Locals are re-thinking Pacific Avenue, giving power to the poets, and wigging out.
Re-Think Pacific
Re: “Street Fight” (Cover, Oct. 23): Using space on Pacific Avenue to bring in the maximum possible revenue for local businesses is an important goal. So is vibrant civic space, including street art and music. If there isn't room on the street to accomplish both of these important functions, we should start closing parts of it to cars for parts of the week. It could be that assumptions about automobile use are getting in the way of us acting on our community priorities for the Pacific Garden Mall.
Micah Posner
Santa Cruz
Power to the Street Poets
I read your article “Street Fight” regarding the new regulations for street performers, as well as an account of all the previous attempts to regulate street performers. Frankly, I think it is blatantly hypocritical for people to complain about the “noise” of street musicians and other performers, or even the parties of college students, while still accepting the far more obnoxious sound of loud motorcycles and leaf blowers. I even prefer music I dislike to the acoustic abominations of those machines, and I don’t hear much talk about regulating or banning them by the City Council, either downtown or anywhere else. More power to the drum, the jug band, the didgeridoo and the street poets, and less to these ear-splitting mindless, insensitive mechanical devices!
Erich Holden
Santa Cruz
Issues with Issues
I'm responding to Russ Campbell’s letter “Dealing with Real Issues” (Letters, Oct. 23). It really stuck with me. Specifically he addressed “taking back Santa Cruz” as being ignorant and naive in regard to the homeless problem.
He said it could only be addressed by more affordable housing and that the greedy landlords and lack of will to employ or hire people who have been homeless is really the real crux of the problem.
I would argue that as an employer or a property owner, why would you want some guy who obviously has a chip on his shoulder? Why would you want to hire someone like that or have someone like that in your home or your property? What would be the incentive to have someone like that around?
Name Withheld by Request
Santa Cruz
FROM THE WEB
Wigging Out
Re: “UCSC Opera’s Mistress of Wigs”: Hello, I am a bridal hair and makeup stylist. I am also a Wiggie. I love Jeanna Hurd-Parhams' approach on style and wig theory. Since I have been wearing wigs for a very long time, I have reached that point where people make comments on how beautiful my hair is all the time (ha ha), but I feel so awful sometimes that I have deceived them in such a way. I have hair of my own, but just do not like the density (very fine), and its inability to grow past my chin without looking sparse or fly-away, let alone that I live in a climate that is juicy with humidity and sucks for my hair type. Great article and would love to hear more about her, she sounds just awesome!
Edie Keel
