EDITOR’S NOTE
GT tends not to have a “music issue,” per se, because we cover so much music every week. But if we did have one, this would probably be it. The funny thing is that we didn’t stuff so much music coverage into this issue because we were trying to make some grand statement, or because we were keeping to a theme. There was just so much happening this week, we didn’t know what else to do.
First, there’s Cat Johnson’s in-depth look at why, as it celebrates its 40th anniversary, Santa Cruz Guitar Company is producing some of the best instruments in the world. After spending some time with company founder Richard Hoover, you probably won’t look at a guitar—or maybe even just wood in general—the same way again.
This weekend is also the Santa Cruz Mountain Sol festival up in Felton, and I interviewed Sheila E., who performs Sunday, to mark the occasion. Known not only for her solo hits but also for her collaboration with Prince, she’s just released a tribute to him that’s extremely moving. With her up at Mountain Sol Saturday and Sunday will be George Clinton with Parliament Funkadelic, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and a lot more.
Also featured in this issue are locals punkers SA90, Americana favorite Wayne Hancock, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, and a local tribute to the late Guy Clark at Kuumbwa that should be a knockout. See you next “music issue”—that is to say, next week.
STEVE PALOPOLI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Read the latest letters to the editor here.
Awful Law
Re: “Is Prop. 47 Broken?” (GT, 8/24): I read Prop. 47 before I voted “No.” I’m in favor of releasing those incarcerated for victimless crimes (such as drug use, prostitution, etc.), which this proposition falsely hinted at addressing. I realized immediately the destruction to victim’s lives that would be caused by including petty thieves. Being a victim of these crimes myself in the San Lorenzo Valley, the resulting negative consequences to theft are: a feeling of personal assault, the inability to practice a trade without the necessary tool, the cost of replacing the items, and the impossibility of replacing personal items such as pictures, heirlooms, and no-longer-made knick knacks. Not to mention the raising of the grand theft denomination to $1,000, which isn’t petty theft to a poor person. Petty thieves were already being released between one to six months—barely a slap on the wrist. They would shrug it off as the cost of doing illegal business, and be back to their old ways as soon as they were released. Is it any wonder that they don’t worry about being caught at all under this Prop. 47 change? It leaves no incentive at all to grow a conscience to become a better person and member of society.
John Cosgrave
Boulder Creek
Market Values
Just finished the olallieberries article (GT, 8/31). So, the bottom line is external market forces forced the berry’s demise, not climate change. Just trying to “keep it real” as Randy Jackson used to say on American Idol.
Let’s not go haywire thinking any warming trend is man-caused.
Tom Legan
Wine grape grower | Corralitos
Online Comments
Re: Rail Trail
I agree with a lot of what Trail Now and their supporters are saying regarding the rail trail. There is, however, one small point to consider: Our transportation infrastructure in the county consists primarily of Highway 1, and is very centered around individual car ownership. The bad news is that climate change (caused in large part by cheap energy and cars) is here, and oil prices are likely to rocket up in the near future. The current price of oil is bizarrely low, and it will not stay like this. If we put all of our eggs in one basket (cars and highways), we may soon be really screwed. No, electric cars will not save us (they require too much energy to make and charge). For this reason, we need an alternative such as a train service running from one end of the county to the other—and more public transportation in general. Kudos to Trail Now for raising issues with the current plan. None of these issues are insurmountable, so let’s support a rail option because our transition to a fossil-free future will likely be made a whole lot easier with this infrastructure in place.
-Alex Yasbek
Re: METRO Cuts
The Santa Cruz Bus Rider’s Association arose to defend our public transportation. The old guard is working to protect the old economy by directing public into private companies, giving to cronies, and funneling our resources into their concerns and away from the base of the people.
— Elise Casby, Founder, SCBRA
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GOOD IDEA
BOOKED SMARTS
The slugs are inching their way toward elite status. UCSC was named the 30th best public university in the nation by U.S. News and World Report in their latest college rankings. It was number 79 overall on the list of 310 national universities, up from 82 the year before. It was also ranked 26th for best value colleges and number 17 on the list for ethnic diversity.
GOOD WORK
SPEED NEED
Santa Cruz Skateboards made the Guinness Book of World Records last week, when Kyle Wester broke the record for downhill speed, topping out at a terrifying 89.41 miles per hour at an undisclosed location on a steep, winding mountain road. Sporting a zip-up speed suit, Wester used a Road Rider board with Shred Mags wheels and Mob Super Coarse Grip Tape.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Quote of the Week “A strong spirit transcends rules.â€
-Prince
This CA DOT White Paper goes through the many factors involve in traffic systems. It shows little to no relief from alternative transportation while widening the freeway will affect a positive flow of traffic. “Induced Traffic/Demand” is just but one factor.
http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/tpp/offices/owd/horizons_files/NCST_WP_Travel_Demand_Draft.pdf
Factors Affecting Passenger Traffic Travel In The United States
Also, here’s the Governor of another “Progressive” State declaring Widening highway systems is to the betterment:
http://portal.ct.gov/Departments_and_Agencies/Office_of_the_Governor/Press_Room/Press_Releases/2015/10-2015/Gov__Malloy__State_s_Economy_Will_Benefit_Dramatically_from_Widening_Connecticut_s_Interstate_Highways/
Gov. Malloy: State’s Economy Will Benefit Dramatically from Widening Connecticut’s Interstate HighwaysNew Assessment Finds that Widening I-95 and I-84 will Yield Significant Economic Output
“This is about long-term thinking, about delivering a down-payment on our future. It’s not just about quality of life – our transportation system is directly tied to our state’s economic future and our ability to grow jobs. The DOT’s analysis demonstrates that by acting now, we will see dramatic benefits in the long-term. ‘Let’s Go CT’ is a dramatic draw for businesses, both those currently in state and those considering coming to Connecticut,” Governor Malloy said. “The economic benefits of upgrading our infrastructure come in the form of new business sales, new wage income to workers, and an increase in Connecticut’s gross state product. We need to build a brighter economic future, and it starts with fixing our transportation now.”