River Time!

Oh yes! The mercury is finally rising to seemingly unbearable temperatures, and thus comes the influx of humans, flocking to any and every source of water available to quench their bodies. It is no different here. Some news on the conditions of the Russian River:

Sonoma County Supervisors Approve Funding to finish Dams

Many of the Vacation Beach/Neeley Road/Orchard Avenue residents might be wondering what happened to the Vacation Beach Crossing/Dam? An official press release (as seen here on the Sonoma County Gazette's Blogsite) from the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors came to my inbox a few days ago, explaining the situation. In a nutshell, the county ran out of money, delayed installation, got the money approved as part of the 2011-2012 Budget and now work can commence and is expected to be done by the end of June.

There's a fungus among us

Ok, so bacteria isn't fungus, but you get the picture. Most everybody living, playing in or visiting the River are concerned with the quality of water. Now let's face it, if there's a populous of humans near a body of water, the chances of that water being "pure" of any bacterium is fairly slim (especially if that populous is of the Capitalist-lifestyle), and our river is certainly no exception. So with this in mind, we've become accustomed to these levels of "little dirty bugs" and while some have even built immunities to them, others do have a reported increase of staph-infections, strep throat and other viral ailments. So play it safe. If you aren't feeling up-to-par, have an open wound, or a compromised immune system, keep out of the water. For weekly updates on bacterial samplings, visit the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board's website.

Playin' it Safe

With the increase of body traffic on the beaches comes an increase in the need to play safely. Because of the lack of lifeguards, the adults at the beaches are inherent with the responsibility to protect the smaller bodies that enter the water. Time and time again I have witnessed babies and small children wandering into the water, unbeknownst to their parents, and I personally have had to fish their children out. And those little floatation devices? While they're wonderful fun for a child, they most certainly are NOT an excuse for a parent to turn their attention elsewhere. Bottom line: if your child is not an experienced swimmer, they should not be in the water without you or without your hawkeye on them. AND even if they are experienced, your presence should still be known to them and those around you. To the "grown-ups" around, while they may not be your children, you ARE responsible for every living thing that comes within those waters because of your capability to save them.

So, play it safe. Do the sunscreen thing, keep the booze at a minimum (do we REALLY have to have THAT conversation?), keep dogs on leashes (and clean up after them!), and of course, clean up after yourself when you leave to go home.

17th Annual Art @ the Source

One thing that I personally love about this community is the eclectic range of smaller communities that not only find their niche in the environment but also manage to coexist together. These communities, whether it be LGBT, cowboy/western/redneck, family-oriented, musicians, artists, traditionalists, etc., not only have members crossing multiple boundaries but are also what makes up what is attractive about Guerneville, and the Russian River as a whole. I for one consider myself to be a member of many of these groups, including the artist genre. Where we live, we have a constant stream of things that inspire us and being inspired by nature, we concentrate on the beauty around us. I photograph the smaller things that give me inspiration, whereas others set-up their easels on the beaches of our lazy River and paint fantastic scenes in etherial colorful hues or find inspiration in the human form and feel free to openly express it. We have every right (and need!) to celebrate this energy of the human spirit.

I'm not alone in this expression. A small group of West County artists felt the same, and 17 years ago Art @ the Source took form. Originally, local artists had the fall Open Studios tours to look forward to, but it was the Spring air and beauty where we get the most inspiration. What better way to welcome Persephone than to open the doors to your studio and allow the world inside?

Art @ the Source is a collaboration that began with a handful of artists and the Sebastopol Center for the Arts and has developed into a time-favored seasonal event, with 153 artists and 84 locations throughout West Sonoma County. This weekend, June 11th & 12th, is the last weekend where the artists in the catalog will have their studios open to the public. So, get to the source of your favorite local art. Check out Art @ the Source's website, where this year you can now search by medium, locale, and artist's name. Drop by the Chamber Office OR the Sebastopol Center for the Arts for the catalog.

River Theater is ALIVE, once again.

The historic River Theater has been Limelight home to hundreds of musicians, many of them famous, ranging from the Grateful Dead to Gwar. When Jerry Knight, new owner and proprieter of the ol' Theater, sought to purchase the run-down, formerly "FAB" Night Club building, his vision was to restore it to its original splendor, from the marquee facing Main Street to who stepped foot on the stage. So far, the theater has had a handful of performers stompin' the stage, including most recently the Pink Floyd coverband, "House of Floyd" and it seems there's no end in sight of the Entertainment list Jerry has planned.

This week marks two fantastic shows. The first, appropriately titled "Dead Ahead", A Grateful Dead Tribute Band, featuring Melvin Seals and Jimmy Tebeau from the Jerry Garcia Band (aka JGB). Thursday, June 9th "Dead Ahead" will hit the stage with two (yes count 'em, TWO) sets of mind warping, toe-tappin' bluesy tunes, starting at 9:00pm. Tickets for this show are $15 and is open for ALL AGES!!! Wanna taste of what's in store this night? Check out this video of Melvin Seals and JGB playin' Bob Dylan's "Tangled Up in Blue." And don't forget to follow up on JGB's website for their summer tour (looks like they're coming back to Monte Rio this August!).

Next up is the Fireworks Fundraiser "June Tunes". This is going to be AWESOME!!!! And I'm not just sayin' that 'cause my buddy, Mountaindawg is going to be on stage. We've got quite the collection of music happening this night, Saturday, June 11th, and you are NOT going to want to miss this! First up is local band Midnight Sun, who's reggae beats are sure to get you warmed up. Then, the meat of this delicious music sandwich, we've got Bo Gypsy on the stage, bringing you classic rock and blues riffs. And headlining the night is the popular Dgiin, who's genre can only be described at "Other". What better way to support the community fireworks show than to come out on a night on the town to the Theater, have a drink at Jerry's bar, get some serious dancin' on the dance floor, and maybe even win a Getaway from the Chamber raffle? Tickets are $15 advanced, available at the Chamber Office OR $20 at the door. Let's start off 4th of July's big BANG with this awesome show!

For more information on the River Theater or to contact Jerry Knight to book an event, please call 707-869-8022. For details on the June Tunes show, please call the Russian River Chamber of Commerce at 707-869-9000 or visit their site at www.russianriver.com.

What a Wonderful Place to be Gay

My gosh! It's hard to believe it's June, with all this cloud cover and rain! But behold! Ala, it is June, the gateway to Summertime fun, and what better way to decorate this gateway than with a giant Rainbow?

Sisters' 2011 Closet Ball

First on the "Pride Weekend" agenda is the 2011 Closet Ball, presented by the phantasmic Russian River Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. This colorful and wildly entertaining event will be held at the Rio Nido Roadhouse (located at 14540 Canyon Two Rd. in Rio Nido) from 8:00-10:00pm. This "Closet Ball" gives us closet "freaks" a chance to strut our stuff. Here's the run-down of the event, sited from the Sister's Facebook Event page:

"Our contestants will show up in their every day gender, attire, and attitude, and will be interviewed by our hostess with the mostess, Sister Saviour Applause! She will then send them, and their assistant backstage, and start a 1 hour timer. They have one hour to transform themselves into a drag queen or king! Clothes, Makeup, Wig, Shoes and most importantly, ATTITUDE!

During the hour that the contestants are transforming, members of the Russian River Sisters will be entertaining you with performance numbers, and our ever popular communion with some tasty adult punch (there will be a non-alcoholic version, too!)

The contestants will then return to the stage one by one and perform a lip-sync number in their drag persona, followed by an interview conducted by the fabulous SIster Saviour Applause!

The judges for the evening are well known and respected members of the community, drag queens and non-drag queens alike. The contestants scores will be added up and adjusted for audience cheer decibel (dB) level - yes there's an app for that!

If you would like to compete, please contact Sister Saviour Applause at sistersaviourapplause@rrsisters.org. The first three contestants to confirm will cut off the applications. Hurry and Sign UP!! spaces will fill up fast!!"

Admission to this fabulous event is $10 at the door. All funds are to be equally split between the charities, chosen by the event's contestants. And yes, it is agreed, that if you "haven't been to a Sisters Closet Ball, you are missing out!"

3rd Annual Gay Pride Parade & Celebration

This weekend marks the 3rd Anniversary of the Sonoma County Pride's presence in Guerneville. Originally held in Santa Rosa, this year, the celebration fell into the hands of local charity group the Russian River Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. A tradition that is now in it's 41st year of operation, since the first anniversary of the Riots at Stonewall, Pride Celebrations and the various parades that operate through the country carry the echos that started in the small Greenwhich Neighborhood of New York: a place where you are accepted and loved for who you are, and where you can build relationships of your choosing without repercussions by the hand of the law. We as a nation have come a long way from that fateful night on June 28th, 1969; however, there is still much more work to be done. Pride is more than an opportunity to flash your colors and strut your stuff. No. It's much, much more than that. Come to the celebrations and continue the echo of diversity and tolerance.

First is the Pride Parade!!! Yay!!!! Scheduled Rain or Shine this Sunday, June 5th at 11:00am. Donning the streets of Downtown Guerneville with every color imaginable, this parade is becoming a new favorite tradition.

After the parade, the Pride Celebration continues at the Guerneville Lodge (formerly known as the Inn @ the Willows, or The Willows). Please visit the Sonoma County Pride website for a complete schedule of events and a list of the performers.

Beginnings

It was my intention to begin the basic construction of this blog today, however the tides decided it was time to turn and make plans of their own. Now it isn't in my nature to report on bad news, however I do feel it's necessary to include the information about the suicide that took place on Guerneville's Pedestrian Bridge today. You can read my personal blog for my personal insights on the event, as well as at the Press Democrat for official details. And lastly, my heart and the heart of the town go out to the young man's family and friends who are experiencing this great loss.

Now while there are things that come to an end almost simultaneously there are things that begin. Moments after this young man took the leap off the bridge, a new life was welcomed into the world by Derrick and Minnie Sheets; many heartfelt congratulations!

New life and new creation is sprouting everyday, and today I celebrate the birth of an idea that began a few months ago. Some might be wondering, "Why a blog on Guerneville?" I've been writing the "Only in Guerneville" (formerly "What's Up in Guerneville") column for the Sonoma County Gazette (formerly the West County Gazette) for the past 18 months. I've learned through my columns for Vesta Copesakes' brilliantly put-together and brightly colored, eclectic paper, how difficult it is to cram all the goings-on of Guerneville into a mere 700 words column (even less if there's a picture). So I figured, there's SO much good, positive energy going around Guerneville (yes, let's face it, there's a fair share of bad as well), this would give not only myself a less restrictive outlet of information, but also to you, my fellow Guernevillans, to submit your articles, events, polls, etc.

And of course there needs to be some discretion with what get's placed on here. I run by the presipice of the Golden Rule (most times) and would expect that of anybody looking to contribute.

This is a rough draft of the blog's rules, and they will be subject to change as the blog starts to develop into it's own.

Rule #1: Seriously, let's be respectful. No snide or bigoted comments are allowed on the blog posts.

Rule #2: If you have an event, please make sure you've given me at LEAST One Week's notice to post it. Anything less than that is up in the air and is less likely to get posted.

Rule #3: Articles or guest post writers are welcome (you will receive your by-line for your piece), but try to make them positive in nature. This is not a forum for complaints or negative bashing of locals/businesses/etc. If you want to do that, create your OWN blog here.

Rule #4: The rules are subject to change as the blog will need to change as it get's more activity.

So, today, I launch this blog as a token of community, as a resource of information on the events and activity that Guerneville gets to experience. Check back often, as there will be daily updates.