Athlete Catherine Breed is fearless as she aims to swim the 900- mile coast of California. She has endured jellyfish stings and whale poop to set records for the fastest swim and now she has set her sights on this audacious project titled “Swim California”. I caught up with her during one of her rest days in Monterey. As the Trump administration seeks to open California waters to oil drilling and deep sea mining, Breed wants us all to appreciate and protect this world-wide gem of a coastline.

Each year for the past five years, I have taught a podcasting course in Dingle,Ireland, in the far westernmost, rural part of the country. This year 35 UCSC students spent six weeks studying podcasting and writing there. Listen to the whimsical results of their assignment to create 7-minute pieces of audio fun.

On Nov. 3, voters across California will have an opportunity to weigh in on Proposition 44. The measure, if passed, would require federally qualified health centers, or FQHCs, to spend at least 90% of their annual revenue on expenses that advance the mission of the health centers. If the FQHCs fail to do so, they’ll face monetary penalties levied by the state.

Proponents of the measure believe it will introduce a higher degree of accountability when it comes to delivering services to patients, while opponents say patient care is already front and center and the measure will overburden health centers that are already under tremendous strain.

Recently joining host PK Hattis on Talk of the Bay were three people who fall in the “no” on Prop. 44 camp. They include Santa Cruz Community Health CEO Anita Aguirre, Santa Cruz Community Health Chief Strategy and Impact Officer Dena Loijos, and former president of the California Medical Association and longtime Santa Cruz County physician Dr. Donaldo Hernandez.

Talk of the Bay did reach out to organizers with the “yes” on Prop. 44 campaign, but I did not hear back before broadcast.

NOTES

https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_44,_Spending_Requirements_for_Federally_Qualified_Health_Centers_Initiative_(2026)

https://www.kcra.com/article/california-ballot-measure-clinic-funding-accountability-prop-44/73379618

Longtime Monterey and Santa Cruz County resident Kate Hitt calls her small poetry press Many Names Press, but she’s a woman who has worn many hats. After a long career in printing and graphic design, Kate got a job with benefits driving a school bus for Pajaro Valley Unified School District. It was physically hard work, but spiritually rewarding as she got to know the great variety of children and working people of this area. This year Kate published her first book, covering the experience in poetry, prose, photography, and watercolor. It’s a lovely and thoughtful view of life inside the bus and out in the fields.

For more information:

In June, healthcare providers, elected leaders and community advocates gathered in Watsonville to celebrate the grand opening of Encompass Community Services’ new state-of-the art Sí Se Puede Behavioral Health Center.

While Encompass has been providing support to those struggling with mental illness and substance use disorder at facilities in Watsonville for decades, this newly-renovated health center offers the nonprofit not only an opportunity to expand its footprint and increase the overall number of patients it is able to serve, but it also gives community members a safe, quality facility with bilingual services that are conducive to stability and recovery.

While the ribbon cutting ceremony marked a proud accomplishment for Encompass, which spent over a decade trying to get the project over the finish line, this project also presents an opportunity for the public to hear from local experts about the condition of behavioral health treatment programs in Santa Cruz County more broadly. What has helped them improve services in recent years and what challenges now threaten that progress?

To help us answer these questions and many more, Talk of the Bay host PK Hattis spoke with Encompass Senior Manager of Adult Residential Programs Jillian Riedenauer and Program Manager Jorge Gutierrez in July.

Saime Matsu is an Associate Professor at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, where she has taught the Turkish language for more than 20 years. Throughout her career, she has played a significant role in teaching the Turkish language while serving as a valuable cultural bridge between the United States and Turkey, fostering mutual understanding and strengthening educational and cultural ties between the two countries. She is this year’s Executive Director for the annual Turkish Arts & Culture Festival, taking place August 29-30 at Monterey’s Customs House Plaza.

All are welcome to the 26th Annual Turkish Arts and Culture Festival for a weekend of free family fun, August 29, 11am-7pm, and August 30, 11am-6pm, at Custom House Plaza. Enjoy folk dancing performances, whirling dervishes, Turkish music, art exhibits, demonstrations of Turkish carpet weaving and ebru (the traditional art of water marbling), activities for children, and Turkish food and drinks. Presented by the Turkish American Association of California.

On this episode of Talk of the Bay, host Chris Krohn examines the growing surveillance state and its impact on privacy, civil liberties, and public safety. Guests Peter Gelblum of the ACLU, community activist Steve Pleich, and mayoral candidate and Get the Flock Out activist Ami Chen Mills discuss automated license plate readers (ALPRs), AI-powered surveillance, body cameras, Ring cameras, and the growing collection of personal data. The conversation explores Santa Cruz’s decision to cancel its Flock Safety contract, concerns about the misuse and security of surveillance data, and what local communities can do to protect privacy and push back against unchecked technology.

National Week of Action Against ALPRs Kickoff @ 701 Ocean St • Sunday, Aug 16th @ 12PM

More information on the National Week of Action Against ALPRs (events being added daily): https://www.noalprs.com

https://www.gettheflockout.org/

If you spend enough time walking the California coast you’re bound to eventually see some signs of whale activity — the signs are just gonna be really small; a tiny spout of white water, the breach of a dark blue figure that spins and slaps the waves as it tumbles into the sea. Don’t get me wrong, these images inspire real joy and awe in the hearts of those lucky enough to witness them, not matter how far away they are. But it’s people like my next guest who help us truly appreciate the raw beauty of these sea creatures by bringing the images up close and personal.

Jodi Frediani is an award-winning nature photographer who has been capturing images of majestic – and at times ferocious – whales of all shapes and sizes in the Monterey Bay for decades. Her dedication to her craft has also nurtured an indispensable expertise on marine life and has led to a number of collaborations with various national and international research and conservation groups. She is also co-editor of “Wild Monterey Bay: A collection of memorable wildlife encounters from 40 people who work and play in the Monterey Bay region.”

Frediani recently joined Talk of the Bay to tell us more about what she’s seeing out in the water and what has made this whale watching season stand out from others in recent memory.

This show was recorded July 22, 2026.

Host Omar Dieguez welcomes Ana Nallely Mendoza Hernández to Talk of the Bay/From the Streets.

Ana is a first-generation college graduate, a single mother, and the proud daughter of migrant farm-working parents. Her life has been shaped by housing insecurity, mental health challenges, and the struggle of navigating systems that often leave working families behind. Ana overcame those hardships to earn degrees in Sociology, Latin American and Latino Studies, and Criminal Justice, and has dedicated her career to supporting vulnerable individuals and families through compassionate, trauma-informed advocacy.

Join us as we explore her inspiring journey of perseverance, breaking cycles of generational trauma, the power of education, and why healing is not only personal but a path toward collective liberation.

For almost 50 years Hospice of Santa Cruz County has provided end-of-life care to patients and their families throughout the Central Coast region. That work, and its broad reach throughout the community, was publicly honored late last year by the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce, which awarded the nonprofit its 2025 Organization of the Year honors at its annual gala.

As the chamber’s Executive Director Kristen Brown put it to the Sentinel, “For decades, Hospice of Santa Cruz County has walked alongside local families during some of life’s most difficult moments, offering care, comfort, and connection with extraordinary compassion. Their work reaches far beyond end-of-life care, supporting children, caregivers, loved ones, and those experiencing grief in ways that are deeply personal and profoundly meaningful.”

To tell us more about how this treasured local organization has managed to thrive for nearly five decades, as well as what it must do to continue its work for 50 years more, Hospice of Santa Cruz County CEO Cathy Conway joined Talk of the Bay and spoke with host PK Hattis. This show was recorded July 8, 2026.