Photo above by TARMO HANNULA
Photo below by BRUNO RODRIGUEZ
May Day - International Workers Day in Santa Cruz and Havana, Cuba
Musician and unionist Jimmy Kelly, standing by the statue of Wobbly saw player and logger Tom Scribner, leads a crowd in downtown Santa Cruz in singing "Solidarity Forever" on May 1. Below is a photo of Havana, Cuba; hundreds of thousands of people showed up the same day.
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Big Call Out to All Santa Cruz Unionists and Supporters
By SARAH RINGLER
May 11 at 2:30pm come out to either the Starbucks at Mission and Dufour streets, or at Ocean and Water streets in solidarity to support Santa Cruz Starbuck's workers who are the first in California to make it to a National Labor Relations Board election. Wear your union shirts, hats and bring signs. See poster below.
There are 19 Starbucks in Santa Cruz County and 2,500 in California. Six Starbucks in Seattle are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers, but the first Starbucks in the US to form their own union was in Buffalo, NY in December.
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Can Santa Cruz City Voters Do What the Developer Friendly City Council Won't?
By SARAH RINGLER
Two grassroot groups have submitted petitions to the Santa Cruz City Clerk for ballot initiatives that, if accepted, will put up for a vote in November an attempt to do what the Santa Cruz City Council won't do, provide low cost housing and preserve the ambiance of the city.
Our Downtown, Our Future reported gathering 5,072 signature of registered voters, 1,224 more than was required.
Their petition prioritizes 100% affordable housing on specific city-owned parking lots downtown, including Front Street’s Parking Lot 7, and creates a City of Santa Cruz dedicated funding stream for affordable housing, building housing equity by using parking revenue saved from not building an unnecessary garage. It also supports preserving the large, sunny and centrally located Parking Lot 4 as a public space that provides a permanent location for the Farmers’ Market, thereby saving ten Heritage trees, and creating the future potential for a green Downtown Commons. Finally it supports renovating the city’s public library at its historic location. To support and donate to the campaign, click here.
The Yes on Empty Home Tax turned in over 6,000 signatures to the city clerk, well over the 3,848 required. About 150 volunteers turned in petitions.
The Santa Cruz Empty Home Tax is a community driven ballot initiative that tries to increase affordable housing options in the city of Santa Cruz by raising funds to create affordable housing through a parcel tax on empty homes. An empty home is defined as not being “in use” for 120 days per calendar year. That means a dwelling unit could be empty for 245 days a year and would not be subject to the tax. There are some defined exemptions to the tax that an owner can use including loss of job, hospitalization, going into long term care, active legal proceedings or construction.
It will not tax places where people live and will not apply to the majority of people in the city. It does allow property owners to choose how they want to support the community; they can live in a house, rent it out, or pay the tax. The tax will go to create a dedicated funding source for affordable housing. To support or donate, go here.
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Reel Work Labor Film Festival - The Wobblies
By SARAH RINGLER
Between May 6-9, you can stream for free the 1979 movie “The Wobblies,” the history of the Industrial Workers of the World who in Chicago in 1905 believed in organizing all workers and in living in harmony with the earth.
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National Day of Action for Peace
Sat., May 7
4pm
Town Clock Santa Cruz
Stop sending lethal aid to Ukraine and fund housing, healthcare and education. Eventually there will be negotiations. Negotiate now.
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Photo by TARMO HANNULA
Common mergansers (left and lower right) and a male mallard engage in a quarrel in Soquel Creek at Rio del Mar State Beach.
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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 May 5 were 49,490, up 452 cases from last week's 49,038, rounding off to a 1% rise. There were no new deaths this week.
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.
Hospitalizations have not changed since March 10. Click to view a graph of hospitalizations here.
There have been changes in the last week in the active cases. Active cases in south county decreased by 3%, north county increased by 3% and mid county decreased 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 above one. See chart below. Numbers above one show the spread of the virus is increasing. Below one means the spread is decreasing.
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 age 12 or up 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/261:
25-34 - 2%
35-44 - 3%
45-54 - 4%
55-59 - 2%
60-64 - 6%
65-74 - 18%
75-84 - 24%
85+ - 43%
% active cases testing positive by region/% of population:
Mid-county - 9%/12%
North county - 72%/56%
South county - 18%/32%
Under investigation - 1%
Deaths by vaccination status:
vaccinated - 28/261 = 11%
unvaccinated - 232/261 = 89%
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%
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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%
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%
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Photo by TARMO HANNULA
Fashion Street - The driver of this minivan said he drove from New Orleans to Santa Cruz with all of his belongings. He's parked here beside Foster's Freeze on Laurel Street in downtown Santa Cruz.
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Labor History Calendar for May 6-12, 2022
IWW organizer, socialist, trade union leader and Irish freedom fighter James Connolly, pictured at right, was shot by the British Army while tied to a chair in Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin, Ireland May 12, 1916.>
May 6, 1980: 170,000 workers in Russia's Togliatti auto plant stay home in support of bus driver walkout.
May, 7, 1937: Barcelona workers rebel against growing counter-revolution.
May 7, 1968: French students and workers revolt in Paris, France.
May 8, 1838: Chartist movement for British workers' rights.
May 8, 1994: Bolivian Workers Congress reaches agreement to end 23-day general strike.
May 9, 1972: Quebec general strike against jailing of union leaders.
May 9, 1980: Auto workers in Gorky, Russia, strike to protest food shortages.
May 9, 1992: 26 miners die in Westray Coal explosion in Nova Scotia.
May 10, 1894: Pullman strike begins.
May 10, 1898: US and Canadian workers form Western Labor Union.
May 10, 1920: East End dockers in London, UK, refuse to load weapons to Russia.
May 11, 1791: First known US building-trades strike in Philadelphia.
May 11, 1891: National US building trades strike.
May 11, 1894: National rail strike.
May 12, 1916: Execution of James Connolly, IWW organizer, socialist, trade union leader and Irish freedom fighter.
May 12, 1972: Nine towns occupied as Quebec general strike spreads; 300,000 workers out.
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“Yes, friends, governments in capitalist society are but committees of the rich to manage the affairs of the capitalist class."
James Connolly
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Photo by TARMO HANNULA
So-called Burmese Staki Uppi - A 50's Meal That Stacks Up Just Right
By SARAH RINGLER
Sometimes you need to make a meal that can feed a lot of people, be made ahead of time and satisfy diverse appetites. Burmese Staki-Uppi qualifies. In this recipe, you prepare a basic chicken stew and some rice. Then, you prepare seven different toppings. People can “stack up” as many or as few of the toppings as they desire but to get the full experience, I suggest that you try it all.
Kids can choose just what they want. You can even prepare a vegetarian tofu stew for those who don’t eat meat. This recipe can feed around 8-10 people. I must say up front that I don’t know why this dish is attributed to the Burmese, so I have not updated it to Myanmar Staki-Uppi to save offending anyone.
This recipe is a long time favorite of the Ringler family. It originates from when my father taught at Bakersfield High School from the mid-1950s to the mid-60s. In those times, a family could easily survive on one person’s income. Bakersfield High had a faculty wives’ group, of which my mom was a part; they socialized and provided support for each other and their families. This recipe, and the “Bakersfield High Faculty Wives’ Cookbook,”are a combination of two influences – the 1950s and a group of women from many parts of the United States who ended up with the families in Bakersfield and contributed their regional dishes. (I’m not sure what the faculty husbands did.)
1 3-4 pound chicken
(carrot, celery, parsley, bay leaf and flour for chicken stock)
5 cups cooked rice
2 cups sharp grated cheese
2 cans drained crushed pineapple
2 packages chow mein noodles
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
3 chopped tomatoes
2 cups lightly toasted sweetened coconut
1 cup finely chopped roasted and salted peanuts
salt and pepper to taste.
Wash the chicken thoroughly and place it in a large, heavy pot that has a lid. Cover the chicken with water and add, a carrot, celery tops, a bay leaf and maybe some parsley. Add a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for about an hour until the meat is done. When the meat is done set aside to cool.
When cool, take the meat off the bone and set aside. Discard the bones and skim off the fat from the stock. Keep about three tablespoons of the fat. Refrigerate the meat and let the stock sit if you will be serving this dinner in the next hour or two.
Prepare the other ingredients and refrigerate the cheese, tomatoes, green onions and pineapple. To toast the sweetened coconut, spread it on a cookie sheet and carefully toast at about 300 degrees for about 10 minutes. Shake the cookie sheet every so often so the coconut toasts evenly. Put aside to serve later. Just before serving the meal, heat the chow mein noodles on the same cookie sheet for about 10 minutes at 300 degrees.
Cook the rice.
In a heavy pot, add the three tablespoons of fat or use butter or cooking oil. Turn heat to medium and when the oil is hot, whisk in two and a half tablespoons of flour. Keep stirring and when the flour is turning golden, gradually whisk in three cups of stock. Keep stirring until liquid is slightly thickened like gravy. Add the chicken pieces. If the gravy is too thin, you can add a few more spoonfuls of flour to coat the chicken pieces before you add them to the stock. Cook for a 10 minutes at low heat, add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
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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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