Santa Cruz Observer

Yes, Virginia, there is good news in the paper

By TOM HONIG

Definitely check out today's Sentinel for the feel-good story of the day. Wallace Baine tells the story of Joe Ferrara, everybody's favorite purveyor of comic books -- who for years has also been singing the National Anthem at Giants' games.

Joe has long been an important personage to two different groups: the kids growing up who frequent his Atlantis Fantasyworld comics store on Cedar Street -- and also those who listen to his performances of old standards at local venues like the Shadowbrook.

As he so often does, Wallace Baine paints an on-pitch profile of Joe, who is as enthusiastic about his music and his business as he ever was. Definitely check it out.

 

Behind-the-scenes grappling over Durbin Day

Durbin fever has taken over Santa Cruz. Well, um, actually it has taken over people planning for his American Idol homecoming on Saturday, because so many folks want a piece of the action.

Every media outlet, of course, wants that precious inside track to Durbin. (The Sentinel is even planning a special commemorative section on Saturday).

Every possible community group wants to be part of the celebration. The city of Santa Cruz and the Seaside Co. -- owners of the Boardwalk -- are the official sponsors of Durbin Day on Saturday, but there are oh, so many other groups that want to be a part of it.

One friend of mine says there's an urge playing out for people to bask in the reflected glow of a Durbin experience, and they're willing to "tear the skin off each other" for that right.

There'll be plenty of activities that day -- a parade, a visit to a community center and, of course, a short concert at the Beach Boardwalk Bandstand.  Of course, that's all assuming that he makes it to the top three in this week's voting -- one of the top four will be voted off by viewers of the Fox television show. The best place to keep up on his latest schedule is right here at the Seaside Co.'s special  Durbin Day page.

99-cent sale at Borders; the end is nigh

Books, books -- get all you can for 99 cents each. Borders Books on Pacific and Soquel avenues is nearing the end of its road, and they put the few remaining books on sale Wednesday for under a dollar.

So if you want Glenn Beck's "Broke," or the "O'Reilly Factor for Kids" or a travel guide to Dallas and Fort Worth, head down before they're gone.

Still, it's kind of sad to see any such venture go down. And it's particularly sad to see some dedicated folks lose their jobs. Several of the employees had been at Borders since it opened a decade ago -- and they were hard-working, polite and helpful guides to the many books and recordings available. I wasn't one of those who swore off chain bookstores -- even though I did give a preference to the locally owned shops like Capitola Book Cafe and Bookshop Santa Cruz.

And, whatever else your feelings about the presence of a Borders in Santa Cruz, it offered a destination-style downtown location -- without alcohol -- that gave people some time to while away the time.

Time will tell what, if anything, will replace it. Another empty store downtown isn't something Santa Cruz needs right now. But stay tuned -- my guess is that something will be coming to fill up the space. It's too good a location to just sit empty.

Dateline: New Orleans; Pete Fountain kills 'em

NEW ORLEANS -- It's possible that New Orleans is as far from Santa Cruz as you can get. Or, put another way: New Orleans is a place, unlike Santa Cruz, where the words "politically" and "correct" never get uttered together.

The weather is different here, too. Unseasonably cold in Santa Cruz; in the mid-80s here. And that's good, at least for a visit during the French Quarter Jazz Festival. This is different from the other Jazz Fest, the one that has big names like Elton John and Kid Rock. This one is all New Orleans talent. It's also all free.

Then there you are, at 11 a.m., and 80-year-old Pete Fountain, post-stroke and all, is on stage in Jackson Square, and doing a sterling job on the clarinet in an unannounced appearance with the Connie Jones Band. He sounded like the old-pro that he is, especially on standards like "Lazy River" and "When the Saints Go Marching In."

He may the last of the big-name traditional jazz players left in the Crescent City. And my is the city in love with the gentlemen. His short -- 12-minute -- set was a kind of 12-minute standing ovation.

As for the post-Katrina recovery -- it still progresses. But the city has never taken too much time to worry about its own problems. The crowds are here -- smart visitors who know about the French Quarter Jazz Festival and music-loving locals who are lining the venues in the French Quarter to revel in the sounds.

Ah, New Orleans.

In the meantime...

The apparently dark future for newspapers doesn't seem to hurt Wallace Baine. The Sentinel entertainment editor and writer probably needs to sit down and relax for a day or two after his effort in today's paper: five bylined stories. He wrote three entertainment stories (a feature on Susie Bright, another on the film "Jane Eyre" and a feature about photographer Kelley Richardson), one in news (a review of American Idol)  and one in sports (a column about baseball and rock music).

Note to the editor: Get that man some rest.