Reporters Win Award

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Reporters Win Award

Longtime Bohemian-contributor Peter Byrne and Bohemian news-reporter Will Carruthers were awarded the Society of Journalists Northern California’s James Madison Freedom of Information Award for the first two parts of “The Power Brokers” series, published by the Bohemian last year.

The series scrutinized the actions of the Rebuild North Bay Foundation, a PG&E-funded nonprofit founded by Darius Anderson, a lobbyist and owner of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat and other North Bay newspapers.

“[Byrne and Carruthers’] reporting showed how the Rebuild North Bay Foundation had performed little or no relief work, instead funneling money to benefit a handful of prominent local business people,” an SPJ NorCal press release states.

“Byrne and Carruthers did this work in the face of fierce pressure in a community where the major sources of news are now owned by the same lobbyist who established the foundation they investigated,” the statement continues.

Find the first two parts of “The Power Brokers” series—Juiced, July 24, 2019 and Charity Case, Nov. 20, 2019—online.

The Fund for Investigative Journalism supports “The Power Brokers” series, which receives pro-bono legal assistance from attorneys at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

Commission Urges Day Recognizing Indigenous People

On Jan. 28, the Sonoma County Commission for Human Rights unanimously endorsed a resolution to designate the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day.

The name change would signify a shift in historical consciousness, as institutions across the country reexamine the legacy of Christopher Columbus, a historical figure who has long been recognized as the first person to “discover” North America.

“Historians have largely agreed that Columbus did not ‘discover’ the Americas as indigenous people were already here, nor was he the first European to reach the ‘New World’,” the resolution states in part.

“Columbus brought devastation to the Americas, enslaving indigenous people of the region and decimating the population while opening the Americas up to Europe for the expansion of the slave trade at the expense of the indigenous population,” the resolution continues.

“[We took this vote] in solidarity with at least 11 states and 129 cities taking this essential step to honor Indigenous communities and their resiliency instead of the colonial oppression and genocide represented by Columbus Day,” Commission Chair Dmitra Smith said in a message announcing the vote.

Supporters of the resolution now plan to lobby the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors into formally changing the name of the second Monday of October on all of the county’s marketing materials, signs and calendars at the earliest possible date.

Cloverdale Citrus Fair Heats Up Northern Sonoma County Feb. 14-17

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Cloverdale Citrus Fair Heats Up Northern Sonoma County Feb. 14-17

It’s not even Spring in Sonoma County, yet the Cloverdale Citrus Fair already has its sights set on summer. This year’s fair theme, “California Dreamin’,” features a veritable boardwalk of entertainment and exhibits. Highlights of the fair include the annual Citrus Fair Queen competitive pageant on Feb. 14, the Citrus Fair Parade that travels through town on Feb. 15 and the Baby Derby (crawlers only) on Feb. 17. The Fair runs Friday through Monday, Feb. 14–17, at the Citrus Fairgrounds, 1 Citrus Fair Dr., Cloverdale. $5–$10 and up. Cloverdalecitrusfair.org.

Keep It Real

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Keep It Real

After a decade away from the microphone, Sonoma County singer-songwriter Gina Marie Lo Monaco will unveil a new album of original material in a series of single releases over the course of the coming year.

“I have the rock album I’ve always wanted to have,” she says. Her next release, the romantic rock anthem “Real Love,” will be available online Friday, Feb. 14.

Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, Lo Monaco moved to Petaluma as a child. Her musical parents helped her learn how to harmonize and play multiple instruments, and her brother passed down to her a love for heavy-metal bands like Metallica. As a teenager, Lo Monaco was approached with offers to make pop music, but she turned those offers down.

“I was such a little rocker at heart,” she says.

In the North Bay, Lo Monaco is best known as the original female vocalist in Sol Horizon.

“I would probably still be in it, except that I started a family,” she says.

In 2018, Lo Monaco experienced a set of circumstances, starting with a 3 Doors Down concert at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, that led her back into music.

“I was just sort of treating myself,” Lo Monaco says. “They used to be one of my favorite bands in high school.”

During the acoustic show, Lo Monaco had an epiphany about what she wanted the songs she’d been quietly writing for years to sound like. After the show, she went backstage, found lead-singer Brad Arnold and took a shot in the dark, asking Arnold if he ever produced other artists. He said, “No.”

But his band mates, drummer Greg Upchurch and guitarist Chet Roberts, did. After introductions, Upchurch and Roberts agreed to produce Lo Monaco at their Nashville studio, where she recorded eight original tunes, including the upcoming “Real Love,” and a rock ‘n’ roll version of Italian protest song, “Bella Ciao.” That song was released last month, and Lo Monaco, who is a dual U.S./Italian citizen, says it’s been making some noise in political protests currently underway in Italy.

“Behind the music is the bigger message to stand up and fight for what you believe in, even if that’s a dream that’s been postponed, like me,” she says. “You’ve got to stand up and have courage. I’m hoping that as people hear the lyrics, that they might find a little strength in it.”

ginamarielomonaco.com

Garagiste Wine Fest Exposes Micro-Wineries in Sonoma on Feb. 15

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Garagiste Wine Fest Exposes Micro-Wineries in Sonoma on Feb. 15

Now in its third year, the Garagiste Wine Festival is the North Bay’s best chance to try the region’s small-scale wines from hard-to-find winemakers who often do not have their own tasting rooms. The afternoon tasting also includes artisan food vendors pairing bites with the more than 150 wines on hand, and the VIP all-access experience lets you get in the door before anyone else on Saturday, Feb. 15, at Sonoma Veterans Memorial Hall, 126 First St. W, Sonoma. VIP doors open at noon; grand tasting begins at 2pm. $65 and up. Garagistefestival.com.

Local Stars Burrows & Dilbeck Headline Mystic Theatre on Feb. 16

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Local Stars Burrows & Dilbeck Headline Mystic Theatre on Feb. 16

It’s an insanely packed week of concerts at the Mystic Theatre & Music Hall, with touring acts like punk icons the Melvins on the 14th, funk legends George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic on the 17th and an already sold-out Ani diFranco show on the 19th. In the middle of all that, don’t pass on a local showcase featuring power duo Burrows & Dilbeck, who join forces for a pop-soul sound on their new album, All The Same. Acoustic rockers the Pat Jordan Band and danceable Americana act Burnside open the show on Sunday, Feb. 16, at the Mystic Theatre, 23 Petaluma Blvd. N, Petaluma. 6:30pm. $18. 707.775.6048.

How I Became an Art Thief

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How I Became an Art Thief

Ever want to post a nude online but fear future repercussions? Conceptual artist Andy Sewell has you covered—literally.

At a recent exhibit of the artist’s work and collaborations at Petaluma’s Sonoma Coast Surf Shop, Sewell showcased his knitted, wearable digital pixelation garments for “When you want to fake that nude but not regret it later … cover your bits with BITS.” Sewell’s tableaux also included a piece of “found art” originally created by fellow artist Johnny Hirschmugl (otherwise branded as Art by Johnny), which Hirschmugl himself offhandedly said Sewell hoped would be stolen at the event. I obliged. I offer my confession here, publicly, to attest to having aided in closing (what I hope was) the conceptual loop as well as heading off any legal pursuits in the matter since stealing the painting was technically performance art. The piece is now on my bookshelf. If either artist wants it back, you know where to find me (on eBay).

• • • 

Meanwhile: I have a vague memory of attending the Wine County Distillery Festival. I believe there were distilled spirits and a cocktail contest for which I and other media types served as judges. It stands to reason that somebody won—my congratulations to them. If anyone finds the brain cells I lost, please send them to me c/o of the Bohemian.

• • •

Cult-brew Pliny the Younger returned to Russian River Brewing Company last Friday, causing its usual annual people-jam to encircle Santa Rosa’s Fourth Street and beyond. Days later, the line for the triple India pale ale (which comes in at a whopping 10.25 percent alcohol by volume) persists. Of course between the brews’ namesake, Rome’s Pliny the Younger, and Pliny the Elder, is Pliny the Millennial—known for highlighting the absurdity of his privilege by humble-bragging about enduring a long beer line. #youthiswastedontheyounger

• • •

Our friend John Augustine Moran has shuffled off this mortal coil. He was an artist in every sense who had many a great turn on local stages, was easy with a tune and was the kind of smoke-breathed co-conspirator to pull you into a corner by the elbow and tell you, “This is how it’s gonna go, lad …” He was my friend, mentor and consigliere. Who could resist his Dickensian accent, his Satanically smooth entreaties, the winking charm he used to get me into more and deeper shit than I care to recall? We’re collecting remembrances of Moran at Facebook.com/NorthBayBohemian, which may be used in a future tribute. If Moran touched your life, please leave a note. In the meantime, permit me to quote Hamlet: “I knew him, Horatio; a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy; he hath borne me on his back a thousand times …”

To B or Not to B

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We are so proud of our students, teachers and the exceptional education at our West County high schools. We’re asking the public’s help in holding onto the quality we now enjoy.

Since 1993 we have financed key programs at Analy, El Molino and Laguna high schools with a parcel tax that our voters steadfastly approve every time it expires.

It expires again next year.

Please help us renew it by voting “Yes” on Measure B on the March 3 ballot.

“State funding continues to fall short in providing the resources needed to support our schools. Measure B funds are vital to maintaining the quality programs and services our students need and deserve,” said District Superintendent Toni Beal.

Measure B will renew the parcel tax for eight more years and increase it from $48 to $79 a year, to adjust for the rising cost of living and a decline in state funding. Exemptions are available for qualified seniors, the disabled, contiguous parcels and others.

With input from staff, teachers, parents and community leaders, the district has prepared a list of programs and activities that require the support of the parcel tax, including:

Keeping school libraries open

Maintaining and improving shop, art, music, drama, culinary, agriculture, technology and other career-education classes

Giving teachers and staff appropriate raises

Improving college-preparatory courses

Maintaining small class sizes and counseling services

Please join us in voting “Yes” on Measure B!  

—Jim Walton, chair Measure B steering committee

Mary Bracken, president El Molino Education Fund

Loretta and Chip Castleberry, business owners and former teachers

Jim Corbett, “Mr. Music” Foundation

Mary Fricker, member Measure B steering committee

John Grech, El Molino High School teacher

Leslie McCormick, president El Molino Boosters

Sue Mobley, business owner

Adam Parks, president Analy High School Boosters, business owner

Dennis Rosatti, business owner

Lily Smedshammer, Analy High School teacher

David Stecher, former West Sonoma County
Union High School District trustee

Friends of West Sonoma County Union High School District

friendsofwscuhsd.org.

We welcome your contribution. To have your topical essay of 350 words considered for publication, write op*****@******an.com.

Gazette Lives On

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Karin Seritis (letter published Feb. 5) also sent me her letter telling me she had posted it on Yelp. It was kind of her to send it to me since I was able to respond to her directly. She explained that she thought the Gazette gets distributed on the first of each month and our newsstands were empty, so she made some assumptions.

We publish our schedule on page 4 of every Gazette and online. The Gazette comes out on a Wednesday, same as BoHo, distributing the February edition on Feb. 5th & 6th.

People love to hate Darius Anderson, but for both The Press Democrat and the Sonoma County Gazette, he’s just an investor. As CEO Steve Falk emphatically states, “Darius does not, and never has been involved in any editorial decisions.”

There are 6 investors in Sonoma Media Investments. Every one of them Sonoma County people who are investing in keeping local, independent media alive and well for our communities. Investors ask for one thing … sustain what they put their money into, and if all goes well, distribute dividends.

I’m grateful that SMI purchased the Gazette. I am ready to retire, so having them keep it alive is a win/win for our community. We need a vehicle for citizens to keep our community informed about what concerns us in our own voices, rather than through the filters of journalists and editorial boards.

During this transition I am delighted to see the commitment SMI is making to keep the Gazette mission alive and well. I am still very much involved until they find a replacement for me. And I will continue to write and poke my nose through the door for some time to come.

Thanks for the opportunity to set the record straight. The Sonoma County Gazette is alive and well and very much independent media, as it always has been.

—Vesta Copestakes,
Publisher

Sonoma County Gazette
Sonoma Media Investments LLC

SMART Tax

The “No” on Measure I information I’ve seen in the media gives an incomplete picture of the need for continued funding for the SMART train as an integral part of the North Bay transportation system.

Discussion of funding SMART must address the role of greenhouse gasses produced by our transportation system in contributing to the climate crisis. Although the State of California has done well in reducing carbon emissions in our electricity grid, transportation is a part of our economy in which we are making poor progress in reducing greenhouse gasses.

Granted, there has been mismanagement at SMART, and those problems should be rooted out, but voting “No” on I is throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Even though it does not serve me in Sonoma Valley, I realize that SMART is a crucial element in a climate-smart regional transportation infrastructure.

We must develop a transportation system that does not require us to get into private CO2-spewing automobiles to get around, and SMART is an essential first step. Please vote “Yes” on I in March.

—Matt Metzler

Sonoma

Write to us at le*****@******an.com.

From Gun to Gavel

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From Gun to Gavel

Former Santa Rosa Mayor Chris Coursey, now running for a slot on the county board of supervisors, tells me I ought not be surprised that Tom Schwedhelm, the current mayor and former chief of police, is pro-cannabis.

“Cops knew the war on cannabis was lost a lot sooner than most folks,” Coursey says.

Last December at the Emerald Cup, Schwedhelm suggested that Santa Rosa might become a hub for the whole industry.

In his office—sitting behind a sign that reads, “There’s no place like Santa Rosa”—he tells me, “Cannabis has contributed to our community and economy. It has not created problems, though some citizens think so.”

Born and raised in Oakland, the son of a cop, Schwedhelm knew he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps by the time he was in high school.

“I saw that policing went way beyond guns and badges,” he says. “I knew it was for me.”

During the last four-and-a-half years of his 30-year career in law enforcement, he served as Santa Rosa’s chief of police, and, while he never worked in narcotics,
he occasionally made arrests
for cannabis.

“I remember, people went to prison for pot,” he says. “Then Prop 215 passed and medical marijuana became the law. I went to an address where people were trimming marijuana. They had medical-marijuana recommendations and weren’t breaking the law. My whole perspective changed.”

On another occasion, while playing in a golf tournament in Windsor, he arrived at the 10th hole and saw that a CBD-cream company was sponsoring the event.

“That was also an epiphany for me,” he says.

Before last December’s Emerald Cup, Schwedhelm met with founder, Tim Blake, to discuss how to make cannabis more acceptable in Santa Rosa, where many voters rejected Prop 64, the measure that legalized adult use.

“Unfortunately, some people in our community still have the Cheech-and-Chong image of the stoner,” Schwedhelm says. “We need more education.”

He also points out that there are no conflicts between dispensaries, like SPARC, on Dutton Avenue, and neighboring businesses; no rip-offs or violence in the regulated-and-taxed market; and that, thanks to the fledgling cannabis industry, old warehouses have been brought up to code.

“Santa Rosa is a great place to live and work, whether as a cop or as mayor,” Schwedhelm says. “As mayor, I do much of the work myself. It’s a full-time job.”

Jonah Raskin is the author of “Dark Day, Dark Night: A Marijuana Murder Mystery.”

Mad House

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Mad House

Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge, running now at Santa Rosa’s 6th Street Playhouse through Feb. 23, may not be his best play (that’s Death of a Salesman) or even close to his most-produced work (probably The Crucible). What it is, is a punch-to-the-gut look at one man’s destructive obsession and the ramifications of that obsession on his family, his friends and his community.

It’s sometime in the 1950’s, and Italian-immigrant attorney Alfieri (Joe Winkler) wants to tell us about a client whose case stuck with him. That client is Eddie Carbone (Edward McCloud), a dockworker on the New York piers. He lives in a Brooklyn flat with his wife Beatrice (Mary Delorenzo) and his 17-year-old orphaned niece Catherine (Nina Cauntay). Conflict first arises between them when Catherine is offered a job Eddie doesn’t want her to take. That conflict is compounded by the arrival of Marco (Matt Farrell) and Rodolpho (Erik Weiss), Beatrice’s nephews who arrive in the country illegally and who Eddie agreed to harbor. Rodolpho soon takes a liking to Catherine and vice-versa. Eddie has a problem with this, and his concerns go way beyond normal father-daughter issues.

Eddie wants Rodolpho gone, and after his attempts to convince Catherine that Rodolpho just ain’t “right” fail, he makes a decision that will tear his family, his community and himself apart.

Director and co-scenic designer (with Martin Gilberston) Jared Sakren adapts the stripped-down approach taken by many contemporary productions towards this piece; and it works. While the intimacy of the Monroe Stage works against it at times—particularly during the fight scenes—it heightens the tension in others.

McCloud is strong (though a bit vociferous) as Eddie, as is DeLorenzo as the suffering wife who sees what Eddie refuses to admit about his feelings for Catherine. Cauntay impresses as the obliviously beguiling Catherine, and Winkler excels as the voice of reason Eddie refuses to hear.

Accents are tricky. They often lead to a layer of inauthenticity in a character, as is the case here with Weiss and Farrell as literally “fresh off the boat” Italian immigrants. Weiss rises above that in a confrontation scene with Catherine.

Issues of honor, justice, the law and even immigration are dealt with here, but at its core it’s a well-told classic Greek tragedy of a man and his self-induced downfall.

Rating (out of 5): ★★★★

‘A View from the Bridge’ runs through Feb. 23 on the Monroe Stage at 6th Street Playhouse, 52 W. Sixth St., Santa Rosa. Thu–Sat, 7:30pm; Sat–Sun, 2pm (no 2pm show Sat Feb. 22). $18–$29. 707.523.4185. 6thstreetplayhouse.com

Reporters Win Award

Longtime Bohemian-contributor Peter Byrne and Bohemian news-reporter Will Carruthers were awarded the Society of Journalists Northern California's James Madison Freedom of Information Award for the first two parts of "The Power Brokers" series, published by the Bohemian last year. The series scrutinized the actions of the Rebuild North Bay Foundation, a PG&E-funded nonprofit founded by...
Read more

Cloverdale Citrus Fair Heats Up Northern Sonoma County Feb. 14-17

It’s not even Spring in Sonoma County, yet the Cloverdale Citrus Fair already has its sights set on summer. This year’s fair theme, “California Dreamin’,” features a veritable boardwalk of entertainment and exhibits. Highlights of the fair include the annual Citrus Fair Queen competitive pageant on Feb. 14, the Citrus Fair Parade that travels through town on Feb. 15...
Read more

Keep It Real

After a decade away from the microphone, Sonoma County singer-songwriter Gina Marie Lo Monaco will unveil a new album of original material in a series of single releases over the course of the coming year. "I have the rock album I've always wanted to have," she says. Her next release, the romantic rock anthem "Real Love," will be available online...
Read more

Garagiste Wine Fest Exposes Micro-Wineries in Sonoma on Feb. 15

Now in its third year, the Garagiste Wine Festival is the North Bay’s best chance to try the region’s small-scale wines from hard-to-find winemakers who often do not have their own tasting rooms. The afternoon tasting also includes artisan food vendors pairing bites with the more than 150 wines on hand, and the VIP all-access experience lets you get...
Read more

Local Stars Burrows & Dilbeck Headline Mystic Theatre on Feb. 16

It’s an insanely packed week of concerts at the Mystic Theatre & Music Hall, with touring acts like punk icons the Melvins on the 14th, funk legends George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic on the 17th and an already sold-out Ani diFranco show on the 19th. In the middle of all that, don’t pass on a local showcase featuring power...
Read more

How I Became an Art Thief

Ever want to post a nude online but fear future repercussions? Conceptual artist Andy Sewell has you covered—literally. At a recent exhibit of the artist's work and collaborations at Petaluma's Sonoma Coast Surf Shop, Sewell showcased his knitted, wearable digital pixelation garments for "When you want to fake that nude but not regret it later ... cover your bits with...
Read more

To B or Not to B

We are so proud of our students, teachers and the exceptional education at our West County high schools. We're asking the public's help in holding onto the quality we now enjoy. Since 1993 we have financed key programs at Analy, El Molino and Laguna high schools with a parcel tax that our voters steadfastly approve every time it expires. It expires...
Read more

Gazette Lives On

Karin Seritis (letter published Feb. 5) also sent me her letter telling me she had posted it on Yelp. It was kind of her to send it to me since I was able to respond to her directly. She explained that she thought the Gazette gets distributed on the first of each month and our newsstands were empty, so...
Read more

From Gun to Gavel

Former Santa Rosa Mayor Chris Coursey, now running for a slot on the county board of supervisors, tells me I ought not be surprised that Tom Schwedhelm, the current mayor and former chief of police, is pro-cannabis. "Cops knew the war on cannabis was lost a lot sooner than most folks," Coursey says. Last December at the Emerald Cup, Schwedhelm suggested...
Read more

Mad House

Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge, running now at Santa Rosa's 6th Street Playhouse through Feb. 23, may not be his best play (that's Death of a Salesman) or even close to his most-produced work (probably The Crucible). What it is, is a punch-to-the-gut look at one man's destructive obsession and the ramifications of that obsession on his...
Read more
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