Concert promoter aims to turn Solano into musical county

(Originally published in the 5/3/16 edition)

   As there are no big arenas in Solano County, a lot of people take for granted how much great music comes to the area. A lot of it comes courtesy of one man: Jeff Trager.

   Trager is a Glen Cove resident with almost 50 years of working in the music industry. In that time as an event promoter and booking agent, he has gotten to work with some of the biggest artists of all time: The Rolling Stones, Ray Charles, James Brown, Joni Mitchell, The Eagles, The Bee Gees, Bon Jovi, Kiss, Tom Waits, the list goes on and on.

   Among other things, Trager is credited with kickstarting Tina Turner’s long and successful career by promoting her first hit with her then-husband Ike, a cover of Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long.”

  “Backstage at a concert with Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, she asked me to come backstage and she grabbed my hand and said ‘Thank you. Thank you for what you did,’” he said. “When I broke her first record, it changed her whole life. From that record she probably made about $100 million in her career. I got her the Rolling Stones tour because of it.”

   Trager’s resume does not stop there. He also promoted Vangelis’ theme to the movie “Chariots of Fire,” which was a No. 1 hit in 1982, and he worked with legendary Bay Area concert promoter Bill Graham on Day on the Green, a series of concerts held at the Oakland Coliseum from 1973 to 1991. A big theme throughout much of the concerts he has put on has been charity. In 1971, he put on his first fundraiser concert after one of his friends was jailed in Spain.

   “We drew 3,500 people on a Monday night, and that was pretty incredible,” he said.

   Since then, Trager has put on concerts such as the Fairfield breast cancer awareness concert PinkFest, the annual autism awareness concert Voices of Latin Rock at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco and concerts to help raise money for Crystal Middle School in Suisun City and its students whose instruments had been broken.

   “I think people should give back, especially if they have the opportunity,” he said. “To me, it feels good to be able to give back to people who may not have as much as others.”

   Lately, Trager and his company Jeff Trager Presents have been working to put on concerts in Fairfield, including weekly Saturday night shows at the Chinese restaurant Sticky Rice Bistro, Thursday shows at Mankas Steakhouse and several concerts at the various Suisun Valley wineries.

   Perhaps his biggest projects have been monthly shows at Fairfield’s Downtown Theatre, featuring either comedians or musicians. This Saturday’s show will be a tribute concert to the legendary country singer Patsy Cline. Joni Morris, who Trager has described as “the No. 1 Patsy Cline impersonator in the country,” and Lyndesy Elm, a Vacaville resident who was a contestant on the ninth season of NBC’s “The Voice,” will be performing some of Cline’s most popular songs, including “Walkin’ After Midnight,” Crazy,” “Back in Baby’s Arms” and “I Fall to Pieces.”

   “You’re gonna hear all the great songs of the true music icon,” Trager said. 

   Trager says his goal is to keep bringing quality music to Solano County.

   “I want to get people to understand that they can hear good music without having to drive to San Francisco or Oakland or even Napa,” he said. “You have quality music right here in your own backyard.”

   Moreover, Trager wants his concerts to cause people to leave with positive feelings.

   “I love bringing good, quality music to each and every venue that I book,” he said. “It’s all about having people tap their toes and smile and walk out and say ‘Man, that was a great show.’ That’s what Bill Graham was famous for. When you went to a Bill Graham show, you walked out satisfied that you got your money’s worth and that you saw a great show. That’s what I like doing.”

   “Tribute to Patsy Cline” will be held at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 7, at Downtown Theatre, located at 1035 Texas St. in Fairfield. Tickets can be purchased at siteline.vendini.com/site/downtowntheatre.com. For more information on this concert or any past or future Jeff Trager Presents concerts, visit JeffTragerPresents.com. 

   

Local journalist to discuss California's first poet laureate at Fairfield Library

(Originally published in the 3/30/16 edition)

   In honor of National Poetry Month, Bay Area journalist Aleta George will be at the Fairfield Cordelia Library to discuss her new book “Ina Coolbrith: The Bittersweet Song of California's First Poet Laureate.”

   George, who has written for the San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times, has read passages from her book in several Bay Area locations and even promoted it on C-SPAN. 

   The book talks about the life of Coolbrith, who was named as the first poet laureate of California during the Panama-Pacific International Expansion in 1915 as well as the first poet laureate of any state in America. She was born in Nauvoo, Ill. as the daughter of Don Carlos Smith, the youngest brother of Mormon Church founder Joseph Smith. Coolbrith's views were rather progressive, as she fought gender discrimination in the workplace and even flirted with the idea of same-sex marriage, according to George.

   Coolbrith also had a respectable career as Oakland's first public librarian where she mentored a young Jack London. Additionally, she befriended John Muir and Mark Twain and continued writing poetry until her death in 1928.

   The discussion will take place at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 12 at the Fairfield Cordelia Library, located at 5050 Business Center Drive in Fairfield. For more information, call 1-866-572-7587 or visit SolanoLibrary.com.

Fundraiser held for local attack victim

(Originally published in the 2/12/16 edition)

   A fundraiser was held Saturday at the Benicia Safeway for its manager, who is recovering from a brutal attack that occurred Feb. 2. 

   Christine Joens, 37,  was walking back to her car in the parking lot of a Wells Fargo bank on Tennessee Street in Vallejo when she was struck over the head with a hammer in an apparent violent robbery. Joens was transported to a local hospital where she is being treated for her critical injuries. 

   William David King, a 19-year-old Vallejo resident and Benicia High School alum, was arrested on the suspicion of committing two violent crimes over the course of two days. On Feb. 3, 63-year-old Suisun City resident Cheryl Ann Sherwood was in the parking lot near Macy’s and Best Buy outside the Solano Town Center shopping mall in Fairfield when King allegedly struck her in the head with a baseball bat. Sherwood was sent to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, which she succumbed to on Friday, Feb. 5.

   King confessed to the crimes and is being charged at the Solano County Superior Court for robbery, murder and attempted murder. 

   A fundraiser for Joens was held Saturday at the Benicia Safeway, located at 50 Solano Square. Patrons enjoyed hot dogs, chips and sodas with all the profits going toward Joens’ medical costs.

   “We raised $6,000,” a Safeway staff member who requested anonymity said. “People are also dropping things off at the store, and we make sure she gets them.” 

   Additionally, Joens’ friend, Krystal Huffman, set up a fundraiser on the crowdfunding site GoFundMe.com to help pay for Joens’ medical costs. As of press time, the fundraiser has received $4,100 in donations from 104 people.

   To donate to Joens’ fundraising campaign, visit gofundme.com/zhmw63e7. 

Budweiser Clydesdales galloping to Fairfield

(originally published in the 1/29/16 edition)

   Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium is well underway, as the nearly undefeated Carolina Panthers plan to take on Peyton Manning and his Denver Broncos. 

   In addition to the action on the field, there will be advertisements. Due to the NFL’s longtime relationship with Budweiser, even the most casual football fans have likely seen ads featuring the company’s majestic Clydesdale horses. And now, you do not even have to turn on your TV to see these magnificent steeds. You can see them in person at the Budweiser Brewery in Fairfield.

   The Clydesdales will be coming to Northern California for the Super Bowl and will be staying through Valentine’s Day, and they have chosen the Anheuser-Busch Fairfield Brewery and Tour Center as their temporary home. 

  “We’ve been hosting (the Clydesdales) for quite a few years now,” Jennivive Soriano, the tour center manager at the Fairfield brewery, said. “We try to get them at least once a year to come for a visit.” 

   The Clydesdales are an iconic symbol for the world-famous brewing company, dating back to 1933 when they toured America to celebrate the repeal of prohibition. They delivered beers across the company’s headquarters in St. Louis and ventured across the country, even stopping by the White House to deliver a case of Budweiser to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. 

   Many of the Clydesdales are raised in farms by three of Budweiser’s U.S. breweries in St. Louis; Fort Collins, Colo; and Merrimack, N.H. 

   “The hitch that is coming to visit us is a traveling hitch out of Fort Collins,” Soriano said.

   There will also be two Clydesdale Camera Days on Feb. 9 and 10 from 2 to 4 p.m. where guests will be able to pose with the horses. There will also be a daily hitch parade with eight horses and a red wagon daily from 1 to 3 p.m., Feb. 11 to 14. The horses will be paraded around the visitors’ parking lot. 

   “They’ll stop, and guests will have an opportunity to talk to the handlers and take photos with the full hitch,” Soriano said.

   Soriano says the events will allow people to see the beautiful horses.

   “They are a symbol of Budweiser’s heritage, tradition and commitment to quality,” she said. 

   The Clydesdales can be viewed from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Feb. 3 to 14 at the Fairfield Budweiser Brewery, located at 3101 Busch Drive. The events are open to all ages. For more information, visit BudweiserTours.com. 

Solano County Board of Supervisors to consider medical marijuana embargo at this morning's meeting

(Originally published in the 1/5/16 edition)

   The Solano County Board of Supervisors is being asked to consider the adoption of an Interim Urgency Ordinance imposing a 45-day embargo on the distribution, cultivation, manufacturing and testing of medical marijuana in unincorporated Solano County at its meeting today.

   Under 1970’s Controlled Substances Act, the distribution or possession of marijuana is considered a federal offense. However, under the Compassionate Use Act, which was passed by California voters in 1996, patients who use medical marijuana are exempt from criminal liability under state law. In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court determined in the case of Gonzales v. Raich that Congress had the power to ban the use of marijuana, even where states allow the use for medicinal reasons.

   In 2008, then-Attorney General of California Jerry Brown published “Guidelines for the Security and Non-diversion of Marijuana Grown for Medical Use.” In one section, Brown wrote “Although medical marijuana ‘dispensaries’ have been operating in California for years, dispensaries, as such, are not recognized under state law.” Now serving as governor, Brown signed three separate bills- Assembly Bill 266, Assembly Bill 243 and Senate Bill 643- in October, which imposed statewide rules on the growth, sale and transportation of medical marijuana. All three laws went into effect on Jan. 1.

  The sale and distribution of legal prescription and non-prescription drugs is generally considered an acceptable land use in incorporated and incorporated areas of Solano County, the zoning regulations do not provide specific regulations on medical marijuana. 

   As the ordinance notes, “In order to allow time for the county to consider and study possible enactment of the implementing regulations, it is necessary to suspend the approval of all medical marijuana cultivation, manufacturing, testing, distribution, transportation and home delivery that may be in conflict with development standards and implementing regulations the county intends to consider or study within a reasonable time.”

   The ordinance also notes that a moratorium would give the county enough time to draft and adopt regulations that are consistent with the Compassionate Use Act as well as the recently enacted bills. 

   Four of the five members on the Board of Supervisors would need to vote yes for the ordinance to pass, and it would take effect immediately after being adopted for the next 45 days, unless an extension is called for. 

   In other business, the board will be voting to confirm the selection of president and vice president of the East Vallejo Fire Protection District’s  Board of Directors, and Supervisor Erin Hannigan will be presenting a resolution recognizing January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. 

   The Board of Supervisors will be meeting at 8:30 a.m. today at 675 Texas St. in Fairfield. For more information, contact 784-3487. 

Benicia's "Nutcracker" ballet celebrates 25-year tradition

(Originally published in the 12/1/15 edition)

   Benicia Ballet Theatre will hit another milestone this weekend. Saturday will mark the 25th year that the organization has brought the beloved holiday classic “The Nutcracker” to Solano County.

   “The Nutcracker,” based on the 1816 short story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” was first adapted into a ballet by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov by 1892 with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The production tells the story of a young girl named Clara who receives a nutcracker for Christmas. She is soon whisked away into a magical world where she meets the Nutcracker Prince and where toy soldiers square off against the Mouse King and his army.

   The production was not initially a success, but since the mid-20th century it has been performed countless times around the holiday season. Benicia Ballet Theatre has been putting it on since 1990, although there will be a change of venue this year to Fairfield’s Downtown Theatre.

   “We have been performing at Solano Community College for several years, and they have closed their theater due to renovation,” Publicity Coordinator Renee Albrecht said. “We chose Downtown Theatre because of their availability and because we needed to quickly book a place.”

   Additionally, the organization also needed to find a venue that had an orchestra pit and a stage large enough to fit such a large cast.

   “The question we get asked all the time is ‘Why is this not in Benicia?’” Albrecht said. “The answer is there’s nowhere in Benicia that is big enough to house this production.”

   The 25th anniversary production will feature over 120 symphony musicians and dancers, including a pair of Benicia High School seniors- sisters Isabelle and Sophia Briseno. Maestro Steve Thompson will lead the Symphony Orchestra of Northern California in performing Tchaikovsky’s enduring score.

   Additionally, there will be slight story changes. In past productions, Clara has been a young girl the whole time through. In this anniversary production, Clara will dream she’s an adult when meeting the Nutcracker Prince.

   “There’s now going to be an older and younger version of Clara and the Prince,” Albrecht said. 

   There will also be a Silver Anniversary Silent Auction between the two shows on Saturday. Tickets for the auction are separate from the main event.

   As with many holiday classics, “The Nutcracker" continues to be popular every December.

   “It symbolizes the holiday season for a lot of people,” Albrecht said. “And of course, the music is just fantastic.”

   “The Nutcracker” will be performed at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5 and at 2 p.m. on Dec. 6. All performances will take place at the Downtown Theatre, located on 1035 Texas St. in Fairfield. Seating is assigned, and tickets can be purchased from $15 to $24 at the box office or through DowntownTheatre.com. Additionally, there will be a silent auction in between the two Saturday shows from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets for this event are $20 and can be purchased through BeniciaBallet.org.

   For more information, contact 746-6757 or at info@beniciaballet.org. 

Superhero teaches students about environmental awareness

(Originally published in the 11/25/15 edition)

   As you read this, a caped Avenger is touring Solano County promoting justice. She may not be Captain America or Iron Man, but her goals are just as noble.

   She is…Petrolia, the Used Oil Avenger!

   Petrolia, a life-sized recycled drop of used oil, is visiting classrooms across the county as part of the Suisun Marsh Watershed Program. In 2014, the cities of Solano received a CalRecycle Competitive Used Oil Grant, which promotes the importance of recycling used motor oil to protect the land and waterways. 

   However, Petrolia is not the only environmental superhero in Solano County. Since 2001, a giant bilge pad named Bilgee has been the mascot for the Lake Berryessa Watershed Partnership, which aims to keep engine fluids out of the lake since Berryessa is a primary drinking source for Solano County.

   “Berryessa’s always been a huge hit,” Marianne Butler, the environmental education program manager for the Solano Resource Conservation District, said. “We thought ‘Let’s see what we can do about getting a new character for Solano County since Bilgee’s up in Berryessa.” 

   As the story goes, Petrolia began life as a small oil droplet on the East Coast. After being involved in an oil spill on the Chesapeake Bay that killed thousands of sea birds, Petrolia was so aghast that she vowed to make a difference. She began encouraging people not to pour their oil down drains and educated them on how to recycle used oil. She met Bilgee at a superheroes conference, and with Bilgee’s devotion to Berryessa, he felt Petrolia would be a beneficial educator for Solano County.

   “He texted her about an open position in Solano County to talk to kids about keeping the storm drains clean,” Butler said.

   Students from across the county helped design Petrolia’s costume, which consists of a green cape, black high-heeled boots and a blue leotard with a multi-colored recycling symbol. They also helped brainstorm ideas for her introductory comic book.

   “This is a really meaningful experience for children to connect with a cartoon character,” Butler said. 

   The response from students upon seeing the character has been very positive.

   “They get this bright-eyed look on their faces with intrigue and interest,” Butler said. “She captures their attention. The reason we created her was to capture their attention and to really push home the importance of keeping storm drains clean.” 

   In December, Petrolia will be visiting 21 classrooms in schools that are partnered with the Suisun Marsh Watershed Program.  As fifth through seventh graders in Vallejo, Fairfield, Suisun City, Dixon and Rio Vista learn about the program, they will receive a visit from Petrolia. 

   “By the end of December, we will have had about 1,300 students go through the program,” Butler said.

  Additionally, the Used Oil Avenger will visit third graders in the spring as part of the Watershed Explorers Program. 

   “We bring the students to an outdoor open space to learn about their watershed,” Butler said. 

   As of now, Petrolia is scheduled to visit around 80 classrooms and 2,200 students in the spring. This will include Benicia third graders, who will be hiking from the Glen Cove Marina to the Benicia State Recreation Area. 

   “They’ll be doing different types of plant propagation,” Butler said. “Petrolia will then visit their classrooms after they participate in the program.”

   Butler hopes that students will become more educated on how they can be mindful of their own environment.

   “Our long-term goal is for students to become watershed stewards of the local resources in our county,” she said. “It’s really important for us that students go outside to visit the open spaces, and they form a connection to the spaces outside around their houses. That’s why we’re working now to bring students to their local parks.”

   Moreover, Butler sees Petrolia as a good way to get kids excited about protecting the Earth. 

   “We’re working to keep our streets and cities clean, and Petrolia is one avenue that takes us there,” she said.

   For more information on Petrolia or the Solano Resource Conservation District, visit SolanoRCD.org or contact Jamie Solomon at (707) 678-1655 x 116.

Assemblyman Bill Dodd's golf tournament benefits Solano-Napa Habitat for Humanity

(Originally published in the 11/19/15 edition)

   For 16 years, Assemblyman Bill Dodd (D-Napa) has hosted a golf tournament and dinner with all proceeds going to a charitable organization of his choosing. This year, Dodd has chosen the Solano-Napa Habitat for Humanity as the organization to raise money toward.

   The Fairfield-based organization, an independent affiliate of the international Habitat for Humanity, was founded in 1991 and has since built 13 new homes and repaired many more in the Solano-Napa area. 

   Development Director Kathleen de Vries approached Dodd with the prospect of highlighting Habitat for Humanity that year.

   “It is my mission to put the Solano-Napa Habitat for Humanity affiliate on the map in Napa,” she said. “I’ve lived in Napa for 20 years and wrote to Bill to ask if he had found a beneficiary for this event and if he would consider us.”

   Dodd accepted her offer.

   “I am pleased to designate the Solano-Napa Habitat for Humanity affiliate as the recipient of this year’s event,” Dodd said in a press release. “Habitat for Humanity’s work is well-known on an international level, and the affiliate here in the Napa Valley is doing important work with families here in our own community.”

   Dodd’s annual event has raised more than $700,000 for charity organizations, including Community Resources for Children in 2013. Public Relations Consultant Natasha Biasell said that Dodd was present for the dedication of two homes on the corner of Missouri and Taylor streets in Fairfield. 

   “He attended that dedication and spoke as our assemblyman,” she said. 

   In December, Dodd will be using his event to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. All of the proceeds will go toward the organization, which it will use to continue funding its projects, including its first new home build in Napa County.

   “We’re working with the city of Napa to purchase land for the new home build,” Biasell said. 

   The organization will also be working on restoration projects for the homes that were damaged by the earthquake that hit Napa last year. 

   The tournament will be held at the Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa, and it will feature an auction and dinner.

   “I’ve heard that in years prior, the golf tournament has been rained out,” Biasell said. “We’re hoping for great weather this year so that the tournament can take place.”

   The Habitat for Humanity staff has expressed gratitude that Dodd selected their organization for his event.

   “There are an excess of 600 nonprofits in Napa County, and we’re so delighted we are able to be one of them for his event this year,” de Vries said. 

   Dodd’s 16th Annual Holiday Party and Golf Tournament will be held Monday, Dec. 14 at the Silverado Resort in Napa, located at 1600 Atlas Peak Rd. Tickets are $75 for dinner and $175 for golf and dinner and can be purchased at SolanoNapaHabitat.org. For more information on the event or sponsorship opportunities, contact Renee Lawson at (707) 515-0608.