Support the Downtown Library Project -

Vote No on O 

By AMY NEWELL AND GRETCHEN REGENHARDT

Many housing-related measures are on the ballot this year.  Among the most important is the measure designed to defeat the downtown library and mixed-use housing development proposed for Santa Cruz.  Proponents of this measure (Measure O on the Santa Cruz City ballot) object to the location of the project, the inclusion of parking, the new library and, presumably, to the 125 units of 100% affordable housing this project will produce.

The proposed new library in Santa Cruz has been in the work since 2016. In the six years since voters passed Measure S to provide funds for library infrastructure, the project has been studied from all angles to determine the best use of Measure S funds.  The mixed-use housing and library project, already approved and funded, is the very best and highest use of the limited land downtown and will bring Santa Cruz a state-of-the-art library (something impossible to achieve by renovating the existing library), 125 units of 100% affordable housing, and parking sufficient to serve the residents of the 125 units as well as those who will live in other projects downtown, who must commute to work in Santa Cruz, or who are here as visitors or tourists.  

Those opposed to the project cite concerns about the Farmers Market, the availability of other potential sites for affordable housing development downtown, and concerns that the parking structure will somehow overwhelm the library or is not needed. These concerns are baseless.  

Farmers Market: There are many sites available for the Farmers Market downtown and a new site is part of the City’s planning going forward. The Farmers Market itself has not taken a position against the new library project.  

Other Housing Sites: We have an affordable housing crisis.  There is limited land to accommodate our housing needs and it is essential to maximize available land for affordable housing development.  The potential availability of other sites for affordable housing development downtown should not argue against building this actual project which has already secured all of its approvals and financing and is scheduled to break ground soon. There are tremendous  obstacles to affordable housing development. This project has overcome them all and is ready to go. It should not be sacrificed because of the possibility of also building affordable housing on other sites downtown.  These 125 housing units are desperately needed and are real -- not just a possibility in some theoretical future.

The Parking Structure: The architectural drawings show an attractive structure with a bright, light-filled library, a childcare center, and affordable housing. The parking structure in no way dominates the library.  Anyone doubting that a mixed use parking structure can be attractive need only visit Watsonville with its state-of-the-art library/parking garage/courthouse/city government center covered in stunning local mosaic artwork, one of the jewels of downtown Watsonville.  While we all hope for a time when reliance on cars is reduced, we are not at that point now.

Since none of the reasons given for opposing the new library housing mixed-use project hold up, it can only be that those leading the campaign against it are opposed to change – even change for the better.  The mixed-use library and affordable housing project is good for Santa Cruz.  Vote No on O! 

Photo by SAM EARNSHAW

Vacant Land for Housing in Watsonville City Limits

By SARAH RINGLER

Without having to move into wetlands and farmlands, this vacant lot by Staff of Life at 906 East Lake in Watsonville is one of over 150 lots in the city that could be used for new housing in the Pajaro Valley. The Santa Cruz Sentinel's editorial board just endorsed Measure Q over the competing Measure S on Tuesday stating, "Encroachment on our vital agricultural lands, and wetlands, is a non starter. California land-use history teaches that not only is the loss of farmlands irretrievable, but that often these expansions lead to development that includes big box stores in an attempt to generate more tax revenue." Email the campaign for information, to donate or get a yardsign.

Measure S, like Measure Q, advocates for an Urban Limit Line that keeps any new housing built in the city of Watsonville to be within the city and preserves the rest of the Pajaro Valley for wetlands and farming. Measure S, however, allows city government to override the Urban Limit risking a pro-developer city council that could turn the Pajaro Valley into San Jose. 

CONTRIBUTED

Jeffrey Smedberg, far left, dons his SEIU purple t-shirt and hangs out with his union brothers and sisters on Labor Day at Romo Park in Watsonville. 

Fruitful #1

By KATHLEEN KILPATRICK 

The house is perfumed 

with the smell 

of peaches ripening

(and nectarines, 

and apricots, a few

dark, purple plums.).

Yesterday was sorting, 

with those too flawed to last 

trimmed and sliced 

into a bowl, enough 

for several breakfasts. 

(Fruit salad to you, perhaps,

fruit compote to my mother.)

The plums and apricots, 

over-ripe, melt into syrup, 

so sweet, no sugar needed, 

just a bit of acid (lime) 

to keep the colors bright:

magenta, orange, and shades 

of (you know), peach.

The firmest ones 

go in the fridge, 

(we always want 

our bliss to last), 

except that box 

of perfect peaches,

those perfumers, 

and a box for giveaway

with some of each,

glowing peaches, velvet cots,

and dappled nectarines, 

all softening sweetly

as this midsummer

spell of heat

that sweeps the west, 

(the whole world, indeed),

reaches us at last.

Watch and listen to Kyle and Katie Cruz on YouTube here. 

Photo by TARMO HANNULA

Cactus grows out of a tree stump along Sunset Beach Road in the Pajaro Valley.

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 and monkeypox in the county. Also, new Pfizer and Moderna Bivalent Covid-19 boosters are now availalbe. Go HERE for details. 

There were three new Covid deaths this week - three White women, one between the ages of 65-74, and the other two over 85. One was vaccinated and two weren't. Click to view a graph of hospitalizations here.

The department is monitoring for monkeypox viral DNA in wastewater solids. The heatmaps and charts display data from WastewaterSCAN’s monitoring for monkeypox viral DNA; the results shown include the northern California communities served by the Sewer Coronavirus Alert Network (SCAN) and the communities in California and across the US participating in WastewaterSCAN.

Because of the availability of home testing, I will no longer report on changes in the active cases in the county. The Health Department is now collecting data 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.



I will no longer be reporting on vaccinations because two boosters, with probably more on the way, are not factored into the the county's vaccination data. Besides, there has been little change in the last eight months. 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 still below 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 has issued three boxes of four free Antigen Rapid Tests here. If you have not ordered tests or have only ordered one set, you are entitled to a full 12 boxes. Order now while supplies last. To get information of COVID-19 testing locations around the county visit this site. You can make an appointment for a Rapid Antigen Test here.

Any Californian, ages six months and older can get vaccinated for free. For information on getting vaccinated, click here.

Photo by TARMO HANNULA

Fashion Street - A man rides a shopping cart along Freedom Boulevard in Watsonville.

Labor History Calendar Sept. 9-15, 2022

a.k.a Know Your History Lest We Forget

Sept. 9,1919 – Over 1,000 Boston police strike when 19 union leaders are fired for organizing activities.

Sept. 9, 1991: Canadian gov’t workers launch 8-day strike.

Sept. 9, 2016: Prisoners strike across US demanding end to unpaid labor. 

Sept. 10, 1797: Pioneering feminist Mary Wollstonecraft dies. 

Sept. 10, 1897: 19 striking coal miners killed by police in Lattimer, Pennsylvania.

Sept. 11, 1925: IWW marine strike.

Sept. 11, 1973: Allende gov’t overthrown in CIA-backed coup.

Sept. 12, 1918: Eugene Debs, sentenced to 10 years for opposing the war.

Sept. 12, 1932: Jobless seize food in Toledo, Ohio.

Sept. 12, 1936: IWW seaman strike to block arms shipment to Franco’s fascists and ISU scabs.

Sept. 13, 1971: Rebellion at Attica prison’ police kill 39 prisoners and hostages.

Sept. 14, 1979: Margaret Sanger born.

Sept. 14, 1959: Landrum-Griffin Act passed; severely limits union activity. 

Sept. 15, 1845: Women cotton workers strike for 10-hour day in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. 

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

“Woman must have her freedom, the fundamental freedom of choosing whether or not she will be a mother and how many children she will have. Regardless of what man’s attitude may be, that problem is hers — and before it can be his, it is hers alone. She goes through the vale of death alone, each time a babe is born. As it is the right neither of man nor the state to coerce her into this ordeal, so it is her right to decide whether she will endure it.” 

Margaret Sanger

Photo by TARMO HANNULA

Best Tomatoes Make Best Gazpacho

By SARAH RINGLER

Hot weather and ripe tomatoes call for making gazpacho, a cold tomato soup native to Spain. It can be made in many ways with many different ingredients, but I want to cut to the chase. The main ingredients here are the freshest, ripest and sweetest tomatoes you can find. Tomatoes grow their sweetest with hot sun and the least amount of water possible. I love cherry tomatoes because they are often very sweet. I know that many of you have them growing in your garden right now. 

Cold and sweet puréed tomatoes with a little heat from Anaheim chilis make the base for this California style gazpacho. Anahiem chilis came from a New Mexican farmer, Emilio Ortega, who brought the seeds and grew them in Anahiem, California in 1894. Growing the chili in California created a cooler variety than the ones that grew in New Mexico. They can be used fresh, roasted or dried but this recipe calls for fresh ones. They worked perfectly in this recipe because they aren't too hot and don't distract from the flavor of the tomatoes. 

You want to bring out the tomato flavor here and use the other ingredients as complements. Vinegar, in particular, increases the subtle acidic taste that tomatoes naturally have. You will need to make this early in the day or the day before because the soup needs to chill for about six hours to overnight. It also keeps well for a few days.  

Be sure to use fresh green pumpkin seeds for the topping. . 

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, rinsed and dried

1 Anaheim chili about 4-5 inches long

1 small red onion

1 clove garlic

3 teaspoons pomegranate balsamic vinegar or sherry vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

Pepper to taste

Add toasted pumpkin seed recipe for topping.  

Wash and dry the ripest tomatoes you can find. Core the tomatoes and core and seed the chili. Chop the tomatoes, onion and chili into large chunks and put into a blender with the garlic clove. Blend at a high speed until very smooth. Scrape down the sides of the blender every so often.

With the motor running, add the vinegar and salt. Slowly pour in the olive oil. Depending on the color of your tomatoes, you will have a smooth pinkish or coral colored liquid. 

Strain the liquid through a strainer pushing it through the strainer with a spatula or wooden spoon. Chill for 6 hours or overnight in a metal or glass bowl. 

Before serving, taste and adjust flavors. Serve in glasses with toasted and ground pumpkin seed mixture on top. Serves about 8.

Toasted ground pumpkin seeds

1 cup raw green pumpkin seeds

3 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar, optional

1 teaspoon lemon rind zest, chopped finely, optional

½ teaspoon thyme, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the seeds in an 8-inch square cake pan and toast seeds for about 15 minutes. Every 5 minutes check the seeds and shake the pan so they toast evenly. Seeds should be mostly brown and slightly puffed. Remove from oven and cool.

When cool, put into the blender with the salt and the sugar, thyme and lemon rind if you want. Run the blender until you have ground the seeds into a meal. Can be stored in a jar for a few weeks or so. Also, it is good with eggs, on salads or with raw vegetables.