Town Crier: Not one but two ladies mark 95 years at Oakland’s Fentons

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Ginny Prior

courtesy of Carmelita Mills
Oakland resident Lola Fitzgerald celebrates her 95th birthday at Fentons Creamery with her daughter, Carmelita Mills, left, and granddaughter, Melia Mills Claybrooks.

MONTCLARION: August 10, 2018

What will you do when you reach the ripe age of 95? Not one but two golden-oldie birthdays were celebrated recently at Fentons Creamery. Reader Trish Brennan says the birthday gals didn’t know each other until their parties were seated nearby. Continue reading →

Happy Wanderer: Seattle’s music scene not slowing down anytime soon

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Ginny Prior

One of more than 200 musical acts takes the stage in June at Seattle’s Upstream Music Fest + Summit. Photo by Ginny Prior

EAST BAY TIMES: July 5, 2018

Austin, Nashville, Seattle — these cities are defined by their live music scenes. But before you dismiss the Puget Sound “sound” as being too grunge, consider this. Seattle is a hot spot for all kinds of live music, in walkable neighborhoods with majestic views and cutting-edge cuisine. Continue reading →

Great White Shark Encounters: A close-up view of one of nature’s most deadly predators

Posted on June 30, 2018 by Ginny Prior

Photo by GEORGE DESIPRIS on Pexels.com

OAKLAND/ALAMEDA MAGAZINES: June 28, 2018

My first emotion was one of sheer terror. Why would I risk “teasing” a creature more than five times my height and 12 times my weight with a bite force 10 times that of a lion? Yet the chance to see one of the world’s most efficient killers was a powerful lure. Continue reading →

Town Crier: Kids Speaking Spanish school to open in August

Posted on June 22, 2018 by Ginny Prior

Ginny Prior/for Bay Area News Group
J.B. Barton plays on a stage run by pedal power June 16 at this year’s Montclair Beer, Wine & Music Festival.

It’s been two years since folks first raised objections to the sale of the Montclair Women’s Cultural Arts Club to a Spanish-immersion school. Now with the sale complete and renovations underway, neighbors will see, firsthand, if the school is a good fit for the already busy corner of Mountain and Thornhill. Continue reading →

Town Crier: Montera Middle’s musical instruments damaged

Posted on June 9, 2018 by Ginny Prior

Grace Gulli, an eighth-grader at Montera Middle School, won the Best Jazz Soloist category at a 2018 Music in the Parks festival. Unfortunately, when she and other Montera Middle music students were returning from the event, several of the school’s musical instruments were damaged when they fell out after a side panel on one of their school buses opened on Interstate 880.

MONTCLARION: June 8, 2018

When musicians at Montera Middle School hit the road recently, they had no idea that some of their instruments would hit the road too — literally. Continue reading →

Town Crier: Dumping, theft, vandals still serious problems

Posted on May 25, 2018 by Ginny Prior

Zion Lutheran Church uses its garden setting to host fundraising concerts such as this previous one. Zion officials hope to raise $2,500 from a June 2 event featuring fiddler Tom Rigney and his Cajun blues band, Flambeau. Photo courtesy of Kathy Pomianek

A scenic road through the redwoods is no place to dump an old sofa. Or some crummy kitchen cabinets. Or lawn clippings. Yet this is the least damaging of what’s dumped along Pinehurst Road through Canyon. Some scofflaws drive cars over the cliffs and into the watershed. Continue reading →

Animal Ambassadors Greet Customers at Sheraton Redding

Posted on May 5, 2018 by Ginny Prior

The stunning Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay is a must-see experience in Redding. (Ginny Prior/For Bay Area News Group)

East Bay Times: May 2, 2018

In September 2015, a badger broke ground on Redding’s only luxury four-star level hotel. Clearly, the critter named “Digger” had a magic touch. The Sheraton Redding Hotel at the Sundial Bridge is already recognized by travelers as a destination resort. Opened in January as a partnership with the adjacent 300-acre Turtle Bay Exploration Park, the Sheraton is loaded with amenities that elevate the experience for travelers.

Continue reading →