C-2012-04-19 by News & Review

A TASTY OFFERING See SCENE, page 31

UNNECESSARY ROUGHNESS? See NEWSLINES, page 8

KICK,STAB,

REPEAT See REEL WORLD, page 28

INSIDE: A collection of eco-themed stories in celebration of Earth Day

CAMMIES AWARDS SHOW PROGRAM INSIDE

Chico’s News & Entertainment Weekly

Volume 35, Issue 34

Thursday, April 19, 2012

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CN&R

Vol. 35, Issue 34 • April 19, 2012

OPINION

James S. Nagel, MD

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

Would you go to a Chiropractor for heart surgery?

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

HEALTHLINES The Pulse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Appointments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Weekly Dose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

COVER STORY

See a Board Certified Specialist to Optimize your Hormones

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Nightlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Arts DEVO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

REAL ESTATE

CLASSIFIEDS

BACKSTOP From The Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Fifteen Minutes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Brezsny’s Astrology . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 ON THE COVER: DESIGN BY TINA FLYNN

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

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Editorial Policies Opinions expressed in the Chico News & Review are those of the author and not Chico Community Publishing, Inc. Contact the editor for permission to reprint portions of the paper. The Chico News & Review is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or review materials. All letters received become the property of the publisher. We reserve the right to edit letters for length (250 words or less), clarity and libel or not to publish them. Circulation 40,000 copies distributed free weekly.

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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.

Tony Symmes’ lesson A long, eventful saga neared its end last week, when former Chico

developer Tony Symmes was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 35 months in prison for conspiring to commit mail fraud and money laundering. (See Downstroke, page 8.) He got off remarkably light, considering he’d swindled people out of millions of dollars. He could have received 70 months, the low end of federal sentencing guidelines. Symmes, to his credit, has been remorseful and forthcoming since the day he was arrested for knowingly selling houses to a phony buyer using phony appraisals and bogus income documents. He’s been cooperating with law enforcement authorities, serving as an informant and even going so far as to wear a wire when meeting with his co-conspirators. He’s also paid more than $4 million in restitution. At the age of 61, Symmes is trying to redeem himself. As he told Judge Edward J. Garcia at his sentencing hearing, according to The Sacramento Bee, he is sorry for his actions: “I know I let everybody down. With the grace of God, I will one day be a productive citizen again.” Symmes was widely known and liked throughout the Chico community for both his work as a developer and his generous philanthropy. That’s why it was such a shock to learn he’d been engaged in such extensive illegal activities. In the past he’s acknowledged that greed got the best of him. He liked living large, and he put a lot of money into his collection of exotic cars and attending fancy car shows. He did very well in the construction business, but that wasn’t enough, and he risked it all to have even more. There’s a lesson for the rest of us in Tony Symmes’ story. Ω

The curtain comes down W

e would like to thank all those who have sup-

ported the Chico Cabaret. We’ve been in the Almond Orchard Plaza for more than 11 years, played more than 1,500 performances and produced more than 100 productions. Our volunteer base, averaging more than 80 every year for the past six years, is probably the largest and strongest theater company Chico has ever known. We had a fantastic base of talent: singers, dancers, musicians and actors. We’re proud that many of these artists called Chico Cabaret their “home.” Chico Cabaret’s success was not by Sue and Phil about one or two individuals; it was Ruttenberg about a team of more than 200 people for longer than 11 years. How wonderThe authors recently ful and amazing this has been—truly, closed their theater a dream realized. We will be forever company, Chico grateful. Cabaret, after We would like to acknowledge all of 11 years and the people and businesses in this letter, more than 1,500 but the short list would include our comperformances. pany director, Jeff Dickenson, and our past and present board members: Keith and Stephanie Adams, Natalie Valencia, Brent and Renee Boyd, Mark CunhaRigby, David Watkin, Noah Herbold, Sean Green, and Max Zachai. There are probably 100 more core people, business sponsors, and special longtime patrons whom we could easily add to the list. 4 CN&R April 19, 2012

Many of them were honored with awards at our final, sold-out event, Phil & Sue’s Excellent Adventure, on March 24. Many folks might be wondering why Chico Cabaret is leaving. That answer is too complex to answer in this letter, but it doesn’t have to do with rent increases or money or a lack of support. Sue and I made a conscious choice. We recognized that there are a great many other things we’d like to enjoy together: dancing, walking along Broadway at night, going on vacations and spending more time with each other and our family. We also need to clean our house! People who own and run their own businesses understand. We’ve been working full-time jobs while running the business of theater as well. It’s been incredible, but it’s time to say goodbye to all that. We cannot envision life without theater, however, so Chico Cabaret will plan the occasional show around town, perhaps temporarily filling a vacant warehouse or building. If anyone has suggestions, we’re open to ideas. You can reach us at Chicocabaret@sbcglobal.net; if you’d like to receive information about future auditions or performances, go to our website at Chicocabaret.com and join our email list, or see us on Facebook. Until we meet again, thank you, Chico. We’ll see you ’round town. Ω

The Romneys and women When Washington pundit Hilary Rosen told Anderson Cooper

recently that Ann Romney, the candidate’s wife, is no expert on economic issues because she “has actually never worked a day in her life,” she set off a firestorm. What Rosen later said she meant was Romney had never worked a day outside the home, which is true, but by then her comment was being batted around like a softball, and what she said had no weight. There’s no doubt Ann Romney works. Any family as rich as hers— income of $20 million last year—is a major enterprise. In addition to her five kids, she’s got three or four houses (and their staffs) to manage and the myriad responsibilities of an important politician’s wife. She’s got paid help, lots of it, but it’s still a big job. But it’s not a job in the marketplace; there Romney lacks experience, as Rosen said. And it’s the marketplace where the recession If Ann Romney is going to has hit hardest. What does Ann Romney speak for women, she might know about the fear of losing a job or being unable to pay your bills or mortgage because want to speak to issues she your husband was laid off? knows first-hand. If Ann Romney is going to speak for women, she might want to speak to issues she knows first-hand. As a breast-cancer survivor, she could have weighed in on the issue of defunding breast-cancerrelated services provided by Planned Parenthood. Or she might address her husband’s own announced determination to defund Planned Parenthood altogether. Indeed, she might explain why her husband wants to eliminate the federal family-planning program, which serves low- and middle-income women. According to the recent reports, the nation’s teen pregnancy rate is at an all-time low, and increased use of contraception appears to be a major factor in the decline. Why, then, does Mitt Romney want to eliminate $327 million annually for family planning. As a woman and mother, these are matters on which Ann Romney no doubt is qualified to speak. Ω

by Robert Speer roberts@newsreview.com

Mark Yudof is short, round and bald and, as he joked Tuesday (April 17) during a talk at the Chico Chamber of Commerce offices, in his four years living in California he’s “adjusted to In-N-Out burgers” but not “tofu and sprouts.” He’s also smart, articulate and knowledgeable, just what you’d expect from the president of the most prestigious public university system in the world, the University of California. He’s personable, too, a trait he’s putting to use these days as he travels the state to educate folks about the value of higher education and the myths and misperceptions about the UC in particular. Those myths, he told a group of journalists and civic leaders, include the notion that tuition is going up because getting a degree costs more now. Not true, Yudof said. A degree is 15 percent cheaper for the university now than it was a few years ago. Tuition is going up because the state is funding 60 percent less than it did 20 years ago. Another myth, Yudof said, is that low-income students are being hurt by the tuition hikes. In fact, most lowincome students pay little or no tuition and receive additional aid in the form of Pell and Cal grants. The families being hit hardest are those in the middle with incomes of, say, $120,000 annually, who must pay full tuition ($11,300) and other expenses that can total $25,000 or more. That said, the UC remains highly affordable, Yudof insisted. Combined with the CSU and the community colleges, it provides a tremendous higher-education bargain. Another myth is that student debt is skyrocketing. The truth is that the average UC student graduates $17,000 in debt, “less than the cost of a new car. What can I say? I think [a UC degree] is worth it.” But the system is extremely vulnerable right now. If Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax package doesn’t pass in November, it will trigger a $200 million cut in January, “God knows what the tuition increase will look like then,” Yudof said. Most people simply don’t know all the ways the UC system, with its 10 campuses, its research centers, its 58 Nobel laureates and its five world-class teaching hospitals, benefits the state. California’s decline in investment in one of its greatest assets weighs heavily on Yudof, which is why he was in Chico this week. “My job when I wake up every morning is to try to save the greatest university system in the world,” he said. Adiós, Clif: I’ve known a lot of folks at City Hall over the years, and Clif Sellers, who died April 13, was one of the best of a fine lot. As a longtime fixture in the Planning Department until he retired a few years ago, he was always friendly, knowledgeable, patient and, most important for this journalist, accessible and open. If I had questions or needed to brush up on city planning arcana, he would go out of his way to help. He believed in and practiced transparency and accountability, and he always put the city’s interest first. You can’t ask more of a public servant than that.

Robert Speer is editor of the CN&R.

Re “Rush to judgment” (Cover story, by David Waddell, April 12: For an unfortunate incident that resulted in a successful arrest and conviction of the person responsible, the author sure does a lot of whining. I find your treatment of Mr. Sayavong as some sort of victim incomprehensible, and you don’t even address Mr. Aguilar’s actual guilt. Whatever happened to personal responsibility? MATT WOLFE Butte Valley

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Passionate about Paul, pro and con Re “Two sides of Ron Paul” (From This Corner, by Robert Speer, April 12): Just before Ron Paul appeared in Chico, I received an email from one of my brightest former students expressing happiness about the eminent arrival of one of his personal heroes. I was chagrined to read how much he liked Ron Paul for all the reasons you mention in your column. I hope that former student read your piece, and that others do as well. Paul has some good ideas to offer, but as you make clear, he’s got some abominable ones, too. On the facing page, I also appreciated the guest comment by George Siler [“Protecting vulnerable children”], especially after the stuff you’ve been publishing that makes the people who do the hard work of Child Protective Services seem like minions of a totalitarian state. My wife worked in the field of Child Protective Services for several years, and I can tell you that there are few more demanding jobs or assigned duties where you’re going to be damned if you do and double damned if you don’t. JAIME O’NEILL Magalia

Listen to the videos of Dr. Paul talking about personal liberty and read the Constitution, please! Dr. Paul is the only candidate who will work to keep your God-given rights that the corporation acting as our government is taking away daily. Also, please listen to Sui Juris on KZFR Wednesday nights at 6 p.m.; you will be enlightened. Blessings! LESLIE HOLMES Paradise

Making meat safe Re “Slimewatch, cont.” (The Greenhouse, by Christine G.K. LaPado, April 12): The concept of science being able to solve all of our woes, as in the case of pink slime and the meat industry, is something I find rather scary. Perhaps we could just take cattle out of feedlots and place them in grass pastures, where they belong. This would change LETTERS continued on page 6 April 19, 2012

CN&R 5

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continued from page 5

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If we as a nation consumed less beef, which would be better for our health and the health of the planet, we could afford to purchase higher-quality, sustainably produced beef that was unadulterated with processed meat scraps treated with ammonium hydroxide. Since the likelihood of this occurring in the near future is fairly remote, and since we insist on paying $2 per pound for ground “beef,” if the ground “beef” contains lean, finely textured beef or “pink slime,” we, the consumers, should be informed of this fact. In an article in the San Francisco Chronicle dated April 1, 2012, Marion Nestle, professor in the Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health Department at New York University, writes: “Do we want LFTB in our food? Or do we and our children deserve better? Serving healthy and delicious food is a way to show respect for our culture, food, children and schools, and to invest in the future of our nation. Perhaps the best solution to the pink slime dilemma is simply to label LFTB as an ingredient. This would give individuals and schools the opportunity to decide for themselves whether culture or cost is the more important value in food choice. An even better idea: Let’s produce safe meat in the first place.” Thank you, Marion, for these timeless words of wisdom. DEBRA ABBOTT Chico

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the PH of the animals’ digestive tracts, thereby killing off pathogenic bacteria. This would also remove the pollution problems and animalwelfare issues that our conventional meat industry suffers from in light of its use of confinement animal-feeding operations (CAFOs). Then, if we could have multiple small harvest facilities throughout the country and on-farm harvest of meat animals, we would really be light years ahead by going backward just a bit. Pink slime is an easy way for the meat industry to cover for its shoddy practices. Purchase grass-fed and pasture-raised meats directly from the farmer and bypass the pink slime.

No way, Safeway Re “Safeway says no” (Newslines, by Tom Gascoyne, April 12): I have been buying food for years from Safeway, but GMO

“Pink slime is an easy way for the meat industry to cover for its shoddy practices. Purchase grass-fed and pasture-raised meats directly from the farmer and bypass the pink slime.” —Carol Albrecht

pesticides are killing bees. I love bees and everything they give to us, so I am not going to buy food from Safeway anymore due to this. Please, Safeway, think about no chemicals and bees’ lives on this planet. SAGE PANTEGA Fort Bragg

Two nights ago I went to Safeway for convenience. I asked a worker where all the organic and gluten-free foods were (I couldn’t find any), and he replied, “Well, there is a Jewish section, I think.” I have dietary restrictions (most likely caused from our overly modified and pesticide/chemically enhanced foods), and Safeway has the most limited selection of organic and non-modified options. Thanks for the article; I’m done with Safeway for good. HANNAH WILLIAMSON Chico

Another Measure A Once again, we get to exercise our democratic freedom and decide on a matter of legislative policy. On Tuesday, June 5, voters who reside in Butte County will be asked the question, “Shall the Medical Marijuana Cultivation Ordinance, Ordinance Number 4029, be adopted?” If passed, there will be no medical marijuana allowed on less than 0.5 acres in Butte County. What about the lawful patient who wants to grow a few plants on a third of an acre? Under the proposed law, the maximum acreage required to grow 99 plants is 160 acres. Are we trying to create a monopoly for rich landowners and force all the little people to buy their medicine from them? And if six plants could go on 0.5 acres, wouldn’t it take roughly 50 acres to grow 99 plants? The Board of Supervisors needs to work on developing a more reasonable ordinance that is less likely to be challenged in court. How can we make criminals of lawful citizens when we can’t

even fund our courts and jails? Vote No on Measure A. JESSICA ALLEN Chico

Vacationing at Enloe A five-day stay in the hospital is not something that any family looks forward to. It certainly was not on my wife’s or my bucket list. Yet, that’s exactly where we found ourselves following a recent medical emergency that scared the begebies out of us. To make matters worse, we were scheduled to fly to Hawaii for a long-awaited celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary. Those plans quickly changed. Five days at Enloe Medical Center— that’s some alternative vacation. Yet, when you’re faced with a medical emergency a good hospital, one with outstanding doctors and nurses, one with a professional and competent staff and caring attendants, can be the most comforting place in the world. We quickly discovered that Enloe is such a place. From the time we entered the emergency room to the moment we walked out five days later, we were treated with the best medical care I can imagine. Every day, at every level, from the docs to the housekeeping crew, it was obvious that patient care was everyone’s primary concern. So here’s our message to the Enloe family: Thank you, thank you, thank you so much. And to the community at large: Though a hospital stay may not be on your bucket list either, rest assured: If you ever need one, you have one of the best right here in Chico. MARY AND BOB EVANS Chico

Editor’s note: Mr. Evans is a member of the Chico City Council. He and his wife have rescheduled their Hawaii trip for June.

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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CN&R 7

Unnecessary roughness?

CVS PHARMACY HIT BY STATE CIVIL SUIT A statewide investigation has lead to the enforcement against CVS Pharmacy for the unsafe storage, handling and disposal of waste products. Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said the seven CVS stores operating in Butte County, including the newest one, on Forest Avenue in Chico, are affected. The action is similar to that taken against area Kmart and Walmart stores in recent years, said Ramsey. Besides unsafe storage, the stores were also accused of shipping hazardous waste to landfills not equipped to take such materials. As part of the settlement, CVS was ordered to pay $21,000 in civil penalties and cost recovery to the Butte County Environmental Health Division, and $25,750 to the Butte County District Attorney’s Office.

Butte College football players accused of party assault

ANOTHER OFFICIAL TAKES MEDICAL LEAVE

Butte Superior Court Judge Sandra McLean has taken a leave of absence for undisclosed medical reasons. Her cases will be taken up for the most part by Judge Robert Glusman. McLean was appointed to the bench by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2005. Presiding Judge Steven Benson said she is out for 30 days and that he looks forward to her return. Meanwhile, the Chico City Council on Tuesday (April 17) voted to extend member Mary Goloff’s medical leave (she’ll miss the May 1 meeting). Last month, she was granted a request to miss three meetings. Council members absent for three consecutive regular meetings are removed from office unless excused by the council.

BUILDER SENTENCED IN FRAUD CASE

Chico builder Anthony Symmes was sentenced in federal court April 13 to 35 months in prison for conspiring to commit fraud and one count of money laundering in connection to a mortgage scam that operated between 2006 and 2008 and involved the sale of 62 Symmes-built homes. Symmes (pictured) pleaded guilty to the charges two years ago and paid $4 million in restitution. He was facing six years, but his cooperation with the feds greatly reduced the sentence. According to a press release, U.S. District Court Judge Edward J. Garcia said in sentencing Symmes “that he weighed the defendant’s substantial assistance to the government against the scope of his fraud, which spanned over two years and involved millions of dollars.” Symmes agreed to wear a recording device and secretly tape conservations with others charged in the crime, including Chico realtor Kesha Haynie, who was recently convicted of mail fraud. Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said a recorded conversation used during Haynie’s six-day trial aided in her conviction. Meanwhile, Haynie’s brother, Niche Fortune, was sentenced to four years and nine months after being found guilty of the same charges.

Shawn Conway is one of the Butte College football players who allegedly showed up uninvited to a party and started a fight. He was identified through Facebook. The aftermath included multiple holes in the walls of the alleged victim’s home.

I group of uninvited Butte College football players entered a house party near the Chico

n the early morning hours of April 8, a

State University campus and allegedly assaulted several young men and women. That’s according to a 20by year-old student and resident of Ken Smith the house, who also said kens@ newsreview.com responding Chico police officers refused to take reports from him and others who were visibly hurt and in need of medical attention. The man requested his name Living down a not be used out of fear for his reputation: personal safety, and said he Butte College knows other victims who are footballers have afraid to speak out. He and his committed parents met with this reporter in violent crimes in the house and provided photos the past. In 1997 two drunken taken directly after the fracas, Roadrunner showing bruises on his face and players beat a a bloody nose. man named Butte College Athletic DirecLloyd Green to tor Craig Rigsbee acknowledges death in an alley in a south that some of the players were campus present at the party, and he said neighborhood. his office has looked into the sitThree years uation after being contacted by earlier a Butte some concerned parents. HowCollege football player shot a ever, no criminal charges have teammate been filed, nor have any discipliduring a nary actions been taken. dispute, leaving The man who contacted the the victim CN&R said that partygoers recparalyzed from the waist down. ognized some of the players and were able to identify more using

8 CN&R April 19, 2012

Check off after proofing:

their Facebook profiles. He provided a list of eight names and identified the primary aggressor—and his alleged assailant—as wide receiver Shawn Conway. (Conway did not respond to a request for an interview.) The unnamed man was holding a private get-together at his house attended by about 40 people when the players showed up shortly after midnight. “They were going through my roommate’s room, so they were asked to leave,” he said. “One of them was compliant and said they’d get out. Then, out of nowhere, [Conway] punched my friend.” The man said he intervened and was then attacked by Conway, who allegedly punched him in the face at least 10 times. “Then he threw me onto the couch and tried to strangle me,” said the man, pointing to bloodstains. He said chaos erupted as soon as

Conway hit him, with other players attacking male and female partygoers. He said when friends pulled Conway off him and a female friend put herself between them, Conway allegedly threatened to hit her, too. A lull in the violence was short lived: “He [Conway] started yelling in my face, ‘Do you know who the fuck I am?’ I responded, ‘I don’t give a shit who you are, just get out,’ and that’s when he got me once more in the face.” Police received a call reporting the

PHOTO BY KYLE DELMAR

fight at 12:33 a.m. from a separate alleged victim who said he was hiding in a closet. The man who contacted the CN&R said four officers—two mounted police who stayed outside and two others who came in—responded. “They came in immediately after we finally pushed these guys out. I went up to the first officer, I was very bloody, and he told me I needed to leave the house. I told him I lived here and tried to tell him what happened, and he told me to stay back. After they pushed everyone out, they just left. I and several others tried to give reports to the officers outside, but they wouldn’t talk to us. “One girl had been stomped on, and at least a dozen people got hurt. There was a lot of blood, bruises and scrapes,” he said of the aftermath. In addition to bloodstains on the couch and walls, two holes—one of which, the source claimed, resulted from a partygoer’s head being shoved through a wall by a football player—were left in walls at the residence. Mounted officers Abigail Madden

and Scott Ruppel were the first to respond to the scene. “The fight was clear by the time we got there, but the party was jumping off really good,” Madden said April 10. “I certainly didn’t see anyone covered in blood.” Madden admitted she didn’t recall all the details of the visit: “That’s prime

time in a really busy area,” she said, adding she did remember some people at the party were “extremely intoxicated.” The closet caller made a second call to police at 1:57 p.m., long after the fight had broken up and the party disbanded, to request further contact and to tell police they could identify the assailants. The CN&R source acknowledges some of his guests were intoxicated, but contends he and the caller were completely sober. The source and his parents contacted police again the following day, and he was visited by an officer on April 11. According to published reports, Conway has seen trouble in the past. A 2010 article in The Oakland Press notes a disciplinary suspension threatened his athletic career (“I did something really, really stupid and had to pay the price,” he told that publication). He was unable to accept an offer to attend the University of Michigan due to academic disqualification. Rigsbee, Butte’s athletic director, said that he and head football coach Jeff Jordan have interviewed the players and are taking the matter very seriously. “Anything that’s alleged, of course we’ll pursue it vigorously and try to find out what happened,” Rigsbee said. “But we have to do due process and make sure every side is heard and the proof is there.” Rigsbee said these investigations are also important to protect their athletes from false accusations, and that players gave a different report of the events: “We talked to all the kids that we thought were there,” he said, “There was no direct identification of who the aggressor was. One side said one thing and the other said something different, and it was back and forth. In this particular instance, I think there was a bunch of good kids on both sides, some tempers flared, and the situation just didn’t need to go to that extent.” Rigsbee said that Butte athletes sign an agreement to follow a code of honor and conduct. “Every kid who signs it understands it’s a privilege and not a right to be an athlete, and they can be dismissed from the team at any time,” Rigsbee explained. “There’s no question we’ve had violations of the code in the past, and we’ve acted on them accordingly. But as a general rule, in the seven years I’ve been athletic director, our kids have been very well-behaved,” he said. As for this incident, unless contacted by the police, Rigsbee said his department has done its part. The mother of the man who contacted the CN&R said she is awaiting police follow-up and is considering retaining a lawyer and dispatching letters to the District Attorney’s Office and Butte College athletics and administration. The officer in charge of the case was unavailable for comment at press time, but Lt. Linda Dye said the status is noted as “further investigation required.” Ω

Tea Party stages tax rally

City Council candidate and local business owner Toby Schindelbeck at the Tea Party Tax Day rally at City Plaza. PHOTO BY DUGAN GASCOYNE

Local conservatives gather to protest big government, wasteful spending

Cliff Erickson wore a red T-shirt and hat with messages proclaiming allegiance to the Chico Tea Party. Sitting on a bench in downtown Chico’s City Plaza last Sunday, April 15, which traditionally is Tax Day, Erickson also held a sign that read: “Recession: When your neighbor loses his job. Depression: When you lose yours. Recovery: When Obama loses his!” That message reflected the Tea Party theme on this day—frustration with the status quo and resentment toward the president. The rally was hosted by Republican Party activist and NorCal Blogs blogger Jack Lee, a member of the Butte County Republican Central Committee and a candidate for the 3rd Assembly District in 2008. Attendance was lighter than last year’s rally, which drew a couple hundred. About 35 to 40 people showed up to hear a number of Republican candidates stump for votes. The low turnout possibly was the result of the competing Steve Harrison Memorial Downtown Criterium cycling race, which made nearby parking impossible. Speakers included candidates vying for the 3rd District Assembly seat, the 1st Congressional District seat left open by retiring Rep. Wally Herger, and what likely will be a hotly contested race for the Chico City Council. Council candidate and incumbent Bob Evans took the stage and immediately referred to his recent weight loss. The sveltelooking Evans said he’s lost so much that

folks have expressed some concern. “I’ve never felt better in my life,” he said. Then joked: “Ever since I joined the City Council I’ve lost my appetite.” This year four seats, including Evans’, are up for grabs—Mayor Ann Schwab is seeking re-election, while Councilmen Jim Walker and Andy Holcombe are not. Evans called the Tea Partiers “super supportive” of his political efforts thus far. “My primary intent is getting Chico back on its feet,” he said. “There is a push for four open seats, and there are five conservative candidates. Let’s get them elected, so we can put the other side on the outside looking in and not being a part of the discussion.” He said the state has financially dinged the city budget, including the loss of $8.6 million in redevelopment funding. Besides that, he said, an expected drop in enrollment at Chico State could mean a hit of $77 million to the local economy. “So the City Council is looking for new sources of revenue, wouldn’t you think?” he asked. “You’d be wrong.”

SIFT|ER Economy over environment Despite the catastrophic threats posed by climate change, Americans’ priorities lie with the economy, according to a new Gallup poll. When asked what should be given the priority, more respondents (49 percent) chose the economy, even if the environment suffers. In the other camp, 41 percent said the environment should come first, even to the detriment of the economy. Historically speaking, this is a new trend; protection of the economy over the environment began developing following the 2008 recession. During most of the past 30 years, the environment was favored. Here’s how the survey looked by political group: Republicans Democrats Independents

Source: Gallup.com

Environment 27% 50% 44%

Economy 66% 42% 43%

He said there were more than 70 items on the panel’s agendas in 2011. “How many times did the words ‘economic development’ appear? Zero. How many times did the word ‘jobs’ appear? Zero,” he said. Evans said the council needs to help develop the local business community so the city can become independent of the state. “We need to change the council,” he said. “With three liberals’ seats coming up and me, we have a great opportunity to do so. It’s not just you guys who are disappointed in the council, it’s the [political] middle, too.” City Council candidate and 34-year-

old local business owner Tony Schindelbeck, whom Lee described as “full of passion,” also spoke during the event. Schindelbeck owns two local Nutrishop stores. He blames a recent redesign of turn lanes on Forest Avenue near one of them for a dramatic drop in his sales, and he says that is proof that Chico officials don’t understand how to run a business. During the rally, he asked how the city could cut back on law-enforcement personnel while approving low-income housing, suggesting such housing draws crime. Schindelbeck criticized spending money on the arts and said “common sense is an oxymoron” with the current council majority. He went on to say it was time to “get rid of this good-old-boy network of those who have no experience in running a business. We have the opportunity to bring back common sense.” Lee came back on stage and said the current council majority is too concerned about fair-trade issues and low-income housing. “I know about low-income housing,” he said. “I used to be a police officer in south Chicago near Comiskey Park, and when the sun goes down you get a real good idea of what happens in public housing. You didn’t step foot in there for any reason after the sun went down.” (According to the 2010 Chico police crime report, a majority of property crimes occur in the south-campus region, including the downtown, and the north-campus area.) The last speaker was Ryan Fedrizzi, the president of the Chico State Republicans Club. “I represent the next generation of leaders; I represent our future,” he said. “It’s a hard fight. But we have to fight these lies, these falsehoods we are taught in the classroom. I was brought up a Christian, and these politicians in Washington, D.C., are not connected to reality.” And with that, Lee thanked the audience just as a recording of the Smash Mouth song “All Star” filled the air. —TOM GASCOYNE tomg@newsreview.com

NEWSLINES continued on page 10 April 19, 2012

CN&R 9

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continued from page 9

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Karl Rove must be quivering in his Tony Lamas. 24 hr. hotline (Collect Calls Accepted) That’s because the Chico City www.rapecrisis.org Open 7 days Council, by a vote of 3-2 Tuesday (April 17), passed a resolution callDESIGNER REP FILE NAME CNR ISSUE ing on Congress to initiate a constiJEN_PU JLD 10.23.08 RAPE CRISIS INTERV. & PREV. tutional amendment or otherwise correct the Supreme Court ruling, known as Citizens United, that allows Rove’s American Crossroads super-PAC, among others, to raise hundreds of millions of dollars from billionaires and corporations and spend them to influence You Pay ONLY when we win the electoral process. Yes, the council’s action is “a small step,” as several people who spoke at the packed meeting (there Attorney at Law was a large Occupy Chico presOver 18 years of experience ence) freely acknowledged. One of them, Ken Fleming, said, “I appreciate that voters at the local level are able to take up a matter that affects us all, but I don’t believe it will make any difference.” But the idea of opposing the notion that corporations should have unlimited freedom of political speech while individuals remain bound by campaign-finance limits Have a FRESH box is a popular one, and city councils of vegetables in numerous cities, from Los delivered weekly! Angeles to New York, have passed similar resolutions. The hope is that this up-frombelow movement will pressure first Congress, then state legislatures to Community pass an amendment. Supported It was the grassroots nature of Agriculture the issue that appealed to the small council majority (Vice Mayor Jim

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several months ago by former city Planning Commissioner Jon Luvaas, who in a letter to the council asked that it be considered in an upcoming meeting. The council referred it to its Internal Affairs Committee, which after a public hearing on March 13 recommended approval by a 2-1 vote, with Walker and Councilman Andy Holcombe in support and Councilman Bob Evans opposed. Holcombe’s motion also to put it on an upcoming ballot failed for lack of a second. Luvaas’ resolution, after a series of explanatory “whereases,” asks “our state and federal representatives to adopt legislation and amend the U.S. Constitution, if necessary, to establish that: “1. Corporations are not entitled to the constitutional rights of human beings to political free speech; and “2. Spending money is not speech and political spending should be regulated, limited, and clearly disclosed.” The five council members all agreed big money has far too much influence on American politics, but they fell into predictable liberal and conservative camps when it came to the resolution. Schwab,

cannot be combined call for an appointment exp 04/30/12

Jon Luvaas (at lectern) urges the City Council to support the resolution he authored in support of efforts to restrict corporate campaign spending. At one point he urged those in the packed audience who supported the resolution to stand up; new s &than r ehalf v i edid. w b u s i n e s s u s e o n ly more PHOTO BY ROBERT SPEER

A&T AuTo CAre • 3106 espl AnAde • (530) 10 CN&R April 19, 2012

The resolution was initiated

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Walker and Councilwoman Mary Goloff were absent). After listening to more than two dozen people speak on the matter, with only one of them (Tea Party activist Stephanie Taber) opposed to it, Mayor Ann Schwab said, “If I can give voice to what the citizens of Chico want me to express to state and national leaders, I want to do it.” Councilman Scott Gruendl agreed: “This is democracy in action,” he said. “It’s a collective voice to influence higher levels of government to take action.”

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Holcombe and Gruendl, the liberal contingent, supported the resolution, while Evans and Councilman Mark Sorensen dissented. Sorensen argued that the city had no direct control over the issue, and it was not the best way to spend city resources, while Evans contended that it would be better placed on a ballot. “It’s not very impactful to have just five people [the council members] representing the citizens of Chico,” he said. He even apologized for not going along with Holcombe’s IAC motion to put it on the ballot. The one other person speaking against the resolution, Taber, argued passionately that Citizens United was a good decision because it “allows challengers to take on the incumbent protection plan”—that is, allows them to raise sufficient campaign funds to challenge a well-protected incumbent. But her lone voice was far from enough to offset the strong pro-resolution contingent, for whom it amounted to a ray of hope in a dark and dreary political environment. Their sense was that the system was rigged, that the combination of unprecedented wealth inequality and corporations’ and billionaires’ ability to spend unlimited amounts without accountability or transparency threaten to undermine American democracy. Sheldon Praiser, who said his family moved to the United States from Canada when he was in the eighth grade, affirmed he’s always believed in the value of American faith in “one person, one vote,” but now he doesn’t think his vote counts for much. And Dylan Heikens kept it short and blunt: “I am not a corporation,” he said, “and a corporation is not me.” —ROBERT SPEER roberts@newsreview.com

TAKE BACK YOUR

Left to right: Inspire High School students Courtney Olson, Ashley Raymond and Auleve Mariposa-Miller sort aquatic insect samples and separate out mayflies, stone flies and caddis flies, which are the organisms typically present in clean, healthy creeks. PHOTO BY MARY GOVAN

Outdoor school Inspire students team up for streams

It was cold, windy and wet on the morning of April 10, but that didn’t faze about 80 Inspire High School students who braved the weather to learn first-hand about stream health and water quality. Bundled in warm jackets, the students made the outdoors their classroom as they worked near the Bidwell Bowl Amphitheater along Big Chico Creek on the Chico State campus. Cycling in groups through six stations, they studied invasive-plant species, learned about urban runoff, calculated stream flow, inspected aquatic insects, and encountered other components of streamhealth measurement and evaluation. The event was part of a larger unit of study provided to Inspire students by the California Urban Streams Alliance–The Stream Team, which facilitates a Youth Stream Team program in local schools. The Stream Team was established in 2004 by Chico biologist Timmarie Hamill to offer watershed and urban-pollution-prevention education to complement local and regional watershed management strategies for achieving natural resource goals. The Stream Team works from the premise that, “If people are the problem, then they must certainly be part of the solution,” Hamill said. It uses “a multi-pronged approach” that includes engaging community members in citizen-monitoring efforts, compiling and analyzing collected water-quality data, and providing information and education to promote understanding and community action related to watershed health. Before the event at the creek, Hamill

had visited and shared information with students in teacher Malina Olson’s three Integrated Science classes at Inspire, a charter school housed on the Chico High School campus. Olson said her students “really responded to it [the Youth Stream Team event] and that she’s realized that “water and water quality have become a natural thread for this class.” She’s eager, she said, to expand the Youth Stream Team at her school next year.

At one of the stations, 15-year-old freshman Tesla Coyl, said it was interesting to learn how stream health and water quality is affected by humans. She also liked learning how invasive-plant and -animal species can harm the ecosystem. Along with the several other Stream Team volunteering professionals, aquatic entomologist Dan Pickard—who runs the California Department of Fish and Game Bio-Assessment Lab—assisted students in their learning. Facilitating the invertebrate station, which included water-filled trays of aquatic insects, he told students the mayflies, stone flies, and caddis flies in a stream are indicators of the stream’s health—or lack of it. Larval aquatic insects spend most of their life cycle in the creek and therefore can “tell” humans a lot about the quality of the water and stream habitat. Holding up a large stone fly, he explained how she’d crawled out of her exoskeleton, unfurled her wings, and flown away—to find a mate. “The adult lives only a couple weeks, then dies,” he said. Noting the The Stream Team is local, he said it’s “really important to see what is happening with our local water.” Freshman Austin Bower, 14, said his favorite station was Pickard’s, which he described as “hands on.” He explained he’s visually impaired and can usually “hardly tell a fly from a bee.” At Pickard’s station, however, he experienced a large stone fly (a few inches long) crawling up his arm. “It was very entertaining,” he said, “and it was amazing how big it was.” The Stream Team is seeking new funding sources so it can continue its important work, including local support for Youth Stream Team efforts. To date, Hamill said, it has facilitated more than 30,000 hours of community service, thanks to the dedication of thousands of community volunteers. —SHANNON ROONEY rooney.shannon@gmail.com

Creek helpers:

The Stream Team will host the ninth annual water quality training event from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, April 21, at the Chico Creek Nature Center. For more info, visit www.bigchicocreek.org or thestreamteam.org or call 342-6620.

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CN&R 11

THE PULSE

HEALTHLINES

Lap-Band lowdown

DENTAL X-RAYS, TUMORS LINKED

The risk of developing the most common form of brain tumor could double with regular dental X-rays, a new study finds. The study, published in the American Cancer Society’s scientific journal Cancer, compared people diagnosed with a meningioma—a tumor that usually isn’t malignant—to tumor-free individuals, according to ABC News. The researchers asked the study subjects to relate their dental history going back to childhood, and found the risk of meningioma increased in those who received bitewing exams, which use X-ray film held in place by a tab between the teeth. The study’s authors urged people to have a conversation with their dentist about using X-rays as little as possible, but not to overreact. “Our take-home message is don’t panic,” said Dr. Elizabeth B. Claus, an epidemiologist at the Yale School of Medicine and the lead author of the study. “Don’t stop going to the dentist.”

Bariatric surgeons Erik Simchuk and Deron Ludwig. PHOTO BY KYLE DELMAR

FEWER DOCTOR VISITS, LESS MEDICATION

Last year, Americans made fewer visits to the doctor and were prescribed less medication than in 2010. A report compiled by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics found physician visits declined by 4.7 percent, and 1.1 percent fewer prescription medications were issued, according to California Healthline. The decline in prescription drugs was attributed mostly to Americans 65 and older, whose use of medications declined by 3.1 percent. The overall trend may be due to a shift toward a more conservative health-care attitude as people become more aware of unnecessary procedures and the danger of surgery. “People are more receptive to conversations about medical interventions having both pros and cons,” said Dr. Michael Barry, president of the Informed Medical Decisions Foundation.

DON’T DRUG YOUR LIVESTOCK

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on April 11 that farmers and ranchers will need a prescription from a veterinarian before administering antibiotics to farm animals. For decades farmers have used antibiotics to help their animals grow larger, which can lead to growth of strains of bacteria resistant to the drugs’ effects, according to The New York Times. Each year, about 2 million people become ill and 99,000 people die from hospital-acquired infections that cannot be treated by antibiotic therapy, because those patients have built immunities to the drugs by consuming meat from treated animals. Currently, about 80 percent of the antibiotics sold in the United States are used on livestock. The guidelines have come under criticism for a potential loophole—farmers will still be allowed to use antibiotics to prevent illness, which could give pharmaceutical companies an opportunity to re-label drugs formerly advertised to promote growth as for disease prevention instead. 12 CN&R April 19, 2012

Popular weight-loss surgery has great appeal for obese people, but requires lifestyle changes for best results by

Christine G.K. LaPado christinel@ newsreview.com

CErik Simchuk perform an increasingly popular life-saving procedure known as hico doctors Deron Ludwig and

Lap-Band surgery, but the bariatric surgeons say their patients must do their part to assure the best possible outcome. In addition to performing Lap-Band surgery, Ludwig and Simchuk also perform laparoscopic gastric bypass and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. “Really what we want to say is that bariatric surgery can save a whole lot of lives, lengthening life on average from seven to 10 years at a minimum,” said Ludwig, whose practice with Simchuk is called North Valley Surgical Associates. “It’s really the best treatment we have for a large number of serious health problems, like the epidemic we’re experiencing of type 2 diabetes.” “The Lap-Band was approved by the FDA in 2001,” offered Simchuk. “It was studied extensively in controlled clinical trials back to 1995, especially in Australia.” The similar Realize Band, which the physicians also use, originated in Sweden in around 1992, he added. “There’s a 20-year history of laparoscopic adjustable gastric bands.” The Lap-Band operation, Simchuk

explained, “is purely a restrictive weightloss operation that provides an adjustable stoma [a mouthlike opening], with an inner balloon, placed around the upper stomach. … Food stops in a little pouch above the band and is slowly metered out into the rest of the stomach.” Air inside the device’s inner balloon is replaced, but not filled, with a saline solution, Simchuk said, and adjustments are made to the Lap-Band over a period of time: “The adjustments that we do, we do them carefully, cautiously, over time. What we’re doing is we’re adjusting the band to the point where [patients] can eat a small meal—6 to 8 ounces—feel full on that good healthy-sized portion, and go on about their business.” “And often have more manageable hunger once they are adjusted properly,” Ludwig said. On average, it takes patients between four and six monthly adjustments

to be adjusted properly. “For sure, it’s attractive because it’s the least invasive,” said Ludwig of the appeal of Lap-Band surgery. But it’s not an overnight fix. “It takes time for the patients to learn how to eat properly with the Lap-Band. You can’t take a person, put the Lap-Band in, tighten it down and expect it to work immediately,” Simchuk said. To be an eligible candidate for the LapBand, one must have a body mass index (BMI) of 35 to 40 “with a medical co-morbidity related to obesity, such as hypertensive type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia or sleep apnea,” said Simchuk. One must also be willing to make lifestyle changes—eating sensibly and getting sufficient exercise—that support effective weight loss. “The Lap-Band patient must have an ability to make proper food choices for

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The doctors adjust the Lap-Band via a port accessible from the patient’s abdomen.

ultimate success,” Simchuk said. “The Lap-Band cannot decide for the patient what’s put in the fridge and the cupboard, so proper food choices play such a vital role in the success of the Lap-Band patient.” Fast food, sweets and hi-carb and fried foods will not cause the Lap-Band patient to have an adverse reaction. “If they can get it down, sweets don’t cause any reaction. Ice cream goes right down,” Ludwig said. “It won’t make them sick, as is often the case with the other two [bariatric] procedures. Therefore, they have to be dedicated to lifestyle change.” According to the North Valley

Surgical Associates website, “Approximately 75 percent of daily calories should come from protein, and the remaining 25 percent should be divided between fats and carbohydrates. Some foods, such as those that contain trans fats or excessive amounts of sugar, will need to be avoided as much as possible.” Simchuk and Ludwig make sure that Lap-Band patients have extensive pre- and post-operational education. A licensed on-staff psychotherapist/nutritionist provides individual consultations, and there is a once-a-month support group as well. Additionally, Ludwig and Simchuk make themselves available to patients “24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Simchuk. “That close-knit relationship with the surgeon, coupled with a closeknit relationship with the psychotherapist, is so very important to the success of the Lap-Band patient,” he said. The surgeons also maintain close relationships with patients’ other medical providers—cardiologist, pulmonologist, nephrologist and so on. “We partner with other specialists to make sure that, one, a patient is fit for surgery, and, two,

to help us care for that patient in all respects post-operably,” said Simchuk. Building up a patient’s ability to exercise is very important. “Our preoperative conditioning program will often include work with a physical therapist to improve someone’s exercise tolerance,” said Simchuk. The Lap-Band was in the news earlier this year, after two brothers from Southern California named Julian and Michael Omidi, who ran weight-loss clinics associated with the widely advertised 1-800-GETTHIN campaign, came under investigation when several of their patients died following Lap-Band surgery. The brothers face a number of government investigations and civil lawsuits, including a whistleblower suit brought by two former employees claiming the Omidis ran unsanitary facilities and billed patients for medically unnecessary procedures. Allergan, Inc., the Irvine-based company that manufactures the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band called the Lap-Band, stopped selling its product to the Omidis’ clinics as a result. The tragedies that came out of the 1-800-GET-THIN campaign are obviously exceptional. While unable to comment on the situation of the Omidis, Lud-

The Lap-Band doctors:

All services are FREE & Confidential Walk-Ins Welcome!

The bariatric-surgery practice of doctors Deron Ludwig and Erik Simchuk—North Valley Surgical Associates—is located at 251 Cohasset Road, Suite 310. Call 891-1651 or go to www.chicoweightloss.com for more information on weekly informational seminars, which are free and open to the public.

wig and Simchuk shared their insights on the safety of this type of procedure. “What a person can do to ensure they are seeing an experienced team is to make sure that the facility and the surgeons are considered a Center of Excellence, which we are,” Ludwig said. “That is a designation given by the ASMBS, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. “We are extremely careful about outcomes and patient safety, and make sure the patient is in the best shape possible to undergo the procedure with the lowest risks,” he added. “Weight-loss surgery is extremely safe, all the procedures…similar to other elective operations like gall-bladder removal or even appendectomy. “It doesn’t mean zero risk, though, but the risks of the surgery are far less than the risk of the obesity and its associated health problems.” Ω

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Be ‘park smart’ Beautiful spring days just beg for a walk in one of Chico’s parks, but it’s important to keep yourself and your family safe during your excursions. Here are some “park smart” tips offered by the city of Chico park rangers and Police Department: • Be aware of your surroundings and people in your vicinity. • Call 911 in an emergency or call Chico Police Dispatch (897-4900) to report suspicious activity. • Don’t leave anything valuable in your car, even in your trunk. • Avoid wearing headphones or ear buds while walking, jogging or biking as they reduce your awareness. • Walk or jog facing oncoming traffic. • Bring a friend or let someone know the specifics of your outing and when you plan to return. • Wear proper equipment like bright clothing, a helmet while biking, appropriate footwear, and have a flashlight or headlamp at night. • Carry a cell phone. • Closely monitor your children while they play.

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220 MEYERS ST. CHICO • (530)895-1271 www.ButteHabitat.org Look for us on Facebook April 19, 2012

CN&R 13

Sweet Dreams When the lights go out and the slow

hypertension, heart failure, and early

rhythms and deep dreams of night

death.

begin, another shift begins in Oroville

For simple insomnia, fortunately there

Hospital’s sleep lab. Here, technicians

are simple ways to access the coveted

watch and monitor patients as they

world of deep, refreshing sleep. Adams

slumber, and as their brains plunge

suggests that people do as they so

into light sleep, deep sleep, and then

often tell their children to do: go to

rapid eye movement sleep. In fact,

sleep at a set bedtime. He also advises

many health or psychological issues

that alcohol, while a depressant, can

may show themselves in the hours

actually disrupt the rhythms and cycles

when a person is sleeping – and at

of sleep. Caffeine will do the same.

Oroville Hospital, lab technician and

Overweight people may be

respiratory therapist Jerry Adams has

particularly prone to apnea – a

long been on duty to catch signs of

recurring pattern where the sleeper’s

these conditions.

breathing quits momentarily,

harder to treat: treatment begins with “sleep hygiene,” which is the promotion of good sleep habits and regular sleep. He should know, after nine years as a nocturnal creature, Adams left the sleep lab and reverted to daytime duties at the hospital. The reason is simple:

in the lab monitoring sleeping patients

hour. Adams describes the condition,

“Staying up all night,” Adams says with a glimmer of humor,

and screening them for abnormalities

which he has observed in countless

“interfered with my sleep.”

like apnea, snoring, sleep-walking,

patients over the years: “You wake up

and insomnia. Adams notes that many

startled, gasping for breath. There’s a

sleeping disorders go undetected by

little adrenaline rush that goes with that,

the sleeper, whose only hint of poor

and it will really start to wear you down

sleep may be daytime drowsiness,

over time.” And people are usually not

irritability, and stress. Adams suggests

aware that this has happened because

that anyone who visits the hospital

it takes about a minute to be fully

clinic for a preliminary interview about

conscious.

Adams has spent hundreds of nights

sometimes many dozens of times in an

a possible sleeping disorder should bring their sleeping partner. “Because you are the absolute worst person in the world to ask questions about your own sleeping patterns,” Adams says with a laugh. So just how serious are sleeping

So just how serious are sleeping disorders?

disorders? Some, like snoring, may be mostly nuisance, but may point to more serious issues. And sleep deprivation can be dangerous. Dr. Matthew N. Fine, Oroville Hospital’s Chief Medical Officer and pulmonary specialist, says people who are haunted by

Clearly, better sleep means better health and happiness in our waking hours – but the key to long restorative nights of unbroken sleep is an elusive secret for many people. “And so many of us aren’t happy with it,” he says. Adams notes that we spend one third of our lives sleeping.

increased

For sleep apnea, the primary treatment is CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) which

risk for

can give people back their

sleep apnea have an

stroke,

lives. Insomnia is less serious but

2767 OLIVE HIGHWAY • OROVILLE, CA • (530) 533-8500 14 CN&R April 19, 2012

EARTH WATCH CAP-AND-TRADE CASH-IN

California’s landmark global-warming law is set to begin a “cap-and-trade” system later this year that will auction off pollution credits to oil refineries, power plants and other major polluters, producing billions of dollars for the state treasury. Estimates predict the emissions-reducing legislation—part of AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act, signed by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006—will at first generate between $1 billion and $3 billion in annual state revenue, rising to $14 billion by 2015, according to the San Jose Mercury News. However, it is likely the use of money produced by the cap-and-trade system will be limited to projects that reduce greenhouse-gas emissions such as solar-panel installations, electric vehicles and the state’s struggling bullet-train project. State officials are set to begin auctioning credits this fall, though major business groups contend such auctions may be illegal.

GREENWAYS Movers and shakers in the Transition Chico movement: (left to right) Karen Goodwin, Gerard Ungerman, Stephanie Elliott and Lee Altier.

Local transition

GROUP PHOTO BY CLAIRE HUTKINS SEDA GRANGE PHOTO BY TINA FLYNN

DF&G CHIEF LET OFF WITH WARNING

Daniel Richards, president of the California Fish and Game Commission, will not be punished for shooting a mountain lion out of a tree during a guided hunt in Idaho in January. While it is illegal for elected officials and members of state boards and commissions to accept free gifts of more than $420 a year, unless they are paid back within 30 days, the California Fair Political Practices Commission opted to issue a warning to Richards, who reimbursed Idaho’s Flying B Ranch the gifted $6,800 fee for guided hunts of big cats after the 30-day limit, according to SFGate.com. A photo of Richards holding the cougar, which he shot and ate after a tracker and dogs chased it up a tree, caused environmentalists and Democratic leaders to call for his resignation. While hunting mountain lions has been prohibited in California since 1971, it is legal in Idaho.

RAINFOREST IN FLAMES

Scientists are concerned that wildfires in the Amazon rainforest will cause the area to become a net emitter of carbon rather than a “carbon sink.” A decade ago, the common belief was that the rainforest in the western Amazon was too wet to burn, but a warming Atlantic Ocean has been drawing moisture away from the area, causing drought and wildfires, according to The Daily Climate. Major wildfires in 2005 and 2010 released a total of 3.8 gigatons of carbon into the atmosphere, according to a study conducted by the UK’s University of Leeds. In a typical year, the Amazon stores about 0.4 gigatons of carbon, meaning two bad fire seasons could counteract a decade of gain.

Members of a new grassroots movement in Chico talk about bringing neighborhoods together to create a self-sustainable community by

Claire Hutkins Seda cmh.seda@yahoo.com

O the Chico Grange Hall, 16 Chicoans munched potluck goodies like sushi and

n a recent Tuesday evening at

cookies while Tim Truby, a community services officer with the Chico Police Department, gave the lowdown on how to organize Neighborhood Watch groups in various neighborhoods around Chico. Grange members had invited Truby to be the guest speaker at the sustainabilityrelated educational-program portion—part of an ongoing series—of their most recent monthly meeting, hoping to glean information about community organizing and communication. The intent of the Neighborhood Watch program—a crime-prevention program facilitated by improved communication among neighbors—seemed to complement the Grange series’ goal of building strong communities that can withstand the pressures of modern ills like climate change and the necessary transition toward a more sustainable lifestyle. This movement— gaining popularity the world over—has been dubbed “Transition,” referring to communities’ need to transition away from a dependence on oil, deal with climate change, and become economically independent. Grange members decided to attempt their own local version of the Transition

movement, and titled the series, which has been running since October, “Connecting Neighborhoods for a Transition through Unstable Times.” “The Grange is very community oriented. It’s oriented toward the health and sustainability of our community,” said Lee Altier, a Grange member and the executive director of the Organic Vegetable Project at Chico State’s University Farm. During a recent phone interview, Altier read the Grange’s holistic goal, which accompanies its mission statement. It includes “healthy living in a thriving environment, with local food and water security, and a trusting, shared sense of community, honoring our interdependence with nature.” “The orientation of the Transition movement seemed to fit well with our own concerns about wanting to maintain and regenerate the natural capital of the local area,” such as farmland, water and energy resources, Altier said.

Join in the conversation: Chico Grange meetings occur on the first Tuesday of the month, and are open and free to the public. Got to www.chicogrange.org to get info on the happenings at the Chico Grange. Head to www.greentransition chico.org to learn more about the Transition Chico movement. Check out www.transition network.org and www.transitionUS.org for more about the transition movement.

Equipping neighborhoods with the

tools to be self-sustainable by pulling together folks of varied interests, such as bicyclists and solar-water-heater enthusiasts with small-scale organic farmers and members of the local knitting circle, is what the Transition movement is all about. The idea is to build a resilient community, one that can withstand the pressures of a post-oil future. “It’s beyond being a set movement,” said local filmmaker and eco-activist Gerard Ungerman. “It’s a general concern of coming out of our addiction to a finite energy source” by forming community connections, to move from “short-term exploitation to respectfulness.” Ungerman has worked hard to ensure the conversations continue beyond the Grange meetings by providing a virtual forum at GreenTransitionChico.org to allow the ideas to gel and for community members to join forces. The website is designed to provide a place of “visibility, of community, for [various events] to be seen by more people, so they can link up, and inspire other people into action.” The Transition movement has spread from its origins in the United Kingdom to cities and towns across Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia over the past five or six years. Organizers often refer to their groups as Transition towns. Ungerman, along with Peter Hollingsworth and Karen Goodwin from GREENWAYS continued on page 16 April 19, 2012

CN&R 15

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the Butte Bicycle Coalition, became proponents of the Transition movement after reading Rob Hopkins’ seminal book, The Transition Handbook, and its follow-up, The Transition Companion (both available at Lyon Books, even though the former is out of print). Hopkins—often cited as the founder of the movement—continues to work in Totnes, England. In Totnes, the Transition Town Totnes group supports such things as street-by-street community approaches to solar-energy generation, garden sharing and even its own currency, the Totnes Pound, which ensures money stays within the community. Totnes is the Transition-town ideal; high participation and long-term support from community members has resulted in long-lasting, significant strides toward small-scale, block-by-block independence. Neighbors increasingly rely on each other to feed, clothe, house and power themselves, without petroleum and without multinational corporations. Closer to home, Transition towns can be found in Santa Cruz and Ashland, Ore.

ECO EVENT THE JEWEL OF CHICO Join the Chico Creek Nature Center’s Earth Day festivities on Saturday, April 21, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Celebrate the Jewel,” as the event is called, is both a tribute to Bidwell Park and a fundraiser for the center. The afternoon will include music, environmentally related activities and a barbecue lunch. Cost for barbecue is $12 for adults, $5 for children. The nature center is located at 1968 East Eighth St. Go to www.bidwellpark.org or call 891-4671 for more information.

“The focus [of Transition

Chico is] connecting people with their neighbors. They’re their closest resources, their closest strengths,” said Stephanie Elliott, who, along with Altier and former Chico Grange President Jon Luvaas, first conceived of the series last summer. “[Transition] is a topic we could continue to build off of over multiple meetings,” and so the Transition Chico movement

FIND US ON FACEBOOK.

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UNCOMMON SENSE Ten reasons to compost

Maybe you’ve thought about keeping your scraps out of the landfill, but you’re just not quite sure about this thing called composting. Well, check out these reasons to get into the practice. There’s really no downside. 1. Compost is an alternative to chemical fertilizers. It adds nutrients to soil and doesn’t pollute groundwater, wells or waterways. 2. Composting keeps organic waste out of landfills. That supports better land use and reduces methane gas emissions. 3. Compost sequesters carbon deep in the soil, especially when used to grow cover crops like mustard or beans. 4. Compost promotes healthy microbial activity in soil, which makes micronutrients available to plant roots and discouraging soil diseases. 5. Compost improves soil structure, thereby protecting topsoil from erosion. 6. Soils fed with compost retain far more rainwater, conserving this precious resource. 7. Compost helps grow plants rich with health-sustaining nutrients. 8. Composting is easy and satisfying. 9. Compost collection programs return precious nutrients to local farms and support green jobs. 10. Composting reverses the course of waste from decay to new growth, turning coffee grounds, cantaloupe skins and chicken bones into sweet carrots, juicy tomatoes and fine wines.

Source: Recology 698 mangrove ave. (in safeway plaza) 894-1110 • ChicoSportsLtd.net Mon-Sat 9:30-7p, Sun 10-6

16 CN&R April 19, 2012

could develop as the series developed, Elliott explained. Past topics have included community gardens, community initiatives like Love Chapmantown (the community coalition aiming to improve the lives of Chapmantown residents by allowing a space to talk about neighborhood concerns), and the Neighborhood Connections Project, “a Chico State outreach effort” whereby students encourage neighborhood communication with the goal of supporting fledgling Transition movements around Chico. Both Elliott and Ungerman referenced an invigorating event back in 2009—a final synthesis meeting after an on-campus environmental film series Ungerman had assisted in organizing at Chico State. Green-minded community leaders came together to discuss goals of and obstacles to a unified local Transition movement. One of the topics discussed was the need for a single location to enable people to find out about Transition happenings, which is where the Grange and Ungerman’s website come in. “I … realized that the most important thing is that we have to create this platform … for visibility and communication for anything green and respectful happening in town,” said Ungerman. “We need these spaces” to connect, he said, for “people who are concerned with building up community support.” Altier finds the process of communicating with friends and neighbors as a benefit in and of itself. “Regardless of your personal philosophies or … whether or not you have confidence in scientific data about global warming or peak oil, I think everyone appreciates the value of good interpersonal relationships, especially with neighbors,” he said. Ω

THE

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

NORTHSTATE PUBLIC RADIO

“TODAY DECIDES TOMORROW”

SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR THE SPRING MEMBERSHIP DRIVE

ON TRACK FOR DISASTER In case you haven’t heard the latest, the world

is on track for “massive global economic collapse … in 2030 as resources run dry, and the downturn could be so bad that human population could decline,” according to a recent article in Money News. Numerous sources are reporting similar news. Australian physicist Graham Turner recently took another look at a study conducted by MIT researchers in the early 1970s, titled “The Limits to Growth,” and fed the information into modern economic-forecasting models. Turner’s findings are bleak. “Industrial output, food, services and even pollution will continue to climb until plunging around 2030 as all resources go scarce and the economy collapses, bringing human population down with them for decades,” wrote Money News’ Forrest Jones. “There is a very clear warning bell being rung here,” Turner was quoted as saying. “We are not on a sustainable trajectory.”

FRIDAY, APRIL 20:

SPRING MEMBERSHIP DRIVE

APRIL 20–28

LIFE AFTER PEAK OIL Chico State’s Institute for Sustainable Development and the Rawlins Endowed Fellowship are hosting a talk on April 24 by Richard Heinberg, writer and senior fellow of the Post Carbon Institute in Santa Rosa. Heinberg (pictured) “is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost peak-oil educators,” according to a recent university press release. Among his many accomplishments, his latest animation, 300 Years of Fossil Fuels in 300 Seconds, went viral on YouTube and won the DoGooder YouTube Nonprofit Video of the Year Award. (Go to http://tinyurl.com/postpeak to watch Heinberg’s video.) Heinberg’s talk is titled “The End of Growth: Adapting to Our New Economic Reality,” and will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. in Colusa Hall, Room 100A. Seating is limited— arrive early. Call 898-3333 or head to www.csuchico.edu/sustainablefuture for Richard Heinberg, creator of more info. Check out the Post Carbon Insti300 Years of Fossil Fuels in tute at www.postcarbon.org to learn more. 300 Seconds.

10AM: Nancy’s Bookshelf

SUNDAY, APRIL 22: 3PM: Best of Radiolab

MONDAY, APRIL 23: 10AM: CSU Chico: 125 Years of Service 8pm: I-5 Live

TUESDAY, APRIL 24: 10AM: In A North State Garden: The Northern California Foodshed

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25: 10AM: We’re All Giants: The San Francisco Giants Championship Season

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHICO STATE

WATER WISDOM Cultivating Community NV is presenting a free “Water Wisely with Drip Irrigation” workshop on April 22 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the West Lindo Community Garden (305 West Lindo Ave.). “Learn to water fruits and vegetables with drip irrigation. Save money, conserve water, minimize weeds,” said the email I received about this event. The workshop will cover basic design, installation, operation and maintenance of a simple, above-ground drip-irrigation system. Sign up at www.cultivatingcommunitynv.org/register or by calling Jonah at 588-0585.

Richard Frey Fine Arts

“Indeed, if we focus on improving quality of life rather than increasing quantity of consumption, we could all be happier even as our economy downsizes to fit Nature’s limits.” – Richard Heinberg

10AM: U2: the Making of “Achtung Baby”

FRIDAY, APRIL 27: 10AM: The Blue Dot Report

COMMUNITY GARDEN BOARD The city of Chico recently approved the

lease of an acre of land to the Butte Environmental Council (BEC) for a new community garden on Humboldt Road across from Marsh Junior High School. GRUB’s Stephanie Elliott informed me that a successful fundraiser on April 1 raised enough money for the garden’s water lines and fencing. “Now the next step,” wrote Elliott. “We are looking for community members to join the Community Garden Board. We need 7 to 9 board members. They will meet once a month and help decide the direction of the garden, make sure it is being maintained … and see that it has a future.” For more information, contact Elliott at stephanie@grubchico.org or 354-1646.

THURSDAY, APRIL 26:

PLEDGE ONLINE: WWW.KCHO.ORG OR BY PHONE: 1-800-234-5246

EMAIL YOUR GREEN HOME, GARDEN AND COMMUNITY TIPS TO CHRISTINE AT CHRISTINEL@NEWSREVIEW.COM

April 19, 2012

CN&R 17

Songs from scrap Chico man repurposes junk into musical instruments

GOING GREEN CN&R celebrates Earth Month with a package of eco-themed stories Happy Earth Month! Now what? Before you let April pass by without a second thought to the environment, look around and check out all of the local efforts to keep our region pristine for future generations. In celebration of Earth Day this Sunday, April 22, we’ve put together a collection of stories highlighting the green work of local people and agencies in our Green Issue. You’ll read about the big efforts: the newly efficient B-Line transit system, the largest solar water-heating system in the state, and the health of the forests surrounding Paradise Lake. But you’ll also see how one local man’s craftsmanship is making music by keeping junk out of the landfill. This issue also marks the fifth anniversary of the CN&R’s weekly environmental section, Greenways, which has strengthened the paper’s commitment to being the go-to source for environmental coverage. This week, the section features the work to bring the international Transition movement to Chico. There’s more ecocoverage throughout the paper, as well. Happy Earth Day!

Ken Smith kens@newsreview.com

he large pile of plywood stacked dead center in Mike Menzie’s living room would seem terribly out of place in any other home, but it fits fine here. There’s something new to see with every step through the maze-like collection of rooms and alcoves occupying the top floor of a large Victorian home-turned-apartment-building he shares with his girlfriend, Jenica Swetzer. A computer monitor is turned into a cat bed (“We call it kitty vision,” Menzie quipped), as is the top half of a vintage wicker chair hanging halfway up one wall. An old motorcycle gas tank, a mailbox and other metal items rusted to varying degrees sit on shelves resting against another. In greatest abundance among the curios, tools and half-finished craft projects are musical instruments of all shapes, sizes, condition and origin: An ancient accordion tops a stack of wood and books here, a handmade dulcimer hangs above the cat bed there, and near the door is an 8-foot-long zither carved out of a single log, which Menzie explained is an antique Japanese Koto a man left here indefinitely because, he told Menzie, “I like what you do.” What Menzie does is build functioning musical instruments out of found objects, scrap wood and irreparable existing instruments. He scours thrift stores, Craigslist and—literally—the side of the road for things other people see as junk but he sees as potential projects. In a rusty gas can, for instance, he sees the body of a cello. Swetzer—a budding silversmith, rockhound and jewelry maker—shares his do-ityourself sensibilities; a recent piece of her work is

Look him up:

Mike Menzie builds instruments to sell or trade “as long as people are patient, or want to build it with me.” Contact him at mikemenzie@yahoo.com or www.facebook.com/mikemenzie for more information. 18 CN&R April 19, 2012

a silver ring made from melted-down, thrift-store spice shakers. Swetzer was Menzie’s inspiration to start building three years ago. “She wanted to play upright bass and we couldn’t afford one,” he said. “I’ve always liked projects; just something to do with my hands, so I found a website where someone built a full fourstring upright bass out of a washtub. I couldn’t find plans, but made my own design based on the pictures, and added and subtracted things to make it more my own.” Menzie said the bass took three months and cost about $150 in parts, plus unforeseen expenses: “I broke my dad’s belt sander, hand drill and some other tools not knowing what I was doing,” he said. “It cost more to replace them than the materials.” Still, even low-end, factory-made basses can cost more than a thousand dollars, and Menzie found building his own had other advantages: “I made a bass for her and thought, ‘Hey, that wasn’t so bad, I kind of enjoyed it.’” Furthermore, Menzie, who suffers from disabling anxiety, said he found the work therapeutic. Next came an acoustic lap steel guitar, also

made out of a washtub. Forming the necks for these first instruments was Menzie’s first attempts at woodworking. His third build was an electric lap steel requiring more elaborate carpentry. To date, he’s built dozens of instruments—from tin-can banjos to hand-carved bowed psalteries—with current projects including a cigar-box fiddle and acoustic cell-phone speakers. He gifts and sells some of his projects, but prefers to barter: “I’d rather hand over a new instrument and say, ‘Now give me a few broken things to tear apart or fix,’” he said. “I made the lap steels because I’ve always wanted to learn to play an instrument,” Menzie continued. “Instead, I got so distracted building them I still haven’t learned. But I can play half a song on about 10 different instruments, enough to know if something sounds good or bad so I can fix it, and that’s about it.” Menzie said he now alternates between building instruments out of repurposed objects and wooden ones. Even those made with found objects usually include shaped necks and other hand-crafted wooden parts. “You want found parts to look old and cool, because they’re old ideas, but I like the crafted parts to look nice,” he said of his aesthetic.

Menzie and a friend built this “Piccotaur” using an old guitar and a piccolo snare. PHOTO BY KEN SMITH

www.lwvbuttecounty.org

Menzie’s latest project is a fiddle fashioned from a cigar box.

“Like Us” on Facebook

PHOTO BY KEN SMITH

Menzie fashions nuts and bridges out of bird bones he finds, cleans, dries and carves. Strings, tuning gear and other items are cannibalized from cast-off instruments. Some instruments can be plugged in, equipped with similarlygleaned electronics or handwired piezo pickups. Drums donated by friends are dismantled and turned into more exotic instruments, like a plungysounding one-stringed contraption called an ektara, primarily used in Indian music. “That thing took me about four hours to build,” he said of the ektara. Menzie uses it to show others how easy—and how interesting—homemade instruments can be. Though his homegrown luthiery is very much in the folk tradition, he likes to diverge from standard forms by experimenting with body shapes, building materials and techniques. Menzie prefers making instruments lost to history or unfamiliar to American audiences, thoroughly researching each and retaining an astonishing amount of that knowledge. He knows a lot about Chinese guzhengs, Appalachian mountain dulcimers (“It’s the first American instrument, not the banjo, which is African,” begins one lengthy digression) and more esoteric instruments than many formally educated musicologists. Like his building skills, this knowledge is entirely self-taught. Much of Menzie’s wood is leftover scrap from other projects. The living room woodpile will soon be outdoor planters, and he figures he’ll have enough extra for two or three instruments and dozens of small components. For new materials, he prefers Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore (220 Meyers St.) and favors using inexpensive, available and sustainable woods rather than commonly sought-after, rare materials. “It doesn’t matter so much what kind of wood you use if you focus on the tone of each individual piece,” he said. “If you pay Right: An acoustic cell-phone speaker made from scrap wood and PVC pipe. Below: A hand-made lapsteel and a one-eyed cat. PHOTOS BY KYLE DELMAR

39th Annual

Over 50 Wineries, Gourmet Appetizers And A Selection Of Local Beers And Olive Oils

attention to how it’s been milled and cut, and do tap tests to test the tone, it’s not necessary to use fancy wood. People just use those woods because they’re pretty, or they think that’s what you have to use.” Even worse, he said, some people seek unsustainable wood for the taboo factor. “The fact it’s rare and going extinct is why people want it. It’s all just nonsense.” Though the impetus for Menzie’s craft was practicality rather than a concentrated effort to “go green,” the value of turning trash into treasured items is undeniable, as is Menzie’s driving ethic: “It’s important to not rape our resources and find renewable energy and everything, but it’s also important to know we can do things ourselves instead of supporting a system in which everyone just wants to sell us crap.” Ω more GREEN continued on page 20

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Sunday, April 22nd 2012

4-7pm

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Advance Tickets Creekside Cellars Made In Chico Sicilian Café

For Details 895-Vote (8683)

Manzanita Place (Elks Club)

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Wine vendors: Alpen Cellars Astoria Wine Marketing Bertagna Son-Kissed Vineyard Classic Wines of California Grant Eddie Winery Grocery Outlet PB Hein Vineyards Hickman Family Vineyards HoneyRun Winery LaRocca Vineyards Matson Vineyards Moniz Family Wines Mount Tehama Winery Naughty Boy Vineyards Nevada City Winery New Clairvaux Vineyard Odyssey Winery and Vineyards

Quilici Vineyards Renaissance Vineyard and Winery Sierra Fine Wines Yates Family Vineyard

Beer vendors: Auburn Alehouse Brewery Devil’s Canyon Brewing Company Feather River Brewing Company High Water Brewing Lost Coast Brewer Sierra Nevada brewery

Olive oil vendors: California Olive Ranch Lodestar Farms Lucero Olive Oil Tozier Ranch April 19, 2012

CN&R 19

Expansive solar system Gridley packaging plant basks in the sunshine

Tom Gascoyne tomg@ newsreview.com

ast month there was a ribbon-cutting, gripand-grin, pass-the-check photo-op at a food processing plant in Gridley marking the installation of the largest solar water-heating system in the state. At that ceremony the Stapleton-Spence Packing Co. was awarded a $467,000 check issued by Pacific Gas and Electric. Combined with another $200,000 in federal subsidies, the total cost of the $800,000 system was nearly covered. And with an expected annual energy-cost savings of $20,000, all expenses should be recouped within the three years. And those yearly savings will continue to add up over the life of the system. Not a bad investment. The project is the result of the California Solar Initiative, a $2.5 billion incentive program to promote solar development of both electricity and water heating. The CSI program is funded by the state’s gas and electric ratepayers; the rebate checks are handed out locally by PG&E. In 2007 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Bill 1470, which created the $250 million incentive program to try to replace the annual use of 585 therms of natural gas by 2017. That number roughly translates to about 200,000 solar water-heating systems in homes and businesses. The initiative could rekindle the state’s solar hot-water market, which was actually booming three decades ago following the 1970s oil embargo. In 1978, San Diego County become the first in the nation to pass a building ordinance requiring the use of solar domestic water-heating systems in all new houses constructed where natural gas was not available. Most of those systems also contained photovoltaic cells that produced the power to run the water heater pumps. On Oct. 1, 1980, the ordinance was expanded to include those areas with naturalgas supplies. Solar energy appeared to have a bright future. But just a month later, Ronald Reagan was

elected president and promptly ordered the solar panels Jimmy Carter had installed on the White House removed. And as the sting of the oil embargo was forgotten, San Diego County eventually ditched its solar water-heater mandate. Jump ahead 30 years: An employee reached by phone at the county’s Department of Planning and Land Use last week said he had never heard of the solar waterheater requirement. But the CSI may be the dawning of a new solar age. Brad Stapleton is the president of

the Stapleton-Spence Packing Co. His father, Jerry, co-founded the business 1951 in San Jose, where it still has offices. The company moved to Gridley in 1998, where today it processes and packs prunes, purees, juices, nuts and other dried fruits, and sends them across the nation and to 30 countries. Stapleton said the idea for the solar system was actually brought to him by Freeman Ford, the founder of FAFCO, a Chico-based solar water-heating company. That company began building solar water heaters for swim-

“There is a really neat web of businesses here in the North State. Area locals seem to respect the environment and are very aware of the fish and wildlife and nature.” –Brad Stapleton

ming pools in 1969. According to its website, in 1998 the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory asked FAFCO to help develop affordable solar systems for residential water heaters. “I had known [FAFCO founder] Freeman Ford for a few years, and when we came upon some support money from California Solar Initiative and some federal money, we went ahead,” said Stapleton, who lives and spends most of his working hours in San Jose. “FAFCO was looking for a showcase kind of project, and this is it.” The 20,000 square feet of solar panels are spread across the huge packaging plant’s roof. Water from a nearby well is pumped into a 13,000 gallon water storage tank. From there it is dispersed into the panels, where it runs through polymer pipes before heading into two 600-horsepower boilers. “The water comes in at about 55 degrees,” Stapleton said. “It has to be heated to 210 degrees. The solar panels provide an intermediate step and increase the temperature by 30 to 40 degrees or about 25 percent of what’s needed.” That 25 percent increase provides the

Brad Stapleton, president of Stapleton-Spence Packing Co., in front of part of the largest solar water heating system in the state. PHOTO BY DUGAN GASCOYNE

$20,000 to $30,000 annual savings in naturalgas costs. He said the system, which was installed by another Chico-based company, BCM Construction, should last about 40 years. “It is tubing basically with a pump,” he said. “The repairs are pretty simple.” He said actually qualifying for and then getting the system, however, was not that simple. “I was sitting with a guy from Gov. [Jerry] Brown’s office and he asked why more companies weren’t doing this, and I told him, ‘Well, 20 months ago we did the first bit of paper work.’And he said, ‘Oh.’” Stapleton noted the significance of the project’s being built and installed by local companies. “You know, there is a really neat web of businesses here in the North State,” he said. “Area locals seem to respect the environment and are very aware of the fish and wildlife and nature. It’s a great place.” Ω more GREEN continued on page 22

20 CN&R April 19, 2012

April 19, 2012

CN&R 21

State of the trees Local agencies strive for healthy, fire-resistant forest by

Howard Hardee howardh@newsreview.com photos by

Kyle Delmar

he forests surrounding Paradise Lake are truly beautiful—as far as the eye can see, stands of Douglas fir, Ponderosa pine and live oak make up an uninterrupted canopy of pointed tree tops. However, that continuous canopy represents a big problem for those concerned with the health of the forest, the local watershed and fire safety. During a public presentation jointly hosted by the Paradise Irrigation District, Butte County Fire Safe Council, U.S. Forest Service, Cal Fire and Butte County Resource Conservation District at Paradise Lake on April 9, representatives from each organization illustrated the health of a narrow strip of untreated forest between Paradise Dam and Magalia Reservoir. “We have a condition where the tree layer is far overrepresented than other layers in the forest,” said Beth Stewart of U.S. Forest Service. “Trees grow very easily compared to other plants, so without any kind of disturbance like a wildfire, the trees grow and overshade the rest of the layers. As time goes by,

Paradise Lake and its surrounding forests.

22 CN&R April 19, 2012

fuel continues to accumulate because the floor isn’t receiving enough sunlight and moisture, so things can’t decay very quickly.” The end result is a “sterile” forest lacking biological diversity and at high risk for wildfires. Such an interrupted canopy of trees allows for an uninterrupted fire with no fuel break. The strip of forest in question averages about 273 trees per acre, while a “fire resistant” forest should average around 50 trees per acre. “There is a difference between resiliency and resistant,” said Kelly Miller of the Butte County Resource Conservation District. “Resiliency is if a fire comes through here, how does it recover afterward? Well, we don’t want a fire to come through here in the first place, so we’re looking for a fire-resistant condition.” Such a condition goes hand-in-hand with a healthy forest—fewer trees per acre allows more sunlight to reach the forest floor, resulting in more ground-level vegetation to attract animals such as deer.

Chris Haile, Battalion Chief of Cal Fire-Butte County, speaks to a crowd of Butte County residents about the hazard wildfires pose to ridge communities during a recent public presentation. If a fire were to strike the forest, it

likely would result in erosion and the buildup of sediment in the watershed, which concerns George Barber of the Paradise Irrigation District. With the cooperation of the other agencies on hand, and input from the ridge community, he hopes to develop a management plan to present to a registered professional forester. “Oftentimes, in my history, doing nothing is not the best alternative,” Barber said. “We’re not forests experts, so we brought in some help to figure out the best thing to do. We haven’t chosen a plan, but we’re trying to get professional and community input to make one.” Chris Haile, battalion chief of Cal Fire–Butte County, recognizes how the health of the watershed, the forest and fire safety are interconnected, but his focus lies on protecting people who make Paradise and Magalia their home. “We’re talking about healthy forests, but my main concern is how I take care of the 20,000-plus residents who live on the ridge,” he said. “If I get a fire that starts down in this ravine, how do I get ahead of the game and keep it away from these people’s homes?” The devastating wildfires of 2008, which

destroyed upward of 75 homes, are fresh in the minds of ridge residents. It was an anxious time for homeowners and for Haile, who oversaw the ordered evacuation of 26,000 residents through the one available escape route with the other two roads out of town blocked by flames. “These lands are the only unburned, untreated lands in the area since the 2008 fire,” he said. “What we have been concentrating on in the few years since have been our evacuation routes, because they were clogged. You had people who were stuck in traffic for hours and hours because nothing was moving. “If you remember what happened in Victoria, Australia, in 2010, a wildfire burned hundreds of people because they were stuck in traffic. Now, if we have people stuck in traffic, we’ve thinned back the forests on either side of the roads so we wouldn’t have a big head fire come up and consume people in their cars.” All parties involved are striving for a lush, thriving forest that also won’t ignite during the coming dry seasons. The hope is that next time a wildfire rips through the ridge, the residents—and the trees—will be well prepared. Ω

Economical, eco-friendly ride B-Line transit system logs record number of riders story and photo by

Vic Cantu

vscantu@sbcglobal.net

aron Rakes says he saves hundreds of dollars per month by riding the bus, rather than driving each weekday from Chico to his job in Oroville. “It would cost me $300 a month for gas and upkeep if I drove a car,” he said. With the uptick in fuel prices, taking the B-Line Transit buses around Chico and other parts of Butte County is becoming an ever more popular way to travel. At he same time, this upsurge is helping the environment. “Riding the buses is economical and helps cut pollution by greatly reducing the number of cars on the road spewing carbon monoxide,” said Jim Peplow, senior planner for the Butte County Association of Governments, which oversees the bus lines. “We’re on a pace to set the all-time record for the most bus riders ever this fiscal year.” Peplow said the previous record for ridership came during another spike in fuel costs back in 2008 and 2009. However, he also attributed the increase in passengers to more efficient bus routes, times and schedules. In 2010, the B-Line began schedule changes that incorporated technology such as Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking. This permitted more exact stop times by identifying those that

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were running longer or shorter than their stated times. This streamlining has helped the environment by cutting down the time buses spend idling at stops. Another eco-friendly change came in 2011, with the purchase of 11 buses that run on clean diesel fuel. They replaced older, less fuel-efficient models. All B-Line buses now run on either eco-friendly clean diesel or compressed natural gas. That same year, many stops shortened their intervals from 30 minutes to 15 minutes. More than 500 B-Line bus stops are

now made daily throughout Butte County. The record ridership seen in the first eight months of the current fiscal year has also been enhanced by 75 new bus shelters built in the last two years countywide. Each has colored, easy-to-read route schedules. For anyone who hasn’t ridden B-Line, there will be an opportunity to do so for free during the upcoming “Spare the Air Day” on Thursday, May 3. The special promotion is meant to encourage new riders as well as thank current ones, Peplow said. Regular rates are $1.40, students ride for $1, and the fares cost 70 cents for seniors and

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the disabled. Regional fees to travel from Chico to Oroville or Gridley cost $1.80. Frequent riders can save by buying a 30-day pass for $35 (or $43 for the regional pass). “It’s great for commuters, and you don’t have to worry about driving, breaking down, crashing, or wear and tear on your car,” Peplow said. A much-anticipated future improvement will be the GPS updates on the B-Line’s website (go to www.blinetransit.com to learn more). Expected as early as this summer, the service will allow the public to view minuteby-minute updates on the exact whereabouts and expected stop times of their buses. This

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information will be available on smart phones, tablets, laptops or home computers. “If you missed your bus’ stop time, you can check the GPS updates, and if it’s running late you’ll know you can still catch it,” explained Peplow. In the meantime, riders like Rakes continue to enjoy the buses not only for the economical benefit, but also for the friendly service. “The drivers are extremely polite. My young son loves them,” Rakes said. “When we take our regular bus, he says, ‘He’s my favorite driver!’ because the driver gives him candy each time.” Ω

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CN&R 23

Arts & Culture Joy of jamming

Greensky Bluegrass’ unbroken jam circle. PHOTO BY J. VANBUHLER

Bluegrass gets a workout with ‘jamgrass’ torch bearers

G the quickest fingerpickers in the business to the Sierra Nevada Big Room on April 24 for an evening

reensky Bluegrass will bring some of

of bluegrass music that fuses the traditional Lester Flatt/Earl Scruggs era with the Nickel Creek/Yonder Mountain String by Band progressive/newgrass era. Alan Sheckter On record, the band’s songs and Alsheck@ arrangements are marked by subcomcast.net lime melodies and skilled dexterity, which come through with seemingly effortless sophistication. PREVIEW Onstage, the band lets its freeform Greensky freak flag fly, stretching out its oldBluegrass performs school bluegrass chops with Tuesday, April adventurous crescendos of jam24, 7:30 p.m., at band-era inventiveness. the Big Room. “We all value the energy of Tickets: $20 being on the edge and going for Sierra Nevada it,” Paul Hoffman, the band’s chief Big Room songwriter, lead vocalist and man1075 E. 20th dolin player, said of the band’s live Street approach of jumping in with both 345-2739 feet. “We don’t play all perfect www.sierra shows, and I don’t think any of us nevada.com hold back for fear of making a mistake, but when you open the doors of improvisation everything is fair game and you really can’t mess up.” The impending Big Room show follows almost three years to the day the band’s first Chico appearance, at Lost on Main. And though the 500 or so gigs that Greensky Bluegrass has conquered since then have brought plenty of additional original songs, as well as more proficiency, ingenuity, and non-verbal telepathy onstage, the band’s core message remains the same. “Have fun,” offered Hoffman, who chatted by phone from the band’s home turf of Kalamazoo, Mich. “We’re a fun band; we want people to enjoy themselves. We usually have a pretty energetic crowd, dancing, screaming, partying—and we’re into that.” Hoffman said that, as the band cut its teeth 10 years ago as a burgeoning trio with Mike Bont (banjo) and Dave Bruzza (guitar), it looked to the 24 CN&R April 19, 2012

catalog and high, lonesome harmonies of The Seldom Scene, the legendary bluegrass band that in the 1970s helped shape the progressive style also defined by Sam Bush and Béla Fleck’s New Grass Revival. “The Seldom Scene was a great template for us; they were a huge influence back during our early open mics,” Hoffman said. “And we were also playing the Grateful Dead/David Grisman side [of bluegrass], rather than Bill Monroe and Flatt and Scruggs stuff.” Today, the now five-piece delivers multiple layers of stringed goodness, adding upright bassist Mike Devol and dobro player Anders Beck to the banjo, mandolin and guitar trio. Greensky Bluegrass returns to Chico in support of its fourth studio effort, Handguns, which debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Album chart last October. The disc contains 14 original ballads and up-tempo pieces, with a liberal sprinkling of jamming throughout. The title is “just an image metaphor for responsibility and power and whatever a handgun is,” Hoffman said. Hoffman classified the album as “darker” than the band’s earlier offerings, evidenced by song titles such as “Bring Out Your Dead,” “I’d Probably Kill You,” and “Blood Sucking F(r)iends.” But every mention of conflict and discord is counterbalanced with optimism and inspiration. Standout tracks include “Don’t Lie,” a dobro-heavy, Sam Bush-reminiscent tale in which Hoffman laments, “I can’t travel on this way,” and the 11-minute “All Four,” which includes several minutes of soft plucking and jamming that’s as sweet as a walk in a field of spring wildflowers. “I take our songs and songwriting seriously,” Hoffman said. “It’s rewarding that people across the board appreciate our songs. People that like jam bands come out to party and then the songs transcend that and people say, ‘That song, wow!’” While the Big Room crowd can expect plenty of original Greensky tunes, the quintet also has a knack for throwing out some covers, which can be as varied as a bluegrass version of Pink Floyd’s “Time” or Jimi Hendrix’s “The Wind Cries Mary.” Ω

THIS WEEK 19

THURS

Special Events THURSDAY NIGHT MARKET: Downtown Chico’s weekly marketplace with local produce, vendors, entertainment and music. This week: Seamless Magic show, Catch it Quick! Balloon art, folk songs and children’s stories with Suzanna Holland and more. Go online for more information. Th, 4/19, 6-9pm. Prices vary. Downtown Chico; Downtown Chico; www.downtownchico.net.

Theater ARCADIA: Rogue Theatre presents one of Tom Stoppard’s finest plays, dealing with the relationships between past and present, order and disorder, and science and art. Th-Sa, 7:30pm through 4/21. $7 or roll the dice. 1078 Gallery, 820 Broadway, (530) 343-1973, www.1078gallery.org.

AS YOU LIKE IT: A one-hour rendition of Shakespeare’s comedy following heroine Rosalind as she escapes persecution from her uncle’s court. In the Arts Building, room 160. Th, 4/19, 12:30pm. Donations. Butte College; 3536 Butte Campus Dr. AHPS 125 in Oroville; (530) 895-2511.

THE EVER AFTER: Stagecoach Youth Theatre presents a parody of daytime television in a fractured fairy tale involving all the usual suspects—Cinderella, Snow White and an unfortunate prince slowly turning back into a frog. Through 4/21, 7pm. $6. Theatre on the Ridge Playhouse, 3735 Neal Rd. in Paradise, (530) 877-5760, www.totr.org.

THE WIZARD OF OZ: Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion and Toto come to the Chico Theater Company stage. Th-Sa, 7:30pm; Su, 2pm through 4/22. $12-$20. Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Rd. Ste. F, (530) 894-3282, www.chicotheatercompany.com.

Art Receptions JOYCE GRIMM LECTURE: A lecture with Joyce Grimm, a writer, curator and art consultant from San Francisco who is serving as this year’s student exhibition guest juror. Th, 4/19, 5pm. Free. University Art Gallery, 400 W First St. Taylor Hall, CSU, Chico.

FRI

Special Events COMEDIAN JASON RESLER: Resler is often as dark as a comedian can be. His sharp wit and observational humor have earned him rankings on Entertainment Journal’s Top 100 comedians twice. Go online for ticket info. 4/20-4/21, 7pm; 4 21, 8:30pm. $10. The Last Stand Comedy Venue, 167 E. Third St. On E. Third between Main and Wall, (530) 354-1936.

Music FLOATER: One of Portland’s most beloved bands, Floater’s hard-rock psychedelia has captured a fervent fan base up and down the west coast. F, 4/20, 8pm. Senator Theatre; 517 Main St.; (530) 898-1497; www.jmaxproductions.net.

STRINGS ATTACHED: Talented classical guitar students perform everything from Bach to the Beatles in quartets, duets and as solo pieces. F, 4/20, 7:30pm. $6-$15. Rowland-Taylor Recital Hall; 400 W First St. CSU, Chico.

Theater ARCADIA: See Thursday. 1078 Gallery, 820 Broadway, (530) 343-1973, www.1078gallery.org.

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

CAL NUT FESTIVAL Saturday, April 21 Patrick Ranch Museum

SEE SATURDAY, SPECIAL EVENTS

FINE ARTS Register online or on the day of the race. Sa, 4/21, 9am. Downtown Chico Plaza; 400 Broadway St. Between 4th & 5th St.; (530) 8967200; www.namibutteco.com.

Music FLOATER ACOUSTIC: One of Portland’s most beloved bands forgoes the heaviness in favor of an acoustic set on the second night of their weekend in Chico. Sa, 4/21, 9pm. $12.50. El Rey Theatre; 230 W. Second St.; (530) 342-2727.

SPRING IS HERE: Chico State’s Department of Music presents the Jazz X-Press spring concert in which new pieces composed by Chico State students will be unveiled. Sa, 4/21, 7:30pm. $6-$15. Harlen Adams Theatre; W. First St. CSU, Chico campus; (530) 898-6333.

Theater

BILL DIGRAZIA Showing through May Chico Paper Co. SEE FINE ARTS

PETER PAN MUSICAL: The musical adaptation of Peter Pan hits the stage, with a portion of ticket sales benefiting families facing the financial burden of cancer treatments. Fr, Sa,

7:30pm; Su, 2pm, through 4/29. Bonus showings: Th, 4/26, 7pm; Sa, 4/28, 2pm. $18.50. CUSD

Center for the Arts, 1475 East Ave. corner of East and Ceanothus, (530) 891-3050.

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

SAT

Special Events CALIFORNIA NUT FESTIVAL: An annual culinary event held on the picturesque grounds of the Patrick Ranch Museum including gourmet food, wine and beer sampling, nut-inspired cooking demonstrations, live music (with The Blue Merles, The Railflowers, Rock Ridge and more) and exhibitions of works from talented local artists. See special section in this issue for a full schedule of events. Sa, 4/21, 11am4pm. $10-$25. Patrick Ranch Museum; 10381 Midway, Chico Halfway between Chico and Durham; (916) 213-4373; www.CaliforniaNutFestival.com.

CELEBRATE THE JEWEL: A tribute to Bidwell Park and a fundraiser for the Nature Center in which future plans for the center will be unveiled. The afternoon will include music, activities, raffles and a barbecue lunch. Go online for more information. Sa, 4/21, 11am3pm. $5-$12. Chico Creek Nature Center; 1968 E. Eighth St.; (530) 891-4671; www.bidwellpark.org.

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.

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE DROOG MASQUERADE BALL: The Blue Room Theatre and cast from A

Clockwork Orange invite you to dress up for a dance featuring live music by The Oisters, The Bollocks (Sex Pistols Tribute) and live DJs. Sa, 4/21, 9pm. $5-$8. Blue Room Theatre; 139 W First St.; (530) 895-3749; www.blueroom theatre.com.

EARTH DAY IN BIDWELL PARK: Celebrate Earth Day by helping clean up Big Chico Creek and the bike path running through lower Bidwell Park and removing invasive plant species. Wear weather-appropriate clothing and close-toed shoes. Call for more info or to register. Sa, 4/21, 10am-1pm. Cedar Grove, Lower Bidwell Park, (530) 896-7831.

IZZYPALLOOZA: A fundraiser for the Izzy Foundation, a nonprofit organization originally created to help fund a transplant for 3-yearold Izzy, who died in March after a struggle with rhabdomyosarcoma. Dinner will be accompanied by the soft jazz of Shigemi Minetaka followed by blues and dancing with Big Mo and the Full Moon Band. Sa, 4/21, 5:3010:30pm. $50-$55. The Palms; 2947 Old Nord Ave.; (530) 894-8000; www.chicotix.com.

JASON RESLER: See Friday. The Last Stand Comedy Venue, 167 E. Third St. On E. Third between Main and Wall, (530) 354-1936.

NAMI BENEFIT WALK: A 5K walk through Bidwell Park, beginning and ending in the downtown plaza, with proceeds benefiting the Butte County National Alliance on Mental Illness.

UNCOVERED: THE DIARY PROJECT Tuesday, April 24 BMU Auditorium

SEE TUESDAY, SPECIAL EVENTS

ARCADIA: See Thursday. 1078 Gallery, 820 Broadway, (530) 343-1973, www.1078gallery.org.

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

PETER PAN MUSICAL: See Friday. CUSD Center for the Arts, 1475 East Ave. corner of East and Ceanothus, (530) 891-3050.

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

SUN

Special Events CAMMIES FINALE & AWARDS SHOW: A day of free live music, plus the announcement of the 2012 CAMMIES winners. Performers include: The Hooliganz, Perpetual Drifters, GravyBrain, West by Swan, Shivaree, Soul Union, Furlough Fridays, Sapphire Soul, Clouds on Strings (acoustic), Kyle Williams, Kelly Brown & Lisa Marie, Eric Peter, Lish Bills, Broken Rodeo and Kate Tansey. Su, 4/22, 2-7pm. Free. Chico Womens Club; 592 E. Third St.; (530) 894-1978.

EARTH DAY CELEBRATION: Butte Environmental Council hosts a free concert in the plaza with a pedal-powered smoothie machine, dancing, games, samples of Fair Trade Chocolate and music by Brass Hysteria, Soul Butter and the Resonators. Su, 4/22, 4-7pm. Free. Chico City Plaza; 400 Main St.; (530) 891-6424.

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS WINE TASTING: More than 50 local and national wineries will be represented. The evening will also include an impressive selection of local beers and olive

THIS WEEK continued on page 26

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

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.avenue9gallery.com.

BEATNIKS COFFEE HOUSE & BREAKFAST JOINT:

Student Art Show, an exhibition of over 60 small framed acrylic animal paintings and original linoleum block prints produced by students from Pleasant Valley High School. Through 4/30. 1387 E. Eighth St., (530) 894-2800.

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

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

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.chicopaper company.com.

Cancer Center, (530) 332-3856.

HUMANITIES CENTER GALLERY: Make it Work, an exhibition of remade and appropriated objects produced by Cameron Kelly and Rouben Mohiuddin. Through 5/20. 400 W. First St. CSU, Chico, Trinity Hall.

JAMES SNIDLE FINE ARTS AND APPRAISALS:

Passion: Lois Cohen Art Work, a celebration of the late and great local artist Lois Cohen with a gallery of her life’s work. Oils, watercolors, pastel figure drawings and etching prints. Through 5/31. Free. 254 E. Fourth St., (530) 343-2930, www.jamessnidle finearts.com.

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. W-Sa, 11am-6pm through 4/30. Contact Pat Macias (530) 8914301, 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.

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.

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.

Museums BOLTS ANTIQUE TOOL MUSEUM: Kitchen

Gadgets, a new display featuring kitchen gadgets past and present. M-Sa, 10am3:45pm; Su, 11:45am-3:45pm. $2 adults/kids free. 1650 Broderick St. in Oroville, (530) 538-2497, www.boltsantiquetools.com.

ELLIS ART & ENGINEERING SUPPLIES: New

CHICO MUSEUM: The Bicycle:Life on Two

HAS BEANS INTERNET CAFE & GALLERIA: Ink

GATEWAY SCIENCE MUSEUM: Toys: The Inside

Work, Reel Surfaces, a special series of collage mixed media drawings by artist Heather Larson. M-Su through 4/30. 122 Broadway St., (530) 891-0335, www.ellis hasit.com.

Art, works by Bob Garner. Through 4/28. 501 Main St., (530) 894-3033, www.hasbeans.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

Wheels, an exhibition that will explore world of cycling, from the history of the bicycle, the science of staying upright and the benefits of riding. F through 6/22. $2-$3. 141 Salem St., (530) 891-4336.

Story, an exhibit featuring 12 hands-on stations illustrating the simple mechanisms found in most toys. W-Su. $3-$5.Noise!, an exhibit including 11 hands-on activities, including a scream chamber and a pipe organ made from PVC tubes. Through 4/25. $3-$5. 625 Esplanade.

Free local music! Bias or no bias, there is no question that a free concert with 15 local bands is something to be excited about. And for the CN&R’s 2012 CAMMIES Finale/Awards Show, happening Sunday, April 22, at the EDITOR’S PICK Chico Women’s Club, we are very excited. Sure, there will be plenty of anticipation over the actual awards being presented, but the real fun is in the music: eight bands on the big stage (The Hooliganz, Perpetual Drifters, GravyBrain, and more) and another seven acts out back on the acoustic stags (Kyle Williams, Clouds on Strings, etc.). And, if we’re being fair, we should point out that a few CAMMIES nominees—The Resonators, Brass Hysteria!, Soul Butter—will also be performing the same day for free in the City Plaza as part of the Butte Environmental Council’s Earth Day Celebration. It’s really an embarrassment of musical riches, and we should all be excited about that.

—JASON CASSIDY April 19, 2012

CN&R 25

THIS WEEK continued from page 25 oils, gourmet appetizers and desserts. Tickets available at Made in Chico, Creekside Cellars and Sicilian Cafe. Su, 4/22, 4-7pm. $35-$40. Chico Elks Lodge; 1705 Manzinita; (530) 9660778.

Theater THE WIZARD OF OZ: See Thursday. Chico Theater

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Company, 166 Eaton Rd. Ste. F, (530) 894-3282, www.chicotheatercompany.com.

MON

Theater BEAUTY & THE BEAST: The classic story of a hideous beast who tries to win the heart of a merchant’s beautiful daughter, as presented by the California Theatre Center. Go online for tickets or more information. M, 4/23, 9:30 & 11am. $8.75. Paradise Performing Arts Center; 777 Nunnelly Rd. in Paradise; (530) 872-8454; www.ctcinc.org.

TUES

Special Events UNCOVERED: THE DIARY PROJECT: Trailblazing transgender choreographer Sean Dorsey and a stellar cast of dancers use text from reallife diaries of transgender and queer people, revealing lives and stories that history has tried to erase. Tu, 4/24, 7pm. Free. Bell Memorial Union (BMU); 400 W First St. CSU, Chico; (530) 898-4696; www.aschico.com.

Community BIRD ID HIKE: A bird identification hike through Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve led by Dawn Garcia, a bird banding expert. Go online for meeting place. Su, 4/22, 8:30am-12:30pm. Free. Call or visit website for details, Chico, http://tinyurl.com/chqabew.

BIRDS OF BIDWELL PARK: Nationally-recognized ornithologist and author Roger Lederer, PhD, will conduct a mini-tour of the upper canyon in Bidwell Park to identify local bird species. Sa, 4/21, 10:30am-2pm. Colman Museum, 13548 Centerville Rd., (530) 893-9667, www.colman museum.com.

Music going alternative country musician Dave Mulligan gives a sneak-peak at his new album, Runaway Blues, which will be officially released on April 25 at the Sierra Nevada Big Room. New local band Tumbler opens. Tu, 4/24, 8pm. $10. Café Coda; 265 Humboldt Ave.; (530) 566-9476; www.cafecoda.com.

GREENSKY BLUEGRASS: A jam-grass band with traditional roots and a party attitude known for their 12-minute rendition of Prince’s “When Doves Cry.” Tu, 4/24, 7:30pm. $20. Sierra Nevada Big Room; 1075 East 20th St.; (530) 3452739; www.sierranevada.com/bigroom.

WED

Special Events COMEDY NIGHT: Weekly comedy night on 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.

SIERRA NEVADA BEER RELEASE PARTY: For the release of S.N.’s Southern Hemisphere Harvest, Dave Mulligan is joined in the pub by some of his fellow Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers members (Tim Bluhm, Mike Curry, Deren Ney) for a performance of his new album, Runaway Blues. W, 4/25, 7-9:30 p.m. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., 1075 E. 20th St., 893-3520, www.sierranevada.com.

Music VIVA OPERA!: Opera Workshop’s talented singers present a vigorous array of breathtaking opera. 4/25-4/26, 7:30pm. $6-$15. Harlen Adams Theatre; W. First St. CSU, Chico campus; (530) 898-6333.

for more Music, see NIGHTLIFE on page 32

JAMMING 101 Saturday, April 21 Acoustic College SEE COMMUNITY

BLOODSOURCE BLOOD DRIVE: Appointments to give blood available every 15 minutes. Bring a photo ID and eat a good meal and drink plenty of fluids within four hours of giving blood. Appointments are recommended. F, 4/20, 11:30am-2:30pm & 3:30-5:30pm. Enloe Conference Center, 1528 Esplanade, (530) 3326444.

CANA SPRING TOUR: The Chico Avenues Neighborhood Association will guide a tour through the east and west avenues with selected stops in the many sub-neighborhood within CANA boundaries. Go online for a complete tour schedule. Su, 4/22, 11am-5pm. Call or visit website for details, Chico, www.chicoavenues.org.

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, 891-6524.

DANCES OF UNIVERSAL PEACE: Simple, meditative and uplifting group dances honoring many of

the world’s spiritual traditions. Third Sa of every month, 7-9:30pm. $5-$10 donation. Subud Hall, 574 E. 12th St., (530) 891-8789.

EARLY LEARNING SUMMIT: A gathering of par-

DAVE MULLIGAN ALBUM PREVIEW PARTY: Easy-

26 CN&R April 19, 2012

BULLETIN BOARD

ents, educators, early childhood professionals, and other community members to explore how we influence children’s school and life success. Registration required. Sa, 4/21, 9am-noon. Free. Chico Womens Club, 592 E. Third St., (530) 898-5865.

ENERGY TOOLS WORKSHOP: Kinesiology to balance the body and mind with Gayle Kimball, PhD, author of Essential Energy Tools. Email or go online for more info. Su, 4/22, 10am-4pm. Earth Haven, 341 Broadway, www.gayle kimball.info.

FARMERS MARKET - CHICO STATE: The Organic 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.

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.

JAMMING 101: A jamming workshop designed to demystify the art of playing together with Sid Lewis, whose five-level system has garnered acclaim wherever he teaches. Sa, 4/21, 11am1pm. $27-$30. Acoustic College, 932 West Eighth Ave. Ste. A in the Redwood Towers building, (530) 894-2526.

MUSEUM WITHOUT WALLS LECTURE SERIES: The fourth lecture in a five-part series with a Butterflies, Bees and Bats: Native Pollinators of the North State theme. This week, Mary Jean Quirk, founder of NorCal Bats, presents “Bats in Northern California.” W, 4/25, 7:30pm. $3. Chico Area Recreation District (CARD), 545 Vallombrosa Ave. Off of Vallombrosa, next to Bidwell Park, (530) 895-4711, www.chico rec.com.

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 BIKE TRAFFIC SKILLS 101: A bicycling class to teach you how to ride your bike with skill and confidence. Have fun while you learn the principles of safe cycling. Recommended for adults and teens 14 and older. Sa, 4/21, 8:30am-1pm. $15. OPT for Healthy Living, 1311 Mangrove Ave. B 3rd Ave and Mangrove behind Papa Murphys, (530) 345-7347, www.optforhealthyliving.org.

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.

HERSHEY INVITATIONAL TRACK MEET: Track and field games for children 5 to 14 designed to encourage physical fitness, with an emphasis on participation and sportsmanship. Events will include runs, relays, long jump and the softball throw. Go online to register. Su, 4/22, noon. Free. Pleasant Valley High School, 1475 East Ave., (530) 879-5100, www.chicotrack andfield.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.

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.

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A Mekkala variety: pad thai, chicken satay with peanut-curry chutney and cucumber salsa dipping sauces and a Thai iced tea.

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

Pilgrimage to Mekkala Thai ecstasy on the edge of town

Wof ethnic eateries, particularly compared to cities in which he has dined promiscuously—notably, of course, New

hile Henri frequently laments Chico’s dearth

York, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco—he realizes that it is one of the small prices one pays for the relative serenity of life in un petit village. by On the other hand, even our own dear Henri Bourride little hamlet has begun to boast an increashbourride@ ingly impressive list of ethnic restaurants— yahoo.com sushi, Indian, Chinese, Mexican. And then there are the Thai restaurants! Sacrebleu! Henri has been more than impressed with each one, as regular readers will recall—with Sophia’s, Chada, Thai Basil and Cocodine. Colette and I make frequent visits, especially for lunch specials. So, although we were thrilled to learn of a new Thai restaurant opening in town, we also knew that the bar already was set pretty high. Once again, though, we were duly impressed. In fact, Mekkala (pronounced ★★★★ 1⁄2 “me-ka-LAH”), which opened three months ago in La Dolce Piazza, the little Mekkala Thai complex at the corner of Cohasset and Cuisine Lassen, might be the best yet. The prices are reasonable, the service friendly and 1196 E. Lassen Ave., suite 110 prompt, and the food absolutely delicious, 636-4620 the vegetables’ and herbs’ freshness owing in part to the weekly trip the owners take Hours: lunch: to their farm in Fresno to harvest lemon Monday-Friday, grass, basil, eggplant and various peppers. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; We stopped in for lunch several weeks dinner: Mondayago, greeted first by a 4-foot-tall, carved Saturday, 4-8 p.m. wooden, Southeast Asian woman in gorgeous ceremonial gold dress. We learned later, from our waitress—and a description on the menu—that this was Mekkala herself, the born-of-the-sea, Aphrodite-like Thai goddess of thunder and lightning. ★★★★★ Mekkala’s menu includes the classic EPIC dishes: pad Thai, curries (red, yellow, ★★★★ green, seafood and Panang), stir-fries (vegAUTHORITATIVE etables, tofu), eggplant and cashew and ★★★ ginger chicken. Most dinner entrees run APPEALING $8-$10, though the chu-chee salmon (deep ★★ fried and served with chutney) is $12 and HAS MOMENTS the curried seafood is $13. ★ FLAWED Lunch specials are $6-$8. All entrees

and specials include a cup of chicken-rice soup or a small green salad, as well as a bowl of brown or white rice. Desserts include fried banana with ice cream and sticky rice with mango (both $5). Thai iced tea and coffee are $3. Bertagna wines (Sangiovese and Pinot Grigio) by the glass are $5; bottled beer (including the Thai selections, Singha and Chang) is $4. We started with the Mekkala sampler appetizer: fried tofu, imperial rolls, imperial shrimp and chicken satay, along with three sauces— peanut, sweet-chili and diced cucumbers and red onions in rice-wine vinegar ($12). The rolls, stuffed with cabbage, mushrooms and noodles, were especially good, even better dipped into the chili sauce. I decided to try the red curry, and Colette ordered the Panang curry. I had the soup, Colette the salad, which she liked very much, especially the minty dressing and cucumbers. The soup was OK, a bit bland—with soft rice and some small pieces of chicken—but was exponentially better when I added a spoonful of the chili sauce. The curries were absolutely delicious: my red a stew of perfectly crunchy eggplant, green beans, bell peppers, carrots, green onions, zucchini and whole basil leaves; Colette’s with the same vegetables but with the Panang sauce (cream, lime and basil) mixed in. Three days later we returned for dinner, this time with Colette’s friend Paulette, and tried the sweet and sour chicken soup, the chicken gra prao (the same vegetables, with a partially ground chicken in a basil reduction), green curry and ginger chicken. All were very good. We’ve been back four times since and agree that the food and overall dining experience are exceptional, the restaurant a wonderful addition to Chico’s increasingly international dining options. Now if someone would just open a decent French bistro, where Henri would not feel so out of place in his beret and espadrilles. Mekkala’s spiciness level is just a bit above those of the other Thai restaurants in the area. While some, including Henri, like it hot, even “medium” is very spicy at Mekkala. You might want to start with “mild-plus.” Ω

—— chicO —— 964 Mangrove Ave. Mangrove Plaza

2027 Forest Ave. Best Buy Center

2201 Pillsbury Rd. Almond Orchard

343-4254

342-7265

891-1200

WillOWs

GridleY

OrlaNd

1237 W. Wood St.

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934-2838

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1124 Oro Dam Blvd.

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533-6710

529-1760 April 19, 2012

CN&R 27

6701 CLARK ROAD

872-7800

www.paradisecinema.com

ALL SHOWS PRESENTED

StartS Friday

SHOWTIMES GOOD FRI 4/20- THUR 4/26 1:00 3:10 5:20 7:30 *9:40PM

THE LUCKY ONE [PG-13] SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN [PG-13] THE THE

CABIN IN WOODS [R]

1:30 4:10 6:55 *9:30PM 12:55 3:05 5:15 7:25 *9:35PM

[PG-13]

LOCKOUT

1:10 3:15 5:25 7:35 *9:40PM

THE THREE STOOGES [PG]

1:15 3:20 5:25 7:30 *9:30PM

TITANIC

[PG-13]

IN : F-SAT: 1:00 4:45 8:30PM SUN-TH: 1:00 6:00PM

1:00 3:50 6:40 *9:30PM

THE HUNGER GAMES [PG-13] *L ATE S HOWS

F RI & S AT O NLY

Kill ’em all?

From the director oF chocolat and Screenwriter oF Slumdog millionaire ewan mcgregor emily Blunt KriSten Scott thomaS

Salmon FiShing in the yemen Fri/Sat 6pm & 8:10pm Sunday 3pm & 6pm mon-thurS 7pm

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

GATEWAY SCIENCE MUSEUM

MUSEUM WITHOUT WALLS SPRING 2012 LECTURE SERIES

BUTTERFLIES, BEES AND BATS POLLINATORS OF THE NORTH STATE

APRIL 25

BATS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Funny and scary, The Cabin in the Woods takes a knife to tired horror tropes

MARY JEAN “CORKY” QUIRK, NORCAL BATS

7:30 PM at CARD CENTER 545 VALLOMBROSA AVE., CHICO 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.

4/27 Yo-YooLDMaO&UT SO Kathryn athryn Stott with The Assad Brothers FRIDAY 4/20 – ThuRsDAY 4/26 RAID: REDEMPTION, THE (Digital) (R) 9:00PM

THINK LIKE A MAN (Digital) (Pg-13) 11:10aM 2:00PM AMERICAN REUNION 4:50PM 7:40PM 10:30PM (Digital) (R)11:15aM 1:55PM 4:35PM 7:30PM THREE STOOGES, THE 10:15PM (Digital) (Pg) 12:00PM CABIN IN THE WOODS, 2:20PM 4:40PM 7:05PM 9:25PM THE (Digital) (R) 12:50PM 3:10PM 5:30PM 7:50PM 10:20PM TITANIC (2012) (3D) (Pg-13) 11:50aM 1:45PM CHIMPANZEE (Digital) 3:55PM 5:50PM 8:00PM 9:55PM (g) 12:15PM 2:30PM 4:45PM 7:00PM 9:05PM WRATH OF TITANS (3D) (Pg-13) 2:30PM 7:35PM HUNGER GAMES, THE (Digital) (PgWRATH OF TITANS 13) 11:25aM 1:00PM (Digital) (Pg-13) 2:35PM 4:10PM 12:05PM 5:00PM 5:45PM♥ 7:20PM 10:05PM 10:30PM (SPECIAL SHOWING) LOCKOUT (Digital) (Pg-13)12:45PM 3:05PM MET OPERA: MANON 5:25PM 7:45PM 10:10PM ENCORE (Digital) (NR) WeD. 4/25 6:30PM LUCKY ONE, THE (SPECIAL SHOWING) (Digital) (Pg-13) - TCM PRESENTS 12:25PM 2:55PM 5:25PM 7:55PM 10:25PM CASABLANCA 70TH ANNIvERSARY EvENT ENCORE (Digital) (NR) MIRROR MIRROR (Digital) (Pg) 11:20aM thuRs. 4/26 7:00PM 1:55PM 4:30PM 7:10PM 9:45PM showtimes listed w/ ♥ not shown sat. 4/25 showtimes listed w/ ♣ not shown thur. 4/26

28 CN&R April 19, 2012

S a Stoner check into a creepy cabin in the woods and … wait, you’ve heard this one before? Of course you have, what o, a Jock, a Dumb Blonde, a Brain, a Virgin and

A DONATION OF $3 PER ADULT IS REQUESTED. STUDENTS WITH ID ARE FREE.

21 JUMP STREET (Digital) (R) 11:40aM 2:15PM 4:50PM♣ 7:25PM♣ 10:00PM

We’re not yer daddy’s horror stereotypes.

5/7 Dave Eggers: Zeitoun Book In Common

with the archetypes being the default setting of horror, and the old dark house/cabin being its own subgenre. But what if those archetypes didn’t leave home by Craig Blamer being so dumb or smart or virgin-y or douchebaggy or baked? (Well, the stoner starts out as a stoner, but still.) Add a shady Umbrella Corporation aspect and layer every moment with nods and homages to pretty much every horror flick that makes a horror movie buff’s The Cabin in eyes light up, and The Cabin in the Woods the Woods joins the ranks of such cult items as Shaun of Starring Kristen the Dead and The Return of the Living Dead as Connolly, Chris a rare horror flick that’s able to pull off that very, Hemsworth and very difficult balance of humor and horror. Anna Hutchinson. The movie slowly reveals itself as an Directed by Drew Goddard. arch—and very clever—deconstruction of the Cinemark 14, tropes of dead-teenager films that Scream Feather River wanted to be, but lacked the mad creative skillz Cinemas and to really pull off. And it also has a sly humor Paradise Cinema 7. Rated R. that Zombieland was completely incapable of mustering. The Cabin in the Woods pulls it all off. Granted, it’s not 100-percent perfect, as tropes are tropes no matter how ironically you Poor approach them, so the basic narrative suffers from a slight case of over-familiarity until it explodes into the third act. And then things get interesting—and very, very wet. Fair Of course, we have Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) producing a script co-written with Lost and Cloverfield scribe Drew Goddard (who also makes his directorial debut Good here), so this re-imagining of ’80s horror is very clever and consistently entertaining. And it helps that the cast is uniformly endearing in Very Good its own way, subverting the trope that our mayhem-bait be unlikable for maximum cathartic pleasure. But I would say, don’t read up on it too Excellent much, though. Half the fun is figuring out

5/9 Riders in the Sky

5/16 Annie Jr.

Playhouse Youth Theater

All shows at Laxson Auditorium California State University, Chico

TICKETS

(530) 898-6333 WWW.CHICOPERFORMANCES.COM

where it’s heading; which might be why it sat on the shelf for three years. It wasn’t because of quality, but rather the meta-aspect probably confused the suits at MGM when they got their screening. Fortunately for us, Lionsgate came through. Ω

Ass-kicking mayhem The Raid: Redemption

Cinemark 14. Rated R

by Craig Blamer You know that The Raid: Redemption

isn’t gonna be your typical Hollywood pulledpunch actioner when you find that your hero is gonna be a devout Muslim. And about 10 minutes in, this Indonesian import seals the deal by kicking off with a bang that keeps bangin’ away until the bloodied survivors walk out of the frame to make room for the end credits. Believe the hype. The Raid: Redemption is a glorious return to ass-kicking mayhem that hasn’t been seen since the Chinese retook Hong Kong in the late-’90s and chased an entire genre out of town. The premise is simple: A team of elite cops make their way up the stairs of a degraded 30story high-rise in a sweep to take out a diabolical drug lord who puts his profits into security equipment over maintenance, and rents out the rooms to the most sociopathic elements of society. (Let’s just say that, when our kingpin announces free rent to those who help him make his nuisance go away, these tenants are very, very motivated.) That’s pretty much all the plot we need, because otherwise it might get in the way of all the ass-kicking that our hero (rookie cop

HALF–OFF ENTREE Voted B est Ne w Restaurant 2010

Rama, played by martial artist Iko Uwais) lays on anyone who gets in his way. Granted, after about an hour of watching everyone trying to destroy each other in the most painful ways possible, one starts to get desensitized to all the mayhem. But at slightly over 90 minutes, things end before it becomes a problem.

Invert John Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13 by way of Walter Hill’s The Warriors; substitute crazy crackheads for the zombies of the delirious French cult item La Horde; infuse it with John Woo’s trademark ballet of blood (hold the doves) and The Raid: Redemption delivers the goods. Decisively. Ω

FUL

BARL

Buy one entree & two drinks, get the second of equal or lesser value half off. Limit two coupons per table. No other discounts. Expires 6/28/12. Not valid Fri or Sat after 5pm.

Sat/Sun e gn Champa Brunchm 9am-2p

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

Opening this week Chimpanzee

The latest Disneynature documentary follows the story of a young chimp named Oscar who, after getting lost in the forest, is adopted by a full-grown male from another troop. Cinemark 14. Rated G.

The Lucky One

A photograph of a young woman becomes a good-luck charm for the U.S. Marine (Zac Efron) who finds it in the sands of Iraq, and when he returns home from his three tours, he sets out to find the real woman in the photo. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated PG.

Think Like a Man

After their female partners begin using the advice of comedian Steve Harvey’s book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, against them four men conspire to turn the tables on their mates. Directed by Tim Story (Barbershop, Fantastic Four). Cinemark 14 and Feather River Cinemas. Rated PG-13.

Now playing

21 Jump Street

This TV-drama-remade-as-a-bigscreen-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 high-school 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 R-rated action-comedy based on an ’80s TV show, it all serves its big, dumb and pretty damn funny purpose. Cinemark 14. Rated R —R.B.

excluding Stifler because he’s still nuts. He, of course, finds his way into the mayhem. That mayhem includes the requisite grossout gags like Stifler shitting into a beer cooler and Jim’s Dad revealing embarrassing sexual details to his son. American Reunion has its moments, and is at least the second best film in the series after the original. Cinemark 14 and Feather River Cinemas. Rated R —B.G.

The Cabin in the Woods

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

3 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.

Lockout

When an orbiting space prison is overtaken by the nastiest of baddies, a disgraced badass ex-government agent (Guy Pearce) is rocketed to the scene to rescue the president’s hottie daughter (Maggie Grace) from the riots. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated PG-13.

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 and Feather River Cinemas. Rated PG.

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1/2 off Entree

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

The latest from Swedish director Lasse Hallström (The Cider House Rules, Chocolat), about a Yemeni sheik’s dream of bringing fly fishing to the desert and the British fisheries expert (Ewan McGregor) who, with the help of the sheik’s consultant (Emily Blunt), struggles to complete the project. Pageant Theatre and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated PG-13.

Buy 1 Entree + 2 drinks and receive the 2nd Entree of equal or lesser value 1/2 off (Not valid with delivery. Exp 5/17/12)

The Three Stooges

A Farrelly brothers (Dumb & Dumber) update of the classic slapstick franchise, with Sean Hayes (Larry), Will Sasso (Curly) and Chris Diamantopoulus (Moe) playing the wacky trio. Cinemark 14, Feather River Cinemas and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated PG.

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 re-release of the mega-blockbuster. Cinemark 14 and Paradise Cinema 7. Rated PG-13.

Wrath of the Titans

Set a decade after the events of the Clash of the Titans remake, bastard demigod Perseus (vanilla action figure Sam Worthington) has rejected the whole god trip and bides his time doing scut work in a fishing village. But his old man, Zeus (Liam Neeson), drops by and asks for a li’l help in diffusing some wannabe-Game of Thrones intrigue between ... Well, it’s complicated and confusing, even though everyone stands around shouting and reiterating each others’ name, rank and back story at each other. It’s directed by the dude responsible for Battle Los Angeles (Jonathan Liebesman), so even the placid moments are given an urgent score and the shaky-cam treatment. The more action-oriented moments are a blur of spaz-inducing bursts of imagery set to pounding ambient noise. Granted, it’s not a total loss. An attack by a pair of cyclops has some goofy charm 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. Cinemark 14 and Feather River Cinemas. Rated PG-13 —C.B.

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American Reunion

The gang is back together 13 years after the so-so first film, and nine years after the totally abysmal American Wedding. The result here is a predictably tired comedy where Seann William Scott (Stifler) and Eugene Levy (Jim’s Dad) are responsible for most of the laughs. The plot involves everybody coming home for their 13th high school reunion, with a major “Jim and Michelle ain’t having sex no more” subplot. Oz (Chris Klein) has become a bubble-headed sportscaster, Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) a world traveler, Jim (Jason Biggs) a sex-starved new dad and Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) a homebody husband with a new beard. They all want to party and hang out like old times, while

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Palmetto Records Although her sturdy frame might seem more suitable for belting out the blues, Kate McGarry’s winsome singing is more than up to the task of capturing the magic inherent in the songs she’s chosen to interpret here on this, her sixth CD. Originally from Boston, she moved to Los Angeles in the ’90s where she worked in several clubs before moving back East a few years later. To prepare for this recording, McGarry listened to “hours of interviews with some of my favorite jazz singers”—Sarah Vaughan, Betty Carter and Sheila Jordan—and gleaned valuable insights from their “girl talk.” Almost half of the disc’s 10 songs are love songs that vary in tempo from the perkily rendered “I Just Found Out About Love” to the slow, breathy “The Man I Love,” which she revamped into a “cautionary tale” and is enhanced by Gary Versace’s superb piano and organ accompaniment. She duets very effectively with her husband, guitarist Keith Ganz, on pianist Jimmy Rowles’ reflective ballad “Looking Back” and with vocalist Kurt Elling on Dori Caymmi’s “O Cantador.” Her scatting, however, which pops up on several selections, is definitely an acquired taste.

MUSIC

—Miles Jordan

Kate McGarry performs at the SF Jazz concert series Friday, April 20, 7 p.m., at the Swedish American Hall.

Hair Ty Segall & White Fence Drag City The incestuous rawk ’n’ roll cesspool in San Francisco continues to seep beyond the Bay. The new collab between lo-fi bedroom project White Fence (aka Tim Presley) and garage rock wunderkind Ty Segall (aka Ty Segall) comes off pretty much as you would expect from these blokes—ramshackle tunes that smack of British Invasion and lost Nuggets nuggets. Hair is less introspective than Segall’s previous outing, Goodbye Bread, and it’s definitely a little looser. Lead single “I Am Not a Game” is a spazzy number that starts off inconspicuously with Hammond organ before taking a few noisy twists and turns. “Crybaby” is pure spacey sock-hop pop, sure to elicit inappropriate dance moves. Overall, Hair is unpredictable, even within its familiar tropes. Songs tend to randomly swerve off the rails, and the collage of guitar noise and acoustic strums shakes things up. Segall and Presley know their way around a pop hook, so there’s no surprise these songs come fully loaded. It’s almost unfair that they get bring in cronies Mikal Cronin and Sean Presley. Talk about the great rock ’n’ roll swindle.

MUSIC

Live at the Green Parrot 530.343.4201 • 1356 Longfellow Avenue longfellow shopping center across from In Motion Fitness

We know you like us— now make it Facebook official and give us a thumbs up! www.facebook.com/ChicoNewsandReview 30 CN&R April 19, 2012

Kate McGarry

—Mark Lore

Transfer students and massage therapists welcome Proud to announce our partnership with Butte College, OPI and Dermalogica.

Girl Talk

Sauce Boss Burning Disk Well, now, this is interesting, indeed. Recorded in November of last year at a popular watering hole in Key West, Fla., Bill Wharton (the “Sauce Boss”) puts on a skillful demonstration of slide guitar chops. Though he’s not going to live long enough to be as good as the ever-more-astonishing Roy Rogers, he’s still pretty damn slick on the slide, and he’s got a solid blues voice, and a great back story to go with it. He tells some of that personal tale on the opening track, “Killer Tone,” and his signature song, “Let the Big Dog Eat,” is also featured here. A blues man with a career that stretches back three decades, the Sauce Boss has served up over 180,000 bowls of free gumbo in homeless shelters and put out 13 previous albums, not a one of which ever made it to my turntable, tape deck or CD player. So I got to know him on this, his first live album, and I’m happy to have made his acquaintance. The Sauce Boss appears in a chef’s toque on the album’s cover, and he’s really cookin’ here, serving up a good-time musical gumbo that includes humor, authoritative blues licks and a flavorful blend of commentary about everything from Google to grace. —Jaime O’Neill

MUSIC

SCENE

HAPPY HOUR MON-FRI 4

-6PM

A human equation

1/2 OFF WINE BY THE GLASS Septimus Hodge (Matt Hammons, right) has a hare to split with the butler (John Duncan).

r owned fo Locally s! r a e y 9 1

PHOTO BY MATT SIRACUSA

A TASTE OF ITALY HIDDEN RIGHT HERE IN CHICO! 5 0 6 Iv y St · C h i c o · o p en 1 1 : 3 0 a m Mo n - Sa t , Su n a t 4 p m Res er va t i o n s ( 5 3 0 ) 8 9 8 . 9 9 4 8 · Ta k e- o u t ( 5 3 0 ) 8 9 8 . 9 9 4 7

Rogue Theatre’s ‘beautiful and haunting’ rendition of Stoppard classic

invites You to Join Us in the Big room

Monday, May 21, 2012

Tfood to chew on in Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia, now in production here’s plenty of brain

at 1078 Gallery by the Rogue Theatre: chaos theory, by the life of Lord Ken Smith Byron and garden kens@ architecture of the newsreview.com late Georgian era are just a few of the topics REVIEW: explored. But as Arcadia , presented the play unfolds by Rogue Theatre, in an enlightennow showing at ing—and abun1078 Gallery, dantly entertainThursdaying—two hours, Saturday, 7:30 p.m., through these layers of April 21. esoterica are Tickets: $7, or roll peeled away to the dice! reveal a very human and touch1078 Gallery 820 Broadway ing story. Arcadia takes www.1078 gallery.org place in an Engwww.chico lish country home rogue.com called Sidley Park in two different time periods— 1809-1812 and the present day— and centers around multiple generations of the home’s occupants, the Coverly family. In the earlier period, a philandering renaissance man, Septimus Hodge (Matt Hammons), resides at Sidley Park to tutor Thomasina Coverly (Ashley Garlick), a brilliant, precocious, teenage girl who inadvertently discovers complex mathematical concepts. Hodge’s amorous ways create conflict among the gentry he serves, as does a visit from Hodge’s college chum, an unseen

Lord Byron. In the present day, academics Bernard Nightingale (Joe Hilsee) and Hannah Jarvis (Hilary Tellesen) visit the home to investigate interwoven mysteries regarding the events that occur in the earlier period. Thomasina’s descendent, Valentine Coverly (Mark Cunha-Rigby), has similar mathematical aptitudes and is unknowingly continuing the work of the long-gone girl. Stoppard’s play is amazingly well-written, and the Rogue player’s do his work justice. Following the dialogue is something like watching Olympic gymnastics. Profound ideas are interspersed with some gloriously low-brow moments as the author effectively channels Masterpiece Theatre and Monty Python. Particularly engaging—and hilarious—is the banter between Hodges and the cuckolded Ezra Chater (Sean Green), who challenges the former to a duel that lies at the center of the ensuing mystery. Another highlight is the constant bickering between Jarvis and Nightingale. A good deal of ribaldry plays into it all, with the characters equally driven by lofty goals and more earthly pursuits. The staging is as sparse and simple as the dialogue is thick, with props and stage decoration staying the same through both time periods. Large frames representing windows stare out onto Sidley Park’s garden, the effect of which is partly facilitated by foliage painted on the back wall, but largely left to the audience’s imagination. The players emerge from sev-

eral different points, sometimes walking through the galleryturned-theater’s makeshift seating and sometimes delivering lines from the back of the audience. The overall effect is a magnificent bit of theater magic that puts us in the ancient house among the players. You can practically smell the flowers outside. All of the Rogue Players are fantastic; particularly charming are Hammons’ turn as Hodge and Hilsee’s portrayal of Nightingale. The young Wade Gess holds his own among the older actors, playing a (largely silent) dual role as Augustus and Gus Coverly. Tellesen’s Jarvis is a gem, and Keilana Decker is terrific as Chloe Coverly. Perhaps most memorable is Garlick as Thomasina, who is eventually revealed as the emotional heart of the whole story. In the end, Arcadia is not so much about duels as it is a simple dance, less about the alleged deeds of longdead great men than about a young girl’s love of life. It’s beautiful and haunting. Arcadia may seem daunting to some theater goers, but it shouldn’t be. It’s not necessary to understand some of the complex ideas going on or know a great deal about history, though you’re likely to learn a bit in the process. These things are tertiary to the real human story, with the whole Byron affair serving as something of a MacGuffin. Viewers will likely laugh a lot, get a little misty, and even learn a thing or two. What more can you ask Ω from a night at the theater?

The California Honeydrops

A funky, good time, New Orleans style dance party

Join us for an evening of dancing to the roots & blues offering of The California Honeydrops. “They have baby faces but play like old souls….Lech pays that horn like Louis Armstrong and I wouldn’t throw that around lightly.” Music legend Maria Muldaur. The Honeydrops’ sound is tied together by their unique instrumentation, soulful vocal harmonies and a funky, good-times New Orleans style. Recent awards garnered by this Bay Area powerhouse include Best Band, Best Genre-Mixing Band, Best Local Album, Best MultiTalented Artist (Lech Wierzynski) and Best Musician (Lech once again). This is a “dance on the tables” type presentation (just a figure of speech) and I’m thinking you’ll need to get your hard core dancing shoes out for this one. Come see what all the fuss is about.

Tickets $15 On sale Saturday, 4/21 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 19, 2012

CN&R 31

NIGHTLIFE

THURSDAY 4|19—WEDNESDAY 4|25 OPEN MIC: Singers, poets and musicians

420 TRIBAL DANCE WITH TRACORUM & MORE Friday, April 20 Chico Women’s Club

welcome. Th, 7-10pm. Has Beans Internet Cafe & Galleria; 501 Main St.; (530) 894-3033; www.hasbeans.com.

OPEN MIKEFULL: Open mic night to benefit Earthdance. Refreshments on sale.

First and Third Th of every month, 7pm. $1. Paradise Grange Hall; 5704 Chapel Dr. in Paradise; (530) 873-1370.

SEE FRIDAY

20FRIDAY 19THURSDAY 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.

BUSTER BLUE WITH SHIVAREE: Right out of Nevada, Buster Blue specializes in Americana-musical theater-folk, duh. Local punk-folk outfit Shivaree opens. Th, 4/19, 8pm. $5. Origami Lounge; 7th And Cherry Streets.

CHICO JAZZ COLLECTIVE: Thursday jazz.

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

THE JEFF PERSHING BAND: Chico’s

master of worldly funk. Th, 4/19, 6pm. Free. LaSalles; 229 Broadway; (530) 893-1891.

JOHN SEID: John Seid and friends, featuring Larry Peterson and Steve Cook playing an eclectic mix of tunes all night. This week, the trio is joined by Bob Littell. Th, 6:30-9:30pm. Opens 4/19; Sa, 4/28, 7-10pm. Free. Johnnies Restaurant; 220 W. Fourth St. inside Hotel Diamond; (530) 895-1515; www.johnniesrestaurant.com.

LIVE AT FLO: Living with Giants, an ambient instrumental outfit from Sacramento, headlines. The Artisans and Kate Wright open. Th, 4/19, 7pm. Cafe Flo; 365 E. Sixth St. Next door to the Pageant Theatre; 514-8888.

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.

2 WEEKS NOTICE: Live music and dancing. F, 4/20, 8:30pm. Free. Gold Country

Casino; 4020 Olive Hwy at Gold Country Casino & Hotel in Oroville; (530) 534-9892; www.goldcountry casino.com.

420 TRIBAL DANCE: An all-ages tribal

dance party with S.F.’s Tracorum, local jam-masters Swamp Zen plus the groovy DJ Spenny. F, 4/20, 7pm. $8/advance (Bustolini’s Blaze N Jay’s); $12/door. Chico Women’s Club, 592 E. Third St., (530) 894-1978.

BADD MEDICINE: Glamorous ’80s hair

metal covers. F, 4/20, 8pm. $5. LaSalles; 229 Broadway; (530) 893-1891.

CROSS ROADS: Live music in the lounge. F, 4/20, 8:30pm. Free. Feather Falls

Casino; 3 Alverda Dr. in Oroville; (530) 533-3885; www.featherfallscasino.com.

DECADES: A cover band with female vocalists and an energized rhythm section playing hits from the 1940s to

today. In the brewery. F, 4/20, 9:30pm. $5. Feather Falls Casino; 3 Alverda Dr. in Oroville; (530) 533-3885; www.featerfallscasino.com.

FLOATER: One of Portland’s most beloved bands, Floater’s hard-rock psychedelia has captured a fervent fan base up and down the West Coast. F, 4/20, 8pm. Senator Theatre; 517 Main St.; (530) 898-1497; www.jmaxproduc tions.net.

HOLE IN MY HEAD: Straight-ahead punk rock with Hole in My Head, Colonix, Severance Package and Disorderly Event. F, 4/20, 8pm. $5. Monstros Pizza & Subs; 628 W. Sacramento Ave.; (530) 345-7672.

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.

Hall; 400 W First St. CSU, Chico.

WALKING SPANISH: Walking Spanish touches on pop, country, ska and indie rock. Boss 501 and The Island of Black and White open. F, 4/20, 8pm. $5. Café Coda; 265 Humboldt Ave.; (530) 5669476; www.cafecoda.com.

21SATURDAY 2 WEEKS NOTICE: Live music and dancing. Sa, 4/21, 8:30pm. Free. Gold Country Casino; 4020 Olive Hwy at Gold

HOLE IN MY HEAD Friday, April 20 Monstros Pizza

Country Casino & Hotel in Oroville; (530) 534-9892; www.goldcountry casino.com.

THE BOYS OF SUMMER: An Eagles cover

band in the brewery. Sa, 4/21, 9:30pm. $5. Feather Falls Casino; 3 Alverda Dr. in Oroville; (530) 533-3885; www.feath erfallscasino.com.

CHUCK EPPERSON JR. BAND: Live blues, jazz, soul and funk. Sa, 4/21, 6-8pm. Free. Left Coast Pizza Co.; 800 Bruce Rd. Ste. 100; (530) 892-9000.

CROSS ROADS: Live music in the lounge.

Sa, 4/21, 8:30pm. Free. Feather Falls Casino; 3 Alverda Dr. in Oroville; (530) 533-3885; www.featherfallscasino.com.

FLOATER ACOUSTIC: One of Portland’s most beloved bands forgoes the heaviness in favor of an acoustic set on the

SEE FRIDAY

THE JEFF PERSHING BAND: Chico’s

master of worldly funk. F, 4/20, 8pm. The End Zone; 250 Cohasset Rd.; (530) 345-7330.

JOHN TRENALONE: Jazz and Broadway standards of the last 100 years. F,

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

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

STRINGS ATTACHED: Talented classical guitar students perform everything from Bach to the Beatles in quartets, duets and as solo pieces. F, 4/20, 7:30pm. $6-$15. Rowland-Taylor Recital

Philosophy. Fiction. Art. Relationships. Poetry. Sports. Photography. Economics. A literary and current affairs magazine with the openness and pioneering spirit of the Pacific Northwest, Empirical aspires for truth by boldly introducing thought-provoking points of view and new paradigms. A forum for discourse on contemporary issues, the magazine is ‘radically empirical’ in considering the broad range of human experience.

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32 CN&R April 19, 2012

NIGHTLIFE

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

FLOATER

Friday & Saturday, April 20 & 21 Senator Theatre & El Rey Theatre SEE FRIDAY & SATURDAY

JAZZ: Weekly jazz. Su, 4-6pm. Has Beans Internet Cafe & Galleria; 501 Main St.; (530) 894-3033; www.hasbeans.com.

23MONDAY 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.

the mannequin Victoria Blair. Sa, 4/21, 7pm. $5. Café Coda; 265 Humboldt Ave.;

second night of their weekend in Chico. Sa, 4/21, 9pm. $12.50. El Rey Theatre; 230 W. Second St.; (530) 342-2727.

GROOVY JAZZY FUNK NIGHT: Local outfit The Pation and E Squared from Sacramento share the bill. Sa, 4/21, 7:30pm. $3. Bustolinis Deli & Coffee House; 800 Broadway St.; (530) 8921790.

(530) 566-9476; www.cafecoda.com.

ZAPPER: Energetic, spontaneous bassheavy electronica with Zapper and Datgirl. Mike Z and Simple Science open. Sa, 4/21, 9pm. $3. Lost on Main; 319 Main St.; (530) 891-1853.

22SUNDAY

JAZZ X-PRESS: Chico State’s Department of Music presents the Jazz X-Press spring concert in which new pieces composed by Chico State students will be unveiled. Sa, 4/21, 7:30pm. $6-$15. Harlen Adams Theatre; W. First St. CSU, Chico campus; (530) 898-6333.

CAMMIES FINALE & AWARDS SHOW: A day

THE JEFF PERSHING BAND: Chico’s

master of worldly funk. Sa, 4/21, 9pm. Studio Inn Cocktail Lounge; 2582 Esplanade; (530) 343-0662.

VOLTARE: An evening of lo-fi, noisy punk and indie rock with The Virals, Voltare, Tip Makhno, Le Panique and, of course,

sell your car take a cab save the earth

Liberty Cab

of free live music, plus the announcement of the 2012 CAMMIES winners. Performers include: The Hooliganz, Perpetual Drifters, GravyBrain, West by Swan, Shivaree, Soul Union, Furlough Fridays, Sapphire Soul, Clouds on Strings (acoustic), Kyle Williams, Kelly Brown & Lisa Marie, Eric Peter, Lish Bills, Broken Rodeo and Kate Tansey. Su, 4/22, 2-7pm. Free. Chico Womens Club; 592 E. Third St.; (530) 894-1978.

MAX MINARDI: A local singer-songwriter reminiscent of Jack Johnson and John Mayer. Alma Desnuda opens. M, 4/23, 7pm. Cafe Flo; 365 E. Sixth St. Next door to the Pageant Theatre; 514-8888.

24TUESDAY

party attitude known for their 12-minute rendition of Prince’s “When Doves Cry.” Tu, 4/24, 7:30pm. $20. Sierra Nevada Big Room; 1075 East 20th St.; (530) 345-2739; www.sierra nevada.com/bigroom.

25WEDNESDAY

SALSA BELLA: Live Salsa music in the

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.

9pm. Free. Crazy Horse Saloon &

Brewery, 303 Main St., (530) 894-5408.

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; wwwmy space.com/theitaliangarden.

LASALLES: Su, 9pm. LaSalles, 229 Broad-

LYNNS OPTIMO: F, Sa, 9pm. Lynns Optimo, 9225 Skyway in Paradise, (530) 872-1788.

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.

and friends. Tu, 7-9pm. Cafe Flo; 365 E. Sixth St. Next door to the Pageant Theatre; 514-8888.

STUDIO INN: With Brandon Hightower. Tu,

9pm-1am. Studio Cocktail Lounge, 2582

DAVE MULLIGAN ALBUM PREVIEW PARTY:

Esplanade, (530) 343-0662.

JAZZ X-PRESS

TORTILLA FLATS: Karaoke en Espanol. Su,

Saturday, April 21 Harlen Adams Theatre

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

SEE SATURDAY

GREENSKY BLUEGRASS: A jam-grass band with traditional roots and a

FRI, APRIL 20TH WED, APRIL 25TH 80’S PARTY WITH

Think free.

EARLY SHOW 8:30-11pm

“LAST HUMP” LINE-UP The Mercantiles

Three Fingers Whiskey Kyle Williams Bobby Bellucci

898-1776

$150 to the Sacramento Airport!

Tavern, 5771 Clark Rd. in Paradise, (530) 877-7100.

Last Call Lounge, 876 East Ave., (530) 895-3213.

CRAZY HORSE: All-request karaoke. Tu,

AARON JAQUA: Country music with Aaron

Easy-going alternative country musician Dave Mulligan gives a sneak-peak at his new album, Runaway Blues, which will be officially released on April 25. New local band Tumbler opens. Tu, 4/24, 8pm. $10. Café Coda; 265 Humboldt Ave.; (530) 566-9476; www.cafecoda.com.

KINGS TAVERN: M, Tu, 8pm. Free. Kings

LAST CALL LOUNGE: M, Th, 8pm-midnight.

KARAOKE

OPEN JAM NIGHT: Join the jam. Drum kit,

Falls Casino, 3 Alverda Dr. in Oroville, (530) 533-3885, www.featherfalls casino.com.

way St. 2nd street, (530) 893-1891.

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.

FEATHER FALLS: Tu, 7-11pm. Free. Feather

JOIN THE PARTY, CHECK IN AND BE OUR FRIEND ON FACEBOOK

229 BROADWAY • 893.1891

www.facebook.com/LaSallesBar www.lasallesbar.com

April 19, 2012

CN&R 33

ARTS

DEVO

Jason Cassidy • jasonc@newsreview.com

CAMMIES NOTES In the few days since experiencing the whirlwind

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three-night, 12-show weekend of Chico Area Music, Arts DEVO has three initial observations: One, punk rockers know how to have fun—loud, energetic, on-the-edge-of-completely-falling-apart fun (and the owners of Monstros Pizza are my heroes for embracing the glorious mayhem). Two, dark acoustic duo Kelly Brown (banjo) and Lisa Marie (guitar) are now at the top of my list of local acts that I would pay money to see. Three, White Russian guitarist Mike Perry is a beast! As an old friend used Mike Perry of White Russian to often say: “Dude, tone.”

IN THE BEGINNING, THERE WAS BEER

According to a listing on the website of Wiley publishing, the story of Chico’s Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., as told by its founder Ken Grossman, is going to be hitting bookshelves next fall. “Beyond the Pale chronicles Ken Grossman’s journey from hobbyist homebrewer to owner of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., one of the most successful craft breweries in the United States.” The book is slated to be released Oct. 16.

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that bottle tips/ I wish I had a Sierra Nevada.” Speaking of Sierra Nevada, the author of the tribute song to our beloved local brewery is officially releasing the song on May 1, along with a brand new EP. “Sierra Nevada Song” closes out Runaway Blues, the latest release by Dave Mulligan, and the Chico singer/songwriter will be unveiling the disc at two local pre-release shows this week: Tuesday, April 24, at Café Coda, and Wednesday, April 25, in the pub during Sierra Nevada’s release party for this year’s Southern Hemisphere Harvest. Members of Mulligan’s other band, Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers, will be on hand at both shows, including The Mother Hips’ Tim Bluhm, who produced this and Mulligan’s previous album, 2007’s The Late Great Southwest. And, cute band alert! New acoustic duo Tumbler, featuring Scott Itamura of Dick and Jane and The Railflowers’ Ellen Knight, will be opening for the Coda show.

Required reading.

Dave Mulligan, Runaway Blues

VISITING HOURS It is ridiculous that I

haven’t taken the time to walk six freakin’ blocks to see the visiting prison-art show hanging in the Public Art Space at Chico State’s Bell Memorial Union. I love prison art, and Keeping the Spirit Alive: Artwork from San Quentin Prison Arts Project and Arts-in-Corrections has been up for nearly two months! And the show closes this Friday, April 20! What it is wrong with me? C’mon, we’re going.

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