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 →

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 →

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.

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MONTCLARION: April 20, 2018

Never underestimate the power of the press. My March 30 column on the dangers of sidewalk tree wells has spurred at least one group into action. “Your little squib got us re-examining our sites,” says Sierra Club Tree Team volunteer Arthur Boone, “and I believe all are now in compliance.” Continue reading →

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE: April 4, 2018

Lake County’s water-rich resources have always been a draw. In the late 1800s, the Tallman Hotel was a popular stagecoach stop for travelers. San Franciscans Bernie and Lynne Butcher bought the Upper Lake property in 2003. Bernie, a banker turned high school history teacher, and Lynne, a retired leasing agent looking for her next project, fully restored the 17-room luxury hotel and adjacent full-service restaurant and bar, the Blue Wing Saloon. Continue reading →

Brian Wells, longtime bartender and manager of Heinhold’s First and Last Chance Saloon in Jack London Square, played a prank on Town Crier columnist Ginny Prior. (Ginny Prior/For Bay Area News Group)

MONTCLARION: March 23, 2018

Most folks don’t walk with their eyes focused down — unless they are looking for money. Maybe they should. Montclarion Larry Hayden was strolling through Montclair Village recently when he fell in a tree well. Almost every city I’ve seen has those holes covered by grates that sit flush with the sidewalk — but not Oakland. And Hayden is hobbled because of it. Continue reading →

Tony Howard, who turns 88 soon, is getting ready for one of his 10 group lessons a week at Oakland Ice Center. Howard has been teaching skating for 65 years and says he’s been giving lessons to one student for 50 years. (Courtesy of Kara Piganelli)

MONTCLARION: March 7, 2018

The Olympics are over in Pyeongchang, South Korea, but it seems our winter is just ramping up. The skiing was epic at Northstar California this week after a 66-inch snow dump. And as I barreled down the back side of one of my favorite Sierra resorts, I channeled a fellow cold weather enthusiast who is still teaching skating, just weeks from his 88th birthday. Continue reading →

EAST BAY TIMES: February 13, 2018

One of the happiest countries on earth is suddenly arm in arm with Oakland — thanks to a partnership forged with Norway’s low-fare Norwegian Air. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: October 27, 2017

Remember that old slogan “I’d walk a mile for a Camel?” Well, an Oakland Hills man is about to run 100 miles for his favorite pets – cats. Jeff Fleming hits the pavement November 4th to raise money for Oakland’s Cat Town Cafe and its work rehabilitating cats for adoption. You  Continue reading →

This cozy booth is one of the features of Nico’s 1508 (formerly Nico’s Hideaway) in Walnut Square on the corner of Walnut and Vine in Berkeley. (Courtesy of Nico’s 1508)

EAST BAY TIMES: October 13, 2017

When it comes to celebrated food districts, Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto takes the cake — and most every other food category. It’s one thing that convinced Chef Munther Massarweh to open Nico’s 1508 (formerly Nico’s Hideaway) in Walnut Square on the corner of Walnut and Vine. Another was the restaurant’s built-in charm. Continue reading →