Good Answers to Some Bad Questions from "Friendly" Cops and "Helpful" Social Workers
By HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom)
Background
Before Santa Cruz authorities, whether police, rangers, or case managers order you out of your camp, they’re supposed to first offer decent, available, and accessible indoor shelter or housing. In Santa Cruz, and in most other places, they don't.
The Santa Cruz Watkins-Meyers City Council has blocked attempts by non-profits and private individuals to set up safe campgrounds or to more directly provide needed resources to folks who live outside. They censured and backed the recall of the two council members, Drew Glover and Chris Krohn, who did press for these solutions. To reassure a reactionary "Take Back Santa Cruz" minded group, eager to drive unhoused people out of the park, out of the Benchlands, out of sight, and out of town, the council reestablished the anti-homeless Sleeping Ban law (without using the word "sleeping").
Now that Santa Cruz City Council has passed the Oversized Vehicle Ordinance, OVO, Matt Huffaker, Santa Cruz City Manager, says it is one of the tools police can use, given the supposed "shelter opportunities." Those "opportunities" that the city council and its staff set up are costly token shelters at 1220 River St., the Armory Overlook Program, and an August Armory program run by the Salvation Army that is available to only a fraction - less than 200 - of those outside. Many have found most of these places unusable because you can't come and go, visitors aren't allowed, curfews are unrealistic, and have a dehumanizing prison-like atmosphere. Huffaker has declared they will not be allowed to go to the Benchlands.
Huffaker has declared the Benchlands a "sanctioned" campground for the moment; he has also implied simultaneously that it will be cleared out or "demobilized" by the end of the summer.
To smoothly sweep the homeless out of town, Huffaker needs to avoid another injunction as happened in 2021 when the Benchlands campground was supported by the federal courts. His strategy here may be to show that shelter is being offered, then document that people are refusing, and then use that refusal as evidence that shelter is not being denied and that survival campers themselves are at fault.
Services Not Sweeps! Where's the Money? Stop Homeless Dumping
With a tent, sleeping bag, a pat on the back and a shove, vulnerable seniors were evicted from the last Santa Cruz City-funded COVID shelter, the Oceana Hotel. They went into the Benchlands. The River St. shelter closed last year. A Santa Cruz County service worker reports residents of the three Armory programs got similar treatment; some were dumped in the sheds and the Paul Lee Loft. Others were sent to the glorified toolsheds of the "Housing Matters" fund magnet. The only remaining "sanctioned" campground is the badly overcrowded and resource-poor Benchlands in San Lorenzo Park. It is slated to be dispersed at the end of August and meanwhile is the excuse to disperse all other camps throughout the city.
For decades, without public input or Santa Cruz City Council vote, city managers, ignoring the housing and shelter crisis, have herded the disabled, the poor, the ill, and formerly housed urban residents into the Benchlands. Long-time housed residents and workers are being forced out of the city as wages fall far behind rents.
Consultant fees, developer schemes, and redevelopment projects to lure the wealthy are transforming and deforming Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz City Council and its staff are simply lying about the availability of shelter space - relying on "hide out or get out" enforcement tactics or simply ignoring the issue entirely. Homeless communities at peace with their neighbors such as the Harvey West Agreement Camp and those being sustained by the community such as the Camp Paradise and Hells Trail encampments are mowed down. The claim of available housing used as a pretext for City and non-profit fund-raising is simply false and used to justify grant-seeking and city staff wages.
City authorities, having forced all other city encampments into the Benchlands, seem to be preparing to evict them at the end of the summer. To do this, they need to cram as many as they can into the token shelters they've set up at 1220 River St., the Overlook encampment, the Armory, and Housing Matters. All of these have high-barrier restrictive entrance requirements and provide less than half the estimated numbers needed to provide an alternative to
the Benchlands.
The Benchlands contain only part of our unhoused population. Don't forget about the much greater total number of folks in the city area like those who live in the Pogonip, on beaches, around Neary Lagoon, by Highways 1 and 17 etc.
Advice for Those Who Live Outside
Because the city of Santa Cruz is unwilling to spend the $14.5 million in homeless funding to provide real resources, city bosses instead may be planning to label most of those in the Benchlands as "service resistant" by documenting that they have refused shelter when offered. This would eliminate the Martin v. Boise decision protecting them.
If you are living outside anywhere in Santa Cruz County, and are approached by authorities demanding that you move, ask what alternate shelter or location is being offered. Get the name and phone number of the individual asking the questions. Ask if they can contact the shelter right now and determine if there is a space today? If offered a space on a waiting list or a place in a shelter, ask for specific details in writing.
Do not refuse shelter, because assuming it's a valid offer, you may know someone who might want that space.
When asked, "Will you accept shelter at (this or that place)", you don't have to say yes or no. Instead, request more written information detailing the space involved, length of time offered, how much personal property you can take, what are the "rules" or restrictions, visitor rules, provisions for disability problems and rights to enter and leave.
Ask for written answers. Suggest you may need to consult with your doctor, an attorney, or a helpmate to see if this would be a good plan for you. You can also state you are Santa Cruz Union of the Homeless member and need to talk with your union representative for advice. Utilize solidarity by working with others, for example, asking one of your neighbors to watch your stuff when you leave, and to tell authorities intent on apparently bulldozing a person's home, that they are only away but will return.
Keep paper and pens on hand. If you have a phone or other recording device, record your conversation with the city worker.
What Can be Done?
Stop swallowing the fairy tales of "we're doing all we can" from politicians, police, and city workers. Demand full accountability for "homeless funding" that has been received and wasted for the last five years.
Take Direct Action to challenge policy makers when they appear in public - not simply at controlled forums where they do nothing but talk and spend.
Recognize this is a common struggle uniting students, seniors, renters, veterans, workers, families and all those who live outside.
Redirect funding from military and police to community needs, supporting real services.
Join coalitions that reject traditional Republican and Democratic Party politics by using strikes, street actions, etc. to make real change.
Support real service providers like Food Not Bombs, Footbridge Services, and independent providers who give resources directly to those in need.Support those outside in demanding they get survival resources and basic human rights. Stand against the sweeps.
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Photo by TARMO HANNULA
A European starling keeps watch from a boulder at Seabright State Beach. European starlings were first brought to America in the 1890s when Shakespeare enthusiasts released 100 of them in New York's Central Park in hopes of introducing all the birds he famously mentioned in his writings. They now have a population of around 200 million in this country.
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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. Total known cases as of July 7 were 56,563, up 1,104 cases from last week's 55,459, rounding off to a 2% rise. There were no new deaths.
The government is issuing four free Antigen Rapid Tests for free here.
Because of all the home tests currently available, these numbers are underestimates according to Corinne Hyland, County Health Services Agency spokesperson. She recommends people with minor symptoms stay home, isolate and rest.
There was no new reports on hospitalizations. Click to view a graph of hospitalizations here.
There have been changes in the active cases in the last week. Active cases in south county dropped by 1%, north county increased by 1% and mid county dropped by 1%. See details in the chart below.
On the county's vaccination webpage, the vaccination rate shows that 81% of the county have had at least one dose and 75% have had two doses. Here are more details on the county's vaccination data.
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 now slightly above one. See 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 more information, click here.
To get information of COVID-19 testing locations around the county visit this site. Click here to make an appointment to get tested.
Any Californian, ages six months and older can get vaccinated for free. For information on getting vaccinated, click here.
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% deaths by ethnicity:
White - 57%
Latinx - 34%
Black - 1%
Asian - 6%
American Native - 0%
Unknown - 0%
% deaths by gender/% of population:
Female - 49%/50%
Male - 51%/50%
Deaths by age/263:
25-34 - 2%
35-44 - 3%
45-54 - 4%
55-59 - 2%
60-64 - 6%
65-74 - 18%
75-84 - 23%
85+ - 43%
% active cases testing positive by region/% of population:
Mid-county - 13%/12%
North county - 62%/56%
South county - 24%/32%
Under investigation - 1%
Deaths by vaccination status:
vaccinated - 28/265 = 12%
unvaccinated - 232/265 = 88%
Weekly increases in positive tests:
June 12-19, 2020 - 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, 2021 - 13%
Jan. 7-14 - 14%
Jan. 15-21 - 11%
Jan. 21-28 - 5%
Jan. 28-Feb. 4 - 5%
Feb. 5-11 - 2%
Feb. 11-18 - 2%
Feb. 18-25 - 1%
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Feb. 25-March 5 - 1%
March 5-11 - 1%
March 11-18 - 2%
March 18-25 - .5%
March 25 - Apr. 1 - .7%
Apr. 1-8 - 0.1%
Apr. 9-15 - 1%
Apr. 16-22 - 2%
Apr. 22-30 - 2%
Apr. 30 - May 6 - .3%
May 6-13 - 2%
May 13-20 - 0%
May 24 - Data readjustment by county means percentages cannot be calculated this week.
May 27 - June 3 - 0%
June 3-10 - 0%
June 11-17 - .25%
June 18-24 - 0%
June 25-July 1 - 0%
July 2-8 - .3%
July 9-15 - .2%
July 16-22 - .5%
July 23-29 - 1.2%
July 30-Aug. 5 - 2%
Aug. 6-12 - .7%
Aug.13-19 - 4%
Aug. 20-26 - .7%
Aug. 26-Sept. 2 - 3%
Sept. 2-9 - 2%
Sept. 10-16 - 1%
Sept. 17-22 - 1%
Sept. 23-30 - 2%
Oct. 1-7 - 0%
Oct. 8-14 - 1%
Oct. 15-21 - 1%
Oct. 22-28 - 1%
Oct. 29-Nov. 4 - 1%
Nov. 5-11 - 1%
Nov. 12-18 - 2%
Nov. 19 - Dec. 2 - 2 weeks 2%
Dec. 2-9 - 2%
Dec. 9-16 - 1%
Dec. 16-23 - 1%
Dec. 24-30 - 2%
Dec. 31 - Jan. 6, 2022 - 5% Growth of home tests underestimates cases below. See above .
Jan. 7-13 - 9%
Jan. 14-20 - 15%
Jan. 21-27 - 9%
Jan. 28 - Feb. 3 - 31%
Feb. 3-10 - 3%
Feb. 11-24 (2 weeks) - 5%
Feb. 25- March 3 - 1%
March 4-10 - 1%
March 11-17 - 1%
March 18-24 - 0%
March 25-31 - 1%
Apr. 1-7 - 0%
Apr. 8-14 - 1%
Apr. 15-21 - 1%
Apr. 22-28 - 1%
Apr. 20 - May 5 - 1%
May 6-12 - 2%
May 13-19 - 3%
May 20-26 - 1%
May 27 - June 2 - 1%
June 3 - June 9 - 1%
June 10-16 - 2%
June 17-23 - 2%
June 24-30 - 1%
July 1-7 - 2%
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Photo by TARMO HANNULA
Fashion Street - A plaid skirt, tattoos and red hair are the order of the day for this woman as she strolls on West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz,
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Labor History Calendar July 8-14, 2022
July 8, 1842: First US anthracite coal strike.
July 8, 1998: Two-day general strike against privatization of phone company ends in Puerto Rico.
July 9, 1917: Federal troops raid IWW hall in Yakima, Washington.
July 9, 2018: General strike against austerity in Haiti.
July 10, 1917: Emma Goldman sentenced to two years for aiding draft protesters.
July 10, 2014: UK gov't workers strike againsty austerity budget.
July 11, 1892: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho miners sieze coal mines.
July 11, 1917: Jerome, Arizona deportation of striking miners.
July 11, 2012: Tens of thousands join striking miners march in Madrid.
July 11, 2017: German court upholds law limiting rights of minority unions.
July 12, 1917: Bisbee, Arizona deportation of striking copper miners; 1,186 IWW miners deported into the desert.
July 12, 2012: 1,000 workers from 16 unions wildcat Newfoundland line construction job, winning on the fifth day; four face contempt charges.
July 13, 1917: Strikes in police murder of worker spread in São Paulo, Brazil.
July 13, 1934: Southern Tenant Farmers' Union organized in Tyronza, Arkansas.
July 13, 1995: Detroit newspaper workers begin 19-month strike.
July 14 - Bastille Day
July 14, 1877: General strike halts railroads.
July 14, 1912: Birth of Woody Guthrie.
July 14, 1912: Sacco and Vanzetti convicted after two-month frame-up trial.
July 14, 2014: Los Angeles port truckers launch 5-day strike; dockworkers briefly honor picket lines.
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“Last Will
Prologue:
We, Sacco and Vanzetti, sound of body and mind,
Devise and bequeath to all we leave behind,
The worldly wealth we inherited at our birth,
Each one to share alike as we leave this earth.
To Wit:
To babies we will their mothers’ love,
To youngsters we will the sun above.
To spooners who wont to tryst the night,
We give the moon and stars that shine so bright.
To thrill them in their hours of joy,
When boy hugs maid and maid hugs boy.
To nature’s creatures we allot the spring and summer,
To the doe, the bear, the gold-finch and the hummer.
To the fishes we ascribe the deep blue sea,
The honey we apportion to the bustling bee.
To the pessimist—good cheer—his mind to sooth,
To the chronic liar we donate the solemn truth.
And Lastly:
To those who judge solely seeking renown,
With blaring trumpets of the fakir and clown;
To the prosecutor, persecutor, and other human hounds,
Who’d barter another’s honor, recognizing no bounds,
To the Governor, the Jury, who another’s life they’d sell—
We endow them with the fiery depths of HELL!
(Industrial Worker, Aug. 20, 1927)”
― Nicola Sacco
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Photo by TARMO HANNULA
Thai Satay Chicken
By SARAH RINGLER
I got this recipe from a fellow writer who lived in Thailand for a while and knows what real Thai street food tastes like. All I can say is that it tastes great here too, even with a few little alterations I made.
Satay, or sate, consists of little slices of marinated meat, speared on a bamboo skewer and traditionally cooked outside over coals. The aroma wafts into the air making a better advertisement than a bright neon sign. I, however, used the broiler because I was too lazy to set out the barbecue. I also used boneless and skinless chicken thigh meat out of a plastic freezer bag. I usually keep some around. Not wanting to buy another condiment that I might only use once, I researched the internet and found a substitution for massaman curry paste that contained ingredients I already had, curry powder and Chinese Five Spices mixture. I thought the peanut sauce tasted fantastic. The chicken and peanut sauce can be served with sticky rice or jasmine rice.
You will want to start this dish the night before. The bamboo skewers need to be soaked in water so they don't easily burn and the meat should marinate for at least four hours or overnight.
1 pound skinless and boneless chicken thigh or breast meat
10--12 bamboo skewers
Meat marinade:
2/3 cup canned coconut milk
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2-inch section of ginger, peeled and minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Peanut Sauce:
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
1/4 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
4 teaspoons massaman curry paste or mixture of 1 tablespoon curry powder and 1/2 teaspoon Chinese Five Spices mixture
1 teaspoon red chili paste
1/8 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water or chicken stock
1 cup peanut butter
Place bamboo skewers in water overnight. This prevents them from burning. Cut the chicken parts into about 3-inches long by 1/3-inch wide slices. Make as thin as possible because it is going to be grilled quickly.
Mix all the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the chicken and marinate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Make the peanut sauce by mixing all the ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over low heat until simmering. Simmer for about five minutes watching to make sure it doesn't scorch on the bottom. Taste it a few times to check the flavor and adjust as necessary.
Thread the meat slices onto skewers. Remember, each skewer shouldn’t have very much meat.
Prepare the grill or broiler. If you are going to use the grill, arrange the coals so they are close to the edge of the grill. This way the skewer sticks can hang over the edge and not over the flames.
Put the skewered meat approximately 2-3 inches above coals or below the broiler. Turn continuously turned until done.
Serve with peanut sauce and sticky rice, if desired. Serves about four people.
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Send your story, poetry or art here: Please submit a story, poem or photo of your art 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 this is a political issue. Submit to coluyaki@gmail.com
If you are enjoying the Serf City Times, forward it on to others. We need readers, artists, photographers and writers.
Thanks, Sarah Ringler
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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 © 2022 Sarah Ringler - All rights reserved
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