When we heard carmaker Hyundai had a commercial for a new model SUV/truck called the Santa Cruz, we were leery. How would they depict our town and would it be so commercialized we’d want to gag.

Then we saw Jimbo Phillips in the ad and we knew they knew the essence of the town. They picked the right guy, an artist who mixes the Keep Santa Weird vibe with a wholesome family life. And then we knew that we had to get him to talk about his life and the three generations of Phillips’s whose vision is on skate boards, posters, shirts and sweatshirts all over town that are one of our biggest tourist exports.

Writer Suki Wessling got behind the cool factor and asked Phillips questions he says no other interviewer had thrown out: what it’s like to be a work-at-home dad raised by a work-at-home dad, who has two artistic kids of his own.

You’ll realize the Phillips family personifies all we love about growing up here. You can be cool, fun, audacious and bold, but also have a kind and sensitive heart. We will never forget the smile Jimbo put on our then 10-year-old’s face when he signed an autograph and posed for a picture with him at the Pleasure Point Street Fair.
And we are proud that Hyundai chose to feature him in their ad and is having him design international art projects for them. There will be more on the car, which they call a Sport Adventure Vehicle, and how its name and video came about in October’s issue.

September’s back to and after school stories include one on Musical Me, the kids’ school that introduces them to music in a fun way and has been brightening lives for 25 years now. That’s a great accomplishment and you can read all about their new classes and their entry to the Spanish-language market here.

On the safety side, writer Jeanette Prather traces the history of the Slow Streets movement and why signs are being put up in our residential neighborhoods to keep kids safe. Who knew this was started in Europe during the pandemic? It’s an import many should be very happy with.

As the school year begins, we have some great stories about how local classrooms have survived and thrived despite the pandemic. We also have a fun story about one school that incorporates nature into its mountainside programs.

The next issue is one of our favorites of the year featuring the cutest baby photo contest. See our ad inside for how to submit your photos. The winner gets onto the front cover and many others will receive great prizes. And of course, the best prize is having your baby’s smiling face seen by thousands of readers.

We hope that will bring smiles to all of you.

Thanks for reading.
Brad Kava, Jennifer Ford
and Steve Dinnen