With co-president Elon Musk, or whatever his title is, championing the power of the hallucinogenic drug ketamine, we were very curious about its possible positive and negative effects. Writer Lucille Tepperman volunteered to try the drug in a controlled setting and gave us her impressions.
The good news is that there are professionals trained in guiding people on their trips of discovery here in Santa Cruz, unlike the old days when people simply dropped LSD and other drugs for fun and frenzy. In fact, one of the first group trip festivals—called the Acid Tests—was conducted at the Soquel grange hall, according to Tom Wolfe’s book, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. Music was provided by the band of rogues now known as the Grateful Dead.
Tepperman’s guides at Innate Integrative Medicine told her the experience is part of becoming “unstuck from circular repetitive thinking and releasing old patterns so that other voices can be heard,” which sounds like an important therapy for people feeling stuck in bad habits.
Have you tried it? Will you try it? We’d love to hear about your experiences and share them with our readers.
Ever wonder about that haunted-looking house off Highway 1’s Riverside exit? Todd Guild updates us on the Redman-Hirahara house and what’s going to happen to it next.
Looking into the possible futures of Shakespeare’s minor characters has been a hobby for modern writers. (Remember Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead?) Cabrillo Theater brings to life another player from Hamlet, Fortinbras, the prince of Norway, who found the Danish royal family dead at his feet and Hamlet’s close friend Horatio offering him the crown. Playwright Lee Blessing answered that question in his 1992 comedy, Fortinbras, which opens at Cabrillo’s theater April 11 and is covered in a feature by Mathew Chipman.
It says so much about William Shakespeare that centuries later playwrights are still speculating on his characters and bringing them back to life with humor. We need a new one about Lady Macbeth turning up in the White House.
We are saddened by the death of the great soul, jazz and gospel singer Tammi Brown Saturday of ovarian cancer, which she had fought off for some time. She was chosen as the County’s Artist of the Year in 2024. More details to come.
Don’t forget to pick up our Best of Santa Cruz magazine out this week! It’s a must.
Thanks for reading.
Brad Kava | Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
SIGN O’ THE TIMES This hand-painted sign was spotted Saturday outside the courthouse during the “Hands Off” protest. Art by Maureen McConnell. Photograph by John Koenig
GOOD IDEA
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued a statement after two Senate Republicans broke with President Trump to support his amendment reiterating the importance of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its role in providing nonpartisan disaster relief to disaster survivors in all states, territories, and Tribal nations.
Padilla forced this amendment vote in response to Trump Administration proposals to eliminate FEMA and condition wildfire aid on their political demands. Following a 48-51 vote, the amendment was not adopted.
GOOD WORK
The Downtown Library & Affordable Housing Project has reached the milestone of the Building Permit being substantially complete and is preparing to break ground in June 2025.
The project received a $55.1 million tax credit award through the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee and a $55.6 million bond award through the California Debt Allocation Committee. The Farmers’ Market will relocate to Lot 16, on Cedar Street between Church and Center streets, by early May as part of this project.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The ‘evidence’ against Abrego Garcia consisted of nothing more than his Chicago Bulls hat and hoodie.”
District Judge Paula Xinis
on a mistakenly deported and jailed immigrant
