Talk of the Bay from KSQD

  Charles Pasternak has served as the Artistic Director for Santa Cruz Shakespeare since 2023. Before that, he served as Artistic Director of The Porters of Hellsgate Theatre Co in Los Angeles for over fifteen years. He has had a wide-ranging career as an actor and director at theatres across this country including American Players Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Clarence Brown Theatre, The Denver Center, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles, three seasons with The Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis and four with Shakespeare Santa Cruz. Alicia Gibson is the co-director of this year’s production of A Christmas Carol. She is the Production Manager for Santa Cruz Shakespeare, and she is very grateful to be a part of the Santa Cruz Shakespeare team. She has loved Shakespeare since high school and always looks forward to introducing more people to the work. She graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara theatre directing program. Prior to her tenure with SCS, Alicia worked for many years as a director and stage manager in Los Angeles.

Rachel Anne Goodman interviews Deputy Insurance Commissioner, Michael Soller about the crisis in home insurance in fire-prone areas, including Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. A recent New York Times article revealed some alarming details about the way the new regulations and rates were negotiated. It raised questions about the future of real estate in California, and the prospect of even higher costs of insuring a home with fewer choices of companies willing to write policies. Then, Justin Kloczko and Carmen Balber join in from Citizen Watchdog, some Lara’s loudest critics calling for his resignation due to his handling of the insurance crisis.    

  Heather Houston is the Artistic Director of the women’s choir Yala Lati. Heather is a well-established Santa Cruz-based musician, recording artist, vocal coach, song circle leader, and choral director, whose spirit uplifts hearts and weaves community through the power of singing. Over the last 3 decades, you may have heard her singing 3-part harmony with her acappella groups Dis Moi and Sirenz, singing jazz with the Steve Abrams Trio, leading large crowds in song at demonstrations and marches, or singing at Bay Area and central coast spiritual centers. She offers live transforming events internationally, online, and in person, from the Esalen Institute, to 1440 Multiversity, to Sivananda Bahamas. But most notably, her annual Sisters in Harmony summer singing retreat at Green Mountain Retreat Center in the Santa Cruz Mountains gathers over 100 women in song and sisterhood. Heather Houston’s original music can be found on all the streaming platforms. Yala Lati celebrates its 20th anniversary on Saturday November 22nd with a performance at the Rio Theater in Santa Cruz.

Humanities intern Daymia Rousseau has this look at how AI is impacting students and professors at UCSC.

Third District Santa Cruz County Supervisor Justin Cummings weighs in on threats to the California coast from offshore drilling and seabed mining, and what local governments are doing to ready themselves for the right to protect our coast.

What happened after November 4th? Find out from Tony Russomanno.

Two Aptos High students, Emily and Lucy, talk about their work as podcasters and environmental activists. The Aptos Community Youth Program is a free youth leadership and arts engagement program offered to students in the Santa Cruz County area. As part of their work digital media and visual art outlets such as podcasting, film production, photography, and painting murals have become part of their work in sharing stories of the youth as well as taking on projects that benefit the community such as school supply drives, volunteering with local non-profits, and working with elders in the community. Two students Lucy and Emily are on the student leadership board of this organization, and a part of the Aptos High School ASB. They have been involved in ACYP since middle school and their early high school years and now find themselves as seniors at Aptos High School.

Join Tony Russomanno with guests Chris Krohn and Laz Meiman for a special report in advance of the Nov. 4 election.

Cynthia Ranii, a Santa Cruz resident and elite table tennis player, is competing for a slot in the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games. Ranii became paralyzed from the chest down in 2005 at age 58 after sudden onset of a rare neuro-immunologic disorder known as transverse myelitis. Ranii was at the peak of her career as a school district superintendent, she had a loving family that was expanding and she was athletic, active and healthy. Everything changed almost overnight. Ranii was suddenly thrust into a new reality where almost nothing was comfortable or familiar. And it was then that she turned to one of her life’s constants: athletics. After pursuing wheelchair tennis for a while, Ranii found she had a knack for table tennis and she began competing at the highest levels against both seated and able-bodied opponents. Now, at 78, she’s ready for a new challenge and is focusing all her efforts on medaling at the Paralympics. Should she succeed in doing so, she would likely be the oldest individual to ever compete — let alone medal — at the Paralympic or Olympic games. Ranii recently joined Talk of the Bay to us all about her journey, which is only just beginning. NOTES Santa Cruz Sentinel: https: santacruzsentinel.com/2025/10/04/at-58-cynthia-ranii-was-paralyzed-from-the-chest-down-20-years-later-her-sights-are-set-on-a-paralympic-medal/ Photo: Shmuel Thaler – Santa Cruz Sentinel

When was the last time you ran your weekend errands without getting behind the wheel of a car? How about commuting to work? What about a trip to the beach? It’s not easy in our modern world to get around without a personal four-wheeler, but that hasn’t stopped Santa Cruz County transportation leaders from challenging the public–and elected officials–to give it a shot. Multiple local transportation agencies helped organize Santa Cruz County’s first-ever Week Without Driving campaign, which lasted from Sept. 29 to Oct. 5. Talk of the Bay host PK Hattis was joined Oct. 1 by a key architect of the initiative, Santa Cruz Metro Board Chair Rebecca Downing, who talked about where the idea came from and why it’s so important for local policymakers to participate. NOTES Santa Cruz Sentinel: santacruzsentinel.com/2025/09/18/transportation-officials-push-for-a-week-without-driving-in-santa-cruz-county/ Photo: Contributed – Santa Cruz Metro

Matt Miller, the director of mobility transformation at Ecology Action, returned to Talk of the Bay in September to talk about the Santa Cruz Bikeway, a new 11-mile route encircling the city of Santa Cruz using only existing roads and infrastructure. While the two month pilot project wrapped up Oct. 8, and along with it most of the 160 yellow “bikeway” signs posted on street corners across the city, the route itself remains completely available to the public. Matt joined the show Sept. 3rd to talk about what purpose the route is meant to serve and what his team hopes to glean from this temporary pilot program.   NOTES: Santa Cruz Sentinel: Have you seen those yellow ‘bikeway’ signs around Santa Cruz? Here’s what they’re signaling. Ecology Action’s Santa Cruz Bikeway webpage

Hedge funds and secretive investors are buying up local papers and stripping them for parts. These so-called vulture capitalists and their attack on journalism are the subject of a new film out on PBS, “Stripped for Parts: American Journalism on the Brink by Rick Goldsmith. We hear from Goldsmith and investigative journalist Julie Reynolds about the film and the impact on our democracy of losing so many local papers such as the Monterey Herald, the Santa Cruz Sentinel and the San Jose Mercury News. You can stream the film here: https://www.pbs.org/video/stripped-for-parts-american-journalism-on-the-brink-dyEAIs/  

CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank, Erica Padilla-Chavez is in the eye of the storm of hungry people seeking food in the wake of pending cuts to CalFresh/SNAP (EBT, food stamps). They are seeking 75 new volunteers to help with the influx of new clients suddenly in need of food in our communities. You can help by donating at thefoodbank.org. For advocacy, you can write to your state and federal representatives and indicate you support full funding of SNAP.

On October 28, 2025, George Cadman was joined on Talk of The Bay by Ken Reichman and Denise Allen of Indivisible Of Santa Cruz County to discuss the No Kings rally & march on Oct 18th, what’s next, how members of ISCC are working to protect our community from ICE, and how people can join one of their action teams and get involved.

In this episode of Talk of the Bay, host Meilin Obinata speaks with two people experiencing different aspects of the rent crisis in the City Salinas: Sam Messenger, a person who received a visit on October 13, 2025 from the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office investigator who was investigating him about his decision to sign a petition in favor of the renter protection ordinances at the Oldtown Farmer’s Market one day, and Councilmember Andrew Sandoval of the Protect Salinas Renters Coalition. Monterey County Now ran a piece “Investigation into petition signatures in Salinas casts suspicion all around” on Wednesday, October 23, with quotes from Messenger and Sandoval, just four days before this conversation, about the visits from the Monterey County DA investigators which residents of Salinas have been reporting, which the DA’s office did not comment upon. We open the show with a clip from this weekend’s Zohran Mamdani rally at which Anastasia Ocasia Cortez and Bernie Sanders spoke, featuring a few words from Bernie Sanders and Mamdani. Mamdani’s campaign slogans include “Freeze the Rent” referring to the freezing of rent increases for rent-stabilized housing in New York City along with other policies which center affordability for working class New Yorkers. Obinata gives a brief summary of the tumultuous history of the rental housing crisis which residents face in Salinas, from 2000 to the September 2024 vote by the Salinas City Council to approve of a set of four tenant protection ordinances. In November 2024, three Salinas councilmembers either lost or vacated their seats, changing the political composition of the council and orientations towards these renter protection ordinances. In June 2025, the majority of this council with this new composition then voted to repeal the package of renter protection ordinances which the previous city council had passed unanmimously in September 2024. Then, the Protect Salinas Renters Coalition collected signatures to put the ordinances back on the table with a voter referendum. The Monterey County Elections Office verified the signatures mid-August. In late September, the Salinas City Council, after multiple councilmembers offered motions regarding the referendum, a majority of four ultimately voted to put the ordinances on the November 2026 ballot against a three member minority for the voters to decide what would happen to the tenant protections. At the mid-point of the show, you’ll hear a clip from Tony Vasquez, a former mayor of Santa Monica who is running for California Treasurer. He was speaking about the importance of rent control for protecting the diversity of that city at the California Democratic Renters Council reception on Saturday, October 25th, which was part of California Democratic Executive Board Conference, held at the Monterey Hyatt. Close to the end of the show, Messenger confirms that the investigator who knocked on his door was carrying a firearm. Obinata notes that the California Apartment Association is staying on top of the Salinas renter protections, with an article from late September about the upcoming November 2026 vote. Note that KSQD attempted to get the District Attorney’s Office of Monterey County to participate in an interview for this show but were told that they were not commenting on election law violations. As of the publishing of this post, KSQD also has not received a call back from the Fair Political Practices Commission. After this show,

On Talk of The Bay on Tues Oct 21st, at 5 pm, host George Cadman interviewed local author, psychotherapist and Family Constellation facilitator, Molly Salans. They discussed her psychological thriller, A Break in The Fog, about a family in turmoil and a dangerous cult, which explores how faith can be used to heal, but also to abuse, and how love and family is what matters most in the end. Molly and George also talked about: cults more generally (including the cult of Trump); what draws someone into a cult or controlling system; the longing to belong – and how that deep human need can lead either toward love and connection or toward control and manipulation; how to awaken oneself and others to mind control; how compassion and understanding can free us from fear and polarization both personally and collectively; and the power of creativity, community, and ceremony to restore love and empathy in a divided world. Deeply involved in Santa Cruz’s creative and spiritual communities, Molly Salans reminds us that compassion is not just a feeling – it’s a path forward in healing ourselves and our world. For more than thirty years Molly has guided people through the landscapes of grief, love, and transformation—blending psychology, spirituality, and creative expression. Through her Constellation circles and community gatherings, she helps people uncover the hidden love that lives beneath pain and conflict. abreakinthefog.com

  Interviews with Adam Scow and Dr. Ann Lopez: Adam Bolaños Scow is a Public-Interest Advocate, Violinist, and Music Teacher. For over 15 years Adam has helped win environmental campaigns in the Monterey Bay region including the efforts to ban fracking in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito Counties. He is a co-founder of the Campaign for Organic & Regenerative Agriculture (CORA), a grassroots group working to transition agricultural fields away from toxic pesticides to organic in the Watsonville area. He has served on the boards of Regeneración Pajaro Valley Climate Action, Watsonville Wetlands Watch, and the Sierra Club. He previously served as a Board Trustee for the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, where he helped win one the largest salary increases for teachers and staff in the history of the district and protected vital arts and music programs. As a violinist Adam performs with the Santa Cruz Symphony and also performs Mariachi music with Mariachi Libertad. Adam teaches both orchestra and mariachi through the award-winning El Sistema program in Watsonville and at Cabrillo College. Dr. Ann López is the Executive Director of Center for Farmworker Families. She is an emerita professor and taught courses in biology, environmental science, ecology and botany in the biology department at San José City College for many years. She has a Ph.D. from UCSC in Environmental Studies, where she studied the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement on the farms of west central Mexico. Her book entitled The Farmworkers’ Journey summarizes the results, arguments and conclusions of her research and was published by UC Press. She has been recognized for her work by the U.S. Congress and many organizations. She was chosen as a Woman of the Year for 2013 and 2014 by the National Association of Professional Women. In March 2018, she was chosen for a 16th Annual Cesar E. Chavez Community Award in Watsonville and in 2019 was recognized by Assembly Member Mark Stone as Woman of the Year in California’s 29th District.

Talk of the Bay Host George Cadman interviews Jenni Veitch-Olson about California Proposition 50. Jenni is a compassionate community leader. Jenni is the Director of Development for Emerge California, the premier training program for Democratic women who want to run for office and win. She served as the Vice Chair of the Santa Cruz County Democratic Central Committee, prior to being elected the Chair in January 2025. She also serves as a Watsonville Planning Commissioner. In 2024, Jenni was awarded Santa Cruz County’s Democrat of the Year for her mobilization of resources to those affected by the Pajaro River flood. Known as “Def Jen Wreckers” on the track, Jenni plays roller derby with the local Santa Cruz Roller Derby team. https://stopelectionrigging.com/ https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/10/voter-guide-2025-print/  

KSQD’s Talk of the Bay, Meilin Obinata welcomes Omar Dieguez to discuss his month-long hunger strike to raise awareness of the dangers of pesticide use in agriculture, and his work to ban pesticide use in the community.

From Suki Wessling: Reporting from the October 18 No Kings Rally in Downtown Santa Cruz today, I heard a clear message: What’s happening in this country is not OK. People from all walks of life came together with a message of unity and hope. Although there was anger, there was a distinct lack of partisanship and hateful speech. Listen in to what locals had to say about the state of our democracy and the message they hope to send. To learn more about future events, join your local Invisible’s mailing list. Suki Wessling interviewing Curtis Reliford Crowd photo by Herb Jellinek.  

Did you know having a dark sky is healthier for humans and other animals? Many creatures rely on the stars to navigate or know where to migrate. Dark Sky International is a movement to reclaim the sky at night, led by amateur astronomers and scientists. Light pollution disrupts wildlife, impacts human health, wastes money and energy, contributes to climate change, and blocks our view of the universe. In this interview with three group members, we hear ideas of what we can do to help darken the night sky again.

Even in a banner year for coastal storm damage, Seacliff and New Brighton State Beaches stood out in 2022 and early 2023. A relentless flurry of atmospheric river storms slammed the popular seaside destinations, snapping the historic Seacliff pier in two, dramatically flooding the day-use area with sand and debris and striping away much of the park’s infill material to such a degree that the campground area remains offline to this day. The indelible images even inspired a visit from then-President Joe Biden, who delivered a speech on the impacts of climate change right outside Seacliff’s Welcome Center. Though many of the facilities have recovered in the past few years, climate experts have cautioned that Seacliff and New Brighton remain vulnerable to the supercharged storms that climate change will make more frequent in the years to come. With that in mind, State Parks, in collaboration with local partners, has produced the Recovery and Resilience at Seacliff and New Brighton State Beaches study and shared it with the public for the first time earlier this month. The report, which took more than two years to put together, reveals much about how these beloved parks remain vulnerable to climate change impacts and how local planners can continue the rebuilding effort in way that recognizes the realities of the future and puts resiliency at the forefront. To help us better understand what this report has to offer, host PK Hattis was recently joined by Scott Rohlf, a staff recreation specialist with California State Parks who acted as the Santa Cruz District lead on this study. NOTES https://www.seacliffresilience.org/ https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2025/09/29/new-study-reveals-adaptation-scenarios-at-seacliff-new-brighton-state-beaches/ https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2023/03/20/its-really-sad-seacliff-pier-demolition-process-begins/ https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2023/03/27/crews-demolish-historic-monterey-bay-pier-in-danger-of-collapse-after-january-storm-damage/

On this episode of Talk of the Bay, host George Cadman talks with Elaine Johnson, Executive Director of Housing Santa Cruz County, about Measure C, the proposed Workforce Housing Affordability Act appearing on the November ballot in Santa Cruz. They discuss how the measure came about, what kinds of taxes it would establish, how the funds would be used, and what oversight would guide spending. Johnson also responds to concerns raised by community members and outlines the intended goals for addressing local housing needs. It’s an informative and balanced look at one of the key issues facing Santa Cruz voters this fall—housing, affordability, and the future of the community.

Roaring Camp Railroads is hosting a magical walk in the giant redwoods lit up by movie lighting artists and lamp-makers. I went on a preview of the event with the artists and about 200 other curious folks, and have this story.   ROARING CAMP INTRODUCES “SEQUOIAS AT NIGHT” FAMILY-FRIENDLY STROLL THROUGH ILLUMINATED GIANT REDWOOD FOREST VIEW TOWERING 250-FOOT REDWOODS IN A NEW LIGHT, FEATURING HANGING, LIGHTED LANTERNS CREATED BY LOCAL METALSMITH ARTISTS FELTON, CA – SEPTEMBER 19, 2025 – Roaring Camp, Inc. (Roaring Camp) today introduced “Sequoias at Night,” its new family-friendly experience beneath towering 250-foot-tall redwood trees in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Sequoias at Night lighted stroll will be open to the public on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 7:30pm. The nighttime experience provides visitors with a magical and immersive perspective on the ancient forest at Roaring Camp. During the 0.8-mile loop walk, visitors will view 26 unique, lighted lanterns, hung approximately 50 feet above the ground. The lanterns were crafted by local artists including Anna Bobisuthi, Roaring Camp’s resident blacksmith, and Chris Butler, who also created the lighting design for Sequoias at Night. Sequoias at Night will be open on Friday nights, weather permitting. Expanded dates are planned for Spring 2026. Tickets are available at www.roaringcamp.com. Adult tickets will be $24.95, children $12.95 and kids under two enter for free. Roaring Camp’s food services and gift shop will be open. Roaring Camp is located at 5401 Graham Hill Rd, Felton, CA.  

Across the country, there has been a huge increase in attempts to ban books from libraries and schools. The American Library Association is fighting back against attempts to censor books from libraries by raising awareness of protecting our right to read what we choose. We hear from Heather Norquist, youth programs coordinator for the Santa Cruz Public Libraries about how important it is to nurture a love of reading in young people, and not remove books by authors of color or ones that contain LGBTQ+ themes.  

  On Talk of the Bay, host Meilin Obinata welcomes Paul Kmiec the director of the Santa Cruz Film Festival. Join us in learning how this 25 year old film festival is rejuvenating itself with Paul, a filmmaker in his own right, at the helm. Most importantly, be sure to attend the free parties and meet the filmmakers who are coming to town for this celebration of creativity and independence from Wednesday October 8th through Sunday October 12th! SCFF Schedule https://www.santacruzfilmfestivals.org

Tim Eagan, beloved cartoonist, satirist, radio drama guy and all around cultural icon of Santa Cruz passed away in August of 2025. We hear from friend and radio host Bruce Larsen, and poet Stephen Kessler about his legacy and we hear an interview I did with Tim in April, 2022 upon the release of his graphic novel.’

On this episode of Talk of The Bay, host George Cadman is joined by Tony Nuñez, Marketing & Communications Director at Community Bridges, where he leads strategic messaging to highlight the impact of the nonprofit’s 10 programs serving more than 20,000 children, families, and seniors each year across Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito Counties. These programs deliver hot meals to homebound seniors, provide accessible transportation to medical appointments, connect families to food and housing resources, nurture children through early education, and offer critical recovery support during disasters. Tony and George will discuss the important work of Community Bridges in our tri-County area and the upcoming Pie for The People event on Oct. 26th which will benefit this critical community resource. In the second half of the program, George Cadman is joined by local educator and life-long learner Megan Grenier who over the last 28 years has worked in a variety of educational settings – as an elementary classroom teacher, an Education specialist for a charter school, a mentor teacher, a private tutor, and as a director of a learning lab to help struggling readers using the Orton Gillingham approach. Her passion is to help students learn to read proficiently. Megan and George will discuss the importance of literacy to individuals and society, two recent CA Senate bills passed in 2024 requiring schools in CA to screen all K-2 students for reading difficulties, including dyslexia, this school year, as well as two upcoming Dyslexia Simulations she and other educators are hosting to raise awareness about the frustrations and struggles that individuals with dyslexia experience on a daily basis in the classroom. They encourage parents, teachers and life-long learners to register for the simulations which will be held at the Scotts Valley public library and the Simpkins Swim Center/Live Oak Annex in October, which is Dyslexia Awareness Month.

The Arts Council of Santa Cruz County kicks off their Open Studios Art Tour the first weekend in October. Celebrating their 40th year Open studios is bigger than ever featuring over 340 artists! Working in 22 mediums from seasoned professionals to new and emerging, Open Studios presents an opportunity for everyone to discover, experience, and connect with artists and their work. KSQD Host Christine Barrington welcomes Open Studios Program Manager, Bree Karpavage along with two participating artists to share behind the scenes details into what makes Open Studios an event you do not want to miss. Featured artists: Anna Cummins (#239) is a full-time ceramicist who creates functional pieces that have whimsical sculptural and painted elements. Biagio Scarpello (#78) is a mixed media sculptor and blown glass master who also teaches art at San Jose State and Cabrillo College in Aptos. Tour Weekends (10am–5pm) Oct 4–5: South County Oct 11–12: North County Oct 18–19: All County ✨ Preview Exhibits Santa Cruz Art League | Sept 26–Oct 19 Pajaro Valley Arts | Sept 20–Oct 19 📍 Plan Your Visit Website: santacruzopenstudios.com Printed Guide: Available at Good Times drop-off spots from mid Sept App: “Santa Cruz County Open Studios” on iTunes & Google Play from mid Sept ✉️ For More Info: Email [email protected] Guest Recommended Studios: Mattie Leeds #343 Tessa Hope Hasty #342 Tina Fuller Somers #332 Elijah Pfotenhaur #126 Coeleen Kiebert #26 Santa Cruz Clay #313-317        

  Dr. Janice Hadlock is a professor of acupuncture and a well-known researcher in the field of Chinese medicine. She has been published in the top journals in the field and has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine regarding treatments for Parkinson’s Disease. She is the first non-MD acupuncturist to be published in that medical journal. Early in the COVID pandemic, she discovered that the symptoms of COVID, and of Long COVID, are caused by a trio of electrical blockages in the subdermal fascia. Through successive treatments of COVID patients in 2019 and 2020, she found that these blockages can easily be straightened and removed by stroking the affected area with the hand. Her findings, based on her own work and work of other practitioners using the treatment she developed, were published in the Fall 2022 edition of the Journal of Chinese Medicine. Her instructions for doing the treatment are available for free at covidtreatment.info. Dr. Hadlock has been working with the NIH since 2022. Although the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health has approved the treatment, its parent organization, the National Institutes of Health, has been suppressing the information for three years.

In this episode of Talk of the Bay, host Janet Quinn sits down with Brian Sweeney and Omar Guzman of the Homeless Garden Project. They share how the project provides job training, community, and hope for people experiencing homelessness, while also growing fresh food, handmade goods, and deep connections in Santa Cruz. From the upcoming Sustain Supper fundraiser featuring chef Jozseph Schultz and poet Jane Hirshfield, to the excitement of securing a permanent farm site, this conversation highlights the power of collaboration, resilience, and renewal rooted in the soil. Listen now to hear an inspiring story of growth—on the farm and beyond. Join HGP for their Sustain Supper, Saturday, October 18th at Natural Bridges Farm in Santa Cruz—an evening of farm-to-table dining, community, and poetry, all in support of the Homeless Garden Project. Enjoy a locally sourced four-course meal by Chef Jozseph Schultz, dessert from The Penny Ice Creamery, and a keynote by renowned poet Jane Hirshfield. Tickets and details at homelessgardenproject.org.

On Talk of the Bay host Christine Barrington interviews Sally Weiss, Director of The Cabrillo Stroke and Disability Learning Center. The center is celebrating its 50th Anniversary with an event at Cabrillo’s Samper Hall on October 17 at 10am-Noon. Sally Weiss shares with the community the terrific offerings of this long-standing program. Every two seconds, someone in the world suffers a stroke. Every six, someone’s quality of life will forever be changed. To meet this challenge locally, the Stroke and Disability Learning Center provides an interdisciplinary educational program for adults who have survived a stroke or are living with disabling conditions. The SDLC is a unique program operating since 1974 at Cabrillo College that starts where medical rehabilitation leaves off. Patients become students and enroll in specialized classes to develop strategies and gain skills in a supportive learning community. The goal of the SDLC is to support independence and promote maximum function for adults adapting to functional losses. Students participate in small-group instruction in Mobility and Fitness, Speech and Communication and Counseling Support. Classes are designed to meet the learning needs of each individual student, taking into account a wide range of disabilities and offering personalized assessment to identify individual learning goals. To learn more for someone in your life call 831-477-3300. Your call will be followed up with an interview and an orientation session. More details here. Costs are limited to community college enrollment fees and scholarships are available. To learn more about the history of the center and how it began, featuring two previous directors of the center, please enjoy this previous show from 2020:

Join host Suki Wessling on Talk of the Bay for her informative interview with Monterey Jazz Managing Director Bobbie Young. You’ll learn about all aspects of the festival and hear clips from some of this year’s great artists. Visit the MJF website Listen to the Spotify playlist of this year’s artists  

Do you have your go bag ready in case of a fire, flood, earthquake or tsunami? Do you have a plan for you pet? At the preparedness fair and tsunami fun run, ocal experts from the Red Cross, Scouts, and Animal Shelter help sort out what to do to be ready for any eventuality.

The annual coastal cleanup is Saturday, September 20th from 9 AM to noon. Sign up to help clean a beach or river near you. We talk with Katie Thompson, Director of Save Our Shores about the trash situation in our coastal area. Sign up online here: https://saveourshores.org/coastal-cleanup/  

Community theater has always been a special place in the local theater scene. Mountain Community Theater is planning an extravaganza musical based on the tv show and cartoon of the 1960s, the Addams Family. Join Morticia, Gomez, Wednesday and Pugsley for a gothic romp with a tango number thrown in for good measure. We hear from director, Daria Troxell, and actors Amy Carlson (Morticia) and Dave Leon (Gomez).’

Lo0kout Santa Cruz reporter Chris Neely was 11 on 9-11, 2001 and living in a suburb of New Jersey where the majority of parents commuted in to Manhattan. His teacher was sobbing, half a dozen of his classmates were called out of class not to return, and the principal cancelled recess, fibbing there was a bee swarm. What there really was was a fear of a toxic cloud drifting over the school from the twin towers on wire. Chris talks about his vivid memories and the way his neighbors back home still take a silent moment to look across the Hudson at where the towers stood. We also talk local news, from homeless camp sweeps to the closing of MHCAN and the Watsonville City Council’s vote to expand their use of FLOCK license plate cameras, despite public outcry.

Monday on Talk of the Bay we meet Laura February Strange and members of the cast of “Karen with a K: A musical temper tantrum.” If you haven’t had the chance to experience this local garage-rock musical it’s coming around once more at the Kummbwa Jazz Center in downtown Santa Cruz. “Karen with a K” features a band of talented musicians, singers and actors that deliver a rollicking, powerhouse hour and fifteen minute performance that leaves crowds cheering on their feet. All songs written by Laura February Strange and performed by Strange Bedfellows, featuring Laura February Strange, Scott Kail, Jojo Fox, Jack Hanson and Orbrad Darbro, plus vocalists Stephanie Madrigal, Bonny June and Judy Appleby. Next show: Saturday, September 13, 2025 7:00 pm at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center. More info: Karen with a K Tickets  

When Gail Pellerin lost her husband to suicide, she knew she needed to learn more about the causes and prevention as part of her healing process. Now, she is advocating for awareness through a resolution declaring September Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. In addition, she is honoring “Mental Health Heroes” in her district. KSQD is proud that host, Debra Sloss is among those being honored, for her work on radio and podcasting. Sacramento, CA – Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz) invited mental health advocates and survivors to the Capitol for her presentation of ACR 70, which proclaims September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Pellerin, a survivor of suicide loss, has been a passionate advocate for prevention awareness since her husband, Tom, died on November 19, 2018. “Early in my grieving process, I attended a talk on suicide, and the speaker encouraged us to put our grief to work. We’re here today to shine a light on this pain that’s all too common, but not discussed enough,” Pellerin said. Since being elected to the State Assembly, she has used her voice and lived experiences as a platform to raise awareness to the issue on a state-wide level, including emphasizing how words matter and moving away from “committed suicide” to “died by suicide” because suicide is not a crime, it is the tragic result of an illness. Behavioral health services are a vital resource that Assembly Democrats have funded across California—especially following federal cuts. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention reports that mental health issues are a leading cause of suicide, suicide is the second leading cause of death among people ages 15-34, and 39% of all suicides involve firearms. These statistics could change with increased awareness and prevention. “Suicide is not a selfish act. It is a devastating outcome of someone who feels utterly hopeless, trapped in unbearable pain, and no longer afraid of dying. Please know that you are not alone, you are wanted, and no one will be better off without you. Take it from someone who knows. Help is available. Call or text 988 to receive support during a mental health crisis. The LGBTQ+ community can access The Trevor Project by calling 988 and pressing 3, or by texting “PRIDE” to 988,” affirmed Assemblymember Pellerin. What Assemblymembers Have to Say Fellow member of the Select Committee on California’s Mental Health Crisis, Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva shared, “As an educator, I have seen how important it is that our youth and all Californians have access to mental health resources and support. Suicide prevention is about awareness, compassion, and action, and I am proud to stand with Assemblymember Pellerin in supporting ACR 70 to break the stigma and save lives.” “Each of us has a responsibility to check in with one another and ensure we’re truly okay. By giving our attention and care, we can save lives and offer vital support to those who need it most,” said Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson, a member of the Select Committee on California’s Mental Health Crisis. Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens (D-Silicon Valley) said, “Mental health care is healthcare, and you deserve the best. Everyone struggles at different moments in life, and sometimes those moments feel crushingly difficult to get through: when that happens, talk to someone you trust and text or call 988 to speak with a crisis counselor. I am so deeply appreciative to Assemblymember Pellerin for sharing her story, bringing us together, and authoring ACR 70 to recognize September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.” What Advocates Have to Say “Suicide is preventable, and through collective commitment, we can save lives. I’m deeply proud that, with years of advocacy and coalition-building, all 15 cities

7,200 UC Research and Public Service Professionals Vote Yes to Form a Union They are the latest group of professional staff to join the UAW organizing movement Berkeley/Los Angeles, CA – Today, votes were tallied in a union election for 7,200 Research and Public Service Professionals (RPSPs) across all campuses of the University of California. RPSPs voted overwhelmingly for their union, RPSP-UAW, 3,080 to 612 — 83% voting yes. RPSPs are full-time, professional staff who perform work critical to UC’s academic and research mission—and who have been organizing to gain greater power to sustain and improve that work.   RPSPs perform a broad range of work that UC depends on and the public benefits from, including supporting advances related to pediatric cancer, ending homelessness, space science, and public health. They are responsible for running core facilities, administering grants, data analysis and more. RPSPs cite a range of issues as their reasons for forming a union, from stagnant salaries despite increasing workloads to threats to job security and a lack of transparency in administrative decision-making. In the face of federal funding cuts to higher education, many RPSPs also want a union to gain a stronger political voice.   “I’m thrilled we won our union because I know my colleagues have the expertise necessary to help strengthen the UC in these difficult times, and now we finally have our seat at the negotiating table,” said Leila Espinosa, Project Management Professional at UCLA. “Forming a union has never been more important with higher education under increasing attack. We are joining a movement of research and professional employees in UAW who have been at the forefront of fighting funding cuts and protecting jobs and values in higher education. Many of our closest colleagues at UC are already a part of this movement, and through an incredible organizing effort, we have now gained the same rights and bargaining power as them,” said Deborah Ferguson-Fitch, Research Administrator at UCSF. “As the Trump administration continues its assault on workers, it’s never been more important to join the movement of tens of thousands of higher education workers throughout the country who are standing up for social and economic justice at their jobs and in their communities. UAW members across the country look forward to standing with RPSPs in their fight to improve their working conditions, to protect research funding, and to create the better world we all deserve,” said Mike Miller, UAW Region 6 Director. RPSPs are joining over 50,000 researchers, professional staff, and academic workers at the University of California who are already unionized with the UAW. They are part of a movement of higher education workers across the country increasingly turning to unionization to gain a voice in determining their working conditions. Learn more at: https://rpsp-uaw.org/

Hundreds of protesters lined Ocean Street in Santa Cruz waving signs in opposition to the labor policies of the Trump administration as the labor day beach traffic left town. Cars honked in support and there was an air of determination and solidarity among those I spoke with.

Organizer Lynda Marin talks about Sun Day and why it’s important. Sun Day is a day of action to celebrate the power of clean energy. On September 21st, people everywhere will be showcasing solar installations, electric homes and vehicles running on clean power. By organizing thousands of events on the fall Equinox, Sun Day will help accelerate the ongoing clean energy revolution: we have the technology and the solutions, all we need is to build the political will to scale-up and accelerate clean energy and make it accessible to all. In Santa Cruz, the event will take place with live music, solar energy experts, electric vehicles, and children’s activities. Start: Sunday, September 21, 2025•12:00 PM Location:Mission Plaza Park•103 EMMET STREET SANTA CRUZ CA 95060- 831-251-2793, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 US Host Contact Info: [email protected] In Monterey, Sun Day will be celebrated Sunday, September 21, 2025• 11:00 AM Window on the Bay Park•Del Monte Avenue, Monterey, CA 93940 US Host Contact Info: [email protected]

Author Bill McKibben talks about the hope of a solar energy future and a chance to heal the planet as he discusses his new book, Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization. Transcript: Rachel: I’m here on Talk of the Bay with Bill McKibben. He has a brand new book out called, here Comes The Sun, A Last Chance For The Climate and a Fresh Chance For Civilization. A provocative title from an author who has relentlessly pushed the idea that we can. Deal with the climate crisis if we act soon. Bill, what’s different about this book than your previous book seems to be a little bit more optimism, but also increased urgency. How do you balance those two things in this book? Balancing Optimism and Urgency in Climate Action McKibben: Well, that’s, it’s, you’re definitely right. Um, we live at a. A very fraught moment. Uh, the things that I’ve been warning about since I wrote the first book about climate change, what we then called the Greenhouse Effect back in the 1980s. Those things are coming true, and they’re coming true with flood and fire and disaster of all kinds at precisely the moment that our democracy is under enormous threat. And part of that has been an assault on clean energy. So there’s a lot of. Big, bad things happening, I think, on our planet and in our country. But the big good thing that’s happening, uh, and it’s really flying under the radar some, is this super rapid spread of energy from the sun. The last 36 months or so have been just. Unlike anything that’s ever come before. This is not only the fastest growing energy source on the planet, it’s the fastest growing energy source in the history of the planet. And it’s starting in the places that are taking it really seriously to transform the human relationship with energy. Uh, California is obviously one example. Uh, most days now California supplies a hundred percent of the electricity that it uses from renewable sources for. Long sections of the day at night. California supplies often its biggest supplier from the grid is now batteries that have been soaking up excess sunshine all afternoon, and as a result, California fourth largest economy on Earth is using about 40% less natural gas to make electricity than it was two years ago. California’s Progress in Renewable Energy That’s the kind of change that if we manage to spread it around the world. Quickly, uh, that would knock tenths of a degree off how hot this planet’s eventually going to get. It’s the single most encouraging statistic I’ve come across in almost 40 years of doing this work. Rachel: That’s wonderful. I, I was left with so many questions. McKibben: I’ll try to get to them all, but one big one of course is can the current politics of our country, one of the biggest polluters of carbon into the atmosphere? Can politics stop this market force that seems to be making it cheaper and cheaper? It can’t stop the market force, but it may be able to use politics to get in the way, uh, enough to really slow things down in the us you know, the federal government is now just doing one, I think, insanely stupid thing after another. For instance, they’ve put federal lands off limits for solar and wind, um, but full speed ahead with coal and gas and oil there now. Adding new subsidies to coal in this country. They’re trying to kill off the electric vehicle, uh, uh, progress that we’ve started to make, um, under President Biden, on and on and on. This can slow things down here at a crucial time, but it is worth remembering that. The US is, at this point, only about 11% of the emissions on the planet. They can’t slow down what’s happening in the rest of the world. In fact, I think that all of Trump’s, uh, talk of

On KSQD’s Talk of the Bay, From the Streets host Omar Dieguez welcomes Watsonville resident Adela Naranjo-Bernabé. As a first-generation immigrant and a graduate of Cabrillo College and Watsonville High, she knows firsthand the challenges and triumphs of the migrant experience. As the DREAM Resource and Summer Migrant Programs Coordinator at Cabrillo College, she’s dedicated to ensuring that undocumented and mixed-status students feel a sense of belonging and have the resources to succeed. Her work is more than just a job; it’s a commitment to social justice and a resistance against systemic barriers. Omar and Adela discuss her inspiring path, her commitment to her community, and her mission to create a more equitable educational system.

This summer, I taught 25 UC Santa Cruz students podcasting. They’d never tried anything like it, but dove in feet first. The assignment was to come up with a topic about a local cultural practice or person, and produce a 7-8 minute audio story as a group. Here we hear their short audio stories, collected during their six-week study abroad in the small coastal town of Dingle, Ireland, in County Kerry. It’s a place rich in music, where Irish is the spoken language and sheep outnumber the people. They interviewed locals about set dancing, Irish identity, poetry, myths and food. Though none had ever done a podcast before, they braved the wilds of digital editing and interviewing to come up with some great stories. Here are some images: For additional podcasts: https://ireland23.sites.ucsc.edu/

Kymberly Lacross of Growing Greatness has a message for people feeling isolated. Come on out and play! Information is below: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Kymberly Lacrosse Growing Greatness Phone: (831) 234-2046 Email: [email protected] Website: www.growinggreatness.net   Community Celebration “Comunidad en Movimiento – Semillas de Bienestar” Cultivates Wellness and Connection in Watsonville Watsonville, CA — August 16, 2025 — Growing Greatness, Ecology Action, Gardenia y Bienestar, and Watsonville NDMA are proud to announce Comunidad en Movimiento – Semillas de Bienestar (Community in Movement – Seeds of Wellness). This FREE EVENT will be filled with vibrant, family-friendly activities that celebrate wellness and is taking place at Pinto Lake County Park. The event will be open from 11am to 3pm. It will bring together local residents, organizations, and community groups/ organizations for a day filled with movement, play, nature, and community connection. Set in the heart of the Pajary Valley, Comunidad en Movimiento aims to uplift and empower communities through inclusive, bilingual programming that promotes health, sustainability, and togetherness. Event Highlights Include: Community bike rides & a bike rodeo (on-bike training) Yoga and mindfulness sessions Nature-based activities, including hiking, walking, and play Health and Fitness activities including Zumba, Pilates, and Capoeira Health & wellness resources and a CHILL ZONE for self-care FREE Healthy and nutritious food, and eco-friendly giveaways “Our goal is to create an accessible, uplifting space for all ages and backgrounds to engage in wellness and community-building while in nature,” said Kymberly Lacrosse, Executive Director of Growing Greatness. “We invite local organizations to partner with us in planting the seeds of transformation and wellness.” In-kind donations and volunteer support are also welcome. We have a few spaces for interactive activities left- please connect with us! FREE BIKE VALET also offered! Interested organizations are encouraged to contact Kymberly Lacrosse at (831) 234-2046 or via email at [email protected] to explore partnership options. Join Us! Be part of a powerful movement to inspire health, connection, and community leadership in Santa Cruz County. Let’s grow something beautiful—together.

Greg “Sea Lion” Cotten talks about a nonviolent protest he is helping organize against the Israeli policy of prohibited Gazans, many of who are starving, from fishing or swimming in the ocean. Red Line in the Sand protests are sweeping Europe and now the U.S. as a statement of opposition to the war.

Reporter Celia Jimenez does a deep dive into how people’s behavior and actions are changing as a result of fears of detention and family separation by ICE. Her cover story in Monterey County Weekly takes a comprehensive look at how immigrants are faring in an era of fear and mistrust driven by increased ICE raids in California communities. Transcript: Hello and welcome to talk of the Bay brought to you every weekday afternoon at five o’clock right here on Community Radio. I’m your host, Rachel Anne Goodman, and today we take a look at a major article. Is the cover story actually from Monterey County Weekly called Into the Shadows. Immigration Raids have not yet come to Monterey County, but the fear that they could. Is changing people’s lives. Reporter Celia Jimenez is our guest for the first half of this program. I’m very pleased to bring her into the conversation. This is a very amazing article and I think you should be commended for all the work you did on it. It’s quite something. Thank you, Rachel. Thank you very much. It was kinda like a last minute story. And then I think last minute in a sense that we normally plan our stories like three or four months in advance. And this one took less time than others, but we thought that it was time sensitive and it was something that we should we’re wondering, what was happening in the region. And I actually was surprised with what I found out. You did a lot of research in a very short amount of time, and we’re gonna go through some of the information you managed to get from people who wanted to be anonymous for very obvious reasons, but they were willing to talk to you about how their lives have changed. So I wanna spend some time on the individuals you talk. To, and then I wanna spend some time on the amazing amount of research you did to bring forward just what the profile is of the workforce in the agricultural and construction industry. So we’re gonna set the stage in a moment for. Exactly how many people are in Monterey, in San Benito counties. Do we think? Of course, those numbers are quite hard to come by, but you managed to get a lot of information in a very short amount of time. So let’s just talk about what you saw when you talked to businesses who have seen a real drop in participation in commerce, basically. I walked down in, on, in Greenfield along, along with Camino, and I also visited several businesses in Seaside. Actually, one of the people that I spoke with, Catalina, I spent two hours at her shop and only two people showed up in that amount of time. And what was her shop selling? They sell like Mexican goods. Yeah. And only two people. That’s quite down from what she’s used to. Is that what you found out? Yes. And then especially because she, her business is like in the major street, so there’s a lot of traffic. Or, but you barely, no one showed up to the store. So places like Seaside Marina that cater to a lot of the immigrant community, Paro you’re, they’re seeing a real drop in business. Yes. Like some of the people that I spoke with they couldn’t really quantify how much in Salinas there was this woman who has a, oh my God. I’m sorry. I need to think a little bit. English is not my first language, so sometimes I struggle a little bit. You’re doing great. But she has a nightclub and it’s a restaurant during the day and nightclub at night, and she also has a bar and she was saying that about 50% of attendance has dropped. In her business. And this is like in a commercial area where the Cardinal store is in east and Sanborn. And then she mentioned that most of the businesses were seeing at least 50% drop in sales. That’s huge. Most businesses. Didn’t even have that during COVID. ’cause they managed to get food to go out to customers. It wasn&#821

  Zane Gustafson is a writer from Seattle, WA. He is the author of a new book on constitutional reform titled Polemic for Democracy, which was published one week before the 2024 election. He also writes about the energy transition, and his work has been published at the Sightline Institute and the Ohio River Valley Institute. More about Zane can be found on Instagram and YouTube at @politicalzane

It’s been 5 years since the CZU fires devastated the region, and in particular, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, but nature has been hard at work renewing her landscapes, and on Monday, August 18th, a special remembrance and renewal event will take place from 10am-1pm as a collaboration between Big Basin Redwoods State Park and the Mountain Parks Foundation. This is a Family-Friendly Gathering honoring the community experience of the CZU Fire & Celebrating Renewal. This event will feature community members sharing their reflections on the CZU fire, a guided walk, art and looking ahead at the reimagining Big Basin project. Please Note: This program is free, however, a $10 vehicle day-use fee will be charged upon arrival, or you can reserve a parking spot by clicking here. Please plan to meet at the temporary visitor center. There is no drinking water, food, or cell service available at Big Basin, so be sure to bring snacks and plenty of water for your visit! Sign up here For more information, questions, or concerns, please contact [email protected] or call 669-899-1516. Mentioned in this show: Reimagining Big Basin: After almost all recreational facilities were lost in the 2020 CZU Fire, State Parks completed a visioning process to reimagine the future of Big Basin Redwoods State Park. This vision process culminated with creation of the Reimagining Big Basin Vision Summary document in summer 2022. Now, a Facilities Management Plan is underway that will set the stage for the reestablishment of facilities to support visitor experiences and protect sensitive resources. Redwood RX: Mountain Parks Foundation was inspired by the growing body of research linking time spent in nature with improved health and well-being. Redwood Rx offers a variety of nature-based guided programs in Henry Cowell, Fall Creek, and Big Basin that invite participants to interact with nature in new ways and experience the positive impacts on their health and well-being first-hand.