President Obama can look forward to a large audience when he delivers his State of the Union address tonight. While the seating plan has yet to be finalized, two seats are already reserved for local ice cream makers Kendra Baker and Zachary Davis of the Penny Ice Creamery. They were able to open their Santa Cruz ice cream shop with stimulus funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration. It has since become a hit, with an A-list of celebrity fans including Vice President Joe Biden.
News
F. A. Nettelbeck, Outlaw Poet
F. A. Nettelbeck, who died Jan. 20 in Bend, Oregon at age 60, is probably the most important avant-garde poet you’ve never heard of. Through his 23 books and chapbooks, countless magazine (and more recently online) publications, quite a few infamous readings and, for me personally, a friendship and correspondence spanning nearly four decades, Nettelbeck since 1970 established himself more than anyone else I’ve known as a truly outside-the-law literatus, a man who, if not for poetry, very likely would have ended up in prison. His genius as a writer was to echo or reflect back through a fractured idiom some of the deepest pathologies of our culture, and through anger and outrage and an irrepressible need to offer some cry of defiance, to create a formally meticulous, visually musical, highly personal yet anti-lyrical poetry.
Putting the Coca Back in Cola
OK, so the title of this article is not precise, but the idea of putting illegal substances back in soft drinks is making a comeback. A Soquel entrepreneur is hoping to market Canna Cola, and the “Canna” in the title means cannabis, not “can.” Clay Butler, a commercial artist, believes that there could be a market for soft drinks containing THC, the chemical that gives marijuana its buzz.
Body Found at Dump
The body of a 54-year-old homeless man was found Friday, Jan. 21 at the recycling center of the Dimeo Lane city dump, police say. The identity of the person has not been made public, pending notification of his family, but police do not believe that he was the victim of foul play. They think he was either sleeping in a Dumpster for warmth and got picked up by city sanitation services, either dead or alive, but unable to escape.
Board of Ed Approves Agreement with PCS Charter
The Pacific Collegiate School frequently makes the list of the top 10 public schools in the entire country. The question some people ask, however, is whether it is truly a public school. While expressing doubts over some of the school’s practices, members of the Board of Education approved an operating agreement with the charter school, effectively confirming its status as a public school.
Sentinel Owner Steps Down
“Lean Dean” Singleton announced Tuesday, Jan. 18 that he’s stepping down as CEO of MediaNews, the debt-ridden group that owns the Santa Cruz Sentinel, the Mercury News and most other Bay Area papers.
Ten Questions for Peter Mel
On Oahu waiting for the Quiksilver Eddie Aikau invitational, big-wave rider Peter Mel took a minute to satisfy our curiosity.
Last Minute Haggling Seals Rail Deal
Santa Cruz County is about to receive $14.2 million from the California Transportation Commission. The money will be used to by the Union Pacific rail line from Watsonville to Davenport.
In and Out at Facebook
Mickey D’s, beware. Burger King: abdicate. There’s gonna be a new kid on the block in Santa Cruz County. The only question remaining is where that block will be. Santa Cruz is the obvious first place contender for an In-n-Out Burger, but if childhood obesity rates are any indication, Watsonville is giving SC a run (OK, when you are obese that run becomes a leisurely stroll with frequent stops to catch your breath) for the money.
Beards of Comedy Santa Cruz-Bound
Last autumn saw a resurgence of the beard across Northern California as thousands of fans, rallying to the “Fear the Beard” battle cry, fuzzed up in support of their beloved Giants and closing pitcher Brian Wilson. On Monday, the softer side of facial hair will be showcased as the “Beards of Comedy” tour minivan rolls into town for a show at Don Quixote’s.
