We All Go...... 

By SARAH RINGLER  

GRAPHIC BY MORGAN CORREIA



Watsonville has 26 parks around the city but only four have open restrooms: the downtown plaza, Pinto Lake City Park, Franich Park and Ramsay Park. Several more parks have bathrooms, like Callaghan, Muzzio, Marinovich and River Park but they are not always open. Muzzio and River are sealed shut to the public.

Is that enough for 53,000 people of all ages and abilities? And what about visitors who come to walk the six and a half miles of slough trails to birdwatch, and downtown to see the William Week's Victorians and other historic sites?

How many people don’t go out for walks, runs, or bike rides because there aren’t bathrooms?

When you are out in the community, you need clean drinking water and safe places to wash up and use the facilities. Everyone does. River and Muzzio Parks should be opened now. These are public parks. 

Watsonville owns a wastewater treatment plant that processes 5 million gallons of wastewater a day. That is the healthiest place to dispose of sewage, not in the bushes, gardens, parks or neighborhoods. It’s a public health issue.

Watsonville Community Members for Public Restrooms is asking Watsonville and the Parks Department to provide and maintain bathrooms that are open 24 hours a day at Callaghan, Marinovich, Muzzio and River Parks now. New bathrooms need to be added to other parks in the future. Four bathrooms for 53,000 people is not enough. 

If you agree, contact 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

Help Us Weather the Storm

BY DAVID BLUME

What happened? How did Whiskey Hill Farms get into this predicament? Our important work in regenerative food and fuel has brought us to the brink of disaster here at Whiskey Hill Farms and Science Center.This past winter, California was hit with around 20 “atmospheric rivers,” and we were deluged with 300% of our normal rainfall, a 100+ year record. The weather was abnormally cold, followed by an abnormally sharp heat wave. This tricked the turmeric — the crop that pays our bills — into thinking it was spring. It caused the rhizomes to sprout, which made them unattractive to consumers.

So we lost the sales of the whole year’s crop — but we didn’t actually lose the crop. In the same way that you can make a lot of potatoes by planting a single sprouting potato, we harvested and replanted the 14 tons of very healthy, and a-bit-too-willing-to-grow, turmeric roots in early 2023.

Now we’re in a race against time — harvesting turmeric as fast as we're able, while we struggle to recover from being so behind for so long.

We’re not the first farmers to run short of money before the harvests. Since biblical times, those with surplus funds have loaned money to farmers needing it to get over the shortfall before harvests. The collateral for these loans are the crops themselves. Its such a normal transaction that nowadays selling those very loans to others is called the Futures Market on stock exchanges.

Small farms have no access to that sort of big finance. But before the advent of stock market futures investments, when all farmers were small, there was a community means to save their farms from foreclosure by banks. If a small farmer who needed help was well thought of in their community — if they shared some of their crops with the hungry, helped their neighbors when they needed it, and were generous in their greater community dealings — then the community would come together to prevent losing that farm and its value to the community.

The community could collectively make the farm loans collateralized by the crops themselves. A loan consortium is where individuals can join to fund the farm at an attractive return greater than the maximum 9.99% by allowed by law for a standard loan.

A consortium to fund the farm through this current crisis and beyond has been formed to do just that. For information on the consortium, Agricultural Investments LLC, you can contact Dirk Coldewey at (831) 246-2455.

Can you help us keep Whiskey Hill Farms going? We’ve put together some unique and appealing premiums to tempt you to help us. Your donation could be eligible to sponsor trips, workshops, and classes, or to earn a Whiskey Hill Farms work experience day, for yourself and friends, or a discussion with Dave.

Donate via the Buckminster Fuller Institute. Your qualified donations are tax-deductible under the generous sponsorship of the Buckminster Fuller Institute. We are aiming to retire the Farm debt and establish an agricultural easement to keep the Farm from real estate development forever. Any size donation is very welcome.

Whether you can make a direct financial contribution or not, you can still be a big help. Learn more about ways you can get involved with what Whiskey Hill Farms is doing.

“Bucky’s quote was ‘make the world work for 100% of humanity in the shortest possible time through spontaneous cooperation without ecological offense or the disadvantage of anyone’ — and Dave Blume is one of the top people in the world that’s ever truly made that come true.”

George Orbelian, Board Member at the Buckminster Fuller Institute, fiscal sponsor of Whiskey Hill Farms

Photo below. We lost the sales of the whole year’s crop — but we didn’t actually lose the crop. In the same way that you can make a lot of potatoes by planting a single sprouting potato, we harvested and replanted the 14 tons of very healthy, and a-bit-too-willing-to-grow, turmeric roots in early 2023.

PHOTO DAVID BLUME

Film and Concert with Nicaraguan Musician and Poet Carlos Mejía Godoy at Watsonville Film Festival

BY JON SILVER

My short film Living in Exile was postponed at last year’s Watsonville Film Festival when the Pajaro River Levee failed and hundreds of farmworker families were flooded out of their homes in Pajaro and many people lost their jobs in the nearby strawberry fields which were underwater.

I’m pleased to announce that Living in Exile is scheduled to screen in this year’s film festival, and that Carlos Mejía Godoy will treat the audience to a musical performance after the screenings. The event is co-sponsored by Palenque Arts and takes place at the Oldenmeyer Center at 986 Hilby Ave., in Seaside on March 15 at 6:30pm. 

About Living In Exile:

Legendary musician and poet of Nicaragua’s Sandinista Revolution, Carlos Mejía Godoy shares his music, poetry and paintings, while reflecting on Nicaragua’s current and historic fight for liberty. Through his art and music he takes us to his hometown– Somoto, Nicaragua, from where he draws hope and inspiration.

"For over half a century Nicaraguan singer, songwriter and poet Carlos Mejía Godoy brought to peoples around the world Nicaragua’s cry for freedom, first in their struggle against the Somoza dictatorship, then against U.S. counterrevolutionary intervention, and now against the Ortega dictatorship.This urgent new documentary, Living in Exile, gives us a homegrown account of the dark night that has once again descended on Nicaragua. Yet it is also full of love for his people and his country and of hope for the future. Don’t miss it!" William I. Robinson, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Global Studies, University of California-Santa Barbara.

And that's not all. You can still watch more great films online now through March 17, including an exclusive online selection of documentary films 🎥

Thanks POV for partnering with us again this year. To watch go to: https://watch.eventive.org/2024wff

Chance for Healthcare for All in California

BY SARAH RINGLER

Assembly Bill 2200, a bill to establish Calcare, healthcare for all in California, has just been introduced in the State Assembly. Within the just next two months, AB 2200 must be heard and voted on in the Assembly Health Committee. Time is short, so now is the perfect time to get involved to build support in our community.

Come together with other supporters to plan actions to build the visibility and momentum we need before the first hearing. If we want CalCare, we need to make it happen. Attend this meeting or get on their mailing list:

CalCare House Party

Saturday, March 16, 11-12:30

Felton Library Community Room

6121 Gushee St, Felton

RSVP HERE.

Questions? Text Sally 831-334-1348 or Ginny 831-345-2749

Caltrans Whistleblower Reveals Misuse of Re-paving Funds

BY RICK LONGINOTTI

The Campaign for Sustainable Transportation is hosting a Zoom interview with Jeanie Ward-Waller, who was removed from her job as Deputy Director of Caltrans, because she blew the whistle on Caltrans diversion of repaving money to widen a highway. Contributions are accepted for CFST’s fight against the expansion of Highway 1.

Register for the Zoom webinar HERE.

Please share the Facebook event HERE. 

The Holy Land

By WOODY REHANEK

"And how can we even speak of peace,

when arms production, sales, & trade

are on the rise?" --Pope Francis

The tra-la-las & fa-la-las have faded

& now Bethlehem's a pretty dead town.

Only a few souvenir shops are trading.

A manger made of rubble draws crowds.

In Israel there's blood on the land

from the river to the sea. No two-

state strategy. "This is why you

 cannot have nice things" in Gaza:

85% of Gaza's two million people have 

been driven from their homes; half 

are starving. Even in the camps there's

no place to go but Heaven/Jannah/Eden

in clouds of ash & smoke...or down

 to bloodstained shrouds in the cold

calculus of collateral damage. Now

Gaza is a killing field for families.

Pope Francis laments & lambasts 

arms dealers as merchants of death:

Smith & Wesson won't go to heaven.  

 OMG, it's high time to press PAUSE:

Slow down, take stock, breathe deep, 

give thanks, say prayers. Be kind in

troubled times. Listen. Problem solve. 

Nurture common ground. Break bread.

Old-fashioned, deep-rooted values-- 

patience, compassion, forbearance--  

are in short supply. Now, more than 

ever, we need PEACEMAKERS to piece

together our flawed & fragile world.

******************

Photo by TARMO HANNULA 

An oak tree spreads it limbs on a hillside in the Coyote Creek area of Santa Clara County.

Santa Cruz County Covid-19 Report - Rt Numbers Graphs Confusing for Feb. 28 and March 6

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.

Three graphs of the four graphs below have not been updated since March 6. The first graph below shows the Rt Number from Feb. 28. I'm still waiting a response from the Health Department for clarification as to why the graphs look so different. Feb. 28 showed the Rt above 1. March 6's showed the Rt was below. Numbers above one show the spread of the virus is increasing. Below one means the spread is decreasing. 

The third 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 fourth 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.

Photo Tarmo Hannula

Fashion Street - Inside the Pacific Apartments in Watsonville, going 6 mph is considered speeding.

Labor History Calendar - March 15-21, 2024

a.k.a Know Our History Lest We Forget

March 15, 1877: Birth of Ben Fletcher, black IWW organizer of longshoremen, in Philadelphia, PA.

March 15, 1917: Supreme Court approves 8-Hour Act under threat of national rail strike.

March 16, 1899: Lake City, Louisiana free speech fight. 

March 17, 1921: Kronstadt Commune falls to Bolsheviks.

March 17, 1970: US postal workers’ wildcat strike.

March 17, 1994: Parisian workers riot protesting government’s labor policies.

March 17, 2020: Detroit bus drivers strike and win Covid protection. 

March 18, 1871: Paris Commune.

March 18, 1885: Police attack Commune memorial, sparking miners’ strike in Liége district of Belgium.

March 18, 1937: Police evict clerks occupying NY Woolworth’s for 40-hour work week.

March 19, 1948: 20,000 rally against Labour government efforts to crush rail strike in Brisbane, Australia.

March 20, 1960: Workers press shut down in Cuba.

March 21, 1960: Sharpeville massacre in South Africa; 69 killed by police.

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

"I guess Satan was the first superhero [...] In his first adventure, he took the form of a snake to free two prisoners being held naked in a Third World jungle prison by an all-powerful megalomaniac. At the same time, he broadened their diet and introduced them to their own sexuality."

Joe Hill

Photo by TARMO HANNULA

Pumpkin Salad

By SARAH RINGLER 

Pumpkins are from the squash family, indigenous to the Americas, although they grow all over the world. They are one of the “Three Sisters” of Native American culture joining corn and beans as staple foods. They were also planted together to keep weeds away and provide nutrients for each other. Earliest records of people eating squash come from 8,000 to 10,000 years ago.

The name comes from the Greek word, “pepon” which means “large melon”. In French it became “pompom” and finally it came to be called pumpkin in the United States. 

Not only is the flesh edible but also the flowers and the seeds. Wash and dry the seeds and put on an oiled pie tin, sprinkle a bit of salt and roast carefully at 300 degrees for about 15 minutes. 

An odd thing about pumpkins is their connection to things that have little to do with food. For example, the jack-o’-lanterns comes from a tradition in Great Britain and Ireland where vegetables were carved into lanterns. Although turnips are usually used, immigrants to the United States took advantage of the larger and easier to carve pumpkins and made them into vegetable lanterns. In the mid 1800’s the fall harvest of pumpkins combined with the vegetable lantern to become one of the icons of Halloween.

Pumpkins have also appeared in literature: as a coach in “Cinderella”, as a headless horseman in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, and as favorite foods in “Harry Potter” and “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” novels.

And here is pumpkin as a salad. Creamy goat cheese and peppery arugula make a nice counter point to the warm rich taste of pumpkin. 

Baked pumpkin salad

1 edible pumpkin or butternut squash of about 5 pounds

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup olive oil

 Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

8 ounces chevre, or goat cheese

1 large bunch arugula, cleaned and dried

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash the pumpkin or squash. Cut out the stem and put it into a roasting pan. Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes until the flesh is soft when you insert a knife into it. 

While the pumpkin is cooking, wash and dry the arugula. 

Then, make the mint salad dressing. Put the chopped mint in a small bowl. Add the vinegar and whisk to mix. While whisking the vinegar, gradually pour in the olive oil in a smooth stream about the diameter of a pencil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When the pumpkin is cooked, let it stand for about 5 minutes. Then slice it in half and put it on a large serving tray. Scrape out the seeds and tough fibers. Divide the goat cheese in half and crumble into each half. Spread the arugula on top of the cheese. Pour half of the salad dressing over that. 

With a large metal spoon stir some of the pumpkin meat into the cheese, arugula and dressing. Gently scrape the flesh from the shell combining the mixtures in the two pumpkin halves. Pour over the rest of the dressing and serve while warm. Serves 8. You can also serve half the pumpkin for one meal and reheat and serve the other half later.

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

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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