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Photograph from the Covello & Covello Historical Photo Collection.

SWISS DAIRY BASEBALL TEAM, 1946. I never realized that our North Coast's Swiss Dairy was so community oriented that it sponsored a baseball team. I have no idea who these guys are, but some of them look more Genovese than Swiss. Anyone have positive IDs on this photo?

Bruce Bratton

RETHINKING ANTI-SEMITISM. Plan ahead for this UCSC conference, which is subtitled "The Holocaust and the Contemporary World." It's happening at Stevenson College May 3-5. UCSC's Peter Kenez will give the conference introduction on Saturday night, and noted Hungarian film director Peter Forgacs will screen his film Danube Exodus right after that. More details to follow, but call 459.1225 for info.

MEDIA NOTICE. Most of the media people I know--and myself, too--aren't accepting or opening attachments to emails anymore, due, of course, to viruses and the length of time required to open and download them. There are still no problems with hard copy, except for meeting deadlines.

SHAKESPEARE SANTA CRUZ NOTES. The Karamazov Brothers are going to do a benefit for Shakespeare Santa Cruz on April 12--at the Rio Theatre, of course. They're going to reunite all the original Karamazovs for this one. If you missed them when they performed on Pacific Avenue, at the Spring fairs or on Broadway in New York, this is your big chance. Tickets will be available soon. Shakespeare Santa Cruz is doing Hamlet, The Comedy of Errors and Noel Coward's Private Lives, in case you forgot. Also, now's the time to think ahead and make plans to house visiting actors for Shakespeare Santa Cruz--or guest musicians for the Cabrillo Music Festival when it starts up later on.

KINGDOM OF SHADOWS. I grew up watching MGM and Warner Bros. musicals and loved every minute of some of them. Chicago is one magnificent musical. Not like those classics, but more like Cabaret and All That Jazz. It's got a corny, hokey plot, but it also has more creativity and great choreography than I've seen in decades. The three stars, who need no introduction, are fabulous and must be seen to be believed--don't miss Chicago. Do miss (at every chance you get) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days; you have better things to do with your money and time. Jackie Chan never gives up, and Shanghai Knights is the funniest film he's made in the United States, but his shtick is stale. Go only if absolutely necessary.

KUSP CHANGES. Bonnie Primbsch (rhymes with Tgzimbsh) and Rob Mullen co-host Open Road on KUSP on Fridays from noon to 1pm. They play sort of an acoustic Americana musical mix with spice-type music. I'm going to be doing my five-minute movie quips, reviewing two weeks of films (10-15 films) from 12:55 to 1pm every other Friday, starting this Friday. At 200 words per minute, that's 1,000 words, which is much more than I get to write on films in this space. Do tune in.

ABOUT OLIVARD'S PHOTO. Joanne Cecchettini of Bridal Veil Fashions and Geoff Dunn of Community TV checked in on that historic photo of Olivard's at the Wharf seafood place in last week's column. Geoff says Olivard's is the combined name of Joe Oliveiri and Tommy Edwards. Joanne added that the site was George Goebel's fish restaurant before it was Olivard's and tells us that Joe Olivieri still lives in Scotts Valley. Then she started to reminisce about the homemade french fries (chips) at the Dog House, which was part of the Ideal Fish Restaurant on the east side of the wharf.

CHINATOWN DREAMS. It takes a while to get through George Lee's photos to appreciate the words and work that went into this book. It's well worth owning, especially if you care about Santa Cruz history. There will be a booksigning at the Cabrilho College Watsonville College Campus, 318 Union St., on Sunday (Feb. 16) at 7pm. There'll be another signing at Temple Beth El Jewish Community Center, 3055 Porter Gulch Road, Aptos, on Feb. 27 at 7pm.

SHAKESPEARE'S TWELFTH NIGHT. Last September, Don Young and Jeff Towle led an eight-week discussion group about Shakespeare's Hamlet. Jeff teaches Shakespeare and literature at Cabrilho. Don used to teach at Cabrilho and also taught Shakespeare in London at the American Institute of Foreign Studies. I attended the Hamlet meetings, and they were amazing. Don and Jeff are starting another series of these free discussions about Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. There will be five meetings on Saturday mornings from 10am to noon. No fees, no tests, no papers, no grades--just the chance to enjoy to the fullest what Young calls "the happiest of all comedies." Everybody should have the same edition to make it easier: the Pelican Shakespeare available at the Capitola Book Cafe. Meetings are in the Aptos Library, and seating is limited. Call 662.0302--not the Aptos Library. I'll meet you there.

COOL COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION. The Santa Cruz Community Credit Union is so cool and correct that its new site on Front Street looks as if it will have dirt floors. That's pretty organic, if you ask me.

EXCITING NIGHTS OUT. New Music Works' "All Zorn Out," at the Rio this Sunday night (Feb. 16) at 7pm, features four John Zorn compositions and could sell out; call 459.2159 to charge tickets by phone. Joseph Minicello will present a very rare theremin concert March 1 at the First Congregational Church, 900 High St., Santa Cruz. Call 427.4545 for tickets and find out about Minicello's free theremin CD. Pisces Moon, the best of all local acting groups, is presenting Adam Bock's Five Flights at the Actor's Theatre on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm. It ran for five months in San Francisco and was named one of the Best of 2002 by the Chron. Tickets at 420.5260; I'd go if I were you. The Alexander String Quartet is world famous for playing Beethoven and Bartók. It will be at Holy Cross Church along with composer lecturer Robert Greenberg on Feb. 23 at 4pm. The program includes pieces by Ravel and Shostakovich and a commissioned work by Hi Kyung Kim. The seating is unreserved, so get there early. Go online to www.events.ucsc.edu/artslecs or call 459.2159 for details.

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From the February 12-19, 2003 issue of Metro Santa Cruz.

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