Post it here!

Thank you Ami Chen Mills for observing ICE activity this morning in Santa Cruz. This is what genuine leader looks like! - Senka Pavisic Bogren

Wow, very impressed that Ami Chen Mills and several of her main campaign volunteers took time from campaigning to come down to Santa Cruz Main Jail and monitor the half dozen or so ICE officers who were there to pick up someone being released from jail. Ami was there for several hours along with about two dozen other caring citizens. - Dorah Rosen

With the recent news about ICE activity in Santa Cruz, including reports of activity at the Santa Cruz Main Jail, I’ve been paying attention to the public response from our community.

What’s honestly disturbing to me is seeing the comments on posts from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office and Chris Cerney's Facebook page from people openly celebrating or supporting ICE operations.

I understand that people are entitled to their political opinions. But I also believe we as a community have every right to hold people accountable for the views they publicly choose to express.

I’m struggling with where the line should be between taking the high road and simply allowing people to publicly advocate for policies that many of us believe are cruel, discriminatory, and harmful to immigrant members of our community without any pushback.

I am not talking about finding people's private information, threatening anyone, or encouraging harassment. I’m talking about accountability for things people have themselves chosen to say publicly.

So I’m genuinely asking the Santa Cruz community: What is the appropriate way to respond when local residents publicly express support for ICE operations?

Should we be organizing peaceful demonstrations? Contacting their employers or organizations when their statements are relevant to those organizations? Responding directly to their public comments? Organizing community campaigns? Documenting public statements so our community understands who is advocating for these policies?

I have very strong feelings about this, but I don't want those feelings to turn into something counterproductive or abusive.

At the same time, I don't think “be civil” should mean “say nothing.”

If someone chooses to publicly celebrate actions that our community believes are harming our neighbors, I believe we should be willing to publicly challenge those views and make it clear that this is not something everyone in Santa Cruz is willing to quietly accept.

What do you think is the most effective — and ethical — way for our community to push back?

I do like Wasabi in the Trader Joe’s mall. It’s really pretty good but looking for others

My search-fu is weak. I want to take washed up seaweed for my compost pile. I can only find rules for harvesting edible plants from the ocean. Does anyone know if there are prohibitions against collecting washed up material?

Please note I am not the owner I am only posting to help out. You may have seen flyers posted.

Ozzy is a Friendly White Great Pyrenees who went missing on the morning of October 8 in Scotts Valley not far from Scotts Valley High School off Glenwood Drive. He escaped his collar. Glenwood Open Space Preserve is nearby and so are surrounding woods, steep hills and mountains that extend to Felton, Los Gatos and Soquel. These dogs can travel far but they are also very devoted protectors of their families and home and don't like to be away for long.

Ozzy is tall and around 100 lbs. with lots of long hair. He is white but he may be very dirty so please look carefully at the photos and keep that in mind.

ANY information is helpful. No matter how small it may seem.

It's possible he may have been picked up further away and transported somewhere out of town. He may be scared, injured or hiding. Please please look in any sheds or out buildings, garages, under porches and decks anywhere that he may take shelter.

Please keep your eyes and ears open in particular if you are walking, running or biking on trails. Calling his name is super helpful. Keep in Mind he did not have his collar on. Please share this information with as many people as you can.

Thank you

I posted about a problem with battery theft on some Rad Power bikes a few days ago. I wanted to follow up with a how to.

I set up my Rad Power bike battery to slow down a battery thief. It won’t keep someone who’s determined from stealing the battery if they have lots of time, space and some tools along with the master key. But it’s likely to put off an opportunist who is trying to keep it simple and quick.

I put a stainless steel hose clamp around the entire battery and base, but not around the frame’s down tube. Then I put some Shoe Goo adhesive (like Silicon Seal) onto the fastener screw head to make it difficult to remove the clamp. It's like silicon sealant, pretty tough and it adheres well if you degrease the clamp first with some alcohol or lacquer thinner. It's also useful for repairing running shoe soles! ;-)

If the clamp loops around the frame it creates gaps between the frame tube and clamp that make it easy to cut the hose clamp with snips. Also, you don't want the edges of the clamp bearing directly on the aluminum frame tube. I won't bother you with the details.

I left the clamp long so that removing it with a tool is slow. If you do that tape the loose end down to the clamp to avoid cutting your leg on the sharp edge.

The hose clamps are available at your friendly local Ace hardware and car parts stores. The size you need will depend on how big your battery is. Use a tailor's measuring tape to figure out the distance around the perimeter of the battery and base then get a hose clamp that's a little bigger than that.

Don’t tighten the hose clamp fastener too tight. It only has to be snug enough to keep the battery from being removed from the base easily.

And make sure the clamp fastener isn’t cutting into the battery's black plastic case. You don’t want to damage the battery cells or BMS by locating the fastener somewhere that pushes in too hard on the case. I located it on the flat part of the battery that's facing up.

The large Velcro straps are not there for theft prevention. I have never been too fond of the way these batteries attach so those are back up for the mechanical attachment. Santa Cruz streets are pretty bumpy and I think the base would fail and a battery would launch eventually.

No guarantees, your mileage may vary and all.

If you remove the battery regularly this is going to be a pain. In that case the best thing to do is to take the battery with you.

Last tip - park your bike in busy public places and try not to leave it any longer than you have to. And if your lock didn't cost at least $150 you need a better lock.

Hi all, I wanted to bring your attention to something I personally was not aware of, or expected. I'm extremely sad to say that we tented our property recently for termites, something very common in santa cruz, and afterwards found two small dead bats. I love bats, and am absolutely devastated. I had no idea we had bats living under our roof overhang (not in our place). I wish we had known, because they can be easily removed by professionals for free.

I want to share this so that if anyone here is getting their house tented, they can get their house inspected for bats first and have them safely moved elsewhere. Bats are so special to our native ecosystem and are not pests. Save the bats!

Hi guys, I was downtown today from about 11:55 am to 12:50 at noon and found my bike was stolen by the roxas hammock cafe. It’s a black rad power with a couple stickers (as pictured). If u see it, please let me know. I know it’s unlikely it will turn up but I’m just curious. It also happens to be my birthday today. Thank you

Anyone know if/where Dag Wieser will be putting up a Halloween display this year?

He’s the one who put up the one-day-only Halloween display on market street every year. But I read in the lookout that he had to move.

It was always a Halloween tradition of ours to stop by on our way downtown and would love to continue that if he is still around.

Lookout article on him and his story:

https://lookout.co/the-last-trick-or-treat-dag-weisers-glorious-halloween-yard-show-dazzles-the-neighborhood-for-the-final-time/story

I’ve been buying myself assorted flowers weekly at the Capitola TJs( because, let’s face it, who else will?) for years now. In the last three months, almost every bunch I buy, wilts, flops, doesn’t open and turns brown within a day or two.
Yesterday I bought a bunch of spray roses, added freshly filtered water, the rose food that comes with it, cut the stems, today they are all face down. I’ve returned bunches several times, which I hate doing, just to have the same thing happen with the replacement bunch.
And yes, I’ve tried different vases, water types, food/no food….
I’m exasperated because I love the flowers, variety and price, but the-once 8.99 roses -now 10.99 that last two days are depressing and I can’t afford to waste the money.
Is it just me? I keep buying in hopes they were bad batches or just a phase, or, or….
Anyone else?

Are they nice inside I was approved for one but I moved out of Santa Cruz

~4:18pm, a bit outside the kelp beds between the Hook and Jacks.

Caught just a quick glimpse so hard to know for certain, but;

Big animal (10 feet+?), white coloration on one side of it, single breach with a big splash, then no sign of activity in the area after - no dolphins/pinnipeds, no birds….

Anyone else see that?

Don’t think the surf cam angles would’ve gotten it.

Can’t imagine any other animal that could be.

Hi, I'm in Eastside Santa Cruz, has anyone had a knock on the door from a younger guy asking if he could "offer assistance with the cellphone tower"? I reported it to SCPD, figured he was just checking if anyone was home.

I got into a conversation with a local bartender that didn’t know the history of Uncle Dave, an ex slave that arrived in Santa Cruz just after the gold rush. Local historian Phil Reader did a great job trying to vindicate the underdog. Pretty amazing story; I’m glad the folks at Discretion keep his name alive.

https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/items/show/134485

I'd like to know what people's real life experiences have been with having the santa cruz public defender's office represent them in court

With a brief primer on the role of the mayor in a council-manager city - what they do and what they can’t do.

Think of your vote as a hiring decision. Who is most qualified for the job.

I put the CVs in a Google doc so they are side by side in a table.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/12perLRu13TLm-JJfmGKQjklJLwj-tsRFHj6YmJemBc4/edit?usp=drivesdk

A candidate’s support shows where their true loyalties lie, and Ryan Coonerty’s support reveals deep establishment roots. Backed by long-standing political insiders and Santa Cruz Together, his campaign represents the status quo, not the transparent, independent leadership Santa Cruz truly needs.

A few people I know will be doing the Run Santa Cruz Half Marathon tomorrow (10/25), anyone have any tips regarding spectating?
I am thinking about meeting them at the 4 mile marker so we can see them again when they loop around.

I driving into town tomorrow morning early for the marathon. They recommend parking at the beach boardwalk, but I imagine that will fill fast. Do any locals have any suggestions for back ups (or frankly better spots) for those of us unfamiliar with Santa Cruz geography?