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Covello & Covello Historical Photo Collection Pacific and Cooper Streets, Downtown, 1894: This dramatic scene, including some guy up on that phone pole on the left, was taken about where Bookshop Santa Cruz, Many Hands and Pacific Wave now stand. See the Town Clock on the far right? This was after the big fire; they stopped making buildings of wood after this and went for brick. Then we had the big quake of 1989, and the bricks all fell down. Now they're making buildings of stucco. Bruce Bratton HATCHET BURYING, PART 2. To just about everybody's credit, the political talk I've been hearing is of the "let's all get along." "stop the insanity." "how about a big party" feeling. Let's hope we are now entering into a new period of city politics where we can work it out together. What I think is that it's a matter of developing trust between councilmembers rather than defending old positions. I was thinking the other night that Doug Rand would certainly be proud if we could only make a statue of all the melted-down hatchets that aren't going to be used anymore. For newcomers, Doug was the guy who coalesced all the groups in town during the last election in '98. He died and is sorely missed. BOOK TIPS. I never knew that there was an illustrated wall chart of Howard Zinn's The People's History of the United States. A great gift: teach those little sponges what our history is really all about (probably doesn't include Florida). While you're at Bookshop Santa Cruz looking at the Zinn chart, next look at Hurry Freedom, a children's book that shows the role African Americans played in our Gold Rush. For any historians out there, this book is actually shocking. It has many photos and is well written--and a perfect example of what Zinn talks about as our hidden history. SUCH SWEET SCIENCE. Jerry Hoffman just got back from ring-announcing a big kickboxing event in the San Jose State U. Event Center with Jimmy Lennon Jr., which in the fight game is a big deal. Jerry continues to sell out his twice-yearly Riot at the Hyatt matches in Monterey at the Hyatt Regency. He's got a jam-packed card (I'm learning the lingo) on Saturday (Nov. 25) at 7:30pm. Jose Celaya meets Beto Cisnero, Jesus Rodriguez meets Danny Lorenzo, Frank Aleman meets Travis Johnson, and Jesus Vega will meet the hell out of somebody to be announced. Jerry's still working on the women's bout that he features at each event. Call 688.1604 for tickets or email at [email protected]. SEACLIFF VILLAGE PLANNING. The Seacliff Village Plan Committee met last week and talked about the Board of Supervisors meeting on Nov. 21, when they will review reports from the planning department, the housing Advisory Commission and the Parks and Rec. Commission. They'll be working on a letter to approve an impact report for a Monterey Bay Sanctuary Visitors Center, where the State Parks utility yard is now. The SVPC committee is working hard to procure acreage in 2001 and do some grant-type work to raise funding. This is exactly the kind of ongoing project that will have enormous impact on our county, and there's a need for anybody who's concerned to get involved, and now--not later, when everything seems like an emergency. Call 688.7196 or [email protected] to get involved with this very active group. FAREWELL MOCKINGBIRD BOOKS. I just got word that Mockingbird Books out in Aptos in Aptos Village near the Bay View Hotel is closing. Matter of fact they've been selling their stock at great prices for the last four months! However, they still have "thousands of incredible books left, all at good discounts and perfect for holiday gifts." It was a fine bookshop, and it was even nominated for the Bookstore Hall of Fame because they had such a high physical quality of their inventory; however, there wasn't enough foot traffic. They're at 8045 Soquel Ave., Aptos; call Mark and Claire who own the place at 698.9113. A BRIEF VACATION. By the time you read this, I'll be in a mountain cabin in the boonies up near the Ishi Wilderness area, north of Paradise. Yes, I'll be alone and working to finish my book. All I can say at this moment is that Paul Ritscher of Devil's Tail Press and I have been planning it for nearly a year, and I have big hopes of finishing my part of it--details to follow. I'll be back in time for the gala City Council party on Nov. 28. HOT 'N' THROBBING. Paula Vogel won a Pulitzer and then wrote the play Hot 'N' Throbbing. It's about domestic violence, women's entrapment and how women have to contest, subvert and change the roles they've been assigned. The all-student cast is directed by Sarah Korda. Sarah, I happen to know, is Zoltan Korda's granddaughter. Alexander and Vincent Korda were Zoltan's brothers. In case you just got here, the Kordas directed some of cinema's greatest films. Zoltan did The Jungle Book (the Sabu version), Cry The Beloved Country, The Four Feathers, Drums, Elephant Boy and Sahara. Alexander Korda directed The Private Life of Henry VIII, Rembrandt and The Private Life of Don Juan. Hot 'N' Throbbing runs Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 3pm in Studio B-100 at the UCSC Theatre Arts Center. It's free--call 459.2787. STORE OPENINGS. Huge congratulations to Annieglass on its opening of Eyecandy and the new Annieglass stores right there at 109 and 110 Cooper Street. It takes more than normal humans will ever know to run a successful business. The same certainly applies to Palace Stationers and their new expansion into the old Sentinel Printing Company building (circa May 11, 1903) where Teddy Roosevelt spoke. (I was avoiding saying the former Crown Book Store for fear of over-glee). Both Palace and Annieglass are shining local examples of competing against the big box stores and deserve our support in every way. I'll definitely be at both openings in spirit. TEDDY ROOSEVELT SPEAKS. Talk about coincidences: Sam Leask noted my historic photo of President Teddy Roosevelt speaking on Pacific Avenue in last week's issue. Lo and behold, he comes across a book at Logos titled California Addresses by President Roosevelt. What was even more kindly, Sam gave me the book as a gift. Beautifully printed by the Tomoye Press of San Francisco, it contains every bully word in every speech by Teddy on his 13-day trip through California. He visited and spoke not only in Santa Cruz but also in Del Monte (spent the full day there), then on May 11 he spoke at Pajaro, Watsonville, Santa Cruz, Big Tree Grove, San Jose and Campbell. To read this many speeches by one person gives you a very different view of this president. For sure he talked about needing a stronger Navy, he'd never been to California before, talked numerous times about saving the redwoods and of course rarely mentioned women, because they couldn't vote. He did carry on about how he loved children. I'll read more of this and report further. MORE ON HISTORY. Geoffrey (a.k.a. Jeff or Geoff) Dunn is presenting a slide lecture on the work of local photographer and teacher George Lee. As you should know, there's an excellent exhibit at the Museum of Art and History of George's photos and memorabilia. George documented most of what we know of Santa Cruz's Birkenseer's Chinatown, which was over by Hobee's and the River Front Theatre. Dunn will focus on Lee's place in American photography. Get there early, because lots of folks want to know more about Chinatown and Lee, and it's a small room. It's happening Thursday (Nov. 16) at 7pm. Bruce critiques films every other Thursday on KUSP-FM at 12:50pm. Reach Bruce at [email protected] or call 457-5814, ext. 400. [ Santa Cruz | MetroActive Central | Archives ]