Photo by GRETCHEN REGENHARDT
Pajaro Valley Farmland
This mosaic, inspired by farmland in the Pajaro Valley, was made by Gretchen Regenhardt from recycled broken plates.
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ENVIORNMENT
Santa Cruz Needs New Climate Action Plan - Respond to Survey Now
By SARAH RINGLER
Santa Cruz city's 2012 Climate Action Plan expired in 2020. Halfway through the first month of 2021, they are currently soliciting community input through their first survey for "an equitable, community-driven Climate Action Plan 2030," as is stated in the introduction to the survey. The survey is open until Feb. 8.
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Ask Dr. Newel to Please Tell SC for Follow CDC Guidelines
By SARAH RINGLER
The Santa Cruz Homeless Union is asking the community to contact Santa Cruz County Health Officer Gail Newel and encourage her to issue an explicit health order to cease and desist from displacing people and clearing out homeless encampments, most particularly at San Lorenzo Park and the area known as the Benchlands. According to the SCHU, the city of Santa Cruz is suggesting they can ignore Gail Newel’s statements against the sweeps because they are not “explicit health orders."
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention explicitly addresses homeless issues on their website. Under the heading "Should homeless encampments be cleared?: "Connecting people to stable housing should continue to be a priority. However, if individual housing options are not available, allow people who are living in encampments to remain where they are. Encourage people living in encampments to increase space between people and provide hygiene resources in accordance with the Interim Guidance for People Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness."
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Extend Current Covid-19 Protections for Tenants
By SARAH RINGLER
<Photo contributed
As Covid-19 surges through our community, many have lost their jobs and now risk losing their homes. Previous moratoriums from the state, cities and counties are due to expire on Jan. 31. To prevent a huge increase in homelessness, we must ask our local elected officials to extend current Eviction Moratoriums now. Contact your councilmember in Santa Cruz or Watsonville as well as your county supervisor now. Ask them to Extend the Current Eviction Moratorium. Also, if you are a tenant, join us, take the Stop Eviction Survey and help build renter power.
"When I lost the job that I thought I was safe because I was there for so long, I found out I could not apply for government aid or monetary benefits. I started selling food, and then I found a part-time job, but it wasn’t enough to survive and the pay was too low. I found another job and now I got fired from that one too. I don’t know how I’m going to pay the rent and if I lose my place, where do I and my family go? "
Maria in Watsonville
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Photo by TARMO HANNULA
A Great Egret works the waters of the Santa Cruz Harbor looking for lunch.
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“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
“Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.”
Jan. 18, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
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County Covid-19 Report
By SARAH RINGLER
cases that tested positive. That is an increase of 14% from last Thursday. 111 people have now died, an increase of 14%.
We are under Regional Stay-At-home-orders based on the availability of Intensive Care Unit beds in our region, the Bay Area, that includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma counties. For information on the Stay at Home Orders, go here.
The distribution of data has remained mostly stable over time with percentages rarely changing by more than one point. The county's Effective Reproductive Number continues to be above one. See chart below which is continually updated. Numbers above one show the spread of the virus is increasing. Below one means the spread is decreasing.
To get tested without a doctor’s request, call 1-888-634-1123 or go online at https://lhi.care/covidtesting. The testing clinic is at at Ramsay Park in Watsonville. Other testing sites that may have restricted access can be found here.
Vaccines are now available in Santa Cruz County. For more information, click here.
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Known cases tested positive by age/% of population:
19 and under - 19%/25%
20-34 - 30%/22%
35-44 - 16%/12%
45-64 - 24%/27%
65 or older - 11%/15%
Tested positive by ethnicity/% of population:
Multi-Race - 2%/3%
White - 18%/58%
Latinx - 54%/34%
Black - .4%/.9%
Asian - 2%/4%
Other - 12%/.4%
Unknown - 14%
Tested positive by gender/% of population:
Female - 52%/50%
Male - 47%/50%
Other - 0%
Under Investigation - 1%
Tested positive by region/% of population:
Mid-county - 21/12%
North county - 17%/60%
South county - 61%/29%
Under investigation - 2%
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Weekly increases in positive tests:
June 12-19 - 7%
June 19-26 - 23%
June 26 to July 3 - 22%
July 3-9 - 23%
July 9-16 - 40%
July 16-23 - 20%
July 23-30 - 27%
July 30-Aug. 6 - 13%
Aug. 6-13- 12%
Aug.14-20 - 16%
Aug.20-28 - 10%
Aug. 28-Sept. 3 - 10%
Sept. 3-10 - 6%
Sept. 10-17- 8%
Sept. 17-24 - 7%
Sept. 25- Oct.1 - 5%
Oct. 1 - 9 - 4%
Oct. 9-15 - 4%
Oct. 15-22 - 5%
Oct. 23-29 - 4%
Oct. 30-Nov. 5 - 6%
Nov. 5-12 - 10%
Nov. 12-19 - 11%
Nov. 19-26 - holiday
Nov. 19-Dec. 3 - 29% 2 weeks of data for this week only
Dec. 3-10 - 16%
Dec. 10-17 - 17%
Dec. 17-24 - 14%
Dec. 24-31 - 19%
Jan. 1-7 - 13%
Jan. 7-14 - 14%
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Labor History Calendar for January 15:
1919: Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg murdered in Berlin.
1919: Three-day general strike for the 8-hour day won in Peru.
Upcoming on Jan. 18: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
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Photo by TARMO HANNULA
Warm tofu with spicy garlic sauce
By SARAH RINGLER
Imagine a white rectangular block of warm, soft, custardy tofu covered with a crust of sesame seeds, garlic and green onions. Serve with a side of Japanese sweet potatoes and lightly sautéed greens and you have a perfect dinner.
There are many different styles of tofu. In most markets in the US, there are only soft and firm. The soft tofu is like a custard and wonderful in this dish. Firm tofu is grainy and firm. Because it holds its shape, it can be cubed and fried. Neither tofu has a lot of flavor. In most tofu recipes, the flavor comes from the accompaniments. It is low in calories, high in protein for a food that comes from a plant and inexpensive.
The process of making tofu came from China over 2,000 years ago. It is made from a lengthy process where soymilk is made from soybeans which are then curdled, drain and pressed into a rectangular or square shape. It may be the first processed food.
Soft tofu is difficult to handle. I used a slotted spoon and my hands. Also, crushing the sesame seeds was a challenge. There are special mortars but I didn't have one. Seeds were flying everywhere. I ended up chopping them with the dull side of a knife. Finally, without too much extra work, this dish looks beautiful served on a brightly colored plate with the greens on the side.
Warm tofu with spicy garlic sauce
14-18 ounces soft tofu, not silken or firm
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
Pinch salt
¼ cups chopped green onions
2 teaspoons hulled sesame seeds, toasted and crushed with the side of a heavy knife
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon coarse hot pepper flakes
½ teaspoon sugar
Rinse tofu. Put into a medium sized saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Lower heat, cover and keep warm over very low heat. You can keep this warm for up to a few hours.
Toast the sesame seeds in a pie tin at 300 degrees. Stand by and watch them so they don’t burn. Check often and shake the pie tin to distribute the seeds so that they brown evenly. Then, pour them onto a cutting board and crush with the side of a heavy knife or chop them until they look like crumbs and are slightly sticky.
Mince and mash the garlic and add a pinch of salt to make a paste. Mix with the chopped green onions, toasted and crushed sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil, hot chili pepper flakes and sugar. Stir well and let sit.
Just before serving, carefully remove the tofu from the water and drain on a cloth. Pat dry. Transfer to a small plate and spread the sauce over the tofu. Serve warm with greens or Japanese sweet potatoes or rice. Serves two.
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YOUR STORY OR ART HERE: Please submit a story that you think would be of interest to the people of Santa Cruz County. Try and keep the word count to around 400. Also, there should be suggested actions if possible. Submit to coluyaki@gmail.com
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Welcome to Serf City Times. Over time, our county has grown more stratified and divided with many people feeling left out. Housing affordability, racism and low wages are the most obvious factors. However, many groups and individuals in Santa Cruz County work tirelessly to make our county a better place for everyone. These people work on the environment, housing, economic justice, health, criminal justice, disability rights, immigrant rights, racial justice, transportation, workers’ rights, education reform, gender issues, equity issues, electoral politics and more. Often, one group doesn’t know what another is doing. The Serf City Times is dedicated to serving as a clearinghouse for those issues by letting you know what is going on, what actions you can take and how you can support these groups.This is a self-funded enterprise and all work is volunteer.
Copyright © 2021 Sarah Ringler - All rights reserved
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