Defense Officials, Local Congressman Speak Out Against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

The top two defense officials in the nation announced their desire to repeal the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in a Feb. 2 hearing. Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday that they support repealing the 1993 law that prohibits openly gay men and women from serving in the military, but they need more time to review the impact and how to carry out the change in policy. Gates testified that he has appointed a "high-level working group" to do the review, which will take about a year. In the meantime, the military is moving toward enforcing the existing policy "in a fairer manner," according to Gates.

Santa Cruz Superior Court Judge Michael Barton has announced he will be hanging up his robe and retiring. Watsonville attorney Rebecca Connolly hopes to step into his shoes, having recently filed for the upcoming election for his seat. Connolly has experience in federal law and as an assistant Santa Cruz District Attorney. “It’s a tremendous honor to run for Superior Court Judge in Santa Cruz County,”  Connolly stated in a Feb. 1 press release. The filing period for candidates to declare intention to run ends Feb. 10. The election will be held June 8, 2010.

Hotel Kabuki brings Japanese splendor to the Bay

I recently pulled off a visit to Japan—minus the 13-hour flight, minus the jetlag and minus the wallet-busting cost. Well, sort of. Feeling the urge to have an exotic vacation but lacking the means and time to really reach Tokyo, I sought out a hotel in the Bay Area that might be able to satiate my travel bug.

A getaway to the Orient at the 218-room Hotel Kabuki, part of the Joie de Vivre chain of boutique hotels, turned out to be a worthy alternative to jet-setting during these economic times, and it’s a quick jaunt from Santa Cruz.

Great deals can be found online at joieoflife.com; standard rooms range from $99 during weekdays to $119 during weekends, and a Deluxe View King Room at $99 is a steal if you catch the right price at the right time. If you reserve your stay online, you even get a complimentary pass to the nearby (and well-known) Kabuki Springs and Spa communal baths (a $20 value). A special offer until June 15, you can now get a third night free when you book a minimum three-night stay (enter “JOIE” promo code).

Robert Steffen, featured in the Jan. 21 issue of Good Times for his recent interest in city politics and a seat on the city council, has announced his plans to withdraw from the Santa Cruz City Council race in November. For other candidates such as Councilmember Lynn Robinson, who plans to run again, and David Terazzas, who is strongly considering it, the race is just getting started. In an email to GT, Steffen cited health concerns for his decision to drop out. “I am sorry to disappoint those among your readers who are my supporters, but, as I am certain they will understand, one's health must come first,” he writes. “Perhaps another time.”

The beloved Santa Cruz County Veterans Memorial Building closed indefinitely starting on Jan. 21 after an “architect and engineer surveyed the Veterans Memorial Building...and identified potential issues and damage to structural elements,” according to executive director Tim Brattan. An integral hub for the Santa Cruz community, the Vets Hall is a center for veterans, but also for yoga and dance classes, community events, concerts and much more. The fate of the Hall remains uncertain. Look for more coverage on its closure in next week’s Good Times.

On Jan. 26, the City of Santa Cruz Water Department issued a report concerning the current water supply conditions, stating that rainfall in Santa Cruz measures 14.98 inches, just slightly below the long-term average of 15.28 inches. The Loch Lomond watershed has received over 31 inches of rain so far this year and is now “full and spilling,” according to the report. However, the document also cautions that although average rainfall is better now than at this time last year, it is too early to say that the city’s water supply outlook is good. It states that, “more wet weather is needed in February and March for local watersheds that provide the city’s water supply to be fully replenished for the year ahead.”

Acclimating to an indoor life is a winter happening, even in this un-extreme climate.  This transformation is a balance:  the dark to the light, the yin to the yang, the rest to the action.  And it is this stopping that is crucial to a yogic life.  It begins as a forced exile – outdoor activity curtailed -  reading more, meditating more, sleeping more, thinking more, obsessing more.  I have heard many teachers tout the importance of savasana (resting pose) as the most influential posture.  This resting will balance the movement, they say, and assist in the slow opening of the heart.

I have only to look over at the amaryllis that Aunt Madeline sent me for Christmas, as she does every year.  Yesterday the flower bloomed, after a strict dormancy, in the dead of January – a preview of my heart.