Community Matters

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Community Matters features guest interviews to discuss topics of interest to the Santa Cruz Community. We aim to help people better understand important local issues and learn how to get involved to make a positive difference. Please listen and call in to join the discussions. Listen to Community Matters live every Friday from 2:00pm to 4:00 pm PT on https://santacruzvoice.com

  1. 6D AGO

    February 6, 2026 Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) updates [short program due to technical difficulties]]

    Due to technical difficulties, today's program is very short, but includes updates on February 3 Monterey County Board of Supervisor actions re: Moss Landing BESS Fire Clean Up and anticipated March 17 Report to the Board, updates on Santa Cruz County's Draft BESS Ordinance and upcoming February 10 meeting in Watsonville as opportunity for public comments on BESS, and critical questions we need to ask the Ag. Policy Advisory Commission (APAC) at their February 19 meeting.  Can they really justify removing prime ag land from production to build a large BESS facility when Measure J prohibits doing so?

    39 min

  2. JAN 31

    January 30, 2026 Interview with Mr. Drew Bohan, Cal. Energy Commission Executive Director: Ms. Ashley Bridges, Pajaro Loaves and Fishes Executive Director

    Hour One: Mr. Drew Bohan, Executive Director of California Energy Commission (CEC), discusses the process for Opt-In Certification of large non-fossil fuel power facilities and energy storage systems that streamlines permitting process.  The CEC makes the decisions, not local land-use agencies, but does that mean local authorities are ignored and powerless???Listen in! AB 205 Opt-In Fact Sheet: https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2024-06/Opt-In_Certification_Fact_Sheet_ada.pdf dashboard of current Opt-In Projects: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/60636fa7f262449f8f033a74b0ccc763    Hour Two: Interview with Ms. Ashley Bridges, Pajaro Valley Loaves & Fishes Executive Director discusses the work to help feed 80-100 families daily with the help of many volunteers.  Since beginning in 1989 in response to the great need of many displaced by the Loma Prieta Earthquake, this wonderful organization helps nourish people and support the Community.  Listen in and learn how to help! https://www.pvloavesandfishes.org/

    1h 54m

  3. JAN 24

    Janury 23, 2026 Guest Interviews with Gillian Greensite (Santa Cruz City Affordable Housing Ministerial Approval Overlay); Jim Wason (Winter Field Day); Ed Mitchell (Moss Landing Vistra BESS Fire)

    2:06pm-3pm, Guest Gillian Greensite will discuss the impending action of Santa Cruz City Council to erase the public's involvement in large construction projects in a broad swath of town if there is affordable housing involved, and to make it easier for developers to chop down large heritage trees. Santa Cruz is facing a critical moment. Recent decisions by the city's planning commission to eliminate public hearings for 100% affordable housing projects could have far-reaching implications not just for community involvement, but also for the environment.  The proposed Affordable Housing Overlay District would cover approximately 15% of the build-able area of the City. Other cities have far smaller overlay zones or are going project by project to evaluate if public hearings are required. Santa Cruz is going for the max . If approved, there will be no public hearings held at meetings of the City Council or Planning Commission for 100% affordable housing projects in the proposed overlay district. Current protection for heritage trees will end for projects within the Overlay District as well as for heritage trees on adjacent properties if within ten feet of the project. https://www.change.org/p/keep-public-hearings-for-all-large-housing-projects-in-santa-cruz Speak up at Santa Cruz City Council meetings about this...even though it has seemingly been continued on the January 27 agenda.   3:06pmWason -3:15pm, Guest Jim Wason will detail Ham Radio Preparedness and Winter Field Day, happening this Saturday at the Santa Cruz Sheriff Posse Center (2127 Ocean Street Extension, in Santa Cruz). https://winterfieldday.org/ Learn more about the venue: https://www.sccsp.org/   3:15pm-4pm, Guest Ed Mitchell will discuss what the EPA is and is not doing at the Moss Landing Vistra Battery Energy Storage (BESS) site.  What do we know?  What is the EPA and Vistra NOT telling us?  "Never Again Moss Landing", a grassroots group continues to actively press for answers, one year after the massive toxic fire at the largest BESS in the world: https://neveragainmosslanding.org/

    1h 55m

  4. JAN 17

    January 16, 2026 1st Hour: Nina Audino re: Santa Cruz County BESS Ordinance; 2nd Hour: Scott Smith Blue Sjirt Justice League & EPA Whistleblowers

    One year ago today, the Moss 300 lithium battery storage facility in Moss Landing erupted in massive toxic flames.  Dedicating this program to those who have come together to seek the truth about what happened and why. Hour One: Nina Audino describes questions re: environmental analysis and regulatory holes in the Santa Cruz County Draft Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) rules Supervisors approved 1/13/2026, relying heavily on information conjured by 90 Minto Road developer.  No large-scale fire testing, no plume modelling,no seismic regulation.  No public comment??? Donate to legal fund necessary to protect agricultural land and challenge siting 90 Minto Road project next to densely-populated working-class neighborhoods: https://www.stoplithiumbessinsantacruz.org/ Hour Two: Scott Smith, Blue Shirt Justice League and Government Accountability Project leader, discusses the EPA cover-ups and lack of accountability to people harmed by major environmental disasters, such as East Palestine, Ohio,  Roseland, Louisiana, and Moss Landing, California. Joined by ASPECT whistleblower Dr. Robert Kroutil, discovery that EPA reported only a narrow and incomplete subset of chemicals detected in Roseland disaster between August 22–27, due to fundamental failures in data analysis and interpretation. These failures mark a pattern of ASPECT's negligent use after similar evidence in East Palestine which showed ASPECT being turned off over key waterways and only recording eight minutes of data. https://whistleblower.org/press/epa-aspect-flyover-data-confirms-chemicals-found-by-independent-tester-after-smittys-supply-explosion/   https://goblueshirtjustice.org/

    1h 55m

  5. JAN 10

    January 9, 2026 Interview Gary Patton & Measure J; Carol Bjorn, Phillip Carranco, Karell Reader re:County BESS Ordinance

    First Hour: Gary Patton discusses the 1978 Voter Referedum Measure J's importance in continuing to preserve agricultural lands, require 15% affordable housing in new subdivision projects, define the urban services line and require an annual County Growth Goal that reflects the County's fair share of the State's growth.  It can only be changed by the vote of the people...so how can the County Draft BESS Ordinance remove acres of farmland for utility grid battery energy storage use????   Second Hour: Three Guests who are local activists  speak out about public safety problems with the County BESS Ordinance: Carol Bjorn:The importance of preserving agricultural land and demanding full EIR. Opt out of Central Coast Energy (3CE) because they support siting lithium BESS in our neighborhoods. https://3cenergy.org/billing/energy-choices/opt-out/ ('Ban Lithium BESS in Santa Cruz County' meets 1st & 3rd Mondays at Porter Library, Soquel, at 6:30pm) Phillip Carranco: Local activist and internationally -known regulatory policy expert: The County used very little of his professionally-developed BESS Ordinance gifted to them, such as seismic safety requirements and enforcement with large fines. Karell Reader, local farmer and activist with 'Stop Lithium BESS in Santa Cruz County' shares concerns that Planning Dept. is too vague on environmental review of the BESS Ordinance and the 90 Minto Road BESS Project in Watsonville...the two are mingled and confusing and the public may not have opportunities to weigh in with concerns  SUPPORT THE ATTORNEY THIS GROUP HAS HIRED TO SAVE THE AG LANDS IN OUR COUNTY: https://www.stoplithiumbessinsantacruz.org/   learn more about the County BESS Ordinance and MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD ON JANUARY 13 AT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR MEETING IN SCOTTS VALLEY (WHY AREN'T THEY DISCUSSING THIS IN WATSONVILLE, WHERE THEIR ACTIONS WILL HAVE A GREAT IMPACT ON THE RESIDENTS THERE!) https://cdi.santacruzcountyca.gov/UPC/GetInvolved/MajorProjectApplications/BatteryEnergyStorageSystemsOrdinance.aspx

    1h 56m

  6. 12/27/2025

    December 19, 2025 Interviews [One hour only due to power outage): Friends of Santa Cruz Public Libraries; Arukah Project

    1) Interview with Ms. Sarah Beck, Executive Director of Friends of Santa Cruz Public Libraries as a participant in the Santa Cruz Gives campaign:  https://www.friendsofsantacruzlibraries.org/  https://santacruzgives.org/nonprofit/friendsofsantacruzlibraries/   2) Interview with Ms. Loreal Weitzel, Executive Director of Arukah Project, a local non-profit organization providing support and immediate assistance for victims of human sex trafficking.  Your donations will help make the Hope House available for immediate safe shelter and medical attention when those ensnared in human trafficking call for help. https://www.arukahproject.org/ The need exists now and is anticipated to spike as two large events (Superbowl and World Cup Series) occur in the next few weeks next door in Santa Clara County.

    1h 4m

  7. 12/20/2025

    December 19, 2025 Interviews: Sara Beck & Friends of SC County Libraries; Loreal Weitzel & Arukah Project

    Hour One: Friends of the Santa Cruz Library - Sarah Beck, Executive Director      https://www.friendsofsantacruzlibraries.org/      https://santacruzgives.org/nonprofit/friendsofsantacruzlibraries/ Arukah Project - Loreal Weitzel, Executive Director  https://www.arukahproject.org/   Help fund the HOPE House to provide a safe place for human trafficking survivors to go, escape violence, and begin to restore their lives.   Second Hour experienced an area-wide power failure that stopped an interview with Dawn Berreras of Second Harvest Food Bank due to the Santa Cruz Voice studio equipment going offline.      https://www.thefoodbank.org/      https://santacruzgives.org/nonprofit/secondharvest/ Unfortunately, we were unable to interview Pajaro Valley Loaves & Fishes - Ashley Bridges, Director      https://pvloavesandfishes.org/      https://santacruzgives.org/nonprofit/pvloavesandfishes/

    15 min

  8. 12/13/2025

    December 12, 2025 Interviews with Local Non-Profits (Santa Cruz Gives) Senior Legal Services, El Pajaro CDC, Jacob's Heart Children's Cancer Support

    2:05pm - Ms. Rosalina Nunez, Supervising Attorney for Senior Legal Services describes helping elderly navigate legal issues, including senior benefits, landlord / tenant issues, advanced care directives, and elder abuse.  Your donation can help provide free legal service  to anyone over 60 years and a resident of Santa Cruz or San Benito County who would otherwise not be helped.       https://seniorlegal.org/       https://santacruzgives.org/nonprofit/seniorlegal/   2:35pm- Consider other local non-profits also doing great work in the Community: Rising Worldwide: Donate to help prevent child trafficking and to support trafficked survivors: https://risingworldwide.org/ Arukah Project: Helping survivors of human trafficking to escape and heal: https://www.arukahproject.org/ Santa Cruz VISTA Center: Helping blind and visually-impaired people in our Community: https://vistacenter.org/        3:05pm - Ms. Carmen Herra Mansir, Executive Director, describes how El Pajaro Community Development Corporation helps local Latina women begin and develop their small businesses and farms. You can donate to their in-house lending program and help provide the much-needed funding to help launch a new business and independence.       https://elpajarocdc.org/       https://santacruzgives.org/nonprofit/elpajarocdc/           3:35pm - Mr. Luis Mejia - Interim Executive Director, Jacobs Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services describes the work to help over 125 families in Santa Cruz County who have children battling cancer.  Your donation will help provide food, transportation to medical appointments and family counseling to ease the stress of the diagnosis and treatments.       https://www.jacobsheart.org/       Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services

    1h 54m
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About

Community Matters features guest interviews to discuss topics of interest to the Santa Cruz Community. We aim to help people better understand important local issues and learn how to get involved to make a positive difference. Please listen and call in to join the discussions. Listen to Community Matters live every Friday from 2:00pm to 4:00 pm PT on https://santacruzvoice.com

Information

  • Creator
    communitymatters
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    62
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Community Matters