David Sedaris Reading at Capitola Bookstore on Sunday
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Famed wordsmith and New York Times’ best-selling author David Sedaris will read at the Capitola Book Cafe Sunday at 2:30 p.m. The author who has become somewhat of a literary darling over the last five years will read from his latest novel “When You Are Engulfed in Flames.”
The show has already soldout, but speakers will be setup outside of the store during his reading and then everyone will be offered access to a signing afterward.
If you’re unfamiliar with his work, I encourage you to go out and get a copy of “Naked” or “Me Talk Pretty One Day.” They’re both great introductions to his witty and comic memoir-like style.
Hope to see you there!
Largest Portable Telescope Gives Glimpse of Saturn
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SANTA CRUZ — Pacific Avenue offered some excellent planet watching last night. The world’s largest portable telescope sat on the corner of Pacific Avenue and Soquel Avenue for all to use.
The largest portable telescope in the world might bring to mind NASA, astronauts and unnamed distant stars, but in reality, it’s a homemade rectangle designed by Steven Overholt. Think a ten-foot skeleton made of wood and cardboard.
But casting aside all doubts, it worked perfectly. Its magnification is set at 200 times the distance a human eye can see. That meant a shot of Saturn’s defining ring.
Overholt built it on his own in less than three months with grant money he received from a news reporter’s will in 2000. He now travels up and down the West Coast to educate people about the planets, stars and moon.
“Teachers talk the talk, but we walk the walk,” he said, ostensibly referring to himself and the telescope.
Indeed. Along with free viewings of Saturn, he had a telescope setup on the moon and passed out informational fliers laden with facts like if you put a quarter next to your head, it’s about the same size ratio as the Earth to Saturn.
Overholt transports the telescope in a van he claims gets 56 miles per gallon.
“Not a drop of oil money went into the building of this telescope,” he said with a smile. “No special interests.”
Instead, good ole’ education right on the streets of Santa Cruz.
Bike Park Will Move to Depot Park
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The Fun Spot has found a new home.
The temporary bike park located on the corner of Front St. and Beach St. will move to an underused area of Depot Park to make way for the new Marine Sanctuary Visitors Center. If all goes to plan, the new park will open on June 1.
The city council unanimously approved the move yesterday afternoon in front of a cheering crowd of bike enthusiasts.
“Not everybody wants to play baseball or football anymore,” said a representative from the Bicycle Trip, a bike shop in Santa Cruz that donated $25,000 in 2007 to build the temporary park.
The Fun Spot has been temporarily located at the site of an old skate park to stem the unauthorized use of bikes at Ken Wormhoudt Skate Park, a park designed for skaters and skateboarders.
“We didn’t want bikes and skateboards in the same area,” said Dannettee Shoemaker, the director of the City of Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation.
In early 2008, Parks & Recreation began vetting potential sights for a permanent bike park. In light of the city’s severe budget deficit, the department wanted to take advantage of existing city property.
“We don’t have enough money to buy new property, so we’re looking into ways to use underutilized areas we all ready own,” Shoemaker said.
They settled on a 11,000-foot spot of Depot Park currently used as a picnic area.
“I think it’s fantastic,” said Ryan Coonerty, a councilmember. “I think Santa Cruz is going to be known internationally not only for skaters and surfers but jumpers as well.”
Dozens of bike enthusiasts of all ages turned out to the meeting in support of the measure. Mark, a 6-year-old biker, stood on a footstool to address the council.
“This city needs a bike park… Any questions?” He said with a frown planted on his face.
Other teenagers cited the bike park as the reason they’d stayed away from drugs and trouble. They said biking was a healthy and fun alternative to drinking and drug use.
Most of the ramps and parts needed for the new park will be recycled from the previous one. Residents have already begun building some of the ramps in a local warehouse.
BMX, or freestyle biking, has been growing fast in the area. The sport will see its first Olympic competition in 2012.
Contact the author at tangerinemichaels@gmail.com. Bryce Shaw provided the photography for this story.
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