Cover: Painter of Lite
How local painter Thomas Kinkade turned his brushes to the lite side--and made a mint comforting the masses with images of safety and home.
News: Nüz
Metro Santa Cruz team paddles to first (and last) in its division in the Aloha Outrigger Races.
Bruce Bratton: Senate redistricting will divide Santa Cruz; the Downtown Area Residents Association; this week's movies.
Sights & Sounds: The Expendables nail the essence of the Santa Cruz surf-punk sound.
The Ultimate Taco: Tacos Moreno, still creating world-class taqueria fare, is another reason not to pull up stakes and leave town.
Fall's Well: Look beyond the generic autumn sonatas, and there are some promising films coming to theaters this season.
Pair Bonding: Acting couples air loads of dirty emotional laundry in 'Anniversary Party.'
Citizen Kael: Richard von Busack recalls the impact of film critic Pauline Kael.
Please don't forget to write! Metro Santa Cruz welcomes letters. Like any great work of art, they should be originals -- not copies of letters sent elsewhere. Include address and daytime phone (for verification purposes only). Letters may be edited for length and clarity or to correct factual inaccuracies known to us. Postal: Metro Santa Cruz Letters, 115 Cooper St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060. Fax: 831/457-5828. Email:
. Emailers, please include name, city of residence and phone number. Letters printed will list email address unless otherwise specified. Letters to the editor are not currently published in the online version of this paper.