25 APRIL 2016 - Sonoma County Gazette

Transcription

APRIL 2016
New Laguna
Trail in Rohnert
Park ~ 16
No Place
to Call
Home ~ 22
Closing
the Word
Gap ~ 25
Healdsburg
at a Growth
Crossroads ~ 36
Night Sky:
Jupiter for
April ~ 46
Team
Effort
Free our
Beaches
Landowners, State
& Local Agencies
Restore Habitat
By Barry Dugan
A dramatic transformation is taking
place along the banks of Dry Creek,
a main tributary of the Russian
River located west of Healdsburg.
The Sonoma County Water Agency,
private landowners, state, and restore
Habitat federal agencies are all
working together to create a series of
habitat enhancements in the creek to
improve conditions for endangered
coho salmon and threatened chinook
salmon and steelhead.
Dry Creek flows for 14 miles from the
Warm Springs Dam to its confluence
with the Russian River. Historically,
the creek would run dry in the summer
(hence its name), but in winter the
creek could cause devastating floods
throughout the valley. Those conditions
changed when Warm Springs Dam
was completed in 1984. Dry Creek now
flows out of Lake Sonoma year-round,
and is a key delivery component for
the Water Agency to supply water to
its 600,000 customers.
While the dam was designed to
provide water supply, flood control
TEAM cont’d on page 12
Whales,
Wildlife &
Fishfolk ~ 65
Earth Day Calendar page 55
The EVERYTHING to DO Calendar: pgs 52 - 71
By Efren Carrillo
This has been a slogan in Sonoma
County for well over 25 years. State
Parks launched an effort to charge
for parking at our iconic beaches in
the late 1980s, resulting in litigation
and public protests throughout the
early 90s. Subsequently, economic
conditions changed for the state budget
and the plan to charge for parking was
dropped.
In 2012, the California state
legislature mandated that State Parks
begin to search for ways to pay for
its operations and wean itself off of
the general fund - which in the past
had funded up to 90% of State Parks
operations and has been slashed over
time. This led to a renewed effort by
State Parks to charge for parking at
Sonoma County’s beaches - and at
other North Coast beach parking lots.
State Parks lost their bid to charge
at beach parking lots at the local
government level, and their appeal
of their proposal will be heard before
the California Coastal Commission
on April 13th in Santa Rosa. At this
writing, the time has not been set,
but it is expected to be heard in the
afternoon at the Santa Rosa Veterans
Memorial Building.
Let’s be clear about one thing. The
people’s right of access to their coastline
is protected by our State Constitution
BEACHES cont’d on page 13
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Dear Readers,
It’s spring and one of the more
spectacular springs we’ve had in a
long time. Every ten years - right on
schedule - it’s rained so much that out
here on the Russian River where I live,
we mark decades by floods…1972 was
my first when I moved from New York
City to Monte Rio. I can tell you that
was Culture Shock at maximum level.
From high heels and high fashion
to rain boots & jeans! I remember
watching people’s possessions float
by the house I lived in on Dutch Bill
Creek.
Then 1986, 1996, 2006 and now 2016.
But although we got rain, it never
flooded and I have to believe that
both the rain and lack of flooding are
signs that our Karma is good here in
Sonoma County! Good people - good
values - we got spared AND the
drought broke - at least for one year.
Being conscious of where we live
- the fragility of our eco-system, the
needs of our neighbors - it’s part of
how we live our lives. For sure, not
everyone lives by the Golden Rule to
treat others as you wish to be treated.
There’s no such thing as everyone on
the same path. But enough of us live
conscious lives that we have influence,
we create the world we want to live in.
In this year of elections, that’s part
of our job, to elect individuals who
want to serve us (that’s the ideal)
because they believe they have the
skills, knowledge and experience to
make our community and the lives
of people sharing it, better. All the
rest of us really don’t want those jobs.
Too much responsibility. Too much
pressure, Too much criticism.
People in politics have to develop
a strong enough sense that they
are accomplishing what is good
for everyone so that when they get
attacked and demeaned, they stand
true to their purpose. That’s not easy.
Thick skin is not the answer or they
would lose compassion and open
minds to valuable input. They must
remain permeable while strong.
When we decide who will
represent us, it’s our job to get to
know candidates well enough to feel
they are honestly representing what
we value. Who is this person? Do
I like and respect him/her? Is she/
he intelligent enough to learn, grow,
get better with time, experience and
knowledge?
We have time before going to the
polls to learn more about the people
who are running for office. Two of
our supervisor districts have people
competing for the position. Candidate
forums (see page 53) are an excellent
opportunity to watch these people in
action, ask them questions, listen and
learn.
Even if your supervisor is not
up for election, get to know who is
running in other districts. These are
the people who decide the future
of our entire county. They vote on
issues in your district as well as their
own.. Although our communities
are diverse and unique, we all call
Sonoma County home. Every vote
matters.
And on a state level and national
level, there are not only people
running for office, there are
ballot initiatives that change laws
depending upon how we vote. So
much to know to be a responsible
voter. It’s worth the time it take to
learn what these are about.
If you have children or
grandchildren, you now the
responsibility for protecting their lives
and their future. Our votes are what
they will live with. Consequences.
There are always consequences from
our actions. Unintended consequences
are impossible to control, so we do the
best we can with decisions we make.
Happy Spring. Happy Earth Day.
Please come visit the gazette booth at
the Santa Rosa Earth Day festival on
April 23rd. It would be lovely to meet
you face-to-face.
Enjoy!
COVER IMAGES Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech
NGC 6357: Cathedral to Massive Stars
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) recently captured a unique view of Earth from
the spacecraft’s vantage point in orbit around the moon. NASA, ESA and Jesús Maíz Apellániz
(IAA, Spain); Acknowledgement: Davide De Martin (ESA/Hubble)
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CORRECTION
In the March 2016 letters
section, we printed a memo from
Sonoma West Medical Center CEO
Ray Hino criticizing a news story
printed in Sonoma West Times & News.
Subsequently, Mr. Hino agreed that
the story was largely accurate, except
for misstating the number of SWMC
employees, and that the memo was
intended to be an internal document
reassuring employees that SWMC was
not fearful of bankruptcy. Sonoma West
Times & News issued a correction and
also stated that the headline for the
story, which referred to a potential
bankruptcy, was misleading.
We apologize for any problems this
caused Sonoma West Publishers and
Sonoma West Medical Center and
Foundation.
Vesta Copestakes, publisher
Can I sign up for your free online
distribution of the Sonoma County
Gazette.....please?!
Lloma Alameda
It’s ALL FREE - the paper - the
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simple as that - Just one thing - the
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THANK YOU!
Count blessings
Thank you for a moving article
about the homeless in Healdsburg,
Vesta. I appreciate the time and effort
you put into both visiting and to
shining a light on the “invisible” who
live with us.
Ann Carranza
Hello,
I came across this page of your
website – Lend a Hand – VOLUNTEER
and noticed that you are linking to
Santa Rosa Catholic Charities Rural
Food Program among other resources
for the homeless. I wanted to thank
you for these efforts – this is a mission
I am deeply involved in as well.
I wanted to suggest an addition to
your page. Homeless individuals face
unique challenges with mental health,
addiction and recovery.
While there are many addiction
resources available, none of them
are comprehensive and specifically
tailored to homeless individuals.
After research across the resources
available on the web, the American
Addiction Center (AAC) team noticed
the absence of a centralized resource
designed to help understand the basics
of mental health, alcohol use and
addiction among the homeless and to
offer guidance on navigating support
systems. They decided to fill this gap
of knowledge.
The result is this page:
http://sunrisehouse.com/addictiondemographics/homeless-population/
This page summarizes available
governmental, organizational and
other resources and makes them
easily accessible to those searching
for assistance. It include dozens
citations of the latest research studies
and external resources for homeless
individuals seeking mental health and
addiction help.
We hope that the quality of this
page and the importance of the subject
matter merits inclusion on your page
alongside the other resources you
have provided – or elsewhere on your
website.
Thank you,
Ashley Knowles
[email protected]
LETTERS cont’d on page 4
LETTERS are the opinions of letter authors - not the opinion of the Sonoma
County Gazette. For space and fairness to all who wish to see their letter in
the print edition, please try to keep your letters brief and to the point. Be
careful with how you express yourself. Kindness is always important, and
we will not publish letters that are nasty, accusatory or mean. Remember
the Golden Rule...Treat others how you wish to be treated. Please include
your name, community and full contact information in case we need to
reach you. THANK YOU.
Send LETTERS to [email protected]
4/16 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 3
LETTERS cont’d from page 3
This is very enlightening – thank
you. The page you referred to is for
VOLUNTTER Opportunities and is
looking for people to help with our
Rural Food Program – BUT – we also
have Resources for Living where I
have posted your information under
SAFE Haven programs
Your site has information on HUDs
programs and more – THANK YOU
– there is much valuable information
here. So we now have a LINK on our
website under Resources for Living:
Evaluating
an
Individual’s
Treatment Needs - Addiction
Among The Homeless Population
Federal Housing Resources Guide:
The U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development publishes this
guide to publicly supported housing
opportunities and federal funding
programs for Americans who are
homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Housing First: Pathways to Housing:
The “Housing First” model was
developed to address the need for safe,
supportive shelter among homeless
people with chronic mental illness and
substance use disorders. Unlike other
housing models, Housing First takes
the approach that homeless people
who are actively abusing substances
or who have serious mental illness
should be provided with a place to live
in order to benefit from treatment.
Mental Health America (MHA):
This community-based nonprofit
organization has branches across
the country that provide support,
advocacy, and assistance for people
with mental illness. Resources on
affordable housing, homelessness, and
affordable mental health treatment are
available on their website or through
local MHA groups.
National Alliance on Mental Illness
(NAMI), “Securing Housing”: NAMI
offers a number of informational
resources for people seeking help
with homelessness, substance abuse,
and psychiatric disorders. This
guide provides advice on the types
of housing available, how to find
financial support for housing, and
what to look for in a transitional or
permanent dwelling.
National Coalition for the Homeless
(NCH): This national network of
organizations,
volunteers,
and
policymakers provides advocacy,
outreach, and support for homeless
Americans. Homeless individuals
are actively engaged in NCH efforts
to improve their lives and ensure
affordable, secure housing.
Department of Veterans Affairs:
Mental Health Services for Veterans:
The U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs offers mental health services
for homeless veterans, including a 24hour telephone helpline, the National
Call Center for Homeless Veterans:
1-877-424-3838.
All these taboos of American good
manners were shattered by Jerry and
his group of writers but none were
more important to set the ball rolling
for the Trump golden presidential
carriage than their coup de gras.
The Soup Nazi.
Jim Kelly
Sebastopol
Elena Ferrante Book Rebiew
Glyphosates - Roundup
As a retired English teacher of
about forty years, I have had some
experience with books, readers, and
writers. When an attack on a book
critic becomes an insult with Common
Core ramblings, we are in the area of
ridiculous.
Granted Elena Ferrante has been
praised highly. I looked forward
to reading her books and I was
disappointed. Characters usually use
dialogue to move the action forward
and to wrestle with solving the plot. Ms. Ferrante uses an abundance of
narration which leads to slow progress
and boredom as the reader is not
invited into the story.
Ms. McCurdy takes an unpopular
stand when she questions the writings
of Elena Ferrante, but that doesn’t give
anyone the right to make snide and
snotty comments to make a point.
MJS Devereux
Santa Rosa, CA
No Manners for YOU!
I believe The Seinfeld Show created
a societal atmosphere allowing for
the rise of Donald Trump. While,
at first bite, this seems unpalatable,
consider the character traits turned
into euphemism by Jerry’s sidekicks.
There are too many to mention but
let’s start with George. George said
and did things, and convinced Jerry to
go along like in the rye bread episode,
no American citizen could mimic
without becoming social outcasts.
Forever.
Along comes Trump and we think
of George and his big mouth and his
big ideas. Idiotic ideas. One down.
Next we have Kraemer, who shatters
one of mankind’s most treasured
truism, the emperor has no clothes.
Although Trump’s followers can’t see
this truth as of yet, the reason may
be Kraemer parading around one of
the remarkably ugly bodies known to
science. But he was funny and funny
always gets you off.
And Elaine. Little Elaine with the
morals of a trumpet. Elaine made it
with everyone, even Jerry, and she
always seemed to drag the lot of them
into sordid affairs.
I saw in the Argus Courier that
the Petaluma Grange had a forum
on glyphosates. I wish I could have
attended, but unfortunately I had a
commitment to teach that night.
I would like to keep informed as
I believe I lost my otherwise very
healthy husband to RoundUp. He
used it unprotected for 22 years, then
passed very quickly from pancreatic
cancer. I myself feared the material,
preferring to weed by finger. We
worked our business side by side for
decades and ate the same vegan food,
and I remain very healthy today.
Thank the Grange for holding this
forum.
Sincerely,
Nancy Chien-Eriksen
Coastal Commissioners
Please bring this letter to the
attention of whoever is in charge of
making up the deficit of $34,000 that
is reportedly driving the California
Coastal Commission to impose fees
along our Sonoma County coast.
I’m not rich but I did earn a good
retirement from Kaiser and am ready
to tap my earnings in order to buy
some time for the state to look at more
socially-inclusive and autonomous
Sonoma County actions on this issue.
I have tried to e-mail the Coastal
Commissioners but they do not give
out their e-mail addresses.
They are holding a meeting in Santa
Rosa on April 13-15 and I would like
for them not to have to worry about
this agenda item.
Many thanks,
Laura Morgan, MD
Occidental
Yes, the Sonoma County Meeting is
slated for April 13. You can also MAIL
your letter to:
Nancy Cave
California Coastal Commission
45 Fremont Street Suite 2000
San Francisco, CA 94105
or EMAIL it to her at:
sonomastateparksappeal@coastal.
ca.gov
Here’s what I sent in:
Dear Nancy Cave and the Coastal
Commission,
I have an idea that I think could raise
money to maintain our most popular
beaches while benefitting local artists
and artisans along the California
Coast.
Instead of IRON RANGERS, use
that location for a Portable Merchant
Trailer.
The trailer would be a small store on
wheels so it does not have to remain
at the beach entrance every day and
night. It can be brought home at night
and during days when selling goods
would be difficult because of bad
weather or poor beach attendance.
Small trailers that can be pulled
behind a pickup truck would suffice.
The trailer would sell items where
a percentage of sales would go to
maintain the staff of the trailer and the
trailer itself, the artists who supply the
goods to be sold - and the State Beach
it is supporting. This would function
i the same way a Visitors Center
functions but be small and portable. It
could be set up next to restrooms just
as easily as at the entrance to a beach
park.
ITEMS SOLD could be:
• post cards and greeting cards of
images created by local photographers
and artists of our beautiful coast,
critters, etc.
• Jewelry that features coast, beach,
sea life themes
• stuffed animals of coastal critters
• wind mobiles of coastal critters
• books on sea life, coastal restoration,
etc. with educational content
• maps and guides to beach access,
trails, etc.
• binoculars and other ways to see
distant sea life
• puzzles and games of coastal
images
• kites and wind toys
• souvenirs
The trailer would take up about the
same about of space as an iron ranger
Because it would be staffed and
removed at night it would not be
subject to vandalism
It would allow beach access to
EVERYONE yet people who have
money and desire to purchase the
goods would be paying the fees to
keep the park maintained.
I doubt anyone would have objections
to this way of raising money. It would
provide one or more local jobs, support
local artists and promote coastal
environmental awareness. I think this
could be a win/win for everyone.
In Sonoma County this could
probably be run by the Stewards of
the Coast and Redwoods who already
run two Visitors Centers and a mobile
educational truck.
Please consider this option for
supporting our FREE Beaches.
Thank you,
Vesta Copestakes
Forestville, Sonoma County beach
lover
Leftover Opiates?
Please see the SafeMed Disposal
program in Sonoma County. Lots
of great, free locations to get rid of
unused medications!
safemedicinedisposal.org
The toilet, while recommended by
the DEA is not recommended locally
as our waste treatment systems are
not designed to treat medications
specifically.
Thank you,
James A. Hiller
Environmental Services Technician
City of Petaluma
(707) 656-4067
[email protected]
SB 1250, the 911 Emergency
Reliability & Public Safety Act
State Senator McGuire has requested
support for SB 1250, the 911 Emergency
Reliability and Public Safety Act .
Currently telecommunication carriers
are required to report outages when
they reach certain federal thresholds
of disruption, which make sense in
urban areas, but not in rural areas.
Sparse populations mean that outages,
including loss of 911, go unreported for
significant periods of time.
SB 1250 specifically requires carriers
to: inform the CPUC, county and state
Offices of Emergency Service (OES)
within 30 minutes of outages that
last 30 minutes or longer in duration,
or have the potential to affect 75,000
user minutes in rural areas of the
state; provide the CPUC and Cal OES a
secondary more detailed report within
120 minutes and; provide a detailed
summary of the outage to the CPUC
within 20 days, and what steps are
being taken to avoid similar outages in
the future.
This bill is an important step for
Mendocino County, in our efforts to
minimize the impacts of outages and
hold the carriers to a higher degree of
accountability. Please consider taking
the time to write a letter which you can
send via email to McGuire’s Legislative
Director
Matthew
Montgomery:
[email protected].
Please cc Trish Steel at Chairman@
mendocinobroadband.org
See this link to view a copy of
the Alliance’s support letter: http://
www.mendocinobroadband.org/wpcontent/uploads/pdf.SB-1250-BAMCLOS.03-22-16.pdf
See this website for information:
http://www.mendocinobroadband.
o r g /w p - c o n t e n t/u p l o a d s/9 11 Emergency-Reliability-and-PublicSafety-Act.pdf
The bill has a Senate hearing in
the Energy, Utilities, and Commerce
committee on April 5th. A letter of
support will have more impact if
received before the hearing.
Thank You!
Diann Simmons
Broadband Alliance
MendocinoBroadband.org
facebook.com/BroadbandAlliance
Tragic Death of Steven Mitchell
Community Separators
Community Separators are lands that function to separate cities and other
communities, to contain urban development, and to provide city and community
identity by providing visual relief from continuous urbanization. Community
Separators were originally designated in the 1989 Sonoma County General Plan
with a Scenic Resource designation in the Open Space and Resource Conservation
Element. Community Separators are currently designated on the General Plan
Open Space maps and do not affect the underlying land use designations or the
allowable land uses, which have an agricultural or rural land use designation.
The current project consists of the following two actions. While both actions
are starting simultaneously, they may or may not be finalized at the same time.
• Prepare a ballot measure for the November 2016 general election to extend
the current requirement for voter-approval of any amendments that increase
development intensity or reduce the boundaries of Community Separators
designated in the General Plan and apply protections to Community Separators
between unincorporated communities; and
• Initiate a general plan amendment process to consider additional areas for
Community Separator designation and update the related General Plan policies.
The Sonoma County Permit and Resource Management Department (PRMD)
will hold three informal public workshops to discuss possible changes to the
community separator policy.
Sign up for email updates to stay current at:
sonoma-county.org/
CommunitySeparators Email any time at PRMD-CommunitySeparators@
sonoma-county.org or call Misti Harris at (707) 565-1352.
Kenwood: Wednesday, March 30, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Kenwood Fire Department , 9045 Highway 12
Cloverdale: Wednesday, April 6,
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Veterans Memorial Building, 205 West 1st Street
Petaluma: Wednesday, April 13, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Petaluma Community Center, 320 North McDowell Blvd
What Happens Next? After the public workshops staff will consider
additional input received through our website and other stakeholder outreach and
will prepare a draft ballot measure. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
will hold a public hearing to place the measure on the November 2016 ballot.
The death of the lawyer Steven
Mitchell is a tragedy on so many levels.
We know that he had defended the
police, and by extension the state,
in two cases in which a child was
murdered by the police.
In both cases the evidence against
the police was staggering, the families
devastated, and the public outcry was
loud and clear.
Not that the agents of the state cared,
but they did have to listen to keep that
veneer of democracy polished.
For what reason we can never know
for sure, but Steven did take his own
life. It begs the question; could he no
longer fulfill this awful function for
the state?
To never acknowledge guilt, to never
ask for forgiveness, to lie, these are
the symptoms of a disease of the soul,
the souls of the police whom Steven
defended. Steven Mitchell probably
believed he was doing his job to the
best of his ability, and by the standards
he lived within, I am sure he did. But
in the end could he live with it?
The work of prosecution and defense
in our justice system needs to find
its moral compass again. The whole
process must be ethical or none of it
is. We know these stories of Jeremiah
Chass, and Andy Lopez, the children
who were murdered. The agony of the
families continues.
We must find a way as a community
to stop our police from becoming
militarized to the point that they are
now the enemy to be feared.
Nothing new by the way for black
and brown sisters and brothers; every
day of their lives they have felt the cold
eye of the cops on their backs.
May his painful choice and our
willingness to own a part in the pain
of all involved, crack open the hearts
of people here in Sonoma county. For
this is our story, too. He was doing the
work of justifying murder to maintain
the pretense of justice in this county.
He gave himself back to the ocean, to
mingle his salty tears with hers.
May he find peace, may we all.
Magick Altman
I’m With Hillary
There are many, many Hillary
supporters in Sonoma County. A local
group is based in Sebastopol called
West Sonoma County/Sebastopol for
Hillary (facebook.com/sc4hillary).
Our phone banks are nearly every
week. There is no experience necessary
and we train. No one is pushed to do
it every time.
I have grown to really love talking to
people all over the country to listen to
their distinct views. I never thought I
knew enough to do this. But once I start
talking to people about the values we
share – healthcare, enough income to
feel secure, the environment, women’s
rights – the conversations turn out to
actually be fun.
If you are wanting to make a
difference in the 2016 election, go to
our Facebook page (facebook.com/
sc4hillary) to see what we are doing.
Janet Zagoria, Forestville
OPEN LETTER to Pacific Market
Congratulations on acquiring yet
another store to expand offerings to
your customers. I am concerned that
your plans would eliminate Cheekos.
They have been here for 22 years and have been successful! Cheekos
casual, friendly ambience, and great
conversation, is something that can
not be replicated.
I would like to suggest that instead of
eliminating Cheekos, you supplement
it. Offer what they do not. Think of
something that is not now offered
in this part of town. Print discount
coupons that Cheekos might give
their customers. Create a pleasant
outside area to stop and sit in a busy
day of errands. I delight in hearing
sounds of music wafting in the air. I
appreciate that street musicians are
allowed to play there. Perhaps invite
and encourage even more musicians.
I believe local people would
commend you for honoring and
working with a small, local, longstanding, successful business.
Paula Swanson, Sebastopol
LETTERS can be sent to
[email protected]. TRY to keep
them less than 300 words.!
Community Survey
Mendocino and Sonoma Counties Call for Input on
First Joint Five-Year Economic Development Plan
The Sonoma-Mendocino Economic Development District (EDD), created
through a joint powers agreement between Sonoma County and Mendocino
County launched a new website (www.sonomamendocinoceds.com) and
community survey to mark the public engagement phase of a joint effort for
promoting regional economic development. The effort culminates in the publication of a five-year plan called a Comprehensive Economic Development
Strategy, or CEDS, expected this fall. The Sonoma-Mendocino EDD invites all
community members to share their views on the region’s economy by taking
the short online survey.
Survey results, along with input gathered from interviews and public forums
planned for late spring, will shape the CEDS. When the public engagement
phase concludes, the Sonoma- Mendocino EDD will oversee development of a
draft plan they will then submit for public comment in late summer. Following
publication of the final CEDS, the Sonoma-Mendocino EDD intends to apply
for designation and funding under the partnership planning program of the
U.S. Economic Development Administration.
“Leaders in both of our counties recognize an important opportunity to
coordinate and pool resources in areas where we can do more for our region’s
growth and development working together,” said Pam Chanter, member of the
Sonoma-Mendocino EDD Board. “By developing a joint CEDS, we can solve
problems that demand resources and cooperation from both counties and address common economic challenges and opportunities.”
Throughout the CEDS development process, community members can visit
www.sonomamendocinoceds.com to follow its progress. There, they can read
about key developments, events and opportunities for input or explore the
region’s economy through an interactive map. They can also find related documents, reports and presentations or directly contact the Sonoma-Mendocino
EDD with questions or comments.
QUESTION: Steve Sharpe at [email protected]
Fair Wage Act of 2016
The national movement to raise low-wage workers’ income took its biggest
step forward today when a ballot initiative to gradually increase California’s
minimum wage to $15 by 2021 officially qualified for the Nov. 8 ballot.
If approved by voters, California would become the largest state to improve
the standard of living for low-wage workers, benefitting 3.3 million men and
women in California – including 400,000 in the eight-county San Francisco Bay
Area – and help set the stage for a higher minimum wage across the country.
The California Secretary of State’s office certified that initiative organizers
had collected the necessary 402,468 signatures to be immediately placed on the
ballot.
The Fair Wage Act of 2016 would raise California’s minimum wage
to $11 in 2017 and then gradually increase it a dollar a year until it
reaches $15 in 2021. Once the minimum wage reaches $15, it will
automatically be adjusted each year to keep pace with the cost of
living. California’s minimum wage is currently $10 an hour, which
amounts to less than $21,000 a year for a full-time worker.
OPINION: The U.S. Electoral System
is in Desperate Need of Reform
By Charlotte Thomas
It’s election season, which means many new voters are learning about the U.S.’s
complicated electoral system. It is quite apparent our system is not as effective
as it has been in the past. We have seen gridlock before, but the divergences of
the two political parties is widening exponentially. There are a number of issues
that contribute to this complicated problem. Three significant ones are our lack of
campaign financing regulations, misinformed voters and winner-take-all system.
1. Campaign financing
In the U.S., politicians depend on large sums of money to fund their
campaigns. It is nearly impossible to get elected without copious amounts of
money. Consequently, politicians are more responsive to wealthy citizens. With
the widening wage gap, the rich have grown richer, and thus have been able to
exercise more political power. This largely contributes to the problem of gridlock.
Another problem is that corporations can donate money, which, essentially,
gives them a say in politics. Stricter campaign finance regulations would allow
minorities and the 99 percent to have their voices heard. Additionally, regulations
would facilitate higher voter turnout rates because, as the focus shifts from
financing candidates to actually voting for candidates, people will feel like their
votes matter. Currently, the rich are almost always more likely to vote than the
poor.
2. Misinformed public
Misinformation occurs in all parties. For instance, in the Democratic party, it
is still widely believed that Sarah Palin, in 2008, said she could see Russia from
her house. In the Republican party, more than half of conservatives believe
the unemployment rate has increased under the Obama administration. In
this current election, misinformation is exceedingly apparent. For example,
PolitiFact, a fact checking website, analyzed 77 statements Donald Trump made
and found 76 percent of the statements were either false, mostly false or pants on
fire. Roughly, one of every four statements that comes out of the the Republican
presidential frontrunner’s mouth is truthful.
3. Winner-take-all system
In the U.S., we have the electoral college. A presidential candidate needs a
majority (270 of the 538 electoral college votes) in order to win the election. In
the general election, each state gives all of its electoral votes to one candidate.
This means if you are voting for the Democratic candidate in an extremely
conservative state (e.g. Texas, Utah, Alabama), you’re vote, essentially, does not
count. (Disclaimer: This does not mean you should not vote if this is the case for you.
It is still advantageous and very important to vote.) This system we use in the U.S.
ensures that any group making up fewer than 50 percent of the population are
not represented. Thus, politicians target the majority, and minorities are ignored.
Winner-take-all elections can result in more than half of the votes being wasted.
Of course, there is no perfect solution to this problem, and these are just a few
of the underlying causes. It is important, however, we make ourselves aware of
the obstacles that prevent us from having free and fair elections in the U.S.
Advocates of the ballot initiative say it will improve the lives of millions,
generate more income tax revenue for state and local government to spend
on schools, roads and parks, reduce government spending needed to aid the
poor, and will grow the economy as the higher wages are spent in workers’
communities.
The initiative has been endorsed by 300 community organizations, labor
unions, faith leaders, small business owners and elected officials, including
U.S. Reps. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove) and Janice Hahn (D-San Pedro),
California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, California Controller Betty Yee, 28 state
legislators and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who serve as co-chair of the
initiative campaign. According to the Field Poll, 68 percent of registered
California voters support the initiative.
24,039 people make it happen
‘Citizens for Healthy Farms and Families’
On March 16, 2016, Citizens for Healthy Farms and Families turned in
24,039 petition signatures to the County Registrar of Voters’ Office to qualify
the Sonoma County Transgenic Contamination Prevention Ordinance for the
November 2016 General Election Ballot.
They are anxiously awaiting the results of the signature verification process to
see if they have the 14,358 valid signatures required to qualify.
The ordinance would prohibit the propagation, cultivation, raising and
growing of genetically engineered organisms in Sonoma County. It would
protect our farms, pastures, and cover crops from contamination by genetically
engineered plant pollen transfer. It would protect our families, water, soil, and
wildlife from the increased herbicide use inherent in the cultivation of genetically
engineered plants. It would also allow Sonoma County to join Santa Cruz,
Marin, Mendocino, Humboldt, and Trinity counties, which have had similar
prohibitions in effect for up to ten years.
Because California Initiatives can only address one issue, this initiative will
not prevent the sale, purchase, or distribution of genetically engineered human
food or animal feed. It will not deny any licensed health care practitioner from
providing treatment to any human patient or animal, and it will not prevent
research involving genetically engineered organisms in secure indoor laboratory
conditions where genetically engineered organisms could not escape into the
environment.
If one percent or more of a farmer’s crop is contaminated by genetically
engineered plant pollen, it is illegal for that farmer to sell the crop or save the
seed. Both become the property of the corporation owning the patent on the
seed. This ordinance would secure the economic integrity of our farms and their
right to grow GMO free.
You can volunteer, donate, and endorse at our website: GMOFreeSonomaCounty.com.
OPINION: The Presidential Election
By John and Logan Leddy
American elections express the many minds of the people.
Presidential elections bring these multiple perspectives
and viewpoints into focus. There are certain aspects of the
election process people despise, while other aspects some
people appreciate. We share both of these. This can be said
of this year’s presidential candidates. We have perspectives
regarding both the election process and the candidates that
dislike and we like like all Americans only we don’t get to
vote…yet.
We appreciate many aspects of the presidential election.
First of all, you get to hear many candidates and citizens speak
from all over the country. They talk about their vision for the
future. It is also exciting hearing the people debate over ideas. In
presidential elections, we also get to see how people vote. As we can
see what the voters want, we think this is great because it teaches us about
our country. It also shows us the current state of the parties and where they are
going. Seeing how states vote reveals to us what issues and beliefs are important
to the people who live there. We get to see how different or how similar the rest
of the country is to us in our beliefs. We find joy in our elections because they
always mean change.
In the Presidential election, there are aspects that we dislike. One is the
Electoral College system. We think this is an outdated system. The Electoral
College doesn’t allow our democratic election process to select our President. It
forces all of the candidates to visit the swing states such as Ohio or Florida thus
giving them more power.
Democracy is about representing the will of the people. Campaign finance
rules currently subvert the interest of democracy. Candidates who attempt to
appeal to the powerful interests rather than the rest of us are corrupting the
foundations of our democracy.
Besides the Electoral College and campaign finance,
presidential primaries also interfere with democracy. Primaries
should be the voice of the parties. In the important election,
there is a limited time you are truly giving American voters
a choice. The rest of the time before the General election is
spent nominee of their party and not the best President.
We have many perspectives on the current presidential
candidates. We appreciate having candidates express so
many views. For example, this election we have Bernie
Sanders representing the far left, and Ted Cruz and Donald
Trump on the far right. Then we have other candidates which
seem flippy floppy. By flippy floppy we mean that that they will
say one thing in one state and say the different in another.
Running for President creates false impressions about candidates.
Voters only see a small piece of who you are through the lens of the media. Some
will talk about their vision for the future and others will try to scare voters into
supporting them. The process in which candidates to appeal to their supporters
fails the American people. Candidates will attack others to gain support.
Donald Trump is one of the candidates who tends to use fear-mongering and
Bernie Sanders shares his vision for the future. We prefer straight talk and no
fear mongering. We want candidates who will honestly tell us why they want to
be President.
In the coming months we look forward to see how the candidates campaign as
we get closer to the nominations. We hope the candidates on both sides with the
most honesty and integrity will win their respective nomination.
Elections are the pinnacle of our democracy and they have ups and downs
but are needed. The voice of the people is the spirit of our elections. To have that
voice everyone needs to vote because we can’t…yet.
OPINION: Perspectives on the Current Global
Crisis: A conversation with Ralph Metzner
by Will Shonbrun
Human civilizations have always faced enormous and sometimes devastating
problems: war, disease, famine, poverty, slavery, dissipation or destruction of
vital resources and so on, which have led to their demise and extinction. How
are the problems we (current human societies) face today different from those
of the past or, are we still in the grip of these same hoary issues, but moving
toward its resolution albeit incrementally?
I submit that today the world – all human societies – faces problems of such
magnitude that if not solved can, and in my view will, lead to the destruction
of those elements that are necessary for human survival. What are these
existential matters on which our survival hinges?
There are two. The first is the result of the development of atomic energy and
the building and stockpiling of nuclear weapons that if used on any significant
scale will change life on our planet in ways hitherto not imaginable or possible.
A nuclear war or the deliberate destruction of numerous nuclear reactors will
render life as we know it no longer viable for most if not all of the human race.
These nuclear creations, purposefully or accidentally, can change the world
unalterably in an afternoon. This is the time bomb upon which we all sit.
The second existential crisis we face is the advent of global climate change,
which will not only change the Earth’s geography, making some of it unfit for
human habitation, but will profoundly affect the world’s food and water supply
as well. It will so exacerbate those problems previously cited – famine, disease,
poverty and economic collapse – we’ll long for the good old days when these
were “just” matters we could work to rectify.
There is no technological fix that can ride in and save us. These are manmade, human-constructed and all-encompassing issues that can only be
resolved by us, the human family, if we can see and understand that we are
responsible for them, and that we must change our relationship to our world
and nature if we are to survive.
Given this premise it is proffered that we must seek the knowledge and
even more important, the wisdom, of those among us who might be able to
explain our human proclivity for destruction, other and self, aggression over
cooperation, exploitation rather than mutual regard and overriding fear of “the
other.” Such people exist in all human societies and have down through the
ages. As much as we have the ability to destroy and subjugate we have an equal
capacity to create and value life in all its complexity.
The purpose of this conversation is to engage the thinking of Dr. Ralph
Metzner who has made his life’s work the study and exploration of human
consciousness and to tap into some of what he’s discovered in search of the
answers that might help us on a journey for survival.
This could easily be considered a fool’s quest, but then if we are circling the
drain as George Carlin suggested, then what have we got to lose?
Will’s complete essay on this subject os on SonomaCountyGazette.com - SEARCH
Will Shonbrun - and ralphmetznerblog.com/category/consciousness/
OPINION: Low Flow Negative Impacts
Annual Estuary Project Meeting
By Brenda Adelman
Lower flows necessary to accommodate Estuary Project…
Given that the Fish Flow Project: Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will
be released soon, it’s critical that the Estuary Project be viewed in its larger
context, especially since this important annual community meeting will occur
about two months before the release of that document. For those unfamiliar with
the deceptive title, “Fish Flow Project”, that is the name for the project that, if
approved, will permanently LOWER minimum summer flows.
The Fish Flow Project would cut flows by about 44% in a normal rain year
(Summer flows can go down to 70 cfs at Hacienda if it is approved, rather than
current 125 cfs. In drought years, flows can go down much lower). Given that
river temperatures are far too warm for cold-water fish in summer, and very
high phosphorus levels are documented at all monitoring stations in our area,
lowered flows provide perfect conditions for the proliferation of toxic algae.
Low flows may cause more toxic algae…
The existence of toxic algae motivated posting of “DANGER” signs along lower
river beaches most of last summer when a healthy dog was exposed to toxic algae
died within two hours of exposure. (Humans can get sick from the algae, but
almost never die from it, although children and elderly are more vulnerable than
other adults. It is unclear whether humans can get sick by eating exposed fish.
Dogs seem to be the most vulnerable.)
Background for Biological Opinion…
The Biological Opinion (BO) was released by National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS) in September, 2008, after Sonoma County Water Agency
(SCWA) had spent almost ten years in consultation with the agency about
impacts of their operation on threatened fish species. Their focus was on SCWA’s
and Army Corps of Engineers’ (ACOE) joint operation of Lake Mendocino and
Lake Sonoma dams, and also SCWA Mirabel facilities that provide water to
approximately 500,000 people in Sonoma and Marin counties. The object was to
identify ways in which those facilities inadvertently caused harm to threatened
LOW FLOW cont’s on page 11
LOW FLOW cont’s from page 10
coho, Chinook, and steelhead species. Recommendations included lowering of
flows in lower river to create lagoon habitat at the Estuary.
The BO was never subjected to public review; it was authorized by the Federal
Government under the Endangered Species Act. Its goal was to improve habitat
for threatened fish species heading towards extinction, but the potential of
unintended consequences such as proliferation of toxic algae were not addressed
and should not be acceptable. Once established, the poisonous algae may be
extremely difficult to completely eradicate and will become a serious health and
safety issue for humans, pets, and wildlife.
No consideration of toxicity issues…
Toxicity issues received no mention in the BO including bioaccumulation and
bio-magnification of toxic substances, bacterial and/or nutrient pollution, etc.,
although State & Regional Water Boards required monitoring of conventional
pollutants (bacteria, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, temperature, etc.). None of the
local State and Federal fishery agencies seem to consider toxins as part of the fish
habitat, even while United States Geological Survey (USGS) conducts many
studies demonstrating that pharmaceuticals, pesticides, personal care products,
etc. have clearly harmed fish and aquatic life.
In fact, the USGS website on toxic substances and their Emerging Contaminants
Project (toxics.usgs.gov/regional/emc) states, “Research is documenting with
increasing frequency that many chemical and microbial constituents that have not
historically been considered as contaminants are present in the environment on a
global scale.“ Many peer reviewed studies have been conducted on transgender
fish and frogs and other aquatic life, especially downstream of wastewater
treatment plants. Now that the use of recycled water is becoming more prevalent,
the residual toxins in even highly treated wastewater will increasingly be spread
around and often end up in our waterways to cause possible harm. The State
Water Board has refused to seriously consider the full ramifications of large
amounts of research conducted so far. Fishery agencies barely acknowledge
that it exists. (Interestingly, NMFS hired a very well know Northern California
fisheries biologist to study this issue in an East Coast river.)
Chinook and coho not considered…
Ultimately, NMFS virtually eliminated Chinook from BO consideration as they
were not considered to be at great risk, and coho were pretty much abandoned,
(BO: p. 237: “….prospects of achieving a viable population of coho salmon” are
impossible without emergency water supply source in Dry Creek & adequate
funding), leaving the main focus on steelhead trout. The Estuary Project was
intended to provide critical habitat for juvenile steelhead in a fresh water lagoon
(estuary) before commencing their ocean sojourn. Between May 15th and October
15th, and once the river mouth closed, SCWA was to construct a channel that
would hold fresh water in and salt water mostly out, as the river drained slowly
into the ocean. It was theorized that by lowering flows at Hacienda, the river
mouth would remain closed longer as the steelhead thrived in the lagoon.
River mouth closings unpredictable…
Yet in many recent years of record, the mouth has remained opened most of
the summer and when it did close, it often reopened within a day or two. (Some
SCWA publicity materials on Estuary Project give a totally different impression.)
When the ocean begins to roil up in mid or late September, that is when lengthier
closings occur, as the ocean pushes the sand onto the beach to form a beach
barrier that closes the mouth. Yet when SCWA attempted implementation of the
project in that period (to October 15th), conditions were often too dangerous to
get people and equipment out there to do the work. In fact, there has been only
one time in seven years when the project has been implemented. And yet, SCWA
is obligated to continue monitoring the mouth, open it when floods threaten
in late fall through early spring, and maintain closure during summer project
period (May15-Oct.15). Only a negative ruling by the State Water Board to not
authorize requested flow changes could stop the Fish Flow Project.
Let’s stop Fish Flow Project…
Decision 1610 is State Law that governs Russian River flows and would have
to be changed to accommodate the Fish Flow Project. The EIR will come out in
June or July and there will be a 60-day comment period. Hopefully there will be
strong interest in this issue and folks will attend meetings and write letters. In
meantime, please attend community meeting for more information.
Russian River Watershed Protection Committee (RRWPC) is happy to help
facilitate sharing of information and letter writing campaign. Please send note asking to
be on mailing/email list at [email protected] and also read information at our website:
rrwpc.org Mention that you want information on Fish Flow Project when available.
TEAM cont’d from page 1
and recreation
benefits, it has
also altered the
conditions
for
fish in the creek.
Biologists with
the
National
M a r i n e
Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the
California Department of Fish and
Wildlife (CDFW) have determined
that the current water velocities in
Dry Creek in the summer are too high
for the young salmon and steelhead.
Under the terms of the Russian River
Biological Opinion, the document
that lays out a plan for the recovery
of
threatened
and
endangered fish species
in the Russian River
watershed, the Water
Agency has undertaken
the Dry Creek Habitat
Enhancement Project. The
project is creating habitat
features that include lowvelocity areas for juvenile
coho and steelhead along
six miles of the 14-mile
length of the creek. The US
Army Corps of Engineers
is a partner with the Water
Agency on the project.
The first mile of habitat
features was completed
in 2014, with additional features
planned for construction this summer.
Backwater pools and side channels
were built to slow the speed of the
water and create refuge for young
fish during high summer and winter
flows. Riffles and boulder fields were
constructed in the creek to slow and
vary water velocity. These features are
constructed using natural materials
such as logs, large root wads and rocks.
Bank stabilization features reduce
erosion and will provide vegetation
cover as plants mature.
Because most of the land in the Dry
Creek Valley is privately owned, the
cooperation of private landowners is
essential to the success of the project. So
far, nearly a dozen
landowners have
participated
in
the project and
upcoming phases
of the project
are
moving
forward
with
the continued support and interest of
property owners.
The Water Agency must also
demonstrate to NMFS and CDFW that
the project is meeting the requirements
of the Biological Opinion. To that end,
the Water Agency is monitoring and
evaluating the project to demonstrate
that
the
habitat
enhancement
improvements are effective. Snorkel
surveys will determine if the habitat
enhancements are improving the
production and survival of steelhead
and coho salmon in Dry Creek. Other
types of monitoring will gauge the
summer and winter use of the habitat,
and the growth and survival of young
fish.
Planning and designs are underway
for the next five miles of habitat
enhancement along Dry Creek.
Projects along miles two and three are
scheduled for completion by 2017. In
2018 the project will be evaluated for
success, and the final three miles of
habitat enhancement are scheduled for
completion by 2020.
BEACHES cont’d from page 1
(Constitution) and by the Coastal
Act (Act) and the California Coastal
Commission, which celebrates its
40th anniversary this year. Both the
Constitution and the Act contain
provisions which require that our
citizens enjoy “maximum public
access” to the coastline. Further,
the Constitution mandates that the
legislature give the most liberal
construction to this provision of
the Constitution.
In a rural area like Sonoma
County - where our wild and
beautiful coastline has been mostly
preserved in its natural state and
our population centered over 25
miles from our beaches - in order
for most people to get to the beach,
travel by car is a necessity.
“Free our Beaches” doesn’t
entirely describe the dilemma that
State Parks faces. Our State Parks
must maintain coastal public access
at a cost which the Governor and
Legislature has declined to support
with general fund dollars. Yet, our
Constitutional and Coastal Act
requirements give the highest priority
to maintain these same coastal access
areas for the public.
For Sonoma County, it comes down
to defending the constitutionally
protected rights of citizens to get to
the beach. This is a fight for our right
to access the beach at Bodega Head (an
irreplaceable Sonoma County icon),
the Kortum trail at Shell Beach, the
incredible beaches at Goat Rock, which
are over 2 miles west and a steep route
from Highway One, and Stump Beach,
the only free parking access along our
North Coast.
These locations offer little to the
public but parking lots and access to
amazing coastal areas. Some have
bathrooms, but none offer services or
permanent staffing. Allowing State
Parks to charge for parking in these
locations opens up the potential for
similar parking lot charges up and
down our State. A similar proposal
was denied by the city of Fort Bragg,
and State Parks did not appeal the
decision. They will make their stand
here in Sonoma County, and have
publicly stated the urgency of this
case so that they can begin to charge
elsewhere.
Fee collection along the rural coast
is not unheard of. State Parks currently charges for access at 7 sites along
our coast, (Bodega Dunes, Wrights
Beach, Reef, Fort Ross, Gerstle Cove,
Woodside, and Fisk Mill) and Sonoma
County Regional Parks charges at
Doran and Gualala Point. The stark
difference in the situation is that these
are staffed parks with camping, programming and other amenities. This
is quite different than charging to
park at a parking lot access point.
The County and the Wildlands Conservancy have both offered to manage
parking areas along the coast for State
Parks to reduce their costs and overhead. Our offers have been ignored or
rejected, and this appeal has marched
on toward the April hearing.
This is personal for me. When I was
five, our family of four moved to Sonoma County, where we lived in a one
room apartment in Roseland. Our
family struggled to make ends meet,
and had to make hard choices every
day. It is very unlikely that my parents could have found room in their
budget for regular trips to the beach if
parking lots charged a fee equivalent
to what my dad made for an hour’s
work. It was hard enough to pay for
gas to get there.
We were lucky. We enjoyed access
to the coastline, the Russian River,
redwoods and other natural wonders
of Sonoma County. I developed a
love of nature that led me to pursue
an environmental science degree and
to now be in a position to form public
policy and help protect open space in
Sonoma County.
Children today deserve the same
access to wonder and nature - no matter their family’s income level. It is
their right, and the right of all citizens, no matter their economic status.
We need to preserve access for our
citizens and for our future – or risk
raising future generations who are
disconnected from nature and lack
the necessary passion for the continued preservation of our coast.
Please come to the Coastal Commission hearing on the afternoon of April
13th. Bring your family, bring your
friends. Speak out about why these
charges are unconstitutional, precedent setting, and completely wrong.
DEAR READERS: Do you have a legal question on your mind? If so, please email me.
Your name will remain confidential. This Q & A Legal Column is intended as a community
service to discuss general legal principles and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Council on Aging to Raffle Off Tiny House
Tiny houses are being used as getaway homes, offices, “granny units,” and
even shelters for the homeless. Council on Aging (COA) is utilizing one of the
diminutive dwellings for another purpose: fundraising.
Tickets for COA’s first-ever “Tiny
House Raffle” are now on sale for
$200, and could earn a lucky ticketholder a charming, 171-squarefoot tiny house. The winner will be
determined with a drawing on June
1, 2016.
Tumbleweed Tiny House Company
donated the plans for the compact
structure (the company’s “Linden
20 Equator” model). It will soon be
under construction using volunteer
labor and donated materials.
When completed, the tiny house
will contain one bedroom, a sleeping
loft, a bathroom, a fully equipped
kitchen, a great room, a storage loft
and porch. The tiny house will be
mounted on a trailer and can easily
be moved from place to place.
Tiny houses have been gaining in popularity over the past 10 years. They’ve
been embraced by students on a budget, retired couples looking to downsize,
and those who value the environmental benefit of “living tiny.”
“Council on Aging is always looking for innovative ways to supplement other
funding sources for our programs serving at-risk seniors,” said Alyssa Kutzer,
development director of COA. “So we are excited to leverage this new revolution
in affordable housing as a fundraising opportunity,” Council on Aging plans to document stages in the construction process through
videos, blogs and social media so readers can view the progress.
To buy tickets, go to www.CouncilonAging.com/Tiny-House OR
Call 525-0143, extension 146
Dear Debra:
With the unexpected death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, the
pundits are already arguing about whether our President should nominate his
replacement. What does the Constitution say? Signed: Bill O’Right
Dear Bill,
First, let’s flash back to lessons learned in 5th grade and refresh ourselves
on the logic of the “three legged-stool”. The foundation of our government was
designed as a “checks and balances” system of three branches of government: 1)
The Executive Branch – President Barack Obama who leads and directs his Cabinet
and approximately 5 million federal employees; 2) the Legislative Branch, which
consists of two houses in DC – the Senate (with every state electing two senators
for a total of 100 elected Senators) and The House of Representatives (based on state
population, no more than 435 elected individuals); and 3) The federal court system,
which is comprised of approximately 600 federal district judges, 200 federal court of
appeal judges, and 9 U.S. Supreme Court Justices.
Now, when you add up all the federal court judges sitting on the bench, that is a
deep sea of black robes. When there is a vacancy at the federal district or appellate
level, the President appoints a replacement. Simple math dictates that the President
would be spending an inordinate amount of time making appointments at this
level, so as a practical matter, the Senators from that state make a recommendation
and the President typically follows that recommendation. The concept is termed
“senatorial courtesy” and it happens frequently without any press or hullabaloo,
except for maybe coverage in a local legal newspaper.
Federal judges, including the U.S. Supreme Court justices, are appointed for a
“life term”, so they can serve until the end of their career or life. Oddly enough,
even though our Constitution sets out certain qualifications for our President and
members of Congress, the Constitution is silent on qualifications for a U.S. Supreme
Court Judge.
Article Two of the US Constitution states in part that the President “shall
nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall
appoint…judges of the Supreme Court”. Hence, with the mandatory language
of “shall”, that is why many argue that it would be a dereliction of duty for the
President to not nominate a candidate, and/or for the Senate not to hold the
nomination hearing. One observer noted that when Justice Scalia died, President
Obama had 342 days remaining in his term. Plenty of time for a nomination. And
just as I am writing this article, the news hit the press that Obama nominated
Merrick B. Garland, a federal court of appeals judge in the District of Columbia,
for the U.S. Supreme Court.
The next step will be a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Before
1981 or so, the hearing process was relatively stream-lined and straight-forward,
with the nomination process being completed in about a month. Today, this process
is so politically charged, that Justice Garland should expect to be “grilled” at the
hearing for at least 20-plus hours. After the screening and recommendation by
the Committee, a simple majority vote by the 100 Senators is all that is required to
either confirm or reject the nominee.
Undoubtedly, the appointment is an important one, as it will set the “tone” for
the highest court in the land. Already the presidential debates are addressing issues
such as whether the Citizen’s United decision should be overruled. In essence, this
2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision gave corporations and unions the legal right to
contribute unlimited amounts of money (which some term “dark money”) to singlecandidate super PACs.
Interesting times. Indeed. Now is the time for all citizens to be involved in
local, state, and national politics. Whether it is attending a fundraiser for one of
the Sonoma County Board of Supervisor’s races, or keeping up with the platforms
espoused by the Presidential candidates, we all need to be awake. Yes, we may have
a difference of opinion on campaign finance reform, gay rights, or immigration
policies, but as Justice Charles Evans Hughes, former Chief Justice of the U.S
Supreme Court, quipped, “When we lose the right to be different, we lose the
privilege to be free”.
Debra A. Newby is a resident of Monte Rio and has practiced law for 34 years. She is a member of the California,
Texas and Sonoma County Bar Associations and currently maintains an active law office in Santa Rosa which
emphasizes personal injury law (bicycle/motorcycle/motor vehicle accidents, dog bites, trip and falls, etc.) and
expungements (clearing criminal records). Debra can be reached via email([email protected]), phone
(707-526-7200), or fax (526-7202).
Sonoma County Files Amicus
Brief in United States v. Texas
The Sonoma County Board of
Supervisors has joined a broad
coalition of cities and counties to file
a friend-of-the-court amicus brief with
the U.S. Supreme Court in United
States v. Texas, urging the Court to
overturn a lower court’s decision
and allow President Obama’s
executive action on immigration to
move forward. The brief, signed by
118 cities and counties representing
35 states, argues that the nationwide
injunction blocking implementation
of the President’s executive action on
immigration was erroneously entered
and should be reversed because it
places millions of families in our cities
and counties at economic and personal
risk.
“The impacts of our broken
immigration system are felt not only
nationally, but also at the local level,”
said Board of Supervisors Chair Efren
Carrillo. “Immigrants and their families contribute to the growth and vitality of
our community every single day.”
Friends-of-the-Court include 44 cities and counties located in states that
brought or support the lawsuit, including some of the largest municipalities
in Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Ohio, Utah, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Idaho.
Together, amici represent an estimated 55 million people, including over 15
million immigrants, more than 37% of the nation’s immigrant population. These
cities are also home to more than 1.5 million immigrant children and their parents
who are potentially eligible for relief under President Obama’s executive actions.
This is the fourth amicus brief to be filed by cities and counties, and the
momentum of support has grown with each step in litigation. At the district
court, over 30 signatories, at the 5th Circuit court of appeals, over 70 signatories,
at the petition stage to the Supreme Court, over 80 signatories, and this latest
brief represents 118 mayors and county leaders.
The brief demonstrates to the Court that the executive action will benefit cities
and counties by keeping families together, improving the safety and welfare of
all residents, increasing local tax revenue, and stimulating local economies.
Grand Opening Walks
Sat., April 23
Two walk times to choose
from: 8am and 10am. $10
donation requested. Preregistration required:
lagunafoundation.org.
Rohnert Park
Discover the Southern Laguna
By Christine Fontaine, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation
The southern reach of the Laguna de Santa Rosa was once a shallow
meandering stream home to a wide variety of plant and wildlife species. In
the 1970’s, a section of the Laguna just west of the intersection of Rohnert Park
Expressway and Stony Point Road was straightened and deepened to increase
flood protection to growing neighborhoods and businesses. Riparian and instream vegetation was also removed (via herbicide spraying from helicopters!)
at that time toward the goal of moving water out of the area, quickly. Very soon
it became obvious that those practices had negative effects on the ecosystem.
Sprouting trees & shrubs were then allowed to grow back in the channel but that
ended up facilitating sediment build-up and resulted in large areas of stagnant
water upstream, all suggesting a possible over correction!
Today, management practices aim to balance flood protection and ecosystem
function. In a 2008 cooperative grant application to the River Parkways Program
(Proposition 84), the Sonoma County Water Agency and the Laguna Foundation
proposed a project to improve flood control and water quality while enhancing
the natural ecological value of the area. Activities outlined in the proposal
incorporated sediment removal, improved in-stream vegetation management
practices, the construction of a low-flow summer channel, installation of native
vegetation, and increased public access to the area.
The Laguna Foundation’s contribution to the project included the restoration
of riparian and upper floodplain native vegetation along a 1.7 mile reach of the
Laguna utilizing more than 4,884 container plants and approximately 15,000
grass seedlings over 30 acres, plus the creation of six interpretive signs to inform
visitors walking on
the new trail of the
Laguna’s unique and
diverse environment
and the benefits of a
healthy ecosystem.
After seven years
and countless hours of
labor, the project has
come to completion,
and the results of
the work are already
beginning to show!
The over-all plant
survival rate is at 86%,
Monarch
Butterflies
have found the Narrow-leaf Milkweed, birds are utilizing the increased perch,
nest and forage opportunities, and the low-flow channel is hindering the spread
of invasive plant species.
A project completion celebration and grand opening of the trail will take
place April 23 but you can begin enjoying the 2-mile round-trip trail right away.
Bring binoculars and watch for Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Audubon’s Warbler and
Bushtits in the willow trees, White-crowned Sparrows along the trail, Say’s and
Black Phoebes in the open areas, plus Cooper’s, Red-tailed Hawks and Northern
Harriers over-head. Deepen your Laguna sense of place by getting to know this
area of the watershed now and watch it develop and flourish over time.
Preserving the Atascadero Wetlands
By Carol Benfell with Friends of Atascadero Wetlands, a neighborhood-based
environmental group with a focus on wetlands and their protection and preservation.
An historic county study now underway could help preserve wetlands along
Atascadero Creek, with the potential to restore a once-flourishing run of coho
salmon and improve groundwater supplies for homes and ranches.
The study, rescued from the dust bin with the help of Supervisor Efren
Carrillo, focuses on the wetlands – marshy areas surrounding Atascadero Creek
– in the area between Mill Station and Green Valley roads near Graton.
Wetlands are important
because of their many benefits:
They capture and hold creek
overflow during winter rains,
providing flood control. The
resulting ponds drain slowly
into the earth, recharging
groundwater used by wells.
They filter out sediment and
pollutants, improving water
quality in the
creek,
and
support dozens
of
species
of birds and
wildlife.
The goal of
the study is
to identify the
wetlands areas
and
support
their protection
by designating
them in the
General Plan,
the
county’s
blueprint
for
land use.
A wetlands designation
will also open the door to
funding from private and government sources for enhancing the wetlands and
improving the creek, so it is once again welcoming to salmon.
“The Atascadero-Green Valley wetland is a sensitive natural community
and a significant part of our fisheries ecosystem, providing critical habitat for
threatened salmon,” Carrillo said. “The expanded wetland designation initiated
by the County will ensure protections for this irreplaceable and incredibly
valuable natural resource.”
Atascadero Creek is nine miles long, from its headwaters in the hills near
Burnside Road to where it empties into Green Valley Creek, about two miles
northeast of Graton.
Friends of Atascadero Wetlands (FAW), a grassroots environmental group
based in Graton, has been working for the past dozen years to get the county to
provide better protection for the nearby wetlands.
During those years, there have been numerous activities that damaged
Atascadero Creek wetlands, including unpermitted trenching, draining, land
disturbance and vegetation removal. Salmon are no longer able to swim to the
headwaters where they used to spawn.
In 2015, a FAW member discovered a county minute order showing that in
1992 the Board of Supervisors had approved a wetlands study along Atascadero
Creek, which, for some reason, had never been funded or performed.
Anna Ransome of FAW presented the 1992 order to Carrillo, who championed
it before the Board of Supervisors. The study was reauthorized in November
2015, with funding of $20,000, and a report of the findings is expected in May.
“The importance of this riparian wetland system is that it contributes greatly
to the health and natural balance of Atascadero Creek,” Ransome said. “With less
than one percent of pre-settlement wetlands remaining in California, we have the
opportunity to save an important resource right in our backyard.”
Coho salmon are an endangered species, and other organizations are also
interested in restoring the Atascadero Creek salmon run.
UC Cooperative Extension is hoping to conduct snorkeling surveys for
endangered coho and steelhead in Atascadero Creek and its tributaries. The
Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District, based in Sebastopol, has recently
completed a draft watershed management plan for Green Valley Creek that
includes coho restoration.
By Sammy Nasr. Community Bikes Program Director
I was never a bicycle guy, until 2003, when our Sebastopol-based Car-Lite nonprofit group decided to open a bike shop. We did that for one main reason: To get
people out of their cars and onto bikes. After much research and a dose of common
sense, we realized that riding a bicycle instead of driving your car is one of the
easiest and most effective means to do something good for our environment.
We had urged people to walk, bike, take public transit and car pool. What we
realized is that, apart from recreational cyclists and a few hard-core commuters,
many people didn’t bike very much; for a few good reasons. A surprising one
was that many people had bicycles but they just were stored in the garage with a
flat tire or some other simple mechanical issue.
This is an easy problem to solve.
Safety is another concern that keeps people to not ride their bike as
transportation. The Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition (bikesonoma.org) is a
strong advocacy organization that lobbies our local governments for safer streets
for cyclists. Together with the Santa Rosa Cycling Club (SRCC.com) one can
learn to ride safely with traffic.
Last year Americans bought 19.6 million bicycles (about 105 million
worldwide). Bicycles, like all mechanical ‘machines’ need care and maintenance.
Not many people who own bikes know how to do that. Consequently many end
up unused. In addition to that, many of those 19.6 million are cheaply made bikes
that break down quickly, and contribute to the glut of un-useable bicycles.
This is a shame because the bicycle is one of the most efficient transportation
devices made. Zero energy, Zero carbon, Zero pollution, a lot faster than walking,
and can be very pleasureful.
Cities such as Portland, Boulder, Davis and others that have invested in their
bicycle infrastructure have proven that this investment has paid off considerably
in the form of less traffic, less pollution, and a more livable city. I have cycled in
those cities and I hope that every community one day will be like that. In Europe
and Asia, particularly, bicycle riding has a long history that sets a high standard
for us to follow.
Community Bikes has been around for thirteen years; ten at our location at 4009
Sebastopol Road in Santa Rosa. This Earth Day, Sunday, April 24th, from
11 to 4, we are having a re-Open House Celebration to show off our
updated repair shop and showroom. There will be tours, presentations,
demonstrations and, of course refreshments. All are invited. On other weekends, one can bring in their bike for simple tune-up help. We
sell bikes at low cost and we give away bikes to many partner groups. As an
example, we recently gave nearly 100 bikes to the Valley Fire victims.
Please join us, and, come on your bike if you can.
Community Resilience Challenge
By Susan Price
Resilience is a word that we are hearing more and more often, and as Daily
Acts gears up to celebrate the launch of the annual Community Resilience
Challenge, we want to tell a story about what community resilience can look like.
On a sunny day, a woman was working from her home office. Running a load
of laundry while working, she took the wet clothes out of the washing machine
and had a momentary impulse to use her convenient dryer rather than the
clothesline. Remembering what a warm day it was, she hauled the wet clothes to
the yard and hurriedly started hanging the clothes on the clothesline so she could
get back to work. Suddenly, she was struck with the words of Eckhart Tolle who
said “Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it.
Always work with it, not against it.” She stopped, took a deep breath, and started
to think of all the things she was grateful for. As soon as she flicked the gratitude
switch on, she stopped noticing the time it took to hang each piece of laundry.
It was just her, the blue sky, the laundry and her gratitude. Unexpectedly, what
had seemed a burden, became a gift.
Oftentimes, community resilience is about slowing down. It’s about getting
to know your neighbor, walking or cycling instead of driving, weeding by hand
instead of spraying, hanging your clothes in the sunshine… What choices can
you make to build resilience in your life? Where can you slow down? Where can
you remove the cultural filters of fast and convenient and focus on choices that
make life rich and abundant?
Each moment that we have on this precious planet is a gift, and every choice
you make matters. YOU get to choose how you show up. You can choose to cook
a healthy meal that will nourish you; replant vegetables in your garden each
year; install drip irrigation to save time, money and water; and give time to the
relationships that matter most (including your relationship with yourself). When
you make choices that serve you and your values, you grow more resilient.
Every choice we make also affects the entire interconnected web of life… so
your positive choices also grow your family, your neighbors, your friends, your
environment, your co-workers, and your community more resilient.
The Community Resilience Challenge asks us to prioritize our ‘to-do’ list by
focusing on the choices that enrich our lives while saving water, growing food,
conserving energy, reducing waste, and building community. By participating
in the Challenge and committing to take action, you will be helping to make our
communities stronger, healthier and more connected. We’ve even come up with
a list of suggested actions to get you started, such as hosting a potluck, planting
a fruit tree, going organic in your garden, harvesting rainwater, and yes, using a
clothesline. To find out more visit dailyacts.org/crc.
The Community Resilience Challenge runs from mid-March through May
2016 and is now in its 7th year! Since 2010, the Challenge has inspired over 5,000
people to register 22,949 sustainability actions in Sonoma County. Participants
CHALLENGE cont’d on page 17
CHALLENGE cont’d from page 16
register their actions online at www.dailyacts.org and all actions are aggregated
on a map to build a picture of the growing resilience movement. Together, we
can rise to the many challenges that our communities are facing. Together, we
can make a real difference.
Please join us for a celebration to
launch the 2016 Community Resilience
Challenge on Thursday March 24th,
2016 from 6pm-8pm at the Cavanaugh
Community Center, 426 8th Street,
Petaluma. Share local refreshments,
enjoy a garden tour, experience a homegrown demonstration, connect with
like-minded people, and get inspired.
Contact Susan Price at susan@dailyacts.
org to get involved.
Check out our Rockin’ Homestead
tours in Cotati, Petaluma and Windsor
on April 30, 2016, which are being
offered as part of the Sonoma County
Water Agency’s Eco-Friendly Garden
Tour. Learn more at dailyacts.org.
By Tiffany Renée
What is Hugelkultur?
Hugelkultur – sounds like hoo-gull, loosely translated as “hill culture” from
German – is an integrated model for a garden because it works at any scale to
create solutions. You can design a hugelkultur raised garden bed equally well
into a small backyard space or something more expansive.
Benefits
The advantage of a hugelkultur bed is many-fold. It provides a more three
dimensional canvas for growing food, so you’re able to take advantage of both
horizontal and vertical space. And, because it’s built on a foundation of logs,
twigs, and organic matter (detailed below), it helps retain water and build organic
matter back into the soil as the foundation decomposes.
Step 1: Plan & Design Your Hugelkultur Raised Garden Bed Project
Build Fertile Spoil with Compost & Mulch
The most important part of the garden is the soil. Nutrient-rich, loamy soil
produces healthy, productive plants. April 7th, meeting of the Valley of the
Moon Garden Club will present two experts on building fertile soil and where
to acquire the materials to make it.
Tom Shearer is Operations Director for
Soiland, the parent company of Stoney Point
Rock Quarry, Soils Plus, and Grab N’ Grow,
a premium producer of organic compost
and mulches. He will bring samples of their
organic compost and a variety of plant and
path mulches and speak of their value in
gardening. Several Grab N’ Grow products
are available at Soils Plus, the landscape
materials yard near the local transfer station
on Stage Gulch Road near Sonoma.
David Bailey is part of the team at Mass Wiggle, a company in Petaluma
that produces worm castings, one of the building blocks for fertile soil. Mass
Wiggle is a newcomer to the eco-friendly fertilizer world. Started two years ago
by heavy construction veteran Glen Ghilotti, he assembled dairy owner Don
Silacci, master mechanic Steve Kaehler, and advertising professional Dave
Bailey to create one of the largest worm farms in the United States.
Mass Wiggle takes dairy manure and feeds it to worms and the worms create
castings (nice way to say worm poop). CalRecycle says this about the material:
“Worm castings are considered by many in horticulture to be the very best
soil amendment available.” (CalRecycle website 2014) Mass Wiggle works
with various local wineries, nurseries, and is happiest to work directly with
gardeners!
Both speakers will bring samples and tell how to obtain their company’s
materials, whether by bag, bucket, truck or delivery. The meeting starts at 6:30
at the Sonoma Veterans’ Memorial Building at 126 W. First Street, Sonoma. The
public is welcome. Members are free, guests are $5. Refreshments and raffle to
follow the meeting. INFO: 707/935-8986
.
First things, first. You’ll want to define the amount of growing space you want
to take on and space map where the hugelkultur will go. Is it 100 square feet or
something more ambitious? You’ll want to prep the space.
It’s a good practice to sketch your space plan and get to know the landscape of
your hugelkultur project. What is the path that the sun follows in the sky relative
to your space? Where are the slopes and contours where water might travel and
collect? How can you create a hugelkultur shape that slows, sinks, and spreads
water during the wet months?
You’ll also want to game plan your plantings, factoring in size of the mature
plants, companion plantings, sun and water requirements, etc.
Step 2: Gather Woody Bits
Logs, branches, and twigs are the core foundation of a hugelkultur bed. Rural
neighbors and farmers are a great source of free logs and other woody bits.
Keep an eye out for other landscape removal projects where you could keep that
biomass from going to the landfill. Use the logs and branches to create a shape
that works with the contours and slope of your site and will help to capture water
instead of letting it run into the street.
Step 3: Prep Your Space
Clear away debris, rocks,
large weeds, etc – pretty much
everything except grass, small
weeds, and earth. You can sheet
mulch any existing grass and
weeds underneath and around
your hugel. Less work is more
fun. Let the cardboard do the
work.
Step 4: Build
Foundation
the
Lay down a spine of large
logs, end to end, along the
length of your space. Add logs
perpendicular to any slopes
where rainfall will flow, so
you can plan to slow, sink, and
spread water. For added water
capture, dig a small trench to lay
the wood on contour to capture
water running downhill.
HUGELKULTUR cont’d on page 21
HUGELKULTUR cont’d from page 20
Step 5: Add Cardboard
Nitrogen Fixers
If you’re familiar with sheet mulching – laying
down sheets of cardboard to convert your grass or
weeds to drought tolerant plantings or food forest
– the same idea applies here. Place cardboard
along either side of the logs – as wide as you plan
the hugelkulture bed to be – to block unwanted
weed growth. No need to put cardboard under
the hugel. It will be deep enough to block any
weeds beneath it.
Step 6: Weave in Branches and Twigs
Next, weave twigs and other woody bits on
either side of the logs to form a sort of pyramid.
It’s important to make the weave pretty tight, to
reduce the amount of compost you need to layer
on top.
Step 7: Bring on the Soil!
Pollinator Plants
Compost provides a lasting, nutrient-rich base
for your garden. We use a biodynamic variety,
for maximum microbes and organic matter.
And we added mycorrhiza to increase our fungi
networking. We used about 10 yards of compost
for our full T-shaped hugel project, including the
rings around the trees.
Step 8: Add Plants to Your Hugelkultur
Raised Garden Bed
Deep Rooted Plants
Add plants! Remember your space plan/sketch,
path of the sun, path of water, etc. Compost can
be pretty nitrogen-rich, so we recommend adding
a little soil amendment around the roots of your
seedlings. Since you’re planting on a vertical
surface, shape little swales above each planting to
help capture and sink water.
A Note About Water
Repellers
Mulchers
Suppressors
During the wet months, your hugelkultur bed
will trap and retain water. The buried wood will
soak in the water. If you’ve shaped your hugel
to the slope and contours, it’ll capture, slow, and
sink rainwater runoff. During the dry months, we
recommend a drip irrigation system on a timer.
Less work is more fun.
That’s it! A hugel installation is a fun project for
the whole family that will yield a bounty of food
for you for years to come.
To view the whole project visit 8thnbee.com/
design-hugelkultur-raised-garden-bed/.
A PLANT GUILD - the plants illustrated
on the left - are a combinaiton of 3 or
more plants which mirror the qualities
of an ecosystem, producing food,
building soil health, and providing
food for pollinators.
For a list of plants included in this
guild, please visit 8THNBEE.COM
The first Latina elected Petaluma City Council (2009-2013),
Tiffany Renée holds a Permaculture Design Certificate
taught by Toby Hemenway and Daily Acts, an MA from
California Institute of Integral Studies with a focus in
Integral Ecology, and a BA in Women’s Studies from Mills
College. Renée is President of the Petaluma Grange, and is
a beekeeper – studying under Ettamarie Peterson and Serge
Labesque. She is a 2007 Fellow of the Leadership Institute
for Ecology and Economy. She frequently speaks on Local
Economy and Regenerative Businesses
Petaluma Adobe’s Sheep Shearing Day April 9
How does wool come off sheep? How does raw wool turn into yarn? Come
to the Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on
Saturday, April 9th and find out! The famous Adobe sheep will be losing their
heavy winter coats under the expert guidance of shearer John Sanchez. After
the sheep are sheared, you can have fun learning the first steps to a sweater,
turning the raw wool into yarn. Volunteers will teach how to card and drop spin
wool as rancho workers would have in the 1830’s. Docents will be on site to give
guided tours, so bring a picnic and spend the day at the Petaluma Adobe State
Historic Park.
The Petaluma Adobe served as the headquarters for General Mariano
Guadalupe Vallejo’s 66,000 acre cattle rancho from 1836 to 1846. Over 3,000
sheep were raised during that time and sheep shearing was a necessary part of
rancho life. The wool was turned into clothing, blankets and rugs and sent out
to trade ships.
The Petaluma Adobe sheep are sheared annually in spring and their wool is
used in the hands-on Environmental Living Program. Please see petalumaadobe.
com for more information about the Environmental Living Program and school
tours. Admission: $3 adults 18 and older, children 6 to 17 are $2, 5 and under are
free. Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park, 3325 Adobe Road, Petaluma
Spring into Nature
With No Place to Call Home
A TripThrough My Sonoma County
April 15 through May 1
Sebastopol Center for the Arts (SCA) presents a gigantic art installation
of more than 500 art pieces created by students from local Sonoma County
elementary schools in grades 1-8. The three volunteer coordinators of this
exhibition Natalie Boothe, Sally Briggs, and Angela Sturr, worked relentless
for months: contacted the teachers, took hundreds of leaflets to schools, and
worked within the classrooms to bring to the show the most extraordinary work.
The gallery will be filled with hundreds of paintings, drawings and sculptures
representing the Magical Nature that surrounds us.
See the world through children’s eyes; luscious landscapes, rivers and
oceans, flowers and trees, crazy birds made out of gourds, sculptures of
sheep in a pen, colorful flags strung from the gallery ceilings.
“It will be an extremely joyful and powerful display like we have never had before.
Compared to the average art exhibition where every piece of art receives a specific place
and space this show is an art installation, a display where “the whole” becomes more
than its parts” says Catherine Devriese, Visual Arts Director.
The show will be celebrated on Sunday April 24 between 2 and 4 pm
during a special afternoon with art activities for the young talent, their
parents, family and friends.
SCA believes in the importance of bringing youth into galleries. Young
people’s creativity and interest in the arts needs to be nourished and supported.
By showing elementary school work in the main gallery which has been voted
best gallery three consecutive times, we want to reinforce the message that the
youngest talent deserves a big place.
Led by teacher Jenny Sortino (Parkside), the 25 children visit the gallery on
a regular basis. It is wonderful to watch the 7-8 year old investigate the shows
and understand or discuss with ease the concepts of i.e. color, mood, line and
shape. Walking out of the gallery during their last visit they waved to our gallery
assistant and said proudly, “Next time OUR paintings will be on the wall!”
By creating this art installation SCA also aims at building a strong relationship
with local teachers. Any schools not participating this year are invited to be part
of this show next year. Expect to be wowed by this very diverse and creative
reflection on Sonoma County as seen by the young artists of our community.
Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 S High St, Sebastopol sebarts.org (707) 829-4797
“With No Place To Call Home: Perspectives on Homelessness”
is dedicated to the memory of Patricia Gilson, a homeless woman who died alone
in a Healdsburg public restroom. The exhibit takes place at the Paul Mahder
Gallery, 222 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg from May 14 through May
26. The opening reception is Saturday, May 14, from 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm. The
documentary will be screened through Healdsburg Flix Mix at the Paul Mahder
Gallery on Friday, May 20, and Saturday May 21, at 8:00 pm. Admission is free
to all events. Please join our Facebook page at North Sonoma County Services. For
more information, visit NorthSonomaCountyServices.com or call 707/433-6161.
By Harvey Brody
After the 60s and 70s, my social activism went dormant: the marches against the
war in Vietnam, the demonstrations against racism and its many manifestations
in housing, voting rights, hiring practices, and education and opportunities in
general. Although I never lost my outrage against the exploiters for the greed
and the inequalities they promoted and engendered, I stopped being an activist
in order to pursue a life as an artist.
How serendipitous that I recently met Colleen Householder, the Executive
Director for North Sonoma County Services, a homeless services nonprofit.
She had some drawings and paintings by a third grade class on the topic of
homelessness and was looking for a place to display them. Up to that point, my
knowledge about homelessness and its causes were almost nonexistent. These
paintings and drawings told me much about the emotional story: how the unhomeless wanted to keep the homeless invisible (remember Ralph Ellison’s
Invisible Man?), how being homeless compromised a person’s dignity and
health, how families with children were being evicted from their rental homes.
Art by third graders had impassioned my social activism again! It moved me
to say to Colleen that this artwork is a powerful tool we can use to educate the
children of Healdsburg and through them, the adults, too. Thus was born the
concept of “With No Place To Call Home: Perspectives on Homelessness,” an
exhibit of artwork by Healdsburg school children.
How great is the phenomenon of seeing something for the first time! Once
a subject pierces your consciousness it is impossible to avoid. That’s how it’s
been with homelessness. Now, so many conversations I have reveal people’s
experiences with it – a family member or themselves, artist friends only a couple
of months from eviction, couch-surfing, living in their cars. Every day brings
new articles about homeless individuals and families, and about creative ways to
help alleviate their suffering.
I accompany Colleen, and Rick Cafferata, the NSCS homeless services
coordinator, to talk to Healdsburg’s elementary, junior high and high school
students. They both have tragic stories to tell; Rick with his own battles of drug
use and homelessness, and Colleen with the loss of her two brothers. Following
them is like trying to follow Robin Williams at a stand-up comedy night. By
contrast, I’ve led a charmed life and so probably have many of the students. It’s a
lot of difficult information. My message is simple: through expressions of art we
can make connections, we can sympathize, empathize and understand. We can
send messages of hope to those who have lost hope, we can dignify those who
have lost their dignity, and let them know that they are seen, that they are heard.
Over the last several months other impassioned people have also joined
our efforts. Three Healdsburg photographers, Sue Nelson, Gail Ginder and
Pamela Moulton, have been interviewing and photographing some homeless
individuals. Their collection of black and white photographs, which put
together faces and individual stories that counteract the stereotypes often held
and generalizations often made about the homeless, will be included in the
exhibit. Marcus Cano, a Healdsburg High School film student, is filming the
process and his documentary will be included as part of the exhibit. As another
way to bring dignity and hope to this invisible community, we have invited any
homeless person to come to the Healdsburg Library on Thursdays to make art.
We provide them with art materials so they can participate and be represented
in the exhibit. April 7 is our last scheduled session though we hope to find
funding to keep this program going.
Go Green
Celebrating Our Precious Earth
By Kathleen McCallum
Sonoma County is known for both scenery and greenery and Montgomery
Village will go green celebrating the importance of taking care of our precious
earth at it’s annual Day on the Green at the Village, Saturday April 30 from
11a.m -4p.m. We are committed to the concept that we all have a roll to play in
promoting active stewardship of our planet so come down and celebrate Earth
Day the Artists way!
Join in this community tradition to learn about sustainable products and
services, meet area non-profits that share Earth Day values, catch renowned
musical acts and performance art, participate in a number of hands-on art
activities. Award winning Artisans will have an Art Show and Sale Juried
by Sandy Erickson and Danielle Elins of the Erickson Fine Arts Gallery in
Healdsburg, The 2016-Day on the Green Lifetime Achievement Award will
honor Ruth Cardin.
Live Music
Sarah Baker and Mona
Gnader kick off the
festival with music from
the Wa Girls followed
by Sarah Baker and the
Cake, bringing you some
of the most talented and
experienced musicians in
the Bay Area Scene that
features Sarah Baker, Levi
Lloyd, Gary Silva, and Tim Haggerty. These seasoned players have rocked
houses all over the world in genres of blues, rock, soul and funk, creating a
feast for the ears!
Live Art Workshops and Demonstrations
Some exciting additions to the festival this year are live art workshops and
demonstrations. We are offering a step-by-step watercolor painting workshop
by Master Painter Robert Benson at the festival. Robert came to Northern
California in 2001 from
Colorado where he was
a successful art director
and graphic designer for
25 years. You can learn
how to create realistic
landscapes from a master!
His class will take place
from 12-2 in Village Court.
Space is limited so contact
Kathleen McCallum to sign
up at [email protected]. The
workshop price is $40.
Well known book illustrator and author
Teri Sloat will be doing a pastel painting
demonstration, plein air painter Sterling
Hoffmann will be painting from a live
model and Dom Chi will be doing an
airbrush demonstration. Dom’s art speaks
of organic change, powerful Mother
Nature, death and rebirth, to name only a
few themes that illuminate his creations.
While most of Don Chi’s year is spent on
commissions and design work, painting
large murals has been his latest endeavor like this one he painted at the
Cooperage Brewing Company in Santa Rosa.
Kid FUN & Good Cause Benefit
In our Kids Area, you’ll find, free henna painting and hands on activities
for children of all ages intended to educate, entertain and inspire in the spirit
of the Earth Day. Beverage Proceeds benefit Food for Thought who will be
collecting peanut butter and jelly to help those in need.
Admission is FREE.
Montgomery Village Shopping Center, Farmers Lane at
Sonoma Ave in Santa Rosa. INFO: Kathleen McCallum: [email protected].
Schools Prepare for SBAC Testing
Low-Interest Loans for Teacher Interns
The North Coast School of Education has teamed up with Community First
Credit Union to offer low-interest loans that will cover nearly all the tuition costs
of future teachers who are enrolled in an innovative teacher-intern program.
In order to address a statewide teaching crisis and provide more local training
options for future educators, Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) created
the North Coast School of Education (NCSOE) in the fall of 2015. The NCSOE
launched an innovative “Be a Teacher” intern program in January of 2016. The
intern program is designed to prepare teacher-interns for working in classrooms
as paid teachers after completing certain prerequisites and 160 hours of initial
training. The new loan program, will award up to two loans of $4,250 each to
interns enrolled in the program who have received an offer of employment at
a local school or school district. The loan rate will be locked at 4.29 percent, the
same as the Stafford loan rate.
“Helping schools, teachers and students is our roots. After all, we were founded
by seven Sonoma County teachers in 1961 as the Sonoma County Schools Credit
Union. Today, Community First offers 0% agriculture loans to local students, a
youth deposit account that pays up to 7.07% – our local area code – and we’ve
conducted 150 in-class financial literacy presentations to local students,” said
Todd Sheffield, CEO of Community First. “When SCOE asked for our help with
its innovative teacher-intern program we were only too happy to lend a hand
with a low-cost, flexible loan.” An application, can be found at comfirstcu.org.
Many students in our county will be taking the second round of Smarter
Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) tests this April and May. You may be
wondering what this means for your child. Here are some important things to
keep in mind as schools continue transitioning to new standards and testing
models.
• For the second year, this spring students in grades three through eight and
eleven will take an assessment to measure their progress in learning English
language arts (ELA) and mathematics through the relatively new California
Common Core State Standards.
• This test is an academic check-up, designed to guide discussions among parents
and teachers and help teachers and schools adjust instruction to meet student
needs. It is just one of the many ways student learning is measured in schools.
These scores will not be used to determine class placement.
• The SBAC test should not be compared to the old California Standardized
Testing and Reporting (STAR) exam because it measures a different set of
skills and knowledge.
• You can expect to see your student’s scores in the late summer or early fall.
These scores can provide a great basis for conversations with your child’s
teacher about his or her goals for the year.
The SBAC is meant to help teachers measure student success and adjust
their instruction as needed. The test not only emphasizes subject knowledge,
but the critical thinking, analytical writing, and problem-solving skills our
students need to be successful in college and career in the 21st century. For more
information, visit scoe.org/sbac.
Steven D. Herrington, Ph.D.
Steven Herrington is Sonoma County’s superintendent of schools.
Investing in our Future:
Closing the Word Gap
By Assemblymember Bill Dodd
This month marks the start of Spring, which embodies new growth and presents
us with an excellent opportunity to reflect on our growth as a community. Over
the last year, we’ve been able to make meaningful progress in California in a
number of areas, including creating some of the toughest equal pay laws in the
country and supporting education, but there is still much work to be done. As
I look ahead, I see closing the word gap as one of our greatest challenges and
greatest opportunities.
Studies have shown that when a child enters kindergarten knowing 20,000
words, their odds of academic success and high school graduation are significantly
improved. Unfortunately, children coming from low-income households are
likely to know only about 2,000 words and will have heard a staggering 30
million fewer words by the time they reach kindergarten. This disparity is what’s
known as the word gap.
This gap has a ripple effect on our entire society. Children who enter
kindergarten knowing 20,000 words are exponentially more likely to graduate
high school, attend college, and have higher incomes as adults. These children
are also less likely to become a teen parent or be involved in the criminal justice
system.
We know the stakes are high, but we also know that we can close the word gap by
investing in early childhood education. That’s why I fought alongside education
advocates to expand preschool slots during last year’s budget negotiations, and
we increased investments in early learning and child development by more
than $265 million. However, thousands of students still lack affordable access
to quality preschool, and we must continue to develop and support innovative
programs.
If we can reduce the word gap in California, we will see tremendous and lasting
long-term benefits. For every dollar spent on early childhood education, the state
of California saves seven dollars on future interventions. Closing the word gap is
what’s right for our children, what’s right for our economy, and what’s right for
our future. Rarely are the benefits of investments so clear and so striking.
As a father and grandfather, I’ve seen firsthand how much children love to
learn, and investing in early childhood education can empower them to realize
their full potential. When I look at my grandchildren, I can’t help but think of my
duty to provide a vibrant future to our next generation. I firmly believe that the
best way to ensure this future is by eliminating the word gap.
I will continue working collaboratively with my peers in the legislature to help
close the word gap. We can also help close the gap by reading with a child in our
life. As the next generation embarks on the road to their future, we need to ensure
they are prepared to read the signs along the way.
Assemblymember Bill Dodd represents the 4th Assembly District, which includes all or
portions of Sonoma, Napa, Lake, Solano, Yolo and Colusa Counties. You can learn more
about Assemblymember Dodd at www.asm.ca.gov/dodd.
The Bees Knees
By Ron Skaar
Since the dinosaur era, insects have been intricately involved in pollination.
The first fossil record of bees dates back to 50 million years ago, with their
socialization occurring half way thru that time.
Nearly all fruits and seed plants are part of the wide variety, including conebearing fauna like pine trees, which need to be pollinated. Flowering plants
produce breathable oxygen by using the carbon dioxide formed when plants
and animals respire. Pollination is key to these plants reproduction which in
turn helps clean the “earth’s lungs”. Most of the 200,000 varieties of animals
responsible for cross-fertilization are insects.
Butterflies, moths, flies, ants, beetles, wasps and especially bees are attracted
to those plants which have developed colored petals and strong scents. Most
fruit crops require pollination, including citrus, apples, pears, plums, cherry’s,
cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and strawberries. Proper
pollination increases the size, quantity and quality of these fruits.
The bees native to the Western Hemisphere were exclusively tropical. In 1625,
European colonization changed that dramatically, by introducing the honey
bee. Native Americans believed this insect was a premonition of the white
settlers. Common honey bees were the only bees whose colonies could readily
be moved about from farm yard to farm yard.
For several thousands of years, humans have kept bees for their honey
production. The bee is far more important for carrying pollen from one flower
to another and is the world’s most prolific pollinator. It would be a very
different place if plants had not been shaped thru the bees cross pollination.
According to the American Institute of Biological Sciences, pollination
produces $40 billion worth of products annually and is responsible for 1/3 of
all the food we eat! The largest managed pollination event takes place in the
California almond orchards. Each spring nearly one million hives of honey
bees are trucked into those fields. The Maine blueberry crop requires 50,000
hives, the New York apple crop needs 30,000 hives.
Native bees fly in a lower temperature and
under cloudy weather unlike the honey bee.
The blue orchard bee and bumblebee are extraordinarily efficient. Their
devotion to one type of flower and their long hair keep the sticky masses of
pollen secure. Only three hundred of these bees are needed per acre, compared
to thousands of honey bees.
Closeness to forest or wild grasslands with native pollinators can improve a
crops yield by 20 %. Create habitats for native bees in wood lands, overgrown
ditches, grasslands around crops and with underground nesting boxes. They’ll
need access to clean water,
mud and waxy leaves for
nesting material plus flowers
with a quality nectar and
pollen source. Try planting
willow or elderberry in spring
and aster or goldenrod in the
fall. In essence, native bees
need a plot of land that has
been left un-manipulated.
Honey is one of those
almost perfect foods. This
recipe combines the bee
nectar paired with one of
the fruit flowers it likes to
buzz, oranges. It’s simple yet
sumptuous.
Photo by Jon Russo
ORANGES WITH ROSEMARY-INFUSED HONEY
• 1 rosemary sprig, needles striped, stem discarded
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
• ¼ cup water
• 10 mixed oranges, such as naval, blood and Cara Cara
• Salt
Using a pestle, lightly bruise the rosemary needles. In saucepan, warm
the honey, water and rosemary over moderately low heat for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and let stand 30 minutes. Meanwhile, using a sharp
knife, peel the oranges, removing all the bitter white pith. Cut oranges
crosswise into 1/4 –inch slices. Season them with salt and toss with some
of the infused honey. Serve additional honey alongside. 10 servings.
Earth Day reflections on recycling.
In 1970, I went to the first ever Earth Day event in Laguna Beach. I was
excited by the emphasis on recycling. Growing up during World War II, I’d
learned to save just about everything! But after the war, no one really seemed
to have any use for the bottles, cans, papers, etc. that we saved. There was one
place that took newspapers when I was a kid, and I used to go around with my
wagon and collect them from the neighbors to earn a little money. But there
were no recycling centers, no curbside recycling, and most of what I saved just
piled up. Finally, someone wanted it!
We’ve come a long way in the latest 45+ years, but while we recycle a lot,
we send more and more to landfills each year. Partly this is because there
are so many more of us, but the fact is we buy more and more goods that are
“disposable” or have “disposable” packaging.
A case in point is disposable diapers.
I had my two-month old son with me at that first Earth Day. Disposable
diapers were just becoming popular, and they were wonderful for trips and
times away from home. For the rest of the time we washed and dried cloth
diapers – or if we were lucky we had diaper service. In 1970 0.3% of municipal
waste was made up of disposable diapers (350,000 tons). Today they represent
about 4% of solid waste, the third largest single consumer item in landfills. For
a family with a child in diapers, disposables make up 50% of household waste;
and 95% of American babies wear them. Today 3.5 million tons of them go to
landfills each year, where it takes from 250-500 for them years to decompose.
Meanwhile they contribute millions of tons of untreated sewage to the landfill,
which can contaminate the water table and threaten wildlife and the ecosystem
as a whole.
In addition to the disposal problem, these diapers are very environmentally
costly, using 250,00 trees each year – not to mention financially expensive.
Diapers for just one baby require 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum
feedstocks, and 20 pounds of chlorine each year. Contrary to the common
belief that using disposable diapers saves water, the manufacture and use of
disposable diapers wastes 2.3 times more water that cloth diapers do.
Not just diapers—how about water?
Water in plastic bottles will be the top packaged beverage in 2016. The US
is the largest consumer market for bottled water in the world, with about 167
bottles sold for each person. However, only 23% of those will be recycled; the
rest will end up in landfills, or, more likely, in the ocean. It is estimated that by
2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. It can take up to 1,000
years for plastic to decompose, potentially leaking pollutants into the soil and
water. An estimated 100 million tons of plastic debris (not all of it from water
bottles) is floating in the ocean, where it breaks down into tiny pieces which are
ingested by marine life – often resulting in their death. These tiny pieces retain
the pollutants that were in the plastic, which we then ingest when we eat fish
and other forms of sea food.
Even better than recycling.
Precycling is thinking ahead before buying something about whether it will
need to be disposed of and how. This can be as important as thinking of what it
cost the environment to make it in the first place. We can make good choices for
how we spend our money – and often, it will cost us a good deal less to make
the environmentally sound choice. For instance, bottled water can cost more
than 300 times what tap water does (and it is often just tap water anyway).
Finding creative ways to repurpose items is upcycling. Often we can do this
at home. Sometimes it is done by companies such as Patagonia which began
making polyester clothing from recycled soda bottles in 1993. Today, they also
recycle unusable manufacturing waste and worn-out garments (including
Patagonia brand) into polyester fibers to produce clothing.
© Tish Levee, 2016
A
The Paucity of Leadership
ctually, these are pretty astounding times we live in. I am reeling from
the sheer audacity of our political and corporate leaderships’ consistent
prioritization of politics and profit over human health.
As I write this, I am reading “A Reckless Investigation in the
House,” (Press Democrat, February 22, 2016) about Congress pursuing
investigations into Planned Parenthood after multiple courts and congressional
committees have found no wrong-doing. Planned Parenthood is a major
provider of primary care and contraception in this country, especially in areas
where there are few other providers.
My direct experience as a doctor is that many formerly uninsured people
now have care due to the Affordable Care Act. Although some people have
seen insurance prices go up, overall we recognize a huge benefit for the
community at large. Surprisingly, nearly half of all states are refusing to
accept Federal funds to expand Medicaid. They are so locked into the politics
of ‘Obamacare’ that they are willing to leave nearly 4.3 million of their own
people uninsured.
As has been heavily reported, the drinking water supply in Flint, Michigan
was contaminated by lead due to some cost-saving measures enacted by city
managers. Even when the threats to health were recognized, no action was
taken for months.
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, one of the largest drug-manufacturing corporations
in the world, aims to buy an Irish drug company for an estimated $155 billion in
order to relocate their headquarters and avoid paying US taxes. A major reason
put forth by the pharmaceutical companies for high drug prices in the US is the
need for research and development. A recent study by Reuters found that in
the top 20 drugs sold, US retail prices were on average 3 times that of those in
Britain. When the company leaves town, will the prices go down?
One of the most outrageous recent pharmaceutical exposes had to do with
Turing Pharmaceuticals which bought the rights to an old drug used by some
cancer and AIDS patients and then raised the price from $13 to $750 per pill.
Climate change will almost certainly become the most complex and
devastating health challenge for much of the world’s population in the coming
years. Drought, infectious diseases (like Zika), severe weather events, and food
insecurity are only a hint of what may be to come.
Volkswagen recently got caught falsifying records about emissions in their
diesel cars – advertised for years as a very green solution for transportation.
They were found to have knowingly misled the public, leading to illegal levels
of toxic emissions.
Probably the biggest scandal of all is the currently unfolding expose
of Exxon’s scientific recognition of climate change back in the 1980s. Bill
McKibben, author and environmentalist, reports that investigations by the LA
Times show that Exxon’s scientists and management knew and accepted the
science behind the link between burning fossil fuels, carbon release, and climate
instability, as early as 1980. Exxon even made business decisions based on this
information (raising drilling platforms to prepare for rising seas, leasing in the
Arctic for future drilling rights as warming makes previously inaccessible sites
available).
Despite this understanding, Exxon proceeded to do what it could to confuse
the national discussion about climate change and has been instrumental in
funding climate deniers and gumming up the political process.
Now comes the clincher. Climate scientists agree that more reserves of fossil
fuels have been identified that can ever be burned if we hope to keep the
climate in recognizable ranges. Yet Exxon continues to spend $4 million a day
looking for new sources of hydrocarbons.
Think about the implications about this. If even a portion of that money
was going into creating infrastructure in our country and working towards
renewables, we could be well on the way to meeting the goals of limiting
carbon emissions that were put forth at the recent climate conference. Yet this
company, one of the richest in the history of the world, has spent the last 25
years putting confusing messages into the public, leading to lost opportunities,
raising temperatures, and untold misery for millions of people.
Where is the leadership to put the health of people and future generations
over profits?
Allergy Season:
Self-help for Lungs!
By Batja Cates
Now that allergy season is upon us, as well as tax season, I am finally writing
the Article I have contemplated every time I am confronted with an asthma/
allergy or other pulmonary sufferer.
What tax season has to do with this is that I will do anything to procrastinate
working on my taxes so here I am at last sitting down to write.
I am a retired reflexologist, (mostly medical) massage therapist and imaginal
guidance coach. I practiced privately in New York City for 30 years and created
and taught the first postgraduate Reflexology course at the Swedish Institute
of Massage, the only New York State licensed massage school. I also trained
reflexologists and massage therapists privately.
Through physician clients,
I became a medical consultant
and colleague in the care of
the seriously ill. As a result, I
often accompanied clients to
the hospital.
On one such occasion, I
was massaging the hand of a
patient with what turned out
to be terminal lung cancer
when he noticeably began to
breathe more deeply. He was
wearing a resipirator and
struggling for breath.
On returning home I went
through every pressure point
book I had, including Chinese acupressure, looking for the place I had massaged.
In the last book, on Japanese Shiatsu, I found it. It was the point for “oxygenating
the lungs.”
Since then, I have stopped asthma attacks with this very simple easy to apply
pressure technique. It is effective with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease), as evidenced in the pulmonary oncologist of a friend of mine who
started coughing whenever he had to give a patient bad news. It works with
emphysema, bronchitis, anything affecting the lungs.
I recently offered it to a friend who stopped smoking and wanted to heal her
lungs. I believe it is also a very relaxing way to encourage anyone to inhale deeply.
I am convinced that if asthmatics regularly apply this simple massage they
will prevent attacks. After all, if it can stop an attack, surely it can prevent one by
keeping the airways open and oxygenated.
How to apply Self-Treatment for Asthma and
other Respiratory congestion
Turn you hands palm up. Look at the fleshy part where your thumb connects
to your hand. Massage that whole mound by rotating your thumb around and
deeply into it. You can use your knuckle or a pencil eraser if your thumbs aren’t
strong enough Do it to both hands as each hand reflexes to a different lung. If it
hurts that’s because you have congestion. Massage each hand until it no longer
hurts and you will experience corresponding respiratory relief.
This pressure does not hurt someone who does not have respiratory congestion.
Any soreness is symptomatic of the congested area, as is commonly true in
Reflexology, which designates points in the hands and feet that correlate to the
entire body.
Ideally, find someone to gift you with this simple treatment and sit back and
relax. You will find yourself taking deep breaths even if you are not in distress.
Have them switch from hand to hand, especially if one is more tender than
the other. The tenderness will recede and you will feel the difference in your
breathing.
I have witnessed this many times while demonstrating the technique.
Please pass this on. You may save a life!
By the way, the client on which I discovered this was a 30-year-old doctor; this is his
legacy: a healing gift to others.
White Egrets in the Laguna
By Lisa Hug
Walking through the Laguna de Santa Rosa is a delightful experience. One
cannot help but see and hear wildlife. One often sees large white birds feeding in
the fields and marshes of the Laguna. These are egrets. Did you know that there
are three different kinds of egrets in this area?
There is the very large Great Egret
– immense and stately. It is a very
patient hunter. It stalks its prey. It
takes some patience to watch a Great
Egret hunt. It will stand very quietly,
with its long, sleek neck stretched
out. It will then wriggle the rear end
of its body, while keeping its head
and neck perfectly still (much like
a house cat). When it has just the
correct bearing on its prey, it makes a
quick stab into the water or ground.
The egret invariable comes up with
a small fish, snake, or rodent for a
tasty snack. It will do this for most
of the day.
The medium-sized egret is the
Snowy Egret. It has black legs
with contrasting yellow feet. It is
more active than the Great Egret.
Sometimes it proudly prances
around the wetlands, reminding one
of a galloping horse. It uses of its
bright yellow feet as lures for fish.
The Snowy Egret does not stand
quietly in the marsh, but spastically
shakes its legs – first one then the
other. It vibrates its yellow feet. Tiny,
curious fish will investigate the feet,
and that is when the egret makes its
quick move with its long, black bill.
It is a marvel to watch.
The smallest of the egrets is
the Cattle Egret. This egret is not
found everywhere in the county,
but concentrates in the lowlands of
the Laguna de Santa Rosa. It lives
on every continent in the world
(except Antarctica), but is patchily
distributed in the Bay Area. Cattle
Egrets strongly favor the food-rich
marshy lowlands of the Laguna.
Cattle Egrets earned their name
by following grazing animals such
as water buffalo, cattle and sheep.
The egrets often stand on top of their
mammalian hosts. These grazing
animals welcome the egrets because they will often pick off the, itchy mites, ticks,
and insects that will shelter in the animals’ hides.
These three species of egrets join Black-crowned Night-Herons and together
make a large, colony of nesting birds on West Ninth Street between Stony Point
Road and Simpson Street in Santa Rosa. The advantages of nesting in a colony
may be to provide more protection from predators and also to share information
about food sources.
For information on how to visit this colony, go to madroneaudubon.org/conservationwest-9th-street-heronry.php.
For more information on the birds of Laguna des Santa Rosa, visit the Laguna
Foundation at lagunafoundation.org. For information on a bird walk series this spring,
go to lagunadesantarosa.org/laguna_walks_classes.shtml#lisabirding.
R
My Cat Would Never…
ant Warning! The veterinary hospital is a constant source of life lessons
on how NOT to behave. It’s Bob. Again. We all know Bob: He’s Dick
(from the Internet)’s brother. You know the guy: Bob drives a huge truck
and tailgates you mercilessly when you’re going 35 in a 25 zone. Bob
takes up two parking spaces in a crowded parking lot. Bob stops in the middle
of the road to carry on a conversation with a long-lost pal. Good old Bob. Bob
knows that rules are for other people.
At the veterinary hospital, Bob arrives with a scared cat loose in his hands.
We ask Bob to place his cat in a carrier, “For his and your safety.” We offer a
nice, comfy carrier for Bob’s use, but NOOOOOO! What does the doctor and his
staff, with decades of experience between them, know about handling terrified
cats in the veterinary hospital? It’s not as if we do it, full time, day after day,
year after year, and have seen, over and over, what happens when people don’t
follow the rules. Oh, wait, we DO, and we HAVE! Never mind!
“He’ll be fine,” Bob assures us. “I’ve always brought him in like this,” (UhHuh). What Bob doesn’t know is that his brother Dick is right behind him with
Killer, his bark-full Rottweiler on a 30-foot leash. “He loves cats,” Dick will say
as Killer lunges to say hello to Bob’s cat, all while emitting as series of earsplitting barks.
Now, – I don’t want you to think I’m joking – it really is amazing to see just
how far the skin of Bob’s neck will stretch when his cat plays Road Runner in
a mad, panicked dash to reach the stratosphere using Bob’s skin as a ladder. It
gives the term “redneck” a whole new meaning.
Cats: You gotta love ‘em. Cats are sweet, simple little creatures who don’t
exactly stop and think about what they should do when they feel threatened. In
the veterinary hospital, we have a saying: “Don’t argue with a ticked off cat.”
These really are words to live by, as are their corollary, “Don’t wrestle with a
panicked cat.” Ticked off and panicked cats tend to explode into a buzz saw of
claws and teeth. If you are crazy enough to allow any portion of your anatomy
inside the cat’s protective radius, you had better expect to pull back a bloody
stump.
It’s not as if cats enter our office in a calm, jovial mood. Let’s face it: If you’re
a cat, a ride in the car will never end well. It’s not like you’re going out for a
romp in the park. If you’re lucky, you might get vaccinated. If you’re less lucky,
you might get neutered. If you’re UNlucky, you’re sick or hurt and in pain, and
no matter how nice they are, a bunch of scary strangers will be touching you
and possibly putting things up your butt. For cats, Car Ride = Bad, and the cat
might meet a barking dog named ‘Killer’ who wants to get really, really close
without so much as a “Sup, Dude?”
It could be worse, of course. Bob’s cat might leap from his arms outside
the office. At least, inside the office the cat is contained. We will get him off
the ceiling eventually. Outside, the cat will land nimble-footedly and bolt for
the nearest shelter in an absolute panic. Lost and alone, the cat will forget
everything he’s ever known, including his ability to recognize the person he
loves best, and will revert to full feral mode. Bob can’t calm him and can’t
persuade him to return. If Bob follows the cat, he is ‘chasing’ – as a predator –
and the cat will run faster and further. Poof! Gone! If Bob doesn’t chase, and
waits a few hours, the cat might return. Maybe, if Bob is really, really lucky, and
waits, and cajoles, and begs, he’ll get his cat back.
This is real. This stuff happens. And yet, we’ve had people storm out of
our office when we offered them a carrier. “My cat would never…” We’re still
searching for the cat that escaped from an owner’s car yesterday.
When you visit the veterinary office with your cat, you absolutely must
have the cat safely and inescapably contained, for your safety and for your
cat’s. Don’t cut corners, don’t make excuses, and don’t ever, ever ignore the
warnings given to you by expert staff members who handle hundreds of
nervous cats every year.
Boulevard Saint-Germain or Greenwich Village?
Springs Community Alliance learns about Plaza and Planning!
Lois Fisher, Town Designer, recently addressed the Springs Community
Alliance about design principles when imagining changes in the Springs . Ms.
Fisher served on the Windsor Planning Commission helping to guide that
community’s early development. She participated in restructuring areas of
Petaluma, Ukiah, and Cotati.
The fifty Springs residents in attendance were dazzled with descriptions of
community land use, plaza construction, walkable streets, zoning and meeting
resident’s needs.
This writer tried to imagine applying these concepts in the narrow VeranoAgua Caliente corridor. Fisher’s presentation stressed the need for a public
realm with walkable streets, bicycle paths, and mixed use. Six basic needs for
mixed use, are places to live, gather, work, pray, school, and play. Mixed use
requires vertical and horizontal structures that catch the eye.
A Plaza defined…When Hwy 12 is completed sidewalk will block off the
area between the Churchmouse and old Uncle Pattie’s. This is considered the
prime location for a community plaza. Fisher noted a plaza must be central,
a location known to all. Other considerations include angled parking, simple
landscaping and buildings in proportion space, retail space at ground level, and
varied shops to prevent repetition. Offices should be upstairs. Use tall awnings
with ground floor spaces; also no plantings between buildings and sidewalks.
A bold experiment in community planning…Springs residents and
the County have embarked on a grand experiment. Over the next two years
a Community Advisory Team of 15 residents will advise a firm hired to plan
restoration of the Springs corridor. Send your ideas and suggestions to Rich Lee,
Chair of the Springs Community Alliance ([email protected]), or Ryan Lely,
Sonoma Valley Citizens Advisory Commission ([email protected]). Both Lee and
Lely are members of the CAT of 15.
“There’s no there there.” – Gertrude SteinStein’s reference to her
hometown might readily apply today to the Springs. The hope is that resident
ingenuity and smart development with County investment will make the Springs
once again the center of attraction in Sonoma Valley. Watch for meeting notices.
Ask what would I like to see along the Springs corridor? What to keep? What’s
needed? How to make people say, “Let’s go there, to the springs!”
COMMUNITY RESOURCES:
Where to get answers: Public and private
organizations gathered at Altimira Middle School in
March to describe services they provide. The meeting
was sponsored by Supervisor Susan Gorin, La Luz
Center of Boyes Springs, and the Springs Community
Alliance. Below are agencies, their services, contact
numbers, and addresses.
“In time of need, who do I contact?”
Catholic Charities: 600 Morgan Street, Santa Rosa, 707542-5426 - Families in need of food, rental assistance,
referrals, housing, homelessness, and more.
FISH (Friends In Sonoma Helping): 996-0111, Provides
food, clothing, medical transportation, other….
Sonoma County In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS):
3725 Westwind Blvd., Ste. 101, Santa Rosa, 707-565-5900,
In-home services to seniors 65 years or older, the blind,
permanently disabled, or children with special needs.
La Luz Bilingual Center: 17560 Greger St., 707-938-5131,
agency providing community assistance to Spring’s
residents, and others. La Luz will sponsor a Tenant
Community Meeting at El Verano School, April 6.
Contact Mario Castillo (707-935-6025).
Legal Aid of Sonoma County: 144 So. E Street, #100, Santa
Rosa, Provides answers to questions about YOUR rights
as a tenant. Wednesdays, LaLuz Center (938-5131) and
Housing Forum at El Verano School, April 6, 6 p.m.
SOS-Sonoma Overnight Support: The Haven, 151 First
Street West, Sonoma, 707-939-6777, 10 bed emergency
shelter for men, women, and families, hot meals, and
drop-in services.
Sonoma County Housing Authority: 1440 Guerneville
Road, Santa Rosa, 707-565-7500 – Promotes decent and
Sonoma County Area Agency On Aging: Part of Sonoma
affordable housing, provides housing vouchers and
County Human Services, 3725 Westwind Blvd., Ste. 101,
rental assistance.
Santa Rosa, 707-565-5950, Also Petaluma (765-8488),
Sonoma County Fair Housing: 1500 Petaluma Blvd
Guerneville/River Area (869-0618), other County areas
South, Petaluma, 707-765-8488, www.petalumapeople.
(525-0143/800-510-2020), Provides multiple services to
org, a private, non-profit agency devoted to education,
the aged of Sonoma County. Ask for “Senior Resource
counseling, and guidance regarding housing
Guide” 50+ pages of resources for senior assistance.
discrimination.
“I
t’s All About the Soil – Farming on a hot planet” was the topic at the event
put on by Slow Food Russian River at Bob Cannard’s Green String Farm.
Everyone in Sonoma – all the old timers at least – knows of Bob Cannard,
who advocated for organic agriculture before it became a byword in our fair
county. He’s a Sonoma Valley native who used to farm on the east side of Sonoma
Mountain. Now he has been restoring the soil on a battered piece of land adjacent
to General Vallejo’s Fort on Adobe Road.
The event was held in the beautiful old barn where the wind sneaks in through
the cracks between the boards, the kind of place that would be leveled in the
interests of Progress by a modern supermarket but which is beloved to the
movement for Slow Food that aims to turn away from consumption of plastic
wrapped processed foods in favor of real down home nutrition. Charming as
it was, it was cold in that barn on March 19 as bursts of rain poured down on
the flocks of sheep and lambs feasting on fresh grasses outside. Thanks to the
careful tending of its soil, nurtured with compost tea and freshly delivered animal
manure, places like Green String Farm do not easily flood; and that was one of the
messages in Anna Lappe’s smart, fast paced talk.
The big take-home message is that soil rich in organic material and thickly
planted with organically grown plants can actually reverse climate change.
The plants take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere through photosynthesis,
and deliver the carbon to their roots in a process only recently understood, where
the roots exchange nutrients with micro-organisms in the soil. Thus farming
actually can actually reduce 30-50 percent of the carbon in the air over the next
thirty years (or less, depending on what you read).
Why haven’t we been hearing more about this actual solution to
the most serious crisis we face? The answer is, Politics.
Wherever we turn today, the issues are big and the dynamics are the same.
Proposed solutions, glossy and packed with pages of words, charts and pictures
fail to address the root cause of the problem: multinational corporations with their
relentless pursuit of extravagant profits block innovation and intelligent policy
supported by a government seeking by any means the domination and control of
the planet by the United States of Empire and its allies.
Too few are willing to face the dire reality for fear of paralyzing the public or
themselves by unveiling the great spook of our era, the demon of negativity. Even
Anna Lappe, daughter of Frances Lappe, who proved vegetarianism to be the
answer to global starvation, was careful “not to end on a negative note.”
But speaking the truth is not negative. The situation is urgent and the
obstructionism is evident. To actually solve the climate crisis – and the housing
crisis, the healthcare crisis, the water crisis and many more – we need to identify
its real cause. Then we can propose its real and existing solution.
In every case, the cause is the same: runaway corporations supported by the big
government they like to say they dislike!
In the same light, our county continues its struggle to come up with more
affordable housing for its residents while turning a blind eye to the real issue.
Supervisor Susan Gorin organized a meeting on housing, the first in a series
called “Sonoma Connects” held in the gym at Altamira School on March 16.
Tables from various governmental and nonprofit organizations bordered the large
room but where were all the citizens we expected to see in the middle? Almost
everyone present was working for an agency or nonprofit. But the elephant in
the room – the way investors expel residents without cause, raising rents, and
eventually selling the buildings at super-inflated prices – was not on the agenda.
A recent article in the Bohemian took a look at the policy of “rent stabilization”
being considered in Santa Rosa, calling it a “soft” form of rent control. Developers
are opposed of course, and guess what? The city is with them. The cost of
regulating rents is an obvious factor. But in a “Close to Home” commentary in the
Press Democrat March 20, Hugh Futrell points out that $42 million collected over
the years from an add-on property tax in Santa Rosa was never used for housing.
Santa Rosa is not our problem, of course. Here in Sonoma, affordable housing
finally made it to the City Council’s agenda. I don’t know whether they ever got to
it. The motion to exclude gas leaf blowers took an hour to pass. About 40 Mexican
landscape workers showed up. Leaf blowing was starting to look like a racial
issue! Someone had led them to believe they would lose their jobs if this thing
passed. As I was leaving, I heard another man thank them for coming. Their boss
perhaps? He was white.
So goes democracy these days, local and global.
Please excuse our error last week: Councilmember Edwards is Gary, not Bob!
The Town of Windsor had an idea 15 years ago, to start a Farmers Market
in located at their new 5 acre Town Green, “In the Heart of the Community”.
They asked for advice from the longtime Manager of the Healdsburg Farmers
Market, Rene Kiff. Kiff suggested a couple of women who were vendors and
involved at the Healdsburg Market, Lynn Davis and Glenda Castelli. Lynn
was an artist and sold her work at the Market in addition to being on the
Board. Glenda was a local farmer, sold grape jelly from the wine grapes in her
vineyard and was also on the Board. The Town of Windsor hired the 2 ladies
immediately and the Windsor Certified Farmers Market opened for its first
season in 2001.
The Windsor Market is well known for its friendly people and its creative
and “fun for the whole family” events. These events are FREE to the public
and include cooking classes for kids, tastings, country games, prizes and most
importantly awareness of farming, cooking and buying locally.
Upcoming events for Spring are:
Opening Day, April 3rd, Windsor Town Green, 10-1 pm
Town of Windsor Earth Day & Wellness Festival, April 17
Mother’s Day Cookie & Tea Tasting, May 8th
Kidz Day on the Farm, May 22nd
When Lynn and Glenda first started work on the new Market in Windsor,
they knew how lucky they were to have such a beautiful location with plenty
of room to expand. Although Lynn was unable to continue after the first year
because her husband became ill, Glenda continued on building a Market that
really fits the Town of Windsor. Glenda retired at the end of the 2012 season
and her daughter Tina took over and has continued to grow the Market and
expand its events and education.
Happy, friendly faces can be seen coming and going from the Market each
Sunday. It has become a gathering place for locals and guests to discuss
the latest in local news and to spend some outdoor time with their family
and friends. There is always live music at the Market with Brunch and BBQ
vendors cooking up a “farm to table” plate of food for you to enjoy on a
redwood picnic table under the trees.
But, there is even something better, something really special that happens
only at a Farmers Market. We get to meet the people who grow and make our
food, face to face. We get to ask questions and we get cooking tips and recipes.
We get to talk to the designer of our next piece of jewelry or yard art and be
part of the creative process. We get to meet the woman who rolled out fresh
pasta for our ravioli for dinner tonight. We get to hand pick a loaf of bread to
eat along with. We get to know these vendors like new friends, we trust them
and we respect them for their knowledge and for the dirt and flour under their
fingernails.
The Windsor Farmers Market opens Sunday, April 3rd and continues
through the summer and fall and surprisingly doesn’t close until Sunday,
December 18th. The Windsor Market is also held on Thursdays during the
summer in conjunction with the Town of Windsor Summer Nights Concert
Series starting Thursday, June 9th and runs 13 weeks ending on Thursday,
Sept 1st. The Kidz Dig It Cooking Classes are always on the 4th Sunday of
the month. All Kidz can sign up for the Kidz Dig It Club and get informed
of contests and classes in advance. Kidz Dig It members receive a shopping
bag and $2 in Kidz Bucks every week they shop at the Windsor Market. Kidz
Dig It Club starts with kids of school age who are able hold a knife and mix
ingredients and continues through middle school age.
The Windsor Market honors the SNAP/EBT program with a 50%
match up to $10 per visit. That means you can redeem $20 of EBT and
receive an extra $10 in Match to spend at the Market. Windsor also
honors WIC coupons for families and seniors. Like us on facebook.com/
windsorcertifiedfarmersmarket.
Website is informative but a new easy to navigate website is in the works,
visit windsorfarmersmarket.com. You will especially love all the fabulous
recipes collected over the past 15 years from some of Sonoma County’s most
talented folks, those who grow and produce our food.
A
No April Fools in Roseland
rbor Day, Saturday March 12, 2016 was a wet rainy day with mud
galore as over 40 people came out to plant trees on the edge of
Roseland at Southwest Community Park on Hearn Ave. Close to
30 people from one local church came out to help the City of Santa
Rosa Recreation and Parks Department honor Luther Burbank, a local
horticulturalist from long ago. Many of the children there for the morning
of muddy fun were getting their first chance to plant a tree. They had lots of
fun playing in the mud dug up from the planting sites. At least 30 trees were
planted in various areas of the park where it is hoped local vandals will not
hurt the new trees. A planned restoration of the post and rail fence at the site,
similar to the new fence at the Colgan Creek pathway near Elsie Allen High
School to the south of the park, was cancelled by the city because of fear of
vandalism to the fence.
Recently some readers of
Roseland Review have checked in
with questions about the topics
covered and why sometimes
there is not a specific attribution
for some of the quotes given.
Long story short, many
commenters to this reporter
are apprehensive about having
the city retaliate towards them
in the future. There are many
people in Roseland who fear
local government officials. Now
with the topic of annexation by
the city once again in the news
many residents are fearful if
they are quoted they will suffer
consequences. Some supporters
of the Roseland Creek Park who criticized city plans for the park feel they are
now targeted for retaliation by the city.
A clarification from the story last month about the city employees now
dictating new things to be done at the park is the Dog Park city employees
will be forcing into the park is actually proposed on the land the city does
not own yet. The previous article was not specific enough for people to know
exactly where the Dog Park is presently being planned by the city employees.
It does not appear it will be on the northern parcels at 1027 McMinn Ave. and
1360 Burbank Ave. But Roseland Review cannot be certain as the plans have
changed before by city dictates.
Another clarification is a PG&E employee verified for this reporter the
PG&E employees will rarely if ever appear at customers doors unannounced.
This employee stated, “We only come to a customer’s door if they have called
us or there is an emergency.” The employee also stated, “All of our employees
will always have an official PG&E name tag Identification card.” I asked
this employee the question in person at the PG&E information booth which
was at the Arbor Day tree planting event in Southwest Community Park.
This reporter had received an unverified email from a reader claiming to be
a PG&E employee who felt the previous article made “their jobs harder”. At
the Arbor Day event that PG&E employee stated they were glad we spread
the word to be careful about local “scammers” trying to take advantage of
unwary consumers.
Unwary Roseland residents also need to be aware a comprehensive
well-coordinated community plan for sustainable urban design has not been
done with the Roseland Specific Plan now underway by Santa Rosa with
funding from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. It has not been
well coordinated with the Sonoma County Roseland Village redevelopment
efforts. Also a Roseland Open Space and Parks plan has not been done either
while the Roseland Creek Concept Plan from 2004 has not been integrated
well into the Roseland Specific Plan at this time. Perhaps in this election
year the candidates seeking to replace outgoing 5th District Sonoma County
Supervisor Efren Carrillo will seek to champion these Roseland issues as
much as he did?
Delegation visits Santa Rosa’s Sister City Jeju, South Korea
The city was adopted in 1996 and in celebration of the 20th anniversary,
Mayor John Sawyer, Vice Mayor Tom Schwedhelm, City Attorney Caroline
Fowler, former city manager Jeff Colin, Sister City President Don Taylor and
Vice President Peter Suk along with the Santa Rosa Junior College Auxiliary
performance dance team visited Jeju in February. The group attended the
annual Jeju Fire Festival a national holiday bringing together believers to pray
for a good harvest and healthy year. The festival is celebrated on the first full
moon of the Korean lunar calendar and usually happens in February. Every
year a wooden structure is built on top of a hill, and the climax of the ceremony
occurs when the structure is burnt and giant flames light the island’s sky.
Sister Cities International was introduced at a White House conference by
President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956. The program includes individual sister
cities, counties, and states across the United States that link up with the citizens
of other countries in an effort to bring about “citizen diplomacy.” One of the
benefits of having a sister city is the student exchange program which provides
opportunities for students involved to learn about another culture and their
language. They were able to visit the Snoopy statue provided by Don & Jeff
Taylor in memory of their mother Nan Taylor.
7th Annual Earth Day Festival 2016 in Courthouse Square
This fun, FREE, and family-friendly Festival is happening on, April 23rd
from 12pm-4pm Downtown Santa Rosa. Enjoy great food, live performances,
local and earth friendly products, and eco-friendly crafts and activities for
kids. Learn about solutions to address drought, climate change, and other
environmental concerns in our community. The idea for a national day to focus
on the environment came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson then U.S.
Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil
spill in Santa Barbara, California.
A graduate of San Jose State College he was inspired by the student antiwar movement and realized that if he could infuse that energy with an
emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force
environmental protection onto the national political agenda. On April 22, 1970,
20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate
for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies. That
day achieved a rare political alignment, enlisting support from Republicans and
Democrats, rich and poor, city slickers and farmers, tycoons and labor leaders.
By the end of that year, the first Earth Day had led to the creation of the United
States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air,
Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.
A Bit of History According to Santa Rosa resident, Ken Norton, before there
was Earth Day, there was the Survival Faire at San Jose State University. In
February 1970 he joined a group of concerned students to raise $2,500 and buy
a brand-new, never-started Ford Maverick, then pushed it from the dealer’s lot
into the center of campus, where it was ceremoniously buried in a pit, 12 feet
deep. That day changed Norton’s life, “We thought we were going to save the
environment by putting an end to its primary polluter. Here we are forty six
years later facing the ravages of global warming due to petroleum emissions.”
Honoring Santa Rosa Women
Alicia Sanchez, lawyer, activist and President of KBBF 89.1FM
Calistoga Santa Rosa was named one of the twenty five most influential
women in Sonoma County. Santa Rosa based program Worth Our Weight
(worthourweight.org/) Director Evelyn Cheatham was named Woman of the
Year 2016 by Congressman Mike Thompson.
Blood Drive – In Helping Others You May Be Helping Yourself
The Blood Centers of the Pacific’s mission is to provide an adequate and
affordable blood supply which meets the health and safety needs of the public;
and to conduct medical and scientific research and education that improves
the safety and efficacy of blood transfusions. Please join them at one of the
following blood drives: Dream Center Thursday, April 21, 2016 2-6pm 2447
Summerfield Road, Santa Rosa, and Santa Rosa Junior College Monday, April
25, 2016 11am-3pm, 1501 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa. To schedule an
appointment go to bloodheroes.com.
Elaine B. Holtz is producer/Host of “Women’s Spaces” on KBBF 89.1FM Monday
11-12 noon & 11-12 midnight. All shows on line at womensspaces.com
I
t’s that time of the year to get WOOLY! Spring has sprung but we still
have some cold mornings where a sweater could come in handy and some
hot days where the sheep need to lose their winter coats. Like we love our
‘Farm to Fork’ food we also like our ‘Sheep to Sweater’ clothes. Petaluma
Adobe is hosting its “Sheep Shearing Day” on Saturday, April 9 starting at
11am to 1pm. You will have fun learning how to turn raw wool into yarn. For
more information, go to the Petaluma Adobe website petalumaadobe.com. All
this fun for the low cost of $3 for adults and $2 for kids – 5 and under are free.
Don’t muck this up and muddy the waters! The Petaluma River was
previously slough until it was declared a river in order to get government
dollars to pay for dredging. That funding mysteriously disappeared and
was formerly the responsibility of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. While
Congressman Huffman has sent strong appeals to Washington and for local
money in the past year – the unanswered call today is deafening. This water
way gives charm to our downtown and so important for our commerce and
recreation to thrive. Even though we just completed a 30-year floodwall project
the rising mud in the Petaluma River is a new concern for flood control. This is
a critical path item for Petaluma because while we are waiting for fed money to
magically appear to dredge the river, it is quickly filling with muck. This should
be a huge priority and on the forefront of every Petaluman as we will all be
impacted by the muddy waters.
Get ready for the biggest Sonoma County Brew Ha Ha. Gnarly
Groggers from all over are fermenting their way to Petaluma’s 2nd Annual
Home Brewer’s Competition on May 28, 2016. To accommodate the anticipated
over 2000 craft-brew lovers, organizers had to move the event to the SonomaMarin Fairgrounds. Scott Street in Petaluma continues to become a mecca for
craft spirits. 101 North Brewing Company announced their new tasting room
is open for business Fridays 4-9pm and Saturday and Sunday 1-9pm located at
1304 Scott Street in Petaluma.
North Bay Copier in Rohnert Park is expanding. What in the heck
does that have to do with Petaluma? Well, this Petaluma dude, yours truly,
is now the V.P., Sales and Marketing for this locally owned Samsung Office
Technology dealer. So if you’re a small to large business running on antiquated
equipment and causing you grief, give me a call today at (707) 799-2900 and
learn about the world’s first Android powered office copiers, printers, scanners,
and all-in-one business solutions.
Rock out with Rocky and Rosie at the 35th Annual Butter & Egg
Days Parade & Festival Saturday, April 23rd. Here is the schedule
for the day: 8-11am Lions Club Breakfast(rrr); 10am Fest begins food, crafts
and fun for the little chickadees; 10am Watch pros toss doo doo at the Cow
Chip Throwing Contest (in front of McNears); 10:15am Cutest Chick Contest
(in front of Copperfields); 11am-3:30pm Beer Gardens open (on Western &
Kentucky and B & Petaluma Blvd); 11:30am Clover Kids Parade; 12pm Main
Parade.
Romantic Country Magazine lists Petaluma’s Antique Faire as
one of the top 10 spring fleas worth visiting in the United States
– 2 years in a row! Just a day after the B&E Days Parade, over 8,000
collectors and first time buyers will ascend on Petaluma’s Downtown Sunday,
April 24 from 8am to 4pm to find that one piece they can’t live without. Like
past years, organizers turn many vendors away from this event because there is
not enough room to accommodate them all.
For more cool things going on in Petaluma,
check out our website PositivelyPetaluma.com.
Andrew Taylor’s Showdown
Come out and watch the world’s best free ride mountain bikers compete
Saturday, April 9th in the Chris Beck Arena at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds
in a head to head competition, launching themselves upwards of 30’ in the
air. Two riders at a time will drop into the courses performing mind blowing
flips, whips and stunts. Qualifying will be a jam-style session with the judges
choosing the top 32 riders to advance to the finals for a battle you won’t want to
miss.
Make sure to show up at 2pm to ride the pumptrack, built by The Redwood
Mountain Bike Alliance and when you’ve had enough, drop your bike at our
free valet parking and enjoy the live music, food and vendors while watching
the pro’s ride. Tickets ar - $12 in advance, $15 at the door. Tickets are nonrefundable.
30th Annual Healdsburg Bicycle Tour
Check-in Saturday, April 30th starts at 6:30am and ends at 9am at
Healdsburg Community Center (1557 Healdsburg Ave.). Once checked in you
can begin your ride. Course support and lunch ends at 2pm.
Registration ends Monday, April 25th. Non-refundable. Rain or shine event.
Pedal through the heart of Sonoma County Wine Country. Road and
mountain bikes, skinny tires and fat tires welcome. Moderately challenging ride
through the Alexander, Dry Creek & Russian River valleys. Distance options
include 20, 35 or 60 miles; gradually increasing in difficulty. The 20-mile route is
rather flat, while the 35- & 60-mile routes have more rolling hills and moderate
climbs.
Bicycling Magazine listed Sonoma County as one of “The 7 Greatest Rides on
Earth” – alongside the likes of Tuscany, Crested Butte, and Moab.
Healdsburg Housing:
Open House & Presentation
First ever Housing Action Plan will
occur on Thursday, April 28, from 6 to
8pm at The Healdsburg Community
Center, 1557 Healdsburg Ave. The
community needs your feedback. For
more info, go to cityofhealdsburg.org or
call Karen Massey at (707) 431-3317.
Healdsburg Museum The Healdsburg Museum and Historical Society
has been collaborating with the California Digital Newspaper Collection to
digitize Healdsburg’s historic newspapers, and make them freely searchable
and accessible to the public online.
Many of Healdsburg’s historic newspapers, dating back to the 1860s, are
finally available for searching and reading, including The Russian River Flag,
The Healdsburg Enterprise, the Sotoyome Scimitar and The Healdsburg Tribune.
These newspapers are the first
Sonoma County newspapers
to be included in the
California Digital Newspaper
Collection.
Search here: cdnc.ucr.edu/
cgi-bin/cdnc. Click on the
“Counties” tab, then click
on Sonoma. It will list the
Healdsburg papers that are now available for searching.
On Wednesday, April 22, at 5:30 pm Healdsburg Museum will sponsor an
evening celebrating Fitch Mountain.
In conjunction with the Museum’s current exhibit, “Fitch Mountain
Everlasting,” local historian and author Ted Calvert will discuss “The Crown
Jewel of Healdsburg.” Ted has a wealth of knowledge to share about this
beloved local landmark. This event is free to Museum members; Non-members
pay $10 per person. The fee, however, will be refunded with the purchase of a
Museum membership that evening.
The Healdsburg Museum & Historical Society is located at 221 Matheson St.,
Healdsburg. For more info, call (707) 431-3325 or go to healdsburgmuseum.org
Healdsburg at a Crossroads
By Jay Beckwith
It’s hard to believe that not too long ago Healdsburg was a rough farm
and lumber town with more bars than churches. 20 years ago it got a dose
of Windsor-like development, which precipitated a backlash and a Growth
Management Ordinance (GMO). About the same time the town decided it was
a great idea to promote tourism. What could possibly go wrong?
Having seen that unintended consequences can come back to bite you, the
City Council has bent over backwards to insure that changes to the GMO are
well researched and supported by the community. And study they have, to the
extent that at the last community meeting there was an overwhelming consensus
that the main problem now is a lack of leadership, i.e. ”Do something!” and a
call for more housing, a lot more housing.
There are very few in town who have not been touched by the mass exodus
of residents and small businesses. So while the community leaders continue to
fret over whether ballot measure in November should set the limit at 45 units
per year or 60 and what percentage should be market rate or affordable, the
town continues to hemorrhage the very people who have been its backbone.
Old-timers who want to downsize can’t even cash in on the goldmine that
their homes now represent unless they move out of town since there are no
homes they can buy with their profits. So they hang on for now but at some
point, in the not too distant future, they too will join the diaspora.
Meanwhile SoFi, the rapidly growing lending company has come to town
bringing in over a hundred employees to the downtown. While people generally
like SoFi, they contribute both to an already difficult parking situation and
housing market.
As people continue to decry the loss of the traditional Healdsburg small town
character they don’t recognize that that ship has already sailed. There are really
only two roads ahead. Healdsburg can continue to try to “manage” its growth
which will pour gasoline on the already flaming housing market, or it can
move forward with an aggressive community building program that includes a
majority of deed restricted homes that will forever remain affordable. The only
action on the docket is a Growth Management Ordinance in November. What
could possibly go wrong?
What should our housing priorities be?
16% 9%
30%
16%
0%
9%
10%
9%
4%
Build more Affordable Housing
Build more Middle Income Housing
Build a greater diversity of housing options/ types
Build more rental apartments
Build more Seniors Housing
Encourage private homeowners to build Secondary Dwelling Units
Reduce the impacts of second home ownership on the community
Guide new development to respect our small town character
None of the above
One question at Community meeting on Feb 25, 2016
“. . . I think about City Council, I look at the men and women - these were
people who just wanted to be a part of the community and give something
back. . . ” —Congressman Brad Wenstrup
Hi! This is Reece. In this current series of columns we’re going to find out
about the people who make our city work from the staff that greets people as
they enter City Hall to the landscapers and public works pros caring for the
facilities and grounds, to the managers, administrators, and those who keep
us safe. Who are these people? Why Cloverdale? What do they like about our
community, its people, and their job? What is their vision for our town?
We are going to start with the most visible – the City Council – and work on
into the other less well known areas of Cloverdale’s operations. Since Carol is a
Councilmember, I (Reece) am taking the lead to maintain impartiality. The next
two columns will be devoted to getting to know the City Councilmembers.
I spoke with Mayor MaryAnn Brigham, Vice Mayor Augustine “Gus”
Wolter, Council Members Carol Russell, Joseph “Joe” Palla, and Robert
“Bob” Cox each came from different places with Cloverdale as their last
stop – Philadelphia (Gus), New York via Marin County (Carol), Danville to
Sebastopol (Bob), Wisconsin (MaryAnne), and from several places in the Bay
Area, the most recent being Healdsburg (Joe).
These five people arrived by different routes reflecting different perspectives
on some issues, but there are also the commonalities creating a foundation of
trust and respect.
They arrived in Cloverdale and immediately felt at home. Bob had a young
kid say “Good morning!” as he and his wife climbed out of the car to walk
down Cloverdale Boulevard. Carol and her spouse were driving into town to
look at a house for sale. As she turned the corner by Ray’s, a gentleman looked
up at her and smiled. Joe came up to visit family and liked the close feeling of
the community. Gus and MaryAnn stopped in Cloverdale as they traveled 101,
felt an immediate comfort, and knew they were home.
They all love their adopted community with its friendly, rural, small town
charm far away from the rat race. They see Cloverdale as a town with a “strong
sense of community” in “one of the most beautiful places in the world” as
expressed by MaryAnne. It is home and the people living here are family.
Gus is still taken by the way the community helps and supports each other
and plays a part in its own growth and evolution. A young woman gets cancer
and needs help with medical bills and living expenses – the community raised
the funds. The movie theater has a new owner needing a stronger financial base
– once again, funds are raised locally.
The Council members are proud that the citizens take an interest in various
happenings, changes, and projects around town. Citizens show up at Council
meetings to express their opinions. As with most families, they do not always
agree; they do not always have the whole picture or have all the information;
they do not always see the end result as the same; but, they are there sharing
what they do see and want. They are engaged and as with most families, each
“matters as a person” even with the disagreements.
Then it comes to the hard decisions – the ones that the Councilmembers have
to make.
Each agrees the courage to be part of a team making these decisions and
leading even when it is unpopular is an important quality to bring to the table.
But the observation was to not personalize what others say as the discussion
progresses and opinions are expressed. This was the number one quality
needed to work well as a Councilmember. In other words, having a “thick skin”
and an open mind is most important.
When it comes to working together and making decisions, Joe shares that
the five Councilmembers are “happy and work well together” with “no self
agendas” as they “try to make the city better”. These are the prerequisites to
making thoughtful, hard decisions as a City Councilmember.
Next month, I will take a more in-depth look at what these five people do for
our city.
O
ur wonderfully wet March has swathed the hillsides in an even richer
array of greens, now spotted with wildflowers of blue, yellow, white,
and orange.
At one highway entrance in Healdsburg I saw a bouquet-perfect
clump of our iconic California poppies, the blooms filling every possible
space. The weeds growing in the spaces between the vines are growing almost
as high as the still-dormant grapes.
Not that the grapes will stay that way for long – today I saw the first buds
starting to emerge, while the flooding beneath them reflected a spring-blue
sky. While we are still hoping for – and likely to get – some more rain to
officially end the drought, there is no doubt that we are in for an exceptionally
stellar springtime here in Geyserville and the rest of Northern Sonoma
County.
And there’s some good news on the Emu Egg Watch here at Isis Oasis
Sanctuary ... after a very late start, our emus are laying. While our now fivefoot-tall “baby” Emu Ostara won’t be laying eggs yet, she just celebrated her
first birthday.
April in Geyserville: Each year, the vast and somewhat mysterious Oliver
Ranch throws open its gates for a day, allowing just fifty lucky participants
the chance to donate $100 each to a worthwhile local charity and satisfy their
curiosity about the ranch and its many artistic wonders which are installed
throughout the ranch. This event is always a sellout, so act fast if you have
not already done so. And remember – if you miss the shuttle, you miss out –
private vehicles are not permitted access to the property. The tour us Sunday,
April 10th with pick-ups at the Oriental Hall/The Grange at the first bend on
Highway 128 heading east out of Geyserville. By a delightful coincidence, the
Oriental hall is having their annual fundraising breakfast that same morning
starting at 8am, so arrive early if you want to enjoy breakfast. If you go for
this option, you may want to go light on the coffee and orange juice though –
there are no bathrooms available on the Oliver Ranch tour. Participants should
be prepared to walk 2-3 miles during the course of the tour, which is not
wheelchair accesdible, either.
Foodie Moment of the Month: The seasons are definitely changing – the
familiar black barbecue has returned to the front of Geyserville Market. For
just two dollars, you can watch while a delicious and authentic taco is created
before your admiring eyes ... and nose. Considering the fact that many upscale
restaurants are offering some sort of supposed “street taco” as a gourmet item
with a price tag to match, this is a great chance to experience something fresh
and authentic almost anytime you feel like it. As always, please feel free to let me know your Geyserville events 6 to 8
weeks beforehand. [email protected] I love hearing from Gazette readers.
Cotati K-9 Team Officer Brian Deaton and Remo
An odd yet comforting feeling comes over me when I watch our traffic officer
on his Harley-Davidson, using a hand held radar. Most days of the week he
positions himself to catch speeders and to stop distracted drivers from racing
though downtown. In our neighborhood, we have a challenging left-hand
turn, when we want to go north on Old Redwood Highway. I’m sure that our
traffic officer receives dozens of silent words of gratitude for calming traffic. A
neighbor on Valparaiso Avenue posted a sign on their front yard. It states, drive
like your dog got out. I like that. How about posting this version? Drive like
your kid got out.
“Law enforcement officers issued 116 citations in Cotati traffic sting” by
Randi Rossmann, The Press Democrat, February 10, 2016, 3:23pm:
“’…Officers issued 116 citations in Cotati traffic sting…violations included
cellphone use, unbuckled seat belts and speeding, according to Cotati police.
Sonoma County law enforcement working together to focus on traffic safety,’
said Cotati’s Lt. Bill French. ‘The effort involved five local agencies and
included 21 officers on motorcycles and two in patrol cars.’
Plus 40 drivers were given warnings and two vehicles were impounded.
The most serious case of the morning involved a person arrested…on a no-bail
warrant involving a drunken-driving case.”
Roses fragrant, rambling, near and dear at Garden Valley Ranch
Want the real deal on growing roses? Garden Valley Ranch, which was
planted in 1980 with over 8,000 rose bushes makes the top of my garden list
each year. This February we brought home a second Eden, a climbing rose.
Eden and a hybrid musk rose, Buff Beauty, continue to delight visitors to our
garden. Both rose varieties come highly recommended by Rayford Clayton
Reddell. Reddell founded, built and ran Garden Valley Ranch, specializing in
rambling, climbing and fragrant roses. Best known for his book, The Rose Bible,
Reddell published a garden column for the San Francisco Chronicle and regular
contributor to Horticulture magazine.
Rancho Cotate HS Eco-activists Work for Better Communities
Global Student Embassy, an annual exchange program, brings youth leaders
from our partner communities in Ecuador and Nicaragua to work with our
partner schools in Northern California. Rancho Cotate High School students
worked side by side their international peers to build planter boxes out of the
redwood that was milled from the trees cut down last year.
Soil and mulch were generously donated from local businesses as are the
seeds we will be sowing this year at a dedication ceremony for the schools new
garden. The dedication ceremony will take place during Unity Week, when
Rancho Cotate students will also learn more about the opportunity to travel to
Nicaragua this summer to reconnect with the friends they made and support
local school garden projects in Chacareseca.
We are so proud of our student leaders and our amazing teacher partners
for turning this challenging situation into an incredible lesson for students and
asset for the school for years to come. Visit globalstudentembassy.org to learn
more and to join us in developing community leaders through action oriented
environmental education.
Cotati Historical Society 8th Annual Chicken BBQ -
Sunday, April 10th
Chicken lickin’ fun and fundraising from noon in the Cotati Room (216 East School
Street). Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door. View the event flyer or e-mail for
further details.
Recreation Classes with Ongoing Enrollment: City of Cotati
Recreation hosts ongoing classes at the Ray Miller Community Center.
Aikido on Tuesdays & Thursdays 7-8:30 p.m., Saturdays 10:00-11:30 a.m., in the
Eagle Room. To enroll, see the instructor immediately prior to class.
Karate Classes for Adults and Children on Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:30
p.m. in the Eagle Room. Please contact Karen MacDonald for enrollment and to
offer a class call 707-206-8393.
Any news you want to spread through our community? Send it [email protected]
O
ur corner of the county gets on board with the 35th Butter and
Egg Days Parade, coming up April 23rd in Petaluma. Expect
imaginative parade floats and entries, with the theme of All
Aboard! Next Stop Petaluma! Events will celebrate our rich
railway history and tracks to the future with the arrival of the SMART
train in 2016!
I’m humbled to be chosen as this year’s “Good Egg.” The award
was started 35 years ago to a Petaluma citizen whose ‘egg-ceptional’
effort over time has helped preserve and contribute to the positive
promotion of the city of Petaluma, its history and its people. The Good
Egg Award honors the legacy of positive promotion begun by booster
Bert Kerrigan. Kerrigan worked from 1918 to 1926 to establish
international recognition of Petaluma as a center of commerce and
agriculture and will be awarded at the Butter & Egg Days Opening
Ceremonies are on Saturday, April 16, at Noon at the Petaluma
Historical Museum. The Good Egg will also ride in the Butter & Egg
Days Parade, on Saturday, April 23 at Noon.
. Mr. Kerrigan’s promotion of Petaluma included the famous National
Egg Days celebrations, which inspired the creation of the Butter and
Egg Days event. Kerrigan brought Petaluma fame with the phrase “The
World’s Egg Basket.” The slogan has been misquoted as “Egg Capitol
of the World” but this Good Egg stays true to Mr. Kerrigan’s original
phrase. The “egg-stra special” poultry jokes keep us amused, keep
our history alive and spark the imagination when it comes to hats and
costumes. I’m deeply grateful for this honor.
Maggie Fishman received “The Roberta Hollowell Award” at the
Sonoma County Democratic Club’s Crab Feed in recognition of
dedicated service to issues of importance for all women and Democratic
Party Values. “I had several tasks for the Crab feed: get the plaques
for the awards, order flowers and pick up the keg at Lagunitas,” said
Maggie. “I found out about the award when I purchased the plaques! I
love being a Democrat!” She has been active for many years in the club,
most recently as 2nd vice-chair in charge of clubs.
The Train Down Main ~ In Penngrove, productive meetings are being
held about the SMART train safety measures. We’re a tiny little town,
and the new barrier and “candle” installations have caused discussion
about safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and cars. “Share the road” takes
on a whole new meaning when there’s not much roadway and few
sidewalks.
Trains enter our crossings at an angle, without clear sight lines to
approaching traffic. According to Dave Stewart, the head engineer of
the Public Utilities Commission, the Penngrove crossing is the most
problematic along the 70-mile corridor. It’s complicated.
We’re in a good dialog with SMART officials, with support from
Senator Thompson, and supervisors Rabbitt and Zane. Residents
working on the issues are known as COOP (Citizens Organization of
Penngrove). COOP supports the “four-quad” gate solution, calling for
four gates that run parallel to the tracks. This would prevent cars from
driving around a gate. No barriers would be necessary.
The Board of Supervisors is funding a design solution. At this time, it’s
not known who would pay to install the solution.
Jan Haslam has been amusing herself during the rains, and writes “The
incredibly rich Hawaiian Language (instanthawaii.com) has over 100
words for rain: words for rain. Indeed, the types of rain are unbelievable.
From rain that is so hard it hurts, to a fine mist that actually goes upwards
– lofted on the light currents of air. We have had all 100 versions this
winter with an exception, Hawaiian has no word for cold rain. We’ve
had TV and radio and cell phone interruptions warning about flooding in
the Penngrove/Cotati area. Luckily we sit high and dry. It did one good
thing, I had nothing else to do but finish the tax work sheet and send it to
our CPA.” Jan concludes with her Word of the day: psittacism means
mechanical, repetitive, and meaningless speech.
Email your Penngrove news or idea by the first week of each month. I’d love to hear from you!
T
he Iron Ranger debate continues. California State Parks whose plans
to charge admission to many of our (currently ‘free’) beaches and parks
here in Sonoma County was met with opposition from both our County
Board of Supervisors as well as the Public, has appealed to the CA
Coastal Commission (CCC) to push forward their ‘pay for play’ agenda.
The recent firing of CCC executive director Charles Lester (in spite of his
overwhelming support by the public) may have a direct effect on negotiations
and final outcome of this disagreement between the County and State Parks.
As Lester was a vocal proponent of the public’s right to access, some feel that
his removal signals a shift in CCC politics leaning more towards the interests of
developers, and away from assuring more and continued public access.
The upcoming CCC meeting where this hot-button topic is
scheduled to be discussed will be held in Santa Rosa April 13 at
the Veterans Memorial Building; time to be announced later.
The decision sets State wide precedent. What happens here will subsequently
happen from the Oregon to Mexico border where gravel, non-ADA compliant
lots with a maximum of pit toilets and seasonal trash collection will be fee’d.
The CCC justified their decision to take jurisdiction away from Sonoma County
in April 2015 because they claimed the proposal had statewide implication.
Sonoma Coast Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation lays out a
comprehensive overview and a good argument of behalf of the Public. The
entire 113-page State Parks Proposal that was recently submitted to the CCC
“State Parks De Novo Application” can be found through a link on their
website sonomacoast.surfrider.org/
Many feel that this this proposal is too sweeping to be approved. There is
strong sentiment that an approval by the CCC would be a violation of Public
Access and Environmental Provisions of the Coastal Act (California Coastal Act
of 1976).
Surfrider Sonoma Coast’s stance that, “We do not support the transition of
State Parks into a regressive based pay-to-play business model where those
with the least income pay the largest percentage of their income to access public
lands. Instead of fees we need some progressive legislation that generates
sorely needed revenue for our Parks,” speaks volumes in today’s economy
where families are barely hanging on. All children, no matter of family income,
deserve the spirit-healing, character-building experience that is our Coast.
Please attend this critical meeting April 13 and voice your opinions.
There is a still time comment via mail:
[email protected]
Or write to:
Nancy Cave, 45 Fremont Street, #2000 SF CA 94105
Our seaside-riverside hamlet of Jenner has finally succeeded in convincing
Cal-Trans to install a crosswalk and some basic traffic signage at the bustling
area between the Post Office and gas station in an effort to keep control of
the vast amount of traffic that is funneled through this Gateway to the North
Coast. Kudos to the ‘Jennerians’ and the Jenner Community Center! It took real
persistence. Cal-Trans has also agreed to install electronic speed signs (like Rio
Nido on the River) but is now back-peddling on the commitment saying they
need to raise the funds first.
In addition handling the crowds heading up to Timber Cove, Sea Ranch,
Gualala and points north, this spectacular meeting of River and Ocean at
Jenner is a destination itself and draws great crowds, especially on holidays
and weekends. A recent dramatic rescue of a family swept out to sea, and rough
trail and surf conditions have prompted Rangers to close the popular beach
access trail on the north side of River’s mouth. Thanks to our hero-lifeguards
patrolling our State beaches and the very capable crew of County Sheriff
Chopper Henry 1, what could have been a tragic event was averted.
The Jenner Community Center mourns the passing of Board member Sonja
Flores, a very sweet lady. On May 22, the Jenner Community Center is hosting a
thank you bar-b-cue for our Coastal Emergency Responders.
Happy Spring to all! The hills are brilliant green; the streams are flowing;
wildlife everywhere – whales, eagles, so many different varieties of hawks and
kites – hummingbirds and butterflies! We are so fortunate! Enjoy our special
piece of paradise and stand up for free access for All!
A
s the coast starts to wake up from the winter slowdown the welcome
spirit around you is everywhere. Look up and the trees are saying
thank you for the winds and rain, look around and the flowers are
offering us a happy smile, the shore is alive, the birds are singing. And
what could be better than a great cup of tea or coffee at Café Aquatica sitting in
their river/ocean view chairs sharing the glory of this beautiful world we live
in? I have the opportunity to speak with people around the world who travel
and visit many places, and over and over I hear about this coast being one of
the most beautiful. I agree! I want to encourage all of you to jump into a kayak
from one of the two vendors in Jenner, or in Gualala and enjoy the river views
(not when the river is raging after storms). Or take a walk along the beaches
(please don’t chase the waves). Or visit our many parks along the north Sonoma
Coast and Southern Mendocino Coasts.
Exciting news is that Fort Ross State Historic Park will be open seven days a
week starting April 1. They have a special event April 9th in the fort compound
“Celebration of Spring”. Please join Cedar House Kedry as they sing
traditional Russian songs and Beverly as she shares with you the Russian craft
of Pysanka (egg dying), or rope and basket making with volunteers and staff.
The event is free in the compound however gate fees of $8 per car do apply.
Contact the park at 707-847-3286 for more information.
The Whale and Jazz Festival begin in April in Gualala and Mendocino
Coast. Presented by Gualala Arts, this highly regarded festival captures
original jazz art work, whale education, jazz films, poetry and jazz, an annual
Chowder Challenge and tasting and live music in atmospheric and beautiful
settings which is a truly wonderful coastal experience. Please visit the web for
more info: gualalaarts.org/2016/04/whale-jazz-festival-2/.
At the Point Arena Lighthouse Lecture Series will feature a talk and slide
presentation on Sea Bird Migrations by Doug Forsell on Saturday, April 6 at
4 p.m. in the Fog Signal Building at the Lighthouse, 45500 Lighthouse Road,
Point Arena. Admission is $5.00. Seating is limited to 40 guests and reservations
are recommended, as this series has been selling out. Doug’s talk will feature
a general overview of over 160 species of seabirds that inhabit North America,
with emphasis on their migratory patterns. Since the 1960’s biologists have
learned a great deal about seabird migration, from basic observations on ships
at sea, banding and GPS and data loggers that allow tracking of individual
birds. For more info visit their web at pointarenalighthouse.com/visit/
calendar-2/. Several other holidays and celebrations in April are of course,
the 1st – April Fools Day – but did you know this is also ‘Have Fun at Work
Day’?. A prank or two on a co-worker seems fitting. April 7 is ‘no housework
day’ (who decides these dates). April 22 we have a full moon. Great time to
take a hike with your family and friends. No flashlights needed (hopeful we
don’t have clouds). Earth Day is April 22 and Salt Point State Park will host
a clean-up of invasive species – please contact Sarah King at 707-847-3286 to
participate. High schoolers, if you need community service credit, this will be
a fun day. And for all my artist friends April 23 is ‘talk like Shakespeare day’.
And last April 30 is ‘National Honest Day’ (let’s get all our politicians out on
stage and see if it works). Really! Hug a friend, love your pets, call your family
and count your blessing each and every day. Love love – Robin.
Downtown Park:
Chris O’Neil, lead owner of Russian River Vineyards
(RRV), and Dennis Judd, owner of the American Winery property, are
partnering to build a new production facility for RRV on the American Winery
property. Rather than build it in the limited area next to RRV vineyards and
restaurant. Since he will need to include restroom capacity in the construction,
and since the building will border on the lower edge of the Downtown Park,
he has generously offered to locate the restrooms so that they are accessible
and available to those using the Park. Thank you, Chris! This will significantly
lower the cost of developing the rest of the Park.
Farmers’ Market: From its previous location at RRV, the Farmers’ Market
is coming to downtown Forestville through a collaborative effort of RRV,
Forestville Planning Association, and the Chamber of Commerce. Mary Rand,
a local resident and the market manager has been meeting with downtown
businesses and potential vendors in anticipation of its June 7 opening (then
every Tuesday, 4-7, through October). If you are interested in becoming a
vendor, contact Mary at (707) 766-4597 or go to forestvillefarmersmarket.com.
Chamber Awards:
Let’s celebrate dedicated community members who
have unselfishly contributed their time and talents for the betterment of
Forestville. The Forestville Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Awards Dinner
will be held on Wednesday, April 27, 4-8 pm at Russian River Vineyards.
The 2016 Honorees are – Business Person of the Year: Mark & Pam Olson,
Forestville Pharmacy; Volunteer of the Year: Leslie Zumwalt, Frame of Mind;
Citizen of the Year: Tom & Sandy Glover. Tickets are $55 per person, available
at RRV, 707-887-2016. Live music, wine & beer included. Great people.
Forestville Community Fund: Appliclations oepn from April 15-June
15 for grants to projects that enhance downtown Forestville and/or provide
community benefit in the Forestville area (the 95436 zip code). A total of $10,000
will be given this year from from $500 up. Established in 2007 by the Forestville
Planning Association, the FCF is funded primarily by annual contributions
from the Bodean Company and Canyon Rock Quarry, as well as by individual
donors. Applications must be submitted or postmarked by June 15, 2016. Apps
and guidelines are at 95436.org (click the Community Fund tab) with paper
copies at Forestville Pharmacy and The Service Station.
Green Valley Creek: In years past the Chamber of Commerce and then the
FPA sponsored a federally funded project to restore the Green Valley Creek.
Once a major spawning ground for salmon, there were several years when
none at all returned to the stream. Good news! Doug Gore, Dragon Fly Stream
Enhancement, reports that in February he spotted several Coho salmon in the
upper reaches of the creek. The hard work of dozens of volunteers seems to
have paid off. The bad news is that the current owner of the Martinelli Ranch,
where the major restoration work was done, has fenced off the area and not
allowed any Green Valley volunteers to continue their important work where
the creek runs through his property.
Schools: The Forestville Education Foundation hosts its 7th Annual Spring
Fling Gala on Saturday, April 9th, from 4-8pm at Russian River Vineyards.
Live music, silent & live auctions, food & wine, all benefiting programs for
students at Forestville School and Academy. Tickets $40/adult at Forestville
School main office or forestvillefoundation.org.
And Finally...
Forestville Fire Protection District Pancake Breakfast! Come for pancakes,
eggs, sausage, coffee, orange juice and milk. $7 for adults, $5 for kids and
seniors. There will be t-shirts and sweat shirts for sale, the Fire Safety Trailer,
Free Book Mobile for the kids and a raffle with great prizes.
27th Annual Good Old Variety Show, April 10, 5 pm, at the United Methodist
Church. Music, singing, and comedy acts – “dinner” at intermission.
Donations requested.
Hollydale Community Clubhouse: German Beef Rouland Dinner Saturday
April 9th @ 6:00pm: Suggested donation $15….”Last Sunday of the Month”
Guy Fieri’s Corned Beef Hash Homie Home Fries Sunday morning April 24
from 9-noon. Table Tennis following from 1-4pm.
Rites of Spring
Spring is truly here; as I write this the apple orchards are just starting to
detonate their first blooms while the last pruning teams rush to get caught up
after the rain delays. The coastal tribes traditionally would visit their favorite
seaweed gathering spots, meeting up with other folks from as far inland as
Sacramento Valley, Laytonville and Lake County intent on the same thing.
(Read accounts in “Seaweed, Salmon and Manzanita” book by M. Dubin and S.
Tolley). To avoid climbing out with heavy wet loads, the harvest was dried
there on the beach. As someone who used to climb those cliffs with a load
of heavy abalone, soaked wetsuit and diving weights, this sounds brilliant.
To modern harvesters, good news from scientists at UC Berkeley, who over
the five years since the Fukushima disaster and have found no increase in
detectable radiation in our coastal plants and creatures. “Most people who
make cross-country flights choose to be exposed to a larger amount of radiation
than what they’d be exposed to from Fukushima’s effects here,” the leading
prof says in a new SFGate article. Get yours at the farmer’s markets from Strong
Arm Farm and get some great use tips.
As you may have noticed, I don’t list every event in this space as our editor
maintains the most impressive calendar in the County. I must alert you to some
favorites here:
Graton Community Club Spring Flower Show
This annual event is my favorite place to get summer garden starts, saving
me battling hungry snails and getting a jumpstart while I work all day to live
in this delightful and pricey part of the world. Interesting varieties grown
by locals are acclimated to our dramatic temperature swings. Finds include
dozens of tomato and other veggie varieties, drought tolerant species, bird, bee
and butterfly friendly perennials, succulents, potted plants and bulbs. Shop
local garden art, mosaic bird houses, baths and lots of other handcrafts and
collectibles, and a raffle. Plus proceeds benefit a scholarship program for SRJC
graduates continuing on to a four-year college – win-win!
This year’s theme of the flower displays in the clubhouse is ‘For the Birds’,
celebrating love for our feathered friends that so copiously populate our
village, and seemingly all roost in my bamboo grove every night with a nightly
chorus. At the Clubhouse downtown, Friday and Saturday, April 22 & 23. Free
admission, 9am-4pm, with live music and all day feasts and tea/coffee/desserts
for $5-10. Info 707-829-5314.
Spring Steam-Up!
One of many ways I celebrate my journey back to health this last year is by
resuming my volunteer docent post at Sturgeon Steam Mill, our local living
history museum. No quiet shuffling in whispers through this museum: instead
expect chugging steam driven machines and vintage trucks, singing round
saws literally ridden by our crew through huge donated windfall logs, loads
of stories, photos and artifacts, working blacksmiths and garden of remarkable
historic plantings (and botanical oddities like the Corkscrew Redwood).
Kids and elders alike love oogling 100 years of NorCal history and having
an inexpensive lunch while watching draft horses haul a log and sometimes
one of our guys rappel up and down a vast tree next to the picnic area. Every
weekend brings surprises in the parking lot as it is a favorite destination
for motorcycle and vintage car clubs. A bald eagle has been spotted circling
during runs, too. Recent additions to the activities include the activation of
the big “steam donkey” – formerly a rusted monolith we stood on to describe
it in action. Also added are student-only days every Friday of a run weekend;
contact the Mill to get your class a spot in one of only 4 run weekends per year:
email inquiry at www.strugeonsmill.com Check out a video: youtube.com/
watch?v=f0kXOLMe-pE
Final Buzz
Bees being a subject close to my heart and to the food source of us all; I
encourage everyone to keep ears tuned to deep loud hummings and eyes to
large gobs of hanging honeybees: it is swarm season. They will not hurt you
as they are gorged and placid. Only 19% of honeybees survive in the wild and
there is a short window to offer them a hive. We have at least 3 Gratonites
standing by to respond to a swarm call. Email me at the [email protected]
and I will alert them all by text.
Where Did the Time Go?
It’s already April? What happened to January, February and March? The time
went by too fast, maybe because there’s so much going on in Sebastopol!
Lots Happened - Looking Back at March
Congratulations to our Center for the Arts for its ninth Documentary Film
Festival, now a renowned, international event. This year, the SDFF forged an
even stronger connection in our downtown, all the way from Ives Park to The
Barlow.
Sebtowners joined people in more than 172 countries around the world to
turn off their lights at 8:30pm on March 19, so the night sky could shine darkly
for one hour. Earth Hour urges that no individual action is too small to change
climate change – claim your power!
The City, in conjunction with Cittaslow Sebastopol and Daily Acts, offered
a free presentation about another way to meet our water conservation goals.
Attendees at the program, “Gathering the Gift of Rain,” learned the basics of
rainwater harvesting, from barrels, tanks and cisterns to rain gardens, swales
and earthworks.
Lots Going On – Coming Up in April
Throughout April, volunteers will ring the doorbells of registered voters
seeking support for the renewal of Sebastopol’s Urban Growth Boundary
[UGB]. By centering growth within its boundary line, the UGB prevents sprawl,
keeps our town walkable, promotes affordable housing, protects the Laguna,
saves tax dollars, and supports community separator greenbelts. Add your
signature to the petition. More at SebastopolUGB.org.
On April 2, Daily Acts leads a planting day in “Our Front Yard,” the
landscape renovation project at the Library and City Hall. Volunteers will
install the native plant garden around the northwest corner of the property.
Register at dailyacts.org.
On April 9, the City offers hands-on experience in rain barrel installation
under the tutelage of Daily Acts. Put best practices to work “Harvesting the
Gift of Rain” at City Hall. Thank you to Sebastopol Hardware and Blue Barrel
Systems for their generous support. Register at dailyacts.org.
From April 13 through 15, the California Coastal Commission meets at the
Board of Supervisors’ Chambers in Santa Rosa. The Commission will discuss,
for the last time, the “Iron Rangers” proposed by State Parks at key locations on
the Sonoma County Coast.
This effort intends to take away from the public its free access to our coast
by imposing parking fees high enough to make recreational enjoyment of our
shoreline unaffordable to many. State Parks could instead ask the Legislature to
fund a budget adequate to maintain our parks system. Want to pay $8-23/day
to park at the coast, like folks do now at Huntington Beach? Check the agenda
at coastal.ca.gov for the exact date for this item. Attend and speak your mind.
During the week of April 15-23, Village Building Convergence [VBC] hosts
a number of community-generating events around town. For example, under
the direction of artist Dana Vallarino, volunteers will restore the murals on
McKinley Street. Robinson Road neighbors will install a mosaic bench at Two
Acre Wood and paint the intersection at Stefenoni Court. Young people may
gather to create fairy gardens or play outdoor games. Go to sebastopolvbc.org
to sign up.
Tradition rules during Apple Blossom Weekend, April 16 and 17, except that
Police Chief Jeff Weaver will ride at the front of Saturday morning’s Parade
as its Grand Marshal and the Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year,
instead of patrolling the route on foot, like we are so used to seeing him.
The 70th Apple Blossom Festival “Vintage Blossoms” welcomes a “Blues
Explosion” featuring musical guests Patrick Sweany, the Peterson Brothers
Band, and Lara Price, amongst others. Walk over to Ives Park for the art show,
food, beer, wine, crafts fair, and more.
[Correction to last month’s “Focus on Safety.” The speed limit change happened on
Pleasant Hill, on the short section of City roadway south of Bodega, not on Pleasant
Hill North.]
Swim-C Breaking Records
By Dewey Watson, Sonoma West Medical Foundation Board of Directors.
First there were the hundreds of yard signs urging the re-opening of our
local hospital, then there were hopeful signs saying “Something Wonderful is
Happening”. Now, there are hundreds of patients turning the once struggling
hospital into what West County has long needed: A self-sufficient high quality
medical center. The story about what friends like to call Swim-C (from the
acronym SWMC - Sonoma West Medical Center) is its remarkable success.
So what is happening?
The hospital is currently operating
at almost capacity for hospital
rooms. With the new, substantially
downsized Sutter Hospital, there
are fewer beds countywide. Sutter
Hospital is referring patients and
as local physicians are sending their
patients to a hospital easily accessed
by both the patient and the doctor.
Outpatient
surgeries
are
gradually filling up the schedule of
the operating room. Top surgeons
like Mike Bollinger enjoy living in
West County. Having an operating
room within a short distance
from their office and home is
a huge inducement to them. It
isn’t just orthopedic surgery that
is expanding. Local specialists,
including those doing general
surgery, are beginning to line up
dates for patient surgery.
Perhaps the immediate crown
jewel of SWMC, however, and the
economic engine that will keep it
profitable are the various institutes
being established which feed both
David McCullough, RN. Photo by Julia Gurney.
patients and funds to the hospital.
Dr. Alan Bernstein has been
doing Alzheimer and memory related research and treatment for his long career
and has become world renowned in the process. He currently has 3 research grants
from major drug companies for cutting edge trials of new medical treatments
and a 4th in negotiation. The value of these grants is in excess of $2 million. As
was envisioned when SWMC was being touted to the community, if we build it
they will come- and they are.
Finally we should give a great shout out to Dr. James Gude who has
persevered for years to establish a telemedicine project that reaches out to small
hospitals all over the world. Telemedicine is certainly the wave of the future and
its acceptance as a diagnostic and operating tool is accelerating exponentially. To
a large extent it has put SWMC on the map.
“Rumors of my death are an exaggeration”, said Mark Twain. So too for SWMC.
I
am cozily ensconced in my pleasant cyber-hut, with a decisive rain helping
the redwoods outside to thrive! It is actually the 1st Day of spring as I write
this, and we certainly have been doing some catching up with our rain totals!
Enjoy the damp and sit outside when the sun returns!
Easter is just around the corner and the Russian River Jewish Community
will present the annual Passover Seder on Friday, April 22nd, 5 p.m. at the
RR Senior Center in Guerneville. There will be traditional ritual readings,
wonderful music from the Jubilee Klezmer Ensemble, a holiday feast complete
with home-made matzoh ball soup and a delicious community potluck. A
donation is requested of $15 per member and $18 for non-members and onehalf for kids 5-12,with a family rate available. Please call 707 632-5545 for info
and reservations.
The Cazadero Community Club’s next meeting will be on Tuesday, April
5th-7 p.m. at Firehall #1.Join your neighbors in planning great events that
benefit the entire community.
The Annual Pole Mountain Pancake Breakfast and Raffle will be held on
Sunday, April 3rd, from 8a.m.-Noon also at the Firehall. A very nice way to
support the only privately-funded Fire Outlook in Sonoma County!
The lovely Sky Garden offers a terrific spot to grow your local produce.
Please contact Cathy at [email protected] to volunteer.
Friday Pizza and live music night at Raymond’s Bakery is a big hit-drawing
many folks for tasty food and great entertainment. The Cazadero and Duncans
Mills Stores have a wonderful assortment of groceries and local specialty items.
Cazadero Supply continues to offer their 1st Saturday 15% Discount Day to
help you with a variety of vehicle, garden and miscellaneous project.
Local Sonoma County Poet and former Poet Laureate Michael Tuggle
has authored a wonderful new book of his works, “The Motioning In”, which
features new and selected poems and the results are charming and erudite.
Many references to the natural world, family and friends and early memories.
Available at Copperfield’s in Sebastopol and directly from Mike at 632-5372.
The students at Montgomery Elementary School have a full month of
activities planned for April. At the very beginning of April, the 6th, 7th, and
8th graders will have completed 3 days and 2 nights (March 30th to April 1st)
at Westminster Woods. Then again at the end of the month, April 28th (March
date was rained out), they will go on a field trip to The Exploratorium in San
Francisco. Mr. R’s 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders are going on a field trip to Old Sac
to the California History Museum (date to be determined). Ms. Port’s TK, KN,
1st, and 2nd graders will go on two field trips (dates yet to be determined). One
to Engineering for Kids in Petaluma and one to the Sonoma County Humane
Society. All in all, the students have a busy April planned.
I wish Very Happy April Birthdays to Tyler Cole, turning 25 on the 4th,
Wes Parmenter celebrates on the 5th, J.J.Marek on the 7th, Hannah LockhartMurley on the 9th, locally grown Chris Caplan will be 26 on the 12th, along
with Corinna Ryan turning 36 on that date, Brooke Brady on the 14th, Ryan
Port-Sonenshine on the 18th, Julia Callister on the 19th, Arrow Olesky has
her day on the 21st, along with Christian Madrone, who will be 37 on the 21st,
Steve Parmenter celebrates on the 22nd, Gil Taijeron on the 24th, Liza Brown
on the 26th, Sara Callister on the 27th, along with Justin Thaman and Tom
Cacy on the 30th. Wow, lots of birthdays to celebrate in April!
Have a wonderful Spring, drive carefully and call me at 632-5545 or email
[email protected] with info for your Cazadero Column!
O
h April, how I love thee… It’s the season for daffodils and forgetme-nots, for rain, sunshine, and my birthday. I’m 17 on the 11th!
I’m hoping that this year is full of new friends, new experiences
(positive ones), and enough sleep. Devin is beside me right now,
eating a quesadilla and doing his homework, but he won’t be around for my
birthday. He’ll be on the senior retreat, preparing for the end his high school
career and the opening of a new chapter of life. I will be celebrating by having
Indian food dinner with my family and maybe some ice cream after. I’m not
big on birthdays. Rather than a celebration of me, if should be a celebration of
my mother, who brought me into this world on this day. She did all the hard
work!
Botanical Dimensions, a new Ethnobotany Library in Occidental, is offering
classes on a wide array of subjects. Classes include workshops on botanical
illustration, the history of spices, and hallucinogenic pants. The classes are
taught by Kathleen Harrison, an ethnobiologist who was also taught in
Hawaii and the Peruvian Amazon. In case you are wondering, ethnobotany
is the observation of the relationships between humans and plants, and the
study of these relationships. These classes are perfect for people who want a
class about botany and biology but don’t want a hard science class, and for
people who have an interest in the natural world. The library in Occidental
has over one thousand books about all sorts of things related to ethnobiology.
Botanical Dimensions also has their main administrative offices here in
Occidental. Current projects that BD is working on include the development
of an Amazonian Digital Herbarium, the Mazatec Project in Mexico, and the
curation of an Ethnobotanical Forest-Garden on the Big Island of Hawaii.
That’s pretty cool in my book! They’re located at 3830 Doris Murphy Court.
Right across the street, you may notice the hand written “KICKD OUT” sign
taped across the Ping-Pong sandwich board sign, from which one can gather
that Ping-Pong at the Y is no longer happening. Your Fridays and Sundays
are now free – go out and take a walk! I’ll figure out why this happened while
you’re out walking, and get back to you on it.
The vintage clothing store Such Fine Things, where I “worked” one summer,
is closing down, and a new vintage clothing store, Missy Girl of Occidental is
opening in its place. Inez Dorfman will be the new owner and manager, and
she’s sure to get some awesome stuff in there. Teresa is thinking of reopening
Such Fine Things in a new location with a different inventory of arts and crafts.
In the meantime, I can’t wait to see why Missy Girl of Occidental has to offer.
The meetings held a few months ago on the plans for the YMCA building
have been wrapped up, and the design that the attendees and architects came
up with is posted on occidentalcommunitycenter.org. The big link you see is
the right one, but you have to scroll down quite a bit to see the proposed plan.
A meeting will be held at 5:00 pm on April 7th at the Occidental Community
Center to discuss fundraising and next steps for implementation of the
community’s plan. This meeting will be facilitated by Occidental’s own Victoria
Johnston who has plenty of experience and expertise in fundraising and
community coordination. I may be there, or I may be at a meeting of the Junior
Commission on Human Rights. Regardless, you should go – the meetings have
all been well run and informational. Being an active part of your community is
very important, so go ahead and take advantage of this opportunity.
I hope that you have a lovely April, and I’ll see you when I’m seventeen.
NOTICE:
JUMPSTART’s highly successful and popular Ping Pong program was canceled abruptly by the managers of the Occidental Community Center.
Also canceled was JUMPSTART’s Youth Basketball.
JUMPSTART, a 20 year old community service group serving the Occidental area, rented the gym and activity room for one year, invested in ping pong tables,
balls and robot for use by the community for 5 hours each week, but gave all proceeds collected from the players to the YMCA as “rent”.
“We were shocked by the closure. Our goal was to support the community by adding athletic programming at one of the town’s most valuable but grossly
under-utilized recreational assets. We provided exactly what a program at a Community Center is supposed to -- an enjoyable place for people to congregate,
engage in healthy activity and enjoy each others’ company. We were especially proud of our multi-generational appeal. Fathers came to shoot hoops with
their sons, teens came to socialize with each other with adults present, seniors delighted at the laughter of children in the background,” said Ann Maurice,
JUMPSTART’s founder and spokesperson. Also canceled were JUMPSTART’s 2016 plans for expanding Table Tennis, and adding Badminton and Pickleball.
JUMPSTART had already acquired and ordered new equipment.
OPINION: Why I’m Running for Supervisor
A
funny thought struck me today. I was casting about, pondering what I
should write about. This is one in a continuing series of columns where
I have no hard news, and must go off on tangents. I bear primary
responsibility for this, naturally; I haven’t been walking the streets
much (always the best way to sniff out a column) on account of my sore knee.
Just a little tendinitis, the doc says, but it has forced me to spend rather more
time than I like reclined, with feet up, puttering about on the computer instead
of around the forest. And I’m a man who likes his down time.
But back to my thought. I’ve been writing this column a good number of
years, and a goodly number of columns like this one, the casting-about kind of
column. And in all those years I’ve never written about the animals of Camp
Meeker. How is it that I have let that happen? I write about the joys of living in a
forest all the time. Well, heck. A forest isn’t just a bunch of trees. A bunch of trees
and nothing else is, at best, an orchard. No, a forest is a living ecosystem.
I’m sure there are dozens of you reading this who are vastly more qualified
than myself to go all David Attenborough up in this piece. I tend toward a
big-picture enjoyment of nature, covering the miles and seeing the vistas. Other
friends of mine, just as former Camp Meekerite Leha Carpenter, are much
better at slowing down and spotting that elusive mud wren or rhododendron
japonicum. She had a way with a bird feeder, and our yard was always full of
chestnut-backed chickadees and acorn woodpeckers and California towhee.
Then there was the time in 1999, (we had just moved in) when her son Martin
found a Pacific Giant Salamander right in our back yard! Those things (as Mr.
Trump might say) are YUUGE! Easily the biggest salamander I’ve ever seen.
What else? Raccoons, sure. Banana slugs by the bushel. Crows and blue jays
and squirrels are common enough that you can get to know individual members
of the respective species. Heck, you start to know whole squirrel cliques (and
clicks, too: you know the noise they make that all the civilians think is some kind
of bird call). Deer, crawdads, wood rats. All part of life’s rich wildlife pageant
here in Camp Meeker.
And that’s the garden variety stuff. Then there are the rarer sightings. I saw a
Bobcat outside my gate in the twilight once. Black bear and mountain lion are
not unheard of in the wilder places downstream between Westminster Woods
and Tyrone. I had to look it up on Wikipedia to confirm the sighting, but I saw
a capybara galumphing across Valley Ford-Freestone Road last year. A wild
one. Then there are the big birds: mostly they are turkey vultures, with the big
wingspan and the ashy-gray underwings. But there are red tail hawks and redshouldered hawks, and sharp-shins and Cooper’s hawks and even a Golden
Eagle or two. The place to see all the raptors is in the winter along the dairy belt
along Valley Ford Road and toward Tomales.
I’m sure I am forgetting some doozies, and I sure hope some of you bio-nauts
out there can fill me in on some of your more interesting sightings. I haven’t
even touched on the flora yet, and considering fully half of it is poison oak,
that’s probably wise.
That’s living in a forest for you. We have more neighbors than our suburban
friends, neighbors with fur and feathers and scales. One should get to know
one’s neighbors. Forest animals don’t generally have large vocabularies, but
they are quite fluent in communicating by their behavior. I would recommend
Derrick Jensen’s “A Language Older than Words” as a good place to start. I
would be very interested to hear your observations and reflections on any
conversations you might have.
By Tom Lynch
Our treasured quality of life, our
children’s future, is at stake in this
election. That’s why I’m running for
Fifth District Supervisor, and need
strong support, from your friends
and families, to change the current
system. As a concerned citizen and
parent, for over thirty years within
the district, I’ve demonstrated
strong leadership protecting the
environment, developing jobs,
supporting the arts and advocating
improved government services.
We need broader levels of engagement, working together openly and
honestly, solving problems with sustainable solutions. Sonoma County must
reinvent itself, becoming a convener, enlisting and involving our community,
leveraging resources for public safety and road repair, along with restoring cuts
to nonprofits, volunteer and faith based organizations. We need more resources
upstream to create future contributors downstream, with more resources into
education and less into incarceration.
The number one reason we have a housing crisis are the policies and fees of
Sonoma County and many our cities. We need to provide incentives to create
rentals, and small second dwelling units, in many underutilized homes. We
have a huge wealth of housing in Sonoma County, from continuing reduction
in household size and increasing average homeowner age. Some say our
villages are becoming gentrifying gerontocracies, without younger workers
or children able to find affordable places to live, in the communities they
work. Why charge a homeowner, who wants to repurpose a bedroom into
a small apartment, $30-50,000 in fees? At the advocacy of Lily Pad Homes
(lilypadhomes.org), Novato recently adopted a visionary housing policy,
allowing homeowners to create small accessory dwelling units, without impact
fees, and waived parking and fire sprinkler requirements. Meanwhile we make
housing less affordable with “Housing Mitigation Fees” that we turn around
and build $400,000 one bedroom apartments with, in dense concentrations.
Why not encourage affordable rentals, among the cities and rural areas of
Sonoma County, allowing the workers in Bodega Bay to live in Bodega Bay?
Maybe we’ll stop school closures for lack of enrollment and see more fire
department volunteers.
To reduce delays with projects that provide jobs and housing, Permit and
Resource Management Department is overwhelmed, and needs more staff
with reduced fees, with more resources from Sonoma County’s General
Fund. The sooner projects are approved and completed, the sooner we see an
expansion of the property tax base, which is the primary source of revenue for
the County.
Presently we are in the midst of the largest transference of wealth,
from younger generations to older, than perhaps any society, I support
intergenerational equity. We have a good problem, with living longer and
healthier lives, the issue is we haven’t set aside enough to take care of ourselves
in retirement and are unfairly burdening the next generations with those costs.
Presently Sonoma County pays employees a salary and retirement benefit
for one years service, without fully funding the retirement benefit, especially
among upper tier employees. With over $1 Billion in unfunded retirement
benefits, we have seen a fivefold increase of costs, reducing more and more
services this County once provided for generations. None of the other elected
positions of Sonoma County, city council, State Assembly nor Senate, receive
any public employee retirement benefit, I will join Supervisor Susan Gorin and
personally opt out of the Sonoma County Employee Retirement Association
system (a savings of $62,000/year), while continuing to work toward fair
pensions for all generations.
As current Fifth District Planning Commissioner, former member
Sonoma County Economic Development Board, and the Russian River
Redevelopment Oversight Committee, I worked protecting diverse
communities, improved health services, schools, affordable housing, and
infrastructure, with fiscally responsible and affordable solutions. Thank you for
your support.
tomlynchforsupervisor.com 707-394-5157 [email protected]
H
itchcock still has it. The local Chamber of Commerce sponsored a
movie night, featuring The Birds and North by Northwest. The Birds, as
usual, was a big hit, with the little squeals when the birds attacked,
and the happy little applause when the movie was over. It is unique
to watch this movie in Bodega Bay even though the Tides is new and different
and the School Teacher’s House is really in Bodega. Kudos to the Chamber for
preserving this classic experience (although now they have added popcorn.).
Here in Bodega Bay the need to provide support for our fishermen continues.
The Regional Park Director, Caryl Hart has been wonderful. She has helped get
the benefits directly to the fishermen. Lori at the Marina is a Godsend. She has
done so much, over and above her ordinary work.Ask her suggestions about
what would help her and what, if anything, is in short supply. We hope this is a
temporary situation and that soon the fishermen can provide for themselves.
This is Easter month. Many people don’t realize that the places that Jesus
actually went are still there. Celebrate Spring. We celebrate Easter with great
joy. As my Greek friends say, Christos Anesti.
In Ethiopia the underground churches, where Mary and Joseph went, and
the Christians who were being persecuted went to worship, remain. We were
there during Epiphany. They were celebrating the baptism of Jesus. More than
5,000 young men were in the street, marching up the hill, when we arrived.
They were all wearing white robes and carrying long staves (which they were
waving). Our anxiety was relieved when the interpreter told us that the young
men were all shouting “We are so happy. God is Great. Praise be to God.”
How can you be fearful when the message is so clear; they were celebrating the
baptism of Jesus which event they celebrate as the beginning of Christianity.
This was the message we came home with. This is a very poor country. It is a
poor but peaceful country in the middle of several difficult neighbors and they
LIKE the US. I hope our State Department gets that message clearly.
As I have mentioned before, I am a member of the group American Women
For International Understanding. We attempt to do what we can to help
women’s groups make a better life for themselves and their children. We take
delegations to do face to face contact with women leaders and understand
what we can do, each in our own way, to help women’s groups help their
own people. We work through the US State Department to recognize a few
women who have been nominated by our Ambassadors for acts of courage or
outstanding achievements. Each Ambassador gets to make nominations and
then the State Department picks 10 (this year there will be 15) and brings them
to the U.S. to be honored. Our group gives each of the honorees a grant and
sponsors a magnificent gala to help publicize the acts of courage each of the
women have done. The women come from some very troubled homelands. One
grant to the woman from Afghanistan a few years ago was not claimed because
she was so fearful.
Recently we sent a delegation to Ethiopia, where we were warmly received.
Again, the medical issues surrounding childbirth, were major and the
commitment of the medical personnel was outstanding. We are examining a
way to send medical instruments to the very poor hospitals who are doing so
much with what they have. One small way we discovered was that Doctors
Without Borders will honor a donor’s request to send the gift given to a
specified country. My gift was acknowledged as was my request to send the
help to Ethiopia. We came away with a commitment to do what we can to help
end the Harmful Traditional Practices (HTPs) among which subject women
to genital mutilation. There are also other harmful practices like abduction of
young girls and many harmful birthing practices. At this point all we can do
is support those brave Ethiopians in organizations like ODWaCE and workers
like Abate Gudunffa and Admassie Wondimu who are leading the effort to
eradicate harmful traditional practices that are detrimental to women and
babies. For more information look at [email protected].
Ethiopia is committed to keeping their children in school. One of the ways
they have approached this was to find out why the children were NOT in
school. They discovered that many children were following tourists, especially
in the national parks (where there are GREAT baboons) and selling the trinkets
their mothers had made. The government hired more Park Rangers and forbade
the children from contacting the tourists. This was a double benefit; more
children went to school and the illegal killing of the baboons went down.
W
e don’t have many businesses in town, but we love the ones we
do have. Thank you Raj for the new lighted Bartlett’s sign. Thank
you Popper, Alain, Diz, Sarah and the rest of the Rio Café Take 2
team. Their new menu is great and it’s also a quick and easy to go
option for dinner. Kudos to Kari at Bia Café and Robert at Cuts on the Green
as well. You won’t get more personal service anywhere. Please support our local
businesses first. It’s difficult to operate a business here, especially during the
slow season. One of the goals of the Monte Rio Chamber and the Alliance is to
support our local businesses when we can. The county should be doing more to
make sure our businesses thrive. If we lose one business due to permit issues,
our whole town is impacted. If your business needs help interfacing with county
agencies let us know.
The Russian River Chamber is having a mixer at Rio Theater Wed., April
6th at 6pm. This will be a forum to meet the candidates running for 5th District
Supervisor. I encourage you to attend, and to request more county resources
and better response times in our area.
Speaking of interfacing with the county on local issues of concern, we
now have a much stronger unified voice. The Russian River Alliance was
formed as a successor to Redevelopment. It was envisioned as an umbrella
organization for groups in the River Area. Monte Rio Community Alliance
has been an active member of the Russian River Alliance for several years.
Guerneville unfortunately didn’t have a community group to represent their
interests. Last year Mark Emmett formed a group in Guerneville. This month
his group will be renamed the Guerneville Community Alliance, and will
be under the Russian River Alliance umbrella as well. We will now have one
voice that will represent our River area in the 5th District. It took longer than
we envisioned to reach this milestone, but as Siri would say, you have arrived
at your destination. All three groups are on Facebook and have websites you
can contact for any questions, concerns, suggestions, etc. If your concern is
within Monte Rio, contact Monte Rio Community Alliance. If it is a River-wide
concern, contact Russian River Alliance. If you belong to a community group
that is not yet a member of the Russian River Alliance please contact us for
more information. Working together gets results. RussianRiverAlliance.org
Monte Rio Chamber of Commerce is getting ready for our annual Golf
Tournament, which is Friday May 20th. We are looking for T-Sponsors and
players. The Golf Tournament is a fundraiser that supports our Independence
Day Weekend Fireworks. Monte Rio has always had great fireworks, and this
year we will have the only Fireworks in the River! Support Team Monte Rio!
MonteRio.org
Monte Rio Recreation and Park District announces the opening of Cutty
Muggs Cafe at Creekside Park on April 1st. Come by and check it out. The
District also has a new website and will have new signage and landscaping
improvements beginning April 1st. Mrrpd.org
Sonoma County Pride will have a Give Back Tuesday April 26th at Rainbow
Cattle Co. The Pride Parade and Celebration will be held on Sunday June 5th.
Parades and celebrations, like fireworks, are expensive and difficult to put on,
but they are worthy traditions that bring the community and tourists together
for a great time. It takes volunteers, fundraising, and sponsors to keep these
traditions going. “United in Pride” SonomaCountyPride.org.
If you have an issue that you feel needs addressing, upcoming event announcements, or
comments/suggestions, please contact me at my email above.
O
h where to begin… I thought about doing a spoof for April Fool’s, but
some of what’s happening in our town is so unbelievable, you might
have just laughed and brushed it off, thinking it was a joke! For instance,
the Russian River Chamber of Commerce cancelling of the 70th Annual
Stumptown Daze Celebration! Really? That would never happen….well, it did.
But thankfully, those who believe in tradition, have stepped up and grabbed
the ribbon off of the calf’s ear and taken over. (That’s Rodeo talk for those of
you who are scratching your heads right about now). Thankfully, a few groovy
local gals were not about to let such a family tradition float down the River, so
Christina Pappan, owner of TRIO’s and long-time groovy, local bartender, Leslie
“Jo” Booker reached out to Valerie Booker-Hausmann who has spearheaded
the parade for numerous past years, to help save the Stumptown Daze parade!
There will be several fund raisers between now and June 18th and I encourage
you all to donate either your time or money in support of this long time family
tradition! Thank you ALL who have already stepped up and continue to help
make this happen. This year’s theme is Going Platinum – 70 years of Stumptown.
And many thanks to the groovy Russian River Fire Fighters for continuing their
annual fundraising BBQ afterwards! Come on out and eat some yummy BBQ and
purchase your Russian River Firefighters t-shirts!
Another unbelievable fact is very few, if any, local businesses have stepped
up to sponsor The Great Russian River Race, which changed its venue from
Healdsburg to groovy Guerneville this year! This is the 6th annual race to help
support a healthier river, through the Russian Riverkeeper, whose mission
is to inspire the community to protect the Russian River forever. This event
will bring a lot of attention to our town, so please contact me at Community
First Credit Union for sponsorship information! Also, if you would like to
participate, get more information at greatrussianriverrace.com. It’s going to be
a boat load of fun, May 21st with live music, food, drink, costumes, etc. Very
groovy event for everyone!
Here’s a serious fact that involves the groovy Russian River Sisters of
Perpetual Indulgence… they are having a fundraiser in association with the
Sonoma Parks Foundation and Vira, the California Mermaid for the Bodega
Bay Fishermen at the Guerneville Vets Hall on Sat, April 16th from 6-11pm.
As many of you are aware, the cancellation of the crab season has had a
tremendous effect on our local fishermen, so please help them out. There will
be a seafood dinner, live entertainment, auction and raffle prizes, so get your
tickets now! For more information and tickets go to rrsisters.org.
The Russian River Chamber of Commerce will be holding its 2nd Annual
Russian River Food & Wine Spring Fling on Sat, April 23rd, downtown
Guerneville from 1-4pm. This is a pretty groovy event, as you taste food & wine
from 40 local restaurants & wineries while mingling with a lot of the business
owners and local talented chefs. Tickets are now on sale at eventbrite.com. I
encourage you to purchase online as there will be an additional $10 fee if you
purchase at the door!
And we will close with a fun, groovy fact pertaining to local theatre. On April
17th, the Rio Theater continues its movie classic series in showing the original
Wizard of Oz! Also in Monte Rio, from April 1-23rd, Curtain Call Theatre
presents P.S. Your Cat is Dead, a comedy with claws… contains some rough
language and some nudity, so drop the kids off to see the Wizard of Oz then
go across the street to watch locals Dax Berg, Jake Hamlin, Dan Vanek, Tina
Woods perform in this play by James Kirkwood, directed by Avi Lind.
Have a groovy April everyone!
DOWNTOWN CLEAN UP - Every Monday - FRIEND
Chris Brokate and Clean Rive Alliance on
Facebook to stay in touch. 707-322-8304 for info
RUSSIAN RIVER FIRE
By Tre Gibbs, LAAS
Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is a giant ball of gas. It also has
about 67 moons, four of which can be seen with an ordinary pair of binoculars.
Jupiter is also the fourth brightest object in the sky after the sun, the moon and
the planet Venus. Why am I mentioning all this Jupiter stuff? Because Jupiter
is poised for perfect viewing this month and also the coming months, as Earth
slowly glides past “The King of the Gods”.
Rising early in the month around 5:30pm and late in the month around
3:30pm, Jupiter is rela-tively high in the sky by the time night falls. A bright
beacon resembling a non-twinkling star, Ju-piter is brilliant – and on the evening
of the 17th, the moon will pair with Jupiter and the two will do their cosmic
dance as they travel the sky together. Look for Jupiter just above and to the left of
the moon on this one night only.
On a clear night, grab your binoculars, lean against a car (preferably yours),
or find another way to steady yourself, aim the binoculars at Jupiter, and you
just may be able to see four of its moons, known as the Galilean Satellites, since
Galileo discovered them in 1609. They will look like tiny pin-pricks of light all
in a straight line. Depending on where they are in their respective orbits, you
might see all four on one side of Jupiter, or any combo of one, two or three on one
side. What’s spectacular about this sight, is that you will be seeing the exact same
thing Galileo saw over 400 years ago, which over time, enabled him to discern
that Earth was then not the only center of motion in the universe – HUGE news!
This led to further discoveries, specifically about the moon’s surface and the
phases of Venus, which proved once and for all that Earth was in fact a planet
orbiting the sun – not the other way around. This had been the established
thought for over 15 centuries. This discovery landed Galileo in aqua caliente
with the Catholic Church, who, even after viewing these discoveries, placed
Galileo under house arrest for the remainder of his life. All is well today, for The
Catholic Church formally apologized to Galileo – in 1992. Seriously.
But let’s not forget the other “wanderers” in our night sky (Planet is from the
Greek word for wander). Orangish Mars rises around midnight early in the
month, and then around 10:30pm by month’s end. Saturn, the quintessential
ringed gas giant, follows Mars about an hour later, rising around 1am early in
the month, but then closer to 11pm by month’s end. If you aren’t certain which
star like objects are Mars and/or Saturn, just wait until the evening of the 25th –
the moon will be right above and between both planets, and all three will engage
in their own cosmic conjunction as the trio travel the night sky together, gliding
west in a slow yet deliberate astronomical interlude…
Have a great month – and take some time to pause and look up. There’s an
incredible show going on overhead each and every night.
The Russian River Firefighters Association will be hosting our Annual
Firefighters BBQ starting at noon on June 18, 2016. The 70th Annual Stumptown
Daze Parade starts at 11am, so get there early to get a good seat. Festivities run
until 6pm that day.
The Russian River Fire Protection District is accepting applications for
Volunteers. Please inquire within for more information or visit our website at
russianriverfire.org.
The next meeting of the Board of Directors will be on April 13th at 6pm at the
fire station, 14100 Armstrong Woods Rd. We hope you will consider attending.
Visit us on line at russianriverfire.org.
GRATON FIRE
Firefighter Awards
Firefighter of the Year Most Improved Firefighter
Most Improved Trainee Sapphire Alvarez
Dusty Parker
Ben Hedlund
The Graton Fire Board of Directors said thank you this month to the
volunteer firefighters for another year of service with our annual awards dinner
at the Union Hotel in Occidental. This is the one time each year, when we can
relax (because Forestville Fire Department provided station coverage) and
socialize with our spouses and significant others. We often forget the sacrifices
our families and friends make so that we can serve the community... this is a
night to thank them as well.
It is also time to recognize those individuals that went above and beyond
the call of duty – Sapphire Alvarez was singled out as Firefighter of the Year.
After joining the department in 2011, Sapphire has been a tremendous asset
to the department. She is always responding to calls, working sleeper shifts,
participating in training both internal and external, and teaching EMT students
at the SRJC. Great job!
Dusty Parker received the award for Most Improved Firefighter. Since
completing our academy in 2009, Dusty has been a great help. He continues
to take fire classes to improve, works as a CAL FIRE seasonal firefighter, and
recently passed his class-B driving test. Congratulations!
This year’s recipient for Most Improved Trainee goes to Ben Hedlund. Joining
the department as a trainee, he has quickly become a great asset... We are lucky
to have him. Ben is currently enrolled in the SRJC EMT class. Thank you for
your hard work in training and we look forward to your participation for years
to come! Congratulations to all of the recipients and a BIG thank you to all of our
volunteers and their families.
We also recognized all firefighters for their years of service – Those with over
20 years include:
Mario Cesaretti – 20 years
Scott Fisher – 25 years
Bob Maddocks – 30 years
Lee Walker – 35 years
FORESTVILLE FIRE
Pancake Breakfast! Don’t forget to join us on May 1st at the Forestville
Fire station for some pancakes, eggs, sausage, coffee, orange juice and milk. The
price for adults is $7 and $5 for kids and Seniors. We’ll have t-shirts and sweat
shirts for sale, the Fire Safety Trailer, Free Book Mobile for the kids and a raffle
with great prizes. We look forward to seeing you there!
ALL SoCo Fire Departments are WELCOME to
JOIN this Column. EM: [email protected]
Wheel of Light
Rio Olesky
starwatcher.com • (707) 887-1820
APRIL 2016
Mars is the planet of action. It represents physicality in terms of energy level,
athleticism, sexuality or the motivation to do something. Every two years Mars
retrogrades for about 10 weeks. When it’s retrograde, our physicality slows
down. We feel less like doing and more like sitting. This month Mars turns
retrograde on the 17th and remains in that direction until June 29. Planning an
effective strategy for accommodating a shift in our energy level can be useful in
avoiding wasted time and maintaining good health later on.
When a planet is retrograde it’s a time to retrace our steps. Where are we and
how did we get here? Are we satisfied with what we’re doing? If not, it’s a good
time to change course. Mars likes to initiate new activities but not, however,
when it’s retrograde. This is a time to go back and review what we’re already
doing. During that process we may find that we are not really interested in that
activity or project, in which case we can let it go. If for some reason we just can’t
terminate, it’s best to either lower our expectations of eventual result or to at
least limit the amount of time and energy we are putting into the situation.
Similarly, this is a good time to return to projects left incomplete in the past.
This will enable us to either finish it or realize why we stopped doing it in the
first place and let it go altogether.
Perhaps the biggest challenge with Mars retrograde is dealing with reduced
energy. This could mean feeling less motivated to do anything or literally
meaning the need for more rest or sleep. It’s important that we pay attention
to our body during this period. Sometimes one might want to plow through
the diminished energy and continue with the energy one normally has. Even
though it’s possible to do this, we would actually be using energy that’s not
really there and we would be left dealing with the consequences later on. This
could lead to a decrease in drive and energy for quite a while even after Mars
turns direct, or it could mean literally getting sick.
How can we use this period in a positive way? One way is to use this as
a time of researching new projects to be started after Mars turns direct. This
would be particularly beneficial after May 27 when Mars retrogrades into
Scorpio, a sign that thrives on doing research. Other positive possibilities
Aries: This is a good
time for you to relax.
Do things that bring
more harmony in your
life. This could be in
the social realm or
3/21-4/19 perhaps engaging in
artistic expression. Being open about
your relationship needs can enhance
emotional well-being.
Taurus:
Time alone,
especially
engaging
in artistic endeavors
can lead to spiritual
inspiration. It could
also lead to getting clear
4/20-5/20 about your needs for
intimacy, both emotional
and physical. Calling a time out in a
relationship can enable changes to take
place that could be both interesting and
fulfilling.
Gemini: This is a good
time to focus inward. You
could get more in touch
with feelings or intimacy
needs in a relationship.
Feeling connected to
5/21-6/20 home and family could
also be a priority. Lots of
potential to make practical changes that
can deepen your connection to those
closest to you.
Cancer: The new Moon
in Aries on the 7th is a good
time to start something
new in your professional
life. Because Mars will
retrograde a few weeks after
6/21-7/22 that, be conservative in both
energy expenditure and
expectations for completion. Nonetheless,
the new beginning could be something you
feel inspired to do or that will bring feelings
of liberation.
Leo:
Early month is a
good time to begin a new
intellectual activity. New
ideas or realizations could
result, but it could also
challenge previously held
You could
7/23-8/22 assumptions.
also use the energy to do
something creative or athletic, but remember
that later in the month, and throughout May
and June, the energy and drive may wane.
Virgo:
This is a good
time
for
intellectual
development. This could
specifically take the form of
deepening understanding
about a topic with which
8/23-9/22 you are already familiar. It
could also involve refining your technical
skill or learning how to be more effective
applying knowledge to practical activities.
involve reviewing ways in which we are dealing with two issues that Mars is
specifically oriented toward: anger and sexuality.
Some people have difficulty either being in touch with their anger or sexuality
or, if they are aware of those drives, have difficulty owning and expressing
them effectively. For example, due to family or cultural programming we
might assume that it’s not acceptable to express anger. We could bottle it up
and allow it to implode. Not only is the frustrating, but it could also lead to the
development of a major stress disease at some point. Or, we could misdirect
our anger, expressing at a time or place that seems safe even if we’re not really
angry with that person or situation. Use the period of Mars retrograde to get in
touch with anger and contemplate ways of expressing it that are healthy, safe
and effective.
Mars is the energy of the warrior. A warrior who knows that the real battle is
within the self. With Mars retrograde, it’s a good time to look within the self to
define and develop a strategy to defeat those parts of ourselves that we are at
war with. Without conquering the inner demons, we might have a tendency to
externalize and misdirect that conflict as if it were someone or something else
that is the problem.
Some people have a hard time owning their sexuality. This could also be due
to family or social programming or it could be based in the assumption that the
only way to attract a partner is to accommodate another person’s sexual needs.
This could involve anything from engaging in sex when we don’t really want
to or doing something that we don’t want to do. Or whether we want to be
involved with someone sexually in the first place. We can use this time of Mars
retrograde to get in touch with our bodies in a new way. What feels good? Who
are we really attracted to and why? When is a time that feels comfortable to
us to engage intimate physicality? With Mars retrograde in Scorpio we might
find that creating or engaging in tantric ritual could be both fulfilling and
transformational.
We can also use this time to address the type and frequency of physical
activity. Reflect on whether we are getting enough aerobic activity. If not, what
would be more realistic and fulfilling? If the type of activity is good, how about
things like frequency and duration? How often do we engage in it and for how
long each time? Do we need something intense like working our or jogging or is
something more pastoral like yoga more attractive?
Mars retrograding in the spring may seem more challenging, since this is a
time to get out and do things. Yet, there are plenty of things that we can engage
in, such as gardening or taking walks, that can conform to the realistic energy
level we feel while providing us with feelings of fulfillment and satisfaction.
Rio Olesky offers both private readings as well as classes for both beginning and
intermediate students. To make an appointment call Rio at 707-887-1820. Checkout his
website: www.starwatcher.com.
Libra:
Interesting,
inspiring change within a
stable relationship could
manifest for you this
month. Don’t be afraid
to shake things up in a
9/23-10/22 spirit of experimentation.
Harmony may be temporarily disturbed,
but greater honesty and
depth could result.
Scorpio: The full
Moon in Scorpio on the
21st could bring valuable,
if intense, realizations
10/23-11/21 about the emotional
content or quality in an important
relationship. This could lead to a catharsis
that will bring out in the
open things that have
been festering within for
some time.
Sagittarius: This is
a good time to expand
11/22-12/21 your social horizons. Be
careful about being too
idealistic either about a person or the
potential of a relationship. If a person
or opportunity seems to good to be true,
it probably is. Growth can come from
taking advantage of a good situation
by being cautious and clear about what
you really need at that time and in that
situation.
Capricorn: This is a good
time to focus on home and
family. Creativity is strong
for you and it could be
expressed through domestic
projects or initiating new
12/22-1/19 activities with close loved
ones. Not a good time to
discuss politics or religion even though
the opportunities to do so could present
themselves.
Aquarius: Lots of things
to do this month. They
could be creative, social
or intellectual. They could
come
through
internal
inspiration
or
external
1/20-2/18 stimulation. Engaging in too
many things could dissipate your energy. Or,
you could lose interest in most of them very
quickly. Growth comes from being selective
about what to do based on your realistic
energy level and degree of interest.
Pisces:
Use the Mars
retrograde as a time to
get clear about anger and
notice when, where and
why you may tend to
misplace it. Mental clarity
2/19-3/20 and desire to share your
ideas are strong this month.
Use it to make progress on the anger issue.
festivals tours gatherings
EVENTS
Community Seperators Workshops ~ The
public is encouraged to attend to learn
and provide input about expansion of
the existing Community Separators.
4-6p. Apr 6, Vets Memorial Bldg, 205
W 1st St, Cloverdale; Apr 13, Petaluma
Community Center, 320 N McDowell
Blvd, Petaluma.
Apr 1 ~ April Foolish Fun Drum Circle
~ 7-9p. $15-20. Songbird Community
Health Center, 8297 Old Redwood Hwy,
Cotati. 707-795-2398. Bring drums.
Apr 1 ~ Taking the High Road ~ is a one
woman show written and performed by
Sherry Glaser. The show is an expression
of her adventures in the world of
Cannabis and a benefit for Americans
for Safe Access. 8p. $25 donation. Finley
Community Center, 2060 West College
Ave., Santa Rosa. brownpapertickets.
com/event/2515817
Apr 1-3 ~ Yountville Live & The Taste
of Yountville ~ music, wine, and food.
Featuring exclusive performances from
recording artists; foods from world-class
restaurants and award-winning chefs.
yountvillelive.com
Apr 2 ~ Fools Day Parade ~ 11th Annual.
1p. Participants gather at noon in The
Occidental Community Center parking
lot. Parade will end at the Occidental
Center for the Arts, where there will
be live performances and activities for
kids. 3920 Bohemian Hwy, Occidental.
occidentalfoolsparade.com
Apr 2 ~ Sonoma County Local Authors
Showcase and Symposium ~ panel
discussion focusing on the business of
writing. Rohnert Park - Cotati Regional
Library. 10:30-4p.
Apr 7 ~ North Bay Wokers’ Rights Board
Hearing ~ hearing on salary, benefits
and working conditions for faculty,
staff, and students and Sonoma State
University. 6-8p, Operating Engineers
Local 3 hall, 6225 State Farm Dr, Rohnert
Park.
Apr 8 ~ World Affairs Council Luncheon
~ Discuss current debates over refugee
protection, security challenges and
irregular migration. Flamingo Hotel,
2777 Fourth St, Santa Rosa. Members
$29, Visitors $34. wacsc.org or 573-6014
for reservations by Apr 1.
Apr 9 ~ Spring
Songs
and
Traditional
Pysanka
Egg
Painting Events
begin
at
12p.
Crafts suggested
$1
donation.
The Fort Ross
State
Historic
Park,19005 Coast
Highway
One,
Jenner. (707) 8474777 fortross.org
Apr 9 - 10 ~ 2016 Bodega Bay Fisherman’s
Festival ~ 10a-5p. Live music, seafood,
craft booths, kids zone and more.
Adults $12, Seniors 65+ $10. Kids under
12 free. Westside Park, Bodega Bay.
bbfishfest.org.
Apr 10 ~ 2016 Spring Crafts Faire ~ Locally
made hand-crafted items. Proceeds from
raffle featuring donated items to support
Child Parent Institute of Sonoma County.
10a-4p. Flamingo Resort Hotel. 2777 4th
St, Santa Rosa. 707-494-9202
Apr 10 ~ Wine Country Running Event ~
top running vendors, pro athletes, local
race directors, guest speakers and sports
medicine clinics. Hyatt Vineyard Creek,
170 Railroad St, Santa Rosa. 11a-5p.
Register at eventbrite.com
Apr 13 ~ Gravenstein Lions ‘Big 40’
Celebration ~ Lions will provide info
on local programs such as eyeglasses
collection, vision tests, purchase of
eyeglasses for youth and older persons
in need, scholarships and more.
Refreshments served by Teen Chefs of
the Ceres Project and the Analy High
School Culinary Boot Camp.
Free.
Sebastopol Masonic Lodge, 373 N. Main
St, Sebastopol. 707-887-2759
Apr 14-17 ~ Tall Ships Arrive at Bodega
Bay ~ self-guided tour of each ship.
Crew will be on hand in period costume
to answer questions and tell stories.
$3 donation/person. Tours 4p. Apr 16
a three-hour Battle features cannons,
close-quarters maneuvers, and a taste
of 18th century maritime A ticket is
required for all passengers, including
babes in arms. Children 12 and under
must be accompanied by an adult. Spud
Point Marina, 1818 Westshore Rd, Bodega
Bay. 800-200-5239. historicalseaport.org/
Apr 16 ~ Scandinavian
Brunch ~ Exploring
the World of Viking
Archeology. Visit a
gathering place where
community members
would
eat,
dance,
sing, tell stories, and
sleep. $17 Members,
$22
Non-Members.
b r ow n p a p e r t i c k e t s .
com/event/2495237. 617
West Ninth St, Santa
Rosa. freyalodge.org
Apr 16 - 24 ~ Petaluma
History Week Events
~ Petaluma Historical
Library and Museum,
20
Fourth
Street,
Petaluma
4/16 ~ 12p Opening
Ceremony
and
Presentation of Good Egg Award 1–3p.
Barbecue in the Museum Garden Court.
4/17 ~ 1p–2:30 Petaluma History Walk
4/21 ~ 6–8p Scotch Tasting & Food Pairing
PMA Fundraiser: $60/person, $100 for
couples/two friends
4/23 ~ Noon Butter & Egg Days Parade
on Museum’s front steps.
4/24 ~ 4p Talk by Skip Sommer: “The
Fight over the Railroad in 1870
Petaluma” $10 general, $5 students and
seniors. PetalumaMuseum.com or 707778-4398.
Apr 16-17 ~ 70th annual Apple Blossom
Festival and Parade ~ Ive’s Park and
the Sebastopol Veterans Building at
the Sebastopol Center for the Arts.
Live music, family fun, food and
drink. 10a-6p, Sebastopol Center for
the Arts. (Parade is down Main Street).
appleblossomfest.com
Apr 17 ~ Earth Care Festival ~ tables/
exhibits will include “green” cleaning
products, landscaping & irrigation
options, solar options for residences
from
Solarcraft.
Local,
organic
options, master gardening tips. First
Congregational Church, 252 West Spain
St, Sonoma. Noon - 3p.
Apr 17 ~ Simcha Sunday ~ Jewish
Cultural Festival. Food, bake sale, more.
Kids activities. Free entertainment. 124p, Sonoma Mountain Village Event
Center, 1100 Valley House Dr, Rohnert
Park. jccsoco.org/annualevents/simchasunday-2016/
Apr 17 ~ Community Healing Festival
at Yoga One ~ Petaluma - 110 Kentucky
St., Petaluma 6-8p. Hand-on-Healing,
Aura Readings, Clairvoyant Reading,
Donation. crystal-rose.org.
Apr 23 ~ Annual Awards Celebration/
Dinner ~ Peace & Justice Center of
Sonoma County. 5-10p. Catered dinner,
music by ODELL. Sebastopol Community
Cultural Center, Morris Stret, Sebastopol..
peaceandjustice.bpt.me
Apr 23 ~ Santa Rosa Earth Day Festival
~ 7th Annual. 12-4p in Courthouse
Square. Free, family-friendly festival.
Fun activities, live performing arts,
and exhibits that raise environmental
awarenesss.
Apr 27 ~ Forestville Annual Awards
Dinner ~ honor local heroes at this
Chamber of Commerce event. Hosted by
Russian River Vineyards. 4-8p. $55 each.
5700 CA-116, Forestville
Apr 29 - May 1 ~ Gem Faire ~ Sonoma
County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett
Valley Rd., Santa Rosa. Fri. 12-6p, Sat.
10a-6p, Sun. 10a-5p. $7 weekend pass.
Fine jewelry, precious & semi- precious
gemstones, millions of beads, crystals,
gold & silver, minerals & more. (503) 2528300 or gemfaire.com
Apr 30 - May 1 ~ Blossoms, Bees &
Barnyard Babies ~ Pack up the family
and head out to the farm to celebrate
Spring. Activities include farm tours,
demonstrations, animal petting, games
and crafts for kids, tastings, cooking
demos, flower arranging, and more.
Farm stands will be open for fresh- fromthe-source purchases. 10a-4p. Various
locations around Sonoma County.
farmtrails.org.
Apr 30 ~ Day on the Green at the Village
~ A day of art, music, and family fun.
11a-4p. Performance by Nina Gerber,
Jan Martinelli and Sarah Baker 12-4
Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa. Free.
mvshops.com/all-events/day-on-thegreen-at-the-village/
Apr 30 ~ Day of the Child ~ Join
dozens of countries around the world
celebrate children. Activities at fifteen
participating nature sites. Hosted by
the Sonoma Environmental Education
Collaborative. www.sonomaecountyee.
org under tab “Day of the Child”
May 1 ~ 4H ChicekQue ~ fundraiser and
open house for the Sonoma County 4-H
Program. Interactive booths featuring
many projects. Family event and an
opportunity to learn about 4-H. 11a4:30p. Sonoma County Firgrounds, 1350
Bennett Valley Road , Santa Rosa
FarmersMarkets
Bodega Bay ~ Sun ~ 10a-1p ~ Bodega Bay Community Center, 2255 North Hwy One,
Bodega Bay
Cloverdale ~ 894-9454 www.facebook.com/CloverdaleCertifiedFarmersMarket ~
5:30p to dusk - Downtown Cloverdale Plaza. Part of Friday Night Live with music
Glen Ellen Community Farmers Market ~ Sundays 10am to 2pm at Jack London
Village, 14301 Arnold Drive in Glen Ellen
Gualala Farmers Market ~ 884-3726 ~ Sat ~ 9:30-12:30, Community Ctr, 47950 Center
St. INFO: Donna Bishop (707) 884-3726
Guerneville ~ sponsored by EcoRing (707) 632-6070, (707) 865-2575 Thurs ~ 3-7p,
Sonoma Nesting Co., adjacent to Guerneville Plaza.
Healdsburg ~ North & Vine, 431-1956 ~ healdsburgfarmersmarket.org, Wednesdays
~ 4-7p behind Cerri Building at North & Vine, Sat ~ 9-Noon behind Bear Republic
Shelton’s Market Garden ~ 829-6718 ~ 625 Sexton Rd., Sebastopol. Certified organic
on-site farm stand. We only sell what we grow. Wed 9a-1p, Sat 9a-1p, weather
permitting.
Southwest Santa Rosa Farmers Market ~ Thursdays 4 - 7pm 3650 Standish Ave,
Santa Rosa. cpifarmersmarket.org
West End Farmers Market ~ Every Sunday 10am - 2pm. 817 Donahue St, Santa Rosa.
by historic DeTurk Park and Round Barn Between West 9th St and Boyce St. INFO:
wefm.com (707) 477-8422
Windsor Farmers Market ~ Check out this years event schedule at
windsorfarmersmarket.com/calendar Windsor Town Green (701 McClelland Blvd.)
- 707-838-5947 -windsorfarmersmarket.com - Sun 10-1, Thurs 5-8
YearRoundFarmFreshFood
Oakmont Certified Market ~ Saturdays from 9a to noon in the parking lot at White
Oak and Oakmont Drive
Petaluma East-Side Farmers’ Market ~ MOVING! Every Tue - 10am to 1:30pm Deer
Creek Village Friedman’s Lot (501 North McDowell Boulevard) near Dog Park,
Petaluma INFO: (415) 999-5635 Facebok page
Rohnert Park Farmers Market ~ Sundays 10am - 2pm INFO: 415-999-5635
communityfarmersmarkets.com 300 City Center Dr., Rohnert Park
Santa Rosa Community Farmers’ Market ~ Wed 9a - 1p, Sat 8:30-1. Veterans Bldg,
1351 Maple Ave, Santa Rosa. 707-237-5340 Facebook page
Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market ~ 522-8629 thesantarosafarmersmarket.
com, Wed 8:30am to Noon, Sat 8:30am to 1pm Wells Fargo Center, 50 mark West
Springs Rd., Santa Rosa
Sebastopol Farmers’ Market ~ Every Sunday 10am-1:30pm, Sebastopol Plaza ~
Weeks Way at Petaluma St & Healdsburg Ave, across from Whole Foods Market
INFO: sebastopolfarmmarket.org
Sonoma Valley Certified Farmers Market ~ Every Friday morning 9am - 12:30pm, in
the Arnold Field parking lot at 241 First St West, Sonoma. svcfm.org ~ 707 538-7023
SUPERVISOR CANDIDATE FORUMS
- there will be more - please visit the Gazette Facebook page and
SonomaCountyGazette.com. At press time this is all we know about. We’ll try
to keep that updated as these events come to us.
Apr 6 ~ 1st District Candidates Forum moderated by Alec Peters of the
Kenwood Press. We invite you all to attend, 7 PM at the Bennett Valley Grange.
No charge. All 3 1st District candidates have promised they’ll be there.
Apr 28 ~ Sonoma Supervisor Candidate Forum ~ The Sonoma County Lodging
Association will host a County Supervisor candidate forum Thursday, April
28 at the Flamingo Conference Resort & Spa starting at 3 pm. This event is
free and open to the public. Candidates running for the Sonoma County
Board of Supervisors in the first, third and fifth districts will attend. Mike
Reilly, retired County Supervisor District 5, will moderate the forum, asking
questions pertinent to the lodging and tourism industry and general business
environment in Sonoma County. 2777 4th St, Santa Rosa
Apr 28 ~ West Sonoma County voters are invited to meet and listen to Fifth
District supervisorial candidates in Sebastopol, Thursday, 7-9pm at the 5th
District Supervisor Candidates’ Forum to be held at the Sebastopol Center for
the Arts, 282 S. High Street. The free public forum, co-hosted by Preserve Rural
Sonoma County (PRSC) and KOWS Community Radio, will give candidates an
opportunity to present ideas and plans, and answer questions about important
issues. Candidates will present opening and closing statements, and will
respond to questions from the community. Although the event is free and
open to the public, donations will be accepted at the door to help defray event
expenses. INFO: [email protected] and kows.fm.
May 6 ~ Meet the Candidates - Doors open at 6 orum begins at 6:30
Individuals wishing to ask a question of the Candidates will be asked to
provide their name on a card that will be drawn at random during the second
part of the event. The first part of the event will invite local community groups
to ask a single question that concerns their mission as well as one follow up
question. Those groups include: Monte Rio Chamber of Commerce, Sonoma
Pride, Friends of Monte Rio, Monte Rio Community Alliance, Monte Rio Fire
District and Monte Rio Recreation and Park District. Event moderator will be
announced 20488 CA-116, Monte Rio INFO. (707) 865-2487 www.mrrpd.org
get outdoors
NATURE
Apr 2 ~ Science Saturday ~ at the
Environmental Discovery Center at
Spring Lake Regional Park in Santa
Rosa. Activities start on the hour at 1, 2,
or 3p. Free event. 1-4:30p. Spring Lake
Park, 393 Violetti Road, Santa Rosa
Apr 2 & 14 ~ For the Love of the Birds
~ Help save lives and give songbirds
a second chance to fly free! Native
Songbird Care & Conservation, 8050
Elphick Rd, Sebastopol on Apr 2,
11am or Apr 14, 6p. Pre-registration
required.
Call
707-484-6502
or
nativesongbirdcare.org
Apr 7 ~ Small Stuff at the Cedars ~ How
Microorganisms Survive and Thrive in
Serpentine Springs. 7-9p. Free. Sonoma
Land Trust office, 822 5th Street, Santa
Rosa, sonomalandtrust.org
Apr 9 ~ Robert Ferguson Observatory
Events ~ Solar Viewing 11a-3p. Public
Star Prty, 8p. Sugarloaf Ridge State
Park, 2605 Adobe Canyon Rd, Kenwood.
rfo.org
Apr 10 ~ Wildflowers and Ranching
~ learn how cattle grazing is helping
us manage and protect the 1,665-acre
protected Tolay Creek Ranch, while
gazing at the spectacular blooms of
spring wildflowers endemic to the
serpentine soils found here. 10a - 2p,
strenuos.
www.SonomaRCD.org
707-569-1448
Apr 10 ~ Wildflower Walk ~ Enjoy the
beauty of the season. Pepperwood staff
and expert volunteers and botanists
explain the variety of flowers in bloom.
Informal picnic lunch and wine reception
at noon following the hike. RSVP early to
Julie at jbartice@pepperwoodpreserve.
org or (707) 591-9310 x202. 2130
Pepperwood Preserve Rd, Santa Rosa.
pepperwoodpreserve.org
Apr 16 ~ Small Forest Management ~
Bodega Land Trust 2016 Walk and Talk
Series. 10a-noon. Jill Butler of CALFIRE
will speak. Presentation, then tour small
redwood forest for onsite learning.
$10. Salmon Creek School, Freestone,
1935 Bohemian Hwy, Occidental.
bodegalandtrust.org. 707-874-9001.
Apr 30 ~ Take It Outside, California ~
family nature exploration with handson activities, presentations from the
Sonoma Resource Conservation District,
guided nature walks and more! 10a4p. Sonoma Land Trust, Glen Ellen
Ranch, 13255 Sonoma Hwy, Glen Ellen.
sonomalandtrust.org
Apr 30 & May 1 ~ Tea for Tweets! ~ Join
Native Songbird Care & Conservation
for our 3rd annual spring fundraiser.
Tea and a decadent buffet of sweets and
savories in the native plant gardens of our
songbird sanctuary, learn about habitat
gardening, and take a behind-the-scenes
tour of our work with songbirds. $25 per
person, advance purchase required. 11a.
8050 Elphick Rd, Sebastopol For tickets:
nativesongbirdcare.org or 707-484-6502
May 21 ~ Strawberry Feasts wtih Slow
Food ~ Taste the difference between
a number of lesser known, locally
grown varietals and enjoy Sonoma
County beverages and delicious
strawberry treats. 2-7p. Glen Ellen
Ranch, 13255 Sonoma Hwy, Glen Ellen.
sonomalandtrust.org
Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods
~ Volunteer, learn, or teach! Register at
www.stewardscr.org or 707-869-9177.
Email: [email protected].
(2nd Wednesday of the Month) – Trail
Crew at Armstrong Redwoods – Meet at
the Maintenance Shop at 9a. Contact Bill
Bambrick (707) 573-9782 or wbambrick@
comcast.net
Apr 2 ~ Geology of Sonoma Coast ~
9a-3p. Learn about unique geological
formations, history, and plate tectonics
along the sonoma Coast. $20.
Apr 3 ~ The Wonders of East Austin
Creek for Intrepid Hikers ~ Spectacular
hike with some bouldering down East
Austin Creek. 7 miles, over 2000 feet of
elevation change, on a rough trail to the
creek and surrounding forest. 8a-4p. $10.
Strenous Hike.
Apr 5 ~ Pinniped Monitoring Program
Orientation
~
FREE.
10a-noon.
Volunteers collect data to ensure the
protection of harbor seals during
Russian River estuary activities as they
pertain to mandated work required by
the Sonoma County Water Agency for
the Biological Opinion.
Apr 6 ~ Pinpniped Monitoring Site Visit
and Training - 10a-1p. Collect data to
ensure the protection of harbor seals
during Russian River estuary activities
as they pertain to mandated work
required by the Sonoma County Water
Agency for the Biological Opinion. $20.
Apr 9 ~ Edible and Medicinal Plants of
Austin Creek ~ Discover and explore
the abundance of food and medicine
that grows all around us. 10a-1p. $20.
Strenous Hike.
Apr 16 ~ Earth Day Projects ~ presented
by California State Parks Foundation.
At Sonoma Coast State Beach. Pomo
Canyon Campground Renovation and
North Jenner Beach Cleanup. 8:30a
Check-in. Project time 9a-12:30p.
Apr 17 ~ EcoAdventure: Wildflowers
of the Sonoma Coast ~ Peter Warner
will take participants through coastal
grassland, shrubland, and smaller
patches of forest to observe and
appreciate the flowering plants on the
Sonoma Coast. Free. 9a-3p.
Apr 23 ~ Archaeology and History of the
Sonoma Coast ~ Discover fascinating
archaeological and historical changes
that have taken place along the Sonoma
Coast. 9a-2p. $20.
Apr 23 ~ Forest Therapy in Sonoma
Coast State Park ~ Explore how to
support your overall well-being through
intentional sensory immersion in nature.
10a-1p. $20.
Apr 30 ~ Jenner Visitor Center
Orientation ~ Volunteer and inspire
visitors from all over the world at our
visitor center on the beautiful estuary in
Jenner. Free. 10a-Noon.
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park ~
sugarloafpark.org/event. FREE unless
specified. 2605 Adobe Canyon Rd,
Kenwood. $8 parking fee.
Apr 2 ~ Trail Work Day ~ 9a-1p. Free.
Reparing a section of Lower Bald
Mountain Trail.
Apr 2 ~ Introduction to Backpacking ~
with Inga Aksamit. 10a-12p. $10.
Apr 3 ~ Wildflower Walk ~ 9:30a-12p. $10
per hiker. Under 18 free.
Apr 6, 9, 16, 20 ~ Van Hoosear Wildflower
Walk ~ 10a-12p. Van Hoosear Wildflower
Preserve, Sonoma.
Apr 23 ~ First Annual Hike Around the
Park ~ 9a-5p. 13+ mile, 3000 ft verical
hike. BBQ afterwards. $20 and includes
T-shirt.
Apr 23 ~ Evening Sunset Nature Walk
~ 7-8:15p. Walk the Meadow-Hillside
Loop.
Apr 28 ~ Trail Clearing Day ~ 9a-1p. Help
clear trails of brush and mud, rocks.
Pepperwood
Preserve
~
2130
Pepperwood
Preserve
Rd,
Santa Rosa. (707) 591-9310 x204
pepperwoodpreserve.org. 707-524-9318.
Apr 1 ~ Discover Nature: The Synergy
of Art and Science ~, 6:30p. Dwight
Center. $10
Apr 2 ~ Reptiles and Amphibians of
Pepperwood ~ 9a-3p. $25
Apr 9 ~ Intro to Field Photography ~ 9a.
$5.
Apr 16 ~ Family Hike ~ 10am.
900 Sanford
Rd, Santa Rosa. lagunafoundation.org
Apr 2 , 16 ~ Spring Birding in the Laguna
Series ~ Birdwatching and natural
history walks with Lisa Hug, 8:30a-1p.
Apr 23 ~ Laguna Discovery Trail: Grand
Opening Celebration Walks ~ 8a and
10a. $10 donation. Pre-registration
required.
Apr 28 ~ Every Name Tells a Story ~ An
introduction to Plant identification. 6:309p. $15. Pre-register.
Apr 30 ~ Day of the Child / Dia del Nino
~ Family, nature, fun~ 10a-4p. Free.
Laguna de Santa Rosa ~
Landpaths ~ 618 4th St #217, Santa Rosa
~ LandPaths.org ~ [email protected] ~
Pre-registration required
Apr 9 ~ Spring Birding at Poff ~ 10a-3p.
7.5 mile hike with 1,000 ft elevation gain.
Apr 15 ~ Native Planting Workday at
Bohemia Ecological Preserve ~ 9a-1p.
Moderately strenous. All ages welcome.
Apr 16 ~ Sheep Shearing and Fiber at
Duckworth Ranch ~ 9:45a-2p. All ages
welcome.
Apr 16 ~ Annual Landpaths Thank You
Event ~ At Rancho Mark West. More
info to come.
Apr 22 ~ Earth Day Hike at Bohemia
Ecological Preserve ~ 9:30-2p. All ages
welcome. 2 miles.
Apr 23 ~ Azalea Occidentalis Hike at the
Bohemia Ecological Preserve ~ 10a-2p.
3-4 miles with steep sections.
Apr 30 ~ Day of The Child at Rancho
Mark West ~ 10a-4p. All ages welcome.
Family friendly, outdoor education event
reminiscent of Art Trails or Farm Trails.
55 Ridgway
Ave, Ste. A, Santa Rosa, in the
Environmental Center. (707) 546-7492
madroneaudubon.org for more details.
Apr 2 ~ Crane Creek ~ 8a-Noon.
Apr 16 ~ Santa Rosa Creek ~ 8am-Noon.
At Willowside Road.
Apr 20 ~ Bodega Bay ~ 8:30a-2:30p.
Madrone Audubon ~
Modini Mayacamas Preserves ~
located 8 miles northeast of Healdsburg
on Pine Flat Rd, 4 miles above Hwy
128 and the Alexander Valley. Preregistration for events is appreciated.
w w w.me et up.com/Fr iend s - of-t he Modini-Mayacamas/
Apr 1 ~ Birds and Botany ~ 9a.
Apr 7 ~ Native Garden & Nursery Projects
~ 9a. Modini Conservation Center,
2226A Center St, Healdsburg.
Apr 10 ~ Pine Flat History Walk with Joe
Pelanconi ~ 9a.
FIND LINKS
on SonomaCounty
Gazette.com
EARTH DAY
Be a steward to Mother Earth and have fun
at the same time with these great local events!
Apr 16 ~ The California State Parks Foundation’s Earth Day Restoration and
Cleanup ~ Jack London State Historic Park and Sonoma Coast State Park. We
need volunteers. 9a - 1p. Register before April 16th at http://www.calparks.org/
help/earth-day/ Russian Riverkeeper, - (707) 433-1958
~ Pomo Canyon Campground Restoration 9 – 12pm ~ 20 Volunteers needed;
North Jenner Beach Clean-Up 9-12:30pm ~ 75 Volunteers needed
~ Russian River Estuary & Penny Island Paddle Clean-Up 8:30 am, Register
for Paddle Clean-Up with Water Treks 707-865-2249. Volunteers Sign in @8:30a.
Meet @ Jenner Visitor Center 10439 Hwy. 1, Jenner. Dress for weather, wear
sturdy shoes, bring gloves and a water bottle. Water, Refreshments & Lunch
will be provided. Carpooling encouraged.
Apr 16 ~ The Dry Creek Valley Association, Russian Riverkeeper, and
SHED ~ 9a – noon: EXPLORE DAVERO FARMS AND DISCOVER BACKYARD
NUTRITION with Michael Presley, Soil Keeper ~ 766 Westside Road,
Healdsburg $20.00. daverofarms.eventbrite.com
~ 1–2:30p: LEARN HOW TO PLANT A BEE-FRIENDLY GARDEN with Kate
Frey 25 North Street, Healdsburg. $20. healdsburgshed.com/events/create-beefriendly-garden/
Apr 16 ~ Windsor Creek Restoration. Russian Riverkeeper and the
AmeriCorps Watershed Stewards Project ~ 9a – 1p Hiram Lewis Park 9680 Brooks Road South, Windsor. Help restore Windsor Creek by removing
invasive species and planting native plants. All ages are welcome. Windsor
Creek is located directly across from Windsor Middle School on Brooks Road.
Meet at Hiram Lewis Park.
Apr 16 ~ Earth Day at Quarryhill Botanical Gardens ~ FREE garden
admission all day long! $5.00 parking. Quarryhill is a 25-acre botanical garden
of mature, flowering Asian trees & shrubs. 11a - 3p 12841 Sonoma Highway,
Glen Ellen quarryhillbg.org
Apr 17 ~ Windsor Earth Day & Wellness Festival ~ 10a–2p Enjoy Live
Entertainment, Educational Activities and Presentations, Free Valet Bicycle
parking, spring produce and food at the Windsor Farmers Market children’s
games and crafts, live music, green rummage sale, plant sales and recycled
treasures. FREE on the Windsor Town Green. 707-838-1000.
townofwindsor.com/specialevents
Apr 22 ~ 100 Thousand Poets for Change - Earth Day ~ Poetry and music
celebrating Earth Day hosted by Susan Lamont. Earth Day Every Day $5
minimum purchase. 6:30-9p at Gaia’s Garden, 1899 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa
Apr 22 ~ HowEARTH Day ~ FREE activities and nature theme displays for
children; 2:30 and 5:30pm. K-Land attractions will also be open. Take advantage
of the Earth Day Special, a $5 unlimited ride bracelet! Lake Ralphine
Volunteer clean up starting at 3:30. 707-543-3737. srcity.org/departments/
recreationandparks/programs/specialevents/Pages/HowEarthDay.aspx
Apr 22 ~ Earth Day ”Trees for the Earth. Let’s get Planting.” ~ To find the
many events celebrating Earth Day in Sonoma County - and beyond! From
April 16-25, go to earthday.org/2016
Apr 23 ~ Earth Day Festival ~ The City of Santa Rosa and the Sonoma County Water
Agency are hosting the 7th Annual Earth Day Festival in Courthouse Square from noon
to 4 pm. We invite the community to learn about local environmental organizations,
green products, and how we can help you achieve your water-use efficiency goals.
srcity.org/earthday
April 23 ~ Earth day on the Greenway ~ (ages 5 to adult)- Help with a cleanup of the
S. R. Creek, native plant care and trail maintenance. Tools and refreshments provided.
Meet at Olive Park footbridge. Near 105 Olive Street. On Street Parking. Afterwards
join the Earth Day Festival at Courthouse Square. For info contact Alistair Bleifuss
[email protected] 543-3845 or [email protected]/ or srcity.org/earthday
family fun
KIDS
Apr 30 ~ Healthy Kids Day ~ to empower
our youth’s potential by promoting
healthy eating, physical activity, and
nutritional self-awareness. A day of
active games, healthy snacks, creative
crafts, and much more! Free. 11a-2p.
707-545-9622 Sonoma County Family
YMCA, 1111 College Ave, Santa Rosa
Mar 31 - Apr 3 ~ Butler Amusement
Carnival ~ North East parking lot
along Cleveland Ave at Coddingtown
Mall. 4-10:30p. Each day, they sell an
unlimited ride wristband for $25. Also
individual tickets for $1 each, 25 for $23
and 80 for $70.
Apr 2 ~ Home Depot Kids Workshop ~
Build a butterfly house. 9a-12p. Free,
Ages 5-12. Rohnert Park, 4825 Redwood
Drive, Rohnert Park. www.workshops.
home de p ot.c om/work shop s/k id s workshops
Apr 9 ~ Sheep Shearing Day ~ 11a-1p.
Come to Petaluma Adobe park to watch
our flock of sheep get sheared. Join our
shearer as he demonstrates historic and
current ways of cutting wool off sheep.
Adults $3, children 6-12, $2. Free for
5 and under. sonomaparks.org 3325
Adobe Rd, Petaluma. 707-762-4871
Apr 10 ~ Story Pirates ~ Using stories
submitted by children, the Story Pirates
create outlandishly funny sketches and
mini-musicals that leave kids and their
parents howling in the aisles! Arrive
early for Free Fun with Art. 3p. $12-17.
Luther Burbank Center for the Arts,
50 Mark West Srings Rd, Santa Rosa.
wellsfargocenterarts.org
May 1 ~ Blossoms, Bees and Barnyard
Babies ~ Tour your way through
Sonoma County and visit farms of your
choice. Activities include farm tours,
demonstrations, animal petting, games
and crafts for kids, tastings, cooking
demos, flower arranging, and more.
10a-4p. Various locations. farmtrails.org.
Most locations Free.
May 1 ~ Sensory Sensitive Films present
“The Jungle Book” ~ The auditoriums
dedicated to this film series will have the
lights up and the sound turned down.
A quiet policy will not be enforced
unless the safety of the audience is in
question, allowing kids to get up, move
around and express themselves. Airport
Cinemas, 409 Aviation Rd, Santa Rosa.
Tickets $6.75 and up.
Charles M. Schulz Museum &
Research Center ~ 2301 Hardies
Ln, Santa Rosa. (707) 284-1263.
schulzmuseum.org
Apr 1 ~ First Friday Film Series ~
Laurence Olivier stars as Mr. Darcy in
the classic romance Pride and Prejudice
(1940) about a family trying to find
suitable matches for their five daughters.
Cost: Free for members/$5 for public. 7p.
Apr 2 ~ Guest Cartoonist: Stan Sakai ~
2p. Award-winning creator of the Eisnerwinning graphic novel series Usagi
Yojimbo, will speak about his work and
sign books.
Apr 10 ~ Girl Scout Day ~ 10-2:30p. Take
off with Snoopy as the Flying Ace while
working on the Science and Technology
badges. Reservations required. 707-5445472 or gsnorcal.org.
Apr 30 ~ Comic Artist Workshop for
Girl Scout Cadettes ~ 10a-1p and 2-5p.
Earn your Comic Artist badge in this
special, hands-on workshop just for Girl
Scout Cadettes. Work with a professional
cartoonist to develop stories and
characters.
Children’s Museum of Sonoma
County ~ 1835 W. Steele Lane, Santa
Rosa. cmosc.org or 707-546-4069. Closed
Tuesdays.
Apr 16 ~ Spanish Storytime ~ Join
Guadalupe of Colors of Spanish for
a special Spanish story time at the
Childrens Museum of Sonoma County.
10-11a. Free with museum admission.
1835 W. Steele Lane, Santa Rosa.
Apr 21 ~ Michael McGinnis | How to
Come Up with an Invention ~ Ever
wonder how to come up with ideas, or
how to make something that you use
work better? 5:30-7p.
workshops plant sales
GARDEN
Apr 2 and 3 ~ Occidental Arts and Ecology
Center annual Spring Plant Sale
fundraiser ~ 10a-5p. Free admission.
Sale also Apr 9-10. Hundres of varieties
available. OAEC staff will be on hand
to assist. Tour of the gardens Apr 3 &
10, 1-2:30p. 15290 Coleman Valley Rd,
Occidental. 707-874-1557. oaec.org
Apr 7 ~ Garden Club on Compost and
Mulch ~ Valley of the Moon Garden
Club. 6:30p at Sonoma Veterans’
Memorial Building, 126 W. First Street,
Sonoma. Members, free. Guests, $5.
Refreshments and raffle. Two experts
on building fertile soil and where to
acquire the materials to make it. 707-9358986. vom-garden-club.org/
Apr 14 - May 26 ~ Perfume Harvest Tours
~ Harvest baskets-full of fragrant rose
petals from fields of ancient Bulgarian,
French and Persian perfume roses. See
these petals transformed into rose water
and rose oil, Refreshment included.
Reservations required. 9:30a. $10.95
(Thurs) $14.95 (Sun). 1685 Magnolia Dr,
Healdsburg. russian-river-rose.com
Apr 22 & 23 ~ Graton Community Club
Spring Flower Show ~ celebrate our love
for our feathered friends in the displays
and decorations throughout the club
house. Huge plant sale. Live music all
day and lunch with homemade desserts
both days from 11-2p, $10. Dessert and
tea or coffee $5. Benefits a scholarship
program for SRJC graduates continuing
on to a four-year college. 8996 Graton
Rd, in downtown Graton 707-829-5314.
Graton Community Club.org
Apr 23 ~ Harvest for the Hungry ~
Harvest for the Hungry Annual Plant
Sale 9-2p. Organic tomatoes will be
available as well as other organically
grown vegetables, flowers, native
and habitat plants and medicinal and
culinary herbs. 1717 Yulupa Ave, Santa
Rosa. harvestgarden.org/ 707.566.7937
Apr
30
~
Eco-Friendly
Garden
Tour ~ self-guided tour promotes
sustainable landscaping practices by
showcasing inspiring home gardens
throughout Sonoma County and North
Marin. Public and private gardens.
Registration
required
eventbrite.
com, no charge to attend. 10a-4p.
savingwaterpartnership.org
Sonoma
County
Master
Gardeners’ Library Workshops
~ All events FREE, 10:30a - 12:30p.
sonomamastergardeners.org.
Apr 2 ~ Growing Great Tomatoes ~
Peppers and All Summer Vegetables. 100
Fairgrounds Dr, Petaluma.
Apr 2 ~ Minimum Impact-Maximum
Output Gardening ~ Windsor Regional
Library, 9291 Old Redwood Hwy.
Bldg.100, Windsor.
Apr 9 ~ It’s Time to Think Outside
the Basil ~ Guerneville Regional
Library, 14107 Armstrong Woods Rd.,
Guerneville.
Apr 16 ~ It’s Time to Think Outside the
Basil ~ Discover the wonderful way to
make herbal crafts and gifts. 139 Piper
St, Healdsburg
Apr 16 ~ Useful Gardens, Practical
Harvests, Garden of Herbal Delights ~
Plant your own backyard herbal pantry
and boost the flavor of daily meals.
Rincon Valley Regional Library 6958
Montecito Blvd, Santa Rosa.
Apr 16 ~ Low Water Use California
Native Plants for the Sonoma County
Garden ~ Learn why California native
plants take our dry summers in stride
and are the best habitat plants for all of
our creatures. 6250 Lynne Conde Way,
Rohnert Park.
Apr 16 ~ Gardening 101, Just the Basics ~
From planting fruit trees to roto-tilling,
fertilizing, pruning, composting or
maintenance, Sonoma Valley Regional
Library, 755 West Napa St, Sonoma.
Apr 23 ~ Irrigation for Conservation ~
basic irrigation equipment, its function
and how it fits together. Sebastopol
Regional Library, 7140 Bodega Ave,
Sebastopol.
Apr 30 ~ Native Plants for Sonoma
County ~ learn why California native
plants take our dry summers in stride
and are the best habitat plants for all
of our creatures. Petaluma Regional
Library, 100 Fairgrounds Dr, Petaluma
Register for
FREE workshops at www.dailyacts.org
or 707.789.9664
Apr 2 ~ Planting the Pomo Gardent
~ Learn about native, droughttolerant plants, and be a part of this
fun, engaging, community-powered
workday! Sebastopol City Hall &
Library, 7120 Bodega Ave, Sebastopol.
Free. 10a-2p.
Apr 9 ~ Rain barrel workshop ~ hands
on experience installing barrels, learn
best practices for collection and learn the
best ways to use rainwater in the garden.
10a-2p Sebastopol (location given after
registration).
Apr 14 ~ Building Soil to Reverse
Climate Change ~ First of three-part
series on opportunities to put carbon
back into the ground to mitigate the
effects of a warming planet. $10. 7-8:30p.
199 Petaluma Blvd N, Petaluma.
Apr 21 ~ April Stewardship Day ~
Cavanagh Food Forest ~ Free. 1-3p. 426
8th St, Petaluma.
Apr 27 ~ April Stewardship Day - Pocket
Park ~ Free. Noon-2p. Intersection of
LaSalle & Loretto, Cotati.
Apr 30 ~ Rockin’ Homesteads Tour
~ Guided tour showcases water-wise
landscapes across the county. Cotati,
Petaluma and Windsor. Free. 1-4p. Signup in the city of your choice.
Daily Acts Workshops ~
Harmony Farm Supply and Nursery
- 3244 Gravenstein Hwy North, Graton.
707-823-9125. Register for the FREE
classes at harmonyfarmsupply.com
Apr 2 ~ Gopher Trapping Class, 10a-12p.
Reclaim your garden~ Hands-on
outdoor workshop.
Russian River Rose Company ~
russian-river-rose.com 1685 Magnolia
Dr, Healdsburg. Nursery & Garden
Open 10-5.
Apr 2 & 3 ~ How to Have a HAPPY
Rose Garden (or) Rose Gardening
for Dummies ~ Demonstrations at 10
& 2. FREE. Learn how to prepare your
garden to bring forth its most beautiful
bloom.
Green Thumb Garden Club, Cloverdale
Ap 9 ~ 9a-2p. Ace Hardware parking
lot, 750 S. Cloverdale Blvd. Members
offer plants that they have grown or
transplanted from their own gardens.
Sonoma County Jail Plant Nursery &
Teaching Garden, 9a-Noon.
Apr 9, Sonoma County Jail Plant Nursery,
2254 Ordinance Rd., Santa Rosa.
Checks or Cash only, www.scoe.org/
jailindustries or call Rick Stern (707) 5258310 or email [email protected] Event is
free but please bring a cart or wagon to
carry your plants.
Men’s Garden Club
Apr
15
9a-9p,
Apr
16
9a-3p.
Coddingtown Mall - Guerneville Rd. &
Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa Specializing
in Heirloom & Hybrid tomatoes,
Geraniums & Succulents and other
plants grown by our members.
Windsor Garden Club
Apr 17, 10a-2p Enchanted Gardens Spring
Plant Sale. Windsor Town Green @
McClellan and Market St, Windsor.
Apr 9 & 10 ~ Glorious Irises of Spring The Garden Awakens! ~ Special Tours
at 10 & 2 FREE. Enjoy 120 varieties in full
splendor, planted throughout the 650
roses in our garden.
Apr 16 & 17 ~ Fragrance Frolic - ‘The
Rose Petal Toss’. Blessing of the Rose
Harvest with Gradina ~ Performances
at 12 & 2p. $2 donation. Apr 16-Gradina
Slavic Singers, April 17-Russian River
Rose Company Singers
Apr 23 & 24 ~ Climbing Roses
‘Magnifique’ ~ FREE. Our homage to
Monet’s Garden! Tour of more than 75
varieties of climbing roses in Full Bloom.
Apr 30 & May 1 ~ May-Day & Monet ~
10a & 2p. $2 Donation Appreciated. Join
us in the garden at the PEAK of Bloom
for a true celebration of Springtime.
Weave colorful ribbons around a lovely
MAY-POLE!!
PLANT SALES for Benefits 2016
For full listings, please visit
www.sonomacountygazette.com
Santa Rosa Junior College
Apr 13, 10a-2p. May 1, Day Under the
Oaks
10a-4p. Lark Hall greenhouse.
Plants sales are student and volunteer
run with all proceeds going towards
Horticulture Student Scholarships.
Willowside School
Saturdays, 9a-2 p. Apr 2, 23. 5299 Hall
Rd, Santa Rosa. Thousands of plants:
a variety of low water and drought
tolerant perennials, $4 for 1 gallon
container. 707-569-4724
Sonoma County Orchid Society Show
and Sale
April 2 10a-5p, Apr 3, 10a-4p. Santa Rosa
Vets Building, 1351 Maple Avenue, Santa
Rosa. SonomaOrchids.com
Graton Community Club
Apr 22 and 23, 9a-4p. free admission.
Corner of Graton Road and Edison
Street. The Graton Community Club
Flower Shows benefit a scholarship
program for SRJC graduates continuing
on to a four-year college. Lunch is served
both days from 11 to 2 at a cost of $10,
with homemade desserts ($4) served all
day. 707-829-5314
Santa Rosa Garden Club
Apr 23, 9a-2p.
Luther Burbank Art
& Garden Center 2050 Yulupa,
Santa Rosa. Plants propagated by
Santa Rosa Garden Club members.
santarosagardenclub.com
Harvest for the Hungry Garden
Apr 23, 9a-2p. 1717 Yulupa Avenue, Santa
Rosa. Harvest for the Hungry Garden is
an all-volunteer garden that grows and
donates well over 20,000 pounds of food
annually to several local food programs.
harvestgarden.org .
Healdsburg Garden Club
Apr 30 9a-1p. Healdsburg Senior Living
Community, 725 Grove Street 707-4334877. Garden club members will be
digging generous size plants from their
own gardens, assuring proven winners
for your garden.
Occidental Arts and Ecology Center
Organic Nursery
Apr 2 & 3, 9 & 10; 9a-5p; 15290 Coleman
Valley Road, Occidental 95465 874-1557
Support Locally-Owned
Garden Businesses.
SEE our RESOURCE GUIDE
SonomaCountyNurseries.com
• Nurseries •
• Soil & Rocks •
• Landscapers •
• Tree Services •
• Pollinators & MORE •
Articles on Gardening
A
re you enjoying our wet and
wild spring? Everything at my
place is blooming early, and
then being knocked back by
the wind and rain. One of the spring
colors I always look forward to are the
pink oak trees: have you noticed them
on the hills? Our native California
black oak, Quercus kelloggii, develops
new leaves in the spring that are pink,
due to a lack of chorophyll in the new
growth. I love to see their spreading
pink mounds contrasting with the
spring green leaves of other trees at
this time of year: Sonoma County is so
beautiful!
One of my favorite local nurseries
is Russian River Rose Company:
amazing display gardens so fragrant
and colorful for a stroll on a warm
day! They are beginning their free
gardening demos in April: learn about
Earth Friendly Rose Gardening on
April 2 & 3, and Glorious Irises of Spring on April 9 & 10. See the website
www.russian-river-rose.com for details on these and more events and classes
through April and May.
Another useful Australian is beginning to take its place in our gardens:
have you seen Lomandra longifolia (Matt Rush)? This is a grass-like plant
that is extremely tough and drought resistant, and forms a graceful 2 to 3
foot clump that is evergreen and low maintenance. Planted in masses, it is a
useful groundcover that grows well in sun or shade, and it even grows under
eucalyptus! It bears very small yellow or white flowers in spring and is hardy
to 15 degrees. Deer don’t like it, although I suspect the gophers might! It will
grow in salty coastal conditions or with recycled water. Several varieties are
available locally at Emerisa Nursery: look for it on your next visit.
If you are a fan of succulents you should know about the Ruth Bancroft
Garden in Walnut Creek: this amazing garden is the life’s work of a passionate
lady who loved succulents of all shapes and sizes and wanted to explore how
they could be used in the garden. Started by Ruth in the 1970s, the garden was
later protected by the Garden Conservancy and opened to the public in the
early 1990s.
Today, The Ruth Bancroft Garden, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and is
protected by a conservation easement, which ensures that the property will
always be a garden and will be preserved in the spirit of its founder. The
Garden is an outstanding example of a water-conserving garden, appropriate
for our Mediterranean climate. It also houses important collections of aloes,
agaves, yuccas, and echeverias.
Their website ruthbancroftgarden.org is full of good information and tips
for growing and caring for succulents, and includes a link to their YouTube
site with some great videos: including how to control mealy bugs, aphids, and
scale on succulents! The Garden also offers a full roster of educational classes,
including:
Lawn to Garden Conversion on April 9
Aloes & Agaves on May 14
Living Wall Demonstration on June 25
Next time you are in the East Bay try to stop in for a visit!
Time to get moving on your vegetable garden prep: my husband just finished
the cleanup of the greenhouse (in the rain!), and is prepping his trays for early
seed sowing. Since nights are still chilly, it’s too early for tomatoes, cucumbers
and the like, but cabbages, radishes, cauliflower and broccoli can be started
now in preparation for transplanting to the garden in a month or so.
Have a gardening question you would like answered?
Send me an e-mail at [email protected].
R
fifty-five plus
SENIORS
Senior Ballroom Dance ~ Finley
Community Center, 2060 West College
Ave, Santa Rosa. 707-543-3737. 1-4p. $8
Admission. 1-4p.
Apr 1 ~ Larry Broderick Trio
Apr 8 ~ Tom Shader Trio
Apr 15 ~ Steve Luther DJ
Apr 22 ~ Manny Gutierrez
Apr 29 ~ Jess Petty Band
Apr 8, 15 ~ AARP Free Tax Assistance
~ Staffed by AARP Tax Assistance
Volunteers, assistance will be available
on a first-come, first-served basis. 1-5p.
All ages welcome and no appointment
is required. Rincon Valley Library, 6959
Montecito Boulevard, Santa Rosa
Apr 20 ~ Caregiver Support Group
~ This free monthly support is for
spouses, children of aging parents, or
anyone who provides in the work of
caring for an older adult with a chronic
condition. Receive valuable education
and support. Richard Miller, LCSW will
facilitate. 1-2:30p. Takes place every 3rd
Wednesday. Free. RSVP by phone at 707303-1500. seniorsathome.org
Apr 21 ~ Screening of ‘Being Mortal’
~ Film follows renowned New Yorker
magazine writer and Boston surgeon
Atul Gawande as he explores the
relationships doctors have with patients
who are nearing the end of life. Hosted
by the Sebastopol Area Senior Center,
West County Health Centers, and
Rialto Cinemas, 6868 McKinley Street,
Sebastopol. 707-829-2440.
Apr 21 ~ Free Legal Consultations for
Seniors and Family Members ~ Halfhour consultations with elder law
attorney Janice Sternfeld on the third
Thursday of each month. Advance
health care directives, planning for
incapacity, conservatorships, estate
planning, wills and more. 10a–12p. 707303-1530 seniorsathome.org
Apr 21 ~ Passover Seder ~ The ceremony
will be led by Jeff Diamond and the event
will be catered by Meekk and Bryan
from the Sonoma Wine Shop/La Bodega
Kitchen. Cost is $35/person. RSVP to the
Sebastopol Area Senior Center by April
21 at 707-829-2440 or purchase tickets
online. sebastoposeniorcenter.org.
Village
Network
of
Petaluma
Introductory Meetings ~ Free. Learn
about how membership offers support,
connection, transportation, social events
and home assistance to help older adults
stay active. Adults age 50 and older
and their family members are welcome
to attend. villagenetworkofpetaluma.
org Apr 13, May 14, June 8. 10:30-11:30a
at Village Network of Petaluma, 402
Petaluma Blvd N, Petaluma.
Exercise for Balance and Good Health/
Ejercicios para Mantener el Equilibrio
y La Buena Salud - SRJC’s Older Adult
Program o ers free bilingual (Spanish/
English) classes Thursdays at 2p at 2000
Humboldt St, Santa Rosa and on Wed.
and Fri. at 3 p at 1050 3rd st. Silvercrest
Apartments, Santa Rosa. Questions? call
Julie 579-3849
It’s A Big Headache...
emember that party game where a whispered comment went from
person to person, then the last was compared to the first – followed
by laughter? Who thought it would one day be elevated to become a
legitimate communication tool among candidates! Promises flow out
from one source to the next and the next with one context, then, backpedal into
something quite different – depending on who’s talking; who’s spreading the
word. I don’t hear much laughter.
I’m not too concerned about us old goats and gals. We can usually spot a con
game a mile away. It’s the frightening images of all those screaming, brawling
mostly young voters following recycled Pied Pipers and Music Men, leading
them cleverly toward – what? – and smartly keeping the volume and rhetoric
just loud enough to crowd out thinking.
Ambiguity has taken on new, fascinating and expanded parameters. They
include implied expectations and assumptions. “Re-clarification” is routine,
and is treated as if it’s an entitlement – even a privilege. Candidates recklessly
expound on the one hand, and “smooth it out” later on the other. Sounds like
bait-and-switch to me. Let anything fly out of your mouth – not to worry; you
can always renege (but only if you have to, of course). We’ve heard it at least a
hundred times already, some form of: . . . that was the heat of the moment; I didn’t
really mean it that way! The job gets done.
One clever, silver-tongued young fellow c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y explained (so
my elderly self could grasp it...) that egging folks on with deliberately
inflammatory language and gestures, implied veiled and dangerous
suggestions, and speculative hints of violence are all part of necessary and
acceptable contemporary campaigning tactics. Duh... (Dirty politics isn’t new,
young fella!) What’s troubling are the images of our youth embracing this
gross negativity, on a grand scale, as if it is a positive technique.
As one of many in my generation who remembers with brutal clarity the
fights for equal rights and other fights, we had our share of combustible
situations. We broke long-standing barriers against the freedom to protest,
to advocate, to assemble, to be heard under duress, and just to be. It is a
provocative challenge, now, just trying to view today’s debacles fairly, and
trying to figure out what is different? What is really going on? What’s the point of the
wholesale vulgarity? And, how come these guys get away with inciting to riot?
We didn’t!
It’s not as if the radical Right, radical Left, iffy Independents, the Undeclared
or even the Switcheroo voters haven’t been a part of the mix all along! They
have. They have been busy hedging affiliations, playing with loyalties, vitriolic
on Monday, your “friend” on Thursday; all depending on how the wind
blows... Turnabout is fair play; deliberate misspeak is a practiced skill. (It’s
always all been part of the game, the race. Yet, somehow this season it looks
and sounds and smells worse.)
The “sucker punch,” in one camp, is elevated to a tactic of honor, a measure
of machismo and commitment. In another camp, promises residing on cloud
nine are portrayed as simple pragmatic guarantees. Hapless voters (that’s
supposed to be us) get to choose the frying pan or the fire.
As corny as it sounds, in many ways the difference seems to be in the
motivating factors. There’s a big difference between being motivated by love,
compassion and fairness, and being inflamed with hatred, bigotry and avarice.
We keep watching the performances with the same pull that transfixes one
passing a highway pile-up. You don’t want to see the blood and guts, but part of
you wants to see the blood and guts...
The launch into this election cycle, many would agree, has been a chaotic
brawl, from the get-go, with no signs yet of changing anytime soon. There is
work to do.
Zoë Tummillo is a Business & Marketing Consultant, Trainer, Commercial Writer,
dba COMMUNICATION CONCEPTS, in private practice since 1974. In addition to
Commercial work, she writes “Senior Momentum: A Series of Situations”; “Pieces of
My Path”©, essay memoirs of growing up first generation Italian American; and Senior
Momentum: Front And Center!©. To contact her: email: [email protected]
classes and workshops
LEARN
April 2 ~ The Business of Writing
Seminar ~ Panelists include Bart
Schneider, Kelly’s Cove Press and Vicki
DeArmon, Copperfield’s Books. Rohnert
Park-Cotati Regional Library.
Apr 5 ~ First Tuesday Mystical Seeker
Series ~ presented by The Rosircrucians
of Santa Rosa. Program includes a
speaker and topic each month. Scottish
Rite Center, 600 Acacia Lane, Santa Rosa.
8p. Free.
Apr 5 ~ Sharon Criss, “Universal
Religion”
May 3 ~ Justin Lawrence, “Mystical
Themes in the Poetry of Yeats”
Apr 6 & 16 ~ 3D Printing at Rohnert ParkCotati Library ~ April 6th at 6pm&
April 16th at 2p. Learn how 3D printing
works, see how it is done and find books
on how to use this new and exciting
technology. 6250 Lynne Conde Way,
Rohnert Park Expressway / State Farm
Drive, Rohnert Park
April 8, 9, 10 ~ Self-Defense and
Empowerment for Women ~ Taught by
experienced, professional instructors,
this is a unique opportunity to learn
full-contactself-defense
techniques
with a padded ‘assailant’ while in
a
safe,
supportive
environment.
Details
including
location:
[email protected]
Cloverdale Arts Alliance ~ Discovering
Art Series ~ Classes are held from 7-9p
on the first and third Wednesdays of the
month at the Cloverdale Arts Alliance
Gallery. 204 North Cloverdale Blvd,
Cloverdale. 894-4410. $7 per-meeting.
cloverdaleartsalliance.org
offering learning
opportunities that are accessible,
meaningful and fun for all ages
and abilities. languagetruck.com or
707-293-3076.
Language Truck ~
Science Buzz Café ~ A place where, for
the price of a cup of coffee or a bowl of
soup, people can meet to discuss the
latest ideas of science and technology
which are changing our lives. www.
sciencebuzzcafe.org/ Daniel Osmer,
host, [email protected].
French Garden, Sebastopol, 7p.
Call
Hilary at 762-5600 x100 for a printed
brochure or sign up online. 230 Lakeville
Street. petalumaartscenter.org 707-7625600
Petaluma Arts Center Classes ~
Apr 15 & 19 ~ Vineyard Planning
Workshop Series ~ learn about
developing a vineyard LandSmart farm
plan, addressing erosion and water
quality concerns on your property,
irrigation efficiency and more. RSVP
by Apr 5 at [email protected]. at
Circle Bar Ranch, 25700 Arnold Drive,
Sonoma.
www.files.ctctcdn.com/
e833439b001/0bf5c708-2a2e-4176-bcd47265720b2c49.pdf
Russian River Water Supply
The Water Agency offers a halfday tour of the Russian River water
supply system. Tour participants
will visit facilities that divert, pump
and treat the water delivered by the
Water Agency to more than 600,000
residents in portions of Sonoma and
Marin counties. These facilities will
include the rubber dam, fish ladders,
infiltration ponds and water collector
6 – one of the largest water collectors
of its type in the world.
The tour occurs Saturday, April
30, 9am-12n. For more information,
contact [email protected]
Apr 19 ~ Social Media Professionals’
Roundtable ~ great opportunity to
exchange ideas and share experiences
with other nonprofit professionals.
Roundtables are offered on the third
Tues of every month. $10. Volunteer
Center, 153 Stony Circle, Suite 100, Santa
Rosa. volunteernow.org
Apr 19 ~ Training for the Human Race
~ Sessions are oriented to new &
returning nonprofits, businesses, and
new Human Race coordinators. Sessions
last approximately 60 minutes. 12-1p.
Free. Volunteer Center, 153 Stony Circle,
Suite 100, Santa Rosa. volunteernow.org
Apr 21 ~ Words that Fuel Business ~ A
seminar for entrepreneurs and business
owners. 6:30-8p. O’Reily Media, 1005
Gravenstein Hwy N, Sebastopol.
Presented by Sebastopol Entrepreneurs
Project, www.sepyes.com. 707-861-3390.
Free at eventbrite.com
Apr 27 ~ Financial Managers’ Roundtable
~ Supervisory and Leadership Skills.
Meet with other nonprofit financial
managers to network, share successes
and challenges, and hear speakers on
pertinent topics. 8:30-10a. $10. Volunteer
Center, 153 Stony Circle, Suite 100, Santa
Rosa. volunteernow.org
Water Agency Public Tours Schedule
The Sonoma County Water Agency (Water Agency) is pleased to announce
its 2016 public tours of the Russian River water supply system and the Sonoma
Valley Wastewater Treatment Plant. The tours are free and open to anyone
interested in learning more about local water resources. To register for a tour, go
to sonomacountywater.org/tours and fill out the online registration form. Space
is limited and reserved on a first-come-first-served basis.
“These tours are a wonderful opportunity for people to gain a greater
understanding of our water system and how our Sonoma County drinking water
is derived from a unique, naturally filtered source,” said Sonoma County Water
Agency Board of Directors Chair Efren Carrillo. “The tours also offer a glimpse
into the sanitation, energy and natural resources work that is being carried out by
the Water Agency. If you’re interested in where your water comes from and how
it gets to your tap, I encourage you to take advantage of our free tours. ”
Sanitation Treatment Plant
Tour participants will get an indepth look at how their wastewater
is cleaned and how this water is used
once it is clean. Tours are 90 minutes
in duration.
The tour occurs Saturday, April 23,
11am-12:30pm. The treatment plant
is located at 22675 8th Street East,
Sonoma. Make reservations via scwa.
ca.gov/tours. For more information,
contact [email protected].
For information on Water Agency tours,
please contact Claire Nordlie, Senior
Water Programs Specialist, at (707) 5241165 or [email protected].
Are you looking for a
volunteer opportunity
to improve the lives of
Sonoma County’s youth?
Consider applying to the
Juvenile Justice Commission.
Visit our website at
juvenilejusticecommission.org
to learn more about the
commission and submit an
application. There are volunteer
positions available now on the
commission.
lend a hand
VOLUNTEER
By DATE:
Apr 1 ~ Garden Volunteer Day, Laguna
Environmental Center ~ 9a-Noon (next
month: May 6). Help maintain and
enhance the Laguna Environmental
Center’s “outdoor classroom.” Activities
include planting, weeding, spreading
wood chips, and general site cleanup.
Laguna Environmental Center, 900
Sanford Road, Santa Rosa. Rsvp to
vo lu n t e e r @l a g u n a f o u n d at i o n .o r g
Maggie Hart, Outreach Coordinator
(707) 527-9277 ext 100
Apr 7 ~ Volunteer Celebration ~
Volunteer of the Year Awards Event.
3:30-5:30p. Wine and Appetizers
served. Free. Volunteer Center, 153
Stony Circle, Suite 100, Santa Rosa.
volunteernow.org
Apr 16 ~ Rebuilding Together Petaluma’s
Spring Volunteer Work Day ~ a day of
service to people in our community who
need a hand. Need at least 200 volunteers
to work on 10 diferent projects helping
low income veterans, disabled people,
and seniors. Anyone can help. Register
online at RTPetaluma.org by Apr 1.
Apr 16 ~ Laguna Keepers (Habitat
Restoration) Day- 9a-noon. Take part in
ensuring a brighter future for the Laguna.
Tasks vary depending on the season
and include removing old irrigation
hardware from successful restoration
projects, sewing seeds, planting native
plants and trees, and weeding. To get
directions to the work sites, please
email:
volunteer@lagunafoundation.
org Maggie Hart, Outreach Coordinator
(707) 527-9277 ext 100
April 18 - May 12 ~ Teach children how to
swim & water safety ~ The Sebastopol
Rotary Club is putting on its 32nd
annual Learn to Swim Program for all
Sebastopol area second graders at Ives
Pool in Sebastopol. Need volunteers to
help teach the kids basic swim lessons
and water safety. You do not have to
have experience teaching lessons, nor
be a former competitive swimmer. Help
as little as a half hour twice a week
for one month. Greg can be reached at
707-823-7341 or [email protected].
Apr 29-30 ~ Volunteers needed at Day
on the Green Festival celebrating Art
& Earth Day at Montgomery Villlage
~ FREE admission. Apr 29th Setting up
artists and Food for Thought display
walls, tents, taping booth areas 4-6
p. Apr 30 Unloading / setting up
booths General 8a-12p. Takedown
/ Clean up
3-5:30p) CONTACT:
Kathleen McCallum, Day on the
Green Event Coordinator 707-328-8094
[email protected]
By NEED:
Historical
Research
and
Exhibit
Development
~
The
Laguna
Foundation is looking for a volunteer
interested in historical research to
aid in the development of an exhibit
about the Founders of the Laguna de
Santa Rosa Foundation. Volunteer
will review the archival materials
and synthesize the highlights into
a PowerPoint presentation. Contact:
vo lu n t e e r @l a g u n a f o u n d at i o n .o r g
Maggie Hart, Outreach Coordinator
(707) 527-9277 ext 100
Food for Thought ~ Attend a no-obligation,
one- hour, orientation meeting. Learn
about our grass-roots origins, get a tour
of the food bank, and find out how you
can be of service. Orientations are held
on the third Tuesday of each month 7p
at the food bank, 6550 Railroad Avenue,
Forestville. fftfoodbank.org. Questions,
contact Volunteer Coordinator, Elisa
Baker, at [email protected] or
by phone at 707-887-1647 x103.
For a FULL LIST of Volunteer Opportuuities - see our CALENDAR
at SonomaCoiyntyGazette.com - scroll to VOLUNTEER.
Shelby Lanterman’s
Emerging Artist Series
Hopmonk Tavern in
Novato will present Shelby
Lanterman’s
Emerging
Artist Series on the 4th
Thursday of each month
running
through
May.
In addition to Shelby’s
performances, Matt Jaffe,
Ari Eisenberg, Lucy Arnell,
Kylle Reece, Travis Hayes,
Laura
Benitez,
Mike
Annuzzi ar eon the roster.
The
Emerging Artist
Series features rising singer/
songwriters from all over
the Bay Area performing
acoustically in an intimate
setting. The show is well
known for the opportunity
it gives the artists to tell the
stories behind their songs
as well as their inspirations
and motivations within their
craft.
Shelby
Lanterman
successfully unveiled the
series in 2015 at the now
defunct City Winery in
Napa. The critical acclaim
by both artists and music
Shelby Lanterman
fans motivated Hopmonk
to get behind the series.
Music is such a shared, immersive art
form, and we want to create that special Lanterman is excited to
bring the show to Novato
connection with the audience
and introduce a wide-range
of Bay Area artists to music fans in the North Bay. “Hop Monk doesn’t only serve
Marin, but the entire North Bay. The motivation behind this show is to not only
introduce people to the incredible music being made here in the Bay Area, but to
let people get to know the artists who created it.” notes Lanterman.
Kwasi Turner,
a 1995 graduate of Rancho
Cotate High School in
Rohnert Park, served as
producer for a film to be
shown at the Cannes Film
Festival this coming May.
The film, “Do They Fit?”, is
a romantic dramady, written
and directed by DeForest
Mapp and will be showcased
in the Short Film Corner of
the festival.
His most recent film work includes Assistant Camera for PBS “Geneology
Road Show”, Gaffer and Key Grip for HGTV’s “Curb Appeal”, and Associate
Producer for Science Channel’s “What Could Possibly Go Wrong?”.
Turner is raising the funds for the trip himself and is asking folks in the
community to help out in any way they can. The approximate cost of the trip
will be $5,000.00 and (non-taxable) donations in any amount will be greatly
appreciated. The film trailer and description can be found at:
https://vimeo.com/152260474
INFO: Morris Turner at (707) 529-4379
Please make your contributions to:
Bank of America c/o Problem Solvers/Turner
6545 Hunter Drive, Rohnert Park, Ca. 94928
Please indicate the following account number in the memo portion of your
check. 000596610473
community fundraisers
BENEFITS
Mar 31 ~ Santa Rosa Chamber’s 2016
Annual Gala ~ Celebrate 2016 and
get inspired about how we’ll continue
making a difference in 2016. 5:30p
Reception, Dinner 7p. Santa Rosa
Golf & Country Club, 333 Country
Club Dr, Santa Rosa. Tickets $125+
santarosachamber.com
Apr 1 ~ Taking the High Road ~ one
woman show written/performed by
Sherry Glaser. An expression of her
adventures in the world of Cannabis.
Benefit for Americans for Safe Access.
8p. $25. Finley Community Center,
2060 West College Ave, Santa Rosa.
brownpapertickets.com/event/2515817
Apr 2 ~ Dancing With the Stars and
Stripes ~ help raise funds to allow
Veterans Resource Center to effectively
help homeless Veterans. Twelve dance
teams (a ‘star’ and a ‘pro.’ Tickets $35.
7:30p at Petaluma Veterans Memorial
Bldg, 1094 Petaluma Blvd S, Petaluma.
dancingwiththestarsandstripes.org
Apr 2 ~ Excellence in Education ~ Analy
Ed Foundation’s fundraiser at the
Barlow. 5-10p. Sonoma County fare,
Local wine, Live and Silent Auctions,
Live Music by Analy students.
AnalyEdFoundation.org
for
$75.
707-484-5533
Apr 9 ~ Music and Marine Ecology ~
Support Fort Ross Conservancy’s Marine
Ecology Program with an afternoon
of wine, hors d’oeuvres and music by
the women of Kitka and Kedry. $30.
eventbrite.com or at door. 1:30-4p. Fort
Ross State Historic Park Visitor Center
Auditorium, 19005 Coast Hwy, Jenner.
fortross.org
Apr 10 ~ Cotati Historical Society 8th
Annual Chicken BBQ ~ fun and
fundraising 12-4p. $12 advance - $15
door. Tickets at Cotati Chamber of
Commerce and Exchange Bank. 707-7940305 or [email protected]. Ray Miller
Community Center, 216 East School
Street, Cotati
Apr 16 ~ Bodega Bay Fishermen & Women
Benefit ~ hosted by Russian River Sisters.
Raise funds for struggling fishermen
who have lost a significant portion of
their income. Monetary donation or an
in-kind donation from your business.
415-999-1040 for info. Seafood dinner
followed by live entertainment, raffle
and silent auction, wine auction.
6-11p. 1st and Church Streets at
Guerneville Veteran’s Memorial Hall,
rrsisters.org.
Apr 16 ~ Crab in the Cave at Deerfield
Winery ~ Dinner and auction. Proceeds
go to Rotary-sponsored programs at local
Sonoma Valley schools and other. 6:309:30p. Live music by Urban Oasis and
auction. Deerfield Ranch Winery, 10200
Sonoma Hwy, Kenwood. $75/person.
crabcave.bpt.me
or
738-2270
for
reservations.
April 27 ~ The Little Mermaid Fundraiser
~ 7:30-10p. Leadership Institute at
Spreckels Performing Arts Center. This
pre-show will help support new youth
education programs. Early bird tickets
$9. Full price of an original ticket is $26,
but with the Institute’s pre-show you
will be saving money and supporting
a great cause. |ecoleader.org/theatre_
arts_fundraiser
May 15 and 22 ~ Wavy Gravy’s 80th
Birthday ~ Two concerts to benefit
Seva Foundation. May 15 - Steve
Kimockk, Alo, Doobie Decibal System
Duo and Surprise Guests will perform
an intimate evening of music at the
Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera
Ave, Mill Valley. May 22 - all-day event
featuring two stages of music and
entertainment, food and craft vendors,
art galleries and silent auction. SOMO
Village Event Center, 1400 Valley House
Dr, Rohnert Park. Proceeds from both
events support Seva Foundation’s sight
restoration programs around the world.
www.seva.org.
The women of Kitka and Kedry at Fort Ross Music and Marine Ecology April 9
Kitka is an American women’s vocal arts ensemble inspired by traditional songs and
vocal techniques from Eastern Europe. Dedicated to developing new audiences for
music rooted in Balkan, Slavic, and Caucasian women’s vocal traditions, Kitka also
strives to expand the boundaries of folk song as a living expressive art form.
Russian House Kedry generously brings Fort Ross to life during our festivals each
season with interactive celebrations including traditional Russian folk songs, dances,
rituals, games, crafts and baking.
libraries classes readings
LITERARY
Apr 2 ~ 2nd Annual Sonoma County
Local Author Showcase & Symposium
~ Co-sponsored by Creative Sonoma
and the Sonoma County Library in
association with Copperfield’s Books.
The Showcase will host a wide ranging
selection of today’s authors from all
around Sonoma County. 10a-4p at the
Rohnert Park-Cotati Regional Library.
Free and open to the public. 6250 Lynne
Conde Way, Rohnert Park.
Apr 7 and 21 ~ The Four Agreements
Meet-Up ~ 5:30-7p. the group focuses
on reading and discussing “The Four
Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz. The
goal is to read a chapter each month and
practice the intention for a 21-day cycle.
Contact [email protected]. Gaia’s
Garden, 1899 Mendocino Ave., Santa
Rosa. 544-2491. gaiasgardenonline.com.
Apr 14 ~ Books on Stage with Angela
Pneuman ~ A reading and literary
salon, Cloverdale Performing Arts
Center, 227 N Cloverdale Blvd,
Cloverdale.
Suggested
donation
$15.cloverdaleperform i ngarts.com.
707-894-2214.
Apr 23 ~ Wordtemple Poetry Series ~
Evening of Poetry and Music with
Andrew Joron and Joseph Noble.
Andrew Joron plays the theremin in
various experimental and free-jazz
ensembles and the author of several
books. Joseph Noble plays flute
and saxophone in quartets and his
poetry has appeared in several major
publication. 7p. Sebastopol Center for
the Arts, 282 S. High St, Sebastopol.
Free. www.wordtemple.com
Apr 27 & 30 ~ River Friends of the
Library HUGE Book Sale ~ Guerneville
Library,
14107 Armstrong Woods
Rd, Guerneville. sonomalibrary.org/
events/2016-04-27/river-friends-of-thelibrary-spring-book-and-bake-sale
WRITERS:
Apr 21 ~ Writers Forum Presenter
Daedalua Howell ~ Write Who You
Know: How to Use Your Personal Life
in Your Fiction And Memoir Writing
Without Ruining Your Relationships.
Author Daedalus Howell leads fiction
writers through a candid exploration
of where their work and lives intersect.
6:30-8:30p. $15. Petaluma Community
Center, 320 No. McDowell Blvd,
Petaluma
READERS:
Free
Bookmobile
Schedule
~
freebookmobile.org
707.520.4536
facebook.com/freebookmobile
4/2: Occidental / Fool’s Parade,
Occidental Center for the Arts 1 - 2:30
Pm
4/9: Bodega Bay / Fisherman’s Festival,
Westside Park 11 Am - 4 Pm
4/10: Freestone 9 - 10 Am
4/10: Valley Ford 10:30 - 11:30 Am
4/10: Bodega Bay / Fisherman’s Festival,
Westside Park 12 - 2 Pm
4/10: Jenner 2:30 - 3:30 Pm
4/10: Monte Rio 4 - 5 Pm
4/16: Boyes Hot Springs / Fiesta Center
9 - 10:30 Am
4/16: Glen Ellen / Earth Day, Quarryhill
Botanical Gardens 11 Am - 3 Pm
4/16: Kenwood / Kenwood Market 3:30
- 4:30 Pm
4/16: Santa Rosa / SR Marketplace,
Kawana Springs Rd 5 - 6 Pm
4/19: Santa Rosa / Bethlehem Tower
Seniors 9:30 - 11 Am
4/19: Windsor / Bell Manor Seniors 1 2:30 Pm
4/19: Sebastopol / Burbank Heights &
Orchards Seniors 3:15 - 4:30 Pm
4/19: Santa Rosa / Jennings Court Seniors
9 - 10:30 Am
4/19: Santa Rosa / Vintage Zinfandel
Seniors 11:30 Am - 1 Pm
4/19: Santa Rosa / Vintage Park Seniors
1:30 - 3 Pm
4/23: Santa Rosa / Earth Day, Old
Courthouse Square 12 - 4 Pm
4/26: Geyserville 5 - 6:30 Pm
4/30: Larkfield / SR Farmers Market,
Luther Burbank Center for the Arts 10
Am - 1 Pm
4/30: Roseland / Dollar Tree, Sebastopol
Rd 2 - 3:30 Pm
4/30: Cotati / Oliver’s Market 4 - 5:30 Pm
5/1: Forestville Volunteer Fire Department
Fundraiser Breakfast 9 Am - 12 Pm
Events Visit
copperfieldsbooks.com
for
store
locations; RSVP here and save 10% on
event books on the night of the event.
All events 7p unless otherwise noted.
Apr 1 ~ Jazz in the Neighborhood ~
Randy Vincent Quartet, Healdsburg, 6p
Apr 1 ~ Romance Cafe with Julia Quinn,
Montgomery Village
Apr 2 ~ Lit Night with Joyce Maynard,
Petaluma
Apr 3 ~ Christopher Scotton, Calistoga 2p
Apr 7 ~ Copperfield’s Pairing with
Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, Healdsburg
Apr 9 ~ Will Schneider, Sebastopol
Apr 12 ~ Benedettiville, Petaluma 10:30a
Apr 13 ~ Debut Brew with Jessica Knoll,
Hopmonk Tavern, 6p
Apr 15 ~ Countdown to Earth Day: Gerrit
Vyn, Montgomery Village
Apr 15 ~ Countdown to Earth Day:
Reading from Bill Kortum, Petaluma
Apr 16 ~ Creativity and Writing
Workshop with Becca Lawton & Jordan
Rosenfeld, Petaluma 1p
Apr 17 ~ Book Launch: Cathleen
Francisco, Montgomery Village 2p
Apr 19 ~ Karen Foxlee, Petaluma 4p
Apr 19 ~ Jacqueline Winspear,
Montgomery Village 7p
Apr 22 ~ Brave New Worlds with Charlie
Jane Anders, Petaluma 7p
Apr 22 ~ Natalie Goldberg, Montgomery
Village, 7p
Apr 23 ~ Brave New Worlds with Richard
Kadrey, Petaluma 7p
Apr 26 ~ Benedettiville, Petaluma 10:30a
Apr 26 ~ Redwood Writer’s Spotlight on
Fiction with Gill Mansergh 6P
Apr 27 ~ Daniel Shapiro, Santa Rosa
Chamber of Commerce 8a
Copperfield’s Books
Apr 30 ~ Todd Parr on Independent
Bookstore Day, Petaluma 11a
Apr 30 ~ Tim Hicks on Independent
Bookstore Day, Sebastopol 7p
Apr 30 ~ Marian Palaia Petaluma 7p
Apr 30 ~ Jean Hegland, Montgomery
Village
Apr 30 ~ Dan Dunn, Healdsburg
Sonoma County Libraries ~ Visit
sonomalibrary.org for event details
Central Santa Rosa Library, 211 E St, Santa
Rosa
Every Tue ~ Toddler Time (18-35 months)
10:30a
Every Tue ~ Babytime (3-17 months) 11:15a
Every Tue ~ Plaisir de Lire (ages 5 & up)
3:15p
Every Wed ~ After-Nap Wiggle Time (age
3-36 months) 3:30p
Every Thu ~ Preschool Storytime (ages
3-5) 11a
Apr 2 ~ Drawing the Peanuts Way with
Schulz Studio Artists, 2p
Apr 9 ~ Santa Rosa Symphony Woodwind
Quintet, 1p
Apr 16 ~ Adult Literacy: Tutor Training,
10a-3:30p
Apr 30 ~ Celebrate El Dia de los Ninos
with Marlela Herrera, 2p
Cloverdale Regional Library, 401 N.
Cloverdale Blvd, Cloverdale
Every Thu ~ Family Storytime - Ages 2-5
10:30a
Apr 14 ~ Let’s Celebrate National Library
Week at Family Storytime, 10:30a
Apr 14 ~ Book Discussion: “Station
Eleven”, 2p
Guerneville Regional Library, 14107
Armstrong Woods Rd., Guerneville
Every Tue ~ Preschool Storytime (ages
3-5) 11a
Apr 2 ~ River Friends of the Library
Readers’ Theater, 2p
Apr 9 ~ Master Gardeners: It’s Thyme to
Think Outside the Basil, 10:30a
Apr 14 ~ Book Discussion: “The Distance
Between Us”, 12:30p
Apr 27-30 ~ River Friends of the Library
Spring Book and Bake Sale, 10a-5p.
Healdsburg Regional Library, 139 Piper
St, Healdsburg
Every Fri ~ Wee Read Bilingüe (0-24
months) 10:30a
Every Tue ~ Preschool Storytime (Ages
2-5) 10:30a
Every Thurs ~ Mindful Minis (Ages 6-12),
4p
Every Sat ~ Read to a Dog 11a
Apr 9 ~ Spring Craftapalooza, 11a
Apr 13 ~ Celebrate National Library Week
with The Alphabet Rockers, 6p
Apr 16 ~ Master Gardners: It’s Thyme to
Think Outside the Basil, 10:30a-12:30p
Apr 22 ~ Storyteller Laura Casillas, 4:30p
Apr 30 ~ Dia de los Ninos with Marlela
Herrera, 11a
Northwest Santa Rosa Library, 150
Coddingtown Center, Santa Rosa
Every Thu ~ Read to a PALS Dog 3:30p
Every Fri ~ Preschool Storytime (ages 2-5)
10:30a
Every Sat ~ Cuentos y Cantos Bilingual
Storytime (ages/edades 0-5) 10:30a
Apr 9 ~ Santa Rosay Symphony:
Woodwind Quintet
Apr 20 ~ Adult Book Discussion “”This is
Where I Leave You”, 2:30p
Apr 30 ~ Celebrate Dia de los Ninos with
the Puttet Show “Perez & Mondinga”,
11a
Petaluma
Regional
Library,
100
Fairgrounds Dr, Petaluma
Every Fri ~ Toddler Time (18-35 months)
10am
Every Fri ~ Preschool Storytime (ages 3-5)
10:45a
Every Tue ~ Read to a Dog 3p
Every Wed ~ Babytime (0-17 months) 10a
Apr 2 ~ Master Gardener Workshop,
10:30a-12:30Apr 9 ~ Celebrate Nationa Library Week
with a Beautiful Hands Story and Craft
~ 2p
Apr 9 ~ Volunteer Orientation for Teens,
11a
Apr 13 ~ CoderDojo, 4:30-6p
Apr 16 ~ Succulent Swap, 10a-12:30p
Apr 19 ~ Piggy Bank Art Market, 4p
Apr 28 ~ Volunteer Orientation for Teens,
4p
Apr 30 ~ Master Gardeners Workshop,
10:30a
Rincon Valley Library, 6959 Montecito
Blvd, Santa Rosa
Every Wed ~ Preschool Storytime (ages
3-5) 11a
Every Wed ~ Castles & Crowns Chess
Club 3:15p
Every Thu ~ Read to a Dog 3p
Every Fri ~ Babytime (0-17 months) 10a
Every Fri ~ Toddler Time (18-35 months)
11a
Every Sat ~ Read to a Dog, 1p
2nd Wed ~ Book Discussion Group 1:30p
or 6:30p
Apr 7 ~ Digital Bling Workshop ~ 3:30p
Apr 8 ~ AARP Free Tax Assistance, 1-5p.
Apr 12-16 ~ Celebrate National Library
Week
Apr 16 ~ Master Gardeners Lecture Series,
10:30a-12:30p
Apr 30 ~ Randall Metz Puppets Presents
“Rabbit and Coyote are Friends”, 11a
Apr 30 ~ What Employers Want But Won’t
Tell You: Personal Skills Workshop, 1:303:30p
Rohnert Park Cotati Regional Library,
6250 Lynne Condé Way, Rohnert Park
Every Wed ~ Read to a Dog 3:30p
Every Thur ~ Babytime (0-17 months) 10a
Every Thur ~ Toddler Wiggletime (18 to
35 month) 11a
Every Fri ~ Preschool Storytime (ages 3 to
5) 10:30a
Last Tues ~ Learn the Library Catalog and
Databases 10a. Sign up in person at the
reference desk or call 584-9121, ext. 3.
Roseland Community Library, 779
Sebatopol Rd, Santa Rosa
Every Sat ~ Bilingual Storytime, 10a
Every Sat ~ Read to a PALS Dog, 11a
Apr 23 ~ Storyteller Laura Casillas, 1p
Sebastopol Regional Library, 7140 Bodega
Ave, Sebastopol
Every Tue ~ Wiggle Time for Preschoolers
(ages 2-5) 10:30a
Every Tue ~ Wee Read for Babies (0 to 24
months) 11:30
Every Wed ~ Cuentos y Cantos – Bilingual
Storytime 11a
Every Wed ~ Read to a Dog 3:30p
Apr 2 ~ Adult Readers’ Theater, 2p
Apr 9 ~ Gardening for Kids, 11a
Apr 23 ~ What Employers Want But Won’t
Tell You: Personal Skills Workshop, 1:003:00p
LITERARY cont’d on page 63
Book Review:
Book Review:
The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up
By Diane McCurdy
Marie Kondo is sort of like a
Japanese Martha Stewart in that
she dispenses helpful advice on
housekeeping only her field of
expertise is more specific. She
parcels out advice on how to be
tidy.Her paperback-sized book, The
Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up,
has sold over two million copies,
mostly in the U.S. and Japan but
recently the U.K. and Germany have
also jumped on the bandwagon and
the little advice text remains stuck
on the prestigious New York Times
best seller lists thereby sending
myriad bunches of industrious
homemakers to shuffle through drawers and closets and cupboards to rid
themselves of anything that does not “spark joy”. Miss Kondo’s methods,
better known as the KonMari system presents us with the ultimate clutter
buster philosophy. The theory is if possessions are sorted and discarded or at
least streamlined the serenity of order and organization will carry over into
one’s daily life. What a concept! This lady, this neatness guru, was actually
named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people.
She begins by touting her successes. Organization has freed people from
bad marriages, helped them attain better jobs and aided them in weight loss.
Fastidiousness is an art that isn’t usually taught. So she will be the teacher. To
begin, sorting one’s personal property should be done by category not location.
Do not begin your cleaning binge by cleaning a specific room; instead select,
for example, all your clothes in whatever closet or drawer in whatever room
they may be lurking, assemble them in a heap, and then make choices. Your
criterion for salvaging anything is, of course, to ask yourself if the article gives
you joy. If it doesn’t, toss it. Be intense. Be complete. If you can’t let go, there
are only two reasons that would prevent you: attachment to the past or fear of
the future. If one chooses to retain a piece there are certain rules for storage.
She prefers vertical positioning. She is anthropomorphic and gives inanimate
things feelings imagining that socks do not like to be “balled up” but would
prefer to be folded.
In our society we used to call people who were inordinately attached to things
“hoarders” but now in an era of gentle correctness we call them “keepers”.
Marie Kondo is their polar opposite. She appears to be obsessive compulsive
and maybe a tad neurotic in her mania for simplicity. Can’t there be something
in between? A happy medium? I also wish she had addressed the issues of
donation or recycling. She gives us some really helpful tools to attain some
kind of methodical arrangement for our “stuff” but maybe she has dispensed
her wisdom with an overwrought zeal. I want my possessions to be in order to
facilitate my life but I don’t want that urge to be so obsessive that it becomes
the driving force of my life.
LITERARY cont’dfrom page 62
Apr 28 ~ This Moment Meditation Hour,
5p
Apr 30 ~ Celebrate Dia de los Ninos with
Ballet Folklorico, 11a
Sonoma Valley Regional Library, 755
West Napa St, Sonoma
Every Tues ~ Homework Help, 3:30p
Every Thu ~ Toddler Time (ages 0-3) 10:30a
Every Thu ~ Preschool Storytime (ages
3-5) 11:30a (Cancelled in Dec)
Apr 2 ~ Teen Leadership Council, 3p
Apr 9 ~ Karen Slavin’s Music Time, 11a
Apr 16 ~ Master Gardeners: Gardening
101, 10:30a
Apr 28 ~ Book Discussion, 2p
Windsor Regional Library, 9291 Old
Redwood Hwy, Building 100, Windsor
Every Wed ~ Beginning Internet 6p
Every Wed ~ Babytime (ages 0-24 months)
10:30a
Every Wed ~ Preschool Storytime (ages
2-5) 11:30a
Every Wed ~ Family Reading Book Club
(grades 2-5) 4p
Apr 2 ~ Master Gardeners Series, 10:30a
Apr 9 ~ Irish Step Dancers, 2p
Apr 30 ~ Celebrate El Dia de los Ninos
with Randel Metz Puppet Company,
2:30p
Films & Live Theater
T
he Oscars have all been handed out
and if you’ve missed seeing some
of the nominees in the theater
now you will be able to check
them out on DVD. Brooklyn, Carol and
The Big Short were March releases.
The trio were also all nominated for
best picture. These three were adapted
from well-respected and widely
read novels. Literary adaptations
oftentimes belie a wealth of detail and
depth that original scripts may not have
the time or the energy to probe.
Brooklyn is a charming 50’s drama about
a naïve Irish colleen who leaves the emerald
isle and navigates the unknown in Brooklyn in
search of a better life. She is called back home to deal with a family tragedy and
is romanced by a hometown fellow. But what about the sweetheart she left in
America? Whom will she choose? I won’t tell. The film is carried by the grace
and sweetness of Saorise Ronan who was born in the Bronx but raised in Ireland.
This is her second nod. The film was also up for best adapted screenplay.
Like Brooklyn, Carol under the expert direction of Todd Haynes, meticulously
recreates an era. Recognitions here were for costume design and cinematography
as well as acting. Cate Blanchett an affluent matron falls head over heels for
a much younger shop girl portrayed by the ever solemn, pixie-waif Rooney
Mara, much to the dismay of Cate’s husband. Seven time nominee Cate already
has two Oscars. In this she is regal and elegant in what one reviewer called,
“metaphysical movie star blondness”. The lesbian affair, in the 50’s, would have
been explosively scandalous. Rooney Mara was nominated for best supporting
actress and Blanchett for the lead, neither actress left the auditorium with a
little golden man. I failed to feel the mad passion and intensity that each actress
would have had to exude to make their love more believable.
I also failed with The Big Short which boasts honors for acting, directing,
writing and editing. I need to check this out on DVD as my theater experience
left me with questions. I’m going to admit my woeful ignorance when it comes
to high finance and complex economics which the movie delineates in great
detail. The scenario is the housing bust which preceded the great recession but it
is not portrayed with Grapes of Wrath seriousness, more of a screwball comedy
tone prevails. The Christian Bale character, best supporting actor nominee,
comes across as a genius, mad hatter. The whole presentation is quirky and
idiosyncratic. Margot Robbie defines what a “short” is in a cameo in a bubble
bath! Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Brad Pitt and Marisa Tomei all join in the
melee.
Because these films were all best picture nominees, quality is a given. If you
have already seen them they are good enough for a second viewing. Relax and
enjoy them in your own living room.
By Don Gibble
This weekend, March 31 through April 3, the 19th Annual Sonoma
International Film Festival opens. There are always amazing films that show at
this festival. There are three you should check out. “Papa Hemingway in Cuba”
premieres Thursday, March 31st at the Sebastiani Theater in Sonoma at 6:30pm.
“Happy 140” premieres Friday, April 1st at the Sebastiani at 8:15pm. “Sunset
Song” premieres Saturday, April 2nd at the Sebastiani. For more information on
these films go to [email protected].
The 59th San Francisco International Film Festival returns this year April 21st.
The Festival’s new geographic footprint is centered around the thriving cultural
community of the Mission district, utilizing San Francisco’s newest (Alamo
Drafthouse New Mission) and oldest (Roxie Theater) screens to bring the best
of world cinema to Bay Area audiences.
The 9th Annual Sebastopol
Documentary Film Festival just
wrapped and in my opinion was the
best in years thanks to the director,
Randy Hall and the programmer,
Jean McGlothlin. The festival was
extremely organized and the selection
of films was awesome. My favorites
include “Drawing the Tiger” directed
by Amy Benson, Scott Squire and
Ramyata Limbu. “Drawing the Tiger”
is the intimate portrait of a Nepalese
family’s daily struggle to survive off
subsistence farming and the price
that family pays for their golden
opportunity to break the poverty
cycle. Another film worth seeing is “A
New
Color: The Art of Being Edythe
Mural painting in “A New Color:
Boone” directed by Marlene ‘Mo’
The Art of Being Edythe Boone”
Morris. Edythe Boone is 75 years
old and is still fully engaged in bringing her art to the community. Her murals
grace buildings from Berkeley to San Francisco. Finally, we have “In the Image:
Palestinian Women Capture the Occupation” directed by Emmy Scharlatt and
Judith Montell. This film follows a group of Palestinian women on the West
Bank working with the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem.
Movies worth seeing at your local theater are “Hello, My Name is Doris” starring
Sally Field and “The Bronze”.
Live Theater PREVIEWS
Thank you for the emails regarding my preview for theater in March 2016.
Some of you requested I preview shows in other cities besides Sonoma County.
So this month I will preview shows in other local cities as well.
First we have the classic “Fiddler on the Roof” at Analy High School in
Sebastopol. Directed by the very talented Starr Hergenrather, the musical opens
Friday, April 8th at 7pm. It closes Saturday, April 16th. Tickets can be bought at
brownpapertickets.com. General admission is $12 students/seniors is $10. Analy
High School is located at 6950 Analy Ave Sebastopol.
Next we have the premiere of “Private Lives Private Lies” written and directed
by Dr. Dianna L Grayer. The play explores relationship discord, addiction,
discrimination and rejection in the lives of LGBTQ people. The struggles they
face and the joy that comes down from being authentic and free. It is educational,
therapeutic, hopeful and entertaining and pulls from every emotional realm
including love and laughter. The play opens Friday, April 1st at 7pm. It closes
Sunday, April 3rd at 2pm. Tickets can be bought at brownpapertickets.com.
Admission is $20. Located at Graton Community Club 8996 Graton Rd. Graton.
The very talented Taylor Bartolucci stars as Morticia Addams in “The Addams
Family” playing at the Julia Morgan Theatre in Berkeley. The hilariously morbid
family is back in a brand new story. The theater is located at 2640 College Ave in
Berkeley. It plays now through Sunday, April 17, 2016
Last but not least is “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”.
Audience members are invited onstage to compete in the spelling bee alongside
the six main contestants. The play runs through Saturday, April 2nd at the Belrose
Theatre in San Rafael. The show starts at 8pm. Go online for more information.
Email me with any questions you may have of any play showing in the bay area.
[email protected].
On Saturday, April 9th the Arena Theater Ocean Film Festival will launch,
featuring some of the premier independent ocean-themed films from around the
world. Geared to entertain, inform, inspire, motivate – and sometimes shock –
people with an interest in the sea and its creatures, the festival takes place at
the Arena Theater, 214 Main Street, Point Arena, California. Three separate
afternoon and evening film programs include a family-friendly matinee of film
shorts, and two later programs featuring over 10 films. The festival also features
Question & Answer sessions with film makers and ocean experts.
Topics include challenges to California’ fishing families – an endangered
species; and threats to marine life survival and the ocean’s health, such as noise,
marine debris, disappearing fish populations, harmful toxins that impact our
fisheries, and wildlife disturbance.
But other films celebrate and gorgeously illustrate the sea’s magnificence,
resiliency and solutions for conservation, with stunning visuals, musical scores,
and insightful scripting. They recount the dreams the sea inspires, overcoming
personal handicaps to embrace its wonder, and the innovations and partnerships
that bring marine conservation within our grasp.
The Arena Theater Ocean Film Festival and related activities are presented
by NOAA’s Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank national marine sanctuaries
and the Greater Farallones Association, in partnership with the San Francisco
International Ocean Film Festival, Gualala Arts Whale and Jazz Festival,
Redwood Coast Chamber of Commerce, and California State Parks.
Saturday, a highlight will be a special Festival Reception with featured
filmmakers at 215 Main in Point Arena. Festival participants are invited to
attend the festival celebration, sponsored by 215 Main, across from the Arena
Theater. At the nearby Point Arena Library, the festival will offer free oceanrelated children’s activities. To complement the film programs, on Sunday, April
10th the Farallones marine sanctuary and California State Parks will conduct a
naturalist-led “Wildflowers and Whales” walk at Salt Point State Park starting
at 10:00 a.m.
Ticket prices are $5 each for the 2 p.m. Family Matinee Film Screening. The 4
p.m. and 7 p.m. screenings are $11 each in advance, or $12 at the door, $5 youth
(12 and under). VIP Passes, which include all screenings, discounted admission
to the Point Arena Lighthouse, and local merchant discounts, are $50 per person.
All are available in advance at arenatheater.org and at the door.
Tickets for the Wildflowers and Whales walk at Salt Point on Sunday,
April 10th are $20 per person. Advance reservations are required. Contact Sara
Heintzelman at [email protected] or (415) 561-6622 x306.
Proceeds from the Festival Reception and Whales and Wildflowers Walk benefit Greater
Farallones’ ocean education and science programs in Sonoma and Mendocino counties.
dvd tv movies
and the divergent ways in which it’s
experienced and understood by men
and women.
Apr 22 and 24 ~ To Kill a Mockingbird
~ celebrates the Centenary of actor
Gregory Peck and screenwriter Horton
Mar 30 - Apr 3 ~ Sonoma International
Film Festival ~ more than 90 handselected films including independent
features, documentaries, world cinema,
and short film. All films are shown
within walking distance of Sonoma’s
plaza. 103 E. Napa St, Suite A, Sonoma.
www.sonomafilmfest.org/home.html
Mar 31 ~ Film Screening of The Running
Fence ~
Watch Wolfram Hissen’s
documentary, The Running Fence
Revisted. Appetizers and wine hosted
by The Occidental Union Hotel. $15-20.
Reception at 6:30p. Film begins at 7p.
Union Hotel Restaurant, 3731 Main St,
Occidentall.
Apr 9-10 ~ Arena Theater Ocean Film
Festival ~ featuring some of the premier
independent ocean-themed films from
around the world. Arean Theater, 214
Main St, Point Arena. Q&A after each
film. Ticket prices are $5 each for the 2
p.m. Family Matinee Film Screening.
The 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. screenings are $11
each in advance, or $12 at the door, $5
youth (12 and under). arenatheater.org
Sonoma Film Institute ~ All screenings
are in Warren Auditorium, Ives Hall on
the Sonoma State University campus in
Rohnert Park. Fridays at 7p, Sundays
at 4p. Admission is $7, $6 for non-SSU
students and senior citizens, $5 for
SFI members and children under 12,
and FREE for SSU students.There is
a $5 parking fee on all Sonoma State
University lots. INFO: www.sonoma.
edu/sfi or call (707)664-2606.
Apr 1 and 3 ~ MANDABI (The Money
Order) ~ a folk story comedy with
satirical overtones.
Apr 15 and 17 ~ In the Shadow of Women
~ North Bay Premiere of a new French
film. The film is a close look at infidelity
‘In the Shadow of Women’
Foote.
Numina Center for
Spirituality & the Arts 707-815-1675
- The Church of the Incarnation, 550
Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. www.
meetup.com/Cinema-Numina
Apr 9 ~ “Havana Curveball” ~ A 13y/o
tries to get baseball equipment to Cuba
with difficulties.
Cinema Numina -
Movie screenings are
Thursday through Sunday at 7p. Sunday
matinees at 4p. 20396 Bohemian Hwy,
Monte Rio. 707-865-0918. Riotheater.com
Apr 17 ~ Wizard of Oz, 5:30p
Rio Theater -
Rialto Cinemas: rialtocinemas.com. 6868
McKinley Street, Sebastopol.
Apr 2 & 6 ~ The Met Overa Live in HD
2015/2016 Season: Madama Butterfly, 10a
(Apr 2), 1 & 7p (Apr 6)
Apr 4,11,18, 25, May 2 ~ Shakespeare on
Screen, 1p
Cinemas: Sonoma
County’s home for Art, Independent and
Foreign Films. Summerfield Cinemas,
551 Summerfield Road, Santa Rosa
Apr 17 ~ Boris Godunov, From the Royal
Opera in London. Recorded live opera
presentation, 1p
Apr 20 ~ Boris Godunov, From the Royal
Opera in London. Recorded live opera
presentation, 6:30p
Summerfield
Another Refugee Crisis:
A Tradition as Shaky as a Fiddler on the Roof
6th Street Playhouse
“At the Crossroads” for 2016-2017
By Suzanne and Greg Angeo Members, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle
To announce its 2016-2017 season, 6th Street Playhouse held a bang-up party
on March 13, complete with tasty hors d’oeuvres and beverages, followed by a
cabaret showcase of scenes and musical numbers selected from the upcoming
season’s comedies, dramas and musicals. The event was hosted by Artistic
Director Craig A Miller.
Called At the Crossroads, the new season will explore themes of change and
transformation. According to Miller, it will “examine the opportunities and
challenges we all face when we are at a crossroads in life“. The season kicks off
in August and some highlights include
• “Animal Crackers” by George S Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, a zany
musical first performed on Broadway in 1928 starring the Marx Brothers.
Directed by Craig Miller.
• “The House That Jack Built”, an original biographical drama presented
in conjunction with the Jack London Centennial Symposium in Napa.
• “Threepenny Opera”, another 1928 musical, based on John Gay’s “The
Beggar’s Opera” with music by Kurt Weill, lyrics and book by Bertolt Brecht
and Elisabeth Hauptmann. Featuring snappy music, mayhem and crimes
(“ideal for an election year”, quipped Miller).
• “Stage Kiss”, North Bay Premiere of an original work.
• “Buyer & Cellar”, hit Broadway comedy by Jonathan Tolins about life
working in Barbra Streisand’s basement.
• “A Little Night Music”, iconic musical by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh
Wheeler.
• “George M!” a 1968 musical based on the life and music of the man who
owned Broadway, George M Cohan. Book by Michael Stewart, and John and
Francine Pascal
The Playhouse has been recognized with numerous awards and nominations
for the past several years by the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle.
Most recently, 6th Street has received five nomination for “Clybourne Park”
at the upcoming 40th Annual SFBATCC Awards, sponsored by AEA (Actors
Equity Association). The Awards Gala was held at the historic Victoria Theater
in San Francisco on March 28.
Looks like 6th Street has some interesting shows coming up, well worth
checking out. The season kickoff is in August and it runs through July 2017.
6thstreetplayhouse.com.
By Mikaiya Gude
For fifty years, Fiddler on the Roof, has deeply
impacted audiences with its splendid score
and poignant storyline. With honest
simplicity, it follows the eviction of a
Jewish family scrambling to make a
living in Tsarist Russia. But the power
of the piece is rooted in history. Neither
multiple adaptations, nor time itself have
eroded its historical significance. In fact, the
true message of this production has never
rung truer. As we currently exist in a
world of political turmoil
&
prejudice, we can take
to heart the characters’
oppression in its connection
to contemporary refugees.
Prior to Fiddler’s theatrical
debut, it was a novel. Written
by Joseph Stein in 1905, it was based
upon an earlier collection of Yiddish
stories by Sholem Aleichem.
Within these myriad of Jewish tales,
Aleichem recounted the joy and struggles of a poor milkman. His was named
Tevye, and would become the inspiration for the protagonist in one of the longest
running productions in Broadway history. But Aleichem drew his sources for his
character’s struggle from a darker place. During this Tsarist period in Russia,
a series of brutal pogroms deteriorated 166 Jewish communities. Anatevka,
the fictitious village in Fiddler on the Roof, is subject to the same harsh historical
occurrences. The title Fiddler on the Roof is an idiom illustrating how their fragile
existence was on the brink of danger and tragedy.
The story of Fiddler on the Roof is a balancing act in itself. The leading man
and father, Tevye, is constantly conflicted between his desire to lead a pious
life guided by the teachings of the Torah, and his paternal instinct to fulfill his
daughters more liberal wishes. Ultimately, Tevye compels us to ask ourselves, is
tradition a constraint, or the backbone of culture? Tsarist Russia required Jewish
settlements to acquiesce to rules and regulations, forcing people to perform their
religious practices in private.
Fast forward to a century later. We are witnessing the same crisis but this
time the story has a different leading man, Syria. The Syrian refugee crisis has
exploded to over two million who have fled their country. Another four million
have been displaced, a startling six million refugees. But Syrians are only one of
the suffering demographics on our planet. The issue expands much farther. Once
again, we are experiencing humanitarian nightmares.
Fiddler on the Roof is as relevant as ever. Analy High School’s production class
will be sharing their own interpretation of this iconic piece in April. The director,
Starr Hergenrather, was drawn to this rich and towering story of a people’s
strength and resilience for its modernday relevance. Hergenrather, an outspoken
individual where social issues are concerned, channels her compassion for
refugees directly into the show. In fact, Tevye, played by Danny Burstein, starts
the play wearing a contemporary jacket, and ends with it on,to symbolize modern
refugees. While a modest gesture, it speaks loudly of the advocacy in the arts
April 8th through 16th, come let your heart soar with bittersweet emotion,
sing with timeless classics, and be dazzled by the famous bottle dance.
Please bring SPARE CLOTHING?
In order to deliver some
warmth to the lives of Syrian refugees, please donate any spare clothing items to
the production room, located directly across the hall from the auditorium.
Tickets: General Admission $12; Students/seniors $10; students w/ID $8, At
the Door: $18 & $15; Students w/ID $8. brownpapertickets.com 1 (800) 838-3006
April dates: Fri 8, Sat 9, Fri 15, Sat 16 at 7pm. Sunday, Apr. 10 at 1:30 pm.
BENEFIT:
Thur, Apr. 14 at 6:30pm, to Benefit for Sebastopol World
Friendsand Project C.U.R.E for Ukraine $12 at Door ONLY.
Analy High School, 6950 Analy Ave., Sebastopol; analyhighschool.org/theatre
plays and stories
THEATER
thru Apr 2
~ God of Carnage ~ A
playground altercation between elevenyear-old boys brings together two sets of
Brooklyn parents for a meeting to resolve
the matter. Tickets starting at $20. Left
Edge Theatre, 50 Mark West Springs Rd,
Santa Rosa. LeftEdgeTheatre.com
thru Apr 3 ~ Wait Until Dark ~
spellbinding thriller. Fri and Sat 8p. Sun
matinees 2p. Spreckels Performing Arts
Center. 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park.
707-588-3400.
Apr 1-3, 8-10, 15-17, 22-23 ~ P.S. Your Cat is
Dead! ~ A comedy with claws. Contains
explicit language and partial nudity.
8p (Apr 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23); 3p (Apr
3,10,17). $20 General, $15 Students and
Seniors 60+. Pay what you can Fridays.
Doors open at 7p. Reservations/info 707524-8739, russianriverhall.com. Curtain
Call Theatre, 20347 Hwy 116, Monte Rio.
Apr 1 ~ Taking the High Road ~ one
woman show written and performed
by Sherry Glaser. An expression of her
adventures in the world of Cannabis. Is
a benefit for Americans for Safe Access.
8p. $25. Finley Community Center,
2060 West College Ave, Santa Rosa.
brownpapertickets.com/event/2515817
Apr 1 - 17 ~ Silent Sky ~ the story of
Henrietta Leavitt, a Massachusetts
pastor’s daughter who leaves her
home and beloved sister for a job at
Harvard
University’s
Observatory.
Tickets $15 and up. Thurs, Fri, Sat (8p),
Sat, Sun (2p). 5th Street Playhouse.
6thstreetplayhouse.com. 52 W 6th St,
Santa Rosa. 707-523-4185
Apr 1 - 10 ~ Time Stands Still ~ a play
that speaks about the essence of
relationships. 8p (Apr 1,2,8,9,15, 16); 2p
(Apr 3,10,17). $25 General, $15 youth.
Cinnabar Theater, 3333 Petaluma Blvd
N, Petaluma. cinnabartheater.org or
707-763-8920
Apr 4 ~ A Shakespeare Cabaret ~ in
Newman Auditorium, 5:30p and 8p.
SRJC theatre students will perform a
motley collection of scenes, songs and
comedy inspired by The Bard. These
cabaret-style evening performances are
one-night-only, suitable for both the
Shakespeare devoted and novice, and
recommended for ages 10 and above.
www.theatrearts.santarosa.edu/buytickets-online, SRJC’s Theatre Box Office
at (707) 527-4307.
Apr 8-10, 14-16 ~ Fiddler On the
Roof ~ Analy Arts Spring Musical
Production. 7p (Apr 8,9,15,16) 1:30p
(Apr 10), 6:30p (Apr 14 Benefit show
for Sebastopol World Friends/Ukraine).
$12 General, $10 Seniors/Students.
brownpapertickets.com or call 1-800838-3006. Tickets $18/$15 at the
door. 6950 Analy Ave, Sebastopol.
analyhighschool.org/th/
Apr 8 - 24 ~ All My Sons ~ Greed, love,
deceit, and the fragility of the American
Dream. Apr 8 8p (Opening Night Bubbly
after the show!), Apr 9, 14, 15, 16, 22,
23 8p; Apr 10, 17, 24 2p; Apr 14 8pm
(Value Night Adults & Snr $12) Adults
$25, Senior 65+ 20, Student w/ID $10,
Thursday Value Night Adults & Snr $12.
Raven Theater 115 North St. Healdsburg,
707-433-6335. raventheater.org
Apr 23 ~ Open Mic Night ~ Show your
special talent: musician, comedian,
poet, dancer, juggler, singer, more.
Cloverdale Performing Arts Center,
209 N Cloverdale Blvd, Cloverdale.
To sign-up contact Yave Guzman 707508-8339. Free event. Doors open 6p.
cloverdaleperformingarts.com
Apr 29 - May 7 ~ Fully Committed ~
H-Town Youth Theatre presents the
“rare” comedy. Apr 29 7pm | Apr 30
7pm | May 1 2pm | May 6 7pm | May
7 7pm. Admission: $15 at the door. $10
in advance. Raven performing Arts 115
North St. Healdsburg, 707-433-6335.
raventheater.org
The Sonoma State University
Department of Theatre Arts &
Dance 2015-16 Season ~ $10 to $17.
707-664-4246 or email tickets@sonoma.
edu. 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park.
Evert B. Person Theatre and Ives Hall
www.sonoma.edu/theatreanddance/
productions/
Mar 30 - Apr 7 ~ “Spring Dance Concert
2016” ~ Evert B. Person Theatre. SSU’s
Dance faculty members Kristen Daley
and Christine Cali present electric and
inspiring new works along with Eric
Handman (University of Utah) and
other guest artists. $5 Friends & Family
Night” Friday, April 1.
May 3 to May 8 ~ “Hamlet” ~
Shakespeare’s tragedy tells the tale of
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, bent on
revenge after learning his uncle has
killed his father with plans to ascend the
throne.$10 to $17. SSU students admitted
free with ID. “$5 Friends & Family
Night” Thursday, May 5.
Cloverdale Performing Arts Center,
209 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale. 707894-3222 cloverdaleperformingarts.com
Resident
Theater Company of Wells Fargo Center
for the Arts. northbaystageco.org.
thru Apr 3 ~ Hallelujah Girls, $26
General Admission. A joyful comedy
that will make you laugh out loud!
Apr 15-24 ~ Breaking Legs
April 29 - May 15 ~ Murder On the Nile
North Bay Stage Company
Thursday, Friday,
Saturday @ 8pm; Sundays @ 5pm.
General $27 – Senior (+62) $22 –
Student $15. 104 N Main St, Sebastopol
mainstagewest.com
thru Apr 3 ~ Outside Mullingar ~ Full
of dark humor and poetic prose, John
Patrick Shanley’s tenderhearted portrait
reminds us it’s never too late to take a
chance on love.
Main Stage West ~
Dax Berg and Jake Hamlin as Jimmy and Vito.
‘P.S., Your Cat Is Dead’ at Curtain Call
“P.S., Your Cat Is Dead” is a
hilarious and thought-provoking
comedy about an actor facing
numerous life-shattering events
on New Years’ Eve. Jimmy Zoole
(played by Dax Berg) arrives home
after losing a role in a play, as well
as his part in a soap-opera, to find
his girl-friend, Kate (Tina Woods)
is leaving him and spending the
weekend with another man (Dan
Vanek as Fred). To top it off, he
discovers he has been robbed for
the third time! What happens
when he actually captures the thief
(Jake Hamlin as Vito Antenucci)
is a wild ride that will leave you
laughing, and maybe even crying Dan Vanek and Tina Woods as Fred and Kate.
a bit. More than souls are bared at
the funniest New Years’ Eve gathering one can imagine, as Jimmy gains control
of his life and his future. It is no surprise that a good bit of very strong language
is exchanged, and since there’s also an exposed bum, this show, while fun for
adults, is not for children!
This is Curtain Call Theatre’s latest offering at Russian River Hall. Reservations
strongly suggested: Call 707-524-8739.
visual art exhibits
ART
Shows/Galleries:
The Big Art Treasure Hunt: Find the Art!
Fine art painter Lauri
Luck is going to do it again:
Announcing the second Big
Art Treasure Hunt featuring
50 original pieces of art
work to be hidden at various
locations around Sebastopol
and Sonoma County for
anyone to find and keep.
“2014 marked my 60th
Birthday, and to celebrate I
created The Big Birthday
Art Treasure Hunt titled ‘60
at 60.’ The Big Birthday Art
Treasure Hunt was so popular
it seemed only reasonable to
follow that fabulous event with another Treasure Hunt – this time highlighting
West County arts by including original paintings, drawings, etchings, ceramics,
sculpture and jewelry from 28 local artists,” said Lauri.
Wanting to share with others the sense of discovery and magic that she found
through art her entire life (starting from illustrations in children’s books), and
also wanting to give back through art, Lauri came up with the idea of giving
away art through a treasure hunt.
“It’s a way to give of myself through my
art back to the community that supports me
as an artist – in hopes that this will inspire my
community – friends and neighbors – to look
for all the treasures that exist all around them
and perhaps find a little piece of art in their
own back yard.”
This time around, she invited other artists
to contribute pieces to the treasure hunt. The
50 small artworks were created especially
for this by Lauri and other local artists,
such as Marylu Downing, Asa Pritchet and
Jeremy Joan Hewes. Each piece in the hunt is
packaged in a clear cello bag for easy viewing
and includes art/artist documentation plus
an invitation to Lauri’s Big Art Treasure Hunt Party & Show.
The Party & Show will be held Sunday, April 10, 2016, 12 to 4, at the Lauri
Luck’s Pie Eyed Open Studio, 2371 Gravenstein Hwy South, Sebastopol (behind
the Giant Yellow Duck). All art finders are invited to bring their found treasures
and stories to display and share. They are also encouraged to share their stories
on the “Pie Eyed Studio” Facebook page www.facebook.com/pieeyedstudio.
Calistoga Celebrates Arts in April ~ 6th
annual Napa Valley “Arts in April”
event. The vision is to foster a unique,
identifiable sense of place through
locally produced and presented events
paired with Napa Valley’s wine,
culinary and resort offerings to increase
cultural tourism. Featured works will
span artistic disciplines, genres and
decades. Below are Calistoga-specific
Arts in April events:
Apr 1 - May 1 ~ MoMA/Museum of
McDonough’s Art - Olabisi Tasting
Room. Photographer Robb McDonough
will show his ongoing “Napa County
Project” and more. Opening reception
Apr 9 5:30p. 1226 Washington St,
Calistoga
Apr 1 – May 27 ~ Sterling Vineyards
- 500 Years of Wine in Art exhibition
presents examples of the printmaker’s
craft as well as a cultural appreciation
of wine through centuries of art. 1111
Dunaweal Lane Calistoga
Apr 1 – May 1 ~ Calistoga Spa Hot
Springs - Calistoga Camera Club ~
Members of the club will display unique
works of photography in large format.
Club members include amateur and
former AP and National Geographic
photographers. 1006 Washington St,
Calistoga
Apr 9 ~ Lee Youngman Galleries
“Vine to Wine” Artists’ Reception ~
Lee Youngman Galleries will present
Raymond
Mendieta
and
Wayne
McKenzie 2-5p, 1316 Lincoln Avenue in
Calistoga. 1316 Lincoln Ave, Calistoga
thru April 9 ~ “Moving Target” American
Dream” ~ A mixed media exhibit by
Ryan Carrington. Hammerfriar Gallery,
132 Mill Street, Suite 101, Healdsburg.
hammerfriar.com
thru Apr 10 ~ Nine Artists - Nine
Perspectives ~ presented by Graton
Gallery. 9048 Graton Rd, Graton,
gratongallery.net
thru Apr 10 ~ Local Artist Jill Keller
Peters ~ modern, color inspired
paintings debuting her new art
collection at PASSDOOR. Theme
is “Choreography of Color.” 6780
McKinley
St,
#150,
Sebastopol.
thepassdoor.net. jillkellerpeters.com
thru Apr 10 ~ Passion for the Arts ~
Sebastopol Center for the Arts presents a
juried exhibition for young artists; High
School and College Art Students. 282 S
High St, Sebastopol. sebarts.org
thru Apr 10 ~ Full Circle: Pond Farm
Revisited ~ an exhibition of pottery by the
alumni of Pond Farm. Healdsburg Center
for the Arts, 130 Plaza St, Healdsburg.
Hea ld sbu rg Center for t heA r t s.com.
707-431-1970
thru Apr 22 ~ 2nd Annual Art of
the Figure Show ~ artwork by
participating members of Sonoma
County figure drawing groups. Chroma
Gallery, 312 South A St, Santa Rosa.
chromagallery.com
thru Apr 23 ~ Pointless Sisters Art Quilt
Group Exhibit: The Colors of Spring
~ Different types of quilts, traditional
quilts and small fiber art objects. Rincon
Valley Library, 6959 Montecito Blvd,
Santa Rosa.
thru
April 24 ~ California Flora:
Botanical Paintings in Colored Pencil
by Nina Antze ~ Laguna Environmental
Center, 900 Sanford Rd, Santa Rosa. Call
ahead to view the art. 707-527-9277, x107.
lagunafoundation.org
thru Apr 27 ~ Nature’s Infinite BeautyBotanical art by Victoria Kochergin
~ Extreme detail, subtle variances in
hue and translucent color layers are
trademarks of Victoria Kochergin’s
artwork. 306 Center St., Healdsburg.
UpstairsArtGallery.net.
Lucy Houghton, ‘Dog Rendering’
thru Apr 3 ~ Artist Lucy Houghton ~
seventeen years old senior at Sonoma
Valley High School. She is enthusiastic
about creating so making art is a
constant part of her life and recently won
a Merit Award from the City of Sonoma’s
Cultural and Fine Arts Commission. Her
artwork is currently being featured at
Studio 35 Gallery at 35 Patten St, Sonoma.
studio35sonoma.com
thru Apr 7 ~ Teri Sloat: Beyond My
Window ~ landscape art, narrative art
and writing. Finley Community Center.
2060 W College Ave. Santa Rosa. 8a-5p.
srcity.org/arts.
‘Oak Leaves’ by Victoria Kochergin
ART cont’d on page 69
ART cont’d from page 70
thru Apr 30 ~ Pieter Myers ~ original
copper plate photogravures of figure
drawings. My Daughter the Framer
Gallery, 637 4th St, Santa Rosa.
thru May 1 ~ The Art of Timothy Dixon
~
Colorful landscapes inspired by
Hawaiian adventures and Sonoma
County grandeur. Gaia’s Garden, 1899
Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 544-2491.
gaiasgardenonline.com.
thru May 1 ~ Cast, Forged and Welded:
Metalworks ~ exhibition demonstrates
a variety of ways the unique properties
of metal. 230 Lakeville St, Petaluma.
petalumaartscenter.org
thru May 7 ~ X-Pose ~ Drawing with
Bill Wheeler. Exploring the Abstract
- Emphasis on the figure. Occidental
Center for the Arts. 5:30-7:30p 3850 Doris
Murphy Ct, Occidental. 707-874-9392.
www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org. At
Chroma Gallery, 320 South A St, Santa
Rosa
thru May 19 ~ “Poetry” Reflected in
Visual Arts ~ featured resident artist
for “Poetry” is Laura Paine Carr.
Cloverdale Arts Alliance, 204 N.
Cloverdale Blvd, Cloverdale. 707-8944410. cloverdaleartsalliance.org
thru July 10 – Discover Oak Mound
Cemetery exhibit at Healdsburg
Museum,
221
Matheson
Street,
Healdsburg. Exhibit tells the tales of
Healdsburg’s pioneers, heroes, heroines
and scoundrels buried at Oak Mound
Cemetery. healdsburgmuseum.org.
Apr 1 ~ First Friday Art Walk ~ Art
galleries, studios, and merchants will
be open until 8p. Music, food, and wine.
3-8p, Guerneville.
Apr 1 - 30 ~ Full Circle ~ Sam Sirdofsky’s
commercial work retrospective. Her book
illustrations, animated commercials,
paintings, ceramic mosaics, paper
maché sculptures are just part of the
expansive collection she has created
over her 6 decade career. Russian River
Gallery, 16357 Main St., Guerneville.
707-869-9099,
therussianrivergallery.
com
Apr 3 ~ Artist Julia Pozsgai hosts open
house ~ She paints, draws, collages,
sews, makes jewelry and designs in
ceramic. She can’t contain herself. The
challenges of autism were channeled
into her artistic skill. Pansy Creations
Studio, 12-5p. pansycreations.com 430
West Napa St, Suite F, Sonoma.
Apr 5 ~ Petaluma Arts Association
Monthly Meeting ~ Special guest Dean
Dizikes, Petaluma miniature figure
maker. He will demonstrate the creation
and each steps in the process. Meeting
in Community Room, United Church of
Christ, 825 Middlefield Rd, Petaluma.
Business meeting at 6:30p, program at
7:30p. petalumaarts.org
Apr 6 ~ The Director’s Tour ~ free guided
tour of the art on display with Director,
Paul Mahder. Every First Wednesday
at 1PM, HOURS: Wednesday - Monday
10am - 6p, Paul Mahder Gallery, 222
Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. (707) 4739150 paulmahlerygallery.com
Apr 9 & 10 ~ Hidden Treasures ~
Lucky finds from Jane Kelly (mosaics
& garden art), Nansee Greenwitch
(visionary enhanced photography),
Mardi
Storm
(mystical
animal
sculpture) 12-4p Wild Hare Studio,
2371 S. Gravenstein Hwy, Sebastopol
(415)
515-7995
www.mardistorm.
com/wildharestudioshows/hiddentreasures/
Apr 10 ~ 2016 Spring Crafts Faire ~
presented by Mystical Rose Glass
Creations. Support local artisans of
Sonoma County. All proceeds from
raffle featuring donated items from
all the artists to support Child Parent
Institute of Sonoma County. 10a-4p.
Flamingo Resort Hotel. 2777 4th St,
Santa Rosa. Mary Maggio 707-494-9202
Apr 10 ~ Big Art Treasure Hunt ~ Fine art
painter Lauri Luck - 50 original pieces of
art work to be hidden at various locations
around Sebastopol and Sonoma County
for anyone to find and keep. Each piece
is packaged in a clear cello bag for
easy viewing and includes art/artist
documentation plus an invitation to
Lauri’s Big Art Treasure Hunt Party &
Show 12 to 4, at the Lauri Luck’s Pie Eyed
Open Studio, 2371 Gravenstein Hwy
South, Sebastopol. www.facebook.com/
pieeyedstudio .
Apr 12 - May 22 ~ What Was I Thinking?
~ New prints by Rik Olson. Guests
Artists Rose Esterbrook, Peter Fronk,
Adriane Hatkoff & Susan Peterson.
Artist Reception, Apr 16, 2-5p. Graton
Gallery. 9048 Graton Road, Graton.
www.gratongallery.net. 707-829-8912
Apr 15 - 17 ~ Blossom Festival Art
Show ~ an exhibition by members of
the Art Workshop of Western Sonoma
County (AWS). Opening reception Apr
15, 7-9p at Sebastopol Center for the
Arts, 282 S. High St, Sebastopol. Free.
The exhibition April 16, 10a-6p and
April 17 10a-5p. www.facebook.com/
AWSArtWorkshop or awsomeart.org.
appleblossomfest.com
Apr 17 ~ Ann Wolf and Gupran Rau ~
Glaass scultpure, patels drawings &
paintings. Opening reception 3-5p.
Paul Mahder Gallery, 222 Healdsburg
Ave., Healdsburg. (707) 473-9150
paulmahlerygallery.com
Apr 24 ~ Jann Nunn & SSU Art
Department
Tour
~
celebrate
International Sculpture Day, take a tour
of the metal sculpture facilities. Must
register in advance. Email Exhibitions@
PetalumaArtsCenter.org with number of
people in your party. 1801 E Cotati Ave,
Rohnert Park
Apr 25 - Jun 12 ~ Treen ~ Small handmade
functional household objects made of
wood. Sebastopol wood turner Kalia
Kliban. Sebastopol Gallery, 150 North
Main St, Sebastopol. 707-829-7200.
sebastopol-gallery.com
Apr 30 ~ Day on the Green Art Festival ~
showcases California artists displaying
and selling their creations. Help promote
a natural lifestyle in balance with the
planet. The festival is a benefit for Food
for Thought. 11-4p. Live music by Shana
Morrison and Caledonia Noon-3p.
Montgomery Village Shops, 911 Village
Court, Santa Rosa
concerts and festivals
S
Girl With No Name
he doesn’t know her given name. She doesn’t know her birthday. She
doesn’t know who her birth parents are.
These are the hard facts about Lara Price, who’ll perform what she
describes as “R&B/soul with a retro feel” at Sebastopol’s Apple Blossom
Festival. Patrick Sweany and the Peterson Brothers are also on the bill in Ives
Park on April 17.
Price, born in Vietnam, was
abandoned at birth, during the
tail-end of the Vietnam War
(called the American War in
Vietnam) in 1975. As to the details
of her abandonment, Price says
during a phone interview, “I’ve
asked myself my whole life.”
Operation Baby Lift, a lot of
good-hearted, well-intentioned
volunteers from all over the
world, facilitated her rescue. Still,
90% of the babies didn’t survive.
“It was a terrible time, it was
war.”
With U.S. aid, she arrived
from a Vietnamese orphanage
at the Presidio, at an estimated
four to five weeks of age, one of
hundreds of babies. Eventually,
she was adopted by an Air Force
family, who picked her up, sight
unseen, at an L.A. airport. Thus
began a somewhat nomadic
existence with her military family,
including moves to Alaska,
England, and Boise, Idaho. Along the way she learned piano, voice (including
operatic), and dance (including ballet). “Dance sold me on music. That’s how I
found out how to feel music in my bones.”
Price moved to San Jose in 1998, with a dream of pursuing a musical career.
“Blues embraced me,” she says. While working a full-time job, she attended
blues jams at night, sometimes working there as a cocktail waitress to meet
musicians. Shortly, she was running her own blues band.
Now she’s “at the helm” of several bands, as bandleader, manager, and
booking agent, including an acoustic duo, a reggae group, and a ten-piece allgirl band, Girls Got the Blues, for larger shows. Price thinks of herself as a
businesswoman. “I have a lot of products to offer that will fit different scenarios
in the entertainment world.”
Asked how being a woman affected her in the male-dominated blues scene,
Price says, “Women have it both ways. It’s challenging to break into a boy’s
club, but it also can be helpful if you can play the games. I didn’t take ‘no’ for an
answer.”
Price, at Apple Blossom, once again organized by standout KRSH deejay
Bill Bowker, will be singing and playing rhythm guitar, one of several
instruments she’s adept on, while fronting a lead guitarist, a drummer, bassist,
keyboardist, and two backup singers. “I know my stuff isn’t traditional blues,”
she says, “but I know that I feel the blues.”
Unfortunately, racism cuts many ways. Price, who doesn’t speak their
language, has been accepted by few in America’s Vietnamese community. “My
people aren’t the Vietnamese people. My people are my family, friends, my
colleagues – the people who love me.”
Price has a name now, one that keeps growing larger on theater and
nightclub marquees.
More info at laraprice.com and [email protected]
MUSIC
MUSIC by Date & Band:
Apr 1 ~ Joy of Jazz ~ Ellington to Monk.
Gary Digman, Guitar; Ken Ward, reeds.
7:00 at Trio, 16225 Main St, Guerneville
Apr 1 ~ Sonoma County Dance Beat’s April
Foolery ~ swing, blues, rock and boogie
woogie. A horn-lover’s paradise. 8p at
Rossi’s 1906, 401 Grove St, Sonoma. $25.
socodancebeat.com
Apr 1 ~ Sound Blessing with Rene
Jenkins
~ Ancient Indigenous
Instruments. Join Rene’ Jenkins,
Ceremonial
Sound
Practitioner,
Musician & Healing Performance Artist,
along with his incredible collection of
ancient ritual instruments from around
the world. 7p. $30. Unity of Santa Rosa,
4857 Old Redwood Hwy, Santa Rosa.
unityofsantarosa.com 707-542-7729.
Apr 2 ~ “Spring Hang Up” ~ w/Janie
Roberts, John Simon & Tom Shader.
French Garden Restaurant, 7-10p. 8050
Bodega Ave, Sebastopol.
Apr 2 ~ Beautiful Quetions ~ Alternate
County, infused rock, americana and
cow-punk. Geyserville Gun Club Bar
and Lounge, 21025 Geyserville Ave,
Geyserville. 9-11p. facebook.com/TheBeautiful-Questions-1581294388794875/
April 3 ~ Ancient Future Performs
North Coast Concerts ~ debuting
Matthew Montfort’s new custom
Martin scalloped fretboard guitar. $15.
brownpapertickets.com or 800-838-3006.
7p. Willits Community Theatre, 37 West
Van Lane, Willits.
music. 7:30p. $15 members, $20 nonmembers. Cloverdale Arts Alliance,
204 N. Cloverdale Blvd, Cloverdale.
cloverdaleartsalliance.org.
Apr 9 ~ Cloverdale Blues Night ~ talented
local musicians with a house band.
Doors open 7p. Cover $5. 7:30-9:30p. 204
N. Cloverdale Blvd, Cloverdale.
Apr 9 ~ Santa Rosa Symphony Woodwind
Quintet ~ 1p at Central Library and
2:30p Northwest Library in Santa Rosa.
Concert Series a collaboration between
Sonoma County Library and SR
Symphony.
April 9 ~ Ancient Future Performs
North Coast Concerts ~ Matthew
Montfort, Vishal Nagar and Mariah
Parker. Blending ancient world music
traditions
www.ancient-future.com
$22 Advance/ $25 at the Door. Fine
Refreshments. Occidental Center for the
Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Ct, Occidental,
occidentalcenterforthearts.org. 707-8749392.
Apr 9 - 10 ~ Fisherman’s Festival Music
Lineup ~ bbfishfest.org. Bodega Bay
Westside Park. 10-11a Tomales HS Pan
Band, 11:15-12:15 Highway Poets, 12:301:30p Jon Gonzales and Friends, 2-4:30
The Zins; Sun Apr 10: 10-11a Kepi
Ghoulie, 11:15-1:30p Second Line, 2-4:30p
Pride and Joy.
Apr 10, 17, 18 ~ Healdsburg Chorus
presents Songs That Touch the Heart
~ Music from the British Isles to the
American Shores. Apr 10, 4p, Glaser
Center, 547 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa.
Apr 17 (4p) and 18 (7p), Healdsburg
Community Church, 1100 University
Ave, Healdsburg. All seats $15. Tickets
online and Copperfield’s Books in
Healdsburg. healdsburgchorus.com
Apr 10 ~ Goold Old Variety Show ~ music,
singing, comedy acts at the 27th annual
Forestville United Methodist Church
Variety Show. Dinner at intermission. 5p
in church’s Social Hall. 6550 Covey Rd,
Forestville.
Ancient Future @ Willits Community Theater
Apr 3 ~ Astronaut Lullabies ~ at the SRJC
Planetarium. An Immersive live concert
planetarium experience. Lark Hall, 1501
Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa. Tickets
$15, Children 13 and younger $10,
along with students and Seniors 60+.
oceanworks.eventbrite.com
Apr 7 ~ The Local Honey Bee Swing Band
~ The band’s goal is to lift spirits, connect
us to history and roots, put a little
sweetness into life, and make musical
magic at every event. Their repertoire
includes gems from the American
masters, French Waltzes, Gypsy Jazz
from yesterday and today, and original
Apr 10 ~ Allegra Chapman ~ Creative
Arts
Series
featuring
pianist
Allegra Chapman. Suggested $15
donation. 3:30p. Resurrection Parish,
303 Stony Point Rd, Santa Rosa.
CreativeArtsSeries.com
Apr 15-16 ~ Next Level - A Music
Industry Showcase and Conference
Help local musicians careers move
forward. Arlene Francis Center, 99 6th
St, Santa Rosa. Over 30 acts. Apr 17: The
Conference. Learn from regional and
national music industry professionals.
Panel discussions. 10a-5:30p, Chops
Teen Center, 509 Adams St, Santa Rosa.
NextLevelSonoma.com
MUSIC cont’d onpage 71
MUSIC cont’d from page 70
~ May 1 ~ Teresa Tudury, Artist in
Residence; 3p. Sebastopol Center for the
Arts.
~ May 6 and May 7 ~ Spellbound Barbership. 8p- Occidental Center for
the Arts.
~ May 8 ~ Teresa Tudury, Artis in
Residence; 3p - Glaser Center, Santa
Rosa.
Green
Music Center, 1801 East Cotati Ave,
Rohnert Park. Tickets and more info at
srsymphony.org or 707-546-8742
Apr 2-4 ~ Zuill Bailey ~ performs Britten’s
Symphony for Cello and Orchestra
Santa Rosa Symphony ~
Alt Country Infused Rock, Americana,
Cow-punk Beautiful Questions, April 2 @
Geyserville Gun Club Bar and Lounge
Apr 16 ~ Blessing of the Rose Harvest ~
Nursery plants available for purchase.
707-433-7455 for info. 10a-5p. Russian
River Rose Company, 1685 Magnolia Dr,
Healdsburg. Gradina (North Bay Balkan
Music ensemble) choral sets at Noon and
2p. $2 donation appreciated.
Apr 19 ~ Sitar Music of North India ~
Benefit concert at Cloverdale Senior
Center, 311 N. Main St., Cloverdale. Peter
van Gelder, sitar, and Indranil Mallick,
tabla. 6:30p. Suggested donation $10.
707-894-4826
Apr 22 ~ Beatles Sinalong and Dance
~
Mr. Music Foundation and the
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center
team up to present their annual Beatles
Singalong and Dance 7:00-11:00p.
Sebastopol Community Center, 390
Morris St, Sebastopol. Opening the show
will be the 60+ voices of The Love Choir
presenting songs of the 60s & 70s, The
Beatles cover band, “Pepperland” will
play. Beer, fine wine and good food and
refreshments. $12.00 in advance and $18
at the door Available at People’s Music,
Last Record Store or online at seb.org, or
(707)823-1511.
Apr 22-24 ~ California Redood Chorale
~ Shines a light on Screen, Stage and
more. Apr 22 - 8p, Bethlehem Lutheran
Church, 1300 St Francis Rd, Santa
Rosa. Apr 23 - 8p, Glaser Center, 547
Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa. Apr 24
- Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, 24724
Arnold Dr, Sonoma. Tickets online $17,
brownpapertickets.com or $20 at the
door.
californiaredwoodchorale.org.
707-874-3770.
Apr 28 ~ Tule Lazule Band ~ 7p, including
Danceable originals! Redwood Cafe
Coffee House and Grill, 8240 Old
Redwood Hwy, Cotati. (707) 795-7868
April 30 - May 8 ~ Occidental Community
Choir Spring Concerts ~ A West
County Home Companion: Songs and
Stories from the West Pole. Directed by
Andrew DelMonte. occidentalchoir.org
for information/reservations.
~ Apr 30 ~ Community First Night. Family
Sing-a-long. 7:30 pm is Community First
Night. $10. Occidental Center for the
Arts.
Sonoma State University Music Dept
~ Weil Hall and Scroeder Hall. Tickets
for all events $8. sonoma.edu/music/
concert_calendar/
Apr 3 ~ Trio Navarro, Chamber Artistsin-Residence, 2p
May 1 ~ Symphony Orchestra
Jazz Forum Spring 2016 ~ a unique
performance/master class designed to
expose jazz majors and guests to a wide
variety of jazz styles. Guest musicians
perform their music with commentary
in a relaxed atmosphere. www.
sonoma.edu/music/concert_calendar/
jazzforums_s16.html Info: leibinge@
sonoma.edu Wednesdays at 1p. GMC
1029
Apr 6 ~ Junior Recitals
Apr 20 ~ Billy Hart
Apr 27 ~ Latin Band Clinic
Music by VENUE:
1899 Mendocino Ave,
Santa Rosa. 544-2491. gaiasgardenonline.
com. No cover, $5 minimum purchase
per person.
Apr 1 ~ Virgil Elliot, 6:30-8:30p
Apr 6 ~ Judith Lerner, 6:30-8:30p
Apr 9 ~ Acapella Open Mic, 2-4p
Apr 14 ~ Gypsy Jazz Jam, 6:30-8:30p
Apr 20 ~ El Tocte, 7-9p
Apr 22 ~ Activists’ Lounge, Earth Day
Edition, 6:30-9p
Apr 27 ~ Klezmer Creek, 6:30-8:30p
Apr 28 ~ Le Hot Club Swing, 7-9p
Gaia’s Garden ~
The Lounge at Flamingo Resort ~ 2777
Fourth Street, Santa Rosa • Phone: (707)
545-8530. flamingoresort.com All shows
9:30p unless otherwise noted.
Apr 1 ~ Matt Applin and the Midnite
Band
Apr 2 ~ Funky Dozen
Apr 8 ~ B-4 Dawn
Apr 9 ~ Salsa Band
Apr 15 ~ Diamond Life
Apr 16 ~ Stax City
Apr 22 ~ SugarFoot
Apr 23 ~ Matt applin and the Midnite
Band
Apr 29 ~ Electric Avenue
Apr 30 ~ UB707 Plays The Lounge
FIND LINKS
on SonomaCounty
Gazette.com

25 APRIL 2016 - Sonoma County Gazette

Transcription

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