest of the U.S. Nationwide”. The article by Sydney Griffith Gladu also has a chart showing there was a 41 % increase of syphilis in Santa Cruz County (2015-16) compared to a 19% national increase. The chart also shows a 31% increase of gonorrhea in Santa Cruz County (2015-16) compared to a 13% national increase. In case you’re ok as of the moment, the same article leads off with….”Over half of all people will contract a sexually transmitted infection(STD) in their lifetime” . Unfortunately the article doesn’t say why or who…we’ll just have to guess.

POLICE CHIEF RETIRING. Santa Cruz Police Chief Kevin Vogel is retiring in June after 30 years on the force and with no replacement in sight. Yet another reader asks if this is the first time a Police Chief has retired while a killing by Santa Cruz Police is still under investigation. Seems like an awkward move. Any clues on this???

CELEBRATE PIANO ENSEMBLE. Everybody loves piano music and there’ll be a huge piano concert on Sunday, Feb. 19.This annual piano extravaganza presents music for piano 4-hands and for two pianos, featuring 18 of Santa Cruz County’s finest pianists. From Schubert to Gottschalk, the program includes the lively Sabre Dance for 8 pianists. Performers are Amy Beal, Susan Bruckner, Mary Jane Cope, Ben Dorfan, Roger Emanuels, Rose Georgi, Nicki Kearns, Ellen Khayat, Lynn Kidder, Lavinia Livingston, Stefanie Malone, John Orlando, Carol Panofsky, Ivan Rosenblum, Michel Singher, Marina Thomas, Vlada Volkova-Moran, and Leah Zumberge.  All proceeds go to the scholarship fund for Santa Cruz County music students, presented by the Santa Cruz Branch of Music Teachers’ Association of California. Suggested donation at the door: $10. It’s at 2 p.m. at the UCSC Recital Hall.

CLASSICAL DeCINZO. Scroll down to see one of my favorite DeCinzo rain and flood masterpieces.

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s “week number 4 ” down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent  Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog.

LISA JENSEN LINKS Lisa writes: “Now that Oscar front-runner La La Land is racking up the accolades, the inevitable backlash is in full swing. Find out why I still love it, this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com). Also, a workaholic daughter copes with her fun-loving father — and vice-versa — in the offbeat German comedy Toni Erdmann.” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975. .

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 archived for two weeks… (See next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. Feb.14 has Lisa Robinson director of The San Lorenzo Valley Museum talking about their new exhibit re…the Explosive history of the Valley. Then author Dave Evans shares ideas from his bestselling book, “Designing Your Life”. Veterans Advocate Dean Kaufman brings us up to date on veterans issues and programs on Feb. 21…after Dean, Becca King Reed  reports in on our Santa Cruz Community Television station.  Sculptor, artist Peggy Snider guests on February 28 talking about her political sculpture show opening March 3rd. Then Cynthia Berger and Zav Hershfield talk about the Santa Cruz Tenants Association. On March 7 Newton and Helen Harrison talk about their book, ” The Time of The Force Majeure”. Patrice Vecchione returns March 14 to talk about her one-woman show “Dressed and Undressed” happening March 17 & 18. Espressivo conductor and artistic director Michel Singher talks about their March 30 concert on March 21.Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always and only at bratton@cruzio.com

NEW UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVE FEATURE. Stuff changes at KZSC a lot. If you missed either of the last two weeks of Universal Grapevine broadcasts go here… http://www.radiofreeamerica.com/dj/bruce-bratton You have to listen to about 4 minutes of that week’s KPFA news first, then Grapevine happens.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 9 years here’s a chronological list of some past broadcasts.  Such a wide range of folks such as  Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, and Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Company. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011.

QUOTES.                      “CALIFORNIA”

“Best way to live in California is to be from somewheres else”, Cormac McCarthy, No Country for Old Men
“Things are tough all over, cupcake, an’ it rains on the just an’ the unjust alike…except in California”, Alan Moore, Watchmen
“If you’ve had good gin on a hot day in Southern California with the people you love, you forget Nebraska. The two things cannot coexist. The stronger, better of the two wins”, Ann Patchett, The Magician’s Assistant
“God will break California from the surface of the continent like someone breaking off a piece of chocolate. It will become its own floating paradise of underweight movie stars and dot-commers, like a fat-free Atlantis with superfast Wi-Fi”, Laura Ruby, Bad Apple