NEWSMAKER OF THE YEAR CHRISTOPHER KROHN

S.C. Mayor Made National Splash About Iraq and Pot

As mayor of Santa Cruz, Christopher Krohn faced the national media to
speak out for medical marijuana and rally against a U.S. war on Iraq.

Every time he faced the TV cameras -- and millions of viewers -- his
City Hall answering machine lit up. People cheered and sneered. One
national pundit, replying to Krohn's comments, snapped back: "Don't
smoke pot. Smoke Saddam."

It was a brief bit of national fame for Krohn, a soft-spoken mayor who
seemed genuinely befuddled by all the fuss. But he also made a stir
locally.

In his one-year term, Krohn, 45, went against most council members by
opposing new downtown behavior rules drafted in response to hundreds
of complaints about harassment and aggressive panhandling on Pacific
Avenue.

For his stands -- and the resulting publicity -- Krohn is the
Sentinel's choice for 2002 Santa Cruz Newsmaker.

Krohn said the downtown rules were rushed and failed to target the
worst problems, while potentially hurting people who were causing no
harm. It was the kind of stance that won him praise from backers, and
drew hoots from others who said he and then Councilman Keith Sugar
were compromising the council's message of strength and unanimity.

He fought a losing battle to get a peace park built at the Town Clock
traffic divider to memorialize victims of violence. Opponents called
that project an example of "Krohny-ism" because it was to be named
after a late activist who was Krohn's most influential political
backer in the 1998 election.

In his year as mayor, Krohn learned that one man's hero is another
man's buffoon.

A frequent audience heckler labeled Krohn "The King of Pot" and the
city was lampooned as pothead central on the Jay Leno show.

But supporters hailed the council for standing up for Mike and Valerie
Corral, co-founders of the Wo/Men's Alliance For Medical Marijuana, in
the wake of a federal raid on their Davenport-area pot farm.

After Krohn left the board, the new council majority deputized the
Corrals -- an idea that Krohn had encouraged while he was still mayor.

"I think I was able, in this past year, to focus on some real issues
that maybe I didn't expect to focus on," Krohn said. "I didn't expect
necessarily to deal with those. But people wanted me and the council
to speak out on those issues. And, at the same time, downtown issues
were on the front burner."

He takes issue with the notion that his stands contributed to a flaky
image of the city.

"Most people do have a good feeling of Santa Cruz," he said. "They
don't roll their eyes about it."

Krohn gives no clues when asked about future employment or political
aspirations.

"I've got a lot of irons in the fire, and I'm waiting for them to sort
of gel," he said.