Thompson to make rounds in district in next 2 days

Rep. Mike Thompson, Benicia's representative in the U.S. House, will be in Vallejo tomorrow to discuss the newly enacted tax bill and its potential impact on seniors. (File photo)

 Rep. Mike Thompson, who represents Benicia in the U.S. House of Representatives, was in Washington, D.C. this weekend as the country was in the midst of a government shutdown that ended on Monday, but he is back in the Bay Area. The Democratic congressman is going to have a busy schedule in the next two days as he travels to cities throughout his district to meet with constituents. 
   First, Thompson will be in Santa Rosa today for a town hall meeting, which is open to all residents in California’s 5th District. The meeting will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building, located at 1351 Maple Ave. 
   Thompson has two events on Thursday. The first is a Coffee with Our Congressman event for Pinole residents to meet with Thompson and learn about services available in the area through Thompson’s local office. This event will be held from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Pinole Senior Center, located at 2500 Charles Ave. After that, the congressman is off to Vallejo from 3 to 4:30 p.m. to host a town tax hall for seniors. The event, open to all constituents of California’s 5th District, will discuss how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act-- passed by both houses of Congress in late 2017-- will impact senior citizens. The meeting will be held at the Florence Douglas Senior Center, located at 333 Amador St.
   For more information on any of these events, contact Thompson’s Vallejo office at 645-1888.

Humane Society of the North Bay seeking volunteers today to prevent flooding

Rain is on its way. The forecast is calling for heavy rains this weekend as well as next week. This is unwelcoming news for the Humane Society of the North Bay (HSNB), whose sump pump recently gave out, increasing the chance of flooding on the shelter's grounds. HSNB is working to help protect its dog kennels, and they will need extra help from the community.

   HSNB is seeking volunteers to come to the shelter today between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to fill and place sandbags at the shelter. Volunteers to drive trucks to transport the sandbags from the Vallejo Sanitation and Flood Control, located at 450 Ryder St., are also being sought.

   HSNB is located at 1121 Sonoma Blvd. For more information, call the shelter at 645-7905. 

Vallejo Pasta Pomodoro closes

(Originally published in the 1/3/16 edition)

   Pasta Pomodoro, the San Francisco-based Italian restaurant chain Pasta Pomodoro, suddenly closed all of its locations Dec. 26, including the one in Vallejo. Restaurant employees were notified via text messages that the franchise had closed, and they would receive their final pay Friday. 

   The restaurant began in San Francisco’s Marina District in 1994 and expanded to more than 25 locations throughout the Bay Area as well as Southern California and Arizona by the end of the decade. The Vallejo location— the only one in Solano County— was in the Gateway Plaza. In 2002, the chain had become popular enough that Wendy’s International had a 25 percent stake in the company. It was then sold to Matthew Janopaul and Girish Satya in 2010. In turn, it was sold to a private equity firm in 2012. 

   By the time of the closure, the chain had exited the Southern California and Arizona markets, and only 15 Bay Area locations remained. No announcement has been made regarding the motive for the decision. 

JFK Library in Vallejo will celebrate National Poetry Month

(Originally published in the 4/8/16 edition)

   April is National Poetry Month, which means bards worldwide will have a chance to share their literary skills with others. Four local poets will be doing just that as part of the John F. Kennedy Library's National Poetry Month poetry reading and open mic night event. Other local scribes will be encouraged to join in.

   The event will be hosted by Genea Brice, Vallejo's poet laureate. Brice was named as the city's first poet laureate last summer and has led the Poetry in Notion meetings monthly at the JFK Library, where poets gather to share their love of the art form.

   “We are honored to have Genea Brice hosting this event,” library associate Jeff Kingman said in a statement. “She brings lots of talent and energy to her post as Vallejo’s first Poet Laureate. Genea has a special way of reading her work that makes the poems come alive—like music.”

   Brice will be joined by Kingman as well as Kyrah A. Ayres and Benicia's very own Johanna Ely. Ely is a member of the Benicia First Tuesday Poetry Group and has had her work published in two poetry anthologies, “Across the Genres” and “A Word for All Seasons.”

   After the readings by the four poets, there will be an open mic session where attendees will have the opportunity to show off their poetic abilities. The public will be able to sign up at the beginning of the event.

   The event will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 16 in the Joseph Room of the JFK Library, located at 505 Santa Clara St. in Vallejo. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served. For more information, visit SolanoLibrary.com or call the library at (866) 572-7587.  

Rep. Mike Thompson's noodle dinner will feature civil rights icon

(Originally published in the 3/22/16 edition)

   Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa) will be hosting an International Noodle Dinner in Vallejo as part of an effort to know the constituents of his district- or rather let the citizens of his district know him.

   “He just wants to be a face and for people to know who he is and feel comfortable reaching out to them, rather than some figurehead in Washington who doesn’t ever come back and you don’t really know,” Thompson’s campaign events coordinator Mary Jane Bowker said. “He is a real person who cares tremendously about his district.”

   Thompson, who also represents Benicia as part of California’s 5th district, will be speaking for about 15 minutes on projects he has been working on for Solano and Contra Costa counties and deliver updates on what has been going on in Washington, D.C. All of this will be occurring as guests enjoy noodle dishes of several different nationalities, including Italian, Chinese, Filipino and Thai.

   Guests will also hear from Rep. John Lewis. In addition to having represented Georgia’s 5th district since 1987, Lewis was a major civil rights figure in the ‘60s. He was among the Big Six leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, which also included Martin Luther King, Jr. Lewis was president of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and played a big role in fighting segregation and racial discrimination. He was also one of the original Freedom Riders, spoke at the March on Washington in 1963 and led the 1965 march in Selma, Ala. in a day that later came to be known as “Bloody Sunday.”

   Thompson and Lewis have worked closely together, with Thompson even joining Lewis in Selma for the 50th anniversary of the march.

   “(Thompson) is a colleague of Mr. Lewis in Washington, D.C., and they work closely together,” Bowker said. “He asked him to come out here, and he said yes.”

   Additionally, there will be a raffle, free electronic recycling and a computers for nonprofits program. The company Computer Recycling Center will be giving out four recently refurbished Intel Core Duo/Dual Core Windows desktop computers to nonprofit organizations.

   “The reason we use this particular company is because they take all the toxic material out of the product and recycle them properly so nothing goes into the landfill,” Bowker said. 

   The computers in really good condition are refurbished and upgraded to Windows 8 so they can be delivered to nonprofits. Interested organizations should bring in a letter addressed to Steve Wyatt, including its 501(C) number and a short explanation on how its organization will be using these computers. The value of each system is $300.

   Bowker says the event will be a good way to educate people on the political system.

   “I think it’s very important that people get involved in the political system,” she said. “Politics starts in your home. It starts with people that are elected to the school board to city councils to supervisors. I think that the more people get involved, the more they become committed to the community. Mike wants people to know that he’s accessible. If you have a situation, question or problem, his offices are open and he wants to be very approachable.”

   The dinner will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., Saturday, April 2 at the Mare Island Museum, located at 1100 Railroad Ave. in Vallejo. Tickets are $25 for adults and free for children under 12. Tickets can be purchased in advance, at the door or online at MikeThompsonForCongress.com. For more information, call Bowker at (707) 226-8989.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Film on college sexual assaults to be screened in Vallejo

(Originally published in the 3/15/16 edition)

   The Benicia-Vallejo American Association of University Women will be partnering with SafeQuest Solano to present a free screening of the Academy Award-nominated documentary “The Hunting Ground,” which addresses the growing issue of sexual assaults on college campuses. 

   “The Hunting Ground” was directed by Kirby Dick, who had previously received Best Documentary nominations for “Twist of Faith” and “The Invisible War.” After exploring cases of sexual assault in the military in the latter film, the director was inspired to make another documentary focusing on sexual assaults within another American institution: its own colleges. The film focuses on Andrea Pino and Annie E. Clark, two former University of North Carolina students who claimed they were raped while enrolled in the school and filed a Title IX claim against UNC after not feeling supported by the college. The documentary also discusses other incidents at several well-known universities, including Harvard, Notre Dame and Florida State University.

   The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2015, and an edited version aired on CNN in November. In addition, an original composition by Lady Gaga titled “Til it Happens to You” received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.

   SafeQuest Solano, a nonprofit organization that provides for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, had purchased a DVD copy of “The Hunting Ground” and partnered with Benicia-Vallejo AAUW to present a free public screening at Touro University in Vallejo. 

   “What we’re both interested in is prevention,” AAUW Program Coordinator Jacqueline Crawford said. “The only way we can prevent things is if we’re aware of what the problems are, what the red flags are and how to ensure our safety is protected.”

   According to a 2015 survey by the Association of American Universities, 23 percent of female college students said they experienced a form of unwanted sexual contact. However, a 2014 survey by the Department of Justice noted that 80 percent of rape incidents went unreported to the police. 

   Crawford hopes the documentary will let students who are caught in such circumstances know what their rights are.

   “If we’re unfortunately a victim of sexual assault, we should know what we can do about it and how we can get college campuses to provide support,” she said. 

   Crawford said she was very moved by Pino and Clark’s campaign to end sexual assaults on campus.

   “It’s very moving to see how these two young women banded together to start a movement going from campus to campus,” she said. “Of course, the Internet helps. They can put their information out there, and people respond.” 

   Although the cases of sexual assault against women are greater in number and thus get the most attention, Crawford says the problem extends to men as well. 

   “This is not a problem just for women,” she said. “Men are assaulted also, and there are men talking in the film as well.”

   Crawford says the event will address potential victims and how they can prevent such incidents and discuss the culture of college campuses that might influence young males to act a certain way. 

   At the screening, AAUW will talk about its goals and introduce the film, SafeQuest Solano will have a presentation on its prevention programs, and a question-and-answer session will follow the film.

   “I’m certainly hoping they have a better understanding of what the issues are, what the red flags are and therefore be able to identify the dangerous situations for themselves and to avoid them,” Crawford said. “If they are unfortunate enough to have experienced sexual assault, they should know they have every right to report it and obtain support services. Education is what we’re all about, and education is power.”

   “The Hunting Ground” will be screened at 6:30 p.m., Monday, March 21 at Farragut Inn, located at 1310 Club Drive on the Touro University Campus on Mare Island. For more information on AAUW, visit beniciavallejo-ca.aauw.net. 

   

SolTrans offers free rides for Route 20 travelers

(Originally published in the 3/6/16 edition)

   Planning on taking the bus from Benicia to Vallejo in the next two months? Don’t worry about having a thick wallet. If you take SolTrans’ Route 20 in March or April, you will be able to ride for free.

   In a promotion that began on Tuesday and will run until Friday, April 29, those who take Route 20 will not have to pay a cent. Route 20 begins at the corner of 3rd and H streets in Rancho Benicia and its stops include City Park, the Southampton Shopping Center, Solano Community College’s Vallejo campus and Gateway Plaza, where riders will have easy walking access to Costco, Home Depot and the Target Shopping Center. 

   If you are planning on using your Clipper card, SolTrans staff advises against it. Those who tag their Clipper cards during this promotion will be charged the regular fare.

   Route 20 operates from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. Buses leave every hour. 

   In other SolTrans promotions, students who ride the bus during spring break from Monday, March 21 to April 1 will ride for free. This promotion is valid for students ages 6 to 18. College students who ride the bus must present a valid student ID.

   For more information, visit SolTransRide.com. 

Photo by Nick Sestanovich

Vallejo Symphony to present debut performance of string quartet

(Originally published in the 2/26/16 edition)

   For its final production of the season, Vallejo Symphony will be presenting a chamber performance by New Falcon String Quartet. 

   The group is comprised of violist Raphael Gold, cellist Burke Schuchmann and violinists Joseph Gold and Dan Kristianson. On Sunday, March 6, the quartet will be performing their debut gig together, but Kristianson says all four members are accomplished musicians and he and Schuchmann had worked together previously. 

   “We’ve given concerts in Mendocino at the arts center,” he said. 

   Schuchmann was principal cellist and soloist with the Salzburg Solisten in Austria, and has been principal cellist and soloist with the Sacramento Symphony and Mendocino Music Festival. 

   Joseph is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he studied under legendary violinist Jascha Heifetz. Joseph has performed throughout the Bay Area and was the subject of the 2011 documentary “Gold Violin: Bow of Death,” which was an Official Selection for the Mill Valley Film Festival that year.

   Joseph’s son, Rafael, has played in several orchestras and chamber groups throughout the Bay Area and has performed in international music festivals in Mexico, Spain, Nicaragua and beyond. 

   Finally, Kristianson has been performing with the Vallejo Symphony for 14 years as assistant principal second violinist, and has been a member of a group called Symphony Orchestra of Northern California which has performed in venues in Fairfield and Napa. Additionally, he received his music degree from Yale University and studied in Japan under Shinichi Suzuki, founder of the Suzuki method, which posits that musicians learn from their surrounding environments. He has also been the assistant principal second violinist for the North State Symphony of Chico and Redding for 20 years and was the gust principal second violinist last season for Symphony Napa Valley and Solano Symphony. 

   Kristianson says the diversity of talents among the group often comes into friendly conflict.

   “The best and the worst thing is that we are all highly opinionated,” he said. “We have strong musical opinions, and there’s a wealth of different musical ideas that are generally quite well-founded and well-grounded, but then we have to duke it out in rehearsal to see the way they’re presented when they’re actually performed.”

   Nonetheless, the members of New Falcon String Quartet enjoy each other’s company, especially when the senior members share stories. 

   “Burke and Joe are loads of fun to work with because they are filled with literally hundreds of thousands of anecdotes about musical performances and famous musicians they’ve collaborated with,” Kristianson said. “We break the tension with a story and probably talk a little more often than we ought to in rehearsal.” 

   The quartet will be performing three orchestral pieces from three different eras of symphonic music. The evening will begin with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Divertimento in No. 3,” which Kristianson says was unanimously chosen by the group as the introductory piece.

   “It’s a very optimistic and forward-moving piece, and it’s a great piece to introduce yourself to an audience,” he said. “You don’t want to start off with anything that’s too tragic or too wistful.”

   The group will continue with Felix Mendelssohn’s “String Quartet in E Minor,” which Kristianson described as a good middle piece due to it being performed in E minor— a step above what has been cited as “the saddest of all keys.”

   “It’s a little bit more dramatic in nature,” he said. 

   The evening will conclude with Antonin Dvorak’s “American” quartet.

   “Of all the great European composers, (Dvorak) was the one most adopted by American styles,” Kristianson said. “It’s great European music, but it has some great flavor of the United States.”

   “He had studied the spirituals and folk music, and you can hear it in his composition,” he added. 

   Kristianson believes the three pieces will be strong showcases of three different musical periods, with Mozart representing the classical era, Dvorak representing the Romantic era and Mendelssohn representing a bridge between the two. Additionally, he feels the audience will be treated to great music.

   “You will hear some of the finest string playing you’ll have heard in Vallejo in years,” he said. “You don’t often get a chance to hear musicians of the caliber.”

   New Falcon String Quartet’s concert will begin at 4 p.m., Sunday, March 6, at the First Presbyterian Church in Vallejo, located at 1350 Amador St. Tickets are $10 for students 13 and older, and $20 for adults. They can be purchased at BrownPaperTickets.com. For more information, visit VallejoSymphony.org. 

   

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. 

Vallejo Symphony to feature final conductor audition

(Originally published in the 1/28/16 edition)

   In its search to find a new permanent conductor, the Vallejo Symphony Orchestra has reached its third and final audition. On Sunday, Marc Taddei will be showcasing three powerful pieces for the concert “The Composer’s Muse.”

   Taddei was appointed as music director of Orchestra Wellington in New Zealand in 2007 and has conducted every professional orchestra in the country. He also has conducted many of the major Australian orchestras, the Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong and the New York City Ballet. 

   Taddei began playing music in fifth grade and grew to love everything about the art form. 

   “It’s kind of a cliche but this idea of music expressing the unexpressable rings true,” he said. “In terms of the profession, what I like about it is very disparate people come together, and they have very little in common except a love of music, and they’re able to cooperate when there’s room in the concert platform to create something of beauty. For me, that’s a great aspect of music, and almost a microcosm of what society could be.”

   He has also had experience conducting for Hollywood and international movies. Taddei recorded for the soundtrack of last year’s holiday hit “Krampus” as well as Peter Jackson’s 2005 remake of “King Kong.” He also recorded for the New Zealand films “Under the Mountain” and “Dean Spanley” as well as the British Channel 4 film “Wagner’s Ring,” based on Richard Wagner’s opera cycle “The Ring of the Nibelung.”

   “It’s quite fun,” he said of the process. “It’s quite technical in terms of there being a monitor, a click track and other visual aids for the conductor. In a way, it’s an oppressive situation because the orchestra and producers will have limited time to put a movie together.”

   He also noted that conducting for live cinema could be quite challenging, especially for silent movies which he says do not have the same level of editing expertise as movies today. 

   “Silent movies, you conduct as the movie is playing without any click track,” he said. “The only visual indication you have is from the movie itself, and that’s fine. It takes a little bit of practice to do it. You have to go through the score in your head while watching the movie.”

   When Taddei saw an opening for a conductor with the Vallejo Symphony Orchestra, he applied. 

   “He wanted a regular post in California, and he chose us,” Vallejo Symphony Director Tim Zumwalt said.

   “I am an American even though I’ve lived in New Zealand for quite some time now,” he said. “I would like to return to my homeland and work with a fine orchestra such as Vallejo.”

   Additionally, Taddei’s brother and sister live in Oakland, so he figured it would be a good way to be closer to them. He also is impressed with Vallejo Symphony Orchestra’s professionalism.

   “What’s especially attractive about Vallejo to me, along with many other orchestras in the Bay Area, is that they have access to world-class musicians,” he said. “These orchestras have very high standards, and Vallejo is no exception to that.”

   “The Composer’s Muse” will feature lesser-known pieces by three legendary composers. The show will begin with a performance of Igor Stravinsky’s 1928 ballet “Apollo.”

   “It’s one of the most serene works of modernism,” Taddei said. “It’s a work that introduced Stravinsky to the greatest choreographer of the 20th century, George Balanchine, and because of this work, the two of them were able to collaborate for the rest of Stravinsky’s life.”

   The evening will continue with Ludwig van Beethoven’s song cycle “To the Distant Beloved.”

   “I wanted to do a work of Beethoven’s, but I didn’t want to be so obvious,” Taddei said. 

   Taddei described the piece as very influential to early Romantic composers like Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert. 

   The final piece will be Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 5.” 

   “Tchakovsky was the kind of composer that really brought western schooling to the folk idiom that composers were experimenting with in Russia at this time,” Taddei said. “Tchaikovsky had both the genius and the inspiration and the training to marry the German technique with Russian folk songs.” 

   Taddei described all three pieces as disparate masterpieces that encapsulate musical history. Additionally, there will be a performance by San Francisco-based baritone singer Haleigh Adams during the show.

   Zumwalt said the board will go on retreat after the final concert and then decide who will be its new permanent conductor.

   “The Composer’s Muse” will be performed 3 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 31, at the Hogan High School auditorium, located on 850 Rosewood Ave. Tickets can be purchased at BrownPaperTickets.com. For more information, visit VallejoSymphony.org. 

"Pacific Rim" to be experienced in five dimensions at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

(Originally published in the 1/14/16 edition)

   Fans of “Pacific Rim” will have a chance to see the science-fiction/monster movie hit of 2013 on the big screen again, only this time they will be experiencing it in a whole new way.

   Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo recently announced a new ride based on Guillermo Del Toro’s film in the Iwerks 5-D Theater. Whereas 3-D films are shot in a way that when viewers put on special glasses they feel like they are witnessing the action up close, “Pacific Rim 5-D” will make viewers feel like they are part of the action. The seats will move in accordance to the action that happens on screen, not unlike Disneyland’s “Captain EO” or “Star Tours” or past Iwerks rides like “DinoSphere” or “Stargate.”

   This is the first ride in the world based on “Pacific Rim.” The movie tells the story of colossal monsters called Kaijus who rise from the Pacific Ocean and wreak havoc on the planet in the 2020s. The United Nations approves the construction of Jaegers, giant robots piloted by humans, to stop the creatures. 

   “Bringing in an intense, high-energy and popular movie like ‘Pacific Rim’ to our Iwerks 5-D Theater is a great addition to our thrill lineup,” Park President Don McCoy said in a press release. “As Northern California’s most thrilling theme park, kids and adults alike will be blown away being part of the ground-shaking action.”

   “Pacific Rim 5-D” can currently be experienced in limited sneak previews throughout January with an official opening slated within the next month. A representative for the park could not be reached for comment.

   Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is located at 1001 Fairgrounds Drive and is open on weekends and select dates from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. or 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information on the ride or hours, visit SixFlags.com/DiscoveryKingdom. 

Places to be in Benicia/Vallejo on New Year's Eve

(Originally published in the 12/30/15 edition)

   The end of the year is a time of celebration, and everybody celebrates in their own way. However, if you live in Benicia, you do not have to drive very far to take part in festivities outside of your home.

   First of all, many local businesses will be offering various kinds of entertainment as well as deals. Sailor Jack’s, located on 123 First St., will have a four-course preset menu featuring such items as ahi tuna stack, Alaskan halibut, lobster tail, vegetarian wellington and a dessert. The entire meal will be $89 per person. There will also be live music upstairs from 9 to midnight by The Baker Street Band, a Reno-based classic rock cover band led by Adrian Baker, a former touring member of The Beach Boys and The Four Seasons. For more information, call 746-8500.

   Down the street, The Rellik Tavern, located at 726 First St., will be hosting its seventh annual New Year’s Eve Party. The doors open at 9 for a set by Oakland-based rock band Muncie, and there will be a champagne toast at midnight to ring in 2016. The event will have a $10 cover charge and limited VIP and bottle service. For more information, call 746-1137.

   Rookies Sports Bar and Grill, located at 321 First St., will have a more low-key New Year’s. There will be a DJ and $5 cover at the door, and TV screens will be broadcasting both the East Coast countdown to 2016 before 9 p.m. and the West Coast countdown before midnight. For more information, call 746-7665.

   There are events beyond Benicia too. The Front Room at the Wharf, located at 295 Mare Island Way in Vallejo, will be hosting a dinner and dance party. The meal- which will consist of an appetizer, soup or salad and a choice of entree and dessert- will be served at 5:30 p.m.. There will be live entertainment by local jazz and R&B singer Darrell Edwards from 9 p.m. to 1 in the morning. For more information, call 649-8889.

   Also in Vallejo, The Mic Gillette Band will be performing a special New Year’s Eve show at the Empress Theatre, located on 330 Virginia St. For more information, visit EmpressTheatre.org or check out the article in the Dec. 29 edition of The Benicia Herald.

   If you are planning to drink lots of alcohol and don’t have a designated driver, do not get behind the wheel. AAA will be offering its Tipsy Tow program from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Call 800-222-4357 for a free tow home of up to 10 miles. Tell the AAA operator “I need a Tipsy Tow,” and a truck will be sent over. Service is restricted to a one-way ride for the driver and his or her vehicle to the driver’s home. You do not need to be a AAA member to use this service. 

   The Herald would like to remind you to have a safe and happy new year. Enjoy 2016. 

Mic Gillette Band to perform New Year's Eve show at Empress Theatre

(Originally published in the 12/29/15 edition)

   The end of 2015 is nearing. People have a variety of ways they can spend their last few hours of the year. They can stay home and watch “The Twilight Zone” marathon or Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin make playful banter until the ball drops, or they can go to the Empress Theatre in Vallejo and have a very funky New Year’s Eve.

   Empress Theatre will be presenting its New Year’s Eve Party with the Mic Gillette Band. Gillette was a founding member of Tower of Power, an Oakland-based funk/soul/jazz/rock group who had several charting R&B singles throughout the ‘70s. Gillette played brass for the group but left in 1984 to focus on raising his daughter Megan. He also was a member of numerous other bands, including Cold Blood, Sons of Champlin and a brief stint with Blood, Sweat & Tears. His resume as a session musician extends even beyond that, having recorded with acts including The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Santana, Heart, Rod Stewart, Sheryl Crow, The Doobie Brothers, Huey Lewis and the News and more. 

   “I’ve been performing since I was 5 years old,” Gillette said. “I was given a gift from my father of musical expression, and I’ve just followed it all my life.”

   Gillette also is known for his philanthropy. He founded the Music in the Schools program to keep music programs alive in schools across the country. He does so by touring America and performing with schools’ jazz bands, sometimes by bringing in other professional performers.

   “I’ve been very active in helping students get scholarships to colleges,” he said. “There’s so much money available out there for kids who will apply themselves and spend a couple of years working on recording stuff. I can help them audition, and I can provide recommendations for some of the best music schools in the country.”

   Gillette currently leads the Mic Gillette Band, which features two Benicia residents- Jason Stewart on guitar and Andres Soto on saxophone- and daughter Megan Gillette McCarthy serving as vocalist and percussionist as well as the band’s manager. The group has put out two albums and performed songs by Tower of Power as well as other bands Gillette has performed with and numerous originals.

   “I’ve been blessed enough to play with many big name bands and artists all over the world for many, many years, and this is my favorite band I’ve ever played with,” Gillette said. “It’s just an amazing group of musicians, and I’m actually doing a little bit of singing but only as a background vocalist.”

   The idea to perform the Empress’ New Year’s Eve show came from Stewart, who knows Empress manager Don Bassey.

   “He said ‘Have Mic call me. We’d love to have him up here for New Year’s,” Gillette said. “I called, the ball got rolling and here we are.”

   The group will be performing a variety of original compositions as well as songs by acts Gillette has performed with.

   “I’ve got stories to go along with some of the songs,” he said. “We consider ourselves to be a dance band. People love to get up and dance when we play, so that’s why New Year’s Eve is gonna work.”

   The doors for the Empress Theatre’s New Year’s Eve Party will open at 8 p.m. with the show beginning at 9 on Thursday, Dec. 31. The Empress Theatre is located at 330 Virginia St. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at TicketFly.com. For more information, contact the Empress at 552-2400. 

Photo courtesy of The Empress Theatre

   

   

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.

Clairdee to perform holiday concert for Vallejo Jazz Society, Dec. 6

(Originally published in the 11/20/15 edition)

   Internationally renowned jazz vocalist Clairdee will be providing atmosphere for the holiday season for her Dec. 6 show “Clairdee’s Soulful Sounds of the Season” at Vallejo’s Empress Theatre presented by the Vallejo Jazz Society.

   The Vallejo Jazz Society is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2010 with the goals of raising awareness of jazz in Vallejo and surrounding areas, providing opportunities for the greatest Bay Area jazz musicians to perform and reaching out to the community by bringing concerts to local schools and youth organizations.

   In just five years, Vallejo Jazz Society has put on 29 concerts featuring some of the Bay’s top jazz talents, including Larry Vuckovich, Denise Perrier, Pamela Rose and Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers. For its 30th concert, Vallejo Jazz Society has chosen Clairdee to bring her soulful vocals and jazzy renditions of holiday classics to the stage.

   “She’s a wonderful performer,” Chairman Bryan Girard said. “She does a blend of jazz, soul and pop music. She’s very flexible and good at what she does.”

   Clairdee has performed across the globe, often playing to sold-out venues, and she has played with a variety of performers including Boz Scaggs, Bucky Pizzarelli and Chuck Redd. She has also opened for legendary acts like the Count Basie Orchestra, Johnny Mathis and Etta James. Additionally, she is a faculty member with the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley and has worked as a vocal jazz instructor for UC Berkeley and Diablo Valley College. 

   “We consider it a real coup to have gotten her to perform for Vallejo Jazz Society,” Girard said. “We can’t pay as much as some of the for-profit venues. Clairdee believes in what we’re trying to do and was willing to play for somewhat less than what she could normally command for a performance.”

  Clairdee’s setlist will consist of jazzy renderings of holiday songs, something she is very familiar with. In 2003, Clairdee released an album titled “This Christmas,” which featured jazzified renditions of standards like “Winter Wonderland” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” The CD also featured interpretations of lesser-known holiday songs like Charles Brown’s “Bringing in a Brand New Year.”

   Girard expects audience members to have a lot of fun watching “one of the best vocalists around singing great music and backed by a five-piece band.”

   He also encourages people to support nonprofit jazz organizations.

   “Nobody gets paid,” Girard said. “We work as hard as we can just to keep this music alive and growing.”

    “Clairdee’s Soulful Sounds of the Season” will be performed from 5 to 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 6 at the Empress Theatre, located on 330 Virginia St. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $7.50 for Vallejo Jazz Society members. They can be purchased at the door or online at VallejoJazzSociety.com. Up to two children 18 and under are admitted free with a paying adult. Refreshments will be available for purchase. For more information, contact (707) 533-4593 or visit VallejoJazzSociety.com. 

   

"Rock the House" to raise funds for home renovations

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

   Rebuilding Together Solano County and the Vallejo Veterans will be partnering once again to present the 6th Annual Renovatin’ Rocks the House joint fundraiser Friday. The proceeds will help Rebuilding Together continue its mission of renovating homes for low-income households.

   Elizabeth Hoffman, executive director of Rebuilding Together, says the event was created to bring attention to the group’s mission.

   “We wanted to do an annual fundraiser in which we can highlight what we do, which is renovation for low-income seniors, veterans and disabled homeowners,” she said. 

   As in past years, the event will feature a dinner, a silent auction and a live auction. The dinner will feature dishes from several local restaurants, including Venticello’s Ristorante, Sandoval’s Mexican Food, Robert’s China Garden and Nine O Seven Grill in Benicia and Pasta Pomodoro and Buttercup Grill & Bar in Vallejo. 

   The auctions will allow attendees to bid on a variety of items, including queen bedspreads and various furniture. 

   “The funds raised from the event go directly into our projects for next year,” Hoffman said.

   The event coordinators are still looking for volunteers to help before, during and after the event.

   “Volunteers are helping us set up the event, so we’re at Vallejo Veteran’s Hall this whole week,” Hoffman said. “We’re also going to be here after the event on Saturday, so we’re also looking for volunteers to help us with that.”

   “People can also make a financial contribution,” she added. “The seats are almost sold out, but if people are still interested in coming, they can give us a call, and we can see if there’s still seats available.”

   Ultimately, Hoffman wants the event to pull in more funds than ever before.

   “It’s gotten bigger and bigger every year,” she said. “Last year, we raised a little over $30,000 for our projects. “Our ultimate goal is to beat what we did last year, so we’re hoping to raise a little over $30,000 again this year.”

   Renovatin’ Rocks the House will take place from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday at the Vallejo Veterans Memorial Building, located at 420 Admiral Callahan Lane. Tickets cost $35 per person with reserved tables for eight costing $240. If you can not attend the event but would still like to donate, visit RebuildingTogetherSolanoCounty.org and fill out the flier. 

Music industry professionals to share tips with aspiring artists

(Originally published in the 11/10/15 edition)

   Looking to gain a career as an entrepreneur in the music industry? Solano College has an event to help the future Jay-Zs of the world on the path to success. 

   On Nov. 20, Solano Community College and the Solano Small Business Development Center will come together to host Music Biz Live 101 to assist those who are passionate about music by providing them with entrepreneurial advice to help thrive in the business. 

   According to Melissa Pegg, an assistant at SBDC, the idea is “to introduce entrepreneurship to the millennials.”

   “The goal is to bring high school kids and college kids together so they can learn what these artists who have already been in the business have gone through and what they’ve done to become successful,” she added.

   To get this message across, visitors will be treated to panels and performances by industry professionals, all of whom are local and many of whom are either current students or alumni of Solano College.

   Some performers have even achieved worldwide success. The headliner, Vacaville resident Lyndsey Elm, was a contestant on the current season of NBC’s “The Voice.” The 22-year-old wowed the judges with her acoustic rendition of Meghan Trainor’s hit “Lips are Movin’,” which led to all four of them trying to claim her for their team. The video of her performance has been viewed on YouTube over 1 million times.

   Elm was selected to be a part of Gwen Stefani’s team, but the contestant was eliminated in one of the Battle rounds. Nonetheless, Elm’s appearance on the show has led to a number of gigs since, including singing the national anthem at the Golden State Warriors’ Nov. 4 game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Elm will share her experiences to the attendees of Music Biz Live 101 and perform songs.

   “I reached out to Lyndsey through Facebook and got a response,” Pegg said. “We’re very lucky that she responded that way.”

   DJ Symphony of the rap group The Wu-Tang Clan will also be performing. The turntablist also runs the Symphony DJ Academy at the Solano Town Center, which Pegg happened to walk into when she was looking for performers.

   “I just walked into his shop and was talking with him, and he said ‘Well, why don’t I do it?’” she said. “He offered his participation, and that’s so awesome because it’s tough to get people to volunteer to do these types of events.”

   The rest of the performers will be Solano alumni and current students, including LaTiana Kates, Karyssa Lynne, the Flow Alliance Dance Crew, and more. 

   “For them to take the time out of their day to help support bringing the kids to the college, teaching entrepreneurship and giving back to the community is the best thing,” Pegg said. 

   In addition to the performers, there will also be a panel featuring professionals talking about the industry. Panelists include Solano music professor Kristy Juliano, Felstar Recordings President Felton Pilate, Vallejo rapper Dulon “Mugzi” Stevens and Christopher Upperman, a senior advisor with the national Small Business Administration.

   “They’ll talk about the business plan,” Pegg said. “Some of them will probably go into stories of how they made it.”

   Other topics will discuss financing, how to get a loan and what opportunities are available. Even if students do not have an interest in working in the music industry, Pegg says these skills are important for any aspiring entrepreneurs to learn.

   “Even if you aren’t going to handle finances, you should know what a balance sheet looks like,” she said. “It’s all about the bottom line when it comes to being an entrepreneur. To understand the concepts and the legalities of the business, we know you’re not going to be a specialist in it, but you have to understand what you’re getting yourself into so you can be successful.”

   “I was in the business for 15 years, and had I known some of the things that i know now, I would probably not be sitting in this seat,” she added.

   Music Biz Live 101 will take place from 1 to 4 p.m., Friday, Nov. 20, at the lecture hall and auditorium at Solano Community College Vallejo Center. The college is located on 545 Columbus Parkway. Tickets are $1 general admission, and there will be a $1 parking fee. Attendees can register at SolanoSBDC.org or EventBrite.com. All proceeds will benefit SCC’s music school. 

   

   

   

Vallejo Symphony continues search for new conductor

(Originally published in the 11/4/15 edition)

    The Vallejo Symphony Orchestra will continue with the second round of its search to find a permanent conductor Sunday. The next new face to hold the baton? Christian Baldini.

   Baldini is a conductor who has led orchestras across the globe. Among the items on his resume: the Munich Radio Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Buenos Aires Philharmonic. He has also worked with the North State Symphony in Chico and Redding and conducted 11 concerts with the San Francisco Symphony for the 2014-2015 season. 

   “I grew up with music,” Baldini said. “It was a crucial part of my life, even though I didn’t realize at the time it was going to be my profession. We had no professional musicians in the family, so it was more like a really fun thing to do.”

   Baldini soon learned to enjoy the challenge of being a conductor.

   “It’s a very sociable profession,” he said. ‘You need to learn to collaborate with people and inspire them to do your best. Whichever orchestra, group or singers you’re performing with, your goal is to get their very best energy so that we can come together in a cohesive way and provide a strong performance.”

   Baldini’s work as maestro has often been lauded. He recorded a CD with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and soprano Elizabeth Watts titled “Mozart: Opera Arias and Overtures,” which was named by BBC Music Magazine as the recording of the month.

   “It was a wonderful surprise,” Baldini said. “We musicians work hard on every project that comes our way.” 

   Most recently, Baldini did conducting duties for Mercury Soul, a project by DJ and composer Mason Bates that combines classical music with electronica. The collective performed at San Francisco’s Ruby Skye club on Oct. 2.

   “It was really exciting,” Baldini said. “ It’s a very different kind of audience. As musicians, we need to be thinking about not just what we perform and how we perform it but for whom. Whatever we can do to expand the interests and constituencies of every community is very important.”

   Baldini plans to bring a similar sense of variety to Sunday’s concert. The program, “Poetic Genius,” will begin with the debut of a new six-minute piece, “Satellite,” by Swedish composer and Berkeley resident Mika Pelo.

   “The orchestra hasn’t done a lot of new music, so this is nice,” Baldini said. “(Pelo) is a composer with a great ear for color and texture.”

   The evening will continue with Sacramento-based soprano Carrie Hennessey performing arias  from the operas of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Giuseppe Verdi. 

   Finally, the night will conclude with a performance of Robert Schumann’s “Spring Symphony.”

   “That’s a piece I feel very close to,” Baldini said. “Schumann is one of my favorite composers, and I noticed that the Vallejo Symphony has not performed much of his music, so this is a nice occasion to bring one of the great symphonies into their venue.”

   Baldini says the three parts are a way to showcase who he is as a composer.

   “We will showcase one of the wonderful symphonies by Schumann, innovation with the new piece and also a great operatic tradition with a wonderful soprano,” he said. 

   Overall, Baldini wants audience members to treat the concert as they would reading a good novel. 

   “If it’s a really good book, it’s something you’re going to be thinking about while you’re reading it,” he said. “Even after you’ve finished the book, it was something that made a strong impression on you. The concert is very similar, and in that respect, it’s something that makes your imagination travel to different places.”

   “You can sense a lot of excitement, beauty, sadness and love in the music,” he added.

   “Poetic Genius” will be performed at 3 p.m., Nov. 8 at the Hogan High School auditorium, located on 850 Rosewood Ave. Tickets are available at VallejoSymphony.org.