Fall Arts 2018

Joan Baez, who graces our cover this week, is touring this year on what she’s calling the Fare Thee Well Tour, but we editorial scribes at the Bohemian sure hope the legendary folk musician and heroine of ’60s counterculture doesn’t retire just yet—well, at least not until she’s taken a righteous spin through our annual and epic fall arts preview produced by stalwart arts editor Charlie Swanson! Joan blows through the North Bay for a show at the Green Music Center in November—which reminds us to highlight our gratitude for autumn in the North Bay.

It’s an absolutely stunningly beautiful time of year (horrific wildfires notwithstanding), and to recall a lyric from Baez’s wonderful cover of the classic and haunting “Autumn Leaves”: “Only when the high winds blow,” she sings, “that I wish my hair was long / Sailing through the autumn leaves / Singing an ancient song.” So sing along with Joan, and sail your ancient souls through our annual preview of all the great culture offerings on deck this season.—Tom Gogola

EVENTS

September

Taste of Sonoma Sonoma Country Weekend’s annual tasting event has all the looks and flavors needed to celebrate the region throughout Labor Day weekend. Taste of Sonoma once again takes over the lawn at Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center, with thousands of glasses of wine on hand and chefs from around the county preparing delectable bites. Live music, chef demos, seminars and more round out the premier event on Saturday, Sept. 1, at the Green Music Center, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. Noon to 4pm. $180. sonomawinecountryweekend.com.

Fishstock There will be fun and food—and of course, fish—at Fishstock, the annual fundraiser for the Jenner Community Club. Enjoy chowder tasting, barbecued salmon, offerings from local wineries and breweries, live music by Dgiin and others, an ice cream parlor, a raffle and lots more in a Summer of Love–themed day by the sea. Sept. 2.
10398 Hwy. 1, Jenner. 11am–5pm. $5; kids free. visitjenner.com.

Broadway Under the Stars Gala Celebration Transcendence Theatre Company closes out its 2018 season of shows in the winery ruins at Jack London Park with their biggest party of the year, featuring an all-star cast of singers and dancers who will delight audiences of all ages with fresh takes on classic Broadway hits. Sept. 7–9. Jack London State Park, 2400 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen. Pre-show picnic, 5pm; showtime, 7:30pm. transcendencetheatre.org.

National Cowboy Poetry Gathering Rooted in ranching and farming traditions, this touring event intersects the cowboy life with music and entertainment. Performers include Gail Steiger, Stephanie Davis, Amy Auker and Rodney Nelson, all of whom embody the history and modern relevance of cowboy culture. Yee-haw! Sept. 8. Lincoln Theater,
100 California Drive, Yountville. 7pm. $20. lincolntheater.com.

National Heirloom Exposition Dubbed the “World’s Pure Food Fair,” this massive expo of food providers and enthusiasts brings together chef demonstrations, pure-food displays, live music, a giant-pumpkin contest, antique tractors and plenty of tasty tidbits, all to benefit school gardening programs. Sept. 11–13. Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa. $15–$30; kids free. theheirloomexpo.com.

Chautauqua Revue The revue is back and still finds ways to include new twists with musicians, dancers, storytellers, performers and clowns to keep audiences on their toes while honoring the traditions of the original Chautauqua events from a hundred years ago. This event always sells out, so act fast. Sept. 12–15. Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, 15290 Coleman Valley Road, Occidental. Wednesday–Saturday, 7:30pm; children’s matinee, Saturday, 2pm. Evenings, $25 and up; matinee, $10 and up. 707.874.1557.

Sonoma Film Institute The oldest film repertory in the North Bay hosts another season of screenings featuring classics of contemporary cinema. The Academy Award–nominated German film
In the Fade, screens on Sept. 14 and 16. Renowned documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman appears in person to screen his classic doc High School on Sept 28. Several experimental-animation films show in the “Music for the Eyes” program on Oct. 5 and 7, and other films on the fall schedule include 1953’s Tokyo Story, 1997’s Eve’s Bayou and the 1944 musical Meet Me in St. Louis. See you there. Sonoma State University, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. Fridays, 7pm; Sundays, 4pm. Free admission; $5 donations welcomed. sfi.sonoma.edu.

Petaluma River Craft Beer Festival As its namesake implies, this event is all about the beer—
the crafty stuff from our parts.
A short list of North Bay brewer participants includes HenHouse, Lagunitas, 101 North, Fieldwork, Headlands, Heretic, Plow, Fogbelt and Bear Republic. Quaff a pint, eat some food and listen to
the live music. Then go jump in the river—this event is guaranteed to be hot and full of hops. Sept. 15, Water Street, Petaluma (21 and over only). 1–5pm. $40;
$20 for designated drivers. petalumarivercraftbeerfest.org.

Art for Life 2018 Support the Face-to-Face/Sonoma County AIDS Network in their mission to end HIV in the North Bay, and get some fine art from hundreds of generous donors at this annual auction and party. Sept. 15. Sebastopol Center for the Arts,
282 S. High St., Sebastopol. 2–6pm. $50 and up. 707.544.1581.

Old Grove Festival It’s hard to find better acoustics in the heart of the Armstrong Woods than the 1930s-era, open-air Redwood Forest Theater, home of the annual Old Grove Festival. New Monsoon headlines the event, with the Kathy Kallick Band opening the night. Do you need still more music? Well, this year, San Francisco’s Noise Pop is bringing veteran indie rockers Built to Spill to the redwoods for a concert—with surprise guests also on tap. Bring flashlights, seat cushions and warm clothes. Sept. 15–16. Redwood Forest Theater, 17000 Armstrong Woods Road, Guerneville. 5pm. $35–$80. 707.869.9177.

Napa Valley Aloha Festival The Manaleo Hawaiian Cultural Foundation hosts this 11th annual event, which covers two days and includes live music and dance from the Hawaiian and Polynesian communities, Hawaiian food,
and arts and crafts. Added bonus: no flaming chunks of lava.
Sept. 15–16. Napa Valley Expo,
575 Third St., Napa. Saturday, 10am–6pm; Sunday, 10am–4pm. Free (bring a canned food for donation). nvalohafest.org.

Petaluma Poetry Walk The popular bipedal-powered literary event is back for its 23rd year. More than 20 regional poets and authors offer readings throughout downtown Petaluma, all within easy walking distance of each other. The day kicks off at Hotel Petaluma’s Ballroom and wraps up at Aqus Cafe. Sept. 16. 11am–8pm. Free. Check website for full list of venues and schedule. petalumapoetrywalk.org.

Fiesta de Independencia Celebrate Mexico’s independence and Latino Heritage Month with a daylong fiesta with all the campañas y silbatos: authentic food, music, games and activities for the entire family. Dance to live mariachi bands and swing at piñatas—and do not miss out on the salsa contest! Sept. 16. Luther Burbank Center for the Arts,
50 Mark Springs Road, Santa Rosa. 1pm–7pm. Free. 707.546.3600.

Santa Rosa Toy Con Nerd-tastic convention offers three buildings stuffed with comics, toys, games and collectibles from over 200 vendors. Special guests include original Star Trek: The Next Generation and Reading Rainbow star LeVar Burton, cult actor Lou Diamond Phillips, Breaking Bad star RJ Mitte, former Creature Features host John Stanley—and dozens of award-winning comic book writers and artists. There’s also the annual cosplay competition, the Lego exhibition and more in store. Sept. 22. Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa. Early-bird opening at 9am. $25; regular opening, 10am. $15. santarosatoycon.com.

Open Studios Napa Valley Art studios from all stretches of the Napa Valley are open for this 31st annual event, taking place over the last two weekends in September. Self-guided tours feature encounters with dozens of diverse artists working in several media. The event is juried, and unlike other open studio tours in the North Bay, the artists run the entire affair. Many of the artists also show their work at Jessel Gallery, 1019 Atlas Peak Road, Napa. The tours run Sept. 22–23 and 29–30. 10am–5pm. Maps and info at artnv.org.

Sonoma County Philharmonic Community-based nonprofit organization revels in its 20th season of orchestral performances—and has a full season of fun and fanfare in store. First, conductor Norman Gamboa leads the symphony in the “Celebration!” program, with mezzo-soprano vocalist Sonia Gariaeff on Sept. 22–23. Next, special guest oboist Jesse Barrett joins the philharmonic for “A Hero’s Life” on Nov. 17–18. Santa Rosa High School Performing Arts Auditorium, 1235 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. Saturday, 7:30pm; Sunday, 2pm. $10–$15; students, free. socophil.org.

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Sonoma Harvest Music Festival The music lovers at B.R. Cohn Winery in Sonoma Valley teamed up with the festival aficionados at BottleRock to conjure up this intimate weekend of live music, food, wine and communal vibes. Saturday’s lineup includes music by indie-folk sibs the Avett Brothers and upbeat ensemble Lake Street Dive, while Sunday’s lineup features sets by harmonizing indie-rockers the Head & the Heart and instrumental duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. Sept. 22–23. 15000 Sonoma Hwy., Glen Ellen. Tickets are sold-out; ticket exchange information is available at sonomaharvestmusicfestival.com.

Sonoma Bach Choir Led by musical director Robert Worth, the classical collective presents a season titled “Light Out of Darkness,” which sets out to celebrate music as a torch of inspiration in troubled times. And, boy, are we living in those. The opening recital, “Tokens of Peace,” features the Live Oak Baroque orchestra and countertenor Christopher Fritzsche on Sept. 23. For Thanksgiving, the Sonoma Bach Choir joins the orchestra for “I Fear Namore (No More) the Night,” which features several selections from the Bach man himself on Nov. 16–17. Schroeder Hall, Green Music Center,
1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. 707.303.4604.

Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival One of the oldest and biggest parties in the Sonoma Valley is back for its 121st year. As ever, there’s lots of live music, amazing food, spectacular wines and family-friendly activities—including the opening-night gala, the traditional grape stomp, a light-up parade and more. The Vintage focuses on local culture and community, and is wholly organized by local volunteers to benefit several Sonoma County nonprofits and projects. Sept. 28–30 at Sonoma Plaza, First St. E., Sonoma. valleyofthemoonvintagefestival.com.

Hands Across the Valley Benefiting Napa Valley food programs, including the Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, the Table, the Salvation Army and more, the 26th annual event features tastings from many noted Napa chefs and winemakers, silent and live auctions, and dancing under the stars with Bay Area party band Neon Velvet. Sept. 29. Charles Krug Winery, 2800 Main St.,
St. Helena. 4pm. $125 and up. handsacrossthevalley.com.

Harvest Celebration Kendall-Jackson’s second annual Harvest Celebration, formerly the Heirloom Tomato Festival, syncs fine food, good wine and great entertainment in support of the UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County. Outdoor painting sessions, live music, educational seminars and more compliment the tasty array of culinary delights. Sept. 30. 5007 Fulton Road, Fulton. 11am–4pm. $150. 707.571.8100.

October

Sonoma County Harvest Fair Hit up the World Championship Grape Stomp competition, sip some wine in the Grand Tasting Pavilion, go local and peruse the Wine Country Marketplace or simply get down to some swingin’ music at this 44th annual event. Oct. 5–7, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa. Friday, 4–9pm; Saturday–Sunday, 11am–5pm. $5; kids 12 and under, free. Tasting Pavilion tickets, $60. harvestfair.org.

Santa Rosa Symphony The acclaimed symphony’s 91st season features new music director and conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong, who leads the orchestra in the classical program “Passion & Power,” with guest violinist Amaud Sussmann, on Oct. 6–8, followed by “Dancing Across Time,” with guest guitarist Sharon Isbin, on Nov. 3–5. The performances include a pre-concert talk with the conductor. Weill Hall at Green Music Center, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. Times vary, $24 and up. srsymphony.org.

Sebastopol Craft Brew Bash The Rotary Club of Sebastopol invites all to sample the best beers, wine, food and music in the civic organization’s new fundraising extravaganza. Oct. 13. Holy Ghost Society, 7960 Mill Station Road, Sebastopol. 2pm–8pm. sebsunriserotary.org.

Sonoma County Art Trails This annual tradition offers a self-guided opportunity to enjoy the abundance of creative local talent, and to buy directly from artists while peeking into their workspaces—there are 170 participants this year. Oct. 13–14 and 20–21. 10am–5pm. Preview exhibit at Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 S. High St., Sebastopol. Tuesday–Friday, 10am–4pm; Saturday, 1–4pm. Free. sonomacountyarttrails.org.

A Food & Wine Weekend The Culinary Institute of America and Food & Wine Magazine team up for a powerhouse weekend of edible excellences. Immerse yourself in savory flavors, learn cooking and kitchen skills and enjoy a culinary spectacle. You won’t have your security credentials revoked at this CIA. Oct. 19–21, CIA at Copia,
500 First St,. Napa. 707.967.2500.

November

Wine & Food Affair Nearly a hundred local wineries from the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River valleys open their doors for another delicious extravaganza featuring two of the best things in the world. Wine samples are met with a special food pairing to go with the pours. Hosted by Wine Road, the event always sells out, so nab tickets as early as Aug. 29, when they go on sale. The affair commences Nov. 3–4. Various locations in Sonoma County. 11am–4pm. $30–$80. wineroad.com.

Napa Valley Film Festival The North Bay’s top film-food-wine triumvirate of joy returns to Napa Valley with 120 films playing in four towns over the course of five days. Do the math: it’s awesome. Red-carpet screenings, sneak previews, industry panels, gala parties and appearances by A-list Hollywood types are only the beginning. The festival also boasts several culinary and winery events to satisfy any taste. Nov. 7–11. nvff.org.

Art & Exhibitions

Arts Guild of Sonoma “Art in an Age of Anxiety” is a juried group show that features artists who chronicle, illuminate and cope with the angsty moment we’re in. Reception: Sept. 1 at 5pm. 140 E. Napa St., Sonoma. 707.996.3115.

Napa Valley Museum Paintings by Melissa Chandon and Matt Rogers, as well as surfboard art by Tim Bessell, comprise the “California Dreamin'” exhibition that captures the spirit of the Golden State that took hold of the American imagination in the 1960s—thanks to the Beach Boys, the Summer of Love and Jerry Garcia’s beard. Reception: Sept. 1. 55 Presidents Circle, Yountville. 5pm. $20. 707.944.0500.

Healdsburg Center for the Arts “Figure study,” the human form, has been the subject of artistic expression since the cavemen days, and this juried exhibit displays several artists’ interpretations of the figure as a narrative tool in storytelling. Reception: Sept. 8. 130 Plaza St., Healdsburg. 5pm. 707.431.1970.

Riverfront Art Gallery The high-end gallery, run by artists Lance Kuehne and Jerrie Jerné Morago, marks its 11th year with a group show featuring 20 artists. They’ll be on hand hand for the show’s reception, as will a variety of Sonoma County wines and music from Kevin Loewen. Sept. 8.
132 Petaluma Blvd., N., Petaluma. 5pm. Free. 707.775.4278.

Agent Ink Gallery The contemporary screen-print
and poster-art gallery hosts a mouthful of an art show this fall:
“2 Troglodytes Swimming Upstream in a River of Breakdancing Flies.” Translated: the wildly colorful works of Ricky Watts and Chris Jehly. Reception: Sept. 15. 531 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. 7pm. agentinkgallery.com.

Sebastopol Center for the Arts Sculpture Jam Sebastopol collaborates with the SCA to present a seven-month outdoor sculpture installation, “Art on the Lawn,” opening Sept. 23. The gallery also hosts the “Sonoma County Art Trails Preview Exhibit” beginning on Sept. 28. Curated collections of art and poetry, “Reverberations: A Visual Conversation,” opens Oct. 25. 282 S. High St., Sebastopol. 707.829.4797.

Museums of Sonoma County The Art Museum of Sonoma County hosts its annual Gala & After-Party, this year themed “Reimagine the Future,” on Sept. 29. The neighboring History Museum of Sonoma County hosts a Día de los Muertos exhibit, which opens with a family-focused day of activities, on Oct. 21. 425 Seventh St., Santa Rosa. 707.579.1500.

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art See and hear the stories behind 20 Sonoma art collectors, who share their art with SVMA as part of the gallery’s 20th anniversary. Also showing, “From Fire, Love Rises,” which features stories from artists effected by the October 2017 fires. Reception: Sept. 29. 551 Broadway, Sonoma. 6pm. $10. 707.939.7862.

Clubs & Venues

Gundlach Bundschu Winery Hard to pronounce and easy to love, Gun Bun winery makes the most of its outdoor space, redwood barn and wine cave to bring the best indie rock acts from today and yesterday. Bay Area singer-songwriter Nicki Bluhm, best known for leading the rock band the Gramblers, performs a solo show in support of her latest album, To Ride You Gotta Fall, on Sept. 1. Synth-pop mainstays Future Islands gets the beat going on Sept. 14. Guitar god—and founding member of the Smiths—Johnny Marr plays a solo show on Sept. 28. Indie-rock veteran Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band return to Gun Bun on Oct. 7. Eclectic indie stars Ty Segall and White Fence share the show on Oct. 11. Swedish pop sensation Lykke Li gets a groove going on Oct. 18. 200 Denmark St., Sonoma. 707.938.5277.

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Mystic Theatre & Music Hall Petaluma’s historic venue and former movie house offers a lineup of headlining performers from across the musical spectrum. Santa Rosa rock ‘n’ roll veteran John Courage leads his trio in a single-release show on Sept. 1. Iconic British psychedelic pop legends the Zombies perform
Sept. 8. L.A. folk-rockers Dawes hit the stage on Oct. 4. Former New York City subway “Brasshouse” buskers (and now nationally touring trio) Too Many Zooz roll in on Oct. 9. Pioneering classic-rock outfit Y&T return to the Mystic Nov. 17–18. 23 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. 707.775.6048.

Green Music Center Sonoma State University’s world-class music center, centered by the stunning Weill Hall, hosts another season of top-tier artists from around the world. Lyle Lovett brings his Large Band to perform on Sept. 8. Americana act Bumper Jacksons headline the Banjos & Bourbon benefit for music programs at the center on Sept. 15. R&B powerhouse Tower of Power celebrate their 50th anniversary, with special guest the Average White Band in concert on Sept. 22. Afro-Mexican outfit Las Cafeteras moves to the rhythm on Sept. 28. South Africa’s Soweto Gospel Choir returns to Rohnert Park on Oct. 12. And last but definitely not least, folk icon Joan Baez appears as part of her Fare Thee Well Tour on Nov. 11. 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. 866.955.6040.

Luther Burbank Center for the Arts The Burbank welcomes an array of veteran talent from the world of music and more this fall. Music-producer extraordinaire
T Bone Burnett takes audiences on a tour of his work and collaborations with musicians across all genres, in a special storytelling program on Sept. 9. Nineties rockers Gin Blossoms and Big Head Todd & the Monsters share the bill on Sept. 13. Singer-songwriter Norah Jones croons to the crowd on Sept. 20. Roots and country star Alison Krauss appears Oct. 6. Dance and pop superstar Paula Abdul returns to the stage in a new tour that stops in the North Bay on Nov. 7. 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. 707.546.3600.

Uptown Theatre Napa’s Art Deco landmark welcomes musicians and comedians from all parts to the region, through the fall. Genre-defying rockers the Mavericks perform Sept. 12. Late-night TV host Craig Ferguson appears as part of his Hobo Fabulous tour Sept. 16. Guitar virtuoso Robben Ford lays down the blues on Sept. 22. Rock & Roll Hall of Famers and ’60s pop icons Ronnie Spector & the Ronettes throw it back to the good old days on Oct. 9. Filmmaker Kevin Smith, recently recovered from a heart attack, and Ralph Garman appear for a live recording of their podcast Hollywood Babble-On, rescheduled form earlier this year, on Nov. 16. Todd Rundgren gets characteristically unpredictable in concert, Nov. 18. 1350 Third St., Napa. 707.259.0123.

Blue Note Napa The Napa emporium of fine music offers close-up and personal performances by an array of musicians from genres that include blues, jazz, funk and soul. Chart-topping vocalist Brian McKnight offers three nights of musical harmony Sept. 27–29. Acclaimed jazz experimenter Rachel Eckroth plays an album-release show on Oct. 18. Songwriter-producers Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony, who’ve worked with the likes of Celine Dion and Bruno Mars, step behind the mic for the first time as Louis York for a Halloween party Oct. 31. Comedy vet and actress Sandra Bernhard appears for two nights as part of her latest “Sandemonium” standup tour, Nov. 16–17. 1030 Main St., Napa. 707.880.2300.

Theater

Main Stage West The Sebastopol theater house kicks off its fall season with a world premiere of the raucous comedy Savage Wealth, in which two brothers run into all sorts of obstacles trying to sell their Tahoe home, Aug. 31–Sept. 16. Then, David Lear directs the warm and humane drama
The Night Alive, about two rundown individuals who try to make more of their lives together, Oct. 12–28. 104 N. Main St., Sebastopol. 707.823.0177.

Cinnabar Theater The revered Petaluma theater presents the infamous Kit Kat Klub in pre-WWII Germany, which serves as the backdrop to the blockbuster musical Cabaret, Aug. 31–
Sept. 16. Then, director Taylor Korobow returns to Cinnabar to helm the deeply emotional story of The Great God Plan, Oct. 12–28. 3333 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. 707.763.8920.

Lucky Penny Productions Napa’s theater-production house opens its season with Stephen Sondheim’s contemporary-classic musical Into the Woods, Sept. 7–23. Then, Noël Coward’s beloved comedy Blithe Spirit is resurrected in the North Bay, Oct. 19–Nov. 4. 1758 Industrial Way, Napa. 707.266.6305.

Left Edge Theatre Continuing in the tradition of the longtime Santa Rosa company Actors’ Theatre, Left Edge presents a season of imaginative productions that push the envelope on a local level. British comedy hit The Naked Truth makes its U.S. premiere
Sept. 7–30. Multi-award-winning comedy Hand to God, featuring a hand puppet possessed by the Devil, runs Oct. 19–Nov. 11. Unhand me, Satan! 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. 707.546.3600.

Spreckels Theatre Company The semi-pro resident theater company has a knack for producing critically acclaimed straight plays and show-stopping musicals. A 15-year-old amateur sleuth is on the case in the international sensation The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, running Sept. 7–30. Then, the creepy, kooky and delightfully spooky Addams Family musical celebrates the Halloween season Oct. 12–28. 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. 707.588.3400.

6th Street Playhouse Housed in the heart of Railroad Square, the popular playhouse continues to engage the community with plays and musicals designed to delight and entertain. Classic Broadway musical Guys & Dolls rolls the dice and rocks the boat Sept. 14–Oct. 7. Everyone’s favorite orphan, Annie, sings about tomorrow, the sun
and how it’s coming out, Nov. 23–Dec. 16. 52 W. Sixth St., Santa Rosa. 707.523.4185.

Raven Players The players present a gamut of shows that range from hilarious to heartbreaking. The topical gun-violence study Church & State and the foreign-correspondent drama Time Stands Still alternate on every other show day between Sept. 20 and Oct. 7. They’re followed by the Irish drama Outside Mullingar, Oct. 25–
Nov. 4. 115 North St., Healdsburg. 707.433.6335.

SSU Theatre & Dance Sonoma State University’s dramatic arts department presents several, well, dramatic works this fall. Go figure. First, a poor soldier in a small German town suffers a breakdown and begins experiencing apocalyptic visions in the stark and fragmentary Woyzeck, running Oct. 4–13. Then, a collapse in the U.S. energy grid leads a band of post-apocalyptic survivors to share their memories of pop culture before the lights went out in Mr. Burns, running Oct. 31–
Nov. 4. Things take a decidedly upbeat turn for the university’s Fall Dance concert, which features student works in motion, Nov. 29–Dec .2. 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. 707.644.2474.

Sonoma Arts Live The theater company’s 2017–18 season is themed “A Toast to the Classics,” and it doesn’t get any more classic than the Broadway musical Hello, Dolly! Directed by Michael Ross, the production features Bay Area theater stars Dani Innocenti Beem and Tim Setzer, recognized by local critics for their work in Sonoma Arts Live’s previous production of Gypsy. Say hello to the beloved musical Oct. 5–21.
276 E. Napa St., Sonoma. sonomaartslive.org.

SRJC Theatre Arts While the Santa Rosa Junior College’s Burbank Auditorium is undergoing renovations, the 2018–19 season is moving around a bit to various venues, but with no letdown in sight as far as quality goes. The charming and relatable comedy, How the García Girls Lost
Their Accents
, runs Oct. 5–14 at SRJC’s Newman Auditorium,
1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. Then, Shrek: The Musical warms the heart Nov. 16–Dec. 2, at
Maria Carrillo High School,
6975 Montecito Blvd., Santa Rosa. theatrearts.santarosa.edu.

The Bong Show

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It’s been a mixed legislative bag for supporters of Proposition 64 this year, as the California State Legislature is poised to close out its summer session.

Numerous pot-related bills were presented over the session this year, angling in various ways to enhance, trim or otherwise square up the various potholes and complexities that came along with the 2016 Adult Use of Marijuana Act and pre-existing medical-marijuana law.

As the smoke settles, there are a handful of cannabis-related bills that have passed out of committee and are now headed to the State Senate and Assembly for full votes. The final day for each house to pass a bill and send it to Gov. Jerry Brown is Aug. 31. And numerous bills are stalled in committee and won’t get a vote until next year—if at all.

For the California Growers Association (CGA), which represents the state’s smaller-scale cannabis cultivators and businesses in Sacramento, the session was a disappointment in that the lobbying group’s main legislative thrust, AB 2641—which proposed to open new opportunities for cannabis sales directly from producer to consumer—was undone by pressure from lobbyists representing the so-called forces of Big Bud. But the CGA did report some good news afoot in the land of the legislators.

Here are the bills still alive as of this week—and soon headed to a vote in the Senate and Assembly in anticipation of the signature from Gov. Jerry Brown.

Senate Bill 311 California legalized medical-cannabis use in 1996 with Proposition 215 and adult recreational use in 2016 with Proposition 64. Given the state’s penchant for regulation-met-with-freedom, cannabis production has remained heavily regulated at every level of production and distribution.

Heavy regulations have separated the industry into cultivation, production and distribution since the commodity was legalized for recreational sales. Senate Bill 311, which amends the state’s Business and Professions Code, seeks to relax regulations on distribution by making it easier for distributors to transport cannabis to other distributors and retailers. The bill was supported by the CGA, among other legal-weed lobbyists.

The bill redefines the steps cultivators and distributors must take before transporting their product, which include laboratory testing and quality assurance reviews by uninterested parties. It also expands the ability of the Bureau of Cannabis Control to review distributors’ tax payments and records, and to investigate when they fail to comply.

Under the bill, immature seeds and plants would be exempt from the transportation guidelines.

Status: Headed for a vote before the full Senate and Assembly on or before Aug. 31.

Senate Bill 1294 The Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) was included as part of the law’s intent the “[reduction] of barriers to entry in the legal, regulated market,” according to the Legislative Counsel’s Digest. That’s been a thorny ride for legacy growers who were encouraged to come out of the proverbial shadows with their boutique strains of tasty, healthy buds—only to be met with no real incentive to do so, given, among other factors, that 80 percent of cannabis grown in California heads out of the state as black market product. And the AUMA failed to account for disproportionate law-enforcement impacts on California communities such as Oakland.

Senate Bill 1294 would enact the Cannabis Collaboration and Inclusion Act, which aims to include communities negatively affected by cannabis criminalization in the legal marketplace.

The bill acknowledges that communities with high levels of poverty, especially those of color, have been disproportionately affected by prohibition and over-incarceration, and similarly face difficulty entering the multi-billion dollar industry legally.

Cannabis cultivators, manufacturers and distributors face a costly and difficult-to-navigate multi-tiered application process that excludes many who would otherwise join. By establishing local equity programs that would waive local and state fees while providing technical, regulatory and capital assistance, SB 1294 would direct the Bureau of Cannabis Control to assist economically disadvantaged Californians as they enter the industry.

Status: Passed out of committee and headed to a full vote before the Senate and Assembly.

Senate Bill 829 Nobody’s kidding themselves that the tax regime that came along with Proposition 64 is, to say the least, pretty stiff. Under the legalization scheme enacted in 2016, the state, counties and cities currently tax the distribution of any cannabis product at 15 percent of the average market value. Senate Bill 829 sets out to establish a “compassion-care license,” which would exempt from state and local taxes any cannabis or cannabis products donated to patients with a physician’s recommendation for medical purposes.

All cannabis used for this purpose would be exempted from taxes for cultivation, storage and distribution established by the AUMA. The state would not reimburse municipalities for the lost tax revenues. But cities are free to create their own cannabis taxation schemes under the AUMA, to cover, for instance, the costs of additional law enforcement. The bill is supported by the likes of the CGA and other pro-pot folks with an eye toward tax equity.

Status: Headed to a vote before the Senate and Assembly.

Assembly Bill 1863 California’s cannabis industry would sidestep any interactions with the federal tax code should this bill pass. This bill sets out to amend California’s Revenue and Taxation Code, which, under existing law, conforms to the federal tax code and prohibits those in the cannabis industry from deducting business expenses from income on their state taxes. Assembly
Bill 1863 loosens those restrictions for cannabis businesses.

Status: Passed out of committee, and headed for a full vote before the Senate and Assembly.

Senate Bill 1409 Despite having the drug potency of a banana peel, hemp is a heavily regulated industry in itself. The seeds and fibers of the plant can be used for anything from dietary supplements to making paper, to creating a hair-piece for Sen. Mitch McConnell, who hates pot, Obama and liberals, but has embraced hemp production in his wet-brain home state of Kentucky.

Closer to home, SB 1409 would ease current California regulations on hemp production by removing the requirement that hemp be grown from seed cultivars on a list approved in 2013. It would also allow the use of clonal propagation to reproduce the plants.

The bill would also push the registration and renewal fees required by hemp producers to delegated county officials, who would use the fees to fund implementation of the regulations. The bill also declassifies the plant as either a fiber or oilseed product, and applications would not need to specify their product as either (or both).

Status: Passed out of committee, and headed for a full vote before the Senate and Assembly.

Numerous cannabis-related bills have been held in committee and will not be voted on this year. Here are three:

Senate Bill 930 would have created cannabis-limited charter banks and credit unions to provide banking and financial services for the industry. The upshot: it’s way too soon for this, especially when Wells Fargo just shut down the bank account of a medical-pot-supporting Democrat running for Congress in Florida who said she’d take money from the cannabis industry. Looks like there’s a ways to go on the banking-and-empathy front.

Assembly Bill 924 would have required cannabis producers on tribal land, which is protected by federal law, to enter an agreement with the governor and establish a tribal cannabis regulatory commission. The idea was similar to the drive behind SB 1294’s push to include minority communities in the cannabis boom.

Assembly Bill 2641 was the biggest and most disappointing defeat for the CGA, says executive director Hezekiah Allen. Under strict regulations, it would have allowed cannabis cultivators to apply for a temporary state license to sell cannabis to person 21 years and older at events—cannabis-related fairs, farmers markets and the like.

“Despite several rounds of amendments that removed opposition from the United Food and Commercial Workers,” says Allen, “the United Cannabis Business Association remained in opposition and successfully killed the bill. It kind of breaks my heart that for the next year at least the people who make the products won’t be able to sell directly to the people who love the product.” Allen vows that direct marketing will be a big priority for the CGA in coming years.

Letters to the Editor: August 22, 2018

Eurocentric

“Discover” is an insulting term for a place that is already inhabited. Eurocentric history devalues the true history of our region.

Via Bohemian.com

Mystery Solved?

Thanks to editor Stett Holbrook, and the Bohemian for publishing the first article about my Drake landing site hypothesis (“Drake Detective,” Aug. 8), now available online. As was mentioned in the article, my archeological team and I spent several years searching for the artifact that would have made the discovery indisputable (finding only iron tracings); however, I sincerely believe that the collected “circumstantial evidence” is strong enough to win if this were a court case. I invite the readers (if they haven’t already) to take a look at the detailed evidence on my Sir Francis Drake website at sfdrakefoundation.org, and decide for themselves if one of the greatest of all California historical mysteries has finally been solved.

Via Bohemian.com

Slanted and Disenchanted

Another shoddy, slanted piece by the Bohemian (“High Hats,” Aug. 15). No wonder your reviews are so poor.

For starters, the name of the group opposing commercial pot operations in residential areas is Save Our Sonoma Neighborhoods, not Save our Sonoma County Neighbors. So, good journalism there, nice that you bothered to get the name right. Obviously, you didn’t talk to any members. And we are not “the neighbors” or “the neighbor camp.” You can use SOSN as an abbreviation.

Also, the board voted against exclusion zones, they didn’t enact them. This after their own committee recommended them and three supervisors previously were favorable.

Were you even there?

We have had seven home invasions and 10 murders at Sonoma pot grows in the past three years. We had another shooting at a legal grow last week, with an attempted murder.

The myth that legalization leads to less crime has been debunked. Colorado has had 11 pot-related homicides since legalization. How is that working?

So as to your statement that the neighbor’s camp cited “perceived” threats to safety: are you for real? How many have to die, how many women and children need to get tied up and pistol-whipped before you stop calling it a “perceived” safety issue? Fifteen? Twenty? What’s your number?

Via Bohemian.com

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

The O’Leary Factor

0

I was a fourth grader on Oct. 8, 2017, when I woke to furious winds and I looked out the window to see fire in the yard. Our smoke alarms rang and I yelled to my parents: “Fire! Let’s get out of here!” We all rushed into the car, drove through flames, barely made it out alive and didn’t stop till we got to my Auntie’s house in Oakland.

Days later, when I learned all my toys and home were gone, it reminded me of the book I read weeks before the fire called I Survived the Great Chicago Fire, 1871 by Lauren Tarshis. I asked my dad if we were going to rebuild like they did in Chicago. He said yes. I then asked would our house and the others in Santa Rosa be built out of brick like in Chicago? He didn’t know.

Then I reread that book, and saw, amazingly, that it was the same date as our fire here in Santa Rosa: Oct. 8. Wow! I also learned that it was actually only after the second fire of Chicago, in 1874, that the Windy City made big changes. Are we going to wait for another fire here in Sonoma County before we make big changes? I hope not.

Here is what Chicago did back in 1874:

All future buildings needed to be built out of brick, because insurance companies were going to leave if this wasn’t done in all of Chicago. No tar roofs either!

The New Fire Academy was created where O’Leary’s infamous cow knocked over the lantern, so firefighters could learn new fire-fighting techniques.

Businesses and the city of Chicago worked together to develop fire-alert systems, so nobody else would need to run for their lives in the event of another big fire.

I don’t think we need to build everything out of brick here in Santa Rosa, but I do hope we learn from the fires and make big changes. I still see smoke and ash in the Sonoma County sky, and I worry all the time. I love my home, and hope my mom and dad and the other adults will make it safe for me and my community.

Leo Abrams is 10 years old and awesome.

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.

Freedom Fighter

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So, what’s former Spreckels Performing Arts Center manager Gene Abravaya been doing since his retirement to the Arizona desert?

“I’ve been enjoying my retirement and developing style and techniques for the abstract sculptures I am interested in designing,” he says. “Oh, and I’ve been working on a new play.”

That play, The Trial of John Brown, will have a one-time staged reading at the Spreckels Performing Arts Center on Aug. 25.

In 1859, John Brown, an ardent abolitionist and fanatically religious man, led his followers into Harpers Ferry, Va. His objective: confiscate weapons from a rifle factory and an armory, then sweep across the Southern United States, setting free every black slave he encountered. He was met with heavy resistance. After a three-day battle, during which all but five of his men were killed, Brown was finally captured. The trial that followed brought the issue of slavery to the attention of the nation and the entire world.

What piqued Abravaya’s interest in this moment in American history?

“I’ve always been fascinated with it ever since seeing Raymond Massey’s portrayal in a 1940 Errol Flynn film, Santa Fe Trail,” Abravaya says. “Although the character was somewhat distorted and superficial, there was much about John Brown’s personality that rang true. Reading more about the actual raid and subsequent trial captivated me.”

Why Spreckels and not a theater in Tucson? “I brought the play up here because I’ve been involved in this acting community for years,” Abravaya says. “I wanted actors who were talented enough to make the written words come to life. I knew I would find the people I need up here to give life to the play and to help me see what legitimately works in the play and what still needs work.”

Cast members include Heather Buck, Dixon Phillips, Chris Ginesi, Sarah Wintermeyer, Mary Gannon Graham, Sean O’Brien, Tim Setzer, Michael Ross, Chris Schloemp, William B. Thompson, Sheri Lee Miller, Zane Walters, ScharyPearl Fugitt and Nate Mercier.

The project, Abravaya says, is more than about just writing a play. “I want to illustrate that the injustices of the past, no matter how much we try to deny them, are still with us, influencing the course of our lives. If I manage to agitate someone enough to become an agitator or an activist, I will have succeeded and maybe have contributed something of value to what might be the most important issue of our time.”

Microbrew dropouts, go back to wine school!

0

That was just fun to say, but don’t worry—there’ll be craft brew, too, on Swirl’s third-edition, back-to-school wine quiz. Answers below. No peeking!

1. When we find the “godfather of natural wine” burying clay amphorae in a rustic cellar on Sonoma Mountain, we’re talking about:

A) Wine legend Agoston Haraszthy

B) Viticulturist Phil Coturri

C) Winemaker Tony Coturri

D) Author Jack London

2. True or false: The beautiful, historic Fountaingrove Winery in Santa Rosa was destroyed by the Tubbs fire in 2017.

3. Which of these wines is identified incorrectly?

A) Martinelli Jackass Hill Sonoma Valley Zinfandel

B) Turley Hayne Vineyard
Petite Syrah

C) Tara Bella Russian River Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

D) Sidebar Mokelumne
River Kerner

4. True or false: The 1976 Paris Tasting was not the first time that California wines bested European wines in a competition.

5. Geek alert! What’s 777 on 101-14?

A) Twist on the French 75 cocktail from 101 North
Brewing Co.

B) French Cabernet clone on high-density vine spacing

C) UC Davis Chardonnay clone on drought-resistant rootstock

D) Dijon Pinot Noir clone on Millardet et de Grasset rootstock

6. Picture round: Who is the founder of Buena Vista Winery represented in this bobble head figure?

A) Charles Krug

B) Jean-Charles Boisset

C) Agoston Haraszthy

D) Carlo Rossi

7. Choose all the right words for one point:

The (French/Italian) grape Aglianico, which makes a (deep red/fruity white) wine, was reputedly prized by the (Romans/kings of Burgundy).

8. Which one is not like the others?

A) Arrowood Vineyards

B) Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery

C) Carol Shelton Wines

D) BR Cohn Winery

9. Atlas, Hyperion, and Methuselah are:

A) Sub-AVAs of eastern Napa Valley

B) Cult Cabernet Sauvignons

C) Different sizes of large wine bottles

D) Beers made by Fogbelt Brewing Co.

10. The USDA organic seal, in combination with the words “organic wine,” means that the wine:

A) Contains no added sulfites

B) Contains no more than 100 ppm sulfites

C) Contains no naturally occurring sulfites

D) Contains less than 100 ppm Pinot Grigio

[page]

Answers: 1) C; 2) False, it was long neglected and demolished before the fire; 3) A—it’s Russian River Valley; as for spelling on B, that’s just their thing; 4) True—the Wine Exposition of 1911 in Turin, Italy for one; 5) D; 6) C; 7) Italian, deep red, Romans; 8) C—still owned by founding winemaker; 9) D; 10) A. 9–10 points, Grand Cru; 7–8 points, Premier Cru; 5–6 points, village; 4 points or fewer, vin ordinaire.

Healdsburg Fire Under Control, Says Cal-Fire

0

Firefighters have stopped forward progress on a 5 to 10 acre fire off W. Dry Creek and Madrona Knolls roads in Healdsburg after it erupted at 1:39 p.m., threatening 10 to 12 homes, authorities said.

Officials evacuated the homes and multiple Sonoma County agencies have contributed ground and air resources to combat the blaze.

Cal-Fire public information officer Will Powers said crews will stay on the scene overnight to maintain control lines and conduct ember mop ups.

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office sent out a Nixle report at 2:53 p.m. advising Sonoma County residents to stay clear of the area while the Cal-Fire operation continues.

“Cal Fire reported they have a good handle on the situation,” Sgt. D. Thompson said.

No damage to structures has been reported and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Cal Fire are using the entrance to Madrona Manor to access the fire and have set up a staging area in the DaVero Winery across the street.

The wildfire, just one mile from downtown Healdsburg, began as the Mendocino Complex Fire, which recently replaced last year’s North Bay fires as the largest in California state history, continues to blaze to the north.

Recycling Industry Coalition Slams Trump for Disastrous Trade War with China

Trash haulers and recyclers from around the state threw tabloid trash president Donald Trump in the dumpster this week over his escalating trade war with China and its disastrous impact on the state’s recycling industry

The Trump trade war, charged a garbage-hauling coalition that gathered in American Canyon on Tuesday, “is leaving them with stockpiles of recycled materials, and sending more waste to landfills.”

Last week, China announced new tariffs on recyclable exports from the U.S., in retaliation to Trump’s implementation of taxes on numerous Chinese imports. One new tariff from the Chinese targets fiberboard and cardboard. “It’s a popular export for recycling,” says coalition spokesman Steve Maviglio, “because it’s usually high quality, not spoiled by food or anything. [The Chinese] like it as opposed to mixed paper.”

The new China-slapped tax on cardboard, says Mavilglio, was an unexpected hiccup for a statewide recycling industry that’s already working within tight margins, not to mention having to negotiate ever-more-restrictive conditions set by Chinese importers about the purity of the product they’re getting.

California is the nation’s leader in the recycling business, generally, says Maviglio, and far and away the biggest exporter of recyclables to China. Now recyclers are faced with growing piles of recyclable materials in their facilities, which are increasingly winding up in landfills.

Tuesday’s American Canyon press briefing at Napa Valley Recyclers had two main thrusts: One, to ask residents to recycle smarter in order to stem the flow of China-rejected cardboard into landfills.

“Don’t put things in the bins that don’t belong there,” says Maviglio. “China is tightening up on what they will accept and won’t accept.” China used to accept recyclables with up to 5 percent contamination from other waste products. Now the nation won’t accept bales of cardboard that eclipse a 1 percent contamination rate.

The other thrust of the presser was to push California lawmakers, if possible, to step up with new legislation to keep the state and municipalities that have recycling contracts from not having to eat new costs of shipping the product to China. With only a few weeks left in the legislative session, time’s of the essence, says Maviglio for the state to provide relief to impacted haulers and recyclers. “Different companies,” he says, “are getting hit harder than others.” Cal-Recycle hosted a conference a few weeks ago to try and find common ground on the issue, he says.

When municipalities around the state contracted with waste haulers and recycling companies (such as Recology’s recent forays into Santa Rosa and West Marin), to stem the flow of trash to landfills, “tariffs from an unexpected trade war never figured into their plans,” says Maviglio Certainty is the key in this industry, especially when you’re talking about such large quantities being shipped.” Those costs are inevitably passed along to residents and businesses.

As a side-note, while the recycling coalition isn’t talking about landfills’ susceptibility to fires, it would stand to reason that the more cardboard product that winds up at the dump, the greater the risk for fire. As Cal-Recycle notes on its website, “Landfills fires, both surface and subsurface, are more common than one might expect.” 

Drake Detective

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Could Sir Francis Drake have discovered San Francisco Bay
190 years before history books say Gaspar de Portolá did? Amateur historian Duane Van Dieman has evidence—”a discovery,” he calls it—that he says may upend the accepted wisdom about Drake’s circumnavigation of the globe more than 400 years ago.

The location of Drake’s fateful landfall in 1579 has been debated for nearly years. The commonly accepted site is Drakes Estero in the Point Reyes National Seashore. The location was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 2012 as the “most likely” site of Drake’s California landing. But Van Dieman never bought the Drakes Estero location and spent 10 years researching other sites.

“Someone has got to find this,” he said as he began his quest in 2001. “Why not me?”

He said he stumbled on the location a decade ago after he had given up his search, but he kept it a secret as he tried to prove and disprove his theory. But now he’s ready to go public. Van Dieman believes Drake landed in a tidy cove just east of Highway 101 in Mill Valley, making him the first European to enter San Francisco Bay.

The jury is still out but, this much we know for sure. In 1579, Capt. Francis Drake, sometimes referred to as “the Queen’s pirate,” led his crew of the Golden Hind northwest from South America in search of a way back home to England. The ship was laden with 40 tons of silver and assorted booty, including 26 tons of silver stolen from a Spanish galleon nicknamed Cacafuego (a derogatory term that meant “braggart” or, literally, “fireshitter”) off the coast of Peru. Drake was apparently a polite pirate. After looting the ship, he invited the officers and first-class passengers on the Spanish ship to dinner and sent them off with parting gifts befitting their rank and notice of safe passage.

Drake was eager to present his treasure to Queen Elizabeth I and receive the fame and fortune that surely awaited him. Having rounded the tip of South America through the Straights of Magellan on his way up the coast of the Americas, Drake was hoping to find the fabled Northwest Passage through Canada and back to the Atlantic Ocean. That was not to be.

Drake reportedly got as far north as British Colombia before deciding to turn around in icy weather, with a leaking hull to boot. He needed to find a safe harbor to make repairs for his return voyage. He would go on to be the first captain to circumnavigate the globe and return home. (Ferdinand Magellan was the first to circle the earth, but he never made it home; some of his crew did).

But first Drake had to fix
his ship.

The coast of what is now Canada, Washington, Oregon and Northern California proved too rocky and dangerous to drop anchor. But according to an account compiled by Drake’s nephew in 1628, as the captain and company sailed south, they “fell with a convenient and fit harbor and June 17 came to anchor there.”

But where exactly Drake landed and spent the next five weeks is one of the world’s great riddles. Original maps and logs from Drake’s voyage burned in the Palace of Whitehall in 1698. A map of the Marin County coast reveals the accepted wisdom in the place names Drakes Bay, Drakes Estero and Drakes Cove. The Drake Navigators Guild, a private research organization founded in 1949, spent years studying the Drakes Estero site and was instrumental in securing federal recognition of the site as a national landmark.

In a 2012 story in the Press Democrat following the dedication of the site by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the late Edward Von der Porten, maritime archeologist, historian and president of the Drake Navigators Guild at the time, said the official recognition ended the debate. “Were there any scholarly debate, this would not have happened,” he was quoted as saying.

Mike Von der Porten, vice president of the guild and Edward Von der Porten’s son, says there are some 50 data points that indicate the mouth of Drakes Estero was where the privateer found safe harbor and peacefully interacted with the native Miwok Indians, making the expedition the first time English was spoken in what would become the United States.

“It all comes together,” says Mike Von der Porten.

He argues Drake could not have found San Francisco Bay because it was too foggy to see, and if he had, he would have explored it and told the world about it. He scoffed at Van Dieman’s theory.

Case closed? Not by a long shot.

In addition to the National Park Service’s hedge that Drakes Estero is “the most likely site” of the landing, the Press Democrat article quotes a National Parks spokesperson who says the designation “should not be interpreted as providing a definitive resolution of the discussion.” (Mike Von der Porten says the spokesperson “wasn’t the most knowledgeable” and his quotes “continue to haunt us.”)

The Wikipedia entry for Nova Albion, the term that Drake gave to the region that means “New Britain,” lists 20 different “fringe theories” that locate Drake’s fateful landfall at different spots in San Francisco Bay, Bodega Bay and as far north as British Columbia. Some seem easily dismissed.

[page]

One of the entries cites Van Dieman. Van Dieman grew up in Mill Valley and is a longtime student of local history. He worked as a docent in the Mill Valley History Room for five years and became fascinated with the Mt. Tamalpais and Muir Woods Railway. He is also a member of the Tazmanian Devils, a locally celebrated rock band from the 1970s and ’80s. The band still plays the occasional gig.

With his peaked, black leather duster hat, purple bandana and trim beard, Van Dieman, 66, looks like a slimmer Waylon Jennings. For the past 10 years, what has really captured his interest is Sir Francis Drake and the mystery of Drake’s landing site.

“It’s always been an enigma,” he says. “It’s like trying to hug a ghost. There is no there there.”

After years of false starts, giving up and starting over again, Van Dieman says he discovered a spot he says fits perfectly with all the clues left by Drake: Strawberry Cove, an inlet of Richardson Bay near Seminary Drive, now ringed with condominiums.

One of most tantalizing bits of evidence about Drake’s trip to California is the “Portus Plan of Nova Albion,” a drawing of the spot where Drake landed and repaired his ship. The image depicts a small cove surrounded by hills with a peninsula on one side flanked by what appears to be a flat island. Adherents of the Drakes Estero theory say the flat island is a sand spit that comes and goes with the tides. Using old nautical charts, historic photographs and other research materials, Van Dieman says the telltale landmark is actually a marsh island, now mostly covered by landfill. But there is a culvert that runs where the channel between the island and the peninsula would be, says Van Dieman. Lay the Portus Plan over a map of Strawberry Cove, and they line up quite well.

“You don’t have to be a Drake expert to say that it looks like match,” says Van Dieman.

Van Dieman runs through a list of other clues contained in Drake’s nephew’s account of their time in California that all check out. The details of his findings are on his website, sfdrakefoundation.org.

Van Dieman came upon the cove by chance in 2008. He had long since given up on his quest to find the site and was out on a drive after recording a voice actor who happened to be reciting a famous speech by Queen Elizabeth I. “It was a magical day,” he says. He found himself on Richardson Bay, suddenly on the alert for landmarks and water features that might match the written and illustrated descriptions of Drake’s landing. He rounded a corner and beheld Strawberry Cove. Everything added up: the shape of the cove, the hills, the flora and fauna, the weather, the peninsula.

“I knew if I found it,” he says, “it would have to be perfect. And it was. I went into shock. I might have solved a 200-year-old mystery.”

After securing permits to search the area (archeological exploration is illegal without proper approval), Van Dieman admits he found no archeological evidence other than some decomposed iron. There may be artifacts under Seminary Road, he says. But he’s convinced he’s right and Drakes Estero is wrong.

“After years of dedicated historical and scientific research by myself and a team of experienced historians, archaeologists, geophysicists and geologists,” he writes on his website, “I can now say with confidence that the true location of this great chapter in British and American history is almost certainly a well-known southern Marin cove that many thousands of people look at every day.”

John Sugden, British author of Sir Francis Drake, the definitive biography of Drake, has taken an interest in Dieman’s investigation of the Strawberry Cove site. “Your theory ought to be up there with the others,” he wrote Dieman in an email in June.

Among other things, Van Dieman says Drakes Estero was unlikely to be Drake’s landing site because it would have been too visible to hostile Spanish ships, and the shallow, current-raked waters of the estuary would have not have accommodated the Golden Hind, a ship with a 13-foot draw.

Van Dieman says he kept his discovery secret (but somehow not off Wikipedia), and now wants to share it with the world. Before Edward Von Der Porten died earlier this year, Van Dieman presented his research to him. Van Dieman says Von der Porten listened to his presentation and called it “very interesting.”

Mike Von Der Porten, on the other hand, is irritated rather than interested in Van Dieman’s theory. “It doesn’t hold water,” he says. “If [Drake] had found the world’s best harbor, the world would have known about it.”

Van Dieman says Queen Elizabeth I forbade Drake and his crew from speaking about their trip, lest the Spanish learn of it. Van der Porten says that’s true, but the gag order was lifted after the England defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588 and England because a naval superpower, thanks in part to Drake’s stolen treasure.

But Van Dieman isn’t backing down.

“I’m sure that the Drake Navigators Guild will have something to say about my claim,” he says. “However, I’m fully prepared to debate them and to show my compelling evidence that makes a very strong case for my discovery of Drake’s landing site location to both Drake historians and to the court of public opinion.”

The Enemy of the People

0

With President Trump’s daily offenses and atrocities, it’s easy to feel more fatigue than outrage. But Trump’s relentless attacks on the press and his profound ignorance of the media’s role in a functioning democracy are one of the most pernicious aspects of his authoritarian reign.

Labeling journalists “enemies of the people,” dismissing any story critical of him as fake news and jeering at reporters at his febrile rallies—that’s the stuff of dictators and despots. And with a fawning Congress and enabling Supreme Court, that’s what he aspires to
be. He’s often expressed admiration for a host of thugs-in-chief (Vladimir Putin, Rodrigo Duterte, Kim Jong-un, Xi Jinping, Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi). The only remaining checks on his power are the press and the Nov. 7 election.

We the people only get the chance to do our duty as citizens on election day, but journalists, the kind who put facts before party and follow them wherever they lead, do their duty every day—or every week as the case may be. But just as hate crimes have spiked under this president, so have Trump’s attacks on the press. It seems only a matter of time before some MAGA goon beats up a reporter. Oh, wait. That already happened. (See Corey Lewandowski and Greg Gianforte). It’s a deeply troubling state of affairs when the real enemy of the people is the man sitting in the Oval Office.

Whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, libertarian or socialist, Trump’s denigration of the press should strike you as an attack on America and its ideals, namely freedom of the press. There are not many professions whose duty and privilege is enshrined in the First Amendment. It’s first for a reason. A free press is critical to maintenance of a democracy. The reporters I know see that as a solemn duty. They’re sure not in it for the money.

As one of the remaining, independently owned alternative weekly papers in America, we will continue to defend and exercise our constitutional rights, afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted along the way.

Whether you’re a fan of this paper or some other, keep reading and stand up for objective truth. It shall set us free.

Stett Holbrook is the editor of the ‘Bohemian’ and the ‘Pacific Sun.’

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.

Fall Arts 2018

Joan Baez, who graces our cover this week, is touring this year on what she's calling the Fare Thee Well Tour, but we editorial scribes at the Bohemian sure hope the legendary folk musician and heroine of '60s counterculture doesn't retire just yet—well, at least not until she's taken a righteous spin through our annual and epic fall arts...

The Bong Show

It's been a mixed legislative bag for supporters of Proposition 64 this year, as the California State Legislature is poised to close out its summer session. Numerous pot-related bills were presented over the session this year, angling in various ways to enhance, trim or otherwise square up the various potholes and complexities that came along with the 2016 Adult Use...

Letters to the Editor: August 22, 2018

Eurocentric "Discover" is an insulting term for a place that is already inhabited. Eurocentric history devalues the true history of our region. —Laura Goldenerg Via Bohemian.com Mystery Solved? Thanks to editor Stett Holbrook, and the Bohemian for publishing the first article about my Drake landing site hypothesis ("Drake Detective," Aug. 8), now available online. As was mentioned in the article, my archeological team and...

The O’Leary Factor

I was a fourth grader on Oct. 8, 2017, when I woke to furious winds and I looked out the window to see fire in the yard. Our smoke alarms rang and I yelled to my parents: "Fire! Let's get out of here!" We all rushed into the car, drove through flames, barely made it out alive and didn't...

Freedom Fighter

So, what's former Spreckels Performing Arts Center manager Gene Abravaya been doing since his retirement to the Arizona desert? "I've been enjoying my retirement and developing style and techniques for the abstract sculptures I am interested in designing," he says. "Oh, and I've been working on a new play." That play, The Trial of John Brown, will have a one-time staged...

Microbrew dropouts, go back to wine school!

That was just fun to say, but don't worry—there'll be craft brew, too, on Swirl's third-edition, back-to-school wine quiz. Answers below. No peeking! 1. When we find the "godfather of natural wine" burying clay amphorae in a rustic cellar on Sonoma Mountain, we're talking about: A) Wine legend Agoston Haraszthy B) Viticulturist Phil Coturri C) Winemaker Tony Coturri D) Author Jack London 2. True or...

Healdsburg Fire Under Control, Says Cal-Fire

Firefighters have stopped forward progress on a 5 to 10 acre fire off W. Dry Creek and Madrona Knolls roads in Healdsburg after it erupted at 1:39 p.m., threatening 10 to 12 homes, authorities said. Officials evacuated the homes and multiple Sonoma County agencies have contributed ground and air resources to combat the blaze. Cal-Fire public information officer Will Powers said...

Recycling Industry Coalition Slams Trump for Disastrous Trade War with China

Trash haulers and recyclers from around the state threw tabloid trash president Donald Trump in the dumpster this week over his escalating trade war with China and its disastrous impact on the state’s recycling industry The Trump trade war, charged a garbage-hauling coalition that gathered in American Canyon on Tuesday, “is leaving them with stockpiles of recycled materials, and sending...

Drake Detective

Could Sir Francis Drake have discovered San Francisco Bay 190 years before history books say Gaspar de Portolá did? Amateur historian Duane Van Dieman has evidence—"a discovery," he calls it—that he says may upend the accepted wisdom about Drake's circumnavigation of the globe more than 400 years ago. The location of Drake's fateful landfall in 1579 has been debated for...

The Enemy of the People

With President Trump's daily offenses and atrocities, it's easy to feel more fatigue than outrage. But Trump's relentless attacks on the press and his profound ignorance of the media's role in a functioning democracy are one of the most pernicious aspects of his authoritarian reign. Labeling journalists "enemies of the people," dismissing any story critical of him as fake news...
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