Community Safety and Compassion Forum covers topic of needles and drug use

Concerned members of the community nearly filled Santa Cruz High School’s theater on Wednesday, April 10 for the first in a series of “Santa Cruz Forums on Safety and Compassion” co-sponsored by local nonprofits, churches, and social service providers.

“One of the things that I love the most about living in a democratic society is our opportunity for discourse,” said Rev. Deborah L. Johnson, who moderated the event. “I truly believe that the more minds that come together, and the more opinions that we hear, the more likely we are to come up with very fine solutions.”

The event, titled “Drugs, Public Health, and Needle Exchange,” featured a varied panel that included two recovering drug addicts. The speakers provided their knowledge and insight into the realities of syringe exchange programs and drug addiction, in light of the burgeoning public outcry against used syringe needles showing up in parks and on beaches.

The Universal Church of Baba’s Kitchen faces a financial setback

When Alx Utterman and Jonathan Rosen returned to Boulder Creek in 2005 after living in India for five years, they felt an overwhelming desire to heal the needy through spiritual healing, and to share their knowledge with others through social work. As a result, Utterman and Rosen, who both moved to India to learn ancient miracle-healing techniques, created an alternative healing center in Bonny Doon called Universal Church of Baba’s Kitchen (UCBK). According to Utterman, they received formal recognition as a church from the IRS in 2007.

The name is a nod to Indian guru Sai Baba of Shridi. Utterman and friends were trying to decide on a name for their center, and informally suggested Baba’s Kitchen. At that moment, the guru’s photo, which was sitting on a nearby altar, fell off. They brushed it off, put the picture back on the altar, and further discussed the possibility of Baba’s Kitchen. Upon saying the guru’s name once more, the picture fell off the altar again. Utterman found this repeated incident to be more than coincidence, and settled on honoring Baba in the center’s name.

High school volunteers participate in a yearlong program dedicated to environmental job training

Many—particularly teenagers—find it difficult to wake up early on the weekends, but for 150 local high school students, recent Saturdays have been spent dedicating a total of 700 hours of manual labor to learn environmental stewardship.

These youth are volunteers through the Earth Stewards Program, which began in October 2012 and is a partnership between the City of Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History.

The volunteers, who include students from Kirby and Ponderosa high schools, improve parks through trail development while receiving green job training. For the first project in the Earth Stewards Program, they are assisting with construction of the multi-use Emma McCrary Trail in Pogonip.

The idea for the 1.5-mile trail was born about four years ago, and construction began last spring, once the community support, donations and permits had been acquired, according to Heather Reiter, the chief ranger for the Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation Department.

Mural and plaque honor the original Santa Cruz O’Neill surf shop

When Jack O’Neill opened his first surf shop in Santa Cruz, in 1959, he had no idea just how famous his brand would eventually become.

The shop, which originally opened in San Francisco in 1952, relocated to near Cowell Beach where it had a profound impact on the surfing culture in Santa Cruz County.

O’Neill invented neoprene wetsuits, which allowed surfers to brave the icy cold waters of Santa Cruz. Wetsuits revolutionized the sport of surfing, as well as the Santa Cruz economy.

“A global industry grew from that small family-run storefront,” says Crystal Birns, the city arts program manager for economic development in Santa Cruz. “The business grew steadily, earning global recognition as a pioneer and leader in the world of surfing.”

Quiet desperation roared at full volume at recent mobile home park rent control symposium

In the almost cartoonish paradise of De Anza Mobile Home Park, with its colorful array of manufactured homes mortared together with flower gardens and draping foliage, birds chirping in the globular trees, and panoramic ocean views one would expect nothing but senior citizens smiling as they take a stroll of the grounds. To the contrary, however, there is a deep despondence that lives within the community.

Tomorrow, Friday, March 8, is International Women’s Day—an annual day for recognizing and showing respect for women’s achievements in society and the many struggles they face. Here is a round up of local events to take note of this International Women’s Day.

Thanks to one local woman, Regal Cinemas Santa Cruz 9 Theater will be screening the documentary Girl Rising tonight, March 7. Michelle DeFields-Gambrel brought the film, which portrays nine girls from around the world who achieve their dreams in the hardest of situations, to town with help from two local organizations, Rising International and Firelight Foundation. The film focuses on just how powerful education can be, especially in terms of ending poverty and changing the world through girls’ progression.

The first showing of the film has sold out, with 250 seats filled. The film will be shown again on Monday, March 11, although, as of this writing, all of the 230 reservations for the public have been filled.

The Rally and March to Resist Rape Culture will be held at noon on Friday, March 8 at Quarry Plaza on the UC Santa Cruz campus, and at 1:30 p.m. at the Clocktower in Downtown Santa Cruz. This event, organized by F-WORD (Feminists Working on Real Democracy), intends to involve the community in the ending of the acceptance of rape culture.

Cohousing project begins construction in Downtown Santa Cruz

After the recent murders of two Santa Cruz police officers, the builders and future members of Walnut Commons thought about moving their groundbreaking ceremony to a later date, but instead decided to acknowledge the tragedy and stick with their plans.

“It’s so important that we do proceed, because one of the things that is going to get us through this very difficult time is community, and this project is all about community,” Santa Cruz City Councilman Don Lane said at the groundbreaking.

With the recent approval of a loan from Santa Cruz County Bank, construction for the Walnut Commons Cohousing project, a unique residential complex located at the corner of Walnut Avenue and Center Street in Downtown Santa Cruz, begins this week. Project engineers hope to have the building completed by early 2014.

Walnut Commons will contain three stories with 19 independent units, as well as a 3,000 square-foot common area with a kitchen, dining room, entertainment center, and recreational space for all residents to use. Most of the units have been filled, but six remain.

San Francisco Giants World Championship Trophy Tour comes to Soquel High School

San Francisco Giants fans will have the opportunity this Tuesday, March 5 to bask in the glory of the 2010 and 2012 world championship trophies.

The trophies will be on display at Soquel High School from 6-8 p.m., where fans will be able to snap their own pictures or get a professional photo taken with the trophy starting at $20.

The tour is put on by the by the Giants to share the feeling of victory with the public and Junior Giants Leagues across Northern and Central California.

“The pride about our leagues matches the pride I felt when I first saw the trophies,” says Elizabeth Schilling, commissioner for the Live Oak Junior Giants League.

SCPD to hold memorial service March 7

Officers of the Santa Cruz Police Department returned to the streets in their black and white cruisers Friday morning, though their grief following the loss of two of their fellow policemen earlier this week has not yet even begun to subside.

A huge display of support from the community throughout the day has helped police to stay strong and feel the love, said SCPD Deputy Chief Steve Clark.

“People are waving; giving us thumbs up; thank yous; the community support is absolutely humbling,” he says. “It has sustained us through this time.”

The memorial for Sgt. Loran 'Butch' Baker and detective Elizabeth Butler, both killed on Tuesday, Feb. 26 by suspect Jeremy Goulet, also deceased, will take place at noon on Thursday, March 7 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. It had originally been planned for Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz, but the crowd is expected to exceed that venue's capacity.

Deaths of two police officers shock and sadden Santa Cruz 

As more than 100 people prepared to participate in a rally against gun violence at the Town Clock tower on Tuesday, Feb. 26, event organizer Gini Bianchi says multiple police cars suddenly screeched past the crowd, heading rapidly in the direction of Water Street and Branciforte Avenue.

Just after 3:30 p.m., more police cars, paramedic vehicles and a Santa Cruz Fire Truck with its horn blaring raced past, and a moment later helicopters were circling overhead.

Santa Cruz Police Department detectives Sgt. Loran "Butch" Baker and Elizabeth Butler, who were following up on a sexual assault charge called in earlier that week, contacted the 35-year-old suspect Jeremy Goulet at his Branciforte Avenue home. He then gunned down both officers on his doorstep, according Sheriff Phil Wowak and Deputy April Skalland, who spoke during a press conference at the SCPD station on the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 27.

Authorities say Goulet then took the officers' weapons and stole Baker's car.