Upgraded Living - July 2021

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FROM THE EDITOR Welcome, July. Now go away. July’s response: Just take me to the ocean. After all, “July is a blind date with summer.” I am not a fan of heat, extreme heat, 97 degree midnights, asphalt capable of frying eggs, and closing up the entire house in order to watch a movie, no popcorn or hot chocolate welcome. I’m with you July—take me to the ocean. Or San Francisco. Mark Twain, teased us by saying, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” July does end. Of course, August, September, and into October are mere mirrors of this heat-ridden month. In the changing seasons of hotter summers, and rainless winters and springs, July gets accused of being responsible for the shrinking lake levels and scorching dry fire-fearing hills and mountains.

Takes all twelve months to cause this much harm.

Our July issue will surely take your mind away from the heat and introduce you to some really fine folk who share this Northstate with us as well as a pair of new features. Our cover story re-introduces you to Jerry and Diane Pajouh, owners and operators of Courtesy Automotive Center. They appeared in the magazine six years ago upon their arrival to Chico. Jerry and Diane are thrilled to let everyone know about their impending move to a new, larger, and state-ofthe-art center for their seven brands. It is impressive, and you will enjoy reading about it. The new features center around our vast and wonderful food community. Each month, we are going to feature a local chef, and, not only tell each story, but provide a glimpse into each kitchen. John Dean, of Drunken Dumpling, is our inaugural choice. Next, is a monthly food showdown where three of us taste two servings from our local scene and declare a winner. First up was a chicken sandwich clash between the Lab Bar & Grill and The Foodie Cafe. A super-close vote is revealed on page 16. Question, agree, or disagree. We did.

The Backpage travels down the road of writing as thinking.

For those of you who make lists after lists, this Backpage may be a challenge for you. It introduces you to Sei Shonagon who was born in Japan in the year 966 (not a typo). Yep, this remarkable woman is going to blow the doors off any list you have ever conjured. In fact, there is an invitation for you to attempt her magnificent form of listing things that come to one's mind. Hope you not only enjoy it, but also take on the challenge of writing about your own view of your surroundings.

UPGRADED LIVING STAFF AVEED KHAKI Publisher/Owner KEVIN DOLAN Editor-in-Chief

S

JASON CORONA Sales Director

DARREN MICHELS Product Integration & Mobility Strategy SHELLY BRANDON Writer TIM MILHORN Writer

CONTRIBUTORS DOUG LOVE

SWEENEY & MICHEL

Real Estate

Finance

HRiQ

DERM BAR

Human Resources

Beauty

JIM PARROTT

JESSICA WILKERSON

Let's Get to the Nine-One-One

Health

RYAN STEFANELLI

LAURA NICE

Food

Art

For editorial or general magazine inquiries, please contact: Kevin Dolan kevin@upgradedliving.com

Kevin Dolan Editor-in-Chief

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CONTENTS | JULY 2021 FOOD

POTPOURRI

12 Yes, Chef! Up close and personal with Chef John Dean

22 Striking gold in your garden, nothing is cooler than mint

14 Decadence, escape, and the opportunity to indulge

23 Janet Turner and the museum in the middle of everywhere

16 Our first food face-off is poultry in motion. Agree or disagree with our chicken sandwich showdown

24 Rockin’ in the Garage Majal: Cana Road Band and the caged bird

18 Cool down with Tres Hombres' new spring and summer cocktail menus

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20 Ryan Stefanelli—The Taco Tracker: Exploring the great taco trucks of town

COMMUNITY 26 The village people: How Love Builds conquers all 40 Get surprised by the busy quaintness that is the Rusty Wagon in Orland 46 Back in the saddle with Brad Johnson who’s on a ride for reading

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54 The time is now: building Avie’s Place, the ADA dreamland coming to Oroville 56 On the scene with Chico detective Jim Parrott 58 Be inspired by Kevin Heywood and how he’s engineering his future

FEATURE 43 The unthinkable, unimaginable, and unprecedented obstacles overcome in the journey to build the future automall that is Courtesy Auto Center

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63 Writing is thinking and thinking is writing in this month's Backpage

HOME 28 Home for Christmas - the time sensitive build for Ron Carmody 34 New Again modernizes the old-butnot-dead-yet 36 The anecdote of the Miner’s Inch as told by Doug Love 38 Lupe Sanchez talks achieving dreams and small town hospitality

ON THE COVER: THE PAJOUH FAMILY AND COURTESY AUTO CENTER

DESIGN BY: ERIK BROWN

PHOTO BY: DIANE NICOLE PHOTOGRAPHY

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Form. flavor. function All Featured in a Safe Place The space reserved for our chef featurette cannot do John Dean justice. The chef and owner of Chico’s favorite new dining darling, Drunken Dumpling, John is easily one of Butte County’s most accomplished chefs and has experienced enough to undoubtedly fill a series of books. In fact, his story already graced a number of pages in a recent edition of Edible Shasta Butte. Suffice to say, we gushed over his achievements in private, and were you able to steal him away for a moment of conversation in the flurry of his always-busy restaurant, we have no doubt you’d do the same.

Instead, we thought it better to take the space to express our gratitude for who he is as an individual and what he’s encouraging within our community. Drunken Dumpling is home to some of the most delicious flavors in town, as many already know, but it is also home to unbridled inclusivity. When you arrive, you check any judgment at the door.

This has been John’s vision all along, for his culinary gifts to bring people together in a meaningful way. “I just wanted to create a safe place for everyone,” John said. “We have a huge LGBTQ community that comes in here—binary and non-binary. It’s a safe haven for everyone. More than anything else, this location is a community living room. It’s what I always wanted, and it’s what I’m getting.”

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He has certainly created just that, and built it around three key tenants—form, flavor, and function. “I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. Form. Flavor. Function. Form.

Flavor. Function,” John repeated. Once you develop a unique form and unique flavors, then you need the functionality of the team.

It’s what makes the restaurant work. I work on form and flavor; everyone else works on function. My team seriously keeps this place going. It wouldn’t be here without them.”

John focuses on bringing true intent into everything he does. To ensure that his form and flavor are consistent, he grows much of the ingredients used in Drunken Dumpling; the rest, he sources from Ha Moua Lee Farms. With 13 plots at his house in Durham, he grows squash, cucumber, basil herbs, lemongrass, multiple varieties of tomatoes, green beans, and much more, making each and every dish served a true labor of love that begins and ends with him. Yet, again, he resists any credit and humbly thanks his community and staff for making all of it possible through their unwavering support.

“My mission is simply to have excellent people serve excellent food at a very very reasonable price,” John said, “Other than that, I only want everyone to have a nice day.”

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Complementary Decadence Brunch is not a meal our staff takes lightly at Upgraded Living, nor do we often find it offered lightly either. It is, by far, our favorite meal of the week, and if it were available every day, we likely wouldn’t start our workdays until 2pm. Brunch promises decadence, escape, and the ability to indulge in a cocktail or three before attending to the more pressing matters of the day. Luckily, with brunch menus being offered primarily on weekends, the most pressing matter might be a well-deserved nap right after.

Parkside Tap House has long been a favorite of ours where brunch is concerned.

Their menu is focused with only eight items, which they produce exceptionally well, and each brings something different to the table.

What’s more, the focused menu makes deciding considerably easier. The last thing we want to do on a weekend is spend our time pouring over a menu to decide what sounds best.

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Though short, the menu is well-balanced, and there’s something available for every taste. If you’re looking for savory, you’ll find it in their Lobster Benedict—knuckle & claw lobster meat and poached eggs on an English muffin covered in Hollandaise.

Perhaps something sweet? Order their French toast, which arrives generously topped with macerated seasonal fruit and house-made whipped cream. Crunchy?

Their chilaquiles will surely satisfy with house-made corn tortilla chips and carne asada topped with verde sauce, black beans, cheddar, and two eggs. Comfort food? There’s only one way to go—their nocalorie-spared biscuits and gravy made with house-made buttermilk biscuits, country style gravy, and spiced sausage—to which we always add eggs. If you’re looking for something quick and easy, their breakfast tacos are a perfect choice.

Parkside’s brunch menu has options for vegetarians as well, such as their Breakfast

Burrito made with soyrizo and their Veggie Benedict with asparagus.

Finally, what would a brunch menu be without avocado toast? Thankfully, Parkside’s doesn’t skimp on toppings— sourdough toast covered with avocado, arugula, cherry tomatoes, cotija cheese, pesto vinaigrette, pickled onions, and eggs your way.

Regardless of what piques your interest, you have the option to enjoy your meal with a free dose of Vitamin-D on their massive patio or indoors if you find it too hot outside.

Complemented by their expansive all-day cocktail list and brunch drink menu, you really can’t go wrong.

Drop by Parkside Tap House at 115 W. 3rd Street in Chico from 10am-2pm Saturday and Sunday to sample their menu for yourself.

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THE CLASH

First Glance: The Lab Chicken Sandwich was not boasting it’s superiority to the local food scene. Not to say it was plain by any means, rather it was holding in a secret that one could soon unlock. The roughly ⅜” thick filet was beautifully breaded, and the sandwich was stacked appropriately with fresh toppings, not overwhelming the size of the filet itself. This is a sandwich you can hold and eat without checking your periphery.

The Experience: The chicken was tender and at the perfect temperature. The breading was delicate and crisp, allowing the flavor of the chicken to shine rather than the breading itself. It wasn’t oily either, you could taste each ingredient: butter leaf lettuce, tomato, a snappy dill pickle, and long strands of purple onion joined the 16

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chicken between soft, lightly toasted Tin Roof challah buns.

The Extra: It’s no wonder the sandwich is the staple of The Lab’s menu; it’s beauty lies within its simplicity. The meal is complete with your choice of shoestring fries, sweet potato fries, or tater tots included. Their spicy mayo was balanced with heat not compensating for overall flavor and was the star of the sandwich once applied to the bun.

ON COHASSET

First Glance: I caught more than a glimpse of the Spicy Sweet Fried Chicken Sandwich as it approached the table. Poised, it stared back, unphased. A large, golden, and flaky fried chicken breast took center stage. Tin Roof’s brioche roll adorned the top and bottom, while pickled onions and sliced tomatoes peeked out from below the lettuce.

The Extra: To keep things as even as possible, we took the honey Sriracha and Sriracha mayo on the side, and our napkins appreciated it. While other sides were available, the crackling golden fries broke between tongue and roof of the mouth.

The velvety honey sauce had a nice kick and further complemented the pickled onion.

The Experience: As expected, the sandwich was a twohand endeavor, and the golden flaky batter succumbed to the juicy tomato and tender chicken. The bread and butter chips and pickled onions added acidity and allowed greater texture from the overall softer, more tender ingredients of the sandwich. The bun held the everything together well, surprising for the all-star cast in its cargo.

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Summer cocktails at Tres With triple degree summer temperatures here to stay, there are few things that sound better than an ice cold cocktail, and the bartenders at Tres Hombres have been hard at work putting drink menus together that everyone can enjoy. Toward the end of July, they plan on unveiling a brand new mid-summer cocktail menu, full of seasonal specialties, that makes the most of the flavors we all crave at this time of year.

Though the mid-summer menu isn’t ready just yet, the spring cocktail menu is still available and will continue to be until it’s phased out in the middle of the month. That means you have just a few short weeks to get your hands on what have proven to be some of the most popular cocktails they’ve had in recent memory, alongside a number of seasonal margarita flavors that have us counting down the days to summer each and every year.

In the above photo, you’ll find three of those summer margaritas—watermelon, pineapple, and blackberry. Of the three, our favorite continues to be watermelon. Sweet, light, and refreshing, it hits everything we’re looking for when temperatures reach above 100 degrees. On the next page, you’ll find their mango chamoy and watermelon chamoy margaritas, both specials with limited residencies that end when summer comes to a close. The mango chamoy is our favorite margarita from the entire menu due to its sweet heat. Finally, to the left, you’ll find the spring cocktails that will soon be phased out with their descriptions included below. Do yourself a favor and visit Tres before they’re gone. We tried to make them at home ourselves, and we couldn’t even come close. Cheers to summer, everyone!

From top to bottom on left 1. Smokey & The Bandito Heradura Silver, Los Javis Mezcal, rose syrup, butterfly pea flower, lime juice, and fresh squeezed grapefruit. They’ve also added some smoked Chardonnay salt to give this cocktail one of the most unique flavors you’ll come across.

2. Guava Primavera Malibu Rum, guava juice, simple syrup, lime juice, aromatic bitters, and a splash of coconut water. The most popular of the spring cocktail menu, this drink will take you somewhere tropical immediately.

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3. Chico Heat Mi Campo Silver, pineapple, cucumber, jalapeño, lime juice, and agave nectar.

Muddled to perfection, this has just the right amount of spice on the end.

4. Ponche Vida Lvov Vodka, lemon juice, triple sec, and blood orange syrup with a sugar rim. It looks like fruit punch from our childhoods, taste like it, but is so much more fun.

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WRITTEN BY RYAN STEFANELLI

The O.G. Taco Truck These days, it seems there’s a food truck on every corner, and there’s no shortage in variety either. That’s a far cry from the food truck scene in 1985, when there was only one operating in Chico—Tacos Cortes, created by local taco truck legend Rodolfo Cortes. The truck’s success led to the opening of a brick and mortar of the same name, which most locals are familiar with, and encouraged others to strike out in search of their own taco truck success.

The first to follow Rodolfo were Javier and Leticia Morales of Modesto, who moved to Chico in 1988, deciding to strike while the griddle was hot!

The two made quick work of their arrival in Chico, securing a commissary, location to operate their new taco truck, a place to live, and acquiring all of the necessary permits to open their new taco truck in just four short hours. They returned to Modesto, completed their plans and paperwork, and returned to Chico several months later to lift the large side door of their new truck, welcoming customers to El Grullense at Old Taylor’s parking lot on the corner of E. 11th Street and Park Avenue. This location was also my first memory of enjoying Javier’s delicious tacos, as an eight-year-old asking my dad for two, with beef, and to hold the onions.

Throughout the years, El Gruellense went 20

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through several changes and different locations, at one time selling the business entirely to a friend—who still operates the E. Park Avenue location—and moving to Texas. Luckily for our community, they returned in 2016 and reopened under their current name, El Original Super Grullense, and took up residence in the NS Fit parking lot, across from Home Depot, on Skyway in Chico. The return wasn’t without its struggles, and Leticia prayed in her weekly church group hoping their old customers would find them. Within a few short weeks, her prayers were answered, and the parking lot was full once again. Javier found his groove, and the truck has been bustling ever since.

Nowadays, Javier and Leticia are known throughout town for their amazing al pastor and secret salsa which, we can confirm, makes every bit of difference.

After operating for 33 years, Javier has no intentions of slowing down any time soon, as evidenced by the happiness delivered in his large smile which greets you at every visit. We couldn’t be happier to know that’s the case.

Visit El Original Super Grullense and see why this Chico staple has been going strong for 33 years, but do yourself a favor and forget my eight-year-old inclinations. As it turns out, it always tastes better with onions.

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WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

Wait, a mint!

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Anyway, since I’m writing this piece, we were obviously never poisoned by either peppermint or spearmint. These plants are in the genus Mentha, and, as usual, this opens up a wide variety of plants with more than 3,000 published names, list not included. Here are some names of the most common: spearmint, peppermint, apple mint, banana mint, doublemint, watermint, American wild mint, Australian mint, Canadian mint, Japanese peppermint, and pennyroyal mint. That doesn’t include the hybrids, but I must include one: Mojito mint.

Summertime evokes mint in many forms as it is a “cooling” plant. We’ve all heard of the renown Mint Julep made famous by the Kentucky Derby, and in the past ten

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years or so the Mojito has become quite the popular drink. Creme de menthe is flavored liqueur used in the cocktail known as a Grasshopper. Also, mint is used in a slew of other beverages such as the basic mint tea, or Touareg tea that is popular in northern African and Arabic countries. Many people simply add the crushed leaves in ice water as a refreshing summer drink.

As far as food, mint is utilized in jellies, syrups, candies, and ice cream. It is popular with lamb in Middle Eastern cuisine, while British and American dishes use mint jelly and mint sauce. Southern Asia fare includes use in curries and other preparations.

Of course, mint is popular in toothpaste, mouthwash, desserts, candies, and gum.

Mint chocolate chip is a favorite with the kids in the form of ice cream. So, to what flavor do we attribute all these wonderful concoctions? Mint essential oil and menthol, the main aroma of peppermint, and L-carvone, the primary flavor of spearmint.

Mint is also a staple of traditional medicine and cosmetics. It was used as an herb to treat stomach aches and chest pains, and ancient Greeks rubbed mint on their arms, believing it would make them stronger. I don’t know about that, but it certainly made them smell better!

Finally, there is no mint called “doublemint,” But you already knew that, right?

WRITTEN BY LAURA NICE | PHOTOS COURTESY ADRIA DAVIS

Taproom Hours

When I was a kid, finding a mint plant in someone’s yard was equivalent to striking gold. We all went crazy crushing the leaves in our fingers and sniffing the heady aroma of the pleasantly pungent odor. However, we were kids and had to consider the BIG question. Is it really a mint plant, or is it a crafty little charlatan pretending to be mint, one of Mother Nature’s cruel little jokes?

What if, instead, it’s a deadly poisonous plant that, upon consumption, would have us rolling around in paroxysms of pernicious pain in about 20 minutes? (Granted, I may not have known what some of those words meant then, but it adds to the ambiance of the story.)

WRITTEN BY LAURA NICE | PHOTOS COURTESY ADRIA DAVIS

a hidden gem in the middle of everywhere The Janet Turner Print Museum is one of Chico’s hidden gems. Located on Chico State’s beautiful campus, the Turner has a collection of over 4,000 prints by artists from more than 40 countries, including works by Dalí, Dürer, Goya, Hockney, Hogarth, Kollwitz, Miró, Picasso, Rembrandt, Renoir, Saar, Tamayo, and many more. The Janet Turner Print Museum’s mission is to advance the art of printmaking by making its international collection accessible to the people of Northern California and beyond.

Always free and open to the public, the exhibitions planned for Fall 2021 showcase the artistic vision of founder Janet Turner, as well as the diversity of the collection she entrusted to Chico State, which has continued to grow. The museum warmly welcomes audiences of all ages.

From August 16 to September 11, the Turner will feature Janet Turner: Unwavering Naturalist, an exhibition of prints and process materials by the museum’s founder that focus on the natural world. Janet Turner exhibited her work prolifically throughout her long career, and her prints and paintings have been exhibited in every state, and in

over 50 countries. Her love of nature was instilled during childhood summer camps in Cape Cod, and further confirmed during her undergraduate study of botany and art at Stanford University. With nature a dominant feature of her art throughout her career, her deep love of the area surrounding Chico lasted from her arrival in 1959 until her death in 1988. In highly detailed works, Turner celebrated the flora and fauna of our local area, many of which are on display in this exhibition. The exhibition is enhanced

by Turner’s own voice, featuring clips from several educational videos she filmed in the 1970s that provide viewers with an intimate look into her process and artistic priorities.

From September 20 to November 20, the Turner will feature Figural: Bodies in Print, a collaboration between the museum and Chico State Art and Dance faculty. This exhibition brings the vitality of movement and life drawing into conversation with diverse figurative works from the Turner print collection. Rounding out 2021 is New to the Collection: Prints Acquired, 2018-2021, on display from December 6, 2021 until February 5, 2022, providing

an opportunity to see the exciting range of works recently added to the Turner’s collection, including prints by significant contemporary artists Donna Westerman, Art Hazelwood, Jiha Moon, Aaron Coleman, and Lesley Dill. During the pandemic, in March of 2020, the Turner moved its exhibitions online, and all virtual exhibitions remain available on the Turner’s website www. csuchico.edu/turner. These exhibitions included celebrations of individual artists, such as Wayne Thiebaud and Marion Epting, as well as an exhibition on printmaking and politics. Also available for free online, the Turner has a number of fun art activities designed by Chico State Art Education students.

The Turner Museum is located in the Arts and Humanities Building at Chico State and is open from noon-4:00PM TuesdaySaturday during exhibitions, and its archive is open by appointment.

For more information about the Turner, including events and collection information, visit csuchico.edu/turner or email turnerinfo@csuchico.edu 23

WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

Cana Road band One benefit of being a “mature band” is that egos were left at the door long ago. Cana Road Band earned their chops a while back, and the pleasure these days is being able to play while sharing camaraderie with the bandmates and just plain having fun. The juke box hero left the stage a while back, and this experienced group puts together an excellent show with a number of recognizable—and some not so recognizable—renditions.

“We don’t always play the classic rock hits,” said Steve Masonek, guitar and keyboards. “Some songs are the deep cuts on any given album. The die hard fans of the group will recognize the cut right away, but it may not be a top-twenty hit.”

“On our set list, we don’t emphasize crowd pleasing necessarily,” said guitar player David Sloggy. “If we like a particular song, we want to play it. A lot of the time audiences like to hear something different.” Guitarist and vocalist Ron Pope emphasized this.

“Sometimes we get requests for songs we might not want to play. Free Bird is a classic example. You can only play it so many times.”

While the pandemic has had a negative effect on many local groups, it gave Cana Road an opportunity to hone their music and cohesiveness. Sandy Masonek, vocals and percussion, pointed out, “We were lucky because we have the perfect music space to practice, and it’s 24

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big enough for social distance.” Indeed, their practice facility, the Garage Mahal, is not only big, it’s also inspirational. You look out one upstairs window and it’s endless walnut trees off into the distance; you look the other way and it’s almonds.

The entire location is pretty incredible.

There’s plenty of room and more than enough for Darrel Smith’s drum kit.

Another benefit of having ample practice time is it helped keep the band together.

Not only is music being played, but also plenty of teasing and reparte during the sessions. “You get to know each other well,” said Steve. “We have a lot of fun up here, and that’s the point,” Other groups have not been so lucky. Bassist Mike Bassi, who played for Sapphire Soul, said, “They aren’t together anymore.

Some people moved out of town and some joined other groups. It’s happened to a few groups.”

The Cana Road Band has managed to keep on going since 2018. The group basically formed when the members of the group played at blues jams, often called “the dating service,” because that’s where musicians meet. “I feel very fortunate to be a part of this group,” said Steve. “We do things together with our spouses and get along well.”

While the group made an agreement not to play every weekend—they too like to go out and listen to other bands—they do have dates coming up. Check them out on Facebook for the latest news and contact information.

WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF ACADEMY MORTGAGE

Love Builds and it takes a village When we last wrote about Becky Portlock in the June issue, she was anxiously awaiting the start of her new Love Builds home in Paradise, expecting a move-in date sometime in November. As we’ve come to learn over the past fourteen years of Upgraded Living, a lot can change in a month, and in the world of construction, things tend to take longer than you originally anticipated. It was understandably a breath of fresh air when we found the opposite to be the case in Becky’s build, thanks to the expanded efforts of Academy Mortgage and Lowe’s.

“The town of Paradise is near and dear to us here at Academy,” says Loan Officer Michael Powell. Michael is a resident of Chico and has seen the impact the fire has had on Paradise and neighboring communities firsthand. “There isn’t one person who isn’t personally touched by the story of Paradise and the heroic efforts during and after the devastating fire.” Michael’s feelings were clearly echoed by Academy Mortgage as a whole, who had amassed over 100 volunteers spanning offices from Alaska to Baltimore, each paying their own way to help build Becky a new home.

“We call these trips ‘expeditions.’' Academy Mortgage EVP of People Abby Hawkins said, “All of our 242 branches do service in their local communities, but we try to do something extra special on larger service projects away from home. Becky’s story touched all of us, and the turnout has just been incredible. We consider Paradise our community backyard and plan to make as many trips as we can to help those who were victims of the Camp Fire.”

Regional Sales Manager Scott Starr, continued, “We push the members of Academy Mortgage to have the courage to RISE—that is, we encourage them to show resilience, integrity, selflessness, and empathy. This project required all four and was the perfect way for our team to participate in something that gave back. We recently opened a Chico branch of Academy Mortgage in Meriam Park and are working with Fannie Mae to create opportunities for individuals to get back into homes quickly throughout Butte County. The more people we can get into homes and homeownership again, the faster we can bring wealth and prosperity back to community.”

Not only did Academy Mortgage bring an

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army of volunteers to Becky’s build, but they committed financially as well, purchasing a gigantic tool trailer for the project and filling it with over $16,000 in tools, generously sold without profit by Skyway Tools in Chico.

The tools purchased will be donated to the Paradise community after the project is finished, creating a sort of tool-library for community members, where they can borrow tools to complete their own projects.

To take things one step further, they created a registry to ensure Becky had everything she could possibly need when she moved into her home. They presented the registry to their employees, and they have actively been working to fulfill each item.

“As soon as we committed to the project, everything just started coming together.”

Area Manager Dave Waldschmidt said, “It was one miracle after the other, and this buildout has provided us a good launching pad locally to take a bit more ownership of what’s going on in our backyard. We need to own what happened here and invest whatever we can to bring the area back.

We’ve committed to a minimum of two trips each year for the following 2-3 years, and we’re excited to see just how far we can go from there.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ACADEMY MORTGAGE

To complete their time in Paradise, the Academy Mortgage team also built seven picnic tables, 20 planter boxes, and 14 sheds for Paradise schools, then stuffed each shed full of things students would need for the upcoming school year. “This project has created a deep sense of purpose for all of our employees.” Abby said, “There's no hierarchy here. We leave our titles on the bus and use the experience to better every person here. A number of us—myself included—used this service trip as a summer vacation and brought our families and friends out to help. The experience has truly changed each of our hearts and lives.”

Academy Mortgage’s efforts on Becky’s build were further bolstered by the generosity of Lowe’s Home Improvement, who donated all of the appliances for her home. It wasn’t the first time Lowe’s had helped victims of the Camp Fire either, as Chico Lowe’s Pro Charissa Gorman had helped organize the donation of over $100,000 in shingles to the shed donation project in 2019. Having already worked hand-in-hand with Joelle Chinnock, the partnership with Love Builds was a nobrainer. “Working with someone like Joelle who personally experienced the craziness of the Camp Fire herself, and who continues to have such a big heart, providing so much care and selflessness on project after project, couldn’t have been more rewarding.” Charissa said, “Seeing so many people receive sheds and realizing what it meant to them only made me want to be more involved with the efforts going on up here. It opened my eyes to the true need and encouraged me to reach out to new organizations, vendors, and people to help the thousands of Paradise residents who were still in need. When I learned what Love Builds was trying to do, I took the information to Nick Delaney, my corporate connection, and facilitated their involvement in the project.”

Pro Sales Manager Nick Delaney has been with the company for 20 years and noted how projects like these are exactly why he loves working at Lowe’s. “I took the story to my boss, Jeff Reynolds, and asked him if we could donate the appliances for Becky’s home. He said, ‘that’s all you want to do?

Let’s do it big!’” Nick said, “So, we’ve started putting a plan together to make this an ongoing commitment between Lowe’s and

Love Builds.”

Redding Store Manager Ian Davis has been with Lowes for 17 years and was instrumental in providing help and resources to Redding during the Carr Fire. He nodded in agreement with Nick and continued, “When Jeff gets his mind around something, he goes after it full steam, and we love being part of that process. He wants corporate to be a big part of the rebuilding process here with boots on the ground, and knowing him, he’ll make it happen.”

Chico Store Manager Jeff Smith has been in retail for the past 28 years and joined forces with Lowe’s in December of 2020.

He has spent the last seven months looking for ways to further connect Lowe’s with the communities in Butte County. “We are so

thankful for what Love Builds is doing in Paradise, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with them. We know each home is going to need something different, and the horizon is wide open for what we can provide. There are endless opportunities, and we’re working on a gameplan to make the most of each one.” To add to the appliances, Lowe’s recently donated $20,000 worth of windows to Love Builds for use in Becky’s project and others to come.

Proving it truly does take a village, partners like Academy Mortgage and Lowe’s are doing whatever they can to help Love Builds bring hope to Paradise. For more information on Love Builds, their partners, and how to support the rebuild effort in Paradise, visit www.LoveBuildsParadise.com 27

Rehabilitation/Reconstruction Program loan through the town of Paradise.” Jennifer said, “As great as the loan is, it doesn’t cover the entire cost of the rebuild, as it maxes out at $150,000, leaving a sizable gap in cost.

Thanks to the corporate sponsorships and discounted labor cost, Love Builds is able to bridge that gap. We wanted to do whatever we could to get Ron into a new home quickly, as he is suffering from macular degeneration. He’s already partially blind in one eye, and going blind in the other. When we met with Mark and told him Ron’s story, he made it his mission to make sure Ron was in his new home and acclimated to it long before he lost his vision.”

LOVE BUILDS A HOME FOR Ron Carmody Ron Carmody is one of those people who seem to have a natural way of positively affecting those around them—the type who can find the silver lining in any situation.

With a contagious smile and a boyish laugh at the age of 70, there’s no doubt he’s always been a charmer, and his positivity is nothing short of contagious. We caught it as soon as we met him behind his trailer in Paradise. “Well, hello there!” He exclaimed with an outstretched hand, “I’m Ron. Pleasure to meet you.” His energy conceals the fact he’s living at the site where his home once stood before the Camp Fire.

Though it’s difficult to imagine how Ron can remain so enthusiastic after becoming a victim of the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California’s history, he has a lot to look forward to, thanks to the concerted 28

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efforts of Love Builds—a partnership between Paradise Adventist Church, Joelle Chinnock, and Mark Balken Construction— and a number of sponsors including Lowe’s and Academy Mortgage. Together, they will build Ron a brand new home, perfectly suited to his needs on his lot in Paradise, and they’ll be able to do it quickly at a significantly reduced cost to him. “The whole thing is so exciting!” Ron said with a beaming smile, “It’ll be nice to have a place to live again that isn’t a trailer with my 100 pound dog.”

Jennifer Wolfe, of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the North Valley, has been Ron’s disaster case manager since May 10th, and immediately recognized he would be the perfect fit for Love Builds. “Ron qualified for the Owner-Occupied Housing

Within one month of Jennifer submitting Ron’s application to Love Builds, Mark and Joelle are well on their way to accomplishing just that. Plans have already been finalized, and the permit has been approved for Ron’s new home.

At 824 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, the new house will provide Ron with the room for an office while he continues to work. Should he decide he needs assistance after losing his vision, the office will return to a bedroom for a live-in caretaker. “Everything is moving really quickly.” Jennifer said, “It’s the fastest moving case I’ve had so far on the rebuild, and I’m managing 25 rebuild cases right now.”

Mark and Joelle are committed to having Ron move into his new home by Christmas.

“There’s a lot of moving parts and a ton to do to get the house built and ready by then,” Joelle said, “but we’re going to do whatever we can to make it happen. You just have to trust the process and rely on a higher power to guide you through it.” Mark continued, “Ron and his story captured our hearts right out of the gate. He couldn’t be more deserving of this, and we couldn’t be more thankful to work on a project that makes you feel like you have the opportunity to truly help someone. We couldn’t do what we’re doing without our amazing partners at Lowe’s and Academy Mortgage—each one has gone above and beyond to take hope and turn it into reality for each of our Love Builds’ homeowners.”

If you or someone you know is a victim of the Camp Fire and still in housing limbo, visit Love Builds at www.LoveBuildsParadise.com to see if you can benefit from their project.

You can also call them at (530) 896-1100.

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There’s something about

Sherry LandiS

"Sherry has a wealth of knowledge of the area. After viewing a few homes “Sherry together, sheisknows thebest exact and areainwe are She desperately Landis by far the realstyle estate agent Chico. is trying to find, and she capitalizes on it.

Her upbeat and professional professional, positive, and has incredible follow through. She helped us attitudenavigate makes our theway stressful process a home funpurchase and through the saleof offinding two homes and the of another—all at thein same time! Sheany never missed awe beat.

Sheduring made sure enjoyable.

She is quick answering questions have the we understood the process, stayed in step constant contact with us. Even after all process, and outlines in detailand what each entails --- extremely threefor homes closed, she continued to call, and text to make sure important first time home buyers such as email, ourselves!

Wejust loved everything was and goingwould as planned.

Weencourage could not have done it without working with Sherry happily those looking forher.” a — Doug anD CoLEttE RobERtS home, to call her immediately!" -Kaelin Daly

(530) 514-4855 landis4sale25@gmail.com | landis4sale@aol.com | www.SherryLandis.com

It’s that popular living situation where an investor, or homeowner, find the perfect match. The main house is a three bedroom two bath 1472 sq.ft. with a detached garage and carriage house above 535 sq.ft. The carriage house has been updated two years ago with high end laminate flooring, updated lighting, fixtures, and special decorator paints in grey tones. The main house has bamboo flooring, and carpet. All bedrooms are upstairs, and has this great front porch where you can sit sipping your coffee, or beverage choice, watching the world go by. One of my favorite things about this property is where it is nestled in the very back of a cul-de-sac, for privacy— Location location location screams when you pull up to this property because it will be the envy of the neighborhood. Hurry hurry hurry! Bed: 3.0 Bath: 3.0 SqFt: 2,007 Price: $499,000

OWNED SOLAR!! This immaculate home looks like it was staged with it's colorful, fun, upbeat furniture throughout! This 4 bedroom has a split floor plan which lends itself to privacy. Newer high end laminate floors throughout, tiled bathroom floors and indoor laundry are just a couple of This was the about model this home and Open only one owner!

There many the great things home! large kitchen to have familybeen room with island and stainless appliances.

Gas Stove, Refrigerator, washer A terrific Michael steel Galli floor plan updated and remodeled from head to including tiles,Next upgraded granite, oversized and upgrades dryer all stay with travertine the property! wintercarpets, you'll really enjoy this fireplace (don'tatry this now!!), and in theappliances, meantime,granite you'll just love the toe about year ago.

Stainless steel counters, plush lot, builtwho in desk in mediaand room, specialthe color paintlighting throughout, carpets, decoratorBed: lighting, painting,Price: lush park like yard, neighbors are friendly helpful, natural and draperies, big, big, windows.

4.0exterior Bath: and 2.0 interior SqFt: 2,211 $575,000 landscaped beautifully with slate water fall, flowers galore and redwood sparkling in ground gunite pool, newer 10x10 outdoor shed, wood stove, trees. RV Access on both sides of the house and two master suites make shows truly like a model home. Open floor plan with so many upgrades! this home a must see!

Bed: 4.0 Bath: 4.0 SqFt: 3,166 Price: $429,000 Bed: 4.0 Bath: 3.0 SqFt: 3,675 Price: $665,000

PENDING

Yikes!

Wonderfully kept law office for over 30 years in a great location across from North Valley Plaza / Taco Bell, was a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom home with a converted garage. Office consists of reception, conference and two executive offices or 3 offices, break room, restroom, and open floor area.

Price: $415,000

My homes are selling fast! Call if I can help by listing home today!

Consistently a Topyour Producer!

Call or text me

regarding these homes and others

(530) 514-4855

SherryLinnCalbert@gmail.com

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CA-DRE lic# 01084946

S

"I have worked with Effie for many years buying and selling properties. Effie is is amazing. She is knowledgeable, responsive, a great negotiator, supportive through emotional steps in buying and selling, and offers great follow through on each step along the way to closing the deal. I would highly recommend Effie to anyone wishing to buy or sell a property. She works extremely hard to provide the best deal and experience for each client." -Kathy Hayes, Chico

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High ceilings, an open floor plan, and numerous walls of windows make this home a dream come true. The living room is spacious and offers a toe-warming fireplace and gleaming engineered wood floors. The darling kitchen has been remodeled with newer cabinets, Corian counter tops and offers an under-the-sink water purifier, pull out drawers, gas appliances and a microwave oven. The other features include generous sized rooms, walk-in closet in the master bedroom, indoor laundry with a sink, tile roof, private patio for outdoor dining, huge side yard and a 2 car garage. This home is ready for you to move in.

Bed: 3.0 Bath: 2.0 SqFt: 1,346 Price: $399,000

Bed: 3.0 Bath: 3.0 SqFt: 2,319 Price: $875,000 This charming home offers a light and airy living room with gleaming wood floors and arched walls opening to a dining room perfect for entertaining. The darling kitchen is equipped with tile countertops, refrigerator, and Bertazzoni gas stove. You'll enjoy updated dual-pane windows, a newer roof and modern appliances as well. Other amenities include 2 bedrooms, an office, indoor laundry, whole-house fan, a garage with 8' x 20' storage and a workshop. The yard is beautiful with its towering shade trees and fruit trees offering plenty of space for gardening, outdoor dining and entertaining.

Bed: 2.0 Bath: 1.0 SqFt: 1,005 Price: $249,000

SOLD Set on 1.17 acres of breathtaking grounds inside Bidwell Park, this home offers a large kitchen with dining nook, two oversized bedrooms, one master suite, an office, and 2.5 bathrooms! Perfectly sized for just about any buyer, you'll find there's so much more to this home than meets the eye!

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A modern miracle Steve Laird purchased his home in Chico’s California Park community as an investment property in 2003. As a Realtor himself, at the time, he knew how to spot a good deal, and the home was certainly that. With a decent floor plan, the right number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and starter features, it was the perfect rental opportunity. He closed escrow on the home and found tenants immediately. When they decided to move out in 2006, he and his wife decided to sell their home and move in. It wasn’t long before they realized the home would be in need of some upgrades if it was to be their forever home.

As with most homes built throughout the late 90s and early 00s, the home’s kitchen looked dated shortly after being built. Honey-oak cabinets, tile and grout countertops, and warmed boxed lighting above all contributed to a yellowed hue throughout the kitchen and a worn look just a few years after purchase. They quickly decided to make some upgrades, electing to start with new cabinets and handles to modernize the look of their kitchen. Over the years, they completed a number of upgrades, eventually bringing the home to a happy medium, but when it came time 34

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to complete the larger renovations, they decided to seek help.

The Lairds’ friends, Gail and Pete Rossi, had recently hired New Again Kitchen Remodeling to renovate their kitchen and couldn’t have been happier with the outcome. On their recommendation, the two visited New Again and met with store manager and resident designer, Ric Powers, who walked them through the showroom. “We told Ric we were interested in modernizing our flooring throughout the house, installing new countertops in the kitchen and bathroom, and changing up our shower.” Steve said, “He was so helpful and did such a great job discussing all of the options with us. He made the process so easy and helped us narrow down exactly what we were looking for.”

The New Again team arrived at the Lairds’ residence on time and promptly set out to renovate their home. They pulled up the preexisting flooring and replaced it with luxury vinyl, giving the home’s floors a natural hardwood look that’s both scratchresistant and waterproof—perfect for their little dog. They removed the tile countertops in the home’s two bathrooms and installed

creme Marfil quartz counters in their place while adding a 6-inch backsplash and three vessel sinks. They also tore out an acrylic shower surround, built a dam, and created an entirely new shower enclosure using 2x2 simply modern tan tile and accented it with a Bedrosian Times Square/Brick Mosaic glass tile. In the kitchen, they replaced the tile counters with New Calacatta quartz countertops, and their resident tile contractor, Victor Cabrera, artfully added 2 ½-inch x 8-inch honed Makoto Kumo grey tiles. The result was night and day.

Asked about the experience, Steve said, “New Again did fantastic work. The guys came in, and they were absolutely perfect.

They just worked and worked until the project was complete and couldn’t have been easier to work with! Ric was wonderful and made the project a breeze. They’re all great people, and we plan on referring them to anyone looking for a kitchen or bathroom remodel. We just love our home’s new look!”

Happy as can be in their newly updated kitchen, the Lairds are two more of an evergrowing list of customers that sing New Again’s praises. If you have a kitchen or bathroom remodel in your near future, give New Again a call at (530) 899-2888 or visit them at 2502 Park Avenue in Chico!

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5 Levels of Financial Freedom: LEVEL 5: Legacy

BY RENEE MICHEL, MBA, AND JOE SWEENEY, CFP ®, FINANCIAL ADVISORS AT SWEENEY & MICHEL, LLC

When you’ve got a strong financial foundation, it can be incredibly fulfilling to use your excess wealth to make an impact. You’ve probably thought about the legacy you’d like to leave, what lives you want to touch, and in general how to make the world a better place. You don’t have to wait to be wealthy to do these things, but there are money strategies around giving that can help you meet these goals efficiently. We’ll go through a few below: If there’s someone in your life who you want to help go to college, you can set up a 529 College Savings account. The account will grow tax-free, and distributions are tax-free if used for college-related expenses.

If you’re under age 59.5, IRA distributions sent straight to the university can avoid a 10% early withdrawal penalty.

Giving appreciated assets to children allows you to avoid paying capital gains on the appreciation.

Assets given to a family trust can appreciate outside of your estate, and avoid estate taxes for heirs.

Non-Cash Giving to Charities can be more attractive than giving cash. If you give appreciated stock or assets, you can write off the full market value of the gift and avoid paying capital gains tax on the appreciation.

A Donor Advised Fund allows you to get an immediate tax deduction for assets given today, but the flexibility to spread the gifts out to a qualified charity over time. Funding a DAF with appreciated assets is an extra win.

A Charitable Remainder Annuity allows you to live on a set income from the account, but give the principal to a designated charity when you pass away. You’ll also enjoy a 30-60% tax deduction when you begin. For further details on any of these strategies, you can reach out to us at SweeneyMichel.com. Consult your attorney and accountant as well.

Renée Michel, MBA and Joe Sweeney, CFP® | 196 Cohasset Road, Suite 100, Chico CA 95926 (530) 487-1777 | renee@sweeneymichel.com | joe@sweeneymichel.com | www.sweeneymichel.com Sources: www.irs.gov; www.ssa.gov; www.medicare.gov | Sweeney & Michel, LLC is a Registered Investment Adviser. This brochure is solely for informational purposes. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Sweeney & Michel, LLC and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns. Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal capital. No advice may be rendered by Sweeney & Michel, LLC unless a client service agreement is in place.

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Miner's inch This last week, for me, has been filled with talk of fire and water. I did learn a new term along the way, “Miner’s Inch.”

The talk of fire was with the Cal Fire Battalion Chief about a new State law for enforcement of defensible space requirements. Cal Fire will be out in the community, inspecting people’s properties and issuing inspection checklists detailing the need for clearing a buffer zone between the structures on their property and flammable grass, trees, and shrubs surrounding it. Homeowners must get the work done or Cal Fire will do the work and charge the homeowner.

The talk of water was with my well-driller, the master of finding water on properties like mine in Butte Creek Canyon. It’s time to drill a new well on my property because of the dropping water table, after more than a century of adequate water supply there.

Man, what I would give for a “Miner’s Inch.”

I met with my buddy, Brino, the contractor extraordinaire, in Oroville, and our visit touched on both fire and water. We first toured the beautiful old downtown brick building at Montgomery and Myers, where our friend, the Realtor/restaurateur extraordinaire, Chaz, is on the verge of opening his new restaurant, Coyote 36

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Cantina. His remodel of the place is spectacular.

Brino then took me to his latest job, a remodel and addition on his friend Jim’s place in the Oroville foothills, on a large acreage of rolling hills covered in mature oak trees. I looked at the expanse of dry grasslands, and my first thought was, “Fire.”

“When we are done grading around the house, Jim will plant greenery,” said Brino. He pointed up the hill behind the house. “A water ditch runs along the property—part of the local water district.

This property has water rights going back to the old days. Jim gets what is known as a Miner’s Inch of water per month.”

It turns out a “Miner’s Inch” of water comes out to about 400,000 gallons of water per month. Google says the average family uses around 9,000 gallons of water per month.

Looks like Jim struck gold with his Miner’s Inch. I’m calling my well driller and telling him I’ll be happy with a Miner’s QuarterInch of water.

Doug Love is Sales Manager at Century 21 in Chico. Email dougwlove@gmail.com.

Call or text 530-680-0817.

INVESTING IN YOUR FAMILY’S FINANCIAL FUTURE

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We believe in listening to you and understanding your needs before making recommendations.

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Do you feel your financial advisor places you first?

We realize it’s our privilege to help you work toward your dream of financial freedom. We’re honored to help you pursue your family’s financial future.

We want to be your financial advisor. Please call for more information.

(530) 891-1133 main | (800) 472-3867 toll-free 901 Bruce Road, Suite 280 | Chico, California 95928 Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated Member SIPC & NYSE | www.stifel.com

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While housing prices in Orland have risen the past few years, you still get more bang for your buck if you buy a house there instead of Chico. Also, people like the small town atmosphere and friendly attitude of the townspeople. It is routine to have people you don’t know wave and smile at you on a daily basis. In a word, life in Orland is a bit slower than Chico or Redding. That’s a plus for many. Orland’s small town vibe has helped the Accessible Real Estate Group become a viable business, and Lupe and her four realtor associates have made the venture a success.

Making real estate accessible Lupe Sanchez enjoyed a variety of careers before getting her real estate license.

She has always had a number of interests such as photography and interior design.

However, the toughest and most rewarding was being a stay-at-home mom when she home-schooled her eldest son. After her youngest son went off to school, Lupe decided to pursue a career she’d always found intriguing—real estate. So, she completed her real estate courses, earned her license, and began selling homes in the Orland area.

Lupe and her husband, Jose, moved from 38

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Modesto in 2005 to be near relatives, and they found Orland to be peaceful, low-key, and a friendly town in which to raise their children, Josue and Joel. During that time, Lupe came to know the Orland area well, and it has helped her in the real estate field, which ranges from Chico to Orland and up to Corning and Red Bluff. She enjoys the challenge of selling homes, and she especially likes seeing people’s reactions when they step into their new homes.

“It’s rewarding to be a part of the dream of owning a home, and it’s even better when it‘s a family’s first home,” she said. “I love to

Another positive aspect is the revitalization of Orland’s downtown area. Many new businesses have inhabited the center of town and attracted shoppers and diners.

On April 10, Bless Your Heart Mercantile hosted the Orland Downtown Shop and Hop, another method of attracting business, which represents the community support she sees in Orland. Lupe applauded them on not just what they have to offer but also for their thoughts on synergy leading to success.

Lupe has also created a Small Business Saturdays site on her Facebook and Instagram pages. She visits businesses in the Chico-Orland-Corning-Red Bluff area and goes inside to film and interview the shop owners. They discuss the services and the amenities offered. This brings attention to the business and is a great form of advertising. It also allows Lupe to gain some exposure for her own real estate business—a win-win situation.

If you are interested in buying or selling a home in the local area, be sure to contact Lupe Sanchez at Accessible Real Estate Group. She’s energetic, vivacious, and has a positive attitude. She can be reached at (530) 865-8500 or at the office on 519 East Walker Street, Orland.

WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

see buyers achieve their dream, but I’m not a high pressure agent,” Lupe added. “I’ve sometimes waited with a buyer for over a year until the home they wanted came up on the market.” Buying a home is no simple decision, and the long term investment makes it a huge life decision. Many of her clients have set their sights on purchasing a home in Orland.

Made for more fish stories

You were made for more. More jokes. More togetherness. More fun. And that’s why yearly checkups with your physician are so important. The key to a happier, healthier life is prevention of long-term issues before they become issues. Your Adventist Health doctor can help you get all you can out of life through wellness exams, health screenings, immunizations and lifestyle plans to manage chronic conditions. If you haven’t seen a doctor lately, make an in-office or virtual appointment today.

Call 530-872-2000 for an appointment now.

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In the words of the famous Gomer Pyle, “Surprise, surprise, surprise!” That’s the reaction one gets when walking in the door of The Rusty Wagon. It’s too much to take in all at once. If all the items in the shop were listed here, you’d have a complete article. From the wooden Indian standing tall in the passage between the two large rooms, to the barrage of color representing 100’s of products, it’s impossible to focus on one thing.

You name it, there it is. Food products, paintings, pottery, shelves, and tables full of crafts, clothing, knick knacks, books, and crazy—yet beautiful—artistic creations. The list does go on and on.

Vocational trainer Carol Van Tol led the tour. The two large showrooms were brightly lit with overhead lights and huge pane glass windows facing Walker Street.

You can purchase regionally-sourced olive oil, olives, almonds, pistachios, barbeque sauce, honey, coffee, spices, cheese, bread, candy, and yogurt. The 40

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items come in small packages, gift baskets, or are individually wrapped.

Along the way I met many of the adult associates employed by the store. They are the focal point of the organization and an integral element in creating gifts and stocking the shelves.

The mission of The Rusty Wagon is to provide adults with disabilities an opportunity to learn, work, and thrive.

They provide excellent customer service and are happy to show you their creations and crafts. Associates include Martina Ramirez, who’s worked there since the inception, Jose Amezquita, nine years, Sarah Lehr, Jesus Ulloa, Claudia Chavez, and Fred Hess. Nothing explains it better than the store pamphlet: “The Rusty Wagon is a community integration program that trains and employs adults with disabilities in our community. Our associates are qualified Far Northern Regional Center eligible.

This program is a not-for-profit retail

WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

The Rusty Wagon Rolls along

store governed by Glenn County Office of Education. It has been developed to create training assessments and employment opportunities for individuals with various needs. Classes for our associates are graphics and printing, retail and merchandising, and adult living skills, including crafts. Some products are created for resale in the store by associates. Come visit. We would love to show you around and give you free local food samples.”

Not only do they perform all the basic duties of running a gift shop, including the cash register. The large back room work area is where the associates spend a lot of time. It is here they create their crafts, paint furniture, make pottery which is fired at William Finch School, and also utilize the printing and graphics portion of the business. “It’s a place for associates to thrive,” said Carol. “We set individual goals for each associate and they are paid through the sales in the store.” Many of the supplies have been donated by local individuals and businesses. One shelf held thirty or so cans of non-toxic chalk paint donated by Ace Hardware.

Some of the featured artists and artisans are painters Annette Carroll and June Carey; Gerald Wall, who works magic with rock and metal designs; and local authors Gene Russell, Gary Carter, and David D. Allee. One of the comments Carol hears all the time is basically, “You’ve been here ten years? I had no idea the store was here.” As a matter of fact, August 11 will be the ten year anniversary.

Of course, a number of people have made this possible including Monica Castro, another vocational trainer, and Lisa Morgan, of the Glenn County Office of Education Glenn Adult Program.

Special recognition goes to GCOE Superintendent of Schools Tracy Quarne, who was a prime mover behind the project and who has supported them all the way.

If you’d like a pleasant surprise, find your way to 420 Walker Street in Orland.

Hours of operation are Tues-Fri 10:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday 10:30 to 3:30. It’s worth the trip.

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WRITTEN BY KEVIN DOLAN

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WRITTEN BY KEVIN DOLAN

It has been six years since Jerry and Diane Pajouh graced the pages of Upgraded Living magazine. The sole purpose of their initial presence was by way of introducing themselves to the community of Chico and its surrounding area. The debut, of course, included the couple’s ownership of Courtesy Automotive Center and moving their family from Fresno, where Jerry spent over three decades in the automotive industry and owner of BMW Fresno.

The couple remain acutely aware of the people they serve. Jerry put it this way, “We are all people, and people have limits.” Earning the loyalty and commitment to buy a vehicle and then

become a return client is paramount to them. Jerry points out, “This is accomplished one customer at a time, and each one can be lost just as easily.”

He goes on to compare the faith and trust earned stems from the same reasons people return time and again to their doctor or dentist. It did not take long for Jerry and Diane to understand how remarkable this Northstate community truly is.

Six years later, Jerry and Diane are once again appearing in Upgraded Living to introduce Courtesy Automotive Center’s venture into the future. The entire endeavor was born before the couple

actually made the move to Chico. They understood the limitations at the 40+ year old site on Cohasset Road. Those limitations taught them about the amazing customer base they inherited. Jerry simply marvels over how these loyal patrons return time and again, putting up with the cramped quarters and the difficulty in parking and getting in and out of the lots. To point out the surrounding community is remarkable is surely an understatement.

In actuality, six years ago, upon arriving in Chico, Jerry and Diane discovered the future and permanent site of their automotive center. With seven different 43

and distinct vehicle brands, the future spot must include enough room for each.

First and foremost, the entire makeup must have the customer’s needs in mind at each and every turn. It must also possess both the necessary exposure and ease of accessibility these loyal folks deserve. Jerry muses, “When we first came up six years ago, the developer showed us the property and said it should wrap up pretty fast and be completed soon pretty easily.” No one could have predicted or believed the roadblocks that lay ahead in Jerry and Diane's path. The trio of trials and tribulations included the unthinkable, the unimaginable, and the unprecedented.

The Unthinkable Upon acquisition of the site’s property, Jerry and Diane knew, in advance, the move was imminent. Similar to what they went through in Fresno, the same decisions made the Chico move, for the same reasons, including size, market, and inventory. As noted, the original business plan was all about the customer. The emphasis was the clear understanding, “We believe they need more.” They also knew it takes patience to be a part of this site. The plot of land north of Chico where the 99 freeway ends at Garner Lane was county property. And so the process 44

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began, containing the careful crossing of “T’s” and dotting “I’s,” with among other things, the serious consideration of each criteria, notable standards, and endless permits. As soon as progress began moving forward with paperwork, the entire city of Oroville was evacuated.

It occurred in February of 2017 when the Dam’s main and emergency spillways were damaged, prompting the evacuation of 180,000 people living downstream along the Feather River due to a possible breach of the majestic Oroville Dam. Needless to say, the enormous undertaking of not just emptying the entire population in the danger’s way, but also the disruption of time in the wake of this massive undertaking. For Jerry and Diane, slowing things down proved merely an unfortunate obstacle. However, they would soon discover it slowed down their progress just enough to find them in the face of additional hurdles.

It started one day before the County’s confirmation of the completed paperwork.

The City of Chico, seizing an opportunity, annexed the property of their new site.

The Unimaginable The annexation came one day before the County was to mark confirmation of their paperwork. Suddenly, new and different criteria, standards, and permits surfaced. Once again, Jerry and Diane carefully crossed every “T” and dotted each “I.” The City did acknowledge an understanding that they had clearly satisfied the County’s requirements and deferred some of the couple’s work. Jerry and Diane submitted the first draft to the City in September of 2018. Indeed, two months later, the unimaginable happened.

The Pajouh family woke in Paradise that morning of November 8th, got out safely, and returned to a house still standing.

The rest of their neighborhood did not share the same fate. After four months and ten days in a hotel, it was not surprising to expect that their file was put on hold. The city’s priorities were firmly in the right place, and Jerry and Diane clearly understood. Simply trying to gain an understanding of the breadth of damage was enough. To lose an entire town is not an event that will be taken

care of in any sort of timely fashion. The City of Chico came back around right before the calendar was going to turn to 2019 with the news they were almost there in regard to the completion of required paperwork. As if back-to-back evacuations is enough for anyone to take under consideration, one more roadblock travelled across each state boundary with the speed of the Camp Fire. It took 100 years to resurface and this pandemic did so with a vengeance.

The Unprecedented Of course COVID 19 shut everything down, including the City of Chico’s offices. For Jerry and Diane, there was no time for a pity party as all of their focus immediately turned to their employees and customers. They heeded all of the CDC mandates and held firmly to the safety of each worker. Interesting to note that in this paralyzing experience, Courtesy Automotive Center actually added employees. This became evident in order to fulfill each of their customer’s needs at a time when they were not

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seeing the customers at all. Any way each customer wished to do business was granted, leaving the business, itself, affected by nothing more than an expansion of folks with real needs.

Courtesy, exactly as the name implies, had long picked up and delivered vehicles. So, in this unprecedented time, they increased valet drivers while remarkably increasing employees. Like so many imaginative and ingenious solutions surfacing across the board, Jerry, too, wants many of them to remain far after the pandemic is gone. With all three occurrences, Jerry and Diane are left with nothing more than gratitude, empathy, and a restored faith in what they have accomplished—and what they are on the brink of concluding.

As the conversation moved forward, so did Jerry with the biggest smile ever announcing, “We have our permits now!”

Immediately following, Diane chimed in, “Jerry’s ready to go!” The couple took a moment and reflected on the fact this is a milestone for them—the next chapter as they have reached the moment of groundbreaking of the entire development. They could not be more hyped than the reality that the entire Northstate will be faced with the best source, the newest facilities, and most conveniences imaginable. The amenities will be palpable: including a car wash and detail center, fast lube service, a paint and body shop, and full glass availability.

Most importantly, each brand—BMW, Buick-GMC, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, 46

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Subaru and Volvo—will have their own unique showroom. Each showroom will display eight cars with delivery centers and lifestyle boutiques, all under the 115,00 square feet of the total facility.

More importantly, and with a keen eye on the future, they are also ensuring full electrification abilities.

Jerry emphasized, “The entire goal is to bring this state-of-the-art dealership to all of the communities in the Northstate so they no longer have a reason to go to any other municipality to purchase or service a car or truck.” The future Courtesy Automotive Center is willing to do anything to ensure the best experience for every consumer. Jerry remains adamant, “The customers must: experience it, feel the difference, and only then will we have arrived.” All unforeseen obstacles aside, each chilling and unfortunate event only makes the end result worth the wait when each customer, returning and future, gets the full feeling that it is truly worth the wait.

Just like Jerry and Diane envisioned six years ago.

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WRITTEN BY KEVIN DOLAN

Riding for reading pals Mark Twain wrote, “The world is a book, and those who don’t travel read only one page.” It can also be said that books open the world to us—that without the legacy of reading, the world cannot be explored.

Children cannot experience the wonders of different places; cannot delve into what it’s like to be a doctor, an astronaut, or an archaeologist; cannot escape to magical places that only exist between the pages of a book.

Brad Johnson questions, “How do we supercharge a child’s imagination?

Reading.” He aims to share this love of reading with children through his motorcycle travels, which benefit an organization known as Reading Pals. His first fundraising ride was from Alaska to Paradise, California, and his upcoming ride will be from New Mexico to the Canadian border. Brad says, “I’m an avid reader, and I was given the gift from my mom; I’ve passed that gift onto my daughters. The more I thought about it, I wondered how I could share that love of reading with other children.”

Brad learned more about the Reading Pals program from a friend in Paradise and was instantly invested. The program’s

tenet is ‘Rewriting stories through the power of reading. One Volunteer. One Child. One Hour.’ Volunteers follow a basic curriculum with one child for one hour a week. The organization believes that the simple act of reading with a child “doesn’t just teach them to read, it changes the trajectory of their life.”

Brad’s work schedule didn’t allow for him to commit to becoming a mentor, but he wanted to contribute to the cause, so he committed to riding his motorcycle from Fairbanks, Alaska down to Paradise, California, collecting donations for the miles he traveled. He traveled five to eight hundred miles a day, passing through amazing landscapes, trying to remind himself to slow down and enjoy the wonders around him. When he returned, he shared a slideshow of his trip as another fundraising aspect of the ride.

Brad says they collected $2700 from the trip and slideshow, “Not a lot considering I put in $2200 of my own money, but it didn’t matter because the clear winners were the kids… and me.” For Brad, the rides are two-fold in that while it benefits Reading Pals, the ride is also a balm for his soul.

This is even more apparent once you

WRITTEN BY KEVIN DOLAN

hear the story of the horrific motorcycle accident he suffered in July of 2018. He was hit by an impaired driver and suffered multiple compound fractures, crush injuries, and a broken neck. He spent 21 days in a coma and came out of the fog to see pictures of family and cards from friends taped to his hospital room wall.

Brad says, “Recovery from terrible injury is a process. You don’t go from near death to normal life in one step. There are many little steps and small victories.”

While still recovering and using crutches to move around, Brad was subsequently trapped during the Camp Fire. Driving down Billie road in Paradise, the traffic came to a standstill. He says, “We could see fires, hear explosions, the town was going up in flames around us, and we were barely moving.” He pulled off the side of the road, grabbed his crutches, and started to carefully move on foot. A man in a truck stopped and gave Brad a ride out of the chaotic inferno and brought him to safety.

Brad wants kids to understand that they can get through to the other side of whatever adversity or struggle they face. He shares, “When you give to that last inch of what you have left, that’s not the end, that’s just the beginning of the hard work. Frustration doesn’t mean we give up. It means we try harder.” Life is about trying. It’s about effort. It’s about overcoming.

Brad Johnson is this statement personified. He’s getting back on his motorcycle for another epic Reading Pal ride, overcoming his struggles and fears. He has planned a Continental Divide ride to benefit Reading Pals, which begins on July 31st. This trip will take him along the spine of the Rocky Mountains, from the border of Mexico all the way up to Canada, a trip of over 2,700 miles. He anticipates taking about 21 days to complete the ride and will again be fundraising for Reading Pals with a GoFundme page along with a slideshow presentation following his return. To find out more about Reading Pals and how you can help, head to their website at www.readingpalschico.org or check them out on FaceBook-Reading Pals Chico.

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Protection, Not Correction!

One of the most recommended skin care products is sunscreen. It is preventative care to keep the burning and aging UV rays from damaging our skin.

Brown spots and dehydration wrinkles form from getting too much sun. The worst outcome of too much sun exposure is skin cancer. Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and Melanoma are more common than we would like to think. A lot of these could be prevented with the simple everyday use of an SPF of 30-50. Even if it is raining, there are UVA and UVB rays that are getting through. It can even penetrate glass, and reflection from water or snow can make those rays even stronger!

Sunscreens have come a long way since the white zinc we used to use to protect our noses. They are formulated to be less oily, lighter weight, and some have a tint so they don't dry white and "ghost-y".

Application is easy, and many sunscreens are moisturizing too, so you don't have to layer them with a regular moisturizer.

There are laser and light-based treatments that can help to reverse and clean up sun damage, but the use of sunscreen can keep those spots from ever forming. If we get in the habit of using sunscreen early on, sun damage is preventable, and protecting your skin now is better than correcting spots later!

Your skin care professional can recommend the right sunscreen fit for your skin type.

DERM BAR MED-SPA 85 Declaration Dr. Suite 100 Chico, CA 95973 | 530.342.2672

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Oral Myofunctional Therapy

now at Loeta Robles, DDS Suffer from?

Trouble sleeping Teeth crowding Clenching and grinding Speech issues Mouth breathing You may benefit from OMT!

with Brooke Edgar, RDH, OMT OMT is an exercise-based treatment, teaching exercises that relate to tongue placement, breathing, speaking, chewing and swallowing.

Please, checkout our website for more detailed information!

101 Raley Blvd., Ste. 104 Chico, Ca | 95928 | (530) 893-8913 www.mychicodentist.com 51

Unmasking Your Authentic Self—No Matter How Quirky Susan is a little quirky. She’s smart, fun, and also quirky. The quirky part of her is one that friends and family find endearing.

Socially, she finds fun and enjoyment letting her goofy side fly free; laughing too hard at jokes, being creative on the fly, problem solving quickly and finding the bright side of sudden changes to plans. She’s used to pivoting in regards to plans, tasks, and expectations. Susan’s quirky side is also her greatest source of shame and fear.

She knows she’s a little different than her colleagues. They seem to have everything together and they can follow a linear train of thought. Highly intelligent and dedicated to her profession, Susan also masks her difficulty with concentrating on one thing at a time by having multiple irons in the fire.

Ironically, multitasking is both her superpower and her kryptonite. She can tell that people notice her more difficult days when she’s “spacier” or “flightier,” and staying on task is more of a struggle. She believes that people are just “putting up with her” because they know she’s smart and diligent, but she tells herself that they clearly also feel she’s awkward. On these days, crippling dread paralyzes her and reinforces all the negative things she had learned through the years about herself and the quirky way she thinks.

JESSICA DARLING WILKERSON, MA, LMFT 104464 LICENSED MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPIST EMDR CLINICIAN

Susan tries shoving it down, hiding it as much as she can, and just prays she will change. She hopes that eventually, all the work she does to mask her issue will take root, and she’ll be able to navigate as normally as it appears the rest of the world can.

ADHD, ASD, BPD, anxiety & depression – it’s an alphabet soup of diagnoses, any of these could be contributing to Susan’s issue. Usually, anxiety and/or depression comes along with one of the other acronym diagnoses. But a person is not a diagnosis. When Susan finally went to talk to a therapist about how stressful her work is, but not necessarily because of the job itself, she learned that she has had ADHD all her life and it has led to anxiety, self-doubt, perfectionism, and fear of rejection. She also learned that it is what has enabled her to be a quick thinker and problem solver, creative, hyper-focused at times, and dive deep intellectually and philosophically.

Learning about the attributes of her ADHD and gaining more skills on how to navigate around some of the difficulties allowed Susan an opportunity to fully embrace her quirky self, feeling freer than she’s ever felt and giving her permission to lower her mask more often with the hope of someday removing it altogether.

Jessica Wilkerson, MA, LMFT is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Chico, CA. She is an EMDR clinician as well as the owner/operator and clinical supervisor of Inspired Life Counseling. For more information, visit www.jessicawilkerson.com and www.inspiredlifechico.com. Jessica can also be reached via phone at (530) 809-1702

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Avie's Place Editor’s note: It has often been said “Necessity is the mother of invention.”

Roughly, it means that the primary driving force for most new inventions is a need. And what more important person to solve the need with creative efforts to meet the need or solve the problem then a mother! We would like to introduce one such mother, Nicole Wallace from Oroville. Here, in her words, is not only the need but also the help needed to ensure the solution.

grueling three-year battle with AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia). Her strength inspired our family and entire community to build Avie’s Place. Throughout her illness and treatment, she experienced physical limitations that prevented her from playing with her siblings and participating in family activities she had once enjoyed. These constraints became a challenge for us as we tried to create fun family memories in the midst of this difficult season.

To the North Valley Community,

We quickly discovered there were not any parks in the 22-county region north of Sacramento that had been purposebuilt for use by children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This represents 42,000 square miles and 1.7 million people, including Avie. Due to her illness and resulting limitations, Avie was no longer able to play in a park or on a playground with her 2 sisters.

I want to bring your attention to a project that is very dear to my heart! My husband and I are creating/designing/ building an ALL-inclusive playground experience that will provide recreational and active-living opportunities available to every child in our region, including those with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The park and playground will be called Avie’s Place and will be a playground where all children can play together regardless of ability, limitations, or sickness. Avie's Place is being built in memory of our 7 year old daughter Avalynn, “Avie” Wallace.

Avie was called to heaven in October 2019, at the age of seven, following a 54

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To honor Avie’s legacy, we are committed to solving this problem by building a park and playground accessible to everyone.

Our team believes every child deserves to experience the thrill of a slide, the joy of swinging, and playing with family and friends. Our family selected Melton Design Group as the architectural firm and Miracle Play Systems to spearhead

the design and development of the project. The 3-acre site will sit on a 91-acre plot located on the Oro Bangor Highway in Oroville, California. The playground will be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) certified and feature a range of playground equipment and play structures that promote spinning, sliding, rocking, and sensory engagement for children of all abilities and ages.

Avie’s Place is scheduled to open April 2022, and if we reach our target, Avie’s Place will be the only playground in the United States with a play structure accessible on multiple levels to children in wheelchairs. This incredible feature will honor the life of Avie, who was an inspiration to both children and adults.

Once completed, the project will: • Deliver ongoing recreation, fitness, and active-living opportunities to all children (as well as seniors, veterans, and other adults with restricted mobility).

• Raise the quality of life in our community.

• Act as a symbol of what can be accomplished through a communityfocused partnership.

We estimate it will cost $3,000,000 to realize the vision for Avie’s Place. To date: • We have raised more than $150,000 from crowdfunding campaigns and donations.

• The three acres for the playground site has been donated.

• We recently launched a targeted fundraising campaign to source contributions from individuals, businesses, and foundation donors across our region.

We relish the opportunity to bring the spotlight to this cause and this often overlooked group in need of support.

Feel free to contact us if you have questions or if we can provide additional information for you. Also feel free to let us know if you wish to help or have ideas to assist in making our dream a reality.

Sincerely, Nicole Wallace, my husband Louie, and Avie’s Place Team

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Let's Get to the

Nine-One-One with Jim Parrott

If I wasn’t a first responder, I’d likely be teaching.

Three critical qualities I possess that got me where I am today are a decent ability not to procrastinate, an above average ability to read and write, and the talent to talk to anyone (plus a healthy level of insecurity to keep me motivated).

My schedule? Well, since I no longer work shift work, think of it like banker’s hours, except the bank never really closes, and I’m on-call a lot.

A book that left a lasting impression on me is The Haj by Leon Uris. Ironically, it was the last book I read in college, but it kicked off a lifelong obsession with history and geography.

Something I wish I were better at is typing. I thought it was too nerdy to take typing in high school. Who’s the nerd now? And yes, I text with one finger, too.

My “go to” Northern California spot is Crater Lake near Mt Lassen—a favorite place to fly fish and at the same time be humbled by the resident ospreys (who will always be better at fishing than I).

My personal billboard would read, “Get over yourself; nobody cares.” Humility needs constant cultivation.

My inspiration behind where I am today are my daughters. The only thing to which proving yourself as a cop takes a back seat is doing so as a father.

My single biggest indulgence is Cuban cigars.

One thing I wish to share as I near retirement is that I will be eternally grateful to have worked with and for some of the finest people in Chico.

It’s been an honor to have served alongside so many truly remarkable individuals over the last 25 years.

Jim Parrott Detective Chico Police Department

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WRITTEN BY SHELLY BRANDON

COOL KID Kevin Heywood Kevin Heywood is an upcoming senior at Inspire School of Arts and Sciences. He is a prime example of how, in the right setting, the often-incongruous subjects of engineering and the arts can intertwine and complement each other. Kevin is pursuing an engineering course of study at Inspire and is enrolled in a variety of classes ranging from Principles of Biotechnical Engineering to AP Computer Science. His interest in engineering led him to partner with the arts at Inspire through their technical theatre program.

This past year, they’ve produced two large-scale productions, Phantom of the Opera and Alice in Wonderland.

The set for Phantom was very involved and consisted of many large intricately engineered pieces including a giant, twostory moveable staircase, an elephant, and various smaller set items. Kevin also enjoys working backstage during the shows, helping with costume issues and running the fly system; a system of ropes, pulleys and weights that controls the scenery, lights, and curtains. Kevin says the most challenging aspect of working on these big productions is time management and the amount of effort it requires, but he says, “It always pays off in the end.” Unfortunately, due to Covid, the intricate and complicated shows were not able to bring in the usual proceeds to help cover the cost of production. Kevin hopes that community members will visit the Inspire website at www.inspirechico.

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org to donate to the foundation to help offset these costs so their theatrical productions can continue to be an instrument of learning and inspiration for the students.

In addition to his work with the theatre, Kevin is a member of Inspire’s Environmental Club. The club’s current project is the Precious Plastics Upcycling Workspace. The inspiration for the program came from a study by the Royal Statistical Society, which found more than 40% of plastic is used only once before it’s discarded as waste. The project aims to take ‘junk plastics’ and recycle them into usable items, which in turn, highlights the importance of environmental stewardship. Kevin says they sort and clean the plastic before sending it through a shredding machine obtained through fundraising efforts. The shredded plastic waste will then be loaded into another machine called an injector, which pours the molten plastic into various molds. Currently, the molds they are using create carabiners out of the recycled plastic waste.

Kevin is looking forward to continuing his engineering focus during his senior year at Inspire and then wants to attend UC Santa Cruz, UC Santa Barbara, or UC San Diego to earn a degree in mechanical engineering. We applaud Kevin’s contributions and wish him well wherever it is he finds himself making a difference.

WRITTEN BY SHELLY BRANDON

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR JULY 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

Downtown Chico Thursday Night Market On Broadway between 2nd and 4th Street, including side streets and the fabulous City Plaza! featuring a bounty of farm-fresh produce, mouth-watering prepared foods, handmade, local arts & crafts, and singer songwriter entertainment for all ages.

JULY 2

Patriotic Concert Riverbend Park 50 Montgomery St. Oroville, CA 95965 6:30pm-8:30pm

JULY 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

Concerts in the Park Riverbend Park 50 Montgomery St. Oroville, CA 95965 The music series continues with local vendors from 4pm-8pm and live music in the amphitheater from 6:30pm-8pm. https://www.frrpd.com/ for more details.

Feather River Rentals on the Beach Riverbend Park 50 Montgomery St. Oroville, CA 95965 4pm- 8pm Cool off in the Feather River and master your kayaking skills. Equipment rentals are available at an additional cost.

JULY 3

A Patriotic Pops Concert Historic Oroville State Theatre 1489 Myers St. Oroville, CA 95965 1pm-6pm

JULY 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

Oroville Hospital Farmers Market Dove's Landing Parking Lot 2450 Oro Dam Blvd. Oroville, CA 95965 9am-2pm. Oroville Hospital, (530) 533-8500. Come on by and pick up some fresh produce and support your local vendors

JULY 7, 14, 21, 28

JULY 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

Chico Saturday Farmers Market Downtown Chico Municipal Parking Lot 1. E. 2nd St. Chico, CA 95928 7:30am-1pm

JULY 4

Fireworks Show Oroville Municipal Airport 75 Yeager Way Oroville, Ca 95965 8pm-9pm Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce, (530) 538-2542 info@orovillechamber.com. Fireworks can be viewed throughout Oroville

JULY 4

Old Fashioned 4th of July Celebration Vinsonhaler Park, Roosevelt Ave & East St, Orland, CA 95963. 44th Annual Celebration.

Food, games, etc. Sponsored by the Orland Historical & Cultural Society. Contact Chris Stifter, (530) 519-3174 for more information.

JULY 8

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Slice of Chico Downtown Chico, 10am–5pm. The annual sidewalk sales returns! Visit your favorite downtown Chico businesses and enjoy free slices of ice-cold watermelon.

Downtownchico.net

JULY 17

Rebekah Lodge Vendor Fair 1470 Oliver St. Oroville, CA 95965 11am4pm. Come and visit IOOF & Rebekah lodge for their second annual vendor fair. Message Regina Ali Carmen Perez or Shawna on the event page on Facebook.

JULY 20

A Night of Southern Gospel Music Historic Oroville State Theatre 1489 Myers St. Oroville, CA 95965 6:30pm-8:30pm Tom Turk, (530) 533-1636

JULY 21

Oroville Optimists Club Oroville State Theatre Tour - Historic Oroville State Theatre 2051 Robinson St. Oroville, CA 95965 12pm-2pm. Freda Flint or Ray Ritz, (530) 534-7690

Max Minardi: LIVE The Commons Taproom 2412 Park AvenueChico, CA, 95928 Come down and order your favorite pizza, grab a beverage or two, and enjoy some tunes. All-ages, 6:30pm-8:30pm

JULY 9, 23

JULY 31

Summerfest Movie Series Paradise Alliance Church 6491 Clark Road Paradise, CA 95969 Free Movie & Popcorn, other concessions available. July 9 - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory | July 23 - The Greatest Showman. 8:30-

Party in the Park, Music and Marketplace Paradise Community Park 5570 Black Olive Drive (corner of Pearson & Black Olive) Paradise, CA 95969. The Paradise Ridge Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the Town of Paradise and with the generous support of Adventist Health, is proud to host a weekly summer festival. Located in the historic heart of Paradise, Party in the Park Music & Marketplace is a seasonal tradition of local pride and community vitality.

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JULY 10

Marlon Wayans: LIVE Gold Country Casino Resort 4020 Olive Hwy. Oroville, CA 95965 7pm-11pm. (800) 334-9400 Need to do some heavy duty laughing? Marlon Wayans has 2 shows for double the laughs!

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By Kevin Dolan Writing is thinking and thinking is writing. As a result, in this world, there remain two distinct and different kinds of writers.

Writers who are either reflective or reflexive. I am woefully reflective. I will do most anything but write. Things like sharpening pencils I am not going to use, going to the cupboard to look for the box of Wheat Thins, checking the mailbox at 10:00 am knowing the mail arrives late afternoon, literally anything but writing. Some will refer to this as procrastination; my youngest tells me it is nothing more than resistance.

Regardless, it is a fact. In the 30-plus years I influenced young writers, I made it a critical point to get them to understand how to learn to be both. A blending of writing when thinking and thinking while writing becomes the key. And, yes, it can be done.

The practice began with freshmen engaging in a “quick write,” a seven-minute timed write for maximum fluency. These fledgling writers were told to simply keep writing the prompt over and over if nothing comes to mind. The actual muscle training being to keep the pen or pencil going for the time period was a part of the overall goals. Prompts like - I am the one who…, Best party ever, Favorite restaurants and what I order, and countless others were designed to spark thought resulting in a block of words, at least 200 in the seven minute time allotment. In my 30 years, no freshmen failed to get to 200 words.

The whole writing is thinking, thinking is writing thing came to a summit, a very high summit, when my seniors were introduced to Sei Shonagon, a Japanese diarist, poet, and lady in waiting who was born in the year 966 and died in 1025. She was witty and learned, exhibiting a brilliant prose style with the ability to compose, in an instant, a verse exactly suited to each and every occasion. Her gift became bound and was left behind in the form of her Pillow Book. With Shonagon as the motivating example, the seniors ventured into their own Pillow Books.

Each day, a new heading was posted for them to model her thoughts and outlook as they compiled a unique list of the things that came to their minds. The clever and biting mind of Sei Shonagon became a wonderful nudge for the students to use as a launching pad. Her phrasing brought to light the notion of writing and thinking, thinking and writing, in a bright and refreshing manner. It was also so fascinating to discover that humankind rarely reinvents itself.

Not only her style, but the way she saw the world became a window into her mind. Such lines as “A man who has nothing

in particular to recommend him discusses all sorts of subjects at random as if he knew everything.” And “I am the sort of person who approves of what others abhor and detests the things they like.” Beyond mere lines, we then explored her Pillow Book and her luminous lists. Her list of Splendid Things included: Chinese brocade. A sword with a decorated scabbard. The grain of the wood in a Buddhist statue. Long flowering branches of beautifully coloured wisteria entwined about a pine tree. Her Rare Things demonstrated the timelessness connecting us all with such entries as: A son-inlaw who's praised by his wife's father. Likewise, a wife who's loved by her mother-in-law. A pair of silver tweezers that can actually pull out hairs properly. A person who is without a single quirk. Someone who's superior in both appearance and character, and who's remained utterly blameless throughout his long dealings with the world. Timeless indeed and true to this moment.

The seniors found the ritual of beginning each class with a new heading and a seven minute timer to be hard, daunting at times, fun, often paralyzing, and in the end, the understanding they actually are writers who thought and thinkers who wrote.

We wrote each day and shared bits and pieces, sometimes our entire list. Yes, I wrote right along with them and showed my vulnerability by meekly sharing on occasion. The following is a peek into my mind, my view of this world, and me, the writer and thinker. The prompt was I Enjoy Watching: The flight of a properly struck golf ball. An elderly couple, from behind, walking hand-in-hand. My darling wife enter a room and immediately change the barometric pressure. Two dogs asleep side-by-side in a small dog bed. Steph Curry. Under the heading Things that are Uniquely and Unmistakably Blue: Frank Sinatra’s eyes. Lake Tahoe on a clear and calm afternoon. Oxygenated blood. The moon that can never be seen in February, even during leap years. Smurfs.

I will leave you with this—a week’s worth of headings to start your own Pillow Book. The seven minute time constraint is obviously optional, though I recommend you try to write at the same time each day. The prompts are: Things That Make Your Heart Beat Faster, Awkward Moments, Things That Cannot Be Compared, Nothing Can Be Worse…, Deeply Irritating Things, Things That Should Be Short, and Poetic Subjects.

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