Photo by ROSA/AZUL
Adam Bolaños Scow, Saul Arteaga and Jose 'Chuy' Hernandez of RosaAzul.
RosaAzul Concert Sunday, 4pm
By SARAH RINGLER
You are invited to the Watsonville debut performance of RosaAzul, a new ensemble presenting some of the best music and songs from Mexico and abroad. The performance, on Nov. 21 at 4pm, will be held at Studio Judy G, Judy Gittelsohn's new art gallery at 430 Main St. near the Watsonville plaza. Wine will be available and feel free to bring a bottle to share. Seating will be spaced and the gallery requires masks and Covid vaccinations.
Please contact Adam Scow to RSVP and suggested donations are $20 for adults and $10 for kids.
RosaAzul is made up of Jose "Chuy" Hernandez, Adam Bolaños Scow and Saul Arteaga. Jose Hernandez, on vocals, guitar and vihuela, is a native of Guadalajara and an accomplished vocalist and teacher with extensive experience in the fields of mariachi, choir, opera, and classical music. He is a former student of The Carl Franzen Opera Studio, the David Gustafson Opera Studio and the Opera Workshop in Queretaro Mexico, where he participated in individual and Master Classes with internationally renowned voice professor Carlos Aransay from the Royal Opera House in London. Jose Chuy was music instructor at The School of Arts and Culture (Mexican Heritage Plaza) and in 2021 co-founded the CANTA music academy in Hollister. Working as an actor and vocal director, Jose was honored to be a part of Teatro Vision’s Production of "Macario" and is performing in Teatro Vision’s production of "Departera" in the fall of 2021.
Adam Bolaños Scow, on violin, is based in Watsonville, and is an avid violinist with extensive experience performing chamber music across several genres. He has studied with the St. Lawrence String Quartet, Bonnie Hampton, and enjoys performing in string quartets with some of the region’s top musicians. He has appeared with latin and jazz ensembles across Northern California. Adam serves as violin instructor at the CANTA Music Academy and is a guest violinist with mariachi California and the Santa Cruz Symphony. He also maintains an active and successful career as an environmental advocate working in support of clean water, sustainable agriculture, and renewable energy on the Central Coast and throughout California.
Saul Arteaga plays guitarron and is a seasoned guitarist and guitarronist with experience in mariachi, trio, and rock music. He studies mariachi with Manuel Caratachea, Russell Rodriguez, and is a member of Mariachi Mexico based in Gilroy. Saul studies engineering and math at UC Santa Cruz.
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Stop the Deadly Hate Crimes Against Our Homeless Neighbors
By SANTA CRUZ UNITED FOR SAFE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNTIES
As part of United Against Hate Week and Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, Santa Cruz County United for Safe and Inclusive Communities presents a on-line program, Saturday, Nov. 20, at 5:00 pm on hate crimes against the homeless with Food Not Bombs co-founder Keith McHenry and Santa Cruz Homeless Union President Alicia Kuhl.
The most common and most deadly form of hate speech and hate crimes experienced by people living in Santa Cruz County is against our homeless neighbors. Hate speech against the unhoused has created a dangerous atmosphere where it has become acceptable to attack those living outside and is used by our city and county governments to justify official violence against those who are not able to afford housing.“Homeless is the new N word,” says Sonny Lopez, resident of the Benchlands Freedom Camp.
Anti-homeless hate speech is often heard by staff and elected officials at public meetings and their statements are normalized by local media. “The homeless are not our most vulnerable community members, the children are,” according to Santa Cruz City Councilperson Renee Golder. Violence against those who live outside is regularly encouraged by our government officials in cooperation with hate groups like Take Back Santa Cruz, Seabright Strong, Santa Cruz Neighbors and vigilantes on Nextdoor.com.
One of the first expressions of this hate was the "Troll Busters," a group in the 80s, which included SCPD officers, who thought it was sport to beat up the most vulnerable people in our society. "Troll Buster," t-shirts were sold glorifying violent attacks against the homeless. People have died in Santa Cruz because these dehumanizing statements have become acceptable.
This hate speech has also encouraged conditions where it is acceptable for the authorities to implement brutal policies like the ban on sleeping, the aggressive ticketing, towing and scrapping of people’s vehicular homes, the Camping Services and Standards Ordinance and the just passed Oversized Vehicle Ordinance that takes effect on international Human Rights Day, Dec.10.
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UC Lecturers Won! Strike Cancelled
By JEFFREY SMEDBERG and SANTA CRUZ 4 BERNIE
Because of the immense pressure generated by the strike vote authorization, credible strike preparations, and community support, UC management negotiated in good faith and offered the UC-AFT Negotiating Team the kind of contract that lecturers have been pushing for for more than two years, one that included job security and fair pay. The union and UC signed a tentative agreement at 4am Wednesday. Union members statewide will take a ratification vote next week.
One remaining issue is on workload at the UCSC campus and will be hammered out as a side letter to the contract on Monday. The union's position in bargaining will be bolstered by a show of solidarity by community members at 4pm at Kerr Hall on campus. I hope to see you there!
Also, at last month's forum, SC4B members unanimously voted to endorse Vanessa Quiroz-Carter in the Dec. 7 special election for Watsonville City Council District 2. Let's channel our enthusiasm into walking the neighborhood for her. Vanessa will be a stellar public servant; her opponent would be a disaster. If you miss Nov. 20, the final walk will be on Saturday, Dec 4. Donate here. For more information, contact Vanessa's campaign manager Celeste at 831-840-0101 or gutzceleste@gmail.com.
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Sustentone
By BOB GOMEZ
Just as the smallest field mouse
feeds, feasts on the winter persimmon
which is as large or larger
than itself,
So we too find essential nourishment
in all seasons everywhere
in love which is abundant,
omnipresent, eternal and large
as ourselves
but larger than ourselves.
Find, feast, live on
and live long!
Tal como el más pequeño ratoncito del campo
come, se festeja con el pérsimo invernal
que es tan grande o más grande
que él,
Así nosotros también encontramos el sustento esencial
en toda estación y todo lugar
en el amor abundante,
omnipresente, eterno y grande como uno
pero más grande que uno.
¡Encuentra, festeja, vive
y revivifícate amando!
Nov. 14, 2021
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Harm Reduction Coalition Fundraiser Cancelled
By DANI DRYSDALE
We were so excited to come together this weekend for a fundraiser at Bargetto Winery to celebrate our wins over the past year and raise some funds for the work ahead of us. We appreciate everyone who already bought tickets and everyone who planned to join us.
I am sad to announce that we are cancelling the fundraiser this Sunday. As the event got closer, we worked with Bartgetto's to clarify their COVID policies and ensure they are fully in line with what we needed for this event to keep everybody safe. Unfortunately we learned that our two organizational policies around wearing masks are in conflict with their's, and we could not find a suitable compromise.
As a public health organization dedicated to fighting infectious disease, we can’t in good conscience host an event with lax COVID protocols that has any chance of our attendees or the venue staff becoming infected.
If you already purchased a ticket, you should have been contacted directly already about this. You will be receiving a refund on your ticket through the payment method you used for Eventbrite. Whether or not you purchased a ticket, we would deeply appreciate donations. All donations are tax deductible and matched dollar-for-dollar andl go towards sustaining our current staffing and supplies and towards expanding towards some new and exciting projects . Feel free to reach out with questions or concerns here.
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There will be no Serf City Times next week. It will resume Dec. 3. No, I will not be shopping on Black Friday.
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"No one looks too closely at a librarian. People are afraid of going blind from the glare of ssso much compressed wisdom."
Joe Hill
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Photo by TARMO HANNULA
Western gulls gather on the shore of Rio Del Mar State Beach.
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Santa Cruz County Covid-19 Report
By SARAH RINGLER
The Santa Cruz County Health Department regularly releases data on the current status of Covid-19 in the county. The number of cases on Thursday, Nov. 18, totaled 20,721 up 347, from last Thursday's 20,374. The number of deaths has risen by one to 222. Click to view a graph of hospitalizations here.
There have been few changes as of Nov. 18, except the number of the county's active cases has decreased in south county from 36% of the cases at the end of September to currently 22%. At the end of September, midcounty rose from 11% to currently 16% and north county from 51% to 60%. South county contains 32% of the county's population, midcounty has 12% and north county 56%.
On the county's vaccination webpage, as of Nov. 8, 72% of the county have had at least one dose and 68% have had two doses. Here are more details on the county's vaccination data.
This webpage also has a link where you can get a digital copy and scannable QR code of your vaccination record. Keep track of your four digit code because that is your access to the site.
The county's Effective Reproductive Number is below one. See chart below. Numbers above one show the spread of the virus is increasing. Below one means the spread is decreasing.
There are many COVID-19 testing locations around the county and a few sites have free testing. For information on how to get tested, visit this site. Click here to make an appointment to get tested.
Any Californian age 12 or up can get vaccinated for free. For information on getting vaccinated, click here.
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% deaths by ethnicity:
White - 55%
Latinx - 37%
Black - 1%
Asian - 7%
American Native - 1%
Unknown - 1%
% deaths by gender/% of population:
Female - 49%/50%
Male - 51%/50%
Deaths by age/222:
25-34 - 2%
35-44 - 3%
45-54 - 4%
55-59 - 1%
60-64 - 6%
65-74 - 18%
75-84 - 21%
85+ - 44%
% tested positive by region/% of population:
Mid-county - 16%/12%
North county - 60%/56%
South county - 22%/32%
Under investigation - 1%
Weekly increases in positive tests:
June 12-19 - 7%
June 19-26 - 23%
June 26 to July 3 - 22%
July 3-9 - 23%
July 9-16 - 40%
July 16-23 - 20%
July 23-30 - 27%
July 30-Aug. 6 - 13%
Aug. 6-13- 12%
Aug.14-20 - 16%
Aug.20-28 - 10%
Aug. 28-Sept. 3 - 10%
Sept. 3-10 - 6%
Sept. 10-17- 8%
Sept. 17-24 - 7%
Sept. 25- Oct.1 - 5%
Oct. 1 - 9 - 4%
Oct. 9-15 - 4%
Oct. 15-22 - 5%
Oct. 23-29 - 4%
Oct. 30-Nov. 5 - 6%
Nov. 5-12 - 10%
Nov. 12-19 - 11%
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Nov. 19-26 - holiday
Nov. 19-Dec. 3 - 29% 2 weeks of data for this week only
Dec. 3-10 - 16%
Dec. 10-17 - 17%
Dec. 17-24 - 14%
Dec. 24-31 - 19%
Jan. 1-7 - 13%
Jan. 7-14 - 14%
Jan. 15-21 - 11%
Jan. 21-28 - 5%
Jan. 28-Feb. 4 - 5%
Feb. 5-11 - 2%
Feb. 11-18 - 2%
Feb. 18-25 - 1%
Feb. 25-March 5 - 1%
March 5-11 - 1%
March 11-18 - 2%
March 18-25 - .5%
March 25 - Apr. 1 - .7%
Apr. 1-8 - 0.1%
Apr. 9-15 - 1%
Apr. 16-22 - 2%
Apr. 22-30 - 2%
Apr. 30 - May 6 - .3%
May 6-13 - 2%
May 13-20 - 0%
May 24 - Data readjustment by county means percentages cannot be calculated this week.
May 27 - June 3 - 0%
June 3-10 - 0%
June 11-17 - .25%
June 18-24 - 0%
June 25-July 1 - 0%
July 2-8 - .3%
July 9-15 - .2%
July 16-22 - .5%
July 23-29 - 1.2%
July 30-Aug. 5 - 2%
Aug. 6-12 - .7%
Aug.13-19 - 4%
Aug. 20-26 - .7%
Aug. 26-Sept. 2 - 3%
Sept. 2-9 - 2%
Sept. 10-16 - 1%
Sept. 17-22 - 1%
Sept. 23-30 - 2%
Oct. 1-7 - 0%
Oct. 8-14 - 1%
Oct. 15-21 - 1%
Oct. 22-28 - 1%
Oct. 29-Nov. 4 - 1%
Nov. 5-11 - 1%
Nov. 12-18 - 2%
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Photo by TARMO HANNULA
Fashion Street - Woman with Phone
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Labor History Calendar for November 19-25, 2021:
Nov. 19, 1915: IWW songwriter Joe Hill is murdered by Utah authorities.
Nov. 19, 2015: second day of strikes by subcontracted workers at US airports.
Nov. 20, 1816: First use of term “scab” by Albany, NY, Typographical Society.
Nov. 20, 1884: American Socialist leader Norman Thomas born.
Nov. 21, 1922: Trolley workers win with general strike in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Nov. 21, 1927: Picketing IWW miners massacred in Columbine, Colorado.
Nov. 22, 1909: New York female garment workers strike in “Uprising for the 20,000.” Judge tells arrested picketers, “You are on strike against God.”
Nov. 23, 1170 BCE: First recorded strike takes place in Egypt.
Nov. 23, 1923: Unione Sindicale Italiana founded in Moderna, Italy.
Nov. 24, 1885: Journalist and unionist Anna Louise Strong who reported on early communist movements in China and Russia, born in Friend, Nebraska.
Nov. 24, 1947: 22-month Chicago newspaper printers’ anti-Taft-Hartley strike begins.
Nov. 25, 1915: Tens of thousands pack Joe Hill’s funeral in Chicago.
Nov. 25, 1983: Canadian letter carriers cut postal rates from $.82 to $.10 in direct action campaign.
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Photo by TARMO HANNULA
Greek butternut squash and sweet potato moussaka
By SARAH RINGLER
This is one hearty, heavy, and flavorful casserole with the wonderful and naturally sweet flavors of butternut squash and yams, that is buttressed with savory sage, red onions and salty feta cheese. It is a twist on the typical Greek meat and eggplant moussaka but still has a creamy bechamel sauce baked on top. I added a layer of walnuts to the middle layer for texture and contrast.
The core recipe is adapted from the cookbook, “My Greek Table” by Diane Kochilas. She owns a cooking school, Glorious Greek Cooking School on her native island, Ikaria, and is a celebrity TV chef on “My Greek Table.”
Because of the density of this dish, I cut the recipe in half to fit an eight-inch square pan, and it was enough to feed six people. You can double the recipe below for a nine by thirteen-inch rectangular pan if you have to feed an army.
The English name, moussaka, comes from Arabic and means “that which is fed liquid,” which I assume refers to the thick bechamel sauce. This recipe needs a nice green salad to balance it out. A typical authentic Greek salad has fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, whole Kalamata olives, slices of feta cheese, sliced red onions, and oregano sprinkled with a olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing.
Cheese Bechamel:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups, whole milk at room temperature
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated or crumbled Greek feta
1/4 cup Kefalotyri or pecorino cheese
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and pepper
Vegetables:
2 teaspoons butter
1/2 cup olive oil
2 large red onions, coarsely chopped
2 1/2 pounds of butternut squash or mix 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash with 3/4 pounds sweet potatoes or yams, peeled, seeded and cut into ¼ inch slices
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh or dried sage
Salt and pepper
For assembly:
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
¾ cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped parsley
To make the béchamel, prepare all your ingredients first. Melt the butter in a medium heavy bottomed sauced pan over medium heat. When it has completely melted and stopped bubbling - but before it turns brown - add the flour and whisk. Keep whisking until the mixture becomes lightly colored in about 5 minutes. While continuing to whisk, pour in the room temperature milk a little at a time. Continue to whisk until mixture thickens in about 12-15 minutes. While whisking, add the eggs and continue beating until well mixed. Stir in the cheeses and when melted, add nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside covered with a dish towel.
To cook the vegetables, heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil and when they start to bubble, add the onions and reduce the heat and cook over low for 20 minutes until onions are lightly golden.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, toss the peeled and sliced squash and sweet potatoes with ½ cup olive oil and 2-3 tablespoons of chopped sage. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 10-12 minutes until squash and sweet potatoes are softened but not thoroughly cooked. Remove from oven and set aside. Keep oven on.
To assemble the moussaka, oil an 8-inch square baking pan. Layer the baked sweet potatoes on the bottom. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle 1/3 cup of parsley. Spread a thin layer of the onions and 1/3 of the béchamel over that. Smooth out the top.
For the next layer, spread out half of the squash, salt, pepper, 1/3 cup parsley, chopped onions, chopped walnuts and a little more béchamel.
For the final layer, add the rest of the squash, salt and pepper, and rest of the parsley and onions and cover with all the béchamel sauce. Bake for 35-40 minutes until bechamel is puffed and golden. Remove from oven and let rest for 15-20 minutes then serve.
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Your story, poetry or art here: Please submit a story, poem or photo of your art that you think would be of interest to the people of Santa Cruz County. Try and keep the word count to around 400. Also, there should be suggested actions if this is a political issue. Submit to coluyaki@gmail.com
If you are enjoying the Serf City Times, forward it on to others. We need readers, artists, photographers and writers.
Thanks, Sarah Ringler
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Welcome to Serf City Times Over time, our county has grown more stratified and divided with many people feeling left out. Housing affordability, racism and low wages are the most obvious factors. However, many groups and individuals in Santa Cruz County work tirelessly to make our county a better place for everyone. These people work on the environment, housing, economic justice, health, criminal justice, disability rights, immigrant rights, racial justice, transportation, workers’ rights, education reform, gender issues, equity issues, electoral politics and more. Often, one group doesn’t know what another is doing. The Serf City Times is dedicated to serving as a clearinghouse for those issues by letting you know what is going on, what actions you can take and how you can support these groups.This is a self-funded enterprise and all work is volunteer.
Copyright © 2021 Sarah Ringler - All rights reserved
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