Blues Masters Pair Up on New Record

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Blues Masters Pair Up on New Record

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Elvin Bishop and Blues Hall of Fame harmonica player Charlie Musselwhite have a lot in common.

They both got their starts in Chicago in the ’60s. They both became widely acclaimed for their musicianship early in their careers, they both found success with their own bands and with other master musicians, and they both moved to the North Bay many years ago; Bishop living in West Marin and Musselwhite calling Sonoma County home part-time.

Since crossing paths and becoming friends, Bishop and Musselwhite have become musical compatriots, touring together since the 1980s in addition to touring with their own bands. They have also each continued to create critically acclaimed, award-winning music on vinyl. Though, they’ve never released a record together, until now.

On Friday, Sept. 25, Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite make their debut as a recorded duo with the release of their first collaborative LP, 100 Years Of Blues.

The down-home collection of music features Bishop and Musselwhite trading songs over the course of 12 spirited tracks that consist of nine originals and three reimagined blues classics.

“It all fell together so quickly and easily,” Bishop says in a statement. “We each brought about half the songs and recorded them all in one or two takes.”

The inspiration for the album came after Bishop and Musselwhite first joined forces in the studio to cut the original version of the song “100 Years Of Blues” for Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio in 2017.

Last year, the two performed a series of widely acclaimed stripped-down shows in which they swapped stories and songs, accompanied by pianist and guitarist Bob Welsh.

After that tour, the three musicians came together in Greaseland Studios in San Jose, as well as in Bishop’s Hog Heaven Studios, to lay down their tracks. The result is a spontaneous and constantly surprising record of laid-back Blues jams and versatile, heartfelt performances. In addition, Bishop and Musselwhite each lyrically mix easy-going storytelling songs with potent protest anthems on their original tunes.

“This is us sitting down to play the music that we love and resonating together effortlessly because we’re coming from the same place on many levels,” Musselwhite says in a statement. “We see things pretty much the same. Musically it’s like falling off a log. It’s so easy and it just makes sense.”

‘100 Years of Blues’ is available digitally and on CD on Friday, Sept. 25, via Alligator Records. alligator.com.

Cinnabar Theater Plays to the Camera in New Production

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Cinnabar Theater Plays to the Camera in New Production

As the North Bay continues to stay socially distant due to Covid-19, local theater companies are inventing new ways to perform, including Petaluma’s Cinnabar Theater. This week, the acclaimed organization goes online and opens its virtual run of the one-woman play, The Lady With All the Answers.

“Despite the restrictions of COVID-19, we want to provide the community with a unique theater experience, the opportunity to enjoy streaming theater from the comfort of your home,” says Cinnabar Theater executive director Diane Dragone.

Filmed in Cinnabar’s playhouse in Petaluma with a small staff on hand, the show stars Cinnabar veteran Laura Jorgensen as beloved advice columnist Ann Landers, aka Eppie Lederer, the midwestern woman who took over the popular advice column after Ruth Crowley, the creator of the Chicago Sun-Times’ Ask Ann Landers, died in 1955. Lederer wrote the column for 47 years, and she addressed several taboo topics in that time; writing columns about infidelity, addiction, and even the proper way to hang toilet paper.

The Lady With All the Answers is set in 1975 as Lederer struggles to write a particularly personal column. While she tries to find the words to address her readers, Lederer flips through old newspaper clippings and shares them with the theater audience—essentially talking directly to the crowd throughout the show. At one point she even surveys the audience to get their opinion on the toilet paper topic.

That presents a particular challenge to Cinnabar’s new virtual theatrical experience, though the staff and crew–under longtime director Michael Fontaine–have been preparing all summer, and Jorgensen as Lederer learned to interact with the camera as if it was the audience.

Cinnabar Theater was actually one of the first North Bay theater groups to invest in digital video technology, as the Bohemian reported in July, and before working on The Lady With All the Answers, the theater company honed their video skills by presenting two 30-minute episodes of a new online production, “The CinnaTriv Theater Game Show.” Hosted by another Cinnabar veteran, Clark Sterling, the “Jeopardy”-style game, in which three contestants are tested on their knowledge of all things theater, is available to watch on YouTube now.

The Lady with All the Answers begins streaming online Friday, Sept. 18, and features online performances Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm and 7:30pm through Oct. 4. Tickets are $20 for one device or $40 for multiple devices. Ticket sales will offset ongoing expenses and will support the cast and crew, including set designers, lighting designers, stage managers and videographers involved in the production.

“During these uncertain times, it’s important to keep local theater and the arts alive,” Dragone says. “These virtual performances require the same production efforts and cost as their live counterparts. We hope our patrons and the community will discover the same value, joy and entertainment in our virtual productions that we do in creating them. Theater allows us to escape for a time and encourages us to laugh and listen and be connected, even if we can’t be together in person.”

‘The Lady With All the Answers’ streams online Fridays–Sundays, Sept. 18–Oct. 4. 2pm & 7:30pm. $20-$40. Cinnabartheater.org.

Rolling 101

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Rolling 101

I roll joints, though I’m not an expert. So, on a recent Saturday afternoon, I visited Oaky Joe Munson, who has rolled thousands of joints over his lifetime. Joe was home alone, with nothing better to do than show me his 11-step program. I watched the master at work and took notes, which I sent to a cannabis aficionado who wrote back, “Newbies will want to keep this list as a reference.” Maybe so.

Here you go newbies, and veterans, too: the lowdown from Joe.

One, find something organic that’s worth rolling. Only smoke the good stuff.

Two, find someone to smoke with. Don’t smoke alone.

Three, sit down in a comfortable chair with scissors, rolling papers— preferably Zig Zag Blue Slim, my favorite—and a bud.

Four, remove the exterior leaves so you only use the flower and get the full benefit of the flavonoids and the terpenes which help give cannabis its character.

Five, with your fingers or scissors, break the bud into small pieces (as small as oregano for a pizza topping) so the joint burns evenly.

Six, remove a single rolling paper from a pack, fold the bottom third to make “a boat,” hold horizontally and fill with the chopped flower, which should run to the edge and be even.

Seven, hold the joint carefully with one hand, and, using the first finger on the opposite hand, press down lightly on the weed in the boat.

Eight, roll back-and-forth to form a cylindrical shape, press down lightly, tuck the center of the bottom third so it rolls under the top portion. It may take practice to get it right.

Nine, use your lips to wet the sticky part, working from the middle to the ends. Push protruding weed into the joint.

Ten, roll smoothly and evenly.

Eleven, put the joint between your lips, light the end with a BIC, inhale and enjoy.

You could go to a dispensary for curbside service and buy a pack of pre-rolled joints, but that would deprive you of the enjoyment of rolling your own. Some aficionados combine hashish with cannabis flower. In Europe, smokers add tobacco. I take mine straight, puff a little at a time, inhale and monitor the effects. Sometimes the cannabis kicks in quickly, and sometimes not. I’ve found it’s best not to rush, but rather let the weed do its thing. The 2020 harvest is happening, and there’s an abundance of good weed. Get it before it’s gone.

Jonah Raskin is the author of “Dark Past, Dark Future: A Tioga Vignetta Murder Mystery.”

Beers for Fears

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Beers for Fears

No word yet if smoke taint will obliterate this year’s wine grape harvest, but the tri-county area has brewed up a backup plan in case 2020 proves to be a year without a vintage. 

As tempting as it is to say that we have a “Plan B for Beer,” the fact is this has always been the region’s Plan A. Before Vineburg there was Hopland and before you look that up to prove me wrong, consider that we are on the eve of October, which means Oktoberfest is coming soon. 

I predict there will be no Halloween this year, so those adults who like to drink and costume themselves in saucy versions of pop culture characters should prepare to pivot and embrace this annual celebration of brews (that is if you need an excuse to dress up as sexy Baby Yoda and drink).

Here’s an Oktoberfest primer I once wrote somewhere else:

“Codified in 19th century Bavaria as an official 17-day beer-fueled celebration, Oktoberfest has been imported and contorted by innumerable celebrants as an excuse to go on a bender.” Still true.

And though I don’t have access to Bavaria, I do have access to the Bohemian and the Pacific Sun archives—specifically to the readers’ polls that comprise our “Best Of” issues. Using this data, I’ve been ruminating on beer; it’s been “room with a brew,” if you will. 

I think this is a fine time to keep a tab on your county’s “Best Brew Pub”—in Napa that would be Hop Creek, in Marin that’s San Rafael’s State Room and in Sonoma it’s Russian River Brewing. My suggestion is to suss out the suds situation online first, followed by a phone call. The laws being in flux as they are, it’s good to learn both what’s open and how it’s open, if it is. Some places allow you to sit outside and breath the ash from your neighbor’s homes, while others proffer beer-to-go, which is marvelous.

Cruising our other beer-related Best Of entries, I caught a double Sonoma County win for Henhouse Brewing: “Best Beer Label: Henhouse Brewing” and “Best Craft Canned Beer: Henhouse Brewing.” Here’s my recommendation—procure yourself two cans of Hen House, one to sip and another so you can admire its label because, as it turns out, you can’t do both at the same time. If you’re looking at labels, remember Marin’s Indian Valley Brewing also picked up a Best Of Marin nod and Napa’s Mad Fritz also scored a Best Of—which begs the question, why hasn’t anyone cashed in on a beer-label art gallery? Here’s a possible answer—saying you’re into beer for the labels is like saying you “read Playboy for the articles”—no one believes it and you come off as a schmuck.

Another question—why haven’t the Heineken corporate overlords virtualized the Lagunitas Beer Circus yet? Instead of hiring a cavalcade of performers and servers to entertain the masses, let them do it themselves: Invite everyone to stay home with a case of the Dutch-owned Petaluma brew and a webcam trained on their own feats of derring-do. This could be a massively multiplayer online game on a global level but everyone wins. As for reenacting Napa’s Blues, Brews, And BBQ—our streak of “Spare the Air” days will likely land you fine for BBQing but surely you can handle the blues and brews part without too much polluting. Pro-tip: Soaking your harmonica in a pint of beer does not make it sound better … unless better means not making any sound at all, which those within earshot may prefer.

Prost! 

Vote to Balance the Power

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The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors made the courageous, unanimous (5-0) decision recently to place the Evelyn Cheatham Effective IOLERO Ordinance on the November ballot as Measure P.

The massive national action and social education initiated by the Black Lives Matter movement raised public awareness. Appreciation to the Board for stepping in to ensure that the democratic will of the citizens will be heard in the fall election.

The Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach (IOLERO) is a civilian county committee (staffed by an appointed director) created by the Board in 2016 to investigate the use of force by Sheriff’s deputies and complaints against Sheriff’s Office personnel. Measure P would give the IOLERO access to evidence, the power to interview witnesses and the legal authority to subpoena records.

Steadfast opposition from Sheriff Mark Essick and the police officer’s association from Day One have stymied the work of IOLERO. The agency must be given the power to refer cases to a court for adjudication. Without that power, it’s just a talk shop for community activists.

Measure P will give IOLERO some teeth. We can place the Sheriff’s Office under civilian oversight and restore the balance of power that has been drained from the Board of Supervisors, who nominally has oversight of the Sheriff.

The County Sheriff’s Office and the police association for the deputies are already throwing up the usual lawfare PR flak about “legal flaws” in the Evelyn Cheatham Ordinance. This is a standard “stall and divide” tactic. Right-wingers have a bad intellectual habit of assuming that if they don’t approve of something, it must be illegal. This time, they failed.

The people of Sonoma County, confirmed by their elected officials, can use the power of the ballot to legally compel the Sheriff’s Office to accept public oversight of county law enforcement and to be accountable to the Board and citizens. You, dear citizen, make that happen by voting for Measure P in the November election.

It is our right as citizens in a democracy to have law enforcement that meets community standards. 

Ben Boyce lives in Sonoma.

Blame Game

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Two waves of outrage greeted the news on Wednesday, Sept. 8, of Bob Woodward’s latest book, “Rage.”

The first was the President’s disclosure to Woodward that he knew as early as February—even as he was dismissing the coronavirus publicly—that the looming pandemic was far deadlier than the flu.

The second was that Woodward, long associated with The Washington Post, didn’t reveal this to the public sooner.

So, the public should blame Woodward for keeping this Administration’s obfuscation? No, anyone could argue that, but who would believe it? This Administration has lied to America and could still win an election in certain backward parts of this country and the media (FoxNews).

We are to blame for this Administration, principally for the failure to impeach.

Gary Sciford

Santa Rosa

Marin Loves Henry 1

I’m not commenting on the Sonoma County Sheriff’s budget cuts generally, but rather his specific threat of selling Henry 1, their rescue helicopter, in order to meet those budget cuts (“Scare Tactic,” Letters, Sept. 9).

I remind the Sheriff that since Henry 1 just rescued two Marin County firefighters on Aug. 22, at night, with a ring of fire surrounding them and little visibility due to smoke, he may want to rethink that threat. Right now the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office gets to be the hero every time they rescue someone, garnering love and support by just about everyone.   

I don’t know whether he is a fool overall, but THAT would be political suicide and probably result in lives lost that could have been saved … like our firefighters. Just sayin’.

Liz Froneberger, RN

Fairfax

A Chef’s Voyage

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A Chef’s Voyage

While the premise of the film A Chef’s Journey focuses on following James Beard–award winning chef-owner David Kinch as he travels to France with most of his kitchen staff to celebrate 15 years of his 3-Star Michelin restaurant, Manresa, in Los Gatos, the film actually achieves something it didn’t likely set out to do. With an honest lens, A Chef’s Journey lays bare the reality of working in professional kitchens even at the highest echelons.

Right out the gate, Kinch’s team is clearly more nervous than excited about this international undertaking. The journey will entail the preparation of five dinners and four lunches over the course of just 10 days in three different acclaimed French restaurants (Le Taillevent, L’Oustau de Baumanière and Le Petit Nice) in Paris, Provence and Marseille. The mere logistics required to prepare Kinch’s refined California cuisine make one’s head spin. Throw in the fact that French cuisine has been the standard of excellence since the 17th century and no wonder the chefs are feeling the pressure.

This doesn’t mean Kinch’s heart isn’t in the right place. I met him a couple of times and he came off as intimidating; he was quiet, his arms were often crossed and he snuck sideways glances at me—as if he thought I might be untrustworthy. As food-writer Christine Muhlke points out at the start of the film, “David is very old school—he should be a 75-year-old chef in France.”

Contrary to what reality cooking shows would have us believe—most chefs are not limelight-seeking performers. Instead, the majority of chefs simply love to cook and feed people and they fundamentally understand that cooking is a craft that entails julienning hundreds of pounds of carrots and making gallons of stock from roasted bones and mirepoix. It’s not sexy work—it’s hard work and as Kinch points out, it’s not for everybody. 

Throughout most of the movie the staff seems both bewildered and awkward, navigating unfamiliar kitchens, a language barrier and, dare I say, the less-than-welcoming French hospitality.

Thankfully, the film features plenty of beautiful food photography alternately paired with jaunty French tunes, romantic classical selections and, of course, chef David Kinch, who speaks honestly about mentoring staff, about his commitment to the best ingredients and about how he still enjoys going to work each day.
In the end, this film may be hard-pressed to hold the attention of non-chefs and non-food enthusiasts, but that makes it honest. What it does best is reveal the truth about cooking in restaurants. Kinch admits he doesn’t want to die cooking in a kitchen and says he has a plan. This admission leads me to believe he is preparing for the next chapter. And to hazard a guess, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he lands in Nice, down near the ocean—it’s warmer on the Mediterranean than it is in Santa Cruz, where he currently lives.

Mural Project Pops Up in Santa Rosa

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Mural Project Pops Up in Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa, like other North Bay cities and towns, has been the focal point of numerous social-justice events and protests since the renewed Black Lives Matter movement began in June following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis.

In addition to protesting police brutality, the demonstrations and gatherings in Santa Rosa have celebrated diversity, with an emphasis on supporting the North Bay’s immigrant communities and people of color. 

That celebration is now visually realized throughout Santa Rosa in the recently launched SCAPE Mural Project. 

The artistic endeavor has so far completed the large “Trinity Mural,” currently placed on the side of 3 Disciples Brewing Company at Mendocino Avenue and Ross Street; and the project recently put the final touches on an expansive community mural that can be seen along Fourth Street businesses downtown near Courthouse Square.

SCAPE (Sonoma County Artists Propelling Equity) is a grassroots collective of local artists who are people of color, and SCAPE murals feature portraits of Black Indigenous People of Color, or BIPOC, as well as portraits of inspirational leaders in Sonoma County. 

SCAPE Mural Project’s lead artist is Rima Makaryan, a recent Montgomery High School alumni and first-generation Armenian immigrant, who also works on The Monarch Project, a Sonoma County group that makes art to tell the stories of immigrants and to empower the local community.

Other participating SCAPE artists include Féven Zewdi, a first-generation Eritrean immigrant, who states that the new murals’ purpose is to stir interest in the fight for racial equity and justice. 

“My community takes up notable residence here in Sonoma County,” Zewdi says in a statement. “It’s an honor for me to give my best for my tribe. Through my efforts with SCAPE I hope to spark curiosity, social and political awakening that push for collective solution-building that will impact socio-economic improvements for BIPOC communities.”

The SCAPE Mural Project’s “Trinity Mural” depicts Bernice Espinoza, a local lawyer who advocates for racial justice and criminal justice reform; Rose Hammock, a community educator and activist who is Pomo and Wailacki; and Joy Ayodele, a local student activist. 

“I am truly touched beyond words,” Joy Ayodele says about her portrait in the mural. “I am honored. Sometimes there are moments of discouragement and fatigue, so it’s really special to me to feel uplifted in this way.”

SCAPE Mural Project’s Fourth Street murals were done in cooperation with Santa Rosa’s downtown revitalization effort Open & Out, a program that has turned sections of Fourth Street into pedestrian-only zones with expanded outdoor dining options. The impactful murals that adorn the street feature portraits of several local activists, and the imagery reflects the stories of Indigenous people, Latin Americans, Black people and LGBTQ people.

While poor air quality forced the mural organizers to cancel a planned unveiling on Fourth Street this past weekend, the art is there for visitors to see, and videos and other content will soon be available on The Monarch Project’s website. Additionally, donations to the SCAPE Mural Project can be made on its GoFundMe page.

Sheriff Won’t Release Communications With ‘Transparency’ Advisor

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Sheriff Won’t Release Communications With ‘Transparency’ Advisor

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office has declined to release emails and other communications it has had with media consultants who advertise themselves as “transparency engagement advisors.”

In late July, the Bohemian filed a request with the Sheriff’s Office under the California Public Records Act (CPRA) for a year’s worth of emails and other documents involving Cole Pro Media and Critical Incident Videos, two Vacaville-based companies founded by a former television journalist.

On Sept. 1, the Sheriff’s Office released some records but, citing a broad range of reasons including protections for communications with attorneys and communications related to ongoing investigations, withheld an unknown number of additional records, including social media training materials developed by Cole Pro Media.

Glen Smith, an attorney with the San Rafael–based First Amendment Coalition, a nonprofit focused on government transparency and free speech, says the exemptions cited by the Sheriff’s Office’s seem overly broad, especially given that no one at either of Cole’s companies are attorneys.

“It appears from [the documents] they released that this is purely a PR firm and their work product, whatever it might be, is not privileged,” Smith told the Bohemian.

The Sheriff’s Office’s latest contract with Cole Pro Media, a three-year agreement signed this July, requires the company to provide a wide range of services, with tasks ranging from daily social-media advice to “1-on-1 tactical and strategic consultation” for Sheriff Mark Essick. Under a separate contract signed last year, Critical Incident Videos performs “redaction and editing of video” and provides “non-legal advice regarding production” for the Sheriff’s Office on an as-needed basis.

In a statement, Misti Wood, a Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, said that the agency takes “transparency very seriously.”

“Cole Pro Media provides transparency and engagement advice from an outside perspective,” Wood wrote. “This advice helps the Sheriff’s Office continue to be as transparent as possible.”

Laura Cole, the founder of both media consulting companies, did not respond to a request for comment.

Cole, a former television journalist, founded Cole Pro Media in early 2014, a year after the Black Lives Matter movement first sprang up nationwide. In February 2019, Cole founded Critical Incident Videos, a company which edits together 911 call recordings, body-camera footage and other materials following a “critical incident” involving law enforcement officers in order to comply with Assembly Bill 748, a recent state law which requires agencies to release body-camera footage when a law enforcement officer’s actions result in “death or great bodily injury.”

Although her companies are still relatively young, they have attracted a long list of California law enforcement agencies as clients. According to its website, Cole Pro Media represents numerous law enforcement agencies across the state. It also serves as a media consulting firm for the California State Sheriff’s Association, an advocacy group which opposed AB 748 when it was under consideration in Sacramento. Just a year and a half old, Critical Incident Videos now represents about 100 agencies throughout the state, Cole told KPBS, a San Diego public radio station, earlier this month.

The manner in which Cole presents her company’s work has shifted over the past three years.

In May 2017, the Modesto Bee reported that Cole Pro Media’s own Facebook page described the company’s work in these words: “Here at Cole Pro Media, we believe journalism is changing. Thanks to social media, any person, agency, or leader can report the TRUTH. It is all about building your OWN media. We will report the story for you and teach you how to do it on a daily basis. It is time to take back the control from the Mainstream Media and get the real stories out there using social media. We also offer a ‘street smart’ class to outsmart reporters.”

Although Cole reportedly stood by the description of her company’s work at the time, Cole Pro Media’s public presentation has changed considerably since then. On its website, the company now calls its employees “transparency engagement advisors” and claims to have a “no spin” policy.

In her recent KPBS interview, Cole said that Critical Incident Videos will not edit videos for an agency which wants the company to make the agency “look good.” That said, Cole acknowledged it is ultimately the client agency’s decision as to what final video is published.

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office first hired Cole Pro Media in November 2016 for $2,500 per month. The company’s first contract includes a short, general, three-point scope of work, including offering the agency “guidance on media communications,” “social media support,” and six two-hour social-media training sessions for Sheriff’s Office personnel each year.

This July, the Sheriff’s Office signed a new, three-year contract with Cole Pro Media with a more specific scope of work for $3,000 per month, plus $350 per hour for any on-site work outside of Cole Pro Media’s social-media training courses.

All told, the Sheriff’s Office paid Cole Pro Media $126,500 between October 2016 and August 2020, according to financial records obtained through a public-records request. Critical Incident Videos, which bills the Sheriff’s Office $350 per hour, has edited four videos for the Sheriff’s Office at a total cost of $18,200 over the past year.

The scope of work included in Cole Pro Media’s July 2020 contract includes numerous specific tasks, including reviewing “high profile and sensitive documents prior to release to the media” and completing a “daily review of all Sheriff’s Office posts on all media and social media platforms.”

The contract further requires Cole Pro Media to be available for “multiple conversations a day for the duration of the [critical] incidents” and “3 conversations each day” for the duration of a natural disaster, such as a wildfire or flood, for up to three weeks.

One line is repeated in both the November 2016 and July 2020 contracts: “Anticipate questions and tactics from mainstream media.”

Lastly, in addition to shaping public perceptions of the agency as a whole, the July 2020 contract tasks Cole Pro Media with providing “1-on-1 tactical and strategic consultation to the Sheriff to assist with media approach, both on an incident specific and broad strategic development scale.”

While Cole Pro Media’s contract suggests close contact with the Sheriff’s Office it is not clear where the consultant’s scope of work stops and starts.

Since late May, when he briefly announced that his agency would not enforce the county’s Covid-19 Health Order, Sheriff Mark Essick has been perceived on several occasions to be at odds with the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and other local officials. During those public disagreements, Essick sometimes spread his opinions via Facebook.

But, since the Sheriff’s Office will not publicly release its communications with its media consultants, it remains unclear what advice they are giving Essick—and whether he is following it.

In her response to questions about Cole Pro Media, Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Misti Wood stated that Cole Pro Media “may provide advice on any number of subjects, from daily activities to disasters,” but did not respond to specific questions about whether Cole Pro Media offered advice on any of the recent public disagreements between the Sheriff and other county officials.

A recent public scuffle over the Sheriff’s budget offers a good example of Essick’s use of the agency’s Facebook page. In an Aug. 13 Facebook video published on the agency’s Facebook page, Essick outlined the “proposed service cuts” the Sheriff’s Office was facing, including the elimination of the agency’s beloved helicopter, Henry-1.

“Please know that I have no choice but to recommend these cuts based on the Board’s direction to cut $14.2 million from our proposed budget,” Essick says in the video. “If you want to get involved, you may get in touch with the Board of Supervisors directly to share your thoughts.”

In an interview with the Press Democrat, Essick argued that the video was “about public transparency and the budget process.” Multiple county supervisors disagreed with that assessment, pointing out that they had required all county agencies to find programs to cut.

“He is bullying the Board of Supervisors through social media,” Supervisor Shirlee Zane told the Press Democrat. “He’s also using social media to scare the public at a time when we need the public’s trust more than ever. Shame on him.”

The scope of work from Cole Pro Media’s July 2020 contract is available below. The scope of work from Cole Pro Media’s November 2016 and Critical Incident Videos’ July 2019 contract are linked here and here.

 

Schulz Museum Marks 70 Years of ‘Peanuts’ with Online Events All Season

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Schulz Museum Marks 70 Years of ‘Peanuts’ with Online Events All Season

The first “Peanuts” comic strip was published in seven newspapers on October 2, 1950. In the 70 years since then, “Peanuts”–written and drawn by longtime Santa Rosa resident Charles M. Schulz–has become one of the most beloved comic strips ever, with it’s iconic characters appearing in thousands of newspapers as well as animated films, live stage shows and more.

Now, Santa Rosa’s renowned Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center celebrates the comic strip’s Platinum Anniversary and covers other timely topics with a fall season filled with public programs.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Schulz Museum will present the fall season entirely online, meaning “Peanuts” fans around the world will have the opportunity to join in the fun from the comfort of their own home.

Right now, the museum is already offering fall online classes for kids, running through October and featuring art and cartooning classes led by professionals.

This Wednesday, Sept. 16, cartoonist Joe Wos hosts an online class for ages seven and up on drawing endangered animals with simple step-by-step instruction. Also on Sept. 16, artist Barbara Golden begins a six-week class on Manga and anime art for students in grades seven to ten. A full list of classes can be found online now.

On Thursday, Sept. 17, the museum hosts a live event, ‘Telling Her Story: How Women are Changing Animation’ that will feature three women from Pixar Animation Studios’ Story Department–Aphton Corbin, Valerie LaPointe, and Louise Smythe–in conversation with Pixar Animation Studio’s Animation Department head Becki Tower. The conversation will examine how women are impacting the animation industry and how audiences experience animated films in the 21st century.

On Wednesday, Sept. 23, the museum offers an interactive crafting class based on the new book Peanuts Origami, in which participants can learn to fold paper to create characters like Charlie Brown and Snoopy while they learn a bunch of fun “Peanuts” trivia along the way.

The museum opens October, the comic strip’s anniversary month, with a live conversation between Charles Schulz’s widow, Jean Schulz, and cartoonist Stephan Pastis (“Pearls Before Swine”) on Saturday, Oct. 3. Schulz will share stories about her husband’s legacy in the world of cartooning as well as the strip’s ongoing popularity.

Next, presented in conjunction with the exhibition, “Lucy! Fussbudget to Feminist,” the museum hosts a live event, ‘Women Rising: Local Leaders Speak Out’ on Wednesday, Oct. 7. The live conversation features Camilla Gray-Nelson (owner of Dairydell Doggie Dude Ranch and Training Center), Jennifer Reichardt (owner and winemaker at Raft Wines), and Vivienne Wei (author of Labor Force) sharing the challenges and successes they’ve experienced in their careers.

Another anniversary party, ’70 Years with the Peanuts Gang,’ commences on Saturday, Oct. 17, when author Simon Beecroft presents his new book, The Peanuts Book: A Visual History of the Iconic Comic Strip. Charles M Schulz Museum curator Benjamin L Clark and archivist Sarah Breaux join Beecroft in conversation, charting the evolution and endurance of the “Peanuts” characters.

October wraps up at the museum with an online drawing party focusing on ‘How to Draw Peanuts Halloween.’ Learn how to depict Charlie Brown in his ghost costume, Lucy in her witch hat and mask, Snoopy as the WW1 Flying Ace and the Great Pumpkin with instruction from Atlanta-based cartoonist Robert W. Pope on Thursday, Oct. 29.

Fall 2020 at the Charles M Schulz Museum continues in November and December with more drawing classes and live conversations on topics such as the Black experience as told through graphic novels and comics. Advanced registration is required for all online events. Visit schulzmuseum.org to sign up for these events now.

Blues Masters Pair Up on New Record

Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite make their album debut as a duo.
Read more

Cinnabar Theater Plays to the Camera in New Production

One-woman show about Ann Landers opens virtually Friday, Sept 18.
Read more

Rolling 101

I roll joints, though I’m not an expert. So, on a recent Saturday afternoon, I visited Oaky Joe Munson, who has rolled thousands of joints over his lifetime. Joe was home alone, with nothing better to do than show me his 11-step program. I watched the master at work and took notes, which I sent to a cannabis aficionado...
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Beers for Fears

No word yet if smoke taint will obliterate this year’s wine grape harvest, but the tri-county area has brewed up a backup plan in case 2020 proves to be a year without a vintage.  As tempting as it is to say that we have a “Plan B for Beer,” the fact is this has always been the region’s Plan A....
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Vote to Balance the Power

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors made the courageous, unanimous (5-0) decision recently to place the Evelyn Cheatham Effective IOLERO Ordinance on the November ballot as Measure P. The massive national action and social education initiated by the Black Lives Matter movement raised public awareness. Appreciation to the Board for stepping in to ensure that the democratic will of the...
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Blame Game

Two waves of outrage greeted the news on Wednesday, Sept. 8, of Bob Woodward’s latest book, “Rage.” The first was the President’s disclosure to Woodward that he knew as early as February—even as he was dismissing the coronavirus publicly—that the looming pandemic was far deadlier than the flu. The second was that Woodward, long associated with The Washington Post, didn’t reveal...
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A Chef’s Voyage

While the premise of the film A Chef’s Journey focuses on following James Beard–award winning chef-owner David Kinch as he travels to France with most of his kitchen staff to celebrate 15 years of his 3-Star Michelin restaurant, Manresa, in Los Gatos, the film actually achieves something it didn’t likely set out to do. With an honest lens, A...
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Mural Project Pops Up in Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa, like other North Bay cities and towns, has been the focal point of numerous social-justice events and protests since the renewed Black Lives Matter movement began in June following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis. In addition to protesting police brutality, the demonstrations and gatherings in Santa Rosa have celebrated diversity, with...
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Sheriff Won’t Release Communications With ‘Transparency’ Advisor

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office has declined to release emails and other communications it has had with media consultants who advertise themselves as “transparency engagement advisors.” In late July, the Bohemian filed a request with the Sheriff’s Office under the California Public Records Act (CPRA) for a year’s worth of emails and other documents involving Cole Pro Media and Critical...
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Schulz Museum Marks 70 Years of ‘Peanuts’ with Online Events All Season

The first "Peanuts" comic strip was published in seven newspapers on October 2, 1950. In the 70 years since then, "Peanuts"–written and drawn by longtime Santa Rosa resident Charles M. Schulz–has become one of the most beloved comic strips ever, with it's iconic characters appearing in thousands of newspapers as well as animated films, live stage shows...
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