Valor Oncology is committed to your health, healing, and lifelong vitality. Our board-certified providers deliver patient-centered care that emphasizes compassion, accessibility, and kindness – all while empowering you to live well and live healthy. In addition to advanced radiation therapy, we offer a full range of surgical techniques performed by fellowship-trained, board-certified surgeons. With state-of-the-art technology and world-class treatment close to home, we provide comprehensive cancer care with extensive experience treating both common and rare cancers.
Dr. Matthew W. Allen
Dr. Allen is a graduate of Harvard Medical School. He is a board-certified Radiation Oncologist and completed his residency at the top ranked cancer center in the country, MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is experienced in the latest radiation treatment modalities.
Dr. Lauren Strickland
Dr. Strickland completed her internship and residency at St. John Detroit Riverview Hospital and St. John Oakland Hospital in Michigan. She brings her specialized fellowship training in the treatment of malignant and benign diseases of the breast to our area.
Dr. Douglas Matthews
Dr. Matthews completed his residency in General Surgery at the University of Utah and a fellowship in Colorectal Surgery. He continues to support the community as a volunteer firefighter. Dr. Matthews sees patients in the North State.
Dr. Nick Gabriel
Dr. Gabriel is a Board Certified General Surgeon by the American Osteopathic Board of Surgery with over two decades of experience. He is an authority in his field, with Ivy League training from Yale University. He has taught surgeons nationally and internationally.
Dr. Thomas Guerrero
Dr. Guerrero specializes in treating cancer sites with radiation therapy. He completed his M.D. and Ph.D. (MSTP, biomedical physics) from the David Geffen UCLA School of Medicine in 1997 and residency training in radiation oncology at Stanford University in 2002.
Looking
up!
I move a lot. Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming, New Mexico, San Francisco… lots of bouncing around. Eventually, I moved to Redding and decided to attend Shasta College. I was living on my own, facing housing insecurity, and it was really difficult. My GPA dropped below a 2.0, and I was like, “I can either drop out or I can give it my all and see what happens.”
I started small. I started going to the gym, quit my bad habits, and quit my job. It was a really rough semester, but I made it through. After that, I was like, “Okay, I can do it. I can take on more.” Now I’m taking 15 credits, interning, and hanging out with friends who are motivated and dedicated to school!
When I was moving from state to state, the sky was the only thing that was consistent. I always found myself looking at the stars. So, when it came time to pick a major, I just kept going back to astronomy.
I’ve had some great math professors at Shasta College, like Jennifer McCandless and Cathy Anderson. Cathy helped me see math as beautiful. The MESA program, specifically Jessie Knight, has been a huge beacon of support in my life. Jessie told me I could do it when I didn’t think I could.
I had just gotten my GPA up and staged this comeback when I decided to apply for the highly competitive astrophysics
internship with the LAMAT institute at UC Santa Cruz, never expecting to hear anything back. They had already filled the three spots left, and there were at least 150 applicants by the time they got to me. They reached out to Jessie, started talking about funding, and were able to open another spot just for me. This summer fellowship is launching me right into the field I want to be in, doing research with universities in astrophysics. I would love to work at NASA or JPL. I have friends that are aerospace engineers, so I would love to be able to work with them and combine my astronomy and physics education.
My advice would be to take it slow, and go one step at a time. Set your goals high, and then it’s okay if you miss them because you’re already working towards something bigger. Shoot for the moon, and if you miss, you’ll end up in the stars!
Alayna Shasta College Knight
IMPACT NOW
THE M c CONNELL FOUNDATION
Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary
For more than three decades, The McConnell Foundation has supported Redding’s Freedom Festival 4th of July Fireworks, helping sustain one of the largest free fireworks displays in California. Featuring more than 1,700 aerial shells launched over the Civic Auditorium, the event draws thousands of spectators each year, with countless more gathering on hillsides, schoolyards, parking lots, and neighborhoods across the city to watch the show illuminate the North State sky. As the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, The McConnell Foundation remains honored to continue this tradition — celebrating our country, recognizing our veterans, and bringing communities together in the place we proudly call home.
Modoc
Siskiyou
Shasta
Tehama
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LIVING
CONTENTS
JUNE 2026 ISSUE 238
FREEDOM FOUND featured stories—
24: Kitchen Traditions Spanning 250 Years
28: Drone Show to Light Skies Above Shasta Lake
34: Jean Barton Honored for Decades Of Service
SUMMER FUN featured stories—
18: Lake Redding Regatta Returns to the Sacramento River
54: A Lifetime of Lessons with Phoebe Natina
62: Shasta-Trinity Historic Lookouts Open for Summer Stays
68: Seven Travel Essentials Worth Packing
GOOD FINDS
42: Fresh Finds at Siskiyou County Farmer’s Markets
72: How Nell Cox Built Nellie’s Nola
INTEREST
38: Local Support for Siskiyou Arts Museum
48: Beneficial Insects Raised in Shasta County
IN EVERY ISSUE
16: What I Enjoy: Shannon Phillips
76: Recipe: Mom’s Macaroni Salad
78: Enjoy the View: Frank Kratofil
80: What’s Cookin’: Cedar Plank Salmon
83: Local Events Calendar
90: Giving Back: Q&A with Butte Environmental Council
Photo courtesy of Annie Ransom
Photo courtesy of JEDI
Photo by Jessica Zettlemoyer
YVONNE MAZZOTTA publisher
MICHELLE ADAMS publisher
RONDA ALVEY editor in chief
KERRI REGAN copy editor
JAMES MAZZOTTA photography
PAUL DAVID website & social media
CATHERINE HUNT event calendar
MICHAEL O’BRIEN advertising sales & marketing manager
KEVIN GATES advertising sales & marketing consultant
It’s hard to believe, but top-notch, personal service still exists. In fact, for more than
years we’ve built our business on it. Couple that with our century-long track record of
financial stability, and you know you’ll be well taken care of. So if you’re ready to be treated like a human again, stop by or give us a call. We’re local and we’re here to help.
note from our team a
Summer seems to have a way of reminding us what freedom feels like. It’s stepping away from our routines for a while, following our sense of adventure, and enjoying these long, hot days in the sunshine.
For some, freedom is found at the end of a mountain road, standing atop a historic fire lookout with endless views and a sky full of stars. For others, freedom comes from confidence, like the kind Phoebe Natina has instilled in generations of North State families by teaching them how to swim. Sometimes freedom is creative expression, like we see at the Siskiyou Art Museum, where artists gather and ideas flourish.
Freedom is also the courage to start something new, like Shasta Lake leaders have done with Freedom 250, a drone show that will light up the skies in a new-to-us way on July 3. And sometimes, freedom is found in the simplest moments, like making a macaroni salad that fully deserves its own poem. (You’ll see what we mean later in this issue.)
As we celebrate summer, we hope you’re inspired to seek out your own version of freedom, whether it’s found in nature, creativity, community or simply making time for what matters most.
ON THE COVER:
Raquelle Lopez and Colby Saechao
Photo by Kara Stewart
Cryo & Wellness Center
Where Healing Begins at the Roots Rooted Vitality
At Rooted Vitality, we believe true wellness goes beyond treating symptoms.
Come experience a place this summer where healing, hope, and community come together.
Our mission is to help you support your body from the inside out through innovative wellness therapies designed to promote recovery, energy, circulation, detoxification, relaxation, and overall well-being.
Whether you’re an athlete, busy parent, professional, or simply looking to feel your best, our team is here to help you create a personalized wellness experience. • Whole Body & Local Cryotherapy • HOCATT Ozone Sauna
When Pie Meets Bread is open 7 days a week offering fresh baked bread, delicious pastries, espresso drinks, served daily for breakfast and lunch.
Explore our brand-new boutique featuring women’s and children's fashions, jewelry and unique gifts. With new styles arriving daily, it's the perfect place to find something special for yourself or someone you love.
We offer customized gift baskets for all occasions
Get back at it.
With spine treatment tailored to you.
When you finally treat your back pain, even the smallest victories feel big. At Dignity Health, we offer personalized spine care— including robotic surgery that can mean less pain and a faster recovery. Get back to the life you love. Connect with a spine specialist to find the treatment that’s right for you. Learn more at DignityHealth.org/NorthStateSpine.
WHAT I ENJOY
Shannon Phillips
Family: Husband, Ray; son, Andrew (Ellen); daughters, Maggie (Kort) and Holly (Weston); two granddaughters.
How long have you lived in the North State? 40 great years raising a family and enjoying fulfilling work.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT LIVING IN THE NORTH STATE?
My “happy place” is the mountains and by water. I love living in the North State because we are surrounded by both.
You’ve had a front-row seat to so much positive change in the North State. What’s a moment that made you stop and think, “This is why the work matters”? Hands down it would be July 4, 2004: The day the Sundial Bridge opened in Redding.
What’s something people would be surprised to learn you’re really good at? I’m often a cornhole champion among friends and family.
What’s the most memorable place you’ve ever traveled? A friend and I walked the Camino de Santiago from Portugal to Spain. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
If you weren’t doing the work you do now, what alternate career sounds fun? A career as a pediatrician. I would enjoy being with children all day long.
What’s your go-to comfort food? I have two –depending on my mood. Sourdough bread and butter or a chocolate chip cookie sprinkled with sea salt.
What fictional TV or movie world would you most want to live in for a week? The movie “Eat, Pray, Love.” I am a seeker at heart.
If you could instantly master one completely unrelated skill, what would it be? I wish I could master the guitar, and play any song requested.
What’s one word your closest friends would use to describe you? Supportive.
If you could have one completely impractical superhero power, what would it be and how would you use it? I would create jars full of “self-love” and pass them out freely.
COO, The McConnell Foundation
Photo by M.C. Hunter Photography
Delicious Food and Dazzling Sunsets
Dinner cruises depart twice weekly on Friday and Saturday Evenings
HOURS*
May 1–Memorial Day
Friday and Saturday 5–7 p.m.
Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend
Friday and Saturday 6–8 p.m. Labor Day Weekend through the end of September Friday and Saturday 5–7 p.m.
*Weather dependent
LAKE REDDING REGATTA RETURNS TO THE SACRAMENTO RIVER
BENEATH the BRIDGE BRIDGE
ack in 1933, the Redding tourism board invited yachtsmen, swimmers, divers, and stuntmen and women to participate in the Lake Redding Regatta, an event with prize money and lots of thrills to take place on the Sacramento River under the Diestelhorst Bridge.
Hundreds of spectators came out to watch racers rip around the course in Hydroplanes, Racing Runabouts, and Service Runabouts classes and further enjoy dances, barbecues, and good ol’ fashioned Redding hospitality. The Lake Redding Regatta continued through 1939 until the Shasta Dam was constructed and World War II happened, which changed the character of the Sacramento River. It became too cold to swim in; however, a couple of boating clubs resurrected the Regatta in 1949 and held boat races there until the 1950s.
With the advent of stand-up paddleboarding and growing popularity of kayaking, surf skis, and other crew rowing boats in recent years, Visit Redding has decided to bring the Lake Redding Regatta back. Co-founded by Danny Orloff and Tiffney Ottoboni, the 2026 Lake Redding Regatta is a two-day event held August 1-2 with performance/relay races, food vendors, live music, a classic car show and more, all held on the banks of the Sacramento River. ▶ continued on page 20
“The original Lake Redding Regatta began in 1927 and included swimming races, diving from the Diestelhorst Bridge (I do not recommend this one), a beauty pageant, a downtown parade, carnival and dances in Caldwell Park,” says the new Redding Regatta CoFounder Tiffney Ottoboni. “The modern Lake Redding Regatta has been going on since 2024 and is also evolving to include live bands, vendors, events for our local children and food trucks.”
An avid kayaker, Ottoboni met Danny Orloff when she was acting as a safety coordinator for the Sundial Splash (another beloved Sacramento River paddling event held in Redding) and together they worked with the Shasta Historical Society to research and bring the event back in 2024. “The Shasta Historical Society has been instrumental in retelling the history and keeping this tradition alive,” Ottoboni adds.
“Once I saw the sign on the Diestelhorst Bridge about the Lake Redding Regatta, I couldn’t help myself but find out more about it.
Tiffney and I always wanted to do more on the river; we have the Sundial Splash and the California River Quest, but races in the middle of the city hit home. We understand that the river is what pumps not only water throughout the city, but also pumps in this unique energy. Seeing the historic photos of the steps and stands filled with people inspired us to bring it back,” says Orloff, the tourism marketing director with Visit Redding.
In 2024, the Lake Redding Regatta had about 75 participants but this year the organizers are hoping for 100-plus racers.
“We are including more things for spectators to do besides watch the races, like including live music, face painting, more vendors and food trucks. We have the band Hook playing Saturday evening and will have another band playing on Sunday, and The Asphalt Cowboys will serve up another awesome pancake breakfast to participants and spectators Sunday morning,” says Ottoboni. ▶
continued on page 23
clinics for registered participants on Lake Redding in the weeks prior to the event to get them comfortable reading the water, and those who have never paddled the river before becoming comfortable on it,” she adds.
The river has a current making it a bit challenging, but the course does not have rapids, making it safer for new paddlers.
“Danny and I decided to turn it into an upriver event, giving participants a challenge whether they choose the short one-mile course or the four-mile one,” Ottoboni explains, adding that her goals as co-founder of the Regatta are for participants to have fun, be safe and bring the community together in a welcoming environment.
see paddlers start and finish without having to go anywhere. I can’t explain to you what a rush it is to paddle and see and hear spectators cheering you on even when you are behind the pack. The cheering is infectious,” says Ottoboni.•
Lake Redding Regatta • August 1-2 www.reddingregatta.com
Anderson is a freelance writer and coauthor of Moon Travel Guides’ Best of California State Parks and Northern California Road Trips. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from CSU, Chico and loves to read, write, and explore the North State and beyond.
Kayla
KITCHEN TRADITIONS SPANNING 250 YEARS
his summer marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, but some of the strongest connections to 1776 are not found in monuments or history books. They are sitting quietly in our kitchens.
A cast iron skillet on the stove. A rolling pin dusted with flour. A pie cooling on the counter. Fresh berries waiting in a bowl. For many Northern Californians, especially during the long days of summer, those scenes still feel familiar.
In July of 1776, kitchens throughout Philadelphia were busy places. Summer gardens were producing vegetables, berries were ripening, and families were preparing food during one of the hottest parts of the year. While the kitchens themselves looked different from modern homes, many of the tools and recipes would still feel familiar today.
The weather, however, might have come as a shock to those who spend July in the North State.
Summer in Philadelphia was hot, humid and heavy in a way many Northern Californians would probably find deeply offensive. Unlike the dry heat common across much of the North State, July in Philadelphia brought sticky air, sudden thunderstorms and lingering humidity that made kitchens feel even warmer. Open hearth fires burned throughout the day while cooks baked bread, boiled preserves, roasted meat and prepared desserts in rooms filled with heat and steam.
Anyone in Redding, Chico or Red Bluff who has stared at the oven during a July heat wave and thought, “Absolutely not,” can appreciate the challenge. But in 1776, there was no avoiding it. Bread still needed baking. Fruit still needed preserving. Guests still needed feeding.
And many of the kitchen tools being used that summer are still found in homes today. Walk through a modern kitchen and you can still find some of the same items used 250 years ago. Cast iron cookware remains popular for cornbread, roasting vegetables and summer cobblers. Wooden spoons still stir sauces and pie fillings. Rolling pins flatten dough just as they did generations ago. Mixing bowls, tea kettles, kitchen knives, graters, pie tins and aprons would all have been familiar in a Philadelphia kitchen in 1776.
A modern kitchen may also contain an air fryer, an espresso machine and three reusable water bottles nobody claims ownership of, but many of the essential tools would still look familiar to someone from that earlier summer. ▶ continued on page 26
Even now, many people prefer old-fashioned kitchen tools because they feel dependable, durable and comfortable to use. Cast iron pans, unlike avocado-green kitchen appliances from the 1970s, have never really gone out of style.
sliced for preserves and extra fruit was prepared for later months. That tradition continues throughout our rural and suburban North State where backyard fruit trees, berry patches and homemade jam are still part of summer life for many families.
Historians at places like Colonial Williamsburg and the Museum of the American Revolution note that many kitchen tools and summer recipes from the 1700s remain surprisingly familiar today because summer foods have changed less than people might expect.
Fresh berries remain one of the defining flavors of July. Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries all appeared in Philadelphia kitchens during the summer of 1776 and still dominate summer desserts today. Peach cobblers, fruit pies, preserves and shortcakes continue to appear at family gatherings and holiday tables throughout Northern California.
A traditional fruit pie from 1776 would still look familiar today: flour, butter or lard, seasonal fruit, sugar and spices baked into a flaky crust. Modern bakers may use refrigerated dough or electric mixers, but the essential dessert has barely changed.
There is also something familiar about the rhythm of summer kitchens themselves: counters crowded with bowls and ingredients, the smell of baked fruit and sugar, and kitchens warming up during the hottest weeks of the year because something homemade is in the oven anyway.
Even after a couple centuries of technological advancement, we still gather in overheated kitchens in July and voluntarily bake desserts involving fruit and butter.
Two hundred and fifty years later, some of the strongest connections to that earlier summer are still found in ordinary kitchen drawers, handwritten recipes and the familiar foods that return every July. •
Cobblers were especially practical because they required less precision than pies and worked well with fresh summer fruit. Shortcakes, layered with cream and berries, also remain deeply connected to summer.
Preserves and jams were another important part of summer kitchens in Philadelphia. Blackberries simmered on stovetops, peaches were
John Truitt writes about Redding’s civic life, downtown momentum and the brave souls who attend planning meetings voluntarily. Active with Viva Downtown, he follows local leadership, historic preservation and community vitality wherever they gather — usually near coffee, clipboards and at least one spirited debate about parking.
Freedom Takes Flight
DRONE SHOW TO LIGHT SKIES ABOVE SHASTA LAKE
n the evening of July 3, something new is coming to Shasta Lake. Not with a boom — with a hum.
Two hundred drones will lift off from the dam at 9:30 pm, climb into the summer darkness, and begin to gyrate. Bald eagle. Black bear. Salmon. Patriotic imagery braided with the wild things that make this place what it is. There will be surprises.
“We have never done anything quite like this before,” says Alicia Pizano, president of the Shasta Lake Chamber of Commerce. She’s not overstating it.
The drone show is just Day One. On Day Two — the Fourth itself — there is a full family celebration from 9 am to 5 pm, featuring Shasta Dam tours, live music, food trucks, vendor booths and a kids’ zone with free face painting.
But July 3 is the night everyone will be talking about. The best views will be from the dam or out on the water. Houseboats, boats, kayaks — the lake becomes the theater. A free app syncs music to the show via Bluetooth, either to your phone or through your boat speakers.
Matt Doyle, general manager of Lake Shasta Caverns and a driving force behind Freedom 250, has worked on the lake for 25 years. He knows the lake better than most. “I think our largest viewership will be on the lake,” he says. He’s also arranged something extra: The Lake Shasta Caverns World War II landing craft, draped with a giant American flag, will make an appearance.
The drone company piloting the show is Skye Dreams of Clovis. The company has been hosting shows for about five years and has hundreds of events under its belt. ▶ continued on page 30
“My goal is for Lake Shasta to host the largest two-day Fourth of July celebration in Northern California for years to come. The venue is perfect.”
For Doyle, ditching fireworks wasn’t a hard call. “We’ve known for a very long time that pyrotechnics aren’t allowed in the forest,” he says. “It’s a tinderbox out there.”
He’s right. California recorded more than 9,000 wildfires in 2025 alone. Communities across the West have been wrestling with the same question for years: How do you put on a Fourth of July show when the hills are dry and a single spark can run for miles? More and more cities are arriving at the same answer.
Drones don’t start fires. And over water, they’re doubled — every light in the sky has a mirror image shimmering on the lake’s surface. It is, as Doyle puts it, “a very unique visual experience.”
Getting Freedom 250 off the ground — literally — required an organizational effort that rivals the show itself. The committee includes the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, the City of Shasta Lake, the Chamber, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, CHP, Caltrans, the Kiwanis Club, the Historical Society, the Boat Owners Association, the Lake Business Owners Association, and a long list of individual businesses and community members. “This is one of the most elaborate and collaborative committees I’ve served on,” Doyle says.
Pizano puts it simply: “It’s been a total team effort.” The Chamber board, she notes, is entirely volunteer-based, and “they put their hearts into everything they do.”
At 11 am on the Fourth, the Shasta Lake Historical Society will ring a historic local bell — part of the nationwide “Let Freedom Ring” tradition dating back to President Kennedy’s 1963 proclamation. Thirteen rings, one for each original colony. The Chamber will hand out a limited number of free bells so the crowd can join in. If you have a bell at home, bring it. After the ringing ceremony, live music begins.
Both Pizano and Doyle hope this is Year One of something. “We would all love it if this were the inaugural show,” Pizano says. “It will depend on this year’s event’s success.”
Doyle doesn’t hedge. “My goal is for Lake Shasta to host the largest two-day Fourth of July celebration in Northern California for years to come. The venue is perfect.”
He’s not wrong. A wide-open lake, a dam you can sit on, and 200 drones painting the summer sky. The nation turns 250 once. Shasta Lake is ready. •
Freedom 250 Drone Show: July 3, 9:30 pm, Shasta Dam. Family Celebration: July 4, 9 am–5 pm visitshastalake.com/freedom-250
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“My goal is for Lake Shasta to host the largest two-day Fourth of July celebration in Northern California for years to come. The venue is perfect.”
Al Olson loves culinary arts, adult beverages and hiking in the North State wilderness. You may find him soaking up the scenery at one of our area’s many state or national parks or sitting in a barstool sipping a cold locally brewed craft beer.
firework festivities
Oroville
July 4
Riverbend Park – fireworks start after sunset (approximately 9:30-10 pm)
Anderson Explodes
July 3
Shasta District Fair & Event Center – food trucks, live music, gates open at 5:30, fireworks start at 10 pm
Redding Freedom Festival
July 4
Redding Civic Auditorium – Food vendors, live music begin at 5 pm, fireworks start at 10 pm
shasta Lake Freedom 250
July 3
Shasta Dam - Drone Show starts at 9:30
Lots of activities throughout the weekend
Weaverville’s Old Fashioned 4th of July Celebration
July 3
Weaverville Elementary School Fireworks start at 10 pm
Lots of activities throughout the weekend
Red Bluff Independence Day Fireworks
July 4
River Park - show begins around dusk (approximately 9:30-10 pm)
Mt. Shasta 4th of July Celebration
July 4
Lake Siskiyou – fireworks begin at 9:45 pm
Lots of activities through the weekend
Crescent City 4th of July Festival Fireworks Show
July 4
Beachfront Park, fireworks begin at dusk
All-day festival
WESTERN LEGACY
JEAN BARTON HONORED FOR DECADES OF SERVICE
ed Bluff’s Jean Barton is getting her flowers — or, more appropriately for a rodeo fan, a belt buckle — for a lifetime dedicated to ranching and rodeo. This year has been full of surprises and joys for the 94-year-old newspaper columnist and retired cattle rancher.
It started in early April when Barton was surreptitiously escorted to a front row table at the annual Red Bluff Round Up awards dinner, a location that would make it easy for her to accept the rare and prestigious President Award from John Trede, board president of the Red Bluff Round Up Association.
“Western culture is her lifeblood and rodeo is and always has been her passion,” says Trede. “She watches the Cowboy Channel every day and reports to us whatever she needs to tell us and she’s truly a premier spokesperson.” Trede credits Barton’s 60 years of weekly newspaper columns with
helping to create an increasingly sold-out audience for the Red Bluff Round Up, a rodeo that just celebrated its 101st anniversary.
“It’s a beautiful belt buckle,” says Barton of her award. “And they’ve only given six in 100 years. I was really shocked and honored and surprised.”
Barton served as rodeo secretary for the high school association for many years and still refers to the young contestants that came up through the ranks as “my kids.” While she may refer to herself as “just a fan”, she can tell you exactly where all of her kids are that moved from high school competitions into the professional rodeo circuit, and she does so with immense pride.
Many readers of the Red Bluff Daily News look forward to Barton’s Saturday column that tells the news of agriculture in the area. “I try to keep it ranch because I try to help people understand ranching,” she says. “I try to let people know about agriculture.” On Wednesdays she has a photo and beef recipe in the paper. ▶ continued on page 36
“Western culture is her life blood and rodeo is and always has been her passion.”
by
Photos
RED BLUFF SPECIAL SECTION
(530) 527-7500
Summer Fun and Travel Sale!
Something for every season and gifts for every reason are at Accents! Gifts, decor and more!
650 Main St. (530) 690-2655
Traditionally Made European Pastries
High quality pastries and seasonal desserts awaiting you at Reiter’s Bakery. Always made from scratch, organic flours and locally sourced seasonal produce. Show your support for a local small business. Shop Small, Shop Local!
What’s
Up at
A&R Custom Butchering
is shaking up the season with Variety Meat Packs the whole family will love! Scan the QR code above for details.
“It’s a beautiful belt buckle,” says Barton of her award. “And they’ve only given six in 100 years. I was really shocked and honored and surprised.”
She credits her mother with her desire to write, as well as her voracious reading habit. “My mother would go to the Salvation Army for the writing group,” she says. “Evidently I inherited that gene.”
Promoting agriculture is a mission she’s been on for decades. At the tender ages of 19 and 20, she was an International Farm Youth Exchange member, traveling 21 days on a ship to New Zealand, where she lived with 28 different farm families over seven months. “It was quite an experience,” she says, noting that she was a sophomore at UC Davis at the time.
In later years, she traveled the state and the nation in leadership roles in CattleWomen associations. “In the old days we had national beef cookoffs across the nation,” she says. “You met women from all over. You meet so many different people. Gosh, I know ladies all over the United States.”
While Barton admits that she doesn’t cook much anymore, she laughs that she was once famous in her home for what she called Taste Sensations. “In other words, I’d see a recipe, get ingredients and poor Bill would suffer through it.”
Barton came to the organizations as a bona fide cattle rancher herself. She and her husband, Bill, had commercial herds on land that was homesteaded by her great grandfather in 1874. “We didn’t have hired men,” she says. “Friends would help but it was just Bill and me.” The couple raised two girls who continue lives in agriculture and came up through 4-H.
Not long after receiving her President’s award, Barton was honored as Grand Marshal of the Red Bluff Round Up Parade. It was an honor she’d held in 2008 with her husband, who has since passed. “I knew I couldn’t climb up onto a stagecoach,” she laughs of her parade transportation. “I haven’t been on a horse in years.”
The city firefighters came through for her by bringing out Putty Putt, their 1918 fully restored fire truck. “They did the siren, rang the bell,” she says. “It was good weather that day. That was a spectacular month.”
Barton still keeps an active travel schedule and continues an annual tradition of attending National Livestock Tours with the Western Livestock Journal. This year she will put North Dakota in the books. She started the excursions in 1988 with a trip to New Mexico and has been from Texas to British Columbia on tours.
Those lucky to be on her Christmas card list have received annual letters up to 24 pages long, which she is considering collecting into a book. “It makes a good history book,” she says, noting that she keeps track of “fires, volcanoes, you name it” in her letters.
“In a way I’m overwhelmed,” says Barton of her recent recognitions. “It was quite something for this 94-year-old woman.” •
Melissa Mendonca is a graduate of San Francisco State and Tulane universities. She’s a lover of airports and road trips and believes in mentoring and service to create communities everyone can enjoy. Her favorite words are rebar, wanderlust and change.
Photos by Bob McConnell
RED BLUFF SPECIAL SECTION
Fun For The Whole Family
Not a Country Club but a club in the country! Wilcox Oaks offers golfing, swimming and fishing. Our onsite restaurant serves everything from pub food to prime rib. Wilcox Oaks is summer fun for the whole family. Ask about memberships today!
20995 Wilcox Golf Rd. (530) 527-6680
wilcoxoaksgolfclub.com
Organic Meets Durable
MonoTech Evolve, the Natural Selection for your home. 100% Organic flooring. 100% Waterproof. Pure-fectly natural and comes with a scratch proof guarantee! Come see the latest technology at Red Bluff Interiors.
570 South Main Street (530) 527-3801 redbluffinteriors.com
Are You Ready for Summer?
Bob Red Bluff Transmission has been serving Red Bluff since 1987. Stop for a fluid flush to protect your transmission from the summer heat. Bob ensures reliability and performance with every repair. We offer Reflash/Reprogramming services too!
440 Antelope Blvd. #6 (530) 529-4493
bobsperformancetrans.com
Yes, We Have Diamond Natural!
Stop in and stock up on Diamond Natural Pet Foods. Aquarium Pets has treats and toys for your beloved pet. We offer dog nail clipping and an outdoor dog wash station that is open 24 hours a day!
345 S. Main St. (530) 527-4588 AQPetsRB.com
LOCAL SUPPORT FOR SISKIYOU ARTS MUSEUM
he Siskiyou Art Museum in Dunsmuir is fairly nondescript from the outside, but once you enter the 101-year-old building, it’s like your perfect-fitting favorite clothes. It just feels right. The lighting is that balance that brings out the patina of the old wood floors and also lights the extraordinary works of regional art. The open floor plan is inviting and says come on in, there’s lots to see. The overall effect is it’s the kind of place where you can lose yourself in the world of art. The museum has two galleries, a large gift shop, a basement big enough for classes, a maker’s space where artists can work and an outdoor space behind the building where ideas for its use are spilling out faster than a tipped-over can of paint.
Dunsmuir is acutely aware of the city’s attractive location and is actively pursuing a healthy growth trajectory with its Downtown Revitalization Plan. The Siskiyou Art Museum stands as a clear example of healthy growth. With Dunsmuir’s beautiful backdrop of Mt. Shasta to the north, Castle Crags to the south, the Pacific Crest Trail to the west and the Upper Sacramento River running through it, the city has a lot to work with. It is truly nature’s paradise. The city officially claims Dunsmuir to be the “Home of the Best Water on Earth.”
Asking locals why they moved to Dunsmuir, the most common answer was, “I stopped here to visit and never left. Why would I?” Walking down the street, people smile and acknowledge each other. Being in Dunsmuir feels like stepping back to a kinder, gentler time. If the streets were lined with cars from the 1950s and 1960s they would not look out of place. You can feel yourself slowing down, shoulders relaxing, breathing a little easier. Maybe it’s that great water or the fresh mountain air or maybe that small-town welcoming vibe.
Ernie Wasson is the Siskiyou Art Museum’s board president and Lindsay Handley is the art curator, though it might be more fitting to refer to them as the dynamic duo. Under Wasson’s leadership, the board of directors (with Handley’s active participation) began a capital campaign to raise $250,000 to purchase the building that houses the museum. Peter Arth, the previous owner of the building, was retiring and gave the museum first crack at buying the building. “We put the word out, and a lot of individual artists stepped forward and gave us art to sell,” Wasson says. “The smaller donations added up and really spoke to how much local support we had. The Siskiyou ▶ continued on page 40
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“i love where i live. i love the beauty around me and i love the community i live in. i’m close enough to some urban areas where i can still get that buzz from being in a city.”
Artists Association did a fund raiser. We also got support from local businesses, the Ford Family Foundation, The Driscoll Foundation as well as the Donor-Advised Funds. Many of those were contributions from people that live or used to live in Dunsmuir who wanted to help. Many of our contributions were anonymous. We have 215 members in a town of 1,700 people, and that plays an important role in keeping us going.”
In January 2026, two and a half years after they began their capital campaign, they achieved their goal, bought the building and had enough money left over to replace the old roof and begin needed repairs. “I do think it’s really amazing that our little museum in little Dunsmuir raised $250,000 to buy the building,” Handley says. “That says a lot about our community and the respect for our artists. I’m really proud of that.” Wasson adds, “The fact that we bought the building means that we mean to be here, to stay here and be part of the downtown community.”
Handley says the rear outdoor area could be another gallery, perhaps a sculpture garden, with murals on the outside walls or a place for music or gardening classes. Wasson adds, “Now that we own the building, we can get grants to support these types of things. We have a fabric dyeing class this summer and are using the space behind the museum to grow the plants that will be used to dye the fabric.”
Handley grew up in New York City; her mother owned an art gallery and framing shop. “I took an art class and remember the teacher talking about how important it is
for students to call themselves artists,” she says. “By doing that, you’re believing in what you are. It really stuck with me. It’s a very powerful thing. People who propose a show already have their Identity as an artist. I really appreciate the high school show, because I feel like I can inspire these young people and that feels good. This year we’re doing a College of the Siskiyous student art show. That might be a place where they are more confident in their work and understand their work a little better and might be more influenced regarding their artistic future. These shows really support our museum’s mission of inspiring young people. For me, being able to do this feeds me, it really feeds my soul.”
The Siskiyou Art Museum is an anomaly in the world of nonprofits, particularly in the arts. With other nonprofits, the conversation often falls to budget cuts and staffing issues. With so much community support, the feeling is the community has rolled up its sleeves and is invested in the success of the museum. The gift shop features work from 85 artists, almost all from Dunsmuir or Mount Shasta. “I love where I live, I love the beauty around me, I love the community I live in,” Handley says. “I’m close enough to some urban areas where I can still get that buzz from being in a city.”
With Handley’s creative input, Wasson’s business savvy, the support of a strong board and an engaged community, all things are possible. The team at the Siskiyou Art Museum is like the children’s classic, “The Little Engine that Could.” It started with “I think I can,” and now it’s over the top of the mountain and picking up speed. Keep an eye on the Dunsmuir art scene. We’ll be hearing more about them.•
Writers use words to open doors to a bigger world, and Bruce Greenberg is honored by the trust people place in him to share their stories. Through his writing, he invites readers to explore the layers of diversity and experience that makes our community unique.
Siskiyou Art Museum
5824
Dunsmuir Ave., Dunsmuir
Hours: Wednesday through Sunday: noon-4pm, second Saturdays: noon-7pm Closed in January
harvest Local
FRESH FINDS AT SISKIYOU COUNTY FARMER’S MARKETS
y the time the Mount Shasta Farmers Market starts filling up on a Monday evening, live music echoes through downtown and shoppers wander between tents carrying peaches, flowers, tamales and still-warm bread. It’s one of many local farmers markets across Siskiyou County.
“There are six certified farmers markets in Siskiyou and we all partner really well,” says Nancy Swift, executive director of the Jefferson Economic Development Institute (JEDI). “Dunsmuir, Mount Shasta, Weed, Yreka, Happy Camp and Etna. Each of us has some of the same and some different farmers, ranchers, producers and crafters.”
The camaraderie has evolved into the Siskiyou Certified Farmers Market Alliance, an informal network of the six farmers markets in Siskiyou County who all have a goal to bring fruits, vegetables, meats and artisan food products to their communities. “There’s a market somewhere five days a week,” adds Swift.
For Karen McGarrah, owner of McGarrah Farm and one of the producers at the Mount Shasta market, the biggest draw for her are the connections people build. “The best findings are all the new relationships with the people growing your food fresh and healthy.”
But McGarrah also loves the variety, listing some of the more unusual things customers can find during peak season, including “scapes, Blue Oyster and Lion’s Mane mushrooms, artisan-made non-toxic makeup, non-toxic bug repellent, cutting boards that can be brought back to be refurbished over time, raw honey from very specific sites in Siskiyou County along with bee pollen, gluten-free cookies and baked goods, twicebaked biscotti, curry fish chowder, lamb, sheepskins, and plant-starts meant to thrive in our mountain-high plateau climates.”
She keeps going. “Flowers galore, jewelry made from pine cones of the region, fresh granola with crazy flavors like sesame or peanut butter, the best pumpkin pie ▶ continued on page 44
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ingredient, also known as kabocha squash. There are also chocolate flavors seen nowhere else and shaped like molten lava, tamales and sauce for a yummy dinner, eggs rich in omega-3 with photos of the hens, and even bone marrow broth soups that make you feel warm and cozy and healthy inside.”
Swift says markets became especially important during the pandemic and during natural disasters. “We were deemed essential when the pandemic closed down so much commerce,” she says. “We were first responders in part to allow farmers to sell harvests and community members to get food. And this happens too when natural disasters hit our regions like fires.”
Beyond food, Swift says the markets have become important community gathering places. “Markets are the hub of activity where ideas are shared, relationships are built, people learn so much more about the region and food is delivered as fresh as it could possibly be,” she says. “Many farmers are harvesting hours before the market and customers get to know the source of their meats.”
For McGarrah, farming for the market started with a love of gardening. “I’ve been developing my one-acre farm over the past 10 years,” she explains. Last fall, she earned organic certification through California Certified Organic Farmers after attending a workshop called “Transitioning to Organic Agriculture.” At her booth, customers line up for snap peas, green beans, summer squash, tomatoes and raspberries, and she hopes to soon add raspberry jam and fruit pies after receiving her Cottage Food Permit.
It’s the small moments with customers that keep her coming back each season. “I especially enjoy feedback, like a customer remarking that the vegetables stayed fresh all week,” McGarrah says. “Another customer showed me a picture of the pie he baked with my rhubarb.”
Programs like Market Match have also expanded access to fresh food across Siskiyou County. Swift says the Alliance secured grants through the California Nutrition Incentive Program and USDA GusNIP program that help stretch benefits for families using CalFresh, WIC, and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition programs. “This is a winwin-win action,” Swift says. “People who receive these benefits and want to spend them at farmers markets can either double or quadruple
their dollars to purchase fresh produce, edible plants, meats, honey and hot foods.”
One of Swift’s favorite market stories involved a mysterious customer quietly leaving oversized tips for vendors throughout a season. “He was so excited about losing weight and shopping at the market that he left some very generous thank-yous,” she says. “He was a secret shopper.” Another favorite story grew into something larger. “School Café was a project born out of a high school student’s desire to bring healthier foods into the schools,” Swift says. Today, the program provides vouchers to kids at the Mount Shasta Farmers Market. “Kids 18 and under get two free vouchers a season,” she says. “The little kids love it with their parents shopping.”
Swift believes the markets are part of something bigger happening across Siskiyou County, and encourages everyone to support what they can. “The certified farmers markets are part of a larger ecosystem of small-scale farmers looking to sustain their operations, and finding new ways to work the land sustainably and profitably,” she says. McGarrah agrees. “Personally, I love to enjoy lunch or dinner at a farmers market while listening to live music,” she says.•
Jefferson Economic Development Institute (JEDI) www.jedieconomy.org
Megan Peterson is a freelance storyteller who loves her family, her pets, and Northern California. Her favorite part of writing is finding flow, and she always relishes a touching human story. Aside from Enjoy, she’s typically busy writing and producing for television, having created more than 220 hours of on-air content on networks ranging from National Geographic to Netflix.
Photos courtesy of JEDI
BENEFICIAL INSECTS RAISED IN SHASTA COUNTY
ith its translucent wings and diminutive mint-tinted body, the dainty green lacewing looks like it just fluttered off the set of a Pixar movie. Run across a lacewing in its larval stage, however, and it’s a whole different vibe.
Consider it’s dining style: Its alligator-shaped body employs sizable mandibles to catch its prey, which it disables with a paralyzing venom before extracting the poor bug’s fluids.
The larvae’s favorite snacks? Primarily aphids but mealybugs, thrips, whiteflies and spider mites are also on the menu. Those also happen to be the insects and arachnids that love to munch on field and fruit crops, vineyards, produce, flowers and even marijuana plants.
The larvae are nicknamed “aphid lions,” and for good reason, considering a single larva can devour up to 600 aphids before it undergoes metamorphosis.
Which is why Crysoperla rufilabris is one of the big sellers at Beneficial Insectary, a Redding-based company that produces and distributes green lacewings and a handful of other insects and mites to clients throughout the country.
The goal is biological control, using carefully selected organisms that are natural enemies of targeted plant and
soil “pests.” By tilting the playing field in favor of the beneficial insects, farmers and horticulturists can reduce or eliminate the use of costly and harmful pesticides.
Biological control is a key component of Integrated Pest Management, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture describes as an ecosystem-based strategy of pest control that prioritizes least toxic methods first to manage pest populations and limit unacceptable levels of damage.
Sinthya Penn acquired the company in 1986 when it was located in Oak Run and focused on producing the parasitic wasps that disrupt the lifecycle of flies. In that application, the wasps lay eggs in the fly pupae; the wasps hatch, consume the developing flies and then emerge from the now-empty fly pupae to start the process all over again. Filth-breeding flies can plague livestock operations, kennels, landfills and other areas where manure is present.
Under Penn’s leadership, the company added a production facility in Ontario, Canada, relocated its headquarters to Redding and increased its line of products to become the largest biological crop protection producers in the United States, providing sustainable pesticide-free pest management for commercial growers, nurseries and animal farms. ▶
continued on page 50
Fran’s Place
In 2020, Beneficial Insectary was acquired by Biobest USA, a subsidiary of Belgium-based Biobest NV Group. Beneficial Insectary and its 170-member workforce continue to operate autonomously while benefitting from the global reach and research facilities offered by its European counterpart.
Christen Smith, who directs Beneficial’s supply chain, says 11 of the company’s biological control agents are produced in and shipped from Shasta County and the rest are imported from Belgium. Smith works with a broker at Los Angeles International Airport and contracts with bonded couriers to transport the insects and mites north in climate-controlled trucks and vans.
Beneficial Insectary also produces a variety of mites useful in controlling the species of aphids and mites that favor marijuana plants, a valuable asset for legal cannabis growers who are legally prohibited from using conventional pesticides. Smith says the cannabis market “was huge” but has recently cooled off due to competition and other market factors.
One of the locally produced big sellers is Orius insidiosus, known informally as the minute pirate bug. An “aggressive generalist,” the pirate bug uses its front legs to capture their prey (thrips, mites, aphids, whiteflies and
Greenville
Honoring Our Children with Care, Trad
ition and R esp e ct
At Greenville Rancheria Tribal Health Center, our Pediatrics Department is honored to care for your children with compassion, respect, and a deep commitment to their well-being. Located at 1425 Montgomery Road in Red Bluff, California, we provide comprehensive care for children and adolescents and are always welcoming new patients.
From Well Child Visits and Sports Physicals to convenient WalkIn services, our team is here to support your child’s growth, health, and development every step of the way. We proudly serve both Native and Non-Native families, creating a warm, welcoming space where every child is treated like family.
Our caring providers take the time to listen, understand, and partner with you—because your child deserves personalized care in a safe and supportive environment rooted in community values. We strive to build lasting relationships with families, supporting not just today’s health, but a lifetime of wellness for your child.
Appointments are available Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm.
We welcome you to join our family—call today to schedule your child’s visit and experience care you can trust.
Photos courtesy Beneficial Insectary
moth eggs) before using a sharp, needle-like beak to pierce the victim’s body and inject a paralyzing saliva. The pirate bug completes its grisly task by sucking out the prey’s liquefied insides. It is a bug-eat-bug world, after all.•
Jon Lewis is a Redding-based writer with more than 40 years of experience. A longtime San Francisco Giants fan, his interests include golf, fishing and sharing stories about people, places and things. He can be reached at jonpaullewis@ gmail.com.
Rancheria tribal health center
GREENVILLE RANCHERIA IS HELPING CREATE A SEAMLESS SYSTEM OF ACCESS TO COST-EFFECTIVE PREVENTIVE HEALTH AND DENTAL CARE FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVES.
HEALTH PROGRAMS
Family Practice
Pediatrics
Medical Facilities
Dental Facilities
Medical transport within Plumas and Tehama Counties
PARTICIPATING IN PARTNERSHIP AND MEDI-CAL MANAGED CARE AS A COURTESY, WE WILL BILL MOST INSURANCES NATIVES AND NON-NATIVES
Open for Walk-ins. Red Bluff Monday - Saturday 8am-5pm
SUMMER FUN
Summer in the North State is filled with opportunities to explore, celebrate and create lasting memories. In this month’s section, we feature local businesses that help make the season special, from outdoor adventures and unique destinations to services, products and experiences that enhance everyday life.
Whether you’re planning a getaway, tackling a project, celebrating a milestone or simply enjoying the sunshine, these businesses offer plenty of ways to make the most of summer.
Activities for the Whole Family
Just a short drive to Whiskeytown Lake and Oak Bottom Marina—where adventure meets relaxation. Camp under the stars, boat serene waters, kayak scenic coves, and hike beautiful trails. Whether you crave excitement or a peaceful escape, Whiskeytown Lake is the perfect getaway close to home!
Boat Rentals 530.359.2671
Campground/ RV 530.359.2269
Moorage 530.359.2008
whiskeytownmarinas.com
Dancing for a Cause
Kacee Gibbs, Co-Owner of Ellislaine, has been selected as one of this year’s Dancing with the Shasta Stars. The entire Ellislaine team is rallying behind Kacee to raise money for One SAFE Place. Every dollar raised helps provide safety and support to local survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and abuse. Visit ellislaine.com to learn more or to donate.
Select Super Succulents Online
Mountain Crest Gardens offers over 700 different succulent varieties for your gardening and decorative pleasure! These low maintenance, drought tolerant plants can be selected on their webpage for delivery to your front door. Besides the popular “soft” types, frost tolerant “hardy” varieties can survive the North State’s colder climate.
Fort Jones
mountaincrestgardens.com @mountaincrestgardens
A LIFETIME OF LESSONS WITH PHOEBE NATINA
hoebe Natina has been teaching Redding-area children to swim for more than 50 years. Her method is simple. Her record is extraordinary. And she has no plans to stop.
Phoebe Natina began teaching swimming at 17. She is still at it. In the decades since, she has taught thousands of children and adults to feel at home in the water and has raised nine children — nearly all of them swimmers, several
of them coaches. She has also become something of a legend in the Redding community.
Ask her when she plans to retire, and she doesn’t hesitate. “I’ll probably die in the pool,” she says.
That’s not bravado. It’s just Phoebe. She has been swimming since childhood, learned to teach from swim instructor Carl Eddington — whose niece was her best friend and with whom she grew up like family — and has spent the better part of six decades refining a method she believes anyone can learn. Not just children. Not just strong athletes. Anyone.
“There are never too many swimming teachers or swimming programs,” she says. “It is a matter of life or death. Not everybody needs to learn to play the piano. Not everybody needs to ride a horse or play tennis. But they all need to learn to read, ride a bike and swim.” ▶ continued on page 56
Photo courtesy of Swim Foundations
Rochas auto service has been serving Northern California since 1995. A free shuttle service and available financing are great reasons to use Rochas Auto Service. At Rochas Auto Service, they treat you like family and take care of your vehicle as if it were their own. Voted Best Auto Repair for the North State in 2023, Rochas is soon opening its 2nd shop in Anderson!
Energy Independence Starts Here
2506 Hartnell Ave., Redding
530.222.4390
Evergreen Solar helps homeowners harness clean, reliable energy with custom-designed solar systems built to last. Backed by Harbert Roofing’s decades of trusted service, Evergreen combines expert installation with premium technology to deliver maximum savings and energy independence. Go green, save more and power your home with confidence.
rochasauto.com
530.232.3700
evgsolar.com
License #1103998
Big Ray’s Auto Glass
Accidents Happen
Big Ray’s is a Drive in style windshield repair and replacement service. In business for over 20 years, Ray is your trusted expert on everything from the family car to crafting glass for local hot rods and street rods. Big Ray’s Auto Glass is NGA Certified ensuring top-quality workmanship. Shown here left to right are Michael, Tina and of course Big Ray!
Big Ray’s Auto Glass has been repairing and replacing auto glass for over 20 years. Local residents frequently recommend Big Ray’s for being one of the more affordable auto glass options in the Redding area.
Big Ray’s Auto Glass is NGA Certified ensuring top-quality workmanship.
1185 Hartnell Ave., Redding
1185 Hartnell Ave. Ste. B, Redding
530.226.8360
530.226.8360
Big Ray’s
At the center of Phoebe’s teaching is a technique called the vertical float — a drown-proofing method developed by Eddington, whose original drawings Phoebe still has. The approach is deceptively simple: rather than teaching strokes first, it teaches breathing. Take a breath, go under, relax, float, come back up, exhale. Repeat.
“I tell my students: you don’t have to know how to swim. You just need to know how to breathe,” Phoebe says. “This method teaches people to breathe more than it teaches them to swim.”
The vertical float is effective, she explains, because it works with the body rather than against it. Children naturally enter the water feet-first and come up head-first. The method builds on that instinct. In an emergency, a person who knows only the vertical float can survive in open water for hours. It is not a trick. It is a foundation.
Phoebe teaches it to babies as young as two or three months old, to adults who never learned it as children, to blind and deaf
“The world is mostly water. You want to be good at it. Not just OK.”
— Phoebe Natina
students, and to people with severe disabilities.
Technique, though, comes second. Before any child goes near the water, Phoebe teaches something harder: trust.
“Building trust with students is critical,” she says. “For me, it usually takes about three days with children.”
She is direct about what she expects in return. Phoebe cites Anne Sullivan, who taught Helen Keller: “Obedience is the gateway through which knowledge enters the mind of a child.” If a student tells her she’s not the boss of them, she corrects it immediately.
“When you are taking lessons from me,” she says, “I am the boss.” She describes herself as old-school on this point and is unapologetic about it. In her experience, children who listen learn. Children who don’t, don’t.
What that firmness coexists with — and what parents who seek her out, recognize — is patience and genuine warmth.
“The world is mostly water,” she tells her students. “You want to be good at it. Not just OK.”
Phoebe and her husband, Mike, have nine children. Swimming didn’t stop at the pool’s edge — it ran through the household and out the other side. Her son is a U.S. swim coach whose athletes include national- and Olympiclevel competitors. One daughter
runs a swim school in Austin, Texas, with her husband, also a coach. In Redding, two of her daughters have built a business that teaches Phoebe’s methods to a new generation.
Swim Foundations was founded by her daughter, Nina Natina, who grew up watching her mother work and later formalized that knowledge into a teaching curriculum. Last year, daughter Margaret purchased the business from Nina and took over day-to-day operations. Margaret grew up with many interests, but she always came back to swimming. For the past decade, as a single mom, she has found it dependable work, and she is still passionate about it.
“We are proud to carry forward the methods we learned from our mom and to share them more broadly with our community,” Margaret says.
The business is a hands-on one. Margaret prefers being in the pool to managing from the sidelines. She is expecting a baby this summer, which means she will be out of the water for a season — something she admits will give her serious FOMO. In the meantime, demand for Swim Foundations lessons has outpaced the number of available teachers. “We don’t even have enough teachers to teach everyone who’s coming in,” she says.▶ continued on page 59
Country Charm Awaits
Enjoy a taste of the country in a privately owned four-bedroom home nestled on the 400-acre Albaugh Ranch in beautiful Fall River Valley. Visit Lassen Volcanic National Park, Burney Falls, golf, fish or kayak nearby. Guest house reservations are available through VRBO and Airbnb. Wedding venue inquiries may be directed to ealba@citlink.net.
ealba@citlink.net www.VRBO.com/191318
Your hosts: Stephen & Elena Albaugh 530.524.3910
With exquisite views, Albaugh Ranch in Fall River Valley is the perfect wedding venue. Lush green lawns and an arbor of maple, walnut and apple trees create an intimate setting, while the backdrop of barns, fields and mountains enhance the array of photographic opportunities. Are you a wedding DIY’er? If so, consider Mitchell Grove on the temperate coast in Eureka, California.
Your local home for family fun and rugged reliability— get in touch today for the area’s best deals.
They are your neighbors. Locally owned and family operated, Boundary Waters Screenprinting brings quality, care and creativity to every project. From team jerseys to event merchandise, they help you share your message in style. They’re proud to be part of this community, supporting local causes, cheering on local teams and printing for the people who make our town great.
Strong Girl Summer
Start your Reformer Pilates journey with 3 classes for $60. Your first session is a guided introduction, followed by two open-level classes to build confidence at your own pace. Plus, enjoy a free pair of grip socks. All bodies. All levels. Always welcome.
1872 Buenaventura Blvd., Suite 2
707.218.7913
fireflypilates.com
firefly.pilates.studio
Discover Northern California’s Hidden Gem
Did you know Gaumer’s Jewelers has a Mineral and Mining Museum features over 50 years and four generations of collecting? It’s a great place to escape the summer heat while exploring fascinating minerals, gems, and mining history. Kids love the popular fluorescent rock room, and it’s a perfect stop for out-of-town guests. Best of all, admission is free and the museum is open during regular business hours.
Organization Meets Peace
Would you like some help organizing your overstuffed garage? Is there a “dumping zone” in your home that collects every miscellaneous object? The gals at Sorted are here to help you clear your overcrowded space! They have an unmatched ability to transform a space within a few hours, bringing shalom (peace) to your mind and your household. Check out their social media to see their amazing work, and give them a call today!
Serving Shasta County 530.410.6804
sortedshalom.com
sorted.shalom@gmail.com
gaumers.com
“You don't have to know how to swim. You just need t know how to breathe.
— Phoebe Natina
Phoebe Natina
By the numbers
•50+ years of swim instruction
•40+ years as a competitive swim coach
•Redding Swim Team member, 1958–1968; later served as its coach
•9 children, nearly all swimmers — several competing at the national level
•20 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren
The next generation is already circling the pool deck. Margaret’s teenage daughter has worked with Phoebe over the years and may soon begin teaching lessons of her own. “It’s still moving through the generations,” Margaret says. “From my mom to her daughters, and now to granddaughters and nieces.”
People regularly ask Phoebe when she is going to quit. She has heard it for years. Her answer has not changed. She will keep teaching as long as she is able. The water, she says, is creation. It is intelligence. “Water is God on Earth.”
She was 17 when she had her first child and carried her to the pool, playing with her until, at nine months old, the baby swam on her own. That child grew up. More children came. They swam. They taught. Now their children swim, too.
There is a line that runs from Eddington’s original drown-proofing drawings — which Phoebe still keeps — through decades of lessons in Redding, through nine children and 20 grandchildren, and out into pools across the country where Natinas are still teaching people how to breathe. Phoebe Natina is the beginning of that line.
She is still very much in the middle of it. •
Swim Foundations • www.swimfoundations.com
Al Olson loves culinary arts, adult beverages and hiking in the North State wilderness. You may find him soaking up the scenery at one of our area’s many state or national parks or sitting in a barstool sipping a cold locally brewed craft beer.
I'M ON THE Don't mind me
SHASTA-TRINITY HISTORIC LOOKOUTS OPEN FOR SUMMER STAYS
f you’re looking for a unique overnight experience without having to travel too far out of the North State, then staying in a retired and restored fire lookout managed by the U.S. Forest Service may be the perfect choice for a couples retreat or small family outing. Four lookouts (and one historic guard station) out of the eight in the entire state are in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, and although most are in primitive areas that you need to hike or have a four-wheel-drive vehicle to get to, the views from the top are worth the extra effort. All of these are available to rent in the summer through recreation.gov:
• Little Mt. Hoffman Lookout (McCloud)*
Open June through mid-October ($75/night), the Little Mt. Hoffman Lookout is a 14x14-foot wooden cabin with windows on all sides and a 360-degree wooden deck. Built in the 1920s, this tower is on top of a cinder cone on the edge of the Medicine Lake Highland. A wood stove, two cots and dining table are inside, but you need to bring your own bedding, food, toilet paper, drinking water and lighting. From its 7,300foot glass windows, you can see Mount Shasta, Lassen Peak and Mount McLoughlin, as well as Tulelake Basin and Fall River Valley.
• Hirz Mountain Lookout (Shasta Lake area)*
Available to rent out May through mid-October ($110/night), this 20foot tower within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest sits on a 3,540foot peak with panoramic views of Shasta Lake, Lassen Peak and Mount Shasta. Inside, the tower has two twin beds, cabinets and cleaning supplies, while a picnic table and vault toilet are at ground level. There is no drinking water, and pack out what you pack in. While this tower provides a roof over your head, bring your own bedding, flashlights, and be sure to have a campfire permit if you’re using a camping stove. ▶ continued on page 64
• Girard Ridge Lookout (near Dunsmuir)
Built in 1931, used until 1981 and restored in 1997, this is one of the only architectural gems of its kind left in California. The sleeping cabin ($75/night) is 13 feet off the ground (accessible by a flight of stairs) and has a gable roof with an exterior catwalk. The vault toilet is on ground level in a separate building about 30 feet away. There are no cooking facilities, water or electricity, so you have to bring your own, but you get arguably the best views of Castle Crags spires and you’re three miles away from the Pacific Crest Trail.
• Post Creek Lookout, Hayfork
This charming two-room cabin built in 1934 is a little bit easier to get to and has more amenities than the others without compromising on the views. A kitchen is equipped with a table, dishes, utensils, pots and pans, and there is a flush toilet inside the cabin and water (although not potable). You should still bring your bedding, stove and lighting, though. This guard station atop the Beegum Gorge gives overnighters nice views and vistas of the Yolla Bolly Mountains.
Sleep above the trees in a historic fire lookout and experience some of the most breathtaking views the North State has to offer.
• Forest Glen Guard Station (Weaverville area)*
Built in 1916, the Forest Glen Guard Station is the oldest building in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest but doesn’t seem that way with its upscale amenities. Available to rent from mid-April through early December ($75/night), this is less of a lookout tower than it is a two-story cabin on the ground that sleeps up to eight people. Its interior has a fully stocked kitchen, four twin beds, a double futon, indoor bathroom with a flush toilet, and space heaters which come in handy on the cooler nights. It’s next to the South Fork Trinity River surrounded by oak trees, Douglas firs, and ponderosa pines. •
*As mentioned in Moon Northern California Road Trips by Stuart Thornton and me.
Kayla Anderson is a freelance writer and coauthor of Moon Travel Guides’ Best of California State Parks and Northern California Road Trips. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from CSU, Chico and loves to read, write, and explore the North State and beyond.
Pack Leader Dog Training
Positive and permanent, Redding’s Pack Leader, led by Steven James, offers personalized in-home training using a balanced approach. Specializing in calm, confident dogs, Steve builds better relationships between pets and their owners. The exclusive 5-day Board and Train program accepts two clients at a time. German Shepherds are a specialty, with all medium and large breeds welcome.
Hope Lane,
Harbert Roofing, a certified Tesla Solar Roof installer and authorized Tesla Energy partner, has served Northern California homeowners for more than 40 years. Family-owned and operated, they specialize in residential re-roofs, new roof installations, gutters and roof maintenance. Delivering trusted roofing solutions with integrity, craftsmanship and care, Harbert Roofing protects homes with roofs built to last.
Resting in the heart of a historic mill town, the McCloud Mercantile Hotel is the ideal destination for your next vacation. Surrounded by old-growth forest, surreal rivers, lakes, and a towering snow-capped mountain, this Northern California wonderland provides the perfect locale to fish, ski, swim, hike, or just disconnect from the everyday stresses of life.
241 Main St., McCloud
530.964.2330
mccloudmercantile.com
The Scenic Route
ROAD TRIPS CLOSE TO HOME
y the time July rolls around, freedom takes on a different meaning. It’s less about fireworks and flags and more about rolling down the windows, turning up the music and heading down a road simply because you’ve never been there before. One of the greatest gifts of living in the North State is that adventure is never far away. Within a couple of hours of Redding, you’ll find charming small towns, scenic overlooks and hidden gems perfect for a spontaneous day trip. No reservations required.
1. McCloud
Nestled at the foot of Mount Shasta, McCloud is a perfect day-trip destination. Historic downtown buildings, towering pines and a slower pace invite visitors to explore local shops, enjoy lunch and venture to the nearby McCloud Falls. The three-tiered waterfall system offers easy hiking, beautiful scenery and a refreshing way to spend a summer day.
2. Payne’s Creek
Most travelers pass through eastern Tehama County without realizing one of California’s most fascinating landscapes lies nearby. Payne’s Creek serves as a gateway to volcanic scenery, wide-open spaces and the Lassen foothills. Bring a camera and enjoy views that stretch for miles.
3. Dunsmuir City Park
Known for its railroad history, Dunsmuir also offers a beautiful city park shaded by giant trees along the Sacramento River. It’s an ideal spot for a picnic, stroll or quiet afternoon. Afterwards, explore the town’s locally owned shops and historic downtown.
4. Hayfork
In the heart of Trinity County, Hayfork offers a slower pace and plenty of mountain scenery. Visitors can enjoy nearby lakes, scenic drives and the simple pleasure of spending a day surrounded by nature.
5. Montgomery Creek Overlook
East of Redding along Highway 299, overlooks near Montgomery Creek provide sweeping views of forested ridges and valleys. Pull over, take in the scenery and enjoy one of the North State’s simplest pleasures: fresh air, open space and endless horizons.
Sometimes the best destinations aren’t destinations at all. East of Redding along Highway 299, several overlooks near Montgomery Creek offer sweeping views of forested ridges and valleys. Pull over, step out and take a moment to appreciate the landscape that makes the North State special. No admission fee. No crowds. Just fresh air and endless horizons. •
Lilac Magnolia
What's in the Bag
SEVEN TRAVEL ESSENTIALS WORTH PACKING
o matter whether I’m pitching a tent in my backyard for a few days or flying halfway across the world to Zanzibar for a month, I’ve learned there are a few things to always have with me, just in case. Here are seven items to consider packing for your next adventure, and where to find them:
1) First aid kit I’ve added and removed things out of my first aid kit over the years, but my 2026 version includes water purification tablets, Tums/Pepto Bismol, bandages, healing ointments, cough drops, aspirin, lip balm, disinfectant wipes and a small tube of sunscreen.
• Find already-stocked first aid kits at REI Chico and Redding Sports Ltd.
2) Quick-dry towel Lightweight microfiber towels are great to have when camping or backpacking, as they fold up easily and take up little room in a pack. When going to beaches, Sand Cloud towels are great to have around because they are lightweight, yet cover a lot of area. Their biggest benefit is with one fell swoop, the sand comes right off them.
•Quick-dry towels are at REI Chico while Sand Cloud towels can be found online at www.sandcloud.com.
3) Dry bag When traveling around or in the water, the last thing you want to happen is for all your electronics and personal belongings to get wet, so I just have all of that in a 100 percent waterproof dry bag from the get-go. When hopping from boat to boat, island to island, my Exped Drybag Ultra becomes my purse. It’s thin and has a roll-up/fold closure to keep everything airtight and water out. And just in case it falls in the water, I know my things are protected.
• Waterproof dry bags are found at Redding Sports Ltd. And Headwaters Adventure Co.
4) Bug spray When hanging out around rivers, lakes, ponds or tropical environments, it’s common for mosquitoes to start emerging at dusk. When that happens, you want to have your guard up. PARA’KITO makes an effective mosquito spray that’s water-resistant, made of natural essential oils (better for the environment), and keeps you protected for up to eight hours. Seabow Skin, a Shasta County business, makes an all-natural, high potency insect repellant, as well.
•PARA’KITO is sold at West Marine in Redding, Tractor Supply Co., or online; Seabow Skin TICK OFF spray is sold at the Redding Farmers Market.
5) Conditioner bar Along with keeping one’s skin protected from mosquitoes and the sun, one thing I always pack with me is a solid conditioner bar. It seems like at any hotel, shampoo is always readily available, but after hours of playing in the ocean or lake, sometimes hair needs an extra element to get those tangles out. And not only are solid conditioner bars carry-on friendly, but it doesn’t make as much of a mess if the bar busts out of its packaging.
•Seabow Skin makes a shampoo bar, but the closest locally made conditioner bar I’ve been able to find is the Quench Alp Tahoe Blue conditioner bar at quenchalp.com.
6) The Luci Inflatable Solar Lantern The Luci Inflatable Solar Lantern is easy to inflate or deflate, taking up hardly any room in a backpack while providing naturally sourced light for close to 50 hours. Whether you’re camping, using it as a navigation source for the 100-mile California River Quest, or hanging it from the head of an open-air shower on an unpowered island in the Philippines, this is a must-have.
•Buy it at REI, Walmart, Amazon or Cabela’s.
7) Portable charger Since our smartphones are an essential part of how we travel now (whether it’s calling an Uber, navigating a map, or finding your hotel), a portable charger brings much peace of mind when you end up in a new place and your phone battery is on 5 percent. There are dozens of options out there now, but the one I use is the myCharge Portable Charger. This charging pack is about the size of a wallet and has built-in Lightning and USB-C cables for your iPhone and/or Android, plus a USB-A port just in case you have to plug another cable in. It weighs about a half pound and provides around eight hours of power.
• Find it at Best Buy, Target, or mycharge.com.
Other items worth packing if you have room:
✔ Vitamin gummies
✔ Travel wipes
✔ Lightweight fold-up rain jacket
✔ Blow up travel pillow
✔ Quik dry snowboard/climbing/hiking socks •
Kayla Anderson is a freelance writer and co-author of Moon Travel Guides’ Best of California State Parks and Northern California Road Trips. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from CSU, Chico and loves to read, write, and explore the North State and beyond.
Happy 4th of July
GREAT EATS BEING DISHED OUT IN THE NORTH STATE
Drive through
Walk in or curb side delivery
1790 Market St., Redding (530) 229-9449 Mon-Sat 4pm-9pm Closed Sunday vintageredding.com Find them on Instagram
or years, Nell Cox made granola simply because her husband loved it. Family members asked for batches of their own. Friends told her she should sell it. But for Cox, the recipe was just something she shared with the people closest to her. Then, a few years ago, she realized she wanted something different for herself. “I was searching for a change. This is the first thing I’ve ever done that is all mine. Damburger, which I still own with my sister, has been in my family forever, but I didn’t start it. I’m continuing a legacy, which is its own kind of wonderful. But to be able to create my own thing from scratch has just brought me
That thing turned out to be granola, and a fledgling family operation known as Nellie’s Nola. But while the business is still only a couple of years old, the original recipe that kicked everything off has had a decade to mature. “I started with a basic recipe that I found in a cookbook, which I don’t think I even have anymore,” Cox chuckles. “But when I decided to move forward with this idea of selling it, we started traveling around to different places and trying new granolas. We’d steal little ideas here or there when we liked something, and then I’d tweak my recipe a
Over time, Cox figured out exactly what she wanted her granola to be. “It’s about texture and taste together. I prefer a light and crispy granola and not the really hard crunchy stuff. And it has to have really good flavor. My original is sweetened with honey and maple syrup, so you get the honey, along with cherries and blueberries. I use vanilla and cinnamon in all of it. I just really worked at getting the flavor right.”
As the business grew, so did her experimentation. Cox introduced peanut butter granola after learning to grind her own peanut butter to get the perfect consistency. Then came sesame ginger, which people buy by the bagful. “For some reason I thought sesame ginger sounded really good, so I tried it, and it worked right away. I added crystallized ginger after baking it, so you get little kicks of ginger here and there.” ▶ continued on page 74
“It’s the best moment when someone samples it for the first time. Even if they don’t buy it, I love getting that first reaction because people are surprised by it.”
Cox also offers two “power granolas” featuring pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and puffed quinoa for added protein and nutrients, including one chocolate version made with cacao powder and locally produced chocolate from Weaverville’s AhHome Chocolate. The granola bars followed about a year ago, developed with help from her husband Matt. “He actually came up with the bar recipe,” Cox says. “So when we started making those, we make them together.”
The business has become a family project in other ways too. “Our child, Maggie, who lives in Portland, designs the labels, stickers, and artwork for the brand. They’ve been my artistic eye, so it’s been really nice to have that connection with them,” Cox says. The satisfaction of building
Nellie’s Nola has also tapped into deeper childhood memories. “My mom was a creator. We moved to Hawaii when I was 10 so she could sell T-shirts she made out of a cart in Lahaina. I have really good memories of sitting at booths and selling things. It was just such a nice community.”
That same feeling still drives Cox today. While California customers can order online and either ship or pickup their orders during business hours at Damburger, she loves selling face-to-face. “I love farmers markets and festivals. It’s creative, but it’s also community, especially at the farmers markets and craft fairs.” But even as demand continues to grow, Cox says she has intentionally resisted expanding too quickly. “I started this as more of a quiet business for myself. I didn’t want to be busy 24/7, seven days a week. I really have
to watch myself because I want to sign up for every market and festival, and then I realize, oh, I actually have to make it all, too.”
Cox’s slower approach has also helped preserve the homemade quality that customers expect. And while she laughs at the idea of bragging about her own recipes, she admits there’s one thing she feels genuinely confident about. “It all really tastes good,” she says. “It’s the best moment when someone samples it for the first time. Even if they don’t buy it, I love getting that first reaction because people are surprised by it.”
That may be because Cox believes she’s found a balance many other granolas miss. “Of course everyone wants granola to be healthy, but sometimes they go too far on the healthy side and compromise flavo •
Nellie’s Nola • www.nelliesnola.com
Peterson is
and
part of writing is finding
and she always relishes a touching human story. Aside from Enjoy, she’s typically busy writing and producing for television, having created more than 220 hours of on-air content on networks ranging from National Geographic to Netflix.
Megan
a freelance storyteller who loves her family, her pets,
Northern California. Her favorite
flow,
Photos courtesy of Nell Cox
Group
We regularly advertised in Enjoy, plus 2 other places. We only heard from people who saw us in Enjoy. Our estimate is that 40% of our business comes from enjoy. Mostly Redding. We are back on board.
O, humble bowl of macaroni salad — not the bougie kind with sun-dried tomatoes, not the foodie version with shaved fennel and a vinaigrette made with ingredients found only in Tuscany. But YOU. The real one. The cold one. The one that has been sitting in the fridge since yesterday and somehow got better overnight.
Praise be to the elbow macaroni, that perfect little curved tube, that modest pasta shape that never asked to be anything more than what it was, never tried to be a rigatoni, never aspired to the status of pappardelle.
And the mayonnaise. Let us speak of the mayonnaise. Not aioli. Not a “light herb emulsion.” Mayo. From the jar. The big jar. The one with the blue lid that Mom scooped from with a rubber spatula, scraping every last bit from the sides because waste was not something that happened in Mom’s kitchen.
She added it generously. She added it without apology. She stirred it in with the authority of a woman who had made this a hundred times before and would make it a hundred times again and did not need a recipe, had never needed a recipe, because some things live in the hands, not on the page.
ingredients
• 4 cups elbow macaroni
• 1 cup mayonnaise (a little less or more, depending on your taste)
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper or ground white pepper
• ½ tsp. celery salt
• ½ medium red onion, finely chopped
• 2 large stalks celery, finely chopped
• 4-6 chilled hard-boiled eggs, sliced or chopped
Then the celery — those thin little half-moons, cool and pale, offering the faint promise of crunch. An actual vegetable, added not for nutrition but for texture, for conscience, for the ability to say, ‘There are vegetables in this.’ And the red onion, diced small enough to be everywhere and nowhere at once, lending its quiet sharpness to every bite like a rumor that can’t be traced back to anyone.
The hard-boiled eggs, sliced or chopped depending on her mood that day, yellow-centered and patient, tucked in among the elbows like little suns in a pale galaxy.
It was never elegant. It was never meant to be. It was served out of a Tupperware container at a picnic table, beside a bag of potato chips, beside paper plates that bowed under the weight of everything piled on them.
It was summer. It was always summer. There were flies buzzing somewhere nearby and Dad was grilling hot dogs or burgers and kids were darting through the sprinklers and no one had anywhere to be and no one checked their phone. Imagine.
O, basic macaroni salad — you asked for no praise and deserved all of it. You were never the point of the meal. And yet, you were always the point of the meal.•
direction
Step 1: In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, salt, pepper and celery salt. Stir in the cooked macaroni, red onion and celery. Then gently stir in the hard-boiled egg.
Step 3: Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Don’t even think of tasting it until it has been chilled for 4 hours — preferably longer.
Al Olson loves culinary arts, adult beverages and hiking in the North State wilderness. You may find him soaking up the scenery at one of our area’s many state or national parks or sitting in a barstool sipping a cold locally brewed craft beer.
BALD EAGLE FROM LOWER KLAMATH NWR
Frank Kratofil enjoys spending time with his family, friends and patients and he enjoys time in the outdoors. As a young man, Frank was legally blind. Two successful corneal transplants encouraged him to photograph the magic in nature... beautiful colors and the delicate balance of nature, animals and humans. Find him on Instagram @frankkratofil
Fresh summer flavors shine in this cedar plank salmon recipe. Smoky cedar, bright lemon and a rich balsamic vanilla glaze create the perfect balance of savory and sweet. It’s a simple yet impressive dish for warm evenings, backyard dinners and summer gatherings. Enjoy!
SALMON INGREDIENTS
• 1 untreated cedar plank (about 6x14 inches)
• 2 to 2½ lbs. salmon fillet, skin-on
• 2 T olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• Fresh thyme or parsley for garnish
• Sliced lemon
• Lemon wedges
GLAZE INGREDIENTS
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 T honey
• 4 T butter
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS
Step 1: Soak the cedar plank. Place the cedar plank in water for at least 1 hour before grilling. Keep submerged with a heavy bowl or pan.
Step 2: Make the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, honey, garlic and salt. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the saucepan and add the pod as well. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced. Lower the heat and whisk in the butter one tablespoon at a time until smooth and glossy. Remove the vanilla pod and set aside.
Step 3: Prepare the salmon. Preheat grill to medium heat, about 375–400 degrees. Slice the lemon and place on the soaked cedar plank. Pat salmon dry and place skin-side down on top of the lemon slices. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika.
Step 4: Grill the salmon. Place the cedar plank directly on the grill grates and close the lid. Grill for about 10–12 minutes. Brush generously with the glaze and continue cooking another 5–8 minutes, brushing once more near the end, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork. Remove carefully from grill.
Step 5: Serve. Top with fresh herbs and serve with lemon wedges.
TIP: If the cedar plank begins to flame at the edges, lightly mist with water from a water bottle.
local events
CALENDAR
JULY 2026
FEATURED EVENTS
July
3rd
anderson
July 3
• Anderson Explodes, Shasta District Fairgrounds, 1890 Briggs St., 5:30pm gates, 7:30pm concert, 10pm fireworks, find them on Facebook
July 8, 15, 22, 29
• Mosquito Serenade, Anderson River Park, Sierra Pacific Industries Amphitheater, 2800 Rupert Road, 6pm, www.ci.anderson.ca.us
July 11
• Shasta Valley Shredfest 2026, Shasta District Fairgrounds, 1890 Briggs St., 10am-9:45pm, www.visitredding.com
July 21
• Sunset Through the Trees Racing, Anderson River Park, 2800 Rupert Road, 7pm, www.midniteracing.net/sunsetthrough-the-trees
burney
July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
• Farmers Market, Burney Safeway, 37264 Main St., 3-6pm, www.reddingfarmersmarkets.com
• Chico Wednesday Farmers Market, North Valley Plaza Mall parking lot, Pillsbury Road adjacent to Trader Joe’s, 7:30am-noon, www.chicofarmersmarket.com
July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
• Thursday Night Market, Downtown Chico on Main and Broadway St. 6-9pm, www.downtownchico.com
July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
• Chico Friday Night Concerts, Chico City Plaza, 418 Main St., 6-8pm, www.downtownchico.com
July 4, 11, 18, 25
• Chico Saturday Farmers Market, Downtown Chico municipal parking lot, 2nd and Wall streets, 7:30am-1pm, www.chicofarmersmarket.com
July 4
• CARD 4th of July Parade, Downtown Chico, 132 West 4th St., 9am, www.chicorec.gov
July 5, 12, 19, 26
• Chico Sunday Farmers Market, Farmer’s Brewing Restaurant and Taproom Parking Lot, Mariam Park, 9am-noon, www.chicofarmersmarket.com
July 11
• Slice of Chico, Downtown Chico, 10am4pm, www.downtownchico.com
• July Movies in the Pool: Shark Tale, PV Pool, 2320 North Ave., 7-10pm, www.chicorec.gov
• Farmers Market and Live Music, Washington and Pine streets, 5-8pm, www.redbluffchamber.com
July 4
• 4th of July Fireworks Show, River Park, 555 Washington St., www.redbluffchamber.com
July 4, 11, 18, 25
• Downtown Farmers Market, River Park, 555 Washington St., 8am-noon, www.redbluffchamber.com
July 11
• Sizzling Summer Spectacular, 1500 South Jackson St., 10am-4pm, www.redbluffchamber.com
redding
July 1-31
• Rise and Shine Kayak Tour, Oak Bottom Marina, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, 9am Friday-Monday, www.nps.gov/whis/planyourvisit/ rangerprograms.htm
• Whiskeytown Lake Paddle Board Adventure, Brandy Creek Beach Lot B, 14412 Kennedy Memorial Drive, 1:30pm Friday-Monday, www.nps.gov/whis/ planyourvisit/rangerprograms.htm
• Kids Night: Back in Time (Dinosaurs at Dusk; Zula Patrol: Down to Earth), 6pm
July 24
• Family Night: Amazing Stars (Black Holes; Secrets of the Sun), 7pm
the dip
www.thedipredding.com
July 10
• The Doohickeys, 8pm
July 11
• Blair Crimmins & The Hookers, 8pm
July 14
• TAE & The Neighborly, 8pm
July 17
• Kyle Smith and One Sol, 8pm
July 25
• BOOZEWA and Roman Red, 8pm
July 31
• Not Your Babe, Alvord Brothers, and Brother Luke & The Comrades, 8pm
theatre on the ridge
www.totr.org
July 23-31
• “Play it Straight,” 7:30 ThursdaySaturday, 2pm Sunday
trinity alps performing arts center
www.tapaconline.org
July 3-5
• “American History in 60!,” 3pm Friday, 7pm Saturday, 3pm Sunday
July 12
• Richard Gilewitz, 4pm
July 19
• Iona Fyfe, 7pm
turtle bay exploration park
www.turtlebay.org
July 1-31
• Blurred Boundaries: The Art of Merryll Saylan, Museum Hours
• POPnology, Museum Hours
• Animal Power, Museum Hours
• Wings of Summer Butterfly House, Museum Hours
• Walk on the Wild Side Animal Show, 11am & noon
• Water Wonders, 2:30pm, WednesdayThursday
July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
• Little Explorers, 10-11am
July 4
• Charlie Rabbit and Friends, Turtle Bay Garden Nursery, 10-11am
• Happy Birthday America, 10am-noon
July 6
• Venom Show, 11am
July 6, 13, 20, 27
• Creature Feature Encounter, 1:30pm
July 11
• Family 2nd Saturday, 10am-1pm
July 18
• Plant Talk: Hugelkultur, 10am-noon, Turtle Bay Garden Nursery
• Science Saturday, 10am-1pm
July 25
• Art Lab, 10am-1pm
• Guided Garden Walk, 10-11am
win-river resort & casino www.winriver.com
July 4-26
• Overtime Live DVJ, Friday and Saturday, 9:30pm
July 11
• Capital City Card Show, 10am-6pm
July 18
• Slap Wars, 7:30pm
Discover what’s happening next at EnjoyLocalEvents.com
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HOW TO GET YOUR EVENT ON THIS CALENDAR
If you’d like your event to be listed in this section of Enjoy magazine, please post it on our website www.enjoylocalevents.com by the 1st of the month— one month prior to the next magazine issue. For example, a May event will need to be posted by April 1.
WHAT IS THE MISSION OF THE TEHAMA COUNTY MUSEUM FOUNDATION? The museum exists for the purpose of providing education, inspiration and aesthetic enrichment for all people through exhibition and explanation. The Museum’s goal is to educate and enlighten people about the history and cultural aspects of Tehama County.
WHEN WAS THE MUSEUM FOUNDED? In 1980 the Tehama County Museum foundation was created by a group of local citizens to preserve and exhibit artifacts that represent the cultural heritage of Tehama County.
givingback
Q&A WITH TEHAMA COUNTY MUSEUM
HOW MANY VISITORS DOES THE MUSEUM WELCOME EACH YEAR? The Tehama County Museum averages approximately 750-1000 visitors per year.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ARTIFACT OR DISPLAY IN THE MUSEUM? The museum itself is our greatest and most prized artifact. It was constructed (1859) and is on the national registry of historic buildings. The Tehama County Museum offers a wide range of exhibits so it’s honestly difficult to have a favorite. Some of my favorites include the Chinese of Tehama County exhibit, the Tuscan Springs exhibit and the Luning’s Legacy: Tehama County’s First Surveyor. I love it when the museum has quilt displays and there is a beautiful exhibit of artwork by local artist Nelda Babb called the Birds of a Feather collection. There’s really something for everyone!
HOW DOES THE MUSEUM HELP PRESERVE LOCAL HISTORY? The Tehama County Museum collects, preserves, and shares local art, tools, historical artifacts and so much more. The museum has an
inventory of every item in the collection as well as documentation about how the museum acquired each artifact and how that artifact relates to Tehama County. A proper inventory, index and method of storage of materials to prevent degradation is imperative. The museum shares this collection with the public through regular presentations, events, tours, and our annual history Rendezvous.
INONESENTENCE,WHYSHOULD SOMEONE VISIT THE TEHAMA COUNTY MUSEUM? TehamaCountyresidentsandvisitors toTehamaCountyshouldvisittheTehama CountyMuseumtoexperiencethesheerpleasure ofsteppingbackintimeandexploringTehama County’srichhistorywiththeguidanceof enthusiastic docents who are available to answer questionsandsharelocallore.
APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY VOLUNTEERS SUPPORT THE MUSEUM EACH YEAR? At this time, all the work done at the Tehama County Museum, apart from an office manager who is contracted to work 10 hours a week and a part-time custodian, is done by less than 20 volunteers. These volunteers include docents who give tours on Saturdays, an archivist, and the board members. The volunteers do everything from ground maintenance, cleaning, advertising, public outreach, preservation, event planning, you name it, we do it. We are passionate about what we do, and we believe in the importance and significance of Tehama County’s rich history. If not for the work of volunteers, the museum would not exist and much of our history would be lost.
HOW CAN COMMUNITY MEMBERS GET INVOLVED? Community members can volunteer to help! Please contact the museum for specifics: Address: 275 C St, Tehama, CA 96090 Phone: 530-384-2595 Email: tcmuse@tehama.net or visit our website: https://tehamacountymuseum. com/contact/. The community can also donate money, become a member, and make a point of visiting the museum. The Tehama County Museum receives no state or government monies. We keep the doors open through the aid of grants, donations, memberships, and volunteer work.
IS THERE A SPECIAL EVENT OR PROGRAM COMING UP THAT YOU’D LIKE PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT? There a several presentations coming up over the summer months. Our big special event is the Tehama County History Keepers and Seekers Rendezvous being held on Saturday September 12, 2026, from 10-2 p.m. This is our big fundraiser for the year. We will have multiple booths, music, food, raffles, exhibits, and so much more. The goal is to make this a very special presentation for the 250th birthday of America and the 170th birthday of Tehama County. Please come and celebrate with us! I have attached a flyer with this questionnaire.
