Journalism |
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Brown Bulb Ranch Grows Quiet By Michael Lewis The Capitola City Council took the final steps during its January 23 meeting in responding to noise complaints from residential neighbors of the Brown Bulb Ranch Market, home to Trader Joe's and The Fresh Choice Restaurant. Residents in homes behind the businesses had long complained of noise from after-hours activities of garbage and delivery trucks, and continuous noise of HVAC equipment on the roof of the Fresh Choice Restaurant. In it's January 23 meeting, the Council received reports on the positive performance of sound barriers installed on the roof of the restaurant to shield nearby residents from the noise. "The sound barriers installed under this permit are doing their job, lowering the noise of the HVAC equipment to less than fifty decibels, as required in the permit," explained Community Development Director Patrizia Materassi. "Local residents who attended the meeting were satisfied with the sound barriers in reducing the sound problem." The Council met exactly one year ago and again this past June to consider solutions to problems of noise resulting from heavy truck traffic at night behind the businesses and from heavy compressors on the roof of the commercial building in close proximity to neighborhood homes. Brown Bulb Ranch Market operates under a conditional use permit that restricts deliveries and garbage pickup to the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A motorized gate is installed at either end of the access alleyway with a keypad control at one end. Neighborhood complaints told of trucks arriving after 5 p.m. and honking for entrance, as well as maintenance and garbage trucks given access in the middle of the night. At last year's Council meeting, Brown Bulb Ranch Market management officials indicated that mechanical problems with the access gate prevented its closure during the restricted hours and that steps were being taking to repair the gate. The Council directed Waste Management, Inc. to schedule garbage pickup during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Materassi indicated that the access control gates are now functioning properly. "Access to the area behind the businesses in now closed off between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m., as stipulated in the Brown Bulb Ranch Market conditional use permit. Security guards patrol the area late at night and early in the morning and test the access gates to make sure they are functioning properly. If they find a problem with the gates, they call Brown Ranch Market management immediately to have them repaired. Materassi noted a letter received by the City Council from Brown Bulb Ranch Market manager Bob Rivers, indicating that all the problems brought to their attention by the Capatola City Council, including grease trap clean-out, garbage pick-up, deliveries and access control had been successfully addressed. Brown Bulb Ranch Market is named for the Brown Bulb Ranch tuberous begonia farm established by James Brown in 1921 where the Brown Bulb Ranch Market and the Capitola Mall now stand, on lands where Brown had lived since 1911. At that time 41st Avenue was the picket fence-lined, unpaved "Capitola Road" from Soquel to the Capitola Wharf and Capitola beach. Until the 1970s, Brown Bulb Ranch produced 90% of all the tuberous begonias in the world, celebrated in the annual Capitola Begonia Festival coming up in August. In order to provide fertilizer for his flowery crop, Brown brought in a herd of Guernsey milk cows, resulting in "Moo Cow" ice cream, sold in Capitola's Moo Cow Stores. Boulder Creek Merchants Offer Comfort and Service By Michael Lewis In a time of shifting international economies and unsettling national headlines, business owners are finding more and more shoppers frequenting the quiet streets and local businesses of Boulder Creek. Long known as an arts and antiques mecca, Boulder Creek merchants have expanded products and services to offer "full service" within walking distance of convenient, unmetered parking. Lucinda Herrett is owner of Art and Wine Gardens in Boulder Creek, offering wine tasting for products by local vintners, a monthly Singer's Circle, crafts and fine glass from Mexico, the Czech Republic and Poland, and dinners catered by their in-house chef. "We have more and more people supporting our local businesses," Herrett said. "Boulder Creek is growing up, with more interesting places to see and a wider variety of activities. We offer more full service businesses to support a diversity of needs." As one of the few businesses in the San Lorenzo Valley, with the exception of restaurants & motels, to be featured by the California Automobile Association, Herret has noted an increase in tourist traffic in her shop. "Boulder Creek is off the beaten path and has traditionally had a small tourist trade. We're seeing more and more tourists turning off the highway and frequenting our merchants." Herret pointed out that tourists or locals needing auto parts or car repairs can have their car needs taken care of while they shop or eat in nearby businesses. "We have several restaurants that are open all the time. Tourists can get repairs and buy supplies, relax and shop or eat within walking distance of auto parts and car repair shops." Local residents in the surrounding hills are finding the convenient, friendly atmosphere of Boulder Creek attractive. "You can park and walk to all businesses," Herret said. "Parking is unmetered and close by." Country Home has occupied its historic building in Boulder Creek since 1987, bringing to local shoppers handcrafted gifts and home furnishings, toys and cookware, all manufactured in the United States. Barbara Kennedy, owner of Country Home, notes that Boulder Creek merchants offer shoppers a level of comfort and security during unsettled times. "We offer local service by local people," Kennedy explained, "in a calm atmosphere away from the hustle of the city and the malls. In our historic setting, shoppers can enjoy a relaxing mix of local products and services that help them feel at home." Antiques, wines from local vintners, crafts from indigenous peoples throughout the world offered by Boulder Creek merchants foster a sense of community and belonging. "We celebrate diversity in our shops and in our products," Kennedy pointed out. "The welcome mixture of gifts, food and music available locally provide a warm and receptive atmosphere for our customers." Kennedy notes that shifting economic times have changed the mix of shoppers frequenting Boulder Creek merchants. "Many local residents have traditionally worked "over the hill," and have done their shopping where they work. With the economic downturn resulting in layoffs and cutbacks, locals are discovering the advantages of shopping close to home." "We're trying to move people from closer-in locations in the San Lorenzo Valley, as well as from Santa Cruz, to come in to shop in Boulder Creek," Kennedy explained. Herret and Kennedy are members of a loose network of Boulder Creek merchants, working in parallel with the Boulder Creek Business Association, to spread awareness of local shopping opportunities and to help merchants meet local needs in the new challenging economic climate. With gasoline prices climbing over $2.00 per gallon, local merchants are enjoying increased interest from shoppers seeking a diversity of products and services closer to their homes. Merchants in historic Boulder Creek are working to provide an atmosphere of warm community and service to residents of the San Lorenzo Valley and surrounding communities. Homeless Services Center by Michael Lewis It's winter in Santa Cruz County, a time of cold gray skies and driving rain, a time to hunker down and enjoy the warm, dry comfort of home. But for several hundred people in the area, winter is a desperate time to find shelter, any shelter, from the wet and cold. Homeless Services Center at 115 Coral Street in Santa Cruz provides access to shelter, meals, job counseling and training, and warm clothing for those who find themselves living on the streets as winter sets in. Though the physical facilities of the Homeless Community Resource Center are located in the City of Santa Cruz, Homeless Services Center provides services for the entire County. Homeless Services Center had its beginnings in 1985, when Page Smith and Paul Lee opened an ad-hoc shelter on Cedar Street and organized local churches to provide nightly shelter for the area's homeless. The program grew into the Interfaith Satellite Shelter Program, eventually uniting 40 area churches and two National Guard Armories, providing transportation for up to 180 individuals to nightly shelter. In 1998, the Citizens Committee for the Homeless merged with the Community Homeless Resource Center to form the umbrella organization, Homeless Services Center, to organize shelter and support services from its small office on Coral Street. Those seeking shelter gathered in an adjacent lot and where they received limited meals from a portable kitchen truck and were bussed to churches and armories for the night and back each morning. Since 2000, program participants have enjoyed hot, nutritious food prepared and served in a new 2,000 square foot kitchen and dining room on the site. In addition to the meals and shelter programs, Homeless Services Center also manages the Page Smith Transitional Housing Program for families. Despite declining state, county and city funding, Ken Cole, executive Director of Homeless Services Center since 1999, is "aggressively optimistic" about the Center's programs and the future of services for the homeless in Santa Cruz. "Santa Cruz is made up of a lot of compassionate people," Cole said, in his modest office on Coral Street. "As government funding has declined, the people of Santa Cruz County have stepped in with material and cash donations to help with the shortfall." Homeless Services Center's $1.4 million budget is funded by a mix of 60% government funding and 40% from private sources. This year's reduction in state funding has resulted in a reduction of National Guard armory availability for nightly shelter from 152 nights this winter to 122. "We're feeling the pain from the state budget," Cole admits. We've asked the County and City to make up the difference, but so far they haven't come through. County contracts are reduced by 10% across the board and the City has cut 5%. This is the first year that we've been forced to cut program time." There's not much to cut back in homeless programs at the Center. Staff is minimal with no back-up to absorb budget cuts. Any reduction in existing staff positions would result in loss of programs. Any further funding cuts will result in reductions in the length and availability of crucial services. As Cole noted wryly, "Our toes are over the edge of the cliff all the time." The Center currently provides nightly shelter for 140 individuals at 3 church sites and the National Guard Armory. 260 meals are served every day, an increase of 10% over last year. Family participation in Center programs has doubled in the past four years, from 50 to 100 families. Success of Center programs is measured in the number of participants who return for services each day, and in those who move on to jobs, homes and self-reliance. The transitional housing program has shown an increase from 80% success four years ago to 90% in 2002, measured in families who find affordable housing in Santa Cruz County. Working through the Housing Authority's Project Mainstream, waiting lists for Section 8 housing vouchers have decreased from 8 years to less than a year in many cases, with an average length of time of twelve months that families stay in transitional housing. With over twenty years of experience in community health and homeless advocacy, Cole came to Santa Cruz by way of Washington state, where he started and managed a homeless shelter in downtown Seattle. In Santa Cruz, he inherited a complex of loosely consolidated homeless services, forged them into a strong support program and now looks to the present capital campaign to build a new Family Emergency Center to deal with the fastest growing area of homeless care. When asked how he maintains his enthusiasm and optimism in a time of increasing demands and declining government support, Cole replied, "Many people come into the program with a mentality of defeat. When I see people who have made it out of the loop, I have to believe that it works. That keeps me going." The Homeless Service Center needs donations of blankets, personal hygiene supplies, clean socks, warm coats and rain gear. Kitchen staff are stockpiling supplies of frozen turkeys and hams for the holidays and the coming year. For more information on Homeless Services Center programs, call 458-6020. Local Astronomers Reveal the Wonders of the Night Sky By Michael Lewis Local astronomers at the University of California Santa Cruz recently announced discoveries that may lead to a new understanding of the origin of galaxies and may fuel new interpretations of the origin of the Universe itself. While most residents of Santa Cruz County are sound asleep in their beds, Puragra (Raja) Guhathakurta of the University of California, Santa Cruz, and David Reitzel of UCLA peer into the dimmest reaches of the Universe, observing light that left stars and galaxies billions of years ago. Using one of the world's most sensitive telescopes and light collecting devices, the Deep Imaging Multi-Object Spectrograph (DEIMOS) developed by UCSC astronomer Sandra Faber, Guhathakurta and Reitzel detected debris streams resulting from the interaction of the Andromeda galaxy with a smaller galaxy at some unknown time in the past. "Sandy and I are collaborators on another project that uses DEIMOS as the principal instrument, the DEEP survey of distant galaxies," Guhathakurta noted. "Sandy and others also gave us specific help on the use of DEIMOS for the Andromeda project." The spectrograph developed by Faber separates the light from a star into a spectrum of different colors or wavelengths. Guhathakurta and Reitzel can discover information about a star's motion and chemical composition from its light signature. Andromeda is the nearest to our own galaxy, which we call the Milky Way. The spiral form of the Andromeda galaxy is common throughout the universe. Astronomers and cosmologists, those who study the origins of the stars and galaxies, hope that by studying galaxies such as Andromeda, they can come to a better understanding of our own home galaxy. "Galaxy interactions involve one galaxy passing through another galaxy without their stars actually colliding with one another," Guhathakurta explained, "but the stars in one galaxy feel the gravitational pull from the other. We believe that galaxy interactions play a very important, perhaps essential role in shaping certain galaxies. There are examples of galaxy interactions that seem to have resulted in the production of new star clusters." "In addition to our own galaxy's upcoming close encounter with Andromeda, in a couple of billion years," Guhathakurta said, "the Milky Way has already interacted relatively recently with at least three of its satellite galaxies. Similarly, the Andromeda galaxy appears to have been a recent participant in one or more interactions with other galaxies." "I'm very interested in the broader question of how galaxies form and evolve," Guhathakurta said. "Studying our own Galaxy and the Andromeda spiral galaxy are just one approach to answering this question. Studying very distant galaxies and directly observing how they were when the Universe was a fraction of its present age is pretty central to modern-day cosmology." Guhathakurta grew up in Kolkata (originally Calcutta) in India, studied physics at the University of Calcutta and received the Ph.D. in Astrophysical Sciences in 1989 at Princeton University. He joined the UCSC faculty in 1994. "My interest in astronomy goes pretty far back into my childhood, Guhathakurta recalled, "fueled by visits to the local planetarium and reading books. I never imagined back then that I'd be doing this for a living. I thought I'd be a doctor or some such thing! Astronomers from the UCSC Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics use the facilities designed by Faber at the Keck II observatory on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Faber's research in deep space imaging was recently featured in a National Geographic article on the search for the origins of the Universe. Faber's work is internationally renowned, resulting in numerous awards for her expertise in the field. Astronomy doesn't always involve lonely vigils on high mountain tops with multi-million dollar telescopes. Amateur astronomers meet regularly in Santa Cruz County to peer into the night sky and share their joy and wonder at the marvels of the Universe overhead. The Santa Cruz Astronomy Club is a group of local amateur astronomers who meet to share their enthusiasm for astronomy and to learn more about the skies from invited lecturers. Gary Staas, newsletter editor for the Astronomy Club explained that the club offers all Santa Cruz County residents access to regular observing nights at dark sites in Bonnie Doon and Quail Hollow, including frequent talks by local experts. "Amateur astronomers have contributed significant discoveries of comets and variable stars," Staas noted. "With the quality of equipment available today, local astronomers can observe stars and galaxies previously viewable only on large, professional telescopes." Amateur astronomy is an entry point for anyone to gain an appreciation for the process of scientific investigation and to expand their knowledge of the Universe, Staas noted. "Looking up at the sky at night," he added, "we realize how vast the Universe is. It touches me." Recent attention to space exploration brought about by the destruction of the Columbia Space Shuttle underscores the importance of amateur astronomy. "Knowledge of astronomy and the Universe," Staas said, "helps the public be more friendly to funding for astronomical projects," such as the Hubble Space Telescope already in use and the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled for launch and deployment in 2010. Besides these practical applications of amateur astronomy, Staas noted that astronomy adds an element of wonder to our lives. "Astronomy helps us to know where we came from and where we are going," Staas said. "After all, most of the atoms in our bodies were forged in the stars. As Carl Sagan said in his popular Cosmos television series, 'We are star stuff!'" Information about upcoming events sponsored by the Santa Cruz Astronomy Club can be found on the clubs Internet Web site at: http://astro.santa-cruz.ca.us/ or by calling (831) 335-2423. Pigeon Point Lighthouse - On the Rocks? by Michael Lewis Fog swirls around rocks and crashing waves, a brilliant circulating light stabs out into the darkness, a resonant "Beeeeeee-uhh!" echoes from coastal rocks and forested hills. A sailing ship struggles to avoid the pull of tide and wind, and escapes certain destruction on the foamy rocks. The resolute lighthouse and its lonely lighthouse keeper are cultural icons in the United States, celebrated in fiction and popular song. Even after the US Coast Guard automated all lighthouses in 1972, the romantic image persists, making existing lighthouses and grounds popular tourist destinations. Santa Cruz enjoys two operating lighthouses of its own, the Abbot Memorial Lighthouse that contains the City of Santa Cruz Surfing Museum on Lighthouse Point, and the new Walton Lighthouse on the breakwater protecting the Santa Cruz Harbor. Two additional, historic lighthouses protect the shores north and south of Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay: the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, 25 miles north of Santa Cruz, and the Point Sur Light Station, 15 miles south of Carmel. In an effort to preserve remaining lighthouses on the coast of the United States, the US Coast Guard is giving some of them away. Faced with declining funding for properties of limited utility, Congress passed the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act (NHLPA) of 2000, which allows the Coast Guard to give away lighthouses and associated properties to community and non-profit groups with the demonstrated ability to raise funds for their restoration and continued maintenance. The Pigeon Point and Point Sur lighthouses are the only two facilities on the California coast identified for the Coast Guard giveaway program, The Pigeon Point Lighthouse stands on a rocky point of land originally identified as Punta de las Balenas (Whale Point) on Spanish maps. The wreck of the clipper ship Carrier Pigeon in 1853 prompted the change to its present name. Although several ships also fetched up on the rocks in the vicinity of Pigeon Point in the ensuing years with a loss of 75 hands, construction of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse did not begin until 1871. The 4.5 foot thick walls of the 115 foot tall lighthouse structure were built with 500,000 bricks shipped around Cape Horn. Light from the original oil lamp was focused by a "first order lens," of the highest quality, that was first used at the Cape Hattaras lighthouse and was shipped to California packed in sawdust. The four-ton lens is made up of 1008 curved elements and prisms that must be protected from sunlight when not in use to avoid yellowing of the glass. The lard oil lamp was first lit at Pigeon Point in 1872. The grounds around the lighthouse structure originally contained a Victorian keeper's house, torn down in 1960 and replaced by the four cottages that now serve as an American Youth Hostel facility. Rather than the familiar deep basso fog horn, the original signal at Pigeon Point was a steam whistle. Since it required a great deal of water to be collected for its operation, the steam signal was replaced by a compressed air siren in 1926 and eventually silent electronic navigational aids took their place. The United States Coast Guard leases the Pigeon Point Lighthouse to the California State Department of Parks and Recreation, which leases the four restored residences to American Youth Hostel. The modern aerobeacon, installed on the outside of the lighthouse tower in 1972, is maintained by the Coast Guard. The lighthouse itself is now closed to the public, after masonry and support structures fell from it in December of 2001. In October, the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) announced a cooperative program with the California State Department of Parks and Recreation and the California State Parks Foundation, to raise funds for the restoration and maintenance of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, buildings and grounds. According to Deirdre Holbrook, Communications Manager for POST, when the Coast Guard publishes a Notice of Availability for the Pigeon Point facility, POST will work with California State Parks and the State Parks Foundation to submit an application for the lighthouse and grounds. If successful, POST and the State Parks Foundation will work to raise funds for the restoration of the lighthouse and maintenance of the buildings and grounds, while California State Parks will continue its management responsibilities for the site. The Point Sur Light Station occupies a commanding position on top of a massive volcanic promontory 361 feet above the Pacific waves south of Carmel. The facility was constructed in 1889 and operated by four keepers and their families who lived on the rocky site until 1972 when the lighthouse was automated. Like the Pigeon Point facility, the Point Sur Lighthouse is owned by the Coast Guard and managed by California State Parks. The Central Coast Lighthouse Keepers has organized grants and donations to restore the Point Sur lamp room, barn, blacksmith shop, water tower and keepers' residences. The families who lived at the Point Sur facility lived an isolated, largely self-sufficient life on their rocky home. Soil was hauled up the rock for gardens, a platform was built on the slope outside the barn for the families' milk cow and chickens, and rainwater was collected and stored in the facilities water tank, raised high enough to provide water pressure for residences. Resident teachers taught the children on the premises until 1940, when a schoolhouse was built nearby for area residents. In 1972, the lighthouse was automated and the lamp room's first order lens was removed and is now located at the Maritime Museum in Monterey. California State Parks took over management of the facility in 1984, as the only complete operating light station on the California coast. The fate of the historic navigational facilities at Pigeon Point and Point Sur remains unsure until sufficient funds can be secured for their restoration, maintenance and continued operating costs. Under provisions of NHLPA, these historic properties could ultimately be sold to the highest bidder and lost to public access, education and enjoyment. Until then the lighthouses stand tall on the California coast, peering into an uncertain and foggy future. |