Letters to the Editor: January 9, 2019

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Letters to the Editor: January 9, 2019

Paper Chase

When I first spotted your Dec. 19 issue, which claimed a 40-year history of activist coverage for our community, I could hardly wait to sit down and digest it. Good thing it wasn’t real food, as there wasn’t much nourishment inside.

If my math is correct, 40 years would make it 1979 for the start of your coverage, which would certainly include the early anti-nuke movement across California and the role of Sonoma County in the founding of the state-wide Abalone Alliance. In 1979, about 50 local activists were dealing with their arrests from the year before at the proposed Diablo nuke plant in Central California. It was the start of more protests and arrests over the next decade at the Lawrence Livermore Labs, Vandenberg Air Force Base, and Rancho Seco nuclear power plant. Sonoma County was a big part of that history, and The Paper (that name predated your current one) chronicled it all. Tom Roth and Elizabeth Poole were in charge, and Tom had been a founding member of SONOMoreAtomics our local anti nuke group along with many of us who are still around.

Starting in 1980, some of us who had been at the sit-in in Gov. Jerry Brown’s office against Rancho Seco finally came home after three months and began the protests at Bohemian Grove after researching the members of that local exclusive gathering who were profiting from the nuclear industry. Once again, The Paper chronicled the beginnings of that protest along with the reasons we spent the energy on doing it every July. In the decade of the 1980s, we in Sonoma County joined other groups across the state in protesting Central America politics, Native American issues, formed a variety of environmental groups and began the MLK birthday celebration in January which continues to today. Oh yes, we also founded the local Peace & Justice Center in the early 1980s. Once again, The Paper documented all of this, yet no mention of any of it in your 40-year wrap-up.

The only reference you made to that important decade in the history of our local activist community was one short letter from my old friend Jack Levin. Your actual Flashbacks began in earnest in 1989. Why is that, when the beginnings of your paper did such a good job of documenting these important events? Folks new to Sonoma County still have no idea of the rich history residing in your files. Why?

And finally, just for the record, the Stump was the only alternative paper around here in the early to mid-’70s, yet you referred to it as connected to what became the Bohemian. It wasn’t. The Paper (owned by Tom and Elizabeth and edited by Nick Valentine), and then the Independent, were the only precursors to your current paper. I love the idea of honoring 40 years of alternative reporting, so why did you leave out that important decade at the beginning?

—Mary Moore

Camp Meeker

To Another Year

Good overview of the Bohemian‘s genealogy (“The Independent,” Dec. 19); I had looked you up on Wikipedia a while back but got lost in all the convolutions. Seeing you from John Boland’s POV really helps. An example of how mainstream newspapers are transitioning—and so far surviving—is also the Guardian (UK). Here’s to you and another year of excellent local investigative reporting!

—Leslie

Via Bohemian.com

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Power & Pop

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Power & Pop

Over the last six months, Napa vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Nedy has emerged as one of the region’s most promising pop artists. Her latest EP, Through the Fire, released last summer, was heard on rotation over the airwaves of Napa Valley’s 99.3-FM the Vine, and she embarked on a multi-state tour last fall.

In the new year, Nedy is looking to expand her reach and share her slick and sophisticated beats with a larger audience. She performs her first gig of 2019 at the Blue Note Jazz Club in downtown Napa on Jan. 15 as part of the venue’s Locals Night showcase series.

Growing up in a musical family in Los Angeles, Nedy played piano, guitar and drums in her teens. After several unsuccessful attempts to begin a band, Nedy decided to take voice lessons. “I wasn’t able to find a committed band at the time,” she says. “I was wanting to not depend on other people for my dreams and goals of doing music professionally.”

Training her voice over the course of a year, Nedy struck out on her own in 2012 with her debut EP, Got Music, which largely featured her solo on guitar in a singer-songwriter fashion. Shortly after that debut EP, Nedy moved to Napa with her fiancée, and though that relationship ended a few years back, she says the North Bay’s tight-knit music community made her decision to stay an easy one.

“I developed a lot of close friendships and working relationships [in Napa],” she says. “I have more of a foundation here than going back to L.A.”

In 2017, Nedy made her official return to music with the single “All Coming Down,” which heralded a new pop-oriented sound—a sound solidified on Through the Fire, which combines heavy pop, alternative rock and hip-hop influences. “Like a lot of artists, I think I’m sensitive,” she laughs. “I just try to be honest about who I am and where I’m at.”

Nedy developed the sound while recording the EP, and hit upon an aesthetic akin to groups like EDM-pop duo Chainsmokers and synth-pop vocalist Halsey.

Performing live, Nedy often combines her vocals with graceful, largely improvised dance moves. “I’m just being myself,” she says. “It was scary at first, but I needed to have that courage to do what I desire to do, which is perform.”

BottleRock Napa Valley 2019 Music Lineup Announced

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BRNV19-Admat-1day-FINAL

New Year, New Lineup for the North Bay’s biggest festival of the year, BottleRock Napa Valley. This year’s seventh annual BottleRock, returning to the Napa Valley Expo on May 24-26, has unveiled the full music lineup, featuring headliners Mumford & Sons, Imagine Dragons, Neil Young + Promise of the Real, Pharrell Williams, Santana and Logic.
Three-day festival passes go on sale tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan 8, at 10amPST, and single-day tickets will be available on Thursday, Jan 10, also at 10am PST.
Combining the world’s biggest bands and artists alongside hott up-and-coming music acts paired with wine, food and craft brew, the BottleRock Napa Valley lineup, to date, includes:
Friday, May 24: Imagine Dragons, Logic, OneRepublic, Sylvan Esso, Flogging Molly, Jenny Lewis, AJR, Anderson East, The Dandy Warhols, lovelytheband, Paul Oakenfold (Silent Disco), Alec Benjamin, Neon Trees, Midland, Vintage Trouble, The War and Treaty, Just Loud, Shannon Shaw, flora cash, Yoke Lore, HalfNoise, The Dip, Dessa, Liz Cooper & The Stampede, Valley Queen, Jack West, Forgotten Dreamers
Saturday, May 25: Neil Young + Promise of the Real, Pharrell Williams, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Gary Clark Jr., Juanes, Cypress Hill, Elle King, Marian Hill, Sir Sly, Chevy Metal, Against Me!, Madison Beer, Pink Sweat$, Shannon & the Clams, The Regrettes, White Panda (Silent Disco), Elley Duhé, Wilderado, Magic City Hippies, Moonalice, We Banjo 3, Slothrust, Jared & The Mill, Royal Jelly Jive, Rebecca Jade & The Cold Fact, The Blue Stones, The Silverado Pickups, Napa Valley Youth Symphony
Sunday, May 26: Mumford & Sons, Santana, Tash Sultana, Lord Huron, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Big Boi, Citizen Cope, Bishop Briggs, Gang of Youths, Too $hort, Turkuaz, The Crystal Method (Silent Disco), Skylar Grey, Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, Houses, Con Brio, The Soul Rebels, SHAED, Welles, The Teskey Brothers, Harry Hudson, Ocean Alley, Sweet Crude, John Craigie, Dustbowl Revival, Jes Frances, The Alive

Eyrie Glow

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Eyrie Glow

I‌ picked a grand old day to enjoy the view at Gustafson. As soon as we park the car in an empty lot outside the winery, a tail-wagging emissary trots out in a steady rain to greet us. The dog views us, we view the dog. That’s a wrap, as far as the views go today.

While Gustafson also operates a perfectly accessible tasting room in downtown Healdsburg, I was keen to check out the touted view from the winery’s ridge-top estate, located at an elevation of some 1,800 feet above Dry Creek Valley. Today turned out a bit gray, however, with a low cloud deck and intermittent rain. I’d hoped for a reprieve from the rain clouds until ascending seven miles up Skaggs Springs Road and realizing: this is the clouds.

But it’s no bust. Two friendly hosts are here to fill us in on everything we can’t see through the day’s thick mist, and we are interrupted by nothing other than Reyla the dog’s enthusiasm over a piece of grapevine wood, and no tasting fee is mentioned as we enjoy a slate of all estate-grown wines.

The fellow bankrolling the operation is one Dan Gustafson, who’s apparently done well enough with some construction and landscaping gigs back in Minnesota. He developed an affinity for the Sea Ranch community back in the 1970s, and found this parcel, located on a long and winding road that leads there, around the turn of this century.

“We’ve got the Minnesota prices here,” says assistant winemaker and all-around olive harvester, dog wrangler and erosion-control specialist Steve Spinella, of the reasonably priced offerings.

The 2017 Rosé of Syrah ($24) is a basket-pressed beauty brimming with pink flowers and yeasty, red candy fruit. The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc ($26) is a lush and creamy palate teaser with green pear and melon fruit. The intriguing value is the 2017 Riesling ($20), a bright, apple- and honeysuckle-scented sipper that finishes up dry and crisp. “If you told me when I walked in here I was walking out with a Riesling, I would have said you’re insane,” Spinella recounts an anecdotal yet typical customer’s confession upon purchasing the Riesling. “But here I am!”

As for the Petite Sirah ($30), it got this rave review from a white wine drinker: “Now this is a red I can drink!” Head in the clouds or nose in the glass, the view from this winery is just fine.

Gustafson Family Vineyards,
9100 Skaggs Springs Road, Geyserville. Open Saturday–Sunday, 10am–4pm; by appointment Friday and Monday. Tasting room,
34 North St., Healdsburg. Thursday–Monday, 11am-6pm. 707.433.2371.

Torn Tickets: Part One

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Torn Tickets: Part One

Tis the time for “Best of” lists, so in the spirit of my illustrious predecessor and with a nod to the substantial differences in mounting a musical versus a play, here are my top torn tickets of 2018, Part One, the Plays (in alphabetical order):

‘Blackbird’ (Main Stage West) As dark subject matter goes, this look at a pedophile and his victim is as unsettling a piece of theater as I’ve seen. Under David Lear’s direction, Sharia Pierce and John Shillington acted the hell out of David Harrower’s script that raised a lot of really uncomfortable questions and provided no answers.

‘Buried Child’ (Main Stage West) Elizabeth Craven’s direction of Sam Shepard’s nightmarish look at the crumbling American dream found the right balance between the real and the surreal in this dark, funny, disturbing and heartbreaking show.

‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ (Spreckels Theatre Company) Elijah Pinkham’s revelatory performance as a 15-year-old with an Asperger’s/autism-like condition on a journey of self-discovery was the centerpiece of this Elizabeth Craven-directed production.

‘Death of a Salesman’ (Novato Theatre Company; 6th Street Playhouse) It’s a critic’s burden to have to see multiple productions of the same piece within weeks or months of each other, and it’s rare when both productions are superb. Each production had its own strengths and weaknesses, but both had towering lead performances. Joe Winkler (NTC) and Charles Siebert’s takes on Willy Loman were utterly different and totally devastating.

‘Equus’ (6th Street Playhouse) Peter Shaffer’s 1973 play about a boy and his horse was such a left-field choice for 6th Street to produce that I really didn’t know what to expect. That this very difficult play turned out to be one of the North Bay’s best 2018 productions is a credit to director Lennie Dean and an outstanding ensemble.

‘The Great God Pan’ (Cinnabar Theater) A terrific combination of script, performance and technical and design craft under the direction of Taylor Korobow made this rumination on recovered memory unforgettable.

‘Oslo’ (Marin Theatre Company) While the Oslo Accords have been deemed a failure, MTC’s excellent production of the J. T. Rogers drama about the negotiations that led to them reminded us that humanity is too often the missing element in politics today.

Next week: Top Torn Tickets, the Musicals!

Service Over Self

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Service Over Self

As I take office as Sonoma County’s 34th sheriff since California became a state more than 165 years ago, I’m implementing some changes—building on our successes and addressing challenges along the way. We’re a team of more than 600 at the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, a team that is wholly committed to the concept of service above self, with a high level of integrity, and we’re ready to grow together. So in the first few months of the New Year, we’re going to highlight some improvements.

We’re going to get back to the basics that Sheriff Rob Giordano has so effectively implemented this past year. Under tragic circumstances, he taught us all how to come together again as a community after the 2017 wildfires.

Public safety is our charge. That means delivering the highest level of law enforcement with a respect for the individual. We’ll be listening for your input, we’ll hear what you have to say, and we’ll treat all fairly. It’s a mission I set out as a candidate for this office, and one I take seriously.

We’re also going to highlight community policing. I want you to know our deputies through a robust program of outreach and regular community interaction. From social media to town halls, I want you to know them on a personal level.

Detention is critical—and we’ll focus on the causes of crime as well as the impacts. With a new behavioral management system in place, I know we can address the fact that more than 45 percent of those incarcerated have a mental-health issue that we can treat—that’s a cost savings to you the taxpayer, and a life-changing event for the person involved.

And we’ll make sure that our employees are representative of the people they serve. I want a healthy and happy team, and I’m committed to growing it.

Sonoma County is a unique and special place to live, work and play. As these years unfold, I hope I can count on you as a partner in this effort to make Sonoma an even stronger community. I’m humbled by your trust, and look forward to this incredible effort ahead of us.

Mark Essick took office as Sonoma County sheriff on Jan. 1.

Open Mic is a weekly feature in the ‘Bohemian.’ We welcome your contribution. To have your topical essay of 350 words considered for publication, write op*****@******an.com.

Letters to the Editor: January 2, 2019

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Letters to the Editor: January 2, 2019

Sad, Perplexing

What a sad and perplexing mess your 40th anniversary (Dec. 19) issue is.

Some corrections: The name of the publication changed from The Paper to the Sonoma County Independent when purchased by your chain and then became the North Bay Bohemian consequently (“Long Live the Alt-Weekly”). I became editor in 2002, not 2004, and I’ve never uttered the word “scuttlebutt” in my life (“Fifteen-Year Spat”).

Altweeklies were founded to offer an alternative to the traditional media of the day. They celebrate the f-word and the calendar section. But most of all, they exist to support, define, and reflect the community back to itself.

Nowhere is mention of being picketed by Joe Manthey, losing offices to the flood of 1986, breaking coverage of Dianne Feinstein’s conflicts of interest, responding to Andy Lopez’s murder, uncovering Frank Riggs’ scandals, or other matters of local interest.

Altweeklies also exist to grow writers and create editors. Dating from The Paper forward, your publication was vigorously helmed by such talented folks as Jim Carroll, Greg Cahill, Davina Baum, myself, Gabe Meline and Stett Holbrook. We all deserve a big hug and a whiskey. We all deserve a mention.

North Bay bylines that were either introduced to our market or grown up from scratch by this publication include Alastair Bland, Dani Burlison, Peter Byrne, Leilani Clark, Daedalus Howell, Heather Irwin, Michele Anna Jordan, Gabe Meline, Sara Peyton, Bruce Robinson, David Sason, Michael Shapiro, Carey Sweet, David Templeton and Simone Wilson. They all deserve at least 10 cents a word. They all deserve a mention.

You have a rare and delicate legacy in your possession, and that is a 40-year commitment to celebrating and informing our community. Please treat it with greater respect.

—Gretchen Giles

Former Editor, North Bay Bohemian

Thank you for the shout-outs to many of the talented editorial voices who have worked for the ‘Sonoma County Independent’ and ‘North Bay Bohemian’ under Boland-Carroll and Metro. We’ll extend the hugs and whiskey to staff in all departments. Metro cannot take the credit for renaming ‘The Paper’; that occured under Boland-Carroll, prior to the sale. Following Greg Cahill’s departure in fall 2001, Patrick Sullivan sat in the editor’s chair; Davina Baum edited the ‘Bohemian’ from spring 2002 through the end of 2003. You started in January 2004.—Editor

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

2018: The Year the President Broke

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2018: The Year the President Broke

January

News of the World On Jan. 31, reported the BBC, a woman tried to bring her “emotional support peacock” onto a United Airlines flight. “The airline could not accept the animal due to its weight and size.” She had better luck with a dodo bird, according to the fake news National Enquirer.

Closer to Home Silver Screen Festival returns to Santa Rosa with a focus on the heroines of horror. Napa State Senator Bill Dodd agitates over fake news with a media-literacy bill. Jeff Sessions makes some loud noises about California’s horrible experiment with legal weed. Calistoga’s under construction, with 50 new homes being framed out right where the Tubbs fire started.

Meanwhile, in Trumplandia On Jan. 1, Trump gets the year off with a bang when he tweets, per Kim Jong-un: “Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!” On Jan. 12, the Wall Street Journal reports that Michael Cohen paid Stormy Daniels $130,000 in hush money.

February

News of the World Bitcoin bit the cryptocurrency dust in February after a attaining a 2017 peak value of $20,000. “Common sense and a realization that, well, you can’t really use Bitcoin in a lot of places,” dropped its value to around $5,900, according to CNET.

Closer to Home Coffey Park celebrates completion of Dan Bradford’s rebuilt home—the first house to be rebuilt there after the 2017 wildfires.

Meanwhile, in Trumplandia On Feb. 5, Trump says Democrats committed treason by not applauding his speech at the State of the Union. White House official Rob Porter resigns two days later, after it’s revealed that he beat his wife. On Feb. 19, Trump Tweets, “Without more Republicans in Congress, we were forced to increase spending on things we do not like or want in order to finally, after many years of depletion, take care of our Military. Sadly, we needed some Dem votes for passage. Must elect more Republicans in 2018 Election!”

March

News of the World Amid a year of senseless gun violence in schools and elsewhere, CNN reports on March 13 that a California teacher “accidentally fired off his gun, injuring one student” during a gun-safety demonstration. The injuries were minor, but the irony was not.

Closer to Home Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch reverses course and announces her office will proactively start to expunge low-level pot offenses in the county, following on a similar move undertaken in San Francisco.

Meanwhile, in Trumplandia On March 3, Trump says he wishes the United States were more like China, where Xi Jinping is president for life. “Maybe we’ll have to give that a shot some day.” On March 11, he declares that arming teachers is best way to stop mass shootings at schools. Two days later, he fires Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State. Tillerson later recollects his interactions with Trump, which generally arced along these lines: “Mr. President, I understand what you want to do, but you can’t do it that way. It violates the law.” On March 20, Trump meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the White House, and two days after that, H. R. McMasters resigns as National Security Advisor.

April

News of the World Residents of Flint, Mich., were quite skeptical when elected leaders assured them that the water was safe to drink again, “and therefore the free bottled water program will end,” reported CNN.

Closer to Home Bohemian reports that PG&E has hired Darius Anderson firm to lobby for it, as fire-related lawsuits pile up and Erin Brockovich howls on local radio.

Meanwhile, in Trumplandia Trump sends the National Guard to the Mexico border on
April 4, and a few days later does his “Maybe I’ll fire Mueller, maybe I won’t” routine. On April 13, he pardons Bush-era felon Scooter Libby, and calls former FBI director James Comey a slimeball who belongs in jail.

May

News of the World CNN reports that on May 12, Delaware “became the first U.S. state to fully ban child marriage,” as it banned any nuptials of under-18 lovebirds, even if the parents are cool with it.

Closer to Home Bohemian reports on state GOP’s struggles with a neo-Nazi challenger to Dianne Feinstein in Senate race ultimately won by Feinstein, of course. Meanwhile, a bunch of scary people from out of town engage in home invasions, seeking cannabis.

Meanwhile, in Trumplandia On May 8, the White House denies a New York Times report that claims Trump is pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal. That same day, Trump says in a speech that the U.S. is pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal.

June

News of the World Reuters reports on June 25 that giant panda Mei Xiang “may be pregnant.” The Smithsonian Institution’s National Zoo was hoping for a bun in the bear oven, but alas, it was not to be. CNN reports on California wingnuts’ latest attempt to divide the state into three. The ballot measure is thrown out before the November midterms.

Closer to Home Race for Sonoma County Sheriff ends when SCSO Capt. Mark Essick wins three-way primary in a landslide.

Meanwhile, in Trumplandia Trump declares that it’s time for a MAGA rally! He says some ridiculous things, and people cheer wildly.

[page]

July

News of the World As Trump’s immigration policies tear children from their parents, CNN reports on a July 4 moment of glory when a woman “climbed the base of the Statue of Liberty” to protest the family separation policy. And in Texas, a shark is stolen from an aquarium, but Miss Helen (that’s the shark) is soon reunited with her fellow dead-eyed demons of the high seas, reports the BBC.

Closer to Home Popular Napa Porchfest music event brings much joy to participants. Residents throughout the North Bay worry about July 4 fireworks and fires.

Meanwhile, in Trumplandia Corrupt EPA administrator Scott Pruitt resigns on July 5, and a few days later, Trump nominates blackout college rapist Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. On July 13, Robert Mueller indicts a dozen Russian spooks over 2016 election-interference inquiry, and two days later Trump tweets, “Congratulations to President Putin and Russia for putting on a truly great World Cup Tournament—one of the best ever!” Next day, Trump is blasted for kissing Putin’s ass at the Helsinki summit. Former CIA director John Brennan: “Nothing short of treasonous.” Later in the month, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani claims Cohen tapes actually exonerate Trump, Mueller subpoenas Roger Stone, Trump calls “this whole Russia thing” a hoax, and says he’ll shut down the government if he doesn’t get his wall. Paul Manafort trial begins on July 31, while Trump defends voter ID laws, given that Americans have to show an ID to buy groceries.

August

News of the World Reuters reports that an 11-year-old boy was able to hack into a replica of Florida’s voting website, in 10 minutes. “Once in, he was able to change the tallies and the names.” Officials were . . . concerned . . . about the possibility of hacking “during nationwide elections.” In November, voter suppression efforts in the Sunshine State throw the governor’s election to the Republican, while a 10-year-old American president cheers.

Closer to Home Bohemian rocks it at 2018 NorBay Music Awards Winners Party held at the Beer Baron in Santa Rosa. Also: big symposium in town plays matchmaker for wine and weed businesses, highlights county divide over Wine Good, Pot Bad.

Meanwhile, in Trumplandia On Aug. 2, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders doesn’t disavow Trump’s claim that the press is the enemy of the people. Not long after, Trump calls Omarosa Manigault a dog, and revokes John Brennan’s security clearance. On Aug. 19, Giuliani declares that “truth isn’t truth,” while fake news pioneer David Pecker is granted immunity in porn-payoff plot on Aug. 23.

September

News of the World CNN reports that a Philadelphia museum “announced that someone had stolen thousands of live spiders, scorpions and other exotic insects.” Inside job, reports the network.

Closer to Home Napa Valley Snell fire burns 1,900 acres in wine country.

Meanwhile, in Trumplandia On Sept. 11, Trump tweets: “Rudy Giuliani did a GREAT job as Mayor of NYC during the period of September 11th. His leadership, bravery and skill must never be forgotten. Rudy is a TRUE WARRIOR!”

October

News of the World Reuters reports that Pennsylvania was poised to make hazing a felony, after some dumb college kids killed Timothy Piazza at Penn State.

Closer to Home Sonoma and Napa residents reflect on a year after the October 2017 wildfires with numerous events and discussions about why it happened, why it can never happen again, how it could definitely happen again and whether building 35,000 new homes—”affordable” or not—to replace 5,000 is really such a great idea.

Meanwhile, in Trumplandia On Oct. 4, Trump mocks Kavanaugh sexual-assault victim Christine Blasey Ford in Mississippi. Kavanaugh is confirmed by the Senate a few days later, and a few days after that, U.N. Ambassador Nicki Haley resigns. Trump expresses “concern” over the murder and dismemberment of Washington Post writer Jamal Khashoggi on Oct. 11, but on Oct. 15, reassures his cult following via Twitter that he “Just spoke to the King of Saudi Arabia who denies any knowledge of whatever may have happened ‘to our Saudi Arabian citizen.'”

November

News of the World Reuters reports on a Food and Drug Administration push to “curb the teenage vaping epidemic” by banning the sale of flavored vapes at convenience stores and gas stations. Also: the Pentagon is audited for the first time, and fails the audit. “The discrepancies could take years to resolve,” Reuters notes.

Closer to Home Gavin Newsom elected governor, as California’s GOP congressional delegation gets totally shellacked. Paradise fire breaks out on Nov. 8 and soon fills the region with smoke from the distant fire. Sonoma County homeless crisis reaches new levels of nightmare.

Meanwhile, in Trumplandia Republicans lose the House of Representatives on Nov. 6. The next day, Jim Acosta of CNN is banned from the White House. Later in the week, Trump tweets, “There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor. Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!” He visits Paradise shortly thereafter and calls it Pleasure, and soon thereafter tweet-exonerates the Saudis from complicity in the Khashoggi murder. On Nov. 27, he declares that the “Fake News Media builds Bob Mueller up as a Saint, when in actuality he is the exact opposite. He is doing TREMENDOUS damage to our Criminal Justice System, where he is only looking at one side and not the other. Heroes will come of this, and it won’t be Mueller.” Two days later, Cohen pleads guilty for lying to Congress.

December

News of the World Grammy-winning torch-song singer Nancy Wilson dies. Not that Nancy Wilson, the other Nancy Wilson.

Closer to Home On Dec. 18, after a five-year legal battle, the Sonoma County Supervisors announce that a $3 million settlement has been reached stemming from the 2013 shooting of 13-year-old Andy Lopez by a Sonoma County deputy sheriff.

Meanwhile, in Trumplandia On Dec. 6, the Senate rebukes Trump for lying to country about the Khashoggi murder. Mueller files court docs related to sentencing of former national security advisor Michael Flynn. Trump nominates Fox alum Heather Nauert as Ambassador to the U.N. on Dec. 7 and two days later declares that “The Trump Administration has accomplished more than any other U.S. Administration in its first two (not even) years of existence, & we are having a great time doing it! All of this despite the Fake News Media, which has gone totally out of its mind—truly the Enemy of the People!” On Dec. 18, Trump shuts down Trump Foundation as New York Attorney General reports of a “shocking pattering of illegality.”

Play It Back

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Play It Back

After a devastating end to 2017, last year was a year of healing and rebuilding in the North Bay—and music played a vital part in keeping spirits high. Looking back on the concerts and musical adventures in Sonoma and Napa counties, it’s clear the scene is strong. Here, we revisit some music highlights of 2018.

Last January, veteran hardcore punk band Ceremony, who formed in 2005 in Rohnert Park and are today a nationally touring band, returned to the North Bay to headline the inaugural Home Sick Festival at the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma with a variety of bands representing all aspects of underground music.

“I’m really proud to bring this level of music to the place that showed us the ropes,” said Ceremony guitarist Anthony Anzaldo at the time. The festival was such a success that Ceremony will return to the Phoenix on Jan. 19 for Home Sick 2019, featuring acts like synth-pop outfit Cold Cave, post-punk performer Tamaryn, hardcore punk duo Iron lung, and others.

On the other side of the musical spectrum, the Santa Rosa Symphony made headlines last year when it selected 30-year-old Francesco Lecce-Chong as musical director and conductor, only the fifth to hold that title in the symphony’s 90-plus years.

“I’m passionate about making sure that people of all ages and all backgrounds have a chance to experience what we do,” Lecce-Chong said when he accepted the position.

This month, he leads the Santa Rosa Symphony in a new program, “Tiers of Heaven,” which will be performed on Jan. 12–14 at Green Music Center’s Weill Hall at Sonoma State University.

In Napa, the biggest musical event of 2018 was once again BottleRock Napa Valley, the undisputed king of North Bay music festivals. Boasting headliners like Bruno Mars, the annual three-day festival welcomed over 120,000 attendees last Memorial Day weekend. Last year’s event was a chance to shine a light on festival organizers Latitude 38 Entertainment, Napa natives who raised nearly a half a million
dollars for relief in the wake of
2017’s wildfires.

“BottleRock Napa Valley is their bread and butter, but their effort to make meaningful community contributions is their pride and joy,” said Napa Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Travis Stanley about Latitude 38 last May. This year’s BottleRock is again slated for Memorial Day weekend, and will take place in downtown Napa on May 24–26. The 2019 musical lineup will be announced on Jan. 7 and three-day tickets go on sale Jan. 8. Don’t wait to get your tickets, last year’s festival sold out faster than ever!

Final Cut

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Final Cut

Top ten films of 2018: Roma, Active Measures, Black KkKlansman, Black Panther, Cold War, First Reformed, The Other Side of the Wind, Sorry to Bother You, Support the Girls, Suspiria.

Runners up: Active Measures, Blindspotting, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Leave No Trace, Shirkers, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, First Man.

Roma, top of the list, created a buzz through the old way of word of mouth. And all honor for exhibitors such as 3Below, taking a gamble that people would want to see a real movie in a real theater even while it played on Netflix.

Yet some of these names will be unfamiliar. The documentary Active Measures took the spot reserved for Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Tender and moving as that profile of Mr. Rogers was, you ought to give primacy to the kind of documentary filmmaking that could get a reporter killed. The analysis of Putin skullduggery was as menacing as supervillainy in any Marvel epic.

Black KkKlansman and Black Panther are forever linked by titles. The first is a New York film school–style attack on a wild tale, based on a true story the way a cube of bouillon is based on an ox. It’s a reminder of how much infuriating fun Spike Lee can be—there’s still a point on that Spike. As for Black Panther, it just may be another Wizard of Oz someday.

In Sorry to Bother You, Boots Riley uses comedy to cut up racism, matching the vigor, ferment and outlandishness seen in last-century counterculture satire, from the Firesign Theater to Lindsay Anderson’s Candide story O Lucky Man! (1973).

Viva Support the Girls, one of the best yet least known on this list. Andrew Bujalski’s study of a titties-and-beer bar in suburban Texas honors the ingenuity of a sharp middle manager (an endearing Regina King) intervening between the friendly young imbeciles she employs and her swine of a boss.

Luca Guadagnino’s deeply frightening 1970s-set Suspiria remake is my idea of a solstice movie, since a season of darkness is perfect for tales of death and night and blood. More on its satanic powers later when Amazon decides to “drop” it for streaming (the word is significant, somehow—it can mean either “bestow” or “get rid of”).

Letters to the Editor: January 9, 2019

Paper Chase When I first spotted your Dec. 19 issue, which claimed a 40-year history of activist coverage for our community, I could hardly wait to sit down and digest it. Good thing it wasn't real food, as there wasn't much nourishment inside. If my math is correct, 40 years would make it 1979 for the start of your coverage, which...
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Power & Pop

Over the last six months, Napa vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Nedy has emerged as one of the region's most promising pop artists. Her latest EP, Through the Fire, released last summer, was heard on rotation over the airwaves of Napa Valley's 99.3-FM the Vine, and she embarked on a multi-state tour last fall. In the new year, Nedy is looking to...
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BottleRock Napa Valley 2019 Music Lineup Announced

New Year, New Lineup for the North Bay's biggest festival of the year, BottleRock Napa Valley. This year's seventh annual BottleRock, returning to the Napa Valley Expo on May 24-26, has unveiled the full music lineup, featuring headliners Mumford & Sons, Imagine Dragons, Neil Young + Promise of the Real, Pharrell Williams, Santana and Logic. Three-day festival passes go on sale...
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Eyrie Glow

I‌ picked a grand old day to enjoy the view at Gustafson. As soon as we park the car in an empty lot outside the winery, a tail-wagging emissary trots out in a steady rain to greet us. The dog views us, we view the dog. That's a wrap, as far as the views go today. While Gustafson also operates...
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Torn Tickets: Part One

Tis the time for "Best of" lists, so in the spirit of my illustrious predecessor and with a nod to the substantial differences in mounting a musical versus a play, here are my top torn tickets of 2018, Part One, the Plays (in alphabetical order): 'Blackbird' (Main Stage West) As dark subject matter goes, this look at a pedophile and...
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Service Over Self

As I take office as Sonoma County's 34th sheriff since California became a state more than 165 years ago, I'm implementing some changes—building on our successes and addressing challenges along the way. We're a team of more than 600 at the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, a team that is wholly committed to the concept of service above self, with...
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Letters to the Editor: January 2, 2019

Sad, Perplexing What a sad and perplexing mess your 40th anniversary (Dec. 19) issue is. Some corrections: The name of the publication changed from The Paper to the Sonoma County Independent when purchased by your chain and then became the North Bay Bohemian consequently ("Long Live the Alt-Weekly"). I became editor in 2002, not 2004, and I've never uttered the word...
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2018: The Year the President Broke

January News of the World On Jan. 31, reported the BBC, a woman tried to bring her "emotional support peacock" onto a United Airlines flight. "The airline could not accept the animal due to its weight and size." She had better luck with a dodo bird, according to the fake news National Enquirer. Closer to Home Silver Screen Festival returns to...
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Play It Back

After a devastating end to 2017, last year was a year of healing and rebuilding in the North Bay—and music played a vital part in keeping spirits high. Looking back on the concerts and musical adventures in Sonoma and Napa counties, it's clear the scene is strong. Here, we revisit some music highlights of 2018. Last January, veteran hardcore punk...
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Final Cut

Top ten films of 2018: Roma, Active Measures, Black KkKlansman, Black Panther, Cold War, First Reformed, The Other Side of the Wind, Sorry to Bother You, Support the Girls, Suspiria. Runners up: Active Measures, Blindspotting, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Leave No Trace, Shirkers, Won't You Be My Neighbor?, First Man. Roma, top of the list, created a buzz through the...
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