So much for keeping Santa Cruz weird. If nationally recognized retail expert Robert Gibbs is right about us, much of the town’s population can be summed up in two words: “urban chic.” He also says the town is itching for more business and perhaps even a one-way street.
News
Nazi Salute Case Heading to Court
When Robert Norse gave a mock Nazi salute at a 2002 Santa Cruz City Council meeting, it was hard to imagine that gesture would launch what will probably a decade-long fight between Norse and the city. Nine years later, the much-covered case will soon be going to trial for the first time.
Restaurant Week: La Posta
Under Katherine Stern’s expertise, La Posta‘s popularity has continued to grow, as evidenced in imaginative pastas, feather-light pizzas and entrees like braised quail and fennel sausage.
Restaurant Week: Laili
The culinary art direction at Laili involves a romantic and vibrant menu of items ranging from hummus platters and lamb kabobs to walnut date flatbread and grilled chicken. It is the handiwork of an ambitious and skilled young chef named Elder Lopez.
Restaurant Week: Davenport Roadhouse
Armed with a lengthy culinary background and a popular roadhouse setting on the rugged North Coast cliffs, chef Tim Edmonds is winning praise from local foodies and visitors alike. His freshly conceived menu at the Davenport Roadhouse showcases bright flavors in all the major food groups.
Already Overcrowded, Jail Braces for More Inmates
On Friday, SantaCruz.com reported how Santa Cruz County Jail is preparing for about 120 new prisoners to be transferred there from state prisons over the course of next year and the release of 50 to 80 low-risk prisoners. This shuffling around of the state’s prison population is the direct result of AB 109. Yet while it may reduce overcrowding in state prisons, it is posing serious problems to local authorities, and not just because of the anticipated recidivism rate among early releases.
More Prisoners Coming to County Jail
Santa Cruz County Jail is preparing for some 120 new prisoners over the course of next year, the result of AB 109, which calls for the relocation of some 30,000 prisoners from state facilities to county jails. Chief Deputy Jim Hart of the Corrections Bureau says that the new prisoners will be “direct referrals from the court system who are non-violent, non-sex cases, and non serious cases.” To make room for the prisoners, another 50 to 80 low-level offenders will be released on parole or to electronic monitoring and house arrest.
A Two-Way Pacific?
Ever since the 1989 earthquake, local merchants and residents have been debating whether to keep Pacific Avenue one-way or make it two-way. The problem, says Robert Gibbs, a national retail consultant, is that right now Pacific cannot support any new businesses. If it went two-way, he says, new businesses would flock there, adding as much as $1.8 billion in new revenues to the economy and much-needed dollars to the city’s coffers.
With Obama Near, Pilot Runs Afoul of Military Detail
The pilot never had a chance. He was flying a 1942 biplane when he was intercepted by an F-15 fighter jet. In terrestrial terms it’s like a Model-T Ford taking on an M1A1 tank. The problem was that he had violated a temporary 30-mile no-fly zone put in place during President Obama’s visit to LinkedIn headquarters in Mountain View. “Dang, that looks like Top Gun,” said County Sheriff Phil Wowak, who happened to witness the incident.
The End of A K-9 Era
The SCPD marked the retirement of one of its most trusted members after 56 years on the force—well, dog years. There was no gold watch or even a gold collar for Jax, who has served on the police force for the past eight (human) years, but there will be plenty of doggie treats ahead.
