Bratton Online

Highlights this week:
Griggs and Vulnerable Santa Cruz…True story of Barry Swenson’s Illegal Tank Removal…Nestlé’s buys vegan biz (like Coke buying Odwalla)… Peter Bartczak mural’s demise… Warning against Western Service Workers Association …Dolores the movie, reviewed by Krohn and Bratton…Greensite on Housing Costs…Krohn and affordable housing, and the Pacific Ave. hole and Swenson plans…Steinbruner and true story of Swenson and Aptos Village development problems, Rancho Del Mar fighting TRC developer, Zach Friend not responding or caring or helping… Patton and DACA deal…DeCinzo and school time…Eagan and Medicare…Mark Stone Party Thursday…FashionArt show next Saturday…Jensen and a movie hint…I critique Mother, Dolores, Viceroy House and Beach Rats…Quotes, an amalgam of.

McHugh & Bianchi General Store. November 1972. This grand identifying structure was replaced with Bank Of The West in 2011. It was right across the street from Scribner Square at the corner of Pacific and Mission.. It was once known as the Hotaling Building and Hinkle’s Cash Store.

photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection.

Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

SANTA CRUZ TIME CAPSULE 1979-1999. As created and filmed by LBJohnson.

THE HUMANS 1979 from their album. Early Santa Cruz music!!!

Larry Hosford and Jeff Cruse on KUSP at General Feed and Seed in Soquel.

DATELINE September 18, 2017

VULNERABLE SANTA CRUZ. UCSC Earth Scientist professor and former director of the Institute of Earth Sciences Gary Griggs and I talked about the official City of Santa Cruz Vulnerability Study that he and Brent Haddad were commissioned to do. Paid for by FEMA money, it was also known as the Santa Cruz Climate Adaptation Plan. It laid out the dangers of flooding Pacific Avenue, floods filling Neary Lagoon, shores crumbling, on and on it reads. What’s the City ever done in reaction to the study, what has the City ever done by way of the evacuation plan it urged…nothing, just nothing. It’s the same as back in 1988 one year before the 1989 earthquake when the city commissioned experts to detail the possible earthquake dangers. That study said that almost all the business on Pacific Avenue needed re-shoring, needed huge new support systems. The businesses on Pacific and the City Council paid the study fee and sent the experts back out of town and almost all the building owners did absolutely nothing. Except oddly enough Max Walden who owned The Cooper House did the necessary re-structuring. But after the 89 quake local “experts” said the Cooper House did get damaged and because the new owner wanted the FEMA money he let the historic building be destroyed. Are we still in the same boat? Will the next tsunami, tidal wave, or quake destroy more of our community because the City Council again ignores all the warnings? We’ll see, won’t we? Listen to the Griggs interview at … http://www.radiofreeamerica.com/dj/bruce-bratton and click on “September 12”.

BARRY SWENSON GOT CAUGHT AND FINED! Becky Steinbruner has again, scooped everybody in her BrattonOnline column long ago and told all of us about Barry Swenson and the ILLEGAL TANK REMOVAL…this week she tells us the entire story that the Sentinel missed completely. Read it just below.

NESTLE’S BUYS IN. Read in The Monterey County Weekly how Nestle’s bought out a Moss Landing organic vegan business. Read the details here… Read the details here…

Remember Greg Steltenpohl’s selling of Odwalla Juices in Davenport to Coca Cola back in 1996. Read what’s happened to Greg here…

A fond farewell to Moonlight Dance, located at Scope Park, with artist Peter Bartczak and the Santa Cruz Arts Commission. Moonlight Dance has been a poignant symbol of the accepting and diverse culture of Santa Cruz for 24 years. The community shared fond memories and thoughts of the mural.

PETER BARTCZAK & MURAL. Like destroying the Cooperhouse, the closing of Logos, losing the Pergolesi, losing the Art and History from the McPherson Museum of Art and History, the painting over Peter Bartczak’s “Moonlight Dance” mural in what used to be Scribner Square (SCOPE PARK) means losing more of the spirit of Santa Cruz. That’s the spirit that identifies us as a community and bonds and binds the folks who have chosen to live here. It is the same spirit that preserved the Town Clock….watch Peter

BEWARE THE WESTERN SERVICE WORKERS ASSOCIATION. This cult of young adults are back again (Trader Joe’s downtown) asking for spare change and trying to get more young people to join their group. Controversy follows them everywhere and always read this website before you get involved …or donate… Anybody know anything about the western service workers association?

CHECK YOUR FINGERS. Under no circumstances should anyone go see the movie “Beach Rats” now showing at the Nickelodeon. (see critique down below). But the one thing I did remember from critiquing it last Sunday is just one statement in the film. “If your index finger is longer than your ring finger, that means you’re gay”.

DOLORES…MORE THAN A MOVIE. Two more than salient topics are dealt with in this long overdue tribute to Dolores Huerta. One is to realize what history (and all of us) has done to motivated women. Obviously Hillary C. but add in Elizabeth Roosevelt, Elizabeth Warren, Nancy Pelosi and on and on. Huerta is shown to be a monumental force in spite of all odds, most of which are sexist. The second feature of this documentary is the power and strength and validity of The Boycott and its place in our history. From Delano and the grape boycott, to General Motors, Safeway, Nestle, Luis Valdez, Angela Davis are featured

HOUSING COST SHIBBOLETHS
A recent Sentinel editorial noted that California’s high cost of housing, including rents, hinders economic growth and is the major factor behind the high cost of living in the Golden State (As We See It 9/14/17). The editorial laid out the reasons for the state’s high housing costs as seen by the editorial board, namely: zoning restrictions that limit the amount of developable land; NIMBYS (Not In My Back Yarders); high development impact fees; overly strict building codes and labor rules; CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) abuses and inclusionary zoning measures (requiring a development to include a certain number of below market-rate units.) Wow, their list neatly summarizes factors that protect the environment; ensure building safety; respect the right to protest gentrification and overbuilding in neighborhoods and provide for some (never enough) lower-than- average priced (never low enough) housing units in multi-unit developments. Conspicuously absent from the Sentinel’s list is any mention of investors, speculators and developers whose right to profit from a basic human need for shelter is never questioned.

This developer friendly view of the high cost of housing brings to mind a similar distortion when people discuss why we have a high rate of rape in Santa Cruz, in California, in the US and globally. The usual list includes: women wearing skimpy clothes; women drinking; women going out alone; women partying; women not using the buddy system; women flirting…you get the picture. The main cause of rape is masculine sexual aggression, which is rendered invisible and thus assumes the status of a force of nature that women must navigate around, alter their lives around and suffer the guilt and blame if they fail and are raped. We will never radically reduce the incidence and trauma of rape if we ignore the cause and focus on extraneous factors that are at best, irrelevant, at worst victim-blaming. We need to re-focus attention on creating the social conditions for boys to be raised in a culture where “being a man” is not equated with being aggressive and in which all genders respect and support each other. No, not easy, we don’t have a good role model at the top right now and it won’t happen overnight but at least we can stop looking in all the wrong directions while ignoring the only one that will make a difference.

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And so it is with housing. The invisible, major driver of housing costs is that housing is a commodity designed to generate profits usually tied into global financing and capital. For local flavor, add a few factors such as a growing demographic of high tech, high salaried consumers; UCSC’s continued expansion; global marketing of Santa Cruz’s natural/cultural environments and the result is that the value of land and rents on that land will be pushed as high as possible. Remember not long ago when $350 a month for a one-room apartment seemed high? No amount of building will lower the ever-increasing cost of housing under conditions of unlimited demand, which is to live in Santa Cruz, so long as housing is a commodity. In fact, building more will only raise the cost of housing by raising the value of property just as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s) raise the cost of housing while not providing working class/blue collar affordable rentals. Well-off, single millennials soon tire of dense apartment living and look for single -family homes, further driving up the price. Of course, an economic slump in global capital will chill the housing market for a while, allowing the big financiers to buy up stock and wait out the slump until the next boom.

Taking housing out of the capitalist market is probably not a popular option but like health care, is probably the only way to lower the cost and ensure that everyone has access to truly affordable shelter. Short of that there are some ways to better regulate the market other than leaving it up to financiers with their shills in Planning Departments and compliant elected officials to make decisions that pretend to nibble at the cost corners but in fact just smooth the way for more development. Inclusionary zoning, seen by some as a solution, encourages dense development, which placates some housing activists but does not deliver the “affordable” goods. It does raise the value and therefore the cost of the surrounding properties.

Since Santa Cruz properties are being snapped up as second homes by the wealthy, legislation that heavily taxes such unoccupied dwellings would help. Rent control would help. Stopping UCSC growth would help. A heavy tax on flipping properties would help. What won’t help is to follow the Sentinel editorial board down the garden path to open the gate wider for developers by eliminating the few avenues the public has available to temper the excesses of profiteering and protect what’s left of Santa Cruz as a town with a distinct character rather than a corporate brand.

~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.

By: Chris Krohn    Email Chris at ckrohn@cruzio.com

Who Will Hold the City Council’s Feet to the Affordable Housing Fire?

“If Not Now When? If Not Us, Then Who?”

(Outrageous) Photo of the week

Your tax dollars at work! What happened to the smaller Ford Rangers, or even the Toyota Tacoma’s? What message is the city sending? What about an E-truck? Try jogging, biking, or strollering around this F-150 behemoth!?! Difficult at best. Why is the city purchasing such bloat? Just a couple of months ago I saw Park Rangers patrolling the river levy driving an electric golf cart. These carts are maneuverable and provide plenty of room to get around the recreating residents. Somebody has too much money in the city, and I have a homeless shelter that needs funding.

Brother, Can You Spare a Condo?
The housing “buck” that’s supposed to stop at the Santa Cruz City Council this week came and went. It came in the form of a Barry Swenson 79-condo project at 1547 Pacific Avenue; the site of the pre-earthquake Bookshop Santa Cruz. Our housing hyper-sensitive community was entitled to 12 units of affordable housing in this project. There it was on the table, but upon voting, our community was left hung out to dry and the 12 units disappeared into that same black hole of council misses: 555 Pacific Ave., 1800 Soquel Ave. 716 Darwin Street and the recent dubious additions to 630 Water Street. Somehow TWELVE bedrooms and studios just slipped through the folded arms of a compliant, developer-first five-two majority city council. Folks, our city council is just not holding developers accountable.

In this case, Swenson front man, Scott Connelly, was not offering any affordable units, and the Council Five wasn’t demanding any. In fact, Scotty will build a completely unfriendly-family project with NO 3-bedroom units, while at the same time turning several two-bedroom units into studios and more one-bedrooms in this “Santa Cruz hot, hot” housing market. How hot is it? I asked a simple question: Scotty, before you beam me up, how much will the rent be at 1547 Pacific Avenue? After all, it’s the location where I was introduced to caffeine during my UCSC undergrad days at Caffe Pergolesi, and where the Penny University was founded, and also where I was recently told, Supervisor Gary Patton held his Monday agenda review sessions before Tuesday County supervisor meetings. Well, it took Scott about ten minutes to get to the, er, actual, illusory maybe, rent prices. But finally, he did reveal some numbers to gaping mouths, dropped jaws, and bystander gasps. In a doctor’s voice charged with telling the patient she’s got incurable cancer, Mr. Connelly stammered and finally arrived at the price tags: Studios for $2000, 1-bedrooms for $2800, and 2-bedroom units as high as $3800…and “our” Santa Cruz City Council scored zero affordable units that day.

I often feel like I am living in a parallel universe while occupying a seat on the left side of city council dais. Some 58% of the community members that occupy some part of the universe I’m also apart of are renters. And those renters were looking to the council last Tuesday afternoon to help level this insane Santa Cruz rental market. I am deeply sorry to say the council failed this rather simple test because guess what? There’s hundreds more units of housing being contemplated along Front Street and the river, and achieving deep levels of affordability does not look very promising at this point.

Public Wants Council to Demand Developers Build the Affordable Units
To top it off, 28 of 29 members of the public who wrote in pleading with the council to demand that the developer at least take some time and come back to the council with the requisite number of affordable units were almost completely ignored. “Just figure it” out they wrote in unison. The city is entitled to 15%, or 11.85 units under the “Planned Development” scenario that the developers agreed to enter in. Perhaps the correspondence is best summed up by what retired teacher, Ruth Valdez, wrote:

“As a retired-teacher I am finding it nearly impossible to afford housing in this area where I’ve lived and worked since 1985. Is this any way to treat us? In your approval of 79 condos on Pacific Ave at the old Bookshop Santa Cruz site, your Council needs to demand that the developer build the 13 inclusionary units as per our ordinance for Planned Development units. The Council has discretion to demand this. I urge you to demand that these affordable units be built as part of the development. We need all the affordable housing possible in our city.”

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As a matter of fact, the city council a couple months back, passed a Two-Year Work Plan Strategic Goals, and guess what is stated as the number one goal of this city council? Come on now…did it say to make developers happier and wealthier? Nope. On Page 7, the Strategic Goal numero uno, is housing and “creat[ing] pathways for housing development that maintains our community character while supporting affordable housing goals…” But, not on second Tuesdays in September, I guess. Basically, what I learned from this resulting council vote was that there would be no “public benefit.” A public benefit finding is negotiated with the developer when the council offers permit relief or land or certain permissions. The council can demand the developer build affordable units, or put in extra trees, or require bicycles on premises to cut down on car trips, or put in a rooftop garden, or make the building a Leeds-certified design, or obtain an easement through the property to provide the public with access between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street, in this case…but no, no public access to this building at all was required by THE FIVE who voted to approve it. Game On folks, NOT Game over!

Dolores
I’m not trying to steal thunder from Bratton’s movie reviews here, but if you want a shot in the organizer arm, go see Dolores at the Del Mar Theater before it leaves, or rent it on-line if it’s gone. This movie is one we need to take notes from because the 2018 city council elections are right around the corner, and if we are to get better affordable housing negotiators we need to elect councilmembers who turn their talk into deeds. It’s a fine film portrayal of what a terrific organizer, Dolores Huerta was, and still is, up to this day! The story is personal, political, and we hear some tear-jerking moments from her eleven kids about a mom who was away for most of their childhood years organizing farm workers and feminists, running picket lines, and later teaching younger organizers. Local Santa Cruzan, Tatanka Bricca, wrote me an email recently about Dolores:

“Dolores lives in Bakersfield. We talk frequently. I am godfather to a couple of her grandkids and good friends with Camila (in the movie) and her husband and their children. Camila is her youngest daughter who runs the Dolores Huerta Foundation. It’s been an amazing journey–my life, that is, and Dolores is the one who recruited and trained me. Grateful every day of my life for that!”

Santa Cruz History of Housing
That same Swenson condo giveaway day, the council also heard a staff report about the sorry state of rental and for-sale housing in Santa Cruz given that prices rise exponentially compared to local wages. In the twenty-four- page report, “Community Engagement, Housing History & Affordability,” there are a few eye-opening bits of information.

In the Mayor’s “listening tour” under “Challenges,” more people have brought up the combination of “traffic” and “corridors development” than any other issue (p.3), and under “Solutions,” rent control and funding for a housing bond measure together are the big winners.
“To afford the average Santa Cruz rent of $3,187 [per month], you need to earn $8,400 per month…or $100,800 per year.” (p. 9)
“About 8% of the City’s Housing stock is deed-restricted affordable units.” (p. 12)
Recent housing bonds passed in the Bay Area: Alameda County for $580 million, Santa Clara County for $600 million, City/County of San Francisco “repurposed $261 million in existing bond issue to acquire and rehabilitate units for affordable housing” (p. 14)
What’s not so clear on page 20, “City Population and UCSC Enrollment” is that student enrollment has doubled in size whereas city population as a whole has grown by less than a third. (p. 5)

What might Santa Cruz County voters approve in the way of a housing bond? We probably need between $200-$300 million to even make a dent in our housing needs. And how might the bond money be repaid? Generally, from a parcel tax on homeowners.

Affordable Housing Week
Get out your calendars now, and block out Affordable Housing Week for Oct. 19- 26. There will be discussions, debates, deliberation, and hopefully some decision-making about how Santa Cruz will address its housing crisis. Be ready to make some demands and work for some changes (Go Dolores!) in the face of the outrageous rents being charged. Where will we end up on the short-term vacation rental issue? Can we put forward a real estate transfer tax to penalize house-flippers and fund affordable housing? Can we raise the minimum wage?…build a 24/7 homeless-houseless shelter with mental health and addiction services?…and what to do about that 19,000-pound gorilla called:

U-C-S-C?
Get ready, get set, go! We need everyone on alert and active if we are to tackle this housing crisis.

~Bernie Quote of the Week

“A great nation is not judged by its billionaires, but by its compassion.”

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.

By: Becky Steinbruner    Email Becky at KI6TKB@yahoo.com

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY FINES BARRY SWENSON BUILDER $125,000 FOR ILLEGAL TANK REMOVAL & SOIL CONTAMINATION AT APTOS VILLAGE PROJECT

The Santa Cruz Sentinel reported Sept. 16, Page A4 that Barry Swenson Builder agreed to pay $125.000 environmental fine related to a major Aptos development (notice the name is missing) for “improperly handled and disposed of” underground storage tank. Here is the link.

The San Jose Mercury News also ran an article.

Well, in my opinion, the articles do not report the whole truth of this story. Here is what really happened: Barry Swenson Builder (the articles say the company is now called “Swenson”) and Santa Cruz Underground Paving crews came upon a buried metal tank in the Aptos Village Project on March 1, 2016. By law, the crews should have stopped work, notified County Environmental Health and Aptos/La Selva Fire staff that the tank was there. Did that happen??? NO. Crews, at the direction of Barry Swenson Builder project foremen Jim Lynn and Keith Henderson, continued to extricate the tank. The tank ruptured and spilled hundreds of gallons of old diesel fuel, probably associated with the historic Lam-Mattison Apple Dryer and Vinegar Works, the foundation of which was adjacent to the tank.

I happened to drive by just then and saw the workers furiously channeling the liquid into a trench that SCUP had hastily created and I saw the large metal tank on the ground nearby. I saw the liquid welling up from the hole where the tank had been, all next to the intersection of Village Drive and Granite Way. I did not have a camera, but went back the next day and found NO TANK, and the trench filled in. Hmmmm….

I contacted Assistant Planning Director, Ms. Wanda Williams, about the tank. It took nearly a month to get an answer. She assured me that all was well, that Barry Swenson Builder had a permit from County Environmental Health to remove the tank. What caught my attention, however, was that the copy of the receipt for the permit was for March 8, 2016 (not March 1 or before) and that double fees for the permit were levied. Hmmmm….

Luckily, I found out the shocking truth from some honest County staff:

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Barry Swenson Builder and SCUP violated the law by removing the underground storage tank without permit
Their environmental consultant, Comprehensive Construction Consultants, did not arrive until March 2 and did not notify County staff
Barry Swenson Builder/SCUP crews hauled the tank away the evening of March 1 (several eye witnesses confirm and the tank was gone when I went March 2 to photograph it)
The tank had not been cleaned or certified legal to transport on public roadways.
County grading inspectors noticed the strong smell of diesel March 4 and asked County Environmental Health about the problem….THAT WAS THE FIRST THAT THE AGENCY IN CHARGE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILLS AND PERMITTING HAD HEARD ABOUT THE INCIDENT.
A metal tank arrived at A & S Metal Recycling in Castroville the morning of March 2, cut up and without any permits or documentation normally required of such tanks. It was held for 3 days, then destroyed. This all happened before County Environmental Health was contacted by Barry Swenson Builder or SCUP representatives about the issue.
County Environmental Health Hazardous Materials Specialists Mr. John Hodges and Mr. John Gerbrandt met with Swenson’s environmental consultant and received an erroneous timeline of events, with a claim that the tank left March 2, rather than in the night of March 1 (same day as extrication). Swenson paid double fees to get a retro-active tank removal permit….a mere $2000.
Environmental Health staff site inspection revealed fresh soil work, with a large area of oily sheen on the surface. REMEMBER, THE TANK WAS GONE AND SWENSON/SCUP CREWS HAD COVERED EVERYTHING UP…INCLUDING THE TRENCH FULL OF DIESEL AND THE HOLE LEFT BY THE TANK.
About a month later, sampling took place in the soils that had the sheen, and the location of the tank CLAIMED BY KEITH HENDERSON, PROJECT FOREMAN. However, this tank location was NOT the location that multiple eye-witnesses told Environmental Health about.

Many diesel and gasoline-related contaminants were detected at very high levels. Crews were ordered to tarp the disgusting-smelling soils and label “Hazardous Waste” a tank of effluent that the environmental consultant had collected before the trench was filled with soil prior to the Environmental Health specialists’ site visit. The tank never got labeled because, as Keith Henderson told County staff, he did not want the neighbors to see it.

Despite repeated requests by eye witnesses and community members, Environmental Health did not require further testing to determine if there was contamination at the location where the tank was actually located, next to Village Drive and Granite Way, some 75′ upstream as the groundwater flows. Barry Swenson Builder and Aptos Village LLC developers refused to allow an independent soil sample and test to be conducted under County Environmental Health supervision, but paid for by private citizens.

Oddly, this all was happening at the same time as the We Are Aptos group was filing Petition for Writ of Mandate against the County and the Aptos Village developers. Attorney Bill Parkin felt this soil contamination and illegal removal of the tank was “NO BIG DEAL. IT’S JUST SOIL REMEDIATION, BECKY”. Those were his exact words when I questioned him about the incident and how it might be applied to our Writ. Instead, he pressured our group to settle out of court. When I refused to agree to remain silent forever on the Aptos Village Project, he asked what it would take to get me to sign it. I mentioned my concerns remaining about the diesel tank contamination. The next day, the County Environmental Health Department CLOSED THE DIESEL TANK AND SOIL CONTAMINATION CASE, claiming the problem was taken care of. But the normal process required for this type of case closure was not followed. There were no “punch tests” to ensure the contaminants had not entered the groundwater. This is especially odd, given there are TWO public wells (both owned by Soquel Creek Water District) nearby and the contaminants found included gasoline-related organics, which travel widely and freely in groundwater.

I met last spring with the new County Environmental Health Hazardous Materials Specialist, Mr. Tim Fillmore, and the newly-appointed Director of Health Services, Dr. Arnold Leff, to discuss the issue of soil contamination at the Aptos Village Project. I had seen another tank noted on the 1902 Sanborn Insurance Map for the area, and I wanted to ask the County to require Swenson and SCUP to use Ground-Penetrating Radar to scan the area of the development to assure there would not be a repeat of the problem last year. Dr. Leff asked me “If we agree to require this Radar survey, would you drop your complaint (to State Regional Water Quality Control Board) about the other diesel tank site?” I replied that I would not. Mr. Fillmore hastily said, “Well, we are not here to negotiate anything.” Dr. Leff refused to require any further examination of the Aptos Village Project soils or require a Ground Penetrating Radar Study to be done. He also refused to require Barry Swenson Builder to allow citizens to institute an independent soil contamination study at the TRUE TANK LOCATION.

I was contacted soon after by Mr. Ed Browne, the newly-hired County District Attorney investigating environmental and consumer affairs issues. He wanted to talk with me about the Aptos Village Project diesel tank issue. When I met with him in his office, he said he had already interviewed all of Swenson’s staff associated with the case, and that they had admitted guilt of violating the laws. He said the Swenson staff did not aware that they were to have contacted County officials when crews found the tank. Mr. Browne assured me he would bring Barry Swenson Builder and all associated sub-contractors (SCUP) to justice, and would consider making an independent soil test at the disputed tank site part of the settlement, with an injunction issued. He asked me to keep him informed of other issues related, but that he would not be able to take much action on the case until September because he was so busy with bigger cases.

So, when Barry Swenson Builder crews started excavating the contaminated soils from the true tank location in order to build the 17 foot-high retaining wall, I phoned Mr. Browne and begged him to issue an injunction. The crews were smearing the diesel-smelling soils throughout the Project area, which drains into Aptos Creek. He did not return my call. I went to his office. He met with me and said he couldn’t do anything about it just then. I reported the diesel-smelling soils to Environmental Health’s NEW Hazardous Materials Specialist, Ms. Rebecca Supplee. She replied that staff did not detect any diesel odors and that I must report all problems via the County website.

Last summer, I received a copy of the pre-maturely issued County judgment against Barry Swenson Builder regarding the illegal diesel tank removal and associated contamination. I again met with Mr. Browne. I asked why the penalty fee ($125,000) was so low when, by law, he could impose $25,000/day of violation? He said he talked with some people who felt the $125,000 was appropriate. I asked why there was no requirement to have independent further soil study done at the TRUE TANK LOCATION? He said Environmental Health staff did not think it was needed. I asked why SCUP was not also named in the penalty? He said he talked with some people and they felt that was not necessary. I asked what was left to be negotiated and why the press release had been immediately revoked? Well, the dollar amount is not up for negotiation, and someone just thought they were being helpful.

IS THERE STILL SOIL CONTAMINATION AT THE APTOS VILLAGE PROJECT? I THINK SO.

RANCHO DEL MAR SAGA CONTINUES IN APTOS
Many thanks to the 521 people who signed the online petition to County Supervisor Zach Friend, asking him to take leadership and negotiate with Rancho del Mar Center owners TRC Retail to allow the merchants who were given a 30-day eviction notice until the end of the year to stay in business through the busiest shopping season and find suitable re-locations. It seems that the merchants are being told by County Economic Development Director Barbara Mason to CONTACT BARRY SWENSON BUILDER ABOUT GETTING SPACE IN THE APTOS VILLAGE PROJECT. Do you smell a rat or two?

Meanwhile, Zach Friend’s mouthpiece, Doug Deaver, Business Counselor who resides in Rio del Mar, has told the merchants there is really nothing that Supervisor Friend can do to help them because construction schedules for TRC are rigid. REALLY?? What about giving them some concession if the project is delayed…The County has given Barry Swenson Builder lots of those at the Aptos Village Project.

As usual, Zach Friend has not held any meetings with the Rancho del Mar merchants or the public to discuss the issue. Where is this “leader”? I had so hoped that he would follow the excellent example of Watsonville City Mayor Felipe Hernandez last year when this same issue came up with the Crossroads Center merchants. I guess it’s just too much to ask Zach Friend to show up unless there is a camera and the opportunity to further his own political career. What a shame.

KEEP THE PRESSURE ON ZACH FRIEND TO DO HIS JOB AND HOLD A DISCUSSION WITH RANCHO DEL MAR MERCHANTS AND TRC RETAIL. Call 454-2200 or e-mail Zach Friend <zach.friend@santacruzcounty.us> and insist he bring these parties together for negotiation…TRC Retail VP Bruce Walton acknowledged that their company has fallen down on the communication job with merchants. Many merchants tried contacting the company numerous times via phone and e-mail, asking for information about the project timeline, to allow them to plan their merchandise orders and look for new locations. TRC Retail staff NEVER responded. Supervisor Zach Friend could go to bat for these merchants on that alone…and at least negotiate that the existing merchants get first priority to sign leases when the remodel project is done. Right?

TRC RETAIL BREAKS YET ANOTHER PROMISE TO APTOS COMMUNITY…NO LOCAL CONSTRUCTION JOBS DURING REMODEL
When TRC Retail held two community meetings to discuss the Rancho del Mar remodel, they told the people that the work would be given to local construction companies. Now, thanks to Carpenter Local 505 on-site awareness actions, we know that is not the case.

The CLOSEST COMPANY CONSIDERED FOR LABOR BID IS SACRAMENTO. TRC Retail is not requiring any construction company doing the work to pay workers the area wages nor to require there be apprentice and training positions included for the trades. That hurts local workers and their families. What about those TRC Retail promises to the Aptos Community?

Contact Mr. Scott Grady, the TRC Retail Project Manager, at 949-662-2100 and let him know your thoughts.

Scott Grady <Sgrady@trcretail.com> and also the Vice President Hugh Zweig<Hsweig@trcretail.com>

Make sure you copy Supervisor Zach Friend.

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.

By: Gary Patton    Email Gary at gapatton@mac.com

#258 / That DACA Deal

Did President Trump make a deal on DACA? A deal that actually involved working with Democratic Party members of Congress? Yesterday, the media said, “Yes,” or at least, “we think so.” Of course, nothing is done until it’s done; we will all have to wait to see what ultimately happens. Nonetheless, the news stories raise an intriguing possibility. Could it be that we are finally moving away from a politics that is so hyper-partisan that it might be possible to contemplate a Congress that will play the role it is supposed to play in our governmental system?

After the election of President Obama, in 2008, the Republican Party took the position that all Republican Party members of Congress would vote, en bloc, against anything that President Obama proposed. And the Party acted accordingly, with the Republican Party leadership ruthlessly enforcing that hyper-partisan “party line.” That meant, as a practical matter, for the last ten years of the Obama presidency, that nothing could happen on any significantly controversial matter.

Any legislation passed by the Republican-controlled Congress could be vetoed by the President, and any program that the President favored would simply not be enacted by the Congress, no matter what. In the latter category were immigration reform, and specifically any program that would try to find ways to allow children who had been brought to the United States without proper authorization to stay in this country, and to continue to contribute to it. The President’s “Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals” program, carried out by Executive Order, was one of the “work arounds” that resulted from the Republican Party’s unwillingness to work with a Black President.

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

With the election of President Trump, the Republican Party assumed complete control of the Executive and Legislative branches of government. It seemed pretty clear, as well, that the appointment of Justice Gorsuch to the Supreme Court also put the Judicial branch into Republican Party control. The DACA program was an easy target. Its existence came about through an Executive Order from a Black President, and now the Republicans could get rid of it. Not unexpectedly, President Trump did, in fact, indicate that he was going to shut the program down, but he put a little spin on the pitch. Maybe, the president suggested, the Congress might want to legislate itself on this topic.

As I noted in this blog on September 5th, it seemed to me that there was a hopeful aspect to the president’s action. If the news reports from yesterday pan out, that hope will have proven to be not unfounded.

Our governmental system, as outlined in the Constitution, is premised on the idea that the Congress, with representatives supposedly responsible not to a national party ideology, but to local voters, will propose legislation to address issues of national concern. That legislation will have to pass muster with the president, who is elected “nationally,” not locally, so both “national” and “local” political opinion and perspectives will be decisive in the enactment of any law. That’s the way “it spozed to be.” Hyper-partisan political ideologies are not supposed to be the key factor in the governance of the nation.

As I said in my earlier blog posting, if President Trump’s actions on DACA can actually demonstrate that our political system can work in the way it is supposed to, his ability to have saved the “Dreamers” will keep the “American Dream” alive in more ways than one. If the DACA deal comes off as advertised, I think it would be fair to record the President’s actions as a “good deed,” and to post this fact in the “give the president some credit, where credit is due,” column!

~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. Scroll below to see De Cinzo’s opinion of students …and fall!

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s ” Medicare For All ” 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.

MUNCHING WITH MOZART CONCERT. Not a bit of Mozart or classical music for some reason this Thursday. Here’s what they sent…”Jazz standards form the basis of the musical tradition that has been called “America’s Classical Music,” with jazz bands interpreting the songs in an endless variety of ways. Persephone (featuring guitarist and vocalist Suki Wessling and drummer Jen Bruno) presents these songs stripped back down to their essence, with the songs’ musical and lyrical context. (For more information, visit PersephoneBand.com.) Join us for a celebration of pan-American song! Thursday, September 21st 12:10 – 12:50 Santa Cruz Public Library Downtown Branch – Meeting Room.

BIG MARK STONE PARTY THIS THURSDAY (9/21). Join almost every thankful resident and voter in the 5th Annual Party in Support Of Assembly member Mark Stone. Mark has been a great County Supervisor, near-perrfect Coastal Commissioner and has been taking good care of us in Sacramento. Please Join Friends, Supporters, and Hosts, Les and Nancy Gardner, George Couch, Democratic Club of North Santa Cruz County, Democratic Women’s Club of Santa Cruz County for The Thursday, September 21, 2017 5:00pm to 7:00pm party at Bruno’s BBQ 230-G Mt. Hermon Road • Scotts Valley, California.
Sliding Scale: $30 – $50 Supporter: $250 Sponsor: $1,000.

Checks can be made payable to Friends of Mark Stone PO Box 81, Monterey, CA 93942 or contribute online at www.FriendsOfMarkStone.org For More Information Or To RSVP Please Contact: 831-234-5885

FASHIONART…THE 11th ANNUAL!!!
FashionART Santa Cruz brings together the very best of fashion and wearable art to create a one of a kind, unforgettable event. In 2006, Angelo Grova, of Michaelangelo Gallery, hosted a fashion show in the parking lot outside his gallery to help support a friend studying fashion design. Much to Grova’s surprise, more than 400 people showed up in his parking lot that night… and so, FashionART Santa Cruz was born. Encouraged by the overwhelming success of that evening Grova, along with a dedicated group of volunteers, moved the show to the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium. Now an annual event, FashionART Santa Cruz showcases exquisite creations by emerging designers and spectacular, wearable art pieces. FashionART Santa Cruz takes the very best of fashion and art and brings them together to create a unique, colorful production full of surprises and creative talent. FashionART Santa Cruz is a full blown multi-media runway show featuring ready to wear from local and Bay Area designers and unique, one of a kind art pieces, all strutting down the runway for a truly unforgettable event. FashionART Santa Cruz 2017 will partner with non-profit organization, the Santa Cruz Education Foundation, who will receive partial proceeds from ticket sales. General Admission/Reserved Tickets. Tickets can be purchased from the Civic Auditorium by phone (831) 420-5260, in person, or online using the button below. It happens Saturday September 23, at the Civic Auditorium starting at 7 p.m. To purchase Premium Runway Seating tickets the day of show, contact FASC by phone: (831) 426-5500 or email: fashionartsantacruz@gmail.com And for sure don’t miss the TRUNK SHOW in the Civic parking lot that opens at 7 and goes on until after the Runway Show.

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: Lisa writes: “Check out the newest trailer from what may be one of my favorite movies of the year (hint: it’s from Guillermo del Toro) this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com/). And if you’re feeling blue that the final season of Game Of Thrones won’t be broadcast until (gah!) 2019, cheer up with this on-set blooper reel!” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

MOTHER. An excellent, genius- directed, absolutely intelligent plot, best-acted…what more can you ask from a movie?? Jennifer Lawrence, plus two of my favorite actors Javier Bardem and Ed Harris, Brian Gleeson, and a darker Michelle Pfeiffer make a perfect cast for this challenging film. Not a scary, boo-type, odd, weird, what’s that?, cellar stairs type of film. It’s more like “what is going on”, “I can’t imagine what’s happening next kind of film, Directed by Darren Aronofsky it’s a winner, and you’ll remember seeing it. So go. RT calls it a “psychological thriller” I agree.

DOLORES. See both Chris Krohn’s and my “advice” and “promotion” of this very necessary documentary up above. We all have some opinion of Dolores Huerta based on rumor, poor memory and the ignoring by media. That’s why we should all see this film. It’s also strong on feminism and Gloria Steinem along with Angela Davis have much to add to Dolores’ near overwhelming labor organizing. Then too you’ll learn just how much aid and direction that Bobby Kennedy gave to Dolores. See this film and bring a good friend…or Republican. 100% on RT!!!

VICEROYS HOUSE. When you have Hugh Bonneville (from Downton Abbey) playing Lord Mountbatten it would seem to guarantee a masterpiece but this saga about Britain leaving the control of India in 1947 and dividing that part of the country into Pakistan and India, but it’s dull and near-boring in its’ accuracy. You’ll see Ghandi, Churchill, newsreels, and corpses…and learn a lot of history about oil deposits in Pakistan. Go warned.

BEACH RATS. This is a very gay movie so… if you’re not gay don’t go, it’s a terrible movie. If you are gay really don’t go!!! The acting the plot, the shallowness, will or should, infuriate you. There is no depth, no background, lots of violence, crotches, lying, but mostly bad acting. And don’t forget about the length of your index vs ring finger (see above). ENDS THURS. SEPT.21.

This broke all box office records last weekend when IT opened…and IT should have. IT is a well made, very scary movie. Based on some Stephen King books, IT is chapter one of a two part nightmare- daydream that will grab you when you are least prepared to be scared. It has all the clichés…BUT it’s got tension, mystery, and perfect timing along with excellent acting. Just go see IT but only if you truly enjoy being scared. 86 on RT.

THE BIG SICK. Kumail Nanjiani the Pakistani jerk from the “Silicon Valley” tv sit com not only wrote this plot but he and his real wife lived it. The film is a bit long but it’s well worth seeing. It’ll grab you when you least expect it. He’s a standup comic and falls in love with Zoe Kazan, a “white” girl. It’s heart rending, funny and a tale told of cultural differences between his traditional Pakistani family and her very contemporary Mom (Holly Hunter) and dad. Go see it…it’ll surprise you.(and I’ll predict some Awards around December-January). ENDS THURS. SEPT.21.

WIND RIVER. Jeremy Renner and young beauty Elisabeth Olsen track down a killer on an Indian Reservation in the very cold Wyoming winter. Much better than average, you’ll stay with the plot and quite decent acting…all the way. It males some obvious social comment along the way, and that works too. The conclusion is a bit crude and drunken, but Renner is almost always worth watching.

DUNKIRK. Acclaimed auteur Christopher Nolan directs this World War II thriller about the evacuation of Allied troops from the French city of Dunkirk before Nazi forces can take hold. co-star, with longtime Nolan collaborator Hans Zimmer providing the score.

Dunkirk is a city in France and during WWII the Nazis drove the allied troops to Dunkirk’s beaches. There were 400, 000 troops stranded there with no ships to take them to safety. Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh and Mark Rylance are in the film briefly and do fine acting jobs. The film is all war and is well made and directed…better than most war films. But with City Of Ghosts playing now that’s the one to see IF you like genuine war films.

ATOMIC BLONDE. Charlize Theron does a nearly perfect job as the Blonde in this James Bond – Berlin Wall era action movie. Very well done fight scenes, complex spy loyalty plot, John Goodman is getting more and more difficult to believe, and he’s in it too. James McAvoy is there too but he doesn’t matter much. It’ll be the first of many sequels believe me, even though it didn’t do that well on opening weekend. Charlize T. also produced the film, and it’s based on a graphic novel.

LOGAN LUCKY. This film has just about everything that should guarantee greatness or at least give you two hours of “Good Movie”. It’s a robbery movie that takes place at the annual Coca Cola NASCAR race in Concord North Carolina. Channing Tatum isn’t very impressive, but Adam Driver steals many, many scenes with his one arm. Katie Holmes is in it too but it’s Daniel Craig who is most watchable. It’s odd and weird but Hillary Swank shows up in the last few minutes that must hint that there’ll be Logan Lucky 2. Steven Soderbergh has done better.

WONDER WOMAN. IF you like comic book heroes or heroines (hope its ok to use that term) Wonder woman is several cuts about the usual no brainer/ violent/monster filled box office smashes we keep seeing. Gal Gadot is a former Miss Israel and we keep hearing about that. She plays W. Woman. Robin Wright, is in it too and she is a long time favorite of mine. She is Sean Penn’s ex. Chris Pine just jumps around looking like the usual Hollywood cutie pie. If you remember that she’s a comic book star and is supposed to battle, fight and pose in tight pants all the time you could enjoy this more than most of that ilk. Do remember too that Wonder Woman is a DC comics creation NOT a Marvel Comic character…there’s a big difference, and I was recently corrected on KZSC’s Bushwhackers Breakfast Club.

ANNABELLE:CREATION. This is supposed to be the prequel to the Conjuring series (in case you’ve seen this haunted doll series). You can stay home and write the tired old script in seconds. Dark cellar stairs, creepy doll in closet, innocent orphan girls, scarecrows, dumbwaiters, you’ve seen it dozens of times if you haven’t been careful.

HOME AGAIN. Some friend used the word “torpor” in a meeting I attended last week. Torpor fits this movie almost perfectly…so does, stupor, inanity, vapid, fatuous and it stars Reese Witrherspoon. It’s not funny enough to be a comedy and not serious enough to be even close to a drama. A 40 year old woman (Witherspoon) rents/shares her house to three young guys and they have sex…you shouldn’t watch. RT gives it 35 but it shouldn’t have. ENDS THURS. SEPT.21.

THE HITMANS BODYGUARD. Samuel L. Jackson probably says “motherfucker” at least 100 times in this car chase, bloody, violent flick. Audiences laugh nowadays at the violence and I have a tough time with that. Jackson is the Hit man and Ryan Reynolds is supposed to be his body guard for some reason that I slept through. Salma Hayek is supposed to be Jackson’s wife and I guess to prove it, she too says “motherfucker” at the very end of the movie. Don’t expect to enjoy Gary Oldman, because he only has about 10 lines.

THE TRIP TO SPAIN. This is the third supposed comedy that two British actors, comics, impressionists… Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon have made, and they shouldn’t make any more. These guys go on supposedly food tasting trips to restaurants in England, Italy and now Spain. In each restaurant and on the road they do imitations of famous British actors…James Bond, well Sean Connery, Michael Caine, and Mick Jagger and try very hard to be funny. I haven’t laughed once during any of these contrived messes and find the two actors just about nauseating. Don’t blame me if you do decide to go.

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. . Jane Mio and Barbara Riverwoman from the San Lorenzo River Mysteries group start the hour on Sept.19. After which Christina Morgan Cree and Jenny Sandrof reveal the fashion secrets of the annual FashionArt show happening Sept. 23. September 26 has Conductor, artistic director Michel Singher talking about the next Espressivo Orchestra Concert, after Michel, Betsy Anderson and Alison Carrillo talk about Museo Carrillo. October 3 we’ll talk with Erik Gandolfini and Avondina Wills about the Mountain Top play at the Center Stage. On October 10 Phyllis Rosenblum discusses the Santa Cruz Chamber Players 2017-18 season. Gary Patton gives info and background on the Save Santa Cruz Organization on Oct.17. The top winners of the Bookshop Santa Cruz Young Writers contest read their works on November 28. OR…if you just happen to miss 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. 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

If I didn’t post this before, I’m posting it now. And if I did, it’s worth watching again. This guy is hilarious 🙂

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. “AN AMALGAM”

“Man is by nature a political animal”, Aristotle
“People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do”, Isaac Asimov
“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom”. Isaac Asimov

“Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former”. Albert Einstein

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
82 Blackburn Street, Suite 216
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Direct email: Bratton@Cruzio.com
Direct phone: 831 423-2468
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Blog Archives

September 18 – 24, 2017

BEST OF VINTAGE STEVEN DeCINZO.

Deep Cover by Tim Eagan.

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