‘Bright Star’ Shines, Steve Martin and Edie Brickell Musical at Cinnabar

Bright Star is a musical Americana folk tale by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell that offers up a gorgeous score and a compelling, if predictable, storyline. 

A live string band enhances the show and adds to the nostalgic atmosphere, where heartbreak turns to triumph and miracles do exist. Cinnabar Theater’s production, directed by Nathan Cummings, runs in the Warren Theater at Sonoma State University through June 29. 

It’s a tale of love and loss set in the American South that switches between life-changing events in the 1920s and the mid-1940s that involve four key people.

Bright Star focuses on its riveting lead, Alice Murphy, played with deep humanity and ridiculous charisma by Zanna Wyant. Her expressive face and throaty yet clear voice will tear audience members up inside as they follow Alice’s story. She’s well supported by a scene-stealing Megan Bartlett as Margo Crawford, who blows the roof off the house in “Asheville,” and by Laura Odette Sandoval as Lucy, who packs a punch with her powerful voice. “Another Round” is the best ensemble song in the show.

The menfolk don’t fare too badly, either, with heartfelt work by the extremely likeable Nathanael Fleming as Jimmy Ray, Alice’s paramour. His voice is superb and his stage presence strong, every movement full of intention. He and Wyant create magnetic chemistry and a believable star-crossed love. David A. Bradbury works the audience’s heartstrings as ambitious writer Billy, while Noah Evans’ Darryl Ames provides some comic relief via plenty of scenery chewing.

This production features a large and thoroughly maximized ensemble, with standouts like Tyler Ono showing why he’s a young performer to watch and Sean O’Brien bringing utmost comedic effect and warm nuance to his scenes.

The scenes aboard a train prove very effective, especially in “A Man’s Gotta Do,” with a nasty turn by Garet Waterhouse as Mayor Dobbs. Waterhouse makes for a slick baddie with his Mitt Romney hair and uptight suit.

The choreography by Bridget Codoni at times felt very chaotic, and at other times punctuated the action precisely the way it needed to. Many bodies populated the relatively small stage, constantly moving and changing the scenery, which pulled focus from the story.

Minor quibbles this reviewer had with the show shouldn’t deter anyone from experiencing this fantastic piece of musical theater. The show features some seriously beautiful performances.

Cinnabar Theater presents ‘Bright Star’ through June 29 at Warren Auditorium in Ives Hall at Sonoma State University. 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. Fri–Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 2pm. $35–$60 plus parking fee. 707.763.8920. cinnabartheater.org

Inside ‘Time Together,’ New Series Humanizes Life Behind Bars

What happens when a group of strangers voluntarily walks into prison—not for punishment, but for connection? That question lies at the heart of Time Together, a documentary series from Humans Being Media which debuted this week on YouTube.

The short-form series takes viewers inside the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, California, where an innovative program called Empathy in Action is transforming lives.

Each six-minute episode introduces audiences to an incarcerated participant and a civilian volunteer as they engage in a weekly practice of deep listening, mutual vulnerability and emotional reckoning. The setting is raw, the dialogue unscripted and the impact profound.

Humans Being Media co-founder and filmmaker Vince Beeton says the collaboration began through a connection with another nonprofit, Life On Art, which brings creative projects into carceral settings. “We immediately hit it off with Megan [McDrew], who created the program Empathy in Action,” Beeton said. “It had been her ambition to document the incredibly unique and healing process that was happening behind prison walls.”

Filming in prison presented its own set of challenges. “Sometimes we had only 6–10 minutes to interview folks who were sometimes sharing things they had never said out loud before,” Beeton said. “Creating a safe space where they can be vulnerable and share about past trauma, or speak to how they are accountable for the crime they committed, is essential.”

The first episode features Eddie, an incarcerated man, and Steve, a civilian volunteer. Their conversation begins with a simple question: “Why would someone like you want to come in here and talk to someone like me?” The exchange reveals a shared history of childhood trauma.

“Eddie’s body language says so much,” Beeton said. “When an interview like this is happening I just have to get out of the way, listen and be present for whatever unfolds.”

The program’s structure involves a series of intimate conversations called “Families,” where public volunteers and “Brothers in Blue,” as the incarcerated participants are referred to, meet over eight weeks. Some volunteers have experienced abuse or have loved ones in the system. Their presence is often described by participants as a powerful act of recognition and service.

The nonprofit behind the program, Monterey County’s Transformative Justice Center, has implemented a peer-led model in which graduates of the program become facilitators.

“The reality of incarceration is brutal,” Beeton said, “and the dehumanization of the individual is evident as a traditional infrastructure that prioritizes punishment over rehabilitation.” He noted that Empathy in Action aligns with the principles of the California Model, which emphasizes normalization and peer mentorship. “By bringing members of the public who may have been abused to sit in a circle with someone who was once convicted of abusing, a unique alchemy occurs.”

Humans Being Media partner and filmmaker Alia Beeton added, “Doing this work and telling these stories has been transformational for me as well. Of course it’s layered and nuanced … and that’s part of the work of cultivating empathy.”

New episodes of ‘Time Together’ drop weekly on YouTube.

Gin Jam, Griffo Distillery’s Musical Mixer

Back in January, Griffo Distillery’s director of marketing & creative, Fred Abercrombie, was talking to an assistant distiller, Paz del Rescate, who also happens to be a local fiddle player.

The space at Griffo that serves as warehouse space also serves as a space for comedy shows and various other performances including regular Sunday night music, so why not create something for the weekday crowd? Thus, the idea of the Scott Street Gin Jam was born and has been happening Thursday nights from 5-9pm. 

Abercrombie said, “We were all talking about how Griffo’s Barrel Room is such a flexible space and that it could fill a larger need in the musical community, on top of already hosting local bands every Sunday. While there’s Open Mics and even a Blues Jam in Petaluma, there’s nothing really like this open format in the North Bay.”

He was speaking of the “Bring Your Own Gear” (BYOG) aspect of the jams, which he said was his “way of clarifying that this really is an open music jam, not just an open-mic night.” Musicians simply bring their instrument of choice and join the fun—and not to worry drummers, there’s a kit ready to play.

Griffo’s “Facilitator of Fun,” Kat Prescott, said she was perhaps a bit skeptical of the idea at first. “When Paz first came to me with the idea, I told him weekly events are hard to grow unless there’s a guaranteed amount of attendees per week,” she said. “Plus, just ensuring you have enough players to actually be a band every week can be a big ask from your community.”

However after convincing locals Andrew Mizzy, Jon Hendricks and Kozue Ikusaki to co-host she said, “Screw it, we’d have a few instruments at least, so let’s roll. Sure enough we’d found that unicorn scenario, and within the first month it grew exponentially.”

So far musicians and music fans alike say the experience has been positive. “Musicians seem to really dig the networking aspect [and] we’ve actually seen some be able to get gigs together as a result. We also hear how it’s been so welcoming to all levels,” Abercrombie said.

Prescott added, “We’ve got a big group of regulars that come and play or hang every week. Most folks are just really stoked to have a space that’s not intimidating, and our hosts are phenomenal at reading the room. If [someone] walks in and is hanging back mouthing every word to the songs, they’ll walk up and invite them up.”

Included in that group of said regulars are Sean England, Pete Hale, Pete Delaney—all three of Pete Floyd fame—Erik Steig, Sebastian St. James, Jake Temple, Alex Garcia and Tim McKee, just to name a few.

The jam night is also free to attend, and all ages are welcome. Abercrombie said, “occasionally there’s a 9-year-old string player that often knocks the socks off the crowd and players alike.” Prescott mentioned a young drumming prodigy named Sage who “shows up every week and plays until his hands blister.”

In addition to a weekly rotation of food trucks at the event, Thursday nights are also an all-night happy hour which includes solid work-night concoctions labeled “8 Dolla Holla” specials.

Prescott, who is now effusive about the jam sesh’s, said people “really dig the Open Jam vibe. We’ve been rolling with that for the most part, and it really helps solidify the ‘all inclusive’ energy that people seem to really be responding to. It’s pretty awesome to watch all these folks who were strangers before all this started fist-bump as they load-in and hug one another after load-out.

“It’s got a Cheers vibe to it,” he added. “So no one is a stranger, and the players and hosts tend to know who’s coming next week even more than I do. It’s like a little ‘Jam Fam.’”

Musicians and music fans who want to find out more are invited to visit griffodistillery.com/calendar and follow on Instagram @griffodistillery.

Culture Crush, June 24

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Sonoma

Mary Lynn Rajskub Live 

TV’s favorite neurotic sidekick-turned-stand-up star, Mary Lynn Rajskub, brings her singular comic voice to the Sebastiani Theatre for one night only. Known to millions as deadpan tech wizard Chloe O’Brian on 24 and as the hilariously unhinged Gail the Snail on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Rajskub’s recent work includes her stand-up special Road Gig, her memoir FAME-ISH: My Life at the Edge of Stardom and a co-starring role in the upcoming Netflix series North of North. Onstage she mines modern womanhood, motherhood, and Hollywood with the same awkward brilliance that made her a cult favorite across TV and film. Catch her live at 7:30pm, Friday, July 11 at the Sebastiani Theatre, 476 First St. E, Sonoma. Tickets and details at sebastianitheatre.com.

Stinson Beach

Vickisa Unfolds

Accordion books, music festivals, painted bread—Vickisa’s world is anything but flat. Her handmade, fold-out art books burst with painted drawings, collage and visual storytelling drawn from decades of artistic devotion. From the French Quarter to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, her subjects dance across accordion pages that stretch up to seven feet wide. Her latest book, New Orleans is Hot, sizzles with scenes of Mardi Gras Indians, musicians and street life—all captured while her pencil literally melted in the heat. ‘Vickisa Unfolds Her Universe’ is on view for the month of July at the Stinson Beach Library, 3521 Shoreline Hwy. Meet the artist at the reception from 1–4pm, Saturday, July 12. Free admission. More info at marinlibrary.org.

Guerneville

Mighty MORF’n

Where folk meets future, MORF (Music on Regenerative Farms) returns with a climate-positive concert experience tucked into the redwoods in Guerneville. Hosted at Solar Punk Farms, the event blends indie-folk performances from Lucy Clearwater, Foxtails Brigade (solo) and Lonely Parrots with guided farm tours, a regenerative farmers’ market and sustainability minded vendors like Climate Farm School. Think: music festival meets permaculture field trip, with vibes set to “hopeful resistance.” 2–6pm, Saturday, July 12 at Solar Punk Farms, Guerneville. $35 (sliding scale available). More info at morf-initiative.org.

San Rafael

Bug-Tastic Fair

The Marin County Fair returns with a creepy-crawly twist July 2–6, transforming the fairgrounds into an all-ages insect extravaganza. Expect bug-themed exhibits, hands-on art and plenty of six-legged inspiration alongside classic fair fare like free carnival rides, nightly fireworks at 9:30pm, pig races, sheepdog trials and the beloved fine arts competition. This year’s concert lineup features TLC, the Legendary Wailers, Brooke Eden and Elvis Crespo, with themed days celebrating Pride and Latin Heritage. 11am to 11pm daily, Wed-Sun, July 2–6 at Marin County Fairgrounds, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. $25–30. More info at marinfair.org.

Virtuous Cycle, Chef Chris Cosentino

The name Chris Cosentino should be familiar to you. The superstar chef has brought much acclaim to the Bay Area and beyond, being at the forefront of sustainability with his whole animal butchery approach, authoring the James Beard Award nominated cookbook, Offal Good: Cooking from the Heart with Guts, and winning BRAVO’s Top Chef Masters.

Most recently, Cosentino worked with our beloved Nick’s Cove in Marshall to help revamp the menu, and has been working with Athletic Brewing on a new signature beer called Aftershift, with $50,000 of profits benefiting the Southern Smoke Foundation, which provides free mental health services to food and beverage workers across the country.

Amber Turpin: How did you get into this work?

Chris Cosentino: Growing up in Rhode Island, I was always interested in what was happening in the kitchen … from traditional New England foods or classic Italian dishes, I was always there. I worked at IHOP as my first job, washing dishes, and got tricked into doing the line cook’s prep because I was interested in what they were doing. Later, I would help my friends commercial fish and lobster, while also working at the local restaurants picking up extra work.

This led to culinary school, then on to working in Washington, DC for Mark Miller at the Red Sage. This was the start of a real culinary education and mentorship that catapulted me to many restaurants, experiences that I built upon over the years. I moved to San Francisco in 1996, and the rest is history. 

Did you ever have an “aha” moment with a certain beverage? If so, tell us about it.

One of the things that was very difficult for me is that when I quit drinking I really missed the flavors of a great IPA and also the convivial moment of sharing a drink with friends. Having my first Athletic Brewing NA beer was a game changer … it allowed me to be in a place and not feel like a child; my social aspect of having a beverage with friends changed that day.

What is your favorite thing to drink at home?

I really keep it simple. I drink Athletic Brewing NA beers and Lyres NA spirits, either with dinner or hanging out in the backyard cooking with friends.

Where do you like to go out for a drink?

I stopped going out for drinks over six years ago when I quit drinking. It’s a bummer because most of the places at that time didn’t have options other than sugary drinks or sodas. It made me feel uncomfortable and like a kid at the kids’ table.

If you were stuck on a desert island, what would you want to be drinking (besides fresh water)?

I would bring a bunch of Athletic Brewing NA beers with great flavor and carbohydrates to help me survive the desert island with deliciousness.

More at chefchriscosentino.com.

Your Letters, June 24

Prescription Filled

I can’t believe what I just read on your Letters Page: The unsolicited health advice that we should let our children get measles because … it builds resistance? (June 18, 2025) Tell that to the parents who believed RFK Jr.’s wormy advice to avoid vaccinations, only to hospitalize them or, in at least two cases, bury them. Does the “doctor” have a “common sense” folk remedy for flu, Covid and AIDS? Back in the good ol’ days, Americans also smoked heavily, every day, and most of them paid for it with serious consequences above and below ground. Does she also suggest drinking bleach to cure Covid, as the “stable genius” infamously suggested? Does she want to bring back asbestos, as he recently announced? Mis/disinformation like this is more than just “old-timey craziness,” as you rightly said, it’s downright dangerous, so my Rx for the health and safety of mankind is to please keep your f–king unwanted Looney Tunes advice to yourself!

Bob Canning
Petaluma

Truth in Editorializing

I appreciate the editorial comment about the “Measly Measles” letter to the editor (June 18, 2025, re: “old-timey craziness”). Whenever there is disinformation being printed or spoken, others need to state the truth/facts. Otherwise it can spread, and others will be convinced, leading to dire consequences. Please keep up the good work.

Alan Murakami
Sebastopol

Burger Burn

It appears to me you omitted the stockyard and slaughterhouse chapters in your “History of the Hamburger” article (June 18).

D. A. Bishop
Sebastopol

Free Will Astrology: 6/25-7/1

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): Greek philosopher Socrates declared, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” That extreme statement is a foundational idea of Western philosophy. It’s hard to do! To be ceaselessly devoted to questioning yourself is a demanding assignment. But here’s the good news: I think you will find it extra liberating in the coming weeks. Blessings and luck will flow your way as you challenge your dogmas and expand your worldview. Your humble curiosity will attract just the influences you need.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Recently, I brought an amazing Taurus to your attention: The German polymath Athanasius Kircher, who lived from 1601 to 1680. Once again, I will draw on his life to provide guidance for you. Though he’s relatively unknown today, he was the Leonardo da Vinci of his age—a person with a vast range of interests. His many admirers called him “Master of a Hundred Arts.” He traveled extensively and wrote 40 books that covered a wide array of subjects. For years he curated a “cabinet of curiosities” or “wonder-room” filled with interesting and mysterious objects. In the coming weeks, I invite you to be inspired by his way of being, Taurus. Be richly miscellaneous and wildly versatile.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): How does a person become a creative genius in their field? What must they do to become the best? In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell said that one way to accomplish these goals is to devote 10,000 hours to practicing and mastering your skill set. There’s some value in that theory, though the full truth is more nuanced. Determined, focused effort that’s guided by mentors and bolstered by good feedback is more crucial than simply logging hours. Having access to essential resources is another necessity. I bring these thoughts to your attention, Gemini, because I believe the coming months will be a favorable time to summon a high level of disciplined devotion as you expedite your journey toward mastery.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): There’s a story from West African tradition in which a potter listens to the raw material she has gathered from the earth. She waits for it to tell her what it wants to become. In this view, the potter is not a dictator but a midwife. I believe this is an excellent metaphor for you, Cancerian. Let’s imagine that you are both the potter and the clay. A new form is ready to emerge, but it won’t respond to force. You must attune to what wants to be born through you. Are you trying to shape your destiny too insistently, when it’s already confiding in you about its preferred shape? Surrender to the conversation.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Here’s my odd but ultimately rewarding invitation: Tune in to the nagging aches and itches that chafe at the bottom of your heart and in the back of your mind. For now, don’t try to scratch them or rub them. Simply observe them and feel them, with curiosity and reverence. Allow them to air their grievances and tell you their truths. Immerse yourself in the feelings they arouse. It may take 10 minutes, or it might take longer, but if you maintain this vigil, your aches and itches will ultimately provide you with smart guidance. They will teach you what questions you need to ask and how to go in quest for the healing answers.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Wise gardeners may plan their planting by the moon’s phases. Through study of the natural world, they understand that seeds sown at the ripe moment will flourish, while those planted at random times may be less hardy. In this spirit, I offer you the following counsel for the coming weeks: Your attention to timing will be a great asset. Before tinkering with projects or making commitments, assess the cycles at play in everything: the level of your life energy, the moods of others and the tenor of the wider world. By aligning your moves with subtle rhythms you will optimize your ability to get exactly what you want.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In parts of Italy, grapevines were once trained not on wires or trellises but on living trees, usually maples or poplars. The vines spiraled upward, drawing strength and structure from their tall allies. The practice kept grapes off the ground, improved air circulation, and allowed for mixed land use, such as growing cereals between the rows of trees and vines. In the coming weeks, Libra, I advise you to be inspired by this phenomenon. Climb while in relationship. Who or what is your living trellis? Rather than pushing forward on your own, align with influences that offer height, grounding and steady companionship. When you spiral upward together, your fruits will be sweeter and more robust.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Migratory monarch butterflies travel thousands of miles, guided by instincts and cues invisible to humans. They trust they will find what they need along the way. Like them, you may soon feel called to venture beyond your comfort zone—intellectually, socially or geographically. I advise you to rely on your curiosity and adaptability. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, the journey will lead you to resources and help you hadn’t anticipated. The path may be crooked. The detours could be enigmatic. But if you are committed to enjoying the expansive exploration, you’ll get what you didn’t even know you needed.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Your assignment is to uncover hidden treasures. Use the metaphorical version of your peripheral vision to become aware of valuable stuff you are missing and resources you are neglecting. Here’s another way to imagine your task: There may be situations, relationships or opportunities that have not yet revealed their full power and glory. Now is a perfect moment to discern their pregnant potential. So dig deeper, Sagittarius—through reflection, research or conversation. Trust that your open-hearted, open-minded probing will guide you to unexpected gems.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The legendary jazz musician Louis Armstrong said, “If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know.” What did he mean by that? That we shouldn’t try to use words to describe and understand this complex music? Countless jazz critics, scholars and musicians might disagree with that statement. They have written millions of words analyzing the nature of jazz. In that spirit, I am urging you to devote extra energy in the coming weeks to articulating clear ideas about your best mysteries. Relish the prospect of defining what is hard to define. You can still enjoy the raw experience even as you try to get closer to explaining it.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In the Andean highlands there’s a concept called ayni, a venerated principle of reciprocity. “Today for you, tomorrow for me,” it says. This isn’t a transactional deal. It’s a relational expansiveness. People help and support others not because they expect an immediate return. Rather, they trust that life will ultimately find ways to repay them. I suggest you explore this approach in the coming weeks, Aquarius. Experiment with giving freely, without expectation. Conversely, have blithe faith that you will receive what you need. Now is a prime time to enhance and fine-tune your web of mutual nourishment.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): How often do I, your calm, sensible counselor, provide you with a carte blanche to indulge in exuberant gratification, a free pass for exciting adventures, and a divine authorization to indulge in luxurious abundance and lavish pleasure? Not often, dear Pisces. So I advise you not to spend another minute wondering what to do next. As soon as possible, start claiming full possession of your extra blessings from the gods of joy and celebration and revelry. Here’s your meditation question: What are the best ways to express your lust for life?

Homework: What aptitude of yours do you underestimate? Use it more aggressively! Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Insider Art: Nicole Frazer of Artist Within Gallery and Studio

In 1919, The Cedars of Marin was established as a supported, community-centered residence for adults with “developmental disabilities.” It marked a progression in the West, at a time when the only option for families was “commitment” to grim, state-run “asylums.” In the hundred years since that founding, The Cedars has grown and expanded within the slowly marching-forward disability rights movement.

The Cedars now includes eight residences in Marin and programs where participants can develop practical life skills—such as budgeting—go on fun outings, volunteer in the community, work for pay, craft and make fine art.

Cedars established Artist Within, an undivided art studio and art gallery, in San Anselmo in 1989. Receiving the output of its art works and textile program, Artist Within serves as a front yard and stoop for Cedars. It is the place where Cedars meets the public. I took a tour of the art with Nicole Frazer, the gallery manager, meeting one of the artists as he drew a full-length portrait of Frank Zappa. Another worked a handloom.

What I can say of the art is this: Despite ghettoizing labels such as “art brut,” “outsider art” and “naive art,” this art often contains complex technique and challenging themes. These are not “artists with disabilities,” but simply “artists”—humans seeking self expression and enlightenment through the modes of art. Pull a catalog from NIAD Art Center: Genius is as common among these people as without. And the Canon of Art cannot long exclude them. As we chatted, a Bob Marley album played along.

Nicole, I have focused on your fine art. What other inventory do your artists have for sale here?

In addition to framed and unframed art we have cards, artist-made jewelry, pillows, tea towels, placemats, scarves, beanies …

We are sitting amid your current, abstract art show, which will have dropped by the time of publication as you install your June 27 fiber arts show. Let me pick a piece at random—that beautiful, densely-layered mixed-media canvas. What can you tell me about the artist?

That is from the “Lotus Series,” by Zina Walker. Zina is almost nonverbal. Art is her expression. For her tiny size—and staff help her to walk—she is super physical and tactile in her art-making.

There are 40 artists in this outgoing show. And I understand your facilitation is very limited; you just expose the artists to new media, which they take or leave.

Yes. Zina wasn’t very interested in painting until she discovered inking with sticks. That launched her. She also loves wrapping mannequins in beaded jewelry … I could go off on tangents about any of the artists [laughs].

I understand you helped place one of your artists in the de Young Museum’s triennial survey of Bay Area painters.

Yes! Jeff Haines. His piece Comical World was selected for the de Young open. There were 8,000 submissions to be in that show.

That’s where your artists deserve to be.

We hope to be collected into their permanent collection. It’s not unprecedented. Last year SF Moma added an entire show, “Into the Brightness” from Creativity Explored [a program analogous to Artist Within], to their collection. It was in the New York Times: “outsider art, being collected, being elevated!”

Learn More: ‘Tying it Together: The Art of Fiber’ opens at Artist Within at 6pm, June 27 and runs through Aug. 15. The show opening coincides with San Anselmo’s LiveOn The Avenue three-stage concert and street fair. Details at cedarslife.org/artist-within.

Open Mic: Reflecting on ‘No Kings,’ a Protest from the Soul

Shouts and cheers, honking horns, people banging on drums. Oshkosh. No kings—at least not today. I’m with my sister and great nephew, attending the nearest national rally, about 20 miles south of their home in Appleton, Wisconsin. I’m up here with them because I’m getting cataract surgery (left eye, tomorrow). But what the heck, Saturday is open. Let’s go to the No Kings rally. One of multi-thousands of rallies across the country.

The collective vibration is enormous. Honk. Honk. Save the country. But as we walk among them, as the cheers and claps reverberate, I can’t stop feeling small and cynical—by myself, a spectator among the participants. Does creating change amount to nothing more than joining the cheers?

We can’t shrug and surrender the country to the idiots and racists, the billionaire warmongers. I want to feel myself expand spiritually, become part of … what? The anti-Trump, we’re-better-than-you-guys movement?

The drums beat. We keep wandering through the park, looking at the signs. Lots of them are basically middle fingers to the president: “No crown for the clown.” “Elect a rapist. Expect to get f**ked.”

And then I see this one: “Power to the people. No one is illegal.”

And suddenly everything changes. I’m no longer a spectator. The words are simple—they’re cliches, right? In this context, amidst the cries and cheers, the honks and drumbeats of endless enthusiasm, the words come to life. And I start to cry.

On that day, I found myself envisioning a future in which they were true. I wasn’t angry and alone with them but part of a wave of awareness. The honking car horns, the beating drums, the shouts and cries were a thousand-plus people—nationwide, worldwide, multi-millions of people—embracing the dispossessed and rejected among us and creating a world, this very moment, in which no one is illegal. No one is collateral damage. No one is less than human.

This is one planet. We’re still learning to live with each other on it.

Robert Koehler is the author of ‘Courage Grows Strong at the Wound.’

Canine Copy, the Cloned ‘Winery Dog’ Controversy

The press release’s headline bellowed, “World’s First Cloned Winery Dog, Puppy Arrives in Sonoma County This Week.”

I don’t doubt that “Stella,” the family dog and ambassador for Flambeaux Winery in Healdsburg, is well-loved—most Americans love their dogs.

However, unlike most Americans, the winery’s owners, the Murray family, decided to clone Stella, an Italian Maremma, after learning the dog’s breeder shut down operations, “making her lineage unavailable.” 

To that, I say, so what?

In 2023, animal shelters across the United States euthanized 359,000 homeless dogs—from mutts to purebreds and pups to seniors—according to data from the nonprofit Shelter Animals Count. 

Still, the Murrays plunked down a mere $50,000 to clone Stella. Then, like magic, seven-week-old Mella arrived at the winery last week from Texas’s Via Gen, the only dog cloning company in the country. 

Cute pup. Looks just like Stella. But the process used to clone her presents serious ethical and moral issues.

“There are literally thousands of dogs in California shelters needing homes, so the concept of paying $50,000 to clone one seems especially egregious,” Marin Humane communications director Lisa Bloch explains. “In addition, cloning a dog in no way guarantees that the dog will be like the one he/she is cloned from. Dogs are individuals, and the notion you can simply produce a copy of one reduces them to mere objects produced in a factory.”

Did the Murrays consider that besides Stella, two other dogs were involved in providing her clone? It’s difficult to fathom how one could love their own dog yet condone invasive surgery to procure eggs from an involuntary “donor” dog for an unnecessary procedure. 

Furthermore, to produce the Mella clone, Via Gen also operated on a surrogate mother dog, forcing her to carry the donor dog’s eggs, inserted with Stella’s genetic material, through the gestation period. 

But let’s forget about that ethical nonsense. Mella, an adorable pup less than two months old, has arrived at the winery and is being trotted out at publicity events. That makes it all worthwhile, right?

Wrong. Don’t clone. Adopt. And if you want that $50,000 burning a hole in your pocket put to good use, contact your local animal shelter.

Nikki Silverstein is the writer-at-large for the Pacific Sun.

‘Bright Star’ Shines, Steve Martin and Edie Brickell Musical at Cinnabar

Bright Star is a musical Americana folk tale by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell that offers up a gorgeous score and a compelling, if predictable, storyline.  A live string band enhances the show and adds to the nostalgic atmosphere, where heartbreak turns to triumph and miracles do exist. Cinnabar Theater’s production, directed by Nathan Cummings, runs in the Warren Theater...

Inside ‘Time Together,’ New Series Humanizes Life Behind Bars

What happens when a group of strangers voluntarily walks into prison—not for punishment, but for connection? That question lies at the heart of Time Together, a documentary series from Humans Being Media which debuted this week on YouTube. The short-form series takes viewers inside the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, California, where an innovative program called Empathy in Action is...

Gin Jam, Griffo Distillery’s Musical Mixer

Back in January, Griffo Distillery’s director of marketing & creative, Fred Abercrombie, was talking to an assistant distiller, Paz del Rescate, who also happens to be a local fiddle player. The space at Griffo that serves as warehouse space also serves as a space for comedy shows and various other performances including regular Sunday night music, so why not create...

Culture Crush, June 24

Sonoma Mary Lynn Rajskub Live  TV’s favorite neurotic sidekick-turned-stand-up star, Mary Lynn Rajskub, brings her singular comic voice to the Sebastiani Theatre for one night only. Known to millions as deadpan tech wizard Chloe O’Brian on 24 and as the hilariously unhinged Gail the Snail on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Rajskub’s recent work includes her stand-up special Road Gig, her...

Virtuous Cycle, Chef Chris Cosentino

The name Chris Cosentino should be familiar to you. The superstar chef has brought much acclaim to the Bay Area and beyond, being at the forefront of sustainability with his whole animal butchery approach, authoring the James Beard Award nominated cookbook, Offal Good: Cooking from the Heart with Guts, and winning BRAVO's Top Chef Masters. Most recently, Cosentino worked...

Your Letters, June 24

Prescription Filled I can’t believe what I just read on your Letters Page: The unsolicited health advice that we should let our children get measles because ... it builds resistance? (June 18, 2025) Tell that to the parents who believed RFK Jr.’s wormy advice to avoid vaccinations, only to hospitalize them or, in at least two cases, bury them. Does...

Free Will Astrology: 6/25-7/1

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Greek philosopher Socrates declared, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” That extreme statement is a foundational idea of Western philosophy. It’s hard to do! To be ceaselessly devoted to questioning yourself is a demanding assignment. But here’s the good news: I think you will find it extra liberating in the coming weeks. Blessings and...

Insider Art: Nicole Frazer of Artist Within Gallery and Studio

In 1919, The Cedars of Marin was established as a supported, community-centered residence for adults with “developmental disabilities.” It marked a progression in the West, at a time when the only option for families was “commitment” to grim, state-run “asylums.” In the hundred years since that founding, The Cedars has grown and expanded within the slowly marching-forward disability rights...

Open Mic: Reflecting on ‘No Kings,’ a Protest from the Soul

Shouts and cheers, honking horns, people banging on drums. Oshkosh. No kings—at least not today. I’m with my sister and great nephew, attending the nearest national rally, about 20 miles south of their home in Appleton, Wisconsin. I’m up here with them because I’m getting cataract surgery (left eye, tomorrow). But what the heck, Saturday is open. Let’s go...

Canine Copy, the Cloned ‘Winery Dog’ Controversy

The press release’s headline bellowed, “World’s First Cloned Winery Dog, Puppy Arrives in Sonoma County This Week.” I don’t doubt that “Stella,” the family dog and ambassador for Flambeaux Winery in Healdsburg, is well-loved—most Americans love their dogs. However, unlike most Americans, the winery’s owners, the Murray family, decided to clone Stella, an Italian Maremma, after learning the dog’s breeder shut down...
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