Cruz

[Drunk Monk]

Community Bids Farewell to Seacliff State Beach Wharf

Many came out on Saturday to clean the beach and say goodbye to the beloved wharf that once led to the Cement Ship

ByTodd Guild
February 20, 2023

Congressman Jimmy Panetta helps move a log during a cleanup at Seacliff State Beach Saturday. PHOTO: Todd Guild

Expecting a large crowd for a beach cleanup at Seacliff State Beach on Saturday, Save Our Shores printed 250 waivers for volunteers to sign before they got to work.
While that may have been enough for a run-of-the-mill beach cleanup, this was no ordinary event. Over a thousand people came to clean the beach and say goodbye to the wharf that once led to the Cement Ship but was decimated by a series of atmospheric river storms and a tidal swell in January.
It is unclear whether the pier will be rebuilt. Still, California State Parks has said it plans to use its limited financial resources to rebuild the damaged campground and other infrastructure.
Demolition is expected to begin this week.
Lu Robles-Sane, who came with her niece, says she originally moved to the area with her husband. After his death, strolls onto the pier and sitting on the benches have helped her through difficult times.
“I love it out here,” she says. “This is where I find my serenity.”
Robles-Sane’s niece Madison says that her brother used to go fishing on the wharf and that her great-grandmother told her about dances on the Cement Ship, which was intact and served as a local entertainment spot.

Ayla Urquhart, who says she is “basically 9-and-three-quarters,” pins a memory of the Seacliff Wharf onto a piece of driftwood. PHOTO: Todd Guild

Zina Urquhart said she and her daughter Ayla came to celebrate the Wharf.
“It’s really sad,” Zina says. “It’s been here for a long time, and it’s an icon.”

[Drunk Monk]

Free movies and music return to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Updated: 4:30 PM PDT Apr 17, 2023

Infinite Scroll Enabled

By Kingston Rivera

[b]SANTA CRUZ, Calif. —[/b]
Free movie screenings and concerts are returning to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk this summer.
Beginning on Friday, June 16, the boardwalk is hosting "Movies on the Beach." Showtimes start at 9:00 p.m. each Friday until August 11. The event kicks off with the Santa Cruz cult classic "The Lost Boys." Other featured films include "Top Gun: Maverick" and "Shrek." 

Advertisement

• June 16 The Lost Boys
  
  
• June 23 Mamma Mia! 
  
  
• June 30 Space Jam 
  
  
• July 7 Labyrinth 
  
  
• July 14 Selena 
  
  
• July 21 Minions: The Rise of Gru 
  
  
• July 28 Top Gun: Maverick
  
  
• August 4 Shrek 
  
  
• August 11 The Neverending Story 
  

On Thursdays, Bay Area bands will be coming to the Boardwalk to perform for free. Shows run from 8:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Those performances will be on the Colonnade in front of the pirate ship ride. Bands such as Extra Large and Sang Matiz will be performing starting Thursday, June 15. 

• June 15 Extra Large
  
  
• June 22 Man in Black
  
  
• June 29 Extra Large
  
  
• July 6 Fast Times
  
  
• July 13 Santa Cruda
  
  
• July 20 Tsunami Band
  
  
• July 28 The Deadlies
  
  
• Aug. 3 t0 Prestigio
  
  
• Aug. 10 Pacific Roots 
  

Seating is first come, first served at both events

[thatguy]

Extra Large plays twice?

--tg

[Greg]

Obviously Extra Large is just too big for one time slot.

[thatguy]

I prefer Extra Medium (the magic show with two magicians!)

--tg

[thatguy]

Santa Cruz Visitor Information Center has a handy page:

https://www.santacruz.org/blog/free-summ...the-beach/

2023 Free Summer Movies and Concerts

Enjoy toe tapping music and box office hits this summer in Santa Cruz County! Free concerts and movies by the beach, music in the park, and more, are waiting to take a spot on your summer schedule! The whole family will love these events, so get your calendar out and start planning your summer fun in Santa Cruz County!
And scroll to the bottom of this blog for even more great live music this summer! Although not free, these are concerts you don’twant to miss!
LIVE MUSIC ON THE COLONNADE AT THE SANTA CRUZ BEACH BOARDWALK
Enjoy free live music on Thursdays throughout the summer at the Beach Boardwalk’s Colonnade Stage; located beach-side of Neptune’s Kingdom. Rock out to Bay Area bands while you enjoy a variety of Boardwalk treats. Colonnade Deck picnic table seating is very limited and first-come-first-served. There will be a dance area in front of the stage. Concerts are from 8:30 pm – 10 pm every Thursday from June 15 – August 10, 2023. See the band lineup below:

• June 15, 2023: Sang Matiz
  
  
• June 22, 2023: Men in Black
  
  
• June 29, 2023: Extra Large
  
  
• July 6, 2023: Fast Times
  
  
• July 13, 2023: Santa Cruda
  
  
• July 20, 2023: Tsunami Band
  
  
• July 27, 2023: The Deadlies
  
  
• August 3, 2023: 4to Prestigio
  
  
• August 10, 2023: Pacific Roots
  

FREE MOVIES AT THE BEACH ON THE COLONNADE AT THE SANTA CRUZ BEACH BOARDWALK
There’s nothing like watching your favorite movies right on the beach with the smell of kettle corn, corn dogs, and saltwater taffy filling the air! The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is welcoming back Movies on the Beach in front of the Colonnade near Neptune’s Kingdom. Bring the family and your blanket or low-back chair. Movies at the Beach are on Fridays beginning at 9 pm from June 16 – August 11, 2023. See the full movie lineup below:

• June 16, 2023: The Lost Boys
  
  
• June 23, 2023: Mamma Mia!
  
  
• June 30, 2023: Space Jam
  
  
• July 7, 2023: Labyrinth
  
  
• Jul 14, 2023: Selena
  
  
• July 21, 2023: Minions: The Rise of Gru
  
  
• July 28, 2023: Top Gun: Maverick
  
  
• August 4, 2023: Shrek
  
  
• August 11, 2023: The NeverEnding Story
  

THURSDAY NIGHT BEACH PARTIES AT THE CROW’S NEST
Each Summer on Thursday evenings, the Crow’s Nest offers its Summer Beach Party series with fun and funky live entertainment right on the beach. The party starts at 5:30 pm each week and goes until sunset. With live entertainment on the outdoor beach stage and Crow’s Nest’s famous BBQ and outdoor bar, beach parties are a unique and popular event. Families are welcome, and there is no admission charge! After the sun sets the fun begins upstairs with dancing to the best of local live bands beginning at 8:30 pm with only a $5 cover charge.
For the beach parties, parking is very limited. Walk, ride a bike, get dropped off, take a cab or ride the bus, but leave the car at home. If you must drive, please do not park in local neighborhoods or on private property. Thank you!

• May 25, 2023: Sambada / The Tap Handles
  
  
• June 1, 2023: The Lost Boys / Big Bad Wolf
  
  
• June 8, 2023: Matt Mash & The Messengers / Afrohilife
  
  
• June 15, 2023: The Cruzers / Rusty Rock n’ Roll
  
  
• June 22, 2023: Hall Pass / Fuse
  
  
• June 29, 2023: Fishhook / Cake by the Ocean
  
  
• July 6, 2023: Extra Large / Sasha’s Money
  
  
• July 13, 2023: Live Again / The Cruzers
  
  
• July 20, 2023: Izzy & The Haze / Matt Mash & The Messengers
  
  
• July 27, 2023: Soulwise / Skypark
  
  
• August 3, 2023: The Houserockers / Big Bad Wolf
  
  
• August 10, 2023: The Joint Chiefs / Spun
  
  
• August 17, 2023: John Michael Featuring Dylan Rose / The Dylan Rose Band
  
  
• August 24, 2023: The Leftovers / Papiba & Friends
  
  
• August 31, 2023: Sambada / Sweet Voodoo
  

CAPITOLA SUNDAY ART & MUSIC AT THE BEACH 2023
Enjoy an afternoon in Capitola at the Sunday Art at the Beach event this summer at Esplanade Park overlooking the Monterey Bay. Browse quality artwork, including painting, photography, sculpture, jewelry, and mixed media from local artists. This family-friendly event is free and open to the public.

• June 25, 2023
  
  
• July 30, 2023
  
  
• August 13, 2023
  

CAPITOLA TWILIGHT CONCERT SERIES
Popular local bands rouse fun-loving crowds on Wednesday evenings in the Capitola Village. The free Twilight Concert Series features everything from classic rock to funk to dance hits and Latin fusion. All concerts begin at 6pm and take place at the Esplanade bandstand with ocean views in the picturesque Capitola Village. Enjoy the performance from your own low-back chair on the beach or grab an outside table at one of the village restaurants. 

• 2023 Dates TBA 
  

CAPITOLA MOVIES AT THE BEACH
Capitola wraps up summer with a few Fridays of free family movies at Esplanade Park. Bring a picnic dinner or dine locally at area restaurants. Low-back chairs, blankets, and jackets are recommended. No alcohol or dogs on the beach.

• 2023 Dates TBA
  

MUSIC IN THE PLAZA – WATSONVILLE
Presented by the City of Watsonville, Music in the Plaza Concert Series! The summer outdoor Music in the Plaza concert series is back and will feature a variety of bands to help you get your groove on! Grab a bite at our downtown restaurants and join us for the music from 6 pm – 8 pm. 

• June 16, 2023
  
  
• July 7, 2023
  
  
• July 21, 2023
  
  
• August 4, 2023
  
  
• August 18, 2023
  
  
• September 1, 2023
  

[img=375x0]https://links.imagerelay.com/cdn/4988/ql/a8372d52303044859de57857ddbf25e5/Midtown-Fridays_by-Ben-Ingram_2022.4.jpg[/img]Midtown Fridays Summer Block Party
MIDTOWN FRIDAYS SUMMER BLOCK PARTY 
Midtown Fridays are back this season! The summer series of free events kick off on Friday, June 2, 2023, and go through Friday, September 29, 2023, and will feature the talents of 25 local bands. In addition to live music, eventgoers will enjoy a selection of local eats as well as the opportunity to check out the work of local artists and vendors. Midtown Friday Summer Block Parties are located at Midtown Square, 1111 Soquel Ave, in Santa Cruz, beginning at 5pm. Live summer music lineup to be announced.
MUSIC AT SKYPARK
The “Music at Skypark” concert series in Scotts Valley returns for its 14th season on the last Sundays of August and September! Kiwanis and local businesses will offer food, wine, beer and other concessions for sale. Concerts run from 2:30 to 6:00.

• 2023 Dates TBA
  

BARGETTO WINERY’S THURSDAY NIGHT MUSIC IN THE COURTYARD
Join Bargetto Winery’s creekside courtyard in Soquel on Thursday evenings for Live Music and Wine! There is no cover charge and wine by the glass and light snacks are available for purchase. Each week Bargetto features a new local band (see schedule below). Reservations are required and they ask that you call the Sunday/Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday prior to that week’s performance to make your reservation. Reservations: (831) 475-2258 ext. 14

• May 4, 2023: Alex Lucero
  
  
• May 11, 2023: B Movie Kings
  
  
• May 18, 2023: Matt Masih
  
  
• May 25, 2023: 7th Wave
  
  
• June 1, 2023: Alex Lucero
  
  
• June 8, 2023: Ted Welty
  
  
• June 15, 2023: 10 O’Clock Lunch Band
  
  
• June 22, 2023: The Paperback Ryders
  
  
• June 29, 2023: Beach Cowboys
  
  
• July 6, 2023: Alex Lucero
  
  
• July 13, 2023: Ripatti & Rose
  
  
• July 20, 2023: D’oh Bros
  
  
• July 27, 2023: Next Blues Band
  
  
• August 3, 2023: Alex Lucero
  
  
• August 10, 2023: Santa Cruda
  
  
• August 17, 2023: The Paperback Ryders
  
  
• August 24, 2023: Beach Cowboys
  
  
• August 31, 2023: 10 O’Clock Lunch Band
  
  
• September 7, 2023: Alex Lucero
  
  
• September 14, 2023: Hallpass
  
  
• September 21, 2023: Matt Masih
  

[img=375x0]https://links.imagerelay.com/cdn/4988/ql/a240a00a33ff40c1aafb04d5a14b73cb/Nashville-Nights_The-Young-Fables_by-Rachel-Endsley_2022.JPG[/img]Nashville Nights at Chaminade Resort
Not Free, But Not-To-Miss Summer Concert Series
Nashville Nights at Chaminade Resort
Ranch 1917 and Chaminade Resort are bringing Nashville to Santa Cruz! Get up close and personal with some of Nashville’s hottest musical acts. Experience an intimate concert while watching the sunset over Monterey Bay. These have been a total hit and should definitely make your summer bucket list!

• Friday, May 19, 2023: Abby Anderson – Get tickets here!
  
  
• Friday, June 23, 2023: Love and Theft – Get tickets here!
  
  
• Friday, July 28, 2023: Craig Campbell – Get tickets here!
  
  
• Friday, August 25, 2023: Emily Ann Roberts – Get tickets here!
  
  
• Friday, September 22, 2023: Jerrod Niemann – Get tickets here!
  

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

Cool!

I should really check out Dylan Rose. They are my next door neighbors.

[Drunk Monk]

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KRON) — Paleontologists are busy this Memorial Day weekend trying to find a tooth in Santa Cruz County that dates back to the Ice Ages.
An unknown beach-goer picked up a giant mastodon tooth that first surfaced on an Aptos beach Friday. Now scientists are hoping that the scientifically significant tooth will be returned to the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History where it can be studied and displayed for the public as a piece of ancient history.
The 1-foot-long tooth was originally spotted by a beach-goer strolling through the sand near Aptos Creek on Rio Del Mar Beach. “She didn’t know what it was, the importance of it. It looks like a piece of old firewood. So she left it there. It’s understandable,” said Wayne Thompson, a paleontology collections advisor for the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History.
Jennifer Schuh took photographs of a mastodon tooth on May 26, 2023, at Rio Del Mar beach. (Image courtesy Jennifer Schuh)
The woman was curious enough to snap several closeup photographs of the strange object in the sand, post them on Facebook, and ask if anyone knew what it could be.
“People said ‘woah that looks like a giant tooth.’ I practically hit the floor. It was a mastodon tooth, right in the same area where we know mastodons lived in Santa Cruz County,” Thompson said. The tooth once belonged to an extinct Pacific Mastodon.
Thompson contacted the woman on Saturday and she dashed back to the beach to look for it. “It wasn’t there. It’s MIA right now,” Thompson told KRON4 on Monday.
Many people visited Rio Del Mar beach for the holiday weekend, and a second beach-goer likely took the tooth, Thompson said. High tide was not high enough Friday night for ocean waves to carry the object away. Searches on Sunday didn’t turn up anything buried in the sand, either.
The tooth was up “so high on the beach in the dry sand the only option is somebody took it. They might not know what it is, and think it’s an old piece of petrified wood,” Thompson said.
Jennifer Schuh took photographs of a mastodon tooth on May 26, 2023 at Rio Del Mar beach. (Image courtesy Jennifer Schuh)
The first mastodon ever discovered in Santa Cruz County was found more than 40 years ago in Aptos Creek, just upstream from the tooth. In 1980, Jim Stanton was only 16 years old when he found a juvenile mastodon skull in the creek. The skull was determined to be a specimen of a Pacific Mastodon.
After paleontologists excavated the skull, it took Thompson two years to meticulously put the skull back together at the museum. The skull is currently on permanent exhibit at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History.
The most recently-discovered mastodon tooth was from an adult — not a juvenile — giving local scientists their first evidence that a herd of mastodon likely roamed through this area during the Ice Ages.
Jennifer Schuh took photographs of a mastodon tooth on May 26, 2023, at Rio Del Mar beach. (Image courtesy Jennifer Schuh)
“The skull found 40 years ago had sutures in the bones which were not completely fused, meaning that it was a juvenile. The tooth that was found at the mouth of Aptos Creek was significantly worn and was from an older adult probably in their 30s or 40s,” Thompson said.
Paleontologists are hoping that whoever has the tooth will turn the ancient object in to the museum. Thompson emphasized, “It’s super, super, super important for understanding elephant life in Santa Cruz County during the last Ice Age. There are only a few mammoth specimens, and mammoths are more common than mastodons. Aptos was a popular destination for Ice Age proboscideans,” he told KRON4.  “It’s a piece of Santa Cruz history.”
Based on carbon 14 testing, scientists with Harvard University estimate that Santa Cruz County’s mastodons were among the last before the species Mammut pacificus went extinct about 5,000 years ago.
The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History is located above Seabright Beach at 1305 East Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz. You can call the museum at 831-420–6115 or email them at collections@santacruzmuseum.org.

[Drunk Monk]

I am sure you will all be relieved to know that the mastodon tooth has been found. 

Ancient mastodon tooth fossil found on beach in Aptos
Brought to local museum following lengthy community search

• Long-time Aptos resident Jim Smith (right) stands with Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History Visitor Experience Manager Liz Broughton. Smith holds the ancient mastodon molar tooth he discovered at a beach in Rio Del Mar on Tuesday and the two stand in front of the juvenile mastodon skull also found in Aptos in 1980. (Contributed – Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History)By PK HATTIS | pkhattis@santacruzsentinel.com | 

• Santa Cruz SentinelPUBLISHED: May 31, 2023 at 3:32 p.m. | UPDATED: May 31, 2023 at 3:32 p.m.APTOS — 

• Who said the tooth fairy doesn’t deliver? Sometimes it just takes a couple hundred thousand years.The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History added a breathtaking ancient artifact to its collection this week after an almost 12-inch tooth belonging to a mastodon – a mammal from the last ice agesimilar in appearance to the woolly mammoth – was discovered washed up on a beach in Rio Del Mar.Museum Visitor Experience Manager Liz Broughton said the prehistoric molar was first discovered, appropriately, near the mouth of Aptos Creek on a misty morning last Friday by Jennifer Schuh, a visiting tourist with ties to the area. Fascinated by the object but not recognizing exactly what it was, Schuh snapped a picture before leaving it where it had come to rest and shared the photo on Facebook.A fossilized mastodon molar found near the mouth of Aptos Creek this week. The tooth is estimated to be less than 1 million years old. (Contributed – Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History)The post found its way to Wayne Thompson, a paleontology collections adviser to the museum, who quickly identified it as a molar tooth from the Pacific Mastodon or Mammut pacificus.“He immediately recognized it and got very excited,” said Broughton. “He ran down to the beach to try to find it, but it was unfortunately no longer there. So he put out a call on social media looking for someone to turn it in and give it to the museum and it kind of went viral.”Captivated community members scoured the landscape during the busy Memorial Day weekend to no avail until longtime Aptos resident Jim Smith stumbled on the tooth while on his regular Tuesday morning jog and brought it to the museum shortly thereafter.“Awesome news!” commented community member Tamara LaTorree on a Facebook post from Thompson announcing that the molar had been found. “It was driving me nuts thinking about all the possibilities of what might have happened to it so this is truly the very best of news as well as the answer to my pondering.”Though the long-extinct mastodon was a terrestrial creature, typically found in inland valley regions, Broughton said the fossil was likely unearthed during heavy winter storms earlier this year and carried down the myriad creeks and rivers within the massive regional watershed that drains out of the Santa Cruz coastline.The skull of a juvenile mastodon was previously discovered in Aptos Creek in 1980 and Thompson was integral to the excavation and meticulous repair efforts needed to put it on public display, where it remains to this day. According to Thompson, the recent specimen clearly comes from an adult mastodon based on how worn the tooth is.“In general, teeth can tell you a lot about an individual’s habitat and diet and life history,” said Broughton.She added that the molar is probably less than a million years old, which is relatively young compared to some of the marine fossils typically discovered along the county’s coastline, some of which have been traced back 2-4 million years.“In the immediate future we’re going to carefully catalog it, prepare it and stabilize it so it is safe for exhibition and as safe as possible long term,” said Broughton.Broughton added that the museum also intends to make the tooth available to researchers who could use it as a window into the past to better understand how the region’s geography and climate have changed over time.“Such great news,” wrote K Carlo Salinger on Facebook after hearing the museum was in possession of the fossil. “I look forward to seeing it in person at the museum!”Broughton was unable to provide an exact date for when the tooth will be exhibited, but took the opportunity to thank the community for its efforts in making this historic discovery possible.“It’s just really heartwarming,” said Broughton. “It’s ripe for study so we’re excited to dive in and learn more about it.”

[Drunk Monk]

Santa Cruz Visitor Information Center has a handy page:

https://www.santacruz.org/blog/free-summ...the-beach/

[img=375x0]https://links.imagerelay.com/cdn/4988/ql/a8372d52303044859de57857ddbf25e5/Midtown-Fridays_by-Ben-Ingram_2022.4.jpg[/img]Midtown Fridays Summer Block Party
MIDTOWN FRIDAYS SUMMER BLOCK PARTY 
Midtown Fridays are back this season! The summer series of free events kick off on Friday, June 2, 2023, and go through Friday, September 29, 2023, and will feature the talents of 25 local bands. In addition to live music, eventgoers will enjoy a selection of local eats as well as the opportunity to check out the work of local artists and vendors. Midtown Friday Summer Block Parties are located at Midtown Square, 1111 Soquel Ave, in Santa Cruz, beginning at 5pm. Live summer music lineup to be announced.

--tg

I really must check this out. It's just a few blocks from our bungalow.

June 2 to September 29
5:00 to 8:30ish
Midtown Square
1111 Soquel Ave.


MIDTOWN FRIDAYS! SUMMER BLOCK PARTY IS BACK!
Come Celebrate all the vibrancy of Midtown at our Summer Block Party, happening every Friday! Food – Artists – Live Music – Vendors
The summer series of free events will feature the talents of 30+ local bands. In addition to live music, event goers will enjoy a selection of local eats as well as the opportunity to check out the work of local artists and vendors. Midtown Fridays starts June 2nd and runs through to September 29th.
Interested in becoming a Midtown Fridays Vendor? Email Matthew@EventSantaCruz.com
Live music brought to you by[b] Off The Lip Radio Show[/b]
June 2nd: Broken English w/opener Soquel High Jazz Band
June 9th: The Neverland Band w/opener Shoreline Middle School “Summer Band”
June 16th: James Durbin & The Lost Boys w/opener Coffee Zombie Collective
June 23rd: Ribsys Nickel w/opener Joshua Cremer
June 30th: Afrobeats Nite Santa Cruz w/opener Poi Rogers
July 7th: Ancestree w/opener Hijinx
July 14th: The Rayburn Brothers
July 21st: Dirty Cello
July 28th: Alex Lucero Band w/opener Asher Stern
August 4th: The Dylan Rose Band w/opener Maddie & Jackie
August 11th: Santa Cruda w/opener Yaya’s Kitchen
August 18th: Mak Nova and the Kings
August 25th: Cowboy’s After Dark w/opener Corrina & Rick
September 1st: The Joint Chiefs
September 8th: Locomotive Breath
September 15th: Funkranomicon
September 22nd: AC Myles
September 29th: The Expendables
Midtown Fridays! Partners: City of Santa Cruz Economic Development Department, Off The Lip Radio Show, Lookout Santa Cruz, Shopper’s Corner, Spring Hill School, Santa Cruz Realtor – Loren Morse, Growing Up in Santa Cruz, and Kaiser Permanente.

The Dylan Rose Band lives across the street from us.

[Greg]

I hope you are going to see The Expendables.

[Drunk Monk]

Shelter-in-place lifted after mountain lion was spotted in Santa Cruz
By Ricardo Tovar

today at 12:48 PM
Published June 27, 2023  11:16 AM 

Santa Cruz, Calif. (KION-TV)- Santa Curz Police said they lifted a shelter-in-place issued on Tuesday morning after a mountain lion was spotted.
Police had asked residents in the neighborhood of Gault Street and Darwin Street to Seabright Avenue and Frederick Street to shelter in place. 
Biologists are still in the area trying to monitor and find the big cat. 
If you see a mountain lion, do not approach, call 911.

This region is right next to me. Seabright is like 4 houses down and we're right in between Gault & Darwin. This section is just across Seabright from our bungalow.

[Greg]

Here, kitty, kitty, kitty.

[Drunk Monk]

this is from our neighbor's yard...

[King Bob]

Is that real?