1269007296 http://news.santacruz.com/guest-writers Santa Cruz News: Local news and information for Santa Cruz CA constantly updated. en home@blvds.com Copyright 2010 2010-03-19T13:55:58+00:00 /2010/03/19/smoking_ban_for_parks_and_beaches_goes_to_state_vote /2010/03/19/smoking_ban_for_parks_and_beaches_goes_to_state_vote The state legislature will be voting on Monday whether to ban smoking in state parks and beaches. If it is passed, the law will impact over one dozen parks and beaches in Santa Cruz County. An effort to pass the ban yesterday fell five votes short of the necessary majority. Environment 2010-03-19T13:55:58+00:00 /2010/03/19/ucsc_leads_effort_to_save_endangered_seal /2010/03/19/ucsc_leads_effort_to_save_endangered_seal Hoailona doesn’t have many relatives, but he does have plenty of friends. He is one of a just 1,100 monk seals in the world today, and with that population declining by 4 percent every year, the species, now deemed critically endangered, could soon become extinct. Environment 2010-03-19T13:50:51+00:00 /2010/03/19/the_best_of_overheard_at_the_record_store /2010/03/19/the_best_of_overheard_at_the_record_store “Dude, the new Whitesnake kicks ass. It seriously kicks ass, bro.” “Sir, I know what a train is. Please stop.” “I smoke outside. I don’t care about my lungs but I don’t want to ruin my records.”   Community 2010-03-19T11:00:34+00:00 /2010/03/18/grahm_inducted_into_the_winegrowers_hall_of_fame /2010/03/18/grahm_inducted_into_the_winegrowers_hall_of_fame Randall Grahm, the founder of Bonny Doon Vineyard, has raised an “ungodly” number of grape varieties since he first established his vineyard in 1983. He’s also worked in a variety of styles, though today he is probably best known for his Rhone blends. On Saturday he was inducted into the Culinary Institute of America’s Vintners Hall of Fame in recognition of over one-quarter century of contributions to the California wine industry. These go “go well beyond what any one person could hope to accomplish in a lifetime,” said the chair of the nominating committee, W. Blake Gray. Environment 2010-03-18T16:22:46+00:00 /2010/03/18/countys_buzzing_with_bees /2010/03/18/countys_buzzing_with_bees Vegetable gardening is enjoying a comeback across the country, thanks in large part to First Lady Michelle Obama. More and more people are also starting to raise chickens too. And then there is beekeeping—the perfect way for backyard farmers to pollinate their crops and stock up on honey. It’s a popular hobby across Santa Cruz County, but most people are doing it illegally. The problem is the permit. Not only do these cost $1,000, but applicants must also inform their neighbors and participate in a public hearing before the zoning commission. Then the results of the hearing can be appealed to City Council. Environment 2010-03-18T15:59:47+00:00 /2010/03/18/renaissance_man_at_the_rio_theatre /2010/03/18/renaissance_man_at_the_rio_theatre From prisoner and exile to pioneering pop star and government minister, Gilberto Gil’s musical career has taken him on an extraordinary ride. Since the mid-1960s, when he helped launch the psychedelic Tropicalia art movement, Gil has been at the center of Brazil’s teeming music scene as a composer, bandleader and iconic performer. Often referred to as South America’s John Lennon, Gil defies comparisons to artists in the Anglosphere. Community 2010-03-18T11:00:02+00:00 /2010/03/17/dogs_one_step_closer_to_returning_to_downtown /2010/03/17/dogs_one_step_closer_to_returning_to_downtown The Downtown Association’s board voted 8-1 yesterday to allow dog owners to bring their pets downtown over a six-month trial period. The decision is the first step in lifting a 34-year ban on dog on Pacific Avenue and the surrounding area. The Board’s recommendation included a number of stipulations, including a ban on dogs after dark, a ban on panhandling with dogs, and a requirement that leashes be between three and five feet long. In addition, no more than three dogs will be allowed in close proximity to one another. Business 2010-03-17T14:24:22+00:00 /2010/03/17/santa_cruz_composting_program_saved /2010/03/17/santa_cruz_composting_program_saved Santa Cruz County will be keeping its composting program, despite the steep costs involved. For the past three years, the county has been composting food scraps from more than 50 local schools, hospitals, and restaurants. The amount of discarded food collected totals about 100 tons per month, which would otherwise go into the Buena Vista Landfill.  Environment 2010-03-17T14:03:34+00:00 /2010/03/17/a_santa_cruz_tale /2010/03/17/a_santa_cruz_tale The photograph on the cover of The Mental Traveler is an extreme close-up of a young white man of indeterminate age, thick black beard and moustache bristly and unkempt, forehead knotted, head bowed toward the camera. He appears consumed by his thoughts, overcome by deep emotion, his forehead ready to burst. Community 2010-03-17T11:00:48+00:00 /2010/03/15/best_breakfast_spot_for_dogs /2010/03/15/best_breakfast_spot_for_dogs Ever wonder where to take your dog for breakfast? Consider Aldo’s. It was recently voted the “favorite breakfast restaurant” for man’s (and woman’s) best friend by voters in the Woofy Awards on the Woofers and Walkers website. After breakfast, you may want to take your dog to the museum—after all, even pooches need a little culture—and the Surfer’s Museum is now officially recognized as the county’s most dog-friendly attraction. Business 2010-03-15T14:25:25+00:00