North Bay Bohemian November 20-26, 2019

SERVING SONOMA & NAPA COUNTIES | NOVEMBER 20-26, 2019 | BOHEMIAN.COM • VOL. 41.27

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Bohemian

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NORTH BAY BOHEMIAN [ISSN 1532-0154] (incorporating the Sonoma County Independent) is published weekly, on Wednesdays, by Metrosa Inc., located at: 847 Fifth St., Santa Rosa, CA 95404. Phone: 707.527.1200; fax: 707.527.1288; e-mail: editor@bohemian.com. It is a legally adjudicated publication of the county of Sonoma by Superior Court of California decree No. 119483. Member: Association of Alternative Newsweeklies, National Newspaper Association, California Newspaper Publishers Association, Verified Audit Circulation. Subscriptions (per year): Sonoma County $75; out-of-county $90. Thirdclass postage paid at Santa Rosa, CA. FREE DISTRIBUTION: The BOHEMIAN is available free of charge at numerous locations, limited to one copy per reader. Additional copies may be purchased for one dollar, payable in advance at The BOHEMIAN’s office. The BOHEMIAN may be distributed only by its authorized distributors. No person may, without permission of the publisher, take more than one copy of each issue.The BOHEMIAN is printed on 40 % recycled paper.

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nb CHARITABLE BUSINESS

Investigating the PG&E-funded Rebuild North Bay Foundation.

Many thanks to Bohemian readers who voted me Best trusts⁄estate planning lawyer!

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Rhapsodies BOHEMIAN

Clean It Up This is what the Napa River was like 20 years ago (“Waste Deep,” Nov. 6), when I grew up. So if you want to fight the fight the Napa community fought in the 1990s, jump on board in Petaluma, it’s about to get nasty! I purchased Petaluma Stand Up Paddle in 2015 because of the strong paddle culture here, much stronger than Napa.

Change is inevitable but the time is

NOW! Northbay Rowing center has over 200 members, 3 Outrigger Canoe clubs and a Rivertown Revival Festival that draws 10,000 annually. OUR KIDS DESERVE A CLEAN RIVER. Napa has seen water-based tourism explode since the restoration occurred. Mother Nature is resilient.

Bird species more than doubled in just 10 years. Otters, beavers and mink have returned, in addition to Argentina cliff swallows that now

THIS MODERN WORLD

build muddy nests under the bridges thanks to a restored floodplain.

Last week my other company, Napa Valley Paddle, hosted the first schooldistrict-approved field trip on the river in over a decade.

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By Tom Tomorrow

your mouth shut. Obviously. Like you would on the Eel, Russian and at Lake Tahoe, for that matter. The lack of oversight has taken a toll on my small business and recreation here.

Please don’t throw out the baby with the bath water. Visit Petaluma! And please, fight this fight for our children because they deserve clean water and fish to catch.

ANDREW DICKSON, OWNER

Petaluma Stand Up Paddle Via Bohemian.com

Not So SMART Editor, Once again the taxpayer is getting ripped off. SMART officials announced that the cost of 3 miles of track from northern Santa Rosa to Windsor, a station platform, more bike and pedestrian trails will now cost $65 million. $10 million of that came after the initial contract was signed— the cost of doing business. The contingency plan, if tapped (and you know it will be), will be in place for overruns. And then there is the 2-mile extension from San Rafael to Larkspur that is expected to cost $55.4 million.

SMART covers itself by saying that it has enough funding from outside sources (read that FEDERAL, State money, Regional Measure 3, hikes in the bridge tolls). That comes from the taxpayer. The government entities don’t come up with the money doing cake sales or returning bottles and cans. Increase the fares on the people that use it. No more free rides for anyone.

Face it folks, SMART is a chronically hungry ogre that needs more and more money to exist. And it doesn’t even come close to serving the majority of the community.

ART HACKWORTH Petaluma

Write to us at letters@bohemian.com.

River Rankles Petaluma River woes BY DAVID KELLER

I

’m glad that the North Bay Bohemian is covering the decades-long issues of the Petaluma River (“Waste Deep,” Nov. 6). It was bad when I got to town (in 1987) and started looking at the inadequacies and failures of our old wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Surcharged sewer pipes overflowed to the river, all of which got worse with our major infiltration and inflows (I&I) problems from leaking collection and transmission pipes.

A Brown and Caldwell engineering report from approximately 1985 projected a $10 million fix to reduce I&I by over half, but that was not done at the time since the council and city manager didn’t want to raise sewer fees to cover the costs. They also illegally diverted several million dollars of sewer connection fees from new housing to subsidize rates, instead of putting the money into WWTP capital funds.

Regional Water Quality Control Boards finally required a new WWTP—and thus was born the secret contracts to fully privatize a new WWTP with Waste Management / Wheelabrator with no bids or public hearings. That option was dumped after we challenged it at the CPUC, and the CPUC unanimously ruled against the city’s efforts to complete that secret and corrupt deal. Ten years later we had a new, advanced WWTP, operated and owned by the city, along with the wetlands polishing ponds and wildlife area adjacent to Shollenberger Park. Discharges of untreated or poorly treated wastewater were almost completely eliminated. Penngrove’s WWTP is still a problem.

A significant issue leading to the remaining concentrated contaminants is that during the dry part of the year, the Petaluma River is actually a slough—so that water never really is flushed out by runoff until it rains. Water is pushed back and forth by tidal action, but the flows necessary to actually send assorted contaminants downstream to the Bay don’t happen.

While there is no excuse for contaminants reaching the river from polluted runoff and discharges in the first place, it does exacerbate the problems significantly in the dry season.

We welcome your contribution. To have your topical essay of 350 words considered for publication, write openmic@bohemian.com.

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Rants

7

Paper THE

SWAG BAGS Rebuild North Bay Foundation distributed 5,000 ‘GO! Bags,’ like this one, to North Bay residents. They do not contain the standard emergency items that are recommended by the California Department of Public Health.

Charity Case

Investigating PG&E-funded Rebuild North Bay Foundation BY PETER BYRNE & WILL CARRUTHERS

O

n October 30, 2017, as thousands of Sonoma County homes smoldered in ruins from the Tubbs Fire, Darius Anderson established the nonprofit Rebuild North Bay Foundation. Anderson is a longtime lobbyist for Pacific Gas and Electric Corporation and owner of

the Press Democrat.

In a subsequent application for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, Anderson told the Internal Revenue Service his charity would “provide immediate disaster relief to those residents of the North Bay who were hardest hit: families and individuals with low incomes who have been displaced from their homes and/or lost

their jobs due to the wildfires.”

The foundation would also work with local governments to help residents rebuild in a “fire safe” fashion, “for example, by assisting with the construction of fire-retardant roofs,” Anderson wrote. According to a six-month investigation of Rebuild North Bay Foundation by the Bohemian, that’s not exactly what happened.

The organization’s

Peter Bryne

N O RT H BAY B O H E M I A N | N OVEM BER 2 0 -2 6, 2 019 | BO HEM I A N.COM

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independent audit and tax returns and hundreds of emails obtained from local governments under the California Public Records Act reveal that Rebuild North Bay Foundation functions more as a lobbyist than a disaster relief group.

• During its first year of existence, most of the foundation’s expenses went to management and administration; it spent relatively little money on grants to the public, according to its audit.

• The foundation made erroneous claims in its tax return regarding its lobbying activities; serious errors which the organization says they will correct.

• The law prohibits the foundation from making campaign contributions. Yet, the campaign committee of a Sonoma County supervisor disclosed a contribution from the foundation, which also “gifted” money to the mayor of Santa Rosa, public records show.

• According to an aide for North Bay Congressman Mike Thompson, some of the foundation’s lobbying activities may be doing harm by “injecting politics” into the disaster-funding process.

• Rebuild North Bay Foundation is mostly funded by PG&E. While Rebuild North Bay Foundation has performed some charitable acts, it has focused on creating a network of businesspeople and local public officials to lobby bureaucrats and legislators in Washington, D.C., on specific issues. Under IRS rules and regulations a charity is allowed to do some lobbying related to its nonprofit purpose— but focusing on lobbying can result in the loss of a nonprofit’s tax-exempt status, tax experts say.

According to a nationally prominent expert consulted by the Bohemian, the Rebuild North Bay Foundation crossed over the boundary between charity and lobbying. Ellen Aprill is the John E. Anderson Professor of Tax Law at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. She reviewed

It matters because Anderson’s Sonoma Media Investments LLC owns the major news, business and lifestyle print publications in the North Bay, including the Press Democrat, Petaluma ArgusCourier, Sonoma Index Tribune, North Bay Business Journal, Sonoma Magazine, Spirited Magazine, La Prensa Sonoma and Emerald Report.

It matters because Anderson is the power broker in Northern California—politicians, government officials, businesspeople, editors and reporters avoid incurring his displeasure.

It matters because, as first reported in the Bohemian, the San Francisco Superior Court ruled in 2018 that Anderson and his partner in Kenwood Investments, Doug Boxer, son of the former senator for California, Barbara Boxer, had defrauded the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria when the tribe was trying to develop a casino in Sonoma County in 2003. (The Press Democrat did not report the finding of fraud in its brief coverage of the court-ordered $725,000 award to the tribe.)

The account of Anderson’s unsavory dealing with the Indians resulted in the Bohemian taking a closer look at Rebuild North Bay Foundation and other Anderson ventures. The Fund for Investigative Journalism supports “The Power Brokers” series, which receives pro bono legal assistance from attorneys at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

Rebuild North Bay Foundation’s executive director, Jennifer Gray Thompson, provided the Bohemian with financial information and responses to questions. In early September, Thompson and four members of the foundation board met with Bohemian reporters at Mountain Mike’s Pizza in Santa Rosa.

Subsequently, Thompson and the board declined to answer any further queries. Anderson did not reply to requests from the Bohemian for comments on factual issues raised in this story.

9 N O RT H BAY BO HEM I A N | N OVEM BER 2 0 -2 6, 2 0 19 | B O H E M I A N.COM

the foundation’s IRS Form 990 federal tax return for 2017–2018, which discloses its financial information and lobbying and charitable activities. Aprill concluded, “It’s not even a close call, it’s blatant lobbying.

The foundation is primarily a lobbyist, not a charity.”

Philip Hackney is a professor of nonprofit law at the University of Pittsburgh and a formerIRS lawyer. He explained that asking public officials to support specific legislation or funding requests is the definition of lobbying. Hackney said that spending a substantial amount of an organization’s effort on lobbying can violate the charitable mandate.

It is up to the IRS to determine whether the Rebuild North Bay Foundation has fallen afoul of nonprofit rules and regulations by focusing on lobbying. “Trying to give a definitive answer about the legality of this organization is like sticking my hand into a pile of goo,” Hackney said. “What is most interesting is that Rebuild told the community it was going to do one thing and then ended up doing another.”

Why does that matter? It matters because Anderson chartered the Rebuild North Bay Foundation for providing disaster relief; not for sending politicians and businesspeople to lobby politicians in Washington. It matters because the activities of Rebuild North Bay Foundation intersect with its founder’s business, publishing and political interests.

For example, until Nov. 1, 2019, PG&E was a client of Anderson’s California- and Washington, D.C.– based lobbying firm, Platinum Advisors. PG&E is bankrupt and facing $30 billion in liabilities for sparking wildfires around California. Two PG&E executives have served on the foundation’s board of directors; it names PG&E as its “partner” in charitable activities.

And a disaster-debris removal firm named Ashbritt Environmental hired Anderson’s lobbying firm, and gifted the foundation with $450,000, after Anderson and its board members lobbied federal officials to change debris-removal reimbursement regulations.

TRANSMISSION PG&E’s poorly-maintained equipment has led to fires

and, more recently, sweeping planned power outages. Darius Anderson’s lobbying firm represented them until Nov. 1, 2019.

Days of fire

The founding directors of Rebuild North Bay Foundation were Anderson and Marisol Lopez of Platinum Advisors. The 18-member board of directors is a Who’s Who of local business elite. Elizabeth Gore is the president; she runs Alice—an artificial-intelligence website for business owners—and is married to Sonoma County 4th District Supervisor James Gore.

Directors include Henry Hansel, the auto dealer; and four vintners, including Michael Mondavi; and United Way of the Wine Country–CEO Lisa Carreño.

In the tax filing, Anderson’s business partner, Press Democrat publisher Steve Falk, is titled “FOB,” friend of the board.

Shadowing the board is a 43-member Advisory Council packed with vintners, politicians, nonprofit executives and Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino and Napa county officials. Congressman Mike Thompson and Governor Gavin Newsom compose the Honorary Board.

The foundation does have charitable accomplishments. It organized businesses, including PG&E, to help replace burned street walls fronting several neighborhoods. It gave a county government $25,000. It is partnering with United Way of the Wine Country to distribute $300,000 of the United Way’s money to community groups in small grants. ) 10 For these charitable

10 Rebuild ( 9 N O RTH BAY B O HE MI AN | N OV E MB E R 20 -26, 20 19 | B OH E MI AN.COM

North Bay Foundation.

During his brief tenure, Witt averaged five hours a week on the job, according to the foundation’s tax return. It paid Witt’s firm $64,838 for its services. Notably, the tax return records a conflict of interest, reporting Witt Global Partners as “disqualified” because they hired Witt’s firm under a consulting contract managed by himself.

IRS regulations call for repayment of a payment to a disqualified entity if the amount is determined to be an “excess benefit.” Witt kept the money because the foundation’s board of directors determined the payment to be “reasonable compensation,” said Thompson, who the Foundation hired to replace him in January 2018. Thompson declined to make Witt’s invoices available or to reveal details about his firm’s services. Witt did not reply to requests for comment.

PG&E to the rescue?

CORPORATE CASH PG&E contributed $2 million to the Rebuild North Bay Foundation in December 2017.

acts, Rebuild North Bay Foundation has received lots of coverage in the Press Democrat in articles that “disclose” Anderson as the founder of the charity. On the other hand, Press Democrat articles do not reveal Anderson’s role as a PG&E lobbyist in stories about the utility. Nor did the Press Democrat report that PG&E gifted Rebuild North Bay Foundation with millions in start-up funds; money which has not trickled down to fire victims.

As the 2017 fires raged, nonprofits such as Redwood Credit Union’s North Bay Fire Relief Fund and Tipping Point’s Emergency Relief Fund responded immediately. They distributed $66 million in cash and groceries and survival necessities to fire victims. The public was generous with donations; dozens of nonprofits involved themselves

in massive fire relief efforts in Sonoma, Lake, Napa and Mendocino counties. For example, after the Redwood Complex fire destroyed hundreds of houses in Mendocino County, the nonprofit Community Foundation of Mendocino County raised and distributed more than $2 million for housing replacement and survival assistance.

Rose Bell, the foundation’s communications manager, said, “We do case management with the families. Lobbying is handled by the county officials, not the nonprofits. We do not take donations from PG&E.”

FEMA trailers Shortly after Anderson launched Rebuild North Bay Foundation, the Press Democrat featured it for hiring former FEMA director James Lee Witt as executive

director, and for sponsoring a lobbying trip to Washington, D.C. with Anderson and several prominent businessmen serving on its board of directors.

Email records obtained from the California Office of Emergency Services show that in late October 2017, Anderson and Witt conferred with top officials at that agency to talk about the emergency-funding process. A week later, Rod Sweetman, an executive with Witt’s disaster management company, Witt Global Partners, contacted Emergency Services director, Mark Ghilarducci. Sweetman pitched him a $16 million sale of 1,600 refugee housing containers from a company he described as a “partner” to Witt Global Partners.

Ghilarducci did not go for it. By Christmas, Witt had moved on from his position with Rebuild

The day after Christmas in 2017, PG&E cut Rebuild North Bay Foundation a check for $2 million. The utility’s donation came with a prohibition: “It is our understanding that these funds will not be used for federal, state, or local campaign activity, including independent expenditures to support or oppose candidates for elective office or lobbying efforts.”

A PG&E spokesperson told the Bohemian that the $2 million donation was not a taxdeductible contribution, because the foundation’s tax-exempt status had not yet been approved (the government approved it in May 2018). Subsequent PG&E donations to the foundation were tax-deductible, the spokesperson explained. The utility appears to be counting the $2 million donation as a business expense, but it declined further comment on the relationship.

The PG&E donation accounts for 75 percent of the nearly $2.7 million in “contributions” the foundation booked during

item on a nonprofit tax form for reporting expenses on “advocacy,” only for lobbying.

Lobbying is commonly defined by the IRS as attempting to influence legislation or public officials through direct, indirect or grassroots communications.

In its tax return, the foundation claims public officials granted its requests for supporting specific legislative actions and funding certain projects. Those requests meet the definition for lobbying.

Meanwhile, fire survivors are still awaiting Rebuild North Bay Foundation’s “immediate” disaster relief, not to mention the fire-retardant roofs.

Lobbying? What lobbying?

According to the foundation’s independent audit of its cash flow for its first fiscal year, it made only one cash grant—$25,000 to Lake County to help it pay for fighting the Pawnee wildfire.

That amounts to 1 percent of the foundation’s donations.

Management and administration costs were $302,760—an astonishing 83 percent of the total cash expenses of $362,428.

By contrast, following the fires, Redwood Credit Union’s North Bay Fire Relief Fund distributed $31 million from more than 41,000 donors. Its administrative costs amounted to 3 percent of its grants, according to its 2017 tax return.

The non-profit North Bay Organizing Project’s UndocuFund made $6 million in cash grants to almost 1,900 families who lost homes, possessions and earnings in the fires. UndocuFund estimated that 10 percent of the funds went to costs and administration.

The law allows Rebuild North Bay Foundation, as a charitable organization, to focus some of its activities on lobbying government officials on issues relevant to its mission. Hackney and other nonprofit tax experts say such a group should spend more than ) 12 80 percent of the budget

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its first year, according to the independent audit. Anderson appointed PG&E executive Steve Malnight to the board of directors. In March 2018, PG&E hired Platinum Advisors to lobby for its corporate interests, paying it $90,000 that year.

After Malnight left, a former PG&E executive, Brian Bottari, joined the board.

PG&E also donated $200,000 to an Anderson-run nonprofit called Ramekins-Cornerstone Foundation, according to records at the California Public Utilities Commission. The donation, as reported in Anderson’s Sonoma Index Tribune, was to build an outdoor ice-skating rink south of Sonoma to raise money for fire victims. The Bohemian could find no evidence that the rink raised any money for charity before it closed in January 2018.

During 2018, PG&E made additional cash donations to the Rebuild North Bay Foundation, which advertises the utility as its charitable partner and sports its blue-and-white logo on brochures.

The foundation disbursed only 1 percent of its cash to the public during its first year. It spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on salaries, consulting fees, overhead, lobbying, advocacy and travel, according to its tax filings. It ended its first fiscal year with $1.8 million in the bank.

Thompson explained, “We were conservative in the first year because we are committed to the long term.”

A March 2018 Press Democrat article about Rebuild North Bay Foundation quoted Anderson, “Our goal—three years from now—is to be the organization that the electeds rely on.” Or as the foundation’s tax return states, “We advocate only on behalf of the requests of the elected and staff leadership of the four counties we represent: Lake, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma.”

But, “These activities do not qualify as lobbying, though we acknowledge that lobbying is a subset of advocacy,” the tax return states.

There is, however, no line

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Rebuild ( 11

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on the charitable purpose, not on lobbying of any sort.

According to tax filings and financial documents provided by Thompson, Rebuild North Bay Foundation booked $2,815,116 in cash and non-cash donations from more than 100 donors in its first year. PG&E donated most of the cash. Ordinary people wrote checks for $20 or $50, richer folks donated five-figure sums for disaster relief. The Ford Dealers Advertising Association gave $25,000; the Associated Students of Stanford University gave $5,000; a Girl Scouts Brownie Troop raised $904. What happened to the money?

During its first year, Rebuild North Bay Foundation distributed $169,499—6 percent of its donations—as wildfire disaster relief. But they offered only a small part of that charity in cash. Most of the charity was in the form of donated items passed through the foundation’s books and counted as grants to the public.

According to its tax return, much of the foundation’s first year budget went to “coordination,” paying staff salaries, consulting fees and more than $100,000 for building a website featuring headshots and glowing biographies of its directors. It spent $28,500 on “advocacy” and $18,500 for lobbying, which it defined as “direct contact with legislators, their staffs, government officials or a legislative body.”

Recharacterizing its charitable mission as described in its application for nonprofit status, the tax return for the foundation’s first year asserts, “Our mission is achieved through a focus on advocacy, community impact projects and convening to create a more sustainable and resilient community.” Thompson repeatedly told the Bohemian that advocacy is not the same as lobbying.

Tax-expert Aprill scoffed at the notion that “advocating” for specific legislation and funding is not lobbying. Scores of emails between foundation staff and public officials in Lake, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties reveal

lobbying as a major focus of those communications.

It turns out that the foundation’s tax return failed to properly disclose the extent of its lobbying activities as the IRS requires. (It filled out the wrong section of Form 990, Schedule C, regarding lobbying.) Thompson acknowledged the omission and said they will file a corrected return with the IRS. Hackney opined that if the correction ends up increasing the amount allocated to lobbying activities, the foundation’s tax exempt status could be jeopardized.

There is another serious problem with the tax filing.

Sonoma County resident Christy Pichel is a legend in California philanthropy. She has distributed hundreds of millions of charitable dollars at the James Irvine Foundation, the Public Policy Institute of California and the CS Fund. Pichel said learning that Rebuild North Bay Foundation’s tax return claims as one of its accomplishments, “Connected Christy Pichel with Bay Area Council to receive $1M grant award from Hewlett to fund postdisaster assessment,” shocked her.

Pichel told the Bohemian that the Bay Area Council did receive a $925,000 grant from Hewlett for disaster assessment, but that it was not due to efforts by Rebuild North Bay Foundation. She emailed the Bohemian, “Wow! I have never seen a 990 [tax return] like this! Should I be flattered that I was mentioned by name under ‘accomplishments’? or horrified?! ... I will think about these, and how (or if) to follow up with Jennifer about this misrepresentation.”

Subsequently, Pichel said Thompson has agreed to file a correction with the IRS removing the claim. Thompson did not reply to a request for comment.

Counting “swag” as grants Celebrating its first anniversary in October 2018, Rebuild North Bay Foundation distributed 5,000 “GO! Bags” to North Bay residents, at little cost. The

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Disaster lobbying

Santa Rosa did not yet have a lobbyist in the nation’s capital in December 2017. Analysts projected disaster clean-up costs to run in the billions of dollars with uncertainties about how much the local jurisdictions would have to pay. Then–Santa Rosa Mayor Chris Coursey and City Manager Sean McGlynn flew to Washington to meet with North Bay Congressman Mike Thompson and FEMA officials.

Coursey told the Bohemian he does not know if his lobbying effort made a difference but, “It is always good to sit down with a person and tell your story.”

Among the topics Coursey discussed with federal officials was a provision in the annual appropriations bill then pending before Congress that raised the reimbursement rate for the cost of fire debris removal to local governments from 75 percent to 90 percent. That clause passed into law in early 2018, carefully watched over by Congressman Thompson’s staff and Sonoma County’s lobbyists. In its tax return, Rebuild North Bay Foundation, however, grabbed the credit.

Here is the backstory: Since before the fires, Sonoma County has retained two lobbyists in Washington—Alcalde & Fay and Van Scoyoc Associates. These firms concentrate on the daily grind of moving the city’s funding requests through bureaucratic hoops. In 2018, Santa Rosa contracted with a Washington lobby firm called MMO Partners.

The city pays MMO Partners $9,000 a month to oversee its federal disaster funding needs, and it is, by all accounts, doing a good job.

In January 2018, Rebuild North Bay Foundation sponsored a lobbying trip to Washington for board members Anderson, Mondavi, Hansel and Larry Florin of Burbank Housing, and “FOB” Falk. They met with HUD and FEMA officials. They scored an hour alone with Office of Management and Budget ) 14

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nonprofit’s logo festoons the basketball-sized sacks. The Press Democrat portrayed the bags as “encouraging community emergency preparedness.” The bags do not contain the standard emergency kit items that are recommended by the California Department of Public Health: nonperishable foods, warm clothing, rain gear, blankets, radios and pet and medical supplies.

Rather, the bags contain two dust masks donated by Freidman’s Home Improvement; a tiny, hand-cranked flashlight courtesy of PG&E corporation; a throw-away cell phone charger supplied by Comcast corporation; a small toothbrush, toothpaste, plastic razor, shampoo and conditioner gifted by Kaiser Permanente. Completing the GO! Bags are a handful of emergency preparedness brochures, including a “Prepare with Pedro” coloring book, without crayons. A FEMA brochure warns us to “Save for a Rainy Day” and “Make a Plan.” A shiny placard features the logos of the GO! Bag’s corporate sponsors, including PG&E. Casey Mazzoni, a San Rafael-based lobbyist who the nonprofit paid $60,000 to as a consultant, oversaw the bag project, according to Thompson.

In July 2018, Mazzoni emailed Abby Browning at the California Office of Emergency Services, “We are planning on giving away 5,000 disaster kits in October and hoping CAL OES can provide informational brochures or chachkies to include.”

Browning replied she’d provide brochures, but, “Regarding the chachkies/swag, unfortunately we do not have any. The current Administration is very fiscally responsible and a strong steward of taxpayer dollars. Sorry!”

In its tax return, Rebuild North Bay Foundation calculated the grant value of the GO! Bags at $75,000. The foundation distributed 200 donated PlayStations and Chrome books to schools and community groups, calculating the value of those items at $62,000.

PG&E’s millions sat in the bank.

13

NORTH BAY BOH EMI A N | NOV E M BE R 20 -26, 20 19 | BO H E M I AN.COM

14 Rebuild ( 13

KEEP ON TRUCKING The 2017 wildfire cleanup process was the most expensive in California history in part because debris removal contractors took excessive amounts of dirt to boost their profits.

Director Mick Mulvaney at the White House. “Mulvaney was giving us advice,” Hansel told the Bohemian. “He said in all the disasters since he’s worked under the current administration, never has the private sector come to talk to him.” Hansel did not elaborate on the content of further conversation. But according to Jennifer Thompson, the board members and Mulvaney “discussed the liking of wine, but not the business of wine.”

In its IRS tax filing, Rebuild North Bay Foundation credits its lobbying for Congress passing the reimbursement rate increase in the annual appropriations bill.

The Bohemian asked Jennifer Thompson for evidence that the foundation’s lobbying was

responsible for the rate increase passing. She replied, “Prove that we didn’t.”

One effect of the increase in the reimbursement rate is that FEMA paid more cash on the spot to debris-removal contractors—90 percent, not just 75 percent. It was a significant benefit for the contractors involved, since cashstrapped localities were not likely to be able to pay a 25 percent share. In the end, the state and federal government covered all of the costs, said a spokesperson for Santa Rosa City Hall. The contractors took advantage of the confusion.

A KQED investigation in July 2018 found that the tab for removing the North Bay fire debris was $1.3 billion,

making it the most expensive disaster cleanup in the history of California. Contractors charged an average of $280,000 per site, compared to the norm of $77,000 in previous fires. Per-ton removal charges were greatly inflated because contractors removed far too much debris, gouging gaping holes that shocked homeowners later had to backfill. Haste and lack of governmental oversight resulted in injuries and safety violations and lack of monitoring of contractor job performance.

Ashbritt Environmental, a prime contractor for the North Bay fire-debris removal project banked $320 million for its work.

Lawsuits alleging over-excavation and misconduct were filed against Ashbritt, and the publicity stank.

On October 1, 2018, Ashbritt hired Platinum Advisors, paying it a total of $120,000, state records show.

Ashbritt’s charitable foundation donated $450,000 to Rebuild North Bay Foundation to help pay for replacing a street barrier fronting burned-out Coffey Park.

The Press Democrat wrote several stories about Ashbritt’s generosity, without mentioning that Anderson is its lobbyist, or that he and Rebuild North Bay Foundation board members lobbied on an issue of importance to Ashbritt.

Campaign contributions In the first week of September 2018, Rebuild North Bay Foundation sent board

TM

in the fall of 2018, the political and business members of the Rebuild North Bay Foundation delegation split up into groups, some led by Anderson, as they met with officials from FEMA, HUD, Senator Feinstein, several North Bay congressmen and Congressman Jeff Denham, a Trump-supporting Republican from Turlock who chaired a committee overseeing railroads and oil pipelines.

A week or so after lobbying Denham, Anderson and Mondavi hosted a $5,400-a-couple reelection campaign-fundraising breakfast in Napa for Denham, who was besieged by Democratic challengers.

Denham lost the election, but before leaving office, he inserted a statement in the Congressional Record “honoring” Darius Anderson “for his outstanding business acumen and host of contributions to his community.”

In its tax filing, the foundation claimed that the September lobbying trip resulted in a funding increase for rebuilding the Fountaingrove fire station.

Thompson declined to present any evidence in support of that claim.

First, do no harm There is evidence that Rebuild North Bay Foundation’s lobbying adventures may be doing some harm. Emails obtained from Lake County through a public records request show that, in June 2019, the foundation began soliciting local officials to go on a third lobbying trip to Washington with the board members and Press Democrat publisher Falk.

As part of the lobbying campaign, on June 17, Thompson emailed Brad Onorato, deputy chief of staff for Congressman Mike Thompson, asking for advice on lobbying FEMA officials for a fire engine.

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members Anderson, Mondavi, Hansel, Florin and Falk back to Washington on another lobbying mission. The lobbying meetings were set up by MMO Partners, Santa Rosa public records show. Thompson said the board members paid their own way, although the foundation covered staff travel costs and dinners for the delegation at exclusive Capitol Hill restaurants Charlie Palmers and Monacle. Elected officials from Lake and Napa counties accompanied the board, whose travel, meals and lodging expenses were mostly picked up by taxpayers, with the foundation covering some of their costs. And that is a problem.

Coursey and Sonoma County Supervisor, David Rabbitt, and several of their staffers went along. The David Rabbitt for Supervisor 2018 campaign committee disclosed a contribution of $401.23 from Rebuild North Bay Foundation for “food, beverages, car service” during the trip. Nonprofit expert Hackney commented, “Political campaign intervention is prohibited. The foundation cannot do that and maintain its charitable tax exempt status.”

Attorney Marcus S. Owens of Loeb & Loeb LLP in Washington D.C. concurred with Hackney.

“Charitable organizations are explicitly prohibited from making contributions, whether cash or in-kind to campaigns for elected public office,” he said.

Rabbitt told the Bohemian, “My understanding is that Rebuild Northbay Foundation is not a 501(c)(3) [a charity]."

Coursey, a former columnist for the Press Democrat who is campaigning for county supervisor, disclosed a “gift” of $546 from the foundation in his 2018 Statement of Economic Interests. Owens explained, “Giving a ‘gift’ to a sitting mayor does not further charitable purposes. The gift to the mayor and the contribution to the supervisor’s campaign could trigger an inquiry by the California Attorney General.”

Lobbying in the nation’s capital

NORTH BAY BOH E MI A N | NOV E M BE R 20 -26, 20 19 | BO H E M I AN.COM

16 Rebuild ( 15

UNDER INSPECTION Darius Anderson’s lobbying firm has represented PG&E for years – even

if the Press Democrat won’t admit it.

… Second, it is my experience that it takes one or two grant cycles for a district to have their grant application approved. … [I] njecting politics into it could be detrimental to the Fire District …

Please do not have any politicians, on any level, call [FEMA regional administrator] Bob Fenton. It’s most inappropriate as these programs all [go] through FEMA IN DC.” Thompson replied. “Oh my gosh. So many caps. … Promise!

I will not ask any politician to do anything.”

Public records show, however, that Rebuild North Bay Foundation continued to reach out to politicians and officials all over the North Bay, inviting them to join a trip to Washington in late October. Many officials turned down the invitation; some were eager. The costs to the taxpayers is several thousand dollars per official, according to public records. Rabbitt and Santa Rosa Mayor Tom Schwedhelm both planned on attending. “It makes a difference to have a delegation of businesspeople and politicians,” Schwedhelm told the Bohemian.

Not to mention Falk, the publisher of the Press Democrat, which endorses or fails to endorse politicians come election time.

The lobbying trip took place even as the Kincade Fire erupted, reportedly due to a PG&E power-line malfunction.

Rabbitt and Schwedhelm stayed in Sonoma County to grapple with the emergency, as did the supervisor from Lake County who had planned to go. Napa County supervisor, Belia-Eugenia Ramos, and Mendocino County supervisor, John Haschak, went along for the taxpayer-funded trip.

In Washington, Rebuild North Bay Foundation board member Michael Mondavi, a grape farmer, lobbied the US Department of Agriculture to provide funding for agricultural worker housing, according to the foundation’s Facebook page.

Playing with the Press Democrat Last June 16, the Press Democrat published a lifestyle article about the vacation wonderland of Clear Lake, replete with bass

fishing, fine restaurants and spa hotels. According to public records, Thompson emailed the touristy article to Lake County administrators. She commented, “I delivered the request to cover Lake more often to the PD [Press Democrat] leadership and all I can ever do is ask ... I see they are making the effort … I am so happy to see this coverage.”

Lake County Deputy CAO Michelle Scully responded to Thompson, “We so appreciate your advocacy for Lake County!

A while back the PD initiated a ‘towns’ section which includes ads and editorial. Kind of pay-to-play but nonetheless we appreciate all positive coverage.” Thompson and Scully did not return requests for comment. Falk told the Bohemian in an email, “I have never crossed the line between journalism and advertising at any newspaper I have published.”

Rebuild’s recent accomplishments In January, Elizabeth and Supervisor James Gore, Carreño and Thompson traveled to New

Orleans to meet with other non-profit executives at Impact Experience, a “boot camp” and “accelerator” for disasterfocused corporations. Impact “brings together investors, entrepreneurs and innovators” to share “best practices,” according to its website. Thompson told the Bohemian that the trip to New Orleans was partly for her “professional development.” Still, there are no fire-retardant roofs.

Rebuild North Bay Foundation’s August newsletter features a statement from Newsom, whose gubernatorial campaign took $208,400 from PG&E. In the letter, Newsom effusively thanked the legislature for passing AB 1054.

Many utility experts, including Loretta Lynch, the former president of the California Public Utilities Commission, have labeled that bill a PG&E bailout.

Supervisor Gore is on record as supporting the PG&E bailout bill, as is the editorial page of the Press Democrat.

Anderson resigns Last fall, a few weeks after the Bohemian published the court finding of Anderson’s defrauding of the Graton tribe, the Bohemian reached out to Elizabeth Gore, Jennifer Thompson, Hansel and other members of the Rebuild North Bay Foundation board. We referenced the court ruling and asked, “What measures, if any, is the board taking to make sure that no one in the leadership of Rebuild is using the organization to benefit his or her own financial interests?”

We received no replies.

Notably, Anderson resigned as a director of Rebuild North Bay Foundation in January 2019. According to Thompson, Platinum Advisors Chief Financial Officer Charles Fina supervised the preparation of the foundation’s tax return. The return does not list Anderson as a board member in 2017-2018.

Rebuild North Bay Foundation’s annual report, public records and numerous Press Democrat articles show that he most certainly was.

17 NO RTH BAY BO H E M I AN | NOV E M BE R 20 -26, 2019 | BOH E MI A N.COM

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hile the menu card from the first Thanksgiving at the Plymouth Colony in 1621 may be lost to history, it’s a fair bet to say the meal wasn’t washed down with Beaujolais nouveau.

Nor did the colonists have much else on hand by that time, much to the disappointment of the first Native American who showed up at the colony and (according to writer Tony Horwitz’s well-researched but lighthearted 2008 book, A Voyage Long and Strange) addressed them in English and asked if they had any beer.

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But it has old roots in Calvados, where they blend unfermented juice with apple brandy and age it in barrels. This aperitif, two-thirds juice from Tilted Shed Cidery’s 2017 harvest of heritage apple varieties (pictured on the label) and one-third Gravenstein apple brandy distilled by their neighbors, Sonoma Brothers Distilling, comes in at an alcohol content of 19.5 percent. Tasted from the barrel this summer, the pommeau is an elixir of concentrated apple— not too sweet, but everlasting on the finish, with the contrast of fresh apple singing like it’s still September, and the complex flavor of long aging in barrels. Can there be a better Thanksgiving aperitif?

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For the past four years, founder Adam Spiegel has gone to the trouble of importing pricey, French Périgord truffles and steeping them in a barrel of three-year aged rye—until they melt away. It’s novel, but no mere novelty. Having a cold, my nose wasn’t set to “truffle dog” when I sampled this spirit, but the subtlety is part of Spiegel’s style. The truffles nuance the whiskey with a savory note, and it’s silkier than other young ryes—more like a much-older Scotch.

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18

FIRST STEPS The children of TIDE founding members take a stand by a rainbow staircase.

Turning the TIDE Lessons in diversity BY KAREN HESS

P

eople often don’t want to talk about racism and discrimination, especially with kids. But some have to talk about it anyway, early and often, because it impacts them directly. Others think their kids might not notice color, that it will sort itself out or maybe racism isn’t really happening here much anyway.

Paige Green, who is whiteidentified, has long been

concerned with these topics. But other parts of her life, including kids and work, ended up taking precedence. Then, earlier this year, she kept hearing local students of color telling their personal experiences with racism and bias in our town.

Consequently, she and a diverse group of community members with the same concerns decided to take personal action. Building on the previous work of other organizations focusing on diversity and equality, they began the Team for Inclusivity, Diversity and Equity (TIDE). Their aim is to

have a chapter of TIDE in every city school in Petaluma.

“At the Women’s March in January organized by Indivisible Petaluma and North Bay Organizing Project, I heard students talk about the hardship of being a person of color in Petaluma,” she says. “Then I heard more stories at the Bias and Inclusion Forum, held by the Petaluma Community Relations Council at the Petaluma Library. I’d always been concerned about this in our town, and hearing these stories was heartbreaking and affected me.”

Fourteen people from five Petaluma schools attended the

first meeting. Three attendees spoke Spanish as a first language, and all attendees were women.

They decided together to call the group TIDE. The goal is to have a TIDE chapter in every school and a citywide All-TIDE group. At All-TIDE, representatives from each school meet once a month to share updates. Currently, there are TIDE chapters at McNear Elementary, Grant Elementary, Live Oak Charter School, McKinley School and Mary Collins School at Cherry Valley. A chapter at Valley Vista Elementary School is also underway.

The first thing organizers did was talk with the principals of their own kids’ schools.

“Having the principal on board helps a lot,” Green says.

They met with teachers, hosting a lunch and listening to their perspectives. And they reached out to the wider school community with events and a survey. To achieve maximum participation, the survey was available online or on paper, in English and Spanish, and could be completed and returned anonymously.

The results informed a decision to have public diversity training and focus specifically on school librarians.

“Librarians are a good doorway into schools since books are a great way to have some of these conversations,” Green explains.

TIDE held their first series of four sliding-scale public diversity awareness trainings this past fall.

They were free for teachers and school staff.

“We expected 28 people at the first training and 40 showed up.

Overall we’ve trained upwards of 70 people so far,” Green says.

The group is currently forming an advisory board with representation and inclusivity

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from all sectors of the community and is in partnership with North Bay Organizing Project, Amor Para Todos, Petaluma Blacks for Community Development and Community Health Initiative of the Petaluma Area (CHIPA).

Petaluma People Services is the fiscal sponsor.

Additionally, TIDE is funding the diversity training component featuring Tara Fleming, an antibias educator and facilitator, at Casa Grande High’s spring professional development day.

“Hopefully through these various things we’re building trust—it’s all about relationship building, and we know we have lots of different opinions,” Green says. “Our goal is to create safe and welcoming environments at our schools, so all of our children can thrive. One thing that really motivated me is that the Sonoma County Human Rights Junior Commission did a poll of high school kids across Sonoma county, asking: Do you feel safe and have you experienced racism?

The results looked OK at first,

then when they took out all the white respondents, 100 percent of students of color had experienced racism and discrimination of some kind.”

Kids at Kenilworth Junior High this past year displayed White Power hand signs in their basketball yearbook photo. A student at Casa Grande High reported in the Junior Commission poll that people wore “Go Back to Mexico” shirts to school and chanted that phrase in the quad.

While there is certainly still racist behavior, many are just unaware.

“Training in diversity awareness is the most needed now,” Green says. “The teachers and administrators in our districts are mostly white. It’s hard to be a diversity advocate and make sure you aren’t missing something if you aren’t aware. Through this process, we will also hopefully create a safe and welcoming environment at our schools.”

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TALKIN’ UP New York–native Ron Ferraro chose the name Elyon for his cannabis company because it means ‘God Most High.’

California Dream New Yorker starts cannabis biz BY JONAH RASKIN

F

or 45 years, I’ve searched the California cannabis world for a fellow New Yorker. No luck until last week, when I finally found him.

Ron Ferraro is the real deal. The

quips about his Italian last name and his New York accent, which hit him soon after he arrived in Sonoma County, stopped when he rolled up his shirtsleeves, bought blackened lots and began to build homes in Fountain Grove and Coffey Park, two neighborhoods torched by the big fires of October

2017. Unwilling to be seen as a New York scammer, Ferraro didn’t knock on doors and persuade customers to buy houses sight unseen. He built models and then went out and sold them one by one.

At the same time, he threw himself into the legal cannabiz industry, and, with the help of

lawyers, consultants, growers and his brother, Matthew, created his own company, Elyon. Pals back East thought he was in over his head. “My partners in construction in New York thought I was crazy,” he says from behind his desk, with an American flag looming over his shoulder. Ferraro had money

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in the bank and a business plan, though he didn’t know Californian ways, and like many others in the same or a similar boat, the constantly changing local and state regulations flummoxed him.

But Ferraro had both “a vision” that propelled him forward and the grit and determination of a New Yorker (a species as rare in the California cannabis industry as rain on the Fourth of July in Santa Rosa). Along with the vision and the grit, Matthew Ferraro’s marketing genius and savvy use of social media put Elyon on the cannabis map.

The Ferraro brothers are succeeding where dozens, if not hundreds, of similar entrepreneurs have fallen by the wayside.

Perhaps because God is on their side. Indeed, the name “Elyon” is Biblical Hebrew and means “God Most High.” Yes, it’s esoteric, but it caught on big time, along with the company’s reputation for creating some of “the most potent cannabis products in California,” with strains such as “Blue Dream,” “Silver Sundaze” and “Lava Cake.”

Asked to explain his good fortune, Ferraro says, “Cannabis is my destiny.” He adds, “Something this monumental only comes around every 100 years—and we’re just getting started. What Silicon Valley is to the global tec industry, the state of California will be to the worldwide cannabiz.”

Ferraro says his dream is to make Elyon into the cannabiz equivalent of Constellation Brands, the international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits. Inside Elyon’s headquarters, near the Sonoma County airport, Ferraro’s Ecuadorian-born pal, Carlos Zambrano—a construction wiz who doesn’t smoke marijuana— says, “Ron’s head works faster than most other peoples’ heads, and he’s always a man of his word.”

Born on April 26, 1983, Ferraro grew up in Valley Stream on the South Shore of Long Island, about 45 minutes from the Empire State Building and 30 minutes from where I was born and raised.

Marijuana wasn’t legal in New York when Ron was a kid. It still

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Appellations Forum where Elyon participated.

isn’t legal, but when he wanted it, he found ways to buy it on the black market. “I’ve always smoked weed, even as a teenager, though I wasn’t into it that much because I was an athlete,” he says.

He began to smoke more in college, and learned weed provided inspiration and helped him focus. “It gets me up, it’s my coffee,” he says. From his perch in New York he watched the growth of the cannabiz on the West Coast and decided Sonoma County was the place to put down roots.

“The climate is great, there’s a big cannabis community here and it’s close to the Emerald Triangle,” he explains. At first, Ferraro bought cannabis by the truckload in Northern California and sold it wholesale in Southern California.

Then he decided to change

direction and go retail in the San Francisco Bay Area, in part because Los Angeles was a hotbed of rogue pot shops. Ferraro aimed to be strictly legal. From business relationships with 50 farms, he cut back to four, all of them growing one acre with permits. Elyon has an acre of cannabis cultivated in a greenhouse in Sonoma County. The company has written contracts with its suppliers, and Ferraro keeps a close eye on the cultivation and harvesting practices of business partners.

He provides growers with financial or technical help when they need it. He also supplies laborers.

In some cases he purchases a crop before it’s planted in the ground. The farmer gets money up-front, where it’s needed and Ferraro turns a profit after harvest. To know what weed is

good, he looks at it, smells it, smokes it and tastes it. “It’s all about the genetics of the plant,” he says.

Ferraro has unlimited faith in the future of cannabis. “It’s a commodity, an industry, a culture and a lifestyle,” he says. “What more do you want? New people— old, young and in-between—are using it every day and, unlike the opiates which have destroyed many people in my generation, marijuana is not addictive or life-threatening.”

Andrew Smith, the Deputy Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner, describes Ferraro as a “charismatic person and a good businessman.” He adds, “Ferraro wants a Sonoma County cannabis brand that’s marketed in the ways that wine and craft beer are marketed. I think that’s a great idea.”

Arts Ideas Image courtesy Creative Sonoma

NORTH BAY BOH EMI A N | NOV E M BE R 20 -26, 20 19 | BO H E M I AN.COM

22

EMERGING VISIONS ‘Whistleblower,’ by ‘Discovered’ Windsor oil painter Nicole Irene Anderson,

is on display at the Museum of Sonoma County.

Next Big Thing Visual, literary artists are ‘Discovered’ in new exhibit BY CHARLIE SWANSON

A

rtists: they’re out there, living among us. There may be hundreds, if not thousands, of them right here in the North Bay, many toiling in obscurity while they wait to be discovered.

This month, Creative Sonoma and the Museum of Sonoma County collaborate to recognize 10 such artists in the new exhibition, “Discovered: Emerging Artists

in Sonoma County,” opening on Friday, Nov. 22.

“This is born out of the Community Foundation Sonoma County,” says Creative Sonoma Director Kirsten Madsen. “The program was initiated by The Artist Awards Endowment Fund, which included more than 50 donors.”

In 2016, the foundation turned to Creative Sonoma to manage the program and find those artists worthy of recognition.

For this year’s program,

“Discovered” is recognizing five visual artists and five literary artists from Sonoma County, all of whom will receive $2,500 stipends for their past work, a professionallyproduced catalog of their work and placement in the upcoming exhibition that Museum of Sonoma County Executive Director Jeff Nathanson will curate.

Nathanson also headed up this year’s visual-arts jury. For the literary artists, Madsen brought in local New York Times bestselling author Ellen

Sussman to lead a separate jury.

The visual artists selected for this year’s “Discovered” exhibit are painter Nicole Irene Anderson, photographer Nestor Torres Lupercio, sculptors Annette Goodfriend and Ash Hay, and multidisciplinary artist C.K.Itamura.

The literary artists are nonfiction writers Leilani Clark and Nicole R. Zimmerman, fiction writer Joy Lanzendorfer and poets Ernesto Garay and Chelsea Rose Kurnick.

“We’re covering a lot of disciplines,” says Madsen. “With 10 people we are showing the range of artistic expression available in Sonoma County.”

For the exhibit, Nathanson plans a special display of the literary-arts winners, showing five panels of printed excerpts joined by personal information and jury statements. On top of that, a video will run of each writer reading their work, shown along with artistic interpretations of the writings. “It will be as much about the language and the words as it is about the actual reader,” Madsen says.

The artists will also be involved in discussion panels and artmaking sessions while the exhibit runs. Madsen notes that, beyond the visibility each artist gains with the exhibit, the monetary and credibility boost each artist receives from the program is a catalyst to further their career.

“We were able to reach out to artists who were a part of this program last time and were heartened to discover many of the artists were still engaged in making art,” Madsen says. “That’s critical for us, that this program helps people who have such great promise that they find their way forward continuing to make art.”

‘Discovered: Emerging Artists in Sonoma County’ opens with a reception on Friday, Nov. 22, at Museum of Sonoma County, 425 Seventh St., Santa Rosa. 5pm. Free. Museumsc.org.

23 NO RTH BAY BO H E M I AN | NOV E M BE R 20 -26, 2019 | BOH E MI A N.COM

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COME THIS WAY Innovative jazz masters Joshua Redman Quartet play off their recent album, ‘Come What May,’ on Friday, Nov. 22, at the Raven Theater in Healdsburg. See clubs & venues, pg 30.

YOUNTVILLE

Get Resilient

Napa Valley Resilience Group and community leaders recognize that recent events have taken a toll emotionally in the North Bay, and they are hosting a workshop for community-wide healing and resiliency-building featuring internationally acclaimed Center for Mind-Body Medicine founder and executive director, James S. Gordon.

The afternoon workshop leads into an evening lecture by Gordon, also focused on healing after trauma on Thursday, Nov. 21, at Lincoln Theater, 100 California Dr., Yountville. Workshop at noon. Free admission; Lecture at 7pm, $10–$25.

Pre-registration required. 707.944.9900.

P E TA L U M A

Burning Man Bound

There are a myriad of reasons why people all over the world travel to a dry lake bed in the Nevada desert for Burning Man every August, but one of the most endearing qualities of the event is the art. Burning Man primarily features large-scale, interactive art installations, and many of the artists who contribute to the gathering are based in the North Bay. This month, Petaluma Arts Center shines a light on these makers in the new exhibit, “Petaluma to the Playa.” The show opens with a reception on Saturday, Nov. 23, at PAC, 230 Lakeville St., Petaluma.

6pm. Free. 707.762.5600.

S A N TA R O S A

The week’s events: a selective guide CLOVERDALE

For Fisher

Revealing Fun

Teacher, mentor, artist, musician and family-man Michael Fisher has been a pillar of the West Sonoma County community for over 40 years. Now, he needs help as he battles cancer, and the community is lending a hand at this weekend’s Fisher Fest, featuring live music by St. Peterbilt, Jinx Jones & the Kingtones, Hunka Hunka Hula Revue and the Del-Novas. Proceeds from the door, food, drinks, raffles and other donations all goes to Fisher on Sunday, Nov. 24, at Arlene Francis Center, 99 Sixth St., Santa Rosa. Noon to 6pm. $15. 707.528.3009.

Originally slated for late October, Cloverdale’s Big Reveal gala has a new date, but still boasts the same arts-minded camaraderie. The annual mixer, hosted by the town’s chamber of commerce, will announce and preview Cloverdale Performing Arts Center’s 2020 season of plays, with a discount on season tickets available and other donations accepted while attendees enjoy a raffle and silent auction, local beers and wines, and artisanal cocktails and a festive atmosphere on Sunday, Nov. 24, at Cloverdale Performing Arts Center, 209 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale. 5pm. Free admission, donations welcome. 707.829.2214.

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Arne Reimer

Crush CULTURE

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PICK A POCKET Fagin (David Yen) gives the orphan Oliver (Cecilia Brenner) some nasty advice in 6th Street Playhouse’s latest.

Changing Tones ‘Oliver!’ gets odd adaptation at 6th Street

BY HARRY DUKE

N

orth Bay theater patrons are well aware of the numerous performances cancelled because of the Kincade Fire and PG&E power shutoffs. What they may not know is the impact those factors had on shows in the middle of their rehearsals.

There’s no doubt that loss of critical time can be attributed to some—but not all—of the raggedness evident in the 6th Street Playhouse production of Oliver!, running through Dec. 22. Odd directorial choices and horrible sound mixing also contributed to a less-than-satisfactory opening night performance of this classic musical.

Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist

‘Oliver!’ runs through Dec. 15 at 6th Street Playhouse, 52 W. Sixth St., Santa Rosa.

Fri–Sat, 7:30pm; Sat–Sun, 2pm. $10–$38.

707.523.4185. 6thstreetplayhouse.com

25 25

Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse Suggested by “The Trapp Family Singers” by Maria Augusta Trapp Directed by Laura Downing-Lee, Music Direction by Janis Dunson Wilson Vocal Direction by Tina Lloyd Meals & Janis Dunson Wilson, Choreography by Alyce Finwall

November 22, 23, 29, 30 | December 5, 6, 7 at 7:30 PM November 23, 24, 30 | December 1, 7, 8 at 1:30 PM A collaborative production between SRJC & Sonoma State University Recommended for ages 7 and up. G

Evert B. Person Theatre, Sonoma State University 1801 E Cotati Ave Rohnert Park 94928

TICKETS: $15 - $25 BOX OFFICE: 707.527.4307 ONLINE: theatrearts.santarosa.edu #SRJCtheatrearts THE SOUND OF MUSIC is presented through special arrangement with R & H Theatricals: www.rnh.com

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Stage

is a dark look at the underbelly of a 19th century England full of orphanages, workhouses and crime. British writer/composer Lionel Bart managed to turn it into a somewhat family-friendly musical with a very successful West End debut and Tony-winning Broadway run, followed by a multiOscar-winning film adaptation.

Orphan-boy Oliver (an underrehearsed Cecilia Brenner) is living the hard-knock life when he’s sold to a local undertaker.

He runs away to London and falls in with a young pickpocket known as the Artful Dodger (a personable Mario Herrera).

The Dodger introduces him to Fagin (David Yen, strong), the “mentor” to a gang of youthful thieves with a beerhall lass named Nancy (Brittany Law, excellent) as a mother figure. Circumstances soon find Oliver in a good home, but Nancy’s mate Bill Sikes (a sinister Zachary Hasbany) sees Oliver as a threat. A violent end is in store for someone.

The show requires a large cast and while director Patrick Nims has 24 performers on stage, more than half of them are kids. Consequently, the adult actors essay multiple roles (Dwayne Stincelli is the undertaker and a curly-locked housemaid; Maureen O’Neill is the undertaker’s wife and a ridiculously muttonchopped Mr. Bedwin, etc.) as well as inanimate objects like doors and window blinds, while the kids play street urchins, the occasional adult and animals. This gave the show a strange tone and led to the evening’s oddest moment when the violent bludgeoning death of a character was immediately followed by the sound of the audience’s “Aw!” at the sight of a child portraying a dog.

Conceptual issues aside, poor sound work off stage repeatedly undermined quality performances on stage. I’m starting to sound like a broken record here, but sound really matters in a musical.

At some point, could someone step forward and say, “Please sir, I want some more … rehearsal”?

Rating (out of 5): HHH

Film

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few tricks up their sleeves in ‘The Good Liar.’

Dishonesty is a virtue in Bill Condon’s new thriller BY RICHARD VON BUSACK

A

ging performers can be sad to watch.

Right when they should be doing their best work, they’re lending their years of integrity to luxurycar commercial voiceovers.

Happily, Bill Condon’s The Good Liar rejoices in old age’s boundless capacity for treachery. On the typewritten titles McKellen (Ian) and Mirren (Helen) get last-name credits before their first names bleed through the paper. Do they need first names at this stage?

It’s 2009, and a couple is typing away at a computer dating site for people in their sunset years. They tell white lies as they correspond. They meet. He’s a kindly old gentleman with a trustworthy Walt Disney mustache. He practically signals his virtue with semaphore flags: “What I deplore most in life is dishonesty.” He has a son with whom he’s estranged: “I don’t approve of his lifestyle…he designs kitchens.”

Betty has a grandson, Steven (Russel Tovey) who watches Roy like a hawk. After the first date, Roy departs for a titty bar, to meet an equally dodgy circle of “financiers,” including his main partner in grift (the great Jim Carter). All get ready to launder some Russian money.

Roy could use a hideout. Over the objections of Steven, Betty moves the old man into her guest room.

She’s in frail health; stroke prone.

She suggests a trip to Berlin. The city has unhappy history. In long flashbacks we learn about Roy and that mysterious scar on his neck he doesn’t talk about.

If you don’t suspect The Good Liar’s title should be plural, you’re more innocent than the cast. We can predict Roy-the-enterprising-weasel will become a cornered rat. Still, McKellen shows he’s a virtuoso of villainy, glowing in false benevolence. He’s a pleasure even in slighter moments of disgust, scowling at a squad of powerwalking seniors. His last cowed glare at the audience is a payback scene worthy of a Lon Chaney movie.

At this point, Mirren has kept her personal magic as long as Marlene Dietrich; her keenness of eye and firmness of mouth project enough force to hold this film’s stories together. And there’s a final moment where Betty, alarmed by the noises of three little girls in her yard, has second thoughts. The girls are there to keep a happy ending from being too happy. A skyscape is all the more beautiful for having a cloud in it.

‘The Good Liar’ is now playing in wide release.

‘Kindred’ Souls

Exhibit brings out artists’ animal sides BY DAVID TEMPLETON

A

rtistic Director Liz Jahren halts in front of a cluster of paintings on the wall at the Petaluma location of Alchemia Gallery and Studios, a visualand-performing-arts nonprofit serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the North Bay. “Oh, wait, look at these. Aren’t these beautiful?” she asks.

All of the images are boldly rendered expressions of animals— cats, pigs, wolves, sheep dogs, polar bears and penguins, whales, fish, turtles and, um, a centaur. Some paintings are detailed to an astonishing degree, others simplistic to the point of minimalism; many are fancifully abstract, all of them vivid, colorful and instantly captivating.

“We often mistake animals as other,” Jahren says. It’s one of two opening receptions for the “Kindred IV” exhibit running simultaneously in Petaluma and

Novato. It’s the fourth annual Kindred exhibit in Petaluma, but the first in Marin, where Alchemia has had a facility for 10 years but opened the downtown Grant Street gallery just one year ago.

“As a culture, we sometimes forget that animals have feelings, they have thoughts, they have ideas of their own, in a way, right?” Jahren says, when asked why they dubbed the show “Kindred.”

“I think that’s also true of a lot of people in our community, this community right here,” she says,

‘Kindred IV’ runs through Jan. 3 at both Alchemia galleries, 111 Kentucky St., Petaluma and at 1123 Grant Ave., Novato. Alchemia.org

27 NO RTH BAY BO H E M I AN | NOV E M BE R 20 -26, 2019 | BOH E MI A N.COM

David Templeton

NATURAL HABITAT Alchemia Artistic Director Liz Jahren admires painted representations of artists’ animal sides.

gesturing at the works on the wall. Alchemia artists created them all. “There’s a special sense of ‘kindred’ that exists between our artists and the animal world, and there’s something really beautiful about that relationship.

When they choose an animal that speaks to them and then create a piece of art around that animal, those pieces often turn out to be very powerful and just deeply, viscerally appealing.”

In addition to the galleries and the Novato teaching space, Alchemia operates a Santa Rosa location focusing primarily on performing arts: dance, theater, puppetry, media, music and singing. The Santa Rosa location also has its own, robust visualarts program.

Elizabeth Clary, the Executive Director of Alchemia, arrives fresh from Novato’s opening day to join the festivities. Clary says it was a packed show, a testament to Alchemia’s growing visibility in Novato.

“The bottom line is that Alchemia has served Marin County for over 10 years, but we’ve been mostly under the radar,” Clary says. “A downtown storefront is a great way to promote the work of the artists we support.”

And those artists, notes Jahren, face more obstacles than one would assume when they identify as creative.

“Basically, people act as if you’re not allowed to be an artist,” she says. “It’s assumed you’ll participate in work programs where you can clean parking lots or assemble things in factories. That’s great for a lot of people—but for those who have an artistic streak, we offer an alternative. These studios and galleries are places our clients come to be supported as artists, with mentorship, facilitation and curatorship, to help them create and share their artwork with the world.”

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ayatta Patton’s journey in music began with a trumpet, includes a bike shop and features a new hip-hop experience in Sonoma County.

“I was in band, so I was kind of like a nerdy kid,” Patton says.

The West Oakland native also grew up on a musical diet of hip-hop groups like A Tribe Called Quest and found inspiration in female rap artists like Ms. Lauryn Hill.

“Coming from Oakland, it’s a prideful place in a sense that we didn’t have much, but you could put together a rhyme with nothing,” Patton says. “I think the most creative people are the people who don’t have a lot of resources.”

Patton performed in bands and worked as a teacher in Oakland and Sacramento before moving to Sonoma County to help a friend open a bike business in Guerneville. “I needed a plot twist,” she says. “It was on a whim, I did it for a year, then a year turned into two years, three years, and now Sonoma County is like my home.”

Since then, Patton has performed hip-hop under her first name, Kayatta, and is quickly garnering attention for her engaging stage presence and soulful songwriting.

“Songs come at the most inopportune times, you can be in

the studio and somebody drops a beat that you need to write to,” she says. “Or it might be a situation where you’ve got a story to tell and you write because you’ve got to get it out, and then you find a beat to complement that.”

Readers of the Bohemian voted Kayatta as “Best Hip-Hop Artist” in this year’s NorBays Music Awards, and she recently received an arts grant from Creative Sonoma which she is using to produce a proper, full-length LP that is currently 90 percent complete.

Now, Kayatta wants to bring her music to the masses. In addition to performing live with artists P Butta and Erica Ambrin on Nov. 27 at Lagunitas Tap Room in Petaluma (see Calendar, pg 29), Kayatta hosts “The Precipice,” a monthly hip-hop showcase she formed with Sebastopol’s DJ Dyops that returns to Shady Oak in Santa Rosa on Nov. 23.

“I wanted to establish something where women are empowered, where hip-hop is present, where community is present,” she says. “It’s also queerfriendly, everybody is included. I would invite people to come out and see what we do, if they try it out they might find that they like it.”

‘The Precipice’ happens on Saturday, Nov. 23, at Shady Oak Barrel House, 420 First St., Santa Rosa. 7:30pm. Free.

Shadyoakbarrelhouse.com.

Concerts SONOMA Built to Spill

Indie-rock icons out of Boise, Idaho, play their album “Keep It Like a Secret” in full. Nov 23, 6pm. $55. Gundlach Bundschu Winery, 2000 Denmark St, Sonoma, 707.938.5277.

Fisher Fest

Benefit concert for West County-musician and artist Michael Fisher features St Peterbilt, Jinx Jones & the Kingtones, Hunka Hunka Hula Revue and the Del-Novas. Nov 24, 12pm. $15. Arlene Francis Center, 99 Sixth St, Santa Rosa, 707.528.3009.

Harlem 100

Nine-piece band plays in modern multimedia variety show that pays homage to Harlem musicians and performers. Nov 21, 7:30pm. $25 and up. Green Music Center Weill Hall, 1801 East Cotati Ave, Rohnert Park, 866.955.6040.

NAPA Dwight Yoakam

Desmodus. Nov 23, Awesome Hotcakes. 501 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa, 707.978.2459.

A’Roma Roasters

Nov 22, Solid Air. Nov 23, Callie Watts. 95 Fifth St, Santa Rosa, 707.576.7765.

Aqus Cafe

Nov 22, the Tonewoods. Nov 23, David Landon. Nov 24, 2pm, Two Smooth. 189 H St, Petaluma, 707.778.6060.

Arlene Francis Center

Nov 23, Dirty Rice with Satan’s Blade and Scythe. 99 Sixth St, Santa Rosa, 707.528.3009.

Barley & Hops Tavern

Nov 21, Hannah Jern-Miller.

Nov 22, Awesome Hotcakes.

Nov 23, Free Peoples Trio. 3688 Bohemian Hwy, Occidental, 707.874.9037.

The Big Easy

Nov 21, Phony Abalone. Nov 22, Miss Moonshine and Fog Holler. Nov 23, Dirty Red Barn album-release show. Nov 27, Wednesday Night Big Band.

128 American Alley, Petaluma, 707.776.7163.

Bluewater Bistro

Multifaceted musician performs a spirited show in Napa Valley. Nov 24, 8pm. $59$99. Napa Valley Performing Arts Center at Lincoln Theater, 100 California Dr, Yountville, 707.944.9900.

Nov 21, 5pm, Susan Comstock Swingtet. 21301 Heron Dr, Bodega Bay, 707.875.3513.

Eric Roberson

Crooked Goat Brewing

Grammy-nominated soul star celebrates the 10-year anniversary of his acclaimed album, “Music Fan First.” Nov 21-22, 6:30 and 9pm. $25-$65.

Blue Note Napa, 1030 Main St, Napa, 707.880.2300.

Fall Fusion: Weezer Meets Haydn

Chamber music concert from Friction Quartet blurs the lines between classical and modern pop music. RSVP recommended.

Nov 24, 4pm. Free. The White Barn, 2727 Sulphur Springs Ave, St Helena, 707.987.8225.

Clubs & Venues SONOMA 3 Disciples Brewing Taproom Nov 22, Mournful Cries and

Coyote Sonoma

Nov 23, Rhythm Drivers.

44F Mill St, Healdsburg, 707.385.9133.

Nov 23, 3pm, Dan Martin.

Nov 24, 3pm, T-Luke. 120 Morris St, Ste 120, Sebastopol, 707.827.3893.

Elephant in the Room Nov 22, Trouble in the Wind. Nov 23, Dan Martin and the Soma Rocksteady Band. Nov 24, 6pm, Awesome Hotcakes. 177-A Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg, elephantintheroompub.com.

Fern Bar

Nov 21, Michael Price & Co. Nov 22, the Beat Meters. Nov 23, Yuka Yu. Nov 24, Pick Your Heart Out. Nov 25, Woodlander and friends. Nov 27, Jim Adams and John Potter Duo. 6780 Depot St, Suite 120, Sebastopol, 707.861.9603.

Flamingo Lounge

Nov 22, Weekend at Bernie’s.

Nov 23, Trouble with Monkeys and Pepperland. 2777 Fourth St, Santa Rosa, 707.545.8530.

Nov 23, John Courage Trio.

21025 Geyserville Ave, Geyserville, 707.814.0036.

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Geyserville Gun Club Bar & Lounge

Green Music Center Schroeder Hall

Nov 21, Jewish Music Series.

Nov 22, Guitar Ensemble.

Nov 23, Rock Collegium. Nov 24, Student composers with Sonoma County Taiko. 1801 E Cotati Ave, Rohnert Park, 866.955.6040.

HopMonk Tavern

Nov 22, Amp Live and Nico Luminous. Nov 23, More Fatter. Nov 25, DJ Kobie and DJ Jacques. 230 Petaluma Ave, Sebastopol, 707.829.7300.

Hotel Healdsburg

Nov 23, 6:30pm, Kevin Fitzsimmons Quartet. 25 Matheson St, Healdsburg, 707.431.2800.

Hudson Street Wineries

Nov 22, 6pm, Complicated Animals. 428 Hudson St, Healdsburg, 707.433.2364.

Lagunitas Tap Room

Nov 21, Reed Turchi. Nov 22, Frank Barter Band. Nov 23, Danny Montana & the Bar Association. Nov 24, Firewheel.

Nov 27, P Butta with Kayatta and Emoney. 1280 N McDowell Blvd, Petaluma, 707.778.8776.

Local Barrel

Nov 23, Iriefuse. 490 Mendocino Ave #104, Santa Rosa, 707.890.5433.

Main Street Bistro

Nov 21, Susan Sutton. Nov 22, Valtierra Latin Orchestra. Nov 23, Fargo Brothers. Nov 24, Mac & Potter. 16280 Main St, Guerneville, 707.869.0501.

P E TA L U M A H O L I S T I C C O U N S E L I N G C E N T E R CA LL 707.241.4948 OR GO ONLINE TO M A K E A PPT.:

W W W. S E E D S - O F - A W A R E N E S S . O R G

Murphy’s Irish Pub & Restaurant

Nov 23, Jon Williams. Nov 24, 4pm, Sonoma Sound Syndicate. 464 First St E, Sonoma, 707.935.0660.

Mystic Theatre & Music Hall

Nov 22-23, Y&T with James Durbin. Nov 24, Fortunate Youth with Mike Love and Kash’d Out. Nov 27, One Grass Two Grass with Timothy O’Neil Band. 23 Petaluma Blvd N, Petaluma, 707.775.6048.

Newman Auditorium

Nov 22, Bennett Friedman Jazz Quartet. SRJC, 1501 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa, 707.527.4307.

The Phoenix Theater

Nov 23, Mozzy. 201 Washington St, Petaluma, 707.762.3565.

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THE STUDIOS CYCLE AND CORE CYCLE. HOT PILATES. YOGA. BARRE (ADJACENT TO MONTECITO HEIGHTS HEALTH CLUB) 170 FARMER'S LANE SANTA ROSA 707-528-4348 MONTECITOHEIGHTSSTUDIOS.COM

O V V E T O VOTE T Calendar ( 29

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Raven Theater

NORTH BAY BOH EMI A N | NOV E M BE R 20 -26, 20 19 | BO H E M I AN.COM

Nov 22, Joshua Redman Quartet. 115 North St, Healdsburg, 707.433.3145.

Redwood Cafe

Nov 20, Flat Broke Farm Animal Rescue fundraiser with Stax City. Nov 21, Danny Brooks and Lil’ Miss Debi. Nov 22, La Agencia and Pistoleros Famosos.

Nov 23, It’s a Beautiful Day. Nov 24, Irish jam session. Nov 25, the Blues Defenders pro jam. 8240 Old Redwood Hwy, Cotati, 707.795.7868.

Reel & Brand

Nov 23, 6:30pm, Ramble with Sarah & the Howell Mountain Boys. Nov 27, New Copasetics.

1030 Main St, Napa, 707.880.2300.

Buster’s Southern Barbecue

Nov 24, 2pm, Rob Watson and friends featuring Vernon Black.

1207 Foothill Blvd, Calistoga, 707.942.5605.

Ca’ Momi Osteria

Nov 22, Dance for Pride with DJ Rotten Robbie. 1141 First St, Napa, 707.224.6664.

Downtown Joe’s Brewery & Restaurant

Nov 22, the Humdingers. Nov 23, Xstatic. Nov 24, DJ Aurelio.

Nov 27, Blues jam with John Fittipoldi and friends. 902 Main St, Napa, 707.258.2337.

Santa Rosa Arts Center

JaM Cellars

Santa Rosa Bible Church

Nov 22, Santa Rosa Symphonic Chorus presents A Holiday Potpourri. 4575 Badger Rd, Santa Rosa, santarosasymphonicchorus.com.

Saturday Afternoon Club

Nov 23, 6:30pm, Santa Rosa Symphonic Chorus Holiday Encore Concert.

430 10th St, Santa Rosa, santarosasymphonicchorus.com.

Spicy Vines Tasting Room

Nov 23, Smoke & Mirrors. 441 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg, 707.927.1065.

St Vincent de Paul Church

Nov 24, 5pm, Dominican Chorale Fall Concert. 35 Liberty St, Petaluma, 707.762.4278.

Starling Bar

Oct 2 - Dec 31

Blue Note Napa

Nov 22, the Illegitimate AC/DC and Scarlett Letters. Nov 23, Take Off. Nov 24, 4pm, the Cork Pullers. 401 Grove St, Sonoma, 707.343.0044.

Nov 22, the Farallons and Duo Giuliani. 312 South A St, Santa Rosa, santarosaartscenter.org.

For Sonoma & Napa’s Best

NAPA

Nov 23, the Bay Station Band.

19380 Hwy 12, Sonoma, 707.938.7442.

Subud Hall

Nov 23, Kirtan concert with Jai Uttal and Daniel Paul. 234 Hutchins Ave, Sebastopol, 707.823.1986.

Twin Oaks Roadhouse Nov 21, Country Line Dancing. Nov 22, Mike Saliani. Nov 23, West Grand Brass Band. 5745 Old Redwood Hwy, Penngrove, 707.795.5118.

Nov 22, David Ronconi. 1460 First St, Napa, 707.265.7577.

River Terrace Inn

Nov 22, 5:30pm, the Cincinnati Ambassadors. Nov 23, 5:30pm, Mark Harold. 1600 Soscol Ave, Napa, 707.320.9000.

Roadhouse 29

Nov 22, Robert Foley Band.

3020 St Helena Hwy N, St Helena, 707.302.3777.

The Saint

Nov 22, Kevin Hague. Nov 23, Toree McGee. 1351 Main St, St Helena, 707.302.5130.

Stone Brewing Napa Nov 23, Divided Heaven. 930 Third St, Napa, 707.252.2337.

Art Opening Museum of Sonoma County

Nov 19-Jan 12, “Discovered: Emerging Artists of Sonoma County” & “Artistry in Wood,” dual exhibits are presented in collaboration with Creative Sonoma and Sonoma County Woodworkers Association respectively. Reception, Nov 22 at 5pm. 425 Seventh St, Santa Rosa. 707.579.1500.

Petaluma Arts Center Nov 23-Jan 18, “Petaluma to the Playa,” exhibit highlights artists who create for, and document, Burning Man. Reception, Nov 23 at 6pm.

230 Lakeville St, Petaluma.

707.762.5600.

Comedy EnParejaDos

Consuelo Duval and Adrian Uribe find humor in the cliches and absurdities that arise between men and women.

Nov 22, 8pm. $51-$111. Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Rd, Santa Rosa, 707.546.3600.

Felipe Esparza

Comedian and actor takes the stage as part of the “Bad Hambre” tour. Nov 22, 8pm. $30-$50. Uptown Theatre, 1350 Third St, Napa, 707.259.0123.

Dance Luther Burbank Center for the Arts Nov 24, 7:30pm, So You Think You Can Dance Live, features the show’s Season 16 winner, finalists and other guests. $55$69. 50 Mark West Springs Rd, Santa Rosa 707.546.3600.

Events The Big Reveal

Coverdale’s chamber of commerce and performing arts center present a gala that announces the upcoming season of theater productions, with makers market, artisan cocktails and silent auction.

Nov 24, 5pm. Free admission.

Cloverdale Performing Arts Center, 209 N Cloverdale Blvd, Cloverdale, 707.829.2214.

Gifts ’n Tyme Holiday Faire

Wine Country fair highlights 85 booths of fine crafts, artwork and gourmet foods.

Nov 22-24. Free. Napa Valley Exposition, 575 Third St, Napa, 925.372.8961.

Holiday Make-In

Day of art and crafting inspires creative ideas for all ages. Nov 23, 11am. Free. Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, 551 Broadway, Sonoma, 707.939.SVMA.

Holidays in Yountville

The town transforms into a winter wonderland with live entertainment, art shows, shopping, food and wine tours, carriage rides and more. Nov 24-Jan 1. Downtown Yountville, yountville.com.

Jack London Memorial Park historian Lou Leal heads up a ceremony at the park’s

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Lunch & Dinner 7 Days a Week

NO RTH BAY BO H E M I AN | NOV E M BE R 20 -26, 2019 | BOH E MI A N.COM

Frankie Leal Photography

Outdoor Dining Sat & Sun Brunch 11–3

Din ner & A Show

Charley Paul Nov 22 Honky Tonk Happiness Fri

8:00 ⁄ No Cover

Rancho Debut!

Johnny & June Forever:

Sat

Nov 23 A Tribute to Johnny Cash & Rancho June Carter 8:00 Debut

Blithedale Canyon

Sun

Nov 24 Harmonious Country 4:00 ⁄ No Cover

Join Us!

Thursday, Nov 28, 12–7pm For Our Traditional

Thankgiving Dinner Fri

8th Annual Leftover’s Party

Sat

15th Annual “Holiday Party!”

Nov 29 The Mad Hannans 8:00 Nov 30 Bud E Luv Sat

Dec 7 Sat

Vegas Comes To Nicasio 8:00

Danny Click’s Birthday Party w⁄ The Hell Yeahs 8:00 Rancho Debut!

Dec 14 The Billie Holiday Project featuring Stella Heath 8:00

CD Release Party #2 Dec 15 Sun

Mike Duke Project …took a while 7:00

Celebrate WILLIE K WEEKEND! Aloha!

Dec 20, 21, 22

Reservations Advised

415.662.2219

HAMMING IT UP Comedian Felipe Esparza gets personal—and funny—on

On the Town Square, Nicasio

his new ‘Bad Hambre’ standup tour, coming to Napa’s Uptown Theatre on Friday, Nov. 22. See comedy, pg 30.

gravesite. Nov 23, 10:30am.

Free. Jack London State Park, 2400 London Ranch Rd, Glen Ellen, 707.938.5216.

Joy Art Walk

Fifteenth annual holiday sale features art, jewelry and handmade gifts. Nov 23-24, 11am. Joy Road Schoolhouse, 2400 Joy Rd, Occidental, facebook.com/JoyArtwalk.

Luxurious Napa Hotel Singles Party

Dress to impress at a fun mixer with games and prizes. Nov 23, 3pm. $10. Sky & Vine Rooftop Bar, Archer Hotel, 1260 First St, Napa, 707.819.2490.

Napa Valley Resilience Get help in moving through and beyond trauma to become a more resilient and inclusive Napa Valley in an afternoon workshop and evening presentation by Dr James S Gordon. Nov 21. $10-$25; workshop is free. Napa Valley Performing Arts Center at Lincoln Theater, 100 California Dr, Yountville, 707.944.9900.

SCA Ceramics Studio Holiday Pottery Sale Shop for one-of-a-kind handmade pottery from local artists while supporting

this exceptional community pottery studio. Nov 22-24. Free admission. Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 S High St, Sebastopol, 707.829.4797.

West County Craft Faire Ramp up for the holidays with local crafters and artists, savory and sweet treats, live music, raffles and more. Nov 23-24, 11am. Free. Sebastopol Grange Hall, 6000 Sebastopol Ave, Sebastopol, 707.573.6049.

Zen Fest Holiday Fair Sixteenth annual sale includes locally sourced and crafted gifts, delectable treats and more. Nov 23, 9am. Free.

Sebastopol Masonic Lodge, 373 N Main St, Sebastopol, 707.829.9732.

Field Trips Bird Walk Lead by Madrone Audubon Society. Nov 21, 9am. $7 parking. Spring Lake Park, 5585 Newanga Ave, Santa Rosa, 707.546.1812.

www.ranchonicasio.com

Holidays Along the Farm Trails

Sonoma County farmers and producers open their barn doors to offer a taste of life on the farm. Maps and info at farmtrails.org. Through Jan 1, 2020. Free. various locations, Sonoma County, farmtrails.org.

CALL OF THE VALLEY

Natural History Hike

Explore diverse ecosystems on Sonoma Mountain with Sonoma State student and community naturalists. Sat, Nov 23, 10am. Free. Fairfield Osborn Preserve, 6543 Lichau Rd, Penngrove, cei.sonoma.edu.

Solar Viewing & Public Star Party

View stars near and far with the observatory’s telescopes and experts on hand. Nov 23, 11am and 8pm. Robert Ferguson Observatory, Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, 2605 Adobe Canyon Rd, Kenwood, rfo.org.

Walk Honoring Loss & Resilience

Immersive walk for anyone who feels they are still suffering negative effects from the recent fires or floods. Nov 21, 10am. Free.

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, 2605 Adobe Canyon Rd, Kenwood, 707.833.5712. )

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NOV 30th

MOUNT EERIE DEC 6TH

X THE BAND DEC 7TH

THE MAGIC TOY SHOP DECEMBER 14TH & 15TH www.SebastianiTheatre.com

Beautiful handmade gifts 605 Fourth Street | Downtown Santa Rosa 707-579-1459 | M-Sa 10:30-6, Su 12-5

Calendar ( 31

32 NORTH BAY BOH EMI A N | NOV E M BE R 20 -26, 20 19 | BO H E M I AN.COM

Film Blindspotting

Comedic drama, set in Oakland, centers on black Americans’ fear of prejudiced police officers. Fri, Nov 22, 7pm and Sun, Nov 24, 4pm. $5 donation.

Sonoma Film Institute, Warren Auditorium, SSU, 1801 E Cotati Ave, Rohnert Park, 707.664.2606.

Cinema Under the Stars

The outdoor series moves indoors for the winter with a screening of “Planes, Trains & Automobiles.” Nov 26, 7pm. Free admission. CIA at Copia, 500 First St, Napa, 707.967.2530.

CULT Film Series

Double-feature of Joe Dante films includes “The ’Burbs” and “Matinee.” Nov 21, 7pm. $10.

Roxy Stadium 14 Cinemas, 85 Santa Rosa Ave, Santa Rosa, 707.525.8909.

Pinky

Film class with Ian McIver screens 1949 drama directed

by Elia Kazan. Nov 26, 1pm. $10. Cameo Cinema, 1340 Main St, St Helena, 707.963.9779.

Food & Drink Chili Cook-off

Fundraiser for Dogma Animal Rescue features adoptable animals, delicious food and live music by Brother Spellbinder. Nov 23, 1pm. $20. Rio Nido Roadhouse, 14540 Canyon 2 Rd, Rio Nido, 707.869.0821.

Community Olive Press Bring home-grown olives to create an early harvestcommunity olive oil or come just to taste and learn.

Nov 24, 10am. Olive Press, 24724 Arnold Dr, Glen Ellen, 707.939.8900.

Scotch Pairing Fundraiser

Available Now!

Guided tour of single malts paired with small plates, benefiting the Petaluma Museum Association. Nov 21, 6pm. $60-$75. Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 20 Fourth St, Petaluma, 707.778.4398.

Wild Mushroom Foray & Demonstration Lunch Join foraging expert David Campbell as he leads a foray in the hills above Healdsburg. Sat, Nov 23, 9:30am. $154. Relish Culinary Center, 14 Matheson St, Healdsburg, 707.431.9999.

For Kids Museum Monday for Little Ones

Stories with cartoonist Joe Woos, art and craft activities and more is for children ages 1 to 5. Nov 25, 10am. $5. Charles M Schulz Museum, 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa, 707.579.4452.

Lectures Holiday Soap-Making Workshop Learn a fun and useful new skill just in time for making unique homemade gifts for the holidays. Pre-registration required. Nov 23, 10am. $40. Laguna de Santa Rosa Environmental Center, 900 Sanford Rd, Santa Rosa, 707.527.9277.

Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council Meeting

Meeting of the communitybased advisory body is open to the public. Nov 22, 9:30am.

Point Blue Conservation Science, 3820 Cypress Dr #11, Petaluma, 707.781.2555.

PhotoEye Lecture Series

North Bay photographer Ron Zak presents a talk on his work. Nov 21, 6:30pm. Free.

Napa Valley College, 2277 Napa Vallejo Hwy, Napa, 707.256.7500.

Wax Modeling Techniques for Jewelry Making

Class offers a variety of ways to work with wax to create sculptural jewelry. Nov 23, 9:30am. $175. Chimera Arts & Maker Space, 6791 Sebastopol Ave, Sebastopol, chimeraarts.org.

Readings Many Rivers Books & Tea

Nov 21, 7:30pm, “Beauty, Truth, Life and Love” with J Brent Bill. $5. 130 S Main St, Sebastopol 707.829.8871.

Napa Bookmine

Nov 23, 4pm, “Looking for

Revolution, Finding Murder” with Janet Landman & “The Gourmet Gangster” with Marcia Rosen. Nov 24, 4pm, “Listen to the Marriage” with John Jay Osborn. 964 Pearl St, Napa 707.733.3199.

Petaluma Copperfield’s Books Nov 21, 7pm, “United States of Distraction” with Mickey Huff.

140 Kentucky St, Petaluma 707.762.0563.

Theater Escanaba In Da Moonlight Left Edge Theatre presents the hilarious hunting tale filled humor, horror and heart. Nov 22-Dec 15. $28-$42. Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Rd, Santa Rosa, 707.546.3600.

Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Cinnabar’s Young Rep presents the biblical musical. Through Dec 1. $8-$20. Cinnabar Theater, 3333 Petaluma Blvd N, Petaluma, 707.763.8920.

Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley Holiday play inspired by “Pride & Prejudice” makes its Sonoma County premiere. Nov 22-Dec 15. $10-$24. Spreckels Performing Arts Center, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park, 707.588.3400.

Oliver!

Charles Dickens’ famous novel is brought to musical life.

Through Dec 15. $22-$38. 6th Street Playhouse, 52 W Sixth St, Santa Rosa, 707.523.4185.

The Sound of Music Celebrate the holidays with this collaborative production between SRJC and SSU students. Nov 22-Dec 8. Evert B. Person Theater, SSU, 1801 E Cotati Ave, Rohnert Park, 707.527.4307.

The BOHEMIAN’s calendar is produced as a service to the community. If you have an item for the calendar, send it to calendar@bohemian. com, or mail it to: NORTH BAY BOHEMIAN, 847 Fifth St, Santa Rosa CA 95404. Inclusion of events in the print edition is at the editor’s discretion. Deadline is two weeks prior to desired publication date.

DUELING HANJOS Action figures sold separately.

Han Shot Last And other fake news BY DAEDALUS HOWELL

H

an shot first.

Every member of Gen X knows this because we were there—all of us—at the Coddingtown Cinemas in 1977—at least in spirit. This is how it went: Everyone’s favorite space cowboy shot bounty hunter Greedo under the table. The end.

BUT subsequent futzing by creator George Lucas in later releases of Star Wars changed Han’s M-O from mercenary to

self-defense with the digital insertion of a preceding blast

by Greedo. Lucas didn’t stop there—he’s rejiggered the scene at least four times, including the version in the new Disney+ edition now streaming to the chagrin of a generation.

Which is the definitive version of the scene? Which is truer to the character of Han Solo? Who cares? I do because the shifting sands of cinematic “reality” are a mere dress rehearsal for how our culture retrospectively contours the shape of its own history. Han Solo doing anything but shooting first is

revisionism, an alternative fact—the real fake news.

It’s also an object lesson in how the powerful manipulate culture for their own objectives. If you don’t think Mickey Mouse is powerful then you haven’t looked at copyright law in awhile—Disney’s lobbying has systematically inched copyright duration toward infinity and beyond.

Now there’s a new wrinkle in space-time—or as a science journal expressed to harrowing effect, the elemental structures of reality itself: what we consider the facts of the universe might actually be subjective. Gulp.

Published in the journal Science Advances under the scintillating title, “Experimental test of local observer independence” and co-authored by eight physics researchers (that’s more credited writers than the WGA would allow on a Marvel movie, just sayin’), a recent experiment suggests (and this is a gross reduction to my own reading level) that independent observations of quantum phenomena can yield different factual results wherein “the objectivity of observations is not so clear …. two observers can experience seemingly different realities,” reads the paper’s abstract.

Back to this abstract paper: Quantum quandaries are weird because the observer affecting the observed is part and parcel of how they function. The tree falling in the forest doesn’t make a sound unless someone is there to witness it.

However, this eight-person “observer independence” gang is saying that’s a subjective proposition—sure, the tree makes a sound but to you, it’s a thud and to me, it’s Monty Python’s “The Lumberjack Song.”

“Consciousness causes collapse,” it’s said. A quantumscale object can be a particle or wave and until you look—which causes it to “collapse” into one or the other—it’s both. And neither.

But this sort of thinking causes my consciousness to collapse—or I’m too far into the weeds to finish the thought (or I need some weed to finish the thought).

Suffice to say, they rigged the system for relativism. I mean, no one ever said, “To thine own self be factual.” You’re going to have to seek your own truth, Chewie. Same as it ever was. Even if Star Wars isn’t.

Interim editor Daedalus Howell is the author of the novel ‘Quantum Deadline’ and writer-director of the feature film ‘Pill Head,’ both on Amazon.

NO RTH BAY BO H E M I AN | NOV E M BE R 20 -26, 2019 | BOH E MI A N.COM

JD Hancock

Press Pass

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Dining Mina Rios

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SONOMAPALOOZA Palooza Beer

Garden & Eatery at Cornerstone Sonoma is the area’s newest addition.

Gastropub Grows Palooza opens second location

Ayurvedic Indian Head Massage • relief from tension headaches, & sinusitis • improves mobility in neck & shoulders

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CMT# 62066

707.536.1797 margerysmith.massagetherapy.com

VOTE For Sonoma & Napa’s Best

OctO 2 -T Dec E31 V

hat cozy Kenwood eatery with the vintage red truck out front—better known as Palooza Brewery & Gastropub on Sonoma Highway 12—now has a second location at Cornerstone Sonoma.

T

What’s the Palooza recipe for success? Ping Pong? Comedy Nights? Those activities and events certainly help, but their commitment to quality ingredients, great hospitality and a supremely fun, appetizing menu are their best practices.

The casual, family-friendly (dogs included), wine country charm is also associated with Palooza’s mass appeal.

Owners Jeff and Suzette Tyler started modestly with a

single hot-dog cart. Opening a second eatery in the same town where they cater to thousands of hungry Sonoma Stomper fans each summer makes good business sense. The minor league baseball team are such fans of the eatery themselves, they deemed their ballpark Palooza Park at Arnold Field.

The Tyler’s opened Palooza Brewery and Gastropub in Kenwood in 2014, with their latest Palooza venture at the Cornerstone Sonoma marketplace opening this past August.

“It’s been a great experience opening a business at such a dynamic property,” says Patrick Odenthal, general manager of both sites. “Cornerstone hosts a variety of tasting rooms and unique boutique shops … a one-of-a-kind gem of Sonoma County. We are fortunate to be surrounded by the serene Sunset Gardens to set the relaxing vibe to indulge.”

The Palooza menu at Cornerstone Sonoma offers several favorites from its Kenwood location such as the house-smoked BBQ ribs, the classic burger, and the pulledpork sandwich, and features a few new additions including handcrafted, aged cheese and charcuterie boards to compliment the selection of fine local wines.

And if you prefer brew, the beer garden is well-stocked.

Odenthal says, “We feature four of our beers with a focus on drinkability. Cornerstone IPA is our latest release—a Simcoe Dry Hopped Session IPA.” Dishes such as the hippie avocado toast or the adult grilled cheese have only one appropriate response—“Yes, please!”

“Visit us at either location— Sonoma or Kenwood,” Odenthal says. “We offer lunch and dinner at both locations. The staff, food, & drinks are fantastic. You might want to stay awhile.”

Palooza Beer Garden & Eatery at Cornerstone Sonoma, 23584 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, and Palooza Brewery & Gastropub, 8910 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood. paloozafresh.com

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BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “Beware of what disturbs the heart," said Ibn Mas’ud, a companion of the prophet Mohammed. "If something unsettles your heart, then abandon it.” My wise Aries friend Artemisia has a different perspective. She advises, "Pay close attention to what disturbs the heart.

Whatever has the power to unsettle your heart will show you a key lesson you must learn, a crucial task you'd be smart to undertake." Here's my synthesis of Ibn Mas’ud and Artemisia: Do your very best to fix the problem revealed by your unsettled heart. Learn all you can in the process. Then, even if the fix isn't totally perfect, move on. Graduate from the problem for good.

to be independent. Each of those urges deserves an honored place in your heart. But you may sometimes experience them as being contradictory; their opposing pulls may rouse tension. I bring this to your attention because I suspect that the coming weeks will be a test of your ability to not just abide in this tension, but to learn from and thrive on it. For inspiration, read these words by Jeanette Winterson.

"What should I do about the wild heart that wants to be free and the tame heart that wants to come home? I want to be held. I don’t want you to come too close. I want you to scoop me up and bring me home at night. I don't want to tell you where I am. I want to be with you."

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus social critic

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The Louvre Museum

Bertrand Russell won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950. He's regarded as the founder of analytic philosophy and one of the twentieth century's premier intellectuals. But he went through a rough patch in 1940. He was adjudged "morally unfit" to accept his appointment as a professor at the City College of New York. The lawsuit that banned him from the job described him as being "libidinous, lustful, aphrodisiac, and irreverent." Why? Simply because of his liberated opinions about sexuality, which he had conscientiously articulated in his book *Marriage and Morals*. In our modern era, we're more likely to welcome libidinous, lustful, aphrodisiac, and irreverent ideas if they're expressed respectfully, as Russell did. With that as a subtext, I invite you to update and deepen your relationship with your own sexuality in the coming weeks.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In her poem "What the Light Teaches," Anne Michaels describes herself arriving at a lover's house soaked with rain, "dripping with new memory." She's ready for "one past to grow out of another." In other words, she's eager to leave behind the story that she and her lover have lived together up until now—and begin a new story. A similar blessing will be available for you in the coming weeks, Gemini: a chance for you and an intimate partner or close ally to launch a new chapter of your history together.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Some scientists deride astrology despite being ignorant about it. For example, they complain, "The miniscule gravitational forces beaming from the planets can't possibly have any effect on our personal lives." But the truth is that most astrologers don't believe the planets exert influence on us with gravity or any other invisible force. Instead, we analyze planetary movements as evidence of a hidden order in the universe. It's comparable to the way weather forecasters use a barometer to read atmospheric pressure but know that barometers don't cause changes in atmospheric pressure. I hope this inspires you, Cancerian, as you develop constructive critiques of situations in your own sphere. Don't rely on naive assumption and unwarranted biases. Make sure you have the correct facts before you proceed. If you do, you could generate remarkable transformations in the coming weeks.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): As you glide into the Season of Love, I'd love you to soak up wise counsel from the author bell hooks. (She doesn't capitalize her name.) "Many people want love to function like a drug, giving them an immediate and sustained high," she cautions. "They want to do nothing, just passively receive the good feeling." I trust you won't do that, Leo. Here's more from hooks: "Dreaming that love will save us, solve all our problems or provide a steady state of bliss or security only keeps us stuck in wishful fantasy, undermining the real power of the love—which is to transform us." Are you ready to be transformed by love, Leo? VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Burrow down as deep as you dare, Virgo. Give yourself pep talks as you descend toward the gritty core of every matter. Feel your way into the underground, where the roots meet the foundations. It's time for you to explore the mysteries that are usually beneath your conscious awareness. You have a mandate to reacquaint yourself with where you came from and how you got to where you are now.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): It's natural and healthy to feel both the longing to connect and the longing

in Paris displays 38,000 objects throughout its eighteen acres of floor space. Among its most treasured thirteenth-century artworks is *The Madonna and Child in Majesty Surrounded by Angels*, a huge painting by Italian painter Cimabue.

When a museum representative first acquired it in the nineteenth century, its price was five francs, or less than a dollar. I urge you to be on the lookout for bargains like that in the coming weeks. Something that could be valuable in the future may be undervalued now.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

Sagittarian performance artist Marina Abramović observes that Muhammad, Buddha, Jesus, and Moses "all went to the desert as nobodies and came back as somebodies." She herself spent a year in Australia's Great Sandy Desert near Lake Disappointment, leading her to exclaim that the desert is "the most incredible place, because there is nothing there except yourself, and yourself is a big deal." From what I can tell, Sagittarius, you're just returning from your own metaphorical version of the desert, which is very good news. Welcome back! I can't wait to see what marvels you spawn.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Upcoming events may bedevil your mind. They may mess with your certainties and agitate your self-doubts. But if you want my view about those possibilities, they're cause for celebration. According to my analysis of the astrological indicators, you will benefit from having your mind bedeviled and your certainties messed with and your self-doubts agitated. You may ultimately even thrive and exult and glow like a miniature sun. Why? Because you need life to gently but firmly kick your ass in just the right way so you'll become alert to opportunities you have been ignoring or blind to.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Every writer I've ever known says that a key practice to becoming a good writer is to read a lot of books. So what are we to make of the fact that one of the twentieth century's most celebrated novelists didn't hew to that principle?

In 1936, three years before the publication of his last book, Aquarian-born James Joyce confessed that he had "not read a novel in any language for many years."

Here's my take on the subject: More than any other sign of the zodiac, you Aquarians have the potential to succeed despite not playing by conventional rules. And I suspect your power to do that is even greater than usual these days.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): "If you are lucky

enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it," wrote Piscean novelist John Irving. In the coming weeks, Pisces, you will have the power to get clearer than ever before about knowing the way of life you love. As a bonus, I predict you will also have an expanded access to the courage necessary to actually live that way of life.

Take full advantage!

Go to REALASTROLOGY.COM to check out Rob Brezsny’s Expanded Weekly Audio Horoscopes and Daily Text Message Horoscopes. Audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1.877.873.4888.

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Oliver’s Complete Heat & Serve $129.99 Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner Order online at www.oliversmarket.com

Oliver’s is here to help. We have complete dinners with all the fixings, including fresh made side dishes and deli trays for your guests to snack on. Love cooking but don’t have time to prepare all these side dishes?

Take a look at our great selections of sides to complement your entrée.

Unfortunately, due to the high volume of these dinners, substitutions are not possible.

Please order early to ensure availability.

Dinner includes one Medium Diestel Turkey (10-12 Lbs.) Plus Oliver’s Home-Style Sides including: • 16 oz. Cranberry Sauce • 3 lbs. Oliver’s Traditional Stuffing • 1 quart Oliver’s Turkey Gravy • 3 lbs. Mashed Potatoes with Chives • 1 dozen Pull-a-Part Rolls • 2 lbs. Fresh Vegetable Medley

9230 Old Redwood Highway • Windsor • 687-2050 | 546 E. Cotati Avenue • Cotati • 795-9501 | 560 Montecito Center • Santa Rosa • 537-7123 | 461 Stony Point Road • Santa Rosa • 284-3530