MONTCLARION: August 23, 2018
A friend got free mulch the other day. Her sister scored a climbing vine and trellis. And a third person got ripped off. Such is the state of social media, where folks barter and trade — and sometimes scam. Sweet social networks like Nextdoor can be targets. Continue reading
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
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
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.
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
Ginny Prior 