Upgraded Living - June 2021

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FROM THE EDITOR We are truly delighted to unveil our highly anticipated issue dedicated to our sister city, some 22 minutes east—Oroville, California.

UPGRADED LIVING STAFF AVEED KHAKI Publisher/Owner

Originally, the then newly ordained seat of Butte County was named Ophir. However, in 1848, the world changed with the discovery of gold along the banks of the Feather River, bringing seekers from all walks of life, from all over the globe, to share in the promise of vast riches. Ophir gave way to the more fitting Oro-ville, literally the Spanish words for “the city of gold.” The eventual decline of the gold mine fever did not slow any progress as the citrus fruit and olive groves took center stage. Oroville became the shipping point for tropical fruit and has one of the country’s largest olive canning factories. The region remains ‘up and coming’ with a plethora of popular vineyards dotting its rolling landscape. The benefits of the Oroville Dam are yet another feather in this bustling city’s cap. Groundbreaking for the unique earth filled dam was in 1957, with its completion in 1968. The Feather River is yet another fixed feature, gracefully winding its way right through the city. Yes, our excitement abounds!

Three downtown food and drink establishments grace our cover. The Union, Coyote Cantina, and Nori take their place as proof of new life in Oroville’s center. Though you will be motivated to dine at each restaurant, you will also be educated in the history of the area through their stories.

The cover is but the tip of the iceberg. From a beloved bookworm to 18 tee boxes guaranteeing a challenging outing, this issue presents the magic connecting all the treasures together. Even our ingredients of the month and featured first responder are local spotlights of this urban scene. Enjoy reading this magazine as we did putting it together.

I was born in 1953, and lived in Oroville for all of the first two years of my life, before my dad moved us to Chico. I have, on occasion, pondered what it would be like, what I would be doing, had we never moved. There exists a futility in the process of trying to guess or speculate the “where and what” connected to my current life as a lifelong Orovillian.

Not surprisingly, this woeful contemplation takes us to The Backpage. Somehow, when writing this, I began ruminating the use and benefits of a crystal ball and magic wand. The Ouija board strikes again as I allow myself a discreet moment with both.

KEVIN DOLAN Editor-in-Chief 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

AMIR OLYMPIA

JESSICA WILKERSON

Let's Get to the Nine-One-One

Health

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

Kevin Dolan Editor-in-Chief

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For sales inquiries, please contact: Jason Corona, 530.591.2634 jason@UpgradedLiving.com

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CONTENTS | JUNE 2021 COMMUNITY

FEATURE

10 Meet young bibliophile and Oroville Rotary Student of the Year, Max Duran

23 Restoration, revitalization, and the food scene that is making waves along the Feather River. See what’s happening now and on the horizon for Union, Nori, and the new Coyote Cantina.

30 A 72-year legacy continues in the business that Marcozzi built.

50 Dr. Dallas Wentz opens the doors to her state-of-the-art animal hospital 53 A true destination: The Bookworm and the character that runs it

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66 Welcome Back Visitors—the light is always on at the Historic State Theatre

34 Century21 Select Group expands its reach into Gold Country

THE MORNING RUSH

36 Who is the Realtor of the year?

Familiar face spoiler alert

54 Indulge yourself in Early Bird Donuts’ inspiring family tale

44 Remnant, and why it’s not a bad word.

Carpets Galore explains

56 Get your fix in the cozy and hip space that is Meg’s Good Earth

46 The many hats of “Landscaper to the Stars,” Sal Rodriguez

58 Ethan’s Eatery: Out of the corporate world and into one of the best places to satisfy your cravings

52 The values behind DoorTru’s approach to facing today’s real estate market

14 Phoenix Nest Community Project: Breakthrough medicine and a sound approach to healing 18 Nutrishop in Chico finds new owners and delivers a brighter future for Butte County residents 61 Recent transplants, Rain and Malachi, bring delicious microgreens to your door 76 Sing along and dance til’ you drop with SOUL POSSE, playing everywhere near you

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32 Going out on their own, the honesty and integrity of Apex Electrical

POTPOURRI

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HOME

ON THE COVER: CHIO SAELEE, CHAZ GADDIE, AND BRIAN WONG

DESIGN BY: ERIK BROWN

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COOL KID MAX Duran Max Duran is, by all measures, the kid every parent wishes to have. Thoughtful, driven, caring, and bright, he checks all the boxes, and he’s been recognized for it time and again. At just 9 years old, Max is making a name for himself at Ophir Elementary as someone other students can not only look up to, but trust as well.

“He’s just such a good kid all around.”

Max’s mom, Betty Pendergraft, raved, “I really don’t even know where to begin.

In second grade, he wanted to be the first and only second grader to read one million words and join the school’s “millionaire club." He just stuck with it and accomplished his goal long before the end of the year. Now finishing third grade, he set the goal again to repeat last year’s success, and he blew it away. At this point, he’s read over 2.5 million words in two years. He just has so much drive, and it’s one of the many things we love about him!”

Sure, most parents beam when it comes to talking about their children, and few parents are short of the gift of gab when it comes to comparing notes, but Betty isn’t alone in her feelings—they’ve been confirmed by plenty of others too.

Max is not only well-read, but good10

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natured as well and always willing to offer a helping hand or assistance in defusing a negative situation. His teachers recognized this over the years and separately nominated him for the Student of the Month Award. The wealth of nominations was certainly noticed as his school’s principal then nominated him for an even greater accolade—Butte County Rotary Club’s Student of the Year Award.

Unsurprisingly for a boy of his character, he was selected and recognized for his kindness, friendship, and academic assessment well above the elementary school level.

Max wants to be a lawyer when he grows up, and Betty is the first to admit he’s very persuasive with his words. Alongside his love for reading, it sounds like the career would be a perfect fit.

When Max isn’t reading, he’s competing at soccer, basketball, and on Oroville’s Orcas swim team. He says, “You only have one life to live, so you gotta live the way you want to live it.” Clearly, he’s also wise beyond his years. We wish Max the best in his future endeavors and cheer him on in continuing to be, without any shadow of a doubt, a very cool kid indeed.

Let's Get to the

Nine-One-One with Amir Olympia

If I wasn’t a front line worker, I would be an electrician. I took some vocational electrical classes, and they intrigued me.

Three critical qualities that got me where I am today are selflessness, hard work, and motivation.

Explaining my schedule to folks that don't have any idea is not easy. Overtime aside, my normal schedule is 48 hours on and 96 hours off, making it a 56 hour work week. We also live at the station for 48 hours, at least, always available for the next call.

A book or movie that left a lasting impression on me is Nurse by Lee Gutkind. She really was able to reflect on the dynamism and diversity that our occupation faces everyday.

Something I want to learn would be to speak a second language—learning sign language too.

My “go to” Northern California spot is my yard with my girlfriend and the dogs. It's a spot that relaxes me and brings me peace. The Commons is also a great spot.

My personal billboard would read, “WHAT???” (with a confused face).

My inspiration behind where I am today stemmed from taking care of my autistic friend Dave. He has really inspired me to go out and help those who can’t help themselves.

My single biggest indulgence is pizza— preferably from Woodstocks.

When I see signs, messages, or voices referring to me as a ‘hero’, my reaction and feeling is to be humbled and honored to be able to help people. I also consider it my job to help those who need it.

What I want people to know is I was first interested in becoming a firefighter 7 years ago, and I have been proudly working and serving the citizens of Oroville as a firefighter ever since.

Amir Olympia Engineer and Lieutenant in Training Oroville Fire Department

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Growing Pains and the Magic Juice

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

The economic reopening has rightfully crushed stay-at-home stocks recently, and that is getting a lot of media attention. After a phenomenal run in 2020, Zoom, Peloton, Teledoc, DocuSign, Doordash, etc are all 30-50% off of their highs; it certainly looks like proof the pandemic is winding down as fast as their stock prices. Long-term growth investors have had an incredible run in recent years, but many have forgotten what it’s like to lose.

My oldest daughter is 9 years old, so we’re well into the years of growing pains. She hates the taste of medicine (so much so, that she used to writhe and spit it out), so I decided to get creative. A cup of apple juice, mixed with the cherry Tylenol is now called “magic juice”. Three years later, she will still ask for a cup of magic juice when those pains come back. It’s a good reminder that growing pains, although uncomfortable, are a necessary part of getting bigger and stronger.

Historically, the stock market makes new highs roughly 5% of the time, which is pretty extraordinary in its own right. But that also means the other 95% you are looking at your portfolio’s previous high point and wondering if/when you’ll ever get back there.

Humans tend to be risk-averse, meaning we’re always going to be somewhat worried that something could happen and we lose our savings.

Even the greatest investments can feel like rollercoasters: A $1,000 investment in Apple’s IPO in 1980 would be worth over 1.2 Million today. However, that growth never came in a straight line. You had to endure breathtaking losses along the way if you wanted to enjoy the long-term gains.

What we’re all learning is that being a good long-term investor is probably more about pain tolerance than intelligence.

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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Jesse began taking classes at the Vibrational Sound Association in sound healing and learned the many ways in which something as simple as changes in sound can scientifically make a positive impact on health and wellness. Much of this has come into the limelight over the past few years with binaural meditation phone apps, along with studies indicating the use of sound for improvement of sleep and effectiveness of therapy. He opened 432 Sound Healing in Chico and began offering corporate relaxation programs to help individuals through the kinds of experiences he had while working in Corporate America. The business grew and eventually became an open platform for all individuals seeking relaxation and a spiritual form of healing.

phoenix nest community project The last four years have not been easy on the Northstate. Between a dam failure and ensuing flood, the most deadly and destructive wildfire in California history, additional yearly wildfires, and finally a worldwide pandemic that dramatically changed life as we know it—residents of our normally quiet part of the state have experienced an unprecedented level of trauma. As any therapist will tell you, healing takes a good deal of time, and without ample time to recover, individuals find themselves in a sort of limbo, often full of unprocessed emotions and unanswered questions. As there hasn’t been an adequate gap between one disaster and the next, these unprocessed emotions continue to pile up, layering on top of each other year-after-year, resulting in grief and unchecked pain. The result—developed personalities that put us at greater risk for aggression, depression, aggravation, distrust, and more. This situation not only harms ourselves but has an adverse effect on those around us. The Phoenix Nest Community Project in Chico, a program by 14

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Alex Kriz, Jesse Spallina, and Daniel Rieders M.D., aims to create a safe space to work through these emotions using ketamine, opening the door for introspection and healing.

Originally from Gainesville, Florida, Jesse moved to Washington D.C. after college and worked for W.W. Grainger in industrial supply. He quickly moved up, but found himself disconnected from the life he was living. He sold his belongings, cashed out from the company, and moved to California to try his hand at real estate investing.

“Everything changed when I moved to California.” Jesse said, “I began finding ways where I felt connected to nature and the community. I attended a dance church on Sunday mornings, where you could just go and dance for enjoyment. It was judgment free, and I always felt better after visiting.

I met a guy who was doing sound healing, and I checked it out. I immediately found my calling during that first experience and decided to make it my life’s work.”

During his time in Chico, Jesse met Alex Kriz, a name you likely recognize if you follow the magazine, as our Goddess of Grooming in the Women in Business issue and owner of All Cats & Dogs Pet Grooming. Alex had been through a great deal of trauma herself, suffering from the fallout of a sexual assault during her time in the military, and still doing her best to work through it. Citing the immense trauma experienced throughout the Northstate, they set out to form a healing studio to help residents process their emotions and recover. They enlisted the help of a mutual friend, Dr. Daniel Rieders, a triple board certified cardiologist from Palo Alto, who not only achieved success in the world of western medicine, but eastern medicine as well. Together, the three are looking to bring an unparalleled level of healing to Northern California using ketamine, a common pharmaceutical used at every hospital throughout the country.

“Ketamine is considered a medical necessity by the World Health Organization.” Alex said, “It was used as an anesthesia medicine during the 60s on the battlefields of the Vietnam War, and it is used in low dosages at hospitals to help ease pain. Over the years, doctors and therapists have found another use for it—at a dosage between painkiller and anesthetic, there’s this inbetween space. Patients are awake and fully relaxed, but in a state where they are able to unlock repressed memories and process trauma through profound experiences. It puts you out of your own way for an hour and creates an environment where the body is finally able to work its own healing magic.”

Dr. Rieders continued in agreement, “The Phoenix Nest Community Project is a passion project for all of us. We’ve all had different journeys, but found ourselves at the same place with the same calling at the same time. I’ve used ketamine for years to help patients both in treating pain and altering consciousness. In this modality, we administer a very low dosage of ketamine, sit next to the patient, and simply create the space they need to process things. Most recently, I’ve had patients who successfully dealt with depression from deep seated body image issues, simply by enjoying music after taking ketamine. The experience helped the patient realize their body was a necessary vehicle which allowed them to enjoy the music they were listening to. They came into their visit openly hating their body and left 45 minutes later with a brand new appreciation through self-discovery. It was truly a beautiful experience. Everyone has different challenges, but this continues to work time and again, almost regardless of the emotional trauma being treated. I’ve had countless similar experiences with patients suffering from PTSD, those who are having trouble coping with the loss of a loved one, and even those who are having trouble at work. The opportunities seem to be limitless.”

Jesse finished the point by saying, “We see this as creating a sacred space with clinical safety. The experience is kind of like a control-altdelete on the brain. When things get too intense and you can’t find a way out, this form of treatment allows you to break free from the confusion, disconnect for an hour, and see things from an outside perspective. Most of us are great at providing advice to friends, but seldom great at processing and working through what’s happening within ourselves. The moments created during these sessions allow patients to see a brighter side of life, and it’s been shown time and again to have a life-changing effect for those suffering from deep depression.”

Indeed, science does back the work being done with ketamine. A simple Google search will pull up a multitude of articles, published scientific studies, and personal accounts of individuals who have successfully dealt with depression and other diseases using the drug.

Even mainstream outlets like WebMD hail it as potentially being one of the greatest breakthroughs in treating severe depression in recent history. Though the treatment is new to Butte County, it has been available for quite some time at hundreds of clinics across the state.

“It is so much more than just a treatment; it’s a type of regenesis.”

Jesse concluded, “This creates a new foundation for people to work from. It’s been shown to create new neural pathways that allow your brain to start firing properly again, pushing serotonin through the system and building neuroplasticity so people can learn new behaviors that will allow them to maintain their newfound healing. Not only does it work on depression, but it’s been shown to help in active addiction with opiate addicts and removing suicidal ideation. Truly, it is an incredible opportunity to help those who need help most.”

Phoenix Nest Community Project will open its doors on June 1st at 1459 Humboldt Road, directly across from the police station in Chico.

For more information on the project and the incredible work being done by Jesse, Alex, and Dr. Daniel Rieders, visit www.PhoenixNestProject.com, or call (530) 855-0213 to schedule an appointment.

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After finishing optometry school, Dr. Sohal completed an additional year-and-a-half of residency at the VA in Fresno, California.

“The more I experienced on the side of optometry treating disease, the more I realized how small preventative measures could potentially save a person’s sight,” Dr. Sohal said. “Improving a person’s eyesight or returning it to them entirely seemed like the largest improvement I could deliver when it came to quality of life. Losing your sight is one of the most devastating things someone can experience, so I naturally gravitated more and more towards that side of optometry.”

Dr. Sohal returned to Yuba City in 2013 and began scouting local clinics. He quickly got his foot in the door and began working by filling in at local clinics around the area. It was a great starting point, but he wanted more permanence, so he dropped off his résumé at North Valley Eye Care in Chico.

He received an interview shortly thereafter, and was offered a job which he was more than glad to take. Now, with two private clinics and two rural clinics in the Yuba City and Marysville area, Dr. Sohal has become a leader in optometry in the North Valley.

dr. baljit sohal Dr. Baljit Sohal’s parents were farmers of peaches, prunes, and walnuts in Yuba City’s thriving agricultural community, and lending them a hand was his first real job. “I helped them on the farm from elementary school through my high school days,” Dr. Sohal remembered. “There was a lot of physical labor, and you learned a great deal of responsibility from a very young age. It sucked at the time, but looking back at it now, you realize how great of an experience it really was.” The lessons he learned in responsibility and commitment undoubtedly readied him for a career in medicine, the path he always knew he would pursue while growing up.

Dr. Sohal graduated from Yuba City High School and enrolled in UC Davis, where he studied biochemistry and molecular biology.

He took his time, changed majors, and searched for his perfect fit in the world of medicine, eventually finding it in optometry.

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“Everyone thinks optometry is just glasses,” Dr. Sohal laughed. “There’s so much more though in the way of diseases, and once you realize what optometry is truly about, you quickly realize how much you can help people.”

Dr. Sohal applied to Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago after graduating from UC Davis and was accepted. Excited to have an experience outside of California, he studied in the large metropolitan city for four years, initially like a fish out of water. “It definitely was not what I was used to coming from a farm,” Dr. Sohal recalled. “I didn’t know how to take the subway at all and was constantly worried about getting lost. I didn’t have GPS, map apps, or anything! My first year in the program, I had a Blackberry, and it didn’t do me much good. The cold there redefined my understanding of what cold was, and I was certainly ready to return to California.”

“You see so many different types of diseases working here,” Dr. Sohal said. “You also see the same people in and out of work because the community is so tightly knit.

You know the person, and you see familiar faces. It’s more rewarding because you know the people you’re helping. We see a lot of glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, along with a ton of dry eye and your basic myopia (nearsightedness). I tell all of my patients—if you’re experiencing any sort of ocular dysfunction, it’s far better to be safe now than sorry in the future. Get it checked out; don’t take your eyes for granted.

Regular office visits are well worth it, and preventative care makes all the difference.”

With kids of his own, Dr. Sohal is imparting the same wisdom and work ethic his parents imparted on him so many years ago. He hopes to raise another generation of thoughtful individuals who will go on to care for their communities just as he cares for his. If you are experiencing any eye issues, visit www.NorthValleyEyeCare.com and click the locations tab to find an office or clinic near you! You can also reach them by phone at (530) 891-1900.

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Nutrishop Chico DROPPING PANDEMIC POUNDS

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With summer finally here, and more revealing outfits making their debut, most of us are quickly realizing we didn’t do much over the spring to shed those pandemic pounds. Between lazily bingeing Netflix series after series, eating copious amounts of takeout, and finding solace in sweets, it would be a miracle to have not consumed twice the normal calories over the past 18 months, while also burning half the usual.

Add most gyms being closed or operating at limited capacity to the aforementioned list of poor life choices, and you have the perfect recipe for unchecked weight gain. “When it comes to weight, it can be far easier to take off than it was to originally put on.” Marc Wesley, of Nutrishop in Chico said, “Nutrition is 90% of the equation. If you know what you’re doing, you can help turn your body into a fat-burning machine by simply adjusting the vitamins and supplements you take.” Luckily, he and his wife, Shuree Wesley, know exactly how to do that.

every day. The difference became clear in a few short weeks, and just by supplying my body with what it needed to operate at its peak, I was able to start the healing process—body, mind, and soul.”

“Owning and running a nutrition store has been a dream of mine for years.” Shuree remembered, “I started studying to be a nutritionist before the Camp Fire, but losing our home and belongings put a pause on my progress. While working through the loss, I experienced marked depression, and I had to make a conscious effort to make a change and create a new path for myself.

I began focusing on my health and getting back into shape. I cut the junk out of my diet and focused on making sure my body received what it actually needed each and

“The experience has been absolutely amazing!” Marc said, “Each day we have community members visit in search of a healthier version of themselves, and we have the knowledge and products to help them on that journey. From protein powders to supplements, and fat burners to energy and mood enhancers, we have everything someone could need to jumpstart their health and fitness journey, allowing them to get the most out of every workout and achieve their goals faster.”

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Marc and Shuree took the journey together, committing to not only make their lives better, but also the lives of their family and employees at M&S Wesley Tree Service, their eponymous company which you’ve undoubtedly seen doing tree work throughout Butte County. They found that by encouraging both family and employees to join them on their health and fitness journey, they were creating a network of support and a means for everyone to better themselves.

The result—happier people with more energy and drive. When Chico’s Nutrishop store on Forest Avenue was listed for sale in May, they decided to buy it and bring their passion for nutrition to the rest of the community.

Indeed, Marc isn’t bluffing, as hundreds of items stock the store’s shelves, and they seem to know everything about each one.

If you’re looking for weight loss, check out Gamma Lean. Interested in building muscle?

Try the Hydrapro. Trouble falling asleep?

They’ve got a number of supplements for that too. Product-after-product, we went down the line before realizing a full explanation of each would keep us occupied for hours. Suffice to say, if you’re looking to lead a more balanced lifestyle, they have you covered. They also have the ability to analyze your progress with the Inbody machine, a full-body scanner that can provide a comprehensive picture of your body’s health. “It’s a great way to track the effects of the new life choices you make after committing to bettering your health and wellness.” Shuree said, “Changes within our bodies take place immediately, but can take a few weeks to begin showing themselves externally. This is where most people get frustrated and give up on their journey. Having feedback from a machine like this keeps people focused and on the path to achieving the results they seek.”

Marc and Shuree will be moving Nutrishop to Meriam Park this summer, expanding their inventory, and providing even more opportunities for the community to get healthy and maintain a better way of living.

In the meantime, you can visit them for all of your nutrition needs at 1141 Forest Avenue in Chico. Your body will thank you in ways you can’t imagine.

Made for more support

Fight cancer close to home with your local leaders in cancer care.

Sam Mazj, MD

Medical Oncology and Hematology

Kirsten Schwab, PA Medical Oncology

You were made for more. More advice. More comfort.

More guidance. That's why Adventist Health offers personalized cancer care to serve every need, from medical to physical to spiritual. We also bring you access to the most promising clinical trials from the UC Davis Health Cancer Care Network. It’s the best way to fight cancer without leaving anything you love.

Visit AdventistHealth.org/CancerCare or call 530-332-1042 to learn more.

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chico dermatology AND The spa next door When a little house that had been turned into a family medical practice at 774 East Avenue became available in 2013, Dermatology P.A. O. Jay On and his wife, Barbara, saw it as an opportunity to fulfill a vision years in the making. A practicing member of Chico’s dermatology community for 31 years, O. Jay had long dreamed of opening his own office, and the centrally located property allowed him to do just that, eventually growing into so much more than he initially envisioned.

Growing up in Yreka, O. Jay graduated from Chico State and, later, Stanford’s Physician Assistant program in 1989. He returned to Chico to practice with dermatologists, Dr. Schwartz and Dr. Richey, members of Chico Medical Group; he assisted Dr. James Woods in Pediatrics and Dr. Jimmie Roberts 20

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in Nephrology as well. Though he enjoyed working in the three separate practices, he found his passion in dermatology and decided to focus on it completely, taking a permanent position with Dr. Schwartz and never looked back. When Dr. Schwartz retired in 1997, O. Jay took over his practice alongside Dr. Richey, while also traveling to lecture at Stanford and with various pharmaceutical companies and dermatology groups. When Dr. Richey decided to retire, he took the opportunity to strike out on his own.

“Barbara and I opened Chico Dermatology’s original office in 2013.” O. Jay said, “We started the office in a smaller building, but knew we would eventually purchase the lot next door. When it became available, we bought it, designed a brand-new

complex, and built it from the ground up.” While O. Jay was designing the new office for Chico Dermatology, he found there was extra space, so he added a spa to provide complete skincare for his practice. As luck would have it, his longtime colleague’s daughter, Gwynne Schwartz, was an educator in the skincare industry. He brought her onboard and the rest, as they say, is history.

“I have been an educator for Gottschalk’s, Macy’s, and Bare Minerals.” Gwynne expressed, “I absolutely love bringing my knowledge and passion for skincare to our clients, and when O. Jay and I connected, I knew the position was the perfect fit for me!” Together, the two developed a fully patient-led experience aimed at increasing patients’ knowledge of skin

health, individualizing skincare plans and treatments to address their needs and concerns.

“The Advanced Clinical Spa is a natural extension of O. Jay’s practice, enabling him to offer whole skin care health.” Gwynne adds, “As his patients have questions or a need for a little extra help with acne, dryness, discoloration or aging skin, we are able to offer the benefits of the spa.” With two talented aestheticians, the spa offers HydraFacials, skin perfecting peels, and skincare education. The spa is a flagship location for Skinceuticals medical grade skincare whose vision is to “prevent, correct and protect” your skin. Skinceuticals is an innovator of antioxidants, developing the Duke parameter for the most efficacious use of Vitamin C. With multiple patents on ingredients, delivery systems and formulas, Skinceuticals is cutting-edge medical-grade skincare backed by science.

Naturally, all visitors are welcome and can schedule services and learn about products, à la carte, with or without a prior visit to the dermatology practice. You can book an individual service or there are wonderful 6-month and 12-month memberships for clients who want to see them on a regular basis. The membership runs $99/month and entitles you to one peel per month while offering a 10% savings on products and other cosmetic services. There are options to upgrade your service to a HydraFacial or Deluxe HydraFacial when desired.

Chico Dermatology also offers other cosmetic treatments including injectables, RF micro-needling, laser hair removal, IPL and Inmode Evolve for body remodeling, muscle toning, and cellulite treatments.

Barbara noted the importance of Chico Dermatology and its spa being a hometown and family-oriented business. “One of our daughters is my assistant and the other is one of our M.A.s.” Barbara said, “Everyone is here because they share a desire to help people in our community and provide them the best care possible.”

Visit Chico Dermatology and our Advanced Clinical Spa at 774 East Avenue in Chico, or call (530) 774-2650. You can also find them online at www.Chico-Dermatology.com

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Oroville it's about time If you’ve lived in Butte County long enough, Oroville has likely reserved a bit of your heart and mind for itself, though most memories contained therein probably involve recreation. After all, how could they not? Oroville is home to some of Northern California’s most beautiful outdoor gems— Table Mountain, Lake Oroville, the Forebay, the Afterbay, Phantom Falls, and so much more. If you were born and raised in this area, chances are you know exactly where those hidden “so much mores” exist. To top it off, Oroville is the gateway to beautiful hiking trails, scenic wonders like Feather Falls, and more recreational opportunities than most of us could possibly expect to experience in a lifetime. Truly, we are blessed to live here.

Though summers at the lake are a memory

for most locals, few could claim memories of Oroville’s nightlife or its food scene. After all, there wasn’t much of either to speak of, and most Butte County residents travel to Chico when looking a night out. Over the past few years, Oroville has elected to change that. With the investment of a handful of individuals, Oroville’s downtown scene is quickly becoming a bustling center for ambitious restaurant concepts serving delicious food, craft beverages, and plenty of entertainment. The rest of the city seems to be taking note too, as new restaurants, bars, and businesses seem to be popping up just about everywhere you look.

Indeed, it seems Oroville is growing and finally taking hold of the prediction we’ve all heard year-after-year, that it would be the next big thing. The rest of this issue

highlights some of the more notable players in Oroville’s progressive movement to expand and make use of all the area has to offer. We begin with three of the most noteworthy individuals, Brian Wong of Union Fork and Tong Fong Low, Chio Saelee of Nori Asian Kitchen & Sushi, and Chaz Gaddie of Coyote Cantina. These three restaurateurs are leading the charge to reinvigorate and revitalize Downtown Oroville, putting their chips on the table and encouraging other businesspeople to do the same. We hope you enjoy their stories and set aside a weekend to take another look at Oroville and the many new things it has to offer, alongside those we have grown fond of over all these years.

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getting up to speed—we would work until 1am, go to sleep, and be back first thing in the morning to make up for our lack of knowledge and experience. It felt good to learn something new and continually improve, but it took a good five years before I was able to go through the entire menu and business to see how we could make things even better. It wasn’t until 2002 that I really had a handle on what was going on!”

Tong Fong Low celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2012 after winning Best of Oroville year-after-year. They had effectively tripled the volume since their parents took over the business, and it was, under all measures, a runaway success.

The experience built the confidence they needed and opened the door to look at new ventures. They found one in Oroville’s old Miner’s Alley.

brian wong UNION patio bar & GRILL Starting a revolution is no easy task. We’d encourage you to confirm it by asking Brian Wong of Oroville’s Tong Fong Low and UNION Patio Bar & Grill restaurants, but it’s unlikely he’d reply. After all, the man has far too great a sense of duty, honor, and humility to take credit for such a thing. His wife Louisa? Same story. Luckily, what the two lack in ego, they more than make up for in instinct, drive, and an unfaltering vision of making Oroville one of Northern California’s premier destinations.

Brian moved to San Francisco in 1979 with the rest of his family, following in the footsteps of his grandfather who traveled to the United States three decades prior in search of a better life. By the time he arrived, his grandfather had been working at restaurants throughout San Francisco for over 30 years, and the family decided to join him. In 1987, they saw a restaurant for sale in Oroville, visited the town, and decided to buy it. They quickly turned the restaurant around and caught the attention of customers who frequented Tong Fong Low, Northern California’s oldest Chinese 24

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restaurant. When they were told the owners were retiring and looking for the right person to take it over, Brian’s dad connected with them and purchased the restaurant. They took over in 1988 and have been at the helm ever since.

Brian earned his degree in mechanical engineering from UC Davis and began working for FMC Corporation in San Jose.

After three years with the company, he enrolled at Santa Clara University to pursue his MBA, but as the years went by, he found himself worn down by being stuck in traffic.

He did some quick math and discovered that living and working in the Bay Area would equate to spending seven years of his entire life sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic. He remembered the pace of life he enjoyed in Butte County and decided to move back to Oroville in 1997.

“The beginning was very challenging.” Brian said, “I ran the restaurant with my sister, Sandy, and my wife, Louisa. There was a huge learning curve going from engineering to cooking. Louisa and I had many long days

“Michael Trolinder suggested we take over Miner’s Alley so it wouldn’t close and present another vacancy in Downtown Oroville.” Brian remembered, “I asked myself, why not? We knew how to operate a restaurant successfully, but we weren’t up-to-speed on running a restaurant with a bar and a different style of food. Louisa and I talked it over and came to the realization the only way we could truly revitalize Downtown Oroville was if people like us were all-in, so we decided to do just that.”

The two set out to build a business focused on joy, celebration, and unity, appropriately naming the new restaurant UNION Patio Bar & Grill. “Right after the Civil War, many businesses changed their name to include the word ‘union’.” Brian said, “With everything going on in the country, I wanted a name that spoke to what I felt was needed, and unity was it. We wanted everyone to feel connected, and to accomplish that, we made sure the entire restaurant felt connected—both inside and out. Everything is big—the windows, the doors, and it’s all open so you never feel like you’re missing out on any part of the experience. We wanted to give visitors the opportunity to not only feel comfortable, but like they were being whisked away to a special place far away. Louisa has been in charge of creating that atmosphere, and the patio proves she knows what she’s doing!”

Creating a flawless experience takes far more than just building a beautiful

restaurant though, it requires the complete buy-in of everyone working there as well.

To that end, Brian and Louisa went in search of the perfect individuals to fill various roles throughout the restaurant. Executive Chef Matt Ritchie, previously of 5th Street Steakhouse in Chico, heads up the kitchen.

As a lover of the culinary arts, his skill was instrumental in building the perfect menu for UNION and celebrating flavor with every dish his team creates. Bar manager Jacob Rust, previously of Farwood Bar & Grill in Orland, ensures the celebration never ends with a list of delicious signature cocktails and a team of bartenders who welcome a challenge from customers. Finally, Jordan Vogel, previously of Tin Roof Bakery in Chico, brings everything together as UNION’s general manager, not only tasked with managing staff but coordinating talent as well.

“Performance is a big part of celebration.”

Brian smiled, “The food has to be art, the drinks have to be art, and you have to enjoy them with art. The whole thing is a performance, and we book incredible performers to accompany the dining experience.” Acts like Joe Craven, Max Minardi, Doug and the Crawlers, and many more have already graced the stage at UNION, and the list of performances to come is just as impressive.

“There is no doubt in my mind that Oroville is about to boom!” Brian said, “Yes, we have a hand in getting things started, but it’s a group effort. There are so many exciting new things coming to Downtown Oroville, like Chaz’s new restaurant, Coyote Cantina, and Chio’s revitalization of Copa de Oro for his next evolution of Nori. Each and every one of these businesses creates a sense of joy and community here; in the end, it’s this feeling that will keep people coming back and entrepreneurs looking to start something new here. Where UNION is concerned, our staff makes all the difference—from the dish pit to management, the entire team works in harmony, and it’s allowed us to do what we’re doing right now.”

UNION Patio Bar & Grill has set a new standard in Oroville, and we look forward to seeing what their example inspires. Visit them at 2053 Montgomery Street in Oroville and see why Downtown Oroville is earning a sparkling new reputation.

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ambitious projects we’ve recently seen in Butte County—converting the 15,000 square foot building that was once home to Copa de Oro into Nori’s new home. With three levels, the building is anything but short of space and opportunities. The first level will be home to a lounge, full bar, stage, and Asian fusion restaurant with the largest sushi bar in Butte County. The second level boasts a gigantic 5,000 square foot banquet facility with yet another stage and bar of its own. Finally, the third level will provide an outdoor patio dining space and the restaurant’s administrative offices.

CHIO SAELEE NORI Asian Kitchen & SUshi Chio grew up in Oakland but moved to Oroville in 2004 during his sophomore year of high school. His parents were in search of a change of pace from the Bay Area, and they found it alongside his mother’s family who had lived in the Oroville area since the 80s. He graduated from high school and enrolled at Chico State, but after his first year realized his true passion was in the culinary arts. He trained at The Kitchen Academy in Sacramento, a Le Cordon Bleu culinary school, and returned to Butte County to put his skill and knowledge to work.

I knew just about everything there was to know about the building. I was working with a small budget, so I got in and quickly flipped the space into an Asian fusion restaurant. I named it Nori and made as few changes as I possibly could, while promising myself I would do more as funds allowed.

We slowly made those changes, eventually adding sushi a year-and-a-half later as there wasn’t another true sushi restaurant in the area. It’s now become what we’re known for, and we’re proud to offer a good variety of options that you’re unlikely to find elsewhere in Oroville.”

During the years that followed, Chio worked his way through a number of the larger kitchens in our area including Gold Country Casino and opening the brewery at Feather Falls Casino. After years of fast-paced, highdemand cooking, he decided on a change of pace himself, taking on the position of chef at Bird Street Cafe in Downtown Oroville. He remained there for five years, and made one final move to Downtown Chico’s Momona, as part of the restaurant’s original staff. Less than a year later, an opportunity arose to take over the Bird Street location and open his own restaurant.

Daring as he is, he jumped at the chance.

Good seafood in our neck of the woods is difficult enough to find as it is, but Chio has invested heavily in bringing the best quality to our nook of the Northstate. Sure, he carries the usual suspects—lobster, dungeness crab, ahi, and shrimp—but he also takes the time to source more exotic options, often found in Nori’s specials, that set it apart from other locations nearby. “We keep the menu really small.” Chio said, “It gives us the opportunity to rotate items often, which keeps everything new and fresh. The size of our kitchen has kept us pretty limited, but I intend for that to change very soon.”

“I loved working at Momona, but I had always wanted to open my own restaurant.”

Chio said, “The Bird Street location was perfect, and having worked there for years, 26

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Intention is coming to fruition as Chio is taking on one of the more

“We’re building the ground level first and working our way up!” Chio said, “You talk with guys like Chaz and Brian, and they get you fired up. I figured I’d follow along and add to the splash they’re making in Downtown Oroville. I’ve always seen the potential here—I’ve been working downtown for 11 years now, and I always make a point of inviting friends to Oroville so I can show them all that we have to brag about. We’re building a real community here and creating a vibe that I know everyone is going to love. I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of it!”

Nori’s new location will open in a few short months, featuring a brand new menu with a host of items you’d surely have trouble finding elsewhere. In the meantime, you can enjoy Chef Chio’s culinary skills and delicious menu at 2025 Bird Street in Oroville. Get there early to secure a table— they fill up fast!

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something more permanent, so he picked up a job as a costumed server playing the role of The Lone Ranger at the once famous Bobby McGees. While waiting on a table one night, a customer suggested Chaz should consider opening a restaurant of his own. He told the customer it was funny he should say that, as he had just looked at a restaurant in Downtown Tucson which he thought would be a good opportunity.

As the two got to know each other, Chaz found the customer was a doctor from his hometown of Yuba City; he was also a friend and business partner of someone who originally wanted to invest in his first restaurant, Le Café Blanc.

The doctor agreed to give Chaz the investment capital to open the restaurant, so Chaz left Bobby McGees and opened Chaz’s Bistro, an American Bar & Grill in Downtown Tucson, where he earned a federal grant for the revitalization of Downtown Tucson.

chaz gaddie coyote cantina & cocina Chaz Gaddie started in the restaurant industry, as many do, washing dishes. Over the years, he worked his way up, filling the positions of busboy, server, bar-back, line cook, assistant manager, manager, area director, and finally regional director. He is, what they refer to in the industry, as a truly “ground up” restaurateur. He has an unusual blend of book smarts, street smarts, and real world restaurant experience that, when mixed with his larger-than-life stature, turn him into a venerable force of nature. With such a combination of traits, one might wonder why he would even consider opening a restaurant in Downtown Oroville during the COVID crisis, but as he has proved time and again, there’s more to every situation than meets the eye.

Though Chaz got his start in the restaurant industry washing dishes, it wasn’t until he took a chef’s training course in high school that he found his true calling. During his 28

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time in the program, he received a number of scholarships and eventually enrolled in the Hotel & Restaurant Management Program at Diablo Valley College in the Bay Area. For one of his class projects, he needed to open a theoretical restaurant and create a menu to present to the class. After his presentation, his teacher suggested he try to put together the finances to open the restaurant.

At the age of 19, Chaz did just that. He left school, raised the money from a couple investors, and opened a small French bistro named Le Café Blanc in The Prindiville House—a historic Victorian Mansion in Downtown Marysville. He ran the restaurant for just shy of one year and sold it when he was 20.

When escrow closed on the business, he took a road-trip and stopped in Tucson to visit his aunt and uncle. The visit turned into

Wanting more, Chaz returned to college and graduated cum laude with a degree in Hotel Restaurant Management. He traveled abroad and worked in Frankfurt, Germany, where he oversaw the Community Operations Division for the Department of the Army Officer’s Clubs, NCO clubs, golf courses, bowling centers, and slot machine program. He also worked for the DOA in Hawaii, overseeing business operations, budgeting, and policy and procedures in Hawaii, Japan, Alaska, and Korea.

When he returned to the mainland, he moved to Southern California and launched Italian restaurant concepts Fritto Misto in Santa Monica, Café Misto in Pacific Palisades, and Cappiello in West Los Angeles. He tried his hand at Asian fusion with Bamboo Cafe & Lounge, and finally settled on south of the border flavors with Coyote Cantina in Redondo Beach.

Coyote Cantina served Mexican and Southwestern cuisine, had an extensive tequila selection, and was a huge success.

After 5 years, Chaz decided to sell it to a friend and move on to his next venture.

While the business was in escrow, Chaz’s father was diagnosed with cancer during a routine check-up. After the escrow closed, Chaz moved back to Yuba City to be his primary caretaker for a year until he passed away.

“It was a difficult experience.” Chaz said, “Truly, there are few jobs more difficult than being someone’s caretaker. After my father passed, away I had to separate from the stress of dealing with his illness and passing. I knew I had to reground, regroup and reconnect with myself. I had always wanted to do a round-the-world trip and discovered a company in Thailand that specialized in them, so I decided to start my trip there. A friend who knew about my plans suggested that if I was going to Thailand I should first stop in Bali. He also had a friend there who I could stay with when I arrived.”

Chaz did just that, but his planned stopover in Bali quickly ended up lasting seven years.

He said, “While I never ended up doing the round-the-world trip, I had some incredible experiences during my travels through Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, India, Timor Leste, Java, Singapore, and many other special places”.

While he was in Bali, Chaz began buying artifacts, art, wood and stone carvings, and other things of interest. When he moved back to the United States, he brought back a lot of what he had purchased and stored it in Los Angeles.

“I knew I wanted to leave Los Angeles and move to a smaller town.” Chaz laughed, “I began searching Google using phrases like ‘cool old historical building in a funky town.’

In many of the towns I was looking at, it was cheaper to buy a building than pay rent to store my stuff in Los Angeles. On one of my searches, I came across the building I now live in. I knew of Oroville, as I had grown up in Yuba City. I drove up the day after I saw it, made an offer the next day, and was in escrow a few days later. It took a couple years to renovate the building, but as I stayed, Oroville continued to grow on me. I decided it was somewhere I wanted to stay, so I began looking for business opportunities in the area.”

Chaz found the exact opportunity he was looking for when he leased 1975 Montgomery Street in Downtown Oroville— previously home to The Exchange. In addition, he leased the corner of the same building, its 5,000 square foot basement, a courtyard out back, and an area to expand the kitchen. It is a spectacular space with 14foot ceilings, 12-foot arched metal windows,

and more importantly, incredible local history. “It is crazy to think that this building was built before the Civil War.” Chaz mused, “To have this kind of a palette to work with for a restaurant is a very rare opportunity, and it inspires me to take things to the next level to do that history justice with the respect it deserves.”

His business will open in several phases— the first taking place in the old Exchange space. Appropriately named Coyote Cantina & Cocina, the restaurant will be a take on a modern taqueria, featuring small Southwest plates like tacos, quesadillas, and salads, alongside margaritas and a full bar. “I’m still trying to decide what to do with the ground floor space on the corner.” Chaz said, “It’ll either be an extension of Coyote Cantina & Cocina, with an expanded menu similar to what I had in Redondo Beach, or I may go in a completely different direction and revive one of my Italian concepts from Los Angeles. My vision for the basement is to turn it into something resembling a speakeasy. It would be the perfect fit for this building.”

Though Chaz is incredibly accomplished in his own right, he is the first to offer respect for others in his industry. He lauded the contributions of Brian, Sandy, and Louisa Wong who have run Tong Fong Low for decades and are actively investing in the downtown area while enjoying tremendous success with their new restaurant concept, UNION, across the street. He also complemented fellow restaurateur, Chio Saelee, who is reopening the historic Copa de Oro building and turning it into the next evolution of his Asian fusion restaurant, Nori.

Chaz is putting the finishing touches on phase one of his build-out in the old Exchange space and plans to open the doors to Coyote within the next month.

Keep an eye out for its grand opening date, and more information on their social media sites which will be launching soon. Follow Instagram at @coyoteoroville and their website at coyoteoroville.com.

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WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

marcozzi Jewelers it's a family affair Do yourself a favor—visit Marcozzi Jewelers web page, click the menu, and go to “About.” When the page loads, scroll all the way to the bottom. There, you will find a picture of Rudolph F. Marcozzi, the company’s founder. Take a close look, and you can see the welcoming smile—the twinkle in his eyes that tells you he’s itching to tell you an anecdote or a funny joke, or that he just wants to shake your hand and welcome you to the shop. Rudy Marcozzi was full of life.

After serving in WWII, Rudy Sr. attended a jewelry trade school on the East Coast. In 1949, he received a call to come to Oroville and work for Conners Jewelers. Rudy and his wife, Della, came out and settled in. Rudy spent half the day working with jewelry and the other half working for an optometrist grinding lenses for glasses. The Marcozzis started their own business in the historic State Theatre Building—now more than 70 years ago—and in 1978, built the existing store on Myers Street in Oroville.

According to Rudy Marcozzi, Jr., his father instilled many positive traits in his children and employees, one of the most important being to, “Treat every customer who comes in the same.” As Rudy added, “Treat people like you would like to be treated.” Rhonda, 30

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Rudy Jr.’s sister added, “Every employee here likes to help the customers, whether it be a repair, a family heirloom or finding that special gift”. Customers, many who’ve been doing business at Marcozzi for years, will tell you about the honesty and integrity of the jewelry store. Those traits are on display by the entire staff.

Marcozzi Jewelers is definitely a family affair, and when you look at the number of years the team has worked together, it’s obvious they are happy with their profession and the business. Rudy, Jr. began working there at fifteen years old, over fifty years ago. Rhonda Ferland, Rudy’s sister, has been employed as the accountant—a role she inherited from their mom—for over forty years. Her husband, Mike Ferland, has been employed since 1976 and was mentored

by Rudy Sr. who taught him the tools of the trade including diamond setting, repairs, and engraving. Michele Delliquadri, who manages the inventory and works with customers one-on-one, has been there 37 years. According to Rhonda, “Michele is so attuned to each customer and finds exactly what they need.” Wayne Teague, the “rookie” of the staff at 17 years, has worked as a bench jeweler, performing repairs, laser welding, and polishing. Rudy’s wife Stephanie, accompanies him to jewelry

shows, bringing back new and unusual pieces of jewelry to complement the store inventory.

The list of family members who’ve been employed by Marcozzi Jewelers doesn’t stop there. Children, nieces, and nephews have worked the counter over the years, providing the younger workers with muchneeded job experience to prepare them for future ventures. It’s definitely been a “family affair.

If you’ve never been to Marcozzi Jewelers, head over to Oroville and check out the store at 1511 Myers Street. It’s absolutely beautiful. Besides the amazing jewelry cases and displays, the natural wood and tan brick walls gives you a feeling of warmth and welcome. A unique feature can be found in the arched windows and an entryway that beckons you in. Once inside, you can look on the left wall and see the original glass and wood door from the State Theatre store, a very cool and meaningful family treasure.

While in Oroville, take a walking tour of the downtown area. You can’t help but notice the revitalized businesses, the new businesses, and the historic and refurbished State Theatre and Oroville Inn.

WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

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WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

apex electrical solar's higher ground The three managers who run Apex Electrical are proud members of “The Two Daughters Club,” a title that needs no explanation.

Those girls will grow up with solar energy being as common and omnipresent as indoor plumbing and air conditioning.

Utilizing solar energy is their fathers’ goal, and Apex Electrical provides it and more.

Apex Electrical is a division of Apex Enterprises Inc. who started as a lumber mill specializing in cedar products in 2015. Aside from lumber and electrical divisions, Apex also has an environmental services division that came into being in 2018 as a result of the Camp Fire.

Heading up Apex Electrical are Ben Garcia, Caleb Miller, and Alex Draper. Together, they bring over 30 years combined electrical contracting experience to the business.

Ben came from the Sacramento area to attend college in Chico. Alex ended up in Chico by way of Concow, and Caleb is an Oroville native. They met while attending Bidwell Presbyterian Church, and after years of being friends while working for various electrical contractors, they eventually decided to combine their experience and form Apex Electrical. Their services include solar as well as full electrical installations for residential, agricultural, and businesses 32

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in the North Valley area. Their goal is to provide a personalized service tailored to the needs of each customer.

Solar systems must be appropriately sized for each installation—too big, and you could be wasting unused power; too small, and you might end up with the dreaded “trueup” at the end of the solar billing cycle.

A true-up is a statement PG&E sends the consumer at the end of each year-long solar billing cycle. If you have overused your electric energy during that billing period, you will have to reconcile the overuse by paying a lump sum to PG&E. A true-up bill could be due to a solar system that is too small and can’t keep up with the demand.

Oftentimes, according to Ben Garica, a true-up begins to accumulate due to “the woo-hoo! factor.” A natural reaction when someone, excited for cheaper electric rates provided by their solar, increases their electrical usage past what the solar system can provide. “You really can go wild with the woo-hoo factor if you’re not careful,” said Ben. “We can help you learn how to understand the monthly usage summaries in order to lower or eliminate your future bill reconciliation.”

“Our goal is to never recommend a solution that is not in the best needs of the

customer,” said Caleb. “We operate with transparency when designing the system so customers can understand the benefits and the limitations of their solar system.”

Added Alex, “Utilizing solar can makes life more comfortable without worrying about the cost” A key to Apex Electrical is their local availability. They are nearby in case an issue arises but problems don’t often occur. “We offer the best and latest technology,” said Ben. “That ensures the optimal system is installed.”

One myth Apex wants to dispel was the cost of installing solar. Many people see the cost as astronomical, but it’s simply not true. In reality, a solar system that covers all of your electrical needs will cost less than a monthly PG&E payment and low cost financing plans are available. Because you get instant savings on the first utility bill after installation, the system eventually pays for itself. Just remember to avoid that “woohoo!” factor after seeing the great savings.

You can contact Apex Electrical by calling (530) 693-4513, emailing info@apexelectrical.net, or dropping by their office at 1638 Huntoon Street in Oroville.

WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

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Century21 Select OROVILLE When Dan Jacuzzi purchased his father’s Yuba City real estate company in 1972, it was a boutique office—home to just 8 agents. Over the years, his instinct allowed him to build, merge, and acquire new offices from Yuba City up through the North Valley, into Nevada, and around Lake Tahoe, eventually creating a real estate empire known as Select Group Real Estate. This summer, Dan adds his 36th office to the organization with Century 21 Select Group in Oroville, and with it, extends the company’s reach into an area they’ve long been interested in servicing.

the organization since 2006 and has helped grow its presence and visibility throughout the Northstate. “Between the Oroville Dam failing, the fires, and everything else that’s happened in the past few years, our communities really came together as one.

Century 21’s commercial team has been working in Oroville a lot as people have begun taking notice of the jewel that it really is. It has changed considerably over the past few years, and is just as vibrant and viable as anywhere else. In fact, many homebuyers are moving to Oroville in search of prices they can’t find in Chico any longer.”

“Dan has put all these offices together to service the small underserved markets,” Doug Love, general manager of Century 21 Chico said. “The biggest market in the organization has been Chico, even though it’s been the most removed from the hub of other Select Group offices. He purchased it in 1997, and I’ve had the pleasure of working with him for 25 years. Through the Chico office, we’ve serviced a wide area, but Paradise and Oroville were always on their own system, and each city was resistant to the other due to different MLS systems.

When the Camp Fire happened, it brought everyone together, and we all fell in love with each other. We all spent time enjoying each other’s cities, so when the opportunity arose to work together, we jumped at it.”

Doug continued, “Bringing Oroville into the fold with a new office really came together like a serendipitous miracle. There was an off-market property available that was brought to our attention by Chaz Gaddie, who is soon opening Downtown Oroville’s newest restaurant, Coyote Cantina. The office is perfectly located right next door to Oroville’s most popular restaurant, Union, on Montgomery Street. Needless to say, we’ll be having a lot of lunch meetings!

The office is going to have a star-studded list of REALTORs as well with names that have long been at the top of their game throughout Chico and Oroville, including: Tara Iorg Atteberry, Debbie Capshaw, TJ Jensen, Debbie Potestio, Rhonda Mah, Sandy Hufford, and Chaz Gaddie. Some of our current realtors in Chico live in Oroville and serve the area as well. Alongside our commercial team, the office will provide 20

Branch leader and broker associate, Shelinda Bryant, agrees. She’s been with 34

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REALTORs to service Oroville’s residential and commercial needs.”

As this issue of Upgraded Living no doubt illustrates, there’s plenty of reason for interest in the Oroville area. Beyond the expanded area for buying and selling, there’s a considerable amount of growth happening throughout the city, and a very progressive mindset in helping new businesses succeed. The double lane highway through Marysville will soon be complete, connecting Lincoln and Roseville, and many Paradise residents are not only moving to the area, but bringing their businesses with them as well.

“Since I can remember, I’ve been hearing people talk about Oroville being the next big thing.” Doug exclaimed, “It’s finally happening! You have this incredible amount of money being poured into new restaurants by people like Brian, Chaz, and Chio, who are revitalizing Downtown Oroville. Then, you have the lake, the forebay, the afterbay, Table Mountain, and more recreation opportunities than you could ever hope for.

Oroville is making a comeback in a big way, and we’re really excited to be a part of it!

More importantly, everyone is conscious of what’s happening; they’re in sync and supporting each other. It’s made a big difference.”

Perfectly suited to service the Oroville area, Dan’s newest office is ready to help take things to the next level. Visit them at 2061 Montgomery Street or call (530) 712-2070. They’d be glad to show you what makes Oroville so special.

CONCERTS IN THE PARK Friday Night Events June 18th - August 13th Local Vendors Series Sponsor: 4:00PM - 8:00PM Live Music 6:30PM- 8:00PM Riverbend Park Oroville

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“I’ve known him since he was a little boy,” says Karen, a fellow Realtor. “He mowed my mother’s lawn when he was 9 or 10 years old, he’s that kind of guy. Always industrious and hard-working. He’s also honest and kind, one of the greatest people I know.”

Karen encouraged TJ to get his Real Estate license, which he did seven years ago. “I knew he would be good in Real Estate, because he loves helping people,” she said.

“He had already owned three businesses, and donated time and money to civic affairs on boards and committees, for years.”

TJ owned and operated Mugshots Café on Montgomery Street for 11 years, as well as TJ’s Deli and the Copa de Oro. He has served on the Feather River Recreation and Parks District, elected by public vote, serving as chairperson. He has also served on the YMCA Board of Directors and served as Vice President and President of the Oroville Chamber of Commerce.

REALTOR OF THE YEAR TJ JENSEN A group of my fellow Realtors and I were eating lunch on a recent sunny day in the fresh air on the outside patio at The Union restaurant in downtown Oroville. One of our group, TJ Jensen of Century 21 Select, didn’t know it yet, but had been voted Realtor of the Year by the Oroville Association of Realtors. The Executive Officer of the Oroville Association, along with a few Board of Directors members arrived on the scene and made a surprise attack on TJ, presenting him with the Realtor of the Year award.

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TJ was truly shocked, surprised, and honored. We all congratulated him and honored him as well. We of the lunch group had been part of the set-up, getting him positioned at the lunch meeting so he could be nailed with the award.

We were not surprised TJ was given the award, because we know him as a standout person who works hard in this business of Real Estate. But some of us at the lunch have spent most of our careers in the Chico market, and had not spent much time with

Debbie C., TJ’s recent Broker, said, “TJ’s knowledge is amazing, and he is completely honest. He knows the area and he knows the people. He goes the extra mile for his clients. He also goes the extra mile for people outside of his business. He has been right there after the fires and during Covid, getting people connected with the resources they need during a disaster.”

Debbie P., Realtor and friend said, “He’s a totally ‘get it done’ person. He tackles things nobody else would even attempt. And he always gets it done! He’s also a team player and is awesome to work with. A collaborator.

He is the perfect Realtor!”

Debbie C. added, “TJ is a sweetheart, and he has the sweetest dog, Deli. If you know TJ, you know Deli!”

You can visit TJ Jensen and maybe his dog, Deli, at his new office at 2061 Montgomery Street, next to The Union restaurant in downtown Oroville.

WRITTEN BY DOUG LOVE

TJ until lately, having joined forces with him in a new Oroville Office with Century 21 Select. Now we know him better and understand how special he really is.

WRITTEN BY DOUG LOVE

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LOVE BUILDS A HOME FOR BECKY PORTLOCK Becky Portlock has one of those stories that simply makes your heart sink, and sadly, it isn’t one that’s all too uncommon up on The Ridge. She moved to Paradise in 1954, and has remained there ever since, raising a beautiful family and deeply rooting herself within the community. At the beginning of 2018, Becky took her life savings and invested in a new home, purchasing the property outright in cash, excited to never again have to make a rent or mortgage payment. As would be the case for just about anyone, the purchase was a major accomplishment and the culmination of a life’s work—freeing her from a form of debt many struggle with month-aftermonth. Unfortunately, the celebration was short-lived, as her home was consumed by the Camp Fire seven short months later.

To make matters worse, Becky had not purchased homeowners insurance—an oversight made by many who purchase homes with cash, as it isn’t required like it would be with a regular home loan. “It was the first home I purchased.” Becky said, “I lived in Paradise my whole life, and I never expected this would happen.”

Left with nearly nothing, Becky relied upon FEMA for assistance, eventually moving 38

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into a travel trailer on the property where her home once stood. She has lived in that travel trailer since then, nearly two-and-onehalf years since her home burned in the fire. Throughout the experience, Becky has remained hopeful, believing her luck would turn around. As most victims of the Camp Fire are sure to agree, it’s been a long road.

Thanks to the team at Love Builds, her luck is quickly turning around.

“We were so moved by Becky’s story.” Love Builds’ Executive Director Joelle Chinnock sighed, “You have this incredible woman who has worked so hard for so long to purchase a home, and then it disappeared in an instant. Her humility and patience throughout the entire experience was absolutely incredible, and we felt honored to have the opportunity to help her.”

Thanks to the combined efforts of a number of different organizations and individuals— including the Paradise Adventist Church, North Valley Community Foundation, Maranatha Volunteers International, and Mark Balken Construction—Becky will soon have a brand new home at no cost.

“Becky’s daughter reached out, and I took

her on as a client in January.” Becky’s case manager, Miranda Comfort said, “Love Builds was just starting, so I signed her up.

Mark met Becky and I at her property and her situation checked all the boxes. She was the perfect candidate for their project.”

“We just broke ground two weeks ago, and we honestly couldn’t be more excited!” Love Builds’ Director of Construction Mark Balken said, “The partnerships we’ve been able to make in such a short period of time have been absolutely astounding. Knowing we’re making a positive impact in the community and helping Becky find a sense of normalcy once again has been all the fuel we needed to keep pushing forward.”

With construction underway, Mark and Joelle expect Becky’s home to be complete by this coming November, and though her story has been one of unending trial and tribulation since the fire, we’re glad to know it will come to a happy end.

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) 520-0000.

"Effie is far and above the best agent we have ever dealt with. Recently, we had to use someone in another town, and the difference was so apparent. She really misses nothing and stays on top of the process the whole way. She never drops the ball and makes sure you are covered and protected. We have worked with her on various properties over the years and her professionalism always remains the same. I always recommend her to everyone no matter the $$ amount involved. She will represent you well, no matter that amount, big or small." -Sondra Kreuger, Chico

Open concept living area with gas fireplace and beautiful newer flooring. This home boasts a gourmet kitchen, upgraded granite counter tops, gas stove, gas oven with warmer drawer, dishwasher and refrigerator, a gorgeous yard with a dining patio, crushed granite path way, fire pit, and so much more!

Bed: 3.0 Bath: 2.0 SqFt: 1,432 Price: $389,000

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!

Bed: 3.0 Bath: 3.0 SqFt: 2,319 Price: $875,000

This adorable charmer is just blocks away from Enloe Hospital, CSUC, and downtown. Despite all its antiquity, this charmer boasts dual pane windows, tile counters, indoor laundry, and city services. The yard is beautiful with its mature towering trees and provides ample space for gardening, a pool, or just throwing a large out door party. Call to see it today!

Bed: 2.0 Bath: 1.0 SqFt: 915 Price: $339,000

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Sweet Spot Oroville is a sweet spot for me. In my real estate career, my main focus has been the Chico area, but my life has been enriched by the fine people and places of Oroville.

My first trip through Oroville was back in 1971, illegally riding inside the open boxcar of a freight train. A couple of buddies and I from Feather River Junior College hopped the train in Quincy, rode it down the Feather River Canyon along the Feather River, hopped off in Oroville, got chased around by a railroad guard with a bullhorn, and hopped a return freight back to Quincy.

On the return hop, we clung to the outside catwalk grid on top of a tanker car, so we took the full face-load of diesel exhaust from the forward engines of that train the whole 80-mile ride back up the canyon. The tunnels, and there are some long tunnels, really drove that smoke into our pores and follicles. I’m still picking that black grit out of my teeth and hair, and my skin is still a shade darker.

My next trip through Oroville was fifteen years later, my first year in real estate, with a buyer client, a retiring professor from the Bay Area.

“Chico’s too hoity-toity,” said my client, Ron. He knew Oroville from visiting family there as a kid and told great stories of fishing, hiking, and camping around Feather Falls, Table Mountain, Berry Creek, Brush Creek, Forbestown, and up into La Porte. He took me to a family-owned tavern in Downtown Oroville. He swapped stories with the locals.

“This is a sweet spot right here,” said Ron, “but there’s gold in them thar hills!”

Ron and I covered a lot of territory over a couple of weeks until he found his sweet spot in the hills of Berry Creek, off the grid.

“I can always find the bright lights of town, but I don’t have to live with ‘em,” said Ron. Some ten years later, I was on jury duty for a trial at the County Courthouse in Oroville.

On a break, I went to Houser’s Music on Bird Street in Downtown Oroville. My old friend, Trudi, had told me about this guy Dave Houser, owner of Houser’s Music, who gave her guitar lessons and plays music around town.

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“He likes the same kind of good ol’ music you do,” said Trudi.

Houser’s Music had, and still does have, racks of fine guitars, music rentals, sound equipment galore, all things music, in a down-home vintage brick building on a nice stretch of downtown. I met Dave, we wound up playing guitars in the music room, found we were musical soulmates, and he drafted me to play with him at Shakey’s Pizza on Friday nights with his band.

Since that meeting twenty-five years ago, my playing music with Dave Houser and friends, in and around Oroville, has clued me into the sweet spot Oroville is. Oroville has more events and festivities than any town around, and the community feels like a community.

Now, with The Union restaurant on Montgomery Street totally revamped with excellent dining inside and out—and a great music venue—along with Mugshots Café across the street, the Coyote Cantina soon to open across the side street, The Purple Line Winery, Vibe Grill and Pub nearby on Safford Street, and the restored State Theater, Downtown Oroville on a given evening feels like Nevada City, already established as a destination Gold Rush town.

In the real estate world, Oroville is now more like an extension of Chico rather than the estranged version of days gone by.

Buyers are moving in, both for residential homes and commercial property, and the town is bustling. The surrounding lakes, streams, rivers, and open space leave lots of room for getting out of town, so whether looking for the bright lights of town or some gold in them hills, Oroville is a sweet spot.

Doug Love is Sales Manager at Century 21 in Chico. Email dougwlove@gmail.com. Call or text 530-680-0817.

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THE NEXT GENERATION OF CARPETS GALORE It is often said many of the most successful businesses are ones where the owner started at the ground floor and worked their way up. The saying has proved true for Ron Scott, owner of Carpets Galore in Oroville, who quite literally started on his knees, installing flooring throughout Northern California, before owning his own flooring business. His experience at every level of the business has provided perspectives from every angle, and it has been through these perspectives that he’s created one of the more successful businesses in Butte County.

An Oroville native, Ron started his career as a laborer, installing carpets for Dick Page, owner of Carpets Galore in Marysville.

After years of work, the pressure on his knees took their toll, requiring surgery and ending his time as an installer. He discussed the situation with Dick, and the two partnered in opening an Oroville location which Ron would operate. He opened the small 1,000-square-foot store as its primary salesperson with Al Talburt and quickly learned the ins and outs of managing the business and its small staff. By January 1999, Carpets Galore Oroville was booming; he bought out Dick’s share of the business, purchased the company’s current 44

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7,000 square foot building at 1965 Mitchell Avenue, and set out to make it his own.

Over the years, Carpets Galore has grown by leaps and bounds, making nearly every type of flooring accessible to North Valley residents. “Basically, we do everything other than ceramic tile.” Ron said, “We stock laminate, LVT, carpet, carpet tiles, and vinyl.”

Their 7,000 square foot showroom and warehouse are home to over 100 rolls of carpet remnants and pallets stacked with a wide variety of LVT. They also stock several rolls of residential and commercial vinyl, and they are adding an additional 2,500 square foot warehouse to double the amount of inventory they have on hand.

Carpets Galore carries very large carpet remnants which are able to cover three or four rooms with the same color, and they’re able to offer them at 50% off. Additional discounts can be found in their cash & carry option, where customers can save even more by buying flooring and taking it home to install themselves.

When it comes to installation, Ron has assembled a team of fully licensed and bonded installers. Further, every estimate

is created by someone who was a former installer, ensuring the work is done efficiently and right the first time.

Ron is quick to note that the company’s success couldn’t have materialized without the continued and consistent support of their local community for the last 30 years.

He and his team have responded in kind by providing free services to seniors and people with disabilities, moving furniture during installation that would normally come at significant cost.

Ron’s son, Ronny Jr., has been in the trade for over 17 years, and has learned the ins and outs of the business. Avelina Ramirez has been operating with the business alongside Ron and Ronny for the past seven years, starting out as a secretary and working herself up to reading blueprints and being able to bid any job, big or small. Ron plans on having them continue the legacy of quality and excellent customer service for years to come.

Locally owned and operated for over three decades, Carpets Galore is the go-to for flooring in the Oroville area. Visit them at 1965 Mitchell Avenue.

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SAL RODRIGUEZ The RENAISSANCE MAN Calling Sal Rodriguez a triple threat would be an understatement. In fact, he has proved himself in essentially every business he’s ever set his mind to, and his list of successes have certainly racked up.

From landscaping to real estate, and cattle ranching to law enforcement, Sal has made a name for himself as a true renaissance man, and his reach has grown exponentially from his start in Oroville, California to extend across the entire Northstate.

Born to a farming family, Sal learned the value and importance of hard work from an early age. After graduating from Las Plumas High School in 1993, he attended Butte College and obtained his associates degree in criminal law enforcement. Sal joined the police academy and was hired as a deputy by the Yuba County Sheriff's Department in 1996. “It was the year of the huge floods throughout Northern California.” he recalled, “I spent the first months of my career in law enforcement, dealing with dead livestock, from dead cows from the flooding, to floating propane tanks, and keeping people from looting flooded homes and businesses.

It was an interesting way to get your start in law enforcement.”

Sal began a side business landscaping homes in 2001, and the business quickly took off. Within three short years, the business had grown so large, he decided to leave the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department to focus on the business full-time.

Committed to keeping his community safe, he signed on with the Butte County Sheriff’s Department as a reservist and later joined the Oroville Police Department in the same capacity.

over 2,000 trees, 10,000 plants, and all the bark, rock, and soil DIYers could need, it has certainly done just that.

“It’s been said we’re the landscaper to the stars.” Sal laughed, “People took notice of the level of work we were capable of doing and continued to present us with bigger and grander landscape projects. Within a few years of focusing on the business full-time, we had become the go-to in Oroville for high-end custom landscaping, waterfalls, cement work, and just about anything involved in a fancy landscape. Best of all, we made sure to do everything in-house so we had full control over each project.” To date, Sal and his team have completed over 3,000 projects throughout the Northstate, landscaping homes and businesses from Redding to Yuba City.

“I purchased my first property in 2005, and I haven’t stopped since.” Sal began, “We’re now well-diversified with 36 properties across residential, commercial, and bare land. It’s been a lot of fun too. We find a property in need of help, buy it, fix it, and rent it.” The endeavor not only helped in beautifying Sal’s community, but provided him with the experience necessary to jump into property development, something he has a clear excitement for. “We most recently purchased the Oro West Racquet & Health Club in the heart of Oroville. It’s an ambitious project as we’ll be renovating the entire property to include a brand new sports club with a gym, casual dining, bar, pool, and outdoor basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts. The property is 102 acres, and we plan on turning it into a true destination with an RV park. We plan on opening Coyote Canyon in 2022.”

Finding immense success in landscaping, Sal used the profits to diversify his portfolio, getting into cattle ranching, rental properties, a landscape yard, and eventually opening a property development company as well. The ranch, now operating for nearly 20 years, is home to a number of hereford and black angus cattle, which Sal has continued to breed, determined to produce the highest quality beef possible.

The landscape yard filled a void in the community for folks looking to source material for their own landscaping. With

Sal has accomplished all of the above and bettered his community in so many ways, all while continuing to be a devoted husband and a loving father to six beautiful children.

He’s even found the time to coach their soccer, baseball, and basketball teams throughout Oroville. As a member of Rotary, the Farm Bureau, and still an on-call public servant in law enforcement, he has proved that truly anything can be done if you put your mind to it. If you’re in need of any of Sal’s many services, don’t hesitate to call (530) 532-9303

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keeping cool in the northstate Was it just us or did summer seem to arrive well ahead of schedule this year? With temperatures rising into the 90s by the end of April, the heat caught each of us off guard and sent us running to our thermostats in search of help. That first sweltering emergency resulted in two members of our team discovering their air conditioning units were not up to snuff—one took what seemed like ages to cool their house, a problem which wasn’t there last summer, and the other simply didn’t turn on at all.

This experience isn’t uncommon for HVAC systems either, as most of us don’t take the time to conduct yearly maintenance on our systems, believing instead that they’ll continue to work flawlessly through cycles of heat and cold. For most, finding out their HVAC system needs maintenance comes at the least opportune time—when they need it to work the most. Luckily, Jason Nyberg, owner of Feather River Aire, has built a business around ensuring North Valley homes and businesses remain cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

“It’s all about comfort.” Jason said as we sat across from each other in his perfectly temperature-controlled office, “Whether you’re trying to get something accomplished at work or attempting to unwind at home, you can be sure comfort decides just how quickly and effectively you can do either.

Temperature plays a huge role in creating 48

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and maintaining that level of comfort, and a properly functioning HVAC system is key to ensuring the temperature gets where you need it to be and stays there.”

As a family-owned and locally-operated full-service heating and air conditioning company, Feather River Aire has been providing that comfort and peace of mind to Butte County residents since 2007.

Though they are the go-to for emergency calls when an HVAC system doesn’t operate as it should, Jason and his team pride themselves on educating customers on preventative measures to decrease the chance of such emergencies occurring in the first place.

“Everything begins and ends with our customers.” Jason said, “They’re our top priority, and we aim to treat them as family, like every business should. Part of that commitment is ensuring they have the necessary knowledge to use their system correctly and setting up a maintenance plan so it continues to function properly for years to come without any work on their part.

After all, something that provides comfort shouldn’t demand extra work. If a system fails, and is beyond repair, we take the time to go over new system options and direct our customers to high-efficiency and Energy Star-rated HVAC and air-filtration systems that not only save money on utility bills, but

are better for the environment as well.”

Perhaps equally important, Feather River Aire takes the sting out of those unexpected emergencies that turn into unexpected costs with in-house financing. “There’s nothing worse than an expense you didn’t plan for, and most HVAC issues come with little warning.” Jason said, “Financing allows our customers to make the right decision for their home based on comfort rather than cost. It makes sure their new system is the right one for their future rather than a bandaid that will get them by for the time being.”

As full-service heating and air specialists, Jason and his team at Feather River Aire provide just about every service you could imagine, including installation, maintenance, repair, replacement, service, and tune-ups for all heating and cooling equipment. They also sell and install a number of different HVAC systems and accessories including heat pumps, ductless HVACs, and smart thermostats.

With summer already here, and temperatures getting hotter by the day, there’s no better time to call Feather River Aire to schedule your maintenance, tune-up, or a free estimate for a new HVAC system.

You can reach them by phone at (530) 589-2260 or by visiting them online at www.FeatherRiverAire.com

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WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

three hearts yours, theirs, and ours Perhaps your vocation takes you across the country, and then across the Atlantic Ocean to another continent. You experience a life only dreamed of, and at the center of your life is the job you dreamed of as a child. For the fortunate few, this attainment of your life goal is a dream come true. However, deep inside you after the years of college, an internship, and working in Central Africa with the Mountain Gorilla Project, another dream has formed. It starts as nostalgia and develops into a yearning which then becomes a strong desire. Yet, this last dream is on one hand quite simple, and on the other your biggest challenge.

For Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Dallas Wentz, the dream was to come back home, to the small valley city nestled against the Sierra Nevada Range—Oroville. On top of this was the challenge—build a state-of-theart veterinary hospital with a full surgical suite and the offer of compassionate care for your beloved pets. Coming back home was a no-brainer for Dallas Wentz.

“I love the community. I love what I do, and I loved growing up in Oroville. That’s why I wanted to come back and make it my permanent home and workplace,” said Dr. Wentz. Not only were those goals 50

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accomplished, but another lofty goal has also been attained. Three Hearts Veterinary Hospital is not only accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association— less than 15% of hospitals have this accreditation—but is one of the few hospitals owned by a woman. It turns out the veterinary field used to be a maledominated occupation. 2009 was the first year women outnumbered men—44,802 to 43,169. Yet, far more male veterinarians owned veterinary hospitals. Dallas Wentz wanted to change that. While she did successfully open a hospital, the fact remains that male vets make more money than their female counterparts.

The gap is narrowing, but Dr. Wentz didn’t become a veterinarian to become a millionaire. “What Three Hearts offers is world class care coupled with compassion, and it comes with a small town feel.” Since Dallas has worked as an intern on the East Coast, and worked in 15 area veterinary hospitals, she knows the value of having a veterinary hospital in a town the size of Oroville. The hospital specializes in small animal care and provides a broad spectrum of diagnostic procedures based in-house and through external laboratories. The facility includes a well-stocked pharmacy,

in-hospital surgical suite, in-house x-ray and ultrasound capabilities, a supervised hospitalization area, and indoor kennels with an outdoor walking area.

Dr Wentz is extremely proud of her team.

“I’m fortunate to have a team of hardworking and compassionate individuals. They are expertly trained and have completed courses at local colleges and other institutions.” For anyone wishing to work in the veterinary field, Dr. Wentz pointed out that Yuba Junior College has a two-year program to become a Registered Veterinary Technician. The team offers not only sound advice about your pet, but also optimal care, allowing you to enjoy the companionship of your pet for years to come. “Our job is not only to treat your pet when he or she isn’t feeling well, but also help you learn how to keep your best friend happy and healthy.”

Three Hearts treats not only cats, dogs, and small mammals, but they also treat reptiles and birds as well. If your pet needs a checkup, a vaccination, or is not feeling their best, please contact the hospital by calling at (530) 282-4156 or emailing reception@threeheartsvet.com. You can also visit their website, www.threeheartsvet.com, or their Facebook page.

WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

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WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

chelle callo doortru real estate “We were desperate after the Camp Fire to find a new home. Chelle was available whenever we needed to ask a question or just get some reassurance. She always made us feel like we were her only clients (we were not!), and we never felt rushed.

She really made us feel comfortable with the whole process. We love you, Chelle!!”

Testimonials like the one above by Paradise resident Cheryl Smalley, appear to be the rule rather than the exception of Chelle Callo and her team at DoorTru Real Estate in Oroville. Indeed, testimonial after testimonial describes a similar sentiment and thankfulness for a job that went above and beyond expectations. In a business where consistency is the cornerstone of success, DoorTru proves it can deliver time and time again, earning a 5-star rating on Google, Facebook, Yelp!, and REALTOR.com. With Chelle at the helm, we can’t imagine that’ll change anytime soon.

Chelle grew up in Santa Cruz but began her real estate career in Sacramento in 2007.

Originally an owner and operator of salons and spas, she began investing in real estate as a hobby and eventually found her true passion in the industry. She moved to Butte County in 2015 after meeting her husband, Ron Scott of Carpets Galore, and slowly began acclimating to the area.

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“It was a total culture shock.” Chelle said, “I went from living as a single woman in Midtown Sacramento to living in a rural community. The differences were night and day! Once I got to know the area, I began to realize why most residents never leave—the natural beauty here is absolutely amazing. I don’t think most of the people who grew up here realize just how much there is to do.

There’s so much to explore and so much beauty to discover. There honestly seems to be something new and incredible around every corner if you just take the time to look.

I did, and I was sold!”

Chelle opened DoorTru Real Estate in 2018, focused on providing real estate services throughout Oroville. “I just wanted to open a boutique brokerage rather than scale too quickly.” Chelle said, “I’m very picky about who I hire, and my agents have to have the same core values as I do. Each transaction has to be handled with the utmost honesty, professionalism, and integrity. I’ve always believed if you couldn’t provide that, you shouldn’t be in the industry. Real estate is, after all, the biggest investment someone is likely to make in their lifetime.”

Though Chelle didn’t plan to expand quickly, the Camp Fire accelerated the growth timeline for DoorTru, bringing in an influx of fire victims scrambling to replace

their homes and new agents to service their needs. “It was a frenzy at first.” Chelle remembered, “The same thing happened after the Bear Fire. Offers were 40, 50, even 60 thousand dollars over asking price. It’s still a very competitive market, but thankfully there’s a lot of building going on right now.

It’s helping keep prices approachable, and people are able to buy new homes again."

DoorTru is now home to seven agents who Chelle has complete trust and confidence in. “We hold our clients’ hands and walk them through absolutely everything.” Chelle smiled, “We pride ourselves on knowing the area, understanding the market, and having our ear to the ground so our clients can jump on homes before a bidding war ensues. Nowadays, you can’t take your time and make an offer—you just have to put it out there and make it happen. We sleep with our phones on the pillow next to us.

You’re always on; there’s no off switch!”

With so much interest in Oroville, especially in the east foothills, Chelle and her team are perfectly situated to deliver DoorTru’s elite level of service. Every agent works with buyers and sellers, and with agents as far south as Roseville, they can handle any of your real estate needs in the North Valley.

Give them a call at (530) 534-3069 or visit www.doortru.com today.

WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

Oroville's bookworm Wherever you travel, there’s bound to be a bookstore. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a used bookstore or a combination of new and used. About twenty years ago, I found myself in Oroville with time to spare and recalled seeing a bookstore on Montgomery Street. Off I went and found myself in an impressive bookstore with neatly racked shelves of books in alphabetical order by author. Fiction, nonfiction, history in all its forms, and a multitude of other topics lined the walls. It was, and still is, a bibliophile’s dream. And so, it has been for me the past 20 years.

When you first meet Ron Hearn, owner of the store, you might be put off by his stern look and demeanor. He looks like he could bear hug you till you passed out. But once you start talking books—and not just the latest whodunit—but books as artifacts of learning, a broad smile widens his grin, and his eyes take on a gleam of excitement. Ron Hearn doesn't just sell books, he lives and breathes them. You see, Ron is a bookworm.

His love of books began way back in his childhood, like it does for most avid readers, and continues to this day.

After graduating from Gridley High School, Ron’s adult journey to the Bookworm took him through his enlistment in the U.S. Navy in the late 1960’s, with a side trip to Vietnam along the way. After military service, he enrolled at Humboldt State College and earned a double major in Philosophy and

English Literature. You read that right. Those are majors that, in themselves, would prove to be a formidable endeavor for most any student. But for Ron, it provided a stepping stone to a future in education; however, state economics in the ‘70’s curtailed that dream, and he found himself in Oroville.

Providing for a growing family, Ron needed a job, so he made one—he opened up the Bookworm 32 years ago, and it’s going as strong as ever. “When I opened the store, I had to learn how to run a business; how to work,” said Ron. And work he did. The first five years were 8:00am to 8:00pm 360 days a year. With plenty of help from his wife, April, the store made enough to support their family and send the kids through college. Along the way, a loyal customer base formed, and Ron sees customers who called him “Mr. Bookworm” as children who now bring in their children. As Ron said, “I’ve filled the needs of the community, and I’ve had a steady clientele over the years.”

When all is read and done, Ron emphasizes the importance of reading. “I’ve had people in here from two to ninety-seven. Our aim is to keep people reading,” he said. “We have the Little Bookworms program, we sometimes give books away, and we have gift certificates.” With graduation coming up, nothing could be better than giving a book to someone. You’ll find what you need at 2310 Montgomery Street in Oroville.

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WRITTEN BY SHELLY BRANDON | PHOTOS BY ERIN LACKEY PHOTOGRAPHY

EARLY BIRD DONUTS A LEGACY CONTINUES The tale behind Early Bird Donuts' inception is an inspiration. It’s the story of how two generations of strong Cambodian women fought to triumph over adversity and raise their families in Oroville.

Lena Vorn Say escaped Cambodia to Thailand after enduring four years in a concentration camp under the Khmer Rouge. She emigrated to the United States with her children and began her life again, purchasing a donut shop in Oroville known as Jim & Jan’s Donuts in 1997. With it, she created a legacy for herself and her family through hard work and dedication. Lena began working at the shop by 4:00am every day of the week, throughout the entire year, except for Christmas, all while raising her two children, Savon and Bora. Savon beamed, “She’s my hero.”

Savon began working the front of the store while she was in 8th grade, but eventually left Oroville to attend college and later graduate school. In 2011, she and her husband Ryan moved back to help care for her mother and the store. They, along with Savon’s brother Bora Vy, took over the store and renamed it Early Bird Donuts.

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Savon loves the fact that their family shop is tied to so many memories for those in Oroville. “We’re proud to be a part of this very loyal community. We have customers who used to come in as little kids, who now come in with their own little kids, and it’s really sweet to see that.” While these original customers may remember the donuts, Early Bird sells more than just donuts these days. They feature muffins, croissants, boba drinks, and soon customers can pick up macaroons and ice cream donuts. Even after over twenty years of baking and selling, one of the greatest challenges in running the business is determining how many donuts to make each day. One morning, they’ll have someone come in and buy seventeen dozen donuts— quickly selling out their inventory—while another day may be very slow with extras leftover at the close of shop. Whenever this occurs, rather than selling day olds at a discount the next day, they choose to donate to area charities like Oroville Hope Center, The Father’s House, or sometimes to local area schools.

It’s clear that Savon has inherited her mother’s traits of strength and

perseverance. Diagnosed with breast cancer in July of 2020, Savon went though five months of chemotherapy and five weeks of radiation. Throughout this time, she continued to work at the shop, even on the days she received her treatments. The community’s love for this second-generation donut shop, and the family behind it, is evident in the rave reviews of the food and the way they rally and support them through difficult times.

Savon reflects on her mother’s advice, “She’d say, ‘It’s your life, Savon.’ She was basically giving me permission to just live my life and do what I really wanted to do.

It was honestly the best thing.” Savon, her husband Ryan, and their two children, Cole and Mia, enjoy life outside the donut shop by camping, hiking, or pontooning while enjoying all nature has to offer.

Early Bird Donuts is open Monday through Friday from 5:00am to 1:00pm; Saturday and Sunday from 6:00am to 1:00pm. Customers can visit getearlybirddonuts.square.site and order their donuts ahead of time. They are located at 475 Oro Dam Blvd East, Unit C 530-712-5200.

WRITTEN BY SHELLY BRANDON | PHOTOS BY ERIN LACKEY PHOTOGRAPHY

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home away from home at meg's good earth We’ve all visited places we felt were made just for us—many refer to them as their “happy place.” From the paint colors to the decor, and the menu to the way we were treated by staff, each person has specific vibes they just tend to connect with. For Megan Henderson, The Good Earth Coffee & Tea House in Oroville was her happy place—the drinks were delicious, everyone knew her by name, and the atmosphere spoke to her. She dreamed of one day opening a café exactly like it, but when the shop was listed for sale in 2020, she decided to skip the creation phase altogether and purchased her favorite place instead.

“The original owner, David, opened the café in 2010.” Megan recalled, “I remember being completely in love with it from the first minute I walked in. My ex-husband found it and took me in one day; I just couldn’t believe how perfect it was. The space was beautiful, it was always packed, and the vibe was just something other coffee shops I had visited didn’t offer. You could tell David had a vision, and he poured all of his love and energy into bringing that vision to life. Everyone was allowed to just be who they were there. You didn’t feel out of place or like other people were judging you. It was relaxed, welcoming, and always comfortable. Plus, it always seemed to inspire creativity.”

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The Good Earth truly was a creative space, as it was the birthplace of Megan’s exhusband's business—Elijah House Living, an alcohol and drug rehabilitation center in Oroville. As it would turn out, the success of the business would give Megan the funding to purchase The Good Earth herself.

us to have some fun. Our iced lavender black tea has been the most popular tea, and our blended toffee crunch tastes like a Heath candy bar—it’s our top seller.”

“When the business first sold in 2017, I noticed quite a bit changed.” Megan remembered, “I told myself if it ever went up for sale again, I would buy it, and I did in September of 2020. I renamed it Meg’s Good Earth Coffee & Tea House, and I’ve been working to restore it to its former glory ever since. We’ve come a long way in the first year since purchasing it too—we’ve quadrupled our average daily revenue, our regulars are returning, and tons of new customers are checking it out for the first time. It’s just amazing!”

To round out their tea and coffee offerings, Meg’s Good Earth also offers food and beverages that are keto-friendly along with protein boxes, lunch wraps, and pastries from Oroville’s Early Bird Donuts and Flick of the Whisk. Though they have plenty of delicious menu options, Megan attributes their success to having an incredible staff.

“They’re absolutely amazing!” Megan exclaimed, “I couldn’t have done any of this without them. Customer service is our number one priority, and our staff is like one big family. They bring everything to the table and truly care about our customers’ experience. They remember everyone’s order and make the space feel like home.”

The reinvigorated success comes as no surprise when you see the passion and love Megan has for the business. She truly has gone all-in, reviving old customer favorites, inventing new menu items, and partnering with local shops to provide even greater variety for her customers. “We have tons of tea options and flavors including honey tea lattes, flowering teas, and more.” Megan smiled, We can turn any drink into a tea flavor and serve it blended, iced, or hot— whatever our customer desires. We also have tons of syrup flavors which really allow

Megan hopes to someday expand her vision to Chico and beyond, bringing that same joy to customers across the Northstate. For now, she’s perfectly content with giving her customers a special place they can go to feel like she did all those years ago. To top things off, she offers a 50% discount to first responders with proper identification.

Check out Meg’s Good Earth and see what everyone is raving about! The café is located at 980 Oro Dam Blvd East in Oroville, and don’t forget to check them out on Facebook and Instagram.

Words Have Power

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

Words have power. How we talk to ourselves is just as powerful as the way we speak to others. Most people are considerate and respectful to the people in their lives. Strangers, colleagues, friends, and acquaintances can be on the receiving end of some encouraging and uplifting acknowledgements. Accolades for others and admonishments for ourselves is a very human communication trait.

We compare our full story to another person’s highlight reel, and then we fall short. Our inner voice can become pretty negative in an effort to encourage us to be or do better. “I always get passed up for promotions because I don’t have what it takes.”

Or “I’m never going to be a good parent, I’m too emotional or too quick to anger. Susan is so patient with her family. Of course they love her more than mine loves me.”

There are a few reasons for this:

Woah! That sounds pretty harsh hearing it aloud, but those are mild statements compared to some we’ve heard. People often try to justify why they feel hurt by using this inner voice, and they feel more empowered, but that’s false security. Our inner statement also has power to motivate by saying, “I can ask my mentor how I can grow so I can be ready the next time advancement opportunities arise,” and “I can go to counseling to learn how to work through my emotions and bond more with my family. It doesn’t have to be like this forever.”

→ We need to see the ways others are doing well because this confirms for us that we’re safe in their company. → When people around us feel good, they stick around! → Being noticed for doing something well inspires others to continue the positive behavior we want from them. → We don’t have the same perspective for others that we have for ourselves.

We have our lifetime of flaws and failures in our memory, and we only have a limited understanding of others’ successes and struggles. So, we give them patience while we motivate ourselves through negative inner dialogue.

When we learn HOW to speak to ourselves, we can avoid our inner voice adding insult to injury. We don’t need to beat ourselves up for being human, but we can learn how to inspire, grow, and help ourselves reach our goals in healthier ways that also increase daily happiness and relationships.

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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justine jacobsen ethan's eatery An Oroville native, Justine got her start in food service at Applebee’s, where she quickly rose through the ranks, securing the position of district manager for the chain’s three Northern California locations.

By the time she was 30, she had learned everything there was to know about operating a busy large-scale restaurant, and having worked in nearly every position, had an understanding of how to be successful in each. In 2016, she took off on maternity leave and began contemplating a restaurant of her own. When she and her husband, Jeff, saw Jake’s Burgers & More was for sale, they jumped at the opportunity and purchased the business the following year.

“Jake’s already had a well-established clientele of its own, and we didn’t want to scare anyone off, considering the business had been there since 1996.” Justine said, “We operated the business as it was for the first year and took baby steps in every change we made. After the first year, we remodeled the dining room, added menu items, and started to spruce things up from there.” Oroville responded with excitement to the changes, and the business grew month-after-month, fulfilling Justine’s dream of owning their own restaurant.

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wanted to take the next step and build a restaurant from the ground up. While at lunch with Jeff and her best friend, Ashley— who had worked in the food industry since she was 16 as well—Jeff came across a vacant building that perfectly fit the bill. The three began collaborating, offering up ideas on what Oroville needed most, and came up with Ethan’s Eatery, an elevated brunch experience geared towards the people who could use a day off the most—moms.

“We wanted to give women a place to escape their normal day-to-day and enjoy something different that was built specifically for them.” Justine laughed, “Of course, men are welcome, too! The idea was to be a place where everyone could come and enjoy themselves. There’s no judgment, the music is loud and upbeat, and kids are allowed to be themselves. Equally important, the menu had to appeal to everybody. Our diner and café crowd love our classics like our waffles, French toast, and biscuits and gravy, but we take them to the next level by making all of our sauces and gravies from scratch while bringing in fresh fruit 2-to-3 times per week and slicing it fresh each day.

For our moms with more discerning palettes, we offer killer Benedicts and a whole menu of avocado toasts, including traditional, sweet, and savory! Our Bloody Mary stacks

are a huge hit, and our bottomless mimosas are naturally one of our best sellers, as we offer Wycliff champagne and more flavors than I’ve seen anywhere else.”

Celebrating their six month anniversary at Ethan’s Eatery, Justine, Jeff, and Ashley have succeeded in doing exactly what she set out to do, and given Oroville a delicious dining experience residents and visitors can be excited about. Though they’ve worked tirelessly to build the business, Justine is the first to state it couldn’t have been done without her husband’s constant encouragement and support and their incredible team. “I don’t hire staff or crew members; I aim to build a family.” Justine said, “I want my team to be people I want to hang out with and have fun with. It feels nice to work with family, and this family goes above and beyond for each other every single day. It takes a village to run a restaurant, and without this village, we’d be nothing.”

With Ethan’s well on its way, Justine is looking to the future with plans on expanding the restaurant while opening something new and fresh every few years.

Check out their delicious menu for yourself and see just how wonderful brunch can be at 2275 Myers Street in Oroville.

Italian Meringue

by HelenGrace Homemade Pastries 1/2 cup water 300 grams sugar 120 grams egg whites In a mixer, whip egg whites into fluffy peaks.

In a saucepan, using low heat, combine water and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Once dissolved, bring to a boil over medium-high heat until mixture gets to 240 degrees Fahrenheit.

With the mixer on high, slowly drizzle hot sugar into egg whites and whip until the sides of the bowl are cool.

Serve Italian Meringue atop pie of choice or stop by HelenGrace Homemade Pastries and try the real thing for yourself!

Visit HelenGrace at 2240 Park Avenue, Ste. A in Chico 59

WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

Olive oil—Oroville's liquid gold The olive industry has been a part of Oroville’s economy since the early 1900’s, when Freda Ehmann, “Mother of the California ripe olive industry,” began growing them after the death of her husband. Shortly after, in 1913, a group of professors from Cal Berkeley planted the Berkeley Olive Grove, which eventually won world olive oil awards. This became a trend, and olive oil from the Oroville area is still considered some of the best money can buy.

Taproom Hours THURSDAY: 4-8 PM FRIDAY: 4-8 PM SATURDAY: 11 AM-8 PM SUNDAY: 11 AM-5 PM

88O COUNTY ROAD WW PRINCETON, CA 95970 for reservations call: 530-982-2016

These days, there are a number of olive growers in the area. To name a few, they include: Butte View Olive Company, Berkeley Olive Grove, California Olive Ranch, Ehmann Olive Company, and Lodestar Farms. If you want to learn more about Oroville olives, be sure to attend the Butte County Olive Festival on June 19 from 9:00am to 2:00pm on Lincoln Street.

Everyone has eaten olives in some form, be it the fruit after the brining process or in olive oil of some kind—extra-virgin, virgin, refined, pure, or pomace (not edible, it is used in furniture polish). Most people love olives! Who hasn’t jammed pitted olives on their fingers at the dinner table and waved their arms around? (I preferred to see how far I could shoot a pit out of one nostril.

Great fun!) Black olives on pizza are a tradition, and EVOO—extra virgin olive oil— is now in the dictionary.

The olive is a fruit and was first cultivated

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7,000 years ago. The average life of a tree is 300-to-600 years, and they can grow to nearly fifty feet in height. After planting, trees flower in four years and bear fruit in 15 years (so don’t wait around with your ladder and bucket). 90% of the olives picked become oil.

The most commercial type of olives are the Spanish or Sevillan type and the Sicillian or Greek type. There’s also Picoline or directly brined, water cured, salt cured, and California or “artificially ripening” type.

Olives can be green, purple, dark brown, black, and even pink! The largest type of olive is called a “donkey olive.” The smallest is a “bullet olive.” Olive oil is rich in polyphenols, natural antioxidants, and monounsaturated fats and oleic acid, such as Omega-3 and Omega-6.

Last but definitely not first, who can forget OLIVE OYL, Popeye’s on again off again girlfriend? Not me! Let’s not forget her family either: her parents were Cole Oyl and Nana Oyl (from banana oil, a phrase meaning “horsefeathers!”); her brother Castor and sister Crude. Along the line were Cylinda Oyl, nieces Diesel and Violet, Uncles Otto and Lubry Kent, and finally Standard Oyl. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a black olive and anchovy pizza. Yum!

WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

FARM FRESH Flower Dandy Sprouts When you grow up in Orange County, it’s difficult to imagine a world exists outside your own, full of greenery and plantlife.

This wasn’t the case for Rain Prondzinski.

Living in the concrete jungle, she spent her days dreaming about someday becoming a farmer. “Ever since I was small, I fantasized about having my own farm.” Rain remembered, “I wanted cows, pigs, and the space to grow my own vegetables. People thought I was insane. When they asked kids what they wanted to be, they’d respond with the usual firefighter or princess, but I’d always say I wanted to be a farmer.”

Rain took every opportunity she could to jumpstart her dream of farming. She started by spending her free time playing farming video games, joined every available community garden, and became a fixture at friends’ homes who had gardens of their own. When she finally moved to Washington, in search of greener pastures, she began growing food inside the house, bogarting every windowsill she possibly could, and harnessing every ray of sunlight to raise an indoor garden throughout her duplex. Rain said, “I was so excited to watch all the stuff grow, but it was always short lived as Washington isn’t known for their surplus of sunlight.”

Rain eventually moved to Oroville with her husband Malachi, finding all the sunlight they could possibly need and the opportunity to start making her childhood dream a reality. They decided to start the

journey by growing an indoor vertical farm with microgreens as their staple crop.

“Vertical farming is just incredible!” Rain said, “You can stack things on top of each other, water them, and they come to life.

I fell in love with microgreens at farmers markets and found that they were not only one of the healthiest foods, but growing them provided a very quick return on my emotional investment. I could plant some, and two weeks later, they were ready to eat. I wanted to share it with the world, so we turned it into a business.” With that, Flower Dandy Sprouts was born, and the two set out to bring healthy microgreens to residents around the Northstate.

Though Rain and Malachi’s microgreens are now available at local farmers markets, the real benefit is having them delivered directly to your doorstep—a service they provide in Oroville, Chico, Paradise, Marysville, and Yuba City. “The best time to consume microgreens is right after they’ve been cut.”

Rain instructed, “Delivering the plant live to people’s homes allows them to get the most out of their purchase.” To add to their distribution, Rain and Malachi have recently joined Oroville’s new CSA, Co-Op-a-Box, and will also be available at the Oroville Hospital Farmers Market, making their microgreens even more accessible.

For more information on Flower Dandy Sprouts, their benefits, and to purchase a subscription, visit them online at www.FDsprouts.com 61

TABLE MOUNTAIN GOLF COURSE Tucked away in West Oroville, sits one of Butte County’s most friendly greens.

Designed by Louis Bertolone, Table Mountain Golf Course was originally opened as a 9-hole course in 1956, but quickly grew to find its true potential, at a full 18 holes, through the volunteer efforts of a number of Oroville residents over the years that followed. The course was run by Oroville’s Feather River Recreation and Park District until 1983 when it was leased to its current operators, and is now managed by Oroville native, and Director of Golf, Todd Moran.

“Table Mountain Golf Course truly is beautiful,” Todd said, “It’s more open than most courses you’ll find in our area, and its beauty is really in its simplicity. The course was built on very flat land which makes it incredibly easy to walk, and the speed of play is fairly quick. Where most courses can take an average of 5-to-6 hours to play, you can complete a round of golf here in about 4, making it an easy stop for a quick round of golf after work or even during the weekend when you’re trying to fit in a round amongst other plans.”

Indeed, Todd would know, as he is a PGA Pro who has played many different golf courses. Originally from Oroville, he began working at Table Mountain Golf Course when he turned 20, picking up range 62

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balls and cleaning carts. Over the years, he worked his way up through various positions, learning everything he could about the game, until he eventually earned the course’s highest position as Director of Golf. He has now been in the position for two-and-one-half years.

"We’re lucky to have a course that was wellsuited to just about all levels of play, and we have golfers of all calibers—great players, average players, and beginners." Todd said, "Typically, most golfers average around an 18-20 handicap on the course. We have a fairly large men’s club with one tournament per month and 80+ players per tournament.

We also have a wonderful ladies' club that plays once a week, with 20-28 ladies each Thursday. We are a semi-private golf course, we welcome the public, and have some of the most competitive membership packages in the NorthsState. To become a member, you can inquire with any of the staff in the pro shop or go to our website, tablemountaingolf.com."

Though the pandemic shuttered many of the course's facilities for a period of time, Table Mountain Golf Course is back in full swing, with all services and amenities functioning once again. “Our pro shop has just about everything you could need.” Todd enthused, “We carry Callaway, Titleist, Footjoy,

and TaylorMade, just to name a few. Our restaurant serves delicious food and drinks, while our banquet facility is perfect for fundraisers, baby showers, birthday parties, and even weddings!” Their fully-covered driving range is also unique in that there aren’t many of them around. To add to the course’s features, you can also find practice bunkers and greens alike, along with both group and private golf lessons.

Not only does Table Mountain Golf Course provide a scenic getaway for golfers, but it gives back to the community as well, providing a no-cost facility for both Oroville and Las Plumas High Schools to practice with free range balls and play during the week. They also host many fundraising tournaments that benefit businesses as well as local high schools. The club hosts up to three junior golf camps per year during the months of June, July and August, for kids ages 7 to 17. “We need to get the kids out here enjoying this game. This is a game you can play for a lifetime,” Todd said. The camps are 4 days of instruction with a hot dog meal on the last day for only $50.

Stop by Table Mountain Golf Course at 2700 Oro Dam Blvd West in Oroville and play this beautiful course yourself! You can also reach the pro shop for more information at (530) 533-3922.

"This project was supported, in part by grant number 90SAPG0094-02-00 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living policy."

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Nestled in the foothills of Plumas National Forest, and between Lake Oroville and the Feather River, Oroville is an outdoor recreation haven, perfect for exploring yearround. But come summer, with those tripledigit temperatures, you’ll want to dive into all the lakes, rivers, and creeks that Oroville has to offer.

Lake Oroville and its larger State Recreation Area, managed by California State Parks, is at the heart of the city’s water-based adventures. The second largest reservoir in California, created by the tallest dam in the country, is a popular spot for power boating, sailing, water- and jet-skiing, fishing, swimming, and more.

Boat owners who want a more rugged stay will love the boat-in campgrounds, which are nestled in the scenic oak woodlands that surround Lake Oroville to help create that feeling of getting away. Or for something truly unique, check out the only floating campsites in the state, where you can picnic, barbecue, and pitch your tent right on the lake! The lake’s 10 floating campsites feature room for up to 15 visitors and make the perfect home base in between your 64

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other adventures on Lake Oroville—just make sure to reserve early, as these are extremely popular, and the summer months fill up fast.

If you’re looking to add to your lakeside excursions, a walk across the Oroville Dam (managed by the CA Department of Water Resources) offers a different perspective off the lake’s scale, while a visit to the State Parks’ Lake Oroville Visitor Center offers a deeper dive into its history and importance to the State Water Project.

While technically outside of Oroville, thrill seekers can discover some of the best year-round whitewater rafting conditions in the state on the North Fork of the Feather River, which feeds into Lake Oroville. Enjoy a scenic drive on Highway 70E to get to Rock Creek Reach, an 8.3-mile portion of the North Fork, where you can raft Class III, IV, and V rapids four weekends a year, in June, July, August, and September, when water flows from Lake Almanor are increased.

For mellower adventures, stay in Oroville

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY EXPLORE BUTTE COUNTY

Oroville: The adventurer's dream

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY EXPLORE BUTTE COUNTY

proper and head to the Thermalito Forebay, which features 300 acres of cool, clear water from Lake Oroville. Reserved exclusively for sailboats, canoes, and other non-power-driven boats, it’s the perfect place for spending a day picnicking and splashing around on the sandy shore with the whole family. Make it even better by renting a kayak, pedal boat, stand-up paddle board and more from the Forebay Aquatic Center. Open for weekend rentals May through September with special events throughout the year, the Forebay Aquatic Center offers all the equipment (and training, if you want) you’ll need for a fun day on calm waters.

The nearby Riverbend Park right on the Feather River has you covered for closerto-land water fun. Managed by the Feather River Recreation & Park District (FRRPD), the park not only features a kids-favorite sandy beach, but also play structures, fields, fishing pond, disc golf course, and more. Its boat dock also makes it a popular spot to end a leisurely kayak trip for those embarking from the Feather River Fish Hatchery just upstream. And if you prefer to simply be close to water without actually getting wet, you can stroll the three-mile

Feather River Trail from the park all the way to the hatchery. (Enjoy this and other wateradjacent trails throughout Oroville with the #HikeButteCA Pass, downloadable at ExploreButteCounty.com/hike) If that’s entirely too much nature for you, then FRRPD’s Nelson Pool is the perfect option for summertime water recreation. While it’s closed this summer for renovations, its summer 2022 reopening will reveal a new splash pad, decking, and shade structures. Until then, FRRPD invites you to dive in at the Palermo Swimming Pool, open early-June through mid-August, for public and family swim sessions, a small wading pool, and private rentals.

Whatever type of water recreation you’re looking for—whether spending a few nights right on the water, just dipping your toes in, or simply enjoying the shores from afar—you’ll find it in Oroville this, and every, summer.

Learn more about Butte County outdoor recreation at ExploreButteCounty.com.

However you recreate, make sure to #RecreateResponsibly; learn more at RecreateResponsibly.org.

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WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

the jewel miracle on myers Street Nothing indicates the subtle demise of a small town’s downtown more than the closing of a movie theatre. One local theatre that never completely shut down is The State Theatre in Oroville. It has transitioned through many iterations in its 93 years, but it has never been abandoned completely. The result is the amazing transformation to the original beauty and grandeur of the theatre as it was in 1928. And it is a beauty, as you can tell from the ethereal neon glow of its marquee that lights up the entire corner area on Myers and Robinson Street.

While the theatre has not hosted any events the past year, on July 3, it will host two patriotic concerts featuring the mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ, one of the fewer than 250 operating theatre pipe organs in the country. The people who have made this event possible are a group of all-volunteer individuals set on a common goal.

After years of slow neglect and a brief ownership period by a national movie chain, 66

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who “remodeled” the interior in an effort to modernize the building, the City of Oroville stepped in to take over The State Theatre project. However, in an astute move in 2014, the Oroville City Council unanimously voted to approve a contract allowing the State Theatre Arts Guild (STAGE) to operate and manage the theatre.

The guild’s mission is to “Preserve, Restore, Renovate.” According to Jim Moll, President of STAGE which is the prime organization behind its preservation, the refurbishing of the theatre has been a community effort with a multitude of people who have lent a hand in the transformation of the theatre.

Moll, who came to Oroville in 1974, planned on staying a few years and moving on. Yet, here he is 2021, and has found himself among the guiding members in the State Theatre project. “It’s a tribute to previous State Theatre boards who kept the project alive over the years. Now, the new board has taken it further, and you can see the results,” said Moll.

While so many have contributed, Moll pointed out volunteer Cindy Daniluke has contributed financial and organizational skills to the effort, and Mike Phulps of Metal Works popped up out of the blue and, among many significant contributions, provided transportation for the organ’s wooden pipes from Oregon. Also, Stan Hall has been a tremendous addition providing equipment maintenance and repair. These are just a few of the people who have made the restoration of The State Theatre such a success.

Overall, the City of Oroville has undergone an amazing transformation of its town center. It’s a combination of quaint, old brick buildings and a melding of modern restoration. Simply put, it is a role model of how nearby cities could and should treat their history and heritage. You can support STAGE by going to its website and either donating or adopting an organ pipe. Visit orovillestatetheatre.com.

WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

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If you receive a suspicious call, you may report that information online at https://oig.ssa.gov/report or by calling 800.269.0271, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time. You can also report these scams to the Federal Trade Commission through a new site specific to Social Security scams: https://identitytheft.gov/ssa.

For more information, visit: https://blog.ssa.gov/inspector-general-warns-public-about-social-security-advisory-board-related-scam/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery "This project was supported, in part by grant number 90SAPG0094-02-00 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living policy."

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With more museums per capita than Sacramento, Oroville is a surprising underthe-radar museum destination.

History buffs in particular will find Oroville a worthwhile destination with its five historyfocused museums, all of which are just a few blocks from each other.

A trip to the Pioneer History Museum, managed by the City of Oroville and housed in an oversized replica of a 49er’s cabin, feels like a step back into the Gold Rush era.

While it doesn’t look like it from the outside, 6,000 square feet of historic treasures from the mid-1800s to the 1920s await visitors.

From the original Oregon City School organ to a doll from the Donner Party to displays on the museum-founding pioneer families, a tour paints a vivid picture of the lives of early California settlers.

Another city museum and historic building to explore is the C.F. Lott Home, a Victorian revival-style structure built in 1856 by “Judge” Lott, a Gold-Rush pioneer who helped form California’s government. A tour of the house—brought to life by docents clad in period costumes—reveals stories 68

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of the Lott family, their importance to early California, and the love between Lott’s daughter, Cornelia, and Jesse Sank. Their love lives on with the home’s location in beautiful Sank Park, perfect for a leisurely stroll.

For a different perspective on California pioneer history, head to the Chinese Temple and Museum Complex. This now-California landmark was built in 1863 to serve the largest community of Chinese north of Sacramento and highlights this group’s contribution to the area. The city-owned museum also has an extensive tapestry display, a collection of Chinese and American costumes, and more.

At the Butte County Historical Society (BCHS) Museum, learn about Butte County's history from the early mining days to present time through both permanent and rotating displays, and get all your questions answered by its knowledgeable docents.

Also managed by the BCHS, the nearby Ehmann Home showcases Oroville’s role in the ripe olive industry at “the house that olives built.” Freda Ehmann perfected a curing process for ripe olives at the turn of

the 20th century, which in turn launched California’s olive industry. Her 1911 home stands testament to her and the industry she helped shape.

Outdoor enthusiasts will also find museums to enjoy. The city-managed Feather River Nature Center & Native Plant Park sits right on the Feather River at the former site of a Maidu fishing village. The Bath House, which provided facilities for swimmers and sunbathers in the 1930s, today provides nature education programming and exhibits portraying local wildlife, while the Nature Center grounds are home to various native plants, trees, and animals.

Though away from the central downtown area of the rest of the museums, a drive to the Lake Oroville Visitor Center is worth a trip of its own. Managed by the Department of Water Resources, the visitor center overlooks both the lake and the dam and features interpretive displays, an audiovideo room, and more. Perhaps most fun is its 47-foot viewing tower, where you can take in 360-degree views of the lake and dam through high-powered telescopes.

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY EXPLORE BUTTE COUNTY

Living in the past

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY EXPLORE BUTTE COUNTY

Finally, an exploration of Oroville’s museums wouldn’t be complete without the one-ofa-kind Bolt’s Antique Tool Museum. With over 12,000 hand tools on display, it’s the only known museum of its kind in the world.

Don’t hesitate to chat with its City of Oroville museum docents, who will tell you more than you ever needed to know about the collection!

Add to your museum day by catching a show at the historic Oroville State Theatre, which, while not technically a museum, has its own rich history worth discovering.

Constructed in 1927 from a design by renowned architect Timothy Pfluger, the State Theatre has been undergoing

renovations by the State Theatre Arts Guild (STAGE), the non-profit that owns the theatre, to return it to its 1920s glory.

The renovations include paint restorations, installation of a modern-yet-vintage marquee, and restorations to an authentic Wurlitzer pipe organ.

Whether you’ve held memberships for years or are a first-time visitor, come discover for yourself the history and culture on display at Oroville’s museums.

Learn more about each museum, their current hours, and admission fees at https:// www.explorebuttecounty.com/explore/ culture/museums

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On their surface, murals are simple things: paintings completed directly on a wall.

Usually large, sometimes small, they really shouldn’t be any different than a painting done on other surfaces.

Yet, when done in public spaces, murals say a lot about the city they’re in: its history, its values, and its people. And in Downtown Oroville, a stroll along its streets reveals the lasting influence of its Gold Rush founding and reverence for its natural environment in each stroke of its many murals.

When John Bidwell discovered gold near the Middle Fork of the Feather River in 1848, thousands of settlers flocked to Oroville, which had been established as the home base for resupplying gold miners and navigating up the river. More than 150 years later, reminders of that event stand out throughout the city in the form of murals.

On Montgomery Street, between Downer and Oliver, you’ll find “Mine Shaft,” a 70

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trompe l’oeil-style mural that makes you feel like you could walk right into the mine shaft, by Ted Hanson and Frank Wilson.

A walk through Miners Alley, which runs parallel to Montgomery, showcases life during Oroville’s Gold Rush in a series of interconnected murals featuring rough and ready miners. And on nearby Bird Street, you’ll find a simple mural of two miners panning for gold across from a larger scale scene of the infamous Black Bart attack on the Wells Fargo stagecoach in Oroville in 1882.

Intertwined with the city’s Gold Rush history is that event’s effect on—and influence of—the Native populations, specifically the Maidu and Yahi. Ishi, the last known member of the Yahi tribe and arguably Oroville’s most famous resident, is remembered on the Butte County Office of Education, where you can also find Native American wallmounted sculptures adorning the building.

As the gold industry dwindled, the city’s

ARTICLE BY EXPLORE BUTTE COUNTY | PHOTOS BY AMBER MILAND

celebrating a rich visual history

natural environment grew in importance. With its location right on the Feather River and in the northern region of California’s fertile Central Valley, Oroville was a prime spot for agricultural endeavors, in particular olive and nut production, which remain popular crops today. On Montgomery, “Harvest,” by Christine MacShane, showcases the major agricultural influences, with olives, mandarins, rolling orchards, and more, with the familiar Sutter Buttes in the background.

Feather River influences also wind through the city and its art. Enjoy a triptych with scenes of the green Table Mountain Bridge and fish hatchery found on Robinson Street or walk up to Centennial Plaza, overlooking the river from the levee, to find life-sized metal salmon at its center.

The murals you can find in Oroville don’t end with the few mentioned here. On both public and private buildings, you’ll find paintings commemorating the city’s participation in World War Two, showcasing historical locations in nearby cities, influential figures, and more. Local artists are making a name for themselves by adding to the city’s mural heritage, including Forest Wong with her Impressionist-inspired party scene painted on the wall of the The Union’s outside bar. And with plenty of bare wall space begging to be painted, everyone will want to keep an eye out for more murals coming to the city through the Butte Artists Mural Association’s beautification endeavors.

ARTICLE BY EXPLORE BUTTE COUNTY | PHOTOS BY AMBER MILAND

Whether you’re looking to step back in time or gain a deeper appreciation for the region’s natural resources, with so many murals across just a few blocks, and many more to come, there’s no better way to get to know Oroville than through a walking mural tour.

See more Oroville murals at https://www.explorebuttecounty. com/activities/exploring-public-art-in-oroville

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Drug Testing in 2021 The complexities surrounding drug testing in the workplace are evolving, and by much surprise, in favor of job applicants and employees. A person’s “right to privacy” is limiting employers’ ability to screen drug users from employment, and in quite a few cases, resulting in legal claims against many businesses—large and small.

A few industries such as construction, aviation, and transportation have exceptions to California privacy laws, due to federal safety related requirements.

Any industry outside of this small list must follow California’s state constitution‚including government and private industry employers. To drug test for pre-employment purposes, a company must broadly test all applicants in related positions and are not allowed to make any exceptions if they choose to enact drug testing as a condition of employment.

When an employee is officially hired, the rules change quite a bit, and the employer's exposure to a lawsuit grows exponentially. The logic comes down to this—if an employee has other factors that can be used to evaluate performance, such as work history and an absence of disciplinary action, a drug test is viewed as an unnecessary violation of privacy.

If drug use is suspected and objective facts that strongly support a suspicion of drug use are documented, an employer has more legal grounds to test. Testing must be used consistently amongst all employees, though, or discrimination claims come into play. Random drug testing on the other hand is a very risky practice, and not worth the exposure to potential lawsuits.

There are many nuances to drug testing in the workplace and between ADA protections, California privacy laws, and possible defamation claims, it is best to have an airtight policy that is universally implemented without exceptions. Drug testing can be an extremely useful tool in reducing workplace injuries, but the cost / benefit is different for every employer.

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR JUNE 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

JUNE 5, 12, 19, 26

JUNE 3-5

Chico Saturday Farmers Market Downtown Chico Municipal Parking Lot 1.

E. 2nd St. Chico. 7:30am-1pm

Oroville Hospital Farmers Market Dove's Landing Parking Lot 2450 Oro Dam Blvd., Oroville. 9am-2pm.

Oroville Hospital, (530) 533-8500.

Come on by and pick up some fresh produce and support your local vendors!

Movies at the Barn in Meriam Park Movies at the Barn in Meriam Park, 1930 Market Place, Chico.

June 3rd: Super Troopers | June 4th: The Croods | June 5th: The Italian Job

JUNE 4

Lei'd Back Luau Historic Downtown Oroville 1382 Myers St., Oroville, 4pm-8pm.

Downtown Oroville Business Association contact@downtownoroville.com

JUNE 4-6

Pizza My Art Registration Chico Art Center 450 Orange St., Chico Pick Up Your Pizza Box at Chico Art Center during gallery hours: Fridays Noon - 4 pm, Saturdays & Sundays 10am - 4 pm. Entry fee/1 box $5. Family rate/4 boxes for $10.

JUNE 5

Oroville Sunrise Rotary Gold Tournament Table Mountain Golf Course 2700 Oro Dam Blvd. W Oroville. 8am-11am.

Cindy Lill, (530) 305-8910, cslill@aol.com FRRPD Cleanup Days Martin Luther King Jr. Park 2821 Wyandotte Ave. Oroville. 8am-12pm.

Tiffany Loy, Marketing Specialist (530) 533-2011 recevents@frrpd.com

Oroville Saturday Farmers Market Oroville Convention Center Parking Lot 1200 Myers St. Oroville. 7am-12pm. orovillefarmersmarket@gmail.com

JUNE 10

2nd Dinner Drive Thru Fundraiser Soroptimist International of Bidwell Rancho Bellarmine Cir, Chico, CA 95928 5pm-7pm

JUNE 11-12

Trash to Treasure Sale Wyandotte Grange 4910 Foothill Blvd Oroville. 9am-3pm. Sandy, 530-589-5932 or rsdyer101@att.net. Our Trash to Treasure Sale will be held Friday & Saturday.

JUNE 12

Olive Oil's Afternoon in the Islands Gray Nurse Hardware Bldg. 1359 Huntoon St. Oroville. 12pm-3pm Alberta Tracy, 530-809-5576 ladyofbutte@gmail.com Fundraiser for Butte County Historical Society. A Tropical Party, An Afternoon for Ladies

JUNE 13

Pizza My Art Art Competition & Auction Chico Art Center | 450 Orange St. Chico, Ca. 95928 11am-2pm. For more info www.chicoartcenter.com/pizza-my-art/

JUNE 5-6

Lord's Gym Mud Run Father’s House Acres 3556 Oro Bangor Hwy, Oroville. 10am-6pm.

Lord’s Gym Mud Run Team, (530) 324-5355 info@lordsgymoroville.org The Lord's Gym Kids Mud Run is a special obstacle race open to all kids ages 4-17. The course is under a mile long, around 20 obstacles involving climbing, crawling, running and, of course, lots of mud! The race is split into heats with three age groups, 4-6, 7-12, and 13-17, with a longer, tougher race for the older kids. If you have any questions or need more information, please visit: https://www.lordsgymmudrun.com

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JUNE 13

Life Drawing and Painting Session Brushstrokes Gallery 1967 Montgomery St. Oroville. 2pm-5pm. Artists of River Town Studio, (530) 781-3849.

OrovilleArt@gmail.com Turtle Paint & Sip Purple Line Urban Winery 760 Safford St. Oroville, CA 95965 1pm-3pm.

(530) 534-1785. $40 includes your 12"x12" canvas, all painting materials and your first glass of wine.

JUNE 18

Live Music by Emma & Will Purple Line Urban Winery 760 Safford St. Oroville. 6pm-9pm. Popular covers ranging from Ariana Grande to Johnny Cash to the Eagles.

Concerts in the Park Riverbend Park music series is back with local vendors from 4pm-8pm and live music from 6:30pm-8pm. The series will continue each Friday through August 13th. www.frrpd.com for more details.

JUNE 19

Butte County Olive Festival Court House Park across from the Ehmann Home, 1480 Lincoln St. Oroville. 9am-2pm.

Alberta Tracy, 530-809-5576 ladyofbutte@gmail.com Lake Oroville Inland Team King Salmon Derby Lake Oroville 1pm-2:30pm.

JULY 3

Oroville Saturday Farmers Market Oroville Convention Center Parking Lot 1200 Myers St. Oroville. 7am-12pm. orovillefarmersmarket@gmail.com

JULY 4

Fourth of July Fireworks Show Oroville Municipal Airport Fireworks can be viewed throughout Oroville 75 Yeager Way Oroville.

8am-9pm. Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce, (530) 538-2542 or info@orovillechamber.com

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WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN

SOUL POSSE Keeps on Playing Author’s Note: A good way to not make a positive first impression is to walk into an interview and tell the band you’re interviewing them because they’re old.

Luckily for me, they laughed!

You might think SOUL POSSE is all in capital letters because they have some kind of ego problem. Not true at all. The band is cordial, funny, and intelligent. No ego problems here. The reason SOUL POSSE is all caps is due to copyright infringement. It seems there was a country band—yes, country—already named Soul Posse, so Chico’s SOUL POSSE had to avoid a problem, and a simple method was to capitalize. That news is probably a first for most of us.

Initially billed as the Road Rockets years back, SOUL POSSE sprang out of a house band at the Italian Garden in Paradise. The current line-up is composed of Valerie “Sugar” St. George, vocals and keytar (an instrument with an electronic keyboard made to look like a guitar); Andrew Wong, guitar and vocals; Richard Braley, drums; and Nelson “Rev” Corwin, harmonica and vocals. SOUL POSSE is a tremendously talented and experienced group who plays a wide variety of music, but it seems classic rock is still their song of choice.

“We like to play to suit the audience,” said Sugar. “We can play rock and country as well as a variety of classic rock styles,” she added. Included in the 76

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rotation is world dance, R’n’B, reggae, disco, and a number of the band's own compositions.

“We are definitely a democratic minded band,” said Rev. “We rotate songs and who has vocals. Everybody has their spotlight moment, and we want everyone to sound as good as they can.”

To achieve that great sound, SOUL POSSE’s sets are full of high energy songs. They also encourage audience sing-alongs to get the excitement level up, and with the year-long hiatus due to COVID, the group says it is easy to get the audience moving because everyone is ready to get up and rock. “We want everyone to lose their worries and dance through it,” said Drew. “People are primed to get up and let go.”

No matter what they’re playing, the audience still responds the best to classic rock and roll. “Rock and roll is not dead,” said Richard. “Good old rock and roll, there’s nothing like it.” And over a three night set, SOUL POSSE can crank out more than 100 songs without duplication.

That’s a ton of music, and they will have the opportunity to utilize their entire library of music this summer. They have a number of gigs lined up into July, and if you’d like to book the band, check out their Facebook or call (530) 828-8040.

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By Kevin Dolan I have long had students come to me with an array of troubles and problems. In time, this turned into young adults asking me out for “coffee” with similar wants and needs. Often, the need was nothing more than help in making a crucial decision.

My answer, as disconcerting as it was, was always for them to understand that decisions have a way of making themselves. At the time, disappointment emerged from their entire being, which later turned into a huge, “Thank you,” when they explained to me just how the decision indeed took care of itself. Decisions, however, are much different than problems, troubles, or tender situations. For any and all of these types of conversations, I open with the fact that I do not own a crystal ball or a magic wand. I also make it clear that I do not engage in matters of the heart. I go on to say furthermore, these two things could be helpful in resolving their individual predicament. It appears important to pause, and point out the result of using either—or both—comes with many negative possibilities. My urging to each solution begins with the phrase, “Tell the truth and point to hope.” Understandably, this is an especially difficult thing to do, just like leaving decisions to reveal their own answer. Also, the truth, inexplicably, seems to serve the intended purpose of telling it.

So, let's get back to this whole crystal ball and magic wand thing. The real truth is, as a teacher, I most assuredly had a magic wand. The power, the certainty of waving it and mumbling a magical phrase, was daunting at best. I mean, after all, wouldn’t it be better to leave the abra to its own cadabra? Not unlike magic’s deceptive ways, a teacher waving that wand in the air and audibly mumbling carried similar subtly. Since I already placed the necessity of truth on the table, I will openly admit I utilized the full power of that miraculous scepter. More than once. I will not, however, reveal the subject of each individual reason and purpose. Each time. To my knowledge, not one wave on the side of the student backfired on me in intent or outcome. Just so you know, a 12-inch dowel spray painted a shiny black with a gold coat of paint on a styrofoam ball attached by a student served nicely as my version. Enough can be too much.

On the other hand, crystal balls have been used for centuries to explore the unseen and the future. Professor Trelawney, of Hogwarts fame, described the art of crystal-gazing as a particularly refined art. I cannot speak to either of those

statements in accuracy or authenticity. I would love to take a shot as it certainly carries a bit of intrigue. Understand, I most assuredly take into consideration the “too many negative possibilities” spoken above. This is different. It is cautious consideration, foolish fantasizing, and wishful weirdo-rama to the max. What else can be done with all those snow globes hidden away for eleven months of the year? Get ‘em out, dust ‘em off, and begin gazing. Well, with my recent luck, I would probably be faced with a crystal clear winning lottery ticket, with numbers in full display, in my hand. The next frame, of course, would show me stepping off the curb and getting hit by a bus.

I apologize profusely for the unintended Alanis Morissette reference. In my individual case, the initial gazing frame would not affect me as I do not play the lottery, even if prompted by a crystal ball. The curb and bus thing could absolutely happen.

Does any credible objective exist, justifying the hankering of actually following through with a session of exploring the unseen and the future? Surely, not to see what’s “in the cards” for any of my three grandchildren. No, I want to live long enough to witness what entails in the unfolding of each life. Honestly, I would revel at a glance of an appointment with my cardiologist, five years from now, telling me how my heart has never been better. The only other possibility would be a glance of Renee and I celebrating our 70th wedding anniversary. As enticing as these both are, I still feel it to be an unnecessary and fruitless matter. Living unravels moments; the discovery becomes the motivation. There remains a similar misguided impulse to wave that magic wand with the right chant to match the expected result. So difficult for me to see the point of being to wave something in the air to accomplish something as important as solving houselessness. I can see waving one so as to wipe out the divisiveness over proper solutions and see how that would work out. Easy for me to understand the futility of magical powers, better left in print and on screens. It has, however, been a fascinating plunge into my realities versus a concept of changing ‘what’s what.’ It was a true bantering of my head and heart without a clear winner.

I will leave you with this—if you are like me and tend to research everything that comes across your desk, then be certain to use preciseness when entering searches for the magic wand. Trust me. I’m just telling the truth and pointing to hope.

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