C 2015 01 22 by News & Review

IS LOVE SKIN DEEP? See ARTS FEATURE, page 22

MOVIE MONTH See REEL WORLD, page 25

SO LD !

Weird Tales

Highlighting the funky side of Chico Chico’s News & Entertainment Weekly

Volume 38, Issue 22

Thursday, January 22, 2015

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2 CN&R January 22, 2015

CN&R

INSIDE

JEFF BRIDGES

Vol. 38, Issue 22 • January 22, 2015

OPINION Editorial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Guest Comment. . . . . . . . . . . . . Second & Flume . . . . . . . . . . . . . Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Streetalk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4 4 5 5 7

& THE ABIDERS

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NEWSLINES Downstroke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Sifter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

COVER STORY

THE GOODS 15 Minutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 The Bottom Line . . . . . . . . . . . .17

HEALTHLINES Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 The Pulse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Weekly Dose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

GREENWAYS Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Eco Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

ARTS & CULTURE Arts feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 This Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Fine arts listings . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Reel World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 In The Mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Chow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Arts DEVO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Nightlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Brezsny’s Astrology . . . . . . . . 35

REAL ESTATE

ON THE COVER: ILLUSTRATION BY NICHOLAS IVINS

Distribution Director Greg Erwin Distribution Manager Mark Schuttenberg Distribution Staff Ken Gates, Bob Meads, Pat Rogers, Mara Schultz, Larry Smith, Lisa Torres, Placido Torres, Jeff Traficante, Bill Unger, Lisa Van Der Maelen Our Mission To publish great newspapers that are successful and enduring. To create a quality work environment that encourages employees to grow professionally while respecting personal welfare. To have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live. Editor Melissa Daugherty Associate Editor Meredith J. Graham Arts Editor Jason Cassidy News Editor Tom Gascoyne Asst. News Editor/Healthlines Editor Howard Hardee Staff Writer Ken Smith Calendar Assistant Mallory Russell Contributors Catherine Beeghly, Alastair Bland, Henri Bourride, Rachel Bush, Vic Cantu, Matthew Craggs, Kyle Delmar, Bob Grimm, Miles Jordan, Karen Laslo, Leslie Layton, Mark Lore, Melanie MacTavish, Sean Murphy, Mazi Noble, Brian Palmer, Shannon Rooney, Toni Scott, Claire Hutkins Seda, Juan-Carlos Selznick, Robert Speer, Allan Stellar, Evan Tuchinsky, Carey Wilson Interns Hunter Du Puy, Nate Ward, Brittany Waterstradt Managing Art Director Tina Flynn Editorial Designer Sandra Peters

Advertising Manager Jamie DeGarmo Advertising Services Coordinator Ruth Alderson Advertising Consultants Alex Beehner, Brian Corbit, Laura Golino Junior Sales Associate/Assistant Faith de Leon Senior Classified Advertising Consultant Olla Ubay

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OPINION

Send guest comments, 400 words maximum, to gc@ newsreview.com, or to 353 E. 2nd St., Chico, CA 95928. Please include photo & short bio.

Digging deeper for equality On Sunday, locals gathered at City Plaza to honor the life and work of

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unfortunately, some 50-plus years after the slain civil rights leader’s “I Have a Dream” speech, our nation continues to struggle with issues of equality. In years past, events centering on Dr. King’s birthday have been celebratory in nature. But this year, the nation over, there’s a palpable sense of urgency and renewed activism. That’s in large part due to recent highprofile police-involved killings of unarmed black men, which have triggered protests, from coast to coast. Here in Chico, we watched young people organize a march and a rally in response to the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and Eric Garner in New York at the hands of police officers whom grand juries refused to indict. More than 100 protesters marched down The Esplanade and through the city center. They carried signs with phrases such as “black lives matter” and chanted “I can’t breathe,” in reference to the last words Garner spoke to police officers who watched as one of them held the father of six in the chokehold that asphyxiated him. The protesters ended up at City Plaza, where the crowd swelled to several hundred strong. It was a moving display of solidarity attended by a wide cross-section of our community. But we hope that it’s not the end of the local protests on this subject. Here in Chico, as in other communities throughout the United States, we need to dig a little deeper to have the conversations that will help move forward the work of Dr. King. They will be difficult conversations at times, but the end goal of racial equality demands them of us all. Ω

The good in godlessness O

n Jan. 6, I was honored to make history locally by delivering

the Chico City Council’s first-ever secular invocation. At the beginning of the meeting, however, two council members, Sean Morgan and Andrew Coolidge, chose not to attend the invocation. Based upon statistics from the Pew Research Center, there are 17,600 Chico residents living secular lives. That means Morgan and Coolidge turned their backs on 20 percent of Chico’s population. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Greece v. Galloway made it unlikely that government-sponsored prayers before a meeting will cease any time soon. But the decision clearly by George Gold indicates that delivering invocations must be inclusive of all perspectives, and, since that time, cities across the George Gold is country have begun including secular president of the Atheists of Butte invocations. County and It’s unfortunate that two of Chico’s coordinator of the City Council members appear to be so Butte County closed that they couldn’t sit through a Coalition of Reason. three-minute uplifting secular invocation. For more info, visit Perhaps next time, if they choose to www.ButteCounty attend, they’ll learn something about how CoR.org. we in the secular community live. For example, our group is starting its third year of sponsoring an Adopt-aHighway project just south of town on Highway 99. The other day, one of our 4

CN&R

January 22, 2015

signs was vandalized. Some people have actually asked me if scrawling “Pray For” underneath our name (meaning Pray for Atheists) on the sign isn’t an act of free speech. Really? Wanna get a sign that says “Pray for Atheists”? Well, get out there, clean up the highway and get your own sign. Otherwise, it’s vandalism. All across our world there is sectarian violence—people are being killed under the guise of religious beliefs. Meanwhile, there is still a disconnect regarding atheists. Whether it’s Paris or Sydney, none of the recent terrorist attacks were committed by an atheist. Not one. Did you know that the U.S. prison population for atheists is less than one-tenth of 1 percent? Here at home, most of our own American democratic systems have flourished over the past 100 years in a predominately neutral and nonsectarian environment. Societies across the globe are learning that when reason, logic and justice prevail, so too does democracy. Humanists, nonbelievers, agnostics and atheists by their very nature believe that we have the power to solve all problems within ourselves, among ourselves. By applying science and reason together with the strength found in sympathy and compassion we can overcome any hurdle we encounter. Ω

A chance to get it right Back in November, we lamented the decision of the then-liberal-majority

Chico City Council refusing annexation of Chapmantown and the Mulberry district—two islands of unincorporated county lands in the middle of the city. It was a poor move for a number of reasons, including that annexation would allow both of those neighborhoods to join the city in one fell swoop. This would spare individual property owners the burden—and additional expense—of doing it on their own. The city and the Butte County Local Agency Formation Commission, or LAFCo, also would be spared the expense of holding individual hearings to annex the properties in a piecemeal process. Oh, and then there’s the lawsuit. LAFCo threatened the city with one, since staff had allowed 62 properties to hook up to the city sewer illegally. That is, the city didn’t receive authorization from LAFCo, did not require the properties to be annexed, and did not pay LAFCo’s fees. Change is afoot and City staff has acknowledged that this was, in we’re glad to see it. fact, illegal. The four liberal members of the panel voted down annexation anyway, all but guaranteeing LAFCo would move forward with the lawsuit. But change is afoot and we’re glad to see it. Councilman Randall Stone has brought the topic back for reconsideration. The rub is that he wants the city to hold a special meeting for residents of both Chapmantown and the Mulberry district, so that they know exactly what to expect post-annexation; why it’s necessary and how it will or will not affect their lives and properties. This is something that should have happened several years ago, when LAFCo started pressing the city on annexation. But, as the saying goes, better late than never. In the meantime, we urge LAFCo to hold off on filing a lawsuit until the city has had a chance to hold this meeting and come back to the council level for further discussion. It’s clear to us things are moving in the right direction. Ω

Send email to chicoletters @ newsreview.com

SECOND & FLUME by Melissa Daugherty melissad@newsreview.com

Weirdness and generosity One of the CN&R’s main functions is of community watchdog. But we also are an authority on local arts and culture. I say this not to brag, but rather to note that we know what we’re talking about when it comes to the things that fall under that umbrella. As regular readers know, we tend to eat up the oddball stuff. And there happens to be a lot of it in our community. In fact, there’s so much wacky, innovative art and entertainment and so many eccentric characters in our midst that we decided a little over a year ago to feature some of these things and people with a cover story (see “Keepin’ Chico weird,” Oct. 13, 2013). We did so with the intention of embracing the offbeat and diverse people, places and events around the area. After all, these are the things that keep Chico from being your average North State town. We had a lot of fun putting together the issue, and afterward, the evening before it hit the stands, an epiphany struck me: “Why not celebrate the community’s weird side with an event?” After talking with my colleagues, the idea morphed into the Keep Chico Weird Talent Show featuring an art show. The event took place at the El Rey Theatre last February, and it was so well-attended, funky and fun that we’re bringing it back this year, on Jan. 31 at the El Rey, and it promises to be another epic celebration. The night will include an eclectic cast of performers with a wide array of talents—from comedians and burlesque dancers to filmmakers and musical acts. In addition, since the art show was so popular, it has its own night and proper venue, Jan. 29 at 1078 Gallery, leading up to the big event. (The art will be on display through the 31st.) Somehow last year’s show sold out. In fact, at one point, the line to get into the building stretched all the way from the theater on Second Street to the corner of First and Salem. More than 100 people didn’t make it in the doors. So, get your tickets now—from our website or various other locations. You’ve been warned. Special delivery: By the time you read this, fingers crossed, my hope is to have already dropped off boxes full of toiletries to the Jesus Center, the Torres Community Shelter and the Esplanade House. During the holidays, the CN&R hosted a drive for items like shampoo, soaps and other personal hygiene products. Readers came through—big time. We sorted through all of the donations, hundreds of them, last week and filled three giant boxes with all sorts of good stuff, including apparel from local T-shirt makers Design by Humans. Keep in mind, dear readers, that these worthy organizations (and others not mentioned here) accept donations on a regular basis. To those who came in with contributions to this cause—including my neighbor, Ruth, who practically bought out Target—thank you!

Melissa Daugherty is editor of the CN&R

Protecting the powerless Re “Mind unsound, body unsheltered” (Cover story, by Howard Hardee, Jan. 15): Howard Hardee has done a service to the Chico community with his story on mental illness and homelessness. Hardee brings depth and complexity, the antithesis of simplistic formulas defining homelessness as a matter of personal failure or “lifestyle” choice. Further complicating the issue: Multiple studies have shown that traumatic brain injuries account for roughly 50 percent of male homelessness. Consider the hundreds of ways a brain injury can occur and the complexity of diagnosis and treatment. Brain-injured people are commonly alienated from family and friends and begin to wander—often “self-medicating” with alcohol. Additionally, many homeless describe life histories of early childhood abandonment and placement with a mind-boggling number of caregivers. Imagine the effect on emotional stability and mental health of abandonment at 3 years old and a childhood in literally 20 different homes. Lastly, the impact of homelessness on the cityscape was mentioned in Hardee’s story. The battle for public space— such as City Plaza—will never end. The homeless need public space; they have no private space. Commercial interests want them removed. This is an age-old urban contest between human decency and economic expediency. The powerless will perennially depend on the citizenry for protection of their civil rights. PATRICK NEWMAN Chico

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It’s all propaganda Re “Where’s that education” (Guest commentary, by Dean Carrier, Jan. 15): Dean Carrier’s guest commentary was amusing, as well as fairly one-dimensional. He speaks of supposedly educated people, with “college degrees” who get their news from Fox News, as though there are many other news outlets where one can obtain the “real” news. I try not to watch too much Fox. However, it does not stand alone. CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC are all part and parcel of the propaganda machine here in the good old USA. I look briefly at all of these networks, but concentrate mostly on RT and Al Jazeera for the truth. You can’t just get your news and the actual facts with a one-stop location. If you’re serious about knowing what is really happening, then you have to check out everything and once you LETTERS continued on page 6

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get all of the info from a variety of sources, then you must exercise discernment. All of the news outlets are largely used for propaganda. Carrier’s opinion is largely a not-so-thinly-veiled slap in the face at “conservative” types. It is amusing, but I’d rather he talked about the fact that no one gives the full truth anymore—all news outlets are slanted in one way or another. That’s just the way it is and you don’t need an advanced degree to figure it out. CAROLYN KIESZ Orland

Sacrifices for the trees Re “Felling on hold” (Newslines, by Tom Gascoyne, Jan. 15): Several of us gathered at Oroville Cemetery last Friday morning. Under old sycamores that have stood for four generations, Bill Caspers played “Amazing Grace” on his bagpipes. I had tears in my eyes. Not just because he plays beautifully, but also because of my friend’s reaction. Hellen Dennis sat in her wheelchair beneath an umbrella in the cold rain and cried; she felt Bill was “playing for the trees.” She and others from Save Oroville Trees have been on watch by the sycamores for two months. She’s there from 5:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. No matter the weather, she sits in her wheelchair waving at passersby. Every day. She and others from SOT have attended two City Council meetings. The mayor and City Council members have not been moved by our pleadings, and PG&E will cut those trees if they don’t rescind the encroachment permit. Yet they continue to ignore our struggle, giving no thought to Hellen and the others who sacrifice so much to save those trees. J.R.R. Tolkien said, “Every tree has its enemy; few have an advocate. In all my works I take the part of trees against all their enemies.” I never realized how true these words are. LINDA DRAPER Save Oroville Trees, Oroville

Two on scrap yard Re “It’s still contaminated” (Letters, by Russ Edmondson— Department of Toxic Substances Control, Jan. 8): As a longtime environmentalist, I have a soft spot in my heart for Chico Scrap Metal. Back around 1987 or ’88 they were the only place I knew of that took n e w s and & r cardboard. e v i e w b u sI ihad ness glass, plastic been taking recyclables to Butte designer ss issUe dATe 03.03.11 Environmental Council’s yard at FiLe nAMe lawofficesofbh030311r2

the corner of Seventh and Cherry streets, until BEC stopping taking recyclables and posted a sign advising people to take recyclables to Chico Scrap Metal. We need to credit all recycling companies with keeping huge amounts of trash out of that evergrowing mountain of trash on Neal Road. Andrew Coolidge was the only Republican candidate for City Council who responded to the Sierra Club’s list of questions. He had some good answers regarding his support for solar energy and his support of the annual recycled art competition, extending invitations to schools throughout Butte County to participate in an effort to educate students about recycling. As we learn more about environmental hazards we are finding that practices that were once acceptable can no longer be accepted. I just wish the vitriol could be toned down. SHARON FRITSCH Chico

Let me summarize the story of Councilman Andrew Coolidge and Chico Scrap Metal. In 2006, the city of Chico notified the junkyard that it was out of compliance with Chico’s general plan. The city gave its owners five years to move. Then, in 2011, they were given another three years, with a deadline of Dec. 31, 2014. Coolidge was sworn in on Dec. 2, and the junkyard showed up and demanded the city overturn the 8-year-old order. Coolidge got that issue on the Jan. 6 council agenda. At that meeting, the junkyard’s attorney stated that there is no toxic contamination at the junkyard. Yet Department of Toxic Substances Control in a letter (CN&R, Jan. 15) stated that was “untrue,” citing that the agency “found elevated levels of PCB on the Chico Scrap Metal location on 20th Street.” The CN&R reports that Coolidge is threatening the paper with a libel suit. In Paris, signs went up stating Se juis Charlie (I am Charlie), so maybe in Chico we need signs that say “I am the Chico News & Review.” KARL ORY Chico

Editor’s note: Mr. Ory is a former Chico mayor.

LARRY BARRETT Chico

Editor’s note: The point was that it would signal to the extremists that their murderous rampage could squelch freedom of expression. We defend Charlie Hebdo’s right to freedom of speech, regardless of whether we would have published the cartoons in question.

‘Half-based analysis’ Re “Pure propaganda” (Letters, by Patrick Newman, Jan. 8): Really, Mr. Newman? Propaganda? And what, pray tell, are the “science test” and “civics test”? Oh! I see. In order to have any “truth-value,” it needs to be put in context of the corollary that the reverse is also true. This preponderance of half-baked analysis would make me suspicious if I knew you were the guy responsible for reshelving books at the library. Your comparative allusions of civil demography is impressive: we would see “other cities have very similar patterns.” It just takes my breath away to near exhaustion thinking about all the research, to reach out and touch us paranoid Neanderthals with enlightening commentary. Why don’t the homeless lovers make an honest argument that they have more compassion than common sense per capita? Because they do and many cities have less. The Bowery Boys of Monogram Pictures fame might have put it another way: “Who died and made you Mother Teresa of Chico?” RICK VAGTS Chico

Confused by liberals Re “Hold strong on free speech” (Editorial, Jan. 15): u s e Again, o n l y I’m confused by the liberals of the world. amb week, the ACCT eXeC Last CN&RreV editors state, “What would dATe new

please carefully review your advertisement and verify the following: Ad size (CoLUMn X inChes) speLLing nUMbers & dATes

it signal to the religious extremists—and to the rest of the world, for that matter—to censor something that offends them?” Isn’t that why we don’t use words like nigger or fag? Isn’t that why there is pressure to eliminate “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance? If we are to censor ourselves to respect each others’ race or sexual orientation then it is only fair that we censor ourselves to respect others’ religious beliefs. There are other, and better, ways to get your point across than to publish sacrilegious (to some) material. It appears that offending religions (other than Atheism) is fair game but offending racial, sexual orientation or any other protected group is obscene.

More letters online:

We have too many letters for this space. Please go to www.newsreview.com/chico for additional readers’ comments on past CN&R articles.

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CN&R

RILED UP AT RILEY’S

Just past midnight on Jan. 19 a couple of gunshots were fired in front of Riley’s Bar and Grill at Chico’s infamous intersection of Fifth and Ivy streets. A man had allegedly tried to hold up another man on the backside of the bar, but the victim knocked the gun to the ground and escaped. The alleged would-be robber then walked around to the front of the building, fired off a couple rounds, jumped into a Chevy Impala with a passenger and drove off. Police responded and gave chase through downtown. When negotiating the Second and Flume streets roundabout, the Impala’s passenger door apparently swung open and the passenger, later identified as Christopher James Sylva, 21, fell out. He was taken to Enloe Medical Center for treatment and later arrested on felony charges. The driver, Forrest Bryce Broughton, 21, was stopped on 20th Street in Chapmantown and arrested on felony charges. Butte County court records show that Sylva was cited on Oct. 15 for failure to wear a seatbelt.

Wiley Wayne Gill is the subject of a suspicious activity report filed by the Chico Police Department. PHOTO COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Religion under fire? ACLU complaint says ‘suspicious activity report’ unfairly targets local Muslim

PG&E VS. TREES CONTINUES

The ongoing fight over the removal of 13 trees that front the Oroville Cemetery on Feather River Boulevard will last at least until the end of the month, based on Butte County Superior Court Judge Stephen Benson’s order on Wednesday (Jan. 21). The trees are the last of 242 slated to be cut down by PG&E, which claims the trees’ roots pose a danger to underground gas lines. Two suits have been filed in the case—a temporary restraining order by PG&E to stop protesters from getting in the way of tree crews and another by attorney Richard Harriman asking the judge to prevent removal of the trees until he can do more research. Benson combined the cases into one and set the next court date for Jan. 28. Harriman said he is researching whether Oroville city staff worked directly with PG&E without notifying the City Council or the public about what was going on.

A HUMANE EFFORT

Scott Schulman (pictured), co-owner of Brooklyn Bridge Bagel Works and member of the Butte Humane Society board of directors, announced last week that the nonprofit’s efforts to raise $40,000 and adopt out 40 dogs and cats in 40 days was wildly successful. “We are pleased to report that you raised $48,621.90 and adopted out 53 dogs and 84 cats over the course of the campaign!” Schulman announced in an email. “Wow! That money will be spent ensuring every animal that comes through our doors will be happy, healthy and safe until they walk out of them with their new families.” Katrina Davis-Woodcox, BHS director of development, said Schulman has long inspired people to participate in the annual seasonal effort to up donations and adoptions. For his part, Schulman added, “Thanks so much—you make me look good—and that’s not easy!” 8

CN&R

January 22, 2015

iley Wayne Gill is a 28-year-old Chico State W grad who came here from the Tulare County town of Exeter in 2008 to attend Chico State and

now works at the university as a custodian. About a year after coming to town, Gill converted to Islam, by apparently intrigued by a class Tom Gascoyne he’d taken. Around the same time, the tomg@ newsreview.com federal government began encouraging state and local law enforcement agencies to collect “suspicious” information that could be perceived as possible lead-ups to terrorist activity, according the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The suspicious activity reports (SARs) are now stored and shared by federal databases created by the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative. Today, Gill is the subject of an SAR written by a Chico police officer in 2012 and filed with the federal government for access by the FBI and other federal agencies. Gill is also listed as one of five plaintiffs in a complaint filed last July by the ACLU against U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice. Gill, who is described by those who know him as a quiet, shy and caring person, did not want to be interviewed for this story, though he has been quoted in national publications including The New York Times and The Nation magazine. The story has even run in Great Britain’s Daily Mail. ACLU attorney William Edwards said Gill is uncomfortable with his current state of affairs and does not want to address the story locally.

“The problem with Wiley right now is that he’s just feeling really sensitive about all this stuff,” Edwards explained in a recent phone interview. “I think he was OK with some of the more national coverage that this lawsuit garnered when we initially filed it, but I think he is a little wary of local coverage that sort of impacts his daily life a little more than a story in The New York Times.” According to the ACLU complaint, Gill’s

troubles began in September 2010, when two Chico police officers knocked on his apartment door and asked him about “anti-American statements” he had made. One of the officers said there was already a file on Gill but would not elaborate on the alleged statements or say who had supplied the information. The officer further told Gill he wanted to make sure that he didn’t turn into another Mohamed Atta, one of the Sept. 11 hijackers. Gill, according to the ACLU suit, remains baffled as to how he initially came to the attention of the police. Then, in early 2011, according to the SAR, the officer who wrote it said he had made a “professional” visit the local mosque while dressed in “full patrol uniform.” “During the visit I found the members to be welcoming and appreciative of the visit with the exception of one subject later identified as …” Gill’s name as well as those of the mosque and

the officer are redacted throughout the SAR, which goes on to say that Gill “was hesitant to interact with law enforcement, avoided eye contact and appeared to be eavesdropping while I spoke with other members.” “[B]ased on his appearance (full beard and traditional garb) he is a full convert to Islam at the young age of 26,” the SAR says. On May 20, 2012, the ACLU complaint reports, Gill, who was unemployed at the time, heard a knock on his door. He opened it and was confronted by two officers with their guns drawn, yelling “Chico Police Department!” “I had tunnel vision. The only thing I could see was their guns,” Gill told the online publication TomDispatch.com. The officers told him that they were investigating a domestic violence incident—which the SAR says was “later determined to be unfounded”—and that they had reason to believe the suspect had fled into Gill’s residence. They asked if they could conduct a search. Gill, according to the complaint, “was reluctant to grant permission, but felt he had no choice under the circumstances.” During the search the officer reportedly discovered that Gill’s “computer displayed a screen titled something to the effect of ‘Games that fly under the radar,’ which appeared to be a ‘flight simulator type of game.’” The SAR goes on to say “full conver-

sion to Islam as a young WMA [white male adult] and pious demeanor is rare. Coupled with the fact he is unemployed, appears to shun law enforcement contact, has potential access to flight simulators via the Internet which he tried to minimize is worthy of note.” It was this incident that led to the SAR, which characterizes Gill as a “suspicious male subject in possession of flight simulator game.” Two months later, according to the ACLU complaint, an officer called Gill and told him to shut down his Facebook page. Gill told the officer he would not do so and that he believed the police wanted him to take it down because it contained references to Islam. The officer did not comment but told Gill he was on a watch list. SFGate.com reported last July that during a press conference held outside the federal courthouse in San Francisco announcing the ACLU complaint, Gill said, “Yes, I play video games, and yes, I am Muslim. Neither of those things are criminal or terrorist.” The ACLU’s complaint says that the DOJ’s

“overly broad standards for reporting suspicious activity opens the door to and encourages religious profiling.” Those standards, the complaint says, led to the police treating Gill “as someone engaged in activity with a potential nexus to terrorism.” Linda Lye, the lead ACLU attorney in the case, said the case started with a public records request, which resulted in the release of more than 1,700 SARs. “We wanted to let people know about the great concerns we had and how we’ve been deeply troubled by the suspicious activity reporting program since its inception,” she said. “The public records confirmed our worst concerns that because the standards were so low we saw racial and religious profiling and a lot of targeting of First Amendment protected activity.” The Chico Police Department is not named in the complaint and Lt. Dave Britt said the department cannot comment due to the pending litigation. He said at this point the matter is in the hands of the city attorney’s office. When contacted this week, City Attorney Vince Ewing said he was unaware of the complaint. On Jan. 8, the federal government moved to dismiss the case based on what Lye called “technical arguments.” “One of their big ones is that we don’t have standing to bring the suit because it is speculative,” she said. “But what they ignore is the fact that all of our plaintiffs have actually been the subject of a suspicious activity report and have actually been swept up in the surveillance program that is being challenged in this lawsuit.” A judge is expected to make a decision in the next few weeks. Ω

Back on the table Council to reconsider annexing Chapman/Mulberry neighborhoods City Council voted Tuesday (Jan. 20) to put annexation TbutheofthetheChico Chapman and Mulberry neighborhoods back on the table, ticking of a time bomb could be heard as it did so.

That time bomb is in the form of a lawsuit against the city that the Butte County Local Agency Formation Commission has voted to authorize. Contacted by phone Wednesday morning, Steve Lucas, LAFCo’s executive director, said it could be filed at any time, at his and the commission’s discretion. The lawsuit is in response to the council’s 4-3 vote Nov. 18 not to sign an agreement the city earlier had negotiated with LAFCo. The agreement would have resolved the long-standing issue of annexation of Chapman/Mulberry, the two largest unincorporated islands in Chico. And it would have let the city off the hook for all but $10,000 of up to $100,000 in unpaid LAFCo fees. This week the council, with its two new members, voted 6-1 (with Ann Schwab dissenting) to reconsider the Nov. 18 decision, but not without first holding a big neighborhood meeting to listen to residents’ concerns. Seeking to forestall the filing of the lawsuit, they want it to take place before the council’s next meeting, on Feb. 3, and before LAFCo’s Feb. 5 meeting. That’s not much time. Tick, tick, tick. It was clear that at least two council members—Randall Stone and Tami Ritter—had changed their views on the matter. It was Stone who requested the reconsideration. He said he’d originally voted against signing the agreement because of potential costs and a lack of outreach to the community. Residents of the neighborhoods have many questions—about leaf pickup, for example, or police patrols and the utility tax, about sewer hookups and code enforcement. Several speakers from the audience agreed with Stone. Forest Harlan said it was “critical to do it right,” and that includes plenty of community participation. Vincent Ornelas, who is vice chairman of the group Love Chapmantown, noted that some residents are strongly in favor of annexation but are concerned about costs, especially for sewer hookups. Ron Angle, a longtime Chapmantown resident, said he preferred to live in the county because the county, unlike the city, “recognizes the uniqueness of our neighborhood.” If the council forces annexation, he said, he’d like to see a change from at-large to by-district council elections so residents can be truly represented. Democratic Party operative Bob Mulholland, his voice booming,

SIFT|ER President Obama has made his proposal for the federal government’s discretionary spending in 2015, and more than half of the $1.16 trillion pot (55.2 percent) is earmarked for the military. Here are Obama’s top recommendations: Military . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$640 billion Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$71.5 billion Veterans benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$65.5 billion Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$63.9 billion Housing & community . . . . . . . . . . . . .$60.9 billion Medicare & health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$56.7 billion Social Security, unemployment & labor . . . . . . . . . .$56.1 billion Energy & environment . . . . . . . . . . . .$38.4 billion International affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . .$38.2 billion Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$29.2 billion Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$26.1 billion Food & agriculture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$12.8 billion

Source: National Priorities Project

Councilman Randall Stone, who voted against annexation of the Chapman and Mulberry neighborhoods in November, apparently has had a change of heart and has called for reconsideration of that decision. PHOTO BY ROBERT SPEER

charged the council had mishandled the process and needed to do a better job in the future. “Treat the people in Chapmantown like you would the country clubbers at Butte Creek Estates,” he thundered. Mayor Mark Sorensen painted the big picture, noting that the agreement outlined a less-expensive, streamlined process for resolving the annexation and sewer-hookup issues. “If we don’t do something, we’re going to lose the streamlined process,” he said, at greater cost to the city and residents alike. Either way, smoothly or roughly, annexation will occur. LAFCo, he said, has the law and the state on its side. City Manager Mark Orme said he could agendize reconsideration of the agreement for either the Feb. 3 or Feb. 17 council meeting. Lucas said LAFCo was as eager to avoid a lawsuit as the city was. “If there’s a path forward, we will take it,” he said. Remember Jessica Allen? She’s the environmental activist who in

August sent a cease-and-desist letter to the council charging it with several violations of open-meeting laws. This week the council, hoping again to avoid a lawsuit, officially responded to Allen, voting 5-2, with Ritter and Stone dissenting, to send a letter over the mayor’s signature in which the council refuses to admit wrong-doing but promises to be good in the future. The letter “unconditionally commits” the council to “cease, desist from, and not repeat the challenged past action....” Allen had accused the council of several violations of the Ralph M. Brown Act, including discussing employee compensation during closed sessions, failing to report actions taken in closed session, discussing or taking action in closed session on items not posted on the agenda, and so forth. Council members had three choices: send the letter, stonewall Allen or have staff try to come up with an alternative. Choosing to send the letter was “risk avoidance,” Vice Mayor Sean Morgan said following the meeting. “It [the violations] didn’t happen.” Ritter said she voted nay because “I don’t like taking responsibility for something I don’t think happened.” By the time she voted it was a done deal, she added. Knowing her vote wasn’t going to count, she was able to vote her conscience, she said. Otherwise, she added, the council’s decision was fiscally responsible and expedient. Allen could not be reached for comment by press time. She still has the option of pursuing the matter in court. —ROBERT SPEER robertspeer@newsreview.com

NEWSLINES continued on page 10 January 22, 2015

CN&R

Chico Velo REMINDS STUDENTS: STAY SAFE & BE CONSIDERATE

• ALWAYS wear an approved helmet! • WALK, don’t RIDE your bike on downtown sidewalks! • DON’T ride your bike against traffic • DON’T ride while distracted • USE sufficient bike lighting at night – stay off the cell phone! • OBEY the Traffic Code at all times! • USE recommended cycling • YIELD right-of-way to pedestrians!

NEWSLINES continued from page 9

Seeking relief Family of man killed by a crop-duster files wrongful death suit

routes!

Chico Velo welcomes all students whether new to our community or new to cycling! Whether you see bikes as a form of transportation, a tool for exercise, or a slightly frightening high-speed obstacle, Chico Velo has resources to help you make the most of your ‘out of the classroom’ experience. Learn more at our website, www.chicovelo.org!

Willie Suarez was struck and killed by a crop-dusting plane like this one in May 2013.

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bout a year and a half ago, 66-year-old ATexas—and Willie Suarez left his home state of his wife and daughter—on busi-

ness in Butte County. Suarez worked for Arrow Asphalt and he’d been hired to repave the landing strip at Williams Ag Services, a crop-dusting business in Biggs. But while he was working on the tarmac, a small plane came in for a landing and, the pilot apparently not seeing Suarez, struck him with a propeller, killing him instantly. “His family misses him. His daughter misses her father; his widow misses her husband,” said Stewart Galbraith, a Chico attorney who’s representing the family in its lawsuit against Williams Ag Services. “It’s a difficult situation. [Plus], financially he was the breadwinner.” Galbraith, who is working on the case along with fellow Penney & Associates attorney Robert Brannen, filed a wrongful death complaint with Butte County Superior Court last month alleging general negligence and premises liability on the part of Williams Ag Services. He’s representing Suarez’s daughter, 17-year-old Alexis Suarez; his widow, LaKeitha Hoskins; and sister, Linda Suarez. While nothing can ease the pain of losing a loved one, he said he hopes to win a settlement that will help ease the family’s financial strain. “We’re looking for what’s fair and reasonable. I have no specific number in mind,” Galbraith said by phone. “It’ll depend on how people testify, and how the evidence comes in.” The complaint explains the circumstances of Suarez’s death and the reasons for alleging Williams Ag Services is responsible. According to the complaint, Suarez was working as a laborer for Arrow Asphalt Paving Co. in May 2013. His company was

hired to repair and pave portions of the airstrip owned by Williams Ag Services and on the morning of May 9, Suarez was doing just that. “Williams [Ag Services] chose to keep the airstrip active during the ground repair work with its aircraft using the airstrip throughout that day for takeoffs, landings, and taxiing,” the complaint reads. “As a legal result of its negligent acts and omissions, during the afternoon of May 9, 2013, an aircraft owned and operated by Williams [Ag Services] collided with [Suarez] while he was working on the subject airstrip, causing his instantaneous death.” The Enterprise-Record covered the incident at the time and better explains the circumstances, as described by now-Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea. “The design of the crop-dusting plane puts its nose at an upward angle when it’s on the ground,” a story on May 11 reads. “That requires the pilot to zig-zag down the runway to be able to see ahead, Honea said. As the unidentified pilot was making a sweeping S-turn, the propeller hit Suarez …” The E-R and KCRA both reported that family had told detectives Suarez was severely hearing impaired, which would limit his ability to hear the plane coming. Galbraith could not confirm this. He said that cases like these typically last a few months. A phone message left with Williams Ag Services for comment was not returned by press time. “I’ve worked on other wrongful death cases, and every case is unique,” Galbraith said. “This one is very unique. How often does an airplane hit a pedestrian?” —MEREDITH J. GRAHAM meredithg@newsreview.com

ith a population of two, Pulga is small-town living in the W extreme. It’s been home to property owner Lorraine Paloma and her longtime friend and companion, Fred Leidecker, for more than 20 years. Last October Paloma, 75, put the 62-acre property and its rustic charm on the market. A buyer in Minneapolis recently offered the full asking price of $499,000. Once escrow is completed, Paloma and Leidecker will move out, leaving behind two decades of memories and a lifestyle that is one part charm, but another part hard labor. “Being the owner of a town sounds great, but it’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” said Paloma, who purchased the property in 1994. “It’s a lot of work.” Tucked inside the Plumas National Forest about 8 miles east of Concow, Pulga sits on unincorporated land inside Butte County and is located on a dirt road approximately a mile off Highway 70 just east of the iconic Pulga Bridges. The town was founded by William King in 1885. His family started a sawmill and lived off the land, which included tapping into the fresh water that flowed through creeks from the Feather River. In the 1930s and ’40s Pulga became a community of several

hundred. People were lured to the area by the jade mines and offered work on the highway and railroad, which still runs today. There’s running water and electricity for four of the 11 structures that remain in habitable condition. Others were destroyed by falling trees, floods and mudslides and some simply wore down over time. Pulga’s natural beauty of mountains, trees and flowing creeks belies the town’s rather ugly name. Pulga is Spanish for “flea” and comes from the Flea Valley Creek that runs along the main road behind the town’s primary residence. Until recently, Leidecker used the property as a kind of sanctuary for those who came to him for his expertise in hypnotherapy, as it was home to the Mystic Valley Retreat and School of Hypnotism. “I’ll miss the trees, the water, the quietness and the ambiance,” said the 76-year-old Leidecker. “I’ll miss all of it.” He and Paloma also will miss the iconic postcard-like Pulga Bridges that can be seen from their property. They provide highway and railroad crossings over the North Fork of the Feather River, and are frequently photographed and replicated by model train collectors worldwide.

They’ll leave behind an old schoolhouse, bathhouse and cabins—all of which are encased inside a gorgeous natural setting that includes fresh spring water from a creek that runs alongside the town’s main road. “Maybe the best part is the spring water,” said Paloma. “When you go into any other town and they serve you water, it tastes terrible. This water is perfect.” Ray Vindhurst, a realtor with Century 21 in Paradise, sold Paloma the property 21 years ago. He said there was considerable interest in the property, which is why he got a full-price offer of $499,000. “There are so many TV shows about living off the grid, gardening, living in the outdoors and catching fish,” he said. “It’s all here.” But like the buildings themselves, Paloma and Leidecker are gaining in years, and say it’s time to walk away and start a new life in an old place. Once escrow closes, they’ll return to the Bay Area, where they lived before their adventure in Pulga began. The new owners, assuming escrow closes, have yet to specify what their plans are for the property.

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CN&R 11

Praise Weird TO THE

Celebrating those who keep the wolves of boredom at bay

ll right Chico, you bunch of freaks! You (and we) loved last year’s Keep Chico Weird issue so much that we’ve brought it back. This year, we’re featuring two groups that are responsible for some of the most eclectic artistic offerings in Chico. And in addition to the creative spirit and passion for making art in a wide range of disciplines that they bring, both Chikoko and the Uncle Dad’s Arts Collective have another very important trait in common: They’ve figured out the secret formula to success in creative endeavors in Chico. They realize that, first, anything that you dream up, you can

Chico style

Ten years in, Chikoko is still keeping Chico good and weird

PHOTO BY JOSH MILLS

Jason Cassidy j aso nc @new srev i ew.c o m

It has indeed been something. Since that first of many sellouts, the five-woman fashion-design/artist cooperative has become the defining symbol of Chico’s funky arts scene. In addition to their now-annual fashion events (as well as a slew of one-off special events), Chikoko is best known for organizing the popular spring and winter Bizarre Bazaars, twoday, all-media alternative craft fairs at the Chico Women’s Club that showcase not only Chikoko’s fashions and other artistic creations, but also those of the rest of the arts community. But it’s Chikoko’s annual fashion event—which requires an entire year of planning—that is arguably the most anticipated be-seen event of the year, not just for the local arts freaks and other bohemians who’ve been on board since the beginning, but also for an ever-growing cross-section of all walks of Chico life. This past October,

CN&R

January 22, 2015

1,200 people crammed into the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds commercial building for Neotropolis, their most recent fashion show—although “a happening” would probably be a better way to describe the event. The runway was packed with models sporting the funky creations of the five designers (which were available for purchase afterward), but just as important to the experience was the attention paid to

Chikoko Nectar show at Silver Dollar Fairgrounds (model: Trevor Lalaguna). PHOTO BY KYLE DELMAR

PHOTO BY ERNESTO BONETTI

do. Chico makes it easy. We crave creative expression and we love to party, so the wilder and weirder the better! Second, they treat making art like running a business. They have organized plans, they publicize, and they produce their own shows. Third, they realize the importance of collaboration. Many hands make short work and make for a professional production. We thank them and all of the rest of you beautiful, brave, unique people for keeping Chico weird.

t all started with an experiment. It said so right on the flier, a disclaimer of sorts for the first-ever Chikoko event 10 years ago: “Experimental Fashion Show.” “Because we didn’t want anyone to come thinking, ‘Oh, I’m going to a fashion show,’ and then them being disappointed,” explained Nel Adams during a recent interview with fellow Chikoko artist/designer Muir Hughes. “And then we filled the [Chico] Women’s Club, and we were like, ‘Whoa! This is something.’”

Chikoko Junk show at 1078 Gallery (model: Afton Love).

Chikoko (from left): Nel Adams, Muir Hughes, Christina Seashore, Michalyn Renwick and Sara Rose Bonetti.

every sensory experience, from the parking lot to the main stage. For example, at Neotropolis, the futureworld scene was filled out with warm-up side acts that included breakdancers, skateboarders, local western-rockers the Michelin Embers and a couple of “real estate agents” hawking urban-decay deeds before the show. And on stage, interspersed between the parade of models showcasing Chikoko’s wide-ranging collection of elegant, playful and bizarre styles—including his and hers grass-covered suits (with actual live grass, grown especially for the show)—there were performances by a hip-hop dance troupe, a stomping choir, an avant-garde dance duo and an aerialist performing heart-stopping falls.

Each Chikoko member brings a unique voice and vision to her designs and to the collective, but they could all be generally described as “arty” types who got into fashion design as an extension of their artistic impulses. In addition to Hughes and Adams, the Chikoko crew includes Sara Rose Bonetti (née Testman), Michalyn Renwick and Christina Seashore. All of them were engaged in various local arts endeavors and collaborations before coming together as Chikoko. In the summer of 2000, Adams, Renwick and Bonetti were part of a group of locals

Photo by Kyle Delmar

and not have our business plan in place. It’s more serious.” Of course, running a business doesn’t always translate into making money. And putting on huge one-of-a-kind art events that require facility and equipment rentals and the paying of vendors and performers isn’t a business plan that allows the women to make a living off Chikoko. “No, it sustains itself,” Hughes admitted. “We’re essentially

more WEIRD continued on page 15

YOU’RE WELCOME, NATURE.

Erin Lizardo performs at Chikoko Neotropolis show at Silver Dollar Fairgrounds.

volunteers in our business.” Perhaps what they do earn is “psychic income,” as Adams put it. The work is fulfilling in ways that aren’t tied to making money. Such as being one of the forerunners in the local maker and sustainability movements (much of the clothing they create is assembled from repurposed garments and fabric), or in the ripple effect that their style of community collaboration and commitment to putting on engaging live events has had on the rest of the artistic community. “Chikoko has invited Chico to participate, [which is] a gateway drug into making actual art,” said local artist Christine “Sea Monster” Fulton, a frequent Chikoko model. Or, as she more hyperbolically went on to explain: “Working with Chikoko is like watching a lucid power dream of yourself acting out a sultry sci-fifantasy epic, where you heroically battle and conquer an uncontrollably vast art-fantasy to-do list that you never thought was possible to complete.” “That’s kind of what we decided that we wanted our mission statement to be,” said Adams, “that we inspired the community to make art. “I like also that we try and morph what that ‘fashion world’ really is,” she added. “Because there’s a lot of fakeness in that, and body-image issues and all kinds of things like that.” “Being inclusive of body types and being inclusive of beauty—beauty that’s unusual, beauty that’s ordinary, all of those things which we don’t have permission very often to experience in this culture,” Hughes added, referring to Chikoko’s open model auditions, where women and men of all shapes and sizes are encouraged to take part. “We have to cut a lot of people,” Hughes said about the auditions, adding that the big turnouts speak to “what people are seeking—which is validation for being exactly, uniquely themselves.” And that’s arguably the best result of the great Chikoko experiment. Not only have they created something unique, but they’ve also provided a stage for Ω Chico to do the same.

RECYCLE THIS PAPER.

that went on an adventure that would provide an early spark for Chikoko (as well as a number of other noteworthy local collaborations). “We all loved creating and performing, [and] we moved to Canada for a summer and made a circus—DIY style,” Bonetti said. “After that summer, many of our groups morphed and changed into other groups including the Loyd Family Players, MaMuse and Chikoko, to name a few.” As the group solidified its purpose and started building on the success of that first show, they created what they describe as a “fashion-event-based business”— the key word being “business.” “If there’s no compromise, or attention to the parts that a lot of artists don’t want to deal with— the details—that sort of falls apart,” Hughes said. “So, I feel so blessed that we have all of this creative energy, and yet we all also realize that it takes a business mind to execute the final product. We can’t just throw it together, wing it, and not have contracts

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Saturday/Sunday January 24-25, 2015 Chico Masonic Family Center • 1110 W. East Ave. • Chico Chico Grange Hall • 2775 (old) Nord Ave. • Chico THE MAZE OF MAPS

Sat 9:00 am - 5:00 pm • Sun 9:00am – 3:00pm Location: Chico Masonic Family Center This year we will feature an eclectic assortment of interesting maps from around the North Valley and beyond. Get the bird’s eye view of our local landscape features. Stroll through maps in the CMFC hallway and let your curiosity take you on a tour.

EXHIBITS GALORE & VENDORS

Sat 9:00 am - 5:00 pm • Sun 9:00am – 3:00pm Location: Chico Masonic Family Center Displays by State, Federal, and Non-profit organizations. Plus vendors selling everything from binoculars to bird books.

6th Annual

FEDERAL JUNIOR DUCK STAMP DISPLAY

Sat 9:00 am - 5:00 pm • Sun 9:00am – 3:00pm Location: Chico Masonic Family Center All 100 California winners from nearly 2,000 entries will be on display. Don’t forget to see the Chico winners.

MEET SMOKEY BEAR AND THE BLUE GOOSE

Sat 9:00 am - 5:00 pm • Sun 9:00am – 3:00pm Location: Chico Masonic Family Center Smokey Bear and the National Wildlife Refuge’s Blue Goose will be visiting at various times courtesy of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. Also be sure to visit the US Fish & Wildlife Service fire safety exhibit booth.

JUNIOR NATURALIST ACTIVITIES

Sat 10:00 am - 3:00 pm • Sun 10:00 am – 3:00pm Location: Chico Masonic Family Center Along with the Live Raptor Presentation, Meet Smokey Bear and Blue Goose, Junior Duck Stamp Display, children may earn a Junior Naturalist Certificate by participating in a few activities designed just for children. There will be nature crafts, opportunities to build bird feeders, make a bird call and much, much more!

SATURDAY ONLY BIRDING BY BOAT & BOOT

5k Race | Fun Run | Kid’s Run

February 14, 2015

8:45 a.m. One-Mile Recreation Area Register Online: www.buttehabitat.org or Sign up at Fleet Feet Sports, Chico Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

• Allevity - H.R. & Payroll • Bubbles Laundry • Chico Association of Realtors • Golden Valley Bank • Russel, Gallaway & Associates • Thomas Manufacturing Co. • Thrivent Financial

Bronze Sponsors

• Chico Community Acupuncture • Focus Media • Franklin Construction • Mt Shasta Spring Water • North Star Engineering • North Valley Building Systems • Peters, Rush, Habib & McKenna Attorneys at Law • Price & Brown • Recology • Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. • Sunseri Construction • The Law Oﬃces of Washington and Heitheker

Sat. 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm Location: Chico Masonic Family Center The Sacramento River is a birder's paradise! Many public areas are accessible only by boat and are very wild due to the lack of car access. The Sacramento River is a major part of the Pacific Flyway and attracts migrating waterfowl to its waters each year and is also home to many endemic and annual species of birds like the rare Yellow-billed cuckoo. Join Lucas as he takes you on a guided virtual trip along the main stem of the Sacramento River both by boat and by boot.

LIVE RAPTOR EXPERIENCE

Sat. 10:00 am - 3:00 pm Location: Chico Masonic Family Center Come see the Center for Reconnecting with Nature's display of raptors and falconry. Live birds will be present and the Center will be sharing about their mission, which focuses on reconnecting both children and adults with nature. The exhibit will be open from 10am to noon and 1pm to 3pm on Saturday only.

CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS PRESENTS - INDIAN FISHERY JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM

Sat. 10:00 am - 11:00 am Location: Indian Fishery You can become a Junior Ranger by joining Ranger Zack Chambers for an exciting adventure on a short interpretive hike through the oak woodlands and riparian habitat at Indian Fishery. Participants will explore the relationship between the meandering river system and the ox-bow lake located at the park unit. Junior Rangers receive a Junior Ranger Log Book, a sticker, and the opportunity to earn many other awards. The hike is geared for children 7 - 12 years old but families are encouraged to attend. Meet ant Indian Fishery parking lot - West Sacramento Road and River Road. Limit 15 participants. To register, please call Ranger Zack Chambers at the ranger office - (530) 342-5185.

OUR MAGNETIC SUN AND SOLAR VIEWING

Sat 11:00 am - 12:30 am Location: Chico Masonic Family Center Birds use the sun's polarized light as one of their tools to enable them to navigate during migration. Come learn more about out magnetic sun. We'll begin with a talk and PowerPoint presentation about our sun, sunspots, solar prominence, flares, and coronal mass ejections. Then we'll explore light using simple diffraction gratings. Finally, skies permitting, we'll go outside and do some solar viewing using a safe, dedicated solar telescope.

WEB OF LIFE

Sat. 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Location: Chico Masonic Family Center Youth ages 8-13 are welcome to help us investigate the "Web of Life" that exists in a rice field. We will come face to face with plants, insects, waterfowl, and predators! Hands on investigations include: how an animal’s body gives clues to what it eats and how it survives; and how every plant and animal depend on each other for food and shelter. Participants will have the opportunity to build the rice field "Web of Life" and measure the impact of predators, including "man".

"JOURNEY" WOLF PLAY & STORYTELLER

Sat. 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Location: Chico Grange Hall Enter a wolf’s world with "Stories from the Wolf Den" by professional storyteller, Tom Wade. People who spend time with wolves, come away impressed by their friendliness and playfulness. He’ll bring this side of wolves to life, sharing tales of their generosity, intelligence and uncanny intuition. Then enjoy "Journey", the play, which is the true story of a lone wolf's travels into California is brought to the stage by Ecokinesis Dance Company and Crane Culture Theater. Poetry combines with modern dance and dramatic music to create a thrilling yet haunting depiction of this wolf’s odyssey. He faces a world of wonder, harmony, and threats. Immerse yourself into his life and see a brave new world through his eyes.

WOLVES IN CALIFORNIA: THE LONG JOURNEY HOME

Habitat for Humanity of Butte County brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. 14 CN&R January 22, 2015

Sat. 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm Location: Chico Grange Hall

California is excited to celebrate the beginning of what could be one of our state’s most inspiring conservation stories: the return of the gray wolf, after being absent for decades following extirpation by humans. As a keystone predator, wolves provide a critical balance to the ecosystem in which they belong. To prepare for the return of wolves in California, the California Wolf Center is working to forge a visionary path for wolf recovery that focuses on solutions, instead of the conflict that often pervades wolf recovery elsewhere. No other animal in history has so captured the imagination of people than the wolf! Come learn about the true nature of this dynamic predator and what the return of this iconic species means to our golden state.

ALL THOSE WHITE GEESE! SNOW GOOSE WORKSHOP

Sat. 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm Location: Chico Masonic Family Center Snow Geese, Ross's Geese, and Blue Morphs - it can be overwhelmingly white in the sky! Come learn how to tell the difference between all these white geese. Through exquisite pictures and lively narration, you can become much more knowledgeable about our Mascot of the Festival.

SUNDAY ONLY PHOTOGRAPHING THE REFUGE

Sun. 7:00 am - 12:00 pm Location: Llano Seco Viewing Platform Meet at the parking lot for the Llano Seco Viewing Platform on 7 Mile Lane for a morning of photography. Depending on the waterfowl distribution at the time, we will photograph at either Llano Seco or travel to either Colusa NWR or Sacramento NWR. We will photograph birds, particularly waterfowl, so come prepared with telephoto lenses but also have a wide angle lens available for scenic photographs. Reservations required through the Sacramento Wildlife Refuge. 530-934-2801 or email sacramentovalleyrefuges@fws.gov. Space is limited to 20 participants.

WOLVES IN CALIFORNIA: THE LONG JOURNEY HOME

Sun. 9:00am – 10:30am Location: Chico Masonic Family Center California is excited to celebrate the beginning of what could be one of our state’s most inspiring conservation stories: the return of the gray wolf, after being absent for decades following extirpation by humans. As a keystone predator, wolves provide a critical balance to the ecosystem in which they belong. To prepare for the return of wolves in California, the California Wolf Center is working to forge a visionary path for wolf recovery that focuses on solutions, instead of the conflict that often pervades wolf recovery elsewhere. No other animal in history has so captured the imagination of people than the wolf! Come learn about the true nature of this dynamic predator and what the return of this iconic species means to our golden state

ALL ABOUT BATS!

Sun. 9:00 am - 10:30 pm Location: Chico Masonic Family Center They are one of the most beneficial, yet most misunderstood animals in the world. Learn more about the habits, habitats, and species of bats that reside within the unique ecosystems of California’s valleys and forests.

OPTICS DEMO

Sun 9:30 am - 10:30 am Location: Chico Masonic Family Center Learn the basics about Binoculars and Spotting Scopes for bird watching! What do the numbers mean? Isn't higher power always better? This will be a "show and tell" discussion about the differences in size, quality, and construction of optics so that you can make a good choice for your needs and budget. Sample optics will be available from numerous manufacturers to illustrate. Marilyn Rose from Out of This World Discount Binoculars will be the presenter.

WETLANDS' WILDLIFE - THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY

Sun. 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Location: Chico Masonic Family Center Filmed in the Gray Lodge Wildlife Refuge, The Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, The Llano Seco Wildlife Refuge, and the wetlands and rice fields in and around the counties of Butte and Colusa in California, this beautiful video gives viewers a close-up look at many of the migratory birds that come from as far away as Siberia and the Arctic Circle to make their homes in the Sacramento Valley's wetlands each winter. Included are Snow Geese, Ross's Geese, Greater White-Fronted Geese, Canada Geese, Tundra Swans, Sandhill Cranes, Bald Eagles, and many other species.

VOLCANOES OF LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK

Sun. 11:00 am - 12:30 pm Location: Chico Masonic Family Center This workshop is a great opportunity for educators, adults, and children ages ten and older to learn about some of the world’s most exciting active earth processes. Learn about the unique geologic features of this national park and how to identify the four major types of volcanoes using a variety of fun and creative techniques. Educational props, volcanic rocks, visual display, and other resources will be used to enhance this presentation.

BIRDING BY BOAT & BOOT

Sun. 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Location: Chico Masonic Family Center The Sacramento River is a birder's paradise! Many public areas are accessible only by boat and are very wild due to the lack of car access. The Sacramento River is a major part of the Pacific Flyway and attracts migrating waterfowl to its waters each year and is also home to many endemic and annual species of birds like the rare Yellow-billed cuckoo. Join Lucas as he takes you on a guided virtual trip along the main stem of the Sacramento River both by boat and by boot.

RAPTORS AND REHAB

Sun 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Location: Chico Masonic Family Center Meet "Checkers" a Great Horned Owl as Marilyn shares some fascinating facts, unique habits, and curious myths about these beautiful birds of prey. Learn about wildlife rehabilitation and what you can do to help native wildlife. A surprise visit by other raptors is sure to delight all ages.

OWL BANDING PRESENTATION, SURVEY & FIELD TRIP WITH GUEST SCOTT WEIDENSAUL

Sun 3:30pm – 8:30pm Location: Chico Creek Nature Center Field Trip is SOLD OUT; however the Owl Banding Presentation is still open and FREE to attend at the Chico Creek Nature Center.

See complete list on our website: www.snowgoosefestival.org THANK YOU TO OUR MA JOR SPONSORS:

• (530) 345-1865

Dancer/choreographer Eva Blanshei in Everyone in Outer Space: Lost their Marbles, at Chico Women’s Club. PhoTo CoUrTesy of UnCle DaD’s arT ColleCTive

chico’s crazy uncle Uncle Dad’s Art Collective branchs out in every goofy direction by

Howard Hardee h owa rd h @new srev i ew. c o m

title that begins with “Uncle Dad’s” in and of itself suggests a certain level of weirdness. Take, for instance, Uncle Dad’s Day Care. Would you drop off your kids there? (Please don’t.)

this crazy? Is this cool?’ If someone has an idea that sparks the imaginations of everybody else, we put it on our radar. Then we use our different skill sets to realize it.” The group traces its roots back to 2008, when Hegg met fellow music majors Michael Bone, Matt Franklin and Matthew Weiner— none of whom are originally from Chico—in the freshman dorms at Chico State.

But context is everything. When it comes to art, and specifically to Uncle Dad’s Art Collective in Chico, weird is often better. (So, it’s totally OK to drop your kids off at their next show.) All hands on The Dude (Alex Coffin) during Pageant Dads Experience 3-D at the Blue Room Theatre. As founding PhoTo CoUrTesy of UnCle DaD’s arT ColleCTive member Josh Hegg recently explained, Uncle Dad’s is a loose group of a dozen or so musicians, dancers, theater types and writers who variously make up a handful of associated acts—the bands Bogg, The Pageant Dads, Clouds on Strings and Aubrey Debauchery and the Broken Bones, plus cabaret-style dance troupe Everybody in Outer Space—and officially formed under one name in December 2013. “We get together roughly once a month, just make each other laugh and say, ‘What about this project? Is

“As musicians or artists, part of it is being individually dedicated and good at the craft, but, especially in music, you also have to find the people who complement you,” Hegg said. “We met and just clicked in that way.” They formed the 1970s-inspired prog-rock band Clouds on Strings, which has released three albums, including the excellent Pomology (2011). Despite developing a local following, the band “made very little money,” Hegg admitted. In 2012, musician Gavin Fitzgerald attended a Clouds on Strings show. Fitzgerald already knew Hegg; they’d grown up together in Southern California. “We rekindled that friendship,” Fitzgerald said, “and the rest is history.” With Fitzgerald on bass and some rearranging of the lineup, and some switching up of instruments, the crew started a second group, avant-garde jazz troupe Bogg, which has carved out a few more financially lucrative niches by being able to play a variety of concerts and other functions thanks to a repertoire that includes a wide range of originals and reworked pop songs. They’ve put out seven

David Kamrar as Michael in This is Thriller! at 1078 Gallery. PhoTo CoUrTesy of UnCle DaD’s arT ColleCTive

albums as Bogg, the latest being Summer Harvest, released in December, and hold down a popular weekly gig at Café Coda on Friday mornings. As the band members began putting roots deeper into the community, and meeting more local artists, actors and players, side projects began shooting off in various directions, beginning with The Pageant Dads, an experimental-rock/theatrical quartet complete with alter egos (each a father of a youth beauty-pageant contestant). The comedic play-acting of the Dads led to the exploration of the more theatrical side of performance, and the crew decided to group it all underneath the same umbrella, and Uncle Dad’s Art Collective became “Facebook official” a little over a year ago, Hegg said. Since then, Uncle Dad’s has produced a number of theatrical and musical productions, including the Pageant Dads Experience 3-D; This is Thriller!, a story-driven tribute to Michael Jackson’s classic album; and The Loveseat Diaries, an extended three-act romantic-comedy musical-theater extension of the Pageant Dads concept. As for why members of the group have chosen to stay in Chico, rather than test the waters in bigger cities, both Hegg and Fitzgerald cited the community’s receptiveness to original art. Here, they can be as weird as they want. “In Chico you can get away with trying something out that wouldn’t probably sell in San Francisco or L.A.,” Hegg said. “Playing in L.A., whatever’s hip on the indie circuit is what every local band sounds like. Here, it feels organic—people have an idea, then they do it.” “You can go off into space, and people will forgive you if it’s horrible,” Fitzgerald agreed. “It’s a very forgiving town, artistically. Pageant Dads put on two original plays, and they were ridiculous, just so absurd. We think they’re funny, but that doesn’t mean anyone else does. But, Chico gave the opportunity for a band to put on an original play, you know? You can go out there and experiment.” Further ridiculousness is set for 2015, Fitzgerald said. On Feb. 21, in the BMU Auditorium, Uncle Dad’s will be presenting Purple Rain, a show featuring local musicians performing Prince’s 1984 album in full—a different act for each song—with a full crew of dancers, set designers, visual artists and sound engineers bringing the production to life. (Last year, they did the same treatment with Led Zeppelin IV.) And there are more original productions planned from the minds of the Pageant Dads and Everybody in Outer Space as well. “Who knows, man? We’re going to have a bunch of weird shit for Chico,” Fitzgerald said. “That’s for Ω darn sure.” more WEIRD continued on page 16 January 22, 2015

CN&R

Let’s get

Hands-on at the New Music Symposium. PHOTO BY JASON CASSIDY

CN&R presents

rimental and e p x e , e u iq n u e of th few months A guide to some t x e n e th r a d n ico’s cale freaky fun on Ch by

Jason Cassidy jason c@ n ew sr ev i ew. c o m

weird

t’s one thing to want to explore Chico’s weird side, but it’s another to know where and when to find it. So we’re shining a light here on a handful of unique upcoming events and other oddities to satisfy your curiosity and keep you occupied until summer break.

Burlesque with The Malteazers There is something fun and funky going on at the Maltese Bar & Tap Room most every night of the week—from rowdy rock shows and drunken spelling bees to drag shows and dance nights. But the monthly revues by the house burlesque troupe are the wildest good time to be had at the South Chico dive bar. It’s a shifting cast of characters—women and men, straight and not—of all shapes and kinks, putting on a different themed program in front of the red curtain each month. First Saturdays, 9:30 p.m., at the Maltese Bar & Tap Room, 1600 Park Ave., www.themaltesebar.com

New Music Symposium Every spring semester, Chico State music professor David Dvorin brings visiting musicians from the greater experimental music scene to Chico to perform a free concert as part of the two-day New Music Symposium. This year, he’s booked Earplay, a superband of Bay Area musicians performing chamber music pieces by contemporary composers. The visiting group plays on the second day of the symposium, and day one is reserved for the student composers and features a wide variety of experimental and other styles

Wooden mask made by Erin Banwell with CNC carving robot at Idea Fabrication Labs. PHOTO BY ERIN BANWELL

of music by members of the composition class. Oh, and it’s also free! Feb. 26-27, Rowland-Taylor Recital Hall, Chico State.

EDM parties with BassMint If you want to get in with the electronic dance music scene in Chico, you’ll have to go underground, literally. Every Friday night, underneath Second Street, the bar area of the Peking Chinese Restaurant is transformed into a dark, hip and sweaty EDM party by the BassMint crew, with a soundtrack provided by a rotating cast of Chico’s best teaming up with the occasional visiting electronic DJs. It’s the kind of hideaway that feels like you’d need a password, but it’s usually only $3 to enter. Fridays, 9:30 p.m., Peking Chinese Restaurant, 243 W. Second St., www.facebook.com/bassmintchico

co-op, Idea Fabrication Labs has some serious toys for the artists to work with. In addition to a full complement of power and hand tools, they have no less than a 3-D printer, a laser engraver and a computercontrolled Shopbot router. IFL offers classes on how to use the equipment and memberships for artists, and they also host regular exhibits featuring the fruits from this progressive maker space. The next show (opening Feb. 21) will be an exploration of computerized 3-D models by the Lab’s own Erin Banwell. Idea Fabrication Labs, 603 Orange St. www.ideafablabs.com

Cemetery tours Wanna see where characters from Chico’s past are buried? Curious about the meaning behind the various symbols found on tombstones? Join the tour of the cemetery and learn where to find the final resting place of our town’s founder (hint: It’s marked with a boulder from the Humboldt Road project) and a wealth of

KEEP CHICO WEIRD Talent Show & Art Show

See ad on p. 39 other history spread across the grounds where more than 34,000 have been interred. Call Clark Masters to reserve a spot, 345-7243. Third Thursdays, Chico Cemetery, 881 Mangrove Ave.

Searsucker Ride From the folks who bring us the Chico Tweed Ride each fall comes its sister event in the spring, the Seersucker Spring Ride. Don your white shoes and lightweight puckered cotton, hop on your penny farthing, and join your smartly dressed compatriots for a leisurely ride to Bidwell Park for more leisure. Search “Chico Tweed Ride” on Facebook to get the latest news on this year’s ride.

Explore Lumina Head down to Orient Street, between Eighth and Ninth streets, and you won’t be able to miss the polka-dotted masterpiece known as Lumina. The outside and inside of the house, even the cars in the driveway, have been covered with the colorful pointillist paintings of its owner, Norm Dillinger. HGTV’s Offbeat America series even did a segment on the place in 2006. Stop by and gawk from the sidewalk, or knock on the door and ask for a tour. Lumina, 821 Orient St. Ω

Idea Fabrication Labs Basically, this place is Disneyland for artist-freaks—a 7,000-square-foot warehouse for making and showing art. But unlike your average artist-studio

BBQ TRI-TIP

Little Lulu Mae of The Malteazers burlesque troupe. PHOTO BY ISABEL DRESLER

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January 22, 2015

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THE GOODS PHOTO BY RACHEL BUSH

THE BOTTOM LINE

15 MINUTES

Pooches on patios

Supernatural student Andrew Hamrell’s “side job” is anything but conventional. The 27-year-old, who works by day at Bolt’s Antique Museum in Oroville, is also a self-proclaimed wizard, practicing the art of magick (yes, with a “K”) in his spare time. For the past year, he’s performed various paranormal investigations and spells for clients around Butte County, using witchvox.com—a forum for “witches, New Agers and pagans”—to network and offer his services. Hamrell, who uses the wizard name Naitohane, also takes classes at the Grey School of Wizardry, an online school started in 2004 and considered the world’s only registered academic establishment for wizardry. Reach Hamrell at norcalwizard@hotmail.com.

How did you become interested in magick and the paranormal? As a teenager, I started branching out with different religions. I started with Buddhism first. I was spending a lot of time at the book store, and started reading New Age books and paranormal stuff.

What’s the significance of the “K” added to the magick you study? It’s used to differentiate from stage magic, the stuff people think of traditionally. There are wizards who perform stage magic, but those are tricks. That’s not how it works in real life.

Describe the Grey School. There are different areas of studies, like healing, using herbs, defense against the dark arts, and

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a few more. I’m most interested in defense against the dark arts, which is the banishing and cleansing of ghosts, poltergeists, magical pests, that kind of stuff. The headmaster … started it around the time Harry Potter was getting really huge and people had more questions and interest [in wizardry]. Of course, I read the Harry Potter books, too ... but that’s not how I got into it. A lot of those kinds of books get some of those things right, but there are obviously parts that are fantastical.

Can you explain your services more? I’ve done a couple of consultations for paranormal investigations, but I don’t charge for those. I’ve also done fortune spells. Once, I did one for a guy who’d lost his job, and wanted me to do a fortune spell to get a little cash flow while he was looking for another job. I did a basic Law of Symbolism spell, and he ended up getting a grant until he got a job. That’s a dramatic case, though ... magick doesn’t solve all your problems. I use my staff, which is basically a big wand,

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for bigger rituals or cleansings. I don’t always have to be there in person to work with a client, but when I use the staff, I do.

Are people skeptical of your practices and beliefs? It does come up. It’s not something everyone is going to understand. You don’t have to understand it for it to work. There’s gonna be people that want to give you crap for whatever you do, you’ve just got to roll with it.

Does anyone have the ability to practice magick? It’s somewhat like a science, in that there are certain procedures that can prove effective for anyone if performed correctly. However, it is also like an art form, in that it is highly personalized, and often requires extensive study and practice to be truly effective. Not all people have the right mindset or the level of patience required to do this at the higher levels. —RACHEL BUSH

by Toni Scott tonis@newsrev iew.com

I’m a proud mom of one of the sweetest, yet most neurotic dogs I’ve ever encountered. My now-husband Nick and I brought Conner, a black lab and border collie mix, into our home five years ago. He’s lovable and incredibly low maintenance. He doesn’t bark or chew, doesn’t like getting out of bed until 9 a.m., and enjoys spending his days curled up in a little ball on the couch. But with his sweet temperament also comes a healthy dose of cowardice. Conner is afraid of anything new that comes into our house, even common items that are simply being replaced. This has included everything from kitchen mats to a floor lamp. On walks, garbage cans and strollers have frightened him. Needless to say, when I heard that a new state law allowing pets on restaurant patios went into effect this month, I knew Conner wouldn’t be one of the canines joining a Chico patio during happy hour. But owners of less fearful pups can now legally take their four-legged furry friends to establishments with outdoor seating, regardless of whether the dogs are service animals. Up until January, state law prohibited pets on restaurant patios; this law simply removes the prohibition. Business owners now decide whether nonhuman companions are welcome on their premises. Dogs must be on leashes or in carriers, cannot be in areas where food is prepared, and can’t interfere with serving staff. Mom’s Restaurant now welcomes well-behaved dogs on its patio, as does B Street Public House. Will Brady, one of the owners of B Street, which boasts a beautiful back patio behind its Broadway restaurant, says they plan to fully embrace the new legislation. With six dogs among the three restaurant owners, Brady, who has two himself—Steve and Dennis—said the restaurant is pro-pooch. Brady said he’s bounced around the idea of developing a card that dog owners could bring to Chico restaurants that allow dogs on patios, as a way to vouch for the dog being friendly and well-behaved. “In Chico especially, to get the dogs off the sidewalks and get a bowl of water for them in the summer heat seems like a good thing for business, the sidewalk and the dog’s health,” Brady said. Across from B Street, Tres Hombres’ policy will be to continue to only allow service animals on the patio. The design of the long, narrow patio doesn’t readily lend itself to extra guests underfoot, especially given the popularity of the dining space and its frontage on busy Broadway. As the weather begins to warm up, if you’re inclined to hit up some patios, be sure to call ahead and check in with the restaurant on their pooch policy. And just because you can bring your dog with you, doesn’t mean you should. Like Conner, some dogs would much rather be left home watching Animal Planet.

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THE PULSE PESTICIDE RULES IMPOSED

California has issued new regulations intended to protect farmhands and people who live in agricultural areas from chloropicrin, a pesticide used widely on strawberries and tomatoes that becomes airborne in some areas. The rules recently released by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation are the strictest in the country, exceeding standards imposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to California Healthline. The regulations require farms to limit application of the pesticide to 40 acres in a day; expand buffer zones around fields on which the pesticide has been used by 100 feet; give the state 48 hours of notice before fumigation; and notify surrounding homes and businesses of their plans to spray in English and Spanish. Between 2002 and 2011, about 800 California residents experienced negative health effects due to chloropicrin gas exposure. Symptoms include eye irritation, coughing fits and headaches.

OBAMACARE BIGWIG QUITS

The Obama administration official tasked with implementing the Affordable Care Act and launching its website is stepping down next month. Marilyn Tavenner has served as the director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services since 2011, and her tenure has included the initially disastrous rollout of Healthcare.gov in October 2013. She was often the target of pointed criticism on Capitol Hill, including in November of last year after it was disclosed that ACA enrollment figures had been inflated by nearly 400,000 people because those who had signed up for dental plans had been counted twice, according to USA Today. Tavenner did not explain her reason for leaving in an email to colleagues on Jan. 16. She will be replaced by Andy Slavitt, a former executive at UnitedHealth Group who has worked with the agency on HealthCare.gov’s technical issues.

NO OVERTIME FOR HOME CARE

In light of a federal judge’s decision to overturn a U.S. Department of Labor rule, California will not implement overtime pay for home care workers. Under the rule, which was set to take effect Jan. 1, all home care workers would have been guaranteed at least federal minimum wage ($7.25 per hour) and received time-and-a-half pay for working beyond 40 hours in a week, according to the Los Angeles Times. However, on Jan. 14, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon overturned the law, noting that only Congress has the authority to award extra pay to the 2 million home care workers nationwide. The next day, the California Department of Social Services announced the state would not be implementing overtime pay as promised. California employs about 400,000 such workers through its In-Home Supportive Services program. Send your health-related news tips to Howard Hardee at howardh@newsreview.com.

CN&R

January 22, 2015

HEALTHLINES

Rollout round two Peter V. Lee, the executive director of Covered California, the state health insurance exchange, spoke at City Plaza on Nov. 18 as part of a statewide bus tour visiting more than 20 cities. PHOTO BY HOWARD HARDEE

Checking in locally on Covered California’s second open enrollment period by

Evan Tuchinsky evant@newsreview.com

round this time last year, talk surroundAthrough ing the rollout of health insurance the Affordable Care Act focused

on enrollment—or the lack thereof. Website snafus drew headlines and punchlines while subscribers and agents slogged through a slow computer system to submit applications. Yet, when all was said and done, open enrollment—October through March— yielded 6,235 signups in Butte County for policies through Covered California and around 7,000 more through Medi-Cal. Those numbers continued to grow throughout the year, particularly for Medi-Cal (the government program with different provisions than the subsidized private plans from the ACA). Open enrollment for 2014-15 began in November and continues through Feb. 15. As for the signup’s technical side, no news is good news. “What has changed is the process is working much smoother this year,” said Deanna Abrahamian, assistant director of employment and eligibility services for the Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services, which handles local applications for the state. “With impending penalties from the government, people are more interested in signing up. That, coupled with the process being ironed out, [has meant] our case numbers have increased quite a bit.” The penalties to which she refers are federal tax fines for not having health

insurance—part of the ACA taking effect in 2015, for tax year 2014. Amounts increase based on the time someone has gone uninsured, but are potentially offset by a grace period and exemptions. Devin Caspers is a Chico-based certified enrollment counselor (or “navigator”) with the California Health Collaborative, a statewide nonprofit. She says tax considerations have motivated many of the people who’ve sought her assistance. While she’s familiar with the law, “it’s good for people to talk to their tax preparers,” Caspers advised. “It’s a huge thing. People want to know what kind of fine they might have.” There are several ways to sign up for

health insurance. First, there’s the direct route, via Covered California’s online portal (CoveredCA.com). Filling out the form lets enrollees know whether they qualify for Medi-Cal or Covered California plans. Alternately, Butte County residents can contact Abrahamian’s department, which operates two call centers and two

main offices, along with several satellite facilities. “We’re embracing the ‘no wrong door’ policy,” Abrahamian said, meaning someone can help with Medi-Cal or Covered California enrollment at any DESS location. The California Health Collaborative also is trying to keep channels open. For the first rollout, the agency received a Covered California grant to provide educational outreach. This year grant parameters expanded to include advising and assisting new or returning enrollees in 15 Northern California counties. Caspers is a North State native whose territory includes Butte, Glenn and Colusa counties. She speaks both Spanish and English, as does her fellow navigator. “We’re providing a free service to ensure that all members of our community have the opportunity to apply for state health coverage,” Caspers said. “We try to do whatever we can to help the consumer, whether that’s going to them or being available after hours, to meet in the evening or a weekend. We’re trying to

APPOINTMENT ALL EARS Feather River Hospital’s popular Dinner with a Doctor series continues at Our Savior Lutheran Church (6404 Pentz Road) in Paradise tonight (Jan. 22) at 6 p.m. This month, diners will take in a lecture on tinnitus from Dr. Deborah Touchette. Dinner is $12, but attending only for the lecture is free. Call 876-7154 for more information.

break down barriers to getting coverage.” Along with phone consultations and in-person appointments, Caspers conducts workshops. One, last Tuesday night in Oroville, drew about 50 people. Signing up for health insurance is

one side of the coin. Being able to use it is the other. By getting more people covered, the ACA aims to increase access to medical care and relieve the burden on hospital emergency rooms that must, by law, treat anyone who comes—regardless of ailment and ability to pay.

Local enrollment options:

Butte County: Call 800-300-1806; log onto www.c4yourself.com; or visit 2445 Carmichael Drive in Chico, or 78 Table Mountain Blvd. in Oroville. California Health Collaborative: Call 345-2483, ext. 216; or visit 25 Jan Court, Ste. 130 in Chico.

So, how is that working out? “It’s a mixed bag,” said Mike Wiltermood, chief executive officer of Enloe Medical Center. “Overall it’s been an asset for us, because now people who may have qualified for community assistance, now we’re getting at least some money for those services, so that’s been helpful.” But Wiltermood said he believes local hospitals will experience a net loss as a result of the expansion. “The reason I say this is, even if we get a little extra money for people who previously didn’t qualify for Medi-Cal, Medi-Cal doesn’t pay very much at all, maybe 20 cents on the dollar,” he explained. “In order for us to ensure the access [to doctors for patients], hospitals are heavily subsidizing physicians’ practices in order to keep them in the community.” Hospitals also invest heavily in recruiting doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Still, many patients with MediCal, and sometimes Covered California, struggle to find practices

that accept their insurance, and even facilities dedicated to publicly insured patients feel the supply-demand pinch. Primary care—the front line of medicine—is particularly impacted, which has led to a new phenomenon in Chico, which Wiltermood calls “specialty shopping.” Patients self-diagnose and seek a specialist who accepts their insurance, thereby “bypassing the primary care network” and contributing to long waits for specialty appointments, too. Since Enloe accepts Medi-Cal, so do the specialists under its umbrella. “People as far away as Grass Valley and Eureka are trying to send our clinics those Medi-Cal patients,” Wiltermood said, “and our doctors are understandably upset. “They don’t mind taking responsibility for patients in our community—that’s our job; that’s our mission—but we don’t want to be a magnet for other communities because they’re not trying to solve their own access problems.” Ω

WEEKLY DOSE Get that D In these winter months, many of us decide to hibernate rather than play outdoors. That may be fine, but it can have an effect on vitamin D intake. Vitamin D is important for bone health, and it can also boost the immune system as well as help fight depression. Here are a few ways to get that all-important sun vitamin, sans the sun: Fatty fish, such as tuna, trout and salmon. A 3 oz. portion will give you most of the recommended daily dose. Alternative: canned tuna. Fortified milk or juice. Most milks are now fortified with the vitamin, and some juices, too—just check the label. Supplements. Egg yolks. Note: They contain enough vitamin D to help, but shouldn’t be relied on as a sole source.

Source: Health.com

January 22, 2015

CN&R

GREENWAYS Jake Wade, COO of Parallel Revolution, sports one of his company’s hemp shirts. PHOTO COURTESY OF PARALLEL REVOLUTION

Against the grain The men behind Parallel Revolution throw caution to the wind in their quest to create eco-friendly clothing by

Rachel Bush

Ieco-friendly indirectly brought him to his current business venture. As a hight was Jake Wade’s mild debauchery that

schooler, he sneaked into a trade show in his hometown of San Diego to pass out some résumés; he scored an internship with clothing company SurfCuz, and met future business partner Andrew Schrage. They eventually parted ways with SurfCuz, but used their knowledge of the clothing industry to found a more sustainable business, and in 2010, Parallel Revolution was born. “We were visiting retail shops back in 2008 and the organic materials movement was taking hold in fashion. We didn’t want a make a product at the expense of people and the planet,” said Schrage, 47, CEO at Parallel Revolution, a clothing company featuring hemp-based button-ups and T-shirts for men. Wade, a 23-year-old who graduated from Chico State’s Entrepreneurial Small Business Management program in May 2014, is the company’s COO. “When we asked ourselves what we should be using, we decided that hemp was the cleanest, greenest option. I started researching sustainable options and discovered how awesome it was,” Wade said. Often referred to as the cousin of

CN&R

January 22, 2015

marijuana, the hemp plant—which is commonly refined to produce fiber, oil, and seeds—has carried a negative stigma for quite some time. Although part of the same Cannabis sativa species as marijuana, hemp has considerably lower levels of the drug compound THC. Even so, United States laws generally have dismissed its use as a legal crop, beginning with the passage of the Marijuana Tax in 1937, which imposed heavy tax regulations on the plant and led to an immediate decline in hemp cultivation. During World War II, The U.S. Department of Agriculture released Hemp for Victory, a film that motivated farmers to grow hemp to create important wartime textiles like uniforms, canvases and rope. But once the war was over, U.S. production of this versatile crop halted once again. It currently remains on the federal Controlled Substances Act list, preventing commercial growth until it’s declassified. With President Obama’s signing of the Farm Bill of 2013 into law, some focus has been placed on industrial farming and research practices of the plant. But, as Wade points out, it’s still just a “baby step” toward progress. “The government is now admitting they know the difference between marijuana and hemp. But the people who are allowed to grow it in the States are basically just universities,” he said.

China remains the largest producer of hemp, and that’s where Parallel Revolution gets its goods, working with over 1,800 farmers to turn the plant into the woven fabric that’s then considered legal for manufacturing in the United States. For Wade, producing the shirts locally was a big deal. “It’s a global economy, so we’re sourcing things from all over the world. That being said, we want to know who’s making our stuff and where the dollars are coming and going,” he said, noting Chicago and San Francisco as the two current manufacturing bases for PR’s clothing products. But Wade’s hoping to make the business truly local soon. “The future lies in bringing manufacturing to Chico,” he said. “We’re currently working with the Work Training Center and other companies, and we’re getting it closer to bringing it here.” So what is it about hemp that makes it such a good resource for green farming practices? “It’s essentially a weed, so it doesn’t need much maintenance,” suggested Wade, comparing it to cotton farming, which can take up to twice as much water during production. “Hemp can last three to four times longer than typical cotton strands,” he continued, speaking of his own Parallel Revolution shirts, which he claims to have worn hundreds of times so far. PR’s hemp shirts are often blended with lyocell, the finished fiber that comes from

eucalyptus. Wade points out that the extraction process for eucalyptus cellulose is also eco-friendly, using nontoxic solvents and no bleach (unlike cotton production). Even the hangtags on a Parallel Revolution shirt are sustainable. Collaborating with San Diego-based business Green Field Paper Co., the tags are made from biodegradable seed paper, which Wade says can be “tossed and thrown in the garden.” (After you buy the shirt, that is.) With the company still in its infancy, Wade has a lot of future goals, including making a profit. “Right now every dollar of revenue goes to paying for labor, design and other production costs.” To date, PR’s sold approximately 315 shirts, which can be purchased online at pararev.com or at Formal Education in downtown Chico. And while the two-man team still has a lot of work ahead of it, Wade remains optimistic, proud of the sustainable business practices they’re following. “Andrew and I want to leave behind something bigger than ourselves ... a dent in the right direction, I guess. Plus, there’s something addictive about going against the grain when you know your solution is the right one.” □

ECO EVENT

PHOTO BY MICHAEL PETERS

CELEBRATION OF BIRDS Join fellow nature lovers for Gathering of Wings, the annual banquet and silent auction for the Snow Goose Festival. This year’s keynote speaker is Scott Weidensaul, a naturalist and Pulitzer Prize-nominated author. Event takes place on Saturday (Jan. 24), 5:30-10 p.m., at Bell Memorial Union Auditorium. Tickets are $20-$38. For more info, call 898-6411.

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CN&R 21

Arts & Culture Chris Briggs and Amy Brown on a normal date in the Blue Room’s production of Fat Pig. PHOTO BRITTANY WATERSTRADT

THIS WEEK

Weighty issues

Shallow conventions of beauty sabotage love in depressingly funny comedy f you’re looking to get lost in a light, romantic tale, ITheatre. don’t see Fat Pig, now playing at the Blue Room It’s not your typical boy-meets-girl/they fall

in love narrative (although both of those things do happen in the play). From the first scene—where we catch the by chance meeting between Helen Rachel (Amy Brown) and Tom (Chris Bush Briggs) in a cafeteria—until the very end, we’re reminded of one unavoidable factor that’s greatly affecting their ability to develop a REVIEW: relationship: Helen’s plus-size Fat Pig shows figure. ThursdayErin Tarabini directs the Blue Saturday, Room’s version of Neil LaBute’s 7:30 p.m., through dark comedy, which debuted offJan. 31 (with special actors Broadway in 2004. Relying on benefit Sunday, minimal props and set changes, Jan. 25, 7:30 p.m.) the focus is on the dialogue in this at the Blue Room. love-and-hate story. Tickets: $15-$18 The two-act play takes us (plus: pay-as-youcan Thursdays) through the early stages of Helen and Tom’s relationship. Helen is a Blue Room confident, sharp librarian whom Theatre Tom affectionately refers to as a 139 W. First St. “printed-word specialist.” Tom 895-3749 www.blueroom has an unnamed ho-hum office theatre.com job that he shares with co-workers he doesn’t seem too crazy about (although they seem slightly crazy). Meeting Helen is the best thing to happen in his life, until he’s repeatedly told that he should “dump the fat chick.” The script relies heavily on many conversations about Helen’s weight, whether it’s between Tom and Helen, or Tom and his shallow co-worker friends, Carter (Sean Constantine) and Jeannie (Cat Campbell), who happens to be Tom’s bitterly jealous ex. While the dialogue gets a little redundant at times (i.e., a lot of fat jokes), it’s also necessary to express the play’s theme of society’s obsession with physical 22

CN&R

January 22, 2015

appearance, and the powerful role it can play in relationships. Constantine’s performance as Carter is perhaps the most impressive and also the most disturbing. As Tom’s work BFF, Carter’s essentially the little devil that sits on Tom’s shoulder, reminding him that he could (and should) do so much better than dating a “huge” girl. His monologues about how people should date their “own type” are both shocking and also, sadly, not. He represents the very real narcissistic, shallow way of thinking that permeates our culture. His character is the funniest as we laugh along with the ugly truths he spews, which only makes things slightly less depressing. The only person in the story comfortable with Helen’s body is Helen. She jokes about her weight in a self-effacing manner, happily eating her pizza while the others are stuck on their boring salads. While her own confidence should be enough, it’s not, because the man she loves is constantly battling with his own insecurities about dating someone who isn’t conventionally beautiful. It’s heartbreaking but real, and Brown shines during scenes where she’s fighting to keep them together. She’s not the “crazy” girlfriend, she’s not over-the-top, she’s just genuinely trying to make their relationship work, and she plays it with sincerity. When it’s just Tom and Helen, all we see is a love story, but Jeannie and Carter want us (and Tom) to believe they’re a freak show. Even Tom, a seemingly likeable guy, is conflicted by peer pressure and his own hang-ups. He initially leads Carter to believe Helen is a business client, not a girl he’s dating, and he continues to hide their relationship. Is it due to personal embarrassment, or to protect Helen from cruel comments? He wants to be good but can’t seem to shake the shallow inner demons. In many ways, LaBute’s made Tom the most relatable character in the play, which is disconcerting but probably most realistic. Empathizing with him might be normal, but it doesn’t feel very good when the show’s over. Ω

22THURS

23FRI

Art Receptions

CONFLUENCE: A closing reception for artists Shirley Hazlett, Rhia Hurt, Alexandra Sprowls and Sande Waters, showcasing the nature of close connections through art. Th, 1/22, 57pm. Free. 1078 Gallery, 820 Broadway, (530) 343-1973, www.1078gallery.org.

Theater THE DIXIE SWIM CLUB: A touching comedy about friendships that last forever. Th-Sa, 7:30pm through 2/14. Plus, Su, 2pm, 2/1-2/15. $16-$22. Theatre on the Ridge Playhouse, 3735 Neal Rd. in Paradise, (530) 877-5760, www.totr.org.

FAT PIG: Neil LaBute’s play critiques Hollywood ideals of beauty and our ability to change what we dislike about ourselves. Th-Sa, 7:30pm through 1/31. $15-$18. Blue Room Theatre, 139 W. First St., (530) 895-3749, www.blueroom theatre.com.

PLAY ON!: A comedy about a theater troupe trying desperately to put on a play in spite of maddening interference from a haughty author who keeps revising the script. Th-Sa, 7:30pm; Su, 2pm through 1/25. $10-$12. Birdcage Theatre, 1740 Bird St. in Oroville, (530) 533-2473, www.birdcagetheatre.net.

Poetry/ Literature POETRY-WRITING WORKSHOP: Poet Susan Wooldridge hosts a creative writing and poetry workshop. snacks will be provided. All are welcome. Th, 1/22, 11am-1pm. Free. Butte County Library, Oroville Branch, 1820 Mitchell Ave. in Oroville, (530) 538-7642, www.butte county.net/bclibrary.

THE DIXIE SWIM CLUB Thursday-Sunday Theatre on the Ridge

SEE THURSDAY-SUNDAY, THEATER

SNOW GOOSE WILDLIFE ART EXHIBIT: A reception for the all-media, juried exhibition that showcases artists whose subjects include wildlife and habitat along the Pacific Flyway, with music from John Seid and Larry Peterson. F, 1/23, 5-8pm. Avenue 9 Gallery, 180 E. Ninth Ave., (530) 879-1821, www.avenue9gallery.com.

Music LUKAS NELSON: Promise of the Real frontman plays an intimate acoustic set as a benefit for KZFR. F, 1/23, 7pm. $20. Chico Women’s Club, 592 E. Third St., (530) 894-1978, www.kzfr.org..

SOJOURN TO THE PAST: Live music from Eat The World, Elusive, and The Sounds Good. A fundraiser event for Inspire students and their 10-day mobile-classroom journey along the path of the Civil Rights Movement. F, 1/23, 8pm. $5. 1078 Gallery, 820 Broadway, (530) 3431973, www.1078gallery.org.

Theater THE DIXIE SWIM CLUB: See Thursday. Theatre on the Ridge Playhouse, 3735 Neal Rd. in Paradise, (530) 877-5760, www.totr.org.

FINE ARTS YUBU & SAVAGE HENRY PRESENT: STAND-UP Saturday, Jan. 24 1078 Gallery

SEE SATURDAY, SPECIAL EVENTS

PARADISE SYMPHONY CONCERT: The sympony’s first concert of the new year. Su, 1/25, 7pm. $20. Paradise Performing Arts Center, 777 Nunneley Rd. in Paradise, (530) 872-8454, www.paradiseperformingarts.com..

Theater PLAY ON!: See Thursday. Birdcage Theatre, 1740 Bird St. in Oroville, (530) 533-2473, www.bird cagetheatre.net.

26MON Poetry/Literature BOOK READING: After Miss Julie , a play by

FAT PIG: See Thursday. Blue Room Theatre, 139 W. First St., (530) 895-3749, www.blueroom theatre.com.

NORTH STATE SYMPHONY: The symphony travels

to Oroville for a family concert. Sa, 1/24, 7pm. $25. State Theatre, 1489 Myers St. in Oroville, (530) 538-2470, www.orovillestatetheatre.org.

PLAY ON!: See Thursday. Birdcage Theatre, 1740 Bird St. in Oroville, (530) 533-2473, www.bird cagetheatre.net.

24SAT Special Events SNOW GOOSE FESTIVAL: GATHERING OF WINGS: A banquet, silent auction and opening ceremony for the annual Snow Goose Festival with keynote speaker Scott Weidensaul. Sa, 1/24, 5:30-10pm. $20-$38. Bell Memorial Union Auditorium, Chico State, (530) 898-6411.

YUBU & SAVAGE HENRY PRESENT: STAND-UP: Yusef Swaff and Savage Henry present live stand-up featuring John Ross and Don Ashby, plus Humboldt’s Dutch Savage and Matt Redbead. Sa, 1/24, 8pm. $10. 1078 Gallery, 820 Broadway, (530) 343-1973, www.1078gallery.org.

Music DUELING PIANOS: Chico Sunrise Rotary Club hosts a fundraiser event featuring dueling pianos, plus a dinner provided by Roots Catering, wine tasting and silent auction. Sa, 1/24, 6pm. $45. Manzanita Place, 1705 Manzanita Ave., (530) 343-5617.

JEFF BRIDGES & THE ABIDERS: Chico Performaces presents “The Dude” and his band, plus opener, daughter and fellow singer/songwriter Jessie Bridges. Sa, 1/24, 7:30pm. $10-$68. Laxson Auditorium, Chico State, (530) 898-6333, www.chicoperfor mances.com.

FREE LISTINGS! Post your event for free online at www.newsreview.com/calendar. Once posted, your CN&R calendar listing will also be considered for print. Print listings are also free, but subject to space limitations. Deadline for print listings is one week prior to the issue in which you wish the listing to appear.

Theater THE DIXIE SWIM CLUB: See Thursday. Theatre on the Ridge Playhouse, 3735 Neal Rd. in Paradise, (530) 877-5760, www.totr.org.

FAT PIG: See Thursday. Blue Room Theatre, 139 W. First St., (530) 895-3749, www.blueroom theatre.com.

PLAY ON!: See Thursday. Birdcage Theatre, 1740 Bird St. in Oroville, (530) 533-2473, www.bird cagetheatre.net.

25SUN Music MIA DYSON: Australian blues and roots singer/songwriter/guitarist, plus Los Angeles based duo The Silent War. Su, 1/25, 7:30pm. $15. Sierra Nevada Big Room, 1075 East 20th St., (530) 345-2739, www.sierranevada.com/ bigroom.

Patrick Marber, read by Ashley Garlic, Matt Hammons, and Hilary Tellesen with Rob Davidson. M, 1/26, 7-8:30pm. Free. The Bookstore, 118 Main St.

27TUES Music CHUCK BRODSKY: Legendary contemporary folk

singer/songwriter and baseball storyteller. Tu, 1/27, 7pm. $20. Paradise Grange Hall, 5704 Chapel Dr. in Paradise, (530) 873-1370.

THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS: World renown jazz fusion/funk crew from Leeds. Plus, local funky freaks, GravyBrain. Tu, 1/27. Lost On Main, 319 Main St., (530) 891-1853.

WINDSYNC: Houston-based wind ensemble incorporates theatrical elements to there classical music performances. Tu, 1/27, 7:30pm. $15-$25. Oroville State Theatre, 1489 Myers St. in Oroville, (530) 538-2470.

Art 100TH MONKEY COMMUNITY CAFE: Faces of

Flower Children: Bringing Back Peace and Love, artist Rod Caudill showcases mixedmedia Collage. 1/22-2/28. Free. 642 West Fifth St., (530) 343-0704.

1078 GALLERY: Confluence, artists Shirley Hazlett, Rhia Hurt, Alexandra Sprowls and Sande Waters showcase the nature of close connections through their art. Through 1/24. 820 Broadway, (530) 343-1973, www.1078gallery.org.

AVENUE 9 GALLERY: Snowgoose Wildlife Art

Exhibit, an all-media, juried exhibition that showcases artists whose subjects include wildlife and habitat along the Pacific Flyway, North and South. Through 2/7. 180 E. Ninth Ave., (530) 879-1821, www.avenue9 gallery.com.

B-SO SPACE: Sketchbook Show, BFA student Hannah Aist curates. Through 1/30. Ayres 107, Chico State, (530) 898-5331.

CHICO ART CENTER: Member Showcase, annual member event showcasing all media from members. Through 2/6. 450 Orange St., (530) 895-8726, www.chicoartcenter.com.

EMPIRE COFFEE: Chroma, Alex Light and Ty Andre Mendoza’s two-person show featuring watercolor, pearlescents, and geometry born of the resources of Idea Fabrication Labs. Through 1/31. 434 Orange St., (530) 899-8267.

HEALING ART GALLERY: Ceramic art by Northern California artist touched by cancer, Tedo Best. Through 4/16. 265 Cohasset Rd. inside Enloe Cancer Center, (530) 332-3856.

JAMES SNIDLE FINE ARTS: Japanese

Woodblock Prints, Japanese prints from the Ukiyo-e classical style from the 1700’s to 1960’s, on view and for purchase. M-F through 1/31. 254 E. Fourth St., (530) 3432930.

ORLAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS & GALLERY:

Wildlife Wonders IV, Yreka based artist Steele Roberts Ross showcases works for the Snow Goose Festival. Through 1/31. 431 Colusa St. Bottom floor of Orland Laurel Masonic Lodge Building in Orland.

PURPLE LINE URBAN WINERY: Broken Color, paintings and small prints from local artist John Shult. Through 1/31. 760 Safford St. in Oroville, (530) 534-1785, www.purpleline winery.com.

SALLY DIMAS ART GALLERY: New Beginning, a group show featuring local artists. 1/221/31. 493 East Ave., (530) 345-3063.

UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY: Art and Technology, technology-based art works that engage audiences through integrated forms of video, gaming media, sculpture and experience. 1/29-2/27. Trinity Hall Chico State, (530) 898-5864.

Call for Artists DIVERSITY ART EXHIBIT: The Office of Diversity and Inclusion is looking for submissions for its annual diversity exhibit. Email or call for more info. Through 2/21. Free. Kendall Hall, W First St And Normal Ave., (530) 898-4605.

Museums CHICO CREEK NATURE CENTER: Banding by Day and Night, a close look at birds in hand with incredible detail. Ongoing. $2-$4. 1968 E. Eighth St., (530) 891-4671, www.bidwellpark.org.

CHICO MUSEUM: Mik cupu Dy: This is Our

Home, Here We Remain, presented from the perspective of the Mechoopda people, focusing on the tribe’s heritage and history and using the four seasons to delineate periods of happiness, success and tragedy. Ongoing. 141 Salem St., (530) 891-4336, www.chicomuseum.org.

GATEWAY SCIENCE MUSEUM: Modern Farming

- Land, Water, People, and Science. Plus: Eat Well, Play Well, and Patterns of The Land. 625 Esplanade, www.csuchico.edu/gateway.

PARADISE DEPOT MUSEUM: A railroad and logging museum in Paradise. Ongoing, 7-9pm. 5570 Black Olive Dr. in Paradise, (530) 8771919.

28WED Music THE EXPENDABLES: The Santa Cruz reggae-rock

CONFLUENCE CLOSING RECEPION Tonight, Jan. 22 1078 Gallery

SEE THURSDAY, ART RECEPTIONS

crew returns to celebrate the release of their new album Sand In The Sky. Fortunate Youth and Katastro open. W, 1/28, 7:30pm. $16. Senator Theatre, 517 Main St., (530) 898-1497, www.jmaxproductions.net.

for more Music, see NIGHTLIFE on page 32

Pacific Flyway travelers Millions of migratory birds are currently making their way through the northern Sacramento Valley during their journey from Alaska to the southern tip of South America. Every year at this time, the North State EDITOR’S PICK celebrates the arrival of the snow geese and the rest of the wintering waterfowl and raptors with the Snow Goose Festival. This year’s festival is already underway and will continue through Jan. 25 and include the Pacific Flyway Art Exhibit at the Avenue 9 Gallery (reception: Jan. 23, 5-8 p.m.); the Gathering of Wings banquet and auction at Chico State’s BMU Auditorium (Jan. 24); as well as many workshops and field trips throughout the week. Visit www.snowgoosefestival.org for complete details.

January 22, 2015

CN&R

BULLETIN BOARD Community

EDIE REDMAYNE

FRIDAY 01/23 - WEDNESDAY 1/28 AMERICAN SNIPER (Digital) ( R) 11:30AM 2:30PM 5:30PM 8:30PM

SELMA (Digital) (PG-13) 1:30PM 4:30PM 7:30PM 10:30PM

AMERICAN SNIPER (XD) ( R) 1:00PM 4:00PM 7:00PM 10:00PM

SPARE PARTS (Digital) (PG-13) 11:10AM* 1:55PM* 4:40PM* 7:25PM 10:15PM

BLACKHAT (Digital) ( R) 3:45PM 10:10PM

STRANGE MAGIC (Digital) (PG) 11:35AM 2:05PM 4:35PM 7:05PM 9:35PM

BOY NEXT DOOR, THE (Digital) ( R) 12:50PM 3:20PM 5:40PM 8:00PM 10:20PM HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (Digital) (PG-13) 11:55AM 3:15PM 6:35PM 9:50PM IMITATION GAME, THE (Digital) (PG-13) 11:25AM 2:10PM 4:55PM 7:40PM 10:25PM INTO THE WOODS (Digital) (PG) 1:20PM 4:15PM 7:10PM 10:10PM MORTDECAI (Digital) ( R) 11:20AM 2:00PM 4:45PM 7:20PM 9:55PM PADDINGTON (Digital) (PG) 12:00PM 2:25PM 4:50PM 7:15PM 9:45PM

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING THURS-SATURDAY 6PM • SUNDAY MATINEE 4PM MONDAY-THURS (1/29) 8PM

STARTS FRIDAY AMY ADAMS, CHRISTOPH WALTZ IN TIM BURTEN’S

BIG EYES

WEDDING RINGER, THE (Digital) (R) 12:05PM 2:35PM 5:05PM 7:35PM 10:05PM (Special Showing) MET OPERA: Bulshoi Ballet: Swan Lake (Digital) (NR) @ 1pm 1/25

FAT PIG

sounds and rhythms of West Africa. Call for info. M, 6pm. $10. Chico Grange Hall, 2775 Old Nord Ave., (530) 321-5607.

Thurs/Fri/Sat Jan 15-31

AFRO-CARIBBEAN DANCE: Dances of Cuba, Haiti,

Sun., Jan 25

BINGO: Proceeds donated to nonprofit. Su, 4pm.

Actor’s Benefit

Brazil and West Africa with live drumming. Tu, 5:30pm. Chico Women’s Club, 592 E. Third St., (530) 345-6324.

$15. Paradise Elks Lodge, 6309 Clark Rd. in Paradise, (530) 877-3977.

All Shows 7:30

FRIDAY/SATURDAY 8:20PM • SUNDAY MATINEE 2PM MONDAY-THURS 6PM

CAREER BUILDERS: A monthly counter-recruitment meeting for the community’s youth.

Fourth Th of every month, 3:30pm. Free. Chico Peace and Justice Center, 526 Broadway, (530) 343-3152, www.chico-peace.org.

Call 343-0663 or visit www.PageantChico.com

CELEBRATION OF CHOICE: Celebrate the anniver-

TAKEN 3 (Digital) (PG-13) 11:15AM 2:05PM 5:00PM 7:45PM 10:30PM UNBROKEN (Digital) (PG-13) 12:40PM 7:00PM

AFRICAN DANCE CLASS: A workout set to the

electric bikes

Model year end

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20 %- 50 OelFs.F

Showtimes listed w/ * NOT shown Sun. 1/25

rs Mod all previous yea enDs Jan. 31

Stop by today and teSt ride our electric bicycleS No licensing or DMV registration required • Up to 20mph • 25-35 miles per charge

red Mountain Green CyCle

455 E. 20th St. (20th & Mulberry) Chico (530) 899-7270 | redmountaingreencycyle.com |

sary of Roe v. Wade, and enjoy live music, appetizers, and a silent auction. F, 1/23, 47pm. Free. Women’s Health Specialists, 1469 Humboldt Rd., (530) 891-1917 ext. 112, www.womenshealthspecialists.org.

DANCE SANCTUARY WAVE: Bring a water bottle, drop your mind, find your feet and free your spirit. Call for more info. Tu, 6:30-8:30pm. $10. Call for details, (530) 891-6524.

DANCING FREEDOM: A weekly open dance with

the elements. F, 6-8pm. $6-$12 sliding scale. Subud Hall, 574 E. 12th St., (530) 532-1989.

DYEING WITH MUSHROOMS: Experiment with some of the mushrooms and lichen Butte County has to offer. Registration required. Sa, 1/24, 9am-1pm. $45. University Herbarium, 129 Holt Hall, Chico State, (530) 898-5356.

EVENING DANCE JAM: A weekly meditative dance

/rmgreencycle

session. F, 7:15pm. $10. Yoga Center of Chico, 250 Vallombrosa Ave., Suite 150, (530) 3420100.

Safer Communities Through Liberty We are Considering Gathering Signatures for:

Competitive Law Enforcement Measure:

Property owners who subscribe to private security firms for patrol and incidence response shall have their property tax reduced.

Body Camera Measure:

All personnel who openly carry firearms in public or who enter private property without owner permission shall have and use body cameras.

Zoning shall be provided for Medical Marijuana Dispensaries and for patients to grow Marijuana collectively by the end of 2015.

Have any objections, enhancements, questions or concerns? Help us craft the law and improve our public Safety. Sean@LibertyRisingButte.com

www.LibertyRisingButte.com 24

CN&R

January 22, 2015

CN&R

End Marijuana Dispensary & Patient Collective Prohibition:

Certified Farmers’ Market serving as a community forum for healthful-lifestyle promotion and education. F, 2-5:30pm. Chapman Mulberry Community Center, 1010 Cleveland Ave., (530) 680-3217, www.cchaos.org.

FARMERS’ MARKET: SATURDAY: Chico’s weekly community gathering, with fresh produce, crafts, baked goods and more. Sa, 7:30am1pm. Municipal Parking Lot No. 1, Second & Wall streets.

FREE HEALTH CLINIC: Free services for minor medical ailments. Call for more info. Su, 14pm. Free. Shalom Free Clinic, 1190 E. First

Ave., (530) 518-8300, www.shalom freeclinic.org.

FROST OR FOG MARATHON: A quarter marathon/5k and 10 mile race event benefitting Chico Homeless Animal Outreach. Registration required. Sa, 1/24, 8:30am. $30$40. 5 Mile Picnic Area, Upper Bidwell Park, (530) 343-1904.

HOW TO PAINT YOUR ANIMAL IN COLORED PENCIL:

Enhanced Safety Budget Measure:

With the exception of programs funded by the State or Fed, no spending for prosecuting drug use, Marijuana dispensaries or patient collective grows. Dispensaries shall pay 10% sales tax and collectives shall pay $150 per plant to the Treasurer-Tax Collector.

w w w. n e w s r e v i e w. c o m

Liberty is Rising

Gift certificates to local merchants for up to 50% off

FARMERS’ MARKET: CHAPMAN: A year-round

A six week class using colored pencils, and your favorite animal subjects as reference. Tu through 2/24. Opens 1/20. $10 per session. Paradise Art Center, 5564 Almond St. in Paradise, (530) 877-7402.

HOW TO START YOUR OWN SMALL BUSINESS: A workshop held to enhance business opportunities, marketing, business structure and cash management and record keeping. Sa, 1/24, 9am-noon. $15. Work Training Center, 2255 Fair St., (530) 343-7994.

HOW TO PAINT YOUR ANIMAL Tuesdays Paradise Art Center SEE COMMUNITY

OPEN HEART DANCES: A simple, meditative and uplifting group dances honoring many of the world’s spiritual traditions. Fourth Sa of every month, 7-9pm. $5-$10 donation. Yoga Center of Chico, 250 Vallombrosa Ave., Suite 150, (530) 342-0100.

SAFE SPACE: A winter program to provide emergency shelter for people in need within our community. Ongoing. Chico Peace and Justice Center, 526 Broadway, (530) 893-9078, www.chico-peace.org.

SAMARITAN FREE CLINIC: This clinic offers free basic medical care and mental-health counseling. Call for more information. Su, 2-4pm. Free. Paradise Lutheran Church, 780 Luther Dr. in Paradise, 872-7085.

SOUL SHAKE DANCE CHURCH: Drop your mind, find your feet and free your spirit at this DJ dance wave to a range of musical styles. No previous dance experience necessary. Su, 10am-noon. $10-$15 sliding scale. Dorothy Johnson Center, 775 E. 16th St., (530) 891-6524, www.chicorec.com.

SOUNDS OF THE VALLEY CHORUS: Female singers welcome to sing in four-part, barbershopstyle harmony. Call for more info. W, 7pm. Marigold Elementary School, 2446 Marigold Ave., (530) 343-5183.

SQUARE-DANCE CLUB: Square-dancing classes for beginners and advanced-level dancers. Call for more info. Th, 7-10pm. Veterans Memorial Hall, 6550 Skyway in Paradise, (530) 872-1962.

TOASTMASTERS: Improve communication and leadership skills through public speaking and networking. Th, 12:15pm. Free. Cal Northern School Of Law, 1395 Ridgewood Dr., (530) 8916900.

WELLNESS RECOVERY ACTION PLAN CLASS: An eight week course on learning to live with mental illness. F, 10am through 2/27. Free. Iversen Center, 492 Rio Lindo Ave.

WORLD DANCE: Prepares youth to perform line, circle and partner dances from around the world. No partner needed. Th, 6pm. $20 (for a family of 4). Chico Area Recreation District (CARD), 545 Vallombrosa Ave., (530) 895-4711, www.chicorec.com.

WORLD DANCE CLASS: Learn line, circle and couple dances from around the world. Youth and adult class offered. Scholarships available via instructor. No partner needed. Th, 6-7 & 7-8:30pm. $7. Pleasant Valley Recreation Center, 2320 North St., (530) 566-6711.

INTERNATIONAL FOLK DANCING: All levels wel-

come. No partner needed. F, 7:30pm. $2. Chico Creek Dance Centre, 1144 W. First St., (530) 345-8134.

NORTHSTATE ECONOMIC FORECAST CONFERENCE: An in-depth look at the direction of our national, state, and regional economies. Registration required. Th, 1/22, 8am-3:30pm. $35-$109. Gold Country Casino Showroom, 4020 Olive Hwy in Oroville, (530) 538-2542.

MORE ONLINE Additional listings for local meetings, support groups, classes, yoga, meditation and more can be found online at www.newsreview.com/chico/local/calendar.

Cool films blowin’ in

Reviewers: Bob Grimm and Juan-Carlos Selznick.

Paddington

Opening this week The Boy Next Door

A sex thriller with Jennifer Lopez. … Oh, you need more than that? OK, J-Lo plays a hotteacher/divorcee who hooks up with her new hottie neighbor (Ryan Guzman), and things start to get hot, and then crazy. Cinemark 14 and Feather River Cinemas. Rated R. An action-comedy (based on a series of comic-thriller novels by British author/ actor/art dealer Kyril Bonfiglioli) staring Johnny Depp as the eccentric Charles Mortdecai, traveling the globe in search of a missing painting while dodging the British secret service, angry Russians and an international terrorist. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated R.

A batch of fine films (finally) make their way to Chico in January n the national press, January is routinely referred to as Iweeks a dull time for movies. But here we are, a couple of into 2015, and a whole bunch of remarkable

films—most released (however limited) elsewhere in 2014— already have come Chico’s way: Selma, Inherent Vice, American by Juan-Carlos Sniper, The Imitation Game, The Selznick Homesman, Blackhat. It wouldn’t be too far-fetched to say that we’ve gotten a head start on a top-10 list for 2015, or that we might be half-way to a top 10 already. We do, however, have 11 more months for all that to get sorted out. A more immediate problem, for me, concerns doing some justice to so many films in a customarily limited review space. With that in mind, I offer the following notes and observations: Heroes & anti-heroes: A strength these dissimilar films have in common is in their various offbeat takes on heroism. American Sniper honors a war hero (Chris “Legend” Kyle) while taking pointed note of the human cost, to himself and to others, of his heroism. The Imitation Game honors a more cerebral kind of war hero (code-breaking computer pioneer Alan Turing) while dramatizing the costs and limitations of a far larger victory. Selma portrays the heroism—moral, political, spiritual—of Martin Luther King Jr. while taking serious note of the doubts and hesitations that marked his journey toward what we know in advance will be a successful campaign. The title character in The Homesman has his life saved twice by the women he’s earnestly and dutifully trying to protect. “Doc” Portello in Inherent Vice is a diligent pot-smoking private eye who rarely solves mysteries but keeps pursuing them even as they get larger and more elusive. The quasi-superhero/hacker of Blackhat makes a kind of last stand for flesh-andblood humanity in an overwhelmingly digitalized universe, but comes to resemble an electronic action figure in the process. Modern history (mediated): By some quirk of the movie industry’s release calendar, there’s an interesting sort of timeline here—World War II, the struggles of the civil rights movement, hippies and

Vietnam, the wars in Iraq, the digital fireworks of an otherwise dehumanized future. More than a century separates American Sniper and The Homesman, but in terms of cowboy heroes and archetypal storytelling, there’s a direct line running between Bradley Cooper’s character in the former and Tommy Lee Jones’ in the latter. Generally, the movies aren’t the best place to study history (cf. the controversy over Selma’s version of LBJ), but they can serve as effective sounding boards for discussions of our own historical moment. And these films, I’m inclined to say, seem to arise from a culture and society struggling to maintain cherished values and traditions while frantically trying to navigate the perils that come with its innovations. Breaking the codes of romance: The Imitation Game is about breaking the Nazis’ Enigma code, but it’s also very much about breaking and bending the codes of romance. Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) is gay; one of the loves of his life is a straight female who gladly marries him, and another is a computer named for his first love, a schoolboy who died young. An inverted protest against such codes is implicit in The Homesman, where frontier farmers treat their wives like livestock, and the women (including Hilary Swank’s bold spinster) feel impelled to marry whatever eligible oaf happens to come their way. She’s a real mensch: In The Homesman, a frontier preacher (John Lithgow) tells Swank’s character she’s “a better man than any man around here.” He’s right (but that’s only part of her story). In Blackhat, Viola Davis (as FBI agent Carol Barrett) is intensely iconic and in the story’s oppressively wired environment that translates into something staunchly human. In the same film, Tang Wei’s Chen Lien seems a merely ornamental cipher, but her unflagging involvement in the action combines with her thoroughly ordinary physical qualities to make her the film’s key (and only real?) representative of ordinary humanity. In American Sniper, Sienna Miller is strong and sharp as Chris Kyle’s wife, Taya, a brave and long-suffering warrior in her own right (on the home front). Ω

Strange Magic

A 3-D animated feature about the misadventures of a lovable collection of elves, fairies, imps and goblins. Adapted from a story by George Lucas that was inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and starring the voices of Evan Rachel Wood and Maya Rudolph. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated PG.

Re-opening this week

Big Eyes

The story of the “Big Eyes” paintings, attributed to Walter Keane but actually painted by his wife, Margaret, sounds like a good subject for a Tim Burton movie. Strange, then, that the famed director’s new film about the Keanes turns out to be such a bland affair, with so little of the weirdness and charm associated with his previous work (Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, etc.). The production’s visual design makes for an elaborate and very nicely furnished caricature of mid-20th century kitsch and its pastel excesses. Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz are well-cast in the lead roles, but neither character has a chance to develop much beyond what is more or less obvious from the outset. Waltz’s farcically grotesque antics as Walter make an amusing impression, but that proves somewhat counterproductive in a film trying to center its sympathies with Margaret. Adams finesses her role with touching skill, but there’s no getting around the character’s sad limitations. Pageant Theatre. Rated PG-13 —J.C.S.

Now playing

American Sniper

See film rundown, p. 25. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated R —J.C.S.

Blackhat

See film rundown, p. 25. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated R —J.C.S.

The third and final installment in Peter Jackson’s film trilogy of J.R.R. Tolkien’s famed fantasy novel. Cinemark 14. Rated PG-13.

The Imitation Game

See film rundown, p. 25. Cinemark 14 and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated PG-13 —J.C.S.

Poor

Selma

See film rundown, p. 25. Cinemark 14. Rated PG-13 —J.C.S.

2 Fair

A based-on-real-life story about a group of four Hispanic high school students from Arizona who, armed with spare car parts and $800, compete for a national robotics championship at M.I.T. Cinemark 14. Rated PG-13.

The Theory of Everything

At its best, this semi-saccharine biopic about theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking doles out some nicely understated combinations of misty-eyed romance and tough-minded drama. Eddie Redmayne gives a winning performance in the main role, but never really gets to push beyond the script’s studiously genteel comfort zone. The film is based on Jane Hawking’s book, Traveling to Infinity: My Life With Stephen, but even with Felicity Jones delivering a sweetly intelligent performance in the role, the overall characterization of Hawking’s first wife too often seems merely thin and decorative. The supporting cast (Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Simon McBurney, etc.) is very good, with Charlie Cox and Maxine Peake being especially effective as caregivers with extraordinary attachments to Stephen and Jane. Pageant Theatre and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated PG-13 —J.C.S.

The Wedding Ringer

Kevin Hart plays Jimmy Callahan, a best man for hire who faces his toughest challenge in concocting a grand charade for one very socially challenged groom (Josh Gad). Cinemark 14 and Feather River Cinemas. Rated R.

Wild

Reese Witherspoon delivers a tough, smart performance in what for her is a somewhat atypical role. Jean-Marc Vallée’s film version of Cheryl Strayed’s memoir of her transformative adventure in the wilderness holds her star power at something like arm’s length and builds a close-up sense of its protagonist through a combination of cinematic elements, including flashes of a kind of stream-of-consciousness editing. Even in the occasional emotional eruption, Witherspoon maintains a calm intensity, and Vallée’s film matches that with the cool, rough beauty of its cinematography. Here the central characterization is a matter not only of what she says and does and sees, but also of the tentatively implied insights of those memory flashes and other fleeting associations. Much of the film is a straight-ahead account of the physical challenges of Cheryl’s arduous journey, with her spiritual revitalization portrayed partly through the cumulative effect of small, quietly telling moments and partly through deceptively casual gradations in Witherspoon’s performance. Paradise Cinema 7. Rated R —J.C.S.

Still here

Into the Woods

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Spare Parts

Mortdecai

Selma

A film adaptation of the popular children’s book series (and equally popular stuffed toy) that mixes live-action with CGI to tell the story of the anthropomorphic Peruvian bear who finds his way to London and into the hearts of the Brown family. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated PG.

Good

Cinemark 14 and Feather River Cinemas. Rated PG —J.C.S.

Taken 3

Cinemark 14 and Feather River Cinemas. Rated PG-13.

Unbroken

Cinemark 14. Rated PG-13.

Very Good

Excellent

January 22, 2015

CN&R 25

BLOWOUT INVENTORY CLEARANCE SALE!!!!! SELECT 2014 MODELS AT REDUCED SALE PRICES!

Already the best deals in town on quality dependable bikes, boards and repairs, Chico Bike & Board steps up their game with their annual Inventory Blowout. Way too low to advertise - come in and see for yourself !

CHICO BIKE & BOARD

845 Main St. Corner of 9th and Main 530-343-5506

Classics She & Him Columbia So far, when combining forces for their side project She & Him, M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel have simply done no wrong. Classics further illustrates this fact, especially given that covering “classic” songs is tricky territory to waltz into, but this duo does so with superb skill. Deschanel sounds like a songbird from radios past with her rich vocals on these songs from the 1930s through 1960s, and with Ward’s complementary guitar work throughout, the experience is sublime. You will pretty much fall in love with them with their take on the Ella Fitzgerald/Louis Armstrong standard “Would You Like to Take a Walk?” And their update of “It’s Not for Me to Say,” made famous by Johnny Mathis, is perfect fodder for any high school looking to have a 1950s-themed dance. Their rendition of “It’s Always You” is exquisite as well and stands as one of the album’s highlights. Most artists are not ballsy enough to take on songs made famous by the likes of Sinatra, Holiday and Costello, but She & Him manages to do so with the right combination of reverence for the past and putting their own stamp on the music. Classics is a beauty.

MUSIC

excellence

Open Enrollment for Fall 2015 December 1 - January 31

—Brian Palmer

They Want My Soul Spoon

BUTTE COLLEGE THE TRAINING PLACE AT THE SKYWAY CENTER Your Business Training Partner Elevating the Local Workforce

Loma Vista

Science

Development Dimensions international series Empowerment: Taking Initiative and Action™ January 28, 8:30am-12:30pm • $120 • Make jobs more interesting, motivating and rewarding • Help employees become more effective and valuable • Help employees take responsibility for their own success • Create action plan to help employees improve and initiate action

Motivating Others™ February 11, 8:30am-12:30pm • $120

Theater

• Create an environment that allows individuals and groups to achieve their full potential • Spark high levels of sustained energy • Improve work group results using new tools

Communicating for Leadership Success™ February 18, 8:30am-12:30pm • $120

• Plan for successful interactions with team members • Provide meaningful, supportive feedback that motivates team members and helps individuals improve performance • Impact business outcomes by consistently meeting the personal and practical needs of others

Gemma Hayes

• Identify and discuss the three dimensions of service • Learn four key qualities that customers expect from stellar service • Evaluate and improve service delivery and customer experience

Chasing Dragons

Practical Project Management:

Arts

• Key Elements of Project Management and Project Initiation • Project Life Cycle: Scheduling, Delivery, Control, Closure • Project Timeline Management and Applying Tools

OSHA 10:

10-hour course designed to provide an introduction to Occupational Health and Safety Administration standards.

Feb. 4, March 4, April 1, 8:30 am-12:30pm • $221

proFessional talent Development services • Strategic Planning and Leadership Development • Custom Trainings Delivered at Our Location or Yours • Membership Discounts

CN&R

January 22, 2015

Upon listening to Gemma Hayes’ first record in almost four years, new fans will fall in love with her music, while old ones might hate her for making them wait so long for such a beautiful album. Good grief is this a dreamy one. While the Irish singer-songwriter has spent most of her career firmly planted in the folk genre, Bones + Longing brings something unexpected, bigger and more beautiful. The echoing, reverb-drenched “Laughter” leads off and introduces us to the alt-rock vibe that fills much of the rest of the record. The ambient rock track “Dreamt You Were Fine”—featuring spinetingling, echoing-as-if-being-sung-from-the-end-of-amile-long-hallway vocals—furthers Hayes’ beautiful new direction. Toss in the gradual build of the shoegazey “Iona,” and it hardly seems like the same Gemma Hayes. But in the center of the album, the more sparse, acoustic “Palomino” and the languid “Dark Moon” remind us that she still knows how to do beautiful folk music really well. Bones + Longing is a bold, engaging artistic statement and one of the nicest surprises of the tail-end of 2014.

MUSIC Dance

• Training Needs Assessment • Funding Available for Companies who Qualify • More than 50 Elearning Training Courses Available

—Lucas Sarcona

Bones + Longing

achieve Global

Jan. 29, Feb. 12, Feb. 26, 8:30am-4:30pm • $520

MUSIC

Engineering

Reaching for Stellar Service™ February 19, 8:30am-12:30pm • $130

24-hour course designed to lead participants through the principles of good project management

Britt Daniel is attuned to telling edgy stories with songs. The guitarist/vocalist has enjoyed a prolific span of songwriting over the past 13 years, with his band Spoon (six albums released since 2001, after only two in the previous eight years), as part of indie supergroup Divine Fits and as co-composer of the film soundtrack for Stranger Than Fiction (2006). They Want My Soul is the new album from the Austin, Texas, indie-rock mainstay, and it proves to be yet another fine-tuned illustration of Spoon’s diverse sound, utilizing elements ranging from beatbox to honky-tonk piano and raucous acoustic guitar. Since 1993 the band has been revamping a musical vibe that combines low-fi vocals and straight-forward, driving pop rhythms. À la Cake’s rendition of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” (a deft combination of raw rock and R&B) Spoon’s “Inside Out” follows a bouncing drumbeat while Daniel sings in a scratchy tenor: “There’s intense gravity in you/I’m just your satellite/ … Time keeps going when/We got nothing else to give.” Guitar tones range from brassy tube distortion to white-noise fuzz, leaving a pleasantly disjointed effect when added as a backdrop to Daniel’s slightly brooding lyrics and drummer Jim Eno’s punctual crackling beats and drops.

Inspire Charter (530) 891-3090 www.inspirecusd.org

—Brian Palmer

January 22, 2015

CN&R 27

SUPER GAME • SUPER PARTY

BREWERY BOWL Catch all the gridiron action at Feather Falls Casino Brewing Co. Full menu available. Get a VIP Suite - 10 luxury seats for just $200!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1 Doors Open At 2PM Tickets Just $15, includes 5 entry tickets for prize drawings!

It’s the BIGGEST PARTY with all the BIGGEST PRIZES: Weber Smoker/$250 Wagon Wheel Meat Crosley Freezer/$250 Wagon Wheel Meat Weber BBQ/$250 Wagon Wheel Meat Kegerator/$250 Wagon Wheel gift card 60 inch Flat Screen Television Xbox One, games and accessories $500 in Cash $500 Sports Fever Gift Card $500 in Cash $2000 worth of NFL Gear Free Play* Food Vouchers

28 CN&R January 22, 2015

3 Alverda Drive Oroville, CA 95966 Info: 530-533-3885 featherfallscasino.com

CHOW

JOIN US FOR THE Deep-fried alligator. Photo courtesy oF tackle box

SUPER

BIG GAME SUNDAY, FEB 1 @ 3:30PM PATRIOTS VS SEAHAWKS

BAR SPECIALS

10 650 $ 49 5 $

Frog legs, elk and alligator, oh my!

SIERRA NEVADA PITCHERS ECONOMY PITCHERS

Fun &Games Raffles & Prizes s Red Bull Package NFL, Beer, Liquor Swagg!

Food Specials

GRAD, GARDEN OR TURKEY BURGER

Magnum Wings Special Boneless Wings Special Pulled Pork Special

yum!

“FAMILIES ALWAYS WELCOME” 344 W. Eighth Street • 343.2790 • Open Daily @ 11am

Henri has a few words for his editor from the tasty confines of the Tackle Box

Ieditor, printing a letter that the News & Review’s arts Jason Cassidy, received from Mr. Bourride

n lieu of Henri Bourride’s regular Chow column, we’re

this week.

Dear Mssr. Cassidy: First, please know that Henri truly respects the work you do and has a deep appreciation for our relationh enri@ ship. That said, I’m more than a newsrev iew.c om little bit vexé! “Henri, do you know a restaurant you could review for our annual Weird Chico edition?” HHH How could I not have seen it Tackle Box Bar & Grill coming? Really! You didn’t care what 379 e. Park ave. 345-7499 restaurant I reviewed. You just www.tacklebox wanted Henri in your weird issue! chico.com Well! I have news for you, Mr. hours: Devo (Ha! Henri’s on to you—he 7 a.m.-2 a.m. (grill); wasn’t born yesterday!): You’re 9 a.m.-2 a.m. (bar) the weird one. The “music” you recommend? Old Vomit Launch? (Fitting name, indeed.) The She Things? (Thin ice, Mssr.) And French Reform? (What would you know?) And … excusez moi! What’s with that châpeau?! It looks like what Colette uses to clean our toilette! Any time, Mr. Devo, you care to listen to some real music—say, Edith Piaf, or Barbra— come on over. I’ll also gladly take you shopping for a nice designer beret. You’d look far less hideous in a mauve cashmere cable knit by Ralph Lauren. And I’ll have you know that I am submitting a real review and in fact, at your now obviously disingenuous suggestion, paid a couple of visits to the Tackle Box Bar and Grill, whose motto is “Beer. Food. Guns.” And where, in addition to burgers, sandwiches and HHHHH salads, you can get alligator, wild ePIc boar, elk, bison and venison. And HHHH kangaroo. authorItatIVe According to its website, the HHH Tackle Box originally opened in aPPealING 1997 as a sporting goods store that HH “incorporates all of its customers’ has MoMeNts hunting and fishing needs under H one roof. They carry all of the FlaWeD popular firearm brands including by

Henri Bourride

Browning, Remington, Winchester, Mossberg, Benelli and Beretta. Along with live bait, and all the ammunition you need.” So the little grill and big bar next door, which opened three years ago, was a natural for Henri and Colette. And we actually enjoyed the ambiance— concrete floor littered with sawdust and peanut shells, both bar and picnic tables for dining, pool tables, and a sweet—though huge!—yellow dog who apparently has free rein throughout. Plus there are buckets of fresh peanuts on the tables and along the bar to munch on while you wait for your food. But, Henri’s first mistake? Wearing shorts in a place that serves frogs legs. His second? Asking for a decent Bordeaux. His third? The “calamari.” Mostly greasy onion rings with five or six way overcooked tentacle pieces ($5.99). Quelle honte! My elk burger ($9.99), on the other hand, was delicious, and the steak-cut fries that came with were excellent. Colette said her venison burger ($9.99) was very good, too. Meanwhile, the bar’s big-screen TV was showing an episode of the Sportsman’s Channel’s MeatEater, featuring squirrel hunting, skinning and cooking. (Heretofore, Henri had absolutely no idea when to add the pickling spices!) Colette was so inspired that she bought three Girls With Guns-label tank tops at the gift shop next door. But, Mr. Jason, Henri was feeling guilty (see “raised Catholic” in previous columns). After all, the restaurant prides itself on its fish and chips and, weirder yet, the alligator ($14.99, grilled or fried), and as a professional I felt I owed them that much. So we went back for some alligator. A bit chewy—it is lizard, after all—but with the hot dipping sauce on the side, really quite tasty. I confess to not having tried the frog legs ($10.99 for “three pair”), and the kangaroo wasn’t available, though it probably would have been good with my hoppy Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. Should you decide to visit the Tackle Box Bar & Grill yourself, you can look at the rest of the menu—and read about specials—online. There’s also information on live music, open-mic nights, karaoke and the free swing-dance lessons, which you and “Mrs. Devo” would surely enjoy. Weirdo! Wishing you all the best for the New Year. Sincerely, Henri. □ January 22, 2015

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M participant in Martin Luther King Jr.’s march for civil rights from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., avis Staples is the real deal. Witness to and

50 years ago, she is still very much—as she said herself last Friday evening in Chico—“a soldier in the Army by of Love.” With that emphatiCarey cally stated commitment to keep Wilson “fightin’ for love, fightin’ for hope, fightin’ for peace” as the motivating force behind her artistry, Staples continued her musical RevieW: Mavis staples, family’s tradition of conveying Friday, Jan. 16, at positive aspirations for civil rights Laxson auditorium. and individual spirituality to a welcoming and receptive crowd. A diminutive dynamo, the 75-year-old led her three-piece band, supplemented by backup singers Donny Gerrard and Vicki “Squeaky” Randle, through an hour and a half of jubilant, soul-stirring songs that had the most exuberant members of the audience literally dancing in the outside aisle. And what a band! Guitarist Rick Holmstrom is a master of soulful swamp-boogie licks, and his cohorts, bassist Jeff Turmes and drummer Stephen Hodges, provided an immaculate, dynamically nuanced, and thoroughly rockin’ foundation for Staples’ high-energy soul songs. Kicking the show off with a booty-shaking rendition of The Staples Singers 1973 classic “If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me),” Staples and her band then moved seamlessly through a set that ranged from the lascivious (“Let’s Do It Again”) to the spiritually impassioned (“You Are Not Alone,” the title track from her Grammy-winning 2010 collaboration with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy). And between songs the singer exuded a playfulness and good humor that kept her audience charmed and engaged throughout. Acknowledging that her performance was happening on the day after King’s birthday, Staples delivered the civil-rights-era hits “Respect Yourself”

and “Freedom Highway” with a joyous reverence that kept her predominantly white audience receptive to the history she was testifying about. Midway through the concert Staples left the stage to a standing ovation, graciously allowing her band the opportunity to show off their instrumental chops, which they did by shifting bassist Turmes to slide guitar for a gentle improvisation evocative of the delta blues tradition. Then guitarist Holmstrom took the lead for a deep, funky jam that explored and exploited the sonic dynamics of the auditorium setting from nearly unamplified quietness to a fully rocking guitar onslaught that also wittily incorporated the melody from the old spiritual song “Down by the Riverside.” With the audience lifted by this musical interlude, Staples returned to the stage to introduce the players, then took over the mic for a chatty buildup to a slinky, slippery rendition of the 1975 hit “Let’s Do It Again,” which she punctuated with moaned exhortations and finished by acknowledging the contribution of Curtis Mayfield to the song’s creation. And then it was time to bring out the biggest hit and most familiar song of the evening, a fabulous extended version of “I’ll Take You There” that gave Staples plenty of room to unleash her powerhouse voice, joke with the band and her back-up singers, and lead the audience in a sing-along of the song’s title and refrain. By the time the song ended pretty much everyone in the house was on their feet, clapping, singing along, and swaying to the beat as Staples exited the stage and the band hit a crescendo of power-trio soul. The encore number, an uptempo interpretation of “We’re Marching on to Freedom Land,” dug deep into the gospel and civil-rights-promoting tradition that The Staples Singers pioneered beginning in the 1950s, and by its finale the feeling of celebratory collaboration among the band, the singer and the audience was a palpable force that left us all feeling like we’d just experienced a true revival of our spirits. □

ARTS DEVO by Jason Cassidy • jasonc@newsreview.com

NO.

GOOD, DIRTY FUN Arts DEVO is a pretty vanilla looking guy. I’m not talk-

IT IS A COMPLETE SENTENCE

Keep ChiCo Weird

ing about me being whiter than Ryan Seacrest (my poodle + my Volvo wagon + my dance moves falling somewhere between the Macarena and the Carlton = your clear picture). I’m just saying that there isn’t a whole lot of extra flavor added to my outward style. And that’s by Serving Butte, Glenn & Tehama Counties design. As a teen, I tried a lot of different looks on for size (remind me to show you the school picture of me in a Ratt T-shirt while sporting a 24 hr. hotline (Collect Calls Accepted) rat tail), but somewhere on the way to adulthood I decided to just www.rapecrisis.org stop and go neutral. In fact, if I wasn’t married I’d definitely wear a uniform—chinos, solid T-shirt, Converse—every single day. DESIGNER REP FILE NAME CNR ISSUE But that doesn’t mean I’m not interested in the full spectrum of JEN_PU JLD 10.23.08 RAPE CRISIS INTERV. & PREV. Pregnant? Need Help? life’s colors. I just don’t spend much time projecting them myself. I prefer to stay unencumbered and open and ready to engage/receive. Amid all the insecurities and anxieties that otherwise inform my personality and decision-making, one thing I do proudly own is the fact that I am always open to new experiences, and I especially love the strange, new, and yes, the weird. I am equally drawn to art that leans toward either the sunny or the dark sides of the human experience. At restaurants, I don’t order my favorites, I ask the chef to recommend something new. Given the choice between a main-stage rocker and a street-corner freak, I’ll put my money in the hat on the sidewalk nearly every time. So, as you might imagine, as the CN&R We are here. We can help. gears up to showcase a full complement of local weirdoes on the El Rey Theatre stage for the second FREE Pregnancy Tests annual Keep Chico Weird Talent Show (Saturday, Jan. 31, 7:30 p.m.), I’m getting pretty stoked! And you should be, too! (If you weren’t (530) 345-9711 • (800) 550-4900 there last year, ask someone who was.) DESIGNER REP FILE NAME CNR ISSUE The CN&R is also teaming up JEN_PU AMB 10.30.08 BIRTHRIGHT with the 1078 Gallery next week to put on the Keep Chico Weird Art Show, Jan. 29-31. There will be a Weird art: “Fire Dog (don’t touch),” NFS. reception Thursday, Jan. 29, 6-8 p.m., and trust me, Chico’s artists have stepped up! Nearly 50 pieces of weirdness of all media will fill up the gallery. And finally, as an addendum to our calendar of other upcoming weird fun (page 16), here are a few more unique events:

342-RAPE

• Slow Theatre at The Bookstore: The deliberate folks of Chico’s Slow Theatre will be reading a play at The Bookstore! On Monday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m., Rob Davidson, Hilary Tellesen, Ashley Garlick and Matt Hammons will read British comedian/playwright Patrick Marber’s comedy/drama After Miss Julie. For free! • Art plus technology: The University Art Gallery at Chico State has curated an amazing-looking exhibit—Art + Tech—featuring the technology-based works of four visiting artists: Derek Larson (digital media with painting, lights, motors, and projected animations on freestanding screens); Hye Yeon Nam (robotic installations); and Stephen Lawrence Clark and Sonya Belakhlef (a rhythm/musicbased three-player interactive racing game installation). Show opens Thursday, Jan. 29, with artist talk 4-5 p.m. (Colusa Hall, 100B) and reception at 5 p.m. (UAG). • Let’s go drinkin’ in the dark: Now, for some“Please Smile,” by Hye Yeon Nam. thing completely different, and rad. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is hosting Tasting in the Dark, Friday, Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m., wherein visitors will taste Sierra Nevada beers while blindfolded! A guided sensory experience/training that will include the introduction of ingredients (fruits, herbs, hops) to smell and consider alongside the beer/cheese pairings enjoyed in the dark (followed by hors d’oeuvres and conversation … in the light). Tickets are $40. www.sierranevada.com/events.

Save over 20% When you buy a Keep ChiCo Weird T-ShirT and TalenT ShoW TiCKeT TogeTher. Keep ChiCo Weird Value paCK: $22.95 Buy online anytime with a credit card or in person with cash, check or credit card M-F 9am – 5pm at 353 E. Second Street, Downtown Chico. Value Packs must be picked up by 4:30pm Friday, January 31.

w w w. n e w s r e v i e w. c o m

GARRISON KEILLOR

CHICO PERFORMANCES

UPCOMING EVENTS 1/24 JEFF BRIDGES & THE ABIDERS 1/31 THE HOT CLUB OF SANFRANCISCO:

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RUSSIAN NATIONAL BALLET THEATER: Swan Lake FOR MORE INFO: 898-6333

WWW.CHICOPERFORMANCES.COM January 22, 2015

CN&R

NIGHTLIFE

THURSDAY 1/22—WEDNESDAY 1|28 IRISH-MUSIC HAPPY HOUR: A Chico tradi-

MAX PAIN AND THE GROOVIES Saturday, Jan. 24 Monstros Pizza SEE SATURDAY

tion: Friday night happy hour with traditional Irish music by the Pub Scouts. F, 4pm. $1. Duffy’s Tavern, 337 Main St., (530) 343-7718.

KULCHA KNOX: Stay Positive Sound brings the Jamaican DJ to town to play alongside the funk and soul of Chico’s Dylan’s Dharma. F, 1/23. Lost On Main, 319 Main St., (530) 891-1853.

THE LOLOS: Local indie rock, plus baseOPEN MIC: Singers, poets and musicians welcome. Th, 7-10pm. Has Beans Internet Cafe & Galleria, 501 Main St., (530) 894-3033, www.hasbeans.com.

22THURSDAY

23FRIDAY BASSMINT: A weekly electronic dance party with a rotating cast of local and regional DJs. Check with venue for details. F, 9:30pm. Peeking Chinese Restaurant, 243 W. Second St., (530) 895-3888.

BEER RELEASE PARTY: Join brewmaster Roland Allen for the release of the Wild Billy Winter Bock. Th, 1/22, 6pm. Feather Falls Casino Brewing Co., 3 Alverda Dr. in Oroville, (530) 533-3885, www.featherfallscasino.com/ brewing-co.

DAN HICKS AND THE HOT LICKS: American roots music from Tin Pan Alley to country-blues. F, 1/23, 9:30pm. $5. Feather Falls Casino Brewing Co., 3 Alverda Dr. in Oroville, (530) 533-3885, www.featherfallscasino.com/ brewing-co.

CHICO JAZZ COLLECTIVE: Thursday jazz.

Th, 8-11pm. Free. The DownLo, 319 Main St., (530) 892-2473.

JOHN SEID TRIO: John Seid, Larry Peterson, and Stevie Cook play an eclectic mix of The Beatles, blues and standards. Th, 1/22, 6-9pm. Grana, 198 E. Second St., (530) 809-2304.

FRIDAY MORNING JAZZ: A weekly morning jazz appointment with experimental local troupe Bogg. F, 11am. Free. Café Coda, 265 Humboldt Ave., (530) 5669476, www.cafecoda.com.

Happy Hour Live Music 6 - 9 pm

TYLER DEVOLL Thursday, January 22

WELCOME BACK PARTY (EDM) 10pm Friday, January 23

ment folk from Sid Prinz, garage rock from Tom and Jerry, and Santa Barbara indie rockers Ghost Tiger. F, 1/23, 7:30pm. $5. Café Coda, 265 Humboldt Ave., (530) 566-9476, www.cafecoda.com.

LUKAS NELSON: Promise of the Real frontman plays an intimate acoustic set as a benefit for KZFR. F, 1/23, 7pm. $20. Chico Women’s Club, 592 E. Third St., (530) 894-1978, www.kzfr.org.

SOJOURN TO THE PAST: Live music from Eat The World, Elusive and The Sounds Good at this fundraiser event for Inspire students and their 10-day mobile-classroom journey along the path of the Civil Rights Movement. F, 1/23, 8pm. $5. 1078 Gallery, 820 Broadway, (530) 343-1973, www.1078gallery.org.

WE BITE!: Local Misfits cover band is back, playing with Infecto Skeletons and Guerilla Gorilla. F, 1/23, 9pm. $5. Maltese Bar & Tap Room, 1600 Park Ave., (530) 343-4915.

24SATURDAY 50 SHADES OF SHENANIGANS: Enjoy treats, cocktails, and perusing the wares of vendors such as Playtime For you. Sa, 1/24, 6pm. $3. Shenanigan’s, 3212 Esplanade, (530) 809-1088.

80S NIGHT: Wear your best 80s attire and dance the night away. Sa, 8pm. LaSalles, 229 Broadway, (530) 893-1891, www.lasallesbar.com.

BLUE COLLAR MEN: A tribute to Styx. Sa, 1/24, 9:30pm. $5. Feather Falls Casino Brewing Co., 3 Alverda Dr. in Oroville, (530) 533-3885, www.featherfalls casino.com/brewing-co.

BOB KIRKLAND TRIO: Bob Kirkland Trio with Jack Lemley and Chris Loizeaux Sa, 1/24, 6-9pm. Grana, 198 E. Second St., (530) 809-2304.

DUELING PIANOS: Chico Sunrise Rotary Club hosts a fundraiser event featuring dueling pianos, plus a dinner provided by Roots Catering, wine tasting and silent auction. Sa, 1/24, 6pm. $45. Manzanita Place, 1705 Manzanita Ave., (530) 343-5617.

FURLOUGH FRIDAYS: Local alt-rockers, plus Wanderers and Wolves, Eat The World and psychedelic spaghetti western music from Bogart The Monster. Sa, 1/24, 7:30pm. $5. Café Coda, 265 Humboldt Ave., (530) 566-9476, www.cafecoda.com.

JEFF BRIDGES & THE ABIDERS: Chico

MAX PAIN AND THE GROOVIES: Garage

Performances presents “The Dude” and his band, plus opener, daughter and fellow singer/songwriter Jessie Bridges. Sa, 1/24, 7:30pm. $10-$68. Laxson Auditorium, Chico State, (530) 898-6333, www.chico performances.com.

MAKER’S MILE: Local rockers with open-

ers Fox E. Jeff and Shu Lace. Sa, 1/24, 9pm. $5. Maltese Bar & Tap Room, 1600 Park Ave., (530) 343-4915.

rock from Salt Lake City, plus local glitter-trash queens The She Things and bully punkers Trox and The Terribles. Sa, 1/24, 8pm. $5. Monstros Pizza & Subs, 628 W. Sacramento Ave., (530) 345-7672.

MONSTER PIANO CONCERT: Solos, duos, and trios with children ages 6-18 playing music from around the world on 88 keys. Sa, 1/24, 3pm. Neighborhood Church of Chico, 2801 Notre Dame Blvd., (530) 343-6006.

MIA DYSON

In her home country of Australia, singer/songwriter Mia Dyson has been receiving the highest accolades for her brand of rootsy blues. Four of her albums have been nominated for ARIA Awards (Australia’s Grammys), and her newest disc, Idyllwild, recorded and released in the U.S. last summer, features more of what the Boston Globe called “a sublime grit and gravel voice that lands her squarely between Lucinda Williams and Bob Dylan.” Dyson performs Sunday, Jan. 25, at the Sierra Nevada Big Room.

Chico MS Soiree Friday Jan. 30th

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NIGHTLIFE

THIS WEEK: FIND MORE ENTERTAINMENT AND SPECIAL EVENTS ON PAGE 22 Dutch Savage and Matt Redbead. Sa,

1/24, 8pm. $10. 1078 Gallery, 820 Broadway, (530) 343-1973, www.1078gallery.org.

25SUNDAY BOB KIRKLAND AND CHRIS WENGER:

Mandolin/Guitar duo Su, 1/25, 6-9pm. 5th Street Steakhouse, 345 W. Fifth St., (530) 891-6328, www.5thstreetsteakhouse.com.

MIA DYSON: Su, 1/25, 7:30pm. $15. Sierra

WE BITE!

Friday, Jan. 23 Maltese Bar & Tap Room SEE FRIDAY

MUSIC SHOWCASE: An open mic hosted by local country musicians Rich and Kendall. Sa, 5-9pm. Free. Scotty’s Landing, 12609 River Rd., (530) 7102020.

THE NIBBLERS: Rock and soul from

Sacramento, plus DJSpenny. Sa, 1/24. Lost On Main, 319 Main St., (530) 8911853.

NORTH STATE SYMPHONY: The symphony travels to Oroville for a family concert. Sa, 1/24, 7pm. $25. State Theatre, 1489 Myers St. in Oroville, (530) 538-2470, www.orovillestatetheatre.org.

OLD SPICE: A blend of country, folk, blues and 50s/60s rock and roll. Sa, 1/24, 7:30pm. Shenanigan’s, 3212 Esplanade, (530) 809-1088.

TOM BLODGET TRIO: Join Tom Blodget, Shawn Lavin and Zach Cowan for classic covers and originals. Sa, 1/24, 7-9pm. Wine Time, 26 Lost Dutchman Dr., (530) 899-9250, www.wine timechico.com.

YUBU & SAVAGE HENRY PRESENT: STANDUP: Yusef Swaff and Savage Henry present live stand-up featuring John Ross and Don Ashby, plus Humboldt’s

Nevada Big Room, 1075 East 20th St., (530) 345-2739, www.sierra nevada.com/bigroom.

REGGAE NIGHT: Rise your vibes with live DJs, pool and shuffle board. This week: jams from the Bay Area’s Rocker T. Su, 8pm-2am. Seeva’s Pub, 6093 Lincoln Blv in Oroville.

27TUESDAY BLUES NIGHT: Live weekly blues music

from local musicians. Tu. Italian Garden, 6929 Skyway in Paradise, (530) 876-9988, www.myspace.com/ theitaliangarden.

I N T E R N

CHUCK BRODSKY: Legendary contemporary folk singer/songwriter and baseball storyteller. Tu, 1/27, 7pm. $20. Paradise Grange Hall, 5704 Chapel Dr. in Paradise, (530) 873-1370.

THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS: Tu, 1/27. Lost On Main, 319 Main St., (530) 891-1853.

OPEN JAM: Hosted by Mora Sounds with

PIANO NIGHT: Live Piano music. W. Italian

The Chico News & Review is looking for a spring intern who knows his or her way around the social mediasphere. The CN&R is interested in telling stories that get to the heart of a matter, and making a difference in our community. Here, you’ll find an opportunity to take college skills to a professional level. For our social

D’Augelli play an eclectic mix of jazz standards. W, 6-8pm. Farm Star Pizza, 2359 Esplanade, (530) 343-2056, www.farmstarpizza.com.

URBAN PIONEERS: Americana/folk trio from Tennessee, plus locals The Vesuvians and Ryan Davidson. W, 1/28, 9pm. $5. Maltese Bar & Tap Room, 1600 Park Ave., (530) 343-4915.

PA, drum set, guitar and bass amps provided. Bring your own instrument or sticks. There will be a different band playing an opening set every week. Tu, 1/27, 9pm. Madison Bear Garden, 316 W. Second St., (530) 8911639, www.madisonbeargarden.com.

OPEN MIC: The Cafe Flo open mic has moved and is hosted by a new group of musical misfits. Tu, 7-10pm through 12/29. Shenanigan’s, 3212 Esplanade, (530) 809-1088.

28WEDNESDAY THE EXPENDABLES: The Santa Cruz reggae-rock crew returns to celebrate the release of their new album Sand In The Sky. Fortunate Youth and Katastro open. W, 1/28, 7:30pm. $16. Senator Theatre, 517 Main St., (530) 898-1497, www.jmaxproductions.net.

THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS

Fans of tight, Meters-inspired funk are in for a treat at Lost on Main Tuesday, Jan. 27. The New Mastersounds, a funk/jazz-fusion crew from Leeds, England, will be sharing the stage with GravyBrain, Chico’s own wild and tireless funk-and-fusion machine, for a Tuesday-night marathon dance party.

W A N T E D !

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WEEKLY JAZZ: Cary Robinson and Greg

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CHICO'S PREMIER JAPANESE RESTAURANTS…STOP IN TODAY!! Diners are discovering the pleasure of Japanese cuisine and sushi. Diners have found Big Tuna Sushi Bistro, at 1722 Mangrove Avenue, Suite #18, and their sister restaurant Izakaya Ichiban, at 2000 Notre Dame Boulevard, #100, in Chico, to be among the finest Japanese restaurants anywhere. When you dine at Big Tuna Sushi Bistro and Izakaya Ichiban, you are served the finest Japanese cuisine prepared from authentic recipes. The freshest ingredients and the expertise of fine chefs combine with proper service to create a dining experience of celebration! The editors of this 2015 Consumer Business Review extend our full endorsement to Big Tuna Sushi Bistro and Izakaya Ichiban!

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Michael L. Bury, Attorney At Law, is experienced with contested and uncontested divorce, including the associated factors of child custody, visitation, support, property division, and paternity. Michael L. Bury, Attorney At Law is experienced in collaborative divorce, a recently developed tool for obtaining a completely legal dissolution of marriage without litigation and the bitterness and recriminations, which usually accompany litigated divorce. When a domestic problem occurs, it's important to discuss it as soon as possible with an attorney. When you retain an attorney for your family dispute, you'll want to retain one with experience, one who concentrates his practice on family law matters. Michael L. Bury, Attorney At Law invites you to call his office at 530-343-7800 and make an appointment for a consultation at his office in Chico at 2725 Esplanade, to learn more about your legal rights and obligations. No two divorces are ever the same. You should investigate all your legal options. The editors of this 2015 Consumer Business Review recommend Michael L. Bury, Attorney At Law, to handle your family law and mediation matters efficiently and effectively. You'll be glad you have found an attorney with the experience, care and dedication you and your family deserve. With pleasure we recommend Michael L. Bury, Attorney At Law, proudly serving Chico!

Does the thought of going to the dentist fill you with fear and apprehension? Is this fear keeping you from taking care of your teeth properly? George W. Brownridge, II D.D.S.'s office is at 2525 Ceanothus Avenue, in Chico. Dr. Brownridge and his team have taken a great deal of time and effort to make their office a friendly, fun and comfortable one. The professional, competent and friendly team shares his goal of providing the best oral surgical care at a reasonable cost. They all know just how important your teeth are, not only for appearance, but also for general good health. The office of Dr. Brownridge provides exceptional oral surgical care including dental implants, jaw surgery, wisdom teeth removal, bone grafting, tooth extractions, oral pathology screening and facial trauma surgery. The editors of this 2015 Consumer Business Review highly recommends George W. Brownridge, II D.D.S.to our readers for optimal oral and maxillofacial surgical care!

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Mike Friend RV's at 2933 Esplanade, in Chico, wishes to take this opportunity to express their thanks to all those that have been instrumental in their growth over the years, celebrating their 38th anniversary! While it is true that they have become one of the leading RV dealers in the community, they realize that in order to have done this, they had to have the wholehearted and sincere support of the community of which they are a part. The lines of trailers and 5th wheels include Timber-Ridge, Wildcat, R-Pod, Surveyor and Creekside. Mike Friend RV's have dedicated themselves to aiding in every way possible all those who rely on them. As a result, that much discussed word "service" finds true meaning in the friendly atmosphere that envelopes everyone that comes to Mike Friend RV's. Visit anytime to their proud family-run business, open Monday through Saturday to serve you! The editors of this 2015 Consumer Business Review recommend Mike Friend RV's for their community minded activities!

Being in the wrong place at the wrong time can happen to anyone at any time. If you or someone you care about are involved in an accident, you'll need the services of Adam Sorrells regarding your personal injury case. Many times, these accidents are caused by someone's negligence. That's when Adam Sorrells can help. His office is at 60 Independence Circle, Suite 100, in Chico. He will be glad to help you find answers to your questions and investigate your situation. If compensation is justified, Adam Sorrells will seek the settlement you deserve...compensation for your hospital expenses, lost wages and compensation for your personal injury. All damage claims, if accepted, will be handled on a contingency basis (you pay only a percentage of the amount awarded to you plus costs). No recovery, no fee! The worst things can happen to anyone. You should be aware of your legal rights. The editors of this 2015 Consumer Business Review recommend you seek the assistance of Adam Sorrells. They care about your problems, and invite you to call and make arrangements for a free initial consultation. You'll be glad you have found a law firm you can depend on!

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Wouldn't it be nice to be able to take your car to just one place for all of your repair work? In Chico, there is such a place and we're talking about Chico's Automasters! With shop facilities at 1334 Park Avenue, in Chico, Chico's Automasters is the area's leading repair shop. Ask any one who's used their services. They'll tell you this is the ONLY stop you need to make on your way to worry-free driving! From a simple oil change to engine repairs, Chico's Automasters has the equipment, parts and skill to repair or replace any part that may malfunction. With years of recommendations behind them, Chico's Automasters has established the type of reputation you can trust! So, when you need ANYTHING done to your car, see the best...first. The editors of this 2015 Consumer Business Review recommend you make an appointment with Kim at Chico's Automasters. She will take good care of you at prices you can afford!

With some of the finest facilities anywhere, Ambergrove Place has become the preferred Alzheimer's and memory care facility of many families throughout the local area. The quality of care that the resident receives at Ambergrove Place is rated with the very best. It's at 3049 Esplanade, in Chico. Ideally suited for ambulatory and non-ambulatory residents, here's a home where the resident can get the kind of attention and professional care that's needed when health is failing. They keep a close eye on the resident's eating habits, and the kitchen prepares individual meals for those who must restrict their intake of certain foods. Exercise, recreational facilities and personal attention and lots of love makes Ambergrove Place a nice place to be as well. The editors of this 2015 Consumer Business Review recommend Ambergrove Place to anyone needing the utmost in quality care!

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34 CN&R January 22, 2015

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FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 22, 2015 ARIES (March 21-April 19): Is there a

patron saint of advertising or a goddess of marketing or a power animal that rules publicity and promotion? If so, I’m going to find out, then pray to them in your behalf. It’s high time for your underappreciated talents and unsung accomplishments to receive more attention. And I am convinced that the astrological moment is ripe for just such a development. Help me out here, Aries. What can you do to get your message out better? What tricks do you have for attracting the interest of those who don’t know yet about your wonders? Polish up your self-presentation, please.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): During

his 67 years of life, Taurus-born Leonardo da Vinci achieved excellence in 12 different fields, from painting to engineering to anatomy. Today he is regarded as among the most brilliant humans who ever lived. “His genius was so rare and universal that it can be said that nature worked a miracle on his behalf,” said one observer. “He towered above all other artists through the strength and the nobility of his talents,” said another. Yet on his death bed, Leonardo confessed, “I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have.” Typical for a Taurus, he underestimated himself! It’s very important that you not do the same, especially in the coming weeks. The time has come for you to give yourself more of the credit and respect you deserve.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Where you

have been and what you have done will be of little importance in the coming weeks. Both your mistakes and your triumphs will be irrelevant. In my estimation, you have a sacred duty to spy on the future and reconnoiter the pleasures and challenges that lie ahead. So I suggest you head off toward the frontier with an innocent gleam in your eye and a cheerful hunger for interesting surprises. How’s your wildness quotient? If it’s in a slump, pump it up.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Will you

ever find that treasured memento you misplaced? Is there any chance of reviving a dream you abandoned? You are in a phase when these events are more likely than usual to happen. The same is true about an opportunity that you frittered away or a missing link that you almost tracked down but ultimately failed to secure. If you will ever have any hope of getting another shot at those lost joys, it would be in the coming weeks. For best results, purge the regret and remorse you still feel about the mistakes you think you made once upon a time.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In the early

1300s, the people of the Mexica tribe had no homeland. They had wandered for centuries through the northern parts of what we now call Mesoamerica. According to legend, that changed in 1323, when their priests received a vision of an eagle eating a snake while perched at the top of a prickly pear cactus. They declared that this was the location of the tribe’s future power spot. Two years later, the prophecy was fulfilled. On an island in the middle of a lake, scouts spied the eagle, snake and cactus. And that was where the tribe built the town of Tenochtitlan, which ultimately became the center of an empire. Today that place is called Mexico City. Have you had an equivalent vision, Leo? If you haven’t yet, I bet you will soon. Go in search of it. Be alert.

BY ROB BREzSNY grow outside of Dutch jurisdiction. I see this story as an apt metaphor for you in the coming months, Virgo. What’s your equivalent of the pigeons? Can you find unlikely allies to help you evade the controlling force that’s limiting your options?

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Have you

triggered any brilliant breakthroughs lately? Have you made any cathartic departures from the way things have always been done? Have you thought so far outside the box that you can’t even see the box any more? Probably not. The last few weeks have been a time of retrenchment and stabilization for you. But I bet you will start going creatively crazy very soon—and I mean that in the best sense. To ensure maximum health and well-being, you simply must authorize your imagination to leap and whirl and dazzle.

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

cassava plant produces a starchy root that’s used as food by a half-billion people all over the planet. No one can simply cook it up and eat it, though. In its raw state, it contains the poisonous chemical cyanide, which must be removed by careful preparation. An essential first step is to soak it in water for at least 18 hours. I see this process as a metaphor for the work you have ahead of you, Scorpio. A new source of psychological and spiritual sustenance will soon be available, but you will have to purge its toxins before you can use and enjoy it.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (17921868) didn’t like to work hard, and yet he was also prolific. In fact, his desire to avoid strenuous exertion was an important factor in his abundant output. He got things done fast. His most famous opera, The Barber of Seville, took him just 13 days to finish. Another trick he relied on to reduce his workload was plagiarizing himself. He sometimes recycled passages from his earlier works for use in new compositions. Feeling good was another key element in his approach to discipline. If given a choice, he would tap into his creative energy while lounging in bed or hanging out with his buddies. In the coming weeks, Sagittarius, I recommend you consider strategies like his.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

Each hour of every day, the sun offers us more energy than oil, gas and coal can provide in an entire year. Sadly, much of our star’s generous gift goes to waste. Our civilization isn’t set up to take advantage of the bounty. Is there a comparable dynamic in your personal life, Capricorn? Are you missing out on a flow of raw power and blessings simply because you are ignorant of it or haven’t made the necessary arrangements to gather it? If so, now would be an excellent time to change your ways.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

According to my analysis of the longterm astrological omens, 2015 is the year you can get totally serious about doing what you were born to do. You will be given the chance to slough off all that’s fake and irrelevant and delusory. You will be invited to fully embrace the central purpose of your destiny. If you’re interested in taking up that challenge, I suggest you adopt Oscar Wilde’s motto: “Nothing is serious except passion.” Your primary duty is to associate primarily with people and places and situations that feed your deepest longings.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): By the end of PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “Give up the 16th century, nutmeg was in high demand throughout Europe. It was valued as a spice, medicine and preservative. There was only one place in the world where it grew: on the Indonesian island of Run. The proto-capitalists of the Dutch East India Company gained dominion over Run, and enslaved the local population to work on plantations. They fully controlled the global sale of nutmeg, which allowed them to charge exorbitant prices. But ultimately their monopoly collapsed. Here’s one reason why: Pigeons ate nutmeg seeds on Run, then flew to other islands and pooped them out, enabling plants to

all hope for a better past,” writes Emily Fragos in her poem “Art Brut.” That’s generally sound advice. But I think you may be able to find an exception to its truth in the coming weeks. As you work to forgive those who have trespassed against you, and as you revise your interpretations of bygone events, and as you untie knots that have weighed you down and slowed you up for a long time, you just may be able to create a better past. Dare to believe that you can transform the shape and feel of your memories.

Go to www.RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s EXPANDED WEEKLY AUDIO HOROSCOPES and DAILY TEXT MESSAGE HOROSCOPES. The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888.

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FICTITIOUS BUSINESS FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as JALAPENO CITY at 7051 Clark Rd Paradise, CA 95969. DI BENEDETTO A. GUSTAVO 7051 Clark Rd Paradise, CA 95969. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: DI BENEDETTO GUSTAVO Dated: December 23, 2014 FBN Number: 2014-0001546 Published: December 31, 2014, January 8,15,22, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME - STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT The following person has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name YAN MASSAGE at 1430 East Ave #4B Chico, CA 95926. CHONGKUN GUAN 116 W. Shasta Ave #4 Chico, CA 95973. This business was conducted by an Individual. Signed: CHONGKUN GUAN Dated: December 22, 2014 FBN Number: 2014-0000924 Published: December 31, 2014, January 8,15,22, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME - STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT The following person has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name BEST ASIAN MASSAGE at 2991 Esplanade Suite 150 Chico, CA 95973. CHONGKUN GUAN 116 Shasta St Apt 4 Chico, CA 95973. This business was conducted by an Individual. Signed: CHONGKUN GUAN Dated: December 22, 2014 FBN Number: 2013-0000839 Published: December 31, 2014, January 8,15,22, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as JIM’S MOTOR CITY at 1318 Park Ave Chico, CA 95928. JIM’S MOTOR CITY, INC 1318 Park Ave Chico, CA 95928. This business is conducted by a Corporation. Signed: JAMES BONDAN, PRES. Dated: December 15, 2014 FBN Number: 2014-0001508 Published: December 31, 2014, January 8,15,22, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as LANCE MILLER AUTHORIZED MATCO TOOLS DISTRIBUTOR at 15851 Central Street Meridian, CA 95957. LANCE MILLER 15851 Central Street Meridian, CA 95957. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: LANCE MILLER Dated: December 1, 2014 FBN Number: 2014-0001456 Published: December 31, 2014, January 8,15,22, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as ANCHORSANDANVILS.COM at 1171 Almond Vista Ct Chico, CA 95926. AUSTIN TYLER LYONS 1171 Almond Vista Ct Chico, CA 95926. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: AUSTIN LYONS Dated: December 5, 2014 FBN Number: 2014-0001479 Published: January 8,15,22,29, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as HAPPY DAY RESTAURANT at 14455 Skyway Magalia, CA 95954. CHUN SHENG CHU 768 18th St Arcata, CA 95521. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: C.S.C Dated: December 30, 2014 FBN Number: 2014-0001562 Published: January 8,15,22,29, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as FANCY’S BOUTIQUE at 379 E. 9th Street #3 Chico, CA 95928. DANIEL LEVULETT 679 E. 9th Street #3 Chico, CA 95928. TAYLOR LEVULETT 679 E. 9th Street Chico ,CA 95928. This business is conducted by A Married Couple. Signed: TAYLOR LEVULETT, DANIEL LEVULETT Dated: December 3, 2014 FBN Number: 2014-0001461 Published: January 8,15,22,29, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as CES WEDDINGS AND EVENTS at 1222 Esplanade Chico, CA 95926. JODI ANNE DRYSDALE 1089 Rey Circle Chico, CA 95926. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: JODI DRYSDALE Dated: December 17, 2014 FBN Number: 2014-0001523 Published: January 8,15,22,29, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as PURA VIDA DJ PRODUCTIONS at 2 Griffith Park Lane Chico, CA 95928. JORGE ENRIQUE SALAS 2 Griffith Park Lane Chico, CA 95928. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: JORGE SALAS Dated: December 29, 2014 FBN Number: 2014-0001557 Published: January 8,15,22,29, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME - STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT The following person has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name COOL WATER at 540 Big Ridge Rd Berry Creek, CA 95916. CHARLES R HAMILL 540 Big Ridge Rd Berry Creek, CA 95916. This business was conducted by an Individual. Signed: CHARLES HAMILL Dated: December 4, 2014 FBN Number: 2013-0001163 Published: January 8,15,22,29, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as CAROL’S COMPANION CARE at 6466 Ponderosa Way Magalia, CA 95954. CAROLYN A TRAMMELL 6466 Ponderosa Way Magalia, CA 95954. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: CAROLYN A. TRAMMELL Dated: January 2, 2015 FBN Number: 2015-0000001 Published: January 8,15,22,29, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as HUMBLEBRAG CONSULTING at 3069 Great Falls Way #105 Sacramento, CA 95826. WILLIAM DUNCAN 3069 Great Falls Way #105 Sacramento, CA 95826. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: WILLIAM DUNCAN Dated: December 29, 2014 FBN Number: 2014-0001560 Published: January 8,15,22,29, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME - STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT The following person has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name REVS HERS, REVILAKS HERS RATERS at 2659 Williams Rd Butte Valley, CA 95965. JOHN S REVILAK 2659 Williams Rd Butte Valley, CA 95965. This business was conducted by an Individual. Signed: JOHN S REVILAK Dated: January 5, 2015 FBN Number: 2013-0000724 Published: January 8,15,22,29, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as DOCTOR OF MOTORS at 2405 Esplanade Chico, CA 95926. DR. AUTO, INC. 2405 Esplanade Chico, CA 95926. This business is conducted by a Corporation. Signed:JOHN LUGO, PRESIDENT Dated: January 7, 2015 FBN Number: 2015-0000019 Published: January 15,22,29, February 5, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as SERRANOS MEXICAN GRILL at 645 5th Street Suite 110 Chico, CA 95928. MARIO CRISPIN 3549 Esplanade Spc #223 Chico, CA 95973. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: MARIO CRISPIN Dated: December 31, 2014 FBN Number: 2014-0001565 Published: January 15,22,29, February 5, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as CHICO PLUMBING SOLUTIONS at 7 Sun Circle Ct. Chico, CA 95926. VINCENT LUCICH 7 Sun Circle Ct. Chico, CA 95926. This business is conducted by an Individual.

classifieds

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CN&R CN&R

J a n u a r y 2January 2 , 2 0 1 522, 2015

ATTENTION SN&R Design Dept: Can you please add the horizontal rule at top, full width of page. And, a vertical rule that separates ASTROLOGY from CLASSIFIEDS?

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Signed: VINCENT LUCICH Dated: January 7, 2015 FBN Number: 2015-0000021 Published: January 15,22,29, February 5,2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as THE OLIVE BRANCH WELLNESS SPA at 2889 Cohasset Rd #4 Chico, CA 95973. KRISTEN BOBERTZ 75 Harvest Park Ct #223 Chico, CA 95926. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: KRISTEN BOBERTZ Dated: December 16, 2014 FBN Number: 2014-0001512 Published: January 15,22,29, February 5, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as AFFORDABLE HOME AND RENTAL REPAIR at 2883 Nord Ave Chico, CA 95973. DAVID SCHWERING 2883 Nord Ave Chico, CA 95973. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: DAVID SCHWERING Dated: December 17, 2014 FBN Number: 2014-0001524 Published: January 15,22,29, February 5, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME - STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT The following person has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name PRO NAILS AND SPA at 1950 East 20th Street #A 102 Chico, CA 95928. BINH T TRAN 1950 East 20th Street Suite #A 102 Chico, CA 95928. This business was conducted by an Individual. Signed: BINH Dated: January 8, 2015 FBN Number 2014-0000572 Published: January 15,22,29, February 5, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as QUICKSILVER COURIER SERVICE at 2196 Ruskin St Unit 1 Chico, CA 95926. JORDAN MICHAEL ADAMS 2196 Ruskin St Unit 1 Chico, CA 95926. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: JORDAN ADAMS Dated: December 22, 2014 FBN NUmber: 2014-0001541 Published: January 15,22,29, February 5, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as PRO NAILS AND SPA at 1950 East 20th Street #A102 Chico, CA 95928. THONG NGUYEN 1290 Notre Dame Blvd Apt 69 Chico, CA 95928. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: THONG NGUYEN Dated: January 8, 2015 FBN Number: 2015-0000027 Published: January 15,22,29, February 5, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as THERAPEUTIC BODYWORK AND MASSAGE at 1575 Citrus Avenue Chico, CA 95926. JAN HELSETH 1575 Citrus Avenue Chico, CA 95926. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: JAN HELSETH Dated: January 15, 2015 FBN Number: 2015-0000057 Published: January 22,29, February 5,12, 2015

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as AQ PHOTOGRAPHY at 845 Woodmont Ct. Chico, CA 95926. AMELIA QUINTO 845 Woodmont Ct. Chico, CA 95926. This business is conducted by an Individual. Signed: AMELIA H. QUINTO Dated: January 15, 2015 FBN Number: 2015-0000058 Published: January 22,29, February 5,12, 2015

NOTICES ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner XAO THAO filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: XAO THAO Proposed name: ALENA HNUBCI THAO THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: February 11, 2015 Time: 8:30am Dept: TBA The address of the court is: Butte County Superior Court 655 Oleander Ave. Chico, CA 95926 Signed: SANDRA L. MCLEAN Dated: December 18, 2014 Case Number: 163534 Published: December 31, 2014, January 8,15,22, 2015

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner HEATHER D. PETERSON filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: KALYN DAWN CORDS Proposed name: KALYN DAWN PETERSON THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: February 25, 2015 Time: 8:30am Dept: TBA The address of the court is: Butte County Superior Court 655 Oleander Ave. Chico, CA 95926 Signed: SANDRA L. MCLEAN Dated: December 24, 2014 Case Number: 163584 Published: January 22,29 February 5,12, 2015

36 CN&R January 22, 2015

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LOVE’S REAL ESTATE Tenant Blues

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Hostile tenants can turn the act of listing a house into a dangerous proposition for Realtors. We try to stay out of landlord-tenant problems, but sometimes get pulled in. “The guy’s a dirtbag,” said the owner of this house I was hoping to list. “He doesn’t pay rent, and the neighbors complain about loud music and parties.” “You need to evict him,” I said. “It’s in the works. I’ve sent him all the notices, but the jerk ignores ‘em. He’s one of those bums who’ll take it to the limit. Meanwhile, I’m 200 miles away, getting no rent.” Against my better judgment, I went to the house. I wanted the listing and it wasn’t going to happen with that bad tenant in the way. I heard Johnny Cash as I walked up the weatherbeaten staircase. The ornate front door with an oval-shaped beveled-glass window and Victorian filigree trim work had seen better times. The music stopped after I banged on the door a few times. A big guy answered. I was ready to run. He looked me over and rolled his eyes, apparently in reaction to my business attire. “Come on in,” he said in a resigned tone. I followed carefully. He plopped onto an old sofa and grabbed a beautiful Gibson Hummingbird guitar.

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“So you’re what, the rent collector or something?” He strummed an E chord. “No, I’m a Realtor. The owner is talking about selling.” “Yeah, well he can do whatever he wants,” he said. “I’m outta here this weekend. I got a job in L.A. starting next week. You can let the dear landlord know I’ll be paying up on the rent.” “Wait a minute,” I said, “was that you playing Johnny Cash before I came in?” He smiled and played the opening lick to “Folsom Prison Blues.” He sang like Johnny Cash. I harmonized with him over the lines, ‘If they freed me from this prison/ If that railroad train was mine/ I bet I’d move it on a little farther down the line/ Far from Folsom Prison ….’ The guy smiled again. “You play?” I nodded. He pulled from under the sofa a Martin D-18 guitar. We jammed and sang Doc Watson, Merle Haggard and Hank Williams songs. A couple of his buddies showed up with beer and instruments and we jammed some more. We became great friends. The next day I called the owner. “Your tenant will be out this weekend,” I said. “I doubt that,” he said. “I got complaints about loud music and partying again last night. The dirtbag!”

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