In the lawn in front of the mother-in-law unit where I live, the tumultuous winter rains of January had filled up a depression where a tree stump had been removed. I’d really enjoyed the way things sprang to life all around after the rains, the way overnight a long dormant bush had suddenly come alive with a hundred thin woody fingers reaching out over my sidewalk, or the abrupt appearance of sturdy mushrooms caps popping up through the wood chips. I’d particularly enjoyed lying in bed listening to the happy guttural expositions of toads, imagining them gleefully loping beneath my windows in the dark.
News
Tsunami Hits Santa Cruz
The 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Chile early Saturday prompted tsunami warnings along the entire Pacific coast of the United States. In Santa Cruz, beaches were closed as a precaution. That didn’t stop hundreds of onlookers from crowding the Municipal Wharf and West Cliff Drive in an attempt to see the oncoming waves, which began to hit shore around 1:45pm.
Tsunami Advisory for Santa Cruz County
Beaches throughout the county were closed Saturday following an 8.8 magnitude quake in Chile.
Changes in Latitudes
In June 2006, 25-year-old Dominic Gill set out from northern Alaska on a tandem bike named Achilles and headed south. Way south. His goal: to reach the southern tip of South America in 18 months, picking up random strangers along the way. Armed with bear spray, a video camera and a questionable sense of sanity, Gill rolled out of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska and into the bleak tundra with a small British flag fluttering encouragingly behind him. He had just one rule: “I never asked anyone to get off!”
Santa Cruz Council Finally Sees Homeless Census
On a rainy January morning more than 13 months ago, teams of local government workers and volunteers tromped through the soggy corners of the county and counted homeless people as part of the 2009 Santa Cruz County Homeless Census and Survey.
On a similarly rainy afternoon just last week, the fruits of that effort were finally presented to the Santa Cruz City Council. The reason for the delay? “Time and availability.”
Moratorium on Cussing in Statehouse
Sure, the state’s budget is a mess, unemployment is skyrocketing, and Anthem Blue Shield is making its customers sick over its proposed price hike. That’s no excuse for dropping the f-bomb. Deficits be gosh-darned!
Coastal Commission Staff Approves Bike Path
The controversial Arana Gulch project passed its penultimate major hurdle yesterday when it received a nod of approval in a report by the Coastal Commission.
Prom Dress Drive Launched
Santa Cruz City Councilmember Tony Madrigal is concerned about how the current recession will have a lasting impact on teenagers. In these very formative years of their lives, many are forced to do without such basic staples as food, shelter, iPods, Wii’s, unlimited texting and clothing. That is why he has teamed up with Classic Cleaners to launch a community effort to help needy teens get to their proms in the style that they are accustomed to. They are launching the Prom Dress Drive.
UCSC Students Receive Summons
The 45 UCSC students who occupied Kerr Hall in response to a 30 percent tuition hike have been summoned to appear before a council.
Ten Questions for Shane Desmond
The big wave rider from Santa Cruz, who took second place this year at Maverick’s, talks about juggling family, surfing and three jobs.
