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To call Scotts Valley High School senior Megan Gurer wise beyond her years would be doing her an injustice. She’s taken advanced studies into a realm that most 17-year-olds can only dream about.

The concept of a “clown conservatory” is a bit difficult to wrap your head around. Are they conserving clowns, or teaching clowns to conserve? Are the clowns being taught the finer points of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle?” And really, can you teach a person who’s wearing a multi-colored wig, face paint, a red nose that honks, ill-fitting pants held up by suspenders and big, floppy shoes to be “conservative?”If anyone can, it’s Jeff Raz who has been doing so since 2000, the year the Clown Conservatory was founded in San Francisco, California.Raz has an impressive track record as a clown. From his humble beginnings as a street juggler in the 70’s, he has gone on to become a virtual “who’s who” in the world of clowns. He’s juggled with the Bay City Reds, one of the most successful juggling troupes in the country. In the 80’s, he spent most of the decade with Vaudeville Nouveau, including a Broadway production of Comedy of Errors. He emerged in the 90’s as a writer, where he wrote and performed plays while performing with the Pickle Family Circus and acting in theaters around California. Raz led the Clown Conservatory at S.F. Circus Center from 2000 until 2010. During that time, he participated in a 500-performance tour with Cirque du Soleil’s Corteo, in English and Japanese, while still running the school.And now, Jeff Raz is bringing his irresistible clownish self to downtown Santa Cruz on December 14th to participate in Tandy Beal’s next installation of her ArtSmart Family Concert Series at the Veterans Memorial Building.Is there an art to being a clown?“Of course there is,” says Raz. “One colleague said, ‘I don’t teach the clowns, I walk beside them.’ We teach hard skills: our clowns learn to juggle, ride a unicycle, perform acrobatics and mime, and a lot of circus skills in a wide range.” Raz is hurriedly ticking off every element of Clowning 101. “There’s the history, current practices, clowning of other countries, makeup application—there’s lots to learn.” It must take a certain type of person to want to try being a clown, I muse. Raz is emphatic: “I trust that every student that comes to my school is a little weird, and that they’ve got what it takes to be a clown. My job isn’t to excavate that; my job is to give them the forms to let that come out.”“Is it really that daunting?” I ask. Raz nods. “Being a clown is quite hard but very rewarding. It takes a lot of practice, and things can be tough. The upside is you get to work with lovely people in very electric, creative settings. Clowns are able to connect with the audience in a deeper and more evocative way than any other performer. The main skill is to take 2,700 people and make them feel like they’re in your living room. In the business, it’s called Shrinking the Theater or Shrinking the Tent. How deeply and skillfully do the clowns make a connection with the audience? That’s the litmus test for success,” says Raz.For the upcoming performance in Santa Cruz, what should the audience expect? “There’s this assumption that clowns are for kids,” Raz says. “Clowns were adult entertainment for the last 50-70 years, but I always welcome anyone who wants to volunteer. You know what’s funny,” says Raz, “is the kids on stage are having a level of success on that stage that they don’t normally have in the classroom. I always try to pick a kid from the back of the room. It provides a moment for the volunteers to find comfort and their voice on stage,” he says.After performing for 47 years, Raz finds that he has to keep giving himself new challenges. “My challenge for the last few years is how to be radically present,” says Raz. “I don’t always succeed, but I want to be right there with that audience, with that volunteer, and completely respect that we have a reciprocal relationship. My interest,” says Raz, “is to invite someone to be more themselves than they were a moment ago, and sit back down a hero.”“Is there an example of that?” I ask. There is, Raz tells me, and it happened right here in Santa Cruz. “When I was a member of the Pickle Family Circus, we came to do a show with Tandy. Lo and behold, we got a volunteer who had just had hip replacement surgery, and he wanted to participate in the show. We got this amazing guy to come up on stage and stand on my shoulders with a new hip! The whole audience was cheering like crazy for him. When I came into the lobby after the show, he was in the lobby signing autographs.”Raz has had plenty of time in the spotlight himself. As the lead clown in Cirque du Soleil’s Corteo, he did ten shows per week, filling 3,200 seats per performance in Japan for 14 months.And now? Raz has written two times on his favorite subject: being a clown. The Secret Life of Clowns and The Snow Clown are authoritative works by an author whose specialty is making the world a lighter, brighter and less conservative place.Interested in learning more? Visit https://secretlifeofclowns.com and be sure to attend his upcoming performance in Santa Cruz. Tickets for Tandy Beal’s ArtSmart Family Concert Series are available at www.brownpapertickets.com

Scotts Valley Host Lions

The moment “the couple” walked into the Oak Tree Ristorante carrying a bottle of wine, my interest was piqued. Soon the server had the bottle uncorked and as the wine was breathing, Sebastian, the owner/chef appeared at their table with his empty wine glass in hand. The beautiful red wine was poured, tasted and commented upon by the threesome.

After a disappointing 2014 campaign, hopes are high among Scotts Valley High School football fans of a strong rebound in 2015. Head coach Louie Walters, the only coach the school has had since its opening in 1999, promises an experienced squad this year, long on athleticism, big enough where they need to be, and with a dedication to sacrifice that’s unusually strong. He also expects Scotts Valley will contend for the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League championship.This is a cohesive group,” Walters says. “They like to hang out together. They’re buddies on and off the field, which is huge in football.”“There’s no down in our practices,” Walters continued. “They’re all about picking each other up when somebody makes a mistake.”Walters expects a stingy defense to once again be a hallmark for the Scotts Valley squad, where the team’s large number of returning seniors is especially strong (nine of the 11 likely starters, including all four defensive backs.) But big things are expected from the offense this year, both from the offensive line and skill position players.Quarterback BattleTwo seniors are jockeying to call signals for the Falcon this year: returning 2014 quarterback Nick Reyes, who also started as a defensive back last year and is a three-time wrestling champion, and Dawson Danner, who is generally acknowledged to be the team’s best wide receiver.As of this writing, Walters said the top slot was up for grabs, praising both for their high football IQ as well as quick feet. Junior Tyler Stow figures to backup the winner as he gets ready to helm the Falcon offense in 2016.Returning all-league running back Troy Menna, who Walters says is one of the strongest players the school has ever had, figures to start at halfback. He will be rested or complemented by two situational runners: last year’s JV MVP Tanner Gilton, known for his great cuts and good field vision, along with the speedy Liam Rapoza.Fullback will likely be handled by a committee approach, including Tristan Leonetti, Tyler Stone and Josh Eskew (Leonetti is one of three team captains, along with Reyes and Menna.) All three are tough, hard-nosed football players who will be playing lots of defense as well, so they’ll be rotated to keep them fresh on both sides of the ball.If he’s not the starting quarterback, Dawson will see plenty of time again at wide receiver along with three-sport Star Tim Wagner and 6 foot- two inch Dalton Locke, a third year varsity player.Walters has historically relied heavily on one or two tight ends in his offensive schemes, and this year will be no different, especially with six foot-seven inch tall 230 pound senior standout Tanner Spence holding down the position. Despite tearing his meniscus in last year’s pre-season, Spence immediately proved to be a force upon his return, and is certain to dominate the thinking of opposing defensive coordinators throughout the season. The NCAA Division I prospect will be complemented in double tight end formations by six foot-four inch tall Matt Murray, who started ably for Spence while he recovered last year. Ethan Emanuelson, recognized as one of the team’s hardest workers in the offseason, will also see playing time at end.Walters expects the offensive line to be a clear strength of the team this year, boasting two league championship wrestlers. Cooper McElrone will start at center, and be flanked much of the time by guards Patrick Conte and Matthew Boe, a junior voted the most valuable offensive lineman on last year’s JV squad. Both McElrone and Conte didn’t play football last year to focus on their IB studies, but Walters says they’re strong and ready for 2015. Tyler Bogner and Bradley Mead will also be in the mix at guard. Tackle will be handled by Thomas Williamson, Chris Wright and Frankie Graves.Defense: Experience and athleticismDefensive Coordinator Jeff Metter, who like Walters began his SVHS coaching career at in 1999, expects to have a well-conditioned, speedy squad again this year, which is perfect for the aggressive, blitzing style he prefers.The team’s front will consist of defensive end Stone, who started ten games for the varsity team last year as a sophomore. Mead will anchor the line as nose guard, while the JV team’s most valuable defensive lineman last year, Jason Bucio, holds down the other defensive line slot. Graves and Bogner will also see plenty of playing time on the defensive line.Walters called three-year starter Leonetti, who was an all-league standout as a sophomore and holds the school’s record for the bench press, the heart and sole of the team’s defense. He’ll be one starter at inside linebacker, Menna the other and they’re backed by Kyle Marriner and Gilton. Spence will star at outside linebacker, with his outsized wingspan, along with Conte, while Emanuelson, Eskew and Evan Carvalheria will rotate in and out regularly. The secondary is led by all-league free safety and track star Kyle Giguiere. Strong safety features Coll Sitton, Ryan Johnston and Trevor Ponos all fighting for the starting slot while all figure to see plenty of action. Returning cornerbacks Jordan Tuck and Rapoza will head that group.Emanuelson will handle both kicking and punting duties, while Danner and Ponos are expected to return kickoffs and punts.His strength on both sides of the ball has Walters feeling optimistic that this year’s team could return to Scotts Valley’s glory days, when the team won four straight SCCAL titles from 2006-2009.“We worked this team harder than any of our previous teams in the off-season because they bought in,” Walters said. “There’s a lot of parity in our league, and if we stay healthy, I love our chances.”

It’s been a rough week for most Santa Cruz county citizens.  However, difficult evacuations were slightly easier for UCSC students and staff by due to proactive caution and communication.  The University managed to evacuate all 1,200 staff and students in orderly fashion by the evening of August 20th.  Scott Hernandez-Jason, the Director of News and Media Relations, proudly detailed the University’s success.