[ Metro Santa Cruz | MetroActive Central | Archives ]
Nuz
The Fifth District Supervisorial race was going along just swimmingly, thank you, until last-minute candidate Doug Black jumped in the race. At least, that appears to be fellow-candidate Jeff Almquist's position. According to Black, the day after he threw in his hat for Fred Keeley's seat, thereby creating a third choice to Almquist and Peggy Lopez, Mr. Almquist came a-calling, asking Black to reconsider this madcap plan. Black was not amused, and, in his nicest political way, told Almquist to take a hike.
"His reasoning was that he wanted to make sure the campaign would be over in March," says the Dougie-come-lately, acknowledging the specter of a run-off later in the year. "But, that's typical politics in this valley. I told him I expected him to try to talk me out of it ... but I've spent my $1,017 to get my name on the ballot and I think I have a chance of beating them."
Asked if he typically visits other candidates to talk them out of running, Almquist responds, "I just wanted to see how serious he was, but he obviously wasn't going to be talked out of it so that was the end of it."
Black, a registered nurse living in Boulder Creek, believes he offers a choice the others don't. "We have the law-and-order candidate and the yuppie elitist," he says. "It's scary how status quo they are."
Gifts Behind Bars
Back around Christmas time, five inmates at the Roundtree Facility, Santa Cruz County's jail farm, decided they wanted to do some good, for a change. Alumnae of the state penitentiary and members of a voluntary group of jail inmates coping with serious substance abuse problems, Kittrel Keller, David Allen, Delbert Harris, Ray Williams and Michael Spriggs scraped together what little money they could save--$40--to buy food and books for some local homeless teens. Allen Sowelle, a substance-abuse counselor at the jail, says the men make only a few dollars a week working around the facility. "These are guys who don't have anything, people who have been up and down, but they're coming to this group to try and find out where they're at and try to change themselves," says Sowelle. "I told them, 'You have to find some way of giving back.' This was their way."
The gift was distributed care of Cypress Morales, a licensed marriage, family and child counselor, who says the kids will write letters of thanks to the men in jail.
You Don't Ché
You gotta love a politician who compares himself to not only Ché Guevara but that wacky Spaniard Don Quixote. Soquel family practitioner Dr. Barry Norris has decided to enter the 17th Congressional District fray, with lance tilted towards incumbent windmill Sam Farr. Norris chuckled when asked about his rather quixotic analogies. "We've accepted the fact of life that we're the challenger and we have to make a name for ourselves," says the Republican candidate.
And indeed he did, with a rather unique two-day announcement campaign. Hauling his podium with him, Norris went from county building to county building on New Year's Day--first to Santa Cruz, then to Monterey and, finally, to San Benito. "Speaking in front of closed government buildings [will] illustrates how the Federal Government has SHUT OUT 'government by the people,'" as Norris' press release explains. Only problem was, county buildings are closed on New Year's Day. No matter.
Norris then wrapped the campaign up the following day with a dramatic flourish--entrapping the Farr-man himself inside his office. "We cornered [Farr] in Monterey," recalls Norris. "I just shook his hand and said I wanted to meet him. He said, 'Isn't it a wonderful country that anyone could run for Congress?' I answered, 'Isn't it great that anyone can get elected?'" With reflexes like that, Norris could go Farr.
RFK: Next Generation
It may be your only chance to catch Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in person. On February 1, this heir to the Camelot dynasty will be in town as a guest of environmentalist group EarthSave to address the cultural, economic and spiritual benefits of reclaiming and protecting the environment. Or, so says the flier. Kennedy will be taking special note of our own San Lorenzo River, apparently. Good thing, too.
Kennedy, a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council and a professor at the Environmental Litigation Clinic at New York's Pace University Law School, knows about rivers. Almost single-handedly, Kennedy helped restore the 300-mile Hudson River ecology, which set the standard for the Delaware, Chesapeake Bay and other estuaries. Like his father, young Kennedy appears to enjoy going after the big guys. Robert Jr. spends his time thwarting the efforts by major polluters like Exxon and General Electric who attempt to water down envronmental protection laws.
Our Friend, the Shark
Those stars of Jaws may still be too good for us, but the surfer-breathed denizens of the deep are now on a first-name basis with the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation. According to a recent fax, the foundation has christened more than a dozen sharks who lounge around Año Nuevo Island. "It's not that unusual for researchers to name their study subjects," explains shark pointman Sean Van Sommeran. "We tried to think of poetic names, instead of Percy or Joe." Thus, they got monikers like Gaia and Isis, as well as Punker, who got his name from banging his dorsal against the side of the boat.
More interestingly, the PSRF has managed to coax the big guys out of hiding without the use of chum. Instead, the sharksters use fiberglass decoys of sea lions to catch their razor-toothed buddies' attention. Van Sommeran admits they decided on this after the first decoy prototype--a surfboard--was voted down.
Newest New Leaf
Local and expanding health food store New Leaf has received the official nod from the Santa Cruz Planning Department to start work on its latest outlet--downtown SC's old Bank of America building. According to New Leaf co-owner Scott Roseman, construction will proceed without the controversial $175,000 low-interest loan originally offered to the business by the City of Santa Cruz Redevelopment Agency. Roseman is estimating that the doors will swing open around April. "We're working with Barry Swensen , and he's known for being fast and efficient."
This page was designed and created by the Boulevards team.
Black Horse Candidate
Nuz welcomes tips. Leave messages by calling 457-9000.
From the Feb. 1-8, 1996 issue of Metro Santa Cruz
Copyright © 1996 Metro Publishing and Virtual Valley, Inc.