Top film and industry notables are converging in Sonoma for the 27th annual Sonoma International Film Festival from March 20 to 24, featuring 43 narrative features, 16 documentary features and 48 short films representing more than 25 countries. “Each year, we showcase the cinematic and culinary worlds to Sonoma over five fun-filled days, but it’s in showcasing Sonoma, and this place and our community, to the world that we really shine,” said Ginny Krieger, SIFF executive director. Highlights include the U.S. premiere of Thomas Napper’s Widow Clicquot starring Haley Bennett, Ethan Hawke’s Wildcat starring Maya Hawke as writer Flannery O’Connor and Luc Besson’s Dogman starring Caleb Landry Jones. Award-winning actor Beau Bridges will be presented the SIFF Lifetime Achievement Award. As part of the tribute to the actor and his 40-year film and television career, Bridges will participate in an on-stage conversation followed by a 35th anniversary screening of The Fabulous Baker Boys. For festival passes, tickets and more information, visit sonomafilmfest.org.
Sebastopol
Stretch Goal
Unwind with purpose at the Food For Thought Yoga Benefit Class, a unique event blending relaxation and philanthropy. Set against the picturesque backdrop of River Road Family Vineyards & Winery in Sebastopol, this session invites one to embrace the tranquility of yoga while supporting Food For Thought, a nonprofit that provides essential nutrition and support to food-insecure individuals facing serious health conditions in Sonoma County. The session goes from 5:30 to 7pm, on Tuesday, March 26, promising a serene escape with a 75-minute hatha/vinyasa yoga class designed to nourish both body and soul. For a donation of $25 to $45, attendees will partake in a rejuvenating yoga session as well as enjoy a complimentary tasting of River Road’s wines, sip selections from the Republic of Tea and procure a chance to win an exclusive raffle courtesy of Bliss Organic Day Spa, this year’s Yoga Benefit Series sponsor.
Single-monikered Marin artist Vickisa will speak at a reception hosted by Gallery Route One regarding her work inspired by music festivals, which includes paintings, drawings and aesthetically crafted fold-out accordion books created using mixed water media such as acrylics and watercolor pencil, and collage. “My passion is creating accordion books from these festivals,” says Vickisa. “My ‘Love Supreme’ is music and of course art. This is the perfect combo. At the recent Hardly Strictly Bluegrass music festival, I found myself right in front of the stage sketching the exciting activities swirling around me and taking some photographs too, which I often include on the back pages of the books. The process of sketching, collaging, finishing in studio and creating a handwritten story is all-consuming, but it is something I never tire of.” Vickisa’s ‘Love Supreme’ opens with a reception and artist talk at 3pm on Saturday, March 23 at Gallery Route One, 11101 Highway One, Ste. 1101, Point Reyes Station. For more information, visit vickisa.com or galleryrouteone.org.
Santa Rosa
Impractical Joker
Perhaps best known for the popular TV shows Impractical Jokers and The Misery Index, Joe Gatto brings his comedy styling to the Luther Burbank Center next week in a performance simply billed as “Joe Gatto’s Night of Comedy.” Gatto has toured to sold-out crowds worldwide, including Madison Square Garden in New York and the O2 Arena in London. “We’re barely a prank show, in my opinion. We don’t consider it that; we don’t call our stuff pranks. The challenges that we do are more social experiments that put each other in awkward situations,” says Gatto of his TV work. Additional bonafides include co-hosting the Two Cool Moms Podcast and appearing on podcasts, including This Past Weekend with Theo Von, What A Joke with Papa and Fortune and Life is Short with Justin Long. His debut children’s book, Where’s Bearry? hits bookstore shelves next fall. The show commences at 7pm, Saturday, March 23, at the Ruth Finley Person Theater at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa. Tickets are $25 to $65.75 (with a dynamically-priced ‘Meet & Greet’ option also available). Visit bit.ly/gatto-lbc for more information.
It’s hard to believe that progressive/folk rock band Jethro Tull started 57 years ago. Although the group’s most important and longest-running contributor, Martin Barre, would join forces with singer/bandleader Ian Anderson just a year later, it’s important not to understate his relevance in the annals of classic rock history.
And while the name Jethro Tull means something entirely different to longtime fans today, with only original member Anderson at the helm, Barre’s live shows are a better representation of the music fans most want to hear. His current run of shows will celebrate the music he and Ian collaborated on that provided the soundtrack for many generations. The 77-year-old guitarist is still very much a live force, and his ferocious live band is a wonderful interpreter of the Jethro Tull catalog fans have come to know and love.
We caught up with Barre as he was preparing for his run of US shows.
Bohemian: Your run with Jethro Tull lasted 43 years and longer than any other member besides Ian. Are there any periods or records you enjoyed more than others?
Martin Barre: The early years were so exciting for all of us. We shared a common journey of travel, learning to be better musicians and performers, and were living on the road as a single unit. The many countries we visited were very open to new music, so we had a fantastic reception wherever we played.
Bohemian: Jethro Tull played all over the place during its formative years. What was the longest tour you’ve done to date?
Martin Barre: We would be on the road for 3 months plus, but we were also single, didn’t have roots in any country, and were so eager to travel and spread the music of Tull in new territories. Essentially the life of a musician is nomadic by nature, so we never thought about putting down roots. Because of that, we could play and record anywhere.
Bohemian: Although Tull’s songs were primarily written by Ian Anderson, did he have much influence on your solos and additional guitar licks on any give song?
Martin Barre: I had carte blanche with my guitar parts and, in particular, my solos. Rarely Ian would have an idea, but we would use it if it worked, of course. There was never an issue with egos. We all had a job to do and we all had a voice to be heard. Input, musically speaking, was always welcomed by all members.
Bohemian: You’ve been quite prolific as a solo artist. Do you have plans for a new record in 2024?
Martin Barre: My band tours continually, and this puts recording on the sidelines as it is so time-consuming. I have a lot of ideas “on tape,” but I will start fresh as soon as I can put aside the time for a new recording. I will have to consciously hold back on live gigs.
Bohemian: Do you and Ian ever talk about playing together again? It’s been 13 years since the dissolution.
Martin Barre: That’s really a question for Ian. There is no communication between us.
Bohemian: Is the upcoming show featuring only Tull music or will we hear some solo material?
Martin Barre: I always try and include my solo material and am so pleased that the audience recognizes it. The show is a history of Tull’s music so I am quite focused on that. However, I will always throw in a curve ball for the hell of it.
Martin Barre plays Sunday, March 17 at Blue Note located at 1030 Main Street in Napa. Doors open at 5pm and the evening-with show starts at 6:30pm. Tickets range from $49 to $89 advance and can be purchased at www.bluenotejazz.com. Ages 8 and over are welcome.
Did you know that the historic Chanslor Ranch near Bodega Bey — a 380-acre dairy and horse ranch alongthe Sonoma coast, just about a mile south of Salmon Creek Beach — is now public land? After years of eying it, the county reportedly bought it from the owner last year. It will become an official county park later this year — but you can start visiting now! And here’s a hot tip: During this liminal period of “ownership transition,” over the next few months at least, there will be no cost of admission. (After that, “visitors will be required to have a park pass or pay the $7 day-use fee they would at other Regional Parks properties,” the Press Democrat reports.) The new park includes at least five hiking trails with views of Bodega Harbor, Doran Beach, Salmon Creek and the ocean; “opportunities for picnicking, fishing, wildlife-watching and paddling on Salmon Creek”; and horseback rides “available under an existing lease Chanslor Stables.” One county park official tells the Press Democrat: “It’s such a cool property. The views, the hike, being able to look down at Salmon Creek and just ecosystems down there, it’s pretty amazing.” More from the PD: “The property also fits into an expanding mosaic of publicly owned, protected coastal lands that include the oceanfront state park property to the west, and Carrington Coast Ranch Regional Park and Open Space Preserve, a 335-acre property that shares a boundary with Chanslor Ranch along Salmon Creek on the north. Whether andhow the two county parks might eventually be connected has yet to be determined. Salmon Creek runs through a deep, steep-sided crease where the properties meet. But they will connect at Highway 1, part of the California Coastal Trail, and their mutual preservation will allow easier wildlife movement between the properties.” County officials hosted an open house at the new park today, showing off the months of work they’ve put into upgrading the parking area, installing trash bins and bathrooms, trimming back hazardous trees, etc. The county supervisor who reportedly made the deal happen — Lynda Hopkins, our lady of the river and coast — writes in her latest newsletter: “This area, known for its natural beauty, scenic vistas, and recreational opportunities, is now the newest regional park and open space preserve in our county, and it fills us with pride to see such a cherished piece of our coastal environment preserved for public enjoyment.” Amen! Oh, and while I have all you nature people on the line, FYI: Another 650 acres or so of private land was recently added to Jack London State Historic Park outside Glen Ellen, in the Sonoma Valley area — preserving a critical wildlife corridor and making the whole park way more accessible for visitors. You might know the land as the beleaguered, abandoned (and definitely haunted) campus of the Sonoma Developmental Center, which once housed people with disabilities. Its transfer over to Jack London was reportedly “the largest addition to state park lands in Sonoma County since 2010.” (Source: Sonoma County Regional Parks & Supervisor Lynda Hopkins via ConstantContact & KRCB & Press Democrat & Press Democrat & SF Chronicle; paywall)
Let’s take a look atwhere all the local races stand right now in Sonoma and Napa counties. Keeping in mind, of course, that we’re currently in that awkward stage after an election where officials are still just counting, counting, counting all our ballots. (You can even watch them do the counting live on the Sonoma County government’s YouTube channel. It’s kind of meditative, TBH.) It could reportedly take weeks for California’s many counties to finish their local tallies. “Results will be certified by April 12,” state officials say. So with that as a disclaimer, here’s who and what is winning as of Saturday evening. For the statewide U.S. Senate seat left empty when Dianne Feinstein died last year, there are two candidates with a significant lead, which should take them both to the general election this November: Democrat Adam Schiff, a longtime state politician, and Republican Steve Garvey, a former professional baseball player who’s new to politics. And progressive Democrat Katie Porter is trailing way behind. (The Press Democrat just published an interesting piece on that race. The Schiff campaign “shelled out tens of millions of dollars elevating Garvey’s name among Republican voters to make sure of that outcome,” the PD reports.) For our local seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, Democrat Mike Thompson and Republican John Munn are safely leading in the fourth district, and same goes for Democrat Jared Huffman and Republican Chris Coulombe in the second district. As for that contentious race to replace Jim Wood,who’s giving up his seat in the second district of the California State Assembly (covering much of Sonoma County, and the rest of the North Coast): Republican Michael Greer is in first place, and a few of the Democratic candidates are neck and neck for the other spot. Santa Rosa City Councilmember Chris Rogers is still leading the pack by a slim margin, with California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks right behind, followed by Healdsburg Mayor Ariel Kelley. In the State Assembly’s twelfth district,incumbent Democrat Damon Connolly is way ahead; the two Republican candidates are coming in close for that second spot, but it looks like Andy Podshadley still has a slight lead. The race for the third district of the California State Senate is fairly tight, too — with Republican Thom Bogue and Democrat Christopher Cabaldon in the lead, and Democrats Rozzana Verder-Aliga and Jackie Elward right behind. Measure-wise, that statewide one about mental health funding is a super close call, with a sliver of a lead for “Yes” — and Measure H for more fire-department funding in Sonoma County is more of a landslide “Yes.” Lastly, Biden and Trump will move forward in the race for president, of course. You can click through to the state and county election websites to monitor the results as they come in, as well as check out the other races for local judges, county supervisors, committees and measures. (Source: California State Government & Sonoma County Government & Napa County Government & Press Democrat; paywall)
The sweeping federal investigation into Napa County government officials and other local power players has a new poster child: County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza. That’s partly because the two main news outlets covering this story closely, the Napa Valley Register and the Press Democrat, were finally able to confirm that the FBI raided his home near the Silverado Country Club back at Christmastime. There have been rumors going around for months to this effect — including a direct accusation during the public comment period at a recent county supervisor meeting — but now our local papers of record have their hands on the cold, hard documents. “Records show that the FBI apparently searched a house owned by Napa County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza in the Silveradoarea on Dec. 18,” the Register reports. “This comes at a time when Napa County has been served with several federal subpoenas asking for information kept by the county. Though none mention Pedroza, one required information for Vinedos, an Atlas Peak-area land deal completed in 2021 by Pedroza’s in-laws with Pedroza’s help. The document shows Shaun Owen, an FBI supervisory agent, informed local law enforcement officials by phone he intended to search the Silverado Springs Drive house. Owen on LinkedIn is listed as an agent who deals with cases of public corruption and civil rights. As with the subpoenas, the document doesn’t accuse Pedroza or anyone else of wrongdoing. It doesn’t mention Pedroza’s name. It doesn’t say what the object of the search might be. The ‘remarks’ section of the document says no assistance is needed and ‘should be pretty low key.‘ Owen apparently contacted local law enforcement at 6:59 a.m. and the search ended at 1:23 p.m.” As has been constant throughout this developing story, no one can say what the FBI’s suspicions were or what they found or what kind of evidence they’re sitting on. (And Pedroza isn’t talking.) There are just these breadcrumbs the feds are leaving for us, in the form of which specific people and places and decisions and deals they’re choosing to look into. Meanwhile, the handful oflocal activists in the Napa Valley who’ve been suspicious of Pedroza for years now are having a bit of an “I told you so” moment right now; indeed, they will happily tell you precisely what they think he did to deserve this federal scrutiny. Another interesting thing to note is that Pedroza’s challenger four years ago in the race for the fourth-district supervisor seat, Amber Manfree, now might be the one to take over his seat this November, if the most recent ballot count holds from the March 5 primary election. Her challenger this time around, Pete Mott, is a longtime local politician and more of a pro-business type, while she’s a career scientist with an emphasis on environmental issues. Which does seem to sum up the divide in Napa County politics right now. And in the fourth district at least, covering the northeast part of Napa, the voters are speaking. Pedroza’s successor, the Press Democrat writes, “will be tasked with rebuilding public trust within the district.” (Source: Napa County Government & Napa Valley Register & Napa Valley Register & Press Democrat & Press Democrat; paywall)
During the stormy weather last weekend, more than a quarter million gallons of sewage escapedfrom Sonoma County’s wastewater treatment plant just downriver from Guerneville, according to county government officials — an unknown amount of which then leaked into the Russian River. The plant is operated by Sonoma Water, the county’s water agency, and is situated at the end of Neeley Road near the Northwood Golf Club. A power failure overnight at the plant on Friday, March 1, reportedly caused “flows to build up between the second and third treatment phases until the basin overflowed” into the “wet and boggy” land surrounding the plant. It then “traversed approximately a third of a mile through a forested area before reaching the mainstem of the Russian River,” the county says. In interviews with the press, higher-ups from Sonoma Water make it seem like we shouldn’t be that worried about what happened — especially since the river was rushing so fast due the storm that night. Pam Jeane, an assistant general manager at the agency, tells the San Francisco Chronicle: “We are not sure how much of the partially treated wastewater made it to the river. Fortunately the spill happened in the middle of the night when there was nobody out in the river. By the time people were up on Saturday morning the water had already passed through the community.” In addition, a press release issued by Sonoma Water stressed that “environmental specialists” who were “dispatched to the site to assess impacts” found “no effect on aquatic or terrestrial life.” The press release also makes the case that the sewage wasn’t all that sewage-y when it spilled: “Secondary treated effluent has had the large, inorganic material removed, and much of the organic material has been biologically neutralized. Secondary effluent has flowed through clarifiers to remove solids, but some suspended solids can remain that would be removed in the third, and final stage of the wastewater treatment process.” For what it’s worth, though, that same lady from Sonoma Water does add in an interview with the Press Democrat: “It’s still not OK. It’s still not supposed to happen.” (Source: Sonoma County Government & Press Democrat & SF Chronicle; paywall)
Almost 40 years ago, dozens of ’80s icons gathered overnight in a Los Angeles studio to record “We Are the World,” the hit single that has raised more than $80 million to provide humanitarian relief in Africa.
The fundraising vinyl record was the brainchild of Harry Belafonte, who wanted to help fight famine in Ethiopia. The song was recorded on Jan. 28, 1985 because the American Music Awards were held earlier that evening, affording producer Quincy Jones the perfect opportunity to assemble superstars from rock, country, soul and pop in the same studio.
Netflix recently released The Greatest Night in Pop, a fascinating documentary on how the 21 A-list artists, including Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Willie Nelson, Stevie Wonder and Marin’s own Huey Lewis, gave life to the song with their solos.
The doc also has plenty of footage of the 23 singers who completed the celebrity chorus, hitting those high and low notes of “We are the world. We are the children. We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let’s start giving.”
Among the choir members on the four-level riser, I spied my favorite hometown musician—saxophonist, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Johnny Colla of Huey Lewis and the News. The handsome young Colla stood below Belafonte and shoulder to shoulder with Ruth Pointer of The Pointer Sisters, belting out those now familiar lyrics. The rest of his bandmates were there, too.
It’s not surprising that Huey Lewis and the News, one of the most successful bands to materialize from Marin, was front and center during the recording of “We Are the World.” The group had been a staple on contemporary radio stations since the early ’80s, topping the charts the previous year with “I Want a New Drug,” “The Heart of Rock and Roll,” “If This Is It” and “Walking on a Thin Line.”
While Lewis has left Marin for Montana, Colla, a gifted storyteller, still lives in San Anselmo. I called Colla to ask about his memories of what’s come to be known as The Greatest Night in Pop.
The band, nominated for two American Music Awards, would be traveling from Marin to Los Angeles for the upcoming televised awards show, according to Colla. Just days before their trip, Lewis received a demo cassette tape of “We Are the World” and an invitation for the band to participate in the recording session to take place after the awards. Lewis and his newsmen immediately agreed they were in.
First stop, the American Music Awards at the Shrine Music Theatre, where Huey Lewis and the News were honored as the favorite pop/rock video artists. After the show, they went to A&M Studios in Hollywood for “We Are the World.”
“I was thrilled to be a part of the whole thing, and walking into that studio was like something out of a strange movie set,” Colla said. “I’m fully aware that the News, The Pointer Sisters and the Jacksons—other than Michael—were the vocal wallpaper to fill out the riser.”
Johnny Colla holds the gold. “We Are the World” achieved Gold status within the first week of its release in 1985, selling more than 500,000 copies. Later that year, it became the first multi-Platinum song, with sales in the millions. Photo courtesy of Christie-Claire Colla.
The modest Colla said there was a moment that night when he became so excited that a four-letter word involuntarily left his lips—loudly enough to be caught by one of the cameras documenting the production. While he was getting his makeup done, Ray Charles walked by. As a 10- or 11-year-old boy, when Colla thought no one was watching, he’d play “I Can’t Stop Loving You” on his parents’ one-speaker record player and stand on the piano bench to sing along with Charles.
“Now, I am in the room with Brother Ray,” Colla recounted. “He isn’t just my hero; this guy’s a national treasure.”
Other recollections from the recording session also stand out. An Ethiopian woman spoke to the singers about the gravity of the famine in her country, tugging his heartstrings. Another wasn’t quite as touching—Colla’s quick encounter with Waylon Jennings.
“I got to hang out with Waylon for seven seconds,” Colla said. “I introduce myself and tell him that I’ve been a big fan forever. Waylon doesn’t even say hello. He just says, ‘Hey, you know where a guy can get a beer around here?’”
According to The Greatest Night in Pop, it wasn’t just Colla who Jennings slighted. The country singer later walked out of the session never to return when Stevie Wonder brought up adding Swahili lyrics to “We Are the World.” Colla remembers something else said about that situation.
“The conversation lost steam, partly because Swahili isn’t the Ethiopian language,” Colla said. “Stevie came back to it, still trying. I hear one of the Jacksons say affectionately, ‘Aw, shit. Here goes Stevie again.’”
While Colla enjoyed singing the harmony, his cherished hours occurred after the chorus had finished their part and been dismissed. He quietly slipped into the control room with the engineers and news reporters to watch the singers perform their solos.
“I put on a look of importance, like I had business being there,” Colla said. “You know, Quincy and Lionel had started the night with that line, ‘Check your ego at the door.’ Of course, there were a few folks who didn’t. But when I was in the control room, I was taken by how no one tried to be anything but who they were and what they sounded like. I was struck by the professionalism of everybody and how they took direction.”
Colla felt nervous when they gave Huey Lewis his line to sing—a line out of his range because it was intended for Prince, who didn’t show up. But he needn’t have worried.
“Huey nailed it,” Colla said proudly. “My hero pulled it off.”
The conversation about “We Are the World” eventually wound down. With emotion in his voice, Colla talked about the abrupt end to Lewis’ singing career in 2018, caused by hearing loss from Meniere’s disease. Calling Lewis his “fearless leader,” Colla said the band members remain close.
Although the group no longer visits the studio to record new music, Huey Lewis and the News is experiencing a resurgence. Their blockbuster song, “The Power of Love,” is currently featured in the Broadway show, Back to the Future: The Musical. Next month, a repertoire of the band’s songs will be showcased in a new Broadway show, The Heart of Rock and Roll, also the title of the wildly popular song co-written by Lewis and Colla about 40 years ago.
These days, Colla is working on material in his own studio. He just put the finishing touches on Voices Only!!!, the final album in his critically acclaimed trilogy—all three inspired by his love of a cappella. The new release will be out next month.
Voices Only!!!, Johnny Colla’s new album, will be released in April. Photo courtesy of Christie-Claire Colla.
Until then, fans can sing, clap and stomp their feet to the first two albums, I Hear Voices! and I Hear Other Voices!! Filled with cover songs from the ’50s and ’60s,” the rip-roaring collection showcases Colla’s smooth vocals and a chorus of other familiar voices, including Santana’s Tony Lindsay and Gabi Wilson, now known as H.E.R.
While the Voices trilogy is complete, Colla promises there’s more to come. Solo projects and new albums from Huey Lewis and the News.
“I’ve become the gatekeeper to Huey Lewis and the News’ extensive analog library, including live performances from around the world,” Colla said. “We hope to have three to four live releases in the next few years.”
Colla also has at least two records written that he’ll soon be producing. And he’d like to get back on stage.
“I wanna put a local band together so I can open shows for big shots,” Colla said.
Gender fluidity flows like the Russian River after a torrential rain in the Santa Rosa Junior College Theatre Arts Department production of Orlando. Laura Downing-Lee directs the Sarah Ruhl-penned adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel. The show runs in the Frank Chong Studio Theatre in the Burbank Auditorium on the SRJC Santa Rosa campus through Sunday, March 10.
Orlando (Lizzy Bies) is a 16-year-old wanna-be poet whose “shapely legs” catch the eye of Queen Elizabeth I (Jean-Colin Cameron). He’s made a page in the queen’s court and becomes quite the companion to the queen. But, boys being boys, Orlando’s eyes wander. He spots a beautiful Russian girl ice skating and soon becomes infatuated with her. Sasha (Millie Dotta) and Orlando run off together.
But not for long. Sasha betrays Orlando, and after an unwelcome pursuit by a randy Archduchess (Jimmy Toro Ruano), he escapes to Constantinople. After sowing some more wild oats, Orlando falls into a deep, days-long sleep. When he awakens, he is quite surprised to discover that he has become a woman.
And so they shall live as such for the next couple of hundred years, as Orlando searches for their true self and personal fulfillment, regardless of gender constructs.
The audience would do best to throw away their own biases and expectations when it comes to gender roles, as Orlando is the kind of show where anyone can play anything. Theater has long been a place where gender-bending is commonplace, but Orlando revels in it, and gloriously so.
Bies meets the challenge of playing a character of both genders and delivers a committed performance, never more so than when dealing with a significant costume malfunction. Ruano also does double duty as the Archduchess and Archduke, with very amusing results that brought to mind the work of Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers. Cameron’s alternately haughty and giddy queen manages not to be overshadowed by their regal couture.
The sheer, draping scenic design by Nathaniel Gillespie and lighting design by Chris Cota brought good technical support to the overall sense of fluidness. Costume coordinator Colleen Scott Trivett had her hands full dressing the cast in a couple of centuries’ worth of costumes.
Beyond the gender issues, Ruhl’s use in Orlando of a mix of third-person narration and dialogue can also be challenging for an audience. But stick with it, as your ear will adjust.
Maybe your thoughts about gender will adjust, too.
‘Orlando’ runs Weds–Sun through March 10 in the Santa Rosa Junior College Burbank Auditorium Frank Chong Studio Theatre, 1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. Weds–Sat, 7:30pm; Sat & Sun, 2pm. $15–$25. 707.527.4307. theatrearts.santarosa.edu.
Leah Richardson is juggling community college and work, but her job doesn’t pay enough to cover the cost of living in Sonoma County.
Often, she relies on a food pantry, despite receiving thousands of dollars in financial aid from her school, Santa Rosa Junior College.
Now, a new program will pay her for every hour she spends in class and on homework. The $30 million state program, called Hire UP, is an experiment modeled on the state’s many guaranteed income programs. It focuses on students who are formerly incarcerated, like Richardson, as well as former or current foster youth, and those receiving CalWorks benefits, the state’s cash aid program for low-income adults with children. Ten community college districts received the money, and some schools, including Santa Rosa Junior College, are beginning to distribute it now. Others have yet to set a timeline.
Richardson, 37, is one of the first recipients. On a recent morning, she sat at a cafe next to campus, where students hurried by, but she didn’t notice them as she stared at her financial aid statement on her iPhone.
“I’m a little in shock,” she said as she used her fingers to zoom in on the web page that showed her current grants.
She’ll receive monthly payments of nearly $2,000, starting today. Those payments are calculated based on the state’s minimum wage, $16 an hour, for each of the 30 hours she spends every week on school.
Richardson couldn’t afford to attend full-time when she enrolled at Santa Rosa Junior College in 2021. Then, she was still adjusting to a new routine after spending time in and out of jail and substance use treatment centers. She decided to take classes in the afternoon and work from 4:30am until about 1:30pm at a Safeway store most days of the week. When she wasn’t working at Safeway, she took shifts at bakeries.
“I was exhausted—a lot,” she said. Since then, she’s tried to work less and study more. “Now that I have this money, I don’t have the weight of having to go back to a job that’s going to drain me.”
Gina Browne, an assistant vice chancellor with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, said the office is monitoring how well colleges administer the Hire UP program and how the money affects students’ outcomes.
“Some students who are working now may be able to stop working or reduce their hours,” she said. “We want students to focus on taking those units so they can get through (college).”
Student Aid Offers ‘Glimmer of Hope’
NEXT MOVE Student and Second Chance staff member Matthew Domingos works part-time for SRJC as he finishes an associate degree and prepares to transfer to Cal Poly Humboldt next semester. Photo by Laure Andrillon
Every Tuesday, formerly incarcerated students at Santa Rosa Junior College gather in a multi-purpose conference room on campus, part of a state-funded support program known locally as Second Chance. Men with scraggly beards or neck tattoos wave to younger men and women as they walk in. Some students wear T-shirts, while others are in button-downs or blouses. It’s a cross-section of the college and the city at large. Modeled like a 12-step recovery meeting, students speak up, one by one, sharing their stories about navigating work, school and life after prison.
Matthew Domingos, 42, helps moderate. He works part-time for the college as he finishes an associate degree and prepares to transfer next semester to Cal Poly Humboldt. As a full-time student, his financial aid package totals around $10,000 a semester, but it doesn’t leave any wiggle room, he said. “I feel like I’m one trip to the emergency room away from homelessness,” Domingos revealed. He was selected for Hire UP, but he doesn’t yet know how much money he’ll receive.
Richardson can’t always attend the weekly meetings because of her work and school schedule, though she wishes she could. She pays about $1,100 a month toward rent and hundreds more on utilities, food and transportation. “I don’t spend money,” she said. “There isn’t any to spend.”
There are roughly 160 formerly incarcerated students who enroll each year at Santa Rosa Junior College, all of whom may apply for Hire UP, said Jessy Paisley, a counselor for the Second Chance program on campus.
That money is a “glimmer of hope,” she said. “How do you focus on turning in your Canvas assignment if you don’t even know where you’re going to charge your computer tonight, or sleep, or get your next meal?”
What Happens When the Money Runs Out
The average cost of attending Santa Rosa Junior College, including living expenses, is about $20,000 to $30,000 a year, depending on whether students pay rent, said Rachael Cutcher, the college’s director of financial aid. For in-state students, tuition is less than 7% of their total annual expenses. The rest is rent, transportation, food and books.
Many students at the community college qualify for financial aid. However, the amount of aid typically depends on the number of classes that students take. At Santa Rosa Junior College, most students are part time. Cutcher said the average financial aid package is around $10,000 a year.
The Sonoma County Junior College District, which oversees Santa Rosa Junior College, received just over $2.6 million for Hire UP, but the money can’t help all the students who qualify. The college has roughly 600 students who are formerly incarcerated, current or former foster youth, or CalWorks recipients, according to data from the chancellor’s office. If all of those students were to get a portion, the money would run out in a few months.
“We’re prioritizing our formerly incarcerated students as our first tier,” Cutcher said, later adding that the other populations are already eligible for their own special scholarships or government grants. “Then if we have enough funding, we’ll go to foster youth, then CalWorks. If it’s successful, I’d advocate for it to be renewed and offered more broadly.”
Other schools, such as those in the San Diego Community College District, expect to exhaust most of the money in the first two years, said Susan Topham, the vice chancellor of educational services for the district.
“We want them to run out of money,” said Browne. If community college districts spend it all and the benefits of the money are apparent, she said the chancellor’s office can advocate for more funding, either for this program or for similar ones.
California’s Financial Aid Is Stuck in 1969
Compared to other state and federal financial aid programs, the money from Hire UP is relatively small.
In the 2022-23 academic year, California gave community college students more than $700 million in state aid, according to data from the chancellor’s office. The same year, the federal government gave out nearly $1.7 billion in grants to community college students, including Pell grants for low-income students as well as one-time money from various Covid-19 spending bills. But on a per-person basis, the money doesn’t always go far. For example, community college students typically receive just over $1,600 a year for non-tuition costs from the state’s cornerstone financial aid program, the Cal Grant.
The average cost of attending Santa Rosa Junior College, including living expenses, is about $20,000 to $30,000 yearly, depending on whether students pay rent.
That grant amount was first set in 1969, said Manny Rodriguez, the California director of policy and advocacy at The Institute for College Access and Success. “If it kept up with inflation, it should be worth between $7,000 and $8,000 today.”
For years, advocates like Rodriguez have worked with the chancellor’s office to push the state to give students more cash. In 2022, California legislators passed a new law that would slowly increase the amount of state money provided through the Cal Grant program.
However, the increases to Cal Grant will only go into effect if Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature agree to put the money into this year’s budget. Newsom has until May to release a revised state budget proposal, which includes the financial aid program. But with a multi-billion dollar projected deficit looming, advocates are worried that reforms may have to wait.
The federal and state financial aid programs also come with requirements many students fail to meet. The state’s largest financial aid program for community college students, the Student Success Completion Grant, requires students to take a full course load, typically at least four classes each semester.
Hire UP is structured differently. Part-time students can qualify, as long as they take at least two classes. The money is disbursed and recalculated every month, depending on how many classes the student took.
Domingos is a full-time student, so he qualifies for the Completion Grant. It’s one reason why he receives more financial aid than the average student. However, Richardson has never been able to receive the Completion Grant because her work schedule prevents her from taking more than three classes. While Domingos receives federal aid, Richardson’s income is too high to qualify.
Richardson will receive over $8,000 in Hire UP payments during the spring semester. That will be in addition to the $4,000 in financial aid she was already getting for the same time period.
Santa Rosa Junior College may run out of money for Hire UP, but Cutcher said the financial aid department has budgeted the program so that students who receive initial payments are guaranteed money until they graduate. That means Richardson could receive more than $20,000 from Hire UP before she graduates next year.
“No matter what,” she said. “I’m going to be ecstatic with whatever the state can offer me.”
Adam Echelman covers California’s community colleges in partnership with Open Campus, a nonprofit newsroom focused on higher education.
Being a bit obvious, I had to launch this “Locals” column with Janeen Murray, director of Go Local, a cooperative that supports 400 North Bay businesses and nonprofits.
Cincinnatus Hibbard: Tell us something unexpected about yourself.
Janeen Murray: I am an accordion player in the Hubbub Club marching band.
CH: Amazing! Janeen, besides co-branding with the iconic, Go Local logo, what services do you provide to your co-op members?
JM: Advertising, market research, networking lunches, and listing on our website and printed pocket guide. Made Local Magazine highlights the stories behind local businesses.
CH: Though I have been trained to say it, why should we support local?
JM: Supporting local is like planting seeds with rich soil. So that more vibrant things grow in our community. We’re not a monoculture. We’re a beautiful diversity.
CH: That is a lush and poetic vision of our community. Could you bullet point some benefits?
JM: There is the economic multiplier effect. Local purchases lead to local purchases lead to local wealth. Money spent at online mega-retailers shoots up out of the community like a helium balloon and is gone. Also, there is less inequality and inequity in communities with more local businesses. There’s more employment, better jobs. There are ecological benefits to local too—compare the carbon of a light truck driving 20 minutes versus a 16-wheeler truck driving eight hours to deliver the same fruit.
CH: Wow. Those are the great issues of our time, all helped by our local purchases. Janeen, is “Go Corporate” winning?
JM: Yes, for now. Our local economy is severely and dramatically threatened by global corporate companies.
CH: There doesn’t seem to be a week where social media doesn’t announce the closure of an iconic local business. Each hurts our sense of place. Janeen, is there room for hope?
JM: There is! Seventy percent of the local economy is local consumer spending. That means we’re in the driver seat. It’s our choice what future we have.
CH: What is your most important call to action?
JM : Move your money to a local bank. They invest in local businesses. National banks don’t.
CH: What is the motto of Go Local?
JM: “We are stronger together.”
Learn more: This interview is taken from a longer audio interview available at ‘Sonoma County: A Community Portrait’ on Apple, Google and Spotify podcasts. linktr.ee/cincinnatushibbard.
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