C-2012-04-05 by News & Review

BLOOD

ON THE STAGE See ARTS FEATURE, pages 24

MANSION SAVED! (FOR NOW) See NEWSLINES, page 8

MEET THE

CACTUS MAN See GREENWAYS, page 15

ON THE ROAD

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A Chico man remembers living in a peaceful Iraq BY PHILIP DENNIS PAGE

See CHOW, page 27

Chico’s News & Entertainment Weekly

THEY’RE COMING! See page 20

Volume 35, Issue 32

Thursday, April 5, 2012

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CN&R

Vol. 35, Issue 32 • April 5, 2012

OPINION

James S. Nagel, MD

Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Guest Comment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 From This Corner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Streetalk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

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

HEALTHLINES The Pulse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Appointments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Weekly Dose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

COVER STORY

ARTS & CULTURE

GREENWAYS EarthWatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 UnCommon Sense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Eco Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 The GreenHouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Arts Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 This Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Fine Arts listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Chow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Reel World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 In The Mix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Nightlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Arts DEVO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

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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 Robert Speer Managing Editor Melissa Daugherty Arts Editor Jason Cassidy Calendar/Special Projects Editor Howard Hardee News Editor Tom Gascoyne Greenways/Healthlines Editor Christine G.K. LaPado Staff Writer Ken Smith Contributors Catherine Beeghly, Craig Blamer, Alastair Bland, Henri Bourride, Rachel Bush, Vic Cantu, Matthew Craggs, Kyle Delmar, Jovan Johnson, J. Jay Jones, Miles Jordan, Leslie Layton, Mark Lore, Sean Murphy, Jaime O’Neill, Anthony Peyton Porter, Claire Hutkins Seda, Juan-Carlos Selznick, Willow Sharkey, Alan Sheckter, Matt Siracusa, Scott Szuggar, Karl Travis, Evan Tuchinsky Interns Kyle Emery, Dane Stivers Managing Art Director Tina Flynn Editorial Designer Sandra Peters Design Manager Kate Murphy Design Melissa Arendt, Brennan Collins, Priscilla Garcia, Mary Key, Marianne Mancina, Skyler Smith Advertising Manager Alec Binyon Advertising Consultants Brian Corbit, Jamie DeGarmo, Laura Golino, Robert Rhody Senior Classified Advertising Consultant Olla Ubay Advertising Coordinator Jennifer Osa Events Intern Alina Chavera

Office Manager Jane Corbett Distribution Manager Mark Schuttenberg Distribution Staff Carly Anderson, Sharon Conley, Ken Gates, Bob Meads, Shelley O’Neil, Timothy O’Neil, Debbie Owens, Pat Rogers, James Roninger, Mara Schultz, Larry Smith, Bill Unger President/CEO Jeff vonKaenel Chief Operations Officer Deborah Redmond Human Resources Manager Tanja Poley Senior Accountant Kevin Driskill Credit and Collections Manager Renee Briscoe Business Shannon McKenna, Zahida Mehirdel Systems Manager Jonathan Schultz Systems Support Specialist Joe Kakacek Web Developer/Support Specialist John Bisignano

353 E. Second Street, Chico, CA 95928 Phone (530) 894-2300 Fax (530) 894-0143 Website www.newsreview.com Got a News Tip? (530) 894-2300, ext. 2245 or chiconewstips@newsreview.com Calendar Events www.newsreview.com/calendar Calendar Questions (530) 894-2300, ext. 2243 Classifieds/Talking Personals (530) 894-2300, press 4 Printed by Paradise Post The CN&R is printed using recycled newsprint whenever available.

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CN&R 3

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

Green light for abuse What is the likelihood that someone arrested for, say, failure to

Building a healthier nation Eease, cancer and diabetes are responsible for millions of premature deaths and cause Americans to miss 2.5 billion very year, chronic diseases such as heart dis-

days of work, resulting in lost productivity totaling more than $1 trillion. Here in Butte County, the five leading causes of death are cancer, heart disease, chronic lung disease, accidental deaths and stroke. The underlying factors leading to these deaths are, for the most part, preventable. For example, 19 percent of Butte County adults smoke, and smoking directly contributes to cancer, heart disease and stroke. Similarly, 24 percent of by Butte County adults are obese, and obesiEllen Michels ty-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type-2 diabetes and certain types of The author is a cancer. senior public-healthWith nearly 1 million Americans education specialist dying every year from diseases that could with the Butte County be prevented, even small preventive Department of Public Health. This article is changes and initiatives can make a big difference in living healthier lives. If we being published to coincide with National take small actions, our communities, Public Health Week, homes and families will see the large April 2-8. benefits of preventive care and grow the movement. These preventive measures can help create a healthier nation and reach our goal of becoming the healthiest nation in just one generation. If Americans did the simple things— 4 CN&R April 5, 2012

exercised more frequently, had more healthful diets, avoided alcohol, tobacco and other drugs—we could dramatically reduce the burden of disease and death, helping to save lives. We could also save billions in health-care dollars. For example, cigarette smoking, which is the most common form of tobacco use, causes approximately 443,000 deaths and costs about $96 billion in medical expenditures and $97 billion in productivity losses in the United States each year. Obesity costs totaled about $147 billion in 2008; the medical costs paid by third-party payers for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight. Of course, we can’t make significant improvements unless all Americans play a part in creating a healthier nation. That means everyone needs to take small steps to improve the well-being and health of their own communities. What can you do? Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Visit a farmers’ market and make a meal of fresh, local produce. Seek help to quit smoking. Limit your child’s (and your) screen time. Participate in efforts to make our communities healthier such as creating community gardens or new bike paths. It is time we shift our paradigm from being a nation that cares for the sick to one that encourages preventive measures to improve our nation’s health. Ω

pay a fine is secreting drugs or a weapon in his anal cavity and should be strip-searched? Who in his right mind goes around with such items stuck up his nether regions? And yet this week the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling, decreed that law enforcement officials may strip-search people arrested for any offense, no matter how minor. This is the same court, mind you, that last week was so eager to protect American “liberties” against the threat of compulsory broccoli purchases. The case involved a New Jersey man named Albert Florence, a finance executive for a car dealership. In 2005 he was in the passenger seat of his BMW when a state trooper pulled over his wife for speeding. A records search showed an outstanding warrant based on an unpaid fine. (As it turned out, the information was wrong; the fine had been paid.) Florence was held in jails in two counties for a week and strip-searched twice, including being made to stand naked in front of a guard. “Turn around,” he later recalled being told by jail officials, according to The New York Times. “Squat and cough. Spread your cheeks. … It was humiliating. It made me feel less than a man.” As Justice Stephen Breyer pointed out in his dissent, people have been strip-searched after getting arrested for a noisy muffler, not using a turn signal and not having a proper bell on a bicycle. A nun was strip-searched after being arrested in an anti-war protest. As The New York Times reports, “the procedures endorsed by the majority are forbidden by statute in at least 10 states and are at odds with the policies of federal authorities. … [I]nternational treaties also bar the procedures.” Jailers need to be able to control what comes into their facilities, but this decision goes far beyond anything that is reasonable. It gives a green light to abusive state power. Just ask the nun. Ω

A long look at water We’re excited that the Book in Common next academic year, as

announced this week by the presidents of Butte College and Chico State, will be Robert Glennon’s Unquenchable, a wide-ranging and highly readable look at the liquid that means as much to life on earth as air does. As the press release announcing the selection notes, “water is a particularly vexing issue in California and in the North State in particular. In many ways, the wise management of water is the most important issue facing communities across the North State.” Vexing is right. California has the most complex water system in the world, and its physical intricacy is exceeded only by the legal convolution of the various rules, regulations and historic water rights surrounding it, not to mention the political complexity created by the competing interests— farmers, city dwellers, environmentalists—who fight over it. One thing we know for sure: There isn’t enough water to meet our needs, much less our desires. As a comprehensive new study of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta suggests, the operant watchword for state water supplies is “scarcity.” According to The Sacramento Bee, the comprehensive study, by the National Research Council, concludes that “there is no easy fix, only hard choices, if California wants to restore fish species and still satisfy its water demands.” Only by working together will the people of California be able to solve their water woes. Next year’s Book in Common will be helpful in enabling us as a community to develop greater accord on the best path forward. We urge our readers to read the book and participate in the workshops and other events. Ω

FROM THIS CORNER by Robert Speer roberts@newsreview.com

From flap to kerfuffle One of the pleasures of watching Chico politics is seeing minor flaps morph into major—and entertaining—kerfuffles. That’s what happened recently after City Council candidate Toby Schindelbeck accused Councilman Scott Gruendl of a conflict of interest. It all started at the March 6 council meeting, when discussion turned to hiring a recruiting firm to vet candidates to replace retiring City Manager Dave Burkland. To everyone’s surprise, Gruendl recused himself from voting on the matter, saying he “may or may not apply for the position.” At that point he had not decided, he said during a phone interview this week, but he wanted to keep his options open. The next day the Enterprise-Record’s Katy Sweeny reported the incident. Gruendl said when folks at Glenn County offices, where he is director of health services, read her piece, “all hell broke loose over here.” He decided right then not to seek the Chico job, he said. Two weeks later, at the March 20 council meeting, Schindelbeck stepped forward during the public-comment period. Noting that Gruendl had recused himself once, he asked why the councilman was still participating as a member of the Policy and Procedures Committee. It’s a conflict of interest, he charged. After the meeting, Gruendl caught up with Schindelbeck at his car and told him he’d made his decision and no conflict existed—though he now acknowledges he didn’t actually say he wasn’t applying for the city manager job, believing it was none of Schindelbeck’s business. Contacted by phone, Schindelbeck said it wasn’t at all clear to him that Gruendl, whom he described as “very confrontational,” wasn’t applying: “He said his application hadn’t been filed yet.” Council gadfly Juanita Sumner took up the issue in her NorCal blog, “Ad Hoc,” stating that Gruendl had threatened Schindelbeck, a charge that elicited some silly but nasty comments from a couple of her fans (Gruendl “is practicing to be a Nazi”). Then, on March 27, a man named Bill Smith, whose email address is stop.waste.fraud.abuse@gmail.com, sent an email to Councilman Andy Holcombe that amped up the threat level. If the City Council ignored the conflict issue, someone—he didn’t say who—“may ask for a higher level investigation into the Council’s actions, AKA the California Attorney General’s Office.” Holcombe forwarded the email to Gruendl, who wrote Smith, stating, “No one has asked me what decision I have made …, which is that I have no intent to apply.” On Tuesday (April 3), the E-R published a letter from Schindelbeck stating that Gruendl “shouldn’t be involved with formulating the rules that will be used to fill his vacated seat” on the council. Schindelbeck indicated he’d lodged a complaint with the state Fair Political Practices Commission. That same day, Gruendl said, Smith contacted his employers in Glenn County saying that he was gunning for the Chico city manager job. “Now he’s tampering with my employment,” Gruendl said angrily. Finally, at the council meeting that night, Gruendl did what he probably should have done long ago: He publicly stated he was not seeking the city manager job. End of kerfuffle. Maybe.

Robert Speer is editor of the CN&R.

Send email to chicoletters @ newsreview.com

Those dear deer Re “The great Magalia deer-feeding bust” (Cover story, by Jaime O’Neill, March 29): Why is it that people seem to have this need to connect with the animals of the forest? Feeding wild animals is a very bad idea. Leave these creatures alone and allow them to take care of themselves. Admire them from a distance and let nature take its course. SIDNEY BURCH Chico

I presume that if you have apple, apricot or some other type of fruit trees or even a clover lawn growing on your property, you could be in violation of the law if deer should stop and feed on them on a regular basis. The several apple orchards in Paradise must put up signs around their perimeter stating “No deer entry permitted.”

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I was wondering how many others in Chico used to attend Linden School and after school would go home, grab a big bag of potato chips, and head to the deep pen at the nature center to feed the deer. I hope no game wardens read this! And I hope the nature center doesn’t get taken to court for allowing us to feed the “wild animals.” ROBERT BERRY Chico

I read with great amusement Jaime O’Neill’s run-in with the game wardens. Quite frankly, I hope they throw the book at him for his deer-feeding activities. His wanton crime has put us all in great danger of chronic-wasting disease and attack by mountain lions. More important, making these unfortunate animals dependent on government hand-outs will cause them to develop a sense of entitlement to more apples, more grain. Where will it stop?! Before you know it they will demand $4.7 million in rice welfare payments, like candidate for Congress Doug LaMalfa.

F SH

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Supervisor should apologize Re “Connelly’s ‘Funny’ Email” (Downstroke, March 29): On behalf of the Human Relations Network of Butte County, I say that Supervisor Bill Connelly’s email to KPAY about Muslims yelling anti-American slogans is not funny. Most Muslims are loyal Americans, many fought in wars for our country, and some even died. I must mention that recently an Iraqi-American woman was killed in a hate crime in El Cajon. Remarks such as Connelly’s serve only to promote such crimes. LETTERS continued on page 6 April 5, 2012

CN&R 5

continued from page 5

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As a county supervisor, Connelly owes an apology to every Muslim, and for that matter to all of the citizens of Butte County and beyond, for his “joke.” If he is not able to see the need for this, then he has no business being a public official. WALTER BALLIN Chairperson, Human Relations Network of Butte County

Bike path is in the plan Re “Is Comanche Creek safe?” (From This Corner, by Robert Speer, March 22): With redevelopment issues likely slowing implementation of the Comanche Creek Plan, Chico City Councilman Sorensen’s statements regarding improvements fall short of the mark, so to speak. Since 1984 the Chico Urban Area Bike Plan has identified the abandoned railroad right of way from the Midway and Hegan Lane to 16th Street for development as a class 1 bike path. While not currently designated in the bike plan as a priority project with secured funding, the plan is flexible and allows for changes to be able to adapt to changing circumstances and emerging opportunities and funding sources. Completion of this project has its challenges, not the least of which is property ownership. We have experience resolving this. Public desire for more bike paths and political will could get these bike wheels rolling. Chicoans know how to do this. ED MCLAUGHLIN Chair, Chico Bicycle Advisory Committee

CN&R should consult local Re The Greenhouse (column, by Christine G.K. LaPado, March 29): As a third-generation meat processor and prominent blogger for Chico Locker & Sausage Co. Inc., I am outraged to see what was reported on LFTB (lean finely textured beef), coined “pink slime.” The explanation of what “pink slime” is—“basically the fatty offal swept up off the slaughterhouse floor”—couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, the industry term, LFTB, is never even mentioned in the column. Regardless of your stance on LFTB, if your paper is going to be writing about the meat industry, I would like you to give correct, factual information. I work hard six days a week providing our local public with quality meat products and write blogs to provide that same public with correct, factual

“Regardless of your stance on LFTB, if your paper is going to be writing about the meat industry, I would like you to give correct, factual information.”

—Jennifer Dewey

information about my industry, only to have you publish misinformation to your readers, many of whom are also my customers. For a paper that encourages people to support local, you sure aren’t practicing what you preach by your inability to consult local. It is my hope that in the future the paper won’t be afraid to use the local resources you recommend your readers to use in order to do what it is that you are paid to do, report. JENNIFER DEWEY Chico

Editor’s note: Go to chicolocker sausage.com for more of Ms. Dewey’s writings on this subject.

Bay DDT update Re “Toxins linger in S.F. Bay” (Earthwatch, March 29): Federal and state cleanup efforts have been successful in removing a large amount of DDT from the Lauritzen Channel and impacting the Inner Richmond Harbor. As a result, DDT concentrations in sediment in the Santa Fe Channel, Parr Canal, and Inner Richmond Harbor are no longer significantly impacting wildlife. DDT concentrations specifically in sediment in the Lauritzen Channel (8 acres) are still high and have increased over time. MARY SIMMS Press Officer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency San Francisco

His chickens aren’t caged Re “Chickens come first” (Chow, by Alastair Bland, March 29): This article is not quite accurate. I don’t use cages ... in any shape, size or form whatsoever. My flocks are all kept in barns and outbuildings together with their roosting poles and nesting boxes. They are let out each morning at dawn. CHRIS COPLEY Corning

Editor’s note: “Cages” was a poor choice of words; the author used it only in the sense of “places of confinement.” Our apologies.

Why risk it? Re “Fighting for their families” (Cover story, by Meredith J. Gra-

ham, March 22): Yes, it is a tragedy that a mother was separated from her young children. As a mother of two young girls, I know how precious every minute is at that age. And yes, she was probably not putting her kids in danger, but her lifestyle and decisions to grow medical marijuana were. Two years ago I was put in a similar situation where my partner decided to get into the “growing” business. When I heard that children were being taken away from their parents because of growing, I chose to not be involved. The possible risk of losing my daughter and unborn child was not a risk I was willing to take. I feel in this situation the CPS did exactly what they were supposed to do: protect the children. Parents need to know the risks before deciding to engage in growing marijuana. If people are selfish enough to take those risks when kids are involved, then they need to deal with the consequences. ASHLEY HARDIN Chico

Reed would save Medicare North State candidacies for the June 5 primary election have been announced, listing eight hopefuls to replace Wally Herger in the 1st Congressional District. Only one would act in the people’s interest to save Social Security and Medicare. That’s Jim Reed, a country lawyer from eastern Shasta County, who pledges to keep those institutions stable. Reed ran against Herger in 2010, polling strongly in the area while winning in Butte County. He has sharpened his message in 2012 and will be a strong voice in Congress, which has an excellent chance of again returning to the Democrats. With President Obama leading the way, we can move the United States forward, enacting the president’s job program and other legislation to benefit the working people of our country. ROBERT WOODS Chico More letters online:

We’ve got 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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More than 500 people paid to register for the Run to Save Bidwell Mansion, but only about 300 participated. Others chose to stay dry on the mansion grounds, where an afterparty was held.

CHICO MAY HAVE NEW POLICE CHIEF

Last Friday (March 30), City Manager Dave Burkland announced he was appointing Capt. Kirk Trostle as Chico’s interim police chief effective April 21, the day after Chief Mike Maloney retires. This week, Burkland said Trostle has “indicated to me some interest in the permanent position.” Burkland said that, while there were some capable applicants during one round of recruitment, none really qualified to be Chico’s chief. At the time, nobody within the department had applied. Trostle is the former Oroville chief of police. He began his law enforcement career with the Butte County Sheriff’s Office in 1988 and in 1994 joined the Butte County District Attorney’s Office. He joined the Oroville Police Department in 2006. DA Mike Ramsey said Trostle is “very approachable and friendly. He is no pushover, but I have kidded him in the past that as a cop he’d just as soon hug someone as shoot them.” Should Burkland appoint Trostle as the permanent chief, the City Council must give its approval.

PETITION DRIVE ON THE ESPLANADE

Chico Democrats set up tables at the corner of East 10th Avenue and The Esplanade last Sunday (April 1) to collect signatures to try to qualify Gov. Jerry Brown’s Schools & Local Public Safety Protection Act of 2012. “A couple just signed without getting off their bikes,” said Mike Hawkins, petitioner and longtime voter-registration activist. The act would aim to help fund California’s schools, health-, senior- and child-care programs, as well as police, fire, parks and transportation. It would raise the sales tax by one-quarter cent over four years, and the income taxes on those earning more than $250,000 a year for the next seven years. Some 1.2 million signatures are needed in the next month to qualify the measure. “We want to remind people to do their civic duty by taking action,” said Bob Mulholland, a petitioner and longtime Democratic Party adviser. He said the effort will be repeated at the same location two or three more times toward the end of May.

BOXING CHAMP DEFENDS TITLE

World champion boxer and Chico native Ava Knight successfully defended her International Boxing Federation flyweight crown last Saturday, March 31, in Los Cabos, Mexico. The 23-year-old Knight (pictured) pounded her way to a 10th-round technical knockout over Thailand’s Hongfah Tor Buamas. “Before the last round my coach told me to take her out and I threw lots of knockout punches, but she wouldn’t go down,” recalled Knight, who lives in Oakland but teaches boxing at In Motion Fitness when visiting Chico. Knight (8 wins, 1 loss, 3 ties) first won the world championship with a knockout last October. She hopes to fight again soon against champions from other leagues.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEBRA LUCERO

CN&R FILE PHOTO

Much ado about the mansion Bidwell Mansion Association’s future is uncertain

A Bidwell Mansion carried community fundraising efforts across the proverbial finish lthough last Saturday’s Run for

line—a $100,000 goal to protect the landmark from closing its doors in the next year—mansion advocates remain concerned about the by building’s future in light of the Ken Smith California State Park Commiskens@ sion’s decision to terminate its newsreview.com cooperative agreement with the Bidwell Mansion Association. The break is due to a 2001 clerical error resulting in a lapse in the BMA’s nonprofit status and stipulations in its contract Learn more with the state that their partneronline: ship be terminated in such an The Bidwell Mansion event. The BMA received a 90Association day termination letter last maintains a November that took effect in website at February, when it also received a www.bidwell letter demanding the transfer of mansion association.com all BMA funds—which BMA with President Kay Brandt estimated organizational and at around $140,000—to the Bidhistoric well Bar Association, another information. nonprofit organization partnered with State Parks. The BMA contends that state officials said the problem was fixable and the association took the necessary measures to make it right. “As soon as we were notified, we started working on the problem,” Brandt said. “We made several calls and sent letters of inquiry to the IRS about how to fix it. We finally involved [Congressman] Wally Herger’s office and a taxpayer advocate. “In February, we were notified by the IRS

8 CN&R April 5, 2012

Check off after proofing:

that the error had been fixed, all tax forms had been corrected and we were restored retroactively, but the state decided to continue with terminating the BMA as their cooperating organization.” The money in question is different than the $100,000-plus raised in the run and other events organized by the Bidwell Mansion Community Project—a separate organization—though the BMA recently donated $25,000 earmarked to continue educational programs at the mansion (which is a state historic park). Brandt explained the BMA was

formed in 1983 when two earlier organizations—the Bidwell Mansion Restoration Association and Bidwell Mansion Cooperating Association—merged and reorganized into one entity. In all of its incarnations, the BMA has contributed to the preservation and restoration of the mansion since 1956, with the BMRA spearheading the building’s establishment as a state park in 1964. Brandt said original funding for what would eventually be known as the BMA came from a trust established by the late Dorothy Hill, an anthropologist and founding member of the BMRA. She said the money has contributed to mansion-improvement projects and that the nonprofit has always operated responsibly and openly. “These are all charitable donations we feel the public has entrusted us with for the preservation, restoration and interpretation of Bidwell Mansion, and to keep it as a public institution for

everyone,” she said. “That’s what we’ve done since 1956, and we want to keep doing that. “We’ve always acted in good faith,” she continued. “We’ve never met without a representative from the state present, or done anything without their input and approval. It’s part of our contract with them.” The state didn’t just call for the money; it also demanded such items as the BMA’s computer and dinnerware. Brandt assumed the organization could retain records of past meetings and sent BMA treasurer Dianne Wrona to fetch a binder full of minutes stored in the mansion’s Visitor Center on Feb. 26. Less than two hours after doing so, she was visited at her home by a pair of State Park rangers who demanded she return the documents. In a written statement provided by the BMA, Wrona said she felt “pressured and overpowered, alone in the house with two armed park rangers” who said they couldn’t leave without the items. Wrona eventually retrieved the items from her car, and said the officers followed her through her kitchen and into her garage without a requested or implied invitation to do so. The BMA’s assets were supposed

to be seized March 29, but the lastminute intervention of Assemblyman Dan Logue persuaded State Parks District Superintendent Michael Fehling to issue a 30-day extension on the transfer of assets. Brandt said Logue’s office will

begin facilitating a mediation process between BMA and state officials beginning this week. News of the mediation came as a surprise to Fehling Tuesday (April 3): “I haven’t been contacted by the Bidwell Mansion Association with any attempts to work out our differences and create a new relationship,” he said. “What I know about the BMA lately I read in the paper, and it hasn’t exactly been flattering to State Parks. I don’t know if the BMA has a change of heart and wants to actually work with us or continue to play this out in the court of public opinion.” Fehling said this isn’t a matter of whether the BMA can retain its status, as it already has been lost: “It is important to point out that the contract was terminated already; it was terminated at the time they lost their nonprofit status,” he said. “So the reinstatement of that status didn’t un-violate the contract. “There were some tax issues that date back to as early as 2001. We didn’t become aware of this until just recently, and we’re hoping to get through this as quickly as possible and to keep things moving along.” Fehling said he doesn’t personally object to establishing a new contract with the BMA and doesn’t know anyone at State Parks who would. A decision to do so would come from him and from executive staff from headquarters, he said. “The BMA would have to come with us with a viable business plan, something we could work with,” he said. Meanwhile, the state’s marching orders remain the same: “Unless something else transpires, the BMA will be transferring their assets to the Bidwell Bar Association for receivership [April 27],” Fehling said. He explained the BBA was chosen partly because it is—as the BMA formerly was—a State Parks cooperating nonprofit association. He said the BBA will manage the money similar to how the BMA did, with funds used solely for mansion projects. In the event a new nonprofit (or perhaps even the BMA) signs a new contract with the state, the remaining funds will be placed in its care. “We also chose the BBA to make it clearly be obvious to everybody that the state was not stealing or commandeering the BMA’s money, that the money was being transferred to another association to be retained and expended in the same accordance that the BMA was supposed to be doing with Bidwell Mansion,” Fehling said. “The state did not, will not, and does not desire to take the BMA’s funds,” he continued. Brandt said the BMA does not have a contingency plan: “We’re just hoping mediation works really well,” she said. “We’d like to get back to doing what we’ve always done.” Ω

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul addresses supporters on the Chico State campus. To see a gallery of photos from the event, go to www.newsreview.com/ chico and check this story.

Libertarian lessons

PHOTO BY KYLE EMERY

Ron Paul excites his fans Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul spoke to thousands on Chico State’s Trinity Commons Tuesday, April 3. Notified just three days earlier, his supporters swarmed the lawn area and stood on benches and trash receptacles to get a view of the candidate. They chanted, “Ron Paul! Ron Paul! Ron Paul!” as the kindly looking, silver-haired, 76-year-old congressman stepped up to the lectern. “I guess you know there’s an election going on,” Paul joked. “People say I should quit, but I hear we’ll do pretty good in California.” Paul is in fourth place behind fellow Republicans Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and frontrunner Mitt Romney. Of the four, Paul easily holds the most divergent views, some of which seem anti-Republican: abolishing the Federal Reserve, opening trade with Cuba and a strong anti-war stance. “The war on Iraq was all based on lies,” Paul announced to the enthusiastic crowd. “We were told that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction; that al-Qaida was in league with him and that an attack by Iraq was imminent upon us.” He drew loud applause when he voiced disagreement with America’s penchant for war. “I want all wars to stop, and 70 percent of Americans want us out of Afghanistan,” he said. His opposition to war is what attracts so many students, said attendee and longtime Democratic activist Bob Mulholland. “Student enthusiasm for Paul’s anti-war stance will end up helping Obama after

Romney crushes Paul,” Mulholland predicted. “Romney is pushing for war against Iran, so they’ll vote for Obama because he’s not so trigger happy.” (After Paul’s speech, Mulholland could be seen drumming up support for the Democratic opposition using an amplified megaphone to chant, “Obama! Obama! Obama!”) Paul complained that since World

War II the United States has consistently violated its own Constitution by engaging in wars without a formal declaration. He cited the examples of Vietnam, which was termed a “police action,” and more recently Libya, where authority was delegated to NATO. Throughout his 45-minute speech Paul expounded views that were generally libertarian, which he said favor extremely low government involvement globally, domesti-

SIFT|ER

cally and personally. He objected to the existence of the Federal Reserve and emphasized that the Constitution authorizes only gold and silver as a backing for our currency. He voiced particular opposition to the 2001 Patriot Act, passed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which he said curtailed civil liberties while intensifying government powers of investigation. “I’d like to repeal it in a law called, ‘The bill to restore the Fourth Amendment,’ ” he said, referring to the right to be safe from unreasonable searches and seizures. A recurring theme was the need to stop government borrowing and spending in order to relieve the massive U.S. debt. “We’ve become the biggest debtor nation in world history,” he said. He lamented how Americans had long ago lost sight of the meaning of liberty and convinced themselves that prosperity came from government. “But now the treasury is empty, so we must produce wealth again,” he said. Paul received an enthusiastic response when he voiced opposition to drug laws. He said he believes that both Democrats and Republicans can agree that states, not the federal government, should decide on the legality of marijuana and other drugs. “I think people who commit victimless drug crimes should be treated like addicted patients and not criminals,” he said to roaring reception. “We have 25 percent of the world’s prisoners, but we’re not that bad a people.” Paul seemed uncomfortable when asked how students feel about him advocating fewer funds for schools. He responded that he had to work his way through college and that students would be better off without huge debts. Paul sounded a positive note in his desire to find common ground between Republicans and Democrats. “Winston Churchill said, ‘If you’re not a liberal at 20 you have no heart, and if you’re not a conservative at 40 you have no brain.’ I say, why can’t we have a heart and a brain all our lives?” —VIC CANTU vscantu@sbcg lobal.net

Californians worried about health-care costs According to a new survey from the California HealthCare Foundation, Californians are concerned about rising health-care costs and increasingly make decisions to delay needed care because of high costs. Despite this, only one in four of those surveyed had sought out price information before receiving care, and almost half said they did not know the cost of their insurance deductibles. The survey also found that: • Most respondents report flat premium rates and stable benefits. • Nearly 75 percent expect their health costs to increase in the future. • Almost 40 percent of those who report their costs have risen say they expect their benefits to worsen rather than improve. • Slightly more than 33 percent report delaying care in the previous year because of costs.

Ron Paul’s encore:

A musical comedy about Paul’s presidential campaign, Ron Paul: The Musical , will play next week at Chico’s Blue Room Theatre. It was written by Chico native Cameron Ford, whom locals may remember as a member of former Chico band The Secret Stolen. The musical has been performed in Chicago under Ford’s direction. His brother, Nolan, will direct the Chico version.

• One-fourth say they delayed getting a regular physical because of costs.

Source: California HealthCare Foundation

NEWSLINES continued on page 10 April 5, 2012

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Chico woman found guilty in housing scheme

A Chico real-estate broker was convicted March 29 on two counts of mail fraud connected to the local mortgage scam unveiled two years ago. A federal court jury found Kesha Haynie, 41, guilty following a six-day trial. The next day her brother, Niche Fortune, 39, was sentenced by U.S District Court Judge Edward J. Garcia to four years and nine months in prison after being found guilty of the same charges. According to court documents, Haynie operated Empire Mortgage, and from April through December of 2007 she created fraudulent loan applications and promised homebuyers kickbacks from Chico builder Tony Symmes. Symmes, one of the most productive local housing contractors, pleaded guilty in May 2010 to money-laundering and mail-fraud charges. He was scheduled to be sentenced March 30, after several postponements, but that sentencing was pushed back again to April 13. In 2006, as the local housing market cooled, Symmes found himself with more than 60 unsold new homes on his hands. He was approached by a man named Garrett Griffith Gililland III, who proposed the scheme of using straw

buyers to secure inflated loans from out-of-area lenders. The loan applications included fraudulent information about the buyers’ incomes and credit histories. The day after the close of escrow, Symmes would write checks averaging $41,000 to those involved. Haynie and her helpers, including her brother, would pay the buyers up to $29,000 and divide the rest among themselves. The houses were then rented out for a few months so they wouldn’t immediately foreclose and draw attention. Eventually, Butte County sheriff’s investigators noticed a pattern—they were discovering indoor marijuana grows in empty homes, some of which had been foreclosed upon. The Butte County District Attorneys Office and the federal government got involved, and Symmes, Haynie, Gilliland and Fortune were eventually arrested and charged. Altogether, from 2006

through 2008, Symmes sold 62 homes, financed for a total of $21 million. Thirty-eight of the houses went into foreclosure, and 10 more were the subject of short sales. The losses added up to $5 million. Symmes has been cooperating in the investigation and has paid $4 million in restitution. In 2008, Gililland and his wife, Nicole Magpusao, while under investigation, fled from their Canyon Oaks home to Argentina and then to Barcelona, from which they were extradited back to the States in 2010. They both pleaded guilty last May. Magpusao has

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been sentenced to time already served. Gililland is scheduled to be sentenced April 27. Others involved in the case include local builder William Baker, who pleaded guilty last July and is also scheduled for sentencing April 27. Shane Burreson of Orland, the president of Nor Cal Innovative Investments Inc., pleaded guilty last July to 13 counts of mail fraud and two counts of money laundering. Following Haynie’s verdict, Judge Edward Garcia said the evidence against her was “overwhelming” and that she was “in denial.” She is in custody and scheduled to be sentenced on July 6. The maximum penalty for mail fraud is 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Haynie is married to local preacher Vince Haynie, who operates a charitable organization called Love Chapmantown and is the founder, along with his wife, of a church in Chapmantown called Rhema Word of Faith. Vince Haynie, who is also a political activist, has indicated his intention to run for Chico City Council. It is unknown if his political plans have changed in light of his wife’s conviction. —TOM GASCOYNE tomg@newsreview.com

Realtor Kesha Haynie and her brother, Niche Fortune, helped sell this Tony Symmes house in north Chico under fraudulent conditions, according to federal court documents. PHOTO BY TOM GASCOYNE

Sewer stink

City Council doesn’t like the smell of forced annexation The city of Chico and the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo), agencies that must work together, are not in agreement these days when it comes to extending sewers to unincorporated areas within the Chico urban area. As the CN&R’s Tom Gascoyne previously reported (“Chapped in Chapmantown,” Jan. 5), the city historically has been willing to hook up county residents even if they haven’t annexed. Now, though, LAFCo, the über-agency that oversees cross-jurisdictional development in the county, wants to link sewer extension to annexation by having residents who connect to a city sewer line sign a covenant pledging not to oppose annexation. The agency also wants to make annexation mandatory when a majority of residents have signed such covenants and is telling the city to complete an “ultimate annexation plan” that will guarantee annexation within five to seven years. To members of the City Council, that poses two problems: making sewer connection dependent on annexation will discourage some people from hooking up, they believe, and by annexing more residents the city will take on additional expenses (for roads and other services) it can’t afford. At their meeting Tuesday (April 3), council members—minus an absent Mary Goloff—were tasked with deciding how to respond to LAFCo’s request for an ultimate annexation plan. This all stems from a 1990 state determination that the many septic systems in Chico were contributing to nitrate pollution and had to be removed. Since then the city has extended sewer lines without requiring annexation but has managed to annex 7,000 residents under its voluntary program (see maps), increasing the city’s size by 33 percent. In 2011, however, LAFCo began linking sewer connection directly to annexation. It allowed the city to continue extending sewers under an interim agreement that required residents to sign covenants. The agreement expires in June. Councilmen Mark Sorensen and Bob Evans both expressed concerns about the costs of annexation at this time, noting that under an old tax-sharing agreement, 55 percent of the property taxes from annexed lands go to the county. Ultimately all the unincorporated islands in the urban area, as well as Chapmantown, will annex to the city, noted Vice Mayor Jim Walker. “So the question is, how do we do it with the funds we have. … We need to decide what we can live with and let LAFCo know.” Mayor Ann Schwab pointed out that, in the summer of 2011, when roads were being torn up in Chapmantown to make way for

These photos illustrate just how much land the city annexed between 1990 (bottom) and 2008 (top). Dark areas are in the city, white areas in the county. MAPS COURTESY OF CITY OF CHICO

sewer lines, “people were wanting to hook up, but all of a sudden there were all these covenants to sign.” She acknowledged that LAFCo’s mission is to eliminate pockets of county in the urban area, but hooking up to sewers is a publichealth issue and more important than annexing at this time, she said. After much discussion, the council agreed, 5-1, to continue with the covenants but to tell LAFCo that the city wouldn’t annex a given area until it knew it had sufficient resources to provide services. Councilman Andy Holcombe dissented out of opposition to the covenants. The council also decided to ask staff to try to renegotiate the tax-sharing agreement with Butte County. In other council news: Citing state law prohibiting discrimination against renters, the council unanimously denied an appeal of Planning Commission approval of 23 rental units to be built on two remaining empty lots, at East 20th Street and Hutchinson, in the Doe Mill Neighborhood. Opponents argued that the rentals weren’t part of the original plan, which called for town houses. Council members noted, though, that it was very much in keeping with the general-plan and zoning-ordinance designations for the property. Also, the council agreed to let the Butte Environmental Council build a 1-acre community garden on city-owned land at the corner of Humboldt and Notre Dame, across from Hank Marsh Junior High School and bordering Little Chico Creek. Council members waxed poetic about the many benefits of gardening. —ROBERT SPEER roberts@newsreview.com

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CN&R 11

THE PULSE BAD NEWS FOR CARNIVORES

HEALTHLINES

Nursing crunch

People who eat red meat on a regular basis may be reducing their lifespan significantly, a Harvard School of Public Health study concludes. The study, which appeared online in Archives of Internal Medicine, found that daily consumption of unprocessed red meat increased the risk of mortality by 13 percent, while a daily serving of processed meat—one hot dog or two strips of bacon—was associated with a 20 percent increased risk of early death, according to ABC News. The authors suggested substituting other sources of protein—such as fish, poultry or nuts—which could lower the risk of mortality by 7 to 19 percent. “It’s not really surprising because red-meat consumption has been linked to an increased risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer,” said Dr. Frank Hu, co-author of the study.

Denise Adams, Butte College’s director of Health Occupations, supervises RN student Kyle Thompson as he checks vitals on a “simulator” patient. PHOTO BY KYLE EMORY

FITNESS, NUTRITION SLOW OBESITY RATES

California’s childhood obesity rates—on the rise for decades—are showing signs of slowing, according to a UC Davis study. The report, “Obesity and Physical Fitness in California School Children,” published in the American Heart Journal, found that the obesity rate climbed by only 0.33 percent per year between 2003 and 2008, while earlier studies had shown the rate increasing somewhere between 0.8 and 1.7 percent each year, according to EdSource. The study analyzed records of 6.3 million fifth-, seventh-, and ninth-graders. The study’s authors credited the improvement to fitness and nutritional standards implemented in 1999 that require an average of 20 minutes of exercise per day for K-6 students and 40 minutes for seventh- through 12thgraders, plus a ban on candy bars and soda in school vending machines.

A VERY DEADLY HABIT

Tobacco-related deaths have tripled worldwide in the past decade and will kill a billion people by the end of the century if current trends continue, a new report finds. The report, led by the World Lung Foundation and the American Cancer Society, found the tobacco industry has consistently undermined public-health measures like plain packaging, banning smoking in public places, advertising bans and warnings on cartons, according to Reuters. Tobacco has killed 50 million people in the last 10 years and is responsible for 15 percent of all male deaths and 7 percent of all female deaths. The report also noted that smoking rates are declining in developed countries but increasing in poorer areas. Together, the six largest tobacco firms in the world made $35.1 billion profit in 2010, equivalent to the combined profits of CocaCola, Microsoft and McDonald’s. 12 CN&R April 5, 2012

Butte College program hit by funding cuts, forced to slash enrollment in face of nationwide nursing shortage by

Evan Tuchinsky ideacultivators@aol.com

Wfrom Chico State’s nursing program in 1984, she found herself in great demand.

hen Denise Adams graduated

The United States was reeling from a nursing shortage, so opportunities for registered nurses were plentiful. She elected to stay in Chico, treating patients at Enloe Medical Center for 14 years. Once again, the country has a nursing shortage, but Adams sees the supplydemand curve from a different angle. She’s now director of Health Occupations at Butte College, overseeing the community college’s nursing, emergency services and respiratory-therapy programs. Rather than being part of the supply, she helps create the supply. “My patients now are students,” Adams said. Butte College has been graduating up to 40 registered nurses per semester. Demand for them is high. Just two weeks ago, she received a report showing 90 openings for registered nurses in the area served by the Butte-Glenn Community College District. Some positions require more experience than nursing school, but the report drove home the point that the North State needs the nurses coming out of Butte and Chico State. Unfortunately, Butte will graduate far fewer registered nurses in coming years. That’s because, at the end of 2011, the program lost some of the grant funding that

had enabled the college to expand its RN program four-fold. Before the 2006 expansion, Butte College accepted 24 RN students each fall. From 2006 through 2011, it accepted 48 each fall and added a spring class, also with 48. Now, Butte College will be able to admit only 24 students in the fall and 24 in the spring—more than it did six years ago, but a marked decline nonetheless. “We actually feel blessed that we were able to get so many students through the program in such a short period of time,” Adams said. “The college is not thrilled about [cutting back], but funding is what funding is, and we only can do what we can do.” Oroville Hospital and Enloe are among the medical centers that hire Butte College RN graduates. Carol Speer-Smith, chief of nursing at Oroville Hospital, is particularly concerned by the funding reduction since “a good 80 percent of our RN hires come out of there.” Speer-Smith has experienced

two nursing shortages during her quartercentury at the hospital and says the quality of care improves when she can hire nurses with “longevity in the community.” The alternative is to hire temporary, traveling nurses who are not as familiar with the hospital or the area. Each nursing student at Butte College does at least one rotation through wards at Oroville Hospital, which acquaints them with the medical center and acquaints Speer-Smith with them. In addition, nurses at Oroville Hospital serve as part-time faculty at Butte College. “We have a very symbiotic relationship,” Speer-Smith said. “The quality of the program at Butte College is excellent. … I worry about not having applicants and having to hire out of state. We’d rather have people who are local and very dedicated.” HEALTHLINES continued on page 14

APPOINTMENTS ART AND HEALING On Thursday, April 12, the Enloe Regional Cancer Center (265 Cohasset Road) is hosting a free reception for Amber Palmer and Kimmie Ranalla, artists featured in its Healing Arts Gallery—a space dedicated to California artists whose lives have been touched by cancer. The reception, which will run from 4:30 to 6 p.m., will include light refreshments and live music. Call 332-3856 for more information.

Hospitalists Caring for Patients remember when doctors made house calls? if so, then you know how much the practice of medicine has changed over the years. Nowadays, patients usually go to the physician, not the other way around. Of course, hospitalized patients do get

totality and has a shorter length of stay.” Hospitalists, in turn, do not face some of the challenges associated with outpatient care. “you don’t have that constant pull of having to go back to the office,” Dr. Seaman says. “you don’t get patient calls and don’t have to deal

bedside visits. Doctors make their rounds once,

with medication renewals all the time. you’re

maybe twice, a day to provide all-important

just focused on the needs and wants and the

personal attention.

medical care of the patient while they’re in the

But what if a patient has a pressing need

hospital.”

when his or her physician is out of the hospital? Complications can arise at any time. Private practitioners have appointments to keep and patients to see in their offices and clinics, so they aren’t always available at a moment’s notice.

“We take care of patients effectively, quickly, and efficiently.”

Patients at Oroville Hospital needn’t worry. every day, at all hours of the

Patients benefit from all this attention.

day or night, physicians stand

Oroville Hospital has been able to streamline

ready to rush to any unit of the

procedures as well as improve its safety ratings

medical center.

to among the highest in the nation since

They’re called hospitalists. Oroville Hospital began employing

establishing the Hospitalist Program. Hospitalists at Oroville Hospital come from

these inpatient specialists in 2003,

a variety of backgrounds. Many received

and they’ve since become a fixture.

training in internal medicine. Others are family

“Hospitalists admit patients to the hospital, take care of them while they’re here and then discharge them back to their primary-care doctor,” explains Dr. laurence Seaman, chief of staff at Oroville Hospital, who also oversees the intensive Care Unit and the Hospitalist Program.

medicine doctors who decided to close private practices. Dr. Seaman is a former emergency room physician. The common denominator is a commitment to caring for seriously ill people. “Many large hospitals now have programs that are similar to what we’ve started and instituted several years ago. we’ve been a

“it’s better in the long run because there’s

forerunner.” Dr. Seaman says, with justified

a hospitalist available 24/7 to see a patient,

pride. “we take care of patients effectively,

whereas an outpatient doctor can only come

quickly, and efficiently at Oroville Hospital.”

in when he’s available. it’s more efficient. you can get tests done a lot quicker and get results back a lot faster. There’s always someone right there to take care of the problem—if a patient has a critical change, somebody is there within minutes.” “That wasn’t always true in the old days,” Dr. Seaman notes. “Somebody would have to come in from his or her office, or come in from home, to take care of a critically ill patient. Now the patient actually gets better care in

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‘All About Nursing’:

Butte College hosts informational workshops about its nursing program several times a year. The next session is April 16. For more information on “All About Nursing” workshops or the program in general, log onto www.butte.edu and put “nursing” in the search box.

Butte College’s nursing pro-

gram is actually three programs in one. The college offers certification for licensed vocational nurses (LVNs). It offers a “step-up” program for LVNs to become RNs. Finally, it offers a full program that allows nurses to earn an associate’s degree on top of RN certification. The funding spike that allowed for the expansion of that program back in 2006 came from a Workforce Investment Act Healthy Communities Grant. It ended in December 2011. In the fall of 2008, Butte College also received a California Community College Chancellor’s Office enrollment growth grant; that has allowed Adams to maintain the spring class, albeit with reduced admissions. Butte College receives up to 400 qualified applicants for 24 spots a semester. The college conducts a lottery each April and September, weighted to increase the odds of repeat applications. The three-semester LVN program admits 24 students each 18 months. The nursing program features 15 full-time faculty members and “a variety of part-time faculty,” Adams explained. Those nurses work elsewhere in the community and lend their real-world expertise to “clinical sections.” “Students love working with part-time faculty because they’re actually at the bedside,” Adams said. “The nurses [on the part-time faculty] love it because they get a chance to stretch their wings.”

Adams dedicates a full-time faculty member to coordinating simulations as well as “student success.” Butte College has four “high-fidelity” simulators—that is, computerized mechanical “patients” with whom students interact—along with a pediatric simulator and a pregnancy simulator. The faculty coordinator also is available for students who have concerns or struggles in particular coursework, which Adams says has increased pass rates and decreased attrition. Still, despite the successes, Butte College is like other nursing schools nationwide fighting an uphill battle amid funding cuts. “The nursing shortage has not gone away,” Adams said. “It’s going to be a challenge for the local community. But I’m glad we’re able to keep our program, and our graduates are well-respected. “We’re doing our part. We’re doing our best. We just have to see how things continue to unfold.” Speer-Smith, Oroville Hospital’s nursing chief, added the following challenge as food for thought: “If football programs can be financed, why can’t a program for people who can save your life be financed?” Ω

WEEKLY DOSE

NEWS & REVIEW BUSINE

Make a check-up checklist Now that springtime is here, you might be thinking about heading to the doctor’s office for a regular check-up. That’s a good idea, because getting an examination regularly will help you stay healthy. Make the most out of your appointment by being prepared. To do so, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests making a check-up checklist.

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Review: Think about your family history and report to the doctor any new conditions or diseases. Due: Determine whether you’re up to date on the screening tests based on your family history, health, age and lifestyle (such as mammogram, cholesterol screening, colon-cancer screening, etc). Document: Take note of changes to your body, including any odd symptoms you’ve been experiencing. Write down the questions you have for the doctor. Look ahead: Is there something specific you want to discuss, such as quitting smoking or losing weight? This is the time to address your future health needs. Source: www.cdc.gov/family/checkuplist/index.htm

ISSUE DATE

EARTH WATCH COSTLY EFFECTS OF WARMING SEAS

If greenhouse-gas emissions continue at their current pace, the cost of damage to the world’s oceans could reach $2 trillion a year by the end of the century. That’s according to a new study by the Stockholm Environment Institute. Titled “Valuing the Ocean,” the study projects that the average global temperature will rise 4 degrees Celsius by 2100, resulting in sea acidification, sea-level rise, marine pollution, species migration, increasingly intense tropical cyclones and the extinction of many species of fish and coral reefs, according to Reuters. The biggest cost would come from a loss of tourism, amounting to some $639 billion a year. The study recommended the United Nations appoint a “high commissioner of oceans” to oversee future research and coordinate preventative measures.

GREENWAYS

The king of cactus When it comes to cacti and succulents, French ex-pat Claude Geffray is the man

Claude Geffray ponders a hardy Opuntia cactus growing on the grounds of his expansive cactusand-succulent nursery in north Chico.

GET TOUGHER ON FRACKING

A clear majority of Americans favor tighter regulation of fracking, the controversial naturalgas drilling technique, a poll finds. Conducted last month by Bloomberg News, the survey revealed that 65 percent of participants said more regulation should be imposed on hydraulic fracturing, 18 percent were in favor of less regulation and 17 percent said they weren’t sure. Fracking has been the subject of heated environmental debate, as evidence suggests that the technique has caused earthquakes in Ohio, and chemicals used in the process have tainted groundwater in Pennsylvania and Wyoming. “That actually doesn’t surprise me,” Mark Boling, executive vice president for the Houstonbased Southern Energy Co., said of the poll. “We have been so focused as an industry on figuring out how to crack the code and get these huge volumes of gas trapped in shale formations. We haven’t focused on the things we have to do differently above ground.”

Above: Inside one of Geffray’s numerous greenhouses.

BEEKEEPERS PETITION AGAINST PESTICIDE

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is taking a close look at the effect of a pesticide that environmental groups and commercial beekeepers charge harms honeybees. More than 1.25 million people backed a federal petition, submitted on March 21, to discontinue use of the neonicotinoid insecticide clothianidin, a chemical that disrupts the central nervous system in insects, according to The Sacramento Bee. Beekeepers and some scientists believe the pesticide weakens the immune system in honeybees and contributes to colony collapse disorder, which can cause all of a colony’s adult honeybees to die at once. France, Germany and Italy already have limited or banned the use of the controversial chemical. Pollinators such as bees are critical to agriculture, particularly in California, the main producer of fruits and vegetables in the country.

story and photos by

Christine G.K. LaPado christinel@ newsreview.com

This many plants are a familiar sight at the Saturday morning and Thursday night o say that Claude Geffray and

farmers’ markets is almost an understatement. If you don’t know of Geffray, chances are good that you’ve never been to either market, or else you are just not paying attention. Geffray and his countless varieties of cacti and succulents—from spiny little barrel cacti, to prickly paddle-shaped cinnamon cacti, to the Pleiospilos nelii, a curious-looking succulent resembling a speckled rock with a split down the middle— have been a fixture at both markets for years. And if, for some reason, you can’t

picture him, think this: irresistible French accent. Oui—that’s Claude Geffray. Geffray’s Gardens—as locals know the charming 61-year-old’s retail business— started up in 1987, two years after Geffray came to Chico from the San Francisco Bay Area, where he was a construction worker

Cacti and succulents galore:

Claude Geffray’s many varieties of cacti and succulents are available both retail and wholesale. Geffray’s Gardens’ plants are available at both the Saturday downtown farmers’ market and the DCBA’s Thursdaynight market, as well as at Geffray’s north-Chico nursery. Every four to five weeks Geffray hosts a two-day plant sale at his nursery. The next one is scheduled for April 27-28, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For info, call 345-2849 Head to www.creativecacti.com to learn more about the custom-creation and landscaping side of Geffray’s business, Creative Cacti and Succulents.

after leaving his home country of France. Over the years, his plant nursery expanded from fairly tight quarters at a house on Normal Avenue to the spacious, 1-acre digs in north Chico it now occupies—a place he refers fondly to as “my little kingdom.” As many Chicoans know, Geffray hosts a popular, roughly once-amonth plant sale there, featuring 20 to 50 percent off of all plants, which number “around 20 to 25 thousand.” Geffray also designs unique container gardens, and offers custom landscaping services for homes and businesses, under the name Creative Cacti and Succulents. Additionally, he sells wholesale to a number of Northern California nurseries— approximately 70 percent of his business. “I bought my first cactus at a flea market in Sausalito,” said Geffray recently by phone from San Diego, where he was GREENWAYS continued on page 16 April 5, 2012

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“running from nursery to nursery” purchasing new plants. “From then on, I kept buying and planting new ones. When I came to Chico, I brought a nice collection with me—a couple hundred or more.” That’s when Geffray decided to go into the nursery business. “I started with a few plants at the [Saturday] farmers’ market when it was at Gold Country Market,” he said, referring to the defunct grocery store that used to be on Orient Street. “And I’ve been at the DCBA’s Thursday Night Market from the beginning.” Geffray has noticed a steady

increase in sustainability-savvy customers purchasing his plants for their superior drought-resistant, water-saving qualities: “They are tired of throwing gallons of water on their lawns, and are replacing them with cacti. Some just put a little bit of cacti in the corner in the landscape, but it’s a start.” Cacti and succulents are all plants that “are able to store water in their body, in their flesh, in their roots,” said Geffray. Hence they are perfect for low-water gardening.

ECO EVENT SPRING WILDFLOWER TOURS

Guided tours of the North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, approximately seven miles north of Oroville, are being offered each Saturday in April from 10 a.m. to noon, and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. California Deptartment of Fish and Game guides will educate hikers about the area’s geology, vernal pools, waterfalls, wildflowers and wildlife. Call (916) 358-2869 or go online to http://tiny url.com/tabletour to reserve a spot or for more information. A donation of $6 per adult is requested, which goes to support the tour program.

The spiky-leaved agave plant is a perfect plant for such a garden, Geffray said. “Many of the agaves—it is a genus with many species—are hardy enough to tolerate the winter [in Chico]. Just make sure the soil drains pretty well.” An ideal situation for an agave is to plant it on a mound formed from soil that has been sufficiently aerated by adding gravel, sand or

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UNCOMMON SENSE Sustainable holiday Please, don’t make the Easter Bunny cry. You can enjoy the holiday’s bounty of candy and fun without wreaking havoc on the green environment in which our furry friends so cutely romp. The bloggers at Wise Bread suggest a list of five affordable ways to make Easter more eco-friendly. Dye eggs using natural dyes: Skip the store-bought tablets in favor of the natural pigments imparted by beets, turmeric, red cabbage or onion skins. No plastic grass: Green up your Easter basket with paper grass instead of plastic. There are a variety of decorative paper grasses out there—even unbleached plain paper—and you can even shred your own.

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Bulk up: Cut down on the amount of packaging around your candy by skipping multiple bags and scooping your own. Even less plastic: Stock Easter baskets with multi-use toys like jump ropes and books, and choose foil-wrapped over plastic-wrapped candies. Junior eco-warriors: Go a whole other direction for the spring holiday. Skip the candies altogether and hand out baskets of seeds and simple gardening supplies likes gloves, tools and pots. Source: www.wisebread.com

pumice to “let the water go through more easily.” The genus of cacti called Echinopsis, too, is highly suitable. “They are all pretty hardy, and they get beautiful flowers,” said Geffray of the South American natives. “They are very showy, very pretty. Some grow high and some grow low on the ground. Each has a different function for a different place in the landscape.” Geffray is also very fond of the Opuntia, or paddle cactus. Because of its shape—“fan shaped with big pads”—it is a good accent in the landscape, Geffray said, “especially in the background, because they tend to be big.” The leafy succulent genus called sedum—“native from the Alps in Europe”—and another called sempervivum are also excellent choices for Chico’s climate. Some sempervivums are hardy “to minus-10 and minus-20 degrees Fahrenheit,” Geffray noted, and sedum “is great between stepping stones—they grow wherever there’s any soil.” Ask Geffray—who has a bachelor’s degree in ceramics and sculpture—why he loves the cacti and succulents so much, and his speech becomes poetic. “Cacti are threedimensional and they have sculptural patterns. They surprise you all the time,” he said. “I love the patterns and the textures and the shapes and, you know, the way the light of the sun plays on them at different times of the day. And then, all of a sudden, there’s a flower! “There are so many facets of each plant, so many different ways the light and shadow can play—I like that. I was born in Normandy, in France, and there is no cactus [native to] there. To me, they are exotic plants and I love them.” Ω

THE

reen HOUSE by Christine G.K. LaPado christinel@ newsreview.com

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BEAN EXTRAVAGANZA! Kalan Redwood, of Manton-based Redwood Seeds (cer-

tified-organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, non-GMO), will join with the folks from GRUB on Apr. 14 in the Gateway Science Museum’s lovely Sustainability Garden to present a workshop on dried beans called “Full of Beans: A Legume Extravaganza.” “Beans offer a valuable source of protein and nutrition in a small homestead or urban garden,” Redwood wrote in a recent email. “Learn the ins and outs of planting, seed saving, harvesting and cooking.” Part of the class will include a taste test featuring many varieties of dried beans, including pretty Tiger’s Eye and striking, black-and-white Orca beans. The workshop will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. and is free, but attendees must pay museum admission: $5 for adults, $3 for kids (museum members get in free). The Gateway Science Museum is located at 625 The Esplanade. For more info, contact Beans, beans—the magical legume! Redwood at info@redwoodseeds.net or call 524-5537. Check out www.redwoodseeds.net for more about Redwood Seeds’ wide-ranging seed selection (including beans, dried and otherwise).

HELPING PAKISTAN, CONT. In last week’s column, I wrote about the Glow

of Hope Project fundraiser—raising money for a women’s school in Pakistan—that I attended. At it, I had the opportunity to peruse an interesting cookbook called Quick Healthy Recipes (pictured), compiled by local author Gayle Kimball, which is being sold as a fundraiser for another worthy Pakistan-based cause, the Open Doors Literacy Project (ODLP). Kimball cofounded ODLP with Hassan Saeed, a Pakistani university student and literacy teacher. Saeed “travels to villages in the suburbs of Peshawar, Pakistan, to teach a 100-day course in basic Urdu literacy and numeracy,” says the ODLP website (head to www.opendoorsliteracyproject.weebly.com for more info). “Each class meets six days a week for two hours in a home volunteered for the purpose, since most of the villages have no school.” “With no administrative costs [Saeed is the lone teacher], the funds go to workbooks, transportation and Hassan’s salary, which helps with his college tuition,” wrote Kimball in a recent email. “Some of the students are also involved in microfinance projects to raise money and use their new literacy skills.” The cookbook, which is loaded with healthful, easy-to-prepare recipes (such as an intriguing raw-foods cake using ground almonds as “flour”) is available at S&S Organic Produce & Natural Foods (1924 Mangrove Ave., 343-4930) and 100th Monkey Books (830 Broadway, 894-8115).

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textured beef,” as the meat industry labels it) is staying in the news. The now-infamous, controversial stuff that is “made from fatty bits of leftover meat that are heated, spun to remove the fat, compressed into blocks and exposed to ammonia to kill bacteria,” as MSNBC.com’s The Bottom Line described it, was the subject of a recent “swap meat” at Southern California-based supermarket chain Fresh & Easy. The chain offered customers a chance to trade in pink-slime-containing ground beef bought from competitors for Fresh & Easy’s slime-less ground beef. “We’ve had an incredible response,” Fresh & Easy spokesman Brendan Wonnacott was quoted as telling MSNBC.com. “It’s not about the cost [to the company], it’s about the opportunity for customers to get ground beef they know they can trust and learn about us.” EMAIL YOUR GREEN HOME, GARDEN AND COMMUNITY TIPS TO CHRISTINE AT CHRISTINEL@NEWSREVIEW.COM

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CN&R 17

A Chico man recounts what his life was like as an American child living in a very different Iraq by Philip A. Dennis

he U.S. military occupation of Iraq ended last December, after nine years of bloody, inconclusive, and difficult-to-comprehend military conflict. It cost more than 4,000 American lives, left 32,000 U.S. soldiers wounded, and cost billions of taxpayer dollars. Iraqi loss of life was much, much higher, and more than 4 million people were displaced from their homes. The future of this small, rich country, where some of the earliest civilizations on earth developed, seems very uncertain. The sadness of the whole, tragic conflict is especially poignant to me, because in 1952 and â&#x20AC;&#x2122;53 I lived in Baghdad as a boy, and I still remember life in a very different Iraq.

This photo shows the author, then 6 years old, with an unidentified Iraqi friend in his familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back yard in Baghdad. As with all homes in the city, it was surrounded by a high wall. PHOTO COURTESY OF PHIL DENNIS

18 CN&R April 5, 2012

My father was a groundwater geologist who taught at Texas Tech University, but who also took foreign assignments for the United Nations in different parts of the world. In Iraq, his main assignment was helping develop groundwater resources in rural areas of the country. Our family lived in a very ordinary middle-income residential area of Baghdad, and we had many close Iraqi friends. With some of them, we attended the coronation of King Faisal II in 1953. Iraqis were happy, and we were happy along with them. As beautiful, extravagant fireworks burst open in the warm Mesopotamian air, we cheered alongside our new friends as young Prince Faisal was crowned king, there in the cradle of civilization. Iraq had just gained its independence from British colonial rule. Many middle-class Iraqis were optimistic about an independent future, toward which their new young king would lead them. They were happy to have, at last, an independent country of their own.

I was just 6 years old, and this was to be my first year in school. My parents enrolled me in a French convent school, where I joined many other children of expatriates. It was supposed to be one of the best schools in the city, and I studied with children of many different nationalities. My classmates included Indonesians, Europeans, children from various parts of the Arab world, and me, the only American. We studied in both French and English, but not of course in Arabic, which was considered only a local, colloquial language, not the sort of thing young, upand-coming professionals needed to know. We learned nothing of the glories of Mesopotamian civilization, whose ruins surrounded us. My older brother, Art, attended Baghdad University, and my older sister, Lynn, attended another school whose nature I no longer remember. Both of them made many friends their own ages and were out of the house a lot. Our chief complaint, as far as I remember, was occasional bouts of diarrhea from contaminated

The author’s father, P. Eldon Dennis (center), with his friends and fellow geologists Abbas Baghdadi (left), an Iraqi, and John Brand, an American. PHOTO COURTESY OF PHIL DENNIS

“Who are you?” they asked Pierre first. “My name is Pierre, and I am French!” he responded. “French, ugh, horrible!” they said, and made faces. The French, although I did not know it then, had fought with the British over a large part of the Middle East and Africa. It was an unhappy legacy for poor little Pierre. “And who are you?” they asked me. “My name is Philip, and I am American!” I said proudly. “American! American!” the girls shouted happily. One of them picked me up, kissed me on the face, then passed me off to another. I was handed from teenager to teenager and suffered dozens of happy kisses until I finally managed to squirm free and escape. For a 6drinking water. I remember going to a very kind Dutch doctor who prescribed anti-diarrheal medicines and warned us to be more careful about our drinking water. My father, in his own innocent way, hired our gardener to teach me Arabic. The gardener was a poor man who came two or three times a week to work in the yard and the flower beds. He was barely literate in his own language, but he dutifully tried to teach me basic words and phrases, since it was the will of Sahib that he do so. I remember him as a kind, cheerful man, dressed in rags for working in the yard, sitting with me in the shade and patiently teaching me words and phrases. One day he didn’t show up to work in the garden, and several days passed with no sign of him. Finally he appeared, disheveled and distraught. With hand signs and his few words of English, he told us that his wife had died. She had evidently touched a live wire near the poor hut where they lived, probably one of the wires used to pirate electricity from a main line. We tried to comfort him as best we could, in spite of the language barrier. His pain and his sorrow moved us very deeply. The nearby Catholic convent I attended was staffed by French and English nuns. I remember the English nuns as fat and self-consciously proper, quite concerned with reminding us of who they were and who we were, respectively. I dressed each day in my black uniform and went off to school with my French friend, Pierre, who lived near us. The school must have been quite close, for I don’t remember my father and mother ever driving me there

About the author:

Phil Dennis is a cultural anthropologist who now teaches part time at Chico State. He earned his doctorate at Cornell and taught at Texas Tech University for 34 years before moving to Chico in 2007. He has done fieldwork in Oaxaca, in southern Mexico, among Zapotec people, and among the Miskitu people of northeastern Nicaragua. He directed the Associated Colleges of the Midwest program in Costa Rica for four years, and as a Fulbright fellow he taught anthropology in northeastern Brazil. He now lives happily in Chico with his wife, Becky, and their two small dogs, Rugrat and Sassy.

or picking me up. I think my mother took me to class the first few days and met me at the school gate to take me home afterward. After that Pierre and I were on our own. Our parents apparently didn’t worry about us being alone in the street, and we were not at all afraid ourselves. It was an adventure, and we were surrounded by the local Arab people, who were unfailingly kind and helpful. Our neighborhood, near the school, included many middle-class Iraqi professionals, as well as various sorts of expatriates. One day, walking home from school, Pierre and I ran into a group of teenage Iraqi schoolgirls, who were on their way home from high school. Like us, they were wearing their own distinctive school uniforms. They watched as the two foreign schoolboys, obviously first-year students, made our way home with our book bags, and they stopped to see who we were, blocking the sidewalk.

The author (front row, center) with a group of family friends. PHOTO COURTESY OF PHIL DENNIS

year-old, there is nothing more horrible than being kissed by teenage girls! Ten years later and I would have been in heaven. I arrived home, covered with lipstick and thoroughly disheveled, disgusted at having been passed around as a trophy by those teenagers. When I came in the door, my mother saw me and burst out laughing. “What in the world happened to you?” she asked, in her warm, beautiful Texas accent. When I told her the story, she laughed until she cried. For young American males, in those days, the main danger in the Baghdad streets seemed to be getting kissed by pretty girls. I could not know it at the time, but my friend Pierre was rejected simply because of

anger at his French imperialist heritage. We Americans, on the other hand, had overthrown the British colonials who ruled us and driven them out through a popular revolution. We had then set up our own country as a representative democracy, the model for the modernizing world yet to come. Unknowingly, I was heir to a proud example of sovereignty, independence and self-rule, a destiny Iraq was not destined to share. The English nun I remember best was old, fat and rather grouchy. She tolerated no hint of insubordination and ruled with an iron fist. As the only American child in the class, I spoke English—well, not really English, but American. The difference was very clear to Sister Mary Magdalene. She corrected me constantly, reminding me that whatever I thought I spoke, it was certainly not proper English! The French nuns, the majority in the convent school, were quite different. They delighted in teaching me their language, and smiled and kissed me when I learned a new word or expression. Consequently, I loved French and hated English, a prejudice that has lingered, in modified form, into late middle age. The message I learned was that a language is to be caressed and admired— delighted in and not simply spoken properly. It was a powerful message that I have never forgotten, after many years of speaking and working in Spanish and Portuguese. My French teacher was Sister Annemarie. I remember her as young and warm and beautiful, and very kind to me and to the others in my class. She praised me as I learned verbs and practiced reading from our beginning French textbook. Neither my father nor my mother spoke French, so I had the beginnings of a new, secret language of my own, to use with Pierre and to continue learning with Sister Annemarie. She praised me with each new phrase I learned. Annemarie obviously loved teaching me and the other children her beautiful language. I paid particular attention when she bent down to help me with my work, for then I could catch a slight hint of her perfume. It was a very light and delicate scent, a promise of pleasure and beauty, of forbidden delights. At that point I could not imagine adult sexuality. What adults did in their bedrooms was not a total mystery, but I couldn’t have given a very coherent account of it. Nevertheless, I did imagine Sister Annemarie without her clothes, close to me, her warm body with her slight hint of French perfume pressing up against me, both of us speaking to each other in perfect French and laughing happily. It was a lovely fantasy to go to sleep with at night—one I obviously could never share with my rather prudish parents. They were proud that I was a good student, and that I got especially high marks in French. Only now “BAGHDAD” continued on page 22 April 5, 2012

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Lost on Main, 319 Main St.

FRIDAY, APRIL 13

Americana/Country Showcase, 8 p.m., $5 Café Coda, 265 Humboldt Ave.

SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2-7 p.m., FREE Chico Women’s Club, 592 E. Third St.

Rock/Pop Showcase, 8 pm., $5 LaSalles, 229 Broadway

Hard Rock/Metal Showcase, 8 p.m., $5

Down Lo, 319 Main St. (downstairs)

Blues Showcase, 9 p.m., $5 Lost on Main, 319 Main St.

VOTE NOW!

Visit www.newsreview.com/cammies for a full list of CAMMIES nominees and to vote for your favorite local musicians.

$20 FESTIVAL PASS

(good for all shows) Purchase from Sweetdeals at www.newsreview.com or at the CN&R office, 353 E. Second St.

20 20 CN&R CN&RApril April5,5,2012 2012

April 5, 2012 April 5, 2012

CN&R 21 21 CN&R

“BAGHDAD” continued from page 19

can I finally confess my infatuation with the beautiful nun, and with her wonderful language. After my mother died, in 1989, I cleaned out most of her belongings, giving some to my grown children and keeping a few things for myself. However, there were two trunks full of clothes and other things that I hadn’t had the heart to deal with. One was a heavy old trunk from Baghdad that I still have with me, one of the few belongings that have survived my many moves and changes. When I opened the trunk and began unpacking my mother’s clothes, I found a small autograph book from my early years in Baghdad. I opened it and began looking at the scrawled drawings and greetings from those early childhood friends. Then I found one page carefully done by an adult—by Annemarie herself! Almost unconsciously, I lifted it to my face, and there was the very faint but unmistakable scent of Sister Annemarie’s perfume—an erotic message from so long ago.

LIFE IN 1950S

In Baghdad various European friends encouraged my parents to join the British Club, a sort of country club with a swimming pool and dining area. It was a place for white Europeans to socialize, and especially to enjoy swimming and playing in the pool during the scorching summer days. The pool came to be a delight for my family, but it almost killed me early on. My older brother and sister had taken me to the pool and left me on my own to play in the shallow end, while they socialized with their teenage friends. I played and played in the water, gradually daring myself to go in deeper and deeper, right up to my nose. My brother and sister had neglected to watch me, and suddenly I was in over my head, choking and trying to cry for help, and swallowing lots of pool water in the process. Luckily someone, I don’t know who, saw me drowning and swam over quickly to pull me out and then press hard on my stomach to make me regurgitate all the water I had swallowed and get my lungs functioning properly again. After that close call, I had serious swimming lessons, and soon I could get along safely on my own. The pool and the British Club were an important part of my life in Baghdad, although I was far too young to understand the racism and colonial mentality they embodied. As far as I can remember, there were no Iraqi members of the club, although the waiters and pool cleaners were all, of course, brown local folks. The racial and class boundaries were taken for granted. One of the great delights of Baghdad was going with Iraqi friends to eat masgouf, down along the Tigris River. There were many big, open-air restaurants specializing in preparing masgouf, a large carp that was plentiful in the Tigris. The big fish were split open and planked to boards of some kind, then roasted slowly over open fires. They were absolutely delicious. I remember many evenings, sitting with Iraqi friends, the adults talking over cool drinks, and we children playing happily around the large outdoor eating area, waiting for our masgouf to be ready. The soft, flaky flesh of the fish was delicious, and the warm, friendly atmosphere of these popular eating places made them a local treasure. McDonald’s had yet to arrive, but local delicacies were cheap and plentiful. My father had developed a warm friendship with a sheikh from the north-central part of the country, a man who he had helped with development of the groundwater supply in his area. The sheikh was also a colonel in the Iraqi army. When my father told him that he had a 6-yearold son, the sheikh promptly asked him to bring me up for a visit to go gazelle hunting with him. He promised my father that he would take good care of me and treat me as kindly as if I were his own young boy. When my father asked if I would like to go, I said yes enthusiastically.

Clockwise from top left: King Faisal Square; coronation of 18 year-old King Faisal II, 1953; looking down Rashid Street; new American Embassy under construction; public swimming pool; unidentified Iraqi family, summer 1953.

22 CN&R April 5, 2012

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It turned out to be two or three memorable days, bouncing over the desert by day looking for gazelles and sleeping near the campfire at night, looking up at the clear, star-filled desert sky. My love of the desert began that year, I think. My mother, on the other hand, was terrified! Guns and killing were abhorrent to her, and entrusting her little son to a man she didn’t know was going to be difficult. My father said he trusted the man, however, and since I really wanted to go, my mother finally relented. On the given day, we left for the north. When we arrived at the meeting point, the sheikh was already there waiting. He promised my father he would take good care of me, and off we went. The colonel and I drove first in an open jeep with a driver. The sheikh rode shotgun—literally, sitting beside the driver with his loaded shotgun held upright between his legs. I sat in the back in a sort of jump seat. Behind us came an Iraqi military truck with all our camping supplies and a handful of soldiers to cook and set up camp for us. Once we got to our camping spot, we left the truck and soldiers at their tasks, and off we went to hunt gazelles. The idea was to scan the horizon and when we saw a herd to gun the jeep and head for the gazelles across the desert at full throttle. I was hanging on for dear life in the back, the sheikh bouncing up and down in the passenger seat, and the driver trying to avoid all the potholes and obstacles and still be able to catch up with the gazelles. Most of them escaped easily enough, bouncing on their strong, nimble legs and slipping through places where we couldn’t go. Catching up with a herd was not going to be easy. I thought it was great fun, hanging on in the back as the driver maneuvered across the sand and rocks at high speed, avoiding all sorts of boulders and ravines, trying to get close enough for a shot. Finally, toward the end of the day, the sheikh did get in a few shots and managed to kill two gazelles. We honked and waved at the truck far behind us, and they eventually arrived and picked up the dead animals, to clean and prepare them for dinner. We hunted gazelles for two or three days, camping each night in the desert. I sat next to the colonel near the campfire as the men prepared gazelle steaks and other food. The desert nights were cold, and my host insisted I wrap up in a warm blanket by the fire. I remember how delicious the food tasted!

58th Annual “Paradise of Gems” Show

The sheikh told me interesting stories of his experiences in the desert, and he said he especially liked eating food around the campfire and camping under the stars. When I got sleepy he took me to the warm nest of blankets he had already prepared and tucked me in, telling me not to be afraid because he would be sleeping right next to me before long. As I drifted off to sleep I could see the colonel sitting around the campfire, talking to his men, laughing, and drinking hot chai with them. It turned out to be two or three memorable days, bouncing over the desert by day looking for gazelles and sleeping near the campfire at night, looking up at the clear, star-filled desert sky. My love of the desert began that year, I think. Later on I was to live in southern Arizona, a very different but also quite beautiful desert. My father’s Iraqi counterpart was a geologist named Abbas Baghdadi. They spent a lot of time together doing fieldwork in geology and came to be very close friends. Abbas turned out to be a member of the Baha’i faith, a new, progressive sort of religion founded in the 19th century. Abbas introduced my father to the faith, and eventually both my parents became Baha’is. Abbas and his family eventually came to visit us back in Lubbock, Texas, deepening the ties of friendship. However, after the government of Saddam Hussein came to power, the Baha’is, among other minority groups, were systematically persecuted. Abbas was thrown in prison, but his wife, who was a Swiss national, managed to escape from the country with their children. My father was shaken when he learned, through Baha’i friends, the terrible story of the torture and execution of his friend Abbas. There was no question of the brutality of Saddam’s regime, although the sectarian and regional violence that followed his removal was to be just as horrifying. Thinking back, I’m glad my father didn’t live to see the U.S. invasion of Iraq and the subsequent years of upheaval and violence. It was a country he had loved,

This silver tray was a gift from Abbas Baghdadi to the author’s parents, who came to share their friend’s Baha’i faith. Years later, when Saddam Hussein was in power, Baghdadi was tortured to death because of his religious beliefs. PHOTO BY TINA FLYNN

where he found the religion to which he dedicated the latter part of his life. To see the hatred of the American invaders, the people who had replaced the British and the French as colonial overlords, would have broken his heart. What did the ignorant but well intentioned Americans mean with their military invasion of this ancient country? Why in the world did they think that toppling a dictator, and then occupying his country with their own military, would bring peace or happiness? To what depths of foolishness had we descended? And how do we prevent such colossal mistakes in the future? Ω

April 7th 9am – 5pm & April 8th 9am – 4pm Gems • Crystals • Beads • Jewelry Lapidary Equipment • Exhibits • Metal Detecting Gem Identiﬁcation • Meteorites • Fossils • Gold Panning Rock & Mineral Silent Auction • Much More

Oroville Meteorite Display

Originally landed East of Table Mountain in 1892. Learn about its journey since then. ELKS LODGE • 6309 CLARK RD • PARADISE

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• 100’s of labels • Great selection • No limit!

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JOURNALISM STUDENTS:

Got the write stuff? The Chico News & Review is looking for journalism students who want to build their résumés and gather great clips. The CN&R’s summer internship program offers an opportunity to take college skills to the professional setting. We are seeking newshounds, features writers and savvy photographers who are currently enrolled in college (spring 2012 graduates may also apply). Interns are paid per assignment. For application information, contact Melissa Daugherty at melissad@newsreview.com. Application deadline is Friday, April 20. April 5, 2012

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CN&R 23

Arts & Culture There will be bloodspattered ladies: (from left) Madison Kisst, Sepi Burgiani, Jodi Rives Meier, Francesca Gámez and Kristine Gilreath. PHOTO COURTESY OF JODI RIVES MEIER

THIS WEEK 5

THURS

If you want blood ...

Special Events THURSDAY NIGHT MARKET: Downtown Chico’s weekly marketplace with

The Secretaries plunges into the heart of sexual stereotypes

Iing at the Blue Room Theatre, a cult of lumber-mill executive assistants in the n The Secretaries, now play-

town of Big Bone, Ore., are driven to a murderous rage every month by a combination by of enforced celibacy, Ken Smith sexual harassment, kens@ synced menstrual cycles newsreview.com and a diet consisting solely of Slim Fast shakes. At first read, the play sounds in line with camp- and pulp-heavy REVIEW: The Secretaries productions the theater shows Friday and does often, and well— Saturday nights, The Hard Dick, a non7:30 p.m. through musical adaptation of April 14, at the Little Shop of Horrors, Blue Room. Tickets: $10-$15. and Twilight Zone Live! all serving as examples Blue Room from recent years. It Theatre plays out much like 139 W. First St. these productions 895-3749 www.blueroom onstage as well, with theatre.com buckets of blood, a good deal of over-the-top violence and plenty of dark humor. But the difference with The Secretaries lies in the play’s strong subtext. There’s obvious comic and prurient appeal in a scene where scantily clad, nubile young women engage in a game of Twister, but underlying themes make you leave the theater

24 CN&R April 5, 2012

questioning why you enjoyed it so much, and if doing so doesn’t make you part of a much bigger problem. While it’s fun to watch, it challenges playgoers in a rare way, regardless of one’s sex or preconceived notions about male-female relations. The Secretaries is the best-known work by an all-women, New York theater collective called The Five Lesbian Brothers. According to the program notes, the FLB are well-regarded in the queer and mainstream theatrical comedy scenes, operate in the tradition of The Theatre of the Ridiculous, and are fond of subverting sexual stereotypes. A variety of techniques are employed to the latter end in The Secretaries, most notably with the five-member, all-female cast playing dual roles as the title office women and their lumberjack counterparts. This is done to greatest effect by Sepi Burgiani, who steps out of her primary role as lesbian secretary Dawn into the boots of Buzz Benikee. Benikee is the love interest of new secretary Patty (a wholesome, girl-next-door archetype played beautifully by Kristine Gilreath). When delivered by a woman dressed as a lumberjack, even Benikee’s sweetest, most well-intentioned attempts to woo Patty drip with lascivious intent. Francesca Gámez and Madison Kisst round out the secretarial pool in their respective roles as the air-headed Peaches and glamorous Ashley, who fears her place as office sweetheart is being

usurped by the new girl. Overseeing them all is Susan (Jodi Rives Meier), lead secretary and sociopathic Queen Bee who— in another example of gender-role subversion—coerces and abuses the women into submission. Directed by Denver Latimer, the production is a collaborative effort between the Blue Room and Chico State University’s theater department, with the actresses and some crew hailing from the college. All of the women are great in their roles, which grow juicier as the play progresses. With the exception of creepy asides delivered in chorus, they start out playing it largely straight, their biggest abnormality being a Stepfordish ultranormality (keeping in mind that the play, by design, calls into question our concepts of what “normal” is). This facade is kept up through most of the first act, then shatters and falls in shards in the second, until the once-demure ladies devolve into blood- and tomato-sauce-splattered succubi. The actresses tackle this transformation fantastically, relishing in the decadent absurdity of it all. The Secretaries is an interesting production, a thought-provoking critique delivered in such preposterous packaging that it avoids being preachy. Deeper messages are transmitted in a fashion so fast and furious that I’ve found myself mulling over them days later. It doesn’t pretend to provide answers, but almost subconsciously forces us to ask ourselves some serious questions. Ω

local produce, vendors, entertainment and music. This week: Jeff Pershing Band plays funky classic rock, Spray Fantasy performs a spray paint demonstration and the Bridal Olympics features hopeful brides compete for a fully-funded wedding. Th, 4/5, 6-9pm. Prices vary. Downtown Chico.

Art Receptions LOIS COHEN RECEPTION: A celebration of the late and great local artist Lois Cohen and a reception for the ongoing gallery of her life’s work.

Th, 4/5, 5-8pm. Free. James Snidle Fine Arts and Appraisals; 254 E. Fourth St.; (530) 343-2930; www.jamessnidlefinearts.com.

Theater RASHOMON: Stage version of the collection classic Japanese stories about a rape and murder trial where the audience and the court have to sift through different versions of the event as told by different witnesses. Through 4/7, 7:30pm; Through 4/8, 2pm. $6-$15. Wismer Theatre, Chico State Campus, (530) 898-6333, www.csuchico.edu/upe/ boxoffice.html.

THE WIZARD OF OZ: Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion and Toto come to the Chico Theater Company stage. Th-Sa,

KEEPING DANCE ALIVE Friday & Saturday, April 6 & 7 Laxson Auditorium

SEE FRIDAY & SATURDAY, SPECIAL EVENTS

FINE ARTS CAMERON KELLY & ROUBEN MOHIUDDIN

Concurrent exhibits through May 20 Humanities Center Gallery SEE FINE ARTS

Art 1078 GALLERY: El Chico de California, new mixed media prints by Rogelio Gutierrez.

Through 4/7.Thin Red Line, ceramic mixed media sculptures by Colleen Toledano. Through 4/7. 820 Broadway, (530) 343-1973, www.1078gallery.org.

ANGELOS CUCINA TRINACRIA: Sal Casa Gallery,

SAT

Special Events KEEPING DANCE ALIVE: See Friday. F, 4/6, 7:30pm; Sa, 4/7, 2pm. $23-$35. Laxson Auditorium, 400 W. First St. CSU, Chico, (530) 898-6333, www.csuchico.edu/upe/boxoffice.html.

7:30pm through 4/21. Sa, 4/7, 2pm; Su, 2pm through 4/22. $12-$20. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Rd. Ste. F, (530) 894-3282, www.chicotheater company.com.

Poetry/Literature CAMILLE T. DUNGY: Poet Camille T. Dungy, 2011 American Book Award winner, will read from her own works as well as anthologies she has edited. Th, 4/5, 7:30pm. Free. CSU Chico Humanities Center; West First St. Trinity Hall; (530) 898-6417.

FRI

Special Events

Theater GUYS AND DOLLS: The classic Broadway musical

comes to the Birdcage Theatre stage. F, Sa, 7:30pm; Su, 2pm through 4/15. $7-$15. Birdcage Theatre, 1740 Bird St. in Oroville, (530) 5332473, www.birdcagetheatre.net.

RASHOMON: See Thursday. Wismer Theatre, Chico State Campus, (530) 898-6333, www.csuchico.edu/upe/boxoffice.html.

THE SECRETARIES: A horror-comedy about a murderous secretarial pool at a lumber mill enacting the ritual execution of a man timed to their simultaneous menstrual cycles. Adult content. F, Sa, 7:30pm through 4/14. $10-$15. Blue Room Theatre, 139 W First St., (530) 8953749, www.blueroomtheatre.com.

THE WIZARD OF OZ: See Thursday. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Rd. Ste. F, (530) 894-3282, www.chicotheatercompany.com.

COMEDY NIGHT: Comedians Keith Fields and

Michael Mancini take the Rolling Hills stage. F, 4/6, 7:30pm. $10-$15. Rolling Hills Casino; 2655 Barham Ave. in Corning; (530) 528-3500; www.rollinghillscasino.com.

KEEPING DANCE ALIVE: Chico Performances presents Keeping Dance Alive, the annual repertory dance concert that celebrates the diversity of dance, from ballet to hip-hop, modern jazz to martial arts, tap, Irish, and more. Featuring the talents of North Valley dancers, choreographers and musicians. F, 4/6, 7:30pm; Sa, 4/7, 2pm. $23-$35. Laxson Auditorium, 400 W. First St. CSU, Chico, (530) 898-6333, www.csuchico.edu/upe/ boxoffice.html.

Art Receptions MONCA POP-UP ART RECEPTION: An opening reception for the temporary installation featuring the Museum of Northern California’s varied collection of area artists. The current “pop-up” exhibit space will be the large, vacant storefront on Broadway opposite Bird in Hand. F, 4/6, 6-8pm. Donations. monCA PopUp Museum, 325 Broadway, (530) 891-4304.

Music MAT KEARNEY: A folk-rock musician—formerly a Chico State soccer player—who has toured with John Mayer, Sheryl Crow, Keane and the Fray. He returns to Chico’s El Rey Theatre as a conquering hero. F, 4/6, 8pm. $22. El Rey Theatre; 230 W. Second St.; (530) 342-2727.

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.

year running, the Paradise Gem and Mineral Club hosts a two-day showcase of many of the finest rock and mineral dealers in the region, including the Oroville Meteorite that fell near the base of Table Mountain in 1892. Sa, 4/7, 9am-5pm; Su, 4/8, 9am-4pm. $2. Paradise Elks Lodge, 6309 Clark Rd. in Paradise, 8777324, www.ParadiseGem.org.

Music CANDYRAT GUITAR NIGHT: Cafe Coda hosts virtuoso guitarists Ewan Dobson, Gareth Pearson, Craig D’Andrea and Matthew Santos. Sa, 4/7, 8pm. $15. Café Coda; 265 Humboldt Ave.; (530) 566-9476; www.cafecoda.com.

SPRING SYMPHONIC WINDS CONCERT: Chico State Wind Ensemble performs “Overture for Band” by Mendelssohn, the heavy “Trauersinfonie” by Wagner and the world premier of Chico State senior Kevin Valenzuela’s “Elegy of the Falling Leaf.” Sa, 4/7, 7:30pm. $6-$15. Harlen Adams Theatre; W. First St. CSU, Chico campus; (530) 898-6333.

Theater GUYS AND DOLLS: See Friday. Birdcage Theatre, 1740 Bird St. in Oroville, (530) 533-2473, www.birdcagetheatre.net.

RASHOMON: See Thursday. Wismer Theatre,

THE SECRETARIES: See Friday. Blue Room Theatre, 139 W First St., (530) 895-3749, www.blueroomtheatre.com.

MONCA POP-UP MUSEUM Opens Saturday, April 7

SEE FRIDAY, ART RECEPTIONS

AVENUE 9 GALLERY: Improvisations, paintings, photography, prints and sculptural ceramics by Maria Phillips, Barbara Morris and Delbert Rupp. Through 4/22. 180 E. Ninth Ave., (530) 879-1821, www.avenue9 gallery.com.

B-SO SPACE: What is Holy? Exhibiton, offstretcher paintings and installations by Chico State art student James Warren. Through 4/6. Ayres Hall on Chico State Campus Room 107, (530) 898-5331.

BELL MEMORIAL UNION BUILDING (BMU):

Keeping the Spirit Alive, a collection of artwork from prisoners at San Quentin Prison on display at the second floor gallery. Through 4/20. 2nd St. 305, (530) 898-4636.

BOHO: Stay Up Fly On, artwork by Christian

Chico State Campus, (530) 898-6333, www.csuchico.edu/upe/boxoffice.html.

WINE AND BREWFEST 2012: A festival featuring (mostly) regional breweries, wineries and restaurants complete with sampling, raffles and live music by the Rockhounds. Proceeds benefit Chico Elks Charities and Chico Noon Club Charity. F, 4/6, 12-5pm. $35-$40. Manzanita Place; 1705 Manzanita Ave. Inside Chico Elks Lodge; 228-0000; www.chico brewfest.com.

PARADISE GEM AND MINERAL SHOW: For the 58th

some of Sal Casa’s early work depicting classic Sicilian culture. Ongoing. 407 Walnut St., (530) 899-9996.

THE WIZARD OF OZ: See Thursday. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Rd. Ste. F, (530) 894-3282, www.chicotheatercompany.com.

THIS WEEK continued on page 26

Garcia. Ongoing. 225 Main St. D, (530) 8953282.

BUTTE COLLEGE ART GALLERY: Give Us Your

Best Shot, an exhibition of photography from Butte College faculty and staff. Through 4/12. 3536 Butte Campus Dr. Inside the ARTS Building in Oroville, (530) 895-2208.

CHICO ART CENTER: Creative Fusion 8, an exhibition of exceptional student art from Chico junior and senior high schools. Through 4/21. 450 Orange St. 6, (530) 895-8726, www.chicoartcenter.com.

CHICO CITY MUNICIPAL CENTER: Joel Collier

Photography, a display of Joel Collier’s photography on all three floors of the City Municipal Center building. Through 7/13. 411 Main St. City Hall, (530) 896-7200.

CHICO CREEK NATURE CENTER: Dragonflies and Damselflies, a photo exhibit by Robert Woodward. Ongoing. 1968 E. Eighth St., (530) 891-4671, www.bidwellpark.org.

CHICO PAPER CO.: Monuments, works by DiGrazia, who manipulates photographs to detach the structure from recognizable surroundings. Through 6/1.California Mountain Series, serigraphs by Jake Early. Through 4/30, 9:30am-6pm. 345 Broadway, (530) 891-0900, www.chico papercompany.com.

ings by artist Heather Larson. M-Su through 4/30. 122 Broadway St., (530) 891-0335, www.ellishasit.com.

HEALING ART GALLERY: Current exhibits, by Northern California artists whose lives have been touched by cancer. Currently featuring watercolors by Amber Palmer. Ongoing. 265 Cohasset Rd. inside Enloe Cancer Center, (530) 332-3856.

HUMANITIES CENTER GALLERY: Cameron Kelly

& Rouben Mohiuddin, concurrent exhibitions by Kelly and Mohiuddin. Through 5/20. 400 W. First St. CSU, Chico, Trinity Hall.

MONCA POP-UP MUSEUM: a temporary art installation in the large, vacant storefront opposite Bird in Hand as part of the Museum of Northern California Art’s project to host “pop-up” art galleries in non-traditional venues. Opens 4/7. Contact Pat Macias (530) 891-4301, www.monca.org/ exhibitions.html for details on this exhibit. 325 Broadway, (530) 891-4304.

NAKED LOUNGE TEA AND COFFEEHOUSE:

Addiction Equals Consumerism, art collection by Sally Hedley in which addiction and consumerism are incorporated to show the dangers of dependence on mass-produced products. Through 4/30. Gallery hours are Open daily.. 118 W. Second St., (530) 895-0676.

PATRICK RANCH MUSEUM: Tank House Jurdied

Exhibit, an exhibition of art depicting the water tank houses of the North State. Through 4/14. 10381 Midway, Chico Halfway between Chico and Durham, (530) 342-4359.

SALLY DIMAS ART GALLERY: Dance of Spring, watercolor paintings of landscapes by artists Carol Preble Miles, Nancy Sowarby, Anne Pierce and more. Through 4/21. 493 East Ave. #1, (530) 345-3063.

TURNER PRINT MUSEUM: Sustaining Cultures:

Native Peoples, marking the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Ishi featuring contemporary prints by Native American, Inuit and Australian aboriginal artists. Through 4/15. 400 W. First St. Meriam Library breezeway, CSU, Chico.

UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY: Delicate Demolition, an exhibition by MFA candidate Chelsea Gilmore. Through 4/6. 400 W First St. Taylor Hall, CSU, Chico.

UPPER CRUST BAKERY & EATERY: Rachelle

Montoya, over 30 mixed media paintings and pastels by artist Rachelle Montoya. Through 4/30. 130 Main St., (530) 895-3866.

ELLIS ART & ENGINEERING SUPPLIES:

New Work, Reel Surfaces, a special series of collage mixed media draw-

T.G.I.Thursday! In Chico, it doesn’t really feel like spring until the Thursday PHOTO BY GARY HUDSON Night Market returns during the first week of April. From tonight, April 5, through the last week in September, the popular community event will fill up downtown Chico with a bounty of local produce, flowers, food, arts, crafts and fun every Thursday, rain or shine. For tonight’s kick-off, there be a variety of local musicians serenading the crowds EDITOR’S PICK will as they wander the streets—Bob McDaniel on acoustic guitar, harmonica and vocals; funky Chico fave Jeff Pershing doing a solo set; and soulful dread-headed troubadour Kyle Williams—and, in addition, Mix 95.1 radio station will be hosting something called the Bridal Olymics in the City Plaza. Let all the Thursday Night Market games begin! See Thursday, Special Events, for more info.

—JASON CASSIDY April 5, 2012

CN&R 25

5.95

3 TACO PLATE

SPECIAL

(Special does not include fish or shrimp)

THIS WEEK continued from page 25

BULLETIN BOARD

Poetry/Literature

Community

EMPIRICAL MAGAZINE PARTY: Authors will read

CHICO FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY BOOK SALE: Chico Friends of the Library

poetry and fiction anthologies from Empirical Magazine, a monthly literary and current affairs publication, with live music to follow. RSVP required. Sa, 4/7, 6:30-10pm. Subud Hall; 574 E. 12th St.; 899-8077.

SUN

Special Events PANCAKES FOR PEACE: An annual fundraiser for

Mon-Sat 10am-7:45pm Sun 10am-6pm

530-809-0370 ~ Corner of 9th & Wall

chico’s only

Korean restaurant coME chEcK oUT oUR nEW MEnU! Bi Bim Bop toFu Soup S i z z l i nG p o t Patio Now oPeN! Visit us at the thursday Night Market!

the Chico Peace and Justice Center with an organic pancake and fresh fruit salad breakfast, a silent auction and an Easter egg hunt. Su, 4/8, 8am-1pm. $6-$12. Chico Area Recreation District (CARD); 545 Vallombrosa Ave. Off of Vallombrosa, next to Bidwell Park; (530) 895-4711; www.chicorec.com.

Theater CATS: One of the longest-running Broadway shows in history, CATS features 20 of Andrew Loyd Webber’s timeless songs and a visually engaging performance. Su, 4/8, 7:30pm. SOLD OUT. Laxson Auditorium; 400 W. First St. CSU, Chico; (530) 898-6333; www.csuchico.edu/upe/ boxoffice.html.

GUYS AND DOLLS: See Friday. Birdcage Theatre, 1740 Bird St. in Oroville, (530) 533-2473, www.birdcagetheatre.net.

State Campus, (530) 898-6333, www.csuchico.edu/upe/boxoffice.html.

Mon.-Fri.

Sunday

ALL DAY!!! 1/4 lb. Jr Grad Burger

1/2 lb. Grad Burger, Turkey or Garden Burgers

Quick & Cheap ! Lunch or Dinner

Great Deal, Great Burger!

& fries or salad

10.

99 $

& fries or salad

Thurs. & Sat.

1/2 Rack St. Louis Style Pork Ribs w/ salad, fries, & garlic bread

THE WIZARD OF OZ: See Thursday. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Rd. Ste. F, (530) 894-3282, www.chicotheatercompany.com.

TUES

Music AWOLNATION: Electronic rock band that scored big on the charts with their single “Sail.” King Clifton and Moostache open. Tu, 4/10, 8pm. $15. Senator Theatre; 517 Main St.; (530) 898-1497; www.jmaxproductions.net.

SLOW-COOKED!

WED

Special Events COMEDY NIGHT: Weekly comedy night on

“Families Always Welcome” 344 W. Eighth Street • 343.2790 • Open Daily @ 11am

NOW OFFERING BREAKFAST! $ 25 Breakfast Burrito Tacos Mary

Formerly Tacos de Acapulco Same Great Authentic Food 26 CN&R April 5, 2012

3 $ 25 5

10am–noon

Wednesdays inside Spirits Lounge at Gold Country Casino. W, 8pm. Free. Gold Country Casino; 4020 Olive Hwy at Gold Country Casino & Hotel in Oroville; (530) 534-9892; www.gold countrycasino.com.

Music BROKEDOWN IN BAKERSFIELD: Country music made raw and rocking, Brokedown in Bakersfield captures the feel of 1960s Southern California. Feat. Tim and Nicki Bluhm. W, 4/11, 7:30pm. $25. Sierra Nevada Big Room; 1075 East 20th St.; (530) 345-2739; www.sierra nevada.com/bigroom.

HARLEM GOSPEL CHOIR: Spreading their message

Regular Burrito noon–5pm

5th and Ivy (429 Ivy St., Chico) 892–8176 Sun thru Wed: 10am–2am Thur thru Sat 10am–3am

CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: A workshop designed to help individuals share their life experiences and “embrace life beyond cancer.” Call for reservations or more information. M, 3pm through 4/16. Free. Feather River Cancer Center, 5629 Canyon View Dr. in Paradise, 876-7184.

DANCE SANCTUARY WAVE: Bring a water bottle, drop your mind, free your feet

and your spirit. Call for directions. Tu, 6:30-8:30pm. $10. Call for details, 8916524.

FARMERS MARKET - CHICO STATE: The Organic

RASHOMON: See Friday. Wismer Theatre, Chico

243 W 9th Street • 891.9044 • WWW.AnnieSASiAnGrill.com mon-Fri lunch 11-2:30 • mon-SAt Dinner 5-9 • cloSeD SunDAy

weekly book sale. Sa, 9:15-11:30am. Butte County Library, Chico Branch, 1108 Sherman Ave., (530) 891-2762, www.buttecounty.net/bclibrary.

of joy and love through blues, jazz, gospel and popular music, the Harlem Gospel Choir are sure to deliver an extraordinary evening of foot-stomping, hand-clapping entertainment while celebrating African-American culture and the inspiration of gospel music. W, 4/11, 7:30pm. $14-$18. Laxson Auditorium; 400 W. First St. CSU, Chico; (530) 898-6333; www.csuchico.edu/upe/boxoffice.html.

for more Music, see NIGHTLIFE on page 32

Vegetable Project’s weekly sale of freshpicked greens of chard, kale, cabbage, flowers, herbs, veggies, farm-fresh eggs and more in the campus plaza. W, 11am-2pm. Chico State, W. First St. Plumas Hall.

FARMERS MARKET - FIREHOUSE: Locally grown fruits and vegetables and resources for better health. Th, 11am-3pm through 8/31. El Medio Fire Department, 3515 Myers St. in Oroville, (530) 592-0889 ext. Message, www.cChaos.org.

FARMERS MARKET - SATURDAY: Baked goods,

honey, fruits and veggies, crafts and more. Sa, 7:30am-1pm. Chico Certified Saturday Farmers Market, Municipal Parking Lot on Second and Wall streets, (530) 893-3276.

FORECLOSURE CLINIC: A clinic to provide information on home ownership, mortgage loan issues, foreclosure prevention and alternatives to foreclosure. Call for registration. F, 4/6, 10am. Free. Legal Services of Northern California, 541 Normal Ave., 345-9491.

INTERNATIONAL FOLK DANCING: Teaching during the first hour, followed by request dancing. No partners necessary. Call for more information. F, 8pm through 5/25. $2. Chico Creek Dance Centre, 1144 W. First St., 345-8134.

MUSEUM WITHOUT WALLS LECTURE SERIES: The second lecture in a five-part series, with a “Butterflies, Bees and Bats: Native Pollinators of the North State” theme. This week, Chico State professor emeritus Rob Schlising presents “Nectar and Pollen in North State Wildflowers: Food for a Diversity of Native Pollinators.” W, 4/11, 7:30pm. $3. Chico Area Recreation District (CARD), 545 Vallombrosa Ave. Off of Vallombrosa, next to Bidwell Park, (530) 895-4711, www.chicorec.com.

PARADISE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY BOOK SALE:

Used book sale. Every other Sa, 10am-3pm. Prices vary. Butte County Library, Paradise Branch, 5922 Clark Rd. in Paradise, (530) 8726320, www.buttecounty.net/bclibrary/ Paradise.htm.

PUPPET MAKING WORKSHOP: Individuals, groups, organizations, classes, families and churches are welcome to participate in a series of puppet-making workshops as part of the annual Endangered Species Faire on May 5, which raises awareness of ecological diversity loss. Call or email for more info. First Tu of

every month, 10am-1pm; F, 4:30-7:30pm.

Creekside Studio, 1936 Webb Ave., 781-4122.

RISE OF THE CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT IN CHINA: In accord with this year’s theme of China in the West, the Chico State Humanities Center is hosting guest speaker Xi Lian, Research Associate at the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University. In his lecture, Lian will address the rise of the underground Christian church movement in modern China. Th, 4/5, 7:30pm. Free. Chico State, 400 West First St. 212 Glenn Hall, (530) 898-4636.

PUPPET-MAKING WORKSHOP Through May 5 Creekside Studio SEE COMMUNITY

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. Next to Long’s Drugstore in Paradise, 8727085.

SOUL SHAKE DANCE CHURCH: Drop your mind, find your feet and free you spirit at this DJ dance wave to a range of musical styles. No previous dance experience necessary. Su, 10am-noon. $8-$15 sliding scale. Dorothy Johnson Center, 775 E. 16th St., (530) 895-4707.

WILDFLOWER TOURS AT TABLE MOUNTAIN: Tours with Dept. of Fish and Game naturalists. Every Saturday in March and April. Go online or call for registration or more information. Sa, 10am & 1pm through 4/28. See listing for details, See Listing, (916) 358-2869, www.dfg.ca.gov/lands/ er/region2/northtable.html.

For Kids CHILDREN STORY TIME SERIES: Reading events

sponsored by Lyon Books. Every other Th, 3pm. Free. Butte County Library, Chico Branch, 1108 Sherman Ave., (530) 891-3338, www.lyonbook.com.

DAY CAMP FOR KIDS: Hosted by Oroville’s YMCA, this day camp is intended to get kids outside and to begin developing healthy life-long habits. Call for more info. M-F, 6:30am-6pm through 8/17. Oroville YMCA, 1684 Robinson St. in Oroville, 533-9622, www.orovilleymca.org.

SEWING, KNITTING & CRAFTS CLASSES FOR KIDS: Classes for kids hosted by Earth Girl Art. Go online for class schedule. Ongoing. Earth Girl Art, 3851 Morrow Ln., (530) 354-2680, www.earthgirlart.com.

Volunteer BIDWELL PARK VOLUNTEERS: Help the park by volunteering for trash pick-up, invasive plant removal, trail maintenance, site restoration, water quality testing and more. Check Friends of Bidwell Park web site for dates and locations. Ongoing. Call for location, www.friendsofbidwellpark.org.

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.

"THE ONE" This is the one you've been looking for!

Co-owner Krystin Anderson shows off CJ’s sweet walnut chicken salad and pulled-pork sandwich with sweet-potato fries. PHOTO BY MATT SIRACUSA

OPEN Mon-Sat • Dine In or Take Out 240 Table Mt. Blvd, Oroville • (530) 532-9219

Last Chance, first stop CJ’s is a quick and tasty way to get out of town

Tgetting away is in order. Sometimes the town you live in—even if it’s Chico—is best seen from the perspective here are instances in everyone’s life when

offered in a rearview mirror. CJ’s Last Chance Diner is aptly named. It stands alone at the north end of town by alongside Highway 99, near where lots Ken Smith selling acres of pre-fabricated homes and earth-toned corrugated metal warehouses kens@ newsreview.com give way to open expanses of farmland, meadows and the not-too-distant Sierra foothills. Though less than 10 minutes from the city center, CJ’s down-home ambience feels far removed from the hubbub of other restaurants, making it an excellent destination for a brief respite from typical Chico life or a perfect spot to fuel the body for a longer trip. As an individual afflicted with a touch of wanderlust and near-constant craving 1 ★★★ ⁄2 for well-cooked meat, I’ve found myself seated at one of the Last Chance’s ruggedCJ’s Last ly handsome wood tables—facing down Chance Diner an even more ruggedly handsome ham13670 Anderson burger—many times. CJ’s offers a variety Bros. Drive of these creations, topped with anything 343-1901 from green chiles and pepper jack (South Hours: of the Border Burger) to pesto chutney and Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; provolone (Pesto Burger). Burgers start at Saturday, $3.75 for the modest CJ’s Favorite, with 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. the option to “Cowboy Up” to quarter- or third-pound patties. The various Gourmet burgers are $5.35 and pair perfectly with beer-battered onion rings ($1.95/$3.75 for half/whole orders) or scrumptious sweet potato fries for $3.50. My first visit to CJ’s was to evaluate its ★★★★★ burger bar almost two years ago: “DistinEPIC guishing features are the choice of shred★★★★ AUTHORITATIVE ded or leaf lettuce, ranch dressing and delectable garlic dills that stand a cut ★★★ APPEALING above the competitors’ pickles,” an assessment I wrote then and stand by today. ★★ HAS MOMENTS Even more spectacular is a section of ★ the menu titled “Ike’s Smokin’ BBQ.” The FLAWED pulled-pork sandwich ($6.99)—brined,

smoked and slow-cooked in the oven—is a personal favorite of mine, and I’ve yet to try the promising tri-tip (available in sandwich form for $7.29). On my most recent visit, I decided to give my beleaguered body a break from my admittedly excessive red-meat intake and try something else. At the suggestion of the friendly woman at the register (you order and pay first, then seat yourself at CJ’s), I opted for a barbecued chicken sandwich, which she described as a whole chicken’s worth of delectably smoked and seasoned meat garnished with coleslaw. I took mine on a whole wheat roll with melted pepper jack, and was so happy with the choice I barely missed not getting a beef or pork fix. I paired my sandwich with a side salad and was thrilled at the plate full of crisp vegetables placed in front of me. Salads at CJ’s come stock with garbanzo and kidney beans, as well as crisp, delicious bacon (vegetarians beware, all others rejoice). I have yet to sample breakfast at the diner, though I’d bet my bottom dollar it’s exceptional. The breakfast menu leans toward the hardy and traditional, and the Last Chance is the kind of earthy establishment that does hardy and traditional right. The Chicken Fried Steak ($6.75)—served open faced on a slice of bread with over-medium eggs and plenty of gravy— sounds particularly enticing. For those who crave sweet over savory to kick off the day, they offer dishes like Chocolate Zucchini or Apple Cinnamon Pancakes ($4.99). CJ’s Last Chance Diner also functions as a small country market (as well as housing the office for the adjacent AB Self Storage that is run by owner Celeste Anderson and her son and daughter-in-law, Isaac and Krystin Anderson) with a cooler full of select beverages, including several Sierra Nevada beers in multi-pack form. It’s the perfect place to fortify oneself and stock up for the river or any other adventure waiting just beyond the city limits. Ω April 5, 2012

CN&R 27

The eye has it.

Reviewers: Craig Blamer, Rachel Bush and Juan-Carlos Selznick.

Opening this week American Reunion

The American Pie franchise returns after a six-year break with this fourth installment (not counting the handful of dubious American Pie Presents …straightto-video offerings), which picks up with the raunchy shenanigans of the original players as they reconvene for their high-school reunion. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated R.

Titanic 3-D

Get closer than you ever have to the big ship that hits the big iceberg, spilling Leo and Kate into the frigid waters gushing about the theater in this 3-D rerelease of the mega-blockbuster. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated PG-13.

Swords, sandals and CGI Clash of the Titans follow-up is big, empty and only mildly fun

ow, I’m not one of those folks who

rants about my childhood being touched inappropriately when Hollywood remakes some nonsense from the ’80s. Mostly, because most stuff from the ’80s kinda by hella sucked (and, well, I wasn’t Craig Blamer a child of the ‘80’s). The original Clash of the Titans was no exception. Ray Harryhausen’s cool effects aside, it was still a clunky pile of nonsense aimed Wrath of the at middle-schoolers. I’d say Titans Starring Sam the remake wasn’t much better, Worthington, but what with brain cells Rosamund Pike being sort of precious, I didn’t and Liam Neeson. dedicate any of my storage Directed by space to it and have no recall Jonathan Liebesman. of the matter. I do believe that Cinemark 14, Wrath of the Titans is worse, Feather River though. Cinemas and Set a decade after the Paradise Cinema events of the remake, bastard 7. Rated PG-13. demigod Perseus (vanilla action figure Sam Worthington) has rejected the whole god trip and bides his time Poor doing scut work in a fishing village, occasionally pausing to tousle the hair of his preFair teen son (played by a kid who serves as the avatar for the middle-school demographic the film is aimed at). But his Good old man Zeus (Liam Neeson in a community theater beard and wig) drops by and asks for a li’l help in diffusing some Very Good wannabe-Game of Thrones intrigue between ... Well, it’s complicated and confusing, even though everyone stands Excellent

around shouting and reiterating each others’ name, rank and back story at each other when the CGI isn’t being splashed across the screen. It’s directed by the dude responsible for Battle Los Angeles (Jonathan Liebesman), so even the more placid moments are given an urgent score and the shaky-cam treatment. The more action-oriented scenes are a blur of spaz-inducing bursts of imagery set to pounding ambient noise. And while the mechanics of plot are more complicated than expected, the narrative drive is still nothing more than a video-game script thrown up on the big screen as Perseus works his way through levels and fights bosses. There’s also a hot warrior queen (Rosamund Pike) who really doesn’t have anything to do except stand around throwing “Do me!” eyes at Perseus. And we’ve got some black dude on hand to provide the comic relief. Yeah, we’re working with some real iconoclastic shit here. Granted, it’s not a total loss. It has a sly tongue-in-cheek sensibility that pulls just short of being camp, an attack by a pair of cyclops provides some goofy charm, Bill Nighy drops by to provide welcome Monty Python-style scenery chewing, and the final boss fight between Perseus and a towering inferno with legs is pretty wicked, a swirling maelstrom of slo-mo mayhem set to a pulsing score that is admittedly pretty stony—if that’s what you’re looking for. Otherwise, it just plays like some old Italian sword-n-sandal epic given more money than the material warrants. Ω

Now playing

21 Jump Street

This TV-drama-remade-as-a-big-screen-comedy stars Channing Tatum (Jenko) and Jonah Hill (Schmidt) as mediocre newbie cop partners reassigned to the 21 Jump Street undercover division and immediately sent back to high school to infiltrate a drug ring. These days, it’s the eco-liberal kids who stand at the top of the “cool-kid” food chain, with a handsome socially conscious drug dealer (Dave Franco) leading this new granola pack. Now Schmidt and Jenko’s old roles are switched: The once-nerdy Schmidt is now the sensitive popular kid, and former jock Jenko doesn’t know how to fit in with the new generation. The tension drives a wedge in their friendship and undercover work, but the ridiculous highschool drama and subsequent shenanigans provide much comic relief. Plus, the chemistry between Tatum and Hill is surprisingly strong, so you root for this bromance through thick and thin. All the stupid stuff here, from ridiculously over-the-top car chases and shoot-’em-ups, to dumb raunchy humor, for an Rrated action-comedy based on an ’80s TV show, it all serves its big, dumb and pretty damn funny purpose. Cinemark 14 and Feather River Cinemas. Rated R —R.B.

Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax

With The Lorax, the fourth Dr. Seuss book reimagined for film, we get a direct message: The Lorax “speaks for the trees,” promoting environmentalist ideals about conserving natural resources. The film version follows preteen Ted (Zac Efron), who lives in the over-industrialized town of Thneed-Ville, where the citizens are brainwashed into thinking that their plastic environment is paradise. When his crush Audrey (Taylor Swift) reveals her desire to see a real, live tree, Ted sets out on a quest to learn about what happened to the natural world, leading him to the home of the mysterious hermit The Once-ler (Ed Helms, in great voice and timing), who it turns out, is largely responsible for the deforestation. Danny DeVito is the (disappointingly subdued) voice of The Lorax, who urges Onceler to reconsider his greedy ways and not cut down the beautiful Truffula trees for his own gains. It’s The Once-ler’s flashback scenes that make the film especially reminiscent of Dr. Seuss’s original tale. The forested world is brought to screen with the same vivid color schemes and fantastical illustrations as in the book. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated PG —R.B.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games commences with a grim vision of a dystopian America a few generations down the road, where proles abide in Appalachian squalor after the world seemingly bankrupts itself during the course of a war on terror. These folks have it bad, and everyone just sits in doorways and looks miserable. Except for Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) who stalks the woods hunting for sustenance for her hungry family. To keep the edgy populace in line, the elite aspects of society have provided them with a little circus called The Hunger Games, where contestants set out to kill each other until the last one stands victorious. Guess who ends up as a contestant? The Hunger Games is leisurely paced, allowing its characters to naturally develop, with an eye for the communication of body language and subtextual manipulation. Although, it is a little too sluggish at times and the content has apparently been homogenized for better mass appeal. However, most viewers might find that the biggest downside is having to wait until November of 2013 for the next episode. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated PG-13 —C.B.

Mirror Mirror

Are evil queens this year’s vampires? Mirror Mirror is the first of two film versions of the Snow White fairytale being released this spring (the second, the darker Snow White and the Huntsman, comes out June 1). This week’s Snow White is played by Lily Collins, and the evil queen trying to rob the young, beautiful princess of her birthright is played by Julia Roberts. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated PG.

October Baby

A faith-based film that follows the journey of a young woman after she finds out that she was adopted following a failed abortion. Cinemark 14. Rated PG-13.

A Separation

The internationally acclaimed Iranian drama and winner of this year’s Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film presents itself in rather modest and unassuming fashion. Initially, it is a story about the impending breakup of a marriage. Simin (Leila Hatami) wants a divorce from Nader (Peyman Moadi) so that she can raise their daughter Termeh (Sarina Farhadi) in some place other than Iran. Nader refuses to leave his job and his ailing, aging father, and so the couple separates, but his wife stays in Iran and his daughter stays with him. That turn of events brings another conflicted family of three into the picture. In this tale, there is no clear-cut rooting interest. Each of the main characters has some good reasons for his or her conduct, and none ever seems entirely in the right. In a way, it’s a low-key tragic drama played out in specifics of the daily life from a particular contemporary setting and culture. It might also be taken as a critique of Iranian society, but the sober humanism implicit in writer/director Asghar Farhadi’s even-handed approach seems to transcend parochial and polemical concerns. Pageant Theatre. Rated PG-13 —J.C.S.

Wrath of the Titans

See review this issue. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated PG-13 —C.B.

Friends with Kids

After seeing how having kids affects their friends’ relationships, two best friends (Adam Scott and Jennifer Westfeldt) decide to switch up the dynamic by agreeing to have a kid together while continuing to date other people so that they can avoid a similar fate. Also starring John Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Megan Fox, Ed Burns and Maya Rudolph. Pageant Theatre and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated R.

Titanic 3-D 28 CN&R April 5, 2012

NEWS & REVIEW

1 x 2.75

AD SNo IZE The Devil Ain’t Got Music

PUBLICATION

THUR 4/5

CIN7NR_4.5

RUN DATE

NAME FILE SENT endsOF sunday academy award winner Best Foreign Film

Lurrie Bell

ATT: WILL

Aria B.G. Records Though I spent lots of adolescent Sundays serving as an altar boy, and chunks of childhood sitting through Sunday school classes devoted to making me shiver at the thought of punishment for sins I had yet to imagine, I no longer have a church bone left in my body. I’m more likely to think of the harm religion does than the solace it provides. But that ol’ time religion still can reach my soul when it’s sung as close to the bone as Lurrie Bell sings it here, with a richly honest voice praising God while giving the devil his due. This is blues and gospel blended and bonded. I thought of Elvis as I listened to Bell’s version of “Peace in the Valley,” and I thought of Doc Watson and Ralph Stanley on “Trouble in My Way,” not because Bell’s treatments aren’t distinctive, but because those old white guys and this old black guy are equally authentic in the feelings they render through these songs. Check out Bell’s version of the Tom Waits song, “Way Down in the Hole,” and listen for Joe Louis Walker’s great slide guitar on “It’s a Blessing.” It might just get you up and out on Sunday morning. —Jaime O’Neill

a seParation thurs-sat 8:10Pm sunday 1:30Pm

FriendsFri/satwith kids 6Pm sunday 4Pm mon-thurs 7Pm+

6701 CLARK ROAD

4/11 Harlem Gospel Choir

S HOWTIMES G OOD F RI 4/6- THUR 4/12

AMERICAN REUNION [R]

1:30 4:15 7:00 *9:40PM IN : F-SAT: 12:30 4:30 8:30PM SUN-TH: 1:00 6:30PM

FRIENDS WITH KIDS

Chico State English professor Rob Davidson’s collection of short stories, The Farther Shore, recently put out by local publisher Bear Star Press, is everything you hope for (but sometimes don’t get) in a locally produced work: It’s good. Really good. Davidson’s often-humorous and finely crafted stories grab the reader’s attention from the get-go and keep her or him utterly engaged until the end with the twists and turns of the characters’ lives—some familiar (having babies, aspiring to be a successful musician), some more exotic (being the doting father of an angry thug on a remote island in the Caribbean). He has a talent for opening lines: “There is something wrong with the baby” (from “Terminations”), or “Nestled near the tip of the comma that is the Eastern Caribbean, the island of Carriacou is an isolated place, small and quiet: a land of five thousand people and ten thousand goats” (from the highly entertaining and insightful “Criminals”). References to Chico and other places one imagines Davidson has lived pop up throughout, as do references to many things to do with the world of academia. But, contrary to what one might fear, such seeming mundaneness is never boring in Davidson’s hands. In fact, his keen eye for observation might even be called “Sedaris-esque.”

21 JUMP STREET (Digital)(R) 11:45aM 2:30PM 5:10PM 7:50PM 10:25PM AMERICAN REUNION (Digital)(R) 11:45aM 1:05PM 2:25PM 3:45PM 5:05PM 6:25PM 7:45PM 9:05PM 10:25PM DR. SEUSS’ THE LORAX (3D) Pg) 2:35PM 7:05PM DR. SEUSS’ THE LORAX (Digital) (Pg) 12:20PM 4:50PM 9:20PM HUNGER GAMES, THE (Digital)(Pg-13) 11:40aM 12:45PM 1:50PM 3:00PM 4:00PM 5:05PM 7:15PM 8:20PM 10:30PM OCTOBER BABY (2012) (Digital)(Pg13) 6:45PM 9:15PM

5/7 Dave ve Eggers: Eggers gg gg g d 5/7 nge Dat ZBBookeitk Cha Zeitoun u n In Common

872-7800

ALL SHOWS PRESENTED

[PG-13]

Bear Star Press

FRIDAY 4/6 – ThuRsDAY 4/12

SOLD OUT

www.paradisecinema.com

TITANIC

Rob Davidson

4/8 CATS ATS

oPens Friday Jon hamm · JenniFer westFeldt

MUSIC

The Farther Shore

Keeping Dance Alive!

MIRROR MIRROR

5:05 7:20 *9:35PM

[R]

12:30 2:50 5:10 7:25 *9:45PM

[PG]

WRATH OF THE TITANS

[PG-13]

IN : 12:55 5:15 7:30 *9:45PM IN 2D: 3:05PM

DR. SEUSS'

THE LORAX

TICKETS

[PG-13]

ON 2 SCREENS! 12:30 1:30 3:30 4:30 6:30 7:30 *9:30PM ON

5/9 Riders in the Sky All shows at Laxson Auditorium California State University, Chico

12:55 3:00PM

[PG]

THE HUNGER GAMES

*L ATE S HOWS

4/27 Yo-Yo Ma & Kathryn Stott with The Assad Brothers

F RI & S AT O NLY

(530) 898-6333 WWW.CHICOPERFORMANCES.COM

Showtimes listed w/ ♠ not shown Sat. 4/7

A LL S HOWS B EFORE 6PM ARE B ARGAIN M ATINEES INDICATES NO PASSES ACCEPTED

BOOK

MIRROR MIRROR (Digital)(Pg) 11:00aM 12:20PM♠ 1:40PM 3:05PM 4:20PM 5:40PM 7:00PM 8:25PM 9:40PM TITANIC (2012)(3D) (Pg-13) 11:50aM 1:45PM 3:55PM 5:55PM 8:00PM 10:00PM WRATH OF TITANS (3D)(Pg-13) 11:35aM 12:30PM 1:20PM 3:00PM 3:50PM 4:40PM 5:30PM 6:20PM 7:55PM 8:50PM 9:40PM 10:30PM WRATH OF TITANS (Digital)(Pg-13) 2:10PM 7:10PM (SPECIAL SHOWING) MET OPERA: MANON (Digital)(NR) Sat. 4/7 9:00aM

Only $80 per person

go to www.newsreview.com

—Christine G.K. LaPado

The L.A. Sessions Mark Sherman Miles High Records A native of the Bronx, vibraphonist Mark Sherman has been on the scene for three decades and with this CD, has eight albums out. Among his career stats are the six years he spent accompanying Peggy Lee in the ’80s and working with guitarist Larry Coryell in the ’90s. Sherman recorded this with—as he puts it—“three of L.A.’s finest musicians”: Bill Cunliffe, Hammond B3; John Chiodini, guitar; and Charles Ruggiero, drums—definitely not your standard quartet. An admirer of bebop, Sherman’s chosen some classic examples of the form and he and his associates give each of the nine tunes (with alternate takes of three serving as “bonus tracks”) a terrific reading. True to the bebop canon, the tempos are mostly fast, and often involve eight-bar chase choruses at the end—a nifty device that lets the drummer participate on equal footing. Ruggiero is, in fact, a marvel in this regard for, instead of following what seems to be the de rigueur practice for drummers these days, he supports the group rather than competes with it. The tunes? Gillespie’s up-tempo “Woody ’n You;” Parker’s relaxed “Quasimodo;” roaring versions of Miles Davis’ “The Serpent’s Tooth” and Coltrane’s “Moment’s Notice.” Sherman has a great tone and is heard to good effect on Milt Jackson’s classic “Bags’ Groove.” Recommended!

2nd Annual

MUSIC

—Miles Jordan

Major sponsors:

Tournament Monday, June 18 Tuscan Ridge Golf Course Shotgun Start: 11 a.m.

Supporting sponsors: Bartlett’s Hearing Aids Concours Elite Collision Center April 5, 2012

CN&R 29

30 CN&R April 5, 2012

SCENE

“We’re Going to Jon & Bons!”

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FREE Buy 1 small or larger yogurt, and get 1 small yogurt FREE or $1 OFF any smoothie. Ask about our Frequent Buyer program!

2 Chico Locations

A visually striking and wellplayed rendition of multifaceted Japanese crime drama at Chico State

300 Broadway (Downtown), 899-9580 In the Phoenix Building 1722 Mangrove Ave., 899-0484 In Mangrove Square Open 7 dAys A week, 11AM - Midnight

Taste & see that the Lord is good: Blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Psalm 34:8

The scene of the crime with the bandit (Ryan F. Mutti) and his victim (Erin Duffey). PHOTO BY MATT SIRACUSA

invites You to Join Us in the Big room

“H

e lies like an eyewit-

ness,” as the old Russian expression goes. Cynthia Lammel, director of the Chico State Department of Theatre’s current production by of Rashomon, Christine G.K. thought the line LaPado captured the christinel@ essence of the newsreview.com play’s message so well that she featured it prominently in the proREVIEW: gram notes. Rashomon Through shows numerous intriguThursdaySaturday, ing plot twists and 7:30 p.m., & turns, Rashomon Saturday-Sunday, delves into the 2 p.m., essential nature of in Wismer human beings— Theatre. Tickets: $6-$15, their tendency to available at lie or alter the University Box truth depending Office, 898-6333. on selfish motives For disability or perhaps just related seating, call 898-4325. due to the possession of an active imagination or Wismer Theatre poor memory. Not Chico State one character in www.schoolof thearts-csu this story of the chico.com death of a samurai warrior (played by Peter McNelis) and the rape of his wife (Erin Duffey)—from the woodcutter (Xander Ritchey) to the medium channeling the dead husband (Leanne Convis) to the wife herself—gives the same account of what happened when asked to testify in court. Chico State senior Ryan F. Mutti is fabulous as Tajomaru, the

play’s infamous bandit (played memorably in the 1950 Akira Kurosawa film version by Japanese star Toshiro Mifune). Mutti’s multi-layered portrayal of the bandit is an effective mixture of fearinspiring swagger, vulnerability, ego and charm. The interaction between Mutti and Duffey is likewise multi-faceted: The scene in which they linger a very long time in a sort of wince-inspiring embrace is especially poignant and thought-provoking. Daniel Beldi as the wigmaker is particularly entertaining; his hardboiled observations of the world around him, delivered in a salty, endearing manner, occasionally serve as a bit of comic relief of sorts. Hugo Kelley plays the priest who tries to make sense of the conflicting stories about the crime. (In preparation for the part, Kelley shaved his head, ate healthful food and meditated daily.) Convis as the medium is suitably eye- (and ear-) catching, thanks in part to the excellent work of the play’s costume-design team, including designer Ruth Palmerlee, who was in the audience for the dress rehearsal this writer attended. Palmerlee used authentic oldkimono material that she ordered from Japan to make the female actors’ striking attire. The production’s unchanging, minimalist set is cleverly crafted. Its organic feel and stylized version of a crumbling Rashomon Gate are noteworthy. The set’s flexibility provided a range of scenes depending on what’s being called for at the moment: evoking the feeling of

being deep in the forest, under the overhang of the gate or in the glare of courtroom lights. It also lent itself perfectly to the play’s numerous flashbacks (and flash-forwards) without confusing the viewer. On the contrary, one is helped to sort out the complexities of the story with the help of the carefully planned stage set. “Aha,” we get used to saying to ourselves when the actors appear stage left, “now we are in the courtroom. What story are we going to hear this time?” While Chico State’s version of the play is based on the 1959 Broadway adaptation of the film Rashomon, which in turn is adapted from two Ryunosuke Akutagawa short stories that are based on folktales of feudal Japan, playgoers may be more familiar with Kurosawa’s masterful black-andwhite film. Kurosawa fans will not be disappointed. The play resembles his film significantly, from the dreary sound of pouring rain that serves as a backdrop for the telling of conflicting tales, to the nuanced portrayal of the characters, to the basic overall flow of the complex, fascinating story line. Samurai fans will likewise appreciate the work of sword choreographer Maxwell Pickens, who holds a black belt in taekwondo, jujitsu and kenpo karate. Pickens deserves to be commended for the effectiveness of the fight scenes between Mutti and McNelis. His choreography even takes the duo through slo-mo moves in one fight, a la Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon—impressively slick for Ω something that is not a film.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Diego’s Umbrella

Diego’s Umbrella are San Francisco’s Ambassadors of Gypsy Rock. Internationally known and revered, their lively stage show, great songs, antics and humor have garnered them a cult following around the world. With a mix of Eastern European tradition, pop sensibility and punk rock energy, they have had crowds going wild for years. “These underground heroes will soon be international superstars.” -AP Press They have been featured in major motion pictures, Network Television, and numerous documentaries, in addition to countless worldwide radio and print. This is an audience participation presentation. Bring your wild hairs and your dancing shoes cause the dance floor is open.

Tickets $15 On sale Saturday, 4/7 in the gift shop or online at www.SierraNevada.com Doors open at 6pm • Music starts at 7:30pm

Special concert Dinner available - $12.50

Join the Big Room e-mail list by visiting www.sierranevada.com 1075 E. 20th StrEEt • ChiCo • 896-2198 all ages Welcome at each Show April 5, 2012

CN&R 31

NIGHTLIFE BOBBY JOE EBOLA & THE CHILDREN MACNUGGITS Tonight, April 5 Origami Lounge SEE THURSDAY

THURSDAY 4|5—WEDNESDAY 4|11 OPEN MIKEFULL: Open mic night to benefit Earthdance. Refreshments on sale.

AARON RICH & FRIENDS: Country music

round-robin. Third and First Th of every month, 9pm. Free. Crazy Horse Saloon & Brewery; 303 Main St.; (530) 894-5408.

BLUES JAM: Weekly open jam. Th, 8pm-

midnight. Lynns Optimo; 9225 Skyway in Paradise; (530) 872-1788.

BOBBY JOE EBOLA & THE CHILDREN MACNUGGITS: An eclectic mix of rock, surf and punk with The Pushers, Baghdad Batteries, Bobby Joe Ebola and the Children MacNuggits and Puke ‘N Rally. Th, 4/5, 7:30pm. $5. Origami Lounge; 7th and Cherry Streets.

CHICO JAZZ COLLECTIVE: Thursday jazz.

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

COLD BLUE MOUNTAIN & ARMED FOR APOCALYPSE: An evening of hardcore experimental metal. Holy Ghost Revival opens. Th, 4/5, 8pm. $5. Monstros Pizza & Subs; 628 W. Sacramento Ave.; (530) 345-7672.

JOHN SEID: John Seid, Larry Peterson and Steve Cook playing the blues, the Beatles and standards. Th, 6:309:30pm. Free. Johnnies Restaurant; 220 W. Fourth St. inside Hotel Diamond; (530) 895-1515; www.johnniesrestau rant.com.

MATTEO PLAYS FILM SCORES: Classical guitarist Matteo plays film scores and light classics. Th, 6pm. Free. Angelos Cucina Trinacria; 407 Walnut St.; (530) 899-9996.

OPEN MIC: Singers, poets and musicians welcome. Th, 7-10pm. Has Beans Internet Cafe & Galleria; 501 Main St.; (530) 894-3033; www.hasbeans.com.

standards of the last 100 years. F,

6:30-8:30pm through 4/27. Free.

$1. Paradise Grange Hall; 5704 Chapel Dr. in Paradise; (530) 873-1370.

Johnnies Restaurant; 220 W. Fourth St. inside Hotel Diamond; (530) 895-1515; www.johnniesrestaurant.com.

ROCK THE MIC: An acoustic showcase

with John Pham and friends. Th, 4/5, 7pm. Cafe Flo; 365 E. Sixth St. Next door to the Pageant Theatre; 514-8888.

6FRIDAY 5THURSDAY

JOHN TRENALONE: Jazz and Broadway

First and Third Th of every month, 7pm.

ALLI BATTAGLIA & THE MUSICAL BREWING COMPANY: At times funky, at times folky and even a little reminiscent of the Dave Matthews Band. Dylan’s Dharma and the Chick P’s open. F, 4/6, 9pm. $5. LaSalles; 229 Broadway; (530) 893-1891.

CHRIS GARDNER BAND: A local country/rock favorite performing in the brewery. F, 4/6, 9pm. $5. Feather Falls Casino; 3 Alverda Dr. in Oroville; (530) 533-3885; www.feather fallscasino.com.

IRISH MUSIC HAPPY HOUR: A Chico tradition: Friday night happy hour with a traditional Irish music session by the Pub Scouts. F, 4pm. $1. Duffys Tavern; 337 Main St.; (530) 343-7718.

THE JEFF PERSHING BAND: Chico’s mas-

ters of funk and classic rock. F, 4/6, 9pm. Free. Tackle Box Bar & Grill; 375 E. Park Ave.; (530) 345-7499.

MAT KEARNEY: A folk-rock musician— formerly a Chico State soccer player—who has toured with John Mayer, Sheryl Crow, Keane and the Fray. He returns to Chico’s El Rey Theatre as a conquering hero. F, 4/6, 8pm. $22. El Rey Theatre; 230 W. Second St.; (530) 342-2727.

7SATURDAY

Casino; 2655 Barham Ave. in Corning; (530) 528-3500; www.rollinghills casino.com.

VIBE: A night of house electronica with

SONS OF JEFFERSON: Out of Santa Cruz, the Sons of Jefferson play a mix of folk and punk. Redding’s The Vandolins open. Sa, 4/7, 9pm. Free. Maltese Bar & Taproom; 1600 Park Ave.; (530) 3434915.

DJs Simple Science, No Requests, Kroogslice and Fix-it. Sa, 4/7, 9pm. $3. Lost On Main; 319 Main St.; (530) 8911853; www.facebook.com/events/ 276071505801803.

ZOO STATION: A U2 cover band chronicling

SPRING SYMPHONIC WINDS CONCERT: Chico State’s Wind Ensemble, featuring the light “Overture for Band” by Mendelssohn, the heavy “Trauersinfonie” by Wagner and the world premier of Chico State senior Kevin Valenzuela’s “Elegy of the Falling Leaf.” Sa, 4/7, 7:30pm. $6-$15. Harlen

CANDYRAT GUITAR NIGHT: Cafe Coda

their days in Dublin bars to their arena-rock era. Sa, 4/7, 9pm. $5. Feather Falls Casino; 3 Alverda Dr. in Oroville; (530) 533-3885; www.feather fallscasino.com.

8SUNDAY HELMS ALEE: Helms Alee is a heavy

hosts virtuoso guitarists Ewan Dobson, Gareth Pearson, Craig D’Andrea and Matthew Santos. Sa, 4/7, 8pm. $15. Café Coda; 265 Humboldt Ave.; (530) 566-9476; www.cafe coda.com.

instrumental outfit from Seattle. Thrones, La Fin Du Monde and Hearses open. Su, 4/8, 8pm. $5. Café Coda; 265 Humboldt Ave.; (530) 566-9476; www.cafe coda.com.

HAVANA HIGHWAY: Latin, blues and classic

JAZZ: Weekly jazz. Su, 4-6pm. Has Beans

soul music with Havana Highway. Niobel Cintra opens. Sa, 4/7, 7pm. Cafe Flo; 365 E. Sixth St. Next door to the Pageant Theatre; 514-8888.

Internet Cafe & Galleria; 501 Main St.; (530) 894-3033; www.hasbeans.com.

LADIES NIGHT W/DJ: Ladies night: danc-

MAT KEARNEY

ing every Saturday. Sa, 10pm-1:30am. Crazy Horse Saloon & Brewery; 303 Main St.; (530) 894-5408.

Friday, April 6 El Rey Theatre SEE FRIDAY

NORTHERN HEAT: A variety of musical styles, covering tunes from the ‘50s to ‘90s. Sa, 4/7, 9pm. Free. Rolling Hills

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NIGHTLIFE

9MONDAY

JAZZ HAPPY HOUR: Carey Robinson hosts a jazz happy hour every Monday. M, 57pm. Cafe Flo; 365 E. Sixth St. Next door to the Pageant Theatre; 514-8888.

10TUESDAY AARON JAQUA: Country music with Aaron and friends. Tu, 7-9pm. Cafe Flo; 365 E. Sixth St. Next door to the Pageant Theatre; 514-8888.

AWOLNATION: Electronic rock band that scored big on the charts with their single “Sail.” King Clifton and Moostache open. Tu, 4/10, 8pm. $15. Senator Theatre; 517 Main St.; (530) 898-1497; www.jmaxproductions.net.

11WEDNESDAY BROKEDOWN IN BAKERSFIELD: Country music made raw and rocking, Brokedown in Bakersfield captures the feel of 1960s Southern California. Feat. Tim and Nicki Bluhm. W, 4/11, 7:30pm. $25. Sierra Nevada Big Room; 1075 East 20th St.; (530) 345-2739; www.sierra nevada.com/bigroom.

FINAL LAST WORDS: A pop punk outfit with emo-tinged vocals and subject matter. Biggs Roller and CARAWAY open. W, 4/11, 9pm. $5. LaSalles; 229 Broadway; (530) 893-1891.

THIS WEEK: FIND MORE ENTERTAINMENT AND SPECIAL EVENTS ON PAGE 24

HARLEM GOSPEL CHOIR: Spreading their message of joy and love through blues, jazz, gospel and popular music, the Harlem Gospel Choir is sure to deliver an extraordinary evening of footstomping, hand-clapping entertainment while celebrating African-American culture and the inspiration of gospel music. W, 4/11, 7:30pm. $14-$18. Laxson Auditorium; 400 W. First St. CSU, Chico; (530) 8986333; www.csuchico.edu/upe/ boxoffice.html.

JAZZ LUNCH: Every Wednesday with

Carey Robinson Trio. W, 12-2pm. Free. Cafe Flo; 365 E. Sixth St. Next door to the Pageant Theatre; 514-8888.

OPEN JAM NIGHT: Join the jam. Drum kit, bass rig, guitar amp and PA system are provided, bring your own instruments. All ages until 10. W, 7pm. Free. Italian Garden; 6929 Skyway in Paradise; (530) 876-9988; www.myspace.com/theitaliangarden.

SALSA BELLA: Live Salsa music in the

CANDYRAT GUITAR NIGHT Saturday, April 7 Café Coda SEE SATURDAY

restaurant. W, 8-11pm. Tortilla Flats; 2601 Esplanade; (530) 345-6053.

SWING DANCE WEDNESDAY: Every Wednesday night, swing dancing lessons 8-10pm. W, 8-10pm. Free. Crazy Horse Saloon & Brewery; 303 Main St.; (530) 894-5408.

DJ DANCING CRAZY HORSE: DJ Hot Rod and

mechanical bull contest. F, 9pm-1:30am. Crazy Horse Saloon & Brewery, 303 Main St., (530) 894-5408.

LASALLES: Th, 10pm: DJ

10pm. $1. Duffys Tavern, 337 Main St., (530) 343-7718.

FEATHER FALLS: Su, 8pm-mid-

night. Free. Feather Falls Casino, 3 Alverda Dr. in Oroville, (530)

SEE WEDNESDAY

MADISON BEAR: Dancing upstairs and on the patio. W-Sa, 9pm. Madison Bear Garden, 316 W. Second St., (530) 891-1639, www.madisonbeargarden.com.

MALTESE: Dirty Talk:

LBGT dance Party w/ DJ2K. F, 9pm-2am through 4/6. Free. Maltese Bar & Taproom, 1600 Park Ave., (530) 343-4915.

MONTGOMERY ST.: W, F Sa, 8pm. Free. Montgomery St. Pub, 1933 Montgomery St. in Oroville, (530) 533-0900.

QUACKERS: F, 9pm. Free. Quackers Lounge, 968 East Ave., (530) 895-3825.

TACKLE BOX: DJ Shelley. Tu, Su, 6pm. Tackle Box Bar & Grill, 375 East Park Ave., (530) 345-7499.

KARAOKE CRAZY HORSE: All-request karaoke. Tu,

9pm. Free. Crazy Horse Saloon & Brewery, 303 Main St., (530) 894-5408.

FEATHER FALLS: Tu, 7-11pm. Free. Feather Falls Casino, 3 Alverda Dr. in Oroville, (530) 533-3885, www.featherfalls casino.com.

KINGS TAVERN: M, Tu, 8pm. Free. Kings Tavern, 5771 Clark Rd. in Paradise, (530) 877-7100.

9pm. Free. The DownLo, 319 Main

DUFFYS: DJ Lois & DJ Spenny. W,

Wednesday, April 11 Laxson Auditorium

Mac Morris; Fr, 11pm: on the patio; Sa, 9pm: “That 80s Party”; and Tu, 10pm: DJ. LaSalles, 229 Broadway St., (530) 893-1891.

DOWN LO: DJ Ron Dare. Tu, Sa, St., (530) 892-2473.

HARLEM GOSPEL CHOIR

533-3885, www.feather fallscasino.com.

NTS POST EVE Y ONLINE B AT ING REGISTER hico

newsreview.c

om/c

LASALLES: Su, 9pm. LaSalles, 229 Broadway St., (530) 893-1891.

LAST CALL LOUNGE: M, Th, 8pm-midnight. Last Call Lounge, 876 East Ave., (530) 895-3213.

LYNNS OPTIMO: F, Sa, 9pm. Lynns Optimo, 9225 Skyway in Paradise, (530) 8721788.

MONTGOMERY ST.: Tu, 8pm. Free. Montgomery St. Pub, 1933 Montgomery St. in Oroville, (530) 533-0900.

QUACKERS: Th, 9pm. Free. Quackers Lounge, 968 East Ave., (530) 895-3825.

SMOKIE MOUNTAIN: F, Sa, 9pm. Free. Smokie Mountain Steakhouse, 7039 Skyway in Paradise, (530) 872-3323, www.smokiemtnsteakhouse.com.

STUDIO INN: With Brandon Hightower. Tu,

9pm-1am. Studio Cocktail Lounge, 2582 Esplanade, (530) 343-0662.

TORTILLA FLATS: Karaoke en Espanol. Su,

8-midnight. Free. Tortilla Flats, 2601 The Esplanade, (530) 345-6053.

April 5, 2012

CN&R 33

GATEWAY SCIENCE MUSEUM

ARTS

MUSEUM WITHOUT WALLS SPRING 2012 LECTURE SERIES

BUTTERFLIES, BEES AND BATS POLLINATORS OF THE NORTH STATE

APRIL 11

NECTAR AND POLLEN IN NORTH STATE WILDFLOWERS: FOOD FOR A DIVERSITY OF NATIVE POLLINATORS ROBERT SCHLISING, CSU, CHICO

7:30 PM at CARD CENTER 545 VALLOMBROSA AVE., CHICO A DONATION OF $3 PER ADULT IS REQUESTED. STUDENTS WITH ID ARE FREE.

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE SERIES SPONSORS PG&E, Garey and Barbara Weibel, Joan Stewart, In a North State Garden, Diane Anderson, Friends of the Herbarium, Marcia Moore, M.D., Price & Brown, Attorneys, NUTRILAWN, INC., Gary and Judy Sitton, Kenneth E. Lange, D.D.S.

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Buy 4 TAcos for $6 And geT A domesTic BoTTle of Beer for

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DEVO

Jason Cassidy • jasonc@newsreview.com

THE FERTILE MONTHS Tonight, the Thursday Night Market makes its 2012 debut, and its return marks the start of what are usually the busiest couple of months for music, arts and community events in Chico. The downtown Friday Night Concerts are just down the road (May 18), as is the Silver Dollar Fair (May 24-28), and leading up to all that Yo-Yo Ma(!) will actually be appearing in Chico at Laxson Auditorium (April 27, for those lucky enough to have gotten tickets already). What follows are just a few of Arts DEVO’s picks for the rest of spring. April 5: Lois Cohen: a reception and celebration of the life of and prolific amount of art by the late artist, 5-8 p.m., at both James Snidle Fine Arts (254 E. Fourth St.) and at a downtown art studio upstairs at 126 W. Second St. April 12-14: CAMMIES Music Festival: This year, the CN&R’s celebration of music crams all of the genre showcases into one weekend—three days, six venues, 12 shows, dozens of bands—festival style! Visit www.newsreview.com/cammies for a full schedule. April 12-21: Arcadia at 1078 Gallery. Rogue Theatre’s production of this Tom Stoppard masterpiece. April 13-14: Ron Paul: The Musical, at the An erotic scene by RayRay. Blue Room. While ex-Chico rocker Cameron Ford prepares an encore run (starting April 21) of his original musical at Chicago’s Gorilla Tango Theatre, his brother Nolan will present a West Coast version of the play that features a singing Ron Paul on the campaign trail. April 18: Alpha Yaya Diallo at the Sierra Nevada Big Room: The multiple Juno Award-winning Vancouver (by way of Guinea) musician brings his band Bafing to town for a night of world-class world beat. April 21: California Nut Fest: Music, art, wine, beer and farm-fresh food at the Patrick Ranch Museum. April 22: CAMMIES Finale/Awards Show at Chico Women’s Club. April 26 & 27: RayRay Gallery’s Real Erotic Art Show: A “Juried art exposition of XXXuality” for two nights at The Last Stand. chord Ma jor

April 27-May 26: A Clockwork Orange at the Blue Room. Anthony Burgess’ dystopian tale adapted for the stage. May 7: David Eggers: Chico Performances hosts the author of this year’s book in Common, Zeitoun.

May 4: G-Hum Parade and Art Show: The G-Hum is just what it sounds like, a bunch of instruments humming a G-Major chord in unison. “Our goal is to have at least 100 people walking around downtown Chico playing the chord of ‘G’.” Look up G-Hum (or organizers, Chico MEISA) on Facebook for more info. May 4 & 5: Music fest overload: May 4, it’s the brand-new Music For Music Festival, featuring an eclectic array of local bands—from Wolf Thump to Soul Butter—at 1078 Gallery, Bustolini’s and All Fired Up, and the following day, Chico State’s Wild Oak Music Group hosts its annual multi-band Chico Music Fest. Visit www.musicformusic.weebly.com and www.wildoakmusicgroup.com for details. May 5: Endangered Species Faire, Cedar Grove, Bidwell Park. Butte Environmental Council’s annual event featuring exhibits, entertainment, food and crafts. May 9: Allo Darlin’ and The Wave Pictures at Origami Lounge: A double dose of perfect, hand-clapping, hum-along, indie-pop goodness from England. May 11-13: Art Fiesta: three-day art fest sponsored by the Chico Visual Arts Alliance (ChiVAA) at the Matador Hotel. 34 CN&R April 5, 2012

Allo Darlin’

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