POLETTI FAMILY TREE

As some of you ‘Blagga Fans”, might recall, Professor Corrado Poletti of Italy previously requested (via the ‘Blagga’) information regarding his Poletti relatives here in America. Since that time he has done additional work on the “Poletti Family Tree”. Unfortunately, I am unable to reproduce the actual schematic tree itself; however, he has given the 'Blagga' permission to publish his e-mail to me, first in the original Italian and then the English translation as done with perfection by the renowned linguist Gino “D’Baffi” Campioni. Those of you, who wish a copy of the actual “Tree” itself, can contact me via regular e-mail and I will forward it to you. ivno



Caro Signor Ivano,quello che le faccio avere per e-mail è l'albero genealogico della mia famiglia ("Poletti), che sono riuscito fino ad ora a mettere insieme anche grazie alle ricerche sul vostro blog "nostra costa".Tutto é partito da Condino, un paesino in provincia di Trento (oggi Italia) da dove il "Luigiun Poletti" a formato una grande famiglia composta di due gruppi dati da due matrimoni.Del primo matrimonio...una parte della famiglia, dopo essersi trasferita in Svizzera, è emigrata in America e quì ci è rimasta grazie al duro lavoro e anche alla "buona stella" (Luigi Poletti). Sempre di questa parte della famiglia un altro gruppo è rimasto in Svizzera, ma alcuni degli ultimi componenti (Bonetti) sono ora in Nuova Zelanda (New Zealand). E poi arriviamo noi che siamo i discendenti dei figli del secondo matrimonio del "Luigiun" (Poletti Achille etc.) Dalle fasce orrizontali di colore verde si possono capire i legami di parentela che tra di noi più e meno sussistono.In effetti, tutti i figli di Luigi Poletti (detto "Luigiun") sono in parte tra di loro fratellastri, ma pur sempre dello stesso sangue del loro padre.Spererei tanto che Lei Potesse aiutarmi a far pervenire questa copia di Albero genealogico "provvisorio" alla famiglia di Sophia Poletti Costella o a qualche loro intimo amico, perchè possano aiutarmi a completare i tasselli che mancano e magari raccontarmi qualche altra storia.Come vede...la mia speranza è dura a morire....ci riprovo e ...chissà che dio me la mandi buona !!!A presto...Corrado



Dear Mister Ivano,

That which I furnish you by E-mail is my family tree (Poletti), that I have been able to compile up to now, in part thanks to your researches on your blog "nostra costa".

All departed from Condino, a small town in the province of Trento (now part of Italy) from which Luigiun Poletti formed a large family comprising two groups from two marriages.

Of the first marriage...one part of the family, after transferring to Switzerland, emigrated to America and there remained, thanks to the hard work and also the "good star" (Luigi Poletti). Still in this part of the family, another group remained in Switzerland, but a few of the later components (Bonetti) are now in New Zealand. Then we come to us who are the descendants of the sons of the second marriage of "Luigiun" (Poletti, Achille, etc.)

By the horizontal bands of color we can understand the ties of parentage among us that subsist.

In effect, all the sons of Luigi Poletti (nicknamed "Luigiun") are among themselves in part stepbrothers, but all still of the same blood of their father.

I would greatly hope that you might help me by forwarding this "provisional" copy of the family tree to the family of Sophia Poletti Costella or to one of their close friends, that they might help me to complete the missing bits and perhaps relate some other story (about the family) to me.

As you see, my hope is a diehard...I keep trying and...who knows if God might grant my desire.

Soon... Corrado

LNC: Poletti Family Tree fans will be happy to know that Corrado has his own "Blagga" at:
www.polettisfamilytree.blogspot.com

LA NOSTRA COSTA PHOTO DISPLAY

MARION POKRIOTS OF THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY GENEALOGY SOCIETY IS PROUD TO PRESENT THE "LA NOSTRA COSTA" PHOTO DISPLAY.

PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE BOOK AS WELL AS NUMEROUS OTHERS FROM THE AUTHOR'S COLLECTION WILL BE ON DISPLAY

THE DISPLAY IS LOCATED IN THE GENEALOGY SECTION OF THE SANTA CRUZ CITY LIBRARY AND WILL BE SHOWN THROUGH THE MONTH OF APRIL AND POSSIBLY MAY.


THE LIBRARY IS LOCATED AT 224 CHURCH STREET, IN DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ. ADMISSION IS FREE AND ALL ARE WELCOME.

'FIGLIO DELLA COSTA' MARVIN DEL CHIARO'S HEARTRENDING LETTER

“FIGLIO DELLA COSTA” MARVIN DEL CHIARO and I go back a long way. In fact we met in the First Grade at Laurel School (1943). Also, he was my room mate at San Jose College (LNC: pgs. 326-329) and more recently he (along with Al Wilson), has been my official-unofficial “La Nostra Costa” photographer. Late last year, his four year old grandson, Cameron, slipped and fell, severally injuring one of his eyes. Marv, who along with is wife Elaine, are long time Scotts Valley residents, has given me permission to publish his very personal and heartrending letter below.



Hello to all my dear friends and relatives, Sorry for the generic nature of this message, but as most of you know, I correspond with several hundred of you fairly regularly, and I just couldn't send individual messages to all who have been praying for and asking for an update on dear little Cameron. I spoke to daughter Debbie and got this update, but first I'll recap what led up to all this for those who I may have missed in earlier emails. My apologies to anyone who's hearing about this for the first time. I recently found out even some close relatives weren't aware of Cameron's injuries.
In late December, 2006, Cameron, our four year old grandson (Debbie and Corky's oldest son) slipped and fell at home and severely injured his eye; he was carrying a small plastic toy in his hand, and in trying to break his fall and protect his face, the toy inadvertently was pushed into his eye. After rushing him to a local Urgent Care facility, he was transported by ambulance to a waiting Cal Star chopper and flown to Valley Medical's trauma unit in San Jose, where luckily a team of surgeons from Stanford were able to perform a four hour surgery and save his eye. After several days of hospitalization, he came home. At that point, he had no sight in that eye.

Elaine then began a lengthy vigil at his home, caring for him while his parents worked. After about three or four months, he finally was able to return to his pre-school, which was a landmark achievement in itself, given that the original asssessments has indicated the eye would have to be removed. Since then, he's had additional surgeries and procedures, the retina was reattached, and after weeks of waiting, we've been told that surgery is guardedly considered successful. Fast forwarding through many doctors visits, application of antibiotics to prevent infection, weeks of laying on his side or stomach practically 24/7 to allow for healing, repairs that involved entering the eye with a camera and laser to perform delicate procedures, he is now awaiting the removal of stitches and removal of a protective silicone oil that has been placed in the eye to normalize pressure. He returns to the hospital for those procedures somewhere between May and July.

NOW FOR THE BEST NEWS OF ALL, which I attribute to all the prayers; he's been meeting all the benchmarks his surgeons have set; first, he began to distinguish between darkness and light; now, he can actually see what is called "hand movement" (basically, he can detect shadow type movement); of course it doesn't mean his sight will be restored, but it's a great hurdle, given the first prognosis. We are so grateful, and it gives us all a great deal of hope. We are also so grateful to all the wonderful young eye specialists/surgeons who have embraced Cameron and his parents, like they were family; they've even given Debbie their cel phone numbers in case she has any questions or some emergency arises. Rarely do you see such dedication. He will eventually need a corneal transplant, which involves finding a donor of the same age; that give me chills just thinking about it. But I believe all the prayers and wonderful support from the community has helped his parents (and us) cope with whatever comes along.

Speaking about the community support, Debbie and Corky have been blessed with messages of support, food, gifts, and assistance of every kind. If I can indulge you for just a moment more, let me recount a recent occurrence. We took him to 5 o'clock Mass after his initial recovery, and everyone in the community showed such love and compassion; it's was so heartwarming. We've been in this parish since it's inception, in fact, even before there was a church; our first Mass was under a big oak tree, almost 40 years ago. Most of our children were baptised there, took their First Communion, Confirmation, and were even wed there.

Anyway, our new pastor, Father Derek Hughes, mentioned little Cameron by name twice during the Mass, and we was really touched. As we were filing up forCommunion, people were reaching out in the aisle to gently touch and caress my daughter Debbie's arm or back in such a loving way; boy, I could hardly choke back the tears. And there was poor little Cameron, in Debbie's arms, with a big patch over his eye, smiling at everyone; it was so touching; he got a blessing since he's too young to receive communion, but I know God's hands touched him and God's arms were around him that night, and every day, for that matter. You never realize how much you need others until you really, really need them. And then it's such great comfort to know they're there, and they really care..

Again, my apologies for the length of this message. I do want to say one more time how much we all appreciate your thoughts and prayers for Cameron; I have to really say it's what has helped us through the tough times; when I think back to seeing his tiny little body being wheeled into surgery that first day, something I will never forget as long as I live, to now seeing him romping around, there's not a doubt in my mind that all the prayers are what has made such a great difference. Once more, our love and thanks to you all. > Ciao for now. Marv

FIGLIA DELLA COSTA NORMA IS IMPRESSED

I was so impressed with Gino Campioni’s Italo-American Dictionary
Or Italglish Dictionary. (Just like the movie Spanglish). I want to
Thank Gino and compliment him on his work – beautiful and done with
Love and it brings back so many wonderful memories of all our dear ones
Trying to speaka da Inglish!! Hope to re-meet Gino someday soon.
I do want to thank him immensely and again thanks to Ivano for doing the
Book and getting all this going – it would not have happened if it wasn’t for
The book.
We could probably add more to the Dictionary – one more that comes to
Mind is: flet taia / flat tire.
Thanks again Ivano and Gino. All done in loving memory of our dear ones
And our heritage – lets not let it ever stop.
Ciao per ora & mille grazie – Norma Dinelli Wilson

LNC: Thanks Norma. I am sure that Gino "D'Baffi" will appreciate your message very much. In the "La Nostra Costa" story. I mentioned the old radio program "Life With Luigi" (P.224) starring J.Carroll Naish who played Luigi. Like the "Italiani su per la costa" Luigi would misunderstand and mispronounce many English words making for a fun filled half hour. Valentina, my mother, would always say that the program made fun of the Italians. However, as I mentioned in the book,
she always laughed along with us as we listen in. I may be going out on a limb here;however, I think that you know that you have made it in America whan you can laugh at your own imperfections. And as Norma says, for the sons and daughters of those Italian Immigrants, it is an endearing reminder of our history. ivn0

GINO'S OFFICIAL ITANGLISH DICTIONARY

IN LA NOSTRA COSTA, I MADE AN ATTEMPT TO DESCRIBE TO THE READER
HOW THE ITALIANI DELLA COSTA PRONOUNCED CERTAIN 'ITALIANIZED ' WORDS (LNC: P. 65). I DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME THAT AN ITANGLISH DICTIONARY ACTUALLY EXISTED. GINO "D'BAFFI" HAS GIVEN ME HIS GRACIOUS PERMISSION TO PUBLISH IT HERE. SO FROM 'GILLAROY' TO 'HAFFA MOOM BAY', HERE IS GINO'S OFFICAL ITANGLISH DICTIONARY.
The Itanglish Dictionary GINO

A brief course in deciphering the pronunciation of English words by Italian immigrants.
The fist column contains the Italian pronunciation with Italian spelling. The second indicates the American pronunciation. The third column gives the English meaning. The last column gives the actual Italian word. Syllables listed in all capitals are the stressed syllables.

A. AisCRIme Ice-CREE-meh Ice Cream Gelato
AisCULle Ice-COOL-leh High School Scuola Media
AIsse-BOcchise EYE-seh-BO-key-seh Ice Box
AitTON Eye-TONE High Tone (firsta classe)
AlluINi All-oo-EE-nee Halloween
arCHEche Are-KEH-keh Hot Cakes
ArMONica Ar-MON-ee-ka Accordion ( Squizabocchise)
AUsse OW-seh House Casa
B. BaiSIcolo By-SEE-colo Bicycle Bicicletta
BAraTENda BAH-rah-TEN-dah Bartender Barista
BECcheRIa BECK-eh-REE-ah Bakery Panetteria
BIcci BEE-chee Beach Spiaggia
BILlo BEEL-low Bill Conto
BITte BEET-teh Beets Barbabietola
BLEcchi BEri BLEK-ee-BEH-ree Blackberries More
BOCchise BAW-kee-seh Box Cassa
BOIla BOY-la Boiler (water heater)
BOTti BOH-tee Boots Stivali
BOTto BOH-toe Boat Barca
BRIcchi BREE-key Bricks Mattoni
BROscia BRAW-sha Brush Pennello,
Spazzola
BROscia BRAW-sha Underbrush Sottobosco
BULdoghe BOOL-dog-ghe Bulldog Molosso
C. CaraPIla Cara-PEE-la Caterpillar Trattore
CaoBOi Cow-BO-ee Cowboy Bovaro
CARro CAR-row Automobile Automobile
CECco CHECK-oh Check Assegno
CESteFIo CHESS-teh-FEE-oh Chesterfield Sofà
CESteNOzze CHESS-teh-NOH-tzeh Chestnuts Castagne
CHEcca KEH-cah Cake Dolce
CHENdo KEN-doe Garbage Can
CIMINEa CHEE-ME-NAY-ah Chimney Camino
CiRIFfo Chee-REEF-foh Sheriff
Ciu MEca Chew-MEH-ca Shoe Maker Calzolaio
CiUN GOmma CHEWN-GO-ma Chewing Gum
CREPolo CREPE-olo Cripple Storpio
CRICche CREE-keh Creek Fiumicino
CRIsimas CREE-zee-moss Christmas Natale
CucCAUsse Coo-COW-seh Cookhouse Cucina
D. DAno DOcchise DON-oh-DAW-key-seh Donald Duck Paperino
DevenPORto Deven-POUR-toe Davenport
DIccio DEE-cho Ditch Sorco
Donazzi DOH-not-see Doughnuts Frittelle
DRAIa DRY-ah Drier Asciugatrice
DRAiVAre Dry-VAR-eh To Drive Guidare
DRAIvuE DRY-voo-WEH Driveway Vialetto
Dreppi DRAY-pee Drapes Drappeggi
DROghiSTOro DRAW-ghee-STORE-ro Drug Store Farmacia
E. eLETtrico eh-LET-tricko Electricity Elettricità
EpiBORdei eh-pee-BORE-day Happy Birthday Felice
Compleanno
F. FAIacrecche FI-ah-creck-keh Firecrackers
FAiamenne FI-ya-men-neh Firemen Pompieri
FAItte FIGHT-teh Fight Lotta
FarMOLe far-Maw-leh Farmall
FIUsa FEW-za Fuse Fusibile
FonoGRAFo Phone-oh-GRAF-oh Phonograph Giradischi
FORte GiuLAI FOR-teh Jew-LIE Fourth of July 4 Luglio
FRENci BREDde FREN-chee-BRED-deh French Bread Pane Francese
FREscioLAI FRESH-oh-LYE Flashlight Lampadina
FrigiDEa Free-gee-DAY-ah Frigidaire Frigorifero
FRIsa FREE-zah Freezer Congelatore
FUTteBALlo FOO-teh-BOLL-o Football Calcio
G. GaRAge Ga-RAH-je Garage Autorimessa
GHEIme UAden Gay-meh-WA-den Game Warden
GASsoLIno GOS-so-LEE-no Gasoline Gasolio
GiNAtri Gee-NAH-tree Gene Autrie
GHIrol GHEE-role Girl Ragazza
GOLdiLOcchise GOAL-dee-LOCK-kee-se Goldilocks Biondina
GOmitri GO-me-tree Eucalyptus (gum tree)
GROSserIA GROSS-sir-REE-ya Grocery Mercato
GUAfo GWA-foe Wharf Molo
GurMOni Goor-MOW-knee Good Morning Buon Giorno
GunNAI Goon-NIGH Good Night Buona Notte
H. (there are no Itanglish words beginning in H)
I. ImPLOma Eem-PLO-ma Employment Office
InDIAni In-DYA-knee Indians
INge EEN-jeh Engine Motore
ISte EASE-teh Easter Pasqua
J. (the letter J is not included in the original Italian alphabet)
K. (neither is the letter K)
L. L’ARINga La-REEN-gah The Lone Ranger
LeborDeh Leh-Bore-Day Labor Day Festa di Lavoro
LiNOIo Lee-NOY-oh Linoleum
LONdri LONE-dree Laundry Lavanderia
M. MaCIna ma-CHEE-na Machine Macchina
MAPpo MA-poe Mop Strofinaccio
MEcci MEH-chee Matches Fiammiferi
MICchi MAUsse ME-key-MA-oo-seh Mickey Mouse
MErigoRAU MEH-ree-go-ROW Merry Go Round Giostra
miSTECca mi-STEAK-cah Mistake Sbaglio
MoroSAIco Moro-SIGH-co Motorcycle Motocicletta
MOSceRUMmi MOH-sheh-ROOM-me Mushrooms Funghi
MOSci Melo MO-she-MEL-oh Muskmelon Popone
MUM PIccia MOOM-PEE-cha Moving pictures Cinema
N. NUSepepa NEW-se-pepa Newspaper Giornale
NU IEze NOO YAY-zeh New Year’s Capo d’anno
O. otTELlo o-TELL-o Hotel Albergo
OmBRELlo ohm-BREL-low Umbrella Paracqua
P. PENsolo PEN-solo Pencil Matita
PIcce PEE-che Peaches Pesche
PICcoppe PEEK-op-peh Pickup Furgoncino
piNOzze Pee-NO-tzeh Peanuts Arachidi
PuLISSeMENne Poo-LEASE-eh-MEN-neh Policeman Polizziotto
PostOFFice Post-OFF-ee-che Post Office Ufficio Postale
Q. QUIcche QUEEK-keh Quick Svelto
R. RAdio RAH-dyo Radio
RanCEre Ron-CHAIR-eh Rancher Agricoltore
REDdeVUDde REH-deh-VOO-deh Redwood
RENcotto WREN-cut-toe Raincoat Impermiabile
RIve REE-veh River Fiume
RObenzo RO-ben-tso Robin Pettirosso
ROCchin Cea ROCK-in CHE-ah Rocking chair Sedia dondolo
RIfolo REEF-oh-low Rifle Fucile
S. Santa CROce Santa-CROW-che Santa Cruz
SAN GiuSE SAHN-jew-ZEH San Jose
SanGUIccio Song-WE-cho Sandwich Panino ripieno
SANiCLOSi SAHN-ee-CLAWS-ee Santa Claus Babbo Natale
SciaROPpe Shah-ROP-peh Shut Up! Sta Zitto!
SCIAvola SHAH-vole-ah Shovel Pala
SciO SHAW Show (movies) Cinema
SCHI-ni SKI-knee Skinny Magro
SCIUse SHOO-zeh Shoes Scarpe
SCIUsciaine SHOO-shine-eh Shoe Shine Lustrascarpe
SEveNOPpe SEH-veh-NOP-peh 7-Up
SIgoli SEE-goal-ee Sea Gulls Gabbiani
ScruDRAIva Screw-DRY-vah Screwdriver Cacciaviti
SLAIda SLY-dah Slide Frana

SPRAusi SPRAW-zi Sprouts Cavolini di
Bruscelle
STECco STECK-ko Stick Bastone
STEggio STAY-joe Stage Autobus
STIma STEE-ma Steam Vapore
STOMpo STOHM-poe Stump Ceppo
STOPpa Saine STUP-pa-SIGH-neh Stop Sign Fermata
STOro STOW-row Store Negozio
STRITteCARro STREET-teh-CARro Streetcar Tram
STROberi STRAW-beh-ree Strawberries Fragole
SUIccio SWEE-cho Switch Interuttore
SUpeMENne SOUP-eh-MEN-neh Superman
T. TEleVIgio TEle-VEE-joe Television Televisione
TENchisGHIVi TEN-keys-GHEE-vee Thanksgiving
TEneRIa TEN-err-REE-ah Tannery Conciatoio
ToMAte Toe-MA-teh Tomatos Pomodori
TraiSIcolo Try-SEEK-oh-low Tricycle Tricicletta
TRETte TRET-teh Tractor Trattore
TroBOlo Tro-BO- lo Trouble problemi, difficolta

TROCco TROCK-ko Truck Autocarro
TURco TOUR-co Turkey Tacchino
U. UarraMElo Wah-rah-MEL-oh Watermelon Anguria
UASci maCIna Washy ma-SHE-na Washing Machine Lavatrice
UIni da PU WEE-knee dah POO Winnie the Pooh
V. VISchi VEE-ski Whiskey Uischi
W, X, Y not in the Italian alphabet
Z. ZUppa MItte TSU-pa-MEET-teh Soup Meat Bollito

AVVISO

YOUA MAKA DA REPUBLICA WITTOUTA MYA OK, I BREAKA YOUA LEGGA.
IFA YOUA NO'NO WATCHA DOIN'A, "CLICCA" COMMENTI A BASSO ANDA I GIVA YOUA MOA 'COME SI DICE."

GINO "D'BAFFI" CAMPIONI LINGUINI'STA

QUEL MAZZOLIN DI FIORI

THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE READ “LA NOSTRA COSTA” OR ATTENDED ONE OF MY PRESENTATIONS KNOW THAT ‘THE ITALIANI SU PER LA COSTA’ LOVED TO SING. ONE OF THEIR ALL TIME FAVORITE SONGS WAS “QUEL MAZZOLIN DI FIORI” WHICH TELLS THE STORY OF A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS PICKED FROM THE MOUNTAINS. ACTUALLY, THIS SONG IS ABOUT A GIRL WHO DESIRES TO PRESENT THIS BEAUTIFUL BOUQUET TO HER SWEATHEART WHEN HE ARRIVES THAT (SATURDAY) EVENING. HOWEVER, AS SHE IS ABOUT TO FIND OUT HER SWEETHEART FAILS TO SHOW. HE APPARENTLY WENT VISITING ANOTHER GIRLFRIEND (ROSINA) LEAVING OUR POOR HEROINE ALONE --SIGHING AND CRYING.

I HAVE REPRINTED THE WORDS BELOW. IF YOU WANT TO HEAR THE SONG AS I REMEMBER IT BEING SUNG IN THE ‘COOKAHOUSAS” OR AT THE PICNICS ‘SU PER LA COSTA’ TRY THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES: www.istrianet.org and/or www.italiasempre.com .

Quel mazzolin di fiori ........ (che vien dalla montagna)
...quel mazzolin di fiori ...... (che vien dalla montagna)
E bada ben che non si bagna, che lo voglio regalar
....e bada ben che non si bagna, che lo voglio regalar
Lo voglio regalare ............. (perche' l'e' un bel mazzetto)
...lo voglio regalare .......... (perche' l'e' un bel mazzetto)
Lo voglio dare al mio moretto, questa sera quando vien
...lo voglio dare al mio moretto, questa sera quando vien
Stasera quando viene ..... (sara' una brutta sera)
....stasera quando viene ....... (sara' una brutta sera)
E perche' sabato di sera, lu nun e' venu' da me
...e perche' sabato di sera, lu nun e' venu' da me
Non e' venu' da me ............. (l'e' anda' dalla rosina)
....non e' venu' da me ......... (l'e' anda' dalla rosina)
E perche' mi son poverina, mi fa pianger sospirar
...e perche' mi son poverina, mi fa pianger sospirar

LNC: Hopefully, those of you who will be attending my future presentations will now know the words and will be able to sing-along with the 'Old Rancere'. " No falo pianger sospirar" ivnO

BRONCO'S BIRTHDAY

TODAY IS MARCH 15. IN NIMIS A SMALL VILLAGE IN NORTHEASTERN ITALY ONE HUNDRED AND SEVEN YEARS AGO, GERVASIO COMELLI WAS BORN. AS READERS OF “LA NOSTRA COSTA” WILL KNOW, GERVASIO IMMIGRATED TO ‘LA COSTA’ IN 1923, WHERE HE WAS GIVEN THE NICK-NAME “BRONCO”. THE NICK-NAME STAY WITH HIM FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

SINCE THAT TIME MANY THINGS HAVE HAPPENED TO THE COMELLI - BRESSANI FAMILY IN AMERICA. NONE OF WHICH WOULD HAVE HAPPENED, IF ‘BRONCO’ HAD CHOSEN NOT TO IMMIGRATE TO AMERICA. IN FACT, THE STORY OF ‘LA NOSTRA COSTA’, WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN-- AT LEAST NOT BY ME.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PA-PA. IVANO

A 'FIGLIO DELLA COSTA' SENDS THE 'BIG ONE'

I DO NOT WRITE ABOUT THIS IN "LA NOSTRA COSTA", HOWEVER; AT TIMES THE RANCERI, TO RELIEVE THEMSELVES OF BOREDOM OR OTHER NEEDS, ENGAGED IN SCOREGGIA CONTESTS TO DETERMINE WHO AMONGST THEM WAS THE CHAMPION SCOREGGIONE. 'FIGLIO DELLA COSTA', JIM CERAGIOLI SENDS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION REGARDING THE 'BIG ONE'. THEN 'AMICO DELLA COSTA' JERRILL (THE OLD PROFESSOR) KERRICK, HAS THE AUDACITY TO "OUT" JIM IN HIS COMMENTS BELOW. ALL IN GOOD FUN. ENJOY.


Now gang, I am sure you will all enjoy this one. Be sure the sound is on and your ears are clear. Listen to the tune and words. You Santa Cruz Crowd, remember our history.

Subject: Fw: The Big One This is a great country song. You have to listen carefully. It's about "Daddy cutting the big one!" I found it quite humorous - but that's because I'm weird. I hope you enjoy!

This is why I LOVE country music... whether it's crying in the beer, cheatin' hearts or re-uniting love...as well as this one.... ...it's all about life! This is one you will enjoy!

http://denimandlace.50megs.com/1bigone.html


Attention Blagga Fans:

(This) Reminds me of the time my brother and I had to roll all the car windows
down (electric windows would have been nice back then) to clear out (Jim's) scoreggia! An otherwise healthy person would have been in danger of developing emphysema if they had to ride with (him) every day. I recall that (he) blamed it on that plate of sprouts (grown on the Comelli ranch) that (he'd) eaten the night before.

Jerry Kerrick

SOME OBSERVATIONS BY A "FIGLIO DELLA COSTA"

NON-ITALIAN READERS OF 'LA NOSTRA COSTA' OFTEN MAKE THE FOLLOWING COMMENT AND OBSERVATION: "IT SURE IS A WONDER THAT ALL THOSE ITALIANS AND THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS, LIVING AND WORKING ON THE NORTH COAST OF SANTA CRUZ DURING THE '30s AND 40s, MADE IT IN THE US WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF WELFARE, FREE MEDICAL CARE, AND WITHOUT ITALIAN AS A SECOND LANGUAGE IN THE SCHOOLS. 'FIGLIO DELLA COSTA' JERRY MUNGAI SUBMITS A POIGNANT ARTICLE FROM THE 'NATIONAL REVIEW'. JERRY INVITES YOUR COMMENTS. 'CLICCA' ON COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE ARTICLE.




We continue to hear and read these days about how diversity is our great national strength and how we are all immigrants. As many of us are either children or grandchildren of legal immigrants, I thought the observations below are interesting as they pertain to today's immigrants. The comments are by Theodore Dalrymple in an article published in a recent issue of the National Review about Muslims in Britain. I believe the observations are as valid for the U.S. today as they are about Britain. I'd be interested in your thoughts on these issues. Here are the observations:

"Multiculturalism starts out with the premise that it is for the hostcountry to understand and accommodate its immigrants, and not for immigrants to understand the host country and, within a preexisting framework of rights and duties, accommodate themselves to it. And the theory of race relations suggests that the only possible reason for different outcomes (in m\such measures as income and educational level)of the many ethnic groups that make up a cosmopolitan society such asBritain's is racial prejudice and discrimination. The reason these two orthodoxies have been so eagerly accepted in Britain-by both the government and a significant and important, though perhaps not numerous,part of the educated population-is that they provide the opportunity for bureaucratic employment. This helps to reduce unemployment, at least inthe short term, and to create a focus of political patronage andloyalty. The expectation that immigrants should learn English, forexample, would reduce the opportunity for translators."

Comments?
Jerry

IMPORTANT MESSAGE RE: YOUR TELEPHONE

DON’T PRESS 90#

I RECEIVED AN E-MAIL FROM LOYE (BENTLEY) COCHRON, A SCHS GRAD, RE: A WARNING ABOUT OUR TELEPHONES.

Loye: Thanks for the heads up. Your message below is very serious business. I will make sure that my family will not press 90#. I pay enough for long distant telephone calls as it is.

Your message did remind me of a very funny story that occurred at the San Jose Police Department some years ago.

A secretary in the Detective Division received a call from a so called rep of the telephone company. He told her that they were experiencing some troubles with the telephone lines on the third floor of the Police Building (where the Detective Division was located). In order for them to "clear the clogged lines" they needed to "blow out the lines". This would necessitate for someone on the third floor to "lift off the receivers" in every office on the floor. Believing that the caller was genuine, the secretary went to every office on the third floor advising them to take their phones off the "hook". When asked "what for", she responded that the telephone company needed this to be done so that they could "blow out the lines". She was quite convincing as many did exactly that. When she got back to her own office, she found everyone there in an uproar, laughing their heads off. One of the Detectives had actually placed the "blow out the lines" call.

No the secretary was not a blond, but she was Italian. This may have had something to do with her 'diligence to duty' in this affair.


Loye’s Warning:

I dialed '0' and asked the operator who confirmed that this was correct so please pass it on... (l also checked out Snopes.com..this is true, and also applies to cell phones!)

PASS ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW

I received a telephone call last evening from an individual identifying himself as an AT&T Service Technician (could also be Telus) who was conducting a test on the telephone lines. He stated that to complete the test I should touch nine(9), zero(0), the pound sign (#), and then hang up. Luckily, I was suspicious and refused.

Upon contacting the telephone company, I was informed that by pushing 90#, you give the requesting individual full access to your telephone line, which enables them to place long distance calls billed to your home phone number.

I was further informed that this scam has been originating from many local jails/prisons

DO NOT press 90# for ANYONE.

The GTE Security Department requested that I share this information with EVERYONE I KNOW.

After checking with Verizon they also said it was true, so do not dial 90# for anyone !!!!! PLEASE HIT THAT FORWARD BUTTON AND PASS THIS ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!!!

THEODORE L. GARGIULO, CONDUCTOR, COMPOSER, MUSICOLOGIST, 'AMICO DELLA COSTA'

IN REGARDS TO MY PREVIOUS ARTICLE ON "TED' GARGIULO, SOME OF YOU HAVE ASKED FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MAESTRO. WHAT FOLLOWS BELOW IS AND EXCERPT FROM AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE MONTEREY HERALD. (Words appearing in italics have been added by Ivano.)



Born in New York City (December 19, 1915), Taddeo Luigi Gargiulo was the son of immigrant parents, Salvatore Gargiulo, a baker from Sorrento and Erminia Mascia from Castellamare di Stabia, Italy.


Amid the hardships of the Great Depression, Theodore discovered his passion for the piano and found a way to begin his studies. His talent and pursuit was rewarded with a scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music. Theory and harmony took its root and he was asked to join the National Youth Administration Symphony under the direction of Leopold Stokowski where he expanded his knowledge of orchestra and composition.

Twenty years later, in 1935, he received another scholarship from the New York Philharmonic Symphony Society and studied as a pupil of Rimsky-Korsakoff.

Teachers’ College of Columbia University was another stomping ground as he added vocal art to his accomplishments. Maestro Fritz Stiedry of the Metropolitan Opera embraced Theodore as his protégé. Here his passion grew deeper in the world of opera.

Subsequent years found Maestro Gargiulo performing as Music Director, Assistant Conductor and Conductor with opera companies such as The Miami Opera Guild, Wagner Opera Company’s National Tour, New York Opera Festival in Washington, DC, Cafarelli Opera in Cleveland, Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Columbus Symphony Orchestra in Columbus, Georgia, Connecticut Opera Association, Philadelphia Opera and the Cincinnati Summer Opera.

Theodore’s last international conducting tour included the the symphony orchestra of Ottawa, Vancouver and other cities in Canada. These orchestras provided accompaniment to the four hour silent film epic of the restoration of Abel Gance’s 1927 Classic “Napoleon” produced by Francis Ford Coppola.

He was chief music critic, reviewer and feature writer for the Columbus Leger/Enquirer newspapers for seven years and his article appeared in many publications.

The Gargiulo family came to Monterey in 1972. He organized the Peninsula Clarinet Quartet for the Monterey Museum of Art and established the chamber concert series, “Music in the Museum”

Theodore organized the Pan Cultural Orchestra of the Defense Language Institute (DLI). With Specialist Bill Zornes, Theodore wrote a pageant to celebrate the Army’s 208th Birthday Ball, “Music – the Great Motivator.”

In November 2001 Maestro Gargiulo received a lifetime achievement award at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The award was presented by The Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation.

Maestro Gargiulo was a prolific composer with a collection of art songs in various genres, symphonic works, chamber music, a wedding mass, and two operas. His opera Tryillias was accepted for consideration for a Pulitzer Prize in music in 2004.

On August 30th, 2006, Maestro Gargiulo wrote his last 101 measures – a musical setting of the Catholic Profession of Faith. “We believe in God the Father, The Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen……..”

"Our Father was a very rare, gentle soul who walked the earth. His spirit soars with love and passion which is expressed in the legacy of his music. and performances.. But, his greatest opus is the love of life he instilled in his family." -- The Gargiulo Family

MAESTRO TADDEO LUIGI GARGIULO E 'LA NOSTRA COSTA'

MAESTRO TADDEO LUIGI GARGIULO , BETTER KNOWN TO MUSCIANS AND FRIENDS AS THEODORE “TED” GARGIULO, WAS OUR NEIGHBOR. ALONG WITH HIS WIFE GLORIA, HE LIVED NEXT DOOR TO US ON LAS BRISAS DRIVE AT PASADERA (OFF HWY 68 IN MONTEREY). TED WAS A RENOWNED COMPOSER AND MUSCIAN. OFTEN WE WOULD HEAR HIM PLAY HIS PIANO AS HE WAS COMPOSING NEW SONGS IN HIS LIVING ROOM. MY WIFE, MILDRED AND I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC THAT WOULD BE CREATED BY THIS WONDERFUL MAN. TED PASSED AWAY IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR.


Ted and I would often pass the time of day discussing world events, philosophy and religion. He would even discuss with me, a complete novice, how he composed his music. During his last year, he would say to me, “I get up in the morning and my mind is filled with music. I can not wait to get to my piano to write it down. This has never happened to me before. It is simply amazing.”

One of the things that used to bother Ted a great deal was all the violence and inhumanity that existed in the World. Ted was a deeply religious man, however; he was also an intellectual. He was not afraid to question things that really were not quite clear. He often posed the following question to me. “Ivan, how can there be a God with all this violence, famine and inhumanity in world? A just and benevolent God would never allow it to exist.”

I would always answer, “Ted, we will find the answer to those questions when we cross over to the hereafter.” Ted would then retort, “How can you be sure that there is a hereafter.”

Of course Ted believed in God. But he was searching for answers to those questions we often ask ourselves in order to gain some reassurance of our own religious beliefs.

As I was nearing the completion of “La Nostra Costa”, I often thought of these conversations with Ted. My mind began to create the scenario in the book where the overburdened “Young Rancere” questions the very existence of a Deity. In ‘A Rancere’s Lament’, at the beginning of the book, he challenges his God by posing the following question: “O God, if you are up there, why don’t you wave your hand, and make things better for me?” In return, he gets a rather superficial answer – because he (the Rancere) lives “su per la costa –not heaven?”

Having finished “A Rancere’s Lament”, I realized that I needed an ending to the book that would be in sync with the “Rancere’s Lament”. I kept thinking of my discussions with Ted. I then started to put down my thoughts (and hopes) of what the hereafter might be like. Thus; in “Il Ultimo Ponte”, we find the Rancere; now very old, standing before a wooden bridge. The bridge, of course, symbolizes the very “crossing-over” that I had discussed with Ted. Once across the bridge, the Rancere, realizes that his life was really worth while.

I remember thinking, “Boy, won’t Ted be surprised when he reads this?”

Soon after publishing “La Nostra Costa” I presented Ted and Gloria with a copy of the book. I remember telling Ted, “Make sure that you read ‘Il Ultimo Ponte’ at the end. I wrote it with you in mind.” It took him a while, but on one of my visits he informed me that he had just read it. The following is his comments as best I can remember them..

“Ivan it is beautiful. The whole episode is simply beautiful. You created something wonderful. You should be proud of what you wrote.” Then smiling at me with his wonderful smile and looking me straight in the eye, he added, “I hope you are right.”

Adio Maestro “Ted”. I am looking forward to hearing you once again, create beautiful music across “Il Ultimo Ponte.” Ivano




LNC: THE FOLLOWING E-MAIL WAS SENT BY FRANCA GARGIULO, TED’S DAUGHTER.


----- Original Message -----
From: Franca Gargiulo
To: 'ivan comelli'
Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2007 6:46 PM
Subject: FW: Dad Gargiulo's August 15 recording session for Tehama


Dear Friends:

I thought you all might enjoy the short music video of my Father’s last conducting session and composition that was written for Tehama, Clint Eastwood’s new golf and home development in Monterey. This ad footage will appear on their website. Terrence (LNC: Ted’s son) is singing and Daddy appears at the very end. This recording session (you really don’t see the full orchestra) took place on August 15.

As I look at all these tools so easily at our disposal, I have to chuckle over the fact that when my father first started his musical career, all they had was the old Victor phonograph!

Let us know what you think and please don’t be shy about giving it a rating!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhjDdo2OfJE

Franca


Video results for '"tehama monterra"'


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Tehama Monterra Music Video04:45
Music video of original song written, scored, and conducted by the late Maestro Theodore Gargiulo, lyrics and vocals by Terrence Gargiulo, The video showcases the natural beauty of Monterey, California and features shots of Tehama/Monterra Music video of original song written, scored, and conducted by the late Maestro Theodore Gargiulo, lyrics and vocals by Terrence Gargiulo, The video showcases the natural beauty of Monterey, California and features shots of Tehama/Monterra - more information on can be found on www.makingstories.net (more) (less)
Tags:
music musicvideo beautiful song Monterey ClintEastwood Gargiulo beach ocean orchestra vocals
Added: 1 day ago in Category: MusicFrom: WendliteViews: 2

INTERNATIONAL POLICE ASSOCIATION PRESENTATION A SUCCESS

I WANT TO THANK ROGER ‘RUGGERO’ PRINCEVALLE AND THE OFFICERS OF THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE INTERNATIONAL POLICE ASSOCIATION (IPA) FOR INVITING THE ‘OLD RANCERE’ TO THEIR MEETING IN SAN JOSE LAST SUNDAY. THE ‘RANCERE’ WAS A BIT APPREHENSIVE ABOUT GIVING HIS PRESENTATION BEFORE A GROUP OF PEACE OFFICERS WHO MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HAD ANY TIES TO ‘LA COSTA’ OR THE ITALIANS WHO SETTLED THERE. I HAVE FOUND THAT PEACE OFFICERS ARE SOME OF THE MOST DISCERNING PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.

I am happy to inform “La Nostra Costa” fans that the ‘Old Rancere” was warmly received. As he looked out onto the audience he could both see and feel the group’s attentiveness. They were definitely interested in the “La Nostra Costa” story.

This was most important to me, because one of my goals for 2007 is to take the ‘story’ away from “La Costa” (although I can never really do that) and expose other people in different areas to the rich history of the Italians ‘su per la costa’. Quite frankly, I am quite surprise that people from non-Italian backgrounds have such an interest. And I sometimes get the impression that some (certainly not all), descendants of the “rancere” and “amici della costa”, do not have that same interest. It seems to me that they take the historical significance of what the “Italiani su per la Costa” achieved, much too much for granted. Perhaps they were too close to the action to see its significance.

Now back to Santa Cruz. “The Old Rancere” will be giving a presentation at the Santa Cruz County Red Cross Office 2960 Soquel Ave., at noon this coming Monday, March 5. Seating is limited. For more information call Donna Rodoni at 831-462-2881, Ext. 23.
Ivn0

A MESSAGE FROM RACHEL "VOCE D'ORO" GOODMAN

Norma (Dinelli) Wilson, Rachel Goodman (head-phones and mike) and Ivano in his guise as the
'Old Rancere" on the Rodoni Ranch on the North Coast of Santa Cruz, California.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LAST YEAR, SHORTLY AFTER I PUBLISHED "LA NOSTRA COSTA", NORMA (DINELLI) WILSON, BILLY RODONI AND 'THE OLD RANCERE' MET WITH RACHEL GOODMAN OF KUSP PUBLIC RADIO (88.9 FM) ON THE RODONI RANCH 'SU PER LA COSTA'. I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT WE CONTRIBUTED TO THE MAKING OF HER PROGRAM "PASTURES OF PLENTY: A HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA FARMWORKERS". THE PROGRAM IS DESCRIBED BELOW IN HER MESSAGE. CLICK ON THE LINKS TO GET A PREVIEW. BUONA FORTUNA RACHEL. IVNO



Dear Friends and colleagues;

As you may know, I've been hard at work for the past year of "Pastures of Plenty: A History of California Farmworkers", a four-part documentary series, coming to public radio this spring.

Please visit our new web site, complete with a nifty flash slide show. http://www.coastridge.org/pastures/index.html OR listen to a preview at: http://www.coastridge.org/pastures/radio.html The project is a compilation of oral histories of immigrant and migrant farmworkers and their descendants, telling stories about coming to California to work the fields. It goes from statehood through the present. Luis Valdez, (Zoot Suit, La Bamba, El Teatro Campesino) is the host. There are many old music recordings, archival audio, letters, and other rich historic material, as well as voices of historians, writers, and poets. Our friends Janet Dows, Laurie Rivin, John Hamstra, and Paul Rangell contributed the theme music. If you'd like to have your local public radio station broadcast the series, e-mail them this link or call and ask them to air it.

I am planning a history talk/slide-show/celebration sometime in April in Watsonville, with historian, Sandy Lydon. If you'd like to come, drop me a line. My deepest thanks to all of you who have helped this project along.

Rachel Anne Goodman Coastridge Productions 415 Emerald Forest Lane Bonny Doon, CA 95060 (831)457-8098

"California is the Ellis Island of the West. It's about your grandfather, and my grandmother and everybody's grandfather. We all came in through the furrows." Historian, Sandy Lydon

SAN JOSE POLICE OFFICER (RETIRED) RUSS JONES REMEMBERS

I HAVE RECEIVED SO MANY E-MAILS FROM “LA NOSTRA COSTA” READERS SAYING THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WRITE ABOUT IN THE BOOK, HAVE TRIGGERED MEMORIES ABOUT EVENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THEIR OWN LIVES. RUSS JONES, A FORMER SAN JOSE POLICE OFFICER, DOES AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB IN WRITING ABOUT SOME OF HIS RECOLLECTIONS. HE ALSO GIVES AN INTERESTING “LOOK SEE” INTO THE PAST WORLD OF THE SAN JOSE POLICE AND ALSO VIET NAM.




Cpt. Comelli,

Thanks for writing the book, which I found via the Farsider ( LNC: The Farsider is the SJPD Benevolent Association Weekly Publication, Bill Mattos, Editor.) I was with SJPD from 1970 - 1980.

So many memories were stirred. I was raised on a prune orchard in Los Gatos. We were really out in the country back then. Trips to Santa Cruz were frequent for my family. All the different beaches were so distinct and separate back then. Twin Lakes, Sea Cliff, Del Mar, Capitola. The Cement Boat, which you could walk all the way out to the end on. What a long trip it was on the old Santa Cruz highway. Do you remember the stop, somewhere near Scotts Valley, where they sold all you can drink apple cider? for a dime?

Your stories of the Old Carrettone reminded me of how, after getting our drivers licenses, the game in Los Gatos was to race the clock over the new highway to Santa Cruz. We could do it in under 20 minutes. Gaylord and Bart were seriously injured when they flipped Gaylords Austin Healey in a particulary windy portion just north of Summit Road. Jay was killed racing the road, but on a rather straight area in the Scotts Valley area.

And your experience stirring up the wasp/hornets nest. It reminded me of a similar story. In picking prunes, you use a long pole with a hook on it to grab the upper limbs of the tree in order to shake off the ripe prunes so they can be picked off the ground. On one occasion we stirred up a nest and the sky was dark with swarming bees. We were all stung, and hugged the ground for an eternity till they settled back to the nest. As a helicopter pilot in Viet Nam, I would again hug the ground when, after being shot down, bullets swarmed criss cross above me from both sides as my rescuers approached and held off the NVA.

While taking Admin of Justice classes, both before and after Viet Nam, I would ride once a week or so with SJPD. Usually I rode with Mike Destro, but several times with others, including a couple of times with Richard Huerta. Later, while on the PD, I was good friends with Gordon Silva and we did a lot together off duty. We stayed in touch after I left the PD, and just by chance, I was in town to speak at a Rotary club the day he died. Many things about that day have bothered me ever since, probably because I still don't know all the details. (LNC: Both Officer Huerta and Officer Silva were killed in the line of duty.)

I never worked for you while on the PD so you probably do not remember me. Out of the 10 years on the force, 6 were in Narcotics. 3 with the narcotics unit and 3 with the DEA task force. In hindsight, way too many years in such a unit, and it probably led to my leaving SJPD early. I did have many cases that made the headlines that you might remember. In mid 70's, San Jose was experiencing a sudden increase in certain violent crimes, and in patterns different and new. I discovered and exposed that the Nuestra Familia, a previously unknown prison gang, had headquartered in San Jose. In a matter of weeks I had arrested so many that they practically took over the County Jail. The resultant chaos among the Nuestra Familia led to several of my informants being murdered, along with many others who were just suspected of being informants. I got a lot of press on that case, it went on for years. I guess Prison and street gangs are just a normal part of society now days.

My expertise was working the motorcycle gangs. In the late 70's, after hanging out with and riding (as a hanger on) with the Hells Angels for years, I put together a RICO case that netted 22 Hells Angels. That case went on so long for some of those guys that, after I left the PD and was working narcotics intelligence down in Central America, I would be called back to San Francisco to testify in Fed Court.

Remember Marty the Marijuana Mouse? Made Newsweek magazine and was joked about on TV by Johnny Carson? I was the one who discovered and caught the little rascal (with some help from Anton Erickson). He was eating the MJ evidence so I set a trap. For weeks he avoided capture in a trap I set with cheese, peanut butter, meat, etc. Finally Anton suggested I use MJ, since that was what he was eating from the evidence locker. It worked.

I was always stirring the pot, sometimes a little more infamously. Remember the "I'm one of the Ten" tee- shirts depicting a rotten apple wearing a police hat? That also made the newspaper. I came up with that shortly after Chief McNamara made his remark about the PD having a few bad apples. I made $345 in one day with those tee-shirts, my first venture into capitalism and marketing.

Well I've gone on long enough. Like I said, you stirred up lots of memories. I always make the coast, Carmel, Monterrey, Santa Cruz, for a day or two when visiting Calif. A couple of weeks ago we met Rodger Cripe and his wife for a couple of days in that area.

In closing, in my travels, literally all over the world working narcotics intelligence, I found no one knows what brussel sprouts are. I love them. My wife had never heard of them, let alone eaten them, until she met me. When I can find them in the store here, ( the Hill Country in Texas ), I fix them for company and more often than not, they don't know what they are. Amazing. Not quite the same for prunes, although no one really knows they are just a dried type of plum. Most people think they are only for medicinal purposes for us old folk.

While reading the book,I often thought that it would have been fun to have had scattered throughout, or at the end, some of the family recipes for Brussel Sprouts. I have one recipe that uses mandarin oranges with the sprouts. I'll have to dig it out and fix some now.

Thanks again for the book,

Robert "Russ" Jones
SJPD 1970-1980
#383 then #1502


LNC: Thanks Russ for all those memories. Next time you are in the area, please contact me. Maybe we could exchange recipes for “Brussel Sprouts ala mandarin. Ivn0

A DOG NAMED SCHATZ

My friend Roger “Ruggero” Princevalle, a member in good standing with the International Police Association (IPA) recently made the following announcement:

For the 'first time' in the San Jose area, noted author Ivano Franco Comelli will be giving a presentation about his book (La Nostra Costa) at the International Police Association Brunch on Sunday, February 25, 2007, at 10:30 a.m. Also, Ivano is donating one of his signed books to be included in a raffle along with other assorted and wondrous items.The brunch will be held at The Drying Shed, 402 Toyon Avenue, San Jose, 408-272-1512. (Directions: Hwy 680 to east on McKee Rd. -- then left on Toyon Ave. The restaurant is located just before the San Jose Country Club.)

Roger is correct. This is a first. And although San Jose is not part of Santa Cruz’s North Coast, it certainly is a part of the “La Nostra Costa” story. In1959, I joined the San Jose Police Department. I worked in San Jose as a police officer for the next thirty (30) years. In fact, the location of “The Drying Shed” on Toyon is not too far from where I and my friend Police Officer Richard Huerta (LNC: p. 331-333) used to Patrol in tandem.

Basically, my Beat (B-14) was east of Hwy 101, south of Mckee Road and North of Story Road. Richard with his dog Schatz patrolled east of Hwy 101 and south of Story Road (B-17). We would cover for each other when responding to calls or on car stops. In fact, that was how I first met Richard, “filling” with him on a car stop. We became fast friends and at one time even roomed together.

As I mentioned above, Richard’s car partner was Schatz a big burly German Shepard Dog. Off duty Schatz was the friendliest “pooch” you would ever want to meet. He loved to play with kids. However, once in back of the police car (Canine Officers patrolled in station wagons) Schatz became very territorial. If anyone approached the police vehicle from the rear, he would immediately become agitated. With teeth bared he would bark and “snap” at the approaching figure.

I must confess, that this annoyed me to no end. You see Schatz didn’t discriminate between friend and foe. Every time I would “fill” with Richard on a car stop, Schatz (although he had seen me many times, both in and out of uniform) would start barking and “snapping” at me. Richard would have to come back to the rear of the car to calm the dog down.

Being upset at Schatz’s behavior, I would swear a blue streak at the agitated dog. Then I would yell at Rich to train his “blank-blank” dog not to alert on the Uniform. Otherwise, I would take matters into my own hands. (Sure, I would.) Well, Rich never broke Schatz of his (bad) habit. I had to satisfy myself by thinking up different ways to approach Rich’s vehicle to avoid alerting Schatz. None worked. Schatz always saw me coming and he never failed to give me a robust welcome. In return, I would reciprocate by verbally assaulting Schatz with a “glossary” of new swear words.

Eventually Rich and Schatz parted company, and Rich patrolled the eastside without his canine partner. (By this time I was promoted to Sergeant and the tandem of Comelli and Huerta was no more.)

Several years later, on the evening of August 6, 1970, Officer Richard Eugene Huerta, while on a car stop, was shot and killed. Ironically, the killer approached the police car from the rear and shot Richard in back of the head as he was writing a citation to a third party (not involved in the killing.)

I always believed that if Schatz had been in the police car that terrible night the killer would never have gotten close enough to kill Richard.


AMAZING INFORMATION RE: RICHARD AND SCHATZ, JUST IN FROM RETIRED SAN JOSE POLICE OFFICER TERRY MOUDAKAS:

Hi Ivan,
Just read your blog on Rich's K9 Schatz. Schatz finished his career with Noel Lanstot & upon retiring remained with Noel's family. I spoke with Noel after that terrible night of Aug 6th. He mentioned that Schatz had passed away suddenly on Aug 7, 1970. He was pretty old & nearing the end but I've often thought about coincidence of Schatz's passing so close to Richard's. The bond between an Officer & his dog is extremely strong. (The)Greek
Terry Moudakas

"LA NOSTRA COSTA" IN ITALIA

And for those of you who like your news in Italian, the following article regarding our book “La Nostra Costa" (Our Coast) appeared in the News Italia Press .


Notiziario NIP - News ITALIA PRESS agenzia stampa - N° 118 - Anno XIII, 21 giugno 2006

Letteratura d'emigrazione

Comelli racconta “La nostra costa (Our coast)”

Il racconto del viaggio di una famiglia italiana verso il sogno americano
Morgan Hill – E' uscito nelle librerie il lavoro di Ivano Franco Comelli intitolato "La nostra costa (Our coast), a family's journey to and from the North Coast of Santa Cruz California 1923-1983".
Edito da Authorhouse Publishers, focalizza l'attenzione del lettore sulle storie, le famiglie e le aspirazioni degli emigrati italiani che raggiunsero la costa nord di Santa Cruz; " i ricordi che sono stipati nella mia memoria – sostiene l'autore stesso – possono aiutare le generazioni future a non perdere i valori della vita rurale sul litorale".
In particolare, Comelli, ufficiale di polizia ormai in pensione di San José racconta l'esperienza dei suoi genitori Gervasio Comelli e Valentina Bressani, cominciata in Italia a Nimis, villaggio agricolo del Friuli Venezia Giulia.

In quegli anni, i primi del regime fascista con Benito Mussolini, gli uomini si vedevano obbligati a far parte dell'esercito: unica soluzione per sfuggire all'arruolamento era seguire il cosiddetto "sogno americano", trasferendosi oltreoceano e divenire così nemico della propria patria di origine. E così fece anche Gervasio Comelli: partito dal suo paese nel 1923, sbarcò ad Ellis Island e si stabilì a Santa Cruz, 7 miglia a sud di San Francisco.

Grazie al florido periodo economico che incontrò nei primi anni della sua nuova avventura americana, Gervasio Comelli potè tornare in Italia nel 1931 e conoscere la ragazza che sarebbe poi diventata sua moglie. Così il nuovo ranchero e la sua giovane moglie appena diciottenne ritornarono negli USA e poco tempo dopo, nonostante dovessero affrontare un terribile periodo di depressione economica che si abbattè sugli Stati Uniti, nacquero i due figli della coppia, di cui Ivano Franco Comelli è il secondogenito.

Tuttavia l'autore non racconta esclusivamente l'esperienza dei suoi genitori: descrivendo infatti i modi di tutti quegli immigrati italiani lo scrittore illustra come "gli emigrati italiani dei primi anni 20 del secolo scorso colonizzarono la costa nord della California verso la città di San Fracisco. Diventarono così dei rancheros spesso improvvisati, perchè anche se continuavano a dedicarsi alle occupazioni che svolgevano in patria, si trattava di operare con persone sconosciute, di avere contatti non con concittadini, di misurarsi con una cultura e una lingua diverse.A proposito della lingua - continua l'autore - gli immigrati diedero vita ad un particolare slang qui sulla costa nelle cittadine intorno a San Francisco, una piacevole miscela di parole italiane americanizzate o viceversa, che vengono utilizzate ancora oggi, sebbene la nuova generazione sembri aver rimosso questi ricordi così importanti, questi valori trasmessi dalla tradizione".


News ITALIA PRESS

BOOK ON DAVENPORT CEMENT PLANT HISTORY

IN 'LA NOSTRA COSTA' I WRITE ABOUT THE BIG TRUCKS THAT USED TO CARRY CEMENT SACKS SOUTH ON THE COAST ROAD FROM THE PORTLAND CEMENT PLANT LOCATED IN DAVENPORT (LNC:pages 21-23). THE ARTICLE BELOW APPEARED IN THE SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL : 'BOOK BRIEFS' SECTION. OUR VERY OWN ALVERDA ORLANDO CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO THE WRITING OF THIS BOOK, WHICH DESCRIBES THE ORGINS AND HISTORY OF THE CEMENT PLANT. IT CAN BE ORDERED BY CALLING CINDY NELSON AT THE PLANT AT 831-458-5761.



Cementing a bond with Davenport

Davenport — that sweet little town on the North Coast — was built soon after the Portland Cement Co. opened the second largest cement plant in the U.S. there.

The neighbors haven't been too keen on the noise and dust kicked up by the company, but there've been pluses.

Not only did Davenport cement help build the Pearl Harbor dry docks, the Panama Canal, the San Francisco Opera House, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Oakland Coliseum and BART, but the company, in the last couple of decades, has provided community support by establishing an endowment fund for Bonny Doon School and aiding the victims of 9/11 and the Indonesian tsunami.

This history — and more tidbits — can be found in the book "Davenport Cement Centennial: Honoring Our Past, Building the Future," sub-sub-titled, "The Story of the Davenport Cement Plant and the Important Part It Has Played and Continues to Play in California's History"

Created with the help of Cemex employees, Pacific School, Bonny Doon School, the Davenport Resource Service Center, UCSC Special Collections and the San Francisco Public Library, the book was written by Alverda Orlando and Bob Piwarzyk, with publishing support from Trisa Endicott and Hilary Haycock.

Need it?

Copies are $20 and available by calling Cindy Nelson at the plant at 458-5761.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY 'FIGLIO DELLA COSTA' LIDO CANTARUTTI

LNC: THIS JUST IN FROM LIDO NEW TIME AND DATE:
FEB 6 AT 10PM.


Dear Family and Friends,

Having learned at the very last minute that the schedule for the second of my two appearances on The History Channel has been changed, I wanted to immediately let you know. This is the program in which I played Enzo Ferrari (It’s called “Enzo Ferrari & The Historic Race”, and is part of the series of programs called “Man, Moment, Machine”.Instead of tonight (January 30, 2007) at 10:00 p.m., I have now been advised it will be broadcast next Tuesday, February 6, 2007 at the same time, on The History Channel, of course. Sorry about the inconvenience, but I just found out.Hope you will still plan to watch, and that you will enjoy the program.

Regards,Lido






Dear Family and Friends:

I just wanted to provide you with the information on what I have been advised is "... the final air date" for the two programs in which I took part for the History Channel: the one in which I played the part of Pope Urban VIII (the program title references Galileo), and the one in which I played Enzo Ferrari.The latest and "final" information I have from the producers (and they from the network) is that the show in which I play the Pope will be aired Tuesday, January 9, 2007 at 10:00 p.m. on (in Marin County) Channel 62; and the Enzo Ferrari program will be aired on Tuesday, January 30, 2007, again at 10:00 p.m. On (in Marin County) Channel 62.

In case you would like to take a look! Also, please keep in mind that you should check your local listings for the History Channel, to be sure of your local channel outlet, etc.Taking part in this project was a real adventure, and certainly one which was a lot of fun! I hope you enjoy it

Regards, Lido



Dear Ivano,

Thank you very much for your posting. I really appreciate it!And as far as repeating the programs, yes, I have been advised by the Associate Producer as follows: “ . . . the History Channel is scheduled to repeat all of this season’s episodes through the spring. The best place to find an accurate schedule is to regularly check History Channel’s mini-site for Man, Moment, Machine [the name of the series of which my appearances were a part]”:http://www.history.com/minisite.do?content_type=mini_home&mini_id=51673 Hope that helps, and I hope everyone enjoys the program.
Regards,Lido

JANET'S ELOQUENCE

AT MY BOOK SIGNING AT THE CAPITOLA CAFE BOOK STORE ON JANUARY 17, I WAS VERY FORTUNE TO HAVE JANET LEIMEISTER, THE EVENTS COORDINATOR FOR THE STORE, INTRODUCE ME TO THE AUDIENCE. FOR THOSE WHO WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND AND ALSO FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO REMEMBER THAT SPECIAL NIGHT, I NOW PUBLISH JANET'S ELOQUENT INTRODUCTION BELOW.


Capitola Book Café
Janet Leimeister

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Introduction:
IVANO COMELLI, author of

LA NOSTRA COSTA: OUR COAST—A FAMILY’S JOURNEY TO AND FROM THE NORTH COAST OF SANTA CRUZ CALIFORNIA (1923-1983)

Family stories—and thus entire cultural and personal histories—can be lost so easily, connections to the past slipping away while we look steadily towards our future. Ivano Comelli has saved a story, captured a history, and recreated both a time and a place just a bit removed from us here tonight.

In his memoir La Nostra Costa, he tells the tales of his family, beginning with their immigration to our own Central Coast from Italy in the early 1900s.

From armies of Mussolini in the homeland to brussel sprouts in America, the change was a dramatic one. The Comelli’s were hardworking farmhands in their new home along Santa Cruz’s rugged coast line, but they were also fathers, mothers, potential enemy aliens, school children, lovers, mourners, and always Italians at heart.

The Comelli family had joys and fears all their own, but when brought together and written down, their lives become another thread of local history that is woven into our community fabric.

Ivano Comelli has given his family a great gift with the publishing of La Nostra Costa. He has also delivered to all of us an important connection to the greater history of our beloved hometown.

Capitola Book Cafe
1475 41st Ave, Capitola CA
831-462-4415 www.capitolabookcafe.com

FALLEN POLICE OFFICERS

IN 'LA NOSTRA COSTA' (CHAPTER 28, 'IL PONTE E LA POLIZIA' (THE BRIDGE AND THE POLICE), I WRITE ABOUT THE KILLING OF RICHARD EUGENE HUERTA, AGE 36, OF THE SAN JOSE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THIS BRUTAL ACT OCCURRED DURING THE TURBULENT TIMES OF THE 1970s, WHEN IT WAS COMMON FOR RADICALS ADVOCATING BLACK POWER TO EXTOL THE VIRUTES OF KILLING A "PIG".

THE ARTICLE BELOW BY SAN FRANCISCO STAFF WRITER
MICHAEL TAYLOR DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB IN DESCRIBING THE HISTORY OF THAT PERIOD. IVNO

'70s in the Bay Area -- era of radical violence
Michael Taylor, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 24, 2007

'71 SFPD Slaying
San Francisco police Sgt. John Young's death in August 1971 was the second time in as many years that a San Francisco officer was killed in a radically tinged attack.
A few years later, an FBI terrorism expert would describe the Bay Area as "the Belfast of North America," comparing local bombings and shootings to the violence in Northern Ireland.
Before Young became a casualty, it was police Sgt. Brian McDonnell. He died in a bombing at the Park Station that authorities have always suspected was part of the era's home-grown terrorism.
The Young killing was the Black Liberation Army's response to the death just eight days earlier of Black Panther leader George Jackson, who was killed in a failed escape attempt from San Quentin State Prison. A year before, Jackson's brother, Jonathan, had died in a bloody shootout with authorities at the Marin County courthouse after he and others tried to kidnap a judge, jurors and a prosecutor.
In a letter to The Chronicle a couple of days after Young's death, the "George L. Jackson Assault Squad of the Black Liberation Army" claimed responsibility for the killing, arguing that it was an act of "revolutionary violence" because of the "recent intolerable political assassination of Comrade George L. Jackson."
The fact that the Young case allegedly involved members of the Black Liberation Army doesn't surprise many of the people who have written or taught about black radicalism in America.
The group emerged from a split in the Black Panther Party in spring 1971, said Charles Jones, chairman of the Department of African-American Studies at Georgia State University in Atlanta.
One faction followed founder Huey Newton and felt that community activism -- not armed struggle -- was the best direction for the group. The other side, led by Eldridge Cleaver, wanted a "more radical approach" to fight what they felt was "massive repression being levied against the party," Jones said.
But the Black Liberation Army didn't spring suddenly from a fractious meeting at Panther headquarters in Oakland.
"Some argue there was always an underground shadow group in the Black Panther Party," Jones said.
San Francisco attorney David Bancroft, who led the anti-terrorism office for the U.S. attorney's office in San Francisco from 1971 to 1978, is convinced the BLA never left the Panthers.
"It was our sense, because of the kinds of cases we had, that the BLA was the military or paramilitary affiliate of the Black Panthers," said Bancroft, now in private practice.
"We'd get cases where (the BLA) would have significant amounts of guns, ammunition, explosives, passports, birth certificates and false identity material, and this permitted the Panthers to posture as a political or social movement while the paramilitary affiliate unabashedly did the dirty work."
Bancroft said the BLA was an important adversary because, as with modern terrorists, the government never knew what the next target might be.
"There was that awful sinking feeling of the indeterminacy of it all, and so much of the BLA was a way for people to rationalize their own criminal instincts. These were killers, robbers and arsonists," he said.
Others see the Black Liberation Army as an example of the larger turmoil then consuming the country: President John Kennedy's assassination (1963); the assassination of U.S. Sen. Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. (1968); the Vietnam War; and ongoing racial turmoil that, despite passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, was eating up the country in flaming, caustic and frequently fatal demonstrations.
"The turn to violence, bombings and arson grows out of the frustration that the left felt, in particular after 1968, with the (Democratic National) convention and presidential politics," said Kirkpatrick Sale, 69, who wrote "SDS," a book about Students for a Democratic Society, one of the major anti-war groups of the 1960s.
In December 1969, when Black Panther leader Fred Hampton was shot to death by police in his Illinois apartment, it was one more spark for an already agitated bunch of young people.
"The reaction is: 'The pigs are killing us. Look at Fred Hampton!,' " Sale said. "It makes the establishment seem truly evil, that it will go to any attempt to put down protest."
Then in May 1970, four Kent State students in Ohio were fatally shot by the National Guard during a demonstration protesting the U.S. invasion of Cambodia.
"That gave a strong kick to the idea of violence and the rhetoric of revolution. Protest hadn't worked, now is the time to kick it up a notch," Sale said.
Mark Rudd, one of the SDS leaders, said Tuesday from his New Mexico home that the tenor of the times back then, was that "the U.S. government was murdering millions of people in Vietnam and was murdering black militants here. There was a war going on in this country. Mass riots in the streets, ghetto uprisings, the FBI targeting black militants. At some point, it seemed like kill or be killed. That was the tenor of the times."
Yet Jim Lassart, who spent more than 10 years as a San Francisco prosecutor, said there is another way to think of the BLA. If they were operating today, they would simply be branded as "classic domestic terrorists. They were just another set of killers," he said.
E-mail Michael Taylor at mtaylor@sfchronicle.com.

FIGLIO DI DAVENPORT- ALVIN GREGORY REMEMBERED

Photo above: Alvin Gregory. Photo below: Francis Gregory (left); Alvin on the right. [Photo
courtesy of Terri Paterni Gregory]

IN "LA NOSTRA COSTA" I WRITE ABOUT THE GREGORY BROTHERS, ALVIN AND FRANCIS AND GREGORY'S STORE AND SERVICE STATION IN DAVENPORT. FRANCIS PASSED AWAY SEVERAL YEARS AGO. NOW ALVIN HAS ALSO CROSSED OVER "IL ULIMO PONTE". TO US WHO WERE PARTICIPANTS IN DAVENPORT AND "LA COSTA" HISTROY, IT IS AS IF A PART OF US HAS ALSO GONE WITH ALVIN. ADIO ALVIN. UNTIL WE ALL MEET AGAIN ACROSS "IL PONTE"

The below article appeared in the Santa Cruz Sentinel:



January 14, 2007

ALVIN V. GREGORY

Services will be Tuesday and Wednesday for Alvin V. Gregory who passed away January 10, 2007 at his Santa Cruz home surrounded by his loving family. He was 89.

Alvin was born in Santa Cruz, CA on February 24, 1917, the son of Albert and Elvetzia Rosselli Gregory. He grew up in Davenport where his family founded the first service station and general store. He attended and was a graduate of Pacific School and later of Santa Cruz High School. As a youth he was very involved in the 4-H Club, eventually becoming club president and junior summer camp director. During his teenage years he joined Future Farmers of America where he held many offices and was awarded the State Farmers Key by the Governor of California at the State Fair in 1934. He also helped organize the first volunteer fire department in Davenport and was a special correspondent to the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Following his high school graduation he entered the California Maritime Academy, graduating in 1938 with a Third Mates License.

He was selected from the top 10 in his class by the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company in San Francisco as a Cadet Officer on the S.S. Dakotan. His first trip was to the Pacific Northwest. He later served on 12 different ships including the Flag Ship, M. S. Californian. He was promoted to Jr. Third Officer in 1939 to the S.S. Washingtonian on the inter-coastal run, going through the Panama Canal every two months. His journeys took him around the world twice, once in each direction. He later became Chief Mate on the Liberty Ship Benjamin Lundy. The ship traveled from Port Chicago to the South Pacific loaded with 6,000 tons of ammunition where it remained docked as a floating ammunition depot.
On December 1, 1940 while on a one month vacation, he married Dolly Demos of Davenport. The couple was married in the town's only church, Saint Vincent DePaul Catholic Church.

In 1943 he was transferred to the S.S. Sea Devil as Chief Mate. The first voyage transported 2200 Sea Bees to New Guinea where it remained anchored for three months as a floating hotel. In another trip it transported 2200 troops from Hollandia to Leyte in the invasion of the Philippines.

In 1945 Alvin was promoted to Master of the Liberty Ship Wm. B. Leeds. At the time of his promotion he was the youngest Captain in the United States Merchant Marines. On his first trip as Master he took a ship load of general cargo from Long Beach to Manila. Still at war with Japan, the voyage to 30 days, zig-zaging all the way under a black out at night and with no air or sea protection. While in Manila he witnessed the Japanese delegation arrive to work out the surrender details with General Douglas McArthur.

His second and last voyage was from Port Arthur, Texas to Casablanca. Upon his return he was instructed to take the ship to Norfolk, Virginia where the ship was put in "laid up fleet".
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In 1945, Alvin was appointed Lieutenant Commander in the United States Maritime Service and was honorably discharged that year.
Following his retirement from the Maritime Service, Alvin returned to Santa Cruz and joined his brother Francis to run the Gregory's Store in Davenport. He and his brother ran the store for thirty years prior to their retirement, making it 54 years since it was founded by their father in 1924.

In 1946 Alvin ran and was elected for two terms as County Supervisor of the 3rd District. On his second term he served as board chairman. At the time of his election he was the youngest Supervisor in the State of California. He also served on the site committees for Dominican Hospital and Cabrillo College.
After returning to Santa Cruz, Alvin was very active in the Santa Cruz Elks Lodge, Italian Catholic Federation, Marconi Club and for many years was the chairman of the Davenport/Coast Road Reunion Committee. He was also an active member of the California Maritime Academy Alumni Assoc.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Dolly Gregory of Santa Cruz; son, Leon D. Gregory of Santa Cruz and daughter, Eleanor A. O'Connor and her husband Jack of Petaluma. He is also survived by one grandson, Matthew Schmitka of Petaluma.
The funeral procession will leave Benito & Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel 1050 Cayuga St, Santa Cruz, CA Wednesday, January 17, 2007 at 9:30 am for Holy Cross Catholic Church, 126 High St, Santa Cruz, CA where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated beginning at 10:00 am. A vigil service will be held at Pacific Gardens Chapel, Tuesday evening at 7:00 pm. Friends are invited to call at Pacific Gardens Chapel, Tuesday from 3:00 pm until the vigil. Interment will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, Santa Cruz, CA.

The family would like to express their deep gratitude for the loving care shown to Alvin by his caregivers; Beth, Lin, Visitation and Wilma, the nurses and staff at Dominican Hospital 2 East and Hospice Caring Project during his illness and final days of his life.
www.legacy.com/santacruzsentinel

CAPITOLA BOOK CAFE BOOK SIGNING EVENT A GREAT SUCCESS

THE CAPITOLA BOOK CAFE SIGNING EVENT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS. THE 'OLD RANCERE' WANTS TO THANK ALL OF YOU WHO ATTENDED AND/OR SUPPORTED THE EVENT. I AM TOLD THAT THE CAPITOLA CAFE BOOK STORE IS GOING TO TRY AND MATCH OUR ATTENDANCE BY BRINGING IN JERRY RICE THIS WEEK. THE 'OLD RANCERE' THINKS THAT IT MIGHT PROVE TO BE A BIT DIFFICULT FOR JERRY. HE KNOWS THAT JERRY CAN DANCE, BUT CAN HE SING?

AND THIS JUST IN FROM JANET LEIMEISTER, EVENTS CORDINATOR FOR THE BOOK STORE:


Dear Ivano,

I wanted to thank you for really coming through on your promises to assist Book Café in promoting your Author Event in specific and your book in general. I wish all our local authors were as dedicated to making their events such a success. It makes Book Café an eager partner.

Good luck with whatever comes next—be it in the literary world or not.

Sincerely,
Janet







WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2007 AT 7:30 PM

CAPITOLA BOOK CAFE
1475 41ST AVE
CAPITOLA, CA 95010

A BOOK SIGNING EVENT BY IVANO FRANCO COMELLI
LOCAL AUTHOR OF “LA NOSTRA COSTA” (OUR COAST)
A FAMILY’S JOURNEY TO AND FROM THE NORTH COAST
OF SANTA CRUZ (1923 – 1983)

Featuring his colorful tales of ‘Old’ Santa Cruz, Davenport and
The North Coast



WEBSITE: www.capitolabookcafe.com

TEL: 831-462-4415

Directions; Take 41st Ave (off of Hwy I) West towards the Ocean; go pass the Capitola Shopping Mall and across Capitola Road. The Capitola Cafe Book Store is located in the middle of the shopping center on your immediate right.

THE PASSING OF JAY DEBENEDETTI - FIGLIO DELLA COSTA

IT IS NOT EASY TO ANNOUNCE THE PASSING OF A FRIEND AND CLASSMATE. JAY DEBENEDETTI WAS A MEMBER OF SANTA CRUZ HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1955. THE E-MAIL FROM BRUCE HANSEN SR. TO HIS CLASSMATES OF 1955 ANNOUNCED THE SAD NEWS.



-----Original Message-----From: Bruce Hansen Sr. Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 2:28 PM Subject: Jay


Dear Friends,

Jay died last night about midnight. Please pray for peace and comfort for his family and close friends. There will be a private family funeral this week and a celebration of Jay's life later in January. Jay would have been 70 on January 26.
Bruce

LNC: Jay was the son of John DeBenedetti a prominent and much respected rancere "su per la costa". Adio, Jay. Until we all meet again
across "Il Ultimo Ponte". Ivan0

LNC: The below Remembrance of Jay's life appeared in the Santa Cruz Sentinel :

January 12, 2007

Capitola Mall developer dies at age 68
Developer John L. "Jay" deBenedetti III, who built the Capitola Mall and Gateway Plaza in Santa Cruz, died Sunday in Atherton after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 68.
DeBenedetti was born in San Francisco and grew up in coastal Santa Cruz. He came from a pioneering family of growers and shippers.
He graduated from Santa Cruz High School, and in 1959, he graduated from UC Berkeley, where he was a member of the golf team and the Zeta Psi fraternity. He was honored to be a member of "The Builders of Berkeley" and supported many Cal programs over the years.
He broke with the family's agricultural roots and pursued a career as a commercial real estate developer. The beginning of his career was spent with Coldwell Banker and Sutter Hill Development.
In 1976, he co-founded Cypress Properties where he engaged in shopping center and suburban office acquisitions and development.
For several years, he was president of the Lake Tahoe lakefront homeowners association.
He served on the board of high-tech and medical technology companies as well as philanthropic interests including The Vista Center for the Blind. "Beyond being a successful businessman," said his son John F. deBenedetti, who is blind, "people respected him as a person with integrity"
DeBenedetti's son lost his eyesight when he was 11, which got him interested in helping organizations for the blind, his son said.
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"He was real generous to UC Berkeley and to a number of blindness organizations," his son said.
He was a giving man, his son added, personally and philanthropically.
"He was just a larger-than-life leader of our family," he said.
DeBenedetti enjoyed golfing, business and philanthropy. He was a member of the San Francisco Golf Club, Bohemian Club and Menlo Country Club.
DeBenedetti is survived by his wife Marti DeBenedetti of Atherton; daughter Ann Levis of St. Louis; son John deBenedetti of San Francisco; daughter Mary Newman of Lafayette; sister Jane McInnis of Atherton; eight grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A celebration of his life will be at the San Francisco Golf Club at a future date.
Contributions are preferred to That Man May See, a public charity supporting UC San Francisco ophthalmology, 10 Koret Way Box 0352, San Francisco, CA 94143-0352 or the UC Berkeley Foundation in support of the Memorial Stadium Building Fund, UC Regents/Gift Administration 2080 Addison St., Berkeley, CA 94720.

FIGLIO DELLA COSTA- DAVE FERRARI REMEMBERED

AS WE START THE NEW YEAR WE ARE REMINDED THAT SOME FIGLIO E FIGLIA DELLA COSTA ARE NO LONGER WITH US. Dave Ferrari died late last year. He was a giant of man--both in appearance and personality. I first heard Dave play his accordion circa 1952-53. He made a guest appearance at the Santa Cruz High School Auditorium. After that I would frequently run into him at Ray and Zelda Ceragioli's home on Escalona Drive. On one particular occasion, he told a very funny story. It seems that on one of his frequent cross country trips he was driving across the desert behind a very large cattle truck. It was hot and the sun was shining brightly without a cloud in the sky. All of a sudden a cloud burst inundated his vehicle with rain. Unable to understand the phenomenon, Dave pulled to the side of the road, got out of his car and looked up at the sky. Not a drop of rain in sight. It was then that he figured out that the "rain" was bovine in nature. So much for following too close.

The below article describing Dave's life was written by Jondi Gumzs and appeared in the Santa Cruz Sentinel. (Also read the obituary written by Dave Ferrari for Irene Terrini Bianconi. Click on comments at the end of the Sentinel article.)


December 7, 2006

Well-known florist Dave Ferrari served the community and the stars
By JONDI GUMZSentinel staff writer
The announcement for Dave Ferrari's memorial service said "Flowers only, please" — not surprising for the founder of Ferrari the Florist — who died in his Santa Cruz home on Friday. He was 92.
Mr. Ferrari opened the floral shop in 1946. It was a bold career switch.
He had played the accordion since he was 12, and after graduating from Santa Cruz High School in 1931, he turned his talent into a career. He taught the accordion and led an orchestra, performing at barbecues, weddings and dances from Half Moon Bay to King City.
In 1936, he chaired the Santa Cruz Fiesta, a birthday party for the city, persuading local merchants to don Spanish outfits and wearing a mariachi costume for a photo with Oscar-winner Claudette Colbert. She was in Bonny Doon with Fred MacMurray to make the film, "Maid of Salem."
Mr. Ferrari entertained at the San Francisco World Fair in 1939 and 1940, and served as the accompanist for the famed Fisherman's Chorus during the popular "Day on the Bay" celebrations.
During World War II, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He took his accordion with him, entertaining the troops and creating lifelong friendships.
Mr. Ferrari earned a promotion to 1st sergeant with the 54th Signal Battalion, spent two years in Iceland, then two more in Europe with the 18th Airborne Corps. He took part in the Battle of the Bulge, the crossing of the Rhine River at Wesel, the Battle of the Ruhr pocket, and joined forces with the Russian troops at the Elbe River.

Returning home after four years, he took a nine-month apprenticeship with a florist in San Francisco. He told a Sentinel reporter that going into business "scared the hell out of me." But he proved to be astute. He catered to such luminaries as Alfred Hitchcock, who had a home in Scotts Valley, and his "Festival of Trees" at Christmas became a tradition.
The store, which moved to Pacific Avenue in 1954, became known for its extravagant holiday window displays. When Mr. Ferrari retired in 1978, the store was rated among the top florists in the country.
The 1989 earthquake forced the floral shop to relocate. It returned downtown and celebrated its 60th anniversary in September this year, with Mr. Ferrari, 92, sharing memories with Sharon Richardson, the current owner, and her staff.
In his younger days, Mr. Ferrari was an avid river runner. He rafted the Colorado through the Grand Canyon several times before the dam was built in Page in 1963 and several other rivers.
During his retirement, he traveled to 67 countries, including Iceland, visiting relatives and friends. His home in Santa Cruz became known as the "Ferrari Hilton" because visitors from all over the world were always welcome.
He never married, explaining to an interviewer in 1994 that "the accordion was my wife." To four generations of family, he was affectionately known as Uncle "D." He outlived his sister Leda, who died in 1993, and his sister Sylvia, who died in 2004.
He was proud to say he slept in the same bedroom where he was born.

Contact Jondi Gumz at mailto:jgumz@santacruzsentinel.com?
David H. Ferrari
BORN: April 15, 1914.
DIED: Dec. 1, 2006.
HOME: Santa Cruz.
OCCUPATION: Accordion player and orchestra leader, founder of Ferrari the Florist.
EDUCATION: Graduate of Santa Cruz High School.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Responsible for live entertainment at the Beach Boardwalk during the 1930s; chaired the Santa Cruz Birthday Party celebration; named outstanding citizen of Santa Cruz, 1941.


Reminder "La Nostra Costa Book Signing at the Capitola Cafe-Bookstore, on Weds. Jan 17 @ 7:30 PM. Location: 1475 41st Ave Capitola, 831-462-4415.