EDITOR’S NOTE
It’s been a week now since our Santa Cruz County vs. Monterey County issue came out, and of course I can’t stop thinking of things that we forgot to put in there. One reader wrote in wondering why we didn’t point out that our weather is infinitely better than theirs. “Ever been to Monterey in August?” he wrote. “Sheesh, it’s colder than San Francisco.” Also, I realized I forgot to put any surf movies like Chasing Mavericks—which is basically a love letter to Santa Cruz—in the Movies category. And seriously, we should have had a category for Sex Positivism, which we would have won hands down. I mean, Susie Bright, Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens all live here, for god’s sake!
We’re making up for that last one this week in our Valentine’s Day issue by profiling two Santa Cruz podcasters who are quickly becoming icons of sexual consciousness, Amy Baldwin and April Lampert. I’ve been all about podcasts for the last few years, and I just added their show Shameless Sex to my subscriptions. After reading Maria Grusauskas’ story about them, you might do the same.
Meanwhile, Sven Davis looks at a different, but no less important kind of love: the bond between humans and their ruff-ruffs. His insights are as Sven as you’d want them to be—and, of course, very funny. I hope this month brings lots of love for you and your significant others, no matter how many legs they have.
STEVE PALOPOLI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Read the latest letters to the editor here.
WE ALL WIN
County lines (GT, Jan. 31)? Some of us don’t see it that way. When I moved to the Monterey Bay area in December 1983, I expected it to be for the rest of my life. And so far, it has.
I am one of many of us who escaped Southern California—Los Angeles County to be precise. While I am pleased that there are improvements in L.A. since I left, I would never return there to live. Twice as many people live there now. Too, too many.
I have lived in Pacific Grove, Monterey, Salinas, Capitola and now, Watsonville. I was a renter in Pacific Grove and Monterey, a condo owner in Salinas and Capitola, and now a house owner in Watsonville.
I have lived in both counties, and I have never regretted it. I now live on the border of the two counties, just a few yards from Salsipuedes Creek, and less than a mile from Monterey County. What Monterey County lacks, Santa Cruz County has, and vice versa. But we live in a fabulously beautiful region that people who don’t live here would love to live in.
Don’t believe me? Listen to visitors in restaurants or shopping areas or any attraction we have. “God, I wish I lived here !” “This place is beautiful; you are so lucky to live here!” I have heard this so many times.
And then you tell them about the homeless problem and tell them the price of homes to buy or rent. And then they faint, mouth wide open.
I am grateful for the job interview at Soquel High School in 1977 that first brought me here. And I knew if I did not get the job I would return. And six years later, I did. There is a God.
Steve Trujillo | Watsonville
GRACIAS FROM SENDEROS
In this time of dire uncertainty for immigrants, we are so grateful for the Good Times support of Senderos in the Santa Cruz Gives holiday fundraising program. Your feature article on Nov. 29 highlighted the important pathways Senderos is creating with free dance, music and educational support programs for Latino youth and families.
In 2017, Senderos performed at 30 community and school events for an estimated 23,000 people. Sharing the rich cultural diversity of our region encourages understanding and boosts the confidence and pride of our participants. We are deeply grateful to Good Times, Volunteer Center, sponsors, and all the new and returning donors who gave so generously to Senderos and the other 32 nonprofits serving our County.
¡Muchas Gracias!
Fe Silva, Senderos Director
Carolyn Coleman, Senderos Board Member
Busted System
Re: “Vouch For ’Em” (GT, 11/1): It still has not gotten better. Landlords are still turning down vouchers left and right. People are losing their vouchers every day due to lack of landlords accepting vouchers and not getting extension notices ’til a month later, with each extension only lasting two months leaving you a month of nos. There should be an alternative.
Antonyette L. Fuller | Santa Cruz
CORRECTION
Last week’s news story on tiny homes (“Seeing a Shrink,” 1/31) misquoted Boxed Haus owner Todd Clayton. He had actually said, “I feel like an outlaw by trying to make a better world with a very decent product, a product people need, but can afford.”
PHOTO CONTEST WINNER
Submit to ph****@go*******.sc. Include information (location, etc.) and your name. Photos may be cropped. Preferably, photos should be 4 inches by 4 inches and minimum 250dpi.
GOOD IDEA
OPENING TIP
Soquel Drive in Aptos Village returned to being two lanes starting late Friday, Feb. 2. The repair project took several months to complete as the Santa Cruz County public works and Watsonville-based contractor Granite Construction, worked to fix a large slip-out at Valencia Creek. The Federal Highway Administration provided primary funding, with supplemental money from Caltrans. Local funds came from SB 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.
GOOD WORK
COUNTER WEIGHT
Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeffrey Rosell announced a civil law enforcement settlement last week against Walgreens for more than $2 million. The DA’s office, along with other district attorneys and Santa Cruz County Environmental Health Services, had found that Walgreens was charging consumers more than the advertised prices, and selling infant formula, baby food, and over-the-counter drugs after their expiration dates. The company admits no wrongdoing.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Straight talk is a virtue. Dirty talk is a goddamn blessing.”
-Kate Meader
