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Santa Cruz Cookout: A Celebration of Diversity at DeLaveaga Park - May 11
BY SANTA CRUZ NAACP
With a spirit of resilience and a commitment to community health and safety, Ayo Banjo and the Santa Cruz County Black Health Matters Initiative are pleased to announce the rescheduling of the much-anticipated Santa Cruz Cookout.
This vibrant event is now set to take place on Sat., May 11, from 2-5pm at DeLaveaga Park (Lower), a place of historical significance and natural beauty that enhances our gathering with a backdrop steeped in local heritage.
Following the postponement due to health concerns at the previous venue, we have taken significant steps to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all attendees. DeLaveaga Park provides not only a scenic location but also a site that reflects our city's rich history and our community’s enduring strength.
Event Highlights:
· A Culinary Canvas of Community, Culture, and Connection: Experience the flavors of our diverse community with BBQ that cater to all tastes and celebrate the rich tapestry of cultures in Santa Cruz.
· Lineup of Local Afrobeat and Black Artists: Enjoy a day filled with the soulful sounds of local Afrobeat musicians and performances by Black artists that promise to energize and inspire.
· A Family-Friendly Gathering: Designed with families in mind, the cookout will feature activities that children and adults alike can enjoy, fostering a spirit of joy and inclusiveness.
· An Emblem of Unity and Healing: In these times of division, the Santa Cruz Cookout aims to be a beacon of unity and a celebration of the collective spirit that defines our community.
We invite the entire Santa Cruz community and beyond to join us on this Mother’s Day weekend in making this cookout not just an event, but a statement of our shared commitment to nurturing a culture of inclusivity and respect. Let us come together to enjoy good food, great music, and the company of our fellow residents in a celebration that honors our past and looks forward to a future of collective well-being. Please share widely with your networks.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our sponsors and partners who have stood by us during the rescheduling process, including University of California Santa Cruz Student Affairs, City Economic Development and Housing Department, NAACP Santa Cruz County, Arts Council Santa Cruz County, Black Surf Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Rotary Club, and the Resource Center for Nonviolence.
Join Us. Be part of this historic moment in our community. For more information, to volunteer, or to participate, please contact Ayo Banjo. Stay updated on future events by following @ayosbanjo @blackhealthmatterssc on all social media platforms.
Together, let’s celebrate the beauty of our diversity and the strength of our unity at the Santa Cruz Cookout. This event is more than a gathering; it’s a testament to what we can achieve when we come together in the spirit of love and mutual respect.
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23rd Year of Reel Work Labor Film Festival Ends Soon
BY SARAH RINGLER
The dedicated group of volunteers led by Jeffrey Smedberg brought out another year of films that dealt with issues the affect the working class. There are still a few films left. Check them out.
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Drifting
(Somnur Vardar, 2023, 67 min, Turkey)
While watching the dramatic changes in urban texture, we meet two young Kurdish cousins working in construction, just like their fathers and grandfathers did for decades. They both dream of becoming teachers, wanting to break the vicious cycle of construction work. From dormitories to May Day street protests, we get glimpses of their life, hearing their stories of struggle, resistance, families, their hopes and dreams.
Speaker: Somnur Vardar, filmmaker.
Watch the trailer for Drifting on Vimeo.
Fri., May 10, 7pm
Virtual event: Register at bit.ly/RW24May10
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Being 80
(Bob Gliner, 2024, 56 min, Santa Cruz County, USA)
This local documentary was shown on PBS in February and showcases a diverse range of vibrant, unique and memorable 80 year olds still finding meaning in their lives through long lived career choices contradicting the stereotype that their minds and bodies are obsolete in a world where only younger generations can make the world work.
Speakers: Bob Gliner, filmmaker; Cathy Cress, gerontologist.
Music by Patti Maxine.
Sat., May 11, 2pm
Felton Branch Library, 6121 Gushee St., Felton
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UNION
(Stephen Maing & Brett Story, 2023, 104 min, USA)
A group of current and former Amazon workers at a warehouse in New York City’s Staten Island challenges one of the world’s largest corporations in a successful unionization drive. Watch the trailer for UNION on Mubi.
Sat., May 11, 7pm Resource Center for Nonviolence, 612 Ocean St., Santa Cruz
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A Thousand Pines
(Sebastián Díaz, 2023, 77 min, Mexico & USA)
In this tale of labor and family that shines a light on the precarity of temporary work visas, Raymundo Morales leads a crew of workers who have to make the challenging decision to leave their families in rural Mexico to plant commercial pine forests in the United States.
Speakers: Sebastián Díaz, filmmaker, and Angeles Moreno, graphic designer.
Watch the trailer for A Thousand Pines on YouTube.
Sat., May 18, 7pm Resource Center for Nonviolence, 612 Ocean St., Santa Cruz
Hybrid event: Register to join virtually at bit.ly/RW24May18
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Field Trip to See the Redwood Grove Threatened by the Hwy 1 Auxiliary Lane Project
Sat., May 11, 10am. Meet in front of 303 Moosehead Drive. Parking is available on Moosehead Dr. on the other side (ocean side) of Spreckels Drive.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
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Lawsuit Filed Against Auxiliary Lanes in Aptos
By RICK LONGINOTTI
In March 2024 the Campaign for Sustainable Transportation and the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit against Caltrans regarding the Environmental Impact Report for proposed auxiliary lanes (exit-only lanes) in Aptos, from State Park Drive to Freedom Boulevard.
There are three important reasons to stop this project:
1. The project will not relieve congestion on Highway 1. In the words of former Executive Director of the Regional Transportation Commission, Linda Wilshusen, “The data in the Draft EIR itself demonstrates no sustained traffic-relief benefit from this Project."
2. The auxiliary lanes will result in the destruction of over 1,100 trees in Aptos, among them many beautiful redwoods.
3. The $180 million earmarked for this project could be better spent on improving our transit system and improving safety on our streets. Santa Cruz County has the 2nd worst rate of injuries to bicyclists and 5th worst rate of injuries to pedestrians out of 58 California counties.
Our lawsuit petition points out that the Caltrans EIR:
- Failed to analyze or mitigate increased vehicle miles traveled resulting from the project.
- Failed to analyze any alternatives to the project, including a genuine bus-on-shoulder express bus service.
- Relies on a Tier I EIR (Master EIR for auxiliary lanes from Santa Cruz to Freedom Blvd) that the court invalidated in 2022. in response to our lawsuit.
See my 20 minute video Why Auxiliary Lanes Won't Work.
An anonymous donor has offered up to $3,000 to match funds contributed for our lawsuit against Caltrans by the end of May. Please send a contribution online or to CFST, Box 7927, Santa Cruz, 95061.
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Updates for the Coastal Rail Trail
BY SARAH RINGLER
The Segment 7b retaining wall is shown under construction at Neary Lagoon.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
As you may already know, at the Apr. 30 Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisors Bruce McPherson and Manu Koenig made a decision to join the other supervisors in a unanimous vote to go ahead with the Ultimate Trail design for Rail Trail Segments 10 and 11 that go from 17th Ave. to State Park Drive. You may thank all the supervisors including Justin Cummings and Felipe Hernandez HERE.
Faina Segal, of Friends of the Rail & Trail, sent out the following updates on Apr. 30.
Segment 5 - Wilder Ranch to Davenport (7.5 mi)
The RTC is working with the Federal Highway Administration on this segment, which is fully funded and expected to start construction some time in 2024. This trail stretch will serve as a gateway to many North Coast beaches, to the town of Davenport, and to hiking and biking trails in the Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument. Major projects include new parking lots, restrooms, and two bike/pedestrian bridges over the highway.
Segment 7b - California and Bay to Wharf Roundabout (0.8 mi)
This short but mighty segment is under construction now. Two years of unusually heavy rain have slowed construction, but the trail opening is projected for this fall. This stretch of trail will connect the Westside to the Wharf, Boardwalk, Seabright and downtown Santa Cruz!
Segments 8 & 9 - Municipal Wharf to 17th Avenue (2.2 mi)
Design and environmental reviews should be complete this year with construction starting in 2026. When complete, segments 8 and 9 will combine with segment 7 and the Wilder Ranch Bike Path to provide trail users with over 6 miles of drop-dead gorgeous, car-free recreation, all the way from 17th Avenue to Wilder Ranch.
Segments 10 & 11 - 17th Avenue to State Park Drive (4.7 mi)
The Ultimate Trail option has officially been chosen and the project will move forward with final engineering and construction. With the vote at the Board of Supervisors today, construction starting in 2026 is still possible.
Segment 12 - State Park Drive to Rio Del Mar Beach (1.2 mi)
Funding for this segment is coupled with the Highway 1 Bus on Shoulder project in Aptos and will include two new pedestrian and bicycle bridges over Highway 1 next to the two new railroad bridges that will be built. Environmental, right of way, and design work is under way and with adequate funding could go to construction in 2025.
For status and details on all of the Coastal Rail Trail projects, see our update Rail & Trail section .
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A Community Conversation on Surveillance and the Expectation of Privacy
BY PETER GELBLUM
The Santa Cruz County Chapter of the ACLU of Northern California will host an event regarding the rapidly increasing use of mass surveillance technology by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies May 20, 7-8:30pm. These developments affect everyone. As just the most recent example, in the last few months the cities in Santa Cruz County have allowed their police departments to acquire dozens of automated license plate readers, which automatically and constantly photograph every vehicle that passes the cameras, recording the date and time of the image.
The stellar group of expert panelists will discuss topics including:
· the current surveillance situation
· what new invasive technologies are in the works
· the dangers of mass surveillance
· how to monitor law enforcement's use of surveillance technology and hold them accountable for misuse
· our reasonable expectations of privacy, and
· what we can all do to protect our privacy and advocate for more protections.
The panel will be moderated by Gary Patton, former County Supervisor, attorney, and UCSC adjunct professor, including teaching the Privacy, Technology, and Freedom course.
The panelists are:
Tracy Rosenberg, Media Alliance, Executive Director; Oakland Privacy
Nick Hidalgo, ACLU Northern California, staff attorney Technology and Civil Liberties Program
Matthew Guariglia, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Senior Policy Analyst
Mike Gennaco, OIR Group, Independent Police Auditor for City of Santa Cruz, Office of Inspector General for Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office
The event includes ample time for the panelists to answer questions from the attendees. Register HERE. The Zoom link will be provided upon registration.
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Film on Dance Troupe Esperanza de Valle in Production
By JON SILVER
I’m excited to be working on a documentary about the Watsonville-Santa Cruz County folkloric dance troupe Esperanza de Valle (EDV). For over 40 years EDV has been bringing authentic Mexican folkloric dances to the community. Many in the dance troupe are engaged community members and educators who are committed to sharing folkloric dances and traditions from across Mexico. Thanks to the folks at EDV for welcoming me into their community to create a film that will highlight their cultural and artistic contributions.
I have been working on this project for almost a year and it will be done sometime in 2025.
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We All Go......
BY SARAH RINGLER
If you agree that more public restrooms are needed, call the City Council and Parks Commission in your town. In Watsonville, call the Watsonville City Council at 768-3040, Watsonville City Manager at 768-3010 and the Watsonville City Parks and Recreation Commission at 768-3240. weallgowatsonville@gmail.com
CARTOON BY MORGAN CORREIA
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Tortoise House--for Marie Rexroth (6-1-67)
BY WOODY REHANEK
We might be here forever, she said,
or more than that. there was no
questioning her discipline. staunch
& vibrant. moving like a chorus
of sycamore leaves across the open
window.
more than that? I asked.
forever is just a word. just...a cat
playing in dappled sunlight;
a child's voice quavering to a friend
in Indian intonations; an old man
basking in a sea of geraniums;
a stone tortoise blinking
at the sun; liquid lashing of river
tongues rippling beyond
the present time & face.
all memory, she said,
belongs in the world of fiction.
memory's a continuum, a slow
flowing river passing
& surpassing::::TREESAP.
cut your finger & you'll remember
the winedark sea within you.
a sea of birdlike squawks
sashays in waves across
the open window, nesting
there like whispers
& then becoming dreams:
dreams of 5th grade readers,
the open book a close flame
laced with pictures & names,
secret eyes opening on a scene
of icemen trooping across the arctic
thinking ice as dryfire, coldfire,
deathfire, where adrenalin is quick-
frozen before their faces
show emotion.
already the shadows stream
like cardboard cut-outs.
already the geraniums are set
for sailing. deep seas crescendo
& resonate. children's voices
trail off in abrupt bogeyman
lapses; moontides trample the sea,
this sea within us. radiant
voices on the 1st of June
trumpet invisibly across
the unrhymed waters.
******************
The poem above is dedicated to Marie Rexroth, who was my buddy Jack's "trippy old aunt" who lived in Lagunitas in Marin. Jack and I decided to go visit her at her house on a sunny ridge overlooking a narrow creek lined valley, on June 1, 1967. She was Jack's mother's sister, and had quite a background as a nurse and as the wife of poet Kenneth Rexroth.
Kenneth was known to me as a translator of Japanese and Chinese poems, and also as a father-figure to many of the beat poets. I think he was the host at the famous Six Gallery on Fillmore in October, 1957 when Gary Snyder, Allen Ginsberg, & others had their famous "beat poetry" reading.
Anyway, while we were visiting, I wrote down this poem and read it to Marie. I'm not sure if I knew at the time that Marie had been married to (and divorced from) the famous poet Kenneth Rexroth. Marie said she could hear Janis and Big Brother and the Holding Company practicing further down the valley. Marie called her home "Tortoise House." She liked the poem but questioned the line at the end of the 2nd stanza--"the present time & face." I guess she wanted "space" in place of "face," but I let face stand.
Kenneth Rexroth's is the only tombstone at Santa Barbara Cemetery that faces the sea. The epitaph reads:
"As the full moon rises
The swan sings in sleep
On the lake of the mind"
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Photo by TARMO HANNULA
A dark-eyed junco searches for a bite in Santa Cruz.
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Santa Cruz County Covid-19 Report
By SARAH RINGLER
The California Department of Public Health and Santa Cruz County Health Department regularly release data on the current status of Covid-19 in the county as well as information on influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and Mpox. Since cases of Covid are still appearing, and there are still vulnerable people, I will continue reporting the graphs below.
At-home Covid-19 test kits are currently available at the Watsonville Public Library, Main St.
The three graphs below were updated on May 8.
The first graph is the Effective Reproductive Number. When the line rises above one, it shows that the spread of the virus is increasing. Below one means the spread is decreasing.
The second graph below shows data that the Health Department collects for Covid from wastewater at the City Influent, for the city of Santa Cruz, and from the Lode Street pump stations for the county.
The third graph below shows hospitalizations.
The vaccination data for the county has stayed fairly constant increasing very little over time. Go HERE for new information on vaccination records, treatments, vaccines, tests, safety in the workplace and more.
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Photo TARMO HANNULA
Fashion Street
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Labor History Calendar - May 10-16, 2024
a.k.a Know Our History Lest We Forget
May 10, 1894: Pullman strike begins.
May 10, 1898: US and Canada workers form Western Labor Union.
May 10, 1920: East End London dockers 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 US rail strike.
May 12, 1916: Execution of James Connolly, IWW organizer and Irish freedom fighter.
May 12, 1972: Nine towns occupied as Quebec general strike spreads 300,000 workers out.
May 13, 1913: 10,000 IWW dock workers strike in Philadelphia.
May 13, 1968: Strikes in Paris leads to general strike by 10 million workers.
May 13, 2014: 310 killed in Soma mine disaster after Turkish authorities ignore union safety warnings.
May 14, 1771: Labor reformer Robert Owen born.
May 14, 1993: 11-day East German metalworkers strike settled.
May 15, 1902: Anthracite miners’ strike.
May 15, 1919: General strike in Winnipeg begins and lasts six weeks.
May 15, 1931: Soldiers fire on strikers killing many in Adalen, Sweden.
May 15, 1942: Death of IWW songwriter T-bone Slim in New York City.
May 15, 2011: Indignados occupations across Spain.
May 16, 1821: Engineers start successful 5-month strike for 9-hour day in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
May 16, 1934: Minneapolis general strike backs Teamsters.
May 16, 2018: North Carolina teachers’ strike for better schools.
Labor History Calendar has been published yearly by the Hungarian Literature Fund since 1985.
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"Humble people like me
fight for justice and for better luck."
- Pancho Villa
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Photo by TARMO HANNULA
Mexico City's Buda burgers
By SARAH RINGLER
I found these burgers in Aire Magazine in the seat pocket in front of me on an AeroMexico flight when I flew back from Zacatecas a few summers ago. Buda Burgers are from We Love Burgers Cafe in the Hipodromo Condesa Colonia in Mexico City. I have never been there but the photograph and the description made this burger look really good. When I made them at home, they tasted as good as they looked.
You will need to know a tiny bit of mushroom anatomy for this dish. The smooth top of the mushroom is called the cap. The underside has a stem and the grayish brown strips that radiate out from the stem are called gills. When you buy a Portobello mushroom, the gills should look firm and healthy. When you buy smaller mushrooms, the fresher ones have not yet opened to show their gills and are enclosed in a white membrane.
This recipe makes four burgers. Because the flavor of a mushroom is not as pronounced as beef, it's the marinade, pesto, sweet dried tomatoes and cheese that really make these burgers taste great. You also need to give yourself some time to marinate the mushrooms for a few hours. Choose buns that are soft and have a mild flavor. Finally, you can use store bought pesto, but the easy recipe below can be made and the leftover stored in the freezer and used on pasta later.
Buda burgers
4 large Portobello mushrooms, one for each burger
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced thyme
16-20 dried tomatoes, 4-5 for each burger softened
Goat cheese or blue cheese
4 buns, English muffins, light whole wheat buns, or Francese rolls
Lettuce leaves, butter, green or red leaf
Walnut basil pesto:
2 cups packed wash and dried fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup walnuts
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt - optional
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the oil, vinegar, garlic and thyme. Add mushrooms, seal bag and gently turn the bag so the mushrooms get coated. Refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
Add 1/3 cup of white wine and a pinch of sugar to a small saucepan. Add the dried tomatoes and simmer, covered until they have softened, in about 10-15 minutes.
Use commercial pesto or make your own in a blender or food processor. Add the clean and dried basil leaves, olive oil, walnuts, garlic and a little salt. Blend until smooth. Add the cheese and continue to blend until smooth. Taste and adjust flavors. Freeze any remaining pesto.
Drain mushrooms and discard the marinade. Grill mushrooms, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 inches from the heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until tender.
Heat the buns or bread. Spread pesto on heated slice buns. Put mushroom gill side facing the bottom bun. Cover with slices of dried tomatoes. Sprinkle with dollops of cheese. Serve with lettuce leaves.
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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
Send comments to coluyaki@gmail.com
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Subscribe, contact or find back issues at the website https://serf-city-times.constantcontactsites.com
Thanks, Sarah Ringler
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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.
Copyright © 2024 Sarah Ringler - All rights reserved
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