Talk of the Bay from KSQD: Recent Episodes

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News and views from the Central Coast of California.

For almost 50 years Hospice of Santa Cruz County has provided end-of-life care to patients and their families throughout the Central Coast region. That work, and its broad reach throughout the community, was publicly honored late last year by the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce, which awarded the nonprofit its 2025 Organization of the Year honors at its annual gala.

As the chamber’s Executive Director Kristen Brown put it to the Sentinel, “For decades, Hospice of Santa Cruz County has walked alongside local families during some of life’s most difficult moments, offering care, comfort, and connection with extraordinary compassion. Their work reaches far beyond end-of-life care, supporting children, caregivers, loved ones, and those experiencing grief in ways that are deeply personal and profoundly meaningful.”

To tell us more about how this treasured local organization has managed to thrive for nearly five decades, as well as what it must do to continue its work for 50 years more, Hospice of Santa Cruz County CEO Cathy Conway joined Talk of the Bay and spoke with host PK Hattis. This show was recorded July 8, 2026.

Lizbeth Silva is the Program Manager at Watsonville Law Center, where she oversees community-based legal programs, outreach initiatives, and partnerships that expand access to justice for families across Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito counties. Having lived most of her life in San Benito County, Lizbeth’s roots in the region and her family’s experience in local agriculture have shaped her commitment to serving working families and strengthening access to legal services. With more than 10 years of leadership experience in nonprofit and public service, she is passionate about building trusted community partnerships, empowering communities through education, and expanding equitable access to legal services.

The Watsonville Law Center (WLC) provides free legal services to low-income individuals on California’s Central Coast. The Center’s mission is grounded in the understanding that everyone benefits when the most vulnerable among us thrive, and that a holistic collaborative approach is most effective. They focus on legal problems with long-term impacts and solutions, such as workers’ rights, consumer rights, and access to employment.

Host Chris Krohn interviews actor, playwright, and director Michael Gene Sullivan of the San Francisco Mime Troupe. The interview centers on the San Francisco Mime Troupe’s upcoming performances of Wreckage, a musical tragicomedy written by and starring Sullivan, and a bit of history of his involvement with the Troupe.

The Tony Award winning San Francisco Mime Troupe returns to Santa Cruz with Wreckage: A Musical Tragicomedy! Written by and starring Michael Gene Sullivan, this bold satire tackles working-class struggles, corporate greed, AI gone wrong, and political gaslighting. Catch this free, admission-by-donation show!

Two performances, August 1st and 2nd at London Nelson Park. Music starts at 2:30 PM, showtime at 3:00 PM.

Don’t miss it!

Michael Gene Sullivan on the concept behind Wreckage.

Omar and Adela welcome Melita León, a proud Watsonville native and daughter of farmworker parents from Mexico.

Melita is a Health Program Specialist with the California Department of Public Health and a lecturer in Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University. Together we’ll explore the power of Ethnic Studies, Public Health, and why building healthier, more just communities starts with education, culture, and collective action.

Hosts Omar Dieguez and Adela welcome historian, author, artist, and retired Cabrillo College professor Dr. Enrique M. Buelna for an inspiring conversation about Chicano history, identity, and social justice. Dr. Buelna discusses his journey from the son of Mexican immigrants to becoming a leading scholar of Chicano studies, the importance of preserving overlooked histories, the political roots of the term “Chicano,” and the stories behind his acclaimed book, Chicano Communists and the Struggle for Social Justice. The conversation also explores his artwork, screenwriting projects, community activism, and the power of history to inspire future generations.

Shira Cion is the Executive and Artistic Director of the renowned Bay Area women’s ensemble Kitka. Shira was born in Hartford, CT, to an Eastern European Jewish family known for its compulsive harmonizing habits. Active as a performer, producer, arts administrator, and cultural worker since her teens, Shira received her musical education in classical performance (oboe and English horn), and ethnomusicology from the Hartt School of Music, Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute, Wesleyan University, and Russia’s Moscow Conservatory. Her lifelong interests in traditional, contemporary, and women’s music have led her to work with The Women’s Philharmonic, New Music America Festival, The Music Research Institute, The Bay Area Music Archive/San Francisco Rock and Roll Museum, and on a wide range of collaborations with multicultural and multi-disciplinary artists. A resident of “Kitkastan” since 1988, Shira continues to be amazed every day by the unique challenges, unusual rewards, creative adventures, and inspiring community that manifest there.

Kitka’s latest album, Kolo, features songs from Ukraine, Serbia, Estonia, Bulgaria, Corsica, and other European countries. The interview includes excerpts of several of the songs on the album.

On KSQD’s Talk of the Bay, host Cheryl Williams in conversation with filmmaker Aaron Johnson about his short film Dark and Tender. The film explores the prejudices and stereotypes that Black men face and the ways those experiences can shape identity, relationships, and community.

Community members are invited to attend a screening of Dark and Tender on Wednesday, July 15, hosted by Santa Cruz Black in collaboration with the Chronically Under Touched (CUT) Project. Founder Aaron Johnson will introduce the film and lead a question-and-answer session that is open to the public.

After the screening, Johnson will facilitate a workshop designed for Black male-identified and Black masculine-bodied participants. According to the organizers, the workshop will provide a space to explore themes of touch, masculinity, history, healing, and community through guided discussion and reflection.

Event Details

Date: Wednesday, July 15Location: Resource Center for Nonviolence (RCNV), 612 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz

Schedule

5:15 p.m. – Doors open
5:45–6:30 p.m. – Film screening and Q&A (open to everyone)
Following the Q&A – Workshop for Black male-identified and Black masculine-bodied participants

For registration information or additional details, contact info@santacruz.black.

Enjoy Andrew Schoneberg’s lively conversation with Alison Van Diggelen.

She’s a journalist and interviewer for the BBC, PRX, and other public broadcasters. And she’s the author of a recent book entitled “The Love Project”. It’s based on her conversations with people from the Monterey area, sharing their stories of love, loss, resilience, and joy.

Host Omar Dieguez welcomes members of the Tri-County Doula collective in Watsonville.

These women promote and provide culturally rooted, multilingual care for families through pregnancy, birth, and beyond.

Parades and parties had a strong showing across the nation this July 4. Some endured sweltering heat and humidity, but in Aptos, K-Squid enjoyed the fog, and the crowds, and hooped it up with the rest of the community for American’s 250 anniversary while Squid on the Street Suki Wessling swam through the happy attendees and captured our “time capsule” recording.

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Our thanks to the fabulous folks who made it shine: Gary Shapiro and his lady love, Robynn Smith, for supplying, and driving, their wonderfully vintage Ford F-150; Robynn and her friend Diane who created a giant squid for the side of the truck out of a red plastic table cloth on the spot; Gary Shapiro for hot and dance-worthy playlist+speaker; Ronnie Lipschutz for purchasing an inflated Squid costume, blowing it up, and wearing it; Chuck Mueller and Sharlee Jacobsen for bringing a huge box of treats from Gayles; Mary Ann Wieland, Suki Wessling, Francis Garcia, + Ron Barrington for being the KSQD Red Letter Team, and all our regulars for carrying the banner, handing out stickers and keeping it real. What a hoot!

Ronnie Lipschutz a.k.a Mr. Squid

Chuck and Shalee bring treats! Francis Garcia and Denise Gallant

Christine Barrington works the crowd. Uncle Gary enjoy a cookie

Artists Robynn + longtime buddy, Diane Lady Jazz burns it up with the Aptos FD!

(Thanks for the Giant Squid!)

Omar Dieguez and Adela welcome Bobby Marchessault, Watsonville educator and Vice President of the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers Committee on Political Education.

The discussed important work being done in the PVUSD and some of the biggest issues facing schools today: transparency and accountability, as well as recent cuts to mental health services, counselors, and special education programs.

An important conversation about the future of public education in the Pajaro Valley.

Saru Jayaraman (JD, Yale, MPP Harvard) is an academic at UC Berkeley and the President of One Fair Wage, which organizes to raise wages and end subminimum wages nationwide. She was named one of CNN’s “Top10 Visionary Women”, a White House Champion of Change in 2014, a James Beard Foundation Leadership Award winner (2015), the San Francisco Chronicle ‘Visionary of the Year’, and most recently an Irvine Foundation Leadership Award Winner. Saru authored Behind the Kitchen Door (2013, Cornell University Press), Forked: A New Standard for American Dining (2016, Oxford University Press), One Fair Wage: Ending Subminimum Pay in America (2021, New Press), and new to be released in September, What Has Democracy Done for You Lately? (2026, New Press). Prior to joining us here today at KSQD, she has appeared on dozens of broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms, including MSNBC, HBO, PBS, CBS, and CNN, as well as scores of speaking engagements, including as a multi-year keynote speaker at the annual Bioneers Conference, including her landmark speech in March of 2026. Saru is a co-founder of the recently inaugurated Living Wage for All campaign.

Omar Dieguez speaks with Mark Weller for an update on the campaign to eliminate the use of toxic pesticides near schools and communities on the central coast.

Nine months after Omar’s hunger strike to raise awareness about this community health issue, what progress has been made, and what remains to be done?

If you’re interested in children’s education, quiz games, storytelling, or poetry, I’ll bet you’ll find this program facinating. My guest is Howard Schrager. He’s the owner of Lemon Tree Press, which publishes educational books for elementary school aged children which he writes. Howard was a Waldorf teacher for 29 years.

Omar Dieguez and Adela Naranjo sit down with Watsonville Film Festival (WFF) Executive Director Consuelo Alba and filmmaker Brenda Avila-Hanna to discuss the profound impact of storytelling, community healing, and art as resistance. The conversation highlights how the festival grew from a passionate, grassroots volunteer effort in 2012 into a vital year-round nonprofit ecosystem that centers underrepresented Latino, indigenous, and LGBTQ+ voices. From discussing the deep emotional truths of local documentaries like Libertad to celebrating major cultural milestones like screening the Sundance award-winning American Pachuco alongside a live performance by Pajaro Valley High School students, the episode beautifully illustrates how WFF fosters equity by providing an affordable, accessible red-carpet experience where the entire community can see themselves reflected on the big screen.

KSQD’s Talk of the Bay: From the Streets, every Monday at 5pm!

Omar Dieguez hosts a powerful and heartfelt conversation exploring the human connections between Gaza and the Central Coast.Many people see Gaza as a distant conflict, but for members of our own community, its impacts are deeply personal and immediate. This program brings together stories of loss, resilience, culture, and solidarity from people whose lives are directly connected to what is happening in Palestine.

Guests are Rolla Alaydi, educator and author, who has lost 215 members of her extended family in Gaza, and Unhae Langis, organizer with the Central Coast Coalition for a Free Palestine.It’s a powerful look at the reality facing Palestinian families today, and how local residents can offer meaningful support.

Our Squid on the Street, Suki Wessling, was at the Santa Cruz Pride Festival this week asking a simple question: What do you love about community radio? It turns out there’s lot to love! Listen in as KSQD fans and community radio aficionados talk about what is special about radio made by the people, for the people.

Top photo by Denise Gallant. Photos below by Rob Darrow.

Coming up on Inside Education on Sunday at 7PM, meet Andres Martinez, a high school junior who’s already making a difference in his community. From coaching youth sports and serving on the City Youth Council to advocating for local issues like Protect Salinas Renters, Andres shares how faith, service, and leadership shape his vision for the future. Join us for an inspiring conversation with one of Salinas’s emerging young leaders, right here on KSQD.

WIth only 58% of the votes in California’s governor’s race counted, we look at the decided races in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties and discuss what all this could mean for the midterms. With former Senator Bill Monning, and reporters P.K. Hattis, Jesse Kathan, and Tony Russomanno.

Writer Steve Kettmann joined Talk of the Bay on May 27th to talk about Dusty Baker, who spent nearly 50 years in professional baseball as both a player and coach before stepping away from the game in 2023. Kettmann co-authored Baker’s autobiography called Crossroads: A Memoir in Baseball and Life in which Baker reflects on his career and the lessons it taught him about leadership, perseverance and living a life of meaning.

Baker holds a special place in the hearts of many Bay Area sports fans, most notably for serving as manager of the San Francisco Giants from 1993 through 2002 — a tenure that included three National League Manager of the Year awards and a World Series appearance.

As a player, Baker was an all-star, batting champion and gold glover winner. Though the Giants lost the ’02 championship, Baker would finish his baseball career with two World Series victories — one as a player with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981 and another as a manager with the Houston Astros in 2022.

Kettmann has an impressive resume in his own right, though he much prefers a pen over a bat. He has authored more than 15 books including seven New York Times Bestsellers and he worked for years as a Bay Area reporter and sportswriter. Kettmann also runs a small writers’ retreat center in the hills above Soquel called the Wellstone Center and he’s also Publisher of Wellstone Books.

Kettmann and Baker will both appear at a Bookshop Santa Cruz event June 8th that includes a free book talk and ticketed photo line.

From The Streets, hosts Omar and Adela feature the inspiring HOPE Club from Watsonville High School, a youth-led movement creating safe spaces for healing, unity, peace, and support.

Hear powerful conversations about grief, mental wellness, leadership, and community healing.

“May Peace Prevail on Earth”

Watsonville High Hope Club Unveils Peace Pole, Watsonville, California, USA.

Music and stories by Uncle George Kahumoku, Jr. George Kahumoku Jr. is often called Hawai‘i’s Renaissance Man—and for good reason. A multiple Grammy and Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winning slack key guitar master, George is also a prolific songwriter, performer, teacher, visual artist, storyteller, author, farmer, and entrepreneur.In 2003, he launched The Slack Key Show: Masters of Hawaiian Music, the only long-running concert series dedicated to showcasing the great slack key artists of today. Now based in Santa Cruz County, California, George continues to tour the mainland twice a year alongside fellow Hawaiian music legends.Each June on Maui, he leads George Kahumoku Jr.’s Annual Slack Key Guitar & ‘Ukulele Workshop—a week-long immersion in Hawaiian music and culture. See Chaminade’s website for more information on the Hawaiian weekend. https://www.chaminade.com/santa-cruz-restaurants/hawaiian-weekend/

Professor Nolan Higdon of UC Santa Cruz and the Gaslight Gazette Blog on Substack attempts to untangle the tangle of hype and hyperbole surrounding the insertion of AI into most aspects of our online lives. This interview is by Humanities Intern, Daymia Rousseau.

In 2012, Wayne Harris was invited by the U.S. State Department to travel to Palestine to do workshops and perform a piece about Martin Luther King, Jr. Feeling at times a tool of the Government, spreading a story of peace to oppressed people, he falls into an unexpected journey . . . and maybe the joke’s on Uncle Sam.

Host Suki Wessling interviews Wayne Harris, actor and write of ‘Drapetomania,’ and Hallie Montoya Tansey of the Movement Voter Project.

For more information:

Drapetomania – Benefit for Movement Voter ProjectSaturday, June 6th @ 7pmLondon Nelson Community CtrMore information and a link for tickets at wayneharris.net

From the Streets hosts Omar Dieguez & Adela Naranjowe, sit down with Watsonville familia Araceli Gonzales, Primo Gonzales, and their daughters Abby & Emilia to talk about keeping Chicano, Pachuco, Pachuca, Rockabilly, and Lowrider culture alive for future generations.

From classic cars and vintage fashion to community work, toy drives, and cultural pride—this family represents love for cultura, family, art, and community.

Primo shares his passion for airbrushing, pinstriping, and lowrider culture while Araceli talks about being part of the Diamond Damsels, giving back to the community, and empowering youth through culture and unity.

Their daughters Abby and Emilia represent the next generation proudly embracing Pachuca style, cruising in their family’s 1968 Volkswagen “carrito,” and learning the importance of identity, roots, and pride in who they are.

Tap in as we talk Chicano history, Pachuco culture, family traditions, and why it’s important to keep our cultura alive.

ChicanoCulture #Pachuco #Pachuca #LowriderCulture #Watsonville #FromTheStreets #Cultura #BrownPride #CommunityUnity #SiSePuede

On May 6, 2026, a candidate’s forum was held live on the air that included all five candidates: Joy Schendeldecker, Chris Krohn, Gillian Greensite, Ryan Coonerty, and Ami Chen-Mills. Talk of the Bay host Len Beyea was the moderator.

In April, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to establish the county’s first-ever youth commission. The commission was tasked with studying how the county can foster greater youth participation in local government in order to share recommendations with elected leaders who can actually change policy.

To tell us more about the freshly-formed committee, Talk of the Bay host PK Hattis was joined April 29 by Elizabeth Padilla, a senior department administrative analyst with Santa Cruz County, Maria Cadenas, executive director of Santa Cruz-based nonprofit and frequent county collaborator Ventures, as well as Dylan Turk, a senior at Scotts Valley High School and member of the county Youth Task Force that recommended the board create this committee in the first place.

They talk about how this new commission came into being, why youth representation and participation is so crucial for effective government and how interested local youth can get involved.

RESOURCES:

santacruzcountyca.gov/portals/0/county/cao/youthcommission/Youth-Commission-Flyer.05052026.pdf

sccvonline.org/a-santa-cruz-like-me.html

Look up! It’s the night sky and billions and billions of stars and planets, if you are lucky enough to see a few. Join “Cosmic” Joe Jordan, former NASA scientist and dark sky enthusiast of all things astronomy for some star talks up at Costanoa resort or right here on the radio!

An election of a judge is a fairly rare thing, given the governor usually appoints one to a vacancy. Bryan Hackett and Alisa Thomas are both attorneys vying for the judge’s seat on the Santa Cruz Superior Court. KSQD reached out multiple times to Ms. Thomas but did not get a reply to our invitation to appear.

Meilin Obinata interviews Friends of the Rail & Trail (FORT) board members, Matt Farrell and Sally Arnold about the threats to our rail and trail future and how FORT is launching a Summer of Action to keep our county on track. Listeners are invited to a Rally to Save Our Tracks on May 20, next Wednesday, which you can learn more about here.

Wait, didn’t we already vote on this? Yes! In 2022 over 73% of the county voted NO on the Measure D 2022 plan to tear out the tracks, but cost over runs have created an opportunity for this spectacularly unpopular idea to rise again.

In this exciting election season, there are important matters which do not get as much exposure, like transportation – specifically the Rail and Trail Project. This conversation gives an eye-opening look at the free money our community could receive from the federal government to support our desires for the Rail and Trail.

Because the Regional Transportation Commission is composed mostly of elected officials, voters’ choices in this election season have an impact on critical infrastructure project planning for our community’s future. You’ll learn why it’s important to remind candidates and elected officials what we need as a community. The guests explain the survey they provide for candidates running for offices in this June election to answer, the results of which you can read for yourself here: https://www.railandtrail.org/2026-06-candidate-survey

You’ll learn about the “big tent” of FORT which embraces people of all political stripes combining successfully, to the fun parties that people have while supporting a heart-warming cause. Whether you love trails, or want a train, love to hike, bike, walk or ride, this episode will show you how you can have it all: passenger rail with a trail. In this environment of political divisiveness, you might enjoy learning about this cause which attracts people to bring out the best in us.

You can learn more about FORT on social media and on their website:

https://www.railandtrail.org/

Omar’s guest, Ricardo Chavez, takes us on a deep dive into the labor movement into which he was born.

The year of his birth was the year that the United Farm Workers saw the death of five martyrs: five organizers who were killed for their work in the movement. It is in this crucible of workers organizing for their rights that Ricardo grew up and learned about people who shook the world.

You’ll hear about the impact of the Black Panthers, the deep roots of organizers within the Philippino communities of California, and legendary organizers such as Larry Itliong and Fred Ross.

As the son of Dolores Huerta, he shares his own feelings about her statement regarding Cesar Chavez, his uncle.

This show will make you think about California history in a brand new way, grounded in the work of people from Salinas to Stockton and Oakland.

Chris Upham interviews Sofia Orlando and Sam, who are apart of the X Academy Robotics club.

Chirs Upham interviews Becky Steinbruner about the Measure J and Battery Energy Storage Systems.

On this episode of From the Streets, host Omar Dieguez facilitates a raw and powerful conversation with community leaders Elias Gonzalez and Edgar Ernesto Ibarra Gutierrez regarding the true meaning of service. Central to their discussion is the concept of palabra, or the sacredness of one’s word, which both men view as the bedrock of building trust with disenfranchised youth. They share how their own lived experiences, ranging from Elias’s childhood housing instability in Watsonville to Edgar’s journey through the carceral system, their’s is a “healing-informed” approach to leadership. By prioritizing human dignity over “band-aid” solutions, they advocate for a “village” mentality where leaders show up during the hardest moments, rather than only when it is politically convenient.

Beyond philosophy, the show dives into urgent local issues and policy reform, specifically targeting the needs of South County. Elias, running for District 4 County Supervisor, outlines a platform focused on budget transparency, environmental justice regarding pesticide buffer zones, and support for the Rail Trail to improve transit equity. Both guests critique current systems that prioritize the funding of law enforcement and probation over direct community reinvestment, calling for a shift in education that emphasizes mental health over the policing of students. The show serves as a call to action for Watsonville residents to demand leadership rooted in indigenous values and cultural healing, ensuring that la comunidad y la cultura are the primary focus of the political conversation.

This is more than a conversation… it’s truth, it’s community, it’s action.

“Service is not a position. It’s a responsibility to protect, to uplift, to speak truth, and to stand with people.” – Omar Dieguez

FromTheStreets #StayInService

Chris Upham interviews Tim Sylvester and his students who are apart of the X Academy Robotics club.

Mark Silberstein is retiring after 43 years as the leader of the Elkhorn Slough Foundation, the organization that is a land steward and advocate for scientific research and education about our precious wetlands. He talks about the importance of protecting these special places in California as fish nurseries, places to enjoy sea otters and birds, and a hub for scientific research. He also addresses efforts to learn about the impact of the recent Moss Landing battery storage fire on the ecosystem.

Awardees of the Queer Youth Leadership awards talk about their experiences and perspectives living in a time of stress and awakening. Guests were Stuart Rosenstein, Everest Vasquez, Dr. Cassie, and Petra King.

Chris Upham interviews Dave Benet about the Scientific Diver Certification Program at UCSC.

It’s always good being a vegan in Santa Cruz County, but April is especially appetizing. A whole new slate of vegan menu items rolled out in restaurants and cafes across Santa Cruz County for the entire month as part of the Santa Cruz Vegan Chef Challenge.

To tell us more about the meat and dairy-free initiative, host PK Hattis was recently joined by the organizer of the challenge, Allison Garcia, as well as the owner of one participating restaurant, Patrice Boyle of La Posta in Seabright.

There are seven candidates running to be our next representative in Congress from California’s 19th District, which runs from south San Jose out to the coast, then down the coast all the way to northern San Luis Obispo County, including the cities of Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz, Capitola, Seaside, Monterey, Carmel, Paso Robles, and Atascadero. All seven candidates were invited to participate in the forum – four responded and were present for the forum on April 22, 2026, moderated by Len Beyea. They are Thomas Coxe (I), Ana Luz Acevedo-Cabrera, Tuka Gufari (R), and Sean Dougherty (D). The incumbent, Jimmy Panetta (D), did not respond to the invitation, nor did candidates Peter Verbica (R) or Lars Mapstead (L).

Introductions provided by the candidates:

Thomas Coxe (I) seeks to address the root cause of our national issues, corruption. As envisioned by our first President, the country stands divided between just two political parties, leaving politics a zero-sum game for sale to the highest bidder. Thomas, a lifelong independent, owns and runs a small contracting company in Santa Cruz County. He has three children with his lovely wife, and they enjoy getting out into the beautiful parks and wild spaces unique to California’s Central Coast.

Ana Luz Acevedo-Cabrera (I) is a native of North Monterey County. She is a Professor at Hartnell College, currently teaching at the intersection of Business, Technology, and Entrepreneurship. In the coming semesters she’ll also be teaching Physical Science and Engineering. Outside the classroom she is a community leader and organizer in Monterey County. Her strong multidisciplinary background gives her the ability to analyze problems from multiple angles and come up with innovative solutions. Ana Luz received her Bachelors in Geophysics, Masters in Earth & Planetary Science, and Masters in Civil & Environmental Engineering from UC Berkeley.

Tuka Gafari (R) was born and raised in California with his parents, who immigrated from Iran in the 1950’s and 60’s. His wife also immigrated from Iran. They live in a beautiful area. Tuka enjoys being part of the community coaching soccer for kids. There is no left or right. There is forward or backwards. It’s up to us to elect a leader who will listen and lead. Finding solutions that do not divide is key. We are diverse in our state and country, which is our strength.

Sean Dougherty (D) is running for Congress because we deserve a government that works for us—not corporate PACs. We can guarantee healthcare for all, cut costs, end wasteful wars, and reinvest in education, infrastructure, and working families. This isn’t left or right. It’s about reclaiming a government that serves the people. We have the resources to fix what’s broken—we just need the courage to act.

Image above features the candidates who participated in person – L to R they are Sean Dougherty, Ana Luz Acevedo-Cabrera, and Tuka Gufari. Thomas Coxe participated via remote connection.

A relatively small earthquake like the one that recently woke up residents from sleep can be a wake-up call for preparedness. Got your go bag ready? This piece was reported by Daymia Rousseau, KSQD’s Humanities intern from UCSC.

Transcript:

Hello, I’m Daymia Rousseau, a UCSC Intern reporting for KSQD. Even though Earthquake tremors are constant throughout the Santa Cruz area, it’s rare that we ever notice them.

However, on April 2nd, an earthquake hit the central coast at 1:41am, shaking homes and jarring people from their beds. . Clocking in at 4.6 on the Richter scale, and centered in Brookdale, people felt it as far north as San Francisco.

One resident in the Boulder Creek area experienced property damage from the quakes, while another was shot awake.

Interviewee 1: I was just about to fall asleep…the bed started shaking, and the glass started to rattle – it actually cracked my window. I have a crack in my window now (laughs)..the radio had nothing about it, and Nextdoor was blowing up with people saying, ‘they felt the earthquake’. Everyone seemed to feel it ‘different.

Even further away from the epicenter in Aptos, a few homeowners felt the jolt.

Interviewee 2: It wasn’t on the news, I found it Nextdoor. That’s when I found out there was a 4-point…nine? Earthquake? 4.9?

Side note – the initial magnitude of 4.9 reported by most sources was changed to 4.6.

Interviewee 3: …there was a pretty big one up here, and the whole house was rocking back and forth and it shook me out of bed.

Interviewee 2: I was definitely disoriented…then when I realized what was happening I jumped up, ran downstairs to check on my family to make sure they were ok…

Interviewee 3: You know, it was actually funny, I was trying to put my pants on – and I couldn’t stand straight up! I kept falling to the side trying to get my leg in my pants. In fact, some of the family was here.

The event shook quite a few residents not only due to the abruptness of the quake, but also because it reminded them of two notorious words: Loma Prieta.

Recorded at a magnitude of 6.9, most listeners will remember the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake due to the extensive damage it caused across the central coast and the Bay Area. For some residents, this relatively small 4.6 reminded them that they were unprepared for a much larger earthquake.

Interviewee 2: It made me realize that we don’t have an earthquake preparedness kit, or a plan in place if there was a really big one… Especially since I know we live by the fault line where we had the big ‘89 quake. So in the back of my mind, I do wonder if there’s gonna be another one.

But while the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake was a result of the San Andreas fault line, this smaller 4.6 has been reported by the United States Geological Survey as primarily the result of the Zayante-Vergeles fault line. This fault, considered active, can deliver a quake as big, or bigger than Loma Prieta. Thankfully, it hasn’t in recent memory.

Evan Hirakawa, a USGS research geophysicist, reported in a KQED article that Zayante hasn’t been very active in thousands of years. He reports that the national alert system was, …too close to the event to really benefit…him.

So, how reliable are phone-based shake warnings at alerting people? What resources are available to the general public?

Many Santa Cruz residents, like myself, received an emergency alert during, or even after the quake, which did little to assist in any preventive safety measures. . But there are resources used by Public officials and locals to alert themselves or others about larger earthquakes – even smaller ones. The most commonly used is an app called MyShake, which only alerts users when an earthq

Talk of the Bay host Omar Dieguez brings us a new episode of FROM THE STREETS, where he asks: What’s really being sprayed near our schools… our homes… our children?In this powerful episode, Omar sits down with frontline advocates, educators, and community leaders to break down the truth about harmful pesticides in our communities and the fight to protect our people.

We ask the real questions:• What are the most dangerous pesticides being used right now?• How are they impacting farmworkers, families, and students?• Why is public education and transparency critical?• What responsibility do agricultural companies and officials have?

We talk about the urgent demands:• 1-mile buffer zones near schools• Notice of Intent (NOI) before spraying• Exact spray locations for community awarenessThis is about health. dignity. justice.This is about people over profit.

Stay informed. Stay connected. Stay powerful.Si Se Puede.

In this episode, we peel back the curtain to peek behind the scenes of KSQD and explore the twists and turns that led to the creation of the station.

Talk of the Bay features an interview with Cindy Cohn. For 26 years she was director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, fighting in court for internet privacy . Her new book Privacy’s Defender: My Thirty-Year Fight Against Digital Surveillance, explores today’s surveillance dystopia through the eyes of a lawyer who has been at the legal forefront of fighting it for decades, and who can describe a better path forward. We should all be concerned about privacy right now, as the federal government consolidates and weaponizes data, companies track our every click, and law enforcement, from local cops to ICE keep tabs on all of us, everywhere we go, every day. Cohn’s national book tour will bring her to UC-Santa Cruz on Tuesday, May 19 from 12-2pm

For more information about her in-person appearance: https://events.ucsc.edu/event/privacys-defender-fight-against-digital-surveillance-with-cindy-cohn/

Bill Monning represented the Central Coast first as a State Assemblymember and then as State Senator. Bill authored a wide range of legislation. We discussed the governor’s race and how a blue state like California may end up electing a Republican if some candidates don’t drop out of the race. We also discussed the UFW and Dolores Huerta, the proposed General Strike and other current events and issues.

Want to ditch your gas-guzzling car as gas prices spike? Build your strength and endurance? Why not dust off that bike in your garage and feel the wind in your hair? Bike Santa Cruz County promotes bicycling through advocacy, education and community building. Inn this podcast we hear from Mikey Cohen and Jon Silver, Chair and Vice Chair of this 21-year-old organization. We hear about how communities plan for safe bike transit and what fun events are coming up to encourage you to pedal around town.

Civil Grand Jury experts explain its history and purpose, application and selection process, training programs, complaint submittals, and topic selections. Judge Stephanie Hulsey, supervisor of the Monterey County Civil Grand Jury, Tom Motley and Gary Hoffmann, former jurors in Monterey, and Kim Horowitz and Arthur Rolston, former jurors in Santa Cruz, share their knowledge of investigations, report writing, and submission of recommendations. They also discuss continuity and follow-up, plus oversight of jails, juvenile halls, and prisons. Joe Truskot hosts the presentation. The photo depicts Judge Stephanie Hulsey. The title comes from a statement by KSQD Board Treasurer Mathilde Rand before the show.

The arts community of Santa Cruz County is coming together for this exciting new 11-day celebration showcasing the region’s rich artistic landscape. The festival will feature performances, exhibitions, workshops, and interactive events across venues countywide, inviting audiences of all ages to experience the transformative power of art.

Host Christine Barrington interviews Ripple Effect Co-Founders Rose Sellery and Melissa Kreisa whose bold vision for a Santa Cruz Arts Festival gestated for years before blossoming into reality as the Ripple Effect Santa Cruz Arts Festival. Their vision was born out of a shared belief that the arts not only enrich our lives but also strengthen our community and economy. At a time when many artists and organizations face mounting challenges, Ripple Effect provides a new opportunity for collaboration, visibility, and collective support. Grassroots and volunteer-driven, the festival is powered by the dedication of local arts organizations and community partners who believe in the unifying force of creativity.

Ripple Effect invites you to join them for 11 days of powerful performances, art, poetry, fashion, music, and cultural celebrations throughout Santa Cruz County. The Ripple Effect Arts Festival brings together community, creativity, and culture to reflect the unique artistic pulse of our coastal community.

Opening with Dancing in the Streets – in Downtown Santa Cruz from 5-9PM
Experience 11 Days of Community & Creativity in venues throughout Santa Cruz County
Closing with the Grand Finale from 4-9PM at The Grove @ Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

On this episode of Talk of the Bay the theme is: sex and rock n’ roll - in the context of labor. Host Meilin Obinata welcomes workers who are fighting for their legal rights in two different industries with surprisingly connected issues: sex work and entertainment. How are modern workers resisting employers who are squeezing workers for intellectual property and exploiting them to avoid paying fair wages?Adalind Gray, a worker at Sherri’s Ranch, is part of a first in labor history in the United States where people have created the first union of sex workers, the United Brothel Workers. Hear from Gray directly why the workers decided to fight back when their employer asked them to give up power of attorney and other rights in order to work in a Nevada brothel.Obinata also welcomes Joey La Neve Defrancesco, co-founder of the Union Musicians and Allied Workers and part of the punk band, the Downtown Boys. Learn how musicians are fighting against streaming giants, festival organizers and other Goliaths of the entertainment industry while protecting fans from price-gouging!

Jeanne Proust has studied Humanities, Philosophy and Visual Arts in Bordeaux, Berlin, and Paris. She has been teaching Philosophy for the last fifteen years in the US and has held multiple leadership positions in ethics education and public philosophy. She currently serves as Vice President of the Public Philosophy Network, where she helps guide national initiatives connecting philosophy to public life, and as Academic Coordinator for Crown College at UC Santa Cruz, overseeing the core course on the “Ethical and Societal Implications of Emerging Technologies”.

She continues to serve as the program director for the Santa Cruz Night of Ideas, now a recurring event held every spring. The 2026 Night of Ideas will take place April 17th at the Institute of Arts & Sciences in Santa Cruz, from 5 to 9 PM.

She has been actively involved in the Center for Public Philosophy (UC Santa Cruz) for the last three years, where she served as director from 2023-2024, spearheading community-centered ethics programs and partnerships across academia, civil society, and the arts. With the Center, she helped launch the first Tech Ethics Bowl in the Bay Area, contributed to several Ethics Bowl programs targeting underserved communities, and led the inaugural Santa Cruz edition of the Night of Ideas – in collaboration with the Marc Sanders Foundation, Humanities West, The Humanities Institute at UCSC and Villa Albertine.

Jeanne’s PhD dissertation (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne) focused on the pathologies of willpower, both in philosophical and psychological perspectives, but her interests are wide: among many fields, she does research in Ethics, Philosophy of Technologies, Bioethics, Feminist theory, and Aesthetics. She taught at different universities in New York, advocating for a widening of philosophical education beyond Academia by leading and participating in different events open to the general public and to marginalized populations (Rikers Island, San Quentin). She gives many public talks, collaborates on podcast projects (she produced her own, “Can You Phil It?”), and regularly collaborates with artists on her photography, drawing and painting works.

Jeanne has recently started her own philosophical counseling practice, open to individuals seeking to expand their worldview, and to examine their values and life concerns through the lens of philosophical inquiry. Part of this work is conducted in partnership with the Philosophy Technologies startup, which provides support for senior executives, helping leaders broaden their conceptual frameworks and decision-making practices.

My interview with Justin Loza, President of Veterans For Peace of Monterey County. We did the interview in the early days of The War On Iran.

It’s one local chapter in an international organization, Veterans For Peace. They have a commitment to build a culture of peace, expose the true costs of war, and heal its wounds.

ARIEL Theatrical is a Salinas nonprofit that offers year-round programs in theatre arts for kids and teens. They produce 10 plays a year, and have camps which include classes as well.

I interviewed Gail Higginbotham – Ariel’s Founder & Artistic Director, and Heather Kirk – Executive Director.

The Interfaith Homeless Emergency Lodging Program (I-HELP) is a non-profit that provides a safe, temporary place to sleep for people who are experiencing homelessness. Participants are provided an evening meal and sleep on mats in shared spaces, where they also receive person-to-person support and resources to help them move forward in their lives. 60 local faith communities provide the sleeping location and the meals.

Solar and wind technologies are already here to transition us to a clean energy future, making oil wars moot, but “Drill, Baby Drill” and Trump’s oil war in Iran begs the question: Why aren’t mainstream media outlets connecting the dots? Brady Bradshaw of The Center for Biological Diversity talks about the organization’s legal challenges to the forced opening of the Sable Pipeline in Santa Barbara.

Then, Michael Richardson of Thirdact.org discusses the potential for the clean energy transition and how the impact of Trump’s all-out war on renewables could doom us to a broken planet if we don’t stop it.

In this interview, Len Beyea gets a download from tech experts Emily Bender and Alex Hanna, co-authors of The AI Con, about the drawbacks and pitfalls of technology sold under the banner of “AI”, and why it’s crucial to recognize the many ways in which AI hype covers for a small set of power-hungry actors, helping the rich get richer by justifying data theft, motivating surveillance capitalism, and devaluing human creativity in order to replace meaningful work with jobs that treat people like machines.

Is artificial intelligence going to take over the world? Have big tech scientists created an artificial lifeform that can think on its own? Are we about to enter an age where computers are better than humans at everything? The answer to these questions, Emily Bender and Alex Hanna make clear, are “no,” “they wish,” “LOL,” and “definitely not.”

Dr. Alex Hanna is Director of Research at the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR). A sociologist by training, her work centers on the data used in new computational technologies, and the ways in which these data exacerbate racial, gender, and class inequality. She also works in the area of social movements, focusing on the dynamics of anti-racist campus protest in the US and Canada. She holds a BS in Computer Science and Mathematics and a BA in Sociology from Purdue University, and an MS and a PhD in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. With Emily Bender, Dr. Hanna is the co-author of The AI Con (Harper, 2025), a book about AI and the hype around it. Drs. Bender and Hanna also run the Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 series, tearing apart AI hype on their livestream and podcast. Alex has published widely, including in the journals Socius, Sociological Science, Mobilization, American Behavioral Scientist, and Big Data & Society, and has been a featured speaker at top-tier computer science conferences.

Emily M. Bender, co-author of The AI Con, has been a member of the faculty at the University of Washington since 2003. She is currently the Thomas L. and Margo G. Wyckoff Endowed Professor in the Department of Linguistics and the faculty director of the Computational Linguistics MS program and the director of the Computational Linguistics Laboratory. For 2019-2022, she was the Howard and Frances Nostrand Endowed Professor. She is an Adjunct Professor in both the School of Computer Science and Engineering and the Information School at UW, and a member of the Tech Policy Lab, Value Sensitive Design Lab, and RAISE. Dr. Bender has served on the Executive Board of the Association for Computational Linguistics as VP Elect, VP, President and Past President. She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Prior to joining the faculty at UW, she held positions at Stanford University and UC Berkeley, and worked in industry at YY Technologies. She received her PhD in Linguistics at Stanford University. She earned her AB (also in Linguistics) from UC Berkeley, and also studied at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan.

Babblery host Suki Wessling walked around our local No Kings 2026 Rally and asked people to do dramatic readings of their signs. Some are more dramatic than others, but all are heartfelt!

Busman’s holiday on Kauai. 150 people gathered in the tiny town of Ele’ele, Kauai to join the nationwide “No Kings” rallies. Why did they gather? They had a lot of answers.

Tony Sloss interviews a handful of protesters on the street for the Santa Cruz No Kings Rally.

Every winter I teach a storytelling class using The Moth Radio Hour as a model for how to tell personal narratives. What follows are some examples of their work.

PODCAST AVAILABLE. In this Talk of the Bay, host Meilin Obinata welcomes Osbaldo Lucero of Salad Bytes Media to the station. Join this conversation about his journey as a local podcast innovator, launching multiple podcasts which platform Salinas topics: everything from soccer, small businesses and non profits and even politics. His podcasts attract an international audience, jumping up the Spotify charts in Latin America! Spoiler alert – there’s even a part of our conversation that mentions squids!!! Learn about his creative processes, and, how he bloomed and nurtured ideas into reality from the very beginnings of podcasting to now.

As those of us who live along the Pacific Ocean know, the coastline can be a dangerous and unpredictable place, particularly when strong storm systems pass through. And as climate change continues to supercharge the frequency and intensity of these storms, what can residents — and the local government that supports them — do to prepare?

The county will seek to answer that question and many more in this consequential study, and Talk of the Bay was lucky to recently have Santa Cruz County Resource Planner David Carlson on the show to explain what the study is all about and why it matters.

RESOURCES

cdi.santacruzcountyca.gov/Planning/PolicyPlanning/SeaLevelRiseVulnerabilityAssessmentProject.aspx

For Kiana Hamzehi, a Santa Cruz-born daughter of Iranian parents, the Iran war is not some distant news story. She has relatives there under bombardment from the US and Israel. She talks about the grey areas of the war as seen from abroad. Information is spotty and when it does trickle in, people are stressed and in survival mode. For Elnaz Sarbar Bocek, an activist for women’s rights, speaking out about the war is personal. She left Iran at age 28 and likely cannot return without endangering herself and her family. As a mother of a toddler, she is aware of what might happen. In this show, we explore the nuances of being a citizen of two countries at war with each other.

Alice DiMicele is an Americana/Folk artist, rooted in the natural world, using the earth as her primary source of inspiration, threading its essence into her music. Alice’s connection to nature has created a deep bond with her listeners over the decades, gifting people a safe space to express their emotions and heal in the process. Throughout her career, she has released 18 albums, including her latest works ‘Reverse the Flow’ (2025), ‘Every Seed We Plant’ (2022) and ‘Interpretations: Vol 1’ (2024), building a dedicated fanbase along the way.

Alice DiMicele weaves a rich tapestry of sounds, from the early days of her folk-inspired songs, through to the sensual influences of jazz and soul and the pulse of funk and rock. Her kaleidoscopic soundscape is grounded by her warm, magnetic vocals, stretching over five octaves, giving her voice both power and intimacy.

In this interview with Talk of the Bay host Len Beyea, we get to hear a sampling of songs from four different albums, the stories behind the songs, reflections on the music business and on the importance of staying rooted to the nature around us amidst the imbalance of modernity, and the vitality and vitalness of sharing music in community.

Alice’s upcoming shows in KSQD vicinity as of March 2026 include: a March 20th concert at 7 PM at the Resource Center for NonViolence, 612 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz; sharing the community singing spirit with famed vocalists Bryan Dyer and Kid Beyond at the 3rd Annual Sing Into Spring on March 21st at 12:30 PM, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Santa Cruz County, 6401 Freedom Blvd, Aptos; and an afternoon concert on Sunday March 22nd at 3 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Los Gatos, 15980 Blossom Hill Rd, Los Gatos.

On this episode of Talk of the Bay we take a deep dive into a local documentary which is making its way across the country and the world into film festivals. If you ever wondered what it’s like to call Santa Cruz your hometown, while you are homeless, then you won’t want to miss this Talk of the Bay program when we welcome the filmmakers of “Hometown Homeless” – a short documentary filmed right here in Santa Cruz, in the Potrero neighborhood.Hosts George Cadman and Meilin Obinata will speak with the filmmakers Maleah Welsh, a graduate of the UC Santa Cruz Social Documentation program and Shannan Vudmaska, a poet who lives outside. This film focuses on a circle of women who gather to speak of life, love, and loss — holding space for one another amidst uncertainty and upheaval. This poetic and contemplative documentary takes us through quiet moments and everyday rituals, tracing a tender exploration of land, home, and community.

HomeTown HomeLessHomeTown HomeLess is a collaborative documentary film which takes place in the Potrero district of Santa Cruz, California. A space that is the industrial zone of the city, the site of cement plants, garbage processing facilities, graveyards, discarded train tracks and homeless shelters.

As the industrial zone ends, the redwood forest begins. Deep in the trees is where we find unhoused poet Momma Shannan and her community of resilient women, who have found a place for themselves out of the public eye. Facing uncertain and precarious circumstances driven by rising laws that criminalize homelessness, the women come together to have conversations about life, love, loss.

Anchored by moments of poetry and propelled by both the women’s conversations and events within the community, HomeTown HomeLess offers an intimate portrait of both people and place.

Showing: Friday, March 13th 2026, at the Watsonville film festival • 5:00 PM @ CineLux Green Valley Cinema

On Talk of the Bay at 5PM, March 2, 2026, host Meilin Obinata dives into the proposed California Billionaire Tax Act with Seema Kanani from the SEIU-United Healthcare Workers union and Kris Cuaresma-Primm who are supporting this voter initiative aimed at helping make up shortfalls caused by deep cuts to federal programs. Obinata also welcomes activist Langdon Sepulveda from Stop Gilroy Data Center Now and Francisco Leal from NIMBY Imperial. They are both resisting the development of data centers dependent upon lithium ion battery storage. Whether billionaires or data centers, what does it look like when people rise up? That’s today at 5PM, on KSQD’s Talk of the Bay.

To kick off Women’s History Month, on March 6th a very special event returns to the Museum of Art and History in downtown Santa Cruz. It is called HERstory, and it celebrates the important women of Santa Cruz County—past, present, and future. The event features performances, special activities and, most importantly, talks from extraordinary women who were nominated by the community and selected by a diverse committee representing local organizations dedicated to supporting and uplifting women.

In this conversation, we meet event organizers Stephanie Sumarna (County Office of Education) and Jessie Durant (Museum of Art and History), as well as two of the event’s honorees, Amara Anderson (Santa Cruz High Black Student Union President) and Ivory Woodson (Student Leader & Founding Black Student Union President, Soquel High School Black Student Union, Countywide BSU). The guests talk about their backgrounds and the upcoming event.

For more information and registration, visit the event page at https://santacruzcoe.my.canva.site/herstory.

In a victory in the indigenous landback movement. The Amah Mutsun Land Trust and Peninsula Open Space Trust have purchased the 2,284 acre Juristac property,(Formerly Sargeant Ranch), preventing the building of a gravel pit mine, and returning the land to its original inhabitants. We hear from Amah Mutsun tribal chairman, Ed Ketchum about the history of his people in relation to this land and what plans are for its future.

Guest Tom Llewellyn grew up in the small rural enclave of Canyon, California, where sharing food, road work days, and fighting fires together as a community was common. Full disclosure, I also grew up there, but we didn’t cross paths until recently in Bonny Doon. Growing out of that belief in the collective wisdom of communities working together, Tom is now Program Director for the nonprofit, Shareable. Far beyond ride shares, this organization promotes libraries of things, lending libraries of tools and other useful items, and leads trainings around the world to fuel this growing movement. If you’ve ever used a tiny neighborhood library or organized a car pool, you know the joy of the sharing economy. So far, there is no tool lending library in Santa Cruz. Anyone want to start one? https://www.shareable.net/about/

Andrew Schoneberg was fortunate to meet and interview Dr. Elisa Lagana. Dr. Lagana is a natural psychic, remote viewer and clairvoyant. For the past 15 years, she has worked professionally as a remote viewer, offering accurate, real-world insight to clients across the globe.

Her work has contributed to the prediction of major world events outcomes months in advance. Her skills include locating missing persons, which she’s done for the CIA and law enforcement agencies.

Elisa shares that at the heart of her work is a devotion to healing. Her greatest joy comes from helping people understand the language of energy—how it moves, speaks, and guides.

Joan Hammell is a board member with the Santa Cruz County SPCA. More than just a place to adopt or give up a beloved pet, the organization has broadened its mission to help humans and animals help each other in often profound ways.

Fraud and identity theft targeting immigrants are on the rise, according to Claudia Abasto Rivella of Latinan, a legal aid nonprofit serving three central coast counties, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey. Even Ms. Abasto Revilla, a lawyer, has had her identity stolen and used to extort people in North Carolina seeking green cards. She warns people to never conduct business of a legal nature over the phone or internet, but to work in person.

Consuelo Alba is the Executive Director & Co-Founder of the Watsonville Film Festival. Consuelo is a visionary arts leader harnessing the transformative power of film and culture to ignite social change in Santa Cruz County and beyond. Under her leadership, the Watsonville Film Festival (WFF) has grown from a grassroots collective into a nationally recognized cultural force offering year-round programming, supporting local filmmakers and redefining what a film festival can be: an inclusive, community-centered space for dialogue, joy and inspiration.

Consuelo was born and raised in Mexico City. Her early career as a journalist laid the foundation for her lifelong commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices. As a documentary filmmaker, Consuelo explores cultural identity, healing and justice. Her award-winning short documentary El Andalón / The Healer screened at more than 30 international festivals, won seven awards, and was broadcast on Mexican public television. She is co-director of a new film, The Long Labor.

LiliArlen Gomez is the Production Coordinator of the Watsonville Film Fest. LiliArlen was born in Monterey, California and raised in Oaxaca, Mexico, where traditions and storytelling deeply influenced her path as a filmmaker. After earning her degree in Cinematic Arts and Technology from Cal State University Monterey Bay, she worked on projects with Apple, Google, and 20th Century Studios, with her collaborative work reaching festivals like Sundance, SXSW, and Watsonville. LiliArlen is excited to bring her passion, creativity, and production experience to help uplift diverse voices and strengthen the Watsonville Film Festival’s presence in the community.

The 14th annual Watsonville Film Festival begins Thursday March 12th, and runs through Saturday March 21st, with showings in Watsonville, and during the second weekend, in Salinas and Santa Cruz. You can view the schedule of films and events here.

This recording includes an interview of ~54 minutes with Consuelo Alba, followed by an interview of ~3 minutes with LiliArlen Gomez.

David Hahklotubbe is a Death Doula and Gerontologist, as well as a motivational speaker. Death Doulas serve people who are about to die, their families and loved ones. Their goal is to provide counseling, wisdom, and peace of mind, as well as practical help for families and loved ones navigating the practical aspects of dealing with this life transition.

Based on his experience witnessing over 1000 deaths, David believes that the worst pain many suffer at death is regret — regret at wishes and goals not pursued, relationships not healed, etc. So as a motivational speaker and author, David Hahklotubbe advocates for living the lives we truly wish for, while we still can. And he imparts his wisdom about how to have a “good” death.

In this interview with Andrew Schoneberg, David shares that many people have communications from loved ones who’ve recently passed. He says if we are open to it, this is a common occurrence, and evidence that consciousness doesn’t end at death.

Host Meilin Obinata takes a deep dive with an environmental activist, professional musician and educator: Adam Scow. In this conversation, we learn about Adam’s musical life, his origin story, and what motivates him to engage in public service. He also provides some surprising lessons for activists about political life, plus advice and encouragement to those who wish to run for office. He even gives out his personal email if you wish to seek his guidance!

The IRS funds a program, Project SCOUT, which offers free help with tax preparation and filing for low-income residents, including seniors and those on disability. In this interview we speak with two volunteers working with Project SCOUT during tax season, Mathilde Rand and Jan Shirchild about how listeners can get assistance in Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties.

Members of the Teamsters local 2010 labor union were out on strike all week in the freezing rain, pressing the CSUs to come back to then negotiating table. This interview with Anthony Cardinale, Union Representative for CSUMB explores the who, what, why and how of the strike.

On Monday’s Talk of the Bay, at 5pm, host Meilin Obinata welcomed two Salinas area activists to the show to discuss the role of money in Salinas politics: rapper and activist Cal Paradox, who recently released an album dedicated to Salinas politics called “Politics As Usual”, and president of LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) Salinas Chapter 2055, a leading civil rights organization and community thought leader Christopher Barrera. We will learn about what gets people engaged in local issues and make a difference in their communities. We learned about the inspiration for particular songs from Cal Paradox's album, including Taylor Farms, Salinas City Council and more. We learned from Chris Barrera about LULAC's first president, Crecencio Padilla's suggestion about taxing agriculture. The guests also discuss California's Proposition 50 from November 2025. Barrera's shares experiences of helping renters in his role at LULAC as well as his perspective as a realtor interacting with landlords.You can connect with our guests in the following ways:

Chris Barrera's email and phone number are: barrerasr86@yahoo.com, 831-206-9089Cal Paradox's Instagram account is: cal_paradoxThat’s Monday at 5pm, right here on KSQD, KSQT, at 89.5, 89.7 and 90.7 FM, and on your smart device at KSQD.org.

Arts Council For Monterey County is a non-profit, who’s goal is to make arts accessable to everyone in Monterey County. Arts4MC connects local artists and arts groups with local communities and schools. They fund music, theater, dance, and fine arts instuction in schools. Arts4MC sponsors public art, such as murals and exhibitions, and provides grants to arts organizations and individual artists, and provides scholorships for young people persuing arts careers.

In August 2025 Andrew Schoneberg interviewed Jacquie Atchison, Arts4MC’s Executive Director.

This short feature was produced by Daymia Rousseau, Humanities intern from UCSC, with editing help from Rachel Anne Goodman and Howard Feldstein. What follows is the transcript.

Hello, I’m Daymia Rousseau, a UCSC Intern reporting for KSQD. AI data centers are a booming business, and California is one of the leading states in building them. Along with concerns about the environmental costs, critics are saying the financial burden of these energy-hungry facilities falls unfairly on customers. One of its biggest critics is alternative energy expert, Amory Lovins.

Lovins : “I’m mightily puzzled why 38 states subsidized data centers with tax breaks, and why they’re thought to be economically advantageous. They’re good if you’re in the construction industry; they’re not so good if you’re looking for long-term jobs. These are highly automated operations, and enormous amounts of capital get sucked out of the rest of the economy. ”

Professor Lovins is a physicist, AI data center designer, writer, and lecturer at Stanford University. He’s written several critical pieces on the setbacks of Nuclear Energy & AI data centers, as well as many articles on the best ways to utilize alternative, solar & wind-power energy. He’s concerned about customers bearing the brunt of cost overreach.

Lovins : “There’s quite a bit of political unease around the country, and protests around burdens falling on other customers. Partly because the contract with the data center may not cover all the costs of data extensions and other expenses needed to keep the grid going with the big new load…And also because many of the data centers proposed will not be built, or when built will not thrive…in other words, it looks like they’re set to earn a tenth as much of the revenue they would need to support the enormous investments they’re making.”

So data centers are expected to earn less revenue than it takes to construct them? Currently, data centers consume 1-2% of global energy. However, research from investment companies such as Goldman Sachs project data center’s energy demand will grow 160% by the year 2030. And not even Bill Gates predicts a viable energy plan until the year 2050. So data centers are expected to operate for 25 years, functionally, at an over 100% increase in power usage. And that’s only if AI demand can finance it.

According to Professor Lovins, this financial strategy effectively cannibalizes itself.

Lovins : “One of the reasons the financial community is concerned, and sees AI as a bubble, is that it’s indulging in what’s known as ‘circular transactions’. My company invests in your company, which then buys my products, so we can both afford to do that. But it doesn’t really sustain an increase in wealth, so much as to conceal that we’re not making money the conventional way by selling a product people wanna pay a lot for. And it’s also concerning that 120 Billion dollars has now been financed off balance sheets, so it doesn’t show up in the financial accounts. Between that and circular transactions, it’s really hard to tell what condition the tech companies are in…and that heightens the risk… So I think the concern about unexpected burdens falling on localities is well founded. I would also suggest that you shouldn’t automatically assume that because AI can make various operations efficient and save energy, that means it’s a net good for climate.”

One big worry is the capacity of the grid to distribute heavy energy demand during peak hours. Who will pay for upgrading it? The AI companies or the public? What about blackouts?

Many tech companies such as Google & Microsoft, claim they can fund “green premiums” by 2030 to sustain energy demand through market returns. However, the fragility of the “AI bubble” in global markets casts doubt on that strategy.

Lovins : “Initially, it was more about making the hardware more effi

Have we got a show for you on Talk of the Bay. Rob Oliveros from “Santa Cruz Against Runaway Development” is going to go head-to-head with Santa Cruz YES IN MY BACKYARD advocate, Rafa Sonnenfeld. They will be talking about what seems to be on everyone’s mind, the “D-word,” that is, development. Are the buildings too tall, are the new units too expensive…or, is this exactly what voters have chosen, more apartment units in Santa Cruz? What happens when people discover that rents have not actually fallen, but have creeped up, even with all these new units? The median household income in Santa Cruz County is $132,800. Rents have increased by around $200 per month over the past year, and Zillow reports that units renting for $5,000 or more have had a big increase in the city of Santa Cruz. What should beleaguered locals be looking at: leave? find a better-paying job? Search for more housemates? Or just tough it out and pay 50-70% of your income on rent? Today on Talk of the Bay, we will be discussing all of these issues with two long-time Santa Cruz housing observers, YIMBY advocate Rafa Sonnenfeld and Rob Olivares of SC Against Runaway Development. Santa Cruz musician Russell Brutsche will also be live in the studio and provide the soundtrack for today’s show.

Professor Rebecca Braslau has served on the faculty at UC Santa Cruz since 1991, where she is a professor of chemistry. She has a BA from Reed College, a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin, and carried out postdoctoral studies with Bernd Giese at Universitat Basel, the oldest university in Switzerland. She has been a visiting professor at other universities, including in Bangkok Thailand, Galway Ireland, Melbourne Australia, Eindhoven the Netherlands, and Paris France. In 2014 she earned the Excellence in Teaching Award at UC Santa Cruz.

Professor Braslau is the director of the Braslau Lab at UC Santa Cruz. The Braslau Lab is a synthetic organic chemistry group, currently focused on material science projects. Given the Crisis of Persistent Plastics in our environment, researchers are currently focused on developing methodologies to chemically upcycle post-consumer waste PVC. Over the past decade, they have focused on developing non-migratory “internal” plasticizers to replace phthalates, a pervasive class of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds.

CEO of Santa Cruz County, Nicole Coburn describes SHIELD as an emergency preparedness project, but the emergency is not natural, it’s in the form of a raid by ICE similar to what we saw in Minneapolis. As the DHS expands the scope of its operations, injury, and even death have resulted. What are the protocols in place for County agencies, such as the Sheriff, Health Department, or other employees? How can the County protect its migrant population in the event of a mass deportation roundup? While there are no easy answers, the SHIELD committee, headed by Supervisors Felipe Hernandez and Monica Morales, seeks to be prepared.

Do you ever feel helpless to influence big events? Want to make a difference locally but don’t know where to start? Karen Delaney, the soon-to-be-retiring Executive Director of the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County has some ideas on how to plug in, tune in, and get to work volunteering for a cause you care about.

Saabira Chaudhuri is a London-based journalist and the author of Consumed – How Big Brands Got Us Hooked on Plastic. She frequently writes about sustainability, plastics, corporate strategy, environmental regulation and consumer culture. Her work has been published in outlets including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Bloomberg, The New Scientist, The Guardian, Wired, The Times of India, FastCompany.com, Forbes and Business Insider.

Saabira Chauduri spent 12 years as a staff reporter for the Wall Street Journal in London and New York, stepping down in May 2025. Before that she worked on staff for Dow Jones newswires, Forbes magazine, Mint (the New Delhi-based business newspaper) and Fastcompany.com

Saabira grew up in Bangalore and still returns there as much as she can. She earned a BA in sociology from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, then spent a year abroad studying law and sociology at the London School of Economics. She was awarded the Wall Street Journal’s fully-funded Asia fellowship to New York University where she earned an MA in Business and Economic Reporting.

Consumed is her first book. It was born out of years of reporting on consumer goods companies’ increasingly difficult relationship with plastic, and it was published by Bonnier Books in May 2025. Consumed was named one of the Financial Times’s Best Books of 2025, longlisted for the FT & Schroder’s Business Book of the Year Award and shortlisted for the Society of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW) Best Business Book of the Year Award. She did the impossible task of researching and writing the book while tending to her two children under two.

Andrew Schoneberg interviewed David Bean about his extensive history in radio and the recording industry. He shares interesting information about the history of local radio in the Monterey Bay, including KSQD, KUSP, and KAZU.

Host Chris Krohn welcomes Hector Marin to the airwaves for a deeper dive so we can get to know him beyond his role as the organizer of the “Save the Catalyst” campaign. Krohn and Marin discuss the City of Santa Cruz housing-related ballot measures B and C, as well as the sugar tax, Z. We also learn a bit about Hector’s origins and what drew him to Santa Cruz.

From a very early age, Parisa Karimi Molan dreamed of becoming a singer. Growing up in a musical family—her father was a singer and tar player—she was surrounded by melodies, even as she lived in Iran, where women are forbidden to sing publicly. Despite this, she studied music for nearly twenty years in secrecy with some of Iran’s most celebrated vocal masters, including Parissa and Pari Maleki, alongside many talented women who shared the same quiet determination.

Although the road was long and often uncertain, Parisa continued learning with the hope of preserving this rich musical heritage and one day sharing it freely. In 2017, she moved to Montréal, where she could finally pursue this lifelong dream openly. There, she co-founded Tehrani Drom and began creating music rooted in Persian, Azeri, and Roma traditions—turning a once-impossible dream into reality.

Amir Amiri is a santur player, composer, and cultural inventor. He dwells at the center of a unique musical universe where ancient inspiration, dazzling virtuosity, and bold creativity meet. Surrounding himself with outstanding collaborators from the worlds of jazz, classical and world music, Amiri fearlessly transcends genres and borders, exquisitely transporting his ancient instrument into the musical conversations of our time. Throughout his performances with a vast spectrum of ensembles, concerts and tours, Amiri’s down-to-earth and profound connection with audiences always enchants.

Born in Tehran, Iran, Amiri is a master of the santur, a 72-string instrument dating from approximately 500 BCE. Since first arriving at the Banff Centre from Iran in 1996, Amiri has forged deep relationships with musicians across Canada and the world. He has collaborated in a variety of ensembles with double bass player Jean Félix Mailloux, violist Richard Moody, and jazz pianist Jean-Michel Pilc. In his enthralling Amir Amiri Quartet, he is accompanied by violist Olivier Marin, percussionist Roméo Monteiro and cellist Myrtille Hetzel. The ground-breaking world music ensemble includes the presence of a Whirling Dervish, a dancer in the act of Sufi meditation. Amir Amiri was awarded the 2003 CBC Artist of the Year, and The Betty Mitchell Best Composition and Sound Design award.

Who ever said awards shows are no place for politics?

Former Santa Cruz County Supervisor John Leopold made local history this past weekend when he took home a Grammy for Best Regional Roots Music Album. The longtime local politician, who served on the board for 12 years, became the first Santa Cruz County supervisor to take home one of the coveted national music awards.

Leopold executive produced an album titled “A Tribute to the King of Zydeco,” which honored Louisiana musician Clifton Chenier on what would have been his 100th birthday last year. Chenier died in 1987 at age 62.

Roughly 72 hours after his appearance on the national stage, Leopold stopped by the KSQD studio in Santa Cruz to talk about his whirlwind of a weekend, his enduring fascination and passion for music and, of course, his striking sartorial choices.

You can stream A Tribute to the King of Zydeco on all major platforms, but John encourages the purchase of the album to directly support the Clifton Chenier Memorial Scholarship fund at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Angel Garcia, our guest, is a spokesperson for Californians for Pesticide Reform which just filed a lawsuit against the state of California for dragging their feet on clarifying pesticide regulations. Here is their recent press release further explaining the reason for the suit. They claim the state’s approach to regulation is both confusing and dangerous, given the hazardous nature of 1,3-D, which is applied by the hundreds of thousands of pounds per year on fields in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties.

Farmworker Advocates Sue California Over Conflicting Regulations for Cancer-Causing Fumigant Pesticide 1,3-D

Nine years after landmark court victory, California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s 1,3-D regulations still fall far short, say advocates

Lindsay, CA — Nearly a decade after community members first sued the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) for its unlawful regulation of the cancer-causing fumigant 1,3-Dichloropropene (1,3-D), affected residents and advocacy organizations are back in court. On Friday, community residents Rocio Ortiz and Ana Barrera, along with Californians for Pesticide Reform and Pesticide Action and Agroecology Network, filed suit challenging DPR’s regulations governing the use of 1,3-D.

The lawsuit alleges that DPR’s newly adopted regulations violate fundamental requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) by failing to provide clarity and internal consistency, and violate the California Food and Agricultural Code, by allowing the public to be exposed to pesticide emissions at levels that cause harm to human health.

After nearly nine years of litigation following the 2017 case Vasquez et al. v. Department of Pesticide Regulation, DPR has now issued two separate regulations for 1,3-D that conflict with one another.

The first regulation, for people living near pesticide applications (known as residential bystanders), took effect in 2024 and uses a regulatory target air level of 0.56 parts per billion (ppb) per day over a 70-year lifetime. On January 1, 2026, a second regulation took effect, intended to protect people who work near 1,3-D applications, known as occupational bystanders. This second regulation uses a threshold of 0.21ppb per 40 hours per week over 40 years. Each regulation applies different target air concentration levels to essentially the same population, creating regulatory confusion and undermining the state’s duty to protect communities and workers from a known carcinogen.

“After everything our communities have endured, it is devastating to see DPR still refuse to do its job,” said Ana Barrera, a plaintiff in the case. “We live, work, and raise our children near fields where this chemical is used. DPR knows it causes cancer, yet they continue to write rules that protect the industry instead of the people breathing this air every day.”

Rocio Ortiz, also a plaintiff, emphasized the human cost of regulatory failure. “These regulations are not just words on paper — they’re the difference between families like mine feeling safe at home or living with constant worry. DPR had years to get this right. Instead, they created confusing, contradictory rules that put our communities at risk of harmful exposure. We should not have to keep suing the state just to be protected from cancer-causing chemicals.”

The state’s expert cancer risk assessment branch, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), in 2022 established a lifetime cancer risk level for 1,3-D, known as a No Significant Risk Level, or NSRL, equivalent to 0.04ppb — far lower than either of DPR’s regulatory targets.

The regulatory target for DPR’s occupational bystander regulation accepts the OEHHA NSRL but allows for far more exposure because it assumes that workers are only exposed to 1,3-D for 40 hours a week

My guest is Kischka Bluspiro organizer of the local Sunday Assembly Santa Cruz, which is a secular (non-religious) gathering that promotes community and inspiration. They gather monthly to listen to inspiring speakers, sing together, and get to know each other. They also have small groups based on specific interests (games, movie night, etc.), and they’ll be doing some community service projects as well. Sunday Assembly Santa Cruz is a part of a global network of Sunday Assemblies that started in London in 2013. The local branch has been going for a couple months now, but in March they’ll be moving to a new, larger space, the community room at the Capitola branch library.

On today’s Talk of the Bay, we explore the role of recalls and censures in electoral politics. Host Meilin Obinata welcomes Raul Urena, former mayor of the border town, Calexico, who was elected into office with 70% of the vote but later the subject of a successful recall by the Republican Party which weaponized Urena’s gender identity. Urena is also a current graduate student at UC Santa Cruz.

Obinata also speaks with Peter Szalai, a voter who shares his thoughts about the social media posts and the censure of Salinas City Councilmember Andrew Sandoval.

That’s today, at 5PM, on Talk of the Bay, right here on KSQD.

Spencer Critchley is an award-winning communication strategist and national media commentator with experience in journalism, digital media, public relations, advertising, and music. He’s the author of Patriots of Two Nations and host of the podcast Dastardly Cleverness in the Service of Good, and founder of Boots Road Group.

He talks with me about the moment we are in and how to view it in light of history and philosophy.

Film maker Ana Blanco and biologist Natasha Benjamin team up for a film about saving the kelp forests and their link to local coastal economies. The local premiere of the film shows on February 6th at the surfshop, the Santa Cruz Boardroom on 41st Avenue and includes a discussion and action talk.

Sequoias of the Sea – Community Screening & OceanAction NightFriday, February 6, 2026 | 6:30–8:30 PMSanta Cruz Boardroom825 41st Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062

Representative Jimmy Panetta held a press conference on Thursday, January 28th to affirm his opposition to passing a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security which oversees ICE. Ami Chen Mills and Nyanko Nyasu were there and have this report.

Talk of the Bay, host George Cadman discusses the history and the future of The Catalyst in downtown Santa Cruz with her guests Alyssa Pullen owner of the Teahouse Spa, David Bean host of KSQD’s New Squid in Town music program and local music scene expert, and Hector Marin, organizer of the the Save the Catalyst campaign and local activist. They will discuss how they see the plans to rebuild the Pacific Ave property as seven stories, six of which would be residential units without parking, with ground floor retail.

To stay on top of the Save the Catalyst campaign:savethecatalyst@gmail.com

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/savethecatalyst/

Official project planning page:https://www.santacruzca.gov/Government/City-Departments/Community-Development/Current-Planning/Significant-Projects-Planning/Projects/Pacific-Avenue-1009-1011-1015

Save the Catalyst from demolition Petition:https://www.change.org/p/save-the-catalyst-from-demolition

On this Monday’s Talk of the Bay, your host Meilin Obinata invites you to learn about the latest fiery news regarding the Rail and Trail Project. Guests Lani Faulkner of Equity Transit and former candidate for District 1 County Supervisor, Stephanie Auld a disability and elderly rights transportation advocate and James Weller a land title expert, share their views and expertise regarding what you need to know about the status of passenger rail in Santa Cruz County. What do the recent decisions of the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission mean? What is the current vision for supporters of rail? We welcome your questions and comments so please be sure to email us at onair@KSQD.org. That’s this Monday, January 26th, at 5PM, on Talk of the Bay.

Talk of the Bay host George Cadman spoke with Jess on January 20th about her Substack & social media videos, her activism, and what motivates her. They also spoke about using anger and grief as fuel for good.

There are so many attacks on our democracy, our rights, and our bodies every day, that it is hard to know where to start. It can feel overwhelming.

Jess Craven addresses how ordinary working Americans who are raising families and trying to survive can resist this tidal wave of attacks on our freedom, on our democracy, and on our well being – how they can respond in a meaningful way with the time and resources that they have. She curates daily impactful actions to help people to get involved, even if they are short on time or money.

She talks about the practical actions ordinary Americans are taking to stand up to this regime, build community & support one another, with examples from Minneapolis and other communities where residents are standing up and standing together.

Jess also shares her thoughts on the 2026 mid term elections, public opinion polls, and why she has hope. And how she takes care of herself & finds balance in her life.

Jess Craven is an activist, political content creator, and the author of Chop Wood, Carry Water Daily Actions on Substack. Her goal is to help average Americans become more engaged in the political process and help elect more progressive lawmakers everywhere.

On Monday, January 21, thousands of marchers filled the streets of Santa Cruz to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Your Squid on the Street was there! Special thanks to Daymia Rousseau for their help editing.

There are some 5 million Iranians living in the United States. A large population live in the Monterey Bay and the Bay Area. On this program, we hear from activist/student Elnaz Sarbar, Data Scientist, Azadeh Sanjari, and Santa Cruz City Council member, Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson about what they are hearing from family members. Since the government of Iran cut off internet, it has been difficult for journalists and families living abroad to find out the fate of their loved ones after what appears to have been a mass killing of protesters in Iran.

Join host Omar Dieguez for a powerful conversation with Yanely Martinez, longtime Safe Ag Safe Schools (SASS) organizer, Camila, a rising future leader in the movement, and Señor Torres, representing a family rooted in generations of activism fighting pesticide exposure in our communities.

From Monterey County to Sacramento and the Pajaro Valley, this episode highlights the real work happening on the ground—uplifting youth voices, organizing families, and building collective power to protect our children, our schools, and our land.

This podcast centers the next generation of leaders and honors the families who continue to stand strong against pesticide harm. The movement is alive, and the youth are leading the way. ✊🏽🌱Safe Ag Safe schools, FUTURE LEADERS OF CHANGE, SPRAY DAYS!

One of your Squids on the Street, Suki Wessling, caught up with locals at the Martin Luther King, Jr. parade and rally to find out which of King’s words or deeds especially resonate with them during these difficult time.

Nolan Higdon, profesessor of media studies at UCSC discusses the way the U.S. media is framing what is happening in Venezuela leading up to and after the kidnapping of President Maduro.

Ocean advocate, Dan Haifley discusses the intricacies and urgency of preventing oil drilling and mining off California’s coastline, as the Trump administration goes all in for “drill, baby drill” policies that would open the coastal waters to extractive industries. The deadline for comment is January 23rd. Comments can be submitted to the Federal Register by January 23, 2026, at: Regulations.gov. Contact your Congressional representative Jimmy Panetta at: Congressman Jimmy Panetta | Representing the 19th District of California.

Hello, I’m Daymia Rousseau, a UCSC Intern reporting for KSQD. In 2023, Santa Cruz county experienced one of the worst storms in the city’s history. In cities like Capitola, streets were flooded , waves crashed into various businesses, and the wharf was destroyed. Meteorologists called it a bomb cyclone with lots of rain and wind. As Santa Cruz county endures storm season once again, many coastal communities remain anxious about another natural disaster, or how California’s coast will handle storms as sea-levels rise.

Griggs“What’s gonna be more problematic…in the relatively near-term in the year 2050, or the year 2075, will be these short-term extreme events we witnessed these past three winters… so really high tides, and really large waves.”

Daymia: That’s Gary Griggs, Professor of Earth and planetary Sciences at UCSC. He’s, an author, scientific reporter, & board member of the Ocean Science Trust. Professor Griggs’ is an expert in climate modeling and sea-level rise. His recent research has also projected a 0.5-1.2ft sea level rise by the year 2050. What might our future coastline look like with this change?

Griggs “So we really have two, well, maybe three different kinds of coastal environments… one is… steep coastal mountains, plunging thousands of feet to the water. A foot or two doesn’t really make a difference…Then we have places like much of Santa Cruz county…these coastal marine terraces, these flat benches. We may have a beach in front of there, we may not. But what happens as sea levels continue to rise, and as storms continue, we erode back that bluff. West cliff might be the best example of this… The third, where we will see this the most, probably the clearest, are lowline areas, which are nearly at sea level now. And we look at, say, the waterfront of Santa Cruz beach, Seabright, Capitola, and Rio Del Mar…many of the homes and businesses were built on the beach, so a foot or two will really make a difference…”

Daymia: 2023 saw intense storm damage at places like West Cliff Drive, where whole sections of roadway fell into the sea. The city of Santa Cruz has established a 5-year roadmap to monitor sea level rise and minimize the eroding impacts of storms. This includes a new coastal change monitoring network, incentivized storm water management, and infrastructure redesign. Each project could cost upwards of tens of millions of dollars. Additionally, Beaches like Capitola and Rio Del Mar will be more susceptible to flooding & sand buildup all year, not just in winter.

Griggs“So, we’ve got this preoccupation with sea level rise, though we need to keep in mind these short term events, which are gonna be way more problematic.”

Daymia: Michael W. Beck, the director of the UCSC Center on Coastal Climate Resilience, raisesd concerns about sea-level rise’s impacts on marine wildlife, as well as coastal communities. In a 2024 article he stated, quote, “it’s not just a huge bummer for future summer vacations…Our beaches also provide a natural buffer from flooding, erosion and other natural disasters for millions of California residents.” Professor Griggs is not so sure all of these beaches will provide a buffer when the really big storms hit.

Grigs “A lot of his work is based on the tropics, where we have coral reefs and mangroves that live in salt water that do provide this natural buffer. So if we have this really wide beach – I’m gonna pick Sea Bright beach – they definitely provide a buffer. By the time you get to Capitola… in the winter, there’s not much there, and as you saw, the waves come over that little sea wall into the downtown, into the restaurants… So I’m less optimistic in my consideration of how important those beaches are. They’re definitely important, but when you get a big winter, all bets are off…Capitola’s been hit with at least 15 major storms in the last century..”

Daymia: As of January 5th, intense winds & flooding

Zaya Ralitza Benazzo was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria. For as long as she can remember, she has been fascinated with exploring life’s big questions. She feels most at home in nature and, increasingly, within herself. Zaya is a producer and film director with engineering, environmental science, and film degrees. For many years, she worked as an environmental activist in Europe. Her deepest passion is bringing together wisdom from spiritual traditions in service of all life. Zaya believes that individual and collective liberation are inextricably interwoven.

Maurizio Benazzo grew up in Italy, and in 1984 came to the United States on a 98-year-old sailing boat. He started working as an actor, model, and filmmaker, but his thirst for knowledge was only satisfied in 2001 upon encountering I Am That, the seminal work by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, while he was in India shooting the award-winning documentary Short Cut to Nirvana.

Maurizio and Zaya merged their lifelong passions for science and mysticism when they met in 2007, and their first project together was filming the documentary Rays of the Absolute on the life and teachings of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. This project sparked their next level of creation and collaboration: Science and Non-Duality, a global community inspired by the timeless wisdom traditions, informed by modern science, and grounded in direct experience.

Together they have produced and directed several award-winning documentaries including The Wisdom of Trauma, The Art of Life, Rays of the Absolute, Where Olive Trees Weep, The Eternal Song, Mauri, and If an Owl Calls Your Name. They have a new film, In the Circle of Life, which will be shown this Friday, January 16th, at the Resource Center for Nonviolence in Santa Cruz.

They live, work and play on the unceded ancestral lands of the Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo people, in Sebastopol, California.

Talk of the Bay’s George Cadman hosts a conversation on the controversy surrounding Flock Safety, and their cameras that appear to track more than just license-plates. After revelations that the police have illegally shared data with ICE and other agencies, the Santa Cruz City Council will meet Tuesday, January 13th, to consider ending the contract with Flock Safety. Can technology and government be reined in to protect our 4th amendment rights of privacy?

The city’s two-year contract is set to expire on March 27, 2026. It allows for a termination of the agreement with 30 days’ notice, which would mean the end of the contract would be Feb. 12 at the earliest if the SC City Council decides to terminate it.

Peter Gelblum is a retired attorney who has lived in the San Lorenzo Valley since 2008. As an attorney in Los Angeles for 30 years, he worked on such cases as the OJ Simpson civil case, RIAA vs. Napster, and a case involving ownership of Alberto Vargas’s artwork. He was on the Board of the ACLU of Northern California for 10 years and still serves on their Legal Committee. He has been the Chair of the Santa Cruz County Chapter of the ACLU of Northern California for over 10 years, and has been working on issues relating to ALPRs since 2015.

Julia has lived in Santa Cruz County over 25 years, and has been active in political and community organizing all her life. Coming both from a privileged background and also a place of intersectional identities, Julia leads with compassion and empathy for the struggles of all people. She has lobbied for political campaigns; organized at her alma mater UCSC; rallied with marginalized groups including LGBT+, disabled, and BIPOC communities; and is actively of service in many community organizations, including Indivisible Santa Cruz County, where she co-leads the Media Team.

Sean Dougherty has worked as a software engineer since 1999, including 7 years at IBM and 10 years at Apple, during which he worked on operating systems and hardware modeling. He recently resigned his position at Apple in order to run for office in Congressional District 19 against incumbent Jimmy Panetta. He and his wife have lived in Santa Cruz for 10 years and have a 3 year-old son.

Syd Jones is a retired security professional, residing in Santa Cruz County.

Meeting Date: January 13, 2026Time: 2:30PMCouncil Chambers809 Center Street

To participate on Tuesday’s city council meeting:https://zoom.us/j/94684401344

View Tuesday’s city council meeting live:https://www.santacruzca.gov/Government/City-Council/Council-Meetings/View-Council-Meetings

Composite graphic by local artist and musician Russell Brutsche

Your Squid on the Street, Suki Wessling, caught up with Kelly Menehan and Faye Johnson of Indivisible to talk a little bit about the rally and their organization at the January 2026 Get ICE out for Good Rally in Santa Cruz.

Your Squid on the Street interviews rally-goers at the corner of Ocean and Water Streets in Santa Cruz about their reasons for attending the rally on January 11, 2026.

If you’ve had writer’s block — and for all the listeners out there who have ever put pen to paper, chances are a good that you have — there’s no shortage of pithy quotes or “how to” books from famous authors that can help snap you out of it.

“Write what you know,” goes one.

“No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader,” goes another.

As inspiring as some of these aphorisms can be, perhaps our deepest understanding of writer’s block can be gleaned from fictional representations of the commonly experienced phenomena — a meta analysis, if you will, provided by the authors themselves. Because there’s no shortage of those either.

And nobody know’s that better than writer, educator Aaron Colton.

“Writing Through Writer’s Block: Lessons from Modern American Fiction” is the title of a new book by Colton, an associate teaching professor and director of first-year writing in the Department of English at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Within his authorial debut, Colton offers the first book-length analysis of the archetype of the blocked writer, at once acting as a thorough meditation on literary theory while also providing practical insights into the complex thoughts and feelings of the working writer, novice and veteran alike. In doing so, Colton reframes blockage not as something to be desperately avoided, but as something that could be deputized or even befriended by the aspiring writer.

Colton completed his Ph.D. in English at the University of Virginia, and has previously taught at The Georgia Institute of Technology and Duke University. His research focuses on representations of writers and writing in American literature, and his scholarship has appeared in venues including Arizona Quarterly, Studies in American Fiction, College Literature, and Pedagogy, as well as in Public Books and Inside Higher Ed.

He also happens to have grown up here in Santa Cruz, so we were extra pleased to welcome a local boy to the show.

Sara Niedzwieck is a professor of politics at UC Santa Cruz and studies South American politics. She offers her analysis of what is currently happening in Venezuela, a developing story.

On January 3rd the U.S. military conducted a strike on the capital of Venezuela, Caracas, killing dozens of people, and capturing President Maduro and his wife and bringing them to New York to stand trial. What does this mean for the region? What is it really about? Michael Fox is a Latin America-based media maker and the former director of video production at teleSUR English. He puts the action into context.

Omar Dieguez reports live from the vigil marking the killing by an ICE agent of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.

From the Streets brings you a powerful live podcast and performance featuring Dub Souljah, Safaa (Baytal), Miguel Kultura, and Shinelight—artists using resistance music to inspire, awaken, and empower our youth to rise as leaders. Join us January 24, 2026, at the Veterans Hall, 846 Front St. Doors open at 12 PM. Featuring additional performances by The Neighborhood Kids and The Indigenous Cats, plus vendors, drum circles, and danzantes. Part of the proceeds benefit The Center for Farmworkers. Come show love, build community, and support the movement.

This event is sponsored by Indigenous Justice.

More info: @RESISTANCE.ENTERTAINMENT ✊🔥

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-neighborhood-kids-full-live-band-indigenous-cats-in-santa-cruz-tickets-1977304939301

Mark Toney has been the Executive Director of The Utility Reform Network (TURN) since 2008. Mark has transformed TURN into a social movement organization, whose 27 staff are two-thirds women and two-thirds people of color, and has expanded its impact to promote and win racial and economic justice in energy affordability, climate action, and broadband equity.

Mark was appointed in 2020 to the California State Bar Board of Trustees by Governor Newsom and reappointed in 2024. He also currently serves on the National Whistleblower Center board, and previously served on the boards of ACLU Northern California and California Shakespeare Theatre.

Mark served as executive director of the Center for Third World Organizing for four years, and of Direct Action for Rights & Equality for eight years. He holds a B.A. from Brown University, a Ph.D. in Sociology from UC Berkeley, and has been recognized as a Kellogg National Leadership Fellow, National Science Foundation Fellow, Echoing Green Fellow, and Mother Jones Heroes for Hard Times.

Christine Barrington starts a new show on KSQD this Friday: Apocalyptic Supper Club. But Christine is hardly new to KSQD—in fact, she’s a Squid super-volunteer. Apart from hosting Talk of the Bay for several years, Christine was a board member, volunteer coordinator, behind-the-scenes producer, and host of a series called Behind the Mic. In this series she interviewed many of the roster of fascinating people who make up KSQD’s volunteer on-air presence.

This week, Babblery host Suki Wessling turns the tables and sends Christine to the other side of the board so she can talk about her new show. Christine explained what it’s all about:

“It’s called The Apocalyptic Supper Club, nourishment for dire times. And the reason I call it that is it’s sort of at many levels, but most important, it’s that for us to show up when times are so hard, I believe we have to be fed many, many more stories, many, many more ideas and strategies that actually lift us up and make us feel better. So much political news and political talk is really quite depressing. It fills us with fear and uncertainty, it impacts our neurochemistry and instills what I call civic learned helplessnessPeople kind of check out and we need them to check in and find joy in getting involved. So they need to get nourished. And so it’s a supper club. It’s gonna all kinds of beautiful, tasty things.”

The first episode airs Friday at 5 pm PT and will be available as a podcast. Please listen in and subscribe.

Mentioned in this episode:* This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession by Daniel Levitin * Hang Out Do Good * Red, Wine, and Blue * Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long * “\” by Christopher Armitage

A selection of Behind the Mic shows with Christine Barrington:* Classical music and gardening host Joe Truskot * What a Week hosts Erik Nelson and Tony Russomanno * Be Bold, America host Jill Cody * Narrative Species host Rick Kleffel * Don’t Fence Me In host Bruce Larson * Heritage Gospel Uplift’s Jinx Deruisa * New Squid in Town’s David Bean * B in the Night’s Bobby Bishop * The Computer Guy, Luigi Oppido * KSQD Chief Engineer Sandy Stone * Brooklynbilly Mashup’s Andy Fuhrman

This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession

Your Brain at Work, Revised and Updated: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long

Long-time arts and culture journalist for Santa Cruz, Wallace Baine is retiring from his post at Lookout, the online news site, but not before they won the Pulitzer Prize for local journalism. We look back at some of his most exciting interviews with the likes of Randy Newman and Carol Burnett, plus his take on the changes he’s seen over his thirty year tenure covering the cultural life of our community.

Dr. David Ebert is an expert on shark biology with the Moss Landing Marine Laboratory and San Jose State University with the Pacific Shark Research Center. In the wake of the death of triathlete Erika Fox at Lover’s Point in Pacific Grove, sharks are once again in the news. But are they the human killers they’ve been made out to be in the media? What motivates them? Why are some encounters fatal and others survivable? Do those bracelets marketed as shark repellents actually work? How are sharks doing in our Monterey Bay? These are just a few of the questions we explore in this fascinating interview.

🎙️ FROM THE STREETS | Special Broadcast

Hosted by Omar Dieguez on KSQD

This Monday’s episode of From the Streets was a powerful and necessary conversation, broadcast live from a special School Board meeting addressing the devastating cuts proposed in our school district.

Parents, students, and school board members spoke directly about the impact of eliminating mental health clinicians, school counselors, special education services, and art programs—programs our youth desperately need to survive and thrive.

KSQD once again opened the mic and created space for our community to speak their truth, express their pain, and demand accountability. These are not just budget numbers—these are lives, futures, and the well-being of our children.

Thank you to every parent, student, educator, and community member who showed up, spoke out, and stood strong.

✊🏽 Our voices matter. Our kids matter.

Last Night is a do-it-yourself, decentralized, collective, spontaneous, open, public New Year’s Eve celebration in Santa Cruz, California since 2005. Celebrating what we can do as a community when we work together. Sunset on New Year’s Eve every year starting at Pacific & Spruce (behind Ace Hardware), and ending with a street party at Pacific and Cooper!

Guests: Stacey Falls has been an active participant in the last night DIY parade for 20 years. Though she is not one of the original founders, she has been invested in keeping it going as a wonderful Santa Cruz cultural phenomenon.Stacey is also a teacher at Santa Cruz High School and has lived in Santa Cruz since 2002.

Grant Wilson is a puppet builder, artist-activist & social worker. Has lived in Santa Cruz since 1976 and was active in the First Night parades from 1994 to 2004, & the Last Night DIY Parades for the past 20 years.

Chris Krohn is an active and rabid radio listener and programmer. He currently has a show on KSQD called “Chris Krohn, 80 something I have known.” He is a former mayor of Santa Cruz, and a retired educator. Chris was the internship director for 20 years at UC Santa Cruz in the Department of environmental studies. He has attended more than a half dozen DIY New Year’s events.

https://www.lastnightdiy.org/

When he was a young man of college age, Richard Hodge was attending seminary and thought he was going to become a Methodist minister. As the fates would have it, he instead went on to become a lawyer, who defended some of the most notorious, and politically charged, crime cases in America, including the Oakland 7, the Soledad 3, and Los Siete. He later developed a specialization in entertainment law, and represented a wide range of clients, including Richard Brautigan, Kenny Loggins, the Steve Miller Band, Boz Scaggs, and many others. He eventually became a judge in the Alameda County Superior Court, where he served for 20 years, adjudicating hundreds of cases, including the landmark water rights case Environmental Defense Fund v. East Bay Municipal Utility District. He also served as Justice Pro Tem on the First District Court of Appeals on four occasions. He has lectured extensively before attorney organizations, environmental organizations, and educational institutions, including the Practicing Law Institute, Boalt Hall at UC Berkeley, Hastings Law School, and Golden Gate Law School. Now retired, Richard Hodge lives in Santa Cruz, and shares stories and insights gained from his long legal career.

KSQD Community Radio Hosts Critical Conversation on PVUSD Cuts Impacting Student Mental Health

On Talk of the Bay From the Streets, we aired a one-hour program addressing recent cuts within Pajaro Valley Unified School District that have reduced mental health clinicians, counselors, and special education supports.

Hosted by community advocate Omar Eduardo Dieguez, the program features:

Brandon Diniz, President of the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers
Gabe Medina, PVUSD Trustee and Agenda Setting Committee member
Mike Christensen, PVUSD parent

The discussion centers student safety, transparency, environmental justice, and the urgent need for community-driven solutions.

On Talk of the Bay host Meilin Obinata, welcomes Christopher Barrera of the Salinas chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens known as LULAC and Salinas City Councilmember Andrew Sandoval. Barrera discusses the civil rights concerns LULAC has regarding the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office investigations into the signature gathering process of the Protect Salinas Renters campaign, while Sandoval, a major supporter of the Protect Salinas Renters Coalition, shares his experience of facing a censure motion from his colleagues which has ultimately been postponed.

46th Annual Eco-Farm Conference at Asilomar (Jan 21-24) – Talk of The Bay

On Tuesday, Dec. 9th, Talk of The Bay host George Cadman spoke with Rebecca North (Executive Director of the Ecological Farming Association) and Ken Foster (co-owner of Terra Nova Ecological Landscaping & permaculture instructor at Cabrillo College) about the upcoming 46th annual Eco-Farm conference which will be held at Asilomar from Jan. 21st to Jan. 24th.

EcoFarm is the oldest and largest organic farming conference west of the Mississippi, bringing together more than 1,500 farmers, ranchers, and food system leaders each year. It’s an inspiring gathering dedicated to ecological agriculture, social justice, and building resilient, equitable food systems.

Rebecca North is the Executive Director of The Ecological Farming Association, where they lead with purpose, passion and a deep commitment to farmers. New to the nonprofit world, with 20+ years experience working in the produce industry nationwide, Rebecca has a proven track record of building strategic partnerships, growing impact, and driving sustainable change. Mother, queer, gardener, hobby herbalist, straight-edge punk, East Coaster, Spartan racer, and lover of cherries, Rebecca has a masters degree in transnational feminism from SFSU and lives in the Bay Area.

Ken Foster – a native of Santa Cruz – was born in the fifties and raised by Quaker parents. He was an apprentice at the UCSC Farm & Garden in 1985, holds an Associate’s degree in Horticulture from Cabrillo College and has taught the Permaculture class at Cabrillo since 2012. Ken is also a landscape contractor, a certified permaculture designer and the founder & co-owner (with his wife Jillian) of Terra Nova Ecological Landscaping since 1988. He lives in Santa Cruz with his wife, their four dogs, chickens, worms and bees at their permaculture demonstration home site. Ken believes that the permaculture ethics “Care for The Earth and Care for the People” are a way of life here on the Central Coast.

https://www.eco-farm.org/

Anjelka Stipanovich, Anna Michel, and Julia Alaimo are the Program Coordinators for the Resilient Central Coast program at Ecology Action. The program is only a few months old.

Resilient Central Coast introduces everyday actions and local resources to help you prepare for the unexpected, electrify your home, and build community climate resilience.

Hello, I’m Daymia Rousseau, a UCSC Intern reporting for KSQD. The Trump Administration’s attacks on DEI programs have hit especially hard when it comes to access to gender affirming care for trans youth. Regardless of the intense pressure on schools by the Department of education to remove all forms of “gender ideology”, many schools and healthcare settings are challenging this position and moving to protect trans youth.

Adam : “There are implicit and explicit impacts that trans youth, and trans young adults, are experiencing right now. The explicit ones…are that Gender affirming care is becoming more difficult to come by if you are a transgender person under the age of 18. Even in our area. ”

That’s Adam Spickler. Adam is a trans man, and a member of Cabrillo College’s board of trustees, an elected member of the Santa Cruz Democratic Party, and is currently involved with the Queer Youth Task Force. Given Adam’s credentials,, I asked him how Trump and the GOP’s incentive to target “gender ideology” has impacted the community.

Adam “So, if you are a young person in Santa Cruz county, who in the …last 9 months…has realized that your gender identity might require – gender affirming care. For the first time ever, having a conversation with your doctor is pretty scary. And not knowing whether your doctor is affiliated with a healthcare providing agency that offers gender affirming care, you might have less information provided to you. Because healthcare affiliates and healthcare providers, understandably, are scared to get flagged in a larger way, as ‘providing’ gender affirming care. …We’ve watched how the federal government has gone after them, legally, and illegally. Threatening to withhold grant money if they do provide gender affirming care.”

So, healthcare providers are hesitant to advertise that they offer gender affirming due to the potential financial risk & political backlash from the federal government – regardless of whether they actually provide it or not; therefore limiting its accessibility. Or, as was the case this August at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, preemptive measures may be taken by healthcare providers in the wake of the administration’s demands, regardless of their legality. Difficulty getting a passport that matches one’s identity and reducing health access are two explicit threats, but equally concerning are the attempts to erase trans identities. Again, Adam Spickler.

Adam…But the implicit messages that are part of, and go beyond those two things, are the ways in which permission is being given. At best, to be dismissive in acknowledging trans identities. And, at worst, being violent… that is on the rise.”

Adam’s comments made me especially curious about the ways in which trans youth and elders are able to circumvent these changes. Being a prominent trans figure in the Santa Cruz community,

Adam : “… I have been terrified of the reality of being trans like I never have been before… I have never been more aware than I have been, the last few months, of what it must feel like, all of your life, to be visibly marginalized. …Having such a target on our backs now, from white nationalists…from people who feel emboldened to call transgender people ‘terrorists’ – completely wrong…but to be utilizing that false information to target trans people in a really scary government, at the same time the federal government wants to give credibility to those claims…And it is terrifying in a way I never understood until it was happening to me.”

Adam points out that different groups, depending on ethnic identity, may experience these impacts in different ways. This is especially relevant when you consider that DEI programs, of which are under direct attack from the department of education, encompass all these concepts under that umbrella term; intersecting in complicated ways. So how is the current What can we learn

What does Santa Cruz love about the holiday season? Squid on the Street spoke to parade participants and attendees at the 2025 Holiday Parade in downtown Santa Cruz. It was a joyous celebration of food, song, costumes, and above all, community. Listen to their voices and click here to see a gallery of photos.

Lindsay Owens, Ph.D., is the Executive Director of the Groundwork Collaborative. Widely known for her ability to communicate pressing economic concepts and arguments, Lindsay has been credited with changing the way we understand inflation by leading the charge to expose – and articulate – the role of firm pricing power and corporate profiteering in price increases. Her work has been hailed by Jon Stewart as “music to my ears” and consumer advocate Ralph Nader described her as “a burst of new energy in the civic community in Washington, D.C.” Washingtonian Magazine named her one of the “Most Influential People Shaping Policy.” Her opinion pieces have been featured in The New York Times and The Washington Post. She is a frequent commentator for PBS NewsHour, The Beat with Ari Melber, The ReidOut with Joy Reid, The Problem with Jon Stewart, Marketplace, Pod Save America, Bloomberg, Vox, and the New York Times. She is the author of the forthcoming book, GOUGED: The End of a Fair Price in America. Prior to joining Groundwork, Lindsay served as a senior economic policy adviser to Senator Elizabeth Warren, and deputy chief of staff and legislative director to Representatives Keith Ellison and Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal. She holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

Elizabeth Pancotti is the Managing Director of Policy and Advocacy at Groundwork Collaborative. Prior to Groundwork, Liz advised Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on economic policy and researched economic policy at the Roosevelt Institute, Employ America, and the National Bureau of Economic Research. Her research has been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Guardian. Liz has a BS in economics from American University and lives in Washington, D.C.

On this episode of Talk of the Bay, with host Meilin Obinata, guests James Weller, a land title expert and Barry Scott a clean energy educator bust the latest myths and misunderstandings regarding the Rail and Trail Project of Santa Cruz County.

Our third guest, Debora Fudge, has multiple decades of experience serving on the board of the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) and as the chair for multiple terms. SMART was able to build a 43 mile passenger (and freight) rail project with a trail out of an existing set of train tracks, a situation extremely similar to that of Santa Cruz County, yet with a larger and more complex project for a fraction of some of the cost estimates for the Santa Cruz County Rail and Trail Project: less than $1B. The opportunity to learn from Fudge was very valuable as it is an excellent point of comparison for our Rail and Trail Project. Fudge mentioned that there are residents of Marin who opposed the SMART project who are also involved with opposing passenger rail in the Santa Cruz County.

This was a live broadcast so we took calls from people expressing various views and posing questions for our guests, who shared their expertise and corrected factual inaccuracies callers raised at times. Guests and callers discussed the matter of SMART and the Santa Cruz RTC hiring the same consultant for guidance, at different stages of development of the passenger rail and trail plans.

This show also includes recorded audio clips including one from Rod Diridon, the inspiration for Diridon Station in San Jose.

Because this show was recorded live on November 17, we’ve added an update at the top of the show, from Barry Scott, to reflect the new proposal from Fred Keeley and Manu Koenig to “Build those stretches of trail on top of the railroad tracks” as the Lookout Santa Cruz November 25th article describes it. This proposal will be part of the agenda for this Thursday’s RTC meeting which the public is welcome to join either in person at the Watsonville City Council Chambers or on Zoom from 9AM to 12PM. We encourage you to stay in touch with the commissioners and drop them a line to share your thoughts at: info@sccrtc.org. This is a link to a letter from Mayor Keeley to the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission 12/01/25: https://www.sccrtc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Handout-item-26-Partner-Letter.pdf.

Christine Barrington did a wonderful series of shows about the Rail and Trail which you can access here: https://ksqd.org/the-true-story-of-santa-cruz-rail-trail/

For decades Santa Cruz Community Health has faithfully pursued its mission to improve the health of its patients and the community and advocate the feminist goals of social, political, and economic equality. On December 4th the public is invited to enjoy “The Power of Her Voice” featuring Poet Ellen Bass and many others. Join host Christine Barrington interviewing Dena Loijos, Community Health’s Chief Strategy and Impact Officer, along with event lead, Patrice Vecchione, and poet Dion O’Reilly to share why this event is a call to come together in a moment when progress must be defended, and the voices of those impacted must be amplified.

This milestone event will honor Community Health’s history, celebrate its achievements, and gaze forward to a future of continued service and advocacy. The evening features a series of Monterey Bay Area poets sharing their voices. Ellen Bass headlines the event, joined by poets Terri Drake, Nancy Fowler, Teri Ketchie, Veronica Kornberg, Jennifer Lagier, Ruth Mota, Dion O’Reilly, Linda Serrato, and Patrice Vecchione, who will read from the anthology Women in a Golden State: California Poets at 60 and Beyond.

Thursday, December 4, 2025, 7:00 PM. Temple Beth El: 3055 Porter Gulch Road, Aptos.

Tickets are on sale now. To learn more and purchase tickets: https://www.schealthcenters.org/the-power-of-her-voice-a-benefit-poetry-reading-for-scch/

Enjoy an evening of poetry, community, and connection.Light refreshments will be served, and books will be available for purchase at the event.

About Santa Cruz Community Health

Through the Santa Cruz Women’s Health Center, Santa Cruz Mountain Health Center and our new Live Oak Health Center, Santa Cruz Community Health (a Federally Qualified Health Center) provides comprehensive primary care services in English and Spanish to all ages, genders, ethnicities, abilities and sexual orientation, regardless of their ability to pay. SCCH’s health centers serve over 13,000 patients through a dedicated staff of medical providers, nurses, licensed clinical social workers, health educators, and administrative personnel.

Since its founding, SCCH has remained committed to health care as a human right and has continuously worked to advocate for social, political, and economic equality. Today, that mission is under a renewed threat. Across the country, efforts to undermine access to essential primary health care and weaken critical health protections continue to escalate. These dangerous shifts put lifesaving care at risk and compound the financial burdens facing community health centers that provide vital services for underserved communities.

In this podcast we hear from Welton Jordan, chief real estate development officer with EAH, about a new housing project for veterans at the former Fort Ord military base in Marina. Lightfighter Village will house 71 homeless veterans. It has wrap around services for residents needing help with health, job training, or economic issues. It may surprise people that so many people (estimated 400 in Monterey County alone) who served our country experience homelessness, but it’s a sad fact. Now, Monterey County veterans without homes will have supportive housing, thanks to the new Lightfighter Village complex which had its grand opening last week.

On Thursday, November 20th, Rep. Jimmy Panetta joined a virtual press call with Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and other Congressional Democrats to respond to the Trump administration’s newly released five-year offshore leasing plan which includes 2 lease sales off the Central Coast. KSQD was there to capture the Q and A segment.

In attendance were:

Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.)

Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Natural Resources CommitteeSen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.)Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.)Rep. Luz Rivas (D-Calif.)

Len Beyea has been a host of KSQD’s Talk of the Bay program since 2019. In this episode, the roles are switched, and Len is interviewed by David Thiermann. Len and Dave have known each other since 1970, when Len took a Swahili class from David at UCSC. David suggested the role reversal, and here is the interview that resulted from that.

David Thiermann has worked in Tanzania, Brazil, and Japan. He owned a juice bar & cafe in Santa Cruz in the late 70s and early 80s, where he hosted performers from all over the central coast. He became a professional career consultant in midlife, to help clients dissatisfied with their careers see through their personal and professional inhibitions, and to follow their dreams. “There are many people out there who need to clarify and diversify their career goals,” says Thiermann. “They need a glimpse of their true potential.” Since 1987, Thiermann has used biographical techniques to help some 2000 international clients make career changes and upgrades. His approach to securing his clients’ goals differs from that of other career counselors, by emphasizing support, unconditional acceptance and what he calls The ID Process. “I get to know someone very well. I use biographies, surveys, testing, and gather information for a portfolio,” says Thiermann. This surprisingly personal biographical technique is applauded by Thiermann’s clients – more than half of whom are referrals.

Charles Pasternak has served as the Artistic Director for Santa Cruz Shakespeare since 2023. Before that, he served as Artistic Director of The Porters of Hellsgate Theatre Co in Los Angeles for over fifteen years. He has had a wide-ranging career as an actor and director at theatres across this country including American Players Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Clarence Brown Theatre, The Denver Center, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles, three seasons with The Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis and four with Shakespeare Santa Cruz.

Alicia Gibson is the co-director of this year’s production of A Christmas Carol. She is the Production Manager for Santa Cruz Shakespeare, and she is very grateful to be a part of the Santa Cruz Shakespeare team. She has loved Shakespeare since high school and always looks forward to introducing more people to the work. She graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara theatre directing program. Prior to her tenure with SCS, Alicia worked for many years as a director and stage manager in Los Angeles.

Rachel Anne Goodman interviews Deputy Insurance Commissioner, Michael Soller about the crisis in home insurance in fire-prone areas, including Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. A recent New York Times article revealed some alarming details about the way the new regulations and rates were negotiated. It raised questions about the future of real estate in California, and the prospect of even higher costs of insuring a home with fewer choices of companies willing to write policies. Then, Justin Kloczko and Carmen Balber join in from Citizen Watchdog, some Lara’s loudest critics calling for his resignation due to his handling of the insurance crisis.

Heather Houston is the Artistic Director of the women’s choir Yala Lati. Heather is a well-established Santa Cruz-based musician, recording artist, vocal coach, song circle leader, and choral director, whose spirit uplifts hearts and weaves community through the power of singing. Over the last 3 decades, you may have heard her singing 3-part harmony with her acappella groups Dis Moi and Sirenz, singing jazz with the Steve Abrams Trio, leading large crowds in song at demonstrations and marches, or singing at Bay Area and central coast spiritual centers. She offers live transforming events internationally, online, and in person, from the Esalen Institute, to 1440 Multiversity, to Sivananda Bahamas. But most notably, her annual Sisters in Harmony summer singing retreat at Green Mountain Retreat Center in the Santa Cruz Mountains gathers over 100 women in song and sisterhood. Heather Houston’s original music can be found on all the streaming platforms.

Yala Lati celebrates its 20th anniversary on Saturday November 22nd with a performance at the Rio Theater in Santa Cruz.

Humanities intern Daymia Rousseau has this look at how AI is impacting students and professors at UCSC.

Third District Santa Cruz County Supervisor Justin Cummings weighs in on threats to the California coast from offshore drilling and seabed mining, and what local governments are doing to ready themselves for the right to protect our coast.

What happened after November 4th? Find out from Tony Russomanno.

Two Aptos High students, Emily and Lucy, talk about their work as podcasters and environmental activists. The Aptos Community Youth Program is a free youth leadership and arts engagement program offered to students in the Santa Cruz County area. As part of their work digital media and visual art outlets such as podcasting, film production, photography, and painting murals have become part of their work in sharing stories of the youth as well as taking on projects that benefit the community such as school supply drives, volunteering with local non-profits, and working with elders in the community. Two students Lucy and Emily are on the student leadership board of this organization, and a part of the Aptos High School ASB. They have been involved in ACYP since middle school and their early high school years and now find themselves as seniors at Aptos High School.

Join Tony Russomanno with guests Chris Krohn and Laz Meiman for a special report in advance of the Nov. 4 election.

Cynthia Ranii, a Santa Cruz resident and elite table tennis player, is competing for a slot in the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games.

Ranii became paralyzed from the chest down in 2005 at age 58 after sudden onset of a rare neuro-immunologic disorder known as transverse myelitis. Ranii was at the peak of her career as a school district superintendent, she had a loving family that was expanding and she was athletic, active and healthy. Everything changed almost overnight.

Ranii was suddenly thrust into a new reality where almost nothing was comfortable or familiar. And it was then that she turned to one of her life’s constants: athletics.

After pursuing wheelchair tennis for a while, Ranii found she had a knack for table tennis and she began competing at the highest levels against both seated and able-bodied opponents. Now, at 78, she’s ready for a new challenge and is focusing all her efforts on medaling at the Paralympics. Should she succeed in doing so, she would likely be the oldest individual to ever compete — let alone medal — at the Paralympic or Olympic games.

Ranii recently joined Talk of the Bay to us all about her journey, which is only just beginning.

NOTES

Santa Cruz Sentinel: https: santacruzsentinel.com/2025/10/04/at-58-cynthia-ranii-was-paralyzed-from-the-chest-down-20-years-later-her-sights-are-set-on-a-paralympic-medal/

Photo: Shmuel Thaler – Santa Cruz Sentinel

When was the last time you ran your weekend errands without getting behind the wheel of a car? How about commuting to work? What about a trip to the beach?

It’s not easy in our modern world to get around without a personal four-wheeler, but that hasn’t stopped Santa Cruz County transportation leaders from challenging the public–and elected officials–to give it a shot.

Multiple local transportation agencies helped organize Santa Cruz County’s first-ever Week Without Driving campaign, which lasted from Sept. 29 to Oct. 5. Talk of the Bay host PK Hattis was joined Oct. 1 by a key architect of the initiative, Santa Cruz Metro Board Chair Rebecca Downing, who talked about where the idea came from and why it’s so important for local policymakers to participate.

NOTES

Santa Cruz Sentinel: santacruzsentinel.com/2025/09/18/transportation-officials-push-for-a-week-without-driving-in-santa-cruz-county/

Photo: Contributed – Santa Cruz Metro

Matt Miller, the director of mobility transformation at Ecology Action, returned to Talk of the Bay in September to talk about the Santa Cruz Bikeway, a new 11-mile route encircling the city of Santa Cruz using only existing roads and infrastructure. While the two month pilot project wrapped up Oct. 8, and along with it most of the 160 yellow “bikeway” signs posted on street corners across the city, the route itself remains completely available to the public.

Matt joined the show Sept. 3rd to talk about what purpose the route is meant to serve and what his team hopes to glean from this temporary pilot program.

NOTES:

Santa Cruz Sentinel: Have you seen those yellow ‘bikeway’ signs around Santa Cruz? Here’s what they’re signaling.

Ecology Action’s Santa Cruz Bikeway webpage

Hedge funds and secretive investors are buying up local papers and stripping them for parts. These so-called vulture capitalists and their attack on journalism are the subject of a new film out on PBS, “Stripped for Parts: American Journalism on the Brink by Rick Goldsmith. We hear from Goldsmith and investigative journalist Julie Reynolds about the film and the impact on our democracy of losing so many local papers such as the Monterey Herald, the Santa Cruz Sentinel and the San Jose Mercury News.

You can stream the film here: https://www.pbs.org/video/stripped-for-parts-american-journalism-on-the-brink-dyEAIs/

CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank, Erica Padilla-Chavez is in the eye of the storm of hungry people seeking food in the wake of pending cuts to CalFresh/SNAP (EBT, food stamps). They are seeking 75 new volunteers to help with the influx of new clients suddenly in need of food in our communities. You can help by donating at thefoodbank.org.

For advocacy, you can write to your state and federal representatives and indicate you support full funding of SNAP.

On October 28, 2025, George Cadman was joined on Talk of The Bay by Ken Reichman and Denise Allen of Indivisible Of Santa Cruz County to discuss the No Kings rally & march on Oct 18th, what’s next, how members of ISCC are working to protect our community from ICE, and how people can join one of their action teams and get involved.

In this episode of Talk of the Bay, host Meilin Obinata speaks with two people experiencing different aspects of the rent crisis in the City Salinas: Sam Messenger, a person who received a visit on October 13, 2025 from the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office investigator who was investigating him about his decision to sign a petition in favor of the renter protection ordinances at the Oldtown Farmer’s Market one day, and Councilmember Andrew Sandoval of the Protect Salinas Renters Coalition. Monterey County Now ran a piece “Investigation into petition signatures in Salinas casts suspicion all around” on Wednesday, October 23, with quotes from Messenger and Sandoval, just four days before this conversation, about the visits from the Monterey County DA investigators which residents of Salinas have been reporting, which the DA’s office did not comment upon.

We open the show with a clip from this weekend’s Zohran Mamdani rally at which Anastasia Ocasia Cortez and Bernie Sanders spoke, featuring a few words from Bernie Sanders and Mamdani. Mamdani’s campaign slogans include “Freeze the Rent” referring to the freezing of rent increases for rent-stabilized housing in New York City along with other policies which center affordability for working class New Yorkers.

Obinata gives a brief summary of the tumultuous history of the rental housing crisis which residents face in Salinas, from 2000 to the September 2024 vote by the Salinas City Council to approve of a set of four tenant protection ordinances. In November 2024, three Salinas councilmembers either lost or vacated their seats, changing the political composition of the council and orientations towards these renter protection ordinances. In June 2025, the majority of this council with this new composition then voted to repeal the package of renter protection ordinances which the previous city council had passed unanmimously in September 2024.

Then, the Protect Salinas Renters Coalition collected signatures to put the ordinances back on the table with a voter referendum. The Monterey County Elections Office verified the signatures mid-August. In late September, the Salinas City Council, after multiple councilmembers offered motions regarding the referendum, a majority of four ultimately voted to put the ordinances on the November 2026 ballot against a three member minority for the voters to decide what would happen to the tenant protections.

At the mid-point of the show, you’ll hear a clip from Tony Vasquez, a former mayor of Santa Monica who is running for California Treasurer. He was speaking about the importance of rent control for protecting the diversity of that city at the California Democratic Renters Council reception on Saturday, October 25th, which was part of California Democratic Executive Board Conference, held at the Monterey Hyatt.

Close to the end of the show, Messenger confirms that the investigator who knocked on his door was carrying a firearm. Obinata notes that the California Apartment Association is staying on top of the Salinas renter protections, with an article from late September about the upcoming November 2026 vote.

Note that KSQD attempted to get the District Attorney’s Office of Monterey County to participate in an interview for this show but were told that they were not commenting on election law violations. As of the publishing of this post, KSQD also has not received a call back from the Fair Political Practices Commission. After this show,

On Talk of The Bay on Tues Oct 21st, at 5 pm, host George Cadman interviewed local author, psychotherapist and Family Constellation facilitator, Molly Salans. They discussed her psychological thriller, A Break in The Fog, about a family in turmoil and a dangerous cult, which explores how faith can be used to heal, but also to abuse, and how love and family is what matters most in the end.

Molly and George also talked about: cults more generally (including the cult of Trump); what draws someone into a cult or controlling system; the longing to belong – and how that deep human need can lead either toward love and connection or toward control and manipulation; how to awaken oneself and others to mind control; how compassion and understanding can free us from fear and polarization both personally and collectively; and the power of creativity, community, and ceremony to restore love and empathy in a divided world.

Deeply involved in Santa Cruz’s creative and spiritual communities, Molly Salans reminds us that compassion is not just a feeling – it’s a path forward in healing ourselves and our world.

For more than thirty years Molly has guided people through the landscapes of grief, love, and transformation—blending psychology, spirituality, and creative expression. Through her Constellation circles and community gatherings, she helps people uncover the hidden love that lives beneath pain and conflict. abreakinthefog.com

Interviews with Adam Scow and Dr. Ann Lopez:

Adam Bolaños Scow is a Public-Interest Advocate, Violinist, and Music Teacher. For over 15 years Adam has helped win environmental campaigns in the Monterey Bay region including the efforts to ban fracking in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito Counties. He is a co-founder of the Campaign for Organic & Regenerative Agriculture (CORA), a grassroots group working to transition agricultural fields away from toxic pesticides to organic in the Watsonville area. He has served on the boards of Regeneración Pajaro Valley Climate Action, Watsonville Wetlands Watch, and the Sierra Club.

He previously served as a Board Trustee for the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, where he helped win one the largest salary increases for teachers and staff in the history of the district and protected vital arts and music programs.

As a violinist Adam performs with the Santa Cruz Symphony and also performs Mariachi music with Mariachi Libertad. Adam teaches both orchestra and mariachi through the award-winning El Sistema program in Watsonville and at Cabrillo College.

Dr. Ann López is the Executive Director of Center for Farmworker Families. She is an emerita professor and taught courses in biology, environmental science, ecology and botany in the biology department at San José City College for many years.

She has a Ph.D. from UCSC in Environmental Studies, where she studied the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement on the farms of west central Mexico. Her book entitled The Farmworkers’ Journey summarizes the results, arguments and conclusions of her research and was published by UC Press. She has been recognized for her work by the U.S. Congress and many organizations. She was chosen as a Woman of the Year for 2013 and 2014 by the National Association of Professional Women. In March 2018, she was chosen for a 16th Annual Cesar E. Chavez Community Award in Watsonville and in 2019 was recognized by Assembly Member Mark Stone as Woman of the Year in California’s 29th District.

Talk of the Bay Host George Cadman interviews Jenni Veitch-Olson about California Proposition 50.

Jenni is a compassionate community leader. Jenni is the Director of Development for Emerge California, the premier training program for Democratic women who want to run for office and win.

She served as the Vice Chair of the Santa Cruz County Democratic Central Committee, prior to being elected the Chair in January 2025. She also serves as a Watsonville Planning Commissioner.

In 2024, Jenni was awarded Santa Cruz County’s Democrat of the Year for her mobilization of resources to those affected by the Pajaro River flood.

Known as “Def Jen Wreckers” on the track, Jenni plays roller derby with the local Santa Cruz Roller Derby team.

https://stopelectionrigging.com/

https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/10/voter-guide-2025-print/

KSQD’s Talk of the Bay, Meilin Obinata welcomes Omar Dieguez to discuss his month-long hunger strike to raise awareness of the dangers of pesticide use inagriculture, and his work to ban pesticide use in the community.

From Suki Wessling:

Reporting from the October 18 No Kings Rally in Downtown Santa Cruz today, I heard a clear message: What’s happening in this country is not OK. People from all walks of life came together with a message of unity and hope. Although there was anger, there was a distinct lack of partisanship and hateful speech. Listen in to what locals had to say about the state of our democracy and the message they hope to send.

To learn more about future events, join your local Invisible’s mailing list.

Suki Wessling interviewing Curtis Reliford

Crowd photo by Herb Jellinek.

Did you know having a dark sky is healthier for humans and other animals? Many creatures rely on the stars to navigate or know where to migrate. Dark Sky International is a movement to reclaim the sky at night, led by amateur astronomers and scientists. Light pollution disrupts wildlife, impacts human health, wastes money and energy, contributes to climate change, and blocks our view of the universe. In this interview with three group members, we hear ideas of what we can do to help darken the night sky again.

Even in a banner year for coastal storm damage, Seacliff and New Brighton State Beaches stood out in 2022 and early 2023. A relentless flurry of atmospheric river storms slammed the popular seaside destinations, snapping the historic Seacliff pier in two, dramatically flooding the day-use area with sand and debris and striping away much of the park’s infill material to such a degree that the campground area remains offline to this day.

The indelible images even inspired a visit from then-President Joe Biden, who delivered a speech on the impacts of climate change right outside Seacliff’s Welcome Center.

Though many of the facilities have recovered in the past few years, climate experts have cautioned that Seacliff and New Brighton remain vulnerable to the supercharged storms that climate change will make more frequent in the years to come.

With that in mind, State Parks, in collaboration with local partners, has produced the Recovery and Resilience at Seacliff and New Brighton State Beaches study and shared it with the public for the first time earlier this month. The report, which took more than two years to put together, reveals much about how these beloved parks remain vulnerable to climate change impacts and how local planners can continue the rebuilding effort in way that recognizes the realities of the future and puts resiliency at the forefront.

To help us better understand what this report has to offer, host PK Hattis was recently joined by Scott Rohlf, a staff recreation specialist with California State Parks who acted as the Santa Cruz District lead on this study.

NOTES

https://www.seacliffresilience.org/

https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2025/09/29/new-study-reveals-adaptation-scenarios-at-seacliff-new-brighton-state-beaches/

https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2023/03/20/its-really-sad-seacliff-pier-demolition-process-begins/

https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2023/03/27/crews-demolish-historic-monterey-bay-pier-in-danger-of-collapse-after-january-storm-damage/

On this episode of Talk of the Bay, host George Cadman talks with Elaine Johnson, Executive Director of Housing Santa Cruz County, about Measure C, the proposed Workforce Housing Affordability Act appearing on the November ballot in Santa Cruz.

They discuss how the measure came about, what kinds of taxes it would establish, how the funds would be used, and what oversight would guide spending. Johnson also responds to concerns raised by community members and outlines the intended goals for addressing local housing needs.

It’s an informative and balanced look at one of the key issues facing Santa Cruz voters this fall—housing, affordability, and the future of the community.

Roaring Camp Railroads is hosting a magical walk in the giant redwoods lit up by movie lighting artists and lamp-makers. I went on a preview of the event with the artists and about 200 other curious folks, and have this story.

ROARING CAMP INTRODUCES “SEQUOIAS AT NIGHT” FAMILY-FRIENDLY STROLL THROUGH ILLUMINATED GIANT REDWOOD FOREST

VIEW TOWERING 250-FOOT REDWOODS IN A NEW LIGHT, FEATURING HANGING, LIGHTED LANTERNS CREATED BY LOCAL METALSMITH ARTISTS

FELTON, CA – SEPTEMBER 19, 2025 – Roaring Camp, Inc. (Roaring Camp) today introduced “Sequoias at Night,” its new family-friendly experience beneath towering 250-foot-tall redwood trees in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Sequoias at Night lighted stroll will be open to the public on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 7:30pm.

The nighttime experience provides visitors with a magical and immersive perspective on the ancient forest at Roaring Camp. During the 0.8-mile loop walk, visitors will view 26 unique, lighted lanterns, hung approximately 50 feet above the ground. The lanterns were crafted by local artists including Anna Bobisuthi, Roaring Camp’s resident blacksmith, and Chris Butler, who also created the lighting design for Sequoias at Night.

Sequoias at Night will be open on Friday nights, weather permitting. Expanded dates are planned for Spring 2026.

Tickets are available at www.roaringcamp.com. Adult tickets will be $24.95, children $12.95 and kids under two enter for free. Roaring Camp’s food services and gift shop will be open.

Roaring Camp is located at 5401 Graham Hill Rd, Felton, CA.

Across the country, there has been a huge increase in attempts to ban books from libraries and schools. The American Library Association is fighting back against attempts to censor books from libraries by raising awareness of protecting our right to read what we choose. We hear from Heather Norquist, youth programs coordinator for the Santa Cruz Public Libraries about how important it is to nurture a love of reading in young people, and not remove books by authors of color or ones that contain LGBTQ+ themes.

On Talk of the Bay, host Meilin Obinata welcomes Paul Kmiec the director of the Santa Cruz Film Festival. Join us in learning how this 25 year old film festival is rejuvenating itself with Paul, a filmmaker in his own right, at the helm. Most importantly, be sure to attend the free parties and meet the filmmakers who are coming to town for this celebration of creativity and independence from Wednesday October 8th through Sunday October 12th!

SCFF Schedule

https://www.santacruzfilmfestivals.org

Tim Eagan, beloved cartoonist, satirist, radio drama guy and all around cultural icon of Santa Cruz passed away in August of 2025. We hear from friend and radio host Bruce Larsen, and poet Stephen Kessler about his legacy and we hear an interview I did with Tim in April, 2022 upon the release of his graphic novel.’

On this episode of Talk of The Bay, host George Cadman is joined by Tony Nuñez, Marketing & Communications Director at Community Bridges, where he leads strategic messaging to highlight the impact of the nonprofit’s 10 programs serving more than 20,000 children, families, and seniors each year across Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito Counties. These programs deliver hot meals to homebound seniors, provide accessible transportation to medical appointments, connect families to food and housing resources, nurture children through early education, and offer critical recovery support during disasters. Tony and George will discuss the important work of Community Bridges in our tri-County area and the upcoming Pie for The People event on Oct. 26th which will benefit this critical community resource.

In the second half of the program, George Cadman is joined by local educator and life-long learner Megan Grenier who over the last 28 years has worked in a variety of educational settings – as an elementary classroom teacher, an Education specialist for a charter school, a mentor teacher, a private tutor, and as a director of a learning lab to help struggling readers using the Orton Gillingham approach. Her passion is to help students learn to read proficiently. Megan and George will discuss the importance of literacy to individuals and society, two recent CA Senate bills passed in 2024 requiring schools in CA to screen all K-2 students for reading difficulties, including dyslexia, this school year, as well as two upcoming Dyslexia Simulations she and other educators are hosting to raise awareness about the frustrations and struggles that individuals with dyslexia experience on a daily basis in the classroom. They encourage parents, teachers and life-long learners to register for the simulations which will be held at the Scotts Valley public library and the Simpkins Swim Center/Live Oak Annex in October, which is Dyslexia Awareness Month.

The Arts Council of Santa Cruz County kicks off their Open Studios Art Tour the first weekend in October. Celebrating their 40th year Open studios is bigger than ever featuring over 340 artists! Working in 22 mediums from seasoned professionals to new and emerging, Open Studios presents an opportunity for everyone to discover, experience, and connect with artists and their work.

KSQD Host Christine Barrington welcomes Open Studios Program Manager, Bree Karpavage along with two participating artists to share behind the scenes details into what makes Open Studios an event you do not want to miss.

Featured artists:

Anna Cummins (#239) is a full-time ceramicist who creates functional pieces that have whimsical sculptural and painted elements.

Biagio Scarpello (#78) is a mixed media sculptor and blown glass master who also teaches art at San Jose State and Cabrillo College in Aptos.

Tour Weekends (10am–5pm)

Oct 4–5: South County
Oct 11–12: North County
Oct 18–19: All County

✨ Preview Exhibits

Santa Cruz Art League | Sept 26–Oct 19
Pajaro Valley Arts | Sept 20–Oct 19

📍 Plan Your Visit

Website: santacruzopenstudios.com
Printed Guide: Available at Good Times drop-off spots from mid Sept
App: “Santa Cruz County Open Studios” on iTunes & Google Play from mid Sept

✉️ For More Info: Email mercedes@artscouncilsc.org

Guest Recommended Studios:

Mattie Leeds #343

Tessa Hope Hasty #342

Tina Fuller Somers #332

Elijah Pfotenhaur #126

Coeleen Kiebert #26

Santa Cruz Clay #313-317

Dr. Janice Hadlock is a professor of acupuncture and a well-known researcher in the field of Chinese medicine. She has been published in the top journals in the field and has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine regarding treatments for Parkinson’s Disease. She is the first non-MD acupuncturist to be published in that medical journal.

Early in the COVID pandemic, she discovered that the symptoms of COVID, and of Long COVID, are caused by a trio of electrical blockages in the subdermal fascia. Through successive treatments of COVID patients in 2019 and 2020, she found that these blockages can easily be straightened and removed by stroking the affected area with the hand. Her findings, based on her own work and work of other practitioners using the treatment she developed, were published in the Fall 2022 edition of the Journal of Chinese Medicine. Her instructions for doing the treatment are available for free at covidtreatment.info.

Dr. Hadlock has been working with the NIH since 2022. Although the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health has approved the treatment, its parent organization, the National Institutes of Health, has been suppressing the information for three years.

In this episode of Talk of the Bay, host Janet Quinn sits down with Brian Sweeney and Omar Guzman of the Homeless Garden Project. They share how the project provides job training, community, and hope for people experiencing homelessness, while also growing fresh food, handmade goods, and deep connections in Santa Cruz.

From the upcoming Sustain Supper fundraiser featuring chef Jozseph Schultz and poet Jane Hirshfield, to the excitement of securing a permanent farm site, this conversation highlights the power of collaboration, resilience, and renewal rooted in the soil.

Listen now to hear an inspiring story of growth—on the farm and beyond.

Join HGP for their Sustain Supper, Saturday, October 18th at Natural Bridges Farm in Santa Cruz—an evening of farm-to-table dining, community, and poetry, all in support of the Homeless Garden Project.

Enjoy a locally sourced four-course meal by Chef Jozseph Schultz, dessert from The Penny Ice Creamery, and a keynote by renowned poet Jane Hirshfield.

Tickets and details at homelessgardenproject.org.

On Talk of the Bay host Christine Barrington interviews Sally Weiss, Director of The Cabrillo Stroke and Disability Learning Center. The center is celebrating its 50th Anniversary with an event at Cabrillo’s Samper Hall on October 17 at 10am-Noon. Sally Weiss shares with the community the terrific offerings of this long-standing program.

Every two seconds, someone in the world suffers a stroke. Every six, someone’s quality of life will forever be changed. To meet this challenge locally, the Stroke and Disability Learning Center provides an interdisciplinary educational program for adults who have survived a stroke or are living with disabling conditions. The SDLC is a unique program operating since 1974 at Cabrillo College that starts where medical rehabilitation leaves off. Patients become students and enroll in specialized classes to develop strategies and gain skills in a supportive learning community.

The goal of the SDLC is to support independence and promote maximum function for adults adapting to functional losses. Students participate in small-group instruction in Mobility and Fitness, Speech and Communication and Counseling Support. Classes are designed to meet the learning needs of each individual student, taking into account a wide range of disabilities and offering personalized assessment to identify individual learning goals.

To learn more for someone in your life call 831-477-3300. Your call will be followed up with an interview and an orientation session.

More details here. Costs are limited to community college enrollment fees and scholarships are available.

To learn more about the history of the center and how it began, featuring two previous directors of the center, please enjoy this previous show from 2020:

Join host Suki Wessling on Talk of the Bay for her informative interview with Monterey Jazz Managing Director Bobbie Young. You’ll learn about all aspects of the festival and hear clips from some of this year’s great artists.

Visit the MJF website
Listen to the Spotify playlist of this year’s artists

Do you have your go bag ready in case of a fire, flood, earthquake or tsunami? Do you have a plan for you pet? At the preparedness fair and tsunami fun run, ocal experts from the Red Cross, Scouts, and Animal Shelter help sort out what to do to be ready for any eventuality.

The annual coastal cleanup is Saturday, September 20th from 9 AM to noon. Sign up to help clean a beach or river near you. We talk with Katie Thompson, Director of Save Our Shores about the trash situation in our coastal area. Sign up online here: https://saveourshores.org/coastal-cleanup/

Community theater has always been a special place in the local theater scene. Mountain Community Theater is planning an extravaganza musical based on the tv show and cartoon of the 1960s, the Addams Family. Join Morticia, Gomez, Wednesday and Pugsley for a gothic romp with a tango number thrown in for good measure. We hear from director, Daria Troxell, and actors Amy Carlson (Morticia) and Dave Leon (Gomez).’

Lo0kout Santa Cruz reporter Chris Neely was 11 on 9-11, 2001 and living in a suburb of New Jersey where the majority of parents commuted in to Manhattan. His teacher was sobbing, half a dozen of his classmates were called out of class not to return, and the principal cancelled recess, fibbing there was a bee swarm. What there really was was a fear of a toxic cloud drifting over the school from the twin towers on wire. Chris talks about his vivid memories and the way his neighbors back home still take a silent moment to look across the Hudson at where the towers stood. We also talk local news, from homeless camp sweeps to the closing of MHCAN and the Watsonville City Council’s vote to expand their use of FLOCK license plate cameras, despite public outcry.

Monday on Talk of the Bay we meet Laura February Strange and members of the cast of “Karen with a K: A musical temper tantrum.” If you haven’t had the chance to experience this local garage-rock musical it’s coming around once more at the Kummbwa Jazz Center in downtown Santa Cruz. “Karen with a K” features a band of talented musicians, singers and actors that deliver a rollicking, powerhouse hour and fifteen minute performance that leaves crowds cheering on their feet.

All songs written by Laura February Strange and performed by Strange Bedfellows, featuring Laura February Strange, Scott Kail, Jojo Fox, Jack Hanson and Orbrad Darbro, plus vocalists Stephanie Madrigal, Bonny June and Judy Appleby.

Next show: Saturday, September 13, 2025 7:00 pm at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center. More info: Karen with a K Tickets

When Gail Pellerin lost her husband to suicide, she knew she needed to learn more about the causes and prevention as part of her healing process. Now, she is advocating for awareness through a resolution declaring September Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. In addition, she is honoring “Mental Health Heroes” in her district. KSQD is proud that host, Debra Sloss is among those being honored, for her work on radio and podcasting.

Sacramento, CA – Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz) invited mental health advocates and survivors to the Capitol for her presentation of ACR 70, which proclaims September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.

Pellerin, a survivor of suicide loss, has been a passionate advocate for prevention awareness since her husband, Tom, died on November 19, 2018. “Early in my grieving process, I attended a talk on suicide, and the speaker encouraged us to put our grief to work. We’re here today to shine a light on this pain that’s all too common, but not discussed enough,” Pellerin said. Since being elected to the State Assembly, she has used her voice and lived experiences as a platform to raise awareness to the issue on a state-wide level, including emphasizing how words matter and moving away from “committed suicide” to “died by suicide” because suicide is not a crime, it is the tragic result of an illness.

Behavioral health services are a vital resource that Assembly Democrats have funded across California—especially following federal cuts. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention reports that mental health issues are a leading cause of suicide, suicide is the second leading cause of death among people ages 15-34, and 39% of all suicides involve firearms. These statistics could change with increased awareness and prevention.

“Suicide is not a selfish act. It is a devastating outcome of someone who feels utterly hopeless, trapped in unbearable pain, and no longer afraid of dying. Please know that you are not alone, you are wanted, and no one will be better off without you. Take it from someone who knows. Help is available. Call or text 988 to receive support during a mental health crisis. The LGBTQ+ community can access The Trevor Project by calling 988 and pressing 3, or by texting “PRIDE” to 988,” affirmed Assemblymember Pellerin.

What Assemblymembers Have to Say

Fellow member of the Select Committee on California’s Mental Health Crisis, Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva shared, “As an educator, I have seen how important it is that our youth and all Californians have access to mental health resources and support. Suicide prevention is about awareness, compassion, and action, and I am proud to stand with Assemblymember Pellerin in supporting ACR 70 to break the stigma and save lives.”

“Each of us has a responsibility to check in with one another and ensure we’re truly okay. By giving our attention and care, we can save lives and offer vital support to those who need it most,” said Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson, a member of the Select Committee on California’s Mental Health Crisis.

Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens (D-Silicon Valley) said, “Mental health care is healthcare, and you deserve the best. Everyone struggles at different moments in life, and sometimes those moments feel crushingly difficult to get through: when that happens, talk to someone you trust and text or call 988 to speak with a crisis counselor. I am so deeply appreciative to Assemblymember Pellerin for sharing her story, bringing us together, and authoring ACR 70 to recognize September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.”

What Advocates Have to Say

“Suicide is preventable, and through collective commitment, we can save lives. I’m deeply proud that, with years of advocacy and coalition-building, all 15 cities

7,200 UC Research and Public Service Professionals Vote Yes to Form a Union

They are the latest group of professional staff to join the UAW organizing movement

Berkeley/Los Angeles, CA – Today, votes were tallied in a union election for 7,200 Research and Public Service Professionals (RPSPs) across all campuses of the University of California. RPSPs voted overwhelmingly for their union, RPSP-UAW, 3,080 to 612 — 83% voting yes. RPSPs are full-time, professional staff who perform work critical to UC’s academic and research mission—and who have been organizing to gain greater power to sustain and improve that work.

RPSPs perform a broad range of work that UC depends on and the public benefits from, including supporting advances related to pediatric cancer, ending homelessness, space science, and public health. They are responsible for running core facilities, administering grants, data analysis and more. RPSPs cite a range of issues as their reasons for forming a union, from stagnant salaries despite increasing workloads to threats to job security and a lack of transparency in administrative decision-making. In the face of federal funding cuts to higher education, many RPSPs also want a union to gain a stronger political voice.

“I’m thrilled we won our union because I know my colleagues have the expertise necessary to help strengthen the UC in these difficult times, and now we finally have our seat at the negotiating table,” said Leila Espinosa, Project Management Professional at UCLA.

“Forming a union has never been more important with higher education under increasing attack. We are joining a movement of research and professional employees in UAW who have been at the forefront of fighting funding cuts and protecting jobs and values in higher education. Many of our closest colleagues at UC are already a part of this movement, and through an incredible organizing effort, we have now gained the same rights and bargaining power as them,” said Deborah Ferguson-Fitch, Research Administrator at UCSF.

“As the Trump administration continues its assault on workers, it’s never been more important to join the movement of tens of thousands of higher education workers throughout the country who are standing up for social and economic justice at their jobs and in their communities. UAW members across the country look forward to standing with RPSPs in their fight to improve their working conditions, to protect research funding, and to create the better world we all deserve,” said Mike Miller, UAW Region 6 Director.

RPSPs are joining over 50,000 researchers, professional staff, and academic workers at the University of California who are already unionized with the UAW. They are part of a movement of higher education workers across the country increasingly turning to unionization to gain a voice in determining their working conditions.

Learn more at: https://rpsp-uaw.org/

Hundreds of protesters lined Ocean Street in Santa Cruz waving signs in opposition to the labor policies of the Trump administration as the labor day beach traffic left town. Cars honked in support and there was an air of determination and solidarity among those I spoke with.

Organizer Lynda Marin talks about Sun Day and why it’s important. Sun Day is a day of action to celebrate the power of clean energy. On September 21st, people everywhere will be showcasing solar installations, electric homes and vehicles running on clean power. By organizing thousands of events on the fall Equinox, Sun Day will help accelerate the ongoing clean energy revolution: we have the technology and the solutions, all we need is to build the political will to scale-up and accelerate clean energy and make it accessible to all.

In Santa Cruz, the event will take place with live music, solar energy experts, electric vehicles, and children’s activities.

Start: Sunday, September 21, 2025•12:00 PMLocation:Mission Plaza Park•103 EMMET STREET SANTA CRUZ CA 95060- 831-251-2793, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 USHost Contact Info: paulineseales120@gmail.comIn Monterey, Sun Day will be celebrated

Sunday, September 21, 2025• 11:00 AMWindow on the Bay Park•Del Monte Avenue, Monterey, CA 93940 USHost Contact Info: sundaymonterey@gmail.com

Author Bill McKibben talks about the hope of a solar energy future and a chance to heal the planet as he discusses his new book, Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization.

Transcript:

Rachel: I’m here on Talk of the Bay with Bill McKibben. He has a brand new book out called, here Comes The Sun, A Last Chance For The Climate and a Fresh Chance For Civilization.

A provocative title from an author who has relentlessly pushed the idea that we can. Deal with the climate crisis if we act soon. Bill, what’s different about this book than your previous book seems to be a little bit more optimism, but also increased urgency. How do you balance those two things in this book?

Balancing Optimism and Urgency in Climate Action

McKibben: Well, that’s, it’s, you’re definitely right. Um, we live at a. A very fraught moment. Uh, the things that I’ve been warning about since I wrote the first book about climate change, what we then called the Greenhouse Effect back in the 1980s. Those things are coming true, and they’re coming true with flood and fire and disaster of all kinds at precisely the moment that our democracy is under enormous threat.

And part of that has been an assault on clean energy. So there’s a lot of. Big, bad things happening, I think, on our planet and in our country. But the big good thing that’s happening, uh, and it’s really flying under the radar some, is this super rapid spread of energy from the sun. The last 36 months or so have been just.

Unlike anything that’s ever come before. This is not only the fastest growing energy source on the planet, it’s the fastest growing energy source in the history of the planet. And it’s starting in the places that are taking it really seriously to transform the human relationship with energy. Uh, California is obviously one example.

Uh, most days now California supplies a hundred percent of the electricity that it uses from renewable sources for. Long sections of the day at night. California supplies often its biggest supplier from the grid is now batteries that have been soaking up excess sunshine all afternoon, and as a result, California fourth largest economy on Earth is using about 40% less natural gas to make electricity than it was two years ago.

California’s Progress in Renewable Energy

That’s the kind of change that if we manage to spread it around the world. Quickly, uh, that would knock tenths of a degree off how hot this planet’s eventually going to get. It’s the single most encouraging statistic I’ve come across in almost 40 years of doing this work.

Rachel: That’s wonderful. I, I was left with so many questions.

McKibben: I’ll try to get to them all, but one big one of course is can the current politics of our country, one of the biggest polluters of carbon into the atmosphere? Can politics stop this market force that seems to be making it cheaper and cheaper? It can’t stop the market force, but it may be able to use politics to get in the way, uh, enough to really slow things down in the us you know, the federal government is now just doing one, I think, insanely stupid thing after another.

For instance, they’ve put federal lands off limits for solar and wind, um, but full speed ahead with coal and gas and oil there now. Adding new subsidies to coal in this country. They’re trying to kill off the electric vehicle, uh, uh, progress that we’ve started to make, um, under President Biden, on and on and on.

This can slow things down here at a crucial time, but it is worth remembering that. The US is, at this point, only about 11% of the emissions on the planet. They can’t slow down what’s happening in the rest of the world. In fact, I think that all of Trump’s, uh, talk of

On KSQD’s Talk of the Bay, From the Streets host Omar Dieguez welcomes Watsonville resident Adela Naranjo-Bernabé. As a first-generation immigrant and a graduate of Cabrillo College and Watsonville High, she knows firsthand the challenges and triumphs of the migrant experience.As the DREAM Resource and Summer Migrant Programs Coordinator at Cabrillo College, she’s dedicated to ensuring that undocumented and mixed-status students feel a sense of belonging and have the resources to succeed. Her work is more than just a job; it’s a commitment to social justice and a resistance against systemic barriers.

Omar and Adela discuss her inspiring path, her commitment to her community, and her mission to create a more equitable educational system.

This summer, I taught 25 UC Santa Cruz students podcasting. They’d never tried anything like it, but dove in feet first. The assignment was to come up with a topic about a local cultural practice or person, and produce a 7-8 minute audio story as a group. Here we hear their short audio stories, collected during their six-week study abroad in the small coastal town of Dingle, Ireland, in County Kerry. It’s a place rich in music, where Irish is the spoken language and sheep outnumber the people. They interviewed locals about set dancing, Irish identity, poetry, myths and food. Though none had ever done a podcast before, they braved the wilds of digital editing and interviewing to come up with some great stories.Here are some images:For additional podcasts:https://ireland23.sites.ucsc.edu/

Kymberly Lacross of Growing Greatness has a message for people feeling isolated. Come on out and play! Information is below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact:Kymberly LacrosseGrowing GreatnessPhone: (831) 234-2046Email: kymberly@growing-greatness.comWebsite: www.growinggreatness.net

Community Celebration “Comunidad en Movimiento – Semillas de Bienestar” Cultivates Wellness and Connection in WatsonvilleWatsonville, CA — August 16, 2025 — Growing Greatness, Ecology Action, Gardenia y Bienestar, and Watsonville NDMA are proud to announce Comunidad en Movimiento – Semillas de Bienestar (Community in Movement – Seeds of Wellness). This FREE EVENT will be filled with vibrant, family-friendly activities that celebrate wellness and is taking place at Pinto Lake County Park. The event will be open from 11am to 3pm. It will bring together local residents, organizations, and community groups/ organizations for a day filled with movement, play, nature, and community connection.Set in the heart of the Pajary Valley, Comunidad en Movimiento aims to uplift and empower communities through inclusive, bilingual programming that promotes health, sustainability, and togetherness.

Event Highlights Include:* Community bike rides & a bike rodeo (on-bike training) * Yoga and mindfulness sessions * Nature-based activities, including hiking, walking, and play * Health and Fitness activities including Zumba, Pilates, and Capoeira * Health & wellness resources and a CHILL ZONE for self-care * FREE Healthy and nutritious food, and eco-friendly giveaways

“Our goal is to create an accessible, uplifting space for all ages and backgrounds to engage in wellness and community-building while in nature,” said Kymberly Lacrosse, Executive Director of Growing Greatness. “We invite local organizations to partner with us in planting the seeds of transformation and wellness.”

In-kind donations and volunteer support are also welcome.

We have a few spaces for interactive activities left- please connect with us!

FREE BIKE VALET also offered!

Interested organizations are encouraged to contact Kymberly Lacrosse at (831) 234-2046 or via email at kymberly@growing-greatness.com to explore partnership options.

Join Us!Be part of a powerful movement to inspire health, connection, and community leadership in Santa Cruz County. Let’s grow something beautiful—together.

Greg “Sea Lion” Cotten talks about a nonviolent protest he is helping organize against the Israeli policy of prohibited Gazans, many of who are starving, from fishing or swimming in the ocean. Red Line in the Sand protests are sweeping Europe and now the U.S. as a statement of opposition to the war.

Reporter Celia Jimenez does a deep dive into how people’s behavior and actions are changing as a result of fears of detention and family separation by ICE. Her cover story in Monterey County Weekly takes a comprehensive look at how immigrants are faring in an era of fear and mistrust driven by increased ICE raids in California communities.

Transcript:

Hello and welcome to talk of the Bay brought to you every weekday afternoon at five o’clock right here on Community Radio. I’m your host, Rachel Anne Goodman, and today we take a look at a major article. Is the cover story actually from Monterey County Weekly called Into the Shadows.

Immigration Raids have not yet come to Monterey County, but the fear that they could. Is changing people’s lives. Reporter Celia Jimenez is our guest for the first half of this program. I’m very pleased to bring her into the conversation. This is a very amazing article and I think you should be commended for all the work you did on it.

It’s quite something. Thank you, Rachel. Thank you very much. It was kinda like a last minute story. And then I think last minute in a sense that we normally plan our stories like three or four months in advance. And this one took less time than others, but we thought that it was time sensitive and it was something that we should we’re wondering, what was happening in the region.

And I actually was surprised with what I found out. You did a lot of research in a very short amount of time, and we’re gonna go through some of the information you managed to get from people who wanted to be anonymous for very obvious reasons, but they were willing to talk to you about how their lives have changed.

So I wanna spend some time on the individuals you talk. To, and then I wanna spend some time on the amazing amount of research you did to bring forward just what the profile is of the workforce in the agricultural and construction industry. So we’re gonna set the stage in a moment for. Exactly how many people are in Monterey, in San Benito counties.

Do we think? Of course, those numbers are quite hard to come by, but you managed to get a lot of information in a very short amount of time. So let’s just talk about what you saw when you talked to businesses who have seen a real drop in participation in commerce, basically. I walked down in, on, in Greenfield along, along with Camino, and I also visited several businesses in Seaside.

Actually, one of the people that I spoke with, Catalina, I spent two hours at her shop and only two people showed up in that amount of time. And what was her shop selling? They sell like Mexican goods. Yeah. And only two people. That’s quite down from what she’s used to.

Is that what you found out? Yes. And then especially because she, her business is like in the major street, so there’s a lot of traffic. Or, but you barely, no one showed up to the store. So places like Seaside Marina that cater to a lot of the immigrant community, Paro you’re, they’re seeing a real drop in business.

Yes. Like some of the people that I spoke with they couldn’t really quantify how much in Salinas there was this woman who has a, oh my God. I’m sorry. I need to think a little bit. English is not my first language, so sometimes I struggle a little bit. You’re doing great. But she has a nightclub and it’s a restaurant during the day and nightclub at night, and she also has a bar and she was saying that about 50% of attendance has dropped.

In her business. And this is like in a commercial area where the Cardinal store is in east and Sanborn. And then she mentioned that most of the businesses were seeing at least 50% drop in sales. That’s huge. Most businesses. Didn’t even have that during COVID. ’cause they managed to get food to go out to customers.

It wasn̵

Zane Gustafson is a writer from Seattle, WA. He is the author of a new book on constitutional reform titled Polemic for Democracy, which was published one week before the 2024 election. He also writes about the energy transition, and his work has been published at the Sightline Institute and the Ohio River Valley Institute.

More about Zane can be found on Instagram and YouTube at @politicalzane

It’s been 5 years since the CZU fires devastated the region, and in particular, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, but nature has been hard at work renewing her landscapes, and on Monday, August 18th, a special remembrance and renewal event will take place from 10am-1pm as a collaboration between Big Basin Redwoods State Park and the Mountain Parks Foundation.

This is a Family-Friendly Gathering honoring the community experience of the CZU Fire & Celebrating Renewal. This event will feature community members sharing their reflections on the CZU fire, a guided walk, art and looking ahead at the reimagining Big Basin project.

Please Note: This program is free, however, a $10 vehicle day-use fee will be charged upon arrival, or you can reserve a parking spot by clicking here. Please plan to meet at the temporary visitor center. There is no drinking water, food, or cell service available at Big Basin, so be sure to bring snacks and plenty of water for your visit!

Sign up here

For more information, questions, or concerns, please contact bigbasin@ports-ca.us or call 669-899-1516.

Mentioned in this show:

Reimagining Big Basin: After almost all recreational facilities were lost in the 2020 CZU Fire, State Parks completed a visioning process to reimagine the future of Big Basin Redwoods State Park. This vision process culminated with creation of the Reimagining Big Basin Vision Summary document in summer 2022. Now, a Facilities Management Plan is underway that will set the stage for the reestablishment of facilities to support visitor experiences and protect sensitive resources.

Redwood RX: Mountain Parks Foundation was inspired by the growing body of research linking time spent in nature with improved health and well-being. Redwood Rx offers a variety of nature-based guided programs in Henry Cowell, Fall Creek, and Big Basin that invite participants to interact with nature in new ways and experience the positive impacts on their health and well-being first-hand.

On this episode of Talk of the Bay, host George Cadman welcomes Lourdes and Gabriel Barraza, Ami Chen Mills, Julia Monahan, of Get The Flock Out — a grassroots group raising the alarm about mass surveillance in Santa Cruz County. Also joining the show: Peter Gelblum of the Northern California ACLU, who has been tracking the installation and use of “Flock” cameras in our county for several years.

Their concern? Flock license plate reader cameras, now installed in multiple cities across the county, including Santa Cruz, Capitola, and Watsonville (Watsonville has twice as many as the other two cities). These devices, funded by Department of Homeland Security federal grants, collect billions of travel records that are being shared with ICE, Homeland Security, and police departments nationwide — all with little to no oversight.

GTFO argues these cameras threaten civil liberties and have already been misused — including in a case where a woman was tracked post-abortion by a Texas police agency. The group is calling on local governments to remove Flock cameras, hold public discussions on mass surveillance and how it might be used at this time by various actors, and protect residents’ Fourth Amendment rights.

Want to get involved? Learn how to take action, get informed, and contact your city council.

See many links to resources at the following two sites. (Paid subscription is not required.)

Moment of Truth Dispatch landing page for GTFO.

Essay on Mass Surveillance in the US, also in Moment of Truth Dispatch

On today’s Talk of the Bay, at 5PM host Meilin Obinata introduces you to Youth Against Displacement, a grassroots organization which racked up multiple rounds of victories against gentrification and displacement of long-time residents in the real estate capital of America, New York City, regardless of Mayors Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams. How do the issues of affordable housing, small businesses, workers’ rights, zoning limits on building heights, stealing workers’ wages to build luxury towers, identity politics, the role of academia in forming narratives and even the emotions of burnout and misplaced guilt all collide in Chinatown and the Lower East Side? Tune in, today, August 7th at 5PM, for Talk of the Bay, right here on KSQD and also available now as a podcast.

Charles Pasternak is the Artistic Director for Santa Cruz Shakespeare, where he has served in that role since 2023. Before that he served as Artistic Director of The Porters of Hellsgate Theatre Company in Los Angeles for over fifteen years. He has had a wide-ranging career as an actor and director at theatres across this country including American Players Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Clarence Brown Theatre, The Denver Center, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles, three seasons with The Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis and four with Shakespeare Santa Cruz.

The Western Flyer has returned from a remarkable 100-day expedition (March 16, 2025 to June 24, 2025) to the Gulf of California — retracing the 1940 voyage of John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts and bringing their story into a new century.

From tide pool surveys to classroom visits, from dockside festivals to long days at sea, this was more than a scientific expedition — it was a layered, collaborative journey fueled by curiosity and connection. Students, scientists, artists, and community partners across two countries came together to make it happen.

Sherry Flumerfelt is the Executive Director of the Western flyer Foundation, and since 2022 she’s been guiding the vision behind the rebirth of the Western Flyer—the storied boat once sailed by John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts, a voyage described in Steinbeck’s The Log from the Sea of Cortez. With a background in ocean conservation, international fieldwork, and nonprofit leadership, Sherry has spent the past three decades building partnerships that connect people to the sea. Now she’s channeling that experience into transforming the Flyer into a floating classroom and research vessel.

Captain Paul Tate is a U.S. Coast Guard-certified Master, with more than five decades of experience at sea. Paul’s career has included commercial fishing in the Bering Sea, captaining private yachts in the Caribbean, and leading research expeditions from Alaska to the Arctic. He’s been at the helm of everything from crab boats to scientific vessels, and now brings his deep knowledge and steady hand to the Western Flyer as it sets off on its newest chapter.

KSQD’s David Bean presents street interviews with locals protesting on August 2, 2025 in Monterey.

Host Meilin Obinata introduces you to Andrew Sandoval, City of Salinas Councilmember of District Five. What is it like to survive a recall campaign when the big money is after you? Or what it’s like to advocate for renters rights when the majority of the city council isn’t? And what it was like to be the one to blow the whistle on the new Amazon distribution center? Let’s get to know Salinas City Councilmember Sandoval and his perspective on all things Salinas.

On this episode of Talk of the Bay, host PK Hattis speaks with Amanda Poulsen, Assistant Vector Control Manager for Santa Cruz County, about one of summer’s most persistent pests: mosquitoes.

On this episode of Talk of the Bay, host PK Hattis is joined by Dan Emmanuel, Director of Research at the National Low Income Housing Coalition, for a critical conversation. They dive into the freshly released 2025 Out of Reach Report, which once again names Santa Cruz County the least affordable rental market in the country, for the third straight year.

Renter Wages vs. RealityBy contrast, the average renter wage in Santa Cruz is about $22.13 per hour, meaning a worker would need 3.7 full-time jobs at that wage just to afford rent.

National Housing Wage LandscapeAcross the U.S., the national housing wage is $33.63/hr for a two-bedroom rent, and $28.17/hr for a one-bedroom. Nearly half of workers earn less than the wage needed for a modest one-bedroom home

Widening Gap from Second Place

Santa Cruz’s lead over the second most expensive market, Santa Clara County, is pronounced. Its housing wage of $81.21/hr surpasses Santa Clara’s $66.27/hr by nearly $15/hr, and fair market rent in Santa Cruz ($4,223/month 2br) is 22% higher than in Santa Clara ($3,446/month 2br)

Talk of the Bay’s host Omar Diéguez brings you an interview with Sylvia Reyes on From the Streets.

In this episode of Talk of the Bay: From the Streets host Omar Diéguez. welcomes a powerful voice of entrepreneurship, empowerment, and corazón, Sylvia Reyes. A proud Latina and dynamic force in Santa Cruz County, Sylvia wears many hats: She’s the owner of California Coffee in Aptos, where café cultura meets live music, local education, and warm community. She’s also a seasoned business broker with Coast Business Brokerage, guiding others through the journey of buying, selling, and growing their dreams with integrity and clarity.

But Sylvia’s story doesn’t stop at business. As a board member of the Santa Cruz Community Credit Union, she’s deeply committed to financial justice and creating access for all, especially for underserved communities.

From humble beginnings to building community, one cup of coffee, one client, and one corazón at a time, Sylvia Reyes joins us to talk cultura, connection, and what it really means to build something that lasts.

In this episode of Talk of the Bay, your host Meilin Obinata welcomes Pastor Julie of Somos Watsonville to the KSQD studio! Learn about a new way to practice ministry and fellowshipping from Pastor Julie. What is Somos about? Why is a church campus hosting health clinics for young people? What’s the secret to a great mocha? What makes a place into a destination for creating community? And how did a Southern Californian like her, armed with an Ivy-league education, end up as a pastor despite all her attempts to resist becoming one (and when everyone says it wasn’t “cool”)? How did her desire to write the Great American Novel lead her to work on a farm, and ultimately help her see what her purpose was?

In this episode of Talk of the Bay, host Omar Dieguez introduces you guests Dr. Ann López and Adam Bolaños Scow who are alerting us to the dangers of pesticides being sprayed near schools in Watsonville and Pajaro. Over ten schools sit near fields owned by Driscolls, who continue to spray harmful pesticides, harming our community, teachers, students, Indigenous community farmworkers, and Mother Earth.

Guest Adam Bolaños Scow is a Public-Interest Advocate, Violinist, and Music Teacher.

For over 15 years Adam has helped win environmental campaigns in the Monterey Bay region including the efforts to ban fracking in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito Counties. He is a co-founder of the Campaign for Organic & Regenerative Agriculture, a grassroots group working to transition agricultural fields away from toxic pesticides to organic in the Watsonville area. He has served on the boards of Regeneracion Pajaro Valley Climate Action, Watsonville Wetlands Watch, and the Sierra Club.

He previously served as a Board Trustee for the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, where he helped win one the largest salary increases for teachers and staff in the history of the district and protected vital arts and music programs.

As a violinist Adam performs with the Santa Cruz Symphony and also performs Mariachi music with the ensembles RosaAzul and Mariachi Libertad. Adam teaches both orchestra and mariachi through the award-winning El Sistema program in Watsonville.

Guest Dr. Ann López is the Executive Director of Center for Farmworker Families. She is an emerita professor and taught courses in biology, environmental science, ecology and botany in the biology department at San José City College for many years.She has a Ph.D. from UCSC in Environmental Studies where she studied the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement on the farms of west central Mexico. Her book entitled The Farmworkers’ Journey summarizes the results, arguments and conclusions of her research and was published by UC Press.. She has been recognized for her work by The U.S. Congress and many organizations. She was chosen as a Woman of the Year for 2013 and 2014 by the National Association of Professional Women. In March 2018, she was chosen for a 16th Annual Cesar E. Chavez Community Award in Watsonville and as Woman of the Year by Mark Stone’s 29th District for 2019.

On this episode of Moment of Truth, host Meilin Obinata introduces you to the Chair of the Housing Committee and District 10 California State Senator Aisha Wahab. In this housing-centric conversation, you’ll hear about her personal experiences as a rare renter in the state legislature, her views on affordable housing and her concerns about the “silver tsunami” of seniors who will need housing that matches their income as they leave the workforce. Our conversation also included consumer protection topics beyond housing, such as her battle with investor-owned utilities such as PG&E (SB 332) and online pricing protections to ensure all consumers are paying the same price for a service or product (SB 259).

Host Suki Wessling of the Babblery spoke to Aptos residents out for the “Good Trouble” protest on July 17, 2025. Visit goodtroubleliveson.org and www.indivisiblesantacruzcounty.com for more information.

Photos by Suki Wessling.

On this episode of Talk of the Bay, your host Meilin Obinata spoke with Heather Edney a pioneering co-founder of the Santa Cruz Needle Exchange Program which made history in the early 1990’s for being one of a handful of needle exchange harm reduction programs in the United States, in the grip of the AIDS epidemic. How did a group of young women stigmatized as sex workers and injection drug users save lives of their peers when the medical establishment wasn't? What did mayonnaise jars in front of Dominican Hospital send a message to the medical establishment? What does Edney tell doctors-to-be when she visits medical schools to share her expertise? Connect with a national, living treasure, who saved lives locally and continues to do so, Heather Edney.

You can see a short film about Edney’s work in the Santa Cruz Needle Exchange Program called "Love is the Drug" this Saturday, July 19, at 4PM at the 418 Project at a benefit for the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County.

Marichka is a Ukrainian-Canadian singer and human rights advocate, winner of the Amnesty International Prize and creator of the folk music website, https://folk-ukraine.com. She is the former lead singer with Balaklava Blues and Lemon Bucket Orkestra. She has performed at top venues around the world including Carnegie Hall in New York, The Barbican Centre in London and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

In 2023 Marichka joined Ukrainian Army Forces as a volunteer combat medic and an embedded journalist in the Donbás region in Eastern Ukraine.

Her latest project is producing, composing and singing on the music/human rights album, Daughters of Donbas – Songs of Stolen Children. The album deals with the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian children that have been abducted from occupied regions in Eastern Ukraine and taken to Russia. The song 4.5.0 from that album (an excerpt is heard during the interview) is in the words of a mother singing to her far-away daughter, reassuring her that everything will someday be alright. 4.5.0 is a code used by the Ukrainian army to indicate that all is well.

Marichka’s teaching and singing repertoire is over 500 years old and was collected over the past 20 years on various ethnographic field expeditions to Ukrainian villages by the renowned folk ensemble Bozhychi, of which she was a founding member.

On Tuesday, June 24th, 2025, host George Cadman interviewed Paul Johnston of the Santa Cruz Welcoming Network, a 100% volunteer-run community network that is dedicated to welcoming and supporting asylum seekers and other refugees in Santa Cruz County. Paul Johnston is a sociologist and labor/community organizer. He has been an advocate for immigrant rights in the Monterey Bay region for decades. As a young man he was an organizer against the Vietnam War, both in the army and among veterans, and also an organizer for the United Farm Workers and for the Service Employees International Union. More recently he served as executive director of both the Central Coast Citizenship Project in Salinas and the Central Labor Council for the Monterey Bay region. In between, he earned a doctorate in sociology at UC Berkeley and was a professor at Yale University, where he directed the organizational behavior program. He subsequently held research appointments at UCSC. In the past few years he helped to develop the Santa Cruz Welcoming Network and the new Interfaith Network. In this interview, Paul and George talk about the history of the Santa Cruz Welcoming Network, how and why it was created, the “new neighbors” they support, the types of support they offer, and why their efforts – and our new neighbors – are important and valued in our community. They also discuss new challenges facing asylum seekers and other refugees in the current political climate, and how community members can support our new neighbors and the work of the SC Welcoming Network.

Douglas Rushkoff is an author and documentarian who studies human autonomy in a digital age. His twenty books include the just-published Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires, as well as the recent Team Human, based on his podcast, and the bestsellers Present Shock, Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus, Program or Be Programmed, Life Inc, and Media Virus. He also made the PBS Frontline documentaries Generation Like, The Persuaders, and Merchants of Cool. His book Coercion won the Marshall McLuhan Award, and the Media Ecology Association honored him with the first Neil Postman Award for Career Achievement in Public Intellectual Activity.

Charles Hood is a naturalist, adventurer, and poet. He has also been a factory worker, a ski instructor, a dishwasher, and a nature guide in Africa. Nature study has taken him to all 50 U.S. states, 80 countries, and the South Pole. Along the way, he has been lost in a whiteout in Tibet, contracted and survived bubonic plague, and published 20 books and over 800 photographs. His essay collection A Salad Only the Devil Would Eat was named the Nonfiction Book of the Year by the editors of Foreword book review. He lives in the Mojave Desert with two kayaks, two mountain bikes, two dogs, and 5,000 books.

While old tales warn us that danger lies waiting in the dark, there is actually an abundance of thriving, colorful life at night. In his latest book NATURE AT NIGHT, Charles Hood discovers the wildlife that awakens when the sun goes down, revealing a strange and surprisingly beautiful world.

Michael Gene Sullivan is an Actor/Writer/Director/Activist based in SF. He is an alum of the Playwrights Foundation, and has been awarded both a Djerassi Arts Center Fellowship and a Guggenheim Fellowship as a dramatist. Michael is also Resident Playwright for the Tony and OBIE award-winning SF Mime Troupe, where he has written or co-written over 30 plays, including “1600 Transylvania Avenue”, “Too Big To Fail”, “Freedomland”, “Making a Killing”, and “Back To The Way Thing Were”, as well as the Tales of the Resistance radio/podcast series. In 2024, in addition to writing SFMT’s summer hit “American Dreams”, his play Sign My Name To Freedom: The Unheard Songs of Betty Reid Soskin opened to critical-acclaim at the SF Bay Area Theatre Company, and his stage adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984 – already translated into six languages and performed in fourteen countries on five continents – was produced by The Aurora Theatre. Michael’s other plays include The Great Khan, which premiered at SF Playhouse, San Diego Rep. and Chicago’s Red Twist Theatre. Michael has taught playwriting at the ACT, SFMT’s Young California Writers Project, has guest lectured on play creation or taught playwriting workshops at Yale, Stanford, Dartmouth, and USC. For ten years Michael was also a Contributing Writer for The Huffington Post. Michael’s directing credits include work with the SF Shakespeare Festival, Marin Shakespeare Company, the African American Shakespeare Company, Mystic Bison Theatre, TheatreFirst, and a dozen productions with the SF Mime Troupe. As an actor Michael has performed at theaters throughout the Bay Area (including at all four of the Bay Area’s Tony-winning theaters), has toured nationally and internationally – including off-Broadway and at the Kennedy Center.

San Francisco Mime Troupe’s latest production, “Disruption“, will be performed in Santa Cruz on July 13, 2025.

You may have heard of President Donald Trump’s spending bill moving through Congress known as “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act” Yes, that’s the actual title of the 1,000 plus page piece of legislature.

In fact, if you’re a regular listener of Talk of the Bay have indeed because we’ve had many guests on in recent weeks to discuss the myriad ways the bill is expected to impact communities across the Central Coast and country as a whole. While the president and Republicans in Congress insist it is meant to weed out waste, fraud and abuse, Democrats in Congress and nonpartisan leaders across the Santa Cruz County region have warned for months that the legislation spells for devastating impacts to the social safety net including massive cuts to Medicaid or Medi-Cal and the decimation of budgets for local governments.

The bill proposes to cut $300 BILLION from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program through 2034—the largest cut in the program’s history. The program, known in California as CalfFresh, fed an average of 42 million low-income people per month in 2023.

Host PK Hattis was recently joined in-studio by Erica Padilla-Chavez, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County and Tony Nunez, board chair, Watsonville Community Hospital and marketing and community relations manager for the nonprofit Community Bridges.

Both have been working in this space for years and have been sounding the alarm about the damage this bill could do to so many communities across the country.

https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/house-reconciliation-bill-proposes-deepest-snap-cut-in-history-would-take

Remembering Mike Rotkin: A Special Talk of the Bay TributeHello again, Santa Cruz and beyond!

Welcome to Talk of the Bay on KSQD 90.7 FM — now proudly broadcasting to more of our coastal neighbors in Salinas and Monterey too! This week’s show is a heartfelt special: “Remembering Mike” — a tribute to the life and legacy of former Santa Cruz mayor, educator, union organizer, and all-around community force, Michael E. Rotkin.

Mike passed away peacefully at his home in Santa Cruz on June 18th, 2025. He leaves behind a deep imprint on our city and our people.

A Studio Full of StoriesTo remember Mike, five of us gathered in KSQD’s Harvey West Park studio:

Former Santa Cruz Mayors Tim Fitzmaurice and Jane Weed
Writer and former student of Mike’s, Susie Bright
Lifelong friend and community ally, Ron Pomerantz
And me, Chris Krohn, your host and friend of Mike’s

Together, we shared laughter, grief, admiration, and the kind of stories that only surface when remembering someone who mattered this much.

Who Was Mike Rotkin?Mike wasn’t just a politician — he was a movement.Elected to the Santa Cruz City Council in 1978 as a self-described “Marxist-feminist,” Mike rode the wave of progressive politics that crested with UCSC’s founding and reshaped Santa Cruz in the decades that followed.

He served six terms on the City Council and held the position of Mayor five times, always pushing the city to think bigger, act more compassionately, and stay rooted in justice.

As a UCSC lecturer in Community Studies, Mike educated generations on activism, organizing, and the intersections of labor and local policy. He was also a labor organizer, a founding force in the creation of the UC-AFT lecturers’ union — a fierce advocate for working people at the university and beyond.

From the Guests: Memories, Politics, and MusicTim Fitzmaurice remembered their union work in the 1980s — a time, he said, “filled with love and fire.” The UC-AFT effort was hard, gritty organizing — and Mike was in it for the long haul.

Tim also reflected on the tough moment in 1998 when he, along with a voting bloc of new progressives, chose not to support Mike for Mayor — a political decision rooted in respect for another colleague, but one that nonetheless had emotional weight.

They also shared a different kind of harmony: Tim and Mike occasionally

This Talk of the Bay episode from Monday, June 16th, 2025 was originally a two part show starting with a conversation with the comedian and impresario DNA. That conversation with DNA will be released as a separate podcast later. We spent the rest of the hour with community organizer Hector Marin. In 2024, he ran as a candidate for Santa Cruz City Council District 2, earning 40.6% of the vote as a first-time challenger against the 58% garnered by incumbent Sonja Brunner. He is a staunch advocate for affordable housing, is a renter himself, and is a community organizer. Our conversation covered the weekend of June 14th filled with protests nationwide and local ones, as well as current events including ICE raids. We touched on Marin's recent article published in Lookout regarding Mayor Fred Keeley's Workforce Housing Affordability Act. The City of Los Angeles's nicknamed the "Mansion Tax" which was a tax on any sale of real estate exceeding $5 million came up in our conversation. As of November 2024, that tax, which was originally named the Measure ULA (United to House LA), has raised $470M. We also talked about how Marin's work as an educator brought awareness to the plight of homelessness among students. It's worth noting that Monterey County clocks in at a staggering 18% while Santa Cruz County clocks in at 9.5% - both of these numbers are multiples of the California average which is under 4%.

If you are interested in more episodes about land use, you might also be interested in these Talk of the Bay episodes with Dr. Silva of the Protect Salinas Renters Coalition as well as Dr. Erin McElroy who discusses the role of technology such as surveillance and biometrics in modern landlord and tenant relationships along with concepts from their book, "Silicon Valley Imperialism" which include real estate dynamics.

On this episode of From the Streets, Omar Dieguez speaks with Rolla Alaydi, a Palestinian American organizer who has spent months fighting to evacuate her family from Gaza. Since November 2023, Rolla has made countless appeals to Representative Jimmy Panetta’s office—pleas that have been met with silence, even as she has lost over 100 loved ones to Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza.Joining us are two of Rolla’s supporters: Christine Hong, a local ethnic studies educator, and Unghae Langis, a member of Panetta Vigil—a grassroots group demanding that Rep. Panetta support an arms embargo on Israel and reject donations from war profiteers and AIPAC.This episode is a powerful testament to resistance, grief, and the urgent need for political accountability.

Talk of the Bay: From the Streets host Omar Dieguez, a mentor with Barrios Unidos, sits down with a group of girls from Pajaro Valley High School to discuss the powerful role mentors play in schools.

Listen in as they share how Barrios Unidos creates safe spaces for students to express themselves, connect with their cultura, and find empowerment through education. The conversation also explores how Barrios Unidos supports students beyond the classroom—teaching them about their communities, standing up for their rights, and even advocating for them in the courts.

Discover the many ways mentorship transforms lives from the streets and into brighter futures.

KSQD presents a conversation between Chris Krohn and Mike Rotkin, recorded just 2 months before Rotkin’s death on Wednesday (06/18/2025). Rotkin served 25 years on the Santa Cruz City Council, and 5 terms as mayor. He was active in local political and social issues for more than 50 years, and loved and respected for his teaching Community Studies at the University of California Santa Cruz. This show was not previously aired till now.

On Tuesday, June 10th, host Meilin Obinata spoke with Dr. John Silva from the Protect Salinas Renters coalition. This coalition is seeking signatures for a referendum campaign to repeal the Salinas City Council's recent vote to repeal four renters' rights ordinances including one for rent stabilization. We learn from Dr. Silva, whose years of treating patients taught him about the health impacts of precarious housing.

Host George Cadman discusses the civil rights issues raised by recent ICE deportation raids with constitutional law attorney, Mauni Jalali. Jalali is instituting a call to action, to motivate local electeds to answer to the voters. He has developed expertise in administrative law matters, government regulation, and plaintiff-side antitrust, with particular emphasis on cases involving big tech, big agriculture, big pharma, and ticketing services. He has worked on investment risk analysis due to presidential impoundments, SEC securities actions, and assessing APA challenges to FTC rulemaking. His recent work includes drafting appellate briefing on nationwide injunctions protecting thousands of international students across the United States from visa revocation, handling AEA deportation cases in court, and filing briefing in administrative law matters regarding childhood separation at the border.

On this special FanimeCon edition of Inside Education, host Meilin Obinata speaks with Gilles Poitras, an expert in the realms of anime and manga, Japanese forms of comic book and animated entertainment which have caught popularity around the world. What connections do these storytelling formats have upon learning? How do librarians benefit from having manga and anime in their collections? All this and more on this episode of Inside Education. Intro music used with kind permission of @subrizedubs.

https://www.stonebridge.com/authors/gilles-poitrashttps://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:egbby7jkbjeyfbs3zf65vcofhttps://www.fanime.com

Our intrepid reporter/intern Maury Burnett-Cavoto asks: How are you dealing with the rise in egg prices?

What happens when a former Soviet state experiments with Silicon Valley-style capitalism - when the worlds of open source hardware collide with proprietary corporate control? What happens when American landlords use the latest and greatest in surveillance tech to terrorize renters? McElroy also shares the origin story of SF BARF which Sonja Trauss led, which later became the Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) movement. Entertain these questions and more in a chat between Talk of the Bay host Meilin Obinata and guest Dr. Erin McElroy, a professor of Geography at the University of Washington who co-founded the AntiEviction Mapping Project which includes maps of the "worst evictors" in the Bay Area and Landlord Tech Watch "dedicated to producing collective knowledge about landlord-driven surveillance techniques." If you like hearing about data practices, you also might enjoy this Moment of Truth episode featuring Dr. Anita Say Chan, author of "Predatory Data: Eugenics in Big Tech" from March 2025.

Are universities hedge funds? Is knowledge political? What do you think? Join host, Meilin Obinata, for a discussion with Max Sárosi, an organizer of of the Jews Against White Supremacy (JAWS) chapter at UCSC. Sárosi has studied how billionaire philanthropy impacts the University of California, including UC Santa Cruz. What secrets lurk in the gifts of real estate billionaires? Along the way, we learn about how Max’s identity evolved as he searched for what it means to be Jewish while studying in the Critical Race and Ethnic Studies program at UCSC and what led him to found the JAWS chapter there. We touched on the reasons and ways in which JAWS has demanded UCSC cut ties with the Helen Diller Foundation. Max frames the activity of the foundation in the context of billionaire philanthropy and specifically within related industry – real estate and the connections to the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. This show originally aired on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. You can follow Jews Against White Supremacy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jawsucsc/

In this episode of Talk of the Bay, host Meilin Obinata introduces two members of the Tzimtzum Community, which offers Jewish Gatherings for Personal and Collective Liberation. One is the founder Rabbi Chel Mandell, and the other guest is a Jewish educator and is a dedicated member, Ben Yanowitz (who is also a host on The Jewish Diasporist podcast). Learn: what it’s like to start up a new Jewish community in the post-COVID world, how to increase access and inclusivity in Jewish spaces by consciously centering marginalized populations, and why it’s important to create opportunities for understanding leftism within Jewish communities and traditions in the context of Judaism as a cultural practice. This globe-trotting conversation will take you to Krakow, Poland, Palestine, Israel, the United Kingdom and back to the USA. We also touch on fascinating linguistic, historical and religious insights into Jewish life. Instagram: @tzimtzumcommunity@jewishdiasporistpod

In early May, dozens of nonprofit and health care leaders assembled outside of Watsonville Community Hospital to altogether issue a desperate plea: hands off our health care.

The message came hours before the U.S. Energy and Commerce Committee, which is responsible for health care funding, began debating a Republican-sponsored spending bill in Congress that seeks to cut $880 billion mostly from the budget funding Medicaid, or Medi-Cal as it’s known in California.

The unprecedented slashing of the federal program, established almost 60 years ago, will help pay for $4.5 trillion in planned tax breaks being pushed by the White House. Republicans in the House insist they’re eliminating wasteful spending while Democrats warn that millions of Americans will be dropped from their coverage if the bill becomes law.

Here in Santa Cruz County, almost 90,000 residents are Medi-Cal beneficiaries and many of them go to Watsonville-based Salud Para La Gente to receive care. That’s why Salud’s chief medical officer, Dr. Devon Francis, was present at the press event outside of Watsonville hospital and gave an impassioned speech not just about the harmful impacts of gutting the program, but to also highlight the important role Medi-Cal plays in preserving our health care system more broadly.

Dr. Francis joined Talk of the Bay to share more about why she’s pushing back against the proposed cuts to Medicaid.

Sara Barth, executive director of Sempervirens fund, joined Talk of the Bay just a few days shy of a monumental occasion for California’s first land trust — its 125th anniversary. The conservation group, focused on forest protection and restoration since 1900, commemorated the milestone with the first-ever Redwoods Festival at the historic Roaring Camp property in Felton.The organization has played an enduring role in managing and protecting the majestic, ancient redwoods that continue to grow tall in the Santa Cruz Mountains. They have also spearheaded efforts to help the local environment recover from climate-change fueled disasters, such as the CZU Lightning Complex Fire in 2020 which decimated the region and California’s first state park—Big Basin Redwoods.

Barth, who has been with Sempervirens since 2016, arrived at K-Squid’s studios ready tell us all about what this landmark nonprofit has managed to achieve in its first 125 years, what it has in mind for the next 125, and just what in the heck a Sempervirens is.

We have the pleasure to talk to the family of Rock n’ Roll Hall of Famer Ritchie Valens. He was the first Chicano to reach such accomplishments.

On this episode of Talk of the Bay, From the Streets, host Omar Dieguez interviewed multiple members of the Ritchie Valens family, including his brother’s daughters Brenda Morales and Bly Morales Chandler, and Bly’s husband Mike Chandler. Learn about the family which nurtured Ritchie Valens, including the relationship he had with his brother, Bob Morales. Locals will relish hearing about the world premiere of the film, “La Bamba” in Watsonville. This show warms your heart with all the memories and reflections of a family filled with love, loss, laughter and togetherness. We will discuss his music his brother Bob and his family originally from San Fernando Valley who later moved to Watsonville, California. We will also talk about about the upcoming remake of the movie La Bamba!

I am traveling in Italy, in the Garfagnana region, a hilly, remote valley with ancient hilltowns and castles. In the small town of Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, we come upon a protest organized by the villagers decrying conditions in Gaza. Here is what we recorded from the few who could speak English.

Our intrepid Squid on the Street, UCSC Humanities intern, Maury Burnett-Cavoto asked people how they feel about traveling out of the country under Trump’s current border security crackdowns.

On KSQD’s Talk of the Bay, host Omar Diegez speaks with Bobby Pelz, Ethnic Studies teacher at the Pajaro Valley High School, and Caroline Kuspa, of Jews for a Free Palestine. They discuss the curriculum in the school district and the recent tensions and controversies, around the failed censure of trustee Gabe Medina.

The host was Omar Diguez.

Our guests discussed what it’s like to be in recovery, the sense of desperation, seeking healing though ceremonies. many different forms of recovery through twelve step programs and spiritual practices such as praying at sweat lodges.

One guest, Eric, a resident of Salinas, has been in recovery for 14 years. He helps many people in recovery to find a better path in life in both English and Spanish. Our other guest was Sergio, a 17 year old youth who has found recovery after working with his mentor to find a higher power and spirituality to stay clean. Sergio was incarcerated at juvenile hall and started working with Omar through Barrios Unidos turning around his life after learning about recovery and aspects of indigenous teachings.

“From the Streets,” is a new Talk of the Bay series, hosted by Omar Dieguez. His guests for this show were Professor Christine Hong of UC Santa Cruz and Pajaro Valley Unified School District Trustee, Gabriel Medina. They discuss the dedicated community work that recently led to the reinstatement of ethnic studies in the Pajaro Valley school district.

“From the Streets,” is a new Talk of the Bay series, hosted by Omar Dieguez. His guests are Roy Recio, Watsonville native and founder of the Tobera Project, preserving Fililpino immigrant history in the Pajaro Valley; and marine ecologist Nat Low of Aptos, director of the Asian American Justice and Innovation Lab. They discuss their dedicated community work that recently led to the reinstatement of ethnic studies in the Pajaro Valley school district.

On Talk of the Bay host Andrew Schoneberg interviews leaders from the Carmel Foundation, a non-profit service organization that facilitates successful aging by providing a rich spectrum of interactive activities and services for the ever-changing physical, social, emotional and cognitive needs for those 55 and older. Have a listen to learn about the history of the Carmel Foundation and the powerful outcomes it facilitates for its members as they transition into their elder years.

Members enjoying some time together on the beautiful patio of the Carmel Foundation.

Some of the services offered to Foundation members include:

Over 60 interesting classes and activities weekly
Affordable lunches four days per week served on site
Fifty affordable apartments for low-income seniors
Technology Center
Day excursions outside of the Monterey-Carmel area to museums, plays and shopping
Wednesday programs featuring lecturers, presentations and entertainment
Meal delivery to homebound members
Free medical equipment loans
Free lending library
Café with free WiFi access
Free blood pressure checks
Caregiver support groups

The Carmel Foundation also partners with senior-serving agencies to provide additional services such as:

Legal Services for Seniors, providing free legal consultations
Alliance on Aging, providing assistance with Medicare or supplemental insurance
Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice (VNA), providing a grief support group
Independent Transportation Network (ITN) Monterey County, offers rides to seniors in Monterey County

Jose Antonio Vargas is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and immigration activist. He tells the story of coming to the U.S. as a child, unaware that he was entering without legal documents. His 31-year quest to obtain legal status led to a life of hiding until he “came out” in a New York Times article titled, “My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant”. Vargas, who was born in the Philipines, talks about the prospect of seeing his mother for the first time since he was twelve and the cost to families of being separated by law and geography. His new project is called “Define American” and includes documentary films, short features and a podcast.

Then, we hear from Brenda Avila, programmer at the Watsonville Film Festival about how the protagonist of one of the films recently screened at the festival, Jeanette Vizguerra, was recently arrested by ICE at her job, and sent to a detention center in Aurora Colorado, most likely targeted due to her increased profile via the film. We also hear from the filmmaker, Theo Rigby, who created “Si Pudiera Quedarme” (If I Could Stay) about Jeannette Vizguerra and other asylum seekers who seek sanctuary in houses of worship.

In this show, engineer Sandy Stone and board chair Rachel Anne Goodman reminisce about the circuitous route that KSQD’s founders took in getting on the air.

Here is something I wrote up trying to capture a lot of the milestones.

Our story:

Once upon a time back in the 1970’s there was a visionary writer and entrepreneur named Lorenzo Milam who had some money and an audacious dream that if you gave regular people access to a radio microphone, they would make their community a better place to live, or in his words, “to walk their walk, and talk their talk and know that they and the rest of the world are not irrevocably dead.”

Among the many community stations he founded throughout the U.S. was KUSP in Santa Cruz, California, run by the ‘Pataphysical Broadcasting Foundation. At first it was in a tiny space and run on a shoestring with mostly volunteers and a skeleton crew. Then it grew bigger, got CPB funding, had a full staff, five translators, and reached four counties.

At first, the programming was eclectic beyond belief. Programmed by mostly volunteers, characters like Corky Walsh, The Hamster of Love, Vicky Bolam, Tim Eagan, Paul Hostetter, Don Mussell, Leigh Hill, Lance Linares, Nikki Silva and more,, the programs ranged from Tibetan nose flute to Indian ragas to modern classical to bluegrass and beyond. There were public auctions at the Octogon Museum and Cajun Chomp and Stomp concerts and remotes from Kuumbwa and the Catalyst, Monterey Jazz and Bach Festivals.

The spirit that imbued the station then was to play music that was unknown to the audience. Because it was the only game in town, it could be a trend setter. This went on for almost two decades. And then KUSP began running NPR programs, just All Things Considered and Morning Edition at first. Nobody else had done that. It was popular. NPR audiences began asking for more NPR shows. They would pay good money for them. Soon, that was the majority of programming on the station. Names like Terry Gross, Noah Adams, Susan Stamberg and Garrison Keillor became better known than local djs. Eventually, as the station leadership grew more money-focused, they relied more heavily on NPR, and most of the volunteers were “fired” in favor of paid announcers who management could depend on to read exactly what they were told, no more, no less. So much for talking the talk, eh, Lorenzo?

Then in the late nineties, KAZU in Pacific Grove, a local community radio station, went bankrupt, giving its license to CSUMB, who commenced to run all NPR, too. The format wars between KAZU and KUSP, and the loss of exclusivity in NPR branding, left KUSP bankrupt and deeply in debt to NPR. In a last ditch effort to save its debt-ridden organization, the station went all “Triple A” format, fired its manager Terry Green, and brought in consultant Lee Ferraro from Minneapolis who said publicly he disliked Santa Cruz. It’s no wonder. He was hired to fire the rest of the local voices and put in a kind of bland indie “Triple -A” pop music that was supposed to attract a new, younger audience. This did not work to save KUSP financially and he soon packed up and (no doubt relieved) high-tailed it back to the mid-west.

As KUSP was heading toward bankruptcy, a group calling itself “KUSP Forward” was formed to try to persuade its board of directors to downsize and go all-volunteer as a bail out plan. Hundreds showed up to a public board meeting at Loudon Nelson Center pleading with the board to change course. Their proposal was rejected and the station went bankrupt in 2016 under a debt load of $850,000. The last broadcast was in August of that year. Many tears were shed and friendships lost over its demise, which many said was preventable. Others disagreed. Either way, it was over.

Late in the day on Christmas eve, I went down to the station where there was a bankruptcy liquidation sale underway. A guy whose name I think was Sharky

It’s no secret that Santa Cruz County loves its weed. Take a trip to UCSC’s campus on April 20th and you’ll get a sense of what I mean.

But despite the community enthusiasm for the flowering herb, the industry has struggled to take off both at the local and statewide level after it was legalized almost a decade ago.

Those struggles are part of what inspired Santa Cruz County supervisors Manu Koenig and Felipe Hernandez to sponsor a pair of county ordinances designed to give the struggling industry an added spark.

The Board of Supervisors recently gave the green light to new local rules that allow for on-site consumption lounges at local cannabis retail businesses. They have also given an initial go-ahead to establish a three-year pilot program that would permit similar on-site consumption areas at cannabis farms, among other things. An initial read of the farm-specific ordinance was approved last week, but it will need to get a second majority vote when a final version of the ordinance appears on the board’s agenda next week.

To tell us more about the intended benefits of the new local laws and to address some of the concerns voiced by the community and even some of his colleagues on the board, Talk of the Bay Host PK Hattis was recently joined by 1st district Supervisor Manu Koenig.

NOTE: Since this episode aired, the Board of Supervisors officially delivered a final vote to approve the three-year pilot program at local cannabis farms.

Part 2: Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County CEO Erica Padilla-Chavez will give us the latest on the federal food deliveries to the Watsonville-based food bank that were abruptly halted four weeks ago. She’ll share how this has impacted local services and what the community can do to help.Show Links:https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2025/03/11/santa-cruz-county-supervisors-give-cannabis-consumption-lounges-the-green-light/https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2025/03/27/santa-cruz-county-cannabis-lounge-policy-clears-final-hurdle/https://donate.thefoodbank.org/campaign/659968/donate?c_src=website

Artistic Director for Santa Cruz Shakespeare, Charles Pasternak talks about the bard and how his plays always provide fresh insights, as the four-decade-old company readies for its new season in July.

Vicki Abeles is a filmmaker, attorney and change agent. She directed the award-winning documentaries Race to Nowhere and Beyond Measure and reached millions of viewers by focusing on social impact. She is the author of the NYT best-selling book Beyond Measure. Additional film credits include Associate Producer on the Sundance favorite Miss Representation (2011) and Associate Producer on Plastic Man: The Artful Life of Jerry Ross Barrish (2014). Continuing to bring communities together around the power of stories, Vicki’s work as an Impact Producer for Chasing Childhood and High School 9-1-1, along with producing the national live-stream event, “State of the Kids: Uniting for Youth Mental Health,” has built alliances across the world to empower kids to thrive. Her most recent film, Counted Out, was recently shown in the Monterey Bay area, and exposes the consequences of a society where people are shut out of effective math education, and shows examples of successful alternative approaches to learning.

This compilation of audio impressions reflects the sentiments of the people gathered with estimated 8,000 others to protest the takedown of our government by Musk and MAGA.

David Woodbury is the founder and host of the Central Coast Conference (now in its 2nd year), a weekend-long lecture series dedicated to topics in American history. He earned a degree in History from the University of Evansville, in Indiana, before moving to California 40 years ago. He pursued a long career in publishing, beginning as co-founder of Savas Woodbury Publishers (now Savas Beatie), spent a decade with Stanford University Press, and later, Cengage Learning in San Francisco.

David is the editor of Talking about History: Historians Discuss the Civil War (2014), and was the cartographer for the Library of Congress Civil War Desk Reference. David has organized group tours of America’s Civil War battlefields for over 30 years.

Upon retiring from publishing, David launched Woodbury Historical Tours, expanding their tour offerings into other areas, including Indian Wars, and themes related to the American West. He began the Central Coast Conference in 2024, and plans to keep this lecture series going annually, at the Stanton Center in Monterey. This year’s conference theme is Seldom Heard History of the Civil War Era.

David lives in Palo Alto with his wife Anne, where they raised three sons.

John Brown Childs is Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He was born on December 2, 1942, in a public housing project, in the Roxbury section of Boston.

In 1963, he co-organized a group of students from the University of Massachusetts to go to the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where MLK delivered his famous “I have a dream” speech. In 1965, he took part in the Civil Rights Movement in Montgomery, AL, as a member of “Friends of SNCC”. For the past 17 years, as a partner with the community organization Barrios Unidos, John Brown Childs has been doing volunteer teaching and speaking on peacemaking and “transcommunal cooperation” in Soledad Prison, where he works with the diverse “Cemanahuac One-World Cultural Group” of incarcerated men. He is the author of numerous works, including the book Transcommunality, from the Politics of Conversion to the Ethics of Respect. This book, rooted in the ancient philosophy of the indigenous Haudenosaunee Peacemaker, Deganawidah, discusses ways in which people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives can, with mutual respect, work together, and learn from one another, while holding on to their own cultural and personal foundations.

In 1997, John Brown Childs was awarded the Fulbright Foundation’s “Thomas Jefferson Chair of Distinguished Teaching” which he held in the Netherlands at the University of Utrecht. In 2019 he received the University of California Social Science Division’s Distinguished Emeriti Faculty award, and in 2022, he earned the University of California’s system-wide highest award for emeriti faculty, the Constantine Panunzio Distinguished Emeriti Award, which has been awarded to only 49 emeriti faculty throughout the UC system.

Of African-Madagascan and Native American descent, John is, through his mother’s side of the family, an enrolled member of the Massachuset Tribe of Indigenous People at Ponkapoag, or “Sweet Water Pond”, on whose ancestral land, now known as Boston, he was born.

This was a special edition of Talk of the Bay, hosted by Omar Dieguez. His guests were Nane Alejandrez of Barrios Unidos, Mary Lou Alejandrez of Barrios Unidos, and Catarina, a Maori influenced by Barrios Unidos who is visiting from New Zealand. This fascinating conversation included reflections of Cesar Chavez’s enduring impact, the role of indigenous wisdom, restorative justice, and how communities embrace members who return home from incarceration. (Photo includes from left to right – Meilin Obinata, Mary Lou Alejandrez, Nane Alejandrez, Omar Dieguez, and Catarina).

Stephen Zunes is chair of the Middle East Studies program at the University of San Francisco. In recent days, students with a history of protest against the U.S./Israel actions in Gaza have been snatched off the street with no due process. We talk about the war on civil liberties at home and abroad and the increasingly autocratic and undemocratic response to dissent.

Justin Cummings, Third District Santa Cruz County Supervisor, talks about efforts to retain his seat as chair of the powerful California Coastal Commission. He also explains other ordinances under discussion at the county level.

Jeanne Proust has studied Humanities, Philosophy and Visual Arts in Bordeaux, Berlin, and Paris. She has been teaching Philosophy for the last 14 years in the US and is actively involved in the Center for Public Philosophy at UC Santa Cruz, where she served as director from 2023-2024. She currently holds the position of Vice President of the Public Philosophy Network. Her PhD dissertation (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne) focused on the pathologies of willpower, both in philosophical and psychological perspectives, but her interests are wide: among many fields, she does research in Ethics, Philosophy of Technologies, Bioethics, Feminist theory, and Aesthetics. She taught at different universities in New York, advocating for a widening of philosophical education beyond the Academia frontiers by participating in different events open to the general public. She gives many public talks, volunteers in prison (Rikers Island, San Quentin), collaborates on podcast projects (she produced her own, “Can You Phil It?”), and regularly organizes public events in Philosophy. She also collaborates with artists on her photography, drawing and painting works. With the Center for Public Philosophy, she helped launch the first Tech Ethics Bowl in the Bay area, and spearheaded the first Santa Cruz edition of the Night of Ideas. This year’s Night of Ideas is coming up on April 4, 2025, from 5 to 9 PM, at UCSC’s Institute for Arts and Sciences, at 100 Panetta Avenue, at the corner of Delaware Avenue on the westside of Santa Cruz.

Jeanne has recently started her own philosophical counseling practice, open to individuals seeking to expand their worldview, and to examine their values and life concerns through the lens of philosophical inquiry.

This week we honor Jesse Colin Young, the folk-rock icon of the sixties and seventies, who died at 83. His hits included “Get Together” and “Ridgetop” to name just two of his many songs that conveyed the spirit of the times. Our guest is KSQD’s station manager, David Bean, who was Jesse Colin Young’s manager and friend for a decade and a half and who shares stories only he can tell.

Dan Haifley, a long-time ocean conservationist and former director of O’Neill’s Sea Odyssey and Save Our Shores, gives us an update on the multiple threats to ocean ecosystems and marine sanctuaries posed by the cuts to federal staff and budgets by the executive branch.

In this program we hear from members of the cast and crew of Steel Magnolias, opening at Park Hall in Ben Lomond, CA.

Have libraries been a vital part of your world? Did a librarian ever assist you with an important project? Well, like so many other public agencies, libraries and librarians are under threat–but you don’t have to take this news lying down, because the non-profit advocacy group EveryLibrary emboldens libraries and their communities to achieve political outcomes that keep libraries funded, thriving, and safe.

Monday, March 10, join Talk of the Bay host, Christine Barrington and EveryLibrary Co-founder and Digital Director, Patrick Sweeney, as they lay out the stark realities facing libraries and their staff across the nation, and how this organization can offer you and your local library the skills, strategies and support to achieve remarkable outcomes.

Fight for the First is a petition-driven platform offered by EveryLibrary to support local efforts working to protect libraries and librarians.

Donations to EveryLibrary go far and have translated into billions of dollars in direct funding to libraries across the nation: Donate to EveryLibrary

That’s Talk of the Bay on KSQD. Monday at 5pm. Tune your dial to 89.5, 89.7 (South Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties) and 90.7 FM in Santa Cruz. Or, Livestream at KSQD.org

Will Rice is a policy consultant and senior writer for Americans for Tax Fairness, a coalition of more than 420 national, state and local endorsing organizations united in support of a fair tax system that works for all Americans. He is co-author and co-editor of the recently-released report “Private Equity, Public Damage”.

The report deals with the impact of Private Equity firms on the economy, including healthcare costs and quality, housing affordability and security, climate change, prison privatization, workers’ rights, and debt. It was co-produced by the Private Equity Stakeholder Project and Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund.

We hear from the singing group, the Ukes of Bonny Doon, Suzanne, Laurie, Rizzie and Becca, who recently returned from singing and playing at a protest at the state capital. Then, an interview with Amanda Harris Altice and Jenny Evans with Indivisible Santa Cruz County about their organizing efforts. Then, a visit with United Way CEO, Yvette Lopez Brooks about an upcoming celebration of HERstory honoring local women leaders. The event is March 13th at 5;30PM.

Heidi Luckenbach is the Water Director for the City of Santa Cruz. In this role, she is responsible for maintaining the water system’s infrastructure, ensuring a reliable climate-resilient water supply, advancing environmental sustainability initiatives, and maintaining financial stability. Heidi has dedicated over 25 years of her career to the City of Santa Cruz, most recently as the Engineering Manager overseeing the Water Department’s capital improvement program and water supply planning. As director, she is leading her team through upcoming opportunities as they implement projects to create an even more robust water supply.

https://www.cityofsantacruz.com/government/city-departments/water

The break in the middle of the interview includes a short excerpt from Water Song, by Hot Tuna.

Filmmaker Jon Silver talks about his film “Watsonville on Strike” about the Watsonville cannery strike, an 18-month strike forty years ago and his follow-up film, “Daughters of the Strike”. The films are screening at the Watsonville Film Festival on March 8th. We also hear from Sandina Robbins, one of the festival organizers. Chris Krohn shares audio from the current UCSC strike and we hear from Woody Carroll, an employee on the picket line. Jon Silver’s film screens on March 8th at the Green Valley Cinema.

More information at Watsonville Film Fest.org

Watsonville on Strike

Chaos and confusion abound, and immigration lawyers are overwhelmed by the number of clients seeking their services. Here’s the view from Salinas Attorney, Blanca Zarazua.

Sarah Christensen is the Executive Director of the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission. Sarah has nearly two decades of experience in organizational leadership, planning, and implementation of major capital projects along the Central Coast and in the Bay Area. As the RTC’s Senior Transportation Engineer from 2017 to September 2024, she oversaw engineering and capital project delivery for the agency. Sarah Christensen has a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from San Jose State University, a Master of Science degree in Transportation Management from the Mineta Transportation Institute, and is a licensed civil engineer.

Zero Emission Passenger Rail and Trail virtual open house

With Trump threatening to eliminate the Department of Education, we take a deep dive into what it does, what would happen to local schools and programs if it was cut, and how local schools are coping with the current climate around education and immigration.

On KSQD’s Talk of the Bay, Host PK Hattis speaks with Community Bridges’ CEO Ray Cancino. Like so many nonprofits across the country, Community Bridges and Cancino were caught up in a world of chaos late last month when President Donald Trump’s budget office issued a sweeping order that froze all federal grants and loans. The order was later rescinded, but Cancino will walk us through what the experience was like on the ground and just how high the stakes are moving forward.Then, PK will sit down with newly-elected Democratic Central Committee Chair Jenni Veitch-Olson. They’ll talk about where the local Democratic party has been and where Veitch-Olson thinks it’s going as Democrats remain the majority party locally and the oppositional party nationally.

On this episode of Talk of the Bay host PK Hattis is joined by nurses from Dominican Hospital who staged a picket last week in protest of chronic staffing shortages and a lack of investment from hospital ownership Dignity Health and parent company CommonSpirit Health. Nurses say the lack of staffing has led to extended wait times for patients and increasing levels of burnout among the staff, both of which, ultimately, lead to subpar care.We’ll hear about what conditions are like on the ground and what the nurses’ union is asking of ownership to improve the situation.

Rachel Anne Goodman talks with members of the community who are helping immigrants before, during and after Trump’s ICE raids. Guests include

Sherry Cassedy, long-time family lawyer and mediator, immersing in immigration law and coordinator of the Childcare Safety Plan Network.
Paul Johnston, participant in several networks (Welcoming Network, Interfaith Network, Removal Defense Collaborative, Know Your Rights events, Train the Trainers events, and a UCAFT member.)

On this episode of Talk of the Bay, host Bodie Shargel dedicates the first half of the show to honoring civil rights activist Thairie Ritchie, reflecting on his powerful legacy and the recent tragedy that shook Santa Cruz. Then, we shift gears to the national stage, analyzing the impact of the Trump administration’s first two weeks, featuring a speech from Rep. Ilhan Omar and a live community calls on the state of our democracy.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/thairie-ritchies-recovery-fund

Talk of the Bay’s host PK Hattis is joined by longtime Santa Cruz Sentinel photographer Shmuel Thaler. Both Thaler and Hattis, who also works as a reporter at the Sentinel, are mourning the death of colleague Jess York, who died in January after battling a rare form of neuroendocrine cancer for more than four years.York, who joined in the Sentinel in 2014, was known locally as a smart, empathetic, intrepid reporter that most recently covered crime, courts and homelessness. Thaler and Hattis will celebrate York’s life and the immense legacy of diligent, trustworthy reporting that she leaves behind.

Lithium-ion batteries power everything from our smartphones to electric vehicles, but they also come with risks. In this episode of Talk of the Bay, Meilin Obinata sits down with Patrick Durham, a mechanical engineer and firefighter, to dive deep into lithium battery safety, fire prevention, and risk management.

Who is Patrick Durham?Patrick Durham is an expert in mechanical engineering, firefighting, and lithium battery safety. Through his consulting business, StacheD Training, he works with fire departments, manufacturers, and businesses to educate them on the potential dangers of lithium-ion batteries and how to handle them safely.

Key Takeaways: How Battery Fires Start – Learn what causes lithium-ion batteries to go into thermal runaway. * What to Do in a Battery Fire – Not all fires can be extinguished with water! Patrick explains safe suppression methods for different types of battery fires. * The Hidden Risks of DIY Energy Storage – Thinking of building your own battery backup system? Patrick shares why home-built setups can be dangerous if not done correctly. * Fire Safety for EVs & Energy Storage Facilities – The Moss Landing fire was a wake-up call. Patrick discusses how battery storage systems can be made safer and what fire departments need to know. * Why Cheap Batteries Can Be a Fire Hazard – The importance of using OEM-certified batteries and chargers* to reduce fire risk.

Stay Safe & Stay Informed!If you use lithium-ion batteries at home or work, knowing the risks and proper safety measures is critical.

Listen to the full episode to learn how to protect yourself and your community.

📢 Where to Find Patrick Durham:

Website: www.stachedtraining.com
YouTube: @StacheDTraining
Instagram: @stachedtraining

The Future of Battery Fire Prevention & SuppressionLive webinar: Tuesday 11th February 2025, 7am

On this Talk of the Bay, Meilin Obinata interviewed two members of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Workers United to find out what is motivating workers to form a union for the first time in the history of the aquarium. In this show, you’ll hear from two members of the organizing committee who are attempting to form a union: Alex Magaña, who has been working for the last 3 years as an Audio Visual Technician in the Multimedia Engineering Department and Cristie Robles-Beilby, who has been working as a Aquarist 2, in the Animal Care Department for the last 5 years. You’ll also learn who has the best hobbies of all the employees at the aquarium. At this time, the workers are seeking support from the community by asking people to sign a letter of support, which you can view here: https://mbaworkersunited.org/community-letter-support

To learn more about the Monterey Bay Workers United, you can follow their socials here:

https://www.instagram.com/mbaworkersunited/https://mbaworkersunited.org/

Tom Little Bear is President and Chairman of the Esselen tribe of Monterey County. He discusses the land back movement to return stolen lands from native tribes, and a recent 327 -acre land acquisition on the Little Sur River in Monterey County, facilitated by the Western Rivers Conservancy. Native tribes are leading the way on native plant restoration. eradication of non-native species, and healing from generational trauma through a reconciliation process that includes management of public lands and regaining their language and cultural practices after they were taken forcibly from them. We also hear from Peter Colby from the Western Rivers Conservancy.

From the Press Release:

BIG SUR, Calif. (January 15, 2025) — In the heart of California’s magnificent Big Sur coast, Western Rivers Conservancy (WRC) has conveyed the 327-acre Pico Blanco property on the Little Sur River to the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County for permanent conservation and stewardship.

This property holds significant sacred and cultural meaning for the Tribe, as it is located at the base of a white limestone-topped mountain they call Pixchi (or Pico Blanco), which the Esselen Tribe considers the “Center of the Esselen World” and is where the Tribe’s creation story began. Ecologically, the land features 1.3 miles of the Little Sur River, which provides critical habitat for

numerous imperiled species, as well as one of the largest stands of old-growth redwoods on the Central Coast. The Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) provided funding for the purchase of the property. See property map below.

Pico Blanco is the second important tract of ancestral land that WRC has conveyed to the Tribe. In July 2020, they completed a landmark conservation project that placed the 1,199-acre Adler Ranch (now renamed Eagle Peak), located roughly 20 miles south of Monterey and just a mile downstream from Pico Blanco, into Tribal ownership.

“The Pico Blanco area, defined by the Little Sur River, is the spiritual, cultural and geographical center for the Esselen Tribe,” said Tribal Chairman and President Tom Little Bear Nason. “To have the opportunity for our tribal members to reconnect with more of the river and these ancient redwoods fulfills a deeply meaningful part of our mission. We appreciate the spirit of partnership from Western Rivers Conservancy and California’s Wildlife Conservation Board that has made this possibl

Happy Dog Hot Dog, a beloved hot dog stand in Santa Cruz, was recently featured in an interview with KSQD’s Meilin Obinata. During the conversation, owner Daniel Aguirre shared insights into the history of Happy Dog, its dedication to high-quality ingredients, and its role in Santa Cruz’s vibrant food scene. The interview also explored the challenges and rewards of running a small business, along with the stand’s deep connection to the local community. Fans of Happy Dog and Santa Cruz food culture tuned in to hear firsthand what makes this hot dog stand a local favorite.

Author Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston passed away on December 21st, 2024. Ms. Wakatsuki Houston (aka Firehorse Woman) was the author of the best-selling young adult book, Farewell to Manzanar. which chronicled her family’s experience as prisoners during World War II at a concentration camp. Ms. Houston is remembered in this show by author/actor/friend Frank Abe, George Toshio Johnston of JACL, Bethany Vinhateiro, of Harper-Collins, friend and co-board member of the Pacific Rim Film Festival, Paula Suzuki and her daughter, Cori Houston.

Bodie Shargel interviews two of the organizers behind the Workforce Housing Solutions Act, which kicked off its signature-gathering effort last week. Andrew Goldenkranz, the current chair of the County Democratic Party and Grace Stetson, signature gathering coordinator discuss the details of this proposed Santa Cruz city parcel tax and property transfer tax. If their effort is successful, the ballot measure will appear on a special election ballot in November.Full details can be found here:https://santacruzlocal.org/2025/01/17/ballot-measure-affordable-housing-santa-cruz/

The Pregnant Mare Rescue project buys pregnant mares from auctions where they would have been sold for horse meat and rehabilitates them on a property in Aptos, California. We hear from director Denna Stone about how her rescued horses now serve as therapy animals for wounded veterans and people experiencing mental health challenges.

The McPherson Art and History Museum has a new director, Ginger Shulick Porcella. She comes with experience at museums big and small, from Arizona to Minnesota, and has big ideas as the MAH approaches its 30th anniversary next year. How does this organization straddle its dual missions of presenting the history of the region alongside being an arts organization? We hear about the upcoming Wes Anderson-inspired exhibition and a project to honor Santa Cruz surfing history.

Monday on Talk of the Bay at 5pm, Host Christine Barrington asks, “Is it possible to imagine a future that is not on fire?” With the ongoing wildfires in LA, it is easy to assume we are at the mercy of our fossil fuel culture with relentless climate change burning our future. However, Monday’s guest, environmental scientist Lee Klinger, encourages people to slow down, look deeper, and consider the empowering message provided by Traditional Ecological Knowledge.

As a scientist, and Big Sur local who lost his own home to wildfire, Lee Klinger has worked closely with local Indigenous land stewards for decades, and his recent book “Forged by Fire” demonstrates that the power to mitigate wildfire risk can be in our hands. Join us to learn how to take back our future by healing our fractured relationship to the land and its original peoples.

Lee Klinger, Ph.D., is an Independent Scientist and Consultant in Big Sur, CA currently working with the Department of Natural Resources of the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County, and with the Mutsun Costanoan leaders at Indian Canyon Nation. Since 2005 he has served as the director of Sudden Oak Life, a movement aimed at applying fire mimicry practices to address the problems of forest decline and severe wildfires in California. He has more than forty years of experience in forestry, plant and soil ecology, atmospheric chemistry, earth system science, and nature photography, and has held scholarly appointments at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the University of Colorado, the University of Oxford, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Geological Society of London.

Lee Klinger’s latest book: Forged by Fire: The Cultural Tending of Trees and Forests in Big Sure and Beyond

Dr. Klinger highly recommends reading: Tending the Wild M. Kat Anderson

Lee also mentions a chapter he contributed to Unlearning the Language of Conquest:Scholars Expose Anti-Indianism in America

For more information consult Dr. Klinger’s website/blog: Sudden Oak Life

Read Dr. Klinger’s Op-Ed to the LA Times to understand his position relative to the recent LA Wildfires and its root causes.

Contact Dr. Klinger: lee@suddenoaklife.org

This video lecture presents clear information on how a healthy eco-system life cycle of forests requires fire: The Science and Practice of Fire Mimicry

KCET’s Tending the Wild series offers excellent programs on Indigenous practices. This film on Cultural Burning focuses on material discussed in this program.

Our Squid on the Street has been busy. At the fifty-first annual Fungus Faire in Santa Cruz, Maury Cavoto-Burnette asks, Why are you excited about fungi?

As local governments try to stretch their budgets to accommodate a new wave of mental health cases, a new program is trying to shift the emergency response from uniformed officers to trained mental health counselors. Since the killing by police of Sean Arlt in 2020, a man in crisis who was brandishing a rake, and was killed by police, leaving behind a three-year old son, local officials have struggled to change the way authorities respond to people experiencing a mental crisis. In this show, we talk to two of the people working under this new model. If you, or someone you know in Santa Cruz County are experiencing a crisis, visit santacruzhealth.org/CrisisResponse or call 1-800-952-2335.

Guests on the program are:

James Russell is the Director of Access and Crisis Services at the County of Santa Cruz Behavioral Health Services and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. With over two decades of experience in mental health and crisis intervention, James has played a role in developing and overseeing various behavioral health programs including the local Crisis Intervention Training program for Law Enforcement, supervising the Mental Health Liaison and Focused Intervention Team, a non-law enforcement crisis response teams at the University of California Santa Cruz, to managing the Community Crisis Continuum.

Danielle Long, LCSW, is a mental health professional dedicated to community well-being. A graduate of UC Santa Cruz and San Jose State University, she has worked with the County of Santa Cruz since 1995 and currently serves as the Crisis Continuum Program Manager. Danielle helped develop the County’s first Mental Health Liaison program in 2013 and has contributed to various key initiatives, including 24/7/365 Mobile Crisis Response. She currently Chairs the Santa Cruz City Commission for the Prevention of Violence Against Women and is a strong advocate for individuals in crisis.

Press Release from SC County Behavioral Health:

For Immediate Release Contact: Sandra Hughes

Date: December 12, 2024 Sandra.hughes@santacruzcountyca.gov

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY MOBILE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE 24/7

Santa Cruz County Behavioral Health is pleased to announce that Mobile Crisis Response

Teams (MCRT) are now available 24/7/365 to respond to behavioral health crises for youth

and adults across Santa Cruz County, including the cities of Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Scotts

Valley, Capitola, and all unincorporated areas. The MCRT helps remove barriers to crisis

support access by meeting individuals where they are—whether that’s a park, school, or

other safe location, including faith-based sites.

When a community member calls for a MCRT response to the 24-hour Access Line, trained

crisis call takers will assess the situation to determine if an individual is undergoing a

behavioral health crisis. If appropriate, a team is dispatched to provide on-site evaluation

and intervention. Once the immediate crisis is stabilized, the MCRT will assist with a transition

to follow-up care by connecting individuals with services and community-based resources.

“Our Mobile Crisis Response Team is staffed with compassionate mental health

professionals who understand the diverse needs of our Santa Cruz County community,” said

Karen Kern, Deputy Director of Santa Cruz County Behavioral Health. “With culturally

responsive, bilingual services, our goal is to provide timely and empathetic support during

crises, helping individuals feel safe and empowered to continue their care journey. This

approach also helps reduce the number of emergency room visits and law enforcement

interventions.”

“Our Mobile Crisis Response Team stands ready to serve all in Santa Cruz County,” said

James Russell, Director of Access and Crisis Services

This Thursday at 5pm on Talk of the Bay, Rachel Anne Goodman hosts a remembrance of radio and television pioneer, Jeremy Lansman, who was the founder (along with Laura Ellen Hopper and Don Mussell) of the infamous KFAT radio in Gilroy among other accomplishments. Lansman, who passed away on December 28th, was an engineer and visionary who helped spread people’s television and radio around the world. He founded and built KDNA, KRAB, and a lot of other community radio stations. We’ll hear from former KFAT Djs and former staffers, Felton Pruitt, Sister Tiny, Christa Taylor, Ellie May, Larry Yearden, Jeff Cotton, and Bill Goldsmith, and hear some excerpts of what made KFAT a legend in the history of broadcasting. Lansman is the son of the late Elizabeth Gips, host of the long-running show, Changes on KZSC, and was formerly married to Laura Ellen Hopper, of KPIG fame. Their daughter, Ellie May was program director and host at KPIG in Freedom, carrying on her parent’s legacy locally.

Maury Cavoto-Burnette is our squid on the street this month. She asks, “What is your take on the killing of the insurance CEO, and the health our nation’s healthcare system?

On Talk of the Bay, Christine Barrington welcomes Rick Kleffel of Narrative Species with 12 book recommendations from his honed literary lens.

Wintery days are a delicious treat for those who love to curl up with a good book and lose time by getting lost in another’s world. Rick Kleffel is an exceptionally qualified guest to guide us towards the words and worlds of writers worth getting lost with. Rick hosts KSQD’s Narrative Species, which airs every Friday at 5pm and is also podcasted. He has episodes stretching all the back to 2002, and his guests run the gamut from world renowned best sellers, to Pulitzer Prize winners, as well as the rare jewels you might never have caught wind of without Rick’s keen eye for the grand tale. In this show we visit some of the “best of” with an eye towards inspiring you to hit the library, or perhaps the bookstore, for a stack of wonders to take home or gift to another at this special time of year.

Enjoy these podcasts from Narrative Species covering the authors highlighted in this show:

Bonnie Macbird: What Child Is This? https://narrativespecies.wordpress.com/2022/11/11/bonnie-macbird-what-child-is-this/

Andrew Sean Greer: Less and Less is Lost https://narrativespecies.wordpress.com/2022/10/13/andrew-sean-greer-less-is-lost/

Kim Stanley Robinson: The High Sierra A Love Story https://narrativespecies.wordpress.com/2022/08/24/kim-stanley-robinson-the-high-sierra-a-love-story/

Angela Slatter: Sourdough; The Path of Thorns https://narrativespecies.wordpress.com/2022/07/13/angela-slatter-the-path-of-thorns/

Jane Pek: The Verifiers https://narrativespecies.wordpress.com/2022/06/17/jane-pek-the-verifiers/

Jennife Egan: A Visit from the Goon Squad; The Candy House

On this episode of “Talk of the Bay”, host Bodie Shargel dives into housing issues in Santa Cruz with Sibley Simon, a local housing advocate, founder of New Way Homes, and a partner at Workbench. The conversation stems from Simon’s participation at this past summer’s housing forum hosted by Lookout Santa Cruz and Housing Santa Cruz County, which featured discussions on state and local policies impacting housing development. Topics included the tension between state mandates and local control, the effects of supply-and-demand dynamics on rent, and the challenges of building affordable housing within current cost structures.

Simon highlighted how state laws, particularly those limiting local discretion on projects that meet zoning rules, have streamlined housing approvals and led to increased development. However, he noted persistent challenges, such as high construction costs and the lack of public/private capital investment, that make it difficult to meet the community’s need for affordable housing. The discussion also touched on controversial local projects, including the mixed-use Foodbin project and the Clock Tower Center proposal, and the importance of engaging the community early in the development process to address concerns constructively.

In closing, Simon emphasized the need for systemic changes to lower development costs and foster collaboration between developers and the broader community. The episode underscores the urgency of innovative approaches to tackling the housing crisis while balancing local and state priorities.

Past interview:

Sibley Simon of New Way Homes on the housing crisis, affordability, infill, and innovative financing

Meet our new “Squid on the Street” UCSC Humanities intern, Maury Burnette-Cavoto. She asks: “How long could you go without your cell phone?”. The answers may surprise you.

Santa Cruz Gives is the brainchild of Jeanne Howard former publisher of Good Times weekly. It’s a local crowdfunding site where people can support many local good deeds and projects in one spot. Guests are Karen Delaney and Leslie Lee of the Volunteer Center, one of the partners in Santa Cruz Gives. The conversation ranged from the role of nonprofits in safety net and arts programs to the huge need they fill in creating a livable community. KSQD is one of 63 nonprofits raising funds on the site which provides organizations with local matching funds proportionately to the number of donors and dollars raised.Santacruzgives.org

It’s time to give thanks to the folks who harvest our food. California’s farmworkers feed the world. KSQD presents excerpts from Rachel Anne Goodman’s Pastures of Plenty: A History of California Farmworkers documentary series. Guided by host, Luis Valdez, we’ll hear the voices of immigrants from China, Japan, the Philipines, Mexico and more, telling this long and dramatic story of the “Ellis Island of the West”, the agricultural fields.

Host PK Hattis is joined by the wonderfully talented and incisive local writer Manjula Martin. Martin is author of The Last Fire Season: A Personal and Pyronatural History, as well as Fruit Trees for Every Garden, a book she coauthored alongside her father, the master orchardist and horticulturist Orin Martin, which won the 2020 American Horticultural Society Book Award. She also edited the anthology Scratch: Writers, Money, and the Art of Making a Living, and was managing editor of the National Magazine Award-winning literary journal Zoetrope: All-Story.

Martin, A Santa Cruz native who now resides further up the coast in Sonoma County, recently published a short and timely essay in The New Yorker magazine last month called “The Rebellion of a Fruitless Apple Tree.” Like the rest of us, Martin is settling into her fall routines—observing the leaves as they change colors; enjoying the feel of a soft sweater on a chilly evening. But readers of Martin know that nothing can beat what the natural world can offer, and for this season, that offering came in the form of an apple tree.

Being the nature-inspired author that she is, Martin can observe the burgeoning orchards that adorn the local landscape and harvest much more than what meets the eye. “The Rebellion of the Fruitless Apple Tree” is at once a heartfelt ode to the apple and a raw meditation on family, friendship, our culture’s demand for evidenced achievement as well as humanity’s relationship to the natural world in a time of unrelenting change.

We were so lucky to have Manjula calling in from her home to discuss all of this and much more. But it also seemed appropriate to go to the root of the tree for this show, so we were doubly lucky to be joined by the master pruner himself, Orin Martin, also calling in from his Santa Cruz abode. Orin graciously agreed to impart at least some of the horticulture knowledge he’s spent a lifetime accruing, but we’ll see if we can’t pluck from him a few literal gems while we’re at it.

Show Links:

The Rebellion of a Fruitless Apple Tree: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/onward-and-upward-in-the-garden/the-rebellion-of-a-fruitless-apple-tree

The Last Fire Season: A Personal and Pyronatural History: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-last-fire-season-a-california-memoir-manjula-martin/20010879?ean=9780593317150

Host Janet Quinn will be talking with Brian Sweeney, the Director of Operations for the Homeless Garden Project and Loren Schneider, the Social Enterprise and Value Added Retail manager.

You’ll hear about their Winter program which creates artisan crafts and organic products grown from the garden. Their retail sales provide ongoing financial support.

Learn about their upcoming “Holiday Celebration” which includes the film “Food Inc 2” with award winning writer and film producer, Eric Schlosser

Links:https://homelessgardenproject.org/https://shop.homelessgardenproject.org/https://homelessgardenproject.org/stores/

Social media links:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homelessgardenproject_store/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HomelessGardenProject/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/1222623/admin/feed/posts/X: https://twitter.com/HomelessGrdnPrjTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@homelessgardenproj_store?lang=en

On November 21st, 2024, Congress passed the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, aka HR 9495. If signed into law, the bill would hand huge powers to the Trump administration to declare any nonprofit they dislike to be a “terrorist-supporting” organization and strip them of their nonprofit status without having to share the evidence as to why this designation was given in the first place.

Democrats, including Monterey Bay area Congressional Representative Jimmy Panetta, voted for it against stiff opposition from local nonprofit leaders and activists who lobbied hard and whittled down the number of Democratic votes from 72 on a previous vote to 15.

In this interview, we hear from local activist, Rick Longinotti, Lead Counsel for the ACLU, Kia Hamadanchy, and Eric Gorovitz, attorney at Adler and Colvin law firm in San Francisco, and author of the blog, A&C Nonprofit News.

Slate Article

Jimmy Panetta’s Letter Explaining his VoteCongressman Panetta Response

The president-elect has threatened to deport millions of undocumented people, including farmworkers. What would that do to our food prices? What will it do to families where one parent is without papers? We hear from immigration attorney, Blanca Zarazua from Salinas, and Dr. Ann Lopez from the Center for Farmworker Families, a charity that provides food and clothing to families in need.

This Talk of the Bay includes phone-in comments from listeners, and guests Erik Nelson, host, What a Week, KSQD, and Adam Spickler, a Cabrillo College Trustee and political observer.

Santa Cruz County voters have several ballot initiatives and two county supervisor races to vote on, including city council races in three cities. We took time to go through several measures and candidates with Santa Cruz Local editor, Stephen Baxter and reporter, Jesse Kathan. Santa Cruz Local is a nonprofit, nonpartisan online news service covering Santa Cruz County. Below is a link to the Santa Cruz Local election guide.

Santa Cruz Local Election Guide

Stephen Baxter and Jessie Kathan show off their squid pride, all tentacles on board!

Some of you may have heard: We’re having an election next week. And while there’s, rightly, lots of focus on the various candidates and the measures that voters will weigh in on in only a few days, there is not as much attention on how elections are actually run. To help shed some light on the months of planning and preparation done by county workers and local volunteers, not to mention the many sleepless nights that lie ahead.Talk of the Bay Host PK Hattis in conversation with Tricia Webber, the Santa Cruz County clerk of elections. Webber walks us through what we can expect on election night and in the days after, how voting has changed over the years, what turnout levels typically look like and lots, lots more.https://votescount.santacruzcountyca.gov/https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/

In this engaging interview, Kristen Brown, the current mayor of Capitola and candidate for Santa Cruz County Supervisor (District 2), discusses the final stretch of her campaign with host Bodie Shargel.

In the final week, Brown’s campaign to focus on get-out-the-vote efforts, reconnecting with supporters, and ensuring ballots are submitted. She also mentions plans to attend a conference on transit and transportation immediately after the election, showing her continued commitment to public service, regardless of the outcome.

Brown concludes the interview expressing gratitude and enthusiasm for the opportunity to serve, emphasizing her readiness to “hit the ground running” if elected.

This lively conversation offers insight into both the logistical challenges of campaigning and the personal motivations behind Brown’s candidacy, highlighting her passion for community service and local governance.

On Talk of the Bay, Meilin Obinata hosts guests who will discuss the roles of conversation and misinformation which may change the way you look at what makes up effective voter outreach and your own media consumption habits. First up will be misinformation expert Bertha Vazquez of the Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science. We will also hear from Elizabeth Chur, author of The Joy of Talking Politics with Strangers: Saving Democracy, One Conversation at a time.

Bertha Vazquez will give a free talk on detecting and dealing with misinformation, titled “Don’t Believe Everything You Believe,” at the Aptos Branch Library, on Soquel Drive near State Park Drive, on Saturday, November 16, from 2 to 4 pm. Presented by Santa Cruz County Skeptics and the Center for Inquiry.

You can learn more about Bertha Vazquez here: https://centerforinquiry.org/speakers/vazquez_bertha/

You can learn more about Elizabeth Chur by visiting her website here: https://elizabethchur.com/ and subscribe to her newsletters here: https://talkwithvoters.substack.com/

On November 5th, residents of Santa Cruz will be asked if they agree to be taxed 2 cents per fluid ounce of sugar-sweetened drinks. Having pushed a similar bill at a statewide level, former state senator, Bill Monning has insights about the dynamics of a similar local tax and how it might be a benefit to public health.

Thirty-five years ago, the Loma Prieta earthquake changed life for locals in the Monterey Bay area and the San Francisco Bay area. In this program, we hear from Tony Russomanno, who was a reporter for KGO TV at the time, and Fred Keeley, who was a Santa Cruz County supervisor. We hear many different voices from the area reminiscing about the event and its meaning in their lives.

It has been just over two years since the Pajaro Valley Health Care District acquired Watsonville Community Hospital and returned it to public ownership for the first time in decades. But that didn’t happen by accident and in many ways, it’s a miracle the hospital is still operating at all.

In 2021, the hospital’s then-private ownership group declared bankruptcy after years of financial hardship, raising the very real possibility that the South County health care hub could fold for good and reduce the number of hospital’s in a county of 270,000 residents to just one.

A grassroots fundraising campaign was quickly organized and in less than six months, it collected $65.5 million dollars from more than 450 donors that was used to purchase the hospital and save it from dissolution. This happened in conjunction with an effort from lawmakers in Sacramento who fast-tracked legislation establishing the health care district so it could ultimately assume ownership of the hospital after the purchase had been made.

Two years on from what local officials called “the largest community fundraising campaign in the history of Santa Cruz County” Talk of the Bay Host PK Hattis was joined in-studio by Tony Nunez, chair of the health care district’s board, and Watsonville Hospital CEO Steven Grey.

Together they reflected on the historic fundraising effort that saved the hospital, talked about what the hospital needs to become financially sustainable and discussed the important role it plays in bringing a measure of health care equity to a county that has plenty of room for improvement

As many local residents can attest—navigating septic requirements in Santa Cruz County can be a dirty business. But, does it have to be?In the wake of the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fires, it has been well-documented that many residents whose homes burned down in the blaze have struggled to rebuild or have given up entirely with many citing septic requirements as a major obstacle.

For instance, after extensive planning, some residents were told their previous septic system was outdated and had to be upgraded in order to proceed with the build—a cost prohibitive proposition for cash-strapped residents trying to move home.

Moreover, when we look at the sanitation landscape through a wider lens, it brings into focus a whole host of other issues associated with how we process and dispose of human waste.

What happens when disaster strikes and entire communities are left without a functioning wastewater system? How about water scarce regions that can’t afford to flush a precious resource down the toilet a few times per day? And, like most resource-driven issues, climate change has already supercharged the problem.

Talk of the Bay Host PK Hattis recently sat down with Alisa Keesey and Ryan Smith from GiveLove, a California-based nonprofit promoting the use of container-based sanitation systems. Keesey, the organization’s co-founder and director, and Smith, its technical lead, say not only are these water-free systems environmentally sustainable, but they’re easy to set up and use.

Keesey and Smith walk us through the benefits of container-based sanitation in the climate change era and describe a pilot program that has been launched in Santa Cruz County that puts these systems to the test.

Allan Fisher, resident of Santa Cruz, is an active member of the Palestine Justice Coalition and the Panetta Vigil for Human Rights in the Middle East. He is the son of Holocaust survivors from Germany. Now retired, he taught ESL for 37 years at City College of San Francisco.

Dr. Rolla Alaydi is an educator, teacher, and author of the book NORAH: From My Grandmother’s Kitchen: Palestinian Recipes and Memories. Born in Almaghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, she now resides in Pacific Grove, where she is an active member of the community. As a single mom, Rolla is tirelessly working to raise awareness and funds to help rescue 21 family members trapped in Gaza. Tragically, she has lost 52 relatives, including her aunt Zainab, who was killed in Israeli bombing of her home in Gaza. Rolla’s mission is deeply rooted in advocacy and support for her family. There is a gofundme campaign to raise funds to help the survivors of her family get out of Gaza to safety.

Dianne Monroe is a former journalist, playwright, arts educator and workshop facilitator, now in her elder years. She is inspired by her work as part of Rolla Alaydi’s family support team, and eager to share from her experience. Her longstanding commitment to Palestinian freedom, equality and dignity is rooted in her origins as the child of a Jewish family that was fortunate to escape the Holocaust.

References cited:

https://www.qasimrashid.com/p/one-year-after-107

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israel-war-gaza-numbers-hamas-palestine-b2623961.html

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2024/10/8/one-year-of-israels-war-on-gaza-by-the-numbers

https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-806634

Image credit: Al Jazeera

Wild Monterey Bay: Up Close and Personal Wildlife Encounters is a new book of stories and photographs of meetings with whales, dolphins, octopus and other dwellers of our wonderful Monterey Bay. Lisa Uttal, Outreach and Media Director for NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and Jodi Frediani, editor and photographer talk about the many fantastic stories of humans encountering the amazing diversity of life living just offshore.

Gary Griggs, UCSC Distinguished Professor of Earth Sciences tells us about his new book, California Catastrophes: The Natural Disaster History of the Golden State, about the history of disasters in our state and what we can expect in the future.

In this episode, we hear from Jacqui Atchison, Executive Director of the Arts Council of Monterey County about their Open Studios weekend, arts in the schools, and how local venues for performing arts are faring post-covid.

Talk of the Bay host Len Beyea leads a discussion about housing affordability and, in particular, the rent control initiative on California’s November ballot, Proposition 33. Participants include Lira Filipini, Rick Longinotti, and Lee Brokaw.

Proposition 33 on the November ballot would replace the 1994 Costa Hawkins act with the following: “The state may not limit the right of any city, county, or city and county to maintain, enact or expand residential rent control.” The Costa Hawkins act restricted local government rent control to only apply to apartment buildings built prior to 1994, and required that rent controls be lifted whenever an apartment changed tenants or a property was sold. As a result, opponents of rent control can point to cities that have it and claim that it does not work. It is so limited, that it applies to less than half of all rentals in those cities and counties where it is in effect, and then only temporarily, until there is a change of owner or tenant. Proposition 33 would lift those restrictions, but does not create rent control. Whether and how to implement rent control would still be left up to individual cities and counties.

One economist has claimed that rent control has negative impacts on rental housing. Meanwhile, 32 other economists submitted a letter to the Biden administration in favor of implementing national rent control. The “No” campaign has already outspent the “Yes” campaign by a ratio of 3 to 1. More than 90% of contributions to the “No” campaign come from the California Apartment Association and the California Association of Realtors.

Since 2015, Alan Tigay has been the host of the website World Listening Post, on which he has reviewed albums from 95 countries; most recently on the site, he published a list of The Global 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Earlier in his career, Alan wrote op-eds, features, travel articles, reviews and humor for a variety of newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Newsday, Chicago Sun-Times, American Heritage, Travel Holiday and National Lampoon. He was executive editor of the New York-based Hadassah Magazine for many years, administered a literary prize, and served as a judge for the National Magazine Awards. Alan has degrees from the University of Michigan and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

In this interview we talk about Alan’s 2-1/2 years of research compiling the Global 500 list, sample several of the songs on the list, and hear the stories behind the songs.

On September 28th, the Queer, Trans, & Allied Student Summit of the Central Coast held a day-long event. In this interview, we hear from three people involved in organizing it. The guests were:

Stuart Rosenstein, organizerAndrea Damon: Parent, Understanding Gender ConferenceTyra Williams: Queer, Trans, & Allied Student Summit of the Central CoastThe conference had the following goals:

Experience workshops created by fellow youth and community organizers.
Meet students from throughout Santa Cruz County, Monterey County, and San Benito County — from Watsonville, Salinas, Soledad, Monterey, San Juan Bautista to Scotts Valley — who are working to help create safer schools in their communities!
Have access to a resource fair which provides useful support for LGBTQIA+ youth, allies, and families.
Empower and liberate lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, trans, non-binary, queer, intersex, asexual, questioning, and allied youth.
Each student who registers will receive a personalized goodie bag and free t-shirt with a custom design!

Santa Cruz County is a popular and iconic destination for tourists from all over the world. We look at the pros and cons of tourism for the locals. Visit Santa Cruz is the local tourism agency that tracks things like hotel stays and jobs in one of the area’s main economic engines, tourism. In this interview, we hear from Terence Concannon, Executive Director of Visit Santa Cruz about the latest data and what that says about the future of tourism. Here are some statistics from their latest report:

Hotel demand was up, but rates dipped from the prior year leading to RevPAR and room revenue finishing just below performance from last July. Demand was up 2.7% YOY pushing occupancy to 79.4% for the month. ADR came down -3% YOY to $227, leading to RevPAR finishing at $180. Santa Cruz County hotels collected just shy of $25 million in room revenue, down -0.3% from last July.

Short term rental demand in the county was down -0.7% YOY, revenue for these properties was buoyed by rate strength as ADR climbed up 7.7% YOY to $430. Supply of short-term rentals expanded by 11.2% from last July, leading to a -3.9% YOY drop in RevPAR which finished at $194.

There were 15.8K leisure and hospitality jobs in the region at the end of July 2024, up 1.3% from the prior year although not fully recovered to pre-pandemic July 2019 employment levels. The industry represents 15.6% of total non-farm jobs in the region. At the end of June, the job opening rate for leisure and hospitality was down 4%, it was a 5.2% in June 2023, suggesting that employers in the sector are more successful at filling available positions.

US leisure and hospitality hourly wage growth (+30.9%) has outpaced that of private sector hourly wages (+22.8%), in comparison of cumulative increases from February 2020. Consumer prices since that period have grown 17.9%, with wage gains outpacing strong inflation (source: BLS, BEA)

Continuing to watch travel intent by income group versus economic reality, low-income groups remain a concern as credit card delinquency rates continue to rise, now 3.2%. Higher income households however, which show strong travel intent, currently account for more than 60% of hotel spending.

Soul and Hip-Hop singer, Gina Rene and organizer Ana Elizabeth, Musical Soulmates board member, stop by to talk (and sing) to share about “Let the Caged Bird Sing”, an afternoon of soulful music. Musical Soulmates is a newly-formed nonprofit performing arts collective that centers black performers and is hosting a concert for survivors of domestic violence at the Walnut Avenue Women’s Center in Santa Cruz Sunday the 22nd at 4pm.

Tickets:

Musical Soulmates delivers another awe-inspiring array of songs in honor of survivors:

Songs that hold space, renew the spirit, acknowledge the devastation of racism and colonialism and its impact on families, and encourage and empower listeners.

True to the Musical Soulmates Performers Collaborative mission statement, this program centers Black songwriters and performers, radiates vibrancy, and will deliver healing and joy.

Vocalists: Gina René, Ariel Thiermann, Anthony Jones

Guest appearances: Jocelyn Reyes, Sage Clearleaf, and more…

Performers Collab Band:

Etienne Franc, Bass

Zack Kirk Olsen, Drums

Kate Saphir Alm, Piano and Director

On Sunday 11:30 at Resurrection Church, 7600 Soquel Drive in Aptos, faith and political leaders will share ideas and activities to inspire action on climate change. Speakers include Rabbi Shifra Weiss-Penzia, Deacon Patrick Conway, Senator John Laird, Zen leader, Tenzin Chogkyi, and others.

For more information:

https://sczc.org/news-and-teachings/2024/7/13/climate-fest-2024-you-can-make-a-difference

On Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling welcomes Ann Osterman, outgoing producer of Santa Cruz County’s acclaimed Open Studios Art Tour, collage artist Bree Karpavage, past artist and incoming producer, and painter Jason Cohen, first time presenter in the art tour. Open Studios takes place the first three weekends in October and is free to the public. Visit the website to learn more!

This episode of Talk of the Bay includes bonus material gathered by Nyanko Nyasu. It includes the perspectives of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s supporters, who are passionate about his health policies and disillusioned by low media coverage and ballot restrictions leading up to his surprising support for Donald Trump. Included are grassroots activists, health care workers, and lifelong Democrats turned independents, describing their frustrations with the political system. The last 30 minutes are an episode of Talk of the Bay recorded on 07/09/2024, featuring host Chris Krohn engaging with three supporters of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign: grassroots organizer Barbara Lee, artist Russell Brutsche, and podcaster David Charles Plate. Barbara shares her personal journey from being a former Democrat to a vocal RFK Jr. supporter, highlighting his environmental work, opposition to COVID-19 mandates, and vision for uniting a divided America. Russell discusses his politically themed artwork, including a piece featuring RFK Jr., and the creative process behind it. David reflects on his initial skepticism of Kennedy and his transformation into a supporter, referring to RFK’s ability to admit mistakes and evolve on issues like U.S. foreign policy in Israel and Ukraine. The discussion also touches on broader political concerns, such as frustrations with partisan division, censorship, and the influence of pharmaceutical companies. The episode concludes with a conversation about the campaign for RFK Jr. and a reflection on the current political landscape.

What’s funny in Santa Cruz? Pretty much everything when it comes to the comedians who gather here for the 11th annual Santa Cruz Comedy Festival October 1-5. The Festival draws comics from around the country to entertain us at 17 different venues, many of them free. DNA, local comedian and comedy promoter, is the energy behind this festival, and he joined host Suki Wessling for a wide-ranging conversation about Santa Cruz, comedy, and why we need to laugh. Take a listen!

Santa Cruz Comedy Festival
Buy tickets for October 4’s event at the Rio Theater

The Festival is co-sponsored by KSQD!

Katie Thompson is the new Executive Director of Save Our Shores, the organization which runs the annual Coast Cleanup among other great ocean conservation programs.

This episode of Talk of the Bay, with host Meilin Obinata, honors Labor Day by diving into modern labor issues with health and technology workers. We heard from an anonymous local CVS worker, who shared some of the workplace struggles workers are experiencing, and the role customers can serve to advocate for workers when we visit retail environments. The show included a snippet of music by Jimmy Kelly from the Labor Day festivities hosted by the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council in Romo Park in Watsonville, California.

We spent the bulk of the show with Mia Casesa and Ike McCreery of the Tech Workers Coalition. Casesa and McCreery shared their individual journeys to developing an awareness of themselves as workers – Mia, coming from a fine arts and graphic design background, and Ike from a math, computer science and engineering one. Despite having experiences which appear different on the surface, both found alienation as workers whether from precarious employment post-college leading to jobs paying less than before college or becoming disillusioned with the purposes to which tech employers were directing one’s labor.

Artificial intelligence came up as a topic at different points in our discussion – in the context of Project Maven, a project which attracted labor actions from workers at Google, in response to the goal of producing AI software for the US military along with the different ways the unions in Hollywood handled the issue of AI. We also heard about the role of technology companies in politics and within military applications of tech.

The definition of who “is” a tech worker is something the guests defined as encompassing not only engineers and designers such as the guests but culinary workers, drivers and other workers within tech companies who hold a variety of responsibilities.

The guests invited the workers in the audience to visit the Tech Workers Coalition site and join the Slack.

The Tech Workers Coalition is hosting an event “Circuit Breakers” Saturday October 12 and Sunday October 13 in San Francisco: https://techworkerscoalition.org/circuit-breakers/

To learn more about topics from the show, feel free to see these links:

https://labornotes.org/techcon2023https://kickstarterunited.org/link to article about Google’s Project Maven to provide artificial intelligence software to the US military which caused some workers to quit in protest https://archive.ph/BOCLJ

Sharing the Moment of Truth with Ami Chen Mills episode of an interview of Malcolm Harris, the author of the book “Palo Alto” which covers the hidden history of Silicon Valley from the last 170 years and may be of interest to listeners of this Talk of the Bay program. This interview by Paris Marx on the podcast, Tech Won’t Save Us, of Harris includes Harris’s explanation of the role of Filipino and Vietnamese immigrant labor in the early years of Apple Computer.

Scott Gale is on the board of the Monterey History & Art Association. He is the curator of the Jo Mora: Cartographer exhibit, which is currently on display at The Stanton Center on Custom House Plaza in Monterey. For several months, Scott has been planning the upcoming Jo Mora Gathering weekend, to be held October 5-6 in Monterey, with Peter Hiller. Peter is the author of the book “The Life and Times of Jo Mora.”

Scott has a passion for art, no doubt inherited. His grandfather was Donald Teague, a highly-regarded, Carmel-based illustrator for The Saturday Evening Post and Collier’s, as well as an outstanding fine artist. His great grandfather was Harry Timmins, another highly regarded illustrator during the Golden Era of Illustration. Scott is a semi-retired physician, and lives in Carmel with his wife Nina.

John Hunt is a collaborator at the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation and a research toxicologist at the University of California, Davis. For over 20 years he co-directed the Marine Pollution Studies Laboratory at Granite Canyon on the Big Sur Coast, doing water pollution research around Monterey Bay and throughout California. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Environmental Studies from UCSC and has published 60 scientific journal articles.

His most recent work has been in support of wetland restoration and other water resource management projects. He has served for 12 years on the Santa Cruz County Commission on the Environment, which focuses primarily on climate change risk reduction and environmental justice.

He recently joined a small team at the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation to write a successful grant proposal to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to fund climate adaptation projects that make vulnerable Monterey Bay communities more resilient to climate change impacts. The proposal brought together 21 partners from around the region to join the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation to help reduce risks from floods and wildfires and build capacity for future climate adaptation work.

It seems all manner of e-bikes are popping up across Santa Cruz County more and more—on trails, in streets, outside schools and grocery stores. Sometimes, the e-bikes are even carrying two passengers at a time as they zip down the roadway.

The electrified two-wheelers are more popular than ever and are giving thousands of local residents a new way to exercise, explore and, perhaps most importantly, commute around town without falling prey to the county’s notoriously hellish traffic.

But with anything new and widely available, e-bikes have presented some challenges. Stories continue to surface about local residents having dangerously close encounters with e-bikes along public sidewalks and some in the community are voicing concerns about safety protocols and methods for ensuring each rider has basic competencies before hitting the streets.

Matt Miller is a program manager with Ecology Action where he has worked to promote the usage of bicycles as a safe, viable, convenient and clean transportation option.

Miller has been using and studying e-bikes for years and recently joined Talk of the Bay for an in-depth discussion about the county’s hottest transportation topic. We’ll ask Miller what he’s seeing in terms of local trends on the ground, what the rules of the road are, what sorts of models are legal/illegal and much, much more.

Photo: A standard BMC e-bike with a yellow pannier. Credit: Matt Miller

NextStage is a theater and music project for seniors over 50. It includes the latest production, Storytelling: Encounters with Magic. In this episode, we hear from five of the sixteen participants who wrote personal narratives and who will perform them on Saturday the 31st at Actor’s Theater in Santa Cruz. Tickets at the door.

Last day of the DNC! Joy Schendledecker hosts this show with Chris Krohn and Ami Chen Mills—finally in the same room at the DNC. Uncommitted delegates have held a vigil overnight outside of Chicago’s United Center. Chris runs into Amy Goodman attheir press conference and Ami finally gets to interview Medhi Hasan, who was cancelled at MSNBC after reporting on the war for several months.

Some more thoughts on who is included at the DNC, and who is not—with an excerpt from the speech of the father of Hersh, currently held hostage with over a hundred others in Gaza.

Plus: the Mayor of Baltimore talks about the Biden-Harris administration and what they have done for US cities.

Wednesday with KSQD at the DNC! Chris Krohn continues to report out on protesters while AmI Chen Mills is trying to get her bearings, running into Michael Cohen and Medhi Hasan (formerly of MSNBC).

PK Hattis hosts this conversation, which includes the difference between the joy inside the DOC and the sorrow and anguish outside of the DNC with pro-Palestinian protestors and uncommitted delegates .…

Navigating the chaos of 23,000 people and a full on media circus. The new alternative news media: creators! Ami bumps into Walter Masterson and Andrew Pearlman of @Pearlmania.

Trolling Fascism with Walter Masterson

link to Ami Chen Mill’s Medium article about today’s DNC events

Tonight on KSQD’s Talk of the Bay, we will continue our week-long coverage of the Democratic National Convention, describing events both inside and outside this quadrennial gathering. Tonight’s report will include interviews with a proud Zionist who was among a group of 40 protesting the protesters. Then we interview two Palestinian women who say that the goal is not returning to the pre-1967 border, but rather the pre-1948 one. We also go to the convention floor where we catch up with Santa Cruz County Democrat delegates, Nelly Vaquera and Lani Faulkner. We’ll also include a brief interview with Silicon Valley Rep. Ro Khanna about the dire state of housing in California. In addition, we will take a look at the evening’s Democratic Party dance card of politicos who are set to speak to the over 4000 delegates and alternates gathered here in Chicago.

Bodie Shargel is the host of tonight’s Talk of the Bay on KSQD 90.7, 89.7, and 89.5FM and streaming on KSQD.org.

Chris Krohn will be reporting from the DNC in Chicago. Join us at 5p (PT) tonight. Go HERE for the livestream beginning at 5p Pacific time.

Live from the DNC! Tonight on Talk of the Bay, Chris Krohn and Meilin Obinata take you into the Democratic National Convention—protests, Jesse Jackson tribute, and the Progressive Democrats “Progressive Central.” It’s not just about “gavel to gavel” coverage because there’s a lot going on outside of the United Center where the Democrats are meeting. Thousands are protesting, workers are rallying, and a variety of alternative visions are on various stages around the City With Big Shoulders, Chicago, Illinois. We catch up with Santa Cruz County convention delegates Nelly Vaquera and Lani Falkner, along with national political celebrities Rep. Barbara Lee, Rev. Al Sharpton, the Nation Magazine’s president Bharskar Sunkara, tonight on Talk of the Bay’s, “What’s Left of the Left?” 5p on KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org

In this Part II of our series on “Sad Francisco,” we continue our deep dive into the history of the tech executives, crypto billionaires and venture capital/incubator heads who have attempted a (relatively successful) coup in San Francisco and now appear to be organizing a coup on behalf Donald Trump and JD Vance, who worked in San Franciso for Peter Thiel’s Mithril. Long time Bay Area journalists D. Scot Miller and Kevin L. Jones, with the Doom Loop Dispatch podcast weigh in on the connections between Thiel and other VC and tech execs like Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz, Garry Tan, Balaji Srinivasan, Ron Conway and others who, aligned with the YIMBY movement, have tilted San Francisco politics right of center and are now allied with MAGA. How might this impact Santa Cruz, CA or your own “Blue” city? Just what do these people want? Is anti-Blackness at the heart of this agenda?

Links and Resources:

David Talbot and a Season of the Witch interview

Emily Mills on Twitter, formerly known as Prince, now known as Cr*p. (Yes, we are dead-naming Twitter)

Gil Duran’s essential article at The New Republic, from April, 2024

Gil Duran on Twitter

Gil Duran on Substack.

The Sad Franciso Podcast, with Toshio Meronek

The Doom Loop Dispatch Pod

Strive CEO Matt Cole on Linked In (funded by JD Vance’s Narya)

The Phoenix Papers report (Part I) on Big Money in SF Politics

Peter Thiel’s Praxis Co. plans an autonomous city in the Mediterranean

International “Network State” projects

Kelly Hayes on Christo-nationalism and Techno-fascism

News outlets reporting on all this:

48 Hills

Mission Local

The San Francisco Standard (note funded by billionaire Michael Moritz, who is also allied with California Forever, etc.)

One of our early shows with Ali Collins, a recalled School Board Trustee in San Francisco

Who is electing Kamala Harris to be the nominee for the Democratic Party? Well first, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) delegates have to give her the thumbs up. Who are these delegates? Host Chris Krohn has a conversation with our three Santa Cruz county delegates Nelly Vaquero-Boggs, Lani Faulkner, and Tony Russomanno.What do delegates do at a convention? Do they get to vote on meaningful resolutions? What about Democratic Party debates around universal healthcare, a ceasefire in Gaza, a national minimum wage increase, and a national law supporting a woman’s right to choose? Are these part of the delegate discussions? Listen to our informative podcast and find out.

There has long been a connection and cultural exchange between Santa Cruz and the small coastal town of Dingle, Ireland. They are both tourist towns by the sea, they are both rich places for live music, and they harbor a love for the land. Many Dingle musicians have played in the area, and many Santa Cruz musicians have traveled to Dingle for the music. This July, 23 UC Santa Cruz Students went with me and my husband Steve Coulter to Dingle,Ireland, County Kerry to study writing and podcasting for five weeks. This program presents the six podcasts students produced while studying there. They range from stories about wool production to a portrait of a young Irish musician to explorations of the Irish language. Enjoy.

Talk of the Bay covers the last day (Day 4) of the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee. Chris Krohn and Isabel O’Malley-Krohn interview Rapper Forgiato Blow whose video with Amber Rose appeared on the big screen at the RNC. We asked other delegates about what they knew about Trump’s VP choice, J.D. Vance and where the party is headed. One of those responses is from a Central Coast deputy district attorney and Trump delegate from San José. We came away with some surprising responses. Hosted by Joy Schendledecker and Chris Krohn. Produced and engineered by Nyanko Nyasu.

Lee Brokaw is a Santa Cruz resident, a Vietnam-era Veteran, and Chair of the local ACLU Police Accountability & Transparency Committee. He has been a building contractor for over 35 years. He is an advocate for compassion and common sense in public policy. He has an MS in Chemistry. Lee sends out a daily email brief covering local news and politics. You can sign up for his email list by emailing lee45_94306 “at” yahoo “dot” com.

Photo courtesy of Lookout Santa Cruz.

Monday on Talk of the Bay, host Christine Barrington explores the abundance of well being made possible through connecting with nature.

The first half of the show features Brenda Holmes, Executive Director of the Mountain Parks Foundation. For 50 years this local non-profit has been enriching the lives of State Park visitors through educational and experiential programs. Learn about their history, mission, and new Redwood Rx curriculum designed to enhance your well-being and connection to the flora and fauna that make Santa Cruz a world-class eco-destination.

In the second half of the show meet Kai Seidenberg, a Redwood Rx facilitator, and founder of Our Nature Connection, which creates programs and resources that inspire people to connect with nature as a path to greater peace, joy, and healing in their lives and in the world.

That’s Talk of the Bay, Monday at 5pm on K-Squid. Your community radio station for all of the Monterey Bay.

How has the attempted assassination on former President Donald Trump’s life affected delegates at this convention?

Chris Krohn and Isabel O’Malley-Krohn confront several Republican delegates to talk to about how the attempted assassination of Donald Trump on July 14th in Butler, Pennsylvania, changed the tone and tenor within this GOP convention? Three of these delegates– the first one is Mike from Portland, Tx. then Kathy from Orange County, Ca. and Cynthia from L.A. County—offer their analysis and it’s steeped in God and political conspiracies. Then, Christina Bellantoni, the Director of the Media Center and the Professor of professional practice at the USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism offers her learned opinions on the electoral college and the selection of RNC delegates. Bodie Shargel and Joe Thompson are the studio hosts.

The political events and strategizing within the Republican National Convention have been taking place at lightening speed in the aftermath of an assassination attempt on the life of former President Donald Trump’s at a rally in Bethel, Pennsylvania. The current fears being expressed by delegates, along with heightened security, is bringing an air of foreboding to the four-day event, which opened Monday, July 15th. Chris Krohn was on the ground and inside the security zone enshrouding the Fiserv Forum, the venue where Trump accepted the nomination for President. Monday’s events included a protest by the “Coalition to March on the DNC.” Coalition spokesperson, Omar Flores said, that “protesters will march where they want to march,” possibly setting up a confrontation with the hundreds of local, state, and federal police. That evening, inside the arena, Trump was to name his choice for vice-president. KSQD was there to report as events unfolded at the RNC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This episode of “Talk of the Bay” features studio hosts, Meilin Obinata, Joy Schendledecker, and Chris Krohn reporting from Milwaukee. The show and podcast were produced and engineered by Nyanko Nyasu.

In this episode of Talk of the Bay, hosts Meilin Obinata and Reggie Meisler dive into public records controversies in Atlanta and Santa Cruz in the world of cop cities popping up around the USA in the time after George Floyd protests. Our first guest, Joy Ramsingh, is representing the Atlanta Press Collective and the Lucy Parsons Lab in a case against the Atlanta Police Foundation, focused on records related to Atlanta 85 acre “Cop City” project for a law enforcement training center complete with a mock city. Our second guest was Ray Diaz of Santa Cruz Cop Watch which is suing the City of Santa Cruz and UC Santa Cruz for refusing public records requests. We also discussed the emails Santa Cruz Cop Watch produced from the City of Santa Cruz as the result of a public records request regarding a planned training center.

Links

https://x.com/uga1stamclinic/status/1762138235634119041?s=46

https://santacruzlocal.org/2024/05/02/new-training-facility-proposed-for-santa-cruz-police-and-fire/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/feb/28/university-of-california-student-strike-fired

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8fOP1JvSie/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3rRKR6rErm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/atlanta-cop-city-other-cities

https://www.eff.org/document/lpl-v-apf

https://isyourlifebetter.net/cop-cities-usa/

Charles Pasternak took on the role of Artistic Director for Shakespeare Santa Cruz in 2023. Before that he served as Artistic Director of The Porters of Hellsgate Theatre Company in Los Angeles for over fifteen years. He has had a wide-ranging career as an actor and director at theatres across this country, including American Players Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Clarence Brown Theatre, The Denver Center, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles, three seasons with The Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis and four with Shakespeare Santa Cruz.

James Perry has a M.A. in Museum Studies with an emphasis on Collections Management & Public History. He has served as Curator of Collections & Exhibits for the Valdez Museum & Historical Archive in Valdez, Alaska as well as the Museum of the Aleutians in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Locally, he has served as consultant to various organizations for special project initiatives, including the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea, the Royal Presidio Chapel, and Missions Carmel, San Juan Bautista, Soledad, and San Antonio de Padua. He has served the Monterey County Historical Society in various capacities since 1990, and is currently the Executive Director.

Note: some audio problems from ~:30 to ~2:40 only

Vachu Adu is an eclectic project of ancient instrumentation and sound. The musical performing duo, consisting of Machu Didgeridoos and Venus DelMar, offer live immersive musical performances. Based in Tucson, Arizona, Vachu Adu induces a sound journey that is empowered with professional artisanship and soothing to the soul. Amongst the many exquisite handmade instruments listeners will hear world-class didgeridoos, indigenous flutes, handpans, as well as singing bowls, percussion, and multilingual voices.

This Talk of the Bay with Meilin Obinata explores UC Santa Cruz’s Journey of Encampment, Arrests and Worker Strikes. We will learn about what led to the Friday, May 31st arrests of protesters on the University of Santa Cruz campus. Our guests include people arrested on that date who told us about the campus protests and arrests. We covered topics including the economic impact of research from the University of California, eyewitness accounts of the arrests, eyewitness accounts of emergency vehicle access, and reactions to a statement by the Chancellor of the UCSC, Cynthia Larive. Note that we called the Chancellor’s office on Friday, 5/31/24, on the day of the arrests and Monday, 6/3/24 but no one was answering the phone lines when we called. Larive did not attend the 6/14/24 UCSC graduation. KSBW obtained an email from Larive including the following: “…commencement is for our graduates and their families and friends, and we believe this decision will help keep the focus where it should be… on you.”

RESOURCES:

https://calmatters.org/newsletter/campus-protests-highway-patrol-ucla/

https://lookout.co/uc-graduate-student-worker-strike-officially-ends/

https://lookout.co/free-speech-and-civil-disobedience-lets-get-the-differences-straight-at-ucsc-protests/

https://lookout.co/pop-quiz-my-ucsc-students-understand-free-speech-do-you/

https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/uc-president-michael-v-drake-md-statement-campus-protests-and-arrests-uc-santa-cruz

https://apnews.com/article/uc-strike-palestine-protests-gaza-e31f9318cfe966d7541a92184642b9e4

https://lookout.co/pop-quiz-my-ucsc-students-understand-free-speech-do-you/

https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/san-jose-state-professor-put-on-leave-over-protest/

https://youtu.be/eegQFDS74M0?si=IGIP-bRU7I34FJMc

https://apnews.com/article/university-protest-gaza-israel-divest-police-9cdda079a5649d080f5438c350a209f1

https://cityonahillpress.com/2024/06/10/over-100-ucsc-gaza-solidarity-encampment-demonstrators-arrested-during-16-hour-standoff-with-police/

https://laist.com/news/health/medics-at-ucla-protest-say-police-weapons-drew-blood-cracked-bones

In this episode of Talk of the Bay hosted by Meilin Obinata, we’ll be talking about the hottest housing issues for renters and landlords with two guests from the board of the California Democratic Renters Council, which represents renters across California within the official Democratic Party: Susie Shannon, of Housing is a Human Right, and Esther Malkin of Monterey County Renters United. We also heard from Joy Schendledecker of Santa Cruz Cares, an advocacy group for the unhoused about the Grants Pass Supreme Court decision, which will impact the rights of the unhoused across the nation.

RESOURCES:

https://kion546.com/news/2024/05/03/city-of-salinas-discussing-potential-plans-for-rent-stabilization/https://www.montereyherald.com/2023/09/07/monterey-rental-registry-ordinance-draws-vitriolic-attacks-from-landlords/https://www.businessinsider.com/apartment-rent-increases-landlords-antitrust-lawsuits-real-estate-software-realpage-2024-4https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/05/21/rents-prices-swing-states-voters-disenchanted/72794026007/

Joy Schendledecker’s summary of the SCOTUS Grants Pass decision on Google Docs

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRkPvb9KdOKeh0mPYh5oy_eyuF1_9TNti9MBFSkFpFzZ-5jQ7A3GSu4dRhu1HdqN8LSgK1uCadakSro/pub

https://www.cademrenterscouncil.org/https://www.housingisahumanright.org/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/525067517887600https://www.instagram.com/santacruzcares/https://justiceforrenters.org/

This summer’s musical treat offered by the Cabrillo Stage is Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony-award winning “In the Heights”–his music-filled love letter to the community of his youth.

Host Christine Barrington interviews Artistic Director Andrea Hart, Production Director Estrella Esparza-Johnson, and Assistant Vocal Director and Hip-Hop Specialist, RJ Wayne, who share insights into the passion and commitment behind this stellar production, which previews on Thursday July 11th and runs through August 4th.

To purchase tickets: Cabrillo Stage: In The Heights or call the Box Office: 831-479-6154

Preview is July 11th, and Friday, July 12th is Opening Night!Curtain is 7:30pm for evening performances and 2:00pm for Sunday matinees.

There is a special matinee performance Saturday, August 3rd.

And there will be a post-show Q&A with actors and the creative team after the Sunday matinee July 14th

With recent reemergence of otter 841, the surfboard swiping sea critter raised in captivity, I’ll be facilitating a panel conversation that includes several sea otter experts and the local photographer whose fateful photos went viral about a year ago.

Otter 841 first entered the public’s consciousness last summer when she was spotted wrestling surfboards away from their owners at Santa Cruz’s famed surf break, Steamer Lane. It didn’t take long for photos and video footage of the seaward heists to go viral and news spread, literally, across the globe as organizations from The New York Times to the BBC clamored to the coast to get a look at her.

But local experts said the increased media attention also brought some unintended consequences, as members of the public soon began approaching all otters while kayaking or surfing in the ocean thinking perhaps it was a run in with the famous animal. This caused a disturbance to the otters’ habitat and threatened their ability to collect enough food to stay warm in the frigid Pacific Ocean.

The conversation will look to address how we can appreciate the natural beauty and creatures all around us without posing an unintentional threat to their wellbeing. We’ll also get the latest on otter 841 and the status of sea otters in general.

Guests include:

Mark Woodward, also known as “Native Santa Cruz” who took the original viral photos of 841.
Gena Bentall, Director of Sea Otter Savvy, a local nonprofit promoting the health and wellbeing of sea otters.
Lilian Carswell, a southern sea otter recovery coordinator with U.S. Fish and Wildlife.

Photo by: Mark Woodward (Native Santa Cruz)

Songs: Otter Girl by Alice D’Jardin & Otter 841 Song by Jeff McDermott.

June is Pride month across the nation and Santa Cruz set off the celebrations with their joyous parade on June 2. KSQD was there and captured the voices and spirit of one of longest-running Pride parades in the state. On this day people came in all their playful finest to line up and walk in solidarity with the LGBTQI+ community standing for the right to be one’s authentic self, feel accepted, safe, and an integral part of the community in which they live–a reality that is sadly becoming harder in certain parts of the country but is a dream that shines bright throughout the month of June in Santa Cruz county.

Join host, Christine Barrington, while she wandered through the parade capturing the voices of our community.

Eric Lombardo is a conservationist and housing and transit advocate. He is interested in how land use affects everything we do, from where we live to how we move. He works as Policy Manager at the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, but appears on Talk of the Bay in a different capacity – to discuss housing and development patterns in Santa Cruz County. Eric is a founding member and board member of Stronger Santa Cruz, an advocacy group for sustainable urban planning strategies. He studied environmental policy at Northwestern University and worked at the Sierra Club national headquarters in Oakland before moving to Santa Cruz in 2022 to work for the Land Trust.

David Shaw is a whole systems designer, naturalist, farmer, educator, and musician. His focus is building connections – with ourselves, with each other, and with nature. David founded Santa Cruz Permaculture, a company dedicated to amplifying regenerative land stewardship, and the UCSC Right Livelihood Center, a partnership with the “Alternative Nobel Prize.” He completed the Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture at the UCSC Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems, and holds an MS in Integrative Eco-Social Design from Gaia University. He is currently a PhD candidate in the UCSC Environmental Studies program, researching successful transnational alternative policy groups and large-scale ecosystem regeneration solutions. In order to meet the challenges of today, he has created a farm and inter-generational learning center that fosters hands-on farm and wilderness skills, cultural competence, social entrepreneurship, and collective action.

Homeowners in fire-prone areas are being canceled by their insurance companies who are fleeing the state, claiming the risks are too high for the money they are getting. This has caused thousands of homeowners to pay triple or quadruple their previous rates to the so-called Fair Plan, California’s program of last resort. Should a large fire break out, the program may not be able to continue without major intervention from governments at the state and national level. Climate change is ramping up the wildfire season to year-round, and that’s caused many homeowners to ask where this is all heading.

Kirk Wilson Clifton is a broker with the Leavitt United Insurance Services group. He has some pointed words about how we got to the point where home insurers and fleeing the state and what it might take to fix the problem of no insurance or expensive insurance in the face of increasing wildfire intensity and size putting more homes at risk due to climate change and other factors.

Here is the latest statement from California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, and the response from Consumer Watchdog, one of the plan’s most vocal critics.

On this episode of Talk of the Bay with Meilin Obinata, we will learn about the evolution of Ethnic Studies, statewide and locally. Our guests are Omar Dieguez, of Barrios Unidos and Aptos High School graduate, Maximiliano Barrazas, a current high school student, Lourdes Barrazas, mother of Maximiliano and psychologist, Bobby Pelz who teaches Ethnic Studies in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, and Chloe Gentile-Montgomery, who teaches Ethnic Studies in the Menlo-Atherton School District.

If you want to learn more:

https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2016/01/ethnic-studies-benefits-011216

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_World_Liberation_Front

https://www.kqed.org/news/11830384/how-the-longest-student-strike-in-u-s-history-created-ethnic-studies

https://rethinkingschools.org/books/rethinking-ethnic-studies/

https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2024/03/28/guest-commentary-pajaro-valley-unified-school-districts-divisive-ethnic-studies-book/

https://machronicle.com/ethnic-studies-lesson-on-israel-palestine-conflict-sparks-controversy/

https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2024/05/21/town-hall-encourages-pajaro-valley-unified-school-district-to-restore-ethnic-studies-contract/

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/15/us/california-ethnic-studies-israel-gaza-war.html

https://www.montereycountynow.com/news/local_news/a-frustrated-community-demands-the-pvusd-school-board-bring-back-an-ethnic-studies-consultant/article_7da1425a-e6ea-11ee-a319-97d64aaa50c0.html

When Kevin Adler’s uncle Mark died in a homeless shelter in Santa Cruz after years on the streets suffering from schizophrenia, Kevin knew things needed to change when it came to how we view unhoused people. Since then, Kevin has been writing, speaking and creating a nonprofit that helps homeless individuals find a way back home. Inspiring, clear, and compelling conversation about how we as a society address a truly solvable problem.

The Giant Dipper roller coaster at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk turned 100 years old on May 17th, 2024. We celebrated by interviewing Jessie Durant, the Seaside Company’s archivist about the history of the ride and the iconic boardwalk amusement park. Topics included the famous merry-go-round, the old natatorium, and other history oddities related to this venerable park.

This is the transcript of the feature by Grace McCarty on Watsonville is in the Heart’s exhibit, Sowing Seeds: Filipino American Stories from the Pajaro Valley

Me: This is Grace McCarty, the UCSC humanities intern with KSQD.

The Pajaro Valley has long been home to farmworkers from around the world, who came to harvest the fruit and vegetables that are grown there. Thousands of Filipino laborers migrated to the region at the beginning of the last century, creating a rich cultural history spanning generations. Filipino American stories in the Pajaro Valley have been overlooked especially by its neighboring universities. But recently, researchers at UCSC have been working to change this. As part of the Watsonville is in the Heart project, the research works to expand the narrative of Filipino-American studies, reexamining the lives of laborers and their descendants.

In April the exhibit “Sowing Seeds: Filipino American Stories from the Pajaro Valley” opened at the Santa Cruz Museum of art and History. Exploring Filipino migration from the 1930s to the present, it highlights archival photographs and heirlooms, contemporary art, and notable oral histories to create a public record that reflects the community it represents.

When I got to sowing seeds, there was a quiet observance throughout the exhibit. Some families walked around the collections talking quietly with each other, others walked alone in complete silence. I asked visitors and students what they took out of Sowing Seeds.

Speakers: Yeah, so growing up in Santa Cruz, I briefly remember in probably one history class for like a day, maybe half a lecture, they briefly mentioned Filipino history in Watsonville, and ever since then I have not heard a single peep about it, and this is really the first time I’ve been able to get a full education on their history and just how deep the roots go in our county.

I think it’s definitely important especially if like Santa Cruz in general they like to paint themselves as people who’s like oh we’re so like it’s like organic and it’s like oh form to fork type things like they’re so heavy on that and they should like acknowledge the people that made that happen

Man: so like as someone who is a Mexican American myself, who comes from a community that are, where there are not a lot of Mexican Americans, I think that it’s important that these niche areas that cover different ethnic groups who come from different immigrant communities is very important because it can speak to the experiences of a lot of different people that we might not be thinking about.

ME: In one segment, a series of photographs are displayed, one that depicts an old picture of a woman outside in a garden. She is surrounded by wide open fields of flowers, and looks straight on to the camera with a quiet strength that seems almost modern for the time. The audio guide describes the context of the image

AUDIO GUIDE: During our interview with Loren Cawaling, he showed us this photograph of his mother, Aladina Cawaling, standing in a field of flowers. The photograph elicited memories of Loren’s mother, including her fondness for gardening and her experiences working in the canneries. Many manang worked in the food processing industry including canneries and frozen food packaging factories, and this interview captures their labor. Watsonville, dubbed the “Frozen Food Capital of the World” during the 1980s, was the hub f or food processing in part because of manang labor. In this interview, Loren recalls the hardships his mother endured while working at Green Giant, one of the major canneries in the area.

LOREN: I mean, you know, I love this picture. […] My mom had a green thumb. […] I mean, everybody used to tell us man, you know, your mom’s yard this and that. She had beautiful flowers in the front yard. I mean, it was always colorful all the time. […] You know, she did like everybody else. Everybody worked on the canneries back in the old days. […] That original Green Giant cannery sat at the corner of Walker Street and Beach Street, and I want to say back in the 60s when my mom was working, it employed a lot of people. I mean, there was no OSHA regulations back then and stuff. My mom used to tell me stories of accidents there, where, let’s say, no one was wearing a hairnet. I remember a story that she said that somebody got their hair caught in a piece of machinery. I mean, nobody got killed or anything, but but you know, she was telling me that somebody got hurt. My Manang Rosie used to work there. I think my Aunty Lita used to work there. Just because that was like one of the first processing plants in the area, and everybody wanted to get a job there. […] You know, I remember her putting a hairnet on, and, you know, my dad would drop her off in front of the factory, you know, before he had to go to work in the fields or whatever. And then yeah, and then come back and pick her up later on.

Professor Kathleen Gutierrez, the voice of that audio guide and co-curator of Sowing Seeds and lead researcher with Watsonville is in the heart, is a historian of science in Southeast Asia. Dr. Guttierz came across Watsonville in an archival letter from the Philippines that discussed the racial violence of the reigon. She was first introduced to Watsonville is in the heart back in 2019, when a Filipino community organzier Roy Recio, came to UC Santa Cruz to curate stories of Filipino immigrants.

KAT: I came across Watsonville and the Watsonville race riots, funnily enough, through a botany archive, and I was studying the archive of this one botanist who, by the 1930s, was based in New York, and he had spent about 20 years in the Philippines, and he received a letter from one of his Colleagues in the Philippines who during the Great Depression was interested in moving to the United States because he thought that there would be more opportunities.

And he asked that botanist is the racial feeling in New York as intense as it is in California and, as violent as it is in Watsonville.

With this exhibition called originally, Watsonville is in the Heart in early 2020 had opened up the Watsonville Public Library, so he cared about exhibitions, you know, it was important to him to be able to display and to promote Filipino American history locally, so I think when Roy approached me, I felt, uh, like a duty and an interest to support him in some way. Um, I’m no, you know, I would never deny the intense privilege one has working at the university, working in a university, especially being a professor in one. And, You know, we come with a lot of resources, a lot of backing and a lot of institutional support that could really change the nature of a community engaged project, not always for the better, but certainly we have certain machinery that could help, you know, um, And so I saw it as sort of a responsibility to Roy, and also as a person who came from a historical Filipino enclave myself. Um, I knew that, you know, this was also going to be part of me trying to develop and find home out here in the Central Coast, too. Um, I would say that the history of science connection to the history of Filipino farm labor in the Pajaro Valley, can seem quite far, but there are pockets and moments where I really, really look forward to kind of following the breadcrumbs into more.

Me: Fillipino-American migration significantly increased at the start of the 20th century, when over 100,000 laborers were recruited to work in US agricultural fields and canneries. The Pajaro Valley, the agricultural driver of Santa Cruz county, became a center for an influx of young and single Filipino men, known as Manong, Tagalog for “Little Brother ”.

The Sowing Seeds exhibition centers around four central themes that structure these experiences, “Labor, Gender, Conflict, and Memory”- responding to the history of gendered and racialized violence that has occurred in Watsonville

Relationships between white women and Filipino migrants caused tensions to rise within the reigon, culminating in the Watsonville Race riots of 1930, a period of violence from white men against filipinos that spanned multiple days. Over 500 white men gathered outside a Filipino-owned taxi dance club with mobs and clubs, threatening to take out the 9 white women who worked there. The violence spread around the city, 22 Filipino American men were dragged out of a labor camp out into the streets and beaten vigorously. Fermin Tobera died at age 22 after being shot in the heart when he was hiding in a closet with 11 others, trying to avoid the rounds of bullets fired at a bunkhouse in Murphy Ranch in San Juan Road on January 23.

In Sowing Seeds, scenes of racial tension are remembered and memorialized, but the experiences are also expanded upon to create more nuanced depictions of cultural memory. As the Asian American historical experience in the Pajaro Valley has been so shrouded with violence, layered experiences from many stages of life are provided, creating a deeper understanding of the settings we find these voices in and a glimpse of everyday life.

In the audio guide, Dr Guttierez narrates us through childhood memories of various sites of cultural importance in Watsonville, while her husband provides instrumental music to further root us in the scene. In this next clip, Shirley Ancheta provides her childhood experiences in a labor camp. Labor camps often hosted manong- and were the sites of racialized violence throughout the riot in 1920. In this oral history segment, Shirley provides a different perspective of the camps from the inside, describing the cultural memories of life on an off day.

AUDIO GUIDE: To ensure a steady flow of migrant farm workers, farm owners built labor camps where many manong and manang lived with their children. The design and condition of these housing units varied. Some were built as barracks where many transient men would live; others housed single families. Typically, they were maintained to barely passable conditions, but manong and manang transformed them into homes where they could relax and play. In this interview, Shirley Ancheta, the daughter of Julio Valiente and Delfina Rivera Ancheta, describes a typical scene in a labor camp. The interview is paired with a photograph from the Cawaling Family Collection, which depicts Manong inside of a camp on their day off.

Usually, it was the same cook. There’ll be one person sitting at a table playing solitaire. […] There may be a Playboy calendar on the wall somewhere or a Mexican calendar on the wall somewhere from the grocery store. […] And there would be lots of food. The women who would come, like the wives, like my mom and others they get busy cooking the pastries, things that she would make out of the sweet rice flour and fry up and put the brown sugar and stuff on top of it and the coconut milk. So they would get busy doing that while the men did the butchering and the— They’d go down to the beach if, if it was low tide and do the mussels. […] My brother and I, you know, when our parents would say “Okay, we’re going to camp” and we thought, “Oh why, when are we going to go to the real camp?” Cause we’re thinking summer camp. “ You always say we’re gonna go camping, but we’re gonna go see those guys.” And my mom would say “Don’t talk like that cuz these are our friends. […] They got stuck over here. This is their life.

Dr Guttierrez has a background in the history of science, and learned about the method of conducting oral histories that make up the Sowing Seeds exhibit over a period of time. She became interested in the aspects of collaboration that make community history unique, specifically in developing the practice of oral history.

PROF G: And I have to say, I think when I found myself out the gate, I really found myself loving the method. The method is exciting. I think it’s It calls for a lot of patience and earnest curiosity. And I think because I also was not trained in Filipino American studies, um, I didn’t have an agenda, you know, I don’t know if I was looking for an intellectual answer.

I don’t know if I was even looking to kind of prove some theory, you know, that has sort of abounded in the scholarship around Filipino American studies or Asian American studies. I really went in kind of as green and as a novice with. That kind of, you know, a curiosity that I think helps keep conversations going.

That said, things weren’t always perfect. And, you know, I look, listen back to my older oral history interviews, and there are so many things I would change, um, even engaging with these community partners and questions that I would adjust to really allow for more conversations about their own interiority.

I think, um, even if I didn’t have an intellectual agenda, the very basis of having an agenda of what I wanted to ask. Sometimes really just redirected interviews in ways that I don’t know were as productive. Um, and so I’ve seen this as an opportunity also to get better at oral history interviewing to prepare me for more oral history I want to do in the Philippines, um, especially with scientists.

And I think it’s a very different kind of place, you know, and landscape when doing oral history in the Philippines, but the skill set, I think, is transferable, and I really do love it. Um, and I really enjoy working with other people who also practice it.

So much of academia can seem like an individualist pursuit, especially in the humanities. It’s a little different in STEM, I think, where we might expect a lab to have multiple people, multiple co authors at the end of the day for a particular project.

But the humanities has long been about, you know, individual intelligence and genius kind of hitting the pages. And I think this project has really, really underscored the opportunity in working with such a big team. I think things absolutely do take longer, and because we pursue co authorship with our community partners, it means that we have to really go back to the drawing board.

multiple times over to ensure that their visions are being met to the best that we can and really balanced out with the kind of visions that we’re trying to bring into the project. And so sure, like if I were to do this alone, maybe things could go faster, but I don’t think they’d be nearly as expansive, robust, innovative and insight and

ME: As a Filipino-American woman herself, she spoke to me about how this project related to her own identity:

DRG: I can walk into a room and for the most part be racialized as Filipino and for a long time I would, you know, identify myself as Phil am and that was about it.

It was just a given, um, as being part of the diaspora and being a second-generation kid here in the United States. Um, you know, my family arrived in the 1980s and I was the only one of my family born here. So, you know, being Filipino American and growing up, especially among a lot of Filipino Americans meant that, you know.

It was a given and that’s about it. And I think, you know, since working on this project, I’d have to say maybe a couple of things have sort of come to mind. The first is, um, recognition that, you know, Filipino American studies is, I mean, it’s really kind of vast and incredible, again, not my area of specialization, but has been, you know, enjoyable to get to read and understand better.

Dr G mentioned one interview she did with Juanita Suli Wilson, a community figure from Watsonville who spoke about her memories growing up in the Watsonville area. Juanita explains her experiences dealing with prejudice as a young girl.

Oral history: You know, you kind of referred to it a little bit, the, you know, you identified as kind of the only ethnic family in the neighborhood. Did it feel like that, though? Did you feel different, ethnic, compared to the other kids? Or the other Italian kids? Well, yeah, you kind of had to. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. If people deny it, you know, like people I went to school with and stuff deny that there was no prejudice, but there was.

But my mother, my mother always had an answer for it. Like, I guess I used to come home crying from school. And my mother would tell me, don’t pay attention. They’re, they’re ignorant people. They’re ignorant. And then, I guess. She would talk to the aunties, and then they came back with a, she came back with a story for me.

And she would tell me the story, and then, you know, we just ignored them. We just said, well, they’re ignorant, they’re not, they’re stupid people, they don’t know, they don’t know anything. So, and we were kept very close to home. The only time we left was to go to school. You know, other than that, our whole social was around the community.

Right, right. So we were very, we were, you know, really protected. Right. Yeah. Like the aunties and the uncles. Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, we didn’t, yeah, we were protected and we weren’t told things we weren’t, we didn’t need to know. Okay. Could you maybe describe that, an instance of prejudice that you remember from your childhood, if you feel comfortable?

I was always asked where you come from. What are you?

I’m Filipino, I would say. Not knowing I wasn’t supposed to say that, but that’s how we were raised. We were raised to be proud of who we were

Me: On the meaning of sowing seeds, Dr G described the duality of the name. She explained that the experiences she has had witnessing people experience this exhibit has “sown seeds” in itself. Sowing seeds has both a literal meaning, but also a metaphorical meaning is one is you can expect.

And for me, I think sowing seeds refers to, you know, um, the history of agrarian farm labor, which, you know, we deeply care about in the project, and the potential of growing something, um, whether that is community historical preservation, whether that is, you know, community formation in the face of, you know, racial duress and exclusion.

And I think for me, it’s again, this kind of phrase that points to potential for something more. And It’s my hope too that people leave the exhibition feeling pretty excited to kind of sow their own seeds for their own community historical preservation as well. I think an exhibition is an interesting format for history

Yeah, um, I was there for, you know, the opening night and I have to say that was probably the most emotional I’ve gotten. Um, you know, there have been a lot of emotional moments during the life of this project, but that night in particular kind of really opened some of the floodgates and we had a, you know, kind of smaller preview of the exhibition that the curator-led and there’s a great animated film that the curator, um, put in the exhibition and the curated, the animated film covers, um, one of our main community contributors.

And we, I got to see his face as he saw the film, you know, play in the gallery and, oh gosh, it just, it floored me. It just floored me. Um, you gave, we gave each other a hug at the end of that tour. And, you know, you just, Like, I heaved, like I cried, you know, in his arms even harder when I just kind of recalled, um, not only his devotion to our work, but really his, his real love for his parents and the way that he spoke of them.

And, you know, this is not to say that everyone’s relationship with their parents is perfect and that we should romanticize, you know, these sorts of familial bonds when, you know, we, we have to admit that sometimes they’re quite hard, but sometimes they’re also really beautiful and sometimes they’re really worth celebrating too.

Me: Although the museum shows the reality of the struggles faced by Filipino Americans in the Pajaro valley, it is also a celebration of the perseverance of their rich cultural histories that have long been unrecognized. The nuances provided by a community history can demonstrate the complexities of human experiences, oral accounts that remember the good with the bad and everything in between. The objects of reverence in this exhibit are not dusty artifacts from thousands of years ago, but memories of real people, some who might be standing right beside you.

“Sowing Seeds: ”Filipino American stories from the Pajaro Valley” will continue with the Santa Cruz museum of art and history until august 4th. This is Grace McCarty, UCSC’s humanities intern and this is KSQD.

Hundreds of dead and dying pelicans have washed up on beaches in recent weeks all up and down the California Coast. The staff at the Santa Cruz Native Animal Rescue center have been swamped with underfed and hypothermic animals. In this interview, Amy Redfeather tells listeners what to do if they find a sick bird and why they might be suffering.

Here is the number in case you find a sick bird or any other native animal.

Native Animal Rescue1855 17th Ave.Santa Cruz CA 95062(831) 462-0726

The venerated two day Redwood Mountain Faire is back. Did you know it is produced by 200 volunteers to benefit nonprofits in the San Lorenzo Valley? The lineup this year is exciting and the weather is predicted to be divine (sun hats recommended).

Rebecca Gross is a grad student representative of the UAW, which is currently on strike across three UC Campuses including UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis and UCLA. She talks about the reasons for the strike, the situation of protesters mixing with strikers and blockading the entrance to campus, and other thorny issues surrounding the strike as the quarter moves toward its close and graduation looms. This morning police moved in to confront protesters blocking the main campus intersection at Bay and High Streets, arresting many.

Here is the latest (as of 5-31-24) from the UAW regarding the strike.

UAW ACADEMIC WORKERS AT UC SANTA BARBARA, UC SAN DIEGO AND UC IRVINE WILL STAND UP AND WALK OFF THE JOB NEXT WEEK

Rally and picket line information is forthcoming.

The Executive Board of UAW Local 4811, which represents 48,000 academic workers across the UC system, has called on three additional campuses to Stand Up and join the union’s ULP Strike. UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego and UC Irvine are the third round of campuses to participate. Academic workers at UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego will walk off the job starting Monday, June 3rd, and academic workers at UC Irvine will join them on Wednesday, June 5th. UAW 4811 represents 3,000 workers at UC Santa Barbara, 8,000 workers at UC San Diego and 5,000 workers at UC Irvine. They will join their colleagues at UC Santa Cruz, UCLA and UC Davis to bring the total number of workers called on to 31,500.

On May 13-15, academic workers across the UC system voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike in response to egregious Unfair Labor Practices that UC has committed, including summoning militarized police officers from numerous outside law enforcement to violently eject and arrest peaceful pro-Palestine protesters at UCLA, UC Irvine, and UC San Diego; making unilateral changes to standards for employee discipline, free speech rights and academic freedom; and disciplining and suspending employees engaged in peaceful protest.

The expansion of the strike is in response to UC’s failure to remedy these serious unfairs, despite opportunities for UC to work towards resolution.

“For the last month, UC has used and condoned violence against workers and students peacefully protesting on campus for peace and freedom in Palestine,” said Rafael Jaime, the President of Local 4811. “Rather than put their energies into resolution, UC is attempting to halt the strike through legal procedures. They have not been successful, and this strike will roll on. We are united in our demand that UC address these serious ULPs, beginning with dropping all criminal and conduct charges that have been thrown at our members because they spoke out against injustice.”

Dozens of academic workers are still facing criminal and/or disciplinary charges after UC summoned police to arrest peaceful protesters at UCLA, UCSD and UCI between May 1 and May 15. Many have been told by UC that they are barred from campus, including campus housing and classes they may teach or attend.

“The Regents’ brutal response to the peaceful protests has left a stain on the University’s legacy, and physical scars on many of its students and workers — myself included” said Elliot Yu, a graduate worker at UC Irvine who lost both access to his home and the full functioning of his hands after he was arrested while visiting a rally to offer first aid to injured people. “But they can still reverse course and seek resolution to their unlawful crackdown on union members’ rights and discrimination against protesters for Palestine.”

“UC has unilaterally changed their policies on employee speech and discipline, without giving our union notice or negotiating these changes,” said Tessa Cookmeyer, a postdoctoral scholar at UC Santa Barbara. “UC then used these changed policies to not only arrest and injure dozens of our coworkers, but also ban many of them from their workplaces and homes. What’s at stake here are our core rights as workers and union members, and the ability of anyone in the UC community to take part in this historic movement for justice in Palestine.”

“Our students and colleagues understand that when someone treats you unfairly, you have to stand up for yourself. You have to stand up for what you believe in,” said Sean Pike, a postdoctoral scholar at UC San Diego. “We cannot accept discrimination, violence, discipline and unlawful changes to our working conditions. We have to protect our fundamental employment rights.”

Rally and picket line information is forthcoming. Visit us online and on social media for updates.

—

Bergen Kenny Woodbury

BrightLine CommunicationsAnd here is a letter from Chancellor Larive of UCSC as of 5-28May 31, 2024Dear UC Santa Cruz Community,I write this morning to share with you that after repeated unanswered calls to have the unlawful encampment voluntarily disband and remove the dangerous blockade from the campus entrance, we made the decision to request law enforcement to remove the blockade and encampment. Law enforcement removed the barricade and the encampment; however, some demonstrators remain at the main entrance of campus. We continue to ask the campus and the community to avoid that area.

We understand there is much grief, anger, and frustration about the events that continue to unfold in Gaza and Israel, and the immense suffering of innocent people. I believe that many who have engaged in these protests over these many weeks are well-intentioned and attempting to make change through their spheres of influence. Unfortunately, the disruptions we experienced these weeks were harmful to others in our community. This decision was not made because individuals demonstrated; it was because they have chosen to do so through unlawful actions.

The road blockades, with fortified and chained barricades made of pallets and other materials, and other unlawful actions disrupted campus operations and threatened safety, including delaying access of emergency vehicles. We have attempted to avoid conflict or the involvement of law enforcement to address the encampment disruptions over the past month. We have consistently communicated to encampment organizers that campus safety and security are our highest priorities. In one particularly worrisome incident Tuesday, an emergency medical vehicle was prevented from entering a facility in which a toddler was in distress. Minutes and seconds can be the difference between life and death in an emergency. Actions such as this demonstrate a continued lack of regard for our campus community.

Since the encampment began, first at the Quarry Plaza and then at the main entrance, participants have been given repeated, clear directions to address safety issues, cease camping and cease blocking access to numerous campus resources and to the campus itself. Early this morning, they were also given multiple warnings by law enforcement to leave the area and disband to avoid arrest. Unfortunately, many refused to follow this directive and a number of individuals were arrested.

Having law enforcement remove the unlawful encampment from campus is not an action we wanted to take or have taken lightly. For the past month, we have sought to de-escalate campus disruptions and road blockades, and encouraged the voluntary disbanding of the unlawful encampments. The individuals at the encampments have been repeatedly informed about the policies that their actions violated. They continued to ignore university directives, including those related to safety, and have sought conflict, actively escalating tensions within our campus community, harming those who are simply trying to learn, teach, and do their jobs in support of our educational mission.

Despite negotiating in good faith over the course of a full week when the encampment first began at the Quarry Plaza in an effort to reach its voluntary removal, we were unable to come to an agreement that was within our authority and aligned with the values of UC Santa Cruz. As the chancellor for the entire university, I must be firm when the demands of one group undermine the rights of others. In this case, the demonstrators demanded that we end relationships with organizations that support our Jewish students and funders that support important student success work and happen to be Jewish organizations. They demanded that UC Santa Cruz divest from and boycott companies affiliated with Israel, a demand that the UC Office of the President has already addressed and deemed unacceptable. Most worryingly, they demanded that we curtail the foundational right of academic freedom by condemning the use of funding from select federal agencies. Functionally, the encampment wanted to prevent our researchers from pursuing research related to topics with which they disagree. This is a dangerous precedent and to give in to it would undermine academic freedom and make our academic community vulnerable to the values of whatever political force seeks to prevent free inquiry.

As we have shared in previous messages, we continue to be ardent supporters of free speech. While some actions by individuals fall within First Amendment protection, many other activities over the past weeks did not, and should be called what they were: unlawful disruptions, vandalism, and intentional harming of our community. Because of this morning’s events, the campus community will continue to notice a higher presence of law enforcement on campus.

We know there will be disagreement about this decision and the steps taken to support campus safety. However, our ultimate responsibility is for the safety and well-being of this campus. It was a necessary decision at a critical time.

Sincerely,Cindy

Cynthia LariveChancellor

Office of the Chancellor

In this interview, Stacy McMillan and Athena Hurd joined me for a chat about this innovative program to give money directly to worthy charity projects and nonprofits.

http://www.100wwc.org/

Next meeting:June 12, 20246:30 – 7:30 pm

Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History705 Front StSanta Cruz, CA 95060

Collective action ~ Empowering community.This simple statement is the essence of 100+ Women Who Care.

Everyone is welcome! Members of the community gather 4 times per year to make a donation of $100 each to a local nonprofit organization. When these individual gifts are combined, they are amplified and become a powerful force for doing good work in our community.

We meet four times a year in March, June, September and December at the Museum of Art and History (MAH)’s Garden Room, located at 705 Front Street, Santa Cruz. Come down at 5:30 and grab a bite to eat and a beverage at Abbott Square, then head to the MAH’s Garden Room at 6:30 for our one hour meeting.

Our Santa Cruz 100+ Women Who Care giving circle has already donated more than $306,000 to provide for those in greatest need in Santa Cruz County. We hope you will join us at our next meeting to see how easy and fun it is!

100 Women Who Care is for you if: You don’t have time in your busy life to volunteer but have been wanting to help those in need * You can commit to one hour every three months * You want 100% of your donations to go directly to a local nonprofit * You want to leverage your $100 donation to become a part of a larger amount of money by joining together with other women. * You would like to meet other women philanthropists in Santa Cruz * You are looking to volunteer* or join a board but are unsure which nonprofit would be a good fit. Every meeting we will feature 3 nonprofits and highlight the work of several others. Many are just getting started and your support would make a huge impact.

Join Us!Become a member now. Come to the meeting and be prepared to donate $100.00. Anyone who is ready to donate gets to vote for the selected nonprofit.

Are you involved with a nonprofit?If you know of a nonprofit you would like the giving circle to consider, complete a Nomination Form.

You must be a member and attend the meeting to put a name in the hat and be prepared to speak about the organization. The organization must have 501(c)3 status.

You can donate by check or online:Online:

Rachel Anne Goodman interviews classical musician and composer, Peter Blanchette. Peter plays one of only four arch guitars in the world, an instrument he invented, which is a combination of classical guitar and lute. Blanchette is one of the world’s experts on the instrument, having played his brand of Renaissance and Baroque music in concert halls and street corners throughout Europe and the United States. Peter shares his music, perspective on what it takes to survive as a musician, and his transition from factory worker to street musician, to film scorer and winning Prairie Home Companion’s Towns under 2000 competition.

For more on Peter Blanchette: https://www.archguitar.com/

Steven Gonzalez Monserrate is a postdoctoral researcher at the Fixing Futures Research Training Group at Goethe University. He received his PhD in the History, Anthropology, Science, Technology & Society (HASTS) program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His current book project, Cloud Ecologies, is an environmental ethnography of data centers in New England, Arizona, Puerto Rico, and Singapore. A graphical preview of his research appeared in the Spring 2024 issue of Yes! magazine.Committed to public engagement and accessible scholarship, Steven’s writing and research appears in venues including Wired, Aeon, Popular Science, Anthropology News, ABC News, BBC News, NPR and more. Steven holds an MA in Anthropology from Brandeis University and a BA in Feminist Anthropology from Keene State College. He is also a filmmaker and a speculative fiction writer (under the byline E.G. Condé).

Sarah Gilman studied studio art and biology in college and wasn’t quite satisfied with either. The art world looked hermetic, sealed off in cities away from the landscapes that she loved. And the science world felt binding, too, with its sprint to publish clunky treatises for an audience of other scientists. Writing, though, stole the best from both fields — the creativity, the exploring, the analysis and the always-and-forever-learning — and, at its best, seemed like it could bring the same important topics explored by art and science to a much broader audience of people. So here she is, still at it. Sarah writes about the environment, energy, science and miscellany from Mazama, Washington. She was a staff and contributing editor for High Country News, an environmental magazine about the American West, for 11 years, and is a contributing editor for both bioGraphic magazine and Hakai magazine. She also is the author and illustrator of the “Terra Affirma” series in Yes magazine. You can find more of her writing at sarahmgilman.com. She tweets @Sarah_Gilman.

The image above is a detail from the comic poem Slow Comet by Sarah Gilman.

Five talented musicians sing in honor of the great Pete Seeger to preview their upcoming concert. On June 9th at 3 pm musicians Emma’s Revolution (Sandy O and Pat Humphries, Bob Reid and Judi Jaeger and Aileen Vance will convene a sing-a-long concert in honor of Pete Seeger at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz. In this show they share original and Pete Seeger songs.

Christina Baal-Owens is Executive Director of Public Wise, a voting rights organization that works to secure a government that reflects the will and protects the rights of the people. She brings nearly two decades of experience in electoral and legislative campaigns, advocacy, government, and non-profit management. A social worker by trade who started her career in the labor and immigrants’ rights movements, she views social change work through the lens of the direct impact and accessibility of enacted policies on communities.

Christina first developed a passion for making voting accessible to marginalized communities as Director of Civic Engagement at the New York Immigration Coalition where she ran one of the largest voter registration programs for newly naturalized immigrants in the country and led a statewide immigrant voter table. Following her time at NYIC, Christina served in the political departments of two major labor unions, RWDSU, where she was Deputy Political Director, and 32BJ SEIU, where she was the State Legislative Coordinator. Directly prior to coming on to Public Wise, she was the Assistant Comptroller for Community Affairs at the NYS Comptroller’s office.

Christina also brings a wealth of experience running campaigns and IEs at the city, state, and federal levels. Most notably, she was the NYS Organizing Director for Hillary for America in 2016 where she ran a program that generated voter contacts in all 50 states.

Santa Cruz has a powerful activist history, and one of the most impressive outcomes for our county emerged from the Women’s Health Collective of the early 70’s.

Monday, on the Talk of the Bay, two of the collective’s founding mother’s–Coleen Douglas and Jane Reyes– join host, Christine Barrington, and share about the feminist vision that gave birth to a local movement that resulted in a health care revolution. Listen in and hear how a committed group of young feminists empowered women to learn about their bodies, provide health services with respect, and challenge the male-dominated medical system. This became the seed for current day Santa Cruz Community Health Centers, with its three clinics, affordable housing complex, and a residency program slated to begin this summer.

What lessons learned are relevant for today’s young women (amidst the overturning of Roe v. Wade)? And, what can our women Elders learn for their own empowerment in health care?

Learn more about the national history of this movement through this bestselling narrative: Looking through the Speculum: Examining the Women’s Health Movement by Judith A. Houck

Friends and partners in activism: Coleen Douglas and Jane Reyes

Rachel Anne Goodman speaks with Richard Ginell author of a book about the famed sixties trio, The Limeliters. The book, Makin’ A Joyful Noise, the Lives and Times of the (Slightly) Fabulous Limeliters explores the meteoric rise of the band and their role in shaping the music of that era. The interview includes a musical exploration of their history as well as the author’s memories as a superfan and music critic. Limeliters member and banjo player, Alex Hassilev, the last surviving member of the band, passed away in April, so this program is a kind of tribute to him.

On May 4th, 1970, Ohio National Guard troops opened fire on unarmed Kent State students protesting the war in Vietnam, killing 4 students and wounding 9 others. Local author Lois Van Buren was there. Having spent the last 45 years in Santa Cruz, raising a family, running a business, and working as an educator, Lois reflects on how that experience affected her life, about some of the hard lessons, great good fortune, and iconic milestones of the 60s counterculture, and how nature came to the rescue.

Anthony Saua, director of Organic Rising, talks about the rise of organic agriculture and its importance to health, the environment and slowing global warming,Organic Rising will be screened at the Rio Theater in Santa Cruz on May 3 at 5PM. The screening is being hosted by CCOF, UCSC, SCCFM and the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF).The film began production in Santa Cruz, CA in 2012 and features a number of local organic farmers including: Tom Broz, of Live Earth Farm, Jeff Larkey of Route 1 Farms, Caleb Barron of Fogline Farm and Joe Schirmer of Dirty Girl Produce. We also worked extensively with CCOF and filmed throughout the Salinas Valley. Myra Goodman, the founder of Earthbound Farms, was interviewed and appears in the film. We spent days at Eco Farm and filmed at UCSC’s Center for Agroecology interviewing now executive director Darryl Wong and instructor Kistin Yogg and Orin Martin.The film looks at both conventional and organic agricultural practices. Scientists present their research on conventional pesticides: glyphosate as well as 2,4-D, dicamba and atrazine and their long term effect on humans and the environment. This is to present what organic agriculture is not.Organic Rising is a 2-hour documentary produced by Goldcrest Films with executive producer Deepak Chopra. The film has been selected for more than a dozen film festivals around the world and to date has won Best Feature Documentary at several.Following the screenings there will be a panel discussion and Q&A with Tom Broz, Jeff Lackey, Nesh Dhillon, Jessy Beckett Parr of CCOF and Director, Anthony Saua. The Q&As, following the screenings, have been intense as consumers are desperate for answers about the USDA organic label.

Filmmaker Gloria Morán discusses her film, Unique Ladies about an all-female lowrider club in San Diego. Her screening is part of a five-day Cinco de Mayo celebration in Watsonville of lowrider culture.

Cinco de Mayo becomes Cinco de Lowrider Week

What: 5 days celebrating Chicano ingenuity and the creativity of Lowrider culture

When: Wed. – Sunday, May 1st – 5th at various times & locations

The Watsonville Film Festival (WFF) is reclaiming the Cinco de Mayo holiday with five days of films and festivities honoring Mexican and Chicano heritage and pride. The celebration is part of a prestigious California Humanities grant awarded to WFF to create the “More than Cars: Celebrating Lowrider Culture” and a series of cultural events in partnership with Pajaro Valley Arts and local car clubs.

Humanities advisor, Dr. Alberto Lopez Pulido, Chair of the University of San Diego Ethnic Studies Dept., and a renowned Lowrider author and filmmaker, will bring the iconic 38-foot mural-covered “Barrio Bus,” aka classroom on wheels, from San Diego to visit PVUSD schools. From May 1-3, students will have the opportunity to tour the Barrio Bus and engage with Professor Pulido, who is also Vice-Chair of Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center, to learn about the 8 Principles of Lowriding and the significance of 5 de Mayo.

“Since the 1940s, lowriding has been a source of pride and a symbol of Chicano ingenuity,” says Dr. Pulido, “Yet for decades, many cities passed laws banning Lowriders from gathering and cruising. They were targeted with negative stereotypes when in fact they represent a unique form of “art on wheels.” In 2024, California finally repealed the bans after a grassroots campaign organized by Lowrider clubs across the state.

On Saturday, May 4 at 6pm, the Watsonville Film Festival will present Dr. Pulido’s award-winning documentary, Everything Comes from The Streets about the history of Lowriding. UCSC graduate Gloria Morán will present her film, The Unique Ladies about women Lowriders in a culture traditionally dominated by men. There will be a Q&A after the films with the directors and Dr. Pulido’s co-producers Rigoberto Reyes and Kelly Whalen at Cinelux Green Valley Cinema, 1125 S. Green Valley Rd. Starting at 9pm, DJ XXIII will be spinning Lowrider tunes at a free after-party at Fruition Brewing, 918 E. Lake Ave in Watsonville.

On Sunday, May 5, there will be free ‘Cinco de Lowrider’ festivities at Pajaro Valley Arts, where the “More Than Cars: Celebrating Lowrider Culture” exhibit will be open to the public. The Watsonville Riders will host their club’s showcase and talk from 1-2pm. There will be music, food vendors, and lots of beautiful Lowrider cars outside of the Porter Building at 280 Main Street between 11am–4pm.

Just ahead of his sold-out talk in Santa Cruz on April 25th, Ami Chen Mills grabbed a half hour with actor, comedian and author Rainn Wilson (formerly Dwight Schrute of “The Office”) to discuss his book SoulBoom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution, his Ba’hai faith, the kind of God he believes in, how spirituality has become too individualistic and consumeristic … and many other profound concerns for the human race.

This is a shorter version of this interview, edited for KSQD’s spring pledge drive. Find the full interview (“Director’s Cut”) at Moment of Truth with Ami Chen Mills soon at the show page here at KSQD and at all your favorite podcast sites.

Kyndal Edwards is a 30-something man walking across America to raise awareness about mental health and addiction. Past his 4,000 mile, he was on his way to the Mexican border when I caught up with him to hear how the journey was going.

The Low Impact Camping Ordinance drafted by the Santa Cruz County Planning Commission took some rural residents by surprise. On one hand, people are already renting out camping sites on their private properties, sometimes with negative impacts on neighbors, sometimes not. But with the state striving to regulate private camping, such as HipCamp.com (similar to Air B and B, but camping) has already made this a common practice.

While some say regulating is the only way to enforce safety rules on private property, others say without enforcement, these rules just rubber-stamp dangerous practices, such as open fires and lax supervision of guest safety. Supporters say some enforcement is better than none, and they want to follow guidelines so they know what is legal. Bonny Doon resident, Nancy Kille came on the program to share her reservations about this new planned ordinance.

Here is a powerpoint showing the parameters of the proposed ordinance. https://www2.santacruzcountyca.gov/planning/plnmeetings/PLNSupMaterial/PC/agendas/2024/20240313/007c.pdf

The Gipsy Kings have sold 20 million records worldwide, won a Grammy for best World Music Record, and four other grammy nominations. They have played the great concert halls of the world, appeared in movies (Big Lebowski, Toy Story III) and wowed audiences with their combination of rumba, salsa, flamenco and pop music. In this interview Rachel talks with founder and lead guitarist, Tonino Baliardo, who only speaks French and Spanish, so had a translator. The Gipsy Kings will play the Warrior’s Stadium in Santa Cruz on May 19th.

In part II of “Have you Been Canceled?”, a look at California’s homeowner’s insurance crisis, Rachel Anne Goodman talks with Deputy Insurance Commissioner and spokesperson for Commissioner Ricardo Lara, Michael Soller. She asks him about the proposed fixes coming from his boss and how that may impact insurance availability.

This month at the Actors’ Theater in downtown Santa Cruz we have a rare opportunity to experience a very local story. White Sky, Falling Dragon is a play in two acts by playwright, and Director, Steve “Spike” Wong. The play runs April 19 through May 5.

Inspired by Spike’s own father, Captain Ernest Wong, USAAF, the play tells the story of a young Chinese-American man’s return to small town Watsonville, California in 1944 after his WWII service as a bombardier.

This production, featuring an all Asian cast in primary roles, offers a rare opportunity to experience a largely untold story of the heroic contributions of Chinese-Americans, and a dramatic telling of the aftermath of war. With its focus on Chinese-American culture, immigration, and military service during wartime, the play is a unique blend of drama and comedy and a moving tribute to the complexities of what it means to come home.

For more information and to purchase tickets: Actors Theater

In this program, State Senator John Laird and Executive Director of Consumer Watchdog, Carmen Balber discuss California’s homeowner’s insurance crisis and whether Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s proposed fixes will actually help the flight of insurance companies from the state or make it worse. Listeners weigh in, too.

Omer Bartov was born in Israel and educated at Tel Aviv University and St. Antony’s College, Oxford. His early research concerned the Nazi indoctrination of the Wehrmacht and the crimes it committed in World War II, analyzed in his books, The Eastern Front, 1941-1945 (1985), and Hitler’s Army (1991). He then turned to the links between total war and genocide, discussed in his books Murder in Our Midst (1996), Mirrors of Destruction (2000), and Germany’s War and the Holocaust (2003). Omer Bartov’s interest in representation also led to his study, The “Jew” in Cinema (2005), which examines the recycling of antisemitic stereotypes in film.

His more recent work has focused on interethnic relations in the borderlands of Eastern Europe. His book Erased: Vanishing Traces of Jewish Galicia in Present-Day Ukraine (2007), investigates the politics of memory in West Ukraine, while Anatomy of a Genocide: The Life and Death of a Town Called Buczacz (2018), is a microhistory of ethnic coexistence and violence. The book received the National Jewish Book Award and the Yad Vashem International Book Prize for Holocaust Research, among others, and has been translated into several languages. Bartov’s Tales from the Borderlands: Making and Unmaking the Galician Past (2022) explores the centuries pre-dating the Holocaust.

He has edited several volumes, including Shatterzone of Empires: Coexistence and Violence in the German, Habsburg, Russian, and Ottoman Borderlands (2013), Voices on War and Genocide: Three Accounts of the World Wars in a Galician Town (2020) and, reflecting his new interest, Israel-Palestine: Lands and Peoples (2021). His novel, The Butterfly and the Axe, was published in January 2023. His new book, Genocide, The Holocaust and Israel-Palestine: First-Person History in Times of Crisis, has just come out. Omer Bartov is the Samuel Pisar Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University, where he has taught since 2000.

Martin Rizzo-Martinez is a historian and a producer of film, podcast, and other media content. After completing his PhD at UC Santa Cruz in 2016, he became a UC Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow to work with Dr. Cliff Trafzer at UC Riverside. Following his postdoc, he worked with California State Parks as the Historian & Tribal Liaison for the Santa Cruz District, which allowed him to work closely with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and other tribal partners in the region. He is currently a professor in the Film and Digital Media program at UCSC. Martin is the author of the recently released book We Are Not Animals, a detailed look at the lives and survival strategies of the native peoples of the Monterey Bay area who survived the Spanish mission system, and the Mexican and American colonizing forces that followed it. He is also co-producer of the podcast “Challenging Colonialism”.

As the Watsonville Film Festival approaches its final weekend, documentary filmmakers Jeff Dunn and Jon Silver talk about the changing world of their craft. Jon Silver’s short film, “Living in in Exile”, about the life of Nicaraguan “nuevo cancion” singer, Carlos Mejia Godoy, is playing at the festival in Seaside on March 15th. Mejia Godoy was forced to flee his homeland after speaking out against the government of Daniel Ortega, who he had once supported through his music and his work as a radio host.

Woody Hastings is the Phase Out Polluting Fuels program manager for The Climate Center. He is an energy and environmental policy analyst, strategic planner, and community organizer with over thirty years of experience in the non-profit, governmental, and private sectors. Woody has been with The Climate Center since 2010 when he was hired to help lead the formation of what became California’s second Community Choice Agency (CCA), Sonoma Clean Power (SCP). After the launch of SCP Woody worked to expand CCA in other parts of California including the Central Coast.

In 2020, with CCAs established throughout the state, Woody’s focus shifted to work in the oil & gas supply side issues of extraction and refining of fossil fuels. The emphasis is on how to advance a comprehensive, coordinated, equity-centered, worker-friendly managed transition away from fossil fuels in California. The initiative he manages also includes demand-side end-use of fossil and other polluting fuels, particularly in transportation policy and building electrification.

Woody received his bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from San Francisco State University with an emphasis on sustainability and social justice. He is also a Fellow of the Leadership Institute for Just and Resilient Communities.

It’s no small task to start something new and keep it going for 12 years. That’s the story for film maker and mover and shaker, Consuelo Alba. Seeing a lack of Latino/a representation in film, and especially film festivals, she decided to do something about it. Now in its 12th year, the festival has become the landmark event for Latine film makers from local and Bay Area cities.

Sifting through the results of the primary election, we find some trends locally and statewide and discuss the future of the progressive movement in Santa Cruz. Is it dead, or just dormant?

American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) PACS have been flooded with donations since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Congressional Candidate in California District 19 (Santa Cruz to Paso Robles) Sean Dougherty is running against incumbent Jimmy Panetta, an establishment Democrat whose father, Leon Panetta, served as Chief of Staff for Bill Clinton, and as both CIA Director and Defense Secretary under President Obama.

Dougherty called a press conference on Feb. 28 at the Santa Cruz, CA County Courthouse to discuss Panetta’s “windfall” contributions from the AIPAC PAC, totaling $184,400.00. Panetta received the largest, single-day donation from the AIPAC PAC in December of 2023—more than any other Congressional candidate. And this amount represents Panetta’s largest single donation. Why is the AIPAC PAC spending so much money on this California Congressional district?

Ami Chen Mills interviews Sean about campaign finance; polling figures on the American public’s feelings about a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza; big money in US political campaigns; why Jimmy Panetta is being accused of voting to “end social security,” according to critics–and what the candidate (Sean) would do with the US military budget, after cutting it in half, if elected.

A special Talk of the Bay news segment produced by the Moment of the Truth team.

Notes and Resources:

Sean Dougherty website: www.SeanforPeace.com

The Lever Online News and Commentary: https://www.levernews.com/

On AIPAC’s new funds and how it is spending them: https://www.levernews.com/inside-the-israel-lobbys-new-90-million-war-chest/

Interviews with global journalists on the ongoing death toll and destruction in Gaza, and on AIPAC funds. Plus: US Senate Candidates and more–excellent and in-depth election coverage from Rose Aguilar at Your Call (a KSQD morning program produced by Pacifica’s KALW): https://www.kalw.org/people/rose-aguilar

Talk of the Bay hosted by Bodie Shargel features an interview with County Supervisor of District 3 Justin Cummings about Measure K and L, a 1/2 cent sales tax for the County and City respectively. Later Bodi talks with Tony Nuñez, committee member for YES on Measure N, supporting a bond for the Pajaro Valley Health Care District.

https://santacruzlocal.org/election/2024-mar-05/measures/k-county-sales-tax/https://santacruzlocal.org/election/2024-mar-05/measures/l-santa-cruz-sales-tax/https://santacruzlocal.org/election/2024-mar-05/measures/measure-n-pajaro-health/

“In municipalities throughout the United States, a policy of trap-neuter-return (T.N.R.) has become the preferred approach to the problem of unowned cats,” writes author Jonathan Franzen in his recent New Yorker exposé on feral cats and the decimation of wild bird populations. “Our sympathy for animals has created a situation that’s terrible for animals.”

Causing a stir in the world of animal lovers, Franzen calls TNR “a strategy with no firm basis in science”—and recently he came on KSQD, his home radio station, to speak about his research. Franzen’s conversation with Talk of the Bay host Rachel Anne Goodman covers his process of researching and fact-checking the article. He’s a bird-lover fearful of forthcoming mass extinction events, an animal-lover advocating for the killing of countless furry friends, a writer who focuses on fiction but found real life calling loudly for his attention.

“I married into an animal loving family and a birdwatching family, and quickly became a serious birdwatcher,” Franzen explains about his move to Santa Cruz County 25 years ago. I became pretty extreme about it, and with that came a sense of fear about what is happening to the wild birds of the world.”

In the second half of the program, Franzen goes back to his comfort zone and talks about the joy of retreating to the 1970s of his teen years to write his more recent novel, Crossroads.

For more information:

Listen on YouTube
Listen on Apple Podcasts
“Cats of L.A.” in the New Yorker
American Bird Conservancy

About Jonathan Franzen

Jonathan Franzen is a novelist and essayist whose sprawling multilayered novels about contemporary America have elicited critical acclaim. His novels combine brilliant storytelling while exploring the intimate connections of family relations. Franzen’s 2001 novel, “The Corrections,” won the National Book Award and the James Trait Black Memorial Prize and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Since then, he has written four more novels, including “Crossroads,” a national bestseller named one of the New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2021. It was also cited by Barack Obama, Financial Times, Good Housekeeping, Oprah Daily, Newsweek, NPR, Publishers Weekly, TIME, USA Today, Vogue, The Washington Post and many more.

His recent essay in the New Yorker magazine Cats of L.A. takes on the issue of feral cats and the efforts of communities to try to reduce their numbers in humane ways.

Political reporter for Lookout Santa Cruz, Chris Neely takes us through the California and Santa Cruz races as we near the March 5th election.

Gitta Ryle was 7 when her mother sent her and her 10-year-old sister Renee from their home in Vienna, Austria to France to be hidden from the Nazis. What followed was seven years of separation and fear, always hiding and hoping not to be caught and killed. Her father was killed in Auschwitz. Gitta tells her story and reflects on what it means in our current time and how therapy helped her want to live and shed the anger that was weighing her down. She is approaching her 92nd birthday and finds purpose in telling about what happened so that no one can deny history and hopefully, we will learn from the past not to repeat the tragedies of fear and fascism.

In this episode, we hear three heartfelt stories of struggle and healing from freshmen at UCSC. Each fall quarter, UCSC students write and perform personal “Slug” stories in front of an audience of peers and faculty as part of John R. Lewis College’s Social Justice and Community core course. Modeled after The Moth Radio Hour, this project has been collecting student stories for the past several years in an audio archive. Read more in this article:

Award-winning journalist Claudia Melendez Salinas has been writing in-depth articles about people at the margins who do not traditionally get covered by local or national daily papers. Voices of Monterey Bay is a passion project of local journalists Julie Reynolds, Royal Calkins, Joe Livernois, and Melendez covering in-dept stories impacting Monterey County. She talks about her recent investigative work and the need for local journalism.

Craig James started his professional career as a Cabrillo College dropout at the age of seventeen. Four years as a sailing instructor, boatbuilder, machinist, and carpenter taught him the value of craftsmanship and what it means to have real responsibilities. He also figured out that laboring in the hot sun can make college seem quite attractive.

Born and raised in California, he graduated from UC Davis with a degree in electrical engineering, and some years later earned his master’s degree in Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence and linguistics) from Stanford University. It was while at Stanford studying artificial intelligence, linguistics, and philosophy that James got his first inspiration to write a book.

In addition to his writing, James is an accomplished amateur guitarist, a tolerable clarinet player, a deep-sea sailor, and the father of three. In his spare time, he enjoys sailing, hiking and bicycling in the beautiful beaches and mountains of Northern California.

The books:The Religion Virus: Why We Believe in GodAffairs of State (a novel)

Thom Zajac began publishing the Santa Cruz Comic News in September of 1984. Now in its 40th year, each issue of the Comic News features well over 100 cartoons from the nation’s leading political cartoonists. The Comic News is the longest running cartoon newspaper and granddaddy of them all, having inspired over 100 copycat publications, many of which are still going to this day. Thom has adapted to changing technology and media markets over the decades, and the Comic News website now features weekly updates and highlighted cartoonists, among other things, while the print edition continues to grace local newsstands.

It is said that there are more opinions than people in Santa Cruz county, and the Rail and Trail project has not only spanned decades, it swarms with opinions, ideas, and contradictions. As the Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Commission takes its next steps towards studying the nuts and bolts of what an integrated rail and trail could look like for the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line, Christine Barrington continues her Rail-Trail series and digs into common questions and conundrums that have beset the project.

This is episode #3 in a 5-part series and features former Regional Transportation Commission Executive Directors Linda Wilshusen (1985-2005) and George Dondero (2006-2018) along with Board members of Friends of the Rail and Trail: Barry Scott, Sally Arnold and Bruce Sawhill.

Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission: Zero Emission Passenger Rail & Trail Project StudyOffer your feedback at the Virtual Preliminary Project and Need Open House: Until March 4, 2024: Online at www.zeprt.com

RAIL & TRAIL EPISODES:

1) The Rail & Trail: Visiting the Past; Finding the Future

2) The Rail & Trail Part 2: 2206-2018: George Dondero, Cory Caletti and John Leopold

3 Questions and Conundrums

4) Friends of the Rail and Trail

5) The Rail and Trail in Watsonville and Beyond

Bonus show: Mitigating Environmental Impacts of the Rail and Trail with Senior Ecologist Justin Davilla

Musical Soulmates Performer’s Collabortive is a group of local musicians who lift up black musical voices and talents. Victoria Theodore, Anthony Jones, and Kate Saphir Alm visited KSQD and shared some soulful songs by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Bach, and Bill Withers in anticipation of their upcoming concert series. They sing, play keyboards, and chat with the host about their music and careers.

Victoria Theodore spent seven years touring with Stevie Wonder as his keyboard and percussion player and six years with Beyonce. http://victoriatheodore.com/index.php/about/

What is an EIR? How will the creation of the Santa Cruz Rail Trail affect the local flora and fauna? And, what plans are being created to mitigate its existence?Talk of the Bay Co-hosts Rocky and Jack Snyder interview Justin Davilla, Senior Ecologist for Ecosystems West Consulting to dig deep into the present Environmental Impact Report being developed for segments 8 &9 of the Rail and Trail, which are being overseen by the city and county of Santa Cruz. Davilla specializes in resource inventory and planning, as well as biological and aquatic impacts of projects.If you don’t know what charismatic mega-fauna are, you are about to find out! Justin speaks thoughtfully about the creatures and plants that have made their home along the railroad tracks over the past one-hundred years since the tracks were laid. Plus, What about the trees? Three-hundred and eighty-one trees will be removed along segments 8 & 9, including heritage and native species. Justin goes into detailed descriptions of how government agencies work thoughtfully to mitigate damage to the ecosystem during public works projects. His insights into the environmental impact of the Rail Trail are in-depth and sure to answer questions you may have and inspire some you have never even thought of before!

Kieren Rudge is a doctoral student in the Society & Environment Division of the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley. Their research interests lie at the intersection of climate justice, critical race theory, and decolonization studies. Before coming to UC Berkeley, Kieren researched climate policy, planning, and discourse across various geographies within the continental United States, as well as in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Currently, they are focused on analyzing how systems of climate change adaptation may reproduce military colonial power structures and environmental injustice in Pacific Islands. In particular, they are studying how these systems are impacting communities in the territory of Guåhan (Guam) considering how political status impacts self-determination of Indigenous peoples with regard to climate action. Kieren has a Master in Environmental Science from Yale, and a Bachelor’s in Environmental Sicence from Johns Hopkins University. Their research has been published in Nature Climate Change, Urban Climate, and Climate Risk Management, among other journals.

In this extraordinary interview with Palestinian Dr. and Professor Izzeldin Abuelaish, who lost three daughters and a niece to Israeli tank shelling in Gaza in 2009—the same day, 15 years ago, as this program–and who recently lost 22 family members in the Gaza Strip to the Israel-Hamas war, Dr. Izzeldin pleads for an end to the siege on Gaza and addresses co-existence, hate, anger, forgiveness and how to move forward toward peace. … We begin with a report on the tumultuous events of Jan. 9 and beyond, when the Santa Cruz City Council considered a community-drafted ceasefire resolution; what happened at that meeting and what happened after that. Dr. Abuelaish addresses comments from local participants in that meeting as well as calls and emails from live listeners.

This show was aired as a special production of both the “Talk of the Bay” program and “Moment of Truth with Ami Chen Mills” at KSQD.

Show Notes and Resources

Please see Dr. Abuelaish’s biography below:

Professor and Doctor Izzeldin Abuelaish is a Palestinian Canadian physician and internationally recognized human rights and peace activist devoted to advancing health and education opportunities for women and girls in the Middle East.

Dr. Abuelaish was born and raised in Jabalia Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip. He lived through many hardships there, including poverty, violence, and the horrific tragedy of his three daughters’ and a niece’s deaths in the 2009 Gaza War.

Professor Abuelaish has been nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize, and is known as the Nelson Mandela and “Martin Luther King of the Middle East,” having dedicated his life to using health as a vehicle for peace.

Prof. Abuelaish’ s book, I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor’s Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity, an international best seller and autobiography of his loss and transformation, has achieved worldwide acclaim.

Published in 2010, now translated into 23 languages, this book was inspired by the loss of his three daughters – Bessan, Mayar, and Aya – and their cousin Noor who were murdered by Israeli tank shelling on January 16th, 2009, the book has become a testament to Izzeldin’s commitment to forgiveness as the solution to conflict and the catalyst towards peace.

I Shall Not Hate has become both a documentary, due out this year and a play. Past US President Jimmy Carter has said of Dr Abuelaish … “He has expressed a remarkable commitment to forgiveness and reconciliation that describes the foundation for a permanent peace in the Holy Land.”

Professor Abuelaish has been awarded nine honorary doctorates, The Order of Ontario, The Meritorious Service Cross, the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Award of Canada; and many other international-level awards. Doctor Abuelaish founded the Canadian charity, Daughters for Life, in memory of his daughters. Daughters for Life provides young women with the opportunity to pursue higher education and to become strong agents of change.

Currently, Dr. Abuelaish lives in Toronto and is a Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.

I Shall Not Hate, the book: https://www.amazon.com/Shall-Not-Hate-Doctors-Journey/dp/0802779492

The Daughters for Life Foundation: https://daughtersforlife.com/

As the presidential primary season gets underway, how will fake news influence how people, or whether people vote? How will it impact the views people hold about the nominees? What are deep fakes and how can we deal with them? Those are a few questions tackled by Dr. Nolan Higdon, professor of media studies at UCSC and author of The Anatomy of Fake News in this timeley interview.

As we watch public meetings devolve into shouting, politicians doxing and being doxed, private and public figures being harassed for their statements or views, and even a death threat on the life of Santa Cruz’s mayor, how do we walk it back? That was a question I posed to Silvia Morales, Executive Director of the Resource Center for Nonviolence in Santa Cruz. What can the concepts of Kingian nonviolence and civil disobedience help with as we strive for a more civil public discourse?

For a list of their programs, see their website: https://rcnv.org/events/

The question of whether to develop a passenger rail system along the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line has been explored, questioned, developed, studied, contested and voted on across an arc of nearly four decades. Santa Cruz county stands before two important inflection points related to this project. One is an imminent Regional Transportation Commission in-depth study to explore the engineering and environmental realities of delivering a light-rail system to our region; The other is a critical election coming up March 5 for three open District Supervisor seats. Those who claim these posts will be in powerful positions relative to the rail question.

I am Christine Barrington and a regular talk show host at KSQD. If you are anything like me, you have likely felt confused and perhaps befuddled by the complication and contentiousness of the Rail and Trail. And, what is this project, really? Is it Rail? Is it a Trail. Both? Neither? What?!! Given the dire state of traffic in our region, and the deep concern I feel around climate issues, I set out to clarify my own confusion and document my journey to understand. Along the way I discovered that projects of this scale and complexity are epic, with champions and challengers, visionaries and volunteers, policy makers and politicians–and so many studies and story lines it makes the head spin.

What I also discovered is that, ultimately, the story of the Rail and Trail is about people–people who vote, people who plan, and people who politic. I met some incredible people in my quest to grasp the arc of the Rail and Trail possibility, and I hope you enjoy the journey with me.

In this initial episode we go back in time to capture the first glimpses of the vision for the Rail-Trail. Featured Guests: Congressman Sam Farr, Former Regional Transportation Executive Director (1985-2005) Linda Wilshusen, John Brissenden, Co-Founder of Land Trust Santa Cruz, the Community Foundation, as well as Life Lab, and Micah Posner, former Executive Director of People Power, and co-founder of Friends of the Rail and Trail.

For a history of rail in Santa Cruz please enjoy this excellent show from KSQD’s Len Beyea: Derek Whaley shares the history of train routes through the Santa Cruz mountains and how they changed the destiny of this region

Rail-Trail Episodes:

1) The Rail & Trail: Visiting the Past; Finding the Future

2) The Rail & Trail Part 2: 2206-2018: George Dondero, Cory Caletti and John Leopold

3) Questions and Conundrums

4) Friends of the Rail and Trail

5) The Rail and Trail in Watsonville and Beyond

Bonus show: Mitigating Environmental Impacts of the Rail and Trail with Senior Ecologist Justin Davilla

Fresh off a meeting with the person who threatened to kill him over his vote on a council resolution regarding violence in the Middle East, Santa Cruz Mayor, Fred Keeley talks about the necessity of being able to disagree without being disagreeable. While defending his vote and the people’s right to have their say, Keeley talks about the necessity for peaceful disagreement. A half-hour before this interview, Keeley met with the teen who threatened to stab him to death over his vote, and the father, both of whom apologized both verbally, and in a written statement.

Each year, the Community Music School of Santa Cruz hosts the Santa Cruz Harp Festival, a celebration of this beautiful instrument. This year’s festival includes Celtic, Classical and Improvisational music.

In this interview, we hear from Executive Director, Susan Willats about the history of the harp, and the festival that celebrates it. Artists are Calvin Arsenia, Jesse Autumn, Shelley Phillips, and Jennifer Cass.

https://www.communitymusicschool.org/harp-festival

A Dream DeferredWhen I was eight years old in 3rd grade, I was asked to read Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech in front of the two neighboring elementary schools, the Monday following his death. Looking back at this event, I understand more fully the level of sorrow and loss that my community in St. Louis, Missouri felt that day upon learning King had been assassinated.

by Gail Thornton Borkowski

The Dream A Shot Deferred (A Radio Production)

Narrator: It was April 3, 1968. My 3rd grade classmates and I were buzzing with anticipation for our Spring Festival performance. The two elementary schools, Hamilton Branch No. 3 and 4, in the heart of St. Louis, Missouri, had created a variety of performances for parents and teachers. It was a celebration we all looked forward to. My class had spent the last month practicing.

Narrator: Our class had created a matador themed story, complete with sock puppets and a cha-cha line dance, choreographed by our young teacher. I was the narrator and I was excited, unlike my last public reading as a kindergartener, when I feared that God would strike me down for reading about holly & mistletoe in a Catholic church. I was taught that only members of my small, inner-city, Pentecostal church would make it to heaven, and I just knew this blasphemous reading in a Catholic church was surely my ticket to hell. Surviving until 3rd grade, I was hopeful that having dodged that bolt of lightning, God was okay with me reading in public. More importantly, so was my mother.

Narrator: I was born to a mother, left single. She was a domestic worker living in poverty. One of the unnoticed, a mere statistic on the welfare roll. Faithful to God, her church and doing her best to raise a teenager and two young children.

Sound:

Narrator: She was strong, educated in life, not a classroom, and struggling to survive. Her political acumen consisted of reading every magazine she could get her hands on. And even when given the power to vote, she chose to pray for those leading the nation. Bittersweet to those of us who came to understand the power of voting and the memory of those who died in the struggle for one person, one vote.

Narrator: As an 8-year-old, my world consisted of the 10 or so blocks that made up my inner-city neighborhood. The people, shabby like the sidewalks and alleys strewn with broken glass and dry dirt, existed like the dead grass that never seemed to have a chance to grow even in spring when the sun would shine.

Narrator: There was the church, the laundromat, the five & dime, the butcher shop, the Velvet Freeze ice cream shop, and school. Aside fromchurch, school was the anchor in my neighborhood. School was the other place of order and discipline and occasionally creativity.

Narrator: Wednesday, April 3, 1968, harsh light blocked my view of the parents and teachers in the auditorium. But, I read my heart out at that microphone, telling the story of the matador that fought the bull and won. I joined my classmates on the dance floor and cha-cha’d to rousing applause as we ended our presentation. It was a thrill to hear the praise of parents and teachers for my reading. Our class celebrated the next day with an impromptu party, hosted by our teacher. She was young compared to other teachers. Maybe in her 20s or 30s. She was brown, beautiful and shared her passion for experiential learning with a room full of eager, little Black boys and girls.

Sound:

Narrator: Friday, April 5th 1968, I walked into my 3rd grade classroom to see my teacher, head-down on her desk with a radio turned on next to her head. She sobbed

Narrator: Most of my classmates, like me, were confused and scared.

Why was our teacher crying? Why did she have a radio on in class? She (teacher’s name forgotten) eventually told us, through choking tear

Five local reporters convened in KSQD to review the top stories and discuss the year ahead in the news. They are Stephen Baxter and Kara Meyberg Guzman of Santa Cruz Local, Dan Schmalz of Monterey County Weekly, and Wallace Baine of Lookout Santa Cruz. We hear about housing/homelessness, water, octopus’ garden, and, did anybody mention Otter 841? No, they did not! So, there you go.

John Mulry is a local community builder, founder of the Future Urbanist Club, a local chapter of the national non-profit StrongTowns, a creative strategist by trade, and a devotee of trickster gods. He originally began his college education training to be an Episcopal priest, but turned his focus to social systems and human behavior.

As Director at Justicia Lab and Immigration Advocates Network, Rodrigo Camarena has more than five years of experience in leading and managing nonprofit legal tech initiatives that aim to transform immigrant justice through collaboration, creativity, and technology. He has a MSc in Economic History from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and is a graduate of the Stanford University Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders.

Rodrigo has worked hand in hand with immigrants and their advocates to identify common challenges and incubate scalable digital tools that help immigrants navigate the immigration system, find workplace justice, and more. He also supports innovative thinkers who turn strong concepts into prototypes and provide mentorship to participants of Civic Hall Labs’ CivicXcel program.

We’re having some real fun in this Behind the Mic interview featuring KSQD Dj Jennifah, host of Friday night’s Zombie Jamboree. Together, we take raucous romp through Jennifah’s three decades as a broadcaster, how she found her way to Santa Cruz, and what fuels her eclectic joyful live shows each Friday from 8-10 pm.

You can catch Jennifah every Friday night from 8-10 pm on her show Zombee Jamboree. Every week she curates an original program based on a theme. You may not know it, but you can view complete song playlists from all our excellent musical programming. Just click on a show off our schedule. It’s how I build my best playlists, and, of course, if you miss a show, you can enjoy all of them off of our archives.

These late night shows are REALLY fun. Don’t miss ‘em.

Efforts are underway to qualify a new citizen’s ballot initiative that would raise over $7 million a year for environmental restoration efforts, from wildfire and flood recovery to clean water and beaches. It’s called the “Santa Cruz County Safe Drinking Water, Clean Beaches, Wildfire Risk Reduction, and Wildlife Protection Act.” and it may be on the November 2024 ballot if environmental groups can gather enough signatures to qualify. We hear from Executive Director of the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, Sarah Newkirk, one of the bill’s supporters, about the benefits of a permanent fund to revive and preserve our local waterways and forests. In this picture, she is proudly wearing a K-Squid rainbow squid hat, which made discussing this serious topic without laughing, more than difficult.

The Santa Cruz Welcoming Network was founded a few years ago because local people felt the need to do something specific to help new arrivals to our community, whether it be practicing for a driver’s test or getting help with asylum claims. In this interview, we hear from two members of an Afghani family of thirteen who recently found community and support getting settled in their new home after fleeing the Taliban after the takeover of that country. They are currently building a fund that would support legal assistance for asylum seekers. We talk with Najeeb, a former sports CEO for the Olympic search committee, and his 18 year-old daughter, Nadja, who is working toward a law degree so she can help others like her. We also hear from Network organizer, Paul Johnston and volunteer, Julie.

Here at KSQD we take this moment to note with sadness the passing of Rowland Rebele, one of K-Squid’s founding donors. “Reb” as he was known to many of his friends, was a tireless advocate of the station and of local media, speaking out on our behalf and supporting our programming and vision before we even went on the air. Reb also supported many great local nonprofits and programs in our community including the Santa Cruz Symphony, the Cabrillo Journalism program, and the family shelter which bears his name. He remained curious and engaged right up to the end of his long and generous life. Our thoughts are with his wife, Pat and his children, Marianne, Andrew and Chris. We at K-Squid will be forever grateful for Rowland’s support and friendship and will miss his wise counsel and passionate support for the station and all it stands for.

Monday on Talk of the Bay at 5pm: For those who love to hike, Santa Cruz County is a dream come true with nearly a dozen State Parks. There are hundreds of miles of trails to enjoy and that number is continually growing, thanks in part to Santa Cruz Mountain Trails Stewardship, who have been creating and maintaining local world class trails responsibly, sustainably and collectively since 1997.

They are behind popular trails at Soquel Demonstration State Forest, Wilder Ranch State Park, and Pogonip, and bring together thousands of volunteers for trail work events each year.

You might recognize some of the trails and pump tracks they’ve built: Flow Trail, Sawpit Trail reroute, Emma McCrary Trail, West Engelsmans reroute, Enchanted Loop reroute, Ramsay Park Pump Track, Harvey West Pump Track, Chanticleer Pump Track, Gloria Jean Tate Pump Track, and the Westside Pump Track.

Executive Director, Matt De Young, joins the show to discuss the state of local trails and how you can be a part of their growing mission. Join us and learn how their community-driven efforts are putting Santa Cruz on the map to becoming the model for sustainable trails systems.

Santa Cruz Gives is a crowdfunding platform and initiative of the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz and the Good Times Weekly newspaper. We hear from Jeanne Howard of Good Times and Karen Delaney of The Volunteer Center about their passion for this local philanthropy project. If you’d like to make a donation to KSQD or any other local nonprofit listed there, go to: https://www.santacruzgives.org

Janus has been the go-to recovery center in Santa Cruz County for the past 30 years. In this interview, board chair, Edison Jensen, and CEO Amber Williams talk about ways to support recovery during the holidays, how their various programs work, and stories of hope amidst the fentanyl epidemic. In addition, they talk about opening a new peri-natal center for women and their children.

Derek R. Whaley is a historian and research librarian, who was born and raised in Felton, California. He earned a doctorate in history from the University of Canterbury in 2018. He began researching Santa Cruz County history in 2011 and continues to do so from overseas. He has worked at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk as resident historian and The Tech Museum of Innovation, and volunteered at the San Lorenzo Valley Museum and Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. He is editor-in-chief for Zayante Publishing, and is well-known for his Santa Cruz Trains book series, and also for his website, santacruztrains.com. He currently lives in Aotearoa New Zealand.

On Talk of the Bay we explore a controversial new proposal to install 22 high-speed automated license plate image capture cameras at busy intersections in the city of Santa Cruz. The proposal has been placed on the consent agenda of the Santa Cruz City Council for a vote tomorrow night (Tuesday, November 28), and Peter Gelblum, Chair of the Santa Cruz Chapter of the ACLU joins the show to discuss why they have filed an urgent request to delay the vote to allow more time for public input and thoughtful discussion about this potentially invasive and costly technology.

These high-speed automated license plate readers (ALPR’s) capture license plate numbers off every vehicle that passes the camera, and upload the time, date, and locations of the plates to large, searchable databases owned and operated by private companies that are not transparent or accountable to the public or elected officials.

The City of Menlo Park recently decided to not use ALPRs, in significant part because there was no demonstrated need or positive impact of the system. https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2023/09/29/citing-privacy-concerns-menlo-park-says-no-to-automated-license-plate-readers

What do you think?

How do you have a meaningful day when you have a significant disability?

For the past decade, The Founders of Santa Cruz’s Common Roots Farm have been on an odyssey to answer this question.

Heidi Cartan and Phillipe Habib are the parents of two children, one of whom is significantly disabled. Recognizing the grim realities of our system’s failure to protect the vulnerable, they were determined to provide a safe and meaningful future for their son with Cerebral Palsy.

Along the way, they gathered a cohort of dedicated parents who also had children with disabilities, and together, they have built a thriving Farm business as well as a housing community, where people with disabilities join with others to grow healthy food and beautiful flowers, while forging friendships and a community that sustains everyone.

A Hardworking Farmer at Common Roots Farm

In her book, Why we Need to be Wild, author and journalist Jessica Carew Kraft writes about her quest to live simply off the land in a life close to nature. Weaving deep research and reportage with her own personal journey, Jessica tells the remarkable story of the potential benefits rewilding has for us and our planet, and questions what it truly means to be a human in today’s world.

With the tragic conflicts engulfing our world today come countless injustices, including the mistreatment of journalists who risk their lives and well-being to reveal them.

What drives these journalists to persist in their mission, undeterred by grave perils?

What drives those in other professions to willingly step into danger zones to serve as messengers, help treat the wounded or provide food, comfort and relief?

Neuropsychiatrist Anthony Feinstein, Ph.D., interviewed 19 investigative journalists who live in countries with an intolerance of a free press, from Russia, Iran, Syria, to Zimbabwe. He found one common denominator in each of them that compels them to tell an inconvenient truth despite the risks- His new book is called Moral Courage.

Mark Paul is an Assistant Professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University and former fellow of the Roosevelt Institute and Data for Progress. His research and writing have appeared in the New York Times, The Economist, Washington Post, and The Financial Times, among other publications. He has testified to Congress on numerous occasions, including most recently in March 2023 to the House Oversight Committee on President Biden’s energy policies and inflation. He has advised the leading progressive members of Congress on economic policy, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Cory Booker, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rep. Jamaal Bowman. A native of New England, Mark Paul spent a year in culinary school at Johnson and Wales in Providence, RI, and another year in community college in southern NH, before pursuing economics. He earned his PhD in Economics from University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2016. The Ends of Freedom: Reclaiming America’s Lost Promise of Economic Rights (University of Chicago Press) is his first book.

An article he co-authored with Carla Skandier and Rory Renzy: “The Case for Nationalizing the Fossil Fuel Industry“, sparked this conversation. Mark Paul was also one of 32 economists who recently sent a letter to President Biden calling for rent control on properties with federally-backed mortgages, which is briefly discussed at the end of this interview.

Michael Gasser has lived in Santa Cruz since 2012, before which he taught informatics and cognitive science at Indiana University. He is involved in anti-militarism and Palestine solidarity activism, most recently through Science for the People (nationally) and Palestine Solidarity Central Coast (locally). In this interview, he speaks about why he was moved to organize protests against US military aid to Israel.

How can native people in California have their histories told in Mission state parks? That’s the question I put to our panel of guests on Talk of the Bay. Marion Martinez of the Amah Mutsen tribal band, Kanyon Sayers-Rood tribal leader of the Indian Valley band, Martn Rizz0-Martinez of UCSC’s Film and Digital Media department, Julie Sidell of California State Parks, and Ruth Anne Beutler, a film maker are all guests on this program, grappling with how to broaden the way we interpret history to include indigenous voices. The event, to be held on Nov. 12th at the Mission State Park in Santa Cruz, will include a film screening, discussion and refreshments.

On Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling speaks with organizers and filmmakers involved in the upcoming United Against Hate Week between November 12 and November 20. United Against Hate Week was created by civic leaders in direct response to the sharp rise in expressions of hate in our communities. The organization, Santa Cruz County United for Safe and Inclusive Communities (SCCUSIC), a program of the Resource Center for Nonviolence, empowers local residents to take action in our communities and alter the course of this growing intolerance. You can learn more about United Against Hate Week events on this page from the public libraries.

During this hour we two people who are coordinating events, Cliff Friedlander and Angelee Dion, and two filmmakers whose film “Join or Die” is being presented at a free screening. The episode was facilitated by host Christine Barrington.

For more information:

United Against Hate Week events in Santa Cruz County
United Against Hate Week national organization
The Resource Center for Nonviolence
https://putnamdoc.com/ “Join or Die”
Showing Up for Racial Justice
Santa Cruz County United for Safe and Inclusive Communities

On this episode of Talk of the Bay, we hear from Rowan Rammer and Denise Ward from Santa Cruz Public Libraries and Alexandra Fallo Executive Director of the Carmel Public Library Foundation who talk about the freedom to read, community reads, and other programs promoting by your local public library.

Tim Thomas is the recipient of the Ed Ricketts Award from NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary along with Rumsen-Ohlone Tribal member Linda Yamane. In this interview, Tim Thomas discusses the sardine and abalone fishery in the Monterey Bay, and Lisa Uttal of the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration discusses the Ed Ricketts award named for the famous marine biologist referenced in John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row, and why this award is so perfect for the two recipients. The Ed Ricketts awards will include a talk by the two recipients on November 8th at the Marine Sanctuary Discovery Center in Santa Cruz.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

Public invited to join NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary for the annual Ed Ricketts Memorial Award and Lecture.

The 2023 Ed Ricketts Memorial Award will be presented to Tim Thomas and Linda Yamane, Monterey area cultural historians who have made significant contributions to the field of historical ecology.

Tim Thomas (Maritime Heritage and Fisheries Historian) will speak about early collections of the White Abalone by the young Japanese American abalone diver Roy Hattori, and the unresolved history of its scientific name.

Linda Yamane (Rumsen Ohlone Artist, Historian and Culture Bearer) will share her journey of discovery of her Native heritage culture, through language, songs, baskets, boats, dance regalia, and material harvesting; all of which reflect the richness of the Monterey Bay area, the relationship its indigenous people have always had with the land, and the depth of their resourcefulness and esthetic values.

The Ed Ricketts Memorial Lecture is organized by Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The award was created to honor scientists who have exhibited exemplary work throughout their career and to advance the status of knowledge in the field of marine science. The first award was presented in March 1986 at a conference at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Recipients are selected by the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Research Activity Panel (RAP).

WHAT:

Ed Ricketts Memorial Awards and Lecture

Visit the Ed Ricketts Memorial Award and Lecture page for lecture abstracts and history of the Ed Ricketts Memorial Award.

WHEN:

Wednesday, November 8th, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. PT

Doors open at 5:15 p.m. for meet and greet reception with Ricketts award recipients.

WHERE:

Sanctuary Exploration Center

TO PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY:

For those unable to attend in person, a virtual option is available. Free registration in advance is required using

The Valley Women’s Club and its environmental committee will celebrate its 22nd anniversary of its Environmental Town Hall on Saturday, 10-28 in the Felton Community Hall on Highway 9. The group has been actively involved in advocating for local residents in the face of illegal logging and other insults to the land. In this interview, Nancy Macy, one of the group’s founders, talks about the challenges still facing the San Lorenzo Valley and all its related ecosystems and watersheds.

Daniel Sokatch has served as the CEO of the New Israel Fund since 2009. The New Israel Fund is the leading organization supporting civil society and protecting democracy in Israel. During the past decade of extraordinary challenges, NIF has risen to new heights as the great defender of justice, democracy and equality in Israel.

Before joining NIF, Daniel served as the CEO of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties. Prior to his tenure at the Federation, he was founding Executive Director of the Progressive Jewish Alliance (now Bend the Arc). In recognition of his leadership, Daniel has been named multiple times to the Forward newspaper’s “Forward 50,” an annual list of the fifty leading Jewish decision-makers and opinion-shapers. He has contributed articles to leading newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Washington Post, the Forward and Haaretz, and is the author of the book, Can We Talk About Israel: A Guide for the Curious, Confused, and Conflicted (Bloomsbury, 2021). Daniel holds an MA from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, a JD from Boston College Law School, and a BA from Brandeis University. He is married, is father to two daughters, and resides in San Francisco.

Autumn is here with its darkening days, and with them come the inspiration to turn inward and indulge our imaginations. On Talk of the Bay Monday, Christine Barrington welcomes Rick Kleffel, host of Narrative Species, to take you through a spine-tingling tour of chilling and scary books you can enjoy to evoke the Halloween spirit. Rick brings excerpts from previous interviews with each of the featured authors, which are sure to set the mood and spark your curiosity. Join us and get creeped out!

Featuring:

Ben Percy: The comet Trilogy. The third book in Percy’s innovative and acclaimed Comet Cycle, The Sky Vault, follows an investigation of a mysterious weather phenomena in Fairbanks, Alaska, and a government secret buried since WWII. The comet, Cain, came from beyond our solar system, its debris containing elements unknown. Now, in the isolated region of Fairbanks, Alaska, the skies shift and stretch as an interstellar dust cloud seeds the atmosphere. When a plane shudders its way through pulpy, swirling, bruise-shaped clouds, lit with sudden cracks of lightning, the sky opens and the aircraft vanishes…but only for a minute. The answer to the comet’s origin is about to be unveiled, and its impact on Earth is more treacherous and sublime than humanity could imagine.

Ray Russell and Rosalie Parker: Literary Hauntings: A Gazetteer of Literary Ghost Stories Literary Hauntings identifies and describes the real-life locations that have inspired the best fictional ghost stories of Britain and Ireland. This comprehensive gazetteer, consisting of 271 entries by experts and exponents in the genre is designed to help readers track down landscapes, monuments, cities, towns and villages that have haunted writers of ghost stories for at least the last two hundred years. The gazetteer is also a celebration of the insight and craft that goes into writing a really good ghost story, a genre that is still sometimes overlooked today.

Stephen Graham Jones: The Lake Witch Trilogy: My Heart Is a Chainsaw and Don’t Fear the Reaper. Winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel. In her quickly gentrifying rural lake town Jade sees recent events only her encyclopedic knowledge of horror films could have prepared her for in this latest chilling novel that “will give you nightmares. The good kind, of course” (BuzzFeed) from the Jordan Peele of horror literature, Stephen Graham Jones.

Tananarive Due: The Wishing Pool: In her first new book in seven years, Tananarive Due further cements her status as a leading innovator in Black horror and Afrofuturism. “Tananarive Due is the master of Black horror, even teaching a class where Jordan Peele guest-lectured. So her new collection, The Wishing Pool, out in mid-April, is a major treat, full of major scares. Due excels at twist endings but also brilliantly creates an atmosphere of creeping dread in which you know something terrible is coming. The Wishing Pool is helpfully divided into four sections, and each feels like a movement in a symphony. There are classic tales of horror, then a series of stories set in a Florida town where the swamp tends to swallow people up; the final two sections shift to science fiction about post-apocalyptic futures. (These last sections include pandemic stories, written before 2020, which hit harder now.) Due shows just how much territory she can cover in one short book and just how versatile terrifying tales can be.”—Washington Post

Richard Kadrey: The Secrets of Insects, Short Story Collection. The Pale House Devil, a gripping, snappy creature feature from the master of horror noir about two detectives—one dead, one living—hired by an embittered old landowner to banish a bloody cosmic monster from his ancestral home, perfect for fans of Cassandra Khaw, Charles Stros

Professor Emeritus of history, Sandy Lydon, A.K.A, “The History Dude”, joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about squid fisheries, Loma Prieta earthquake and what it can teach us, and his time as a TV weatherman with time to kill.

For more information on his talks: http://www.sandylydon.com/

This episode of Talk of the Bay included Megan Whilden, Development Director for Community Human Services who spoke about the overwhelming response the organization has had to the opening of 35 new shelter beds for women and their children.

Monterey’s First Shelter for Homeless Women and Families with Children Opens in November

Public Invited to Open House and Ribbon Cutting Saturday, November 4th

(Monterey CA) Community Human Services, a leading non-profit organization dedicated to providing mental health, substance abuse, and homeless services in Monterey County, is thrilled to announce the upcoming opening of Shuman HeartHouse, a much-needed shelter for homeless women and families with children. The shelter, which can accommodate up to 35 individuals, is set to open in early November, in Monterey, thanks to the community’s generosity, many donors, and the efforts of its founder, Mark Shuman. There are currently over 200 homeless women and families with children on the waiting list for shelter space.

Community Open House & Ribbon Cutting on Saturday, November 4th

Before it opens to guests, Community Human Services invites the community to a special preview event. Join us for a ribbon-cutting and open house on November 4th from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Shuman HeartHouse, located at 600 E. Franklin St. in Monterey. This event is sponsored by the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.

A Vision Turned Reality

Shuman HeartHouse started as a dream of Mark and Adriana Shuman. Mark Shuman expressed his determination, saying, “It has always been our vision to have a shelter in Monterey where there is so much need but so many constraints due to lack of water and appropriate building sites. For years, I tried to find a building in Monterey. In 2020, I finally came across a perfect property on Franklin Street! I knew it was our job to make this happen. Because of my family’s commitment to Casa De Noche Buena, I knew Community Human Services would be the perfect partner to make my vision a reality.”

Strong Community Support

The realization of Shuman HeartHouse Shelter has been made possible through countless donations from community members, both large and small. The Shumans purchased the property at 600 E. Franklin St. and donated it to be a shelter, and a significant $2.5 million state budget appropriation was made possible by District 17 Senator John Laird. This collective support underscores the community’s commitment to addressing homelessness in Monterey County.

How You Can Help

You can play a vital role in helping the homeless in our community. Consider supporting Shuman HeartHouse Shelter by purchasing items from our Amazon Wish List

(Link https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/3JPZGF30OFHD5 ). Your gifts will directly benefit women and families with children in need as they transition toward stable housing and employment.

Community Human Services is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to providing high-quality mental health, substance abuse, and homeless services to Monterey County residents to help them reach their full potential. Community Human Services was founded by local volunteers and has served Monterey County for over fifty years. For more information about the ribbon-cutting event, how to support Shuman HeartHouse Shelter, or the programs of Community Human Services, visit chservices.org or call 831-658-3811.

In this interview, co-president Peggy Flynn and board member Angela Chesnut of the Democratic Women’s Club of Santa Cruz County talk about the evolution of the club and what it stands for, as well as future events and challenges.

On Talk of the Bay, guest host Blanca Zarazua interviews David Morales, Attorney at Law. Originally from East Los Angeles, Mr. Morales has developed an impressive professional life. This is a bilingual English-Spanish interview!No se pierdan mi programa de radio en KSQD.org donde tratamos de promover la conversacion e intercambio directo. Ese dia tendre una entrevista con el abogado, David Morales. El abogado se crio en el este de Los Angeles pero pudo construir una vida profesional impresionante.

Fresh off the recent legislative session in Sacramento, Senator John Laird answers listener questions and talks about a range of issues concerning local residents, from fire insurance to climate change and more.

Open Studios is right around the corner and, for art lovers, October is a month to celebrate, discover, and visit the rich community of artists of this region. On Talk of the Bay, Monday September 25, our guest is Ann Osterman of The Arts Council of Santa Cruz County. Ann has been organizing Open Studios for nearly two two decades, and she’ll be bringing with her three marvelous artists whose studios you can visit: Mixed media artist Janet Silverglate, Printmaker Stacy Franck and glass maker Randie Silverstein.

Join us and learn about the history, the present wonder, and the future of Open Studios as Ann enters her last year organizing this terrific event.

For more on our guests:

Randie Silverstein:FB:@randiesilversteinglass/ IG:@randiesilversteinglasshttps://randiesilverstein.comglass@randiesilverstein.comStacy Frankinfo@stacyfrank.comWebsiteInstagramJanet Silverglatehttps://www.janetsilverglate.com

On Saturday September 30 The The Safe Schools Project of Santa Cruz County will present two different Summits at Watsonville High School to assist and support youth, parents and educators to help create a safe and more inclusive future for everyone under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella. On Talk of the Bay Christine Barrington interviews student and adult organizers to share all the details.

Summit #1) The Queer, Trans, & Allied Student Summit of the Central Coast is excited to be back in person for the Fall 2023 event on Saturday, September 30th from 9:30am to 2:00pm at Watsonville High School! This year the theme is “Capybaras: A Nonjudgmental Look on Queer History.” Join youth from Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz counties as they come together to celebrate all identities and work towards a safer and more inclusive future for everyone under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella!

For more information and to register: Queer Trans Allied Summit

Summit #2) Also on Saturday, September 30th from 9:30am to 2:00pm at Watsonville High School–This is a free bilingual workshop for parents, guardians, adult allies, and educators from Monterey, San Benito & Santa Cruz Counties who want a deeper understanding of gender and youth. Understandings of gender are changing rapidly and it can be challenging to keep up! All children are limited by traditional gender roles and stereotypes, whether they are transgender, gender expansive, or not. Parents and adult allies play a crucial role in creating a safe and supportive environment for all young people around their gender.

For more information and to register: Safe Schools Project

The season of summer fun is winding down, but if you missed your vacation trip this year, we invite you join Talk of the Bay host, Christine Barrington, for a music-filled frolick down Idaho’s Salmon River with Tim Bluhm of The Mother Hips and Santa Cruz’s very own Coffis Brothers, who yearly join the extraordinary guides of Idaho River Adventures as they expertly row guests through the canyons of The Salmon River Mountains for six days of white water adventuring, delicious food, laughter-filled conversation, and dreamy live music.

If you would like to experience the magic of this journey in 2024, contact: Idaho River Adventures

Tim Bluhm and The Coffis Brothers will be performing at this year's Mountain Sol Festival in Felton's Roaring Camp, Friday-Sunday, September 15-17.

Aidan Collins-Smith, Kyle Poppen, Jaime Coffis, Kellen Coffis, and Tim Bluhm, as they serenade guests on the banks of the River of No Return.

Hot Mess, Hot Dress Lasagna Night with guides:

(from left: Taylor, Emma, Ellie, Owen, Chloe, Shayla, Luke)

All photos courtesy of Brian Dettor Photography

Housing for People is a grassroots citizens' initiative campaign. Keresha Durham, Susan Monheit, Frank Barron, and Candace Broen were interviewed in August of 2023 by host Len Beyea about their campaign, what the initiative would achieve if it qualifies for the ballot and gets voter approval, and what motivated each of them to engage in this effort.

Keresha Durham is a local high school teacher. She is a bilingual teacher, focused on environmental science and protection. She has been teaching since 1987. She has been an Environmental and Climate Activist for over 30 years and served in several local Eco-organizations and as Chair of the City Transportation Commission to increase clean and human-powered transportation. She is proud to say she got rid of her car to help our climate about 20 years ago and she happily walks and bikes every day- rain or shine!

Susan Monheit has enjoyed a 30-year career in environmental protection. She is recently retired from a position as Unit Chief for Water Quality, in the Division of Water Rights, at the State Water Resources Control Board in Sacramento – a position where she supervised the development of Environmental Impact Reports under CEQA, to regulate water flows and habitat restoration to support recovery of endangered species. Susan has a master's in environmental management from the University of San Francisco . She has published two scientific research papers in the peer reviewed journal Human and Ecological Risk Assessment (HERA).

Frank Barron is a retired land use planner, with 30 years local and Monterey Bay area experience in the public and private sector. He has experience in regional, environmental, city, county and special district water agency planning. He has also worked as a Regional Planner at the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG), including preparing the Regional Housing Needs Assessment report (which distributed the Regional Housing Needs Allocations to each of the cities and counties in the Monterey Bay Region.)

Candace Broen is a graduate of Psychobiology and Accounting with Honors. After a few decades working in high-tech, she studied key issues of land use and transportation and recognized many serious overlooked impacts with rezoning. She formed a group named Branciforte Action Committee which organized a series of Community Forums to bring awareness to City Planning and its impacts, focusing on solving the "real affordable" housing needs of Santa Cruz. She has served on the Save Santa Cruz Steering Committee, on reImagine Santa Cruz. For over 3 years, she has been a City Transportation and Public Works Commissioner. In her second career now, she works as a tax accountant.

Mark Weller of Californian's for Pesticide Reform discusses the tribunal planned for the 12th of September as well as other issues of pesticide reform in California.People's Tribunal on Pesticide Use and Civil Rights in California | Live Event and Webinar Online Webinar Law Law - CLEANR Law - HP

To register for online access: https://campusgroups.uci.edu/law/rsvp_boot?id=1928779

Tue, Sep 12, 20231 PM – 4 PM PDT (GMT-7)Lindsay Wellness Center, Tulare County, CABy any measure, farmworkers and agricultural communities are among the least protected and least visible populations in the United States. In California, 97% of farmworkers are Latinx, 92% are Spanish-speaking, and over 90% are immigrants. The first finding of a violation of EPA regulations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was made in Angelita C., on behalf of children who attended schools near the use of methyl bromide. While state and federal laws prohibit state-funded discrimination and require agencies to advance environmental justice, farmworkers, parents and children who attend schools near pesticide use, and agricultural communities rarely have access to justice via traditional means.In response, Californians for Pesticide Reform and the University of California, Irvine are hosting a People's Tribunal at the Lindsay Wellness Center in Tulare County, California on September 12, 2023. The event is a forum for community members to deliberate over civil rights in the context of pesticide use and exposure. People's tribunals take the form of legal proceedings run by public figures, legal practitioners, and community leaders. Designed to demand accountability, their claim to authority begins with the argument that members of the community are competent to invoke and apply the law on their own when governments are unwilling to do so. The Tribunal is made possible by a generous grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.The Tribunal will feature community testimony on subjects including: (1) Generations of work to address harms to farmworkers and schools from pesticide use in California, with a focus on regulatory gaps; (2) Scientific research to understand those harms, with a focus on links and relationships among pesticide use, exposure, and harm; (3) Local coalition testimony from across the region, with a focus on community experience, awareness of harms, and pressing concerns; (4) Binational and Indigenous perspectives, with a focus on the difficulty accessing enforcement and other services for those who speak Indigenous languages; (5) Community efforts to process, transform, and use public data to understand impacts and potential mitigation of pesticide use; (6) Legal requirements, including civil rights laws, and why they are under-utilized and difficult to enforce in the context of pesticide use; and (7) Potential violations of civil rights law.Judges and speakers include: Caroline Farrell, Professor of Law and Director, Environmental Law and Justice Clinic, Golden Gate University School of LawRobert Chacanaca, President, Monterey Bay Central Labor Council (retired), Cupa TribeDr. Caroline Cox, Senior Scientist, Center for Environmental Health (retired)Dr. Irva Hertz-Picciotto, Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences and Chief, Division of Environmental and Occupational Health, UC Davis School of MedicineDr. Ann López, Executive Director, Center for Farmworker FamiliesBianca Lopez, Co-Founder and Project Director, Valley Improvement ProjectsDr. Gregg Macey, Director, Center for Land, Environment, and Natural Resources, UCI LawTimothy Malloy, Professor of Law, UCLA School of LawNayamin Martinez, Executive Director, Central California Environmental Justice NetworkDr. Sarait Martinez, Executive Director, Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Ingígena OaxaqueñoAsha Sharma, Organizing Co-Director, Pesticide Action Network North AmericaThe Tribunal will be attended by residents of agricultural communities from across California. It will end with a preliminary statement by the judges on the evidence presented, followed by an Advisory Opinion based on witness testimony. The goal of the Tribunal is to bring the experience of thousands of workers, students, and residents to the forefront so that legislators, agency staff, organizers, attorneys, and the public can consider necessary reforms.

Blanca Zarazua's father was a Bracero. She now holds multiple degrees in higher education, including a legal degree from Santa Clara University. Learn about how being the daughter of immigrant parents inspired her to become an immigration lawyer . In 2003 Ms. Zarazúa was honored with a lifetime appointment by Mexico's former President Vicente Fox to serve as Honorary Consul of Mexico for Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. She has also served on the board of international advisors for the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

Richard J. King is the author of five books of nonfiction about our relationship with the global ocean, including most recently Sailing Alone: A History. He has also written Ahab's Rolling Sea: A Natural History of Moby-Dick, lauded in Science, Nature, and American Scholar. He also wrote Lobster, which was acclaimed by the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, and The Devil's Cormorant: A Natural History, which was short-listed for the ASLE Creative Book Award and rated as one of the top five science books of 2013 by Library Journal. Rich is also the author of a variety of popular and scholarly articles, reviews, and interviews in a range of magazines and academic journals. He has illustrated two children's books, What is a Sea Dog? and Women and the Sea and also Ruth! He writes and illustrates a quarterly column titled “Animals in Sea History” for Sea History magazine, was the Series Editor for "Seafaring America," and he co-edits the online reference "Searchable Sea Literature."

Rich earned his PhD in writing and sea literature from the University of St. Andrews. He has been sailing on tall ships for over twenty-five years, traveling throughout the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as both a teacher and a sailor. He is a visiting associate professor with the Sea Education Association (Woods Hole, MA), a lecturer at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, CA, and a research associate with the Literature Department at the University of California Santa Cruz.

In 2007, he sailed alone across the Atlantic in a 28' sloop from Portland, Maine, to Lisbon, Portugal (he was aiming for Scotland). He lives in Santa Cruz, CA, with his spouse and child.

Mallory Hoffbeck is a recent graduate of the Middlebury Institute in Monterey with a master's in environmental policy, specializing in marine resource management. At Middlebury she worked as a researcher and writer with the Center for the Blue Economy, and as a researcher and administrative assistant with the Study of Environmental Arctic Change. She's from Oregon and got her bachelor's in politics and government at Pacific University.

Mia Hines is a rising senior at Grinnell College pursuing a Computer Science major and Statistics minor. She has obtained rigorous IT internships, attended competitive summer fellowships and programs, and developed award-winning projects. However, what Mia is truly passionate about is technology research. Over the past few years, she served as a summer research assistant at Brown University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This Fall, she is working on an environmental justice project with the MIT Media Lab. After graduating in Spring 2024, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Computer Science or a related field.

Image above is the map of the voyage of the Roman, December 1835 to April 1839, showing interactions with sperm whales. Map by Mia Hines, used courtesy of Earth Island Journal.

In a time of growing eco-despair, one may wonder: Is grief good for you? The folks at The Good Grief Network say it is, and they have created a pragmatic program that metabolizes eco-distress and transforms it into meaningful action. On Talk of the Bay, Monday, August 28, Christine Barrington welcomes LaUra Schmidt, Co-Founder of The Good Grief Network and co-author of “How to Live to in a Chaotic Climate” who will share her personal process that ultimately led to the creation of GGN, as well as details about the transformational 10-step program it offers for fostering reconnection, empowerment, and joy in an increasingly uncertain world.

LAURA SCHMIDT is the cofounder (with Aimee Lewis Reau) of The Good Grief Network, one of the first emotional support groups for eco-anxiety and climate grief. GGN has grown quickly in the United States, with additional groups forming in five continents and fourteen countries. GGN has been covered in Time, NPR, USA Today, CNN, NBC News, and The LA Times. LaUra and Aimee are the cohosts of the podcast WHY?!? LaUra is trained in nonviolent civil disobedience and is a Climate Reality Leadership Corps member and mentor.

Eco-distress is real. How to Live in a Chaotic Climate is here to help you rediscover meaning, joy, and connection as the tumult around us increases. Based on the Good Grief Network’s acclaimed 10 Steps to Resilience and Empowerment in a Chaotic Climate program, this book unpacks the social, political, and spiritual nuances of the climate emergency, step by step. 1. Accept the Severity of the Predicament 2. Be with Uncertainty 3. Honor My Mortality and the Mortality of All 4. Do Inner Work 5. Develop Awareness of Biases and Perception 6. Practice Gratitude, Seek Beauty, and Create Connections 7. Take Breaks and Rest 8. Grieve the Harm I Have Caused 9. Show Up 10. Reinvest in Meaningful Efforts

Each step includes practices that draw on meditation, mindfulness, journaling, dance, somatics, and self-inquiry to help readers cope with overwhelming feelings, heal wounds caused by disconnection, and act in generative ways that help cultivate a just and equitable future for all.

Here is the How to Live in a Chaotic Climate Spotify Playlist, which features three songs to go along with each chapter of the book.

Follow the Good Grief Network on Social Media: IG: https://www.instagram.com/howtoliveinachaoticclimate/ https://www.instagram.com/goodgriefnetwork/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura3schmidt/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodGriefNetwk

Daniel Savio is a member of the San Francisco Mime Troupe's Artistic Collective, and he is the company's resident Lyricist, Composer, and Musical Director. Daniel has been with the Troupe since 2015, as a musician, and has been writing songs for the company since 2019, including those in this year's new original musical: BREAKDOWN.

The mission of the San Francisco Mime Troupe is to create and produce theater that presents a working-class analysis of the events that shape our society, that exposes social and economic injustice, that demands revolutionary change on behalf of working people, and to present this analysis before the broadest possible audience with artistry and humor.

The Mime Troupe's artistic history has been a series of experiments with popular theater forms. Founding director RG Davis began in 1959 with avant-garde performance events in lofts and basements. When he discovered Commedia dell’Arte (Italian Renaissance marketplace comedy) he began a tradition of free shows in the parks that still thrives today.

In l987, the nation's theater critics honored the SFMT with a special Tony Award for Excellence in Regional Theater. Their other most cherished honor is the San Francisco Bay Area Media Alliance Golden Gadfly Award. Still red and hot in their 60th year, the Mime Troupe continues to bring joy and energy to audiences while afflicting the powerful.

Their 2023 production, Breakdown, will be presented in London Nelson Park in Santa Cruz at 3 PM on August 19th and 20th in Santa Cruz.

In July, I spent five weeks teaching podcasting to 25 UCSC students stationed in the tiny artist town of Dingle, Ireland. The students were encouraged to find a topic they were curious about and that had meaning to them. These are three out of six podcasts that were created.

The first podcast, Dinny in Dingle, is about a dairy farmer struggling to do the right thing and stay in business as a family farmer.

The second story, What's the Catch? is about a third-generation fisherman who has had to reinvent his way of fishing in response to quotas and changing climate by opening a popular fish restaurant.

The third story "Pubinvestigators" is about two popular pubs in Ireland, each with its own charm and culture in this town where every other business is a pub.

To hear all six: https://ireland23.sites.ucsc.edu/

As more and more people discover the coastal gem that is Big Sur, the original Big Sur Land Use Plan is being put to the test. A group, Keep Big Sur Wild is gearing up to wage legal battles to keep the coast from commercial development that they say would make the traffic even worse. Find out more through this interview with board member Tim Green.

The Cabrillo College name change process has inspired both admiration and divisiveness. Amidst the controversy, the core reasons impelling the name change are often sidelined. On the Talk of the Bay Monday, August 14, Christine Barrington features excerpts from the April 2021 Cabrillo College Community Name Exploration Education Series entitled “The Impact of Colonization on Native Americans” and features the voices of Indigenous leaders and educators who speak directly to how naming can effect Indigenous erasure and why renaming can achieve reparation and heal communities from intergenerational effects of collective trauma. Panel speakers include Kanyon CoyoteWoman Sayers-Roods of Indian Canyon and Professors Cutcha Risling Baldy of Humboldt State and UCSC's Martin Rizzo-Martinez.

This show features excerpts from this April 2021 presentation. For the full 90 minute program, please use this link: Native American Panel on the Impacts of Colonization

Big Basin State Park is the oldest state park in California and also the most devastated by the CZU Fire that swept through in 2020. In this show, we hear from Bonny Hawley, Executive Director of the Friends of the Santa Cruz State Parks, and Erin Dunning, State Park Interpreter, about the history and current state of this iconic and beloved redwood park. Erin Dunning, Park Interpreter

Bonny Hawley, Executive Director, Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks

Regrowth of the redwood forest

A CZU fire survivor

On KSQD's Jazz Tracks, drummer Joe La Barbera speaks about his upbringing in music, career highlights including time spent with pianist Bill Evans, closing with thoughts on musical expression. * More about Joe La Barbera * More about Keshav Batish

Edited and mixed by Neha Batish. Photo of Joe La Barbera © Goffredo Loertscher.

Sometimes conventional wisdom fails in the face of new scientific discoveries about how fire behaves and how to protect your home. Adrienne Edwards is a plant ecologist with a new book that challenges some of the old assumptions about clearing 100 feet from your home in the forest. She says native plants can actually protect us from embers if encouraged the right way. Learn more in this fascinating interview. FIRESCAPING YOUR HOME: A Manual for Readiness in Wildfire Country (Timber Press: June 20, 2023) by Adrienne Edwards and Rachel Schleiger

Jimmy Panetta addresses several issues facing veterans, including funding available for veterans who suffered illness from toxic burn piles in the field.

A citizen's initiative is busy gathering signatures in the city of Santa Cruz that would allow residents to vote on the height of buildings over the current limit in the general plan and would require that 25% of the units in new buildings be affordable. Frank Barron and Karesha Durham are spearheading the effort and talk here about their goals.

Jojo Mehta co-founded Stop Ecocide alongside barrister and legal pioneer the late Polly Higgins, to support the establishment of ecocide as a crime at the International Criminal Court.

As Co-Founder, Executive Director and key spokesperson of Stop Ecocide International, Jojo has overseen the remarkable growth of the movement while coordinating between legal developments, diplomatic traction and public narrative.

Stop Ecocide International leads a global coalition of national campaigns, businesses, NGOs, lawyers, politicians and indigenous groups who are working to criminalise ecocide at regional, national and institutional legislatures.

Stop Ecocide’s network includes more than 40 national affiliate groups, and among their registered supporters are Pope Francis, Greta Thunberg, Paul McCartney and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Stop Ecocide International aims to activate its network of supporters and affiliate groups to campaign for the introduction of ecocide legislation at the International Criminal Court. The ICC is the only global mechanism which directly accesses the existing criminal justice systems of its 123 member states.

As the Program Manager and Burn Boss for the Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association for the UC Cooperative Extension, Jared Childress identifies and implements prescribed fire projects throughout San Benito, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, leads fire-related trainings and engages various communities for getting “good fire” on the ground. Before working for the UCCE, Jared worked as the Prescribed Fire Coordinator for Audubon Canyon Ranch's Fire Forward program, where he was co-founder and co-chair for both the Bay Area Prescribed Fire Council and Sonoma’s prescribed burn association, The Good Fire Alliance. Jared is the sole proprietor of Ember Fire Consulting.

Having grown up on a coastal California ranch, Jared’s work has centered around the stewardship of CA rangelands and the relationships with the people who work them. This has led him to cowboy on numerous ranches, fight fire as a seasonal Wildland Firefighter with CAL FIRE and Federal Contractors, organize neighbors around wildfire prevention and perform rangeland monitoring as a field biologist with Point Blue's Range Monitoring Network. Jared holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies with an emphasis on rangeland ecology, is qualified as a CA Certified Burn Boss (CARx), Firing Boss, Engine Boss and still spends part of his Summers fighting wildfire.

Photo above by Jared Childress.

Christine Barrington welcomes back the dynamic permaculture duo “Vital Cycles.” Anne Freiwald and Lydia Nielson offer mindset bombs to transform what you thought you knew about gardening. Gleaned from the Permaculture Design Certification courses they teach across California, learn how to break up with fertilizers, grow your own water, and why diversity is essential at all levels of life.

Lydia Neilsen and Anne Freiwald are the founders of Vital Cycles Permaculture, a regenerative design firm that offers education, training, community building, and design services for those are seeking to restore their understanding of the vital cycles that govern life, starting from within the individual and spiraling out all the way to the larger biosphere that nourishes and sustains us all. Anne and Lydia go beyond concepts, and include singing as a way of learning. They’ll share a few of their best tunes for opening the heart to the magic of mother nature while demonstrating how she also offers the solutions we need for a thriving world.

Catch our previous show with Vital Cycles that offers a broad introduction to their work: Vital Cycles Permaculture

Anne and Lydia Recommends:

Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond by Brad Lancaster Earth Repair: A Grassroots Guide to Healing Toxic and Damaged Landscapes by Leila Darwish Social Forestry: Tending the Land as People of Place by Tom Hazel Vaarde The Soil Learning Center with Dr. Christine Jones

Starting with an in-depth interview with conductor Cristi Măcelaru, host Suki Wessling does a second dive into this year's Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. Executive Director Ellen Primack also joins to talk with two of this year’s composers, Gabriela Ortiz and Anna Clyne, about their work and taking part in the festival.

For more information: * Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music * Gabriela Ortiz * Anna Clyne

Cristi Măcelaru (photo by Mara Millam)

Ellen Primack (photo by Adriane White)

Festival Executive Director Ellen Primack, poet-in-residence Farnaz Fatemi, and composer Kevin Puts join host Suki Wessling for a discussion of the return of the annual Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, a local gem with an international lustre. This long-running festival puts Santa Cruz on the contemporary music map, with composers who range from young unknowns to the giants of contemporary classical music. Primack, who is retiring this year, explains that the festival nurtures young composers, musicians, and conductors, placing their work alongside the acknowledged greats in their fields. Kevin Puts talks about being a composer of what many think of as an esoteric art, trying to reach audiences by connecting with them and drawing them in. Fatemi, Poet Laureate of Santa Cruz, will encourage concert-goers to share the words inspired by the music they hear.

For more information: * Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music * Composer Kevin Puts * Poet Farnaz Fatemi

Ellen Primack (photo by Adriane White)

Farnaz Fatemi

Moms for Liberty and other Far Right groups are already organizing in counties and cities across California. Could it happen here?

Santa Cruz County is majority Democratic and considers itself to be highly “inclusive." "Moms for Liberty'' and other far right, extremist groups have taken over school boards across the nation with an eye toward banning books, dehumanizing and even demonizing the LGBTQ+ population in their areas and erasing the real histories of people of color.

Talk of the Bay host Ami Chen Mills hosts Ali Collins, San Francisco School Commissioner who was recalled amidst a Far Right smear campaign during the pandemic and Christina Johnson, a Temecula, California parent and social and racial justice activist who saw Moms for Liberty take over the Temecula school board, led by a local evangelical pastor. Tune in to learn how these groups are funded and how they "sneak" into communities and school boards, even in Democratic districts.

Links:

Ali Collins on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alicollinsproductions

Christina Johnson on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@theempresscjj

Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council meeting on Right Wing and Tech money is San Francsico elections:

https://www.hanc-sf.org/24-home/777-july-13th-at-hanc-dark-money-billionaires-super-pacs-astroturf-groups-and-elections

"Californians for Equal Rights" and the Backlash to Diversity

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ERoTq90pFnb_vTDcTg4Fvl79IM94-VNhSZJUYpSMCQc/edit

Tracking disinformation campaigns targeted at Asian Americans. https://www.asianamdisinfo.org/

For this month's Sunday Dinner the theme is Full Circle: Sankofa. DJ Dupsie interviews two marvelous guests:

Angel Riotutar shares some of her story growing up in Santa Cruz and how she came to be the Director of the American Indian Resource Center at UC Santa Cruz.

Sheyna Burns shares her aspirations regarding vertical farming and the future of sustainable agroecology in the area.

To keep up to date with Sheyna and vertical farming:

Farm Fresh Markets: Instagram-@farmfreshmarketsca Website: https://www.mixo.io/site/farm-fresh-market-bt6km Email: farmfreshmarketsca@gmail.com

Sankofa Sky Farm Instagram: @sankofaskyfarm. Email: sankofaskyfarm@gmail.com

The Sunday Dinner is a spin off of the podcast Tackling the Taboo which can be found on YouTube with two full seasons to enjoy. Season three, entitled “The Raging 20’s” is in production and will premiere very soon!

Featured Songs: "Things We Do" by Indigenous from the album titled "Things We Do"

"TUNDAH FIYAH" by Tobe Nwigwe ft. Nell and MuMu Fresh from the album "Cincoriginals"

On August 7 the Cabrillo College Board of Trustees will meet to decide on a new name for Cabrillo College. The name-change process began in June of 2020 when a name-change petition request signed by one-hundred individuals was presented to the Board of Trustees. After a deliberative and educative process the Trustees voted to change the name on November 14, 2022. Polarization and bitterness, as well as hope and optimism, have marked the community conversation since that November vote.

In the effort to engage community input around the choosing of a new name for the college, members of the Name Change Subcommittee held five community forums over June and July. Talk of the Bay hosts Ami Chen-Mills Naim and Christine Barrington attended the Felton Library meeting on July 12 and offer their reflections and insights on the process, as well as some commentaries gathered from participants during the meeting.

To submit comments and register your name-change preference: Governing Board Name Change Subcommittee Website Link. At this site you can also view the recordings of past community name exploration education sessions, including The Native American presentation on the impacts of Colonization.

To submit comments or questions on this show, please email: Christine@ksqd.org

Carmel Public Library Foundation keeps the Carmel Library open, relevant and thriving and ensures free library service in perpetuity by providing funding for 100% of the books, materials, programs, equipment and services. The library is an essential part of life on the Central Coast of California, and thanks to generous support from charitable donations, Carmel Library maintains its superior reputation, serving 106,000 locals and visitors from our community, the Central Coast and beyond.

To dive into its history and share the services it supports, Christine Barrington interviews Alexandra Fallon, Executive Director, on Talk of the Bay Monday, July 17.

Carmel Public Library Foundation Lecture Series is free and open to all. With a stellar reputation for quality programming, it also makes its lectures available in perpetuity. For upcoming and archived lectures, click the hyper-link above.

All past events are available to watch at any time! Recorded versions of Community Nights with the Library, Fireside Chats, Henry Meade Williams Local History Lecture Series, even our annual fundraiser are all available here: Events and Activities

Marjan Vahdat is an Iranian award-winning singer and musician. Her career has given a deeper knowledge of Iranian poetry and music to large audiences in Europe, America, Asia, Oceania, and Africa.

Marjan has developed her personal style based on the Persian vocal tradition of classical and regional folk music, with a contemporary expression. She always searched for ways to make her music relevant to the present world. Even if the origin of her style is Iranian, she believes in her music’s ability to express a universal message of humanism and freedom.

She has developed a unique style of performance, rooted in Persian classical and regional vocal music traditions, and infused with contemporary and innovative expressions and influences. Her many performances and recording projects include collaborations with many of the world's most acclaimed musicians.

In addition to a number of performances in Europe and other parts of the U.S. this year, Marjan performs in Santa Cruz in July 2023 (sold out) and in Berkeley at the Freight & Salvage in November 2023.

On Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling interviews Dr. Gail Newel about her career, which spanned a tumultuous period in public health. Dr. Newel reflects on the county's response to Covid and how the local culture was reflected in how locals stepped up to help or to protest. Another issue that continues to dominate in public health is the opioid epidemic, the start of which coincided with great tragedy in her life. Dr. Newel relates how her son became addicted to prescription opioids, and then like many other victims of this epidemic, was forced into street drugs. His death from fentanyl poisoning illustrates how this epidemic breaks many of the stereotypes people have about illegal drug users. Finally, Dr. Newel talks about the push for health equity in the county, and why Santa Cruz is seen as a model for the rest of the state. Dr. Newel was recipient of the 2021 PEN/Benenson Courage Award along with Mimi Hall.

Photos by Schmuel Thaler and Kevin Painchaud/Lookout

Alaya Vautier is the Restorative Justice Programs Director at the Conflict Resolution Center of Santa Cruz County (CRC). The CRC has been providing restorative justice services, mediation, training, facilitation and other conflict resolution services in the county for over 35 years. Alaya directs the Parent-Teen Mediation Program, the Victim Offender Dialogue Program, the Reconciliation Project, the Space for Change program – a collaboration with Walnut Avenue Family and Women's Center, and designed the Neighborhood Courts Program for the District Attorney's Office. She recently co-organized an event in collaboration with the MAH called "Lets Talk About It" where the general public was invited to sign up for a 30 minute 1-on-1 dialogue with someone of a different identity, such as a formerly incarcerated person, a transgender person or a police officer. The concept is that it is harder to see someone as "other" when you have had an opportunity to connect with them as a human being, therefore through these simple conversations, deep divisions can begin to be healed. Alaya grew up here in Santa Cruz County and is a lifelong surfer and artist. https://www.crcsantacruz.org

Abi Mustapha is a Sierra Leonean/American contemporary artist and social justice advocate. She holds a BA in Political Science with an emphasis in sustainability from Indiana University. Abi has been creating murals and exhibiting her work in the bay area since 2013. She was the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History 2020 artist in residence. In 2020 she initiated the Santa Cruz Black Lives Matter Mural and was a co-founder of the Santa Cruz Equity Collaborative. https://abimustapha.com

Acclaimed as being “astonishingly creative and an educator in the best sense of the word”, Anupam Saraph has been making the magic of systems leadership accessible to institutions and individuals across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. He has brought inspiring insights and empowered unconventional interventions through his methods.

In 1994, systems thinker Donella Meadows highlighted that Anupam had invented "a new kind of modeling and a new philosophy" that recognized for the first time, “that 'systems' arise, ultimately, out of consciousness; that the most profound way to understand a system is to understand its consciousness; and that the most inexpensive, elegant, and lasting way to change a malfunctioning system is to change its consciousness”. The resulting field of possibility innovation has enabled innovative and impact making designs and responses that shape futures of systems and the institutions and individuals they sustain.

Since then, Anupam has empowered systems leadership across continents, for the United Nations, World Economic Forum, Club of Rome, governments and public institutions, NGOs, small, medium, and large businesses, as well as communities, bringing the art of possibility, responsibility, and empathy to their worlds. He also mentors and builds capacity for systems thinking.

Anupam finds connection, energy and joy in deep conversations, reading, music, and being with nature – particularly wildlife, freshwater streams, mountains, and wilderness. He occasionally dabbles in watercolors, gardening, and harmonium.

Anupam Saraph is the creator of an alternative index of societal well-being, the Earth Index.

Dr. David Scheel is the author of the just-released MANY THINGS UNDER A ROCK: The Mysteries of Octopuses [W. W. Norton & Company, June 13, 2023]. The book is a fascinating collection of stories about octopuses - old fables, amazing stories, extraordinary findings by other researchers, and his own extensive underwater research experiences. Dr. Scheel is a field-oriented ecologist with experience in remote and wilderness settings in Africa and Alaska. He joined Alaska Pacific University in 2000 and teaches courses in marine biology, aquarium husbandry, and animal behavior.

David was educated in biology, animal behavior, and ecology; and trained in the field in places such as Yellowstone National Park, Serengeti NP in Tanzania, and many sites around Alaska. He lived with African lions and wild dogs for two years in the Serengeti, researching lion-hunting behavior. He began working with marine predators in 1993. In his marine research, he has worked with fisheries, marine birds and mammals, and marine invertebrates in Prince William Sound and the northern Gulf of Alaska.

David specializes in the ecology and evolution of predator-prey relations and habitat use; and he has conducted theoretical, field, and laboratory studies in this area. His interests include the theory and philosophy of evolution, the evolution of consciousness, animal behavior, predator-prey ecology, ecology of social predators, and cephalopod biology. His research since 1995 examines the biology of the Giant Pacific Octopus and includes field studies in Prince William Sound conducted in the intertidal, by SCUBA diving, and by submersible. The octopus studies also brought David to Tatitlek, Chenega Bay, and Port Graham villages, where he worked with Native Alaskans to improve his understanding of octopus ecology through traditional ecological knowledge. With his students, David has discovered a new octopus species in Alaskan waters. He collaborates on behavioral studies of octopuses in Mo’orea and Australia.

David is an NAUI-certified Rescue Diver and AAUS Scientific Diver, an aquarium enthusiast, and a wildlife photographer. He has two daughters.

In MANY THINGS UNDER A ROCK: The Mysteries of Octopuses [W. W. Norton & Company, June 13, 2023] Dr. Scheel shares his research, as well as that of other marine biologists, to show us much of what has been learned—and remains to be understood—about these fascinating sea creatures. As he explains, more than 300 different species of octopuses exist, yet their elusive behavior and the changing nature of their appearance make them difficult to locate, identify, and study.

On Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling interviews Sarah Tinger, General Manager of the Santa Cruz Hostel, and Terri Fisher-Mastick, the current President of the Santa Cruz Hostel Society, about the past, present, and future of this historic site in Santa Cruz.

Two blocks from the beach and four blocks from downtown, the Santa Cruz Hostel is the perfect location to experience all things Santa Cruz. Set inside of a city park on land donated to the city by a woman named Lottie Sly.

The historic cottages and garden from the 1800’s are maintained by the Santa Cruz Hostel Society. It is a nonprofit organization and every booking helps further our mission to help people of all ages gain a greater knowledge, understanding and love of the world through hostelling!

Journalist Ami Chen Mills interviews Ukranian-American author & activist, Andrea Chalupa who is co-author of the recently released graphic novel, "Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think," co-host of the essential, national podcast “Gaslit Nation“ and producer/writer of the film “Mr. Jones” on Stalin‘s intentional genocide-famine in Ukraine.

Chalupa is a deep expert on US, Russian and Ukrainian issues, disinformation, global corruption and authoritarianism. Chalupa and Chen Mills cover the history of the conflict and war in Ukraine going back to before WWII, Russian influence in the United States (including in Congress) and throughout Europe--as well as controversies over the war and efforts for peace and appeasement by Code Pink and others.

Andrea Chalupa

Juneteenth commemorates when the last enslaved people in the country were informed of their freedom.Whether you call it Emancipation Day, Freedom Day or the country's second Independence Day, Juneteenth is one of the most important anniversaries in our nation's history. On Talk of the Bay, Monday June 19, Christine Barrington marks the holiday with local members of the National organization “Showing Up for Racial Justice” to share how SURJ organizes and trains white people to become accountable for creating racial justice across the nation.

Guests include: Kathy Lass and Angelee Dion (SURJ Santa Cruz County); Lori Katcher and Nora Larson (SURF Sacred Heart in San Jose) Current opportunities in Santa Cruz County

Anti Racism Book Club in Santa Cruz County via the Resource Center for Non Violence: https://rcnv.org/
Cultivating Care: our Link Tree and SURJ SCC social media will be updated when registration is available.
Repainting the Black Lives Matter mural June 24: Find Santa Cruz Equity Collab on Instagram, Facebook or their website: https://www.yogaforallmovement.org/sc-equity-collab
Protect Juristac www.protectjuristac.org and the Amah Mutsun Land Acquisition Fund (matching grant this week) https://bit.ly/defendsacredlandsprotectourfuture

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As Andy Carman began winding down his private practice as a psychologist, he searched for ways to make a difference addressing the many environmental challenges we face. Impressed by the work of our numerous dedicated local environmental groups, he looked at how to publicize their many educational and volunteer opportunities, so that everyone can know how they can participate.

Seven years ago he created Environteers.org, whose mission is to make it easy to keep informed and take action to protect and restore our environment. Today the Environteers website and Weekly Update newsletter promote the activities of the 100+ environmental organizations and institutions in Santa Cruz. The Update is the environmental newsletter for Santa Cruz County. The Update always has beautiful photos, fascinating & informative articles, compelling action items, good news, and it’s free!

Bruce Van Allen is a software developer and political consultant for local progressive campaigns and organizing efforts. Bruce served as Mayor of Santa Cruz in the early 1980s, and is currently serving as President of the Santa Cruz County Board of Education. He developed the Santa Cruz Community Calendar to promote connection and community in our region.

Thairie Ritchie is a current Community Organizer and Activist. He organized the Juneteenth March in 2020. He is a former Co-Host of the Unheard Voices program at KSQD,and currently lead organizer of the March Towards Love and Courage Event coming up Monday, June 19, 2023. The march will address the current State of Black Lives Matter in Santa Cruz and foster empowerment and solidarity for the Community.

Esabella Bonner is a long-time Santa Cruz resident, entrepreneur, visionary, and award winning changemaker/activist working to help bridge our local community. Bella is a Cabrillo and SJSU alumni receiving her Associates Degree in Sociology and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration specializing in Human Resource Management where she gained the tools (words) to describe and act upon the things she experienced, witnessed, and felt growing up Black/Bi-racial in Santa Cruz.

In 2020, Bella followed her gut and organized the largest ever social protest gathering that Santa Cruz County has ever seen with over 5,000 people in attendance. While this was the first protest she organized, it was a great success and opened up a world of movement work to her. She then went and organized the community to make space for black and brown people at various paddle outs as a part of protests on the water in Santa Cruz to support BLM. This led Bella to creating Black Surf Santa Cruz where she is the founder and executive director for the award winning organization which aims to promote physical, spiritual, and communal wellness and healing through surfing, recreation, education, and advocacy for our local community.

The Babblery is a podcast about women’s lives, and though identified female at birth, transgender men are not women. Recent events underscore, however, that LGBTQ rights and women’s rights are deeply entwined. And people’s views of pregnancy and birth are intrinsically tied to their perspectives on women.

What can the experiences of transgender men who choose to become biological parents tell us about pregnancy and childbirth in our society? Researcher and activist Vann Jones agreed to explore that question. In this podcast, you’ll first hear the background information on how transmasculine people may view their gender and their bodies, and what choices they may or may not make regarding medical transition. Then we’ll talk about the experiences of the men Vann researched when they chose to become parents. Finally, we learn how the pregnancy and birth experiences of trans men shine a light on our preconceived notions of what it means to be “mom.”

PRESSED FOR TIME? To listen to a 10-minute compact version of this episode, click here.

Joby Aviation, the company designing and building an electric air taxi recently opened new headquarters in Santa Cruz (right next to KSQD). Oliver Walker-Jones and Tina West talk about the big plans the company has to put Santa Cruz on the map as the hub of sustainable aviation.

California Local is obsessed with all things involving the Golden State, from its history to the news of the day. After launching last year in eight counties (including Santa Cruz, our headquarters), we are expanding soon—with the eventual goal of covering all 58 counties. We offer our members one-click connections to community groups, and government officials, as well as real-time data on traffic and weather and a curated digest of local news stories. Founder Chris Necklason and Managing Editor Sharab Street discuss the state of journalism and their new project to fill the gaping hole left by the cannibalization of newsrooms by henge funds.

On Talk of the Bay, host George Cadman welcomes representatives from local organizations that serve our LGBTQ+ community: RCFam, The Neighbor’s Pub, and Pajaro Valley Pride. The show features the wonderful positive work that is being done in our community in a variety of ways. Later in the show, the guests address the transphobic letter to the editor that appeared in the Good Times and the community's response to that letter.

Humans have used psychedelics for thousands of years - from Indigenous ceremonies to counterculture revolutions. But nowadays, we often hear about them in a different context: medicine. Scientists are testing psychedelic treatments for depression, addiction and PTSD.

And many point to psilocybin — that special something that makes magic mushrooms magic...as having great promise to treat stubborn depression. So much promise that the FDA is expected to approve the treatment within the year.

For KSQD, Anna Marie Yanny reports.

Psilocybin had a profound impact on Fiona. The 22-year-old percussionist, who uses they/them pronouns, had a big shift in their mental health in undergrad.

They told me about it over Zoom…

Fiona: “I had been diagnosed with autism, and a couple other anxiety and depression things that kind of just go along with being undiagnosed.”

Fiona says sometimes, they obsess over things…like being overstimulated, anxious or uncomfortable.

Fiona: “I don't want to feel this, I don't like feeling this. And that is what really gets me to spiral personally. ”

But after trying psilocybin, things began to change…they remember taking this one time, after their diagnosis.

Fiona: “It made me think about…the fact that I’m alive and feel pain is something that I would not trade for no pain.”

Fiona’s a poet, so they turned on their writing playlist….and wrote about the feeling. Here they are, reading part of their poem “Opened.”

Fiona:

gentle perjury of air

spilled molecular feathers

swells incite nausea

back to breath

misgivings towards the density

duplicitous basal ganglia

don't follow

Of course, taking psilocybin is still federally illegal.

Danielle Herrera,(pictured above) a psychedelic psychotherapist in Oakland, can’t give her clients psilocybin, but helps them turn a recreational experience into a more of a therapeutic one if they find the drug on their own.

She’s seen remarkable improvement in some clients with depression -

Herrera:“Even after small doses or very limited use, and that's pretty incredible.”

But moving psilocybin from where it is now…the clinical trial phase… to a real world treatment could be tricky.

Herrera: “Access is something I'm thinking a lot about.”

She says…it could be prohibitively expensive. Psilocybin depression treatment isn’t slated to be covered by insurance.

Advocates have also raised concerns about cultural appropriation with psilocybin … Indigenous groups in Mexico were using it long before these trials… Herrera herself is Indigenous

Herrera: “I integrate Indigenous practices because it's natural to me. It's just kind of bringing myself into the room…You're just pulling in ritual and ceremony.”

She worries about “Big Pharma,” as she calls it, trying to capitalize on psilocybin.

Herrera: “you're like taking the sacred medicines and you're marketing them as like, product. The loss of the reverence, it shifts the experience completely.”

She’s confident psilocybin will be FDA approved for depression treatment, and hopes clinics that center Black and Indigenous clients will follow. She says funding them might be difficult, but a sliding-scale model could help.

For now, Herrera urges her clients to be patient as psilocybin marches through clinical trials.

Herrera: “I'm always just like, wait a couple years because things are moving really fast anyways. What you can do is start with regular therapy…”

For Fiona, the poet and percussionist, psilocybin has been an important mental health tool.

Fiona: “And I can say, with no hesitation that psilocybin has had a more profound impact on my sense of self, than pretty much anything. ”

These days, they see the world a little differently. They meditate, and hang out with their pet gecko.

For KSQD, I’m Anna Marie Yanny

Anna Marie Yanny is a student in the UCSC Science Communications Master's program.

Land stewards at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park recently had a controlled burn to remove some of the undergrowth that has overgrown parts of the park. Elissa Welle, a student in the UCSC Science Communications program, has the story.

What do Cabrillo journalism students think about the infiltration of AI in all forms of social media and educational settings? Is it the end of humanity or a new tool or both? They just watched Tristan Harris' "AI Dilemma" and react to what is presented.

Charles Pasternak is no stranger to theater or Shakepeare. He is the new co-artistic Director of the long-standing and much-beloved theater company Santa Cruz Shakespeare. He talks about the three plays in production this season and why this particular company has remained a local favorite.

Sunday Dinner with DJ Dupsie utilizes theories of intersectionality, storytelling, and healing to center dialogue about identity, the land, space and time, and art. All in an attempt to bend the arc of our universe towards justice.Sunday Dinner is a spinoff of the podcast Tackling the Taboo which can be found on YouTube with two full seasons to enjoy. Season three, entitled "The Raging 20's" is in production and will premiere very soon!The guests on the pilot are: Georgia Ilouno, Alexis Rodriguez, Deon Bryant, Korbin Brown, and Airielle Silva.Mentioned in this show:The Seymour Center UCSCTime for a New Farm: The Future of Antiracist, Decolonial, Land-Based Education at UC Santa CruzFor questions about BMI or Roots of Traditional Foods and Cultural Practices, please email: tacklingthetaboo53@gmail.com

Join the Watershed Rangers as they learn about the San Lorenzo River watershed on their field trips with the Coastal Watershed Council’s “Watershed Rangers” education program offered through schools and youth programs across the county. Christine Barrington interviews environmental program educators Sam Adelson and Maria Rocha, along with many of the young scientists who comprise the Watershed Rangers of Bay View Elementary and Gault School. The Watershed Rangers education program connects, inspires and empowers Santa Cruz County youth to explore and protect their local watersheds through meaningful hands-on learning and action. During the school day students engage in four sessions of hands-on scientific investigation and study of their local watershed, increasing their awareness of local environmental issues and how they can be part of the solution. In partnership with local youth organizations, after-school participants engage in hands-on exploration of the San Lorenzo River and take direct action to support the health of the San Lorenzo River and broader Santa Cruz community.For more information visit: Coastal Watershed Council of Santa Cruz County Maria and Sam leading experiments The Rangers say goodbye to the river...

Patrice Keet and Melissa LaHommedieu are co-authors of the just-released book Melissa Come Back.Patrice Keet was a marriage and family therapist for thirty years with experience in private practice and school settings. She hosted a talk radio program called “Heart to Heart” on KNRY in Seaside for two years, co-founded a children’s museum in Santa Cruz, CA, served on numerous non-profit boards of directors and raised two of her own children – in addition to being a non-traditional mother to Melissa and her two daughters. This is her first book.Melissa LaHommedieu is a supervising social worker for the County of Santa Cruz where she specializes in matching individuals and families with stable housing solutions. She is the proud mother of two college-aged daughters and a star performer in her local karaoke scene. Melissa is a regular speaker at events supporting foster care programs. She is a proud member of the Board of directors of CASA of Santa Cruz County.

On Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling is joined by three people who have dedicated their careers to water management. Sierra Ryan, County of Santa Cruz Water Resources Program Manager, oversees the water resources program at the County of Santa Cruz, which covers programs such as fisheries monitoring, stream wood evaluations, groundwater management, drought response, water quality monitoring, drinking water regulations for small water systems, and regional collaboration. Michael Cahn is an Irrigation and Water Resources Farm Advisor responsible for research and education on water quality and quantity issues related to agriculture in Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties. Brian Lockwood is General Manager of the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency, where he has worked for the last 18 years. He is a professional geologist and certified hydrogeologist in the state of California.Despite the wet winter we just endured, it's not time to celebrate. It's time to take stock of what we need to do to insure continued health of our aquifers, our ecosystems, our agricultural sector, and our communities. Sierra, Brian, and Michael talk about the multi-agency planning that is happening on the Central Coast to plan and prepare for the future. Predictions point to a continuation of our recent pattern: drought in some years; deluge in others. The natural water systems in our area were formed during years of consistent, slow rain—the sort of months long drizzle that we tend to complain about. Given the likelihood that this pattern is in the past, our local agencies are joining forces to plan for a future of capturing water as it comes in deluges, preserving it for years when rainfall is light.There is a general lack of understanding in the mainstream press about the great variety of water systems in California. Santa Cruz County, for example, is water independent. Media reports about snowpack and Colorado River levels miss the fact that some areas of California are cut off completely from the rest of the state's water system. Each area of the country's most biodiverse state has its own water challenges. But it's clear that in Santa Cruz County, our water agencies are meeting that challenge. Listen in to this wide-ranging but well-informed conversation, from how farmers are learning to conserve water depending on which crop they plant, to how housing development in Santa Cruz is water wise and ready to meet the challenges of the future.For more information:* Water Department of Santa Cruz * College Lake Integrated Resources Management Project from PV Water * UCANR Irrigation and Water Resources

Related:* This show is a follow-up to a discussion in 2021 about efforts to mitigate drought and climate change in the county: Water Policy Clarified

May 20 & 21 launches the 2nd annual San Lorenzo Valley Art Tour featuring dozens of artists from a multitude of genres who will welcome guests into their studios. Artists Mick Singer and Raf Strudly will share details of this exciting new free event taking place this coming weekend in the San Lorenzo Valley.May 20 and 21, 2023 11am-5pm:Come and enjoy art of all media, and discover the abundance of artistic talent in the San Lorenzo Valley.Admission to all studios is free.Fluorescent pink signage will direct you to all participating artists.

During one weekend in May each year, you will have the opportunity to see for yourself the great array of artistry that will be on display during the 1 st annual SLV Art Tour with dozens of artists opening their studios to the public. Painters, fiber artists, ceramicists, woodworkers, photographers, glass artists and more will welcome guests into their studios. Many artists will be demonstrating their processes.

The Veteran’ Transition Center of California is the largest organization serving veterans on the central coast. Since 1996, this non-profit has operated on historic Ft Ord land to provide homeless Veterans and their families with housing, food, clothing, case management, life skills, substance abuse counseling, benefit enrollment, medical referrals, and employment training.On Talk of the Bay Monday Christine Barrington welcomes event organizer Steven Vagnini and Kurt Schake, Executive Director of the Veteran’ Transition Center. Learn about their empowering programs and the new 71-unit affordable housing project for veterans and their families, as well as the May 20th musical benefit at Carmel’s Forest theater to help build a music therapy space.Tickets for Music in the Forest Benefit Concert for the VTC at Carmel's Forest Theater: Purchase via The Pacific Repertory Theater Box Office Link here

Teens are undergoing a mental health crisis, with cases of depression and anxiety reaching epidemic proportions nationwide, especially after the Pandemic. In Santa Cruz, the Boys and Girls Club has been a safe refuge from the stresses teens face, while still coping with the impact of what happens outside of school and the club. Casey Paz is a student in Journalism at Cabrillo who works at the club and talks with staff and teens about the role of afterschool programs and how far they go to help youth steer away from a path of self-destruction.

This is a feature created by Elnaz Sarbar Boczek , an intern from Cabrillo CollegeElkhorn Slough is one of the largest estuaries in California that provides essential habitat for over 700 species, from sea otters to birds. This slough is part of the 10 percent of historical wetlands left in California. With recent floods, KSQD’s Elnaz Sarbar Boczek (BO-CHEK) wonders what kind of pollution has gone into this sensitive ecosystem.]SFX: waves at the shore, continues over narration, dotted with bird soundsIt’s a sunny afternoon in Elkhorn slough. I am standing at the edge of the water along the 7 miles of water channels that reach Monterey Bay on one end and are flanked by tidal salt marshes at the other. Water is low and sandpipers are pecking for crabs on the exposed mudflats. White herons are standing still, waiting to ambush a frog or a salamander. Five majestic pelicans land gracefully on the water. It is a paradise for birdwatchers.SFX: bird song, solo, silence, splashBirds are not the only refugees at the Elkhorn slough. The executive director of the Elkhorn Slough, Mark Silberstein, says “it is a hotspot for biological diversity.”[Silberstein, 00:23][We've identified over 100 species of fishes, 340 species of birds in a circle with a radius of 15 miles, encompassing Elkhorn Slough. The densest concentration of sea otters on the California coast now takes refuge in Elkhorn Slough. Big populations of harbor seals, sea lions. It's a veritable circus of wildlife.]Since 2018, Elkhorn slough has been designated as a protected Ramsar site. A wetland site designated to be of international importance. Still, it is surrounded by an industrial area and agricultural farm lands. In mid March, when the levee on Pajaro river breached after heavy rains, floodwater made it to the slough, potentially bringing chemicals with it. It also caused 60 gallons of waste oil to spill in a business two miles north of the slough. I went to the Elkhorn Slough reserve to find out if its vital ecosystem has been affected. Dave Feliz, the reserve manager, told me about the immediate effect of the flooding.[Dave Feliz, 00:20][so the floods that we experience with the levee failure on the Pajaro river. Brought a whole bunch of freshwater into the back end of the Slough and so it flowed for several days and it was pretty much pure freshwater. So that has a direct impact on the animals that live in saltwater and so, tremendous loss of invertebrates. And you know these animals that live in the mud flats saltwater, all of a sudden they were covered in freshwater.]Feliz says the invertebrates will come back but they are concerned about the presence of pesticide even from decades ago that could settle in the mudflats and affect the invertebrates and the animals that feed on them.Mark Silberstein, the executive director of the Elkhorn Slough has seen this before.[Mark Silberstein, 00:25][This happened once before in my tenure in 1995, the Pajaro River breached its levee after many days of heavy rain, right about the same day. I think it was March 10th, 1995. We saw the collapse of a Caspian Tern breeding colony. Caspian terns are the largest of the turns predatory diving seabirds that catch Fitch on the fly. They're dramatic, beautiful. And the colony had grown.]His description makes me want to see a Caspian tern. But the colony never came back to Elkhorn Slough. That year, there were no successfully hatched chicks Silberstein says. There were many broken eggs and chicks with deformities.The Department of Fish and Wildlife Lab in Sacramento found heavy loads of DDT & PCB's which are known to thin egg shells.[Mark Silberstein, 00:24][So it's unclear exactly what the impacts are going to be from this go around. We have sampled water coming into the upper end of the Slough. We were able to get a few samples. The preliminary results came back without major loads of troublesome chemicals, but we've asked for a deeper, more sensitive scan to see if there's anything else that might have come in.]It is pretty tough to clean up the chemicals once it's gone and dispersed in the environment, Silberstein says. It's like closing the barn door after the horses left.We have to prevent it. I ask about the oil spill. The samples so far haven't detected it. [Mark Silberstein, 00:14][Regional Water Quality Control Board, the State Water Control Board have standards for managing hazardous materials. I just don't think anybody ever imagined that some of these places would be underwater.]It looks like the single point that could have prevented the potential danger is the Pajaro levee that was scheduled to strengthen and never was.For now, Dave Feliz says that they will be observing the breeding bird populations and the sea otters for any problems.[Dave Feliz 00:14][Come on out here and enjoy the Slough. It's free. We've got about 5 miles of trails. You can come out and go for a walk. You can walk up hill and you know, get your heart going and, you know, and see some cool birds and perhaps some sea otters off in the distance. So you definitely want to come to the Elkhorn Slough and bring your family.]SFX: waves at the shoreFor KSQD, this is Elnaz Sarbar Boczek.

Jeanne Proust has studied Humanities, Philosophy and Visual Arts in Bordeaux, Berlin, and Paris. She has been teaching Philosophy for the last 13 years in the U.S. Her PhD dissertation (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne) focused on the pathologies of willpower, both in philosophical and psychological perspectives, but her interests are wide: among many fields, she does research in Ethics, Philosophy of Technologies, Bioethics, Feminist theory, and Aesthetics. While teaching at different universities in New York, Jeanne has been advocating for a widening of philosophical education beyond Academia by participating in different events open to the general public. She taught at Rikers Island as a volunteer, and regularly gives public talks in philosophy, leading her to recently produce her own podcast, “Can You Phil It?”. She also collaborates with artists on her photography, drawing and painting works. Jeanne currently teaches as a lecturer for UC Santa Cruz and is involved with the Center for Public Philosophy. This Spring, she is leading the production of the “Crossing Borders” event, along with workshops for undergraduates on the Ethics of New Technologies based on the TEQ Deck project.Kyle Robertson is a Continuing Lecturer in the UC Santa Cruz Philosophy and Legal Studies departments and a staff member at the Center for Public Philosophy. As a part of the Center, he founded and directs the Northern California High School Ethics Bowl program, teaches as part of Mount Tamalpais College at San Quentin State Prison, runs local pre-college philosophy programs, and regularly speaks and publishes on public philosophy. He also works with a variety of national organizations in public philosophy including the Public Philosophy Network, the Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization (PLATO), and the National High School Ethics Bowl.

"If you were a landscape": Women walking, creating, and becoming

This new podcast from The Babblery, featured on Talk of the Bay, explores the importance of walking in the writing lives of two women, Patrice Vecchione and Tania Romanov. Host Suki Wessling leads them through a conversation about their books about walking, as well as the importance of walking to their creative lives.

For more information:

Visit The Babblery's podcast page
Patrice Vecchione, and her book, Step Into Nature [Amazon, Bookshop]
Tania Romanov, and her book, A San Francisco Pilgrimage [Amazon, Bookshop]

Elaine Johnson Executive Director of Housing Santa Cruz County, a nonprofit that advocates for affordable housing, announces May is Affordable Housing Month. Multiple community groups present an impressive series of events throughout the county. The range of events includes a keynote speaker at Cabrillo College, an urban planner, policy expert and author, an outdoor resource fair, food trucks and live music.May 11, at Temple Beth El, will be two presentations with strategist and social scientist Dr. Tiffany Manuel (Dr. T):“Reimagining Issues that Determine our Future in Santa Cruz County,”.

“Building Public Will for Action,” a presentation about reimagining the systems and thinking strategically to advance housing, open space and climate issues.

Additional events throughout the month include a film screening, multi-jurisdictional policy discussions with our elected city and county leaders, a Housing Element bike tour, groundbreakings at affordable housing projects, and conversations with community leaders around affordable housing policy development and plan implementation.See a full list of events online:https://www.housingsantacruzcounty.com/affordable-housing-month.

On Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling speaks with Stuart Rosenstein, Director of the Queer Youth Task Force of Santa Cruz County and co-chair of the 26th Annual Queer Youth Leadership Awards, along with two awards nominees, Nadine Said and Sion Erkiletian. Nadine is Mission Hill Middle School Librarian and an ally to queer youth. Sion is a member of Santa Cruz's Queer and Trans Youth Council and has been working with the community. Also featured in the discussion is Sandy Stone, KSQD's Chief Engineer and also a leader in the queer community.An important message of hope from our queer leadersIn our current cultural climate, it is important to support and celebrate those who are making a positive difference for marginalized people. Listen to the podcast to learn more about how the positive focus of these awards is important now more than ever.For more information:* Queer Youth Leadership Awards - The mission of the Queer Youth Leadership Awards is to improve the lives of LGBTIQ youth by increasing the positive awareness of queer youth leadership, and increasing safe and welcoming environments in home, school, and community. * Queer Youth Task Force - A vibrant community where every youth thrives in their expression of actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity. * Safe Schools Project - The Safe Schools Project of Santa Cruz County (SSP) works in collaboration with local schools and local and state-wide community organizations to provide the best information and practices in regards to creating safe and inclusive schools, avoid duplication in resources and services, and utilize successful models where they may exist to support safer schools for LGBTQ+ youth and their allies. * Trans Teen Project - The Trans Teen Project supports transgender youth through personal self-expression, social networking, and community-wide education. It is a program with the Queer Youth Task Force and a fiscal agent of the Diversity Center. * Video: Honoring LGBTQIA+ Trailblazers 1998 QYLA Awardees * Related podcast: KSQD Moment of Truth - Trans Visibility Marches, March 31st! Interview with Young Florida Activists

More information about our guests:Stuart Rosenstein, in addition to Queer Youth Task Force, has also served on several boards that address the needs of the general LGBTQIA+ community including PFLAG-Santa Cruz County and the Diversity Center of Santa Cruz County. He is an alumni of UCSC, Kresge ’99, where he studied American Studies. Before moving to Santa Cruz in 1997, while living in Los Angeles, he was a board member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, Western Region. The homophobia he faced growing up in Texas feeds his hopes in creating a safer space for queer youth and the community at large. Allucquére Rosanne "Sandy" Stone is an American academic theorist, media theorist, author, and performance artist. Photos from past awards

Print Day in May is coming soon! For 24 hours, as the day unfolds around the globe, participants in over 80 countries join in this powerful celebration of creativity. By nightfall they share their work online creating a community chain around the world. Learn how this local phenomena went global.On Talk of the Bay, Monday, April 17 at 5pm, Christine Barrington welcomes artists Robynn Smith and Jane Gregorious, founders of Print Day in May, along with Melissa Kreisa, artist and Founder of Curated by Sea Gallery who is hosting the art of these, and other world-class printmakers, right now in an exhibition called About Printmaking. This exhibition takes place in the Curated by the Sea Gallery in Downtown Santa Cruz: 703 Front Street.

Students from UCSC, Santa Cruz High, and Mission Hill Middle School walked out of class to call attention to inaction on climate change. This piece was produced by science writing intern, Luis Melecio-Zambrano.

On May 19th Mountain Community Theater will present "The Viewing Room" a comedy full of gallows humor in which the patriarch of a family comes back to settle old scores and seek reconciliation for past wrongs. What could possibly go wrong? We hear from Director, Peter Gelblum, and actors Dave Halper and Martin Kachuck who give a preview performance reading of an excerpt of the play. They also do an improvisational take on a KSQD jingle. Well worth the price of admission.

In this chat with founder/organizer Steve Vagnini, we look at the evolution of this local street festival into a major music event in the area.

On Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling welcomes four guests to talk about downtown plans for the summer and beyond. We feature Jorian Wilkins, the Executive Director for the Downtown Association of Santa Cruz, Shiri Gradek, the Brand Director for the Downtown Association, Nikki Patterson, Director of Development & Communications at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, and Zachary Davis, the co-founder of the Penny Ice Creamery and The Glass Jar.For more information:* Downtown Association of Santa Cruz * Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History * Penny Ice Creamery and The Glass Jar * Downtown Santa Cruz Kids Day * Outstanding in the Field

Related podcasts from KSQD:* Housing Development and Small Units * MICHAEL TREE, CEO OF SANTA CRUZ METRO, ON INNOVATIONS TO DOUBLE RIDERSHIP, REDUCE EMISSIONS, PROVIDE HOUSING, AND SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION * Podcasts on affordable housing * March to End Homelessness

We hear from two artists, Cynthia Strauss, a performance artist, and Angela Gleason, a metal and jewelry artist about their collaborations with unhoused locals on expressing and discussing this issue through art Police Chief Bernie Escalante and Unhoused Musician Sonny Lopez and Rap Artist Alwa Gordon Collaborate On New Song!This and other collaborations between local housed and unhoused participants and artists premiere on April 15th at the 418 Project in Santa Cruz with the What’s Home? Creative Listening Across Differences project.How will audience members respond to documentary footage of rap artist Alwa Gordon’s conversations with unhoused musician, Sonny Lopez and housed, Santa Cruz Police Chief Bernie Escalante? What feelings may come from hearing Alwa’s world premiere that is inspired from those conversations?How will Radius Gallery visitors respond when they view video from inside the crocheted shelter that artist and former mayoral candidate Joy Schendledecker created based on her conversations and crochet experiences with housed mayor Fred Keeley and unhoused artist and community activist Greg Bengston? The exhibit at the Radius Gallery will be from April 13th - May 7.“What’s Home? Creative Listening Across Differences” is an exploration of our housing crisis in Santa Cruz County viewed through the lens of film and art.Andrew Purchin, creative director of the project, sees the housing crisis as a major flashpoint:“For decades I have been a creative witness, by this I mean I make art at sites where there has been tragedy or celebration and have conversations with people,” Andrew said. “I created paintings and had conversations in Santa Cruz near the location where police officers Sergeant Loran Baker and Detective Elizabeth Butler were killed in 2013. In 2016, I responded to our political polarities by bringing a 170-foot-long “Curious Scroll” to Republican and Democratic national conventions. In 2021, I painted on site at our Benchlands encampment for the unhoused in San Lorenzo Park. At first, I was scared but I found my calm immediately as people came up to me and engaged in conversation about the paintings.”For “What’s Home?”, Andrew put together a group of artists and creative listeners from a range of disciplines and life stories who could help increase empathy toward our unhoused neighbors and drive compassion from those who have been negatively impacted by the unhoused.The project began with 10 artists conversing with a housed person and an unhoused person separately before bringing together the unhoused and housed people to explore what “home” means to them. Each artist has drawn inspiration from these conversations to make a new play, song, dance, or visual art piece sharing the broad range of housing scarcity stories that exist in Santa Cruz.“I am one of those homeless people who refuses to accept being homeless, so it’s a big deal for me,” said Michelle, who has been unhoused since May 2021 and who participated in the project. “During 12 years of my active service in the military I felt more secure in what I was doing, what my mission statement was, you know that I was taking care, somebody had my back and I have been praying that being homeless won’t be that one thing that breaks me because I don't feel safe being homeless.”“What’s Home?” aims to address the need for the kind of mindset shift that will enable us to be better participants in our communities. With increased empathy, better listening skills, and awareness of our own values and biases, we can more effectively show up to participate in housing solutions.Conversations are part of documentary clips and will be premiered along with the performances on Saturday, April 15 at 7pm at the 418 Project. 155 River St. Santa Cruz 95060The new artworks and short documentary clips will be exhibited at the Radius Gallery, Wednesday - Sunday 12-5pm at the Tannery Art Center from April 13 to May 7 with scheduled artists talk on May 7 2-4pm.Contact: Andrew Purchin, project director andrew@andrewpurchin.com 831 345-5044Marija DeNike, project manager marijadenike@gmail.com 347 836-2547 This project has been made possible through a CARD Pilot Grant Program funding.Arts Council Santa Cruz provided a grant for Screening on the Apr 15th.

We hear from members of the Rhythm Avenue teen band and their mentor, (Yoga) Matt Pinck. Be Natural is a music school that has been teaching music lessons and mentoring teen bands since 1998. Matt Pinck is the CEO and leader of 13 bands! The members are Freya Magnante, vocals, Marke Fulop-Furlano, guitar, and Rowan Johnson, drums. The interview includes excerpts from three bands' songs.Be Natural Music has officially been a part of the Santa Cruz community since 1998, and now coming up in April, they will be showcasing their talents for the community through the weekend of May 6th & May 7th.Be Natural Music will start the concert and fundraising season by showcasing their youth Rock and Jazz bands at Woodstock Pizza in Santa Cruz on the evenings of Wednesday, April 12th, and Tuesday, April 18th. Local residents are invited to drop by, grab a bite, and enjoy the music. Attendees must mention that they’re here for the Be Natural Music event at the register in order for our scholarship program to receive their donation.Woodstock Pizza is continuing its support by donating 25% of its proceeds from the shows to our fundraiser: The scholarships help families in financial need afford music classes for adults & children.Date and Time: Saturday, April 29th, 11:30 AM to 2:30 PMLocation: Kid’s Day in Abbott Square in Santa CruzAdmission: FREEOn Saturday, April 29th, Be Natural Music will be joining the Santa Cruz Downtown Association Kid's Day event and performing in Abbott Square from 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM. Visitors can stop by the booth to sign kids up for lessons and band openings! Be Natural Music representatives will be present to answer questions and provide information on all class offerings and camps.Date and Time: Saturday, May 6th, 12:30 to 4:30 PMLocation: Pono Hawaiian Grill in Santa CruzAdmission: FREEBe Natural Music will be showcasing more bands along with its Spring Fundraiser on Saturday, May 6th, at Pono Hawaiian Grill in Santa Cruz. There will be multiple kid bands showcasing their extraordinary talents on the Live Stage! Help keep their studio doors open to anyone who wants to learn music, regardless of their financial situation, by making a donation. Bid on dozens of cool items; guitars, amps, gift cards to local venues & excursions, skateboards, and more! Every dollar donated goes into their scholarship fund, which supports 30 students each month. Come celebrate the festivities with them!Date and Time: Sunday, May 7th, 12:30 to 4:30 PMLocation: Abbott Square in Santa CruzAdmission: FREEBe Natural Music will be showcasing more bands along with its Fundraiser Campaign on Sunday, May 7th on the Abbott Square stage. There will be multiple kid bands showcasing their extraordinary talents on the Live Stage! Help keep their studio doors open to anyone who wants to learn music, regardless of their financial situation, by making a donation. Bid on dozens of cool items; guitars, amps, gift cards to local venues & excursions, skateboards, and more! Every dollar donated goes into their scholarship fund, which supports 30 students each month. Come celebrate the festivities with them!About Be Natural Music: Be Natural Music is an award-winning Jazz and Rock music school based in Santa Cruz & Cupertino, California. Directed by Matthew Pinck, the private music school offers private lessons on numerous instruments, Real Rock & Jazz band classes, workshops, concert performances, camps, and more!Whether you’re brand new to an instrument or already experienced, they’ve got something for you. For more information, please visit https://www.benaturalmusic.live/events.

Cathy Day is the Climate Policy Coordinator for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC). Cathy has worked on agriculture and climate change for most of the last 20 years. Before joining NSAC, she taught in the Environmental Science and Studies and Sustainable Food Systems programs at Stetson University, where she also led implementation of the Sustainable Farming Fund. She holds a PhD and MS in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she researched how Nigerian and New Mexican farmers respond to multiple stressors, including climate change. Raised in Montana, her background includes time as a farm apprentice in Alaska, as an agricultural extension agent with the Peace Corps in Niger, and as an agricultural educator in New York, New Mexico, and Florida. She earned her B.A. in Environmental Studies and French at the University of Kansas. She studied in the CALS Crop and Soil Science program as a master’s student at Cornell University before earning a M.A.T. and a Biology Teaching Certificate.

On Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling explores how the study of humanities intersects with the future of technology. First, Sarah Papazoglakis and Theresa Hice-Fromille speak about their research into how speculative fiction created by underrepresented communities can pinpoint hopes and concerns about technology. By studying and documenting the issues explored in speculative fiction, they have created recommendations for industry about how to create more inclusive and responsive technologies.Then UCSC Professor Zac Zimmer joins to discuss the history that led to large language model artificial intelligence like ChatGPT, the problems that these systems pose for our culture, and the possible solutions to mitigate the risk of these systems. Because these systems were created on a model predicated on "fooling" humans into thinking that the AI is human—passing the Turing Test—they don't actually serve as the best tools to help humans learn and express ourselves. Bringing the conversation back around to how emerging technologies affect the lives of real people, we discuss what can be done to make sure that technologies are developed in the interest of improving humanity.Sarah Papazoglakis is a strategist and subject matter expert in privacy, ethics, and consumer trust. Prior to joining Reality Labs at Meta, she served as an ethics and privacy advisor for Google and DeepMind and developed the Digital Privacy Policy for the City of San José. She holds a PhD in Literature with a designated emphasis in Critical Race and Ethnic Studies from UC Santa Cruz.

Theresa Hice-Fromille is a PhD candidate in Sociology with designated emphases in Critical race and ethnic studies and Feminist Studies. Doctoral research is in solidarity with community organizations that take Black youth abroad and focuses on the legacies of decolonial education in Black radical organizations and diasporic travel. Incoming Assistant professor of Geography at Ohio State University in fall 2023.

Zac Zimmer is an Associate Professor of Literature at UC Santa Cruz. His research focuses on the interdisciplinary study of literature, culture and technology in the hemispheric Americas. His book First Contact: Speculative Visions of the Conquest of the Americas, is forthcoming.

For further exploration:* Humanizing the metaverseA Humanities Institute fellowship brings trained humanists into high-tech companies, providing firms with creative and fluid thinkers while also giving scholars a view into how their expertise can be used in different positions. * The Avatar ManifestoAs avatars evolve to become more accurate digital representations of ourselves, there is a need to create guidelines and best practices on how we create and operate them. These guidelines are meant to be the start of the conversation (for developers, ethicists, designers, and platform operators) as our understanding and perception of embodiment evolve over time. These guidelines will always be rooted in the more persistent underlying principles. * Feeling good about feeling bad: virtuous virtual reality and the automation of racial empathy * Sankofa City"Sankofa City" is a community design project envisioning concepts and prototypes for the future of urban technology, such as augmented reality and self-driving cars. Based in Leimert Park in South LA, neighborhood residents and USC students work in teams to imagine alternative futures tied to local culture. This final video is based on 3 months of workshops and prototyping. * Race After Technology“Race After Technology is a brilliant, beautifully argued, engagingly written, and groundbreaking work. Ruha Benjamin is that rare scholar whose sophisticated understanding of science and technology is matched by her deep knowledge of race and racialization. Here she guides us into fresh terrain for understanding and tackling the persistence of racial inequality. This book should be read by everyone committed to creating a more just world.” — Imani Perry, Princeton University * “Ten Inventions Inspired by Science Fiction” * The ELIZA EffectThroughout Joseph Weizenbaum’s life, he liked to tell this story about a computer program he’d created back in the 1960s as a professor at MIT. It was a simple chatbot named ELIZA that could interact with users in a typed conversation. As he enlisted people to try it out, Weizenbaum saw similar reactions again and again — people were entranced by the program. * "ChatGPT is a Blurry JPEG of the Web""I think that this incident with the Xerox photocopier is worth bearing in mind today, as we consider OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other similar programs, which A.I. researchers call large language models." * "On the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots: Can Language Models Be Too Big? 🦜"In this paper, we take a step back and ask: How big is too big? What are the possible risks associated with this technology and what paths are available for mitigating those risks? We provide recommendations including weighing the environmental and financial costs first, investing resources into curating and carefully documenting datasets rather than ingesting everything on the web, carrying out pre-development exercises evaluating how the planned approach fits into research and development goals and supports stakeholder values, and encouraging research directions beyond ever larger language models.

What are your best or worst middle school memories? Everyone has some, and they're not always sunny! Rogelio Valdez has this collage of reactions from local people. Warning: These stories may bring up your own awkward memories from middle school!

What would you tell someone thinking of moving to Santa Cruz? Kaya Henkes-Power has this short "Squid on the Street" feature.

KSQD intern, Elnaz Sarber interviews two Silicon Valley engineers about the present impact and potential future impact of ChatGPT and similar AI programs on the world of tech and beyond.

In 2021 alone, 21000 people ended up in emergency rooms in California due to fentanyl overdoses. Lisa Cooper, CEO of Santa Cruz Surgery Center has created an outreach campaign to get the antedote to Fentanyl overdosing into the hands of the public to prevent deaths. On April 22, the public can receive free Narcan doses at a drive-through event from 12-4pm at Cabrillo College. This is aimed to prevent deaths from opioid overdose. For more information see the Naloxone Drive-Thru FlyerON NATIONAL DOCTOR’S DAY, LOCAL SURGERY CENTER PARTNERED WITH SANTA CRUZ COUNTY AND HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PARTNERSHIP OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY TO COMBAT OPIOID OVERDOSE-RELATED DEATHSCenter distributing Emergency First Aid Kits with Naloxone doses for National Doctor’s Day Santa Cruz, Ca, March 31 – Over the past several weeks, Santa Cruz Surgery Center (“SCSC”) received support from both the County Health Services Agency and the Health Improvement Partnership of Santa Cruz County (“HIP”) to add two doses of Naloxone to the first aid kits for SCSC and Dignity Health Medical Group physicians. Naloxone is a life-saving medication that reverses an opioid overdose while having little to no effect if the individual does not have opioids present in their system.This initiative – created in part to celebrate this year’s National Doctor’s Day – arrives as a new wave of Fentanyl-laced street drugs ravage the state. Just last week, the San Jose Police Officers Associated union executive was charged with a scheme to distribute drugs, including Fentanyl (ABC7 Bay Area headline).“I personally have been touched by this crisis and know the fear of losing a loved one fighting an addiction. Knowing that there are doctors out there that would have the necessary medication to save lives, I can’t put in words what this project means to me,” said Lisa Cooper, CEO of Santa Cruz Surgery Center.Ms. Cooper is not alone with living in fear of losing a loved one from addiction. According to California Department of Public Health, there were over 21,000 emergency visits in 2021 due to opioid overdose (CDPH). The goal of this partnership is to increase access, save lives and then given them resources to combat their addiction.“Sixty six physicians will receive the first aid kit. It’s possible that they will never encounter someone in need of the medicine, but if just one doctor has the opportunity to save one life, then the project will meet its goal,” said Dr. Brian Waddle, Medical Director for the Santa Cruz Surgery Center.“This is just the start of our partnership with the county to combat this crisis,” stated Ms. Cooper. “We are losing people every day whose lives could have been saved if someone near them had this life-saving medication.”Ms. Cooper along with other employees from their center plan to volunteer at HIP’s massive Naloxone distribution project taking place on Saturday, April 22.“Our center has the best physicians around, and it is no surprise to me that their care extends outside of these walls” said Dr. Waddle.About Santa Cruz Surgery Center -Santa Cruz Surgery Center is a multi-specialty surgery center that was founded back in the 1980s as a partnership with Dominican Hospital and a group of local physicians. From its inception, it has been a community-based center, offering affordable healthcare and serving thousands of Medi-Cal and Medicare patients annually. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the center remained open for emergency surgeries and joined their hospital partner with developing emergency plans that were ever changing. Santa Cruz Surgery Center is proud to be a contributing member of the community.For more information on the upcoming Naloxone distribution project and how you may help, please visit the HIP website at https://www.hipscc.org/saferx.

Samuel C. Spitale is the author of How to Win the War on Truth: An Illustrated Guide to How Mistruths Are Sold, Why They Stick, and How to Reclaim Reality (Quirk Books 2022). He’s an L.A.-based writer, storyteller, and media studies expert with degrees in Advertising and Media Management who’s written for Huffington Post, Geek magazine, Star Wars Insider, and Advocate.com. He's a member of American Mensa and the Hollywood Radio and Television Society Associates.

Dan Haifley is a member of the Board of Directors of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and Chair of the board of Catamaran Literary Reader. He was the first executive director of Save Our Shores and of O’Neill Sea Odyssey.The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary is a grassroots effort led by the Northern Chumash Tribal Council in partnership with several local, state, and national organizations. The National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has initiated the designation process for the proposed sanctuary on the central coast of California. NOAA is considering sanctuary designation to protect the region’s important marine ecosystem, maritime heritage resources, and cultural values of Indigenous communities.

Each year, the Nexties Awardss celebrate entrepreneurs and movers and shakers in various categories. In this interview, Matthew Swinnerton of Event Santa Cruz tells us about the winners and the awards which take place March 31.

by Suki Wessling

When I found out that Santa Cruz had a female lighthouse keeper for 31 years, I naively wondered whether there were other female lighthouse keepers in her time. It turns out that Victorian women lighthouse keepers were a “thing”—stunningly, at the turn of the 20th century there were at least four of them along the Pacific Coast: Juliet Fish Nichols on Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay, Laura Hecox in Santa Cruz, Emily Fish at Point Pinos in Monterey County, and Julia Williams in Santa Barbara.

These four women did a hard, sometimes dangerous, often lonely job that was absolutely essential to the safety of the men whose ships they protected from the rocks.

In this program, we explore the lives of three of these keepers of the light through the work of three women who have researched them. Caroline Arnold wrote a picture book about Juliet Fish Nichols. Lynn Guenther a book for young readers about Laura Hecox. And the program features narrative interpretations of Emily Fish by actress, historian, and teacher Eleanor Morrice.

This program isn't just historical, because history never stays confined to the past. As modern women learn about and interact with the past, we see our own lives in a different light. Learn how each of our interviewees gained understanding of the places they live, the jobs they do, and their own place in society through researching Victorian women lighthouse keepers.

Resources:

Keeper of the Light by Caroline Arnold
Light of the Day by Lynn Guenther
Lighthouse Point: Reflections on Monterey Bay History by Frank Perry
“Emily Fish: The Socialite Keeper” from the Keepers Log
“Lighthouses: An Island with Three”
"Lighthouse: Point Pinos, Pacific Grove, CA" by Jerry McCaffery
“1906 quake cranked up Santa Cruz economy” from Santa Cruz Sentinel
Laura Hecox Collections at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
Juliet Fish Nichols from LocalWiki
Point Knox Lighthouse from Lighthouse Friends
Point Pinos Lighthouse
Santa Cruz Lighthouse from Lighthouse Friends

The Babblery is produced with support from KSQD. Please visit the site and subscribe on all major podcast platforms.

Frequent rains and storms of last winter have had a heavy impact on the farming industry. According to San Francisco Chronicle, just in Monterey County, more than 15,000 acres of farmland were flooded in January costing over 330 million dollars in damages. The flood affected the production of fresh berries, like strawberries and raspberries as well as leafy green like lettuce.Intern reporter Elnaz Sarbar Boczek spoke with Javier Zamora as he was cleaning his flooded farm. Zamora owns JSM Organics, a small farm in Royal Oaks that grows strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, vegetables and flowers. His farm was flooded twice. We also hear from Norm Groot, director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau.

Gail Pellerin represents parts of Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties. In this interview she talks about several bills she is introducing, including legislation about reproductive and voting rights.

Jasmine Nájera is the CEO of Pájaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance (PVPSA). Jasmine is a life-long Santa Cruz County resident who is committed to serving her community as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She received her MSW from the University of Texas at Austin in 2005 and a BA in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1997. She is married and a proud mother of two children who keep her and her husband busy, their hearts full and excited to see them grow. Jasmine is proud to have served on the Board of Directors for Monarch Services and for the Pájaro Valley Health Care District.Jasmine joined PVPSA in November 2022 as the new CEO. Since 1991 PVPSA has been providing comprehensive health education, mental health services, substance abuse and intervention and prevention services, and direct counseling to the students and families of the Pájaro Valley.

Michael Tree is the CEO and General Manager of the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District, more commonly known as Metro. He came to Santa Cruz Metro in April of 2022 after more than 27 years of experience in public transportation and city management, most recently as executive director of the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority in Livermore, California. While executive director of LAVTA, Tree also served as the executive director for the Tri-Valley – San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority, a new rail authority created by the state of California to plan and deliver a 42-mile, 7-station commuter rail project.While with LAVTA, Michael Tree was named Transit Manager of the Year by both the California Association for Coordinated Transportation and the California Transit Association, and in 2020 LAVTA was named the North American Transit Agency of the Year in its category by the American Public Transportation Association.

In this interview, Cabrillo College student Jacob Crandall talks with his father, a disability rights lawyer who uses the law to find justice for people in wheelchairs.

In this interview by Cabrillo College student, Rogelio Valdez-Perez, we hear from Miguel Martinez, the 17-year-old guitarist of the band Los Enchilados in Watsonville who is organizing a big music event for young players to showcase their talents.

The Pajaro River in Watsonville breached last Saturday in the early hours of the morning. 1700 residents of the Pajaro community were evacuated in the middle of the night. Flooding caused a 350 feet breach of the river levee and five feet of water covered the town. Pajaro has a population that is 94% Hispanic, with many residents to are undocumented and don’t speak English. Santa Cruz and Monterey counties have provided shelters in Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, Cabrillo College gym, and Watsonville Veterans Memorial Building since. The shelters provide beds, food, supplies and services such as emotional support and medical needs. Santa Cruz Metro’s ParaCruz is offering free transportation to and from evacuation shelters. Cabrillo College intern Elnaz Sarbar Boczek spoke with Hector Torres, a resident of Pajaro, who had to evacuate his house with his family on Saturday. Officials say the shelter at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds will be expanded and those at Cabrillo College and Watsonville Veterans Memorial Building will be on standby. Discounts are available in hotels in both Santa Cruz and Monterey counties for flood victims. Monterey county is also working with nonprofits to provide hotel vouchers. CalTrans has reopened Highway One, which had been closed for days due to concerns about bridge safety. CalFire is doing a disaster inspection of homes and commercial buildings to assess the damage. Following that, the county will inspect structural integrity, utility safety, and water supply before lifting evacuation orders. An update will be provided in the coming days. Many residents who lost everything in the floods are not eligible for federal assistance due to their immigration status. The Community Foundations for Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties are collecting donations to be distributed to nonprofits helping all flood victims.

With more than half of the nation's school districts experiencing teacher shortages, many parents, teachers, and institutions are left to wonder why this is happening. Cabrillo College student Kaya Henkes-Power has this profile of her mother, Heather Henkes, a San Diego-based art teacher working at Mission Bay Highschool. Starting her career in 2000, Henkes has been an art teacher for twenty-three years. She talks about her personal experience as a teacher and about the evolution of her career and navigating through the pandemic. She speaks about how the teacher shortage is affecting her school campus, what the future of teaching might look like, and how school districts can best support their teachers.

We are now three years into the covid 19 pandemic that has spread worldwide. Society has since adjusted to living in an active pandemic, but one environment that has been severely impacted is hospitals and medical care facilities. Cabrillo student Aja Anderson talks with Amy Rodriquez, a licensed nurse from Bascom Surgery Center Los Gatos, with experience in the ICU field for twenty three years and has continued to be on the front lines throughout the pandemic. In this interview she shares how current-day hospitals and medical centers operate with covid and the costs of making medical decisions through the lens of the for-profit business model.

The Boys and Girls Club of Santa Cruz is celebrating 50 years of serving the area's youth with many enriching afterschool and day programs. As the opioid crisis hits ever younger ages, how might programs like these prevent the tragedy of addiction and overdose? Cabrillo student and reporter Casey Paz shares this interview with Girls and Boys Club staff member, Genesis Smith about their experience helping young people who may suffer from depression or anxiety get back into their lives. Casey Sustaita-Paz is a student in Rachel Goodman's Broadcast Journalism class at Cabrillo College.

UC Santa Cruz's Humanizing Technology Certificate Program for undergraduate students studying engineering and other STEM fields is an innovative educational program that hopes to solve an age-old problem: How do we educate technologists both to create cutting edge technology and to foresee some of the problems it might create? From the invention of the wheel, human society has been flummoxed by the unintended consequences of new technologies. Plato famously thought that the written word would bring down civilization as he knew it. The Catholic church feared the printing press and the telescope. In our times, we fear social media and ChatGPT.Three UCSC professors join host Suki Wessling to talk about how UCSC is working to educate a new generation of technologists, young people who not only understand technology, but also understand humanity. Join Jody Greene, Pranav Anand, and Laura Martin to explore the implications of the technology created yesterday... and the technology just about to crest our horizons.For more information:* Humanizing Technology at UCSC * The Ezra Klein podcast (search for "artificial intelligence" to see relevant shows) * The College Essay is Dead from the Atlantic * This Changes Everything by Ezra Klein * Why Do A.I. Chatbots Tell Lies and Act Weird? Look in the Mirror. from the New York Times

Johnsmith, a renowned and accomplished songwriter from the Midwest, was a guest on KSQD recently. His songs and stories will delight you.

The Tannery Arts Center has a storied history. Now, it's been brought to life by a new audio walking tour.

John Golder is a local solar inventor, building innovator, retired contractor, former building inspector, survival skills instructor, youth sports advocate, and anti-bureaucrat. He can be contacted at ahoy.capt.jhond@gmail.com

10 days of free films mark the 11th annual Watsonville Film Festival which begins March 3rd. This year the festival is honoring actor Pepe Serna, who has appeared in over 400 television shows and movies. Festival director Consuelo Alba and Pepe Serna talk about countering negative stereotypes of Latinos in film and telling positive stories about the multicultural world in which we are living.

Fred Keeley talks about new height limits on large housing developments and the repairs or changes to West Cliff Drive, plus Brown Act violations from the mayors select committee.

Dr. Tiffany Wise-West is the Sustainability and Climate Action Manager at the City of Santa Cruz, California. She is a licensed professional civil engineer with over 25 years of experience in municipal environmental planning, programming, policy and infrastructure development and implementation. Drawing on her interest in innovation and education, she specializes in collaborating across public, private and academic sectors to deliver impactful and award winning emissions mitigation and climate adaptation initiatives.https://www.cityofsantacruz.com/government/city-departments/city-manager/climate-action-program/climate-action-planhttps://resilientsantacruzcounty.org/santacruz

The Santa Cruz Mountains American Viticultural Area (AVA) stretches along the mountains, the only AVA in the US to be defined by terrain rather than geographical boundaries. Before there was an AVA in these mountains, there were women: women in the vineyards, women in the cellars, and women writing about, promoting, and selling the wine to the public. This interview features three women at the core of the early wine industry in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Prudy Foxx of Foxx Viticulture, June Smith of the Roudon-Smith Winery, and Valerie Ahlgren of Ahlgren Vineyard. Val and June were full partners to their husbands in a time when the "women behind the men" were less likely to be recognized. These three women had very different roles in the winemaking process, but each gave her all even though it wasn't her name that ended up on the bottle. This wide-ranging conversation reminds us of what life was like in the county in past years. Land was cheap and besides a few well-established wineries, the industry hadn't quite discovered our little corner of the world yet.

For more information:

Foxx Viticulture
Roudon-Smith Winery
Ahlgren Vineyard
"Santa Cruz Mountains wine pioneers mark 35th anniversary" by June Smith in the Santa Cruz Sentinel
"The Ahlgren Vineyard was one of the Santa Cruz Mountains’ great unheralded wine estates. What happened to it?" from the San Francisco Chronicle
More articles by June Smith
Visit The Babblery for more episodes about women's lives

Almost all of us carry a piece of the Congo with us - in our smart phones, tablets, or laptops. Yet very few of us know how that piece came to be in our pockets, the human cost of its acquisition, or the story of how the current situation came to be.The tropical rainforest of the Congo River watershed sequesters more carbon than the Amazon, and yet there is little international recognition of its importance in combatting climate change.Maurice Carney is co-founder and Executive Director of the Friends of the Congo. He has worked with Congolese for over twenty-five years in their struggle for peace, justice and human dignity.Mr. Carney possesses two bachelor’s degrees, a masters degree and is pursuing a Ph.D. in political science. He has worked with civic associations in West Africa providing training on research methodology and survey. He served as the interim Africa working group coordinator for Rev. Jesse Jackson when he served as Special Envoy to Africa. Mr. Carney has worked as a research analyst for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and as a research consultant for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.

How do UCSC students (and you!) learn to change the world? Through the Practical Activism Conference on February 25, now in its 20th year. Organized, created, and presented by students, Practical Activism is a day-long conference featuring speakers, performance, interactive workshops, and a variety of hands-on creative activities and opportunities on a wide range of social justice issues.Talk of the Bay host, Christine Barrington, goes behind the scenes with student planners Nicole Britton and Airielle Silva, along with Mark Gardner, Director of the UCSC Office of Academic and Co-curricular Programs, to discover how 20 years of practical activism has evolved its goal to provide information, tools, and opportunities to generate local and global change.The goal of the Practical Activism Conference is to open spaces for dialogue and inclusion, for active discussion of serious issues, for questioning our privileges and assumptions, for constructive and critical engagement. As such, it is a space in which we welcome discussions of gender, sexuality, power, oppression, and the problems of heteronormativity. The student-designed and facilitated workshops at Practical Activism commonly address these and many other difficult issues that concern our community.The 20th annual Practical Activism Conference is scheduled for Saturday, February 25th, 2023 from 10:30am-5pm at the College Nine and John R. Lewis College Multipurpose Room. Community members are welcome at the conference. Registration information: https://practicalactivism.ucsc.edu

Find out where to look for a rare convergence of planets in the night sky, plus a bit of speculation about the objects shot down by the military. Heads up! By mid-February 2023, Venus and Jupiter are super noticeable in the west after sunset. Look toward the sunset point. These are our sky’s 2 brightest planets! You can’t miss them. Venus and Jupiter will have a spectacular conjunction in the twilight sky on March 1, 2023. Don’t miss them in late February and early March!

Over 98 artists have their work hanging in at the Pajaro Valley Arts New Beginnings Exhibit in Watsonville. Find out why the title is so appropriate to our time and what might be in store for visitors.

Is a defacto nation-wide abortion ban about to take place? A lawsuit in Texas questioning the FDA's approval of a drug, could pull from the shelves and pharmacies one of the safest, most effective early abortion pills, mifepristone. Shannon Olivieri Hovis, director of NARAL California talks about the implications if this lawsuit is one by opponents of choice.

Amy Hanauer is the Executive Director of the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy, or ITEP. ITEP provides vision and leadership to bring accurate research and data to tax policy conversations. ITEP’s research shows that more progressive and adequate tax codes will do more to bring about racial, economic and climate justice. When wealthy people and corporations pay their fair share, the country raises more revenue for the essential things we need and does so in a way that is more conducive to equity and growth.Amy joined ITEP in 2020, bringing nearly 30 years of experience creating economic policy that advances social justice. Amy is also the Executive Director of Citizens for Tax Justice (CTJ), ITEP’s 501(c)(4) partner organization. As Director, Amy raises resources, guides strategy, and works with the board and staff to make ITEP and CTJ a critical part of the policy conversation around a stronger tax code.Prior to joining ITEP, Amy founded and developed Policy Matters Ohio from a one-person start-up in 2000 to a 14-person operation with offices in Cleveland and Columbus. Under her guidance, the organization provided research that helped boost Ohio’s minimum wage, establish a state Earned Income Tax Credit, restore collective bargaining rights for public sector workers and expose how tax cuts for the wealthy have not improved Ohio’s job climate.Earlier in her career, Amy opened a Milwaukee office for the think tank COWS, helping place women in unionized manufacturing jobs, and worked for Wisconsin State Senator (now U.S. Rep) Gwendolynne Moore, defending the safety net for Wisconsin families.Amy is the board chair of The American Prospect magazine, served as Vice President of the board at the think tank Demos from 2010-2018, and has held board or committee leadership roles at the Economic Analysis Research Network and the State Priorities Partnerships, both networks of state think tanks. A graduate of Rockwood Leadership Institute, Amy is the author of several publications on worker justice, green jobs and racial and economic equity. She received her Master of Public Affairs from the Lafollette Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and holds a bachelor’s degree in government from Cornell University.You can follow Amy on Twitter at @amyhanauer.

On Talk of the Bay, third-generation winemaker John Bargetto joins host Suki Wessling to talk about his family winery's history and present. Started the day Prohibition was enacted, the winery struggled to find its purpose in a country that first made wine illegal, then thought it should always be drunk sweet and from a jug. Sustained by the family through thick and thin, Bargetto Winery is now known as one of the anchors of the industry in this county. John Bargetto talks about why Italians drink wine, what it's like to grow up in a family business, and his love of the vineyard and the product. Pop a cork (or twist a screw cap) on your favorite vintage, and join us in a jaunt through local winemaking history and culture.For more information: Bargetto Winery * Regan Vineyards * The Great Prohibition Caper by John Bargetto * Vintage Bargetto* by John Bargetto and Geoffrey Dunn * How to taste wine * Early history of winemaking in the Santa Cruz Mountains * Uncorked: Vines to wines — History of grape growing in Santa Cruz County

As protests continue in Iran despite a brutal government crackdown, two local women speak about their hopes and fears for their home country. Elnaz Sarbar Boczek is an Iranian American women’s rights activist. She grew up in Iran and left Iran for the US when she was 28 years old. She used to work as a program manager at tech companies in Bay Area including Google but now she is attending to her newborn daughter and getting the voice of Iranian women out to the world.Erika Abrahamian is a long-time yoga teacher and a Marriage and Family Therapist in training living in Santa Cruz. She was born and raised in Iran and moved to the United States as an adolescent.This link takes you to multiple resources and information about Iranian resistance and statistics about the numbers of children and youth killed by the government, media repression, and updated contacts.https://docs.google.com/document/d/13UWXqTnp_ZVKkaf4gizBpUtvFLMlSXUl_Ux_N3iEi6Q/edit

Bill Moyer is the Executive Director of the grassroots organization Solutionary Rail, and co-author of the book of the same name.Nearly a decade ago, while fighting against the endangerment of the Pacific Northwest as a fossil fuel corridor to Asia, Bill confronted a railroad labor advocate asking whether all the coal and Bakken oil trains were really the highest use for US railroads. That railroader followed up with his own challenge to Bill," See if you and your people can 'green' this" as he handed bill a 2008 whitepaper on "modernizing the 'Northern Transcon'". At the time, Bill barely knew that that is one of the names for the rail corridor from Chicago to the Puget Sound. That challenge was the beginning of Solutionary Rail. Over the next few years Bill convened and collaborated with a team of rail, sustainability, and environmental justice experts to produce the 2016 book Solutionary Rail, a people-powered campaign to electrify US railroads and open corridors to a clean energy future. Solutionary Rail’s campaigns have put rails at the center of building an unconventional alliance to solve problems together.Bill lives with his wife and daughter amongst the huckleberries, ferns, firs, woodpeckers, owls and coyotes on Vashon Island in the Salish Sea.

County Supervisor Zach Friend represents a portion of Santa Cruz County that was hammered by repeated storms, damaging dozens of businesses and hundreds of homes. What is the path to recovery for these people now that the tv cameras have left the scene? Zach traveled with President Biden on his recent visit and has this report.

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is an ecological treasure, protecting the coastline from oil spills and other abuses. What is the future of marine conservation in California? We talk with Dan Haifley, board member of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and long-time ocean conservationist about what pressures and opportunities face this amazing ecosystem.

In this episode of The Babblery on Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling speaks with three women scientists, Nasreen Broomandkhoshbacht, Shanna Howard, and Sarah Claus, who study and work at UC Santa Cruz. Although they love the school and their work and studies, they say that women face implicit biases that impede their progress. How is studying and working in science different for women? What sorts of demands are made of them, and how are their contributions overlooked? Finally, why does science need gender diversity in order to lead to the best possible results? Listen in.

For more information:

Subscribe to the Babblery
UCSC's Women in Science Education (WiSE)
STEM Jobs See Uneven Progress in Increasing Gender, Racial and Ethnic Diversity
The Untold History of Women in Science and Technology

Christine Barrington interviews local river stewards about the San Lorenzo River Levee, which is undergoing a stringent accreditation process that requires vegetation removal and ground squirrel population reduction. Environmental groups are concerned that the urgency for accreditation, and the speed at which this huge project must be undertaken, will threaten sensitive environmental restoration efforts, decades in the making, and involving thousands of hours of volunteer labor. Bruce Van Allen offers insights into the history of the levee and the arduous work required to engage the Army Corps of Engineers in aligning with environmental policies that could support the river's ecosystem.Laurie Egan, Executive Director of the Coastal Watershed Council shares what her organization has accomplished in protecting the San Lorenzo biosphere and integrating Santa Cruz citizens with the life of the river. She also shares what the CWC is doing to protect years of work along the levee while the city endeavors to achieve FEMA accreditation by July 2023.The CWC offers locals a chance to engage as stewards of the San Lorenzo River every second Saturday. You can take part! Sign up here: VolunteerJane Mio heads the The Estuary Project also conducting volunteer work days every third Sunday of the month from 11-1pm. You can join this vibrant community of river stewards. Sign Up:Santa Cruz County Volunteer Center:Volunteer for Estuary Habitat RestorationCityServe: Johnny Shamoun jshamoun@scvolunteercenter.orgValley Women’s Club:San Lorenzo Habitat Restoration ContactEnjoy this blog about the San Lorenzo River written by Barbara Riverwoman and Jane Mio: The San Lorenzo River Blog

I interviewed Jane Sellen of Californians for Pesticide Reform about the potential loosening of restrictions of the chemical 1,3-D, a known carcinogen used on strawberries and other crops.Farmworker communities call on the State to Rewrite Regulation of Cancer-Causing Pesticide that exceeds State risk levelsThe Department of Pesticide Regulation’s proposal would allow for 14 times more 1,3-dichloropropene in the air than the official State safe harbor levelThe California Office of Environmental Health Hazards Assessment (OEHHA) last June issued a Prop 65 safe harbor level – the maximum exposure amount determined to be safe – for 1,3-D that converts to a daily air concentration of 0.04 parts per billion. The 1,3-D air concentration at the six active state pesticide air-monitors, including one at Ohlone Elementary School in northern Monterey County, has exceeded OEHHA’s safe harbor level for cancer every year since testing started in 2012, averaging 2.5 to 29 times higher than the safe level.Among the Department of Pesticide Regulation’s proposals to be heard at the January 18 hearing are the adoption of a cancer risk level that is 14 times more lenient than the level recommended by OEHHA scientists, the elimination of limits on use (previously capped at 136,000 pounds per 6x6 mile “township”), and the assumption that new experimental emissions reduction measures, including increased soil water saturation and deeper injections, will be strictly followed and will greatly reduce air emissions.Residents of farmworking communities fear the State proposal will not protect them from cancer-causing 1,3-D.“While much of the world is banning 1,3-D, California is allowing for even more to be used, by eliminating the use caps,” said Yanely Martinez, Greenfield City Councilmember in Monterey County. “And now DPR has given us a number for how little they value farmworker communities: According to them, we’re worth 14 times less than other California residents, because that’s how much more cancer DPR is willing to allow by exposure to 1,3-D than our state toxicologists at OEHHA say is safe. This is a racist policy.”

January 27th is international Holocaust remembrance day. Rabbi Paula Marcus of Temple Beth El, in conjunction with the Santa Cruz Public Libraries is hosting a film showing and discussion on January 26th at the Capitola Public Library to explore the impact of the Ken Burns documentary series, U.S. and the Holocaust. Rabbi Paula talks about countering hate in our current political and social environments and the enduring lessons in the film series.

Tom Hogye is President Emeritus, former Conservation Chair and Programs Chair for Santa Cruz Fly Fishing, where he’s spent 30 years fighting and working to promote sustainable fisheries management, the restoration and preservation of California Anadromous waters. He is currently battling for water rights that belong to Steelhead, Coho, and all salmonid species in the Pacific Coast rivers and estuaries.Recently Tom Hogye is taking on a new roll with the Federation of Fly-Fishers International to further the goals of putting more water back into the rivers, especially during critical rearing stages in the summer and the removal of legacy dams that prevent natural migration with a focus on restoration of historical riparian habitat.In the late 90’s Mr. Hogye worked to update fishing regulations for the protection of Salmon and Steelhead throughout California. As an avid fly fisherman, he has had the opportunity to work closely with many who are working to save other waters throughout the country.Mr. Hogye has lectured at Yale School of Forestry, Colorado School of Mines, other universities and industry-related areas specifically for the preservation of the environment, acted as a US Industry Expert with the IEC/NEMA, and over the years has been published in a variety of electronics industry, conservation and fly fishing periodicals.

Sometimes it feels like UC Santa Cruz is up there on the hill, separated from the community…except on the last Wednesday of the month. That’s when UC scientists come to town for “Science on Tap,” welcoming one and all to accessible talks about cutting edge science research happening now at a university very near you. Host Suki Wessling welcomes organizers Megan Durham, Hannah Lusk, and Nick Forino to talk about the series past and present. We're also joined by upcoming lecturer Prof. Raja GuhaThakurta, Department Chair of Astronomy and Astrophysics. Our discussion ranges from how to bring scientific concepts to a non-science-oriented audience, how to do outreach to underserved communities and use education to nurture new scientists, and how to combat misinformation. According to Prof. GuhaThakurta "we're drowning in bad information—and I'd rather be thirsty than drown."But never fear, there's more science coming your way. According to Prof. GuhaThakurta, "I'm starting to think that science ought to be a spectator sport."Listen in!About Science on Tap: January 25, 7 pm* at the MAH back patio:Prof. Raja GuhaThakurta on The Universe of Galaxies, James Webb Telescope, and STEAM Research Opportunities * Click here to join the email list * Read more about Science on Tap and WISE

More information:* Creating Equity in STEAM (CrEST) – https://crest.ucsc.edu/ * Shadow the Scientists (StS) – https://shadow.ucsc.edu/ * Python and Research (PyaR) – https://pyar.ucsc.edu/ * Science Internship Program (SIP) – https://sip.ucsc.edu/

Labor and the Democratic LeftTalk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, January 17th, 5-6 PM, on KSQDThe American Labor Movement and the Democratic Party are hot topics right now. Before the Covid 19 Pandemic, labor was experiencing a resurgence, but even more so now when many have come to realize just how important everyday workers are in healthcare, at the coffee bar, driving the bus, serving you at your local eatery, teaching and taking care of our kids.They even came up with a name, “essential workers.” Some of new these workers were essential before the pandemic too, but it took a larger crisis to really bring out the crisis throughout the American labor force. That crisis mainly being the ethical moral paucity on which the capitalist system hinges: buy low and sell high. The bosses of capital, always looking for ever easier ways to make money, continued to exploit workers until they couldn’t. Of course, many are still exploited, but a distinct union movement is growing, and so is labor’s connection with the progressive left within the Democratic party. This week, we look at both subjects, the Democratic left that won’t go away and its best ally, the resurgent labor movement, all from a distinctly local viewpoint. Join your host, Chris Krohn, as he grill labor activist and wanna-be Democratic Party insider, Joe Thompson on Talk of the Bay this Tuesday at 5pm.(Above: Joe Thompson is pictured with former-Mayoral candidate, Joy Schendledecker, in front of Starbucks on Ocean Street. Thompson organized a picket of the coffee giant and closed the store down for a couple of days.)

Featured on this podcast:Bryan May, Communications Director for California Office of Emergency Services talks about the death toll, recovery funds, and the emergency currently underway.Elaine Johnson, president of NAACP Santa Cruz Chapter talks about the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and events on Monday to honor his vision.Jason Hoppin, Communications Director for the County of Santa Cruz talks about the storm's impact and planning for recovery.Michael Loik, UCSC Professor of Environmental Studies talks about the physics of atmospheric rivers and the future of California's waters systems with increasingly intense weather events and warming.

Gary Shapiro is bringing pop-culture to KSQD with his star-studded and long-standing talk show "From the Bookshelf" happening every other Thursday from 6-7 pm. This show had its beginning in the last millennium! To say it's been around a while is, well, true. To say it's funny, insightful and chock full of amazing guests is also true.Join Gary and host Christine Barrington while they play songs and excerpts from past shows and just plain have a good time while enjoying stories From the Bookshelf. You can download recent shows by Gary via subscribing to most podcast platforms. Easier still, visit FromtheBookshelf.com and listen to the archive that goes back all the way to 2007, but be warned: It works best in Firefox.

When a comic's in the house, all your prepared questions go out the window. In this surprisingly serious and insightful interview with host Suki Wessling, local comedian and comedy promoter DNA talks about his comedic roots—and the roots of the American standup comedy tradition—that go back to the early Borscht Belt. We touch on the continuing racism and antisemitism that mars the American comedy scene, and how such sentiments are not welcome locally. And we talk about the organization that he built, then lost, and is now rebuilding post-Covid. In an only-in-Santa-Cruz moment, the daughter of recently deceased Budd Friedman, who founded the Improv Comedy Club franchise, happened to catch us on the radio as she drove home from his funeral and called in to reminisce. Tune in!

For more information: * DNA's Comedy Lab * Comedy Nights at the Blue Lagoon * Budd Friedman * Comedy in the Catskills: Remembering the Borscht Belt

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Midterm Reflections and Reverberations Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, November 22nd, 5-6 PM on KSQD 90.7 FM and KSQD.org

Who are the real winners and losers in Santa Cruz after "Election 2022?" Were the in-town and out-of-town developers and real estate interests finally able to put Santa Cruz in their land grab development chokehold, or did Justin Cummings and Felipe Hernandez hold the progressive line and checkmate all that real estate cash that was thrown down onto the luxury condo table? Is the city council once again firmly in the hands of those same build-baby-build interests that recently bequeathed us Five55 Pacific, the Nanda condos, and the awful Laurel and Pacific out of scale project of 205 units with not a single affordable unit included? And what about Measures O and N, how did they lose so badly?

This Tuesday at 5pm, “Talk of the Bay” host Chris Krohn takes a deep local dive into the November 2022 election results with Santa Cruz Sentinel columnist Steven Kessler and City Councilmember Sandy Brown. There’s a lot on the line in Surf City as we look to a future of massive development, little of it affordable, and consequent traffic and water woes on a scale we’ve not confronted before. We will break the down the election numbers and offer potential destinations where our local economy, quality of life, and our valued environmental protections are headed. Join us Tuesday on "Talk of the Bay" on KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org.

Sacramento,CA: Under a court-ordered deadline to regulate the use of the cancer-causing fumigant pesticide 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D, or Telone), the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) on Tuesday issued a draft rule that opens the door to increased use of the third most heavily used pesticide in California agriculture.

Among the proposed provisions of the draft regulation are the elimination of limits on use (previously capped at 136,000 pounds per 6x6 mile “township”), adoption of a cancer risk level that is 14 times more lenient than the level recommended by CalEPA Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) scientists, and the assumption that new experimental emissions reduction measures, including increased soil water saturation and deeper injections, will be strictly followed and will greatly reduce air emissions.

“While much of the world is banning 1,3-D, California is allowing for even more to be used, by eliminating the use caps,” said Yanely Martinez, Greenfield City Councilmember in Monterey County. “And now DPR has given us a number for how little they value farmworker communities: According to them, we’re worth 14 times less than other California residents, because that’s how much more cancer DPR is willing to allow by exposure to 1,3-D than our state toxicologists at OEHHA say is safe. This is a racist policy.”

DPR has set the lifetime cancer risk air concentration level for 1,3-D, the level that would require mitigations, at 0.56 parts per billion (ppb), while OEHHA’s “no significant risk level” (NSRL) converts to 0.04 ppb[1] – 14 times less. OEHHA states: “[T]he Proposition 65 no-significant-risk value is defined as one excess case of cancer in an exposed population of 100,000, assuming lifetime exposure at the level in question. The NSRL is the daily intake that would result in that level of cancer risk over a lifetime”; and “OEHHA develops and adopts NSRLs to provide guidance for determining when a warning is required for exposures to chemicals listed under Proposition 65 as causing cancer.”[2] DPR did not list OEHHA’s 1,3-D NSRL document in its list of 32 “documents relied upon” in its “Initial Statement of Reasons and Public Report.”

Others also expressed concern that DPR’s draft rule protects industry but not the health of farmworker communities.

“A total gift to industry - it’s dispiriting that DPR would spend so many years developing a draft rule that does so little to protect our health and so much to preserve the status quo,” said Jane Sellen, Co-Director of the statewide coalition Californians for Pesticide Reform, a co-plaintiff in the lawsuit that compelled DPR to regulate 1,3-D. “This draft rule does little to protect the people who live and work where use of this chemical is concentrated - the vast majority of whom are Latino residents of farmworking communities in the Valley and Coast regions. Californians must say NO to this proposal, loudly and clearly and often. DPR must go back to the drawing board, or we will see them in court. AGAIN.”

The lack of use limits and specific reduction goals in DPR’s draft plan is a major criticism from pesticide reform advocates.

“Repeatedly we see decision-making that is focused on protecting industry’s ability to continue using cancer-causing chemicals like 1,3-D,” said Bianca Lopez, founder of Modesto-based Valley Improvement Projects. “Until we start to see binding commitments that today’s decision makers - not our grandchildren - have to meet, it’s hard to have much faith in them. Show us you mean it with today’s rulemaking.”

“Valley residents are being choked by some of the worst air in the nation, and yet repeatedly industry is let off the hook. We know that 1,3-D is toxic to humans and a significant source of Volatile Organic Compounds, one of the main ingredients for ozone formation. Yet DPR refuses to set an enforceable target for reducing use or emissions from this hazardous and highly drift-prone chemical,” said Genevieve Amsalem, Research and Policy Director with Fresno- and Bakersfield-based Central California Environmental Justice Network.

At more than 12 million pounds reported use per year, 1,3-D is the third most heavily used pesticide in California agriculture, used as a pre-plant soil fumigant for strawberry crops along the Central Coast and for a wide range of crops in the San Joaquin Valley including almonds and sweet potatoes. It is a Restricted Material pesticide, which means growers must get an annual permit for its use and then provide a Notice of Intent to the County Agricultural Commissioner immediately prior to each use. 1,3-D is a volatile organic compound, is classified as a Toxic Air Contaminant and a Prop. 65 carcinogen, and is banned in 34 countries. It is also known to drift for miles: a high level was recorded in 2020 at DPR’s air monitoring station in Shafter (Kern County) with the closest known application more than seven miles away.

1,3-D Historical background

Advocates note the long history of questionable practices for this chemical, dating back to 1995 when it was brought back after a five-year ban implemented in response to a high air level measured in 1990 in Merced County. DPR allowed the manufacturer Dow (since renamed Corteva) to largely establish, and then track and monitor, new limits for 1,3-D use. Under these Dow-influenced limits, a use cap of 90,250 pounds per 6x6 mile township was established, and Dow was made responsible for ensuring that collective use did not exceed that cap. When pesticide applicators wanted to exceed the cap, several years later, they were allowed to “roll over” unused portions from prior years, and to apply for a waiver if they needed even more. In 2016, DPR ended rollovers and waivers, but also relaxed the lifetime cancer risk level, over the strenuous objection of CalEPA OEHHA scientists, to justify increasing the use cap 50%, to 136,000 pounds per township - almost the exact amount industry had lobbied DPR for behind the scenes for years, as revealed by public records act requests. At this point, DPR and Dow were sued for irregular “underground” rulemaking and were ordered by the court in 2018 to create a lawful rule. The decision was upheld on appeal in 2021.

Despite the court order requiring DPR to develop the rule to address both residential and worker bystanders in its rulemaking, and to work “in concert with” OEHHA on the rulemaking, DPR instead drafted a rule targeting only residential exposure, thereby avoiding the requirement to defer to OEHHA’s much more health-protective cancer risk level.

“It is an outrageous environmental injustice for DPR to continue to allow farmworkers to work for full days, even multiple workdays, up to the very edge of the treated field in adjoining fields immediately after and even during the fumigation while occupied structures except for barns and other farm work structures are protected by setbacks of 100 to 500 feet. DPR’s pilot studies show that peak levels can be over 140 ppb next to fumigated fields,” said Anne Katten, Pesticide and Work Safety Project Director with California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation.

Meanwhile, several very high air concentrations have been measured in the San Joaquin Valley, including one in Fresno County that was more than 3 times the 1990 level that resulted in a 5-year ban. To date, DPR has done nothing to address or prevent these high levels, and no notice is given in advance of applications so that people can take protective measures. In 2020, the California Air Resources Board committed to a 1,3-D notification program for the town of Shafter in Kern County, and allocated $250,000 toward its implementation. The program would have required web-posted notices of intent to use 1,3-D within a 7-mile radius of Shafter. However, the Kern County Agricultural Commissioner refused to implement the program, and almost three years later, 1,3-D applications continue without notice. In 2020, two very high levels of 1,3-D were measured in Shafter, one of them higher than the level that resulted in a 5-year ban in 1990.

“Shafter residents joined hundreds of meetings over many years, trying to get advance warning of 1,3-D use, but one single unelected local official - Glenn Fankhauser, the Kern County Ag Commissioner - was able to defy the state and just simply refuse to give it,” said Shafter resident Anabel Marquez. “We are repeatedly exposed to really high levels of this cancer-causing chemical, and we still have no idea when it’s happening. We feel our lives and our health don’t matter.”

The State has tested the air concentrations of 1,3-D at 9 different pesticide air monitors, including Shafter, since 2011. As the table below indicates, the average 1,3-D levels have been above OEHHA’s lifetime cancer risk level at every station.

TABLE. 1,3-dichloropropene air concentrations are above OEHHA’s 0.04 ppb NSRL for lifetime cancer risk at all 9 air monitor stations that tested for more than 2 years Site County Annual air concentration of 1,3-dichloropropene in parts per billion, reported by DPR

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Ave.

Kearney Ag, Parlier[a] Fresno na na na na na na 0.62 2.94 0.27 0.51 1.55 1.16

Shafter High, Sequoia Elem-2/19[a] Kern 0.23 0.08 0.57 0.2 0.18 0.34 0.11 1.52 0.13 1.8 0.16 0.49

Schendel Elementary, Delhi[a] Merced na na na na na na 0.13 .019 0.15 0.46 0.68 0.32

Ohlone Elementary-north[a] Monterey na 0.16 0.13 0.09 0.12 0.07 0.09 0.05 0.06 0.12 0.06 0.10

Salinas Airport[b] Monterey 0.30 0.06 0.09 0.01 0.04 0.04 na na na na na 0.09

Chualar- east well[c] Monterey na na na na na na 0.10 0.03 0.04 na na 0.06

Ripon Police[d] San Joaquin 0.31 0.05 0.19 0.07 0.08 0.09 na na na na na 0.13

Santa Maria High,Bonita Elm-11/19[a] Santa Barbara 0.16 0.19 0.19 0.11 0.11 0.12 0.08 0.06 0.05 0.11 0.08 0.12

Rio Mesa High, Oxnard[a] Ventura na 0.19 0.17 0.09 0.21 0.11 0.11 0.06 0.06 na 0.03 0.12

na: data not available

[a] DPR presentation to Pesticide Registration and Evaluation Committee, “2021 1,3-D Ambient Air Monitoring Results,” slide 29.

[b] “Air Monitoring Network Report: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Results (2011 – 2016),” DPR, June 2018, p. 38.

[c] DPR presentation to the Pesticide Registration Evaluation Committee, “2019 1,3 D Ambient Air Monitoring Results,” slide 29.

[d] “Air Monitoring Network Report: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Results (2011 – 2016),” DPR, June 2018, p. 42.

[1] 1,3-D NSRL = 3.7 micrograms per day. Breathing rate used by OEHHA = 20 cubic meters per day (from OEHHA regs 27 CCR § 25721 Level of Exposure to Chemicals Causing Cancer). https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Document/IBBC153FD512211EC828B000D3A7C4BC3?viewType=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=(sc.Default) If a person breathes air contaminated with 3.7/20 (=.185) micrograms per cubic meter of 1,3-D. they will be exposed to 3.7 micrograms per day. To convert .185 micrograms per cubic meter to ppb, and given 1,3-D’s molecular weight of 111, we used https://www.gastec.co.jp/en/technology/knowledge/concentration/ to yield 0.04 ppb.

[2] https://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/crnr/13-dnsrlsfsorfinalremediated.pdf, pages 6, 10

In this interview, I speak with Cliff Friedlander, one of the organizers of United Against Hate Week Santa Cruz County. The following article was written by the aunt of a young man whose life was taken away when he intervened in a hate crime in Portland, Oregon United Against Hate Week: Building Bridges, Healing Wounds Marcelle E. DuPraw, PhD

In 2017, my 23-year-old nephew, Taliesin Namkai Meche (“Tilly”) was murdered in a hate crime while on a train heading home from work in Portland, Oregon. He carried a box of food for a homeless man whom he routinely encountered en route. An angry and troubled white man started threatening two young women of color, one in a hajib, and Taliesin and two other white men stood up to intervene. Minutes later, two of the interveners lay dying on the train floor, their necks slashed; the third barely survived. Tilly’s last words – “Tell everyone on the train I love them.” Five years later, it is still unbelievable – that a young man so present, so full of love, smarts, and vision, could be gone – just … gone. It is unbelievable that Taliesin’s life was snatched from him so suddenly, so senselessly, so brutally. It was also unbelievable how compassionate human beings from all over sought to comfort us as we struggled to come to terms with this horrific artifact of the tsunami of hate sweeping over our world. The Portland community created a touching tribute wall at the train station. The Muslim and Buddhist communities reached out and held us up. Hate crimes in California increased 32% from 2020 to 2021, according to the California Department of Justice. Members of the Black community are the most frequent targets: roughly 30% of the 1,763 hate crimes reported in 2021 were perpetrated against Black people. Anti-Asian hate crimes nearly tripled, and hate crimes related to sexual orientation increased by nearly 50%. But many are working to counter this terrible trend. Not In Our Town (www.niot.org) is a national anti-hate movement founded by filmmaker Patrice O’Neill, who travels the country documenting how communities work together to heal from horrific hate crimes. NIOT is a diverse national coalition that seeks to build bridges across differences, cultivate strength and resilience, and give comfort and courage to everyone in resistance to the perpetrators of hate. Here in Santa Cruz I received an enthusiastic response to the idea of a county-wide movement to counter hate and bullying. Santa Cruz County United for Safe and Inclusive Communities (SCCUSIC) was founded to reduce hate and bias activity in our county and strengthen the response when these acts occur. Since early 2021 we have been learning together how hate and bias incidents are handled and exploring areas for potential improvement. We concluded that SCCUSIC can be most effective raising public awareness, advocating for systemic improvements, and referring survivors of hate crimes to existing organizations for assistance. This year United Against Hate Week runs November 13 - 20. There will be free online bystander trainings, a workshop on how to have tough conversations, a youth-focused panel, and a screening of Patrice O’Neill’s latest film, “Repairing the World,” about how Pittsburgh pulled together in the aftermath of the attack at the Tree of Life Synagogue. Registration links for these events – and more – can be found in the Santa Cruz County United Against Hate School Toolkit, assembled by our County Office of Education. This week reminds us to cultivate empathy and appreciate differences rather than fear them. It is an opportunity to have conversations about hate and bias and learn skills for intervening when we see hateful behaviors. It’s an opportunity to raise awareness of resources available to survivors of hate and bias. This week’s events also provide opportunities to make meaningful connections with others from different walks of life -- arguably the most potent antidote

Jim Christmann is the operator of the oceanographic research vessel Shana Rae. To a wide range of academic, commercial, and governmental clients, Shana Rae is a trusted friend that needs no introduction.

After sailing much of the eastern North Pacific for fun in the early 70s, Jim Christmann operated a university coastal research vessel for 11 years. In 1986 he made the jump to the RV Shana Rae, after finishing the vessel’s last season as a salmon tender on Prince William Sound.

Since then, the Shana Rae has supported a sweeping variety of projects, across the spectrum of coastal marine research. These efforts have ranged from coring, remote operated vehicle and dive operations, towed and anchored arrays, benthic and sub-bottom studies, to film work, live critter tagging and tracking, pipeline inspections, and weather balloon launches.

Clients have included MBARI, NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, USGS, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Cal Poly, Jet Propulsion Labs, Scripps Institute, Stanford Hopkins Marine Station, Lockheed Martin, Liquid Robotics Inc, Kinnetics, the National Geographic Society, the Discovery Channel, BBC, and many others.

Jim Christmann has lived with his wife Angie in Santa Cruz for over 50 years.

What’s it like to be a woman in the cannabis industry? Molly Hildenbrand, Ginger Dawn, and Mo George-Payette came to the industry via different paths and connected with each other as women who have embraced the healing power of CBD.

Molly’s company, Be Rooted Botanicals, produces CBD herbal creams. Mo’s company, Momo’s CBD, produces CBD chocolates. Ginger runs a holistic foods company and came to cannabis consulting after treating her daughter’s epilepsy. All three will share their knowledge about healing through CBD, what they’ve learned running businesses in this fledgling industry, and their particular experiences navigating it all as women.

For more information: * Momo’s CBD * Blossom Vitality * Be Rooted Botanicals * Project CBD - Dosing information * Project CBD - History of CBD * Cannabis is Medicine by Bonni Goldstein * Children with autism cannabis pilot study * https://www.canna-centers.com/ * Project CBD recommended books

Image by Alexander Grey.

The Great Academic Strike at the University of California Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn Tuesday, November 15th, 5-6 PM on KSQD 90.7 FM and KSQD.org

The great academic strike is on, perhaps larger than any other in US history. More than 36,000 University of California Postdoctoral Scholars, Academic Researchers, Academic Student Employees (teaching assistants/readers/tutors), and Graduate Student Researchers, represented by the United Autoworkers union, authorized a strike last week across the 10-campus system. Seventy-six percent of members voted and of those, a staggering 98% voted to authorize the strike. And this week, they hit the picket lines. Locally, on Monday, Day 1 of the strike, more than 500 turned out, signs in hand and chanting “I believe that we will win,” and ”Same struggle, same fight, faculty and grads unite." While the strike line was festive, the demands were serious. The biggest ask by graduate students is $54,000, which would be a doubling of their current salary. On "Talk of the Bay," this Tuesday at 5pm, host Chris Krohn’s guest will be the media coordinator for UCSC’s graduate students Local 2865 and PhD student, Won Jeon.

On Part II of "Talk of the Bay" we will dive into the COP 27 conference taking place this week in Egypt and this weekend’s first ever Climate Conference put on by UCSC undergraduates.Two of those conference organizers, Gwen Partden and Maya Caminada will be with us to discuss the climate locally and what is unfolding at COP 27. It’s an issue that won’t go away, but for many, too overwhelming to tackle.

Frans Lanting is a world-renowned wildlife photographer who lives in Santa Cruz when he's not traveling the world in search of great photos of rare and iconic creatures and landscapes. His latest project, Bay of Life: From Wind to Whales, focuses on our own Monterey Bay and the many amazing creatures and ecosystems that make up the place we call home.

Professor Stephen Zunes discusses the various reasons Democrats did better than expected, from higher youth turnout to abortion rights.

On Talk of the Bay, three other KSQD hosts join Suki Wessling to talk about how we got from there to here.

Ronnie Lipschutz, host of Sustainability Now, is Emeritus Professor of Politics at UCSC and runs the Sustainable Systems Research Foundation. Jill Cody, host of Be Bold America, wrote the book, "America Abandoned: The Secret Velvet Coup That Cost Us Our Democracy,” which explores how powerful forces intentionally abandoned democracy. Christine Barrington, co-host on Talk of the Bay, is a local community activist working for positive, solution-focused action.

All three guests draw not only from the interviews that they've done on their shows, but also their extensive experience in the world of work and political action. We discuss the history of the country, the forces that have shaped it since the founding, and where we are today. Most importantly, we discuss positive actions that anyone can take to get more involved in their community—no matter what side of the political spectrum they're on.

Recommended by Ronnie Lipschutz of Sustainability Now: * Letter to Fellow Citizens of Earth, with Dr. Sharachchandra Lele * Latinx Farmers’ Survival in the U.S. Agricultural System, with Josefina Lara Chavez

Recommended by Jill Cody of Be Bold America: * Nice Democracy Ya Got There! Shame if Something Happened To It. * Are U.S. State Houses Being Weaponized Against Democracy? * State of Confusion: Political Manipulation and the Assault on the American Mind

Recommended by Christine Barrington of Talk of the Bay: * The United States of Distraction * Could a Carbon Currency Save Our Planet? Dr. Delton Chen and the Global Carbon Reward

Minds, Muses and Music Talk of the Bay with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, November 7, 5-6 PM

Today, we go into the minds, muses and music of two long-time radio programmers here at KSQD. First up is the anchor and genius behind the Computer Man Show, Luigi Oppido. He brings his incomparable wit and wisdom about a wide range of topics including the corrupt nature of the corporate computing world that sells us so many useless baubles and bangles in order to keep their stockholders rich.

On part two of today’s show, your host Chris Krohn probes long-time Santa Cruz community icon, Bobby Bishop, on growing up in Trenton and growing old in Santa Cruz. Is California racism different than New Jersey racism? Bobby also goes deep into discussing jazz, driving a cab, and what it was like for this east coast boxing gold gloves champ at granola U up on the UCSC hill during the 1970’s. Join us for a frank and informative discussion where nothing is off-limits and everything is on the record. Talk of the Bay, tonight at 5p on KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org

California's 28th assembly district has two women running from the Democratic and Republican sides of the aisle. Gail Pellerin (D) was Santa Cruz County's election clerk for 32 years and Liz Lawler (R) was city councilmember for Monte Sereno in Santa Clara County. Both have very different views of what California needs in terms of education, housing, and homeless remedies.

Strike Now! Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, November 1st, 5-6 PM on KSQD, 90.7 FM and KSQD.org

With the city workers’ strike settled the “Strike-tower” labor lens is turned towards the University of California. The first half of "Talk of the Bay" this Tuesday at 5p will explore the implications of a graduate student strike at UC Santa Cruz. A rally was held by almost 300 graduate students last Wednesday at the university’s Quarry Plaza to protest low pay and working conditions. Many union members marked their ballots on the spot with a “yes” vote. Others will have a week to decide. On the strike authorization UAW web site it describes why the strike is being called at this time noting, “UC has committed a number of unlawful actions that are impacting the bargaining process at each of our bargaining tables…in response to these actions, Academic Workers are escalating our campaign, and building towards a potential multi-unit statewide strike as early as November.” It is followed by the following question: Do you authorize your bargaining team to call a strike if circumstances justify? Yes or No?

On Part II of the program, we discuss the aftermath of the clearing of the Santa Cruz Benchlands of homeless people. It is not a pretty sight. The city originally identified 150 bed spaces for the more than 400 campers. Join host Chris Krohn and his guest, homeless activist and advocate, Keith McHenry, as they discuss this ongoing crisis. Where can homeless people sleep? Wha tis the city doing to address this dire situation as the season moves towards winter rains? Join us Tuesday at 5p on "Talk of the Bay.”

For the first time in history, the city of Santa Cruz will have a mayor elected at-large by city voters.

In this one-hour conversation, former Assemblymember and former County Supervisor, Fred Keeley and community activist Joy Schendledecker discuss a wide array of issues, from housing to transportation to homelessness to the character of the downtown.

On Talk of the Bay, Monday October 24 at 5pm, Christine Barrington interviews Professor Bettina Aptheker about her new book: Communists in Closets. Queering the History: 1930's-1990's. Until the late 1990’s homosexuality was expressly disavowed by the Communist party, even though some of its greatest contributors were homosexuals. Betttina tells the story of the party and its forbidden people who shaped American culture from behind the closet door.

Bettina Aptheker is a UCSC Distinguished Professor Emerita, A scholar of history and a founding instructor within UCSC’s department of feminist studies. She is also a former member of the communist party, and the daughter of Herb Aptheker, who was considered the party’s leading theoretian. Bettina is also a lesbian and stands in a unique position to understand the painful paradox of loyalty to an organization dedicated to social justice and equality that denied those very things to homosexuals who were amongst some of the most influential thought leaders within that movement.

It would seem like this is a book Bettina Aptheker was born to write! It is a biographical tour introducing readers to extraordinary artists and musicians, writers and dramatists, physicians and social workers who shaped, not only the communist party’s history but all our histories. With this book Bettina opens the door and invites the world to look in to appreciate the courage and brilliance of her subjects, as well as the sorrow and burden they were made to bear.

Bookshop Santa Cruz is hosting a book launch for Communists in Closets: Queering the History at the UCSC barn, Tuesday, October 25. Tickets are available on their website: bookshopsantacruz.com

Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson and Justin Cummings are vying for the 3rd District Supervisor's seat in Santa Cruz County. Hear their differing views on housing, mental health, and fire recovery as well as other county-wide topics.

On Talk of the Bay, Wednesday, October 19, Christine Barrington continues a series on the Global Carbon Reward, a bold new policy proposal for funding climate mitigation efforts worldwide. Imagine a global monetary policy, backed by the world's central banks, that rewards all players from corporations, to municipalities, to individuals, for certified actions that effectively remove carbon from the atmosphere, increase biodiversity, and reduce environmental harms. The Global Carbon Reward is a big and potent carrot to draw the world toward a liveable future.

Dr. Delton Chen, founder Global Carbon Reward (GCR), is a visiting geo-hydrologist from Brisbane, Australia. Dr. Chen’s Global Carbon Reward policy inspired sci-fi author Kim Stanley Robinson’s game-changing “Carbon Coin” in his novel "The Ministry for the Future." Meet Dr. Chen himself on November 2 to learn more, ask questions, and discover a way to fund the future by increasing environmental wealth rather than extracting it.

Eventbrite Registration: Funding for the Future: New Ways to Value Life on our Planet. This event will take place at the Resource Center for Non-Violence in Santa Cruz on November 2, 7-9 pm. Tickets are by donation and a Zoom recording will be provided for all registrants.

I want to thank Joshua Prieto for allowing me to use segments describing a "Living Systems Economy" from episode 043 of his podcast series Seeds of Tao. You can listen to his full recording with Dr. Chen here.

Radical feminist Andrea Dworkin was a powerful voice in feminism in the 80s and 90s, willing to go on talk shows like The Donahue Show and articulate her ideas about women, men, pornography, and violence. In American culture, she became emblematic of "the angry feminist" stereotype. The new film, My Name is Andrea, revisits Dworkin's life and writing and argues for a more expansive view of her work. In this conversation, host Suki Wessling speaks with film director Pratibha Parmar and local activist Ann Simonton about Dworkin and her affect on our culture. Simonton, who was a friend of Dworkin's and serves on the Santa Cruz Committee for the Prevention of Violence Against Women, helped to bring the film to Santa Cruz. Parmar will attend the screening and speak about the film.

For more information: * Watch My Name is Andrea at the Del Mar Theater in Santa Cruz, Tuesday, October 18 at 7 pm [tickets] * Join the March for Women’s Rights at the County Courthouse, Thursday, October 20, 6:30-8:30 pm * My Name is Andrea movie page * The New Yorker’s review of My Name is Andrea * My Name is Andrea IMDB * Santa Cruz Committee for the Prevention of Violence Against Women (CPVAW)

City Employees on Strike! Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, October 18th, 5-6 PM on KSQD, 90.7 FM and KSQD.org

They get up early to pick up our garbage and stay late to make sure the sewage flows away from our homes. Many got sick from Covid-19 during the 2-year pandemic because they stayed on the job for us. They are some of our community’s “essential” workers. They are the members of Service Employees International Union, SEIU Local 521, and they are now officially on-strike.

No garbage pick-up, no parking passes sold, no building permits, and no parks and recreation events. The workers walked off their jobs in the city of Santa Cruz at 7am on Monday and they say they aren’t coming back without a contract. This kind of strike has never occurred before in Santa Cruz according to SEIU officials. This week on Talk of the Bay, your host Chris Krohn of the Santa Cruz Political Report, takes a deep dive into what is on the table between city workers and City Manager, Matt Huffaker’s, office. Join us Tuesday at 5pm for an update and in-depth coverage of union solidarity and a city administration slowly melting down because of dissatisfied employees who no longer can afford to live in Surf City on slum city wages. Listen to the show on KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org Tuesday from 5-6pm.

To some, it might look like a musician's paradise; Hours and hours of 30-minute performances by artists from multiple countries and multiple music genres, all jamming with, well, themselves and a bunch of looping equipment. What you might NOT know, is that Santa Cruz is the place that spawned much of the international craze called looping. Looping is essentially a sound or word or tone recorded as a repeating audio sample and used as an ever-evolving soundscape to play an instrument or sing over. Since Covid crashed the 20th anniversary, Rick Walker, long time advocate and practitioner of looping and local music icon, has brought 30 looping artists to Santa Cruz from many countries to play a "post-covid" show at the Tannery Arts Center's Indexical space. Here's more from Rick:

For immediate release: Y2K22 “Pandemic Edition” INTERNATIONAL LIVE LOOPING FESTIVAL October 19th through 24th

For the first time in 3 years, the Y2K22 INTERNATIONAL LIVE LOOPING FESTIVAL will resume with a special 'Pandemic Edition” featuring shows in San Jose, Scotts Valley and the MAIN FESTIVAL at INDEXICAL (1050 River St., #119) in the Tannery complex in Santa Cruz on Saturday and Sunday, OCTOBER 22nd and 23rd.

The Festival Headliners Concert on Sunday, will feature performances by George Demarest (USA), Israel Pena (Mexico), Katja Sulc (Slovenia) EToOto (Japan) and Philippe Ollivier (France) and R DUCK (USA).

George Demarest is an American multi-instrumentalist who has been performing live looping concerts for over 20 years. A highly accomplished classical Flugehornist and Trumpeter, he also plays keyboards and uses a beautiful singing voice as well as Wind Synthesizers to augment his performances. Israel Pena is a very creative iOS artist who mixes found sounds and synthetic sound into a highly eclectic and idiosyncratic take on sound design and performance. Katja Sulc is an art-chamber vocalist using minimal instrumentation to create an ethereal blend of human voice and processing. EtoOto is a fascinating artist (originally from Japan) who mixes real time digital painting with his own software creations that converts his paintings into sounds and Philippe Ollivier is a master Bandeonist whose powerful, state of the art looping software, LOGELLOOP he created with his own software company and which he uses to create a beautiful blend of 'out of the box' acoustic/electronic music. R Duck is an experimental electro acoustic artist who has been featured in many live looping festivals and frequently at the presigious Woodstockhausen and Micro-Hausen Experimental music festivals. He is noted for continually weaving a Dadaistic sense of humor to everything he performs. His shows are a delight. R Duck is also famous for his very long term association with supporting New Music in Santa Cruz with his radio programs on Radio Free Santa Cruz, the Pirate radio station that has been pivotal in the Avante Garde music scene in Santa Cruz County.

There will also be a BEST of the Y2K22 LIVE LOOPING FESTIVAL on Wednesday, October 19th at the Anno Domini Gallery (366 S First Street, San Jose), an outdoor Tribute to the Loopers of Mexico on Thursday, October 20th at Robbie's Pizza and Subs (841 B Branciforte, Santa Cruz) as well as and a final LOOPERS BRUNCH at Abbott Square (725 Front St, Santa Cruz) on Monday, October 24th.

About the festival: The Y2K International Live Looping Festival is the longest running and largest international live looping festival. In it's 20 years of existence, it has brought hundreds of live looping artists from all over the world to participate and it spawned satellite festivals and directly inspired the creation of live looping festivals in 100 cities in 30 countries, worldwide. Additionally, a large amount of the innovation, technically, in the International Live Looping community has come directly from artists who create their own looping software and hardware (many of which have been featured in World Premiere presentations and performances).

The community is entirely funded by it's participants and all the artists who perform travel to the festival from all over the world on their own dime. The Y2K International Live Looping Festival is also has 501C Non Profit status and relies on the donations of all those who enjoy the festival.

For more information, interviews, photographs or artist profiles, as well as a Full Schedule of this year's festival, please contact: Rick Walker at looppool@cruzio.com text: +1 (831) 425-8659 or go to the Festival website at y2kloopfest.com

Ayo Banjo is one to watch. Having graduated recently from UCSC, he's already up and running an new nonprofit organization called Santa Cruz Black. They are focused on affordable housing and jobs. Ayo also has his hand in local politics, helping newbies who might not think they can run for office prepare for what it takes.

On Indigenous Peoples Day, host Suki Wessling welcomes University of California at Santa Cruz Professor Felicity Amaya Schaeffer to discuss how borders and technology affect the indigenous people who are enclosed, separated, and surveilled in our border regions. We explore Schaeffer's research into the history of borders and the technology used to enforce them, as well as the mechanized future of border surveillance and enforcement. Schaeffer describes the everyday lives of Native Americans, split from their tribal members in Mexico, harassed and surveilled by the U.S. Border Patrol. Tune in for this fascinating discussion!

For more information: * Journey For Cultural Preservation A Tohono O'Odham Story * New book traces the scientific and technological development of militarized border

We asked representatives on both sides of Santa Cruz's Measure O campaign to explain their support or non-support for the initiative. On the "NO" side was former mayor, Don Lane, and on the "YES" side, designer, Lisa Ekstrom.

Santa Cruz Measure O is on the ballot in Santa Cruz on November 8, 2022.

A "yes" vote supports amending the General Plan and Downtown Plan to: (1) prohibit construction of the proposed Downtown Library and Affordable Housing Project and relocation of the Downtown Farmers Market; (2) require development of affordable housing on certain Downtown City-owned surface parking lots; and (3) designate the use of surplus parking district revenue for Downtown affordable housing development projects, alternative transportation programs for downtown workers and other non-parking related expenditures.

A "no" vote opposes amending the General Plan and Downtown Plan to: (1) prohibit construction of the proposed Downtown Library and Affordable Housing Project and relocation of the Downtown Farmers Market; (2) require development of affordable housing on certain Downtown City-owned surface parking lots; and (3) designate the use of surplus parking district revenue for Downtown affordable housing development projects, alternative transportation programs for downtown workers and other non-parking related expenditures.

Where will the houseless sleep? Talk of the Bay with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, October 4th

As the San Lorenzo Benchlands camp is being slowly emptied out by Santa Cruz city officials, the question remains, where will the houseless sleep? The city has identified and maintains a fraction of the housing needed for camp denizens, yet it continues on a course of cleaning out this now 3-year old camping area. Keith McHenry joins host Chris Krohn today on Talk of the Bay and offers his perspective on the past, present, and future of homelessness in the city and county of Santa Cruz. There are no easy solutions, but pushing campers out into the rest of the city to find accommodations where there are none seems pointless, bordering on cruel. Are there solutions in addressing our homeless conundrum?

Keith McHenry is a writer and co-founder of the global movement, Food Not Bombs, and he is also on the executive board member of the National Union of the Homeless.

Tune in today, Tuesday, October 4th, from 5-6 PM to Talk of the Bay on KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org

Renowned climate writer and activist Bill McKibben calls this book, just out in September 2022, “a truly needed compendium of Big Oil’s endless lies.”

This interview delves into the story and how it was reported.

Investigative journalist, Geoff Dembicki exposes the truly nefarious plot by big oil to misinform the public about the dangers of climate change, even when their best scientists knew about it decades ago. Dembicki pored over a mountain of historical documents and interviewed key players to expose many times when the oil industry and its political allies sowed disinformation about the rising threat of climate catastrophe. He names names and connects dots from Fort McMurray to Washington, D.C. Dembicki concludes that we could have averted disaster decades ago and the very people pushing us to the precipice knew full well.

Ami Chen Mills takes a look at what’s at stake in the national mid-term elections. Anti-democratic candidates are on the ballot in many states, running for governorships and seats in Congress. Who’s rallying against them? And how can you get involved, wherever you are? Guests include Rene Bloch of Swing Left; Alvin Dawkins, with an African-American perspective from Alabama; and Julia Daniel of SURJ – Showing Up for Racial Justice.

On Talk of the Bay with Suki Wessling: A pile of new environmental laws are coming our way in California since Gov. Newsom signed this session’s bills. Although the effects of many of them will be felt slowly, one change has already come to your kitchen: the new food scrap composting law. Many of us have a new bin to add to our kitchen decor—but how important is this change? Which other laws are going to affect how we eat and live? How will these laws change how businesses package and sell their goods? Joining host Suki Wessling are Leslie O’Malley from City of Santa Cruz Waste Management and Tim Goncharoff, formerly Santa Cruz County's Zero Waste Programs Manager and now a consultant on environmental issues.

This wide-ranging conversation moves from our home lives (yes, you can recycle dog poo) to politics (why does it take so darn long to implement environmental laws?) to remaining optimistic and working together for a brighter future! Listen in.

For more information: * Save the Food is a website that gives everyday, practical advice on how to live less wastefully—including a nifty calculator for estimating food amounts for large gatherings. * Rules for recycling food waste in the City of Santa Cruz * Rules for recycling organic waste in unincorporated Santa Cruz County * Rules for recycling food waste in the City of Watsonville * Learn about the statewide effort to reduce food waste

Photo credit: Lenka Dzurendova

Running for City Council in Santa Cruz Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, September 27th, 5-6 PM

Sean Maxwell is running for a city council seat. He would be the first person ever to represent what is being called the 6th District. The wild district map (above) appears to do the opposite of what was intended, to keep communities of interest together. Instead, this carved and contrived area splits the circles neighborhood in half, as Mission Street urban corridor acts as a political midriff, the district continues to snake up the westside capturing UCSC’s family student and faculty housing, but zero student housing is included. At least three communities of interest are simply shredded.

Maxwell is a small business owner and general contractor who has resided for the past 20 years in Surf City. He’s also a renter, father of two, and he graduated with an economics degree from UC Santa Cruz. Maxwell currently sits on the city’s planning commission and is poised to talk about all this construction being carried out in town, as well as homelessness, economic development, and the city’s tense relationhip with UCSC. Sean Maxwell will be host Chris Krohn’s guest for the entire hour on this week’s “Talk of the Bay,” Tuesday from 5-6pm on KSQD 90.5 and KSQD.org

Christine Barrington hosts John Orlando, the Director of the Santa Cruz Distinguished Artists Concert and Lecture Series, which he founded in 1985. The Distinguished Artist’s Series brings world-renowned thinkers and artists to our region, and on September 24 John Orlando will be performing solo at Peace United Church in a memorial concert entitled Love and Loss honoring the victims of Covid 19 in Santa Cruz County.

Join Christine and John to learn about the history of The Distinguished Artists series, enjoy excerpts from previous concerts, and hear all about their upcoming season with guest appearances from featured performers.

For Tickets to the concert on 9/24: Loss and Loss

For more information: The Santa Cruz Distinguished Artists Series

John Orlando

In this interview, I have a fascinating, wide-ranging conversation/rumination about immigration, identity, politics and creeping fascism. Daniel Ruanova is a painter and sculptor and self-described "border rat," growing up traveling between Tijuana and Calexico.

“Daniel Ruanova’s irreverent and involved style of border art-making rose to prominence in the later half of the 1990’s; his eye-popping statements further cementing his hard-earned reputation as a mischievous, politically-minded experimentalist during Tijuana’s exposure boom in the 2000’s. " —Marco Vera, KCET

TRANSBORDER By Daniel Ruanova & Ignacio Ornelas Farmers’ Markets Sep 21–25 / FREE

A mobile installation featuring large-scale reproductions of 1950s-era photographs of Braceros, Mexican farm and railroad workers imported to the U.S. during World War II. The project gives new light to the images of citizens on their journey to the land of opportunity.

Farmers’ Market Tour: Sep 21; 1–6pm / Downtown Santa Cruz Sep 23; 2–7pm / Watsonville Sep 25; 9am–1pm / Live Oak

The short play festival finally returns after a couple of covid false starts with 10 new plays. In this interview, we get a little preview of two of the pieces and talk with the actors and directors making it all possible. My guests were director Suzanne Schrag, and actors Sarah Kaufman, Matt Clarke, and Lillian Bogovich.

The longest-running short play festival in the world!

8 Tens @ 8 Short Play Festival

The Reboot!

Playing September 9- October 2

Fridays & Saturdays @ 8 pm, Sundays @ 2 pm

The annual 10-minute play festival is one of the most anticipated and popular events of the theatre season in Santa Cruz. This year's January show was closed early due to Covid-19. But they've rebooted eight of the plays for live performances this fall. For more information and tickets

Yes or No on Measure O? Round 2 Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, September 13th

In our previous show, Talk of the Bay explored a range of perspectives about the library-garage-mixed use project proposed for Lot 4. It’s a lively debate, pro and con, on Measure O, the Our Downtown, Our Future initiative. This week we discuss the money being thrown at Measure O in hopes of defeating it. Where’s it coming from and why are some big money interests afraid of a downtown commons, keeping the farmer’s market and Sunday Antique Faire where they now operate from, and also setting aside eight downtown lots for real affordable housing. With me in the studio is this week will be Bob Morgan, press spokesperson for Our Downtown, Our Future.

My guest for part II of the show is Hector Marin, candidate for the Santa Cruz city council’s 4th district seat. Marin recently graduated from the Politics Dept at UC Santa Cruz. He'ss the former co-chair of campus’ chapter of the NAACP and also served as a student organizer for AFSCME local 3299. He was also an early supporter of Bernie Sanders for President back in 2016.

Ami Chen Mills welcomes water experts from across Santa Cruz County to give a bird's eye view of our fresh water situation. We can’t survive without water, and we can no longer take it for granted. With drought, wildfires, rising seas and heavy agricultural use, can we have a sustainable water supply? Guests include district water managers from Soquel, Scotts Valley, the San Lorenzo Valley, and the City of Santa Cruz.

Children’s books have been in the headlines a lot, from being banned from school libraries to celebrated as being more inclusive. When children’s authors write, how do they think of inclusivity? In this conversation with authors Monica Wesolowska and Ian & Sarah Hoffman, host Suki Wessling explores what children’s books mean to children, to authors, to publishers, and to the public. Why is inclusivity important—and what counts as inclusive? Do authors worry about how the public will perceive their stories? What is it like to have your book banned when your intent was to help children learn to be more accepting? * View Jacob's New Dress * View Leo + Lea * Sarah and Ian Hoffman’s website * Monica Wesolowska’s website * "U.S. School District Bans Book About Boy Who Wears Dresses" * "Multicultural Literacy: Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors"

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Joy Schendledecker is running for Mayor of the City of Santa Cruz. Joy lives in Santa Cruz, working as a mom, artist, and community organizer. Joy is a member of the Working Families Party and Democratic Socialists of America, and serves on the organizing committees of Sanitation for the People and Santa Cruz Cares, helping to fundraise, coordinate volunteers and resource distribution, and advocate to reduce the harms of inequality and neglect on some of the city’s most marginalized residents. Caring for these and other communities for over 20 years has taught Joy not only the depth of unmet needs in Santa Cruz, but also the remarkable energy, creativity, strength, and generosity of its residents. Witnessing the needs and capacities of this singular city at such a critical moment convinced Joy to run for mayor.

Greg Cotton is the founding member of Friends of Juristac. Juristac is the local indigenous sacred landscape that is threatened by a sand mine. Greg is of European descent and has been working closely in Solidarity with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band for the last seven years.

Greg is also a local marine biologist and does a variety of aquatic research. Greg’s understanding is that, when our culture broke our relationship with nature, we also broke our relationship with indigenous people. Until we heal our relationship with the indigenous people, we’ll never fully heal our relationship with nature.

Greg says "The oppression of indigenous people and their culture continues here in central California it’s time we stop. This is our local Standing Rock issue."

The proposed 403-acre open pit mining operation and processing plant would extract about 40 million tons of sand and gravel over a 30 year period and consume 86,300 gallons of water per day from the local aquifer, which is already threatened with seawater intrusion.

“Juristac is the heart of Amah Mutsun spirituality and culture, and an open-pit sand and gravel mine would forever desecrate this sacred place,” said Valentin Lopez, Chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. “This mining project represents a continuation of the destruction and domination that our Amah Mutsun people have suffered for generations. The cultural survival of our tribe is at stake.”

There is a demonstration September 10, 2022, 1-4 PM, outside the Santa Clara County Courthouse at 70 W. Hedding Street in San Jose, to protest the mine. The deadline for submitting comments on the draft EIR is September 26, 2022.

http://www.protectjuristac.org

Yea or Nay on Measure O? Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, September 5th, 5-6 PM

There has likely been no local ballot initiative as hotly debated as Measure O, the "Our Downtown, Our Future” initiative since Measure M, the pro-rent control ballot measure which appeared on the ballot in 2018. The Measure O initiative ballot argument in favor states: "Let’s keep our Downtown Library where it is. Let’s enhance the public space where we know the Farmer’s Market and Antique Faire thrive. Let’s reserve 8 city-owned parking lots for 100% affordable housing." The No on Measure O rebuttal is equally as blunt: "Don’t be fooled by claims that measure O supports affordable housing. This ill-conceived, irresponsible initiative delays or kills real affordable housing for Downtown that is already moving forward.”

So which is it? If approved, will Measure O create more affordable housing, or it will it put an end to an affordable housing project already in the making?

This week on Talk of the Bay, your host Chris Krohn interviews proponents for and against Measure O. Former Mayor Don Lane and retired librarian Martin Gomez will be arguing against Measure O, whereas Campaign for Sustainable Transportation chair, Rick Longinotti and City Council candidate Hector Marin will be talking about the benefits Measure O will bring. Will campaign fireworks be the result? Come hear the debate this Tues. Sept. 6th from 5-6pm on Talk of the Bay, KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org

For the past decades, two writers have documented the many stories and people who occupy this vibrant stretch of California coastline we call home. In part two of this interview, Wallace Baine and Geoffrey Dunn discuss the changing face of our town, and the various stories of people who visited, have long ago passed, or who are just leaving and whose presence made this place unique. Geoffrey Dunn talks about his recent article in Good Times about waterman Duke Kahanomoku's visits to Santa Cruz and his role in surf history. Wallace Baines talks about a recent fiction article he has coming out in Catamaran Literary Journal that represents his newest foray as a fiction writer. Both talk about the writing process and what it takes to keep focus in a distracting world.

Geoffrey Dunn is a fifth-generation Santa Cruzan, an author, film producer, film director, screenwriter, and investigative journalist. He was deeply involved with various alternative weekly publications in Santa Cruz, from The Sun to Santa Cruz Weekly and Metro Santa Cruz where he wrote personally and passionately about his hometown and the characters who inhabit it. His films include Calypso Dreams, Miss…or Myth?, Dollar a Day, 10¢ a Dance, and his books include, The Lies of Sarah Palin: The Untold Story Behind Her Relentless Quest for Power, Chinatown Dreams, and Santa Cruz is in the Heart, Volumes l and ll. He was a regular contributor to Huffington Post. He currently writes for Good Times.

Wallace Baine launched his full-time journalism career on a day Santa Cruzans will never forget: Oct. 17, 1989, the day the Loma Prieta Earthquake destroyed much of downtown.

He joined the Santa Cruz Sentinel in 1991 and established himself as the authoritative voice on music, movies, local art and entertainment and daily Santa Cruz life. His interviews, profiles and features form a living archive of recent history. Over the years, he has also written four books, and co-launched and led the top artist-recognizing Gail Rich Awards for 22 years. After leaving the Sentinel in 2017, he was the leading storyteller for the Good Times alt-weekly. He currently writes for Lookout Santa Cruz, an online news outlet.

For the past decades, two writers have documented the many stories and people who occupy this vibrant stretch of California coastline we call home. In part one of this interview, Wallace Baine and Geoffrey Dunn discuss the changing face of our town, and the various stories of people who visited, have long ago passed, or who are just leaving and whose presence made this place unique. Geoffrey Dunn talks about his recent article in Good Times about waterman Duke Kahanomoku's visits to Santa Cruz and his role in surf history. Wallace Baines talks about a recent fiction article he has coming out in Catamaran Literary Journal that represents his newest foray as a fiction writer. Both talk about the writing process and what it takes to keep focus in a distracting world.

Geoffrey Dunn is a fifth-generation Santa Cruzan, an author, film producer, film director, screenwriter, and investigative journalist. He was deeply involved with various alternative weekly publications in Santa Cruz, from The Sun to Santa Cruz Weekly and Metro Santa Cruz where he wrote personally and passionately about his hometown and the characters who inhabit it. His films include Calypso Dreams, Miss…or Myth?, Dollar a Day, 10¢ a Dance, and his books include, The Lies of Sarah Palin: The Untold Story Behind Her Relentless Quest for Power, Chinatown Dreams, and Santa Cruz is in the Heart, Volumes l and ll. He was a regular contributor to Huffington Post. He currently writes for Good Times.

Wallace Baine launched his full-time journalism career on a day Santa Cruzans will never forget: Oct. 17, 1989, the day the Loma Prieta Earthquake destroyed much of downtown.

He joined the Santa Cruz Sentinel in 1991 and established himself as the authoritative voice on music, movies, local art and entertainment and daily Santa Cruz life. His interviews, profiles and features form a living archive of recent history. Over the years, he has also written four books, and co-launched and led the top artist-recognizing Gail Rich Awards for 22 years. After leaving the Sentinel in 2017, he was the leading storyteller for the Good Times alt-weekly. He currently writes for Lookout Santa Cruz, an online news outlet.

On Talk of the Bay, Monday, September 5 at 5pm, Christine Barrington welcomes Longtime Mixed Media Artist Sara Friedlander about collaborative efforts to grow the Santa Cruz Artists Assistance and Relief Fund (SCAARF), started in 2008 in answer to the critically limited funds available to artists facing emergencies in Santa Cruz county.

Joining Sara will be artists Rose Sellery and Melissa Kreisa, founder of the recently opened Curated by the Sea, a 4,600-square-foot exhibition space next to the Museum of Art & History (MAH) in downtown Santa Cruz, which is hosting a SCAARF fundraising wall of art through September 10. Together these three artists will speak to the power of Santa Cruz' collective artistic community, how it contributes to our regional vitality and why it is valuable for all of us to lean in and support our rich artistic community when it matters most.

Donate to SCAARF: Visit the Curated by the Sea website and scroll down the front page to find the big DONATE button.

Worth reading: Sara Friedlander's Op-Ed in Lookout: The Santa Cruz Arts Community Needs a Protective SCAARF to Survive

Follow Sara Friedlander on Instagram

Check out KSQD's previous interview with Sara Friedlander featuring her ideas on art and social change. Hosted by Deb Bone: ARRT with Sara Friedlander.

Gary Patton: "We Live In a Political World" On Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, August 30th, 5-6 PM

Some politicians serve their time in office and then ride off into the sunset, never to be heard from again. Not Gary Patton. He was a Santa Cruz County Supervisor for 20 years, from 1975 to 1995, and did not go quietly into the night. Patton’s an environmental attorney who has taught legal studies classes at UC Santa Cruz for the past six years. He’s also Co-chair of the land-use group, Save Santa Cruz, which regularly holds the city bureaucracy’s feet to the political fire. Patton has been involved in some of the most significant land-use battles in Santa Cruz history from saving Lighthouse Field and the Pogonip for public use to the the managed growth and housing affordability law, Measure J. His imprint looms large on the way this county is still run. He writes a blog called, “We Live in a Political World" and, at 76 years old, he’s still jousting with corporate and real estate developers as well as current elected officials. Gary Patton will be the guest for the entire hour on this week’s "Talk of the Bay" with host, Chris Krohn, of the Santa Cruz Political Report. Join us this Tuesday, 5-6pm for some local political history and an update on current events in Santa Cruz.

Join hosts Suki Wessling and Christine Barrington for a special conversation about religious views of abortion. Although in heated political debates it may seem that abortion pits religious people against secular people, the truth is much more nuanced. Joining us to discuss this important and difficult issue are Rabbi Paula Marcus of Temple Beth El, the Reverend David Pattee of Peace United Church of Christ, and the Reverend Terra Collier-Young, a Unitarian Universalist Community Minister.

Links to information discussed in this podcast: * Peace United Church https://www.peaceunited.org/ * Temple Beth El https://tbeaptos.org/ * Five Seeds Ministry https://www.fiveseedsministry.net/ * Our Whole Lives: Lifespan Sexuality Education from the UUA https://www.uua.org/re/owl * Abortion and Reproductive Justice: A Jewish Perspective https://ravblog.ccarnet.org/2021/09/abortion-and-reproductive-justice-jewish-perspective/ * Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice https://actionnetwork.org/groups/religious-coalition-for-reproductive-choice * Reproductive Justice from the Unitarian Universalists Association https://www.uua.org/reproductive * Pew Research Center’s chart of religious positions on abortion https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/06/21/where-major-religious-groups-stand-on-abortion/ft_16-06-22_churchabortion/ * White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack https://uucsj.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/White-Privilege-Unpacking-the-Invisible-Knapsack.pdf * Repairing the world, one kidney at a time https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/ct-organ-transplants-interracial-perspec-1214-20141212-story.html

Related Podcasts * Does religious freedom protect abortion access? from The 1A * The Ezra Klein Show’s recent coverage of abortion * Access a list of KSQD podcasts covering the abortion issue on our special abortion reporting page.

Ami Chen Mills continues her series on homelessness. The Santa Cruz City Council has voted to evict hundreds of people from their camping space along the San Lorenzo River. And the Oversized Vehicle Ordinance, if approved by the Coastal Commission, will limit parking for people who live in vehicles.

Ami speaks with campers and others who have experienced homelessness. Can we find common ground and real solutions?

What does it mean to create a business based on values that seem to have little to do with the product being sold? Cat & Cloud Coffee co-owner Jared Truby visited Talk of the Bay to speak on that subject. Cat & Cloud is an up-and-coming coffee company because of their product, which has been embraced by lovers of fine coffee. But what some customers might not know is that the company wouldn't be what it is without the values underpinning it.

Truby discusses the fine points of running a business ethically, from working with the farmers who grow the beans so that they can live healthy, safe lives, to training young employees to be themselves at work and insist in future employment that their employers also see them as individuals. It's a tall order for a little company, but Cat & Cloud is thriving

For more information: * Cat & Cloud Coffee * “This Can Be Done”: In Honduras, Farmers Adapt to a Changing Climate * Fair trade coffee * Grounds for Revolution: The Stimulating Story of How Coffee Shaped the World from Gastropod * Déjà-Brew: How Coffee Got Bad, Then Worse, and, Finally, Good Again from Gastropod * Caffeine: The World’s Most Popular Drug from Gastropod

Pushed Out Again and No Where to Go! Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, August 23rd, 5-6 PM

Homelessness response on the part of the city of Santa Cruz has reached perhaps a breaking point. The city council is poised to send in the cops and clear the Benchlands camp over the next four months. This would be a great relief to parents, children and other park-goers if there were a place for campers to go. If this move is approved on Tuesday, as Talk of the Bay goes on the air, City staff will be asking the council to "Authorize the City Manager to execute an emergency procurement Agreement, in a form to be approved by the City Attorney, between the City of Santa Cruz and Clean Team Associates in the amount of $280,000 to remove encampment debris in the San Lorenzo Park Benchlands.” This edict appears not to just remove non-human “debris,” but the people who are camping as well. Talk of the Bay goes into the Benchlands camp this week to speak with campers. What will they do if evicted? Where will they go? Ami Chen Mills will join host Chris Krohn for a show we are calling, “Pushed Out Again and No Where to Go.” Chen Mills will go inside the camp and report what she sees in real time.

In the second part of the show we go to New York City where a housing crisis similar to Santa Cruz’ is gentrifying neighborhoods and pushing low-income people out of parts of Brooklyn and Queens. Billy Talen, aka, know to many Santa Cruzans as Reverend Billy, will go one-on-one with Talk of the Bay host Chris Krohn, comparing the low wages and high cost of housing in the New York area with that of Santa Cruz. Rev. Billy is perhaps best know as the leader of the Stop Shopping Choir. The Stop Shopping Choir’s latest album can be heard here. Join us this week on Talk of the Bay, Tuesday from 5-6pm for some local perspectives with national consequences.

Michael Gene Sullivan (he/him) (Head Writer, San Francisco Mime Troupe Collective) has performed with all four of the Bay Area’s Tony award-winning theaters: American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theater, Theatreworks, and the San Francisco Mime Troupe (where he is also a Collective Member, director, and as Resident Playwright has written or co-written over 25 plays). He has also worked with SF Playhouse, California Shakespeare Theater, Denver Center Theatre Company, Marin Theatre Co., Aurora Theatre Co., Magic Theatre, TheatreFirst, Lorraine Hansberry Theater, African American Shakespeare Co., and the SF Shakespeare Festival. Michael is the author of the internationally produced stage adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984, of the critically-acclaimed The Great Khan, and in 2022 Michael was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship as a Dramatist.

The SF Mime Troupe performs their latest production "Back to the Way Things Were" on August 20th, 2022, at London Nelson Park in Santa Cruz, at 3 PM.

Ami Chen Mills welcomes Evan Morrison, Executive Director of The Free Guide, Santa Cruz's newest homeless services agency, and 2 other guests working with the homeless. The city has contracted The Free Guide to run a new safe-parking program. Evan has worked extensively with veteran and chronically homeless populations, including the hundreds of people about to lose their camping space along the San Lorenzo River. Is there enough shelter space those in need? What are some innovative housing ideas?

Sally Lehrman is an internationally recognized expert and speaker on building a more trustworthy press. She was named one of MediaShift's Top 20 Digital Innovators (2018) for her work founding and leading The Trust Project. Previously an award-winning reporter on medicine and science, her honors include a Peabody Award, duPont-Columbia and the John S. Knight Fellowship, with bylines in Scientific American, Nature, Health, and the public radio documentary series, The DNA Files, distributed by NPR, among others. Her co-edited volume, “Reporting Inequality: Tools and Methods for Covering Race and Ethnicity,” was published in 2019. An earlier book, “News in a New America,” argues for an inclusive U.S. news media. Sally Lehrman is affiliated with the UC Santa Cruz Center for Science and Justice, as Science and Justice Professor.

The Trust Project’s mission is to amplify journalism’s commitment to transparency, accuracy, inclusion and fairness so that the public can make informed news choices.

The Trust Project has partnered with media organizations, produced educational curriculum materials, and identified the 8 Trust Indicators you can use to know which news stories you can trust.

On Talk of the Bay, host Christine Barrington welcomes co-host Suki Wessling to the other side of the mic in her role as a member of the Jazz Society of Santa Cruz County. This year, the Jazz Society was awarded a CARD Grant from the City of Santa Cruz. These grants were awarded to organizations working to revitalize Santa Cruz after the pandemic downturn. This conversation with board members Kathy Blackburn and Ken Koenig covers the long history of jazz in Santa Cruz, the birth of the Jazz Society, how the Jazz Society made it through the pandemic, and the rebirth of the Backbeat Jam Sessions that welcome players of any age and any level of achievement. Listen in!

For more information: * Jazz Society of Santa Cruz County * City of Santa Cruz CARD Grants * Ken Koenig's "Santa Cruz Swings" full-length documentary * "Jazz for Everybody" Master Classes * Online interviews with local musicians * The Weekly Jazz Society Newsletter

Molly Morabito, is a climate organizer with the Climate Law Institute to support communities mobilizing for a just transition off fossil fuels. Molly supports campaign and coalition work to obtain specific science-based, progressive climate actions from the federal government, such as ending all federal fossil fuel leases and permits, banning crude oil and gas exports, declaring a climate emergency, and paving the way for a nationwide just transition that fully phases out fossil fuel production. The Center for Biological Diversity and the Climate Law Institute recently issued a report outlining the legal basis for executive action on climate that could be exercised by President Biden.

Prior to joining the Center team, Molly was a Senior Research Associate at Lawrence Berkeley Labs working to increase the adoption of clean energy technologies across the federal sector. She received her MSc in Environmental Policy and Regulation from the London School of Economics and Political Science and an interdisciplinary B.A. in Communications, Legal Studies, Economics, and Government from American University. She has previously worked on clean energy and climate policy advocacy in positions held at the Environmental Defense Fund, Citizens Climate Lobby, Alliance to Save Energy, the U.S. Senate, and more.

A deep love of nature and wildlife has been a driving force for Molly's work in the climate movement, along with the conviction that all communities deserve equal access to clean air and water, and a healthy planet to call home.

The Climate Law Institute is one of over 150 organizations in the coalition People vs. Fossil Fuels.

Hot Enough For You? Climate Change, Science and Public Policy Talk of the Bay with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, August 16th, 5-6 PM, on KSQD, 90.7 FM and streaming on KSQD.org

This week's on "Talk of the Bay" we go deep into the climate debate, both at the scientific and the policy level. Peter Weiss-Penzias is a researcher in the Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology at UC Santa Cruz. He's studying the risks to humans and wildlife of mercury contamination in the environment. Weiss also works on issues of sustainability, air pollution and climate change. On another note, is known locally as the "Singing Scientist,” and is a founding member of the Rock Shabbat band at Temple Beth El.

On the second half of "Talk of the Bay," host Chris Krohn sits down with Santa Cruz Citizen’s Climate Lobby activist, Lynda Marin, and discusses the recently passed “Inflation Reduction Act” bill by congress. It’s a climate, tax, and healthcare bill that portends to address our changing climate in the most productive ways yet. Marin’s activist personal story is of interest to this community because as she says, “She didn't start out to be a lobbyist, but the climate made her do it." Find out more this Tuesday at 5pm on KSQD’s, "Talk of the Bay" show with your host, Chris Krohn of the Santa Cruz Political Report,

Politics, Ranked Voter Choice & Redistricting in Santa Cruz County Talk of the Bay with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, August 9th, 5-6 PM

Why is Santa Cruz going forward in implementing major election changes without also considering Ranked Choice Voting (RCV)? The City of Santa Cruz has recently gone from 7 at-large city council seats to six districts and the direct election of a mayor. These changes are dramatic in terms of changing the voting method in electing city officials. As a result, only two candidates have come forward to run for mayor. Ranked choice voting has yielded many more candidates and resulted in more competitive elections in cities as varied as Cleveland, Oakland, and New York City. Smaller cities too, like Berkeley, Cambridge, and Takoma Park have successfully put into place an RCV system. Rob Richie is Executive Director of Fair Vote, and his organization has been a major consultant to many cities that have embraced RCV. Richie will be this week’s guest on the first part of Talk of the Bay with your host, Chris Krohn.

On Part II of Talk of the Bay, state senator John Laird and former Santa Cruz county supervisor John Leopold discuss our state, county, and city’s redrawing of our political voting lines, which take place every 10 years. There have been some significant changes that have resulted in the county given these shifting geographical political lines. Join us this week on Talk of the Bay for lively and informed discussion!

On Talk of the Bay, Monday, August 8, 2022 Christine Barrington welcomes Anne Freiwald and Lydia Neilsen to talk about their dynamic and multi-disciplinary earth stewardship work. Join in to learn how you can begin now to engage holistically with the vital cycles of the planet.

Vital Cycles was created by Anne Freiwald and Lydia Neilsen, who bring together extensive backgrounds in community health and permaculture education and activism. Curiosity about and study of Alchemy and Biodynamic herbs inspires a deep integration of the health of the land and the health of the individual. They have an action-based perspective that highlights skills, practices and resources necessary for growth, creativity, and vitality in person and place.

Anne Freiwald, MPH: Human ecology and permaculture educator and regenerative design consultant for individuals, landscapes and communities; over 28 years passionately committed to community resilience.

Lydia Neilsen: PINA certified permaculture educator, landscape and habitat designer, specializing in water cycle restoration and passionate polyculture.

Anne and Lydia offer an impressive and transformational Signature Permaculture Design & Human Ecology Course. This is a PINA recognized Permaculture Design Course (PDC) and includes over 40 hours of additional materials and practice on Human Ecology. In addition to this year long course, Anne and Lydia also offer permaculture landscape design consultations as well as signature and custom educational courses. Contact vitalcyclesinfo@gmail.com for more information. To learn more about the course and their other offerings you can also visit their website: Vital Cycles

HUM Event August 12-14, 2022. A weekend of song, connection and regeneration: During this intimate in-person weekend participants will be facilitated in engaging the powerful complimentary tools of singing, permaculture for earth and self-healing, and the The Work that Reconnects.

For more information and to register, visit the Eventbrite page: HUM Registration Songtress Debbie Nargi-Brown debbienargi-brown.com HUM co-creator/facilitator Della Duncan Renegade Economist https://www.dellazduncan.com

Lydia and Anne

My guest is UCSC Arboretum Director, Martin Quigly, who waxes eloquent about the qualities of Amorphophallus Titanum, the saga of its blooming, and the crowds that came to see and smell it. The corpse flower was the main attraction on Tuesday at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum after flowering against expectations. Arboretum officials had all but given up hope of the event when on Saturday they posted on their social media that “After careful consideration, we reached the conclusion that our Corpse Flower is truly a corpse. We do not believe it is going to bloom after all.” They were about to dissect it when it began blooming again The plant, which attracted the attention of thousands, began flowering late Monday night. The titan arum — otherwise known as the “corpse flower” — is native to Indonesia, Sumatra and Borneo and is one of the largest flowers in the world. When it opens, the corpse flower emits an odor like that of rotting flesh, attracting flies and beetles that pollinate the flowers. Corpse flowers can grow for as long as a decade before flowering and then finish the process in a matter of hours.

As mental health days are becoming more common in the workplace, many people are making sure they have enough time for activities they love to keep them from experiencing burnout at work. One way many people love to decompress is with outdoor activities, such as hiking, kayaking, or a plethora of other options. In this new study, 445 cities across the nation were analyzed to see which ones are the best for remote workers who love the outdoors. We hear from Julianne Ohlander, one of the study's researchers at Ownlerly Media.

Here are the top 10:

Santa Cruz, California (Score of 72.92)
Auburn, WA (Score of 69.14)
Beaverton, OR (Score of 68.90)
Bellingham, WA (Score of 68.25)
Portland, ME (Score of 68.19)
Napa, CA (Score of 67.22)
Fort Collins, CO (Score of 66.97)
Hillsboro, OR (Score of 66.72)
Lancaster, PA (Score of 66.24)
Thornton, CO (Score of 66.10)

To view the full study click here.

With less than a month left to meet its Aug. 31 deadline, the effort to save Watsonville Community Hospital needs less than $6 million to reach its goal.

Six months of fundraising spanning local, statewide, public and private sectors has resulted in a secured amount of more than $61 million of the $67 million total that is needed, according to information provided to the Sentinel from the Pajaro Valley Healthcare District Project, the organization formed in early 2022 to raise funds for purchasing the facility.

Mimi Hall discusses the effort to purchase the hospital and run it as a nonprofit.

Fifty years ago, Santa Cruz was at the center of a stormy debate about women’s right to bodily autonomy. In this case, the fight was over midwifery and home birth, both of which were illegal in California at the time. Dedicated young women including Kate Bowland and Raven Lang risked their own bodily autonomy—and were arrested—for practicing their vision of reclaiming birth as a joyous event.

Fast forward to today, and women’s bodily autonomy is once again in question, this time after the Supreme Court decision that triggered laws across the country taking away women’s right to choose when to bear children. But Kate and Raven haven’t gone away—they’re still working for women’s rights, now as elders who share their long view of the struggle for women to own their own bodies and make their own decisions.

One of the most striking moments in our conversation takes place with a simple definition: What is women's bodily autonomy? Kate answered, "I would have control over who touches me, how they touch me, who goes into me, and who goes out of me." Kate and Raven offer a vision of the past which may be a blueprint for our future, one in which young women stop worrying about being arrested and start doing what they need to do to support each other in their bodies and their lives.

Links to more information: * Raven Lang's website includes her writing and information about childbirth * Birth Happens: A Brief History of Santa Cruz Midwives from the San Lorenzo Valley Museum * "Jailed for Being a Midwife" by Lisa Robinson * "For Her Own Good: Two Centuries of the Experts' Advice to Women" by Barbara Ehrenreich and Dierdre English

KSQD's collection of podcasts covering the abortion debate: * Click here to access a list of shows covering abortion from the point of view of medicine, law, history, mental health, and more.

In this interview, director Peter Gelblum describes the inspiration for making the new film about survivors of the CZU fire. "The CZU Fire In Their Own Words - Fighting Fires, Losing Homes, and Rebuilding Community" is a new powerful and moving 90-minute film produced by Mountain Community Theater, created by Peter Gelblum. In the spring of 2021, in response to the August 2020 CZU Fires, we interviewed people who fought the fires and people who lost their homes about their experiences, which many of us shared - evacuating, losing homes and possessions to the fire, and getting support from the community. Using only the words from those interviews, we created a script, cast actors to play the interviewees, and used both the characters’ family photographs and images donated by several generous local photographers to create this film. The film is a document of that extraordinary time and a gift from MCT to the community. We hope you'll join us and other community members at one of the screenings. The director and others associated with the film will be there. to answer questions. Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $10. They are working on a screening in Bonny Doon in September. View the trailer here:

The community is invited to attend a screening of Mountain Community Theater's film, "The CZU Fires: In Their Own Words". Four free screenings have been scheduled for the film about the CZU Fire that Wallace Baine of Lookout Santa Cruz says is "compelling," "heartbreaking," and "powerful." August 1, 7:30pm at the Scotts Valley CineLux; August 5, 9 pm outside, at Felix Kulpa Gallery in Santa Cruz; , August 7, 1 pm, at Park Hall, 9400 Mill Street, Ben Lomond, and August 16, 7:30 pm, Del Mar Theater, Santa Cruz,. All donations are divided between the local volunteer fire departments and the Fire Recovery Fund of the Community Foundation, Masks are highly recommended at all screenings.

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is celebrating its 30th anniversary this month. Creating it was a 10-year, hard-fought battle by locals which almost didn't happen. In this interview with Deputy Superintentent Dawn Hayes and Research Ecologist, Andrew Devogelaere, we hear about the challenges, successes, and scientific discoveries that have marked the sanctuary's thirty year history and what might lie ahead for its natural and human inhabitants.

Host Len Beyea interviews Willy Elliott-McCrea and Suzanne Willis of Second Harvest Food Bank upon the 50th Anniversary of the food bank's founding (the first in California and second in the nation), Willy Elliott-McCrea's 44 years with the organization and his retirement this month, the 50th anniversary Open House and Celebration Dinner, and their multi-pronged approach to reducing food insecurity and improving health and nutrition.

Willy Elliott-McCrea has been the Executive Director of Second Harvest Food Bank since 1988. Some of his accomplishments include Founding President of California Association of Food Banks and Vice President of Western Region Association of Food Banks. Willy also worked as Purchasing Agent (10 years) and Warehouse Manager/Driver (5 years). He is actively involved with Human Care Alliance and Central Coast Hunger Coalition. Willy was the Founding President of the Seabright Neighborhood Association. He loves to read mysteries, play chess and piano. He has a small home orchard (2 avocados, 3 apple, 1 plum, 1 persimmon, and 1 apricot.) Educational accomplishments include 2 years at UCSC and 1 year at the Institute of Political Science in Paris, France. His special talents include community organizing, financial management, media and community relations.

Suzanne Willis is the Chief Development Officer for Second Harvest Food Bank. She has been with Second Harvest for over 8 years. Suzanne continues to be a vital part of the Food Bank’s efforts to secure funding for day-to-day outreach programming, food distribution supply, and process expansion. She is a local resident with a career dedicated to non-profit causes.

Ami Chen Mills recently ran for Santa Cruz County Supervisor in District 3. She is a mental health professional who has written three books, including: The Spark Inside for teens and State of Mind in the Classroom for educators. For ten years, she directed the national nonprofit, Center for Sustainable Change. She has also been an investigative journalist and essayist, who started her writing career here in Santa Cruz. She teaches and counsels people through a spiritual psychology variously called Health Realization, Innate Health and Three Principles. Ami is a climate and social justice activist and educator and a global speaker and trainer on matters of emotional, spiritual and physical resilience--especially during our current, very challenging times. Ami is a mother of two teens. She has been a radio show host here at KSQD, a Lead Trainer for Santa Clara County and has her own YouTube channel. You can reach her at her website at www.AmiChen.com

From Old Left, to New Left, SC Irascible Political and Culture Icon Bruce Brattton Talks S**t...About Almost Everything on Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, July 19th, 5-6 PM

Tuesday, July 19th Talk of the Bay, host Chris Krohn goes one on one with writer, movie critic, and Santa Cruz historian Bruce Bratton. His five decades in Surf City include stints with the Santa Cruz Sentinel, Good Times, KZSC, and the now defunct Santa Cruz Express. Before Santa Cruz, Bratton was a news director at KCBS and KGO in San Francisco. Bratton also was part of a washboard band appearing on Johnny Carson and the Milton Beryl show back in the day. You do not want to miss Bruce Bratton’s wit, wisdom, and acidic humor as he lauds, eviscerates, and and exposes some of Santa Cruz’s most sacred of cows. At 88, he holds nothing back and continues to charge forward in what for many might be their twilight years. Not Bratton. His energy and enthusiasm are infectious as he approaches the end of his ninth decade. This Tuesday on Talk of the Bay get ready for The Bruce Bratton Show on KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org. Join us!

In this conversation with young composers and the Cabrillo Festival Conductor-in-Residence, host Suki Wessling delves into the process that young musicians go through as they seek a career in Contemporary Music. The Cabrillo Festival allows us a peek into this process with its annual "In the Works" concert, a free event that happens this year on July 26, 7 pm. The Festival is famous for presenting celebrated composers and professional musicians performing for a paying audience. But the other side of the Festival is educational—and free. We speak with three young musicians being featured this year about the show, their work, and the place that contemporary music occupies in a landscape dominated by classical music tradition:

Octavio Mas-Arocas is the Resident Conductor of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, Music Director and Conductor of the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra in Ohio and the Marquette Symphony Orchestra in Michigan and Director of Orchestras and Professor of Orchestral Conducting at Michigan State University. [learn more and listen]

Originally from Barcelona, Marc Migó moved to New York in order to pursue his Masters at The Juilliard School. Recent awards include the 2020 George Enescu Prize, the 2021 Organ Taurida Award and the 2022 Dominick Argento Fellowship in Opera Composition, among others. [learn more and listen]

Wenbin Lyu is a US-based Chinese composer and guitarist. His work combines contemporary western techniques with ancient oriental culture. [learn more and listen]

For more information: * Listen to last week's interview, "The Cabrillo Festival’s 60th Anniversary Season With Composers Gabriela Lena Frank and Scott Ordway" * Check out more details of "In the Works" * Learn more about the 2022 season

Social Service Funding in Santa Cruz--What's in Store? Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, July 12, 5-6 PM on KSQD 90.7 FM and KSQD.org

As Covid money flowed into this county from the state and federal government to fund businesses and homeless services, local government seems poised to cut back on supporting social service agencies in Santa Cruz. Raymon Cancino, Executive Director of Community Bridges will talk about the history—past, present and future—of social services funding. Is it a resource-poor local government, or is it a matter of the evolution of a kind of social services industrial complex? The Santa Cruz progressive era began by redirecting community resources into helping fund the Westside Community Clinic, for example. Have times changed? This week on "Talk of the Bay," host Chris Krohn will try and parse the nuances, variations, and shades of budgetary monies in the financing of programs for the most vulnerable in this community.

On Part II of Talk of the Bay, the “Oversized Vehicle Ordinance” is on the Coastal Commission agenda for an up or down vote this week. Is this ordinance criminalizing people who live in their vehicles, mainly because the rents are astronomical in Santa Cruz? The ACLU and Santa Cruz Cares appealed a decision of the Santa Cruz city council to institute this law. Is it a question of coastal access, which falls under the purview of the commission, or an issue social justice and treating locals who live in their vehicles with more care and compassion? Representatives from Santa Cruz Cares will be guests on "Talk of the Bay," with host, Chris Krohn.

Led by Grammy Award-winning Music Director and Conductor Cristian Măcelaru, the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music is all about “music of our time, for our time.” The 60th anniversary season includes works by twelve American composers, a stunning roster of soloists, three world premiere commissions, and seven West Coast premieres.

This interview features the Festival's long-time Executive Direction, Ellen Primack, and two composers whose works were commissioned by the Festival and will be featured on their official opening night show: Gabriela Lena Frank and Scott Ordway.

Considered one of the most significant women composers in history (Washington Post), Bay Area composer/pianist Gabriela Lena Frank was commissioned by the Cabrillo Festival in 2021 to write a work that reflects on wildfires and climate crisis. Frank’s Contested Eden proved a deeply personal and compelling journey for the composer. The work is composed of an original secular psalm, Canto para California, that forms an intimate lyrical first movement performed by string quartet, followed by a second movement centered around the concept of in extremis, Latin for “in extreme circumstances,” performed by the full orchestra.

Santa Cruz-born composer and multimedia artist Scott Ordway collected stories from more than 200 members of the public who shared their individual experiences of wildfire and drought. These stories and words have been translated into a musical form “in an attempt to better understand how we feel about our evolving relationship to place, home, and security in a changing world.” The End of Rain is a 40-minute multimedia work written for the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra and vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth, accompanied by documentary photography by Ordway, and receiving its world premiere performance at this performance in Santa Cruz on July 29.

For tickets and information: The Cabrillo Festival

Dr. Shepherd Siegel, a descendant of oil barons and bootleggers, grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area in the midst of that whole utopian sixties thing. He was a rock and jazz musician, then educator. His first teaching assignment was with youth in lockup in the County Juvenile Detention Center, the only un-mellow job in bucolic Santa Cruz, California. He earned his doctorate at UC Berkeley, with studies in anthropology and special education, all the while implementing innovative internship programs for troubled and troubling youth, including those with disabilities. Siegel has over thirty publications in the education field and has been recognized for many achievements, including but not limited to awards from Foreword Reviews and from the Colorado Independent Publishers Association for his 2018 book, "Disruptive Play: The Trickster in Politics and Culture."

Somewhere in there he played with the jazz trio Swingmatism and the power pop band Thin Ice. While more active as a writer, Dr. Siegel sustains a wide-ranging knowledge of music and delves deeply into music's spiritual and swinging rhythms.

"Disruptive Play: The Trickster in Politics and Culture" spread its message of playfulness and progressive change. Its essential follow-up is 2022's "Tricking Power into Performing Acts of Love: How Tricksters through History have Changed the World." It explores the Trickster archetype in African American culture; the female trickster; slapstick, time travel, and what vision trickster holds for us today. Shepherd works hard to play with you, make you laugh, make you wonder. His favorite hobby is to be with groups of people large and small, suss out the energy, find the funny bone, and provide some of the beat to get the group rhythm to swing. Dr. Siegel has lived the longest in Northern California, and in Seattle, where he now resides.

Host Suki Wessling moderates a special Independence Day panel discussion about abortion and California's status as an Abortion Sanctuary State. Our panel includes Pam Conelly, Chief Operations Officer at Encompass Community Services and a board member of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, Dr. Jen Hastings, a Family Physician and Assistant Clinical Professor at the UCSF Department of Family and Community Medicine who was the physician at Westside Planned Parenthood from 1998-2018, and Dr. Gail Newel, who is an OBGYN, Health Officer for the County of Santa Cruz, and Associate Clinical Professor at UCSF. We discuss the roots of abortion stigma, and how stigma manifests itself everywhere from conversations between friends to communications between healthcare providers. We also discuss California's status as a sanctuary station for abortion seekers, and what that will mean for our healthcare system. Access the full, unedited version of this conversation at The Babblery. Resources: Related and mentioned on the show The abortion debate post-Roe * Facts are Important: Abortion is Healthcare * National Network of Abortion Funds * The Far Right and Far Left Agree on One Thing: Women Don’t Count * Abortion and Religion: Reclaiming the Narrative This will be the topic of an upcoming show in our series. Stay tuned for an air date. * Book: Untold Stories: Life, Love, and Reproduction * Hyde Amendment (Wikipedia)

Abortion in California * California Future of Abortion Council * California Future of Abortion Council Announces Support for Package of Legislation - National Health Law Program * Preparing for a Post-Roe America This article from UCSF helps providers understand the sorts of issues they might face in the coming months. * Imprisoned for a Stillbirth: Kings County Is Criminalizing Pregnancy Loss “Even in California, the right to an abortion is not decided nor guaranteed. Do not take it for granted, do something. Do it Now.”

What happens after a person has an abortion? * The Turnaway Study This study followed outcomes for women turned away from abortions as well as their children. It is the first solid piece of evidence of what abortion advocates know anecdotally, that abortion care is health care and restriction of abortion leads to worse health and mental health outcomes for pregnant people and their children. * We Testify One way to dissolve stigma is to tell stories. Here are many stories that speak to the importance of abortion access.

Meet Fred Keeley! Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, July 5th, 5-6 PM, on KSQD

Fred Keeley has worn many political hats in his 24 years serving in public office: county supervisor, state assemblymember, Speaker Pro-Tem in the California Assembly, and finally, Santa Cruz County Treasurer. And now, in the twilight of his lengthy political career he wants to run for Mayor of Santa Cruz. Keeley's always had environmental concerns too. He currently serves on the board of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and also passed legislation that added additional park land around California.

Right now, Santa Cruz faces a tremendous building growth spurt and desperately seeks to manage the gauntlet of realtors, developers, and UC Regent-types who seek to capitalize off our community’s rich resources. It is not so much a new story, but one ratcheted up ten-fold. Is Keeley the right person to steer this community through the the impending clash over 20-story buildings while still providing protection for our greenbelt lands? Does he have an answer for growth’s inevitable increasing water use with no new supplies in sight? Can he manage the ongoing tensions between real police protection and devising a competent plan for addressing the city’s homeless and affordable housing crisis?

Fred Keeley will be Chris Krohn’s guest for the entire hour on this week’s Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, July 5th at 5pm. Come join us and see if Santa Cruz politics is going back to the future with a veteran political insider like Keeley, or if he can lead the way for this town to live up to its progressive ideals as it confronts a daunting future of high rise buildings, 28,000 UCSC students, and Boardwalk traffic that no city council has yet solved.

UC Regents Apparently Buy Hilltop Apartments and Now Management Company Threatens Mass Evictions Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, June 28th on KSQD It is well-know that UC Santa Cruz demands exorbitant rents for on campus housing from many already vulnerable students. These campus rents have long been a major driver of the evermore costly off-campus rental market throughout Santa Cruz county. Now, breaking news, a potential new chapter is being written in UCSC history. The UC Regents apparently has purchased the168-unit Hilltop apartment complex at 363 Western Drive. Recently over 80 households have been given notices to try and get them to move. The property managers plan to increase rents in vacated units - in some cases --by close to $1400 per month-- and then likely fill the complex with students. Current rents at Hilltop range from $3500 to $4500 for one and two-bedroom apartments. UC Santa Cruz is under enormous pressure to solve an on-campus housing crisis, but is making the off-campus affordable housing crisis worse through displacement of long term local residents a solution?

Local renter advocate and staff member of Tenant Sanctuary, Zav Hershfield, is working with Hilltop tenants who have been threatened with displacement to try and help keep them in their homes. Hershfield and two Hilltop tenants will be Chris Krohn’s guests on KSQD’s "Talk of the Bay", Tues. June 28th at 5pm. Come and listen to this critical discussion on the Santa Cruz housing crisis.

On Talk of the Bay, Monday, June 27, 2022 Christine Barrington and Talk of the Bay Co-Host Suki Wessling explore the impact of the County’s new funding model for awarding non-profit grants across the region. In 2015 the county set a new intention for how they disburse funds with a program called C.O.R.E (Collective of Results and Evidence-based Investments) that emphasizes equity and opportunities for new non-profits to receive county support. After seven years in development and rollout, the process this year yielded major funding shifts with mixed emotions within the nonprofit community. (You can learn more about CORE here: https://www.corescc.org)

The first half of the show welcomes Debora Bone of Family Services Agency and Ray Cancino, CEO of Community Bridges. Both are organizations with a decades-long history of serving Santa Cruz county but whose funding was largely severed just weeks before their new fiscal year. Debora and Ray will share insights into the CORE grant funding process from their perspective and what this funding shift means for the future of their agencies.

In the second half of the program Cheryl Fraenzl, Executive Director of the Diversity Center, will talk about her vision for the future of this agency. The county supervisor meeting on 6/28 will confirm whether their grant proposal is approved for funding an in-house clinician to head their developing wellness program and what it will mean for the local LGBTQ+ community in the tri-county area.

Join host Suki Wessling in conversation with Professor Timothy Johnstone of UC Santa Cruz. Tim runs The Johnstone Laboratory: Medicinal Inorganic Chemistry Research Group, which is a mouthful. But Tim has the rare ability to talk about complex questions of chemistry and medicine in a way that transmits both the value of what he does and the passion with which he does it. From chemistry to medicine to education to vaccines to figuring out what we want to do with our lives, the essential topic of this show is curiosity and passion for exploration. Listen in!

As the homeless crisis in Santa Cruz grows, city officials stumble blindly towards an as yet non-existent solution. The current strategy of pushing more and more poor people into the “official” homeless encampment in San Lorenzo Park has created a health and human crisis. The houseless have also moved across the river and up into the grounds surrounding the county building at 701 Ocean Street. This crisis might partially be alleviated if the city created large zones for vehicles to park, as many are calling for, instead of ticketing and towing the RVs and vans of the most vulnerable of our community. On part one of Tuesday’s Talk of the Bay, host Chris Krohn’s guests will be homeless advocate and former city council candidate, Alicia Kuhl, who just had her own vehicle towed. Food Not Bombs Director, Keith McHenry will join the discussion.

On part two of Talk of the Bay, the lopsided vote sending the Greenway initiative into the ballot ash heap of history will be parsed and dissected. How much was spent? Why the big loss? And what is next for the Yes, and no, on Greenway movement? Lani Faulkner of Equity Transit and an organizer of No Way Greenway, will be our guest. Join us this Tuesday on “Talk of the Bay.”

Citizen Science Apps Transform the Citizen and the Science

Megan Kalomiris

What if a simple nature walk could contribute to science and conservation?

[ Bird songs and approaching footsteps through foliage ]

With easy-to-use citizen science phone apps, this is reality.

[ iPhone taps ]

Citizen science apps brings science to your hands…everybody’s hands.

But one of the biggest citizen science apps today is definitely eBird…a free app created Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology.

Now, what makes eBird so special?

Jenna Curtis: “eBird is certainly one of the largest global biodiversity projects in the world.”

That was Jenna Curtis, eBird project co-leader.

Created in 2002, eBird was borne out of a lofty thought:

What if, there was a way to consolidate hundreds of thousands of birders’ observations into one place?

And that is exactly. what. happened.

In the first year, eBird averaged about 15,000 recorded observations per month. Fifteen years later, eBird may expect that many observations every hour.

And in May of 2021, eBird reached a pivotal milestone. One. Billion. Observations. That’s right…nine. zeroes.

These billion sightings were recorded by almost 700,000 birders across 202 countries.

Curtis: “We’re absolutely thrilled, y’know, when the project started 20 years ago. I’m sure that everyone hoped that it would become this global platform that it is today and just continue to grow, but it’s absolutely exciting.”

[ Music trails off ]

So…how do you use eBird?

It’s free, so anyone can do it as long as they have access to a computer or a smartphone.

It’s simple: you create a list of the species you see, and how many there are.

Then you submit it as a “checklist” in your eBird account, along with the date and location.

Ariana Remmel: “eBird is fundamentally a data collection project, a citizen science project.”

That was Ariana Remmel. They are a science journalist based in Arkansas, and they’re also an avid user of eBird.

Remmel: “I tell people that May 8th, 2020 was the first eBird checklist that I ever logged, and that is the day that I tell people that I turned into a Lister.”

Remmel says that eBird completely transformed the way they approach birding.

On one hand, eBird helped them to see the importance of not only knowing what birds look like, but knowing their behaviors, calls, and songs.

Also, it helped Remmel to become more detail-oriented in their birding

Remmel: “I have training as a scientist. When I log an eBird checklist, I think about it in terms of what would be useful for data scientists who are looking at it, which means I can't be willy-nilly about my IDs, right?”

And Cornell’s citizen science team aims to ensure that its eBird data is as good quality as possible. They offer a free online course on how to use eBird, and they have a pretty extensive FAQ list on the eBird website.

Also, if your birding checklist contains anything unexpected, like a rare species for the area or an unusually large flock of birds, the app requires you to submit proof of your sighting.

eBird’s Jenna Curtis explains that:

Curtis: “You can report anything to eBird, it will be part of your personal birding data. But in order to be part of the scientific database and public outputs, it has to go through another layer of data quality assurance.”

This all begs the question…what’s in it for the eBirders?

I mean, this is a lot of work for a hobbyist birdwatcher to voluntarily do when they could simply bird without using eBird.

Remmel: “This is exhausting. laughs I don't always bird with a checklist…I'd say one of one out of every three outings.”

That said, hundreds of thousands of people do it anyway.

Remmel touches on a few reasons why they like eBird…why others might like eBird.

One, it’s an excellent record of progress…for those who enjoy a challenge and reaping the fruits of their labor.

Remmel: “It's a really clear way for me to set goals”

Two, it’s an easy way for anyone, anywhere, to engage with a real, tangible scientific effort.

Remmel: “It also just felt really good to know that that was data that was going to be useful to folks who were interested in conservation, or interested in understanding movements of these birds or where you end up finding them.”

Three, it connects users to a wide network of other birders…for those who enjoy a healthy competition…

Remmel: “I knew that there were people birding, I knew that there is…a guy – my nemesis – is like the big birder in my neighborhood. And every day that he sees a bird that I haven't seen, I'm like, oh, man, Reagan's out, y’know?”

Or for those who just wish to be part of a broader community.

Remmel: “It made me feel connected to a community of people who had similar values.”

In the end, eBird makes accessible a hobby to those who may have previously faced barriers getting into it.

Remmel: “We have, as a society, this notion that birders are birdwatchers who are white-haired and in khaki vests, and that just is not true anymore. There are queer folks and there are people of color and there are young folks and middle aged folks and people with accessibility challenges. Y’know eBird is like really, really important for lowering that barrier.”

And that’s the thing about citizen science. It’s just as much about the citizen as it is the science.

The best citizen science projects are mutually beneficial.

Behind all that data is a large swath of people gaining a new appreciation of science and the world around them.

Remmel: “I can say with full certainty that I have observed 404 species of birds in the last two years. If I want to see another 404 species, those environments have to remain intact.”

I’m Megan Kalomiris from the UC Santa Cruz master’s program in science communication.

On Talk of the Bay, June 13, 2022 Christine Barrington interviews UCSC Distinguished Professor Emerita Bettina Aptheker to solicit her insights on the rapidly deteriorating right to choose in the United States. As one of the core actors in the Free Speech Movement and the successful effort to free Angela Davis, Professor Aptheker understands the power of coordinated citizen action in achieving unexpected outcomes in the face of great odds. With her decades of teaching experience in the Feminist Studies department at UCSC Bettina brings knowledge, depth, and wisdom to the underlying dynamics that have brought us to this political point in American history where women's autonomy is, yet again, up for discussion in male-dominated halls of power.

Resources and articles mentioned in this interview:

Coursera Courses: Join for free and enjoy Professor Aptheker's 4-part course: Feminism and Social Justice

Bettina's Memoir: Intimate Politics: How I Grew Up Red, Fought for Free Speech and Became A Feminist Rebel

Adrienne Rich: Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution. And: On Lies, Secrets and Silence

NY Times: Article by Amanda Taub The 17th Century English Judge behind Abortion and Rape Rulings Today

NY Times: Article by Amanda Taub Roots of Gun Rights Escalation in Wake of Brown V The Board of Education Four Directions: Indigenous Voting Access (Excellent site for learning about Indigenous GOTV efforts and how to support these initiatives through your efforts and donations.)

RELATED KSQD PODCASTS (by Suki Wessling):

Comprehensive Health Care Includes Abortion Care Abortion Stigma: The Root of Healthcare Confusion

Santa Cruz Elections Wrap-up: What Happened? Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, June 14th

So, after a month of voting in an election that had some pretty significant issues and candidates on the Santa Cruz ballot, what happened?

Believe it or not less than 40% of registered voters voted and there are still over 25,000 Santa Cruz County votes waiting to be tabulated. The two supervisor races are close; the city’s proposed 1/2-cent sales tax is losing; the county’s hotel tax is winning handily, and it appears that voters have soundly defeated the "Yes Greenway" trail-only initiative.

Supervisor candidate Ami Chen Mills joins Assembly candidate Joe Thompson on Talk of the Bay this Tuesday at 5pm. Your host Chris Krohn will discuss what they learned, and unlearned, about this county’s people and politics while out on the campaign trail. What went right and what went wrong? Both candidates were long-shots to win, was it worth it? Find out on Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, June 14th, on KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org

Initial takes on the first moments of the historic January 6th Committee hearings, plus analysis of the primary elections in California and locally.

Alan Fisher grew up in Southern New Jersey, eventually moving to New Brunswick, NJ for college at Rutgers University, where he studied Mechanical Engineering. While living in New Brunswick he had access to New Jersey transit trains and Amtrak trains on the NorthEast corridor. This along with the start of the Pandemic made him revisit an old video project called "The Armchair Urbanist".

The Armchair Urbanist series highlights issues and topics in Transportation and Urban Planning. The series continuously highlights a need for Railroad Electrification, Walkable cities and large changes in our National Rail Network.

Alan now lives in Philadelphia and does video editing full time for his channel and for other contracts. Alan also works for OnTrackNorthAmerica part time, a non-profit that does Freight Rail Planning and Advocacy.

The San Francisco Zoo has all sorts of animals on display… lions, koalas, lemurs.

[loud lemur noises]

But the zoo also cares for animals hidden from the public eye… like western pond turtles.

I’m McKenzie Prillaman, a science reporting intern at KSQD.

Western pond turtle are the West Coast’s only native freshwater turtle. And these shy reptiles – about the size of your hand – might be hiding in your own backyard.

Jessie Bushell: [10:00] I do have to say I have fallen in love with this turtle. (laughs)

That’s Jessie Bushell. She’s the director of conservation at the San Francisco Zoo. For almost two decades, she’s led the institution’s efforts to raise hatchling western pond turtles.

The zoo does this because these turtles are in trouble. They might even be named a federally endangered species in 2023.

That’s because humans and climate change are shrinking their wetland habitat. And Invasive species also threaten their livelihood.

Jessie Bushell: [21:00] They're getting pushed out by people's introduced pets…people dump their turtles, those turtles may be bigger, more aggressive, introduce disease to our native turtles pushing them out. Bullfrogs – they've documented tons of bullfrogs with baby turtles in their mouths.

The zoo takes care of hatchlings until they’re bigger than a bullfrog’s mouth, about two years old, before releasing them into the wild. In other words, Bushell and her team give these turtles a head start.

It all started with a phone call from Sonoma State University.

A biologist there wanted to study how western pond turtles develop. That’s because they, like many other reptiles, have a unique feature: The egg’s temperature in the nest determines if the hatchling will be a male or female.

But conducting this experiment meant there would be a bunch of baby turtles with nowhere to go. So, the San Francisco Zoo got involved.

Jessie Bushell: [2:50] And so he reached out to us to see if we would headstart those turtles so that we could release them back to where he was collecting them from.

The zoo didn’t have a conservation program at the time. But with the help of many supportive partners over the years, Bushell and her team have raised and released nearly 400 western pond turtles in central California.

Jessie Bushell: [10:00] So going from like this one call that started this little a little project with…50 or 60 turtles, almost 20 years ago, we've now had this huge, really intricate and really expansive collaboration.

One place where the zoo released turtles is the Presidio of San Francisco. It’s a former military-base-turned-national-park at the city’s northern edge. And it provides a little natural refuge within the bustling metropolis.

[birds tweeting]

But the Presidio wasn’t always this way.

Jonathan Young: [23:40] So this would have looked way different 20 years ago, like unrecognizable.

That’s Jonathan Young. He’s a wildlife ecologist at the Presidio. And he’s helping to revive the park’s wetlands.

One way the Presidio has done this is by restoring a small body of water called Mountain Lake at the south end of the park. It was filled with invasive species and contaminated by runoff from Highway 1.

[lake noises with nearby car sounds]

When they finished reviving the lake, the Presidio wanted to bring back native species… that included western pond turtles.

So in 2015, the San Francisco Zoo released 55 young turtles into the lake.

Now, Young is finally seeing all this hard work pay off.

On one sunny day last April, he…

Jonathan Young: [0:07] just saw leaf that moved ahead. And I was like, wait a minute, that's not a leaf.

It was a baby western pond turtle. And after looking around on the shore, Young found a bunch of shell fragments from freshly-emerged hatchlings.

These signs point to a new generation of turtles, indicating the Presidio’s western pond turtle population can sustain itself.

Thanks to the San Francisco Zoo and its collaborators at the Presidio, Yosemite the Marin Headlands and other places, western pond turtles still have a shot at surviving for many years to come.

This is McKenzie Prillaman, a science reporting intern at KSQD.

Host: People here in Santa Cruz are part of a growing field called community or citizen science. For the region’s amateur fossil collectors, their finds might just help paleontologists figure out what life was like millions of years ago right here on the central coast. A new study examined how many vertebrate specimens collected in Santa Cruz County by amateurs ended up in museums and academic research—and it turns out, it’s a pretty substantial amount.

Here’s KSQD science reporting intern McKenzie Prillaman with the story.

Fossils are remnants of ancient organisms buried in the earth, reminders of eras long ago.

Some fossil fans take their enthusiasm beyond admiring and into the realm of amateur paleontology—where individuals without formal university or job training in the field collect fossils.

And these folks can make major contributions to paleontology, according to a new study published by Bobby Boessenecker. He calls his research paper…

Boessenecker: “...a big love letter to my amateur colleagues.”

Boessenecker is a marine vertebrate paleontologist at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. But as a teen, he searched for fossils in Santa Cruz County.

Now, he wants to encourage and build relationships with community scientists like he was back then.

Boessenecker compared the relative amounts of significant discoveries made in Santa Cruz by amateurs and professionals.

Boessenecker: “Once I started doing a little bit of background research on it, I realized nobody's ever quantified the relative contributions of amateurs and professionals at the same location before.”

First, he examined who donated specimens that came from Santa Cruz to the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History and the University of California Museum of Paleontology in Berkeley.

He found that amateur-donated specimens dominate the Santa Cruz museum. The Berkeley museum, however, is a regional museum, and its collection mostly has finds by academic paleontologists. But…

Boessenecker: “…The fact that 1/3 or half of the specimens are still amateur finds, and they made it into that collection anyway, tells me they're not just terrible, little scraps of bone tell you very little. They're still scientifically informative specimens.”

Boessenecker also looked at how many scientific research papers featuring Santa Cruz specimens cited contributions from amateurs.

Boessenecker: “A large number of those papers did, I believe more than half…It basically tells us that paleontologists over the past century have benefited from the activities of amateur collectors.”

Here at New Brighton State Beach, if you look closely, you’ll notice that some rocks are embedded with off-white streaks that feel smoother than the surrounding stone. These are vertebrate fossils.

And fossil hobbyist Brian Phan just found an impressive one. He points to a two-foot-long row of rectangles ingrained in a large rock.

Phan: “This is a whale spine. You can see the different vertebrae of this fossilized whale…And this is what…the whales’ ancestors used to be that we have here in the bay. That blows my mind.”

Phan is a marine biologist turned science communicator in grad school at UC Santa Cruz. He’s not a paleontologist, but he loves looking for fossils and has been admiring the ones at New Brighton for the past six years.

Phan: “For me, this is kind of the hidden gem of Santa Cruz County…Not many people know about the fossils that you can see on the cliffside.”

Some locals know this beach as a goldmine for fossils. Here in the state park, however, it’s illegal to collect without a permit. But paleontologist Boessenecker knows plenty of other fossil hotspots in the county.

Boessenecker: [5:00] “There's a rock unit called the Santa Margarita Sandstone…It forms these bigger rows of cliffs all over the Ben Lomond, Felton, Scotts Valley area…You can find nine- to 12-million-year-old sharp teeth, fishbones, fish teeth, and then teeth and bones and skeletons of marine mammals including early sea lions, walruses, sea cows, dolphins, there's even a beluga from there.”

Boessenecker began collecting fossils in the Santa Cruz Mountains as a highschooler. He soon met fellow hobbyist collectors in the area and became part of the amateur community.

As he continued pursuing paleontology professionally, he maintained his relationships with the network of community scientists here. That serves him well now.

Boessenecker: “If I hadn't made any friends with the amateur community in Northern California, I wouldn't know about anything eroding out of the cliffs. But because I stay in regular contact with these friends of mine, they let me know when something cool is eroding out.”

Amateurs have a leg up at these fast-eroding locations. They’re usually checking the sites much more frequently than professional paleontologists, meaning they’re more likely to spot an important fossil.

Ultimately, Boessenecker hopes this study encourages professional paleontologists to connect with community scientists and that it broadens the appreciation of amateur contributions to paleontology.

I’m McKenzie Prillaman, a science reporting intern at KSQD.

Sometimes amongst the back and forth of politics the real people being affected by our laws get lost in the shuffle. Our guests on this episode see abortion care up close and extremely personally. Host Suki Wessling is joined by three abortion care specialists: Jessica Dieseldorff is a nurse practitioner and Senior Program Manager of Abortion Services at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte. Dr. Laetitia Oderman graduated from the University of California Davis School of Medicine who provides comprehensive OBGYN healthcare for people in Santa Cruz, including abortion in the first and second trimester. Dr. Jen Hastings is a Family Physician and Assistant Clinical Professor at the UCSF Department of Family and Community Medicine and is engaged in research on Trans and Gender Expansive Reproductive Justice issues.

Starting with the cases where abortion is necessary to preserve the life or health of the pregnant person, we tease apart how abortion care is inextricably intertwined with comprehensive healthcare. Evidence shows that the downstream effects of legal abortion care are wide-ranging: women living in areas that restrict abortion show worse health, mental health, and economic incomes in a variety of measures. The real people walking in the door of a Planned Parenthood may not be thinking about far-reaching considerations, but their choice allows them to make other decisions that determine the positive effects that end up being represented as statistics.

Please return for more of the abortion debate: * On Monday June 13, Christine Barrington explores the wider implications of the potential reversal of Roe V Wade with UCSC Distinguished Professor Emerita, Bettina Aptheker * On Monday July 4 Suki hosts a follow-up panel on social views of abortion.

For more information and mentioned in this episode: * Information about abortion from Planned Parenthood * Planned Parenthood Mar Monte * UCSF Department of Family and Community Medicine * Navigating Loss of Abortion Services — A Large Academic Medical Center Prepares for the Overturn of Roe v. Wade * Vague ‘medical emergency’ exceptions in abortion laws leave pregnant people in danger * TEACH: Training in Early Abortion for Comprehensive Healthcare * Postpartum Depression Statistics * The Turnaway Study [brief summary] [explanatory article]

Photo credit: Photo by Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash

Host: For years, scientists have sought after the blueprints for human life—the entirety of our DNA—called a genome. Knowing how it’s arranged would help researchers and doctors understand diseases. Scientists mostly succeeded in 2003 when the Human Genome Project sequenced nearly all of a human’s DNA. But a sizeable chunk still remained a mystery. The technology available at the time couldn’t determine the structure of more complex DNA regions. Now, almost two decades later, a collaborative endeavor co-led by UC Santa Cruz’s Karen Miga finished sequencing an entire human genome. Because of this work, Time Magazine has named her one of the 100 most influential people of 2022.

Here’s KSQD science reporting intern McKenzie Prillaman with the story.

Miga: “When we think about something like a genome, we think about it as kind of a book of life.”

Karen Miga is a biomolecular engineer at UC Santa Cruz. She researches the stuff that makes up a genome; DNA—the long strings of chemicals that contain the instructions to create and maintain human life.

She also co-leads a research consortium of about 100 scientists from around the world with one goal: to fill in the unknown gaps in the human genome. And on March 31st, the team announced it reached its goal—the consortium sequenced a complete human genome.

Miga: “I think what we're seeing now is just a little bit of foreshadowing of what our future is going to be once we can see our genome completely.”

This groundbreaking announcement quickly spread around the globe. Researchers and doctors have been waiting for this milestone—knowing the entire code for human life will help them understand how diseases start, and how to prevent and treat them.

Miga: “It's our hope that this could identify new information that could guide rare disease or diseases we really don't understand quite yet at the genetic and genomic level. But once we have a more complete map, and then maybe that will become more clear.”

This insight could lead to a new era of personalized medicine. The breakthrough builds on research conducted as part of the Human Genome Project in the 90s and early 2000s. Back then, scientists, including those at UCSC, competed to be the first to determine all of a human’s DNA.

The project ended in 2003 with an essentially complete genome. But about 8% remained unknown because the technology couldn’t parse out complicated DNA regions.

Then, in 2018, came a discovery by Miga and her colleagues that led to a new way to piece together DNA.

Scientists have to break up the human genome into smaller chunks since it’s super long—nothing can currently sequence the entire thing in one go.

Miga: “A lot of people think about this kind of like puzzle pieces. You can open a box with 5000 tiny little puzzle pieces and you're trying to put them together. And there can be easy parts of the puzzle. And then there can be some really difficult parts…The game-changer here is when you start changing that puzzle from 5000 pieces to…500 pieces where you now have big puzzle pieces. And now you can start to really put those difficult regions together.”

This new technology that Miga worked on can examine fairly lengthy strands of DNA. Basically, the DNA strand goes into a chamber with a tiny hole. As it gets pulled through the hole, scientists…

Miga: “...can kind of read the DNA.”

Miga and her colleague on the project, Adam Phillippy, realized they could use this technology to find the missing pieces of the genome sequenced by the Human Genome Project. After successfully testing it out on one chromosome, they launched an organization in 2019 dubbed the Telomere-to-Telomere consortium. It brought together scientists eager to sequence the entire human genome.

Miga: “It was a grassroots effort… Every person whose name is on their paper was a volunteer. They did it during the pandemic and their free time. And this had an incredible range from graduate students up to seasoned veterans who were part of the original Human Genome Project.”

The new technology that can read ultra-long strands of DNA isn’t perfect, though. So scientists used another technique for trickier DNA regions. This method reads smaller lengths of DNA over and over again until all of the errors get averaged out, kind of like software on your computer that corrects grammar mistakes.

Miga: “So it was really a pairing of both of those at the end of the day, that brought us to the finish line.”

But fully determining one human genome isn’t the end of the story. Miga now leads a UCSC-based effort to sequence hundreds more to build a diverse genome database.

Miga: “It's taking what we've been doing at the technology level of trying to reach complete and finished genomes, and try to do that across a panel of at least 350 individuals from around the world.”

Miga says UCSC has a bright future, and she’s thrilled to be here at the forefront of genomics research.

I’m McKenzie Prillaman, a science reporting intern at KSQD.

Daniel Rosenberg is a publicist, radio producer, and music producer who played a major role in introducing US, Canadian and western European audiences to music from around the globe. He produced the radio show Café International and produced episodes of the nationally syndicated radio program Afropop Worldwide, and CBC's radio program Global Village, and NPR's Artbeat. He has also written for a host of publications including fRoots, Outpost, Sing Out!, and contributed to MTV's SonicNet. Dan produced more than 50 titles for the Rough Guide world music CD series, Putumayo, World Music Network, SoundsTrue, and others. His recent production of “Yiddish Glory – The Lost Songs of World War II” received a grammy nomination for best World Music Album. In his work producing Yiddish Glory and other music that has its origins in Ukraine, he has become friends with a number of Ukrainian musicians, and has been following closely their efforts to get out of combat zones and protect their families.

Music played in this program includes excerpts of songs (and some interview excerpts) by the following musicians: the Hudaki Village Band, Dakha Brakha, Arkady Gendler, Yiddish Glory, Sergiu Babuci, Perkalaba, and Mariana Sadovska.

Some Goings On About Town with Tim Fizmaurice, Candace Brown and Drew Glover Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, May 31, 5-6 PM

Some shocking campaign revelations became widely public recently, a result of four current councilmembers being present at fundraiser for Third District Supervisor candidate, Shebrah Kalantari-Johnson. Community Activist, Ann Simonton was present at this meeting and made a recording.The event was put on by a political action committee (PAC), “Santa Cruz Together.” and apparently, from the recording, openly solicits campaign donations for Kalantari-Johnson above the individual limit of $525. PAC’s can give unlimited donations, but are not allowed to coordinate their efforts with individual candidates. Did this May 2nd gathering at a local winery step over the line into illegal political fundraising? Former Mayor Tim Fitzmaurice and Santa Cruz Public Works and Transportation Commissioner, Candace Brown discuss the specifics of the Brown Act, political fundraising, and what is expected of sitting councilmembers and commissioners, this week on "Talk of the Bay” with your host, Chris Krohn.

On part two, hometown political hero, rascal, and recalled councilmember, Drew Glover, is interviewed from his new home in Selma, Alabama. Glover has directed the Jubilee Bridge Crossing project for the past two years since developer and real estate money succeeded in recalling him from the Santa Cruz City Council. He stood up for the homeless, renters, and the environment, but that was apparently too much for luxury housing advocates who were intent on cleaning up Surf City. Glover discusses his joys and heartaches since the recall, his new life in the South, and divulges some personal reminiscences from his tumultuous shortened stint on the city council. Talk of the Bay, this Tuesday on KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org

There may be a chance to see one of the most stunning displays of meteor showers in years on Monday night, 9:30-10:30 PM pacific time. Hear more from former NASA scientist and expert in all things astronomy, Joe Jordan.

Voters will go to the polls on June 7th in California’s primary election. In Santa Cruz, the San Lorenzo Valley, Bonny Doon, Davenport and Scotts Valley, voters will choose among four candidates for the newly redrawn 28th Assembly district. Last week we brought you a forum with three of the candidates, Gail Pellerin, Rob Rennie, and Joe Thompson, all Democrats. Today we bring you a conversation with Liz Lawler, the Republican candidate, who was invited to last week’s forum but did not appear then because KSQD’s invitation was lost in computer limbo

Piet Canin of Ecology Action talks about the need for more electric car charging stations in California and how residents can get rebates and help to choose an electric car.

Save the Redwoods League, astonishingly, is over 100 years old. But that's young compared to many of the trees they are trying to save.

Redwood forests are perhaps the single greatest treasure that California offers the world. These magnificent trees only live here, and create a magical universe all their own. We humans feel drawn to walk through them and admire, but for so many years, we brought destruction with us. Save the Redwoods is reversing that history.

In this conversation, host Suki Wessling welcomes Dr. Joanna Nelson and Anthony Castaños, tireless advocates for our redwood forests. Topics covered include restoring lands that have been purchased from private companies, working with the Amah Mutsun Band to use traditional methods of forestry, partnering with other agencies to make sure our redwood forests are cared for, last year's CZU fires and their aftermath, and reaching out to the community to foster appreciation for and understanding of the redwood forests around us.

Listen in!

Mentioned in this episode: * Save the Redwoods League * Learn more about San Vicente Redwoods by watching this video from Sempervirens Fund * Santa Cruz Long Term Recovery Group for those affected by the CZU fires * "I'll go if you go" podcast * University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Prescribed Burn information * Amah Mutsun Land Trust * Firewise Organizes Neighbors for Fire Safety podcast from KSQD * Bonny Doon Fire Safe Council * Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County

Photo of Montgomery Woods by Max Forster

Three of the four candidates for the 28th State Assembly District appeared in a radio forum answering questions about everything from climate change to what to do with the state's surplus. They are Rob Rennie, Gail Pellerin and Joe Thompson. (The fourth candidate did not respond to an invitation to appear). The top two vote-getters will proceed to the general election in November, regardless of party affiliation. The newly-drawn 28th Assembly District includes Santa Cruz (as far south as the Yacht Harbor), Scotts Valley, San Lorenzo Valley, Bonny Doon, Davenport, Swanton, Morgan Hill and parts of south San Jose.

On Talk of the Bay, Monday, May 16, 2022 Christine Barrington welcomes back Scotts Valley Mayor Donna Lind to explore how we can celebrate and honor the critical work of our firefighters through supporting greater awareness around the mental health challenges first responders face and advocating for policies to improve their access to treatment. As a retired Sergeant in the law enforcement services, Donna Lind brings a depth of understanding to the issues firefighters face. Statistics underscore the reality: Firefighters are three times as likely to die from suicide than in the line of duty, and they attempt suicide at twice the rate of the general populace. Rates of PTSD have been steadily increasing, while access to private specialized treatment is rare.

Join in to hear how Donna Lind and others are working to reduce the stigma around mental health assistance in the firefighting community, enabling these first responders to receive the support they require and deserve.

The Fallen Officer's Foundation provides assistance to first responders who find themselves in a crisis or have unmet needs. You can contact them or donate at: fallenofficerfoundation.com West Coast Trauma Center for First Responders provides retreats and care in wake of trauma experienced in the line of duty.

Measure for Measure in Santa Cruz and the County Supervisor's Race Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, May 17th, 5-6 PM on KSQD, 90.7 FM and streaming on KSQD.org

Last week on Talk of the Bay, Third District Supervisor candidate Ami Chen Mills was interviewed about her candidacy. This week, we speak with one of her opponents, current Santa Cruz City Councilmember Justin Cummings. He will be with us for the entire hour. In the first half of the show we will be joined by No on Measure E proponents, Stacey Falls and Joy Schendledecker.

Joy SchendledeckerMeasure E calls for changing this city’s at-large city council elections to six districts and a directly elected mayor. Councilmember Cummings also opposes Measure E. On the second half of the show Talk of the Bay host Chris Krohn will discuss the supervisor race with Cummings. Why is he running and what does he hope to achieve while in office? The trail-only Measure D, and 1/2 cent sales tax, Measure F, will likely also enter into the conversation this Tuesday at 5pm.

Our Squid on the Street asks: What memories will stick with you from this pandemic? Here's what folks had to say...

On Talk of the Bay, Monday, May 16, 2022 Christine Barrington welcomes back Queen Reverend Mutima Imani to speak about her upcoming May 25 online event Awakening to Black Love featuring Dr. Marvin X and his book "How To Recover from the Addiction to White Supremacy: A 12-Step Model."

May 25th marks the 2-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd under the knee of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. A global outpouring of grief followed this event with many declarations made to address and redress the conditions that cause Black Americans to face grim realities related to their physical, emotional, psychological and spirituality safety in this nation. Although passions ran high after the graphic film showing Floyd’s sorrowful death, few of these declarations have led to significant changes in the policies that govern our polis. If anything, racial tensions are degenerating as our society becomes more polarized.

Queen Reverend Mutima Imani is determined to use her knowledge and gifts to shift this reality and create change within her sphere of influence. Her mission is to shift people’s perceptions and open their hearts. And, through these opened mind and hearts she is encouraging an explicit embrace and loving of Black people, Black culture and Black values at their highest. Her last event featured Dr. Cornell West and the Philosopher/Mystic Orland Bishop.

"We have the power to create a just world, and it starts with loving Blackness and celebrating Black Brilliance.

Registration:. Awakening to Black Love Online Event 5/25/22

Queen Reverend Mutima Imani. Dr. Cornell West with Dr. Marvin X

You can reach Mutima Imani at: mutimaimani.com

or email her at Awakenblacklove@gmail.com

As the pandemic wears on it's easy to think it's over. The changing mask rules combined with a desire to "get back to normal" has created an odd mixture of behaviors and expectations when going out in public. In this program, students in my Cabrillo College Journalism course, "Writing for the Broadcast Media" tackle this issue from various angles. The program is anchored by Moises Mendez, with participants Lucille Tepperman, Mike Hefling, Steven Rodrigues, Sophia Whitmore, Grae Zimmerman, and Tyler Knox. This was their first-ever live radio show.

Guest on Talk of the Bay were the following students who are nominees or awardees for the Queer Youth Leadership Awards, now in their 25th year. At a time when politicians have introduced over 200 bills that would restrict LGBTQIA rights, these young leaders are standing up to bigotry and attempting to educate the adults in their lives about what it means to be non-gender-conforming as a young person.

25th Annual Queer Youth Leadership Awards

To create a safe and healthy in-person awards ceremony for our nominees and awardees, their proud families and supporters, our guests, our volunteers, and our elected officials, our event will take place outside. Our outdoor event will feature heat lamps, but you may want to bring a jacket for the cooler evening.

In the past 25 years we have seen profound progress for the LGBTQIA+ community, both here in Santa Cruz County and around the country.

We have seen our event grow in size and change locations, starting off in modest venues like Hobbes Restaurant in Santa Cruz and the YWCA in Watsonville, later moving to venues like the Cocoanut Grove, and finally to being hosted by K-12 schools and their LGBTQIA+ clubs throughout the County. For the past two years we even went virtual to keep us all connected together safely during the ongoing pandemic.

For 25 years we have seen our LGBTQIA+ youth take on leadership roles in their schools, their places of worship, their sports teams, and in their communities. We have seen underrepresented identities like our nonbinary and asexual communities gain larger voices and more visibility. And we have seen both youth and adult allies rally around our LGBTQIA+ youth and fight for changes in their workplaces and institutions because we know it takes a whole community to empower the next generation of leaders to grow into themselves in a place where they are affirmed and celebrated.

QYLA is about gathering as a community, bearing witness, visibility, celebration, raucous applause, and, above all, an outpouring of love. We thank our trailblazers for helping us get as far as we are today, and as we look to the future, we know there is still so much more to be done. We will work to continue inspiring youth leaders, allies, and organizations to create positive change for the LGBTQIA+ community for the next 25 years and beyond.

Saturday, May 14, 2022 @ 6pm - 9:30pm 6:00 pm - Resource Fair 6:30 pm - Delicious catered buffet dinner by D'La Colmena Catering 7:30 pm - Two-hour awards ceremony (includes live music, dance, and inspiring videos from our nominees)

The guests are: Joaquin Cruz | Pronouns: he/him/his | Student and Activist, San Lorenzo Valley High School

Joaquin is a nominee to the 2022 Queer Youth Leadership Award

Joaquin Cruz is a student at San Lorenzo Valley High School (SLVHS) who is dedicated to educating others on LGBTQIA+ issues. This past year Joaquin worked with the Diversity Center to organize a training on gender identity and sexuality for all freshman and senior classes at SLVHS. Joaquin assisted with the training and sat on a panel of students to share his experiences of being an out and proud student in an environment that doesn’t always appreciate or celebrate LGBTQIA+ youth. Not just an activist, Joaquin also plays shows in the Bay Area with his band Los Darks Aztlan. Joaquin is described as someone who never asks for a spotlight for himself, but rather continually shines his light on the issues around him that need to be addressed.

Aaron Gonzales | Pronouns: he/him/his | Student, Watsonville Charter School of the Arts and Treasurer, Watsonville Charter School of the Arts GSA

Aaron is an awardee to the 2022 Queer Youth Leadership Award

Aaron Gonzales has been an activist in the LGBTQIA+ community since he was in fifth grade when he became a founding member of Watsonville Charter School of the Arts (WCSA) GSA Junior club, the first elementary school GSA club in Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD). As a sixth grader, Aaron spoke at a public PVUSD board meeting to thank the trustees for their support of LGBTQIA+ students, and in seventh grade Aaron spoke at WCSA’s Harvey Milk Day event where he came out as transgender in front of the whole K-8 school. This year, as an eighth grader, Aaron helped local adults understand how to support trans youth by sharing his story as a panelist for the Understanding Gender Summit. Aaron also serves as the WCSA GSA treasurer.

Luka Chavez | Pronouns: he/him/his and they/them/theirs | Student, Watsonville Charter School of the Arts and Secretary, Watsonville Charter School of the Arts GSA

Luka is a nominee to the 2022 Queer Youth Leadership Award

Luka Chavez has been a leader and passionate advocate in their school’s GSA since they were an out and proud third grader and founding member of Watsonville Charter School of the Arts (WCSA) GSA Junior club. In third grade, Luka wrote and directed a skit about supporting queer classmates, called “Be Yourself,” which was performed for second through sixth-grade classes. Luka continued to be a GSA Junior club leader through the fourth and fifth grades, attending remotely during distance learning. In fifth grade, Luka made and presented a video to the PVUSD board of trustees attesting to the importance of supporting LGBTQIA+ elementary school students and helped lead a schoolwide Harvey Milk assembly. Now a sixth-grader, Luka is the secretary for WCSA’s middle-school GSA.

Watsonville High School (in-person outdoors in the quad)

The Queer Youth Leadership Awards is Proud to Announce the 2022 Awardees & Nominees!

Queer Youth Leadership Award, Awardees

Aaron Gonzales Student, Watsonville Charter School of the Arts and Treasurer, Watsonville Charter School of the Arts GSA

Gensen DeLeon Student, Santa Cruz High School; Council Member, Queer and Trans Youth Council of Santa Cruz County; and Committee Member, Santa Cruz Pride Committee

Lucía Umeki-Martínez Student, Watsonville High School; Co-President, Watsonville High School ASB; and President, Watsonville Sexuality and Gender Acceptance (SAGA) Club

Zanthee Schwarzmann Student, Pacific Collegiate School and Leader, Students for Equity in Academics

Queer Youth Leadership Award, Nominees

Alex KirkHart Student, Monarch Elementary School

Bronte Holmes Student, Westlake Elementary and Founder, Westlake Elementary Queer Club

Ezra Mercado Student, Branciforte Middle School; President and Facility Manager, Muskequeers Club; and Captain, Branciforte Wrestling Team

Joaquin Cruz Student and Activist, San Lorenzo Valley High School

Luka Chavez Student, Watsonville Charter School of the Arts and Secretary, Watsonville Charter School of the Arts GSA

Mariana Sablan Student, Santa Cruz High School and Leader, Santa Cruz High School Rainbow Alliance

Nox Carpenter Student, New Brighton Middle School; Intern, the Diversity Center’s Youth Program; and Intern, Westside Video

Q Licht Creator, Purple Sticker Project; Council Member, Queer and Trans Youth Council of Santa Cruz County; and Awardee, 2021 Queer Youth Leadership Awards

Rogelio Valdez-Perez Student, Watsonville High School and Vice President, Watsonville High School Sexuality and Gender Acceptance (SAGA) club

Ally to Queer Youth Award, Awardee

Ashlyn Adams Youth & Young Adult Services Manager, The Diversity Center of Santa Cruz County

Ally to Queer Youth Award, Nominees

Adina Licht Girl Scout Leader, County Troop 15502 and Community Advocate

Andrea Damon Lead Meeting Facilitator, TransFamilies of Santa Cruz County

Celine Cuneo Teacher and Advisor, Sexuality and Gender Acceptance Club of Watsonville High School

Faris Sabbah Superintendent, Santa Cruz County Office of Education

Jamie Cutter Advisor, Queer and Trans Youth Council of Santa Cruz County and Author, Inclusive Sex Education: A Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Curriculum

Jen Salinas-Holz Member, PVUSD LGBTQ Task Force and Advisor, Lakeview Middle School QSA, Alianza Charter School QSA and Rainbow club, Watsonville Charter School of the Arts middle school GSA, GSA Junior, and Be Yourself Clubs

Lupita Sanchez Programs Manager, Food, What?!

Ralph Alpert Community Donor

Organizational Ally to Queer Youth Award, Awardee

Teen Health Outreach Program, Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency

Organizational Ally to Queer Youth Award, Nominees

Aptos Junior High School Pride Club Bay Federal Credit Union Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) LGBTQ+ Task Force

Host Suki Wessling explores the world of educational nonprofits with Karen Haralson and Nancy Birang of Nourishing Generations, which runs after school programs in nutrition and cooking in our local schools. We discuss their program and how it works, but then move on to weightier topics: Why is essential information, that by some estimates could save our country trillions of dollars, relegated to privately funded after school courses? How do tireless nonprofit leaders work to educate every child, young adult, and parent out there when their funding is not guaranteed from year to year? It’s a thorny problem, but one that our local nonprofits deal with as they try to create a better educated, healthier population.

Listen in! This podcast contains the full program with material not played on-air.

For more information: * Learn more about Nourishing Generations * Videos for teaching children cooking skills * H.R.4282 - Food and Nutrition Education in Schools Act of 2021 * Related podcast: Nutritionists Set the Record Straight

California lost residents last year. Some moved out because of the high cost of housing or better jobs elsewhere. Others moved in. In Santa Cruz during the Covid pandemic, people from Silicon Valley got a taste of beach-side living and are moving here permanently. They can afford the higher costs of housing here, and some say it's worth the extra bucks. In this story, Cabrillo student, Sophia Whitmore talks to one such recent arrival.

Santa Cruz has many organizations working to help the homeless. WINGS is one such program that seeks to help people get the proper documents they need to navigate the red tape involved in getting housing. They also provide beds, cleaning supplies and other appliances that help people set up a home when they do get housing. Cabrillo student, Grae Zimmerman has this story.

Lucille Tepperman is a student at Cabrillo College. This is a short feature she produced about UCSC's Genomics lab creating small organelles made of stem cells in order to better understand brain development.

New Research at the Genomics Institute

Host Intro : At the UCSC Genomics Institute, scientists are making “mini-brains”…They’re not real brains, but a cluster of human stem cells. This new research will allow neuroscientists to observe how neurons communicate with each other on a basic level. Lucille Tepperman met with these so-called braingeneers to discuss how they are growing and studying three-dimensional models of brain tissue and what it means for the future of medicine.

Tim Harris: You can grow cells of different types, right. It’s like, we can take cells, like stem cells, essentially, and make them the brain cells.

I met with the Tim Harris of the Genomics Institute who directs the dry lab, or the computer lab as many of us know it. He holds a PHD in computational science, and is working with neuroscientists on a new project in live Cell Genomics.

Tim Haris: So we grow these little brains, organoids and we grow them on these little plates that have all of these little hairs, so we can monitor their neural electro-magnetic activity, so you can see the way that neurons are communicating, right.

SFX (20 seconds — wet lab sounds)- Whirring machine sounds from the wet Lab) : This is the sound of equipment in the wet lab where Jess Sevetson does much of her research. The whirring sound we hear is coming from a centrifuge. This machine is used in research and clinical laboratories for the purification of cells, or proteins.

Jess Sevetson: So, we use 3D bundles of stems cells that have been given chemical cues to become brain cells, and then I listen to those brain cells communicate with each other.

Narration: Jess Sevetson is a post-doctoral scholar doing research in neuroscience at the Genomics Institute in Santa Cruz. She’s part of the team working with David Haussler, professor of bio molecular engineering and scientific director of the Institute. So I was wondering, brains think, do these mini-brains think?

JS: “Mini brains” are what we typically call the when we are talking to, you know our parents, or members of the media. But it’s not entirely accurate, right? because it conjures this image of a full human brain that’s been shrunk down to size magically, and that’s not what it is. It’s a bundle of cells that have been convinced to become brain cells. It looks more like an tiny eraser-sized bundle of tissue, rather than a miniature brain.

Narration: By creating a system of wired cerebral organoids, which are three-dimensional models of brain tissue, and connecting them to an external AI program, researchers hope to gain new insights into how our brains learn and adapt.

"The amazing thing about the brain is how it adapts and changes in the process of learning things,” says David Haussler. Improving the technology for growing cerebral organoids will make this important research tool more powerful and more widely available.

Haussler did influential work in the field of machine learning in the 1980s and 90s before turning his attention to bioinformatics. Now he wants to combine neuroscience and machine learning in new ways to advance the understanding of the human brain.

JS: The neurons do have activity, so they can tell us basic things about the way our brains work and it’s a lot easier to study and access them in large numbers. Basically, it’s a way to study the developing human brain, which normally you can’t study for obvious ethical reasons. This work allows us to scale up these studies to learn about how development goes right, how it goes wrong and how we can help me when it went wrong.

Narration: It’s here in beachy Santa Cruz at Westside Research Park that advances in technology and open-source genomics platforms are revolutionizing the life sciences.

Narration: Ultimately, the goal of this research on how our brains have developed and how they function, is to advance therapeutics that can help people who are suffering from brain damage, or to cure diseases like cancer or neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s.

This is Lucille Tepperman on KSquid, 90.7 FM. I’ve been your host for this report on new research being done in live cell genomics with mini-brains at the Genomics Institute in Santa Cruz. Thanks for listening to KSquid. Many voices, one station.

As sea levels rise due to climate change, city planners and oceanographers are often called upon to make suggestions as to how to cope with advancing erosion. The big questions are who will pay for it and how long insurance companies will keep insuring these homes in harm's way. Mike Hefling has this report.

McKenzie Prillaman went to UCSC and has this story:

Narrator: California’s wildfire season grows worse every year, forcing landowners and institutions to come up with creative ways to prevent fires. At UC Santa Cruz, they’re trying a new approach… goats. Hundreds of hungry goats are at the university right now. And they’re munching on overgrown plants to reduce the amount of fire fuel on campus.

Here’s KSQD science reporting intern McKenzie Prillaman with the story.

Brian Dodds: [42:08] That’s a mother and a… daughter.

That’s Brian Dodds. He owns Sycamore Farms and has been taking care of goats for more than 20 years. And now, he’s bringing goats to UC Santa Cruz.

I’m on the northeast end of campus, right by an on-campus apartment building. A patchwork of more than 100 black, white and brown goats densely pack a small forested area… that’s been fenced in. They munch happily and hungrily. And they’re… fairly quiet… a sign that they’re content, according to Dodds. Surprisingly, the goats don’t really smell.

These, of course, aren’t just any old farm animals.

These grazing goats are…

Brian Dodds: [13:20] …a viable means of native plant restoration, of fertilization, of… – it really wasn't a primary focus – but it's fire control. You cannot beat it for fire control.

The university is trying a novel wildfire prevention strategy in light of the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fire. Nick Otis, the UCSC campus fire marshal, calls the natural disaster a wake-up call.

Nick Otis: [17:11] It was the first time in UC history – so not only on our campus but in the University of California as a whole – the first time a campus has ever had to be evacuated.

Now, he and his team at UCSC’s Office of Emergency Services are using new approaches to prevent wildfires… including the university’s new four-legged visitors all the way from Coalinga in Fresno County.

And these hungry goats aren’t picky.

Nick Otis: [13:31] They will eat most vegetation that exists…and they'll eat things down all the way to the nub.

Vegetation on the ground is prime fuel for fires. Otis says that most fires start with plants on the ground that lead up to tree canopies. So the goats are…

Nick Otis: [16:37] …addressing that gap right there to make sure that if we are able to limit that vegetation, it's gonna, it's gonna slow down the potential risk of a wildfire.

But don’t worry, they won’t harm the landscape. Our furry friends are fenced into targeted areas filled with unwanted overgrowth. And native plants that are used to the local ecosystem are hardier than their weedy, introduced cousins.

[bleating goat noises]

Otis says it’s more expensive to hire people to cut down overgrown plants. And the tools used by tree-cutters can even spark fires.

Goats, on the other hand, can nimbly reach steep ravines that people can’t get to.

They’re also an eco-friendly and sustainable choice. Dodds, the farm owner, says letting animals graze for land management purposes has been practiced for thousands of years.

More recently, insatiable goats have helped prevent fires in many states across the western US, including other regions of California.

These animals prevent future plant problems, too, because…

Nick Otis: [14:23] …They'll eat the vegetation, and there's a good chance that vegetation won’t come back or will be limited

When a goat eats seeds, they get digested through the animal’s four stomachs. And when the seeds come out the other end, most won’t be able to grow into new plants.

That’s good news when trying to reduce plant overgrowth.

Back with Dodds, the goat-herder-turned-fire-prevention-hero, he shows me an area that the goats have finished with.

Brian Dodds: [21:15] Look at how clear they get it…You could almost walk through that without touching a stick.

The animals cleared out the overgrowth in just a few days. In total, up to 300 goats will roam around about 30 acres at the university’s north end. Getting paid to eat, not a bad deal for the goats either.

The goats will be at UCSC – chewing, chomping and [bleating noise] – through the end of May. And if they do a good job, we’ll see our four-legged friends on campus again next year.

I’m McKenzie Prillaman, a science reporting intern at KSQD.

Who is Ami Chen Mills and Why is She Running? Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, May 10th on KSQD, 90.7 FM & KSQD.org.

Who is Ami Chen Mills? She is running against current Santa Cruz city councilmembers Justin Cummings and Shebrah Kalantari-Johnson to be the next Third District supervisor, since Ryan Coonerty is retiring from that office. This kind of non-incumbent race does not happen very often and it is beginning to heat up. It’s a 3-way sprint and Chen Mills is not a typical politician. Unlike her competitors she is not beholden to any of the economic political stakeholders or local political king-makers. She comes into the race not having been elected to any office previously, similar to both former 12-year county supervisor John Leopold and 20-year supervisor Gary Patton. She’s a fresh face with an ambitious agenda that begins with confronting the climate chaos engulfing our planet and our county and also includes, she says, mediating between various factions around the homeless and affordable housing crisis’ now profoundly affecting this community. Ami Chen Mills is a climate activist, journalist, and former mental healthcare worker. She is the mother of two Santa Cruz High students and has been out walking precincts and talking to hundreds of voters throughout the district which includes the city of Santa Cruz, Davenport, and Bonnie Doon. Chen Mills calls it a local listening tour and she will share with listeners some of what she’s been hearing from county voters.

Join us Tuesday at 5p on KSQD 90.5 and KSQD.org when "Talk of the Bay” host Chris Krohn takes a deep dive into the Santa Cruz County Third District supervisor’s race and delves into the politics of candidate Ami Chen Mills.

On Talk of the Bay Christine Barrington goes Behind the Mic with Noreen Nolan and Bill Van Bloom, co-hosts of Jazz Tracks every 2nd Thursday of the month.

The Behind the Mic series at KSQD reveals and celebrates the community behind our community radio station. Noreen and Bill, like most of our DJ’s, have deep roots in radio and have been filling the Santa Cruz airwaves with quality music for years. Bill is a musician and Noreen is an educator, and besides their thoughtful music curation, they like to inform and educate. Their shows regularly feature musicians from the Berklee College of Music as well as Jazz masters from the National Endowment for the Arts. And, together, they travel around the Santa Cruz region to record and play local Jazz performances for their Without a Net segment.

Join us to discover who lives and breathes Behind the Mic, right here at KSQD--your community radio station for the central coast!

On Talk of the Bay Christine Barrington interviewed Scott Garfield for her Behind the Mic series revealing and celebrating the fascinating community behind our community radio station K-Squid 90.7 FM.

Scott Garfield hosts the late night musical adventure known as AFTER HOURS, which airs every week on the cusp of Wednesday/Thursday— Midnight to 2 AM!! Scott has been a radio presence in the state of California for years, and he puts in hours every week to curate a show that takes you on an unpredictable adventure through the world of music. If you ever want an atmospheric soundtrack for your fabulous and groovy life, then I suggest you tune in at midnight as Wednesday crosses over to Thursday, or, pull up Scott’s show on our two-week archive, and play it at will when it suits your mood. Either way, you are sure to experience a musical lineup unlike anything else on commercial radio or any streaming service.

Cabrillo student Steven Rodrigues asked people how rising gas prices were influencing their driving habits. Here's what they had to say.

We live on the edge of the Monterey Bay. But unless we’re divers, most of us don’t know what lurks deep beneath the water’s surface.

You might be surprised to hear that a rainbow of sponges and corals lives on the ocean floor. And it turns out that a state law designed to protect and monitor fish off of California’s coast also provides safe havens for still and silent creatures.

I’m McKenzie Prillaman, a science reporting intern with KSQD.

Amanda Kahn is an ecologist at the Moss Landing Marine Labs and San Jose State University She studies spineless sea creatures, some of which are known as structure-forming invertebrates.

“These are the sponges and the corals that grow up out from the rocks, and so they might stick up a foot or two feet tall…And when they do that they're creating hiding places.”

These invertebrates create intricate branches and hollows, which provide crevices for fish to hide from predators. The more sponges and corals, the more fish.

As part of a state-wide long-term monitoring program, Kahn and her research team looked at how many structure-forming invertebrates are growing in a little more than half of the 124 marine protected areas up and down California’s coast.

The state began forming this network of special protected regions in 2004. In these areas, there are restrictions on human activities – namely fishing.

“So it's akin to thinking about a national park or a state park. In this case, it's a protected space that's underwater.”

Because the restrictions were designed with fishing in mind, no one knew how marine protected areas would affect these invertebrates Now, Kahn has some answers.

To measure the density of these creatures, Khan and her team analyzed thousands of videos of the ocean floor at 100 to 300 feet deep, a zone called the mid-depths.

“That is an interesting depth to study because it's often been a little overlooked. And that's because it's a little tough to study there.”

The zone is a bit too deep for divers, but it’s also difficult for remotely-operated vehicles to take videos there.

So Kahn and her colleagues examined the underwater videos that do exist, which were taken between 2005 and 2019. They meticulously counted the sea life visible in these records.

“So yes, there were more sponges and corals inside of marine protected areas than outside. But what we don't see yet is whether their numbers were increasing since those protected areas were put into place.”

Khan thinks California’s marine protected areas likely contained relatively higher amounts of invertebrates when first set up. But since these species are doing well today, that means they’re also benefiting from living in protected regions of the ocean.

“By protecting more fish, or by choosing areas where there are higher densities of fish, you are also protecting the corals and the sponges that grow there, which, because they're so long-lived, is a good, useful thing. Although sponges and corals form homes for fish, scientists aren’t sure if these living habitats gain anything from the fish in return. Future research may explore the relationship between structure-forming invertebrates and fish and look at sponge and coral growth in marine protected areas.

Despite the uncertainties, Khan says her team’s findings indicate that future ocean protection efforts could aim to protect areas with lots of structure-forming invertebrates. Because they tend to be associated with greater fish diversity and numbers, protecting areas abundant with sponges and corals would likely protect a large amount of fish.

In all, California’s network of marine protected areas seems to give sponges and corals, in addition to fish, a better chance at survival, making these regions a win, win, fin for many different sea creatures.

This is McKenzie Prillaman, a science reporting intern at KSQD.

On Talk of the Bay May 2, 2022 Christine Barrington goes Behind the Mic with Jennifah Chard, Dj and host of the funky, the eclectic, and the always joyful, Zombie Jamboree happening every Friday night from 8-10 pm

Behind the Mic is a show dedicated to revealing and celebrating the community behind our community radio station. The rich histories of our volunteer programmers may surprise and delight you.

Jennifah Chard has been broadcasting in Santa Cruz for close to three decades, almost all of those in the wee, wee, hours so if you are a night owl who flips on the radio you may have bumped into her, like a ghost in the night. The Goodtimes has described her "radio shtick as a host of funky sounds that run the gamut from punk, rap, slow jams, 80s new wave treasures, hip-hop, anything that suits your fancy, with off the cuff subconscious chops." If you check her out, you will see the descriptor still holds.

Vintage Jennifah from Goodtimes 2001 Cover Story

On Talk of the Bay May 2, 2022, Christine Barrington goes Behind the Mic with Bruce Larson, KSQD DJ and co-host of Tuesday's Don't Fence Me In.

Local Radio, it turns out, is not just a humdrum affair. It has featured strange people saying odd, perceptive, and occasionally wise things, as well as playing music other than top 40 and classical war horses while turning listeners on their ears. If you’ve ever listened to local FM music in Santa Cruz, chances are you have spent some time enjoying Bruce’s eclectic musical charms. He has been an integral part of the Santa Cruz’ community radio scene from its very first fledgling steps. Not only that, he has continued to play a role consistently, year after year, to this day. The Radio world beats close to the heart of who Bruce is, and because of his behind the scene presence at the birth of our local broadcasting universe, I thought we’d all like to know a bit more about him...

Bruce wonders if this might be the radio transmission tower?

Grae Zimmerman, student at Cabrillo College asks people where they would want to go if they could.

The Santa Cruz Welcoming Network was our featured guest on Talk of the Bay this week.

In this program I spoke to:

Elizabeth (not her real name)

Elizabeth and her two teenage sons are from El Salvador. They came here in great trauma. They witnessed the murder of their father when he resisted giving his car to a gang. They were separated at the border as she was accused of not being her children's mom and of child trafficking. The kids were taken and she was forced to remain in Mexico. Her experience there was horrific, including being kidnapped. The kids had a terrible foster placement in New York. Ultimately she got legal help, was admitted as an asylum seeker and the family was reunited here last year. They have been embraced by the Welcoming Network, and she has made a lot of progress in supporting her family.

Sylvia Patience learned Spanish when she lived in Mexico for several years in her early twenties. She is a nurse practitioner and midwife, retired. She heard about the Welcoming Network last year and went to a meeting. From there she began volunteering. Elizabeth's family is the second she has worked with. Because of her background in health care, her function on Team Elizabeth has been to help the family obtain the health resources they desperately need.

Paul Johnston: Retired sociologist, taught at Yale & Berkeley. Worked with immigrant communities on Central Coast since he was a UFW organizer 52 years ago. Also former Executive Director of Monterey Bay Central Labor Council. He helped some parishioners of Star of the Sea church and others in that neighborhood launch the Welcome three years ago. Many people are anguished by the breakdown of the U.S. immigration system and the terrible stories emanating from our southern border with Mexico: asylum- seekers being turned away with no chance to present their cases; immigrants camped out at the border who become the prey of extremely violent and ruthless gangs; thousands of immigrants locked up in privately-run detention facilities in deplorable conditions; and others, including minors, who die while attempting to cross the desert.

In Santa Cruz in 2019, that anguish led to the formation of the Santa Cruz Welcoming Network. The Network's belief is that if local folks were offered the opportunity to do something to help in response to this crisis, they would step forward and do so. And that is in fact what has happened.

The Santa Cruz Welcoming Network sees the same dignity and humanity in every person and helps ensure decent, safe circumstances for asylum-seekers and refugees, because all persons have the right to seek freedom from violence, fear and repression.

For more information or to participate: https://www.santacruzwelcomingnetwork.com/

Does your kid understand money? Do you?

Kids in school don’t just learn the Three R’s anymore. School is a preparation for life, and it turns out that modern life is…complicated. Host Suki Wessling welcomes financial educators to talk about the financial skills that will serve us well in whatever economic climate we find ourselves in. In the first half of the show, we discuss the importance of financial literacy education for teens. What kinds of money skills do modern teens need? How do money skills relate to math skills?

In the second half of the show we move into adulthood, addressing questions about financial health in the post-pandemic world. What financial know-how do all young adults need as they enter independence? How much do we need to know about different ways of spending and saving money? Should we all be investing in crypto-currency?

Suki is joined by three people from Santa Cruz Community Credit Union and a teacher from Diamond Technology Institute. Listen in!

For more information: * Santa Cruz Community Credit Union * Diamond Technology Institute * Small Business Development Center * Educational events at the Santa Cruz Public Library * The Foreign Language of Financial Literacy | Natalie Torres-Haddad

A Conversation Among Friends on Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, April 25th, 5-6 PM on KSQD 90.7 FM & streaming on KSQD.org

This week’s Talk of the Bay guests are local activists Ron Pomerantz and Lira Filippini. They will be in conversation with host Chris Krohn. The topics are wide open, but will center on current political topics like Measure D the trail-only initiative; Measure E: is Santa Cruz ready for district elections; and what about all that development going on? We will try and sort out some of the various sides of these thorny issues and likely bring up other issues of community concern. Tomorrow, on Talk of the Bay, “A Conversation Among Friends.” It will likely be engaging, wide-open, heavily opinionated, and no hold barred. Join us at 5pm, Tuesday, April 26th.

Al Manzella asked people this pressing question. Here's what they had to say to our Squid on the Street.

UCSC students Lizette and Bijan are spearheading efforts for a UC Green New Deal, pushing UCSC and other campuses to decarbonize and electrify, abandoning their use of fracked gas to power their operations. Find out how that's going, plus their plans for a talk with the Chancellor of UCSC on Earth Day.

Cartoonist Tim Eagan has a new graphic novel coming out. We spoke about that, and his approach to cartooning, among other things.

Head First starts in the real world, but we soon enter the surreal universe of the subconscious mind — and the phantasmagorical dreamscape of Subconscious Comics. You may recognize this parallel reality if you’ve seen the comic strip. The settings and cast of characters in this universe all come from those 20 years of comic strips. But those strange creatures never had a story like this to stretch out in.

And they can do it in full, dreamworld color! I have been obsessing about this tale ever since the strip went dormant, and now it's ready to fly. But why take my word for it?...

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/head-first/head-first-jungian-ogres-a-race-with-death-plus-the-jokes

Sophia was our Squid on the Street this week and asked students at Cabrillo College whether they preferred online or in-person learning.

Edwin Huizinga and William Coulter stopped by KSQD's Coast Ridge Ramble to share a few tunes with listeners.

https://www.facebook.com/rachel.goodman.771/videos/711136523356821/

Mike Hefling asked people what they thought of the changing mask mandates. Here's what they had to say.

On Talk of the Bay, April 18, 2022 host Christine Barrington interviews internationally renowned Choral Conductor Cheryl Anderson about the upcoming performances in which her choral performers will be participating.

Cheryl Anderson helms the Cabrillo Symphonic Chorus, which has toured throughout the finest concert halls in the United States and Europe, and, in addition to the Cabrillo Symphonic Chorus, she also directs Cantiamo!, the Cabrillo Chorale, The Cabrillo Opera, which she founded, and the Cabrillo Youth Choir Project, of which she is also the Founder and Artistic Director. Cheryl has served on the faculties of Transylvania University, Colorado State, University of Northern Colorado and UCSC. She was named the 2018 Artist of the Year by the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission.

Cheryl shares with listeners details of the upcoming peformance of John Rutters Mass of the Children which will be performed by Ensemble Monterey and includes the voices of two choral groups that Cheryl leads: Cantiamo! and Cabrillo Youth Chorus. Join Ensemble Monterey live for two performances:

May 7 @ 7pm: The First Presbyterian Church, 501 El Dorado Street, Monterey

May 15 @ 7pm: Peace United Church of Christ, 900 High Street, Santa Cruz

Ensemble Monterey/Tickets

Cheryl Also shares about upcoming Santa Cruz Symphony performances on May 21-22. Get ready for the voices of Elliot Madore and the Cabrillo Symphonic Chorus, as they join forces with the orchestra for Monteverdi’s Toccata and the Ritornello from l’Orfeo and Orff’s Carmina Burana!

SATURDAY MAY 21, 2022 @ 7:30 pm at the Civic Auditorium, Santa Cruz (305 7 Church Street)

SUNDAY MAY 22, 2022 @ 2:00 pm at the Henry J. Mello Center for the Performing Arts, Watsonville (250 East Beach Street)

SC Symphony Tickets

"Yes on Greenway" vs. "No Way Greenway" Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, April 19th, 5-6 PM on KSQD 90.7 FM & KSQD.org

Game on! The rail-trail debate may finally be decided this June 7th. Will it be rail with trail, or trail only? Last week on Talk of the Bay we went deep into rail with trail. Guests included No on Greenway members, Lani Faulkner of Equity Transit and Zennon Ulate-Crow, president of UCSC’s Student Housing Coalition. This Tuesday, your host Chris Krohn of the Santa Cruz Political Report discusses the trail-only perspective with proponents Tim Brattan and Corrine McFarlane. Both are members of Greenway and both support Measure D, “The Santa Cruz County Greenway Initiative.” Don’t miss this dynamic discussion on the future of the Santa Cruz transportation puzzle. Will there be winners and losers, or will everyone win? Find out Tuesday on "Talk of the Bay" beginning at 5pm on KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org.

Comedian turned horticulturalist Richard Stockton shares his story about germinating original pot seeds from a cache that had been frozen since the 1970s and the wave of interest it has generated in growers and pot enthusiasts.

Jack Bowers is a pianist/keyboardist and songwriter and member of the seminal 60's rock band, Oganookie. In this interview, he tells some juicy stories about the founding of the band and the early rock scene in Santa Cruz in the 60s and 70s.

Jonathan Myerson Katz , author of Gangsters of Capitalism: Smedley Butler, the Marines, and the Making and Breaking of America’s Empire, received the James Foley/Medill Medal for Courage in Journalism for reporting from Haiti. His first book, The Big Truck That Went By, was shortlisted for the PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction and won the Overseas Press Club’s Cornelius Ryan Award, the J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award, and the WOLA/Duke Book Award for Human Rights in Latin America. His work appears in The New York Times, Foreign Policy, and elsewhere. Katz has received fellowships from New America and the Logan Nonfiction Program. He lives with his wife and daughter in Charlottesville, VA. His newsletter can be found at theracket.news. Follow him on Twitter at @KatzOnEarth.

Medical professionals of the past made wide-ranging recommendations, from smoking cigarettes to lose weight to drinking liquor with steak to aid digestion. We expect modern dietary recommendations to be more science-based, but are they?

Three local nutrition specialists—Jill Troderman, Kelly Dearie, and Katie Reid—joined host Suki Wessling on Talk of the Bay to discuss nutrition: what we thought we knew, what we lost, and what we've learned since. Topics discussed include:

Gut health and the microbiome
The biochemistry of food and digestion
Autoimmune disease and inflammation
Antibiotics and gut health
The history of nutritional advice
How to cook and eat more healthily

Links to information discussed on this show: * Jill Troderman, NC, Santa Cruz Holistic Nutrition * Kelly Dearie, Creative Cultures * Dr. Katie Reid, Unblind My Mind * Dr. Weston Price * Rebuilding the Food Pyramid from Scientific American * Fermented Foods for Boosting Health from WebMD * On Your Way to Preventing Type 2 Diabetes from the CDC

Cars, buses bikes & trains in Santa Cruz ?! Talk of the Bay with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, April 12, 5-6 PM on KSQD, 90.7 FM & KSQD.org streaming on the Internet

The Green New Deal for California is not yet a done deal, not even close, but many are toiling day and night to make it happen. The Romero Institute is at the center of the discussion and former San Luis Obisbo mayor, Heidi Harmon, is helping lead the charge in passing a statewide GND for California. The bill is centered around transportation equity and zero emissions vehicles. It seeks to electrify transportation and end the present fossil fuel stranglehold on car drivers. The pressures coming from the fossil fuel lobby are great, but SB 1230 may be the beginning of the end for gasoline oligarchy in this state. The bill, known as the "Clean Vehicle Assistance Program," would be used to incentivize public transit, car sharing, bike sharing and EVs--both cars and bikes--with zero emission and hybrid vehicle rebates. Harmon is the Senior Public Affairs Director at Romero and does not mince words when discussing the Green New Deal. It’s not if, but when. Host Chris Krohn takes up the GND discussion on Part I of Talk of the Bay, Tuesday April 12 at 5pm.

On Part II of Talk of the Bay we debate the June 7th ballot measure entitled, “The Santa Cruz Greenway Initiative.” Guests both pro and con have been invited to join the discussion. Arguments for and against this initiative can be found here on Santa Cruz County’s official website. This will be a lively conversation examining the future of transportation in this county. The stakes are high, the emotions raw, and ballots will be sent out beginning May 8th. Buckle up and be ready for some insights you perhaps have not yet considered around the rail-trail and trail-only controversy. Tune in this Tuesday at 530p on KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org

Photo credit: Dioscoro Respino Recio Sr. on Main Street, c.1930, photograph, Collection of Dioscoro "Roy" Recio Jr.

The community-led Tobera Project and partners at UC Santa Cruz will unveil the Watsonville is in the Heart Digital Archive on Saturday, April 9th, from 7-9 p.m., at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. In this interview, I speak with Tobera Project founder, Roy Recio, Jr. about his family's story and how he came to champion the history of Manong farmworkers in Watsonville.

The archive, which has been under development for the past year, features oral history recordings, original documents, photos, and family artifacts dating all the way back to the “Manong generation”, the first wave of Filipino immigrants who arrived in the 1920s and 1930s. The stories of these early immigrants had largely been missing from the local historical record. Manong were often exploited as low-wage farm laborers and endured violence—like the 1930 Anti-Filipino Watsonville Race Riots—but the new archive shows how they maintained their culture, built community, and made Pajaro Valley their home.

The archive is still in its early stages and will continue to grow, but the launch event will share how to view it online, and pop-up exhibits and interactive kiosks will help guests explore its current content. There will also be a panel discussion with three community members—Juanita Sulay Wilson, Eva Alminiana Monroe, and Antoinette DeOcampo Lechtenberg—who are key contributors to the oral history records. The discussion will highlight the role that women have played as cultural carriers in the local Filipino community, as they passed down language, customs, and more to their children across generations.

For more information: https://news.ucsc.edu/2022/04/filipino-history-archive-launch.html

https://pajaronian.com/annieglass-founder-named-artist-of-the-year/

Congratulations to Annie Morhauser of Annieglass who was named artist of the year for Santa Cruz County by the arts council. In this interview, Annie talks about the moment she became inspired to be a glass artist and the tricky balancing act of being nationally known and locally created.

On April 4, 2022 Christine Barrington interviews Maestro Michel Singher, conductor of Espressivo Orchestra performing this Saturday at 4 pm at the San Lorenzo High School Performance Auditorium with a program entitled: Jazz, Le Jazz, Der Jazz featuring the music of Darius Milhaud, Michael Dougherty and Kurt Weill.

With the leading professional instrumentalists in Santa Cruz at its core, Espressivo is a small, intense orchestra that presents select masterpieces of classical music composed for small orchestra’s. Maestro Singher had an international career conducting in Europe and the United States before retiring to the Santa Cruz mountains. Join us to hear how Santa Cruz’s fabulous musicians inspired him out of retirement and onto our local stage.

For Tickets and more information: https://espressorch.org

On April 4, 2022 Christine Barrington continues her Behind the Mic series revealing and celebrating the community that creates this community radio station. My guest this week is Katherine Bell host of Saturdays The Dream Journal.

Katherine R. Bell is a dreamwork practitioner and founder of Experiential Dreamwork. She has facilitated Dream Groups for over 20 years and has been a Dream Coach for 9. She works with the International Association for the Study of Dreams and the Association for Spiritual Integrity. Katherine is host of the podcast The Dream Journal, a weekly hour-long live show featuring interviews with dream experts dedicated to spreading information about the power of our nightly dreams. Katherine is also a trained astrophysicist with a BA from Williams College and MS and PhD from UC Santa Cruz. She worked for NASA for 11 years as a Space Scientist.

Every Saturday at 10am Katherine explores how dreams are working from within us every night inviting us to be our better selves and let in the love and support existing all around us. Working with dreams in waking life enhances that naturally evolved process occurring every night.

Experiential Dreamwork Experiential Dreamwork Facebook Page Experiential Dreamwork on Instagram Experiential Dreamwork You Tube Channel

Katherine hosting The Dream Journal every Saturday at 10 am. Find all her KSQD shows at the following link:

The Dream Journal on KSQD 90.FM

Ranked Choice Voting & Empty Home Taxes Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, April 5th, 2022

Are you familiar with Ranked Choice Voting (RCV)? Whether or not you are, you do not want to miss this Tuesday’s Talk of the Bay. Nationally renowned Ranked Choice Voting advocate and expert, Rob Richie will be joining us. Richie is the executive director of FairVote, a group that has played a key role in advancing, winning and implementing electoral reforms in states and cities across the United States including San Francisco, Richmond Oakland, New York City, Maine and Alaska. Richie is a frequent lecturer and media source on CBS, NBC, CNBC, CNN and NPR. He will be on Talk of the Bay this Tuesday at 5pm with your host Chris Krohn.

On part II of the show we visit with the Empty Homes Tax group. They’ve been out canvassing Santa Cruz voters and amassing thousands of signatures to put their initiative on the ballot this November. We check in to find out whom the tax will affect, how it will be spent if it is implemented, and how the group is faring in collecting the 4,000 signatures they need to qualify for the November 7th ballot.

Join host, Chris Krohn, on Talk of the Bay this Tuesday on KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org

It's been a rough year for teachers and the young children they care for. Hear a first-hand account of a preschool teacher coping with masks, computer screens, and the very needy children who returned to her classroom. In this short interview, Nina Paganetti speaks with Cabrillo College student, Moises Mendez.

Soon, people over 60 will outnumber those under 18 in the United States. How is Santa Cruz County preparing for the increasing number of elders in our community? Find out in this interview with director of the Seniors Council, Clay Kempf.

For more on this topic, here are two great articles.

https://www.goodtimes.sc/new-challenges-as-santa-cruz-countys-age-demographics-shift/

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/30/opinion/home-care-aides-industry.html?smid=em-share

You can't get more local than a locally owned restaurant. Local restaurants serve local people. But where do local chefs get their food? How do they think about the source of their food and who they feed it to? On Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling welcomes three local chefs to talk about what it means to be local. Kevin Rodgers of Holey Roller Bagels is a self-described rogue bagel maker who has moved from organic farming into pop-up bagels and is opening a physical site soon. Lalita Kaewsawang is chef and owner of Hanloh Thai Food, a popup and catering business founded in 2017, which is now working toward becoming a brick and mortar restaurant. Katherine Stern’s new project, The Midway, opened in September 2020 as a pop up at The Santa Cruz County Farmers’ Market. In September 2021, The Midway moved to a new brick and mortar location at Bad Animal.

All three chefs experienced the disruption of the pandemic and reacted with creativity and an emphasis on serving the people in front of them. Listen in!

For more information: * Bookies Pizza * Holey Roller Bagels * Hanloh Thai Food * The Midway * Monterey Bay Certified Farmers' Markets * Sante Adarius Portal * Edible Monterey Bay * Santa Cruz Community Farmers' Markets

Talk of the Bay with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, March 29th, 5-6 PM Making Public Policy through Ballot Initiatives

This Tuesday on Talk of the Bay, we explore how Santa Cruz citizens are organizing public policy initiatives and taking an end-around the usual municipal ordinance-making procedures. It is clear that many Santa Cruz residents are unhappy with the politics of the local city council, so they are taking matters into their own hands. Two ballot initiatives, if passed in 2022, would bring dramatic changes to the city.

The Empty Homes Tax petition is currently being circulated among city voters. It calls for a $6000 tax on every home that is left vacant for more than three months a year. The tax would be $3000 for apartments that are left empty. Our Downtown, Our Future is a ballot initiative that seeks to keep the downtown library on Church Street, maintain the Farmer’s Market on Lot 4 between Lincoln and Cathcart streets, stop 10 heritage trees from being felled, and discontinue the decision to build a five-story parking garage on that same lot. This latter point pushes back in dramatic fashion on the Santa Cruz Public Works Department’s longstanding desire to build a parking structure on this largest remaining downtown city lot.

Proponents for each initiative will be in the studio to discuss why they are taking such drastic steps to fight city hall, and also how the signature-gathering is going. Former city council candidate Kayla Kumar will be the guest during the first half-hour representing the Empty Homes Tax. Our Downtown, Our Future supporters, Erica Aitken and John Hall, will join Chris Krohn during the second half of the show. Each initiative needs the signatures of around 4000 registered voters of the city of Santa Cruz.

Superintendent of Public Education, Faris Sabbah recently penned an editorial after his staff was yelled at and threatened by angry protesters who disrupted public meetings to express their anger over mask mandates. Will book banning be next? He shares his edit0rial as well as his perspective about discussing differences in respectful ways.

The for-profit corporate owner of Watsonville Hospital announced in 2021 that they would have to sell the hospital or file for bankruptcy. Host Len Beyea interviews Mimi Hall of the Pajaro Valley Healthcare District Project and County Administrative Officer Carlos Palacios about successful legislation (SB 418) to create the Pajaro Valley Healthcare District, a new sale agreement with the current owners of Watsonville Hospital, and promising fundraising efforts.

Mimi Hall is a longtime health care administrator in the public sector, including serving as the Health Services Director for Santa Cruz County during much of the coronavirus pandemic. During that time, she worked closely with the community and local health care providers to save as many lives as possible and successfully reduce racial and ethnic disparities when it comes to testing, vaccinations and health care outcomes for communities of color. Last year, Ms. Hall received national recognition from PEN America for her courage leading the county through the pandemic in the face of opposition and threats. She recently left county service for the private sector, but has continued her public service by serving on the board of the Pajaro Valley Healthcare District Project, the nonprofit seeking to establish a healthcare district for the Pajaro Valley and acquire Watsonville Community Hospital.

Carlos Palacios is the County Administrative Officer for the County of Santa Cruz, a position he has held since 2017. During that time, he has guided the county through both the CZU Fire and the coronavirus pandemic, and has undertaken several initiatives to improve county government operations including Strategic Planning and the purchase of a large property in the city of Watsonville to more equitably deliver county services to South County residents. Mr. Palacios is also a board member of the Pajaro Valley Healthcare District Project, and has taken a leading role in preserving Watsonville Community Hospital by leveraging public and private dollars to support the acquisition and operation of the hospital. Prior to his time with the county, Mr. Palacios served for nearly two decades as the city manager of the city of Watsonville.

Lindsay Owens is the Executive Director of the Groundwork Collaborative. Lindsay has worked in academia, government, and the non-profit sector for nearly 15 years. Most recently, she served as a senior economic policy adviser to Senator Elizabeth Warren and as deputy chief of staff and legislative director to Reps. Keith Ellison and Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal. In these roles, Lindsay was instrumental in crafting and passing legislation to expand the social safety net, increase power for workers, and build a more inclusive economy for all. She has also served as a policy adviser to candidates for state, local, and national office, including several presidential campaigns.

Lindsay is a highly-cited sociologist with deep expertise in economic inequality, poverty, housing policy, and recessions. Her work is published in leading social science journals including Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, and Social Forces. Her award-winning dissertation examined the federal policy response to the housing crash of the Great Recession. She teaches a popular undergraduate course on poverty and inequality at Georgetown University and is the co-creator and co-instructor of America’s Poverty Course online at Stanford University.

Lindsay is a frequent author of opinion-editorials and white papers. Her recent writing and policy proposals have appeared in outlets including The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Newsweek, CNN.com, and The San Jose Mercury News.

Lindsay holds Ph.D. and Master’s degrees in sociology from Stanford University and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She currently resides in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C., with her partner Jay.

Link to survey results regarding attitudes about the impact of corporate greed in creating inflation

Grassroots organizing for Public Office Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, March 22th, 5-6 PM

This week we talk about how grassroots organizers are turning their skills toward electoral politics. Adam Bolanos Scow is working with CORA, the Campaign for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture, and has set his sites on electing Ami Chen Mills to the Third District Supervisor seat of retiring incumbent, Ryan Coonerty. Scow is interested in getting progressives elected, but progressive candidates who are not encumbered by so much local political baggage and free of machine-type politics, Scow says. He says he has a electoral strategy. Come and take a listen this Tuesday.

On the second half of the show we feature UCSC student, Joe Thompson, who has organized local Starbucks workers into a union and is now also running for the California State Assembly to replace another retiring incumbent, Mark Stone. Political talk and action is heating up as we move toward the June 7th state primary, and "Talk of the Bay" brings you some insider voices who are promoting change in our county.

Join your host, Santa Cruz Political Report’s Chris Krohn, this Tuesday from 5-6pm on "Talk of the Bay.”

In this excerpt from my documentary "The Boomtown Chronicles: The Changing Face of California" we hear stories from James Houston, J.S. Holliday, and Diane Porter Cooley, all of them gone now, but their voices and perspectives have a lot to teach us about California's history and legacy as a place in the imagination and in reality. James Houston was a beloved figure in Santa Cruz and in the wider literary world. He is the author of many books, including Snow Mountain Passage and, with his wife Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, Farewell to Manzanar. J.S. Holliday is the author of The World Rushed In: An Eyewitness Account of a Nation Heading West. Diane Porter Cooley, who recently passed, was a fifth-generation farmer/ranger and land conservationist who was famous for her philanthropy and community spirit. Also included are several long-time Santa Cruz surfers, such as Kim Stoner, who talk about the surf history of Santa Cruz.

Collection Services Manager, Sarah Harbison of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries takes free speech seriously. In this interview, she comments on recent efforts to ban books and the role libraries have played in protecting first amendment rights. For a good article documenting attacks on librarians, check out this article by the Washington Post.

Two years of COVID have had a devastating effect on our mental health, especially for children and teens. Isolation, interruption of routines, losing loved ones, and uncertainty play a part in the rising rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and violence. Santa Cruz-based nonprofit Monarch Services offers crisis response to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, an emergency shelter, and support for trafficking victims, as well as community education and outreach to children and teens. Three of Monarch's staff joined host Suki Wessling to talk about their work supporting victims, providing therapy to abusers, and educating youth and the general public about violence, trafficking, and sexual assault.

Guests: Leeann Luna is a Program Director who has been with Monarch for ten years and oversees the Crisis Intervention and Children's and Youth Programs. Maria Barranco is a Program Director who has been with Monarch for ten years, oversees the On-Call, Sexual Assault and Prevention Program, and supports the agency's hour training. Jaqueline Sandoval is an advocate and works with the prevention program in education.

For more information: * Visit Monarch Services * 5K Fundraiser: Saturday, April 9th 2022 at 10 a.m., Harbor High School Track & Field * Violence Prevention Virtual Workshops

Related podcasts: * STATE of MIND: Gender-based Violence Prevention for Teens an Young Adults Ep. #33 - Gender-based violence is an umbrella term that includes the more familiar descriptors of domestic violence, intimate partner violence, sexual violence and dating violence. It’s an extensive problem across our country and around the world, impacting one in every three girls. Teens and college students are particularly vulnerable. The coronavirus pandemic has amplified the problem and led to a rising number of crisis line calls and requests for services. For survivors, the mental health impacts are substantial and can include an array of symptoms.

Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, March 15, 5-6 PM: The Things We take with Us on KSQD Community Radio This week, Chris Krohn’s guest on "Talk of the Bay” will be poet, philosopher, teacher and former Santa Cruz Mayor, Tim Fitzmaurice. Tim teaches "Ethics and Technology" at UC Santa Cruz and also leads workshops on creative writing at San Quentin and Pelican Bay state prisons. Tim’s new book, The Things We Take With US: New and Selected Poems, has just been published and is available at Bookshop Santa Cruz and Bad Animal Books on Cedar Street in Santa Cruz.

Tune in tomorrow, Tuesday from 5-6pm on KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org.

Whales are the biggest mammals on earth. Although they live quite close to us here in the Monterey Bay, we seldom see them and know even less about their lives. Marine biologist and whale disentanglement expert, Peggy Stap gives us a close-up view on these amazing creatures and the perils they face just trying to survive in a world impacted by human-caused pollution and warming oceans. She also talks about the free festival, Whalefest, happening March 18-20 in Monterey. https://whalefest.org/

An "all access pass" in the music world means backstage and access to musicians and their friends. That's the front-row seat that filmmaker Michele Benson had as a music journalist for decades in the Santa Cruz and San Francisco Bay Area during the heyday of many seminal bands. She has gathered an archive of over 200 interviews and archival materials for her upcoming film, All Access. In this interview, we hear about the project and the bands, such as The Doobie Brothers, Camper Van Beethoven, and The Ducks who all had ties to and were inspired by the Santa Cruz music scene.

For more info: https://allaccessfilm.net/

On Talk of the Bay, Monday March 7, 2022, Christine Barrington interviews Queen Reverend Mutima Imani about her racial healing work based on tipping point concepts that can lead to systemic change. Her recent event called “Awakening to Black Love” featured Dr. Cornell West and introduced participants to a panel of Black thought leaders who are leading bold initiatives to assist all people in their efforts to decolonize their minds and create a society free of racial hatred. Join us to hear Queen Reverend Mutima Imani’s vision for creating a future that leads with love and celebrates all life.

You can reach Mutima Imani at: mutimaimani.com

or email her at Awakenblacklove@gmail.com

Kicking Around the Homeless and Houseless in Santa Cruz Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, March 8th, 5-6 PM

Once again, the Santa Cruz City council is planning to play political football with some of our most vulnerable people, the homeless and houseless. Yet another law is being promulgated from city hall dubbed “OVO," the Oversized Vehicle Ordinance. The goal, to provide legal places for people living in their vehicles to park, at first glance, it looks like the ordinance might help matters because it would provide three or four parking areas for these houses on wheels. But the total number of spaces to become available will likely accommodate fewer than 25 vehicles when slots for 200-plus are needed. The Planning Commission took a whack at the ordinance last Thursday and seemed to change the wording considerably. It is now headed for the Coastal Commission before it goes to the city council.

On a more positive note, Food Not Bombs continues to serve food to the homeless and has done so during the entire two-year Pandemic. Food Not Bombs Co-founder Keith McHenry. and Sanitation for the People’s Joy Schendledecker, will be the guests along with the voices of several houseless people who live in San Lorenzo Park and along the river levy corridor. Join us Tuesday at 5pm on Talk of the Bay for an update on the city’s homeless population, how FNB continues to function under enormous city bureaucratic pressure, and what the future looks like for those living on the streets in Surf City.

That's Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, March 8th, 5-6 PM on KSQD and KSQD.org.

In this interview, I talk with two members of UCSC's Climate Coalition, Gwen Parden and Maya Caminado, about plans to start a new interdisciplinary minor in Climate Studies, plus plans for organizing the next climate action. Find out what this group is up to.

UCSC student Amanda Safi helped get a new California law passed that requires public schools to stock restrooms with free menstrual products—a move activists say is a first step toward rectifying the discrimination, stigma, and financial, educational, and health consequences faced by those who menstruate. Helping her was Assistant Dean of Students of UCSC, Travis Becker, who appears in this interview talking about efforts to extend this law to UC students.

For more on this story: https://news.ucsc.edu/2022/02/safi-amanda-menstrual-equity.html

In the last year, fentanyl has claimed scores of lives in Santa Cruz County. Yet few locals understand the problem. The Santa Cruz drug scene has a reputation that encourages us to view this latest scourge through a distorted lens.

Joining host Suki Wessling for this roundtable discussion are Rita Hewitt, Program Manager for SafeRx Santa Cruz, Dr. Jen Hastings, a family medicine practitioner who has been with SafeRx Santa Cruz since their start in 2015, and Dr. Casey Grover, an Emergency Medicine Physician for Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula. Each guest provides a view of the epidemic through a different lens: personal, psychological, sociological, medical, historical.

Mentioned in this episode: * SafeRX Santa Cruz * Montage Health Foundation * Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County (HRCSCC) * Procuring and using Naloxone/Narcan * Dr. Gabor Maté * Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) * How Iceland Got Teens to Say No to Drugs (The Atlantic)

Peter Kenez is a historian specializing in Russian and Eastern European history and politics. He was born in Hungary and is a Holocaust survivor. He also teaches courses on Soviet cinema and an interdisciplinary course on the Holocaust with literature professor Murray Baumgarten. He has taught at the University of California, Santa Cruz since 1966, where he is currently Professor Emeritus. He speaks about the current invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

In 2016, kindergarten teacher and mother Nancy Faulstich began feeling an increasing sense of urgency about the advance of the climate emergency. She felt she had to do something, so she founded Regeneration Pajaro Valley, a group dedicated to acting locally to curb greenhouse gas emissions and build a more resilient community at home. I spoke with her about what we can do to make a difference in the often daunting challenge presented by climate change.

You're listening to KSQD. Don't Touch that Dial! Talk of the Bay with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, February 2 This week on Talk of the Bay, in honor of KSQD’s third anniversary as a radio station, your host Chris Krohn interviews some of the on-air talent behind the microphone. His guests will be the Computer Guy, Luigi Oppido; Dan Spelce who is host of Family Sparks, the family history radio hour; “Unheard Voices” host Ami Chen Mills; and KSQD Programs Manager Howard Feldstein, who will discuss his love of radio and the magic it can produce in the tight-knit towns around Santa Cruz County.

If you like radio and community radio is your thing, this show will be all about why people listen, how programmers design their shows, and how KSQD 90.7 has become the hottest, most loved, and most admired community radio station on the Central Coast. Don’t miss it, this Tuesday at 5pm, Talk of the Bay with Chris Krohn.

We celebrated our 3rd Birthday here at the Squid by talking about community radio in the U.S. and how KSQD might grow into its mission as the years go on. Guests were Lisa Kettyle of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, Nikki Silva of the Kitchen Sisters, and Howard Feldstein, Program Director for KSQD.

Businessman, musician, and community volunteer Joe Ferrara doesn't just live in Santa Cruz—he partakes in everything it has to offer. Joe owns Atlantis Fantasyworld, has been active on the boards of the Downtown Association, Downtown Commission, and the Visitors Council. He is active at the Senior Center and helps organize the annual Songfest for Prostate Cancer Awareness in Santa Cruz. A 17-year survivor of prostate cancer, Joe supports others and was pleased to announce that the fundraiser will return this spring (see details below).

During this conversation, we spoke of our histories coming to Santa Cruz, and also what we and our callers love about this place. Joe played a few songs and we also played a wonderful tune by blues singer Jeff Stewman about his love for Santa Cruz.

Mentioned in our show: * Click here to listen to "Summer Sun" by Jeff Stewman * Fundraiser for Prostate Cancer Awareness: Shadowbrook Restaurant April 8, 2 shows, 5-7, 8-10 * Atlantis Fantasyworld * Listen and watch Joe perform

Photo of Joe Ferrara performing courtesy of Frank Balthis.

NOTE: It is community radio, after all. Apologies for the host's audio weirdness at the beginning. We got through it!

Making campus and community police departments accountable in Santa Cruz A Conversation with Ayo Banjo Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, February 15, 2022, 5-6 PM on KSQD, 90.7 FM & KSQD.org In honor of Black history month, we spend an entire hour with Ayo Banjo. He is the past president of the UCSC undergraduate student body, and he now works to combine innovative technologies and data to social justice work, giving human rights advocates access to advanced data to create changes in policies aimed at reducing homelessness, combatting redlined racial discrimination, and empowering young professionals of color to build a culture of leadership and opportunity in their community. He is also the past president of the NAACP-UCSC and a graduate of the Politics Department.

Banjo is a sharp critic of the police and a staunch Black Lives Matter protester. Our discussion will encompass Ayo Banjo's work with the Black community here in Santa Cruz and his unrelenting quest to make the campus and community police departments accountable to the public through a system of metrics. His senior thesis is titled: "The Future of Policing: Voter Turnout as a Metric for Determining the Democratic Legitimacy of Public Safety Models.” Join Chris Krohn this Tues at 5p for a one-on-one interview with one of this community’s most dynamic and outspoken young voices, Ayo Banjo.

The Santa Cruz community lost a giant in civil rights and social justice causes when Darrell Darling passed away February 3rd, 2022. In this segment, we hear from Peter Clotz-Chamberlain of the Resource Center for Nonviolence, Leslie Steiner of the Santa Cruz County Democratic Party, and Deborah Hills-Alston, from the NAACP, all of whom worked closely with him on important projects. They bring in personal stories and fond memories of Darrell, sharing them with the audience.

Here is what the NAACP wrote when news of his passing was public:

It is with profound regret that we acknowledge the passing of Reverend Darrell Darling, our long-time friend, fellow Executive Committee member of the NAACP, and civil rights activist. His stalwart, kind, and intelligent presence has provided unwavering support and direction in helping to build a Beloved Community in Santa Cruz.

Rev. Darling passed away in his home very peacefully surrounded by his family on the morning of February 3, 2022. He is survived by his wife Karen Darling; daughter Denise Wyldbore and son-in law, James Campbell; granddaughter Kylie and her husband Gabriel. He is preceded in death by his beloved sons, Matthew and Adam.

Rev. Darling graduated from Yale Divinity School in the 1960s and was later ordained in the Illinois United Methodist Conference. In his role as a community minister Rev. Darrell Darling, along with his whole family, answered Dr. King's call to the Selma, Alabama campaign for voting rights in 1965, joining in the historical Selma-Montgomery march. His pastoral service included: serving in churches in Illinois, New York, and Connecticut; starting churches in Pleasanton and Dublin, California; and pastoring at Davis United Methodist Church for seven years. Rev. Darling served the First United Methodist Church of Santa Cruz from 1978 to 1983.

After leaving the ministry, Darrell and Karen Darling operated the Darling House Bed and Breakfast on West Cliff Drive from 1984–2017. Darrell loved meeting and conversing about life and politics with guests. Darrell and Karen offered the Darling House in community ministry, hosting many fundraising events for justice-led political candidates and organizations. They also contributed to the work of RCNV by providing support and hospitality to guests involved in nonviolent struggles around the world. The Darling House supported the Santa Cruz Sister Cities program, and hosted the Alushta, Crimea mayor's delegation in 1989 when the Loma Prieta earthquake struck.

Rev. Darling was a lifetime member of the NAACP. He served on the Executive Committee for many years. He served on the board and steering committee of the Resource Center for Nonviolence. He served as Chair of the local Democratic Party Central Committee and supported the Palestine Justice Coalition.We will forever miss his physical presence and will seek to honor his memory by upholding the principles of love, nonviolence, peace and justice that he courageously emulated.

State Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) speaks about the new health district formed to usher in new local ownership and operation of the Watsonville Hospital.

Press Release from John Laird's office:

Governor Newsom Signs Bill to Protect Health Care Access for Pajaro Valley Residents

Senate Bill 418 will immediately create the Pajaro Valley Health Care District which is first in line to purchase the Watsonville Community Hospital

WATSONVILLE – Today, Governor Newsom announced he has signed Senate Bill 418, authored by State Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz). SB 418 immediately creates the Pajaro Valley Health Care District which is first in line to purchase the Watsonville Community Hospital.

“I want to thank Governor Newsom for signing this urgent and important piece of legislation that will help preserve access to healthcare services for Pajaro Valley residents,” stated Laird. “The Governor’s signature on SB 418 further demonstrates his commitment to ensuring vulnerable communities are not left without the safety net of healthcare, especially as COVID19 continues to spread throughout our communities. His signature is also timely given how soon bids are due to purchase the Watsonville Community Hospital.”

In response to the current owners of the Watsonville Community Hospital filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, issuing WARN Act notices to employees, and announcing the hospital’s January closure, Senator Laird authored legislation to ensure the hospital doors remain open.

A mere three weeks ago, Senator Laird “gut and amended” Senate Bill 418 to add language that would create the Pajaro Valley Health Care District. In a matter of only weeks, Senator Laird moved this urgent piece of legislation through the full legislative process. Assemblymembers Robert Rivas and Mark Stone, as well as Senator Anna Caballero also co-authored SB 418.

“I thank our regional leaders who remain active partners in this effort to protect and expand health care access for the residents of Pajaro Valley and surrounding communities,” said Laird. “The passage and approval of SB 418 reflects progress toward resolution on this critical issue and a pathway forward for Watsonville Community Hospital.”

Senate Bill 418 will take effect immediately.

Senator John Laird represents the 17th State Senate District, which includes all of Santa Cruz and San Luis Obispo counties, the majority of Monterey County, as well as parts of Santa Clara County. He previously served as the Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency, member of the State Integrated Waste Management Board, a member of the State Assembly, Executive Director of the Santa Cruz Aids Project, and two terms as Santa Cruz Mayor. His lifetime of public service and social justice advocacy saw him become one of the first openly gay mayors to serve in the United States. Senator Laird has been a long-time resident of Santa Cruz with his spouse John Flores.

Fred Keeley is a longtime resident of Santa Cruz County. He began his public service career as chief of staff for former Assembly Member and Congress Member Sam Farr. Fred was elected to two 4-year terms on the Santa Cruz County board of supervisors, 10 years as elected County Treasurer, and three terms in the California Assembly. While in the Assembly, Fred authored the Marine Life Management Act, the Marine Life Protection Act, the California Ocean Science Trust Act, and the two largest voter-approved coastal, parks, and environmental protection bonds in the nation's history. Fred currently teaches in the graduate program of public administration at San Jose State University. He also co-teaches a class at Santa Clara law school with former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. Fred is also a founding board member of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

Host Len Beyea interviews Ann Gibbons, award-winning author and journalist, about the origins of the human species.

Ann Gibbons is a contributing correspondent for Science magazine and the author of The First Human: The Race to Discover Our Earliest Ancestors, which was a finalist for the LA Times best science and technology book. She also has taught science writing at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and written about human evolution for National Geographic, SLATE, Smithsonian magazine and other publications, including an invited chapter for A Most Interesting Problem: What Darwin’s Descent of Man Got Right and Wrong About Human Evolution. She has been awarded the 2019 American Geophysical Union’s Perlman Award for Excellence in Science Journalism, the 2018 National Academy of Sciences Communication Award for best magazine/newspaper article; the 2014 Society of American Archaeology Gene S. Stuart Award; the National Academy of Sciences 2013 Communication Awards for best magazine/newspaper article; and the American Anthropological Association (AAA) recognized her work in 2012 with the Anthropology in Media Award, for a decade's worth of stories on human origins and evolution.

Talk of the Bay with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, February 8th: What's Going on With Ukraine and Iran? Talk of the Bay goes international this Tuesday.

In part one of the show, Chris Krohn will sit down with UCSC Russian Politics emeritus professor, Michael Urban and discuss the rapidly unfolding events going on in the Ukraine. Is it aggression on the part of Russia’s Vladimir Putin, or another ginning up of war by Democratic Party hawks, and hacks, inside the Biden Administration and brought to a slow burn by mainstream news outlets like the New York Times? Russia and the Ukraine, crisis or US-international hoax? Michael Urban is author of The Rebirth of Politics in Russia, Cultures of Power in Post-Communist Russia and Russia Gets the Blues. On part two of "Talk of the Bay," we hear from an Iranian refugee and political dissident who is helping organize international support for a struggling teacher’s union inside Tehran. How are teachers organizing against the Islamic regime’s daily oppression and failure to pay a living wage.

If you want a decidedly non-mainstream report, tune in to Talk of the Bay" with your host, Chris Krohn, on 90.7 KSQD and KSQD.org this Tuesday at 5p.

In this interview, I speak to Sandy Brown, Santa Cruz City Councilwoman, and Rosemary Sarka, Corporate Secretary for Roaring Camp Railroads, about a struggle the company is in with the Regional Transportation Commission over control of the Felton branch line and the tracks that lead to the boardwalk. Our roving reporter, Tony Russomanno starts the program off with a summary of the RTC meeting that took place earlier that day. The railway laws are fairly complicated, but the guests did their best to demystify the issues at hand. Several listeners called in to express their opinion on the Greenway ballot initiative as well as the Roaring Camp story.

Here are links to several news stories about this issue:

https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2022/02/01/santa-cruz-county-rail-dispute-roaring-camp-rtc-adverse-abandonment/

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/popular-roaring-camp-railroad-at-center-of-santa-cruz-rail-dispute/2797595/

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/roaring-camp-rail-concerns-go-to-public-informational-meeting-thursday/ar-AATnngD

Here is the press release they sent out after Thursday's meeting:

Contact:

Joanne Hirasaki

Joanne@roaringcamp.com, (831) 335-4484

ROARING CAMP REACTS TO RTC MEETING

FELTON, CA – February 3, 2022 – Roaring Camp, Inc. (Roaring Camp), operator of the Santa Cruz, Big Trees & Pacific Railway, today provided reaction to the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) meeting, at which the RTC continued considered of adverse (forced) abandonment proceedings against the Felton to Santa Cruz Rail Line (FBRL) that is owned and operated by Roaring Camp, as well as the main rail line that connects Santa Cruz to Watsonville and the national rail network. The following remarks are provided by Roaring Camp CEO Melani Clark:

“We’re disappointed and deeply concerned that the RTC failed to end its consideration of forced abandonment of our rail line, despite days of community uproar and several thousand emails sent to the RTC in opposition to their proposal. It is clear RTC staff and some commissioners don’t understand that forced abandonment of our line would be the start of a slow death for Roaring Camp. We welcome the opportunity to engage further with the RTC to discuss the future of rail in Santa Cruz County.

Roaring Camp is a local, independent, woman-owned business that has successfully operated for decades in Santa Cruz County. We will continue to vigorously oppose abandonment of the FBRL, as well as any attempt to abandon the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line (SCBRL).

Forced abandonment means Roaring Camp would be forced to give up its rights and become totally dependent on the RTC for our future as a successful local business. Specifically, abandonment will result in Roaring Camp being forced to give up our right to federal protections for our line that ensure our access to the Boardwalk and other areas. Loss of federal protection also opens the door to future eminent domain claims on our line.

To be clear, it is not possible under any circumstance to replace our federal protections with an agreement with the RTC. Some commissioners and staff have said Roaring Camp will be ‘just fine’ if we will just enter into an agreement with the RTC. We will not be ‘fine’, since any agreement made with today’s RTC can be changed or reversed by future RTC commissioners – an outcome that the current commissioners themselves have shown is very much possible, and even likely.

The RTC has demonstrated an inability to honor commitments related to the rail line. They have failed to fix and maintain the SCBRL, despite their current agreement with the operator. They have failed to use Measure D funds to fix and maintain the SCBRL, despite voters having directed them to do so. They are considering ending rail service on the SCBRL, despite the commitment they made to Roaring Camp a decade ago to maintain rail in order to convince us to give up our right of first refusal to purchase the line.

Despite the RTC’s attack on our business, the love for Roaring Camp that has poured out from the San Lorenzo Valley, as well as the entire county and beyond, has given us strength and many reasons to be optimistic. We are so thankful. We look forward to continuing to work with the community to advocate for protection of these rail lines that are vitally important local infrastructure assets.”

ABOUT ROARING CAMP, INC.

Incorporated in 1958, privately held Roaring Camp, Inc. (Roaring Camp) operates two railroads, including the Redwood Forest Steam Train and the Santa Cruz Big Trees & Pacific Railway. Roaring Camp also owns the historic Felton Branch Rail Line, which is eight miles long and runs across a 1909 steel truss bridge and passes through a tunnel in Santa Cruz that was built in 1875. Norman Clark founded Roaring Camp and ran the business until his passing in 1985, after which his wife, Georgiana assumed ownership and management responsibilities. She was succeeded as CEO by Georgiana and Norman’s daughter, Melani Clark. Roaring Camp is a woman-owned business, with majority shareholders that include Melani Clark and her two sisters. Visit www.roaringcamp.com for more information.

On Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling speaks with Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History Executive Director Robb Woulfe. Suki and Robb discovered that they had an unexpected shared history: Robb has run arts organizations in Suki's hometown of Midland, Michigan, and also in Ann Arbor, where she studied at the University of Michigan. Those places had other intersections with Santa Cruz: All three places have their own sorts of cultural vibrancy, something that Robb says is his main objective in his job of arts promoter and organizer. We touched on topics as diverse as investment in housing to meeting the public in a graveyard (with art). Listen in!

Explore our discussion: * Midland Center for the Arts provides space for an intersection of art and science * Wait, are we in Santa Cruz on an unexpectedly hot and muggy day? Nope, it's the Ann Arbor Summer Festival. * On his way West, Robb stopped in and founded Breckenridge Creative Arts. * The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History cares for the Evergreen Cemetery. During the lockdown, they conceived of an outdoor art experience that would draw people together at a time when they were supposed to keep their distance. * It's true: The MAH booked an exhibit called "Atmosphere" long before they knew it would happen in the middle of an atmospheric river. * The Rydell Visual Arts Fellowship exhibition is up until March!

Transportation Equity and a Carbon-Free Future Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn Tuesday, February 1, 2022, 5-6 PM on KSQD 90.7 FM

What is transit equity? Our county is currently sitting on an alternative transportation precipice, Will we be moving people into a clean energy future that is available to all county residents, or continue the downward spiraling of widening highways and building an infrastructure that is captive to the single occupancy vehicle, which big oil and Detroit car-makers saddled the American people with so many years ago?

It’s the beginning of Black History month, 2022 and this week on "Talk of the Bay" we discuss the issue of transportation equity and how to bring Santa Cruz county more in line with a carbon-free future that supports and nourishes a transit system that move peoples and not fossil fuel profits. Lani Faulkner from Equity Transit and Michael Wool of Coast Connect are organizing a march and rally for this Thursday, Feb. 4th in Santa Cruz. They will be will be among Chris Krohn’s transportation activist guests this week on KSQD’s Talk of the Bay, Tuesday at 5pm.

Things that Might Go “Boom!” Is War with Russia in Our Future? With Anatol Lieven of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft Sunday, January 30, 6-7 PM on KSQD 90.7 FM & KSQD.org

While the world has been preoccupied by COVID and global warming, a geopolitical crisis has been slowly developing in Easter Europe, where the United States and Russia are facing off over the future of Ukraine. Russia wants a guarantee that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the military representative of Western interests, will expand no further eastward than it already has. Are we heading for World War Three?

Join KSQD Host Ronnie Lipschutz for a conversation with Anatol Lieven, senior research fellow on Russia and Europe at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. From 1985 to 1998, Lieven worked as a British journalist in South Asia, the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and covered the wars in Afghanistan, Chechnya and the southern Caucasus. From 2000 to 2007 he worked at think tanks in Washington DC. He was formerly a professor at Georgetown University in Qatar and in the War Studies Department of King’s College London. Lieven is the author of The Baltic Revolutions: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the Path to Independence and Ukraine and Russia: A Fraternal Rivalry.

The Quincy Institute, in New York, promotes ideas that move U.S. foreign policy away from endless war and toward vigorous diplomacy in the pursuit of international peace.

Anatol's latest piece, "Chicken Kiev or Chicken Little" is available at: https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/01/28/chicken-kiev-or-chicken-little/

You can listen to another discussion of the situation in Ukraine at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSogtQ-A3cU.

In this interview, former Assemblymember and speaker pro-tem Fred Keeley, Ronnie Lipschutz, professor Emeritus of UCSC, and solar energy expert from local solar installer Sandbar Solar, Jeremy Pearl discuss the changes to rooftop solar energy net metering being proposed by PG&E and the CPUC.

More on this issue from KSQD's Sustainability Now: https://ksqd.org/sustainability-now-sunday-january-23rd-5-6-pm-solar-panels-and-solar-panics-with-dr-ahmad-faruqui/

Some background on the issue:

From the San Diego Union-Tribune:

Last month, the CPUC proposed a slew of changes, that included: * Altering how much solar customers are paid when they send power back to the grid. Instead of receiving the retail rate of electricity, they would get paid at the “actual avoided cost,” which is much lower. * Creating a “grid participation charge” of $8 per kilowatt on the solar systems of residential customers. The typical rooftop system is about 5 to 6 kilowatts so the charge would come to about $40 to $48 per month for San Diego Gas & Electric customers. The charge would not apply to commercial customers. * Establishing a $600 million Equity Fund to support clean energy and energy storage programs for low-income Californians. Disadvantaged households would be exempt from paying the grid participation charge. * Providing a 10-year payback period for customers who add energy storage to their solar systems. The goal is that by deploying storage, customers will help reduce strain on the grid during the 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. hours when solar production rapidly deceases as the sun sets.

The proposed tariff would affect all existing residential customers after 15 years of their interconnections. For example, customers who had their systems connected 10 years ago would have the proposal applied to them in five years. The tariff would not apply to low-income customers.

The proposal has been denounced by the solar industry, many rooftop customers and environmental groups, saying the added charges would undercut California’s growth in rooftop installations and extend the payback period for existing customers.

More than 1,000 solar workers and opponents of a proposed decision before the California Public Utilities Commission march in downtown Los Angeles on Jan. 13.

Last week, protesters gathered in front of the CPUC’s office in Los Angeles and the commission’s headquarters in San Francisco, calling for the proposal to be rescinded.

High-profile figures have also come out in opposition. Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wrote an opinion piece in The New York Times, saying the tariff “should be stopped in its tracks.” Hall of Fame basketball player and San Diego resident Bill Walton sent a letter to Newsom calling the proposal “ridiculous.”

California’s investor-owned utilities for years have been calling for changes to NEM, saying the current policy leaves customers who don’t have rooftop solar paying a disproportionate amount of the fixed costs that come with running the electrical system — things like wires, substations and transformers.

This “cost-shift,” they say, means Californians without solar pay about $245 more in electric bills per year than customers who have installed solar on their rooftops.

Others in the NEM 3.0 debate have made similar arguments, including The Utility Reform Network, a consumer group; the Natural Resources Defense Council, a prominent environmental organization; UC Berkeley energy economist Severin Borenstein; and a few legislators in Sacramento who cited equity issues for customers who can’t afford to install rooftop solar.

On Talk of the Bay, January 24, 2022 Christine Barrington interviewed KSQD's chief engineer, Sandy Stone, for the ongoing series: Behind the Mic

KSQD is grassroots radio created mostly by community members volunteering their gifts for the sheer joy of doing what they do. But, who are these people connecting the wires, spinning the tunes, and sharing tales with local and national personalities? Their stories will likely surprise and delight you. So join us while we pull back the curtain to discover who lives and breathes behind the mic!

Before anyone can even imagine approaching a microphone there is an entire world of equipment that must be installed, integrated, and maintained, and our guest tonight is Sandy Stone KSQD’s Sound Engineer.Without her there would be hot air and good intentions, but not much else flowing through these microphones.

Sandy Stone’s life has traced an arc through this world that is richly hued and full of some magnificent twists and turns. She is a trans woman, born before WW II and slated with the task of navigating a world hell bent on defining the gender narrative--little did that world know that a skilled narrator had emerged on the scene and would change the gender discourse forever. Sandy engineered sound for some of the greatest artists and performers of the 60’s and 70’s. She is a specialist in the fields of neurology and telephony, sound recording, and computer programming She is a published author, and a university professor emeritus--often credited as the founder of the academic discipline of Transgender Studies. She is a performer of cultural theater, and, lucky us, KSQD’s head engineer.

Sandy Stone contains world, for a taste of that world visit her webpage: https://www.sandystone.com or enjoy this article from Wired Magazine: "Sex and Death Among the Cyborgs"

Her Posttransexual Manifesto The Empire Strikes Back rocked the world of cultural studies and has been a continued influence across the globe, inspiring thousands to find their voices and reclaim their own narrative.

On this Tuesday’s “Talk of the Bay,” Chris Krohn discusses two issues near and dear to Santa Cruzans: first, real estate prices and those who profit off them, and then the state of the county labor movement as SC county workers call for a strike. We also get to meet the organizer behind the local Starbucks Union effort.

John Flaniken was the 2020 Realtor of the Year. He was on the Housing Advisory Commission in 2021 and is the current president of the Rotary Club. Flaniken runs a local business called, “Trade-In Real Estate.” Does he represent the cause, or the solution, to real estate entrepreneurship on the Central Coast? Are realtors scam artists, or next door neighbors just trying to make ends meet? In the first half hour we talk land, money and what makes Santa Cruz real estate such a hot commodity that even the likes of Goldman Sachs and LLCs from China invest heavily in Surf City property.

In the second half of the show, we discover what it's like for those who do the work in this county and who usually own little or no property, commute many miles, and sometimes have to rely on food stamps (EMT) to make ends meet. Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 521 President Veronica Velazquez will be on to discuss a breaking labor news story: Why are county workers walking off their job? Also with us will be Starbucks employee and union organizer, Joseph Thompson, on why he and other employees are seeking to form a labor union here in Santa Cruz. It is part of a national effort that began in Buffalo, N.Y., and it seems what happens in Buffalo does not stay in Buffalo! It all happens on this week’s "Talk of the Bay," Tues. at 5pm with host, Chris Krohn.

Richard Tejeda is Executive Director of the nonprofit, Saved by Nature in San Jose which gets seniors, at-promise youth, and others out into the natural world to explore the beauty and uniqueness of the central coast and environs. Richard grew up in a mostly urban, low-income community in San Jose and says that discovering the creeks near his home as a young fisherman led him on a journey into the parks service as an interpreter as well as the drive to start his own organization. He wants to see more people of color out enjoying the natural world and benefitting from the healing qualities of being outdoors. For more information: Savedbynature.org

For those of us who don’t deal with inequity on a daily basis, equity might feel like a political concept. But for thousands of residents of our county, equity, or lack of it, determines what happens in their lives every single day. To explore this issue, we invited three people who work on improving equity in our county from three different but overlapping perspectives. On the day we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday, they joined host Suki Wessling to talk about equity in our everyday lives.

Gloria Nieto is a local activist who focuses on equity, diversity and inclusion on the board of Santa Cruz Community Health, which provides comprehensive primary care services to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. Gretchen Regenhardt is former Regional Directing Attorney of California Rural Legal Assistance and serves on the board of Housing Santa Cruz County. Lani Faulkner is founder of the local organization Equity Transit, which works to ensure affordable, equitable, and environmentally wise public transit.

At the beginning of the hour, asked to define equity, our three guests built on each other's statements. Equity, they explained, is equal access, regardless of race or income, to similar quality goods and services being provided where people are. Listen in to learn more.

Upcoming events: * National Transit Equity Day

For more information: * Equity Transit * Housing Santa Cruz County * Santa Cruz Community Health

Talk of the Bay with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, January 18th: Is the redistricting process in Santa Cruz County a fair one?

In the first part of the show we will discuss the absence of any real public redistricting plan for the city of Santa Cruz. With city council elections coming up in November why is there is no redistricting plan yet in site? Councilmember from Watsonville, Rebecca Garcia, offers her insight on the history of redistricting in Watsonville. In the second half of the program we discuss the issue of state redistricting with state Senator John Laird and former 12-year county supervisor John Leopold on this week’s, "Talk of the Bay," Tuesday January 18th on KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org

Media Contact: María Peña, mpena@loc.gov Public Contact: Todd Harvey, tharvey@loc.gov

Library of Congress Acquires Kitchen Sisters’ Audio Archive Award-Winning Producers Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva have Chronicled Untold Stories of Culture and Tradition Across American Soundscape Since 1979

For more than 40 years, radio and podcast producers, Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva, best known as The Kitchen Sisters on public radio, have chronicled the lives, rituals, triumphs and tribulations of people from all walks of life, weaving together a rich tapestry of America’s cultural heritage. Now the Library of Congress is acquiring their full body of work, including more than 7,000 hours of audio, photos, handwritten journals, podcasts and storybooks.

Known for their pioneering approach to storytelling, Nelson and Silva’s award-winning public radio programs amplify the voices of people rarely covered in the news media and have helped raise awareness about myriad social causes. Their work is featured on NPR, PRX, the BBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Australian Broadcasting Corporation, as well as at international festivals, and in live and multimedia performances.

“The Kitchen Sisters have enlightened audiences for decades, unearthing unique stories about people and cultural traditions across the globe. You learn about the impact of internment on Japanese American cooking, stories about the mythic Route 66, and the ways minority and immigrant communities shape the American soundscape. The Library of Congress is thrilled to receive this outstanding body of work,” said Elizabeth Peterson, director of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

The American Folklife Center, which will house and preserve The Kitchen Sistersarchives, has been collecting documentation since 1976 that highlights the creativity and cultural traditions of communities throughout the U.S. and the world. These collections capture stories that illuminate the shared experiences and events shaping people’s lives today.

The Kitchen Sisters archive includes approximately 146,400 mixed material items from the 1970s to 2020, reflecting their collaboration with communities, producers, archivists, librarians, musicians, farmers and historians, among others. For Nelson and Silva, having the collection at the Library of Congress is like coming full circle, since their early work to capture cultural and political movements often brought them from California to the nation’s capital to do research at the Library.

“We are very moved that our archive is going to the Library of Congress because we are saying to the public ‘here’s all this material we have gathered across decades… see if it enriches your classroom, your project, your book, your story, your podcast,” Nelson said. “Being part of the public media community for decades, our mission has always been one of public storytelling, collaboration and access.”

“We’re proud to be part of the Library of Congress’ legacy. So much of our work has been in collaboration with other independent producers, documentary makers, artists, grandmothers, NPR, PRX and others,” said Silva.

Nelson and Silva credit radio with surfacing little-known stories and perspectives about human endeavors and the fight for civil rights and social justice. The pair’s work has highlighted remarkable people and stories from the U.S. and the world, covering topics such as homelessness, mass incarceration, hunger, women’s rights, racial tensions, the COVID-19 pandemic, the plight of immigrants and climate change.

Just as family conversations often begin and end in the kitchen, the California-based producers wanted their programs to trigger dialogues in American homes around important issues of the day. And, as a universal language, food can be a pathway to those conversations, according to Silva.

Inspired by two eccentric brothers, Kenneth and Raymond Kitchen, who worked as stonemasons in Santa Cruz, California, in the 1940s, Nelson and Silva named themselves The Kitchen Sisters because, they explain, although lacking a bloodline they share a sisterhood bound by a passion for poignant storytelling. The team has won numerous awards, including two George Foster Peabody Awards; the DuPont-Columbia Award; two James Beard Awards and two Webby Awards.

For both women, it is nearly impossible to pin down a favorite story among the thousands of hours of interviews with people of every race and ethnicity and oral histories and field recordings from nearly every state in the nation. Three of their series, “Lost & Found Sound,” “Sonic Memorial Project,” and “Hidden Kitchens,” were produced in collaboration with award-winning radio producer Jay Allison.

In the “Hidden Kitchens series” on NPR, audiences hear stories the world over about below-the-radar cooking and eating traditions past and present. There are stories about an aboriginal cooking school in Australia; the explosion of “food manga” in Japan; communal kitchens in the former Soviet Union; the secrets of Tequila producers in Mexico; the hidden world of Basque sheepherders in the American West, and how the George Foreman Grill saved many homeless people from going without a hot meal.

As pioneering broadcasters — their journey began in 1979, when few women had entered the field — Nelson and Silva perfected an intricate marriage of radio journalism and dynamic storytelling, which ushered in the development of today’s podcasts. Their immersive style has been replicated by podcasters all over, with stories largely narrated by the interviewees.

Highlights of The Kitchen Sisters/NPR series include:

Hidden Kitchens — The NPR series explores American cooking traditions and how communities come together through food.
Lost & Found Sound — Hosted by Francis Ford Coppola and NPR’s Noah Adams, the series looks at a century of American life through recorded audio, vanishing voices and people who helped shape the sonic landscape of the nation. Among the 200 stories featured is one about WHER, the country’s first all-girl radio station in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1955.
Hidden World of Girls — An international collaboration and series about girls’ and women’s secret identities, rituals and rites of passage and women who broke barriers.
The Sonic Memorial Project — Created in response to 9/11, this 2001 documentary commemorates the World Trade Center and its neighborhood through stories, testimonies, interviews, rare recordings, voicemail messages and remembrances.
The Keepers — The series focuses on stories of archivists, rogue librarians, curators, historians and activists working to safeguard America’s cultural heritage and the free flow of information.

The Kitchen Sisters collection offers a nuanced view on contemporary American history and a behind-the-scenes look at nearly every project they created. There are storybooks, photos, graphics, reel-to-reel tapes, cassettes, CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes, handwritten journals, notebooks, correspondence, transcriptions, music, archival audio and born-digital files that capture their creative process. The collection incorporates live performances, including one tied to the post-Katrina New Orleans Biennale; stories about three pioneering environmental activists in the West, and appearances at TED, SXSW, Pop-Up Magazine and the Smithsonian Institution.

The national library will receive the large archive of audio, photos and manuscripts — many already digitized — in three installments over the next two to three years. The public can access the stories now through The Kitchen Sisters Present… website and podcast. The digital collection will eventually be accessible through the Library.

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States — and extensive materials from around the world — both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.

Imani Wilson-Shabazz is currently a graduate student in the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, earning a MPH in Community Health Sciences with a certificate in Population and Reproductive Health. She is a recent graduate of the University of Southern California with a B.A in Cognitive Science and a B.A in Gender Studies. Ms. Wilson-Shabazz currently works at Plan C as their Partnership Manager, facilitating community partnerships to increase awareness of abortion pill access around the country. She also provides lectures, webinars, and educational videos on how to advocate for, and promote medication abortion access in diverse communities.

She talks about Plan C and how groups are preparing for a potential overturning of Roe V. Wade.

Imani is one of the speakers in the upcoming Reproductive Rights summit on January 22nd at 10 am, presented by the Democratic Women's Club of Santa Cruz County. For information: https://www.dwcscc.org/

A Plan C for Abortion Access (or, Where do we go from here?)

Abortion access in the US is changing: and today, half the country has modern telehealth services while the other half is passing laws to criminalize it. Plan C's campaign and online Guide to Pills play a critical role: to inform everyone in the US that abortion pills by mail are a reality in all 50 states, and to normalize and improve access. Learn about the complexities of the existing landscape, especially for marginalized communities, as well as the opportunity this safe, effective modern method presents and Plan C's strategies to ensure this modern medicine is where it belongs: in the hands of those who need it.

plancpills.org

Funding Info:

Check can be made out to

National Women's Health Network with a note designating donation for Plan C / Bold Actions and mailed to: 1413 K St NW Ste 400

Washington DC 20005

Alternatively you can go online: plancpills.org/donate which supports Plan C directly.

Maureen Ryder has been a nurse at Dominican Hosptial for twenty years. She participated in the nationwide day of action sponsored by National Nurses United, the biggest labor union representing nurses in the U.S. In this interview, she talks about what it's like spiritually, morally, and emotionally to have to ignore calls for help from her patients due to short staffing. On the same day the U.S. supreme court decided it was legal for hospitals to require their employees to be vaccinated, not all nurses feel this is fair.

In this interview with senior staff of the national organization Public Wise, host Len Beyea talks with Katelyn Israelski, Jessie Kalbfeld, and Maria Cruz Lee.

The mission statement of Public Wise declares “Persistent and unyielding in our commitment to a just multiracial democracy, Public Wise fights to secure a government that reflects the will and protects the rights of the people.” Their vision is “a democracy that is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people, with government that is representative, accountable, trusted, and transparent.”

Katelyn Israelski, Chief of Staff for Public Wise, manages their local, state-wide, and national partnership portfolios where she identifies coalition opportunities and forges relationships to safeguard voting rights and promote democracy access for all. She also works closely with Public Wise’s Executive Director and Senior Staff to ensure department goals are met, and advises and supports each division.

Katelyn has an extensive background in state and federal-level government and campaigns. Immediately prior to joining Public Wise in 2020, Katelyn was Senior Advisor for Intergovernmental and Community Affairs in the Office of the New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Her responsibilities included representing and staffing the Comptroller, tracking legislation, and leading special events with key constituencies. Katelyn took a leave of absence from government during the 2018 election cycle to manage communication efforts for the Comptroller’s successful reelection campaign.

From 2015 to 2017, she served U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in New York City and the Hudson Valley. Katelyn began her career at NBC News, where she started as an intern before working full time for The Rachel Maddow Show.

Katelyn has a B.A. from New York University and M.A. from University of London, SOAS.

Jessie Kalbfeld, Director of Research for Public Wise, holds a doctorate in sociology from New York University, where she was an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and an inaugural NYU Furman Law Fellow at NYU Law School 2015-2016. Her research interests include race and inequality, neighborhood change, and social control. Her dissertation research focused on the impact of racial and socioeconomic neighborhood change on social control in New York City. Her recent research on court reporters has been covered by the Philadelphia Inquirer, the New York Times, NPR, Vice News Tonight, Vice Media, Daily KOS, and more.

Jessie has worked as a research and data consultant for the Southern Poverty Law Center of Mississippi and Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington D.C., among others. She is a founding member of CulturePoint LLC, a research and consulting firm that provides evidence-based approaches to developing leadership and high-performance in organizations through effective management of diverse workforces and creation of inclusive environments. Through CulturePoint, Jessie has consulted with clients such as the US Navy, the Department of Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency on organizational metrics for diversity and inclusion, skills for public-facing scientific presentations, and cognitive processes of decision making in diverse organizations.

Maria Cruz Lee, Chief Information Officer, initially joined Public Wise in May 2020 to lead in-house communications and support organizing partners as a digital advisor. As Chief Information Officer, Maria is responsible for digital tools, website builds, data and analysis across Public Wise platforms. She works closely with the leadership team to ensure departments and initiatives have the digital infrastructure needed to meet their goals.

Maria also leads the tech build for Public Wise’s campaign, the Insurrection Index, the largest and most comprehensive database of participants of the January 6 insurrection at the United States Capitol.

With over 13 years of experience at the national and local level, Maria is a leading digital and communication strategist. She builds on her experience in digital organizing and campaigns as New York State Digital Director for Hillary for America (Secretary Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Presidential campaign), Digital Director for the City University of New York, Digital Strategist for then-Mayor Michael Boomberg’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, and Communications Director for strategic immigrant rights campaigns at Define American.

In 2018, she was honored as one of NY City & State’s 40 Under 40 Rising Stars. Additionally, Maria was one of the 45 participants who contributed to “Recoding the Boys’ Club: The Experiences & Future of Women in Political Technology,” a research project conducted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill after the 2016 Election.

Maria is a proud graduate of New York City public schools. She holds a BA in Media from Hunter College (‘10) and an Executive Masters in Public Administration (‘20) from the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College

Talk of the Bay with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, January 11: What is the state of homelessness in Surf City today?

The state of the houseless in Santa Cruz continues to be a political and social football. Tomorrow, the police are scheduled to evict the large homeless camp and kitchen that Food Not Bombs operates at the corner of Front and Laurel Streets in the City of Santa Cruz. Many campers were recently flooded out of their San Lorenzo Park sites, and there is more rain on the way this winter season. Houseless activist Keith McHenry, founder of Food Not Bombs, and Joy Schendledecker who is an active member of the Ecosocialist Working Group and who initiated the formation of the mutual aid group, "Sanitation for the People” will be guests on "Talk of the Bay" with your host, Chris Krohn, Tuesday, December 11, 5-6 PM on KSQD.

Dr. David Guilliarducci is Santa Cruz County's deputy health director and a former ER doctor. He updates us on the latest Omicron surge, the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths, plus prevention approaches.

Representative Jimmy Panetta addresses the anniversary of January 6th, the aftermath, and how he views bipartisanship in an era of conflict in Washington.

On this program, I talk with Professor of politics from the University of San Francisco, Stephen Zunes about the anniversary of the January 6th insurrection and steps to protect our democracy from further attacks.

On Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling speaks with local author Claire Oshetsky about her new book, Chouette. In the book, the narrator literally, or perhaps metaphorically, gives birth to an owl-baby. The mother is fiercely protective of her unusual child, and perceives others as trying to "fix" a child who is not broken. The book can be seen as a metaphor for how a feminist has to give up work to raise a child with special needs, clashing with her husband in a struggle to appreciate who her child is, and finally needing to set the child free into the life that suits her best. But it can also be seen as a fantastic tale of a woman who produces an unusual child with her owl-lover, and has to navigate the perilous journey of raising an owl-child amongst happy dog-people. Suki and Claire discuss mothering as artists, raising non-neurotypical children, the expectations of feminism, and setting our children free. Join us!

Chouette is available at Bookshop Santa Cruz and Two Birds Books.

More information: * More about Claire Oshetsky * Read an excerpt from the novel

In this compilation of excerpts from 8 episodes of Wednesday's Talk of the Bay, host Len Beyea presents a review of some of 2021's most provocative topics.

Episodes excerpted include the January 6th panel discussion of the insurrection in Washington DC featuring Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a tribute to poet and publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti who died February 22, 2021, and interviews with author and filmmaker Raj Patel, Bill Moyer of Solutionary Rail, Natasha Erskine of About Face/Veterans Against War, Will Rice of Americans for Tax Fairness, Taylor Lincoln of Public Citizen, and Richard Heinberg of the Post Carbon Institute.

The full interviews are also available in their entirety as podcasts on this website,

Media scholars and documentarians Rachel Goodman and Erik Nelson take a look back at the year that was, and ahead towards 2022 through a politics and media perspective. They also share Dave Barry's Washington Post year in review and Medea Benjamin's top ten best things that happened.

In this interview, Leslie Connor, Executive Director of the Santa Cruz Health Centers, talks about the new clinic in Ben Lomond, and how to stay safe from the Omicron variant of covid.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Dena Loijos, dloijos@schealthecenters.org, 831-234-8442

New Santa Cruz Mountain Health Center Opens in San Lorenzo Valley in January 2022

Operated by Santa Cruz Community Health, new clinic joins Santa Cruz Women’s Health Center and the East Cliff Family Health Center to provide high-quality, affordable and comprehensive health services available to all

BEN LOMOND, CA (Dec. 17, 2021) - Santa Cruz Community Health (SCCH), a leading nonprofit provider of high-quality, affordable and comprehensive health services to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay, today announced it is opening a new clinic in the San Lorenzo Valley in early 2022.

Santa Cruz Mountain Health Center, located in the historic Wee Kirk Church Building in downtown Ben Lomond, will open Monday, Jan. 24, providing primary care services. Patients can call 831-427-3500 beginning Jan.10 to schedule appointments.

“We strive every day to improve the health of our patients and the community,” said Leslie Conner, Chief Executive Officer of SCCH. “We are proud and excited to bring health care services to more families and individuals in the San Lorenzo Valley.”

The clinic space previously housed Dr. Steven Leib’s family medicine practice. Dr. Leib retired in November after decades of service to patients in the SLV. Leib and his wife, Vivian, restored the former Presbyterian church in 2014 which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017. SCCH is leasing the space from the Leibs.

Santa Cruz Mountain Health Center will initially operate 30 hours a week, serving approximately 2,000 patients who live in the San Lorenzo Valley area. SCCH will be staffing the clinic with three experienced physicians and a team of support staff. Moving forward, increased services will be offered at the Santa Cruz Mountain Health Center based on patient needs.

“We want to serve our patients where they are,” Conner said, noting that many current SCCH patients reside in the San Lorenzo Valley. “SLV is a remote region compared to much of Santa Cruz and it has long been under-served. Our goal is to increase access to high-quality, affordable health care for the mountain community.”

SCCH also operates the Women’s Health Center in downtown Santa Cruz and the East Cliff Family Health Center in Live Oak. The clinics offer primary care, pediatrics, prenatal care and education, mental health and substance abuse counseling, chronic disease management, health insurance enrollment, food distribution and more. In addition, clinics have been providing Covid testing and Covid vaccines during the pandemic.

SCCH also is in the process of building a new 20,000-square-clinic on Capitola Road in Live Oak. The project, in partnership with Dientes and MidPen Housing, will open in late 2022. The 57 units of affordable housing will be completed in 2023.

About Santa Cruz Community Health

Through the Santa Cruz Women’s Health Center and the East Cliff Family Health Center, Santa Cruz Community Health (a Federally Qualified Health Center) provides comprehensive primary care services in English and Spanish to all ages, genders, ethnicities, abilities and sexual orientations, regardless of their ability to pay. Seeded by the Santa Cruz Women’s Health Center in 1973, SCCH is has maintained a 45-year commitment to its mission: to improve the health of its patients and the community and advocate the feminist goals of social, political, and economic equality. SCCH’s health centers serve nearly 21,000 patients through a dedicated staff of medical providers, nurses, licensed clinical social workers, health educators, and administrative staff. SCCH’s clinics offer primary care, pediatrics, prenatal care and education, mental health and substance abuse counseling, chronic disease management, health insurance enrollment, food distribution, and more. Learn more at schealthcenters.org, facebook.com/schealthcenters or on Instagram @schealthcenters.

When veterans sign up to serve our country, they have no way of knowing what the future will hold for them. After deep sacrifices, some of them have trouble reintegrating into society upon their return, and they make up 11% of homeless people nationwide. Santa Cruz is no different; however, we have a special relationship with veterans through our very active Vets Hall crew.

"Homeless folks come in many different shapes and sizes and ways of being," says Jack Tracey, Vets Hall board president. "[We're] trying to break through that stereotype of trying to identify homeless in one way that allows them to say, 'I don’t care about those people.' They are somebody’s brother or sister or mother or father."

In Santa Cruz, homeless vets have a place at our Vets Hall, where each Wednesday they can drop in for camaraderie, a meal, and groceries. Vets Hall employees and volunteers guide them in finding housing and jobs and getting help for other issues like mental or physical illness.

This year, the crew at Vets Hall actively sought—and eventually found—a home for homeless vets in the county. The owners of the former Jaye’s Timberlane Resort in Ben Lomond have agreed to sell the lovely property and its cabins and 5-bedroom home to the Vets Hall as a permanent home for Santa Cruz veterans.

"You can either wait for a miracle, or you can get everybody together and make a miracle happen," says David Pedley, Vets Hall building manager.

Listen to this special interview with Jack Tracey and David Pedley about plans for Veterans Village, which will give a home to unhoused veterans in Santa Cruz County.

For more information: * Santa Cruz Veterans Memorial Building, aka "Vets Hall" * "Ben Lomond Residents Get First Look at Vets Village" * DONATE to the Community Foundation Veterans Village Fund * Housing Matters Santa Cruz

Affordable Housing, Reality or Ruse? Talk of the Bay, with Chris Krohn, Tuesday, December 21st

Is all housing equal and if you build it they will come? Or is it only affordable housing that should be this city’s top priority? How to get affordable housing built is often a surprising conundrum. It involves making deals with for-profit housing developers who are always looking to cut corners while in search of greater profits. The 831 Water Street project, which was approved by the Santa Cruz City council last week by a narrow 4-3 vote, may fall into that difficult housing question category. The Novin Development Corporation is promising half the project’s 145 apartments as “affordable” to those making less than $67,000 a year. This week on Talk of the Bay with your host Chris Krohn, the discussion turns to housing and whether Santa Cruz should open the flood gates and allow developers to build everything they want because new state laws are tying the hands of local governments to control local development. Some would argue the floodgates are open now. Come and join the conversation with local housing activists arguing where, how, and what should be built during the great Santa Cruz affordable housing crisis, this Tues. Dec. 21 at 5pm.

As director of research at Public Citizen’s Congress Watch division, Taylor Lincoln has authored or co-authored numerous reports on subjects concerning regulations, health care, worker safety, and political spending, among other topics. He has a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland and a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Michigan.

Taylor has been quoted in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and HuffPost, among other publications. He has appeared on CNN, CNBC, NPR and other broadcast media outlets.

Link to the report discussed in the interview: https://www.citizen.org/article/public-money-for-private-equity/

related links: https://mkus3lurbh3lbztg254fzode-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/covid-lobbying-report.pdf https://www.citizen.org/wp-content/uploads/Private_Equitys_Investment__.pdf

Each year experts see a decline in mental health during the holidays. This year, Covid adds another layer to an already complex issue. Host Suki Wessling is joined by three experts from County Health to talk about the county’s focus on suicide prevention and access to crisis services during the holidays, and the grants that are allowing them to fund more outreach. Learn about County Behavioral Health efforts on suicide prevention, mobile outreach, and partnerships with law enforcement.

For more information: * If you or someone you know is in crisis, are at risk of harming themselves or others and needs immediate help, call 911. If you are not in imminent danger but need immediate crisis support call (800) 952-2335, 24-hours a day. * Santa Cruz County Behavioral Health Division * Family Service Agency Suicide Prevention Service * County Crisis Intervention Team * Detailed list of services available to those experiencing mental health challenges and also survivors and family.

Related podcasts from State of Mind on KSQD: SUICIDE PREVENTION FOR TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS - broadcast 10/3/21

Episode #34: Communities across the US have faced increase mental health challenges related to COVID-19, with teens and young adults being particularly hard hit. In this age group, emergency department visits for suspected suicide attempts have increased. In honor of National Suicide Prevention Month, we focus the conversation on suicide prevention for teens and young adults. Being informed about suicide can help prevent many of these tragic deaths. College student and mental health survivor Enrique Garcia and mental health educator and advocate Owen Thomas join us to talk about what it’s like to feel suicidal, where to find help and support, and how to recognize warning signs. You’ll also learn more about what you can do to help those you love and care for who may be having mental health challenges and suicidal thoughts or feelings. This is part 1 of a 2-part series. Next month’s show focuses on complicated grief and recovering from losing a loved one to suicide.

SUICIDE LOSS, GRIEF AND RECOVERY - broadcast 9/5/21 Episode #35: Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States and a preventable public health problem. In 2020, an average of 132 Americans a day died by suicide and 90% of those had a diagnosable mental health condition at the time of their death. All of those people had circles of family, friends, coworkers, classmates, teachers, and community members who are impacted by their death. In this episode, we talk with Leslie Nielsen, a mother who is now learning to navigate and live with this kind of grief after her adult son Ben died by suicide earlier this year. We’re also joined by Carly Memoli, Program Director for Suicide Prevention Service who explains this complicated grieving process and helps us understand the ways that people find their way through. Suicide is hard to talk about and this show might be hard to listen to, but the more you know, the more equipped you’ll be to help someone who is at risk or support someone who has had this kind of loss. This show is part 2 of a two-part series on suicide. We invite you to also check out last month’s show, Ep. 34: Suicide Prevention for Teens and Young Adults.

SUICIDE & GRIEF: A STORY OF HOPE REMIX - broadcast 6/2/19 Episode #7: In this STATE OF MIND episode (remixed for broadcast), Debra Sloss, LMFT is joined by guests Rabbi Lori Klein and Kara Bowman, LMFT to discuss grief following a suicide. Lori bravely shares about losing her mentally ill mother to suicide and her grieving and growing process over the 30+ years since. She describes the initial impact, and how over time she has grieved, and learned to shape the meaning of these experiences in more helpful ways. Lori reflects on her own grief process, as well as what she has seen in her many years serving as an oncology hospital chaplain. Kara Bowman, a Hospice therapist and grief and suicide specialist, contributes many insights about grief, about the ways many people grieve in general and specifically following a suicide. Join us for this beautiful story that travels the distance from tragedy to hope

On Talk of the Bay, December 6, 2021 Christine Barrington welcomes Jason Cohen one of Bookshop Santa Cruz' managers, as well as an artist and writer himself. As darkness deepens into the holiday season, those in search of a good read can wander the virtual aisle with Jason and hear what he recommends.

Books mentioned in this interview:

Jonathan Franzen's Crossroads

Matrix by Lauren Groff

Hench by Natalie Zina Walshots

The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones

Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet by Thich Nhat Hanh

The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity by David Graeber, David Wengrow

Strikes and Summits Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, December 7

Part I: To Strike, or Not to Strike, Will County Workers go for Broke? Part II: Are Climate Activists Frustrated after the Glasgow Climate Summit?

Will 1400 county workers represented by the Service Employees International Union 521 be going on strike? A list of demands was presented to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors at their meeting this morning. One unusual demand was that the county lower their overall carbon footprint and have a plan to go carbon neutral. Veronica Velazquez is president of SEIU, local 521 and works for the county. She will be joining host Chris Krohn for an update on this breaking news story today…is a strike imminent?

On the second half, Santa Cruz resident Becca Richey has just returned from the Cop26 Climate Summit in Glasgow Scotland. She’s a member of the group, “Climate Clock,” which seeks to ramp up the pressure on world leaders to respond to the climate crisis. Find out what she learned in Scotland and if climate activists are making any headway on the ultimate goal of trying to limit future warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit.

Today on Talk of the Bay at 5 PM.

Elevate Rehab in Watsonville is a recovery program that specializes in fitness, yoga, mindfulness and other techniques to help people recover from addiction. During the holidays, staying sober is especially hard, when well-meaning relatives and friends often urge you to join them in imbibing alcohol or doing drugs. Director, Angie Manson and counselor Dallas Terrell along with pastor Ryan Althaus discuss ways of staying sober and avoiding potentially risky situations that may cause one to fall off the wagon.

In this interview, I speak with Mark Schapiro, author of Seeds of Resistance: The Fight to Save Our Food Supply.

SEEDS OF RESISTANCE is an expose of the high-stakes battle underway for control of the world’s seeds as climate volatility threatens the security of our food supply. Three-quarters of the seed varieties on earth in 1900 are now extinct. I investigate what it means that more than half of the commercial seeds which remain are owned by three agri-chemical companies. And I tell colorful and surprising stories from the global movement that is defying the companies and offering alternatives capable of surviving the accelerating climatic changes.

Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, November 30, 5-6 PM, with Chris Krohn: The Great Greenway Petition Drive and UCSC Student Politics Listen to KSQD’s Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, November 30th.

Chris Krohn updates us on the Santa Cruz rail-trail debate. Greenway is circulating a petition to make the county’s rail line purchase into a “trail-only” project. Will it make it to the ballot, and if passed, how soon could a trail-only be built on the 32-mile rail line? Our guests are cyclists and Greenway petition supporters, Aaron Cole and Tim Brattan.

Then hear student activists Pablo Velasquez and Zennon Ulyate-Crow about politics up on the hill. They discuss the Santa Cruz affordable housing crisis, the effectiveness of the College Democrats, climate change, and gentrification – a laundry list of current UCSC student issues.

Monday, November 8, 2021 host Christine Barrington continues her series Behind the Mic interviewing the hosts and Dj's that make KSQD our community radio for the central coast. Whether it’s music or talk, much of the programming streaming your way on 90.7 FM is created by community volunteers offering their expertise for the sheer love of doing what they do. But, who are the people running the studio, spinning the tunes, and sharing tales with local and national personalities?

This week's guest is Manuel Zavala, DJ of Bread and Buddha happening every Thursday from 11-1. Manuel has decades of experience in the radio world of Santa Cruz. And behind those decades lives a passion for the medium and an enthusiasm to share the creative spirit that burns behind the music he curates. As a poet and musician, Manuel infuses Bread and Buddha with insight and deep respect for the singer-songwriters he admires and emulates. Have a listen to discover more of what makes this generous and enthusiastic DJ well worth listening to every Thursday from, 11-1!

To see more of Manuel's artistic endeavors check out his website Wizofmoz.com He is a wiz with glass bead creation!

Does nuclear power have an important role to play in a clean energy future or is it a toxic demon to be avoided at all costs? On Talk of the Bay, Monday, November 29, Christine Barrington interviews both sides in a quest for clarity. If you are concerned about climate disruption and ever felt confused about the role of nuclear power in meeting the climate challenge, join Christine and her guests.

Pro-Nuclear: The first half of our show features two citizen activists who are part of a growing movement called Save Clean Energy advocating to keep the Diablo Canyon nuclear facility outside San Luis Obisbo operational while California moves to meet its carbon reduction goals. PG&E has refused to extend operational licensing to the plant and it is set to close over 2024-2025. Stephen Williams is the Co-Founder of Monterey Bay for Nuclear Power, and Jim Hopf is a retired Nuclear Engineer and and a member of the Citizen Climate Lobby.

Viewpoint: "The state is headed toward failure in replacing Diablo Canyon’s output with renewable sources and California’s electric grid operator has warned of a serious reliability crisis once Diablo Canyon is closed. That means that California will inevitably turn to greenhouse gas emitting sources like natural gas to keep the lights on, taking us backwards in our fight against climate change. The state will have to boost its total renewable energy production by an enormous 20% in just over two years to replace the clean energy being produced at Diablo Canyon."

There will be a rally in favor of keeping Diablo Canyon operating on December 4 at 11 am at the San Luis Obisbo County Government Center; 105o Monterey Stree, SLO, CA. For more info: Save Clean Energy Rally & Stanford Study on Keeping Diablo Canyon Open

Anti-Nuclear: While there is a growing population of citizens and scientists who understand nuclear power as necessary for building a new clean energy infrastructure, there are many who disagree. During the second half of the show we invite Kevin Bell, Co-Founder of The Sustainable Systems Research Foundation to add his voice to the conversation and offer his views as to why nuclear power generation is both unneeded and harmful.

Viewpoint: "It's more expensive than it was the last time around, has a sixty-year history of failure, doesn’t replicate or scale well, would take far too long to replicate and scale enough to change the arc of climate change even if it worked, and would both lock in and vastly accelerate state and non-state nuclear proliferation in an increasingly unstable world (this last one is the Hard No deal breaker for many, which generally doesn’t get the attention that it deserves). It’s a solution still looking for a problem that it can be solved better with things we already know how to do faster, better, cheaper, and safer."

If you have an opinion, question, or response to the show. Phone lines will be open and community members are invited to chime in.

Pro-Nuclear Resources: If you would like to read up to decide for yourself, our guests provide these links:

EU scientific commission report stating that nuclear should be classified as a green source: https://snetp.eu/2021/04/07/jrc-concludes-nuclear-does-not-cause-significant-harm/ Harvard: Reconsidering the Risks of Nuclear Power (Includes comparison of harms from all energy sources)

UN report stating that nuclear has lowest of all CO2 emissions, and low land use and mining impact: https://www.cityam.com/un-crowns-nuclear-as-lowest-carbon-electricity-source/

IPCC analyses showing that increased nuclear is necessary to meet climate goals: https://www.sfen.org/nuclear4climate/ipcc-report-more-nuclear-power-is-needed-to-meet-the-paris-agreement New Yorker: The Activist Who Embrace Nuclear Power. Featuring: Mothers For Nuclear

Anti-Nuclear Resources: Green America: 10 Reasons to Oppose Nuclear Power Top 10 Pro Nuclear Arguments Refuted Yale Climate Connections: We've Been Having the Wrong Debate about Nuclear Power--What advocates on both sides may be overlooking. (This is a lucid and well-reasoned article that ultimately gives thoughtful consideration to the challenges of nuclear power.)

Is Nuclear Power Safe or Affordable? Stanford Debate featuring Daniel Kamman and Ralph Cavanaugh

And if you really want to educate yourself as why nuclear energy is so expensive and what might solve it. This reading grounds some of the complicated issues around building a clean energy infrastructure. Nuclear Energy Is Too Expensive This article features the work of Jacopo Buongiorno, professor at the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT.

The Humanities Division of UC Santa Cruz has been hard at work on projects that connect what is happening up on the Hill with our local community. Host Suki Wessling talks to UCSC scholars spearheading two different projects where interaction with local community members is key to their success.

In the first half of the show, linguistics professors and students at UCSC have been working with members of our local community who are speakers of indigenous languages of Oaxaca, Mexico. Together with local nonprofit Senderos, they sponsor events to promote awareness of their experiences and culture. Linguistics professor Maziar Toosarvandani became fascinated with the large number of local residents who speak understudied languages which contain in them the history and culture of their people. He guides students to study these languages, but found that in doing so he was motivated to help the speakers foster their own community. Fe Silva Robles, the Co-Founder and Director of Senderos, joins to speak about how the local nonprofit promotes celebration of culture and serves the needs of the local Spanish- and indigenous language-speaking residents.

Links related to this discussion: * Memory Series: Maziar Toosarvandani * Living Languages from UC Santa Cruz Magazine * Summer Linguistics Trip to Oaxaca, Mexico * Pop-Up events at Senderos’ cultural festivals * Language classes * Weekend language “camps"

In the second half we discuss the Okinawa Memories Initiative, a public history project and experiential learning program. Inspired by a collection of photos taken in 1953 and donated to UCSC, the project encompasses the entire Pacific region. UCSC Professor Alan Christy and CSUMB Professor Dustin Wright discuss how the history of Okinawa, an archipelago deeply affected by the presence of US military bases, intertwines with American history and local residents in surprising ways.

Links related to this discussion: * The Okinawa Memories Initiative * An article by Alan Christy about the origins of the project * 50th anniversary of the Koza Uprising

This conversation is one in a series of conversations about how UCSC faculty are integrating studies with our local community. Please listen to these related podcasts: * UCSC’S HUMANITIES INSTITUTE FOSTERS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT * UCSC ADDS NEW CRITICAL RACE AND ETHNIC STUDIES DEPARTMENT * YOUTH ACTION NETWORK GIVES YOUNG SANTA CRUZANS A VOICE * ALL WORK AND NO PLAY LEADS TO LESS LEARNING!

Central America, Drug Runners & U.S. Foreign Policy: A Conversation with Professor Dana Frank

Is the President of Honduras a drug runner? Has the US once again backed a rogue regime in the name of saving us from the godless communists? Honduras was back in the news this week as Tony Hernandez, the brother of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez was handed a long prison term in a New York court room. We have an expert on Honduras right here in Santa Cruz: Dana Frank.

Dr. Frank is a Professor of History Emerita at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a long time activist and writer on Honduras. Her books include The Long Honduran Night: Resistance, Terror, and the United States in the Aftermath of the Coup; Bananeras: Women Transforming the Banana Unions of Central America; and Local Girl Makes History: Exploring Northern California’s Kitsch Monuments. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Nation, Foreign Affairs and many other publications and she has been interviewed by National Public Radio, Democracy Now!, Latino USA, and other outlets.

In the second part of the show we talk with Lecturers from UC Santa Cruz. They just won a big settlement and avoided a strike. Evidently, there were tremendous gains made through this labor struggle that began in earnest two and a half years ago. The ending has been one of the recent bright spots in local and statewide labor news. Tune in to “Talk of the Bay” this Tuesday and find out what was really behind the settlement and where UCSC campus education laborers might go from here.

That's Tuesday, November 23, 5-6 PM on Talk of the Bay, right here on KSQD and KSQD.org!

Sibley Simon is a social entrepreneur, a co-founder of the 180/2020 Initiative to end veteran and chronic homelessness in Santa Cruz County, and a former award-winning technology innovator. As President of New Way Homes and Managing Director of Envision Housing, he works to help address our region’s housing crisis by developing new workforce and affordable housing without government construction subsidy.

The Epicenter empowers students ages 7 - 22 to connect with their authentic selves and their limitless potential. The experience of being empowered is transformative. It can lead to feelings of liberation, awe, clarity, focus, strength, confidence, purpose, joy, and deep gratitude. It is one of the most powerful experiences a person can have.

The Epicenter was co-founded by Allison Paradise and Sarah Buckius. They met because Sarah was getting Allison's mail! Sarah has a degree in engineering from the University of Illinois as well as an MFA from the University of Michigan, and worked as a performance artist and art teacher in Michigan for several years before moving to California. Allison's background is in neuroscience and sustainability. She holds degrees in neuroscience from Brown and Harvard Universities and is the founder and former CEO of My Green Lab, a global non-profit dedicated to creating a culture of sustainability in science.

They recently exhibited a piece called 'Entanglement' at the Museum of Art & History for the museum’s “Frequency” event. Entanglement provided an experience of quantum entanglement on a large scale.

Videos referred to in the interview can be found HERE.

Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, November 16th, with Chris Krohn Climate Disruption and Culture Clash II: What are Santa Cruzans not Getting About a Warming Planet and What Will it Take for them to Act?

Tune in to Talk of the Bay today at 5 PM, when Chris Krohn continues his look into climate change politics and perspectives. Young people are rising to the occasion in Glasgow and around the world, as the older generation is falling short with solutions. On this show, you people speak out on the agonizing climate issues of our time and the disappointing results of COP26. What are local youth engaged in and what advice might they offer to the sometime clueless "OK-Boomer" generation?

That's today, Tuesday, November 16th, at 5 PM, here at KSQD 90.7 FM and ksqd.org.

In this interview, we hear from Vice-President of UC-AFT, the union representing all UC lecturers, about stalled contract negotiations and frustrations over bargaining practices that may lead to a system-wide strike next week. Find out why the over 6,000 lecturers are contemplating this step and what their grievances are.

Dr. Ann Lopez, founder of the Center for Farmworker Families, is no stranger to the effects of pesticides. In her work with migrant farmworker families, she sees children with high cancer rates and other serious health problems. A new initiative, the Campaign for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture proposes a future where there are no pesticides used in the region of the Pajaro Valley. The kickoff event for the campaign is November 14th. More information: https://farmworkerfamily.org/

Dr. Marcelle E. DuPraw (“Marci”) is a facilitator and mediator specializing in cross-cultural environmental challenges, landscape-scale collaboration, and collaborative capacity-building. She holds a PhD in Conflict Analysis and Resolution, as well as a Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies from UCSC and a Master’s in Natural Resource Policy, Economics, and Management from the University of Michigan. She works for a federal agency and also does occasional facilitation and mediation work on the side through her one-woman LLC called Collaborative Choices.

The Santa Cruz County United for Safe and Inclusive Communities project she initiated (SCCUSIC) is a pro bono passion project she took on as a tribute to her nephew, Taliesin Namkai-Meche, who was killed in a horrific hate crime in 2017. SCCUSIC is currently focused on spurring County-wide participation in United Against Hate Week, which is Nov. 14-20 this year. (Note that Patrice O’Neill’s Oakland-based NGO, Not In Our Town, started United Against Hate Week, which is now a national phenomenon.)

Marci has worked with many federal agencies, Tribes, states, NGOs, and corporations, as well as overseas in Russia, China, Estonia, Cyprus, and Denmark. Dr. DuPraw has played leadership roles in the Native Network, the Environment and Public Policy Sector of the Association for Conflict Resolution, and the University Network for Collaborative Governance. She is a recipient of the Sharon M. Pickett award for achievements in environmental protection through alternative dispute resolution. Patrice O’Neill is a filmmaker and CEO of the Oakland-based non-profit strategic media company, The Working Group and leader of Not In Our Town, a movement of people across the country working to build safe, inclusive communities for all. Her film Not In Our Town began as a half-hour PBS special and turned into a dynamic movement that thrives in communities across the U.S. and around the world.

For the past 20 years, O’Neill has collaborated with hate crime victims, activists, civic leaders and law enforcement to develop the NIOT model for hate crime response and prevention. As a nationally recognized leader in the anti-hate movement she has led action campaigns, counseled countless communities and individuals and presented her films and the Not In Our Town model across the U.S, in Europe, Russia and Ukraine.

O’Neill is co-director of United Against Hate Week, a civic action program launched by Bay Area city and civic leaders, educators and activists to raise awareness and spark action to stop hate and bias. Not In Our Town is working with city leaders to plan events for United Against Hate Week activities across California in 2019-2020.

Recognized as a pioneer in impact media producing, she served as a Sundance Media Advisor at the Skoll World Forum. O’Neill’s films include Light in the Darkness, Waking in Oak Creek about the transformation of a community after hate crime killings at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, Camden’s Turn and A Prosecutor’s Stand, which are both part of a Not In Our Town series about local leaders and law enforcement working together to prevent hate crimes and build safe, inclusive communities. O’Neill is currently in production on Stories from the Tree of Life, a documentary focused on Pittsburgh area community actions to counter hate and anti-Semitism in the aftermath of hate crime killing of eleven Jewish people at the Tree of Life Synagogue in October 2018.

On Talk of the Bay, join host Suki Wessling in a conversation with UCSC Professor Christine Hong, chair of the new Critical Race and Ethnic Studies Department. Dr. Hong discusses the history of critical studies and its independent formation from ethnic studies. She traces the development of ethnic studies from the early protests at California campuses through the present day. We touch on today's controversies over what opponents call "Critical Race Theory" being taught in schools and why there is a fear of the majority-minority status of many of our public institutions. We discuss the importance of interdisciplinary studies and how the new department encompasses not only history, sociology, and anthropology but also literature, arts, and sciences. Listen in!

For more information: * Critical Race and Ethnic Studies Department * History of Critical Legal Studies * 1969 protests at UCSC * Ethnic studies becomes graduation requirement for California students

Note: There were connection issues that were edited out of this recording.

Photo credit: Abel Guttierrez

Climate Disruption and Culture Clash: What are Santa Cruzans not Getting About a Warming Planet and What Will it Take for them to Act? Talk of the Bay, 5-6 PM, Tuesday, November 9th, with Chris Krohn This week’s show takes a dive into climate change politics and perspectives. How deep will that dive be? Are your eyes already beginning to glaze over just at the mention of the "C" word? Well, this show aims to go at the climate in a different way. How can Santa Cruz County residents become pro-active and not reactive? How do we lean into the conversation about the future of our planet instead of moving away to something more entertaining? Is that it? Do we have to entertain people as we discuss and educate each other around climate change issues? Maybe. Can we have fun learning about rising sea levels, melting glaciers, and the rapid depletion of insect and animal life on earth? Is taming global warming an individual effort, or a collective one? Find out this week on Talk of the Bay.

In the first part of the show we go to Glasgow, Scotland where the "Conference of the Parties" is meeting. COP 26, started on Halloween—perhaps because climate change is pretty scary--and these meetings among the couple hundred "parties," which are mostly countries, lasts until Nov. 12. We interview two climate activists from Climate Clock In the second part of the show we have two UC Santa Cruz Lecturers coming on to break down the meetings and discuss how they engage their students on the issues of Climate change, global disruption, and species depletion.

The fun of introspection and critical analysis starts here on KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org...many voices, one radio station. Talk of the Bay, Tues. Nov. 9th from 5-6pm.

Rates of depression and suicide in youth have skyrocketed since the pandemic. A new program seeks to break the stigma of seeking help for youth suffering from depression and anxiety and other mental conditions. The idea is to intervene early before things get to the crisis stage so that youth can weather the storms of life with more resilience. In this interview I talk with Shawn Peterson, director of Community Connection in Santa Cruz County. To get involved, call the Volunteer Center at 831-428-6977.

https://scvolunteercenter.org/listening-to-a-generation-in-crisis/

As the deadline nears for Judge Syda Cogliati to decide whether to place a violent sexual predator in the community of Bonny Doon, residents are sounding the alarm about unscrupulous practices on behalf of the private company in charge of finding housing for Michael Cheek, who raped a woman in the 1980s and is proposed to be housed in the rural community. Michael Geluardi and residents from other communities who have successfully resisted the placement of SVPs in their neighborhoods talk about the broken system and keeping children safe from those likely to reoffend.

On Talk of the Bay, Monday, November 1, 2020, host Christine Barrington goes Behind the Mic with Luigi Oppido, host of Tuesday's Computer Man show.

KSQD is community radio---whether it’s music or talk, much of the programming streaming your way on 90.7 FM is created by community volunteers offering their expertise for the sheer love of doing what they do. But, who are the people running the studio, spinning the tunes, and sharing tales with local and national personalities? Their stories will likely surprise and delight you.

Are you ever hypnotized into despair by the rotating beach balls on your screen? Or, does the rapidly changing world of tech give you the sensation of riding class 5 rapids clinging only to driftwood? Well, if you’ve ever slumped at the keyboard, dazed and confused, have no fear…Santa Cruz has a superhero ready to spring into action and solve your tech challenges as swiftly as they arise. Every Tuesday from 6-7 pm Luigi Oppido zooms through the latest developments in tech--sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly. Check out this interview to learn about the young man behind the very fast thinking and fast talking Computer Man!

Luigi Oppido (top middle) with his former bandmates from Skinny Ricky and The Casual Encounters.

Youth have perhaps the strongest case for why congress and world leaders and local city councilmembers should act quickly on addressing climate change: They stand to bear the brunt of what's to come if the world does not reduce its carbon output.

I spoke with two organizers of a Youth Climate march and protest planned for Friday, October 29th about their demands and concerns. They are Lisette Jones and Bijan Ashtiani-Eiseman, two UCSC seniors who feel strongly that local action on this issue can go a long way in addressing this global issue.

In this segment of Talk of the Bay, I talk with Flora Lu, Provost of College Ten (Now Lewis College) and Sarah Woodside Bury about the renaming of the college and Lewis' legacy.

From UCSC's press release:

UC Santa Cruz advances commitment to social justice with College 10 naming in honor of John R. Lewis

The University of California at Santa Cruz announced today that College Ten—an undergraduate residential learning community founded on principles of social justice and community—will be named in honor of the late congressman and civil rights icon John R. Lewis.

Lewis was a renowned student leader in the civil rights movement who stood against racism with bravery, conviction, and organized action during many pivotal moments that helped pave the way for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Later, Lewis served for 17 terms in the House of Representatives, during which time he became known as “the conscience of Congress” for his continued commitment to justice and equity.

UC Santa Cruz Chancellor Cynthia Larive announced the naming in Washington, D.C., alongside Michael Collins. Collins was Lewis’s chief of staff for 21 years and is a representative of the John R. Lewis Trust, which granted permission for the naming. The announcement included live interaction with students, staff, and faculty gathered at College Ten. The official dedication of John R. Lewis College at UC Santa Cruz will take place in spring of 2022, after a series of events that will expand upon a campus-wide commitment to social justice.

“This is a profound honor and a great responsibility for UC Santa Cruz,” Larive said, regarding the naming news. “Our campus community must strive daily to live up to the legacy of Congressman John R. Lewis and to answer his call to create a more just and fair society. This urgent work of advancing social justice is fundamental to our work as a university and is continued by our alumni throughout their careers.”

Undergraduate students at UC Santa Cruz affiliate with one of 10 residential colleges, each of which focus on different themes, including environmental stewardship, creativity, cultural identity, or in the case of College Ten, social justice and community. College Ten will be the first residential college at UC Santa Cruz to be named in honor of a person of color.

“We have a wonderful opportunity to deepen the alignment between our community’s aspirational and lived values,” said Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Success Jennifer Baszile. “The endowment that will be created with this naming will allow us to advance the experiential opportunities for students to enact social change-making. Congressman Lewis offers us all an inspiring example of student empowerment and institutional transformation that is certainly worthy of celebration.”

Bearing Lewis’s name will be a momentous calling for the faculty, staff, and students of College Ten to work in community in the pursuit of social justice, a principle to which Lewis dedicated his life.

“This opportunity to name the college for someone as inspirational as John Lewis is deeply humbling, and it comes with a major responsibility,” said Flora Lu, who is provost of College Ten and College Nine and a professor of environmental studies. “This will be about doing the hard work, individually and together, to aspire to meet the call of what John Lewis entreated us all to do.”

College Ten is the youngest and one of the most diverse of UC Santa Cruz’s residential colleges, and since its founding in 2002, it has been focused on offering programming and courses to help students become change agents for justice and equity. While UCSC undergraduates from any field of study can join College Ten, the college has a formal connection with the Social Sciences Division, which helps to support its work.

“The naming of John R. Lewis College really advances our driving motivations as a division,” said Social Sciences Dean Katharyne Mitchell. “John Lewis was passionate about social justice, racial justice, civic engagement, and democracy, and we are too. We strive every day to walk that walk, and this naming will be a very important moment to lift our aspirations even higher.”

To ensure the college is positioned to create new programs and scale existing ones that advance those values, a donor-funded endowment will support the college in perpetuity.

The future John R. Lewis College will seek new avenues for social justice impact while building upon College Ten’s strong foundations. The college’s curriculum and programs were designed from the outset to provide learning opportunities, both inside and outside of the classroom, that empower students with crucial skills, knowledge, and perspective to build a more just and equitable world.

“Our goal is to teach our students what it means to be a social change agent,” said Sarah Woodside Bury, senior director for college student life at College Ten and College Nine. “That comes with an understanding of the history and legacy of the hard work of those who have come before us, and it also means students understand that they have their own voice and agency to be the future of that change.”

Honoring a legacy of leadership

John Lewis’s own path to becoming a change agent began when he was a student at seminary school and Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. He learned nonviolent civil disobedience from Rev. James M. Lawson, Jr. and helped to organize the lunch counter sit-ins of 1960 with the Nashville Student Movement. The success of those early nonviolent direct action campaigns convinced Lewis of the need to get into what he called “good trouble, necessary trouble,” in order to drive change. He lived the rest of his life by that motto.

Lewis was arrested 40 times during the 1960s as he continuously put his life on the line to push for civil rights. In 1961, Lewis was one of the original 13 freedom riders who faced constant violence as they rode buses together in inter-racial groups to enforce the desegregation of interstate travel across the South.

His success in demanding change came not only from his personal courage, but also from his dedication to organizing. Drawing inspiration from Ella J. Baker and others, Lewis was one of the founders of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and was elected chair of the organization in 1963. In that role, he became one of the “big six” civil rights leaders who organized the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famed “I Have a Dream” speech.

Lewis was 23 years old at the time, and he spoke before a crowd of more than 250,000 to deliver a message of his own about the urgent need for action on civil rights. His words resonated with young people across the country.

“We must say, ‘Wake up, America! Wake up!’” Lewis called. “For we cannot stop, and we will not and cannot be patient.”

UC Santa Cruz Professor Emeritus of Sociology John Brown Childs was among the members of the crowd that day, and he said Lewis’s words left a lasting impression on him.

“For those of us who were young people at the time, he spoke directly to us, and it had a deep impact,” Childs said. “John Lewis was inspiring to me because he deeply believed in the reality of nonviolence and that, whatever we had to struggle for, the struggle must go on. And he didn't work in isolation; he reached out to the world.”

As the leader of SNCC, Lewis played an instrumental role in organizing the Freedom Summer of 1964, which sought to register Black voters across Mississippi. UC Santa Cruz Professor Emeritus of Sociology Hardy T. Frye, who passed away in June, was volunteering for SNCC in Mississippi at the time. At one point, he was arrested and spent several hours in jail alongside John Lewis. Frye later recalled that the experience “felt like being in jail with the Lord.”

Lewis and Hosea Williams also famously led the first march for voting rights from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. State troopers were waiting at the other end of the bridge and began beating the peaceful demonstrators. The violence of that day shocked the nation.

Afterward, Lewis, who suffered a fractured skull, called on President Johnson to take action. The marches continued, and the movement grew. It became a major turning point that rallied public support for the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Lewis’s work ultimately made essential contributions to the passage of both the 1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act.

In the years that followed, he took his struggles for justice inside the halls of government. Lewis served 17 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives for Georgia’s 5th District, where he remained a constant guardian and advocate for civil rights and voting rights. The proposed John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021—which seeks to protect and strengthen elements of the 1965 Voting Rights Act—was named in recognition of Lewis’s impact.

As a legislator, Lewis never lost sight of the value of direct action. He set an example for other elected officials by standing up for what he believed was right. He was arrested in Washington on several occasions, including for protesting against apartheid in South African and genocide in Darfur and advocating for immigration reform. He also led a sit-in in the House of Representatives in an effort to force action on gun-control legislation in the aftermath of the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting.

President Barack Obama, who awarded Lewis the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011 for a lifetime of service, characterized his impact by saying:

“Generations from now, when parents teach their children what is meant by courage, the story of John Lewis will come to mind—an American who knew that change could not wait for some other person or some other time; whose life is a lesson in the fierce urgency of now.”

Lewis passed away on July 17, 2020, but before his death, he reached out across generations to lend his support to new waves of activism around the Black Lives Matter movement, climate change and environmental justice, and other struggles for the future. Lewis always hoped and believed that today’s young leaders would carry the fight for liberty forward, in their own way. In his 2017 book, Across That Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America, Lewis left behind a message that will resonate long into the future.

“Freedom is the continuous action we all must take,” he wrote. “And each generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just society."

Michael Collins, Lewis’s former chief of staff and a representative of his trust, hopes the students, faculty, and staff of the future John R. Lewis College will play a part in making that vision a reality.

“On behalf of the John R. Lewis family, we are deeply grateful for this distinguished honor and tribute to the legacy of Congressman Lewis,” he said. “It is our hope that through the naming of the John R. Lewis College, we will inspire a future generation of ‘good trouble’-makers that our country and world deserve. Through such steps, we continue to build upon ‘the beloved community’ the Congressman fought so hard to advance."

-----SIDEBAR-----

College Ten cultivates change-makers

College Ten hosts a wide variety of programs that support students in advancing social justice and building community. To learn more about the initiatives highlighted below—and many others—please visit the college’s website.

Practical Activism Conference: This student-organized annual event highlights pathways for change, from voting and civic engagement to nonviolent protest. In 2021, the keynote speaker was renowned educator and social justice activist Dr. Angela Davis, a UCSC distinguished professor emerita. Workshops addressed themes including global youth activism, Black Lives Matter, and the effects of COVID-19 on BIPOC communities.
Transcommunal Peace Making: In partnership with Barrios Unidos and the Cemanahuac Cultural Group at Soledad Correctional Training Facility, this course brings together undergraduates and incarcerated men to learn with and from each other about peacemaking, solidarity, and unity through difference.
Campus/Community Partnerships: The Apprenticeship in Community-Engaged Research, or (H)ACER, teaches students how to address injustices through research methods that facilitate the co-creation of knowledge. College Ten also features a volunteer club called PRAXIS and an Alternative Spring Break program in partnership with organizations in Watsonville and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UCSC.
Building Student Leadership and Skills: The College Ten Social Justice & Community Leadership Certificate is awarded at commencement to students who engaged in consistent and sustained leadership linked to the college’s theme. Upper-division College Ten students can also apply to teach the college’s Social Justice Issues Workshop, where students deepen their understanding of social justice, learn how to foster constructive dialogue, and undertake an action project.

Exit Interview with Santa Cruz Police Chief Andy Mills Tuesday at 5pm on Talk of the Bay. Santa Cruz Police dropped a civic bombshell recently: Andy Mill is leaving Surf city for the desert confines of Palm Springs. Mills has offered an exclusive interview to Talk of the Bay. Host Chris Krohn strolls with Chief Mills from city hall to Pacific Ave. all the way to the Benchlands homeless camp. Mills discusses his sometimes contentious relationship with city councilmembers, alcohol consumption in Santa Cruz, loud motorcycles, and the effects the pandemic has had on the police department and their low vaccination rate (70%). Come and hear Mills’ solutions to the “unhoused." Is he willing to see the police budget cut to address the homeless crisis that his officers are not trained to do? The Chief’s responses may surprise you. This week on Talk of the Bay: SCPD’s Chief Andy Mills gets an exit interview.

KSQD is community radio---whether it’s music or talk, much of the programming streaming your way on 90.7 FM is created by community volunteers offering their expertise for the sheer love of doing what they do. But, who are the people running the studio, spinning the tunes, and sharing tales with local and national personalities? Their stories will likely surprise and delight you.

For over 40 years Nicholas has been a local DJ broadcasting over the Santa Cruz airwaves various classical programs with a mission to not only delight the ear and heart, but also to showcase the local, the unique, and the obscure, encouraging listeners to experience classical music as an accessible art form to light up our moments with joy and exuberance.

Nicholas studied music at Cabrillo College, UCSC and until recently, served on the board of the Baroque Music Festival.

Just like the classical music he champions, Our journey with Nicholas Mitchell will be filled with connections to history and inspirations from a time when the human mind was only beginning to conjure the scientific brilliance that would speed up our world and launch us into the modern age.

Podcast: In our Time with Melvynn Bragg: The Lunar Society

MUSIC FEATURED IN THIS INTERVIEW:

Joseph Hayden String Quartet, Opus 76, No. 1: Carl Nielson Competition

John Cage, Alexi Lubimov: In a Landscape

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Opus 125. Wiener Philharmonic. Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt Conducting.

Chopin: Nocturne No. 19 in E Minor, Opus 72, N0. 1 Benjamin Grosenor

Keith Jarret: Koln Concert (January 24, 1975)

The Queen's Gambit episode 7 Soundtrack Choir

Nicholas Mitchell

Local organization Save Our Shores was formed as a grassroots effort to oppose offshore oil drilling in 1978, and their work became unexpectedly topical with the Southern California Huntington Beach pipeline incident that is still being cleaned up. With around 1200 oil rigs still working off the coast of California, Executive Director Erica Donnelly-Greenan explains that the work to transition our society to green energy sources must be a community effort. And it's not just an issue of making our beaches prettier and saving wildlife. We are all now much more aware than ever how connected humans are to the environment and each other. The Covid epidemic laid bare how human behavior affects our habitat, and how the behavior of humans seemingly unconnected with us affects our ecosystem and our own lives.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Donnelly-Greenan makes the connections between us clear, from how we can help wild animals to the work her organization is doing with other agencies to mitigate the effects of homelessness on our beaches. Listen in!

Resources referenced in this show: * Save Our Shores * Oiled Wildlife Care Network * Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary * Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary * Sign up to attend Waves & Wildlife

Natasha Erskine is the Organizing Director of About Face: Veterans Against War.

Natasha is a US Air Force combat Veteran who served 20 years on active duty. She brings a myriad of organizing and logistics experience having been assigned across major commands and joint assignments. Her final assignment was HQ, USAF Special Operations Command as the Osprey Weapons Systems Support Manager. This is where she became fully disillusioned and began organizing in the community. Natasha is based in her hometown of Chicago.

About Face is made up of post-9/11 service members and veterans organizing to end a foreign policy of permanent war and the use of military weapons, tactics, and values in communities across the country. As people intimately familiar with the inner workings of the world’s largest military, they use their knowledge and experiences to expose the truth about these conflicts overseas and the growing militarization in the United States.

In the image above, Natasha is on the right, accompanied by other staff members of About Face.

In this episode, I talk with author and historian, Geoffrey Dunn about his family's history, the evolution of journalism locally, and the earthquake, among other things.

Geoffrey Dunn is an award-winning author and documentary filmmaker with more than three decades experience as an investigative reporter. A contributor to The Huffington Post, where he has broken several national stories since the 2008 presidential campaign, Dunn has also served as a Senior Editor for Metro Newspapers in Northern California, where he has garnered awards for investigative journalism from the National Newspaper Association, the California Newspaper Publishers Association, and the Peninsula Press Club. His books include the Amazon bestseller “The Lies of Sarah Palin: The Untold Story Behind Her Relentless Quest for Power,” “Santa Cruz Is In the Heart,” and “Chinatown Dreams: The Life and Photographs of George Lee.” He also contributed a significant chapter to “Una Storia Segreta: The Secret History of Italian American Evacuation and Internment During World War II.” His documentary films include the award-winning “Calypso Dreams,” “Miss…or Myth?,” “Chinese Gold,” and “Dollar a Day, 10¢ a Dance.” Dunn received a B.A. in politics, as well as an M.A. and Ph.D. in sociology, from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he has taught courses in documentary film, nonfiction writing and American political history and culture. He received an Excellence in Teaching Award there in 2000. Dunn was raised in the Santa Cruz Italian fishing community and worked in the Pacific Coast fishery industry until the mid-1980s.

Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, October 19 at 5 PM.

Can community activists still be activists after they’re elected to public office? When former community organizers get elected, good things can happen. Avowed socialist and now Redwood City councilmember Lissette Espinoza-Garnica is a first-gen, queer, non-binary proud ChicanX, an open abolitionist and a democratic socialist and she is shaking up local government. James Coleman ran on an unapologetically progressive platform and won a seat to become the youngest member ever to be elected to the South San Francisco city council. In 2020, Alex Lee, then 25, became the youngest member to be elected to the California State Assembly since 1938. Lee was endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America and Bernie Sanders is a political hero. How do these community activists exercise their progressive vision while now occupying municipal and state government?

Tune into Talk of the Bay and find out. Your host Chris Krohn will press these activist elected officials on the difficult issues facing California: housing, homelessness, and climate change.

A big K-Squid thank you to everyone who entered our K-Squid Jingle Contest. Runners up will receive a KSQD bumper decal, and our winners will get a hat or shirt. Everyone is a winner at KSQD because we like to have fun.

Winners

K-Squidin' - Mike Curtis
Squid in Ear - Ray Newkirk
It Pays to be Educated - Elizabeth Johnson

Honorable Mention

Sometimes I Feel Like a Squid - Michael Funari

I'm Gonna Listen to the Squid - Matt Pierce on kazoo

KSQD is the place to Be - Alene Smith

You Can Hear Everything, You Know - Rachel Anne Goodman

We Got the Beat - Steve Korane

In the Santa Cruz mountains, October is crush time. What does that mean? Find out with this short radio postcard from Pelican Ranch Winery. Featured are cellar assistant, Neil Abel and owner, Phil Crews.

In this interview, we speak with filmmaker Jon Silver, whose film Foodie for the People, featuring Joseph Schultz, premiers in Santa Cruz next week.

https://vimeo.com/412403397/d316c98435?fbclid=IwAR07_1PI2PNcPAYVKstFSuCIzdOK3sj162b8sG9bt6ZBCO63yLOkLsPQb-o

Tickets for the second showing: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/foodie-for-the-people-movie-screening-tickets-190722214277?aff=erelpanelorg

What does it take to run a one-school district? In Santa Cruz County, we have three of these little hold-outs from a simpler time and two of them have brand-new principal/superintendents. Host Suki Wessling is joined by Michelle Stewart of Happy Valley Elementary and Megan Tresham of Mountain Elementary to talk about the joys and tribulations of managing education the way it used to be done. Two female first-time superintendents, two tiny districts only minutes from two parts of our county—in the middle of a pandemic. Stewart and Tresham have a lot to discuss, from watching children stick out their tongues at them while meeting with state representatives to rescuing classrooms from black widows and mice. It's all in a day's work when the superintendent is the principal, and sometimes the playground monitor or the reader for story hour.

Talk of the Bay goes all Artsy & Housey

Tuesday, October 12th, during the first half of Talk of the Bay, Chris Krohn your host will be talking with Santa Cruz Artists Russell Brutsche and Beloved Bolton. It will be a celebration of Open Studios, Santa Cruz County. How does an artist get into Open Studios and how do they prepare? For 35 years Open Studios Santa Cruz has been connecting artists with the public. Open Studios Director, Ann Ostermann, will also be in the radio house. She’s been directing the program for almost 20 years.There is one weekend left and Talk of the Bay will delve into Open Studio's origins and current reality tomorrow at 5p. During the second half, Chris speaks with Josh McAllister, a Santa Cruz civil engineer affiliated with Santa Cruz Empty Home Tax campaign (https://emptyhometax.org/), which is a community driven ballot initiative to increase affordable housing options in the city of Santa Cruz by raising funds to create affordable housing through a parcel tax on empty homes.

In this interview, I speak with Gina Dent and Rachel Nelson about this new grant and what it will accomplish.

Rachel Nelson, PhD, is director of UC Santa Cruz Institute of the Arts and Sciences (IAS)

$1.9 million Mellon Foundation award to support UC Santa Cruz’s ‘Visualizing Abolition’ initiative

Visualizing Abolition is an ongoing public scholarship initiative undertaken through the UC Santa Cruz Institute of the Arts and Sciences, designed to foster creative research and to shift the social attachment to prisons through art and education.

Santa Cruz, Calif. — The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded a $1,977,000 grant to support Visualizing Abolition, the nation’s most ambitious and sustained art and prison abolition initiative, led by UC Santa Cruz Feminist Studies Professor Gina Dent, and Rachel Nelson, Director of the Institute of the Arts and Sciences.

The funding provides three years of support for the development of new work by artists, musicians, humanists, and other researchers. Programs will include public online and in-person events, art exhibitions, postdoctoral fellowships, a faculty working group, and curriculum development that reaches across prison borders.

Visualizing Abolition launched in fall 2020 at UC Santa Cruz to examine the ways people see and understand issues of mass incarceration, detention, and policing in the United States and abroad, challenging the prevailing social, economic, and political worldviews that prisons promote.

“Over the last, tumultuous year, we have created art exhibitions and online events bringing together artists and scholars to engage with the issue of prisons, carcerality, and abolition,” Dent said. “What we have come to understand is that there is a strong cultural attachment to prisons despite all the data that prove they perpetuate inequities and fail to make people safe.”

“Our goal with ‘Visualizing Abolition' is to emphasize the roles art, music, and culture can play in a different mode of knowing, enabling us to move towards a more just future. This funding from the Mellon Foundation bolsters our efforts and gives us the resources to build something lasting at UC Santa Cruz. We are so appreciative.”

“We are beyond grateful to the Foundation for this support.” Dr. Nelson added. “It’s especially thrilling to be able to continue this incredibly meaningful collaboration between the arts and humanities. The Institute of the Arts and Sciences was created in the Arts Division with the belief that the arts can bring together people from across the campus and in our communities around shared social justice concerns. Partnering with Prof. Dent last year, we were able to highlight UC Santa Cruz’s long and important commitment to prison abolition across the disciplines by featuring the work of current and emeriti faculty in the social sciences, arts, and humanities along with that of many collaborators. It’s gratifying now to be able to cultivate new creative research and teaching on art and abolition through exhibitions and educational endeavors that cross prison borders.”

The award funds a range of exhibitions and programming for the campus community and larger publics. A partnership with the San José Museum of Art, the largest contemporary art museum in Silicon Valley, will help to ensure the program’s reach.

“This is a transformative gift for UC Santa Cruz,” Chancellor Cynthia Larive said. “‘Visualizing Abolition’ is poised to be one of the largest, most expansive public scholarship initiatives ever on art and prison abolition. This award allows us to increase the impact and visibility far beyond our university of the important scholarship unfolding on our campus about incarceration and social justice.”

In this interview, I speak with professor Chris Benner about a new book he co-authored with Manuel Pastor.

Traditional economics is built on the assumption of self-interested individuals seeking to maximize personal gain. This is far from the whole story, however: sharing, caring and a desire to uphold the collective good are also powerful individual motives. In a world wracked by inequality, social divisions, and ecological destruction, can we build an alternative economics based on our mutual co-operation?

In this book Chris Benner and Manuel Pastor invite us to imagine and create a new sort of solidarity economics – an approach grounded in our instincts for connection and community – and in so doing, actually build a more robust, sustainable, and equitable economy. They argue that our current economy is already deeply dependent on mutuality, but that the inequality and fragmentation created by the status quo undermines this mutuality and with it our economic wellbeing. They outline the theoretical framing, policy agenda, and social movements we need to revive solidarity and apply it to whole societies. Thursday, November 4, 2021 4:00-5:30pm PT (7:00-8:30pm ET)

Join us for an event with prominent national policy advocates and social movement leaders in conversation with Chris Benner and Manuel Pastor on their forthcoming book Solidarity Economics: Why Mutuality and Movements Matter.

Register Now

Event registrants will receive a link to download a free copy of the e-book.

To pre-order your hardcopy of the book visit Bookshop Santa Cruz or Polity Books.

Solidarity Economics is an economic frame that recognizes that people are not just individuals, but also members of broader social groups and communities; that people are motivated not just by self-interest, but also by caring for others and a desire for belonging; and that we can and should build our economy not on an embrace of individuality and competition, but rather on a sense of the commons and our shared destiny. This conversation delves deeply into the concept of Solidarity Economics, its meaning and how to enact change that is real in terms of policy and power. It also discusses how we can expand the notion of Solidarity Economics in our movements and how Solidarity Economics can provide a useful framework to change the narrative of OUR economy.

Co-sponsored by: UCSC Institute for Social Transformation and USC Dornsife Equity Research Institute.

Richard Heinberg is a Senior Fellow-in-Residence of the Post Carbon Institute, and is regarded as one of the world’s foremost advocates for a shift away from our current reliance on fossil fuels. He is the author of fourteen books, including seminal works on society’s current energy and environmental sustainability crisis, including The Party’s Over, Powerdown, Peak Everything, The End of Growth, and the newly published Power: Limits and Prospects for Human Survival (New Society Publishers). His work has been featured in Leonard DiCaprio’s documentary, The 11th Hour, and in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Forbes, the Christian Science Monitor, Grist, GreenBiz, UTNE Reader, Yes! Magazine, and Wired.

Richard wrote and narrated Post Carbon Institute’s animated video 300 Years of Fossil Fuels in 300 Seconds (winner of YouTubes’s DoGooder 2011 Video of the Year Award), which has benn viewed by nearly two million people and translated into multiple languages. He is also the author and narrator of Post Carbon Institute’s 22-video Think Resilience online course.

On Talk of the Bay, Monday, October 4, 2021, Christine Barrington drops Behind the Mic with Jinx Deruisa, co-host of Sunday morning's Heritage Gospel Uplift.

KSQD is community radio---whether it’s music or talk, much of the programming streaming your way on 90.7 FM is created by community volunteers offering their expertise for the sheer love of doing what they do. But, who are the people running the studio, spinning the tunes, and sharing tales with local and national personalities? Their stories will likely surprise and delight you.

Have a listen to discover the tapestry world of Jinx Deruisa from her childhood roots deep in the world of Jazz to her continental meanderings across the globe to her insightful take of life in Santa Cruz where she lives and shares her gifts with those lucky enough to cross her path.

If you would like to experience Jinx's Gospel curating magic tune in every other Sunday (Jinx co-hosts Heritage Gospel Uplift with Miss Gee) from 11-1 at 90.7 FM or livestream at KSQD.org. If you miss a show you can also catch the past two week's broadcasts in our archive.

Songs featured in this interview:

Glory: The Fisk Jubilee Singers; Loves Me Like a Rock: The Dixie Hummingbirds; Heaven is my Home: The Soul Stirrers; Respect Yourself: The Staple Singers; Precious Memories: Rosetta Tharp; Feeling Good: Nina Simone; Let There be Peace: Mahalia Jackson; Amazing Grace: The Blind Boys of Alabama

Peter Weiss, also known as the Singing Scientist, has worked at UCSC since 2009. He is a Lecturer in Dept of Chemistry, Faculty Researcher in Dept of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology. He has published many papers on the topic of Mercury as a Global Pollutant and his research has been featured on many media outlets including National Geographic, Scientific American, Al Jazeera, and local Bay Area TV stations. Peter currently has funding for mercury research in California from the US Department of Agriculture and the US Bureau of Reclamation to investigate the sources and transformations of mercury, its impacts in fish and aquatic species, and ultimately, in humans.

Peter’s creative outlet is playing music that educates and uplifts people. He started performing as the Singing Scientist over a decade ago to combat environmental illiteracy and connect with kids (that happened to be the age of his own kids at that time...). He has performed at the Kate Wolf and Strawberry music festivals in addition to schools, libraries, and community events around the SF and Monterey Bay areas.

Peter's musical partners (The Earth Rangers) are just as committed to the environment as he is, love kids, and they are stellar singers. Scuba Ron Goodman works as a data scientist and also directs the Santa Cruz Virtual Singer Pandemic Choir. Green Gail Swain is a member of the Healer Trio musical group and Music Director at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Santa Cruz County.

In this interview, I speak with Maria Cadenas of SC Community Ventures and Dr. Sepi Tagvaei, chief dental office at Dientes Clinic about this program to improve dental health in children while giving them a college savings account early in life.

A Santa Cruz County First: Children Receive College Funds for Going to the Dentist

Dientes and Santa Cruz Community Ventures (SCCV) have announced a new partnership as part of College Saving Month that provides up to $200 to help parents in Santa Cruz County get an early start on saving for their child’s college or vocational training after high school. The partnership, valued at $300,000, connects SCCV’s Semillitas program, which provides a college savings account to every newborn in the county, with Dientes’ oral health care to ensure kids get a head start on a bright future and bright smile.

Education and medical care are primary social determinants of health that affect a wide range of outcomes throughout a child’s life. Investing in both early on can improve their wellbeing and social-emotional development, which has been a proven predictor of increased academic achievement later in life. Studies have shown that children from low-income backgrounds with a college savings account are 3X more likely to attend college and 4X more likely to graduate from a university.

“One of our primary goals at Dientes is to make prevention more common than treatment and that begins when a child’s first tooth appears,” said Laura Marcus, Chief Executive Officer at Dientes. “Semillitas is giving parents in Santa Cruz County the opportunity to begin investing in their children’s health, education, and future from the day they are born, and we are thrilled to be a partner in this innovative program and provide incentives for preventative dental care along the way.”

There are three ways that Dientes will celebrate oral health milestones with gifts to a child’s Semillitas account: a child’s first tooth or first birthday visit, annual visit (ages 2-5), and sealant visit (age 6).

“We want all children to know they have the potential, health, and support needed for their success, regardless of where they come from or their family’s finances,” said Maria Cadenas, Executive Director of SCCV. “Together, we are working to help create a community with a vibrant future for our kids.”

Santa Cruz Community Ventures

SCCV, a nonprofit organization, partners with rural Latino working-class families in California’s Central Coast to implement transformational programs that ensure a shared and prosperous economic future for all. sccvonline.org

Semillitas

A program powered by SCCV, Semillitas provides a college savings account to all Santa Cruz County’s babies born after December 31, 2020.

semillitas.org

Dientes Community Dental Care

Dientes is on a mission to create lasting oral health for underserved children and adults in Santa Cruz County and neighboring communities. 97% of Dientes’ patients live at or below the poverty level. Dientes accepts Medi-Cal and offers sliding scale fees for uninsured patients.

dientes.org

In this interview, I talk with Karen Delaney, Executive Director of the Volunteer Center about ways you can get more involved in creating positive change in our community.

VOLUNTEER CENTER OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY TO HOST CIVIC LIFE TOWN HALL EVENTS TO INSPIRE POSITIVE CHANGE

Grant-funded Education and Action Events Will Feature Local Community Role Models to Empower and Activate Community on Local & Social Issues

September 27, 2021 – SANTA CRUZ – The Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County (VCSCC), connecting individuals, organizations and businesses for good since 1967, announced today it has been awarded a competitive grant from the Points of Light Foundation to implement a pilot program to inspire and activate all generations of residents to act for good in our community. The Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County is one of 10 communities in the US selected for the grant.

In 2020, Points of Light Foundation studied the state of civic engagement and how to convert good intentions into positive action. The research identified a “Civic Circle” to illustrate that an individual’s contribution to doing good in the community comes in many forms (including volunteering, donating, social media sharing, learning about a cause, making thoughtful purchasing decisions, voting.) The grant will enable VCSCC to host nine 90-minute sessions that will enable participants to learn, connect and act on each person’s power to influence their civic life and take action to support causes they care about. Panel members who are local activists or experts in each theme area will share their knowledge and experience to inform, inspire and engage participants.

The nine Civic Life Town Hall events will take place from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. starting Oct. 6. Participants will receive a guide to explore the topic prior to each Town Hall session, participate in facilitated breakout discussions focused on learning and action, and, following the session, each person will receive information about opportunities for engagement.

The theme of the first event on Oct. 6 from 4-5:30p.m. is “Voice” will take place over Zoom and will highlight various ways to effectively advocate for a cause. Panel members include Don Lane (he/him), housing activist, former Santa Cruz Mayor and City Council Person; Nallely Martinez (she/hers), arts and cultural activist for Arts Council of Santa Cruz County; and Adam Spickler (he/him/they/them), diversity activist, Cabrillo College Trustee, first openly Trans elected official in SC County.

Additional dates and topics include:

Via Zoom:

October 27, 4-5:30p.m. Service (life of service from local, national, international panelists)

November 17, 4-5:30p.m. Donate (donations that make a difference)

December 8, 4-5:30p.m. Purchase Power (how to make decisions to affect good)

*Zoom or in-person TBD: February 9, Work (employers who give back) March 2, Listen & Learn (diplomacy among those who don’t agree) March 23, Social Entrepreneur (businesses who give back) April 6, Volunteer (lifelong volunteers) April 27, Vote (make a difference at the ballot box)

*The first four sessions will take place via Zoom. VCSCC will follow COVID-19 safety guidelines to determine if 2022 sessions will occur via Zoom or in-person.

“These new town hall events are a unique opportunity for the Volunteer Center to give participants new tools for a path to do good in our community and connect them to people who share their passion for a better world,” said Trea Robinson, director of community engagement, VCSCC. “We encourage everyone to join us for one or multiple sessions to learn about issues and opportunities to make a difference in Santa Cruz County.”

For more information call (831) 205-9161 or visit https://scvolunteercenter.org/events-2/28675-2/

ABOUT VOLUNTEER CENTER OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

The Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County (VCSCC) has been connecting individuals, organizations and businesses for good since 1967. VCSCC engages with community partners and thousands of volunteers who connect meaningfully to help residents in need. In addition to volunteer engagement and placement, VCSCC currently administers 19 programs to support community need, seniors, families, youth, COVID-19 response, disaster response and government partners to make Santa Cruz County a happier, healthier place to live. For more information, visit scvolunteercenter.org and find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Esabella Bonner is a long-time Santa Cruz resident, entrepreneur, and visionary working to help bridge our local community. She has been active in making changes in our community by increasing awareness, amplifying Black & POC voices, exposing implicit bias, and working collaboratively with community leaders. Bella co-founded Blended Bridge, a local collective that aims to inspire and empower collective community. She is also the founder of Black Surf Club Santa Cruz which aims to promote both physical and spiritual wellness through surf and community for our Black and POC residents.

Thairie Ritchie came to Santa Cruz in 2008, when he began attending Mission Hill Middle School. He currently lives in Capitola and works in Live Oak and Santa Cruz.

Esabella Bonner is a long-time Santa Cruz resident, entrepreneur, and visionary working to help bridge our local community. She has been active in making changes in our community by increasing awareness, amplifying Black & POC voices, exposing implicit bias, and working collaboratively with community leaders. Bella co-founded Blended Bridge, a local collective that aims to inspire and empower collective community. She is also the founder of Black Surf Club Santa Cruz which aims to promote both physical and spiritual wellness through surf and community for our Black and POC residents.

Thairie Ritchie came to Santa Cruz in 2008, when he began attending Mission Hill Middle School. He currently lives in Capitola and works in Live Oak and Santa Cruz.

On Talk of the Bay, join host Suki Wessling in a conversation about how UCSC's Humanities Institute is nurturing graduate students and a connection with the Santa Cruz Community. UCSC Dean of Humanities Jasmine Alinder says that students and faculty are happy to be back in person and adjusting to life on campus with masks and vaccination/testing restrictions. The university is moving forward in its attempt to rethink graduate education and promote a more holistic approach for their students. The Humanities Institute is a hub for new directions in research and teaching, cross-discipline collaboration, and public engagement. At THI, UCSC students can take part in such community-linked projects as The Deep Read and Watsonville is in the Heart, both of which nurture the connection between higher education and the community that it interacts with.

In the second half of the hour, graduate student and THI Public Fellow Morgan Gates joins us to talk about the exhibit that she co-curated at the Museum of Art and History, “Do You Know My Name?” This exhibit features the stories of a number of everyday people who influenced the culture and history of Santa Cruz in ways large and small. We're then joined by one of the people featured in the exhibition, Rhonda Harper of Black Girls Surf. Harper talks about her love of the ocean and connection with Santa Cruz, and how the experience of taking part in this exhibition affected her sense of connection with the community.

For more information: * UCSC's The Humanities Institute * MAH's "Do You Know My Name?” * Black Girls Surf * Listen to the podcast of a previous show about the UCSC-community connection, "Youth Action Network Gives Young Santa Cruzans a Voice"

Justin Wagner is the Director of Investigations at Everytown for Gun Safety, where he oversees the organization’s investigatory work pertaining to the gun lobby, the firearms industry, and extremist groups.

Last month, Everytown and the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) published a first-of-its-kind report quantifying at least 560 armed demonstrations that have taken place across the United States since the start of 2020, averaging more than one a day.

The report finds that: * Militia groups and militant social movements, like the Proud Boys and Three Percenters, are active in over 54% of all armed demonstrations. * 84% of the groups involved in armed demonstrations are right-wing actors. The main group actors include the Boogaloo Boys and their affiliates, the Three Percenters and associated groups, the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. * Nearly 97% of all armed demonstrations have taken place in public spaces, with at least 18% reported at government facilities, including over 100 armed demonstrations at capitol buildings and vote counting sites in 25 states and Washington, DC. * Between January 2020 and June 2021 there were more than 30,000 public demonstrations in the U.S. Of those, 560 are known to have included the presence of an armed individual (other than law enforcement). While armed demonstrations account for less than 2% of the total number of demonstrations, they account for 10% of all violent or destructive demonstrations. Armed demonstrations turn violent or destructive about 16% of the time, compared to less than 3% of the time for unarmed demonstrations, where the violence or destruction in any case does not involve firearms.

On Talk of the Bay, Monday, September 20, 2021 Christine Barrington hosts two locals who lost their homes in the CZU wildfire. The devastation to the soil and infrastructure, along with the financial impacts due increased demand and supply chain interruptions from Covid have exponentially complicated the rebuild process.

Guests Andy Fuhrman and Steve Homan share resources for navigating permitting and insurance hurdles based on their personal experiences.

Resources mentioned in this program:

United Policy Holders United Policyholders is a non-profit whose mission is to be a trustworthy and useful information resource and a respected voice for consumers of all types of insurance in all 50 states. We don’t take money from insurance companies. We give you the straight scoop. Guide you on buying insurance and navigating claims. Fight for your rights. For support with your claim you can contact them at: UPHELP.ORG

The Boulder Creek Recreation Department has been holding regular gatherings for those who experienced home loss. They have a local person as a designated United Policy Holder representative. You can contact BC Rec at this number: 831-338-4144

Micha Scott has performed on stages around the world as a 13-year senior member of the renowned Garth Fagan Dance. Ms. Scott was a teacher at the Garth Fagan Dance School in Rochester, NY, and has taught master classes and workshops for the company worldwide. While in the company she performed leading roles in many of Mr. Fagan’s works, including ‘From Before’, ‘Collage For Romie’, 'Transition/Translation' and the seminal collaboration with trumpeter / composer Wynton Marsalis, ‘Griot New York’. She has been featured in Essence, Time Magazine, and Dance Magazine, and as a soloist in the PBS televised series Dance In America.

Ms. Scott currently lives in Santa Cruz, CA and is deeply involved in the dance community there. She is Artistic Director at Tannery World Dance & Cultural Center (since 2011), resident choreographer at Mountain School (since 2008), a lead teacher in Tandy Beal’s in-school residency dance program ArtSmart (since 2016). and a dance instructor at Dancenter (since 2008). Over the past 11 years she has also taught at Motion Pacific, Steps, No Limits, International Academy of Dance, Kirby School, Mount Madonna School, Monterey High School, Seaside High School, Cabrillo College, and has held the position of lecturer in dance at Santa Clara University (2009, 2011, 2013, 2015), the University of California at Santa Cruz (2012), and at the State University of New York at Brockport (2000). She has showcased her choreography in a family show titled ‘MICHA SCOTT DANCES’ and is Artistic Director of Empire Dance Company.

Tannery World Dance & Cultural Center (TWDCC) facilitates a working home for professional world & contemporary dance artists, while providing dance education that is committed to access, equity, and excellence.

Tannery World Dance & Cultural Center’s (TWDCC) Mission centers around the work and development of the artist. Since our founding, TWDCC has made it a priority to foster a working home for artists to support themselves, develop a broad base of work professionally, and forge new ideas through community support and conversation.

In this segment I talk with UCSC professor Steve McKay about the extent of and solutions for the current housing crisis in Santa Cruz. During the Covid year, already astronomical rental prices in the area skyrocketed nearly 40%. What is driving the price increase might surprise you as might the solutions to this dilemma. Here is a link to his study, where he talked with over 1700 renters in Santa Cruz County. https://transform.ucsc.edu/no-place-like-home/

Steve McKay is associate professor of Sociology and Director of the UCSC Center for Labor Studies. His research has focused on labor, gender, migration, racial formation, and globalization. He is currently working on a book, based on historical and multi-sited ethnographic research, focused on the rise and reproduction of ethno-national labor niches in contemporary global labor markets. The book, focused on global shipping, is entitled Born to Sail? Race, Masculinity and the Making of Filipino Seafarers. Steve is also working locally in the Santa Cruz area on a series of community-initiated student-engaged research (CISER) projects: We Belong We Belong – Collaboration for Community-Engaged Research and Immigrant Justice; Working for Dignity – the Low Wage Worker Study of Santa Cruz County; No Place Like Home – The Affordable Housing Crisis Study of SC County.

In this interview, I talk with Dr. Wiebke Finkler about her new book of photographs of "charismatic megafauna" and the scientists who study them. Several of the photos of whales included in the book were taken here in the Monterey Bay by photographer, Scott Davis and local photographer, Jodi Frediani.

From polar bears to mountain gorillas, penguins to sea otters, certain animals capture our imagination. These are the animals that are mascots for conservation campaigns. But why these creatures instead of other equally endangered animals? The answer lies in their cuteness or charisma! Illustrated with images by one of the world’s leading wildlife photographers, The Science of Hope informs as it educates, describing the psychology and science behind our desire to connect with these animals.

On Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling is joined by a number of people involved with the local nonprofit Your Future is Our Business (YFIOB). Yvette Lopez Brooks, the Mayor of Capitola, is the new Executive Director. Morgan Matias, Product Marketing Manager at Roku, was the first YFIOB intern. Donnamarie Stahl is a California Certified Medical Assistant and teaches in the Harbor High School Medical Pathway CTE program. Her student, Kalia Vasquez, also joins us to offer a student perspective.

YFIOB offers local students the ability to learn about careers with career panels, job shadows, workplace tours, and mentorships. Since the restructuring of ROP into CTE (Career and Technical Education), YFIOB has been further integrated into our schools. Listen to learn more about how this nonprofit helps our schools teach students about careers while promoting equity and accessibility for all.

Learn more about: * Your Future is Our Business * Career and Technical Education pathways * The "What to Be?" radio podcast

Here at K-Squid, we love our ocean sanctuary, especially the squid who live there. That's why we were so thrilled to hear about this massive community-wide mural project, that will very likely include many images of our mascot, the squid. The organizers of this local/global ocean mural project were very excited to host the first Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans project taking place in Santa Cruz, California. From September 13-18, 2021, their team of regional and visiting artists will gather in Santa Cruz for one week to create a series of locally relevant public artworks to help spur environmental activism, while beautifying the town’s streetscape. In this interview, muralist and project coordinator, and the person responsible for bringing this project to Santa Cruz, Taylor Reinhold, talks about the impact the dozens of murals will have on the conversation about ocean conservation.

The public artworks will serve as educational tools and conversation-starters, addressing marine environmental issues relevant and of importance to the local community. The project's goal is to ignite ownership for the sustainability of natural resources and to build community around the common cause of protecting the region’s ocean and coast for future generations. For more information: https://seawalls.org/activation/santa-cruz-usa/

Then, we hear from survivors of the CZU fires in a short piece produced by the Kitchen Sisters.

Dr. David Guilarducci is the deputy health officer for Santa Cruz County. In this interview, we discuss the current state of Covid in Santa Cruz County and how vaccinations are going, masking mandates, and more.

Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, September 7, with Chris Krohn: The recall, affordable housing, neighborhood activism, and Big Money$$ This Tuesday’s “Talk of the Bay” is all about recall, affordable housing, neighborhood activism, and Big Money$. In the first half of the show, former State Senator and senate majority leader, Bill Monning will discuss why the recall of Gavin Newsom is so close. Monning represented the Monterey Bay Area for 12 years in the California Legislature.

During the second half hour, neighborhood activists Lira Filippini, Guy Lasnier, and Candace Brown bring their fierce pro-affordable housing and anti-corporate development activism to the airwaves. It’s a show we are calling: "Which way Santa Cruz? 2nd home condos or first-home Salvation Army tents?”

The Santa Cruz Housing crisis conversation visits the 831 Water Street project Tuesday right here on "Talk of the Bay,” on KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org Chris Krohn of the Santa Cruz Political Report will be your host.

In this episode of Talk of the Bay, I interview two UCSC researchers, Andrew Fisher and Ruth Langridge. Their focus is on groundwater and how to recharge it to better manage this resource for city and farm.

Groundwater is a critical resource in California, providing approximately thirty percent of the state’s water supply and significantly more during dry years.

There is no permit system for groundwater withdrawals and all landowners overlying a basin have a correlative right to pump with limited restrictions. The problem is that the groundwater withdrawn, especially during California’s periodic droughts, generally exceeds recharge, contributing to declines in groundwater levels in many areas with associated negative impacts.

Local management agencies, special act districts, and court adjudications are the institutional arrangements to manage groundwater in California. In 2014, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), established new requirements for 127 basins in, or vulnerable to, overdraft to develop sustainable management programs with increased state oversight.

The 32-mile Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line is a continuous transportation corridor offering tremendous potential for new mobility options for residents and visitors alike, according the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation’s (RTC) web site. The rail line is designated as active and spans the county from Davenport to Watsonville, running parallel to the Highway 1 corridor and the coast. It connects into state and other regional rail lines in Pajaro. In October 2012, the RTC took ownership of the line using voter-approved rail system expansion funding, which means the public now owns it.

During the years since acquisition there has been many voicing concern about the vision of actually completing a trail project with rail. The group, Greenways, has been working to make it a “trail-only” project, seeing the current rail-trail plan as untenable. On "Talk of the Bay" this Tuesday we have proponents debating both sides of the issue. Community activist and social entrepreneur, Bud Colligan, and RTC Bicycle Advisory member, Corrina McFarlane, square off against media and communications consultant and former 2020 SC city council candidate, Kelsey Hill, along with Friends of the Rail Trail member and energy manager, Barry Scott.

We are expecting a vibrant and no-holds barred discussion on "rail with trail” vs. "trail only." Other questions to consider will the Greenways proposal for a trail-only “kill the electric rail possibilities” as the local group, Friends of the Rail Trail, suggests? Or, should Greenways’ initiative make it to the ballot, will the voters choose a trail-only transportation future “for a fraction of the cost” as they are arguing? Tune in to Talk of the Bay, Aug. 31, Tuesday, 5pm. KSQD 90.7 and KSQD.org

This is the letter that County Supervisor Ryan Coonerty sent to Bonny Doon residents, alerting them to plans to place Michael Cheek, who stalked and raped a woman at gunpoint, in a local residence in Bonny Doon on Wild Iris Lane off Empire Grade. In this interview with Jeff Rosell, DA for Santa Cruz County, and Michael Geluardi, president of the Bonny Doon Elementary School board, we talked about why this placement is ill-advised and how this decision might be reversed. Background: In 1980, Michael Cheek, a Concord resident, visited Santa Cruz and violently abducted and sexually assaulted a Santa Cruz woman he met at Seabright Beach. After he was convicted, he escaped and violently raped a 15-year-old. He has since served time in various prisons. Regardless of whether the state believes him to be rehabilitated, placing him in Bonny Doon is bad for many of reasons.

First, Cheek’s only connection to Santa Cruz County appears to be that he raped a woman here. He has no family, no connections, or reasons to be placed here.

Second, Cheek will be on an electronic monitor reliant on wifi. Bonny Doon has limited internet access and frequent power outages making effective monitoring unreliable. This makes both monitoring and the ability of people to report criminal behavior limited.

Third, past reports from Cheek’s treatment team indicates that he is unrepentant, noting that his behavior is “intimidating,” that he is “ ‘hostile and demanding,’ and “does not see himself as a sex offender.” They also reported that, “Based on his history, and his behavior at Atascadero State Hospital to date, Mr. Cheek is more likely than not to engage in sexually violent criminal behavior in the future.”

Fourth, the Sheriff has limited coverage and slow response times to Bonny Doon.

Finally, Bonny Doon is a wooded area with many families who just experienced the worst disaster in the County's history. It is simply the worst place to house a violent sex offender.

Make your voice heard. Tell the state and courts that this location or any place in Santa Cruz County is unacceptable.

Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, August 24, with Chris Krohn Part I: California State Senator John Laird--What the Cal's Going On? Join host Chris Krohn and State senator and former Santa Cruz Mayor, John Laird for Part 1 on Talk of the Bay. The recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom will be the main topic. How did we get to this place? Does the Governor deserve to be recalled? Who should be the new governor should that happen? In the State Senate, Laird chairs and serves on a broad array of committees: Chair, Senate Budget Subcommittee #1 (Education), Vice Chair, Joint Legislative Audit Committee, Member, Appropriations Committee, Member, Budget & Fiscal Review Committee, Member, Joint Legislative Committee on Budget, Member, Judiciary Committee, Member, Labor, Public Employment & Retirement, Member, Natural Resources & Water Committee, Member, Rules Committee, Member, Joint Legislative Committee on Rules. Prior to his Senate service, Laird served as Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency under Governor Jerry Brown from January 5, 2011 until January 7, 2019. Laird also served as a member of the State Integrated Waste Management Board from 2008 to 2009. In 2002, he was elected to the State Assembly to represent the 27th District, which included portions of Monterey, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties, and was reelected in 2004 and 2006. While serving the maximum three terms in the Assembly, Laird authored 82 bills that were signed into law. Part II: Are Electoral Politics Still Relevant, with Glenn Glazer and Jeb Purucker In the second half of "Talk of the Bay,”we discuss the relevance of electoral politics? Can we please have a third-party option? Long-time California Democratic Party delegate and Santa Cruz4Bernie member, Glenn Glazer debates avowed socialist and DSA co-chair, Jeb Purucker. Glazer maintains that left alliances with the Democratic party keeps socialists and the left with skin remaining in the 2-party game. Running against conservative democrats and slowly re-taking the party is essential. Purucker argues you cannot take over the party without first actually organizing the working-class itself outside the party. "When you are registering people to vote Democrat, or working on taking over local central committees, you are NOT out there organizing working people around their own immediate concerns and interests; you are NOT building independent worker organizations such as tenant unions and labor unions.” Purucker is also a part of the DSA's labor working group and has been involved in labor organizing in Santa Cruz since 2007, both with the United Auto Workers and with the American Federation of Teachers.

Glazer once wrote, "We need to advance the policies that the next generation will need to survive, including Medicare 4 All, a Green New Deal, a viable minimum wage and a way out of massive student debt.” What leftist can disagree with that, but should it be done inside the Democratic party or by forming a third party? "Tune into Talk of the Bay” next Tuesday where political talk sizzles and discussions run deeper than the usual mainstream drivel.

Glenn Glazer Jeb Prurucker

Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, August 17, with Chris Krohn and Santa Cruz Councilmember Sandy Brown: No new sales taxes! There will be no sales tax increase this year in the city of Santa Cruz. Councilmember Sandy Brown recently cast the lone deciding NO vote. The city council majority was looking to place an emergency ballot initiative on the Sept. 14th Recall election for the Governor. Councilmember Brown wanted a significant amount of the estimated $7 million to go towards raising the salaries of the lowest paid city workers. Mayor Donna Meyers said "No Way!" and Brown cast her vote against raising the tax. Because this was an “emergency,” the vote had to be unanimous. Brown was standing up for workers, while the Mayor took a pass. Brown comes to Talk of the Bay on August 17th at 5pm to discuss why she rejected this sales tax increase.

In the past, adults thought that if they just told teens what to do, teens would make better decisions. It didn't work. Now, adults who work with teens are flipping the model. Instead of talking, they're listening. Instead of acting without input, they're waiting to find out what teens, especially those from marginalized communities, want and need. Enter the Youth Action Network sponsored by United Way. In this interview, Amanda Gamban, who is the Community Impact Coordinator for United Way Santa Cruz, details how local youth are building the new Youth Action Network from the ground up. With help from a grant co-sponsored by UCSC, the YAN is going to help local youth find their voices and create better communities for themselves, their peers, and their families.

Later in the hour, we are joined by Natalia Galdamez, a freshman at Harbor High, and Andrea Magdaleno, who is a second year student at Cabrillo College from Watsonville. Both are involved in the YAN Steering Committee that is determining how YAN will grow. They speak of their experiences in high school and in two youth groups that are involved with YAN, Jóvenes Sanos and Salud y Cariño.

For more information: * Learn more about the Youth Action Network * Are you a teen? Apply to join the Youth Action Network Steering Committee * Are you a teen? Apply to become a YAN General Member on SCCYVPT.org * Jóvenes SANOS * Salud y Cariño * Interested in learning more about the grant that made this possible? Listen to an interview with UCSC Sociology professor Rebecca London about the grant-writing process. * Positive Youth Development + Youth-Adult Partnerships + Hart’s Ladder of Participation * Youth Voice * Youth-Participatory Action Research

On Talk of the Bay, host Suki Wessling interviews Dana Ramsey, a nurse-midwife and holistic women's health practitioner, about women's health and fertility in Santa Cruz and beyond. Indicators of women's health in the United States show that we are well below the level of health achieved by other wealthy nations. Our numbers are even worse when race and socioeconomic class are considered. The midwifery movement, which was very successful in Santa Cruz, has helped increase positive outcomes. Ramsey says that local physicians are very supportive of midwives, unlike in many communities, and that Santa Cruz has a healthy working relationship between midwives and OB-GYNs. Because of factors beyond our control, Santa Cruz has historically had very little fertility care. Ramsey provides holistic care that starts with looking at the woman's lifestyle and working outward. She says that using research-based interventions in diet, exercise, and stress management, many women find that they don't need further interventions.

Listen to this wide-ranging conversation to learn more about local health, fertility, and how Covid has affected women's health. Learn more about Dana Ramsey's practice at https://www.nurturesantacruz.com/.

Sara Nelson is the Executive Director and co-founder of the Romero Institute and former National Executive Director and co-founder of the Christic Institute. Daniel Sheehan is President and co-founder of the Romero Institute and former President and co-founder of the Christic Institute.

A former TV reporter and news anchor, Sara Nelson was educated at Cornell University and U.C. Berkeley. Danny Sheehan earned degrees from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Danny has helped lead multiple lawsuits of historic importance, including three Supreme Court cases. Prior to forming the Christic Institute, he litigated a number of high-profile social justice cases, including: * Defending First Amendment rights in the “Pentagon Papers Case” (New York Times Co. v. United States) * Defending reproductive freedom (Eisenstadt v. Baird) * Defending First Amendment rights of press protection (In re Pappas: Branzburg v. Hayes)

In 1977, Danny was contacted by Sara Nelson, who was then the National Organization of Women’s (NOW) National Labor Secretary, and partnered with her and a coalition of activists to find out who killed Karen Silkwood, a young union leader working at a plutonium factory in Oklahoma who was run off the road while delivering proof of irregularities and safety violations to a New York Times reporter. The ensuing investigation and jury trial, on behalf of Silkwood’s children, won a record-setting $10.5 million judgment.

Encouraged by their victory in the Silkwood case, Sara and Danny, along with Father William Davis, formed the Christic Institute to combine their efforts as champions of social justice. At its height, it became a national organization with 50 staff members in five offices supporting hundreds of action teams. From 1980 to 1992, the Christic Institute litigated several landmark cases, including: * Representing victims of the Three Mile Island nuclear disaster (PIRC v. Three Mile Island) * Defending Catholic workers who provided sanctuary to Salvadoran refugees in the American Sanctuary Movement (U.S. v. Stacey Lynn Merkt, et al.) * Seeking damages from the KKK and American Nazi Party members for the murder of civil rights demonstrators in the Greensboro Massacre (Waller v. Butkovich) * Bringing charges against 29 people involved in the civil case associated with the Iran-Contra Affair (Avirgan v. Hull, et al)

Danny and Sara formed the Romero Institute in 1992. A law and policy center based here in Santa Cruz, the Institute exposes and implements solutions to serious threats to the environment, structural injustice, and human and constitutional rights violations.

Projects of the Romero Institute: California Green New Deal Lakota People's Law Project

On Talk of the Bay, Tuesday, August 4, 2021 Christine Barrington interviewed leadership members of Team Rubicon, a nonprofit that serves communities by mobilizing veterans to continue their service and leverage their skills and experience to help people prepare, respond, and recover from disasters and humanitarian crises.

Founded following the Haiti earthquake in 2010, Team Rubicon can list some impressive accomplishments that have accrued in the 11 years since their inception. Having created a network of over 140,000 volunteers made up of veterans, first responders and committed civilians, they have deployed over 800 operations nationally and internationally and are a trusted NGO by the World Health Organization.

Recently, they brought their magic to our region in order to assist the Boulder Creek Fire Protection District and the Pacific Skyline Boulder Creek Camp in implementing the district’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The Boulder Creek initiative coined “Operation Banana Slug” took place during the last week in July and involved some 35 Team Rubicon volunteers in creating shaded fuel breaks, felling and bucking dead and dying trees in the backcountry around the camp, and reducing fuel along the evacuation routes for the Boulder Creek area.

If you feel inspired to serve or wish to support Team Rubicon via donations, check out their website: Team Rubicon

This interview featured:

Michael Gorham is deputy director of operations for Team Rubicon’s West Branch, which covers 14 states. He served as an Army officer, deploying as an infantry platoon leader in Afghanistan and as a company commander in Iraq. Since leaving active-duty, he remains in the Army reserves, serving as a Lieutenant Colonel supporting disaster response operations throughout the state of California.

Robert Madrid is from Modesto and previously served in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. As Team Rubicon’s Operations Associate for the Northern California area, his role is to oversee the planning and execution of operations from the Central Valley to California’s northern border. His recent activities have focused on wildfire mitigation and COVID-19 testing and medical response.

Preston Barker served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a rifleman in the infantry and a motor transport line chief. He volunteers at the Vacaville Fire Protection District in Solano County as a firefighter and EMT, rope rescue technician, and swiftwater rescue technician. A volunteer with Team Rubicon since 2016, he served as the logistics section chief at the Federal Medical Station in Santa Clara, CA in support of Team Rubicon’s nationwide medical response to COVID-19 and continues to work in fire mitigation operations.

Morgan Rains has been a volunteer with Team Rubicon for just over 4 years. She has deployed on 27 operations domestically and internationally. She has been a part of responses to multiple hurricanes including Harvey and Dorian, wildfire response and mitigation efforts throughout Northern California, mobile COVID testing throughout California, and mudslides in Hawaii. A qualified sawyer, she leads chainsaw strike teams for fire mitigation and other operations and serves as a chainsaw instructor.

On Talk of the Bay, Monday, July 26, 20201 Christine Barrington delves Behind the Mic with Michael Bryant, Co-Host of Wednesday's Relics and Psychadelics.

KSQD is community radio---whether it’s music or talk, much of the programming streaming your way on 90.7 FM is created by community volunteers offering their expertise for the sheer love of doing what they do. But, who are the people running the studio, spinning the tunes, and sharing tales with local and national personalities? Their stories will likely surprise and delight you.

If Michael Bryant’s life were named after a Psychadelic Rock Bank it might be called The Bard and the Electromagnetic Neon Waves--he’s been sending out signals over the wireless expanse, telling stories through rhythm and song, for for nigh on 50 years. Michael has held just about every job one could inhabit in the world of radio and through your Central Coast listening history you have likely bumped into Michael’s vibe, whether you realize it or not.

After working at many stations, including KAZU and KUSP, he ended up lecturing at UCSC in Broadcasting as well as managing KZSC--when he retired as Station Manager after 15 years on the job, the station had been named the number one most popular college radio station in the country, by radiolocator.com.

Michael Bryant: Yesterday ..... And Today...

When legislators make what seem like helpful changes to education law, there are often downstream effects. This summer, the state has been debating AB130, which would make alterations to the part of the education code called Independent Study (IS) as a reaction to Covid-era educational concerns. But IS is used as the basis for a number of different types of educational programs that are out of the mainstream. Three representatives from these schools joined host Suki Wessling to talk about how their schools work, who they benefit, and how the rules changes would affect them.

Learn about Ocean Grove Charter School, an independent online charter, Oasis High School, a WASC-accredited high school that offers personalized learning programs, and Alternative Family Education, an alternative school that serves homeschooling families. Though all using IS to provide public education to their students, the students they serve and the way they provide their education is quite different. These educators make a strong case for the continued availability of flexibility and multiple options to serve the needs of diverse students.

For more information: * Alternative Family Education * Oasis High School * Ocean Grove Charter School * Article by Suki: "CA legislators want to restrict Independent Study. Here’s why that’s a bad idea."

Tribal nations, community and environmental groups in Minnesota have fought for six years to stop Canadian oil giant Enbridge Energy from building the massive Line 3 pipeline in Northern Minnesota, to take oil from Canada’s tar sands region to Superior, Wis.

The pipeline violates several treaties with the Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) people that establish their right to hunt, fish, and gather along the proposed route. The pipeline would cross 200 bodies of water, including the Mississippi River twice.

If built, Line 3 would carry hundreds of thousands of barrels a day of tar sands crude oil -- some of the dirtiest oil in the world -- and would contribute the equivalent of 50 coal plants worth of carbon pollution to the atmosphere. Its carbon footprint would exceed the entire state of Minnesota’s and, like Keystone XL, would extend the economic viability of the ultra-polluting crude oil source in a way that one expert famously called “game over for the climate.”

Lisa Swartz is a recent physics graduate from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She is the founder and former lead organizer of Divest The CSU, a grassroots campaign for the Cal State University system to divest from fossil fuels. She was connected to the resistance to Line 3 through the work of dedicated students in the College Climate Coalition (CCC).

Batya Kagan got her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies at UC Santa Cruz. She taught in outdoor science camp settings for 15 years and worked to restore sandhill ecosystems in the hills of Bonny Doon and Ben Lomond. As an active member of the steering committee for Transition Santa Cruz she organized community informational events, interfaith climate events and garden installations aimed toward resilience in the face of increasing impacts of climate change. She attended COP21 in Paris in 2015, working with an NGO that sought to give tools to activists to prevent burn-out during the famous signing of the International Paris Climate Accord. She has been an active member of Extinction Rebellion, a direct action international climate justice organization, and has been arrested at the Chevron Refinery in Oakland and Chase Bank in Santa Cruz in response to the inequities and racism that are embedded in the causes of climate change. Batya wrote her Master’s Thesis on the psychology of greed and how the relatively new practices of eco-psychology by professional therapists can reduce the addiction to increasing profits.

stopline3.org @honortheearth

"The state of the Houseless in Santa Cruz…are There Solutions on the Horizon?” with Kara Meyberg Guzman Kara Meyberg Guzman has done in-depth reporting on the homeless and houseless in Santa Cruz County. She brings her expertise as founder and Reporter for Santa Cruz Local to "Talk of the Bay" this Tuesday. Along with Meyburg-Guzman, on the show too will be founding members of Slug Shelter, Abbi Cundall and Conor Kensok. They will join the conversation on housing insecurity. They are part of a group of recent UC Santa Cruz graduates who are seeking to address the lack of housing for undergraduates and the scourge of housing insecurity within the collegiate community locally. Kensok and Cundall are co-founding presidents of Slug Shelter and seek to provide housing solutions for students who are on the brink of homelessness while in school.

Join us on "Talk of the Bay," this Tuesday at the 5pm hour for a lively and free-flowing discussion on this unfolding community issue.

Cotoni-Coast Dairies is an area of 5,780 acres (9 sq miles) located on Santa Cruz County’s coast north of Davenport. It was designated a national monument in 2017, and is the largest unit in the California Coastal National Monument. Just last month, the Bureau of Land Management announced an approved plan for public access to Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument.

Ben Blom is the field manager for the Bureau of Land Management's Central Coast Field Office. The Field Office manages approximately 300,000 acres of public lands across the Central Coast region, including the Cotoni-Coast Dairies unit of the California Coastal National Monument in Santa Cruz County. The Central Coast Field Office recently finalized a long-term management plan for Cotoni-Coast Dairies in June 2021.

Sara Barth is the Executive Director of the Sempervirens Fund. Sara joined Sempervirens Fund in 2016 after 12 years working in leadership positions at The Wilderness Society (TWS), most recently as Senior Regional Director for the Pacific and Southeast regions. Sara oversaw TWS efforts to protect wildlands around the country, including successfully preserving over 1 million acres of federal land in California, and she completed a major climate adaptation project for the organization. Prior to TWS, Sara served as an environmental advisor to U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer in Washington, D.C. Her other professional experience includes working for the National Wildlife Federation and the World Wildlife Fund on U.S. land and wildlife policy. Sara holds a B.A. in Biopsychology from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment.

Matt DeYoung leads the Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship (SCMTS) team towards its mission of improving and enhancing trail access here in the Santa Cruz Mountains Region. Matt first joined SCMTS as a volunteer on the Emma McCrary trail, then worked as a trail builder before taking leadership and transforming the organization from a club to a professional trail building organization. At one point or another he's done it all, and Matt brings a holistic understanding to everything SCMTS does.

https://eplanning.blm.gov/public_projects/120855/200302280/20026727/250032929/Cotoni-Coast%20Dairies%20Proposed%20RMPA-EA_chapters.pdf

Environmental injustice occurs when powerful developers locate toxic waste in poor neighborhoods. These populations often suffer from health issues from pollution already and are in less of a position to oppose these projects.

In Watsonville, at 511 Ohlone Parkway, a proposed development has neighbors alarmed as they found out that toxic waste from the former junkyard would be buried on site in a 35-foot pit. This contaminated soil was too toxic to be accepted at the Buena Vista Landfill, but was recommended to be shipped to a toxic dump near Kettleman City, California. Instead, the dirt from the surface will be scraped off and buried. Residents worry it will slide into the nearby wetland, home to endangered bird species, and may expose residents of the future development to lead and other contaminants. Bob Culburtson, former State Park superintendent and current homeowner spoke to KSQD for this interview. As of this recording, residents only had three more days for public comment to the Santa Cruz County environmental health staff member, John Gerbrandt.

On Talk of the Bay, Ellen Primack, Executive Director of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, joins host Suki Wessling to talk about the challenges of pandemic-era music programming and the amazing work that was done to bring together this year’s virtual festival. This world-famous festival of modern orchestral works usually brings top-notch musicians and composers to Santa Cruz. This year, the Festival has created a virtual presentation featuring new music along with video artistry and dance choreographed for the festival. The conversation includes choreographer Molly Katzman, whose work is paired with composer Gabriela Lena Frank’s music inspired by the California wildfires, and Gene Scheer, librettist for INTONATIONS: Songs from the Violins of Hope, composed by Jake Heggie.

For more information: * The Festival's 2021 Season * Historic Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music recordings available online * Violins of Hope * Composers in Conversation

Just in time for fire season, a high school student, Arul Mathur has invented a heat-sensitive fire extinguisher that operates without you having to be there. As impressive as his invention, Arul talks passionately about how he was inspired to invent this device when a fire threatened his home in Danville, California. Below is a video and his Kickstarter page in case you want to get in on the ground floor.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/arulm/face-a-self-activating-fire-suppression-device?ref=discovery&term=F.A.C.E.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_3HcY6exWc

Santa Cruz County is lucky enough to have many thriving farmers markets from Aptos to Scotts Valley. I talked with Nesh Dhillon, farmers market manager for five of those markets, about what's new, what's fresh, and how over twenty years he has learned a lot about local food and what gets people out and shopping for fresh fruits and veggies. The markets have become much more than a place to shop. They are a community gathering place that celebrates how our food connects us.

Houseless in Santa Cruz, Creditless on Front Street On this Tuesday’s "Talk of the Bay" Chris Krohn takes on two controversial issues. At 5 PM, where can the "houseless" be? First, it was a sanctioned camp on River St., but it closed. Then a camp sprung up behind Ross Dress for Less along Hwy. 1. Later, San Lorenzo Park filled up with tents and now, over 200 tents dot the Benchlands and San Lorenzo River corridor. Where will people go if the city forces people to move? In the first half hour, we discuss the fallout from the federal court case that left the houseless free to camp in San Lorenzo Park. But since Covid-19 infection rates have dropped, the same federal judge has left it up to the city of Santa Cruz when to kick campers out of the park. The pressure on the city council and city attorney comes from multiple sides: the business community, area neighbors, and homeless advocates. Where will people without a house be allowed to sleep?

At 5:30 PM, where can the SC Credit Union be? We discuss the potential sale of the Santa Cruz Community Credit Union building and property to a New York hotel developer. Most Community Credit union members had no idea a sale was pending until a petition began circulating. Now, more than 700 signatures have been collected calling for an emergency meeting between members and the SCCCU board. A venerable Santa Cruz institution is hanging in the balance while the anti-hotel message continues to grow. Is there a way out of this community catastrophe in the making?

Join us as we take on the biggest hometown community issues on Talk of the Bay this Tuesday, July 13th at 5 pm.

On Monday, July 12, 2021 Christine Barrington goes Behind the Mic with David Bean, DJ for Thursday's New Squid In Town.

KSQD is community radio---whether it’s music or talk, much of the programming streaming your way on 90.7 FM is created by community volunteers offering their expertise for the sheer love of doing what they do. But, who are the people running the studio, spinning the tunes, and sharing tales with local and national personalities? Their stories will likely surprise and delight you.

If you have enjoyed the world of radio on the Central Coast over the past few decades, you have been touched by David’s presence in many ways. And, ff you happen to tune your radio dial or click into a live stream of KSQD Thursday’s between 1-3 you will have the chance to experience the warmth and the generosity of David’s presence. But as you romp through the musical associations he curates you may not know you are floating on the proverbial tip of an ice berg. David’s life has been an epic adventure in the world of musical entrepreneurship with early successes that built and accrued into an international career. David helped pioneer music streaming services, headed legendary CTI Records, and started numerous successful ventures representing and promoting artists, and, a whole lot more. Have a listen and discover who lives and breathes Behind the Mic at KSQD.

In this interview David mentions the little Village Foundation, which supports budding recording artists. If you would like to connect with this resource use the link below: http://littlevillagefoundation.com

David Bean.