MODERN COMFORT STYLISH LIVING
Experience modern comfort and stylish living The Watermark at Napa Valley. With upscale residences, gourmet dining venues, customized care, and unrivaled amenities such as concierge service and an on-site spa and salon, here you’ll find a host of opportunities to enjoy an exceptional lifestyle. The Watermark at Napa Valley stands as the premier choice for Active Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care in Napa, offering a lifestyle that blends comfort, sophistication, and a vibrant community atmosphere.
JAPANESE TAPAS
• CEVICHE SASHIMI & MORE
SUSHI PLATTERS
• BASIC ROLL PLATTER
• SIGNTURE ROLL PLATTER
• VEGI PLATTER
• SASHIMI PLATTER
• NIGIRI PLATTER
• COMBO PLATTER & MORE
We match home providers who have an extra room in their home, with renters seek ing an a ordable place to live in Napa County We screen and check references for each candidate and refer potential housemates to one another We help facilitate the home sharing agreements, and are available for follow up questions and concerns
Home Energy Score tells you how energy efficient your home is.
On a 1 to 10 scale, you’ll learn how much energy a home like yours is expected to use compared to other homes.
Plus, you’ll receive suggestions for home efficiency and comfort improvements.
When to get a Home Energy Score
• Before renovating or remodeling your home
• When you want to make your home more comfortable
• When you want to save money and reduce energy bills
• When you’re ready to sell your home
$200 REBATE AVAILABLE making the assessment low to no-cost for you.
a New Day for Libraries
By Kathleen Reynolds
When you hear the word “library,” what springs to mind? Books, right? But, wow–there’s so much more in today’s library.
“The biggest change is the significant funding of e-resources and e-books,” says Library Director Anthony Halstead, who has worked at the Napa Library for 16 years and held the post of Director since 2020. “Their use has just skyrocketed, and I know so many people who said they’d never read e-books; they want to hold real books. We had a lot of people convert to e-materials during COVID. We’re promoting the benefits to accessing them.”
E-books are still books, you say. Oh, but there’s more.
“Another big change we’ve seen is the Library of Things,” says Halstead. “That’s a collection of non-book,
non-media items like telescopes, guitars, keyboards, puzzles and board games. People can subscribe to streaming services, but they might not want to pony up money for a guitar or ukelele, because they don’t know if they’ll like it. If there is a big meteor shower on a certain date and a person doesn’t have a real interest in it all year long, they can check out a telescope or binoculars and can use it while this event happens. Then they can return it and someone else can use it. The other benefit is trying something before you buy it. I think we’re meeting that need in both of those cases. One board game we have now is well over $100. That’s not an impulse buy. But you might like to try it, and you can do that at the library. That collection has the biggest increase in size and in use since 2020.”
“The public has responded to the
Library of Things in a big way. At one point, about a year ago, 90% of that collection was either on-hold, checked out or in transit to someone. That figure is just outrageously high. Normally, we’d be 25% to 50% for physical books. But the Library of Things has a huge usage. We ship items throughout our county, we have four locations so if we have something in Napa, it can go to Calistoga or another of the libraries, and vice versa. It meets the needs throughout the county in ways it didn’t before.”
“Speaking of Calistoga, in terms of board games, you can’t easily buy board games there. You have to drive to Santa Rosa or Napa or buy it on Amazon. The library is serving an important role.”
“Borrowing from the library is environmentally friendly. With borrowing, the books don’t take up
space in your house. I’ve always said that libraries were environmental stewards because it’s one book that 50 people can read versus 50 books that one person can read. That’s a lot of paper saved. It’s billions of pounds of paper and trees just for books alone. The same is true of board games and even more so, a puzzle that’s put together once and then sits around until eventually it’s thrown away. That’s an absolute waste. But a puzzle that’s used 50 times, until we lose a few pieces, and it isn’t in circulation anymore. We circulate coloring books. You might only color five or six pages in a coloring book. Not only can you check those out of the library, but you get to see what other people did with the other pages in that book, which is kind of fun. It’s like a communal art project.”
The library also offers remote classes and lectures. For instance, they have Author Talks and Master Gardener demonstrations online. There are “tangle art” classes, called Zentangle, where patrons can pick up packages of materials at the library monthly and create art while streaming with an instructor. Halstead refers to these combinations of live and streaming classes as hybrids.
“We’ve seen a return and desire to do things in person. We leaned into things that people wanted to come together to do, that they couldn’t do on their own. One example is the music.”
“We have a program with Festival Napa Valley where they bring in musicians once a month,” he says. “The March one was for St. Patrick’s Day. At 9:30 in the morning, we had about 200 kids and parents here waiting for Irish music to play. It was a young audience, 5 and under for the most part, and during the first song, a girl started dancing at the front. A few songs in, kids were creating their own two rounds at the front, just going
in circles. You can listen to music at home, but that interaction is not something you’re going to get if you’re not in person. It connects to other people, through song, through story, etcetera.”
“You can’t afford to have Irish musicians or cellists come to your house. It’s a different type of experience if you go to the library to hear music performed than if you go to the symphony. The same group, Festival Napa Valley, came with a cellist and a violinist and the children got to see violins and cellos; they could have a conversation with the musicians and ask questions. You see those instruments in different ways than going to the symphony. Which, by the way, is not cheap. It’s expensive, so we think about (what people will get) from the experience.”
“People still want to come to Story Time, they still want to come to hear authors talk, they want to have experiences. There are things you want to do but just couldn’t do another way. For instance, animal visits. We’ve got programs this summer where someone brings in giant reptiles for people to see. We have ongoing partnerships with groups in town, like Wildlife Rescue and di Rosa. To learn about that and see about that, those are opportunities you just wouldn’t have otherwise. It’s a new day for libraries and in some ways, it’s just a way to help people experience things.”
The library runs the gamut from these types of in-person experiences to remote access and remote programing to benefit the public. If you want to digitally read, learn or study, the Hoopla database covers over 50,000 topics, including areas like art, photography, marketing, jokes, music, design and test preparation for adults and kids.
“Our use of databases is very intense, and it continues to grow.” Halstead says. “In the last two fiscal years, we’ve seen the use of Hoopla expand by 1,000 uses per month. It started at about 4,100 and ended at 5,100. This year, we started at 5,100 and it’s already at 6,100+. That continues to grow.”
“One of the neat things about e-books is if you want the font to be really big, it can be really big; if you want the background to be black instead of white and the text to be white, you can easily do that. Just push a button. It can be Sunday night, and you’ve just finished a book and want to start the next one in a series, you can often get to that immediately. The convenience is there for people. I read physical books, too, but I read digital books. We’ve seen a lot of movement in that direction.”
The area previously dedicated to magazines now houses a large Spanish language section.
Calistoga Library Story Time
“There’s a higher population of Spanish speakers than those who use the library, but it’s definitely growing. I think that’s an audience that we have a lot of room to grow and an opportunity from which to learn. We’ve been doing conversations with Spanish speakers specifically throughout our county for the past few months to learn more about them. And not necessarily just about libraries; in fact, we’re targeting those who aren’t library users because we don’t want to lead them into library answers. One of the questions we’re asking them is ‘What do you do for fun?’ It’s going to mean different things to different people and different families, if you have younger kids, older kids, retired people, etcetera. What we’re hoping to get from them is what are things we could do that we’re not doing now. We want to appeal to a population that isn’t necessarily a user today.”
Halstead says that it’s not new that certain populations don’t understand the library. He points out that the word in Spanish for library is bibliotheca, but the word in Spanish for bookstore is librería, which sounds like the word library. If a person comes from a country that doesn’t have public libraries as a common occurrence, they might think there’s a charge to use the library or they may not know that the libraries existed.
“We’re constantly trying to find ways to bring people into the building but also to partner with other organizations. Because people are busy. When we asked what people do for fun, a lot of the people said ‘Nothing.’ People don’t do anything for fun because it’s either too expensive, it requires them to drive somewhere, or they can’t do it as a family. For some activities and events, we have to provide childcare; have a craft or watch a movie. We should
have something for the adults to come to, but also something that the kids can do.”
The Napa County Library circulates about 950,000 items a year and has over 300,000 visitors in all four locations per year. There are some 50,000 card holders including families. The Library is the most visited department on the Napa County website.
Halstead says his vision is to offer things people can’t do on their own, continue programs that offer experiences, such as putting library books in places where people have to go and wait like pediatrician’s office, laundromats and Health and Human Services offices. Inside the books are stamps or stickers saying the book was donated by the Friends of the Napa Library, the website and how the children or parents can get more books.
They’ve worked to establish the “Napa County Library at Juvenile Hall,” explaining to the kids where to get the resources they need when they leave. They’re working on furnishing the kids there with tablets with access to e-materials, e-books and e-audio books.
“A lot of people think a library is just the place you go when you have homework or it’s the thing you used to do when you were little; we want to show people, no, you can come into a yoga class, you can come to a journaling class.”
Regarding possible cutbacks in federal funding, Halstead explains, “The vast majority of our funding, 80%+, comes from dedicated property tax. It is phenomenal and most libraries don’t get funded this way. We’re lucky that we have off-the-top library funding through property tax, not the General Fund. However, our literacy program
Feels Like Home
is funded by the State of California, which uses a combination of its own funds and federal funds. I don’t know how much funding may be cut. But for us, the vast majority of funding comes locally from property tax, from Friends of the Library and from the Library Foundation, a smaller percent from the State, nd a very small, rare percent from the federal government.”
“I want people to know that libraries are for everyone and that we respond to public feedback and are always looking to meet the needs of the community. When it changes, we change with it. And there’s ease of access to materials no matter where people may be. Whether that’s mailing things to people’s homes, which we do through Books by Mail, or having collections that reflect the interests of what people come in to look for. We work for the public and we are always working hard to respond to the public’s needs.”
County of Napa Library (Main Branch) 5880 Coombs St., Napa 707.253.4241 countyofnapa.org
American Canyon Branch 300 Crawford Way, American Canyon, 707.644.1136
St. Helena Branch 1492 Library Lane, St. Helena, (707) 963-5244
Calistoga Branch 1108 Myrtle Street, Calistoga (707) 942-4833
Legacy & Leadership: The Team Behind Vintage Sotheby’s International Realty
In the heart of Napa Valley’s wine country, Vintage Sotheby’s International Realty has built more than just a thriving real estate business—it has established a legacy rooted in family, community, and a passion for excellence. At the helm are Mike and Lisa Bertolucci, co-owners of the brokerage, whose leadership, along with a team of dedicated agents, shapes the firm’s reputation for integrity and success.
Mike Bertolucci’s roots in Napa Valley trace back over a century, with generations of his family contributing to the region’s wine, business, and civic landscape. That legacy translates into a profound understanding of the land and community, which Mike brings to every client interaction. Lisa joined the business in 2008, bringing with her an eye for detail, marketing savvy, and a steadfast commitment to client service—traits that have helped elevate the brokerage’s standing in the industry. Together, they are raising their 12-year-old son, Stephen, in the heart of Napa Valley, continuing the Bertolucci family legacy and instilling in him the same appreciation for the community and values that have shaped their lives and business.
The strength of the brokerage lies not only in its leadership, but in its collaborative team environment. Office manager Stephanie Aven plays a key role in mentoring agents, offiering personalized guidance, marketing exper tise, and strategic support to help them grow professionally and deliv er a refined level of service. Her hands-on approach helps cultivate a culture of excellence throughout the office.
“As the Office Manager at Vintage Sotheby’s International Realty, I love working for a brokerage that truly feels like family— supportive, collaborative, and deeply rooted in the Napa Valley community. Being part of a team that values integrity, connection, and exceptional service makes every day inspiring and rewarding.”
Together, Mike, Lisa, and their agents offier unmatched local insight and global reach, serving clients across a diverse range of property types—from vineyard estates to modern retreats. The brokerage’s team of experienced professionals are more than trusted advisors; they are active members of the Napa Valley community, deeply invested in preserving and enhancing the lifestyle the region is known for.
For those seeking to buy or sell real estate in Napa Valley, Vintage Sotheby’s International Realty provides a seamless and rewarding experience. With a shared commitment to high-level service and a deep connection to the area, the team—led by Mike and Lisa—offers an unparalleled advantage in the luxury real estate market.
~Stephanie Aven
Mike, Stephen & Lisa Bertolucci
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OXBOW COMMONS, DOWNTOWN NAPA 5-9PM | JUNE - OCTOBER | ADMISSION IS FREE
The inaugural “First Thursdays” took place at the Oxbow Commons on May 1, and if it’s any indication of things to come, it’s going to be a great summer for families in Downtown Napa. “We heard lots of good feedback about the evening,” said Bill LaLiberte, the Executive Director of the Downtown Napa Association (DNA), which organizes and runs the event.
The DNA modeled First Thursdays after the old Chefs Market, which for twenty years was the unofficial beginning of summer and the thing to do in Napa with the whole family on a Thursday night. When it ended six years ago, lots of people called the Downtown Napa Association (DNA), disappointed. “I’d only been with the DNA for a couple of weeks when somebody asked me when I was bringing the Chefs Market back,” said Bill, “I don’t think I even had business cards yet.”
Bill got his business cards, and now Napa gets First Thursdays. “It was great to see so many locals and so many families there,” he said of the May event. “The Oxbow Commons has a large grassy area for games and for kids to just run around. You couldn’t do that at Chefs Market. Too much pavement.”
“First Thursdays” will be held the first Thursday of the month through October 2 this year. Long-time Chefs Market manager, Julie Morales and her team from TEAM Morales are again running the event, so you know it will be done right. All the activities will take place in the Oxbow Commons off McKinstry Street, a space that naturally lends itself to events.
“Non-profit groups will be out there every week, each hosting some kind of activity geared towards children,” said Bill. Attendees can enjoy a meal at their favorite downtown restaurant or visit the food trucks and specialty food purveyors who will be there every Thursday. Farmers from the Napa Farmers Market will offer fresh produce and artists will display their creations. As was always the case with Chefs Market, the DNA will host beverage booths, featuring several different local tasting rooms each week, as well as, craft beers and beers from Napa breweries. “We’re committed to the community feel from the old days. People loved it, so why change it?”
And, course, there will be music. “We’ll open each First Thursday with something different – a garage band, local dance troop or some other kind of
performance,” said LaLiberte. If you’re just there for the music, you are going to love First Thursdays – two different bands will perform each evening, providing lots of opportunity to listen and/or dance the night away.
When Chefs Market first started almost thirty years ago, Downtown Napa was pretty dead at night. Closing four blocks on First Street was easy, and the costs involved were minimal. Over the years, the popularity of downtown made it harder and harder to justify closing the street, plus the rising insurance costs alone, as well as all the other set up costs, made it impossible to keep the party going there.
The Oxbow Commons, with its mix of open grassy space and amphitheater-like set up is the perfect place to restart the fun.
First Thursdays is from 5:00 to 9:00 PM and admission is free. It’s all possible thanks to the sponsors: DoNapa, all downtown property owners through their Property and Business Improvement District (PBID), and Napa lodging establishments through the Tourist Information District (TID). Come join the fun!
While prostate cancer is often slow growing, it can be life-threatening if not caught early. Fortunately, a new radiopharmaceutical drug is proving highly effective at treating metastatic prostate cancer.
Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center is the first hospital in the North Bay to use Pluvicto® to treat late-stage prostate cancer. The drug, which was developed by Novartis and approved by the FDA in 2022, has provided the gift of time to men with prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.
Extending Lives
“It’s like a heat-seeking missile for metastatic prostate cancer,” explains Dr. Bhavani Gannavarapu, radiation oncologist at Queen of the Valley. “Clinical trials have shown that the drug slows cancer progression and
operates like a homing missile that specifically
NEW HOPE IN FIGHTING PLUVICTO
meaningfully extends the lives of prostate cancer patients.”
The treatment is an injectable radioactive drug that targets and kills prostate cancer cells with minimal harm to surrounding healthy tissue. It’s proven effective for patients who may no longer be responding to other therapies, such as hormonal treatments and chemotherapy.
“Since August 2024, we’ve recommended Pluvicto to patients with metastatic prostate cancer that is life-threatening and who have exhausted other treatment options,” said Dr. Michael Corradetti, radiation oncologist at Queen of the Valley.
“The fact we can give these patients more time with their loved ones is certainly very significant.”
Giving someone more time to see a daughter get married, plan more family
vacations, or teach their grandchildren something important—these are important victories.
Effective Treatment for a Common Cancer
The American Cancer Society reports that approximately 313,780 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer annually, and one in 44 dies from the disease.
“Regular screening and early detection are the best defense against prostate cancer,” said Dr. Brian Kim, a urologist with Providence Medical Group in Napa. “If we catch it early, it is highly treatable with surgery, radiation, or other localized therapies. In many cases, non-aggressive forms of prostate cancer can be closely monitored.”
However, more aggressive forms of prostate cancer can spread to other
Jamie Hammond, Nuclear Medicine Technologist; John Cummings, Nuclear Medicine Technologist; Birha McCann, RN, Nurse Navigator; Cyndee Chapple, Lead Nuclear Medicine Technologist; Jill Vohs, Director; Daniel Mirda, MD, Medical Oncologist; Michael Corradetti, MD, Radiation Oncologist; Bhavani Gannavarapu, MD, Radiation Oncologist; Mark Young, Chief Medical Physicist; Angela San Filippo, RN, Nurse Manager; Marla Bruner, RN, Lead Nurse
PROSTATE CANCER
targets PSMA-positive prostate cancer cells.
parts of the body, making them more difficult to treat.
“The unfortunate cases most often occur when patients do not see their primary doctor regularly for screening and are diagnosed at a late stage, when the cancer has escaped the prostate,” said Dr. Kim. “The treatment strategy then shifts from localized to more systemic options provided by our expert oncologists.”
As Dr. Gannavarapu explains, what makes this radiopharmaceutical treatment a “home run” in the oncology world is that it allows patients to live longer and maintain their quality of life.
“This is a treatment that, until recently, was only available at select academic medical centers,” he said. “We are fortunate to now be able to provide this proven cancer care closer to patient’s homes.
During treatment, Pluvicto, a radioactive drug, is injected into the patient’s vein. Pluvicto targets PSMA (Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen), a protein found on the surface of prostate cancer cells and one that can be detected with specialized PET scans. Pluvicto is absorbed and releases radiation into PSMA+ cells— damaging or destroying them with limited damage to surrounding cells.
“Chemotherapy drugs are often nonspecific,” said Dr. Corradetti. “Whereas, with a drug like Pluvicto, if the cells light up on a PET scan, you know which cells you are targeting. Over time, you can use those same PET scans to monitor the effectiveness of treatment. It’s a built-in measurement.”
Patients receive treatments every six weeks for up to six treatments. One of
the advantages of this treatment is there are relatively few side effects, and they don’t affect quality of life as much as other regimens, such as chemotherapy.
It Takes a Team
Treating cancer patients is a team effort. Queen of the Valley’s network of surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, radiologists, nurses, nuclear medicine technologists, and other medical professionals partner to personalize care.
“All three teams of doctors— urologists, radiation oncologists and medical oncologists—work closely together to provide the best and most appropriate care for our cancer patients. We participate in weekly tumor board meetings to discuss complex cases and recommend a course of treatment,” said Dr. James Lau, a urologist with Providence Medical Group in Napa.
“Patient cases are reviewed at the tumor board meeting, where every doctor in the case is represented, as well as clinicians from key departments such as nuclear medicine, nursing, nutrition, and social work,” said Dr. Corradetti. “We individualize treatment for every patient according to the consensus of the team – it’s a team effort.”
“What I really appreciate is our collaborative approach. We are strong individually and even more powerful as a team. That’s what makes the Queen’s oncology care truly stand out,” said Dr. Gannavarapu.
A Promising Step Forward
In April 2025, the FDA approved Pluvicto for patients who have prostate cancer that is metastatic and castration-resistant (also known
as mCRPC) and have not had chemotherapy.
This is a promising step forward that would approximately triple the number of patients eligible for treatment. Talk to your oncologist for the latest information about availability. Many are hopeful the success of radiopharmaceutical drugs like Pluvicto could pave the way for other types of cancer. At Queen of the Valley Medical Center, we are committed to bringing cutting-edge cancer treatments that offer hope and healing to the Napa community.
For more information, talk to the doctor managing your care.
Make an appointment with a Providence Medical Group urologist or oncologist at providence.org/doctors.
Providence Medical Group Urologists
Dr. James Lau
Dr. Brian Kim
Providence Medical Group is committed to building a healthy partnership between you and your doctor. By encouraging you to take an active role in your own wellness, we work together so you get the most from your health care experience.
Providence Medical Group practitioners have the expertise to provide compassionate, quality care for your entire family, through every stage of life.
For primary care, call 707–703–4863
Submit your snapshots at napavalleymarketplace.com/submit-a-community-snapshot
Community Resources for Children staff at CRC's Family Fun Day
Joelle Gallagher, Erika Lubensky and Liz Alessio
Tony Almanza and Napa friends at the Teamsters Joint Council 7 Day at the Ballpark 2025
Kelly Chessen, Marjean and Paul Marciniak
Terence Mulligan, Jeri Hansen and economist Dr. Robert Eyler at Reading the Tea Leaves: Napa’s Economic Outlook
Ryan Pio Roda, Megan Conroy and Heather Ruiz
Academy of Danse Competition Company Minis celebrating the end of the season with Kona Ice
MAY 29-JUNE 15
The Real Housewives of Napa Valley
They’re back! With an updated 2025 version. An original parody musical by Rob Broadhurst and Barry Martin premiered May-June 2024. But one time around the track is not enough for this no-holdsbarred romp through for these pretentious wives, their weird husbands, and the long-suffering producers trying to keep their show on the air. luckypennynapa.com
JUNE 1
Choir! Choir! Choir! Present: “Hallelujah”: An EPIC Anthems Sing-Along! A fully interactive, participatory show that turns audience into performer! Epic anthems unite the world and are the soundtrack to our lives. And there is none more epic than Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” When a room filled with strangers
starts to harmonize, you’ll feel it deep in your soul. From Leonard and Joni, to Whitney and Shania, you’ll wanna sing them all! uptowntheatrenapa.com
JUNE 2-AUGUST 30
Napa County Historical Society Tours: Downtown Napa and Tulocay Cemetery
Tulocay Cemetery tours: Friday, June 13 at 3pm and Saturday, August 30 at 10:30am. Downtown Napa tours: Saturday, June 2 at 10:30 am and Friday, August 15 at 3 pm starting at the Goodman Library. The walking tours are guided and take about 90 minutes. napahistory.org/events
JUNE 5
First Thursdays
If you loved the Chefs Market, then you’ll love the new First Thursdays event in Downtown Napa! Enjoy
42ND HOME BREW & WINE MAKERS
live music, food trucks, farmers, specialty food vendors, nonprofits, activities and lawn games for the whole family! Taking place once a month from 5 to 9pm at the Oxbow Commons through October. June 5 is Pride Night with DJ Rotten Robbie and an open-air dance party at 7:30pm. donapa.com/first-thursdays
JUNE 6
Rocky Horror Picture Show Come up to the lab... for the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Yountville Community Center! Bawdy Caste and their Shadow Cast to perform alongside the movie, providing an immersive experience that keeps audiences entertained and coming back to do the time warp again! $15 in advance, $20 at the door if available. 21 and over. napapride.com
JUNE 7
The Napa Table 2025
An extraordinary opportunity to dine and celebrate at a table on First Street in Downtown Napa. Featuring local wines paired with a chef-curated special menu. donapa.com/the-napa-table
JUNE 7
Pride Pet Parade
Walk, wiggle, dance and sashay with furry friends through Downtown Napa! Festive attire encouraged for you and your pet! At 9:30am meet at Deuces Market to mingle, 10am strut through downtown, 11am PAWty at River Terrace Inn with costume prizes, info/services for your pet, food and drink menu, and more! napapride.com
JUNE 7
Three Dog Night Legendary band, Three Dog Night, now in its 6th decade, claims some of the most astonishing statistics in popular music. Songs like “Mama Told Me (Not To Come),” “Joy to the World,” “Black and White,” “Shambala” and “One” serve to heighten our emotions and crystallize their continuing popularity. uptowntheatrenapa.com
JUNE 13
Pride Cornhole Night Get ready to celebrate at Pride Cornhole Night at the Yountville Community Center! Whether you're a seasoned pro or just here for the
fun, enjoy an evening of friendly competition, vibrant rainbow vibes, and loads of laughs. $25 per person fee includes two drinks and snacks! Everyone is welcome! napapride.com
JUNE 13
Mary Chapin Carpenter with Brandy Clark
One of music’s most reliable and empathetic songwriters, Mary Chapin Carpenter has sold over 16 million records over the course of her career. With hits like “Passionate Kisses” and “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,” she has won five Grammy Awards, two CMA Awards, two ACM Awards and is one of only fifteen female members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. In early 2025, the collaborative album “Looking For The Thread” was released worldwide. uptowntheatrenapa.com
JUNE 14
June 11. The summer assembly drive is on June 14 at the Napa Valley College gym. If you’d like to volunteer, no need to RSVP. Please arrive at 9am to sign in. operationwithlovefromhome.org
JUNE 14
Pride Car Parade
Meet at Napa High parking lot at 6:30pm and decorate your cars. At approximately 7pm, all cars will drive slowly south on Jefferson towards Downtown Napa. Turning left on First, Right on Main, Right on Second. The parade will drive through downtown twice before returning to "Cruising The J.” Tune in to KVYN 99.3 The Vine for festive Pride music on the cruise. Then from 9pm to midnight, join the all-ages after party at The Garden. napapride.com
JUNE 16-27
GUILD Summer Camps
June 16-20 Magical Creatures
available). GUILD creative studio is located at 575 Coombsville Road in Napa. guildnapa.com/camps
JUNE 18
Downtown Napa Shop, Sip & Stroll
There’s no better way to do Napa –happening every Third Wednesday, June through September! $10 wristband includes a glass and a splash at participating locations. Pickup in front of Jeffries General, and then look for balloons throughout downtown. Enjoy outdoor music as you stroll! donapa.com
JUNE 18
Water-Wise Workshop: Sprinkler Smarts
After reviewing basic irrigation system design, local landscape pros will show how to spruce up your sprinklers to avoid waste, schedule efficient watering for each season, upgrade to a weather-based smart controller, and save on summer water bills. All attendees will receive a handy Watering Schedule and a chance to win door prizes! Free event from 6:30 to 8pm at the Napa Senior Center. Presented by City of Napa Water in partnership with Napa County RCD. cityofnapa.org/workshops
JUNE 19
Cowboy Junkies –Celebrating 40 Years
Sometimes revolutions begin quietly. In 1988, Cowboy Junkies proved that there was an audience
waiting for something quiet, beautiful and reflective. The Trinity Session was like a whisper that cut through the noise – and it was compelling. The now classic recording combined folk, blues and rock in a way that had never been heard before and went on to sell more than a million copies. uptowntheatrenapa.com
JUNE 25
Water-Wise Workshop: Deciphering
Drip
Patty Hamilton of Harmony Farm Supply will help solve the mystery of drip irrigation, the most efficient water delivery system for plants. Real-life drip system design and maintenance will be reviewed, then system components will be displayed and assembled. Receive hands-on practice, and a chance to win door prizes! Free event from 6:30 to 8pm at the Napa Senior Center. Presented by City of Napa Water in partnership with Napa County RCD. cityofnapa.org/workshops
JUNE 28
Rock the Ride Napa
This benefit bike ride and walk raises funds for national and local nonprofit organizations working to end gun violence. Nonprofit beneficiaries, special guest speakers and leaders, including Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, will inspire you to ask questions, get engaged, and get moving to create change. rocktherideusa.com
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Sam Chapman on the path
By Lauren Coodley
Every structure tells a story. Every piece of land saved from the bulldozer has a tale. Every law was made by somebody. If we don’t know their stories, how do we understand the landscape in which we live? Sam Chapman, the youngest person ever elected supervisor in Napa
County at the age of 27 in 1974, is writing a memoir about growing up here and his life in law, journalism, government, politics, and art.
Last yearI described the Dream Bowl, a refuge for war workers. Sam’s mother was a clerk/ typist at Mare Island. She kept an extensive scrapbook with highlights from her job at the shipyard during her first year of work in 1941. One of her clips from December 15, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, reports that the Navy Yard was instituting a seven-day week, 24 hour/day work
His father worked out of Shop 64, laying tile in ships’ heads and galleys. When tile work was lacking, he would sometimes be “loaned out” to the laborers’ gang, that did whatever manual labor was required. To get to work, he would either take the Mare Island jitney–a long car that sat six or eight people – or Sam’s mother would take him to the ferry across the channel and pick him up at the ferry stop at the end of the day. “I remember going with her for the pick-up. He was on his knees much of
the time while laying tile, and the job was often hot and dirty.”
The family initially lived in wartime housing in Vallejo but Sam vividly remembers “driving to Napa to visit my aunt Gloria and cousin David who lived in a small white house with yellow trim on a large lot with walnut trees, cherry trees and a garden on Redwood Road, which then had the feeling of a rural, country road.” Once, they drove north for dinner and dancing at the Nappanee, at the corner of Jefferson and Trancas.
His parents, “having grown up in poverty, loved new houses.” The house they bought in 1956 was at 3508 Baxter in Bel-Aire. This first unit was offered at $11,000 with a slab (concrete foundation/tile floor) or at $11,500 for a wood foundation/ floor. Baxter at that time deadended a few houses down the block at Diablo. Beyond, in that northerly direction, were fields that separated Bel-Aire from Crescent Park. Behind the houses directly across the street was Bel-Aire shopping center, consisting of a P&X grocery store, Levinson’s Owl Rexall drug store, later a cleaners
< Sam was the Napa Register’s youngest supervisor at the age of 27
and variety store, and the first pizza parlor in Napa, Alfredo’s.
Like so many Napans back before every meadow was covered with construction, “I used to play behind the stores in the cardboard boxes stacked there and in the surrounding fields and creeks near our house. We routinely found obsidian arrow heads in the creeks.” Napa had more public pools then than now: Oak Lake Park, Vichy and Mt. George. Many full afternoons were spent at Mt. George or Oak Lake Park, filled with shade trees and picnic benches. There, Sam learned to swim.
His early jobs sketch a history of Napa through work. First, picking prunes in 1960, a time when Napa County farmers derived twice as much revenue from beef cattle as from wine grapes, and prunes still edged wine grapes in total value – “It was hot, dirty, sticky work. Picking prunes involved shaking the tree and being on hands and knees to pick the fruit off the ground and put it in a box. We were paid by the box, ranging from about 25 to 40 cents, depending on the orchard. At the end of the day we were covered in dirt and sticky prune juice. “
His next job was as a dishwasher. “Fisher’s Fine Foods on Franklin Street in downtown Napa was a local, independent restaurant run by the droll, middle-aged Richard and spunky, dyed red-head Rose Fisher…on my first day, Rose marched me over to the local office of the Culinary Workers, Bartenders & Hotel Employees
^ On the Path 18” x 24” oil on canvas by Sam Chapman
union and introduced me to Stella and Ernie Collicutt. I joined the union, received my union card and was a proud union worker.” Later, he “learned to move at the fastest pace I had ever moved to keep up”…After clean up, the staff would all sit at the counter, “and some of us, me in particular, would have a choice of any leftover pie.”
Sam’s Sunday school teacher at First Presbyterian Church was
Ross Game, also the editor of The Napa Register and a regular at Fisher’s. As Sam was busing dishes, “Ross Game said ‘How’d you like to come to work with me at The Register?’ That was one of five moments in my life when a new world opened for me, my life changed course, and I headed onto a new path.”
The Register, in 1965, was “a great example of a small-town newspaper” in an era that no one
imagined would ever end. It was located at First and Coombs Streets in the heart of downtown Napa, in a building erected in 1905. Chapman describes the newsroom: “Reporters and editors had desks scattered throughout, with the City Editor at the head of a U at one end with copy editor on one side and wire editor on the other. Behind them was a small, long, glasswalled room where the wire machines ran perpetually, spitting out paper copy.
Behind the wire room was the “backshop.” Behind the backshop was the press room. When the editors finished with a story, they put it in a basket to be picked up or carried it directly through a swinging door where “linotype operators clipped the story in front of them and, using a keyboard, transcribed the lines on the paper before them with the use of molten lead into lines of hard metal type.”
The Register was an afternoon paper. The deadline was 11 a.m. to get the final copy to the backshop. The paper rolled off the presses around two pm in the afternoon, bundled and picked up by carriers
to be home-delivered and placed in news boxes on streets around the town which Sam remembers as “An exciting and almost magical daily process.”
Play and work: these experiences defined Napa pre tourism: open spaces to explore; jobs picking prunes or working in independent small businesses, and the pleasures of a thriving community newspaper. A good preparation, perhaps a necessary one, for Sam’s renegade campaign for supervisor, which will be told in his much-anticipated memoir.
Here in Napa Valley, tourism is more than travel—it’s the heartbeat of our community. Every glass raised, every meal shared, and every overnight stay contributes to the 16,000 hospitality jobs that help our valley fl ourish. This summer, we encourage residents and neighbors to experience the beauty, flavors, and spirit that make Napa Valley so special.
