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From The Editor

Wednesday, 03 October 2012 09:50 Greg Archer Columns - Editors Note
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Greg 12Locals and surf enthusiasts are familiar with the name Jay Moriarity. He was the dynamic local surfer whose celebrity soared after tackling Mavericks, the notorious surfing spot up the coast. The surf pro met an early fate at 22 years of age in 2001, but his legacy, especially here in Santa Cruz, lives on.

 

Moriarity is also the subject of the new film Chasing Mavericks, which will be released later this month and headlined by A-list celeb Gerard Butler morphing into Moriarity’s mentor Richard “Frosty” Hesson. Of course, for those rooted here, Frosty is no stranger. His soulful way of being, not to mention his inspiring insights, have made the man a legend in his own right, which is what writer Geoffrey Dunn illuminates in this week’s cover story. Learn more about the man who inspired Moriarity, the upcoming film and much more.

Speaking of locals, Good Times welcomes one back—in a major way. We welcome publisher Jeff Mitchell, who has been an active force in the media industry for some time. After a successful run as a Santa Cruz Sentinel advertising executive, he later joined GT’s parent company, Mainstreet Media, and comes off of a nice run as publisher of Poway News Chieftan, Rancho Bernardo News Journal and the Ramona Sentinel, three community newspapers in the San Diego area. Here’s to all new ventures ahead as we continue to delve deeper into the modern media world. (Learn more about Jeff in next week’s GT.)

In the meantime, be sure to take note of one of the county’s biggest, brightest and boldest creative endeavors—Open Studios. The celebrated artistic cultural event begins the first of its three-weekend run on Oct. 6 and 7. Click here for the full rundown—and be sure to check out GT next week for further updates.

What’s left? Good times. Have some this week. More next time ...

Greg Archer | Editor-in-Chief

Letters to the Editor

Are Politicians the True Leaders?
In response to “Just Wondering’s” comment on Desal, the problem with letting “leaders” make the important decisions is the leaders are politicians. By definition their choices will be political ones; not decisions that are based on facts, science, sound economics and what  is good for most people.

Point in fact: 30 years ago politicians made a political decision against building the Zayante Dam. We would have abundant cheap water now if those so-called leaders had made a smart decision then instead of a political one. Now we have new politicians and this time the smart voters don’t want politicians deciding such a critical issue as a desal plant.

Maybe the smart desal decision this time is the one that should have been made long ago. Build the Zayante Dam with an electric generation component. And before the dam is filled; log the back bay and sell the timber to defray the cost. Give me smart, sentient voters over a politician every time.
Stuart Howell
Santa Cruz


The FLOWdown    
Regarding the upcoming election, while FLOW (Friends of Locally Owned Water) was working to purchase Felton’s water system from a foreign multinational, I stopped in Bruce McPherson’s Sacramento office. I was told by his chief aide that Mr. McPherson would—unequivocally—not meet with or help us. If he wouldn’t meet with a large, local group on something so critically needing his state-level help, why would we expect his attention now?

The 5th District Supervisor race provides a very clear choice: old guard power structure vs. fresh, local, hard work.

I’m truly excited to support Eric Hammer for Supervisor. I’ve known him for years: he’s come up through the grassroots, really listens, rolls up his sleeves and works harder than anyone I know for our kids, our environment, our economy. At every forum, his understanding of what’s actually happening locally and how to create real, positive change ran circles around his opponents.
Barbara Sprenger
Santa Cruz

Online Comments
On ‘The Vets Hall Reopening’ ...  
These are established facts. 1) The Veterans Memorial Building was shut down in five hours when only modest repairs could have kept the building open safely for years without long-term disruption of veterans affairs. (Refer to UVC SCC trial civil engineering testimony.) 2) The county is short of cash yet promoting millions to be spent for a huge and unnecessary renovation instead of quick necessary lower-cost effective repairs of slaking concrete columns and piers and a new boiler.
—An insider's Knowledge

On ‘Desalination and You’ ...
How healthy is it to drink de-salinated water? It is not natural. I drank some bottled de-salinated water once (apparently there is a brand that makes this). I remember drinking it and still feeling thirsty and something just didn't seem right. I immediately went to get some fresh water to drink. Why don't we focus more on re-using graywater for golf courses, etc. But please—not drink. See some info on desalresponsegroup.org/Health Risks. I wouldn't even give this water to my dog to drink.
—Lindsey

Clarification
The article “Blown Away” in last week’s Fall Home & Garden cover story erroneously stated that the California Landscape Contractors Association did not publish Ken Foster’s letter about reducing leaf blower usage. The CLCA did, in fact, run an article about Foster’s letter in April of this year. We regret the error.

Comments (2)Add Comment
...
written by AidesRUs, October 04, 2012
Further, that particular FLOW initiative was not within the purview of the Secretary of State's office. McP does not have any record of being aware of, or having any contact with, a low level operative called Barbara Sprenger. Even ardent googling precludes any suggestion that Sprenger speaks the truth.

We think this is a silly letter by a campaign coordinator (Barbara Sprenger) of an extremely flawed candidate (Eric Hammer). But, we do agree with that part about he runs around in circles.
...
written by AidesRUs, October 04, 2012
FLOW who? Barbara who? At the last Aide Re it was clear we had no recollection of a Barbara Sprenger stopping by the office demanding support for an astroturf action to control a water company. Not once, not ever.

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Silent Dilemma

An inside look at body image and eating disorders. PLUS: Why ‘fat’ is not a feeling. My earliest memory of “feeling fat” was when I was about 12 years old. Up until that time, I was not all that aware of having a body; I was pretty much just in my body, doing the things that kids do. I had not yet learned that I was supposed to look differently than I did. I had not yet downloaded the program that some foods were “good” and others were “bad.” I did not yet have exercise and movement linked up with calorie burning or self-worth.

 

Field to Vase

Open house provides opportunity for residents to meet their local flower growers Valentine’s Day is a high point of the year for those in the cut flower business. So when, one year in the late ’90s, the bouquet-riddled holiday failed to deliver for Kitayama Brothers Farms, the family behind the decades-old rose-growing business knew something was wrong.  “It was the writing on the wall,” recalls Stuart Kitayama, operations manager for the Watsonville-based company. “Those of us who had been hoping things would just get better finally said ‘it’s time to change.’”

 

The Price of Safety

The city's proposed budget addresses public safety needs The City of Santa Cruz’s pocketbook has come a long way since 2009, when an $8 million shortfall loomed. According to City Manager Martin Bernal, the proposed general fund budget for 2013-2014 is healthier than it has been since the beginning of The Great Recession in 2008. Armed with this returning stability, the proposal puts one of the community's top concerns—public safety—front and center.

 

Community Studies 2.0

After a controversial suspension, a new incarnation of the unique UC Santa Cruz major is reinstated The UC Santa Cruz community studies lounge is a great place to have a conversation.  Housed on the second floor of a faculty building in Oakes College, just down the hall from a whiteboard that reads “COMMUNITY STUDIES LIVES,” the room has a big round table, couches and chairs, and shelves stacked with past senior “capstone projects.”

 

North Pacific String Band

Jeff Wilson, who plays banjo for North Pacific String Band, loves being part of original music experiences. “What I like about the music we play is that it’s fairly unique and kind of hard to put your finger on,” Wilson says. “We’re not just trying to do bluegrass or country or folk. It’s a mixture of those things and we try to add in a lot of musicality to all of that.” Originality and musicality aren’t ideas which are limited to the band’s exploits either.

 

Peace in the Middle East

New dance-concert explores Palestinian-Israeli conflict Inspired by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, local choreographer Karl Schaffer’s “Mosaic” is a dance-concert featuring Jewish Diaspora and Arab music from the women’s choral group Zambra, singer Fattah Abbou and a troupe of local dancers. In between rehearsals for the show, which runs June 21-22 at Motion Pacific, Schaffer shared the story behind its creation.

 

Muscle-Bound

Valiant cast battles loud, ugly action for the soul of 'Man of Steel' Early in Man of Steel, fourth-grader Clark, the boy who will be Superman, is cowering in a broom closet at school, eyes screwed shut, hands clapped over his ears. He can't control his super powers: his X-ray vision shows him the skulls and skeletons under everyone's flesh; unfiltered noise—dogs, traffic, heartbeats—assault him from all sides. Rushing to school, his mom kneels outside the door and asks what's wrong.

 

CYNDI

On the eve of Cyndi Lauper’s Mountain Winery gig, we dissect the woman, the icon, the creative beast. Plus: Her thoughts on the music industry, equal rights and those sparkling ‘Kinky Boots’ Few performers possess the kind of fierce, she-bopping tenacity Cyndi Lauper has become famous for. Equal parts free spirit, civil rights activist and Grammy-winner, Lauper is one of the few creative artists able to successfully marry her cutting-edge verve with a heart-of-gold panache. It certainly has helped fuel the remarkable career resurgence she has been experiencing lately.

 

Making the Grade

The quest to identify sources of high levels of bacteria at Cowell Beach continues With straight As on Heal the Bay’s annual “beach report card” for 10 out of 13 Santa Cruz County beaches—Main Beach, Seabright, and even Cowell Beach at the Stairs, to name a few—it would seem that Santa Cruz boasts a high coastal GPA. But in recent years, one Santa Cruz beach just can’t seem to pass: Cowell Beach west of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf.

 

Summer Solstice, Full Moon, Mercury Retros

Early morning Wednesday Mercury, star of communication and conflict, turns stationary retrograde (23 Cancer). We all know by now what not to do. And what to do—through July 19.
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A Sustainable Culture

The popularity of old world yogurt is surging, and it’s easy to make at home Yogurt is a product of the ages. With a name originating in Turkey and probiotic benefits touted by the health food industry. A fondness for Greek-style yogurt has taken the country by storm, resulting in a tripling of the number of yogurt factories in New York State, and a $2 billion a year industry. What sets this Mediterranean yogurt apart is straining. Other cultures refer to the product as “hung” yogurt. Stirred yogurt is placed in a fine mesh strainer which has been lined with cheesecloth and suspended over a deep container. Watery whey seeps out, resulting in a thicker, denser yogurt with more protein by volume. It makes a lovely base for a stiffer tzatziki cucumber-garlic dip and spread.

 

The Power of Conversation

Local author Cecile Andrews emphasizes importance of community engagement in newest book Cecile Andrews, author of the new book “Living Room Revolution: A Handbook for Conversation, Community and the Common Good,” probably wouldn’t get along too well with Larry David’s character from HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, known for hiding his face and avoiding communication with anyone he runs into on the street. Andrews is a longstanding part-time Santa Cruz (part-time Seattle) resident who says something that’s struck her about this town over the years is people's willingness to participate in a practice she’s dubbed the “Stop and Chat”—which is exactly what it sounds like.

 

Is Edward Snowden a patriot or a traitor?

He's a patriot. Anyone who stands up for the rights that we stand for as a country, that is real democracy. That would be in my book—somebody who is a patriot. Leah WeissSanta Cruz | Therapist

 

Best of Santa Cruz County

The 2013 Santa Cruz County Readers' Poll and Critics’ Picks It’s our biggest issue of the year, and in it, your votes—more than 6,500 of them—determined the winners of The Best of Santa Cruz County Readers’ Poll. New to the long list of local restaurants, shops and other notables that captured your interest: Best Beer Selection, Best Locally Owned Business, Best Customer Service and Best Marijuana Dispensary. In the meantime, many readers were ever so chatty online about potential new categories. Some of the suggestions that stood out: Best Teen Program and Best Web Design/Designer. But what about: Dog Park, Church, Hotel, Local Farm, Therapist (I second that!) or Sports Bar—not to be confused with Bra. Our favorite suggestion: Best Act of Kindness—one reader noted Café Gratitude and the free meals it offered to the Santa Cruz Police Department in the aftermath of recent crimes. Perhaps some of these can be woven into next year’s ballot, so stay tuned. In the meantime, enjoy the following pages and take note of our Critics’ Picks, too, beginning on page 91. A big thanks for voting—and for reading—and an even bigger congratulations to all of the winners. Enjoy.  -Greg Archer, EditorBest of Santa Cruz County Readers’ Poll INDEX | Shops | Food & Drink | Arts & Entertainment | Health & Fitness | Professionals | The Rest |

 

Serene Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

There’s always an upbeat vibe going at MJA’s tasting room on the Westside. On a recent visit, the very sociable owner Marin Artukovich was busy pouring for a roomful of oenophiles having a good time. With the help of staff members, Artukovich makes sure that nobody waits too long to sample his fine wines, while also keeping track of every person’s flight.

 

Paying it Forward

Pianist Benny Green wants jazz’s past to continue to inform its future I can honestly say I’m still learning.” Hearing such an admirable, humble statement from someone like Benny Green—a jazz pianist, arranger, composer and band leader whose 30-plus year career includes performances and recordings with jazz luminaries like Oscar Peterson, Art Blakey and Betty Carter—might be surprising at first. But Green’s insatiable desire to keep learning has served him well. That desire—and his deep love of jazz—is something he wants today’s younger musicians to feel, too.

 

Good Morning Maui

Goodness, righteousness, virtuousness and fairness are some of the four-score English words that attempt to describe the Hawaiian essence of pono, whose use in the state motto translates to “The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.”

 

Exposed

David Cay Johnston’s new book explains how big companies rob us blind In his late teens David Cay Johnston started to ask questions. “Why do we have these guys in uniforms with guns driving around in cars all day?” “Why is the Santa Cruz County Courthouse being built in such an unusual shape?” He wrote an article, while still living in his hometown of Santa Cruz, proving that the off-kilter courthouse building, which officials had promised would save money, actually cost more than a conventional building.

 

What’s your secret to avoiding the summer swarms?