After two Westside teenagers were killed in the last six month, Santa Cruz Sentinel writer Jennifer Squires investigates the crossover between Westside surfers and gang bangers. As evidenced by the deaths of Tyler Tenorio, 16, and Carl Reimer, 19, sometimes it’s hard to tell.
Culture has changed,” said Santa Cruz Police Deputy Chief Rick Martinez, a Harbor High graduate. “There was a day when Eastside-Westside was a surf rivalry in our town. Now if you’re claiming Westside’ or Eastside,’ depending on the context, you could be representing a gang.” . . The east-west localism in Santa Cruz grew out of the community’s surfing tradition. As riding waves grew in popularity, kids stuck to the breaks in their neighborhoods and tried to keep outsiders from their favorite spots. . . . “Surfers tend to be a little territorial,” said John Mel, 63, who owns Freeline surf shop in Pleasure Point on the Eastside. “But it’s tongue in cheek.”
Flea is quoted as saying: “People need to not focus on Eastside-Westside rivalries, but instead realize everyone is from Santa Cruz.” Sadly, it’s the local battles that always seem the biggest. . .
[Link: Santa Cruz Sentinel]
