Support Banning Telone, a Carcinogenic Pesticide

By ADAM SCOW

In October, the Watsonville City Council held an informational hearing about pesticide spraying on fields around the town. Several Campaign for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture, CORA, members testified about their concerns about the severe health impacts from pesticide drift, highlighting the fact that Reiter Berry, an affiliate of Driscolls, uses carcinogenic pesticides very close to Ann Soldo and MacQuiddy Elementary Schools. Several dozen people in attendance expressed their support.

In the last several months, the senior villages on the edge of Watsonville near the fields have been subjected to dozens of pesticide spray notices near their homes and local schools. While some have called for even more notification, others have found it depressing knowing that they have no choice but to breathe the air. The City Council will hold a more formal hearing in early 2023 and here are press links to Good Times and Lookout.

CORA members will be meeting with Driscolls in the coming weeks to discuss our request that their fields near schools and homes transition to organic. If you are a member of any kind of organization that may like to send Driscoll's and their CEO, Miles Reiter a letter, please contact us.

After community members in Monterey County filed a legal complaint about the high amounts of Telone, a carcinogenic pesticide, being permitted near schools and homes, the State of California's Department of Pesticide Regulation is now poised to raise the limit on Telone so that even more of it can be used! While we have long known that this Department is pro-pesticide, it is important to remember that its leadership is appointed by the Governor and is supposed to be accountable to legislators as well including Agricultural Committee Chair Robert Rivas. Telone is actually banned in many other countries. 

We appreciate your support as we work to get more Santa Cruz County/Pajaro Valley farmland to go organic so that children, their parents, and all people here can live without being subjected to poisonous chemicals in our air and water. As you can see, we have a ways to go. But, if more people get involved then our chance of success increases. 

Also, please consider giving to the Center for Farmworker Families is participating in Santa Cruz Gives this year in order to reach a new audience of donors, volunteers and supporters who are concerned with the issues that are impacting the Central Coast Farmworker Community. From basic needs to physical health, to rental assistance, to raising the awareness of the pesticides they are exposed to, the Center has become an invaluable resource for the farmworker community.

"Seeing Friends During Covid" is a painting by Elizabeth Williams.

ewilliamsart@att.net  831-722-3068

Trees grow slow

trees grow strong

trees sway with the wind

their whole lives long.

Trees hold the ground

as they reach for the sky

fallen trees still feed the seeds

they cast before they die.

Song round by Laurence Cole

Join us in a Tree-Honoring Ceremony

By GRANT WILSON

Join us Sunday, Nov. 27, 4-6pm, in honoring the 12 heritage trees that are tagged to be cut down by the City of Santa Cruz. The event will be held at the Downtown Farmer's Market location off Cedar St, between Lincoln and Cathcart, one block from Pacific Ave, in downtown Santa Cruz.

The 12 trees were tagged since Proposition O was defeated in the November 8 election. According to the City Arborist it is still many months before the trees will be cut and at present there is a formal challenge submitted. A hearing will be held on Monday, Dec 12, at 4pm via Zoom. (More details to follow)

All are welcome and join us at any time. Tree-Honoring will include flower offerings, water offerings, votive candles and warm tea. Dress warmly - hats and gloves are recommended. Optional: Bring a cup and a flask of hot tea. Bring a folding chair to sit on, a blanket, votive candles (wick or battery powered), a musical instrument, flower offerings and/or water offerings for the 12 large heritage trees - (even in a drought, the city does not provide water for these trees)

We are so often bound up in people-to-people focused struggles especially when we're engaged in social-political debate. This is an opportunity to listen to the trees, the birds, the sky, the earth. What would they like? What nourishment can we give them? What can we do?

For more info on the Tree-Honoring Ceremony text Grrrant at 831-332-2930 or email grrrant@cruzio.com

Measure O: https://www.ourdowntownourfuture.org

https://www.facebook.com/Our-Downtown-Our-Future-105290758585886/

Photo by TARMO HANNULA 

House finches dine on berries in the landscaping that surround an apartment complex in Watsonville.

Santa Cruz County Covid-19 Report 

By SARAH RINGLER

The Santa Cruz County Health Department regularly releases data on the current status of Covid-19 in the county. Covid-19 vaccines are available for everyone 6 months and older. Updated Covid-19 boosters are available for everyone 5 and older. Make an appointment with a doctor or the local pharmacy. Go HERE for details. 

There were no new deaths in the county. Click to view a graph of hospitalizations HERE.

Because of the availability of home testing I don't report on changes in the active cases in the county. The Health Department is now collecting data for Covid and monkeypox from wastewater at the City Influent for the city of Santa Cruz, and from the Lode Street pump stations for the county. See webpage HERE. The first chart below shows the latest county data.



Here are details on the county's vaccination data. Vaccination data has not changed much and doesn't include the boosters.

This webpage also has a link where you can get a digital copy and scannable QR code of your vaccination record. Keep track of your four-digit code because that is your access to the site.

The county's Effective Reproductive Number is still above one. See the second chart below. Numbers above one show the spread of the virus is increasing. Below one means the spread is decreasing. The chart, released from the California Department of Public Health below shows several predictions from different agencies. For information, click here.

The government is no longer issuing free Antigen Rapid Tests; Congress has not provided funding.To get information on COVID-19 testing locations around the county visit this site. You can make an appointment for a Rapid Antigen Test here.

Photo by TARMO HANNULA

Fashion Street -  Important figures from Mexican history come to life during a performance of the Dia de Los Muertos festivities at the Rodriguez-Hoularis Community Center in Watsonville .

Labor History Calendar - Oct. 28 - Nov. 3, 2022

a.k.a Know Your History Lest We Forget

Nov. 25, 1915: Tens of thousands pack Joe Hill’s funeral in Chicago.

Nov. 25, 1983: Canadian postal workers cut postal rates from 82 cents to 10 cents in direct action campaign. 

Nov. 26, 1993: General Strike against austerity in Belgium.

Nov. 26, 2021: 10 unions in general strike across Indian demand end to privatization and union-busting legislation and relief for impoverished workers. 

Nov. 27, 1995: Cape Breton workers lock out bosses to halt factory relocation.

Nov. 27, 2012: Bangladesh garment workers strike to protest death of 123 in fire.

Nov. 27, 2016: Lufthansa cancels 1,700 flights in 2nd round of pilots’ strike. 

Nov. 28, 1828: National Labor union founder William Sylvus born.

Nov. 28, 1953: 20,000 NYC newspaper workers begin 11-day strike.

Nov. 29, 1854: 12,000 miners burn working licenses in lead-up to Eureka Rebellion in Australia.

Nov. 29 1985: 500,000-member Congress of South African Trade Unions forms. 

Nov. 29, 1990: Bulgarian workers topple government in general strike.

Nov. 29, 2016: Fight for 15 strikes across the US.

Nov. 30, 1835: Birth of Mark Twain.

Nov. 30, 1930: Mother Jones dies: “I’m not a lady, I’m a hell-raiser.” 

Nov. 30, 2018: Global Climate Strike – students demand action.

Dec. 1, 1930: Kellogg cereal adopts 6-hour work day.

Dec. 1, 1955: Rosa Parks keeps her bus seat after a hard day’s work.

Dec. 1, 2011: Greek General Strike against austerity – Make the rich pay! 

Labor History Calendar has been published yearly by the Hungarian Literature Fund since 1985.

"I'm not a lady, I'm a hell-raiser."

Mother Jones

Photo by TARMO HANNULA

A Pumpkin Turned into a Soup

By SARAH RINGLER

Halloween is long over but if you have an uncarved pumpkin sitting around, here is a way to turn it into a delicious soup. This recipe comes from a French woman who was a friend of my first mother-in-law.  Since the soup is made inside the pumpkin, it makes a dramatic presentation. Leave it to the French to make a simple soup so impressive.

The problem with making this soup is there are no exact ingredients; the amounts depend upon the size of the pumpkin. The amounts below are suggested and should be modified according to the size of your squash. 

A medium-size pumpkin can make enough soup for about 5 people. A prerequisite is that it has to also fit inside your oven. Since there are many kinds of pumpkins, it helps to pick one that is made for baking. The meat is denser.

One medium sized pumpkin

2 cups sour dough bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3 cups Swiss cheese, grated

1-quart milk or enough to fill the pumpkin

salt

pepper

ground nutmeg and or cinnamon

2 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Take slices of sourdough bread and cut into cubes. You can leave them like that or put them into the oven to make them toasty and crispy as the recipe calls for. Un-toasted bread cubes make the soup thicker.

Cut a ring around the top of the pumpkin that allows you enough space to get your hand inside so you can clean the seeds out. The lid will go back on the pumpkin as you bake it. 

Clean out the seeds and scrape out the stringy and slimy fibers. I use a soupspoon to scrape off a thin inner layer. Take the seeds and rinse and then roast them with oil and salt for a snack. Wash and dry the pumpkin. Put it on a pie plate.

Sprinkle the inside with salt, pepper and cinnamon or nutmeg and rub around to coat the sides. Put in a layer of bread cubes followed by a thin layer of grated cheese. Alternate layers until the pumpkin is about 2/3 full, no more. Pour in milk almost to the top. Dot with butter. Put the top back on. 

Bake the pumpkin for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Keep an eye it to make sure the outside doesn’t get too dark in color. Some liquid may pour out onto the pie tin. 

Finally, before serving, stir the inside with a metal spoon scraping off the cooked meat and mixing it with the bread, cheese and milk. Be very careful not to puncture the skin. Place the cooked pumpkin and pie plate on the table. Serve immediately with some nice fresh bread. 

Welcome to Serf City Times Our county has problems and many people feel 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. 

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