Ginny Prior’s “The Town Crier” Column from “The Montclarion”
MONTCLARION NEWSPAPER – April 10, 2009
THEY SAY TWO HEADS are better than one. So it’s no surprise that a mother-daughter combo is opening the first eco-friendly salon in Montclair this week.
Longtime stylist Mary Ryan is teaming up with her daughter, Sophie, in a sunny second floor space above “coffee corners.” Continue reading
MONTCLARION NEWSPAPER – April 2, 2009
FARMS IN OAKLAND? Not exactly, but a new farm in Fairfield has a drop site in Oakland, where members can pick up a weekly basket of fresh produce. The Shootingstar Farm is the closest Community Supported Agriculture Project to the East Bay, and it’s run by the family that founded Lafayette’s Orchard Nursery. Continue reading
MONTCLARION NEWSPAPER – March 27 2009
IT MUST BE REDWOODS, giving off all that oxygen. Something is stimulating brain cells here, because people seem more creative than ever.
I just finished reading a book by hills couple Al Musante and Pat Marino — called “Keep Playing!” It’s a guide to helping your child play college sports, even if they rode the bench on their high school team. Continue reading
MONTCLARION NEWSPAPER – March 20 2009
FINALLY, something to look forward to in old age. No, I’m not talking about my AARP discount, though Lord knows that’s a sweet deal.
I’m talking about Art with Elders. Continue reading
MONTCLARION NEWSPAPER – March 13 2009
LIKE A CHAMPION boxer, bloodied but proud, he fought to the very end.
Over the years, Gary Wong tried everything to keep Movie Express a competitor. He gave out popcorn and offered two movies for the price of one. He hired film-savvy employees and kept plenty of the most popular titles in stock. He gave and gave and gave to the schools and other local charities. Continue reading
MONTCLARION NEWSPAPER – March 5 2009
I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to run out and get a roll of Sea Biscuit stamps. And believe me — I get the irony of honoring a horse from the Great Depression at a time when our own economy is unraveling.
MONTCLARION NEWSPAPER – February 26 2009
TOWN CRIER’S TOP 10 reasons to be happy in hard times:
10. More game nights with your friends
9. Two buck Chuck could soon be a buck
8. Staying home means more time to update your Twitter Continue reading
MONTCLARION NEWSPAPER – February 20 2009
I’VE JUST SPENT three days with a horse whisperer. That alone is odd enough 
— but I’ve now got an irresistible urge to befriend anything with feathers or fur.
Take the gobbler on Scout Drive in Montclair. He’s become quite a celebrity in the neighborhood, stopping motorists on their way to and from Montara Middle School each day.
What a bold bird. He walks right into traffic and starts pecking on bumpers and eating bugs off car headlights. Continue reading
MONTCLARION NEWSPAPER – February 13 2009
HEADY THOUGHTS TAKE MUCH of the Town Crier’s time, these days. I’ve been thinking about my legacy. What will I leave behind when I go to the great beyond? Sure, my body of work in the field of journalism is unparalleled, but beyond that – how will I be remembered? Continue reading
MONTCLARION NEWSPAPER – February 6, 2009
HERE IN THE HILLS, we do things differently. While the rest of the country counts on the groundhog to predict the 
arrival of spring, we look to the lady bug. Indeed, the gals have already gathered at their annual convention site in Redwood Park Girls Camp. One has to wonder if they pick this place to be gender specific, or for its dew-kissed, aphid rich soil. There’s also the matter of privacy, as the lady bugs are mating here and being ladies would prefer that the whole world weren’t watching. To this end, I would recommend that the Girls Camp trail be closed during lady bug mating season. The East Bay Regional Park District does this for newts in Tilden Park and newts aren’t nearly as cute.
Ginny Prior 