Features

Students say burgers and doughnuts instead of vegetables 

SANTA CRUZ — Students at the University of California, Santa Cruz, are thinking meat and doughnuts as they mull over what restaurant should replace a vegetarian restaurant that closed this summer. 

In-N-Out Burger and Krispy Kreme appear to be at the top of the list for students asked Thursday what they’d like to see replace the Whole Earth restaurant. 

“In-N-Out would be packed 24/7,” said junior Danny Ambrose. 

“Everybody likes them,” senior Vicky Tarumoto concurred. 

There are other suggestions being floated around campus, including Italian and Mexican food restaurants. 

The campus is famous for its vegetarian tastes among students. The Blue Sun Cafe, purveyors of tempeh reubens and tofu scrambles, has been invited to bid for the new open restaurant space. 

Steven Shabry runs the cafe, but hasn’t decided whether he’ll bid. 

“I’ve got friends who say we should entertain the notion,” he said. “We’re a vegetarian place in a town that is not really vegetarian, but everybody seems to like our food.” 

Camping ban on the beach 

EUREKA — Humboldt County officials are considering a camping ban for Clam Beach as they’ve grown tired of visitors who litter the beach and don’t pay their camping fees. 

Some homeless people have taken to extended camping in Clam Beach County Park as a form of refuge, but the debris they leave behind has county officials concerned. 

“It’s become a place where you can camp free if you’re streetwise,” said Don Tuttle, Humboldt County deputy public works director. “And I’m not comfortable with having some of my staff members out there in the dark trying to collect fees.” 

It’s the second crackdown to be considered on area beaches. Earlier this year, the county passed an ordinance that limited traditional beach uses in order to protect the Western snowy plover. The plover nests on Clam Beach during the summer. 

Some residents, however, said the ordinance was too restrictive since it banned some horseback riding in the area. 

Northern schools falling short 

of state standards 

SANTA ROSA — North Coast schools are falling short of academic growth targets according to preliminary results. 

Thirty-eight percent of Sonoma County schools made their growth targets. In Mendocino County 19 percent achieved their targets and Lake County schools reached 26 percent of their academic growth goals. 

The North Coast schools perform lower than the entire state, where 53 percent of all schools met their targets last year. 

Above-average schools may not be compelled to raise test scores, even if they fail to reach a state-imposed academic target, said George Romero, assistant superintendent for Sonoma County schools. 

“If they’re doing well, there isn’t as much pressure to improve,” Romero said.