Now’s the time to count our blessings in a world that sometimes feels like it’s tottering over the edge.
One small thing I am grateful for are the little community libraries that have sprung up all over neighborhoods, giving away free books. At a time when everything seems transactional, it’s such a relief to see people helping each other with nothing expected in return.
Another thing I’m thankful for is living in such a rich and diverse artistic community. There is more music and art here than I can take in. This weekend alone I saw Alejandro Escovedo at Moe’s Alley perform a show that could have sold out an arena. The songwriting and performing were stellar. But the same weekend, I missed Bruce Cockburn and Built to Spill, lesser-known but largely talented performers in small places a short distance away.
I’m so thankful for our community’s teachers and schools. While we pay ungodly amounts of money to entertainers and athletes, the people who do our most important work–schooling our kids–get paid peanuts. It makes me sick, but I appreciate all you have done for our children. I wish I could do more than say thanks.
And I’m super thankful to the readers of Good Times and my other magazine, Growing Up in Santa Cruz. You all have given so much feedback, suggestions and ideas for articles, showing how valuable community journalism still is and always will be. There’s so much bad information and bad intentions out there, that local journalism is one of the last bastions for truth, justice…and you know the rest.
Lastly, I’m thankful for Dan Pulcrano, who publishes Good Times and 16 other weeklies and magazines. No one should work that hard or take on that much responsibility, but he’s bucking all trends, bailing out what can seem like a sinking industry, keeping the printed word alive and doing what he can to bring light into the world. Like all bosses, he can be difficult, but I have mad respect for his efforts and intentions, including donating all the labor and space for the charity, Santa Cruz Gives.
Brad Kava | Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
GOOD NEWS
Santa Cruz schools are moving to electric buses, big news for the environment. The Live Oak School District, which is phasing out diesel buses, unveiled its first electric bus last week. The acquisition of the new bus is in partnership with Blue Bird, North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District, and A-Z Bus Sales. The 72-passenger electric bus features lithium-ion passenger car batteries with 125 kWh total capacity, independent battery control that improves reliability and performance, the industry’s largest view-out window that reduces blind spots and enhances visibility, an innovative structural design that provides unparalleled safety, and more.
GOOD WORK
Two inmates at the Rountree Rehabilitation and Re-Entry Facility have graduated from the Building Trades Pre-Apprenticeship Program. Brian Sidwell and Kevin Allee finished courses in nine weeks involving skills in construction, plumbing and electrical trades.
“I feel comfortable now that I can get out and get a regular job to support my family,” said Sidwell. Sidwell and Allee earned MC3, OSHA 10 Construction Safety and CPR/First Aid certifications.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
The opposite for courage
is not cowardice,
it is conformity.
– Jim Hightower –
